The vilume.
Welcome in. Got some topics today about coaches and quarterbacks, and I want to start. John Middelkoff will joined us in about fifteen minutes. I want to start with the Broncos and Russell Wilson and Sean Payton's thirty five thirty three loss to the Commanders. They had Hail Mary at the end and had they converted the two point conversion, we would have gone to overtime. But I had said
this before. I didn't think Russell played particularly well. Eighteen of thirty two, three hundred yards, had a really really bad pick. He does not have the juice he had previously. And I thought there were large portions of the game that Sam Howell was much more mobile, much more of a playmaker, and was frankly better from the pocket. And Sam How's not as good as Russell Wilson shouldn't be. Also,
Russell Wilson as Sean Payton a coaching edge. And I said this before, is you don't have to be friends with your coach. You don't have to be Belichick and Brady didn't have dinner for twenty years, but there were a lot of things they did have in common. Both were driven, aspirational, no nonsense adults. Russell Wilson and Sean Payton have the opposite personality. One is harsh, authentic to the point, doesn't beat around the bush, doesn't care about
being polished, and is willing to be intense vocally. And then there's Russell Wilson, who is polished, optimistic, refined. And by the way, it's okay for a quarterback to be more optimistic than pessimistic because people make mistakes. You play with young guys, you want Brady try to be optimistic. But sometimes optimism can veer away from realism. And so in order for Russell Wilson and Sean Payton to work, they have to win games. You can't go zero and
two to start the season, both games in Denver. You can't lose to Sam Howell and Ron Rivera as a favorite. You can't lose back to back games as a favorite against the Raider and the Commanders. And so this relationship only works because the personalities are so different. It only works if they win these close games and they're zero. And to the very first day he had the opportunity
he did. Sean Payton acquired Jarrett Stidham for a pretty healthy backup quarterback salary, which told you when he got to Denver, the first thing he did was look at Russell Wilson film. How do I know, because he told me that was the first thing he was going to do. He was going to look at all his plays. What does he do well? What doesn't he do well? Let's avoid the latter, let's go toward the former. So he obviously saw stuff on film where he wanted somebody who
could sit in the pocket and make throws. Remember in New Orleans, once Drew Brees got older, they had Taysom Hill, they had Jameis Winston, they had Teddy Bridgewater. He was cycling people through as Drew Brees aged. Well. Russell Wilson is thirty four and he looks like he's thirty nine. He just simply does not move as well as he did four years ago. I don't know if some of it's confidence emotional, no major surgeries. Thirty four plays much
much older than his age. Brady obviously played much younger than his age. Aaron Rodgers largely plays younger pre injury than his age. But this thing doesn't work, and you know, again, the hail Mary makes this game look more competitive. Very early on Denver scripted plays had some success that Sean Payton doing the work. But when you get to late first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, early fourth that's quarterback play,
that's pre snap, that's you quarterback line of scrimmage. Quarterbacks I don't even like Daniel Jones had very very good fourth quarter, late third quarters today, just on athleticism and some big time throws. So I think this, I think they're headed for major turbulence in Denver next year, starting next year for five years. This is a massively punitive contract to the Broncos with a coach and a quarterback
with completely different personalities. And I think there's nothing wrong with being optimistic, but I think it gets frustrating when somebody's really optimistic and there's obvious problems. I mean, I like optimistic people. I don't like negative people. But you know, if the walls are caving in, you know we're in the middle of an earthquake. I don't want optimism. I want to figure out a way to get safe and clean the house up. And so I think we're looking
at a situation here in Denver. This is only going to get worse. The schedule's only going to get tougher now they go on the road. And again, if you watch the game, and I did, once they got off scripted plays, second, third, quarter, fourth, I thought Sam Howe played more confidently. Really really hard to figure out. Never seen a quarterback have it, lose it without a major injury pre thirty five years old. Never seen it. I have no comp Speaking of quarterback trouble, you can blame
the coach or blame the quarterback. Justin field right now doesn't look like a franchise quarterback. I don't know if you can't see the field or anticipate. But they spend some money on that offense. The offensive line isn't great, but it's not as bad as others in the league. I mean, you can watch the way they coach him. They so badly want to control the clock, run, speed the game up, shorten it. DJ Moore is a really good player. If they got good tight ends. Luke Getz,
he's a respected offensive coordinator. It just doesn't work. So you're going to have a situation in Chicago. You got to blame somebody. Somebody is done after the season, is it. Matt Eberflu's the head coach that was Bill Pollion's choice. The ownership of the Bears called Bill Pollion and said,
kind of run our coaching search and Bill Matt Eberflus. Now, I'm a believer that if you have a young quarterback, higher an offensive coach, if you have a veteran quarterback, okay, then you can go defensive coach.
You know.
I think there's pretty clear evidence that the Jared Goff's career was saved by Sean McVay. Brock Perty's career has been elevated by Kyle Shanahan. Shane Steichen has done wonders with Anthony Richardson, who barely played college football. I think young quarterbacks in the substantial guidance and a softer landing after bad outcomes, and sometimes defensive coaches can be tone deaf. Matty e Nflus maybe a good coach. I don't know if he's good for justin fields. But it doesn't work.
I mean, it doesn't work at all. It's it's just bad. I mean, you can it's like Zack Wilson of the Jets. Zach isn't just the only reason the Jets lost Michael Parsons ate him up, but it doesn't work. Zack's not a He's not a franchise quarterback. Now, Justin's bigger, stronger arm, maybe bigger athlete. Both are really mobile. But you know, Greg Cosell came on my show this week and said, Zach Wilson and Justin Fields don't see the field particularly well.
They just leave completions in the pocket. Somebody's got to take the blame for this because we're now, what is Justin Fields? He is five and twenty two in twenty seven starts. I mean, these are winnable games at home against Jordan Love, on the road against Baker Mayfield. Again, these look like W's coaching. Mccordy are making more money than they ever had, and they're going to get fired faster than ever. And also, remember this is the best
college quarterback class I've ever seen. Michael Pennox, Caleb Williams, Shador Sanders, Bo Knicks, Travis, Jordan, Drake, may Riley Leonard at Duke. There's at least six quarterbacks. What's that going to do? Gms are going to be much less patient with aging quarterbacks Denver or younger quarterbacks Chicago. And now for our segment called making it look easy, brought to you by Morgan and Morgan, America's largest injury law firm. Micah Parsons of the Cowboys did two sacks, a force fumble,
and a fumble recovery. Of course, it helps with a below average, suboptimal offensive line for the Jets, but Michah Parsons right now is arguably the most disruptive pass rusher in the NFL. Morgan and Morgan has over one hundred offices nationwide and over eight hundred lawyers sixteen billion dollars recovered for over three hundred thousand clients. Morgan and Morgan has been fighting for the people for over thirty five years.
So if you're ever injured, go to Fourthpeople dot com, slash Colin, or dial pound five to two nine to check out America's largest injury law firm. Winning in the NFL is hard. Hiring Morgan and Morgan is easy, just like they make it look easy. Morgan and Morgan makes it so easy to submit a claim. Well, well, well, here we are again. It's like a repeat of last week.
So Brandon Staley's defense could not stop Ryan Tannehill the last time he had the ball in the fourth, Nor could they stop Ryan Tannehill in his big possession in overtime, Ryan Tannehill. When an offense that's searching for a second receiver, you can blame Justin Herbert. But Justin Herbert has averaged more points in his first three year starting than any quarterback including Patrick Mahomes, Dan Marino, John Elway in league history.
It's not an offensive problem. That's not the problem. Brandon Staley and Brian Dabele interviewed for the Chargers job. Brian Dabele is who I would have hired. Staley was cheaper, and he was on the Rams staff, and perhaps the Spanos family felt like, you know, we can pluck him away and slow down the momentum of the Rams. Maybe that's what they were thinking. But Brandon Staley had much less experience in football. So much of the Rams' success
is centered around Sean McVeigh. You have to be careful about plucking people from his staff. We know that Daboll resurrected Josh Allen and got Daniel Jones to the playoffs. I just think they hired the wrong coach. I watched this defense, Bosa Derwin, James J. C. Jackson. They've drafted well, they could probably use another interior defensive lineman. But by and large, this is an experienced defense that brought back almost all their starters. Like they're a team that shouldn't
be fooled or out of sync like they were against Miami. Okay, it's Miami, but again the last two big possessions by Tennessee. Tennessee can't get a stop. So the Spanos family has never paid a lot of money for coaches, so they're not going to run him in season. Plus they made the playoffs last year. You know, the athletic the subscription sportswriter model, which now is owned by the New York Times, there's a great I think they do a really good
job covering the NFL. I think the individual team writers are fantastic. The Chargers individual writer this week kind of looked back at the Miami game and picked it apart on some confusion in the secondary, and his primary issue was, these guys are all returning, how can they make so many mistakes on third and long and coverages. You can see it on television. They just can't make big stops. So, you know, it was interesting. I was talking to Chad
Millman this week. He comes on for Sharper square and he said, this is a major coaching mismatch, which is why, by the way, I thought Denver would win today. I thought it was a coaching mismatch. But Brandon Staley, I mean, you're that front office right now, the Spano says Tom
to let's go the GM. I can assure you they're not happy, and I do believe one of the reasons they brought Kellen Moore over not only did they feel it was an upgrade, but they were concerned on what they saw in the first two years of Brandon Staley's defense. And my guess is Kellen Moore, I don't know if it would happen at the end of the season or Thanksgiving. This team is just simply too talented to be zero and two. There's too many good players on this roster.
There's almost no holes. I've been reluctant for years to embrace the Chargers. This is the year I finally did. It's just inexcusable. Ball is back in full swing and another week of absolutely epic games. Who's got you covered for every single one of them? Draft King Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NFL. New customers can bet five bucks. That's at five bucks on football and get two hundred dollars instantly in bonus bets. Nobody's missing
out on action this year. All Draft King customers all can take advantage of two new offers every game this September. Get in on the NFL Week two action with a Draftking sportsbook. Download the app now use the code Colin. That's me Colin to sign up. New customers can bet just five bucks and take home two hundred dollars instantly in bonus bats. Only on Draftking Sportsbook code Colin Coli n The crown is yours all right, John Middlecoff, I didn't love that reversal on the I would have just
given it to him because I could. You can't tell when that first round offensive lineman, I think he was a first or a second round pick for them, the rookie at people kind of that dubious pick. He's actually been a really good player strange. I didn't love and I don't blame officials, but I didn't love that reversal.
I would have let it go.
I got to tell you something, that game never felt close. The fact that New England was driving you know, I don't want to be overly critical of Belichick because he is the smartest coach ever, and just being clever doesn't necessarily win you Super Bowls. But the Niners have the best personnel in the league.
I believe that.
I think Miami if you count head coach and then coordinator on the other side of the ball from the head coach, I think you can make an argument Miami is the best coach team in the league. Between Fangio and this sort of sporadic pass, his blitzes, his coverages. I think McDaniel is so clever it's like a version of the forty nine ers.
Well, he's an Ivy League Shanahan right, the Ivy League guy. The Shanahan family have known him for twenty years. He's Kyle's right hand guy. They loved him. It speaks for itself what they're doing. Think how many guys Obviously Tyreek was an established player when they traded for him, and they traded a lot and paid him a lot. But how often when the little guy who's five to nine a buck eighty but he's really fast is drafted really high in the draft. It feels like they don't hit
a lot. And Waddle is a home run. I mean that guy is a stud. So between those two guys and Motor, the speed they have, I mean it was evident tonight. I was watching thinking if the Patriots, if you put some of the Brady offenses on this team, they would be fantastic. They're going on special teams, their defense is really solid. Offensively in twenty twenty three, just a little behind the times.
It's just not gonna work.
Yeah, I mean, if you put Jalen Waddle on the Patriots, you'd have a real team exactly. They just don't have any juice and a lot of these low percentage up the sideline routes where even if you catch it, you're off and out of bounds. Bill O'Brien, New England feels outdated, like they do things that are still very important, like not a lot of penalties turnovers. They play good defense, but you really, I mean, listen, it's like any other culture, John,
the rules have all changed. It's such a benefit to be an offensive coach. I last week, ten of the top eleven rated offensive lines according to PFF, had offensive head coaches. And I just feel like New England struggled a little bit upfront and protection tonight. They don't have a lot of juice on the outside. I think San Francisco is the best team I've seen so far this year. I think Miami's the second best team in the league.
I just I don't.
Necessarily, I don't trust their offensive line. But then I watched again tonight and I thought it was pretty good, especially when they ran the ball guard center guard on New England. I was like, maybe they can play power football. They did tonight.
Yeah. I mean, most has been a starting running back on a team that was in the Super Bowl. I mean, he's he's a really good player if he stays healthy. Fangio. They mentioned this on the broadcast. Obviously, you know New England's offense isn't the Chargers offense, but tweak some stuff change with the defensive line. I mean, he's elite, and I'm sure he's probably the highest, you know, highest compensated
defensive coordinator in the NFL. I mean, he probably makes five million dollars or something a year, so he's he's the real deal. I think that if they keep two on the field, I mean they do a lot of They don't ask him to sit back seven step drop and just like it's a lot of getting the ball, you know, getting rid of the ball quickly. Those two wide receivers get opened so fast that what are you gonna do. You're not gonna press them because you're terrified
they're gonna run by you. You play off, you get it to him quickly and then get by you. Those two guys are just an elite combination, which it's not normal for small guys, two small guys to be able to dominate, but they just are on the upper end of Obviously, Tyreek's the Hall of Famer, and I think Waddle is one of the better young just players in the league.
Yeah, tonight, when you juxtapose these two teams, it was ready And I said this Friday on the Herd, I said, it's going to be a clash of cultures. It's like nineteen ninety eight football in twenty twenty three football and the newer version one. It was just a matter again, if you gave New England one elite number one receiver, this team can play with anybody, because that's what they're missing. The question was can Miami play physical football like New England?
And I think it was answered tonight. They had a more consistent pass rush. They ran the football between the tackles. It was like, Wow, Miami can play power football too with Mike McDaniel, which is, by the way, that system is built ideally to be able to do both. San Francisco does both. So Miami and San Francisco those are the two best teams I've seen it. Do you dispute that anybody else you've seen?
No, I mean San Francisco today.
I thought I had their cea game and one pretty easily, So yeah, they looked pretty good. The AFC, I mean there's just obviously the Bengals Ro zero and two, the Chiefs, they'll be fine, but they're not playing very well right now. The Chargers are in shambles. We'll see tomorrow with the Dealers in the Browns. But yeah, I mean the Bills. You know, they played the Raiders, who defensively have been shitty for a decade. But I'm with you on Miami. I think they got it, just because I believe in
Vic Fangio. Don't love the personnel, but he's such a good coach. They'll figure it out. And who knows, maybe Jalen Ramsey they're able to get him back by December. That could be a huge boost, right. But I think with New England, and I never understood when Kyle Shanahan, who clearly wanted a draft and number three, he talked out of it. I don't view him ever as a first round pick, like I don't take guys like him and can he pickt in the first round.
I just don't.
Cousins and Dax, these guys go. That talent level goes later in the draft. Now, if you are going to hit on that guy, he's got to be pretty flawless in terms of not turning the ball over last week, air mails ball pick six to the volume slay this week. I mean that pick. You can say all their guys don't get open, but you just can't throw. You're just throwing it right to the other team. And that's that's
the thing with New England, the mistakes, the mistakes. I was at the Frisdo State game last night at Arizona State and a lot of former players, a lot of Pat Hill used to send a lot of guys to New England, and talking to these guys the you know in the two thousands in their heyday before the second half of the dynasty, the discipline and the mandates for zero,
you know, excuses of miss assignments, screw ups. Turn it just was not allowed because it started with Tom and it went all the way down everyone.
Any moment you screwed up, you get cut.
Obviously, No, they weren't cutting Tom, but it was just and you just watch them now, it's like the mistakes. You can't really cut Mac, but they're kind of just in the boat with them. They can't go anywhere else. And he's a he's a turnover machine right now.
Yeah.
And the other thing was in New England's heyday for most of the dynasty, I viewed them as smarter than other teams. I watched teams like Baltimore come into town with more talent, and the Ray Lewis teams, the Steelers had more talent.
There were years the.
Colts did, Denver did, but New England out smarted you. They would dial up a trick play late in the third quarter that you know Edelman throwing the on field special teams. I don't feel New England's a smart team when I watched them, I think they're a team that lacks speed. They don't they're not Their schemes aren't smarter. They're not fooling people. They're turning the ball over if you They never had to be the most athletic team or the best roster, but they were good. They had playmakers.
I mean even Wes Welker Edelman, they had a playmaker, Feel Gronk, Aaron Hernandez, didn't have to be Randy Moss playmakers. They got no playmakers Kendrick Bourne's Devonte Parkers. And they're not terribly smart. They make the same mistakes everybody else does. Now, I think one of the things you have to I was spent the weekend in Chicago, flew back this morning as I came into the season, Sam, I'm about fifty five sixty percent in the Justin Fields is gonna make it.
But I don't love what I see as a passer. I mean, I thought today it was bad, Like you fly home. He's blaming the OC. I think you fly home and they're people having discussions in that team upstairs on that staff that are don't believe in him. That's my takeaway is you got to win that game against Tampa Bay and Baker Mayfield, and Baker Mayfield was far more productive. Like they've that offensive line for Chicago it's not elite. It's not it's you know, it's not Philadelphia, John.
It's not that bad. There was time today to make plays.
He's not very good, Colin. It's it's just that simple. He's not. Right now, he's a low level NFL quarterback.
YEP.
Of all the thirty two starters, he's much closer to thirty two right now than he is twenty. I watched that game, and there were a lot of good games on this morning, but every single time that they were on offense, I clicked back to it. I thought, One, he's just not very naturally accurate. He's not that really stands out. And you know a lot is made of seeing the field and stuff, and that's Kyle Shanahan. When they made that trade, it was a two horse race.
He didn't even mess with him. He was not even in consideration because he thought he did not see the field, he did not anticipate, and coaches, I think sometimes see that better than like the front office scouting, because that's you know that they scheme the offense. But there were a couple of plays today on just like wheel routes and just balls in the flat where he is throwing ninety nine min on our fastballs at guy's feet. You don't need to throw to throw a change up, but
he can't really and obviously now his confidence. He's just he's a bad player. And you can tell me all you want. Win loss record is not a quarterback stat.
Bullshit.
I mean, all the good quarterbacks wine, He's not like they didn't have a chance. I mean, Baker Mayfield looked like Drew Brees right out to him on the same field now and Baker's playing pretty well.
But yeah, justin fields, was that was bad? That was really really bad.
I's kind of rolled my eyes at the quarterback. It's winning is not a quarterback stat. Twenty seven starts five and twenty two. Come on, Dan Marino didn't win super Bowls. Dan Marino won a lot of games, okay, and not always not with always you know, great person. Well, Brett Farv won a lot of games without Pro Bowl wide receivers. There's three or four plays in every football game that high end quarterbacks make Mac Jones tonight on that final drive.
Some of those play he just doesn't move well enough. And I think what happens John in situations like this is for instance, Herbert I saw some stat in his last like four starts, you know, he's sixty six percent completion percentage, ninety eight passer rating, thirteen hundred yards. They're zero to four, and nobody looks at Justin Herbert and says it's Justin's fault. They're putting up twenty six twenty
eight a game. This is different. You may not love the coach, but what happens when you don't love the quarterback. So here's the thing. I think it would be a tougher decision for Chicago. But if you're the GM and you're the owner, and you have a draft coming up with six to seven first round quarterbacks and all of them, I mean, Drake May, Shader Sanders, Caleb Williams, Mike Pennix is having a season crushing it. It's like, okay, all of these guys look like modern Even boon Nicks looks
better this year. So I do think it's easier to move off. It's easier to move off justin fields than maybe any other year. And I'm sorry their offensive personnel, John, It's not that bad.
It's not.
I think it's a two prong question. Now, one, do you leave justin fields? It's an easy one because you just watch him every week. Even the fans will agree he's not good enough. It's not one of those that it'll be universal. It is growing by the week. I mean, my mom can tell the guy is not a very good player at this point, this GM and coach didn't draft him. Then you look at the coach and the GM. Are they the right people to do this moving forward?
They traded for Chase Claypool last week pick thirty two. I'm sure you saw that viral video going around. That's a good example a good organization. Okay, the pickslong Gaunt cut the guy after week one? What are you gonna do? Lose more games? You're already losing. How do you allow that to happen? And to me, you just questioned the operation there. Obviously, Eberflus, is he good enough?
I got no clue.
So you're gonna draft Pennix because they're gonna be in position, not just with their pick, but remember we've talked about this with Carolina's pick, so even if they're at like three and six, they could easily maybe get up a spot. They're gonna have a ton of options, right, But are these people the group to do it. We've seen them make moves. The draft one was relatively easy. They had Carolina, you know, kind of bent over a barrel on that one. But some of these other moves, it's like, do they
know what they're doing? Especially the defensive coach you always talked talk about this, so I don't know. I mean people in the NFL, it's always easy to say, well, just tank for this guy. Well that's true for the fans, but we see coaches all the time. Todd Bowle is a good example. O Tampa just sucked. Try to get Kayleb Williams. Todd Bowle's not thinking like that. Mike Evans and those guys aren't thinking a lot. Baker's not thinking
like that. So they're not I don't know if they're gonna be a ten win team, but they're gonna try like hell to be eight nine wins. Right, So the Bears are just gonna suck because that's the quarterback not any good. But do the other if if they were in position with better personnel, would they be doing better? Like are these guys capable? We see it with Brandon Staley right clear, he's not good. He's been given a team that if you flip flop him and Vrabel.
You'd be like, well, the charge are gonna win thirteen games and Titans would win what fucking five? I mean, they'd be terrible.
Yeah, well, it's great example. I want to I want to pivot to that because Brandon Staley got into it again with a reporter on the postgame press conference, and he is feeling the heat. And I know the Chargers in house don't love Staley snipping at reporters. He comes across as sort of a know it all and condescending. McVeigh doesn't. I think you've said it before. Brandon Staley's acting, pretending to be a coach, and Sean McVay is a coach.
But it was another example today where Ryan Tannehill's final drive in regulation, they couldn't make a stop. Ryan Tannehill's driving overtime, they couldn't make a stop. Not only do they have a Bosa on the edge, but they returned. I think like ten starters, they're not and they have two draft picks both especially two of from USC the edge. They are good players. I mean they they Tom Selesko is one of the better drafters in the league. First
four picks, Yeah, he just doesn't miss. Now, you could say Khalil Mack was overpaid, but the truth is at that time they needed somebody like having two pass rushers. Herbert wasn't making any money. Your left tackle Rashaan Slater's not making money. You can pay two pass rushers. I don't think the Spanoses will eject Staley this year. But let me throw this at you. Did they hire Kellen
Moore with an eye on making him the coach? Because the Spanoses don't pay a fortune, you don't have to pay Kellen Moore twelve million dollars I would guess today Kellen Moore the coach next year. I don't know if they replace him mid season. But like a when a coach is arguing with the press and calling them out by name, like to me, that feels personal and defensive, Well, I.
Think sometimes they're gonna be different.
Sides do arguments sometimes when it comes to play calling or individual player. I think everyone's in agreement here. The Chargers don't have a good enough coach for the team that they have, and most people thought this offseason, Yes, Sean Payton in your backyard, He's already in LA.
He likes it.
He clearly loves your quarterback. Anyone that follows this team knows he was never gonna pay him money. That's not the way they operate. Look at their last several coaches, McCoy, Anthony Lynn, and these guys on the on the hierarchy of NFL salaries are near the bottom. If Mike, aren't
they I mean they're the cheapest. So yeah, I think Kellen Moore, I think there's a chance you're oher to four to OHO and five and you keep losing games which you can't pick them to win moving forward, just because you can't trust the head coach and the defenses and shambles. But yeah, I could see them, you know, kind of pulling the trigger because there was clearly pressure coming into this season.
He feels it. Think about some of the moves they made. I'm with you on Khalil Mack.
But a big reason they wanted Khalil Mack because this guy had coached him, helped make his name with Khalil Mack back when Khalil Mack was good. They gave up a second round pick. He makes a lot of money. I love Khalil Mack as a young player. He's a shell of himself. He's not very good.
J C.
Jackson.
You spend a lot of much that's not working out. Now he got hurt, but so you allocate a lot of resources.
It's not working.
Your head coach has nothing to do with the offense or the quarterback. So if the defense sucks, what's he really doing. He's not like some raw ram motivator Mike Tomlin, Nick Saban, Deon Sanders, that's not his deal. I think he's in major trouble. I mean I because he's not that expensive to fire. Real It's not like you're firing Andy Reader Sean Payton where you have an eighty million
dollar payout. I think there are a couple losses away from just just doing that, you know, and almost and almost getting a free interview Colin with Kellen.
Yeah, I'm getting I'm looking at some numbers right now. So if anybody's watching this on YouTube, I'm looking at some numbers because, as you know, they threw for almost five hundred yards and tonight again, I think the Chargers have better personnel overall than the Patriots do defensively. And remember the Patriots were missing two corners and one got hurt. Threw for two hundred and forty nine yards and an interception against New England. Against the Chargers of more talented defense,
he almost threw for five hundred yards and three touchdowns. Tonight, Tua struggled to a dropped a couple of snaps. Tua was pressured. So there's a prime example, is that to a one. But he he sputtered for a while. He wasn't perfect a lot of the stuff with yards after catch. He almost got double the yards against the Chargers that he did against New England, and the Chargers have better personnel.
Well, think about this. You watched the Bengals the last couple weeks.
You go, well, if Joe Burrow's gonna look like this, yeah, they're gonna lose like they He's got to play better. I don't know if his CAF's issue. He just looks off the IT test. It does not look like Joe Burrow. Now last year he started slow, whatever, But it's understandable. If Joe Burrow is gonna play like crap, the Bengals are gonna lose. Well, Herbert's played well, you know, they keep scoring points. He looks like a really good quarterback
and they keep losing. The Dolphins last week. Okay, it turns out maybe the Dolphins fourteen win team, this Titans team.
I mean, how many guys were the Titans would start for the for the Chargers. And to me, it's just simple.
It's a coaching It's like Patrick Mahomes versus Justin Fields something.
The mismatch is so so wide that of course they lost. Because Mike Vrabel is an elite coach.
Yeah, they have their defensive interior defensive lineman for Tennessee.
He had a Simmons is good je he's a star.
Yeah, and they've got about two or three other guys that you would obviously get run. But it was a lobsided game today. And I think, even though I was reading something on the internet yesterday about it, like the wise guys like the Titans simply because they thought it was a coaching one of the worst coaching mismatches in the league this year. So, I mean, we might as well talk Dallas and the Jets. I think I think Dallas, you know, there's not a lot of great quarterbacks in
this league. There's about six great ones and another six good ones. Anybody that's not on that list is not beating Dallas this year. Now Jalen Hurts can Daniel Jones can't. He can't beat him. Sam Sam Hall can't beat him. Zach Wilson can't beat him. I mean I look at Dallas and I go up and down their schedule, and the way I look at that defense John is there's about six quarterbacks in this league that can beat him, and another four or five that if they get protection,
you know it'll be a close game. I think Dallas's defense is gonna win the twelve games. I think Dak is not.
The story.
Is Micah Parsons the best defensive player in the league.
Well, he had a play today on I think his first sac. He was at full speed in half a step on a little stunt. It's like, what are you supposed to do with this here? I was way too young to really remember, you know, watch LT's prime, but that has to be some of what it looked like. The speed, the violence, the closing ability, how you can
move them around like a chess piece. I thought this last year in the second round they went toe to toe with the Niners, who are clearly, if not the most but right there now with Dallas is the most physical team. I mean, they are violent on defense, and the Cowboys were ready to win a championship on defense, but Dak threw the two picks and that the game was tight. Perdy didn't play that well because it's hard against the Cowboys. This defense feels even a little bit better.
Maybe Micah's five percent better. All the guys have played together a little longer. They kept Dan Quinn.
I'm with you.
I picked Dallas to win the East at the beginning of the year, not because I don't think highly of the Eagles. I think both of them are thirteen fourteen win teams. But I've seen what the Niners do. Separating with an elite defense and an elite pass rush, it just takes over. I mean, Zach Wilson, listen, has he improved it?
Who knows?
You weren't gonna find much out this week. Probably have a better idea next week, but he's playing Belichick. But that team, I'm telling you, if they just need to get the four game stretch, if they stay healthy like Eli gott like Joe Flacco got whe Dad could just under control. They don't need the wild card game where
he throws five touchdowns every week. Can he just play a couple games stretch where he's not throwing the ball to the other team, and they can win a Super Bowl because that's how good the defense is.
The same with the Niners. The Niners could have won several Super Bowls. Their defense was right there. Jimmy just let him down a couple times.
Well look at this. So here are the quarterbacks. The Cowboys face.
Dobbs Arizona win. He can't beat it.
Now, Mac Jones, Patriots with no number one receiver win. Now, brock Perty's got a shot because of his personnel. Herbert Okay, Stafford, I don't think they have enough weapons. Cooper Cup is back. It'll be interesting. Jalen hurts, Yes, then Daniel Jones, Bryce Young, Sam Howe, Geno Smith.
I mean they're gonna win a lot of games. They're gonna win a lot of games.
They got three games, you know, if they if they somehow split with the Eagles in that Niner game on Sunday Night football, I think it's gonna be a coin flip game. If they can somehow go two and three, you're looking at the number one seed, right, And if they go one and three, you're maybe looking at the wild card, right. So it's gonna and I think all these games the Niners played the Eagles, obviously, Nighters play
the Cowboys, and the Eagles play the Cowboys twice. You know, it's these games are gonna come down to a fumble here who doesn't throw a pick? And it's gonna decide because all three have number one seed talents, right. I think clearly the Niners have the most established head coach right now in terms he's the play caller. Also, McCarthy say this, when you have that good of a defense,
it hardens your team because you practice against it. And now this team, so the Cowboys to me just look a little bit better than they did last year, and they were pretty good last year.
And the Eagles. You and I talked about this anytime you change.
If we got we went to the store and got a set of ingredients, you know two X, I cook a meal, and you know Gordon Ramsey cooks the meal. Even though it's the same ingredients, the meal is gonna taste different. So just because the players return new coordinators doesn't look.
The same, right.
Yeah, And I also think dan Quinn they'll be they'll be fine. But yeah, no, I Dallas is I haven't I hadn't as a play team. I also think Philadelphia, we can circle back to Thursday. Philadelphia is pulled back. They don't they don't know quite what they are. And it's interesting because you know, they have a power running quarterback and they signed into a big contract. And it's like when Russell Wilson signed his big deal, he didn't
want to run anymore. And then Jalen Hurt signs his big deal and my takeaway is if he plays only four more years, that's worth the contract. He's a power running quarterback, lean into what he is. It's almost like some of these guys that run around when they signed the big contracts, they think, okay, that's for a pocket quarterback. It's like, no bro like Lamar Jackson today. I always thought Lamar throws it better than people give him credit for, you know, but I watched him today and he is
just a pain in the ass to defend. He's just he's just difficult.
And Baltimore is.
A fascinating team because none of these injuries I don't know than JK. Dobbins are season ending injuries. I don't know how much of you watch today.
I think both they look good. They look good Lamar. Lamar look good. I mean he was dynamic.
I thought he was dynamic, and I think, you know, you start looking around at who can beat Patrick Mahomes. You take out the Chargers because we don't like the coach. Forget Denver, Cincinnati sputtering, Buffalo makes too many mistakes. You know, I look around it and I'm you know, Baltimore is one of those teams like if Obj was healthy, Zay Flowers plays well. Baltimore is just goofy enough counter to what the league is. Do you find them to be
a legit kind of AFC championship team. I think they're so different they're hard to prepare for.
I think a lot of these type players have come into the league, really starting with Tyreek Hill and Deebo and I think Waddle's like this. I think Zay Flowers, he's a really dynamic player, and you put him on that offense, he can he can do a lot like he can play a receiver, you put him in the backfield, you can get him end to rounds. He's added a new l because you know, Baltimore is always going to
be solid on defense. Their culture of toughness. When Lamar is running around because I like what you said about Hurts. I missed on hers. I thought he was I didn't like him in college, but I said, hell, if you can't play quarterback, he could just transition to become a running back. His instincts as a runner or elite.
What do you do right away? When he came in the NFL, he's a dynamic runner. Well now it.
Feels like clearly they've told him be careful. Last year, you hurt your shoulder, lamar. Today's run around like it's twenty nineteen. Now Hurts is kind of feeling his way out. It's like Jalen either. They called some quarterback powers. Well, if you're gonna tell him he can't run fast, don't call those plays anymore. But that's a huge element of why he's a fifty million dollar player. So now they're kind of caught in no man's lamb. He's thinking he's
not running as fast. He's never gonna be. He's more of a rhythm player, kind of like Russell was in his peak. He's not just gonna sit back and throw forty times and go thirty seven to forty.
That's not his style.
It's blended in with the runs like Lamar and he can outplay Mahomes in the Super Bowl. But when you take away one of those elements, new play caller is clearly not as good as Shane's ssiching. It's just it just it looks a little weird. We're listen, the Ravens kept talking We're gonna spread it out and throw.
I've watched the first couple weeks. They're just kind of playing Raven football again. Yeah.
No, I like, I think Baltimore leans into what Lamar is, and I think what he is is the fastest human being that's ever played quarterback. And if you don't use that at silly and I still think Lamar throws the ball better than people give him credit for. You know, I was, I was thinking about it's you know, I this weekend was an interesting weekend because you know, there wasn't and nothing blew me away. I mean, I can't hit a pick. I'm oh for nine on my picks.
I got Carolina tomorrow. I can't for the life of me, I can't get a pick. Was there anything this weekend? I mean, Colorado almost lost the Colorado State was the only surprising thing I saw this weekend? Was there anything that took you back this weekend or like I thought.
Green Bay Atlanta.
The line was one you know, I don't I don't take much into it didn't shock me that Seattle went on the road, Gino played pretty well in one. Was there any did you have any takeaway to you this weekend? College or pro that It was like a whoa moment.
Well, one thing I might be wrong on and I might have talked to you out of this because you were loved them, and I was like, you know, I think they're gonna be the worst team in the league. And it was the Rams a lot of you because you liked a lot of the young players. Their young players looked pretty good. Yeah, and the one thing they have is a big time head coach who is a
fantastic play color who's just awesome. I mean, Sean mcvazis stud his quarterback went healthy, is a pretty freaking good player. And you know, the Niners essentially.
Won by ten.
He kicked the field goal with no time left, but to make it a seven point game. RAMS team is pretty good. If they had Cooper Cup on this squad, they're gonna be able to score on a lot of people. If Stafford playing healthy. They have some young speed on defense, Number zero young the pass rush they drafted, he's flying around Sean. I thought I misread that squad. They have a little more talent than I thought. And obviously I thought the quarterback was breaking down last year. Looks fantastic.
He looks like the version of the guy that they got. Maybe they are more in the wild card mix and not in the Caleb Williams sweet stakes than I realized. I'm gonna have to pivot on that take.
I think, Yeah, so they have a rookie receiver from BYU.
He's fantastic.
Yeah so he's He's got twenty five catches and.
Two broke a record most ever in NFL history first two games.
So I think they're moving off Van Jefferson, who one of the picks today by Stafford was Van Jefferson didn't run the right route, he didn't go vertically. He kind of like faded on it. So if Cooper comes back as a one, now they have a two. By the way two two out, well looked like a bust. Now he's productive. You know what they do and they told me they were going to do this. They just put him in motion. So you can't get your hands on him fast and he gets a running start, he's just
too fast. So now they have and Tyler Higbey's a very nice tight end. So now they have two two at well Cooper Cup the rookie from BYU. And now you're like, all right, now it's a real offense. Will say this, here's a prime example what I talk about. Ten of the top eleven O lines were offensive coaches. So Rob Havenstein, the right tackle is very good, and they drafted a very good left guard out of TCU. Everything else. They got a left tackle playing right guard.
They got a guard who's a backup center now starting at center. They have an undrafted guy planning left tackle. It's a prime example. Sean McVeigh twice, Jared Goff's first year with him, and this year has basically taken an offensive line that was a bit of a wreck and solved it in a single off season. McDermott five years, can't get it right. Tomlin six years, can't get the
O line right. Twice because the Niners didn't get as much pressure as you think they would against an O line outside of right tackle that's viewed as poor.
They've mean were't getting to Colin. They weren't getting any pressure, so they've heard blitzing Fred Warner.
So it's like the Rams in two starts have done a great job of production. You look at these defensive coaches. They Andy Reid one off season got the old line right. McVeigh did it with Whitworth. Mcveagh's done it. This is the difference between offensive and defensive coaches. The ability because during camp I was following the Rams offensive line stuff through the athletic I was following the young reporter.
It was a mess.
They were giving you like six different options and then they ended up starting noteboom at a guard.
They just bailed on the tackle.
And they're good and highly functional. So I again, if Cooper cup comes back and plays, what they'll be in the NFC is around a wild card berth because let's be honest, Dallas is probably better than we all thought. Detroit did Detroit today.
I think you're right.
I think the Rams will be viable. I think they'll be a wildcard team in the race.
I think the NFC is a lot like college football where the Cowboys Niners in the Eagles, they'll figure it out that they're just so much more talented.
All the other team are essentially like the Georgia's and Michigan's and then.
Everyone else is kind of buying, you know, for spot four through seven, and we got Atlanta, Green Bay, Seattle, the Rams, Detroit. They're all kind of in that world. You know, there'll one team may win a playoff game, but I don't see any of those teams beating the Eagles, and definitely the Cowboys in the forty nine ers.
Yeah, all right, John Middlecoff, great stuff. Appreciate it, and I'm going to bring in Dave Wanstat tomorrow. I want to talk about the Bears because I I really think it's a I think it's going to get really ugly talk radio. Chicago's one of the last cities in America Philadelphia, Boston, New York where talk radio has influence. That is all people are going to talk about for the next seventy two hours.
It's justin fields, Well, could he could he get could he get benched? Sometimes at some time this don't keeps going at this level.
You just ride it out.
I think they'll ride it out, but I think listen, it's it's you know what happened, John, There's too much social media. There's too much vide you out there, there's too much film. You have proof now. I went before we came on tonight and looked up two different things on the internet where there are people wide open downfield. He appears to be looking at them, and he won't let it go. There's just too much out there that works against him. Five and twenty two wide open receivers.
I mean, Baker Mayfield looks so much better today than justin fields. And again, talk radio is not the be all end all, but everybody listens to it. In Chicago, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, they just do. In Los Angeles, nobody's listening right. San Francisco a little bit, But a lot of these markets, you know, Atlanta, it's just not the same. I would love to listen to sports talk radio in Chicago. Tomorrow is going to be ugly, all right,
John gray Cebubs Deacon. The football is officially back. No more preseason games. The getter season is here. Listen. We all like watching football on TV, but nothing's better live and in person. And the best way to get tickets to any of these games is at game time. The fastest growing ticket app in the entire United States for last minute, amazing deals on tickets to see your favorite football team in September. Go download game Time right now.
And it's not just for football, baseball, playoff games, comedy shows, concerts all across the country. Download the game Time app and use the redeem code Colin Coln twenty dollars off your first purchase. Terms apply again. Download the game Time app. The redeem code is calling. That's my name, Coln twenty dollars off. If you do that, no matter where you live, get out and have some fun this weekend, baby. Download the game Time app today, last minute tickets, lowest prices, guarantee game time