All right, let's do a little football college and pro or Buddy, Max Chadwick staffs buy on a Wednesday. Max, Happy Wednesday, Buddy. How were doing what you got doing well? Man? Doing well? Appreciate the time. So let's do a little Super Bowl first, and then we'll kind of move over into some other things. I'm really surprised, Max, and I've been every day that this line stays steady. Kansas City opened up as a one point five point favorite, and as of today, right now, it is still a one
point five point line. What's your thought on the spread not moving for the highest wagered upon sporting event in the world.
Yeah, it kind of makes sense. You know, I can understand why Chiefs is still favored. I mean, I'm sure nobody wants to bet against Patrick Mahomes and a considering she's always pulled the rob down of the hat, you know, in all these big games. But I am picking the Eagles. I know I might regret it on Sunday night, but I think the Eagles top to bottom the most talented team in the NFL. I think the only question you have is whether or not Jalen Hurts can just you know,
not screw it. Up enough because you look at it, you got, say, Kwon Barkley, argue with the best running back in the NFL, argue with the best offensive line in the NFL, one of those receiving corps in the NFL, and then probably the best defense in football as well. So really it's just the one. The one thing is Ken Jalen Hurts just not screwed up enough to allow the rest of the team to win this game. And I think he would, and I think I have the confility to win, but I think it's gonna be a
razors in margin. I think that's why one and a half points bread.
Yeah, And I picked Buffalo to beat Kansas City and said before I signed off air, I fully anticipate sitting on my couch and then the fourth quarter is shaking my head and going what are you doing now? It almost worked out, But I don't know, Max, Like, I'm to the point now where I just feel like Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs always just figure
it out, you know what I mean. So I understand your premise and I agree with you that Howie Roseman's built the most talented roster and pro football I just I feel like the Chiefs at this point have elevated themselves in the same way Michael Jordan and the Bulls did.
Where those of us around here remember John Stockton and Karl Malone and I was a child of the Knicks, Patt you know, Patrick Ewing and those teams, and it feels like they have that thing where they've just figured it all out, if that makes sense.
Yeah. Again, like I said that, I don't blame for saying that at all. I mean, they are that special. And then that's why they're still a favorite right now, because looking at it, they are pretty clearly the worst team. The one thing I'll say is obviously they beat They beat Buffalo, to beat Houston, I was a different animal. I think Philadelphia is a much better team than honestly, either of two of either of those guys. So I think again the famous lost of words we gain it
with Patrick Mahomes and Super Bowl. But I do think Philadelphia tops to bottom, is pretty clearly the best team in football this year.
All right, fair enough, So you do a lot of college football, little Senior Bowl action. We had some of our local players at the Senior Bowl, name Lee Junior Tafouna who from everything I've read and I watched the Senior Bowl and Max, everything I've read, Junior seems to have performed very well there. And then Kerennie Reid I
heard he left with a legue injury. You haven't heard anything since he left the game, But talk about any impression you had at the Senior Bowl from our two local Utah players.
Yeah, I think Junie Tipuna was a guy that did turn a lot of some heads. I think he was a guy that you know, not a lot of people knew about going into the Senior Bowl and then just cool seeing him. And there's a couple other guys too, kind of make a lot of people go back and watch the tape on him. So yeah, and Judan Puna definitely made himself some money at the Senior Bowl and we'll see where he gets drafted in April.
Who else stood out to you as you give us a couple of names since you were covering the Senior Bowl that you think did themselves in favors?
Yeah, I think great is Abel, the offensive lineman for North Dakota State, was phenomenal. He might end up being a first round pick because of that Senior Bowl and before everyone kind of had him as like a second round pick. So that was a really good performance by him. I thought he was really really good. Mike Green, the edge rusher for Marshall, was phenomenal. He kind of showed everyone like, hey I am I am absolutely a top
fifteen to twenty pick in then inful draft. And Shamar Stewart another edge rusher from Texas A and m I thought cemented himself as the as the first round the first round pick as well. So I think those three are there. There's some of the other guys that played really well, but those three might have smessed themselves in the first round picks because of the Senior Bowl.
Who do you like to go number one? Feels like every draft at mock draft I read right now when it comes to you know, guys that cover this thing a duel Carter the rusher from Penn State. Who do you think is off the board first for Tennessee?
Yeah. I don't think TENNSAE should take a non non quarterback at number one. I don't think they should wun back with Will Lovis. I think they need to take a quarterback. I know it's not a great quarterback year and there's the top guy this year, might have been the fourth guy last year. But at the same time, for Tennessee, I just think taking cam wardor Shoulder Standards
is probably the thing they have to do. So I personally might after door Standards as QB one in this draft, but I do think it'll be it'll be interesting to see who they take a number one, and I think cam Ward probably the betting favorite right now to be the number one over one pick.
So what do you think the best fit would be for the teams? During the mix? Ver should or Sanders because the conversation is, of course, Dianna is his dad and he'll get involved. And you know, we talked on the show this week about historically speaking, when there are quarterbacks who have elected to force their way out of a certain situation, whether it's Eli Manning, John Elway, it usually works out. Because you know, I'm a Jets fan.
We've talked to you about this in the past, and I think Sam Darnold's really good and I don't know if Zach Wilson was ever going to be really good. But there's an argument to be made to be made that if you're going to play quarterback in pro football, you probably should start your career somewhere other than the New York Jets. So, of the options for Shador, what do you think is the most logical and best fit.
I don't know what the best fit. It seems like he's pretty destined to be a New York Giant at this point. Right now. I think they have to take a quarterback. Brian Davil and Joe Shane. I mean, the owner, John Mehrady came on so that he's running a patients with both of them, and it is kind of now or never for both of them. So they are taking a quarterback and three. Either that or they're or they're overpaying a lot for Gylex san Darnol, which is something
they want to do. So I think either Sanders Camboard will be a Giant at the end of the day, and it'll probably be Shore Sanders. So I don't know a best fit. I mean, the other New York team, the Jets, would be a nice fit with how good the offensive line is and having Garrett Wilson there as well. But I do think the other New York team, the Giants, that's probably the most likely landing spot for Shore Sanders.
What about the Raiders with Pete Carroll and now Chiff Kelly. If he's there at six, do the Raiders jump at him? And do you think there's a chance he's even there at six.
No, he will be there at six. They if they are going to get either, he have to trade up to the top two, probably with maybe Cleveland. Number two overall is probably looking at trade down. I think that's that's why I'd be looking if on the Raiders trade up with uh yeah, that that could be definitely landing
spot as well. I think the Raiders should be interested, and I know they have a close relationship with the Sanders family, so I think that's definitelyn option if you know, big dude trade up, but he will not get past the Giants number three or grow all though a.
Lot of conversation about seismic NBA trades this week and kind of lost in the shuffle as Miles Garrett wants out of Cleveland. How does this end? Where do you think he lands?
I don't know where he lands. I think there's a few Super Bowl contenders I think that are very interested in services. I think the Cowboys are a team that I thought about. The Commanders have a lot of cash Face and they desperately need help an edge rusher. It's another team as well, The Lions could use another edge opposite of Aiden Hutchinson. So this are some of the teams I think about right now. But I definitely think a team that's gonna want to be contending for a
super Bowl, the Death Teams Country trade. For Miles Garret, it's not like he's gonna go to another team that like the Browns or you know, kind of going through it right now. He's gonna want to go play for a team that's right in the cust of winning a ring. That's all he really cares about, he said at this point his career. So yeah, I think a team like the Commanders or the Cowboys, the Lions, or so the Chargers, maybe a team like that probably makes a lot of sense in my opinion.
Since it's been a little bit since we've had you on, I do want to kick the tires on some storylines that happened during the Conference championship game, and I referenced I picked the Bills to be the Chiefs and obviously that didn't work out. Now, of course, the hot media button topic is will Josh Allen ever get that done, Patrick Mahomes at the age of twenty nine. So where are you at right now? Another year where we're looking back on Josh Allen not getting it done in the playoffs.
It's the building to get done the playoffs. Josh Awen has basically nothing to do with it. Honestly, their defense was absolutely atrocious this year. I put almost zero blame on Josh Allen. I think anyone who puts any blame on Josh Allen clearly honestly hasn't watch the Bills too much this year. In my opinion, I mean, he was
superhuman for them. I don't think, listen, you've got nobody's throw to either, honestly, I mean they the rest receiver is Caluciak here by a mile, and even he is like a good number two or number three receiver, right, not number one. So yeah, Josh Allen has really nothing to do with the problems in Buffalo. And I know, you know, he's always that the biggest personality is always
the biggest player to look at in Buffalo. But their problems, and just like they're the Baltimore Ravens problems, really have nothing to do with the quarterback. In my opinion, so I think anyone kind of blaming zam for not winning a Super Bowl is being a little unfair in my opinion.
The last play where our guy, Dalton king K did not catch that ball, and poor kid took a lot of heat online and Dalton played his college ball here Utah. And that's a tough catch to make, Max, as you know now, dald would be the first to tell you that he's got to make that catch. But how did you digest that moment? What's fair to say about that last play?
The last play was a brilliant play call by the segnolo. I think that was all it was. Honestly, another of some people that said, oh well, Josh Allen short of thrown this ball or or Donald Coak sort of made that unbelievable catch, like it's like due at the end of the day, the best defensive coordinator in the NFL made an unbelievable play call sitting in the house against Josh Allen. That play, I mean, that play was due for the start with Josh Allen immediately running for his life, honestly,
with that blitz coming. So I I honestly, more than anything else, I just credit see Sagnola the Chiefs defensive coordinator for calling a perfectly time blitz on the biggest play of the game right there to be more than anything else, more than Dalkoncaid maybe dropping the ball or Josh Allen maybe not throwing it to the right guy. That to me, is just a brilliant, brilliant play call. BIA sees like Nolan, I think it's all really was in my opinion.
I don't know what your opinion was on Jayden Daniels to start the year, but I'm certainly interested in your opinion on what happened all year long, and if you're a Commander's fan, why you should be excited for the next decade plus. I mean, I didn't think that they would get smoked, but I thought Philly would beat them. I mean that would be an insane accomplishment as a rookie quarterback to actually get that done. I mean, he's ahead of schedule anyway, but I'm not sure how many
people thought they'd be in a Super Bowl. So your opinion Year one, Washington, Jadeen Daniels incredible.
He played like a top five quarterback in the NFL as a rookie, which is incredibly rare. If you get league average play from a rookie quarterback year doing something right, and you played like a top five quarterback in so I mean c J. Sholl was great last year, he shall still wasn't as good as what Jane Daniels was this past season. So he was phenomenal. And it's crazy. I mean you mentioned being ahead of schedule. The Commanders, outside of Jayan Daniels, they're a pretty flawed football team.
I mean, really, you look at their defense, it's one of the worst defenses in football. Their offensive line is one of the worst offensive lines in football. They've got basically nothing at wide receiver outside of Terry McLaurin. Really, it was just a magical year headlined by an incredible
rookie quarterback and Jayden Daniels. Then you know, when you have a superstar quarterback like the Chiefs do with Patrick Mahomes, like the Commanders do with Jayan Daniels, like the Bills do with Josh Allen, that can mask a lot of problems with your football team. And Buffalo had a lot of problems with their team. The Commanders, like I just said, had a lot of problems with their team. Chiefs are going for a three peat. They have a lot of
problems with their offense as well, outside of Mahomes. When you have the quarterback, anything's possible. And the commanders that think have that kind of quarterback. And it's gonna be exciting to see what happens for the next decade plus.
You know that I'm going to ask you about the Jets, So tell me why I should feel confident and what do they do this offseason to at least show the fan base that they're going in the right direction.
Yeah, it's gonna be fascinating what happens to the quarterback, whether or not Aaron Rodgers comes back for another year, even if they want Aaron Rodgers to come back for another year, or maybe they try to trade up to get Tudor Sanders, or maybe Aaron Rodgers retires. They'd also don't trance get a quarterback, and maybe they can go with Tyrod Taylor for a year quarterback and really tank and then maybe get an Archer Banding or somebody in twenty twenty six.
So it's gonna be fascinating. I think Aaron Glad's a good culture guys, a good leader, and I think they need that a cultural reset in New York because it was just it was a disast year that this passing is kind of really like a circus. So I think he'll be a good guy to kind of reset the culture there and hopefully fix the defense that was very
underperforming last year. I mean, the Chess defense is one of the most towns defense in the NFL, yet they played like one of the ten worst defenses in the NFL last year, So he's probably trying to fix that defense and reset the culture. I don't know if they're gonna be competitive next year. I mean, they might try to bottom out and get a quarterback in future and what should be a better quarterback class next year. But I am excited to see what Aaron Glyn would do down there in New York.
So we are a sad football show because I am a Jets fan and my producer is a Cowboys fan, and Brian Schottenneimer is brought in now to run the Dallas Cowboys and you know they're married to Dak obviously, But what does next year look like for Dallas And what are your thoughts on this higher It felt like Jerry just waited way too long, And I don't know, man, I've always been of the opinion as long as he's going on the team, I'm not sure they're ever going
to get back to relevance. But what's your what are your thoughts on the recent happenings down in Dallas.
I did not love to hire either. In fact, I don't even think this is the first choice for Dallas. I thought from all the reports that came out, it sounded like they wanted Mike McCarthy back on a three year deal. McCarthy only wanted to come back on a five year deal and neither side a budget on that, and obviously just he ended up walking, And I think Jerry didn't want to completely reset, so what he did
was promote the offensive coordinator to head coach. So I don't know seaneyern has been in OC for a very long time. In fact, he's the offensive coordator all the way back to two thousand and six with the New York Jets, so this is kind of a long time coming for him. He's never been a terrific offensive coordinator, in my opinion, has always been like an average to below average one. So again I was kind of uninspired by the higher I didn't like it really at all.
They have a lot of talent on that team though, right Dak Prescott's the top ten quarterback in the NFL. See lands a superstar. Michael Parsons is a superstar. Problem is, though, as thought, of those three players, they're very they're very top heavy, They're very aligant to those three guys. So they got to help build out the depth of that roster. But there is a lot to work with. You know, if any team that changed coaches this year, Dak Prescott pretty easily or at least in my opinion, the best
one out of any of those teams. So I think he's the best quarterback of any teams have changed coaches. So I think you've got some things to work with. But I'm with you, but the the Brian Schottenheimer higher was pretty easily the most uninspiring one of the cycle in my opinion.
Any of us who watched football, no football, cover football probably knows a Detroit Lions fan. And we are the home of an NBA team that's been in operation for fifty years without ever winning the championship. So I was kind of cheered for cities that have been suffering for a long time. My question Max to you was simple. Is that window still open? It felt like this was their year.
Yeah, it's open. They're still extremely talented. That that's a big thing. Their defense would be healthy next year. Adian Hutchinson moved back and he looked like a defensive Player
of the Year candidate. The problem was, you lose two superstar coordinators, and Ben Johnson, who's maybe the most hyped coordinator to head coach higher I can remember in my lifetime, and then Aaron Glenn who really may do with what was a lot of injuries on that defense past year and they kind of, you know, just went the storm because of it. So you lose both those guys, I think it'll be a little bit more reset and destroy.
I kind of remember a couple of years ago when when Philadelphia lost both their coordinators, Shane Styken and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching jobs, and they took like a year, right, it took a year. They lost in the wild card round. It took a year kind of reset, And here they are a year later because of how good their GM is and how good their head coaches and how good the roster overall is, honestly, and they're back here in the Super Bowl again. It might take some time for
Deshort like that. I don't know if we'll bet in the Super Bowl two years from now, but it might take a little bit of time for them to fully reset with the two new coordinators. So yeah, it's definitely felt like the year for them this year with their best REGUS record of all time. But I still think it's a team that's absolutely still on of the most towns teams in the NFL. And anytime you have some of the best talent in the NFL, no matter who you was coaching your team, you always have a shot.
Ben Johnson goes to Chicago. What does that mean for Caleb And do you like the decision because it felt like Ben had his choice of where he could go based off of how much interest there was in him.
Yeah, I like it. I'm not sure if that was his first choice. I think that Jacksonville is a team that he really was looking at, and then Trent Balke being there was the reason why he didn't want that job. And ob see, Trent Pualke eventually got fired when they realized that they couldn't even get any you know, half decent candidate. If Trent Bulky was still employed by Jaguars, So I think, yeah, I think him going to Chicago's awesome. Though.
You have one of the most creative offensive lines in the sport, and Ben Johnson with one of the most creative quarterbacks prospects of recent memory in Caleb Williams. I'm really excited about that, and so yeah, I'm excited to see if Kayleb Williams can thrive under Ben Johnson. I was a huge fan of Kale coming out, and I think this is pretty much the perfect hire that I think all the Bears fans are hoping they would do this offseason.
Give me your best guess on what happens with Darnold. You referenced it earlier. Maybe back to New York. My guest is PTSD, No thanks, and he's clearly played himself into somebody giving him a deal. It only takes one. Where do you think Darnald lands? Did the Vikings try to run it back and let JJ learn for another year? What are you? What are your thoughts?
No, I don't think devices were running it back. I think Change McCarthy's gonna be the guy for them next year. I'm not sure where Stan Darnold goes. Honestly, I think it'll be really fascinating to see where he ends up. Maybe he seemed like Las Vegas tries to do that for a year or something like that. I don't know, honestly, it's gonna be really fascinating. I didat he'll go back to the Jets, so I don't think that's gonna happen,
but yeah, it'll be interesting to see. I think he could be another bridge quarterback for a team looking to find the next court back the future.
Before I set you loose, we have a lot of Nighters fans around here. Are they just married to Party? They're just gonna have to pay him? And what does that mean for their roster moving forward after a really disappointing year that of course had a lot of injuries.
Yeah, we are. I think they're gonna pay Brock Party. They're still a phenomenal football team overall. You're a little worried about how much you paid Rock Party and whether or not you can afford and have a roster that good paying a guy like that. So it's gonna be fascinating to see how much money he gets and what they could do with that roster elsewhere, considering how cheap
he was already. But yeah, I'm like ninety five percent sure they're gonna be paying Brock pretty long term and I'd be pretty shocked if he's at the long term quarterback for them in the future.
All Right, man, thanks for the time. Enjoy the Super Bowl. Thanks Max, Thanks guys. All Right, Max Chadwick Pro Football Focus at CFB. Max Chadwick is where you find him