Welcome the NFL Daily presented by Draft Kings Sportsbook, where we're always moving the sticks beyond lucky today to be joining the Chris Wesley Podcast studio by my friend Patrick Claybonn and somewhere in sunny San Diego, Daniel Jeremiah.
Thanks Daniel for joining us.
Oh, it's nice to be with you, guys. It is very sunny, by the way. I don't know how it is up their way up north in Los Angeles, but it is a hot one today.
It is beautiful. It's hot here too, you know. Look it's hot in the studio whenever Patrick's here. He's coming up straight from Studio five where he's doing Fantasy Live. He's going to be with us every single Wednesday. Daniel not, but hey, it's week one. We wanted to go big on this show, and we were able to book Daniel for this week for half the show, too big time to stay for the whole show.
But we think we got him and he's feeling he's feeling good.
He actually looks like he styled his hair a little differently, so it's the first time he's changed his haircut since middle school.
No, there's no product, there's no product whatsoever. I don't have enough hair to warrant product. So this is just this is what we get here. But you know this is like, this is like me showing up at the SATs taking the English and leaving before math starts. That's that's basically what our setup is.
You could just app a cadaba the math section like I pull it out, you know, just mirrors happened.
I should I should have done that. The English was strong, Math not not as strong. But we're going to be doing math today. We're going to be uh, you know, going over all the games. We're going to be doing it by order of point spread.
Patrick.
We're gonna we're going to pick some survivor picks. We're going to give analysis. Hopefully we'll make you laugh.
Yeah, it's going to be all of the fun things. And you know, just so we know how to prioritize things, We're going to start with the spreads that are a little bit tighter, uh, and work our way towards the big ones, the ones that that maybe you know, you kind of get that and it's like, well that's too much for mable. But we'll trying to put context on all of them. And let's just go ahead and get started, because you guys, you already hit the opener. We you
know Jackson Mahomes not not Patrick's brother. You know the matchup with the two guys one four last six MVPs. Let's go to Su Paulo Brazil game in Peacock on Peacock at Arena Corinthians. It's the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles, a couple of teams that have had some overhauls changing up defenses.
Greg your thoughts, Yeah, I want to know just because it was the last time we saw him with this Eagles team. Like does Nick Sirianni have answers and does Kellen Moore have answers to the blitz? And you think about what Jeff Hafley did at Boston College, and DJ, you're the perfect person to tell me about it, because frankly, I don't know. I read it's a lot of man coverage.
He's going to get creative. But you would think DJ that they're gonna make Jalen Hurts and Sirianni and Kellen Moore show that they can answer the questions that they really couldn't at the end of last year where they just couldn't deal with pressure as a quarterback, as a system, as an offensive line.
Yeah, I mean, look athletes' zom that's what he's gonna do. He's going to try and go nose and nose and challenge these guys on the perimeter. But I don't know. I mean, I don't know that they have the horses to go after these wide outs for the Eagles. If they do, I think you'll see a little bit more of a vertical passing game from Kellen Moore than maybe we saw with him with the Chargers. If they're going to force him do that, he's going to have to do that, and I think they can win those one
on one matchups. So to me that if I'm looking at this game, I'm more fascinated to see what it looks like on the other side of it, just to see. Can you know, we talk about offensive line and pressures. I think this Eagles defensive line is going to be outstanding once again, and I think you're going to see
these young DT's. Everything that I've heard and talking to folks out there is like this is the next step year for those guys, and that is a nightmare for an offense with the speed they have off the edges. If they get those two young DT's rolling those Georgia Bulldogs going, that takes this defense to another level.
With Vic Fangio, a team that's gotten to the quarterback pretty quickly the past few years. Of course, a big time departure. They go ahead make the trade with the Jets to kind of alleviate that on both ends the incomes of Jet. Out goes a Jet who we don't know it's gonna play for the Jets. But you've got the.
Burd you're saying when he's a Jet, he's not a Jets threw and through.
Is that what you're saying? Essentially all things not Jets in this particular exchange with the Eagles and the Jets. But the Bird's favorited by two and a half. Jeff Hafley and Xavier McKinney come in big time additions. Halfley working a whole lot with the secondary. So I was able to be at Packers camp talk to Xavier McKinney. Yeah, thanks, You know, I occasionally leave this and mckinn like I made the saban allegate, like the the the idea, like
two coaches, both head coaches. I would like to work with the secondary, and X didn't push back on that at all, and so that makes me hot. But it's just tough as tough, as DJ said, to kind of think about all the ability that the Eagles.
Have on all right, they are just so talented if you just stack up all their players, and yet, like there are a lot of questions about this team on defense, especially DJ, like Devin White doesn't make this trip. Something little strange going on there. There's some reporting in Philadelphia Jeff McLean in the Philadelphia Choir that he wasn't necessarily going to start. He hadn't been listed with an injury before.
So that's just a situation to watch. It's going to be Nikobe Dean, It's going to be the former Saint Zach Bond. That's maybe an area of the field that you would think Matt Lafleur with all those receivers that they can flood and the tight ends. I got Luke Musgrave as my backup as my backup on my fantasy team, just a backup at the guy on the bench, and then you have wayscober Dejene gonna get in the mix.
Quinion Mitchell was in the slot but can also play on the outside, and just everything is so different here first week, Like I favor the Packers offense, I kind of fake favor the offenses on both sides of the ball and figure, this is going to be a score fest.
Yeah, it's gonna be fun, I would say. On the linebacker front, I feel uh somewhat relieved because I was in the Kobe Dean sponsor come into the draft process,
so elicited the comparison. I believe I hit him with the little Jonathan Vilma as an undersized like nerve center player who has just got unbelievable instincts and as a communicator a leader like I obviously wish he was a little bit bigger, maybe a little faster, but that's the type of player I thought he could be, And by all accounts, he had a great camp and the lights come on there. So I'm hopeful that that linebacker group with Greg you're a little bit concerned about him, I'm.
Yeah, crazy bugaboo that like the egos are great at doing a lot of things.
But they don't take linebackers early.
Right, But they also haven't figured out how to get productive play. And then when they had some productive play, a couple of years ago with Kaisier. White was solid at a tough moment in the in the Super Bowl. They had good line Becker play last year and then they just let him go and it was it was trouble.
Well. How appropriate because the comp for the DJ had Jonathan vilma is on the call for our next game. All right, as the Giants look at that, Giants getting a point and a half going up against your guy, Greg, Sam Donald, It's finally beginning in the Minnesota Vikings. Greg, not my guy.
I'm sick of that.
I am well because it's a rare case where so many smart people have been bamboozled for a year after year and they're they're holding on to this one take that they have.
And it's not just you, Daniel. You know how much I respect you.
I respect Nate Ticeon, respect me, the Cimes, I respect all the people who love this guy.
And yeah, like he's got to be fine.
It's a good situation and I think this is a nice matchup for him, but it's against a pretty good defensive line.
So can you protect Sam Donald?
Is always the question because if you can these Giants cornerbacks and I like the Adori Jackson signing because they needed help help. But come on, this matchup, Jordan Addison is going to be out there, and there's just so yeah, the best wide receiver duo maybe in the entire NFL.
I like Jalen Naylor. I think they're going to be fine.
They're going to be able to protect Arnold and they'll be able to move the ball against the Giants.
So there's a difference, right. I think blindly optimistic is the way that Greg is describing this thing, Patrick, where I think cautiously optimistic is a more accurate portrayal of those of us who really liked Sam and have given into the fact that he's not going to be what we hoped he was going to be, but yet holding on very strongly to the belief that with everything else around him, that he can plug and play and be enough. And that's where I am with Sam. So I'm hoping.
I'm hoping for him, And look, I don't know you could have a better situation in terms of the offensive line. I think is really good. Deris how by the way, I don't know that everybody understands just how freaking good that dude is. But they're really good upfront, with the additions in the backfield, with Aaron Jones, go on, with the bevy of receivers and tight ends that they have. It's all there for him. I don't see. It's hard for me to just envision it not being somewhat successful.
So I'm optimistic there. Then you go over to the Giants side of things. Here's a question for you, Patrick, I'll go to you on this month the Giants. If the Giants are going to be even a five hundred team, can they be a five hundred team if the defense isn't a top five defense in the REFL.
No, unless Malik Neighbors goes absolutely bananas, and I drafted him, by the way, and you should have my fantasy team, because I think the volume is going to go. That's because even with Saquon right, the Giants average three point seven expected yards per carry last year is the second lowest in the entire league. And I'm looking at this this overall number, I said, the Giants getting a point and a half overall numbers forty one, and I'm looking at both of these. Do you think we get there?
Greg?
I think you know.
If you check out game debut on NFL Network with Patrick and I think, yeah, I will be going less on this game when we do the more or Less segment because these lines are really good, Like the Giants defensive line after adding Burns, they were already good when you had two difference makers. I think Kevon Thibodeau got better last year and is going to continue to get better. And with Dexter Lawrence, the Vikings have a strong line on the interior, maybe not as strong as at the
tackle position. And then on the flip side. You know, when I look for surprise teams, I do look for like all right, who's got a pretty good O line D line combo. Those teams tend to be surprise teams, and the Giants feel better whether they're right or they're wrong, with the moves that they made this offseason. They have never been as confident, their fans, their coaches, everything in
their offensive line. We are only used to seeing Daniel Jones behind a bottom five offensive line, and on paper, they might be average, and if they're average, they'll be a respectable offense this year. But this is a big test, going against Brian Flores and everything that he's gonna throw at.
I also think it's going to be when you have Dable in a crucial year for him, it's going to be hard for him not to take that carrot that's dangling in front of him. In terms of using Daniel Jones, maybe a little too much in the running, I think that's going to be. I mean, this is all hands on deck. We need to win football games, and it's hard for me, just personnel wise, to see them putting up points. Patrick if Daniel Jones running the football isn't a big part of what they're doing.
Which puts a lot on dimes. I know he's added the beard up. We're coming off a full cruise shit repair.
I'm I think he'll be better this year.
I don't think Daniel believes in that he was given some Drew Locke pop I noticed on to Move the Sticks podcast.
I said, I said that, I think he I thought Drew lock would have a chance to win. I think I said that right, So I thought he would have a chance to win the job, which is a literally a board shorts and flip flops podcast summer take, which.
I don't think. No, no, I didn't.
I just didn't think I thought it was pretty harmless like this is just an opinion of the way that Daniel Jones is played, and I think, you know, you look at Drew Lock coming in, like is this the craziest thing in the world to think that Drew Lock could eventually end up getting snaps here? And then I got hit with the barrage of like national media like hey, can you come on this show? And I'm like, man, there must be nothing going on right now. If this is making this kind of waves.
I'm going to take a little credit for that because I think I was listening the move the sticks and I put a tweet out yeah, quoting yes, and honestly it got a lot of pops, So thank you.
DJ.
I did want to just quickly mention before we move on from this game is a big game for both teams. Sneaky bick I like the Vikings in this game. The Giants start with the Vikings and then at Washington. Sometimes the schedule maker gives you a chance to restart start the season. Well, that's that's a winnable stretch here to
start for the Giants. The Vikings after this game have forty nine Ers, Texans, Packers, Jets, Lions, Rams, Colts in a row that is brutal, So to me, they kind of got to win this game to get a little cushion.
Yeah, good luck out there. So it's looking for a quarterback. Here's a quarterback. It's going to be on the call. Tom Brady on the call, Kevin Burkhart, Aaron Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi as the Dallas Cowboys are at the Cleveland Browns, who were given up two and a half points the overall number forty and a half DJ. This is a Browns defense that was stout Miles Garrett back in healthy. How do you view this matchup?
I'm curious to see how Jim Schwartz is going to do it because you know, traditionally he likes to just let the four guys go. And then in the playoff game last year, Houston right, and it did not go well in the back end. They got really really exposed. They were dinged up, they were injured on the back end. But I think personally, I think they can get home
against this Dallas Cowboys offensive line with four. If they can do that, it's going to be a long day for the Cowboys, especially because I'm still just trying to figure out where the rest of these targets are going to get funneled outside of CD, which is another reason why that holdout was so bizarre to me, because I'm like, literally, he holds all the cards. He might be, you know, he might be the most they might be the most
individually wide receiver dependent offense in the entire league. So I don't know where the rest of that's going to emerge from. When I was out there at camp, I had. I had my doubts and my concerns. So if Cleveland can get home with four and then they can dedicate coverage to the guy you're looking at in the screen right here in ceedee Lamb, I don't I don't feel great about the Cowboys offense in this game.
Now.
I went back and forth because these are two teams. I don't really believe in either of them, at least relative to their expectations over the course of the season. But yeah, Week one and you're throwing a rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton against Miles Garrett.
How's that for?
Like a first game and a rookie center having to deal with the calls against It's just it's a lot to ask, they would tell you, Jake ferguson DJ and Jalen got that's where the ball's going, which, yeah, that's that's not deep. And this is one of those games, Patrick's where it's like it just feels like a very much an extended preseason game. That's what September is like for a lot of teams, but especially these teams. I
don't know if Jack Conklin's playing this game. You know as we tape this that he wasn't seen really at practice, but Jedrick Wills might be returning. Gregory Newsome, Dalvin Tomlinson, Amari Cooper, and Jerry Judy were out of practice. Barely any of these guys practiced at all in August, so they're just ramping up and then we have CDs coming
in after just you know, barely playing. We have these rookies for the Cowboys, including at cornerback, like that's kind of slipped under the raver that radar that it's going to be Kaylan Carson who's stepping in as a starting go So all these rookies who have never played like at an NFL level, Mike Zimmer back in the league for so it just feels like it's a feeling out game. That will probably overreact to one way or another.
Well it's the Dallas Cowboys, so's it's a guaranteed overreaction regardless. But I think we can't just assume that this Cowboys defense is going to have a defender have a generational performance in the secondary year after year, especially now that the Dan Quinn's gone, but TENK Lawrence Michael Parson's still there.
The talent is still there in so many spots. And my main concern is we still haven't seen barring like late against the Ravens last year, like a Deshaun Watson led Brown's offense score that many points.
Like asking another player who barely who didn't practice fully during training camp, Well.
It's like what am I going to believe in? More like Dak with a CD and Brandon Cooks and whatever else is left, or an offense that features a god that hasn't been good in three years, it's a starting quarterback. I'm leaning towards Dak.
So this this feels like listening to the three of us here that we are headed towards a like thirteen to ten Tom Brady complaining about quarterback play for four quarters debut, is that that's what we're headed towards.
That would be fun. I'm already annoyed that Nick Shook has this game. You know, we're going to be recapping the games on Sunday, Patrick, myself, Nick Shook, and we're dividing up the games, and he's the Browns guy, so he just claims the first Brady game, which I'm annoyed.
I might have to rewatch it at some point.
Just yes, because I I will not take guilty pleasure of him, you know, going after Deshaun Watson.
If that's what happens.
If he's a little critical of Deshaun Watts, we'll see. I think your own Ford could have a nice season though.
Either way, we will have plenty of time to appreciate your boy in the booth. Congratulations to it to an underdog story, Tom Brady continuing to.
Over seventy five. By the way, I looked that up the ind the day. I'm like, what was that number again? Ten for three seventy five?
Oh his contract?
Wow. Yeah, it's nice to work if you get it. It's time for the Game of the Week presented by Draft Kings Sportsbook. Love Division games in Week one and do we have a doozy in the AFC South, the Houston Texans at the Indianapolis Colts and over under a forty eight and a half the Colts at home, giving up three points.
Oh, I didn't really so the reigning rookie.
Of the Year. We saw these teams with Anthony richardson play week two last year he left with a concussion. Both quarterbacks played well.
C J.
Stroud threw for three eighty four in a losscript.
Yeah, I just am so excited to see CG. Stroud year two? Like, are we getting too excited? I don't think so, because I just feel like he's so next level in terms of how he sees the game and that actually there's still a lot of improvement there from where he can be as a rookie and for a first week matchup, this provides challenges in terms of his offensive line and how good this Colts front could be because I think just as a front four after adding a Layatu Latu, they could be there with any one
in the league. But the reputation DJ of Gus Bradley and you can tell me if I'm wrong, but maybe not the toughest defense to figure out. And do they have the bodies because here are some players starting in their secondary, Juju Brents, Jalen Jones, probably Nick Cross at safety, and you just think about going up against this trio of receivers and Dalton Schultz and what they can do. It's just it's a lot to ask of the secondary in a week one matchup.
Yeah, it's a sound defense. The only thing is there's ways where you can attack some linebackers and coverage and a lot of ways you'll see that done is with the old three by one formation and the number three receiver on the three side, those deep overs. A lot of times that middle linebacker has to try and carry
him all the way across the field. It's why you know, when Coach was with the Chargers, we would see Tyreek Hill with the Chiefs in that spot and they'd hit that over route against Denzel Paraman a couple of times. And you've seen that at different stops along the way. There's just there's little areas where you could try and
attack it. But they traditionally are a really really good tackling team and they play really really hard and I think they've, like Chris Ballard has been on a mission to accumulate as many like athletic freaks as possible, Like we do the thing of the combine every year we talk about athleticism scores and they all go to the Colts like he takes all of them. So they are very very fast team. I think you'll see that, especially on the surface in that division that they play makes
it even look faster. But I'm with you Greg in terms of the CJ. Stroud side side of things, I think if they roll Tank Dell out there for seventeen weeks, like this is going to be some crazy stuff we're
going to see with this offense. Everybody's talking about Stefan Diggs and his role coming in there, I'm more excited about can you keep Tank Dell out there for seventeen weeks because when he's out there, and that's one, if you want to put him in that number three spot and let him run those overs in crossing routes and get him the ball, watch out. So I'm all in on Houston Stroud to me, even when you just watched the clips, I went back and watched a bunch of
stuff over the summer. I thought it was fascinating that they gave him a little too much too early, and then they backed off for a handful of weeks and then it was like, okay, now he's comfortable, and then he just went on a tear and the way he played it looked like and this is this, this will get me in trouble for getting clipped off. But CJ.
Stroud looked like a stronger armed Joe Burrow to me, Yeah, you watched him and Joe Burrow's processing, which is just next level, and it's it's how fast you work with your eyes, but then how slow and grounded you can be with your feet to not get sped up. Like that's rare. Like what we saw from CJ. Strau was rare, rare, rare, rare stuff. And I think he's got a little bit more juice as a thrower than Burrow does, So I mean that's that's kind of where I view him, which is a pretty elite company.
Thank you for letting us know before giving us the take that we're going to put up without any context and write like with fire emojis and trying to get you as much trouble as possible.
It's going to get in trouble.
But I really do like Drew Locke with the Giants.
It is it is, I got the number backwards. It's the Houston Texans giving up three points in this one. DJ mentioned the athleticism on the side of the Colts. The Texans went and got Daniel Hunter, got a little more athletic on the opposite side of the Rookie of the Year and Will Anderson Junior love that Game of the week?
Yeah, great run stopping team.
Last year, I sort of forgot how uneven they were as a defense, like they were one of the toughest teams to run again, So that's what Indianapolis obviously wants to do. These games were fun last year. They were fun with with Gardner Minshew actually even to the second one.
Sneaky great rivalry.
This is the game of the week because it would be my number one draft pick of all those early games of what I want to watch and I'm I'm gonna do it.
I'm gonna watch it.
But we'll see if Jonathan Taylor and Richardson can run against what was one of the best run stopping teams in the league and added some extra beef this offseason.
We will all look forward to that.
But in the meantime, let's take a quick break on NFL Daily before we hit some more games with Daniel Jeremiah. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now and use the code daily. New customers can bet just five bucks to get two hundred and fifty instantly in bonus bets only on Draftking Sports Book with the code Daily.
The crown is yours back on NFL Daily.
And I'm excited that we have Daniel Jeremiah along with myself and Patrick Claibond this week because before the season even starts, I can ask him about his Chargers. He's the radio voice of the Chargers with Matt money Smith, a great listen as a drive out of work.
Sometimes and with Sunday night games and try to avoid the traffic.
I was actually surprised how many people like myself fell for it again and picked the Chargers to make the playoffs. I thought people were going to be so down on the Chargers after this preseason because they had some injury concerns that now look like it's okay. Justin Herbert's All
Systems Go, Joey Bosa's All Systems Go. They are favored by three points this week and the opener over the Vegas Raiders are are we falling for it again and just this whole new generation with Jim Harbaugh, Like, what are you feeling as mister Charger.
Well, I think there's more anticipation for this opener than any of the previous ones. So this would be my seventh year doing it. Money's done it for eight and he was in agreement with me on this one that I feel like we know less about this team than any of the other previous ones. Now, the takes might have been right or wrong in previous years, but there were a lot of established opinions. Uh, this year we.
Minor of us all wrong. The Chargers didn't be wrong.
But I think when you're you're looking at Jim Harbaugh right here on the screen, things that are undeniable are the fact that it is buttoned up, is discipline. They are going to be physical. The offensive line, I think is the best that it's been in the years that I've been doing it. There, Joe Alt, I mean you
talk about a look of baptism. Now when you go out there week one and you're going to be looking at Max Crosby and then you're going to be probably see some games they're going to be run and all of a sudden, here's Christian Wilkins, Like that's not an easy introduction to the NFL. But with him and Slater, uh, they're really good at tackle. Zion Johnson's has had a really good camp and his poised to have a you know, kind of a breakout year. So I think the offense
line is going to be good. I don't know how the running backs year is going to be divvied up. That's probably the most popular question I it between Gus and JK what that's gonna look like. Defensively with that with the Chargers, I'm a big fan of Jesse Minner and everything I've seen from him and what he's done at the collegiate level. And i've seen it with McDonald's defense, the same one in Baltimore that we're gonna see in Seattle this year. It's the in vogue defense that they're running.
They've got edge rushers. I think tweet Polo two is is one that people kind of need to get comfortable being kind of a name brand player to go along with Mac and Bosa. What I'm getting as they have a lot of talent, they really do the question marks the receiver room, you know, TBD, I think is Josh Palmer and Ladd McConkey between those two, who's gonna be their top guy. But you can make an argument that there's you know, they don't have a one with Keenan
and Mike go On. So that's that's TBD. Don't know what that's going to look like. And then I think on the other side in the secondary is uh is still a question mark outside at corner, like how does this group come together? I think it's Sante Samuel in this scheme is a really good fit to get his hand on some football's Fulton. On the other side, you know that we'll see how this whole thing comes together, But that would be my question mark on that side.
So in this particular game, I don't know that the Raiders offensively are as equipped to take advantage of maybe the question marks of vulnerabilities. And I say that having attended a sixty three point thrashing on a Thursday night last year in Vegas. But I'm curious to see, you know, what that looks like for the Raiders. If brock Bauers as we're recording this, I don't know if we have any updates on.
He's at practice. It sounds like he's going to play. He's expected.
I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful on that one because he might be one of the rookies if I was. If you're going to say, like the three or four rookies you're most looking forward to watch, he would make that list for me and Patrick. The reason I would say that is going onto their training camp. The observation I made was if you took brock Bauers and you put him in a eighty four jersey and mixed him in with the wide receivers and you said there's a tight end there,
who is it? You wouldn't You wouldn't know. And if you put a twenty four on him and you put him in the backfield and actually played him at running back, he wouldn't look at a place there either, and not just because he's the because you got Dylan Lobbies. They give you two white guys in the backfield there, so he you know, you wouldn't know which one did not belong in there. But that's a type of athlete I think he is, and I think that's going to be
a major weapon for the Raiders. So that's kind of a word salid way of saying I don't know exactly what we're going to see from the Chargers, and I think the Raiders d line is stacked, but I just don't know if the Raiders offense with Menshew is going to be able to take advantage of what the vulnerable spots would be for the Chargers on defense.
Yeah, it really comes down to how you feel right about Gardner Minshew. I think brock Bowers being an ic number two option. Considering that DeVante got thirty three percent of the target share, which is the most in the entire NFL.
That's not happening this year. By the way, there's no chance, there's nothing even close to that.
They do have weapons. I mean, yeah, they like their offensive line. We'll see, but.
You're going to cut Menshew loose like that's That's my thing is that this team has a chance to have a top five defense. So and you've got a defensive head coach and Antonio Pierce, do you think that he's gonna say, Hey, Gardner, like just let's go Gene Shorts and let's just freaking go out there and let it rip. Like there's no way, dude, it's gonna be a let's not turn the ball over let's be careful. We went with the veteran over the younger player for that very reason.
I just don't think they're gonna just cut it loose in the passing game like that.
So I'm here, I'm hearing load up on Samir White for.
Those Oh yeah, I'm feeling regrets drafting Davante over Chris Olave. The vibes are are weird in both places. But the Chargers cracked me up.
I love it. I hope they continue.
I mentioned it on the show before, how they were introduced during their preseason games as Jim.
Harbaugh and the Chargers.
It's now like he's the lead singer and they're all of his backup, backup, and so I want to see if that continues. You can tell me you'll be in the stadium, uh for the regular season the Charger. The Raiders really believe their defenses will be special. We'll see if Antony Peers can keep that magic going. They're great up front. It will be a great test for that offensive line. Absolutely, but man, they do have weapons on offense.
With Michael Mayer, everyone said had a great camp, which you often see tight ends really improve like quarterbacks from year one to year two.
Yeah, looking forward to saying just how they again, Minshew, let go through that in the Chargers run game one of the bottom five in the NFL. Have to think Greg Roman and Harball in the backs kind of fixed that.
Oh yeah, speaking by the way, before we move on of white guys in the backfield, three hundred pound fullback Scott Matlock making his debut for the Chargers, former defensive lineman. That's gonna be fun. Him in front of JK. Dobbins might be my favorite backfield because I'm a I love JK.
Dobbins.
He was a guest on this show and I think he's gonna have a monster year and is a fun guy to watch.
Yeah, welcome back JK. Dobbinson.
Have you seen his hair?
Patrick? No? What we talk about that?
Matt Locke?
You mean it's like I'd like money lines. I'll give money lines to use in the game, which he's never used one of them, and I'll be like, dude, this could be it. This could be your your like staple call here. So like I was thinking, Matt Locke, if he scores, you know, play action in the flat we handed the ball. You see his picture right now?
Patrick?
Yeah, But what if what if you just went o'doyle rules, Bam, gotcha, damn rush.
It perfect though it's perfect, no context necessary, a call specifically or for for people of a certain age, and we love that. So we go on to a new era down in Atlanta. Our next game, the Arthur Smith Revenge game. It's Pittsburgh Steelers, come to it Atlanta. Who's giving up three and a half points? Atlanta favored here at home over under is forty two. Joe Davis, g Reg and Pam Oliver on the call. Greg. Does Arthur get his revenge?
I think he does.
That's kind of been under the radar this week. I guess we're just starting the week, but we still got some time before the game. But Arthur Smith going in there and taking out the other Arthur, Arthur Blank in a big spot. Everyone's, you know, putting dirt on this team because they stunk in the preseason offensively. But this isn't supposed to be about the defense. I mean, the offense supposed to be about the defense in this front seven, which I think has a chance to be really special.
Cam Hayward just signed that extension.
Keanu Betton could get a lot better then you have JJ Watt high Smith and Nick Herberg as a third rusher, like that might be the best defensive front of the league. Like when Larry Ogunjobi is your seventh guy.
That's good. I like them. I like them in an upset in this game? What about you?
Patrick? I'm okay. So we got Raheem Morris coming to inheriting a defense that was top three and rushing efficiency on the defensive side, going up against an Arthur Smith offense that's gonna want to run the ball. I think we get a slug fest. But the Steelers need big plays. The Falcons give up some big plays, lost year incomes justin Simmons, we know what Jesse Bates can be in Raheems defense. I think the Falcons winning mm and give you a score, Greg nineteen seventy.
Does this mean we have like a little a little face out here?
Yeah? Yeah, we're going head to head? Should okay? I like that?
I like that. By the way, have you looked at the parallel paths of the two quarterbacks, like same draft class?
Uh huh?
Kirk Cousins Russell Wilson both you know, mid non first round picks, mid round picks, both on their third team. Both have a quarterback in their quarterback room that those in their fan base might be clamoring to see sooner than later. There are a lot of similarities there with those with those two guys, so I think that's fascinating. The other thing is I want to see where Pittsburgh's line is health wise. They've been beat up a little bit.
What does that look like. I thought this was based off of the last two drafts, a chance to be a really, really good young offensive line. I still think by the way Fraser, you'll watch if you watch that game, just peak at the at the center for the Steelers in Fraser. He is a stud. He's got a chance to be one of the best centers in the NFL. He's got a lot of Creed Humphrey in him. So I'm excited to see him. But they haven't had a chance to, you know, have Fatanu healthy throughout camp. He
got hurt in the first preseason game. Samalo got hurt. So for a team that wants to be ground and pound and take all the pressure off of Russell Wilson play great defense, the offensive line to me is the one concern.
Now.
The good news is the last time the Atlanta Falcons rushed the quarterback. I think I was in my mother's womb. So they that's not something that they've ever been able to do. So there's there's a little bit of help in that regard.
Yeah, and I look at Matthew Judahan as a Okay, let's see, because if you cut to me, he is a great hustle player, a great leader. I thought is like one on one winning pass rush. Moves fell off a little bit while he was in New England, certainly his last year. He was off the field last year, so maybe that helps him. We don't really know, but
you're right in terms of the offensive line. When Broderck Jones was asked about like which side he's playing this week, he didn't know as of Tuesday, unless they're just unless he was just hiding it from the media.
They've they've moved him around left to right.
But I do believe, just in the overall talent upfront and the way that it fits this scheme, that it eventually gets there. And especially Jalen Warren who is going to play in this game. He's healthy, and Naje Harris, who reportedly had a really good camp, not thrilled that they didn't give him the fifth round tender rather the fifth year tender for next year. I think in time they'll be fine, and overall, just trust him Week one.
I think continuity is important. I know Steelers don't have a ton of continuity on the offensive side in terms of the coaching, but Atlanta it's all new, and so the one thing I trust in this game is Mike Tomlin in this defense.
Well, DJ mentioned the fact that they've been looking for an edge. They've been looking for pass rush for so long. They have eighty one sacks over the last three seasons. Matt Judon has thirty two over that spak so it's a good call to go get.
I'm curiously what that looks like. By the way, you mentioned Keanu Benton in passing, like he's got a chance to be outstanding, like one of the top guys at his positioned in a position that's commanded a lot of money lately, and teams seem to be obsessing even over edge rushers in terms of their impact and importance. I think he's got a chance, especially getting a chance to play next to and learn from Cam Hayward. I'm all in on Keanu ben I don't know what I would
recommend to money. If Keanu was to make a play, I don't know. If there's a line, there's a Keanu Reees line that would come into play there, I don't know. I don't know what that would be.
Like.
Yeah, I'm thinking it's a sack. That's not bad.
There's there's so many Oh what about you gotta go, You gotta go down, body, you gotta go down.
No one, no one give me any love for coming up with that on the spot.
That was great, It was great. It was great. But we have to celebrate point break and the ode to Los Angeles.
Uh, yes, that shout out to Keanu.
By the way, every year around this time they show the picture where he holds up the Los Angeles Public Library card because he's a big L a p L guy, just like the Rosenthalphins were down nice.
Saying shout shout out to the library, shout out to investing in communities. Let's go to our next game, which is actually because neither the Jags or the Dolphins play the Bucks this year, so it's the Florida State Championship in Week one, Jacksonville at Miami. Jacksonville is gonna get three and a half points. Miami favorite it in this one over under a forty nine, almost at fifty. Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, and Melanie Collins on the call. Trevor needs
to bounce back from having some turnovers DJ. The Miami Dolphins defense all got hurt all at keats points last season. How to view it.
I'm excited to see the Jags defensive front, and I'm thinking with heinz Allen. By the way, it is heins Allen and not Alan Hines, by the way I know, i'ms screw that up. I'm excited heinz Allen to go along with Trayvon Walker, who I thought took steps forward last year. I think that could be a really, really good duo on the edge. So I'm excited to see
that front what they look like. Trent Bouki's similar to Chris Ballard and that he's gone out and got a bunch of long rangey, fast athletic players, including when you go to the offensive side of the ball, and what they did at the receiver position in the first round of the draft with Brian Thomas Junior. So I think for a team in Miami, that's lauded for their speed. I think this is a pretty fast and athletic Jags
team as well. So you have, you know the Miami front with so many of those guys coming off of injury. I think you look at Jags in their front, I think they're a little bit cleaner, healthy wise, So I like, I kind of like the Jags here to open some eyes in this in this first game. By the way, to put a button on the library. I do remember the last time I believe that I was in the library was at a as a kid to go get
a book for a book report. And the book that I that I got, which I would recommend to any of your listeners or watchers right now, it was a book on Jerry Mark Bright, the NFL official. I was like a twelve year old who literally did a book report on an NFL official. Quite certain that is the only time in history that maybe the book's ever been read, but for sure that any twelve year old has ever done a book report on said book.
Jerry bark right is somewhere celebrating like, Oh, somebody's mentioning my book, and then he's like, oh, it was the last book here ever. I killed reading for done.
No, come on, you're not bringing your kids to the library. You got to raise readers like you're raising football players. Detail, come on, full of kicks.
Look at there lots of books around here.
I will look that up, the Jerry Mark Right book.
Maybe I'll find it for Walker, who does like to take like a nineteen eighty four, you know, Dallas Cowboys book and just read it randomly and give me facts from it.
That was app He's not going to learn a lot of current rules, unfortunately. But I believe that came out in the mid eighties.
I thought, you hit the nail on the head.
I'm going to take the Dolphins in this game, but three and a half. This is one where I would try to thread the needle and just like I don't trust the Dolphins really in this game, but they are at home because you mentioned the offensive line being banged up, like toront Arms said, never out there in camp Aaron Brewers coming off of an injury the tackle position, that
their fans are freaking out about their offensive line. Trayvon Walker, I think you know everyone said it was going to take him some time, and he did come on at the end of last year. I think the Jaguars are really excited about what they saw from him during training camp.
But I go at the Dolphins even though.
It's close, because in a Week one matchup, I think coaching matters even more.
They break out the new stuff.
McDaniel's become the new Andy Reid, where he's got some special motions and he's got some special run plays, and I think without Odell there, they're actually going to have more formations where they're using John new Smith. There's been a lot of Devon ah Chan as a receiver, and just he's going to break out the good stuff. And for whatever reason, I trust him breaking out the good stuff over whatever. The Jaguars coaching staff is gonna be cooked.
It's a new coordinator. Doug Peterson's fine, but you.
Know it's an adjustment period. And Doug Peterson still as of this week, says between him and Press Taylor, not sure how the calling is going to work on. I think Doug means just not telling us, like he just doesn't want us to know. Well, we'll leave that.
Mike McDaniel has to have a new motion. Patrick, by the way, like that motion with Tyreek last year, like was all anybody was talking about the first month of the season and every team copied it. Like he like that would be as I talked about the other day with Bucky, I said, like that would be like going to a party with the new, you know, new jacket
on and getting nothing but praise and compliments. But like all that does is put pressure on you for the next one you go to that you have to have a different jacket, right, Like he has pressure on him as a coach, maybe more so than anybody else. He has to give us something we've never seen before.
This will be a scorefest.
One just note is that Pat Jalen Ramsey has not been at practice in a while, including on Wednesdays, so he might miss this game.
Yeah, do get Jalen Phillips. He is back after the Achilles injury last year. I hoped to see him all the way back. As we go to our next game, the Washington Commanders and the number two overall picked Jaden Daniels at Tampa Bay. The Dave Canalis less Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are at home and favored by three and a half points. Over under is forty four. Ken Baker, keep the magic of twenty three going.
Yeah, in this matchup, but I think he can. I like the favorite in this game. I like this to maybe be not as close as people would expect. I think the people are sleeping on the bucks that they have a lot of continuity. I think a really good defensive coaching staff. We'll see how Liam Cohen can do with the offense, but a lot of talent, like close to blue chip talent on both sides of the ball.
They might pick on the NFC South and they're going up against a team that, yeah, we don't know what we're gonna get out of Jaden Daniels, but I just don't think this Washington team is that that talented on both sides of the ball. I'm gonna do a little NFL plus like pro stats because like people think, I'm just honking about it to promote the brand.
Like, no, it's really good.
Third in blitzes last year in terms of Todd Bowles, and yet they had the tenth worst pressure percentage. So that's like not a great sign when you're blitzing that much but you're still not getting that much pressure. But when I look at this offensive line, DJ, this seems like an offensive line that you can get pressure against. Washington just seems like it's a bottom two or three offensive line right now.
So here's my fantasy plan for this year. I went with a lot of rookies. I mentioned neighbors earlier. I ended up I got Marvin Harrison Junior in the second round. Like I went in, I got a couple of those rookies, my starting quarterbacks, Jayden Daniels for fantasy this year. And this is the plan. It's for the first five or six weeks, and then I'm gonna probably have to pivot because when I look at the team, the offensive line,
I have major questions on this offensive line. The defense, I have major questions.
Now.
I know they're gonna play hard, you know, when you're coached by dan Quoyn. The defense is going to play with a lot of effort. They'll find a way to make some plays. But I don't really believe in the talent that they have right now, so I think they're going to be chasing points. I don't think they're gonna be able to run the football. I think Jayden Daniels is going to be a big part of this running the ball. I think he'll be able to make plays and some of it might come and lopsided losses where
they're chasing points, you know, second, third, fourth quarter. But I think he's going to be a very productive not just to highlight real guy, but he's going to put up real numbers, real stats. But I worry about the longevity of this thing, with how much of the offense he's going to have to put on his back, especially as a rookie. But I do think statistically he's going to get off to a much better start than the team itself is going to get off to if that makes any sense whatsoever.
No, it makes perfect sense, and he was able to carry a huge statistical load at LSU. The concern the carryover, which we saw a little bit of the preseason was he would kind of go like Hi, I'm Jayden and Daniels and welcome to jackass. Like a few plays where it's just like he's taking massive shots, and then we saw him run to the sideline, took a needless shot in the preseason to Dan Quinn. It's like, hey, what are you doing like that? Get that stuff out of here.
We're going to need to see the rookie. But it's just at home for Tampa Bay. First career start for Jade Daniels, I would have to go with the Buccaneers.
Yeah, there's a lot of questions. They just gave Sam Cosmi, by the way, where as we're recording this, they gave a big kick to their guard Sam Cosmy, who is one solid piece of their offensive line. But I look at Dan Quinn and I think he plays more man coverage than just about any team.
But who do they have at cornerback? There?
There was some talk that Sandra still DJ might start at outside cornerback, like our guest snaps there too, like he's got to play inside when when they have three cornerbacks, that's where he's great, but that he's better than what they have. I don't think they're a fan of Forbes and Michael Davis is.
There as a veteran. So to me, you're you said it.
You're not gonna be able to run the ball against this Bucks run defense.
They're just good year after year.
So that's just a lot on Daniels and I don't think the cornerbacks hold up.
You know, I feel great about this pick.
This is this feels like this feels like a thirty like a thirty to seventeen type game, but like I think I think Jaye Daniels could pack in a lot of fun into those seventeen points.
Yes, And for the listeners that have been asking, we are going to be doing some picks this year on the show, I'm going to be doing that with Cynthia Frielan. I'm gonna be going against her model, man versus model, the rain maker versus the computer, and so that that's coming up later in the week.
But can we.
Go Let's go man versus machine, because man versus model could take nothing in all.
Okay, I get it, but she always talks about it's her model, that's how she's branded it.
But you're right, maybe machine has better.
Greg's real big on SEO DJ, and that would hit.
I guess, so that would hit solid solid SEO joke out of two thousand and eight from Patrick, What a NiFe great time it was to have Daniel Jeremiah, who is not above some dad jokes and does a great job on his podcast Move the Sticks. So for the first time you've decided to continue it during the NFL regular season. It's not just a draft show this year, So congrats, DJ.
He Hytham promised me time and a half after thirty minutes. So let's just make sure that that check gets shut down here to San Diego.
Absolutely absolutely, just wait for it in the mail. Thank you, Thank you, DJ. We are going to take a quick break and we'll be back Patrick and I will do the rest of the games back on the NFL Daily. Seven games to go through, starting with a delicious one Sunday Night.
Football, the rematch Rams at Lions.
The Lions are favored by three and a half in this game, and for some reason, I don't know why, I feel so much better about the Lions coming into this season than the Rams when last year, when the season was ending, I thought the Rams were gonna win that game. First of all, they were in Lions territory with a chance to take the lead late in that game before a penalty backed them up and then they punted it and they ended up losing what to me
was a coin flip type of game. And yeah, the Lions added some good pieces in the secondary, that is part of it. I think it's the weird preseason the Rams have had that have included a lot of injuries and we're gonna probably have to wait a Sunday to see how healthy this offensive line is Puku Nakua has been out there at practice but wasn't one hundred percent and maybe it's the injuries. These just some weird vibe stuff where they trade Ernest Jones and they're starting Troy Reider.
I thought it was going to be this undrafted kid Omar Space, who I think eventually is going to take that job. From what the reporting has been for now it's Troy Reader. And I actually think that matchup is a good place to start Patrick, because I look at the middle of the field and I just think that's where the Lions absolutely kill you. And that's where I'd be a little concerned if I'm the Rams in those linebackers.
Yeah, that is the concern, But they would have never been in that circumstance had they been like, oh, we're not gonna be able to make it work without Ernest Jones. And I think it's honestly part for the course. Like if you consider the cam Akers situation, there's there's always some sort of Derek Goff, Yeah, weird vibe guide departs and it's maybe it ends up working out for Ernest
Jones in Nashville and working out for the Rams. I just I'm I'm seeing a healthy Matthew Stafford, and you just have to I have to start there because when Stafford is on, he's just so good. You mentioned the fact that it was a coin flip, and we do have the benefit of hindsight, and we look back at some of these playoff games as though like that was the outcome that was destined by the universe. Right, but this is not all Now.
I think the Rams would have made the Super Bowl if the simulation played out the NFC playoffs ten times, they would have made it twice, exactly twice.
And so it's right, Jared Verse and Braden Fist come in. No, they're not going to replace Aaron Donald, literally, no one can. But it can be different. And we had questions about the Rams defense where they were just kind of bubblegum and air and in it together, and several of those guys panned out. I'm I'm comfortable.
I'm comfortable with them too.
I just think the lines are going to be one of the best teams in the NFL, and they have great continuity and the Rams have solid continuity. Two. But again, I'll go back to the Rams defense. I do want to talk about their offense. Tredevious White, Darius Williams. That's their outside cornerbacks. Two names we haven't really talked about on NFL Daily much, and yet I think they're going to be so important for this team. It could really work out. I think they liked everything they saw. A
Trudavius White could be a great value pick. So could Darius Williams, who left the Rams, had some up and down years with the Jaguars. Now he's back. They're in a big spot here. This defense might go as far as kind of those two cornerbacks take them. And yet, going up against our guy Jamo, it's Jayme out breakoff season. I don't know if he's our guy, but I'm rooting.
No, I'm a Jmo guy, and I think that that number of fifty and a half is in danger. Yes, the number is in danger. Coming up on Sunday Night Football, Mirke Trico, Chris collins Worth, Melissa Stark to kick off the season. What about another rookie quarterback going up against the second year quarterback as we go to the Tennessee Titans at the Icago Bears. The Chicago Bears at home, four point favorites Adam Me and Mark Sanchez Christina Pink on the call. We get to see all that talent
around the number one overall pick. Who you think is the most talented of the group.
Greg, Yeah, well, of course he is. I mean, then this is an easy first matchup. I mean, I don't want to be dismissive of the Titans.
Oh get them, Greg.
I think if you were choosing who you play week one, now, I guess the one concern would be the offensive line of the Bears. Can can they protect Caleb? But in the back end, like Lagarious Need, want to see what he looks like. Obviously a great pickup, but he's had his knee issues where he can't practice that much.
He means, you know, maintains it. But we don't know about Judo b Woozy.
We don't know about the safety position totally there in Tennessee. And I just think Chicago sends so many different players at you that's gonna be.
Tough to deal with.
Yeah, Lagarious Need comes over right, Okay, that's great, But when you consider Romo Dunsee and Keenan Allen, also DJ Moore, DeAndre Swift out of the backfield, there's just a lot of guys that can hurt you in a lot of different ways. But I am interested to see the Callahans just in general, because it's a completely rebuilt calla high off offensive line. If you're talking about like names where people think it's just gonna like Stoutland Callahan the improvement
of the offensive. What does that do for Will Levis. I want to see Calvin Ridley here, but the juice, it's just too exciting in Chicago.
I'm going to I still got that.
I do want to catch up and watch that last Hard Knocks and see what was going on the edits that they had on the Caleb Williams passes that I saw on Twitter, where like it's incredible, Like NFL Films is always doing some wild stuff.
You mentioned the offensive life.
I do think this team is going to go kind of go as far as their running game takes them. Spears and Tony Pollard that could be a special duo with Will Levis running the ball too, Like they could be a lot closer to what the Colts are offensively. I think then people realize because Levis is a bad man with the ball in his hands, like he worries you, but he is a absolute threat in the red zone. Pollard just from the little I saw in the preseason, had juice. I think Todji Spears is gonna have a
great year, a great career. So that is an awesome group. And it's against a Bears group that isn't as good upfront but has unreal continuity in the back end. And that's why I kind of favored the Bears in this game, that they have too much on both sides. I don't know four points a lot for like a new team like the Bears, but I do think continuity week one.
I heard Bill Belichick talking about it too this time of year, that like it really does matter for some of these teams that haven't played at all in the preseason and have everything new, Like the Bears have a lockdown secondary. It's sort of the opposite of the last game we talked about. The Lions have an all new secondary, which actually worries you against Pooka and Cooper Cup and Stafford. It's all new. Yeah, they're talented, they've never once played together.
It's going to test their communication. I trust the Bears communication, and yeah, I even think i'd like them over four points.
And the one new piece, the new piece in that bear secondary has a revenge game. It's Kevin Byerd. It is a revenge game against his former team, the Tennessee Titans, after a stop that didn't go like we thought it would as the Philadelphia Eagles kind of fell apart on the back end at the end of twenty twenty three. Let's go ahead and go to our game in the
NFC South. Greg and I have already disagreed on the importance of this game and significance of it out of sheer, I'm just kidding the Carolina Panthers.
What do you mean. I'm watching this game Sunday.
The Carolina Panthers at the New Orleans Saints in the Mercedes Been Super Dome. The Saints favored by four points. The over under is forty one and a half. Chris Smyers, Marks Laire Jen Hale watching Derek Carr try to rebuild his relationship Greg with the city of New York.
Okay, so you said it, We already disagreed.
I guess how important it is, because yeah, I think this is the most important game any team has all week is the Saints because if they're losing this game early, it's they will be the first fan base to boo no question, if no question at all, the vibes will be horrendous. I don't think it's gonna happen because I think the Saints defense and it might be because you know,
we spoke with Honey Badger on NFL Network. I got to and he really convinced me that this defense is just like Prian and it is such an old defense to Mario Davis and Cam Jordan and Tyron Matthew being like three of the absolute leaders. And yet I think with the rise of Alante Taylor, he reportedly was like the player of training camp that he's going to be that improved. Marshawn Lattimore is back at practice and a deebo.
I do think it's a tough first matchup for Bryce Young and that they'll just have enough that it might not be an exciting game, but they'll be able to kind of squeeze the life out of the Panthers here and save those boo berds.
Get it, get an.
Early lead, and it won't be pretty, but it'll be kind of a typical. I feel like the Panthers and the Saints have played this game before. Hell, they played it Week two on Monday, Night Football last.
Year and and ultimately right because we talked about a couple of teams that don't necessarily have the horses in the secondary. Kool A McKinstry joins that group as well. I think they can be really good. But as you mentioned, right, the agenda is out there. You will probably hear some rattles in the States if things don't go don't go correctly.
Oh my god, I didn't even think about that. Are people going to buy rattles that, Oh yeah.
No, it's it's gonna be a thing, But it will not be a thing if the Saints can be successful on offense. And we'll have to see how Clint Kubiak is especially going to deploy Alvin Kamara, Chris o'lave as well. There's all these pieces that we've seen for such a long time. What are they going to look like in a no Sean Payton Pete carbon type situation. It's it's all new, it's all different. And does it bring life back to the.
Saints this week?
I think it does because just the offensive line is going to be the biggest question mark of this team all season long. Trevor Penning, maybe they're still going to roll him out there right tackle. We're not totally sure there's he's not the only question. The good thing for the Saints is they'll be tempted to put him out there this week because he's going up against what might be the worst pass rush in the entire NFL, especially if Devian Clowney isn't healthy enough for this game.
But I think he'll be out there.
But they're really thin, so I think this is a rare game where Derek Carr can sit back there and be protected. I think Bryce Young is going to be a lot better this year. I think this is going to be a professional offense. I just think the amount of improvement that they have an offense is going to be mitigated by their defense getting worse, maybe not equally worse,
but getting worse. And I think it's a great matchup if you're in fantasy anyone playing the Panthers every week, Like if you're ever going to use Rashid Shaheed if he's out there practicing healthy, if you're going to use you Camara in a league that doesn't have flex order like this is this is the week to do it.
I think the Saints like this match.
Well either way. If the defense is given up buckets. Then it gives Bryce an opportunity to go out there and inflate the stats a little bit more and have people feeling better about his next season in the NFL. We'll leave there and go to some Monday night football. Aaron Rodgers returns to the football field for the Jets on the road against the team that he dreamed of playing for as a child, the San Francisco forty nine Ers, at home. Favored by four and a half points. The
over under is forty four. Joe buck Troyigman leads assalters watching. I used to still hard not to call him twelve eight out there against the forty nine ers.
Greg, I love this.
If you're in the UK and you're listening to NFL Daily, Hello, by the way, Hi, nice to hear from you. And we love all of our international listeners because we see it. It's in They're in Australia, they're in Germany, they're in Canada, they're everywhere, but the UK listeners. If you watch Monday Night Football on Channel five, I'll be doing this game
with Maurice Jones Drew and giving the analysis throughout. So I'm doing that throughout the year, not every week, but I'm doing this week one, and what an awesome Week one.
I think it's a good matchup for Aaron Rodgers because when I think about what's going to give Aaron Rodgers trouble is what gave him trouble even in those couple of plays that he played last year, when defenses show one thing and then do another and just hold make him hold the ball a little extra because he likes to freelance and figure it all out himself instead of always playing within the offense. It's like the Aaron Rodgers offense.
As good as the forty nine ers defense should be, they're not as good as they were up front in the past. And I don't think they're a defense that tries to trick you. They're just a great, solid defense that will line up and I think Aaron Rodgers will know to get rid of the ball more quickly in this matchup, trust his weapons. And it's an I mean, this is it was a perfect choice. It's kind of, you know, kind of tempting fate to put him on
Monday Night Football again to start the season. But yeah, he won't be running out with the flag that was That was a cool moment, but they won'on't be doing.
It, and probably not back to back plays where the tackles are cutting to start the season. I would think it's just we're going to figure out how to protect Aaron Rodgers as things go. But in terms of protecting him of the forty nine ers a top ten pressure defense a season ago, in terms of how they attacked him on offense, probably a lot of Tyler Conklin. But it's just been so much good news, so much good
news for the forty nine ers over the past. You asked me this question about this game a week ago, Yeah, I would be completely different. Prop seventy one passed. We got Trent, we got.
I mean, don't be humble about anyone that listened last week and heard the voice of God. Patrick claybaughn make it happen and get this California legislation through. I wish my local government was as proactive as the forty nine ers were getting this contract.
Yeah, the whole point of Prop. Seventy one was good to get Trent Williams paid. Trent Williams brother broke the news that he was gone on the way to Santa Clara to get the deal. Finalizing the best player on the team, the guys going to the Hall of Fame back, that makes the difference with Trent and no, Trent is always significant for the forty nine Ers, and so he's back. They're a great team. A play away from the Super Bowl.
You could argue maybe a half a play away from the winning the Super Bowl over the Chiefs last year, I'm nineers here.
I'm niners here. Two four and a half points feels like a lot. I do think when the forty nine Ers have the ball, it's the best offense defense matchup of the entire week after the kickoff game, because I do trust Robert Sala's defense, especially in that secondary. They gave Michael Carter, the their slot corner back, a big contract this week. It's just so lockdown that actually, iuk who hasn't had a lot of practice time. Trent Williams
hasn't had a lot of practice time. Party was kind of weird in the preseason, McCaffrey coming off of an injury. If I am a team on the forty nine ers schedule and it's determined four years ahead of time that you have to go to the on the road to play the forty nine ers, So you're on it. You're gonna have to go there no matter what. This is
probably the week to play him. I give the Jets defense a better chance of really slowing down a little Robert Salah revenge game, just defensively, keeping this to a defensive game. So yeah, I think the over under here is forty four. Yeah this, I don't really feel that strong about either team in this game, but I like it to be more of a defensive game of fun, kind of old school game on Monday night football.
All right, So Greg says that forty four not in danger there. We have an over under a forty one and a half for our next game in a big favorite. We finish up with some big favorites, the Seattle Seahawks and Gino Eugene Cyril Smith favored by six points over the just named on Wednesday, Dang captain of the team, rookie quarterback Bo Knicks getting his first career start.
Greg, Dang, I didn't know they were such big favorites. I thought I was being bold by putting up a crooked score here, because yeah, you know, let's be honest, I am biased, but I also believe in it. I think Peyton versus Mike McDaniel. I mean, Peyton versus Mike McDonald is just like an credible matchup coaching wise, when you have the ball, but one quarterback is just starting
out in one defense. Yes, it's the first time at McDonald's coaching this, but it's a veteran group, and I think he can get Nicks like just moving faster and that Mike McDonald and this defense is going to just throw so much at him that he just starts either speeding up or holding the ball and not knowing what to do. And Sean Payton, it's going to be hard for him to give as many quick answers get guys as open. I'm so big on this Seahawks secondary. It's one of the reasons why I'm big on the team.
Yeah, and looking at the cause you mentioned right, everybody up crowding the line of scrimmage, guy's getting their hands on the ball. It makes you think of Mike McDonald's Ravens defense on the road in Santa Clara last and all those tip balls against brock Party, because there's gonna be a lot of Bonnick's action in the middle of the field. Again, this guy started more games than anybody in the history of college football, going back to the
eighteen hundreds. He's got a lot of experience, even though it's not here at the NFL level, I think he can be as solid. But again, first start on the road the Seattle Seahawks. That's asking a lot of your.
Gros, it is.
And yet, like the Seahawks haven't over under this year of seven and a half, so I know they have a tough schedule, but if you think about it, Vegas is saying that they're a sub five hundred team and yet they're one of the biggest favorites this week. That is a lot of disrespect to Denver, who I think is going to be competitive this year, and I think does ignore a little bit the fact of the question marks that the Seahawks have, because they do want to
bring that up. The inside linebackers I think are going to be a problem potentially for the Seaks, Tyrol Dotson and Drome Baker.
Baker hasn't been healthy.
They actually traded for a rookie to give them some depth there because I don't think McDonald's feeling confident. And so that's where Sean Payton tends to win a lot too quick throws over the middle of the field. Bonnicks can certainly do that. They also have a very shake offensive line on paper. Connor Williams is coming back from a torn aco just started ramping up his work with the hope of starting Week one. But that's an area that maybe the Broncos can attack too. I'm I'm not
that that down on this Broncos team. I can see their vision that the defensive line could be a little better with Baron Browning and then my guy Zach Allen, like a little Jonathan Franklin Myers who they traded for on Draft Day, Like that could give some issues, did you know? Ultimately, Like I like the Seahawks big in this game, and yet like the overall talent level, it's not crazy to think that the Broncos can cover here at the least.
And the most talented player on the Broncos got the news on Wednesday, Patrick Satan, getting his extension as one of the highest paid cornerbacks now in the NFL, and he will go up against DK Metcalf and Jackson.
So many players got paid this week, just like everyone got paid this week. Why do we have to wait? I guess it's just deadlines. That's how that's how it works.
Just pay everybody early. We'd be okay with that. Before you get into this, Let's go to our next game, Arizona at Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills with all the changes on offense and defense, favored by six and a half points over Kyler and company. The over under is forty eight. Ross Socker or Friend Tiffany Blackman Jay Feeley McCarthy on the call, as I think the Arizona Cardinals Greg have a chance to go in here and get a winning WHOA.
I could not disagree with you more. We're going to be doing Survivor picks on this show each week, so we're going to help you in your Survivor pool. We're not allowed to participate in that we work for the NFL, but what we can do is tell you who we would pick. And yeah, I love the Bills in this game. I love them to win the game and just move on in your Survivor pool. But at six and a half and I love them to get over that. As I mentioned, I'm teasing I'm going to be making some
picks with Cynthia later in the week. But I think Josh Allen in this game over under three hundred and fifty total yards from scrimmage, over under forty points for the Bills, and that like Kyler Murray, Yeah, you can go put up twenty eight in this game and you.
Still lose by like twelve points.
I just am not buying what the Cardinals are putting out there on defense, especially in a game like this where I trust the offensive line, trust the quarterback. I think they have good continuity. I know Stefan Diggs isn't there, but they know the guys that are there. They're adding some fun to the mix with Keon Coletman certainly.
Like I'm big on the Bills.
If I'm gonna pick them to win the Super Bowl, I'm gonna pick them the win in Week one against the Cardinals.
You can lose in Week one and come back and win the Super Bowl. Shout out to last.
Year's not in Survivor pools.
Yeah you can't, by the way, I just think you there's no point in Survivor Bulls to outsmart yourself in Week one. There's a reason that there's only one game this week with a points spread over seven points.
Like every even every every.
Point spread this week is a one score game because week one, you just don't know what the heck's gonna happen.
You you outwit and you outlast and you survive. That's the goal of a surprise. But you mentioned Greg the possibility Arizona scores twenty eight points. I think that's going to be enough. I think I got Arizona twenty eight twenty seven because, Okay, Jordan Poyer played ninety eight percent of the available snaps for the Bills. Micah Hodd played ninety two percent. There's no Matt Mulano for the first quarter of the season. I'm not doubting the long term
viability okay with the Buffalo Bills. But I can see here in a spot where Kyler runs around, the rookie gets a touchdown, the Arizona Cardinals defense makes a couple of plays, Buddha Baker gets one, and the Cardinals go in there and knock off the Bills.
To what this is like an anti Damar Hamlin agenda, Like I like the fact that Tamar Hamlin starting out.
Say that, I like it? What a story.
Yeah, Tamar Hamlin is expected to start in this game, which is which is wild. That safety I hear what you're saying on the safeties. I don't think Jordan Poyer was quite the same player as he used to be. Michael Hyde, it's weird he's still out. He retired and there was some talk maybe he will return at some point. I do like their cornerbacks, but the safety group is a concern. I don't think they're going to be a lockdown defense. I'm excited to see my two Land guy
Dorian Williams try to step in for Matt Mlano. He's a fun player, very aggressive, but you can probably get him to over commit in the running game. And they have a great play action game and Kyler's gonna be running.
Yeah.
I think they put up twenty five to twenty eight. I just don't trust the defense. And it's a it's a score fest.
The score. Everybody's got a score fest, which is great. It's great for everybody watching a one pm on CBS looking forward to that game. And let's finish it up, Greg with your new England Patriots, Yes, visiting the Cincinnati Bengals, who are favored by eight points an over under a forty one Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, our dear friend, and Evan Washburn on the call, Greg eight points.
That's a lot, ye. I mean we're supposed to make Survivor picks here. You haven't made one, Patrick, So is this your pick?
I'm gonna tell you, Greg, because I think the Cardinals are gonna win that game. This is not Survivor.
Okay, Well, I know you could have picked someone earlier.
I just wanted to wait until we got here because I am not picking to deailand Patriots to beat the Bengals at home.
I mean disrespectful, I respectful.
I think people, all right, what was the most watched game in the entire preseason.
You may not know this, It was Patriots commanders.
Everyone watched that game and their offensive line.
Clearly they were tuning into suspach right.
Was absolute trash in that game. And they weren't healthy. Verdarian Lowe is supposed to be back, Like we're trying to get excited that, uh, they're left tackle Verderian low No. I think it's going to be a pretty big problem for them protecting Jacoby Brissett in this game. The bigger problem, I think actually is that the Patriots defense just might not be special without bar Moore and Judahn, Christian Gonzalez
reportedly kind of up and down camp. We'll see when it met like it's only camp, we'll see when it matters. But are these guys that Belichick got a lot out of kind of the veterans like that showed up, Like, oh wow, Jabrill Preppers is good? Oh like Tavai is suddenly good? Like are this guy's gonna stay as good and keep it going with dradmeo that worries me against
uh Joe Burrow and this team. And some news on Wednesday, Jamar Chase back at practice, And now that Jamar Chase's back of practice sounds like he looked good on this one route that they put out there doing a stop route. Sounds like he's gonna play. I actually feel even stronger about my whole Yoshavas thing. I think Yoshava, as much as we've talked about Andre Yoshavas is like he's the third guy. I don't think people understand how talented he is.
I think by the end of this year, we're gonna say, okay, like it's gonna suck to lose t Higgins, But they have another high qualities starting receiver that can be a number two because he kind of reminds me not to honk too much about yoshavas he reminds me a little bit of Tarik Woolen, but as a receiver in that like he went late in the draft, but his physical skill set is so bananas that if he can figure out how to play at the NFL level, he's just
gonna be a freak. And he has figured it out by all accounts that I think he's gonna be awesome. So for him to be the three and I think that's gonna be a problem. Like Marcus Jones is the Patriots slot corner. He is about five eight one seventy like that, that's gonna be a problem.
It's just a terrifying, uh combination of size and speed for Yoshi, who who I think is looking forward to a solid season. And not to be disrespectful of the doing, I think the spread being because it wasn't eight and a half, I think eight may be more disrespectable than me taking them as a survivor, right.
So now you gotta take someone it makes sense.
And so yeah, I'm okay with the Patriots here, but I think we're a couple.
It's it's the beautiful thing about Week one though, because I think that makes sense as the team least likely to win this week as the Patriots. And yet, like, what, it really shock you that much? I don't think it wouldn't shock me that Like, once we get to week like thirteen, like eight, an eight point spread won't seem as big. There'll be like four or five games like that are bigger than that. Like, it wouldn't shock me that much just because there's so much unknown and who
knows Keon White gets it going. Who knows, maybe the Patriots get fired up by the most random moment there we go of the entire NFL Daily podcast that you're gonna hear, maybe they get fired up, and watch a tape of Expatriot Rob Nikovich imitating mac Jones during the week.
Let's listen.
The demeanor alone between mac Jones and Drake may are completely different. Oh yeah, like I could listen to freaking yeah, you know, I just got to keep working and got to get better, and you know, I'm just gonna keep working hard and we're just everybody together, and yeah, it wasn't it wasn't my best.
And I got to be better over and over and over and over again.
I'm gonna make the Bengals a ten point.
I knew Patrick wouldn't like this and yet and it's mean, and I apologize to mac Jones for for that. But when I heard that impression, I was just like, I want that to be heard by more people. That was that, like he if you close your eyes, that was that was mac Jones. That was his Like I have listened to somni mac Jones press conferences and that was.
That was it.
That was my biggest like jump scare of the week. The second biggest was when Matt Patricia showed up on The Underdog Bill Belichick Show where they like panned to him and suddenly it was Matt Patricia, but he looked completely different.
Have you seen this.
There's a new Matt Patricia.
There's a new Matt Patricia and he kind of looks like like an evil character from like Grand Theft Auto And it was amazing. An underdog is doing an awesome job over there. Of course he had the call and of course that Belichick Show, which I'm looking forward to. I'm looking forward to doing this every week with you.
Patrick.
I hope you don't mind too much. I put that impression at the end, No, I love it, you love it. You're Alabama guy.
I need to get I need to get Malcolm Butler to go on the show with Matt Patricia and talk about what happened so we can re litigate that.
I would love to hear that.
That was the Dan and Ninco Show, by the way, so we got to give credit to the Dan and Ningcos show.
The podcast. This was great. We're gonna be doing this every week.
It's usually gonna be Steve Weisch with us in the Chris Westleyan podcast studio, so I'm looking forward to that next week.
Also looking forward to Thursday night.
We are going to be recapping the game live on YouTube, so check out myself and Jordan Rodrieg will be about fifteen minutes after the end of the kickoff game. We finally made it. Patrick, We're here. Football is better