Packers vs Bears recap, Week 1 preview

final play before the two minute warning. Third and ten, Trubisky to the ends one and it's gonna be picked off. It's Adrian Amis who comes back to haunt his old team. Fourth and eighth whiskey, and he's gonna get sacked. Preston Smith comes in and that really puts an excel nation

point on a tremendous Packer. Be finished your performance. It was that kind of night for the Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers and a dominating defense of showing take out the defending division champions ten to three at Soldier Field in the NFL one kickoff. Yes, the Packers with Aaron everyone talking, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Lafleur, Mark more like Matt Labore, how about Matt the flower flower not blooming?

It wasn't It wasn't about Aaron Rodgers. It was about Mike Petton and the Packers defense ten to three season opening win. Just like the big game last year in Week one, the Packers break the Bears hearts and that's how it all starts. Dan Hands, as of the Around the NFL Podcast, joined in the backyard of what is it? What do we call in this place? Wests wester ros that's pretty good in along the could be dated in a few years, but for now, I love it Western Rows.

We're here in the backyard. I'm with of course Greg Rosenthals to my left, Mark Sessler next to me in west and La Keisha is here, Tara Deaker, and it's a beautiful night in southern California, and we sat outside. Crickets are chirpin ambiance sounds. That's all of Mr Biskus fans. Yes, and exactly exactly. So let's get into talking about this game, um, because listen, I don't think we were expecting a shootout, Greg,

but no one expected a game at this level. And we could dissect, um how poorly the Bears played, but give it up for the Packers defense, which balled out here. A lot of people had great nights, Goody was one of him. Brian the Packers general manager, brings in Preston Smith, who gets three QB hits in this game, including the game finisher, Zadarius Smith, who I think had an even

bigger impact. He brings Adrian Amos And who has the key interception, his half picks Darnell Savage, and I think the two safeties they have, Savage and a Most are gonna let Mike Petton do a lot of crazy stuff back there. He loves having five six defensive backs. They're not going to dominate like this every week. But you could just see Aaron Rodgers after the game how happy he is that he's going to have a difference making defense. And I think they can be a top you know,

seven to eight ten defense all season. I don't think there's a fluke. I mean, I think part of it is the offense you played tonight in Chicago that seems like a work in progress. And you know a lot of those players did not operate in the preseason and very measured compared to what you were saying during Well. No,

I mean I I would say this. You know, I get kind of credit because I think Mike Petton, you know, and he you you got some of these games back when he was Cleveland's coach in the one good season they had, and when he was the Jets coach when he started his court kind of feel himself. In the second quarter with this defense, they got aggressive and they took chances and they were able to against the Bears offense.

And in the second half, I'll never forget this drive where it's at one point it's first and forty, then it's second and forty, then it third and forty, and I you know, for all the people who want to tug Mitch Robinsky into this conversation of franchise quarterback, I've not seen someone with that label look is lost consistently on third down as he did tonight. There seemed to be no plan for this offense where he could not pull them out of the trouble they got into. And

it's gonna be a long week for him. I know logically not to overreact to Week one, especially after the quarterback didn't play in the preseason, but there is a there's a feeling of liberation just throwing mits Drabinsky by the wayside. This is the big breaking news. Midway through the second quarter, Chris west Lane is out. You gave up on Rabinsky. Guys girled pizza on the big Green egg, and he's counting out. Mitch. Life is too short to stick with a bad quarterback. And it's we know he

can have good games. He can he and he looks athletic, and he can roll out, and he can do all these things. But when you are that inaccurate, when you hold the ball that long and make that many bad decisions, it doesn't matter. If every third game you have a really impressive game, you have a Super Bowl. I was more impressed with the Bears defense than the Packers defense. And I liked what I saw out of David Montgomery even though it was unlimited doses. I liked what I

saw out of Allen Robinson. And when your quarterback is holding you back, like I said, only one game, but we've seen enough bad games out of him to know that what's going on here is the quarterback is holding back this team. Let me let me just let me just say one thing, and I agree with you. And he was a very hard watch in this game. He wasn't ready for prime time. He had the look in his eyes like a guy remind me a little bit

of Uh. Although Trumisky is a better player, I think Mark Sanchez when as Jets fans like, oh wait, this isn't the guy, and you're trying to make it happen. You want it to happen, and maybe it's not gonna happen. But this is one thing I'll say, this is a different era of the NFL. Week one is a totally different ball game than it was even five years ago. These offenses are just getting their feet wet in these games and against the potentially this could be a really

good Packers defense. It's not a unforgivable mortal sin to look bad in Week one, so I guess I would reserve judgment for a few more weeks. But this was not a good way to start the season. There's no way around that. I mean, obviously, I think Trabisky was on my radar last year, but I would say that this is not like a break from the norm entirely with Trabisky, and I think he's going to have a bounce back game at some point here where you can

get back on track. But what happens to a team if this offense stays mire to some degree like this, where you have six or seven sacks from the Bears defense night, they were sensational. They gave up two and fifty yards. I mean they the Bears outgained the Packers by four. This splits the locker room when you're when you when their defense, it looks like it just they picked up right from where they were a year ago. Having to carry this. We've seen it before, Rex Grossman,

Kyle Orton, Craig Krenzel or whatever his name was. We've seen the Bears have to carry their quarter the Bears. The Bears rushing game was not there to pick it up either. Fifteen carries forty six yards three point one yards an attempt, and on on the Packer side, Greg circling back the big smile Rogers had on his face when he's being interviewed by Michelle Defoi. And by the way, NBC a nice thought I I see it came up in the production meeting June and it's like, well, that's

the one us. So what if we all dressed like flappers and and and then Chris and al Let's have them dressed like paper boys. I get it, I get the angle, but somebody should have thrown up the red flag sometime around augustin Matt Naggie's George Hollis Fedora. That works, hot take. You made a little more buy in from Alan Chris when you do something like that. And they were not they yeah, they just were along for the ride.

Not But what I was gonna say was Rogers whether whether you think Rogers gets let off the hook a little bit and he plays the blame game, uh, even if it's subliminally sometimes or um not directly. That was the relief of, oh wait, what happens when I don't have to do everything by myself? And he knows they didn't have a great day on offense and the Bears defense, which we know is excellent even in the post of Fagio era. Um, Rogers didn't win the game. The defense

won the game. And if he and the offense can improve going forward, which they will with Matt Lafleur, the Packers are dangerous and they don't have to play the Bears every week. I mean that that's crucial. They will get up to speed. I mean, really, they didn't do anything all night except for that one drive where suddenly they picked up the tempo. Rogers made a big play

down the field. You know they do it in four plays, but there were even though he took a bunch of sacks, there were a number of plays where his guards played really poorly. Tonight got steamrolled and he made a couple of plays on his own to keep drives alive, uh, you know, extending plays, and he didn't make that big throw down the field. So that's kind of the difference between him and Drabinsky in this game. And both of their lines did not play well. Both defenses played great,

and Rogers at least made a couple. The one quick thing I'd say is I feel like every year there's a lot said after Week one and Week two equalizes and brings a lot of things back to earth. And it's not I'm not giving up on Chicago's offense yet, but there a lot They have a lot to prove. Another big night. By the way, for one more person, the writer of making the leap the Packers defense back in July, you thought that series was over. Nope, it

was back. I was amazed at how invested you are and you're making the leap and drove your rooting interest throughout the boy, and you picked the Packers to in your sports you have to pick a side when you're watching the game. And Mark, this game moved on a nice clip for you too. I I enjoyed that very much, you know. I think from the very beginning you could tell this was gonna move like that old Packers Chicago Steeles game. It's uh, five minutes left in the first quarter.

Greg and Hire just settling it, and Mark, it's like, look at the clip. This game's movement like this is the first quarter of the first game. Hey, it held true. Games to go. Mark, all right, we have a lot more to get to, including previewing the rest of the week run game, so let us throw it to ourselves. Let's have some fun. Be Around the NFL Podcast Can't split the uprights from sixty three yards. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL Podcast. My name is

Dan hans As. I'm joined in the the room that's filled with heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wesley and Great Roseal. What is up? Boys? Hey? Dan, there it is. You just heard us the top of the show recapping fare as Packers and we are just getting warmed up as we go through each of the week one games, laying out at laying out the preview of each of those matchups, and also hitting some big news that's occurred since we last had you in your ears, since we were lasting

your ear something like that, Mark, how are you? I mean, I think you nailed that from a body parts standpoint. Mostly I was thinking, Mark, By the way, before we get into this, the um new for you, the nice steak Um. Now that our last show, I certainly was taken aback a little bit. I know, the fellows to my right and left, we're a little upset about it.

Some of the listeners piped in about you maybe not being so excited about the start of the season, and um, I just want maybe just to throw it out there, Mark that I understand the constern nation. But again, it's this is the Browns Hope season. This is it is

that where this is all coming from. Ultimately, I I think that that was ratcheted up in a ridiculous fashion last week because you threw in the middle of it that you were going to be looking for my replacement a year from now, which suddenly felt personal and attached to my career and you know, my health insurance and earnings. So yeah, you you turn it, you turn the switch up on that. I I find that I love football more than ever, but there are when it is in

your face all day long every day. I need balance. I need other things in my life, and maybe it might have been a time when I was yearning for something else. Today I'm back in the groove. I feel good. I'm assuming the Packers and Bears game went well. How do I know people already found out? I don't know. There's a big difference between loving football and loving the cottage industry surrounding football. Thank you, West gets at West. See West with age comes a little wisdom and you

and Greg will get there to at some point. I am much younger than you, that's true. Um, But here we are two thousand nineteen, Greg, and um, you're excited. I know you are. Of course, I know you're excited. You got pockets square in. Oh yeah, well, finishing necessarily peeking out, you're finishing the suit. You know, Daddy Hansas was on air earlier this week and he you know, he's calling people out with it with his pocket square game finished the suit, said the nice people and more.

You know that he was rising wardrobe helped out with that. They offered, why not say yes, oh it's their pocket square. Yeah, it was only because I went in there I didn't have a tie, and so then they asked if I wanted to throw that on, and you know, go for it. I mean, what a day. We got all these previews, We've got bigger news than normal and like a Thursday, it's a lot's happening. Yeah. Well, I think we all

picked up when the man said it. The drunk man said it to us, it's more of a philosophy for life than just a comment on your sartorial choices. Absolutely, you nailed us. As always, let's get into some of the big news before we get to the previews. Yes, we usually don't do it on our our Thursday preview show, but things have conspired, things have happened. We need to get to it. So let's do some news. Ricky. I bring accountability, you know I bring. I bring I bring actions,

you know, not what I say, what I do? You know how I approach things. That was Antonio Brown at his press conference after joining the Oakland Raiders earlier this year. And things have changed. I think it's fair to say, uh and things have changed quickly. On Thursday, explosive situation now around the Raiders. The Raiders are planning to discipline Antonio Brown, stemming from a verbal altercation with general manager Mike Mayock. Uh. This coming from Ian Rappaport. ESPN first

had it. Rapp Board added that Mayok was frustrated with Brown for posting that fine letter on Instagram on Wednesday, which I'm sure if you follow the league you knew that Brown put on his instant story the letter um that Mayok sent him with a fine for missing practices and being away from the team without an excuse. The two got into a heated exchange on the practice field

UH later on Wednesday, witnessed by players. Things did not get physical, according to rapping Board, but after a screaming match, Brown told Mayak that he would hit him in the face, and I hit him and then he punted a football before telling the GM find me for that. Greg. Well, now, what what a world we live in that Vont's perfect could be holding back Antonio Brown from punching Raiders general

manager Mike Mayock in the face. What a sentence to say even a year ago that would have blown anyone's mind. I shouldn't be excited about this because I think it's gonna result in one of the NFL's great players not playing and making the Raiders much more interesting. Right now, we don't know if he's officially about one of the

more annoying storylines. We have the track now with real football that that's totally fair to that that Chris Westling walked in the office today looking lighter, frankly, I think just like happier. And I thought it was the boyish glee that he had from receiving a NFL one football from Roger Goodell when he got to his desk, which was a very nice it was very Santa move from Rock.

We come to our desks and everybody has an official UH the Duke ball with the NFL, So I thought maybe that's the reason, But now I think about it, it's because you know, west has just been proven so right about the Antonio Brown saga, and all the fantasy UH players that listened to him and did not draft him would definitely be well. I think the whole scenario that Greg just laid out everything about it was in his head like he's he's wrestling with this whole thing.

Why is West happier today, and I think I walked into the office with the same you know bearing that I always have. You know, we may we're a narrative business. When you're born at thirty two, you're still learning how to perceive people's actions and behaviors. It didn't it didn't have much to do with the Goodell football, which a very nice gesture. But it is kick off Thursday, and it's not It should be time for football, not time for soap operas. But Antonio Brown has proven to be

literally unmanageable. We've tried to manage him in several different ways and none of them work. May I told reporters that Brown won't practice Thursday. He didn't, He wasn't at the team facility. UH. And then John Gruden spoke briefly to the media also kind of steered clear of it and Mark during this whole thing. And we've been seeing hints, not so subtle hints that this is the same Antonio Brown that got himself run out of Pittsburgh because he's

impossible to deal with UH in two thousand nineteen. But Gruden had been playing the good cop, Mac the bad cop. But it's at a certain point you wonder if everyone on the Raiders is now going to turn against this guy, and if they're going to come after his money and the idea was he ever gonna play and make it to Vegas? Is he ever gonna play a game period

for the Raiders? All this is now in play. You tweeted the question about Vegas two days ago, and how little could any of us known that twenty four hours later it would have felt like the absolute that the question has a much more clear answer than we would have thought, because I don't think and any level he gets to Vegas, and who would have thought that, you know, hours before kickoff that you've come so far full circle with the Antonio Brown that I now view the Steelers

as competent disciplinarians for keeping a lid on Brown for all those years, outside of a few things here and there. I mean, this has blown up absolutely in Oakland's face. And it's rare that we have behind the scenes kind of impression or idea of an NFL general manager that takes the job. But we do with Mayok to some

degree just by working. And I wouldn't say with him because I don't think he even knows who at least three out of four of us are, But in general, he has an idea of that we work with him, and the guy is a serious dude, and I think that he has an entire team to look at the same way that the Cults when they lose Andrew Luck have to circle the wagons to say, we're still a team that has to play games, and you have to move forward. In a more disaster scenario case, It's the

same with Antonio Brown. Do you do you continue to coddle to him and show that to your players, especially when it would happen. You know, this week happened. You've got to move forward, and I think that he's out the door. We don't Yeah, we don't know yet. Mike Silver, who has connections in the Bay Area and the Raiders front office, he's not reporting this, but he came on our network and said, I think the relationship is unsalvageable and I'll be shocked if he ever plays a down

for the Raiders. I think Mack was playing a role because Gridden with Goring to keep his relationship with Antonio Brown and make sure that Antonio Brown was fired up to play for Gruden, and that Mayak was kind of being the bad cop. But Brown has not acted like a well person. I mean, he's acted like someone who it doesn't take that much to set him off, and that I don't know that the unmanageable is a good word.

We we know all about obviously, about the frost bite on the feet, We know about the helmet drama and everything through that. When you look at this timeline, ESPN Paul Goodier has put out a timeline of Brown's drama around the Raiders this summer. I mean they completely kept it hidden on Hard Knocks and people like, oh, I wish Hard Knocks was still there for this week. Well, they were the Raiders were going to continue to bury

this story if they could did. Were you guys aware that that when they had a play on that E. D. Yard Field and Canada against the Packers, he skipped a mandatory walk through that day as well. Yes, I heard

that somewhere else. I mean, even when he's back with the team and he's smiling and you see him on Hard Knocks talking to players and the coach and joking around with John Gruden, he was still playing the game or being a professional by his own rules and for a team that's very young, filled with rookies and undrafted free agents. He is just not a system match there. And then the question becomes, greg is he as system

match anywhere? Uh? And if the Raiders do wiggle out of this contract, which is a three year deal, and there is some language in the contract we're hearing that the Raiders have might have a real chance to get out of this. Does someone do we have an operation paying pony situation here? Shaping up? Mark the Patriots as anybody decided to take a chance after two teams ran away.

I mean everyone you know quick quickly linked the Brown to the Patriots, because the Patriots seemed like a team that takes odd characters and then suddenly they became, you know, productive citizens that operate on a sixteen game schedule and take New England to the super Bowl. It would be to me almost unfair if Brown went somewhere else and produced. I don't I have to see how this plays out, but it feels like he shouldn't be able to go

to another team and just do well. The delay in announcing the potential suspension or what the Raiders are doing, in my mind is likely them getting whatever legal procedural ducks into a row in there into a row and that if they're going after his money, that's a whole process. But if they are going after his money and he's no longer part of the team, yeah, I mean, I think of course the other teams are going to be interested. It's just finding, uh, you know, are they going to

pay them? And if they're not paying him, as Antonio Brown really gonna want to play for like three or four million dollars because he might not get a great offer, All right, let's move on. Of course, we're going to continue to follow that story as it develops. Um, the Cowboys and Ezekiel Elliott get a deal done. The two sides agreed to a six year, ninety million dollar extension. In all, it's one and three million over eight years

with and here's the important number, fifty million guaranteed. The contract extension makes Elliott the top paid running back uh Leaf Frog's Todd Gurley his fourteen point three seven five million per year. He's also the first Cowboys running back to eclipse one hundred million in total earnings in his career. Wes Elliott was limited at practice on Wednesday. Jason Garrett, the head coach, of the Cowboys said he's in good shape, his weight's good, all that, but again, it hasn't been

He hasn't been practicing against pro football players. So it makes you wonder how much he'll play against the Giants on Sunday. But he's back and he's paid, and that's the most important thing. Yeah, I think the word is snaps. That that has a way of changing once the game starts and it's a close game. We've seen this happen with holdouts to come in the first week and the coach says, I'm only gonna give him X amount of snaps,

and then the game happens and it gets more. I think one thing that we've seen out of this once again the Cowboys. We're used to them being so star heavy and not having much depth. This team is depth. Tony Pollard is there behind Zeke Elliott. They've got Devin Smith, former Jets guy wide receiver. They got depth on the offensive line, depth on defense. This is one of the deepest teams in the league. And bringing Ezeliel Ezekiel Elliott back just is another reason to believe that I got

no problem with this contract. Too much honking of breaking down that is it too much? Is it too little? Like like, okay, if it's two million dollars less a year, than everyone's fine with it. That's that's one percent of of a huge cap. He's one of their best players. It is easy to get out of after the first two to three years, which makes sense, I think for just about any running back. So you you're rewarded one

of your best players. And it was smart of Zeke to hold out because now I think other players are going to do this with two years left on Other players. Aren't Ezekiel Elliott that other great players? Yeah? Because see I agree with you, Greg, Melvin Gordon is not the beating heart of the Los Angeles Chargers offense. Tony Pollard is. It looks great but that, But we don't know Tony Pollard over a sixteen game. We know Ezekiel Elliott over his career, and he's playing at Jim Brown levels and

putting up those kind of number. Is in a past happy era where the Cowboys center their attack around him and he continues to produce. I wouldn't be surprised to see him run for three first half touchdowns against the Giants and then they might yank him. Then but at this snaps, we'll see. I I think that if anything, would go in the opposite in a way against the terrible Giants defense where they come out of the gates

heavy and blow them away with Ezekiel Elliott Um. You know, I'm no Jennifer Garner and draft day, I'm not a capologist, but I just wonder what the team and yes, their depth is excellent. But if you make Zeke the highest paid running back, and I know that again, I'm no capologist, I'm no Jim Garner. But if you make Zeke the highest paid running back and you dwarf how everyone else pays the running backs and then Dak Prescott is it's

probably gonna play out. You would think how it always plays out with these quarterbacks where he gets near top of the market money and you're handed out money to Mary Cooper I imagine and Jalen Smith. At what point are they going to run into a little bit of trouble by paying all this top of the market money out to their stars. It seems like that could be a challenge, especially with the stack thing still lingering the Cooper.

Maybe Cooper doesn't get that money, you know, maybe he gets franchise like I would have prioritized Jalen Smith and Ezekie Ellie over Cooper too, and who knows, maybe that's what happens. So if you're not Jennifer Garner and drafting, are you more? You know, Jennifer Garner and dude Wears My Car? Like? What that is a Dan Fielter low level role on that. I don't know if you remember who would be uh, definitely not going on thirty was

the one I was trying to think of it. I couldn't, but yeah, she did great work in both jenn Garner and Dude Wears My Car is not bad? Can I pipe in for a second? Um, My good friend Katie, who you guys all know, she texted me about an hour ago saying that she just walked by Jennifer Garner in the Atlanta airport. That's who I am. I'm jenn Garner in the Atlantic. But isn't that weird that you guys are just talking about that randomly odd small world

psychics by race? All right, you're ready? Um, last bit of news contracts stuff. Jared Goff agrees to four year, one dred and thirty four million dollar extension with the Los Angeles Rams, a dred and ten million in guarantees. That's what I'm talking about. That's what that's gonna be

looking for. Year old golf now holds the NFL record in most guaranteed money, putting him right ahead of his former draft mate Carson Wentz, who made about a hundred and eight with his most recent deal with the Eagles. Mark former number one overall pick, has really blossomed with Sean McVeigh, of course, and become one of the more

productive quarterbacks in the league. And yet there are people that are barking and honking that this wasn't the right contract to give out, that he's not worth the money. What are your thoughts about that? I I just think if Sean McVeigh was totally on board with this, good enough for me. If I'm a RAMS fan. I mean, do it that these quarterbacks, every one of them, unless you're one of these mid tier guys, which it doesn't even seem like that market exists. You keep eclipsing the

quarterback pay with every one of these new contracts. I don't think they were ever going to try to low ball Jared Goff. I have some questions about Jared Goff the player, but not enough to be concerned about the steal of Sean mcveigh's on board. It seemed like maybe they want to bolster his confidence after coming off the Super Bowl. I don't want to let him enter the

season without a new contract. I don't know, but to me, it's a safe contract because Golf showed incredible accuracy and most of his starts last year, and he has Sean McVeigh. And no one can convince me that Jared Goff's deserves to make more money than Sean McVeigh. I just don't believe that at all. That's an interesting thought. Sean McVeigh is worth way more than Jared, not even no doubt. But if anything is, I mean, they're not remotely even in the same And yet if you're starting a franchise,

you are taking McVeigh over Golf every time. It's well that that might it may be a case for the best coaches in the league. Belchi they are ammatically underpage if they hires Chris Wesley as his new agent. Here's what do you guys disagree? I really don't, But I don't think they did it for his confident. I think they were always going to do it um as long as he kept playing well. They they said it as early as last offseason that they pay him this offseason.

They basically telegraphed, largely because Sean McVeigh has made it clear to the Rams publicly and I'm sure privately too, they I don't want to be your I don't want to be your coach unless Jared Goff is my quarterback. That's how strong he's been about it, like this is my quarterback. There's no questions asked. I think that's his message and it's been incredibly consistent and it's what he believes. And so to your point, McVeigh, is that valuable. It's

not like they have to think hard about it. If that's mcveigh's guy, then they just do it. Man. I would love to see somebody like Matthew Stafford with with Sean McVeigh. Goff's twenty four years old, which I do think gets underrated, Like you think of guys in terms of experience sometimes instead of their age. He's barely older than Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield. And I think that that's where year old quarterbacks if you go back to the eighties and before are You weren't even asking them

to start games at that point. And yes, he had a terrible Super Bowl, but he wasn't alone. They were basically outclassed from head to toe in that job. By the way, exactly, it's it's a team thing in golf. To me, he was. He was in the m v P conversation for a portion of last season. I played Drew Brees in the NFC Championship. I mean, he's had his moments, didn't He have four interceptions in Chicago and the cold. He's not perfect us well, but Mark, that's

what's happening in the news. All right. Now, it's time to dig in. We're gonna do it every week through January and into February for Super Bowl fifty four, previewing all the games on this special uh episode of the Around the NFL podcast, Ricky as per tradition, get us going. Professional football in America is a special game, a unique game played nowhere olas on. It is a rare game. The men who play it making so oh yes, gentlemen, dig it. Of course. That is the great John send up,

Sam Spence on music NFL Films. That is some classic stuff with That's what it's all about Sam Spence. Sam Spence, I do love NFL films, I mean the stable, but it's great, it's fun. It's like take the baton for me, thank you. No, I don't this narrative. I'm not a huge NFL films music guy. I'm not sure. I mean, Dan like so much. He's dvard America's Game two thousand eighteen Patriots and do your job three. We're up to do your job three. There's more do your jobs like

problem child three. I mean, this is amazing. Well, why do we need to have to keep reminding them to do their job? How about the message received without doing your job? And it's gonna get you know, it's you know, Harry and Jack around the fire this weekend. Then let's let's watch two hours of Patriots. Like you know, everyone is so like sick of the Patriots that even NFL Films isn't even trying anymore. Like what are we calling it this year? Uh? Run back whatever the title was

last year. It's time for new blood greg in Super Bowl Football. So let's do it. Let's get to the games. And you know what, we're changing things up a little bit this year. We're still locking it up. Everybody, have your locks locked and loaded. Mark, the two two time defending champion. I bring that up because, uh, well you're just beating Mark to the punch. He brings it up every show, every show. I bring it up when I

need to, when it has impact, and when it is needed. Alright, we we forget about those two years when we used to pick every games. I mean that should count somewhere. Yeah, back champs and that and that, and then I tried to kill the game. I actually I won one of those two, by the way, I did. You won the first time. I want the oral history of why Greg tried to kill that game. I know, and you only made it stronger. You ever think about that? Well, it

did go away for a year or two. We stopped picking every game, okay, but now you're writing a picks column four nim hill dot Com. Yeah, the man, it's all confusing. You gotta mix it up every few years, all right. So I bring up that Marks, the back to back picks champion, because yes, he asked me to privately before today show, alright, but also because uh, we are going to essentially draft the games that that we're

going to talk about. Uh, and Marks because he's the picks Champ got the number one overall pick, which means he has fifteen games to choose from to get us going, and we're gonna we're gonna do this. Guy's like a snake draft, all right. So Mark's gonna pick one West, two, Zeus or three Greg. Four and five not bad, Greg. Now it's nice to be in the back sometimes because you get that double bang. It's a lot of work over there going to be doing their four and five

double bang, Greg out of work. I think two is too is where I'd like to be. Sorry if the seating right that Mark take the Browns. And then it's like I got my first pick, you know, which means Zeus or six, West, seven and then Market and these are the games that we're going to be assigned to on Sunday. So it's really eight and nine I have Okay, that's you have one, eight and nine, so be ready, be prepped. I know you are all right, And these are this is my pride. This is my prize for

winning that first pick. Okay, first overall pick. What else do you want to say? I want other things, but I will take this for now. And then these are the games that when we wrap up on our flagship show on Sunday night. Um, these are the games will be tracking from the newsroom, Mark, get us go? What is the first game we're previewing in our first preview episode of the season and what? Well? So, why get

too cute here? Because you know it's been this long journey through the off season and you you know I could pull a fast one here and talk about Bengals Seahawks, But why go all this way with all that's happened to the team that I've suffered with for so long on this podcast and for a decade plus before that and another five years before that. Since they actually want a playoff game, the Cleveland Browns hosting the Titans feel

like reach it one. I don't know, it was not It's the Sky Sports game of the week on on Sunday. It's Tony. He's not going to Cleveland to watch Dean pas No, he is not. He is not putting Dean ps at the top of his last And if it's good enough for Tony Romo, it is good enough for me. And it is a fascinating game because this is a team, the Cleveland Browns, that have swallowed up so much airtime for the past five or six months. I think there's

enormous pressure on them to come out hot. I don't think you can go out and lay a dud to a team that most people accused of as having zero real identity at this point. That said, the Titans, I think they have a couple of sneaky things going for them. They had the number three scoring defense last year, and I think they've gotten stronger on defense. You add Cameron Wake, they have guys like Harold Landry, and you're going up against the Brown's line that is a somewhat suspect, and

there is concerned about that. I think that's the number one thing for me to look at. But to counter that, I cannot wait to see what Miles Garrett and Olivier Vernon and the rest of the Browns defensive line can do against a Taylor Luan free. Titans line also has the right tackle coming off an a c L injury. There are issues and if you look back at that hideously dull Steelers Titans regular season tune up, there were what seven sacks of the Titans quarterbacks in that game.

That was a mess. I'm not saying that's exactly what real life's gonna look like on Sunday. But Cleveland's defensive line went out and absolutely terrorized Jamis Winston when he was on the field over the course of a quarter and a half in Tampa Bay. So for me, this game comes down to safety of quarterback and what happens from there. I do think that Cleveland their early schedule, you have three primetime games you have you're going to be the center of attention if you get out to

a one in four start. This isn't the Ravens and Steelers. The difference here, and I know this seem if you read um the the article that came out by Done on Bleacher Rip or on on the Athletic about Cleveland. He wrote a great feature about the mental toughness on that team right now. It is different than anything I've seen.

And I think the difference is remember how I used to talk about stand up and be braggy enough with the uh, the nice charity things you're doing all week and on one fIF team, they have been practicing in pads as much as any team in the league all August. I think that is to create a mental toughness factor that they've not had in Cleveland for a long time. I want to see it show up on Sunday, and

I'll now throw it to you. But I will say one last thing when we say when we say that I don't care about football or I'm tired of it, what I really am, honestly going to say is that I am nervous about this Cleveland experience because I'm not able to just go shut it down the rest of the week and go to some job in a hulked out building and behind a computer in a room where

no one else. I'm around people all week long talking about the Browns, and if it goes negative, it concerns me about what it will do to me over the next month or two. It's too close, it's too hot. I need them to be good. I need it. You know what. The Browns are here though for you. This Brown's team Mark is here to fix you. Well, we'll see you not when the lawsuit to cut that quick before Chris Martin comes out to us. But this is

the team Mark. That's what I was trying to say the top of the show, that all your reasons are being nervous are all understandable. But this, this squad is gonna be fun to watch. And I mean I was joking around with you about the reach at number one that was more a fantasy bit, like I get why you would pick this number one and why you can't wait to see them, But I also agree with you

win this football game. Gotta win it, right and there, it wouldn't be that surprising if the Titans win it because it's the NFL, and this is a team that's won nine and they've gone nine and seven three street years, because they're just kind of a nine and seven type of team. And and their linebackers that you mentioned, their defensive play caller, you know I mentioned DPS earlier. They have a secondary that at least can put bodies and numbers throwing at you. Malt and Butler. They hope is

a little better this year. Like I think Baker Mayfield can make that offensive line look better and then that doesn't become nearly as a problem. But I don't see this as some like dramatic thing where the Browns should be viewed as heavy favorites in a game against the Titans. Who I guess I gotta see it. I guess I gotta see. To me, they're pretty even teams, and yeah, how am I give the Browns an edge? Sure, they're fairly even. I fully expect the Browns to blow them

out of the building in this game. I think they announced their presence with authority, and everyone's gonna see what Baker may feel. The Odell Beckham means, I know about the hip injury. If he's if he's suiting up and he's playing, I'm expecting big place throughout that game. I don't love the sound what you're hearing about Beckham, though he's said he's telling the media that he hasn't quote

opened up yet. It's like an extremely fast car. Listen, Andrew Luck, I remember when Randy Moss went to the Patriots, didn't play at all in the preseason because of a hamstring, and came out and just blew the doors off. What you want to happen doesn't necessarily mean it will happen. I'm just telling you, and what you say doesn't announce. No, I'm saying what Beckham is saying. I hear he's he's suiting up, though, Let's listen to what it's like an

extremely fast car with the alignment off. The car can still go, but it's dangerous. I'm just saying a guy that has missed a lot of time and it's a hip injury, an explosive athlete. I'm a little nervous. Sixty five snaps. I would. I did the damnit check Show and he was going through each team and talking Jenga pieces and Taylor Lawan might be the one for Tennessee and they're missing him. As as Mark mentioned, that's a pretty big deal. Well, especially with the way Mariota has

handled pressure the last year. So if you're their new offensive caller, Arthur Smith, you're gonna run the ball all the time in this game, Smith, it's a deep Dan P's revenge game, by the way, Well, I mean isn't every game? Yes, you're use someone named Uden peas well? Who Yeah, who is he? Who is he? Need revenge? And every game is a Dean Peens game. That's the way the guy is. He's a killer, all right. With the number number two overall picked Chris Westling, get us going, baby,

We're gonna talk Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots. Nice nice choice. Two Super Bowl contenders, two teams whom I think are better now, way better now than I thought they were during the off season, after seeing what happened in training camp in preseason and the way things are coalescing for both of these teams legitimate Super Bowl contenders. And I don't think that we always thought Pittsburgh would

be there. I couldn't agree more. And I think it's a game where the defenses should be ahead of the offenses. He hesitate to say that September football scoring is usually higher. You know, you have to Hall of Fame quarterbacks and good offensive coaches. But the Steelers have shown they can

stop New England. Like that narrative, which there's reasons for it, but they did an amazing job last December in a game that absolutely mattered, in a game that should have knocked the Patriots out of a bye and and maybe could have propelled the Steelers to a division title. They held Tom Brady to ten points. And I think it's

because they're really bounced. They've got a really good defensive line who's healthy, They've got a pretty deep secondary, and the Patriots are always working on things in September, and this is a September where they have George Josh Gordon, d Marius Thomas and Julian Edelman who might be their top three receivers, barely played in August, barely took any practice snaps, and they're a team that thrives on getting information and using that information against the opponent. You don't

have much information in Week one? Am I crazy to simply say, because this game is in Foxbor that I give Pittsburgh literally no chance to win this? Yeah? No chance. I'd say that's crazy if you had to pick, you know, if it's you're about how about then that's we've seen it. I think it was as recently as two years ago the Chiefs went to New England right and smacked around the Patriots in Week one in a high leverage, prime

time game. I think this, for me, this is the game if I had to bet my life, we don't bet if I had a prop in my life. Uh, what game is gonna come down right to the wire and it's going to be a Week one game, a classic one we remember. I feel like this is gonna be a lot of fun to watch because, I you know, we talk about the Patriots and maybe it's a little

bit overblown because how slow can these starts be? If they go twelve and four and thirteen and three every year, but I mean they were one and two last year and they were It is a thing like if you look if you look at the Patriots, they don't always start on fire. And the Steelers I think are a team that's very dangerous in the a f C because I think as an organization they have a lot to prove here. I think Mike Tomlin has a lot to prove.

I think Ben Roethlisberger has a lot to prove. I feel like um Antonio Brown and Levy on Bell both being gone, that they want to show that we're we're we've risen above all that drama. I think this is the a f C East Champion against the a f C North Champion and maybe even the a f C Championship preview and yes would be a big tiebreaker scenario. So this is such an important game in early September.

I think like a lot of stuff, you know, it's it's beaks pre week one, So you get these packages of information based on stuff that happened last year, and it's like it you just toss because it just doesn't carry over. But when it comes to Belichick and and stuff carrying over with Bell Belichick, I look at last year that they held the following receivers, they took them out of the game or held them under a hundred yards. DeAndre Hopkins, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Brown and Juju Smith Schuster,

Davante Adams and Adam Feeling. Two of those are pairs on the same team, so it's not just one guy. And I just think that Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh is gonna have to find a way to do it through someone other than just Juju Smith Schuster. All right, let's move on list. Anybody that has something else, move it the third overall pick. You know, you don't usually like to take what you would do a sleeper this early, so yeah, this might be a bit of a reach, but I love the game.

So I'm gonna talk the Atlanta Falcons traveling to Minneapolis to face the Minnesota Vikings, and on paper, just on what happened last year, it's a block matchup as seven and nine against eight seven, the two dome teams off the list, Mom and I don't have to worry about it against eight seven and one. But it's a glass dome. Does that help at all? It's a little sun here, the beautiful place we were there for the super Dome is is I will say this, it's for me. It's

a game pass thing. It looks beautiful and the green is a natural bright green where some of these dull gray greens are just unwatchable. Mercedes Benz Stadium, that's you know that we were there for another Super Bowl that was not a bad facility. The lighting on TV looks almost dull gray, okay for the term. But today at the Georgia Dome against the Metrodome, but I agree with you that the this is the best dome to watch a game. All right, here we go, so yes on

paper seven and nine verse eight seven one. But these teams I think are both very interesting this year. Would it stun me if both of them had a similar record in twenty nineteen, Well, maybe the Vikings would surprise me, because I'm I'm very high. I'm in Soota. I think um, some organizations do not handle um, the idea of expectations. Well, the Vikings shrunk last year, and I think there's a

little heat off him this year. And like I said earlier this week, uh, I think their offense has a really high ceiling and then a Falcon's offense that also has a very high ceiling um, so I think there's a possibility of a shootout here. But I also I wonder if the Vikings West laid a SmackDown potentially in their building against Matt Ryan and company. It would not surprise me at the Vikings throttle Atlanta here, uh, that

that would That's my early thought on this game. I agree with all of your analysis in this game, and I think the Vikings are getting the Falcons at the right time. Better to get them in week one when Jlio Jones is giving answers to questions as if he's not sure if he's gonna play or not, if he's not sure if it's because of the money or the injury, or what's going on, because you're offensive line has two

rookies and you're not sure what you're getting there. The Falcons just have a lot more question marks to me right now than the Vikings do, and maybe that won't be the case a month from now. I expect Julio Jones to sign a contract between now in game time, if you read the entire transcript, he made it pretty clear he's playing, but also made it clear he fully expects to have signed his new contract by then I

think they expected it to happen before today. Arthur Blank said as much earlier this week that it's going to happen. So I'm not worried about Julio, but I am worried if I'm the Falcons. That my defense. It just hasn't been tough under Dan Quinn in terms of stopping the run, and now with Gary Kubiak in Minnesota, I think they're going to be able to run. I think this Vikings team, unlike old Vikings teams, are built to win a shootout, and maybe that's what it takes to win this game.

And I think they will, and that's why I'm gonna lock. There's a lot of trying to sneak one in there. That's good. That is a gutsy lock. I like it to um go ahead, Mark. I've already conceded this year's title to Greg because I can tell the tone that he's setting. No, gregs, are you gonna lock up? It's a puppet show. The rest of us are just involved

this psychological game. This is but I agree with And the Falcons are up to fourteen and you're like, Okay, I I kind of I don't know if I totally look at Mike Zimmer and say, I just totally admire the fact that you're pressing in so hard to uh an offense that looks so counter to the rest of the league. That you fired your past heavy coordinator last year and Cousins attempts dropped by fourteen a game once the Filippo was out the building. And I think Dalvin

Cooks looks great. But you built the whole thing around what you want to be an old school offense, and that works or it doesn't. But I for me, the Vikings last year, what I want to see change is they absolutely laid gigantic, stinking eggs when it mattered most against the Patriots, against the Seahawks, they lost twice to the Bears down the stretch. What team are you because I don't see a lot that has changed in terms

of leadership, in terms of the key characters. Yes, you went and made your center first round pick, the highest rank or drafted center in like twenty years or something. If that hits, that's the difference. Their line was a total disaster that deep sixth Kirk Cousins wired to wire last year. That's gotta change. You've got to be a tougher team. I do like the Vikings in this game. I'm a little worried off four of us when we agree. Yeah, two things before we move on. You mentioned the Vikings

offensive line. I want to see that remade Falcon's offensive line. And also the backfield between Dalvin Cook and Devant to Freeman. Is cooking a breakout? Are we gonna see the Cook that everyone expects. Is Freeman gonna return to form? I'll be watching if Xavier Rhodes gets just destroyed by these receivers, because that is a big time concern for the Vikings that Xavier Rhodes is no longer a huge asset because he wasn't really last regular season. All right, right, it's you.

I'm so I'm so happy because you're right you. You said the number four pick could have been juicy. I get my number one overall draft pick. Anyways, at the fourth spot. It's because the season really starts in full, you know, ten am for us Sunday morning, so that first game you're watching that is important. And I wanted Panthers Rams because I thought these are the two teams that I'm coming into the year with a lot of information on them. Anyway, I expect them to be in

the mix among the top two NFC teams. Uh. And there're two coaches who have been very successful. Ron Rivera defensively, I think was reverly smart to adjust that he's no longer just a four three team. They're gonna show three four looks. Brian burn is probably gonna start have a little bit more variety. I'm curious to see if Sean McVeigh will also have a little more variety this year. Maybe we'll see like a little less play action, a little more to running backs, a tight ends on the field.

I don't know, but either way, I think these are just like two great teams, UH that should be ready to go Week one. Cam Newton is fully healthy and it just to me looks like the best game of the morning. It's great that Cam is not even on the injury report this week because it was not looking a little grim when he suffered that foot foot injury, and you were worried that he was gonna limp into a new season after ending last year, and I are

now you get full strength. Cam. We've talked about it, Um West, I I feel like I don't know if you agree with me that the Panthers are lying in the weeds a little bit in the NFC, and that's always a good thing. I liked them in this game. This was my hardest game to pick. We have to do I now I am writing those picks online, uh, every week, and this was the one I didn't feel good about, no matter what, no matter who I picked. Yeah, it's a hard game to pick. I agreed Dan. The Panthers.

I think everybody gets caught up in that injury last year with with Cam Newton, and their defense did fall apart a little bit, but they were a playoff team before Cam Newton's injury. I think the question I have this year for as much love as Curtis Samuel and d J. Moore are getting, there's not much depth there

behind them. When Jerry's right or Chris Hogan is your three, and then you've got Ray Ray mc out in, Brandon Zilstra who you picked up for special teams, you better hope that Curtis Samuel really does have a breakout here and stays healthy. I'm a little concerned or I want to see. I think there's the Rams have so many offseason long questions. Obviously there is golf there is Girley. There is what's gonna happen for me on the offensive line?

Where you lost Roger Roger Staffold, you lost John Sullivan, you're replacing them with two guys Brian Allen and Joseph note Boom, kind of like that guy's last name. Witworth is not going to knock on the door. And forty at this point, so he's you know, he's up there. He's almost the same age as West and I only seven or eight years off, and they've played about a

hundred and twenty snaps in their lifetime. So you know you need the same way we look at the Falcons or the Vikings and say these Lion Elements or the Titans and Browns need to check out for us to believe in these teams. This is where I think the Rams issues could come if the suddenly something happens there's some sort of sinkhole on the front five. I want

to see how Top Gurley looks. Yeah, Sean McVeigh said he's not going to be on a pitch count and Justice since I get from people who have reported from their team and the way they've talked about him, that they're not really is worried about him as everyone else's. I mean, I I'm just excited that I got this fourth spot. I don't know if we're moving on now I got I'm getting my first I'm getting my first pick at ten am, and I'm getting my first nervous

you're gonna take my pickure, I think, I am. It's the cults, it's the Charger was Oh, actually I should have known that. Yeah, you could have probably stolen that at it. Yeah, I know you're taking the Alan Chris Invitational. That's how bad that Giants are so bad they're not even on Sunday Night Football with the Cowboys for the first time in the seventeen years. The Colts charges, to me, is just a fun game that you're not sure where you're gonna get out of these two teams in Week one.

They're not quite the teams we expected two months ago. We know about Luck, we know about Derwin James and Russell o'kung and Melvin Gordon, and I'm I know you're almost talking straight to me, Dan. I saw your hit. You did a great job talking power rankings on NFL Now and you said people were in their field lanes about the cults. Maybe that's me because whatever, maybe it's Chris Ballard really and Frank Reich and and Jacoby Precent and t Y Hilton's your favorite type of fraud. They're

really in their feelings. Um, but I'm buying what they're selling. The Hilton did, I I didn't read the whole story that did he say this is the best team he's ever been on? He did? I mean, what are we doing here? I'm buying what they're selling. I don't know why, And maybe it's just because I want to see how many teams is t Y has he've ever been on a good team. I mean, they've made playoffs. So he's saying this team is better than I would argue from

top to bottom. It may be the best Cults team minus the luck situation, but it is with that if he but he also think, if he super believes in the current quarterback, it is the best head to toe Cults team in a long time. And this is a match of the two narratives. The other narrative to me is the Chargers regression. They were so good in close games, They're already missing players, their line isn't really great, And maybe those those two narratives clash here and we get

a nice little cults upset. I'm with you because I think they are five and one in those close games and you have a twelve and four record, and you're just a lot went right in terms of them. I thought they were a good team that's surged down the stretch. They smacked a couple of playoff teams, you know, heading towards the playoffs. But how many chances do you get and you go into the season missing all these key guys.

I don't know. I mean, it's the only thing is you know, And and also I don't like a team. And I know we're not really even supposed to talk about this half the time, but you're playing in a stadium where you're one year, you're one year away from moving into a massive well. I have been, and I have been talked to, you know, specifically about stuff that I put in Well, I didn't think I it's on my radar because I've been talked to about it before. But they you're in a you're in a small stadium

where you can out week after week. I feel any hint of a home field, and I don't know if players can shut that out or not, or if it matters to disadvantage. It just feels like, at some point, if you're a player, you're thinking, please someone gather around us. Since you brought it up, can we talk about the name of their fields? As if it couldn't get worse? It is now Dignity Health Sports Park. That is not

the black Hole. Wait, and when I hear that name, it feels like you need to go to the hospital to have your dignity worked on or your colon cleansed. I don't know who's supposed to this. Did that come from? I was surprised to hear Greg say being an upset if the Colts win, that's well, well, the Charges are one of the biggest favorites of the week. Actually, that's surprising,

desert surprising to me too. Interesting people people believe in the Charges because the Chargers, even after taking those players away, they still have more frontline talent than the Colts. That's true. Are you worried at all about the Chargers the entire defense, the entirety of their defense they run, their ability. No,

it's the other side of the ball that concerns me. Yeah, if anything, I'm worried about You know now that I'm backing Brisett this year that Ingram, the Ingram and Bossa are gonna do what they do, and that's the worry, all right. The snake now comes the other direction, the old zeus or I had a locked in loads my number two seeds, so I'm pretty pumped about it. I

don't know, I didn't talk about it. First. Here we go the Kansas City Chiefs, who were we are still still waiting for Patrick Holmes to get back on the field. It didn't happen. In overtime of the v C Championship game, the Chiefs lost the coin toss and then threw up all over themselves and Tom Brady marched down the field and the Pats went back to the Super Bowl and

you know how that ended. Well. Now they travel to Jacksonville to face the Jags, and uh, I just love this game because, um, we we know all about the Chiefs and especially Patrick Mahomes, the reigning m v P, and um all the weapons they have and how this is a team that, yes, if you, if things break right, can average thirty five points a game. Like It's that type of special offense. The what's the X factor in

this game, Wes is the Jaguars Uh. For me, and specifically that defense in their building Week one fans going crazy. A Jaguars team that a bit of a Murphy's last season last year. Um, that has a lot to prove and I imagine with a chip on its shoulder. Uh. I think the Chiefs are in for a bit of surprise when it comes to moving the football. I think the Jaguars are gonna play tough at home, and this is gonna be a game I'd love to see a

little chaos just to throw everyone off. Um. I think it's just assumed that the Chiefs are gonna score thirty five or forty every week, if not fifty. And I think the only thing working against your theory, Dan is that even if the Jaguars played them tough last year, nobody held the Chiefs under twenty six points. In eighteen games, they were never held under twenty six points. And I don't think the Jaguars can get there on that basically

did in terms of their offense. They scored on a pick six last year in that game, so they did a pretty nice job holding the Chief's offense twenty three points. But you're right that that's like even the best that you can do, and they gave up a ton of long drives like they I remember that game. I I was. I covered that game and and it was a bunch of they decided to force Mahomes to just take checkdowns all day, and you know what, he did it and

had a bunch of eight year picked him off twice. Well, now they've got some new weapons on that chief's offense, maybe he doesn't have to take checkdowns all game. I see, I do want to watch this one early on game pass. If I'm not I'm assuming I'm not assigned to it. If Dan has already picked it to watch, there's notion. That's it. Bro, I'm locked and loaded in the game. And now and then, oh, you talk about trades, I

mean we could who knows what could happen? What if you got one of your little sea colds and one were able to show up on Sunday and suddenly you know, West and Greg and Mark are having to triple up on the game. Old I'm cal ripkin, baby, I'm here every show. That's true. Well, then I will be watching on a game I just want to see. And I know we've talked about it before. Is that again? It comes to John d Philippos. Well, I don't know about that strong. That is very strong. I mean, do you

have another family reunion to go to? Let's see if you know, let's there maybe more time for that. Did I miss the show? Huh? Go on? Go on? I need that would get you? Well, you've missed shows this year? True? I mean, I just I am loving a show where there's a lot of back and forth here and I'm not involved in any of it. There's plenty of time, There's plenty of time. I just I'm not convinced that this the way this roster is set up for Jacksonville, that it's an easy, uh paradigm for Nick Foles to

to thrive in early. You are a team with no proven tight end at this point, no one that's actually done it for more than a couple of weeks. And yes, I guess Leonard four Nette arrow up in terms of the reports on him this preseason, but you're meant to be an RPO Eagles looking passing type team, and outside of D. D. Westbrooks, you know flowery reports, there's not

much going on. So I if you get into a shootout right away, I want to see what happens to the Jaguars that they're down by two touchdowns or ten points, and Nick Foles suddenly as to wonder what happened to those two fascinating tight ends I was working with in Philadelphia. It's the best defense in the a f C, I think, in the best offense. I mean, it isn't It isn't

nice Week one matchup. So maybe it comes down to which of the other two sides that are kind of newly rebuilt, you know, are going to get there a little faster. And I want to make it clear. I see maybe seventeen game that goes either way, and then I see the Chiefs dropping the fifty burger on the Raiders the black hole next week. I'm not worried about the Chiefs. I just I just can see Jacksonville coming

out hot here. All right, West, you're up up as down left is right, Cats are chasing Dogs, Dan choosing a f C South teams. I'm going to NFC East Giants and Cowboys right stunning even well, I mean, I can talk myself into the Giants because I'm on Eli Manning, yank Watch, yank Watch. I'm going yank watch there, so get him. Ruston Wells, get Danny dimes in. I want to see what what Eli's got left. I have a good idea, but I want to see what. But then

also you want to be there for the funeral. It's the sneaky team in westl on the other side of the Yesterday. It's been a three year funeral that I've been watching, so I feel like I've been a part of it. Yes, a sneaky team of the Cowboys ever since Mauri Cooper Trade have been one of my favorite teams to watch. They are fun. So I'm gonna see what Ezekiel Elliott has in the first game. We're gonna

see how these new pieces fit in. And you know, I think that the Cowboys should be considered a favorite, maybe not the favorite, but a super Bowl favorite. Puss. You get Troy and Joe, and I feel like we've come around, not just on this podcast but just nationally at some point. Yes, I think everyone's come around to kind of like, oh, actually, Troy and Joe a great duo to watch. Bra I've always liked. But but there's been critique, no doubt. I mean, yeah, buck Buck had

some issues earlier in his career. The Randy Moss mooning situation to name one. But I shouldn't put you guys, and this has been my journey that I have taken, I mean now, and we support you in your journey, but I I don't necessarily share the same journey. So he didn't have a great call on the helmet catch in Super Bowl forty two. Joe hasn't always been on fire, but I feel like he has gotten better and better.

I mean there's others days where he's like, had to call a baseball playoff game than eight hours later do football or vice versa. I think he's you know, seems like he works pretty hard. To me, I've been I've been wondering about the Cowboys in Week one for for a while now, and they're all practicing. It's crazy Like Byron Jones had a hip surgery, didn't practice at all till this week. Same thing with de Marcus Lawrence. Zack Martin is maybe the only one that's actually questionable for

this game. Who Tyrone Crawford's coming back, Zeki Elliott's limited. If you're gonna have to go to Dallas, I feel like this might be a good week to do it well. I think there's another world where let's say this Kellen Moore offense takes off and confuses a Giants very suspect Giants defense, and they do the thing I mentioned were Zeke. They get him off to a hot Jerry Jones leads start where he has Zeke running. He basically dials down to the sideline, which if your Ray Farmer would have

gotten you suspended for four games. You basically tell the coaching staff you get Zeke in that end zone, over and over. I want him jumping in that red pot, even though it's not Christmas time. And then I'll tell you what else is gonna happen. Because we have a sandwich bet on this game. Potentially I could be out a sandwich unless this happens. I told you that Daniel Jones would take over in week one mid game and

be starting by week two. So I need that nice twenty one to nothing first half situation where Eli Manning throws a killer pick six that has happened last week. Yes, that's what That's what I put on on show tape. Um, all right, let's move on, Mark. Oh, it's my turn back up. You got a double? All right, So here's where I'm gonna stay in the NFC East and that is a little game. That is a little game between

the Redskins and the Eagles. And we know Dan and I were on the Rich Eyes and Show today and I cannot find for this, but I have found it. He asked us point blank right out of the gate, what who we thought the best team in the NFC was, And I I had to think about it for one second because it's a top heavy conference, but I think it's the Eagles. I really do. And I've mentioned a

couple of times. I think the Cowboys and Eagles are gonna get off too super hot starts, and that's going to be a fascinating division because of those two teams. On the flip side, the Redskins, to me, have a lot of issues. And it's kind of crazy to think that Jay Gruden is in year six of coaching this team, because I don't know exactly what's kept him there except for essentially the owner maybe thinking he can't find anything

better at this point. You look at what they're lining up at wide receiver, you look at what they have going on really everywhere except what I like is their their defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Deron Payne. I don't know how the Redskins go into this game. This is another game where maybe you have a rookie starting.

If the panic button is pulled by the third quarter, I would not be shocked to seeing Dwayne Haskins get snaps in this game if it goes as poorly as I think it will, if the if the Eagles play up to what they are right now, I think this is a thirty six to seven type romp M. I can't argue. I think I I have a theory like there's almost nothing that's an upset in Week one, just

about because you don't really know. But this, this to me, would be a massive upset if the Redskins are even if they went in Landover, maybe you could see a game, but not. And they've had really good injury news to the Eagles who had They have a ton of players coming back from injuries that happened last year that happened this offseason, and almost all of them except for Gugier Hill there linebackers seemed to be back for this game.

One note on the Redskins running backs, Jake Gruden says that Darius Guys is gonna start and he's still deciding whether Adrian Peterson is going to be in the mix for this game or not. I can't get out of the they might be inactive he he hinted that Adrian he hasn't decided what role Adrian Peter is going to play if he plays one at all, because he doesn't have special teams and playing the role of the pouting former superstar. I think we've seen that with Sean Payton,

haven't we. Drian Peterson on the sideline yelling at him. Yes, all right, that y'all heard around the world West last week when you said you didn't believe in Darius. Guys, it's still in my head. It's rattling around. Well, I'm

interested to see how he looks in this game. My point was on a half dozen carries, whatever we saw, like everybody went crazy like it was some impressive performance, and I thought, why aren't you beating the linebacker to the edge now, my I My thing just was that he was out there, that he was playing because at whatever he did in that game, I'm expecting him to be significantly better three or four weeks later. That it's a fair point. He didn't do anything. It wasn't It

was like everybody went crazy about it. It was like, what I didn't see that. I think part of it is the idea of coming back from that a stated jury. All right, Mark, hold hold on the next game because I have to let you guys know that foot All is back. You knew that though, right, Yeah. I mean it seems like something that's been watch live local and the primetime NFL games for free all season long with a Yahoo Sports app or the official app of the NFL on your phone or tablet plus get all your

latest breaking news, highlights and more. Download the NFL app or the Yahoo Sports app in your app store or at NFL dot com slash mobile today. Certain restrictions and data rates may apply. Proof football is a mirror of earlier more reflecting toughness, courage himself denying. All right, Mark, take us into the second half, everybody. I just want to listen to this for a second. West Hate not Sam Spence. Batman's a musician. Just thinking all the music

available to me. I don't really want to spend it listening to that. Spence. It's a good plug West B Band mus Go ahead. I'm gonna travel out west to

Seattle for my second game. There was this pretty great article written by Mike Sandoe of The Athletic, because apparently everyone who writes sports now works for the Athletic except for the four of us at this point, right, But yes, he went and visited with Pete Carroll, and he showed him a chart, a study that of every team last year in the first twenty eight minutes of a game, when you essentially could be categorized as having a choice

to run or pass because you're not down. It's you know, you're not down by forty eight points, and it's not the last it's not the two minute warning in the first half, and it's not the second half where things

get out of control. That the Seahawks ran with such a perversion at such a crazy rate that they ran more than any team into a higher degree than in this through me the two thousand and eleven Denver Broncos, the Tim Tebow Broncos, that no team since then has run the ball with such ferocity and much choice since that team back then. And did Carol think, oh, you know, I know what everyone's doing in the league, and everyone's telling you if you're not passing on first and second down,

you need to be thrown out. With the trash. Well, he basically got totally giddy and said, this is what we do, this is what we are. And where I get a little suspicious of the Mike Zimmers doing this, and I kind of love what Pete Carroll's doing. He basically says, our whole philosophy and the way we were when we won those Super Bowls was long, punishing drives where we control the ball. I think they've got the personnel to do it. I love that they strengthened the

defensive line. I don't like this game for the Bengals at all, and I know that I ripped on the Bengals too much, but I had this question. I cannot think of a team, even the Redskins to me, have an identity, and it's not a good one. I have no idea who the Bengals head coaches at this point. I have no read on him. So I'm saying, I'm I'm invited, inviting to show me. I mean, I know the name, but it's by the way hands Hank hit

me up on Slack today. Oh I don't name that client z a C, give us a K, give us an h don't just hanging leave us hanging with the C and that's a parental issue his parents. Wasn't there a running back named Zack Stacey? Who is z a C? There was? And what happened to him? I don't really can he go Bengal Well? So the Bengals twenty nine against the run last year. I don't know what they added on defense to tell you they're gonna get a whole lot better. I just don't like to set up

for them. Is not doing it for you. I need to figure out who this team is. This is a great of all the teams mark that have a nice set up for Week one. The Seahawks are right near the top of the list at home healthy, and you get a Cincinnati team that's trying to figure itself out, that doesn't have its best player on the field day

J Green's out for weeks with his ankle injury. Um and you know how hard it is to play in Seattle for any team factor in Week one and all the amped up vibes that go with that, this does feel like a two score game they and they are one of the big I don't think it's a bad first week for the Bengals, that it's a bad option. You get Jadevan Clowney who's not really up to speed. You you have Jared Reid is suspended, you have DK Metcalf coming off an injury. They cut Jern Brown, which

we never mentioned on this show. And so that receiver group is so thin that the Seahawks invite close games because of this running style. And I think the Bengals are going to be the biggest dink and dunk team in the league. Like all they want to do is go up and down the field with six yard Andy Dalton pass. You know who loves throwing six yard passes? Andy freaking Dalton. So it's in the The Seahawks love giving up six yard passes. It's kind of their thing. Ben,

But don't break he plays in front of him. I could just see this. Let's just wait till the fourth quarter and let Russell Wilson win the game for us at the end, which he will, but that it would be an actually entertainment. What does that mean that I am now watching this game? Yeah, in Bro, you drafted it. I need to figure I need to have been smart about the rules of this. Why did I do that?

How do you feel about everything you just said? All that analysis and big old Andre Smith maybe starting at left tackle because Corny Glenn is concussed and not practicing. It's a problem. They have nobody on the offensive line. It's a problem. They've had guys retire the first round pick, not pin. They've had pretty bad. You have no AJ Green and the golden stats with no AJ Green or not fun, they've been under the radar as maybe having the worst um injury luck and off season of any team.

Losing Green and your first round left tackle is pretty I'd say that goes back about five decades. Did like a homeless man on the street tell you to pick that game. I can't even blame it on anyone. I just I did it. You're locked in. You know one thing. I'm just realizing as you're saying this, when you make your draft picks, you got a factory in when the games played as well you want to yourself, I was,

I've also picked Red the Redskins. Yeah, you have to be with thinking about the time I was on top of this. I mean when West went for the Sunday night football game right off the best. Thank you, buddy, We're all watching that one. I know. I don't even have to cover it. Actually, let's be honest, though, here's the great strategy that I have picked the two best shot for major blowouts. Easy narrative, easy to describe on the podcast that night, I could click into you know,

strategy something even better. Since you had the first overall pick, it's not making it back to you're done, baby. I mean I've done this perfectly. I'm backing around now that was the second West, You're up. With all that in mind, I've got quite the conundrum here. I can either pick another four o'clock Eastern game, or I can bang Dan and take Bill's Jets. You can't do that, But why didn't you take them? Earl? Here? I was letting it. Well,

this is just like fantasy. You just you let it lie and then you you figure you could grab it. This is it. This isn't the you can do it? You can really, Josh Allen, Yeah, this isn't the j Smith Jets. This Jets team is watching do what you want West, and I'm really buy into the Cardinals, but um it would be I'm watching the Jets either way. I just wanted to be known if you wanted to grab this game, grab it, I'd be bringing bad karma

on me. So I'm gonna take Lions Cardinals. I know, I feel you could take it doesn't make sense for the for the show, I think Cardinals. Here's what shocks me about the Detroit Lions. Football outsiders running their playoff odds and has them by just a slim, slim margin winning the NFC North Division. They have projected wins all four teams between eight wins and nine wins, and they had the Lions by the slimmest margin as they division favorite.

And I guess I could talk myself into Matthew Stafford finally having a running game, three healthy receivers, a tight end, maybe an offensive line, so you know. And then you go over to the defensive line with dray Trey Flowers and Mike Daniels joining some interesting parts. I just don't see them as as strong as I guess every other team in that division. And yet this is a perfect

matchup for Week one. What better way to establish your running game and your offense and against this Cardinals defense. What better way for this defensive line of Detroit. Who

should be the identity of the team. I think Matt Patricia is hoping that, uh, they're pretty deep on upfront that they get after Kyler Murray and ultimately this is one of only a couple of games that I'm with you, s I. I don't know if you you're saying the lines are gonna win comfortably, but one of the only games where I was like, Okay, I think they should

be favorites, even on the road. They should win. You know what, West if you want to And I'm not saying you think they're the playoff team, but he does. If you're a Lions fan, if you don't win this game, and I know you're on the road, and unless you're a really good team, every road game is tough. But then you got home Chargers that won't be easy, at Philly home against the Chiefs by and then at lambeau Field. You gotta you gotta be Cliff Kingsbury in company in

week one. I'm talking must win week one. Don't get it. Yeah, I agree. I don't think they're a playoff team myself, but I agree that this if you have any hopes, this is a team the worst team in the league last year should be a team that you beat this year. I'm surprised Cessler didn't take this game after talking you know up Kingsbury and and this offense all offseason. I am, I am intrigued. I'm a lot more intrigued by this game than it's just there's too total unknowns. Breaking news.

You got take out your gm mapp because this game is already on the trade block. Well, so if you want to dig into developing news, but wait developing like you guys all talk yourselves into Kyle Murray for the next few days, come knocking on my door. The next level of this game is deciding what you're going to have to watch on game Pass in the days following. And I have removed the Bengals and the Redskins from my game Pass repertoire, and I'm adding the Lions and

the Cardinals again. I am over here operating on the

level that you only wish you could operate on. I can't get into all the details because that would not be fair to this individual, But I just wanted everyone to know that uh Spice Rack West's former Desert Desert Consigliari, now a Los Angeles resident, a little bit basic now doesn't have that same hook anymore, but a really nice guy who we all like, is very very down on Cliff Kingsbury could not that for the For the record, spite this is one of the few college opinions of

Spice racks that it has not influenced me in any way, shape or form. But I am shocked at how down here. I can't we cannot tell you the details of the text chain, but just know he is extremely, extremely down on the cliff kings very era in the NFL. Yes, I'll leave it there, all right. I gotta go grab I gotta go up and get the Jets and Bills because I don't trust Greig. I don't trust it was you as far as I could throw. You're gonna take it from me. You would spite me. You do it

well at this it's a good game. I thought, this is like the best ac This is the best a f C schame that did involve the Patriots in maybe fifteen years. Uh, when was the last time you're excited watch the division game between two a f C East basically a combination of Jets, Bills and and Dolphins. This is when it was the last time you're excited to watch those two teams played each other. It was fifteen years ago. It was Pennington and Drew Bledsoe. I mean,

I don't know, I didn't even know. This is better than that Eric Moulds was playing. It's been Eric Moles, peerless, Price was on the outside all right. Jets Bills very interesting speaking of very important Week one games that could dictate the flow of your entire season. The Jets need to take care of business at home because Week two, yes they're still in their building, but they get a

very tough matchup with the Browns in prime time. Then they go to Foxborough, then they have thereby then they're at Philly, home to Dallas, home to New England at Jacksonville. It's a brutal first half. Things really using up in the back half. But the whole goal I think for the Jets this season not to spend too far forward is get to the midway point of the season, around four and four, and you're gonna have a shot. It's gonna you know, it's not gonna be a great shot,

but you have a shot. And the Bills to me, are not a team to look past though, and that's why I think this is going to be a very uh potentially entertaining game because what you have in Buffalo is um a defense that can get after you and can make plays. And even a bad to mediocre Bills team last year lit up the Jets at the Meadowlands last year, And it can happen. It can happen quickly. Uh Adam Gaze and Sam Donald and Levy on Bell

at Robbie Anderson and Jamison Crowder. For the first time in years talking about this with Rich Eyes and today, I said to Rich who goes way back with the Jets once, the last time you could say that the Jets have an offense that excites you, I threwout Brett Farve. He he shot that down. I threw out Pennington's breakthrough year. He shot that down. You might have to go back all the way to Vinny in ninety eight with Keyshawan and Wayne Corbett and Curtis Martin. This is revision his history.

That Brett Farve team was so fun to watch. I agree until he ruptured his bicet. That's exactly what I said, Rich. Rich did not agree, But uh, that's beside the point. The Jets have a potential to have a really exciting offense. This holds all over that defense. So what does Josh Allen do with that? That's another subplot, Josh Allen year to leave Greg who is a very exciting guy to track. Uh, what do you think? Yeah, it's the quarterbacks that make

it interesting. But ultimately I trust McDermott in year three of his defense, maybe being a little ahead of where Adam Gaze is gonna be in in game one of his offense, and that they'll they'll do enough. They'll they'll put a lot of pressure on Donald in terms of in his new center, Ryan Khalil, who's you know, just getting up to speed kind of identifying what they're gonna do because they've been together for a while and now

you can really be creative. You can do a lot of things to try to confuse them and cause turnovers people. I think it matters a little bit that we haven't seen lev On Bell in nineteen plus months, and so I guess you can say that they're gonna use time Montgomery, who it sounds like he at least has a role in the first couple of weeks to ease Bell in. But I don't like this opening defensive draw for the Jets.

I think the Bills defense, it's if you're following it every week, you know the Bills defense is very good, but in general, the Bills are overlooked just because they're the Bills and they haven't really pressed through in that division. But I think this Donald, this we're gonna find out a lot about how he has to play under pressure, and they're that running game is gonna be a big part of this. It's been a summer of great uh,

anticipation and hope around Donald. Well, now he gets the Bills, who a lot of people probably didn't even pay attention at the second ranked defense in the league last year, first against the past, third in yards per play. This is a unit that's gonna be dangerous. But listen, it is hope season again, Jets fans, and I am on the hope train. Oh no, because I'm locking it up. We're getting and we are believe. Don't hurt me, don't

hurt me. And I attempted to play psychological warfare with the Brown's Jets game with Dan on the rich Eyes and shown it did not go too well. Wait, you didn't lock up the Browns. Oh yes I did. I was just waiting for time to do what I forgot to do it during that during that segments, perfect, of course, I lowed them up. Well done, all right, little easter egg there the first overall, he says, of course I locked up if we knew that's what he was thinking

that He's like, holiday, didn't I did? I not say over all? I am client that I was planning. I'm planning of a shaky first draft is GM. Mark, You're a little all over the place. I'm coming out of here with like market less responsibility than any of you. On Sunday, I have to track three games to which are gonna be Titanic level. Have no idea what you're doing yet you have painted this picture as you are operating on a whole different should do. All right, let's

keep movings. Wait, Greg, excuse me, sip Greg's double banger, Double bang. Greg, you're covering like nine games. The funniest thing, yeah, I know. The funniest thing is when you said we're going to get out of here in one hour show today. Not even I'm glad you left me Ravens Dolphins. Okay, good morning. But to me, that's a nice backup game. I took a great primary one o'clock game, primary morning game.

It goes with pure logic, while Mark goes with your k and I you know, I know that Dolphins aren't expected to be competitive and they should be overmatched, and it's a very difficult Week one, drawed out baby have to go up against this Ravens rushing attack. But there's there is kind of a mystery factor with just what heck this Dolphins team is going to be. And I've talked enough about Lamar Jackson and how interesting I think

this Ravens offense is going to be. On a week to week basis, it's still spicy Week one game for me. They're all beautiful babies. This Week one they start, you know, after after Week one it's like, okay, this one doesn't sleep through the night, or this one kind of a jerk to me, you know whatever. But in Week one,

they're all beautiful. You know, Greg, you have I think forgotten about or at least you didn't mention the twenty thousand simulations the ESPN ran where the one thousand seven twenty first derivation had the Dolphins winning the division or at least making the playoffs. I mean, you can they have them winning this game handily? Can't you just smell this game? Like the Dolphins being up one point early

in the third quarter. The game's not over here, and everyone on Twitter going look so much for taking this is crazy? It's fits magical. Yes, what football? The teams aren't that that different? And then they are because I trust like the infrastructure, But where is the Ravens true frontline, top level talent. I guess it's Earl Thomas. Their entire secondary. It's a good secondary. I think they're really well coach.

I think they're gonna be good. I just don't think they can go on the road and expect to blow the doors off anything. The parallel I withdraw is that a year ago, who of us were sitting here saying, yes, Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Buccaneers are going to go out and shock the Saints in Week one and he's gonna throw for like four hundred yards and four touchdowns. I think I did well. I'm sure you did West. The

other three of us didn't nail that one, apparent. I think I got tweets during that game saying well done, well I did not. We have left for the Monday night games, right, so I think we have three games? Don't were Houston, New Orleans and Denver, Oakland? Well, I'm gonna go Denver Oakland. We already, we already talked, we already we took the team of West. I mean, ultimately, it's it's the Monday night football game. We'll be talking

about it on on Tuesday. I think this is like the White why we should have a nice doubleheader every week, because these guys wouldn't be in primetime all the time.

And I want to see what Vic Fangio does. And I mean especially without Antonio Brown on the field, Having Von Miller and Chubb together, if Chubb does make the leap, is just a gift for a play caller like Fangio, who's basically known for disguising coverages and scrambling the minds of feeble quarterbacks better than any coordinator in the league.

And that's when he doesn't already have just two game wrecking pass rushers on the edge doing the work for him, so he can just get wild in the back end. It's it's a nice little spot here for Denver to try to get a division road win right off the bat. Well, Dan took his Jets, Mark took his Browns. I'm locking up my Broncos. Okay, you're all in, and it's a West went four years ago and then slowed down. That's

not I think that cost cancer. All right, it's a nice timing here, obviously for death forth, Antonio Brown out of the lineup, and just chaos around. Now, is there a potential for Bill Simmons once coined ewing theory potential here with Antonio Brown being added the picture for perhap Nick's drafted you and he never played for them and then he started winning. Maybe it's a reach I'm trying

to sell her, of course. I mean everybody thinks that the Raiders are so much more talented even without they are more talented there, Ago, I just think their offensive line is what Mark, how did you describe it? Flaming trash is what you called the Redskins was along those lines. This is like flaming trash on a barge floating down the river. That is the Raiders offensive line. And what the Broncos are gonna do to them? Oh, I have

to I mean I have to disagree there. They have Trent Brown, who shouldn't be the highest paid right tackle on the leak, They have maybe the best center in football, and when I got the other three positions, that's fair. But I'm just saying both of their starting guards are out. Their left tackle was abused all year last year and got Frank Clark paid. So whoever, Yeah, they and Chubb and Miller changed side. So whoever is going up against

Colton Miller? That that's a matchup to watch. One sandwich prop that I had written down and then forgot about, but I wish I didn't. Was Chubb and Vaughan the one to sack masters by teammates this season and you guys get the field, Um, I do like your boy Miles Guard and Olivier, maybe they would be, but I think those guys I would saying, Ingram if everybody can stay, but I think they were Chubbing von Miller would be heavy.

Chubb von Miller. They already did it last year. When yeah, I mean it's getting and I think it's totally accurate, Like Defensive Player of the Year Buzz Baldi picked him for that in our little NFL. I mean. The Bracco's offense in this game, though, is a total mystery, and you know, this should be a nice matchup for them.

I don't know if there's a team in the league that has less of a pass rush than the Raiders, and they don't really scare you in the secondary, like if Joe Flacco is going to get a rolling, this is perfect. Where are we with Courtland Sutton at this point? How So? I don't know. I just think like, do they have a bona fide weapon or in the passing game that we that we can say this is the big threat. Yeah, he looks good, but I mean, I don't know, I need something more than Emmanuel Sanders. I

think he's a huge wild card. He sort of has that Josh Doxon skill set where you're a jump ball artist. You have to win enough jump balls to do that. In other stadium naming rights news, um, after a three year squabble to get it all worked out, there's a bankruptcy involved. Um. The Broncos now play at Empower Field at Mile High. So I think this a little note

for you guys. It was like a mighty year deal though, So I feel like this stadium has changed every couple of years for a long time, and it's it's just mile High though. That's whatever. That's why it's not a sound business deal by the people that in power. Everyone just says, oh, they're playing a mile High possibly the most underrated atmosphere in the NFL to watch a game, and I will be calling it mile high from it.

I have always in will continued um just a total steal by the old jus or late in the draft here coming. It's like, it's so funny, you guys are so funny with this Texas team that uh that at eleven and five division champion against the thirteen and three division champion. I mean, if this wasn't Monday Night, I would have taken well. And I'm grabbing him in the

twentieth round. Will be real about this like this would suggest and with these Sunday games, which if you look at it, we each actually have the same amount of Sunday games in theory, Greg is not watching my Sunday game very closely or at all. But are you suggesting that we're going to turn our televisions off because you're covering the Monday night game? I'm suggesting that you will

take that suggesting. What I've suggesting is that you all be rooting your gonna be rooting very hard against the road team, which is the Texans who have a they have a Am I wrong? That would be honest? Am I wrong? I mean? I I will go along with whatever you're like fireworks show right here. It's it's a fun matchup. It's the Texans that obviously we're in the news, uh for the Clowney trade and getting the left tackle and uh Sean Payton for what it's worth today, maybe

a butter up job. So that Tunsil is like one of the great left tackles in football. So as much as you want to say, um, you know the Texans botched last weekend, the number one thing we were all on fire about, um was how could you not have a left tackle? And now they do and that's gonna change things potentially for their offense. Now, going to New

Orleans to face the Saints, absolutely, I imagine. Although they've done a good job, it's been the anti Mattnege situation in New Orleans where n can't get over what happened in the playoff. It seems like the Saints, as a veteran team led by h Drew Brees, have processed the screwjob, the New Orleans screw job of last January in the NFC title game and have moved on. I love the Saints team. I think they are gonna again be in that twelve win thirteen one win territory and for that

reason alone. And I know, yes, we just talked about the Bucks went to the Superdome and beat up on the Saints last year in Week one. Anything could happen. But I just love the Saints in this game. And I think the Texans, uh will get right next week against the Jaguars. But I think the Saints gonna cruise here the Gulf of Mexico. We're gonna lock up your against your team. But you already you already, No, I

don't know. I am with you. There's not really logical reasons to pick against the Saints in general this year. They're all just kind of illogical ones. Just hey, it's football, because the rosters just about perfect. I don't love Hey, it's football as a reason right now. I think that is a reason. But that's what I mean, it's a good reason. And like, hey, maybe the regular season doesn't matter to them anymore. Are they gonna be able to get up? But I I have I think that's a

fan thing. I don't think that's a players thing, that they're not gonna be properly motivated. I think Saints fans are heartbroken from the last couple of years. It's I don't know if that's under the radar. I mean that they should be. They're heartbroken, and I think a lot of them want to give up football or like none of this matter. I think they're gonna like nothing matters for this Saints teams from a fan perspective on some level until the playoffs, They've done it all under shun

Sean Payne. They've done it now for this could be their third straight year in this window where they're really really good. So it's just a build up and anything less than a playoff run is a huge disappointment. But I don't think it affects their players. They're loaded. I don't think the players even think the way that we're talking. And also, you like, let's be real, you've got a year or two left with Drew Brees based on how things go, and why even think about the past. You're

here again and the regular season. You don't take it off. It matters entirely. And the reason Dan that I'm not rooting against the Texans is that I give Bill O'Brien credit. He has made them for me totally fascinating. I think that he has he is embracing I don't think that. He probably sees himself as a human villain, but he is in a role that he is playing well right now, and I think the NFL needs five or six of those at every turn, and I like it k QT

might be ready for this game if he is. Here's Sue Watson's throwing too, Hopkins, will Fuller, Kenny Stills, QT, and uh Duke Johnson. At times last year, only one of those guys was available to just SHN Watson. That's a pretty big difference where they could just I think this game is a perfect Monday Night double Hadder starter where it's forty two to thirty seven and it's just bonkers.

That is a fair point, and I would I would just say that the difference between these two teams is that the Saints have one of the deepest secondaries in the NFL and the Texans secondary. I say, they keep kidding themselves about the holes on the roster. Their secondary is not good. It's just flat out and not good. And whenever J. J. Watton Clowney didn't get to the past or last year, they were exposed. I just like it's Michael Thomas, it's DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins last year a

hundred and fifty receptions without a drop. It's two totally unstoppable wide receivers going at each other. Um, Chris westling. By the way, as we tape this on NFL network, Erica tamp posse as part of her Fantasy one program League on League one, she is on television wearing makeup. Wait really, I missed it. Yeah that's pretty cool. You look beautiful. Thank you? Just in there now too, really good on the TV. Look really good. Um, no, you're

always beautiful. Now it's getting weird all right now, the Week one equivalent of Mr Irrelevant, West's realized I'm getting banged with three four o'clock games. It's a trial and error. You guys are killing my strategy, which is just a dream. I'll be out ordering pizza at that point. Is beautiful. I mean, it's like Week one. A lot of mistakes are made people. I'm cleaning up. Greg tweeted early this week,

or maybe it was yesterday. Jimmy g and Jamis Winston are in a similar boat this year as quarterbacks who need to win to keep their jobs. And I kind of think that Jamis Winston's in his own boat and Jimmy G's keeping that job no matter what. But I I see your point that both of these offenses are huge question marks this year. And I think with the Bucks it starts with their coaching staff too, bringing in

a new system. Bruce Arians not calling to plays. I know I keep bringing that up, but how will this offense work without the quarterback whisper running the show? It's a big that's a big question. I mean that he came back. It sounds like in part because he loved all the staff members that he's hired and wanted to get them work. I listened to an interview with him this week, he admitted I wasn't pining to coach again.

I wasn't pining, but I got my staff together. When Bulls was available, he was like, all right, I got I got the band back together. Let's do this. You get the sense Arians is perfect scenario would be two seasons with the Bucks, maybe even one and they're both in the playoffs and then he like hands it off the Byron Leftwich how like that would be his ideal scenario.

I think you're dead on. I think that it's about a two year map with an you know, continue and c planned to hand it off to someone that he trusts and someone that the way he has three he has three coordinators of ethnicity and he has two females on his coaching stuff. I think that is his legacy. That's been something he's done in Arizona and here, and I don't think he's planning to hang around for five years. That said, if you're a Bucks fan, you don't want

to really hear that from your head coach. If they if they actually do get to the playoffs, then it's fine, you know, if if it's if it's how he envisions it, and I think it's a nice Week one matchup. I mean there's two mystery teams, really, I mean four of the buck take the defenses out. Which offense do you trust more? Well, I think that they It sounds take

Jamis Winston over Jimmy g right now. Well, I don't know about that, but I think that the Chris Godwin hype is real based on what has happened two players playing that position in the Bruce Arians offense in the past. He's a good player regardless of that. I just think Jimmy, Jimmy started ten games, and I just think sometimes when you haven't seen a body of work. We give a little too much credit to what could be. I mean,

he's two years older than Jamis Winston. Give me the guy who's played fifty five games already and has done some good things, and it's with a good coach. He's turning the ball over at a pace touched only by Blake Bortles. I think that that is a big issue in the NFL. And he's not shaking that his team has been irrelevant for his entire career. Alright, boys, nice preview work, West. I will take it, will still be your game in record. But you guys like me to

take one of those four pms lash one. We have to work out a trade because it just doesn't work that way. It can't work. We have to We'll have to figure out. Do you see what happened here? My strategy was so sound that I'm reducing people to have to not even can keep their own commitments. Sure, I'll trade you for the Browns Titans go away, all right? Before we go, I want Super Bowl picks, yes, final and the score Mark Sessler score. I'm this is the

real thing. This is the real thing. Well, you made it on NFL Dot com You gotta stay consistent, right. I don't remember who I picked on on this from the NFC side. I know who I picked from the a f C. And you can call me a fool, but I'm just gonna dream. I picked the Browns to go to the Super Bowl as a wild card team. They're going to score twenty one points in the Super Bowl and it's going to be against the quarterback. Everyone killed them for years for not picking Carson Wentz, Baker

Mayfield and the Browns over the Eagles. You're one of three people to vote for the Browns to win the Super Well, look with two of the others were the same amount of people voted for the Patriots, but look at the other more than the Eagles. The other two people to pick for the Browns were Tom Blair, who was one of our editors who was a Browns fan. The third was NFL media new higher Joe Thomas. So there may be some some feelings, as you would say,

attached to the West. Let's take this back to the seventies, where I'm much more comfortable a man out of time. We're going with the Dallas Cowboys over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, I like that I'll go Kansas City Chiefs over the Hump thirties seven over the Eagles. I I gotta stay consistent. I went Steelers to win it over the Eagles. No one picked the Patriots. That means they're gonna I think it was just doing one of those things, is like, which are the four or five teams that I think

have the best chance? Is no one picking on NFL dot Com take the Steelers? Alright. I didn't ask for a score, but I'm gonna go twenty nine to great game. Finally, Ricky behind the glass, I'm not gonna pay the Patriots. I can't. I can't just because every time I always have to keep my head down and pray and close my eyes and not think about it. I'm not going to say them out of principle. Plus, you're on TV now, so they would crush you if they don't win there.

I don't know. There's so many great teams in the NFC. You're on television now, we need it. I think the Browns will get there, alright. Alright, just gonna go out on a limb, all right, I just say that, say that they will, and you know what a lot of weight on that limb. There's there's a lot of weight on that limb, and I feel like, I don't know it might be might be the Bears. Bears Brown's final score twenty six to seventeen. Who wins? It's like Bears? What I love? I love that you turn it back

to the forties. The seventies weren't back for enough for you Browns and Bears. Alright, exactly, Well, alright, guys, nice tight show today. She's a fantasy analyst. She's not really into the whole Next next time you hear from us, we'll be recapping all the games we just previewed, So make sure you check that on Sunday night. And it is also for the first time, it will be streaming on NFL dot Com. The show will also be streamed

live on YouTube. How about that? So if you want to watch our gorgeous mugs talk about these games, you can do it. Uh. It will go, you know, shortly after the Sunday night game wraps up will be Um, the video will be out and then the audio version, of course, will be out, hopefully in time for your morning commute. So um, idea for the people upstairs, put that on our television station. Oh I like that. Let's take Let's go to the third floor right after today

and do that. Let's do it right now, al right, everybody, it's time to get into the season. There's glory in the legends of this hard muscle life, and there's poetry, and each season made of swept and strife. But now is the time to work and strain and a sport but tests the spirit and challenges the brain lets.