Around the NFL in 63 Minutes

season together, a lot of episodes. So whenever we can break out something a little different, a little new, and put a little spin on one of my favorite shows of the year, it just you know, it makes you feel a little more alive, a little less dead inside. We'll put Greg. We every year we like to do a a double episode banger around the a f C

and forty eight minutes around the NFC and forty eight minutes. Well, we took a look at the calendar and what we wanted to hit before the season started, and we said, you know, the lightning bolt or is it the light bulb? The light bulb goes over the head, always a weird thing, lower level, Yeah, and dog Mark wouldn't see. Let's combine both conferences in one supersize show. So not only are you going to get all thirty two teams, you're gonna

get probably about a seventy minute banger. And I'll tell you this. We're going around the NFL in sixty three minutes. Three minutes two minutes per team would be sixty four, right, And it's not a math error by the old Zeuser. I know that's your first thought. We have decided Erica, who as we know, is growing in influence behind the scenes in NFL media, it's only time, mat our time for. She sits us down and she said, guys, this is so hard. I was really treading having this conversation, but

I gotta move on. That's a good two weeks from now. We're not there yet. But what we need to do to have any chance of holding on to Erica is to give her more pop, more power within the structure here. So what we decided and Erica agreed to, was she gets the control. There will be one team out of the thirty two. We don't know which one it will be, uh that Erica gets a step in and cut it in half essentially, and give that team just sixty seconds. Erica,

That's that's what we're doing. Yeah, I think that's that's a really great idea by me. I think it will be really fun and I'm really thankful to you guys for giving me this, you know, sense of responsibility. Right before the show, Greg asked me to drag in a refrigerator for him. So things are going well over here. Well, it's something a good producer would just do. I mean they would. The fridge has been outside of the producer, not a utility man. Doesn't matter, Like I'm telling you.

You think you think they're showing up to Football Night in America and the producers are letting the fridge just sit out in the hallway for a week. The producers are bringing in someone's problem solved. Yeah, and Greg, by the way, is not the one who should be pulling the refrigerator to the room. Greg is I I don't even mind. It also very small framed and I'm sure even move the thing right exactly? Can I mediate this honestly?

Please Erica? Obviously? Uh? And what kind of gentleman would we be if we're asking Erica to lug in the refrigerator? We bring it in going on? You know, we're talent, We're not looking anything Erica is going to um pick up the phone and have someone help her with the refrigera exactly. I don't. It doesn't matter what's done about that producer. That's great. But also Greg on air was like, only if you were a good producer, you're calling me

a bad producer? Was like, you produce your own show, Greg, I mean, can we revisit the common Man rankings after this, please? Ricky? That was very fair. Greg, that was unfair, and I think you should apologize before we get I didn't agree with that. You are great producer, Erica. I'm just you know, trying to producer Erica is not one of them. I'm

your producer, I'm your friend, I'm your therapist. I'm everything for all you guys, and I don't get appreciated easily in the top two to three producers of the twelve that we've had on this show, and you're you're climbing right to the top. I mean, Greg continues to be forcefully out of bounds with everything rolls out of his mouth, just rolls. I don't know what we accomplished there, but we're down to fifty eight minutes something to see it again.

We're going around the NFL in sixty three minutes. And yes, Erica has the power to chop one team in half. We'll find out who that will be. Uh. So we're gonna start with the NFC. Uh And we'll start in the East. And as a reminder, um, Greg, we will get two minutes reach team. You'll get a you'll get a little bit of a sound you have that, Ricky when we're thirty seconds to play like that, and then another tone when it's then another tone when it's time

to move on. Okay, and don't and do not go over the time because Erica has all the power to step in again. This is a very big show for Ricky. Uh. And let you know that you were you were gone over and you're not respecting the game. You're saying so not even in this this business which has happened every other like finish your winding long sentence. You're not finished your sentences over over And I feel for for the team, the fans out there that only get that one minute.

You know what I mean that it's kind of like an anvil hanging over this entire show. Well, it's probably gonna be one of yours based on your behavior towards Erica top through the where we are at this point? All right, let's get into it starting in the NFC East And Greg, why don't you get us going whog New York Giants. So much focus on the offense in New York and the quarterback position. But I look at this defense and I wonder, is this the most talent poor defense in the entire NFC? Is is it in

that class? And if they're gonna have any chance, I think they need to have generous Jenkins to have a revitalized season. In DeAndre Baker, their first round pick, who has had a good camp, to play well. If the two of them play well at cornerback, maybe this team has a chance. How did Dave Gentleman? Of course, he's the GM under fire in in the Meadow ends, the guy that was all about the Hogmali's with the Panthers. How and the Giants have such a proud history on

their on their front seven of getting pressure. It's how they wont super bowls in the ELI are How has it gotten to this point? I think he'd answer, they like their defensive line. You know, they drafted Dexter Lawrence in the first round. They have Dalvin Tomlins and he have b J. Hill. These are some high drafted guys. We gotta see them actually produce. And that's why for all the focus on the quarterbacks, they're just in a bad spot. How are you going to keep up with

ranked defense in the league with those two guys. I mean it's safety you essentially. You know, it's not exactly they don't play exactly the same position, but landing Collins out Jabriel Peppers in. I think that's a downgrade you've gave gave Way Snacks Harrison some time ago. I mean that part of the Gentleman project still is very much

underway on defense. If the offense to feel a little bit exciting about if Daniel Jones clicks defense, No, Well, like you said, they got rid of all their veterans, they didn't want to pay them um and now in order to turn this around, all these young guys have to they have to be hits. I I also want, what do you guys think the margin for error is for ELI, because I think Daniel Johns, since he played so well in the preseason, I feel like it's two games.

I feel like we could see if they were owing two I feel like we could see Dania Jones week three. They have a pretty easy schedule early, but anytime they get two games under I think elis. Isn't that what Pat Schrummer wants to play Daniel Jones as soon as possible. I think Eli gets September, that would be my guess. I used to think it would be Halloween, but I really do. I agree that that preseason opened some eyes. I think of that organization, I wanted last start to

be Pats Week six. Chris Westling the Dallas Cowboys. Let me check my notice. Welcome to the Around the NFL podcast, Chris Westling. This new wave of play callers we've seen in the NFL over the last you know, five or so years. One of the things we've noticed as that running backs used to be test with creating their own space. That's what a running back did, That's what a three down back did. Running Backs now the play caller creates

space for them. That's what the best ones do. And I think you see in Dallas one of the reasons why there's no rush to get Ezekiel Elliott back in is that Tony Pollard is exactly the kind of running back you can create space for and he'll take advantage of it. He needs a play caller to create that space for him. We've seen it in preseason action. We've also seen Alfred Morris average four point eight yards per carry on a hundred fifteen rushes with the Cowboys in

two thousand seventeen. So to me, all this attention on Zeke, they have the offensive line and with Kellen Moore now as the play caller, they have the play caller to still be a success on offense. I feel like Tony Pollard if you were to line up the players that are new that excited you the most on game pass preseason, for me, Tony Pollard is top ten, top five, and Kellen Moore pairing with him, with him the I'd like

this situation in your coordinator wheelhouse. I feel like Michael I can't help but think about Emmett Smith back in or was it when he disappeared for two games? Uh ninety three? Cowboys lost both games? He comes back and they win the Super Bowl. Anyway, UM, I mean yeah, I guess they're set up well. Are we having this conversation now? Is it got to this point where we think that Zeke Elliott is not going to be here week one. I think you'd be there in the end.

Keep an eye on Xavier Rhads their free safety. A lot of people around them think they need some people to Xavier Woods rather Uh to have a kind of a breakout season, and they need it because Byron Jones just coming off a hip injury, barely practiced. Maybe he plays week one. DeMarcus Lawrence coming off injury. I'd be a little worried the defense comes back to the pack. I hope Jardin poison that stream with some of his

glib comments in the media. Just get the job done, Washington Redskins, old Zeus or Hey, what defined success for the twenty nine Redskins? And if success means eight or nine wins in progress from rookie Dwayne Haskins when ever he gets in the starting lineup, is that enough to save Jake Gruden's job? What kind of line is Jake Ruin work with here? And what a success with the Red Skin? I think it might be, but it has

to be. The narrative must drive that Jake Cruden is the reason the Twain Haskins is having success and this Jane Gruden offense is the reason. And I'm not sure after all the years we've had of him, that that's that's gonna that's gonna take a loup. If he wins eight or nine games, I might vote him for Coach of the Year. I mean that Rusto lousy. This isn't a good team. But with that ownership group. Yeah, and all the years he's been there and has never um

won a playoff game or been to the playoffs. They've been to the play okay, but they haven't won a playoff game this fifth year. I don't even know if that will be enough. You're right, you might be right. I think he's actually done a good job with in a in a one of the most difficult jobs in the NFL. But it's not gonna get any easier. I wonder if he does he have the juice to make a desperate type trade with Trent Williams where he maybe tries to get a j green Back or maybe one

of those players he used to be with. Considering the free agency involved doing everything without consulting their head coach, I would guess he does. Him ch seems to be powerless. To me. The measure of successes are do you have enough young players who can compromise who can comprise a nucleus by the end of the year, because they don't have an offensive nucleus. And I know that everybody's going wild over Darius guys. Y'all must have watched a different

runner than I saw last week. I didn't he he hat lacked any explosion whatsoever, and I just wasn't impressed. I think he need He's gonna need more time to become what they want. But I kind of like some of their their defense. Their front seven has some young players that I can get behind. It's not a terrible defense. They haven't I don't think I've been coached very well on that side of the ball, but that you're right about having guys to build a round on offense, Josh Dotson,

it sounds like won't even make the team. Maybe the killer use of y'all there, Wes and who starts first, Haskins or Jones in New York? All right, let's move on Mark Sessler the Philadelphia Eagle. Alright, on this show, I've talked about the Eagles starting six, and o X also expect them to win the division without two flak. If my haughty predictions are gonna destined to go south, it's because a Mark is vastly underrating the Cowboys. Be Doug Peterson isn't the same guy without Frank Reik and

will be exposed. See Carson Wentz won't live up to the m v P hype or d none of the above. The Eagles with the class of the NFC g C Mark GC standing for a good call. We know Mark's righting out his intros when Hottie gets into says some highlighter over there. Um, so you're you're saying you're on the train leading the train that the Eagles are gonna be good this year. I'm just saying, what's their weakness. I sort of asked, like, one of these things don't happen.

Carson Wentz is not an m v P. Doug Peterson is not the coach we think. You know, I'm totally underrating the rest of the division or the Cowboys. I'm with you, I would pick the Eagles to win this division and all for all the reasons that you're saying. I'm I guess there's a little bit a little bit of nerves um about Carson Wentz after two straight years ending on the i R. And we've talked about at length in recent weeks about their depth chart behind and him, Um,

there's no Nick Foles as a backup plan. But yeah, it just seems like this team is really well set up. De Sean Jackson has been another subject of controversy on this show. Greg thinks he's gonna be a game breaker. West thinks he's over the hill. That will be something to watch. No, that's more of a fantasy thing. I just like it's unexciting to draft a guy who gets

eight hundred yards and four touchdown. That's fair they I think we all kind of almost agreed, which is rare on this show, fairly early in the open, this might be the best roster in the NFL. And now it's like we've gotten We said that for three or four months, and we're sick of everyone now agree. You know it says that too, and is picking them to the super Bowl. But just because we've been saying it for a while doesn't mean it's not true. I mean they should be among,

if not the favorites in the NFC. Well coached, great roster, franchise quarterback, a lot of guys coming back from injury. If you had to pick one thing, you know, McLeod, Brandon Brooks, Jason Peters Cox, there's quite a few need need him to stay healthy. The NFC North Minnesota Vikings Kirk Cousins debut season with the Viking generally remembered as

a bust. Let me tell you some things. Sixteen starts, fourth straight with fourth straight year without missing game, seventy one percent completion percentage, career best, yards second best, thirty td s career best, ten interceptions used than as four years as a starter. One hundred passer rating is second best. H you know what, Counting numbers blah blah blah, But I believe all of this is sustainable. Uh, Dalvin Cook's healthy and there's no reason why the Vikings can't have

the best offense in football this season. Who disagrees? Why not tell me why they can't. They don't have Patrick Mahomes or Tyreek Hill, but they do have Adam DeLand and Stefon Diggs and Cousins who's a numbers monster, and Dalvin Cook, who could be a game changing running back. Well, how about this be the best version of themselves, which they weren't last year because of their line. You got Garrett Bradbury, your first round picket center. It starts there.

If the line can be better, that's gonna help everyone. When West mentioned the a few weeks ago how an offensive line changing from one year to the next can just transform a team, I've thought about that when a comes to the Vikings, because I think on paper, especially because Bradberry's look great and Gary Kubiak, you know they're

coaching taking the line better. The talent is good enough to go from one of the worst to maybe a top ten line, And then I'm with you, Dan, I don't know if they're the number one offensive league, but in terms of efficiency, I could think they could be a top three or four type of d v O A team. They're not gonna put up that many points, but they're gonna be efficient, and they have a high

floor and a high ceiling. I thought you were gonna get wild and say this could be a top five offense or something, and then you went straight to the top number one. When your line stinks. When your line stinks, it's like, you know, all these shiny part parts on the outside, it's like a really fresh looking apple and you bite into it and the inside is like rotten, dead animal. On the inside that's if they were last year. I mean, have you seen Dalvin Cook's biceps? And then

he is? He is in insane human being batman can run and play football. Moving on, Green Bay Packers, I want to know what kind of support Aaron Rodgers gets and it's not from the receiver position, which we've talked about. I think that'll be fine. He can make receivers better. We haven't talked about whether he's going to have the same offensive line and if he's gonna have a good running game again this year. And I think it's just a mystery. With Matt Lafleur, we don't know what's going

to happen. They've had a little bit of attrition. They used to have one of the best offensive lines. They've had some changes at guard. Is Brian Lagas still going to be good enough at right tackle? Is Aaron Jones and and Jamal Williams enough to kind of carry a load? More about la Fleur and his scheme. Could he help, you know, cook up a good running game if he can. I think they're rolling and they're fine, but they're a

mystery in terms of what they're gonna do offensively. And that's that's where it starts for me, Well, Derrick Henry had the best two months of his career under Matt la Fleur last year, so that would tell me that he can he can fix the running game. I agree with you. I'd also look at that Titans offense and kind of wonder why Matt Lafleur was elevated to the degree he was in terms of the overall look of that team. That's fair. It felt a little bit in name.

I would wonder if the Packers, if they found out they got three weeks into the season, if Melvin Gordon was not with the Chargers, that they would ever swing a trade. We mentioned that a while back. You never know. I mean, they haven't had a great running back to pair with Aaron Rodgers in a long time. I'm really excited. Um, of course Equan st Brown is out with an injury now, Um,

but I'm really excited about MVS. Marcus Valda Scantling. Um he's ahead of Like when you pecking order, Davante Adams of course is number one? Is it MVS? Or is it Geronimo next in the in the pecking order you think for Rogers, Yeah, I feel like Allison is a slot guy, so he may get more targets, but mvs will be the big play threat on the outside. And they got Jimmy Graham, of course, who's now forgotten. Men.

It's kind of got it the other way now, where people were pushing him up the last few years as a guy that could still be elite. Now you don't even hear his name anymore. But maybe he's got Maybe that horse can play in three years, Maybe the horse can still West Spurs. It is he gonna make this team. But I feel like we hear that every year with Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears, Chris Wesley. Where do kickers come from?

There's all this concern about the Bears, and I get it because of the psychology of the miskick and how much attention they're putting on it. But Eddie Pinnaro, who they traded for, I had won the Raiders competition last year before he got injured. And if you look at the rundown of kickers in the NFL, here's where they usually come from. Cut by another team in September, cutting by another team in October, picked up halfway through the season, given a chance, and then they kept the job. And

that is the majority of NFL kickers. The fact that the Bears actually gave something up for their kicker puts them ahead of the eight ball compared to how people how these people are required. I just wonder if Mason Crosby or Graham Gono gets cut though you know that sounds nice, but wouldn't they just go go for one of those guys, no matter how well Eddie Paniro looks

the next next week. I find it funny if you're a Bears fan, because you had one of the more promising seasons they've waited for that forever, and it's because of offense to not just defense. And then the entire narrative has been the kicker. And we're this far and we're so close to the regular season, and the narrative gets hotter and more fierce. It's not quelled on any level.

I think he has shown something to this team, though, and that's why I don't think I can know or someone else will replace him, replace him, because he did go through this absurd gauntlet and came out on the other side, and it got lost in the in the mix. When what happened in Indianapolis with Andrew Luck, this weekend, but he split the uprights on a fifty eight yard or I think he essentially earned the job barring some

type of catastrophe. UH in preseason week four, how about punching a few more touchdowns right and try to try to stop the regression on defense. I think one way they could do that. I was thinking about, like, could Khalio Mack go to another level? Could he He's had a whole camp with this team. He wasn't exactly he's a Hall of Fame type player, but can he have his defensive player of the year just Khalil Mack's career season,

because that that could make them even even better? Detroit Lions Mark, I'm trying to keep Lions fans to UH, to keep keep have them listen to this show still because it's been an offseason where all we do is sort of whip them left and right and kick them around, and they've got to be wondering what we think about him. I do, they do know, but I see a few

strengths when I take a look. I like, obviously the line, you've got Trey Flowers, Mike Daniel Snacks, Harrison A, Sean Robinson, DeShawn hand All the Shaun's You've got a receiver in Kenny Golladay. Okay, I think Carrie on Johnson. We all know it is a fantasy, darling. He's a potential, huge breakout character in an offense that wants to run the ball a lot. Stafford can still mash. So what is missing?

Why do we look at Detroit and say they absolutely cannot do anything to stir a little chaos in this division? They beat the Patriots and the Panthers and swept the Packers, a bad Packers team last year? What is missing? Why can't they have an identity now today? I'm kind of with you on this podcast. We do sometimes get locked into our narrows and and we'll beat up certain teams.

I am guilty of this as well. Titoons fans. No, uh, but you know what, I would have liked to see their offense be a little more competent, fun slash dangerous in the in the preseason so far. Give us something to hang our hat on. Maybe they're hiding something special. Perhaps maybe it's that situation, But there is a creeping sense of doom about the Matt Patricia era. For me, Despite all that, the utter lack of blue chip players.

That would be the issue you have. You have some really good positions, You have above average starters at several spots. But who's your difference maker? Is he got to be more comfortable to as a head coach. I think he's shown some signs of that, if you've watched his press conferences,

Matt Patricia. Because you never know that it's a short career, this might be his chance to answer your question, though, Mark, I don't put if they won ten games, I think they're one of the twenty eight teams that can win ten games. I really believe teams are so can win and they're in that they're just in a tough division West as we turn the calendar to September two thousand nineteen. Is the quarterback still a difference maker to you? The

one in Detroit? It's never been a difference maker, dang bro I mean, I'm not the only one who's seen the stats like for years, Matthew like one in winning teams South Pedrel luck never beat the Patriots. Yes, Tepp of Bay Buccaneers Chris Wesley. Football is a game of

one on one battles. This offensive line loses way too many one on one battles, and my question is how much is that going to be exacerbated by Bruce arians infamous seven step drop quarterbacks getting killed behind his offensive lines. Does Jamis Winston really have a chance behind this offensive line? He didn't against the Browns and then I know it's I know it was only you know, a quarter and

a half, but sacked five times in nineteen minutes. My one issue with that is that they're also on top of the protection trying to get Jamis Winston to be a totally different human being. Where to throw the ball away, be safe, be smart, don't do what you're wired to do, which is make crazy plays to turn into a lot of interceptions or something great. Bruce Arians isn't going to change at this point, and hearing him after the game blame his offensive line just gave me flashbacks to basically

every place he's ever coached. It's like, at some point, if you just leave five guys in the block in the NFL, your offensive line is gonna fall apart and struggle. And Arians just keeps blaming the offensive line. Look at the mirror, m We're not in on Bruce Arians now. I mean, I I think he'll be all right, but

in that particular it's always a weakness for him. And they also have, like you know, a lot of talent on offense, which you could see them going out and dropping thirty five points on a team if they can. This is not the time about your love of Jamis Winson. You've got Bruce Arians. I think he's got to all pay off for you after years and we've been talking of Chris Godwin on this podcast for years now. Godwin

Nations stand up. This is the time, I mean, the Godheads, this is where and it's gonna all come to pass. Peyton Barber Nations sit back, then, Jason prre Paul by the way cleared to resume rehab activities. That would be a nice edition. I don't know what that means in terms of a return, but it's a positive, a nice step. Todd Bowles Nation, just like stand up. Maybe because you have a nation, get to go to the water fountain and then come back to your A lot of nations.

The Saints, Greg, oh, the Saints. You're wasting time searching for notes. I know now you're just Erica's gonna one minute you and there's gonna be nothing. Now. No, we're not going to I think this defense is as stacked as it's been in the Sean Payton era, and I'm surprised that sort of the lack of national respect that it's gotten. I like this linebacker group. I love the

deep secondary. They can match up with anyone. I think Marcus Davenport is one of the players to watch in the NFC in terms of like second year players that could break out. And I've just heard a couple like conversations. I think everyone forgets how great they were at the end of last year. That's the reason they should have been in the Super Bowl, wasn't their offense in the playoffs. I watched the FS one has been airing those old NFL films, thirty minute recaps of each season. They still

make them. By the way, I thought this was like a bygone but I used to arrive like on VCR tape in late July and it was like a godsend. Yeah. Well, the one on the Saints that happened to catch and they were very blunt about and then finally in the last three minutes their season and chance at the Super Bowl was stolen from them by the officials. This team

was a Super Bowl team last year. So what does what does this say that they're not going And what more more motivation could you have then what happened last year? The defense, if you believe in breeze still, the offense is gonna score a ton of points. This team has a secret weapon. Remember Dante Hall, the joystick kick returning

for the Chiefs. They've got a rookie named Deonte Harris who's five ft six and every time I see him return upon he gets at least twenty yards in five ft five return Guys that like used to be beer men. Little gerald Ice cub mc neal action. I'm gonna save her prediction. Our next episode is going to be our go get my lunch props. I have one Saints related I want to share it so badly right now, but I can't holster it. I can't do it holstering it.

You're excited, Greg, this is your favorite team? Really? There two lane ties and all that it is. But they found some people in camp, including Emmanuel Butler. Undrafted rookies been a sensation their their first draft pick, Eric but Carolina Panthers. A final reminder that the Panthers were six and two before Cam's shoulder went bluey last year. Caroline was a top offense UH that had scored points in their previous nine quarters. Before the injury, North Turner was

on fire all or nothing. Producers were pooping their pants at the thought of documenting a Super Bowl scene. We know what happened next. My question is now that they are healthy, and hopefully Cam's healthy, the offensive line has hypothetically been improved, the defense had some much needed parts added to it. Are we sleeping a little bit on the Panthers once again being a true NFC contender and

a chance to win that division? Well, I would submit that this studio is not, this podcast is not sleeping on the Panthers. We see them as a contender. I put him in the playoffs in the NFL dot Com predictions. I wish I had just picked them to win the division, because you know, have some balls, but your love of the Saints, you know, because I'm like you, I think there they could be a top seven or eight team

in the NFL for sure. I mean, in one beating drum that's been going on the whole time, is Curtis Samuel growing in DJ Moore's second year. I mean, there's there are some weapons for Cam Newton finally, if he can. There's no chance that Cam's is gonna come back from the shoulder surgery and become like a Chad Pennington type scenario. Now they all reports are he's throwing the ball great, but they said that but every quarterback. Now the philosophy is up at tick this summer. That's I don't know

what to believe anymore. It's a really fascinating time for the organization though, because David Tepper, their new owner. You feel like he wants to make changes in terms of his coach and his GM. They've had a great run here Rivera and Marty Hernie, so it's like they have to be a playoff team or else's gonna be huge turnover.

I'm with you. I feel like this is a playoffs or bust scenario for the coach and GM tad because it's the one division I think of that just eats itself up every year like the Eagles, and I think they're really complete, Like where is the weakness? I don't see. I think they're pretty well built team and depth at the skill positions on offense. And how about Dave Gentleman, He'd be like, hey, you're making fun of my Curtis Samuel Pick. Now give me a little credit. Up here

in New York, the gentleman's called a good month. Atlanta Falcons Marksler, Dan and I picked the Falcons a year ago to go to the Super Bowl, and we were embarrassed by destiny by Mrs Fate. Yep, she's married now to an industrial plumber, Mrs Fate. But now the Falcons have Dirk Cutter, friend of Matt Ryan, running the offense, they're healthy on defense, all the big names are back. If Mrs Fate bangs us again, it's because of this

filling the blank reason concerning Atlanta's weak spot. What is the reason we can't just turn around Dan and pick him again? What's not to like? Yeah, well, besides you're not gonna do it. I might do it. What's not to like with the Falcons? Do you trust their defense? Yeah? I would say four out of five years of below average defense when Dan Quinn has been there, well, I think, I well, although we don't see what they could have been last year had been been healthy, so had I

I agree, I'm not ready. I think they're an entertaining team. I think the offensive line that that dimitrof. You have to wonder if his era. I mean, it's been a it's been eleven years now here with Killable. We can't just assume that first round picks are good on offensive line, That's what I mean. And they put a lot of money and a lot of picks into their offensive line. That's kind of the key. Did that work? If that doesn't work, to Mitro might be to your point. Mark.

If we're going to give the Panthers a pass for the injuries last year, we should do the same for the Falcons because that injury bug ravaged them from Week one and never let go. And I think DeVante Freeman is a major X factor here um as well, because he's kind of forgotten now and Calvin Ridley another in line for a major year two bump. But I think Freeman is a guy that kind of has been lost in the mix. He was one of the best running backs in football and maybe not, maybe he's breaking down,

maybe that's a situation, or maybe he's gonna return. And if you add one of the best running backs in football to that offense, look out. I like the deck cutter things. It's a narrative buster. We don't have to deal with the last offensive coordinator. Everyone brings up every time you bring up the Falcons, and this idea that dan Quinn is on thin ice, Please, I don't he's got to be in thinnes why though he's he's renowned to be a great coach. I just think he's done

a solid. You gotta go find someone than him. Just fired everybody, and if they had another dark January, I think he'd be in danger. All right, let's take a pause here a reminder. Hard Knocks is almost through. Check by the way, check out NFL dot com. Slash Hands is the latest recap is up on the website, but

also more content. The Hard Knocks podcast uh an NFL Films joint hosted by Peter Schrager, who takes you behind the scenes talking to um players, coaches people that no Hard Knocks and you know the Schreg bomb is plugged in. You know he's plugged in. He brings that Hard Knocks coverage with just a little bit of extra pop that you're looking st Yes, Schreger's well, he's fine, He's fine. Schreger is the insider. Doesn't need to say on the insider,

he lets talking. You want to be Hard Knocks podcast. Check it out every week through next week the finale. Let's move on now to the final division in the NFC, the NFC West, starting with the old Zooster Old Zeuzer San Francisco forty Niners. I want to get the temperature of the room here. Uh, Like most of the football coagna centy, you boys were super high and Jimmy g and the Niners last year. Then came the slow star start at the torn A c L, the summer of

less than glowing reviews about the boy who would be Brady. Uh. Working under the assumption that West purchased the new piece scale after the luck fiasco. Where do you boys stay in your trust of the forty Niners today? One pants totally dry? Uh? Okay, ten yellow flood, total panic four point two. So you're feeling pretty good about the Niners. Wait, tann is total panic? Ted is a totally yellow flood? All right, I'm going on six point I'm meant to be on that checking to answer it, I took the

way you're asking. I'm gonna say six and a half. In reality, I'm fine if they're great or if they stink they're not good. I don't mean like personal steaks, just like a where I'm saying, where do you stand up? Do you believe this team is gonna be I'm right or good? I think they have more questions than answer. Yeah, it looks good on paper, I'm I'll put it at five. But the problem is a lot well, but a lot more tends to go wrong in a season because because I want it's a total wait and see. For me,

it's like you can't. I just can't look at anything they've had over the last years and making a sess. Not in the NFC, I think the thing I'm most I don't think so either. I want to see garoppolod well with Shanahan, the receivers, you don't know who's gonna step up. The key for this team to me is Joey Bosa, de Ford DeForrest Buckner. If they're all healthy and have the type of seasons they could, they're gonna that's the best trio defensive line maybe in the league,

and they alone, I think can carry this team this division. Rivera, Quinn, Shanahan, all these guys that are on thin ice. It's like, you got it? Who are you gonna go get? That's better than these coaches. They're all gonna flip flop and just hire each other's coaches. Man, I love watching Matt Breeder run. He is like he's taking Twitter by storm. This also a setback for McKinnon. So who knows what's going on with him? The Seattle Seahawks. Alright, alright, Mark Sela.

You know sometimes his parents we wonder what happened a few years back. We were loose and free and staying out till four am with boundary pushing twins named Chardonnay and Ralph. But now dad's are tired, wearing dad clothes, folding laundry. Moms would rather fall asleep at eight pm than danced under the light of the scope ball. The Seahawks were that vibrant young thing for so long. Have they finally become the tired, over extended parents of the NFC NFC West Or is there one more adventure in

the tank? I thought yes. Last season was kind of a a new beginning for the Seahawks rather than them holding on right. Analogy If anyone though, is kind of going out, you know, late at night and not worrying, but it's peat Carroll, you know, well that's true about in a youth. I don't know if I look at the roster that way, but I think this team is on the couch with Bob Bonds. There you go. It's

a weird team. It's a weird Seahawks season. When you look at the offensive line as one of the strengths. Remember that's all we ever talked about, and now it's like, I think, actually, they should be fine. They should be able to run the ball. Well, if you have Russell Wilson and you have one of the best defensive coaches of his era, I just feel like that you start with like a six seven wind floor and so the

bottom is not gonna fall out. I'm a little bumm that you're speaking this way, Greg, because I was hoping you were also going to go against Seahawks and then I could take your corner from last year when people overlook the Seahawks in the NFC and then all of the eight I'm giving them eight wins, you know. Just yeah, I'm with you. That's a boring folding. All right. Well, then I am on island here. I think it's a double digit win team. Corners open, Quarners open. I'm gonna

take the quarter and you have to trust the coaching them. Wow, development has Twitter is strange podcast Beast pod. I mean there's a lot going on, do you know. And like a fantasy draft when your pick is up seven six, five, four three and you have the guy that you want and then he's there and you get to grab him, That's how it felt. Just now a good Seahawks. I'm on the corner and the same way that we don't

really care about anyone's fantasy team. I'm not sure I care about that anology from you either enjoy your your fifth round picks and journeyman on the defensive line Greg the Rams. I want to see what Sean McVeigh does offensively this season, just schematically, because it wasn't just that

they struggled in the Super Bowl. It was that game against the Bears and the Eagles and the Patriots did a lot of same similar things that the Bears did, and I just think after a couple of years, McVeigh is smart, he knows he needs to stay ahead of the game, and he's one of the most brilliant minds we've seen come into the league. And I just want to see what happens because I don't believe in a hangover.

I believe in this roster. You know, I don't see any reason why you can't just pencil them in and put them right back in the playoffs and and probably with the Eagles as as the favorite for a bye, because I don't think the division is that great. Well. McVeigh is sort of known for running out of the same alignment, not mixing up things too much beyond say, like the jet fly sweeps in the commotion going on

in the backfield. So I think it will be interesting to see if he gets more creative, comes out of those alignments and tries new things. And they can run anything from you know, any formation, so they are creative. It's just I think what he's done, he knows. I mean, that's the that's the story of the NFL. You always have to be evolving. I know, September essentially just does not matter by the time we get into the heart

of the season. But they have the Panthers Saints and Brown's two of those very good pass rushes right out of the gate, and I feel like this is a team that needs a fast start to quiet the echoes on Jared Goff and the rest. And that's a taller to right out right out of the gate. It's been a quiet summer for them, and um, that's a good thing, I think after last year and all the hype. It for them to be a little bit more under the

radio radar is a good thing. And one other guy it's under the radar, Cooper Cup, who tore his knee up last November. I was I believe. Jay Glazer wrote last month that Cup cups test scores coming out of his brake's agility, quickness every test time better than it was before he tore his a c L Well, that sounds promising. That offense wasn't the same without him. If Cup comes back and he's Cup right away, they're gonna be fine. I don't know about the Top Girley situation.

Darrell Henderson. There's the offense. If there was any problem, it's the offensive line. Cardinals Chris Wesley close out. The NFC West spotlight is on this offense with click Cliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray. It was an offense that last year, according to Football Outsiders, finished last on first down, finished last on second down, finished last on third down, finished last in the first half of games, finished last in the second half of games. Finished last at home, finished

last on the road. Not good. That's the offense. While everybody's concentrating on that, I would submit that the defense might take the offensive place as last at home, last on the road, last on first down, last on second down. Last. This might be the worst defense in the NFL, starting with a secondary that we'll be playing without its top two cornerbacks for the first half of the season and a coordinator who really has never had success as a coordinator.

Bence Joseph. Yes, you paid to bring a grim picture here, and it makes sense. Well, they spent the off season collecting everybody's cast offs and turning them into starters on on defense. I keep saying like twenty eight teams could win ten. It might be thirty. It might just be the Cardinals and the Dolphins are the ones that are hard to imagine. It's really hard to imagine the Dolphins. I mean the Cardinals having a winning record and it's

Kyler Murray staying healthy. Tyler media would have to take hold. And the thing here, it's not it's not you know Vic Fongio as your head coach, where you're gonna give him three It's like Fick, Kingsbury is a very boomer Bus scenario in terms of he walked into a situation where it's good because the offense was so boring. We're

gonna it's gonna be more exciting. But there was so much work to do on this roster that they could still win two or three games if they If they move the ball and they're exciting offensively, that's that's winning enough for Kingsbury in year one about David Johnson. David Johnson and Kyler Murray. If they're both looking great, you can't talk yourself unto them being contention. Is the defense

gonna because of that defense? And unless they're dropping thirty five points, you know it's even maybe the running show? And how good are we talking about? Like a top ten offense? I don't know what what position is really good on this team? Maybe running back, yeah, running back, outside linebacker. When Chandler Jones is on the field, maybe quarterback. But but the is a lot of learning to do. Halftime. Oh, we haven't had that team pop up yet, the one

minute team. That's right, So we're down to sixteen after how's it going? Riggy? Has the show been so far? It's going so fast it's hard to really get you. Guys are actually kind of interesting when you keep it tight. Did you make that call, by the way, about the fridge I'm working on now, I got my tool, said, and I'm I'm building it from scratch, trying now for water. Alright, so we're halfway. Just like walk it, walk by it every day for two months. You have to have some respect,

self respect. Why are we digging deeper into this pit? This is our halftime show look on riggy holiday space right now. Okay, I'm not worried about it. The fridge has become an issue for the podcast. I don't like it. You know what, old Zuser might lumber up and bring it in just to end this. That'd be smart situation. Someone is dragging it in now coming in Ryan Bartlett. Oh yeah, he's a corn fed Midwestern boy. Yeah. Greg keeps looking at his microphone like something's wrong with it.

But I turned him down about five minutes ago, so he keeps looking at it to see if if he did something wrong. But as Mike's off and they're a producer who has more power than anyone podcast, here we go. Let's go to the a f C. Still off love you recky. All right, here we go. Let's start with the new England poop Triots. Center David Andrews could be done for the year after being diagnosed with blood clots

and his lungs. Second year UH left tackle Isaiah Win looks promising, but that's their third starting left tackle in his many years. Factoring in the unsettled line, the untested options at the playmaker positions, UH, could we be looking at an especial especially sluggish start for the Patriots this year. Now we know they're slow start, but isn't there more reason to think than ever that the offense specifically could

really struggle in the early going. I used to I don't know that that felt like the story during the entire offseason. And then August comes around and it feels like they're fine. I just you know, Josh Gordon's back, Sony Michelle is running better than he ever has. Um, Jacoby Meyers shows up. I don't know. I figured the Patriots are just they'll find a way to figure it out. They lost one of the best centers in football, David Andrews too. Some serious blood clots might end his season.

I mentioned that, Um, but I'm saying that's the best offensive line they've ever had was last year. They brought it. They brought him back. I think when you know when should be fine at left tackle, he's looked good, but they have the deepest back to We haven't seen it. We've seen in the preseason a little bit. You're right, I mean you haven't. You haven't seen it. But I

think it's a defensive team. I'm wondering what Bell like if the momentum from the end last season in the way that he can construct a pass rush through all these guys like high Tower and Van noy Winovich, you know where it's not guys who win one on one necessarily, but it's kind of like you can line up up at every any situation. I don't know. I think Belichick is just loving this girl. I think that Josh Gordon reinstatement is just massive for this team. And Belichick is

very close to Tom Landry's twenties straight winning seasons. I think he absolutely that is a goal of his. He has featured heavily on the Tom Landry Football Life, and I think that it is on his radar and he is going to burn to get this team to ten to eleven. It's on his radar that he was in the football life. Know that that Tom Landry, that is one of the that is one of the records that will never happen again. I think in foot Buffalo Bills

Chris Wesley. From an organizational foundation perspective, I think Josh Allen is one of the most fascinating players in the league this year. It's important for quarterbacks to command respect among teammates and coaches, but it's so rare for a quarterback with major issue us an accuracy and decision making to command that respect, which is why I find it odd that anytime a Bill's player or coach speaks about Josh Landry, it's with the utmost certainty that he's going

to be a star. Everybody is so confident in Buffalo that this guy is the answer and the leader um and then a guy like Jordan Palmer, who saw him in the off season, says he's got the most talented set of physical traits that I've ever seen in a quarterback. So to me, like Kyler Murray is one of these guys who from an organizational foundation perspective, is fascinating, but

Josh Allen is too. I mean, he's it's it's almost mythical his arm strength, and we know there's issues with accuracy, or maybe there is, maybe there's not, but you also forget that he led the team in rushing last year. He is an outrageous talent. And as much talk as there is about Lamar Jackson for his two way abilities, maybe Alan doesn't get enough love for that. He's truly a special specimen. I think I like what they did with the cold Beasley John Brown another team adding those

two guys that may not we're talking to. Wow. You these aren't like huge, like game changing type talents, but

it is exactly what Buffalo needed. They have a deep backfield, like they're deeper than they thought they would because of Devin's Singletary in the in the backfield, and I think he can He's in position to make a leap where they were the most talent poor offense in the league last year to some degree and having to do crazy stuff with their playbook, right, can Brian Dables, you know, call the right plays because with that running game, you know,

Frank Gore and Losan mcquila great in their preseason effort, and Singletary had a monster camp like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen so to have open throws, I mean because of the running game, because of his running game. But quarterbacks is not just how hard you throw it. You need touch. He has no touch that he sees, show no ability. They're still talking about how he's firing in a hundred

in organic fish tag with Mark Seler. Let's drunkenly fall into that fish tank and explore why the organically reloading fins would go after Jadeveon Clowney in August serenade me with your big brains. I'm surprised this is getting so much criticism people who are really in on Oh my god, they have to rebuild, they have to tank. I mean, the point is to have good players on your team.

And and if they believe that getting Clowney for a couple of pieces that they want to get rid of anyways, like Kenny Stills and Kenyan Drake or whatever it ends up being, and getting him signed long term eventually, that's the way to do it. Like to get him sign long term. It's not just you can't just there's no reason to bring him in for two seasons. Yeah, But

if Kennyan Drake, if you're not him you have. This is like the framing Kennyan Drake, a guy that's a talent running back that they don't seem to love, Kenny Stills, who's gone sideways with the ownership. And let's say I don't know, a third round pick, what is what is irreplaceable from that move? I feel like it would be a no brain. I don't mind giving that up. I've been wondering if you lose you gotta you gotta draft pick for two years. It feels a little strange to me,

That's all. But that's fine. But I mean there's if they have them, they are by far the most likely team to sign him to a long term extension because that's just how the NFL works. They'd have the franchise tag. And if they just give him money, I mean, that's all it comes down to. And then like, if they just pay him money wants so you know what pro athletes love playing in Southern Florida in Miami. I feel like that could be a big part of the recruitment process.

I mean, it sounds like he's into Philly and Seattle, so we'll see money will could change that. What else you got, I mean the Dolphins. To me, I find interesting because of the Josh Rosen thing, because you have to figure out what you had. All this rebuilding thing was about going into next year's draft and getting their quarterback. You've got one that you think you want to look at, and the reviews have not been good. And for all the reasons we thought that we would be ahead of

Josh Rosen's arc of he's not a problem. Forget this millennial issue and all this other business. He's not someone that coaches seem to love wherever he goes. Fish Patrick in the preseason by far, I mean it's been mixed reviews. You've heard things like that, and then you've heard things like the same old stories are. That's hard to He's hard to evaluate behind that offensive line. New York Jets greg Or isn't all. Is this gonna be Joe Douglas's

finest hour this week? I mean, this is Joe Douglas week. Jets fans didn't like that. I said they might add, you know, five ten players before the season starts. They've already done too. They've already added two veterans, including including Okay, we've got two and we haven't even got the cuts yet they made a trade for Nate Hairston. The bottom of this roster is one of the worst bottom of the rosters in the NFL. I think that's what separated

the Patriots, for instance, from other teams. They have a great, great thirty to fifty and I think if if Douglas can have a big week, let's say, Nate Hairston, this guy they just traded for from the Colts ends up just being a solid contributor. Keep stacking guys like that and you and you have a decent bottom of the roster, the player. You know, the sky's the limit. I think this is a playoff talent team at the top. He doesn't get his first real bite at the apple until

obviously free agency and the draft process. That was the unusual nature of the turnover in the front office for the Jets. But yes, this is his chance now to start making the minor moves to treat. Can't you just iagine the moniche meta, you know, the hot piece in mid October, going through all the guys they added in September. It's like, these are the Douglas boys. You know, no one wanted them, and now the Jets are five spot right now, because if the season goes terribly, he won't

get killed for it. And if they overperform and things like that happen, he will be hailed as a savior. So yes, as much pressure as there is on Douglas, and there are reasons why people would have said, why didn't he hang back and wait for more job offers so he could weigh the different ones as opposed to take taking what seems like a curse job in general with the Jets. Well, maybe because the opportunity is here to really build something and Sam Donald's a big part

of that time. I think the switch flipped on Donald last December. I was waiting to see a little bit of what happened this summer with him too, and every little bit of evidence suggests that it did, and that is huge for New York. Douglas needs to find some pass rushers, some linebackers periods, like linebackers, cornerbacks. It's tight ends the offensive line is set, but I don't know if it's gonna be good or not. Joe's having out a pass Russia since John Abraham a boot thousand five.

Al Right, Moving on the a f C North Chris Westling, Pittsburgh Steelers. I think I'm guilty of this. I spent the offseason hyping the Browns and I still love the roster. But we know, and Mark has hit on it, they have a major concern on the offensive line. And now I look at the Steelers, look up and down their roster, and where is the concern? I think some people think wide receiver is unproven, but haven't the Steelers earned the benefit of the doubt at that position by now? Oh yes,

to me? They have the third best playoff odds in the a f C, behind the behind the Chiefs and Patriots. And I see no week spot on this team. Me too, because I like the secondary and if there's a weak spot, it's like I want to see Mike Tomlin turn uh a sizeable amount of talent into a top six or seven defense. Just hasn't happened. It's very He's always in that ten to twelve range in terms of defensive devo and not a bad defense, not a great one. This

should be his best defense. Well that's on Keith Butler too, But I'm with you that I feel like you know this offseason and it's so interminedly long, that like we've come full circle where now we do see the Steelers for what they are, one of the best offensive lines in the a f C and lots of talent, and why we why were we ruling not us, but people knocking them out of the playoff picture three or four

months ago. I mean, it's absurd. I think it's because of your Browns, I know, but that and then it that all becomes but please, no, no, no, don't take it easy. I'm saying it's because the Browns are the new kids on the block. So it's like we have to get rid of somebody. The Steelers were done with the Steelers already, but the reality is the Steelers are not done. And for what was just saying this team

is loaded division. We didn't know that James Washington was going to come into camp a different player than he was a year ago. We didn't know that Deonte Johnson could be an impact rookie, or that Devin Bush was gonna be that guy they've been looking for to replace Shasy. Some of the young guys in the secondary trill Edmonds Um, Cameron Sutton supposedly looking really cam Kelly from the A you know, so that makes a difference. They need Roethlisberg

gonna be a little better. I mean I think he was. I think last year was probably his worst year. I can put Outsiders disagrees with you vehemently. They have him as one of his best passing seasons. Watcha for Devon Bush to moving on to the Baltimore Ravens and the old Zeus ser Sorry, guys. The popular line of thought this offseason is that the year two growth of Lamar Jackson will dictate whether the Ravens are an NFC a f C contender or an also ran. But that's obviously

too sample. What besides a stumble from Jackson will keep this team from contending for a division title come December? Like? What else? What are? What are? What's another chink in the armor? I don't ye? Go ahead. They lost more than half their sacks, pressures and hurt hits from their defense. UM still surprised. Drill Suggs isn't on the team anymore. Tim Williams, Tis Bowser, These guys they've drafted in the past who haven't played much at all, they're gonna be

taking major snaps now. Jalen Ferguson he drafted in the third round. It'll be interesting to see what he does. But I think that front seven can they get after the pastor because that secondary has been used to them getting after the past. I mean, Lamar Miller talked about recently throwing the ball thirty times a game. I'll wait, I'll see. I'll believe it when I see it. Number one, But thirty times a game, to who like, I like?

It just doesn't to me is not a wide receiver group that's gonna get you out a lot, a lot of a lot of I think Mark Andrews and Hayden Hurst are like the tight ends in Willie Snead and and yeah, and the rookie Miles Boy can. I mean you're right, we haven't seen Hollywood Brown except for a few plays, but he's an ex factor. But I picked him to win the division. I think they're I think they're a very solid team and they're right up there

with Pittsburgh for in terms of reliability. For I have three, at all, three top AFC North teams in the playoffs. The secondary with Earl Thomas, I mean, I think he could be come back player there. All those young guys you mentioned Russ in the past or West supposedly haven't stepped up having had a good camp, and Pernell McPhee their old friend is probably gonna start, which is a bad sign thing for them. Uh. Man, that would be kind of weird if it was the front seven of

the Ravens that that let them down. You're so used to the defense carrying the carrying the load. I don't know. I feel like they've earned the bed of the doubt from me, the same way the Steelers with the wide receiver room that they're going to figure out. That's fair to man, Mark, that's the top of division. Really it always has been. Nothing's changed. I think everyone assumed all these things have changed. Nothing's changed the Cleveland Browns. Greg

alright in Cleveland. I had a whole spiel, but I'm now peaked by by what Mark just said. How it's ridiculous. How now the people have gone away from the Cleveland Browns as we approached this season? Is this is this on your radar? I may not be level headed on this. So if you had a logical argument, continue with it. No. I mean, uh that you think like people are now dismissing I think there's the exhaustion with the Browns, which if it were another team, I would totally be buying

into and feeling that exhaustion. So I I understand. I take a look at that pass rush against the Buccaneers with Olivia Vernon and Miles Garrett meeting at the quarterback on every play that I don't get you fired up about the Brown I feel like they may have to have some games where their defense, if the line is the offensive line struggles and they are not scoring points the way people think. It may be the pass rush and the defense that has to get them out of

jams and win some games. But I think they're gonna be fun. They'll be relevant and fun. That's all you like to say. Sign up, Fawn, it's my world. That's the team you cut in half. It's my world. That was you like to say, sign up, Fawn, it's my world. Oh you heard that is untoward. Let's move on. Mark to the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, and I get another team that I This fan base is on my back thinking

that I constantly kill him, and I do. So I'm gonna give you a couple of things I like about the Bengals, beyond Joe Mixing and a J Green, I like rookie runner Nie Anderson, who looked great catching the ball against the Giants. He's been out of football for a year. I like Ryan Finley is Dalton's backup. I don't know what that does unless Dalton gets hurt, though. I like the depth in two places tight end. I like the D line, maybe wide receiver. But what am

I missing? Is there anything here to make me look like anything other than a raging flousy for predicting doom for Mike Brown's plaything. I want to be more positive. Help me a loose woman. Yeah, I'd be like a male version of a loose woman. If I get this wrong, you hit on it. It's the defensive line and and maybe the names don't jump out, but just what what we've read in camp and the depth that they have with Atkins Dunlap. They think Carl Lawson's really gonna step up.

He's looked great, Sam Hubbard. I think Andrew Billings is a good guy in the middle, like they have numbers there, and I think if they get a good enough pass rush, it could be a better defense than we've seen. That's that's their recipe. We all agree that the other three teams in this division are either a F C contenders or very free ski with a with a very high ceiling. I think, Uh, speaking of the Browns, um it just

seemed to be in such a tough spot. I mean, it's just it's almost I mean, they're announcing that an undrafted rookie Damian Willis is starting at wide receiver like weeks before the season. That's not most teams aren't doing that. I think if you look at there, If you look at there, because they were such a good drafting team, you look at their first round picks over the four last four or five years, they have not panned out for injury or play, and that's where I think started

things start to go south a little bit. They've had a lot of bad luck on that offensive line combined with bad drafting. Cedric Abouoller and Jake Fisher killed them for a few years, and now Jonah Williams out Billy Price. Looks like the year after you get taken number one overall as a center, you can't even beat out a journeyman for the starting job. Yeah, I mentioned I wonder if they'd trade for for Trent Williams. Tasty Moving on to the a f C South, Chris Westling the Tennessee Titoons.

We mentioned it earlier. We've seen the stats on on Matthew Stafford against winning teams. Kirk Cousins similar one. Winning percentage. Wolf can't beat good teams. Winning percentage terrible. You know who can be good teams. Marcus Mariotta has the third best record of any quarterback against teams with a running record since the two thousand fifteen season. Only Big Ben and Tom Brady have better records. So how how can they go nine and seven every year? They're not good

because he's always hurt, He's inconsistent. You don't know which Marcus Mario is gonna show up from week to week. He can't beat good teams. We've seen him in the playoffs beat good teams. I mean, alright, so he's I don't know if he's the one beating them. But does he pass the eye test on any other level of someone you want to build around for the next three or four years after what we've seen for the past four during the regular season, I'm not there yet to

build it. I would not give him a contract right now, But like I said, he's there are games where he looks the part. He looks like a guy you want to build around, and then the next week he takes eleven sacks against the Ravens. I feel like he could be the third starting quarterback we see yanked for one of After one of these guys getting pulled for a rookie, I just think maybe short there. I guess my my counter West is and you know how I feel. But at what point is that just who he is and

it's not waiting for it all to click. Maybe he's just an inconsistent, injury prone passer. Fish is brilliance but also driving nuts. I agree with you. I think that is who he is, except who they have to evaluate. That sounds exactly, by the way, like Ryan Tannehill. If anything, I think he's been kind of consistent. He's been kind of middle of the road. He I haven't seen the flash, but not from game to game. Consistently inconsistent, I guess.

I mean he hasn't been surrounded by great talent. I'll buy that they've They've rotated coordinators like, there's a lot of factors. That's why he's gonna need to get help. I think the offensive line is worth questioning, especially with Luan out for four weeks. Saffold struggled a little bit in the preseason. Rabel's got to cook up some some stuff with with his defense here make them a little more noteworthy. The Houston Texans with Andrew Luck out the door.

The a f C South is the Shawn Watson's playground. No, it's his property. Everyone else's renters, and all you doubters, all you Bill O'Brien haters, jealous of his hands on leadership and dimpled chin have to deal with it. Deshaun Watson is a in savage in that pocket, and he'll skip back to the playoffs with his friends Nuke and JJ and maybe Jadeveon. Sorry, you're all wrong. Not even throwing it up for a question, that's a statement. Well, so hey, that's why you've liked the Texans last five

years because his dimple. It makes sense now, I didn't really like ever totally said you guys are jealous of it. I mean, I I don't know if I've ever thought about you mean, the dimple right in the middle of his little chin there. Absolutely, it's very strong, not dominating. I don't really understand your Texans bit. I think I need somebody to explain it to me. It's not a bit. It's like I get behind a team that that was

really good last year. It's kind of like the whole Bob cost this thing Mark used to like him during the prime of his career. That prime is long over. There's nothing more to understand or leaving the team. I don't understand what's so hard due to see about that? Now? I think, I think Watson has the potential to be one of the top five quarterbacks in football, and he showed lashes of that last year. And I look on why not think that he could take this division over

for the foreseeable future? And it almost found like O'Brien coached with handcuffs on because he didn't want to put Watson uh at risk in the running game or being nearly as creative as he was during Watson's rookie year. And I think you'll see a little bit more of that. Listen, West, all the things you point out, whether it's the offensive line or maybe the lack of depth on both sides, all fair. The running game doesn't drive you crazy, uh, But you know what, I don't think this division is

flawless by any means. Secondary looks if you put this t same team in the a f C or a f C North, for instance, I want to be as excited. I think their offensive line gets eaten up. We could just tact and Carrie Hyder looked like the stee curtain last. A lot of teams have offensive line struggles. Uh not. All teams have a coaching staff and a quarterback that can overcome it. Just wait, I'm not sure they have

the coaching staff that can overcome Just wait. Moving on. Oh, you guys are gonna look so bad on that one, cults Greg Rosenthal. I can't wait, right, whatever, you know, they wouldn't give the Coach of the Year last year to Frank Reich. He just lost out to it to Mattneggie. How about he gets it this year in his version of Chuck Strong. I don't know, Jacoby Strong. Whatever it is, they're gonna rally, and I think it's because Ricky Holidays. You know his favorite fantasy pick, t Y Hilton. It's

still gonna be a monster. Don't worry that you lost and luck Yeah, yes, yes, here's the thing. Hilton was catching passes from in camp and mentioned that he had caught twenty nine thirty targets percent throws a beautiful deep ball that is unquestionable. What do you mean? What am I doing? Andrew Luck to t Y Hilton? How was I supposed to know? How it is a little aggressive? He was walking with a limb for the past six months.

I'm in. I'm in on these cults after watching like uh, just rally the troops, and I think there's a lot to like, especially offensively. Uh. And I think Prissette can keep the train moving. Um. Hilton, by the way, kind of disappeared off the radar when he had extended play with Jake Briskets Slice two years. That team was a disaster. Well you know, and you know, Dan, you're your little Texans with all the one thing about them is that

about it? Constant, constant like disorganization, chaos going on upstairs between the coaching staff. Every eight months they're firing a GM. The cults are tight. Is a fist GM coach, quarterback, entire roster, They're all on the market. Were only two of thirty prognosticators to pick them. I stuck with it, baby, mainly to sink it to Danny. See what happened in your feelings on this culture in our logic, our logical minds. They even talk about rock gyas in, there's a defensive rookie,

theyr underdog. You couldn't even win the division with luck last year, Jess, You're gonna win it without it? What happened in the playoffs? What happened in the playoffs? When it matters? There's some serious AFC South. You know what, it's America's division. This is the podcast right here. Jaguars Jaguars. If you're John d Filippo and you're angling for a comeback after being fired less than a year ago in Minnesota, all right, you got your boy Foles, but what's about him?

What's around Ubond beside Leonard four Nett. I'm a little concerned. You don't have zach Ertz and Dallas Goddard anymore a tight end. You've got Jeff Swain, James O'Shaughnessy sounds like an Irish harp duo and rookie Josh Oliver who's missed the entire preseason. No Jaguars receiver a cross state hundred yards a year ago. And if Fulls goes down, the backup is a human named Gardner Minshew. Should d Filippo be d filipping out. Yes, this offensive line might be

worse than the Texans offensive line well done. This offensive line could undermine the entire team this year. And there is one receiver who looks intriguing. D Filippo has said that D. D. Westbrook is the best route runner he's ever been around, including Stefon Diggs and Adam Feeland, which is high praise. D Filippo is predicting a huge breakout year for D. D. Westbrook. It was interesting they gave Bowls a ton of money and said here fix it.

Here starts sixteen games, which you've never done. Yeah, and it's it might be a big ask when you factor in what they've surrounded him with. That that's fair. You need the defense to be next level special, not they need to even better than they were a year ago, which was very good. By the way, they should be better than you know, they were fifth or six I

think in defensive d v O A last year. They were one of the best defenses of the decade the year before, and they have a lot of those players back. You add Josh Allen and I mean, do you got to be a top two or three defense? And if you give Nick Foles that then I think you got a good they didn't have nearly as many turnovers last year, but that it's hard to judge any of that year to year um if they kind of regress to the mean, Yeah,

Josh Allen Calais Campbell, Darius Miles, Jack Jalen Ramsey. I mean, I mean you get to hold teams to fourteen points week after week. That's it's a tall order in this league. I'm not as worried about the receivers. I've always thought Chris Conley could do more than he has. I mean, it's it's asking. Everybody always thinks that about Chris Conley. Let's close it out with the a f C West. Uh Does John Gruden believe in his quarterback? Do the

Raiders believe in the quarterback? I've been watching Hard Knocks for four weeks attempting to gauge cars influences place on this team. I got nothing. I've seen moments that caused me to speculate that Car doesn't have this team, including the most recent episode when he tried to talk to

a wide receiver about a run a running route. Who here will be surprised when rap She's was reporting in October that Antonio Brown is unhappy with the quarterback play, and if that happens, who are the team's gonna have

qb ones back? See, I don't think I thought you wrote this very well and you're right up that there's just this sort of unidentifiable mismatched between Gruden's personality and Cars, which we've seen, and it makes you kind of uncomfortable when you're watching it because not natural the way that community because Car, I don't anyone got blocked on Twitter, but what's But here's my thing. I think Car seems like a totally stand up, awesome dude and everything that

he says he is he is. But my issue a little bit is that he's not Jeff George where there's all these people thinking he's some sort of a hole. He just the culture of that team and him and the coach, there's something not quite there and that is a concern. Knock on. What if you're with me, who does he have chemistry with on that team? Keelan Dawson, I don't know. No, to answer your question, I will not be surprised if Antonio Brown is miffed at there.

In fact, I'll be surprised if he's not miffed at him by the Yeah, I'm excited to watch their offense. So I think they got so much talent, and I think Car is good enough if they protect I'm not a huge Yeah, I don't think Car is gonna be a top ten quarterback, but there's so much around him, and I think Gruden will have a good season. I'm not that worried about the past. Yeah. I think that's important to point out too, Not just because I don't want to get locked again, is that I don't think

Derek Carr is an untalented quarterback. I might like him a little bit more than others, but um, it's just more a feel thing based on watching a reality docuseries. I mean he got beaten US in those past few years. I mean he played, He's playing through a lot of injuries. They have upgraded their talent, though. I mean it's significant. How much better this roster is Mayock. This draft class looks pretty good. The free agent class with the Marcus Joyner.

I know we don't love on this's perfect. I think he'll help there at their better I don't believe Josh Jacobs has been able to sit out all of hard knocks. Here we go Kanvas City Chiefs Mark Sessler, I'm gonna read the blurby, offered NFL dot Com about who's gonna win this division. The Chiefs returned their entire offensive corps with added weapons, and Nicole Hardman and Darwin Thompson football heads. Oh, Erica, you're I'm like, I actually I actually defend you before

the show, and that's what I get. You're You've islands Greg's Mike and done that to me twice. You're making no friends in this room. And I also imagine Dan is probably take a look at my laptop and you apologize. I don't want to see what's on your laptop. Hr Mite. Sorry, those are the rules, Mark Later, Well, sorry to chiefs Man. That's it. We're not talking about the Chiefs. Was like the rules or not. I thought that it was only one team I thought about to to talk about in

weeks seven team when they win the division. That was this guy of like God, you say, it's my world die quickly? Do you want to finish your blurb? Not really? No, I think that I'm not gonna try that again, because you're right, it wasn't the rules. No good to NFL dot Com and read it's on the pick section. Their defense has got to be a traffic There's a lot to like the I think they're the favorites. They're the favor They're the favorites on the Denver Broncos Chris Westling, Sorry,

Chiefs fans. There's an article this week uh by John Kim of ESPN dot com by bub, a Redskins beat writer, interviewed Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVeigh, and Matt Lafleur, who were on the old Shanahan coaching staff, and he asked all three of them, who's the toughest defensive coordinator to prepare against? And they all said Vick Foncio, every single one of them immediately. Vic Fongio is the toughest. Hey, you look at Bradley Chubb and Von Miller, who are already the

most productive sack duo last year. Chubb his reasonable to expect he's gonna be even better this year. Shelby Harris, a guy who I loved last year, made big play after big play. To me, looks like he can be in a Keem Hicks type of guy under Faggio. Maybe Justin Simmons or safety who's a playmaker can be in Eddie Jackson type of guy. If Peyton Manning can go to the Super Bowl washed up with a great Denver Brock defense, with this defense, Piston, well, there's not been

the early season surprise in the NFL. I think if you want to make an argument that the Cults fall down a step, that there's teams that are knocking on the door to take a team out in the a f C and the wild card race, Denver fits the bill. There aren't a lot of There's a lot to like on Deef. It fits the mold of how they got their last time. I think their floor is a little higher, to your point than people think Chubb and Miller is.

It could be an absolutely insane Chubb got a couple of votes for Defensive Player of the Year and are just because of how good he's looked in the preseason. That that alone with Foia forget it. Well, if you remember when everybody was going nuts about Jimmy Garoppolo and the preseason game going over six with no yards, nobody noticed that it was the Broncos that were absolutely wreaking

havoc with Chubb leading the way, uh causing two turnovers. Yeah, and in fact in Faccio and all their skill talent, you know, the offense. If you want to believe in Joe Flacco, that's one thing, and I suggest you don't. But the d do not doubt. I don't know if i'd say all their skill talent, but they Okay, finally close it out, Greg, The Los Angeles Superchargers proved me wrong.

Philip Rivers, you know you've been proving people wrong. You've been overcoming a bad running game and offensive line for almost your entire career. Uh, Thomas, until last year, they had literally below average for a decade straight after after Thomas not happy with you right now? No, Uh, you got who is it? Trent Scott? Trevor Scott at left tackle? You got Sam at right tackle? It it looks it looks like a disaster. You play in eight games essentially

on the road. Everyone, I've been on their corner forever, and I feel I feel like I'm giving up. But Philip Rivers is just such a such a joy to watch that he's proven people wrong throughout his career, like he's overcome a lot. I think it's gonna be like another one. I think he's feeling that weight on his back proved me wrong, because I this looks like a team where the bottom could fall out and you can go from twelve and war to seven and nine something.

I feel like you've somehow made both arguments there. Yeah, where do you? Where are you coming down on this? I'm I want him to prove me wrong, But I think this is a team set to fall. You hear you hear coaches talk about Philip Rivers as a absolute mastermind when it comes to pass protection and meet him with the offensive lineman for hours each week to sort it all out. And he's great at the line of scrimmage.

But we've seen Philip Rivers have seasons ruined by bad offensive lines and for that team, including the end of the most promising season he had in almost a decade. I mean, they their season was ended. They were miserably miserable offensively in that game against Lamar Jackson. They didn't have any more yards in the Ravens, and they were terrible against the Patriot. And would you be shocked if this was a top seven defense? Though, no team, it's a really it's still a talented team, so they have

a chance. It's just that sort of their Achilles. They got um run over on defense and they're mostly recent preseason game. Um, I don't know what to take out of at but also what is Darwin James coming back? Not for not for the year. Potentially it could be right up right. You got you have a nice cornerback group, Casey Hayward, Desmond King. Uh. You know, you've got a great pair of pass rushers. But I really think the whole you don't have a home field thing, and you're

kind of this second second class team right now. It's a drag all right, there you go. We just went around the NFL and sixty three minutes, Mark, I really think we should hear the Chiefs. I mean, they're a favorite. I guess it was sixty We have something inspirational um to play. I just I don't as long as I'm not gonna get you, you're gonna blow me up. I can feel it. I'm gonna okay, because he's gonna lose

it if you blow them up. The Chiefs return their entire offensive corps with added weapons and me Cole Hardman and Darwin Thompson, football heads close to the team, believe Patrick Mahomes has grown even more comfortable in the offense even more comfortable. Fill my belly at bath Salts, and I'll pick someone else to win the West somehow. That's snuck on nfl dot com, along with like Brian Baldinger's very serious paragraph about another team. I don't know. It's

my world. Okay, Erica has now with her little ditty, eaten up nine and a half minutes of our sixty three minutes around the league. There we go. I like that. Littles, the Quiet Star, the Mailman, the Old Boss, and Ricky Hollywood behind the Glass Sandwich Props. Friday