It hadn't happened since nineteen seventy six. No, not a Viking spacecraft landing on Mars, although that answer also technically would be correct. It's an out of this world play from Thursday Night's thriller.
We will tell you.
Why the Chargers were ready. Got a chalk full weekend slate around the NFL as well. All starts with Chiefs Texans on Saturday, followed by Steelers Ravens, and those are just the appetizer for the main spread on Sunday. We've got everything you need to know. Meanwhile, are you in your Fantasy semi finals this weekend? D you need a quarterback to save the day. If you got Kirk Cousins, well you were probably eliminated some time ago, but get him out of the lineup. If you're still in, Adam
Rank has some intriguing alternatives for you. And we've got so much more welcome inside with the insiders alongside Judy Battista, I am Tom pelaserro. We got so much action Judy coming up this weekend. Tons of playoff implications in all these games. We've still got seven spots up for grabs. Will break down a lot of these big matchups, including that Saturday doubleheader during the course of this show. But
let's fast forward really quickly to Sunday as well. In a big name who is going to be ready to roll? That is Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown, who gave certainly some fantasy owners as well as Eagles fans a scare earlier this week, was limited miss some practice time because of a knee issue, but he told reporters in the locker room after practice he is going to play, and indeed, Aj Brown off the injury report, ready for a big
divisional tilt against the Commanders one in Wench. The Eagles, with a win, can wrap up the NFC East title. They're also still in the running for the number one overall. However, if the Commanders get a win and some help from one or multiple of several teams, they can clinch their playoff spot this weekend as well, so can the Packers.
They play on Monday night game at lambeau Field.
I will be there in what looks like a snow game against these Saints. Win that one, get a couple of other losses in Green Bay two would punch their postseason ticket. In that same NFC North Division, the Lions already know their playoff bound. They are also in line for the number one seed potentially, but they got to take care of business lease in the short term without one of their star players among the whole lot of other guys. David Montgomery initially feared to have suffered a
season ending mcl injury that would require surgery. Now sounds like maybe there's a glimmer of hope.
Dan Campbell.
Optimistic with a couple of doctors that he saw the last two and you know, so, I think I think we may see where this thing goes. We still got a decision to make because even if that is the case, you know, it's a matter do you put him on ir do you see you know how fast he can come back from it? All that, but it certainly sounds more optimistic. That's probably the best way to say it.
Andy Reid once told us he had the loosest ligaments in the NFL.
Apparently still true.
Patrick Mahomes good to go against the Texans despite the high ankle spring he suffered less than a week ago. He's going to get some big time help. Receiver Hollywood Brown, who has missed the entire season with a shoulder injury he suffered in the first preseason game. We're finally going to get to see him in a Chief's uniform. He's been activated. He will make his season debut for the Chiefs tomorrow, and they've got plenty on the line in this game tomorrow. They are the number one seed in
the AFC. Right now here are your AFC clinching scenarios for the weekend. Pretty straight up for the Chiefs. If they win, they would be the number one seed, get the first round by and the home field advantage throughout only though, if Buffalo loses to the Patriots, and then you see some scenarios for the Steelers and Ravens to get in.
Steelers are already in.
They would clinch the AFC North though if they beat Baltimore. Baltimore, if they beat Pittsburgh would get in, or they could even get in with a loss if Indianapolis and Miami both lose.
The Bengals still clinging to fate playoff hopes to Like Zach Galafanakis standing at the blackjack table, the numbers are going all through their heads. What they gotta do is take care of business first against the Browns. They'll have a couple of their stars out there. Te Higgins has a knee injury causing a mispractice on Thursday, another panic moment for fantasy players, but back at practice on a
limited basis today. He's off the injury report good to go, as is quarterback Joe Burrow, who had.
A knee issue pop up in addition to the.
Right wrisk thing that he's been dealing with since he suffered that season indiing injury early last season.
Burrow also off the report.
He will start against the Browns, taking out the look some of the other injury issues that potentially could be impacting your fantasy playoffs this weekend. Jalen Waddell, listed as doubtful for this game, didn't practice all week because of a knee. Tyreek Hill, by the way, added late as questionable. Sounds like though he should be all right to play
in that game. The forty nine ers gonna be down into what their fifth string running back now because Isaac Garrendo is out, so is Nelson Aguilar for the Ravens. Or Shot Bateman's questionable, so they could be really shorthanded there. Xavierly Get also ruled out. Gino Smith he's back full participant, despite will look like a scary knee injury for him.
And how about Tyler Higgy Higbee?
You want to plug and play a tight end who hasn't seen the field since the wild card playoffs last year, You can roll the dice Higbee off the injury report. He is indeed going to be out there. Let's go back to last night's game, Thursday Night Football. It was a good one. The Broncos seen to be in control until a unique sequence late in the game.
See that got beyond Jim Harbaugh.
That's Ryan Ficken, the special teams coordinator who on Tuesday had had the Chargers practice exactly this. It is a fair catch, free kick. It's a unique formation. Cameron Dicker nailed it. That is a turning point in that game, pulled the Chargers within eight. Fast forward to the fourth quarter. Chargers on the comeback Justin Herbert, How in the world was this a touchdown pass? He's got no lower body
behind it, throws it across his body. Darius Davis nineteen yard touchdown Later on in the fourth quarter, how about one more? Justin Herbert to Hassan Haskins. Who Hassan Haskins, you might have plug and played him in your fantasy playoffs a couple of years ago he was with the Titans.
I did that.
He scored basically no points, and I got knocked out. But it worked out last night for the Chargers, who remained very much in the thick of the AFC playoff picture, prevented the Broncos, by the way, from clinching his playoff spot last night. Both those teams, though squarely in playoff position, one more win and they would be in.
Meanwhile, the Colts, the Dolphins, the Bengals.
Still sitting there and hoping something tilts in their favor, namely one of those teams losing all their remaining games. But everybody's still talking about the fair catch free kick, including Cameron Dicker, who talked to our bridget content after the game.
He got hit and trying to catch it. We had that penalty. I was like, okay, fifteen yards, that's gonna put us up there. So then I went over to the net and hit a couple of real quick I ran over and then then the offense was out there, and I was like, did they forget about this?
Like?
I was like, am I the one even remembered this?
And then did he say something I.
Did and I was in the net kicking. I was like, oh remember, And so then Beep ran over and he let me know and he's like, hey, we're going, We're going. I was like, okay, got one more repping and then ran out on the field and then the Broncos were confused, so they called the time out.
When you go out there, what are you thinking?
I was kind of laughing. I was like, what a funny moment like this is?
This is cool.
Just enjoy the moment, Embrace the moment and just go go try to hit a bob and enjoy it.
It's my favorite rule in football and just been trying to get one of those, like every game, you know, Uh yeah, yeah, yeah, the first one we've made.
I tried.
We tried one with the forty nine ers. I think it was like a seventy yarder or something seventy one. Thanks, Yeah, mister Dawson. Uh, probably a little if I wanted it so bad that, you know, I tried a seventy one yarder, But it is.
It is my favorite rule.
Plenty of confusion in the stadium, people watching at home, not on the Chargers sideline, but if you miss the rule if the kicking team interferes with a receiver who has signaled for a fair catch, the receiving team will have the option to extend the period by attempting a fair catch, kick or a snap from scrimmage after enforcement of any applicable penalties.
All that means.
They got to move the ball up and then have the holder come in. Cameron Dicker comes on and again that was a very consequential moment in that game. As we welcome in our Brian Baldinger to the conversation, Baldi, one of the unique things in talking to people today about this place, the kickoff rules changed four times in the last five years, and the formation, everything about that play now is different than every other kickoff that we see.
That's why the Chargers were drilling it on Tuesday. You got to be a yard back as opposed to on the line you're kicking from. You can leave when the ball is kicked rather than when it's caught. You played in a different era, obviously, did you ever see something like this?
I have not. I played thirteen years Tom.
I never saw it in the time that I played, but I played with Jim McMahon and Jim McMahon used to practice drop kicking every day just in case the opportunity came up, because like Camera Dicker, you could hold it or you could drop kick it. The drop kick is still I think it's still in the rules, so either way, but we used to practice it and McMahon was like, if this rule comes up, I'm ready, I'm going in.
I'm kicking it. So it's been out, I haven't seen it.
Obviously, Tremon Smith interferes with Darius Davis.
They get the penalty right there.
Give give you the Chargers Special teams coach Harball credit for knowing it and knowing what to do because it cut that halftime lead to twenty one ten to twenty one thirteen. It's an untimed down for the fair catch interferes free kick rule, and they took advantage of it.
H This was so great because I feel like every Monday of the season we have to talk about poor game management situations, bad decisions, bad clock management, stuff like that, and this was the example of a coach taking advantage of Let's face it, a really arcane rule in the book, one that you don't see used very often.
It's apparently Jim Harbaugh's.
Favorite rule who knew but that he used it and that they executed it so perfectly like it was kind of refreshing that we finally got somebody who had mastery of the rule book in the moment and they could execute it per And as you pointed out, Tom, it was a turning point in the game.
It wasn't just a fun, sort of fluky play.
It became a really important pivot point in this game.
The only person who was more excited about that play being possible than Jim Harbaugh might have been me.
My wife can attest this. I jumped up off the sofa and just went, they can do the free kick here it is. He's like, what are you talking about? Just watch this never ever happens. Sure enough, there was the moment here again.
Credit to to Ryan Ficken, one of the only holdovers from the prior coaching staff. Jim Harbaugh kept him around. He's turned around their special teams the past couple of years. He had those guys ready for that moment, Baldy. The rest of that game, the Broncos really seemed like they were in control. There was a weird sequence that preceded the fair catch free kick where they throw on second downs in complete, then the Charges were able to use the time out.
What were your big takeaways of how this game unfolded?
Well, what's been missing because for the three previous weeks the Chargers have been a seventeen point offense.
We identified that leading up to the game all week.
But what had been missing because I saw him last week against Tampa when he's four to seventeen, he got blown out. But what had been missing was the explosive plays. So you saw justin I just throw right here. Obviously it's ridiculous. It's like bumping to his hut, his resume reel right there to get Darius Davis. You know, Hassan, You see Gus Edwards right here had the forty three yarder in the fourth quarter, longest run from scrimmage for
AMO year. Lad McConkie obviously got things started early on. That was a twenty seven yard throw. But they got the explosive plays. This is Gus Edwards in the fourth quarter in flip field position.
On the next play, you know, Hassan Haskins goes the distance.
So they were able to get these explosive plays right here, and it was really the difference right there with Haskins going into the end zone to be able to put up a big number that they needed to in order to knock the Broncos out.
You know, I'm a little bit concerned about the Broncos because they've only beaten one team so far this season that is at five hundred or above, and that's the Bucks, and I think that was all the way back in week two or three of the season. They're one in six against teams above five hundred, so and they're eight
no against teams that are below five hundred. So I feel like the record is good and they're probably still going to make the playoffs, But is that record a little bit misleading about how far along this team has come?
Clearly this is a team on.
The rise, but every time they sort of take a step up in quality of opponent, they can't seem to match that level yet. And that raises concerns obviously about if they make it into the playoffs. First of all, if they make it into the playoffs right now, they would be the seven seed, which means, if everything held up as it is, they would have to go to Buffalo to play the Bills. That's not a great matchup
at all for anybody. But I really wonder now if that record is misleading about where the Broncos are in their progression.
Baldy, I know you had to press pause on a Christmas party to join us here, So go back, eat some little pieces of cheese on a stick.
We really appreciate you being here. Forward to chatting with you again soon.
Coming up after this, we've got some fantasy advice. It's a unique time you might need somebody to plug and play, whether it's because of injury of Benching or otherwise. Adam Rank has some really interesting thoughts on some names you should consider later on in the show. After this, We've got Steve White's going to be here to talk about a really good slate of games, including Steelers Ravens on Saturday, and who exactly is going to secure the number one
seed in each conference? Could Jared Goff and the beat up Lions get it done? White has answers next on the Insiders.
They don't like us. We down, so I don't like them. They about coming to the house.
Take it down with.
The Dux Dawn Steeler. Ben puts the ball right on the the touchdowns three here.
It is a first time star or Lamar Jackson against the Steelers.
Jackson is unbelievably gifted.
That's down Raven, unbelievable blastic raven.
Steelers all kind of hitting.
Was tough to all down.
Indeed, there's a hitting, there's some jog, there's everything we've thought there would be.
Definitely been a Facebook game.
The Steelers are spelling blood.
They got Ben, They fought fucking fat He got two teams.
They respect one another, but doll like one another.
Stittsburgh and Baltimore. You don't have to say a whole lot more.
Always fun when these teams get together, especially when it's in December with a lot on the line. Steelers win tomorrow, they clinch the AFC. North Ravens win tomorrow, they would clinch a playoff. Berth can also get in with Colts and Dolphins losses. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilicerro and Judy Batista, joined now by our buddy White, Steve.
This is as good as against.
Right here, two teams that have seen to be on a collision course throughout the course of the season.
What are looking for is this one?
Yeah?
I mean every time they play it seems like a collision course in one way or another. But think back to Week eleven when these teams played eighteen to sixteen. Pittsburgh wins again, the eighth victory over the Ravens in nine games, but they do it by kicking six field goals, which might be why the odds makers have the Ravens as a six point favorite, because the Ravens offense has been playing better. The Steelers don't have wide receiver George Pickens,
but again, Pickens wasn't that much of a factor. He had eighty nine yards in receptions. The bigger issue the last time they played was justin Tucker, the Ravens kicker missed two field goals and you see it was just.
A two point margin. So this is one here.
If the Ravens can establish the run and maybe get out to an early lead put pressure on the Steelers offense, that's something that could flip things in Baltimore's favor. But even if the Ravens win, as you just pointed out, they are out of contention for that top seed in the AFC playoff race. Boys, Pittsburgh still has an opportunity to do it, but they would need to be to win out and have some things happen with Kansas City
and Buffalo. Remember Kansas City right now has a two game lead on Buffalo, who's is eleven and three of the Chiefs. They play Houston, they play the Steelers, and they played Denver. You see how tough that schedule is. Whereas Buffalo, who's two games back, the Patriots twice and the Jets.
Plus they've got the head to head over Kansas.
City from a regular season victory earlier this season. So right now, we'll know a lot more after this weekend. But Buffalo, as long as it continues to win, this is coming down to week eighteen.
One of the weirdest quirks of the AFC is that Lamar Jackson is a multiple time MVP and the Steelers keep beating the Ravens. Anyway, all right, let's flip it over Steve to the NFC side and talk about who's going to emerge there as the top seed. You've got them fight Vikings, You've got the Lions, and you've got the Eagles, all at twelve and two and two of those teams are still battling for a division title.
Who's gonna win here?
And the thing is, like the Eagles are the only ones that play outside. This is absolutely intriguing and this spells Week eighteen all over it. And you see the Lions against the Vikings in that game.
Now you can sit here and.
Say the Eagles might have the easiest route, but that game against Washington is not going to be easy.
Dallas is playing better football.
Well, the Giant's okay, Yet that is the easiest route when you look at the other two teams that they have to play. But again, this is one where it seems like the home field advantage favors the Lions if they get it, because they get to play in that dome, even though they're built to play outside. Now, Detroit, they've got to play the Chicago Bears. They've got to keep winning based on the way these teams play. And again, that season finale against Minnesota in Detroit could be for.
All of the marbles.
And I know we're talking about all those injuries which are legitimate for the Lions, all the players that they have out, but let's not forget about all the players that they still have on their roster. Philly yesterday might have the best overall competitive roster, but the Lions right now, with the schedule the Bears in forty nine ers coming up next could be the odds on to get that top seed.
Yeah, the injuries caught up with the Lions last week against the Bills, but that, of course is playing a super elite team. The rest of the schedule is not quite at that level, so they may be able to piece it together.
Steve, thank you very much. Enjoyed the games this weekend. We look forward to chatting with you again soon.
Speaking of these Saturday games, we got Chiefs Texans in this one too, a potential playoff preview. We know Patrick Mahomes somehow after that hit is going to be out there. But what version of him do we get and how do the Texans and CJ. Stroud solidify things to pull off and upset. We will discuss it when Jeffrey Jda joins us right after this on The Insiders. Twenty four hours to kick off. Well, it's really like seventeen and a half hours. This was posted six and a half
hours ago. That adds up, right, that's twenty four Yeah, Chiefs Texans, it is a big game one pm Eastern time, Newton Central at Arrowheads Stadium where the Chiefs, well they're going to have their starting quarterback out there, Patrick Mahomes, who got twisted up and bent over and put out of shape. I guess still every time I see that play, it just it hurts me physically. It looked rough, but
as usual, Patrick Mahomes tape it up. He's gonna get himself back out there, off the injury report and good to go against the Texans. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pillicero, Judy Batista, now joined by our friend Jeffrey Chidia.
Jeffrey.
A lot on line here still for the Texans as well. There's seating things at play. The Chiefs are still aiming to wrap up the number one seed is a Texans team that's invested a lot of money.
Though in that defensive front.
We already heard one Texans player this week say Mahomes better be able to move because we're coming after.
Yeah, he'd better be able to move.
Even though he's not on the injury report, he's still going to have some level of pain involved with that ankle. And the Texans know this. This is a huge matchup for them because they realized that the Chiefs have given up thirty five sacks this year. That's the most Patrick Mahomes ever been sacked in his career was hit. He was sacked thirteen times in three previous games before the Cleveland game, and so the Texans are bringing a passwords
that's really serious. They know they've got to get after him. They bring second in the league and sacked with forty five sacks. They've got two guys in double digit sacked with Daniel Hunter and Will Anderson Junior. And the Chiefs have said they're going to keep Joe Tooney at left tackle for this game. He did a good job against Miles Garrett, as offensive coinator Matt Naggie pointed out, but this is a different kind of animal, a lot of speed, and the Chiefs better be ready for it.
You know, we go back to when Mahomes had the high ankle spring two years ago in the playoffs and he played on it. He was able to move and sort of slide out of out of harm's way. But he's certainly not going to be able to move like he does when he's completely healthy. Having said that, as we've said before, Andy Reid says he's a very fast heel or loosest ligaments in the NFL. So we will see if he can get out of harms way again tomorrow.
All right, let's talk about though, the Houston Texans, who've had a pretty tough time all season long protecting c. J.
Stroud too.
He has already been sacked more times this year than he was all of last season. Last season he was only only sacked thirty eight times. What are they going to do to protect him better against, among others.
Chris Jones.
Well, they're the opposite of the Chiefs. They've taken The chief has taken a left tackle and a left guard moved in the left tackle. The Texans have taken an offensive tackle in Titus Howard and moved him inside to guard to try to help ease their interior line concerns, and getting dealing with Chris Jones is going to be
foremost on their minds. Their offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowe talked about he's watched film and seen other teams have plans for him, and none of those plans have worked, and so he's told his team just be ready to fight stick with it. They realize that ninety five is going to get moved all over the formations and he'll be an end, he'll be a tackle, and so they have to have a plan for him. But you're right, Judy,
the pressure that's binance. He j just Droud this year has been a big factor and why this offense has not performed at a high level. They have to have a plan for Chris Jones or they will not win this game.
It feels like a divisional playoff weekend with two games on Saturday, all involving very very relevant teams in this mix.
Gonna be a lot of fun to watch, Jeffrey, thank you very much.
This, of course, is just the start of the NFL's new holiday remix. Same teams, shovel him up. They'll play again on Christmas Day. It's all part of a doubleheader live on Netflix. Chiefs Steelers kick things off at one pm Eastern, followed by Ravens and Texans at four thirty pm Eastern. So kids finish opening those presents, Mom and dad have football to watch, all live on Netflix Christmas Day. Michael Pennix Junior gonna get his first start this week
for the Atlanta Falcons. But should he be someone you should consider starting in your fantasy lineup? In a pinch and Rank might have an answer that surprises you.
Next on the Insiders.
Time now to go inside with NFL Fantasy Live and our buddy Adam Rank joining meet Tom Pelicero here on the Insiders in his Week sixteen rank.
You're sixteen weeks deep into coming up with.
A nu miracle equation to the week here, and I understand right now you're about to have your Fantasy Sweet sixteen party.
Yep, Jake, Ryan and I are going to be sitting on a glass coffee table with a cake between us, trying to win a fantasy football league. So I'm excited for it. I don't know what we're gonna do for seventeen, but sixteen seem to make.
A lot of sense.
All right, bring it on, quarterbacks to start, What do you got for me?
Well, one of the guys that I'm looking at, I know that you use this in the tee. So let's talk about Michael Pennix because there is a lot of consternation about whether we can play this guy this week or not. And you see right there, the projection's not very robust. However, I do believe that this is going to be an opportunity to unlock this Falcons offense. Guys
like Drake London, Darnell Mooney. I won't go as so far as to say that we need to get Kyle Pitts into our starting lineups, but I do think there's an opportunity to go out there and play him this week. It's a tough one, I know. Again, like if you have an opportunity to get somebody like Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, yeah, play those guys. But if you're looking at how last week I needed to go with Bryce Young, I've pivoted to Michael Pennox this week, and I'm willing to be disappointed again.
Here's your thing too.
With Michael Pennix junior, Unlike a lot of the rookie quarterbacks we've seen, especially guys like Bo Nicks, there's not really a run threat with Michael Pennix.
Go back and look at his stats in college here.
It's not like, all right, if the past game isn't working, he's gonna run for one hundred yards.
That's not really his game. It'd be interesting to see how he looks. How about a running back in your sweet sixteen rank.
Well, somebody who's been battling some injuries over the last couple of weeks. But I think that he's safe to start this week is going to be Bucky Irving, who has been one of the finds of the Fantasy season this year. You know, coming into this this year, Tom, you know, there was a couple of rookies that I like, Tyrone Tracy, Bucky Irving being one of them as well. Nobody ever brings up that Instagram, Like, nobody finds that.
Anybody can go to the internet and find my prediction on the Bears, like with great ease, I'm like, hey, do you want to go back and say what I was talking about? Button Noup? They'll never find that. But Bucky Irving's been great. He's got a great matchup this week against the Dallas Cowboys, who've been very generous to opposing running backs this year. They've been a very generous
at home. They're a very hospitable guest as well. So Bucky Irving's a good play if you have to hit the waiver wire.
Though.
There are three guys, Dromeford, Alexander Madison. Alexander Madison is very interesting because he is going to get the majority of the carries for the Raiders this week, and of course Kendrey Miller on Monday Night we're still waiting to see. I don't know if you've broken this news yet. What's
up with Alvin Kamara? Is he playing like? I don't know, but Kendrey Miller has been getting has been given fantasy opportunities over the last couple of weeks, and even though the Green Bay Packers are a good defense, they have allowed the fourth most points per game to running backs as far as receiving goes, So I think there's a pretty good opportunity there.
No Alvin Kamara spotted again today at practice. Darren Rizzy has said unlikely that he's going to go to the sign Edwards z Laire after he got released by the Chiefs. I don't know how much action, if any, he can see in the first week out here, but this has kind of been the story of the Saints season. Fine guys anywhere, plug them in and maybe like MVS, they all of a sudden have fantasy production. How about a wide receiver in your sweet sixteen rank?
Well, I really like Malik Neighbors, who's had kind of a kind of a volatile rookie season. Coming into the year. A lot of people had high expectations for him given what he was able to do at LSU, despite who was starting a quarterback for the New York Giants, and it's been a mixed bag. There's been some great weeks, some not so great weeks, But over the last couple of games, he's really started to find his stride. I
really like the production that he's putting out there. And again, if you're looking at a game with the Atlanta Falcons where we expect there to be a lot of points, you expect this Falcons team to go out there and score points. Well, the Giants are going to be in a game script that will mean they have to throw the football, which means more opportunity for Malik Neighbors. And so while his rookie season might not be what you once thought it was going to be, I think there's
still some great opportunities this week. And again, if you're hurting for the wide receivers, Tim Patrick, I'm Tim Patrick's a weird wild card outdoors in Chicago. Devonte Smith, Romeo Dubbs, I think is another guy too. As you're trying to figure out which one of these Green Bay Packers to start this week, it's going to be it's always difficult with them, but I know and it's tough to chase the fantasy points. I hate that, but still, Malik Neighbors should be great.
And finally, at your fantasy Sweet sixteen party rank, what tight end are you lighting a candle for?
Well, you know what's funny is John U Smith has been dominating over the last number of weeks. He has been the He's been the tight end two since Week eight, despite the fact that the number one guy gets so many more targets than him, the number one guy, of course being Trey McBride. And you're like, well, why isn't Trey McBride ahead of him? I'll tell you why. John HU Smith catches touchdowns. It is the most exasperating thing,
the fact that Trey McBride doesn't catch touchdowns. But John new Smith has been fantastic, always getting into the end zone, always finding a way. It's funny because when you think about coming into this year, a lot of people drafted Jayalen Waddell thinking that he was going to be the compliment to Tyreek Hill. He was going to be the guy that would be the number two pass catcher on
this team. But instead it's been John new Smith who's gone out there and garnered all that production and doing it from a position where there hasn't been a lot of reliability. Like even if you think about guys like Travis Kelce, like Travis Kelsey's great and everything, but he hasn't been as reliable as he's been so outside of a handful of a few tight ends, John Newsmith has been one.
Of the best.
He's gonna finish as a top five tight end. And of course, if you're looking for somebody on the waiver wire, Brenton Strange, who plays down in Jacksonville, as somebody who's put up a little bit of production. We saw it last week. I hesitated two weeks ago because I wanted to make sure it wasn't a fluke. But appears that Mac Jones has a lot of chemistry with Brenton Strange. So if you need somebody off the waiver wire right now, you can go at him at this moment.
Go set your fantasy lineups now if you were in the playoffs.
There's two games tomorrows games on Saturday, much championship week for fantasy.
In Week seven, team we got a triple header on Saturday and it's right here on NFL Network. Chargers Patriots, Broncos Bengals, and then a big one in the NFC West Cardinals Rams to wrap it up. That is all next Saturday, December twenty eighth, right here on NFL Network. Coming up after this, the Eagles have a big one this week against the Commanders. They can wrap up the
NFC East title. Our camera Wolf is gonna be there, but first he'll be here alongside Brian Balneer to break down who's got the edge between the Eagles and Commanders. Next on the Incenters.
Alright, blocking a little bit to us left, Rubble pressure stands.
On his step turn Dolly four zone.
Eds cart for a touchdown by the Flora. That was like, where is he throwing this football? I thought this was one of those rookie mistakes and outcomes.
Terry McCord with the touchdown, now locates Barkley out of the backfield.
Barkley slips two tackles, it picks up the first down.
It's the first got miss to skim Wolf at the last second, bredon what tiky your.
Birth is it?
Bro?
He turned around, jumped over, Hello, okay, move.
Those guys can laugh.
I bet defensive coordinators are not laughing at the idea of facing Saquan or Jaden Daniels for that matter. They meet this Sunday, huge playoff implications. As you can see here, Commanders clinch a birth with a win and a little bit of help. The Eagles win the NFC East with a win, and of course they are still in the mix to be the NFC's top seed.
When all is said and.
Done, let's welcome back Baldy back from the party. I really feel bad about this that the party continues without you, Baldy and cam Wolf, who probably has someplace fabulous to go after this. Uh, Baldy, let's start with you so that you can get out of here. This game, the first time they met this season was really close and then it just sort of got away from the Commanders.
What are weird spot on JD.
In fact, it was a twelve to ten Eagle lead with a little over eight minutes to go to the fourth quarter, and the Commanders had a fourth and two after twenty six yard line and they kind of botched the snap and botched the play and Zach Bond just leveled Jayden Daniels he was going for the first down, and the Eagles got the ball back at that point and then scored two straight touchdowns to.
Really put it out of reach. But it was a very close game.
And the other thing to consider is we just showed a highlight of Jaydon Daniels throwing another touchdown to Terry McLarin. He's got eleven on the season, and in the game against the Eagles he got one pass or ten yards.
I don't think that's gonna happen again.
Terry mclarn is the deep threat in this passing offense when they do throw it, and so it's something that the Eagles I think should be ready for with Quinnon Mitchell and you know, with Slay Outside, some of the Cooper to game, some of the corners that are playing for him, I would expect the ball to get down the field to Terry McClard more than one time than they had in that first game.
Yeah, Baldi, A successful run game is what Jaydon Daniels said this week is what held them back that first week. Remember they're a top three rushing team, but they were held under one hundred yards in that first matchup. And Brian Thomas, Brian Robinson, their running back, told me this week it was nothing they did.
It was all on us. We feel like we are the better team.
They'll have a chance to show it.
But the reality is that first game they never forced Philly out of their coverage, heavy schemes and baldy. As you watch this Philly defense when they are playing their type of scheme, nobody can pass the ball on them, and so I expect them to try to establish that physicality up at the line of scrimmage. One other thing to note, Jaydon Daniels was dealing with the rib injury coming off of that game. He was only a few weeks removed from it. For what I understand, it was
definitely limiting him. His past percentage rate was about sixty percent five games after the rib injury. He had to buy a couple of weeks ago. Since then, he's been completing over eighty percent of his passes. So I think you're going to see a more explosive version of Jayden.
Daniels also thought it was interesting this week Cliff Kingsbury said that he tried to put too much in the game plan in the first game on a short week, and he thought it made them play tentative and so, as you mentioned with Terry McLaurin, I think you see them move him around away from queeny On Mitchell, who had the straps on him in the first matchup, and try to get him involved in the slot so him and Jayden can have some success. Yep.
Yeah, just to remember that game.
The Commanders led it in the fourth quarter, and then the Eagles scored twenty one un answered points in about eight minutes of game time and that was it. It was over all, right, Baldy, back to you. The Eagles are rolling ten in a row. They are certainly in the mix to be the NFC's top seed. They haven't lost since September. What do they have to do to get this one?
Well, I mean it's it's kind of a same thing every week. I mean even last week against Pittsburgh. They're a slow starting team. Duty you know, there was seven to three at halftime in that first game against the Commanders. They just go to a total of twenty seven points in the first quarter. This year, only the Bears have scored a fewer. And so what happens is it takes them a quarter to figure out what's working. Is it
Saquan is it Jalen? Is it getting the ball to the receivers and I think like as you get to bigger games and you get to the playoffs, regardless of what seed they are, sometimes these games are compressed, judy. They can be eight possessions and if you're kind of fiddling around trying to figure out what's going to work today and you're in the second quarter and you haven't scored, sometimes you got to play from behind, and that's not
really the best way to go about business. So I would think this week, knowing this is the second time they've seen the Commanders, they know what they're doing on defense right now, maybe get off.
To a faster start and actually start and score in the opening drive. That would be a change for this Seagles team.
The body it would be quite a t And every time we talk about this Eagles offense, we start with sakuon Barkley. But the matchup I can't wait to see is how aj Brown goes against Marshawn Lattimore in this Washington defense.
Look.
Aj Brown is off the injury report, he's ready to play after a med week injury scare, but Washington traded for Marshawn Lattimore for moments like this. He didn't play in the first matchup and dan Quinn talked about how he knows how he challenges number one receivers and last week, in his first matchup, Latimore played nearly every snap and
didn't allow a single target. And so as we talk about this Eagles team, we remember last week the storyline was AJ Brown's comment about the passing and Brandon Graham talking about the relationship and all that kind of funneled through that. Well, I talked to Lane Johnson, the right tackle who you know well Baldy had a great game on TJ. Watt, helping that passing attack. But he said, look, the reality is when the fire gets too hot, you
have to address it. And we definitely addressed it last week. It was a talking point for us, and the reality is I'm proud of how we respond it because it
could have gone the other way. The reality of our offense is we haven't needed to throw the ball because we have two six but we're going to need to throw it at some point, and I'm glad that we showed that we could now this week, at some point, no matter how crazy Saquon does, they're going to need to throw the ball to Aj with Marshawn on him, And I'm eager to see how Aj and Jaln step up in that moment. Can't be It's going to be must c TV.
Baldy, Yep, I agree, Jim.
I thought that the most important quote that came after that came was Jalen Hurd saying just because we didn't do it didn't mean we couldn't do it.
They can do it.
What I'm so impressed with what we see from the Eagles, especially in these last few games.
Is they are really balanced.
They can beat you any way they need to beat you passing, running, The defense has been great. They are Now that the Lions have as big an injury issue as they have, the Eagles might be the most well balanced team in the entire NFC. Guys, thank you very much, Baldy. Back to your party, and when we return on the Insiders,
you know this is this season forgiving. We're going to tell you what quarterbacks have been gifting their teammates, and then Tom and I are going to share what we would like our holiday gift ideas that we would give to some NFL folks.
More with Jaden Daniels and Kyle Brandt on Sunday morning. A lot more to come from Deuce Jones Drew, the son of our Maurice Jones Drew honored to receive an offer from UCLA dad's alma mater, which, of.
Course MJAD the on any thing he wants them to go.
I don't know to the four exclamation points give it away, legacy, says MJD. Congrats the Deuce, as I said, a lot more to come from him, and I'm sure MJD will talk a lot about it for many years to come.
Welcome back to the Insider. It's Tom Pellicero. It is Judy Batista. Judy.
We've been watching around the NFL over the past several days here and different quarterbacks giving some different gifts to some of their teammates. Joe Burrow a unique one, giving apparently swords s words, no swords, excuse me to his teammates handcrafted, certainly unique. Some other ones we've seen more recently, brock Perty gave all of his teammates cars or trucks apparently.
Which that seems like a lot.
That seems like more than you know, a guy on a minimum contractor with the seventh round picks fil to give way. Maybe there was a spots, maybe he got a little bit of help. Who's to say he'll get his money sooner than later. Patrick Maholmes meanwhile, also gave out some coolers. One of the highest paid players gave coolers and cowboy boots. The lowest pay guy trucks. So
that makes sense all which brings us to this year. Judy, if you were gonna get I don't know me, the folks in the control room in Englewood, or Friendzyan and Mike, who are not here tonight, probably at holiday parties. Well, what's a gift someone somewhere in the NFL world that you would like to give.
I would like to.
Give the entire New York football universe competent, drama free quarterback play and competent drama free football.
It has been a long slog with.
The Jets and Giants these last few years, not a whole lot of winning, not a whole lot of happy football fans. So I would like to give to everybody in this region good football teams.
Again.
So during the Giant stretch with Eli Manning, they won two Super Bowls, but they never won another single playoff game in any of those other years. So for the Jets, let's focus in on them would you rather give them ten years of always being in the mix competent football. You can watch it, it's good, but they never won a Super Bowl, or give them one super Bowl and nine years of, frankly, the same stuff we've been seeing.
This is a good question.
It's been so long since we've had consistent like just in the mixed kind of football. I think a lot of people would take that just to still be interested when you get to December, except they ought to remember the highs of those.
Hey, Tom, would you gift those to anybody? Those are your might cause my cleats right.
Those are actually now on the NFL auction site. All proceeds from those go to the Breast Research Breast Cancer Research Foundation, so certainly anybody can log on purchase those at auction. I would appreciate it, and so would many other people around the world. Thank you very much for watching. Everybody enjoy the games. We'll see you next week.