Welcome to the NFL Daily presented by Draft Kings Sportsbook, where your epic sunset is just our Wednesday.
I'm Greg Rosenthal.
Here in the Chris Westling podcast studio. Beside just a lot of men, there's a lot of beef here. We have Steve Weisch, the legend been all around the country, Patrick Claybond, and to my right, Nick Shook in studio for the first time all season.
For everybody who watches on YouTube, who's tired of my face being too big proportion? Everybody in here. Now we're all in the same area.
Now you can see Nick next to me, which is also too big.
You know what's great though, You can tell who lives in Ohio. Yeah, he got on like a T shirt. Ye right, and we're all like, man, it's like fIF.
We're all sweater.
And I opened the show talking about the Rose Bowl because I saw this headline this this morning and it says, you know, college football fans obsessed with epic at Rose Boys, and they should be. Everyone is always like, this is the most beautiful sunset, This is the most they should have the national championship. Every week we have Nick Shook out here supporting his Ohio State Buckeyes, although I thought he was a Kent State guy, but.
Can't stay grabbage grow Ohio.
So he comes out and he sees a great game, and it is great watching that, and I'm watching Kirk kirk Street and he's just he's enjoying that sunset more than I believe he's enjoyed any NFL action that he's called over the last couple of seasons.
And there's a Pavlovian effect for that, and it.
Is true, it is like amazing.
And yet I was thinking, like, well, that's just Wednesday in Pasadena, right, That's literally every day. And it made me appreciate just that we're lucky to just live out here, that that's just like a beautiful that is just kind.
Of every day. You know.
My wife is Jamaican. She says the same thing about all the tourists to come and visit Jim for a week.
It's a great place. New Year.
Well, it's his Tuesday for right exactly. And I've been appreciating that they have kind of cranked up. I feel like the sunsets over the last two weeks have been a special.
Aren't you Roman Lovely?
Well, yeah, the winter Solstice was on the twenty first, so we're getting them earlier.
Every gouty in the science and we're.
All out and able to appreciate it.
And yeah, like during this time last year, when you know, none of us really knew what the future was, I started to like drive around La like we take the kids to the beach.
Wow, like this is great.
I'm gonna appreciate this because I don't know, I don't know how long it's gonna be. Yeah, yeah, yeah, everyone is everyone is a blessing.
My family has been gone, so I've had the time to go running at the beach a little bit more and appreciate it. And it's all like people from outside the country that are visiting here, and so it does. It does make you appreciate one thing they don't tell you about, you know, your family leaving you for the holidays.
You know, everyone kind of feels bad for me. It feels a little bit like a vacation.
Careful, I have to admit, careful, careful.
It's like it's also it's sad, but it's also a little bit like a vacation. All Right, we are not on vacation today. Now she knows that we talk about it she's jealous. Our Week eighteen preview, it's a weird week, yeah, and we're going to go through the games, and I decided let's go through it in chronological order this week because that's sort of how our week is going to be framed. So, yes, the best game of the week and is undoubtedly Vikings and Lions, but we're gonna save that for last.
Yeah.
In a take note, if you're one of those horrible billionaires that have decided that social media timeline should not be in.
Chronological yes, they absolutely should be.
We're doing this show for all of you who are scrolling trying to find relevant information. We start for the division matchup in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns at the Baltimore Ravens. The line is eighteen points in favor of Baltimore's Steve the over undred forty.
One and a half. It's an ESPN game.
Chris Fowler, Lewis Riddick, dan Orlowsky, and Laura Rutledge on the call. Baltimore does need this win, yep, to keep pace if the Steelers, who will have a chance to watch on Sunday do The Steelers ultimately end up having nothing to worry about no reason to play.
No, no, well, yeah, I mean they'll be the fifth seed, you know, if that's the case. But look, that number is so significant. I mean, what a slap in the face to Bailey's happy.
And we don't know if there's gonna be the zapp Daddy out there on Saturday. But Kevin Stefanski didn't rule out that your Browns shook would play both guys?
Yeah, why not? Seem like that? Why not?
I mean, well, because you have another quarterback that's better than both of them, and they're.
Actively not trying to win football games.
This is true tanking. It really happens. But this is true tank.
Yeah. I mean, we've already seen two games of Dorian Thompson Robinson. We haven't seen much. I would love to see more because he has physical tools, but seems a little overwhelmed by the speed of the game. The offensive line has been great, the running game does not exist, and he's not in sync with his receivers. So what happens? He scored three points in a game that was actually pretty winnable against the Dolphins, ends up not being winnable.
Did they cover eighteen against the Dolphins? Claybn is a Ravens. You know, honk over here and no, it's just a new usage of the word honk. It doesn't even make sense. But you were saying, how eighteen points is too much, It's crazy. It's the division game. You're you're worried about it, and yet Tyler Huntley almost covered eighteen last week.
It was twenty to three when the Dolphins played them.
Yeah, and the Browns turned the ball over in the red zone. They had opportunities there. And that's Miami. It's different in Baltimore's defense has been playing better, but it just feels like a touchy game where you want to get the win against the division opponent, get twenty two eight out of there and have them not have to deal with it in the second half. And it's just always one of those weird spoiler situations, especially in the division.
In the last week of the season. The Ravens is gonname off the four with them.
Yeah, I mean, and look, I don't like this cover, but they very well could always at their game on Christmas when they just destroyed the Texans and talking to you know, John Harbaugh and Dnps and some of these guys, they love what's going on defensively, namely, and Dean was telling me the fact when they move Kyle Hamilton back to saying, what's the biggest issue all she's long was the deep balls over the head. But Kyle Hamilton, they're
best defender back there. Those are stopped. Moving Marlon Humphrey into the nickel has been great. They're just trying to fine tune things defensively because you know, offensively they're good.
The first half.
I think the starters played the whole way. They put the shoves down on Cleveland. They start resting guys.
I like seeing Marlon Humphrey make the Pro Bowl. He's had a really good season.
Yeah.
Their secondary has been better since they have our Darius Washington's made some good y for them.
Yeah.
Yeah, I'd love to see them sit there.
Henry a little bit Like you mentioned, Justice Hill, though has not been practicing. Despite John Harbast saying he expected him back this week, I'm now not expecting him back because he hasn't practiced.
Honestly, I don't think you even have to worry about Dereck Henry. They're still going to dominate them, and I think it's really just because of where they've been as an offense since they lost to Philadelphia, they go into the buy the whole Deontay Johnson didn't want to play a thing. You move past all of that, and yeah, you played the Giants, but you dominate thirty five points in that win, thirty four points against the Steelers in a really strong finish, And that was the first time
where I went, oh, they're peaking. They're peaking at the perfect time, and the Browns are not going to stand a chance in this game. It's going to be an easy win.
I know we want to go at a faster pace today with some of these games, but actually there's a lot of intersting things in this game. I do want to just mention with the Browns what's been going on with the Deshaun Watson contract that they signed. I don't think that guarantees him that he necessarily is starting next year, or even as much of a chance to start. So
I think that got twisted a little bit. Just kind of wanted to throw that out there, and then thought the Miles Garrett comments over the last week or two that he wanted to see the plan that the Browns had before he decided what his path is was interesting. We hadn't mentioned that on the show. That that's a first, and then I haven't. I literally haven't seen you. So I just want to ask, like, how was the Beyonce thing in person?
Were you watch? Or oh yeah, I was on the field here, like what's going on?
Oh yeah, No, no, I was on the field because I had to get to the tunnel to interview uh John Harbar or Demico. Ryan's coming out, So I'm right there, like I'm fifteen feet from post malone. First off, he's a lot taller than I thought. He's about sex, sex three low, post malone, post malone. But it was it was unreal, like I couldn't tell you like a name of a song on a new album. But man, that performance was ridiculous, super Bowl level. It was probably better
than any super Bowl. It's the same people who produce it, Jess Collins Entertainment, but it was incredible.
I mean, Justice for Cowboy Carter. I love that album.
I knew other songs, our producer Jason's Let's Move Please. Now we'll spend as much time on this as we form.
But no, that's it.
Yeah, so good that Laurna and I were convinced that Dolly parton was gonna show up.
Oh, I want to do her part in the song.
Let's stay in that division in the AFC North, Greg, the Cincinnati Bengals with an opportunity to complete the improbable comeback that you first told me about on our preview show several weeks ago that they still had hope. They are favored by two points at the Pittsburgh Steelers, who may have no reason to try. Joe, Troy and Lisa on the call coming up on Saturday, how do you see this one going?
I think the Steelers can and will win this game. If I have to pick, it's a coin flip. They're gonna play all out. According to Mike Tomlin, they don't care about that the division could be clinched earlier in the day. I believe them because they've just been losing. They've been a bad team. I think they want to prove to themselves that they're not a bad team. They lost the last three games by the score commiting score
of ninety to forty. They haven't deserved any rest. Their defense is not played well starting with this first Bengals matchup, which you remember was back and forth. So I think the motivation will be there, they'll be at home. And they also know, and I think this is part of it, that the five seed is not the.
Same as the Saxon seed.
You can go to Houston and win a playoff game versus potentially going back to Baltimore, which I don't think they'd be afraid of. But that's a big difference. And so I think we're going to see a different Steelers team. I don't know if they win or not, it's a coin flip, but I think we're going to see them play all out.
Yeah, you want to talk about like motivation, There will be no more motivation than an NFL game this weekend outside of Sunday Night, than this game right here. And it's because the Bengals have to win to try to preserve their hopes to get in the playoffs, of course, but it's also because the Steelers and Mike Toman have a point to prove. They have not looked like the same football team over the last three weeks. You could speak about the offensive struggles, you could point out Russell Wilson,
but it's been a total team failure. Defensively, they haven't held up well either. That's usually their strength. And if anybody wants to get right back on track before the playoffs and prove his point. It's Mike Tomin. The standard is the standard, and regardless of what happens before, they're gonna try to play odd. I'm very excited to see this well.
First off, George Pickens is supposed to be back, yes, you know, and Greg we've talked about him out of the lineup. This offense is not the same right now. He killed the Bengals earlier this year. I was at that game. It was the score there forty four to thirty, but it was just the Bengals offense just went up and down the field on them, regardless.
They just couldn't stop the Steelers.
He's got some turnovers basically, yeah, right.
The turnovers and the ten yard dump offfs Tanashi Harris across the middle of the field. That probably will happen again. The Bengals will take it. I'm taking the Bengals in this game. They are too red hot all of their receivers. The fact that t Higgins has all of a sudden left right to the front of the buffet line is a problem now.
And I really like the possibility.
Of the Bengals getting the number seven seed having to go to Buffalo week one, while you think the Bills want to see them, No, no, I mean so we not granted the Broncos. Some of the teams have some things to say about this. Cincinnati's playing good football right now. I like them in this game of Pittsburgh. I like looking back and I know it was earlier this season.
Was Week ten, Russell Wilson played arguably the best game we've seen since Maximum Russ's cooking in Seattle, the twenty nine to thirty eight for four hundred and fourteen yards. The one interception was possibly a defensive pass interference that wasn't called on George Pickens. They come back out and score that next drive. The Bengals could do nothing, could do absolutely nothing to stop them. And I can't get that out of my mind.
With the potential for the Steelers to play, with the stakes that you guys mentioned where, why not go ahead and eliminate the We're talking about how nobody wants to play the Bengals. Why not just go ahead and get rid of the Bengals right now?
Yeah, like, yeah, yeah, petity.
Two things can be true that no one wants to play the Bengals, and I still think what's happened over the first fourteen to fifteen weeks of the season matters, and I think the Steelers team was a little better than these nine and eight types of.
Steeler teams agree, But if they lose this.
Game, maybe they're not.
And the Bengals team, I do think there is like a loser gene in there that they're finding ways to lose.
And they they let, they let.
They left the door open last week for the Broncos to take it. It didn't quite happen for them. But I do think there's something in these two teams this seasons in their bones. That the Bengals find a way to lose this game.
And let's not forget this too.
Russ who doesn't turn the ball over, turns over what four times the past two games, so that I mean those that's probably more of the anomaly than you know, than a trend.
Mike Tomlin, though, was careful because on the broadcast they tried to blame one of the inner receptions on Russell Wilson's receiver at the end of the game, the one in the end zone right there last week, and Tomlin went out this week and said, Nope.
That wasn't the receiver's fault. There you go, he didn't do anything.
Still's time.
That was just rus I like it. Holding those feats of the fire.
Joustin feel's gonna get ten snaps and more than running packages. Maybe, who knows.
Leave the Steelers in their opportunity against the Cincinnai Bengals, who also have one, and go to the NFC to wrap up Saturday night, it is New Orleans at Tampa Bay, where the Buccaneers shook are favored by thirteen and a half points. Kevin Burkhart, Tom Brady, Aaron Andrews, and Tom Rinaldi on the call. The Saints have struggled in the past few weeks. Can rizzy ball in the hopes of a division rival, No.
No, it's not going to happen. The way that the Saints have played football over the last couple of weeks has just been increasingly more and more disheartening. You can talk about the agenda and Spencer Ratler and the first half where he has successes, in the second half where he doesn't, but as a team overall, they're just not playing football cohesively. It's not just the defense. It's not just the offense, it's the entire group, and against the
Buccaneers team that is absolutely white hot. I mean Baker Mayfield going off last week with five touchdown passes against the Panthers. This is one of the better offenses, one of the best offenses in the NFL when everything is hitting, and I think against a team like the Saints, who are one week away from the offseason, it's gonna be pretty easy. Now we are in the NFL where things weird things happen.
But and it is a.
Divisional game, and Patrick, you spoke about that earlier with the Ravens and the Browns. But much like that game, I don't expect this to be much of a contest.
Yeah, first out, shout out to everybody in the five h four. You know what happened down in New Orleans New Year's Eve. The Saints are a huge part of that city. So you know they're gonna be behind the Saints. The Saints are going to be behind that. But like you said, Nick, they just have been playing bad football. Yeah, they are packed up for Cabo. It is Tampa Bay. They you know, I think they cover the one thing that every time I really want to buy into the Buccaneers, though,
their mental grit just gets real wobbly. Yeah, you know, I just don't know. Again, I think I think they win this game. I think they win the NFC South. I think they're probably mentally tougher than any other team
in that division. But it's it's just one of these things like, Okay, instead of being real white hot like most of these playoff teams to get in and you know, they got a shot in a wildcard round, it's kind of like, all right, okay, who in the ns He doesn't want to get that fish, he can go down to the Tampa Bay.
Yeah, I mean to that point, though, I was impressed by how they bounced back from the fact that they couldn't get over the hump against Dallas. That was a game that we all expected them to win. They're allowed to lose. That's like one.
You know, they've won five out of six or whatever it is since they'reby I'm afraid of this offense. It's to me, the best like offense in the league that's not led by an MVP candidate.
No offense to Baker. This has been almost a joke. I feel bad for Baker.
I should have brought the hat right though, if you're talking about Bucky.
Irvin, now I feel bad that he didn't make the Pro Bowl and people were like, oh, he's snubbed. But for a snub, you have to say who should have He should have made it over and he shouldn't have made it over Jared Goff, Jayden Daniels or Darnold just because there's too many negative plays. If you add up sacks he leads the league and interceptions like he has more of those than any player in the entire NFL other than Caleb Williams, who blows everyone out of the
water because of the sack total. But he's playing really well and it's such a mismatch against the Saints defense, their offensive line versus this Saints rush defense. I mean, Bucky's gonna go crazy versus this pass defense. He'll have all the time in the world, and that the Saints have given up I think the fourth most according to Next Gen Sets yaku to receivers of any team since twenty eighteen. Not in this season, but every season. So you get a player into their secondary, like no one's
making any tackles out of their linebackers. I'm glad you mentioned those Steve, you know what happened on Bourbon Street and they're playing that Sugar Bowl tonight, and your heart just goes out to everyone affected by that and that city. And it did get me thinking, like how many times this team has been in a position to try to play for their city And there is something about that he almost feels fortunate that this game isn't isn't in
New Orleans. I don't know, but you just you think about that, But you also think about just on the field. There's a reason that number is so crazy, thirteen and a half because these two teams are just at different points in their season.
Yeah, and it's a long road back to look at how the Saints offense was with Clint Kubiak at the start of the season to the way things have kind of fallen off in there, but still you know something to play for.
Yeah.
Shout out to Twist and Tristan Wurfs by the way.
I'm just throwing out some Pro Bowl news along the way, especially guys that I think should be All Pro. And tackle is a tough one because there's so many good tackles, but I think in the end I would go Worfs in sewell as my two first team All Pro tackles, which means you're leaving Lane Johnson off and that's really difficult.
But that's how good Tristan Wurf's I believe.
Well, then that's also, you know, the big star for the right tackles. Yeah, that's what I was gonna say, you know, think about it. Yeah, the right tackles are going in.
They don't get paid as much as they the left side. But hey, at that couple rows right there.
And the Bucks have the highest pressure rate in the league since their bye week, and that Spencer Ratler is giving up or facing the most pressure of any quarterback in the league this season if he qualified, So that should be ugly.
Let's take a quick break.
We're gonna get back and finish out the NFC South in those early ten am West Coast Best Coast.
Games week back on NFL Daily.
Yeah, I guess the headliners of the early games are the NFC South games because the Bucks need to win obviously to win the division, but it just would be so shocking if they didn't win that it makes this Falcons game feel a little less you know, poppy.
Yeah, and we could get an opportunity to get to get the spoilers. Yeah, Bryce and Adam Thielen of the Carolina Panthers to play spoilers in Atlanta, where the Falcons Steve are favored by eight points with an over under of CBS forty eight on CBS Iron Eagle Charles Davis and Evan Washburn on the call.
Can the Panthers bashed the Hopes after the Hopes got bashed in overtime for Falcons.
First off, one of the Falcon's been an eight point favorite Watchingry Young and the Panthers. That's going on here? Well, here's here's they are watching, and they are watching Jean Robinson, you know, and you know we're talking about Pro Bowls right here. I won't say he's a snub, but he's got to be one of those guys next in line. If it weren't such a great year for so many running backs, he would be recognized because what he does is amazing. I don't trust the Falcons to cover division game,
but they're they're all over the place. But you know, another player again for the Falcons, again, not a snub, but a friend, Kaden Ellis linebackers. I mean, how good of a player of a value guys is He's apps amazing. I do think their defense and Kaiden Ellis, you know, slows down Bryce Young and these guys at defense is actually playing a little bit better, not great, but a little bit better, no better. You're right, So Atlanta covers, I don't. I just don't think it's it's gonna be
I don't know. If they do cover, I should say, but I don't think it's it's gonna be mean anything.
I think the Bucks end up getting that.
I'm gonna throw out a question to you guys. So, since Bryce Young re entered the starting lineup, PFF has a stat all the time throws number one in the NFL? Since then, is Joe Burrow number two? Bryce Young?
How about that? That's that's that's great to hear.
And so my question for you is who, if you had to start your team twenty twenty five, would you take out of this these two quarterbacks Michael Pennix or Bryce Young? And you have to just base the decision on all the info that you have today. I think I would take Bryce Young just because I've seen.
More I mean sample size alone. Yeah, he's got more games played. Penx has had two starts Pennix probablys the highest, and I'm sure you can you want to elaborate on that. I'm been so surprised, shocked, impressed by what Bryce Young from when he got bench to where he is now. It like at one point I was like, did he have a body double in there for the first you know, season plus two games? Because this is a completely different player. This is the guy that they thought they were drafting
in the first round out of Alabama. He creates with his legs, He's comfortable, he makes throws under pressure, the anticipatory throws. Got a lot of Drew Brees and him in that regard, and all that has come together to make basically turn around the Panthers outlook. They don't have to worry about quarterback anymore. I'm completely convinced this is their guy. Adam Dieland has upped a lot with that. You know, he's had a really good year, really good
back half of the year. But I'm super excited about the future for them. Sunday, however, Yeah, I don't know.
But Penne does he have?
Like why why is Pennix a higher upside? He's a year older, So that's part of it for me too. Is that Bryce Young is a year younger and I just have more data of him playing at this level where it's Penix.
These last two weeks, I've been impressed.
I just feel like I don't know, you know, he's been a little up and down too with his accuracy.
As a prospect. There was a lot of different opinion on Penix.
Well, I think what we've what we've seen right, especially accuracy wise, is he's making the right decision.
But but there's perhaps footwork issues.
I know I'm no throwing guru, right, but some sort of issue that's causing and I think he gets those balls down where it needs to be a lot of them were sailing, yeah, And but the difference where they're separated right now is the way Bryce Young is managing the pocket. Where you know, Caroline has made those improvements,
especially in the interior. I think the offensive line has played better down the stretch, but we still see Bryce having to manage the pocket make those plays, especially in the run game where Michael Pennix Junior just doesn't have that in his game right now. It doesn't mean he's not going to be able to develop it, but it seems like the rush gets to him quicker, and probably that's right handed bias.
I don't know that I'm looking at.
It, but it's just Bryce when pressure is coming with guys in his face, I feel.
There's a difference in processing, and I think that just comes from experience more than anything.
This is a sneaky test I think for Raheem Morris in the in the Falcons just taking care of this game. This is a big game. I think they're there. I think it's a dangerous game because Caroline is a division game. They're just good enough to win this game on offense and Falcons offense. They should take care of business, put up a lot of points. Bijon should have a big day, and they should just go out and win. I just feel like that the offseason is gonna feel different, and
this will show me something. If they win this game convincingly, that'll show me something because it is a big game for them. If they stub their toe and they lose a couple straight here, disappointing to end the season.
They just have a different vibe.
That's all I want to say about the helmet. Greg.
You can't fly with a bird with a wing down. You're gonna go no place. But circles are down. You gotta have them both up like the Eagles. But no, here's my thing for Pennix, and this is talking to defensive.
Course, my favorite life.
It's an all inside beat rder thing for the Falcons. But with Brian Shauk and talking defensive coordinators. They love his decision making, they love the actors, everything we talked about.
But they're like, there's nothing wrong with it.
You really have to have the perfect roster and you have to design for nothing more than his height. Yeah, you have to build it like how the Saints did. Would you bring guard to guard great guards in a great center?
Right?
With Pennis, I think he opens up your offense a little bit. You seem to already with the Falcons, right, You've got someone who can bounce it a little bit of can boot leg a little bit. That's it's opening up a lot of stuff for Bijon. I just think you can probably build a little bit more. There's nothing wrong either way. I would just take Pennix for some things you could do with your offense and his versatility you got.
You gotta have the right system around him. It's like it's like with me, you gotta have chairs that go up and down for my co hosts, like, we got a difference, you go down for it, We.
Pop down a little bit.
There's has been improvement for the Carolina Panthers in terms of rush EPA. Their defense not the worst in the next gen Stat's era. Nice this season. Uh that's the tw twenty four Dallas Cowboys.
Wow.
Actually the worst in terms of rush EPA on defense. In there are our next team playing host to the Washington Commanders greg who were favored by four and a half points after paunching their ticket for the postseason game on Fox. Adamme, Mark Sanchez, and Christina Pink There, the Cowboys won't have their chance to spoil their division rival.
Do you think the Cooper rush has one more in them?
No?
This one seems too low. These two games talking about them back to back. The lines are where they are because of motivational differences. The Falcons obviously have to win, and I think Washington it's a little lower because maybe they're looking at and yet I think they are playing to win. Dan Quinn has said it. They want to get that seed for whatever that's worth. And I think Dallas, even though they put up a great fight, they beat the Cowboys the first time around. If anything, that'll make
the Commanders more ready for this game more alert. You mentioned the rushing yards. They actually put up over four hundred yards on the Cowboys last name, So even though they lost that game, it's not like they weren't moving the ball. And I would be much more surprised if this game was close at the end than that Falcons Panthers game. I think Washington Dallas if we were back doing the survivor, you know, like, I think they win by a couple of touchdowns and it's not close.
I think that with Cooper Rush and with the Cowboys, it's largely been bad, but every once in a while it's kind of good, like that Buccaneers game kind of good. Wasn't the only one this year. So it's tough for me to say unequivocally that he's going to be terrible and that they're going to lose this game. But if you're just looking at it on paper, no matter the motivation,
Washington is the better team. They have the better quarterback, they have the more explosive offense, and what I saw from the Cowboys against the Eagles recently really made me think, oh, boy, you want to talk about tickets to Cabo, this is a team that might be going to cabover.
There was not a whole lot a lot of let's win this one for Mike McCarthy in that effort now, and that's what I'm interested to see. This game's in Dallas. How many Commanders fans are in the stands?
Right?
We've seen other opposing teams that not name the Packers over takeover that stadium this year, So I'm wanting what the environment is.
I do like Washington this game.
I think Dallas is gonna be a little bit tougher initially out of the gate than what we're thinking against Washington. But I'm with you dan Quinn, knowing him talking to some folks, or they're just trying to tighten up a couple of things now. They're trying to get a little bit better go into the playoffs with a young team on a roll. They like what they're doing some things defensively. I don't think they play Marshall Lattimore here.
I think they could like rest people if they have a big lead or something. The way he made it sounded, I don't think they're playing to win.
I think they're playing to win. I don't think they want to rest people.
I mean, you still want to get Jay and Daniels reps, right, Austin Eckler might be coming back, right, so you may want to do some things with functionality of the offense that way as well, and based on the way Dallas is playing, can get a little practicing, so to speak. So I like Washington in this game four and a half seams about right. I don't think it's going to be a wipeout. I think Dallas is going to compe a little bit. They got a few proud guys on that team.
No seelamb though he is for the season. No Ezekiel Elliott, who was released to give him a chance to sign on with the playoff team.
Which it's good to want things, Greg.
Yeah, I don't know if that's every Look, everybody wants a pony on Christmas. They don't always get pony. There is an opportunity.
Cliff Kingsbury was at the mic acknowledging his desire to be a head coach. Again we mentioned this historically bad Cowboys run defense. The Commanders had negative thirty two yards over expected in Week twelve, running the ball with their running backs against this Dallas Cowboys defense, there's an opportunity for Cliff to have some improved We're gonna throw it fifty times. Well, we'll see. Because the rich folks making them decisions like points. So no matter how they do
it well, Washington would like to get those. Let's go to another game for another fan base that would like some points. Their quarterback needs six hundred and seven yards to throw for four thousand yards in industry, that's Kayleb Williams of the Chicago Bears at the Green Bay Packers, who were favored by ten. Greg Kevin Coogler, Moose Johnson and Laura Oakman on the call. The Packers only lose to very good teams. How do you feel about their matchup against the Bears.
They want to go into the offseason to the postseason with a better taste in their mouth in terms of winning. But the motivation for this game is a little odd, like they're playing for that six seven seed, but the Commanders have the pole position for it. So is it something they could be scoreboard watching or they have Jordan Love out there for a quarter and a half and
they feel good about it. I feel like that's in the cards in this game, and yet I feel like they're just better than the Bears enough that they could play backups.
And win the game.
We've seen Malik Willis, We've seen Emmanuel Wilson, like, we've seen a lot of their players who don't play a lot, like maybe get Luke Musk Graves some extra snaps.
So this is a merciful end our.
Our producer hythem, you know, because the scheduling isn't back there today, but I was gonna congratulate. I just wanted to congratulate them that just like this is over. This just feels like the No fan base I feel like, is ready for the season to.
End more than the Bears. Exactly. No, it's been. If this was at like week fourteen, I'd be like, oh, man, Caleb is in for one because the Packers defense is gonna get after him. But if they are resting guys, they're still gonna get after him. Because of how bad the Bears offense is, it takes a little bit of
the juice out of the game overall. But what I would like to see from the Bears if the Packers end up playing, you know, some backups and everything else, a little bit of momentum, a little bit of rhythm, a little bit more than you've shown in the last month, because that offense has been really really hard to watch. It's not been fun. The defense has been up and down. It's been better at times, but this is this The Bears as a team are a viewing experience, not very fun.
So kind of because the Packers, like you said, seating wise, don't necessarily have everything to play for it, especially if they're scoreboard watching, we might get kind of one of those a little bit of a lull of a game, but overall, yeah, it's still a Packers, you know win.
Yeah, they're gonna be scoreboard watching because you know, they want that six seed to come to LA and not have to go to Philly.
As the seventeen.
Yeah, I mean that that's a real important distinction there.
Yeah, the ten. The ten's gonna cover Green Bay.
The way they play, the physicality that they play with I love. I mean, even though they haven't beaten the games, I love the way they're playing football.
They're going to take care of the Bears. They've been in Cabo unfortunately.
But I like how Nick you said they need to take a page out of Matt Eve refluce his book and finish strong with someone.
Well except mana's the clock better? Let's not.
Oh, I want Caleb to manage the clock in the pocket?
Yeah, yeah, sixty seven sacks this season. Fifty one of those sacks have been on plays that were longer than four seconds.
Yeah, in the pocket to make a mistake. Who cares get rid of the ball?
Yeah, whether it's whether it's a bad check down, a wrong shoulder throw, a pick like make plays man, trust, don't be scared.
Yeah, there's just no trust.
So there is something confusing about, you know, the four seed and the Rams and everything. The Rams are not playing their starters. So the whole idea of we want to be at the seven to avoid the Rams, no, to avoid Philly, to avoid Philly. Right, that makes sense because the Rams are probably going to fall from the three to the.
Four, So it's can they fall off the clocked in Bucks I.
Believe will pass them if the Bucks or I know the Bucks passed them if the Bucks win and the Rams lose, which you know is well favored to happen. So it's interesting that the Ram we'll get to the Rams and everything, but that they don't really seem to care about who their opponent is, or maybe they do and they.
Have some master plan. I don't really understand.
Shout out to Eddrian Cooper, by the way, it crossed my mind, if he had been healthy all season, he might have been defensive Rookie of the Year.
That's how good he's been playing.
Very good. Something something for us to note, as you know the there was fan voting right for the Pro Bowl. It's something for us to canologe thirty three percent of the Pro Bowl was the fan vote. If you're bemoaning a quote unquote popularity contest, literally, that's what happened. Is we get to our next game.
It is the New York Giants at the Philadelphia Eagles. The over under is thirty seven and a half on CBS, Andrew Cattle on, Ticki Barber, Jason mccordy, and aj Ross on the call. Nick, where we will not have Saquon Barkley playing in this game. Nick Sirianni making what I believe is a correct decision. Yep, Eagles favored by three. It's the I know Drew had the game of his life, but three points.
That's why that's right there, because well, we see we saw one game in which Drew Locke just lit it up against the Colts team that was actually fighting for their lives at the time and couldn't hold up. And we also know that Vehgles are not going to be playing Saquon. We've seen what they've done with Candy Pickett and Tanner McKee. They put up a lot of points, but on face value alone, not the strongest, most lopsided matchup in one direction or the other, even if you're
looking at these two teams. But yes, those four points. I don't know.
I mean, I'm taking the Giants.
Is anybody watched the Giants this year? Taking it?
This lock, this Locke revival lock to neighbors like Montana to Rice.
Season Tyrone Tracy's Roger Krug.
It may have to do with the fact that I'm trying to catch up with Cynthia and our other show, But I actually do think the Giants have a good I mean, it's an interesting thing to wonder, like, is the NFL is there enough parody that most team starters would beat the other team's backups because the Eagles are gonna be resting everyone that they can. Lane Johnson Saquon Barkley. We'll see about Jalen Hurts. That one is a little confusing whether they want to get him back into the mix.
Well, a little bit.
There's no reason he would risk us to get some reps.
And then Saquon did speak about it over during the week.
Let's listen to Saquon.
I mean, he asked me if I wanted to play, if I want to go for it. I said on Sunday, you know, I probably didn't care too much for it. When I slept on it, it was like it was an opportunity to imploint my you know, my name in the football history. May never get another opportunity like that again. So I'm down, but at the end of the day, like I don't care for putting the team at risk.
And he went on there and said he was down.
I liked how honesty was that initially he didn't care, then he slept on it. He really he wanted it, and so he was a little down and some of the offensive linemen were down. But he went on to say how how he totally understood it as well, and he'll be there to support his teammates and the right decision.
I think because he had tasted that playoff air very often. Yeah, right, you know he wants to be ready. Look, this is this is interesting because you know we also have the big picture of play Brian Dayball. You talk to people around the NFL like day Ball is a really good head coach. But the way they finished, how are you going to be able to sell to a frustrated fan base who's tired of this stuff that he needs to come back, him and Joe Shane coming back next year.
I could see Dayball, but Joe Shane coming back next year, especially getting rid of Saquon, I don't see that happening. But then you know it's usually a package deal.
Yep, there it is. So you know we've heard.
John Marra say, hey, he doesn't want to get rid of me, he wants both of them back. That was well before they started playing. They've been in Cabo too. Those hotels in Cabo can be loaded with some NFL rosters right there. So if they if they come out, and they especially if they take a ba al to Philadelphia their backups, I can't see how you can make an argument to keep Brian table again. He's people will tell you though, he is a very good coach. This doesn't matter.
It has stupid because on the flip side, I can totally see the scenario where Drew Locke has back to back good games and they win too in a row, and in John Marra's mind, for whatever reason though, that just makes him want to keep keeping much more. And I think I kind of think that is what I think will happen, because ultimately I'll take one team starters over the other team's backups if I have to chase it's close.
Probably it's just the old Eric Mangini. Win the last four games of the year to save your job for no reason. The next year, my name's A two Sam, which was the king of that. I'll never forget.
Doune Moron went one and one as the Jaguars interim, but they were against good teams and the eight week eighteen was a win and they kept him off of that that it just was spicy.
Yeah, if the roster size was ninety, I could see it. We're we just get to fifty five the seventeen prior squads if you include the international player pathway.
Uh, it's just it's true.
Still going to be very good Eagles playing in this game.
As they have to be, especially on defense.
They're there, they're backups, and you can only rest so many guys. You're right that it could be tough, but uh, let's go. Let's go Drew Lock, let's uh shock the world. Let's take a quick break, and we will be back. We'll wrap up those early games, get to the late ones. Eventually, we're going to get to that Sunday night football game.
Back on NFL Daily.
Should have mentioned Tanner McKee is the likely starter because Kenny Pickett is hurt for the Eagles, and that reminds me of different quarterback situations, different injuries. By the way, the Browns have announced we already did this game by one another, but as we're taping, the announced Denzel Ward, David and Joku, Jordan Hicks, Pierre Strong, Jerome Ford all out for Saturdays. Out the tank is on and it's different in Buffalo. But we did get clarity during the
week about the quarterback situations here. Patrick Josh Allen is going to start, but it's expected that he will just kind of keep his streak going and sit pretty quickly.
Drake May will also start for the Patriots, and.
There was some consternation coming out of New England about why why I haven't played Drake May in this game? With the goal ultimately being what you can accomplish in April is we get to the matchup between the Bills and the Patriots, the Bills favored by just two, Mitchell Trubisky potentially going the way after Josh Allen secures the streak, Steve the over under thirty eight. Spirodidas at of Marshal
Letta and A. D. D. Kinkwala on the call. The Patriots came close to shocking the Bills a couple of weeks ago. What happens here, Well, they also got absolutely mopped at the game. I was hap by the Chargers the other day. I got a forty burder hung on him.
Look, the one thing I saw on the page is Drake Mays is legit right, He is the real deal. But some of these other guys, it was not a lack of effort. They got their heads kicked in by the Chargers. There's just no fuel left in the tank, yep. And so again I think they're gonna come out and give a valiant effort, but it's just they don't have it to sustain for four quarters. So can they pull the upset against the Bill's backups. Maybe I don't think so.
This two point seems fine to me. I like Buffalo in this game, just because I just honestly being upfront and center with the pages. They're just not there. They are unleaded with less than a quarter take of fuel.
Yeah. Yeah, and it's not even just fuel too, it's just a lack of organization. Like the entire offensive operation is not great. I know, you start Cole Strange's first start at center last week, but everybody around him, they can't even get the snap count down. I mean just it was to the point where I sent Greg at textan I was just like, their whole operation is a mess, Like there's nothing good doing here. That's why I'm shocked to just see the two points. But then again, Bill's
playing backups resting. Oh recently they took him to the brink. That factors in there as well. But yeah, I mean the Patriots, that's another team that's going to Cobo. And that's another team that's going to Cobo and may not even have the people in charge, the old chaperone in charge to the drip.
I think they'll be Yeah, if I had to guess. I think I think they'll be back as well. Maybe they change the offensive coordinator. That's just a guess. I think a win here would help, and I kind of think it'll happen. They've been every other week. It's very consistent. Actually, if you look at the last eight weeks of the Patriots, they have one week where they get absolutely rolled, and
then they've always bounced back and responded. The next week they almost beat the Rams, which I consider, you know, almost beating a good team is a win for them.
They played well that week.
Same thing happened against the Colts, where they dominated that game, found a way to lose, But that's a good game for get rolled. The next week, come back competitively, play against the Bills, and with the Bills, you know, being out there that they're resting everyone, that's a pretty big advantage. Gives girod Mayo a chance here. Shout out to Christian Gonzales did not make the the Pro Bowl. I think he's got a chance to be an All Pro though,
first or second team. I really value the opinions of Johnny Ledyard, Ali Connelly, you do a right podcast. They they thought he's right there with Certana's the top two cornerbacks in the entire NFL right now and getting slept on a little bit, and you.
Just ask, hi, you just look at physically.
To me, he's maybe the most physically impressive cornerback there is out there, no Christian Just in terms of next to just in terms of what you test on and athletically, I'm putting them right there.
I'm putting them right there on the table.
Nope, we have Josh Allen's not going to get to make a little final MVP case.
But that's fine, he doesn't need to.
Speaking of MVP cases, there's two quarterbacks in the NFL who have a positive e p A on tight window throws. One of them is Lamar Jackson. The other Drake may.
Wow, but I know we passed it. But I we'll see what happens after Monday. But I actually think Lamar Jackson is the favorite for the m v P.
Now.
I I think the way this this thing is gonna finish that Lamar is going to have such an overwhelming statistical case that he wins it even people.
Don't know voters, voters like he's got two fatigue.
We'll see.
It happened to Lebron for years vibes based award.
Let's get parameters so it all makes sense.
And I know Kate takes the quote unquote fun out of the MVP discussion, but who's having fun? We have to cut down very good football players to lift another one up. I get tired of anyway, well said, Let's go to our next game in the AFC South. It is the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Indianapolis Colts, who are favored by five.
The over under is forty four. Jason Benedti, Brady Quinn, and Sarah Coustack on the call. Greg, we have seen Mac Jones and Brian Thomas Junior surprise folks, especially down the stretch. What are they doing against the Colts defense that was powerless to stop Drew Locke with like the gym of Siderak, with like the Infinity Gauntlet on his hand.
I hate picking this game. That this game counts equally for our picks for the season.
Five points is too much.
I agree.
Could be the last game for Doug Peterson. He expected that it will be doubt it would be the last game for Shane Steichen, but crazier things have happened. Could be the last game for Chris Ballard as the GM. It's mac Jones's seventh start this season. By the way, Wow, been a lot of mac Jones. I don't have much more to say on this.
I mean, if you just talk about mac Jones specifically, he had some nice throws Park Washington with a great touchdown catch toe tap last week, and then there was a lot of misses. And that's basically the mac Jones experience right now. It's a gross game. It's two AFC South teams that are eliminated. This is what this division produces from time to time, especially in Week eighteen. So I feel the same way. This shouldn't count the same
in picks, and yet it does. If I had to lean I lean Coltz because if the Jags are expected to fire their coach, what really are they playing for other than the fact that they have a budding star in Brian tom It could matter for Ballard.
What do you think about Ballard? Do you think he's back?
Steve?
No, No, They've they've got to shake up something it's not And I'll get to it in the second first time. I like Jacksonville in this game to pull the upset. And here's why. There's like because the culture not paying attention, but there's just such murmuring chaos. Anthony Richardson came out this week and said like he couldn't play last week because he had to crawl, he had all these back issues, and then throws the sweetener on top of him, explaining
that it may be chronic. Oh no, I've been dealing with this since eighth grade. Just mean, what, like, what in the combined medical evaluations are we missing?
Right?
Yeah, this is the case. Or is he saying like why is he saying this? So with everything he has done to be in and out of the like honest to a fun he's honest a fault and it's all true. But it's like, oh my gosh, we got this now to deal with. They can't get into Cabo. They're already an Acapolca, all right, they're they're there. I like Jacksonville to finish out with a dub, you know, send Doug out Trump Balki out.
With a nice man.
You're kind of convincing to me here.
I was stunned.
I read that was like flipm P, like why I also can kind of just see them like win one for Doug. It's almost the flip side of not having much to play for it. They've I've watched these Jaguars games. I don't think that I like that they kept dug this whole time. They've been good, They've been playing hard. It's not they're just not good.
Yeah, at Indy with the Colts being favored by five, after what we saw from this defense, I think we can ask questions about Ballard and Stich And this is the end of the road for Gus Bradley for sure. Yes, on that side of the ball. And it's kind of it's Schrodinger's Jags at this point. I don't really know what to expect, but going on the road feels different. To play in this last game in Duval, so I've
got confidence. And whether it's whether it's Flacco or Anthony Richardson, just one one positive memory for this Colts team that did have a chance but kind of wilted at the end.
Yeah, Flacko will throw for a good amount of yards. Hopefully he avoids turning the ball over. Yeah, hopefully he can move around more than he hasn't. He's showing his age. Yeah, like he just he doesn't navigate the pocket. Will a nim jumped on.
Him an opportunity for one more one last job for Joe Flacco coming up in twenty five h checks as we get to the Houston Texans at the Tennessee Titans. The Titans favored by one and a half in Nashville against the Houston Texans, who are going to the Wow. The over under is thirty seven. Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely, Ross Tucker and Amanda Ballyonis on the call. We've seen a whole lot from this Texans team, some good.
Probably more of it bad, shook. Why are they not.
Favored against the Tennessee Exactly? They're gonna play two quarterbacks here, Oh my god.
Yeah, And that's the problem. Like, there's a lot of teams that are like, oh, we're going to the playoffs, like we can rest our, guys. The Texans don't have the privilege, not because of seating, because of performance, correct. I mean that game they played against the Ravens was absolutely embarrassing. That is a bottoming out of a team that's going to the playoffs. There's a lot of teams that we talk about going to the playffs that you
don't want to face. Everybody wants to play in Houston, Texans, and they're saying it out loud. Yeah, they're not afraid of them. Their offensive line's been bad all year. They can't generate much the run game unless it's anccasional Joe Mixon one hundred and twenty five yard game.
C J.
Stroud. The wear and tear mentally of not trusting your offensive line and losing two of your top receivers very visible, to the point that he's missing checkdowns. He's not even under pressure. Very concerned about this team. Probably one of the worst playoff teams in their current state going into the playoffs. I can remember since the Steelers, God was that twenty twenty, twenty twenty one. And it's really a bummer because this defense has played so well, but they've
also taken injuries on that side of the ball. As it pertains to this game, I could see why they're not favored. I'm really worried about what we're talking about next week. They're gonna smoke the Titans. Yeah, I think they're gonna smash Well.
No, they're not favored because Demiko Ryans has made it sound like he's gonna play his starters for a little bit and then take him out. No, that's why they're not favored. That's the extent.
Well correct, He's gonna play him, Demiko is gonna play. Then maybe he pulls him after halftime. I don't think so. I think he understands exactly what you're talking about. They have not played good football.
CJ.
Shroud is like you nailed it. He is not trusting no anything with the operation of this offense. He has got to get it going. When the Ravens is started, it's a double team Nico Collins or jump in with you know, with leverage points he had no go to. He's got to trust his other guys right here, regardless of who they are. The fact that they've had an extended time for him to have some practice reps with these guys should help.
I think they come out. I think they just put it on the.
Titans because he's else Shier back on defense. He's gonna help in the with their run defense. I think they get back on track. What does it mean for the following week, I don't know, but they'll they'll start to look a little bit better than the good Titans seems we've seen.
Yeah, I'm picking the Titans.
I think if the Texans are playing all out to win, it's close to a coin flip. I just think that's the level the Texans are at now, and I don't think they'll they'll play to win. That's what that number on that. That's what the number is about. Is that when the coach says they all got to I told them all to be ready.
They got to be ready. They're gonna go out there.
It's like, I don't think he's gonna leave him out there because if they're playing all out to win, it's not They're just not capable of stomping on a team.
So it's gonna be close.
And I just think then you insert Davis Mills into the mix and.
That's gonna happen.
So that's how they that's how they build those casinos, you know, getting everyone to bite on the Texans and you know they know they don't gave us.
Funny and that Titans. Well, that's the thing. You have a lot of faith in Mason Rudolph here or we'll love us. We're gonna see both of are we what they.
That's what I've seen out of Nashville this week.
It's you know, it's the the will Levis evaluation has gone and then stopped, and then it's coming back.
There was injuries and then they weren't.
But the one reason I would go Texans on this is because the Titans really lean into this old Oilers uniform stuff where they always wear the home Oilers uniform and sends out the logo on social now whenever they play the Texans, and that's such bad juju.
I just feel like they deserve to lose.
They did lose this game last year in overtime when they did that when they wore the Oilers uniforms, and they're like like sending it out.
They're like sticking in their face that they're cheapest.
Owners have no idea who the Houston Oilers.
Well, I know it doesn't affect the players, but it's just it's like it's like cosmically you're cheap. At the time, owner didn't want to pay for a great fan base in Houston and bolted, and now you're sticking it in their nose a little bit.
I don't like it.
I don't like them.
Yes, I don't know how strangsh that was the thing was lined up.
Yeah, it's time for the game of the week for some of my Draft Kings sportsbook.
The most impactful game in the AFC this week it is the backups of the Kansas City Chiefs Steve playing against the Denver Broncos at home. Favored by ten and a half. They win, they are in the playoffs. Jim Nance, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson on the call. Can the Kansas City Chiefs backups step in here and bounce the Broncos from the playoffs?
Yes, this is an egregious point spread. Yes, I agree with that you guys are under selling Carson Wentz plus. But here but here's no here. But here's something. Here's something you have to say. What do we would talk about the Chiefs when they weren't playing well all long? Their offensive line?
Right?
Yeah? Who can they sit Tony?
Supposedly they're going by the way, dude, he's a stun I think I think he's in battling a little bit of some nagging injuries.
He said.
Tony is among the guys. Chris Jones is one, but.
I could see Tony. He's sitting and they put in the rookie from Brigham Young who started there. But they can't sit a ton of guys. They just don't have the depth. They've taken too many hits. But to me, though, this is more about Denver. Do they have the playoff medal? I have loved everything I've seen pretty much had a BONEX this year. I think he's got it. Does everybody else in a game like this? Can they stand up
Chiefs backups or not? I I Am not going to be stunned if Kansas City number one seed in hand Beast Denver and Denver door remains open for the Cincinnati Bengals. It makes me more trying to get the Bengals into the playoffs, you know, emotionally, Yeah, but I just this seems like one where Denver, Denver, Denver, and then they just come out just do not play a great game.
Yeah, And you know, I don't like to carry over one result to the next because I think that the Broncos suffered a heartbreaking loss that they probably could have just taken to a tie last week. I don't really think it matters that much. But matters more in this
game is coaching. And it speaks to what you just said about the chiefs Andy Reid being the greatest currently active head coach in the NFL who has done a masterful job with the team that is weak in the offensive line, that missed their running back for a good portion of the season, that lost, you know, two receivers, and just got Hollywood Brown back recently, and now they're kind of ascending. Some of these guys might not play, but the guy who pushes all the buttons is still there.
It's a lot of faith in Carson Wentz, though. And that's where I get a little worried, because the Broncos are playing for their lives. They've had this great season under Sean Payton. This is why we hired Sean Payton. Bo Nicks, take all that hate that we got when we drafted in. We're gonna shove it right where you now because we are going to make the playoffs right now. We're going to make the playoffs by beating a team and adding some fuel to the fire of this rivalry.
And boy would be really really embarrassing and disappointing if he lost.
Boyd if you never saw what Andy Reid did with Doug Peterson back in the day in those final games of the season.
They have rested guys in one games in the past, so it's not unprecedented. The Broncos overall, I don't think are playing their best football of the year. Nicks was up and down. He had some major ups last week, but I think he's been a little up and down as the season ends. This was a close game though that the Broncos probably deserved to win the first time around, And so that informs me that these two teams know each other well. And I know the Chiefs have owned
this matchup, but the matchup this year was close. With the starters in and with so much to play for it it's hard for me to go against the Broncos here, Like defensively, you just feel that they would have a lot of answers. And when they say the players that are sitting for the Chiefs, you know it's only you're right.
You can only sit so many.
But then you see the names, and the names are Chris Jones, Trent McDuffie, Tony Patrick, freaking Mahomes, the running both running backs apparently are are gonna sit Trent.
These are all their best players.
So it does if you if you can't win Denver, you certainly don't deserve to be making the playoffs.
It's some a JP Ryn in a revenge game well, there it is Harris the Broncos advance blitzing on thirty eight percent of dropbacks.
It's one of it's the third highest rate.
Probably would blit him at fifty percent on Sunday.
Why not? What but an opportunity for Carson Wentz to go out there and perform revive. We've seen Baker and Sam have revivals revival a few years ago.
No, okay, different, I can't wait. I can't wait to hear this Jimmy g argument later.
Yeah, but to not do that, but it's not dead.
Let's put it in that uh little shout out to Quinn Minors. I don't think there's a ton of Pro Bowl snubs, but people that I trust, Brian Baldinger being high amongst them.
But hease.
Quinn Minors has an argument to be the best guard in football, full stop, like first team All Pro, Like he is the guy now and sometimes with offensive lines, it takes a year for the voters to catch up. Like, I think he has a decent chance to make All Pro but not Pro Bowl, which happens to some guy sot.
Yeah, just shout out to Quinn Minors.
Good shout out, all right.
That was our Game of the Week. Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app now use the Code daily. New customers can bet just five bucks. He had two hundred dollars in bonus bets only at DraftKings Sportsbook with Code Daily.
The crown is yours.
Looking forward to that game, of course, because there's gonna be a few teams watching it paying attention, including the Miami Dolphins who would like a Chiefs win.
They are favored by one point greg against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets with an over under of thirty nine. Joe Davis, g Rag and Pam Oliver on the call. We saw Aaron Rodgers throwing bounce passes last week. How do you feel about the Finns by one.
I just assumed I would come up with a way for this Jets team to lose this game, because they're the Jets, and that's just it's happening. And yet toront arm Armstead left last week, has not been seen at practice all week. They put Kendall Lamb on injured reserve, who actually had a great game a week ago, mostly blocking Miles Garrett. So you're down your two starting tackles if Armstead isn't playing and Tuas sounds like he's a long shot as.
We hate this playing Okay, snoop, so that's.
Tough, Like, yeah, you could beat you could beat the Jets, but it's not gonna be I'm not I'm not just chalking that up as a win one.
You know, one point that feels.
About right that this is a It's crazy how important this game is because the Dolphins could be playing on wild card weekend. Everyone is just mentally counted them out, and yet it's a realistic opportunity. They're they're more realistic to me than than the Bengals because they're ahead of them in line.
Yeah, and that's that's yeah, what matters more than anything in that tie breaking scenario. But I am actually stunned that I even have to consider the fact that I that the Dolphins might not win. And I think a lot of it is because it's new Puntley and the way that he has gotten a couple months of time with this offense and has a much better understanding of it. He got the ball out incredibly quick last week against
the Browns. He's fully capable of leading into victory. And I also have no faith in the Jets, like we're again another team going to Cabo or beyond who knows, because they're they're headed Towarden Office's and change. I've written the same story about Aaron Rodgers talking about if they want me back, I'll come back. But I don't know for the last month, like the vibes are bad, his body language is bad. I just cannot put any stock
in this team. They all know that change is coming yea, and the Dolphins have everything to play for, so I don't care if it's Huntley or Tua. I just believe more in them and the way they've played recently.
Yeah, I think the Jets are going to Sarasota, oh, by the way, instead of Cabo. I think they're saying domestic a little bit older tirement communities Aaron Sarasota.
I have no faith in the Jets none.
I mean they just I mean the stuff bout Garrett Wilson Aaron Rodgers back. I may want out like what they they want out as badly as anybody.
Meanwhile, they they broke some ground this week. They are the first NFL team to ever interview an NFL Daily guest.
It is a studio guest.
Ron Rivera interviewing for the head coaching jobs. So we're trying to build our own coaching tree here at NFL Daily. It's a strong I was amazed that was that was cool. Rex Ryan is apparently.
Getting told GM and so you might not run it back that.
Yeah, let's not mention that so we can build up coach rivera l Yeah, because I kind of this.
Won't be Ron. I will say this. I will say this. I don't think it's gonna be Ron's last interview. It shouldn't be. No, I don't think it's I think it's gonna have several.
The The problem for the Dolphins last week. The leading rusher was Tyler Huntley. Yes, he got in the end zone. He had fifty two yards on the ground. This is the number thirty two rushing of fish and see offense in the NFL, and coach Mike Mack has struggled to get his team to be able to run the ball. The Jets defense actually improving against the run in the past few weeks. The problem might be over on the offensive side of the football. Let's go to a team
that isn't having problems on offense right now. All they needed was to get run up and done up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Since then, the Chargers on fire. They are favored by four and a half points against the Las Vegas Raiders and aoc at quarterback. It's on CBS Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Mellon and Collins. The over under forty one and a half. The Bolts have been rolling, shook. Do they keep rolling against Las Vegas?
Yeah? I do. And that's not even I'm not taking anything away from the way the Raids have played in the last couple week because I think they've played much better football. I would like to see it save Antonio Pierce's job, but probably not. I still just can't go against these Chargers, and I think I've been the guy who was throwing cold water on them when we recap their most recent games, because I was like, well, you're
playing the Patriots. But what we saw from in their last few performances is finally giving Justin Herbert a little bit time to throw the football down the field. Now, granted he throws a lot of those the lad mccackey, but Stone Smart's starting to get involved a little bit more. His offense itself is just becoming more well rounded with the return of JK. Dobbins and against the Raiders. I don't know, it's just on paper strength versus weakness or
whatever it might be. I just I feel very comfortable with the Chargers in this game.
Charge is gonna gonna. I wouldn't be surprised if Harwall plays these guys all the way through.
Yeah, he says he is.
They want to get another team openly says we want to get that number five seed. Yeah, there's seating thing in play here and getting JK. Dobbins back. You saw some of the positivity again against the Patriots.
They want to continue to get him going.
They know how important he's going to be if they advance in the postseason. So I think this good offensive line is gonna keep working more.
Ladred, I mean, love me and that let's practice on Wednesday. Do wonder if they'd ever consider being a little safer with him, who's had a lot of knack.
I mean, he's a game guy, and he gets tagged.
And they play on Sunday afternoon, and they're watching that Saturday Bengals game with a lot of interest rooting for the Bengals so that they could possibly move up and pass the Steelers. Now, if the Steelers win that, they'll know that. Does that affect their plan? Hard to say. Harbaugh says that they're playing all out and they're playing so well offensively that I tend to think they could do what the Texans would like to do.
But I don't have faith in.
Which is just play so well early that you can rest some guys, and I think they could absolutely do that.
So big opportunity for the Chargers in Las Vegas, and I'm just I'm just glad that we get to see Aidan O'Connell, this new version of Aidan O'Connell, greg that likes to scramble, Yeah, get back there and make place.
Oh yeah, even he even broke double digits once.
The subject of my least hot take ever, which is that Aidan O'Connell is a perfectly capable NFL backup and is going to have a solid, like nine to ten year career, which is a great result for a fourth round pick.
So like, let's stop picking up old Adon O'Connell.
Not his fault.
He's on this team and has to play a lot.
I do wonder if Antonio Pearce wins three straight games to end the season under the old regime, I would think that would keep him the job. Now that we think Tom braid out, Tom Brady is this shadow owner.
That might not save him.
It just it just depends on who they can get. You know, you hear a lot of conversation about Mike Rabel going there, and that's okay.
That would that would make a lot of sense in terms of friendship and experience and all that. All right, let's take one final break. We're gonna go through a couple of NFC West games and then get to the best.
Game of the weekend. Maybe if the entire regular season vikings lines.
Back on NFL Daily.
Yeah, Anthony Richardson crawling around on the ground, Yeah.
Back injury.
But he's not the only one trying to play hurt. You know, Nick's got a little sniffles.
No, it's not sniffles. It's just legal. You a bigs. You see it from the Cyberg sent falls. You don't got a long runway the little Rose Bully cod I'll tell you what I earned.
I gotta say, I thought that was risky. It's fine.
I know you love coming out to LA used to live out here. Yeah, I thought it was risky and then they put it on. They put it on them for you, I have to.
I mean I made a promise. I saw them losing Columbus one time to Oregon and I was like, if they get back there to the Rose Bowl and play them, I'm going no matter what, there it is.
Oh, it's a commitment, Yes, loyalty. You know, Ryan Day's the best coach in the NCAA.
Right now, there you go. That's coming here for Columbus Ohio, pending results in the next couple of weeks. Let's let's hold off on that.
The Seattle Seahawks six and a half point favorites across the street at SOFI Stadium, Steve against the Rams the over under thirty eight and a half. Kenny Albert, Jonathan Bilba, Megan o'levy on the call, where we've seen the variants of outcomes for the Rams, the Seahawks would like to have been in a better position here.
Can they just come out and finish the season? Show?
Well, Patrick, I want toss this back to you since you were talking about backups. You' viving there career in Jimmy g Jimmy Garoppolo. It's going to be throwing to Xavier Smith. Guys like that for the Rams.
Jordan Wittington.
Jordan Whittington shout out to Rams preseason game attending big early season.
Right, Yeah, well it's it's the theme. Rest is the theme.
Jimmy was dealing with a whole lot of stuff for the past few years, injury wise, coming in and out of games. We heard it from Saquan explaining his decision right where post playing.
The game was like, no, I'm good. I just played a game at running right and then he went to sleep. He's like, oh, maybe I could do it.
He ultimately listens to postgame Saquon, I think rest, Jimmy G is a factor here and the Seahawks win this game. But six and a half feels feels a bit rich for me considering that we get arrested James Richard Garoppolo, who multiple times this season I forgot was on this team.
Same when they showed he was suspended to start.
When they showed the Kyra and Williams Man of the Your video, which was really cool, Stephen Jackson came in for and Jimmy G's at the front with like a cool new haircut. I was like, wait, what's he doing there is the best of my guy, right, Like, I like your theory, and I'm gonna take your theory and I'm gonna raise you one. I think it's a tough matchup, but I think there's a higher percentage chance that Jimmy Garoppolo is starting games for this Rams team next year than then the public would.
That's hotter than I thought you were gonna make that searing well.
Just now higher. Now.
I'm not saying it's likely. I'm just saying it's more likely. I think that people would think and that maybe he's part of their future as like a one B or whatever competition who knows if Stafford was.
It gives them options and then contractually if they if Stafford, then one of the part ways there's a way to do it pretty think it out. Yeah, it's they're not strapped to him by any means because of money, So that makes sense. There's also the the idea we just saw it this past year. Sam Darnold played one game for the Niners last year, goes to the Vikings and now look at what he's done. If people like to copycat, then they would maybe do the same thing with Jimmy
except he might not even have to change teams. So now I was not on board ninety seconds ago, and I'm completely sold I could be bought.
He is turning thirty four next season, so.
He played too many full seasons either, like sand Now, so I, uh, well, we'll continue this conversation at a difference.
In a one game scenario. Though, Jimmy g wrestler Gino, you know he got that, he got that special offseason workout, which is why he was not playing the first Patrick.
We got to put this one on greg No here.
Well, we get a lot of back Some things play their backups and there's not like a crazy drop up. I feel like the Rams are a very star heavy, top heavy team where they're if they're resting their best players on both sides of the ball, then the backups, it might not be pretty, and the Seahawks team.
Is pretty good.
I think I would have maybe taken the Seahawks to win this game if the Rams were playing. So yeah, they lose on the fifth tiebreaker, but I don't think a seven season in this game is some massive disaplain.
If they win this game, they've got ten wins, and.
Their defense they got there's some proof of concept to me. For Mike McDonald as a head coach, you want to show what do you bring to the table, because I don't think every head coach brings something to the table. And I think the way I've seen this defense come together and kind of turn into the defense that he wants it to be, I see the proof of concept.
So he's shown me something, that's all.
And with another offseason to get more of his guys in.
Yeah, and they'll be the key in.
The second year. I mean they were having to do it with the trade deadline. They go salvage Ernest Jones, who's been great, rescue him.
Pay him.
They're gonna have to pay the man though, pay him.
He's been great, a solid addition and will stay in that division. Because the San Francisco forty nine ers are at the Arizona Cardinals, who are favored before the over under forty two and a half Chris Myers, Mark Schlaier, Jen Hale, the Seahawks could have got some help from
Trey mcbod's mc brad's face mask. A week ago, Greg now Kyler and company at home trying to finish the season strong against the forty nin ers team they would also like to finish the season strong, but they're both Sam Lucas bound.
Yeah, it's a shame.
It's a shame because that Rams game would have been a perfect Week eighteen game too. I feel like to figure out who's the thirteenth fourteen team instead, that's dead.
This one's dead. Kyle's bad years. It's weird.
He's made the conference title game four times in the other four seasons. The forty nine ers are twenty two and forty two, so when there they've gone bad, they haven't gone eight to nine or nine and eight. They haven't won more than six games. And I don't think they'll win this one because they think that, you know, you're probably playing Josh Dobbs here over brock Purdy and Kyler. I think they would love to finish out. I think an eighth win actually would mean something to them, and
it should. They have improved since last time.
I do like the Cardinals in this one for that reason as well, and it's also it would feel good for the Arizona Cardinals to go into the offseason with a solid performance against the Niners defense that's just not as good as it's been in past years. Now they got who fung it back relatively recently and he's been one handed one handed, yeah, and he's still made a difference. But like, the one thing I've wanted from the Cardinals
is just consistency. I don't want you to be in third and long and you got to make Kyler go make a hero play, and they've struggled to find that in a lot of these games. They feel very much like their record, But it would feel a lot better going in the next season at eight to nine than seven and ten, even if it's only one game difference, because of the bright moments from the season and what you can build on after year two with Jonathan Gannon and plus the fan base.
I think people who follow the Cardinals are you are tired of them tapering off on.
The back half of the season.
So if they were able to finish this game against the forty nine ers team again, they're going to be game. They're just beat up, right, they just don't boast on these guys. I don't think they're playing, so you know, we'll see. But Kyler, he's I think I think, frankly, for Kyler's sake, he needs to have a good game.
He has looked so upset in the last few games, like just not like just dejected, like.
Just what he wants it and he can't quite figure out how to get it done. And he keeps saying to reporters and of the broadcast because next year, I'm gonna run more. Now I want to start running more. And it got me thinking, like what is the issue with Kyler? And I just don't think he has as good of a feel for what he should do to make himself the best. That's some of the great quarterbacks, like a game manager essentially. I thought I always believe
Jay Cutler could have had a great career. I think he was bad at this. I don't think he knew what he needed to do in certain situations to bring out the best in himself and his team. I think there might be like a little bit of Kyler with that, where he's always trying to self correct what mistake he made in the past. Like he's obviously a good player, but he's always like I'm pushing hard in that direction.
Now I'm gonna try to do this. Now I'm gonna che that.
And maybe he doesn't have like this natural feel that the great somehow have of like when to push. It's hard to put words to it. But does that make sense to you?
Well, I mean, you know what are we saying about Jad and Daniels.
He's decisive, right, he knows when to run and we're we're especially seeing it down the stretch here, he's taking the ball and going with it.
Jane's a great example of someone who I feel like has a great feel of what to do at different points.
Well again, and he's not gonna wait for the free rusher and Cliff Kingsbury scheme to get to him, make that move before he gets there.
Where's Kyler?
I think he's like, Okay, I'm gonna show I'm a sure guy who can play from the pocket. Well that's not working, so let me run. He's been through a couple of different things. He's had such a mashup of a roster, Like they still have not had an offensive identity with him there and the first couple of years of Cliff I think they did, but they just don't. They still haven't had it yet. Is that on him? Is that on just you know, the roster around him?
Is that on the coaching staff? I think that's something that kind of leads to him being into something I'm.
Looking forward to him next year and another year in this offense.
I think there's a lot of promise here.
Yeah, the consistent thing has been inconsistency, yes, throughout his tenure in Arizona, and so that that would be my hope would be to see like a cohesive unit coming back. We'll know more about the search bar on defensive side at the game, and they won't be the search bar anymore.
We'll know these guys, some of them playing really good football in their first year in the NFL, and the offense gets another opportunity to add some talent and we can see and not be reaction and overcorrection to everything that goes wrong as a season.
And I think a lot of that starts just at the ground level, taking what the defense gives you, and I think he tries to go too much in one direction to the other, and that could be the first step forward to fitting in within this scheme and how they accentuated strengths going forward the entire season.
The entire Week eighteen NFL schedule leads to one thing.
Let's get it.
It is a game for the number one seed in the NFC between the Minnesota Vikings, and Sam Darnold and Jared Golf and the Detroit Lions were at home, favored by two and a half the Overarmers fifty six and a half. Since sight s Rico Chris collins Worth Melissa Stark on Sunday Night Football, this is this is this is why we do this, Shook.
This is actually the first matchup in NFL history between team two teams with fourteen wins twenty eight combined wins, highest ever previous high twenty five. So you want to talk about importance, it's not for the division title or the NFC's top seed. It's also arguably, at least statistically, the most important regular season game in NFL history.
Well, I mean, look, I love this is so tough to call, but I like Detroit because it's at home. I think the atmosphere is going to be insane because we know what thetoy has been through organizationally, but knowing that the playoffs could come through the Motor City I think means a lot. I like the way Dan Campbell went to that game again San Francisco, saying, understand what we're about now. You talk about the standard being the standard,
this is the standard, yep. And you know, they had a tight game with the Vikings earlier in the season Minnesota. The way it's playing now is frightening, with Jordan natisony Mercy the way he is, Hockinson being a much much more integral part of the offense. The two and a half seems good because I think this is going to be a great game. And the way that the Vikings generate takeaways, we cannot underestimate that, whether it be the strip sack, fumbles, force off of the run pressures that
they generate, and the interceptions. I think that's going to be the fact that if the Vikings generated takeaway or two, they win if the Lions are able to protect the ball, which they've done a good job of. By the way, can we talk about how amazing Jimir Gibbs looks now that he's the Belle Kyle Yeah, oh my god.
Right.
I got a little nervous in that game though. There was one run to the side of the where I was like, oh, go down, healthy please.
I think I think he's huge for them in this game. That I do think there is a way that they're great players just have to be greater than the Vikings great players like they need Gibbs to be special in a way that Aaron Jones is great but is not as special as Jamir gets. And they need their offense who is averaging I just did some scratch math here thirty seven and a half points per game the last month. So I was like, how do you get an over
under a fifty six? We have one team that's averaging thirty eight points a game, So as their defense has collapsed, they've needed to keep scoring, and they've done it against decent defenses like the Packers and the Bills and the forty nine ers, Bears like those are. It's not like they're sieves and they just need that greatness to be better.
I'm almost surprised their favorite because to me, they feel like the underdogs now feel I guess so they feel like the underdogs, like the Vikings have clearly been better, I think late in the season than the Lions, and yet there is something intangible here that I just believe
in with the Lions that's like more than football. It's this journey that they've been on and it's them overcoming a lot in different scenarios and it's just like I feel like I'm on Dan Campbell's team and I have to believe in them because of that, although the Vikings have all of that too, except maybe better players.
Overall, it's crazy.
In terms of watching what the issue has been. And I know Sam Donald has come through.
That's why I picked them last week to beat the Green Bay Packers, but they were still late in the game watching Sam Donald sail some throws through the interception that ultimately led to the Packers having a chance. That was their first time down in the game. Where the problem for Jared Golf has really been the defense that's been it. Golf has been so lights out that despite how good Sam Darnold is playing, he's not playing Jared Golf.
No football is anybody though, and that's Joey Burrow.
Joey Burrows, Joe Burrow, Lamar Alan, Yes, but that's the that's the company he's keeping. When people have been saying Donald should get MVP votes, I'm like, no, it should be Jared Golf.
He's been in the top five of my QB Index all year.
And so like you, you're missing high against the Green Bay Packers. And I know Xavier McKinney has been solid and we will talk about you know the Pro Bowl and the snubs, Kirby.
Joseph's leading the NFL and intercept.
Right now, crazy, it got to so good.
And I know Dan Campbell's like, we're gonna try, we're gonna play, We're playing all our starters. When Kirby Joseph ha got that pick and he's running it back, I'm like slide. Like of all the issues that they've had injury wise, on defense, he and Brian Branch have been special. And I don't think Donald can afford to make just one mistake here because all they need is one stop.
And here's the inside story.
When I was at Lion's training camp this year, they're talking about man Jamison Williams is really matured. You're going to see this guy over the course of the season blossom who has really blown up Jamison Williams. The reason why they say he's matured was Teddy Bridgewater's presence on their roster last year. Well, guess who's back on their roster now the past few weeks. Is going to be there for as long as the're posting And.
Who just had his best game of the season, Williams.
I mean, I'm telling you, they say something about the way that Teddy can connect to the young man who's gone through an awful lot in the early parts of his career. That's something to keep an eye on. Really starting to feel a little bit better. So there's a little inside intel.
I like that, And you know what, I think it just bolsters their strength already in this game specifically, and I think we saw a little bit when they played at San Francisco last week. They got the turnovers they needed, which you just talked about. But what if they don't. What if they don't. If they don't, we're looking at a shootout because they have to put up these points just to win these games. Because they know they can't lean on that defense.
They just stick with that scheme, like you don't know what Brian Flores is going to do in this game, and that's a big time advantage. In the first matchup, Jonathan Garnard got after Taylor's that got after he actually dominated that matchup. Van Ginkel and Gernard both made the Pro Bowl team, which is pretty cool.
Great great job by quesci this often.
How about that.
That's amazing.
They could have Alex Azeloni back on Detroit's side. Adam Schefter reported it was a realistic chance that he will be back. I think that's really important because I think for all the problems they've had, you know, on the defensive line, they've got a lot of those guys back where teams like the forty nine ers are picking on them. It's the middle of the field. Donald's great there. The Vikings have so much talent there. They actually were very
good the first matchup there. So Angeloni would give them a big upgrade from the types of guys that they've had out there.
And the communication, because the line's because of all their energies played just a ton of own. Oh yeah, it's a ton of own. I mean, so teams just pick them apart. The communication Angeloni could give them would be huge.
You really just gonna keep blitzing them like crazy. Donald's I don't think so. Donald's so good at holding the ball forever. There was a stat from next Gen that him and Herbert hold the ball the longest for guys that don't scramble like they don't. They hold the ball and they throw it and they're extremely efficient, which is a tough way to live. It means you're inviting getting hit a lot. And those two guys have been hit quite a bit.
To his credit though, when he's under pressure, when rush great, it's been great, very sharp.
And he's allowing those very very good receivers gense right be covered for longer.
Wait, so we're all leaning Lions. This doesn't feel haven't we learned anything?
No, I'm I'm kind of leaning vik Okay, I'm notat Lions because of the home I think I love that huge here.
I think I think that the emotional part that you described was last year's Lions, and I think it's more about we got to get home field advantage to ensure that we don't find ourselves in the situation we were in Santa Clair a lot.
But they're undefeated on the road. That's the one thing I love about the Lions. If they have to go to Philly, they can play outdoors and back.
Yeah, right, I ash If whoever loses this game, this story, I can easily imagine Gin in three weeks time before the NFC Championship, the narratives going into that game like they lost that Week eighteen game, but they knew what their season wasn't over and they went on the road and won two games. And credit to both these teams. You can imagine either one of them doing it and getting back to either a rematch or the NFC Championship.
Very very within the realm of possibilities for teams cra historic.
That is uh, that's it, guys. We did it for Across Dick in the House T shirt was great. Well done.
Shout out to Ryan Day for making this possible.
You know, thank you.
I'm I'm happy that you were able to spend the holidays with your large family, yes, a lot of siblings, and that you were able to go back to Cleveland.
But we do miss you here.
And yeah, you know, I remember when you were when you were in the newsroom with us every day.
It was fun. Yeah, but you know, we moved here right when I moved to Cleveland. I don't even get to hang out in these nice digs, but it's always great to walk in and see familiar phases, just like you guys.
Well, I'll I'll see you soon on your little box.
Yep, I'll be back in the box. Everybody my oversized head, let's get out of here.
Appreciate you guys. We will be back on Friday.
Cynthia and I making our weekly picks we'll keep that going through the regular season. And then, yes, we got QB Island returning, we got the the recap.
Yeah, when can't wait to see what you have in store for us?
When we got
Sixteen regular season games left, you know football is finally back