Coaching Changes, Conference Championship Weekend Preview, & HOF Finalist Torry Holt Joins the Insiders - podcast episode cover

Coaching Changes, Conference Championship Weekend Preview, & HOF Finalist Torry Holt Joins the Insiders

Jan 22, 202541 min
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Episode description

NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garafolo dive into Aaron Glenn’s meeting with the Jets for their head coaching vacancy, Ben Johnson officially becomes Bears new head coach, and Josh McDaniels’ expected return as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator for a third stint. Sara Walsh and Cameron Wolfe preview the highly anticipated Bills-Chiefs championship showdown, while Brian Baldinger and Jeff Chadiha break down the biggest flaws of the teams still in contention on Championship Sunday. Plus, Hall of Fame finalist Torry Holt joins the Insiders!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

Speaker 1

The Jets head coaching search is ramping up, but can they close the deal to bring Aaron Glenn Holme. We've got the latest from Floram Park on the potential return of Grit to Gotham. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes scoring off once again in this Sunday's AFC Championship game. Where will this game be won and lost? Our Brian Boldinger will be here to break down where the matchup lies. Meanwhile, the Bears got their man and now it's time for Ben Johnson to go to work. Specifically, go to work

with that man, not the guy running. That's Keenan Allen, the guy who threw the past. Caleb Williams. What are the plans for the new head coach in Chicago? We will show you what he had to say on day one on the job. Welcome Inside with the Insiders, presented by Progressive Insurance alongside Ian Rappaport and Mike Garafalo. I am Tom Pelicero. We've got one hour in this show. We have a lot of moving parts at this very moment, with head coaching interviews that have recently wrapped up, others

that are ongoing potential hires that could be finalized. Stick with us for the next next sixty minutes, because you truly and to some extent, we don't know exactly what's going to happen. Let's start out I in Florham Park, where Aaron Glenn was the center of attention along with GM candidate Lance Newmark earlier today, the Jets seeing if they can bring back their one time defensive back as

the head coach. Now, as Ian had reported, there was optimism on both sides that a deal would come together as soon as today. There's also a Saints interview lined up whenever the Saints you're allowed to.

Speaker 2

Do interviews again.

Speaker 1

More on that in just a little bit Ian, Where do we stand right now on Eric Glenn?

Speaker 3

Where it did Salent get productive day for the New York Jets and Aaron Glenn as both sides tried to make it happen so Aaron Glenn could be the next head coach of the New York Jets, which of course.

Speaker 4

Would represent a homecoming.

Speaker 3

Aaron Glenn first on drafting from the Jets, became an All pro with the Jets, had his first coaching job with the Jets. There's a lot of love from both sides and it's not just between Aaron Glenn and the Jets. From my understanding, plenty of Jets legends have reached out to all parties to be like this should happen.

Speaker 4

He is a member of the family.

Speaker 3

Him being the next head coach of the Jets would make absolute sense. Again, it did sound like it went well today, as by the way it did for Lance Newmark, the Washington Commander's assistant general manager, was trying to be the new GM of the Jets. There's just no deal yet, and these things can take some time. They take on many shapes and sizes in different forms. They all have a trajectory to their own. So it has not happened yet. But I have not gotten any sense that there's any issues.

But as you mentioned, Aaron Glenn, of course was an assistant coach with the Saints that looms whatever weather allows them to have interviews, So if the deal does not get done, I would expect him to go there. I'm just saying nothing final on the Jets just yet.

Speaker 5

Mike.

Speaker 6

This is very free agency of a visit here where you've got you know here, But he's he's got a free agency. He's got another visit next so you know, will he leave here without a debt?

Speaker 5

I don't.

Speaker 6

We'll say, like, you better make it happen and get it done. Otherwise he's gonna go take that other visit.

Speaker 2

That you know, and eventually he gets done. That's kind of the way it feels right now with Aaron Glenn and the Jets.

Speaker 6

And look, Aaron Glenn has been a guy that has impressed a lot of people along the way. Was up for that commander's job last year and did a nice job in the interview process, impressed them. Was down to the last couple in that process there. I don't care about the last performance by his defense for the Detroit Lions.

Speaker 2

There was a very banged.

Speaker 6

Up depth chart when you look at what he was dealing with at that point.

Speaker 2

Don't look at that last game and think like, oh, I really heard it.

Speaker 6

There's an entire body of work here and the knowledge of Aaron Glenn, a guy that we had talked about from the time we started talking about the Jets doing their head coaching search. As we thrust that guy into the conversation the entire time, he has remained there the entire time. There have been some candidates that have been

up and down. Aaron Glenn has been solid in the fact that we have talked about him as one of the top candidates for the Jets, and perhaps we'll close it out, maybe before we're even off the air.

Speaker 5

We'll see.

Speaker 1

We mentioned Aaron Glenn also has a interview lined up with the Saints. We'll say had an interview lined up with the Saints, because this is the current scene in New Orleans where air travel, road travel, anything else. When you're not used to having I don't know, large amounts of snow removal equipment, this can be somewhat problematic. These Saints are rescheduling all of this week's in person interviews. They're supposed to have Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka there

today Dolphins defense coordinator Anthony Weaver tomorrow. Both have been pushed back. I'm told Weaver is supposed to be on Friday, Kafka might be sometime after that. So a little bit of a pause in the Saints head coaching search, which, depending how things work out with the Jets, could still potentially include Aaron Glenn. We know that the Colts closed things out. I don't know what the weather is in Indianapolis,

but let's just say it's a lou day. Lou Anararumo officially introduced by the team as the Indianapolis Colts new defensive coordinator, was previously in Cincinnati, one of the respected defensive minds in the NFL. A big hire entering a

big twenty twenty five season for Indy. Ben Johnson also had his hiring made official earlier today, the Bears announcing Ben Johnson as their new head coach, agreeing to a deal on Monday, very swiftly after the Lions were eliminated on Saturday night, Ben Johnson entered Hallis Hall and as is now tradition, had a little welcome party in the lobby.

Speaker 5

Everyone get back, listen.

Speaker 7

Thank you so much, my family that were beyond excited. This is exactly where we wanted to be. This is exactly where we wanted to be. This this is hey, this is gonna be a challenge. I won't aware that I know what this division is about, and this is exactly where we want to be. We're gonna go after this thing and it's gonna take all of us in

this room. It's gonna take this locker room. It's nothing more important than that locker rooms and us serving that locker room and those players, all right, they need to understand that they need to feel that from us every single day.

Speaker 5

And if we do that, the.

Speaker 7

Wins are gonna come. The playoffs are gonna come. All right, can't wait. You know you guys, and thank you so much for the warm up.

Speaker 8

Thank you.

Speaker 1

Ben Johnson's first team meeting. Right there here are the five teams that still have a head coaching vacancy after the Patriots hired Mike Grabel and the Bears hired Ben Johnson. The Jaguars, Raiders, Jets, Saints, and Cowboys still looking Dallas with an interesting interview also that is taking place right at this moment, their offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer officially interviewing for the head coaching job that was recently vacated when

the team and Mike McCarthy parted ways. Schottenheimer and his dad, Marty, had a long history with Mike McCarthy. Now potentially Schottenheimer in the mix to replace McCarthy in Dallas Ian This would be an interesting move for a variety of different reasons here. Obviously, Brian Schottenheimer was a hot head coaching candidate fifteen years ago when he was the Jets offensive coordinator and turned down some opportunities here, he certainly is ready,

you would think at this point in his career. What do we make of what this says about where Dallas is in their search?

Speaker 5

Well, where they.

Speaker 3

Are right now is they are interviewing Brian Schottenheimer. I don't get the sense that anything is done or imminent famous last words, but that is where it stands right now. But obviously they've only interviewed four candidates now, including him.

Speaker 4

That goes to show you how real it is.

Speaker 9

Now.

Speaker 3

There's some other things they clearly they are waiting on. Could they be waiting for Kellen Moore to be finished with the playoffs? For sure they could. But to me, at the very least, this feels real. And so if I were to try to explain why this interview makes some sense, I would say one what you just said, which is there have been plenty of times when Brian Schottenheimer, called shoddy by his players, has been a hot head

coaching candidate. He's got a really strong resume. Not today as an offensive coordinator, I know people look at the numbers, but as a leader and someone who can keep up the culture that the Cowboys have.

Speaker 4

The familiarity would be there as well.

Speaker 3

For instance, if you are someone who likes Dak Prescott having a lot of success in an offense, you'd have a lot of continuity and some similar offensive schemes from before. And then look, I mean for the Cowboys, I know we talked about this, Tom, there is definitely a thought that for Jerry Jones, you didn't maybe want.

Speaker 4

To pay top top dollar for a head coach. This probably wouldn't be that.

Speaker 3

It's at least something that Cowboys are exploring almost see what direction it goes.

Speaker 6

Brian Schottenheimer interviewed for the Jets job before Rex Ryan got the job. I mean, that's how long he's been in the mix, or since he was first in the mix, I should say for head coaching jobs. Since then, well traveled a little bit of a dip into the college ranks and in the He's the son of a coach and the son of a darn goood coach and Marty Schottenheimer when he was coaching in the NFL, so he saw it growing up.

Speaker 2

He's experienced it on a number of levels, from a number of different situations. This is not that crazy to me.

Speaker 6

I mean, I understand that everybody's looking at well, you got to your star has to ascend.

Speaker 2

You've got to be a Ben Johnson, right.

Speaker 6

You got to be hot and you strike while irons and that makes you a great hire to be a head coach. Brian Schottenheimer could be as qualified to be a head coach as anybody else in this cycle and just sitting there lying in wait, and the Cowboys are seeing it.

Speaker 2

Day in and day out to.

Speaker 6

Potentially say, well, we can make this guy our head coach. Now, where does Jason Witten factory? And we've talked about this at length. I talked about it on Sunday that the candidates for the job with the Cowboys have gotten an understanding that they would like, if all things were equal, Jason Witten to be on the coaching staff with Brian Schottenheimer.

Speaker 5

Welcome that.

Speaker 2

I'm sure that's part of the discussion that they are having today.

Speaker 1

When you get the right head coach, you do not let him out of the building, which is what the Vikings did earlier today finalizing terms on a new deal, a multi year deal for Kevin O'Connell to remain their head coach despite various rumors about teams trying to trade for O'Connell. That was always a completely illogical outcome of this. He had one year remaining on his deals, won two thirds of his regular season games, has not yet enjoyed the playoff success. The team also were told working on

an extension for general manager Quasi Adopho Mensa. They believe that this is the brain trust that will continue to push Minnesota forward. As expected, Kevin O'Connell not going anywhere. Josh McDaniels also staying put and back with a team that he's been with now three times. As Ian reported a short time ago, McDaniels expected to return for a third stint as the Patriots offensive coordinator. Of course, pictured here wearing his Raiders guard from a one and a

half year stint out there in Las Vegas. After he was fired by the Raiders, he moved back to Foxborough. He was living not far away from the team facility. They went through a thorough search. They interviewed a whole bunch of candidates, but Mike Vrabel and Robert Kraft settling on somebody that they know very well. Josh McDaniels now taking over the development of the number three overall pick, Drake May in New England, the number two overall pick, has had He'd say a pretty good year Jayden as

a rookie head into the NFC Championship game. But can he get all the way over the hump and pull off an upset on Sunday in Philadelphia. We will discuss that, but first let's talk about the other game coming up this weekend. It's the Chiefs, It's the Bills. It's Von Miller running away from people until he's not. We have to give duncan on, Mark Andrews.

Speaker 2

It's over.

Speaker 1

It's Bills, Chiefs. Baldy'll be here, Silia camp Wolf and Sarah Walsh. Everybody in the mix to talk about that game right here on The Insiders presented by Progressive Insurance. Welcome to Game Flow of the Week presented by Progressive Insurance. Tom Pilli, Sarah, Sarah Walsh, and Brian Balding here. I won't wrap those names, but they are all here on the Insiders. Sarah, first time in the meeting between these teams.

It was a win for the Bills that Chiefs defense struggle, which is kind of how a lot of these regular season matchups have gone if anything might be different this time on THEFC title game.

Speaker 4

Well, they're going to get some key pieces back.

Speaker 10

And one thing that's really cool about this time of year, when you get down to just four teams left, you have these stories that emerge because you start to spend more time with these teams, and we're only talking about these four right now, right And one of the really cool stories I thought from Saturday night being in that

Chief's locker room was Jalen Watson's return. Now we knew that he was going to get some game action on Saturday, but I remember standing at his locker after the game and he was asked when he knew that he would come back, and he said, before he had surgery. He broke his fibula back in week seven. He said that the surgeon told him it was a pretty slim chance, and I remember standing there thinking if I heard that,

I would have been devastated. And he said when he heard that, he immediately knew that he would be back this season, which speaks to the mindset not only of Watson, but this Chiefs team and this defense. Charles Amena, who also wasn't in the game. In your show, in highlights from that Week eleven matchup that they lost to the Bills of Mena, who was still coming back from an ACL at that time.

Speaker 4

He only returned last month.

Speaker 10

Set after the game Saturday night, He's getting close to being back to one hundred percent. Those are two key defensive pieces that they really could have used in Week eleven. That is a game that they were out rushed, they were out passed, they were out gained by a Bills team that's really good. And Andy Reid was asked on Monday, when you look at that game, what specifically does this defense need to do better against the Bills team, and he said, we got to get him off the field on third down.

Speaker 2

That was a game, Baldy that.

Speaker 10

Josh Allen on third down and we know that he's good at a lot of things, but he completed sixty percent of those third down conversions.

Speaker 4

Baldy.

Speaker 5

Yeah, I went back and watch that game today, Sarah.

Speaker 11

And you know coach Fags is you know they wear a T shirt in Fags We trust in Kansas City for good reason. His ability to heat up the quarterback, to speed up the mechanics to.

Speaker 5

Get the ball out is seconding out.

Speaker 11

Although in that last game Week eleven. I thought that the Bills handled it pretty well. In fact, Chris Samuel scored the final touchdown against the blit zero look. But you know, if you just started scripting all the different pressures that spags will come at you with. I saw them draw up stone Cole Jones into the middle of the hook zone in past coverage to bring Trent mcduffey off the slot, like there's some unconventional tight pressures that he has no fear coming.

Speaker 5

At you with and trying to heat up Josh, you know, Josh Allen.

Speaker 11

One of the reasons why they have beaten them three times now in the postseason because of their ability to kind of turn the dial up in Keith spots. It's not just third down. It could be any down, and it could be anywhere on the field. It's bats fields. I think you get an advantage. They're going to come with it. It's up to the Bills to see how they handle it.

Speaker 1

Right now, let's say at E and R Cameron Wolf to the conversation. He took a delay of game penalty off the top of this segment, penalized five yards, but he's still got the ball. You've been around that Bills team here in the plus, what's one area that they've got to win if they're going to come out of Kansas City with a victory.

Speaker 12

Yeah, Tom, this is the turnover dish. That's the key for them. And they've really changed their offense this year. Josh Allen under his last two offensive coordinators, they were throwing the ball around a lot and having a lot of success. But there also was the interception, there was the flumble, and there was a conversation with Joe Brady and Josh Allen this year about what the goals were and they were willing to sacrifice some of those big plays, those yardage for Josh to be able to take care

of the ball and the results are eye opening. You know, this past game, they didn't win because Josh outdueled Lamar throwing the ball. They won because he didn't turn the ball over and the Ravens did three times. And when you look at the first time these two teams played, the Bills were able to confuse Patrick Mahomes into a couple of interceptions. Josh Allen didn't have any and that was a difference maker. But for the Chiefs, they haven't

turned the ball over at all. Since that matchup, that's been six games in the regular season, won in a postseason for them, and so that turnover to differential was going to be huge. I know, the defensive coordinator of the Bills, Bobby Babbage, he works on them and practice with this every single day, trying to strip out the ball, trying to recover the ball the way Von Miller did on that fumble of Lamar Jackson during the game. That's going to be a key focus for this Bill's defense.

Their ben but don't break, but they are top three in the NFL and takeaways. They hope to get Patrick Mahomes to give them a couple in their quarterback Josh Allen, to lean on that old line, lean on that run game, and take care of the ball.

Speaker 11

You know, Okay, just a couple observations. You know, the last time they met and that Bill's win one was to your point. I mean, Josh Allen, he turned the ball over eight times now eight times in nineteen games.

Speaker 5

It's been a month since he sold an interception.

Speaker 11

So they've done a good job and take care of the football, but still staying aggressive fourth down conversions, short yardage, still staying in their dame and then the other thing that I thought was really interesting is they spied Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 5

A great deal in that first matchup with success.

Speaker 11

They got him to the ground on two sacks won by Cheryl Benard one by Von Miller in that first matchup.

Speaker 5

I thought, even down the.

Speaker 11

Stretch in the final minutes, they had Dorian Williams basically spying Patrick Mahomes.

Speaker 5

In in that game.

Speaker 11

It's interesting Patrick Mahomes did not run one time. We've all watched the Homes over the last eight years. He always runs, he always gained yards. He didn't have one run in that last matchup, and so they did a good job of checking him.

Speaker 5

Buying in. The spy worked, I thought a great deal. He never got.

Speaker 11

Loose and extended plays where he runs for those first downs where we routinely see him do that in big games.

Speaker 1

Sarah Camp, thank you very much. Talk to you guys throughout the course of the week. Baldy, do not move, because coming up after this, we're going to talk about the potential flaws in these four teams that are still alive. Could Jalen Hurts and that knee that really got twisted up last week be a factor in the NFC Championship game. We're breaking down both right after this on The Insiders, presented by Progressive Insurance.

Speaker 2

Fers Middle, Tory Hope got it in tramping Wow close the inside, touchdown Rams Tory Hals, He's.

Speaker 4

In the open field. Ten five Stop Tory Holt. He's touchdown, Yeah to Hope, touchdown, Ram Holden, Goose, stay Tulable, what's down?

Speaker 12

Tollet Holpe receiver there town halps got it's time?

Speaker 5

What wait?

Speaker 1

We've had that highlight reel in the hopper for a while now, because that guy, Tory Holt is a Hall of Fame finalist for the sixth consecutive year, remember the greatest show on turf, one of the best wide receivers of his era. Somehow not in Canton yet, but he is right here with us on The Insiders, Tom Pilicero and Ian robberport Toy. I ran into you at the green room in NFL Networks like a month ago.

Speaker 2

It is right after the finalists were now his first time out, My mouth was is this the year?

Speaker 5

Can we make it happen?

Speaker 2

And Orlando Pace was there.

Speaker 4

Its like, can you do something about this?

Speaker 1

How are you feeling about your chances?

Speaker 5

This time around. I feel good.

Speaker 9

I feel good every year, man, you know, to be my eleventh nomination and six finalists straight years being a finalist, I'm excited every single year and this year is no different. And I appreciate Orlando and the kind words. I appreciate Curtain and you all for the kind words. And we'll see what the boaters think.

Speaker 3

How do you handle this? Just like mentally as you kind of get ready, are you you know, anticipating, are you like, wow, this year it's going to be nextra Like? How do you kind of deal with what is a very very long road as you wait some very well deserving news.

Speaker 5

Yeah it is. It is a very long world right in.

Speaker 9

And you know, I've written every emotional way that you can ride in this process. Doing this process again, I've been a finalist for six straight years now, and every single year up to this point come up a little short. But I've just learned to, you know, just again lean on my faith and trust that how I played the game and trying to play it the right way at some point will earn my way into the Pro Football

Hall of Fame. And as you all got, as you all mentioned, coming on here hopefully this is the year. But I have my family as strong, my kids, my friends, everyone is encouraging me to hang in there, and I just try to think positively that it's going to happen.

Speaker 1

Hopefully we'll have a Ram in New Orleans to put on that goldjacket. We're not going to have the Rams, the current version of them. They lose last week in Philadelphia. That's a heck of a run though, from the early stage of the season where it's trade Cooper Cup, trade Matthew Stafford. They kind of got it going obviously down the stretch truck the Eagles to the wire watching this iteration.

Speaker 2

That's such a young group.

Speaker 1

What are your thoughts on the twenty twenty four Rams?

Speaker 5

Super excited.

Speaker 9

You know, they got out to a one and four start, dealing with injuries and whatnot.

Speaker 5

But you know, I called Sean McVay.

Speaker 9

I texted Sean McVay right there at the end and as they were going into the playoffs, and I just congratulated him and his staff and his players on how they handled themselves this year, for him to be able to motivate this bunch, for them to be able to.

Speaker 5

Buy in, for them to rally around.

Speaker 9

Each other and to get themselves where they won the NFC West, then to get themselves into the playoffs and win a playoff game there in Arizona against the Minnesota Bikers in the way that that defense, that young defense played, and then Matthew Stafford, the stud and Poop and the Coop and all those guys that are in Kairon Williams and the young talent they have on the offense side of all, I felt. I felt really good about them was the latter part of the season. I feel even

better about this young group coming back next year. They are a young, talented football team. Coach McVay is such a great motivator, such a great innovator. These guys buy in a unselfish football team. I think is what sticks out to me when I think about the Los Angeles Rams. They pulled for each other, they played for one another, and then to deal with the devastations that they dealt with late in the season with the fires and whatnot in Los Angeles.

Speaker 5

And for this football team to pull.

Speaker 9

Together and to win in the way that they did to the city of Los Angeles and the way that they did, I'm super excited with this team going forward.

Speaker 3

You know, there's an interesting situation sort of that's been playing out that's going to continue to play out with Cooper Cup for the Rams, obviously one of the really great receivers they've had over the course of the last decade.

Speaker 4

Do a big number next year.

Speaker 3

The subject of trade rumors this past year right up until the trade deadline, they kept him made obviously the run all the way to the playoffs, and when he addressed his future over the last couple days, he kind of kept it open because he really doesn't know. For someone who won has watched Cooper Cup up close and to a receiver who obviously is you know, a veteran who still produced deep into his career, if you were Cooper Cup, like, what's the best way to handle everything going forward?

Speaker 4

For him and for the Rams.

Speaker 9

I think the way that he handled everything this year is a testament to his character and who he is. That's one of the reasons why this football team is in the position that they're in because the character guy like Cooper Cup, guy that comes in every single day and works as but all, handles himself in the correct way,

encourages his teammates. Not only does he not only is he productive, but he shares the information with Pooka and the other guys in that receiver room, and I sat in a receiver room with them and watched how he manages himself. I would love I would love to see Cooper Cup retired RAM. I think he's deserved it. I think he's every I think he epitomizes what it is to be a Los Angeles Ram when you think about the lineage of receivers, when you think about our club

and our organization, he fits right in that mode. And I will love again to see him retire as a RAM. But I know how this business works, and he knows how it works. I think once he heard his name a little bit thrown around in the trade deadline, I think at the beginning of the year that may have been a little challenging for him to come back from that.

But again, he was the ultimate probe. Didn't say a word, just just kept his head down and just continue to work day in and day out and had some big plays there in the playoff to help this football team. So we'll see how it lands. We all know that it's a business. We'll see how it goes. But again I'll repeat, I would love to see Cooper Cup remain a ram retire.

Speaker 1

Ramp on the other side of that matchup Torri. Another storyline was AJ Brown and some of his activities on the sideline. I don't know if you were even allowed to have books in your day that might have been available here. I'm curious number one, what your thoughts were on AJ finding his inner excellence between drives And number two, did you have any peculiar quirks in your.

Speaker 9

Playing dage when you work on the field. No, well, I've never seen that before. That was the first and as always the first for everything right and a A. J. Brown certainly has proven that once again. But I guess he's got to do what he needs to do to keep himself peaceful and keep himself whole so he can think and concentrate and go out and do his job.

For me having any quirks anything like that when I was playing, if I ever found myself in a tough situation where for any last shout or say something, I would take some deep breaths and I even have lasted out. But at the end of the day, you know, you got to you got to play football. And this is his way of controlling his emotions and making sure that he's good to go and able to go out and play at a high level. But certainly the first that I've ever seen in my lifetime.

Speaker 1

Whatever you were doing, Tory and your playing days, it worked. You were on the precipice once again for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We're a little biased because you're one of our favorites here, man, but best of luck. Hope to see you up there on the stage the NFL Honors wearing that gold jacket.

Speaker 11

Man.

Speaker 5

We appreciate it absolutely, guys, thank you very much. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 3

Tory Holt, one of the members of the most high flying offense we can remember.

Speaker 4

How high flying will that guy be? That is Jalen Hurts.

Speaker 3

We saw him awkwardly go down with kind of a little bit knee injury last week.

Speaker 4

How healthy will he be and how much.

Speaker 3

Of a factor will that be for the Philadelphia Eagles. We got Jeff Jadea, we got Brian Baldinger. They're going to tell you all about it.

Speaker 4

Coming up next on The Insiders.

Speaker 2

Eagles, three o'clock on a Sunday. For the second week in a row.

Speaker 6

The Commanders with the extra day of rest is these prepare for the NFC Championship game at three o'clock then at six thirty pm on CBS.

Speaker 2

And Paramount plus the Bills and the Chiefs.

Speaker 4

Again.

Speaker 6

I hope we have another legendary playoff game between those two, and I hope we have another legendary appearance from our Jeffrey Chidia right here joining us alongside Baldy.

Speaker 2

Right here.

Speaker 6

Jeff's got a article up on NFL dot com, a backslash first read about the biggest flaw. Yeah, we're gonna be a little negative here in this segment here, but like constructive criticism, I guess we can call it.

Speaker 2

Let's start with the Eagles.

Speaker 6

The biggest negative that you see for the Eagles right now, it.

Speaker 8

Is the health of quarterback Jayen Hurts Mike, and we just don't know how severe that leg injury he had.

Speaker 5

You saw the play where he got sacked and he grabbed for that left knee.

Speaker 8

And I'll tell you what, this offense, you already were concerned about where they can win with the way they were throwing the football. He's only throwing for two hundred fifty yards in the playoffs. You start having him in mobile, that's a bigger question yaes Hey Kwon Barkley can run like crazy in the Washington commander of defense is suspect against the run.

Speaker 2

But Baldy, this is a big issue for the Eagles.

Speaker 11

It is it is, I agree, But I also would say this, Jeff, like, we know how tough Jalen is, we know he's going to be out there, but I just I guess my question would be even if he's out there, discounting the Week sixteen game against.

Speaker 5

Washington when he had the concussion, I mean.

Speaker 11

He's twelve to zero as a starter, twelve straight wins in a row, and he's averaging twenty one pass attempts a game. I would take it a step further because I know he's going to play, He's going to cut out whatever it is, Jeff, But can you win championship games and get to a Super Bowl a thirteenth win in a row by averaging twenty one passes a game and throwing it for as few yards.

Speaker 5

As they have done during this stretch.

Speaker 11

Albeit it, he's taking good care of the football and maybe that's more important.

Speaker 6

Two things I feel pretty to really good about Baldy this week. Like you said, Jalen Hurts is going to play. I feel really good about that one, and I feel pretty good about the fact he's not going to be one hundred percent. He is definitely banged up from taking that shot that we just saw on Sunday, so we'll see how much that affects him on Sunday. The Commanders their opponent, Jeffrey. The biggest flaw you see in them right now.

Speaker 8

I'm going with lack of experience.

Speaker 5

And I love this team.

Speaker 8

They've been great this year and Jayden Dwns has been phenomenal, the next big superstar in this league. But only sixteen starters on this team have played in the championship game. Yes, they've got Marshawn Lattimore and Bobby Wagner and Zach Hurtz guys like that, and Dan Quinn took Atlanta to a super Bowl, but this is a different stage. People talk about how much pressure comes in the championship round, and it.

Speaker 5

Gets a lot tougher.

Speaker 8

It's different when you're playing wildcard games in the divisional games with house money. Baldy once if way from the super Bowl. That's a big, big deal for this team.

Speaker 11

Jeff We all watched them go to Detroit against the best team in the league, the highest scoring team in the league, and they put up forty five points. The defense scored one of the touchdowns. It didn't look like lack of experience. I had a easy to do with Detroit had all the experience in those big games, two championship games in a row, and it didn't look like they were phased at all. They got to a track meet with Detroit and they beat him at their own game.

And so I don't think that this is going to be a game where it's going to be decided by experience. They know the Eagles well, they played them. You know, this will be their third meeting in the last ten weeks. This is the rubber match. They played him well the first time they played it. I think this is about execution right here, and if the quarterback you can continue to play at the level he's playing without turning the ball over like he has done.

Speaker 6

Here's a quote from today quote he's a young quarterback by birth certificate, not by tape. That is Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talking about Jaden Daniels. I agree with him. I know you guys agree. You see his ability to not panic at all. They come with something, He's got a counter for that. You see something here, he's over here.

He's staying nice and level. He is impressive. The Kansaity Chiefs remain impressive as they go for their three pete or as Peter Scheger called it when he predicted it to start the season on Good Morning Football, the Chiefs pete Peter might be right, let's see, but they got to overcome this flaw.

Speaker 8

Jeffrey and the defense not as dominant as you might think.

Speaker 5

The stats say they are.

Speaker 8

They're fourth in the league in points allowed, but a lot of big players given up in the second half of the season. The pass rush came on this past week, got eight sacks, but that was against a really bad offensive line. And my concern here is the run defense of one hundred and forty nine yards the Houston Texans at one point in that game and the third quarter of Texans went on a ten minute drive and they

converted ten of seventeen third downs. Baldy against Buffalo. That's a recipe for disaster.

Speaker 11

It can be, although I kind of think a little differently here, jeff I mean, I saw Houston score twelve points down the stretch. I saw the Steelers score ten, I saw Cleveland score seven. I mean their defense was up to par and they've got SPACs. You know in Fags, his game plan, his ability to affect quarterbacks in big games. The bigger they are, I think, the better he gets and they trust him. So I think there was healthy

on the defensive front, as they've been all year. A man who looks really good right now, to go with Chris Jones rested looking good last week.

Speaker 5

You know, Carl loftis with the Hattererck guy.

Speaker 11

I feel like this defense is up to par and I don't think it's going to be a weakness year.

Speaker 5

I'll be it.

Speaker 11

They did get him a lot of rush yards at Joe Mixon last week, but they didn't get him let him into the end zone, and you know they were still blocking extra points at the end of the game.

Speaker 2

What I watched that leads one team, the Buffalo Bills. What's the biggest week this there Jeffrey.

Speaker 4

Sean McDermott's big game history.

Speaker 8

You know, they've had a lot of heartbreaks in the last few years in the playoffs, and a lot He's taken a lot of criticism for those losses. And I think he's a different coach this year. You're hearing people talking about how much looser he is, how he's showing his personality, how he's telling dad jokes and he's doing snow angles after games, like he's a.

Speaker 5

Different kind of coach.

Speaker 8

Maybe in some ways, like Tom Coughlin changed with the New York Giants back he went from being a really hard tough guy to be a little more open. And I have to need that that kind of Sean McDermott in this game because he's become conservative then casts.

Speaker 5

In these big games.

Speaker 8

He needs to be that looser, aggressive coach Baldy for them to win this game in Kansas City.

Speaker 5

He is seven and five in the postseason. Help be it?

Speaker 11

Okay, the big games, it's really the big games you're talking about Kansas City.

Speaker 5

They're own three.

Speaker 11

Against Kansas City. And I think you know they didn't change the overtime rule. You know, three years ago and there's Josh Allen sitting on a bench with his head like his in his hands after past mahomes went down and scoring the touchdown in overtime. They did change the rule. I still kind of wish the rule had been changed before that given Josh Allen a change. Maybe they're still playing that game for all we know, but I do

think that's been the Achilles Seal. It's been Kansas City, and if they want to get to where they want to get to, they have to eventually defeat the dragon.

Speaker 5

And that's the Chiefs this weekend, Sunday night.

Speaker 2

Yep, coming up this, that's my that's me, by the way, Let's make sure.

Speaker 5

It's all sir.

Speaker 6

We're good, We're good, We're good. Usually Judy Batista, she lives in Manhattan. I'm across the river, not as crazy here, but sometimes.

Speaker 2

We get a little bit of that. That's the horn that means it's time to go.

Speaker 6

Jeffrey Chadia NFL dot com Backslash first Read to check out the biggest I'll tell you big this weekness in this segment right now is what's happening outside this window?

Speaker 2

What is happening out there? We'll find out, let you know, when we come back.

Speaker 6

We'll also talk about Ben Johnson Bald He's going to be with us to talk about the impact that he will have with the Bears and Caleb Williams.

Speaker 2

That's coming up next on The Insiders.

Speaker 3

The moment so many Bears fans were waiting for. I'm really hoping for, praying for all of the things for that man right there, Ben Johnson to be officially hired as their new head coach, their top target signed, sealed, and delivered, and as you can imagine, Bears fans, well, they had some thoughts.

Speaker 13

Gotta say, I'm extremely shy that the Bears did things the right way. And I hate to say that as a Bears fan for fifty three years. Okay, you know, but you say it.

Speaker 5

But it's nice.

Speaker 13

It's nice to see that, guys, you know, and I would love to see the Allen hire because as a first time head coach, like you're all talking about, you know, it's you know, you got to manage the whole team, you know, which is hard to do. And then my last point, guys is I was in my truck today driving from store.

Speaker 14

Home when the news broke, and I was on a local media affiliate and they just said, oh boy, this is not good news. And all sudden I heard what they said and the last response from the local guy was the step brother just grew up.

Speaker 15

This is such a quarterback driven league, you know. The last seven Super Bowls. Who's won Mahomes, Stafford Brady and Peyton Manning. And I think worst case scenario, I mean, I think Ben Johnson's a slammed on hire. But worst case scenario, Ben Johnson develops Cale Williams into an elite quarterback. And that's what you need to win in this league is an elite quarterback.

Speaker 3

The people have spoken, Actually thought that people would have much funnier accents, but it is what is still good reaction from Bears fans. And yeah, I think it's safe to say the offense could use a little boost, maybe from one of the best play calls we've seen over the last several years, one of the best designers of offenses, Ben Johnson. Now the Chicago Bears coach, Brian Baldinger, get.

Speaker 4

In here, come hang out with me. Tell me what this is going.

Speaker 3

To be like, not just for the Bears organization in general, but zero win on Caleb Williams.

Speaker 4

What is this going to be like for him?

Speaker 11

Well, I mean all he has seen in his first year, he had his instability, He saw his offensive coordinator fire, he saw his quarterback coach elevated to offensive quarter he saw his head coach fire. Always seen is just change in turmoil. I mean, I hope Ben Johnson comes in there and he has stability to begin with, you know, and that would be a good starting point.

Speaker 5

And now, look he's leaving Detroit, which has elite offensive talent.

Speaker 11

The Bears don't have that, yes, but he's going to be part of the plan to rebuild the offensive line like they did in Detroit, where they were patient with it and they built it the right way with you know, they they forego some of the shining weapons, go get Piney Seal and it was the right move.

Speaker 5

You know.

Speaker 11

They clean out the running back room and got Jamir Gibbs and David Montgomery.

Speaker 5

Like he can oversee some of this.

Speaker 11

But I think Caleb needs a great play caller and designer once they get those things in place, where he can trust what the guy is sending it the way Jared Goff did over these last four years in Detroit, and Jared Goff elevated his game continuously. With Ben Johnson, but with that stability, I think that's where it begins. You've got that voice that you trust in your head like he had at Lincoln Riley at Oklahoma, like.

Speaker 5

He had with Lincoln and Cliff Kingsbury at USC.

Speaker 11

He's got to have that voice, has had of trust, of creativity, and we've got the right play here in this situation. We've got the right deceptive right here as we cross the fifty yard line to go sting them.

Speaker 5

You know, those kind of things.

Speaker 11

The quarterback and the head coach, now the offensive coordinator as well, they've got to have that trust together. We see it throughout the division. We see it with the Floor and Jordan Love. We've seen it with O'Connor and Sam Darnold. We saw it with you know, with Ben Johnson and Jared Goff. I think you've got to have that connection between that play caller in that quarterback.

Speaker 3

That's a great call and it's going to be fascinating to see how that plays out. And we have seen the difference it's made in Jared Goff. Now all eyes on Caleb Williams with Ben Johnson in the fold for.

Speaker 4

The Chicago Bears.

Speaker 3

Baldy, thank you very much for hanging out with us as always.

Speaker 1

Championship Wednesday just one day away. That's where you've got the star players and the coaches from all four teams in the conference championship games. At the podium speaking with the media. We'll have four hours of coverage right here on NFL Network starting tomorrow at noon Eastern time, and of course you can catch the best of Championship Wednesday right here on The Insiders at seven pm Eastern time. Tom Hillisero, Ian Rappaport, Mike Shira Follo back with you

got something? No, Mike, No, I'm bad. I'm gonna look like you want to talk. Brother, you start, let's finish. You're ready, strong, go ahead, now, you got it.

Speaker 5

You're good.

Speaker 1

So the racially reinaugurated President of the United States Donald Trump as a diet coke button, I'm told under his desk, Ian, if you had a button that could do anything under your desk, what would it be?

Speaker 4

Do you have to say? Like you think I would say it? You think I would say.

Speaker 2

A real transition there you think I would say.

Speaker 4

You think I would say coffee. But that's not true. Here's what I would like.

Speaker 3

I would like a mute button because we have conversations here on the phone all the time, and my microphone's right here.

Speaker 4

I don't know who's listening.

Speaker 3

So I want all private conversations muted, not just on my desk in my whole life.

Speaker 4

I want to be able to have all conversations. I want up anyone else hearing all the time.

Speaker 6

And watch, here's all you have to do. Your mic is behind you. You just reach back and you just pull the mic and then we no.

Speaker 4

But then I forget to put it back in. What was that mic? That is pretty easy?

Speaker 5

Got something editing? All right?

Speaker 4

What did you say?

Speaker 12

We're back tomorrow?

Speaker 1

Send me a maistern say you

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