Week fifteen is upon us, and it kicks off with a good one tonight in Santa Clara Brock Purdy, Matthew Stafford, Omar Rawiz. All three of them will be at Levi's Stadium, and one of them will join us momentarily from the field.
Can you guess which? Okay, it's Omar. The race for the AFC's number one seed is not over just yet, but the Steelers and Bills would need some help to overtake Patrick Mahomes and the chiefs Our Guy Baldy gonna be here to help break down the chances that the road to New Orleans will not go through Kansas City. There was a time not that long ago that the road used to go through Foxborough. Now Bill Belichick taking the Painterotway to Tobacco Road. Belichick introduced today as head
coach at North Carolina. Here from Bill himself on his plans to build a winner at the college level. It starts with thirty percent for smiling. Welcome inside with the insiders alongside Ian Rappaport and Mike Garifolo. I am Tom Pellicero. Today is a momentous day because we are fifty nine days from Super Bowl fifty nine. There are still ten playoff spots up for grabs at this point, and one of them maybe more, but perhaps one of them could go to one of the teams we are seeing squaring
off tonight. It is Matthew Stafford, it is brock Perdy, it is TNF on Prime video, an important NFC West matchup in a playoff picture that in a lot of different ways, remains muddle. Now. There's still a path for them to get in multiple ways, especially with the Commanders there at eight and five in the wild card race. But the most likely path is one of these teams, the Rams or the forty nine ers being able to make a push on the Seahawks, who at this point
have created a little bit of distance for themselves. From more on this game. We head out to Levi's Stadium and our guy Omar Ruiz, who is there. He's looking dapper. Set the scene for us here, Omark.
Well, it's a little cloud cover here, tom rain is in the forecast at Rained overnight. They removed the tarps about a couple hours ago. Here at Levi's Stadium. Ninety percent chance of rain in six o'clock hour, which is right around when the second quarter would begin, so something to keep an eye on for tonight.
Both these teams played a thriller in Week three.
The Rams are racing a double digit fourth quarter deficit to pull that one out. No George Kittle, no Deebo Samuel, no Cooper Cup, no Puka Nakua.
In that game.
So both teams expecting a much different game this time around, and both teams knowing that they're already in playoff mode.
Essentially, as you alluded.
To, Tom by taking a look at those standings, this is a playoff elimination game. The forty nine ers have activated Drake green Law, who in many respects has been a heart and soul piece of their defense. They're looking for the desperation style that he plays with to impact their defense tonight, just like talanoa who fun does return last week against the Bears.
Really catalysts for their great play should be a.
Huge one tonight here Tom on Thursday Night Football.
Good stef Omar and good coordination as well with these sound guys who turned on that rock music ten seconds after you started talking. It never fails more from you on this game and much more. In a little bit, Bill Belichick won a whole lot of NFL football games in his day, more than almost any coach in NFL history.
Now he's looking for his first win at the college level, officially showing up today as the head football coach at the University of North Carolina, a place where he's got a lot of history.
You know, when you're little, you don't remember everything. Obviously, I was too young to remember a lot of things from Carolina. But as I grew up, you know, you hear the same story over and over and over, oh again, And so one story I always heard was Billy's first words were beat duke.
But what do you say to people that fear that if you do succeed here that you might leave for the NFL again in a year or two.
Yeah, I didn't come here to leave.
Bill's looking downright, chipper. While addressing reporters earlier today, he did get a look at the athletic director's suit with the cutoff sleeves. A nice touch, though very weird to look at when you're watching it in a press conference setting. And you watched this pressure earlier today, what are you your takeaways on the breaking news from yesterday? Bill is now there. He is officially head coach of the targets.
No, I was trying.
I was watching the press comments you said, and I'm trying to figure out in my head, like, why won't this work right, Because ever since we've been talking about this for basically the last two weeks, in my head, it's always been like Bill's probably gonna get it, He's probably gonna take it, and he's probably gonna win. And listening to him today I actually felt more convinceding that
than otherwise. Yes, I know the college game is foreign, and obviously there are some differences, but the college game right now is more similar to the NFL than it has ever been from the rules perspective, and he mentioned it talking to college coaches about what's it like with the two minute warning and other rules that are now similar to the NFL. You know, Belichick worked They obviously had a you know, personnel department in New England and
all that, but he worked with agents directly. He would negotiate famously deals with Drew Rosenhaus and others, you know, face to face, or he would be the one doing it. He knows agents well, that agents are now very much a part of the college game. That is something he is going to be incredibly well versed in he has been in the media for the last year or so. And you know, I'm never gonna say that he's relaxed and chill, But that was relaxed and chill as we
have ever really seen Bill Belichick. It seems a little bit like he's been refreshed. And a lot of his friends, a lot of his really good buddies, from Nick Saban, the Kirk Farrens to Greg Chano, have won.
A lot in the college game.
He has spent a ton of time talking to them over the last several weeks and months. He looks more poison ever to go out and win. The fact Mike that it's in college is different, but shouldn't really affect the overall product that much.
I don't think he was so relaxed ian that we almost for the first time in history, got bulletin board material from a Bill Belichick press conference. He said he used to want to go to North Carolina for scouting trips, and you would send your assistance to and he caught himself and said somewhere else, Like at that point he should have just said duke.
If he had said duke, like, nobody would have been like, Oh, I can't believe he said that's the rivalry.
He would have been fine at that point, but he had another place that might I'm curious as to what that would have been.
Clemson.
Perhaps we shall see, But you know, Belichick, and what he said is what we've been talking about the last couple of days with regard to how he sees the NFL game and the college game being a lot similar or a lot more similar than they've ever been, and it's not just nil. And also the fact that you've got he keeps saying salary cap. It's not really a salary cap because there is no cap in college. But you have a budget and you have to work within
that budget, whatever that budget winds up being. And that budget was a big part of the discussions the last couple of days because he needs the money to be able to compete with some of the upper echelon programs, which at this point North Carolina football is not. The goal is for him to take it there. But also he talked about how college came to him this time around.
Wasn't like he was seeking a college job. He would hear from college coaches because there were so many rules changes recently that were NFL likes, such as the two minute warning, the headsets in the player's helmet. So he was getting calls about that stuff, and he realized there's a lot of overlaps. So he felt comfortable and believes that North Carolina is going to be the opportunity for him to be successful at that level.
He's all in.
There have been a lot of comparisons, including for me and yesterday to Dion Sanders going to Colorado, and when you have a name like that, suddenly people might want to go and play, especially if you're building a team like Bill Belichick seems to intend to, which is a lot of it through the transfer portal, which is basically a free agency. Let's remember though Dion and Colorado went four and eight in year one, there's a lot of work that goes into building that program. So we'll see
how quickly they can get it off the ground. Belichick once lost a Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles, who still have a coach at Nick Sirianni who is very much in the NFL right now, and they got a big game coming up this weekend, one that well, it's been overshadowed to a certain degree by comments made earlier this week by Brandon Graham, the longtime veteran defensive end who is on injured reserve, talking about the relationship between
AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts, saying maybe they're not friends anymore. Jalen, your thoughts on all that.
I'm think any En Brandon BG calling him Brandon BG knows he's he spoke out of place and he knows that.
So was your reaction when I'm sure your phone started blowing up when that was going around.
What was your reaction to it?
I mean, I'm I mean, it's just about the team in the end, I think overall that's that's that's where my focus is. I think that's what everyone's focuses at heart and trying to do what's best for the team. And I'm ultimately everyone cares about the team's success, and so you know, whenever, whenever something happens and whatever it is, I look at myself first, you know, because everything starts and ends with me, and I take great pride in
what I do. I take great pride and the responsibilities that I have when I am to the city and to this team, and my challenge myself.
On that, Mike, this all started when A. J. Brown said last week basically that the passing game needed to improve. They're obviously one of the top running teams. Sakuon Barkley's an MVP candidate at this point. But to have this type of conversation going back and forth throughout the course week before you play a big game against the Steelers, what b how big of a deal? If any have you gotten the sense this is in the building.
We're on day three of this story, and it started out with is there a riff between Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown? Of course, everybody downplayed and said, no, it's not that, And the passing game was not just about Jalen. It was about the entire passing game. Everybody needs to be.
Better in that regard.
The longer this has gone on, I'm less concerned with that stuff, and I'm more thinking back to when we sat on the field Super Bowl Sunday this past year in Las Vegas. The Eagles were not playing, but Jalen Hurst was one of the topics that we discussed on the game on game day that day, and we talked about how the team wanted him to be more of
a forward facing leader. And this is a great opportunity for that because you've got one of the leaders of the core that helped win that Super Bowl and for the last decade with the Eagles in Brandon Graham overstepping stepping out of line. Well, now it's your chance as a quarterback to get this thing back in line and to build that credibility inside that locker room. I would expect Aj Brown to get fed plenty this weekend, like
plenty last time this happened. He had four catches for twenty nine yards when he was upset on the sideline. I think was nine for one thirty one the next week. I expect that. And if all goes well, Jayalen Hurts can sit up their postgame and realize that he did everything he needed to do to get this thing back on track and that his teammates saw that.
In Yeah, and if I was still alive in fantasy, I would say this was a great This would be a great time to have Aj Brown in fantasy. Obviously I'm not, but you're right.
I would expect a focus.
On the passing game, which is I assume means get Aj Brown the.
Ball just a little bit more.
But I want to go back to what you mentioned about Jalen Hurts being front center here being a leader. You know, this has been a COmON for the last three days and I think a lot of people were wondering what was Jalen Hurts going to do with this, how was he going to take it? And so it's like, all right, what's your reaction when this happened? You know, how much was your phone blowing up? How much did
everyone talk to you? What are the questions like? And you could see Jalen Hurts very cleanly, very cryptically cut it off. He did not answer the question, said it's about the team. We are trying to get the team better. Ultimately, that's what it's about. And whether that's true or not. And obviously he did get reaction, he's not going to address it. But this is the way a leader goes. You know what, I am redirecting this conversation to improving as a team. And you know that's so much of
what the quarterback's job is. It's to help the locker room focus where it needs to be. H This was a good example of Jalen Hurts as a leader in r and I would expect pretty good performance from him on Sunday in relation to the passing.
Game Eagles Steelers in the four to twenty five pm Eastern time window, same time for the kickoff of the Bucks and the chart who were excuse me, what wow? The Bucks and the Chargers, who certainly need a wind coming off of last week. Thanks everybody, I just became a man. Justin Herbert dealing with an ankle injury, also had a quad injury on the hit that he took last week. Ian He downplayed it when he talked to reporters, but certainly he's dealing with something there.
First of all, congratulations Tom and the Boyscrack.
Thank you very much waiting for it lone.
So first of all, they should put Charlie Horse on the injury report.
It would make us all.
It would just be a little more specific. That looked like a bad one and I'm sure that it hurt a lot. So Justin Herbert was back at practice today for the Chargers, spotted on the field by local reporters.
That's a good sign.
He also joked early in the week that you know, he had one ankle injured at the high ankle sprain that we really, I would say covered extensively here on the Insiders as he mentioned now it's the other ankle, so he's got both covered. I would expect Justin Herbert to go out there and play, and I think there's one thing we learned early in the year that he can be as hobbled as he was. He can glimp around the facility as reporters spotted him doing and all that.
When it is time to get out on the field, there's not a lot that could stop him. There's not a lot that can knock him away from being the quarterback that he is. It's an important game. They're all important for one of the NFL's really good teams, for a team that's marches to the playoffs. I expect Herbert to be out there and if history is any indicator, probably look pretty normal.
In more serious news, there was another robbery of an NFL player during a game on Monday Night. It was Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow whose home was broken into during Monday night football in Dallas, the latest home invasion of a pro athlete's home. Nobody injured in the break in, but the home was ransacked, according to a report provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. The NFL issued a security alert recently after several similar robberies, including of Patrick
Mahomes and Travis Kelcey. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed on Wednesday the FBI is involved the league in the players union, encouraging all players to take as many precautions as possible, especially on game days. Twenty twenty five NFL Pro Bowl games presented by Verizon are back and the roster is up to you. But a tough season for the Browns, but they still got some top individual players. You can go to Pro Bowl dot com slash vote to cast yours.
Speaking of the Browns, one of their for an office executives, Katherine Hickman, was a participant in the Front Office Accelerator over the past several days in Dallas. She joined ian.
Kat, you have been coming to the accelerator for years.
Take me through some of the benefits of this accelerator program that the NFL puts on.
I mean, it's a great program and there's a few of them. One the networking opportunities you get with the other participants, your peers across other teams, to the opportunities you get in front of ownership and you know, team team executives. And then really a third piece is the program. The program in itself.
There's a ton of research that goes into this.
Blinda and her team really trying to find sessions that are going to help us professionally develop.
So I think those three things are the keys.
You contribute for the Browns, And really all facets have a lot of high level conversations. Give me a specific example of your experience that kind of separates you as a candidate.
I think it's the proximity that I get to decision making and how I can contribute to those And that's really a credit to Andrew Andrew Barry and how invested he is in developing his staff and giving us those exposure, those situations where we get to have a seat at the table and actually contribute to some things that you know, other people may not get exposed to until they actually get the job. So that's been really beneficial.
Interesting, and you know, for you, you again contribute in a lot of different ways. Take me through how much of your job is scouting, Like how much of your day for instance?
Does that make up great question?
It's actually one of the parts that I enjoy the most. I was just working with something with Andrew laughtering was like can I go back to watch college? Like, That's really what I want to do right now. It's a big part of what I do because I'm so involved in player acquisition, strategy and roster building. But I think the beauty of my role is also all the other verticals that I touch.
I oversee over fifty.
People within our organization on the football operation sides, and again work very closely with Andrew on strategy and planning. So the well rounded, I think element of my role is really what I enjoy a lot.
And this is not as fun as subject. But obviously it's been a tougher year for the Browns, tougher than I think a lot of people imagined. What are some lessons you've learned from this year in Cleveland?
I think some of the processes we've built and.
Doubling down on those processes and knowing that, of course, in every year, you want great outcomes, that's just what we all here to win.
We all want to win. Now.
I do think some of the things we're establishing are going to be sustainable and they are going to create long term results in in sustainable winning results. So I think That's one of the learning is like, Okay, how can we continue to build on those, invest in those in making sure that we tweak them along the ways and not get to you know, driven or sidetracked sometimes by outcomes that can be really difficult, like this is
National Football League, Like they will be tougher years. So staying through to that I think has been in learning.
Got thank you.
Russell Wilson and George Pickens. Friends. Maybe Brandon Graham can shed some light on that as well. Will we do know? Steelers Eagles to monster game for both teams on Sunday. Sarah Walls Brian Baldly are going to be to break it down right after this Sunny Insiders.
The Battle of Pennsylvania.
Yeah, seventy six West takes you to Pittsburgh East. Well, depending on where you are, I guess, and just don't go at certain times.
Baldy's listening right now.
He knows what I'm talking about, because seventy six Siest just can be jammed up.
It's a terrible expressway.
Anyway, here are your clinching scenarios for the Eagles and the Steelers. Steelers can get in the postseason, Eagles can seal up that NFC East here before Christmas with a win and a Washington loss. Sarah Walsh will be flying in. She won't be driving in for this game in Philadelphia. Brian Baldinger, will you be there as well? I don't know if you'll be there, but you're always there because you always got one eye on the Eagles, an eagle
eye on the Eagles, Sarah Jalen hurts today. J Brown can only hope to have the kind of working camaraderie that like I have with you and us with Baldy as well, and not say like somebody like I don't know, wrap up, But the Eagles have to play this game nonetheless, and they got to get this passing game going.
AJ Brown said it after the game on Sunday. That led to a whole bunch of stuff. How do they get the passing game going well?
This week, Mike Tomlin called Saquon Barkley the acquisition of the year in the NFL. And when you are having a franchise record breaking season, a potential NFL record breaking season, there's nothing wrong with playing the strength that is the Eagles running game.
But you alluded to it.
A lot of drama for a team that's got a really good record, simply because aj Brown was asked, what can this offense do better, and he said passing now.
To give some more context his answer this week.
He said, obviously, when I'm asked that question, running the ball is not the issue.
Saquon's about to win.
The MVP said, so, what's the other thing that it is that we do on offense? It's passing now. Jalen Hurts has taken care of the football. Since Week six, He's had just two giveaways, but in his last couple of games, In fact, his last four games, he only has two passing attempts of over twenty yards. This week, Hurts said that dynamics have changed. He said, this offense since the first four games of this season is tremendously different. But he did conceive that, yes, I could be in
rhythm better. He said that he could get the ball out quicker, and he said that that's something.
That he will own and that he will be better at.
But maybe his best point when asked if it's hard for him to not be as big a part of the offense as he has been in years pass as at harp of you, he said, there's.
No difficulty in winning.
Nobody cares about getting the job done if you are getting the job done, and I think, Mike Gee, a lot of teams would trade being eleven and two no matter how you get it done.
I'm telling you, if you've got aj Brown, you're on your fantasy team, You're in the playoffs. Start him with confidence this week. Unless he drops a couple of passes or something's bad at the line.
That's not my fault.
There's going to be targets though. That's what I'm saying, Baldy. Flipping it to the other side here. Last week, the Steelers expected George Pickens to go up until game day. This week, they've been practicing the whole week without him. By the way, he still not practicing, knowing that he's probably doubtful here. Knowing the Steelers and the mentality throughout the entire building, I'm expecting a heavy lean on the running game.
You well, yes, I am I And they've lame on all year. I mean, like the Eagles, they run it more than they throw it. It's not the most exciting offense, but Russell Wilson takes care of the football. They lead the league in takeaways, but their run game. I mean it features two rookies inside, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick. They played pretty well together and they have a wide variety of runs that they like to attack you with, and so they will lean on that and they will
attack you. In fact, one of my favorite runs in the league right now, it's like the hottest run the league. Like this is the triple trap double scoop. What's the traps? All see McCormick, put the trap. You're gonna see sale models sixty six, seventy three, sixty five, they're all gonna trap, all right, three traps, triple trap. But it's not enough just a triple trap. You got a double scoop like watch seventy seven and fifty four Jones and Fraser and
look at the alley. Look at it out. That's a lot on this runt of the game by either a Brown or a Steeler last week right off triple trap double scoop. Like the key is when you scoop, got a scoop flat and like both Fraser and Jones do that and look at the beautiful uh data alley that just gets created right there. The Steelers will find runs like they will keep trying to find runs that they get hot with, and they'll lean on that. Whether it's
Naji Harris, Jalen Warren, for Darryl Patterson, Russell Wilson. They've got a variety of ways to run it. But that's my favorite play in the league right now. If you're not running it, you're not serious about the run game?
Is triple trap? Double scoop a real play call? Is that a ball? The original?
No, that's like that's straight out of Warren set flavor book right there.
Sap told me about I give all the credit to double kick.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, You're right, Sarah.
I had a double scoop. It had nothing to do with football.
We talked about George Pickens again, still not the saying what's the latest. There any indication he's got a shot to go and if he can't go, we talked about the running game, but you have to throw it at some point.
Yeah, we know both of these teams rely on that ground game.
It was a week ago today actually, that that hamstring started to bother George Pickens. I was at the Steelers game last weekend and it was really believed that he was probably going to play on Sunday, and I think the Steelers probably thought he was going to play on a Sunday and then they had to reassess that and what they found out and Mri showed revealed that injury and Mike Tomlin said a little more significant than they
had imagined. They didn't want a small problem to turn into a big problem, and he said they want to get him healthy as quick as possible. But Tomlin was just realistic and he said's probably doubtful that he would go this week. He has not been practicing this week. So now guys are going to have expanded roles. Their offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith said, when you lose a Pickens, when something like that.
Happens, you have to adapt.
Some things are by committee, he said, some things they may not run. I spoke with the receiver Calvin Austin within the last hour and he said, with the Pickens out, I go, do you have this feeling, this idea that other guys have to step up to make up for this? And he said no, not really, because he said, the way that we're coached, we believe. He said, every receiver in that room believes we're the number one guy.
We're just as good. He's like, that's how we're focused.
He said, so when we go out there, we don't have that feeling or that mindset that we have to make up for somebody that's not out there. He said that it all goes down to how coach Tomlin prepares them. He also said, these are the matchups you live for the Pennsylvania State Championship. Mike g as Tomlin is building this thing. He said, the Eagles are on fire. He told me it is up to us to put that fire out this weekend.
There you go.
It was a double scoop of Sarah Walsh there in that segment.
Brian Baldingers back.
Later, triple scoop, a Baldi triple in this show.
Here triple yeah.
Well I had triple trap, triple trap of Baldy, double scoop of Sarah.
Thank you very much. I'm gonna get out here before I say something stupid.
Rams forty nine ers tonight And what in the world is this? If anyone can explain it, please dm me. Is this a takeoff from the Rocky movie where they're running on the beach and then they're hugging It's part of the training. Once again, the stadium is not in San Francisco, definitely not within range of the Golden Gate Bridge. We'll let all that slide because it's a printy, good game. Welcome back to the Insiders, Tom Pelviso, join now by Mark Ross and our buddy Omar Ruiz, who is on
the field in Santa Clara, not San Francisco. Ahead of this one, Omar, what's an exciting matchup we should be looking for tonight on Prime?
Well?
Maybe to answer your question, Tom, first of all, alluding to the water that could be in the forecast for tonight's game, the rain expected to hit Levi Stadium into the second Quarterback as far as the matchup to watch, one I'm looking for is the battle the trenches between some fantastic rookies. Third round pick for the forty nine ers this year, right guard Dominic Pooney has become a dominant player for the forty nine ers at right guard
and really excited for this matchup. Obviously hasn't yet to play in an NFL playoff game, but pushing his way to get there. He's excited to face Jared Vers and Braden Fisk, the Rams first and second round picks who have come into their own versus excited to go against Poony.
He said they trained together in the pre combined.
Process and feels like both of those players, Fisk, Poony, and Verse have all become so much more polished since they first faced each other in Week three of this year. So that is a matchup to watch and could be one that certainly defines the game. Mark this battle in the trenches between the Rams and forty nine ers.
Well, Mark, you sound like Baldi there.
We got Baldi coming up next segment, but you're talking about the trenches in there, and continuing on that theme, Trent Williams is out, first ballot, Hall of Famer Trent Williams is out. So you mentioned all those those young guys for the Rams front as we've seen all year.
So Jared Verse really has to eat against the replacement there, not just Cooney, but he's got to make things happen byra Young's got to get in there and make things happen, because you have to take advantage if you're the Rams front of missing a guy of Trent Williams caliber, and especially after last week's debacle of giving up six touchdowns against Josh Allen and the Bill so it's really going to be incumbent on that front to really redeem themselves.
Take control of the game, not just pass rushing. But we know the forty nine ers really feed off of that run game, so slow that run game down first so they can feast in the past game. It will help if Matthew Stafford of that offense continues that hot trend. Matthew Stafford ten touchdowns, no interceptions the last four games, so if he's hot going to Pookah Cup, those guys can really feast in the end, control the game.
Not Hot Street for Matthew Stafford. No surprise coincides with Pooka Nakua getting back out on the field after missing a chunk of games because of a knee injury. Omar you see it. Every week Poga makes a play or two that just make you say, wow, how good can that guy be? As these rams try to make a playoff push.
Well, he's certainly a star, and it seems like he saves his best moments for these biggest games in Buffalo a gotta have it game. Last week, twelve catches one hundred and sixty two yards and that touchdown some of those high flying electrifying catches that he makes, certainly spurns the Rams offense and certainly a motivational boost for the
way he plays, the style of football he plays. I asked him, because remember he also set the rookie record for receiving in that playoff game they had last year in Detroit. Why he's able to show up in such big moments? And he says he stays present in the
preparation for the week. He realizes that on a Monday walkthrough at their facility for the Rams, he can't beat the forty nine ers in that but as they get closer to the game, when game day arrives, he realizes the opportunity in front of him and does not shy away from that challenge.
Is one way he.
Was able to explain how he's able to show up in such big, critical moments for this team. But Mark, you hinted at it the great play of Matthew Stafford, the ten touchdowns no interceptions the last four games. And in fact, when you look at the production of Pooka Nakua and Cooper Cup, only Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase have more receptions than Stafford and Nakua. Stafford and Cup since they both returned in Week eight, so they're clicking
on all cylinders here down the stretch. Matthew Stafford had a similar run last year in weeks thirteen through sixteen, a four game stretch where he threw ten touchdowns no interceptions. They're looking forward to Matthew Stafford continuing his hot play tonight on Thursday Night Football.
That Puka catch at the sideline. I could watch that one hundred times. I still understand the physics of how he gets his feet down in bounds. Omar enjoy the game. Stay warm out there, Mark, stick around war from you. In just a little bit, Ian.
Tom, you had the guys running under the bridge splashing water around. I got Harry Potter, Mike Evans, and Harry Potter. By the way, Mike Evans happened to be a huge Harry Potter fan.
My kids read the books pretty good. I've seen a couple of the movies decent.
Anyway, it does seem like the Bucks are gonna have to get a little bit of magic. I guess magic to win against the Chargers this Sunday afternoon. Very pleased to bring in Brian Baldinger and Jeff Tredea to break down this game. Baldy, I want to start with you tell me what you are looking forward to for this big time matchup Sunday afternoon.
Well, I mean, look, an, if you're a Harry Potter fan, you know what a muggle is. You know, a muggle is when you lose your powder. Like the Buccaneers. They were a muggle last year. They were last in the league in rushing. Well they've lost that. They've got a superpower now, like Harry Potter often does. They were the thirty second ranked rushing football team in the league last year. Right now they're ranked four. I mean they're averaging over
five yards of carrot, very high average. And it's all three guys. It's Bucky Irving, it's Rashad White, it's the young Sean Tucker. Like they're running the football really effectively. And you know, the last time the Chargers saw a good running football team was the raven Now they run it differently in the Ravens. They don't have Derrick Henry, but they ran it down their throats and so I'm looking you know, if you if you're.
Tampa Bay fan, they won three in a row. They got off that losing streak.
They've beaten up on some bad teams in Carolina and the Giants, you know, and the Raiders. But still you're gaining confidence. And it's a little bit of everything. It's Liam Cohen and his scheme. It's the addition to Bram Barton and Ben Breeds. It inside, it's a healthy right side and developing Cody mack like. I like the way that they're running the football. They're athletic, they get physical. Tristan Wurs's back in the lineup after being hurt against
the forty nine Ers a month ago. I think they're on the right tracker. This is gonna be a good game. I want to see if the Buccaneers can continue this trend on the ground, because all it does is hel Baker Mayfield out.
Yeah, well, you're talking about offense and Tampa Bay that to me is one of the most underrated in the NFL. A team that's scoring twenty eight points a game, which is fifth overall in the league. But really what Baker Mayfield is concerned about with this game is the defense they're going to face with the Chargers defense that is first in the league in scoring in points allowed, and
it's very multiple. Mayfield talked about just when you see teams, usually you have a couple pass rusher that you're concerned about. They got four guys that really can create havoc up front.
And then he really mentioned Derwin James in the year he's been having, saying he's probably having the best year of his career, and they use him as such a chess piece in that defense that they run down there with the Chargers, So he knows that he's got to be mindful of all these different elements, this pass rush, the secondary, the depth, and look, the Buccaneers, this is the last winning team they're going to face before the regular season ends. They got a great chance to stay
on top of the NFC South. They got to find a way to beat this defense and win this game.
Wow, that is a really favorable schedule for the Bucks. He's got to get through this one and we'll see they can cruise on to the playoffs. Chidia Baldi, thank you very much. We will actually stick on the Chargers right here because their assistant general manager Chad Alexander joined our good friend Judy Bautista earlier in the week at the December league meetings.
Chad You've been to a few of these front office accelerator programs. Now what are you getting out of this one?
You know, I think it's a great opportunity to build relationships with your peers, obviously my colleagues around the league, and then also to get some FaceTime with decision makers and ownership. And it's great. I mean, it's great programming.
I think Melinda Gardner and Jonathan Bean from the League Office to an outstanding job of bringing in presenters not only people that work in the league, which they did an excellent job of bringing in people from different teams, but also people from different industries to give us just advice and different pointers and things we can use for leadership. So it's been it's been really cool.
You've been in the NFL a long time twenty.
Five this years, twenty six years.
Didn't want to age twenty six years.
How have you seen sort of the evolution of work for minority candidates in these areas.
Yeah, I've seen a lot of attention being brought to it, especially in recent years. And I've actually been around the NFL for longer than that because my dad was an assistant coach. He started with the Cowboys in nineteen eighty nine and had a long career in the NFL as a coach. And you know, when he first started, there were hardly any black coaches or any diverse coaches or scouts. But but now just to see where it's come, it's really it's really unbelievable the way it's taking a turn.
And we still have work to do, but it's it's it's we've come a long way, for sure.
I know you've got a networking event too that comes up with owners, which again you've you've done before, Like how have you sort of seen that payoff for you?
Yeah, I think it's cool, you know, just to be able to relate to them on a personal level and like I said, be able to get in front of decision makers and have these relationships that you normally wouldn't get an opportunity to to to have and and just talk to them about about everyday things and about you know, life, about strategies, about football, and you know, it's it's cool.
I think that it's you know, it's during the labor meetings, the labor seminars, and but it gives you an opportunity to kind of step away from the intensity of the season for just a couple of days. And like I said, build relationships not only owners but also your colleagues and people that you want to build relationships with in the personnel department.
All Right, the Chargers are in a playoff spot right now.
Good season. Whenever we talk to players, we hear about.
Jim Harbaugh like energy, joy, those are the words they throw around.
What do you think is working for the Chargers.
I think it's just that, I mean, he brings an outstanding energy every day, extremely energetic, very smart, really passionate about what he does. He's really inquisitive, He's always asking questions, he listens extremely well, and I think he and Joe Ortiz, our general manager, do an outstanding job of just connecting the building and building relationships throughout and and they're both extremely passionate, extremely loyal, extremely accountable, and they have a
vision that they're that they're executing right now. And just couldn't be more proud of the guys the team, and you know, and ownership has also done a great job of connecting the building and the Spanos family really appreciative of them and UH and the opportunities that they've given all of us. And I think the players have rewarded us with their play on the field, so it couldn't be prouder Chad.
Thanks so much.
Are six twenty six through a tango bolo out of the shot?
Please protect his prows A canzone touchdown Dolphins Smith John Oo's Smith?
What they catch it?
Proud Dono Smith?
Oh tal to it it?
Throw by two off?
Good night team Dolphins got away.
Campbellf joining us down the insiders alive from these studios there in Englewood, California. The Dolphins cam still breathing, uh through their blowholes, right, That's how they breathe, I believe.
So what is the mindset for this?
Put some mindset to this Dolphins team as they try to make this playoff push.
Here, Well, they're not thinking about how to breathe. Mike uh uh. I'll tell you this. I was in the locker room. I was in the locker room after the Dolphins versus the Jets and Kalais Campbell came up to me and essentially was saying, hey man, this is the restart of our playoff run. Obviously last week didn't go well, but this is a reset for us. But he said, we need some help every time we need a team to lose.
They don't lose, cam we need those teams to lose.
Can you help, Sorry, kalays I cannot help the Broncos or the Chargers lose, but the Dolphins can certainly take care of their own business. But they have to win out and it starts Sunday versus the Texan team. If they finished ten and seven, there is a chance, but it's gonna rely on this offense. Defense has been up and down this year, but since Toua has returned from concussion,
he's been one of the best quarterbacks in football. He leaves the NFL and completion percentage and when I was at the Jets game, I talked to a couple of defenders who were just mesmerized at how he got the ball out of his hands so quickly. Forty seven throws, zero quarterback hits. That is Tua's skill set that is coming in and it's going to be an interesting challenge against the Texans defense that has really done well rushing the passer, Will Anderson Daniel Hunter combined for twenty sacks.
Can they overcome to his quick passing And one thing that may help the Texans tront Armstead, the left tackle for the Dolphins, is dealing with the knee injury. He told me it's more serious that most players will play with and he is very much in it up in the air for playing Sunday against Houston.
Yeah two is groo. Yeah two is grooving.
Man.
If you still don't think he's a legit NFL quarterback, you got something against the left handers. By the way, Dolphins can stay underwater for eight to ten minutes apparently, is it true.
I don't know. It's on the internet. It must be. On the other side, what is the key for CJ.
Stroud and the Texans to have a strong day here and get a win over Miami.
Yeah, Mike, the key is consistency for the Texans. It's really the last seven games we've seen a different Texans team. They're three and four and c. J. Stroud's been in the bottom five and a lot of categories like completion percentage and passer rating. And I think one thing that will help them is this bye week, a little bit of a reset. They had a late by before three games in the next eleven days, concluding on Christmas versus
the Steelers. But funny enough, it's gonna be CJ hending the ball off to someone else, not forcing him to be superhero, and Joe Mixon is that guy. Joe Mixon is having the best season of his career in Houston. He's third in the NFL and rushing yards per game, and when they give the ball to Joe Mixon, they have a lot of success. I mentioned it earlier. This Dolphins defense has been up and down this year, and so look for Joe Mixon to have a huge impact
on the game plan. Houston can actually clinch their division today or this weekend with a win and a Colts loss. So even with the up and down year, Texans in position the hostal playoff game once again.
Yep.
Yeah, and the Dolphins need this one to stay alive, to keep breathing. When I said that earlier, our producer got in my year and said, they're playing with a porpoise.
That's what he said.
That's good, that's good.
We're providing content and I don't know something else. Cam Wolf wolf pen going on, got about three buttons open.
That's you for you.
The ladies appreciate you, cam Wolf. Looking forward to your coverage of Dolphins Texans coming up.
The race for the af see number one overall seed is on and we are going to talk to Baldy, Mark Ross, and Jeffrey Chadia about that after the break.
Here on the Insiders, the top two offenses in the NFL are facing off Sunday afternoon.
Man, a lot of good games in that four pm slot. This is one of them, Bills Lions, no whether to deal with. It is going to be indoors. It is going to be a track meet, hopefully for us. And there's a lot at stake for these teams. Obviously, we see the AFC playoff picture right there, Kansas City at top at number one, but right there the Buffalo Bills certainly a team that is trying to challenge the Chiefs, the Steelers, same exact thing. We will see if anyone
can actually catch Kansas City. I want right now to bring in Brian Baldinger, Mark Ross, Jeffrey a lot of action, a lot of info, a lot of insight. So Baldy, I want to start with you. You just saw the AFC playoff picture. You see the Chiefs right there. This Bill's game is as big as it gets in the regular season. Can anyone catch Kansas City?
Well, I think if anybody can, it could be Buffalo. I mean, first of all, they beat in Kansas City. It's not often you score forty two points in a game and lose, like we saw Buffalo.
Just do to the Rams.
But you know, if they can go in there to Detroit and somehow outscore Detroit because it's going to be a shootout. You know, they face New England twice in the Jets down the stretch, so they could gain some ground. If they could win out right here, they could have a chance. Kansas City's got a tough schedule, three or four on the road. They got to go to Pittsburgh. Still, they still got to go to Denver. Pittsburgh got a tough schedule, go to Philly this week in that battle
in Pennsylvania. They still got to go to Baltimore on the following Saturday. They still have Kansas City, which could be throw a wrench into this whole thing. So there's a lot of key games that are left to be played, guys. But I think if there's one team that could take them and maybe win a tie breaker if you get to that spot, it's Buffalo simply because a month ago they beat the Chiefs thirty to twenty one.
Percent agree with you, Baldy. And for people that don't know, yeah, that tie breaker head to head is the first high breaker rule that would put the Bills over the top of the Chiefs if they end up with the same record. And you mentioned the Chiefs tough schedule. But as Jeff those we all see, it doesn't matter who the Chiefs played, it's.
Going to come down to the last play.
It's going to be something crazy that their good fortune gets them over their top. They're winning ways combined with the good fortune. So does that finally run out for the Chiefs in this last four game stretch? That down the stretch to say, okay, if they slip up twice, here here comes Buffalo. As you mentioned about Pittsburgh, I
mean that's just too tough for them. I think down a stretch at Philly at Baltimore back to back, then play case and then you know Cincinnati gives everyone fits, you know, with that offense.
So yeah, I think there if.
It is the team, this is the game for the Bills. They have to beat Detroit the rest of the three games or layouts for them. So this is the season, This is the number one seed right here, for Buffalo to go get it.
Jeff Yeah, Marcus Good.
As the Chiefs have been in those one score games, this is the stretch that they've been looking for and knowing that it's going to be a defining stretch for them because you're talking about three games in eleven days coming up here with the Browns, the Texans, and the Steelers the Broncos. In the back end of that, you're throwing the Chargers. That's five of the best pass rushing teams in the league, and with fourteen that's got the pass protection issues the Chiefs have.
That's a pretty scary thing.
They were hoping DJ Humphreys could come in here and solidify left tackle. He's hurt his hamstring, so we don't know when he's going to be back. Yanye Morris has been a disaster, which is an understatement that left tackled lately. Patrick Mahomes has been sacked thirty five times this year, which is more than ever in his career, thirteen times in the last three games. So they got to find way to protect because these games coming up with the Miles Garretts, the Will Anderson's, Dell Hunter, t J.
Watts, it's gonna be rough.
Yeah, it doesn't get any easier, and I'm I'm a sort of at the point of the week where I'm like, all right, can we just can we just play these things so we can.
Figure it all out.
Guys, thank you very much for hanging out. Always appreciate your time in your and your insight.
Broncos feel like they've got their quarterback of the future in bow Nicks, and now they've got demand of protextas blindside locked up as well, the team and their veteran Garrett Bulls agreeing to terms today on a four year, eighty two million dollar contract extension with upside eighty six million. According to r Ian Rappaport, so certainly something Bulls wanted to get done to finish his career in Denver. Here, he would have been one of the top free agents available. Instead,
he's staying with the Broncos. The Panthers feel like they've hit on one of their draft picks, the Xavier League Yet, who has battled through some injuries this season but also shown flashes of why they were willing to go and draft him at the bottom of the first round this year. He's also shown well that there are some interesting parts of being raised in that area of the country, including something that can only be called a regional delicacy. Are you raccoon? You are?
I see that? I say, what do you What do you mean raccoon?
Like the raccoon, like a raccoon that you see in the chain?
Where do you even eat that at? Where do you even get that? I hunted, I skinned him? Coolhoon out it.
So when was the last time you had a raccoon?
I give you.
Ian. You are our resident grill master. We've seen a lot of things to your social media over the years. Here you ever grilled or broiled or blackened or raccoon?
No?
No, no, no, no?
Is he done?
No?
Yeah, nope?
Would you have it? Would you have an idea if you had to?
I could do it if it was a thing. But it's definitely not a thing. I've spent two years of missing years now Abama, nobody.
Was cooking raccoon.
I don't see what we're again.
I'm just saying no.
Xavierly Get is welcome to come to my house anytime. We had so our shorehouse, we had raccoons living and I woke up one night to the sound of raccoons in our walls. They were getting in through the attic and into the walls. Knock down the house rebuilt, okay, and now they're terrorizing me Outside. I find raccoon turds. Can I say turds? I find them all over the place. I'm out there watching TV. I've got a nice little outdoor patio set up. Raccoon just walks right up. Nice Xavier,
welcome anytime, pal. Got nice grill too.
You know they say they say you are what you eat, So technically the raccoon is garbage. Xavierly get occasionally eating garbage, which is raccoon. I guess brings garbage.
The raccoon eats garble, garbage itself.
No, you are what you eat. The raccoon eats garbage. He is garbage. Whatever's in the raccoon, that's the garbage. And then it just gets free. Purpose what to take you through? Like the fourth grade lesson on food chase, You need to get on this show.
You I know we're at the top of it.
To us.
You're not going to get an organic raccoon at the store. You know it's uh, it's a gamble. Just don't put you back tomorrow. I think see it