Week 17 Recap - Playoff Talk

a warrior? Um. Yeah, I got rid of that cough, which I thought would be unpleasant slash unrewarding to anyone listening. So that's mostly gone. So the rest of it. I mean, I feel like a piece of junk floating through space, but I can do so. M hm, space junk. We just have you on for your look though. Mark. That's like you can on mute and just be our our man, Candy. I see what you want. So all right, Well, I mean listen, we are powering through like the NFL. I'm

not feeling great right now. Greg. Completely indestructible. I mean that guy is even human. We've been asking that for years and now we might have some proof. Um. But Mark and I are both here, the whole gang together, and yes, Week seventeen is nearly in the books now, um, and yet the regular season has one more week to go. But where we stand now things we have some clarity

after Sunday. We're gonna go through all the games as we always do, of course, but we have let's see, we have six of the eight divisions decided, so congratulations to the Bengals, Titans, Chiefs, Cowboys, Packers, Bucks, um A, f C East and the NFC West still to be determined. And we have some playoff heat uh right now in terms of the wild cards as well, which is a

lot of fun. We're gonna get into all of it and um and usually Greg I like to have like a throw it to rosent All to give us he was like the prototype for the Karnecki Steve Karnaki, uh and give us all the computations. But it's does that guy even know football? I mean, I have questions you those numbers, um, But it's fairly straightforward. The Colts beat the Jaguars next week, they get a wild card spot. Then you have the Raiders and Chargers playing next week

and they better be in prime time. That's a that's a winning in most likely Arizona is gonna make it in the wild card, and then you have Philly, New Orleans and San Francisco to those three teams are in Am I missing anything? Greg? No, it's I believe one of the quieter Week eight teams. Well it's the only week team, but it's one of the quietest. It's also

the loudest weekend team as well. Right, it's I think so much was decided on Sunday in such a manner that there's not as much drama going into the final week as there could be. But that's fine. We'll still have a couple of We'll have a couple of little things. It's nature. Wouldn't an extra week of football. Let's say it went twenty five weeks, we'd get closer and closer to having no spicy final week scenarios. So and I think random, it's just random because of the results today,

how it fell. But there's still some pretty good stuff. I'm there. You go, Greg, Ever, the company men and Mark I imagine although disappointment the Cleveland Browns eliminated from contention today, Um, it doesn't sound like you were looking forward to a primetime game against the Steelers so much, especially in your weekends. State physically now all that it's all just watching it for fun. I guess ah yeah. Fun would be the keyword of tomorrow Night's Brown Steelers game,

but I I would. I would just say that, Like one thing I've been saying all long is I want the teams that deserve to get in there to be there. Now, there's a couple of arguments for against some of the people still in contention, but watching like Cincinnati, watching some of these teams rise up, I don't need Cleveland and know they didn't deserve it, they didn't earn it. Cincinnati, you can knock out the Steelers officially on Monday night.

That is fine. Fun fun, I mean it's I feel like you're going to have more fun with that than I am, because it's it's a dark note compared to we worry where we were a year ago. Alright, I was cheered up nicely to get into the Bengals. But that's fine. I'm gonna move forward. I'm gonna process it and see it didn't you by saying that you didn't move forward, it was already ruined. It was already taken away from me. But it's okay. We're just tied. It through.

I know you stick. You set it up beautifully. Mark, I'm the point. I'm like Robert Salo in the postgame press conference. I'm not saying who did it, but everybody knows who did it. It was Mike Lafloor. All right, Let's get to Cincinnati, where the Bengals made a statement that they are a team to be reckoned with in January. Two seconds left, this will be a twenty yard attempt from the middle of the field to send the Bengals into the postseason. Kevin huber Is ready catches the snap,

puts it down. The kick is yeah, gog. The Cincinnati Bengal clinch the a f C North and prove they can beats anybody as they rallied from fourteen down on three separate occasions and beats the Kansas City Chiefs. No bongos. Right out the gate, Dan Horde and Dave laplam with a call for w c k Y and just unsolicited advice production advice to the people over at w c k W. Let's get some paramology Mikes on the field. I want to hear Cincinnati going off in that spot.

Evan McPherson kicked the twenty yard field goal as time ran out. The Bengals earned their first a f C North title and playoff appearance in six years with a truly wild win over the Chiefs. This was a game where Jamaar Chase and an NFL rookie record and Bengals franchise record with two hundred and sixty six yards receiving and three touchdowns and eleven k just Burrow through for four sixties six and four scores. This, of course a week after Burrow through for five what was it fifty

or five forties something like that. So I mean, listen, this is where we are. The Bengals rallied from three fourteen point deficits against the a f C West champion Chiefs, who Greg by the way, had won eight straight before this game. And now you look at the Bengals as a team. Man, if they could beat the Chiefs in a shootout like this, they could beat anybody. They really can. They did the game plan in the second half that so many teams have tried, which is like, keep the

ball away from the Chiefs. It's like, that's good, but you have to score touchdowns every time you have the ball. The Chiefs only got the ball three times in the second half the Bengals not like they were playing slow, but they go five minutes, um, they go four and a half minutes, they go six minutes on their last three drive. Score on them all. And the play of the game is that third and seven to Jamar Chase.

I don't know how you leave. I think it was to our various ward in single coverage against Jamar Chase on third and seven from midfield at a point when you can get off the field. It was a crazy set up. It was a great play though by Jamaar Chase, great recognition by Joe Burrow, and I hate always making it about the coaches. Ultimately, you need a quarterback and a receiver who can convert that play, and they did it.

Tony Dungee was going nuts on as much as Tony Dungee can go nuts in any capacity, but he was. He was fairly animated on NBC Football Night in America pregame show. He couldn't believe the defense DA City and stayed in not just on that play but throughout the game and man coverage not giving the cornerbacks help, especially on a day where Jamaar Chase went completely nuclear and you knew anytime was throwing his way, it was going

to be a big play. I believe there were six plays of thirty plus yards by Cincinnati's offense in this game. Mark Yeah. And it's you know, it's consistency now because we saw it a week ago, we saw it against the Steelers twice, we saw it against the Ravens in the first game, and it's kind of what got me

excited about him way back when. Not me alone, but it was like, there is no way to kind of predict what the ultimate playing power of this Bengals team is and what you see from Burrow over the last two weeks. I get that we all agree that he's a top five quarterback right now in an m VP candidate, but it's like, there's no reason to think he couldn't even double or triple in what he's doing. I mean,

he's unbelievable and their big playability. This has to be a Chiefs team thinking, wow, this is what we used to do to other people. We used to put them into a fix that they could not get out of mentally. And I like Zach Taylor at the end of the game in the in the interviews, he was emotional Uh. He said, you know, we've been through a lot, and I mean he he's hung on to a job status last couple of years before this year, where I'm sure

that was not easy. But secondly said, we knew that we had to go go in there and go for it in tough situations. I think they've become much more aggressive than they were at other times in the season when they kind of took their foot off the gas a little bit. And I'm with them that you come

out of this with this result. It should confirms something to everyone because whether the Chiefs were still that high water mark to beat them, it's not last year's Chiefs, but they were as hot as anyone on defense, their offense was heating up, and the Bengals went and outclass them. I couldn't be more impressed. And I'm actually quite happy for the Westlan clan, even though I joined the Wesleyans and locking up the wrong team in this Yeah, we'll get to We'll get to that in a minute. I

want to say one thing about Zach Taylor. They didn't they didn't lock up the Chiefs to be kid, that

was me, that was me. We got a double I cannot express to you how much I hated what Zach Taylor did at the end of the game, fourth and inches with under a minute left in a tie game, Cincinnati decided to go for a touchdown, and instead of kicking the McPherson field goal, and Joe Burrow throws incomplete in the end zone, the Chiefs get flagged for legal use of hands limp now Burrows limping limping on the sideline.

They called on Brandon Allan to uh neil twice and then McPherson kicks the field goal, and I just I don't know, man, I just couldn't. I couldn't believe that they put themselves in that position. Imagine what happens there if there's no flag that goes down and the Chiefs takeover and win that game. But I guess there is the other way to look at it. Again, like you

have so much faith in your guys. But I thought that was crazy talk what they did there, and they got away with it well, And there was a penalty to play before they went for it twice. You know, there was offsetting penalties on the Chiefs and the Bengals. It was. It was a crazy sequence. You know, they were Romo was wondering if that they were intentionally not trying to score on the first two plays. I didn't

buy that, which I didn't. I think they were trying to score, But I understood what he was saying because if ever there was a let the other teams score a touchdown, that that was a possibility for read there. I actually think he made the right call because of what happened, Like you could see what happened that still keep playing defense, But I agree that was a crazy situation, but it was a sign of how much more they

trust their offense than their defense. Um when you look at the like the just the box score this game, Chiefs have ten QB hits and four sacks. The Bengals barely touched Patrick Mahomes and yet which is the quarterback with four forty four yards. It really shows you, like how good Joe Burrow is under pressure. It's not like his offensive line was playing well and he is willing to stand in there and take the hits and Mahomes even with a good running game today, I guess you

can't put anything on the offense. It's asking a lot to be absolutely perfect. They had like eight drives and scored thirty one points. But they weren't the explosive team. I think you said it well there, Mark that they they're not as an explosive as a team as the Bengals have been this year. That was one of the best games I've ever seen from a wide receiver Jamaar Chase.

His ability to um just use his speed to pull away from cornerbacks and safeties that have an angle on him, His ability to make plays when a receiver has draped down him in coverage, his ability to to find a seam and then just disappear behind a secondary and take off. I mean, it was absolute dominance. And it does remind you again that Joe Burrow, who I love this guy. This guy Joe Burrow, He's so Funny's such a great

leader of a franchise. He pushed for his old college teammate Jamaar Chase to be the pick, the first pick five overall in April, and now he has, he has his guy, and he's showing the whole world that as good as pine silk can be, this was absolutely the right move. After the game, um, Joe Burrow, who again he plays a little bit of swagger and a chip

on his shoulder, was soaking in the glory. Yeah, And I said it in the preseason, you know, I was we were talking about playoffs, and I said, you know, we're gonna go with the playoffs, and the easiest way to do that as to win the division. And I got a little Everyone kind of laughed at us a little bit, but you know, we knew the kind of team we have, the kind of guys in the locker room that we had, and we knew we could go

and do it. M he's also in the locker room afterwards doing like his lsu get the gat dances, He's got a cigar. It's all amazing. It's easily the high water mark of this Bengals team since they had so much hope when Carson Palmer was young going into that two thousand and five season playoff game. And I think right back to that season two, Carson Palmer was the third best quarterback in league kind of by consensus that that year, it was Brady Manning Palmer, and now here

we are. I think Joe Burrow is gonna get some m v P votes now he would be third. In my mind, I still would have Rogers one, assuming he finishes this out strong. I think Brady has just had a better season overall in the in the breadth of the season has to count. But I'm sure Burrow's gonna get some love. But he's at least the number three quarterback there right back there, and Chase he mentioned he's

gonna win the offensive rookie there because of today. If there was any doubt about it, and I think there was going into this week, he's gonna win it. Sorry, it also excuse me, that's it also shows you are that. Yeah, I mean, get rid of that. That's what nobody needs it, um.

But I mean back in the preseason, like the Burrow Chase thing was getting killed for the idea that like it's too cute to team up with your with your college wide receiver, you know, roommate, and trying to get the team to do that when you could have had this like stalwart left tackle. Burrow's knee was an issue, Chase wasn't playing well back in the summer, and months later it's totally transformed. I do want to see if anything comes out of this Burrow injury that we saw

at the end of the game. Look fine walking around, but I don't know. It wasn't and it also wasn't you know, it wasn't the surgically your parre need. That's good. The fact that he wasn't getting treated after the game and he was dancing, that was a good sign. Um. And you know some speaking of signs, Greg, I think you should have taken a sign. Mark. You're off the hook on this because you were involved in the conversation.

But speaking of signs, I did give you a sign Greg that maybe it was time to get behind the Bengals on Thursday's podcast, let's listen to I don't feel like this is the five Bears. This is not the two thousand Ravens. And I could see Borrow moving. I like a shootout here, Greg, and I like I like the bangles and like win. That changes the temperature in the a f C s right right, You don't You don't get them playback Thursday prediction unless you get the

score right. That's that feels like a fair rule to follow on the show. We're incredible work. This is really more for Mark because you also buried him in the lock standings with this one. Well, you know, I did a bad job. I honestly, I wouldn't have I would have taken an l because I completely forgot about it, um outside of going for like a Monday, and I think Dan asked like, did you do a lock? And so eight minutes before well you also, I think psychologically

pushed me into a scenario. I was panicking looking at like eighteen spreads that had moved into un unlockable territory by Sunday and picked his chief's team, and I was thinking, like, why did I do that? Shaking your head. She doesn't even get why you're throw that at me. I mean it was a logical thing. They were up, they were up two touchdowns, you know, multiple type of game. I have stopped seeking any form of enjoyment. I told you

that I did go. I went from two games down to two games up in four weeks, so believe me. Like you've been tweeting about it all day long, I think everyone is extremely aware, like, oh, do I have a chance of getting the most locks in a season? Like is this guy actually tweeting this right now in live time? It is an unbelievable The answer is no, because I just thought that the Hubris was on like next it was like next level, we get it. You're doing well in an in house pick them tournament. We're

very excited for you. I just asked the question at thirteen and four. You didn't just ask a question. That's that's that's I mean, it's like Mr Control guy, like it was an absurd poor sportsmanship tweet. Anyway, Greg, while Mark melts down, I want to tell you that the record is seventeen wins in a season, set by you, sir, last year. So I would have to do I guess win out, but you know what are you gonna do? But I have buried Mark and that's good. Let us

now take a break and then continue on. Tayler takes the snap short set, lobs it deep near side of the one yard line. Oh want to catch Antoine Wesley into the ends off for a touchdown? How did he pull that down? And how about the toss? Like Kyler Murray? A huge score for the Cardinals early in the third, A huge score by the Cardinals, A huge win for the Arizona Cardinals who beat the Cowboys. Great stack. Kyler Murray now eight and oh lifetime, going back to his

high school days at Jarro World. And this was a game, Greg where you just got the feeling that the Cardinals needed the game and the Cowboys get back into the touchdown two point conversion. Yes, there's a fumble at the end that some good luck comes the Cardinals way because of a time out situation with Dallas, But really Arizona was in control of the game throughout and it felt like a game they deserved and they got it. They did.

And sometimes you know, we like get so in the weeds, like trying to analyze everything, and there was a lot in this game. The fourth down aggression from Arizona was important, the aggression to try to score at the end of the first half was important. But it was also like their playmakers made plays like in the biggest spots. Wesley making that catch was amazing. Kyler Murray more than anyone, making some of his third down conversions were not as scripted,

they were just him making a play. Chase Edmonds, who got hurt late in this game and so they didn't have James Conner in the end. They didn't have Chase Edmonds at the end of this game, but he made some massive plays. They never did get Rondale Moore back for this game. They're down two corners and two of their best pass rushers to injuries and COVID and these

these are new injuries. This was one of the more impressive performances in a big spot I think by a team all year because of what they didn't have, and Cliff Kingsbury set the tone. I think by going for it on fourth and goal, you would have been killed if they didn't get it, and Kyler Murray made a

nice play on the goal line. They score there, and like I mentioned at the end of that first half, uh and Kyler in a big spot that drive you mentioned Dan, it was just when it felt like maybe this thing is gonna go away, because it felt like they were playing uphill. He leads them down the field kills the clock. It was an awesome performance and keeps them alive in the NFC West. I'm with you, I'm

totally impressed. It didn't need to look entirely pretty. UM. I do come out of it though, UM all credit to the Cardinals with just lingering concerns about the nature of their offensive times, they still seem sloppy and out of it. It points and I'd even point to that final clock killing drive where it started with Murray totally missing a wide open Christian Kirk there was what I thought at one point a delay of game call that should have gone against Arizona, which would have been huge,

which wasn't. But then he sprinkles in an incredible run for a first down. A great throat is zaccurate. So it just seems to me a bit the journey with Kyler Murray and this offense is a bit of an up and down ship at times. But they got out of there today. So I had mentioned the play, uh, the fumble that wasn't and I'll just give it a little more context. So last a little outside the two minute warning, and that's important here because that means it

doesn't get stopped by the booth. It has to come from a challenge. And Dallas was out of time outs, and they were out of timeouts because earlier in the game and an obvious field goal situation, it seemed for the Cardinals, Cliff Kingsbury ran out Kyler Murray at the same time as Matt Praydor and the Cowboys were confused and they had to burn a time out, um because they were a little out of sorts. So now they

had zero timeouts. Uh, and then Chase Edmonds. I think it's a player got injured down near the sideline when the ball pops out, his knee was up, his elbows were up recovered by the Cowboys right before the two minute warning. The call probably would have been overturned, would have been Dallas's ball down three with two minutes to play, but because they couldn't stop and challenge, that was a huge setback. And just those are like those little things.

But also because Mike McCarthy blew it, and not because he took the time out earlier, because he took the time out with about two forty to go. And that's not a second guest multiple game management. You know, people are like you never you don't take the time out there, ay, you lose your your ability to challenge. But he also didn't save as much time as he could have. So it's just these things that you know, how they used to have the go when to go for two note

card that everyone like looked at. We need a note card for these coaches for like when to time take time outs around two minute warning because he had to wait until after it like and that and that was that was That's one of the reasons why it's very It's just like when if if the Cowboys. Now they're a full game out, their chances of getting the one seed, um are not good at all. Obviously they're done. They're they're done, Okay, so their methods, So think about that

when they're on the road in the playoffs. Uh. You know, these things can can change seasons potentially. Uh. That really stood out to me as well. Right, they could be playing in l A. If the Rams win next week, the Rams get the two seed, and now you know, the Cowboys could be playing on the road in the divisional round two. I am a little worried about Dak Prescott again. There was a couple of decent drives late in the game, but he did not have a good game.

You know, he missed a lot of throws, just like it just was. It was more on dec it felt like for a good chunk of this game than anyone else on the offense. And I'm just I'm just surprised to see it just doesn't look sharp. And I don't know if it's an injury or what, but it's just not going where he intends it to go. And Michael Gallup suffered a torn a c L. According to Jerry Jones, they're gonna try to confirm it on a second test. But that that's about on a touchdown catch too, which

is uh, you don't see that too often. So that's did not trust Greg's or line. I think Greg's or line is gonna kill him in a big spot at some point here. Yeah, it's fair. Um, all right, let's now move on. Let's head back to the a f C, a game with huge playoff ratifications. The Raiders had a chance to shock the a f C, and they did it. This will be a thirty three ardor this is for the win. Cold check his kicker, good hole, Yes, perny check pot perny Man. You know we lost John Madden

last week and uh, obviously a legend. Brent Musburger also another guy that kind of when I hear his voice, I think about what it meant to be a sports fan and the eighties, nineties, and then here's Brent Musburger in two thousand twenty two calling big wins for the Raiders. Treasure are icons and broadcasting anyway. The Raiders are up to five walk off wins this season, five walk off wins in one season. Latest was their biggest and most impressive win over the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, sealed

by that Daniel Carlson field goal at the gun. Three straight wins for the Raiders, all of them now narrow wins, all of them against a f C hopeful's and the Raiders, as we said at the top of the show, can complete their probable journey to the playoffs with a home win over the Chargers in Week eighteen. Pasacchi a bump. I don't know what it is, but I have to say, like, I don't care what happens next week. They can lay an egg, lose twenty seven to three. I I come

out of the would feel good. That'll make this feel like like I listen, get it, I'm saying. I guess yeah, maybe that would be a bad taste in your mouth to end the season. But to win all three of these games against teams clawing for the playoffs at a time where they look completely dead, I said it myself. I was talking about them after they lost in the

Chiefs like they're a joke at this point. They win three in a row, and this one I thought was truly impressive because the Colts had been rolling as we all know. I'm amazed. I'm amazed by this result, I guess I shouldn't be like the Colts putting up two hundred and sixty two yards of offense. It's not like Whence his numbers were like incredibly bad. But he threw for under five yards per attempt and his big play was that long touchdown that should have been intercepted to

t Y Hilton. So that's a bad game. So we we we've heard from many players and there's no way we'll know, but we've heard from many players. Okay, it's great to get off the COVID list quickly, but some of them aren't feeling too great, and that first game back, um they have and been at great shape. Wentz would not even admit that he felt poor earlier in the week, even though his own coach said that Wentz was struggling earlier in the week with COVID. So it's like, just

be honest. I don't know why you can't be like honest with your with your condition, you know, and asked, like it's become this weird thing where like I think politically, like you're trying to just not even be honest. But it's a it's a big loss, uh for them, if only because they're gonna have a worse seed in the playoffs assuming they win next week. Well, it's a terrible loss, and I mean, you have to play next week. They probably would have sat their players, right, I don't know,

it's possible. I mean, the Raiders come out of this last two weeks before this game having scored sixteen and seventeen points. Gotta win in both I look at Wentz and I don't care what he answers, like he did not look the same to me at all, And I do think there's a lingering effect, and I understand why it's difficult for him to answer the question. But what

a momentum killer. I mean, this team felt like, you know, and it just speaks to the new nature of the a f C, the up and down, topsy turvy ride that it is that you know, five days ago the felt Cults felt like the most surest thing around, and now they're gripping, they're hanging on for their life. It's funny too, because if they take care of business next week,

beat the Jaguars. They finished ten and seven, the Titans obviously clinched the division, So it's gonna end up in a way that this game doesn't really matter to the cults that they were gonna be locked. Kind of take it back. It's not that big of a game other than they don't get the rest. But still you kind of lose a little of that juice. And I think the Wentz thing beyond any lingering issues symptoms connected to

COVID nineteen UM. Also, he didn't practice all week. And I thought the turning point of this game UM occurred late in the third quarter. UM. It was a third and seven at Indias twenty three. UM. It was actually the first play of the fourth quarter, and Winz has t Y Hilton on a busted coverage wide open down the left, stride, left side. If he hits Hilton and stride he he is, there's a good chance he goes

in UM for its touchdown. Instead, he over he overshoots Hilton, who again was all by himself, and they kicked the ball away. Turns into a three and out. They kicked the ball away and the Raiders go but right down the field six place sixty two yards score the go ahead touchdown. Now Indie marched down the field on the next drive and tied it with the field goal. But

that to me felt like the turning point. And again when you think about the Colts, and like the Colts when they're locked in and Wentz is playing well or as good as any team in the league, but there's too much of this inconsistency with Wentz where you do feel like unless he gets on like an Eli Folsy and type heater in January, one of these type of games is gonna undo them in January. You just kind

of can feel it coming. I mean we we reacted as a as a collective group very positively and very with a lot of force to his performance before the previous game, where he was throwing the ball as well as anyone. I think it matters. If you track these quarterbacks that are out with COVID, that don't practice at all all week long and then they go play, you're getting get their debt. There's some of the most down performances.

I'm not saying that, I you know, I want to go look at that scientifically, but to say that it just doesn't matter not I think we're agreeing that it does. Like I mean, at the most critical juncture of the year. I mean, no matter what happens playoffs, seating wise and stuff like this was a momentum killer for the Colts, and I mean it's like you do question their quarterback play if they don't get a better performance. Meanwhile, Cark

is in a bad turnover stretch here. He had a couple of interceptions here today, but they really have had something going in the fourth quarter, they go touchdown field go there to win the game. Car you know, has held up this franchise like this, this was this has been a nice season for the Derek Carr in Las Vegas in Oakland Raiders legacy. He's like, I don't know, Ricky, you saw him in the postgame press conference that there's something about him, like, I know he's not a perfect quarterback.

I think he's on the right side of the Dalton scale h Dalton line, but not not to me too far. I think he's in that like twelve to fifteen range um. But I do like the confidence, Like you, there's a certain genus quah. Yeah, that's what I texted you, guys. I was like, cars kind of hot, like his like swag and and everything, and he's like he's feeling himself and I was like, I'm kind of into it. Yeah, that dude, he carries himself as a remember, he's never

he's never got to do this. He's never got to do this. They have one winning record right since two thousand three, and the one good season he had, he broke his leg, you know, with a couple of weeks left, and so he didn't get the like, this is the best late season experience he's had, and he's earned it, and he's gonna be in in primetime next week. I'm pretty sure they haven't announced as we say, but that's got to be the Sunday night game. Chargers Raiders, come on.

I like the Chargers. I like Justin Herbert. He'd be fun in the playoffs, but like, I'd be cool with the Raiders in this crazy season doing it as well. And they have a chance. They're at home against the Charger of the team that's not really known for stepping up in a big stop, big spot themselves. So that's gonna be a really fun game to watch, and I really hope it does play out with all the the way things kind of sort themselves out in we K teen with a winning in true winning in scenario, making

it the first playoff game of the season. All right, let us take a break here, uh and then check in with the Tennessee Titans. Which side hands to hill Yourn He's got wrong, Son Trull touchdown. Okay, exclamation points on the day on the day is right? How good is this feeling? It has to feel good for Titans fans. Dontrelle Hilliard goes thirty nine to the house, Deonta Foreman hundred and thirty two in a touch Ryan Tannehill through

throws two touchdown passes. That was Mike Keith, of course, and Dave McGinnis of w g f X. The Titans clinched their second straight division title with the thirty four three win over the Dolphins, whose seven game winning streak disappeared in the face of actual opposition. And here we are. The Titans go from red hot start two mark a team that could not get out of its own way offensively too. With one week to play, they aren't in

position with the number one seed in aves. Yeah, they've They to me have been a team that have stuck together through some of the most trying circumstances in the conference. Today, I thought it was an exclamation point again for their defense that never really went away the way that their offense did. And they just wanted, I think to show this. The weather in this game was a huge factor and one quarterback was could come out faring better in freezing rain,

um total downpour, and they put it to two. I think that their plan with Miami was to get the Dolphins into unmanageable third and long situations which happened over and over and Toua maybe down in South Beach gets you out of some of those in this situation. Today against this defense, he could not do the worst third down offense in the league. They looked it this way, and to your not believing in them, Dan, this is why. Because the offense when you don't have something perfectly happening

for them, they crumbled. And I thought that you could look at some of the guys on this Titans team, Deontay form, and I'd start with him the way that he has run the ball over the last month and a half, but especially today, I thought he put it to Miami in a way that like basically demoralized them. They their defense, which looked strong out of the gate, started to crumble because and it wasn't a huge A J. Brown game. I think he had forty yards in this

but Tannehill ran for a big first down. The running backs did it. You know, they had some up and down issues with their line. But Miami, to to me, was completely outclassed and shown to be what they are, which is sort of one dimensional. When their offense does just enough and their defense does everything else, that's fine. But they couldn't get it done today. And the Tennessee's Titans are so clearly the better operation and they knock Miami right out of the playoffs. M Well, you have

a small margin for air when you start. When you start oneing the you're one and seven whatever they were. Uh, that's a tough spot to get in. But to to lose thirty four to three when you're you're two similar teams, I mean, this is like the classic Titans game. They have three hundred yards, they have a hundred and ten yards passing, and they put up thirty four. I'm not saying Derrick Henry isn't extraordinarily valuable, but to your point, Mark, like,

they've run the ball really well. That's what they do well. It's a good run blocking offensive line. It works with their play action offense, it works with Tannehill, and they've survived without Henry, like the running game was never a disaster. Yeah, and even with A. J. Brown not having a big game, he's just such a He changes the way defenses have to approach the Titans, and and and opens things up

for Ryan Tannehill. Julio Jones didn't play in this game, but we know that that's not a big deal at this stage. Let's bring in a grave digger, Um, grave digger. First of all, congratulations, I know that you ride or die for your Titans. Uh. And this had to feel good because I did. I locked up the Titans in this game, but I certainly didn't see them rendering the Dolphins non competitive, which really just speaks to Tennessee really

turning it on here. I predicted a win for the Titans, so I also did not see this kind of I mean, to Gregg's point, like they only had three hundred yards of offense. It wasn't like they were marching up and down the field the whole game, but they just looked like the playoff team with it was like one of these two teams could make the playoffs. The Titans are the ones that looked like the playoff team. I think they have been better coached there. The Texans, and they

were they just want a playoff game. This was you know, this was like like this and they gotta beat the was it the Texans? Next week they got at Houston. Yeah, Houston could be tricky there, but you should take care of business. And I just think it's such a interesting season,

great grave digger for Tennessee too. If they can now come all the way back around and get that number one seed, get the buy have home field advantage, and this always felt like and by the way, Derrick Henry then gets more time off to get right without the Titans playing a game like if they could just survive the storm, they are set up well for the playoffs. And I know you're feeling yourself. You know how. I know because first of all, two things. Number one, Titans fans, what,

I love you great dude, you know that. But why can't Titans fans understand that that people, whether it's me or anybody else, that doubted your team earlier, when they were, you know, averaging a hundred and seventy yards a week for about a month and a half, doubting them then isn't the same as what we see in them now. I don't know why It's like everyone's like pulling up receipts and showing that you were wrong. You doubted art No, because the Titans I was a different Titans team without

a J. Brown, and that we're gone. This version of the Titans I feel good about and and I like so. I don't like that element of the Titans fandom and a lot of them have been coming out of the woodwork again, but I do like you. Grave Digger getting after friend of the show Aaron Shots of Football Outsiders, who he replied to some Titans fans attacking him about his analysis this season, and Graver responds, listen to this, Greg, because I know you and Shots are tight. Are you tight?

You know each other? Yeah? Okay, we know each other going way back, all right. I mean, give me a break, dude, Graver says, just admit your system didn't predict anything accurately and we'd have a lot more respect for you. Bunsen Burner bloetwards. Baby, Here's the thing. All season long, since the begetting of the season, he's been tweeting about the Titans, and he never has any good things to say about the Titans. They like, don't measure up well and d

v o A and all these other things. So it's constantly like the Titans are defying d v o A, not like maybe we should really look at how d v o A is used to assess teams, or maybe like when injuries happen, like there should be a caveat to like the d v o rings like this isn't there starting eleven on either side of the ball for the majority of the middle part of the season, right, But it's never like, oh, Wow, the Titans are impressing us,

They're playing better than we expected. It's like, this is the worst d v o A rated team to ever be in the one seed and they suck. It's like a quote tweet something. I was like, oh, you got him, and then I looked and the tweet was from September eight. I was like, oh, well, yeah, well he was doing little like the Titans defense is not going to improve this year, and he's never said like, wow, this is this is surprising. The Titans defense has improved way beyond

what we predicted. It's like we never said that. We said the Patriots would improve more than the title. The Titans. Discourse and in general is fairly annoying. Okay, um. But at the same time, like Titans fans who are looking like getting even with people that now their team, screw it,

Why do you have better things to do? You have a locked in loading team that is ready for the playoffs right now, and you're gonna have more because everyone, you know, when the Titans get that one seed, the conversation for two weeks is gonna be like, oh, which lucky team can angle to get that divisional round matchup against the Titans because no one's gonna want to go

to Kansas City or Buffalo. You know, people are gonna be talking about the playoff tournament as if like that's that's the nice place you see, So it's coming more because he will be back by then and people, I think for a lot of people who are down in Tennessee, that that will be like the reinforcement that really puts them in the in a higher class. That's just the way I see. But maybe we have something numbers can't measure, and I think that's what's great about football, Like they

really are more than the some of their parts. The fact that they've played more players than in any team in the history of the NFL is remarkable. They are so obviously more than the some of their parts. When you watch them, we can week out. I would say Mike Rabel doesn't get the credit he's deserved if if Titans fans are annoyed about that, because I think he doesn't fit the pristine sort of shiny boy mathematical um you know, Wong head image that everyone's after these days,

like he's just sort of a bro. But sometimes that works, and he clearly knows how to go week to week with different matchups. And as for fans coming at any of us, I mean, the Titans have been disrespected for a really long time. They could be more level headed about it, I guess, but I think half of them are probably you know, it's East Coast, it's they came

out of a terrible rain. They're probably tweeting with like seven beers in them, and they may not have their wits about them in terms of where they're setting their arrows. I mean, we've got our own, uh you know, producer head shooting arrows at at a friend of the show. So everyone that's losing their cool baby, all right, Well that's fair enough, all right, congratulations, great there, all right, let's take uh, let's know, let's not take a break.

Let's keep moving. Let's bring Nick Schuck into the show. Chookie, we go from grave digger to the pipe. How you doing, Buddy, I'm good. I mean, despite the general despondence where I'm located, I'm great. Yeah, okay, Well, well how are you by the Browns eliminated from contention? But I know, like Mark, you were frustrated by this season? Uh an outcome you probably saw coming, a negative outcome for the season that is yeah, I mean, Mark said it best last week.

It's not deserved. You know, if they were to try to make the playoffs and you know, the Bengals were to lose, and you know, because the Ravens lost, and if they were to beat the Bengals somehow next week, it's still not deserve. So this is the outcome that they deserve. That they screwed around for a lot of the season, never really found any consistency, and that's how you get eliminated from the playoffs. And and you know, I allow me to be a beacon of hope for

the city of Cleveland real quick. I'm wearing this on purpose because everybody here is going to turn their attention to the other team. It's it's it's an all Star game. But they're going to turn their attention to the promising team, the team that's overachieving, not the team that is disappointing. You're wearing Cavaliers shirt, you know for our audio listeners, which is all of ours. Yeah, yeah, exactly. There's something else can be happy about. You know, how about those Guardians? Right?

I was texting with Chuck about Darius Garland from Tuesday Night a few weeks ago. This guy can really play. All right, we're gonna do these games. Then we're gonna get Shook's take on the Cleveland Indians name change. But let's get to a little Chargers football. They needed to take care of business against the beat up Broncos team. Did they throws down field? There's your shot play Mike Williams cood into the end zone touchdown shargers a record

breaking throw from just Justin Herbert. Thirty fifth touchdown toss of the season is now a franchise record. And why not go to Mike Williams who has got more forty plus yard touchdown catches this season than any other receiver. About that, Matt money Smith, the Voice of God for the Around the NFL podcast and the Power Rankings TV show co host with a nailed it call Justin Herbert.

He set the rookie touchdown record in year one, he sets the franchise record in year to what happens in the year three, we'll see, But for now, the Chargers are still in the playoff mix after a win over the Broncos at so far a great take care of business game right here, Nick Shook for a Chargers team that stubbed their toe and exactly this type of game

so many times in the past. Yeah, and stop there telling the last couple of weeks with a stunning, disappointing loss to the Texans that kind of threw everything into question. But they responded like a team that you would, you know, a playoff team, you'd expect them to respond by coming out,

like you said, taking care of business. So the Broncos were shorthanded, you know, they had a dozen guys out because of Covid and Drew Locks playing quarterback and even he had to exit for a little bit because of a shoulder issue, and you give him credit for coming back, but um, you know that aside, the Chargers largely dominated this game. They did it offensively. It was really a complete team win because they did a good or of job defensively to allow their offense to build a lead.

They took a seventeen and nothing lead right before the half and ended up going to halftime seventeen to three, and it was never really in question. They got a couple of goal line stops or or holds that limited the Broncos chances of turning those possessions into touchdowns, and they cruised to a victory and set themselves up with a date with the Raiders and if they play like they did today, then they got a good shot. But

the Raiders are better than the Broncos. But for this week at least, you know they're they're back to the Chargers that I think we expected that. The question now is can they be can they maintain that consistency into

a must win game next week? I mean, I feel like the Broncos season was defined by those fourth, fourth in goal plays here in this game, Like when you have Kendall Hinton completing the past that drew lock on fourth and goal from the one or the two that doesn't go for a touchdown, you know it's probably not your when Kendall Hinton came in. What was that like a Philly special type of thing, and yeah, and then he throws it to Lock who catches it, but he

wasn't in the end. Does anybody want it? Now that I'm looking at the box score, that was his only attempt at the game, Kendall Hinton. If you go for one for one for one yard, uh and no touchdown? What is your passer rating? This will be something good to know. According to the box courts point too. You're right, and it absolutely defined the Broncos season this year, which is frustration. Um. You can see the potential, it's just that they don't execute. There's questionable decisions in terms of

play calling or or scoring. A touchdown that gets wiped out by a penalty and you have to settle for a field goal and what's already a multi score game. It made it twenty to six with an office that couldn't convert already. Get Aaron Rodgers, Ticabo, do the old secret meeting figure out. I don't know if it's Rogers or maybe there's another veteran quarterback, because I think I think we all kind of want to see at this point, Greg I think a term that you like to use.

It will confirm your priors that the Broncos are good. They just need that next level of quarterback play another season where that's kind of defined the conversation a little bit around this, right, but also like who knows what I know? On paper? This defense and secondary looks good and it is good, but it's like Vic Fangio is not gonna be running the defense anymore next year, So

then to me, that's a start over. I would assume after three straight losing seasons, which this clinches that he's out, And yeah, you've got some good skill position players for sure for the next coach and the next quarterback, assuming they're not on the team. I mean, you cannot have Vick Fonio and Pat Shermer going to Cabo to court Aaron Rodgers. It's going to have to be a completely new cast of people that someone like in Aaron Rodgers, who's moving his entire brand to another team, is going

to believe in. And I'm not sure that coaches right now they're also saw the team by the way, Well that's that's part of you. I've seen I was gonna say, I've seen Elway in Indianapolis who knows what goes down and always down in Cabo. It must get it must be a wild scene down. I'm sure it gets Chargers locked down of here, Chargers locked out with all the injuries and the Broncos this week, and they deserve it.

They needed a little luck. They deserve the charges of one of those organizations that you should never you know, hold it against them. They got a w uh and a little luck. All right, let's move on, shook ee uh to Orchard Park where another team was looking to looking to take care of business. We will need a touchdown here and the gun the stamp to Allen hands it off. Singletary, driving forward, gets down to the one

yard line and he is stopped. Just shure. Now it's a touchdown, a late call by the officials, but it's a touchdown for the Bill, a six yard touchdown run by Devin Singletary. Let's see, that's classic play by play. Guy moved there, I didn't mess up that guy messed up late call. John Murphy w g R. With that call, an accurate call, wasn't on him. The Bills clinch a playoff spot. Devin Singletary scores two touchdowns in the second and half making up for a sloppy performance from Josh Allen,

who had multiple turnovers but didn't matter win over the Falcons. Thankfully, thank god, Shookie, the Falcons are eliminated from playoff contention. But I suppose a little frustrating as a Bills fantasy Allan throw three picks a week after that magical performance against the Patriots. Yeah, you know, we we spend time in digital space talking about m v P race, as we have for this year and last year and many years before that. And I often get crushed because Josh

Allen never makes it into like my top three. But this is the type of game that explains why he doesn't make it into my top three. He's a great player and they rely on him a lot, but occasionally, and I know there was snowy, but you're the Buffalo Bills. You should expect to play in snow Occasionally relying on Josh Allen goes poorly. It's just that, you know, I'm glad we played that clip because that's really what to find.

The win for the Bills is being able to rely on the ground game, something that they really refused to do for a lot of the season unless it was Josh Allen running the football until the last couple of weeks they've gotten back to giving it to Devon Singletary and establishing more of a traditional ground game, and I think it's bounced out their offense and it's helped them in cases like today where their quarterback is erratic, throws a few really ugly interceptions and one that just was

a product of of a risky throw that he's known to take from time to time, and but they were still able to win. And you could say, you know, you can give them a ton of credit for doing it offensively and going to the ground game, but it's also a reflection of how much talent that the Falcons still need when they don't have Kyle Pitts in the field, because he wasn't available in the second half and they

couldn't move the ball. They had seventy seven total yards in the second half um after losing Kyle Pitts, essentially, so they need more weapons. And they've been a scrappy bunch and and they've been fun to watch, I guess at times, just because they play hard. But in games like this, that talent difference ends up being the difference, and it was today. You know, I think Arthur Smith is dealt with that all year long, and he's dealt with it creatively, um when there isn't a lot of

options for your creativity. So I'd give his first year coaching there um a positive grade. But I would ask you this because we just said, oh, if you if you could project enough, you could say Carson Wentz in Indianapolis has like a Joe Flacco Super Bowl run type run with Josh Allen, he's an m VP candidate going into any any season. Do you think, though, that we can get three straight performances from Josh Allen that are pristine enough to avoid something like this because in a

playoff game, they're out if this happens. Yeah, you know that's kind of the wild card. Last year, you would say, Yes, this year, it's been up and down. I mean it really has as a team, and this is probably the lowest point he's had, I think, all year. But that's who they've been. You know, in terms of final score. They blow out a team like the Dolphins one week and then you know a few weeks later they lose

a close ener, they lose to the Jaguars. They've been very up and down, So it's kind of difficult to predict. I think over time with his progression, you would expect if he's still with Brian Dable and they have a little bit more of a balanced offense because you're lying on him to throw it, you know, forty times and run fifteen times. It's gonna work sometimes against some teams, but I don't think it's really the reliable formula. Then yeah, maybe that does happen, but it's just right now, not

with this season, I couldn't say that. I mean, this was the classic Josh Allen caam. Every possession was an interception or a touchdown. That's that's just insane. Is there a chance here your Jets can help out the Patriots next week? Because for a minute there the Falcons were

ahead in this game. I was thinking, wow, because the Bills lose, because the Bill is still you know, are winning the a f C East, but it's not up It's still up for grabs going into weeks seventeen, and I anticipate both the Bills and the Patriots will be playing obviously to win, and so the Patriots would need the Jets to pull off like a huge upset. I mean, the Jets game very close to pulling off the biggest home upset and team history today, so it's certainly within

the realm of reason. The Falcons also are like, yeah, there's seven and nine, but there are a whisper away from being four and twelve or three and thirteen. They are not a good team at Also, I guess there's that's a pretty disappointing win, but who cares. It's a win, and the Bills are still in position uh to win the a f C East uh if they take care of business on week t All right, Chuck, I'm not gonna ask you about the Cleveland baseball team uh name change.

I just don't think it's the right platform for you, and I don't want to put you in a tough spot one way or the other. So I'm just gonna say, uh, you're a great Cleveland sports fan and the people are happy, lucky to have you over there. You know you're It's a great business decision out of you, because the last thing you want to do is alienate some listeners who feel very strongly about that or don't really care at

all about baseball. So this is a football podcast, and we'll keep side stepped at side, stepped in a big spot. All right, Chuckie, thank you buddy for joining U S S. Stay warm and uh it was always next year. Yeah, that's true and there is thanks. All right, let's take a break and we sold. John Stevenson to the left of Jones takes the snaff of playfi I through oh puts down Patriots and he goes to Wilcrops a fourth second touchdown catch up to day. Keep this kid active.

Oh man, you see a little somebody outside. Uh, Bob Sochi and a man named Scott with the call for w b Z. Patriots are back in the playoffs. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones through three touchdown passes actually set the franchise record for a touchdown passes in a season. Uh. He only needed to throw twenty to do it, and he did. Damian Harris's Damian Harris and Ron Dre Stevenson both scored twice on the ground. Final score fifty to ten over the Jaguars and m Mark. We talked about

this on Thursday's podcast. If ever there was like the classic Patriots destroy a bad team that's ready to go home scenario, it was the Jaguars at home. Uh, so fiften is not surprising to many of us. But I guess let's give them credit. They're not doing it with Tom Brady anymore. So there's just something the way this team UM practices, prepares h that separates them from others. Yeah, I think all that's true. You got um a very clean game from Mac Jones, who threw a couple of

great touchdown passes in this. You got a guy like Christian Wilkerson who's barely played for them, getting involved with two touchdowns. The running game was on fire. I think their defensive backfield could essentially look at Trevor Lawrence in this offense and assess what they were trying to do on almost every play. You are playing the worst attack in the NFL. It looked like it. Trevor Lawrence was

underwater from the very beginning. Um, you don't have James Robinson in the backfield, and you know, about twelve minutes into this, I was thinking, Oh, this is going according to script in every possible way, it's going to project out as a blowout. It did exactly that. New England scored on I think eight of nine drives. They were forced to punt once. It was just utter and total dominance.

They controlled both lines of scrimmage and I you know, I don't want to bring up Trevor Lawrence over and over, but it has been such a bad season that you just wonder where he is a mentally. I mean, we know New England's very good against rookie quarterbacks, but the level of dominance today was like these two teams were not playing in the same field or in the same sport. I mean, his receiver group is um among the worst position groups in the entire NFL, not just receiver position groups,

just any position. The drops, the like mental mistakes every week is is brutal to watch. Uh and they they're probably a lay down for the Colts in a similar big spot next week, like they did the first time they play the Colts. It's quite an accomplishment, I think for the for this Belichick rookie quarterback team to get to ten and six. Here you've got a chance to

go to eleven and six. It is disappointing. Obviously they didn't show up in some of their biggest games of the year, but it is quite a rebound from what where they were a year ago. Uh And they'll they'll be dangerous like I'm with Scott Zolak on this one point. If only this Keith Wokers in active in the playoffs. I've seen enough of Nikil Harry. Oh, I know we we cracked crackdown blocks on the Running Game. Okay, that's great. I saw Wilkerson in the preseason. He made some place

here today. It's like they need they need any good playmaking pair of hands and get And you look at the a f C East. The Bills have a one game lead, right are they tied? They're tied, Bills have the tiebreaker. We talked about the Bills. They have the Jets the Patriots at Miami, and that's an interesting game, um for New England. Um. But the good news is for Patriots fans, which I guess Greg is one of them still. But you know we've talked about that on

the show. It's unclear it eliminates a nightmare scenario where the help they got today there in the dance, they get some help from the Bills, So be it. If they don't. These teams could very well. I think it's set up right now Bills Patriots Round one of the playoffs, and I don't think it matters. As we've seen where that game is played, considering the teams split winning in each other's stadium. So I think we all want to

see a third matchup between those two teams. Uh. And I wonder if it's kind of a uh, I don't it's happening here, It's gonna go down. It would go a long way to PUTT into bed. I think an argument that we've had about these two teams as a trio all season long, I mean it's it's we need to see a third one. I'd love to see Patriots Bengals or or Patriots Chiefs even more than that, just because I think that would be fun. By the way, the Bengals had a Gholston today. It's been a while.

I check every game Gholston of course, no sacks, no quarterback hits. Congratulations. Wait can you clarify for me, because I again I don't even know sometimes with the Patriots stock what you mean, like, what do you want to avoid the Bills because you don't think it's a good matchup or because you would watch it would be a more fun matchup if they're playing. I've seen that twice.

I think the Bill's best game um is really high level and like, I've seen that game, and to me, Patriots Chiefs would be a lot of fun and Patriots Bengals would also be fun. I I don't need another division, you know, third time around on You're scared of the Bills. That's that's what I'm reading. I would I would agree. I think Guess'd be scared of the Bills. But I

think the Chiefs like are a tougher matchup. But there would be something about that that would just be intriguing if they could ever have a chance there with mack Alright, so let us now move to some intro league football in Baltimore. Throws caught front pylon, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. Ala Odell Beckham Jr. Gives the Rams their first lead with

fifties seven seconds remaining in Week seventeen. Thinking about that springtime social J B. Long post draft, you're having a couple of maybe he's drinking a white Claw, I'm drinking a Tito's with our beautiful families, just living it up in southern California. One of the strangest recurring bits going right now. J B. Long, k Y s R. With the call I think I might have heard m J D in the background there and Matthew Stafford through a seven yard touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr. With fifty

seven seconds to play. That came after Stafford and Beckham connected on a fourth and five to keep the game alive four of the Rams and the Ravens could not respond in their ensuing drive. They lose their uh fifth straight game and the final score was nineteen. Thank you, Greg. Another sloppy performance Gregg by Stafford, but he delivered when it mattered. He did that drive to take the lead was the moment like you bring Stafford there for and I know you can say like he's the reason they

were trailing and he was a big reason. He had three turnovers, they were all his fault. It wasn't like he had bad luck. He played well in the second half. Like they had to play very clean and nearly perfect on offense because they were not getting the ball very often. The Baltimore Ravens offense just kept grinding up these long plays like a fourteen play drive, a twelve play drive,

a fifteen play drive, a nine play drive. So Stafford didn't have a lot of chances and they had to finish touchdown touchdown to win the game, and he did it, including a fourth down play to Odell Beckham before the touchdown, you know, with the game essentially on the line, and Beckham makes a fantastic hands catch and Stafford, you know, moves out of the way of pressure. Is like an

incredibly clutch play. And this Rams team has shown an ability now this last month to win a variety of types of games and come through in the fourth quarter. And they're trying to kind of build their their culture. I guess their identity of this Rams team, and I think they got a feel now when they get into these tough situations that they're gonna come out with victories. Yeah. I think the biggest X factor for them was overcoming Stafford mistakes, and they weren't able to do that in

the loss to Tennessee. They weren't able to do that when they were stumped by the Niners way back when. And this is a game that kind of shows, look at he cannot, he can. He will be imperfect. You're gonna get a game in the playoffs where he's going to be imperfect. I mean, he is sort of that dude that throws pick six is he throws interceptions and little rogers has his whole career, right. I mean, he's also thrown more than all but three quarterbacks since nineteen

fifty during his career, So it's a thing. I mean, I know a lot of that happened in Detroit. But if you're a Rams team that wanted to find a demoralizing loss late in the year, that would have put us back into a weird place with you, you go to Baltimore and you lose on the East coast. This way, instead, they found their way out of it and it included a new face like Odell Beckham. I think that matters. And I think their defense, I mean, I know that, you know, Baltimore had their way with them to a

bit today. In general, the Rams defense gives me a ton of hope. They're very balanced on both sides of the ball, and I have no problem with winning ugly in what early January we're gonna mine into mid January here before the playoffs, I'm fine with it. Maybe this is maybe it's time to just recalibrate expectations with O'Dell Beckham that he's just never gonna be a guy who puts up Justin Jefferson type lines or or what we saw Jamaar Chase today, he's just not a consistent, elate,

elite playmaker like he used to be. But again, I think he's up to what four or five touchdowns now with l A. It seems like he scores once every game and otherwise unremarkable box score. But he has become a red zone threat and a weapon for them what he never was with Cleveland. So that has been at help for them. We still have the opportunity potential cam akers around the bend. Sonny Michelle has really played well. Cooper cut in an off game for him go six

and one. So I think the Rams, Yeah, it is Stafford, somebody you just lock and load and be like, Okay, he's ready for the playoffs. No, But like I have him the same class as Josh Allen. Well, Josh Allen's a better player, But what I mean is Josh Allen, Carson Wentz, Matt Stafford. These guys that are talented but sometimes enigmatic pipe type players that can obviously go on a heater or in the postseason. And could I imagine Matt Stafford having a killer postseason and then riding it

all the way to the Super Bowl. And I totally can see that. So again that's why you go get Matt Stafford and they're set up here for all the trials and tribulations of the season. They're twelve and four and they have a chance here they can get Can they get up to one or they Well, as we take this, we're going to assume the Packers finish out the Vikings here and then that'll clinch the one seed for the Packers. So they're they're the Rams are at

two there, they haven't won the division. They can do it next week. They can't have these three turnover games from Stafford. He's done back to back weeks. I know they've won, but in the playoffs, I don't know if you have that margin for error. But I do like like like you said, Cup, this was in theory and off game, but he stepped up, getting open huge plays at the end, making plays after the catch. Ramsey had

a nice game. I'd like to see. It's clearly not the past and game that that peak Rams could be because this is an underman Ravens secondary and they were not taking advantage of it. Um for chunks of this game that the Ravens kind of backed off. I think that surprised them they were playing conservative. But Donald, we keep saying it week after week, like he changed this game. His pass rush pressure on Huntley prevented a wide open touchdown in the first half. He gets a sack to

end to drive in the red zone. At the end of the game, the Ravens were basically on the doorstep of scoring a touchdown and almost putting this thing out of out of bounds. And then that's the moment where Donald steps up and it was just like another just Aaron Donald. You probably weren't gonna win the game if it wasn't for Aaron. He's defensive player of the Year for me. We talked about it all the time. The

old frances Is Um seasons unstopped. Left at Thanksgiving novem the Ravens out last the Brown sixteen ten, a game in which uh Lamar Jackson threw four interceptions, but they still won. And at that moment they were eight and three on novembery Now you fast forward to January two or eight and eight, and now need to win in week eighteen and get help or they end up out of the playoffs entirely. It's it's pretty it's pretty wild. What's happened to the season, but not if you've been

following it week by week. Not particularly surprising because they just have been absolutely assaulted by injuries and COVID and the lamar ankle injury, which was obviously more serious than they initially let on. That's how they got where they are right in the in four of those losses are by the last four losses are by a combined six points. That's outrageous and we'll probably have well, they're probably have four wins that combined by six points too early, right,

that was early in the season. But I'm just saying to do this in such a short stretch where you lose by one, lose by two, lose by on, and then lose by one, it's too bad. Huntley, you can see he's a pro quarterback, like he's a starter. He made a couple of mistakes today that that hurt them. Um, it wasn't quite as good a game from him. Uh in this game, like he still looks good, um, and he looked like he belonged. But he he had a couple of plays he wanted backgrounds that could have won.

It would have helped my fantasy team that went down in the finals today. But well, We'll take that second place prize money and we're off. We're off. We were happy with the way things turned out overall. Just disappointing. But I know a lot of people were. When you see this on game pass, there were a couple of players where he could have had more points. They were, don't tell us, don't tell me, I don't. It wouldn't have mattered. My poner put up one seventy five. It's fine.

We move We've moved forward. We're professionals. Here on to not great timing for this, onto the meadow ends. Ready to go, Brady with twenty three seconds to go, but snap a good one, Brady, Look at Coxy up Those toward the ends all receive all but call ball touch stop top bye, touchdops hamba bye. Bucketeers tech the lead for the first time. Brace makes the catch of the end zone. Bucketeers lead, Tom Brady, you're terrific. See it's about the delivery, Like when Gene decker Off says Tom

Brady or terrific. That's nice. I like that. Um when another announcer goes, I'll love Tom Brood, it doesn't carry the same warm but at that there's a lacking of a panache there with um. The second individual, a man named Scott w f Us Jane dagger Off. Antonio Brown walked away from the Bucks, but luckily they still have Tom Brady the Goat lead the Bucks on a ninety three yard drive in the final minutes, culminating with a thirty three yard touchdown strike to Cyril Gracing, stealing over

my Jets. The Jets had a UM two touchdown lead in this game. UM, and it was a tough one, and we're gonna get to the game. But let's start with the Antonio Brown stuff, because obviously this was the huge story of the early games. It was everywhere Brown had. It's still unclear as of this taping what set him off, but he had a meltdown late in the third quarter. Tampa Bay was trailing at the time. Cameras caught him

in an animated discussion with Mike Evans. Evans was trying to calm down Brown, but instead Brown stripped off his pads, jersey, gloves, t shirt, tossed the gloves and T shirt into the stands, and then walked completely bare chested down the sideline into the end zone, which, by the way, it should have been a penalty, but we're not gonna dwell on anything like that. He then waved to the fans, jogged through the end zone into the tunnel at MetLife Stadium, apparently

left the stadium without a shirt on. And after the game, Um, first, I respect reulation that he was benched, and he melted down because of that. But then there was talk on Twitter that he wasn't even benched, but something set. Jay Glazer reported that Arians at one point he was already upset for some reason that is unclear. Arians, you know, put him in the next play. I guess he was.

I guess he was like on the sideline and Arians, you know, put him in the next play, and he refused to go in, and then Arians asked again, and then the next play, and at that point when he did he refused to go in, he said like you're out, You're you know, okay, and then he melted down. So anyway, Arians after the game, obviously, the first question is not about this great comeback. It's about Antonio Brown walking out in the middle of a game. Here's what Arians had

to say. He is no longer a book. All right, that's the end of the story. Let's talk about the guys who were not doing one game. See, but it's not that easy, Bruce. It is not that easy because you, Bruce Arians and you Tom Brady, and you the Tampa Bay Buccaneers um created this situation by looking the other way over over when Brown was clearly a loose cannon. Now, I think there's something interesting with this, and Mark, I'll start, I'll tee you up on this. I wonder, obviously Antonio

Brown seems like he's not the greatest guy. But sometimes I wonder if there's like a mental health component here that makes this maybe not as straightforward as like everyone just saying clown in this guy for being a total idiot. It's sometimes it feels like, to me, with someone's behavior that there's something wrong with him. And then you hear Brady's comments after the game that we're he was expressing

concern about Brown's well being. That's a part of this conversation that I feel like you're not hearing a lot of. I mean, I I do think that when we look at Antonio Brown and you look at what happened on Hard Knocks with the Raiders, and you know, there's a littany a laundry list of things that have happened with Antonio Brown that it is possible to piece together and be curious about the mental health side. I mean, because there's been indications and suggestions that that is some many

deals with. And I took Brady's comments along the same avenue that you did. Um, this is a star player who on who was on a Hall of Fame, you know avenue at some point. I mean you can see it, and it's like, that's why he was in the building. I think this puts the bed probably what was a bit of a tension filled um scenario between not about tension field, but Tom Brady wanted him. Would he have been on the bucks that Tom Brady wasn't there? No,

this wasn't a Bruce Arians witch casting. I think Bruce Arians did his best to put up with him. I just wonder, I mean, in terms of the Antonio Brown experience, did he wake up at some point today thinking that, you know, I don't want to play anymore, or in the scope of possibilities of actions I might take today, one of them could be stripping down from the belt up and running out of the stadium and taking an uber home. I just when he took the uber, there

was some great It wasn't an uber. He got his personal you've taken you've taken first of all, you've taken your chance for Super Bowl ring away, and you've probably taken your teams chances away because losing Antonio Brown on the field is nothing short of titanic. I think for the for the Buccaneers, right with the state that they're

in right now, it's huge. And this wasn't like a experiment that always had a potential, high risk, high reward point of implosion, and today it imploded and rather spectacular fashion. Well supposedly they were getting frustrated, according to some the local reports with his behavior throughout the course of his suspension and then since coming back, and you could see the way he was with reporters when he didn't even

want to answer questions about it. So, you know, you're right, Dan like Arians was the I know Brady wanted him on the team, but Arians ultimately made the decision to keep him, which was even after the suspension, which was obviously a mistake. And they're gonna be counting on Cyril Grayson and um Tyler Johnson. You know, I know Evans was back today, uh and Gronk had a good game,

but they're definitely shorthanded. Lavante David's hurt, Jack barretts Hrt, They've had some really significant players that are out right now to um to both. To mark your point, I wonder if Arians has a conversation with Brady before he goes up that PODi up to that podium, or if that's something in the just in the heat of the moment he says, no, he's gone. That's it. Um Well, I mean that was to be like he's not even It's like Antonio Brown quit. It was he was off

the team already. He he he took himself off the box. Arians never even had a choice. I don't know, right well, and he left, He literally left, you know what I mean. Like at that point, Antonio Brown knew his Bucks career was over. I mean not do n't know if he's thinking about it that. I don't think you can think about anything, because if you look at his escalators in

his contract, he was with just like normal type. Brown performances the rest of this game and next week he would have cleared like well over a million dollars in bonuses. So I think he's a guy that is a complete loose cannon in a hothead that lost his temper. And probably even if he won't admit to it right now, he knows he made a huge mistake. Now there's talk like, oh,

he's out of football now, Well we'll see. We'll see they wait until the offseason and see if another team says, oh, I would like this, like top twenty five wide receiver in the whole league at a deep discount, like don't

underestimate the NFL's ability to look the other way. But I mean, I always think about Chris Westling and the most upset I've ever seen him on the podcast, other than when someone told him to take his hat off, UM, was when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick brought Antonio Brown to New England UH in the wake of the um sexual assault allegations that Brown was facing at the time, and and west was so strong about that and and said that he had lost all respect for Bellichick and Brady.

I remember there was some tension in the studio that night, Greg, because you were talking, you know, you guys were in a real good conversation about everything about it. And UM, I thought about that today because I've been thinking about I know, as we all have West a lot with the new year, and you know he's been gone almost

a year now. Um that Brown, this is not anything new that he's been this divisive guy that at a certain point people need to you gotta put your foot down and say this is not a guy that can help my team, even if he is fantastically talented. We've seen it again with yet another team, right and one of one of West's favorite coaches to arians you know, one of it like an organization that you know, they want a super Bowl. So I guess they'll they'll look back and think, I guess it was worth it because

he helped along the way. Um. But it it's like they they asked for it and they got it. And I don't think they're they're done by any means. I mean, they find out way to win this game, and I know we can get to the game. But they've they won twelve games and they'll they'll have a home game in the first round of the playoffs and maybe more. But they're not the same team that they could have been because of injuries and now because of this. As far as the game goes, UM from the Jet side, really,

I know it helps their draft standing. But it's a really tough loss because, like I said, they were I think, um double digit teen underdogs in this game. Uh and Zach Wilson played his best complete game of the year, and the defense really played well and played with a lot of passion. And I came out of the game or as the game went along, like really feeling good about Robert Salin, how hard he had this team playing.

After the game, Salo was furious about a the Jets were up by um three points or four points, excuse me late in the game, deep in Tampa Bay territory, facing fourth and two, and there's a miscommunication between Michael Floor, the offensive coordinator, and Zack Wilson about a play call that should have been an end around to Braxton Burrios, but instead turned into a QB sneak, a two yard QB sneak that they were trying to get. They got maybe half a yard. Brady takes over and goes right

down the field. And I thought it was interesting how pointed Salo was. I wonder what it means for the relationship with Michael Floor, who and I think has been very good this year. But that set in motion the comeback for the Bucks, who went ninety three yards the other way. The Jets passing up the field goal on fourth and two that would have put him up seven to try to win the game. Called the wrong play in the huddle, or it's executed and properly by the rookie,

but it was put completely on Michael la floor. That was the big turning point and what people talk about, not Antonio Brown relating in this game. I just I would look at some of the positive quarters and moments the Jets have had in the last couple of weeks and say, let's build off it. I'd hate to see them in some sort of skategoat scenario or or or fresh change, move on from the floor and bringing a new offense, because if Zach Wilson needs anything on the planet,

it is ultraconsistency between now and next September. I hate the lack of responsibility there, but hopefully it's just like emotions. But that's from both coaches. I mean, Arians takes no responsibility whatsoever, doesn't even want to talk about it when he said he wouldn't talk about why Brown was returning in the first place, Like you're always asking your players

to take responsibility and then the coaches don't. And I don't know if if Salo was putting it on his coach, but it's a bad job by him too, Like you don't want to do that publicly. Yeah, I mean he didn't mean, but yes, they It was just unfortunate because it was really a nice It was a nice day overall at the Meadow Ends. The fans were into. It just didn't work out. But credit to the Bucks. They

come back. They keep themselves pointed in the right direction, even if Antonio Brown will not be there any longer. Let us now take a break and then continue on. Hicky firing for the end zone. Incomplete and complete, and let's he caught the ball the cloud feels like he just intercepted the game, decepted the ball to seal the game. He does it again the second week in a role that run him. A cloud comes up, the interception huge and this is going to do it, Ladies and gentlemen.

That's like such a perfect call for the Eagles as a team right now, which is like, well it worked out. That was a good thing for the Eagles. The Eagles win. Meryl Reese Mike quick with it called w I p is not art right now for the Eagles, but football

is not played in a damn museum. Rodney McCleod picked off Taylor Heineke in the end zone with twenty four seconds to play to seal another one for the Eagles, this time a conquest over the Washington football team, Greg Phillies, recent games all seemed to follow a similar script, slow start followed by a winning course correction. Right, they were impressive here. I mean, I know it wasn't pretty and McLeod, you know, I didn't think that was an interception either.

It's such a homer for the Eagles. I don't know over this Washington team. This is a two and five team that you were wondering if the coach might last only one year, if the GM might finally lose his job after you know, more than a decade in that building. Uh. That clinched the playoffs spot with a week left in the season by going seven and two. Yes, they got a nice break in terms of the schedule throughout that run, but they still did it. And like for this team,

for their expectations, they did it. And you're right that this game was perfect for it because it was not pretty, especially defensively in the first half, but the second half when they needed it, Like there were very few drives in this game, they go touchdown, field goal, field goal.

They win the second half thirteen to nothing. Their defensive line absolutely dominated after Heinek was just playing out of his mind in the first half and they played more or less a perfect second half to go clinch a playoffs spot. You know, just take it, just take it. I mean, what do you want, know you want to talk about like in the a f C, everybody wants to look at and maybe we'll get the Titans. All these NFC superpowers, like give us the Eagles in round one,

will fly. I you know what, I think the Eagles are right to pick someone up in the playoffs, depending on how that opponent's most likely. At this I could see it. They've given up under twenty five in a row. Now that came against the Giants, the Jets, the Giants again in Washington twice, so that that factors in. But I think they're built really well along both lines. They can run the ball. Jalen Hurts if you get the right game out of him, I would not want to

deal with them in the wild card round. You know, I'm not gonna say too much more because I have to watch the game, So I'm not going to bury the Eagles for their performance today, but I think it does we need to keep an eye in Jalen Hurts healthy. I think, yes, I'm gonna walk that back a little bit because maybe if he's making plays with his legs in a playoff game, UM, things can get dicey for

any favorite. But I thought, you know, there were some comments made by Nick Sirianni after the game, um that you know, he really thought so much of Hurts for kind of battling through what's been a really painful injury that's affected him in a lot of ways. So he's coming out here and winning games. So respect to uh, respect to the quarterback for that, respect to the Eagles

for getting to the playoffs. I don't think a lot of people how to pick for the playoffs, and Nick's ARIANI who you know, who's overcome some initial um public facing, you know, an underwhelming start to like how he was positioned and where the organization was and how things are gonna work out. Well, they're going to the dance, so that's pretty good, right, And then this was a fourth and fourth down game, you know, it would have been

the talking point. I feel like if it didn't work, it often doesn't become the talking point when it does work. But they scored two touchdowns on fourth and goal, and I think both were from the two if I was right, so it wasn't like a total since and one of them took an extraordinary play from Boston Scott Jalen Hurts like essentially gets tripped up while pitching the ball backwards.

The defensive line for Washington looks like they're Scott gets to the outside, gets the touchdown, and hitting those two fourth and goals was kind of the difference, uh in a game that was this close. That hind that both quarterbacks, if you look at the box score, played much better than they then The box score show it. Hurts I thought had one of his best games. His offensive line

did not play well for him, which was rare. They did not have much of a running game besides the Hurts, and Heinik played really like out of his mind in the first half, Like every third down just felt like it was Heinick pulling off a miracle and it ran out. I would say one thing I know, Ron Rivera is you know, beyond critique, and we all like the person a lot, but this team is falling off a cliff. And I know that they have been shorthanded, there's been

corona issues, there's been injuries. You don't have the quarterback you played with, although I don't think the quarterback play has killed him that much. Four games in a row against division opponents. They were embarrassed by the Cowboys a week ago. They've lost twice the Eagles now and in not too far away weeks. Like I'm sorry, but like the the honeymoon period on some level needs to be read me gin during the off season, you've got to

go get some real players, especially at quarterback. Little honeymoon period reimagining. I mean, you know it's yea. I think it gets some more rope than most most coaches around. Can. We just mentioned quickly that the rails at the stadium, it was terrible because it was a couple of I just sober moment. It wasn't a sober moment. It was amazing that that hurts then like starts posing for pictures, but it was if the timing had been different. Gara

followed by the way, nice job. I think he was the one that I don't think he was no hea um. I mean, Hurts could have been underneath that while while the gate fell on them and all the fans did. If it was like two seconds later, that would have been a freaking disaster. What's going on in Washington Earlier in the season, the pipes were bursting and soaking the fans that come on, let's build it. I mean when you watch what what like human bodies are capable of?

Because also the fans that fell like face forward down like nineties straight degrees into the earth should have been hurt. And they were up two minutes later with their arms around Hurts, taking like groups selfies. So you know, the body is strange. Wait a second, I think maybe it was Mike's original video. I'm not sure. I don't want to take it away from him either way. That's how I saw it because it was going nuts um, and there was an AP photographer runner that was injured. He

was underneath that thing when I fell. I don't believe it was a serious injury situation, but yeah it was. It was scary because you know, like that was what twenty people leaning into it. That's got to be fortified. What are we doing in Washington? Can we do? What? Can we do anything right there? And the Eagles are

brought their heated benches too. It's now become a bit in the NFC West that everyone's bringing their bench and we cleaned things up down there for Christ's taken and give it up to h Hurts for that's that's some Joe Montana like composure to just start posing with the fans like seconds later. I don't think anybody was aware

there were injuries at that point, or serious injuries. All right. Anyway, let's head from one team punching their ticket to another that could The Niners ers on the fort and a roll tray Lance to the right has time could have thrown back leftopo ober Rod. It is caught by Gabo Samuel inside of the tag picks a Tacko touchdown. Sand fran Cisco RT called Greg Papa one G Greg, not a triple G, two gs, double G. It would be even better if he was triple G Papa, wouldn't He's

he's only sniper shot. K n b R rookie Tray Lance through two touchdown passes in the second half of his second career start, and the Niners now zeroed in on a playoff spot. With a seven win over the Texans, uh, the Niners can clinch their second postseason appearance in five years under Shanahan with a win next week against the Rams or a loss by the Saints. That is the

set up. Mark. What did you think about the kids performance today and would it be something that potentially gives Kyle Shanahan some pause as they look forward in I think it would give him a little bit of pause because I mean, you know, he heated up and you saw a couple of things which I'll get to in a minute later in the game that give you hope. But I thought that they really struggled. Um Shanahan struggled to find the best play calls to kind of find

rhythm and fit lance in this offense. At first, he threw a bad interception on a you know, zoned in pass to George Kittle. He also had an incredible like laser touchdown dart to Stebo Samuel later in the game that you're like, wait a minute, Jimmy g for all is good and bad moments, could never have thrown that ball. I mean, he had another incredible throw to George Kittle, that as they got heated up, and I think they

still want to be a run based team. And you know, Eli Mitchell like was so good today on a couple of different runs that helped him out. But you didn't see tray Lance take over the game necessarily. Um not that I expected that today. I thought that on the flip side, what happened for Houston a little bit. They hung around. Their offensive line did a sneaky good job and they're not a good old line at all until the Niners defense really kind of got going later in

the game. It just took the entire San Francisco operations sometime. I I honestly looked at it. Dylan thoughts for all of the ups and downs with Jimmy G. I don't know if I would take the risk of putting tray Lance into a playoff game over Jimmy G at this point. It just looks to me a little slow in his processing. I mean, that did improve as the game went along, so maybe he projected out two games from now it's

a little bit better. But I think there's a reason that we haven't seen a ton of trade Lance up until we needed to because of the injury this week because I think gets neck up. We all know he's a smart player. They say that that this offense just has not totally clicked in his mind. Ali, we can do some things physically that are very impressive. Well maybe there's like maybe that's the case. And I know Garoppolo

on balance has been good this year. Um the case for why Land should have been in the lineup so he could get their mental reps, get ramped up, and continue to gain some confidence. And then you're going into the postseason with a rookie that has some reps. I know that's that's all silly because that's not the way it played out. And Garoppolo certainly is capable of getting

hot himself in January. But it did make it. As you're explaining that to me, it doesn't make me think maybe he if he had the opportunity to get sped up a little bit, this would be a different Niners team we're talking about. But that's not where we're at. But he might I think he might. I mean it might. The decision might not be one to be made. This sounds like a serious thumb injury. It's torn ligaments. He's gonna have surgery and it eventually, he never sounded like

he got particularly close. He never threw a football this last week, and while I bemoaned the lack of juice going into Week eighteen, at the beginning of the show, the Rams forty Niners game is pretty spicy. I mean that, you know, forty Niners have won five straight against them. The forty Niners are gonna need that win um to make the playoffs, or at least to clinch a spot. The Saints will still be alive, and I'm sure they'll put that at the same time, so it's not a

dead game. They've kind of owned the Rams. They could hurt. They could knock the Rams out of the division lead. Maybe it's Lands, maybe it's Garoppola. I don't know. The way they talked about the Jimmy g injury, it does make you wonder if he's just done zo um this season.

Mcvavor shanahan. That's just fun because you know, like if there's any two guys on a field in two right now that I want to have like their inner monologue locked in, I would be like when those guys are going into against each other and just mother effing each other, like altered the game I'm the true boy genius. No, I am take that want to be boy genius. I'm the true boy genius. Like, well, you're both like it's

the extent of the time. And mcvad mcvaigan knocked them right out of the playoffs, which would be a nice little revenge for losing five straight against them. All right, so let's uh, let's move on now. The Saints also harbor playoff hopes as we enter Week eighteen in a few days, so let's check in on them. Second, it's twenty back to pass their trumps. Pressure throw that balls picked off right side, looks like CD douce right in front of the Saints pench down inside the ferny R line.

CD news, We'll take it to the end zone to celebrate. And that's the way you're finishing. I liked it. The late interception of Sam Donald sealed it for the Saints in eighteen ten win on Sunday. Uh, Saints still alive in the in the wild card race. And this is a game where Alvin Camara turned a short pass into a New Orleans touchdown, their first touchdown in eleven quarters. W did you ever think you would see that? These the Saints under on Payton needing eleven quarters does the

score a touchdown? But even if he didn't score that, they probably would have won anyway because Brett Mark kicked four field goals and the defense was just way too much for the Panthers completely in apt offensive attack. This is a Panther's team that had seven sacks of Sam Donald. Cam Jordan's had three and a half on his own, and that's his third straight game with at least two sacks. He's had a great career cam Jordan's and he still got it. And yes it was c J. Gardner Johnson

or c J. Douce? Was it c who locked it down? So the Pathers that six straight losses, the Saints poll to eight and eight and they have a shot here. I mean, I didn't watch a buch of this game, but I did watch the Panthers final drive while they were down eight, so it's technically a one score game. I don't feel like I needed to watch anything more than that. This is not a great game. This is not a fun game to watch. This is a game like I'm glad I watched it because I don't have

to ever think about it again. Um, Sam Donald can't play. It did remind me that I was one of the people that was like, man, they probably should have kept Donald and then traded that number two overall pick, and No, Sam Donald just not going to be the guy. He's a he's a backup somewhere. Taysom Hill is the same thing. His Mill is not even a backup. I don't think at quarterback. I think he's he's much more suited to

be the gadget player that he was before that. I think this was by far not his worst game, but it kind of is the Taysom Hell experience that he doesn't really move the the offense very well, but he will come in with a nice run here and there. Um So the offense is what it is, and it was good that they got Camara unlocked a little bit in this game. They've really struggled to do that, uh

in stretches this season. But it's the defense that carried them and the defensive line which is really good, and that is their ticket to the playoffs. They are a They're not a pretty team, the Saints, but they are a gritty team. I love and I know you do, Greg. I love the Week eight team matchup at Atlanta, because you know, the Falcons are a team that would love to end the Saints season and crushing fashion. And I do not put the Saints as a heavy favorite there.

I think that's another one of those close Falcons games in which they've had a lot of uh success this season. But we'll talk about that on Thursday in the here and now. The Saints got it done. I mean the Saints. The one thing about them again, if you project some of these teams into the playoffs, their defense when they match up, well, I mean can it can be a

lights out situation. And Carolina's offensive line being as bad as it was, I mean some of that that last drive that you watched, Greg, there were two gigantic like takedowns of Donald that essentially was at the second end of the drive. I mean they are able to they like the three D, but I think that's showed throw it more than three yards. It was just I think it shows though, like how the quarterbacks in Carolina have

been under dress all year long behind that line. But this list the Saints defense did it to Tom Brady a couple of weeks ago. I just they're a little bizarre. I mean, it's hard to predict any of their games outside of them being low scoring. I feel like Saints fans don't even want them to make the playoffs. Just stupid. Just make the playoffs and have to I know this, What does it matter? What does it matter? What it's like, Oh, we don't, It's like who cares? Just enjoy it. Just

make position and you're eight and eight. It's it's gonna make that big a difference. At this point, that wasn't like, Okay, we know they're not going to win. I guess the idea is like you don't want to lose thirty four to three against the Rams or whatever it might be, which is totally possible. I'll tell you what, what I wouldn't give to wake up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and be like, Oh, my team's playing a postseason

game today. Do not take that for granted. I know, Saints fans, you've been very lucky with Drew Brees all these years, but it doesn't always happen. I don't know how many Saints fans are like that. You think it's a lot? Is that a scientific study? How do it like we're coming up with that? Greg from one okay, um Alright, anybody else have a question about this game, because it really is exactly what it It's like. Um, the Saints field goal kicker did nicely, the defense balled out.

Sam Donald stinks Taysom Hills not much better, but he is better. No, But I think it's noteworthy that Ian Rapports said the plan is to keep Matt rule. But he said barring a total catastrophe the last couple of weeks or like something unforeseen, which so what does that even mean? Like every week is a catastrophe for the I also think it's all it's all, it's all been foreseen. I think what we're watching is not something that trades.

So to me, that's that says like, yeah, we're probably keeping him, but I don't know if there's some coach we really like that. And it is a hundred and seventy eight total yards of offense three yards per play? Is that a catastrophe? Right? The lowest are yards per attempt of Sam Donald's career, which is like a pretty high or low bar to reach, is three point He averaged three point five yards per throw, and that's like an offseason draw or off the field drama too. I

think some of them good at cooking up. I honestly think rules best chance to survive ys. Don't get blown out in week eighteen. Don't say anything, don't become a meme or be someone that's mocked for a stupid press conference comment jay Z type comment um, and just get get to the offseason. Whip sealed into silence. Keep a low profile, my man. We're pulling for you. We like you, your jersey guy, but we need to keep a low profile. All right, let's uh, yeah, there there was a worst

offensive performance. Uh it was from the Giants. Let's check in on that. With time. Here comes queen, what's right? Into gop of the ball comes out? Giants have recovered for Robert Quinn has just picked up sec number eighteen in a regular season that has been nothing shorter spectacular. And I set the Bear single season record for sacks

that has held for thirty seven years. This game was about defense for the Bears, though Robert Quinn broke Hall of Fame Richard Dan's franchise single season mark with his eighteenth szack in nine to three win UM. The Giants were held to minus ten net passing yards in this game. Quinn, meanwhile, reached that eighteen sack mark a year after his Bears tenure began with two sacks in fifteen games in twenty

weird mark weird. It was a weird game. It's, uh an eyesore of a scenario for Giants fans who have been through it. Um, you know, it's always was a Jets Giants who's dealing with worse stuff or what one one of them has like high glory and the other still has worse stuff. But right now, these Giants fans, I mean, this game in the first couple of minutes became as embarrassing as possible. Uh. You know, the Bears basically got up fourteen nothing off a strip sack of

Glennon that put the ball to three yard line. Then he threw a terrible interception. It's just like Mike Glennon, who has been around the block at this point, I don't understand how you he hired him. He had twenty four yards in the entire game with two killer interceptions and that fumble. The Bears offense was not very good either. I mean, this was a rough watch, but they just I thought it was better field position for them and a defense in Chicago that looked like under Shandasia has

done a really good job. I think in general, like the Bears defenses of old, it's like, we don't need the offensive to everything. We're gonna go take care of business right now. A good call about Glennon. I um read about that in the Power Rings last last week that the Tri State area has seen entirely too much Mike Lennon this season, and this is the type of performance this year where you kind of play yourself out of that backup quarterback land and it's putting his career

in danger. He could be heading towards the XFL. Any other notes on this game mark that jump out to you before we move on, not a ton. I do think that the Bears have played hard on for Matt Neige despite we all know that he's gone. I mean, I I think you even go back to that Packers performance. Just in general, day have not faded the way some

of these teams have. And so some of these seems like like Joe Judge's team, we do have Joe Judge, uh some sound from him his eleven minute some of his eleven minute rant defending himself when when they asked, like what what he's done to keep his job. Was ridiculous to keep a low profile. Dude, You guys ain't been the building for two years now with this code. Al Right, but i'll tell you right now, all right, if you're in the damn building, you walking through our

locker room, you ain't seen that crappy saw before. All right. You ain't seen guys right now playing vacations. You ain't seen golf clubs in front of players locker. Ain't seen that stuff. I mean, when did Joe Judge become like Matthew McConaughey and in a time to kill he suddenly has like a Southern accent? You wait this, and it was just just ridiculous. He's from Pennsylvania and it's just the Aints, and and he went on this huge thing about like what a great how they've stayed together, Like

I don't care. You just got blown out by another team that supposedly isn't staying together, like show it on the field, Like I think he's gone. Who cares that it hasn't been ugly like they on the field. I know the report was out there that he was safe,

and but that happens every year. There's always a guy that we're told is safe, that goes and I just think the way this season is cratering into abject embarrassment for the Giants, it just makes more and more sense that they're going to do a total overhaul the operation.

I mean, you could say it's unfair to Joe Judge or whatever, but he's had two years and the organization has regressed or the team has regressed, and it's just like, man, what's the case for keeping a guy when the team's I mean, the Jaguars are probably the worst team in football, but the Giants are right behind him, and that is that's really telling making things up to Like he said, people from other teams are telling them that they'd rather

be on the Giants still, even though they're making more money else where. It's like it's just I mean, I think to Greg's point though too, like from last week, that's suddenly what You're not going to have the general manager, but you're going to have Joe Judge if you keep him, and then you're gonna shoehorn another general manager in there

that works in that power structure. I think that the Giants have to finally get this thing right, and I don't know what candidate would be out there that would appeal to them outside of like pulling Bill Belichick away from New England, which I'm going to continue to hammer that idea. Um, but there's this is not working. It's dysfunctional. Why would Bill Belichick ever want to leave the Patriots once again an ascended franchise to try to rebuild the

Giants when he's like seventy years old. Um, Because I think that it would be if he were able to do that in three or four years as his swan song, to go back where he came from, to raise it out of the ashes, it would be like, oh wait, this is the greatest coach of our entire life. He's already risen the Patriots out of their seven and nine slumber. So I was going to say, though, like he already has that narrative set up in New England. Not to get backed down here, but well, I think we all

need new challenges. Maybe view it as a new challenge versus just doing it with the Patriots again, but not without Brady, is what I'm saying. He kind of already has it set up in New England to to write that final chapter. Yeah, I am not calling this a likely scenario. I'm just saying that the Giants would want to be wooed by someone like if you're gonna come on from Joe Judge, you're not gonna fill them in

with some other, you know, nameless face. Please, right, all right, let's wrap up the pre Sunday night football games with a trip to luman Field. That still doesn't sound the clink touchdown? What was the original? Yeah, rocks rolls riding any white. Then number fourteen opens up under the goal posts from a yard out and Medcalf now with his third touchdown of the day. Original name of Seahawks Stadium quest Field. Now that's a name, that's a corporate name.

I can get a more poetic. Yeah, that was when the twelves or the twelves and way Steve Rabel k I r O. Russell Wilson threw four touchdown passes Hey Greg, three of them to DK Metcalf, buddy take hey to Mac Jones setting records today three touchdowns and uh well that was like two takes going up and smoke at the same time. Russell Wilson shot and DK Metcalf haates Russell Wilson and can't catch touchdowns for him anymore. Well that there was never a thing that they couldn't catch touchdowns.

It was like there that there was some h you know, unhappiness. You're right, okay, Rosha Penny added a hundred and seventy yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Seahawks roll nine. Another fifty burger, ironic fifty burgers for the Seahawks and Russell Wilson and Mac Jones and the Patriots. Yeah, I

fired them, got fire. Well, I mean, my that that take only lasted like a day before I saw Chris Him's getting flamed for saying the Jets would turn down a Russell Wilson for Zack Wilson trade, which is really a next another level on top of mine, which there's many levels to why I think that's wrong. Um, Russell Wilson played great though today it had a very slow start, weirdly for a team that put up fifty and then I think they scored touchdowns in six straight drives. I mean,

you don't you don't see that too often? Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touch on touchdown fieldal Fogle, I mean, that's that's that's getting it done, that's eating right. Good morning. We want to say, really that was your spot. You slide right in there with your own commentary. Always not always, but I will, I will. I mean that's what happened with Detroit because I think Tim Boyle, like at this point, would have would have been any different with Jared goffin there.

I don't even know they banged me. I I m the rainmaker. The hot streak is so went over. I went one and one this week, you know, the Eagles came through. So I was up to six and oh I got I got a banged by God. I wouldn't have GoF your right. Wasn't the difference in this, But I wouldn't have made it rain with with Tim Boyle. But that's what happens when you tape on Thursday. It's okay. Uh, they defense to come after certain coaches about accountability. You

know I could have I couldn't try to change. Well, I could have tried. I thought about, like, is there any way because I did change my pick like online and stuff when that happens. But at this point our podcast, you know, you gotta live with what what changes. So I took the el. So there's there's six and one. I don't know if there's too much but Russell, uh Russell. Okay, Rashad Penny has like really run well the last few weeks. He now has as many runs over twenty five yards

as any running back in the league. He he either has tied with Jonathan Taylor or his second I'm not sure right now, but that is outrageous. Yeah, that's um, I guess something to look forward to. The Seahawks former first round pick finally doing something staying healthy. All right, there you go. The Lins have mixed in some of those grizzly blowouts befitting of a truly terrible team with the field good stories we kind of gloss over when

they get their asses blown out narrative. So well, it's true they've had a ton of close losses and they've gotten destroyed. I'm on st rossing Brown though. Uh he's a real setting some rookie records. Had a rushing touchdown. I mean, this was about as fun as a Seahawks Lions totally empty blowout could be because, uh there was a lot of points. You like, that's you know, a

couple of pieces to build around. You know, go go get another wide receiver pair with him, and we're starting to cook a little bit got t J. Hockinson there, all right, enough enough lins talk, let's move to Sunday night football as time again touched down a week too easy with the Green Bay Packers where once again the number one seed in the NFC there once again thirteen and three for the third straight year, as they take out the Vikings without Kirk Cousins thirty seven to ten.

If I wull score, as I said, with the Packers with the wind clinched the NFC number one seed, that means they get the bye week, they get hope field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and Mark this one never felt like was even the slightest bit of doubt. No, I mean the game itself, um for the Vikings was just sort of doubst in purposelessness because you know you've been reduced to a team with at your quarterback. But I don't think it would have mattered if Kirk Cousins

were there or not. The Packers right now are locked in, as you mentioned, of the first team in league history to win third team plus games and three straight seasons. Of those three teams, this is the one I I struggled to kind of buy into hot regular season. I expect you to get knocked out in the playoffs. I

don't feel that way at this at all. I think you look around the NFC right now and I love teams like this that that drop a bomb right before they start to rest players and get ready for their by Who wants to go into Green Bay is the Cowboys, who are a hot and cold operation. I mean we like parts of them. The Rams, who you're playing like

their quarterback doesn't have a bad turnover game. We don't know what we're getting from the Cardinals and the Bucks team, the one that I thought might have been kryptonite for Green Bay. Just watch their best skilled position player march off the field with no shirts. So I think Green Bay is rounding into form at the most perfect possible time. Your quarterback is the m v P of the league. You have skilled position players all over the play. The

defense is solid enough. This team right now has no excuses. And I don't mean that in a negative way. I just see their path is clear to the Super Bowl as it's ever been in the last five or six years. It was nice for them, though, to do this. I know Kirk wouldn't have made the difference, but to go into halftime with the yardage total before that vikings Field

go drive I believe was two nine to thirty. It was like, okay, thank you Packers because the last three or four weeks without these complete games, with letting the Ravens back in, with getting a little lucky, I believe against the Browns, I'm sure they wanted to play a cleaner game. Rodgers was fantastic. If Degura didn't drop that you know, potential touchdown in the first quarter, he would, you know, Rogers would have had three touchdowns. Davante Adams

sets the Packers record. Everything's great, and they're not gonna play a meaningful game for three weeks, which is always a little weird. But the next time they play, they'll either be like eight teams left, or they'll be six teams left or who knows. Like that, the next time the Packers will will play a meaningful game and they might have a lot of players back, especially on the

offensive line. That that's the spot where I think they could get better where they've been short, you know, without Turner, without Myers, and now without box tr of course, yeah, the box Tr thing looms over everything. He was, you know, their best tackle and the best offensive lineman and he tore the a c L last January. If he came back, that would be a huge lift. And yeah, I agree that this feels of the three years, the year that they're the most set up here, um to get back

to the super Bowl. They haven't been to the super Bowl since the two thousand and ten seasons, so they're obviously overdue. Rogers, even though it feels like he's gonna be good forever. Um, you don't know what his future is with the Packers. You don't Davante Adams. His contract is up there over the cap significantly. UM. So this particular team, the way it's constituted like this is the team that needs to win to home games and get to the super Bowl. And I think they'll be a

favor it in every game they play. Now we'll get to all that in time, but I think it was just it should be celebrated what they've been able to do this season, which is they started the season as ugly as they can get, losing that game in Jacksonville to the Saints. Rogers threw two interceptions in that game. He threw two more over the next sixteen weeks. That's just how crazy fifteen weeks. That's how crazy the season has been. Um in terms of the offense being mistake free.

They're so well coached. They didn't have a penalty in this game until the very end of the game. Jones and Dylan are a great one to punch Adams is unbelievable. So yeah, this team is set up well. Uh, we'll talk about the Vikings as well marked down the road. But you have to wonder, I thought it jumped out to me. I didn't know that's that the Vikings haven't been above five at any point uh in a season

for two years now. When Vikings Press needs to decide whether to bring Mike zimmer Um, that inconsistency has to be um, you know, put into the equation. Yeah, I mean, you were the team that kind of floated below Green Bay for so long. And I think that the acid test for any team, any coach in the NFC North

is beating Green Bay, beating Aaron Rodgers. And you know, Zimmer's had a couple of moments here and there, but you're right, like we've drawn entertainment from how close they hovered a five hundred, how most of them their games come down to the very end, but they've never really morphed into dominance. They've never really become that team, and I it just feels like the end of the road

for Zimmer because of the amount of frustrating games. I I kind of drew interest from that Bill Parcels book that he shared with with the with the announcing crew at the end, where like Parcels game a couple of different tips about what it's like to be a coach and if you aren't cut out for this, it's gonna be real rough. The first two ord note party, but

the third one on it's just lonely. And sometimes when I look at Zimmer, it's just it does seem like you're trapped in a strange place as this Vikings coach. And I don't know how you really are you bringing him back for another year because I can't think of a team that has so many interesting parts but feels in need of a refresh in certain areas. But don't bring back, don't get rid of Zimmer and then keep Kirk Cousins around because I don't care who you bring in.

I don't know. Maybe I'm more a pro Zimmer guy than other people, but like, don't tell me that Mike Zimmer is the problem because I think ultimately Cousins bears a huge responsibility that they've been middling ever since the Minneapolis miracle. They're an up and down operation. Cousins is an up and down quarterback. And it feels like to me, if you want to do a little quick postmortem here, that that's as big an issue as any head coach malaise that they have. He's not on the field in

this game because he didn't get vaccinated. He must have slipped out of the cube. That's the problem. It's a it's a tough one. It's like it's just like such a boring way for this to end, but almost so predicted. I mean, if you have said this before the season, that Cousins gets COVID before they get hammered, and we seventeen on Sunday Night football for the Packers to get

the one seed, it's just like two predictable. And it's a it's a really tough one, Dan, because you know, I want to argue with you in terms of like Cousins versus Zimmer, but I think the answer is they're just they're similar, you know, they're they're both a little

better than average actually, and that's why it's tough. I think Cousins is a little is ahead of the Dalton line, adding Zimmer is ahead of the Dalton line for coaches, and yet it's so obvious that the two of them together in three out of the last four years have have been underwhelming, haven't gotten their over underwind total, which is just a kind of a good way to look

at like expectations, and and it needs to change. And Spielman, who runs the show, really precede Zimmer by I thinks five or six years, so he's been there for fifteen years. So it's it's a it's a tough one because there's no easy answers. My guests would be you you do blow it up and that in that yeah, Cousins as is a tradeable piece, and that if you if you get stuck with Cousins with then you coach. You can live with that, but you kind of go into the off season seeing what a new coach or new GM

wants to do with him. And I feel like Cousins actually is pretty pretty darn movable. Zimmer and his three years before Cousins was there, you know, I don't know, I don't want to talk about anymore. I'm just saying I think, I think, I think above average coach, maybe a little bit more than that. Then Cousins comes in, and all of a sudden, that Cousins mediocrity is draped over everything. And also, and I don't want to hear it, and I don't want to hear it on Twitter people, Oh,

don't say that Cousins. You know he got COVID because he's unvaccinated. I know everyone's getting COVID now I understand that, but that hung over this team the whole season, the fact that he was the starting quarterback unvaccinated, and it did come and get them in a big spot here with the season on the line. So it is what it is. I think La Fleur and Rogers might have um cemented their trophies. Now Rabel might get Coach of

the Year. I think has a good chance. But La Fleur man, I think he might get a lifetime achievement for that thirteen, you know, the thirteen wins three straight years, and I think he deserves it. And and I know Burrow is the fun pick and he might put up some numbers next week, but I still would give it

to Rodgers. Or even Rocks. I would actually give it the cup maybe um over over if I had to vote, But you like a three pack, but you can't, so I'd give it to Dan's point, that's the third time in his career that he's thrown five d plus attempts with four fewer interceptions. He is the m v P. And to top what happened last year, I you know, I would want to dock him a few points for um, you know, six months of absurd offseason drama, but that that's gone at this point. He is the best player

on the best team in football right now. I wonder if, because it's such a it seems like a closer race this year, I wonder if him not playing and he's not going to play next week against the Lions for several reasons, um, but that inability to pat pat his stats and get up to thirty touchdowns. You know whether voters will hold that against them, even subconsciously, because thirty five touchdowns one doesn't jump at out you like it

did maybe ten ago. I think he wanted for me at least he won my theoretical vote in the first eight to ten games when he was managing those games almost like he was the coach, Like even when the numbers weren't popping off, he did the necessary place to win in each one of those weeks, and like he calculates risks and avoids mistakes. So and was like making up for the guys that weren't gone. It was a it was a great season, all right, let's spend forward. Okay,

So the Eagles did. They clinch a playoffs butt in the NFC with the Vikings loss and the Packers win. So the Eagles are officially in uh the schedule for week eighteen. Uh, they dropped it Chiefs, Broncos, UH and Cowboys. Eagles will play on Saturday, the Sunday night game as it should be as Chargers versus Raiders, which is most likely going to be a win and in game, so the playoffs start early. Any other final thoughts, gentlemen before we say goodbye. Mm hm. The Eagles will probably rest

their starters in that game. But they were in a tough spot the NFL because they wanted to keep all the I was thinking that there's a lot to consider there. They're playing the a f C East games all at the same time. In the afternoon, they're playing the in the Sunday afternoon. That is, the NFC West games at the same time Sunday afternoon and the n in the Saints are being moved to the afternoon to the NFC wild Card spot. So basically the Sunday morning is all

but dead. Uh, And so they had it was tricky. There wasn't any perfect choice, but I would guess the Eagles are probably gonna arrest their starters. They're almost certainly going to play the Bucks or there's a very high percentage chance that it's Eagles at Bucks almost no matter what happens, I think Chiefs forty Broncos seven will be a real juicy piece of fruit to dig your teeth into on Saturday to at least that game has meaning. But you're right at a it's not much of a game.

And one last note, we watched the Vikings tonight. The most famous Vikings loss of the last thirty years came at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons INNC Championship game. The head coach of that Falcons team was Dan Reeves, who appeared in nine Super Bowls, nine as a player, assistant coach, head coach. He died at his home in Atlanta on Saturday. He was seventy seven years old. Um, Reeves, you know this comes right on the heels of John Madden, and this is another guy like he's the face of

an entire generation of football. He came into the league with the Cowboys and had a great playing career, went into coaching, had that great run with the Broncos, obviously that produced multiple Super Bowl appearances. UM went to Atlanta. Well, went to the Giants, had some success there in the post parcels era of that franchise. Then of course went to Atlanta and got them to one of the more unlikely Super Bowl, UM making them one of the more

unlikely Super Bowl teams ever. Two wins in his NFL coaching career, including the postseason, one of only nine coaches in NFL history with twos. Rest in peace, Dan Reeves, I mean Dan Reeves. I'll say one quick thing, like, when I became a football fan, he was paired at the hip with John Elway as I watched the drive, the fumble, and then two years later a third a f C title game against Cleveland and a blowout, and I was like, I really want to dislike this guy more,

but he's not. He's likable, and here's something about him that kind of seemed to come from a different world of coach classy coach behavior. So I think he was just as about as well liked around the league as possible by players and the people that coached with him. Dan Reeves, Okay, thank you for listening. We're grinding through it. The whole world's grinding right now. We'll be back on Tuesday with another edition of Around the NFL to make

sure you're there for that. As we begin to look ahead towards an unprecedented event in the history of our league. We buckle up, baby, all right? Are you excited? Mark? You? You? You know you you forgot that that big Week eight team back in when they had a couple of bye weeks, remember that that was a fun time. Damn yeah. But

that that also, that's different. That was two weeks off for every team and probably week off, you know, weeks off for various good little nugget there in a big spot there, Greg, I deserved to be corrected there, and you did it. I was gonna hold off if you just powered through. But then no, no, that's good. And I think it's important that we gave the listeners the

correct information. This is not unprecedented. Week eighteen's back Baby with a vengeance, all right, this is Dan Hansis signing up for the old Boss, the Quiet Storm, the grave digger, taking shots behind that bulletroof glass. That's what the Titans are all about. That fan base coming after everybody now, and Ricky Hollywood until Tuesday even called s