First Things First - AFC South, NFC South, and OROY predictions, BUD List, How confident should the Ravens and Lamar be?

Episode Date: September 3, 2026

(0:00) Offensive Rookie of the Year predictions, What’s on the line for Brock Purdy?  (24:59) BUD List (39:10) Will A.J. Brown return to Top 5 WR form? (46:07) AFC South and NFC South Predictions (01:07:46) Chiefs disrespected, Will Lamar Jackson win his 3rd MVP this year? (01:20:38) Aaron Rodgers frustrated with WRs  (01:27:37) Danny’s AFC and NFC South predictions (01:48:34) Frenemies (02:03:35) Will the Bengals make it back to the Super Bowl? (02:09:33) Danny and Greg predict OROY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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starting with just $1 all day, every day now until December 31st. You gotta try breakfast. I'm participating A&W locations in Ontario. Live from New York is the show, it's wishing you good afternoon. Gosh, darn it. You beat us to it. I hope you having a great day. I hit brew with a good afternoon, out of the blue.

Boom. Out in the streets. Yep. First time he said hi to me in the street. Didn't say hi. Usually you say good morning. No, good afternoon. Come on, bro.

Usually ignores me, though. It acts like he doesn't know me when we see him. It's not true. It is. This is an old wife. Stop going to aficionado because you went there. But I have great news for the audience. Let's hear it.

Early motivation today. Oh, yeah. That's fantastic. Yeah, that's right. I'm excited for that. Bugless Thursday, but coming early. You got some motivation? First question.

Wow. I'm going to motivate my man. Wow. Okay, first hour of first things first. Today, six days until kickoff, seven days until the Australia game. Could we be sleeping on the 49ers? Meanwhile, as mentioned, the special early edition of the most motivational segment in all of sports. It's the Bud List.

And finally, day four predictions week, AFC and NFC South. And we correct a grievous error later in the show. Yeah. A horrible error. It's a bad error. That is a bad error. No mistakes happen. But here's the problem with the mistakes happening.

The person who, the perpetrator of the mistake spent all of the first day of predictions week talking about how we would be rusty. About how we had been, you know, asleep at the wheel or lazing in Aruba or Europe or wherever we were. And instead, he just really embarrassing. This is the whole show. Rest versus Rust. I always tell you. You know what? Great take.

We're talking about. Talk one up to rest. We're starting in Australia. If you're the 49ers and LA, if you're the Rams, two very different travel schedules. Someone's going to be very wrong here. Brock Purdy will start off this season against this new looks Rams defense. Either a great opportunity to pop the hype balloon or the first pelt on the wall.

I'm always talking about pelts on the wall. Like I have some sort of. Hunting lineage. Another pelt on the wall for old KW. Yeah. What's on the line for Brock Purdy this? Well, it's interesting. First you say pelt on the wall.

He started last year with a great pelt on the wall. He did, yeah. We didn't know it at the time though. Right, right. Retroactively, it's a great pelt. And when it happened, it was like, ah, darned. Beautiful belt. Right. At that point, it was like, they barely beat the Seahawks.

Now you look at that pelt, you're like, wow, a nice belt. When I think of on the line, Nick, I think of a few things. One, money. There are a few quarterbacks this year with money on the arm. His money is a total. He's got a five-year, $265 million deal running through 2030. He's fine there. I also think of can this guy get it done in the big moments?

In the playoffs, how far can we go with him? Well, he's played well in the playoffs, led him to a Super Bowl appearance, and left the field with the lead on the chiefs. For him, I mean, his part. Or I think of can he put up big numbers and play on an MVP-ish level? He's been fourth in MVP voting. And statistically, he's got the highest pass rating in the history of the league. Well, that's good.

He needs like 150 more attempts to qualify. But he's at 104. Lamar is the high, Lamar and Aaron, Aaron Rogers, 102. 1.02. Okay. So he's at 104. That's pretty amazing. Yeah.

I mean, assuming he doesn't have like a 60 passer rating for the first few games. Oh, I actually think it would probably, he probably, if he has a 95 passer rating for the first few games, I bet it drops him off that. Because he has. Yeah, because he just has so few attempts. He's got, he needs like 47 more attempts. And so I, two games. So I, so we'll see if he breaks. But either way.

He's going to be right up there. Yeah, he'll be, he'll be. He's second highest yards for attempt ever, 8.6. And third highest completion percentage ever, 67.9 once he qualifies. That said, so I think, look, he's obviously their quarterback just by virtue of the contract, but he has also played well.

But what I'll say is he does have to improve some things this year. Like, I do want to see he's got a great touchdown percentage. He throws a lot of touchdowns for, much as he throws the football. But his interception rate is kind of high. It's not, like, terrible, but it's high. So he needs to get better as far as not throwing as many interceptions. He's had double-digit interceptions the last three years,

10 last year in just nine games. Yeah, can I show you the graphic just you're talking about interceptions? I would say it is terrible. Well, 2.7, what is? That's, Bruce, talking about his career. His career. Oh, I've done last year. Last year, it was really bad.

This is not a list you want to be on. Right. But last year, or his career is 2.7. Yeah. It's not great, but it's, you know, it's not terrible. Last year, but yeah, he's got to improve that. And the thing, too, Nick, and you've alluded to this, he does have to stay healthy.

Yeah. Like last year only played half the season, obviously. And then I'd like to see him show, because I don't think Christian McCaffrey, he's still going to be very good, probably not what he used to be, right? We've seen his yards per attempt, dropped the last few years. So Purdy's got

to show the Niners, okay, if we don't have an all pro running back, he can carry it. Yes. So he's got some things to prove, but you know. So he is not you know in danger. With that said,

we have seen the Niners with a player on a big contract who had taken him to a Super Bowl and taking them to another NFC championship game, say we need to get better at the position. And you know what I mean? We are going to start looking for our next quarterback.

Who was the highest pay? That's what I'm saying. Who briefly was the highest paid, just like Purdy. I don't think Purdy ever became the highest paid, but he got a near top of market contract. So while his money, he's a lot of guaranteed money, and he's proven he is a quality starter in this league, the Niners have a quicker trigger at that position under Shanahan than I think a lot of teams do.

I think a lot of teams would have been like with Jimmy G. Listen, we win. When he's healthy, we win, and we were in no rush. Well, remember, they got to the Super Bowl keeping the ball away from him. Keeping the ball away from him. But they were so desperate to move on from him. It ended up one of the worst trades ever. They trade three first round picks to move up to get Trey Lance and end up being very fortunate. They have Brock Purdy as the final pick of the draft.

But Purdy's career numbers are unimpeachable almost. They are gaudy. And to your point, historically good in many cases. categories. But right now it is a tale of two careers. It is everything he did up until the Super Bowl and it's everything he's done since the Super Bowl. Now let me be clear. That right hand column is not get you cut, get you benched. That's I'm not, those are, that's fine. The win loss record's not great, but I'm whatever. The 200, the yards per game's the same. The yards per attempt go from like you were saying, best ever is where it was to just okay. The touch.

interception ratio goes from a triple plus to just okay. It's really the interceptions that he's gotten worse. Well, so it's the interceptions. It is going from 21 and 6 to 14 and 12. It's the same number of games, a little one game difference. And the passer rating goes from highest in league history to in these days, a 95 passer rating is like league average. And when I feel like there is added pressure on him because.

those of us that have been not just really Brock Purdy skeptics, but Niners quarterback skeptics. Like how can we separate the Shanahan system from the quarterback stats? Two years ago coming off the Super Bowl, when we used to argue about Purdy all the time. I tried to make the argument. Man, I feel like Christian McCaffrey is really the straw that stirs that drink. And two years ago, Christian McCaffrey,

You know, it got the double-legged tendonitis, and the season went to hell on them. Those of us that have been skeptical of Purdy also have said, hey, if you give Shanahan just an NFL caliber starter, I think they could have similar results as Purdy. And then Purdy gets hurt last year. Mack Jones steps in, and the win-loss record's not the same. Right. But if you, the numbers, though, are individual stats, lean Mac last season. Again, 8 and 3 versus 5 and 3, so that's not nothing. And Purdy won another playoff game.

So I think that even the most ardent Purdy supporters have dialed down the, well, he's clearly, forget top 5, top 10. I think there's, I think people, they've moved from, why isn't he top 5? Here's his resume. Where some people say he was top 5? I think after the Super Bowl appearance, when he had those numbers and those things. The numbers were, he played like a top 5. Yes, and so, and now... I don't think I even ever said top five.

I don't think you ever had him in the top five. You had him in that range of five to 14. Which is the league is caught up to my opinion. But now don't you agree even the most ardent purdy supporters? It's like he's, you know, he's right, he's knocking on the door of top 10. Well, yeah. And week one, I think this is the, we talked yesterday who has more to prove, Drake or Sam Darnel.

Drake is going to leave that game if they get blown out. Wow, Drake still has some growth. Sam Darnal is now Super Bowl champion. We got Josh Allen in Texas. We're like, oh, or in Houston. Like, okay, Josh Allen's going to be Josh Allen no matter what. Mahomes will come back. Mahomes still going to be Mahomes.

Maybe Bow Nix beats the defense. Bo Nix comes here or there. If Brock Purdy, the only game on that Thursday, you know, national in Australia, if he is able to light up this Ballyhoo defense, I think all of a sudden, and like, wow, we forgot about Brock Purdy. And his, on one game, I think his stock will move up. I think that's possible, but I think the flip side to that coin is,

even though that Rams defense, we'll see how it goes over the course of the year, it might be that no quarterback has any time that Watson and McDuffy are what they open to be, that every quarterback struggles against him. So that's like, like, if he lights a mile, but I'm not necessarily expecting him to have a great game. And if he, let's say the opposite happens. plays poorly, the Niners' offense doesn't look good. And, you know, it's probably because of the Rams' defense, but

you know, we'll see. You can't really have, like, the reason I think this is an interesting question is, I think it's fair to say Purdy has had back-to-back disappointing years. Off the Super Bowl, the next year, he played, I think, 15 games, McCaffrey was out,

you know, and the team was six and nine, his numbers plummeted. Last year, he, again, he was, when he was out there, he was good, but it got hurt again. And so now, and it was different injuries. So now that's more of a concern. And so this, he's had two years, the first year he played half the year,

two A plus years and two years that leave you wanting. You can't really have three of those in a row if you're not truly minted. And even if you're truly minted, people will start picking at you. And so that's, make the point. It's an interesting year. I mean, just because it's hard to hold it against him if they don't make the playoffs. Because, I mean, that division is so great.

And the NFC in itself is tough. And with the injuries he has. Like, his receiving core, I think the rookie's going to be really good. But they, I mean, but they're receiving more they plan to go into the year with except Piercealls out. Like, they sign Mike Evans.

We'll see what happened if he has anything left. I personally think the Niners here is going to turn on, did how much they used. McAfree last year, does it bite him this year? When McAfrey is out there, because last year he wasn't efficient, you know what I mean? His efficiency. He's still good in the past game. But he caught so many passes and he was such like an innings eater in the running game

that he created an offense. They say Kittles going to be back. But if McCaffrey has an injury-riddled year, I don't think the offense can recover. All right. Rams in Australia on Thursday, then they host the Dolphins the next week. Head to Baltimore. Lamar Jackson joining Adam Schein on Mad Dog Radio. and he's excited to showcase the new offense.

Take a listen. It's everything, everything you need in the offense play, actually, you know, drop back. Ring game is like everything you want in the offensive system. And like coaches, like I just said with Coach Jesse, the attention of detail, he's overly like preaching that, you know, he won't ever got to know what everyone's doing, basically with the offense. So it's just making everyone's job a lot easier. And I just can't wait to showcase it.

I don't believe a defense is prepared for what's and stuff for them. It's got to be music to your ears, bro. Yeah. I'm tickled pink, wilds. Nick, I couldn't be more confident in Lamar having a great regular season this year. Now, we'll see he still got some things of proving the playoffs. Regular season? I expect him to cook like a top-rated chef.

Michelin rated? Is that Zaget rated? Something like that. Michigan Star. And I think what he's saying is the offense is going to be less predictable, right? They got to have more. So far, they've been having more pre-snap motion. He's going to be under center a lot more, not just in the shotgun for the most part.

That will open up the play action pass. Henry obviously has been great regardless, but it's easier for a halfback to run out of the, when he's under center the quarterback versus in the shotgun. And so I just think, and Doyle, you know, coming under Ben Johnson, you would expect that he's got some tricks up his sleeve. I really think that all of that unpredictability is going to make Lamar even better. And I'm not Nick, I'm not even factoring in him running like he used to or even close to that. Okay.

If he can't, I think he's that good of a passer now. But if he can run 85% of what he used to, then that's. just opens it up even more. I think he will definitely have an MVP-ish caliber. I'm not saying I'm picking him to win it. But I think, yeah, I would be stunned if he struggles. Like even last year before he got hurt, I know they weren't debilitating injuries,

but they hampered him. He had 10 touchdowns, one interception in like the first four games. And overall just finished with 21 and 7 and 103 pass rates. So even in a bad season, it was objectively a bad season for him. he still wasn't like horrible. The numbers certainly look better than I think the play did. But he didn't have, to his credit,

he didn't have the six-game statistical stretch that Patrick had at the end of the year, where it's just like there's no way to slice it. The team's losing and the numbers are bad and it doesn't look good. So like, so, you know, as much as I've wanted over the years, this show to be competitive. sports debate.

Yeah. It's not. And a moment like this is why that's a good thing, because for competitive sports debate, I need to explain all the reasons why I think Lamar's going to be bad. This isn't going to work. I think they're going to be 13 and 4. I think that they are going to be able to play with a lead more because of Jesse Minter's impact on the defense and because of the addition of show favorite, Trey Hendrickson, which I think will make

them even more difficult to defend because you're going to have to try to do everything you can to stop Derek Henry from Salting Games away. That should open things up for Lamar. It is one of the reasons why I think Declan Doyle is one of the most important people in the NFL this year, because I don't know if he's going to be good. My general rule on new first time off offensive coordinators is who the first time in this role, really, because Ben Johnson was kind of first time play caller, or however you want to put it, I got no clue. You know what I will see.

And I think, and we have seen that guys who can't handle it can really need cap a team. Guys who get promoted to play caller and it's like, ooh, you're not ready for this, that that really can, you know, stymie any type of, you know, positive momentum, would have, but I think the Ravens are going to be a regular season juggernaut. Wow. And I think, like, I also, I don't know who I'm picking for League MVP. We'll do that tomorrow. If Lamar didn't have two already, I think I'd pick him.

I still might, but I think that it's like going to be, any tie is going to go against him. Right. I feel like the year when Josh won it, and I thought Josh deserved to win it, I felt like the tie went against him. because remember he was he was the first team all pro. He had a better year that year. That year than the year he won it.

And so I do think, you know, you guys know, I've retired from the doubting Derek Henry beat. Yes, that was wise. You know, my watch has ended. And so if Derek Henry's excellent, the offensive line is a slight concern, but they did pour a lot of resources into it after losing Linderbom, the first round pick.

They recognize that piece of it. Lamar does seem, I thought Lamar, was over Harbaugh. I'm not saying he wasn't trying hard or anything like that, but I think that he will be reinvigorated with the new head coach. So all of that, to me, screams the Ravens, you know, us getting more of those fancy stats explaining how the Ravens are one of the best teams of the last, you know, DVOA-wise, 10 years, all those things they've been really good at.

Ravens schedule at Colts, then they host the Saints. Then they play the Cowboys in Rio. That one's not in Dallas. Can we throw the Raven schedule up? Sure. Because if they beat Dallas, I didn't realize that was in rear. Yeah. That just has 6 and 0 written all over it.

Yeah. And you get off, you know, flying high and feeling great. The, and so I, it gets harder later, but not terrible. Right. They have a tough four-game stretch, you know, or I guess that middle column, the whole middle column is pretty difficult. But the left-hand column and the right-hand column are not. late by which I know you like KW.

Yeah. And if Jacoby Lane, the rookie receiver, who's been wowing everybody in the play, if he is as good as advertised, this could, I mean, when's the last time Lamar, if ever, had two really good Y receivers? No, never. He's a hey, he hasn't had that. Yeah. So, yeah.

You still got Mark Andrews at tight end. Predictions week awards time. Speaking of Jacobi Lane, today we're doing offensive rookie of the year. It's usually a good indicator of star power. Previous winners, Tett last year, Jane Daniels, C.J. Stroud, Garrett Wilson, Jamar Chase. Before that, Herbert, Kyler, Seekwan. So, Brud, do you want to kick us off here?

Who do you got for offensive rookie of the year? The affirm. Oh, they want me to go first. Because of the graphics. Sorry, I pointed out of Brew. I am going with, you know, my defensive player of the year was Jalen Carter, in part because I think the Eagles are. going to be really good, and I think their defense

is going to be really good, and they're going to be talked about a lot. My offensive rookie of the year is similar rationale, a team that I think is going to be excellent, and I don't think there are any, like, obvious picks for this. So I think Judarian Price,

the running back for Seattle, I think because Kenneth Walker's gone and Charbonnet's on Pup, I think he's going to get ample opportunities. I think they're going to be playing with a lead a ton. So I think he's going to get, he's going to get ample opportunities. I don't, you know, I don't think, I don't want to step on Bruce's answer because I don't know it,

that Mendoza is necessarily going to start enough games. The, you know, Jordan Tyson got injured already. So he's going to miss maybe the first half of the year that crosses him off. The only other top 10 receiver, Carnell Tate, I don't know if they're going to have a good enough passing game. So I'm like, I'm going through the potential candidates, and I just think Judarian Price is going to be in prime time a ton. The team's going to be awesome. Could pretty easily have a thousand yards and ten touchdowns just based on, you know,

him being the lead back for a really good team. So that's my pick. That's a good pick. I'm going with the aforementioned. You are. Kobe Lay. Oh, good. Wow.

Because I could see he's six four, right? I could see him having a lot of touchdowns in the red zone. They don't have Isaiah likely anymore. So, again, I'm going a lot of it all. the reports from the preseason, how he's looked great. And I think the passing game is going to be, now they don't throw it. Lamar doesn't throw it as much as most quarterbacks.

And he's going to have, you know, he's got a lot of weapons. He's going to be splitting the ball around to. But I think Lane is going to be big for them. If he's the offensive rookie of the year, then I think Lamar will be the MVP. Like if he has those types of types of numbers, then I think Lamar's season is going to be in. It also could be in big games or if they win 13 games, as you say, he may just have big moments. Not huge numbers, but these huge moments.

I think you need the numbers too. So last year, Ted had 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Remember, he stole it from Ubeck, Ubuka later in the season. Okay. I am going with Carnell Tate. Oh. Because I still have a lot of stuff, not a lot. No, you have a lot.

You haven't been able to sell it. I'm the Cam Ward guy. How's that word down for you? There hasn't been great reports coming out of Tennessee. Nope. That's a tough pit. He's asking reporters, how do you think he's doing? I don't think you're doing that well.

Then they pulled that guy's credential. I saw Kurt Warren. They pulled that guy's credential. Yeah, maybe not just for that, but it's never a good look if you have any, you know, back and forth. I watch I watch Kurt Warner break down some preseason games. Again, not great. I mean, he was working on footwork. Last year, the top two wide receivers combined for the Titans went for 940 yards.

You don't have to pick this. You don't have to pick it. In for a penny. In for the power. I'm a Titans guy. I'm a Titans guy. Somebody. Someone's got to be the Titans guy.

No, I was just about to say that. Someone's got to be. Titans are a small market, but you know, someone's got to be tight. We don't need the. We're hardly ever going to. The Titans hosts the Jets in week one. Wow. That's a game.

Robert Sala revenge game, no one's talking about it. Except me. For good reason, though. That's a big game. That's not. Yeah. That's going to be competitive. I got to tell you, without knowing it off the full week one schedule, that might be my 16th choice out of 16 games to watch week one. Probably. That's why it is an interesting storyline.

I mean, Jags Browns, the Prince is doing a lot of work there. Who do the Cardinals play week one? I got to think, I got to think Titans Jets might be Cardinals. You do have the Sala Homecoming. Oh, Dolphins Raiders is the other one. Oh, Dolphins Raiders. Well, that might be, that's one of those important games of the year. Number one pick might be on the line.

Great point. There. A special early edition of the Bud List coming up right after the break as predictions. Out of motivation. The role on right here on FS1, the Fox Sports Channel on Sirius XM. You've been listening to Sirius XM? Of course. It's excellent.

Yeah. Two and five Canadians will hear the words, you have cancer. That's why every step and dollar raised matters. On September 19th, join thousands in Toronto for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Walk. Challenge yourself, friends, and family to walk 21 kilometers in support of life-saving research. Together, we can carry the fire and help create a world free from the fear of cancer. Register today at pmcfwalk.ca.ca. Don't forget you can take first things first on the go like a tiny can of shaving cream

podcast, YouTube, Fox One, the whole thing. Also comment of the day on hiatus because we have the Bud List letter of the day. Wow. Yeah, for the year 2026, we're still getting tons of physical mail. Mail is back. Did you hear that? Yeah, you just got a letter from the Rams earlier this week. Exactly.

Somebody did. You read it. Dear Wilde, what's going on with the Iceman? You guys doing costumes now? You know, that's a great question. A bit of a creative gridlock upstairs when it comes to the Ice Man. This is going to rip apart part of the show. And here's, there's two reasons.

One is, and this is, because I share, I don't share an office with Wilds. See, this is, I didn't know that. That's only a time. It's like a virus infecting other parts of the show. Now that graphic I actually do like. It's just, wait. This is an exact quote. from KW.

I think we need more Christopher Nolan Batman and less Adam West Batman for the Ice Man. I think it was fair critique. He was really threw himself deep into the creative process, which I respect. You know what would have really been cool? What? Had Danny come out, been rolled out,

sitting on ice, two basketballs, like George Gervin. How about that? Well, I mean, in the silver sweatswood. You know what I'm talking about. The Nike Blayers. I also know what he's talking about. What does that mean? You don't know.

What were you trying to imply that? You're too young for George Gert. I'm older than Greg. I know. Now you're old. I don't know what's going on. Greg's a good 12 years younger than me. Greg, you grew up in the 70s.

You remember the Nike boaster with George? No. I didn't know. Yes, he had it. Yes. You had that commercial? Yeah, he had the shoes. I'm no longer on your side.

All right. To the butler's. Yeah, to the butlis. A lot of motivation coming. And at number three, C.J. Stroud. Yeah. All right. First of all, I got to give C.J. an A for audacity.

Oh. Because I don't know if you guys saw. He reportedly turned down a. long-term contract worth $50 million a year. That's a mistake, man. He did it to bet on himself. And if he has a great year,

maybe he'll become the highest or certainly one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. But those are the reports. He turned down long-term deal, $50 million per year. And this, of course, coming off a four-interception playoff game, coming off a

seven turnover, playoff. run last season. So I give him an A for his audacity to bet on himself. And here's the deal. Now you just got to go out and prove it. Now you got to go out and get it done. You have a top flight defense, a top flight head coach, an improved, I would say, receiving core, not just because of health.

David Montgomery, they brought in the bolster, the run game. So you have what you need to get it done. If you do go get it done, CJ, you may become the highest paid or certainly right up there near the highest paid quarterbacks in the league. And you could even win a Super Bowl or get there at least. If you don't get it done, you could be playing next year on your fifth year option.

Option and not making much money. And who knows what the future will hold. But CJ, I believe in it. Wow. I do believe in him. Yes. All right. At number two, Jaden Daniels.

Another guy who had a historically great rookie season hasn't been the same since. But he's in a different situation than CJ. He doesn't have the supporting cast that C.J. Strail has. You're thin. Nick has pointed that out. We see it right there. Okay, you've been banged up a little bit.

Offensive line isn't great. They tried. Laramie Tunsel, you know, went out and got him, but he got hurt. So the O line isn't great. The defense isn't great. You do have some weapons. That's the good news. I think, look, I'm with your guy while Stefan did.

It'll be good. And Terry McLoren. And then the running back last year, the rookie, who played pretty well. So you have a few weapons. That's the bright side. But I think you don't have what CJ has to go out and prove that you are a great quarterback. If you play well, I think really you got to play well, of course. course. But I think Nick, the biggest thing is play 17 games.

Oh, I agree with that. If you just play, if he just plays pretty what good, solid, but is healthy for 17 games. I think there'll be optimism in Washington. 17 B minus games is better than 11 A minus games. Yeah. I totally agree with that. Just getting through a full season is the most important. They got to believe that he's going to be there. He's going to be healthy. So, and again, Jaden, I do believe in you, go out there and get it done. All right. At number one, Wiles, your guy, Kyler Murray.

Nice. Kyle Murray. All right. This is it, Kyler. This is your chance to resurrect your once very promising career or to pretty much kill it. You are with, you've got a great receiving court, arguably the greatest receiver in the league and Justin Jefferson. and even some other good players, T.J. Hawkinson at tight end,

Jordan Addison, number two receiver. Joanne Jennings is your number three guy. I mean, you got some weapons. Great Jennings, wide receiver. Jennings produced great wide receivers. And at quarterback, I mean, at head coach, you got the quarterback whisper who's had great success with Sam Darnold, great success with Kirk Cousins.

So we expect you to go there and play very. very well. This is your chance. And you got a defense led by the defensive coordinator, Brian Flores. So if you play well, who knows how good this team could be? If you don't play well, Kyler, then you could be viewed as a career backup and actually placed as a career backup for the next several years, if not the rest of your career. So look, it's two options right before you.

We'll see which one you pick and which one you can deliver. Good luck. Before you go, Greg, can I read you guys a quote from yesterday from Mike Florio? This is the Kyler story. Yeah, I'd like to hear this.

Kyler Murray is showing up right on time and leaving as soon as the bell rings. To the extent that we thought all of a sudden he was going to be the guy who gets there well before anyone and the guy who burns the midnight oil. That's our thing. That's not happening.

At least for now in Minnesota. At least for now. If not now. That's what Florio's saying. It's not great. The rarely seen when showing up right on time is an insult for the starting quarterback. I just, again, it's not my reporting. Who's that coming from?

With all he has on the line? I don't, Florio's got very, very mad at me historically. No, I'm not trying. I just like. But I can guess though. I don't mind. He can be mad at me again. You just ask for him.

I'm just guessing. I have no idea. Floreo has sources everywhere. I also know he's long time done radio hits and been very friendly with Paul Island who does their broadcast and is very connected to the team. Again, I have no idea where it comes from. But Florio knows everyone everywhere. Florio's certainly not making it up.

No. If Florio is saying that someone who is in the building is saying that damn. Like, Gloria knows a lot of stuff. It's not good at all. But if you win, no one cares when you get there. Oh, that's definitely true. That's definitely true. But the question is, will you not win as much if that's, if it is true?

I like to stay in late. Are most quarterbacks you see? It just feels, it just feels bright. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe I'm just, maybe it's just for show, but it's always like, oh, stay late. Most top quarterbacks you've seen showing up early, leaving late, or at least one of those two. Yeah. Yeah, it's kind of, it's kind of standard operation. Operating procedure. It's, you know what, I'm going to stay with the quarterback since we continue to talk about quarterbacks. I'm going to throw Justin Herbert up here.

Wow, watch out for the ice man. Yeah, Justin Herbert. This year, it got to be it. Yeah. Right? Just got to be it. Like there's so many things that we've always said leading up to the season, the excitement around the Chargers is starts and it finishes with you. Literally it starts and your season finishes with you, whether you play well, whether you don't.

This year you got a new offense coordinator, Mike McDaniel. We're excited about seeing what you look like because, oh my gosh, all the excitement, all the offensive explosion we saw with Tuaua down in Miami. Obviously, Tua needed help. He needed the receiver. He needed the cheetah. He needed a guy like Waddle. You, on the other hand, you got to elevate the guys around you because we know the potential.

We know the skill set. We know what you possess. You can you do it? We shall see. This is the reality. You can have an awesome regular season. We've seen you do that. But your playoff numbers, my friend, your playoff stats, they precede you.

And because of that, this is what we look at. This is what we're going to gauge you. Grizzly, bro. Look at these numbers. Justin, this is not. Again, there's a lot of us that believe in you. This is why you're on the bud list. Because this is who you've been, but I don't know if this is who you are.

But those numbers don't look great. I believe in you. I think you can get it done maybe this year, maybe not this year. maybe not this year, who knows, but you got to do something, and it has to be on you. Quickly, it'll be disappointing if he's not in the MVP conversation.

I think that's where he should be. I think that'll be disappointed if he's not in that conversation. I wouldn't say it's disappointing. I'm not saying he's got to win it in the conversation. I don't think it would be disappointing if he's not in the MVP conversation. If he gets to the postseason and those numbers don't change, Well, that's almost more important than the MVP.

That is more important. But I'm just saying you think it's all in front of it. You think he has the right weapons? He can't have a great year with McDaniel. And he's a veteran. 3.39 on a Thursday, which means it's time for a special early edition of sports media on Buzzman. A lot of stuff to on Buzz.

This is going to be. So the obvious one would be congratulating Pablo Tori and his team for real legitimate investigative journalism. Your nemesis. No, not my nemesis. Rival. My nemesis. I, my, yeah, I mean, I vanquished him, but he was going to be thanks to my rival.

But just because, just because I vanquished him on his own show and kind of embarrass him doesn't mean I can't. I feel like he's on the come-up. He ended the clippers. The clippers are done for a decade. Well, thanks to his journalism. So, Keaton Wogler better be nice. Yeah, Keaton Wogler better be really nice. He better be like Magic Johnson or something.

And so, but the thing is, we said. The whole world is saying it today, so I want to shine a different positive light. But credit to Pablo, to 11 and a half years ago, the very first time I ever was on the air on FS1, when I was auditioning to one day maybe get hired. The person sitting across the table from me on that audition show, but it was on the air, was Peter Schrager. Peter Schrager, who worked with us for a long time, worked with the NFL, worked with Fox, and Now works at ESPN and it was announced this week he's getting his own show.

So I want to say on behalf of all of us, Friend of Bars, you know, as Wilde says, you know, rising tide lifts all boats. We hope everything does well. We can pop the bar. Congratulations to Peter Schrager on his new show. And I was very excited. And then I saw media critic, media reporter. I don't know what his exact title is.

Ryan Glass Spiegel sent a tweet describing what the new show is going to be. And I would like to read it to you. Okay. So I went from excited to a little angry. Believe the new Shreger show is going to be indicative of the post-debatia already ESPN. The goal being, talk with chemistry and fun, not trying to win the argument. Hey, that's our thing. That's actually a compliment.

By the way, we invented that. That's our thing. And I don't know that I think it's okay for another show to be trying to do it. It's proprietary. Yeah, that's proprietary. It's proprietary. Nobody has, they didn't ask, we don't get royalties. There was no, we didn't sign a release.

Chemistry is proprietary. Yes. chemistry, not trying to win the argument. That's just fat. That's our thing. So Shreggs, I wish your luck. I'm telling you right now. We'd be hearing from my lawyers.

Exactly. If you start putting on wigs bringing out trumpeters, we got big problems, fun. I need to see some yelling, some arguing, little spittle from the teeth. We got a lot of things he can't do. No breakdancers, no sunbathings. A bit of an olive branch.

If you are interested in the Iceman, a character you can have that one well yeah it's a nice offering to help them get the show started up on a good foot yes bears run on to the set

iceman you can have the ice man on the board two and five Canadians will hear the words you have cancer that's why every step and dollar raised matters on September 19th Join thousands in Toronto for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Walk. Challenge yourself, friends, and family to walk 21 kilometers in support of life-saving research. Together, we can carry the fire and help create a world free from the fear of cancer.

Register today at pmcf walk.ca.ca. Friend of the show and patriot great Rob Grankowski has high hopes for new patriot, A.J. Brown, here he is with Kay Adams. AJ Brown, like you just said, he is delightful to be in New England. I feel like he wasn't truly happy in Philadelphia. And you're talking about that heartbreak. Why you didn't feel his heartbroken is because it's already healed. Right when he went to New England, boom, it was sealed up.

His heart was revived. And that's why he's so happy, Kay. And I think he's going to have his best year ever because of that reason. I said the exact same thing. Brown's career highs. This is if he just was great. You know, we did a composite of all of his stats. We kind of combine them.

But he can get to 1,500 yards. He can get to, you know, almost 160 targets and 11 touchdowns. Anyone buying A.J. Brown returning to top five wide receiver status without making a huge list. Yeah. I, listen. Can he, yes. But the flip side to him returning top five is, And I didn't want to have to do this, KW.

Go ahead. But you opened this door yesterday. I would love to. I don't know. The doorstep of Destiny. No, the different door you opened. Putting, you know, not just great players, but all-time legendary great players who have had slight statistical regressions over the last couple of years. Put him on washed watch.

You think he's at least. Here's what I put a 30. I put a 37 role. And I said, why? Well, hold on. automatically triggers once you're 37. Hold on. Hold on. Here's what I would.

So you have like 37 year old. 37 year old goat tight end. That's fine. 29 year old receiver. 29 is not old for receiver. Nick, what are you talking about? Fun fact. How many guys 29 or older had a thousand receiving yards last year?

Well, I can name one. Okay. Stefan Diggs. You've named one of two. Okay. Wow. It's amazing. It's him.

Andy had a bad knee. It's, it's. It's, Stefan Diggs, a thousand. 13, Cortland Sutton, 2017. That's the list. Mike Evans is always ready to go. Well, Mike Evans didn't do it last year. Mike Evans, that was part of, you know, his legend is the consistency.

Again, I think AJ is really good. I think he will be, I think he was upset in Philadelphia and is happy, will be happier in New England, at least temporarily. But as far as the positions where 29 is the oldest, I would say, why. receiver is second only to running back. And where it is certainly when, if we show, Greg, tell me if you agree with me, when you show his numbers on his Eagles career, what you see is a pretty consistent downward trend. Now, the catches went up last year, but the yards went down so the yards per catch plummeted.

That, to me, is at least, it's at least on the board that A.J. Brown peaked three years ago. and is now closer to the player he's been in the last two years. You know, right, we're going to get right around to 1,000 yards, give you similar production step on digs. That certainly, to me, that is as likely as him being top five again is.

I think the most likely outcome is somewhere like 10th, but I think those two are as likely as each other. I don't think he can be top five. Wow. Now, I think he, I'm not putting him on washed watch either. I think he can be very good, but he's not the same.

I mean, looking at all the numbers, the analytic numbers and things like that, his separation isn't what it used to be. That's why I think those numbers did go down. He doesn't get the separation, so most of his catchers are really contested. That's probably why Jalen, who's not like the greatest passer in the league, wasn't throwing to him quite as much because he doesn't get the separation.

I mentioned yesterday, I think, comparing him to digs or two days ago, yards after catch, not what he was. it once was. So I don't think he's the same receiver he was three years ago, but I still think he can be good. I think he'd be like a top 10 receiver to have a great year for them.

But he's not in the class of Chase and Jefferson, in my opinion, right now. So I agree with that. I also do feel like he can be a top five receiver, but for this team, he doesn't need to be. He just reset the pecking. order of the Patriots Y receiver room correctly

gave Drake May an absolute number one. You get Romeo Dobbs. You know what he's capable of. He's the younger guy that I feel like is going to be super productive for them as well. And then you have Pop Douglas who can do everything else. So when you have

a guy that's a bona fide number one, he just resets everything and he changes the math for you. I think A.J. Brown is that guy. Do they need him to put up 1,500 yards? Absolutely not. Do they need him to be a number one? Meaning when we need you to make a play, when we need you to run a route, when we need you to whether you get the separation or not, I believe that he doesn't need to get the separation

because Drake May is very accurate, more accurate than Jalen Hertz. Catch that ball. What we can't see is how he ended last season in frustration and then we opened up. First time we saw A.J. Brown In pads with the New England Patriots against his former team. We're watching the ball over the shoulder right where it needs to be. And we saw that drop. That's what they can't have. And so for me, I think he has the ability to be top five in terms of production and productivity.

But they don't need it. They do not need that. Are you at all worried about, I am not, but Brew has brought up a point like the guy was reading books and going on. I'm not at all worried about it. You're at zero. I'm at an absolute zero. But like, let's just say hypothetically he's not getting the touches or targets that he Drake may says what he said.

You don't think, yeah, right. Drake's like, I'm throwing to the open man. Yeah. You don't think it's a possibility he gets, why not? No. Change in scenery immediately changes your, your approach to things. I just, one thing Grunk is right about is the moment he got out of Philly, it's like, thank Thank you. Okay, fresh new start. Does he want to put up the numbers?

All they did was win a Super Bowl with a guy who was one of his best friends. Totally get that. But when you're playing and it's a receivers type of a game and it's about productivity, I need to see someone. You and I locked in. I said the same thing. You know, what you said was he was a Pats fan at eight years old. That's a big part of your analysis. Yeah. Yeah. The book stuff is not even on them. Two and five Canadians will hear the words you have cancer. That's why every step and dollar raised matters.

On September 19th, join thousands in Toronto for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Walk. Challenge yourself, friends, and family to walk 21 kilometers in support of life-saving research. Together, we can carry the fire and help create a world free from the fear of cancer. Register today at pmcf walk.ca. Good afternoon. I knew it. Second hour of first thing. What do you mean?

And for those of you watching in Hawaii, top of the morning. No, that has, that is drawing dead. I like that. That is drawing dead. I think that's embarrassed. Top of the morning. Top of the morning is not going to work. I wore one of those cool Bruce Ariens, Kangall hats in today into work.

And every one I saw, I doffed it and said top of the morning. Okay. What? I like it. What? You like top of the morning. likes it. I'm sorry, AW. Everybody likes it.

Hawaii is perfect. Gianna, Twitter poll. Not context list, Twitter poll. Top of the morning. Good afternoon. See what results we get. No. It's going to deliver it.

If someone said top of the morning to me, no, there's no G. Top of the morning. Today, the prince makes his debut in predictions with where will Jackson Wind up.

Maybe the playoffs. Maybe out. Meanwhile, another writer and friend of the show, question mark. Says the Chiefs will miss the playoffs. Everybody's keeping them out of the game. They are officially the nobody believes in us. That was a bull. No, that's, they are not officially.

Nick and I are the only ones I've seen. You should make an official nobody believes in this list. They would not be on it. Okay. People believe in them. No, they don't. They're the Chiefs. Predictions week headed to the AFC South.

CJ still waiting on a contract. Turn one down. The Prince riding high after another top seven MVP finish. And it could controversial top 10 quarterback Daniel Jones bounce back after an injury. Here we go. We're headed to the AFC South. Indeed.

I will lead us off. Sorry, KW. I do have them getting six wins. That's an improvement. We'll take it. Okay. It's not acceptable. The, if they win, how many they win last year?

No way to tell. Four? This sounds right. Yeah, one was against the Browns. They had the fourth pick of the draft, so they won four or five. Six wins. Here's what, here's the case for them. Carnal Tate.

Maybe Cam Ward takes a year or two jump. And maybe Robert Sala is actually a good head coach and just nobody can succeed with the drafts. Maybe. I know he's a good defensive course. coordinator, but I give anyone who's coaching resume is the Jets or the Browns and they don't succeed. I give them a possibility that just the organizations killed them, which is why I truly believe I'd pass a polygraph on this. I think our guy coached me and Jeannie could have been one of the greatest coaches ever,

but he got two opportunities with the Jets and the Browns. Oh fun. Rough shape. Yeah. And so six wins for the Tennessee Titans. Sorry, Greg. Seven wins. Third place, Indianapolis Colts.

Daniel Jones quickly coming back from the Achilles, but how mobile is he going to be? We've always known the best part of Daniel Jones is not when he's throwing the football. Also, now, KW, your guy, Jonathan Taylor, go badgers. He's a great player. Is that going to be enough? I worry about Shane Steichen

and I worry about the instant hot seat of. Do you know the first three games? Ravens Chiefs Texans. Wow. Feels like O' and 3. and feels like we're already worried about them. Two of those teams, no playoffs last year, just like them. No, the Chiefs in the, you're correct,

but the Chiefs didn't play the Colts last year, and they're actually the only team that the Chiefs won in that little horrible slide down the end of the season. That's fine. I feel like it's three L's. Now, can we go back to the, well, we don't have to go back to the, sure, with a triumphant return to the post season. Wow. Wow. The Prince.

Fellas, great to see you guys. Welcome back and back representing the prince as they should be. None of this doorstep of Destiny, Drake May. Nonsense. The trumpeters are back with the Jags because the Jags are back being a relevant team. Now, I recognize 13 wins like last year. A lot. Probably, you know, they probably overshot a bit.

However, here's what I know. There's no way they don't get at least a little more out of Travis Hunter this year. They're not going to get less. Yeah. Year two of Cohen with Trevor Lawrence. I like that. They have far and away the best quarterback in that division. There is way, their Vegas total is eight and a half wins.

They won 13 games last year. How much of a regression do people expect? Eight and a half. Yeah, it's so insulting. Listen, I have them going 10 and 7. I think they have a tough schedule. Tougher schedule last year, I should say. I think there are reasons to believe they're not even the best team in their own division.

But I think they are going to be a perennial playoff contender. I have him back in. And then at number one, the Houston Texans, I think they will be fighting for the one seed all year. I think they go 12 and 5. If C.J. Stroud is average, they can win 11 games. If he's above average, they can win 12 games. Again, this is loose.

If he's good, you can argue they're the best team in the league. Little offensive line questions, little weapons question, but D'Amico is great. The defense is great. I think they are the legitimate favorites in that division, even though I like the Jags. So that is my AFC South. Those are my AFC South picks.

Yeah, look, obviously, I mean. What? You don't like the Prince? No, I'm actually going to talk about the Prince. Okay, good. Because I really do think that the Jags are one of those teams that we're kind of sleeping on a bit based on what they did last year.

they're returning some really good players defensively. And if Trevor Lawrence can build on the year that he had, which I do think that he will, this can be a really good team. Now, making the postseason, we'll see about that. If they're a really good team, they should make the postseason. I mean, there could be other really good teams in that division. Maybe Brew believes in other teams in that division.

Who knows? Wow. Well, just to show I'm in mid-season form, I'm not sleeping on the Jags. I'm comatose! And I'm about to show you. All right. At number four, not the Jags.

The Titans. Like Nick, I hope I'm wrong. I like Cam Ward. I would really like to see him do it something. But 13 for 24. That's 54%. 126 yards in the preseason. Now, we saw all manner of quarterback cook.

Dylan Gamer. Dylan Gamer looks like a All of Fame. an injury so they didn't have to cut him. Drew Aller. Look fantastic. Like you got to do better than that in the preseason. Now he did end last season well. So hopefully that's the real Cam Ward.

And I do think Sala, I'd like to see Sala get a real chance, but it's looking like he might be in the same situation. He was in New York. I need a quarterback. So we'll see, though. I'm pulling for him, but I'm not expecting too much. All right. At number three.

The Indianapolis coach. Thank God. Last year, look, we all remember the eight and two start and then one of the worst collapses in NFL history. They lost their last seven, and three of those were with your boy. So it wasn't all because Daniel Jones got hurt. They lost their last three games that he played. Why?

Because they start playing good teams. Wasn't he like, no, he just popped his Achilles. They start playing good teams. Well, Daniel Jones is known to, you know, the verge of going. Be banged up. Be tough. Have him to stay healthy.

Yeah. Play through injury. Yeah. All right. All right. At number two, Nick, here's your boy. The Jags. But missing.

No stamp? No stamp. No stamp. And look, you talked a lot. You used to talk about Josh Allen being Mr. roller coaster. Trevor's been a roller coaster. Trevor, three and 14, nine and eight, two and eight, 13 and four.

Like, which one is he? Is he? finally arrived. He was very good last year. Is that who he finally is, or is he going to go back down in the roller coaster? I'm betting. I'm not saying a bad year, but I'm not expecting a great year. Remember, he took the lead in the last three minutes of that playoff game. Then Josh came back and sold it. And then he threw a pick to me.

Right, right. I don't like game losing picks. He was up and down. The roller coaster, exactly what he was. All right. And that means, of course, the Houston Texans winning this division. Contrary to popular opinion, CJ was like average. last year. It was the playoffs. He was about average during the season. Obviously, he was banged up for a few games. But I expect the bounce back.

I don't know that I'm expecting him to ever be like that great top five-ish quarterback that we thought he was going to be. But I do think he can be above average and I think he will this year. So Texans should have a great year. Can I ask a Texan's question just real quick? Yeah. Is it possible? We leave this season saying,

Domeco Ryan's is the best coach in the NFL. We always talk about C.J. winning a playoff game each of his first three years. That means that Domingo's won a playoff game each of his first three years. You know, the last two years they've done it without the quarterback playing great. Like, I do think we overlooked D'emiko because of the lack of quarterback play, especially last year. Like what he was able to do with that defense and us believing that this is a Super Bowl caliber roster, even with the type of quarterback play that they were getting,

DeMiko Ryans will definitely be in that conversation. I have a question about the Texans. Oh, okay. And Greg and I will give our official picks all the way to the Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP on Friday. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, also call it tomorrow. You guys both have the Texans winning the division.

I don't want you to give away your Super Bowl picks or how deep teams are going in the playoffs. But are you very, very, high on the Texans because if everyone's very high on the Texans I might recalibrate. I am high. They and the Ravens are two teams that I am a degree or two higher on in the regular season than I am in the postseason. Brew, are you high, very high? High. You know what? I don't mind spoiling this. I don't have them going to the Super Bowl. Now, I don't know who I've going to Super Bowl in the AFC. I've got another 24 hours to figure that out. Oh, go. Oh, God.

But I don't know why I have going to the Super Bowl. You're not taking the Jags to go to the Super Bowl. I will put money on that. How much? All of it. Well, I'm throwing. If we can get enough in escrow, I can change an opinion. Are they, do you play us off?

I don't know. Dusty, what's, no, you guys, go ahead. Well, I don't know. Hubs just did it. Go ahead and play us off, fellas, if you don't mind. I want to hear a lot. one more time. On first things first, the trumpeters are back.

Head to the NFC, where Bryce at one point was benched. He did win the division. Bake Show needs a new contract. Falcons, I don't think they've named their week one QB. No. Where the season starts. They have no idea. In six days.

Yeah, Tua was the only guy competing in a competition. Might have lost it anyway. And the Saints are all of a sudden a new trendy pick. Nick, let's go to the NFC. I got beat by the deck in solitaire. Fourth place. the Panthers. Fourth?

Wow. What a playoff team? I don't think... First to worst. I don't think Bryce markedly improved last year. I don't think there's a lot of evidence that like, oh, Bryce turned a corner. They won some games. And I give him credit and he had a nice stretch.

But overall, the course of the season, it was a hell of a lot like year two. My guess is at the end of this season, they are looking for a new coach and quarterback. I know that sounds harsh. I don't, you know, it's my job to give to tell you guys what I think. He was supposed to unlock. Yeah. And so we'll see. I, I am skeptical that that is going to go. I think there are a six-win team. I love Cam Jordan. We've been coming on the show for a decade. His optimism about his team reminded me a lot of Dionne Dawkins' optimism about P.O. Like, man, you're a hell of a salesman. Like, you know, you are making, you are, you are making, you are, you are making.

We went and bought Keon Coleman rookie card. I was like, you're making a great case. I don't quite buy it. Again, I think nine wins can get you in the playoffs in the NFC in the final playoff. I have, well, eight won the division, but I'm saying nine, I think nine get you a wild card this year in the NFC. I have the same to winning eight. So I'm not saying they can't do it. But I am not quite as high on Tyler Shuck as others.

I'm going 8 and 9 just missing. Hold, please. I spent a lot of valuable air time before vacation, trying to explain to America that the NFL trend of this decade has been. There is a deep sleeper every year. A team with 100 plus to 1 greater Super Bowl odds that makes the playoffs. our candidates for Deep Sleeper this year were the New York Jets.

Anybody think they got a shot? The Miami Dolphins who are on the record, like guys, we want to be clear, not actually trying to win games this year. The Cleveland Browns, who announced a starting quarterback and the general consensus was, we get it, they're doing this

so he fails so badly early they can bench him before they have a home game. Okay, sounds great. The Raiders, fool me once, Raiders. Shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The Arizona Cardinals, who have the combination of the hardest schedule in the NFL and Jacoby-B Rossetic quarterback and Jeremiah Love already injured.

And one last team of, oh, the Titans were one of them, who we just talked about. And the Atlanta Falcons, my deep sleeper sneaking into the playoffs, the Atlanta Falcons at 9 and 8. Do I have great rationale for this? Kind of. I think Michael Pinnix is going to end up being the starting quarterback. I think Atlanta's probably going to start off a little rough this year. I do think that. I am holding out a little hope in Pinnock's.

I think they can get hot by the end of the year. I think Bijon might be number one on the NFL 100 next year. I think it's possible he is that type of year. I also think the same Robert Sala corollary applies to Kevin Sifansky. Kevin Svansky, maybe he's an unbelievable. He had some success in Cleveland. Listen, is one of their pass rushers suspended and the other one's injured? And again, did they plan to start Tua?

And then he might have lost the competition without their guy playing? Sure. Nine and eight Atlanta Falcons. Don't hate it. Thank you. I don't hate it. Not enough, though, to win the division because I don't know if you guys saw the Tampa Bay Bay Bucks last year for the first 11 weeks.

They were awesome. Then something happened. I don't know what it was. It's not going to happen again. Bob Bowl's seat is hot. Baker Mayfield's got a chip on his shoulder. A mecca, Bucca is like, hey, I was unbelievable for eight weeks.

Then I fell apart. The Tampa Bay Bucks go 11 and 6. I love the Ruben Bain draft pick. Short arms be damned. I think he's going to help them. I don't think they're going to miss Mike Evans quite as much as Kevin Wiles. Where's the Kleenex, bro? Fears they will.

So a two-playoff team, NFC South. Unbelievable. The Tampa Bay Bucs make it. In the NFC. Yeah. There you go. Man, the disrespect for the Carolina. the Panthers is real.

Like, you don't think they improved? Like, defensively they improved? I did not. You know what? drastically. I was watching them with two minutes left in a playoff game against the Rams with the lead. You know what I was thinking? I still don't think this seems that good. That's why they improved their roster.

Okay. I mean, I like Canales at the head coach. The problem is they have to find offensive linemen that simultaneously are good but short. And that's hard to do. And they haven't been able to spread that in. Brugo, man. It's been hard. The disrespect is real, real.

No. Because I also have them. Friend of the show. Bryce? Yes. Yeah, we saw Bryce in New Orleans. I thought he was Nick's son. My son was six, four.

He thought it was. But I, look, Bryce was, I think, Nick. I thought Bryce was better last year. But he still wasn't good. No. Like, it was dead. That's how bad he was as a rookie. And I don't really believe in him at this point.

So I think he and they are going to struggle in the worst division in football. At number three, I don't see them making the playoffs, Nick, or even finishing second in this division. The Atlanta Falcons. A lot of talent, though. You're right. Bejohn, arguably the best running back in the league. Drake London, very good.

Kyle Pitts has finally put it together. who's getting them to football? Even they don't know. They have no idea. And both of their quarterbacks are very injury prone. Like beyond injury prone, very injury prone. So I do think to fans. He's a fifth time.

Give me a break. I do think Stavansky is a very good coach. And maybe he can put something together here. He, Joe Flacco, he got Joe Flacco to the playoffs there. So all right, at number two, there will not be two teams. from this division in the playoffs. Cam Jordan, as you said, friend of the show, almost convinced me.

Wow. But for all the love for Tyler Shuck, he had 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. State looks good, though. People act like he was flinging it around the yard. It's like a future fate of man. 90 seconds of Tyler Shuck good throws. He started to figure it out at the end of the year.

Did he? He did. Can I interrupt predictions week? I mean, we know that you'll have bucks number one. Yeah. Like he said, Baker's got a chip on the shoulder. Lots to prove money on the line. Baker's going to cook.

I'm asking. It's not a decree. It's not, you know, wild's decided. You guys accuse me of that a lot. Yeah. Because it's true. But go ahead. With this pick in Penn is one, if the Saints get good,

is Brew allowed to play. the Brassard is like Smith in New Orleans car. I'm actually from Louisiana. If Cam Jordan is right. Absolutely. I'm from there. I didn't write the bylaws, Greg. I just read them. Okay.

Studied them. That's all I'm saying. All right. I just wanted to clarify it. If the Saints get hot, you are right now. If the Saints get hot, we are going to be good. Who that? The Saints get hot.

Okay. Greg? I like the Saints. I like the, clearly I like the Saints a little bit better than both of you. The bucks are interesting because I believe in Baker. I'm just not certain I believe in what they've done defensively. Ruben Bain, you mentioned him. I think he's going to be fantastic.

But where else? Where else on that defense are we? Yeah. Yeah. We're now running out of people, I understand. Exactly. I will. That's what Todd moves does.

Let me ask you this real quick. Will I be the only person in America that has multiple playoff teams from this division? Great. Probably. When we check, when we check. You might be the one on earth. That's a strong. We have both teams winning under single digit games?

No, bucks 11 wins, Falcons, nine wins. Nine? Okay. Nine in some like... I have a three-way time. It's like tie-breaker territory. I did. Trust me. I picked all 272 games, buddy.

I was shocked as you. The Cowboys, Packers, and Falcons all won nine games. Falcons won't tie-breaker. Who knows? The computer told me. This is what happened. Two and five Canadians will hear the words, you have cancer. That's why every step and dollar-raised matters.

On September 19th, joined thousands in Toronto. for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Walk. Challenge yourself, friends, and family to walk 21 kilometers in support of life-saving research. Together, we can carry the fire and help create a world free from the fear of cancer. Register today at pmcfwalk.ca. Tonight's special baseball night in America on Fox.

Brewers. Brewers, Cubs. Brewers are excellent. Yeah. That is actually a really good guy. And then the Mighty Red Sox. Take it on the Orioles trying to sneak into a wildcard. That's tonight at 7 only on Fox.

Simple fact time out of Baltimore. Every time Omar has had a new OEC, he's won the MVP. Now he's got a new O.C. Here he is with Adam Schein. Take a listen. It's everything you need in the offense play, actually, you know, drop back. Ring game is like everything you want in the offensive system. And like coaches, like I just said with Coach Jesse, the attention to detail,

he's overly like preaching that, you know, he won't ever got to know what everyone is doing. basically with the offense. So it's just making everyone job a lot easier. And I just can't wait to showcase it. I don't believe a defense is prepared for what and so for them. Okay, so Lamar's very confident. The question's going to be, can you see Lamar winning his third MVP? These numbers, just a review are wild.

13 and 2, 13 and 3, each time he won MVP. 30 points per game for the team. 43 touchdowns, eight turnovers, then 29 and 13. Remember, he had the year in 24, he was, better than Yeah. Yes. So can you see

Lamar winning his third MVP also putting up huge numbers, Greg? Of course. And before I even get into Lamar, like, I cannot be the only

one that is very excited about this year because we have Patrick Mahomes talking about that offense. Good point. We have Lamar Jackson

talking about his offense. We have Joe Burms. and Jamar Chase talking about their offense. We have the entire media talking about Josh Allen. Josh Allen, you got a chip on his shoulder. Don't forget about Ben Johnson's going to set the record.

Like this is got to be one of the most anticipated offensive seasons that we're going to see. And in Lamar, I believe it. A healthy version of Lamar Jackson, he doesn't turn the ball over. He already has, he's never really had a wealth of skill guys around him in turn. of past catchers, and yet he's put up those numbers that we just showed. And we didn't even put up 2024. Yeah. Like so is he capable of doing it?

Of course. Last year we saw Lamar be frustrated, not seemingly bought into what was going on offensively because he was showing us with his body language at times, throwing his hands up, throwing fits. This year, we have him before the season starts, before he's taking a single snap, talking about how excited he is about this offense. I think that bodes well for them. I like this. If Lamar's going to use his legs and throw the way he's been throwing, yes.

Yeah, and the guys you mentioned Mahomes, Burrow, Lamar, they have the extra motivation of they didn't make the playoffs last year. So you know each one of them wants to come out and have a great year. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, Lamar, like I said, I have very little doubt. I will be shocked if he's not at an MVP level. Now, I'm not saying he's going to definitely win it. You know, voter fatigue.

I mean, he's got two without even reaching the Super Bowl with some bad playoff moments. Could that work against him? Like Nick said, if it's close and somebody else is right there with him, maybe that works against him. But look, Peyton Man, he's got seven. Or five Rogers has four. You know, so he might, you know, he could definitely win it.

I wouldn't be surprised at all. This, I think if Jacoby Lane pans out, this could be, probably his best receiving group he's ever had. If Zay and Jacobi are healthy, he still got Mark Andrews at the tight end. And I just hope Derek Henry is what he's been. You know, if he gives you another 1,500 yards, what are you going to do with this office?

And Greg, I'm not even, I would like to see Lamar run, but I don't feel like that's the necessity that others feel like for him. I think he's become that good of a passer, especially in this new offense where it's going to be very unpredictable. I think his pass and it'll be great. But if he can run like 80% of what he used to, then it could be, he could have his best regular season ever,

which is saying a lot. His best regular season ever would be why? Because he's had, he's had a phenomenal. You know, it's odd because his, one of those two MVP years is by any statistical measure, not one of his best two regular seasons. It was the first year as a full-time starter

and two years ago when he was the all-pro, but Josh was the NAP. Yeah, the numbers were bananas. I think he definitely can. I would feel better about it. It's kind of the opposite of the Baker situation if he got this contract done, which they were talking about yesterday

that they think maybe they still maybe thinks. So you don't think that could be motivated? Because he doesn't seem that. No, but here's the thing. His history of the two years where he thought he was getting a contract and didn't, both of those years, when he got banged up at the end of the year, he was to at least the team's reading of it, more cautious than they thought he would be about returning.

And so, I mean, we talked with this a lot last year when he was out and Harbaugh seemed confused about him being out. And conversely, when he did get the contract, was when he won that MVP. And they had the best record in football and they were the, you know, the dominant team of that regular season. I want to ask Greg one question

before we move on. And I don't know, and I'm not going to obviously ask you for a name. I don't know if you ever had a season in your career where you realized early on, oh, this offensive coordinator, this play caller, we

are at a disadvantage. And I have no idea Declan Doyle. If Declan Doyle is really good, I think Lamar probably does win the MVP for a lot of the reasons you said. But how much of Lamar's ability to do this rests on the dice roll of is Declan...

Can a bad O.C just kneecap whatever the Ravens' hopes are, particularly because the head coach now is a defensive-minded guy who's not going to step in there? Yes. I would say, listening to Lamar, we're not going to even think about Declan.

Doyle necessarily being a bad O.C. Because Lamar is clearly subscribing to everything that he's doing. Right now, before taking a snap, he's already feeling a type of way. So you kind of can't go in reverse. So it's going to be on Lamar to deliver the goods now. Because you bought into it. You thought this was going to be an awesome offense. So you're the reason why we would believe this is an awesome offense.

Can you deliver what he's trying to put in place? Okay. Bold predictions time at Fox Sports.com. It was kind of a compliment from Henry McKenna because he said it's a bold prediction. Okay. Man. Says the Chiefs will miss the playoffs. That was. And that game had no business.

Put it on him. Another columnist, new to Fox Sports. He's on watch watch too, I guess. Touchdown. Says the Chiefs can actually make the Super Bowl, but they cannot win the Super Bowl. Now at the same time, Mahomes says he expects a team to get back to dominating. Are the Chiefs being disrescerned? keeps being disrespected.

We got back-to-back articles. All right. So the idea that they can't win the Super Bowl, that they can't, it's not possible, is obviously disrespect. The fact that Henry McKenna, I don't know that it's a bold prediction, picking them to miss the playoffs.

Greg, I think, picked them miss the playoffs. Bold. Danny picked them to miss the playoffs, and Danny's got an expanded playoff field, extra team-based in the game's playoffs. Chiefs can't even make that. Brew picked them to finish third in the division, but make the playoffs.

Picking, again, there's 32 teams in the league. 14 make it. So if you miss the playoffs, it means you're average at best. At best, your average. And probably below average. I think that's bananas. I think that for a team that, forget, had made the playoffs nine straight years.

Forget had won a playoff game. Won a playoff game. every year of Mahomes' career. They had, going into last year, six consecutive seasons where they won multiple playoff games, the second longest streak in the history of the NFL. And last year, they were positioned to make the playoffs

and the favorites to win the Super Bowl at the midway point. Again, they were awful at the end of the year. Patrick was bad at the end of the year, and he got hurt. So I don't think it's disrespectful to say they're not, the favorites anymore. I don't think it's disrespectful to say, I like the Ravens or the Broncos, pick a couple of teams you like more.

But this idea that there is, to me, it feels like more faith right now in the Houston Texans, the Denver Broncos, the Los Angeles Chargers, teams that have accomplished, forget the Ravens and Bills, who are

perennial contenders until they run into the Chiefs in the playoffs. Teams that have accomplished nothing. And so that to me is disrespect. Do you, I feel like missing the playoffs is a less hot take than can get to the playoffs but won't do anything. I think once Mahomes is in the playoffs, he's different. Agreed. But missing the playoffs is, I mean, you've got to have to dis.

I mean, Bruke kind of did a good job. You've got three teams coming out of the AFC West. But I think the charges are good. If you think the charge is going to be good and the Broncos defense is not going anywhere. I just have no, again, I have no. I have no... The Broncos are the one team that the media... The media loves a regression candidate.

One score games, how'd the Broncos doing that? Trailed latent games. Broncos trailed in 15 games last year. Patriots are the regretting candidate. The media darling is of regression. Yeah, correct. And the Bears are a rushing candidate and the Jags are a regression candidate. I'm saying the Broncos check a lot of those boxes for it.

Easy schedule. Right, nobody's saying it. it. The Chargers, I, why, what the Chargers have done to earn more benefit of doubt than the Chiefs is beyond me. Last year, they were a better, they had a better regular season. I would argue the Chiefs looked better in the playoffs last year than the Chargers, and the Chiefs didn't go to the playoffs last year. And so I, I just, I think some of that does border on disrespect. So I feel like the Chiefs are entering this season with the most questions we've ever had about them, though. I agree with that.

Like there's not a single thing on that, on that team that we feel really, really good, but like absolutely solid about it. So people just think, so Andy Reid's no longer a great coach. No, no, no. Is that where we're at? No, that's not. We have seen him have bad seasons. What I mean, he, look, every coach is awesome when they have the players and the personnel to support who they are.

Like, you're coming into this season with the injured, Patrick Mahomes who is coming off of, he's coming off of a severe injury. Yes. And we're expecting him to beat everything that he wasn't able to be last year with a similar roster. And then we're talking about Kenneth Walker, who we all like. But man, if we're here, Kenneth, you carry the weight. You run the ball.

We'll shock everybody. Defensively, we're looking at this team like, okay, Spags has been all. Awesome. He's been able to retool that defense, but where are we hanging our hat? Chris Jones has not been the same player. So that's all fair, I guess my rebuttal would be. So there's, they're going to be a below average NFL team this year? I don't even know if they have to be below average.

I just think everybody has gotten better. Well, there's 16 teams in the AFC. Seven are going to make the playoffs. If the Chiefs aren't one of them, they are at best dead average. That just means you missed it. You missed out. They could have a winning record in missed the postseason. Yeah.

Okay. That is on the board. Tough love from Aaron Rogers to one of his wide receivers. Fair or foul, that's next. The 2026 Chevrolet Tracks is the stylish SUV for those on the move. And with the standard Chevy safety assist package, you have the backup to handle every turn with confidence. The 26 tracks, start your build at Chevrolet.ca.

Welcome back to first things first predictions week. Head to Pittsburgh where Aaron Rogers was asked about a training camp interception that was intended for wide receiver, Roman Wilson. Here's Aaron's explanation of what happened. Take a listen. Roman made a repeat mistake. You know, that's a good learning because I don't think he's going to do that again. But he did the same thing in early in training camp. And we said, hey, on that under route, you got to keep coming. I think it's the best that happened in practice.

Roman is a great kid. He's at a fantastic camp. I have utmost confidence in him. He's going to have to play a big role for us. But mistakes are going to happen. That's a great one to happen in practice. Greg, your reaction to the sound. So my initial reaction to the sound,

before I get to that, Roman Wilson under route, just explaining this to you guys really quick. It's one of those routes that it's on. You do not stop. keep going, you can't trick the quarterback, if you will, because that ball is coming. And so I can understand the frustration. Especially because ESP in Pittsburgh probably keeps those same stats, ESP and Cleveland does.

Now it shows up and it hurts the passer. He's got an all-time reception ratio, regular season and pre-season and training camp, and practice all of it. It hurts him. It hurts you right. That under is high. Yeah. That under route is high.

It's on. With that being said, I've never liked this. You don't, he's not doing this to D.K. He's not doing this Devante Adams. Like, you don't, you don't take something that we can resolve. And I get it. He talked glowingly about Roman, about, you know, he's had an awesome camp.

He's asking all the right questions. He's getting better. He's improving. He's doing this. But Roman is listening to that. And immediately, when you hear, that's the second time. It's like a reprimand of, like, look, that's the second time. We didn't need to know about the first time.

Got to be on the red line. Red line. And so, like, for me, when you are leading, and this has been the issue that I've always had, when you lead, there's different ways to lead. But when you lead and you act as though everybody else makes mistakes. Everybody else cannot repeat, make a mistake. Or then when we look at you, it's like, well, do you ever do you ever? Do you ever do anything wrong?

Do you ever miss a pass or do you ever get us in the wrong? Like it's you already have a young group of guys that are looking at you already trying to appease who you are and fit in to this offense. All you have to do is go and tell, hey, look, Roman and I, we talked about it. We're getting on the same page. It is what it is. When Patrick Mahomes, when MVS dropped that ball, I don't know if you guys remember. And Patrick Mahomes was actually. Patrick Mahomes was asked about it.

He talked about, I probably should have put that ball a little bit more. What? Yeah, 50. And we were looking like, no, man, that's just a drop. But those are the type of leadership qualities. And again, everybody leads differently. But it always seems like we're talking about Aaron Rogers in terms of how his leadership style is. And it's always putting somebody out in the open in the public spotlight to what.

where he's showcasing their mistakes, their flaws, their shortcomings. You can't continue to do that. I hear you, and I've been bothered by him doing that in the past, like the Red Line when he was with the Jets. Who was the receipt? I can't remember. I was saying it was Mike Williams. It was Mike Williams.

Yeah, it was Mike Williams. Yeah, it was Mike Williams. Had to leave the team. Honestly, this didn't bother me. Really? Because he, you said it. He is 42 years old. Most of those guys, particularly the young.

guys in that locker room. Roman's in his second year. They look up to him. He's a legend. He's not the LeBron of quarterbacks. But it'd be like if LeBron comes down and says, man, Austin got to set that pick better.

I've told him that. But like, it's fine. I, and he did speak glowingly of Roman going into that quote and coming out of the quote, even a little more than we saw. If I'm Roman, Wilson, I'm not that bothered by that. Because I'm like, yeah, I think,

Aaron was sending a message like, yeah, you got to get it right. We want to do something this year. Get it right. Now, I agree. He wouldn't say that about D.K. And I probably feel differently if it was D.K. Because D.K. is D.K. Metcalf.

He's done something in this league. Roman, I think it's like young guy learned from this. This is why, sorry to interrupt, but this is why it's bad. Because now Roman Wilson turns, on his favorite afternoon show after a long day of practice. Like, gosh darn it. Yeah. A lot of people made mistakes of practice today.

I'm the only one. I feel like it's different. But is that? I mean, okay, you get called out. But I feel like being called. Don't make the same mistake. I just don't understand why that's not just saved for the film room. I don't understand why we have to hear that he did it. And you mentioned Bronn. So I was thinking because LeBron does a very,

I think it's fair to say, poor job often on the of hiding frustration with mistakes. On the court, you know what I mean? I think he's gotten better with the Lakers, but certainly like peak LeBron, there was a lot of like, you know, like hand that you could, on his face. But once the game was over,

I can't remember a time of him, you know, throwing a teammate under the bus. You know what I mean? But in the court. In the court. Certainly that stuff. And the court can be just as bad, the body language or something like that.

No, I'm not. justifying it, but that to me is more like, because Rogers has on the field a lot of that stuff, but even then it's at least you can say at heat of the moment whatever it is, as opposed to

having the time, wherever they'll be like, no, I'm going to air this guy out. And again, when you were a young receipt, I get it because Rogers is like you contemporaries, but if he was a veteran, if it was far, yeah, okay, how, would that really

bother you like that if you were second year in the league like Roman Wilson? Like it's not necessarily that it would it would bother me. It would bother me because I know me. I know and most receivers who know that they've made a mistake you know what they're doing when they come back to the huddle.

My bad man. That's on me. Maybe it didn't. So we've addressed it now. We are addressing it in the meeting room and now you're going to put it out there like for everybody? What are we doing? I would have no idea. Man up! Live from New York, first things first overtime.

Today, Mahomes. Back at full speed, week one against the Broncos. He's at this point being doubted. Chiefs still haven't announced this to the starter. Xavier Worthy did accidentally, but as I first reported months ago, they're going to announce it by Andy Reid roughly saying it on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Bengals. Thinking Super Bowl, new podcast sound from Jamar Chase's podcast, Annie Agar.

It started already? I think so. That's where the sound was on. Oh, wow. First episodes out. Yeah. I like Annie. She does a good job.

Out of the gate saying Super Bowl. And finally, predictions week and a horrible error. Well, we'll get to it. It's so bad, I thought that we shouldn't make jokes about it. You know, it's very interesting to say that. My initial feeling was similar. I almost even hit whoever made the error. We don't know.

on the side and said, delete those tweets and we'll just erase the tapes. And then I decided, you know what? Much like Aaron Rogers felt about Roman Wilson, need to publicly bask in the shit. The thing is, I don't feel shame. I was in the office burning the midnight oil after the regulation and our little stint on that heat. And I heard like a calamity with like the urgency that something was on fire. And it turns out it was just this horrible error. But that shows the professionalism that everybody makes me.

There's a little inside story that you're unaware of that I'll reveal to the audience. Oh, good. Oh, no. What a great. Wow, what a tease. Head to Philadelphia where the Eagles GM was asked straight up. If this was a make or break year, Philly media, don't mess around. for Jalen Irk.

And here's what he said. No, I don't agree with that. I think that the bottom line for us in the positions that we're in and really for all our fan base is winning football games. In terms of what Jalen does, he's another guy with a tremendous track record.

All he does is go out and play good football. Really excited to have him as our quarterback, excited about this season and what we have going forward. And I know there are a lot of fan bases out there. that would love the results that we've had with him as our starting quarterback. All very true. Danny, your numbers guy. Here are Jalen's best over a few years.

So these are sort of like top of the mountain for Jalen, different years. Obviously, two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl MVP. Can he prove to you that he's an elite quarterback this year? It would be very, very difficult. But it's, I have to be open to all possibilities. Like, I'm not saying it's impossible. I find Jalen to be probably the single most difficult quarterback in the NFL to evaluate. I think it's really tough.

And I think that Howie Roseman sound is funny because there was a huge article that came out around the A.J. Brown breakup that was clearly very sourced from within the Philly organization that placed a lot of blame on Jalen Hertz for some of the struggles. But he's a Super Bowl MVP and Petula was the fall guy and A.J. Brown is out. but it also noted, hey, there's not any guaranteed money for Jalen Hertz going forward. So if Howie Roseman wanted to make a real investment that this isn't a make or break year for Jailen Hertz, he could have given him an extra $200 million on a four-year extension. Like, that was something that they were able to do and just let their money speak for him.

And they didn't. But in terms of the difficulty of evaluating Jalen Hertz, he's got an amazing organization, an amazing GM, an amazing defense, and an amazing roster. And if we put up the numbers that he has done in the aggregate, so not his bests, which you just showed, but like what he's done since he's been the starter, 22 starters who have been like consistent starters since then, 15th, 20th, 20th out of 22, 11th for pass rating, that's pretty good. But how do you square these middle of the road or below average numbers with the best win percentage of any player in football? Can I just ask a quick question? Because I know you're not done.

Just point of order. Because a few days ago when we were doing, you know, a pain to Josh Allen, we did a bunch of total touchdown stuff. Yeah. And so I just don't do quarterback rushing touchdowns count to make them a leap or not. I just don't know the rules of engage in here. No, that's totally fair. But, I mean, I think that you would agree.

We've talked about the tush push enough. Jalen Hertz's one-yard QB sneak touchdowns. Do not impress me as much. do for Josh because they just push more than anybody in the league last year. You say they're not, they're not the equivalent of a one-yard touchdown run by Josh. But by I think running the ball in from the four, oh, I agree. Or the six or the 12 is more impressive than Jail and her.

But the bills are big push-push team. Like the, like, yeah. And so I just, I just don't know if the rushing touchdown too, they count who they don't for it. No, but I guess, I think he is an interesting player to evaluate because I do think a lot of quarterbacks, a lot of quarterbacks. would be able to have won in similar fashion dealt the exact same hands that Jalen Hertz was dealt. But to his immense credit, this graphic is what I always come back to.

He's unbelievable in the biggest games. And I have seen players that I know with my own scouting eyes are more talented at playing quarterback than Jalen Hurst. Like Justin Herbert. I believe in my core that if Justin Herbert was offered to Howie Roseman in a trade straight up for Jalen Hertz that Howie Roseman would pack Jalen Hertz's bags

And in the first playoff game would you feel confident when Justin, I don't know if Philadelphia would. I don't know if they would either. And with that surrounding cast and that offensive line, I would like to believe that Justin Herbert would come through. But again, to Jalen Hertz's credit,

he is unbelievable in Super Bowls, plural. So I think he's very tough to evaluate. I don't think he can convince Danny that he's elite this year. Because I think you're looking at, you look at passing yards and ability, and that's not who he is. It's like someone who looks at point guards and says Jalen Brunson averages 26, Damien Lillard average, Damien Lillard averages 27. I want my point guard to score. And you look at Tyrese Halliburton who just wins, averages 17 points or whatever it is.

and runs the offense, doesn't shoot a lot, has a 12-point game here or there, and you say, nah, he's not. No, Jalen Hertz does it differently. He's the winner. This guy has been great in the Super Bowl, outplayed Mahomes once. Some say twice, not me, but, you know, played him close twice.

He played great in both. He played great in both camps. Has finished second in MVP voting. You mentioned all this great talent around him. I think they won four games the year before he took over as a starter, and he's just won, you know, 11 games every year he started, 11 plus. So I just think he does it differently. He's not going to throw for 4,800 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Maybe never, but that's not what he does. But if he has 28 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 3,600 yards, they win 13 games, get to the NFC championship game or the Super Bowl, you're not going to be impressed. I will be impressed with the team. So here is the question that I have. Because I don't even, I don't fully disagree with what Danny's saying.

But if you were to make, this is to Danny, but also to the audience as a whole, if you were to write down your list of the best 10 passers in the league, and then you were to ask to write a list of the best 10 quarterbacks in the league, would those,

two lists be nearly identical for you? It'd be very similar. So I think that is, I think that is... Joe Milton. No, no, no, no, no, no, that's not right. I'm factoring in processing, all of it. So that's making the right read. Right, so that is that to me, and I think for a lot of fans, but even more so, people

that cover the league. And even some of the scouts. Scouts, exactly. Our friend Stephen Ruiz, who we talked about a few times. who does the quarter used to do it for the ringer the quarterback ranking now he works with us a lot of that is in my opinion not about it is weighed far too heavily to ranking how they throw rather than the entirety of playing quarterback right and i think and which is one of the reasons when i talk about the it's it is something that you know 12 years ago was a very hot topic of Rogers or Brady? And when I said 12 years ago, I mean that, like, before Brady. Yeah, before Brady turned himself into like a stat, darling.

A stat, right. But prior to that, it was a lot of, man, nobody throws it like Rogers. Nobody throws it. And what was Colin was the earliest on this was a fair knock on Rogers was the things out being a quarterback that have nothing to do with even things you do on the field. The leadership stuff and those things that Rogers

wasn't great at, which is the other thing you didn't mention that I find most interesting about the Jalen Hertz discussion is so much of the intangible stuff that he gets credit for.

His team also in his tenure has had some of the weirdest most dysfunctional moments. Like the supernatural funk that we talk about and the AJ Brown saga were just weird stuff. So it's like, does Siriani eat that? Does Hertz eat it because supposedly part of what he is is a great leader? So I agree with you.

It's a bit of a Roar Shark test on what you value as a football team and a football player. And I tend to agree with you that the Eagles, that Howie Roseman would trade. Herbert, trade hurts for Herbert, but I also think the Eagles would have been to zero Super Bowls, had they done that. I think that they... I know you want to address, but we got to get to predictions week that you really just stock it's wrong. We got to move on.

We are headed to the NFC South. Yes. Well, nobody. Time, as Kevin Wilde would say. We have a problem here. Again, this is... So Danny Parkins on the first day of predictions week, Before the show even started, in our walk-in videos,

when he was wearing Lulu Lemon pants and a freshly pressed t-shirt, said that we had been lounging on a beach and he'd been working. And that the three of us, the three elder statesmen of the show, literal elder statesman, a grandfather, and a guy who's been 50 for 10 years in Kevin Wilde, old enough. He was the first intern ever on the David Letterman show. That we were going to not do well in predictions. So let's just see how Danny's doing on the NFC side of things.

Monday he gave us Cowboys and Shocker. Giantson. Liked it. It was got us off hot. Jalen Hurts finally falls off. Great. All right. Tuesday what we get.

Holy moly. Same as last year. Three playoff teams. That can happen. It's happened before. Yeah. Wow. So now we have Niners Ram Cilks in.

Yesterday. His division. NFC. North. Wow. Uh-oh. Yeah. Lions Bears. So for a one-screen recap, we've got seven teams in, NFC South pending.

Yeah. Note on the bottom. NFL rules prohibit eight teams making the playoffs in a conference. It's an important note. I checked, by the way. Added notes. Participation trophies. The producers on this show get shouted out a lot.

Dusty Hubs, Gianna, Josh. the people help out Troy. Someone who doesn't get shouted out enough, but does a great job. The EP of the overtime, Christina. Yeah. Christina yesterday. Shut it up plenty for the mail.

Oh, for the mail. Yeah, but exactly. You don't understand what a big job she has. Oh. Christina yesterday, I heard. Oh, my God. You're a bad guy. Tried to check with Danny to make sure he was all good.

And Danny, yeah, I know the playoff rules. Just poohed it. Wow. And now, Danny. All of a sudden. covered in shame. To focus on this silly fantasy league. Well, focus on you.

Focus. He spent all day yesterday hanging out with Iceman, talking to him. Have you met Caleb? What's he like? You guys get your nails done together. All that's tough. Got to keep the main thing,

the main thing they say. Sorry, as you were. So who's coming out of the playoffs? We were rusty. The Bears probably. The turnover differential thing. I want to congratulate the Niners because I'm removing you from the playoffs.

You're probably going to make the Super Bowl. I really just wanted to set up for the NFC South doesn't deserve a playoff participant. So I'm putting in eight, seven other teams. My playoff field would be better than what with the NFC South. But yeah, I am covered. You didn't change the rules of the Super Bowl last year. Yeah, that was right. Yeah, exactly.

It should be if you don't have a winning record. Yeah, if you don't have a winning record. I like that. The other team should get in. So yeah, the rule change. Galaxy grade. It could be a monologue. Yeah.

Steph Curry is a top 10 point guard. But let's get to the NFC South rankings, please. The Atlanta Falcons. It's coming in at number four. No deep sleeper. I'm sorry. I like the Kevin Stefansky hire, and I just think this quarterback situation could sink them,

and they invested so much draft capital to try to address the pass rush, and then off the field issues sunk the pass rush. It's a team with great skill position players and not much else. I think that it just could be a disaster year in Atlanta. Coming to number three, people love Tyler Shuck. Tyler Shuck is a very, trendy pick. I feel like to win this division that a lot of people say,

I don't even care about it. I care about it. I just think the two teams in front of them in terms of their overall rosters are better. Coming in second place, the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young is still not good. But his last 20 games have been better than his first 20 games. They scored 31 when he had 265 yards passing in the playoff game against the Rams. I love Ted McMillan.

I think he could be a top 10 receiver by the end of the year. Jalen Phillips edition, I think, is a sneaky big one for their passports. Which wasn't sneaky. He got a ton of money. But I do think that was a big ad. But the Bucks, to me, are the clear-cut team. Serious questions about coach. But I think they have the best quarterback in the division by a mile, the best offensive

line in the division by a mile, arguably the best skill positions with them and the Falcons. Love the Rubin Bain pick with Clancy and Vita Vaya, who they re-signed for their front seven. I think the Bucks are a cut above everyone else in the NFC South. I agree with the Bucks piece of it. Quick question. Because it seems like a lot of the people that like Shuck like DART. You like DART, you don't like Shuck. I'm curious if there's a reason for...

I think the things around DART, like, actually, I mean, Shuck did what he did. Dart did what he did without Malik neighbors. Zero games with Malik neighbors. And he gets back a zero complete games. Shuck does have some pretty good, you know, Tau. I mean, Alive. No, absolutely. But I'm saying the production that Shuck showed last year.

year was more with the cast that he is going to be going in. And you think this year with, and I think likely and neighbors for Dart brings it over the top. AFC South. AFC South. I think we will have big disagreements. Are we going to, hold on. Is the AFC going to have the traditional seven playoff teams? Are we going to eight here?

Christina fact checked me because she is brilliant. Yes. And I listened to her for all things. There should be seven at the end of this. I'd be really worried if I was a Titans fan. Yeah. I'd be really concerned. I loved Carnell Tate.

I loved him leading up to the draft. Franklin Myers and Simmons on the D-line is something. I didn't see much of anything to believe in Cam Ward. So I think they are in contention with the Dolphins for worst team in the NFL. In third place, a huge regression for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Yeah, they're excellent. We're going to be seeing a lot of them this year talking about a six or seven win football team. Listen, I think Trevor Lawrence cannot be trusted.

Is it possible that Liam Cohen has unlocked it? Absolutely. I am open to the possibility. Did it with Baker, did it with Trevor. But his whole career has been a roller coaster. Seems like we might be ready for a big dip on that roller coaster in Jacksonville. Coney number two, speaking of quarterback questions. Wow.

You have the best defense in the end. You have the best defense in the NFL. I am on board with that. Missing the playoff. But why, I already had 60s. He wanted them in. Again, I checked the rules. But defense production year over year does fluctuate.

They had remarkable defensive health last year. One or two things go wrong. You go from the best defense to the ninth best defense. I don't have evidence that C.J. Stroud is good. People talk about C.J. Strauss work a year. It was fine. He had 21 touchdowns and a low interception number. He has never been a big-time playmaker.

And other than Bryce Young, who's gotten much better, in his last 20 games. C.J. Stroud has gotten much worse. And I would say that Shane Steichen, as we reveal the Colts is the best team. You love these quarterback whisperer types. Very interesting.

He's been the coach of the Colts for three years. How good have they been? 8, 8, and 9 wins. Yeah. So, okay. But it's a floor. But they, that is a floor. And the ceiling.

No. They've had three different leading passers those three years. Gardner Minchew, Anthony Richardson, and Daniel Jones, who got hurt. They were the one. They lost. their last three with Jones healthy. Daniel Jones was coming back from injury. When he was, last year, they averaged 29 points per game with Daniel Jones.

They returned four of five starters from their offensive line. They are committed to the run. I really like their offense. No one likes their defense, though. Used a few high draft picks on defensive players. We did not see a full season with Sauce Gardner. No. They need to win by scoring.

But Shane Steichen got a ton out of Jalen Hertz, got him a head coaching job. And whatever version of Gardner, Minshew, Anthony Richardson, and Daniel Jones, all of their best seasons have been with Shane Steichen. So if you see the best version of Daniel Jones for a full year, I think the Colts can win the AFC South. I mean, I am, I said earlier I might be the only person who has two playoff teams out of the NFC South. I don't think Danny's the only person, but Danny's going to be one of very few people who have the Texans missing the playoffs.

I feel like there's more, like there is more faith in the Texas. Not necessarily the Super Bowl ceiling, but the floor of making the playoffs. I think the Texans are the most popular playoff pick in the AFC outside of Baltimore. Can someone point to a game last year that C.J. Stroud played well in when they lost? Like every game.

Oh, when, right. That they lost? Yeah, every game they lost was because CJ played poor. Every game they lost was because of the quarterback. It's not a team I normally like to back in case the defense regresses 10%. Yeah, I mean they lost it. They rattled off I think 10 straight wins.

Yeah. So it's hard. No, I mean, that part's true. But I just, the wildguard teams are the Pats, the Broncos, and the Bengals. And the Ravens. I got the Bengals win. Oh, okay. The Pats, Broncos, and Ravens. And you have the Chiefs and the Texans and the Jags missing it.

Hey. Someone's got to shake the snowman. globe up. And there's seven teams. Yeah, it's harder. So it's harder. My NFC field is better. If it could be eight, he'd have. Yeah, I'd go eight for it. Welcome back to the OT and welcome back frenemies. It feels like it's been a while. So we of course will begin with Nick's Chiefs Squad as they face the Broncos the opening Monday night game of the year, September 14th. And Sean Peyton was asked, how do you prepare for Patrick Mahomes, who we expect is playing week one, though as Nick

It hasn't yet been officially named the starter. Of course, coming off the ACL injury, here's the Broncos coach. I think we're preparing. Look, I think, and I'm going to probably say the same for Bo. You've seen enough things where, you know, he's going to be 100%. And we're preparing for him, you know, his best. And, you know, we know how talented he is. And I'm sure he's attacked the rehab the way Bo has, completely different injury.

but that's kind of our approach to it. All right, Nick, what version of Mahomes are you expecting in week one? Real quick, for I answer the question, Sean Payton seems to be the only person who has the same mindset of me, which is both teams quarterbacks are coming off injuries, both teams quarterbacks had surgeries.

I understand Patrick's injury is much more significant, and Patrick's surgery is much more substantial, but Patrick's path from injury to surgery to back seemed a little more strong. straight line and cleaner than Bose who's had these repeated ankle injuries, which is only to say, I'm not certain

Bo Nix is going to be 100% week one. My feeling on Patrick is, I think he has been shockingly ahead of schedule the entire way. I say that from the own

videos that he has posted to Instagram based, you know, all the way back in March, I think was the first one we saw of him throwing the ball. So there is that piece of it. The fact that he did not miss a single rep in training camp, like forget starting late. See, how long ago did it become almost an obvious point that he was going to start week one? It's been a long time. I mean, he was cleared for day one of camp. The only thing, though, that has been different that, like, Wildes is something or nothing, he wanted to play in the preseason. He always plays in the preseason. He didn't play in this

preseason. So in that regard, I do think there could be an element of rust that is, shows up early. That is not, I guess it's injury related because the injury is the reason in play in the preseason, but I don't think it's actually because like his knee is bothering him, but it's just because it's the first live bullets he will have seen since last year. But I think that is offset by the fact that for the first time in his career, they're didn't play into January and February. Hell, he didn't play, obviously. You know, he finished, his season ended in week 15.

And I truly believe one of the biggest additions in the entire NFL this year is Kenneth Walker to the Chiefs because of the different looks defenses will have to give Patrick. That plus the addition of the bringing back Eric B. Enemy and Matt Nagy moving on, I think is going to lead to a Chief's offense looking crisper and more dynamic than it did for large portions of last year. And Denver, meanwhile, is dealing with the loss of Jonathan Franklin Myers, which they knew they were going to deal with, and then the loss of Jonathan Cooper, which they did not know they were going to deal with. So I don't know if in week one that pass rush is going to be quite as dynamic and dominant as

it was throughout last season. I think, honestly, I'm not sure that we'll be talking about Mahomes' injury by the second quarter of this game. I believe that one of the superpowers of super athletes is also in their ability to heal and overcome adversity. There's so many examples of that across sports. And I clearly, Patrick Mahomes is the most talented quarterback I have ever seen physically. He is arguably the best quarterback of all time. He's on that Brady track. I expect the injury to be a thing that he overcomes, conquers, and it's just a chapter in his story. I just don't know if he is enough to overcome all of the questions that I have about the chiefs in total.

And yes, the Cooper Point is well-founded, but against what should be one of the best defenses in football and is arguably the best secondary in football. And last year was one of the best pass rushes in football. Like, maybe he didn't play in that preseason game because they don't love what's going on with Josh Simmons, their left tackle and his back injury. And we don't know if Josh Simmons is playing week one.

So if Josh Simmons does not play week one, that is a flashing red light of concern for this game and for the season. Yeah. But even though he hasn't been practicing, the Chiefs seem to be messaging they expect him to start week one. That would be a big problem. So the Broncos beat the Chiefs both times last year. Right.

One of the times, you know, it was a close game. The Chiefs, I think, was tied at halftime, whatever it was. I know Sean Payton at the halftime interview was like, we love the spot we're in. They're a first half team. We're a second half team. Patrick threw one of the worst interceptions of his career in the red zone there on the sideline that kind of flipped that game.

Broncos then played the Chiefs a second time with the Chiefs playing their third string in Chris O'Laducan and the Broncos needing the game because they were trying to get the one seed. And I think it was Christmas night. And that game came down to the final moments. And the Broncos, I think, needing a field goal or the Chiefs, I know it was a three-point game, came down on the final moments. as the Broncos' offense has not been excellent against the Chiefs defense. Now, again, it's a very different Chiefs defense,

but I think the Broncos pass rush is a little different on the road than at home because you don't have the crowd noise advantage. I think that there are a lot of factors as to why I agree with the Vegas line. The Chiefs are around three-point favorite. Before we move on, I have a direct question for you. Yeah. If the Chiefs win this game, will that change your opinion? on them vis-a-vis the Broncos as what you think is all those teams are competing for

is the second place in the AFC West because the juggernaut charges. I do have the Chargers. Right. Would this sway you that maybe you got two, three flip-flopped? Obviously, it would be a huge data point in that direction, but I'm not going to be changing my pick after week one. But are you going to wish you hadn't made it? Listen, doubting Mahomes is bad business, man. He might be able to erase all of it.

But I got offensive line questions. I got Rishi Rice questions. I got playing. Can I ask, what's the Rishie Rice question right now? Just trust over 17 games. Yeah, but that doesn't apply to week. We don't think he's going to get arrested between now and week one. No, I, I don't know.

No, no, you asked me about if I would have flipped the prediction from the team. So I was going more big picture then. No, no, I, if Rishie Rice is playing and healthy, I expect Rishie Rice to get eight to 10 targets and to produce with Patrick Rohms. No question. But over the course of the season, I just think it's a new secondary. There's a lot riding on Chris Jones being great. I don't love the day with the plan for pass rush.

The depth at playmaker, the Simmons injury on the offensive line. There's just there's a lot there that I am a little bit concerned. A team that I know you don't believe in that I do. Let's talk about it. Go to MetLife here, the New York Giants. I would say they're new and improved. So much so that I picked him to win the NFC East. Now, tight end Isaiah likely, one of the new additions.

He was asked, you know, how's it going? Your first year in Giants camp. Take a listen. Hearing, you know, how Giants training camp was in the past, that was kind of mind-boggling to me. But, you know, I feel like, you know, the guys embraced it. We had a good, you know, time in Greenbri. And then when we got here, I feel like not everybody's on the same mantra as, you know,

if we're in the building, it's all ball. All right. So Harbaugh has brought some level of professionalism to the Giants. I know that you disagree. do you think they're going to be bad? Like, I'm curious. I mean, I don't. So you don't consider them a dangerous team?

No. With a ceiling. Okay. No, I don't. I mean, no, I don't. I am not, I am very surprised that the giants are a team that has caught your eye. Because, listen, everybody I think loves their pass rush. I think that's going to be, and for the record, people loved their pass rush last year.

it didn't quite produce the way we thought it would, but we love the personnel of their defensive line. But the things that you tend to value, which is, you know, stud quarterback, which we can discuss whether or not they have that, coaching staff, quarterback whisperer types, offensive scheme, the Giants, not only do they not have guys you like, they have guys you actively don't trust.

You don't trust Matt Nagy. You think one of the reasons that Justin Herbert was failed by the judge, Chargers was Greg Roman. He's there now. I should have let him throw more. I don't think you're overwhelmed by the job John Harbaugh's done the last couple years. Right. So what, why all of a sudden, listen, Malik Neighbors is super talented. I'm worried about him coming off that injury because it just seemed like the reports of the complications post-surgery and that that it was not, you know, the cleanest, if you will, ACL-Terran recovery. I am just really surprised in a division with two potentially really good teams in the Eagles and the Cowboys that this is the team that you believe in.

I think that whatever questions I might have about their coaching staff, it is not grading on a curve, but I think it will be way better than what Jackson Dart dealt with last year. I think Jackson Dart was dealt, if you look at it. He lost Malik neighbors. There were offensive line injuries. There are always offensive line injuries, but they suffered a lot of offensive line injuries. but they suffered a lot of offensive line injuries. And Scataboo got hurt.

And his head coach and play caller were fired in week 10. And he made his debut in week four. So that's very early into an NFL debut to have a new voice. All that. And he's still produced. Now, did he win a ton of games? No, he did not. But he had 24 touchdowns against seven turnovers.

That is a great ratio. And, man, he was a playmaker. So this is, go ahead. You sorry. No, but I just like, I want to throw, let's throw up some stats. Yeah, he's a good runner. then it gets it knocked out of games. All of his good stats are running based.

But a dual threat quarterback. That can't stay healthy because of one of the two dual threats. In your sample of one year, he missed a couple of games. He's been in the concussion tent, 43% of the games he played. In the preseason, he got knocked, he went into the tent and then whined about it. He was asked about his style,

he's like, all never change. I have no evidence. that he, up to this point, can be a dynamic quarterback without the running threat, and I have no evidence that he can protect himself when he's running. But the idea that, listen, he went into a concussion, he was checked for a concussion five times he missed two games. Yeah? He missed two games in one year.

That's not some sort of, like, I'm not going to hang, like, injury riddled or injury prone on a guy because he missed two games in his first year. Hold on, hold on. He started, when did he start playing? week four. So he played less than a full season. Yeah, and he missed two games. He missed two games.

Was that, were they consecutive games or were they split up? Yeah, they were consecutive. They were consecutive. Okay. He obviously is a more dangerous style runner than you would typically like your quarterback. Yeah, but he presents an upside man of playmaking of big like that like that like scoring 20, 12 games. He scored 27 or more in five of them. So like he he showed an upside with a play caller change, no Malikki

neighbors, injuries around him, and like a dual threat quarterback with a big arm who got a better tight end, a better wide receiver, better coaching if for no other reason then they will be, it'll be the same coach the whole year. Like I was impressed with what he did given the hand he was dead. Yeah. So I don't, I don't know that he will have better offensive coaching than he had with Daible. Now, again, he only had Daibu for a select period of time. You are also saying as Skadaboo got hurt, Now Scataboo's back. I have no idea, A, if Cam Scataboo is even above replacement level when if he didn't, wasn't coming off a bad injury, he is coming off a bad injury.

So that's a huge question mark. I don't think Isaiah likely is a difference maker in the league. I think Isaiah likely there are... He's going to get a lot more volume here. Yeah, sure. That's fine. And I think neighbors, I will be very sad as a football fan if neighbors does not fully recover from that knee injury.

but it also wouldn't surprise me if neighbors doesn't look like Malik neighbors until midway point of the season because of that injury and they're playing at this stupid MetLife turf, which nobody likes. All of that concerns me. And I just, it is, you are not at all concerned about the lack of, the obvious lack of maturity from the starting quarterback of that team? I think it's overblown. I do. I mean, I don't agree with some of the things he says, but in terms of, on the football.

football field, I think it is overblown. All right. Fair enough. But it would, it matters at least, at least one percent, probably more. Yeah, sure. Okay. Sure. So maturity matters somewhat.

Of course. Okay. Yeah. And if we were power ranking, all 32 starting quarterbacks by maturity. Where would Baker Mayfield rank? Baker Mayfield is a pro and an adult. Baker Mayfield, Baker Mayfield. I love Baker Mayfield for the record.

No, I don't look at Baker Mayfield's immature. I look at Baker Mayfield as cocky. I look at Baker Mayfield as a little salty with the media at times. But there is, again, that if we were, however much maturity matters, DART is right now, I don't know if he would be one of my top 30 picks in a 32 league, team league of the most mature quarterbacks. That worries me. So we'll see.

Like, I just, I don't, I do not trust the jury. We have exciting news. This is about to become the most interactive segment at first things first. Starting next week, you get to vote on. Who won Frenemies on our social platforms and the YouTube comments? I obviously won this one, but it was the last preseason tune-up. But you'll actually get to vote starting next week. What? Does the winner get something?

At the end of the year, we'll figure it out. Okay. Coming up, why the Bengals are a legit Super Bowl threat. Me and Greg Jennings on the O.T. Tune in to the O.T. Final day of predictions week, conference championship, Super Bowl champion, and MVP picks still to come. And I'm only going to pick one person to win the Super Bowl this year. So that should be good for me.

Yeah. Let's get right back into it here. Greg Jennings is hanging out. We go to Cincinnati. Jamar Chase launched his podcast with Annie Ager. It's called Chasing Number One Slash Overtime Season. They should have called me to workshop that name. Their first guest was Joe Burrow.

That's a good guest. Chason Burrow talked about the hunger to win and what's different with his Bengals squad, But of course, there is still one aspect that they see is the same. Take a listen. I don't know about you, but I could really feel it in my bones, in my soul, in OTAs this year, different from years past. Yeah.

Where, you know, we brought in a lot of the right guys, a lot of the right people with the right mindsets to go and chase this goal of winning a super bowl and winning as many games as we can and being the best possible team that we can. Energy-wise, I can feel it too. Really? I'm saying, like, the fact that our defense talks a little trash, I like that. That's what we need. And I looky feels like 21 all over again. That would be very good for the Bengals if it was 2021. Excellent.

All over again. Now, Greg, I only picked seven teams to make the playoffs in the AFC, so you could trust me on this prediction. I did have the Bengals. Can I trust you, though? Seven and seven make it. I had the Bengals winning the AFC North. Do you view Cincinnati as a legitimate Super Bowl threat? So I do.

And I say that with the understanding of if this is one of those teams that gets in and they make it, you just don't want to play them. They've been proven that they can do whatever it takes because of that quarterback and that receiver that's on that, that was on that seat right there, talking about the feeling. It was on chasing number one slash. Yeah, I didn't want to say. I didn't want to say that name. Yeah, it's a good comment.

They just win. They find ways to win. And when you have a quarterback that is as stoic and as poised in those pressure moments can get you to a championship game, can play well in those games, like you always feel like you got a chance. The problem with this team has been they just haven't been good enough to get in the dance. But when they have gotten in, those two times, they have been really good. And so, again, I understand those feelings that you have, those preseason feelings

before any game is actually played, any stat is actually marked down as an actual stat. You feel really good or you kind of feel okay about your team. But the fact that they're both sharing this sentiment, it sounds good. And as a fan of football and a fan of wanting the best players to be a part of the most important time of season, I want to see them a part of it.

Yeah, watching Joe Burrow in big games has been awesome since college. But it's just, you know, like he destroyed it. Clemson in that national title game. And I was like, yeah, Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase and Clyde Edwards O'Lear. But I mean, he destroyed him. And then when he plays in the playoffs, he's a scary guy. But he doesn't get into the playoffs all that often. And he's been injured.

But what I would say is this time of year, I like to assume that the best players are going to be healthy because no one wants to root for injury. Everyone will get hurt. But like, if Chase, Higgins and Burrow are healthy, man, they win and they score. They're 12 and 6 over the last two seasons. They score 29 points per game. Those guys will score points. I am just, that is proof positive.

We have the data on it. And then what they did this offseason, you might be able to question the acquisition cost of Dexter Lawrence. Yeah. Because they traded a top 10 pick for him and paid him. It's the most expensive way to acquire a player. Like, that's not sound business. And then you lose Trey Hendrickson for basically nothing.

But the fourth most amount of money spent in free agency in the NFL on the defensive side of the ball, two first round, your top two. draft picks on the defensive side of the ball. A rusher, an interior player, a safety. Like what all three levels of the defense, one of the most double-teamed players in football over the last few years in Dexter Lawrence. Like it they threw a ton of resources on defense and they have a ton of talent on offense.

So can they be a top five offense and a top 15 top 18 defense? I think the answer is yes. Yeah. And the key with this team is obviously on this side of the ball, the defense. Right. Is it going to be a terrible. or passable. Yeah, but when you understand that you have a quarterback,

you've always had an offensive unit that can get it done and you've dropped the ball on your side, meaning defensively, you have to up that. And Zach Taylor, he's not sitting on a very cool seat. No. He's sitting on a warm to hot seat and he understands that. This organization wants to win. Joe Burrow was showing and pretty much expressing a lot of frustration

revolving, going into the off season and you do these things and now you hear his tune has changed. You feel really good about where you're at, but we still have to see it defensively. Yeah, the quote of like it feels like that's just they're trying to speak it into existence. Right? They're just trying to be positive in training camp. Like, I'm not going to put anything into the words. It's about actions. Their best players are healthy and they spent a ton of money on defense.

Their actions to me going into this year makes sense. But coming up, part of Predictions Week, we also like to pick all of the awards. So on the other side, offensive rookie of the year. Greg and I have been a little chaffy with these picks. We're going off the board for this one. Coming up on the OT. Thanks for hanging with us on the OT. Let's close out day four of Predictions Week with some awards talk.

We're doing offensive rookie of the year. Now, Fandul has Jeremiah Love listed as the favorite, it at plus 470. But he's got that ankle injury, followed by Carnell Tate, who has that Cam Ward. Then there's Fernando Mendoza who's not starting, Judarian Price, and DeJohn Stribbling of the Niners. Greg, you first. Who's your offensive rookie of the year pick?

Number five, I didn't know he was on here. Yeah, okay. Stribling? Absolutely. 10 to one return. Yeah, look, with the 49ers have obviously older Mike Evans, you got a bona fide number one there. Debo Samuel, you got a guy, but you know he's not going to be the old version of Debo. Kittle not probably going to start the season.

He's gotten a lot of opportunity in preseason. He's going to get a lot of attention. He's a bigger body guy can run all the routes in the route tree. I think Purdy's going to find that he's going to be a go-to guy early and often. All he needs to do is stay healthy. Okay. I mean, listen, to win an award, you got to stay healthy. I love Carnell Tate, but I don't love his quarterback.

I don't love the Raiders plan for Mendoza. I don't love the ankle injury for Jeremiah Love. So I'm going with the other Notre Dame running back, Judarian Price. Kenneth Walker, gone. Charbonnet tore his ACL. Charbonnet had 12 rushing touchdowns last year. Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoff game in January. So there's a lot of touchdowns and yards.

As long as he can get the touchdowns and maybe stay on the field on third down, a little worried about the pass blocking. But Judarian Price in Seattle, big investment in draft. Capitol, Aalikim for offensive rookie the year. Super Bowl picks tomorrow. Hang out with us. On the O.D. Don't you wish you could just hit skip on the worst parts of your life?

You know the same way you can skip an ad? I get it. I'm Siaiaa and I live in Ice Cove. I've made some questionable decisions that didn't end up the way I planned. And today I'm still figuring it out. Somehow things usually get worse before they get better. Apparently, that's how I roll. So bundle up and come along for.

the bumpy ride. Stream a new episode of North of North Tuesdays on CBC Gem.