AB Drama ; What YOU people don't know about teams no one is talking about...or maybe it's just us

pushed the back in West West. You know, West organized a critical doctor's appointment for himself at around one fifteen in Beverly Hills. He will not be making it. I promise you he will not get there. You walk in the depressing little magazines on those tables, which are the most depressing thing, the little magazines, and I mean you

could be no time to read those. You could be all agro and angry about it, or you could recognize that in the history of six years of this shows, we've had a lot of you know, fifteen minute, twenty minute chit chats before the show that just like we're totally wasting time. I think this is the best one we've ever had. I'm all four but directions. I thought we were going to start twenty minutes ago, and it just well they were. It was ten or eleven topics

that you chose to talk about, Corex. So I understand why you liked the conversation. But what if we were to table the chit chat for after and it would be volunteering. You could stay or you leave and get on with your day. You know it's before And I'll say this that we've been working together for years now and our jobs have evolved in that time, and we used to sit together every day, you know, five six days a week, eight hours a day, sit together. Hey,

that's the show right there. Just put a microphone downstairs. That's the podcast there, and you got your show, um, and we've done with it. But that doesn't happen as much anymore. And I do know, um the habits of the room that once the show is over, it's a cloud of dust and everyone's gone. So the only time I could keep you here Mark and have you in a conversation is when you're basically a hostage and you have to be here talking to him that's that You're

not wrong, But I will say I am. My concern is around West is uh you know health. I mean you are, though you're diving in at certain points you were asking about the decor of West is uh well, totally facetiously to continue my Mike, I kept saying, please, can we move along proof of that? Can we move along now? Because we do have a lot to get to and West does have to get to the author don they'll they'll survive if I'm a few minutes later,

didn't seem like it was a cancer appointment. He's like he has a really really important I'm just picking up retainers from its dental health matters. Um, very important dental health. Do not ignore your teeth. There was a poster in my old dentist office one as a kid, ignore your teeth and they'll go away, all right? Coming up on today's show, Yes, the preseason kicked off in Earnest on Thursday night. A bunch of games. How many games we have healthy? Uh, So we'll take a quick spin around

the league. We're not gonna dig into a game by game. I will be letting you know where we are in the standings. But well, some general takeaways from the action

on Thursday. Also, UH, something we did last summer. We're bringing it back because you know how it is, You know how it is with our show that in any show, really the NFL has haves and have nots in terms of what teams move the needle, what teams are fun to talk about, What teams maybe would be fun to talk about if they got more love, but they tend not to. So that's why, UM, we are bringing back the segment what you people don't know about teams? No one is talking about dot dot dot or maybe it's

just us. Maybe people are talking about these teams, but not in this studio. You people should know that you really get a kick out of this segment. I enjoyed. In fact, I will be moderating this segment, uh, to make sure that none of the teams and we'll get to this a little bit later that had come up often on the show, and we have a group of fourteen um will be mentioned once during that segment. This

was needed. We tend to go into ruts around June and July where we only talk about half the league and ignore the other half the league. So we're gonna study that other half of the league and how many other podcasts out there have the self awareness to even do a segment like this? Think about that? Yeah? Um, but before that, let's do some news. What we're hearing presented by Sirius XM hit it Ricky from Elliott Fry. Yeah,

a standing ovation for a pretseason field goal. It's important, it's continued from the excitement for the Bears kicker in this competition. How about that, Elliott Fry, he can't make this stuff up. As seconds are ticking off the clock in the Bears Panthers preseason opener, Uh, they spiked the ball forty three yard field goal and guess what actually didn't spike the ball? Clock's running. Ron Rivera, the opposing coach calls time out, and he wasn't doing it to

be a jerk. He was trying to help the Bears because everybody knows Matt Neige is obsessed with the forty three yard going back to the double doing in the playoffs and John Fox, Ron Rivera said, you know what, it's funny. I did that to help the Bears because they are in a kicking contest. Rivera said, via ESPN dot com, how about that? What a cooperative coach. He is an opposing coach to do that for matt Ni riverboats, a good man Neggie taking the opposite of approach like

Sean Payton and the Saints. They don't even mention what's happened the last couple of years. They just moved right on. Naggi is just thinks that obsessing about it is what happens if small Fry this is that kick? Yes, what if he double doings that kick? Does Nagie just run off into the wilderness and we never see him again? Or you know, he he just jumps in the ocean and just go swimming until he disappears. We're kind of

an event, I think with Niggi. All right, let us start the news with Antonio Brown and uh soap opera that is exploding in Oakland, just at a time when all the cameras there for are there for hard knocks. We'll start here. We'll start the story with the report uh from Chase Williams of w p x I and Pittsburgh who put it out there that Brown had gone quote radio silent and that the raiders had quote no clue where Brown is or the status of his injured

foot and of course we talked about it. The frost bitten feet from the cryogenic chamber that has hindered him and kept him out of amost all of training camp. So there has been a disconnect with Brown and the Raiders. He is getting treatment on his own um and now more now so. Michael Gelkin of the Las Vegas Review Journal reports that Brown is expected to rejoin the Raiders quote in the near future, which is good news. But then Mike Silver own Mike Silver drops a silver bomb, like,

woa bomb. We need some type of silver bomb thing. A twenty part thread. Now you you could ask, hey, Mike, why didn't you just use like the open up a document and write all this stuff and send out one tweet. I would imagine maybe there's a social media reason viral lead to have it's paying off as I look at it live tweets. So there it is a twenty part thread that gets more into what is going on between Antonio Brown and the Raiders behind the scenes and Greg.

This is all over the place, but in the short of it is is that yes, he has this foot issue going on, but there's more behind the scenes, including issue with the NFL's updated helmet safety rules that has caused a major havoc behind the scenes. Let's start there. What are you seeing in the silver thread? Well, Antonio

Brown is upset about the NFL's enforcement of helmet regulations. Basically, they have taken helmets, which have been tested to be less safe and provide uh less protection against concussions out of the mix. This has been a multi year process. They had kind of a year last year where players could still wear some of the helmets that were towards the bottom of their unsafe, but they had to get out of it. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady were some of

these players that were still wearing the old helmets. Once he got to this offseason, you're no longer allowed to wear the helmet, And apparently that kick started a offseason saga which is hilarious in its details of Antonio Brown going crazy about these helmets, to the point where Adam Schefter says the helmet issue is more of the reason why he's away from the team right the earlier in the off season program, he stormed off the complex so angry about the rules with the new helmets, and he

is repeatedly ironic because the NFL p A completely supports this the it's the NFL actually proactively paying lots of money for research to try to save the players is brains essentially, you know, all the things that the players have really been complaining that about for years, but he

is upset about. There is one detail in here, and it's number thirteen on on Silver's twenty tweet description here that that Antonio Brown went to the extent to at one point take the field with his old helmet, his preferred helmet which he had since had repainted with colors approximating but not completely mimicking the Raiders silver and black design. He went out of his way to hire someone I'm imagining to get the right silver and black color tones

and it didn't quite look right. Or is this who knows, you know, maybe abs taking advantage of the what's legaland California and you know, having a day with his kids and you know, and with an ipatch, and this is uh that was I guess the high point or low point of him trying to get this uh now illegal

helmet on the field. But this has been going on before he heard his feet through O T A S and practices where he kept on trying to get on the field with the helmet, and the Raiders kept on telling you you have to take it off, and he would say he was going to follow the rules, but try to try to beat it. But then there's even more even behind helmet Gate, that he's um struggling to get to meetings on time. He appears quote unfocused in them according to Mike Silver. According to witnesses, is a

tweet number nineteen in the thread. Uh. Typically, Brown glances at the screens of several tablets and his smartphone during meetings, distracting himself by engaging in activities which include perusing his bank accounts and quote liking photos on Instagram. Still, one source says, the meeting thing isn't that bad, but the feet, helmet and going dark is an issue. Your damn rights an issue. And we we knew the honeymoon was not gonna last between Antonio Brown and John Gruden, and maybe

Antonio Brown and anyone in organized professional football. But this thing has a potential to krenn into a total avalanche of poop here And and I you know, is he on the field, is he a member of the Raiders when they become the Vegas Raiders? Is how long is this gonna last this marriage because it is off to a rollicking start. Well, as you might imagine, Raiders coaches and players are talking about this amongst themselves, and according to Silver, one of the coaches said, it was quote

honestly the most insane thing I have ever heard. I don't know why it's so important to him. It doesn't make sense. I would say, you dig your due diligence on this guy, and you found the insanity in his past. This guy is playing a team sport and he sent a figurative middle figure to the fans. The coaches and players are the Pittsburgh's Dealers. Steelers are laughing their asses

off right now. I mean, it's important to note that the this helmet guideline is affecting hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of players who were equally passionate about their equipment and have a fondness for a certain type of helmet. It had to switch. And this one person is the one responding this way difficulty that tons of others are

dealing with two and adjusting to. And it's you stand out with that type of behavior, and the questions rise up about Antonio Brown, and you know it's I guess for us, it's delightful because we get to watch all this unfold on Hard Knocks, But it was a year ago that we were working with someone like Mike Mayock who has to be going nuts that this is taking place on a public stage, or Grooden that he has to deal with this, and they already didn't answer questions

about the frost bite, but already of it informs some of the frustration that we saw from Grooden even on Hard Knocks about the feet, because that seemed like almost a very frustrating story but almost annoying, and it wasn't. But this kind of informs maybe why they've been getting so frustrated. And it's fascinating because he's the He's the best receiver that I've that I think i've covered, and you know, since I've been covering the league, is Antonio Brown?

Like that's that's the reason we're talking about it is because he's one of the all time grades and we're not none of us are informed enough, and nobody following the NFL unless you really know the man, are informed enough.

But I wonder if he's okay mentally, Like he just seems to be completely out there and is it is he able to really get along with anyone or is it is it to the point where he just exists on planet Antonio and there's weird stuff is always gonna be following him around now his his career gotten to that point despite being a fantastic talent. We talked about it on Wednesday. Greg in the one practice we did see in that Hard Knocks premiere, he just blew everyone

off the field. He's that good. He's a super duper star. He's gonna wear the jacket and canton. But I just wonder where he's at mentally and whether he can really function on a team in twenty and beyond. That's next time he'll be allowed to wear that helmet. I'll just put it on for his speech A can. He loves it so much. I want to be sitting at home right now where everydy is wearing the helmet, just watching like Netflix. I know for me personally, like I stay

away from looking at my bank account. There's nothing about it. Check It's like, hey four figures here, guys, that would be an awesome move though, just like leave it open and it has like four twelve dollars and it like what take a look. What all right, Let's let's move on to the news. Yes, a fascinating situation unfolding in Oakland. Moving on Cleveland Brown's news, Duke Johnson no longer connected to the Brownies. He gets his wish traded away from

the team to the Houston Texans. Brown's announced it on Thursday. Tom pel Sero event if I'll Network reported Houston will send Cleveland a fourth round pick in the draft that can become a third rounder if Johnson is active for ten games, so pretty good chances becomes a third round pick going back to Cleveland. Um, we all know that this was kind of a controversy around the Browns at Duke Johnson unhappy with his role in the team. Kareem Hunt comes aboard. He's kind of number three in line

in that UM depth chart. Wanted out. Didn't seem like it was gonna happen. Well it does. He's out of town and he joins the Texans team that really needed an upgrade in the backfield with Lamar Miller, who as much as I once loved him as an underwhelming h three down back, now you have a great receiving running back back. There makes a lot of sense. For them,

but the cost West is a little high. I thought they paid them for a team with many roster needs, not just this year, but going forward they have many roster needs. UH. He feels exactly what their backfield UH needs. They need a passing down compliment to Lamar Miller, I just wonder what a team with a GM allowed the

coach to fulfill this wish. It's a good question here is I think it's worth noting he has two years left on his contracts, it's not just this year, and at what I think is a very affordable contract, so you're getting a good deal. I don't I don't hate it. It definitely makes their team significantly better this year like they needed. They needed it, and I I've always thought

Duke Johnson could handle more than that. He doesn't. Even if he doesn't, he's just one of the best passing down backs since he's been drafted, and he's not missed a game in his career. He's he's certainly not been a star for Cleveland because I think he's no one's really found a way to maximize him entirely. And then when you've got guys like Nick Chubb, he's just not featured as a as a featured back, which he's asked to be. He wanted to be that coming out of Miami.

But I think they should get the third rounder barring something you because Kareem not back till week nine. And I do think it makes the Browns worse. Well, it's you know, a bit of a Mia coopo though, because one thing I learned about myself is that I need

to I need to um when Brown's news happens. And what I do is I just tweet emotionally and I'm not And I think that my analysis was a little off because I was I felt like they just gave him away because you know, suddenly he's got a new agent, Drew Rosenhouse, who went into Cleveland and said I want this, and so you know, weeks later he's out for and I and I get to the third round pick um, which is the largest compensation for running back for some

research since Trent Richardson was shipped out of Cleveland. So you know, I was. I think that I my initial reaction was off and that I thought the Browns basically just caved into wishes when they got they got good compensation back. But I don't love. I don't love the timing well, and also that I'm texting you guys like all this stuff where you don't need that, Like I think I told Dan. I think I told Dan to die at one point because he I said. My response

was to the trade. Once it was I said, wow, you know, third round pick, attentially, that's a nice return for your third string running back. Marx replied die Well, I mean, so how about you know, I need to learn to grow a little bit, and like I and I'm not. I'm gonna try to not treat one team and the differently, but I rely one. It's just to set the tone of a positive concern. Though. Is this because we'll get into another bit of news that happened

to Cleveland. It is when you when you start to look at your roster as you've got riches at all these positions that you can give away. You know, I think they might very well need Duke Johnson. They they have some other guys up beyond Nick Chubb that are showing some promise even last night in the game. But I don't like the idea just handing away Duke Johnson this far before you get Kareem Hunt. If you could have done it closer to the trade deadline, which is

there's no surety that you could. I would have been happier with the timing. The other news is that Antonio Callaway, they're promising second year wide receiver, has been suspended four games for a substance abuse violation. UM. This the twenty two year old who really did flash last year as a rookie. UM. If you remember, he was cited for marijuana possession and driving with a suspended license last August. But Mike Gara Folo, our own Mike Gara Folo reports

the suspension stems from a separate incident. Uh. That marijuana charged by the way, the one that I mentioned there was dismissed in February. Worry so uh and and which is you know a little bit refreshing on my end. He released the statement taking responsibility for his actions and saying I'm gonna eat the suspension and that's what it is, uh, instead of fighting it. So Callaway out on the shelf

four games. Your thoughts there, Mark, Well, I mean, so suddenly you don't have Duke Johnson and you don't have Callaway in this offense that's super deep. Is just simply not as deep, and a couple of injuries going the wrong way could turn Cleveland into a different type of roster. I would say the thing that they have going for them, and this continued into I realized it's just one game.

But last night, ever since Baker Mayfield took over, I thought that Richard Higgins went from being someone who was cuttable and essentially at zero asset to someone who's growing as a wide receiver. And he played really well last night. I think he just he he that you need a third guy, and I get that you have Beckham and Landry and and what a great situation you are. And even with this these these these news items that these are hits to your depth and that's importan and have depth.

But Landry and Backham are superior receivers, uh Chub and Hunt when he comes back with superior rushers. I think the Browns are still in very good shape right now. I just think that they one thing about them is the early schedule, and I think the chemistry issues in general are there's a lot of challenges out there. It could be a rough start, and where are you by the time Cream Hunt comes back When you're trying to get rid of the haunted house and turn the page

and institute a new culture. You don't need the ghost of Josh Gordon hanging around. No, this is a little too soon. Moving on. Did you know, by the way, that there's still litigation going around around the NFC Championship games Saints fans and specific specifically one particularly angry super fan. He's a lawyer. Uh West got a good lawyer jokes.

I forget all of them. Okay, I just thought, like a Maleman would have, like, it's like, hey, where's the you know, the best place for a law fest to be are So your interview tell them what you are to the interview, to my law firm interview. I've told this before. A dangling earing and what was on it crucifix is not Barry Bonds is like giants hearing the job Dan Dan got at the bottom of the ocean. Um,

did they tell you never wear the earring again? Which, by the way, that was infringing on your religious beliefs at the time. I am not a person who gets offended by that stuff. But yeah, nobody tells better lawyer jokes than lawyers. Yeah. Anyway, So there's a super fan Tony Laman he had filed a fraud suit against the NFL before the Super Bowl and UH connected to the

blown past interference called the NFC Title Game. And he, because he's a lawyer and he knows the little tricks, he crafted the suit so that damage stay under a certain figure. It's seventy five dollars, which means it stays in state courts and in front of most likely judges that support the Saints. So he's trying to work in everything. Now.

The problem here is that you know UH. And then on top of the courts then ruled in Louisiana that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and three game officials would have to be deposed in September. I mean, what a waste of taxpayers money. It's a football game anyway. The NFL is appealing that ruling, and now the Saints have to because they don't want to get involved with this, They've had to come out and file a brief in support of the league. I mean, the final insult to injury

for the Saints. Now we have to support the NFL to drop a lawsuit against you routing our franchise with a horrible p I call. It's a wild scenario going on, and it is very much up in the air. There is the possibility that league figures, including the top of the food Chame Goodell has to uh answer answer questions. What's his named? Tony Lemon? Yeah, I adore what he's done. I think it's beautiful. It's chaotic, it's strange. This made

me spend a week in jail. They should someone should do like a owner suit to Drew Brees for throwing an interception to start overtime. People kind of forget that they do such a It's like overtime starts, Drew Brees immediately throws an interception that gives the Rams the win, and no one's mentioned that once since then. Just it's

worth mentioning and a little bit more context. The NFL is arguing, in their quest to dismiss this entire travesty UH that the lawsuit, if it proceeds, would allow other fans, thousands of fans, to sue the league whenever they want over something as simple as a missed call, which is fair third strike that was called a ball. Sue the league. What this man should be in jail wasting time and money? There you go. I I my counterpoint. I find it delicious.

You should be in jail too. All right, let's spin around. Um, A lot of injury stuff to go through, so will be kind of quick here. Robert Quinney's you know, it's on my radar that he'd had the club early in the season because he had that thumb surgery for the Cowboys. Well, might have avoid the club because he's not playing. Robert Quinn's availability for week one was already in question because

of the fracture fracture left hand. Well now he won't to be available weeks one or two suspended for using a masking agent. And yes, uh he fired out an angry um statement saying he is innocent. Perhaps he is. I will not get into that right now unless you guys have a take other injuries. Nate Sudfeld broken wrist for the Eagles, so their depth chart just got lighter there behind Carson Wentz, Cody Castler. Uh wow really Uh? I mean it's not like Sudfeld is necessarily super trustworthy.

Although he's made some throws in the three season, that is a big drop off. Remember John d Filippo, when I interviewed him for that one story I did, talked up Sunfeld put a lot of resources. That's their situation. If Carson Wentz gets hurt again, he's expected him a six weeks. He had surgery today Friday. Gabe Jackson, uh the Raiders right guard, will miss approximately eight weeks with an m c L injury. The athletics of Victor for uh Taffer John Taffery today two times, three times he's

been mentioned. I don't know. I think so. I know he's a buddy of Mike Silver's from back. Then that's a big loss. I think if the Raiders are gonna be good, it's gonna be or surprising. It's gonna because of their offense, and it's gonna because their offensive line is better, and he's a big part. Well, they gave up the It's easy to forget a Car has been beaten up in some of these games in the past. They gave up the third no sacks last year in

your wide receivers on the lamb. There were games last year where Car could not operate because of his line, and I don't think there're any better this year. Terrible setback for Jermaine Curse, the veteran wide receiver trying to get his career back on track with the Detroit Lions. That won't happen in twenty nineteen. He's been diagnosed with a broken left leg and quote assorted injuries to his ankle very ugly UH play in preseason opener against the Patriots.

So um curse is at twenty nine years old. This is gonna be a tough one to come back for. From good luck to him. Uh. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vita vea first round last year defensive lineman Adam Schefter, reports that he's been diagnosed with a sprain L c L and we'll be sidelines six to eight weeks. They hope, They hope he'll be ready and before that. But week one not looking too hot. Now. There is a transition.

By the way, Greg, you talked about this earlier in the week, Any injury that happens, what's today August night, Any injury that happens before August seven, everyone probably ready for a week one. Once you hit August nine, all of a sudden, it pushes back and it's like probably open week two, week three, probably good chance he mrs the open. There is that cut off. Anyway, Vita is on the other side of that. Bad news for him because you know they're expecting a lot hell cl is

no joke. That's more serious than an m c O. There there, d line looked like it could be if they were healthy, kind of spicy, a little vita via and Dominican sue stopping the run in the middle. But that's a big loss, a lot of a lot of Niners injury news to go through. Nick Bosa questionable for week one season right, he was right on the borderline right there. He was right on the Dalton line there when he heard that ankle earlier this week. He's questionable

for week one. It's John Lynch the Niners GM said it's not a full blown high ankle sprain, which is that could kill your season or ruin half of one, but it's got components to it that doesn't sound Do you know that sounds like a high ankle spring Yeah. Jared McKinnon add him to the list of people. The running back for the Niners got a PRP injection, who was excited that that, of course is the plat lit

platelet rich platelet rich plasma injection, which is just taken off. Well, they take out your blood and spin it and then put it back in right, and not only that, it's yeah. I tweeted a little bit about it, and I heard about a procedure called the vampire facial, which is a popular popular move among celebrities where they use PRP technology to take out your blood and then inject it into your face. I would say that there, I know for a fact that there is a young star quarterbacks wife

vampire Vampire facials on the name though. I just want to thank Greg for bringing this to my attention. That is my fantasy team name for my team, Vampire Facial. I'm writing it down right now so I don't forget sounds awesome. I watched one live on an Instagram story being being done and it is quite a sight. So I've never heard of it until today when when people responded about the vampire I'll tell you offline, who doesn't. You can see it yourself, Ricky, any experience yourself with

a vampire facial? Yeah, couple, Really, it's a ridiculous human beings. He's like, I'm three years away from being able to afford that. Um. Jason Varette, the Niners cornerback, is a what was deemed a not a minor ankle injury. He'll miss the entire preseason. Rap sheet UM reported earlier that it was minor, but Kyle Shanahan, the Iers coach, said the opposite, So not a good look there. And also finally, Kawan Williams, uh Niners defensive back, he's out for the

entire preseason after a scope on his knee. So the Niners are all sorts of beat up. Now. The good thing is you don't hear anything about Jimmy j In fact, you hear everything is good about how his his progress is. But especially you hate the Nick Bosa one because that sounds like something that could potentially throw his entire rookie

year off track. And he missed a lot of the o t A season two with a different injury, and you do just his brothers struggles to stay healthy as well, right, I don't you know, you hate to say, like if someone's injury prone or not, but he is. He is a crucial, crucial part of the forty Niners defense getting better.

And if they don't have him, and if d Ford is not, then suddenly that whole rebuild doesn't look nearly is That's been the story of this of this rebuilding, constant injuries and I look at a guy like Jerrick McKinnon. You go out and you went on got Tevin Coleman, You have Matt Breda. Are they already I mean, are we at the point where maybe Jerrick McKinnon never really becomes a large part of this offense their team building? It sounds like an I R. Boomerang guy. They blew

it by having him practice lightly for a day. They can't put him on the p Also, it sounds like a request a pay cut. Guy. I think you're not wrong with haircut. Take a haircut. Take a hair cut. All right, that's what's happening in the news. Alright, some takeaways from preseason opener action. Uh well, let me start where about it is. It's because at the end of the end of the day, what is the NFL about? What's what's sports about? Who won and who lost? Take

a quick look at the standings. We're gonna dig into that a little bit deeper. Yeah, just be aware. I just want you guys to be aware that for all the excitement and all the high open, all the pop around the Atlanta Falcons, I guess who's O and two right now? Not the Detroit Lions and two. My friends all right, Greg, what was the takeaway you had from watching football? It's football. It's doesn't matter, it doesn't count, but it is something that we could actually watch takeaways

from the action. There's not a ton in in the first preseason week. But the thing I think it can be valuable is just identifying a young player too, like Preston Williams in Miami who made more plays in that game with Josh Rosen, then plenty of guys making their entire career like la Kwan Treadwell has never made. He hasn't made close to three to four the players that Preston Williams made in that in that game. So it's

just like, hey, here's something one to watch like. It was incredible the athleticism he showed on all four of his catches. He's been great in camp. He might be, you know, in their top three receiver rotations. Just like, hey, if your Dolphins fan get excited. Rosen was a little up and down, but also moved the ball up and down the field and had three, four or five really nice throws. So it's kind of like, okay, I like, if you're a Dolphins fan of hey, there or something.

I guess I had to check this game out, or I'll just take your guy's word for it. But the one thing I heard about Rosen is that he threw a bad pick, but he was working behind a second team line and they were and it was comically bad. And what can you learn about Josh Rosen or any quarterback when you literally you have turnstile in front of you. That's a tough situation. How do you beat how do you beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick? How do you stay healthy?

How do you make plays? But what he did last year, I saw a little bit last night where under duress he made a couple really nice throws. And he's been done his whole career. He settled down. He had a couple of touchdown drives and would have been a couple more. He's had a positive couple of coach also said he needs to rain down the Cowboys. Yeah, there was one one particular throw where a guy is all over him and he just totally just threw it up in the

air and Preston Williams came down with it. But it was it was lucky. Um. I watched the Etch Giants game and a couple takeaways. First of all, damnit, Sam Donald looks good. I'm so excited for him. By the way, the Jets uniforms look good too. Everybody else take a look at him. Helmets. But if you're happy with it, that's all that. I don't think they somehow. What I think they pulled off is they really did take the nineties uniform and kind of merge it with the their reboot,

their back to the future uniforms. I like the helmets, Okay, I'm cool with it. If you're cool with it, we're good. But more importantly, Sam Donald looks good now. The Giants are all out of whack. In the first Donald played just one possession, but he carved them up um five completions through a touchdown pass. Jamison Crowder, you want to look.

We're not going to the Fantasy extravaganza yet, but Jamison Crowder is a guy on the radar um the way that offense runs uh and with way Adam Gaze operates. Remember how Jarvis Landry, how he piled up receptions. I could see crowd Or being a guy that approaches a hundred catches. Maybe if he stays healthy, which is a big part of it. Adam Gaze, you smelling salts before kickoff an amazing little bit of video that like circulated

across Twitter last night. What did that? Due to his eyes, it was all it did what you imagine that it would do. Dan Pompeii over at The Athletic wrote a piece about gaze Um that was illuminating, including because my wife, for instance, my beautiful Emily, both our children h C section births, and it is a I don't know anything simone, now, No, no, I'm sure Emily is excited that this is being broadcast to U multiple it's it's a beautiful maybe maybe maybe

she is excited. It's it's thank God for science because and and medical technology because women mark you have an issue. For thousands of years, women died on operating tables before these things were options. I don't have a stance on s. Second, I'm saying like I preferred those days when women would die. You know that is I am being spoken four not

correctly anyway. Having been there for to C section births, it is a major major surgery to the point where to get the baby out you have to remove organs and you set them outside the body and then put them back in. This is a real thing, and I lived it. And I'll tell you what Adam Gaze in this profile Dan Pompeii, right after the baby came out, there's another hour of surgery about to put everything back in place. He said you good, honey, and she was like okay, and he took off and went back to

the Broncos facility to meet with with Peyton Manning. That's wild. It is wild. I let like in West you, I think you kind of talked about that being a bit of a puff piece around Gaze. If you go look at Pompeii's Twitter timeline, he dug into some other stuff that I found interesting, a little bit of the other

side of the Adam Gaze experience. I also, yeah, I had a someone connected in the journalism world, closely to the New York Jets that said that there is a lot more to Adam Gates that was not talked about in that piece. I mean, I find him fascinating. Um, I don't know if I trust him, but I find

him fascinating. But anyway, so, and then on the other side of it, West Daniel Jones, he goes five for five, throws a touchdown for the Giants, and after the um the touchdown drive and of course, all the reporters asking is this a real quarterback competition? Now, you almost got the sense of Pat Shermer would have rather Jones didn't do that because he wants us to go away. He wants I think in in the Giants plan in their mind as they want Eli to start the season and

then give way. But Jones does have the advantage of with actual games being played. If he goes off in these three or four preseason weeks, that's that's gonna there's gonna be a real loud drumbeat for him to play immediately. So it is something to track. I don't think it's a total done deal that Eli is gonna start with God forbid, you want to play. If you're the coach the better quarterback, I think it is a done deal. But these these preseason weeks are crucial. The least can

get a lot short. That's what I'm and ricky quarterbacks can put that thought into the coach's mind where if you play great in August, then maybe you're playing Week three. If Eli Eli Eli in the offense were booed off the field, well it was three downs and I'm just saying like whatever, like immense goodwill was there on the part of the fans is they're they're ready to turn the page. So we'll see one of that Pat Daniel

Jones every time he shows up to a Yankees game. Confused, confused group, Man, I think you misread my ire towards the Giants. Okay, go ahead. There's nothing I want more than for Daniel Jones to be good and interesting, so Giants fans have something to look forward to and the media can start actually covering a team that's worthy of

all the expectations they place on it. Perennially exciting to see West on the Giants bandwagon all of a sudden the last couple of episodes, West, you have a preseason take away? Can I do? Like to lightning ones that don't need a whole lot of analysis, But just to Christian Wade the Bills running back from England, the rugby player already way more intriguing than Jared Hayne. Ever, was

what explosion on the Touch Show? Because there are fewer than one player skill position player per team who have angle beating speed with the ball in their hands, and this guy beat the angles with his speed. Who knows if he's a running back? I mean, I don't know if he can run between the tackles or do the things that have the instincts that are running back has. But on that one one play, he showed me that

he's interesting. Um. And and the second thing, if you viewed Bears running back David Montgomery as a dark horse rookie the Year candidate and a major upgrade on Jordan Howard, his debut was solid confirmation bias talk about angle, beating speed and being able to stop on a dime. He looks really fun to watch. And Matt Naggie, I'll know how to use him. Him and Cohen in the same

backfield is going to be spicy. Mark Um a couple of little nuggets I thought, along with Christian Wade, you know the preseason, you can it's cool little things happen for around people that we may never see again in the regular season. In the Browns game, Damon Shey Giseppi, who essentially snuck his way into a tryout by going up to Alonzo Highsmith after googling him and and pretending to who that he belonged to the tryouts. He was.

He was a guy that in college had great return skills and he returned an eighty six yard punt returned for score last night at the end of a romp over the Redskins that cleared the Browns bench. In one cool little footnote, he lost his cleats before the game, and Odell Beckham, who's taken a liking to him, said where mine, and he wore Odell Beckham's cleats when he

ran that thing back. Secondly, bad news for old Geno Smith, who's out for seven to day to ten days during a critical center of the preseason, while Paxton Lynch went out and assassinated the Broncos cart three. I wonder if case Keenum is as Greg I think you noted a solid month ago in a column. Definitely someone they're trying to shop potentially. I don't know if you want to roll into the preceded into the regular season without a veteran like him. But he started him last night. He

made a nice throw. He's fine. But then the rook Dwayne Haskins to me very up and down, made one awesome throw and then had two killer picks. Next up XFL for you, boy, Gino. Because the Paxton puts together one more of those performances, they're just gonna say, yeah, it's developed a kid. It's a long preseason. I also loved Jacoby Myers because Dan where we grew up, Jacoby and Myers was a long running legal house ad that would nag you during reruns if you were staying home

from school and there in the New England area. Yeah, he's in the perfect New England area and in the northeast. Jacoby and Myers was the TV legal powerhouse. But of course there was also called The Loss Is of Richard P. Nine Mark because sometimes taccidents happened in your anchor banker like he understands your anchor banker, she under next story is the guy you know is throwing at Jacoby Meyers part of that game, I mean the searches over. The

Patriots have their next time, Brady, it's Jared'stidham. If you're come in, looks good. He's the future. If Maurice Harris lasted three days as the number one receiver in New England, I thought it was the same guy. I can't I can't give hey Harris. Harris scored the first touchdown of the preseason. He also had a bad mistake. And yes, also I mean on the other end of the spectrum Kyler Murray the number one overall pick He looked like

the number one overall pick um. All seven of his passes were caught, uh, six of seven final and god, what is his ceiling as a rookie. They're fun, It's gonna be very it. Yeah, he looks like a guy who's been in the same offense since high school and he has what is he going to do this year? Hopefully hopefully not hopefully not get hurt if they protect him like they did in that game where three different times free rushers came after him. That's why I think

they might have played him a little longer. But going up against the other starters, he had to evade the rush like three different times, and he did it amazingly each time. But they're a bad often of line that's already really hurt and that that's well, the challenge with that offense. It's four or five wide receivers tight end free with maybe a running back and five a bad offensive line of five guys that need to defense is

going to figure about to go after the quarterback. So do we have to swap out because Christian Wade, by the way, circling back to the Bills, the former rugby player he is. He's assigned through the NFL's International Player Pathway program and because of that, the Bills can carry him on their practice squad. UH an extra player and it's it's fine. Is Christian Wade going to replace Mobo Ringer for our updates? We gotta that's a conversation we

have to have. Maybe we take it offline, but at what point do we pull the plug on mobile bow Ringer is the guy we're tracking. I just still want to. I don't want to lose the the theme music that comes with most Christian wilwhere. But yeah, if Mobo doesn't make it through into the seat, maybe we put a clock on him through this preseason. I mean, he's been

so highly relevant for up until this. Penry Watson or the director of International, vice president of International, he listens to every episode and every time we talk about this, I could actually hear him and his office going, oh Dad, it's such an awesome Well mobs into trouble right now because the Bengals are rather deep at tight end. It's like probably the only position they're deep on the entire rafter.

They have a second round pick. They have C. J. Ozama, who's their starter, and they have Tyler Eiffort, so we move them again. I think shift them into the backfield. Was a versatile player we're talking about, all right, That's what's happening in the preseason. Heaven Sent Fragrance by Helen ruben Steyle. Spray it on and heavenly things happen. Heaven sent, laughing it, living it, loving it. You'll find heaven sent fragrant, said Helena ruben Stein encounters everywhere you. I love this,

did he ask? Baby? Suddenly you're all the things. Here we go. What you people don't know about? Teams no one is talking about or maybe it's just us. All right, so here it is. Let's get into it already. Set it up in part at the top of the show. Uh. During the segment, there will be fourteen NFL teams, some of which we talked about already today, probably all of them. Uh. And for this segment and the segment alone, they are

not allowed to be the focus of any conversation. And beyond that, they cannot even be referenced in any way. And that includes not just the team name, but if you're talking about it, for instance, Uh, you know the Patriots. You can't mention Bill Belichick. There is no reference to that team or anyone connected to it, and you will be penalized for it. Here's this pink construction helmet that's

been outside our studio for months. Um, get your wallets out, because anytime you said and I will be moderating this, okay, anytime I hear it, or Ricky Hollywood hears it. Um, you will hear this mention pink team, mention band team mentioned, and you will drop a dollar and it will go to a charity of Greg's choice. You're missing an opportunity that the charity sounds great, but I thought you were going to say, we have to wear that hat until the next person pink. Much better idea if you mentioned

a team. Thank you, Greg. You wear the hot pink helmet until someone else mentions a band team. Now I am not involved with this. I am a moderator. It's important that I'm here, so I cannot wear the pink. You're not making any of that, I will not be. I have to be tracking. This is important that someone is tracking. Well, we can track it when you talk. It's more important that you have a true moderator in

this situation. I will report to you. I will share thoughts potentially on the various topics which would put me in line to wear the helmet. However, um I will serve mostly as a moderator. Here. Let's get into it so way. Why are the teams we can't talk about? Oh? Here are the band teams? The New England Patriots out, the Jets out, Dolphins, Fish Tank is out, the Ravens out, get out of that nest. The Brownies sorry Mark out, first team out. I mean we've spent like twenty minutes

on them already, and the Browns are out? Are you gonna tell us twice? The Texans are out? The Cults, Sorry West, They're gone. They're not an August team. Broncos sorry West, they gone. Raiders out, Cowboys out out, Eagles they gone. Mark Brown's out. Packers also out. O Rams out. Well, that makes Mark happy, and the Browns are out again. If you hear this, that would mean that you have triggered the alarms teams. I don't know what that says. I think it says that the Patriots, Jets, and Browns

are all the ac um. Okay, here we go. Let's get into it. Get us going Greg, so just and again, what do you get there? All right, somebody else start, But I just want to say, talk about anything you want about those teams. You have, what fourteen teams? What does that mean? Eighteen teams to choose from? Mark, choose one. I'm gonna talk about the Carolina Panthers who last year, if you remember, I had a list of teams that were annoying me highly and that I simply didn't believe.

We put on the big helme it. It's gonna look good on west this element that was so easy. I can't go on over now we can make it hell that looks good on you. But if the west side of Cincinnati gets ahold of this, you could be a workman in a second. Yeah, I'm not really worried about the west is Incinnati gating ahold of this. If spice Rackx sees this, he will move back to Vegas. Spice

Rex got his own issue anyway, go on. I think the Panthers have some of Some of what is happening in Carolina is flying under the radar because of the you know, concern around cam Newton's recovery, and there are some concerning elements. But let's in this in this world, presume that he's healthy by week one two. People. I think that the Panthers for a long time feel like they've been the same seven or eight guys on defense and the same group of people on offense that you

kind of could take it into year after year. Huge leap coming for Curtis Samuel and it's it's he's to a major breakout figure in that offense. Ron Rivera talked about him as someone who is light years ahead of where he was as a rookie. I've thought this quote from Tory Smith about Curtis Samuel was interesting. He's had the most growth out of any player I've ever seen in terms of confidence, everything. I'm expecting him to have a huge year. He's worked his way to be in

that position. So I think the offense, which is starting to shift in the last couple of seasons, starts to be anchored around people that didn't even exist in Carolina going back a few years. Curtis Samuel a big year. And I think that Marty Hernie, who you know, we've laughed at, who he's on a second run is the Panthers GM brought in is almost an emergency patch and he got them in the cap hell the first time he was around. Has done a nice job in a in a number of ways. And you know, and I

think they with with Brian Burns. Their first pick looks like right away, someone that is going to give something they need, which is pass rush and a home run. Pick had two sacks last night, very act a player was someone that played every down at Florida State, a totally reliable, versatile dude. So it's new anchors in Carolina,

and it's easy to forget. They were six and two last year before the wheels fell off the course, before Cam's shoulder went spiritually separating from his body down the stretch. If he's healthy, I think this is a team that can win the division and take New Orleans out. It seems like a pretty settled roster. They have a lot of impact players and both sides of all they need their health greg Olsen, Cam Newton, Gerald McCoy, Luke Keickley. But you know, all these additions. Yeah, I really like

what they did in the offseason. Bruce Irving, is there now Burns? You mentioned, Uh, there are many teams that have good three guys that can make their own plays after the catch like Samuel More, DJ Moore and Christian McCaffrey, as as the Panthers. Oh, young guys, Chris Hogan, I'm not as high end. We're not allowed to before. I always forget where he's from. It's a team up. He was the only guy Tom Brady was throwing incompletion connected You're done. Every time Dan asked a question, I totally

forget the game that we're playing. Got the pink helmet? Your head looks huge, Greg not so much of a workman persona to uh West, Go ahead, you're up next. Dan. About ten minutes ago, you said sports are about winning and losing. Absolutely, I've always felt that, and I promised that Dick deeper, So indulge a little bit of a preamble here. Have you ever think about the evolution of fandom from childhood to grown up. When you're a child, it's all about the players. They're your heroes. They can

do no wrong. That's how you see the game, That's how you experienced the game. The first sign that you are losing your hair and getting a fat tire around your midsection, and you're a middle aged fan, as you start seeing sport through the lens of team building. Why are some teams perennial contenders whereas others are always like

a lost ball in high weeds? And the one thread that runs through all successful organizations in every major team sport is the ability to conceive a simple idea of what kind of team they want to have and then

stick to that plan in the face of adversity. Perennial contenders have patients and planning, often coming from one strong minded visionary, and owners and presidents lose sight of this immutable sports law that is the planning and the patients that when when you have a guiding purpose or philosophy, each move is greater than some of his parts, because each new player complements each other and the system. And

then you look at a team like the Redskins. Where does an expensive luxury item like box safety landing collins fit on a team that has no offensive nucleus surrounding its quarterback of the future. This team should be rebuilding or embracing the process, but the roster and salary cap are built for two thousand sixteen, two thousand fifteen um. This team has built to win the season, but it's the two season. What you people, what you Philistines in grades.

What you pig skin ignor amesis don't understand is that the Redskins are in worse shape than any team in the league and have a legitimate shot at the number one pick in the draft, which usually comes down to in at quarterback play, in injuries. That's what usually gets you the number one pick. Other doormat teams have a plan. Washington is simply playing Game of Thrones, consolidating, keeping power,

removing all challenges to the power. And it's fitting that they're in the political capital of the country and in their in their chain of command. Who can tell the bosses no there? Wow? Yep, And Bruce Allen feels like someone who's been behind where the rest of the league is going for a long time. And I mean he brought it around. I mean that's like, that's some people there might have been thinking that the Redskins are going to be lousy and maybe the worst team in Link,

but they wouldn't have brought in the geopolitical complications. That's what you idiots would not be cooked at their salary. Cap Adrian Peterson, Alex Smith, Josh Norman, Trent Williams, Jordan Read, Vernon Davis, Ryan Kerrigan, Donald Penn. This is a two thousand fifteen roster. Looks like they have a nice building black with Terry McLaurin. I love Terry McLaren, Dwayne Haskins. This team is not built to win in two thousand.

Here would be my fear that what could end up happening is that let me make sure stop the Cardinals. What happened with the Cardinals last year? That what happens now is they do a two and fourteen, they drop a three and thirteen bomb Washington and those decision makers fall in love with a quarterback and all of a sudden, you have that type of situation cooking because do you trust them to know how to build a team, how

to be patient? You said everyone has Everyone does have a plan initially, but sticking to the plant is the hard part when the adversity. It's the old Mike Tyson line. Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth. Everyone has a plan, but you need a guiding purpose in philosophy, and not every organization has that. Well, what is the Redskins raise? We do not survive until next year and keep getting the paychecks and everyone's fighting for that like Jake Gruden has. This is why I say

their game of through. Salon's got his own. You know everyone, it's all about power in Washington rather identity free. We will have to do our maybe we'll call it maybe a head coach survival rankings or something before the season starts. Jake Gruden is in a terrible spot right now, terrible spot. Greg, Are you now ready to go? I mean I was ready. I don't know why. I just felt like I wanted to hear what the flow is going to be like? Well, attempt to take you seriously. It was getting a vampire

facial after today's show. It's tough here, Um campaigns. It's a little extra product. It's interesting there was only one team that was available in the a f C East to talk about UM. Who wasn't The Buffalo Bills are the team nice? Try? What am I gonna do? Wear?

Two hats? Are the team that While we talk about him here, a lot of it's on the offense and what I think people are missing out there kind of the football Simpleton's Let's be honest, is that Sean McDermott's in his third season as their head coach and he's in his second full season with his guy Brandon Mean bringing the players aboard, and that he is someone unlike the Redskins that I think has had a long term vision and has had is seen like where this defense

is going, and now that we're in season three, I think like it's here. It was a fluke they got to the wild card a couple of years ago. That was a head of schedule. But I think this guy's a great defensive coach who has really built up a group of players who are now ready to go. And I think that starts in the secondary, and that's really

what people are in talking about. We've talked about tremain Edwin Edmonds on this show, who could be a breakout middle linebacker at Oliver Uh looks like a great top ten pick. He's had a big camp. They have a really nice rotation on the defensive line that reminds you of McDermott in Carolina. But if McDermott can do anything better than than any coach out there, it is coach up the secondary and this group is great. Navious Whites

one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer don't really get a lot of notice. But that is a terrific safety tandem that's been in this system now for a few years. They love Levi Wallace, Who's who's really earning that second cornerback job. They have depth at cornerback where like the Patriots, they can match up to different players. They have big guys, they have

small guys, and McDermott really teaches that secondary well. So even if they're not big names, I think there are a lot to deal with. And I think getting to the third season where they have some continuity and everyone knows this defense really makes them prime to be one of the best defenses in the league. I love that.

And if you look at what happened, one of the reasons that Sean McDermott got a head coaching job was because in Carolina when Da Gettleman went out of his way to not pay cornerbacks and safety's money and and McDermott year after year had to work with no names, and he kept coaching them up and they were never a liability. They outperformed what you would have thought. And he's doing it with more talent now in Buffalo, and he's found his guys like Toron Johnson is not a

guy that we've ever talked about. But he's a fourth round, second year pick who they really love as their nickelback. Like he is their guy. He's been in their system, Their safeties are there, guys, and I just look up and down his roster and I think he thinks, all right, we've put it together. Let's be a top five defense. I think one misconception is that the Bills are really far away. Maybe they're not. Maybe they're not. This defense was number two and standard stats last year and number

two on Football Outsiders Metrics. They're legit. One more time around the horn, Go ahead, mark what you a little raging tiny clowns failed to realize. Don't think we didn't notice. You didn't even mention all that last time around. I you know, sometimes I like to, when it comes to a seg that we've discussed for over twenty four hours over text, go in and completely get it wrong. And that is what I did. Thank you for the ship. I didn't get a chance to say say it after

the show privately since it up. That's why I believe me bring up these I knew the minute that I finished my ridiculous speech the first time around that I had failed the basic assignment. Don't think that I didn't understand that was on my shoulders. I was a little thrown off, all right, that'll be find I think we've

we've we've hit that topic enough. What you little tiny circus clowns don't realize is that there is a contending team out there that has already given up on their starting quarterback, and they'll go through the masquerade of marching them out there as a starter because they don't really have much of another of a choice this time around.

But the Marcus Mariotta experience is over before it begins, and I believe, I believe the deep inside team walls, in the most secretive rooms in Tennessee, they have already decided that Marcus Mariotta's career with the Titans is essentially out. It's over, and there is nobody in that on the roster right now that's going to replace him. I think that Ryan Tannehill was brought in as the dictionary definition of of us as a stop gap to come in, and probably I think he will start six plus games

this year. Not because Ryan Tannehill is someone that they're going to view as their future quarterback, but they are going to absolutely assault free agency or the draft to find someone to replace Marcus Mariota, who is not developed or grown, whose stats are so far of an outlier compared to other quarterbacks. I understand that there's not a ton of talent around him, but they have drafted one

wide receiver after the next. It's not clicked, and at some point I look at the quarterback not raising the boats found them, and I believe that if you are the coach of the Titans or the general manager, your assessment has already been made. Barring Mariotta doing something miraculous this season, they're moving on already figured it out, by the way, because they're not They're gonna be competitive because

they're not a bad team. They're a team that is talented both sides of the ball, and the quarterback play is not going to be bad enough uh to sink them. So they'll win seven to nine games, that would be my prediction for the Titans, UH. But that will not help them come draft time. So what they're gonna have to do is go to the trade market. Do you

do you think they win that division? Do they make I'm just saying, I just I'm just want to follow me down this path that they're gonna go and see what's on the market, and your quarterback in week one will be Derek carran Isn't that mentioning someone from one of the band teams, the Oakland Raiders. Give me the helmet, Give me the helmet, give me the helmet. I gotta

eat it. I gotta eat the poops. Sometimes I just want to go on record as saying I think that your read on this situation is erroneous, both Dan and Mark. I don't think that there are people in that building who have already moved on. I think they believe in Marcus Mariotta, and I think they understand what you Knaves might not realize. You're turning it around now him. What you might not realize is that Titans went so run heavy last year because their wide receiver and tight end

corep was decimated. There was no Delaney Walker Richard Matthews asked for his release at the beginning of the year. There was no chain moving slot receiver. So they get go out and get Adam Humphreys, they get a J. Brown. Delaney Walker's coming back. Now they can evaluate their passing game.

Let me ask you a question, Wes. Let's say you get another somewhat underwhelming It's not just about numbers, and it's it's about the system you're in if you're Mariotta, but you get an underwhelming campaign from him, at what point do we stop blaming everything around Marcus? Not that you're doing this, not in general, everything is there's so many excuses made from Marcus Mariotta at this point. Other quarterbacks are coming in in year one and making players

around them better. What I'm saying is this is year and I think the people in that building believe that. And I do think they believe in Marcus Mariotta. It's not to say Marcus Mariotte has lived up to expectations, but I think their decision makers like him. I think the Mariota the person is so loyal like engenders so much loyalty that they do believe in him and that they do want the best for him, you know, I think they are. That's not how i'd make a quarterback evaluation.

But he's a good guy. I'm just saying. I think I think they're still on his side. They have not turned yet. All right, West, that was it? It wasn't there. It's it's news. It's a major shift in expectations that the Steelers are even allowed in this discussion. And what you adults, Dollard's and all around rocks, blocks and stones don't understand is that it wasn't melodrama, melodrama or soap opera storylines that cost the Steelers their annual playoff appearance

last year. They are much closer to the two thousand sixteen seventeen Chargers. They didn't make the playoffs quite simply because their Pro Bowl kicker costs them multiple games, miss seven field goals and blew five extra points. And this is a playoff roster. It was last year is this year? In a division where the Bengals are banged up. The Ravens have a raw corner corner quarterback, thank you, Ricky, Here you go, Christopher. They project to have a top

ten offense and defense according to Football Outsiders. Roethlisberger is coming off his best qb R since two thousand seven, and they have Devin Bush as a defensive rookie the year candidate who's already calling the plays on that defense. It is funny everyone was in a rush to bury the Steelers, and yes they they don't have Antonio Brown

this year, and that is a big deal. As much as everyone loves Jujuic Smith Schuster and this organization's ability to um build at the wide receiver position and quickly Levian Bell, he wasn't gone. He wasn't there last year. Uh, and they still won what they won ten games last year? Right, this idea that I mentioned Antonio Brown who's on the Raiders, and Bell who's on the Jets. So you really made a tougher Dan with this whole like players count thing hard.

But it's nine six and one. I I stand more important to make the point that this team was not in some deep decline that that that they had even by their bad year standards a lot of years that would have gotten the mid to beat the Patriots and they and they really could have beat the Saints in New Orleans. Oh here you go, Greg, thank you. It's like, right, what it's wrong with I'm ashamed, all right. Uh, it's

a lack of discipline. Amazing the Saints, by the way, I can't talk about that on this list, and I still didn't that they're not who I'm talking about. But I just found that inter oversight al right, close it out, Greg, so many options here, say it's that's an oversight. They should have been on They should have been on the list, should have been right you talking about the Saints plenty, Yeah, the Saints should have been there on the list for the last segment, so be aware. And should fIF teams

now on the list? I'm having a hard time deciding, But let's let's go down to Atlanta, where a lot of focus on, Oh, they're going to run the ball more this year. That seems like an odd thing considering they have Julio Jones and Matt Ryan and they're really good at passing the ball, like a lot of things. Oh, they have their injured players back that they're gonna be

fine on defense. But what you paste eating, you know, paint paint huffing, clue sniffing crack addicts out there probably who don't really talk about, is that they haven't top the top twenty in defensive d v o A and the entire dan Quinn era, So you can play him that on injuries or whatever. They haven't been good on defense throughout and dan Quinn is a defensive coach who

is now their coordinator. And I wanna really bring up the fact that Tack McKinley and Vic Beasley, two guys who are not injured last year, are the two most important players on that defense to me, because they still don't have enough of a pass rush in my mind without those two guys who ultimately were disappointing. Tack McKinley came on a little bit at the end. I thought he was gonna be great. Vic Beasley has been really disappointing.

And that defense, which is supposed to be the Seattle defense, it starts with your guys winning matchups up front, and Tach McKinley and Vic Beasley, who are some of Thomas De Mittrof's, you know, biggest choices and guys that they've believed in over the years, have ultimately not kind of come through. And I think that defense and maybe that team goes as these two guys go, and they were not injured a year ago. They just have to be better and if not, I think they're gonna get left behind.

Uh in a division with the Panthers and another team which now I can't say, but I could say it because I'm wearing the helmet. Anyways, what's the difference. I mean, I did realize that, so let's start there. I agree with your um macro viewpoint that throughout the dan Quinn era defense has not been a strength. They always finished

strong for some reason, like in December, but that's about it. Well, like two thousand seventeen season, you have to admit that for the last three months of the season they were a top ten defense and a half. They have the talent to do it. It's just a matter of staying healthy. And like you said, Vick Beasley and Tat McKinley got to get after the passer. I mean I remember then beating a certain team from Los Angeles in the playoffs

in Los Angeles. Yeah, they've had little stretches. They've had stretches. Interesting team put them on the radar. I not feel bad. We thought about, you know, all the other I mean, you know, if you're a fan of one of the teams that you were down to, it was an eighteen so one in eighteen got and we go around and you talk about six different teams and you still don't

get the love. I understand why you're disillusioned. While you're disappointed right now, I mean, the Chiefs were one of those teams that was that's the number one seed in the FC year ago. I can't even make that list. I'm thinking about you, Chiefs in your defense. We'll get to you make noise in the season. We imagine you will. Second year in a row when I have not committed a penalty during this game. Pretty good at It's called it's called mental control for Lions fans, but it's really

not on us. It's on their team to get interesting. I mean, just for a month, a month of sustained interesting play. We don't need to be tweeting out your twelve and four record in preseason game ones. Come on, don't do that. Oh yes, what was over over? Over?

Did they? When I saw the tweet, the tweet where you're sending out where the Lions and we're twelve and four over the years in the preseason, I get that the that's not something that Matt Patricia's sunning off on any idea that's happening until after the disaster Obama is struck.

But isn't there an in house discussion of this is a terrible idea and we're going to be made fun of for this or is someone just given free rein to tweet with twelve and four in our last sixteen preseason openers, which is tied with two other teams for the best record in that span of preseason It's like, we have to what I mean, it's also a way overly complex. Funny thing is they're putting stock into the most meaningless that ever and it happens right before they

lose thirty one to three in the preseason opening. After the game, I guess, I guess you're not simple potential explanation that And hear me out on this that a lot of people are working the social media departments, both in this building and also throughout the league, maybe be young, social minded, you know, finger on the pulse of pop

culture people more than hardcore football fans. So when they get the information packet on the latest from the Lions that comes in the house, they see twelve and four and the best in whatever. You know. The kids like, hey, and it checks out. But like their contract is like July through February, that's been there a week that checks out. But I would say it's even a softcore football fan would would understand that that's a bit nonsensical to be

touting preseason records. But you know who, no, who knows, But I'm just saying. What I'm saying is, let's say someone someone creates that content and what it just you just shirt out into the universe. There's no there'sn't someone that does know what what what should be? Tweeter or not saying excuse me, uh, son or daughter, go back and do that redo that little tweet gore, but it is, it is on al Gore. Let's let's close out the weekend. Anybody got big plants. Nick Westling's in town for one

night only. That's great. I wish I could destroy him in cornhole again. That I won't be. I will be. My son is turning five, Jack and big party in the backyard. And my my beautiful wife, Emily, she is it's her birthday tomorrow, so it's it's a big one. It's a big one in the hands house. I'll be underground. In other words, if you can steal away for a little bit the same birthday, uh two days difference. I've made a homemade Cincinnati style chile, got some pulled pork.

We're gonna have all the fixings on. I'm gonna come see Nick Ricky come on over. Oh yeah, I'm in there. Got me at pulled pork. You're gonna go Yeah, She's like, is that going to help my clout? I don't think so. I think there might be a Gonzo and Colleen. So just too many old these there. I love hanging out with you. Yeah, it seems grounded, you know. Before before we go, there is one little final bit of news.

Robertin DJ, the former Cardinals first round pick, was of course released by the team that drafted him twenty ninth overall. A few years back. He has landed on his feet with the Miami Dolphins, who bring him in rehab him as he tries to get back from that torn a c l hopefully he'll get in better football shape. The Dolphins are in the organic fish tank, so he kind

of makes sense for them as an option. So with that mind, good way to go into the weekend, Greg is to be a little a time of hope around Robert Kndica hit it. They try to crush your dreams. The cards dealt you out. But what they did and no was the fish tank was down. They say, when God closes a door, he oh binds up. Climb back in that window, Climb back in that window. In d E h climb back in that window, climb back in.

It's not too high. You see the irony that we have here with that whole window met for she is the first ballot Hall of Famer, you know. Shall we start the show? How about that? So she joined the ownership group at a young age. Yeah, Serena, I mean the Serena pictures just as well? Does that look like? Where do you go? What road is? It's like, oh yeah, well when when you get to the building, what floor is it inside the building? Like, what's what's sort of

what's the furniture layout in there? What is it lookally? What's the Bible? It's very modern and sort of bizarrely modern. All right, let's go. All right. It was a delightful fourteen minute off off air conversation. Though, time we start this thing because we have given over the year that we haven't enough. In fact we have we kind of switched her with Gloria. I think table table table for now.

All right? The Reds winnessterday. No, they've got some good things going on, but they all of a sudden do not have a bullpen worth it? Whoa dar was still good? He's hit or miss strikes out a lot of people. Nice nice caper note. Yeah, definitely where's the wi that though it's a little high. He walks quite a few. He gives up backbreaking Homer's. But that seems to be most pictures now, especially with the seems lowered. It's hard to throw a fork ball and a splitter take it off,

walks walks in homers. I don't know for the end? Why is kid rock twin trending? Um? All right? Now, by the way, all you have to start the music, and that will help start the music. Don't tell me to do my job. She's being part of the bit. Yeah, you know, are you gonna do? Start the music? I don't know. I thought maybe you didn't realize that because that will get us in line. It's a good Zeriso impression. He went after Taylor Swift. That's why Who. If you

want some pop, just go after Who. Good rock? Oh you kidding me? Trash democrat because she wants to be the movies period and it looks like she will suck about a phony. That guy was. It was like a millionaire trust fund. Baby. You got so much uglier than Brett Michaels. They're all ugly, long ass hair, bad boys. You're not like that, they think. I hate that man, you know what, you should have been around in the eighties. I just I like. I like a woman with a

good looking tattoo, for sure. I find that switch things up with dangerous. You got to be in the right spot. Can't be too garish, not too big. No, I don't mind if it's big as it looks cool. It's hot with Greg it's their body, Dan taste, No it's not. No. I can't. I can't have a not in the modern client. You know you can't. You will admit to what anyone pieces of ship it gives you after your years of my bread turned on by what the girl does. Gross disgusting man, I am you can be. You can do

it all right. Here we go. We're on. Mike dan Is a worthless man.