First Things First - Drake Maye vs. Jarrett Stidham, Must-Win, Nick’s Tiers, Should the Ravens trade Lamar Jackson?

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

(0:00) Drake Maye ‘disrespected’ by Jarrett Stidham comparisons, Ravens trade Lamar Jackson? (27:09) Must Win for Conference Championship (42:33) Baker Mayfield comments on Kevin Stefanski’s hiring (48:40) Nick’s Tiers (01:07:50) Chargers hire Mike McDaniel as OC, Will Drake Maye struggle on the road? (01:23:09) Should Bills fans be worried after “hitting a playoff wall”? (01:30:50) Packed Stats, Rams vs. Seahawks “the real Super Bowl?”  (01:53:23) Can Stidham keep up with Maye? (02:04:28) How dysfunctional do the Bills look? (02:12:09) Does anyone have more at stake than Sean Payton? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York, it's a show that might switch over to their spring hair piece. I just don't love this right now. It's a little early. I might switch it over. Why does your, why does your natural hair look like a toupee? Because I'm part skunk. The way to go. No, but it's not the color.

It's the, it's the bridge. This is my spring, this is my fall toupee. I'm just going to blast right back. Good to have you back. I'm happy to be back. I would love that. Marv Albert. One of the best broadcasters of all time.

Don't out with everybody. Howard CoSell. Me? Three greats. First hour, first things first. Today, Drake headed to Denver. Is there a chance? He struggles, even after throwing three touchdowns

on the best defense in the entire NFL. Some people were saying it was a historically great defense. Meanwhile, a bold prediction. Why are executives around the league kicking around the idea of Lamar Jackson to the Raiders. They would be good then. Never wrong just early. That's right.

And finally, a very special edition of the committee's tears. Alongside Chris Pissard, I'm Kevin Wilde's. Nick. Yeah. What's in store for the tiers? The committee was meeting deep into the night and even after our morning meeting. Full league represented. Love it.

Really? Even the teams that have been eliminated. Love it. We have for the first time in tiers history. We have separate tears. We have the currently playing tears and the not playing tears. We'll bring them both to you in 59 minutes. Don't want to be weird, but we always do that.

The eliminated tiers. No, the eliminated are not tiers. Not broken into tears. It's just one big group of teams. Oh, I thought it was just two lines. No, that's not what it is. Do they have names when it says that? Eliminated.

Exactly. We're starting with an MVP candidate. versus a quarterback who has not thrown a pass all year. Drake versus Jared Stidham. QB coach Jordan Palmer, who has worked with Stidham, says that optimistic is an understatement, Brew, when it comes to the Broncos backup. In fact, he's just as good as Drake May.

Sealing-wise, take a listen. Really? They know what they got there. And I think the guys on the team know what they got there. And outside of making predictions in the game, I think if Drake May and Jared Stidom both play at their back, I don't think it's much different. And I don't really see Jared having a floor because the two starts that he did have in the Raiders, we can say are irrelevant.

But he shredded the Patriots, he shredded the Chiefs, and then he shredded the Niners. And those are the two teams that played in the Super Bowl that year. Brew, are you buying that Jared Stidham can keep up with Drake May who might win the MVP? Look, I respect Jordan Palmer. It's a take. But that statement is assinine. Asin. Period.

I mean, I get it if you would or say if Jared Stidham brings his A game and plays his best, and Drake, who struggled at times in these playoffs, continues to be what, play his C game, C plus, whatever, then it might be close. But to say that Jared Stidham can play as well as Drake May at his best, that is ridiculous. We know what Drake May is at his best. a top two MVP candidate. Is Jared Stittem? Well, I haven't seen him.

He's 29 years old. He's been in the league six years. He's had four starts in those six years and three of them losses. And the games he and Nick, you may have had this. I'm sure you got some type of gravity. What do you say? He cooked the Chiefs?

And also the Chiefs, of course, made the Super Bowl because they make Super Bowl almost every year. That Niners team didn't make the Super Bowl. They made it the following year. But go ahead. And in those two games against the Niners and the Chiefs, he had four touchdowns, three picks. Now, he did play well against the Niners. Against the Niners, he

played great. Three touchdowns. But he also had two interceptions. His best game of his NFL life, he had two intercepts. Also, to be fair, it was his first start. Yeah, yeah. First start of his NFL life, and it was a really good game. Against the Chiefs, I don't know why you're. The Chiefs, he had a 76 passer rating, one touchdown,

one pick. And that's cooking them or whatever term he used. Look, I'm not saying, Drake May may struggle because Denver is a great defense and, you know, you can have a bad game. Sure. But Jared Stiddam, to say his A game is similar to Drake May's A game is ludicrous. Well, it would, honestly. He wouldn't be a bench warmer if that was the case. It would mean that the Broncos had made a grievous error all year long.

Yes. Because, and again, I've been very comprehensive. of Bo Nix, how he played in that game over the weekend because he deserved it. But if you have a guy who can play at Drake May's level, then maybe when you were eking out wins against the Jets and the Raiders, you would have thought about going to him. Now, context here. Jordan Palmer's always loved this guy. He's always loved him. When the Patriots drafted him, he talked about how they have basically an heir apparent to Brady, which some people, some good-looking people with not-good-looking hair pieces on TV, thought the same thing when they were talking about Jared the javelin Stidham five years ago.

It also is true that if you're a backup quarterback, you are at times a prisoner of your circumstances as far as getting the opportunity. So I'll give you, I think, a perfect example. had Jordan Love not gotten hurt this year, nobody would be like, man, Malik Willis is going to be a starter for someone this year. He got hurt. Malik stepped in. And so there is. But nobody's also going to come out and say if Malik Willis plays to his best, he can match Caleb Williams.

They both are at their best. I agree with you. I think this is obviously hyperbolic and a little ridiculous. I also think that there is the possibility that Stidham has a little more upside than your typical backup quarterback because Sean Payton did, for one reason or another, highly prioritize him. It was his first free agent signing. And then after he didn't get to play really at all those first two years,

we played a couple starts, he then gave him. two years, 12 million this past off season. He's wanted him there. The one thing you do, he does have to hang his hat on is that game against the Niners. They lose 37, 34 in overtime, and your first career started. He's like, hey, I've been right here. He just hasn't had opportunities since then. But to me, KW, the way this happens where Stidham and May play similar games on Sunday. Yeah. The route to that is not going to be,

Jared Stidham plays unbelievably in the AFC championship game when he hasn't played a regular season game in three years. It's that the Broncos defense gets to Drake May. Right. And so keep up with is, you know, maybe phrase wrong, do I think it's on the board that Jared Stidham and Drake May have roughly equivalent games on Sunday?

I do think that's on the board. because I think Drake May has struggled in certain areas this postseason. He's been dropping the ball. And so I mean... He's facing the best past restaurant. Right. So, I mean, he's been sacked ten times.

He's thrown two picks. He's had six fumbles. One pick. He's thrown... Oh, one was a Hail Mary. That's fine. But fair enough. It was the football got saying...

Was it in a recession? I mean, it was... Yeah, it was... He could have taken a knee. It was end of half. That's fair. So he's thrown one pick, had six fumbles. not all of which are lost fumbles.

And so you might not like this graphic about turning the ball over and fumbling in your first two playoff starts. But that's what it is. It's the most ever. And most interceptions and fumbling your first two career playoff games, when you add to it that you're going up against now this Broncos defense that didn't make its name this season forcing turnovers oddly, but did make its name hitting the quarterback. and getting to the quarterback. That's the path for Stidham and May

to have similar game grades. I believe not that Stidham cooks and everyone after this game's like, man, the Broncos can trade Jared Stidham for a second round pay. Yeah, it's him playing clean. He hasn't played a lot of clean games. Drake?

Stiddle. Oh, he hasn't played a lot of games. Period. Right, but when he has, he got eight touchdowns, eight picks. We ran the numbers. Josh and I went into the lab. Drake on the year, 4,500 yards. 387 completions,

counting the playoffs, 39 total touchdowns if you count the rushing as well, 16 and 3. Stidham, Josh, this is right, right? We double check this. Zero. Zero for everything.

For everything. Zero. I actually think I understand the theory that Drake can struggle because the Broncos defense is so excellent. That being said, the Patriots, might have the better defense in this game.

Regular season, the Patriots defense, who nobody really talked about, we allowed 18.8 points per game. The Broncos defense, which everyone talks about, allowed 18.3. Remember, they played a tougher state. Yeah, but I mean, they both played bad schedules. Yeah, it was 30 seconds.

You think, look, I think New England's defense is very good. I don't think it's as good as Denver. They're not. The rushing defense this year, the Patriots, no one talks about our rushing defense, we did allow 10 more yards per game than the Broncos defense. The past defense of the Broncos, oh my gosh, Patrick Sartan, we did allow six more yards per passing game. But hold on. Can I, can I see? I got one more thing. Yeah, go ahead. We've been getting better with Milton Williams and Spillane back, and the Broncos

have been getting worse. This playoffs, 156 passing yards per game we've averaged, 67 rushing yards, and a half points. How have the Broncos done? Opponents third down percentage. In the playoffs? First 11 games, last seven. First 11 games, they were the best in the league. Last seven, they are 26. Josh Allen was able to convert

a bunch. Trevor converted a bunch. They also forced four turnovers on five turnovers against them. So hold on. I have two things here. One is, I will concede that of everyone on

this table, at this table, you watched the Patriots the closest. You told us, going into the playoffs and going into each playoff game, you think the defense might be a little overrated. I did. I was shot. That you thought the deep, that you think the defense, you talked about young Tyson that they can punch, but they can't take the punch. I was dead wrong.

Well, were you, were you, hold on, were you dead wrong, or did C.J. Stroud meltdown? Like, I don't know. We've had two games. Herbert melted down. It's a very good defense. It's a very good defense. It's just not as good as Denver. Right.

The other thing when you're talking about the stats, the stat you left out, is what made Denver a great defense and what you guys struggled at. What? The sacks. Sacks. Getting to the opposing quarterback.

Tell me if I'm wrong. You guys weren't great at that. They were the best in the league by a lot. Oddly, we're good at it now. No, you've been being, being, I don't, I personally don't think being good at it the last two weeks, just like I don't think that this means all of a sudden Drake May is going to be the most fumblingest player in league history because of a bad two weeks of ball security. I don't think two good pass rush weeks makes you guys all of a sudden a great pass rush.

I don't think you do either. And the Broncos objectively have a great pass rush. So I mean, this is this is your own rationale about your own defense. I didn't think we were going to be able to easily get to Herbert and easily get to C.J. Stroud. And it was happening again and again and again. So I'm just not, look, 30 to the bills. That's the bills. Okay, we're better than the bills.

So we have. But you didn't have a better offense than bills this year, did you, right? No. I don't think you scored more points per game with the bills. Josh, can you check that? Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty sure the bills had a higher rate scoring offense. Okay, well, 30. 30 to the bills.

The charges rested. The Chief scored 13. The Jags scored 34. The Packers scored 26. I'm not as afraid of this Broncos defense as everybody else is. And I thought that Drake would get more respect. He dropped the ball a few times, but he did throw three touchdowns on this Texan defense. That if we would have lost that game, the Texan defense was on the board of being an all-time great defense.

So can I see? You keep saying that. I just want to say this. that nobody was saying that the Texans were already a historically great defense. The discussion we had was, right, if they, if they won the round they lost and this coming round and the next round, then they would have been. So I thought the Texans had an excellent defense, and I do think Drake May deserves credit for, in that game it felt like a lot of A's and Fs.

Like it was like the good plays were great. bad plays were turnovers or near turnovers, and he deserves credit for sticking with it. But that, you are using what we were saying, the Texans defense had a chance to be, had they beaten you guys and then won the next two rounds, and saying that's what the Texan's defense was.

They were not a historically great defense. They had an opportunity to be had they completed the run. Because Drake May got in their way. I disagree with that. I don't, I disagree with that. He was more than way. I think the Texas,

I don't think Drake may felt he played a great game against the Texans. I don't think you felt he played a great game against the Texans. He threw three touchdowns. He threw three touchdowns. No other quarterback has thrown three touchdowns against the Texans defense. He had bad moments, but he made up for him with big moments. We had 21 offensive points. I think he had the most touchdowns and the most fumbles of any player against the Texans team this year.

But I, that would, that's what would worry me against the Broncos. There's not a lot of paths for you guys to lose this game. You're playing a quarter. who has four career starts. You're a near touchdown favorite. The path for you guys to lose this game is Drake May strip sacks. That's what I'm saying.

And I think that is a turnovers in the board. Josh got in my ear. Our offense slightly better than the bills this year. In points or yards? Josh, points. Wow. Okay. Matthew Stafford, ready for a matchup.

Number three against the Seahawks who just put on a historic performance against Bryce. Fewest points allowed versus a divisional rival this century. 22 Eagles had seven against the Giants or kept the Giants of seven and the Colts kept the Texans to seven. Only one problem. Last matchup versus Stafford, he threw for 457 yards. Who do you trust more here?

The Rams offense or this Seahawks defense? Well, first of all, let me say, of the units of these teams, I trust Sam Darnel the least, all right? Of all. All right, so I will throw that out there. These two is close. Look, I know the Rams in that week 15 game had 500 plus yards, 37 points. They ate up this Seattle defense.

But my answer is still Seattle. Wow. When they played in the first matchup this season, they gave Stafford some trouble. And he played fine, but they didn't light him up. He had 130 yards passing and like an 80-something pass. rating so they held him in check. But this defense, I mean, they stopped the run. They're top 10 against the run.

They're top 10 against the pass. They're number one in points allowed. So I think that they, and on top of them having played great, maybe I'm skewed because of what they've done to the 49ers. We've seen them play the 49ers so often

recently and they've held them down. But also, Nick, is that the Rams aren't, their offense and Stafford aren't really playing great in this postseason. Stafford's got, I think, three touchdowns, a pick, 80 passer rating in the playoffs, in the two games, you know, total. So he hasn't really been great. And that should, these are two defenses, Carolina and

Chicago that are in the bottom half of the league defensively, and he still hasn't lit them up. And so of the two units, I'm not saying the Rams can't win, but if these two who I trust most, I think, Seattle, and they've been playing, their defense has been playing better than the Rams' offense has lately. So I think, I evidently think Stafford played a lot better against Carolina than you do. Against Carolina on the road, he had 300 yards and three touchdowns. He threw one pick.

I thought the Bears game, he didn't play great, and then they made the plays at the end. I think he had zero touchdown, zero turnovers in the Bears game. But 300 yards, three touchdowns in the first playoff game. And my answer is the Rams offense because of Stafford. because in each game this year, for me, it felt like against the Seahawks, Stafford played the type of game he needed to play, given what Seattle was doing. Now, I know it's weird because- You're talking about the second matchup.

In both, so the first matchup, Sam Darnold is turning the ball over left and right. We can show you Stafford's numbers, and it seemed like Stafford's like, okay, don't turn the ball over and we're going to be fine. And again, that's not a good game. I'm not like that's a good game. But could he have had, can he have a big game against Seattle? Well, the next game, when Seattle's moving the ball, he had 450 yards and three touchdowns. So it's weird because there's such disparate games, bro.

But his numbers this year against the Seahawks are kind of just his numbers for the year. yards per attempt about the same yards per game actually higher completion percentage considerably lower but team points per game damn near identical passer rating you know very very close to identical and so i don't think Seattle is going to be able to entirely hold the Rams in check I don't think a blowout for Seattle is on only a blowout for either team to be honest is on the board barring a darnal meltdown is the only way. But we saw a darnel meltdown. First match up and it wasn't a blow out there. And so if you're asking me if the scenario, like at its base level, if the scenario is the Seattle Seahawks are up four

and Matt Stafford has the ball with three minutes left, who will I believe is going to come through? My answer is Matt Stafford. So if that's what I believe, then I trust the Rams offense more. That's fair. We're going to get to Lamar, so we're going to put a pin in this. But since 1990, this is from Kevin Potra. The number one scoring offense, O and four versus the number one scoring defense.

If it's conference championship or Super Bowl. All right. Bold prediction time. Jeremy Fowler compiling bold predictions, brew from execs, coaches, and scouts. Again, they're bold predictions, so it's always a little out there. Yeah, leans towards the sensational. That being said, Lamarta Vegas, let's roll the dice gambling. Fowler, quoting an anonymous personnel person.

It just seems like there's been some consternation there, Lamar and the Ravens. And this would be the ultimate Mark Davis move. I'm not even convinced everybody with Vegas would be on board. But it would instantly solve their quarterback problems. Okay. Should Ravens consider a Lamar trade? So here's what I think. I think trading for Lamar would be.

Oh, the radar side. Okay. You're probably not going to like either opinion on having this. I think for the Raiders would be foolhardy because I think as evidenced by, and I was obviously dead wrong about them, how many holes they have on the roster and the fact that I don't look at Lamar as a guy who in seven years is still going to be MVP caliber guy. You don't think next year he'll play at an MVP.

No, I said in seven years. Oh, oh. No, no. Seven years from now. Seven years from now, not year seven for him. Right. Yeah, that I just, I think that the Raiders are not, I think if you put Patrick Mahomes fully healthy on the Raiders,

they're not prepared to win a Super Bowl. You know what I? I don't think they are. Right, they're not win now. And I think Lamar's window is probably narrower than maybe some other people think. And obviously, he's going to be super expensive. So for the Raiders, I'd rather just rebuild my number one pick.

Sure. But if I were the Ravens and the Raiders called me and said, we will give you Max Crosby and the number one pick, which then also gives you an extra $50 million in cap space over the next few years. The equivalent of, that's trading Lamar for the equivalent of like five first round picks because Crosby's worth two and the number one overall pick we know from the Bright's Young trade that what it's worth. if I'm Baltimore in a bit of a reset with a new head coach, and to me, that is the type of trade that I would say,

I wonder if that's not the best path to us winning another Super Bowl. And you're drafting Mendoza? Drafting Mendoza. Yes, I should have said that. I'm drafting Mendoza. I have Crosby. I have all this extra cap space. and we're on that

the rookie quarterback scale where we can load up the rest of the team around him and I'm not having to set a new NFL record in contract for Lamar that would be very interesting. That's been how they won their Super Bowls. They got two, Trent Dilfer

and Joe Flacco. And they had phenomenal defenses and all that around. And they hadn't paid those quarterbacks game. Right, right. And we were talking off air yesterday a lot of the teams that are left, Stafford is obviously getting paid.

Darnel's not making a ton. No. And then you got two guys on their rookie contracts. Stidum makes more than favor. Yeah. Right. But no. As my co-host, old co-host on the I couple radio show,

Rob Parker would say, no way, no how. Nick, I got a superstar quarterback at 29 years old, still in his prime. Yes, last year he had some bad games. certainly you can put those on injuries. And the last time we saw him when we think he was healthy against Pittsburgh,

he played really well. And the thing is, the hardest thing to get in the league, it's not the only path to victory, as we're talking about, but the hardest thing to get is a superstar quarterback. In fact, the Ravens have never had one outside of Lamar. In their 30-year history, they've never had one. Teams of Cleveland, have they ever,

had one since Otto Graham. Like, you know, it doesn't happen easily, and you've got one, and you also have a team that's built to win now. Like you said a recent,

like whoever they hire as coach, the charge is win the Super Bowl this year. But that's because you have Lamar. And, well, and Derek Henry, and, you know, you still got some other veterans on that team.

I feel like Derek Henry's like the only other real old guy. And not the Lamar's a real old guy. Right. Right. Lamar's not even 30, but, you know, Kyle Hamilton, like they're ready to win.

win. They have a win now roster. And so it's not really a reset or it's a reset but not a rebuild. And so I and beyond that even I think Lamar will eventually win a Super Bowl, but even if he doesn't, there's a value to having an all-time great player when you're in the hunt, 95% of his seasons, you're in the hunt to win the Super Bowl. You may never get over the hump. but there's still a value to having that player and being a contender. The New York Giants who just hired the coach the Ravens fired.

They are hoping to get to where the Ravens are. I totally agree. The only kind of, yeah, but I would add to it, is it's not Lamar for a bunch of nameless, faceless picks. You know, if you were to do this, you are saying we believe in Fernando Mendoza. And I understand it as a risk, but it's the best risk you can take is pick 1-1. So you wouldn't be entering the quarterback wilderness you don't think. You would be saying we have our guy. And as Drake May or Bow Nix or Caleb Williams are showing right now, you're never too young if the team around you is good enough to compete for a Super Bowl.

You know, Jaden in year one, you know, and these guys in year two. So I wouldn't look at it as the Ravens are like, okay, we're targeting 2030. I would look at it as the Ravens saying, we're adding a great pass rusher. Like, just something and the money piece of it is not a fun topic, but it's a real one as far as the added players you can have. But don't you think they, and I know we got to go, they just said the reports of that Lamar was ready for Harbaugh to go. So they essentially chose Lamar over Harbaugh. If you were looking to rebuild or whatever, why not keep Harbaugh?

If you're going to trade Lamar, why not keep Harbaugh to rebuild just like the Giants? I don't think they're going to do this, to be clear. Yeah. I just think it's. It was a bold prediction. A special four-team episode of must-win featuring Coach Mingini, who hasn't won in weeks. He did have that one shutout, I should say. No, his last appearance was nice.

That's next on Fox Sports Show on a series like time. He came with. Oh, yeah, Ato shutout. Yeah. Podcasts up to number one in the world, and we are 11 million views away from one billion views. Gianna's job is safe. Congratulations. It's not safe yet. Gianna, it is.

Trust me. We need 11.4 million before kick off in Super Bowl. You're looking good. It's not safe. It is. She's going to walk around. She has 17 days for us to get 11.4 million views where she's out of the job. Time for a conference championship version of must win.

This is team specific. We're doing four. so you will be penalized if you're dilly-dallying. Nice. Patriots at Broncos, Sunday, yeah, wasting time. Patriots trying to complete an epic turnaround. Only four teams have gone from four or fewer wins to what Pringle calls the big game.

Which Patriot? Oh, I'm sorry, Coach. I'll ask you the question. Which Patriot is this a must win for since Greg won last week, and you won the week before. The board is yours. You can pass or play. So if I pass, will I have to a wend?

last if you pass it to Nick you would have it last but you have to no you wouldn't know because there's four of so you would be so if I passed you should have figured this out beforehand I'm going to take it I'm not playing I'm a little dilly dally that's a little that's a clarifying question that's a very important thing I'm going to say this is a must win for Robert Kraft oh and here's why so Robert Kraft is in a really unique situation he went to a super bowl. with Bill Parcells. So that was pre-Melichick, pre-Bradie. Then they have the epic run with Bill and Tom and that that is remarkable in itself. So now here he is after no Tom, no Bill, and he's got a chance to go to another AFC championship game with his third, or another

Super Bowl with his third head coach and new quarterback. And think about how many owners have been able to do that and just think about the Dallas Cowboys how they've been chasing just getting back to the game so I to me this this changes the equation for Mr. Kraft because it establishes him as a very unique owner versus the rest of his peer group if I can just add to that it's also he's nominated and they're voting on his Hall of Fame candidacy at the right the day before the Super Bowl when the Hall of Fame stuff is announced so that that is a very good point He's in either way. Listen, I'm just trying to help you out.

Just add something there. I'm just a little surprised you didn't bring it up. I don't know how that works. The answer is Drake May. He's been shaky. And Drake May was on a reputational free roll. The only scenario where he in a second year on the road in the AFC championship game could be in a position where if they don't win,

it is a massive disappointment is the exact scenario he found himself in, which is the other team's quarterback breaks a bone at the very end of the previous game to where we don't even see the backup and now we look at it as

well, Patriots have to win. They're a touchdown favorite. And I think most of us Jordan Palmer notwithstanding feel like if the pay, if we are here Monday talking about a Patriots loss, it's not going to be because Jared Stidham lit up the Pat's defense.

It's going to be because the Broncos defense and that crowd and the noise and all of it got to Drake May and he turned the ball over and that he would have to wear it. So it's a very unique situation, but where the must win is for the Patriots Court. Nick is right, but he went dark. I'm going light. All right. If Drake May wins this game and gets to the Super Bowl and wins a Super Bowl, he's a made man. he's a made man.

Well, yeah. He is a made man. The rest of his career, obviously there's pressure because you want to continue to play well, continue to win. But he is relatively pressure-free. Aaron Rogers had played 15 years after winning his Super Bowl,

never got back to the Super Bowl, and he's all right. Because once you get that first Super Bowl, but not for that. Nobody ever says any moments get terrified. Not for that. He gets criticized by him. All his off the court feel comments.

Excellent answer. Felt like that's a week early. This felt like it's a week early. Coach takes home the point. Dark, light, though. And enlighten. Other side of the ball, Broncos, hosting home playoff game number two this year,

where they've been outstanding. 14 and 1 in their last 15 games. Only lost was to The Prince. Nick, that's your guy. Who's this a must win for on the Denver side? Vance Joseph. He had a head coaching job. Oh, that's good.

I don't know if you guys heard a very cartoonish at times, Bill's press conference, say, between the, with the owner and the gym, but one of the things they said is, you know, we're going to take our time. Some of the people we want to talk to might still be coaching teams this coming week. Vance Joseph's been a head coach before. It was for the Denver Broncos.

He loses that job. Sean Peyton then adds, he's the defensive coordinator for the Broncos, and people don't know. that Sean Payton then brings him in. Third game of his tenure, Dolphins scored 70 points. Re-inventing football. People wanted Van Joseph maybe have the quickest tenure of a D-Corinator ever, less than a month.

Now it's the strength of their team after last year being the strength of their team and his name being popping up for interviews for head coaching jobs. Again, the Broncos path to victory is that defense being dominant after a little shaky game, too, as far as points allowed. If they win this game, I think he's a head coach in the league next year. Great point. A little long winded. A little bit. A little bit.

Patrick Sertan, here's why. He is a great cornerback. Defensive player a year ago, what, three, two pro all pro teams already. But of the top 10 defensive back or cornerbacks ever, all right, according to foxports.com, Eight of them have won Super Bowls. Really? Yes. So to get his name in that group, which he, I think, has an argument,

and he's certainly building one, he needs a Super Bowl. Excellent. And so Patrick's or 10. Excellent. Again, it might be a week early. And no extra stuff. Might be a week early. No extra stuff.

This week is not. Does he think this is the Super Bowl? Huge party plan for Sunday. And you guys are awesome. both made fantastic points about how good Denver defense is. And we know that's the strength of the team. That's why it's a must win for Sean Payton. So Sean Payton goes there and he gets rid of Russell Wilson.

He moves out and he's in salary cap jail for, you know, however long it's been. And then he drafts Bow Nix and nobody believes that's gonna work. Not nobody, but he believed it more than anybody and he made it work. So now we fast forward to where we are today and Sean's been won a Super Bowl. He's been to two other NFC championship games,

but now we're in the AFC championship games. But now we're in the AFC championship game and his quarterback has hurt. And the guy that he brought in in day one free agency is his starter. And this problem, this problem is the problem that can be fixed by only one person. The person with the specialty of quarterbacks and offensive football, which is Sean Payton, who has a wonderful defense. Wow. Believe it or not, going with Brew there.

What? Thank you. It was a little early, but I kind of like it. Exactly. Exactly. Wow. Thank you. That's.

Head to Seattle. Sean McBeyah went away from his third Super Bowl. You can be confused all you want. As he tries to make it by winning three road games. Good news. If he wins this one, a lot of people say this stats a little bit early, you end up winning the Super Bowl unless you're Steve Grogan in the 1985 Patriots.

Brew, this is yours now. Which ram is this? Let's not make it too complicated. Matthew Stafford, all right? Even getting to another Super Bowl, all right? Two Super Bowl appearances. let alone victories in five years with the Rams,

all right, with the, we know who is a good head coach, offensive play caller, and probably an MVP, Hall of Famer, I think there's no doubt. All right,

two Super Bowl appearances, and the what if game would start. What if he had not spent 16 years or whatever it was in Detroit? How many Super Bowls would he have? What if he had always had a guy like McVay, like Bray, had in Josh Daniels, McDaniels.

What would it happen then? So the what if game starts for Matthew Stafford. His legacy takes a huge bump if he wins this game. Yeah, I'm, I'm with you on Matthew Stafford, but for a little bit different reasons. So for years, coached against Matthew Stafford. And he was, he was awesome. And traditionally when you draft a quarterback of his caliber,

he's able to elevate organizations. elevate organizations, even the most dysfunctional organizations. And I could never figure out why it didn't work in Detroit. And so he didn't even think it's coaching. Well, he had multiple coaches when he's been there. Now he goes out to the Rams, he wins the Super Bowl. This year he's got the chance to be the MVP and, you know, potentially go to another Super Bowl.

And it shows the league how important it's not just the quarterback, but it's a synergy between the quarterback, the head coach, and the organization. Those are all good answers. Unfortunately, I have the best answer, even though I'm going to say a name, KW, of someone who you've never heard of, but you're about to. Okay, great.

This is a must win for Ben Katweka. You might be like, hey, Nick, who's that? Well, maybe you could, I have his name correctly. Oh, that's a definite negative mark. Ben Kotweka? I'm sorry, Kotwika. Pardon me. Should we keep going?

I have to. No, I have to. No, I have to. I have to talk about this gentleman for a moment. Yes, go ahead. U.S. Army captain, helicopter pilot, piloted in Bosnia and Iraq, after his service the country.

He's like, you know what? Real passionate army? Football. Got into coach it. Got on Sean McVeigh staff. Assistant Special Teams Coordinator. Not a super high-level job, but still. And then what happened the last time the Seahawks played the Rams?

This play changed the game. And what did Sean McVeigh do after that? The very rare for him, special teams coordinator, Chase Blackburn. You're out. Mid-year firing, which McVeigh hates to do. Ben Kotwika takes over interim special teams coordinator. Feels like we get special teams locked up. We're going back to the Super Bowl.

Everybody knows his name now. It's obviously the winning answer. You're going to split the point. Why? Because I mispronounced it. Well, and then you also got roasted on air. So, coach. Can I also just say that Ben Kotweaker is the guy.

guy that I hired in the New York, at the New York jet. What is the whole point? Hold on a second. He was coaching JV football at West Point. I hired him, gave him his first job. We went to Afghanistan together on the U.S.O. tour. He flew Black Hawk helicopters.

I said all this. I just didn't hire. I was talking to you guys. Unbelievable guy. Thank you for your service. Bankout weekend. You're doing a great job. I didn't know any of this.

And I got, because of my deep research, I got this story on that. Coach was that point. Excellent job, coach. You still will split the point. But I'm really, I think I'm rooting for. He is a great guy. Final one. This is worth triple the points.

Sean McVeigh. No, I already did Sean McVeigh. Okay, Doc yourself. Minus one for me. So now this is worth two points. What do you think of when you think of Seattle? Men throwing halibut and balanced football. Top two offenses and defense in the last 30.

years. The Seahawks team, the 07 Patriots, the Colts, two Colts teams, and the 96 Packers. Okay, which Seahawk is this a must win for it? I'm up. Yeah, you're up. Come to win it. It is John Schneider. John Snyder has a chance to, well, he has a chance to solidify himself in terms of an exclusive GM club because remember he makes the trade, trades out Russell Wilson, gets all those draft picks, two ones, two twos, a five, so he does that. Okay, so after he does that, he brings in Gino Smith. They go to the playoffs. Nobody thought Gino Smith could play.

They go to the playoffs with Gino Smith. They don't love it, and Pete goes 9 and 8. So Pete Carroll at 9 and 8, he moves on from him. He goes and gets a first-time head coach, brings him in, then is willing to sign Sam Darnold to $100 million contract after one year of success. Sam Darnold now has a chance to totally redeem his career by going to the Super Bowl.

Is this must win or John Snyder's wiki paper? Well, I'm just saying. Because the answer is Sam Darnold, and we all know it. And Brew's upset that he has to go last, and now he's thinking. He's like, do I pivot and say someone else like Kenneth Walker? Do I just say Nick's right for the wrong reasons? Because everyone knows it's Donald.

Donald wins this game. No one can say he's going to go pumpkin mode anymore. He's a Super Bowl starting quarterback. Former top five big. What if he goes pumpkin in the Super Bowl? Again, we're not at the Super Bowl. that we're right here. He is, he, you get a trophy for this game.

He would have won the conference championship. The Seahawks going through the guy who is likely to win MVP in Matt Stafford doing it at home. It's obviously Sam Darnold. It's a total reputation. John Schneider and Sam Darnel are off the board. Nick forgot something. He's right about the trophy and the NFC championship. Please don't say you're doing Sam Darnock.

Well, the obvious answer is Sam Darnold, but here's why. That's it. Here's why. You can't do that. You can't do that. Bragging rights, wiles. Bragging rights. Yes. The three quarterbacks he has been behind that he was jettisoned for.

Baker Mayfield. Has he been this far? No. No. Brock Purdy. I get it. He has been to a Super Bowl, but Sam Darnal was backing him up. Now your backup beat you in the playoffs and is going to make the Super Bowl. And then J.J. McCarthy.

They could have, they could have went. They could have went and got Sam Darnold. They didn't want him. They didn't want him. They could have signed Sam Donald. They chose J.J. McCarthy. How's that looking like?

I don't know what we're going. Because now every time Sam sees him in the off season on the beach wherever it is. He has bragging rights. Purdy walked off the field. It's old news. Three Pete. He beat. No, no.

For doing a John Schneider biography? What? Where do you go? out of college. He's off fire. We're going to wonderful night. Next. Unbelievable. Just tearing up the playoffs. Oh, my goodness.

They're dominating. Coach and coach being going to lab a few weeks ago. Baker Mayfield, not rolling out the red carpet to welcome his former coach Kevin Stephansky to the NFC South. Baker responding to a tweet saying that he failed in Cleveland. Here was his response. A failed is quite the reach there, pal. Great use of the word pal.

Still waiting on a text slash call from him, Stefanski, after I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. Wow. Can't wait to see you twice a year, Coach. Coach, your reaction. I saw it's like Baker being Baker. Yeah. That's exactly what it is.

And, yeah, I don't love it. You don't love Baker's response? Well, look, I don't. Coach, you did it wrong. You're supposed to be like, I don't like it. I loved it. It was awesome. I find it hard to believe that Kevin was solely responsible for shipping Baker off,

just like he was not solely responsible for getting Deshaun, and he probably wasn't solely responsible for getting Shador, or Johnny Mansell was before him. I'm sure he wasn't responsible for that either in Cleveland. So that's, you know, to put it all on Kevin, I think is unfair. However, I would imagine Kevin probably would. would have rather had texted him in retrospect or called him. You know, sometimes you go through a learning curve with events like that where you could

have handled it a lot better. And I think Joe Thomas came out today and said and kind of presented the other side of it to where Baker could have also reached out to Kevin and said the same, you know, kept the communication going. Yeah, listen, I have a ton of respect for Joe Thomas. I didn't write the article. I'll just tell you what he said. No, Joe Thomas said phones work two ways, but this wasn't a mutual parting of ways.

Right. This was one guy got turned. Well, Joe was his teammate and an all pro. Listen, I got shipped off like a piece of garbage. It's the NFL. Get over. We all get shipped off like people. But he has to call him, doesn't he? He got it.

You got to call. It's surprising that there wasn't communication. Like, that really is surprising that they didn't communicate in that time period. I mean, I would, because look, I don't know what their relationship was like. It was probably frosty. That doesn't sound like it was great. Right. I doubt, though, it was terrible because Baker, I don't think he'd still be upset or the first thing he says is the call.

Like, he seems like he was expecting a call. And if Stifancy just clearly hated him and didn't like him, he probably wouldn't have expected a call. So I like Stafansky, but you just have to call a guy in that. in that situation. I also think, look, Baker wasn't really bad in Cleveland. I mean, they've had one playoff win since they went back in 1999, and he got it, you know, and his best years weren't really under Stefansky, but still.

If they kept them, they probably would have been in the mix every year in the playoffs. Absolutely. So I think Baker, you know, look, it'll be great theater next year when they're playing all the time. But I agree with you. had they that was a mistake bottom line by the Cleveland Browns huge mistake so I totally agree with you coach in that a lot of things that happen with the Browns we have an idea or I'm going to speak for myself here not you the owner's meddling and screws things up and then the GM and head coach varying ways have to eat it and take it and I think that has made that job a very

difficult job for a very long time. I think that can be true. And that's why this graphic of Baker, of the quarterback since the Browns, that you can be an offensive mastermind head coach, oversee that, and still be unemployed for three weeks before you get your next head coaching job.

Because people don't put that on Stefansky. And I think that they're like, ah, the owner wanted Deshaun Watson, the owner wanted this stuff. You made the most of it you could. That part's fair. the things that you certainly can put on Kevin Stefansky are what I consider some of the softer touches that I have seen from afar,

I think in his next job, he needs to be better at. I didn't think it was a slight at Chador specifically when he didn't give him a game ball after his first career win because he also didn't do it for Dylan Gabriel. But the answer to that is probably, if you got a rookie quarterback who's a mid-round pick, whether it's Gabriel or Chador, build them up a little bit.

Some of the press conference stuff. And this, everybody, nobody likes having to make these types of phone calls. Nobody likes if someone gets a text. Whatever it is. My point is, but part of being a leader and an adult is calling and being on the receiving end of somebody's anger, whatever it is, and letting them vent. And so that is, that's areas that I think is fair criticism. Can I just also say, like, as you go into this show,

There's no, there's no, like, manual on how to do it. And so you make a lot of mistakes. And as an executive making a lot of mistakes, you know, that happens all across the country, all the time, but it's not being analyzed, you know, constantly 24 hours a day. So, yeah, look, I've made a ton of mistakes and relationships that I wish I could have back, but that's part of the learning curve. And I'm sure this is one that Kevin would have to have back. Before we go, Coach, I'll ask you, Baker says he says,

He is still waiting on the text. If you were Kevin Stafancy, would you text Baker today? I don't know because Baker will probably put it on Twitter the second I text me. Like if I could have a, I would just an emoji. I would put my sunglasses. I would not want that to be the way the relationship. But also it should be a call to no. The other story is chip on his shoulder, Baker officially back.

I like that. He's coming off a tough year. Hopefully you bounce. Love that same. Live from New York, it's the show that wants to change the rules to make LeBron an All-Star. No, just keep the rules the way they've always been.

You wanted a special addendum? Well, once upon the time we were a civilized country. And when Michael Jordan was an active player, even when he wasn't that good on the Wizards, he actually was pretty good. I know, but I'm saying, but he wasn't. He was a legit all-star at you.

Like his 22.6 boards? He wasn't playing as well as LeBron. Or Kobe in his final year. It's Kobe. Bryant should be an all-star. It might be an all-star. LeBron James might not be an all-star despite playing at a higher level than either of those guys in their final year. And I'm just saying there's an easy card.

The coaches need to vote LeBron. Yeah, he obviously has to be an all-star. You see what they do. What coach is not voting for LeBron? I don't, it's going to be interesting. Michael Malone wouldn't, but he's going to be interesting. I don't know. I hope he's there.

It's sure. Today, what are Mike McDaniel and Justin Herbert going to look like? like for the Chargers. If it happens, we're on the verge. Meanwhile, is Drake May going to struggle in Denver why one former Patriots coach is hurting my feelings? But right now, I get you caught up to speed. Last night while wearing and drinking scotch and soda,

an exceptional committee of analysts, statisticians, and fans of trivial pursuits fought and toiled and burned the midnight oil to deliver the best segment in all sports. It's an honor and a privilege. It's time for a special conference championship edition of Nick's Tears. Indeed, it is, Kevin Wilde. So thank you for the great introduction, as always.

Let's get right to it. Four teams left. Conference championship tiers. Show me the first row of the conference championship tiers, please. I think. Bronze medal game. Sorry, KW. But that's the bronze medal game because the real Super Bowl is Sunday evening.

I mean, I'm a pro-Fox guy. You can show the next real Super Bowl. We got it. Well, they had to reveal it. This is how Cowboys Niners in 1994 felt. It's like, okay, I guess the winner is going to play the Chargers, some of the Super Bowl's taking place, how Patriots, Colts in 2006 felt.

And for me, it was like the winner's going to play the Bears, but we know the Super Bowl is being played right now. And it's how I. One of the Patriots have ever been our dogs in a Super Bowl before. 14 point dogs? The again, Tom Brady ain't walking through that door. However, because KW, there's only 14, it's a very brief tiers.

Yeah, we don't go right to break. It would just be over. Special edition, eliminated teams tears. Love it. Love it. Now, this is kind of projecting for next season. Rich tapestry, bro. It's a lot going on here.

I think so. It's a little projection, a little, oh, you just got a coach. A little, all of the above. Bottom of the tiers, 28 teams, arch watch. Again, I don't know the Dolphins, the Browns, the Cardinals, and the Jets. Go into next year without a quarterback and don't think they're going to be able to draft one with their pick this year. So, their own arch watch. It is what it is.

And that assumes Kyler's gone because Kyler's gone. It assumes two is gone because two is gone. And sorry, Brew, I don't think Shador is going to be the guy. We'll see. And the Jets literally don't have a guy. So arch watch. Tough on. Not at the floor.

Saints, Titans, Steelers. So I think these three teams all, will the Saints and Titans, let me start with them, have an opportunity to potentially build on what they did at the end of last year. The Titans, Cam was playing his best. The Saints, Tyler Shuck was started to play decent. You saw them building certain things. The Steelers, on the other hand, are in a different boat where they won the division,

got to the playoffs, but now they're going to be without Mike Tomlin. And those teams, I don't think any of those teams are going to bottom out, and be on, you know, first overall pick watch. But I also don't think any of those teams are realistically next season going to be playoff. I don't know what to say about these four teams. I haven't, it's very, very, the Falcons, Stavansky still doesn't. have a quarterback. The Vikings, if I were the Vikings, I would maybe, what am I going to say? I don't think you know what I'm going to say. I'd call the bills and be like, hey, what do you want to

give us for Kevin O'Connell? Oh, you want to give us a first and a third round pick for Kevin O'Connell? Like, because we, we need some draft capital because we still don't have the quarterbacks. What did you think I was going to say? Justin Jefferson. No, I want to keep Justin. I want to keep Hall of Fame players in their prime. I typically want to keep them. But I just, and if you're the bills, I don't know what you're doing regardless.

Panthers, you've made a playoff game, and I'm proud of you for it. I just, I don't think that team's all of a sudden poised. And the Colts went all in on the end of this year. Their quarterback popped as Achilles. They traded their first round pick for Salis Gardner. Just are where they are. I can't quit one of these teams. Maybe, just maybe, Raiders Giants.

Raiders number one overall pick and a new head coach. Maybe, and maybe it's some. And maybe, yeah, maybe you trade the number one pick and Max Rosby for Lamar. The Giants, Giants are going to be everybody's worst to first team. Everybody's calling it right now. They're going to be the worst to first team. I like John Harbaugh. I like that press conference.

I didn't so much like Joe Shane being like, Me reporting to Harbaugh. It's just words on paper. Like, yeah, bro, but it's the paper is the contract and the words are the office flowchart, pal. But still, I like Harbaugh going there. I hate to do this to these two coaches. Sorry, coach, because I like them both.

But they do start the year on the hot seat. Todd Bowles in Tampa and Dan Quinn in Washington. Already? I think, yeah, I mean, Todd. Quinn seems. Well, again, Quinn, I don't think they have to get back to the conference championship game, but they can't have a disaster year.

You can't have back-to-back disaster years with Jayden Daniels. I don't think he would survive that. And Todd Bowles probably has the hottest seat of any returning coach because it felt like this year they collapsed at the end and they just have been consistently fine since Bowles has taken over. They'd won the division a bunch of years in a row than they collapsed this year. More of the same. Bengals, Cowboys.

Listen, the offenses are going to be really good. The defenses are going to be mediocre. Again, we'll see what the offseason plays out. It's January, so I haven't had an opportunity to change a lot. But my gut tells me it's going to be more of the same of what these two teams have been. They didn't make any major Cowboys changing defensive coordinator so that could change things. The Bengals is running it all back. Sorry, Danny.

Tough quarterback conversations. because, listen, C.J. Stroud, I don't think he's getting a contract extension, but he is going to be the Texans quarterback next year. Justin Herbert is obviously the Chargers quarterback for the foreseeable future. But there has been a lot of resources poured into these teams because they feel like they can win right now. And the defenses for both these teams are like, we can win right now. And CJ's just had down years. Justin's obviously just had brutal playoff games,

but it is an odd spot where the faces of your franchises this year in the playoffs for both of them were the impediment to your franchise moving forward. Did they peak Eagles and Niers? Now, the Eagles, if they did, at least you won a Super Bowl out of it, so there's no shame in that whatsoever. But the Eagles feel like we're in contention every year. But is the second half,

of the 2020s going to be nearly as kind to these two teams who were kind of the dominant teams of the conference for in are you going to be as good as the first half of the 2020s my gut tells me no my gut tells me the Niners going to four NFC championship games two Super Bowls being that close as much respect as I have for Shanahan I don't think they're going to be able to duplicate that and I think the Eagles are on the downward slope hope for help Lions Packers. Right or wrong, both of these teams feel like this year got ruined by injury.

The Lions once again dealt with the defensive injuries not quite to the same extent as last year. Obviously, the coordinator changes the Packers legitimately had 9-3-1 and then Micah goes down. Speaking of health, get healthy, Patrick. Don't know what to do with the Chiefs. Don't know where we can put the Chiefs until we know when is Patrick Mahomes coming back. If Patrick Mones is coming back in week one, and they bring back Eric B. Enemy, which they did, and they have a top 10 overall pick,

this team can be right back where they're right place atop the AFC, obviously. If Patrick Mowens back in week six or seven, things change entirely. The B and S Bob. We always say, it's not a super roller bus. What is bus? Well, it was because the bus was fired the coach.

And for the first time in 50 years in the NFL, A team with an MVP quarterback in their 30s just outright fired their long-time head coach because they felt like the team needed that type of change. And last but not least, KW you should like this. Atop the eliminated tiers, the Bears and the Jags, nothing but great vibes. These two teams go into the offseason feeling exceptional. We got the quarterback right. We got the coach right.

We overachieved this season. Both seasons ended on, oh, I'd love that back interceptions by the quarterback. But the quarterbacks themselves are like, this was my best year of my career by far. Obviously, Kales grew much shorter. And they go into this offseason feeling for the Bears, got some money to spend for the Jags, getting Travis Hunter back, year two under a coach. Those are the offseason tiers, coach. Not the offseason, the eliminated tears.

Pardon me. Yeah, look, I love the off-season tears. I loved yesterday's Mahomes, Mowen. I think you're really up in your game here in the postseason. This is back-to-back really good days. I think there's a butt coming. No, no, they're really, I mean, I don't agree with a lot of friends. I love the innovation.

And I did call that you'd have the Bengals on the same tier as the Cowboys prior to actually seeing the unveiling of it because I'm sure it's great minds. Lots of offense, but not enough defense. But I'm going to bump up the Bengals. And here's why. So the Bengals right now have the eighth most south. cap space with $56 million. They've got the 10th pick in the draft and they've got eight other draft picks. They're the only team in the division with continuity. So that should give them

advantage. So I get that, you know, the, having Mar Jackson, you know, that's still a problem. But whoever that coach comes in, there's going to be a lot of transition and a learning curve. So Cincinnati has a huge, huge advantage over everybody else in the conference. In terms of running it back, yeah, they're running it back in a good way. because they've got all their offensive stars under contract. There's no contract disputes. So that money's been allocated. Now here's the issue. We've got to fix the defense. So offensively, right now, they have $170 million allocated to offensive players, and they have $70 million allocated to defensive players on the whole roster. The receivers

alone make $61 million next year. So the whole defense makes $70 million and the receivers make 61. So you've got to take that $56 million, pour it into the defense. You've got to take those eight draft picks and pour it in the defense and do everything you possibly can. This defense doesn't have to be top 10, but it's got to be remarkably, not remarkably, it's got to be even marginally better to me, I think puts them in a place where they can make the playoffs, and then if they make the playoffs with those stars and Joe Burrow, they've got a shot. So I like that. I like too, coach, and I think that's probably the right strategy. Will they do it?

Unfortunately, you're not running the Bengals. Duke Tobin and Mike Brown are on the Bengals, and they saw Emo Joe Burrow talk about losing his love for the game. So my guess is they pour those resources into his offensive line and a running back. I think that they could do more things on that side of the ball. I agree with your, and if they do what you said, they will move up. I just don't think they're going to do that. Yeah, I'm looking at it as,

A projection, the tears, all right? Because I see how high the Chiefs and Ravens are after down year. So I'm thinking this is, okay, this is looking in the next year. And because of that, Nick, I got to move your Jags down. I like the title. The titles are always great. Marshall, he's a good. But the Jags are too high.

Next year, the Jags will not be playing the third place schedule they played this year. They'll be playing a first place schedule. And I, from, you know, I like Trevor. He was fifth on Bruce Ball. for MVP, but he was a little down in the playoffs. I mean, I know he wasn't terrible. I mean, back to back, go ahead, fourth quarter touchdown drives. He did what you hate.

I didn't like the pick. He did what you hate trying to win, go ahead, drive coach, game winning drive me throw. He ends it with a pick early. I don't hate it as much as are you positive? I don't love that. That's dusty. That's the first time I'm not to see it. Positive.

What? So, so, yeah, move the Jags down. I just have questions now about has Trevor really arrived? Great at the end of the season. You just finished fifth and because of one pass? Yes, that's all it takes. And he actually had two picks. Really?

He's got both those teams too high. The Bears are interesting, but, but yeah, the Jags, I'm definitely moving them down. Really? But how are they? And we just saw Baker have a breakout year. and then fell off this season. So the same could happen to Trevor, your boy, the prince. You're not going to like that.

It's all right because you dumped him. I never, don't dare you know. I'm moving the Chargers up. Why? Because Danny Parkins. Is annoying. There's a difference between excuses and explanation. Yeah, and he's a lot of excuses.

I know, but I'm not. The explanation is because Slater and Joe Alt weren't there. Now, Danny also piles on a lot of other. excuses. I'm just talking about the explanation when they're both there 10 and 5. That's two years ago. Well, that's the only data we had. They were there for the playoff game when he threw four picks. That was an aberration. Also, you got the 22nd pick. You go in, you get Caden Proctor from Alabama. He'll be there. What do you do on my mock draft quarter? You're talking about who's going to be available at the 20

second pick? I didn't use your. What are you doing? I'm out there. I'm doing my own stuff. looking at you know Caden Proctor from Alabama you're doing interior offensive linemen scouting? Yes you can't have it you can't I like Alabama Mike McDaniel are you actually going to go we think yeah

you might get the Ravens Head job if he doesn't he's going to go to charge guess what like Mike McDaniel in fact I don't like I love it since when since I love to it had the dolphins going to the Super Bowl you make fun of Mike McDaniel no I didn't

He's done some odd press conferences. I have no issues with his play calling. How does this graphic back up? Look at 2023. Second in points, one in yards. That's what I like.

Okay, what about the next two years? That's not his fault. What? Why not? His quarterback was there? Okay. I love him as an OC. Love him with Herbert.

He's going to do fun stuff. Chargers should go up. I do agree with that. How did you not have Kansas City? You got there strangely. What is Kansas City now? I like the charges of it. Continuity.

Great quarterback added a good piece back to the offensive staff. He lost his favorite guy and best friend. Oh, really? You have breaking news? Because I saw Travis Kelsey John by how excited he is to have Eric B&Me back in the building. Wow, you have breaking news. He's coming back? He said it publicly.

He just said that publicly. I don't know. I'm not saying that, but you said he lost someone. I didn't know. Is there something I didn't know? There's something I didn't know. I know. I know. The status quo. We'll see. He has had Travis Kelsey announced his retirement and be factored in. Well, if he has announces coming back?

No, it's. That's what I'm saying. No, that's not what he's. You got him below two teams that don't have a coach and you've got a Hall of Fame coach. Nice. Again, I know it says next year's. There's a committee. I obviously believe the chiefs go into next year.

Patrick's going to be dancing at Travis. his wedding is going to be healthy week one. They're going to be back to the rightful place atop the AFC. The committee is very, you know, they don't, they don't trust ACL and LCL repair the way I do. I like the fact that Patrick had the surgery within 12 hours of the injury. Yes. One of our committee members, I haven't told you guys this. Retired orthopedic surgeon.

Oh. And his, his voice counts a little heavier when we talk about injury rehab and he thinks I'm a little too optimistic about it. Oh, man. Does anybody want to hear about him because they hit them. Oh, good. Very smart. Does anybody want to hear about the charger schedule? Do you have more chargers?

I didn't realize it. I didn't realize there's more comfortable. No, it'll be a tough. Tough. It's good. It's a very hard schedule. Yeah. No.

Yeah, we know on the road. Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, obviously, bills, dolphins, ram, Seahawks, Ravens, Bucks. Because all the good teams finished in second. Then at home, Patriots, Jats, EasyW, Cardinals, 49ers, Texans. Luckily, we're doing Chargers next block. Few. Let's make the schedule.

People love talking about, not even the schedule, just opponents. Yeah. Will Herbie be a top five? No. Herbie fully loaded. I didn't do that. Our staff's drunk today, man. Did you see the bug we're about to use?

The bug? Sunday on Fox, trip to Super Bowl 60 on the line. Some people are saying this is the Super Bowl. That's correct. Rams, Seahawks, Sunday. Fox has super roll and back to back to yours. It's fantastic. Only on Fox.

Welcome back to the show. Mike McDaniel eyeing the Chargers' offensive coordinator job. If he doesn't land a head coaching job, we think the Ravens are still in play. He doesn't get it. He's going to go to L.A. Nick, you don't love this? No, I like Mike McDaniel. But if the question is, you were supposed to ask what this means for Herbert?

Yeah. I, Justin Herbert is obviously incredibly physically gifted. He has good pedigree. He has good size. He has amazing arm talent. The, all of those things. I also think the following two statements are not opinion. They are just objective truth.

Statement one, he has played his worst football in his biggest spots, most notably his three playoff games, the last two. which were, for different reasons, historically bad games. And the other one, I guess, is a little opinion, but I think the numbers back it up. He does not appear to have improved, and in fact, he might have gone a little bit in the other direction since his second year. So much of Justin Herbert is this guaranteed superstar

is based on his first year. he set the record for touchdown passes as a rookie, and his second year through for 5,000 yards. It's like, oh, my God. And those first two years, he averages 4,600 yards, 7 and a half yards per attempt, and almost 3 to 1 touchdown interception ratio, which again, the touchdown interception ratio now is still 3 to 1, but higher volume, obviously, in a better rating.

And then in the 4 years since then, the volume has gone down, and the efficiency hasn't gone up. Usually if we're going to cut the volume, we're going to become hyper-efficient. That hasn't happened. And so he now gets another offensive coordinator in this one brew.

Everybody thinks is an offensive genius. Head coach, you know, mixed results. But you are running, if they, again, if it looks the way it has looked every year of Herbert's career, flashes of brilliance ending in massive disappointment, you're running out of people to blame is my

reaction. Well, yeah, I was going to say, I wrote down, no more excuses. Sure. All right, for Justin Herbert. First it was Brandon Staley. No, first it was Anthony Lynn. Poor Anthony Lynn got fired. Then Brandon Staley with some crazy, wacky moves.

And then, I mean, he got fire for a reason. And then the offensive line being all banged up. And so now... And Greg Roman. Greg Roman's fault. Fire him. Take the ball. his hands and stuff. So now with, like you said, a guy that we

everybody believes in as an O.C. And you still have like a great head coach. So McDaniel's not the head coach. You know you've got a great head coach. You've got a great offensive play caller and all the talent in the world. Like three bad playoff

games is enough, you know, to where people are some may be writing him off or whatever. If they, and they should make the playoffs next year, it's a fourth straight bad playoff game without any good ones under Mike McDaniel, then it'll seem like he just doesn't have it in these big moments, which is odd because in regular season big games, he plays fine.

But in the playoffs, he just is not himself. And so no more excuses. If it doesn't work with McDaniel and you're healthy, then it's like you just don't have it. Yeah, I agree with both of you guys. So this will be his fifth OSE in seven years, start of seven years. and with, you know, it's going to be interesting to see if McDaniel goes there how that's going to fit with Harbaugh. What system are they going to run? Is there going to be a fusion?

Is there going to be a learning curve? So that dynamics got to play out. And before the six years that Herbert played, he's had double-digit interceptions, and one of the two years where he didn't, he missed four games. He had seven picks that year, so he could have had ten intercepts, or double-digit again that year. And when you look at the O.C., so maybe Greg Roman was a, was a year. a problem. But Greg Roman with Jim Harbaugh went to the Super Bowl and went to another NFC championship game and that was with Kaepernick. So I don't know if you feel that Justin Herbert is more talented, less, however you feel, but that's what's something that he achieved

with Jim Harbaugh. So typically quarterbacks like this, and we talked about this with Stafford, they get offensive coordinators to leave the team, but it's because they're getting head coaching jobs. He's not getting fired. And he's gotten so many people fired that at some point it's like, maybe it's you. Maybe it's you. Are you surprised that Jim Harvall picked Mike McDaniel as his offensive coordinator? I think the meeting room is going to be fun, you know, with those two guys. There's going to be a lot of creativity between him. I mean, Jim has only had Greg Roman. So this is his first OC in pro football. Greg was his OC the whole time

he was with the 49ers. So it's going to be really interesting to see how that dynamic unfold. So that's just real quick on this. So that's what I find nobody has been a bigger supporter of Justin Herbert than Jim Harbaugh.

But I think it's fair to say and you obviously worked with Jim. Jim had a very close relationship with Greg Roman. You know what I mean? Worked in the two places. And it felt to me like, I don't think anybody thought going into that playoff game, man, Greg Roman's done a terrible job this year. I didn't feel that way. It felt to me like that playoff game was so bad and Herbert's performance was so bad that somebody had to fall by the wayside because of it.

And Harbaugh picks Roman. I do wonder what that does to the hardball Herbert Bond. That's like, man, this has been my guy forever. I ended up firing him because what our offense looked like. And now what that, I'm interested in that. Because last year after their playoff loss, Harbaugh said, our whole job is to get up to the level of Justin Herbert, even though he threw four picks.

This year it felt a little different. Patriots have never won a playoff game in Denver. Drake May saying, I haven't played in Denver in the playoffs. Yeah, that doesn't have anything to do with me. Take a listen. I know, you know, the altitude is a little different. different for us and some of the skill players, you know, running around. But I think it's a big thing.

It's a different team. It's a new team, you know, with the past is in the past. And I think we're living in the president and not worried about, you know, really anything else. We're worried about Sunday's game and control we can do as a team that we are this year in the 2025 Patriots. Coach, you expect Drake to struggle in his first road playoff game. Yeah, well, let me just put some things out there. So you've got the noise and that's one element. You've got the silent count.

And then with Denver's defense. They're number one in the league in sacks. We've talked about that before. They're also number one in the league in knockdown percentage. So what that means is the throw got off, but they knocked the quarterback down. So they're number one in that. Then they're also number one in hurries. That means that either the quarterback had to throw it quick or we had to escape from the pocket.

So combined, all those three things combined, that's 30% of the plays. The quarterback is either getting knocked down, sacked, or hurried over the course of the season, which is a problem. Then you add to that the fact that they pressure 28% of the time. So they bring some kind of blitz 28% of the time, which is the sixth highest in league. Now, all those things can be really problematic, especially for a guy who's being sacked at double the rate in the postseason that he was sacked in the regular season. He had noise, so it's harder for the offensive line to communicate. Yeah, I think there's going to be real challenges for him in this environment. Now the great news wilds is how he's dealt with pressure.

And if we could bring this up, because I was interested to see how well he's responded to when they bring blitzes. And you can see in the regular season, he was at 129.2. Oh, against the blitz. Better. Yeah, this is truly against the blitz, which is going to be about 30% of the time that Denver brings it if they stay. So, yeah, so he's been outstanding against the blitz, which is what is the most

encouraging thing to me about Drake May and Josh McDaniels going into this game against what they're probably going to see. Yeah, look, I think he's going to have some bad moments because he's playing a great defense. And like you said, coach, he's going to be under pressure. I don't think it's going to have much to do with the road. I just think you're facing, you know, this team that gets the pressure on you so much that he'll struggle.

But the thing I like about Drake May and the thing he's shown in these playoffs is he's countered his bad plays with spectacular plays. Some deep throws. He's one of the best deep throwers in the league. So I expect him to have overall a good game. He might probably have a turnover, whether there's a fumble, whether there's an interception or whatever.

But I'm saying he's going to have two touchdowns and a solid game. And I actually think, look, he faced Houston, which was obviously a great defense last week. I kind of think that's prepared him for this week. week to some degree just because you know you're facing another good defense. You just beat one and now you've got to face another.

And I also think, Nick, I'm not. This team does get to the pressure. Or else is the quarterback 10% more than Houston had over the course of the season. Yeah, yeah. So it's a little better in that regard. And I'm not trying to channel Wilds. But I think him having gone through all these turnovers in these first two games. At least drops too, yeah.

can just make him relax him like look I've done that we've won I've gotten to criticize for it I'm fine and I think he'll I think he'll be a little looser than maybe he was in his first two playoff games or at least his first one so I think

if Drake May is the most important player on the Patriots this weekend I think number two with a bullet is Will Campbell and I think where home field advantage can truly matter and coach tell me if I'm out of school on this,

is if the Patriots have to go to a silent count, what that means for the get-off on the pass rush for Denver versus how quickly Will Campbell's able to get in his pass block set, that difference, the difference between a quick pressure strip sack and a guy holding up. And I think that the biggest element other than a dome team playing, in the snow.

The biggest advantage, in my experience, watching playoff football of being at home is it's not just the crowd noise making it, there might be miscommunications, it's how much that helps the defensive pass rush versus the offensive pass set. And that would be my concern. That would be my concern, because I do think,

I think Will Campbell has struggled this postseason. Maybe it's because he's coming off an injury. Maybe it's because of who they're going up against. But having Nick Panito and Jonathan Cooper, coming off each edge, that would concern me greater. Yeah, so they're 100% going to have to use a silent count. And that stadium is ridiculously loud. And Seattle's loud.

This place is ridiculously loud too. And it's not just the silent count part of it, but it's getting the place from the sideline, hearing those, then communicating it in the huddle. Oftentimes that leads to getting out later in the huddle, which means that the play clock gets lower, and then defenders know, as the play clock goes, down the ball's got to be snatched there's not a lot of things you can do now maybe

they go no huddle or something like that to try to you know get him up to the line scrimmage and force Denver to declare what they're doing not gonna struggle why because he's undefeated on the road he's best against the blitz and he's I don't know if he's best against the blitz but he's pretty good pass against the blitz and he's got the most yards per pass when under pressure since 2018 so his bad games are other guys great games I don't think he played well against the Texans at all. He threw three touchdowns.

I don't think he played well against the Chargers at all. He threw for 270 yards and we won by double digits. He might not play well. There's no quarterback in the league who his game against the Chargers or Texans would have been a great game for them. Nobody. Three touchdowns against the Chargers? That's you, you can't.

Excuse me, against the Texans? You cannot, you can't remove, you can't, that's not the entirety of his game. There's no quarterback in the league that that game would have, no good quarterback, no star, you know, who's that game against the, had great moments, but there's no quarterback in the league that has four fumbles, two lost in a pick, and when the pick is unlucky, that's fine, but the two fumble recoveries are lucky, and that's a great game and sacked five times. That's not a great game. His struggles are other QB's good games.

How about that? Will you take that? Throughout the regular season, yes, throughout the playoffs, I don't think that's been the case. I don't think those were good games. Someone else should throw for three touchdowns against the Texans. I think he had a good game. The Texans were an unbelievable defense that I think we had won eight games in a row. He was under major duress.

Nobody could beat them. Drake May came in and threw three touchdowns on them. I dropped the ball a few times. CJ Stroud looked like. C.J. Stroud, but we didn't score any point out. Drake May did not take any of those turnovers and turn them into place. No, but the point that I think one of the reasons, more veteran quarterbacks, didn't have three touchdown games

against the Texans was because they had the wherewithal to not hold onto the ball and not, and they're like, you know what, hunting this play might end up with the ball on the ground. How would that work out for them? I understand they won the game and the Patriots, the fact that

the fact that Drake, in my opinion, Drake May has not played well yet this postseason and they've won both games by double digits speaks to how great the team has played. But in my opinion, presenting these two games as good or great games, I think

is, it's not what I saw. I said his bad game. Would be someone else's good or great games. I disagree. And I think this could be another opportunity for New England's defense to prove that they're just not a side show here. They've been playing pretty well. No, they've been playing it very well. Excellent. Okay, what's going on in Buffalo, a odd press conference that brought up more questions

and answers next. Tonight on FS1, it's a triple header. Xavier versus Creighton at seven. Then at nine, the Kelsey Brothers, Cincinnati, taking on number one seed, Arizona. Actually, number one ranked. Not seating yet. And then San Diego State versus one of my favorite colleges,

Grand Canyon. Have you ever been to the Grand Canyon? Yes, not the college, though. It's not overrated. Properly rated the Grand Canyon. How is it rated? It's rated as like, oh, my God, you go there and you're stunned, and then you're like, ah, it's just a big hole.

And then you go there and you're like, oh, my God. Bill's owner Terry Pagula met with the media. Lots of highlights or low lights. I got three of them before we listen to some sound. Number one, he fired Sean McDermott because they had hit a ceiling. Classic two. Yeah. Number two, he insinuated that drafting Keon Coleman was a mistake.

Keon is still on the team. Number three, that mistake was not Brandon Bean's fault. It was the coaching staff's fault. Who he previously fired. Take a listen. I felt like we hit the proverbial playoff wall. year after year, 13 seconds, missed field goals, the catch. I'll address the Keon situation.

The coaching staff pushed to draft Keon. I'm not saying Brandon wouldn't have drafted him, but he wasn't his next choice. That was Brandon being a. team player and taking advice of his coaching staff. Your reaction to this press conference? A bunch,

so I'll just very quickly. He also said that he decided to fire him because they lost the game. Also, that was a catch. But also, he said they lost the game because of the refs. And so if you're Sean McDermott, and listen, Brandon Bean was

very adamant and talked about his wife being emotional about people saying, you know, that he stabbed anyone in the back and questioning his character. I'd be upset about that too. What's also true is someone had to tell the owner, that's not my pick. That was McDermott's. And so like him, Sam, the Pagula being like, hey, just everybody knows. Sean never wanted the player who again is on your team at a position you don't have a lot of guys at. This, I agreed with Danny yesterday, Brew, that this was the best job opening. This press conference,

Weak in that. Well, yeah, because it's not like I thought this and the Ravens is close enough. And Bashati is out there, like, just wheeling it dealing, and it feels like they know what's going on. I didn't like this. And it's not because I loved it. I just didn't like it. No, look, I will give him this.

He said we hit the proverbial wall year after year in the playoffs. And we all think Sean McDermott is a good coach. nobody thinks he's not a very good coach. But that's true. For various reasons, they did hit that while. And even though, look, we talk about we kind of removed the Chiefs. They shouldn't have lost to the Bengals that year, 2710. They shouldn't have just lost to Denver.

But let's even look at the Chiefs. The owner is saying, we beat them four times in the regular season. Why can't we do it in the playoffs? Maybe it's because our defense, which is generally either top, five or top 12 or something like that gives up 33 points a game in the playoffs or at least in our last six playoff losses. So I get, I thought that part was legitimate. I do look, so I'm, I was fine with the firing of McDermott. My only issue is keep him being because he's, you know, you said it yesterday, coach, 56, I think, draft picks and he's got two pro bowlers

since then. And so and he came in right after McDermott. So they were kind of a team. They came in the same year and so why did you keep one? It clearly, there's no question. When you look at the reporting even when you watch this press conference

that the GM played the political game and he got in with the owner and McDermott wasn't. And that's really what this came down to. I love when owners do press conference. I know. I know. It's the best because you get a window into kind of conversations that happen on a regular basis and things that you have to navigate through as you're trying to push things forward in a very sort of organized, structured way and some of the challenges that that can present and some of the communication gaps that can exist between ownership and coaches.

And when you look at this, when Sean came in, I don't know if it was a 15-year drought or an 18-year drought. It's something like that. And then suddenly they go to the playoffs and they win the division. And then when this ownership group took over the Buffalo Sabres, there's a lot of celebration of the hockey team. And people were excited about it. And I think subsequently now there's a 13-year playoff drought. They fired five head coaches and four GMs.

So maybe let the guys that, you know, that was doing a pretty good job, continue to do a good job. And maybe not make an emotional decision in a moment. moment where it's going to affect the trajectory of a franchise for years to come when you've got an MVP caliber player and take a step back and let things, the emotion come out of it and make a more informed decision. And then I just say with Bishadhi, you've got a good look at him. He's going to hold people accountable. He does. Every week, he meets with guys. He holds McCown. But he's not there every day. That's not his thing. But the other thing, again, if you

believe what he said that they made the decision when he walked in the locker room and saw the devastation. Well, it's what you said. If you believe exactly what he said. And again, it came out of his mouth. If you believe it. I believe it. Yeah. It does speak to.

And I was trying to give me 20 seconds here to us. I was not trying to be like some like, I'm not, I'm a talk show who wears makeup. I'm not saying that like a more manly. Yeah. than professional football players. So I wasn't trying to be like alpha male, you shouldn't cry. The reason I focused on the crying part was it was an outward signal that that team might be at least in the moment broken. And the owner is saying he saw that and felt like we have to make a major change to get over this loss.

That's what the owner said. I think if they were in the locker room laughing, that team would be broken. The fact that they're crying, to me, shows they actually might have really cared. But if they were locked in, if they're like, man, if people weren't crying. There's a gap between laughing and crying. Well, I just think that you, when you fumble the ball away with 16 seconds left and you make other bad decisions and you miss wide open throws and you're supposed to be Superman, yeah, it probably really hurts to the point where you're like, I disappointed a lot of people and sending a lot of people on their way. If you're calling it the catch. which means you thought that you caught the ball,

you thought you had done enough to win, and the coach had coach well enough to win, and the refs screwed you over. Why does the coach get away? Great question. Live from New York, it's first thing's first overtime. Today, a fresh edition of the coolest statistical segment in all the sports. It's packed stats.

The briefcases are still here. Meanwhile, why one person thinks Jared Stidham and Drake May are on the same level. Okay. And finally, a press conference. in Buffalo. That may send Brian Dayball to the Titans. Well, interesting. My own theory, I kind of floated in there.

Alongside Chris Bissart, I'm Kevin Wilde. Right, Dan, Arkansas. What? No. I mean, the press conference was bad. No, Diane. No way I'm going to. Diana.

He's talking about Dayball going to the Titans. I understand, but that they don't want. You would rather coach Josh Allen. Rather be the head coach of Josh Allen or the offensive coordinator reported to Bobby Salon. I'm just kicking it. around. I'm sorry.

Consider it. It kicked around. You're not going to get a better job than that. If you're dable. Then the bill's head coach a job? Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's one of the great head coach's job opening cover. What is the come of being fired by the New York Giants?

Not having another thing on your resume and then getting head coach of the Buffalo bills. Right. With an MVP. He's got a lot of resume. No, but I'm saying that being the sequence that you understand what I mean? Danny. People fall up all the time.

You think Mike McDihyber? This is not in the show, so this is the quick tease question. Do you think the Eagles having an absence at OC and people are bouncing around and avoiding the Eagles is more of a reflection on Siriani, the organization, or Jaylon Arts? D, all of the above. Excellent. Time to start the show. Ram C. Hawks. This one is Sunday night on Fox.

Mike McDonald met with the media, and here's what he said about the matchup. Take a listen. They're a really good team. And, you know, they play hard. They play together. They got really talented players. They got a great scheme. You know, it's a great matchup.

So it's right where we should be at this point of year. It's pretty cool. Fascinating. Danny, do you see this as the real Super Bowl? Yes, I do. I think these are the two best teams in the NFL. I think they've been the two best teams in the NFL. I take my top 10 Tuesday responsibilities way too seriously,

which is why I was so hurt by the breaking news of John Harbaugh a couple weeks ago that canceled. Top 10 Tuesday. Let it go, young news. I'll let it go eventually. I'll get over it. But I've had these two teams as the top two teams in the seven consecutive weeks leading into the playoffs. I just I said it ahead of the week 16 game that that was going to be the best, you know, Thursday night game. I said that if the Bears were not in the NFC championship,

I wanted it to be a rematch of these two teams. I think it's just pretty obvious that they're the best. We can show some numbers that I think make the case pretty iron-clad. They blow people out more than anyone else. They score more points than anyone else. I don't know what other measurement, and we'll get to it in a second,

that you have for it. But they'll both be like a three or four-point favorite over the Patriots. So obviously underdogs win all the time in the Super Bowl. possible, but I just think it's been apparent pretty much all year, wire to wire, that these are the two best teams? No. Okay. This is not the real Super Bowl.

The real Super Bowl will happen in a few weeks. Nailed it. But you touched that, dude. No, you touched on it. I didn't know. I'm saying. This question is, you should be

ticked off. This is insulting to the Patriots and to the Broncos. And we have seen so many upsets in the NFL Super Bowl that why in the world will we say this is the real Super Bowl? Nobody thought

that your undefeated Patriots could lose the freaking Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Very true. I would have used that example as upshund. And I'm going cross sport. I thought, when I was young like you two, I thought that

The Lakers and the Spurs in 2004 and the Western Conference Finals was the real Super or real NBA Finals. And it turns out Detroit beat them in five. And so it is not the real Super Bowl. You never know what will happen in Super Bowl. And furthermore, I think New England, I think there's an argument that they're right there with the Rams and the Seahawks. So that's the piece of it.

Now, Denver, okay, but the Patriots for sure. I disagree with you on the last piece. I agree with Danny. These are the two best teams. It doesn't mean there wouldn't be an upset. But the reason I don't use the comp of 07 or I think the West, I think 2004 Western Armands finals is a great example. Because 07 it was, or, you know, the undefeated Patriots,

I don't think people looked at, I don't even remember, who was that AFC championship game against? Was it against Philip Rivers and the Chargers? I get what you said, like, whether that, but there have been several times where you think. this conference championship is what it's all about and then that team lose. And the times that jump out to me, like, I remember being a little kid in the 90s, and it felt like Cowboys Niners on Fox in the conference championship game was the Super Bowl.

And it was. And it was. And it wasn't because the other teams on the other side of the bracket were, you know, bad teams. And it was just that it felt over the course of the season. that these two teams have distinguished themselves. That's how I also felt about the Rams and the Seahawks. The fact that on the other side of the bracket, the other one seed just had their quarterback break his ankle, makes it even more so.

And so, like, that is a piece of it. Now, if this feels dismissive of the Patriots, I don't mean it to. I just do, I think that the other proof of concept of, the single best game played in the NFL, NFL all year, arguably was relatively recently between these two teams and it came down to a two-point conversion in overtime. It was the best because it was the best TV product, but that didn't prove to me that the Seahawks, scary Seahawks defense that's given up 460 yards is all of a sudden the best

game. Well, I guess what I would argue is I think we all agree, I think, that the Seahawks do have an excellent defense. And so the fact that the Rams were able to put up that performance against that defense. And we all went into that game saying, is Darno going to go pumpkin? He did. And then he pulled himself out of it at the end.

It just to me feels like the whole season's been leading up to this. I don't think the Rams have looked all season like the best team or the second best team even. Now they may win the Super Bowl and I might even pick them, but I'm saying they lost to Carolina and then

proved in the playoffs, it wasn't a fluke. Like Carolina almost beat them in the playoffs. They barely beat Chicago last week. Like, I don't, I get that Matthew Stafford is great, but they haven't looked anything like a juggernaut for weeks. Not like a team

like getting like double-digit victories in the playoffs. Do you have an example? There is only one. I think also just the strength of schedule piece of it too does, I can't really shake it with the Patriots and then the Rams have just played the toughest schedule and the it's kind of like the Stafford Drake May MVP argument reflected in these teams and then we know that Seattle's also been tested a lot in the NFC West so I just think these teams have been battle tested and the winner of the game is going to win the Super Bowl so if the Patriots win the Super Bowl are we setting up like ah you know through Jarrett's did on no Charbonnet like oh no see can I yeah well that is a that's I've seen it happen against the Chargers defense and the Texans defense was this unbelievable defense Drake May drops the ball a few times like it

Hold on, KW, you got, hold on a second. This is, I feel like you are trying to, like, cause an argument on something that you don't actually in your core feel. I see it coming down the road. No, so two things. One is, there, you've been, you're right around 50, right? 47 to 52. I'd say that I'm 50, but I'm not 50. I feel 50 sometimes, but a young 50.

Is there a single Super Bowl champion in your lifetime that is discredited? No, there is not. I personally, I quietly discredit a few. Okay, so there isn't. So you don't have to worry about anybody retroactively being like that wasn't a real, that doesn't happen. This will be real. That's, first of all, second. The Eagles of the Field.

The Chiefs Over the Eagles. Second of all, you've been on TV talking football too long to where America knows your opinions, to where you can't. now all of a sudden act like you feel like four fumbles in a game is dropped the ball a couple times you can't like that's like that's not that's not how you've been dropping the ball if you and so like that is you the people aren't like creating straw men about Drake May's performance these playoffs when they say he has had moments of excellence and also had more moments of Oh, what's the word? Trepidation than at any point in the regular season.

The only thing I'm pushing back against is it feels like when we previewing the Patriots games, we have people all over the spectrum picking against the Patriots, and then the Patriots win moderately easily, and then it's, yeah, but we see shows go across the board Texans, and it's like, yeah, C.J. Stroud, if you had anybody else in there. And it's another excuse. And now it's going to be the same. People are like, you know, watch, this. week it'll be stid them the defense the crowd noise

Drake may on the road and the Patriots are going to easily dismantle the Broncos like nah but you think they they didn't easily beat the test so here here is what is true it was a double digit victory it wasn't an easy I mean it took it took the amazing booty catch to put the game away despite CJ's four turnovers but that was a good game here is what it was a double digit victory yeah it was certainly the it was a double victory by definition. It was the second easiest win of the weekend.

There's no doubt about that. It wasn't Seahawks 49ers, but it was. Here is what will happen. Here's what will happen. If you guys make the Super Bowl and get clocked, everything you're worried about will occur. People will discredit your path to the Super Bowl.

That will happen. But if you make the Super, and if you lose this weekend, people will discredit your path because you lost Jared Stidham. But if you win the Super Bowl, which you think you will. None of it matters.

You're the champions, and people will call Drake May the best player in the league. So it's a big, big swing here for you the next few weeks, but you just got to win. I'm so okay about that. Just go win. Mike McDaniel's eyeing the Chargers OC job. If he doesn't land a head coaching job, Danny.

In the words of brew, I'm guessing you don't like this. You love it. What impact does this have on Justin Herbert? A massive one. Listen, my coach and my quarterback are Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson, but my second quarterback is Justin Herbert, and Nick will tell you, this is my second coach. He loves guys like this. Love him.

I mean, Kyle Shanahan said that Mike McDaniel's offense is innovative and that he steals from him. He is one of the truly bright offensive minds in football. He is a guy who had the number one offense in the sport. two years ago with Tua, who since basically is the league leader in throwing the ball behind the line of scrimmage. Like Tua is limited, and Justin Herbert has struggled in the playoffs, but I think we all agree. His talent is limitless. Tyreek Hill and Jalen Waddle help. It wasn't like- No, no, no, no question about it.

But the system. The idea of even the running game. Tua looks terrible before Mike McDaniel got there. Mike McDaniel got there. Tua became a legitimate player for a period of time. with excellent wide receivers. You guys like when I make guarantees. I'll make some guarantees.

An offense with Justin Herbert, Rishon Slater, Joe Alt, and Mike McDaniel calling the plays. I guarantee will be a top 10 offense in the league next year, and I'll be very disappointed if they're not a top five offense in the league next year. I expect greatness from this pairing.

I thought you go a little further. I guarantee there'll be a top third offense. They've got one of that. Danny thinks they have a top 10 all-time talent quarterback. I guarantee the Ophins. I guarantee the O'B. Hold on a second.

Wow. That's not a top five is not enough for you? We say it's what I would like. Josh, who's the top, who's the 10th best offense? Hold on a second. Here's what I would like. I want to tell you what I would like.

You want to top. You want to, yeah, of course they better be top 10. You think Herbert is a top five quarterback. You love Mike McDaniel. They're going to have their offense to flyman back. Here's a question. But since you just so dismissed to a, Same draft class, similar accomplishments as Herbert,

and it's like, and Herbert's talent, I think you called it limitless. Herbert's talent is limitless. Okay, got it. Bradley Cooper movie. Underrated. At any point in this pairing, will Herbert do with Mike McDaniel what too it did? Lead the league in yards and top two in yards and points? Can they do that?

Sure. They can do that. Okay. Yeah, they can do that. Now, that's a guarantee. The Charters also have top five cap position this year. 20 second pick. They got 22nd pick.

Wildes is coming on board. I'll guarantee you some. Have you seen the opponents? Schedule's tough. I'm going to give you a real guarantee. Go. If your boy doesn't get it done in the playoffs going forward, he will be to blame. It won't be Mike McDaniel.

It won't be Jim Harbaugh. It will be Justin Herbert. And I love his talent just like you. And he gets it done in a regular season. season. Kind of. But in the playoffs, he just hasn't, and the excuses are gone. Well, I'll just say, the excuses are gone.

Great head coach, great offensive play caller. It's on you, Justin. The actions of Mike McDaniel here seem to back up what I think about Justin Herbert. He could have coordinated Baker Mayfield's offense. Well, he's better than Baker Mayfield. Okay. Could have worked with Jalen Hertz and Seekwan Barkley and A.J. Brown and that's been a terrible job for people.

People get fired there all the time. And it'd be a big shocker. Mike McDaniel want to live back in a lot. L.A. Correct. I mean, you're back on the West Coast. I, so just. Pretty sweet, dude.

I mean, yeah, it seems like a good place to be a millionaire. All right. I know we have to get a pack stats, but I just, I want Danny to be on the record with something that will just enrage this side of the table. You're a bully. If, if during the interview, Mike McDaniel said, listen, I'd love to work with Justin Herbert. I've dreamed of working with a quarterback like this. Here we go. However, I'm not interviewing for your offensive coordinator position.

I'm interviewing to be your head coach. Hire him. And you... Over Harbaugh? Would you have fired Harbaugh to hire Mike McDaniel? Yeah. Yeah, I know. He's the guy loves his offensive whiskets.

Need of Wake-Oler. He loves his offense. Modernize your offense. Yeah, absolutely. That was what happened. Danny, before we get to Pax Sats. Broncos, Seahawks, Ravens, Broncos, Patriots. It doesn't matter.

They've got a limit. They've got Bradley Cooper on those pills playing quarterback. That's not going to work. That's why I was nervous about it. Danny is making stats cool. I got some cool I'm a fresh edition of cool excuse me pack stats

aka cool stats I got the coolest stats the coolest briefcase yeah the coolest gloves they are the sweetest gloves I figured out how to put them on and everything the segment down in here they're worth

they are they are worth I gotta close up on the gloves please yeah I mean this is the coolest okay you guys know what else is cool what insurance it's true gotta have backup plan And that's what Jared Stadem is.

He's a backup plan, but he doesn't need to be that good. This is the Broncos pass-ler rating this season. The whole thing, 87. That's their pass-ler rating. The lowest ever for a team to win 12 or more games since, I should have said ever, since the 2015 Broncos. Huh. That team that was carried, Peyton Manning, obviously.

So you, they have not, they got to the one seed. They've made it to the AFC Championship game within the end. in the aggregate below average quarterback play. It's all Jared Steadim is to do. I'm a pass rating of 88. Yes, I feel like it is. In his career pass rating is 78. For Stittam?

Yeah, I believe. Yeah, I mean, in a very, very small sample. My point here is obviously they don't need great quarterback play to win. So just play a clean game. That's basically what they've done all year, which got them to the ones. Yeah, it feels, here's what I would say.

And I think everyone would agree on this. there's four teams playing this weekend. For two of them, the quarterback breaking his ankle, we all would have agreed. A hundred percent ends their year. The Rams and the Pets. Yes. Yeah.

And for the other two, the one seeds with the great defenses, whose quarterbacks in different ways at various times this year have been excellent and at times struggled, if you had a veteran backup quarterback you trust, you'd be like, maybe. Maybe they can do just enough play clean football and the defense can carry him in Ciox and Broncos. I do feel that way.

Even though Bo Nix is coming off, I think the best game of his career. I'm sorry, Jimmy G. can't win the Super Bowl? I've seen him in the Super Bowl. And one now. He's there. That was cool, man. Thank you.

Would you like to know what else is cool? I would love to. All right, good. I'm glad you asked. Perseverance is cool. Sometimes you've got to overcome a little adverse. Yeah. Self-inflicted wounds. That's what Wilde's Patriots have been doing these whole playoffs. Just because they dropped the ball a couple

time? Well, we'll get to the drop-in of the ball. To be sacked 10 or more times but win each of the first two playoff games, Drake May and Joe Burrow. But what did Joe Burrow do? He made it to the Super Bowl, had perseverance. And lost to Matt Stafford and the Rams. Oh my. A little bit of a theme. But Nick, you've been mentioning dropping the ball. That's not good. Quarterbacks with five or more turnovers who won their first two playoff games. Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner both won the Super Bowl. So they're making mistakes, but winning. It's actually not a terrible sign. Can I let me do something on behalf of my firm of KW. Wilds is very upset that Drake May is the first

player in league history to have an interception on their resume that was an end of half Hail Mary and thinks it shouldn't count. Oh, we're taking away interceptions that aren't on the quarterback now? The, Taylor's through zero this year. End of, it's like, half hell merry. It's an NFL version of the Heave rule.

It should not count against a shooting percentage. I agree. It should be a team interception. But whether the, when you fumble the ball and you're not the one who recovers it, it should be as negative as whether your offensive lineman recovers it or a defensive lineman recovers it, it should,

and by that same methodology, they should be considered the same, and they're not, because fumbles lost is all that count for turnovers. So, like, if he had four, there were four times in that game, he put the ball on the ground, anyone could have gotten it. He only ended up with three turnovers in the game. The one of, the pick is very unlucky, no doubt about it. But this was the only legit one that is his fault.

Oh, wait, he had two picks in the game or one? Just one. No, he had a pick in the, yeah, one against charges, yeah. So. That was cool, dude. Thanks, man. Very cool. Whenever Bruce signs off on the coolness of it, I know.

You're going to like this one, too, bro. You guys know what else is cool? What? Thank you, Nick. Deja vu. It is. It's kind of scary. It's a glitch in the Matrix, DejaVo.

The Legion of Boom is back. What? Yeah. Seahawks points per game allowed against playoff teams, 15.8. Fewest by any team since the 2013 Seahawks. The Legion of Boom. And he's like, well, that's just one stat. Points per game.

There's no way. That's a historic defense. I don't know. Let's put the 2025 Seahawks through 18 games up against one of the greatest defenses of all time. Points. Okay, two more again. That's legit. That's something.

Yards identical. The yards are identical to the tenth of a yard. Correct. That's pretty good. Sacks, this team, two more. They've allowed two more passing touchdowns, and they have the same number of blowout wins. Go. Seahawks, Legion and Boom, part two.

The Seahawks won the Super Bowl by Annihilate in Denver. We got a lot of, so we have like a Patriots, Ram's Super Bowl that's a PAC stat too about the sacks. We have a Seahawks. We consider doing an all callbacks to the last time these teams won the Super Bowl edition of Pax stats, but maybe next week. I think the audience probably does

Danny, that was cool. Things you consider to do it. I like that. No, I like it. It's probably. You know what's cool? I'll handle. I'll handle it.

That's right. That was cool, Danny. You got any other cool stuff? No, those were the three. Brew, did you like the Legion? I thought it was cool. I love Brew during this segment and all the time. Coming up next, another cool segment. I hope so. Is Jared Stidham. Okay. Can Jared Stidham keep up with Drake May? Oh, people are asking the question. Hey, probably will. I got some stats for it. Next. Welcome back to the OT. We got Willie Collette. and coach man Jeannie hanging out.

We go to Denver. You might have heard Jared Stidham. He will be starting his first career playoff game. It's only his fifth start of his career. He's doing it against Drake May and the Patriots in the AFC championship game. It's a bit unusual. But former NFL quarterback and quarterback trainer Jordan Palmer, not a big deal. It's going to be just fine.

In fact, it's a fair fight. Take a listen. They know what they got there. And I think the guys on the team know what they got there. And outside of making predictions in the game, I think if Drake May and Jared Stidham both play at their best, I don't think it's much different. And I don't really see Jared having a floor

because the two starts that he did have in the Raiders, we can say are irrelevant. But he shredded the Chiefs, and then he shredded the Niners, and those are the two teams that played in the Super Bowl that year. All right. People say the darndest things. Jordan Palmer has worked with Jared Stidham.

Willie, you giving Stidham a chance to keep up with Drake May? I do. I think Sean Payton will have him prepared. I think he will be prepared for the moment. I just try to put myself in the office-aligned men's shoes that will be protecting him. And I think one of the things you look for is how clean him of an operation can he run, meaning his cadence, right? That's important. Also, his ability to be on time with the football.

And everybody around him, can they get him comfortable fast? Because that's going to be important, especially with the stakes at hand. Nevertheless, man, all we could do is go by what everybody's told us. We haven't seen enough of him to really kind of put our stamp on him. It's going to be a big test, but I think getting him in the rhythm early is going to be crucial. I would say the strongest endorsement that I can see with him is fact that when Josh McDaniels went to the Raiders as the head coach, he traded for Jared Sidham. So he obviously believed him in him, and he's really well regarded in terms of being an offensive coordinator and an offensive mind. And then when Sean Payton had an opportunity, he was a day one free agent.

And he went and got Jared Stidim. And explain that, meaning basically free agency opens, sign him on the first day. Sign him on the first day. And that's a really good indication of how badly a team wants them because free agency goes on for a long period of time. You don't want to lose a guy. So you go get him on the first day. So that's another really strong endorsement. And when you hear Sean talk about Stidim, it didn't feel like it was bravado in terms of his confidence in him.

It felt like that was truly how he feels about him as a. player. Now we haven't seen him a lot and obviously this is a giant stage and a giant opportunity, but anticipating that Denver will be able to create a lot of problems for Drake May and we saw how difficult a job or performance C.J. Stroud had. Let's just start with that. Let's not lose the game for Denver. Let's keep the game clean. And then the things that we do positively after that could be the difference. Listen, I like a hot take, right, right in the business that I'm in. And I understand sticking up for your guy.

And I completely agree, like, Sean Payton came across as genuinely confident in his guy. But he's his coach. Like, he's supposed to. And their actions of the day one free agency, do you guys not at all see this as a little disrespectful to Drake May? Like, what if he would have said, I don't see much of a difference between Jared Stidham and Matt Stafford? Or Jared Stidham and Josh Allen?

Like, it's, like, it's, Drake May might win MVP of the league. Like, this is an exercise in, in humor here, but come on. Like, to say that he doesn't think. The other one total did not need to be highlighted. And it just, it felt like a little point of emphasis on the graphic. Like, if they play at their best, I don't think it's much different. Drake May's best is arguably the best in football this year. Well, hold on. You're acting like Sean Payton said this about.

Right. This is Joe. Or they. By the way, he's known Jared since he's 14 years old. Right, he's coached with him, I understand. Doesn't he work with him? Yeah, train him in the office. Yeah, so it's. Another bias.

Well, it's like Nick talking about you. Like, you have a long-stander relationship. I like that. He's going to love you up. So I'm Jared Stidham. Yeah, that's fair. If you were, you know, are you talking about your all-time death fires. You put it up.

He puts it up. This guy. This guy was top five radio. That was clean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's not the... I get it. I get it.

I understand. We all know what I'm talking. Yeah, yeah. No, I'm fourth round. It was perfect. Listen, I hear you. And he is biased also. It just, it's like, come on.

Do we think that he is going to... Because I think I might pick Denver to win. I know what I'm doing in the NFC. I have not yet decided what I'm doing the AFC. It just, it strikes me as very hard to believe that Jarrett Stidham's best is equal to Drake May's best. Like, we don't agree with that, right? Right? Listen, like you said, he's MVP candidate, so it sounds ridiculous. But we just watched the game at Drake May where he had trouble holding on to the football.

And we saw a defense that got after him. We saw him kind of take some steps backwards and running an operation where, you know, it took kind of a Herculean effort to kind of beat a Texas defense valet number one. Yeah. Nevertheless, man, we expected the MVP to perform and it took situational football for him to kind of stand up. But he wasn't clean through the whole game. He's been sacked 15. percent of the time in the postings. So now you're talking about a leaking left side of the office line, a spotty run game. He's like, hey, my guy can bang with him if given a fair opportunity.

And I'll say, again, when Sean Payton came out when he made the announcement and he was like, Stittie's ready for this. I was like, Stitty sounds like a nickname of a guy who can sling it. I'm just saying. It did. It came across as genuinely confident. Not for one year over. Yeah. The nickname.

Yeah. I mean, it's not his eight career touchdowns and eight career interceptions. Not as minus one pass. Yeah, it's not a minus one rushing yard. He's Georgia and Bammond. That doesn't mean anything. His zero career pass attempts this season, not career, this year. Let's go to the Rams side of things here.

They go to Seattle, of course. They're facing the Seahawks third meeting of the year, third meeting since mid-November. Last time they met someone at the desk. I don't remember who called it the game of the year. It was probably me. Head coach Mike McDonald spoke today ahead with the Seahawks familiarity, Stafford, the third matchup against them,

and what it's going to take. Take a listen. We have to disrupt timing. You know, it's really the fact of the matter. And we've gotten to him a few times where he's gotten rid of it and thrown the ball away, which have been smart decisions where he hasn't put them all in danger. So I think there's some good plays that we're putting on tape to be able to affect him. So that's what Stafford did, the two kind of game logs against the Seahawks.

You'll notice in week 16 he had 457 yards and three touchdowns in that game that I predicted to be the game of the year. Coach, you expect Stafford to look like the MVP against the league? Seattle's defense? Yeah, those numbers that you put up there, that was in Seattle. Yep. And it's also five, in the two games, it's five touchdowns, no picks, and there's been zero sacks. So they haven't, yeah, they got him to throw the ball away quickly, but they haven't really gotten to him.

It's going to be interesting. I always loved playing opponents that we were familiar with. And there's a function of it, because you can start on a much higher point from a game plan perspective and you're going to you're going to be able to hopefully attack different things and present different things. They're going to have to do a really good job of showing them one thing and giving him something else and not be able not make make sure they're not giving anything that's predictable that he can take advantage of.

Yeah, I've been in this position. When I was with the Steelers, man, the year I won a Super Bowl, we had to play the Ravens three times. We played the Ravens in the AFC championship. And I tell you what, going into that game, we felt like we couldn't hide anything for them, right? You talk about a high point. Like everything, I think we tried everything. We've done everything. We played our hardest brand of football. Now it was just about rolling out the ball. And it was a matter of will and really standing up in big time moments and we was able to do

so. Nevertheless, man, I think from the Rams going into this game, they just have to start faster and better. Sean McVehanes, pressure, talked about getting in rhythm. The only way you get in rhythm is being able to sustain drives. You talk about the game against the Panthers, especially the Bears. They had an early score and they fell flat in the first half. The Seahawks are one of the best first half defenses, if now in the whole league, I got a stat right here to defend it. We throw that this is what they do in the first half against offenses. I mean, they pretty much shut them down. They spot you seven points.

They allow you to have 4.2 yards on the ground. And then from then on, they put the clamps on you. So if you're the Rams right now, you're going to have to figure out, again, if we get an early score, how can we do better than that? Because I think right now, if you're the Rams, you need more production out at Devonte Adams, who didn't think had a good game against the Bears. You know Pooka's going to be Pooka, but you have to put up points. And it's going to be really hard against this.

the defense who pretty much through all four quarters show up and punch you in the mouth. Stafford is incredible, obviously. He's having an amazing season. I just trust Seattle more right now. They seem like the hotter team. Yeah, I mean, obviously the blowout against San Francisco, but the Rams almost lose to Carolina in the Wild Card round, almost lose to the Bears in the divisional round,

lose to the Falcons down the stretch of the regular season, lose to the Panthers down the stretch of the regular season. Their defense has kind of fallen apart. But Stafford, I trust, I'm not sure I trust the totality of the Rams right now. Fellas, he had almost half a thousand yards passing last time they played. He's very good. He threw three touchdowns and no picks. He hasn't been sacked.

That was in Seattle. Well, this is in Seattle. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like, I'm saying, if I'm the Rams, you've got to be really confident that you can score and you can score a lot of points. And even if you do take, you know, fall behind, you also have to be really, comfortable knowing that you can you can hang a bunch of points on this defense. Do you think, yeah, listen, he's the best quarterback in the game.

Do you expect this to be a high scoring game? No. I do. How? The last was 3837. 38, yeah. The first one was lower scoring. The last one was 3837.

Have we not watched the Seahawks these last two weeks? I mean, last week and what they looked like, especially that defensive line. Yeah. And how they condensed the pocket and how pretty much state. But it was against a hospital award. It was against a hospital award. that had less days to practice coming off on East Coast swing. I get all facts.

Can't deny that. But sometimes style and impact matters. And I think the way they played and the brand they played, they seem like they can go to distance with anybody. So I'm not worried about stopping Stafford. I'm worried about this defense. Really, listen, I see them having takeaways. I see them erasing Pooka off the field.

That's how much confidence I have in the Seattle's Seahawks defense. Man, yeah, Pooka's played very well against them this year in the two matchups. The odds makers have the total at 46.5. They thought they needed to tell me that in my ear. I knew it. Come on, come on. They've been gambling for 20 years. The over.

36 and a half. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you got the over and you got the under. Good old-fashioned disagreement. Wild press conference in Buffalo today. A lot of dysfunction we discuss. Thanks for hanging out with us on the OT. We go to Buffalo where the bill's owner, Terry Pagula,

and their general manager, Brandon Bean. They get an end of season press conference. And it was a lot. They talked about firing Sean McDermott. They noted the decision was in the locker room after the loss, how that whole scene went down. Also, letting Sean go was the right move over Brandon Bean. There were some questions about that.

Also, they put the decision to draft Keon Coleman on the coaching staff, not the front office. Here's the owner. Where does the leadership of the team on the field and in the locker room, where we go from that moment, which, you know, another playoff failure and that's why I decided that Sean had to leave. How far before the playoff game had you maybe started thinking about this being a possibility? After the playoff game in the locker room.

So it wasn't a thought of... I need to keep saying that. I keep saying it. It was feeling the moment. Okay. There was a lot there. Coach, you've dealt with ownership very directly in multiple stops, obviously. How does functional, did today make the bills look? Look, I love when owners do press conferences because it gives you some insight into the challenges that you have. You can have with that situation.

And there are so many different things that come up with executives and successes and failures, but they're not immediately acted upon typically. and they're not scrutinized by everybody. And when you look at this ownership group, it seems like they're going to be even more involved now than they were. And remember, the bills prior to Sean taking over had, what was it, 15, 16, 17, 17 year playout. Incredible playoff drought.

And to put that in perspective, when this group took over the Buffalo Sabres, there was a lot of excitement. But since then, they've got a 14-season playoff drought and the 18-season playoff wind drought. okay and they fired six head coaches and four GMs so you went from a organization that has had stability won what five aFC championships in a row went to the playoffs multiple years broke broke a terrible drought that was there in place and that decision was made in the emotion of a playoff loss not

two or three days later when all that emotion has been taken out of it and you really look at it objectively and say, is this the best thing for our billion dollar corporation and our MVP quarterback? Do we need to make a change or should we stay the course? Yeah, it feels impulsive. And I agree with coach. You know, if you're the owner, you're looking at Josh Allen crying, right? You're looking at multiple guys who really felt like they were destined to win the Super Bowl solely because of Lamar Jackson, the Patron Holmes and all these elite quarterbacks weren't in their way.

And then you lose a game where you felt like you should have won, nevertheless. and not only do you fire your head coach, but they also let go of their office line coach. Like, Aaron Kromer is a damn good office line coach. He was a indicative. He was a huge part of why they had so much success on the ground with James Cook. And so you talk about dysfunction. You're not only losing Sharma Dimmah, who I do like, by the way,

but you're losing other guys who really made the, who was able to steady the ship during rough times through the season, you was able to come out on the other side. I just don't like, to coach's point, A lot of emotions to leave the building, reset, calculate what you have, then move forward. You still have an MVP quarterback waiting for you. You have a roster right now who is competitive enough to win the division. You don't make those moves in that moment.

And so it felt like a guy who was more caught up in a moment than everybody who actually played in the damn game. I was blown away by it today because I said before the playoff game that if they lost a high-scoring game that I thought that McDermott could be on the hot seat. So I was not surprised by McDermott's firing because of all of the opportunities in the playoffs and falling short of the ultimate goal. But I never would have thought it was because of that one game. They didn't lose that game because of coaching. They had all those turnovers. But he also says in the same press conference that was a catch. Well, that was the other thing I was going to say.

Right. So he doesn't even think they should have lost the game. But he fired the coach because the team was emotional after a game they lost that they should have won. And also, on Keon Coleman, I know that Bill's fans are very frustrated with Keon Coleman and that he has had lapses in focus and all that. He is a very talented player. Like the player, he was the first pick of the second round. They talk about him like he was a top five pick bust.

The guy picked before him, Xavier Leggett, a receiver, hasn't been amazing. Guy picked four after him, Jalen Polk, a receiver. He has 12 career catches. is Keon Coleman caught a touchdown pass in the playoff game five days ago. Like, he's not a bad player. He's a 22-year-old who has seemingly dealt with like... He needs to grow up. Yeah, he needs to grow up a little bit.

And for them to say, like, no, that pick was on the coaching staff and Twitter to solve that mystery and they debunk that lie within two seconds showing this video from the combine where it was Brandon Bean. Look at this. He goes, I'm glad he wrote. ran that when Keon Coleman ran a 40-yard dash time that underperformed. He goes, it'll help to get him. That's Brandon Bean at the Combine months before saying, like, so, and what are you

talking about? What are you talking about? I'm with the fact that they've made 56 picks since Josh Allen's been there and only two have gone to the Pro Bowl, as opposed to the Ravens during that same time period, who have nine picks that went to the Pro Bowl. I never would have thought that you could have, like, could have made the idea of coaching Josh Allen. Not attractive because it is still a wildly attractive thing.

And I do believe that great coach, great quarterback can overcome weird ownership situations. But that is a, it was a rough look today. But then he has great coach, great quarterback already overcome. Maybe the limiting factor has been ownership. It's certainly possible. I just don't know how Brandon Bean escapes all of this. Because he's in charge of the roster. And we sat here and talk about the deficiencies in this roster.

I felt like they drastically undervalued Stefan Diggs and Gabe Davis. They had nobody in line to replace those guys. And when you look at their office, you said it yourself, it's Jordan and Pippen, right? It's Allen and Cook. Without all those guys, if those guys don't show up for the Buffalo Bills, this is a mid-team. We don't even talk about playoffs. Willie, I can tell you exactly how it is. During the course of the season, as a head coach, you're doing all those jobs that you've got to do to get the team ready.

And that's how your time is spent. And you have very limited interaction with ownership because, You allocate time, but the GM talks to him every single day. And every decision, every failure, every success is sculpted by the person he's having conversations with. So if you keep telling someone, hey, we've got plenty of talent or underachieving, you know, that's where the communication's coming from. Right. There was a seemingly like a power struggle behind the scenes between McDermott and Brandon Bean and Brandon Bean won. And when you see Pagula's judgment today at that press conference, like, yikes.

I just, I did not realize it was quite a. is dysfunctional as that rest coppers are always going to see a guy on tape and stand on the table form. That team has to believe as well. That was a wild day in Buffalo. I said last night you make your money in the regular season. But in the postseason, legacy, your name, everything. Time now for first things last. You just heard Caleb Williams after his first playoff win. Playoffs are where you make your legacy. Well, we've reached the point of the NFL calendar where one or even one play can immortalize you forever. Now, we usually talk about legacy

through the lens of the quarterback, but I'd argue no one has more at stake for their legacy than Broncos coach Sean Peyton. Peyton can join a club so exclusive that he'd have no one to talk to if he makes it inside. If he wins this title, Peyton becomes the only coach in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises.

And if he accomplishes it with Jarrett Stidham for the two biggest games of the year, well, he will skyrocket up the all-time coaching ranks. So who are the names? we're talking about here. For starters, there are only 14 guys with multiple titles, and nine are in the Hall of Fame, and Andy Reid and Bill Belichick will go in on their first year of eligibility, plus George Seifert, Mike Shanahan, and Tom Coughlin. And only seven have even reached the Super Bowl with two different franchises. But if Sean Payton pulls this off with

Jarrett Stidham, it's going to go down on the short list of most impressive Super Bowl wins ever. No quarterback has ever started a conference title game with fewer career starts than the four that Stidham brings into him Sunday's game against the Patriots. So what would we compare this to? Well, he wouldn't be the biggest underdog in Super Bowl history, but the 07 Giants, 01 Patriots, and 69 Jets, they had guys named Manning and Brady and Namath. For instance, Sean Peyton versus Bill Parcells,

that becomes a legit debate. Peyton already passed the big tuna on the all-time wins list and matching his two Super Bowls, but doing so with multiple teams and Jared Stidham, I'd give Peyton the nod. Would Peyton's two Super Bowls be more impressive than Bill Walsh's three? Peyton literally has twice as many wins, and one with Stidham does seem more impressive than doing three with Montana. Again, I think I'd give the nod to Sean Peyton.

Now, he won't pass Belichick, Reed, Noel, Landry, or Shula with this title, but every other name becomes a valid debate. It's rare that we're on the precipice of seeing something that has never happened in the history of football, and the odds are stacked against him. But because of that, I'd argue no one has more at stake for their legacy these playoffs than Sean Payton. Thank you so much for being with us on the OT. We'll be back tomorrow. Have a good night.