First Things First - Doubting Chiefs Return to Dominance, BUD List, Herbert Taking Over AFC West?

Episode Date: August 13, 2026

(0:00) Chiefs Return to Dominance?(26:43) What are the Bengals chances of winning AFC North?(38:18) Jayden Daniels dispute with LSU(49:03) BUD List(01:10:42) What kind of impact with Kenneth Walker make on Chiefs?(01:27:17) What's the Vikings ceiling with a good Kyler Murray?(01:29:35) Winners and Losers(01:33:20) Are the Chargers taking over the AFC West?(01:54:15) Frenemies(02:07:55) Previewing tonight's preseason slate with Fernando Mendoza(02:15:53) Penix says he can do anything but take a hit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, quarterback superlatives is Josh Allen the best decision maker. What? In the NFL. That's a question? No, it's not. It's the answer. Dan O'Gon nailed it again. Wow.

Look. Listen, he's two-time Emmy winner. That's right. I'm a one-time Emmy losers, two-time Emmy winner. Is Nicolae Yolich the best dunker in the NBA? I'm just, I mean, he's a great player like Josh out. Meanwhile, bro, meanwhile, bro. Well, bro, in action tonight.

Can the Bengals win the NFC North? And finally, the most motivational segment in all of sports. It's the Bud List alongside Nick Wright. I'm Kevin Wilde. Who, anyone on the bubble of the Bud List? Yeah, there were a couple guys. I can't remember off the top of it.

I have a list of about five. Five of them. Can't remember one? We made the cut. Kyler Murray. Someone who didn't make it, and I bet wasn't on the bubble, but you're going to be like, oh, that would have been a good one. Rob Palenka.

Oh. I, did you hear that? He's always a candidate. No, but especially now with the Chris Paul news. That's why it was Chris Paul and I heard. JJ Reddick, a Wake Forest Duke action. Oh my goodness. Yeah.

I wouldn't be feeling great if I were Polinka this one. Unbelievable. Yeah. What's that line from Jada kiss? Oh, you're just a worker and your boss is my man. Oh, that's that's Chris Paul. Sorry. We start in Kansas City.

Brian Diardo of CB. at sports writing about the most optimistic fan bases in the NFL. Shocker, coming at 32, the Jets. Even the kids are like, I hate the team. At number one, the Chiefs. Diardo writing, despite last year's 6 and 11 record, the Chiefs have the most optimistic fan base. Some of that optimism might come from the irrational confidence

that comes with winning three Super Bowls and five AFC titles in seven years. That's right. Brew, do you want to go first here? You liked this in the meeting. It's up to Nick. Pass or play? Because I feel like good.

Come on punching. I think my answer might surprise you. Okay. So would you guys? Any doubts the chiefs returned to AFC dominance. Brew wanted to wear dominance in there. Well, I think that might be why Nick, it might surprise us. Any doubt?

Sure. It's a little doubt. You had a tad to it. Wow. How far we've come from never a doubt that they would go, 20 and 0 to now doubt that deal dominant. That's right. Everyone's undefeated right now.

Yeah. But what is I surprised? He just said it. I knew. I said you be surprised. Am I confident they will return to AFC dominance? Yes. Do I think as we sit here today, they have the best shot of any team in the conference of getting

back to the Super Bowl? I do. I think the Patriots Super Bowl hangover plus tougher schedule could be real. I think there are massive questions in Baltimore and Buffalo just about is our head coach good. And again, and I really liked one of the hires. I was more ambivalent on the other, but it's blind questions to me. I think there's a lot of the same regression schedule stuff that applies to the Broncos. I flatly don't believe in the Chargers.

The AFC South, to me, doesn't have, and we disagree on this, a true top-tier contender in the division. As much as I like Trevor and as much as you like the Texans defense. That covers, so I think the chiefs are as well positioned as any team in the conference. It's, you know, not predictions week yet, but we're coming up on it. Sure. I would be surprised if I don't pick them to win the conference. I'm not saying to win the Super Bowl, but to win the conference. But what I've always said is I owe the audience honesty.

And the honest answer is, do I have the same confidence level as never a doubt? or after coming off winning the first Super Bowl post-Tiree kill or a second straight Super Bowl post-Tiree kill when the team in the regular season looked awful or a third straight trip to the Super Bowl going 15 and 1

even though they got shellacked in the Super Bowl? No, this is probably the least overwhelming confidence I've had going in any season since the first year after they traded Tyreek. Which was because

we had seen them fail. Now, that year they didn't fail, but in the second half of that playoff game against the Bengals, they did, and they traded Tyreek, and they have these new players on defense. And so I am not, you know, I do consider myself 10 toes down

that I think the team's going to be really good, that I believe in them. But is there some doubt for a team whose quarterback is coming off the ACL, who had all that changeover, and there is still major questions in the receiving for?

Of course. There is a touch of doubt. It's like someone didn't put on their nicotine patch. No. That was a very nice, honest answer. Unbiased, pretty unbiased answer from Nick. Yeah, there's plenty of doubt. I actually have doubt.

I wouldn't say a conviction. I'm not sure how my pictures are going to go. I have doubt that they'll even make the playoffs. So that's where we're going to disagree. But you go. Yeah, I have some doubt. I'm not saying I'm not. going to pick them to make the playoffs, but I do have some doubt about that.

And let me count the ways. One, they were six and eight last year with Patrick Mahomes. Six, seven and a half. The last game you got hurt during it. Who knows it would have been. Probably would have lost. But number two, Mahomes hasn't been fantastic the last three seasons. Hasn't been all pro, either of the last three seasons.

Last year didn't even make the pro ball. and not a top five MVP candidate the last three years. All right, even though at times he was favorite to win it in those seasons. But has not finished top five. Has not finished top five? Oh, wow. I didn't realize that. Okay, yeah. And now, of course, he's coming off a serious injury,

even though he looks like he's healthy, but he's coming off tough injury. Receiving Corps leaves a lot to be desired. Absolutely. And Travis Kelsey is 37 in October, so he's getting older. The defense lost three of their, you know, three quarters of their defensive backfield last year. And Chris Jones, probably a future Hall of Fame, I think should be, certainly a future Hall of Famer, is still very good, but not what he was a few years ago. I wonder if he bounces back this year.

But last year was the worst. No, but last year was the worst year he's had in seven years. Yeah. Like, so that's totally. Yes. Typical standard. That's totally fair. The AFC West.

is tough. Whether you think it's better than last year or not, it's tough. The chargers are legit. The Broncos are obviously legit. And not only, they got good coaches, too. Like coaches that generally every year, I know Peyton has some down years in New Orleans,

but generally their teams are good year in and year out. And so, yeah, I think, look, out of respect for Mahomes and Andy Reid and what they've done over the last, half decade or decade plus or close to a full decade, I certainly won't write them off. But yeah, I got major doubts. You guys have really come on to my corner as the chief's doubter on the show.

So if you want my corner, you guys can have it. Because the other day when I vociferously said you should be worried about the chiefs, and I listed a lot of reasons why I was doubting the chiefs, you say, well, how many games do you have them winning? I know. And I said, you know what? Not that many. Yeah.

He said, all right, let's just go through the schedule. Dust, do you have the chief schedule? This was fun because KW was killing me because I get, but I, but then I, and then I started to go through it. I'm like, all right, Broncos, I could have to lose that game. Yeah. Colts, that's a win. And then the dolphins are a win and then the Raiders are a win.

Okay. So now all of a sudden we're three and one. Are you home against the charges off a buy? Okay, well, that's a win. That's four. And then it's got the Seahawks, you know. At the Seahawks. At Seahawks, you give it to the Seahawks.

At Denver's hard to win. But you got Jets Falcons Cardinals. Those are three more Ws. So now you're at seven by your math. I don't believe in the bills. So that's eight. Yeah. Rams, that's probably a loss.

Even if you call the Bengals and Patriots a loss. 49ers are gonna be, who knows who the 49ers? That'll be Mac Jones, prime Mac Jones time. Wins it straight out or just a lot of injuries. More chart. And then the Raiders. So you all of a sudden. 10 or 11.

Yeah. And that's not, you know, I didn't even, maybe there's a silly loss and an unexpected win. You could win in Seattle. You could lose too. You know, the Falcons are always winning games. They shouldn't win. So even though in my heart, I feel like, so I doubt them on paper. I'm like, no, I actually have him in the playoffs.

So and here's, so this is where Brew and I, where we do disagree is the concern about their ability to return to the top of the division. and bruise has a level of concern of forget just the top of the division just being one of the seven of 16 playoff teams even with

losing to Denver last year when Patrick started and even with never beating the Chargers last year including when Patrick started the first game of the year or maybe both games he started against Chargers I don't remember

here's Patrick in his career against the AFC West and what you're going to see is, it's 36 and 8. Going into that game against Denver last year, even though it felt like the narrative going in was, man, the Broncos give Patrick a ton of trouble, he was 13 and 1 in his career against Denver. He's 13 and, you know, two in his career against the Raiders. So I do believe that Chiefs have a massive structural advantage over their division counterparts, which if you win the division, you get to the postseason. And here is Patrick.

in his career, including all these down years in the AFC side of the playoffs. He has a 112 rating. He has 36 passing touchdowns to three picks, a 280 passing yards per game. They're 14 and 2 with two overtime losses. And that includes six, no, seven AFC playoff games during this period of time when he's been, you know, not Patrick Mahomes in the regular season. he still is when he sees these teams in the playoffs to lead into the Super Bowl. Now, obviously, his Super Bowl appearances, he's been blown out twice,

he's won MVP of the game the other three times. At this point, if he got to the Super Bowl, it would almost be a, no, it would be a huge win. Of course. Yeah, for any team to get to the Super Bowl, no, I mean, it would be his sixth appearance in nine years of the starter. I mean, for them it'd be a downer because they're,

they used to win in Super Bowl. Yes, but it would still be like, It would be an incredible accomplishment. Do you agree with me on this? And then I know we have to move on. That if the chiefs, let's say they make the conference championship game and lose, that is the threshold to where last year does flatly get chalked up as. Oh, definitely.

You know what I mean? That is just, okay, so they're right back where their floor had been every other year of Mahomes' career, which is the worst. They had made seven straight conference championship games. if they get there and lose to Lamar or Drake or Josh or whomever, even if it changes who the favorite is the following year. I think even if you win one playoff game, I'm still. Oh, well, I don't know.

But still then that would be like. I don't know if I'd say that. Yeah, because they lose to Josh Allen, like Josh Allen finally gets over to home. But they had never, they had never lost early in the AFC playoff. So that kind of would be more evidence of, oh, they're a good team, but not still the team to beat. But I think if they get back to the conference championship game. Chiefs host the Broncos in 32 days. Fun fact, nine of the last 10 Super Bowls have featured either the Chiefs or the Patriots who come in at number eight on the optimism power rankings.

Main reason they're a little low, even though it feels high at eight. Classic Super Bowl hangover. The last two Super Bowl losers, Chiefs and 49ers, both followed up their campaign with losing records. Now here's the last eight years. So it's a little bit of a mixed bag here. Chiefs in 49ers were 6 and 11. Eagles were 11 and 6, but they were in the supernatural funk. Bengals went right back to the AFC championship games, so did the Chiefs.

49ers and Rams missed the playoffs, and then the Pesky Patriots didn't win the Super Bowl. Would anyone be shocked, key word, shocked, if the Patriots missed the playoff entirely? I would not be shocked. I don't yet know if it's what I'm picking. And I mean that sincerely, not just to create interest for a pretty much. Week. Like I, the, but I, for a list of reasons. One is the Super Bowl hangover thing goes, you know, we can just look at the last 30 years

as far as teams to lose the Super Bowl, almost half missed the playoffs. 13 of the 30 Super Bowl losers missed the playoffs. You are more likely to miss the playoffs historically than you are to win a playoff game. But again, this conversation is not about, you know, going one and done. It's about missing the playoffs entirely. It's 17 and 13. You make the 17.

More, right. 17 of the 30 have made the playoffs. 19 of the 30 have failed to win a playoff game either because they missed or they went one and done in the playoffs. I do think if we throw up brew the Patriot schedule, this which I consider to be a mid-tier difficulty of schedule. It's six hardest for what it's worth. Yeah, I know. So I have my own. kind of like eyeball tests on what I think the schedules are based on what I how good I think

the teams are going to be. Yeah, but they view the Chiefs as a moderately easy game. Right. Broncos is a very difficult. And so I don't think you guys have like an impossible schedule, but it's not, it's nothing like it was last year. But here's the biggest reason why Brew, I think it certainly wouldn't be shocking. If the first month of the season just goes according to how the odds may be.

to how the odds makers have it. I'm not saying it will. They start one and three. And I think a one and three start, when I expect Buffalo to be quite good and a relatively deep AFC, that can just easily turn into a nine and eight season where, you know, you miss out on the playoffs by again,

they quickly be three and three. That's what I'm saying. If we're three and three, I'm not. You know, you see. No, I agree that the, but I think, again, Again, like, could I see that left column being three and three? And then could I see that middle column being two and three?

Absolutely. And then all of us, you know what I mean? You're five and six going into that right column. And could I see you losing to Buffalo, Kansas City, and Denver. And now you have nine losses. That's nine losses. I mean, you're, yeah, worst case scenario. Yeah, yeah.

And so the, and even if you split with Buffalo, so you get one of them eight losses. And you're, you know, barely on the outside. looking in. I would be shocked Brew if they're bad, but I would not be shocked if they missed the playoffs. Yeah, not only would I not be shocked. I wouldn't even be surprised. Surprise. I wouldn't even

raise an eyebrow. Get out of town. It's not unusual for a team that made the Super Bowl a year going to miss the playoffs. You wouldn't raise an eyebrow. I mean, I mean, I guess it's not unusual. No. The last eight, four missed it, and

four is that yeah the last what four made it who was Mahomes the supernatural funk it was bad but they didn't make the playoffs Bengals Bengals went right back chiefs went right back and the Patriots who the Patriots are the Patriots won the Super Bowl

whole culture okay so we're talking about Brady Jalen Hertz Joe Burrow and was Mahomes and Mahomes Drake May might be I like Drake May he might be in that group I'm not totally convinced yet it's one good year

Really good, a great year. Yeah. But I need to see another great year before I, every year now I'm writing him in. No, the comp there. And before every year I'm writing him in is, oh. The comp there would be the Bengals because it was Joe Burrell's second year. Yeah. It was, you know what I mean?

And that was good. You know what I mean? They got, they had a great regular season. They got right back to the conference championship. You, the chemistry. I'm concerned. Oh, my goodness, guys. Yes.

The chemistry between Drake, mate, and A.J. Brown. Is it a question mark? Definitely. I'm going to toss this up to you, and you're either going to dunk it or be like, that's concerning. The Patriots opened up their new, like, new balance locker room. You see who Drake May's lockers next to? AJ Brown.

Brew, is that a good sign? No, that means they need to work. Well, I think it's smart because they can talk. That's right. They can talk. And AJ, if he's got some issues, he can share him with Drake privately. He doesn't have to go public with him.

But if he's constantly sharing issues, he's a young quarterback. We know AJ wants to cook. It's not how we get down. They might win. But if he doesn't have his seven catches for 111 yards. Look, we've had a handful of scandals off the field, a handholding scandal, for example, that rocked the world.

Okay, that's just saying into that. It was the bigger piece of that scandal for the Patriots perspective was Vrabel. Was Vrable in front of the podium lying to everyone. That was the, again, we're not the bedroom police and we haven't. It was a scandal. I think there was probably a little more going on than hand holding. But that's fine, but go ahead. We're holding hands.

Sorry, go ahead. That being said, you don't see traditionally the Patriots. Bill Belichick slammed a phone one time. You don't see a lot of guys reading books on the sidelines. You don't see a lot of guys kicking over the field goal net. That's just not really the Patriots culture. It just isn't. How did Antonio Brown fit in the Patriots culture?

And I'm not saying AJ's gone, it turns out, pretty quickly. AJ's not that. No. But, you know, he's in light years away. I don't think it's almost done. No, but old. He's not really work out here. Ocho C guys.

I was kind of old, but it was no issue. And Randy Moss worked initially wildly worked. Yeah. But then, you know, if AJ Brown, look, if we go undefeated and losing the Super Bowl and Drake made throws 50 touchdowns. But I'm not ready to call Drake May Tom Brady. Yeah. And I am not as. Maybe after this year, though.

Would you be, hold on. I really want to do this. I know we have to move on, but I want to do this question. Yeah, I think I would be. You'd be shocked. Shocked is a tough word. Shocked. I don't think after.

look, after Lamar, Burrow and Patrick all missed the playoffs in the same year, I don't think you're going to be shocked. That's what makes the NFL great. I would be surprised. I don't think I would be shocked. Is there any team in the AFC? That'd be shocked if they missed?

That you'd be more surprised if they missed than the past. Great question. Thank you. Great question. I think your answer's no. No. I think his answer. No, so I guess I would be shocked. If they're number one of my shock ranking. Yeah, that's what I thought. So you would You would be less shocked if Baltimore misses the playoffs? He's going to say yes.

Yeah. You know, new coach, new coordinator and coming off a bad year. So that's what I thought the Patriots or the team, you're most confident in the AFC will make the playoffs. So you would be. I have one. No, 21. I can save it. All right, save it.

This is just like a nuclear weapon of a full screen. I'm going to put it right there. Save that. Oh, you're going to just adore this story. Just love it. Finally. Emmy Award winning analyst Dan O'Rour. Rolovsky ranked the top quarterbacks by trait.

Arm strength was Josh Allen. Ball placement was Stafford. Second reaction ability. I thought that was interesting. Josh Allen again. And decision making. Out of the box pick here. It was Josh Allen.

Orlovsky writing, he makes good decisions both in and out of structure. He did throw 10 interceptions, lost three fumbles last season. But his tape shows an ability to read the defense and avoid getting baited into trouble. See, you don't get credit for the stuff that doesn't happen. That's what's on the tape. I like that, actually, from Wierlowski. Friend of the show.

Listen. Yeah, we saw him on the plane. Definitely, by all accounts and by my very brief interaction, it's a really good guy. Everyone likes him. Seems to be an amazing dad. Not friend of the show. I thought he was.

He said, right away on the plane. I like him. You can be personal friend. He's a big part of the reason. this show is emulous. Thank you very much. And the direct competitor and what I consider, just like I have media rivals, Greg Jennings' media rival.

What do you mean? Greg Jennings' media rivals? They're in the same. Yeah, Rex Ryan and Coach, Greg Jennings and Orlovsky. I just, you know, me and Mina. Like, we all, everybody's got to play. You and Laura Rutledge. Like, everybody knows it.

Like, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. This is as close to. gaslighting as I've seen in sports commentary. You see that a lot on rom-coms, you hear that phrase? Rom-coms? Yeah, Russian romantic comedies. I watch with my daughters.

And I feel like we hear about a lot in politics. I've never quite seen it in sports. It is not that dissimilar to if, when I was like trying to make a LeBron's greater than Jordan argument, I was like, and everyone knows. that Michael Jordan was afraid to take the last shot. Like just, we all just acknowledge, like, that was a part of the thing. And people would be like, wait, that's like the opposite. No, wrong.

Like John Paxson, like that, Steve Kerr. I think Josh's second best player in the league, if you were to tell me, of all the quarterbacks in the league that don't have a Super Bowl, one of them's going to win one in the next three years. He'd be my pick. Yeah. My frustration with Josh is the commentary surrounding him, and this is a great example of it.

It's not only that I don't think he's the best decision maker in football, I think it might be his only weakness as a player. I think his only weakness as a quarterback is decision making, and Dano's telling us, actually, contrary, my friend, he's the best in the world at it. And it's just not what I have experienced throughout his career. It's a baffling, baffling ranking to me. Yeah, I agree 100.

100%. I think he's closer, closer to the worst decision maker in the league than the best. And I think this is nearly, I won't totally go there, nearly an unacceptable opinion. Wow. It's not quarterbacking. And I didn't even have to say that. I could have just pointed to this. Yeah. I mean, to this.

It wasn't great. This is the playoff game. Divisional round against Denver. That's a decision. That is. That is not a great play by a defensive player where you fumble. That's not Lamar when he fumbled against Buffalo a couple years where he just just kind of lost, drop the ball. That is a mental, a decision-making fumble.

All right? And it arguably cost them the game. Denver got a field goal. Went up 20 to 10 at the half. They lost by three points. Yeah, I mean, that, I didn't have to even say anything. I couldn't have to just show this and said, he can't be number one. Here's the four guys with four turnover playoff games in the last decade.

Some of them great players, some of them not. None of them, if we show the list, would we say we look at as maybe golf, you would say, is considered a really good decision maker? That was the fumbles game where he just kept driving. dropping the balls a little different as he was getting sacked as opposed to. Trevor, of course, the only one on that list to win the game. And like none of those guys and Ben certainly not at that point of his career. Can I add one other gripe about this Orlovsky thing, please, about the list.

I go for a friend of the show, but there's seven traits he evaluates. So I took where he ranked Mahomes and Allen. Are we saying, because Dan is saying this, there's nothing in football Patrick's better at than Josh. It's nothing? It's not a single thing. It's not one thing when it,

I guess you could say they're both not ranked on pocket presents so maybe he's higher than him there. I happen to think Mahomes' pocket presence pretty good. I happen to think his, the description for second reaction ability

where he has Josh first and Mahomes third, the literal description is the ability to make off platform throws from a different angle. Yeah. There's nothing in the sport. Patrick's better at than Josh. He's worse than everything? Yeah.

I agree. And I actually think, Mahomes is the best decision maker in football. Yeah. I really do. I think Mahomes' pocket presence, decision making. Whatever. Drake got number one pocket presents.

I'm willing to, I'm willing to vacate that. Yeah. That was like Drake's only week. It's like when McClamore won that Emmy. He's like, you know what? I don't deserve this. What are the Grammy?

Sorry. End of the month. Buckle up. We've got a lot of great stuff in store. Star studded. Gianna, did you hear? It's going to be great. Right now, preseason no huddle.

We got games tonight, coach. Lions in Cincinnati. Zach Taylor rolling out the real lineup. Burrow, Chase Higgins, and Dexter Lawrence will all play. Before we get to the question, guess who else is in regular season form? Josh the researcher. Burroughs career against the division, 12 and 16, like the opposite of Mahomes, against non-division opponents, 31 and 17. But get this, within the division, he has only ever faced Tomlin, Harbaugh, and Stafansky, and they're all out of here. Isn't that interesting? He's in his bag.

Great graphic to start things off. What are the chances the Bengals win the AFC North? I think they're incredibly low. I think their only chance of winning the AFC North is if Baltimore really has a year from hell. Now, listen, I don't think Pittsburgh's going to be good, and I don't think Cleveland's going to be good. So that helps Cincinnati's case. But I had a different version of your stat, which is, it is very difficult to win a division if you don't win division games. And it's not, it's, I mean, against the coaches are out of here. I understand, but it's against the Steelers during the worst run.

of Steelers football in, you know, this century, Game above 500 against the Browns during a very Browns-like run of, you know, who they've been for most of the time. That's unacceptable to be four and six. You think? Absolutely. You think you're four and six against the Browns. And then four and seven against the Ravens.

And I think he's lost one or five of his last six against the Ravens. And so I just, I don't, I do things I don't trust on Cincinnati. The coach, the organization, the offensive line, the running game, the defense as a whole. Things I do trust, the quarterback and his two wide receivers. That's not enough for me to say they're going to win the division. And so I think the chances coach are very low. So in the last 20 years, this has happened twice where they've swapped out three out of the four guys. So the last time was 2020 when the NFC East and Doug Peterson was the last guy standing,

ended up missing the playoffs. Now, that whole division was terrible. I think the commanders made it that year at 7 and 9. Yeah. Okay, so that's a little bit of an aberration. And then it happened in 05 and the NFC North and Lovie Smith ended up winning the division. I think they went 13 and three. He was the only one left standing. He was the only one left standing. So, so you should have an inherent advantage if you're the remaining head coach and everybody else has transitioned over because you have the continuity and you start with. with such a lead on everybody else. And I do, I've been hard on what they've done defensively,

but they have made a concerted effort to improve the defense through the draft, through free agency. So that should be significantly better. And if the quarterback is healthy, yeah, I think they have a great chance to win the division. The other thing is they, the starting slow, they were able to change that narrative somewhat last year. They started 2 and 0, then they lost the next four games. But they did at least get over that hump of every year starting 0 and 2, 0 and 3.

So from a continuity standpoint, they should have a significant advantage. Now whether they can maximize that, we'll see. I mean, not surprisingly, I think the Raven is going to win the division. But I think Domingo's will be good. I'm assuming Burroughs going to be healthy, which is a big if. But if he's healthy, I think they have a really good chance to make the playoffs because I think they did make some good moves in the defense. All right.

Next up, this would have been cooler in the regular season, but still cool. Packers Steelers tonight. Jordan Love is expected to play. Mike McCarthy and Rogers have some mixed messages about if he'll take any snaps. So we'll focus on the Packers. Last year, when they got Micah Parsons, guess what, bro? They were great. Then when he got hurt, whoops, didn't win a game.

You were a big J-Lo fan last year. I don't know where you are this year. It's more like that's stunning. Packers take a step forward or back? This is a great question because I'm very much kind of 50-50 on this question. as you said, they were great looking like they could get to the Super Bowl with Micah. Then he got hurt.

But he may miss five, six, correct. Seven maybe games. And then you don't expect him necessarily to come back looking like Max Crosby right away. It may take a couple of weeks. I really like J-Lo. Still, like I think he's going to have a very good year.

But I'm concerned about the defense. and then the division's so tough. And so I hate my heart is saying I think they'll move forward, but my head is telling me, if anything, I mean, I think they can move forward depending on when and how Micah comes back. But my head is telling me they are candidates to miss the playoffs because the division's so tough and they could get off to a slow start because Micah's not there.

The schedule's not incredibly hard. You say J-Lo and the pre-season. But then throughout the season, it's J-Lo or J-No or J-Lo or J-Lo or J-no. I hope it's J-Low all year. But that's a little bit of the story with him is there's games where he's J-Lo and it's through the roof. And he's very streaky. When he's streaky, they're hard to beat because he's on fire. And then his bad games tend to be the B games as opposed to, you know, a lot of quarterbacks where

they're B plus, A-minus, you know, that's kind of their medium level. He typically is lower. And to your point, the division has gotten better as well. Mike is probably not going to be there for six or seven weeks. So let's say they get into a hole. Are they going to be able to dig it out and how well does he come back? And then from a leadership perspective, I know he'll bring a lot of leadership back. So that'll be a positive.

I think you will. I think Mike is as a good defensive leader despite the fact what Sauerberg, Stephen Jones says. Yeah, a lot of people speak glowingly about their exes. It's a huge thing they do. I don't know, we have time to just throw up the Packers schedule real quick. My answer is step back because I think they are

one of the top candidates in the league of a team that needs to get off to a good start because of how their schedule feels to me to be backloaded. And I think what they showed us last year was without Micah, anybody can beat them. I'm not saying they're going to go winless without Micah the way they did before. But don't you think they could

they could be three and two? I mean, three and two would be great. Yeah, I think that's certainly on the board. It could be four and all. Well, the, oh, so you're going, he was going through, because Micah's targeting the Cowboys game. The point that I am kind of making is, given how they played last year without him,

I would expect the Bucks and the Bears to beat them without Micah. And then you really have to sweep those first two, two of them on the road, by the way. games again the jets shouldn't be good the falcons are to me a huge unknown as far as what version of tour are we getting

Stefansky taking over that team could be the deep sleepers the Falcons well they're I mean yeah I think they're somewhat trendy quarterback and I would say I would say not deep sleep I would expect the Vikings any team with Kyler Murray I expect to be

better in like initial better in September than December And so if you have the Vikings on your schedule, you're maybe a little bummed if it's early rather than late. Obviously, Packers get them twice. Finally, last game in no huddle, several games tonight, Cardinals at Raiders. We'll get our first look at Fernando Mendoza. For what it's worth, we did come away from the Cardinals game, impressed with Carson Beck, but he's not playing tonight. Rib injury.

What are he expecting from Mendoza tonight, small scale, tonight? You're going to hate it. You always hate this when I talk about in preseason. It's not what I expect. It's what I hope. I hope it's clean. I hope we're not. I'm hoping.

We're not going to see false starts, balls on the ground, unnecessary time. Just from an operational standpoint, if he goes out and operates the offense effectively, that's a good start. And I know high expectations, but that's a good start for any young quarterback. And then don't take any, you don't need to take any hits. We don't need to Jackson Dart this. I was about to say I don't want to see him run the ball once.

Like that you nothing, yeah, don't get hit, throw the ball a few times, be efficient, and move on to your next week of the fact. Just the reason I mention it, the last time we saw Fernando Mendoza play football, maybe the biggest play of his entire career was the run against my, like he is big, he's athletic. And they were playing for something. No, no, no, of course. That I totally agree. The point that I'm making is, I think his, I'm going to go ahead and call it, sneaky athleticism, is going to be a real benefit of him once he does become the starter. I also think in the preseason with young quarterbacks, there can be too quick of a, it's not there, let me run. And I would just, like, if I were, if I were Clint Kubiak, I'd be telling him, like, I don't want to say you're not allowed to scramble.

But, like, you know what I mean? If it's not there and he's throwing. Don't scream. Okay, yeah. If it's not there, just throw it away rather than lean on your legs and maybe also see what you can, you take the extra beat in the pocket, what you can see opening up. Yeah, I won't make any long-term assessments of him whether he plays great or, I mean, more so it'll feel good if he plays great. But if he plays poorly, I'm not going to write him off or anything like that.

But I do think a lot of people looking at how Carson Beck played last week, doesn't mean Beck's going to be great, but he played with. really well. I think people will kind of compare that to whatever Mendoza does. And so if he looks bad, he'll probably get some, you know, negative criticism and stuff, but

it won't, it won't mean anything. Do we think there's any there's any version of the game that he can play where the story on tomorrow's show is? Should they consider changing their playing on cousins starting week one? Yeah, if you want to have a

crazy overreaction to whatever he in the first recess of the game. I mean, if he looks phenomenal, don't you, I mean, and I'm not predicted, if he came out and just, yeah, was 10 for 11. Like, can the, can he put in the coaching staff?

Do you know how much game planning is going to this? No. Zero. So it'll be the base offense. It'll be base defense. It's like, remember the one, the pro bowl when you actually played a game and you could only like run two coverages and no disguise.

Now, now, look, everybody's got to play by the, those rules. They may want to light up, Manoza, just because. Jaden Daniels' drama at LSU, coaches in a bad spot. He loves Jane Daniels, hates distractions, and the weirdest and most wonderful plays of the night,

and some Eagles drama. Could have been a 90-minute podcast there. Absolutely splendid Bud List and a very interesting letter from a very accomplished person. That's coming up at 4 o'clock, but right now it's a wonderful episode of Weird and Wonderful. Start with the Wonderful.

Dodgers. Oh, Otani, away gone, his 27th home run. The Dodgers end up sweeping the Royals, but the Royals did give it their all. Weird. Eagles. What? What?

That's nice, dude. Eagle's social media team posted this clip. Now, this is a tough, I don't know what you're supposed to do. You can't just post all offensive highlights, but this one seemed weird to post. The slow motion Jalen Hertz throw that gets picked off by Quinion Mitchell. kicked off by Quinn and Mitchell. Yeah, every quarterback is throwing interceptions,

but it's just odd to post it. It was to make Mitchell look good. I know, but you gotta do that with Andy Dalton's out there. On that inside breaking route, the wide receiver should have shaved the route down. Oh my God. So that may be why they show them. It's not jailed as a small.

I love it. You should not be getting undercut on an inside breaking route if you're the wide receiver by the defense of that. You should become an internet commenter. But I just say, and then. It'd be so funny. Why are we punting the ball afterwards? That's ridiculous, too.

Love it. That's more problematic than the pick. Great job. Let's show the sideline version. It's got 16 million views. But coach, you got to get in the comments. All right, final weird, Royals Dodgers. I'll preface this was saying Freddie Freeman was okay, but it was a scary moment here in the eighth inning.

But he's fine. Just look. That is. Again, the Dodgers won't beat the Royals and swept the rolls. But the Royals did give it their all. You know, we gave it our all. And also, you know what? Our owner is having a fine week.

How's Dodgers owner doing? Great point. What's going on with him? Imagine needing money and be like, oh, I need a little extra cash. What I'm going to sell something? The Lakers. And I wonder. You have anything worth $12 billion?

Oh, I do. And I wonder if the next thing he sells is the Dodger. It's got to be on the board. It's got to be on the board. Really? Afternoon headlines sponsored by Kraft Mac and Cheese, the best thing ever. And L.SU Jersey has got five on it.

And Jane Daniels not. happy. That's going to cost money. He wore number five when he won the Heisman for the Tigers in in 2023. He sent a cease and desist telling LSU stop using my name, image, and likeness if you're to give my number to somebody else. A spokesman said that Daniels family quote, is deeply disappointed and profoundly

disrespected. Lane Kiffin said the player, DJ Pickett, was promised number five when he came to LSU, even though he wore number three last year. Yeah. Jane Dale is currently in the NFL for the commanders coach, and they've got games coming up. Your reaction to this law, not lawsuit, but this drama. Cease and desist. I'm so disappointed.

If this is what you're thinking about, it's a problem. Like, what do you care? And, Deb, you looked at LSU's history. They retired jerseys of four former players, Billy Cannon, Tommy Casanova, Jerry Stovall, and running back Charles Alexander, and, Cannon, he won the first Heisman trophy in 1959. Okay, that's the track record. It's not like they've retired other recent excellent Outsen,

or excellent LSU players. That's the list. And they have a whole process on how they do it. He's not even LISU. And you're not at LSU. You're at Washington, and you're coming off a pretty mediocre season, and why do you care?

And who's part of your team? And who's telling you this is important? And what name are you? you losing money on your name, image, and likeness from LSU? Like, of all the things to worry about right now, this has zero relevance. Yeah, I have to agree.

Like, I like Jaden a lot, and I'm disappointed in this. And now he did release a statement on Instagram. That is a, I like the statement. He's focused, but his team has, you know, got to protect him. That thing said he is having to write Instagram statements and release them a few weeks before the series. Now, look, if it, and I, I, I, He shouldn't really be paying attention to this at all.

But if it came out that Joe Burrough, several players had, or even one player, wanted to wear Joe Burroughs number nine, which he wore when he left LSU after they won it in 2019, and they denied it, no, you can't wear Joe Burroughs number. Then I could get his team being like, well, why are you letting them wear a Jaden's number? They both won Hizman's. I know Burrow won the national championship. But still, they both won highs. Like, I fully expect Jaden Daniels number to be retired there and Joe Burroughs and maybe Justin Jefferson.

But he's not eligible yet. There's only been four cats with a retired jersey. Right. But he's not eligible. You have to wait five years. But he's been, I mean, winning the Heism. There are only three guys have won it. It's Billy Cannon, Jaden, and Burrough.

So I think it'll be retired. But they have a rule that a player whose jersey is retired post-2007, they still will give the number out of current players because it's probably a numbers game. It's a literal numbers. You need some numbers. Right. I mean, the thing is you can have so many guys on college football team

to try sometimes over a hundred. Two guys on a team will have the same number. They have to announce like this. We're now putting number seven who plays offense in the game instead of number seven plays defense. I disagree actually, Brew with if they, if Jaden found out,

and very well may be the case, because no one has worn nine. And reportedly nobody's asked for it. Right, but let's just say that somebody had asked and they were like, no. I do think it's totally fine if LSU's like, yeah, the threshold that Burrow reached is a higher threshold than you reached.

I mean, it is clearly, but I still. To say that to like one of your like, no, I'm just saying, I'm saying like, if you have, if you would have standards of, like, hey, how are we giving out numbers and whatever? ever like and jaden's reached the we are not giving this out unless we feel like we have to to appease a super important recruit which clearly but he's wore a number three last year and had a great year and

i want to get into that as well in a second but the standard for burrow is a touch higher than that because he did what jaden did won the heisman and delivered what many people consider the greatest season in the history of that school like that to me is i can see it being a little bit of A little higher, but I still would. But the other, I am, I don't, I'm not as bothered by Jaden caring as you guys. I don't actually think it's like really distracting him from the NFL. I am super interested in the coach politics of this whole thing. Because I think the last two head coaches at LSU have been almost cartoonishly stereotypical college football coaches in the best and worst ways.

and I kind of like the little sub-story of Brian Kelly in order to get this player said, you can have number five. You know what? You want it. You can have it. Then the guy got there and he's like, no, you can't. Sorry, pal. Sorry, take three. And then Lane Kiffin gets there and is like, well, I don't, I stopped, again, I'm paraphrasing, maybe this is a little unfair.

I stopped caring about the Ole Miss kids 10 minutes after I left the school. Do you think I care about Jaden Daniel's feelings? You're on my team now. You can have the number. Like, I just, I find, I find all of that to be super, like, kind of inside college football fascinating. I know. Well, DJ Pickett's just a college player, but it's also weird, like, I'd like Jaden Daniels number, please. Yeah, he, I mean, that's what he wore, I guess.

He probably just wanted his number, which was number five. And they're trying to win games right now in college football. And Jaden should be worried about winning games. names in pro football can they give away his locker is that okay can they have a seat at the lunch table they can't give away like what else can't they give away that that's going to make people mad I wonder if there is any like financial I mean we did well so that's what I don't mind to name him his life's thing nobody you know it's well that's for like don't put me on your you know brochures to send it I don't but if it yeah if it's a money thing right you're selling my

number five jersey well so you know Wisconsin like 90 like JJ Watts jersey's there and you buy it. Like Jay, like, oh, don't sell my jersey and then actually have another person wearing. Well, so, or I do, and again, this is me talking with no insight into how this actually works. I do wonder if there is a financial hit he takes

as far as, as long as he's the last guy to have worn a number five LSU jersey under his whatever NIL deal it is, he gets a piece of it. But now, when they're selling, because if you're selling number five LSU with no nameplate on the back, now the other.

kids like no it's my jersey well it's definitely I mean they still are no yeah yeah you know what I mean and so but I also they can still give it of course but I also don't and they'll write him a check for whatever money he lost on his number five jersey sales go look at the last five years say okay LSU has a lot of money they're like oh here you go did I just wonder I do wonder also how like LSU obviously is going to continue to promote you know their football history their high trophy winners. Like Jayden Daniels' college career, as odd as it sounds, is not something he owns.

It's like in the public sphere. You know what I mean? So like what the cease and desist, the way they are going to be allowed to use his image and the way they aren't is complicated. Because there are certainly some fair use ways they can use Jayden Daniels, highlights, history, stats, all of that. That he doesn't have ownership over. And it's good to think long term, too. Like, hopefully his pro career will be wonderful. But someday he may want to go back to LSU and capitalize on all the goodwill and think great things that he did

and be able to make money through that means. And this just seems like you're burning a bridge. He kind of addressed that with his letter. And I think his little Instagram post was good. Coming up next, it's the most motivational segment in all of sports. Also just a spectacular letter. It's going to be great. The Bud List.

The first. The home's just gave Texas Texas all wears Mahomes jerseys. That's how he rolled out a bunch of heights. First Things First is sponsored by Ram Trucks. Live from New York, the show that is just going to be motivating you all throughout August. Second hour of first things first. Still grinding. Drew really puts almost too much work into the Bud list.

Tiger. It is so power. Right up to the buzzer. That's his way of saying. Cut it a little short. No. So we can do more sports. No, that is, Brew.

I was a real compliment. A little bit. You just have so, you have, Brue had six handwritten pages out today. The employee criticized another employee for his work ethic. I was compliment. And it's Walker. Slow down.

We should be good. Meanwhile, can the Texans make it to the Super Bowl? How do we feel about C.J. Stroud? But right now, it's time for the aforementioned most motivational segment in all sports in just a spectacular. letter from a fan and a very accomplished person. Dear Wilds and fans of the show at large. Wow.

Is the I Love It Misdirection becoming too predictable. Oh. My inquiring mine wants to know. Thanks, Chris Broussard. Well, Chris, you put that on social media. You got several answers. Here's one that we chose. you've been cracking a smile

before dropping it recently need to tighten up the poker face and it's good as gold. Have you taken any of the suggestions to heart? What is the status of... He's criticizing my acting skills. You asked for honest feedback as what coach likes to call

the self-scout. Yeah, take the coacher. You know what? Point taken. I have been doing that. Yeah. I wasn't sure anybody was noticing but I have been doing it.

Also, a not. Sorry, but classic two by me. When you guys say I'm out in Vegas playing cards, guess what? Preparing for this show. Wow. Poker face. Being able to stay stoic, you have a problem with it when Brew is doing his performance.

He has a problem with it doing his performance. I'm over here cold as ice. Never know. Never exactly right. You know what? I don't like this criticism. Yeah. I love it.

It's about to be on. Ariane. I think it's his name. There we go. There we go. Thank you, Aaron. I appreciate it. All right, here we go.

At number three, Caleb Williams. Great call. Caleb, Ice, man. Your head coach put a bull's eye, a target on your back, because he said you're going to have the highest scoring offense in the history of the NFL. Yeah. That's only about 38 points a game,

which is something that Patrick Mahomes with Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey and Andy Reid call in the plays. Never did. That's something that Tom Brady and Randy Moss at the height of his powers never did. But Ben Johnson expects you to do it with Roma Dunesay and Luther Berger. Gee whiz. That sounds just, that's, that, no. Are they Randy Moss?

Yeah. No, Brew. Is he Ma'Hombs or Brady yet? No. All right. So anyway, here's how you got to look at it, Caleb. A vote of confidence. So in the spirit of the bud list, which is motivational,

I'm going to give you a little bit of advice of maybe how you can get close to that. Number one, you got to be more accurate. Last year, only 58% of your passes were completed. We need to get that up a tick, or two or three or five. Secondly, you got to play the first three quarters like you play the fourth quarter. You're great in the fourth quarter or even the last six minutes, whatever it is.

But play the first three quarters like you played the fourth quarter. And maybe that's not thinking as much. And I'm sure the repetition in the offense now over the last year, plus maybe you're getting to a point you don't have to think as much. And you can just play off instinct. And thirdly, as a nod to my moment. man, Nick Wright, don't son any of the other young quarterbacks in the league. I think we have a video. Oh, wow.

Brew is really leaned into this being the moment. Here, don't, don't, if it's cooking for you in week 10, don't go son any of the guys with some advice, all right? Because CJ regrets that. The lecture that led to the league. You did call that. Or he just inspired Caleb to play better. Yeah, what happened to him?

Maybe it worked. Right, it worked for Caleb, not him. All right, so anyway, Caleb, I don't think you're going to have the highest score in offense in history, but I do believe in it. All right, at number two, Drake May. Interesting. I mean, we saw this one coming from a mile away. Now, Drake, you said the right thing. The perfect quote.

Drake, you have. It's all about winning. winning is more important than individual numbers. But here's the problem. Your superstar acquisition this offseason. Your best receiver, A.J. Brown begs to differ. AJ wants numbers. He wants stats.

And now you have to navigate this potentially hairy situation. All right. So will you kowtow? to A.J. Brown and feel pressured to get him the rock every time you're walking to the line of scrimmage? Or will you do what made you the second leading MVP candidate last year? What got your team surprisingly, shockingly to the Super Bowl, which has hit the open man. I think you need to do the latter. All right. Now, sure, it could lead to some uncomfortable press conferences.

It could lead to AJ reading novels on the sideline during the game. You could hear from his lockers next to it. It could be a lot of chatter from him in the locker room, all right? But you have to be the leader. You have to put your foot down

and do what's right for the team because that is what will lead to winning games. And even if it doesn't please, Guess what? It'll please Patriot Nation. And that's what's most important. So Drake, I believe in you. Number one,

Dak. Wow. Dak Prescott. Now, Dak, you've been doing a lot of talking this offseason. Yeah. All right. You named your offense Gotti. Greatest offense there is.

You have mentioned reaching the Super Bowl several times. this off season. This is all despite never even playing in the NFC championship game. Despite you being two and five in the playoffs.

Despite you haven't won a playoff game in the last three years. Despite last year's seven win season. Yeah. You said we're getting to the Super Bowl.

All right. despite having the worst defense in the NFL last year. But you know what, Doc? I'm here for it. All right? I mean, look, being politically correct these last 11 years hasn't worked. So why not go all in? That's true.

Why not say, you know what? I'm bringing some swagger to our team. We are going to reach the Super Bowl. We are going to do it. All right? Try something. Something new. So, Dak, you got CD Lamb, you got George Pickens, you got Javonte Williams, you got a revamp defense.

I actually think you guys could have a great season. I believe in you. So keep talking. Keep running your mouth. But back it up. Make sure you back it up. Coach, you've had a rough week with the D block. Well, I was sharing with you guys about training camp and how you have like an up and down day.

And that's part of the process. It's the same thing with veteran players. Like some guys come in, they've got to play themselves in the shape, and they're kind of studying, kind of not. And then some guys come in, and they're in great shape, and they're on fire. That's you, bro, that's you. I mean, I went through, I graded the whole thing. A-plus, A-plus, A-plus, A-plus, not Mahomes, Brady,

begged to differ, cowtow, hit it with a Gotti. The articulation is excellent. The viewer eye contact, outstanding. The voice inflection, it carries. carries me along. I'm on this ride that I can't get off. And I don't know how like if you're not watching this segment on Thursday, you're missing something. You know what? After Aryan ripped me, I die for you. I need it. I mean, I feel guilty going. You got to your segment though. I know you go on all day. I'm going to go with Deshawn Watson. And here's why. This is the this is the age of the second act. This is the age of the heroes arc. And.

Sam Darnold has changed the narrative for all those guys who you look at and say, okay, he's a bust. And then, you know, Baker, he's done some really good things since he's gotten his second chance. Gino Smith, you know, he had a really nice resurgence in Seattle. And to some degree, your guy in San Francisco last year couldn't make it in New England. He's done some good. So there's a lot of them. And that's changed the perception around the league as to what these guys that don't make it with their first team.

could potentially be. And everything's been bad. Everything's been bad since they went to Cleveland. The contract's terrible. The performance has been terrible. But now you've got, you're healthy, you've got an opportunity, and this is just to start a preseason,

and granted you're talking about, hey, I'm not the same guy. We don't need you to be the same guy. We need you just to be somewhere in the neighborhood, like maybe in the same town as the guy that they drafted for, and that would be a huge, a huge plus. and here it is.

They're trying to give you the job. They're trying to allow you to reclaim the narrative of your career. Take advantage of it. It's right here. I have a question for you on that, coach. Let's say he goes out and plays at like a potential Pro Bowl level.

Not what he was, but, you know, looks good and they have a solid season. Would you, if you were in that situation, like, would you consider bringing him back? like long-term contract for him? No, I'm no, but but but the point where you may have to consider it is there's so much dead money and there's so much acceleration in his contract. If he could actually play a few more years to try to to try to stagger the hit that they're going to take on the cap. This is his last year, but they have put about 90 million on credit card.

There's so much money that's going to accelerate. So if he could hit, even if you could extend him a little bit longer and get some of that. crazy hit that's going to come from a seller cap standpoint. He's what? 29? He's what? He does seem like old 20. I might have been 30, but I could be wrong.

I mean, he's still young. Yeah, he's young for a quarterback. He was great at one. He turns 31 next month. Okay, so 31. All right job, bro. It's 412 on a Thursday, which means it's time for just an excellent segment. So sports media on Budzman.

You know, last week I tried to do the best and the worst of sports media. The week before we went on vacation, I forgot what it was, but I did. I really tried to shine a spotlight in a good way on some of the good things in sports media. There's flip side of that call. Sports media. And by sports media, I know I'm not really supposed to do this, but I'm okay. I really kind of mean ESPN. What's going on with y'all and Josh Allen?

Can we talk about it? Because we've got three very distinct, respected, award-winning personalities with very different jobs, semi-neutral host little commenter, analytically driven, brilliant writer, player-turned-turned-analyst, who all seem to have a similar affliction, which is what I'm going to call job. Josh Allen hyperbole syndrome. Okay. We all agree he's excellent. We all agree that he is at the very least

on a Hall of Fame trajectory. We all agree that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Yet that just doesn't seem to be enough. So, category one, respected award-winning host, not known as a flame thrower. Mike Greenberg, 11 months ago, said this. Nobody's ever played the position

better than Josh Allen plays it. Now you might say was that coming off his six touchdown game? Was that coming off the 13 second game that he had stolen from? No, it's coming off back-to-back wins over the Jets and Dolphins where he combined for 380 yards passing. Goodbye! Best better nobody's ever played it better. And then my guy, Bill Barnwa, last week.

This one really hurt you. Yeah. Alan would be the quarterback on the all-decade team if it were released tomorrow. Although there'd be some debate. Well, Lamar Patrick. You think? Might be some debate. I actually disagree, Bill.

I don't think there'd be any debate at all. That one hurt. And then our old pal, Dano, surveyed the landscape, said, you know what? There's a lot of things that make up a quarterback. Size, strength, arm talent, elusiveness, IQ, all of it. I'm going to break them all down.

And when it comes to decision-making, when it comes to avoiding the big mistake, reading the defense, Best of the league, Josh. Really? The best in the league. The best is not the most talented. Not the coach can't believe it.

Patrick at 9? Patrick's at 9. He's lucky. Barely receiving votes. Oh, you got to throw that up. Josh L. is the best decision maker in football. What's all the more galling is he has literally not played a football game since this one, which involved what some NFL people called the single worst turnover the history of the league.

It wasn't great. And that was, by the way, other turnovers in the game. That one maybe could have felt the pressure, maybe not. This is a pass you probably want back. And then, of course, the last pass he threw in the NFL was this one. Little unlucky, I will admit it, but it was the fourth turnover of the game. We don't have to roll the other hot film dust. It's too much.

I don't understand it. And it positions me as someone who, the last couple years when the bills were not that trendy. I think I believed in more than the typical person. Me, someone who has said, I think Josh is better than Lamar. Even though, by the way, Lamar has all pros that Josh doesn't have. Lamar is multiple MVPs that Josh doesn't have. That has said, I think he's second best quarterback in football as some crazy

Josh Allen hater because the Overton window on Josh Allen discussion has moved so far to Crazy Town. I don't know what to do. It wasn't, he was called NFL Steph Curry this week. Steph Curry. Steph Curry's been to six finals, won four championships. Steph Curry of the NFL. Again, I don't want to name name, but I think it was Kyle Brand.

And so, I don't get it. I just don't get it. Go ahead. Who do you want to respond to? I agree. 100%. I mean, we all, Josh is great. We love Josh.

He's a friend of the show. He's on the show. Do you think Josh thinks he's the best decision maker in the league? That's what he's trying to work on every office. No, every, and during, you didn't bring up with Tom. That's like that nine is wild. Holes would be number one. Well, it was behind Josh in every single category.

That's wild. Yeah, it was a little, little rough. Okay. Look, Brue does the Bud list. Coach gives him compliments. Coach does his own thing, sports media on budsmen. I come and do my own thing. We try not to double up.

And if producers make sure we don't double up. But sometimes a story is just so wild, You got to do it. Ben Johnson on the bud list. Also, great picture, Dusty. I love it. And again, his comments were a little infuriating, coach. But what am I going to do?

Shoot arrows at Ben Johnson, an established NFL coach, or look in the mirror at myself and say, am I part of the problem? And I realized I am. I hold the copyright. It's like Jane Dale's story with LSU number five. I hold the copyright to a phrase that I invented defense wins championships. And I hold it like the Beatles catalog.

I don't let people use it. I don't just have it out there willy-nilly. I'm making an exception for Danny and Ben Johnson because Ben Johnson, like, I want to succeed. You got to score points to win football games. Boom, I'll score the most points ever. It actually doesn't get you to where you wanted to be. 2024, Lions, he was the coordinator. They had the most points in the league.

What happened? Well, they lost to the commanders 45 to 31 seasons over. If you score the most points in the league in general, there's been 26 teams. The number one rated offense has won two Super Bowls, Drew Breez's Saints and Mahomes. On the defense, on the other hand, if you got the number one defense, you've won seven Super Bowl.

So it's about 8% of the time, number one offense, 27% of the time, number one defense. Patriots, we had an amazing offense. What happened? We scored 14 points in the Super Bowl while we were going undefeated, which, by the way, Ben Johnson also would like to do. How about when the number one offense, like, I don't know, I'll pick any team, Matt Ryan's Falcons, goes up against the number one defense. Like, again, I'll pick any other team just like the Patriots.

Well, you can have a lead 28 to 3 and end up losing it because you're more focused on offense, passing the ball, throwing it around there, then defense. Again, I want to be helpful and be part of the solution. The other part of this, and coach, I want your take on this before we end this second. Is it possible that Ben Johnson can have the number one offense in cold Chicago when he was in, Detroit, they played lots of games in the dorm. Then they go to Minnesota and play in a dome. They go and play

Baker and it was warm. His one mistake, he said, I should have changed my mindset in the game that they lost when it was freezing cold that Danny went to. I know now the power of Soldier Field, particularly at that time of year, it's a real thing. And it should

be a major advantage for us now, provided we recognize it and play with a certain style. Now, he didn't run the ball a lot in Detroit, but do you think that the bears are even in the how they in the conditions late coach that he can even be the number one offense i don't know if he's going to be able to change his mindset even if he knows the weather isn't conducive to that mindset because if you and look we played a super ball one time against a coordinator who had a specific mindset as to how to play offense

mike marks and it ended up not working out as well as it should have and if they'd run the ball more it probably would have been a different outcome, but the mindset and the can sometimes cloud your best judgment. And then you also want to be able to play complementary football, and if your goal is to score the most points ever, you may put the ball in peril instead of just running out the clock or, you know, complementing your defense, which makes it challenging. It is noteworthy.

The two best offenses of all time, the 07 pats and the Peyton Manning Pass. or Broncos that he alludes to, both cold weather cities and both teams lost in the Super Bowl. Yeah, the funky part of like, I always wondered, Denver is wacky. Denver's not super cold. Sometimes it is. I mean, and once it gets to the second half football season,

it's pretty cold in Denver. Yeah, they got crushed. They lost 43 to 8. Yeah. And you guys, yeah. Is the light show returning from the Holmes and the Chiefs? That's next. I guess we got to look it up.

Is Denver considered cold? Yes. Everyone's like, Yes, sunny though. The answer's yes. Not like cold cold. Welcome back to first things first. You know, the Chiefs now have two Super Bowl MVP's on the roster.

The addition to Kenneth Walker, Bucky Brooks, listed Walker as one of the five best contracts of the off season in a move that should add another dimension to the former champs. The lack of an efficient and explosive running game allowed defenses to sit in various two high shells to take away the deep ball and force the two-time MVP into a dink and dunk game that featured few big, big, plays. That's Bucky Brooks on Fox Sports.com. Nick, are we underrating Kenneth Walker's impact on the Chiefs this season? I'm not, but I think the general public is. I'm going to use an example from our pre-show video. Oh, wow. Gianna has a fun little TikTok trend that she's trying to bring us into, even though I'm a grandfather and Drew is born in the 60s.

She wants us to do TikTok videos. I was. I never thought of me, that. That is a bad thing. No, I'm just saying, like, oh, whatever. Like, Giano wants us to. And it was five things that are worth the money. Gotcha.

And I don't want to spoil the video, but one of KW's answers was. Vacuuming cleaner. Yes, but that's not the one I'm going. Stick with me for a moment. Sorry. His bicycle helmet. Yes. So KW. and I both are cyclists.

That's not true. Just wait a moment. That's not true. I take offense to that. I ride hundreds of miles a month. Hundreds of miles. However, however, for me, a bicycle helmet would not be a good use of money at all. Because I ride the bike indoors, stationary.

A peloton. KW, meanwhile, is out on the street course. You're wearing, you know, unitarred and iridescent vest and all this stuff. Right. So I say that to say what is money well spent for one team or one person, but not necessarily have the same impact or be money well spent for someone else. For a Chief's team, that the only thing they've never had since Mahomes has been there, is a Belcal running back to have that for the first time in his career.

They were going to have it. Mahomes' first year as a starter when Cream Hunt was there, and he was excellent, but he got kicked off the team. then they thought they were going to have it with Pacheco, but he broke his leg. And then they drafted Clyde Edwards-Aler in the meantime. He didn't pan out. All those things. For this team who over the last couple years, teams have totally disregarded the running game.

They have stopped. They're not matching the chiefs personnel-wise. They're like, you can be in heavy formation. We're going to still put our nickel defense out there because you can't run the ball. To add that with Patrick coming off the injury, with, I think, a deep. that's going to be a work in progress, which means complementary football, lowering possessions, longer possessions, all those reasons. I think for Kansas City, this is such a bigger impact than adding the league's 11th best running back or wherever. I'm not arguing Kenneth Walker is a superstar.

I'm just arguing he is a good professional running back. And when the chiefs have, I think we can show it the longest streak. Yeah. No thousand yard rusher. The longest. Myholmes' whole career, I didn't realize Justin Herbert's whole career, so credit to him on that. And then, you know, the Saints have had a bunch of quarterbacks and then shorter streaks. I do think that impact coach is going to be absolutely massive. Now, when Kareem Hunt was there in 2018, he had 181 carries for 824 yards and a 4.6 yards. He was great, but they cut him midseason because he had the domestic violence issue. Okay.

And so that's- So, I go, had 170 carries in 2022 for 830 yards and 4.9 yards. Yeah, so that's what, and they won the Super Bowl. And that's when I thought they were going to have that guy, and then he broke his leg the next year. Yeah, so, so now, Kenneth has never had an average as high as this in a single season, but he is a very good back. And there's going to have to be a commitment to run the ball. And he's had over 200 carries most of the seasons that he was in Seattle. so maybe they'll be able to break over 200 carriers for him this year.

But the other part of running the ball is tight ends willing to block in the running game. That's important. Wide receivers typically want them to be part of the running game and be willing to block. So there's got to be a concerted effort by everybody to improve the running game. It's just not, hey, insert running back. Running back changes everything. Collectively, you've got to work on it. You've got to commit to it.

It's got to be collective. And that's where I think B enemy is important. Because BNM. was in Chicago last year when they had the excellent running attack. But you have the personnel to do that? So listen, I think Kelsey is, I think Kelsey as a blocker has, you know, throughout his career, it was the blocking. He is a far inferior blocker to Rob Grunkelski, who's one of the greatest blocking tight ends ever

to go along being such a weapon. So I think because of that, Kelsey is almost regarded as a minus blocker at the position. I don't think that is the case. I think Kelsey is a totally adequate. I don't think he's a dominant blocker. I think he's a totally adequate blocker. I think Rishie Rice is a fine blocker's a wide receiver. I don't, listen, if they're going to run a lot of runs to where Xavier Worthy has to pick up the lead, you know, a linebacker, that's not going to work.

But there's plenty of teams. No, but you just got to be willing to get in the way. Yeah, but I mean, like the Eagles had a dominant running game. with one of their top receivers being the same size Xavier Worthy. Like there's ways to. Right, but that running back is a little different. Well, they had it. No, but they had it even pre-Saquin.

You know what? Like, you can have a small receiver out there and so have a good running game. I think BNemies and the commitment to him playing under center is a big piece of it, bro. Look, I think the addition is properly rated. I think people are looking at like, this will help Mahomes. This should be good. But he's not Derek Henry. He's not Sequin Bar.

You know, like, he's a very good running. back and I do think it could help that I want to ask you this Nick would you have rather and I know it's not in the same realm because of money yeah but let's assume but would you rather have had let's say you don't get a Kenneth Walker you don't get like some

very good running back but you get a top tier so maybe tier right tier two so if they would have gotten Waddle that's the I think a fair comp I would rather Kenneth Walker because I but now if you're talking a

like, you know, a tier, but Waddle, I think, is a fair comp. That's interesting. Because Waddle is very good. Waddle's very good, but I have, I just, I, whether or not he's going to be able to do it this year is, we're yet to be seen. I know the chiefs can have the highest scoring offense in the league with a bunch of

threes and twos at receiver. I saw them do it in 2022. Mahomes had 5,500 total yards. The number of, the, it was ju-ju, it was. It was MBS, it was Hardman, it was Justin Watson. And, listen, Kelsey was 1,300 yards in an elite weapon. I understand that. Going to the hall fan.

No, no, no. Listen, and Kelsey is still there. He's not the same level player he was. I just think, I really think it was underrated last year how at the midway point of the season other teams stopped respecting the run game at all. And it's one of the reasons Mahomes, in my opinion, numbers fell off at midseason. The way they did was he was just, there was no threat. of the run at all. I think it'll be there this year. I think it's a hugely important

addition. What's amazing about that is typically if teams are playing seven in the box, which is that split safety, you have an extra number in the running game. You can out, you outnumber them. You should be successful at a much higher rate running the ball in that situation, whether it's Kenneth Walker or somebody else. And this is so interesting because it's chicken or the egg. Very rarely do you think, oh, we need to get eight in the box in order for our Hall of Fame quarterback to be successful. You know, you're usually like everybody's going to play seven in the box, so our running back is going to look so much better,

and our runs are going to look so much better because they don't have the numbers to match our number. Coach, I don't think they were popping off four yards of carry when it was six in the box. I think that teams were truly like, we know you just want to pass. Aside from, unless it's short, short yardage, you have no faith in your running game at all,

And I think that, and I just think that'll be different. I think it's interesting to Seattle play out and fascinated by it, that you ascribe a lot of the Chiefs running woes to the running back. Well, and the coaches think it might be more of a system issue. Well, it's the fact that he got sacked the most of his career, like at the highest percentage, and they didn't run the ball. It's probably a little deeper than just the running back. The old line, the running, like, that's a group.

effort to hit both those marks. I think it was cascading. I think it was, Pacheco never was the same after the injury, and Cream Hunt is good at one. It was great at one thing. Fourth and one, third, and one. It was like a glorified tush putt.

Right. I mean, he was a lead at that, but that was it. So I think that was one thing. I think Andy was a little stubborn on simply never playing under center and doing under center runs, even though the rare times we did it, they were effective. I think that was the problem.

And I think the fact that we were down, you know, at various points in the year, were on our third right tackle, our third left tackle. You know what I mean? Trey Smith gets, all of a sudden, you're on deep reserve offensive linemen, you have substandard running back play, you know, you're not really calling an offense that makes people defend the run, all those things. So I think all those.

Correct, which I, yeah, I mean. Cascating makes sense. No, that definitely was. You know my new favorite word is multifactoral? More than multifacety? Yeah. No, multifamily. There's several factors.

Oh, okay. Is that a real work? Is that a real word? Yeah. I heard it. And I'm going to use it all the time. Have you looked it up though? No, I don't look it up.

I just know it's a real thing. No, no, but I should. Josh, let's copyright multifactoral. What is Viking ceiling with Kyle? I have a great full screen coach is going to love. It's multifactorily. You got to do it. Defense.

Coach, you don't I'm fascinated by it. Saturday night is baseball night in America. Brewers are hot. Dodgers just swept the Royals. Then you got the snakes and the Braves and the Reds and the Reds. And the Reds. socks who have decided to stop winning games, which I preferred. Just against Toronto. Now losing games.

They look good. And the pirates. This should be a W for us. Saturday seven on Fox. Welcome back to first things first. Bucky Brooks was talking about the best contracts in the NFL. He cited Kyler Murray in Minnesota. They're only paying Kyler.

1.3 million. Arizona's eaten the rest. Brooks writing with Murray still in his prime and fueled by the skeptics, dismissing his return to prominence as QB1. The diminutive, the diminutive playmaker can rewrite the narrative surrounding his name with a bounce back performance in 2026. Here's an interesting stat, but my guy, Kevin O'Connell, Connell, foreigner patriot. He's tied for the best winning percentage at 632. He's also tied for the fifth most, fifth best, yes, fifth most starting quarterbacks with eight.

So he's winning with everybody. Do you think he's going to win with Kyler? What is the Vikings ceiling? They're sealing. With him playing well with my- Yeah, I mean, I sneak into the playoffs, so I'd be surprised by that. Sealing we're talking?

Yeah, I know the question. Sneaking to the playoffs, what in the world? So coach, I think, might be interested in this. Okay. Because I think there is a chance. Kevin O'Connell, the head coach of the whole operation, everything, might be either properly rated or a touch underrated, while Kevin O'Connell, quarterback whisperer, might be wildly overrated.

So Kevin O'Connell gets all this credit for what. Look at what he did with Kirk Cousins and look at what he did with Sam Darnold. So imagine what he's going to do with Kyler Murray. So I was like, hmm, what was Kurt Cousins doing when he had an old curmudgeonly, defensive-minded Mike Zimmer as the head coach who didn't give a damn about the offense. Again, the team got way better than next year.

How'd Kirk do? Well, they scored fewer points and completion went down. Yards about the same. Yards per pass, went down. Toucher interceptions went down and a lot. With the quarterback whisper. It was the quarterback whisperer. And then they lost the playoff game, Daniel Jones. Kurt Cousins then the neck. And by the way, the two years prior to

2021 under Zimmer, Cousins had a 102 and 107 passer rating. So I don't, you know, I don't know if that was, he played pretty well. He played well. And then the team played it's best that under O'Connell. They lost playoff game. Then Cousins got hurt and moves on. Yeah, but look at what he was Sam Darnold.

What would Sam Darnold look like without Kevin O'Connell? I don't know when the Super Bowl. The team would score even more points. Now the touchdown interception ratio took a huge hit for the yards per pass. Actually went up the completion percentage went up. So I am just. is it fair to at least question that whether or not

Kevin O'Connell is going to have this massive career-changing impact on Kyler Murray when I don't I don't know if that's what the evidence of clearly they win games with him clearly they can deal with a bunch of different quarterbacks I think he deserves a lot of credit for that but we think of him as like the quarterback whisperer type

I don't know if the evidence actually supports that in full and who are the other six quarterbacks that he won games with or did he just win games with those two guys that they get the bark of his winning rosemary well a couple with the pasturant they were winning games jj. mccarthy was winning games pastor not yeah yeah yeah he was winning i mean they won a few yeah they went nine and eight last year with a patchwork quilt of quarterbacks that

can't start yeah to the next point about the quarterback risk wasper if you draft a guy in the first round which you were heavily a part of evaluating and signing off on and then after two was it your two or your three this is this is your three After two years, 10 starts. He was hurt. Really, the start of training camp, we didn't even get in the preseason games. You're moving on and you go get a veteran. That takes a little hit to your quarterback whisper.

And we'll see what he does with Kyler Murray. He hasn't had a quarterback like Kyla Murray. All those guys that we talked about, they're different types of players than Kyler is. Kyler, he has missed over half the games, two out of the last three years. He's at double-digit interceptions. I think four out of the seven years that he's been there. It hasn't been great in Arizona, and stylistically, will they lean into what he does well?

So the things that he did do well in Arizona, will they lean into, or are they just going to force him to, you learn our system, you play our system, you do our system. And then is Kyler, you know, is he off the, what is it? The call of duty is for your work? Call of duty. Like, is he off that? I haven't heard it.

Yeah. Dusty hasn't seen him streaming. Or are we back there? It could be a great second act, but. I think the ceiling with him playing well is winning one playoff game. Because if he plays well, they could win that division. Their defense, we assume, with Brian Flores is going to be great. It's been top seven the last two years.

Obviously, they got tons of weapons. Not just the receiver. Obviously, you got Jefferson within Jordan Addison. T.J. Hawkinson is a tight end. And running backs, I mean, Aaron Jones, but also Jordan Mason, who was rented well in San Francisco, over five yards of carry for his career.

So they have all types of weapons. Defense is good. They could win that division, which could mean a light first round matchup as light as it could get in the NFC. And they could win that game. Murray was historically bad in his one playoff game. So I wouldn't see them being able to go much further.

than that. But if he, if it works out for him, I can see like one playoff win. It's not predictions week, but I'm very high on Kyler and the Vikings. If you go nine and eight with Brosmer won a game, he threw 51 yards, J.J. McCarthy is on the verge of being a backup. And Carson Wentz played five games with them. They didn't come in last, although it felt like they come in, they came in last. I think they can, what? I'm a defense wins championship. Are any of those quarterbacks similar to Kyler Murray at all? No, I think it's an upgrade.

It's a, you view it as a negative. It's a great question. Having a mobile quarterback, if I was Kevin O'Connell, like, wow, now I got a guy who can, Sam Droghan, move a little bit. He wants to paint by numbers kind of guy, right? If he's mobile within the context of the scheme, if he's mobile where he just, I don't know where to go with the ball,

I'm going to run around for 45 minutes. Before you go, I'm going to give you the worst case scenario. Dusty, do we have the graphic. no playoff wins in the last six seasons. For a team that has put up a few, you know, double-digit win seasons. Yeah, there's two teams on this graphic that should be ashamed, and it's the first two listed.

The Steelers for a different reason. And the Chargers have, you know, switched over their coaching staff. Could you see something happening with... I just know, I mean, I just... Independent of all this is the underlying factor that I don't think Kyler Murray's an above-average NFL quarterback.

I don't think he's one of the top 16 quarterbacks. I don't think he's one of the top 20 quarterbacks. And I don't think that it's been bad luck that has bedeviled him. He was in the 2019 draft. He came into the league one draft after Josh, two drafts after Patrick, a draft

before Joe Burrough. We would have said that about Darnold, though. But double- digit picks every time you play 14 games or more. That's not a great stat to follow here. Carson Palmer got to an MC championship game with Arizona. Kurt Warner got to the Super Bowl with Arizona. They, I mean, they.

Nice. Yeah. I mean. Anthony Richardson tonight. I'm excited for this. That's next guy. Yeah, Nick. Guys, that's a little.

Love. That's true. Check out social media. Gianna's just crushing it. We're on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, IHeart, podcasts everywhere. That's the one you guys. Agnostic, they call it.

Yeah. Brew was still sobering up from Champagne and the weather. Winners and losers. Winners and losers. Those recover. Showcases. Sneaky great game.

Tommy DeVito and the Patriots taking on Anthony Richardson and the Colts tonight. Your guy. Is he coming back? Nick? That's your guy. You love it. Again, my entire Anthony Richardson take was I didn't like Bryce or CJ. So of the quarterbacks in the class, I'll take the guy who's 6'5.

That was the entire- I don't know that that was quite it. No, it was. No, no, no. It was that I don't know that I like any of the quarterbacks, But he's the guy I would take number one overall because of the traits because I was so ambivalent on the other quarterbacks. Now, briefly, CJ made me look ridiculous on that. We'll see how it goes out.

I still believe in Anthony Richardson as a maybe. For my same argument of JJ McCarthy, I'm considering, I liked Anthony Richardson somewhat coming out of college. I didn't like JJ. Either way, if you're going to draft a super young raw quarterback, you got to let him play. He's never let him play. I'll play tonight. Yeah. And they were eight and seven with him.

Overall. He had some exciting place. He got on the injury suffered last year is brutal. Loser. Exercise band broke his eye socket. Have you seen this story, girl? Safety. This is crazy.

High school in Arkansas, a player practiced with a cotton mouth snake living in his helmet. Living? How long was the snake? I don't know how long was there, but he was practicing. He was wearing the helmet for about an hour. Brewer, are you a fan of snakes at head? Not being in your helmet. I mean, I'm not really a fan anyway.

Are we being fast and loose with Viper? What's the definition of Viper? Viper. I mean, it's a great question. I just had snake. I was not saying viper. The kid is fine, obviously, right? Nothing.

Yeah, he doesn't. Does Viper just mean any, is any venomous snake a viper? Um, I don't know that. I didn't know that. I did not know. You know, my son used to briefly bred snakes. What? Yeah.

You had snakes in your house? No. As an adult. How did they find out he had? He sold them all before his baby was born. But yeah. Do you have a slugling snake? So did the snake start coming out of his?

You know who's also big in the media? You know who's very big in this? Then in a species of viper for a cotton mouth. Yeah. You know who's also in the sports media? Super into snakes. Has a bunch of them does Instagram videos with them. The great Andrea Carter, WMBA and NBA analyst for ESPN.

She is a big snake collection. Did not know that. Final winner, Alex Bregman, three home run game for Alex Bregman. Sweet Christ, man. As the Cubs toppled the Nationals. Here with more is our resident Cubs correspondent, Danny, welcome back to the show. Good to get the Cubs back in the show. It's been a while, guys.

How are you? He's the rabbi of the RBI. Alex Bregman, three home runs. And do you smell that? What is that? Fear in Milwaukee. No, it's not. Cubs only three games back of the Brewers, baby.

We're going to close that cat. You know what I'm saying? I thought it was ignorance because you don't think Babe Ruth existed. No, that's the PCA thing. That's not Breggman. Oh, you're right. Can I tell you something? Same team.

I know it's going to seem rich coming from me who's turned this show somewhat into a chief show. We might be over serving the local Chicago Cubs. What? Are you kidding? He did a PCA commentary to end the show. Yes, to the MVP. He will be. First Things First is sponsored by Ram Trucks.

You're the one that brought it up. Wow, live from New York, First Things First overtime. Today, talking Chargers, Justin Herbert. Are they taking over the AFC West? A story six years in the making. Every August. Danny used to do a podcast called First and Pod. I pulled sound from it where he picked the Chargers four years in a row.

Hey. I wish that wasn't true. We wouldn't even do this. I wish that wasn't. Meanwhile, what can Jordan Love prove? He'll get some action tonight when he takes on the Steelers. Any news on Aaron Rogers? Josh, is Aaron Rogers?

I mean football news. No, I mean football. Football news. And finally, special edition of Frememies. We haven't done this in a while. And a story that Nick is not going to let go. Well, it's just outrageous. That means you're on the other side?

No. We don't always. We're not always on the other side. Why does it call frenemies? Okay. Because we're friends and enemies, but sometimes. It's got to be like that. Not always.

Sometimes we disagree. Sometimes we're more friends. I was about to say. Yeah. I was about to say it. I'm still going to make it mad during the second. Yeah, but I mean, Josh Allen, the best decision maker I believe. I also hear Kyler's the tallest quarterback.

We've had some wacky opinions. I think Stafford's got the fastest 40. Who's a lot? Who's got the strongest arm? Josh Allen. It might be Josh. Chris Brasard, Kevin Wilde's Nick Wright, and Danny Pryton. Sam Donald's got the highest spin rate.

My guy, Anthony Richardson. On tonight against Tommy DeVito. Career on the line for Anthony Richardson. Career on the line in a preseason game, maybe. Like that Trey Lance game. Five touchdowns, five interceptions or whatever it was. He can throw it over the mountain. Yeah.

I kind of like it to. Yeah. He's got traits. Head to Baltimore where history shows that when Lamar gets a new offensive coordinator also gets a brand new MVP. Greg Roman's first year, MVP. Todd Munkin's first year. Boom.

Got an MVP. Jameson Hensley, friend of the show, I think. Never met him. Because we talk about him all the time. I think he's a guy you really admire. He does an excellent job. He gives us a lot of content. Jameson, if you ever want to come on the show, you're welcome.

Come out with the robe, the sandwich. Now, under Doyle, Jackson has the opportunity to continue the trend where he embraces a new vision featuring different alignments, cadence, targets to become the league's most acclaimed. player yet again in 2026. I don't know if Danny, do you want to go here? Do you want to give it to the Ravens expert? I'm happy to go, but if you would like to step in. I'm expecting him to be dying there we go. There we go. I mean, I will be absolutely shocked if he doesn't have a great season. I'm not necessarily, I don't know that I'll predict MVP, but I think he'll play well enough

to be in that consideration. And considering the year he had last. year that they had. If he is great, you know, at that level, he could certainly win it again. But every time, to your point, every time people have questioned him, he's come through. Now, he hasn't yet gotten over the playoffs to the playoffs.

But in the regular season, all the things people thought he couldn't do, he's turned out to do incredibly well. And so with the, I think the weapons are still great. Now, we'll see what Jacoby Lane is lame. Great? Because, well, Derek Henry, I think not great, but the receiving court is good enough.

Zay Flowers, you know, pro-ball receiver, not elite, but pro-bow receiver. Basically, Justin Jeremy. If Bateman stays healthy, I think he can be good. And I think that I love it if Jacoby Lane can really pop. We'll see. I'm not going to go over because of a great training camp. Works are good. But him being under center, I think he'll do it very.

very well. He dominated seventh grade. It was great pot warder but it makes the offense that much more unpredictable. The play action comes in now and still having a great running back. We think then that's just going to make

them more dangerous. So yeah, I just expect if he's healthy, which can be a little bit of a question mark, but if he's fully healthy, Danny, I will be shocked if their offense isn't great. And your boy, Declan Doyle, I think, will really be good there. I think of those five names, Alan Lamar, Mahomes, Burrow, Herbert.

I would be most surprised if Lamar won MVP. Wow. It's not a knock on Lamar, but the surrounding kids. I disagree with you. Like, Zay Flowers, if we were ranking number one receivers in the NFL. I think he's like 14 or 15. Yeah, and I had him like eight. I don't disagree with that, but he's done that with.

He's one of the mediocre to poor receiving cores already. No doubt. Derek Henry is now 32. I would think that he would maybe benefit from Declan Doyle more than Lamar would ironically because it comes from a Ben Johnson

offense under center, make it more like more distance between the quarterback and the running back on the handoff, get him to the outside more, be a better rush offense. Like I think it's good for Derek Henry maybe, which is good for Lamar in terms of winning and staying healthy, but not necessarily statistically for MVP.

They lost likely. They lost Linderbaum. Pro football focus going into the year, and I know their rankings are of much debate at different times. They rank their offensive line as the 24th best. That would be a problem. And that's just not conducive for him with the career low in rushing yards and rushing attempts and the injuries.

And if I'm looking at Baltimore this year and making the case for them as a team that can win a Super Bowl, I think. think it is much more likely, like significantly more likely, that they have a top five defense than a top five offense with the head coaching hire, with the talent, with Madibuque getting healthy on the defensive line. I could just see them being more of a running team, a defensive team, and protecting Lamar, because if Lamar is hurt, it's over. But they've always been a great running team. Even before they got Henry, they were a heavy run team. He doesn't throw it nearly as much as other quarterbacks.

And when Henry rushed for, what was it, 1,900 yards a couple of years, Lamar had a great season. So I agree. I think Henry, assuming he can still do it, will have a, will benefit. I mean, it's just easier to run for a halfback when the quarterback's under center. So I agree with that. I've retired from the doubting Derek Henry role. Smart.

I just say, my watch has ended. Yep. And I, and I, there's a lot. There was a lot of reason to believe two years ago he wasn't going to be the same guy. And then last year after that, it wasn't going to be saying, you know what? Maybe it'll be this year. Maybe this is when I should have played those same lottery numbers, but I'm not going to. I'm going to assume Derek Henry is just going to be awesome until we see him not be awesome since he's been awesome.

Also since he was taking under center in seventh grade and never really slowed down from there. In order for Lamar to put him. up an MVP level season, I think a player who has pretty clearly tried to lessen the amount of his game is based on his running and athleticism, needs to lean back into it one last year. And I say one last year because I assume if he has a great year, he will get the contract that he wanted going, this offseason, that I think he probably, you could argue, should have gotten this offseason given what he has done since he signed his last contract. that he's got a couple years left.

They wanted him to wait. So be it. That's fine. Wait another year. And then if after he signs, you know, his third big contract in the league or his third contract in the league, if he wants to be like, okay, I'm, you know, I'm not going to take that punishment anymore. So be it.

Like, I wouldn't blame him for that. But I, my concern for Lamar, even if we set the injury piece totally aside and just give him the healthy games, the lack of his willingness to run, plus the, you know, the, you know, huge uptick in sack rate and bad sacks to me were almost when hand and glove. I think there were plays that in the past he would have more early earlier been like, I got to go, that he's like, I want to actually hang in a little bit longer. And then the fact that he's not quite as dynamic of an athlete as he was four years ago, plus him hanging a little longer led to some of the really bad plays.

the bad plays that don't show up in his pastor rating there's touchdown interception ratio because they're drive-killing sacks. I do think Baltimore I like Jesse Minter. I thought that was a good, Bill's new head coach I'm not as sure as you can be about a rookie head coach. I like Mentor. I agree with Danny that the defense should take a big jump

with him plus Trey Hendrickson, the addition. I'm not sure if I will see about Montabuque's health. Looks like they avoided dodged a bullet on Nate Wiggins yesterday. That looks scary. but maybe they dodged it. So I think MVP season, it would be foolish to say it's not on the board because half of his years,

the last, since he became a full-time starter, have been MVP caliber. But I don't think it's, I think he's going to have to look a little more like old school Lamar and a little more dynamic running than we've seen him look the last couple years to do it. Mike McDaniel had to the West Coast. This is great.

I can't wait for this. He says he's hungry. He's got an appetite for winning. Take a listen. I'm not sure if the team's more hungry than I am or vice versa, but it was a great fit in that way because there was a lot of like ambition moving forward. So I think, you know, this group of people has a great chance

to be their very best version of themselves in December and January by stacking days. Okay. What are the chances Herbert and the Chargers take over the AFC West, Parkins? First of all, can I just thank the Chargers social media team? I can't get enough of the mic'd up Mike McDaniel content. Pretty good. I want all of it. I click on all of it.

It is so enjoyable. Harbaugh McDaniel. I cannot get enough. They're just fawning over Herbert. It's like Madison beer levels, but with coaches. Yeah, without touching his hair, basically. Yeah, that's really all that's lacking from that content. So thank you to the Chargers.

What if I told you that he already has? Then you'd be, honestly, we've got to move on. We'll do the Texans. This is so bad. We'll do it. Well, listen, the Chargers haven't, but Justin Herbert. Oh, interesting. Justin Herbert.

I mean, I watched earlier. I saw all of the Mahomes in his career against the division and Mahomes against the A. and discounting the last couple of years. It's not discounting. That was included. You included it. But I'm saying like right.

We put more of an emphasis on what we've seen recently. Yeah. Yeah. We obviously like the Tyreek Hill era of Mahomes is not as relevant as last year Mahomes. Yeah. I'm going to put more of an emphasis on what we've seen recently. Do we all agree with that? I think that's a fair way to look at it.

All right. Well, let's just look then at Justin Herbert against the AFC West in the last two years. It's been pretty good. He's nine and two with seven. with 17 touchdowns against four picks and a pass rating over 100. He struggled at the beginning, but he got Harbaugh, he got a real coach who knows how to win,

and he's dominated his opponents. Now, his team has been hurt, so they have the only team in the AFC West that's been hurt? No, I'm not saying that. I'm just curious, since he's been dominating it. Yeah. And we're just worried about the last two years.

How often have they won the division? Zero times. Okay, well, then I don't. I think he's taking it over. Eleven, again. I don't think. I just don't think he's taking it over yet. Okay, well, then has any quarterback taken over any division?

Because Justin Herbert has the best record against his division of any player in football the last two years. Yeah, again, without ever winning the division. Okay, but he wins the division games. Okay. In that context, he beats the division. Okay. That's an interesting way to look at it. Thank you.

Okay. So you think they're the best team in the AFC West? I do. And you think. this is the year. It's been, it's been, when's the last time they won it? I don't know.

I know that Chiefs won nine in a row. At least seven. No, it's been more than 10 years. Much long. They were in San Diego. It was Phillip Rivers. Like in 14 maybe? Oh, gee, it's been a while.

It's been a while. 2009, thank you. So a little longer than I thought. Ledani and Tomlinson and Philip Rivers were cooking them up. Got it. Once every 18 years. I... I can't...

I cannot... I cannot believe that this is a rake that you want to step on again. Will you admit to the audience that dating well before you were a part of the first thing's first family? That ever since Herbert's second year in the NFL, you have thought, that his team was going to win the AFC West? Yes. Yes. I will concede that. And every year

there is a different after the fact reason as to why we should have seen it coming. And that is, it's coaches that you thought were good enough to win the AFC West, then the coaches were a problem. I was wrong about Brandon Staley. It's defenses

that you thought were good enough to have a top 10 defense that then were the problem. And last year, correct me if I'm wrong, but one of the two tackles got hurt well before the season started. Yeah. Rishon Slater. So we knew that he was going to be without at least one of his tackles. And then Joe Alt missed two thirds of the season, came back at some point, missed two thirds of the season.

And that was then just a great, you couldn't overcome it. My concern for the Chargers this year that I will be on the front end of, I think the fall guy this season, for as to why the Chargers don't actually reach their alleged potential, which I don't, again, I don't think the Chargers have massively underachieved because I don't think they've been as good as people have tried to convince themselves they are. I don't think they have good weapons flatly. We'll see if their second year running back that was either an early, second round pick or a first round pick. I don't know. Amari and Hampton. Was he late first or late first or early second? Late first. He's good. We'll see. He was good. He was good when he

was healthy last year. You don't think Mike McDaniel can spring? And Ladd-McConkie's good. He is. Latte. Mattel did a pretty good job. Again, I think Ladd-McConkey is very good at a very specific thing that you cannot build your offense around. I don't, I think that the, and I'm not just saying this because he's a white guy, but the other elite undersized slot receivers, you never built the offense around them. They were a huge compliment to, you know what I mean, what was? When Welker was killing it in New England. Lad's a 43940 guy, man. He's good. I'm not saying he's not athletic. I'm simply saying, I don't think you can build your, I don't think your offensive attack can be based around an undersized slot receiver, no matter what his athletic

traits are. And I think that right now, if I were a Justin Herbert guy, I would not right now be trying to explain how actually he has great weapons, because then you're going to be out of the late season excuses that we're going to need. Because I actually think he is at a deficit weapon-wise. I think Mike McDaniel, while I do like him, and I think he is. is good. We just talked about to the segment about how Greg

Roman got to the Ravens. Lamar was held back by him so much. He won league MVP. Greg Roman got to the Chargers and all of a sudden Herbert stops turning the ball over. People like it. He's with Harbaugh. And he wasn't a problem until the playoff game

they needed a fall guy. Like nobody was killing Greg Roman last year when the Chargers winning 11 games despite the tackle injuries. So I just don't, I didn't look at the Chargers as Offensive coordinator is what is killing them. Yeah, but Mike McDaniel is going to be. They had 10 different offensive line combinations.

He was sacked 56 times. It was a jailbreak offensive line situation, and they still won 11 games. Yes. I saw the season as well. But I'm saying two of their four highest paid players and two of their four best players are now back. That is a sick. Any team loses two of their four highest paid players. It is a debilitating situation.

It happened to be the two guys who played the same position. Did you end up picking game by game chargers? Yeah. How to work on. Do we have, if Christine, if we have the schedule, can we throw it up? We can throw up the charges schedule, I'm sure. I think I have that, what I have, 11 wins, I believe. I don't think 11 wins is going to be enough to win the division.

Really? I'm surprised. Yeah, no. I mean, you know I think the chiefs are going to win 12. So I don't think 11 wins usually isn't enough to win divisions other than the two souths. Those are usually the two divisions. They've been, right, listen, they've been the runner up in the division the last two years at 11 wins. It's a very tough schedule. I think, is this what I?

Oh, there's Danny's win losses. Yeah, 11. I mean, I don't, I mean, I, week three through 10, I would have some excuses ready for when the chargers are three and six going into that jet's game. I would, I would personally just be very prepared for who we're going to. blame for an under 500 team when the calendar turns to November. Well, that's why we watch the games. I can come up with the excuses then. Yeah. I just, the chiefs have questions at pass catcher, pass rusher, and it's an entirely new

secondary. The Broncos lost Franklin Myers on the defensive line. We'll see if they can repeat their defensive dominance from last year. There are at least some questions with Bo Nix. They were remarked. They had 11 wins in one score games. Like, I can poke holes in all three of the AFC West team. I will admit, I'm still reeling from you saying Herbert has already taken over the AFC West.

I'm reeling from that. But otherwise, I am with you. I think they're the best team in the division. And I think Herbert is going to be in the MVP hunt. I think he could win it this year because I think Mike McDaniel is going to unlike. He's better than Tua, obviously. And Tua was sensational with at least that one year with McDaniel. I love McDaniel.

Predictions week coming up August 31st. While you were gone on vacation, Brew showed maybe one of his cards that he started flirting with the Chargers and becoming the Chargers guy for the first two hours of the show. I really like to be very... But you haven't made up your mind

on the AFC West Jet, have you? No, but I'm leaning heavily Chargers. I can't take vacation. I lose the Charter. I go on vacation for one week. I lose Justin Herbert. So that... Okay.

I just want everyone to be on the record right now. The Chargers' offensive line is going to be good this year. You expect it to be good. It's going to be five new guys from last year. Okay, but you're going into the year, you assume they have a good offensive line. They have the best tackle combination. Yeah, sure, good enough. Good enough.

And you think their weapons are adequate or better? And you think their defense is good. Yeah, I mean, he's going to be a little worse without mentor. And you love the coaching staff. And you love the coaching set. Yeah. Yeah. I'm very excited.

They got good enough. Yeah, good enough. Time is now, Justin. Is Josh Allen best? Time was last. That was the whole time. They got injured. They're definitely times.

Happy friend of me's Thursday. It's been a while. Now listen, I love offseason lists. And then you get an unexpected top five and you make my friend Nick Wright upset. It really is a great day. Dan Orlovsky ranked quarterbacks by traits such as arm strength, pocket presence, and more. Here was his top 10 for decision making. Now, you would think because it's front of me as we were going to debate maybe Mahomes's place on the list, where's Caleb Williams?

But I'm not even going to make that claim. Caleb's 58% completion last year. I don't know if you heard. So Nick, we'll center the discussion around good old number one. Yeah. Josh Allen. Yeah. I said he's the best quarterback in football.

Yeah. You did. You got beef with him being the number one best decision maker? It's not so much that I have beef with it as well. much as it really stretches the realm of believability. Okay. I don't think Josh Allen's the best quarterback in the league. I do think he's the second best quarterback in the league.

So there's clearly an argument for it? No, there's actually no argument for it. There's no argument he's the best quarterback in football? No, you could be there was, you know, to use, there were periods of LeBron and Jordan's career where guys who were the second best player in the league, there was no argument. They were the best player in the league. And for Josh right now, he is in the midst of the prime of the LeBron or Jordan, pick your what you would rather.

So no, I don't think there's an argument he's the best quarterback in the league. But I at least accept that that is an opinion people ardently actually hold. I did not think until this morning that this was an. opinion anyone actually held. I thought the general take on Allen was all of his amazing traits offset what is otherwise shaky decision making. I view Josh Allen as one of the only fair knocks on him as an elite quarterback is of the elite quarterbacks, he is pretty objectively the worst decision maker. He is a worst

decision maker than Mahomes. He is a worst decision maker than Burrow or Stafford or Lamar. Again, playoff struggles for Lamar notwithstanding. Those haven't really been because he all of a sudden is making awful decisions. Josh Allen has

on film from the last game he played one of the single worst decisions I've ever seen a star quarterback make in a playoff. If this was a courtroom and we were like, to the jury, I would like to submit this tape as evidence.

It's pretty damage. It's an open and shut case. You can't have this on your resume anywhere in the last three years and be at the top of the list, much less have it on your resume in the last game you played. And so I don't, listen, I respect Dan. And I think Dan is an earnest guy. I don't understand how he can make this argument.

So like you, I read every word of the piece. And like you, I've never met Dan, but I do respect him. And I think he's a really good analyst. You know, he said in the write-up about Allen, he was like he had 10 interceptions and three fumbles. I was like, he had four turnovers in the playoff game. So he was clearly only looking at the regular season. Well, I don't think he was only. See, I disagree.

But I'm saying in the write-up. In the stats, he was only using regular season stats. But he didn't reference the playoff game. He didn't reference the playoff game. I'm going to assume he saw it. I'm going to assume he saw it. But I'm saying if you had four turnovers in a playoff game and the metric is decision-making, it is an omission.

It is a pretty grave omission to leave it out. And I just thought that there were inconsistencies because at one point in the article he talked about, you know, guys got knocked for games missed. But then Jaden Daniels was a top five decision maker. Like Jaden Daniels is a better decision maker than DAC, than Burrow. than Patrick Mahomes. Then Patrick Mahomes. Like, it struck me as just inconsistent.

At one point, he wrote, like, it was hard to leave Justin Herbert off the list for top 10 best mechanics. He probably should be on there. Well, then, what's your list? Right, right. Then put him on there. So I just didn't, I didn't find a consistent through line through the rankings of what mattered and what didn't. Other than with Josh Allen, because if you go back to the list from the year before, he was the second best decision. Because his turnover rate has gone down to Allen's credit.

Yeah, and they've taken the ball out of his hands more than before. They've been a running team, sure. I mean, I did see a consistent through line in the whole thing. It was a Josh Allen love letter, as so much of the offseason media has been, whether it has been my, and this guy is actually a friend. And not that I just don't know Dan well enough. I assume we'd be friends. But Barnwell saying he'd be the quarterback of the decade.

Kyle Brandt saying he's the Steph Curry of the NFL If I were step Just like Jaden's people Send a cease and desist If it's people Aeat should send a cease and desist Can we not compare the guy

Who is You know the who has never been To a Super Bowl to me who has four Rings and has been to six finals But here's my other thing On this for we move on And this is what I find Stretch's credulousness

Does Dan Do you know what? Do you know how there isn't a single thing on the football field? Patrick Mahomes is better than Josh Allen. Not one thing because these rankings say nope, that across the board

Allen's better than him at everything. That's why the other couple months ago we were asked I think in one of the walk-in videos who's the most underrated player in sports. That's why I said Patrick. Because like, so Patrick, Patrick, okay, he's got good but not great second reaction ability. And other than that, he's on the outside looking in and the top five for everything.

And half the traits, he's not even in the top 10. So again, there's just like follow-up questions with something like this because statistically, Alan has been significantly better than Mahomes the last couple of years in the regular season. Yeah, last two years in the regular season. Right. And Mahomes has not had a MVP caliber regular season going back to 2020. in the last three years. In the last three years, right? And so, but I just, I don't know what to make, because like for the all decade team stuff, like, Alan has more touchdowns this decade than Mahomes, but obviously Mahomes has way more playoff accomplishments than Alan. It's not even a debate. So, like, I just, sometimes I feel like there needs to be follow of questions on, are we just overrating the regular season and underrating the team accomplishment of the playoffs? No, it's very simple. For some reason, there is, And this is my, and then we move on. My only, I have no gripe with Josh Allen.

I think he's awesome. You think he's coddled by the media? It's not even coddled. I think it is, it is borderline recreation of history. I think it is, it is, the Josh, some of the Josh Allen discourse is the closest we get in sports to political discourse. We're actually not debating opinions. We're debating historical fact, which is the best thing about sports in today's ecosystem is

we don't come on this show and be like, can the Rams, or can the Seahawks repeat? And you're like, well, what do you mean repeat? They didn't win. And then we're arguing about who won something. Right. That doesn't happen in sports. We're getting close with some of the Josh Allen stuff

I've seen this summer, which is even more baffling because you could argue this summer is on the heels of, his nadir is a player. Yeah, correct. His worst playoff game in his biggest spot. His coach got fired. He's crying. He gets it.

And everyone else is like, you know what? I think he's the best I've ever seen. I don't follow it. I want to talk Bengals with you because I think this is a place where we actually have more disagreement. That was one more of agreement in me, Igging you on, which I also enjoyed. Bengals were playing the Lions tonight at 7. Joe Burrow expected to play along with some of the other stars on CINC. He only played eight games last year due to injury.

injuries. Playoff contention, though, until the bitter ends. Try to make it back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2021. I am surprised how little chance you are giving the bangles of being a contender this year. I just don't. There's to me one of the biggest misnomer's that you hear thrown around in the NFL is, oh, if that team gets in, they're dangerous. And by misnomer's, I mean, I think people misunderstand what dangerous means. Because we heard it, people won't believe it, but we heard this three years ago about the Browns. The Browns, when the defense was peaking, I think, was it Flacco was the quarterback? Whomever, they were like, that's the team no one wants to play. Last year, you were hearing it with Cincinnati when Burroughs like, oh, man, if they get in.

Right. There is a huge difference between being a team that is dangerous as far as, oh, they could beat anybody in a single game and that team's ability to string together consecutive playoff wins. I do think the Bengals could sneak into the playoffs, and I do think if you have Joe Burrow in the playoffs, you are able, in theory, to beat anybody because he could, you know, be on a heater and put up 40 points. I do not think they have the coaching.

defense, the offensive line, or the running game to be able to win multiple postseason games in a row. And I worry that those structural issues will prevent them from even getting to the postseason. So that's the distinction I'm drawing, if that makes sense. No, it does. I would just kind of reframe, like, last year's Bengals team was so bad defensively. I am open to the possibility that they could be okay this year because of what's happened in the offseason. Do you think they could be a top three offense? No. Okay, so that So top, but we're parsing. I think they could be top six.

Like, I think they could be an excellent offense. All right. So I guess my, I did it with top three because I think that that's what they would need to be. Because my belief is if you are truly a lead on one side of the ball, you're a contender. Because you could just, if you're the Texans, if you're the best defense by far and you get in, you can shut people out as long as your offense is passable. But C.J. Stroud wasn't passable last year. So if the Bengals can string together a top three offense, and I happen to like Chase Brown a little bit more than you in terms of the ability for them to be balanced,

if they're all healthy. This is the list of top three scoring offenses who have won the Super Bowl in the last 20 years. And I'm wondering, like, can they be the 22 Chiefs? No. Or the 06 Colts? Like, why? Why? Can they be a top three offense?

And when they added Dexter Lawrence, then their second round pick was on defense, their third round pick was on defense, they added Boye-Moffey, they added Jonathan Allen. They spent top $5 in free agency on the defensive side of the ball. I feel like they could be okay defensively and elite offensively. Okay, so that, so maybe, but the 22 chiefs had to score 38 points to win the Super Bowl, and they went out and did it.

Like the, I don't think they can have an offense near as good as the 22 chiefs where Mahomes set the single season combined yardage record. So like that's why I don't think they can be them. 06 Colts is an interesting one because that team that overall defensive, defensive rank was awful, but Bob Sanders came back late in the year, remember, and in the playoffs, that defense was actually excellent. And they caught Rex Grossman. Right. Well, yeah, yeah, because Peyton had three touchdowns, seven picks on that playoff run. They won anyway. So I understand the point you're making. My pushback is, and again, I'm looking at this list.

I think of everyone on this list, aside from maybe the 17 Eagles, this team has pretty clearly, the most limited coaching staff. I think that they don't have a reliable offensive line, which does make the numbers. Burrow puts up all the more impressive on his end. And I need to, it is rare we see a made on the fly veteran-laden defense. You know what I mean? All of a sudden, I get what they're doing.

And I think Dexter Lawrence, while I think they paid a premium for him, is an excellent player, boy, Amafé, is a good player. I get that. I just, I am one of the only people that doesn't, that looks at the Bengals as, it's surprising when they're in the playoffs, not the other way around. I think people, the last few years have been like, wow, the Bengals missed it. Bengals miss it all the time. I also like to believe right this time of year that a lot of people can win.

Yeah. Like, you know, it's the timing year or no, like, I could squint and put that graphic up and be like, yeah, maybe that's the path for the Cowboys. Maybe that's the path for the Bengals. I think the Cowboys have a much more plausible path to Super Bowl than Cincinnati. much more. All right. I think they're similarly constructed.

Maybe that's next week on front of me. Oh wait. You're on vacation. Next week. Oh, yeah. Jordan Love. Got to figure this guy out. Is it going to be MVP or inconcee?

Where are you going to be a week from today, buddy? Pinehurst. Yeah, exactly. Good point. Is it going to be my best predictions yet? I think that that shows part. You and Caleb both making jumps. Yeah, making progress.

Yeah. It was 60% two years ago. So it's year three for me on national TV. on national TV. Let's not forget. Thank you very little. All right. Welcome back to the O.T. Obviously coach Mangini is out here now. Let's go to Pittsburgh where the packers open their preseason against the Steelers with Jordan Love at the helm whose season last year. Hey, who beat him to end the season last year? That's right. It was. I think they beat themselves.

Agreed to disagree again. Was an 18 point lead in the second half. They did have an 18 point lead. That's a big comeback collapse, whatever. That's not the point. Coach. What are you looking for Jordan Love to prove this upcoming? season. I would like to see the consistency. So I talk about this a lot with Jordan, where when he's on, he's so on. And it's quarterback rating 110, 115. The numbers are usually pretty staggering. And he gets streaky during the course of the season, too, where when he's on a heater, it can be three, four, five games in a row. When he has his down games, or I'd say like his medium level games,

they're never the like B plus A minus. It's like low Bs and C's, and it's that inconsistency that I'd really like to see less of this next season. I have taken a lot of criticism from Packers fans, just by being a Bears fan by being critical of him. He doesn't throw a lot of interceptions, but when he throws the interceptions, they are really ugly interceptions. Yeah, there are some bad decisions.

There are some real bad ones. But his interception rate, is inarguable. He doesn't turn the ball over a lot, but it confuses me. Like when I'm watching it week in and week out, how can the bad ones be so bad? And I really spent some time today

digging into the numbers, and I think a light bulb went off for me. He's good, but it doesn't translate as much as it should to the team production. Look at this. Last year, EPA per dropback, an advanced metric, but a really good one. Second best in football, pass-a-rating, sixth, touchdown interception, six,

air yards per pass, six. Those are like, you should be an elite offense type stats if your quarterback is putting that up. But the Packers were a middle-of-the-road scoring team, a middle-of-the-road yardage team, a middle-of-the-road red zone team. They didn't have a great time of possession. They were just, they weren't a good offense. They were like an okay offense with a great quarterback. So I want him to figure out a way to blend, to make the left side seemingly have more impact.

And I know you can say Tucker Kraft was hurt and they've had different wide receiver combos and offensive line, whatever you want to point to to not put it on him. I get the reasoning to do that. But if people are saying he's going to be the MVP this year, that left hand column needs to translate to the right hand column. Well, the important thing that you showed on the right hand column is the red zone. Right. If the red zone goes up, the points go up.

Red zone goes up, the points go up, and some guys are like that where they're really efficient, but they get inside the 20. And there's a reason for that. The whole field is restricted. You're restricted by the back of the end zone. You're restricted, obviously, by the fact that you only have the 20 yards in. And you'd like to say that it's scheme, but some quarterbacks take more time to really get a sense of how to let the plays unfold in that much tighter area. And Tucker Kraft, when he was playing, was statistically the best tight end in football last year for about half the season. Then he got hurt. That hurts the red zone numbers. But it feels like they could put it together. Running back, it was a little bit dinged up, too. That slowed things down. They've been very injured, obviously, but he needs to hit the ground running with the Micah Parsons injury to start the season.

Let's talk about another big storyline tonight in the preseason as we go to Vegas. The Raiders hosting the Cardinals in their preseason opener. Kirk Cousins was named QB1 for the season. But we get to see the number one overall pick, Fernando Mendoza tonight. reports are he's looked good in training camp. This profile piece from Mike Silver oath over at the athletic coach gave us a real gem. This is Fernando Mendoza.

Rookie year, it really gets slammed up on you. Like, boom, here's your playbook. And here we go. Especially seeing Kirk Cousins in the room who knows a lot. It's like, wow, I thought I knew a lot. Holy shuck. I'm how far behind? I've got to study this to feel confident in my preparation and in myself.

So coach, what the shuck do you want to see from Mendoza? tonight. So that's a Mendoza quote? That's a Mendoza quote. Holy Shuck. He used that. That got a little risque. I don't know if you could say that on network. I know. Yeah, that's risky. What I want to see is a clean game and it's boring, but I don't want to see false starts. I don't want to see delay of games. I don't want to see unnecessary timeouts. I don't want to see the ball on the ground with the quarterback center exchange. So that's just the fundamentals, a nice, clean operation because that tells you that he has the base.

down and it'll be all over the place with young quarterbacks or newer quarterbacks during the course of the preseason and even some of the veteran guys it's really sloppy early that's that's the first thing the second thing is we don't we don't need any unnecessary hits there's no reason to have any kind of heroics in the preseason and I feel like especially guys that are drafted high they want to establish to the team that they're tough Yeah, can't get hit in practice, so I'm not afraid to get hit in the game. I'm not afraid to get hit.

I'm going to lead and sacrifice my body. But this isn't the time for those things. It's just about going in, getting really good work with your teammates, getting a feel for what you need to do to be successful, and showing everybody that you can operate at this level. Maybe it's a few completions, clean game, healthy game, get out of the game. you obviously have, I have no experience in this, you have a lot. So I will defer to you here and you can tell me if this is crazy.

I expect him to be really good tonight. Like I, we've seen a lot of quarterbacks come from college and maybe they're in a system that doesn't really translate or they're like a one year starter in college and then they make it. And that's when I feel like I see more stuff like you're talking about. Like we just saw Carson Beck in the Hall of Fame game a veteran. an older player, come in and sling it because it's simplified defenses, right? You're not game planning for your opponent. Fernando

Mendoza, three-year starter, 16 games last year, over a thousand passes in college, national championship, pro-style system. Like, I expect Fernando Mendoza to look pretty good by pre-season

standards because he is a pretty seasoned rookie quarterback. If such a thing exists, Like, I'm not saying he'd be ready to dominate week one in the NFL against the real game plan and a starting caliber defense. But a vanilla defense in the preseason, I don't think it's going to look overwhelming to him. Yeah, but guys develop at different levels. I don't know what his anxiety level is like. It's, you would think.

Oh, shucks. You would think that it would be easy just to step in. But this is a big moment. This is a huge transition. And that playbook being overwhelming, that can be a real thing. and then you just don't want to get caught up too much. At the end of the day, it's something he's been doing his whole life, but it's still the NFL and guys will feel that anxiety that goes with that.

Well, speaking of a big moment, in Atlanta, there's a quarterback battle, and one of the quarterbacks is really close, except there's just one important detail that he still needs to get over the hump. And frankly, it's a big one in tackle football. That's next on the O2. Thanks for hanging out on the OT. Let's go to Atlanta, where there's a quarterback competition still ongoing, Two would name the starter for the preseason opener against the Ravens tomorrow.

But not yet for the regular season. They're still holding out some hope for maybe Michael Pennix getting involved. But here's Pennix on an ACL update with exactly one month to go until their week one opener with the Steelers. It's just one thing missing. Take a listen. Not more than what I would feel like I would need to do whenever I'm 100% healthy. I feel good.

Right now, I feel good. I feel like, you know, I can do just about. anything except for take a hit you know and that's that's what we're trying to stay away from right this is going to be to it right well two is probably going to start no matter what would like if he can't take a hit with a month to go before the season you got in a month he's going to look a lot different and this is a little hardcore on him with any injury you go through the progression you get the movements first and then the trainers will hit him with bags you need to build it up crushing the guy I'm just saying it's not much of a competition I'm kind of

crush them I'm saying we're talking about it like it's a competition well it's not a competition if you can't get hit if he can go out and and do the things in seven on seven and show that that he can compete you know at at a level so when he can take a hit he could go in i i understand i'm just saying i had been holding out hope that pennix was starting week one i know i no longer have that i don't think he was either enjoy the games we'll talk tomorrow