The Lions are officially playoff bound again, but he could have predicted that part back in like August. The real question remains, what if anything stands between Detroit and a trip to Super Bowl fifty nine. Our guy Baldy's gonna be here to break down the biggest threats in the NFC.
It's Week fourteen.
Your fantasy team has ridden the heroics of Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels all season, and now with your playoff hopes on the line, welcome to buy Mgeddon.
Never fear.
Adam Rank is here to save your fantasy season again. There's always a little drama in the AFC North every game, sometimes literally.
As the game is ending.
George Pickens and Greg Newsom aren't done brawling either. Just a little less snow and a lot more sass.
Welcome inside. With the inside.
There's alongside Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafalo, I am Tom Pelisserro Larry Ogin Jobi another member of the Steelers is going to be joining us, and just a little bit might have some thoughts on that. Right now, guys, we've got three spots in the playoffs field. There are still twenty five teams alive for the other eleven with five weeks to go, and we've got some injuries that are impacting some of those teams still in the chase.
Let's start out with the Eagles.
Who's tight end Dallas Goddard suffered that knee injury last week.
No surprise ruled out.
No decision yet on whether or not potentially he could land on short term i R, though they do not believe that this is something that's season ending. Some surprises popping up on the list. Kenneth Walker the third ankling calf injuries. He's listed his questionable before a big game against Arizona. The Bills have been kind of limping along all season. Dalton Kinka, Keon Coleman listed as questionable. Blik Neighbors popping up, had a hip flexer in practice today,
the he injured. He's questionable, and so he is the aforementioned George Pickens. We'll have more on him momentarily, but first let's talk about that.
Game last night.
Dan Campbell a chance to get his Lions into the playoffs again doing what Dan Campbell does, going for it on fourth downs and going for it and going for it and going for it. Again all the way till here, guys, there's forty three seconds left. Everyone in the world is thinking, you're just gonna kick the field goal and get a sound. They step on Jared Goff. Maybe not the greatest four work, but they step on Jared Goff. He gets the handoff off, they converted Jake bates On once again to kick the
field goal as time expires. That's how they knock off the Packers once again. That's how the Lions seal another return trip to.
The NFL playoffs.
Still got some work to do to wrap up the NFC North Division title because the Vikings are sitting there still only with two losses and the loss Colum Packers nine and four. They're going to get in as a wild card team. But for the Lions, the first NFC team to clinch their spot.
What was your biggest takeaway from that game last night?
My biggest takeaway was those fourth downs. And you know, there's a lot of reasons I think we all really like and appreciate Dan Campbell, and it's about more than just his postgame locker room sessions, which are awesome, whether or not a guy's yaking in the.
Garbage or not.
They're still excellent. But one of the coolest things about Dan Campbell, guys, is he has normalized going for it on fourth down even when people think you're crazy, even in your own territory, even when.
You don't get it.
And he has thrived using this. I mean, no one has gone for more and fourth down than Dan Campbell since who was hired. He's been successful on on.
When was it Thursday night? There you go Thursday night?
Four or five?
On fourth down?
Jared Goff has over one hundred passer rating on fourth downs like they are right, whatever it was. You know, these games are all during the days anyway, I think Jared gov is a better put back on fourth down
when he's not getting stepped on, you know. I think what Dan Campbell has done is make it okay to be aggressive and go for things even if the percentages aren't exactly what you think, which to me opens up the entire playbook for the entire world of coaches to do whatever they think is best to the team, not caring about criticism.
And I love it so much and.
The fact that he is thriving doing it makes it even better.
Got set.
We got several text messages last night after the one failed fourth down from their own thirty two yard line, with people saying Dan Campbell's an idiot, those people then taking it back a little bit later. Listen, there's a lot of outcome based analysis in all of this, but don't overlook the fact the Lions are good at this. They convert over half of their fourth downs and by playing four down football, it allows them to play this
really aggressive style. It's baked into their DNA. Whether you like it or not, Dan Campbell is going to continue to do it. That's why the Lions right now sitting in the number one slot in the NFC playoff picture. You see the Vikings and the Packers, two other teams in the same division. Still those top two wild card spots. We're going to have a Vikings Falcons game on Sunday
in Minnesota, potential playoff preview. There what else jokes out at you, Mike about the NFC playoff picture as it stands?
Now.
Look, I'll be covering the Eagles on Sunday, and I'm just watching that game last night. I'm thinking about Detroit being at home and how I think that's going to be a huge advantage for them to be able to play every single playoff game at home. Look if the
Eagles they've got two losses. If the Eagles win their next two games Sunday in the following week and the Lions lose to the Bills, which could conceivably happen, the Lions still have that conference tiebreaker, So Detroit, the Eagles are going to need a conference loss here to get into the first overall seed right here. So I think Detroit right now is looking at this. I don't know what the percentages would be, but i'd say overwhelming favorite now to be the number one seed. Think about having
to go into Ford Field two. Team's going to have to do it. We saw what the atmosphere was like last year when they hosted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was electric in that place, and that's gonna be a tough place for somebody to go in and win the NFC championship game. Think about that crowd knowing they'd be only sixty minutes away from a Super Bowl. I think last night's win was absolutely.
Enormous for Detroit.
I don't want to face the Lions anywhere right now, even if their entire front seven is hurt, which right now that's basically true. They're playing with a bunch of guys that they picked up off the street, but facing them in Detroit. Mike, you are absolutely right. I would
not want to be walking into that building. I would like to be a fly on the wall for a Steelers Brown's rematch on Sunday for a lot of different reasons, including the fact that the last time we saw these teams on the field, literally the.
Last time we saw this.
In the background, it's WrestleMania with George Pickens and Greg Newsom while the final Hail Mary is literally still in the air. George Pickens was asked today if maybe, you know, maybe they'd talk it out before the game.
Today, before the game. I mean, I don't even know who that means. He's trash tard, like I first.
Game, you get the nay, yeah, I mean it's it's pretty easy, man.
We say it in our room.
Smart tough, a koind of a resilient team, and I'm all about the team.
Obviously.
He's a guy that cares more or so about himself, and you could see that in the penalties that he causes. And you know, for me, my job is to try to do whatever I can help the team win. So there's never gonna be no one on one battle for me. My battles to try to help my team. Just nah, that's a that's a like I said, he does that type of stuff all the time. There will never be a man that ever could fuel me in any type of way.
So definitely not slipping that in as the one more question, by the way to George Pickens a bold move.
There no follow ups. That's enough.
Doesn't know who Greg Newsom is except Newsom says, yeah he does because one time he DMed me.
He's got it right there.
Back in twenty nineteen, they were both in college saying live this is fun Ian in a game that otherwise has very few implications, at least on the brown side of things.
Steel are still trying to wrap up the.
AFC North, but a little bit of spice, especially involving a guy in George Pickens who is not shy about taking on the smoke.
No, I think George Pickens is here for all of it and creates a lot of it. And you know, I get a couple thoughts on this. First of all, understand that everybody keeps receipts. Now, it's kind of the thing, right, So if you've done something bad or good, sometimes bad but maybe good, people are going to have receipts.
It is going to be out there.
So understand before you say something like, I don't know what that dude is like. He might have slid in the DMS and you probably do know who he is, So just be aware of that, just for future reference, for all future trash targets you're going to pull that I don't even know who this guy is. The other thing is the AFC North is the best and we're learning this and I think the Hard Knock episode has
at least the one we've seen, has been awesome. You know, these are some of the most fun games to watch, and it's hard to describe what the intensity is like for someone who's not used to seeing it, right, because it really does, to me at least, feel like playoff football, and some of these feelings, some of these rivalries are very real, and so to see these two guys kind of bring it to life in this very petty, you know, trash talking situation.
I'm here for all of that.
I love the petty, embrace the petty, and God forbid, God forbid George Pickens catches the touchdown over Greg Newsom, or Newsom catches the ball over Pickens, it takes to the crib.
I'm just I'm just here for all of that.
Just bring it all to me.
We had two denials in the AFC North this week, Joe Burrow denying that he had anything to do with purchasing a batmobile despite the fact that he's on camera and on.
Mike saying that he did.
And then George Pickens saying, I have no idea who that guy is that I just fought with just a couple of weeks ago. Here's what I want to see, and through the magic of hard knocks we can see it. I want to see how Mike Tomlin handles George Pickens, knowing that this is out there and making sure.
That his head is in the game.
We saw him tell Pickens the other day after that interception early on where he thought he should have gotten a flag, and yes he should have.
I need you in the game. That's not going to decide the game. Stay with me, Stay with me.
Mike Tomlin has realized that George Pickens needs to be handled a little bit differently than some other players. So you know, all week long, he's going to be trying his best to make sure that his.
Head is in the game.
And then let's see what happens on game day as well, because if the extra curriculars start early on, it's one thing for it to happen after a failed here game over right, that's one thing. It's another thing that happened early in the game, in the middle of the game, at a clutch point in the game. I can't wait to see how Tomlin handles this, seeing as how he handled his emotions so well the other day.
Here's one more thing I know from twenty plus years covering the NFL, there are some players who don't know the other player's name. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it's entirely possible. George Pikett, if you said number zero, might have had a better chance than Greg Newsom, because the look on his face was very much like I've never heard that name of my life. If not, George,
about you fantastic acting in the moment. Coming back to this on the Insiders, let's talk about the forty nine ers who have an uphill battle to be able to get into the playoffs here, but any talk about trading Kyle Shanahan, firing Kyle Shanahan.
John Lynch has a reaction to it. Let's just put it that way.
We've also got another member of the Steelers, Larry Ogan Joby on the show, Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and a core part of a Pittsburgh defense. That's a big reason they are on top right now in the AFC North.
So how do they finish it off? We'll ask Larry right after this saw on the Insiders.
All right, wella this year we are we are announcing our nominee for the Walter pay Man of the Year. I've had a privilege of winning this award. You know, it's not about me. It's about what Walter Payton stands for, being a good man on the field off the field. This nominee hosts an annual youth football camp, provide school supplies for books for over three hundred students, serves Thanksgiving dinner, takes families on shopping trips for Christmas, host mentoring etiquette
dinners for young men. This nominee I have the privilege of knowing personally this dude does a lot, doesn't say a lot. But we get to see his work. Our nominee is Larry Ogunjob congrass brother.
We have an obligation to give, guys, let's listen, tremendous ways.
You know.
I feel like our opportunity.
To give to get back to people's bidis so you know, when you have an opportunity.
To you team for others, you kind of the last somewhat or other than you. So you got a chance to really make a difference.
So you guys, let this beet ex anybody do what you guys can do it and keep you know, striving for great.
Special Does it get more heartwarming than that Cam Hayward passing the towrds to this year's Pittsburgh Steelers Walter Paid Man of the Year nominee, presented by Nationwide. This is Larry Ogan Joby, as you saw in that awesome clip right there, well and there he is very pleased to welcome Larry Ogenjob for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baldy, thank you for joining us. Baldy, we'll get to you in just one second. I want to start with with Larry here,
who you know. I think Cam really explained it exceptionally well. The kind of work that you do with the First and Many Foundation and in so many other ways in Pittsburgh you talked about shining the light and others. Let's shine the light on you for a second if you were, if you were to become the first Nigerian born Walter Payton Award winner, what would.
That mean to you?
I mean everything. I think it's a humbling experience.
Even be nominated, oh man, you know the falling cam's footsteps. But being able to impact lives and given a way that it's so big is very important. And you know, coming from an immigrant family, I think that a lot of times you don't understand your impact. And me being introduced to football and just everything that football has done for me in my life. It's like it'd feel wrong for me not to be able to get back in because of that.
I have a heart to give my parents.
You know, growing up we didn't have a lot, but they always you know, tried to give out of nothing and that kind of followed me through the league and being able to get back and get back in Big veg has always been important to me.
So the opportunity win would be amazing.
But just being nominated and you know, shining that light and being a beacon for people and allowing them to understand that they have an opportunity to do these things that they want to do.
I think is super important.
Larie.
I was in Las Vegas last year in saal cam when he won the award, and you know, it's very hummy. I think it's the biggest award in the NFL. I mean there was accolades for play on the field man, you know, player of your.
Lot sho, but I think this this is the ward.
Tell me about your foundation line because it's a big part of why you've been nominated here and what you're trying to do right now.
Yeah, so first of many started probably my I want to say my second or third year and really being a first generation Nigeria. My parents immigrated from Nigeria back in I want to say, nineteen eighty nine. My dad got here nineteen ninety three, my mom got here. I was born in ninety four, so you know, we moved to Greensboro, North Carolina, where I was raised. And a lot of times when you're starting out and it's a different environment because your parents were raised in Nigeria, but
you know you're being raised in the States. So sometimes it's kind of a disconnect and when you're growing up, and I felt like, you know, if I do make it to a place where I can, you know, be a life for people. I want to start with mentorship, you know, being able to mentor young kids and have them understand that, like there's somebody in their position as well that understands what they've been through.
You know, especially young immigrant kids. We need a little mentorship, we need a little guidance.
And for me, it's you know, finding those kids, pinpointing them, especially at a young age, and you know, kind of guiding them a love of leading them alone through you know, their journey, and I think that's super important.
There's plenty to talk about with the Steelers, and for sure we will get to that. I heard an interesting story about you though, involving you your parents when you were younger. From what I was told, you're kind of late to football, surely much later than these seven or eight year olds who play. You know a lot of times when people start tell us, for those who have not heard, how you ended up playing football and what role your parents had in that.
So it was kind of ironic.
I was pretty I was pretty obese kid when I was growing up, so I was about three hundred and fifty pounds when I first started playing football. Actually, before that real reason why I started playing football school, my mom took away at my xbox. She was kind of annoyed too much. They're like, man, you're gonna kill yourself. You don't if you don't kind of change your life. So they met a coach with my dad was at
the park with my sister. His name was Robert Mitchell, and he told my dad, I think I can help your son.
So one day he picked me up. He took me to work out.
I was kind of annoyed because I wasn't used to waking up early and going to workout. That wasn't really mean because I was off all night playing video games and whatnot. And one day we were driving past the high school and he was like, you're gonna play football. I'm like, no, I'm not. He's like, yes you are. I'm like no, i'm not. He's like, yes you are. We got an argument in the car. Off me got to permissions tip. He took it to my mom. My
mom signed it. I was on the football field that Saturday. You know, I couldn't make it through the first workouts, you know, they were doing sprints. I was running, couldn't finish. Coaches came up to me the next day the or like, Larry, we'll make sure you're still here. I'm like, yeah, I'm still here, but in my head, I'm like only because I have to be.
But I ended up.
Going from three point fifty summer of my sophomore year to two forty seven the summer of my junior year. So I ended up losing one hundred pounds in the year, and I kind of asked my coach, you know what I needed to do.
And I think the turning point for me was they gave the award for most.
Improved JV Player and I won, and that was like the first time my life felt like I earned something that I really worked for and it kind of just set the trajectory. So I asked my coach, you know what I needed to do. Said, you had to get faster, you had to get stronger, and you had to perfect
your technique. So you know, every day after practice, you know, grinding and running and losing all good way you end up going into your junior year and make All Conference senior, your All Conference senior, but all that kind of cool stuff and then you get five starship offers it with Charlotte Firman, Howard, prest Heert and Kataba and I took won official Visit wasn't on any of the Max preps
or nothing like that. Just took wonderficial visits to Charlotte, fell in love with it, and I became the first player ever drafted from the university. And you know a lot more detail, but it was, like I said, it's been a tremendous blessing. Like football has done so much for me. It's taken me so many different places. And I always tell people's a blessing to be a blessing. And I don't take this position. I'm in for granted.
And all I want to do is, you know, he and be life brothers and let them know that they can do it too.
Lara.
I remember when you were a young buck coming out of Charlotte. I remember there was a brand new program that you just mentioned about, and you went to Cleveland drafted the third round by Cleveland. So you just happen to play Cleveland again this week. And there's you know, there's guys over there like Joel Antonio that you were there. He like when you play against him or Wyatt Teller, guys that you were in the locker room with every
day for a couple of years. Like, is anything said out there on the field this weekend between you?
I know you're the respectors there, but.
Yeah, we always, you know, dap each other like David always walk over, you know, in like a dead ball thousand like that, and we'll dap each other up and all that kind of stuff.
But you know, so there's always a relationship.
You know, he spent a lot of years with those guys, and you know, you build memories. And now you guys are going against each other. I think that's just the nature of the business. And you do it with a smile on your face, and you know, you know, excity for another opportunity, and that's the game of football, and this is what it is.
Love it, Larry.
You play the game of football extremely well and obviously off the field, it has been extremely cool to learn about and listen to you talk about everything you do. Congratulations on being a Walter Payton Award nominee and obviously good luck on Sunday against your old team.
Big Now Works.
Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have been certainly one of the best stories in the NFL, one of the best teams in the NFL. Big one coming up on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
What do they have cooked up for us?
Some sort of razzle dazzle flee ficker Josh Allen throwing the ball to himself and catching it. We'll get into it coming up next on the Insiders.
I still think Josh Allen did snow angels after the game, so was icing down that funny bone after it got hit. That thing hurts. The Bills already have clinched the AFCE East. The Chiefs are in as well. Take a look at the rest of the AFC playoff picture, which seems relatively clear, though we still got five Sundays left, four things to change. Welcome back to the Insiders. Tom Pellicero joined out there in Los Angeles by Jeffrey Chidia as well as Bridget Condon,
Jeffrey Rams Bills coming up this week. Ram's still in it in a wide open NFC West. Obviously you got deal with Josh Allen, But where does it start for this LA defense.
Well, I'll tell you what time.
I love how they showed so many quarterback highlights when they were showing all those Buffalo plays because their run game is a big part of what they're doing here. Bridget it starts with James Cook and it starts with Ray Davis. Those guys are a big part of this offense. In fact, Josh Allen said, one reason he's not running as much this season, He's on pace for a second lowest rushing yards in his career, is because these guys are getting it done. He wants them to eat, he
wants them to have more opportunities. And Joe Brady, their offensive coinator, echoed that thought because he looked at this offense as a big trust thing, a big chemistry thing. These guys all know they can make plays, and that run game is what's allowing Josh Allen to be more comfortable and more mature this season.
You talk about that run game for the Bills, but it's just as important, maybe even more important for the Rams. On Sunday when they face the Bills. I want to put in perspective what that means for their big two losses that they've had recently. That Eagles game the Dolphins game. They rush for under one hundred yards. Their last four games that they won, they rush for more than one hundred yards. I talked to Kyron Williams this week on
the phone, and he just had a great mindset. He said, we have to be able to score early in this game. He said, we can't abandon the run game. That's when things change, and that's when things start to go downhill. Of course, if they get, you know, behind early, they abandon the run game, have to rely on Matthew Stafford, which isn't a bad thing either. Of course, he's an incredible passer, but when they have that run game, it
makes them a tough team to stop. I also asked him about going up against the Bills and James cook. Of course he won't be playing defense, but you know, going as a running back against a running back. He said, whenever I play good running backs, it's always like a hidden competition for him in his mind. And I asked him, you know, you guys both came out of that twenty twenty two draft class or you friends to your relationship with him, and all he said to me was, it's somebody that went before me.
In the draft.
James Cooks was James cook was one hundred and one picks above Kyron Williams. He definitely remembers that and he's like, Yeah, maybe people didn't believe in me in twenty twenty two, but I know who I am now and I have the stage to show them.
Been a long time since the Rams beat the Bills at home.
According to what it says right here, nineteen eighty three at Anaheim Stadium.
That could be completely made up.
It sounds made up, but I'm gonna believe it because it's on the page here.
Bill's Mafia Bridget.
They travel really well, and there's there's a familiarity between these.
Teams as well.
Yeah, I think we all were at that game, right, we were all alive then, nineteen eighty three, that's the year. I remember it just like it was yesterday. No, but it's also a homecoming for safety Taylor rat Remember he was drafted to the Rams in twenty twenty nineteen. He spent four seasons with them, He won a Super Bowl with this team, and now he's coming back for the first time to play the Rams. He did return last
year play the Chargers at Sofi Stadium. I asked him what it's going to be like, and he said, you.
Know, I'm not really sure what kind of emotions.
I'm gonna have, but he loves those guys. He spoke very highly of both Cooper Cup and Matthew Stafford, saying Cup is a great competitor, he does everything. He's very detail oriented, called Stafford one of the best arm talents to ever grace the field in the NFL, adding they're going to have their hands full on Sunday, and yes, they've already clinched a playoff spot, but look, this is a Bills team that that was just goal number one. They are dying to get back to the super Bowl.
The last time that happened nineteen ninety four, three years before Taylor Rapp was even born.
I'm glad you mentioned Taylor rap because he's going to have his hands full that secondary when Buffle's going to have their hands full with Pooka Nakua and Cooper Cup. Cup talked about that first night game they played a few years ago, when Buffalo came into LA twenty twenty two season opener and got railed by the Bills thirty one to ten.
Cupp said, they're still.
Doing a lot of similar things in buffal but what's different about the secondary is that it's leading the Bills defense. Now you talk about Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamblin and Christian Benford and Rasulle Douglas.
These guys are really good tacklers.
They're really good at man coverage. They're also really cheap, not much investment there, but they're getting a lot of return. In fact, so much return that Hey, Coachean McDermott said, when Michael High came back out of a retirement, Hey, we're pretty good here, Micha.
Hide and go to practice squad.
The guys who got are playing at a very high level.
Everybody's so excited, too, Tom to have Micah Hyde back in the locker room. I was talking to Dawson Knox, obviously a tight end for this team, and at the end of our conversation, I said, anything you want to add He's like, yeah, let's.
Talk about Michael Hyde being back. I was like, Oh, I wasn't going to ask you.
You obviously play on offense, but just you know, interesting to see what having him as an addition back in that locker room will do for this team on Sunday.
So much veteran attrition for the Bills in the offseason. But Michael Hyde very respected in that locker room. Jeffrey Bridgett, thank you very much. Rams were, by the way, a playoff team last year. Who knocked him out? You guessed it, guys.
I'm so freaking proud of him. That's the way to show up. You talk about pressure, We live in a sure, that's what we freaking thrive. You did it again, You did it again. It doesn't matter who's playing for us, It don't matter what's going on. You always find a way to win. That's what champions do. This is not happenstance, man, This doesn't just happen. This has been in the making. Man, this has been in the making. All right, We're all supposed to be here together. Man, we're destined for this.
Just stay the course. All the stats you need as he won the freaking game again, Jake.
Peg Yeah, I freaking love you guys.
Man.
Let's get thirteen next week.
Right, You guys are warriors, You warriors. Good win break it down.
Hey, Like he said, this just don't just happen.
Boys, we're different again.
I'll say it again.
This group'sing different.
Went I'll do what did they win?
Who put the hand up?
At the end there.
I urge you after this program is over, because we want you to watch the whole show. But after the program go find the full speech. If you haven't seen it, Dan's skipper throwing up into a trash can Dan Campbell telling him keep doing whatever you're doing over there, throw, throwing up or whatever. There's your playoff picture as we bring in Baldy, that is the gentleman that was just laughing. Bring him back here in a like Kentucky Derby mint ish suit here looking sharp Friday night.
Hopefully, hopefully you got a.
Holiday party to go to after this one. The Yeah, the Lions are going to a party. It's called the playoffs, and potentially he could be hosting that party.
All the way through.
Uh, Dan Campbell, they've been true to what they said they were going to be. And Dan Campbell's fourth down decisions aggressive? Has the public split your thoughts on the fourth downs?
Well, we're just gonna call him Dan, Dan gamble, Dan gambler like he went forth last night, might get it paid off. I mean he tried five times last night, he converted four. I mean two of the fourth down conversions last night were touchdowns. Remember the little Texas route to Jamiir Gibbson, like right there, that's it. I mean that's a fourth down and two right there, that's a big difference. He had one, you know, to Tim Patrick on fourth and three. This one right here, a little
stick route right there on the end zone. I mean those are touchdowns now. And then you know, at the end of the game, they gave it to Montgomery, you know, on fourth and one. They didn't want to give the
ball back to green Bay. And I think part of it, Mike, honestly was he said it in the locker room he doesn't care who who's playing, because I saw Kwan Alexander and Jamal Adams, and I saw a bunch of guys just signed off literally the bus stop this past week that were out there playing for him, And he kind of knew that Green Bay's offense they could go the distance, and so I think he had to stay in front of it. He wanted to end the game with the ball in their hands and not give it back to
Jordan Love. So he made some critical decisions, but ultimately they converted their fourth downs last night, four or five, and it was the difference between you know, winning their eleven straight and possibly losing to the Packers.
And one of the things that you talk to coaches and quarterbacks around this lag Josh Allen's a big one on this one. They could win the game, but if they don't finish the game with the football in their hands, if they have the chance to do it, miserable, right, Like once these guys like to finish the game. The Lions had a chance. I think that was a big part. We're gonna finish the game. They're not even gonna touch the football. That was a big part of what dang I waited.
To do there.
I mean, Josh Allen, you know he still remembers those fatal thirteen seconds to Kansas City in a playoff game.
You know, I mean, that was it. It haunts you for a long time. Mike.
Yeah, sorry, Buffalo Baudy apologizes.
Been bringing that up.
But that's in the back of the head, right.
That's another one that's in the rear viewer.
Yeah, I love you, pal, go enjoy your Friday night power appreciate you. By mcgeddon is a Festivus still a couple of weeks away, but by mcgeddon is upon us. Adam rak here to explain how we're all gonna survive it.
That's coming up next to the Insiders.
Time now to go inside with NFL Fantasy Live. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pilisaro Ian Rapport, Mike Garifolo.
Join as we are every Friday. By our buddy Adam Rank.
It's week fourteen, Rank, the final week for the regular season in a lot of fantasy leagues. I feel like you should be right out of ideas, but you're an idea man. What are you doing for us tonight?
Well listen.
It's by mcgeddon, the Wisdom of the NFL. During the final weeks of the final week of fantasy football season, they decided to have six teams on a bye And now we're in by mcgeddon and I'm like William, I'm like, I'm like Harry Stamper and ar mcgeddon. I got to get a crew of rut next together to go save everybody's season.
Everybody. Yeah, that's what we're doing.
They got us off that oil drilling.
Platform to put us out there to go out and save your fantasy season this week. And obviously the movie studio went and let us use the movie poster, so we.
And Mac just do what we did in ourselves. Listen, I don't care.
Don't think that you're gonna stop me from ripping off that great movie Aerosmith would have signed off too.
Don't want to close.
MA looks really good, all right, but listen the roughnecks that are gonna help save your season. Let's talk about the quarterback position. This literally happened my friend Carla. Somehow I managed to drive from the studio of NFL Fantasy Live to Huntington Beach, California, Go pick up my kids and set somebody's lineup starting with these quarterbacks. Here are four quarterbacks you can find this week. If you need somebody. With Lamar Jackson and Jayde Daniels out, we got Will Levis,
Aidan O'Connell, mac Jones, Cooper Rush. But I love Will Levis this week. Who's playing host of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Over the last three games, Will Levis has average or at least scored more than fifteen Fantasy points in each one of those games. And now he's going up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who've given up the most fantasy points
to quarterbacks this season. This is the player that I am picking up and if you don't get Will Levis that I do it to Mac Jones, I want to be part of this game.
I know that some people.
Don't think this is going to be high scoring, but I think this is going.
To be a sneaky high scoring game.
All right, let's go to the running back position because obviously Dereck Henry is not going to be there this week. What I mean, I'm just teeing myself up this. Don't worry you guys, take a break.
I know you're very.
No.
I listen to here Ian and Mike talk. Just save our American asses.
Rank Let's go all right, I can see listen Jerome Ford, Uh, Jalen Warden, Jalen Warren, cam Akers.
But since here McCormick is a player that.
I would sincerely I would love to pick up. Since McCormick, yo, he's available.
I just literally picked.
Them up for my friend right now as I was setting her lineup. And listen.
Last week he had a career high in rushing yards against the Kansas City Chiefs. That's a tough matchup. It is very difficult to run against that team. The matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, is so muchmuch easier, and so I really think that if you are looking at this at this quandary, because Joe Mixon is also out sincere McCormick's he's rostered in one percent of NFL dot com leagues.
Hey, Ray, I could spend my life in this suite surrender. I could stay lost in this moment forever.
But we got to move on.
So I gotta ask you about the wide receivers.
Oh man, I guess I butchered this by just jumping over this. But there's guys like Xavier Worthy, Kim Coleman, Nick Westbrook, a Keene. But one guy I really love is Cavante Turpin of the Dallas Cowboys, who's had at least fifty receiving guards in three consecutive games.
And now he's going up against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Who've been one of the most generous teams to opposing wide receivers this season. I really like him to get the opportunities from Cooper Rush in a game that we expect to be a shootout in Dallas. And you know what, in addition to fantasy football, if you're looking for a guy who could score a touchdown at any.
More moment, it might be Turpin'.
So you guys are all hitting Armageddon. When I think of Roughneck, I think of mc light, So I would say this rank when I beat nine to one one, I want you there with all of.
My tight ends.
So give me some of those.
Oh, I'm gonna give you two guys real quick.
Pat friar Mouth and Grant calcata With Given the injury concerns with Dallas Goddard, Grant cal Katara has been able to step up. But Pat Fryarmuth, I do know this is going to be chasing the fantasy points because he had a monster game last week, and it's very it's very dangerous to go out there and continue to chase
the same thing. But listen, not only did the makers of Armageddon make the same movie as Deep Impact and release him at the same time, I'm willing to do that here and going back to Pat friar Move, He's available on a lot of fantasy leagues and I'm picking up and starting him this week.
Rank.
My fantasy team is four million pounds of fuel, one nuclear weapon, and a thing with two hundred and seventy thousand moving parts built by the lowest bidder makes you feel good.
Doesn't it?
Not me?
I'm out, but thank you for trying anyway.
Coming up after this on The Insiders, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, let's snow this time around. Maybe we'll talk about the Steelers, where things go from here, and a lot more when Sarah Walls joins the show.
Next, it's The Insiders.
You got a big AFC North rematch. Last time it was all snow globe, Jameis Winston talking about God and snowstorms and snowballs and how lovely things were and then everything went crazy after that.
Will we get that again?
One can only hope.
Let's talk to Sarah wallsh specifically about this game. As we mentioned obviously, Sarah, it is going to be a rematch of what was a fantastic and bonkers game. Do we expect it to be similar to last time?
Well, it's going to be different. And I'll go back to something you just said. You mentioned the weather. Here's the forecast Sunday in Pittsburgh expected to be forty five and sunny.
That's parcticlalarly springlight conditions in.
Compared to what you were just mentioning, which is the last Hey, I'm not going that.
I'm for that.
I have to stand out there, but you're looking at the pictures of last time they played. It ended up a Browns victory in Cleveland, and the Steelers wide receiver George Pickens said that because of those conditions, it saved the Browns, basically baming that on the weather. Of course, there was a scuffle after that game with Pickens and Greg Newsom. Now Pickens showed up on the injury report today. He practiced all week, but this Friday he showed up
as limited because of a hamstring. It says he's questionable. His rivalry with Newsom that's still going at a healthy clip because he was also asked about him today. They got into it after that game.
He said he.
Didn't know who Newsom was.
Well.
Newsom had a response because he was asked about those comments, and Newsom said, you can't find it disrespectful if you don't care about the person that's saying those things. So that's just a little extra drama baked into Sunday's game. Some other good news for the Steelers, though, ian they expect to have Alex high Smith back. He's missed three games with that ankle injury. But the drama is probably coming to a boil on Pittsburgh Sunday.
Not that I want you standing out there in the snow on game day morning covering that game. I'm just saying the visual it's better than you standing out there just regular cold. Anyway, both of these quarterbacks on a little bit of a hot streak, a little bit of a heater.
Both these offenses in general.
What should we expect of these offenses?
What do they want to do on Sunday?
Well, if you look at the numbers that Russell Wilson's and Jameis Winston put up last week combined, they threw for over nine hundred yards seven touchdowns.
Let's start with the Steelers side of things.
Russell Wilson obviously having a fantastic season for the Steelers, he said, so much of what they've been able to do on offense is the versatility he has, and he talked about how successful they've been at the line of scrimmage this week, he said, being able to check plays, to call audibles.
He said, those are some of the things that they have been really good at.
Making sure that they find themselves in the right situation, which they have been plenty of times this season. On the flip side of things, James Winston had huge numbers. He had four passing touchdownps, but he also had three interceptions.
Two of them were picked sixes.
Longtime Cleveland lyman Joel buttonio I talked to him today and he said that Jamis has really been very good energy for them. But he also said they got the full Jamis experience last week, and what.
He means by that is the highs, the lows, and then of course the Jamis viral equips where he asked some.
Help from above to deliver him from those pick sixes. On a more serious note, though, this week jay I always provides a great quote on Morcius.
Note this week he said the team.
Model, however, is to be smart, not conservative. He said, you can't go into a game worrying about the turnovers. Betonio said that the good thing about Jamis is he has this memory that he remembers things, but he says it's so short term.
He goes, I'm not even sure if he remembers storing the pick sixers right after he throws him.
Because he's a guy that just moves on, takes accountability, and they thrive. Got that energy he brings, so we'll see what he can bring into Pittsburgh's place on Sunday.
Ian when I had a beagel little Molly, she was just like that and then twenty minutes later be like, did I eat then go eat again? Certainly helps James my dog twice yesterday, why as he has the last couple of weeks.
I bet my dog twice yesterday and he looked just as sake.
Yeah, and he runs over there. And then I got in trouble because I didn't know. I'm sorry, we just digressed into a dog conversation. It just made me remember I got in trouble for that yesterday. Short term memory.
This is what the viewers are here for.
Sarah.
Let's talk more offline about your dog. Thank you very much. Enjoy that game.
Enjoyed the Steelers, who, by the way, are going to be playing on Christmas Day against the Chiefs on Netflix. A lot of reasons to watch Netflix on Christmas Day, A lot of reasons Ravens Texans as well, nothing but great games. I'm just saying that is going to be an awesome broadcast all together. Meanwhile, for the San Francisco forty nine Ers. I mean, how could I possibly talk
about Kyle Shanahan being on the hot seat. I know it's been a struggle, but how in the world will be using Shanahan and hot seat in the same set. The only way you could find out is by continuing to watch the last six minutes of The Insiders.
Anyway, keep watching.
Challenging season for the forty nine ers, a whole lot of injuries, more losses than wins. When it comes to the future of coach Kyle Shanahan, is there even a story here?
John Lynch, I've found the whole discussion on Kyle, and you know, like some of the stuff rather comical.
I mean, we have won for the last.
Division, for the last five division championships.
We've been in two Super Bowls.
Look, the standard here is to win championships and we've fallen short of that. I understand, But we have an excellent head coach and the fact people are talking about stuff like that, you know, I do find it comical. We're one hundred percent behind Kyle and what he brings to our organization, and like I said, our focus is really on the Bears and doing everything we can. That's where Kyle's focus is, and that's where all our focus is.
Listen, you put the highest paid best players on IR for a bunch of teams, Mike, it's probably gonna be hard to rack up wins if Kyle Shanahan some of became available, be snatched up like that by everybody with a availability.
But what do you make of what? John Lynch?
Just stand there.
I see a guy coming off a Super Bowl loss, having a disappointing season, some injuries factored in there, and people putting him on the hot seat. Reminds me of last year when a coach was coming off a Super Bowl loss and was put on the hot seat. How's Nick Sirianni doing. Everybody relax, take a step back, Allyan.
I mean, it's utterly ridiculous. Like everyone knows how good of a coach Kyle Shanahan is. But I would say this, like Mike said, God forbid, they decide to find which they are not going to. But I'm just saying, if they do, he would be the most popular coach we have seen ever maybe ever, I mean right, like, one of the top coaches in the NFL.
It's insane. Why are we even talking about this is your fault?
Time.
But if you you need somebody doesn't hurt to try to make a call. It's virtually impossible, but you get a call. Everybody