Welcome in What Driving the Great Episode three sixty four. This episode, as always of What's Driving the Grid, is presented to you by boost Mobile, and as always, we encourage you to like, rate, subscribe, review to the podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify. All of that demands a little odd episode today in that this is the rare Thursday episode that is not live and not happening on Thursday. It is still going to be released on Thursday. However,
we are doing this episode right now. It is Wednesday, which means we are firing into Sunday lines during the gambling portion of our show, all the way on Wednesday. Now, there's only one game that is a total stay away because of that, and that's the Niner game, because we don't know who's playing quarterback, but you know, he could up the degree of difficulty. We are doing that because Thursday, when you guys are hearing this, we will be I
will be probably taping first things first. That is also always live, except it won't be Thursday because Thursday we are flying to Kansas City. So I tell you guys that on the front end in case there's any late breaking news, in case the NFL decides there's another player they want to suspend for a game, but not suspend him for a game. We're not gonna have that information you get listen. In fact, I'm just starting there before we even get to anything. Here's here is did you
read the NFL statement? Did you read those Did they say two games?
Do they say it was a one game suspension?
No? What they said is he is suspended and he's playing. That's what the NFL said. The NFL said that Jalen Carter is suspended, but he's playing. And so listen, I'm gonna read you the NFL's self basically ludicrous statement, and then we will discuss it briefly before we get to the actual game. And by the way, I wasn't calling for Jalen Carter to be suspended, but this is an
absolute farce. What they wrote. The NFL wrote. Here is the first line of the NFL statement, and I quote Philadelphia's Jalen Carter has been suspended by the commissioner for one game. However, his suspension will be considered served and he will be eligible to play in week two. I am simply asking America if this can finally break the Chiefs get all the breaks fever that has gripped the country. We saw as my long standing belief that the refs
don't favor the Chiefs. The refs just aren't that good, and the Chiefs playing a lot of standalone games right now, you guys watch Vikings Bears Monday night, a standalone game. Sure felt like a couple truly awful calls really hurt the Bears in that spot, all right, where the refs all the ref's in the bag for JJ McCarthy. No, they're just not that good. Friday night, we saw ty your Tart punch Travis Kelce in the face not be thrown out of the game and then go ahead.
I think they take it was a technicality because he didn't close his fist.
Yeah, that's not. But here's the thing about technicalities. Technicalities technically need to be in the rule book, and there is nothing about open hand versus closed fist in the rule book. Also, it is that would be a ludicrous technicality because if people are wearing helmets, you you're better off going open hand at that velocity than closed fist.
But again, I'm not complaining about that because I'm not a whiny loser that whinds about refs but I am saying if the tire Tart or Jalen Carter thing, it was Chris Jones, If Chris Jones in week one spit on Justin Herbert and then the NFL announces Chris Jones has been suspended and he'll miss zero games. Don't tell me if it was the don't And again these aren't apples to apples, But imagine if the NFL had said, hey, Rashid Rice is suspended six games for the car wreck.
As it turns out, he's served him last year when he missed the fourteen, like, give me a break, get and it is the NFL is really trying to have its cake and eat it too with the since he never played a down, I maybe maybe Demanse can accept that if if in fact not, maybe I would accept it. If you got to ejected from a game for something that happened pregame, if the game has not started and you get in a fight and they say, okay, you're rejected in the NFL, well then you were suspended. Something
happened you didn't. You weren't a part of the game. That game had started, and the NFL is trying to act as if because he that no, he didn't, but the game had started. He was not suspended the end, So again, I don't care. I said on the TV show that I thought the NFL would look at the first game as kind of a de facto suspension and just find him. That's fine, It's fine with me. I don't think spitting on a guy gets you two games, and they're saying it got you one. That is, honest
to God, fine with me. What I am saying is, if there is any honor or honesty left in the media, including my dear friend Mike Flourio and a lot of others, they have to acknowledge that if Chris Jones had spit on Justin Herbert gotten thrown out. And then the NFL said Chris Jones is suspended and it is the first suspension ever where he'll play the week he's suspended. The articles and tweets and commentary about all once again, the league that is given it to the Chiefs would be
through the roof and everyone knows it. I will add to it. The weird pretty dumb if you ask me. Conspiracy from over the summer that the NFL was not suspending Rashi Rice for the early part of the season, which they ended up doing because of the ratings for the early part of the season. Chief Slate that same exact logic would apply to this jail and Carter non suspension suspension, So just don't give me that nonsense. The league office at times is not all that consistent. The
referees are consistently inconsistent. It is not for one team versus another. Now we can get to the actual show. How are you, Demanse doing great?
Puffs?
We have another thing actually, before we get to the actual show that you and I have to address. We're going to address it in the straight voicemail segment not making the show. Mike McDaniel, listen, he knows dead man walking, he says. The good news and positive is I don't see how could get worse? Oh, he can get worse. Luca Skinny, Luca nominated for Best Defensive Player at euro Basket.
And now there's this is Demanse trying to turn himself into a tout And this is of course straight to voicemail, brought to you by boost Mobile. All right, demons, I'm not really on Instagram that much. Yeah, the producers alerted me. So you hit your that Caleb, you hit your bet fifteen bucks to win four hundred. You posted a screenshot of it, and you wrote, hit me up if you want betting advice. Venmo made twenty dollars to initiate the conversation.
I'm told you then raised the price. Yeah, two one hundred dollars.
Up to two hundred.
Did you get any takers?
Yeah? I had actually had takers, but all the guys that were takers they had my Venmo and they were just like, yeah, give me the picks. And like, I'm like, dude, you have my Venmo. Where's the what's going on?
Okay? So you had no one paid you?
No, nobody paid me.
I was I was just that was just kidding. I don't I don't post on.
My story often enough for people to kind of understand my humor.
But I think a lot of people took that seriously and like like, well, yeah, because there's a lot of scammy touts out there. Yeah, and I know you're I know you're not. And this is this is a learning moment for the for you and the show. You're now a legitimate public person, and our reputations are too closely tied together for you to make that type of joke and have it be open to miss to misinterpretation, the
like just the no harm done here. But I don't I really don't want the just scrolling Twitter and come across awful announcing and see the headline. You know what I mean is demands from the What's Right podcast selling picks. I I don't want that. So we're just gonna tighten it up a bit. We're done at all. I knew
you weren't actually selling picks. And by the way, we provide a free service to the public, like we just all we ask is for you to like, rate, subscribe, review, I actually sidebar real quick and then we'll we'll get into the meat of it. I had a business opportunity from a company. I don't want to say the company because I just don't want to where they wanted. Essentially, the idea behind it was, hey, have a have a
community that gets exclusive access to your picks. They can track it with you, your bets whatever, like a social network type thing. And I was like, yeah, I'm I'm not opposed to that, and they're like, yeah, so you know, we would pay you money, you know, to be a part of the team. But then also where the real money would come in is you, you know, to be a part of your community. It would be like, you know, a dollar a month, or two dollars or five dollars
a month. I was like, gold on a second, you want me to charge people like to be able to see my picks early. They're like, yeah, well that's you know, that's how people make money on this thing. I was like, I gotta tell you, I might you know, do something with you guys, if you guys can set the entry fee to join my community at zero dollars. And they, by the way, they said they were to their credit, they said they would. It's just didn't make sense for me to do it at the time. But I'm not
the and again I'm giving you a hard time. I knew you were kidding. I do not like the I totally understand the Patreon or substack or model or whatever it is for a lot of things, and that makes a lot of sense. But if you have a corporation paying you then trying to also on the back end, you know, get a little extra money out of your out of folks, I'm not into. Which also why I never felt comfortable with the cameo thing. It's like I the you have, well just one actually, okay, are you on?
I guess it wasn't really a cameo. I just took a video on Snapchat and sent it to it and sent.
It to somebody because they asked you to. You know what, Given everything I said, I still though you're in a different spot than me. I kind of like the idea of you having a cameo account like ten Bucks, a video and they'll just see who hits it. I mean, I don't know what is Yeah, exactly, wish you happy birthday and ounce fancy draft whatever it is. All right, probably time to get to the show. Go ahead.
So, yeah, we remember how the super Bowl went, so we've got that rematch coming up this weekend, and they are both coming off of underwhelming divisional performances. The Eagles obviously won, but they probably did win in the fashion they would have liked, and the Chiefs lost. How close to the super Bowl? How close to the super Bowl game do you think this will be?
Oh, I don't listen. I do not think Kansas City is going to get blown out. I will if Kansas City gets blown out, I will be concerned. Okay, I also spoiler alert don't think Kansas City is going to lose. And I think that the Chiefs being home dogs with Patrick being healthy is a slap in the face, especially because I do think it's fair to say Philly did not look overwhelming in Week one, you know what I mean.
Philly looked fine, but they looked kind of lucky, not lucky, but fortunate to get out that game with a win against a Dallas team that there were no expectations for. Okay, So I I also think that those of us that have been hoping for or planning on, you know, the Mahomes light show as Brew calls it, to come back, going to have to wait some more time because obviously they knew they weren't gonna have Hershie Rice in this game, but now they also won't have Xavier Worthy in this game.
And so I think it's gonna be a lot of ball control, a lot of short intermediate stuff, and a lot of you know, Mahomes makes some magic. But I think you have a pissed off urgent Patrick Mahomes, and I think he will deliver. I'm going to add to it that where my where my concern comes in this game is is Jalen Hurts going to have four seconds to throw and that chief secondary not be able to
hang in there. Now, I know Jalen threw nothing but short except for the one bomb and had nothing but time against Dallas, But I also know that Justin Herbert had nothing but time and carved up the chief secondary. The part of the Week one game that was most dispiriting and most concerning to me Demanse was how the overall pass defense for Kansas City looks Now? Will Philadelphia take advantage of it? Okay, like, will Philadelphia lean into
that part of their offense? I don't know. I mean, aj Brown went fifty eight minutes in Week one without a target and they they still moved the ball and Jalen was brilliant scrambling. But that's another piece of this game that does con me designed pass plays. Jail and drops back, they wait, they wait, no one the times the coverage holds up, no one's open. Jalen's able to run. So I think Philly will be able to move the
ball if they lean into the passing game. I think the Chiefs run defense has been one of their underrated factors the last couple of years, and even in that Super Bowl when the Chiefs got annihilated. The run defense was obviously really impactful, or I did a good job. I should impact those the wrong word did a good job against Saquon. The story of the Super Bowl was
the disastrous offensive line play from Kansas City. And now I'm excited to see it because the Chiefs upgraded a left tackle obviously, and the Eagles don't have the edges they had last year. Now they still do have Jalen Carter in this game. As we talked about, he is suspended for this game, but he's playing in this game. And how will those matchups look. If Patrick has even a modicum of time, I believe he will be able to make Hay against this Eagle secondary that I believe
is going to be a work in progress throughout the year. Obviously, Degene is very good and Quinyan Mitchell is excellent, And maybe I should call Degene excellent and Quenya Mitchell very good. But they're both at the very least very good players. But there isn't a single other person in that secondary that you trust I as far as demands, you know, will you panic? Should I panic? If the Chiefs are zero to two? I The answer to that is unequivocally known.
And here is the thing that it is frustrating is the wrong word, but annoying that folks don't see folks speak with authority and don't have the memories. I guess that I do on what the Chiefs have actually been in, you know, the Mahomes era. In twenty twenty one, the Chiefs started three and four, three and four, coming off getting blown out in the Super Bowl by Tampa. They started the next year three and four and then found themselves, as they always do, at the absolute worst in overtime
of the AFC Championship Game in twenty twenty three. The Chiefs in November to December lost. They had stretch where they lost one, two, yeah, five out of eight, including within that stretch where they lost four out of six, and in that where they lost three out of four and the only win came against the woeful Patriots, where
they didn't even look that good. And they responded to that by winning the Super Bowl, the idea that they've never had that had just been seen and even last year, even though they never lost games, people hated how they looked at various points in the regular season and they found themselves in the Super Bowl again, So it is just flatly inaccurate to say they haven't faced any regular season adversity or downswings during this time. It's just that the baseline is so high that they have been able
to obviously more than overcome it. But I so I wouldn't panic. I will come on here, you know, Tuesday, if not before, if they get manhandled by an Eagles team that I don't think as good as last year as Eagles team, it is time for real concern, not panic, but concern. If it's a really good game and they end up coming up on the short end of it, I won't panic at all. But I think Kansas City is better than Philadelphia. And I also think this, and this is the.
With like without the.
Without without Rice and Worthy. Well, so here's the thing on that I think that when Rice and Worthy are back, Philadelphia will be better than they are right now because I think Philadelphia's defense so many new pieces, it's going to be a you know, a work in progress, so to speak. I also like here is and again, people can disagree with me. People can say that I'm you know, uh waving pom poms as Bruce says sometimes and the you know with the pomp poms when I wave them,
all I see is you've been right every year. But I firmly believe that given how Philadelphia played in Week one, that had they been playing the Chargers, they lose similar fashion the Chiefs do. And given how the Chiefs played in Week one, had they been playing the Cowboys and that defense, there's no concerns about the Chiefs offense right now. Like I don't think Philly or Kansas City should be
happy at all about how Week one went. Now, I know Philadelphia is one to zero and Kansas City's oho and one, but it feels to me like both the those teams had to be pretty uneasy about their performances. The only thing Philadelphia I thought did really well in Week one was Jailen. I thought Jail and Scrambles were just elite, you know what I mean. Jalen's ability to make something out of nothing was phenomenal. And the only thing the Chiefs did really well in Week one was
the Mahomes kind of magic, broken play craziness. Like nobody on the Chiefs or the Eagles outside of their quarterback should feel great about Week one and so we'll see how they both respond. But to your point, demon's about without Rice and Worthy for Kansas City. If if Kansas City wins the game without Rice and Worthy, that is a shot in the arm. Well, I listen, I think
Philadelphie's got the infrastructure in the too much time. I don't think, like there's not a lot of panic that should happen in week you know, in week two if like, if.
Your top competition and they don't have like two of their best offensive guys.
So here's the thing, though, I don't this is for Philadelphia or Kansas City. I simply don't believe in cross conference rivalries in the NFL, And I don't believe in your top competition ever being someone in the other conference, like because it has to be such a perfect storm for you guys to play in a game that matters. Like let's just say for the record, or for example, I should say that Philly does blow out Kansas City, just annihilates them. It looks just like the Super Bowl.
While that would reasonably shake anyone's faith that the Chiefs can beat the Eagles, it to me should barely shake your faith that can the Chiefs win the Super Bowl because like the Eagles would have to get there as the Chiefs would have to get there obviously with the Eagles would have to get there, you know. So the in a weird way like that Charger game and how the Chargers exploited what were Chiefs weaknesses was a bigger concern than anything that could happen Sunday, because the Chargers
are direct competition. You play them again, you could play them in you know, in the first round of the playoffs, like Philadelphia maybe you know has Kansas City's number, but the Packers clip. I mean, it doesn't even matter. And so that the it is very rare that a cross conference rivalry be the rivalry. It has to be almost NBA Lebron Cavs STEPH Warriors style, where it's like these two teams are just dominating. It's inevitable, right that where we're gonna end up. And that's just not to me
realistic here. I know you wanted to ask me about how I'm watching the game.
Yeah, what is what's going to be your plan for the game? The setup are kicking people out of that.
I think I'm going to be back home. I might stay in Kansas City for the game, but I think I'm going to be back home. There there is a chance I stick around and watch the game in person, but I don't think that's what I'm gonna do. So I don't have a I guess a good answer there for you, Well, it'd be a home game, like I certainly would never watch this a game like this on
the road. And again, if people don't know the reason we're recording this Wednesday, the reason all being Kansas City is we are doing the show live, the TV show live from Power and Light two o'clock Central time on Friday, and I would love any and everyone in Kansas City to stop by. And again, anyone that shows up with a first Thing's first related sign, all bay you a beer. And so the logistics or legality of that, I don't
really know. But I'm just gonna come there with a pocket full of twenties and hand them out to people who have first Things first signs. So that's the plan. It'll be great. There is a level, it would seem like, of trepidation from some other folks of how big the crowd's gonna be. I think the crowd's gonna be pretty big. All right. We'll get to the other Games of the weekend and our picks of the weekend. But first reminder about our friends, our new presenting sponsor, hard Rock Bet.
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eight hundred and nine with it. Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, or Virginia. All right, demon's eight. Let's get to Thursday night with a game tonight for the people listening to this.
Uh yeah, So Thursday Night kicks off with Green Bay and Washington. So both these teams have very high expectations. Which of the teams do you think is more bound to live up to the hype.
I I gotta tell you, I was really impressed by Green Bay in Week one, really impressed. And what was your super Bowl pick? Oh?
I gotta say that this My super Bowl pick on the the AFC is the Ravens.
But this game isid wow.
Yeah, Wow, it's the winner of this game. I'm going with for the super Bowl.
Okay, So that's I couldn't remember. You didn't actually make exactly Yeah, yeah, you the you you picked the Ravens to win the super Bowl and to win the AFC obviously, but you didn't. That's what I couldn't remember. I was like, I don't know if you had one. I The Packers are now in a spot where they don't need Jordan Love to be magical or you know what I mean. They don't need Jordan Love to look like a top
five quarterback for them to beat really good teams. They just need him to avoid the what do you do in Jordan Love moments would still pop up, you know, from time to time, sometimes in a opportune times. But a lot of really smart people were really in on the Packers before the year. I wasn't. Before the Mica trade, I wasn't one of them. If you remember, I had a missing the playoffs, not having a bad year, but
just being odd man out. And then they got Mike and I said, okay, I'll put him in the playoffs. The people who were dead in on them were saying, the only thing that is preventing me from saying they're going to go to the Super Bowl. Is it feels like they're just they need one star, like a A plus player that they have a bunch of BB plus players need an eight, and then they get Micah Parsons, and I think that team is incredibly dangerous. Now, I
have a confession about Washington. Of all the games this past weekend, bottom two attention to a game was Washington against the Giants because it was just so like it was to me, it was so obvious they were in total control and that the Giants just had no ability to really move the ball that I didn't ever really lock in on it, and I haven't rewatched, so that's just you know, I watch everything, but I'm not gonna lie to you guys and tell you I've rewatched a
game that I haven't rewatched, or that I was totally dialed into every second of that game. Because of the two New York teams, the game that ended up having my attention was the Steelers Jets Classic that I did not expect that we were going to get. What I do know is this though, from just casually watching that game and then you know, looking at the numbers. If Washington has a legitimate non Jayden Daniels run game with Jacrossky Merritt, whose name is JA Cory. But do you
know what? He goes by Demansey. This is so good. His name is his first name is Jacory, his last name is uh Crosskey Merrit. But he is instead of so first name Jackry, call me Bill. That's true. He's like, yeah, I like everyone to call me Bill. His name, his name is Jackry and he goes by Bill. So you know what more power to you? Kid? Isn't Yeah?
Isn't Bill like a short?
What is? What's the big name that Bill short for William William? No, you would think maybe Jack. His name is j A c o r Y. You'd call me Jack. No, he goes by Bill. That I'm sure there's a reason for it, but whatever, it's what he wants to be called. He he's the reason they felt comfortable trading away Brian Robinson. He was I think a seventh round pick that they liked. And he goes ten for eighty two, including broke off a forty yarder. So if they have a run game
not Jaden Reliant, that raises their ceiling. My concern with Washington, and again I had them winning their division, so I didn't have a huge concern. But my concern with Washington going into the year was how good is that defense going to be? The defense was phenomenal against the Giants, But this is one of those eye test games. Eye test is the wrong way to put it, but ror shark test games. Pardon me, what are we saying? You know what I mean? Was that about oh Man, Washington's
defense is better than we expected? Or was that about the Giants offense is doa and so we won't really know until we see more, you know, more stuff later this year. So similarly, like I am really like legit worried about the Chief's ability to create a pass rush
and you know then guard on the back end. If in a month Herbert has done that to everyone and Danny Parkins is peacocking around everywhere, and you know, then it's like, oh, moving Joe Alt to the left tackle, even though you lost for Sean Slater, it was fine. Like that offensive line is just nails. Maybe y'all feel better about it. If this weekend, what are the Chargers?
Chargers play the Raiders this weekend. I think if the Raiders who we don't trust their pass rush if the Raiders are, you know, getting home on Herbert on Monday Night football and I'm be like, oh boy, maybe the Chiefs pass rush even worse than I thought. So that's the problem. That's the tough part about week one is
why are we seeing what I'm seeing? With all that said, I think green Bay's got the higher of ceiling of those two teams, and I think right now green Bay is a real threat to come out of the conference. Not my pick, but a real threat to come out of the conference. As far as when it comes to the Eagles, the Eagles, the Eagles need to be focused
on obviously themselves, but Washington in that they need. If you're an Eagles fan, you are hoping Washington loses this game because home field advantage is not the dire priority making sure you win the NFC East. You know what I mean. You want to start with a bit of a cushion on Washington. All right, let's go to Tampa Bay Houston.
Pell Baker and the Bucks are headed to Houston to take on the Texans on Sunday. Stroud called out his team in Week one and said that they didn't even deserve to win because they came out lolligag, lolligag. Is there a problem in Houston?
I'd be worried. I listen the Texans now, they got rid of their offensive coordinator, and you know, the hope was that that would solve things for them. But dating back to last season, this offense has just been a slog And you it got papered over a bit because they had that great playoff win against the Chargers, but that was about Herbert melting down in the Texans defense. The Texans defense is excellent. There is no denying how excellent the Texans defense is. There's also no denying that.
And I, you know, I somewhat tongue in cheek point the make the line of demarcation when CJ lecturing Caleb. But here is the truth of the matter. CJ threw in the regular season the first his first year into the first two games of year two was I think twenty one touchdowns, five picks, and three of those picks actually came in one game. Had a gaudy record. I'm trying to pull it up right now. Since Week two of last year, he is I think seventeen touchdowns to
thirteen picks and the team as a losing records. That's a large sample of that Texans offense not really cooking, and so that part is legitimately concerning. Now I'm gonna tell you something else about this game, though, Demi Zay. If if Baker cooks this Texans defense, then it is time to really start the Baker Mayfield can win league MVP pipe train. Like, Baker didn't have an unbelievable game against the Falcons, but he had clutch throws and threw
for three touchdowns. Just not Yeah, poise and a book obviously was awesome. I thought Stafford played really well against the Texans defense. They scored fourteen points. Like, this Texans defense is legit fantastic. If Baker goes into Houston and puts up a big number, then like I will keep the hype train going on Tampa potentially having the league's best offense and that being enough to get Baker in the MVP conversation and Tampa potentially to a super Bowl.
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All right. So these two teams didn't start the season how they'd like, with Cincinnati coming off that one point win against the Browns and the Ravens coming off of just throwing the game. So in week two they've got an easy one, but just like last year, they lost to Vegas and one that you wouldn't have expected them to. But which one of these fan bases do you think should be more going.
In the Bengals. Listen, the Ravens looked. The Ravens looked for fifty five minutes like the best team of the weekend by a mile. And we are now saying the Ravens defense, you know, we have a lot of concerns about when it looked like they were gonna allow twenty five points to Josh Allen and the Bills, like that's fine, Like there's no shame in allowing twenty five points to the Bills with Josh Allen firing on all cylinders, and
the offense looked absolutely unstoppable. So yes, you're gonna have in the back of your head all year long, like are they gonna blow it? How are they gonna blow at all that? But the Ravens, in large part for the vast majority of that game, didn't just look good. They looked like the best team in the NFL. Cincinnati looked awful at everything, at everything that Joe Flackle's moving
the ball up and down the field. They needed the Browns rookie kicker to miss an extra point and a chip shot and to have not one but two interceptions go off of Browns players' hands. It basically handing them to the Bengals. They couldn't protect Burrow, they couldn't move the ball like that was as far as bad wins. That was as bad of a win as a team will ever have. And so, I am, I think it is totally I know the Bengals historically get better as
the year goes on. I am it is totally legitimate to be highly concerned about Cincinnati, especially Demanse when you look at it from this perspective, if we think Baltimore is gonna win that division, which I think is a fair assumption, and you look at the other teams who could be fighting for wildcard spots and how they looked. Right, So AFC East, nobody looked well, I guess the Jets looked okay, but not then. But in their own division,
Pittsburgh looked much friskier than I think expected. In the South, I listen, the Colts and Jags looked I think better than a lot of people expected. In the West, the Jag, I'm sorry, the Chargers looked awesome, and the Raiders looked better than expected. The Obviously, now you might be like, well, one of those team's gonna win the divisions. The Chiefs aren't. That's fine, but go ahead and pencil the Chiefs in
for one of the playoff spots. So like the teams that in the AFC that there were real expectations for that looked worse than you would have hoped. Kansas City obviously, Denver I think did, and the Patriots nobody else. And so yeah, I'd be worried if I were Cincinnati, legitimately worried if I were Cincinnati. All right, what are the follow ups here?
On Tuesday you brought you uh, you wrote off Bryce Young and were starting a waiver on Caleb. Why is your faith still on Trevor?
Okay, to be clear, I did not write off Bryce Young on Tuesday. I wrote off Bryce Young. Years ago. I wrote off Bryce Young probably when he showed up to the combine five to nine bucks seventy. It's like, Okay, that guy's not that's not gonna work and so uh and the I now, I did say I thought he played impossibly bad this past weekend and he's a nice kid. You feel bad, but it just is what it is.
Trevor showed you who he could be in year two with a mediocre roster, when again I'm the only person that cares about this was seventh in the MVP voting, had a crazy playoff comeback and then lost to the Chiefs in Arrowhead, Like there's no shame in any of that.
And then the next year, that same mediocre JAG's roster was eight and three to start the year and then he got hurt and the season went to hell, and last year was an awful year, Like there is proof of concept with Trevor, there was obviously never with Bryce and with Caleb, we just haven't seen enough yet. And so that's why. And I'm gonna listen, it's gonna be vindicated, Like it's just the myke Trevor faith is going to be vindicated. All right, Let's get to the Niners real quick.
So the Niners have some injuries in some key spots with Brock party, we don't know what's going on with him, Juan and Jennings a little banged up, Kittles out for at least four weeks. But they have the Saints this week. So do you think what they're easy schedule, that they'll be able to withstand their early injuries.
No, Because here's the thing. At some point, your easy schedule flips to you play a bunch of bad teams that look at you and they're like we can beat them, like you're the team, Like you become the easy part of someone else's schedule. And while I don't think that's the case for the Saints, that their next handful of games given their injuries, particularly Listen, I'm no Brock purty guy, but he's better than Mac Jones, particularly if Brock misses
time the Cardinals are right there with them. Then they play the Jags, who are better than them. Then they play the Rams, who are better than them. Then they play the Bucks, who are much better than them. Then they play the Falcons, who might be better than them, and then they play the Texans, who should be better
than them. So like I understand, everyone's like, oh my god, the Niners, and it will all now after that Giants, Rams again, Cardinals again, Panthers, Browns, Titans there you go like so that and then Colts, who we all thought was gonna be terrible but or at least I did, and then Bear Seahawks. But I just the you, the entire plane can't be built out of we play a
soft schedule, especially because we don't know. We think we know which teams are gonna be good or bad, but teams will surprise you and I I don't know how the Niners, like at some point we've got to have a long talk about their strength and conditioning team, Like, you can't just always have this many soft tissue injuries, like the party thing's different, but that that doesn't playing hard is not hamstring, growing calf and But one of
the things is we were worried is Christian McCaffrey gonna play, Like how concerned are we? And then Kyle Shanahan's like thirty one touches, like do every Christian do everything we can? And it's just unbelievable and so uh and you know he was one of the only really effective Niners in that game.
They go ahead, Okay, they put in the question who has the worst injury luck? You think over the over the league.
The Chargers historically have dealt with some really bad ones. But the Niners, as a team that's a real Super Bowl contender, has just year after year after year, had a lot of injuries. Some of it's their style of play, but it can't all be just that. The Niners also had one of their most important players during a Super Bowl top its achilles, just coming onto the field Like that's sickening and so like you know that, I mean, that is so crazy that that happened, like not even
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Bonus episode eight Thursday or early Friday. Nick Shulman, the Goat coming back to preview Canelo Crawford so an extra episode. Hope to see everyone in Kansas City on Friday if you're around for the live taping of First Things First. Thank you to Boost hard Rock volume, wayfair and yeah everyone obviously at Blue Duck as well. Great job demandsday like rate, subscribe, review to the channel, Talk to you guys soon. What's right