First Things First - Fernando Mendoza's Debut, Mahomes MVP Odds, Concerned for Burrow?

Episode Date: August 14, 2026

(00:00) Joe Burrow's Rough Night, Fernando Mendoza and Jeremiyah Love's Debuts(26:03) Patrick Mahomes MVP Odds, Cowboys Drama-Free Season(41:47) Wildes' Weird and Wonderful, Sam Darnold(54:41) Concerned for Burrow?(01:07:14) Response to Jayden Daniels Number Saga(01:11:52) No Huddle(01:25:28) Deep Sleepers(01:30:36) Winners and Losers(01:35:45) Should Mendoza Start Week 1, Lamar's Super Bowl Window(01:55:30) Jeremiyah Love's Ceiling(02:09:15) Giants a Sleeper Team?(02:15:58) Deshaun Watson vs Shedeur Sanders Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At IKEA, we make things just for college life. Come on, come on! Like our Calax desk in white, black, or stained oak for just $75. Yeah, let's go! It's got built-in cable management to help keep your game console cords organized. And a spacious work surface for your laptops, monitors, and textbooks. Whoa! Yeah! If only you were this excited about studying.

Oh, man! Shop back to school at IKEA. Real Canadian Superstore has everything you need this back-to-school season. Save on lunchbox savers like Ziggy's sliced deli-meat products for always $375. And get Life Brand Pure Vita shampoo or conditioner for $8 each. At Real Canadian Superstore, when you're ready, we're ready, with a whole world and more. Oh my, what are you doing? What are you doing?

You're all right? What was that? Usually I do it and... You never throw it in the air? I didn't mean to. You need me to get it for you? I know you don't like to get up. It's okay.

You're worried if you bend over your toupee. Stayed on. Okay, look. Friday before vacation, it's still a power pack show and we're still locked in. Don't worry. And even though we'll be on vacation, Danny and Coach and Greg and everyone, there'll be good programming in this time slot. Yep. We're going to be a great programming, I would say.

And then, yeah, outstanding. And then predictions. Holy cow. Are you excited for the Monday morning call? I can't. When we get back and Dusty's like, all right, so we're starting with the AFC West or whatever. And Brew's like, wait, predictions start today? Are you ready for that?

Are you ready for that? Not totally unfair. Have I ever said that before? Brew. Bruze, there are, you're always prepared for the show. Yeah. But you don't always know our, there's been many a Thursday call like, remember guys, we're off tomorrow. And you're like, we are?

Whoa. Whoa. That's not predictions. All right. I've already been in the last. Oh, first hour first things first. Today we talk MVP. Patrick Mahomes is one of the favorites,

but will he have the numbers to make it a reality? Meanwhile, Cowboys exude confidence is this year, the year. The quote you got to hear from Dak Prescott. And finally, he coined the term, maybe invented it, deep sleepers, which under the radar team, aka a deep sleeper. That's going to stick. Deep sleep? Yeah.

He invented it. Thanks, bro. That one will stick. It's going to make the playoffs. This is my favorite story in the entire show, the deep sleeper story. Really? I'm glad we're doing it last. We maybe moved it up the rundown.

I just like talking about the terrible piece. It's an easy answer. Thanks. I don't think it's an easy answer, bro. None of these. Here's the thing. That's the answer. Here's the thing about deep sleepers.

Well, no. No, you can't say none can not be an. No. If that's what we're doing, we're changing the I've been answered, but the streak's going to end. I'm just, I'll tell you. Just letting you know. I might have found some eyes for an old flame in the deep sleepers.

The Raiders. That would be shocked. Wow. Okay. Yeah. I'm sorry. Kevin Wilde is right. That is interesting.

Yeah. We're starting in Cincinnati Lions Bengals preseason. Joe Burrow five for six, 39 yards. Zero points in a sack. Not great. Only quarterback one held scoreless on the opening drive of preseason. Everybody else who started scored some points. Here's Zach Taylor and Joe Burrow.

It's having fun. I mean, that's all we want to have happen. But again, more will continue to proof. You get your fee wet, you know, that's football. Obviously, you know, places we can be better. Work here? Yes, not nothing. Yeah.

Yeah. The hat, not nothing we can discuss in a second, but first we're going to do a real football. The hat said I work here if people could. Was he asked about that? I don't I didn't listen to the full press. He should have been. That's a very. It's a choice.

Yeah. All right. So Jordan Love, he didn't kick the field goal, but the Packers got a field goal. Good. Her cousins, Jacoby Brissette with a nice pass and Cam Ward had a touchdown Joe Burrow punt. Yeah. So should Burroughs night worry any Bengals fans? In a vacuum, the opening drive or opening drives of preseason as long as nobody gets hurt, you can say are meaningless.

Who cares? True. But if we are big picture-wise looking at and saying, okay, was Cincinnati starters against mostly Detroit backups, the fact that for me, the only real concern I have about the Bengals offense. I'm not overwhelmed by the running game, but I don't think they have like a disastrous running game. But the concern I have about the Bengals offense is their offensive line,

is that Orlando Brown, listen, Won a Super Bowl with the Chief, shout out to Orlando Brown. But after being a first round pick, Baltimore moved off him. Then Kansas City brought him in. Wanted a Super Bowl there, they moved off him. Cincinnati, he's really found a home. But the reports are he's had a rough training camp already, and you saw him get dusted on a play Burrow got hit on.

If you were a little worried that for the Bengals, seven years into Burroughs career still have not really been able to figure out the offensive line. I don't think these clips against Detroit backups makes you feel better. And so I think it is definitively not nothing. And I think that a fair expectation would have been, all right, the Bengals are supposed to, at the very least, having an elite offense.

You're playing a team whose overall defense, there are some questions about with Branch being out with injury, Terry and Arnold, obviously not being on the team anymore, Kirby Joseph being out with injury. They haven't been able to find a pass rush rather than Hutchinson to begin with. And if that team's backups and you don't get any points that in your quarterback gets hit, that it's not nothing to me. Yeah, look, I don't want to overreact to two possessions in the preseason.

However, it is a bit, it raises your eyebrows. When you go out there and he gets sacked, they can't protect him against the second team, the second unit for the lions. If they went out there, like I'm not so concerned that, oh, they're the only first team that didn't score on the night.

I don't really care about that. But the fact that they could not protect him. In two possessions, 13 plays, he got hit twice and sacked once. And Orlando Brown, look, he was a,

I know, like you said, Baltimore and the Chiefs moved off him, but he was a perennial pro bowler with those teams, made for Pro Bowls, has not made a Pro Bowl since he's been with Cincinnati over the last three years. And, you know, they have invested in that office. He's an example of that. And they just haven't been able to put it together.

So, again, I'm not going to overreact to it, but it was something that just makes you say, hmm, I will consider this and look at this when I'm trying to predict whether or not the Bengals will make the playoffs. You saw last night, Burrow was under Centermore. Yeah. I think that's partially to protect him too. They want to, maybe they'll run the ball a little more. They did last night.

He was checking down a little more than usual. Is all that kind of are those ways to protect him more? But it, you know, generally a guy that's as good as Burrow isn't playing in the preseason at all. Yeah. And so you hate to see him go out there and play, especially a guy that has an, injury history like he does and then get hit a couple of times. So as your confidence moved in a major, minor at all, that the Bengals offense is not going to be out there cooking once of the real season?

Yeah, I mean, I don't, as a general rule, I care a lot about like, and this is something I think Danny disagrees me the most on it. I care a lot about franchise history when I'm thinking about how much faith a team deserves. because I think in the NFL, which is still, a lot of these are almost family businesses. You know, they've had long, tenured ownership that kind of has a way of doing business. And the Bengals franchise, to me, is one that has never instilled faith despite the fact. And this is what I think people... They've had some decent. Well, not only some decent teams, Brew, I think the Bengals in my lifetime

have done better than the average franchise when it is quarterbacks. I'm just talking about quarterback. Ken Anderson was there, won an MVP. Boomer Asiason was there, won an MVP. They then briefly were out in the wilderness, like in the late 90s, early 2000s. Then Carson Palmer, number one pick was there. Andy Dalton takes over for him. And again, Dalton's not a great player, but it was, it was, yeah, and it was a decade of solid play.

And then Joe Burroughs there. So it's not like they have been bedeviled like the Browns of, or the Jets. We haven't had a quarterback play at all. And yes, they have had more playoff appearances, and in the 80s they made some Super Bowls, and this decade they made a Super Bowl. So it's not like they've had no success like the Jets or the Browns to a degree. I just don't trust the team's infrastructure. And I think that they had the, you saw it right after they drafted Burrow when there was the question of,

do we draft Bona Sewell or do we draft Jamar Chase? They went with Chase. I'm not even saying that was the wrong decision. but it was the more glitzy, you know what I mean, you get him his college teammate, and that's been the best. And Burrow pushed for it. Yeah, they went to the Super Bowl. No, no, no.

But then that decision, to me, was a precursor of, oh, wow, we have two-star receivers, pay them both. The different moves they have made that, to me, just make them, I don't look at them as the super-high potential, super-dangerous team. I look at them as a team that has a great quarter-year-old. back, a great receiver, another really good receiver, and then a bunch of fine, and that to me doesn't win big in the NFL. Another round of something or nothing, Brew.

Joe Burroughs hat, he's a bit of a fashionista. His hat says, I work here. There's plenty of hats you could choose from. He chose this one. Something or nothing, the I work here hat. It has to be something. And I'm not saying it's something negative about the Bengals. I mean, he's from Ohio.

He could have, he's had plenty of opportunities to ask out or make noise if he wanted to. But you don't wear a statement hat without it meaning something. And I hope somebody asked him about it. I would think, you know, sitting there that that would be a question. I didn't see the whole press conference. So I don't know if they did. But it certainly feels like something. I don't know what to make of it, though.

It's not as bad as if there was one more word on the head. But was I just work here? That would be a definitive statement. Yes. I don't know. And if it was orange. You sure, yeah. Orange and black.

I try to be as prepared for work as I possibly can be. I will admit something. I became aware of this hat 11 minutes ago when we first played the video. I didn't see it. So I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it. Do you, what is your take? My take is plainly. Certainly not something 100, 100 points of something.

Yeah. It's not 100 points of something. There's no way. Look, it's a Friday in August. It's not a big deal at all. Right. But it's not nothing. It's not, it is not nothing.

It's just not, you decided to do it. It's just not, I'm wearing a green hat. Do you think the same guy that picked out the Anthony Davis, that's all folks? Now, the same guy that's not quite that that like, I don't know. You know, I just, you know, I just laid out. His answers were very short yesterday. I don't know if you what I did why she was very, you know, I like the hat. We just, you know, but not nothing.

Got to get the offense. Okay, Bengals host the Bucks in week one. Head to Las Vegas where we got our first look at for. Fernando Mendoza four drives for the number one pick, 10 for 16, almost 100 yards, scored a touchdown. Here's Clint Kubiak. A lot of a good scoring drive as far as getting in and out of the huddle and commanding the group and getting the play calls down. You know, I saw the same guy that we've seen in practice. I see, you know, an ascending player.

We just got to keep getting better. You feel like the team is ready to name a starting quarterback or is this, you know, still early in the process for you? Yeah, well, you know, Kirk's been getting the reps with the ones. I think he's had a solid training camp and, you know, it's his job to lose. Okay. What did you make of Mendoza's name? I was impressed. I mean, again, I know it's preseason.

Drew Aller went out there and had, what, three touchdowns last night. So I don't want to make too much out of it. But he looked good. And I know he, I actually even liked at the press conference. He was very, you know, self-deprecating. Like, I thought he went maybe a little overboard talking about, I didn't do this. I let the team down. He made some mistakes.

Right. But I do think that's genuinely his personality. Maybe you need to move out of that. I don't think it was for show, though. But he had, you know, he's going to take the hits. Even if he doesn't deserve it, he's going to put it on him versus making little snye remarks about the receivers or whatever. So I do like that.

But Nick, like, you heard Kubiak talk about his, you know, him having the command of the huddle, the line of scrimmage he showed. poise. I thought he handled the pocket well. He ran. The one thing like we talked about yesterday, you don't want to see him taking hits. He did take a good shot. I mean, he ran into the defender. I don't necessarily want to see a lot of that. But I thought of all the things he did. This was the exact thing. And it was it was so similar, honestly, even to the place on the field from the game again Miami. This is so, and it was up the middle. It was really what I was talking about wanting him. I just wanting him to avoid it, like just not to do it.

Because that was a decent shot. He took that. He was running hard. And he's a big guy, but still. But he's not Josh Allen or Cam Newton. You don't want to see this. You want him sliding, getting out of bounds, whatever it is. But of all the things he did well, and there was a lot.

I thought, and we knew he had a strong arm, but the velocity had on the ball. He threw some bullets. And he threw passes outside the numbers. He was obviously through passes in the middle. And his touchdown pass where I think we have video of it, where he threw that, he split three defenders. Yeah. It was right on the money and really where it had to be.

He didn't have a much room for error there. It was exactly where it had. Yeah, that was impressive. So if I'm a Raiders fan, I am very excited about the potential and the promise that he shows. So I agree. I also think that for. cousins and for him, whomever is playing quarterback for them, having not just one, but two highly

drafted tight ends as primary weapons. Because Michael Meyer, who, you know, one year in college, the Mackey is the tight end of the year award. Bowers won it, and Michael Meyer, I think, came in second or third. They're both on the Raiders. Myers' career hasn't gone exactly the way he'd hoped, but he's looked good in training camp again, reportedly, and had some moments last night. I, so I think the Raiders plan of starting Cousins is smart. And I do wonder if even, because Cousins was basically played, you know, perfect in his little appearance yesterday, I wonder if Mendoza's weight might be longer than people anticipate.

So if we throw up the Raiders schedule, and again, I'm not saying the Raiders are going to be my deep sleeper. What I am saying is you guys wouldn't think it was crazy if they start the year, two and one, right? That's not. No, that wouldn't be nuts. No, like the, and I mean, their, their toughest game there is a road game. That's actually a home game for them in Los Angeles.

You know what I mean? And so they're, they're favored against the dolphins. It will see about the Saints. Obviously the next few weeks is quite difficult, next four weeks actually. And as the schedule gets tougher and tougher and then typically, they want, you. you know, if you're going to make a change, you like to do it around either a long week or a buy, you know, things like that. The buy is quite late. I also could see a scenario where the Raiders, after eight games, have four wins.

Call it three wins, even. Three and five don't think their season's over and Cousins is doing, you know, fine enough that they hold it off a bit. You know what I mean? Like, could you, is there a scenario where the Raiders do it? go into the buy, five and seven, and, you know, alive for a wild card spot. You beat the Jets, you beat the Browns, you beat the Dolphins, you beat the Saints, and you beat one of the other teams. Like, you know what?

And so because of that and because I think Mendoza's personality is such, that there is almost a 0% chance that even behind the scenes, he's going to be making waves about, like, I'm ready to go. I could absolutely see a scenario where Fernando Mendoza's first game as a starter is week 16 against the Titans. You know what I mean? Where the rate like once they've been officially eliminated and if they are hanging around, I think there is a scenario where he doesn't play this year. Like they like where Kirk Cousins is, you know, as Coobiac tries to just basically you know, reestablish the Raiders as an actual NFL team as opposed

to last year and run Gentie as a good year. You know what I mean? That they're just, you know, solidly mediocre and they just roll with cousins. And Cousins has had years where he put up good numbers. They weren't necessarily winning big, but he was putting up good numbers. So I definitely think

that's a possibility and I don't hate that. You guys know, I am not the one that wants to force the young quarterback into, especially when he's coming to a bad team. We saw, I mean, Darnold is really,

we use him a lot now as this example, but when you throw a guy in on a bad team, it's hard to get a great read of him. Now, the Jets have had, obviously they have a lot of problems, but they got a bad read on a guy that has proven he can be a Super Bowl winning quarterback.

Good point. And so I, look, obviously, Mahomes, Aaron Rogers, Jordan Love, it works and he's behind a great guy and Kurt Cousins, a smart guy that's going to help him and bring him along. And I would not have a problem with him sitting out most

or all of the season because I think it would help him going forward. And I don't think you as an organization sign Kurt Cousins if you don't think there's a real chance that Kurt Cousin starts the majority, if not all of the season. They could have signed. You know what I mean?

Gardner. Say it again? Gardner. Yes. There's a bunch of, they could have been the team that signed Justin Fields. You know what I mean? Like, they could have signed a guy that's like, hey, you might get a few games, but we have the number one pick. We know who's starting.

That, to me, signaled that they were serious about, you know, A, potentially trying to compete this year, like every team right now is going to try to compete. But also that we don't feel like we have to rush you in. So I think he looked good. This didn't say anything you look good. I just, the more I thought about the Raiders, I was like. I think Cousins might start a bunch of games. Yeah. It would be all right.

Yeah. If they were all right, you're like, yeah. Max Crosby got a bunch of sacks. Well, when you look at the deep sleepers, they certainly, with, you like cousins more than any of those other teams' quarterbacks right now, depending on how you feel about Cam Wardenier, too. Jeremiah Love also made his preseason debut last night, played the entire first half, ran the ball 11 times, had three catches. Now, there have been some rookies who have burst onto the scene.

since the merger. Six backs have led the league in rushing. Kareem Hunt and Zeke most recently, Edron James, Eric Dickerson, Eric Dickerson, nice tidy 1800 right out of California. That's pretty sweet and great uniforms and of course. George Rogers. What are the chances that Jeremiah love is the best running back in 2026 out of everybody? The best running back in the whole league. The chances 20%. 20%? Now, I will admit, you know,

higher. I am known. I am known. I am known. I am known to have a overwhelming fondness for the rookie running back. Yeah. Last year, big part of the reason I thought the Raiders could sneak into the playoffs was Ashton Genty.

A couple years prior, I predicted Bijon Robinson to win the offensive player of the year. Not rookie of the year. No, player of the year. This is, I am. And I think 14 touches in a half of preseason football is maybe a touch too much, but I'm being totally honest. And I am very hesitant to invoke this name, but I know I'm not the only person that while watching him run just stylistically and how he looked, it reminded me of Adrian

Peterson. A lot of people were saying. Right. And so that, and Adrian Peterson was a guy. I know he wasn't on your list, but when he came into the league, he had an argument. Yeah, I'm, I was actually the best running back in the world as a freshman at Oklahoma. And Jeremiah Love is coming off back-to-back, thoroughly dominant seasons against big-time competition at Notre Dame. Mm-hmm.

So you don't have the competition questions you had with Genti or some people I have with Genti. Sure. And so, and I also, listen, Bijan's great. Jamir Gibbs is great. I don't expect huge, huge years from Sequin, CMC. Again, I'm not doubting Derek Henry anymore, but those guys are to me potentially a touch on the down slope depending on which one.

So I think there's a chance that he just walks in as the best running back in football. I give it 20%. Well, look, and a few of those guys that led the league in rushing as rookies did go to bad. I mean, obviously they were high draft. so the teams were bad. But, I mean, Zeke, the Cowboys had won three games a year before.

And had another rookie starting quarterback. Right, right, that. Edron James, now obviously Peyton Manning was there, but they won three games a year before he got there and then had a great year's rookie year. And George Rogers, they won one game and they won four with him. But I'm just saying what you figured they didn't have, some of those teams didn't have quarterbacks,

some of those teams didn't have great offensive lines. They weren't great teams, period. And yet these guys still put up big yardage. So, look, I like Love a lot. Obviously, he looked great last night. I think he'll have a very good season. But this is an era. We have some really good backs.

And you named a bunch of them. I don't think Derek Henry, some of this is wishful, they're hoping that he, I don't think he's going to fall off. Last year, he was at 1,600 yards. So he has shown no sign of falling off. And they're going to be under Centermore. that might even take him up a little bit from running in the shotgun. And so James Cook, he's not the best running back in the league,

but he obviously gets a lot of yardage. And Gibbs has a strong argument to be the best back in the league. He won't have David Montgomery sharing carries with him. And Bijon is great too. So I think he'll be prove himself to be elite, but I would be stunned if he actually comes out. and we're like, oh my gosh, he's the best running back in the league. Jeremiah, rookie the year odds.

Jeremiah Love won Fernando Mendoza, too, which is seems high. Yeah, I wouldn't bet. Carnell Tate three. So I just, part of the love thing also is just twofold quickly. One is I do care that the league looked at him the way they did in the draft and that the chiefs, you know, kind of recognized a month for the draft. We're picking nine. They ended up moving up.

And we've got no shot that we're going to be able to draft him. You know what I mean? That he was even in this day and age. Yeah, that he was considered that level of pick. I also think Jacoby is the type of quarterback. Sometimes running backs are just stone dead and that other teams are like, we don't respect your passing game at all, so we're just going to load up against you. Jacobi will make some bad mistakes, but he'll sling the ball around the field.

So you're not going to be able. yards. Right. And so you're not going to be able to just sell out to stop the run when you play. I'm not saying Arizona is going to be good, but you have to like respect that Jacoby's going to fire it downfield. So I think he might have a little more, you know, open space than the typical running back on a bad team. Some tough defenses. Good Cardinals talk we got into the show.

I like that. Do you? Yeah. He does. K.W. thinks August is the time. Well, you've picked them. You've been known to pick them to win the Super Bowl. True.

Home is returning to FEP4. Next on FS1, the Fox Sports Channel on Sirius XM. Last show for us before vacation. The 2026 Chevrolet tracks is the stylish SUV for those on the move. And with the standard Chevy safety assist package, you have the backup to handle every turn with confidence. The 2026 tracks, start your build at Chevrolet.ca. But when we come back, holy cow, we'll get right into it.

Predictions week starting August 30. And it's going to be star studded. We're working on some great surprises. Yes. One of our predictions, who will win MVP? Josh Allen favored to win his second MVP. Lamar second best odds to win his third. Probably name the award after. Burrow. If he wins this, that's definitely a one to take as the third best odds to win his first. Then there's a three-way tie for fourth. Herbert, who did have one single MVP vote last year, Drake, who was one vote shy of tying Stafford for MVP, and Patrick has already won MVP a few times.

So are we buying that Patrick Mahomes can win another MVP? Coach, you were not out here yesterday for the A block. The A block question yesterday was any doubt the Chief's return to AFC dominance. Yeah. My answer was, yeah. Very measured. I have some doubt. And I explained why?

Why I'm confident, but I'm not doubtless. And I'm only saying that to try to front end your whatever you're going to accuse me of when you go. Because this question is buying whether or not Patrick Mahomes can win the MVP. And the answer to that question is a resounding obvious, yes, he can. And the evidence that I would give you from that is I believe this Chief's team is better suited in a multitude of ways than last. year's Chiefs team. And last year, Patrick Mahomes had two seasons. The first half of the year, when it was vintage Patrick Mahomes and the final six games when he played the worst he's ever played as a pro. So I've shown the MVP odds graphic many times. So I'm going to remind the audience that,

but then I'm going to show why this was the place he was in. At the midway point of last year, he was a huge favorite for MVP. Now, KW and others might think, ah, that's just, you know, Vegas Chief's inflation, whatever it is. It wasn't deserved it. But at that moment, here were Patrick's numbers on the year. Patrick at the midway point of the year

was averaging 300 yards per game, 21 touchdowns for turnovers, a 103 passer rating. And this was all obviously post the tackle the turn on the tide when they all of a sudden got back to the light. for five weeks, which they did. And then it all went to hell.

And that was not just because of players around him. He played poorly. There was a lot of things with it. But at the midway point of the season, last year, with Rishi Rice having been suspended six of those eight games, Xavier Worthy being injured. The, you know, the offensive line already, Josh Simmons was on his little sabbatical. If we show his ranks in some of these categories, you know,

he led the league in touchdowns. He was second in yards. The Chiefs were a high scoring, not 30 points again. game but a high scoring offense. So if he could do that for half the year last year with weapons I think worse than the ones he's going to have this year, then can he do it this year for a full season? Absolutely. So yes, he can win league and VP. My gut is to say something sarcastic like the Chicago Bears were up by 18 points at halftime, but you play the whole game. You know what I mean? Like you got to see the whole season. But I'm not

going to do that. What I think, I, with, Patrick, and I talked about this with Tom, Tom had the great year, had the injury, came back, had an okay year. It was still very good by most people's measure, but nowhere near what it was. And now Patrick's coming off a below average year to really poor year, has the injury, and is coming back. And the difference between those two players is Patrick relies more on his mobility than Tom ever did. So that's a cause for concern.

But the idea that he can't win it, yeah, I don't think that's right either. Patrick has done so many things incredibly throughout the course of his career that the worst thing you can do is underestimate a great player. And he's arguably, you know, he's in the hunt for greatest of all time. He's not quite there with Tom, but he's in the hunt for it. And I always show that story with Randy Moss how that he had traded to the Patriots. He hadn't really played much. He didn't play in preseason. We opened up with him at the Jets, and he hung 180 on us because we underestimated him.

So that's what I'd say about any great player, which Patrick is. Even with the injury, he could easily be in the mix for this. Yeah, I mean, obviously, like Nick said, he can. I mean, you'd be crazy to say he can't. I would never, throughout his prime, I would never say he can't win the MVP. Now, he is not one of the guys at the first. forefront of my mind. I think last year I voted him, I thought he was my preseason

picked to win MVP and maybe even a year before for all I know, but I know I've had him several years thought he was going to win it. Right now I'm not thinking that way. And I think he's probably appropriately rated, what was he, sixth? No, I mean it was tied for four. Tired for. Hurt and

Drake. I do, this is not in order, but I think Lamar has a, you know, like he's, he's more in the forefront of my mind. Herbert I know he's never really come close before, but I like Herbert. Josh, of course. And Dak, I think, has a chance.

If he stays healthy, I think Dak has a real chance. Greatest offense there is, so yeah. Stafford, I mean, winning back to back is tough, but, you know, he could put up big numbers. Why is Lamar's chance better than Patrick's? I just, I feel like, you're right. He has a new OC, and he's coming off a poor year by his standards, too. but just more recently, we've seen him put up the big numbers. Yeah.

And that's why I called for being to me to get him back as the OC, and that's when Patrick was last putting up the huge numbers. He's back. We'll see how that works. But over the last three years, Patrick just hasn't had numbers. And I know eye test, and you showed that little stint where he was playing great, his eye test is always good typically. but you do have to have the stats.

To win the MVP, he needed to keep that first half of the year, he had to do it for the whole year. Here are the raw numbers of what the last few MVP winners have had. Matthew Stafford went 12 and 5, obviously, so you've got to win. 4,700 yards, 46 TDs. Josh had 40 touchdowns. Lamar, that was actually like a quiet year, and he still had 4,500 yards. His next year was better than that.

It was the crazy year, but then Josh. And then Mahomes at 50s. 600 yards, 40. I just, I mean, there's that many touchdowns. I would be shocked if the receiving core, I mean, I think it would actually be good for you if Kenneth Walker took, you know, 14 of those touchdowns. So, and that's really why I showed that those first half numbers. The first half of the year, he had more yards than anyone, and he was second of the league in

touchdowns. We take all those rushing yards, right? He was running around for his wife. I mean, so he was 260. I think he was second in the league in passing yards. His yards have still been. No, and so, yeah, just his passing yards. You expect his rushing yards.

He was hit. No, I think it's right. The, the, the, the, the, the, I agree with you. To win MVP, you have to have awesome stats. Yeah. And the, I just think, I think Mahomes's year last year is remembered as, yeah, you know what, he was kind of mediocre all year. and that's not what it was.

He was awesome the first half and then truly bad. Like, not just by his... You're going to pay awesome in the first half? Well, the first half of the... He led the league in yards and was second league in touchdowns. But it was a few...

It was like a big game against the Raiders. No, no. They blew out the Ravens. They then blew out the Lions. They blew out the Washington. They blew out the Raiders. And they scored 30 and lost to the Jags. And after...

Week one, I mean, I'd tell you the whole schedule. Week one, they lose to the Chargers. Week two, they lost to the Eagles on the Kelsey play. We were there. Week three, tackle the turn the tide against the Giants. Then week four, they blow out the Ravens. Week five, they lose to the Jags.

Week six, they blow out the Lions. Week seven, they blow out the Raiders. Week eight, they blow out Washington. They then have a buy. They then play Buffalo, and the season is a disaster from that moment forward. And so, I mean, to me, 21 touchdowns, four turnovers, and 300 yards per game through half the season. is a legit it's why they were the favorites and he was the favorite and then it all fell apart so i just

the reason i i'm harping on that is the biggest argument against him winning it is like yeah who's catching the ball but last year it was worse because rishy was suspended zavier worthy was out with the shoulder injury like so i mean we'll see what it looks like this year but for what is worth his four of his first five years he had 37 or more touchdown yes 105 or higher passer rating Last three years hasn't thrown even 28 touchdowns in the season and hasn't had a pass a rating of even 94. And ended poorly punctuated by an injury. Yes, right.

He's coming off of that. Dak Prescott talking Super Bowl, wearing vintage Cowboys championship shirts, calling his offense, the Goddy, greatest offense there is, and told Jory Epstein of Yahoo, Jerry Jones, moving different. Starting from free agency,

they started doing things they hadn't done. Jerry making that decision of being aggressive and trying to go out and get what he wants. It definitely feels different. Brue do you agree this year feels different for the Cowboys? Well, let me ask you a question. Sure. I love to hear it. Do you hear that? Delicious.

No. Oh. You hear that? I do not. Right. You don't hear anything. There's no drama down in Dallas. Jerry Jones is not running his mouth every other day.

predicting the great things that his team is going to do. That's a good point. Or the beef with Micah. Right. Well, that's the thing. Like last year it was Micah. This year, George Pickens settled easily. Quinn and Williams settled easily.

Like, they feel more coach like a football franchise than a soap opera. Now, Dak is talking a lot of Super Bowl, but okay, he's a player. He's the leader of the team. But the owner is not out there. making all these grand promises and predictions when he hasn't done a lot in the off season. Like Dak said, they went out and did a lot. The defense needed help.

They went out and got help for the defense. And yeah, it does feel different to me because all the Cowboys stories we've talked, none of them have been Jerry Jones. It was Stephen Jones. It's been Dak, but nothing from Jerry. And so, yeah, it feels drama-free and it's about football.

And I do like that. Yeah, I was excited about what I was hearing from Dallas, which was nothing. And I was really impressed when I listened to Jerry Talkett and it wasn't the grand promises. It wasn't, you know, we're going to unload the car or spend so much money and whatever it was. It was none of that, but it was actual action. So that was all awesome. And then DAC starts. And then DAC starts.

It's like, why? Why are we doing this? Why are we putting out the Gotti thing? Why are we putting out the vintage Super Bowl shirt, all that? This is a great offseason. You can quietly go into the season. You can let everybody underestimate you. It's almost like he's so used to getting attention, even if it's negative attention.

When that stops, it's like, hey, wait, wait, hold on, hold on. Let me get involved with this. What if he feels like he needs to instill? I mean, I think Dak is a pretty measured guy, and I think he's a very mature guy, and he doesn't typically talk like this. So is it fair that at least is a possibility that Dak in his decades, quarterback of the Cowboys, is doing this strategically, feeling like that this team needs like a little more, swagger's the wrong word, but he feels in the locker room, hey, I want everyone to understand. I think we can be a champion team. Not that we can get back to the playoffs after last year being a disappointing year.

Our best player on our defense now is Quinn and Williams. He was with the Jets. He never played for anything. George Pickens was with the Packer or the Steelers when they weren't, you know, every year in the playoffs had been never a championship caliber. Like, you know what? I need to bring that to the table. Give me an example of someone who's talked their team to a championship.

Well, that's going to be a hard one, but. Well, I'm just like, give me an example in sports anywhere where it's like, I'm going to talk myself to the Super Bowl, the World Series, whatever. Sean Payton came out very early talking wild about Bo Nix's potential to be great and that Broncos team. And all of us, remember they were 101 Super Bowl out. They made the playoffs, Bo Nix for a year. Then he's like, I've been around the teams that can make it to the Super Bowl, and this team can.

We were like, what, the Broncos? And then they didn't beat the Patriots, but you know what? With a healthy Bo Nix, who knows? But he was just talking crazy and we dismissed him. Yeah, but there were a lot of times where he was talking crazy and then he kind of walked things back a little bit too. Yes, yeah. Like I think it was a little bit of maybe I shouldn't have said that now that I look at it. And he usually walked that back.

There's no walking this back. This is just, hey, let me double down. Let me double down. Good luck. We didn't even include in the story, coach, that his iPhone alarms all say Super Bowl 61 or whatever. Super Bowl. I didn't understand that. You don't understand? Let me show it to you. So on iPhone, KW, like an alarm.

So like this one, see the little names? So like this one says money because this was an alarm where I had knew I had to pay someone money. This was, this one says Southwest because it must be from an old flight. Yeah, that's what I do. Mine says wake up. It's by alarm. He labeled all of them Super Bowl, whatever Super Bowl this is.

So I've got like a, you know. Yeah, 61. So it says Super Bowl. LXI. It's like, it says Super Bowl appointment. No. That's a ringer. No, oh my God.

Does he have the first game of the season label? Every time his alarm goes off, it says Super Bowl 61. Instead of just saying wake up or alarm or. No, geez. There doesn't see music. No, it is still the sound. When my alarm goes off, it plays music. No, I understand.

It's the word. It's on your phone when it pops up. up and the sound is the sound, but the actual text says Super Bowl six. I put in like, pick up the dog at the dog group. Yeah, his justice. His says Super Bowl. Yes. I would be like, uh-oh, I set an alarm, but it says Super Bowl again.

So he has to remember what he's. Dogs been at the dog groom for three hours going crazy. You know what? I call that locked in. Yeah, exactly. I knew you. Locked in. I knew he was going.

I call it. I call it. A potential to miss appointments. Weirdest, the most wonderful plays of the night. Right, next. In Toronto, every arrival is a statement, and nothing says it better than this. Cadillac Optic was the number one selling luxury EV in Canada for 2025. Find your rhythm across a seamless 33-inch display and an immersive 19 speaker AKG surround audio system.

This city demands agility, and Optic delivers with precision to make every drive extraordinary. Let's take the Cadillac. Find out more at Cadillac canada.ca. Luxury sales claim based on S&P Global Mobility Canadian New Vehicle Total Registrations for calendar year 25 for the Cadillac definition of luxury. Wonderful episode of Weird and Wonderful. Start with the Weird Texans Chargers. Whoops, Davis Mills drops it.

Then we kick it up into the air. Chargers end up recovering it. You know what? This is not going to affect my Texans optimism. Club Predictions Week starting on August 30. They had some weird things going on behind the center. At quarterback. It's just some weird stuff.

It's just pretty simple. That looks like a, I'm just saying. This is a very pretext. Lately. It's just a preseason. It's just wacky because it got it up in the year. Wonderful. Like the last two games they play.

Cardinals in Las Vegas. Jacobi Brissette finds Marvin Harrison Jr. Cardinals win this one 27. The announcers were going gai-go over this. And over, I don't know if you heard it. It looked good. This is what I love. Can I give a quick Bill Parcell story?

Sure. Sure. I'd love to hear it. Nine years ago. Great. In the old building we used. old building we used to be in. My old co-host, Chris Carter,

I think it's been long enough I am allowed to tell a story. Put on speakerphone, Bill Parcells. He's up at the horse track wherever he lives, up at State New York. And Parcells can't stop talking about how this kid in New England, Jacoby Brissette, can be a starting quarterback in this league if he ever gets a chance.

It was young Jacobi, right after he had played like a game and a half of Brady's suspension. Oh, Carcells was all in on the then third string quarterback Jacoby Rossett. Decade later, starting quarterbacks made a hell of a career. Carcells believed in him 10 years ago. Got a new contract too.

Yeah. It's been great. Yep. That's good story. We're Patriots Colts. New rule allows the coaching staff to designate someone else to throw the challenge flag if you want. So you don't need the responsibility.

Doesn't look like Mike Vrable is going to give up the responsibility or if he does, he's getting in his last few. throws in the preseason. This game ends in a tie 13 to 13. Where that flag land? That had some good arc with gusto and some more wonderful. Titans 49.

I guarantee you had Ben Johnson done that. KW. been like, oh, look at this. Look at me a little showing how strong is. What are you going to rip your shirt off next? He would have done a toplessly. Yeah. Dejohn, stribling other than 32-yard catch, six catches for 67.

Who needs Ricky Pierce. Okay. Strippling. Now he looked good though. Yeah. He did look good. And that's a pick they took a lot of heat for because that was, again, according to whatever it's worth, the consensus big boards or whatever, this was one of the bigger reaches of the entire first 50 picks.

So they've got a lot of kind of equity built up into it. More wonderful field of dreams game. Kyle Schwurber, his second home run of the night with a little bit of an assist from Luke Kishol who bounces it. into the corn. Kishol himself had a home run. Did they think about calling that an error? You know what?

Very rarely does a home run go down as an error, but I think he should have caught that. I don't know. Once he got there, he should have caught it. You think that's an error? I think it's one of those if you would. Like, look, he, I mean,

you're tough though. It was in his weather. Like with a receiver, if it hits your hands, it's a drop. Yeah, and that, I mean, that was right in his weapon. Like, I think. I think you should call it. Also, baseball announced next year's feel the dream game. Do you know what it is?

Rose Red Sox. Really? Wow. That's a must go. I'm going to go. Yeah. I don't think Fox has the right. No, Netflix, this is again, linear cable guys.

This felt bigger when it was on Fox. I'm just saying. They're pointing. That's the truth. Linear cable, we do it the right way. Weird. Reds White So South Stewart did hit a home run earlier, but Davis Martin seems to lose control as a

Like, geez. Okay, so he gave an accident. And then, boom. Oh, God. He's like, hey, I didn't mean to do it. I just lost it again. He's like, I didn't mean to do it. Do we believe it?

I mean, after the game, he was like, I didn't do it. I got a blister. I just was trying to throw a fastball. He apologized. Oh, I'd be, I actually might believe him, but I'd be furious if I, like, after the first one, if you're the batter and the guy gives you the, I promise it was a mistake. You're not as on guard as if you think he's trying to send you a match.

How long did he spend? How many innings did he pitch? They got tossed. The second one was way worse. Look, he's like, yikes, but he's not even thinking of things. That was okay. Yikes, that was close. Here's the next one.

I did not mean it twice. I did not mean it. That's why. I have no control over it. Without doing. Time for Capital One, top performance presented by Capital One. What's in your wallet? NFL 100.

Coming in at number 21, the Super Bowl champion, Sam Darnel. Nick, your updated list, which you've been right. I've done a great job. Yeah. If I'm saying, because we guessed how many people were on it once. I think Jordan Love came out was when we initiated this list. And we're going to work out. So still to come home to Allen Stafford and Drake.

things. That's right. Darnold, the head of Dack, Gough, Herbert, Burrow, Caleb, Super Bowl MVP, Jalen Hertz, amongst others, is Sam Darnold too high, too low, or just right? I like that they are respecting what Darnold's done the last two years. I like that he is getting some real credit for, you know,

winning the Super Bowl. And back to back 14 win seasons, I think that's sort of legitimate. Do I think he's a top five quarterback? For me, Nick Wright's rankings? No. So by my rankings, he's a touch too high. But I like this more than if he were...

This is closer to right than if they had him in the spot Jordan Loves in. Oh, my gosh. Well, I mean, that's the... That'd be 15. You know what, and I think... Do you have him as a top 10 quarterback? I think at this point, you kind of have to. I think that doing it in two different systems with two different teams.

So Lamar is... It was 14. This was the players. The second in the NFL MVP. It's a bad. The Lamar's placement ruins. Yeah, like kind of ruins our list for everything else. But if we could stay on Darnold if it's possible.

So I think it's a touch too high, but not crazy. He's been excellent in back-to-back years. He didn't. The big question coming into Seattle was would he meltdown? He didn't. They won the Super Bowl. The team was adamant that he was, remember he had the one really bad game

that they lost early in the year, midway through the year. And I think it was former Cowboy, D. Lineman. The Cowboy DeLine. DeMarcus Lawrence was like, he's been awesome all year. Like really, they really rallied for him.

So yeah. Why do you think he's not ahead of May? That's a little bit of, well, remember this. They play terrible in the playoffs. This is voted in December. The players vote on this. in December, which that is a little bit stunning because, look, I don't think he's a top five

quarterback either. I don't think he's really close to a top five quarterback. Why not, real? I just don't think he's as good as Lamar and, and I've been like Jake Jordan Love better than. Come on. Yeah. Better than Darnel? Yeah. But I can live with this because he did win the Super Bowl and I will get, and he has had two very productive seasons. He does throw a ton of, Last year, his numbers weren't that spectacular. He was close to 100 on the passer rating, but threw a lot of picks. He does throw a lot of picks. He's going to throw a lot of picks.

Yeah. But I can live with this knowing he won the Super Bowl. I am a little bit surprised that when they voted in December, that they had him fifth. And that's some good respect for him that you can say he deserves. But I will say this. I don't believe at the end of this regular season, not the playoffs, regular season, we will be saying he's the top five quarter. Here were his numbers the last two years since he really popped in Minnesota.

I mean, it's a little bit of what you say about Drake. I want to see it again. Yeah. Right? So if you said that about Sam Darnold. If you look at his numbers, they weren't. He went from like 35 touchdowns to 25. I think it was.

But still the totality of it over two years pretty good. No, right. Yeah. The completion percentage, which goes up and down, you know, We don't know if we love that or not. Passing yards third. 60 touchdowns is pretty good. And seventh and pass rating, he wins the most game.

You think he's a top five quarterback? I mean, he's not hard to. It's not five and four out of these six categories. Yeah. He's not five. I don't think anybody on here thinks he's a top five quarterback though. And he's, I'm not, when I say that he's not close, I just mean definitively, I don't have him in the top five.

I'm not saying he's not, can't be top. I think Lamar has to be in. That's the issue. It's always so much harder because of the history. Yeah. As much as what you see over the last two years, you want to believe that this is where he's going. There's all that sort of scar tissue that you got to get over to get to the point where you're like, all right, this, this version of Sam Darnold is what we're going to see moving forward as opposed to. We don't know which one of you.

I break the show. I have a question for you. Great. Who do you have ranked higher? Sam Darnold or Jalen Hertz? Jalen Hertz, but it's less empirical and more, I just believe in Jalen Hertz. The one empirical part about it is I'll take two,

you know, the extra Super Bowl appearance. Okay, I mean, he's awesome. You've had two good years, and Jalen Hertz has never missed the playoffs. I heard Sam Donald has two alarms set on his phone. So does that matter? Like how many? Also, I mean, the same.

Be careful. Be careful. Guys, I will say this, we're on vacation for the next two weeks. Okay. That being said, if you look in the fine print of your contract, certainly if something massive happened, we would have- May is ahead of Mahomes? We'd have to, we have to have your suits ready.

Can I, can I- Can I tell you how this is going to end up, how this is going to end up? Yes. May is going to be the next one revealed. He should be. Then Mahomes, then Allen, then Stafford. That's how it's going to end up. I'd be fine.

Listen, I'll be honest. Once I saw what they did to Lamar, I was like, man, Patrick might come in like 38th. You know what I mean? So like, and so I'm not the, even if May is ahead of Patrick, like, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, it's crazy it sounds. I'm just happy Patrick's in the top 20 and top four. Once I saw that Lamar and Burrow got crushed by, you know, by the list. 44th for Burrow. Doesn't play coach.

Well, we're going to about to talk about it. Too soon to panic about Joe Burrow. That's next on First thing's first right here on that best one. Played eight games. First things first is sponsored by Ram Trucks. Live from New York, it's the show it's singing Miles Garrett's praises. He had a few missed a few practices. He missed seven practices, but with lower body, soreness or knee swelling.

But it's also on the board that he's like, yeah, I'm probably just ready to. go when the season starts boys. I'll be there. Yeah. There was the hand ringing over staff. Yeah. How's that? Did they still have the?

The immortal chamber? Yeah. I don't know. You would think it would have taken off. Yeah. Maybe that's where Miles Garrett's hanging out. It works. Maybe he's in there just like chilling.

It's playing video games. Like the substation basically, but smaller. Okay. Second hour, first thing. The opposite of the substation. It helps injuries. Today. When will Mendoza take over as QB1?

I told you we talked about this today. Maybe next year. Very interesting. Meanwhile, which deep sleeper? Deep sleeper, trademark. Is making the playoffs. Nick invented a term deep sleep. Deep sleeper.

Deep sleep has existed. Deep sleeper. You told me you invented deep sleeper and represented NFL teams. Everybody knows it. Was it you or a marshal? No, that was, oh, just named the tier. Yeah, it was a marshal, wasn't it? Interesting.

Wow. We're back to Cincinnati. I'm not trying to start anything. I'm just saying. Joe Burrow in action, preseason game one, threw for 39 yards, got sacked, didn't play great. Here's Zach Taylor and Joe Burrow himself. Just having fun, I mean that's all we want to have happened. But again, we'll continue to prove it.

You get a few wet, you know, that's football. Obviously, you know, places we can be better. Okay, every other quarterback that started the game, 2B1s, that is. That scored, Joe Burrow had to punt. Should Burroughs night worry Bengals fans at all? We're not saying it's something, but we're not saying it's nothing, Coach. Yeah, look, I didn't love him getting hit twice because he got sacked there and then he got hit another time. But in fairness to the Bengals, on the play that he got sacked, they had eight-man protection.

So they're blocking with the back and both tight ends. It really shouldn't have been a sack, and he probably should have gotten rid of the ball earlier. This to me is partially the protection, but partly. partially Joe Burrow not getting rid of the ball in time. And it wasn't it wasn't like they were reckless either with the way they were setting up the play. And they could have kept nine in, but they kept eight in. That's a lot of guys. But that's concerning for a different reason, right?

That you kept eight in against the Lions backups and gave up a sack? Well, Joe's got to take some responsibility for this with max protection. If it's not down the field, at some point the clock has to go off of, hey, I should probably. get rid of this and not take a hit. He probably, like every other starting quarterback that we listed, wanted to end up with some points, maybe he was getting a little greedy on the play

and took an unnecessary hit. Shouldn't do it. And there's no need to do that. One of my concerns about Cincinnati is, it feels to me like, and it's gotten better, but Joe's entire career, they haven't been able to figure out the offensive line.

And so again, this is a tiny, You know, this snapshot. But Orlando Brown, their highest, you know, paid person on their offensive line is the one who gives up the hit we're about to see. The fact that you are playing your starters against a team that I think people think might have some weaknesses in the past rush, their backups, you give up the sack. That to me is where we move from at it's a play in preseason to, you know, a potential concerning sign. Also, I do have to say I love the D-Lyman who does the safety sign,

even though it's in the middle of the deal. I just love that. I like that. So I just don't think it's nothing, coach, in that regard. Like, it feels to be like, since they drafted Joe, they've been like, we've got to protect him. And they, you know, the right tackles the first round pick, a Marius Mims, left tackles a guy. They, you know, brought over from Kansas City, where they paid a bunch of money. And it still feels like they're just hoping to have an adequate offensive line, much less a plus offensive line. Yeah, I believe he's been sacked the fourth most times since he's been, or in the last five years.

And he's missed a bunch of games. Yeah, right. Coach, how much, though, as you were talking about earlier, is on him? That example to me is on him. So it's max protection. You got Aiden. The plays unfolding. It's going long.

at some point, just by virtue of time, you're going to run out and you've got to get rid of the ball. It's not like this is Mendoza or somebody who's the first preseason game. He's played in a million games. But I think a lot of that, that's somewhat of a pattern. I mean, I'm not obviously he's a great quarterback, but some of the sacks are on him, even though he's not scrambling around. Yeah, it's always a combination of the line and the quarterback because it could be you scrambling around and then that puts the line makes them vulnerable

because they don't know where you are or you hold the ball too long. And that's just as bad. No, sorry, anyone wasn't trying to. No, I'm just saying that's just as bad. The other sack, I mean, your left tackle one-on-one and shouldn't get beat off the jump. Right.

And he has trouble to stop it. Get hit in the blindsided. As far as KW, the like hunting, the, you know, staying in there when the play got sacked, That is something that I discussed somewhat last year I felt was hidden in Drake May's numbers. And I think you saw it some the year the Bengals won nine games, but burrow through for a million yards and, you know, had the crazy stats two years ago. The quarterbacks who are big play hunting at the expense of giving up some bad sacks, I think sometimes have slightly inflated passing numbers that when we're like, man, Burrow had this amazing year.

Now, you guys won a bunch of games. So it didn't. He obviously was working for you guys. But the quarterbacks that are super that really want to let, give the receivers every chance to get open or things like that. A sack doesn't show up on your real, your quarterback stats, not in your passing numbers. And I think they do get the benefit of the times the pressure. there and another quarterback would have thrown it away or tucked and run. And so I, that was, I just remember that being a small critique I had of Drake last year that I thought he took some

bad sacks when he should throw the ball away. But you saw the crazy good downfield passing numbers that kind of went hand in hand with that. And that to me has been a part of Joe's game for good or for bad it's been he is going to hang in the pocket and give his star receiver's chances is to get open down the field, but very often that has led to him, like you said, being one of the more highly sacked guys and sometimes some of the injuries.

And it's interesting because that brings less criticism. So we criticize all the time the quarterbacks who take hits, they're running with the ball and instead of sliding, they take big hits. And it's like, why would you do that? You're putting the team at risk. This is in the same exact family, it's just harder to distinguish because you're thinking,

okay, was this an O-line breakdown? Was this a scheme issue? So it's harder to see, but it's just as selfish. Because as a quarterback, every time you're putting yourself at risk and could be knocked out of the game, just like not sliding, it's a problem. It's just harder to get criticized because people can't distinguish the nuances of who came up with it. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, Fernando Mendoza made his debut. who loses his first, air quotes, game in over a year.

And he took the game, which didn't count seriously. Take a listen. You know, the first series, I felt a little sped up. So it was good to come back on the sideline, learn from my mistakes. And then the second series, we were able to score. Third series, you know, I missed to read there. And the fourth series, I thought we had a good thing going. And then, unfortunately, I missed the throw at the end.

And then overall, I felt that, the group that I was in with, you know, they, they blocked fantastic. They had great routes. The run game was good. You know, and unfortunately, like, I let my teammates down today, but it's, but it's a growing experience. Coach, what was your reaction to that? Well, the Speta part, that's what we talked about yesterday. That part didn't get my radar.

The other part, it's like, I get it. You're a good guy. I get it. You're a good guy. We all get it. You're a good guy. This is preseason. I love this take.

It's just pre- it's pre-season. You didn't let anybody down. You didn't let me down when you ran with the ball and got form tackle. You let me down there. Let me down another time where you got hit. That let me down. But the other part, no. No.

It's not the national championship. It's not the Super Bowl. So are you saying it is a little too hokey? Oh my, I mean, stop. Because I agree. with you that he didn't let him down. But do you think, I think that comes from a sincere place? Or do you think it's just, I'm selling this image?

I don't know. I just, I don't, I don't think that flies in the locker room for a while. Like, initially it's like, oh, yeah, okay. But if it's like the person who says, I love you all the time, it just doesn't mean anything after a while, you keep it like, oh my God, I let you down, I let you down, I let you. Like, yeah, it can't, it doesn't need to continue. But I think the positive is that unlike some quarterbacks, if there's a play. He's not going to throw anyone on the bus.

And he will take the blank. Now, he doesn't need to do this every week. Totally get it. But, you know, like, it was on the end. Preseason football, we don't need, you don't need to have a, you know, like an emotional moment. It did seem emotional. It was, it was a lot. It did.

Because I didn't think he let it. anybody that I play well. Yeah, it's just the preseason. It's, I did, I, so it's so, I didn't know that's where we were going to go here, but that was, it was, I had a very, my reaction watching that was, and I, listen, Fernando has given what I would consider very unique interviews for as long as he's been in our life. You know, at Indiana, like his, his post-game interviews, when it was with Jenny Tasson, with whomever when he would like turn and look straight into the camera and you know be very it feels

genuine but it also feels like there are i have not seen a lot of personalities you know similar to his at the position oddly the closest one is the starting quarterback for the team Kurt cousins you know what i mean who had some of it but just maybe not quite as emphatic you know what I mean, of the way it was. But I do think... Her cousins looks like a gangster in comparison. But I think he is a sincere guy with maybe a level of polish in a... I need to be the CEO of this team as well.

It can be both, right? I agree. I agree with that. You mean Kirk or Mendoza? He means Vendoza. I agree. I just would... Here would be my only...

If we're really talking about this, my only concern, the, I'm just being who I am, but I also am, you know, polished or have, you know, kind of a, I am packaging who I am strategically. The quarterback that comes to mind who was the poster child of that, and it ended up kind of blowing back on him, was Russ. Russ who had, you know what I mean, had a very earnest, you know, I think sincere disposition, but then also had, it felt like a little too much branding on top of it, that as far as, forget what the fans are media or whatever, if they ended up calling him corny at the end of it,

but within the locker room, you know, that very quickly ran its course. And so I'm not projecting this for Fernando at all. But it was a, just like Joe Burroughs hat was like, oh, that was unique. His press conference, like that was unique. Wouldn't you think Kubiak pulling aside and say, look, I get, maybe talk to him about like, we don't need every game you don't need to fall on the sword. There will be times when that's appropriate, but you don't have to do that every game and come out like that. Because it can be bred the wrong way.

So hasn't lost in years. Maybe forgot how to do it. Yeah, that's the other thing. I haven't lost. from ages. Yeah, I don't know what conversation you're having. Like, if this is truly his personality, and that's going to be how he is every time at the podium,

I don't know what the, I'd have to really dig in on this, figure out what I would say. The Dauphins, Week 1. So either the Raiders or the Dolphins will be in first place headed into week two. Nice. Sure. Yeah. Deep sleeper preview.

Thanks, UW. New sound on the drama around Jaden Daniels and LSU's DJ Pickett, who is wearing number five, which Jane Daniels wore when he won the Heisman with the Tigers. Okay, we've got three pieces of sound coming up. Pickett himself is Coach Lane Kiffin. And yesterday Joe Burrow was asked about his jersey being potentially worn his LSU jersey. Take a listen. I wore the number of my whole life since I was four years old.

It was a number I was promised. Yeah, and I wish Jade in Abyss. There's a lot to numbers and whether they're retired, whether they're not, and different versions, and so I don't have an answer. They told me that they wouldn't use it again, but you know, you never know what happens. Your reaction to this, just another little reaction. All right, just snap quick. One, I feel badly for DJ Pickett in this. I don't think he, you know what I mean, I don't think he's done anything. wrong. I don't think it was on him to be like, actually, out of respect to Jaden Daniels, I'm not

wearing it. He was told when they were recruiting him, he could wear it. Last year, he didn't get to the new coach. He probably was at, he probably asked for it again. Oh, yeah. And you're right, I wanted the number. You guys told me I could have the number. And so I, so I don't think he expected when he got the number was going to create a fire, you know, what I don't know, it's a firestorm, whatever it is. I don't find, I find very, I think Lane Kiffin is a very, very, very smart offensive mind and seems like he's a pretty good college football coach. I don't find him to be a credible narrator of any event. So I don't want to throw that part out.

I do think what Burroughs said is noteworthy and it's what my gut was yesterday. They don't look at number five the way they look at number nine. They look at number nine as the number that maybe the most important player in their program's history war. And they look at number five as the number that one of their all. all-time greats war and they have different rules. And so I, and so... But number nine doesn't look at number nine

the way number five looks at number five. He said, yeah, they told me they wouldn't do it, but... Right, he didn't really care. Yeah, it wasn't like he said, but if they did, I would slap him with a letter. I mean, I had a difference... Ed Orgeron was the coach when Burrow was there, and they, presumably that,

him and the administration told him, Brian Kelly did say, like the reason Pickett didn't wear it last year was because Kelly did say, I just felt like, which is I, he said, until we get another Heisman winner, like you wouldn't know he won the Heisman. But Kelly's the one who promised the kid number four.

Right. But then when he got there, he was like. Somebody lied in recruiting? That's crazy. When he got there, he was like, uh, look, if I'm, Jaden, I do think is overreacting or his team or whoever is overreacting to a number.

Because I said it yesterday, LSU's rule is that after 2007, if your number's retired, someone still can wear the number. So if I was Jaden and they wait five years after you leave the school before you're eligible for a retired jersey, if in that time or maybe a few years after that, his jersey's not retired, because I do think clearly his jersey should be retired

as one of their three Heisman trophy winners. If it isn't retired, then I think you legitimately can be upset. But just over the number, they can retire and they're going to wear your number anyway. Bigger fist to fry right now. Yeah, I mean, I think Jane Daniels is the one that probably looks like he's not focused. And everyone else looks like they're like, I want to play football. Do you feel like, I don't know, you promise it? I want to play football.

Sunday on Fox, the Stars of Indycar, full throttle north of the border. Headed to Ontario. Sunday, noon, Eastern. Of course, on Fox. Preseason no huddle flying through these games. Cam Ward in action last night. Completed five passes. That was good through 12.

Oh, that's not great. Here's his new coach, Robert Salaf. This was a bad one. It felt like his decisions were right. It just felt like he was a little bit sped up more than he has been in camp. You know, it's first-time live bullets. I'm not sure, but it looked like his mechanics were a little bit more sped up than it has been. Okay, first nine games, hey, rookie, brand new.

Didn't play great. Last seven games, oh, here comes Cam Ward. 11 touchdowns, three picks, pass-for rating almost at 90. Not great, don't get me wrong, but improvement. Last night? Passer rating is Mahomes, that's good. Yeah, exactly. Basically, my home's.

Is this concerning for Cam Ward? This is what I was worried about with Mendoza, is that you'd see the, you talked about the sped up, and you'd see the, whether holding the ball too long, taking unnecessary sacks, running around, quarterback center exchanges, bad misses. This plays really bad. This play is terrible, but he had plays like that in college, too,

where you're trying to extend the play. I mean, that looks very similar to college tape. And the frustrating thing is this isn't his first game. But in fairness to him, it is his first game in this system. and maybe that's why he looked as uncomfortable as he did. I do believe

that Brian Daveal will do a good job with him and get him to a space where he can be efficient and he'll play into his strengths. So once he slows it down, it should be some progress. Go ahead, bro. Watching Sala

in that press conference, I couldn't help but think, man, he must be having nightmarish flash of Zach Wilson because his, his career was tied to Zach Wilson and obviously didn't go well. And if Cam Ward

doesn't pan out, this could very well, that could very well cost solid. His second opportunity, which might be his last as a head coach. And I know that's getting out way ahead of it. I'm not saying Ward won't be good. But it's a,

I don't want to overreact, but it is a little bit like, like you said, He's played a full season. I think the saving grace is that last year he did finish so strong. Even those numbers you showed were strong, Wiles. But over his last five games, he had nine to eight touchdowns, just one interception. His last four games, three of them, he was over 101 passer rating.

So he did show promise at the end, and that's what you have to bank on. But five of 12, 57 yards in a pre-season. season game for your starter in his second year. That is a terrible look. And so, and I, so here is because, and we're in about 10 minutes, going to do the most

anticipated segment of the day. Deep sleepers. And yesterday, I was flirting with the idea of the Titans being my deep sleeper. I think that's a fair take. And part of it was like, man, I don't love their

personnel on defense, but I didn't always love some years Sala in San Francisco had great personnel, but some years he didn't. And, you know, he gets the defense up to a level. The Jets, you know, I think had pretty good defensive personnel most of the time. But I just feel like we can count on the Titans defense taking a big jump. But what we haven't seen, and again, he's a defensive coach. So I don't even know how much this is on him. But like Robert Sala helped develop a young quarterback.

That's not what he, you know, that's not what he's done. Now he's got Brian Dable. And so that's correct. And so that is, we saw Brian Dable, like, you know, get good out of Daniel Jones, you know, his first, their first year together. It didn't, you know, end up going that great there or with Daniel. But this is objectively concerning because it would have been a little concerning if that's what Fernando Mendoza looked like. This year's number one pick. To have last year's number one pick, you know what I mean?

Look like that. Nothing. Right. And so, yeah, it's at least somewhat concern. Deep sleepers coming up in about 10 minutes. So we'll see where the tight is well. I know. Speak of concern.

Good. This is how Super Bowl dreams go to die. Tied their preseason game 1313. What is that? In the process, second year kicker, Andy Borgalis missed three of field goals. Hit from 40 and 52 missed 49, 55, and 56. Here's his coach. Mike Rable.

I don't have a message. I mean, we're expected to make them. That's pro football. You know, they're banging them in from 60 yards. They got two kickers on the roster, so, you know, Andy knows we have to make those field goals. Coach, concerned? Should I be concerned? He went three for five last preseason.

They missed two last year. One was a 50-yarder, and then he ended up hitting 84% of his kicks during the regular season. So he missed that four-for-four from 50. He made, so he missed the three, it was like 50-60. 55, 49. Yeah. Maybe they should get the ball closer to the end zone. Maybe that would be something they could improve on it.

Sure, but it's nice to have a big leg out there. Maybe that's not here. Why don't we push it five yards closer? So again, I don't the, I think in preseason you're allowed to do anything you want, like from a coaching standpoint. So this isn't a criticism of Vrabel. But I, if I do think, when Vrabel says, he's like, yeah, guys are banging them in from 60 yards.

That doesn't mean your kicker can. Right. So like I, the, there are some teams right now that as soon as you cross the 40 yard line, you are in expect to get three points range. And again, I'm not saying Boregallis isn't that guy, but it is incumbent on the head coach of the team and that's what the prehistors for to know whether or not you have that guy. I think Belichick's last year, you guys had Nick Falk who hadn't missed a kick inside He died 40 in like six years.

It was crazy. Yeah. But his absolute peak was like 47. Like you know what I mean? They just knew like he does not have a big leg. But I, as a general rule rule, you know, the Ravens had Justin Tucker for a long time. Made you feel good.

The Chiefs this run have had Butker. Last year was the first year where that didn't feel good. We'll see what it looks like this year. If you are truly competing for a Super Bowl, nothing makes you sicker than shaky field goal kicker. And I'm not saying you. I can remember the nineers. I wish I checked.

I wish I checked what Adam Venetary's numbers were from 50 plus because I don't really care. No. He hit him when it. Yeah, but also that's. In back then they weren't kicking. He hit him in the snow. Yeah. Like to me that, like, okay, if I got to give a little bit on 50 plus, but I know when the game's on the line.

You're old school. But you just don't buy like banging them out super far because it does feel like The average field goal, the average attempt now is 41 yards. It's not that I don't buy that, but I usually get frustrated with offensive coordinators. We were driving down for a field goal and they get to like the 35. I did my job. I was like, no, no, no. Get it as close as we possibly can.

And I understand the length has increased substantially and guys are doing things they never have. It doesn't mean that everybody's doing it at that level. And also, you can hit it from 50 plus, but those clutch moments, how many close fields have we seen that change people's lives, careers, trajectories? That's where I'd have been more concerned while if he missed some 40 or less larders. Because, you know, he's trying out his leg. It's outdoors and their long field goals. So that's when he can get in your head. He missed two extra points and the team rallied around him.

We're thinking about it. I was like, oh, are we going to have to cut this guy? And then he made 53 in a row. I'm a big extra points guy. I went back and looked at the, when I first got worried about Butker, he missed because we're. No, he was, he would make it funny. He would make a funny. Yeah, because he missed that, that, that, you lost to the Broncos because he missed a game, he missed a, uh, extra point.

And then the Broncos did a field goal, he guys end up losing 22 metal, whatever. Packer's crazy. We've got to look forward, you know. Drew Aller put on a show. He missed an extra point against the Broncos, I think in the game that we blocked the Broncos field goal to beat him, too. He's missed some extra points. Drew Aller threw two touchdowns,

ran one in, had a pass rating over 150. Is there any chance? Now, he is locked in a backup battle. It's a big of a log jam in Pittsburgh. Will Howard, Mason Rudolph, Drew Allen. So just in general, is there a chance that Mike McCarthy pivots off, I think the best thing that could happen to the Packers is if Drew Aller starts games this year.

Again, I'm not a big Drew Aller guy. I'm not claiming that I'm big Drew Aller guy. But I think that the Packers spending the entirety of this year and not getting real live game reps out of one of the two quarterbacks that they have drafted in the last two years, whether it was Will Howard fifth or sixth round pick. The sixth round pick, Will Howard, or more importantly, third round pick this year, Drew Aller, I think is a missed opportunity. And I'm really interested, like really interested, coach, if the Packers are bad, I'm sorry, if the Steelers. I might have said Packers the whole time. If the Steelers are bad, if Mike McCarthy has it in them to let Aaron Rogers know, apologies, sir, your career, your Hall of Fame career, ending as a backup.

Like, you know, if they are... I just don't see it. I think he absolutely has it in them. You think so? A hundred thousand percent. This is his last chance as a head coach. And he's going to do whatever is in his best interest to win. And don't, I mean, as much as things are good right now, he went to Dallas because that

cat didn't want him in Green Bay. Well, that's the thing. He's relishing the opportunity. That's sitting in as, as, that's, that's, that's, he's, that's, as, that's, that. That's in the back of your mind. It's like, okay, well, I had to change addresses because you weren't happy with me. Now, if I'm not happy with you, well, it might be able. Can I ask you a question? Sorry, Brew. What would you need to see from Aaron Rogers or not see? Certainly one game. Oh, I don't think this is. I don't think this is like a quick. This isn't any kind of quick bowl. It's going to have to be consistent, bad quarterback play.

But what does that mean for game? I mean, it just depends on how bad the game. I think it would have to be the season's gotten away from him. I, well, if the season is getting away from him because of him and everything else is. See, I'm thinking more likely that Rogers is fine, that Rogers has a year similar to last year, but the team's four and seven. Like, so it's not, it's not on, like, Rogers has not been disastrous, and it's like, hey, you're playing well enough to where you could keep playing. But it's better for the team for you to see the young kid play. That's the part. Here's the thing.

That would probably be an organizational decision, not just a head coaching decision. I look, their schedule, though, and I'm not high on the Steelers this year. I think they're going to be below 500. But their first eight games before the buy, the only two, I mean, New England and Cincinnati, and only one, New England is the only team that made the playoffs last year that they're playing in the first eight weeks. If Danny picked this, they'd be eight and no at the buy. I mean, look at that. But, you know, they got a lot of winnable games.

And so I agree that if Rogers was playing poorly and the record is really bad, then you got to get one of these young boys in there. But I don't know if it's going to – I think they're going to be hovering around 500. This is a nice little schedule. Right. That's what I'm saying. It's not bad.

Especially for – They're going to hover around 500. Yeah. And so Rogers probably will play well enough to – It's always nice. your division draws the two Souths, which the whole AFC North drew the NFC South and the AFC South, which is, that's 80 year games and that plus two Browns games

and all of a sudden your schedule doesn't feel so hard. Wow. Yeah. KW is about to. That went through me. I didn't know it was that. Vic the Steelers for predictions. Right, exactly.

You saw 13 wins. I have. We are, look, it's a day before vacation. You might think. Oh, they're already thinking about my ties on the beach. Not true. We've got one of the best segments we've ever done. Deep.

Get your tickets now for the dog stars. It's no surprise how fast civilization can disappear. Go! A therapist. Kill or be killed. Jacob Allurety. There are people out there? They need our help. Josh Berlin.

Shoot first and inquire afterwards. Margaret Qualie. Okay, tough guy. And Guy Pears. Arm up. The Dog Stars, directed by Ridley Scott. In theaters, August 28th. Get tickets now.

Sleepers. Coming up right after these commercial messages. Saturday night is baseball night in America. Brewers, Dodgers, the snakes are taking on the Braves. Oh, and then the Red Sox. Taking on the Pirates. We're back. You're back?

Tomorrow at 7, yeah. Only on Fox. It's the segment you've been waiting all week for. I basically invented this stat. So here's the stat. Or Marshall. In each of the last four seasons, a team with at least 100 to one odds or worse to win the Super Bowl, that team has made the playoffs. Last year it was the Panthers the year before that.

Bow Nicks, aforementioned. And Jane Daniels made it with the Broncos. You were before that the Texans? You were before that the Jags? Nobody saw the Texans are going to make the playoffs with a rookie quarterback. Huh? Yeah. So here are the candidates.

These are all deep sleepers. Deep sleepers. The Dolphys, the Browns, the Cardinals, the Jets, the Raiders, and the Titans. Again, it's the last four seasons. And if you are going to say one of these teams is not making the playoffs and here's why, you have to sit this out. Okay? All right, can I go first?

Yeah, vegan at the steakhouse. Like, we just shouldn't have invited you. Yeah. It's okay. But you got to participate in this one. We got to go past KW. Sorry, I'm excited for deep sleep. All right, so here's the deal.

Process of elimination. Dolphins. They have another team. Dolphins and Jets, both luckily, like, they're in the same division as someone else on this list. So you might not even be the worst team in your own division. Dolphins and Jets both have quarterbacks. They paid money for this off season. Interesting.

And Gino and Malik Willis. Counterpoint. The dolphins actively want to be bad and tore down the roster and, you know, to get their books cleaned up. And for the, The Jets, with respect, I have not been blown away by Aaron Glenn's coaching. I also think they did some books cleaning up and trading away Quintillianne with Sauce Gardner, so I'm eliminating them. Duss, can I have those teams back?

You leave them back up there. We can stay in boxes or whatever. I don't know how the CV works. Browns have the worst quarterback situation in the league. They also have a division that has one, I think, excellent team and, you know, a couple teams that are going to try to playoff from Steelers and Bengals. Cardinals are in the toughest division in football with three legitimate double-digit teams last year.

That leaves me at two teams. The Titans and the Raiders. Fool me once. I don't care. I think it's the Raiders. The Raiders, far and away, have the best quarterback of any of these guys. What?

What do you mean? The Raiders? Oh, you're talking about cousins. Yeah, I'm talking about cousins. I'm sorry. No, no, no. Yeah. No, I just, I think the most reliable quarterback there.

I think Ashton Jinty is going to be good, even if I was a year early. They didn't trade away Max Crosby. I think that if, you know, I don't think the Broncos and Chargers are going to be quite as good as everyone else. If I got to pick one of them, and history says I do, again, it's not predictions week. Not predictions. I think I'd go Raiders. Do you want to go next bird? Yeah, look, even though I will play along.

We know. The streak's ending this year, but I'll play along. I'm going to sound like I'm speaking on both sides of my mouth because the reason I can't go with the Raiders is the division's just too tough. So you're going on Cardinals. Yeah. I knew it. I was torn between the Browns and the Cardinals.

But with Jacoby Brissette and we think Love will pop, I'm going to go with Arizona. I mean, if I got to pick one. I like you. Yeah. I would have gone with the bronze just because the defense has been good, but they got rid of Schwartz and who knows where that will be now. And they drafted well in the quarterback situation is bad.

I'm with Nick. I went with the Raiders. Wow. And here's why. So Genti, you know, I wasn't anywhere near as big a fan as Nick was, but he did have 55 receptions. Brock Bowers, excellent. Michael Meyer, the other tight end, also very good.

They added Tyler Lindembaum, so they really solidified the center of the offensive line. The quarterback, whether it's Cousins or Mendoza, I think both guys will give them a chance. Picked up a fullback and Connor Hayward. Offensively, they were last year, 30 second in yards, 30 second in points, 30 second in brush yards, 28th in past yards. So there's room for improvement offensively. And defensively, you know, they're middle of the pack in yards at 14, past yards at 18. So not horrible.

And why not? Kansas City's had a down year. Denver. Well, I'm just saying Kansas City had a down year. Denver, everybody's saying was last year really who they are or could they take a step back.

And then every year we talk about the Chargers and even though they've had 11 wins, it's like are they up and down? Is Herbert there? So why couldn't they do it? Deep Sleepers is delivering. No love for the Titans. Go on just. I believe.

Five the 12th scared. That's your team? Right. If we didn't see a bad performance from Cam Ward. But we did. I'm not putting too much stock into it. I'm going Titans.

But I got Titans and Texans in the playoffs. It sounds like it. Tricky. Then how do I? Bills are missing. Ooh, the domino. Do we have to own this pick? No, no, no.

It's not predictions week. That's why we did it. Okay. Josh Allen wants to play tomorrow to get his routine down. That's next. Check out the podcast. It's just been excellent. And we'll have plenty of YouTube videos

as we're on vacation. John has a stockpile of just excellent stuff in the hopper. But right now it's time for a quick episode of winners and losers. First winner. Clay Thompson gets to hang out with Clackboy Max, Brew's family friend. Yes, yes.

He was at my daughter's wedding Sunday. I saw him in. He beat, he beat Clay in the three points shoot. I guess I have to watch more of the stream. You know what I was thinking? I was thinking this. And Max was a good high school player.

You know how difficult it is to shoot outside. on rims like that and he was draining threes. Max, both of them were, but Max. Well, Clay told him that he thinks he would be a good third tier Italian league player or something. Is that what he said? Yeah, and I think, and it seemed to devastate Blackboy. If he could do that, I mean, I don't think he was recruited much out of high school.

He could have been, I thought he was like a division three, maybe division two player. Maybe he could be lower level Italian league, wow. Winner number 21. The Wools will retire. Kevin Garnett's number 21. Do not tell Jaden Daniels. In February. Against the Celtics, which I thought was...

Oh, I like that. Interesting. They're trying to get KG back. Yeah. You don't like it once? I just... You don't like it. I'm biased, but he had such a wonderful time in Boston

and Celtics fans embraced him so much. Yeah, but I still think... of Garnett as a Timberwool. I do, but I do kind of, but I'm biased. I tilt over to Celtics. I wonder how he thinks of himself. I mean, he would, listen, he was. He feels like it.

His first, I think it's underrated at this point where he was in the league hierarchy, his first year in Boston. I think he was top five player in the league in 2008. Yeah. Then he got, you know, he got hurt. Yeah. He kind of transitioned to still an excellent player, but not that level. With that said, he was at his best in Minnesota.

But if he had, if it was... But they didn't have much success. If he had to put on a... A hat for a plaque? Yeah. I kind of feel like, I don't know. I think it might be Boston. Winner preparation, Josh Allen wants to play in the preseason

to get his routine down in the new stadium. I like this. Yeah. Yeah, I'll do too. He's locked in. Never mind. We're going on vacation. I like Josh.

Loser, bad vibes. Ben Solac lists the Ravens as having the best. as having the best vibe of any team. What do you want the chiefs to have the best vibe? No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Usually when you get disgusted, you just, I just, I, Ben, who I like a lot, kind of made his bones being like,

I can, watch, I'm going to draw this play. Here's what a guy was supposed to go, here's the mistakes. Like, really, it was like kind of like the Zach Lowe legacy of breaking down film as an analyst. He knows what it's about. And now he's like, vibes. I know what pays the bills here. And it's what it is. Just vibes.

Nobody wants to know about how you dig out this route. No. Are the guy that matters. Yeah. We run a great concept. No, man, we're hanging out. Admit it, though, both of you. That scares me.

This is how we're doing. That's a little bit of speed there. You did. That was a little. You did. You for real. Imagine what I used to be. Yeah.

First things first is sponsored by Ram trucks. Live from New York, it's first things first overtime. Today is last night a bad night or a bad sign for Joe Burrow? Meanwhile, the latest on Cleveland's quarterback competition. Sean will get the first start. And finally, are the Giants a trendy sleeper, not a deep sleep. No. Just a trendy sleep.

Light sleeper. Light sleeper. Light sleeper. Yeah. Coach Mangini's upset with you guys. For what? The Falcons should have qualified. Why didn't they?

In the deep sleeper. Nick's tears, they were over, they're over 100 to one. Yeah. On our preferred. Dustin? No, but they weren't on, they weren't on the deep sleep. They don't feel like a deep. In that division.

Same. They wouldn't. I understand, but they wouldn't make you go, oh. Wait a deep sleeper. That is arbitrary. Over 100 to one. This is unbelievable. There's no way they would.

We did a deep sleeper segment that was factually inaccurate? It wasn't factually inaccurate. Coach is very upset. You know what? Leave that between coach and us. All the Falcons are deliver a message. I apologize to the Falcons.

You should have been on the deep sleeper tier. Consider the message. Everybody would have picked the Falcons. And his segment wouldn't have worked. But we put God up there. It wouldn't have popped. Some poor Falcons fans like, oh, we're better than the Titans. They are.

They're not. One 20 to one. They would also have been insulted to be on my That's just what it is. Christmas started Kevin Wilde's Nick Wright and Danny Danny Parkins. I apologize,

Parkins. What a way to start? I apologize to coach. Not me. Who would you have picked anyway? You need to pick the falcons. No, that's that. No, that's that. No, that's the courage to pick the Raiders like me two years in a row.

AFC South. Even after, okay. Fernando Mendoza. Yeah, that's a. Made his debut last night, lost and took it kind of hard. Here's Clint Kubiak and the number one overall pick. I saw, I saw the same guy that we've seen in practice. I see, you know, an ascending player.

We've got to keep getting better. Unfortunately, I let my teammates down today, but it's a growing experience. And, you know, I feel like we're all growing, and it showed me that I need to grow a lot. Okay. What did Mendoza prove, Danny? He reaffirmed and confirmed what I felt before the preseason, which is Fernando Mendoza should start week one for the race. You should start week one for the rating. I love this take.

And I bet you I can move you closer to me by the end of this. Let's go. Okay. Let's hear it. All right. First of all, recent histories on my side. What do you mean? Number one picks when they start for their team.

Has it been good? Well, some of them have. Some of them haven't. Well, then I don't know if the history's on your side. Hey, look at all these mistakes guys have made. Handwar, not on your side. Wait a minute. Has it, but did it set any of them back?

It certainly didn't help Cam or Bryce. Certainly didn't help. Joe Burrow got his knee blown out. Wait a second. The Prince, they got the number one pick the following year as well. Okay, but that's- Caleb's got fired.

How many coaches is Trevor had? But there's a, there's obvious differences here. It's three reasons. One, most of the time they start. But two, he also, this is not. 36 starts. It's not Kyler Murray with 500 pass attempts. Over 1,000 passes in college. Over 36 starts right in line with golf and Baker and Caleb and all those guys. Plenty of experience. And you mentioned coaches getting fired. Kubiak's already there.

So like when Caleb played for Matt Eber Fluse and Shane Waldron, then he gets Ben Jont and unlearn that stuff. Same thing with Cam Ward, two coaches first two years. Clint Kubiak gets to just start working with him right now, so it'll be the same system in year one and year two. And then the thing that you guys are underrating, Kirk Cousins is bad. Like, it is very on the table that Fernando Mendoza is better than Kirk. He won his last four games last year.

Oh, but, I mean, all right. A team that was in the playoff hunt. We can look at Kirk Cousins over the last two years since he came back from the Achilles injury. He was definitely bad his first year back from the Achilles. But he came born late last year. He was not good. late last year. Late last year, he got them in that playoff. He had a couple of games in terms of where

they won the game, but he has not been good individually. And so I watched Fernando Mendoza last night. You guys showed the touchdown throw. I also thought if you looked at, I thought the best throw of the night was a throw his own 20 yard line, this 18, 19 yarder up the seam. Guys ready to play, man. He's ready to play. He's got his coach. It's not like it's a terrible offensive line. He's got a running back. He's got a tight end. They spent some money.

He's got his center to help with the protections. What is the harm in having him sit? When you have a veteran quarterback, he can learn. But what's the benefit? See, that's why I would say history. I would say history is on. It didn't hurt much. It helped.

I don't know. Mahomes probably would have been great anyway, but still, that's an example of it. Different situation. I know Aaron Rogers was decades ago, but that worked. Very different. And now Jordan Love. Like, it does. It doesn't hurt to sit at the feet of a veteran and learn.

I support Danny just because we have to go so far back to be like Jordan Love. Well, CJ started and was in the playoffs. Look at him now. I'm just saying last two seasons. You think that CJ Stroud has been adversely affected because he started his rookie year. No, no, no. But I can throw. 23 touchdowns.

Not number one. How about Darnel going to a bad situation? This isn't as bad a situation, but a lot of times if a young quarterback's thrown in the fire, you don't, in a bad team, you don't get a good read on him. They're in the toughest division in the conference. Well, but all the more reason to start them early because the easy, if we could pick one game on the schedule,

let's throw up the Raider schedule, before the order was set. What's the one game you would want him to start with? You'd say Miami at home. It's the easiest game on the schedule. Get him a win in week. one. Yeah, and then he goes up against your juggernaut chargers. And then on the road. I see, I, listen, and Rams. I do not think it was, I, I am skeptical on whether or not

Bryce Young was ever going to have the physical traits to be a high quality NFL starting quarterback. But I think what they did with him in year one was a mistake that hurt him. I am not certain that it was good for Caleb Williams at all. But again, they changed coaches. I understand. Danny. They're not going to be changing coaches from Endozo. Okay, well, first, that's very optimistic that Clint Kubiak's just going to be there

for a long time. They didn't think they wanted to change coaches with Trevor Lawrence. They brought in Urban Meyer. Do I have that right? Yeah, Urban Meyer. He lasted less than a year. And he's out of there. So I, so the, I

I don't know what. What is the downside? Don't we think if he is, if you're right and he's ready now, do you think he's going to be less ready in two months? Having been to more practices, been to more meetings? I think generally speaking, the most advantageous thing in the NFL is a great quarterback on a rookie contract. So starting the clock on evaluating the quarterback on the rookie contract as soon as possible,

as long as you think he is. But I honestly think that that guy can be as good as Kirk Cousins is right now. Not as smart or anything like that. But in terms of like actual points on the board, I'm not positive that you are sacrificing the ability to beat the Dolphins week one. I'm not at all talking about that though. I am not. I even if I were to concede that I'm not.

I maybe I'm a touch higher on Kirk than you and maybe not quite as high on Mendoza. But even if it's if it were empirically true that Mendoza and cousins give. the Raiders the exact same percentage chance to win any game the first month of the season. I still think there's an argument to not play Mendoza because I think there is an argument to be made. The most important thing for the Raiders this year is not whether they're 6 and 11 or 8 and 9. Agreed. It's the development of Mendoza. And I think you can make an argument. The best thing for his development is not to play week one. But I just think it's tough to say that that would be the best thing. Like, if Mendoza's not ready, if he's not ready,

and Cousins got hurt, I wouldn't play Mendoza. Do not play Mendoza until he is ready to play. Like, it should be on Mendoza's timeline. But I think he looks ready to play. I do. He had over a thousand pass attempts, 36 starts in college, a national championship, pro-style offense. He's got his center. He's got his left tackle. He's got weapons. Why is he not ready? Did you, there was a part in his press conference where I don't know I don't know the question but he was talking about you have a lot more autonomy

did you see this part? Yeah. I have a lot more autonomy as a professional player. Like today I drove myself to the stadium. I was like holy cow we are but I think from the outside you know we talk about it like you know interns that work for the show it's like here's something you're getting yourself

from your house to the office on time, and navigating the train. That's actually part of work. It sounds basic if you're like a veteran. Like, yeah, I can get to work. But you haven't done that. If like, well, shoot, my class is usually right there. It's a whole new thing.

So with him actually talking about, yeah, I drove myself to the game. I was like, holy cow, we're kind of far away from Kirk Cousins, who has binders full of intel. If they say he's not ready, I mean, look, that Mike Silver profile, I don't know if you guys read it, it was kind of adorable. He was like, oh, like, what the shuck? Like, he was like, wouldn't even willing to curse. And he's like, I'm afraid to go to the strip of Las Vegas.

I'm like, you can go for dinner. Like, you know what I mean? So he definitely is a kid in that sense. But as a football player, man, I think he's ready. And I don't believe that Kirk Cousins is some huge. This is not Alex Smith with three straight double-digit wins seasons and a playoff team or Aaron Rogers for Jordan Love. That's not what we're talking about.

I do think if he clear. plays better than cousins in practice. I think if it's even, they're going to go with cousins. But if he's like really showing he's, I think they'll play him. So I think that they're going to I think we're going to learn

who look better. There is a lot of quarterbacks who we consider that they underachieved or were outright busts or had to go to different teams that if their rookie year they were not instantly thrown into the fire would have had better careers.

And I agree with you the importance of the rookie timeline and the rookie pay scale. But this year, we agree, no matter what, they're not competing for a championship. So I, so I, so the, the ability to take advantage of his rookie contract is about the years after this. What we are really disagreeing on is, is there an argument to be made? he will be better in year two by not playing some of this year than by playing the whole thing. And I think there might be. And if they had last year's coach,

then I would be in agreement with you. But if the coach is pre-fired, then I get it. But we don't know if Clinton Kubiak's going to be. But you would agree there at least on the same timeline. Yeah, they are on the same timeline. Interesting. Good job. Do you move you at all?

No, not at all. I actually, you know what? Actually, maybe now he doesn't start week one next year. Steve McNair. Steve McNair sat two years. That worked out for him? There you go. Joe Borough got sacked, didn't score a touchdown or field goal.

Joe Burrow wishes he got to sit his rookie year. Got his knee blown out. Here's Zach Taylor after the game. It's having fun. I mean, that's not what we want to have happened. But again, we'll continue to prove. We'll make the individual corrections we got to make. We'll make the unit corrections we got to make.

and then move on in the preseason. Just week one, Danny, was that a bad sign or just a bad game, bad things? Bad day at the office. I wouldn't play Joe Burrow in the preseason, like call me crazy, but a guy who's had serious injury problems and they're not changing the offensive system and is one of... They are trying to go a little more under center and do that stuff. Sure, you can do that in live practices. Like, I don't know that you need to see that in a game personally.

Like I would not, I am. Well, you know why they're doing it. Remember they, when they always start the season's slow. And then last year they did it and started okay. I understand all of that. I am very, very conservative when it comes to, to me, the biggest thing is health and being ready for the start of the season. And in terms of readiness of like having my players out there. And I'll take a little bit of rust in week one if that's the tradeoff for it.

But the guy went five of six. We're going to, we're going to panic over six passes. I personally don't think that a team with Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, T. Higgins, and Chase Brown with an offensive line that I don't think is top 10 clearly, but I don't think it's bottom five either. I think it's going to be average. But 20th is a problem.

And I think maybe around 20th is where it'll be. Then just their offense is going to be good. It's enough talent that I'm not going to overreact to six passes and a couple of hits in the preseason. Well, I mean, okay, I don't, then maybe you'll think this is overreacting. I'm not going to not react, though. I think that you are, it is your starters against a team who I think most, I think most people would say, hey, what's the biggest concern about the Lions going into this year?

Probably past defense. Probably with Brian Branch and Kirby Joseph out and Tyrion Arnold, you know, bouncing between Seattle and arraignment. and the and they're still waiting for Aiden Hutchinson's other you know pass rushing partners show up. That seems backups and Joe Burroughs on the ground twice despite just the six throws. That's to me not nothing. I think that there also is something to be said for the correlation between Burroughs injuries, Burroughs sack rate and the type of sack he took in this game, which is,

hanging in the pocket, hunting the big play. One of the reasons he has some of those gaudy numbers we've talked about is because he puts him, you know, he hangs in there and looks for the big play rather than just abandoning it, either throwing it away, he's not really going to scramble much. And I think all of that is a little ominous. And the fact that Orlando Brown got dusted there is a little ominous when he's a question mark for them this year. So I think it's not nothing to me.

Yeah, I'm not going to overreact either, Danny, but it is something that is, as we're looking at our predictions, yeah, of course. You have to know, it's noted. Yeah. That's right, noted. They couldn't protect him, knowing how fragile he is,

and we got to protect Joe, and they couldn't do it against a bunch of second teams. Yeah, yeah. You debuted that Joe Burroughs' fragile tag. No, he's had that for a while. I just haven't heard Bruce say he's fragile. Oh. I mean, he's a.

tough guys. Yeah, but he's dealt with a lot of various injuries. Headed to Baltimore. He plays as much as Joe Bar or Lamar. He's fragile. Omar promised a Super Bowl for the Ravens on draft night. Here he is talking about the urgency to get a Lombardi this year. It's always been that way for me, you know, we need to do this now, you know, even when I was a rookie, you know, second year player.

But yeah, obviously, you know, going into year nine, it's like, man, time is ticking. you're only getting older. I'm not getting younger. You know, and I'm sending a lot of different new faces into the league and different guys we surround the way, you know, from an officer line, receiver standpoint, running back field, new running back, stuff like that. Time is ticking, and the urgency is always a high level.

Even I feel once I get one, it's still going to be urgent to get another, you know? Never goes away. How open is Lamar's Super Bowl window? I don't think it's nearly as open as Vegas and the rest of the world thinks. Like right now, Yes, no. Lamar Jackson ever wins a Super Bowl,

even money bet on either side. My money would be on no. Wow. Now again... My money would be on no also. Okay. So, and I'm not, I want to make this very clear. That is not me saying,

Lamar will never... Right, of course. Right, but I am, I just think it is more likely than not that he ends up on the outside looking in for a long list of reasons about age, potentially, you know, diminishing returns in the running game, raising concerns with injury,

and then we get to the fact that I have major questions about what the cauldron of the postseason does to Lamar Jackson from a nerve standpoint. So all of that, I think, is working against them. And so what I would say is this, Brue, like, I think it is each, like, if he doesn't, let's say in my head, he's 40% to ever win a Super Bowl, which would, again, be less than,

you know, the yes or no. Right. They don't do it this year. I think every year it gets halved. I think like this is his best chance. And then next, if he doesn't do it this year, next year it'd be down to 20. And then the year, just because you have less time, you're less in your prime, and more evidence that it hasn't been able to get it done.

First of all, that quote from him, I hadn't seen it before. I love hearing him say that. Time is ticking. Like he knows. Just what you, I mean, he's not, I'm sure he's not as skeptical as you. But he knows, like, look, time is ticking. It's very S-Bob. Yeah, yeah.

I got to get this done. And I, to quote, or I think is, I don't know if it would be an exact quote to the great Joe Burrow, his Super Bowl window is his prime. Like, as long as he's in his prime and to be on, look, the guy, now I know he had gotten to some Super Bowls, but John Elway played 16 years. didn't win it his first 14 years. And then when they won it, he had a great running back, Torell Davis,

and they wanted his last two years. So I think as long as Lamar is great, and maybe even a little after, because there's a great organization. I think a good head coach, but if he's not a good head coach, mentor, they'll get a good head coach, you know. So I think that he's in an organization.

I like the Bengals, where they're going to, you know, put the things around them to try to get it done, give him his best opportunity. And I do think he obviously hasn't been great in the playoffs, but I think he is growing to the point where he will be able to play well in the postseason. You know, Nick, we disagreed on the Mendoza and Burrow one, but we thought about this pretty similarly.

Like, Lamar strikes me. Always an interesting comp, Ru, like, it's hard for me to envision, like a 35-year-old Lamar Jackson winning a Super Bowl. Because so much of what makes him dynamic is the, is he the fastest quarterback in the NFL. the threat of the running game and what that does to open up the passing game. He's gotten way better as a passer, but it still is helped and aided by his immense athleticism. So as that diminishes, like I just, I look at his Super Bowl window as being, it's not the next

12 years. Like I don't think it's he can play until he's 40 and win Super Bowls in his late 30s, like Stafford and Brady and guys like that. So I just, I look at it as more of like the next five years type of thing. And it's just really hard to pick that guy's going to. win one of them. So yeah, it's less than a 50-50 proposition. Especially when Herbert, Caleb, and Josh Allen are going to win all of the next five. Well, yeah, I mean, that's the unspoken.

I mean, that's the unspoken part is when Herbert gets to and Caleb gets to, in the next five years, there's only one available. I'm glad the home's already got it. Yeah, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You know, thinking about it that way. Coming up next.

There's Jeremiah. Enjoy vacation, Frank. Sealing in year one. Next on first things first. Over time. Hanging out with Coach Mangini on the other time. O T. Let's go to the desert where the Cardinals and rookie running back Jeremiah Love showed out last night. The third overall pick out of Notre Dame. He had a busy first half. 11 carries for 58 yards. Another three catches for 14 yards. I've got to be honest, 14 touches in a half of preseason football. Not exactly how I would have handled it. He is the front runner for offensive rookie of the year. According to logic and the odds makers, about four and a half to one. Let's talk ceiling here, coach. What is Jeremy? Maya loves as a rookie?

This is a difficult question because one of the concerns that I had about him being drafted as high as he was is he split time at Notre Dame. So he had 12 games, he had 199 carries and you didn't see him with the full load. And now come out in the preseason, he gets that volume of carries. 14 touches in a half of preseason football for the third overall pick is borderline reckless. It's a lot. It's a lot of work for the first game out. And when you talk about Saquan's first year,

he had 250 carries that season. And then I think Ashton Genty was at 266. Yep. It looks like they're going to try to get to those numbers. So it's numbers that he hasn't been at. And he had 12 games last year. Now we're talking about 17 games. Plus obviously a full workload in the preseason.

So let's add 20 games of that. Well, he should be shut down for the rest of season, right? I would shut him down. He looks good. He got out of it healthy. Shut him down. I'm not sure where they're going to go with this. Because like you, I didn't expect there to be this volume of carriers in the preseason. And that's what could be the biggest limiting factor is wear and tear on him. In terms of last night, there were a lot of encouraging plays. I'd say this is probably the most encouraging where he's able to spin out of the tackle the guy's coming in to make a leg tackle. He spins out of it. There are a few other

ones that were similar to that. I thought he did a really good job of getting the edge, which means start inside. The inside is clogged and you're able to bounce to the perimeter. That that was encouraging well, that he caught the ball well. So I was, I'm much higher on him than I was on Genti last year. Will he hit B. John Robinson, Sequan Barkley type numbers? I'm not, I don't have a conviction there. and I also have the concern about how are they going to use them? So you said a lot there. My first thought was honestly like a fantasy football side of it.

I was like, ooh, maybe I should draft year. I'm I love. Like that's a lot of volume. Second thing, we're kind of aligned. Like 266 carries for Genti, but less than 1,000 yards. So I've been thinking today, once I knew we were doing this topic of like, how good can a running back be who gets a ton of volume who's on a bad team? Like, you know, it's a, there's not a ton of great example.

Like Tony Pollard had 240 plus carriers last year, but they were so bad. He wasn't that. He was good, but not that productive. Like, Gentie. Like, can he be top five in the NFL and touches? Like, can he be 250 plus touches and 1,200 plus rushing yards? So to your point, I remember it was, I think it was 1997 with the Jets. we were playing for a chance to go to the playoffs against the Lions and Barry Sanders.

And we worked all week in trying to contain him. We had a great plan. And late in the fourth quarter, he hits like a 40-yarder. And Curtis Martin's saying was, good backs are like water. They always find the crack. So as much as we say, how good can be a back be on a bad team? Backs make bad teams and bad lines look way better than they are. And Barry Sanders always gave credit to his offensive.

line, but it was him that made it look good. So with Genti, we could say, hey, bad team. That's why he had the numbers he had. But 3.7 yards of carry on that volume of touches, that's a big, big concern for them. I get it. And like I started to, I didn't talk myself into the Cardinals as like a team in terms of winning games. It was like, all right, so Jacoby throws it down the field.

Marvin Harrison's in number one. McBride is arguably the best tight end in football. They love their left tackle in Paris, Johnson. said like the left guard's pretty good. It's like all of a sudden it's like, okay, some runs to the left, Jeremiah Love, some play action in the tight end. I do think he can have a very, very big year. He won't be Christian McCaffrey, right?

Like Christian McCaffrey last year was over 400 touches when you add in carries and receptions. But I do think he can be a 250 plus touch guy this year, which should lead, based on what I saw last night, to a lot of productivity. What's interesting about Christian McCaffrey is his first year, he had a small volume of touches compared to other guys. guys drafted that high. I think he was at a small amount of carries. I think he was about at 120. Yeah. But, but, but. But I was saying McCabe, I was just doing like total touches like rookies or otherwise last year. There weren't they're not that many guys. It's so many

backfields in the NFL are two three headed monsters. Tyler Al Jir is on Arizona. That's a guy who's had 160 to 200 carries every year he's been in the NFL. So I don't know how much much that cuts into what Jeremiah Love is going to do. Alger got a little love with the starters last night. But I watched that guy and saw that amount of volume in the preseason. And again, I keep coming back to that 250 number. I bet you he hits 250 plus touches. But that may be something that's terrible for his production as opposed to good for his production.

When you're not used to handling that volume, when you play 12 games and not 17 games, and now you're asked to go do that in the NFL, which is, you know, that creates his own set of problems. And if your passing game isn't the type of passing game that can create holes by forcing in play at seven in the box instead of eight in the box, and everybody's trying to stop you, it could be challenging. And look, for a rookie head coach, if you wear this guy down early in the season, it's not going to be good for you.

It's not going to be good for him. And it's not going to be good for longevity. Wouldn't be good for fantasy owners either. Let's go to Chicago, which is always a good phrase and a good idea. Ben Johnson earlier in the week had high expectations for the Bears' offense. Friend of the show, Jalen Johnson, told us that he is bringing that energy to camp. So here's the Bears head coach on how the preparation is going for his offense. Take a listen.

He came out of the gate hot there. Those first four practices I thought were really, really good. And then as the volume has continued to go up, and it, It's my fault as much as anything, just because I think I've put in more this year on offense than I did a year ago. By design, I just, I want it to feel like a lot right now that there's been a level of plateau up to this point. Now that things will slow down from an installation point, I think we're going to see him continue to go on the upswing. All right. So here is the broad strokes production numbers for Caleb and the Bears offense. Year 1 in 2024, year 2, 2025.

Obviously, that is when Ben Johnson comes in. Realistic expectations. You've thrown some cold water on Caleb over the last week or two. I want some specifics here from you. Expectations for Caleb. Well, I agree with what Ben Johnson did in terms of insulation. So you do try to, especially in a guy's second year, you try to put in everything early and it's like throwing mud up against the wall.

You just see what sticks. and then, you know, once you get that, you keep sort of polishing it up, and you eventually get to what the best core part is, and that's what they're doing. And so that's all positive. And he sounds like he's in a much better position to handle that. So in terms of versatility of the ways that they attack people, there's a real opportunity here, and we should see growth there. What I totally disagree with is when Caleb came in, it was expectations, expectations. Hey, don't worry about it. We're not going to punt.

He texts the punter. So there's all that stuff. Then he gets dramatically humbled his rookie season, comes back this next year, and it's different. So now he has success. He's not really, he seems still relatively humble. I mean, there's elements of the old Caleb creeping back in. But now the head coach says. I don't want him to be humble, but we can disagree on that.

But the head coach says, we're going to be the greatest offense that's ever played. We're going to score the most points that's ever played. We're going to have blowouts. We're going to have shutouts. So now he's upping the expectations and the pressure on Caleb. And I don't think that's, I don't think that's necessarily a positive way to go. And it could hurt him. He said that's the goal.

And I know that is not your style. That's why there's chocolate and vanilla. Because it is my style. Talk a little bit. Manifest it. it. Speak it into existence. So if we could throw those numbers back up, please, year one to year two. Caleb, there was, you know, I'm not, I'm not a math expert per se, but in year one coach, he had 20 total touchdowns. And in year two, he had 30 total touchdowns. So I'm thinking a nice

round number of 40 touchdowns. There's only one player in the NFL who had over 40 touchdowns last year and he won MVP. His name was Matt Stafford. Josh Allen had 39. touchdowns, 14 on the ground, 25 through the air. Trevor Lawrence had 38 touchdowns. He had nine rushing touchdowns to go with 29 passing touchdowns. When did Trevor have that? Why did he have that? No, when did he have that?

He was in what year five? Year five. Yeah, year five. Yeah, but I'm thinking for Caleb in year three, year two with Ben Johnson, a nice round 40 touchdowns for Caleb Williams this year, as they are a top five offense in the NFL. Maybe number one, but we'll be conservative to say top five. say top five. Yeah, I don't have the Trevor Lawrence graphic candy, but year one wasn't very good.

Year two was really, everybody was excited. Coaching change. Year three, the expectation was, this is a rocket ship, right? Number one overall draft pick, had a downseason. Sure. The coach's fall, had a really good season in the second year. He was going to take off. That's not how it went. Now, we're cycling back. He had a good season this year after coaching change. So the idea that you get to start where you left off. That's, that's not how it works. Hopefully there'll be progress, but you're putting pressure on him now to chase points.

You're putting pressure on him. Coach should do things. Why don't, why don't we hit some layups? Why don't we improve our completion percentage? Why don't we do the mundane things so much better and give the whole team a chance to win as opposed to say, hey, yeah, we, we have to go be the greatest offense in the history of the world? So me saying it is nothing.

I'm just a. Bears fan on TV. Ben Johnson saying it's not nothing. I understand that bulletin board material and that'll get around and it'll rub some people the wrong way. I mean, the guy's on the cover of Madden. He used the number one pick. He's the high spin trophy winner. How old is Madden cover guys done historically?

Listen, there's the allure of the curse. I mean, but. Has that been pretty consistent? I don't know that that is causation. I think that might be a little bit more quality. I don't know. I don't know if we can throw out, hey, we're going to manifest it in the universe. But yet there can't be caused it.

It's about as consistent as the Madden cover. Was there pressure in New England? No. You guys won. There's pressure. Anything, any of these guys say, there is pressure on Caleb Williams to be great. I promise regardless of what any coach talking head or video game cover says, he's got pressure. There was absolute pressure on that day to be the best you could.

We never talked about six months from now. We never talked about, hey, we're going to be the greatest defense that's ever, man. We're going to be the 85 bear. That's not how it was because it's unproductive and it takes away from the focus on what's important, which is exactly what's in front of you. So you expect to use your Trevor now. You expect Caleb to be worse this year than he was last year. I'm not saying I expect him to be worse this year. I just think that we should, you should put him in a position.

where he's not under pressure to be the greatest ever. Just be the best version of him and improve from where he was last year and see where it goes. I have 40 touchdowns. It's more fun. Becoming a bit of a Jackson dart guy. So they've asked me to pick the schedule. And I'm wondering if I can be a dart guy and not have them in the playoffs. I've boxed myself into a bit of a corner here. We're going to go through the exercise coming up on the O-2.

Predictions week is right around the corner. August 31st to September 4th. Everything we're doing now is entertaining and worthwhile and you should watch it. But it's in pencil. Predictions week? Sharpie time. But for now, thanks for hanging out with us on the OT. Giants camps in our backyard. I haven't been yet, but I've been reading the reports. Jackson Dart, he was asked what he's seen out of Malik neighbors, who's coming back from the injury.

The two did not even get a full game together last season. season, Jackson Dart not concerned. Take a listen. I think that he can change the game at any point and of any time. The ball is in his hand and there's a chance that it could go for six. And I think that that's just the type of player that he is. That's the skill sets that he has. So, you know, when you have that on offense, it's game changing.

That I agree with completely, like the recovery for neighbors for the explosiveness of that offense. Like he presents a very unique thing that the. Other guys in that team do not have. I do think he can be a top 10 receiver in the game. Do you look at the Giants, coach? They maybe have more newness than any team in the league. Can they be a playoff sleeper team? It's hard because when you look at the division,

I would say DAC right now is probably a little bit further ahead than Jackson Dart. Just a little bit. Just a little bit. Jayden Daniels, he's done more than Jackson Dart has done and had the ridiculous rookie season. Philadelphia say what you want about Jalen Hertz, but he's incredibly accomplished. And organizationally,

I think Philly's one of the best, if not the best organizations in the NFL. So then you got the Giants, and they get the benefit of bringing in a veteran head coach, which is positive. I'd say the thing that gives them the best chance to be the sleeper and sort of win that division, is the history of that division.

So Philadelphia last year, it was the first time anybody repeated in a long, long time. Traditionally, it rolls over every year. So I would imagine last year was more of an aberration than the norm, which means somebody new is gonna pop out. And look, it could be the Giants. I'm not as big a dart fan as you are. I think there's a lot of positives.

And I like a lot of the pieces that they added. But I like a lot of the pieces the rest of the division has added too. He's far from a finished product. And I think he is, there's a thin line between aggressive and reckless. And people talk about the recklessness only in the context of the concussions. And I understand concussions are very serious. And he was checked for a concussion five different times last year and missed two games. So I'm not dismissing that.

I think he's kind of reckless with just how he plays with, but that leads to a really high ceiling. to me. Like, it could bust out, but it's exciting. There's a high ceiling, at least a big plays. This kind of shocked me. Most big play touchdowns last year from week four on. That's when he became the starter. He's on the list with MVP runner-up Drake May,

one of the best offenses in the NFL in Detroit, one of the best offenses in the NFL in Josh Allen, the Rams, Caleb in that explosiveness with top six in yards last year. And then there was the terrible two-time top 10 picks, New York Jans. And he played zero full games with Malik neighbors. The guy is explosive. And so, like, I like their pass rush.

I think it could be very good. They upgraded it linebacker. Right? They were the worst rush defense in the NFL last year. I think they'll still be a bad rush defense. But they Tremaine Edmins and they draft Arvel Reese. Who did they trade away? Trade away, Dexter Lawrence.

It was pretty good against the run. Run. No, they might still be the worst run defense in the NFL. Linebacker core is better. Like the offensive line, like neighbors. like Dart, like new coaches, sleeper. Not a deep sleeper, but a sleeper playoff team. But, Danny, where in sports do you identify someone who's reckless,

and that's a tremendous trait to have? I think that at times people called Baker Mayfield reckless. I think at times people called Patrick Mahomes reckless. Like, he ran outside the pocket. He does no look passes. He changes the arm angle. It can be harnessed to become special, or it could be harnessed,

then you could have 15 turnovers and miss games due to injuries. Right? Like, I think it, I think that recklessness can become aggression and creativity. Yeah. Now, Patrick Holmes, or Patrick Holmes. I'm not saying Jackson Dart is Patrick. Well, yeah, I'm saying, and the recklessness that you may tag with him comes up sporadically. But when you, but with Jackson Dart, you're trying to coach the recklessness out of him because it leads to five trips to the tent for concussions, two missed games. and when you hear him talk, it doesn't sound like that's sunk in for him. All right, let's go through the schedule real quick. It's a fun exercise.

We want to just get to it here. This is the Giants schedule. It's an absolutely brutal start. I badly wanted to give them week one at night against the Cowboys, but I gave it to the Cowboys a couple days ago when we did the Cowboys schedule. So I am starting 0 and 2. But then Titans, Cardinals, Commander Saints. That feels like 4 and 2.

Now it gets tricky because I don't know that many teams are winning in Houston with that defense. And I don't like, I want a team that you are on the same level, a little bit better than, a little bit worse than. At Philly out of the by is just absolutely brutal. Then I'm not as high on the Jaguars as everybody else. I'm maybe a little higher on the Colts than most people. So now I've got them at six and five coming in to the stretch of their schedule, coach. And if we fill that in, I don't know that 9 and 8 gets you in. 9, 7 and 1 got you in as the 7 seed in the NFC last year.

So I think they are going to be knocking on the door. If things go well, one or two things break their way, it can get there. I have them just short of the playoffs, but hitting their over on the season. Yeah, it was a few years back, but Washington made the playoffs at 7 and 9 in that division. Yeah, I don't think that's happening this year. But who knows? I think they're going to be sneaky. And again, this is pencil, not Penn.

Predictions week coming up in two weeks. On the other side, there's another quarterback competition in Cleveland. And Doris Sanders and Deshawn Watson. You know what's going to make you look good in a quarterback competition? Playing the Bears' defense in the preseason. First impressions of this QB battle coming up on the OT. Welcome back to the O.T. So the Browns take on the Bears in their preseason opener tomorrow.

But no, we're not going to talk Bears. Deshawn Watson is going to be starting game one. but Shador will get reps. They're both expected to get plenty of time in the preseason. So this will be the first game action for this quarterback battle. Coach, who do you expect to look better against the Bears in the preseason? I would say that Shador is probably going to have the more exciting game because he's going to run around and make plays.

He's going to be playing. Look, I don't know how many of the stars are going to play against DeShan, but he's going to be playing against the back end of the roster. So the plays that he makes will probably pop more. I just am so curious whether Deshaun is going to look like a legitimate pro football quarterback. I expect Deshaun to look better. It's not based in much, obviously. I thought Chador did not look good last year,

and I think Deshaun hasn't looked good in many years. Those are not opinions. That is just kind of a matter of record here. But it just, the Browns to me, with what they gave up in the trade, with what they paid him, I still think they are more invested in Deshawn Watson than they are Shador Sanders. 100%. Even with everything that's happened and all of the hype and buzz around Shador, so while I fully expect Shador to get plenty of reps and maybe he will win at fair and square,

my gut tells me Deshawn Watson's going to win this gig. Yeah, organizationally, you are, you desperately, desperately want Deshaun Watson to win. You desperately want him to be able to contribute. The dead money that he has, once his contracts up, which is this year, is terrible. If he could somehow hang around, even in a back mode so you don't get hit with a crazy cap hit later on, that that's a win in a terribly bad deal. My gut tells me that neither one of these guys is the quarterback next year. I think that Cleveland has acquired a ton of assets, and it's supposed to be a good quarterback drafts coming out of college.

They're probably drafted a quarterback in the first round. But for this year to try to salvage an asset, I would still think that they would look at Deshawn Watson as the guy. And I think Deshawn's probably still better than Chador Sanders. Yeah, he should be. He should be better. In this age of second acts of quarterbacks, you're hoping that there's some type of resurgence left

in the neighborhood of where he used to play. And the Bears defense is not very good, and they're not playing a bunch of starters, and it's a vanilla game plan. So I think he'll probably look pretty good. So Deshaunel thank him. Exactly. Have a good weekend, everybody.