#14: Cowboys jump to #2, Bengals strong, Vikings and 49ers questions, and Baker destinations

person to bring this up to me. I have an old soul, and you're kind of more like a Dorine. What you're kind of like, not so much a Colleen, but a Dorine. Oh you know what I mean. I guess I would love to be a Dorian. I think Doreen would be great. I will drive a Lincoln I mean, listen, I uh, I learned how to drive on a Lincoln A nineteen seventy Oh hanah handles, well, oh my god, we're steering on that thing. Was great. Uh. Listen. We're talking about the old times, and it makes it makes

me think of the good old days. Um for me, you know, the the late eighties, the early nineties, and I'm a kid, and I would go to St. Margaret's Parish on Sunday for the usually the noon mass um, and afterwards my mom would take us. You can save it for the theology podcast if you want, right, no other comments on my religious upbring, but take us to

my grandparents. And there's Poppy, the old Poppy, my grandfather, the Giants fan and his brown couch with his root beer watching the Bill Parcels Giants against all those great NFC East teams, Cunningham and the Eagles, Buddy Ryan the hat, the way that he always wore his hat uniforms to Washington teams with Gibbs leading the way winning Super Bowl les. And now we look at the power rankings and we see what. There's no Joe Gibbs here. Okay, uh, there's

Nobuddy Ryan rest in peace. But we have the Dallas Cowboys all the way up to number two, your Philadelphia Philadelphia Eagles number one. The beasts of the NFC East rule the power rankings. As we take a look, by the way at the first quadrant of the latest edition of Power Rankings at NFL dot com slash Power Rankings. Uh, Eagles stay at one after a dominating win over the Titans. A J. Brown got the GM fired in Tennessee. You

want to talk about revenge? The Cowboys up two spots after putting up thirty three unanswered in the fourth quarter on Sunday Night Football, Bengals and we're gonna get to them in a bit, up five after a huge win over the Chiefs, Bills up one after beating the Patriots in primetime, Chiefs down three to number five, Vikings up one after beating the Jets narrowly. Narrowly easy for me to say, Niners down four, We're getting to get to them.

Cataclismic event for them. And the Dolphins humbled a bit at number eight, down two spots, um, But yes, the two teams Eagles Cowboys. How confident are you that the Eagles hold onto this thing? Are you watching the Cowboys on Sunday night and thinking to yourself, they're gonna come get us, and they're gonna take this number one seed in the NFC? Well, of course, like I'm always nervous watching the Cowboys. They just make me nervous in general.

But seeing the way that they were so comfortable in the second half of that game, everything was going right for them, and right now, I just feel like the Eagles and the Cowboys are on a collision course for Christmas Eve, which is terrible for whoever loses that game, because you know that this is going to ruin Christmas? Is it for the Theology podcast? Right back at your systems? All right? Hey, let me alone, got me a cigarette in the other room. I feel like Dorine smokes. Done.

You know, we only smoke in the other room. That's why we cover the couches. Alright, done, alright, so listen. I I the fact that the Cowboys did what they did in this game against the Colts, like this was a close first half and then they just blew the close first three quarters. In fact, Jeff Saturday, he doesn't challenge that potential interception by decolating the third quarter. I'm not saying it would have been overturned, but the fact

that he doesn't challenge it. If that gets overturned, the Colts have a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, So that it was I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't just look at the final score. Look at the Cowboys weren't overly impressive for most of that game before turning it on and embarrassing Jim Ursay's team. Uh. The Eagles, on the other hand, why it was an easy decision for me to keep him at one. The

Titans are a good team. They're not a great team, but we they're good, disciplined, battle tested team that has run into some issues now. But to beat them the way they did, to outgain the a f C South leaders by nearly two fifty yards, that was impressive that that was not a hard decision for me to keep them where they are. After the Eagles, we were able to win the game by running so well the week before, they came out and passed all over the place. They

looked so good. Jalen hurts his arm amazing, I mean a j. Brown. We knew that this was coming, but I didn't know to what extent, how dominant of an effort this would be from him. And also the pass rush looked so good for the Eagles. So you have so many great things working for them, I mean, Devanta Smith involved, they have. They're just like having fun too.

You can tell how much they like each other, how how light it is in that locker room, and that usually equates to a playoff type of team and a winning team in the playoffs. But for me, the one thing that I would look forward to um and I really want to know when we're talking about these two teams. With the Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown done for the season and ruptured his achilles, they're already thin at that position

and inexperience there. They lost Jordan Lewis in October to that terrible woman, you know, oh, the Harlot Liz Frank. I mean, you know, I'm a feminist Connie, but I have an issue with Liz Frank. I thought I saw her out the other night. I grabbed John real fast, you know, take your man, hid Man. But rookie Duran Bland,

he's playing and play Lewis, I don't know. So I was thinking maybe Mike McCarthy gives his old pal Kevin King from Green Bay a ring to bring in a little reinforcement there at the position, because that could be tough for them down the stretch here. But when you see what their schedule is, they have Houston coming up this week, then they have Jacksonville, and then they have Philly on Christmas Eve. So that's most likely two wins. I don't want to sleep on Jacksonville, although they just

got wiped by the Lions on Sunday. I think about the Eagles locker room, a good, strong, healthy locker room. It does remind me of that special Sunday in Minneapolis, being in the locker room after fifty two and Meek Mills Dreams and Nights Mayores is playing and the whole team is screaming every word and celebration. You even have Nick Foles screaming the words of that song, like that's a different year. It's a little early in the show, but listen, the Bengals have arrived, so it's time for

here power moves. The Bengals are up five spots and that's why they're the power mover. And you look at their trajectory since week ten, they were at eleven, hung in eleven, up to ten, up to eight, and boom up to number three, which means, right now, Connie, to me, power rankings guy, they are the team in the a f C. And that could certainly change, but right now, and it's a now exercise, they're the team I trust more than anybody else to get out of the conference.

Oh even more than the Bills. Right now, more than the Bills more than the Chiefs, more than the Texas. I believe that that Cincinnati their combination of a defense that is playing well together, that is playing with discipline, an offensive line that continues to improve, a running game that, even without Joe Mixon, is moving the chains. Jamaar Chase back on the field as a top ten wide receiver

in our league. Te Higgins not quite at that level, but very close, knocking on the door, the Superstar club on the other side. And then that dude behind center, Joe Burrow, who And this is the first time Zach Taylor said something like this, but I think he's absolutely

telling the truth. A lot of coaches say a line that I'm about to tell you, and you know it's b s. He said, I wouldn't trade him for anybody in the world, and I wouldn't either, because I think Burrow's got rings in him and this year they have a chance. Well. So this is my favorite part about the Bengals. I love when this team starts to feel themselves and you know that we've arrived to that portion

of the program at this point four straight wins. Joe Burrow, he brought back the same car d a glasses that he wore the last time he played Kansas City in the a s C Championship game. They're sassy again, and that's what I love about them. It's my heart with joy. I love a sassy team. I love Harris seven sassy, Like what kind of sassy were talking? I mean, listen when you watch Joe Burrow arrived to a game with

the Cardier shades and the suit. I mean, the looks are great, but for me, it's like Jamaar Chase, after a week of trash talking, which I love coming from Justin Reid from the Chiefs, Jamaar Chase could not wait to get into Justin Reid's face. I mean, as soon as te Higgins scored the touchdown, he ran over and started making a rain right justin Reid's face, like it

wasn't even his touchdown. He was waiting for that. And then after the game, Chase got one more final dig inn a can that's been their thing, tuna can, because there, you know that's what that's what cats. They love a can. I'm still not following it, but he said because then so I was like, okay, because this is It's come up multiple times this season already, so I was like, oh,

is that you know them calling the other team something? Um, but I think because the Bengals their cats, and cats love tune in a can, so that's what they do to the secondary. Anyway, I developed a strong aversion to Tuna in a Can a few years ago. Um, still haven't come back around on it, but anyway, save it

for the Tuna in a Can podcast. I also liked Joe Burrow after the game when he was asked about Justin Reid's comments about you know, it's too long and convoluted to even get into because Justin Reid got all of the names wrong when he was trying to talk trash. But Joe Burrow said I would have cared a lot more if he knew what he was talking about, and especially after the game, like he just knows exactly what

to say. And when you play this way with some j p Ryan doing such a good job in the absence of Joe Mixing, I mean, p R I definitely has to have a bigger role once Mixing comes back to It's yeah, oh yes, he's He's definitely earned that and I think they could be a great tandem together. And you know, it's in the era of analytics. You want to find all the different reasons to explain why Joe Burrow is so special, and you could do that,

Go find dig through the numbers. You'll see what a what a great quarterback he is, and how he moves offenses so efficiently with his varied skill set. However, there is that certain something June's a koa if you will, that is undefinable, that makes him different, that makes him special, which is why in a very tightly packed a f C, and you see it with Bengals, three Bills, four Chief's five,

all those teams are very close. You could you could flip any of them in any spot in these power rankings, and you have a case I think wins out in the a f C. Right now. That's where I'm at, well, especially with that energy that they're given out Outside the top five. You have the Vikings, I have them up one spot after the win over the Jets. I have the Jets and we'll see them when we get to

the second quadrant holding onto the tent spot. Because I think that was an interesting, somewhat odd game and that you were expecting one of those teams to make some type of huge statement and separate themselves. And but it said, I came out of that game feeling the same about the Vikings. Despite that ten and two record, that they are cut below the big boys the top these power rankings, even those a FC teams, I don't. I still see them in the same way. And I want to give

them credit because I know there's Vikings fans. They're just like oh Dan with there's Jets fandom, Mike, He's not giving us. Vikings fans are out for all of us. They did an incredible job in the red zone stopping Mike White and the Jets six five out of six times, and that's how they won that game. But they also left the Jets into the red zone six times in that game in their offense. That that we are disappearing act.

It does at times. It still feels like a slightly unbalanced team, but the fact that they've literally won everyone score game, it's it's they deserve the respect of the number six spots. They do their tenth win of the season, and it was the tenth time they had to white knuckle to the Finnish and it's just got to be so stressful to be a Vikings fan, no wonder they're out for all of us, because it's not an easy life.

They deserve better than this. They deserve at least one comfortable win this season, and I don't know when they'll get it if the Vikings continue to play this way like Yes, they had those two the defense had the two back to back red zone stops that were great to preserve the win. They needed that, But Kirk Cousins was off for a lot of this game because that Jets defense is so good. When it mattered, Kirk Cousins

delivered those strikes to Justin Jefferson. He connected on all five of those attempts on that touchdown drive, so that score ended up being the difference in the game. But this Vikings defense just bleeds yards. They just hemorrhage yards every single week. They absolutely do, and that will continue to be an issue. And I think Kirk Cousins, even though the numbers are fine, I think he's got to

play better. He's he's delivered. They were very good conversely in the red zone, which again allowed them to win that game, scoring every time they got inside the Jets twenty. But he left a lot of yards on the field in that game and in general, and you look at his week to week production, I think he needs to raise this game if this team is truly in the super Bowl conversation, can we talk about the Niners now?

Because I haven't been seven and this is very difficult conny when it comes to power rankings, to do you how do you define a really good team when they suffer a crushing injury loss as Jimmy Garoppolo is for this team out for the year after injuring his foot

against the Dolphins. So they had their best win of the season in large part not because of Brock Party, who did find in relief work for a seventh round rookie, but because of their varied skill set players on offense, their defense, that front seven with Fred Warner and the guys in the front four that get after the quarterback. Where do you put a team after they lose their second starting quarterback of the season. Do you drop him like a rock? Or what? How much time did you

spend on the Niners? Like, if you are spending the full day on Monday with these rankings, what percentage of time did you spending to figure out? Are you if I said five hours? Yeah, it's not true, because what you do basically is, Okay, they still have that really impressive win. They are still a top their division. So we're gonna do is give him a subtle drop like a which is a nod that this is not good that you've lost your quarterback here, but we're giving you

the respect by keeping me in the top ten. Does that make sense? So you're bracing for a larger fall potentially? I don't know how you can't, just because unless Kyle Shanahan has this kid just so locked in and ready for what he what he has in front of them. But this is a huge, huge task to put in

brock Purty's lab in the middle of December. But the nice thing is he has this defense that is so talented, and the playmakers that they do have on offense are so versatile, and you have Kyle Shanahan, they can scheme up different things. And I would say, considering the fact that brock Purty has been leading the scout team against the Niners incredible defense, like that's a best case scenario for a seventh round rookie to be just thrown into this.

And Fred Warner talked all about pretty and how much they test him during these practices. I mean, of course they're going to talk him up right now, but I think there is something to that considering how good this defense is at every single level, and that they have been testing him. So if he's going to have any type of practice before he gets thrown into the spotlight,

that's the best kind of practice to have. Yeah, And I would say that Kyle Shannon's offense if Purdy and they identified identified him as a guy they wanted in their building. In fact, he beat out Nick Mullins. I believe it was this summer for a roster spot, which was impressive in its own right. So perhaps he is somebody that will be able to efficiently operate this offense,

even at his young age. And and Shanahan's office is very based on knowing your personnel as a quarterack, knowing your scheme, obviously, knowing where your reeds are, and getting the ball out. They're not going to be asking Purty to do a ton of processing behind the line of scrimmage. If the offensive line holds up, He's a distributor. Just like when Garoppolo was going well, it was see the receiver,

hit the receiver and let them do it. The yacht bros And all that, and he's not afraid to push the ball down field either, which could be a good or a bath like exactly. But the potential good news here for Jimmy g is the Niners think he avoided the scourge of a woman. He did. Yeah, good because Ms Liz Frank, we don't want to say are around these parts And this would be the part when I usually no, get her out of here, she's gotta go,

uh loose women sink ships. Um, this is when I usually jump over to the quad two, but we gotta stay in Quad one because there's another team we got to talk about, and it's the Dolphins who and I dropped him to eight and uh just a two spot drops some of that. I kind of wanted to ding him a little bit more, but there wasn't any teams behind him that I felt really deserved that bump up. Obviously not the Titans of the Jets behind them, two teams that came off losses. But at the same time,

kind of a sobering reality check for Miami. Wasn't it well to what was tested? And you know, he had a hard time as expected. Nobody thought that I don't I didn't think this game. I don't think no thought there are a lot of Now this is not me saying, oh, I nailed it, but it kind of did. Everyone was just assuming, because they were rolling through five of the worst teams in football over the past month plus that that was just going to continue because this is who

the Dobbins were. Now. No, we needed to see them do it against the team like San Francisco, So when they don't, you ask questions that this was exactly what I expected from TOA because he kind of came in and out of being flustered in this game. Like the first past of seventy five yard touchdown to Trent Serfield. I almost think that that's almost like a little flukey because it's the first play of the game. You catch him off guard. I loved it, like that was a

great play by Tua. And then he also had that other deep shot to Tyreek Hill in the second half, which were the first points that the Niners had allowed in the second half and what like five games so straight games. But when you don't have Jalen Waddle involved, his first catch wasn't until thirty seconds left in the third quarter. Like this Niners defense such great talent to slow down the Dolphins. I mean, it's just a really

bad matchup for them. The Niners defense, I think is a bad matchup for anyone, but specifically for the Dolphins and their personnel. But you see what I'm saying, though, you're right matchup wise, But I just wonder now as you look, like, what do we have? Let me check this ouver real quick. Like the back the back to back interceptions he was missing, they were open, But you

could look at that as a positive to that. It wasn't so much that Mike McDaniel's offense scheme was flummixed and and broken by what Damiko Ryans and San Francisco's d did. It was maybe the quarterback just had a bad day, and it's okay. Quarterbacks can have bad days. So they're gonna be a very interesting team to watch going forward. They have They're at the Chargers, a team that's just all sorts of banged up, obviously with Joey

Bosa and numerous other players out of the lineup. But then they go to to Buffalo the week after that, So I'm kind of circling that date as another opportunity for Miami to show us that they should be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender. I'm just not there yet. And again, Brock Purdy place Jimmy Garoppolo in the first quarter. I mean that was a gift from the football gods to Miami and they just couldn't do anything with it. Yeah, that that Dolphin's Bills game is going to be huge.

I'll be there for it. I'm really excited. I've never been to Buffalo to see a game ever, like this has been on my bucket list. Are you doing that? I'm so excited. We're doing the pre half in post or maybe half in post because it's the triple header on that Saturday, December seventeen, so it's the last game of the day, so we'll be doing I mean at least the half in post game. There are you a wings girl? Do you do you do the wings? Well? Anchor bar, I'll go to anchor Bar. Yeah, but I

can't do wings before a show. I'm like, I am both accident prone and a mess. So not a good count for that particular food item. Let's check out the quad two. Now U in the Titans and Jets hold onto their spots. Not the Jets. I feel comfortable. Keep them there. The Titans, I was ready to drop them, but then who do you who do you put above them? I don't know. Ravens at eleven. We'll get to them in a minute. Seahawks up two spots after that narrow

win over the Rams to twelve. Commanders stay at thirteen. The Giants after the tie with the Commanders, jump up and get right next to the Commanders. They have a rematch coming up week after this uh in FedEx Field. The Raiders up to to fifteen and the Bucks after that miraculous Monday night football come back up to to sixteen. They're gonna win that division. Now after that game, let's start with the Ravens. Ocunny, we're just talking about San

Francisco and their quarterback issues. Lamar Jackson not not as nearly as serious as what ended Jimmy g season his knee issue, but at the same time a little fore voting John Harbon not putting even a timetable on it. Just more like, hey, don't expect to see him Sunday and then we'll see from there. I mean, this was a nightmare of a week for the Ravens. You barely beat one of the worst teams in the league and the Broncos, and then Lamar goes down week to week.

I mean, the thing that makes Lamar so special is the way that he moves around on the ground and Dan, I've heard that me is a big part of the leg and how you move around on the ground. I didn't know that you studied medicine, that is, yeah, totally anatomy. Yeah, that was one of my favorite classes anyway. Um, yeah, you know, I was going to be a neonatologist, but then I decided instead to just go into sports. Sports. There's so much overlap anyway. I just wanted to help people.

I just want to connect with others and feel like I'm making a difference and leave this world a better place. I want to keep it. I was, I have a new dentist, and I was, you know, I asked him, hey, had you become a dentist? Like what was that all about? And he kept it Really it's like, well, you know, my whole family was like doctors and dentists, and you know, doctor's a lot more work, a lot more years of

school and that hour. So I was like, screw that, I'll be a dentist instead, all right, that's actually pretty smart. I wish I had heard of that before I made some It was like decision anyway, what are we talking about the Ravens. Yes, it all feels very Ravens fans do not want to hear that. I know, and I don't want that to be the case at all. Nobody wants that at all. They have there at Pittsburgh, at Cleveland, then Atlanta, Pittsburgh again, Pittsburgh and Cleveland fans do want

that at Cincinnati to end the season. Yeah, they're still they're tied atop the division in the North. But I'm totally with you, it's very it's very hard to know exactly what's going on. Obviously, because as long as Lamar is up in the air, the whole season for the Ravens, just like last year, is up in the air. But I do know this, there will be no miracles for Baltimore. Tyler Huntly is a good backup, but they lost four, four or five with him last year after Lamar went down.

But this Baltimore team we've seen the time and time again. The defense isn't good. I mean it's not bad, but it certainly has had enough letdowns in big spots. In this game where you know you can't trust them. The passing game was already hurting, not because the Lamar, but because of the roster that's been built in a way and because of injuries that they just don't have that explosiveness. And you take Jackson and what he adds to the running game out of it, and it's like this is

not a very special team. No. And I kind of feel the same way at this point about the Bucks, Like I it's a team that I just don't trust, even though the last minute heroics. If this offense just operated hurry up all the time, I think that they would have different results because you see them able to move the ball and get positive momentum when they go

hurry up. And that's what happened in these last few minutes of this game, and and Tom Brady just kind of took over and it was like he just kind of got in that zone and nothing else was going to stop and he was going to win that game. And it was largely a disaster like before, with a wild decision to punt, Todd Bowles got bailed out by his defense, and then Brady hes Todd Bowles he loves and trusts his defense, you decide to punt fourth and ten. I mean, Brady was so pissed with like six minutes

to play. Everything was wreaking out, Like that was a crazy decision that somehow ended up being the right decision because of everything that happened afterwards. But Todd Bowles did the same thing last week too when he punts it on fourth and three against the Browns. Like just different things like this don't make me feel great, so negative though, I mean that was that was a special moment in their season. Of course, it was do you can you

can't you see? Because they're going to the playoffs now. That was the win. If they lose that game and I know they have a they have a tough game next week. I can't remember who it was, but usually it's a top it's a the Niners next week. Although with party who knows anymore that team and it felts weird. This year, it would have been wide open that division.

I don't feel that way anymore. At the same time, like, even though this team is flawed, get Brady into the dance and he could still be a tough out on I think my issue with this team is that I started to believe after they beat the Seahawks and Munich and I was back on board and then they burned me. So now I'm just kind of guarding myself. Well, here's the thing. This is the other weird thing about this team. What Brady showed you in those last two drives. They

still Brady. He might not be the Brady of even a couple of years ago. Maybe he's come down a little bit at this point at but he's still really a good distributor and has, you know, unrivaled pocket presents and all that he's he continues to just miss these deep throws and they're the future of their season rides on weather they can unlock their downfield passing game because it isn't like he's sailing the ball out of bounds or he's like poor Matt Ryan, we can't throw anymore.

It's just the it's just a little bit off between especially Mike Evans, but a Godwin as well, uh Scotty Miller. And if that gets corrected, and it could be a simple mechanic fix or just the flow of the season, they're gonna be dangerous in January. But until I see that element of their offensive attack, the vertical vertical game get corrected, and now we're getting into the middle of the stock. Let's go. Let's go. Indeed, before we go to break, let's talk Raiders, because you know, they've kind

of been my pet team. Tell me a little bit more about that much of this season. I don't know they they're interesting to me, and that they're kind of they were a Greek tragedy for the first half of the season, blowing so many games. Uh, and then you count them out and then they went on two walk off touchdowns in the past two weeks, kind of gifts

from their opponent to give them those games. And then they wipe out attend nothing deficit against the Chargers on Sunday and badly outplay a Los Angeles team that was ahead of them in the playoffs standings um entering the week, and all of a sudden, they got the Rams on Thursday night. And you say, wait a second, here, wait a second, are the Raiders gonna go from one of the most disappointing teams in the league to a team that gets into the fabled in the hunt column of

the playoff picture. I think it's possible. Is it also possible? Connie of this team that has this this pathological need to just destroy its fan base with bad losses this year has another bad one in him. Maybe on Thursday night games are weird on Thursday, Connie. But this is

riddle me this, Connie. I'll how is it Connie's up that the Raiders can have two legitimate offensive Player of the Year candidates and Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs, and a leading contender for Defensive Player of the Year Max Crosby, yet still find themselves two games under five after three

consecutive wins. And it tells me it's all these things mean they're gonna keep winning and their record is gonna in the end reflect more what they're talent level is and the playmakers they have, and that would put them back in the race. They've got some wins, more wins to take care of. But that's why they're where they are. I mean, they have so they have really good talent on this team, like Chandler Jones, Hello, welcome to the season.

I mean him. He came in with just a half sack and then brought down Justin Herbert three times in this game. First, Josh Jacobs has been rolling, which I love like that's the petty tour. And my favorite part about this whole matchup with the Chargers this past week. I mean it felt so personal the whole time. But with Keenan Allen and that fourth down touchdown that he

got for the Chargers. Like earlier this week, Keenan Allen, Uh, he returned obviously after missing these seven games, and he said last week that the Raiders dbs would be barbecue chicken if they played single coverage on him. I just think there was a missed opportunity for them to actually bring in barbecue chicken for the win, like that would be nice. You have it when ending on the bit exactly. Then they're eating chicken as they're doing the post game interview.

It's great. Now you just brought back bad memories of Aaron Hernandez gross chicken in front of reporters years ago. See, I would have gone to Thanksgiving. When they're on the field, they win, they have like the turkey leg to Aaron Hernandez. Well, listen, the real ones know exactly what I'm talking about. The Aaron Hernandez eating chicken in the locker room bit. Anyway, let's take a break and we'll hit the rest of the power ranking. I'm sorry to bring it up, but

you said chicken and locker room eating. I just welcome back to the show as we check out Quad three. Here the Lions of three spots. You know what, you just can't keep them down at right now. Real America's team, the Chargers, who we just mentioned, dropping six spots to eighteen. You got the Patriots after their loss to the Bills on Thursday night, down four spots at nineteen, the Browns down one spot after beating Texans without any points from

the offense. You got the Packers standing path there at one, Steelers at two, up two spots, and then the Cardinals down one a twenty three and the Jags down one moved up the Packers a couple of spots. We're gonna take the el on that one. Yeah, you're just realizing that right now. They know, Hey, listen, sent it. It's over. But there's always next week. There is, there is, it

will be addressed. Hey how about those Lions. I love the Lions, our our team um that we covered on the Hard Knocks podcast this summer, and they have made a steady rise up the board. Yeah. In fact, they were number thirty one as recently. Take a little trip here as week nine, Connie, And then they moved up to nine, then up to one, then up to eighteen, then a little dip down to twenty. But now here they are again at their high water mark of the

season at seventeen. And let me tell you something, Connie, let me hear and this, and this does speak to how kind of weird the middle section, the soft underbelly of the power rankings are. If those Lions beat the Vikings, and by the way, the Desert favors them, the Lion to win the Lions on Sunday, they will be knocking

on the top ten of the Power rankings. And I know that doesn't sound right, and it doesn't even sound right to me, but look at the teams around them, and then look what the Lions have done over the last seven weeks. It's grit, it's about but you gotta win on Sunday or it's just a nice little story. But you beat the tenant two Vikings and it becomes something else entirely. And Detroit played them really close in week three. That was only a four point lost. Everyone

plays the Kings, but the Lions. This was not closed against the Jags. They absolutely stomped them for a fourteen I mean, Jared Goff looked so good. They scored a touchdown or field goal on eight consecutive drives, scored over thirty points for the sixth time this year, the most in the NFL. I mean. And on top of that, now they're adding in their rookie wide receiver Jamison Williams, so you have even more firepower to come still. I love this for Dan Campbell. Yeah, Williams. Anything he gives

them this year will be a bonus. I think that was the idea a lot of people thought. And it was a good wide receiver draft um Garrett Wilson, for example, a hundred and sixty six yards for the Jets against the Vikings on Sunday. But a lot of people said Jamison Williams is the best of the bunch potentially, and uh, he's coming back from that a c l. But when you look even without him, just assuming he's somebody that will get some snaps as he gets back up to speed.

DeAndre Swift being healthy, Mom Ross st Brown being healthy, our boy, Ben Johnson, their offensive coordinator, Like this is a sustainable offense that I think earlier in the season, like they got shut out by New engl and as I recall, and they had some highs and lows. They started one and six, then they won three straight and then they lost by three to the Bills on Thanksgivings second kick and and crush the Jags. So I don't think this, I don't think this is a flukey offense.

I think they're gonna play every team and be able to score points. And then if the defense, which is getting better with our boy Rodrigo and company, they really have a chance to get that last wild card spot in the NFC. But that Sunday is so important in terms of them graduating to something else. We also have to mention DJ Chark too, because they got a huge play from Chark for forty one yards that kind of

set up another m Um raw St Brown touchdown. Like they have just a bunch of playmakers on this offense. And I did not think watching Hard Knocks this summer that this offense would be putting up the kind of points that they are right now. We kind of did, though. We talked about it on the podcast. We talked about the defense being the we we said, like the offense looks like it will be all right. The defense is going to be a mess, and we kind of nailed it.

But what Dan Campbell and my guy Aaron Glenn the d C have been able to do is just do what good coaching staffs do and and rosters that have talent can do, which is start figuring things out as the year goes along. Very happy for Lions fans. Is really happy to Marshall is just over the moon. Hey, but we have talked about the lines a lot this year for a five and seventeen. How about a five and seventeen that we haven't talked about it all this year?

And who's that? Pittsburgh Steelers. And I get why we haven't talked about him a lot because in this exercise what we do power rankings, they're not really a relevant team quote unquote because they've been hanging in this range for much of the year. Yeah, they're kind of getting overlooked a little bit because they've been a team that hasn't really been worth discussing quite frankly, in the prison

of power rankings. However, it is notable to me, Connie, that they are getting They are getting better, and that is again coaching Mike Tomlin, who has never had a sub five hundred season, he might keep that street going. Do you really think so now that Kenny Pickett is I'm not saying Kenny Pickett has taken over the league and he's not having a type of rookie season we've seen in recent years, justin Herbert as an example, where

he hits the ground running as a difference maker. But you could tell with each passing week he's gaining more, getting more comfortable in this offense, making good decisions. And you add t. J. Watt back into the mix. The defense has its teeth back and they're gonna play teams tight, They're gonna play him tough, and I think they will end up right around five hundred. Well, George Pickens has a lot to say about what's going on with the offense. Like he was invisible, that was weird. He was not

happy about it. He had one catch for two yards. Wider. You gotta keep wide receivers happy. Takes one game. All it takes is one game and they they will sulk on you. But also we've seen George Pickens have incredible catches this year. Like you throw something his weight, he will make it. Happen, he will lay out and just complete lee. I mean there were some just beautiful one handed grabs that he had this year, and I saw

him reach kind of his breaking point. I thought when Deante Johnson almost had that fumble that was then ruled a drop and he was just like completely emotionally checked out. I think after that, um let's let's pull up the quad three again, just one second counting before we moved to the final quad. I want to take one more look at Quad three and ask you a question, who, out of these teams Lions, Chargers, Pats, Brown's, Packers, Steelers, Cards, Jaguars,

do you feel the most confident in snagging a playoff spot. Okay, so don't overthink it. Just kind of because the Lions. The Lions, because right now they have the momentum and they just keep they keep kind of rising on the power rankings, and that's not by accident. I think they finally have their stuff together. You know what I would have said, the Packers, But that eighth loss kills them. Um So, and again the Lions can't find a way against the Vikings. That's eight for them. They have to win.

They have to beat the Viking who's more due for a loss than the Vikings? Who are you picking the Lions? Yeah, let's move to Quad four the dregs. I'll do this one, Conny. The Falcons hold the Saints. They were ready to jump up to you know one, and then the whole thing, the whole house caught on fire. They stayed at twenty six. Panthers Fairs. Rams Bronc goes all up one spot, not because of anything they did necessarily, but because the cults

needed to be redirected down the standings. After Sunday Night football they're down to thirty one, and then the Texans they got that bottom spot. Lock man, I mean, I just still can't get over the Colts. Like what a just abject disaster that was in the fourth quarter. So it's the holiday season, Conny, It sure is positive here. I actually I told you it was the holiday season. Last episode. It wasn't, though, Well why because it wasn't December yet. We had a stray up already. Our whole

houses like fit with lights. I mean, come on, grow up, I mean I am. You said, I'm an old lady. I can't get older? Got him? John? Can you please get the tree down from the attic. They have to Thanksgiving the first Friday after Thanksgiving? Come, John, where's the tinsel? I thought there was gonna be tencil this year. Al Okay, I have an idea. That's not what your husband sounds like, by the way, very strong, masculine, youthful voice. Oh that's

nice something like that. That actually is pretty pretty right there, good job, pretty accurate. Okay, So this, uh, it's the holiday season. I interrupted you go ahead, was there? Oh? No, Let's say something nice about some of these teams because there's a great idea. There's not a lot of you know, a lot of good things going on with these teams. So say something nice about somebody. Okay, we'll say something

nice about the Falcons. Okay, okay, and you know, thank god for bye weeks because they finally got one coming so they'll get some sweet release. Really not fair by the way, these week fourteen, but these teams know it's too late. But you potentially have a nice quarterback that might be waiting on the other side of this bye week. Week fifteen Desmond Ritter pick. You got the Saints, Ravens, Cardinals, and Bucks coming up, Like, let's see, let's see what

he got I've seen enough from Marcus Mariota. I think that Arthur Smith has probably seen enough from Marcus Mariota. He did say that they were going to make some changes. There will be changes made. We have to look at everything, so a week of introspection. The great Joe Biningo of w f A n Fame, there's a line that I'm going to use based on your call for a change there, Conny, because I've watched a lot of Falcons football and that offense, and my my line is from your lips, it's time

for a change at quarterback Atlanta. Let me say something nice. Okay, are you going the Panthers? I get get Baker out of the building. Get Baker out of the building. I'm kind of Baker is I'm exhausted by Baker Mayfield in general. Uh So, their decision to part ways with a quarterback on Monday clears the path for Sam Donald uh and p J. Walker to finish out this season. And I

don't think barring some type of incredible rise. Although you know, I have a soft spot for for Sam Um with his Jets ties, and I was thinking to myself in the fourth quarter on Monday night, this door is open for the Panthers and maybe steal the South, and then all of a sudden, Sam Donald is playing a whole playoff game as a starting quarterback. All that stuff is probably not gonna happen, but I like that they got Baker out of the picture. Donald gets a clear runway.

But in all honestly, this is just maybe even then figure out who their backup is, because they're gonna go get a quarterback. But way to simplify things in that QB room, say something nice honorable mentioned Frankie Luvu. Franky Luv, I mean emerged as a starter this year. I just love saying his name. Frankie Luvu sounds like a character from Time. Did you invite Frankie? Okay, I will say something nice. Don't even get hey. If any of you are looking for any last minute gift ideas, right, I

have one. I like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want to brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people, and I want to brought right here, well the baby ribbon on his head. I will save the rest for later, but I can do the whole now. I know what we're doing for our Christmas show the Bears reading, I will say, I know you're you're really down on the Bears, but I feel like you are kind of a Bears hater.

I'm not not impressed, don't care. Why should I be impressed, because I think that Justin Fields played a really good game. And it's like, here two interceptions in the last five

minutes of the game. But sure, yes, absolutely, but he had two beautiful deep balls in this game, the decent yard rushing touchdown, the fifties six yard dime to Equinimius st Brown me and he had the big throw to cold comment on third down, like they were up sixteen to three on the Packers, and this was a valiant effort, I thought from the Bears without three members three starting members of their secondary. So I think that this was like an excellent game aside from those two interceptions for

Justin Fields. So he just continues he was poised in the pocket. Come on, didn't the Packers lose seven of eight before that game? Though, It's not like they beat like Vince Lombardi's team with Bart Starr. I'm just saying that was the exercise, all right, kind of Grincher. You yeah, but you you teat it up by saying that I hate the Bears. I think the Bears could be really good next year. I think it could happen quickly. Hate Chicago,

It's a great city. Finally, I'll say something nice about the Denver Broncos, specifically their defense, which very nearly You're not gonna say anything about their af no, very nearly. Single handedly, this is their only choice beat the Ravens on Sunday until they get beat late and lose ten nine. There are there's a lot of integrity on that side of the football in Denver for them to continue to

fight week after week after week. Um, as the offense goes into a total total funk week after week after week. They You know, the Broncos have ten games now this year where they have one touchdown or less offensively ten A team that gave up their entire future to get a star quarterback, Russell Wilson has eight touchdowns on the season. So you could absolutely um understand I Denver's defense mailed it in and this team turned into an absolute dumpster fire.

But they haven't because of that d So I'm saying something nice about that side. Of the ball. They got pride and I love it, and they got great. You love doing the show with you. They're alter uns are also? Are we now saying something nice about the co host? Let me say something nice about you. Um, you're an old woman at heart. But that old woman is a sweet old lady who does not put razor blades and

apples on Halloween. No, but I have never handed out candy on Halloween, so I don't know if that is a strange, So maybe not. There is still time. Daniel a great host, and the Power Rankings were lovely this week, so a plus. All right, I'll get back to you personal thank you. Now say something nice about all the listeners who've been following along. All your thank you. We'll be back next week. Until then, heed the call later. NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in

partnership with I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.