2024 Week 3 Recap: Revenge of the Winless Teams

Welcome to NFL Daily, where we're never stuck on oh and two, We're getting that win in week three. I'm Greg Rosenthal here in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio with Patrick Claybond Nick Shook joining us from Cleveland. And Yes, Patrick, a lot of teams entered Week three, zero and two, and they got their first win.

And some of them in a surprising fashion. Yes, which I can't wait to get to it. And perhaps some maya culpa and some apologies are old, but that's that's why we play the games. Greg, that's right.

I mean, you're you're Brownie is on the wrong side of it, and yeah, we're gonna We're gonna group them all together. Actually in the second segment of the show, uh, Nick, But I was happy in the afternoon games. It felt like there weren't like great games going on, and I'm like, wow, Tom Brady just had three Cowboys stinkers in a row. And then suddenly the Rams start coming back, the Cowboys start coming back, and the you know, the football gods they always end up delivering.

Yeah, even the Cardinals made a little interesting you're down the stretch against the Lions. It was a nice little uh, late hour or late window witching hour. We had a little bit of fun down the back end.

That's right.

But we are going to start this recap in New Orleans in one of the most entertaining games in the history of football, that entered the fourth quarter at three and zero.

Let's go to the Superdome.

On a time. Let's look be for an interception car backfield motion tipped the car back car steps up, Hey us, he fires the football and.

It is interception and it's set up by.

Right pla good ship. They tender stepped up by right qua good ship. Not the Eagle to on a pullout for the.

Opposite Oh, turn out the lights on the Saints that is Merril Rees and Mike quick on w I P. Who would have thought it?

The defense getting it done in the end in a game where the Eagles had the ball, like I said, scoreless going into the fourth quarter, fifteen to twelve in the final and it was fitting that the Eagles defense sealed the game because this was an outstanding response by the Philadelphia defense at large. Jalen Carter monster game, Brandon Graham played well, they set the edge. Alvin Kamara in the Saints rushing attack held to eighty nine yards on twenty nine attempts in a game where it was close

Game, and that was the story of the game throughout its entirety. This coming into the game through two weeks of football, a top ten offense of all time, the twenty twenty four New Orleans Saints, where they struggled to get to one hundred and fifty passing yards. The zone run the big sip Fangio's plan to stop this zone attack with Alvin Kamara, they utilize that talent that we just haven't seen a type of performance like this from them throughout the season. They come and they get it

Let's listen to Saquon Barklay's game changing run in the fourth quarter.

It is second out of five. Did they keep it on the ground with Saku Barkley?

They do?

He breaks three.

He's at the fifteen, the poorty the party.

He's going to go touchdown, shake.

Barkley sixty five.

Y touchdown runs at the Eagles not only score.

But they take the lead.

So that was to start the quarter.

It was right after the Eagles shut down a third and one play call where Dennis Allen, you know, calls the run that they stuff him. They go fourth and one to start the fourth quarter. They stuff him again. I think Allen was in his head a little bit because he was conservative earlier in the game, not going for a fourth down in Eagles territory, and then the defense who had just been on the field all day

Like it was gutsy stuff to get them to two and one.

Yeah, I get a slack message earlier in this game, that from David Eli, of all people actually, who said I think the Eagles offense is broken, And I just said, yeah, kind of. But what is one thing that you can always rely on? Me as the lobbyist to the nation's capital on behalf of the ground game, I am the face of this party and I'm coming here right now. It's baby, run the damn ball because it worked out

I knew we were probably in trouble when I had the Saints Black Party podcast guys on on Thursday and this game and I'm thinking, like, oh, they should be a head by more. I mean a lot of things went right for the Saints in this game. Look, they lost Eric McCoy, their center on the third play of the game. That was a problem for them, But Trevor Penning was losing his matchup, like I said, trying to get to the edge in the running game.

In general, they didn't look quite as smooth.

I was wondering, how's Derek car gonna play when they're trailing and you just need normal dropbacks. And I gotta say, despite the score and despite that interception, I thought he played pretty well.

Like actually, their.

First drive of the game, he hits a couple of really tough throws to Olave on those plays we talked about third and long, and then they get the ball after that Saquon touchdown and they're down seven to three, and I'm thinking, Okay, this is the first real adversity that they've faced all season. They get an extended field goal drive, and then they get a really good touchdown drive to take the lead back. They missed the two.

They thought they had us all on a little seven rounte live. Okay, cool, but the ain't nothing to go over my head all day.

Ooh cool, it's cool, it's cool.

We got the best secondary BENSI line, best front seven in the league right now, and I'm popping it. And I'm popping it because at the end of the day they told him, but they said we were down and out. They're going by last week and I'll look at you now, listen, we keep receipts. That's what I told y'all in my room. See y'all Sunday. But I told y'all fold they got rid of me. I ain't get rid of him.

It's still in me and he's still tell it on me. I ain't worried. Come on, give another one.

That is chauzea Garter Johnson bridget content in the mix asking him some questions there. Love that dude, especially considering he did get dust for the go ahead touchdown. Had some negative plays in this game, but it doesn't matter.

Yeah, he doesn't get he's saying. He's saying things to get a rise out of other people. Like that's purely how it operates.

Sometimes it gets them yards on the field and sometimes, you know, people could say it motivates the other day. I don't know. If they're not trying hard, then then what are they doing out there? Anyway? But no catches for Rashid Shaheed today, which I think is a big part of what CJGJ was going.

On about there at the end, was that's fair. He's gotten behind everybody. He didn't get behind the eagle secondary.

Yeah, good job by Quinny and Mitchell.

Maybe broke up a play early that again they got pressure on car and it could have been a long touchdown to Shahi Shei. Couldn't take it in like it was just a yard or too short, and it's those are the fine margins. And then a couple other times where Shahi just didn't seem like he fought for the ball well or miscommunication with car including on that last interception. So a different vibe out of this Saints team and the Seagos team. Now both two and one. I think

This guy is a freaking winner. He won at Alabama, he won at Oklahoma, he won. He's been like like he's been winning here over and over and over and over.

And you know what, We're the Philadelphia ego, so we understand we're gonna get criticism, but this dude's a freaking winner.

Jalen Hurts is a winner and he won today.

He absolutely did.

Look the first interception by Hurts was a ball to DeVante Smith that normally would be a J Brown's route, I think, and he kind of got out muscled for the ball by Tyron Matthews, having a monster season. I actually thought Jalen Hurts did some great playmaking in this game, and we should mention that Dallas Goddter had ten for one to seventy.

I mean that I shouldn't have.

I should have maybe a bitched that a little earlier. Oh by the way, And yeah, they had the ball a third and long. I believe it was a long down and distant situation with about one minute to go, and they run a mesh pick play of their dreams where three Saints their safety howden I believe in Lattimore and another player all collide and it just opens up the entire left sidelight and Goddard goes for sixty one. I thought this The Eagles did a nice job calling

Let's go to Pittsburgh.

Now, Cordero Patterson moves right to left, across the formation in front of fields back to pass throws over the middle of the field.

It's Calvin Austin.

He has a step, Austin heading straight up the middle of the field in time to ten to the five touchdown. Calvin Austin fifty five yards from fields to Austin.

Oh, let's sweeter than that Nellie's blueberry pie.

Baby, what a job catching that rock over the middle, out running all the LA Chargers back end boys.

To the end zone. That's how you take it and stuff it in the end zone.

That was Rob King and Craig wolf Ley of w d v E. I love seeing one of these great Justin fields throws completed for a long touch that. I feel like all his best throws this year have been called back by penalty or have just been flat out penalties. Fields also adds a rushing touchdown on a day Nick shook, where Yeah, the Steelers in the second half just didn't allow any yard.

It just wasn't gonna happen. Twenty to ten Steelers win.

Justin Herbert aggravates his high ankle sprain in the middle of the third quarter and after that it looked like it was pretty one sided.

Yeah it was. The Chargers were won of the first two games with being a physical team and their defense kind of carrying them. I mean, obviously they ran away with the win against the Panthers last week, but they met their match that they met a team that did it better than them, and especially once they lost Justin Herbert because then TJ. Watt and Herbig could just tee off off the edge and just get after him, and they didn't really have a chance. But the beauty of

They tried, they tried, they thought they had it.

Came through.

He came through.

He came through today.

He led them in receiving. He had that touchdown reception. It's really nice to see them not just lean on George Pickens and Pat Fryermuths escially on a day where they ran the ball decently well, but you didn't have to have justin fields trying to make euro plays. It was just a good team win from them. You know your defense is gonna be good, but their offense stepped up too, is really encouraging.

So they end up doubling more than doubling. The Chargers in totally are three forty six to one to sixty. So that's the best day on offensive Steelers have had. I think Patrick that one of the most underrated stories of the last couple of weeks. And I got admitted I didn't watch that Steelers game from last week until Friday, so we haven't done a show since then. I think

None. It's all been his throws.

And they forced him today to be efficient on underneath throws and over the middle, and he did it. And so for the first two weeks, I thought his play has been really good and it sounds like it continued.

It's almost as though it's a commercial. It's a campaign for playing in the preseason. Because Justin Fields comes in, he's in the quarterback battle. He's adjusting to Arthur's Smith. They had a package for him, which is what they were able to roll out against Atlanta in Week one.

Now, right Nick, he only had six yards rushing. He had that rushing TD, but he actually hasn't added a ton of rushing value this year. Like, even going into this week, he was pretty low on the list of like rushing vat, which is if he's playing winning football without doing that, you would figure that they're going to figure that part out eventually.

Yeah, Week one was his most important rushing game and it was really just to keep the Falcons from getting back on the field. That was not necessary today because he was able to function in the passing game. A lot of it was underneath. But he was decisive. I think that's the most important thing is that he was decisive. He wasn't frazzled and rushed and had to try to extend plays because we knew he held on the ball way too long in Chicago. He was not doing that today.

What are we talking about here? I just I talked about it with Damashek on Thursday night. It's like all the people that are there and their sources with the Steelers and they're like, no, this is going to be Russell Wilson's job. I've never believed it for a second. Tomlin's got to keep stringing this out till he has to make a decisions. There is no decision to make. He's playing nine. Yeah, there's zero chance he would ever bench justin fields if he's playing this well. And it

Do you think he should have played in this game?

Shook?

Like how how did he look?

Cause when I saw high ankle sprain, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna change my pick. I gotta change my pick to the Steelers. Then he was starting, I was like, I guess I gotta stick with my pick. And then they got me.

They got me.

Shuck.

I hate to say this because I don't want to pin it solely on the staff, but I think this is an example of a coach being a little too stubborn and deciding, look, he's our player, he's our best quarterback. He's the guy that's gonna help us win without realizing that, Like because he was very immobile in the pocket for the most part, even even before he aggravated that injury.

And looking into that shook because we think of Justin Herbert being out there in the flat big making throws on the run. No attempts on the run today, not a single lettempt to run from Justin Herbert.

I mean then again, like the ball moved somewhat in the first half and they're tied, and they had a touchdown and a field going early to sixty yard drives. They literally had negative five yards in the second half. I mean the afful They only had fifteen plays, so even that is a credit to the Steelers offense. But that's three three and outs where they went for a combined negative three yards and then one.

Other and the touchdown.

They fake a screen on the left side and Joey Porter Junior jumps that Quentin Johnston for the second week in a row, a defense just forgets he's out there.

That's how the touchdown happened.

That's crazy.

They also didn't run the ball well on that by the way. That was a big part of it too, is the fact that for the first time this year, they just didn't run the ball well.

Yeah.

JK.

Dobbins finishes with forty four yards Gus Edwards. Clearly the backup now only ends up with nine yards on three carries. Let's listen to Mike Tomlin talking about the defense.

We better respond that way. You know, there's a nickedness in this business. At this level. There's nowhere to hide. Well, you got a challenge like that walking in your venue. You better fight with the number one rusher and rushing team coming into our building. And so let's be real clear, they gotta fight. They don't have a choice.

M tough week for the Chargers.

Yeah, I love that.

Not just no cover, but you're out there without cover and your name. There's nowhere to hide anything the Chargers.

Man, It's amazing how different you can feel after one week, because, yeah, this Herbert thing seems like I could be a recurring problem, or maybe he'll be maybe he'll get better with a little bit of rest. But Joey Bosa left this game with a hip injury. He was off to a strong start this season, and so there's your two best players right there. Big concerns for them, Less concerns in Minnesota, where the Vikings are just one of the best teams in the NFL.

I guess Donald shot down three receivers left, but now month motions for the right across the formation.

Sam looking right, swings back to the center.

Fires and touching.

Chill and Nailer.

That's three for Donald today, three for Nailer this season, and the Vikings lead by three touchdowns.

It's twenty zero Minnesota.

KFA n Paul Allen always knows just that's the right thing to say.

Donald wasn't done.

He added a fourth touchdown to Johnny Munt, former Rams tight end, but we didn't like that call quite as much. Thirty four to seven Vikings over the Texans. Wow, two to two and a teams. I'm not gonna say I'm stunned here. I actually picked the Vikings on our show game debut, just said that, Yeah, it's a toss up. Brian Flores throws a lot at these opposing offenses. It's tough for a young quarterback to deal with. But wow, Patrick thirty four to seven. I did not see that coming here.

No wire to wire as well.

Whether it was the offensive line who did give up four sacks, but on any number of explosive plays for the Texans, they just gave They gave Sam Darnold way too much time. It couldn't get consistent pressure. Justin Jefferson is Justin Jefferson. Nobody, nobody's gonna be surprised on that one. But Jalen Naylor adding that touchdown third on the season. He's getting almost five yards of average separation on his

There's had a receiving touchdown two forty six yards receiving.

Looking spry, I'm ready to say through three weeks this is the best team in the NFL. It's just, oh yeah, what what else do we need to see?

What else?

I believe they've shown me, Nick, I don't know. I don't know what it's gonna take for everybody else they've shown me.

I mean, yeah, we're not gonna, you know, jump to conclusions after three weeks, but we do have to identify somebody as the best team, right and they us complete football through three weeks without a doubt. And I'm trying to as I look at them, I think, well, what's their stronger, you know side? Because Sam Darnold's playing way better than most people expected. We know that Kevin O'Connell has handiwork there, spingerprints all over it. He's got a

Now, this is the second straight week where, like you know, the yards for play and the yardage don't quite match up with the lopsided score for the Vikings, yet they've just been really efficient. I think what is awesome to see here is a third year of a regime change coming together. And the whole idea of bringing in JJ McCarthy now was supposed to be that, Okay, we haven't been able to do certain things in the past, but this is going to be year two of this Flora system.

I lost track?

Like Jonathan Garnard in the Revenge game gets three sacks, the Neil Hunter doesn't get any. And it's kind of about this scheme that's putting these guys in position to win and yes, scrambling c J. Stroud in his makeup up like at one point he just cleared to had his hand on his heads, seeming like he was like wondering what the heck is going on here?

Yeah, not like necessarily seeing ghost type situation, but they're just they're everywhere, and you have to make so many decisions so fast, and that veteran group they just know where to be grew. Jay Hill had an interception on a tip ball like even when you do make the right read and you get time defensive lineman gets a hand up, goes to grew Jay Hill the interception that kind of started this whole landslide of events where Minnesota

For Okay, so there are going to be further tests on his ankle. So usually when you finish out the game, that's a good sign, but that is a little bit of a concern for Darnald. Yeah, and it's some of these guys that had just been around and like no Flores is cam bining them is in there making plays. And Stefan Gilmore I think has turned out to be a you know, he's been in Florest's system before.

A nice signing for them.

And they're just they're very deep and they might have the best home field advantage in football. Laramie Tunsel was called for five penalties in this game, three false starts and two illegal formations and another illegal formation that was declined. I don't know if we give the home crowd credit for the illegal formations, but all the false starts, five freaking false starts, like that place is rocking. They love this team, shok, Like, give me a better home crowd.

I mean, you always have your your your mainstays are like Seattle in Kansas City, Seattle. But the thing is is the Dominy Hills were on third down because they play that horn, which is really obnoxious, but apparently it's pretty effective. I don't know.

I think the Dome, I honestly, I just think the Superdome was going nuts to start the game. I think a great Dome crowd is just always going to be better even than a great open air crowdah for for obvious reasons.

So here we so we're talking themes here three and oh.

Teams we got The Vikings are three and oh, we just talked about the Steelers are three and oh. And I do think, and Damaschek said it on Thursday night, was very like Week three is gonna flip a lot of the things you thought you knew from the first two weeks.

And that's absolutely true.

But I do think some of the stories have been established team wise, the Vikings and the Steelers, and I would throw the Saints in there. I know they lost this game, but of the teams we just talked about, like they are big parts of this season. And then some players are just different. We talked about Barkley. He ran faster on his long run than he has run on any run in five years. He looks different this year, justin Fields looks different this year, and Sam Darnold looks different.

Let's go to Dallas.

It's up to the offense to close this out.

Lamar faked it. Jeff week Keepton on the quarterback read option and he's out to the forty five yard line.

Let's see the exact spot.

Starts down Ravens and with one forty eight in Dallas, let it to play for the first time in twenty twenty four, Hayes in the barn.

Good to hear the hay is in the barn again from Jerry Sandusky. W be a l and yet if you were listening closely, you might have hear just a huge sigh of relief from Sandusky before he put that Hey in the barn because that ten yard run prevented the Cowboys from getting the ball back during a mad fourth quarter where they went from twenty eight to six to twenty eight to twelve. Patrick starts yelling in the newsroom twenty eight to eighteen.

Patrick starts really.

Yelling in the newsroom and talking about how he didn't get any food earlier in the day. He can't do that when this is happen twenty eight to twenty five. And then he's actually just silent, which I was flipping tables and now and now he was just silent at that point. And the Ravens got the ball back after Cavante Turpin cut it to twenty eight to twenty five, and they did ice it with a couple first downs.

Have never at all gotten to that point.

There was there was a Brandon Aubrey on sidekick, which you know, it's one of the announcer jinks.

Doesn't happen. But I'm looking and i see Brandon Aubrey sit the ball on its side, and I'm thinking, well, I've never seen one of these spinny on.

Side You said it, you said this spinny on sidekick.

Yeah, never never seen it. Successful. Of course, Sayflowers Bungles that and the Cowboys.

It was kind of funny, to be fair. I was like it had some knuckleball. Yeah, Brandon Aubrey can kick the ball six hundred miles an hour. I'm sure you kicked the ball to the moon if he needs to. But he kicks a he strokes a sixty five yard earlier in the game. Tacular Greg pointed this out that the Ravens keep going into games where the opposing.

Kicker is better.

Yes, and happened again.

This was true again today. But you to tell me that Baltimore yet again a massive lead in the fourth quarter in a game where Derrick Henry has twenty five carries, one hundred and fifty one yards and two touchdowns, that they cannot hold onto the lead. After the game, coach Harball is saying that, yeah, maybe they played things a bit conservatively on offense and defense, and at a certain point when this continues to happen, when they're blowing leads

Right, Well, that's why it's it's tough. The conservative play calls on defense that kills me. I mean, do what got you there? They were absolutely dominant in the first three quarters of this game on both sides of the ball.

On offense.

It's tough because I did not see this comeback because Henry was running the ball so well.

Twenty five for one to fifty one.

As you mentioned, Justice Hill five for thirty three signed a nice little two year extension, not for much money, but nice money for a backup court running back over the weekend, and then Lamar fourteen for eighty seven. Lamar only ran, I mean only through the ball fifteen times.

Shook.

This was an old school Ravens game. Like Lamar's first MVP season, until it wasn't and Patrick mentioned it.

It has been a trend.

They have ten losses when leading by seven plus in the fourth quarter since twenty twenty one.

That is the most in the NFL. It's kind of mystifying to me.

I saw a booth shot and the Chargers game of Greg Roman, and if I hadn't seen that, you could have convinced me that he might have been in the booth for the Ravens today because of what they put

There.

Yeah, they got it done. And like, here's the thing is, you move to oh to three and everything gets tense and you start thinking about we've blown this whole season and everything else. You just need one win. You need one win, and Jerry Sandowsky just needs to put the hay in the barn one time you get back on track, and they did it today, and I think that's really

That was.

It was a gutsy throw. It was a gutsy play call and they were able to deliver. So I my one complaint about the Ravens is stop running Derrick Henry wide. Please, in moments like that, stop running him wide as much.

As you get. Yeah, I really wanted them to get in the pistol.

Towards the end, they had a shotgun run to Derrick Henry which could have cost him the game. He slips down and then yeah, and then another one he's trying to hurtle defender. Cowboys almost got the punch out there. Things got needlessly complicated. Yeah, towards the end, when it's you you have the two time MVP, perhaps let's just snap him the ball and allow him to do what he does. But again, Derek Henry has had such a

Only one Cowboys receiver had more average separation than three yards. Ceedee Lamb wasn't getting free a whole lot, and it was. It's just so difficult.

It seems like Dallas is having to do absolutely everything to squeeze out every single first down, Whereas you know Baltimore earlier in the game just going up and down the field. But like Jack, Dak's having to make checks, get out of blitzes. Nothing comes easy for this long.

Yeah, that's really well put, Patrick, because I just feel like Dak is having to be Superman more than ever before.

He is making all the play calls. He's having to make all the plays.

You see the frustration Ceedee Lamb in this game not being able to get open enough because they can send so much attention to him. He ends him four for sixty seven, but getting upset, and I don't think it should be lost that. Yeah, they had like about a ninety three to ninety six percent chance to win this game. Every moment from halftime on until that last drive. They like they were absolutely dominant in this game, pressuring Dak

Isaiah likely the tight end of the left that gives a Derek Henry running right at the middle.

He's got a whole piece of the fifteen tend me to.

The ten to five touch down Rivens. The train is rolling and the King scores again a twenty six yard touchdown run, and the Cowboys.

Are on the rope.

Yeah, I don't want it to get lost when like this signey happened and everyone thought, Wow, that's gonna be cool seeing Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson together, And it is pretty cool. Like guys were bouncing off Derrick Henry today he had plus forty five in terms of rush yards over expected.

You know who was it at the end of that? Was it Kayln Carson at the end trying to you're.

Not gonna knock the ball up, bro, try to cat tackle him or maybe just knows he can't tackle.

People were just bouncing off this man's body. It was pretty cool.

Yeah, he had the vintage Derrick Henry stiff arm. I believe it was Carson that was on the other side of that before that play. Then he gets free there. The Ravens had considered, Coach Harball said, making some changes on the offensive line.

They decided to stick with this group. It was late in the week. He said. They saw improvement.

They certainly showed an improvement, especially Daniel Filele in the run game. Lamar actually ran in in the postgame news or of Coach Harball to talk about how Fallele played down the stretch.

So improvement in that aspect, which is something they really need.

The largest guard we believe in NFL hit a pretty crazy notion to put this man at guard, and it did not look good through two weeks. It looked good on Sunday and he had just a massive, massive win for a team that considers itself a Super Bowl contender. Obviously with the Ravens, I don't know about the Cowboys. They're one and two, and I'm I'm feeling better every week about standing on that tiny table and saying things around a collapse, because man, just everything looks hard for them.

Final five seconds of regulation.

Cardie from thirty seven to win.

Its the rookie with the right foot kick off.

Away and it's a Cardi party at shut five Stadium, twenty seven twenty four, their first lead of the game with two seconds left, Joshua.

Carty drills the game winner. That is our friend JB.

Long for ksp and here in Los Angeles, what a call?

What a comeback?

The Rams another one where it was like ninety six percent win percentage with about four minutes left in this game, as the forty nine ers are driving in field goal range up seven, but they get stopped. They missed the field goal fifty yard passed down to two to two at Well sets up the Rams to.

Tie it up.

They get the ball back quickly and yes, suddenly it's a Cardi party. The only thing that the Rams did wrong in the final couple of minutes was Stafford, you know, spike the ball a little too quickly because I wanted JB. Long to have that as a game winning field goal call. So there was two seconds left and the forty nine Ers got a little closer on that on that kick return, but it didn't happen, and the Rams get off the

Who who knew?

Is that forty nine Ers and the Rams are both one and two? But the Rams feel much better about it. Yeah, on a game where they're losing everybody.

If you look at the targets, Matthew Stafford is spreading the book like two two at Well getting five.

DeMarcus Robinson, I believe had four targets as well, three going to Jordan Whittington, five going to Colby Parkinson. Like this was vintage matt Stafford with everybody out just willing it. And you mentioned the fifty yard bomb to two two at well where two two's making a great play to two had a pass in this game as well.

Is that dime should have been completed. But just the other I think he was bobbling. It was Tyler Johnson as he went out of bounds near the near the goal line. They were throwing everything out there.

And it's it's one of those moments where it's it's a Sean McVay team and and you just see the guys that because two has been there for years, these guys that have come up through the program, they can contribute and despite the fact that we haven't seen them in volume, it maybe shouldn't be such a surprise when when he's had young guys contribute early on and these guys are waiting the wings and they have a chance to set up and I know the Niners were hurt,

It's so far it is And you could tell after the game how happy and maybe even a little surprised Sean McVay was, all.

Right, foolish, Oh yeah, no, that was what a job by our group just continuing to battle, continuing to fight, and you know, there's a lot of guts, there's a lot of resilience in this group.

And it's just one game.

But I'm really proud of them.

I'm really proud of them.

What a coaching performance, you know, that feels good in a matchup, Nick that hasn't been too kind to the Rams during the Kyle Shanahan era, Kyle Shanahan, except for the NFC Championship, which is the one he would want the most, has tended to lose. I tended to win this matchup over the Rams. This was the biggest Rams comeback shook because they came back from fourteen in this game since Week two of two thousand and twelve against Washington. You know who was the tight ends coach of Washington

Yeah, I mean we talked about them being banged up. I mean we kind of counted the Rams out for semi foreseeable future because of all the injuries they had. But the funny thing was is when he got close late and they had the ball and I'm like, it's in Matthew Stafford's hands. And at that point anything is possible, no matter who is out there, and they proved it. And just like Patrick said, you know, it's part of the program. These guys who have been around for a

We gotta get in math.

Yeah, they got to cut that track immediately because Cardi Party immediately is a great call. And the history comes true yet again because there's a crucial fourth quarter interception by Matt Stafford that gets dropped by the forty nine ers and yet again, specifically because.

Of that non I int of the Rams room to come back and win the game.

And there's a shot of Kyle Shanahan on the sideline losing it as that ball hits the turf, because I feel like he could sense it as well. Yeah, they really in wasting a huge career performance from Juwan Jennings and brock perty only.

Has eighty completions in this game. Party played well, you have three touchdowns now picks.

Okay, So Juwan Jennings finishes for eleven catches, one hundred and seventy five yards and three touchdowns. I know they didn't win the game, but just one of the best receiver performances we've seen a long time, because it's not just about the box score. It's about the quality of the catches, mossing people, tight coverage, picking the ball off the turf. It was truly awesome. Let's actually listen to his third touchdown catch.

A Yukon Jennings or slotted left Jay Jayson side Jawn just is right. Third down, party back pretty time, Perdy Froche, don't.

Feel wide open God, Juwan Jennings.

Has a hat trick it oat lotey touchdown.

Shan friend just go what what a game?

And you just could have not told me at that point it's twenty one to seven, midway through the third that the Rams were gonna come back to win this.

Game because you said it.

I thought Perdy played well like Jordan Mason nineteen for seventy seven, had a couple catches. Perdy actually was pretty effective on the ground. Ayuk has been quiet ten targets only only forty eight yards. But those Jennings catches over and over just going really into my heart. I know no one cares about anyone else's fantasy team, but let me tell you how dumb you feel when you picked up Juwan Jennings as your first waiver pick middle of the week and then by the end of the week

I'm just gonna delete it. I don't care. I feel better about life for some reason.

I tweeted in the middle of the week, Juwan Jennings is about to have the best month of his life. And for some reason I deleted that tweet too, So I'm just I'm just feeling like I could have been yourself.

This loss is like, yeah, it's personal. I mean, Ellis should be thanking you.

Ah, that's true.

You made this happen, Greg.

That's true.

My beautiful daughter, her thirteenth birthday on Saturday was awesome. You feel a different sort of ways, literally sprinting after five thirteen year old girls, like running through traffic as we're going to dinner. But it is amazing. It was an amazing moment for me as a dad, just seeing her growing up like this. But it was her weekend. Her rams weren't gonna lose. Yeah, not on this weekend. Happy birthday else, all right, And one last thing from

That's awesome.

Jordan also asked Sean McVay about just how the identity is just changing with this team from a week to week basis. Look, they used like twelve personnel early in this game with two tight ends, which they never do. But then they rotated to eleven personnel with the three wide receivers to disguise some red zone and screen looks, and everything just was like mixed up, and she thought it's the best coaching job from McVeigh maybe that she's ever seen. Because the defense was still a huge problem

Bunch formation to the right now Neighbors and motioning to the left. Jones had a shotgun set singletary to his right. Jones back to throw looks fires one left corner of the end zone.

Neighbors makes a diving catch, but did he get his feet in?

No signal yet, Yes, touchdown in the back left corner of the end zone. Jones threw it high and Neighbors went up and got it, the rookie second touchdown in as many weeks.

This kid's just different, man.

Yeah, Lake Neighbors is awesome. The New York Giants are awesome. For one week, they got it done. Look, their offense played well last week. Neighbors finishes eight for seventy eight. He had another touchdown later, but that one was absolutely sweet. That was Bob Papa on w f A and Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense get the ball back a

Yeah, rightfully, So I hate to start with the negative, but the Browns offense is lost, completely lost. Their quarterback is wildly inconsistent, wildly inaccurate, not comfortable, slow to make his decisions. They don't lead on the run game except for ten carries for Jerome Ford in this game. He popped off a couple, then he fumbles on a drive in the fourth quarter when they're trying to mount a comeback. It was just it's an ugly picture. They don't adjust

And I think we can it's safe to say through three games he has been the best of this rookie class, with all due respect Tomorrovin Harrison Junior.

And in the accomplishment that he has that will.

Throw the quarterbacks in there too. He's a rookie of the year right now. It's early.

Yes, Well, the touchdown, the call that you heard at the start, Malik Neighbors is open. He has beaten Emerson by five yards and it winds up being a highlight catch that Daniel Jones throws high and behind Malik. He has to jump in three sixties spin and we can celebrate the touchdown. But looking back at it, that was a bad pass.

Yeah, it's a.

Horriful fast and Malik Neighbors turns it into a good pass. And earlier in this game, he absolutely goes on top of Himerson and just mosses him yep, directly over over the top of his head.

I think it was on that drive.

Yeah, it was on the drive. So like at the at the very least the defender got a chance to see that one and watch the league neighbors kind of come back and make a circus catch. But he's just so good and the reason he and the pass rush were the reasons, and you know, Wyatt Teller goes down. Of course, Cleveland's had problems getting their tackles on the field all season, but Dexter Lawrence has two sacks.

Brian Burns has a sack, including a crucial strip where you felt like there might have been some hope for the Browns, like they could they consistently got the pressure and you know, all credit to the Giant secondary as well, but Deshaun Watson has has held the ball. You can't it's tough to say before we look at all twenty two how well the secondary played, because we don't know if DeShawn is just bouncing.

In the pocket.

He's like, did you think they I guess maybe this is just wishful thinking my part, but I was like, are they think about benching him here? Because it just seemed like he was a I know, the or was it more about the offensive line because the pressure numbers are crazy. Burns with seven, Lawrence with six, Ojulari with four. It was they were all over him. But it just seems like he's holding it. He's not knowing what to do. He even made a bad decision on when to run

Yeah, he's slow, Like he's just slow to make a decision. He's not confident and you can see his hesitation. I mean that play that you just described, that was an RPL on fourth and one, which followed a Jameis Winston telegraph sneak on third and one because he only comes in for sneaks. They run two quarts.

What are we doing here, yeah, Sean Watson.

Then they don't adjust well, they're trying to protect him or what ever. But he's slow to process, and he's also not good at extending and creating anymore, Like even when he tries the bell out of the pocket. It's like he's running in the mud that you just spoke of. So they can't really do anything and they're just stuck in first gear this whole time, not to mention that his decision making is just just rife with just uncertainty and it holds the entire offense back. Yeah, some of

I give the Giants some credit. They were criticized heavily Shane Bowen for being very static, very predictable, and then what do they do. They come out, They blitz Watson fifty six percent of the time. That's outrageous. And Watson goes on the blitzes. I mean, this is a veteran quarterback. He goes eight for eighteen for ninety two yards a touchdown. But here's the key, sat In seven sacks all against

Yeah, I agree, And honestly, a lot of credit is due to the offense and the way that they called this game, because they were like blitzed early, like they were bum rushed by the Browns. In fact, Jones almost threw a pick and it was wiped out by a rough in the passer on Greg Newsom, and it felt like all the momentum was just going in the Browns favor and they were just it was gonna be an avalanche and the Browns were gonna run away with it,

All right, They got it, and uh yeah, a shame because literally the first play from scrimmage of the game was Amari Cooper catching a touchdown and I thought that's gonna be the highlight with our friend Andrew Siciliano.

But it just doesn't feel right to do it now you robbed that from us.

I think that was like the last play they had in Giants' territory for almost the entire first half, which is absolutely ridiculous. So that the Giants get off the schneid. One of the worst looking teams in the NFL coming into the week, but not the worst looking could the Panthers actually go on the road and get a win with the red rifle.

Here's the snap pressure off the backside. Dalton floats one and so on. Dione Ty Johnson back right corner hangs on touchdown Carolina Deonta's first touchdown as a Panther.

Dalton two touchdown passes.

The Panthers coming into the game hadn't had a touchdown pass since the Green Bay game last year.

That was a nich you're off of wr f X Andy Dalton to Deontay Johnson. Look, there's only one quarterback in the entire NFL this season who has thrown for more than three hundred yards and three touchdowns in a single game. That man is Andy freaking Dalton. Let's go thirty six twenty two. I'm fired up about this Panthers win. I mean, they dominated the Raiders. The score flatters the Raiders both sides of the ball. It wasn't just Andy Dalton. It was the Panthers defense showing up. It was the

Well in this game, Andy Dalton, he did.

He was getting hit as he threw that ball to Deontay Johnson with Jack Jones in coverage. Of course, Jones is gonna take. It's gonna take some gambles try to try to make some plays. But it was good coverage and a great pass from Andy Dalton, who I owe the most sincere of apologies, not just to Andy Dalton but to this entire ross. I did not think that there was enough talent on this roster to have this type of performance against the Raiders team that looked good

Cuba Hubbard goes over one hundred yards on the ground, Yes, this is where was this? Where were these guys? I don't know if this is We could put this all on the second year quarterback. No, that's unfair, impossible, but just a great week of preparation by everybody in Charlotte, right.

You do have to give a lot of credit to Dalton.

I mean, the offense improves this much, and I think one thing he did shook in this game, and I know you watched the Bryce Young tape, was he waited for plays to develop, like if his first or second

It meant that much to him.

And then he went out and I think you hate to be a cliche here, but I think he had like the time of his life. I mean, he was having a blast out there.

I mean, I feel like you're talking about Joe Flacco last year. The RME thing exactly, a guy with a ton of experience in arm talent who can come out there and sling it and isn't overwhelmed by the speed of the game. And that's I mean, look, last year, we saw it in one game from Dalton three sixty

I think we're about to find out.

Yes, Yeah, it's I'm very excited about it. I'm just relieved for Panthers fans, Like they were at the game last week with brown bags in their head in Week two. In Week two, like you're supposed to have hope in week two. Now they got a little bit of hope. They went and got to watch their team win a game on the road.

Yeah, this was a humbling loss for the Raiders to really have it just drilled to you for most to the game. I mean, the yardage in the end doesn't look that dramatic, but going into the third quarter it was extremely one sided. The Panthers had four hundred offensive yards going into the fourth quarter and this is supposed to be a defensive team. And Antonio Pierce was not happy.

No, he didn't. I think as the game went on, I don't think it was a team. I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions will make business decisions going forward, as well.

As an upset coach right there.

I watched that game, I was like, I'm trying to think about who he's talking about now.

He has some.

Lighter guys in the secondary Jack Jones to Corey and Bennett. I thought they've played well that really well this season, especially Bennett. I don't know who he was talking about. I think their biggest issue on defense was that Max Crosby has a high ankle sprain, which we didn't know about. He you know, we knew he had an injury that he left last week with, but you know, he was questioned by the injury report and he was expected to play, and he did play, but he had no impact on

Yeah, and the injuries for Max Crosby kind of shows up on the stat sheet. His pressure percentage was eight point three percent. Were used to saying Max Crosby up in the twenties, the twenties and thirties, but Christian Wilkins, playing healthy, was sitting there at nine percent. Nobody above ten percent, nobody really bothering Andy Dalton.

And then on the over on the other side, Jadavian Clowney is back.

He and Shaq Thompson above twenty five percent on their pressure percentage, and it's just love it. The team, the entire team has played so much better. And like Antonio Pierce is talking about decisions to make, he's got a full set.

Now.

Yeah, I mean, I don't think he's got to change quarterbacks, but I guess crazier things have happened. Minshew, he was Minshew in this game. He had one or two crazy plays, but he didn't look that much different. Meanwhile, Andy Dalton's cashing them checks with each and every win. Every win he gets a quarterback wins our thing. He gets seventy

Why not?

All right, let's go to Indianapolis where the zero to two team got a little revenge On Sunday.

Chicago with a ball down by one store and barking left to right, all the Colts de fence play action backing.

Your throw is Williams, and the ball is out.

It's a strip sack. It's available for it. Man.

I think the Colts having around the seventeen yard line with a strip sack and it's recovered. I think by Grover Stewart. Good third takeaway to the.

Ballgame for the Colts on defense That was Matt Taylor of w F and I fitting in there because this was a game of turnovers, a game where the quarterbacks made a couple of plays but gave the ball to the other team, and in this case it was a strip sack of Caleb Williams that helped to clinch it. One of three turnovers by Caleb Williams in the game. Anthony Richardson also a couple of picks, but the running game of the Colts helps to get it done twenty

Yeah, I felt like I white knuckled my way through this entire game because of the quarterback play on both sides. First off, Chicago, what are you doing asking Kayleb Williams to throw the ball fifty two times? Okay, it's it's It was a pretty close game, Like you could have ran the ball and I know you weren't running it well, but you could have balanced it out a little bit more. You're putting a lot on your rookie quarterback shoulders. Caleb

Yeah. This game brought to you by talent and inconsistency.

And you saw it, yeah, time and time again, whether it's Anthony Richardson pushing Tray Sermon into the end zone along with several of his teammates.

And you just see the whole team.

Yeah, the explosiveness there.

But as you mentioned, shook, go watch go watch the interception he threw in the back of the end zone, roll into his right, he tries to soft toss this ball that has no chance.

You can immediately see the look on his face afterwards.

But just and congratulate like good call shout out to Shane Stichen for trying to put that on himself. Because over on the other side, the Bears had a fourth and goal and they ran the most hopeless speed option that has ever been seen in by mankind. And we coming into this game, the Colts have not been able to stop anybody on the ground. The Bears have not been able to run the ball, and so we were going to figure it out. The Bears cannot run the

Ball, right, Nick, you could say that, how can you throw the ball that much?

But they had eighty four plays because they had these long drives, because they were turning the Colts over, because actually in terms of possession and everything, they were kind of dominated. And they did run the ball twenty nine times. They got sixty three yards. I mean, that is just absolutely pathetic. And they were down two scores ultimately for a good chunk of like the middle of the third quarter on, so they had to go into throw up mode.

Uh.

The second one I think was just it wasn't that bad of a decision. It was more just overthrow because he didn't get his feet set and all that and that that has been happening and that is disappointed. I actually listened to the locker room sound after the game of stike In and Richardson.

It was interesting.

After stike In fires everyone up, Richardson then takes takes over and also says, great job today, everyone, It's gonna be the first of many, gives everyone their but then sort of somberly says like, I'm gonna be better.

I got you guys in future weeks.

It is not gonna be like this, which is just like, it's why people love Anthony Richardson, why he's a leader, just the way he said it and the way people are looking at him, like he didn't need to do that in that moment. But you can tell he's not happy with how he's playing, but he got bailed out

Yeah, he made a big play there. But you know, speaking about Richardson, these are things that he can clean up, and I feel like he's in a situation where because of the personality has and the respect he already has in the locker room as a leader, like it can get better over time. He really just needs to clean up the footwork and be more consistent in that. Caleb, I feel bad for him, not because he's not talented.

Oh my god, what do I have to do?

He makes some of those mistakes on his own from trying too hard, but I mean, I can just feel bad for him. I feel like he's playing with one hand tied behind his back sometimes and a lot of it is scheme. I think it's personal, but it's also scheme. They're not doing it any papers.

Yeah, Shane Waldron is not a popular man. The offensive coordinators for the Bears never seemed to be. But no, look, this is Matt Eberfluss's team. This is Ryan Poles team, year three, four of the regime. Depending on how you want to look at it, coach or GM. They have time to turn it around. But it's been a discouraging start, especially for the offense. The Colts get to one and two back in the mix, and hey, at least at Dunze goes six for one to twelve. Comet has a

The tailback, Nick's pitches it right. McLaughlin, Oh, cut, don't stop, he did. He outran the pursuit and Denver has a touchdown.

That is Dave Logan of ko A a running back, has never stuffed it in the face of a play by play man faster than Jalil McLoughlin. You tell me not to stop, stop and got me that touchdown. I mean that was one of those play calls. That's a fourth and goal and he has a man over just absolutely reads the play. I believe it was Anthony Nelson and McLoughlin shakes him out of his shoes and somehow gets to the edge.

You never see that sort of play work in that spot. I was stunned.

Good job by Jalil McLoughlin. The Broncos win this game twenty six to seven. I had eyes on this game throughout. This is an absolute butt whooping. Despite not having much of a running game. McLoughlin gets seven yards on five carries. Javonte Williams ends up with twelve yards and fight five carries.

But Bo Nicks was awesome.

First play of the entire game, back shoulder throw to Courtland Sutton plus twenty two down the field. Okay, a little bit of a pushoff by Sutton, but he trusted his receiver to make a play.

He made a play.

Third play, a beauty over the shoulder of Reynolds down the field. Again, we're saying like Bo Knicks can't throw it down the field that time. He was protected well. I thought the offensive line really played well all day. And then Nicks ends up running in for the first touchdown of the game. Nicks ran well all day, nine for forty seven on the ground and including a nice scramble. He's actually up to one hundred and seven yards on

Got it.

Defense was awesome. They they kind of pulled the Bucks pants down here in this game. It was very one sided.

Patrick, Yeah, and that Julila mcgofflin touchdown was on fourth down as well, where he gets Anthony Nelson to stop and slip and he finishes that drive off with the score. I thought it was a great performance not just by bo Nicks, but this entire team. And two including two turnovers from Brandon Jones. One was an interception, one was a fumble recovery, patrick'sir Tam was patrick'stan that kind of had Mike Evans incarcerated for most of the game.

And then just the rest of this team continuing to make play after play where we're expecting Baker and the Bucks to do something, just kept waiting and all the Bucks come back, comes and he gets a touchdown to Chris Godwin to start the third quarter, and you're thinking, well,

Yeah, I mean he comes back to earth a little bit. It's like, you know, they always say, got to have rainy days to appreciate a sunny one. Baker had a rainy day on Sunday. I think a lot of this story is the fact that the Buccaneers allowed Bonis to do some things. You look at their pressure rate. They had nine pressures, it's twenty three point one percent. They blitzed at a rate of forty three point six percent, which is yeah, pretty frequent, and yet they didn't get

And they have a little bit of an identity here on defense. If I told you, like one of the teams in this game leads the NFL and blit percentage this year, and it's by a lot, you would think it'd be the Todd Bowles Bucks, but it's not. It's the Broncos who came into this game and I noticed it last week. They were just Kami Kazi on defense. Van Joseph in his bag right now. Sometimes it's working,

I really do think.

I mean it's a thing.

It's human nature.

I don't know if Patrick, I just mean, like if you're rowing two, you're I feel like you're more likely to They come out one hundred and forty three yards to twenty three to start this game. It was like the Ravens needed that when they came out so strong. Maybe there's something to it, Patrick, Maybe we could say that the Broncos the trihard. They definitely played better than

You know you need it all week long, and you play your best.

Maybe more opportunity to find out the things that you don't do well and to be able to focus on the things and the places where you can be successful. And we're gonna have to pull, as Nick mentioned, the Buccaneers maybe back to to Earth and start to re examine those first two wins a little bit.

I mean, they had just over two hundred yards last week and we're more than doubled, so maybe they were a little fortunate there. But you mentioned it's certain awesome day against Mike Evan. Certan, who had a slow start to the season, a ton of penalties last couple of weeks, actually kind of been losing his one on one matchups. I mean, he is the only cornerback in the NFL that they just say, go cover someone with like no safety help literally and he's done it. He's had to

We're going to get to the rest of the games.

After a little break.

Back on NFL Daily, we're gonna go to Tennessee, where one of the best stories of the season is being written by the Green Bay Packers.

But first we're gonna hear a little bit from their defense from the thirty one. Here's the snap quick throw.

Right shuper seven shot.

You're Alexander Hi stepping.

Henzel touchdown.

Shot.

You're Alexander and the Packers lad at sixteen to seven.

Holly, go.

Wayne Laravie and Larry mccaarron there on w r n W. You looked up and this game just went from seven to seven to seventeen to seven in a blink of an eye. That happens when Dyra Alexander is out there with pick sixes.

It happens when Malik Willis is as efficient as hell. Thirteen to nineteen.

Yes, he got the start over Jordan Love, who was rule an active two hundred and two yards through the air on only nineteen attempts with the passing touchdown. Who was their leading rusher on the day. It was Malik Willis. Six carries seventy three yards. What a performance by this kid to and zero the ultimate revenge game. I mean,

It's spectacular.

And at this point, you know, early last season we had the pastorn, not Josh Dobbs kind of taking the world by storm coming in on short notice.

Milik Willis did just get there.

Like it's not it's not the exact same situation, but Milik Willis really literally just gets there. And Josh Jacobs gets under three and a half yards per carry, and you come in to a world before last week and you're telling people, well, hey, Malik Willis is going to need to throw for two hundred yards, is going to need to have three thirty plus yard Lesians on the way to his first two hundred yard passing game with seven different receivers on only nineteen attempts.

Folks would say, you're insane, it's your crazy, You are insane, never gonna happen, But Matt Lafleur believes, and Malik Willis. He dialed up a game plan for him for the second week in a row. He comes through.

Let's listen to Matt Lafleur talking about Malik Willis after the game.

Yeah, I think anytime, you know, maybe a change of sceneries can be good for some guys. And I just cannot articulate the job that he's done in the short period of time. People can't fathom. I promise you, you guys don't get it. I know you think you got it, but you don't get it. What he's been able to do is I've never seen something like this, So hats off to him, hats off to everybody around him.

I think it's just special to me. It's probably the number one like personal story of the season so far. I never would have seen that come in and he was dynamic on the ground. They cruised to this victory, but it was in part because he was making good decisions but also is able to run the ball and presents that threat.

And lafloor is being.

Humble about it, but he's done an awesome job. And Malik Willis didn't want to bury the Titans or anything after the game. But it's not just about a change of scenery. It's about an organization and the Titans have work to do. Shook and the Packers these two wins, even if Jordan Love comes back next week, it sounds like there's a pretty good chance of that. You just feel like they're deposits in the mojo bank for a team that has really big aspirations here.

First national mojo bank. That was strangely combative from Matt Lafleur, But I think he's been reading some of the press clippings and I think he's been hearing the doubt, and the doubt came from people like me because Malik Willis didn't show us anything that should give us any reason to be confident in him prior to Week two, and even in Week two, Lafleur did a masterful job of building a game plan that didn't ask him to do too much, leaned on the ground game, and he made

Now?

I know it's been bad through three weeks. How much how much patience do you have with this? I mean, you gotta figure this out.

Idea.

If we if we take the way that they treated Malik Willis's That's what I'm saying. He's only got a few games.

I mean, Mason not only did they choose you know, Will Levis over Malik Willis, they chose Mason Rudolph over Will Levis. So yeah, and that was supposedly a pretty tight camp battle. Yeah, they're they're not going to I mean, the thing with well Levis is sometimes you get in a streak of just some of it is bad luck that the turnovers are catastrophic turnovers. Then again, he had

They've like, there's no way Milik Willis would ever be caught doing that.

Let's listen to Malik Willis's touchdown pass a screen to Emmanuel Wilson.

Second down, they fake the handoff to Milton, dumps it off to Wilson left side.

He's barreling his way the fifth to the five.

Pretty touchdown.

And the Packers cash it in twenty six, just having Green Bay eight twenty five.

To go on the third.

I was just kind of curious if Wayne Levy brought out the dagger mid third quarter, but no, I guess I could have listened ahead of time.

Just just curious.

Nice game.

Nice game for the Packers too, who have not been great defensively to dominate the Titans on the ground, stopping Tony Pollard and Tadja Spears had a combined twenty one yards in this game.

Yeah, and looking at Will Levis again, everybody's gonna get got on the occasional stare down out jyr Alexander's first career pick six. But that's eight turnovers now in the season for Will Levis. He added another one late looking deep to Calvin Ridley. Xavier McKinney gets another pick, which Xavier McKinney's had an interception in every game. A great pickup this offseason by the Packers. But they just mount these turnovers now. And it wasn't a weird one.

He didn't throw a cartwheel interception or something like absurd like he had in the first couple of weeks of the season. But the sheer volume of them is.

Just Yeah, I think the Titans were a little unlucky to be owing to their defense had played really well. Their defense did not play well in this game, giving up that many yards to the Packers completely outplayed. So it's the running game, it's the defense, it's not just Will Levis. And yeah, the Packers are staying alive in the NFC North just just trying to keep up with this Vikings team in second place? Would they be tied for second place? Let's go to Arizona where the Lions tied to get a.

Win shared working out of the gun takes the Snappies back.

Four man rush, goff sets gros got on the ball, flips it on the.

Hooking ladder, coming inside the file.

To the end of down Detroit Lions.

Oh baby, how beautiful is that?

Thank you Ben Jonson Man the creativity, the o Fleeflick. I don't know what you call that.

Uh you call that a hooking ladder?

W x y T Dan Miller and Lomas Brown And yeah, there is something just gleefal makes you feel like a kid when you see a hooking ladder. Just a play like that executed perfectly. The Lions win this game twenty to thirteen. Shook not perfectly clean from the offense, but this Lion's defense has really played well.

I think overall this season.

The running game gets I think almost two hundred yards on the ground for the Lions and they hold on for a victory over Arizona.

I would like to before we dive into the Lions defense and the way they ground out this win because they did. No mistake, it was a war of attrition in the second half. It was not the most interesting football viewing experience it was. It was a stalemate of sorts. But I need to know. Did Ben Johnson pull up the tape of the two thousand and seven Fiesta Bowl, which happened to be played in the same stadium in which Boise State ran the hooking ladder before running the

Yeah, you look at the rushing totals for the Cardinals Jeames Connor nine for seven team and then the backup Spenson and De Marcato don't really get involved if they can't run they're just not who they are.

And you mentioned it.

Harrison gets sixty four yards and a touchdown in this game, but it took eleven targets to get there. Just nothing downfield. I've been impressed on tape of this, this Lion's defense. I think they've played pretty well up front. I think they're slowly getting a little better. And then you have the duo David Montgomery for one hundred and five yards

Zero targets, zero catches, twenty yards, one touchdown.

That doesn't make any sense.

I think maybe the way that they scored this as a rush because the key difference between because going back and looking at the Boise hooking ladder was that was more of a catch and then a pitch. I'm on raw caught the ball and pitched the ball in the same motion. They may not be chest passed it. Yeah, I don't even know if they're given i'm on credit for catching the ball on that play because he got

But he delivers and in this Lion's defense.

Although like there was the loss to the Buccaneers last week, you still saw the coverage improvement from a season ago. Yes, where people are running free all the time, they get pressure on Kyler Murray today. Of course it's Kyler, so somebody's gonna run away from some of those plays. But when he attempted to pass under pressure, he was one of six for seven yards. Yes, it's a great performance my life.

Yeah.

I mean Aiden Hudgson coming off a week where he gets five sacks and somehow doesn't get Defensive Player of the week.

It's like, I know he.

Didn't win, but like, are we blind? That should just be a rule that you get it. The big win for them two and one. I'm always just curious this team. We've seen the slow just maturation of them as a team. You're coming off a really disappointing loss, you're on the road, a tricky plays like that. That's the type of win that a good team gets to just bounce back quickly they do it. Jared Goff has an interception in this game, but otherwise it was pretty efficient. Eighteen for twenty three

I formation behind golf now they shift single backs.

Montgomery Skipper in their sixth offensive blinder Golf takes the snap, turns, gives nope, boots right, looks, looks being chased golf, running.

Golf to the fifty, golf to the forty five.

He slacks for the first down. That is your ball game. Jared Goff doing it with his legs.

We came in talking about Kyler Murray being a problem. Kyler Murray was gonna break your heart for his legs.

You know who just broke their hearts?

Number sixteen Jared Goff, Jared Goff, Jarreri Goff.

Like, I think there was like a tind of sarcasm there. I just assumed it when he was a comparative to Kyler, But I don't know that felt some full throated Jared goff Love and why not his long run That might be his long run of the entire season.

Good job by him.

Sama Porter left this game with a low ankle sprain, so that is something to keep an eye on. They have struggled to kind of develop the secondary receivers. I know Jamison Williams had a big couple of games, but he was totally apposent in this one. One catch nine yards and otherwise it was quiet outside of a mon ross Saint Brown with seventy five yards and two touchdowns.

The twelves just want to get.

A w Gino out of a shotgun McIntosh in the game.

And now he swings out to the left side.

Gino steps up in the pocket, looks, holds throwsy got.

DK open thirty twenty fifty tail runs away from my hony touchdown shehay hawks.

Seventy one yard or the DK.

Gina waited, waited, great rounds and then DK just popped into the secondary open.

Gino laid it.

Up there and the secondary never had a chance to catch dk Woo.

When dk wins, he wins by so much he had to wait for that ball just a little bit. Gino Smith gets it done. That was k i Ro the've rabel on the call. The Seahawks went easy twenty four to three. Wasn't a smooth game every minute for the Seahawks offense, but ultimately they got twenty one first down

Yeah they're three, and oh be happy with the Seahawks fans. It can all be pretty. Sometimes you're gonna get some, you know, less attractive victories, but they all count the same, and it was a big one for you. You went and took care of business against the team rolling with a backup quarterback. And the main takeaway I had as soon as this game really reached the third quarter was, man, the value of a quarterback in the NFL remains so high, and when you lose that guy, it hurts so much.

Well, one of those twelves dot Tim Boyle looked a lot more comfortable.

Actually when he came in.

Would crazy because he didn't look very good either.

Okay, would you say that's accurate?

And yeah, tell me a little bit about like the Seahawks defensive performance in this game, because you do see them doing some creative stuff. There was the way they played defense, only rushing one on the hail Mary, which.

Was kind of fun.

Well, Mike McDonald is kind of the mad scientists going up against the other mad scientists Mike McDaniel here, and clearly I know Skyler Thompson hurts them, but like, tell me what you saw out of the Seahawks defense.

A lot of not even trying to get after the quarterback. They only blitzed five times all day. Their pressure rate was thirty eight and a half percent, but it was fifteen pressure so they were getting them organically and not through the blitz and a ton of sitting in zone coverage eighty four point six percent of passes, pass dropbacks,

That's fine.

Not everybody that's I'm saying career less, that's fine.

And if I'm Skyler Thompson in that situation, I'm content to just see how long how long the play can last.

But ultimately they really got nothing out on one. Yeah, just just nothing, absolutely nothing out of that. But that's really how it's been.

Like the protection clearly on a one man pass rush better than it's been for the Dolphins all season because it wasn't good when Tua was in. And here is the Seahawks able to just rush for and get consistent pressure throughout the game, where the Dolphins were never in this game, they were never even you know, had two interceptions. Of course that that one is you know, he's gonna get tackled for a safety. He flipping the Zach Sharbernak

Ge.

Maybe that when was a little I'm gonna give it sixty percent.

Okay, sixty I mean sometimes it sucks. It's so it's so annoying to have to take a safety. I can't imagine what it would feel like to be an NFL quarterback in any respects, but I can just imagine that it would be like the most annoying thing, like I just can't take this safety. And you're right, he got it out to him. That was a crazy decision. Look, Gino has been under pressure a lot this season. Forty three percent in this game. That's a really high number.

They're at one and two. We'll see.

But it's starting to feel like it'll be a two team race in the AFC East. A little earlier too, a little earlier to get that. By the way, remember back on our previews show, Patrick Clayban, we all met you, and Steve White said, we're not worried about all going down with the ship. We're all going to take the exact same team, even though they were only four and a half point favorites. And ah, there was a bigger favorite in Tampa Bucks lost. Oh there was a bigger

So good job by us. And that's what we do, Greg, that's right.

Live, we breathe. We we obtained sustenance to provide our bodies with what we need to survive. And yes, we got knocked out of our.

Whole survivor No, no, we're starting over, but it's now new. And actually, now that it worked out well, I think me, you and Steve should be one person and we'll make a joint decision every week since we're on.

Fire, because that's what we do. We survived together.

We are like Vultron.

And unfortunately we're about to lose our arm and our left hip because Patrick claibon will not be with us to cover Sunday Night football, but Shook and I will be right back after the break to do so. And thank you Patrick.

I'm going to give you you know how Tom.

Brady gives a grade for all these passes, I'm giving you an a plus.

Thanks Greg. Enjoy Sunday Night Cousins will be under center.

On fourth down and a yard to go long count, they give it off for Shawn Robinson hit in the back down, he goes down, Kansas City holds on downs again.

Nick folds in stripes to the outside and makes the hip and Kansas City defensively holds on downs.

Fourth down at the sixth and.

Now the thirteen, twenty two to seventeen. The Chiefs defense gets it done once again. Mitch Holtis from WDEA f familiar storyline, isn't it the Chiefs defense winning the game at the end, the Chiefs offense.

Not being fully in gear but making just enough plays.

And yes, the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins just playing weird games. That's that's what Kirk Cousins is going to do. I know, Nick Shook, you did not like the play call. That was fourth and inches for the Chiefs with about a minute to go, and they throw it outside left to the John Robinson. I believe Kirk Cousins changed into that play. It looked like he changed the play at the line of scrivage.

Yeah, anytime you run it wide on fourth and shore, I know you can't sneak Kirk there. You think that's not gonna be an option. You're always gonna put yourself in a bad spot because you're essentially giving yourself a longer path to get the past the line to gain and the Chiefs, you know, sniffed it out like it was nothing. Nick Bolton making a great play after coming back from leaving with an injury earlier in the game.

Well, I think you pointed out there though.

I mean, if the play call is bad on the run, but the play call is bad on the pass, it's like you got to just execute on some level. To me, like that throw you're right to Pitts was a bad throw and everyone's like that was a bad note call. I guess it was a bad no call it was, but yeah, that throw made no It was just like I don't know if it was.

If the guy's big, you draft them because an athlete you just wonder.

I just don't think Kirk is as accurate as he usually is.

And he's so good in general at making decisions and he's played quarterback for so long that it still looks like a version of Kirk Cousins and he's getting it done in some way. But that was just a bad throw. There was a couple other bad throws in the night. Now the fifty yard are to Pitts. He put that out there. That's a nice play. I'm not saying it's not all there, but sometimes coming off these injuries with your plant leg, just the accuracy is not as consistent.

It's a play.

Nick Bolton said after the game that they felt like they they gave up earlier in the game and he identified it quickly, but you know who else identified it quickly like every other member of the Chiefs.

I know Bolton got the glory there, but like everyone won.

And it's a game of trenches and Kirk Cousins face so much more pressure than Patrick Mahomes did in this game. And ultimately, like the Chiefs ran the ball well enough that the running games were almost a draw. And that's a big advantage for the Chiefs that they were able to pass protect their guy much better than the Falcons were, who couldn't identify blitzes and Spags is going crazy at the end and Kirk Cousins is a pinata And I'm saying all this make it it sound like it's a blow out.

No, these two teams look pretty even, but that was a different yeah, And.

You know that kind of makes me rethink what my next point was going to be because I am not a fan of bubble screens. Okay, I just think it's a low potential play, But I understand the use and I understand why they were peppering them in a lot because if you're facing that much pressure, if you don't trust your offensive line to protect your quarterback going off, then play the perimeter and try to make a play there.

Right, So to back it up, the score is fourteen to ten late in the second quarter, and then I think it was a big moment in the game.

They get a rusher on Cousins. He's hit while he throws.

I think that was to Shaun Wharton, who's had a nice start to this season also had a great week one. The ball floats up, the Chiefs intercept it, throw a lateral, they get a field goal before halftime, makes it fourteen to thirteen. Then you come out of the break, the Chiefs ran, I mean the Falcons ran three plays in the third quarter.

Three plays.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs go eleven plays for sixty seven yards.

They kind of have their.

Old bugaboo and get stuck on the goal line. They blow a first and goal from the three where it's like Carson Steele direct snap Carson Steele negative two and that's negative and then they get the field goal three and out. They go down with a long touchdown drive. Travis Kelce finally makes a few plays in this season. Rashie Rice, who had just a monster Knight, has a

And yet then in the fourth quarter, like the Chiefs.

Go three and out a couple times there and keep giving the Falcons chances to win that game. And ultimately Kirk Cousins had two chances in the red zone to take the lead or to win the game in the final five minutes, and both times the protection really falls short. And this Chiefs defense and Spagnolo just finds a different way to do it every week. They don't need Patrick Mahomes to be Patrick Mahomes because he hasn't really been

Yeah, but it's a mark up a champion, a defense that comes through in the clutch in the fourth quarter when you have to prevent a touchdown to win the game, when you go from an eight point lead to a five point lead and you have to get a stop,

But you know, I mean, it just looked like every Kirk Cousins game I've ever seen. The game should with the Commanders or Washington rather back in the day, the games with the Vikings for all those years now and now the Falcons, like Kirk Cousins brings his own style of game which is just a whole lot of insanity and it ends in some crazy way, and there's a whole lot of free rushers on the blitz that does seem to be a trend, and Kirk just getting absolutely waylaid.

I mean, he got hammered in this game.

He was six for thirteen against the blitz for fifty seven yards four point four yards per intense attempt, fourteen for sixteen for one to seventy three when he wasn't getting blitzed.

So that is a problem.

The injuries are a problem, and Chiefs fantom not just hate because we're bored of you. But it hasn't been a great three and out and none of that matters. They're gonna round it. They're gonna figure out the things that are wrong, and they're stacking wins along the way. But it's not just me who thinks that. I mean, they were sixteenth and DVOA heading into this week. I bet they don't climb that much in this performance because they weren't that dominant. This was looked like two even teams.

We will see. That's it for for week three.

Here on the Sunday Night recap, Shookie, I'm gonna do the thing that I always don't like what they do and shows their podcasts or any final thoughts, Nick Schuck before they just wanted to hear from you one more time.

Yeah, I mean, I think the Chiefs their start actually kind of tracks with what they've done the last couple of years. If you look at their schedule from last year, they won twenty three to twenty twenty seven to twenty nineteen to eight. They had a blot win over the Bears and a close win over the Jags. This is par for the course for them. They've won a super Bowl last two years.

I would be concerned.

Yeah, it is who they are and who we are. Nick Shook is men who like to do podcasts after primetime game. So we will be back after the Monday night doubleheader. Nick at Night, mister Shook and I will recap Bill's Jags and Bengals commanders. That should be fun until then. After this week three, we know football is back.