LISTEN | Bart Scott on Jets-Dolphins, Thanksgiving & More (11/24)

Jets are already ten games into their season. Before you know, we're gonna look up and it's gonna be Christmas. Oh, that's it's We're in like that Milky Way stretch. I call it the Milky Way stretch. I don't know why. I just kind of came up with that, But before you know it, like you said, it's Thanksgiving, then it's Christmas. It's really a month, but it feels like a week and a half. And a couple of things about Thanksgiving. E A and I both agree that turkey is an

overrated bird, stock great and thanks you Giving. It's gonna look very different for I would say everybody in two thousand twenty, and you know, I'm curious as a Jets employee, of course, e A. You've obviously worked on Thanksgiving before, So like, what's that like? It's good if you win. I mean, we were just talking about this before we uh started the podcast. Is that I guess I've worked

three times on Thanksgiving. As far as games are concerned, the Jets one in two in those games, they did beat the Cincinnati Bengals back in two thousand ten ten. That's the game you called the brand Smith Smith Game. It's the last time that just made the playoffs two thousand times. So a lot of Jets fans right now aren't feeling really thankful about their football team, as the Green and White own time for the only time enfranchise

history is still searching for that elusive first victory. But as far as the week is concerned, from an employee perspective, it's awesome because you get that extended weekend. A do you finish your game day duties, you do a pregame show, postgame show, you take care of what's remaining on Friday,

and then you're able to relax the weekend. I've always argued that the Cowboys and the Alliance, who traditionally play at home on Thanksgiving have a huge advantage because they get that mini buying, then they have a home game and that opposing team is always coming to their place. The Jets did play the Cowboys in OH seven. That

game was not close. Okay, you know, I feel like the Lions are at least in my lifetime, I've always been the one o'clock game, and I feel like that is the sweet spot because you get you get to work, you get over with and then you can still have a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving if you so choose, whereas if you're the four game, you're probably having a light Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving the following day. I never could get into the early game. You know where people will sit

in front of the the TV. I'm not a great sitter. I love watching football, but I gotta take care of business, meaning maybe work out, uh, go out with the dogs or something like that, because I can't just sit seven, eight, ten, twelve hours in front of the TV. And starting off with the Lions. The Cowboys over the years, the last twenty years or so, they've been the team that's been

in it. In contention, they're not in the playoffs every year, but uh, it seemed like that was a marquee matchup for a while, but the NFL went to the expansion on Thanksgiving, where now they have three games. So they're hoping this week that the Pittsburgh Steelers are undefeated, we'll get that game off against the Baltimore Ravens. The team was gonna be desperate right now it's six and four. But I always that was big when they added that third game. But I do think, uh, it's cool to

be part of that. From a National Football League perspective, is that, hey, you are you know that everybody in the nation is huddling around the Davy. Everybody's together and participating in the holiday by not only eating but also watching some ball. Do you like the last question we'll do on this Thanksgiving bit? Do you like the Cowboys old helmets that they wear, the old uniforms that they

were on Thanksgiving. I I do like the Cowboys uniforms overall, so when they bring those out, I'm okay with them. I think the Cowboys just have a traditional, classic look and it's one of the better uniforms in the league. Yeah, I agree with what you said. So now let's talk about Jets football. The Jets do not play on Thanksgiving. Of course, they host the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Week twelve. Coming off of for the Dolphins, they're first lost in a lot of games, like five games in a row.

They fell to the Denver Broncos in Denver, and the Jets played on the West Coast for the first of three cross country games. Now they're back at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, and I think that Jets fans are getting excited because you start to see what this offense could have looked like. I know that's probably the wrong way to think about it, but when you think of the production of Rashad Perriman and Denzel Mims in particular, and of course is having a healthy receiving corps, I mean,

you start to see this offense turn a page. The past two games they've been on the field, well, they're scoring points. They've been in ball games the last two outings. You know, the Patriots, they're not the Patriots team that

we've come to expect over the last two decades. There's four and six at this point, and you'd have to say it would really take something that somewhat improbable for them to make the playoffs like some kind of crazy run because you're looking at the a f C. There might be a team out there wins ten games this year does not get into the playoffs. That's how deep

it looks. And then the Chargers, while they do have a very talented young quarterback in Justin Herbert who had his way with the Jets secondary in that first half, that is a team that is struggle throughout the season. So one possession losses to both of those squads, you're stepping up in caliber this week against the Dolphins. I don't know if a lot of people consider Miami head of schedule, but you have to give Brian Floors a lot of credit for what they've done there. Remember last

was it October? The Jets went down to South Florida and both of those teams were zero Well, the Jets had one win, the Dolphins were zero seven. The Dolphins won that game, and ever since then, I think they've turned the corner and made a lot offseason of dishes additions. Um, you're seeing a defense that gets after people very deep at cornerback position of working in a rookie quarterback right

now experiencing those ups and downs. But um, yeah, You're right about the Jets playing a better brand of football. There's no doubt about that. Defensively, they're stopping the run. We just gotta get better against the past. And then offensively, you're seeing signs of life in the passing game and had just definitely been encouraging Denzel Mimm's career high seventy one yards receiving Perriman now three touchdowns over the course of the last two games. I like what I saw

to Chris Herndon. I know he just made two catches, but both of those catches were very impressive. Yeah, I think Chris Hernon's I tried to Honestly, I tried to bate him into and more of my postgame interviews with him, or the only one should I say what I said. You know, it's just kind of like a weight off your shoulder now that you've gotten your first touchdown of

the season. After training camp, everyone was expecting Chris Hernon to be like the two thousand and eighteen form of Chris Hernon, where he showed a lot of promise as a fourth round rookie out of Miami, and he hasn't been targeted a lot in the passing game and Dwal Loggins, the team's offensive coordinator, last week, said that Chris Hernon has been primarily past protecting because he's really good at it.

Not a lot of tight ends can do what Chris Hernon can do in that aspect of the game, and so so to see him finally take a couple steps forward in the passing game, I think Jets fans got excited. I know certainly for me, I felt happy for Chris Herndon and using these two games as a launching pad for the rest of the season, I think really the first thought that comes to fans minds is, well, what's Sam Donald's gonna look like fully healthy with powerman crowder

Man's Hernon all in the lineup? Because Donald has yet to play with those three starting receivers all on the field together. Well, that's that's the critical question, that's the sixty four million dollar questions for the New York Jets, is that when Well Donald get back on the field. I know he wants to return, The Jets want to

back under center. You want to evaluate this young player with a full complement of skill position players around him, but you can't force him back in the lineup and the Jets are taking the prudent approach here with Donald. It's early this week, we're taping on Monday. We'll have to see what transpires throughout the course of this week. Joe Flacco started against the Dolphins earlier this season at Miami. Won that game twenty four to nothing. It was a shutout.

But we're talking about a different looking offense. No matter who plays quarterback, they're just gonna have opportunities to make plays because much like the Patriots, even though the Dolphins definitely have more talent at the cornerback position, especially considering what Stuffan Gilmore's out no no shade towards New England. I'm saying when he got Byron Jones exaving Howard, going Howard now six interceptions, those guys are gonna play man

coverage and they're gonna they're gonna blitz the quarterback. So the Jets have to make plays down the field, and you would anticipate they do have the ability to do that. They will be better equipped to do that than they were in the team's first meeting. It's gonna be a great challenge. So I definitely agree, and I think that maybe to your point, if Byron Jones exaving Howard on

the outside. Maybe this is a Jamison crowd or Chris Hernon game in terms of at least opportunities, because if they can work the middle of the field, maybe that will open up things more so for Perman and Men's Byron Jones and Xaviing Howard are two great players. And this I kind of wanted to go a little more broad here in terms of the way the NFL is shaping up right now. First of all, very weird Sunday, very weird Sunday in terms of who won, who lost.

And now when you look at the standings in both divisions, you look at who's in and who's out. If the playoffs were today or tomorrow, the Baltimore Ravens would not be in the playoffs at six and four. Miami Dolphins would not be in the playoffs at six and four. Then you head to the NFC. Chicago's the first team out at five and five. But both divisions are gonna come down to the wire. A lot of parody in

the National Football League. You know, we were watching the early games yesterday and it seems like every week we're we're looking at more and more games than saying their toss ups. But you mentioned Miami. They just had a five game win streak. They lose a game, and now all of a sudden are out of playoff positioning through ten games. Uh, you got the Cleveland Browns right now quietly are seven and three. It feels like half the teams in the a f C are seven and three

right now. Um. You know, I think the Bills took a step forward in the FC East by not playing because everybody else lost, right you know, the Patriots lost, the Dolphins had their windstreak halted, and the Bills have already beaten the Miami Dolphins and they host them, I think in the the last game of the season. So you would have to say Buffalo definitely has the advantage moving forward inside the division. Pittsburgh still undefeated, which is crazy,

the very good team. Um, I didn't anticipate they're gonna be sitting here after ten games being undefeated. You mentioned Baltimore. Lamar Jackson was the m v P in the National Football League last year and now they're six and four. Kind of see in Indianapolis, that's an interesting race. In the FC South, Bolt teams are seven and three. They're facing each other this weekend. I'm excited for that game. A f C West loaded because Kansas City, Yes, just

one win, Patrick Mahomes is magic against the Raiders. You mean one loss, Yeah, one win, one glorious winn and go over the Raiders. I guess said Patrick Mahomes was his magic. So they just had the one loss. The Raiders look good and there's six and four and they want to get in a playoff. Pitcher that's the team was one toe to toe with the Chiefs here a couple of times this season. I say loaded the FC West because Herbert and the Chargers had the explosive offense.

And I know there are not in a playoff position positioning, but that's a team you gotta watch for in future years. And Denver's tough. They just beat Miami, So a lot of perry in the league. But in the FC I think you gotta look at Kansas City and then go to Pittsburgh and then everyone else is kind of in a group after that. Okay, so before we hear from Bart Scott as we I don't want to eject what's gonna happen here over the course of the next seven

weeks in terms of the NFL. I mean, you laid out all the different divisions and the tight races there, but is there a race in particular that intrigues you? And I'm gonna say excluding the NFC West, which has the Seahawks the Rands. Yeah, I did, because I feel like I feel like a lot of people have given proper credit to that division because that's such a tight race. And we saw that great game between the Seahawks and the Cardinals, not once but twice. Who's gonna win the

NFC East, I'll ask you that. Well, I did say I didn't want to project anything. I mean right now as it stands, Okay, I'm not gonna what do you make of the NFC East right now? I think it's very interesting. I mean, I think I think the division is there's there's meaning all four of them, really three of them. I really think it's gonna be the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants. I feel like it's gonna come down of those three teams, not

the Washington football team. No, no disrespect to them, but I feel like if Andy Dalton can turn things around for that offense, which you kind of saw against the Vikings. If they can sustain that, I figured that they'll squeak out enough wins, especially in their own division, to clinch a playoffs. That's a great question. I'm going no more than six. I'm going, so somebody's gonna host a playoff game and the NFC that finishes with six wins this year?

Do you think that's crazy? No, I don't think it's. Well, were the weren't the Seahawks seven and nine when they hosted the Saints the Marshawn Lynch the Beast Mode Game. I mean, that wouldn't surprise me if it was, if if the Cowboys hosted a team. I think the a f C seems a little bit more. I don't want to say easy to predict, but it seems like, like I said, I think the Bills are gonna win the FCS.

I think Pittsburgh's gonna take care of the North. I think that Indianapolis and Tennessee is something that's called caught my high Kansas City is gonna win the West, you know. And then it's like, how is the wild cards shake out? But as far as divisional races, as you could say wild card race, you can instead of saying division you could just you could just pick a couple of teams that you're looking at in terms of the wild cards. Well,

I look at Indianapolis and Tennessee. In Indianapolis want to Nashville a couple of weeks ago, home one, an oppressive game on Thursday Night Football. What's gonna happen? And the return matchup? But who's gonna make the playoffs from this bunch? Miami, the Raiders, Baltimore, the Browns, and the Browns. Yeah, who you got in the playoffs? I don't, I don't know. I mean, I think it's very I don't know the team's schedules, which I think has a big part to

do with this, But I'm very interested. I think I think the one thing that Tennessee has over a lot of these teams is just their brand of football travels well, first of all, and second of all, that they made to the championship game last year, so they know what it takes to get there. And I thought that was very convincing win, a very important win over the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. And side note, I love A J. Brown. I love I love the physicality he plays with speaking

of physicality about Derrick Henry. I mean, you can't say enough about about Derrick Henry. He's an animal. That whole team is just physical. Their d n A is that of their head coach, Mike Rabel. So you know they play a brand of football. They're gonna be it at in a phone booth for sixty minutes and they bring it. You know, you gotta respect that. With that being said, we think about the Colts all the time. This is like the soft team that's gonna spread you out, They're

gonna play fast and all this others. No, this is a team and gets after you who plays a physical brand of football. And that was an impressive comeback win over the Packers, and that came on the heels of beating Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. So now what

is going to happen? Because Indianapolis can really take that division and put a stranglehold around it if they win this return matchup very much though, And I think if Jonathan Taylor starts to use his performance against the Packers in terms of the way he ran the football and can kind of turn that rookie wall and kind of like barrel through it and he's you know, he's a big dude with four or three speed, four four speed.

That's gonna be an interesting team down the road. So what I'll tell you right now, though, Patrick Mahomes League MVP. I would have said a few weeks ago, Russell Wilson. But I think it would be hard to choose anybody other than the Homes. He's been just outstanding that team as a defending champions. Uh, Pittsburgh gonna be right there in the mix. But if you're gonna ask me Super Bowl pick right now, you'd have to go. I go Kansas City and a slight lean to New Orleans. But

Seattle's gaining. Oh so you think that it's between those two teams in the end. Oh No, I just think those would be my two favorites. Now, I like that. I like that. Are you looking at me like I have to pick mine? I definitely think Kansas City. I think that. I think for me, they're they're gonna represent the a f C in terms of the NFC. I tend to I tend to agree with you. I think

because here's the thing about the Saints. They're playing is well defensively, is probably anybody in the league right now over the last few weeks for sure. And they did the same thing last season when Teddy Bridgewater came in for Drew Brees. But it just feels like in the past couple of years something just doesn't click in the playoffs for the Saints. And if they can clear that hurdle, you know, maybe Michael Thomas starts burning up like he did last year, then I think that's gonna be a

legitimate case. But so there's only remember first round the playoffs, only one team gets a by this year, that's the number one seed, so that you gotta put more emphasis on being that one seed. And Pittsburgh keeps on winning no matter how good Kansas City is or Mahomes, They're not gonna be then one sleep. You know what I wonder, I don't I think if if the playoffs were tomorrow, would this be the first time that Tom Brady entered

the playoffs as a wild card team? It has to be, right, because they missed the playoffs and he was out, and then before that it was he just wasn't the quarterback of the team, right, Yeah, But they won the division seventeen no less, nineteen years no two thousand two Jets, but the Patriots did. The Patriots make the playoffs that year, didn't make the playoffs, so then this would be That's won the division in two thousand two. But and then the Patriots didn't make it as a wild car team,

they did not make it as well. This would in turn the first time that Tom Brady would enter the playoffs as a wild car team and it would have to go through not his home stadium. That's right. I was just getting caught up with my memories Hermo, which you played to win the game that Jets started to buy that year and they went out to San Diego and the Superchargers quarterback by Drew Brees. Wow, look that's

where the start, That's where the turnaround started. Oh but that's how we come full circle here on the Official Jets Podcast powered by AWS. Now that it's here from Bart Scott outside for another edition of our Vic Tornock Swiss Army Player of the Game segment with Bart Scott. Bart. Jets host the Dolphins in Week twelve, the first time they'll see to a tongue of baloa as a starting quarterback. What's your matchup to watch um to a tongue of

balo I'll tell you what I'm most excited to see it. Like, it's a lot of matchups that you can go with, but I'm really intrigued and interesting to see how Bryce Hall continues to develop. Listen, I love the way that he competes. I love that he said the edge forcefully in the run game. I like that he's, you know, willing to go out there and not just bell out of there. A couple of times he bailed too early on some blitzes, but for the most part he was

right there. And you know, he went against a tough ride receivering corps. I want to see if he can maybe trying to slow down DeVante Parker and see what that's like. Now he you know, they have a different receiver. You think about Keenan Allen and think about Williams and what they bring. Now he's gonna go with a taller six fire receiver that has a huge catch radius and that can play the game vertically, and let's see if

he can compete. Let's see what he's got. Do you want the Jets playing more zone or more man against these big receivers. Part, but you have to mix it up because if you just play zone and you get predictable, they'll just start sitting those zones. I think one of the you know, the biggest mistakes of that game was the fact that they played Red two in the middle of the field. You know, that was a defense that's usually for the red zone. We call it red two.

But I would say for people that don't know what I'm talking about because I maybe speaking Chinese, because everybody calls it something different, it's when you have Hewitt close in the middle of the field and turned to a former Cover three. But they recognize it and we're able to get a receiver up the scene and for a huge touchdown play. And you know, that's something that you you don't really want to see because when you become predictable like that, people are gonna have plans for things

that you do that. Well, you're going against Greg Williams defense, you're gonna have a red tube beater and you're gonna definitely have a cover zero beater because you know it's coming. So I think, if we're gonna do that, and we're gonna play that, you know, because every team and every

coordinator is different. If I'm gonna play that, I need Hugh to make sure that he stays that linebacker depth, because when he gets that seven yards deep, he sends a text message to the entire team, the entire stadium that that's the coverage that they're in. I'm going to the other side of the ball and going on the outside. I'll take Brashotte, Perryman and Denzel Mims against those very

impressive Dolphins cornerbacks. Remember the last time the Jets saw the Dolphins, they were shut out down in South Florida, So hoping for a different result this weekend. You see Denzel Mims three catches seventy one yards. He drew a pair of penalties against the Chargers. Uh. Brashotte Perryman has been in the ends on three times the last two games. But bart these Dolphins cornerbacks, This tandem Byron Jones Xavier Howard. Howard now has six interceptions tied from the NFL lead.

We know they like to play a lot of man coverage on the outside and the Dolphins will bring a lot of blitzes at whoever is playing quarterback for the Jets. Where would you rank these Dolphins corners? I mean, I think I think they're right up there. I mean, I think that the best. You know Trio or you know pair of Corners with his eyes in Baltimore and Humphries and Marcus Peters. But you can say Xavier and Byron

Jones are right there. You know, one A and one b um, you know, but you know understanding that that's what they're gonna get. I think the Jets would be better prepared for that because whenever you have guys that are able to get their hands on you have to minutes ball skills. All you have to do is do what most teams do to the ravens and to the

other you know, cover one man and man covers. You run a lot of crossing robs, rubber rolphs, make them fight through traffic and make them have to communicate with each other by making cut splits and and maybe putting man Hims and putting Paimian on the same exact side and having a backside that that consists of Herndon and and maybe Crowder as well. So bunch routes a lot of a lot of crossing routes where you can mess up the traffic. Even maybe consider putting the receiver in

the backfield. Because what happens is and I remember like yesterday when they used to do that. Bill Belichick used to do that when we we had Reevers, they brought He brought Reeves into the box into the world that he has nothing no idea about by putting west Walker in the backfield and running his routes from the backfield just like running out the slot. So maybe you to bring Crowder and you bring Crowder into the backfield, which brings a d dB there and forced him to communicate

a lot of blown coverages that way. So ethan, where you gone? Because I like what Bart just said. Chris Hernon had a couple of catches he got in the end zone, so that was an encouraging sign for the New York Jets and Jamison Crowder Adam Gates said he probably should have had fifteen catches in the first half against the Chargers. You know, I think this is a common phrase in the NFL that just at the NFL

is a copycat league. And when you look at what the Broncos did against the Dolphins, looked at the amount of times that to a tongue of valoo was sacked. My matchup to watch is the Jets defensive line against the Dolphins offensive line. That Dolphins old line has a couple of rookies up front, like Solomon Kinley and Robert Hunt. Austin Jackson was the first round pick earlier this past April, and if the Jets are able to get to to ah,

maybe that'll rattle him a little bit. And Bart, I'm gonna ask you for a quarterback to be one a rookie and to receive pressure the way that the Jets give it, which is typically up the middle. The strength of that defensive line. How much can that disrupt a young quarterback's rhythm on the road his first time starting

against the Jets. Well, I think it's you know, when you stay on a roll, you gotta You'll say that with an asterisk, because you don't have the things that you have to deal with traditionally, with with no fans in the stands, no no doing down in Miami, it's a little different, you know, silent council of just being able to have to communicate and have non Verbero communication was an advantage. The Jets won't have that advantage. So now you just have to play with the rookies eyes

and make them see things that actually don't exist. And you want to get to him. Anytime you can get to anybody six times, you start putting them on the ground. Your tool is not a big guy. You start leaning on them. Now is starting to become a profile on them, starting to be a book as Tennessee's the personnel groups and where they operate with the league is starting to

catch up. And you know, Denver was just the first team to kind of put a put a blueprint out there on how to make his day and his life difficult and understanding what you're gonna get. You've seen his defense before. It gives your advantage to maybe make some adjustments, but also seeing how you can maybe take advantage of this offensive line that is young and may struggle having to communicate. But on the back end, you're gonna need these corners to to to lock up and you have

to do that. You have to put them on the island. And are you willing to do that? That's that's that's the issue. So you want to try and make sure that you do safe. You know, pressures not going all out, not cover zeros, but you know where you can overload a side and be able to get somebody home free without selling the farm and its imperative this week, you York Jets get off to a good start, There's no

doubt about that. And it would be interesting if you get the rookie quarterback in a position where, hey, maybe the Dolphins are trailing in the third quarter and he's looking over his shoulder at Ryan Fitzpatrick. I think it'll be very interesting to see what happens, especially when you consider that Fitzpatrick came in relief this pass game for to uh. And before we wrap up here, bart on a lighter note, just what's your favorite part of Thanksgiving,

specifically perhaps your favorite dish. Well, for me, it's my it's a it's a toss up for me. Um. My wife makes some things um that I really enjoy and I kind of only indulged in them once once a year. If she makes a safe dressing, I don't know. It depends on where you're from. Some people say dressing, some

people say stuffing. We call it dressing. You know. I like it when you push the sage saucags in there, so it's like you're eating bread, but you also get a nice chew of some nice sage savory sausage inside of that thing as well. But also she has the macaroni and chiefs with probably seventy different cheeses, um eferporated milk egg and when you look at it may only be this big, but it weighs probably about seventy five pounds. That's how I like it. And the last word on that,

that stuff in that dressing sounds fantastic. Tell us what you feel about sweet potato? Uh, sweet potato pie eaten over here? Does not like sweep but he must have to have patty pies because if you get a nice, good sweet potato pie, it's like it's like a slice of heaven. You put a little whipped cream on it. Maybe get it, get it, get get some nice coke, cold,

some hot chocolate. You gotta do it right, man. You gotta make sure that it has the nutmeg and it cent him in blend maybe a little brown sugar, and make sure you take all the strings out. And I'm saying it's not that he doesn't like pump that he doesn't like sweepotated pie, is that he hasn't had a good piece of sweeping taded pot What the hell are you buy your pie? Okay, well, I'm warming up to

it now. You know. I'm a big fan of everything, Bart said that I didn't necessarily all of the piots outline. Big Man Whipped Cream sent a minute. I gotta get nut made, nutmeg Man. Nutmeg is the secret and INGREDI. And that is how we wrap up this edition of the Victor Knox Swiss Army Player of the Game segment and another edition of the Official Jets Podcast powered by eight of Us. Happy Thanksgiving and make sure putting nutmeg in your sweet potato pot.