First Things First - Giannis not traded at deadline, Justin Jefferson joins, FTF hits 1 Billion Views, BUD List

Episode Date: February 6, 2026

(0:00) Giannis not traded, FTF hits 1 Billion Views (27:28) Over and Under for Super Bowl LX  (41:56) Maxx Crosby wants to play for Mike Vrabel (46:46) BUD List (01:07:08) Mike Vrabel the biggest edge the Patriots have in the Super Bowl? (01:20:14) Justin Jefferson joins the show (01:29:57) Surprised so many analysts are picking the Seahawks?  (01:54:14) Frenemies (02:06:05) Super Bowl LX Tale of the Tape (02:12:30) NFL Honors Preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome home. What? Jose Alvarado to the next. I'm so happy. This is big. Are you? Jose Alvarado? I know, but now he's with a winner.

You like him when he was, nobody watched him magic. Love him. You really? Okay. I love Jose Alvarado. New York is obviously going to love Jose Alvarado. That's true. He's the perfect player.

Okay. Pretty. He's wonderful. That's a little fun. Big personality. He's a great addition to the Knicks. That's what I'm saying. Perfect player in his role. Come in, play, give Jaylen Brunson a little rest.

Can I make a light, get a steal? Can I make a light suggestion real quick? Well, first things first. Three of us maybe show out a Sunday, March 1st matinee. Nick Spurs. Last time we all went to a game together was Nick Spurs early Wimby. He didn't do much. And in that moment, I was like, that's not the goat.

And then, but just think about it. Now, are you? Really? You're down? I already have a ticket for the game. But can we get two with you? Can we get two guys? First hour, first thing.

We'll work it out. Today, Drake Healthy Darnold on the injury report. Is this bad news for Seattle? Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson joins the show to decide the catch of the year. A lot of conversation from Brew, not wanting to put great catches in the show. Not the college and the high school, and then I think we even got a junior high guy. That's an amazing catch. The ball's this big.

Justin Jefferson is going to decide the Nerf ball. The catch of the year. And finally, the most motivational segment in all of sports. It's the bud list. Who's going to be under duress? Is it going to be more football, basketball? What are you looking at here? It's a mix.

It's a kind of self-explanatory to me this week. Yeah. I feel like. Also, I have breaking news. The NBA trade deadline has just hit. Janice Antenacompo is still a buck. Wow. That's not breaking news.

I had that written now. Breaking news. That's super. We're going to get to shortly. We're going to get to that in 14 minutes. We're starting with Drake May. He's back. Shoulder is healthy.

He was a full participant. Here he is after practice. I'm feeling great. You know, I'm so fortunate to be out here with these guys. You got a full week of practice. You know, it felt good, you know, on Monday and looking forward to get back out there today and tomorrow and Friday and having a normal week. So looking forward to that and feeling good. That's why you know you have guys in the training room.

My guy, Zach and Mike has been, you know, multiple people in there working on, you know, get me healthy. And I'm feeling, you know, great to go. Love it. He's like, wow. You know what? It's not a blizzard. Feeling good. It's not, you know, raining icicles on me.

That's true. That is very true. Is this bad news for the Seahawks, bro? You're still on, before you answer, I'm sorry. Can you give us an update on where you are because Nick has been solidly Seattle? Well, you don't know that. I've had to balance out from the propaganda that you've been. I've been on the Patriots since week four, but all of a sudden I'm a fool.

We're at Super Bowl week. But you said you've got an open mind. In my mind, I feel like I know who I'm picking, but I won't share it tomorrow, Friday. But I will say this, Nick, you know, I've been taking notes and listening to even our experts from the Super Bowl, the players, and you guys. And Seattle is dominating. Like in the checklist. Why is that? I mean, everybody's saying stuff that's leading me to think Seattle's going to win.

Everybody. All the players, Nick, coach, everybody except you. Are you sure? Coach? Well, you're right. Coach sounds like he might pick the papers. But if he does, that's hard. That's hard overhead.

That's a variable Josh McDaniel. Also one upset alert this year, and it's proven to be right several times. He was a good upset alert guy. Sorry. But yeah, but most of the checks, it's something like 14 to 3 or something like in the checkmark. But that doesn't mean that's how I'm going to go. We'll see tomorrow. Okay.

But anyway, for this, look, obviously a healthy Drake May is better for the Patriots, better for the game, and worse for Seattle. But should they be afraid? I mean, they just beat Matthew Stafford, who threw 15 more touchdowns or something like that than Drake made it. They just beat Brock Purdy. Oh, my gosh. Brock Purdy. They ran through Brock Purdy in the Niners.

Before the game in the hotel lobby. I mean, the question, should he scare them or is it bad news for Seattle? No. Like, and Drake is great and had, you know, at one point I did have him number one on my MVP ballot. I got him number two over, you know, at the end of the year. But he doesn't, like, it's very unlikely he throws for 300 yards and even three touchdowns. Correct. In his whole career, 30 regular season.

I go 33 games, include the playoffs. One time he's thrown for 300 or more yards once. Five times he's thrown for three touchdowns or more in 33 games. So he's not, now he can kill him with his accuracy. He can kill him with his legs. He can kill him by being clean. But the notion that he's going to go out there and just go for 360 and four touchdowns, I'm not saying he's not capable.

That's not his game right now. That's scary. That's dangerous. So the way the questions were to, no, I don't think they should be shuddering or anything like that. Even if he plays his top game, it's generally going to be steady, two touchdowns, 250 yards or whatever. Now that can win the game

But I don't think he's just going to Totally annihilate their defense You want to go KW? Look, I'm trying to be fair You don't need to be fair I'm trying to be fair Here's the thing Nick's not fair with the Chiefs

At all, Drew, if he thinks he is He's completely unfair With all due respect, Brew you don't know what I've been going through I got dressed down in my shared office He pulled me aside, closed the door sat down like he was my dad. You know what it was?

It was the first grandfather moment on the show. He's like, look, I've been in this take game for a long time. You're headed down the wrong. This is true, but that's because here's the thing. And I'll just do it here. Here we go. I told him. You know this.

You know you're C.J. Strau right now. So you know, the lecture that led to the losing. I'm just saying. That's where you're at. But I have, God, was the, you know, resolution be less humble. Yes. I have accomplished more in the take game than C.J.

Stroud is in a coach quarterback, so I can do this. It's fair. He often gives good advice. And it was simply that if you are leaning towards, just like you were for the AFC championship game, which it didn't end up working out, but it kind of did because they won, Patriots comfortably. My suggestion was, have the analysis be more about the Patriots are better than you think?

and less about the Seahawks are frauds because Wilde doesn't actually think the Seahawks are fraud. I like to throw a little bit of frauds in there though. Just a little bit. So when I say I'm not asking, I'm saying you don't have to be fair. You do get to wear the hat of the entire media, the only person who saw this, the Patriots being in this game as a possibility months ago.

Yes. So you do have, you have planted your flag on. you guys are still not yet properly rating how good my team is. That's what I was trying to encourage you to lean into. That's what I'm shocked by. Okay, so go ahead. And I will try to be fair and not mention the fact that tonight, the MVP award will be decided by a handful of voters.

Maybe it's Matthew Stafford. Maybe it's Drake May. We don't know. They're interchangeable. And one guy for one game put up almost five hundred. 100 yards, but no one's got the Patriots scoring 28 points. Like, I am surprised that no one, really nobody has this take, and to the point that it's like scared me off of it, the Patriots are going to play very well against the Seahawks defense.

Drake May, who might be the MVP, is going to play very well against this team. And Matthew Stafford had his way. Matthew Stafford last game ran for zero yards. Well, yeah, he ain't going to run for yards. So you were playing somebody who maybe didn't quite have the year Matthew Stafford had, but certainly can run the ball. Definitely. Had ran the ball a little bit less than Isaiah Pacheco.

So imagine if you had Matthew Stafford and Isaiah Pacheco in one guy, I think that guy would be dangerous. And I'm shocked by the recency bias on both sides. or excuse me, on half of the sides, recency bias on half the sides. The Seahawks defense was eaten up by the Rams, eaten up by the Rams, and then everyone thinks, well, that won't happen again.

Drake May, even the biggest Drake May Patriots skeptic, you have to say, was in Denver, in a snowstorm, and played poorly. And everyone's like, that's going to happen again. That will happen again. Well, he had a bad first half. He had a bad first half against the two. chargers. Maybe it was nerves. Came out for the second half, threw for 173 yards, and 142 pass-er rating. So games can go half this, half that. The Texans defense was amazing.

He dropped the ball a lot. Some of it was his. Some of it was Will Campbell. He did throw three touchdowns against the Texans. And I think right now people would be shocked if he threw three touchdowns against the Seahawks defense. I can keep going. Keep going. Go ahead. Whatever you go. The other thing is this, if you were to design a team, like I think you have to start with a blank slate, design a team that's going to beat the Seahawks. What does it look like? So that's what, not this Patriots team.

Okay. Can I pitch you some? Sure. I'd want them to have more experience than Mike McDonald in his second year. I'd want them to just be like, oh, I kind of, and Brables, been a head coach longer, and certainly Josh McDaniels versus that Mike McDonald defense, I'm going to give the guy who's in the Super Bowl for the ninth time as a coordinator or on the staff. I'm going to give that to Josh.

coaching experience, sure. No problem. I'm going to also give a little bit of like chip on our shoulder. A little bit of, I would want to be the underdog in this team if you're going to beat this team. And I'd want a defense that is peaking at the right time against a quarterback who led the league in turnovers. So to me, that's why I got sure. I shouldn't go. I didn't sound like a wine against a quarterback who I looked at up when you whined.

Led the league in turn. So here. So this is, so let me. That was good. So the number one thing I would want if I were trying to beat the Seahawks is a better offensive line. So that's where I say. And so I think that is the Seahawks, not secret sauce, but there's no secret. One of the biggest strengths has been their ability to create pressure, not always sacks, but pressure with and being able to drop seven into coverage.

pressure with four and so a great offensive line can stymie that to a degree and that's when the deep shots can be had against Seattle. But to kind of address each of your points, which are fair, but I just want you open to the counterpoint. Yeah, I'm all years. You seem, when you talk about the weather, it seems to be presented as if the weather had a huge factor in Drake Mays. play and the Patriots defense just kicked ass in perfect conditions. If you are making the argument that the weather played a massive factor in a significant non, you know, in a significant portion of your playoff run, then whatever curve we are putting on Drake May's performance up, that same curve must apply to the Patriots' impeccable

defensive run. At the same time, counterpoint to your counterpoint? Yeah. If I was going to race Usain Bolt and I got to choose. where I'll go a swamp. Yeah. I will just be like, you know what? I both want.

He is much better than me. Yeah, but if we race in a swamp, it's going to be a lot closer. Yeah. So I think the, I think the weather takes the entire offense down. Right. Both sides.

Right. So I'm not, yes. Right. So I'm saying, but it is, it is what is tough for me is, look at how dominant the Patriots defense has been on this playoff run and not having the weather factor there.

I'll give you. But the sacks, though, the sacks, which has been almost hard to explain how much better they've been with the pass rush, that you wouldn't just. No, of course. And I wouldn't, and I think, I personally think the weather component in both, I think the Devens have been awesome. Drake has struggled. I think the weather's been overblown because I think the Patriots for the first 10 quarters of this playoff run played in fine weather. I think the second half against Denver, it was a disaster and you can throw that out the window. but I'm evaluating those 10 quarters, really.

I don't think it is, you are saying, we are looking at Drake from one bad game and darned one great game. It's not how I'm looking at it. I think Drake, and we don't have to have the same argument we had yesterday, not only has struggled this postseason to the mark of historic drops from regular season to postseason,

pass a rating, second biggest in 30 years, completion percentage biggest in the history of the league. And I understand he had a great pass rating and great completion percentage. I mean, he led the league in both. That's why I feel like that. But, W., but a rich guy has to, can lose the most money. No, but he's, you're right, which is why if I were just saying he has the biggest drop this year, then him leading the league in both would be more noteworthy.

He didn't have the highest completion percentage in the history of the league. He didn't have the highest pass rating in the history of the league. And he... But his passer rating is 84 in their playoffs. That's not horrible. No, but it is, you can live with that. It is to me what is noteworthy is, typically when teams have quarterbacks with great passer ratings and they win the championship, the quarterback played that level en route to the championship.

Now, Peyton Manning didn't. You know what I? He's one of the other big drops. So that concerns me. The other piece of it is outside of the playoffs, and I showed this graphic board, but I will show this again, the thing the Seahawks are most susceptible, against to getting beat by, the deep passes. Drake has not been good at them for three months, and that's not about injury.

And so it's just that is those went from, and I'm not going to show the rankings one, because I can just tell you, first across the board to 16th or 17th across the board. So he's been terrible at them, but it went from huge strength to league average. So all of that then combined with this is the defense you're going up against. when we show you Seattle's numbers, that part to me, without being disrespectful to the Patriots, that's concerning.

Because I know you're big on the Texans are the best defense, and even if I just say fine, it's hard to argue this isn't the second best defense. Very good defense. And you're right, KW, that people, all of a sudden it's like, oh, now you believe in Sam Darnold.

I believe Sam Darnold will play better if we're going to use the Texans example than C.J. Stroud did, I believe the Seahawks will get more from their quarterback and their matchup against New England than the Texans got from theirs, which to me are all reasons why I think Seattle has the upper hand in this game. One take chip, I would like to put on the roulette board for Monday, and you're going to think it's unfair, but that's why it's just on the take roulette board. Once Milton Williams and Christian Barmore start going right over the guards and getting to Sam Darnold, and Sam Darnold starts freaking out, There will be a little bit of Sam Darnold going pumpkin mode. Maybe.

All of a sudden, like, C.J. Stroud, what are you going to do with C.J. Stroud? I think C.J. Stroud's downfall was what, had a lot to do with the Patriots. But I almost called you baby. Baby. Again. I'm going to call you. Again. I think you should rewatch that Texans first half and see how many of those C.J. Stroud throws were not pressured. not with Milton Williams

running down, and it was C.J. Stroud short-circiting. I'm not saying your guys can't be excellent, but it's just, I don't think that's not, I think you would, I think you're remembering that game

a little bit differently. That was some of that and some of C.J. Just throwing it on passes that weren't even picked, just throwing it, where is he throwing it to? Like, so I don't think that's a duplicable thing

because I don't know how much of that was purely forced by you guys. Yeah. The only thing that I think is shocking is it's the, perhaps the MVP against the guy who led the league in turnovers this year. And people are more worried about the MVP because he dropped the ball a few times in cold weather, turning the ball over. I would say this. I think Nick is more concerned about Drake. I don't know if that's the full, like the players we've been talking to.

I think, I don't think guys, when they're picking a blowout by Seattle, I don't think they're necessarily using that as a vote of confidence of Darnold over May. I think they're just looking at the two teams and feeling like Seattle's a lot better overall. I think Nick is certainly, seems to have more confidence in Darnold than May. But I think that's just Nick. I don't think that's like universal. No, I think it's, I think, I agree with you in this regard, Brew. I think from the outside world, it's both these teams were 14 and 3.

The story of the Patriots, 14 and 3, right or wrong, was easiest schedule in 30 years. Story of Seahawks, 14 and 3 was toughest division in the NFL, you know, in recent history. In the postseason, Seattle dog walked its first opponent and then beat, they're getting a lot of credit for how good people think the Rams are. And so maybe they shouldn't, but that is, that is, that is, right, and then the Patriots, it's kind of. Ugly as wins, and then it's like, oh, Jared Sidham. So one had better rep going into the playoffs and then strengthen their rep in the playoffs. That's, I think, what's happened. During the regular season, this corner of Ben Solac, 14% of Seahawks drives ended in a turnover.

319 on trade deadline day, Janus still in Milwaukee. Here's how the Buck's social media team responded. A yawn, bro. Wow. I would have thought that they would have had, you know, clapping emoji or something like that. I thought the yawn was interesting. That's why I asked Dusty to pull it. Your reaction to Janus not being treated.

Well, look, I would have loved to seeing him have been traded to New York or to Golden State or to Minnesota. I would not have been excited about Miami. But if he had gone to any of those three, I just would have been excited because it would have been a great story. Minnesota would have been a legit championship contest. Golden State would have been exciting and, hey, two greats together. And then New York would have obviously been not only an Eastern Conference favorite, but a contender to win at all. But that said, Nick, I think Milwaukee's doing the right thing.

I think they will get a better, now I think they should trade him, but I think they'll get a better offer in the offseason. Like two of the teams that could offer them the best thing, San Antonio Houston, weren't even involved because they believe in their team and want to see how far they go this year. Now, if Houston, which is a possibility, gets beaten the first round or even the second round, which I think is darn near a certainty

they get beaten the second round, they are a win now with Kevin Durant. I know that they've got a bunch of young guys too, but maybe if they go out in the first or second round and they're really not close to winning the West, they say, okay, we got Durant, Maybe they'll be willing to give up Shingoon and Reed Shepard or Amin Times or whoever, you know, to get Janice and try to win now. San Antonio, if they're disappointing and they go, they think they're close and they seem to be.

But let's say they go out early. And maybe then maybe they're like, okay, we can give up a Dylan Harper, you know, and some picks. And all of that is better than anything that was being offered to Milwaukee in this trade deadline. So I think it's smart, Nick, for Milwaukee to wait. The deals will be there in the summer. And so now, I also think they should probably sit, Yonis, if he'll do it the rest of the year. Because for them, they want to get this draft pick to be as high as possible. So you don't expectant.

I'm not saying they're going to do it, but I'm just saying, I think that would be smart. He wants to play, but we'll see. KW, what was your tweet? This is why you demand a trade. I agree. I agree. Don't ask for a trade, don't request a trade. Like, say what you will.

None of us, I don't think any of us, even people that have close relationships with Rich Paul, liked how Anthony Davis left in New Orleans with a that's all folks shirt. And it just burned the bridge there. That was really bad. It felt kind of ugly. And then he was in the Lakers and he won a championship. That's what it takes. And being Mr. Nice guy feels like, I don't, I, this sounds mean.

almost feels like the Bucks are taking advantage of his kindness. No, you are right. If he's upset, blame himself. It feels like two people that are not getting divorced because of the kids, except the kids are 28 and 35 and don't really care. It's like, I think Bucks fans at this point are over it. They're like, you fight every Christmas. We know you sleep in separate.

rooms. You don't have to keep the facade going. And I think they're just now, to your point, brew, all at another team that maybe, that certainly was not going to be involved right now, but maybe it would be involved over the summer who could offer a ton of stuff, and that's Oklahoma City.

Oh, yeah. Right. Right. They have a disappointment. That's a good point. We don't anticipate this happening, but if they, if it's Rockets Thunder in round two and the Rockets beat them, And it's like, oh, man, this championship defense isn't quite as easy. Contracts are coming up.

So the league opens up. The Lakers are diluting themselves into thinking they're going to have some way to get Yonnis. They'll have something more than they've got now. That's for sure. I don't know. LeBron Leaves and Austin Rees. Leaves. I don't understand.

They will have cap room. They'll have cap room when he was not a free agent. I don't totally understand that Lakers believing they're going to get Yonis and You agree that they weren't getting really good offers. No, well, that's the, if you remember when I created fake Janus offers, none of them involved the Knicks, the Timberwolves, or the Warriors, because every time I was like, those offers suck. Milwaukee should never take them.

The Knicks have no fixed offer. The Minnesota, I couldn't figure out because of apron stuff, and it didn't make sense. And the Warriors, I thought, was just objectively bad. The good offers were from potential Atlanta. San Antonio or Houston, and your point is San Antonio and Houston are kind of like, no, we're not pushing all our chips in right now. So I don't blame them for not doing it now. I am, annoyed's the wrong word. Disappointed as a basketball fan.

That's just another wasted year for Yonis. Done already. This time before All-Star. Right. And so it has been, man, it has been such a long time since he played in big playoffs. golf games and that's a damn shame. And we walked into this year knowing it. That's what you.

Wiles is right though. If Yannis is upset about it, then he has to look in the mirror. This is breaking news, which we are, we are getting closer to a billion views according to Gianna and Gianna's analytics team. Where are we at, Gianna? Wow. A striking coincidence.

Eight is that? We are five. Uh-oh. Here, Gianna. Oh my. Congratulations. You don't have to put your condos up for sale. A billion.

A billion. I have a script. That means one in eight people alive have watched the show. Hey, we'll look at it that way. We'll take it that way. Luckily, the higher ups at Fox were able to utilize some of their Hollywood connections. We got a thank you video from an actor. someone in Hollywood, who also may have been the one billion viewer.

So take a listen. You got me? You got me? All right, all right, sorry. Look, I know most reporters are out there in San Francisco covering that football game, the Super Bowl, but that's not how Jackson Blade rolls. I'm a roving reporter. I go where other reporters dare not go.

And no matter, I can't even tell you where I'm at right now, it's top secret. But no matter how dangerous the assignment is, I always find time to watch First Things First. And I just happened to watch the Bud List from last week, and I saw that I am the one billion viewer of First Things First on YouTube. So I am overjoyed, and I want to shout out my boys. Nick Wilde and Nat Man Brew smartest in the room. Job well done, gentlemen. Wow.

Well, thank you to Jackson Blade. John. Wow. You have you get Jackson Blade. That's a serious kid. Jackson Blade coming up. I haven't seen Jackson Blade in a while. He got to fell off after reality high.

Look, that was the mountain top. You do reality high. It's tough to go on. Hey, first things first at Daytona. No news if we're going to get those suits. I was paying for those suits. Pre-tax out of my. out of my I hope they can get that done.

We would look great. Pretext. What are you? You're such a weird guy, buddy. No one's at first. I love KW. No one's actually going to make him pay for anything. But just in case they do,

he wants to be on the record. I'm only offering if it's pre-tax. Pre-tax is part of the wardrobe thing. If it's like how I pay for life. Of course you can. And you can't wear it in your regular life. Yeah, that probably will wear it on my regular life. Over Anders, Super Bowl edition.

First up, one and a half. We're at Drake May passing touchdowns, Nick, kick us off. You know how over underworks, gambling-wise? Yeah, and again, the key here is passing touchdowns, because I might be over one and a half. In fact, I am over one and a half for Drake May total touchdowns because I think he will run one end, whether it's after a pass interference or on the one-yard line QB sneak

or just a scramble or even a design QB run because Seahawks are susceptible against Scramble. but I don't think he's going to throw multiple touchdowns. I don't think the Patriots are going to score three touchdowns in this game. And, you know, I think they land around 17, 20 points. So I will take the under for Drake May on passing touchdowns under one and a half. I'm going to surprise you guys. I'm going over.

It's coming around. I think Drake's going to play well. I think Seattle's vulnerable to the deep ball. And I think he's going to hit Kishon Booty for a deep touchdown. That's one, though. No, I know. I think he'll have two. I think he'll have two.

I'm not saying three, but I think he'll have three. I actually, I am in full agreement with Nick. I think he's going to have two touchdowns, but I think one will be passing and one will be running. Coach, I have bad news for you. What's that? And I don't think you would have just said I'm in full agreement with Nick if you knew this. This is a scored segment.

No, I can't score it. I can't score it. Wait, because I know. It would have been a lot more just stone. He just said he can't score. I can't be objective. I will just keep on. If he would score, I'd be like he's going to have 20 tons of out.

Right. So I would have won now. You have, yes. Brew. Not scored. I lean towards bruising outs. All right. We're sticking with Drake May here.

What's he going to do with his legs here? 38 and a half rushing yards for Drake May over under. I love the over in this. You too. Added bonus. You don't have to worry about getting screwed at the end. taking knees because Patriots aren't going to be taking knees. I, listen, Seattle's, the one spot on their defense

where they are below average is quarterback scrambles. In my opinion, the one spot this postseason, Drake Mays been really good, is when he's run and he hasn't dropped the ball. I think that there is going to be pressure, significant pressure on Drake, and I think that tucking and running will not be a bad idea. Also, his injury is not a lower body injury where you think whatever the injury is going to limit him. That's a huge number for a quarterback that's not considered a dual threat quarterback, but he's been over 50 yards in two of their playoff games.

Sacks don't count against this total. It's not college football. So I'm going to say the over. Yeah, I'm with you on the over. I think it would be smart. I mean, you don't want him running 15 times, but I think it would be smart for their game plan to be like, if he's really getting rushed to take off and run, you know, just make sure you slide and all that stuff in a healthy way. But he's had his last seven games, four of them, he's gone over 40 yards

rushing, I think even over 45, and then two of his three playoff games, as you say, he's been 60 yards or more rushing. So I do think he's the over on this, and I think it would be smart of them to use his legs. Yeah, we're all in agreement here. And I'm with Nick. I do think there's going to be a pressure element, which will force him to run some. But I also think in the pressure of the moment, especially early in the game, and with young quarterbacks and with guys who can have answers with their feet, they tend to default to that, especially early, because they don't have the patience to really sit in the pocket. So I imagine him, especially in maybe the first quarter, taking off even sooner than probably he should. Can I add something real quick? Yeah, of course.

It's not one of the props we're doing, and I don't even know which, you know, book, makers will offer this. But if I were Kevin Wilde, I would put a little taste on Drake May over receiving yards. The old Josh McDaniel, well, it would be certainly at a half. You know what I mean? And then the question is where the juice is on it. But it would be heavy juice on the under. You'd get plus money on.

Will he have a receiving yard? But a little trick play situation. Do they have prop bets on someone else throwing a pass? Well, my favorite, listen, again, I don't. want to derail the segment. Every year, my favorite bet for the Super Bowl, it's not always profitable, but it's most fun bet to make. Over two and a half people to throw a pass.

That's plus 160. So both quarterbacks throw. And then it can be either an injury is a bad reason for that to hit. But any type of fake punt or trick play, a third person throwing the pass, yeah, plus 160. Josh Dobbs will probably be in at the end of the game too. Let Drake. relax, have some gatorade.

Switch to Seattle over under 0.5 interceptions for Sam Darnold, who did lead the league in turnovers this year. Yeah, I wouldn't mind seeing the great, I shouldn't say Cinderella story, but kind of, you know, comeback story, whatever you want to call it. But I am going over, and I think he throws one. I don't think he melts down. I don't think it's two, three bad interceptions. But he's due.

You know we believe in due dates on this side of the table. Hasn't thrown an interception in his last three games. I think he throws one. I think they're going to be able to, Patriot is going to be able to scheme something up that confuses him a bit. And I think he has one interception. Man, I am so glad this isn't scored because I agree with you 100%. Love it.

He's been clean throughout the playoffs. I think he's due. And I do think the Patriots are going to do enough things to force him to make post-app decisions. And one of those is not going to be a very good one. at least one. See, that's the thing. They compile. At least.

He gets one. They're like pizza. But we also did see one of the best moments of his season was a game against the Rams when he had just come off a game where he threw four picks against him, through two picks early against him, and then rallied at the end. So it didn't ruin him. But this will be a clean sweep on this. I don't think either quarterback. plays a clean game in this one. I think that, and I think both teams

can sustain a turnover by their quarterback. It's the multiple. I think they both, I think Darnold throws a pick, and for May, I don't know if it'd be more likely to be a strip sack or a pick, but I agree with you guys. I think Darnold will throw a pick in this game.

And the betting public does too. It's minus 140 on yes, they're being an interception. I could see another. I could see two coming. Very interesting. I could see two. I was going to say you could. I could see several over under.

This is a big number from JASN, 94 and a half receiving yards. Coach, you want to start here? Yeah, I'm going with the under on this. And when you look over the last five Super Bowls, DeMonte Smith had 100 yards, T. Higgins had 100 yards. And both those guys were the number two receivers. And I think that tends to happen in these games where the number one gets the bulk of the coverage. So that opens up some opportunities for the second guy.

but I don't think they're necessarily going to contain him to a small number. I just think it'll be less than, what is it, 94 and a half. Yeah, I'm with coach. I could see Cooper Cup having a big game for the reasons you say. I just think they're going to be like, J.S.N. is not beating us. And I think they'll be focused on him, and I think they'll keep him under. So I'm going to say over, and here's part of my rationale. I find it interesting that everyone seems to acknowledge Bill Belichick was one of, if not the greatest, defensive mind ever.

And then a lot of the analysis on Mike Vrable's ability to take away JSN to my ear has been, well, he'll just do what Belichick did. I don't think it was quite as simple as, hey, I think there was more defensive schematic brilliance than, as, you know, just, hey, double one guy, put your number one corner on the other guy. I think there was more to it. And as great as Rabel is, I think maybe Belichick made something look easy that was not always easy. And I also, and you tell me if you think this is valid or not, I don't, I think there is something you learn from Belichick and you and the great coaches on the Patriots being a player for them. That is not necessarily the exact same thing as you learn being a coach. on the staff.

Like, so, like, I'm not saying Brable didn't take anything from his time with Belichick at all, but it's, he's not part of the tree. He left there and then coached in a bunch of other places. So I don't know, I mean, tell me if you think I'm off base there. It's just not the same as things you or Romeo or anybody else would have learned coaching under him. Well, I'd say there's some truth to that, although Mike was a different type of player than a lot of players in terms of his ability to not just recall.

scheme, but to recalls, like very specific thing from games, you know, deep in the past, which was always really impressed me about him and game plan specific stuff. So I do think he's different than some other guys that I've coached. And look, double teaming a single player is not as easy as, you know, just, hey, we're going to take him away because they're allowed to move that guy around. They're allowed to motion them. They're allowed to put him in bunches. They can put them in the backfield. There's a lot of spots. And every time you double them, you've got to figure out how you're going to double them and how you're going to deal with more. And those things take reps. And you can't really do it every single play because there's some other stuff

that you want to get to. And there'll be opportunities on blitzes and things like that where you can't, you can't double them. So it's whether or not the key is to give the illusion that you're doubling them when you aren't doubling them. And then ideally give the illusion that he's singled up when you are doubling them. So what I'm afraid of with JSN, it happened in the Rams game, both things. We showed like the one-handed catch. So this guy will just make insane great catches when he's covered. And then there's a play that he catches for a touchdown where the coverage is just blown.

And the Rams turned around like, eh, I thought you had, who had JSN? Well, I think that that last thing you said is a concern of if you tell me if I'm wrong again. if you switch what you normally do to account for this singular great player, that's when you're more likely to make mistakes and have busts because guys are thinking rather than reacting. Yeah, look, anytime, now this won't be the first time they've doubled a player, but in doubling it, you've got to rep it a lot of different ways because of the combination of defensive backs that can be in the mix.

And then, again, doubling them outside is different than doubling them inside. And then if they put them in the backfield, then that's a problem. When they motion them over or when he's with another wide receiver, now you've got three defensive backs that have to communicate out. And when you get to a bunch, there's a lot of ways that you can then put pressure back on the defense to free a really good player up. And, you know, some offenses really lean into it in the sense that they leave their guy in the same spot every time. Those are the best situations because you always know where he is.

And it's like, okay, we can easily rep that. But Seattle will be more creative than I think. I don't think if he gets under 94 and a half, it's a JSN issue. I think it will be a Sam Darnold pressure issue. Maybe. I think he's going to be, he's pretty much unstoppable. But getting to Sam Darnold, a poltergeist time. All right, final over under.

This guy is going to be so sweaty and so locked in 20 minutes before the game starts. You won't believe it. Over under, Brew, 45 and a half yards for Stefan Diggs in his first. Super Bowl. This was one of the, maybe the toughest one for me. I don't think you'll have a huge day as far as yards,

but I do think he will step up. I think he's been a leader for that team. This is his chance on the big stage. And I think he's going to show up. So I got him going over. It's interesting because the regular season here is at almost 60 yards per game. And the postseason

he's only been at 24.3 yards per game. It feels like the odds maker just threw it in the middle. Like he's going to be somewhere between his regular season and postseason number. But I do think he's going to end up finding a way to get over 45.6. It doesn't seem like that daunting a number for digs. This is, I would not recommend making this parlay kids. I love this.

But I think he's going to hit his over in receptions and his under in yards. He doesn't get a lot of yes. Right. And I think he will be kind of Keenan-Allen Chargers this year. type of role, which is big plays, big third downs, a very important eight-yard catch type of thing. But I don't, especially with the emergence of booty, I don't think Matt Collins is going to have a huge role, but you like Pop Douglas, Pop Douglas. I think Matt Collins is going to be really good, actually.

Okay, so the, but I just, I think that, I think you could see a six catch for 38-yard game from Stefan Dick, so I would go under here. Just also on the board, and again, I'm Mr. Optimist. To Bruce Point, against the bills, he's like, just feed me the ball. I will catch everything. This is my moment. It's on the board that he just goes crazy. Max Crosby reportedly wants to move on from the Raiders.

Diana Rusini says he wants to play from Mike Rable. Who doesn't? We're playing on Sunday in the Super Bowl. Here's what Jay Glazer added. Take a listen. Do you think his time with the Raiders is done? I do. What kind of haul do you think realistically a Max Crosby gets in general?

He probably more than Michael. So the day it happened, no less than 20 teams called me. Do you think his time what the Raiders is done because that's a Raiders decision or because that's a maximum-grat decision? They didn't want to do it. But he was just like, I'm not going through another rebuild. That's fair. Who should reach out and try to grab Max Cross? I got three teams.

Love it. I love to see him in Baltimore. I mean, they were bottom three, I think, in sacks. So he would be perfect to jumpstart, get them back to that defensive football. Jacksonville, another really good team that didn't have much of a pass rush. I'm going to all those types of teams. And then Buffalo. Now, I'm not, I can't speak to the package they put together and all that.

And maybe they can't do what Glazer was saying. But Baltimore, Buffalo, Jacksonville, I think they'd be very interested in trying to get him. Yeah, I tried to look at it from like that. Okay, if you do have to give that type of compensation, who has extra number ones? And so that's one component of it. Then you've got to look at the money. And the guys that have extra number, Jets have an extra one, and they've got a ton of money. Yeah.

But the problem is, he doesn't want to go through a rebuild. Yeah. And they're a rebuild. We always talk about Cincinnati and the problems they have. You know. The Rams have an extra one. The Rams have an extra one. They're about middle of the pack in terms of a cap.

That could be a really interesting place. I mean, I would personally like to see him in Cleveland. Really? Yeah, put him with Miles Garrett. They have an extra number one. Not great salary cap-wise. The Bengals and the Browns combining teams is unbelievable. The Browns' defense would be phenomenal.

Think about Miles Garrett and Max Crosby? Oh, it would be crazy. And you're not a lot of problems. That's great. And, by the way, they had, the Browns had the opportunity in last year's draft to do a version of that, stay at two in draft Abdul Carter. That was the discussion to pair him with Miles. They obviously traded out of it, got the extra pick,

and Travis went number two instead. But if Jay is correct, Wild's going to hate this, that it's going to take more than the Micah Parsons deal. And the answer is no one. And the money seems tough. Because there is, there just aren't non-quarterbacks that really make that worth it.

Multiple firsts and something and record-breaking contract is just here's recently the players who have gone for that. Khalil Mack was unbelievable with the Bears. They regretted it. Laramie Tuntle, pardon me. It was really, really good.

They regretted it. Jalen Ramsey, it worked. You know what I mean? They kept going on and they kept going on and they kept trading stuff. They ended up trading him. They won the Super Bowl. Jamal Adams was a disaster.

And the sauce gardener will see, Micah will see. The argument some would make is, but you saw the impact Micah makes. And then you saw how risky it is to put that much resource into one player because it's pro football and guys get hurt. And it's always a problem when it's multiple first round

draft picks plus cash. That's what I'm saying. It's the most expensive way to get a player. Like, first round picks are one of the reasons they're, everybody needs to understand, the value of first round pick is not just, oh, this exciting young player who may or may not be good. It's that if he's good, he's free compared to a great player at that position. Like, whenever's a deal like this comes up, I try to ask myself, honestly, would I want the chiefs to do it? And my answer is no.

And so they are as close to winning as you could. I would hope they, I don't know they had a bad year. But if you told me they were trading two ones and a three for the privilege of paying him $40 million a year, it just wouldn't, I don't think that's good business. And are you going to have to redo the contract when he gets there too? Does it become even more? Well, that's what I mean.

I think, yes, I think you do. That's how he would get to $40 million a year. It has two years left, I believe, in the current deal. Coming up next, the most motivational segment in all of sports. sports, it's the bud list. Pure motivation. Oh, good. Only quarterbacks are worth.

I don't know if I can. I wouldn't do it for the game. Yeah, live from New York. What are you talking about? Well, I would wear it something. What sport are you talking about? No. No, nobody, no grown man is wearing a.

Shout out to J. Mack, Jason McIntyre. He did wear a Lakers jersey guns out to a Lakers game. It was terrible. J. Mack, that was ridiculous. Don't do that. How do I show my support? for Jose Alvarado. Spike Lee has that cool Jalen Brunton.

I'll give you this. Here's what I give you. Wear your Jose Alvarado Nix jersey, like under a jacket or something. How about that? But then what if he doesn't see? You can't wear a girl man. I'm sorry.

That's what I said. And then you interrupted me to well, Jay Mac and then insulted him. Jose Alvarado. I'm going to sign. I believe in you. Get a shirt.

Sign. A sign that says Jose Arvado. I believe in you. I got the perfect answer. Take your son, one of your sons or both, and have them wear. Yeah, wear the jersey and hold the side. Yep, let them wear it. And then hold is on.

And then point to all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jose. Jose. They love you. They love you. Though, might want to do the J-Mack thing because KW looks like J-Mack. Sneaky Jacked.

Really? Sneaky jacked. It wasn't a good looking at. I got off like crease. I don't care how you did. Yeah, a lot of water. Would you get a magnesium now or something? No.

That's a second hour of. A second hour, first things for us today is Mike Rable and Josh McDaniels. The number one advantage the Patriots have. Do you know that Matt Collins said he hasn't eaten a vegetable in four years? Mac Collins. Really? Wierder than you. Doesn't wear shoes either.

Right, right. Had more in shoes in four years. He's going to play great though. Meanwhile, Justin Jefferson joins the show to talk about the catch of the year. We discuss these them or these. Let this roll for a minute because I think if we let it roll long enough we'll get to Bruce's favorite catch. I think Bruce's favorite catches after this way for it.

Yes. Hold on wait for it. There it is. There it is. Bruce favorite. That might be the catch. I mean, it's a great, it's a nerve. It's a great. It's a great.

Justin Jefferson wants to play flag football on the Olympics. So once it's very distant flag football, he's distant Justin Jefferson. Now it's time for the most motivational segment of all sports. Also, thank you to Christina for going to the post office today.

That's nice. And she's got a message from the postmaster general I said, and the Postmaster General say, go Patriots. Is that true? Yes. I mean, you know. Dear Wilde, love the show and the door of destiny. Wow, thank you.

I can't believe you guys got Jackson Blade on the show as your one billionth viewer. Wow, go Patriots. Ryan and Brian. Yes, we did get Jackson Blade on, who was the one billionth viewer. He's watching last week's episode of The Bud List. And shout out to Gianna, Josh, Nicolette, and Mike. who are all part of our YouTube team to give us a billion viewers.

So thank you very much, a billion views. No, viewers. No. One in eight living people has watched the show. Thank you for all your support. It only counts you once. So if we had a billion views, it's just, yeah, one five. I love the sound of that, Nick.

All right, let's get to it. Number three, we're going NBA. Oh, good. Carl Anthony Towns. All right. Now, look, Kat, you weren't traded, obviously. And I get it. You're upset.

you're bothered that your name was in trade rumors. You know, and that the Knicks honestly considered trading you for Janus Ante Ticumpo. But here's the thing. The way to react to this is not to mope and let it affect your play. You get all in your feelings. The way to react is to use it as fuel and to help the New York Knicks get to the finals, would it be the first time since 99, right? To the finals and win the championship for the first time in 53 years.

If you do that, Kat, you would be a new, and I get it, you'd be the second guy to Jalen Brunson, but you still are a legitimate star. You'd be 20 and 10 therein about. You would be a New York legend, probably a Hall of Famer, and. I think that might take your name out of trade rumors even because it would be so huge getting the Knicks a championship. So that's how you should look at it. And look, you got to play better, though.

Last night you were really good. 24 points, 12 rebounds against Denver, a great win over Yokic and the Nuggets. But recently you struggled, and this is where I'm talking about. I think you've let it get to you and you've been moping. You haven't played great basketball because you're in your feelings. Last 16 games before last night, 15.8 points a game on 43% shooting.

That's not you. All right. So snap out of it. You didn't get traded and help the Knicks at the very least win the Eastern reach the finals and then take your chances. You guys have beaten, didn't they beat Oklahoma City? Yeah. No, he beat San Antonio, I know.

They beat Denver. And I can't remember whether or not you beat OKC. but you'd have a shot in the finals. It's just one series. So, Kat, I believe it. Oh, good. All right. At number two, staking with the NBA, James Harden.

Oh, boy. All right. I'm excited about Cleveland. I'm still trying to chase my first championship and do whatever it takes to win. That's you, James, to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN after you were traded from the Clippers to the Cavaliers. Here's the problem.

Nobody believes you. Nobody. I mean, nobody believes you. All right? And look, maybe you're telling the truth. Maybe it wasn't all about money. Maybe you just wanted to trade in the sunshine of your hometown, Los Angeles, for the snow and dreariness.

And I love Cleveland. I'm from there. Coach knows it's dreary there and it snows there. Maybe you wanted that instead of the beaches in L.A. I don't know. He's never been a big nightlife guy either. Yeah, a little bit, a little more nightlife in L.A. than Cleveland. But here's the deal.

Whatever your feelings are about this, you have a chance to clean up your image and you rewrite what now is your legacy. Now, I would say this, 20, 25 years from now, you probably will just be remembered as a phenomenal player who didn't win a championship, but you were awesome. But right now, your playoff failures are infringing on your image is just a phenomenal all-time great player. But this year, you have a chance to write that. And again, you don't have to be the first option is Donovan Mitchell, maybe not even the second. But if you can play as well in these playoffs as you have this regular season, 25 points, 8 assists,

and get Cleveland to the finals, you wouldn't necessarily. even have to win it. But get them there. You could change your whole, I think, go a long way and changing your postseason reputation. If you show up into big games, play really well, and win the East. And I think, Nick, if Hardin plays well,

like just plays how he does in the regular season in the playoffs, they could win the East. Yeah. They'd have a great shot at winning the East. And then again, take your chances in the final. So James, good luck. Yeah, I was going to say. At number one, going to the NFL Super Bowl, baby.

Sam Donald Drake May. Now here, guys, Jalen Hertz, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford. Or Brock Purdy, Jimmy Garapolo, Jared Gough, Matt Ryan. This is a big difference. One of you could be in that first category with Mahomes and Brady. and one of you will be in the bottom category with Garapolo and golf and Purdians and the like. It's not the same.

Like, it's great that you both have gotten to the Super Bowl, but a lot of quarterbacks get to the Super Bowl. We remember the ones that win. Did you say Joe Burrow in there? I mean, I didn't name every losing quarterback. No, just recent guys. Joe Burrow. Okay, Joe Burrow.

He's pretty good. It means riding off that. Hey, keep up you. You can brew. I was just wondering. This is not the time. I was just wondering. Drake May does not want to be in the category of Joe.

I mean, he wants to win. If we're jumping in and then I'll let brew finish, that's the first sign of Wilde's nervousness. Yeah, it is. That he wanted to make it clear. Hey, great quarterbacks have R. O and one and Super Bowls too. Yeah, because I believe in Sam Darnock. Oh, yeah.

Go ahead. You know what, Wilde's checkmark for the C-Holl. All right, I'm still keeping score. All right, because Burrow hadn't been in the playoffs. What was what? Three years? Three years in a row. I mean, so there is no guarantee you're getting back. It is hard to get back.

In fact, this century, only three quarterbacks have gone back to back in Super Bowl. Some have gotten back, but Mahomes, Brady, and Russell Wilson. So you cannot go to this game and feel like, especially if you're Drake May, I'm young. I got plenty of these to come to. I want to win, but if I don't, I'll be back. You never know. All right, so you guys, you know, this is your, I want you to take this serious because one of you is legend too much. If Drake May wins this Super Bowl, I mean, you are, we'll see what you do the rest of your career.

But that would be a lot. Second year. It would be a legendary start. Yes, and you would actually, you would be on a Hall of Fame trajectory already. Sam Darnold, you win this game. I'm not going to say legend, but, you know, who knows what the rest of it. Even if you struggled the rest of your career, this would be fantastic. A comeback story.

You'll win the Super Bowl. Rich Gannon. You'd be like the new Rich Gannon at the very least. Except the-Rich Gannon lost the Super. Gannon didn't win it. So you'd even be better than Rich Gannon. All right. So the new Jim Plunkett, at least, at least.

All right. Both of you guys, you know, have good games. I'm not tipping my hat who I'm picking tomorrow. But both of you go out there and play your best. Brew, you know, this is always one of my favorite segments. I do have a few bones to pick. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my.

I don't love two basketball players the week of the Super Bowl. You know what? I mean, we got six months. It's trade that line day. Before the next NFL game, real game. And we got James Hardin and Cleveland. I mean, and then you kill Cleveland. Yeah.

You're from there. Those are your people. But it's true. And then you put the winning quarterback of this game in the Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady category. Like, they're more in the jail in Hertz. It's a little. But it's still a great sight, but don't get me wrong.

It's the only bones I had to pick. And here's my one real concern from the New England Patriots, and that's the Patriots offensive line. And we've talked about them a lot this season, and I'm going to put them on the Bud list. And it starts with Will Campbell. You get drafted fourth overall. There's high expectations.

We're now as deep into the season as you can possibly get, so there should be a significant amount of progress. And then they have another rookie at left guard. and they got him in the third round. They're trying to solve those O-line problems with Jared Wilson. I don't love the fact that Will Campbell has talked about he's struggled even when they've given him help. And sometimes that's been the worst-case scenario. I don't like that.

And now the strength of Seattle is their defensive line. And we've seen in Super Bowls the team more than anything. It's a dominant defensive line performance. So I have a lot of concerns about that. And the numbers are a little bit staggering, too. So my thought process with Drake May all through the year is got to get the sacks down. His first year, he's about 8.5% during this season, or this season was like 9 something, so it didn't quite go the way he wanted to.

But in the playoffs, it's 16.3%. And in the playoffs, going into the Super Bowl, there's only been one person worse, which was Roger Stalbeck, who has a higher stack percentage going into a Super Bowl. 16.4% in 1971. So we're at 16.3%, the second most highly sacked quarterback going into a Super Bowl. So that's my struggle. Now, that being said, I think you're going to get a lot of help from Josh McDaniels. I think you're going to get a lot of opportunities where they'll run the ball to take some pressure off.

You've got to take advantage of that. They're going to throw quick screens. They're going to throw it quick. Just settle in. If you give up one sack, settle, just don't let it steam roll and give Drake May a chance to be an MVP.

Wow. Fair. Definitely. Very, very fair. It's like 17 to 4. Seehawks. The 16.3 number is... It's a big number.

It's the second biggest number in history. Yeah. Sorry, Peter. Fair concern. Not worried. It's 414 on a Thursday, which means you're all in for a real treat. It's time for the sports media on buds. Lots to be honest with you.

Indeed, but I don't think you're going to see this one coming. We in the sports media need to take some accountability for the Janus Antenacupo saga. Oh, wow. Some of this is on us. So I would like to take you guys back almost three years ago. to 2023 April after a very disappointing gentleman's sweep at the hand in the first round of the hands of the Miami Heat when Eric I think it's Nime I apologize the athletic the writer for the athletic covers the bucks asked Janus whether or not that season in a first round playoff exit was a failure yeah to which Janus said this you asked me the same question last year Eric okay do you get do you get do you do you do you do you do you do you do you get a promotion every year on your job? No, right? So every year you work is a failure. Yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work towards something, towards a goal. There's always steps to it. You know,

Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championship. The other nine years was a failure? That's what you're telling me. I'm actually your question. Yes or no? Okay, exactly. So why are you asking my question? it's a wrong question. There's no failure in sports. And then everyone in the media heard Janus after being a big favorite losing in round one of the Miami Heat saying turns out sports shouldn't even be keeping scoring.

No failure. And everybody decided almost universally, you know what? Let's zag here. Good job, Janus. We like it. That's a hell of an outlook when what we should have done has been like, Yannis, we love you. But of course you guys failed.

You were one of the favorites to win the title you lost in round one. But we didn't. So how does that apply today? Had we done it then, guess what Yonis would have learned. Who cares if I get criticized? They move on to the next thing. I don't have to always be beloved at every moment for everything. But we didn't.

We've never really criticized him because everybody likes him. And now he's paralyzed by that like, by the fact that I don't want people to even have. I don't want to be mad at me. I don't want to be the bad guy. When everybody knows, you got to occasionally be the bad guy. You got to walk into the box office and to Wilde's point be like, hey, I demand a trade. Now. This isn't going to work.

Take off the phone right now. Right now. Right now. I'm going to the Warriors. I have a Warriors jersey I made on NBA.com. So I'm going to go there and play on Thursday. You guys figure it out because I'm getting on a flight myself. Thank you.

KW, but he didn't. And I feel like he might have been more likely if he'd been like, listen, I've been loved, I've been hated, I've been this, I've been that. It's all the same to me. But we let that slide. And by the way, in sports, if there's, you know, it's no losses, just lessons. It's been a lot of lessons in Milwaukee since that press conference. So, and there's going to be a lot more coming up and no big moments for young.

Well, look, two of the best players of this generation, LeBron was obviously. heavily criticized. And Durant heavily criticized. Now, I think LeBron would end up winning somewhere. But let's say he did. Look at the difference in his career. Look at Durant. I'm not sure Durant would have won anywhere else.

But the fact that he got those two championships, even if people said it was a stack team, oh, it's not even close. Those two championships have completely changed his legacy. And so, now, Janus does have one. It does he, you're right. He's not ringless, but we want him to play in big games. I'm going back to the Super Bowl.

I'm putting Cooper Cup on the Bud list. Coach, as you know, since I'm a Patriots fan, trick plays really grind my ears. I do. Cooper Cup, I dare you. I've been scouting. I feel like I'm on the team sometimes. I read all the stats. Look at all the Instagrams.

Look at all the tweets. Patriots didn't see the Philly special coming. ends up losing the game for us. A lot of plays. But the Phillies Special lost the game. Now they got a statue outside of Philadelphia for one sneaky play that we didn't see coming. To the point that Josh McDaniels, in my mind,

said, gosh, darn it, I'm gonna throw a pass. He didn't throw it, but to Tom Brady, Tom Brady didn't catch it. Now, Cooper Cup's Instagram. That was in the game with the Philly Special. Right? That's the same Super Bowl. Might have been before. Yes.

That's the same Super Bowl. No, it was after, but I was in. So he saw it at his half time. He's like, I got to draw this on the truck. But don't let the facts. Oh, oh my. Look at this. What's going on here?

Throwing it to your buddy doesn't look like it. Looks like I've thrown the football before. I'm never on the run. That looks like he's rolling out looking for somebody down to the goal line. Or me, that's a risky place to run that play. I dare you to drop. I dare you, Kubiak, I dare you to throw it. I dare you to run it.

They did try it once against the Texans, guess what? Picked. So keep practicing. Kubiak, let's see, you know what? Everyone's talking about Mike McDonald. Oh, it's the defense wins championships. That's what everybody says now. Caching to my pocket.

I got the, I'm making money off of it. That being said, I dare you to throw it. We're ready for it. I dare you to throw it. Do it again. Stop protest too much, buddy. You're getting scared now. You've gone from overconfident to a little like, hey, why does everyone I talk to picking Seattle?

That's weird. To now scare. Told you it's like Bitcoin. What? The whole world is on it. The whole world. It's just me like, I don't see it. Bitcoin's crashing right now.

Yeah. Super Bowl's on Sunday. Coming up next, Justin Jefferson in a little while. And what coaching edge do the Patriots have just because they've been collectively in 10 Super Bowls? Do you not feel like this is it? Because practice does in fact make perfect. I've been waiting for this moment in front of the whole world. That was great to you.

This is what we do. That's really well done. I don't feel comfortable with any of it. That's what I think. We needed a Gianna and Social Team sizzle reel there. They did all the work. Yes, that was excellent. We were at a billion views.

How far are we behind Mr. Beast? Because I kept on talking about Mr. Beast. He's on the downtake. Hubbs has told me $108 billion behind. Is that true? No, I'm... We have to stay late. Everyone's staying late.

We're 108 billion behind. Is it an $8 billion? What's the bonus that Gianna gets? She would. Well, just keep her job. Yeah, she was on her way out. That's not a bonus. She was on her way out.

It should be reward if there's risk. A friend of the show, Bill Barnwell wrote an opus on the Super Bowl. And he said one decided advantage that the Patriots have coaching. Literally. If there's one place the Patriots have a decided advantage, It's in game management. All you like, this is right up your alley, neck. McDonald has been better as the season has gone along,

but he had a markedly conservative streak during the regular season. Meanwhile, Mike Rable's a genius. Correct. My words, not Barnwell's. No, it might have been Barnwell's words. I don't know that any show, including shows on his own network, do more topics based off Barnwell articles than us, so I feel like I'm allowed to say that.

He's a great friend of the show. Bill, this article is too long. There's 14,986 words. It was 47 pages in a Google Doc. That is true. Bill really went deep on the Super Bowl. It was a small novel on the Super Bowl. And so credit to him, it's why, if I ever owned an NFL team,

he'd be my president of football operations. With that said, I totally agree with him. I would have thought their biggest edge. He wants a check mark. I'll give you, okay. I'll give you that. I'm going into the playoffs, coach, yes. If you had told me this was going to be the matchup,

I would have said the biggest edge for the Pats is quarterback play. I don't right now feel like that is their biggest edge because Sam is coming off such a great game. I know it's just one game. And Drake, I think, has struggled in the postseason. but Mike Rable being damn near perfect on forget fourth down stuff because a lot of people are getting better at that. Damn near perfect on knowing the rulebook, which I think it's unfathomable to me. So many coaches seem not to. But he is so good at knowing how far he can exploit whatever little edges are allowed to him that I do think he is,

in a class by himself amongst coaches. And I thought this way when he was in Tennessee. And so this is the spot that I think the Patriots, and I think Mike McDonnell's good, but I think that the spot, they have the biggest edge in this game, coach. Yeah, I don't think it's just game management. I think it's also going to be the preparation for the game. I think when you look at the fact that this is what Josh's ninth Super Bowl, it's over half a season worth of games where he's coaching the Super Bowl.

So he has all that experience of things that went well, things that went poorly, leading up to it. So that's a huge edge, huge edge for Drake May, and really a huge edge for the entire group. And then Vrable has his Super Bowl experience as well. They also have two former head coaches on the staff. Ben McAdoo, who actually works with, works on the other side of the ball. So he's working with the defensive staff. So giving him that perspective, which is something that I had done in San Francisco with Jim Harbaugh, is work with the offensive staff.

And the value you hope to bring is a true look at what the other side is trying to achieve. So I really like the fact that Mike was able to do that and was willing to do that. And then Doug Marone is another former head coach. So you have that value as well collectively with the staff. It looked at Seattle staff and they've got a lot of guys. They've got 30 coaches. So it's better than Harvard or Yale in terms of student-teacher ratio. but not a lot of former head coaches.

I think Leslie Frazier is the only former head coach on the staff. Leslie's a wonderful guy, but just from collectively the experience of the staff in general, the Super Bowl preparation experience, we talked about the game management component. There's definitely, in my mind, a significant edge for New England. Yeah, I agree with you guys. I think it's an advantage.

I don't think it's huge because I think McDonald's is really good. I mean, obviously what he's done with this team, but I do think it's an advantage. And I think it's their most significant advantage because honestly, Wilds, I don't see many or any other advantages. Now, I do think Drake's a better quarterback, but the way the postseason and Darnold has played, I don't, no, I mean, he's a better quarterback overall, but Darno's been really good in the playoffs. And Drake has, even though I think he's been better than Nick, I can't say he's played great. So I just think I can't What advantage would I point to

Other than the coaching staff for New England right now? I mean Sam Darnal did just play division games I mean it's just like another division But still he played a great team and he did great time Okay so hold So what about this? I mean I I What advantage would you give?

Well I think coach quarterback defense and special teams But I know I'm on it You think defense you think the Patriots defense is better than Seattle's? Well, let's let's use your rationale. Sam Darnold played a great game against the Rams. And the Rams defense

gave up a bunch of points. The Patriots defense have given up no points. All playoffs, but I still have to genuflect to the Seahawks defense. Well, they face Jared Stidham, a C.J. Stryl who I give y'all some credit, but he also imploded. And then Justin Herbert, who has yet

to play a good playoff game. Okay. Okay. So maybe they're just up here. And they face Matthew Stafford who threw 45 touchdowns this year. Okay. I mean, I think that's perhaps you guys are right. No, I think three dominant defensive performances for a team that is peaking,

led by the guy who could have been Super Bowl MVP last year in the Super Bowl last year against Patrick Mahomes, who is not in Sam Darnel's League. Yeah, I think the Patriots have the better defense. And I know they have the better quarterback. We all agree we have the better coaching. We have the guy who was the best punt return average rate. We blocked a kick in the playoffs. So, yeah, I think we have better coach, quarterback, defense, and special teams.

Okay, so can I address each of those? I don't know if we have to get together. I don't think we have the best wide receiver. So special teams, I think, is a shaky one because you don't have the better kicker. I don't even think you think you have the better kicker. That rookie Boregalis is not better than Jason Myers. You're right that you have an all-pro returner. Shaheed is, to me, as good of a returner.

It was weird for him. He's traded mid-season as far as, you know, that. So I think it is very difficult. You certainly don't have, but we're going to really get into it, the better punter. So I think special teams is a very hard case to make. So that's the first bucket of it. The coaching, I do give the edge to the Patriots, but again, I don't think the Seahawks have a deficit at it.

Just like I think you are, I think your analysis of Seattle's defense is wildly unfair because you are just ignoring what they did to San Francisco, who their issues were not inability to score this year. San Francisco's offense hummed except for when they played Seattle. San Francisco's offense was excellent even with the injuries in almost every circumstance, even with backup. quarterbacks except when they played Seattle. And so Seattle's defense struggled with Matthew Stafford. You keep making the

point of... But don't you think Seattle coming off a by and San Francisco playing an East Coast game and a short week? That has something to do with the 41 to 6. Yes, but it's... I mean, if we put up Seattle's defensive numbers, the idea it is unfathomable to me

to make the argument, this defense that we have seen all year actually overrated because one guy, the guy who's going to win league MVP, who has seen him half a dozen times, had success against them. Like that, and by the way, the first time that guy played this defense this year, he did not have any success against them.

The team scored 18 points despite, or 21 points, despite the four turnovers by the quarterback. So I think you can believe the Patriots have a really good defense. and not have the argument the defense is better than Seattle's. Like, you guys do have the better quarterback. He's not playing better, but you have the better quarterback. I think skill position probably goes Seattle.

I think offensive line goes Seattle. I think saying across the board, New England is, I just don't know what there is to back that up. That's what I would say. I don't know what there is. If you look how New England played defensively in the playoffs, and I know we showed Drake May in the regular season, Drake May in the postseason and the difference. If you look at New England's defense in the regular season,

and the postseason, I'm pretty sure they've improved in every single category, too. So I agree with that. So what is fair, then? Are we, so it's, because what it seems to me, because I'm conceding and have been conceding, I think New England's defense is peaking. I think New England's defense is excellent.

I think New England right now does have a top five defense. I just don't think it's better than Seattle, which is either best or second best. What it seems like you two want to argue is, New England is New England's defense is who they've been in the playoffs and their quarterback's who he was in the regular season. I don't think you get it both ways.

I think that if you think you are getting the better defense in this game, then you also have to be like, by that measure, we're not getting the better quarterback in this game. And if you think, man... I'm willing to line up. Someone needs to tell me that Sam Darnold is better than Drake Mac.

Is Sam Darnold going to play? Nobody is better than Drake. Okay, then good. Then we're all in agreement. He's not better than Matthew Stafford, but he just out. No, but your argument for the Patriots, and you need to tell me the Patriots defense is better than the Seahawks without using the playoff exclusive argument. Why not? Why can't I?

Because the only argument that you have that Drake May is not the best player in the league or second best quarterback in the league this year is because you point to three games where he was down. So I'm pointing to the Patriots defense that all of a sudden Justin Herbert, I guess, off of a week's rest that picked the Patriots. melted down. They made C.J. Stroud melt down. And we went into, whatever, I'm not going to like throw a parade for Jared Stinnom. But I was subjected to a week long hearing how Jared Stidham was going to be good from analysts and the Broncos coach. So yes, I think the defense, getting to the Super Bowl and playing at a peak level, I think they're better than Seattle's defense. I think they're going to prove it on Sunday. Again, I'm just laying these out. So when, again, I walk through the door of Destiny on Monday.

You're like, wow, turns out you're right again. Maybe I'll be wrong. I doubt it. Again, like you would say, I'm not trying to be, I'm not trying to be disagreeable. I'm trying to disagree. Yes. Somehow, despite the Patriots making the Super Bowl, your predictions on how they were going to play prior to each game have been stone wrong.

Week one was Drake May. He's never struggled. And the AFC championship game was going to be a blowout. A blowout. You know what? It was only a double-digit victory and only a pass-a-rating of 142 in the second half. KW, and you were on the air the next day and said he struggled. He was struggled for the first half.

And the AFC championship game was supposed to be a blowout. By your metrics of the same thing. Maybe I was wrong. Well, there's no, maybe. We saw it. I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong.

I was wrong. You got it. But you won. You won. We are going to the Super Bowl. I was that I was wrong. Turns out everybody else is right. Sorry.

Welcome back to first things first. Joining us now on behalf of Lowe's, which we love the Lowe's commercials. Yeah. And he's got a five-gallon bucket chain. Yeah, it's pretty sick. Which looks beautiful, courtesy of Lowe's. It's the one and only Justin Jefferson.

That is sweet. Justin, we were talking about how we love the Lowe's commercial. We want to give you a chance to talk about your partnership with Lowe's. Yeah, the partnership with Lowe's has. definitely been growing and definitely has been great. You know, of course, you know, people see the commercials. But, you know, behind the scenes, growing the partnership, growing that relationship is the main thing and most important thing. So I'm just happy to be on board, happy to, you know, be with this staff and be with these people. But the, you know, what we're doing down the line

and the relationship that we have down the line is something that, you know, is growing. Look, Justin, I've done some acting in my day, and you definitely have a future on the big screen. Believe me. You definitely do. If you want it. If you wanted. Like crisper sorry. Look up Jackson Blaine.

Y'all might need to see me in some movies coming up. That's what I'm talking about, man. For real. All right. We have a big debate on the show, Justin. We call everything the catch of the year. But we have narrowed down. We have one, two, three, five catches.

of the year candidates and we want you to just decide the catch of the year. This is Isaac Tesla week week one against the Packers and then that one was tough. My recent most favorite division around K Sean against that one was also nice. Puka week 13 in the snow. Thank you in the snow. The Puka one is going to be hard to beat bro. Yeah that was great.

Wait wait I'm not I'm not going to lie. Did y'all see the the poca one in Atlanta? The one he almost caught? Oh, the one that, yeah, that could have won the game. But the side line? We didn't count. Oh, my God. Non-catches, but I would have counted that as a catch.

That would have been crazy. Traylon Burks. Yeah. This was good. It kind of OBJ asked. Yeah. And then. That one was tough as well.

From flag, since we know you're a flag football officiantado, Treon Burks. No. That was tough. That's the best one. But that's a Nerf ball. So we're not going to do with that. Let Justin tell.

That was the catch of the year. Which is the best one, Justin? Ooh, this is tough. Oh my God. Um, ah. Wow. The Pooka one, the Pooka one is tough. I'm going to go with the Pooka one just because off of experience and off of, you know what I'm saying?

Off of how mine went down, you know what I'm saying? Having somebody. kind of being the way and hitting the ball. Right there. It's done. That's, that's, I'm like, congratulations. Level to it. And that actually, Justin, that actually sets me up quite well because I have a tendency, wilds, I think hates it, which is whenever we talk to someone, if I've ever said anything bad

or even any mildly disrespectful about them when they're not here, I'm like, I have to say it to them while they're here. Takes up a lot of the interview. This was not disrespectful. However, we, on the. Last week on the show had a kind of impromp to who's the best receiver in the league conversation. And I said each of the last three years I would have said it's Justin Jefferson. But right now it was going into the MC championship game.

It's like but right now I feel like J.S.N. and Puka have grabbed the pole position there. So I'm asking you, do you think I'm wrong? Do you think you're still the best receiver in the league? All right. Tell me why. I mean, how I'm not. I mean, just. You watch the games, right? Just based off the quarter, I mean, you know, a lot of people base it off with

the quarterback play and, you know, just different things that really go into, you know, my position. Obviously, I got to, you know, rely on. And, you know, I got to depend on a lot of people in order for me to get that ball. So, you know, if I don't have, you know, an elite, you know, elite position. or elite quarterback that's throwing me the ball the entire year, then it's a little bit difficult to be in those conversations. Having a young quarterback that's still learning the game and still learning his potential in this league, you know, you kind of have those difficult seasons, which I had this past year. So I still think that I'm still number one. I still think

that no one in this league can cover me man to man. That's without a doubt. So, you know, my confidence level will always be high and always will feel that I'm number one in my eyes. Pretty good. Yeah, I don't disagree with anything you just said, Justin. And look, during the season, I've been somewhat, not overly, but somewhat critical of like A.J. Brown when he's come out and talked about I need the ball or the passing game. And I said earlier this week, kind of jokingly, but I was like, you know, Justin might need

a little more A.J. Brown. And just to, because you've been great and not caught. And I'm like, look, you know, you are. arguably or the best receiver in the game right now. We're talking about your numbers, being a Hall of Famer. You know, every player of your caliber wants to put

up huge numbers. And you have been great to your quarterbacks, as you said, even if they're learning, even if they're first year starters, you haven't had that ultra-elite quarterback at all. And you've been just a good soldier. Why? Is that, is it? That's just your nature?

Or do you just say, look, it's not good for the team or I actually respect that you haven't come out and been critical. But is it a challenge because, you know, you put the team first? No, it's a little mixture of both. I never will downplay anybody in the media. I know how it looks and I understand my words and how much, you know, people really listen to what I have to say. So if I'm in the media and I'm down playing my starting quarterback, a young quarterback at that, that's his first year playing, that's going to do nothing but tarnish the relationship we have and the connection that we have built.

So I will continue and always will, you know, give a good light to my quarterback or whatever situation that we have going on. But obviously, I require more and expect more, you know, from my quarterback or from that person that I'm talking. about, but never, never in my, you know, years of playing this game that will I ever downplay anybody in the media? Justin, last year when Darnold shocked everyone maybe outside of Minnesota, maybe some in Minnesota with his production, a lot of people, all go hand up on this one. We get retroactively, we were like, yeah, that's Kevin O'Connell and Justin Jefferson, though. Like, it's a good year by Sam, but that, you know, that way.

And you guys obviously had a lot to do with it. But I did not think it was possible that he could duplicate that in Seattle. When he left, like how surprised are you, if at all? And what was the year playing with Darnold like? I mean, yeah, I'm definitely surprised that they reached it to the Super Bowl. That's definitely something that I don't think anyone was expecting to happen. But, you know, to see the plays that Sam made, to see the poise that he had throughout the season leading us,

into 14 games, 14 wins that season, I mean, it definitely was difficult to do. So I'm not overly surprised that he had another great year, but I'm definitely surprised that he made it to the Super Bowl. And I'm happy for him that he made it to the Super Bowl because I feel like he put in the work. And he really understood how to really play this game, having J.S. in, having Cooper Cup, you know, having a great running back in Walker, having a great running. back in Walker having a great old line over there in Seattle.

I feel like he was just cool, calm and collected and poised the entire year and just really just allowed his play to speak for himself. And I always said this that as long as Sam hold the ball in his hands with no turnovers and not giving the ball to the defense, then Sam's going to win the majority of those games. He's that good of a quarterback and I'm just happy to see him on the stage. So we've got 30 seconds left. This is the most painful part of the interview for me as a Patriots fan. We've asked Josh Allen and Jamar Chase and the great Charles Woodson to make their Super Bowl picks, all great players.

And now we're asking you, who do you have this Sunday? Even though I think it's going to be a great game, I think it's going to come down to the last minutes, last seconds of the game. Because I feel like both teams are evenly massed. I feel like they both have a good offense or good defense to battle this out. But I do think Seattle is going to win. I'm sorry to. I'm sorry to Justin Jefferson everybody. Used to be one of my favorite players.

Brought to you by Lowe. Have a great season. Okay, thanks. Thank you, Justin. See you, man. Thank you, man. All love, love, man. Appreciate you.

Live from New York, it's first things first, overtime. Overtime, an old overtime classic. Love it. First one not about Caleb. That's why I love it. We're going to guarantee that Drake May outplays Sam Darnold. I feel like there was a Justin Herbert guarantee mixed in there as well. I just like that it's not explicitly targeted at me and my guys.

Wilds could feel the pressure for a change. Meanwhile, are we surprised Janus is staying with the bucks and the Instagram post that you have to see to believe? Can't wait to discuss this. I haven't seen it yet. So you can't believe it. I actually just looked at it. Is it good? I think it was, I think it's the one they were talking about.

I hope so. Yeah. Well, I'm going to be surprised. And finally, who's going to win the MVP of the Super Bowl? Also, who's going to win MVP tonight? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Who's going to win MVP at front of me?

Who's going to win? I know who's going to win tonight. You do? You have insight? No, just, I mean, we all know. We don't know. What is the line on? I would be shocked.

Min is 400. Okay. I'd be shocked. We all would be, would you be shocked? I would be shocked, but I don't think the hay is in the barn, as they say. What's that you? Well, I guess it actually is. The votes are counted.

But the point is, I don't think it's a guarantee. I don't think it's a lot. I don't, the no info's leaped on it. So are you? I'm now rooting for Stafford. Really? He thinks it's a chip on your shoulder. It's all, the disrespect.

There's enough of that going around. No, I just, I would get another one. He could win it and still feel disrespectful. Everybody's gonna win it and I would just, just more disrespect. You expect to win coach of the year tonight? Coach of the year probably, yeah. McDonald's a favorite. He's probably, disrespect.

Also, only one person this century has one MVP and the Super Bowl the same year. Only one person, one instance. The home? Of course. Okay. Very interesting. Um, welcome to first things first overtime. Drake May's shoulder no longer.

shoulder no longer a concern. Drake trying to become the youngest QB to ever win a Super Bowl. Here's Vrable on Drake. I think I probably realized that before I got here. I think that's a large part of the reason that I wanted to be here. I think the thing that was the accuracy outside of the pocket or on the move is, you know, touched on it. It's just the way that he plays the position.

It's just, you know, he has an athletic nature to the way that he. plays the position. Is anyone willing to guarantee, Danny, we'll start with you, that Drake outplays Sam Darnold? No. No? I mean, I can give you the reason.

Yeah, let's hear it. I kind of want to pass the ball around and see if you're going to. Oh, no, I guarantee that may outplays Darnold. No, I will not. Look, I think Drake can. I might even be leaning toward he will outplay Donald, but guarantee, no way. Yeah.

No way. Not even close. Ain't no fun with the rabid. Yes, obviously. You guaranteeing it. Yes. Why? Okay.

You know we asked that of Danny so many times this year as like hazing. You didn't have, I mean. How did you do it? But oftentimes you did well. With Caleb, you did well. I don't think he did well, though, did you. He did okay. I did great.

He batted about 500. You won the bet with Shadour, but that was kind of a meat drop in the ball. Well, that was a lot. It was a rough one. He drives a bubble moral need in you. You're the banner of me and the three Chicago goats? Yeah. I think that, look, I understand people's pessimism about Drake May and the pressure rate and him getting sacked.

He's been sacked a ton. They also have won 17 games with him getting sacked a ton. He was sacked a ton in the Browns game, and he was easily able to win the Browns game. He was sacked a ton during the Charter's game. He was getting hit. We won that game by double digits. The one thing I am worried about or I think is a concern is getting sacked and losing the ball in the Texans game because I do think that is just rolling the dice. Part of me thinks that once Will Campbell is so back far back, he can fall on it.

Sure, but I. Full formal recovery. Yeah. But if the ball starts hitting the ground, I think that's very dangerous. That being said, if turnovers is what you're thinking about, because I'm sure, I don't think anyone's thinking down the field passes or. Or like, you think Sam Darnold's going to like, as far as down the field pass, you think it's Darnold over Drake? I, no, whole, I am simply saying I think it is absolutely on the board that they play a,

they both play a clean game. Oh. And Darnold out plays it. Like, I think that what I think has been kind of lost a bit in the shuffle of the week is how great that conference championship. game was from Darnold. So this, I mean, these are when the game throw for 300 yards, three touchdowns don't turn it over.

NFL history. It's Mahomes, Nick Foles on an all-time heater, which maybe is the comp here because he then carried that into the Super Bowl. Brady, Matt Ryan, his MVP year, who he carried that into the first two and a half quarters of the Super Bowl. And he didn't turn the ball over late. Right. Or he had the sack fumble, I guess.

And Bart Starr, it was a all-time performance by him. Now, I do think the Patriots defense is much better than the Rams defense where it was at the end of the year. So I'm not predicting he's going to have a perfect game. And that was close to a perfect game. But I do think on the board of possible outcomes, I'll give a 15% slice to Drake May plays an A-minus, and Darnold plays an A-minus, and Darnold plays an Fossil.

You know what I like where they both play well, they don't turn the ball over, and Darnold just does to Drake May what he did to Matt Stafford. You play your best, I'll play my best, and I win. Like, I think that is on the, so to answer your question, I think that's on the board of possible possible. Yeah. What I've sensed a lot from you this week Wilds is the surprise of which, this part I share with you, like, who is the better quarterback?

Drake May. Right. But I don't think that everyone's talking about it. in those terms. Drake May is better than Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold has just been better in these playoffs than Drake May, but that should be graded by the opposing defenses and the weather conditions and those things that they've played.

But I still think that Drake May is better than Sam Darnold. But one of the reasons I'm not willing to guarantee it is because of the respect of Darnold. I do think Seattle's better. And also, this is, it's obviously a huge spot. It's the Super Bowl. But normally when guys get to the Super Bowl this early in their wives, like this young.

He could be the youngest ever to win it. We know that. But just make it a bigger set. Make it 25 and under. They don't generally play all that well. It is such a huge moment. It is so much pressure. They haven't seen.

Only three of the 16, 25 and under quarterbacks have ever thrown for multiple touchdowns in those games. And a lot of those were in losses. And so it's just. So who is? That's like Big Ben. Holmes did it. Mahomes in 2019, two touchdowns, two picks in a win.

Mahomes in 2020, zero touchdowns, two interceptions, and a loss. Marino in 84. In a loss. And a loss. You know, so it's just that Mahomes, Ross, Drew Bledsoe. Bletsow also had four interceptions in that spot. It's just Joe Burrow was in that spot. Joe Montana was in that spot.

So huge names, obviously, great players. It's just you don't normally get your best, your peak. of your powers from a really young guy when the lights are this bright. That's where I think this is one of the foundations of my thought process. Us going through us, the Patriots going through the gauntlet of the Chargers defense, the Texans defense, and the Broncos defense, even though Jared Stittem was out there, it's still that Broncos defense on the road. Once you get up against that Seahawks defense, I almost would prefer that,

although I'd have to take some like, you know, criticism during the show. I'd prefer if he lit it up against the Rams defense. I'd prefer if he lit up the 49ers defense. But I actually think going through those three teams and playing the Seahawks, like, oh, I have felt this pass rush. We've been here before. I know how to win a game, you know, if it's not comfortable. It's not going to be a shock to the system. I think that's actually totally reasonable, especially because the flip side of it is you had a buy, you played the Rams defense, you played the Niners defense.

And then for May, this is also going to be ideal conditions. Oh, yeah. He's wearing shorts. I was like, look at that. That's going to feel a lot better. So for Drake May, this might feel easy by comparison, even though Seattle's defense is excellent. Yeah, look, I think, as I said, I'm kind of leaning towards May playing well.

I get it that a lot of guys in their first Super Bowl haven't performed well. But I think the struggles in the AFC playoffs, I think facing those tough defenses, I think he's learned a lot mentally from these playoffs where he knows, because he didn't face a ton of adversity in the season. They played an easy schedule. He was great in just about every game or very good in every game. Now to go into the playoffs, to have some adversity, to face some great teams,

and come out on top, I just think the poise he showed and even telling himself, like, man, I can handle this. I don't have to play lights out for us to win. I just win. Like, I think all that bodes well for him. So I just not willing to guarantee. The sexier answer is Patriots comfortably. I could also see just what I call the boa constrictor game.

You get up a little bit and that's like rabble clock management, long drives, long fields for Darnold. And it's just like, oh, all of a sudden the Patriots won the game. Here's my question. Because I think everybody can see that. happening. I don't think everybody can see Patriots blowout. I think most people think Patriots blow out in one scenario and one scenario

only darn old travesty game, which I don't think people are expecting. But the Boa Constrictor game for New England, it is interesting to me that you don't think it's possible

for Seattle. That you, for the exact, everything Like, because what we have yet to see, and it's a testament to how great their defense has played, is Drake, my opinion, I think we can all, the very least agree on this, has played three very bad first halves. Yeah. That in all three games, he was bad in the first half. And in all three games, he didn't trail for a second in the second half, despite that. So, like, how different is it if Seattle is able to?

to avoid the self-inflicted wounds of C.J. Stroud, the Jared Stidham of Jared Stidham, and Justin Herbert in the playoffs of Justin Herbert. And again, you're even to do with it. But if Drake has a rough first half, and instead of it being 7-7 or a Patriots lead, it's 13 to 3 Seattle. And Seattle's offense hasn't done that much. They have one big play. Like that, that to me is the nervous point for you guys. Seahawks favored by four and a half. And the experts seem to be mostly lined up with the line. Now this desk is 2-1 with Brew leaning heavily to Seattle on his checkmark system.

Yes. Sports Illustrated. I don't know why you think you know who I'm going. You just haven't said anything nice about the Patriots. Sports Illustrated goes 9 to 1, Seahawks Patriots. ESPN goes 4810, Danny. And two of the 10 votes are from people who played for the Patriots. Teddy Bruskey and McCordy.

NFL.com goes 21 of 24 for the Seahawks. Charles Woodson, Jamar Chase, Josh Allen, and most recently Justin Jefferson, guests of the show also all. T. Higgins, too. Remember, he gave us a thumbs up on it. I couldn't hear his audio. I prefer not to remember that one. You were on Seahawks all year, Danny, and here are four-point favorites in the Super Bowl since 2007,

which they're two and five outright. So are you surprised so many people are picking the Seaharks when they used to be your corner alone. You and Mina. That's it. Right. Great company. But yes, this is actually really surprising to me. And this is, you'll be with me on this here. It should be about two out of three people picking Seattle. Right? Just like the math of a four point favorite, four and a half point favorite, Patriots are about a two to one underdog. The implied probability of that.

suggests it should be about about 34 35% of people should be picking new aim like I so do you remember what it doesn't seem this lopsided for Eagles chiefs last year no Eagles chiefs though was a one and a half point line the last the last the last point spread of this was Rams Bengals yep and then the one before that was Brady Eagles with and it was Nick Foles yeah that was a four and a half point spread the but the points of Rams bangles was four and a half and I certainly don't think going into that game, 70, I guess, gosh, what is this? This is 85%? Yeah, it's 85% of people were picking the Rams.

So I, this brew, to me, this indicates what, if it was like a touchdown favorite. You know what I mean? Like a very where people are just like, punchers chance almost. That part to me is odd. Yeah. Like that I do, because what you're not seeing alongside it is a, I understand Sertan did. But you're not seeing. a lot of people be like, Seattle

easy. It's a lot of, it's going to be a close, low scoring game that Seattle wins. Yes. Like it seems like the Barnwell, I said, wrote a 15,000 word article, ended up with Seattle by, I think, three. And no one's like, you know what? This quarterback's actually better, and this coach is better,

and this guy has more experience. Yeah, I'm not positive the coach is better, but it's certainly everyone loves Vrable. So that's why I am surprised by it. I think the vast majority of people would say Vraebel's better than McDonald, and the vast majority of people would say that May is better than Darnold, and yet the vast majority of people are picking Seattle. Now, I among them, but like you said, I've been on Seattle all year,

so I've just being consistent there. And I think that New England is, I think the best Patriots team that we will see is in a year or two or three. I think they're very ahead of schedule and just ended up in the Super Bowl. But yes, to answer your question, this shocks me. Yeah, I'm surprised too. I mean, nobody seems to believe in the Patriots except you. And I think, like I said earlier, people are looking at, okay, coaching is close but maybe they're giving Brable the advantage. Yeah, Drake May is better

or been better this season, but Darnel's been better than the playoffs just outplayed everybody's All-American, Matthew Stafford. So a lot of them I think are giving the advantage to Darno. I agree. And then the running game even though, you know, they don't have, neither one of them has a phenomenal back.

But I think guys would take Kenneth Walker to third over, you know, your backs. The receiver's obvious. The defense statistically, you guys got to go with Seattle. I just think they're looking at it like, yeah, it's a no-brainer. But I'm surprised that everybody's looking at it that way, but they're looking at your schedule.

They're looking at the quarterbacks you face in the playoffs. And even though Herbert's viewed as good, he hasn't done anything in the playoffs, played a good game. So I just think that's where everybody is saying Seattle, of course. Go, KW. No, so here's the thing. And this has become a little bit of a, like, a stats contest. You know, it's like, well, I've got this stat.

It's two weeks to preview one game. So it's fun. It's like, all right, so I pulled like Ben Solac. Over two postseason games, Bradford on Seattle's line, gave up 15.3 pressure rated corn next gen. And Barmore and Milton Williams are just like all over that, right? And then they turn the, Seattle turns the ball over a bunch. We can just keep on debating stat, stats.

There is something to be said for Patriots fans being so confident that speaks to, and I know I already got shut down on this, a specialness to this team that I think Manjini has mentioned, Teddy Bruski has mentioned, that it echoes whether it's the disrespect or the camaraderie that this team has that feels a little special, that feels a little bit of a doorstep, and I have no data. You're resorting to pixie dust. I've been there. You know what? I might, but when you look back at great teams, it's not just a collection of players. And when you look back at that Rams Patriots game, it's like, you know what may have decided the game when we were introduced as a team and the Rams wanted to like run up the score. So. But I, and to me, I look back and I'm like, oh, that was the beginning of the story of the greatest player in the history of the sport. and I don't think Drake May is that.

I don't think Drake May is about to be, you know, a six-time Super Bowl champion. Maybe I'm wrong. You can certainly argue that he's better now than Brady wasn't the one. But I also, this is where I think there is some regional bias, some fandom bias. If we did our show in the Pacific Northwest, and in my seat was.

Mena, would we have a lot more anecdotal evidence of how special the Seahawks are, of how DeMarcus Lawrence did this, and how they all love Mike McDonald. And no, one thing that sticks up to me, when Sam Donald had that meltdown game, they all rallied behind him. And that's the first time in the mayor. Like, oh, this team's a little special. Yeah. It wasn't just, and I know the counterpoint is like every team that does well in the playoffs

special. I don't think so. No, I agree with it. They feel like it's a special role for Sam. darnal. Yeah. I mean, he hasn't had a great playoff game before this year. I mean, there's a lot of teams that ended up losing in the Super Bowl, though, that

up until they lost in the Super Bowl felt like a team of destiny. That Bengals team won all three games on last second field goals. It was Joe Burrow in year two. It was all special stuff. And then they lost. Really? They had a door. Okay.

Sorry. Everything about the door. Yeah. I don't know. Sorry. Everything about the door. I don't know. Trade deadline came and went at 3 o'clock.

Janice still on the Bucks. Danny has been teasing a social media post from Janus along with his take. So we discussed this earlier. We were upset that he was not maybe more forceful in leaving Milwaukee. And we kind of wasted another season of just not being in the playoffs. Danny, what's your take on Janus? He is going to be a Milwaukee buck for his entire career. Oh, that's a take.

No way. Okay. He's getting traded this summer. You saw what he said in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and we could show you what he just... Hold on. Before you show Instagram, if people didn't see what he said in the Milwaukee Journal, Sentinel, just give it a quick recap. Said, I want to be a Milwaukee Buck for my career.

I've always wanted to be here. I got... So why did we go through this whole charade? I think that there is a real possibility that the largest basketball insider in the game here is Stonewrong. I think that that is absolutely. I mean, he wasn't the only one talk. They were naming the four teams that were going after. Who were trying to trade for him.

That not that those trade offers that Miami was able to put together with two first round picks for a two-time MVP are straight up laughable. Oh, I agree. When Jared Jackson Jr. just got three first round picks and then some. Like those trades were fantasies. They were completely ridiculous. Agreed. And so the Warriors' trade.

trade was ridiculous with comminga and bad first round picks attached to it. But the ones this summer may not be. If Houston Nick mentioned OKC earlier, San Antonio, if they all have bad experiences in the playoffs, they may say

you know what, let's go get Yonis. And I think Milwaukee was smart for saying we'll wait. Let's see what Yonis put on Instagram and he did coordinated on all of his socials, Twitter, Instagram and everywhere. Legends don't chase. They attract with the Wolf of Wall Street clip of...

I'm back or I'm not going anywhere. Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going anywhere. And you can say, you can roll your eyes, brew, and say that he's pandering. But he has been every opportunity to sign an extension in Milwaukee, he has signed an extension in Milwaukee. And he has recruited to Milwaukee. And this offseason, he can sign a four-year, $275 million. extension in Milwaukee. And this offseason, they can now trade three first round picks.

The Bucks can. 2026, 2031, 2033. They could have a top five pick in this year's draft, depending on how the lottery goes. Probably not, though. Because we'll see. They get the worst of the two picks of theirs and them in New Orleans. We'll see how much Yonis plays. Ryan Rollins right now is a Dark Horse Most Improved Player candidate.

They can trade Kuzma's deal. They can trade Portis' deal. I'm shocked you want this. They have the mid-level exception. The East is terrible. I truly believe Janus wants to be his basketball hero, Kobe, and play in one place his entire career. Kobe was ready to leave for the record, L.A.

He almost went to the Clippers. He almost went to the Bulls at one point, too. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I'm just, he's brought Dame didn't work out. We obviously won a championship with Drew Holiday and Chris Middlefield. but I mean, look, if Yonis wants to stay in Milwaukee, God bless him. But I am shocked that you think this is proof. I think this was a smart move by the Bucks to say, as you said,

we're getting terrible offers because the two teams that can really give us something we want aren't in the market yet. But let them struggle in the playoffs and they will be in the market. Well, listen, if Yonis, when they offer him that, full max extension, if Janus turns it down, then that is the equivalent of demanding a trade. Because then Milwaukee has to trade him because you can't lose him for nothing in a year. Don't you think it's also the smart move for the bucks of trading? Well, that's the part that I am puzzled by.

I understand you are a basketball romantic, as you say, but this is Romeo and Juliet style of romance that is going to end in tragedy. Janus Anandin Kumpo going his entire 30s without playing meaningful. basketball is a basketball tragedy. That's not a guarantee. They can, in the East next year. Buddy, he's been in the East the last five years. They've had horrible injury luck at the worst times.

That series against the heat, I was at game one. Yonis fell on his back and got injured. Middleton has got hurt in the playoffs. They have had terrible injury luck with time. And it closed their window. All right. Congratulations to the bucks. I think they're keeping him.

I think they're keeping them. Is he playing this year then? That's going to be truck. Tricky. He will want to. Sitting down. Let's play some for enemies. NFL honors is tonight where they will announce the regular season MVP. Drake May has got a shot at that.

He also, though, has a shot at Super Bowl MVP, but it's no fun to pick a quarterback for that award. Donald and May, the heavy favorites. Nick, you have a non-quarterback that you like for Super Bowl MVP? Yeah, and it's a selfish pick. Because since I've been on TV, I know you're good. I haven't had a season as wrong as this. this one. Just wrong, left and right.

What happens when the chiefs finally was? Luckily, right. Well, it wasn't just that though. It'd be one thing was just the chiefs. I, you know, my big team that's everyone thinks going to be bad is going to be good was the Raiders. They were just bad. My big team everyone thinks going to be good, but they're going to be bad as the Broncos. They were the one seed. Just a lot of wrong.

Somehow I still beat you in picks, but still. Yeah, not with the playoffs. However, my best moment, I think was trade deadline. day when everyone was freaking out about sauce gardener and quinnon williams and i said the only trade that happened today that moved any championship needle was rashid she heed to the seattle seahawks and then i saw rashid shaheed's super bowl odds and it's like wait he has the fifth best odds he's a somewhat trendy pick yeah and it's because he can score a touchdown without it also being a darnal throw yep either via return

as we saw in the divisional round or in the round. Yep. And you know, where he gets all the stats. So it's just tricky to pick JSN because it's hard to see a huge JSN game that doesn't have a huge Darnold game. Now Cooper Cup did it, but I say Rashid, I do think Seattle's going to win. And so Darnold's the smart pick, but if it's not Darnold, I like Rashid Shahid. Yeah.

So for the odds, Shaheed's an interesting pick and like if the broadcast starts talking about like total yards. Yes. Right? They had like punt yards, kick yards, all purpose yards. All purpose yards. That could like narratively bring him in that direction. And you said it's tough to pick JSN and so you'll accuse this of chalk, but that is my pick. Oh, really?

I wouldn't have said that if I knew. No, no. That's that. That's okay. We've seen a lot of receivers win Super Bowl MVP. There is a very consistent game script for how it happens. Low scoring game where multiple touchdowns or a big yardage game goes to one player. Like if the game, if the Seahawks win 20 to 14, but JSN has 150 yards in a touchdown or 130 yards and two touchdowns, like the vast majority of their offensive production all goes to one guy.

That's the formula for, like you said, Cooper Cup. We've seen him with Heinz Ward, Dion Branch. We've seen a lot of receivers. Heinz Ward threw one. Heinzward through San Antonio Holmes. Yeah, Edelman won Super Bowl MVP in a 13 to 3 game. Exactly. And so in terms of percentage of offense.

This is a pretty overwhelming statistic in terms of for teams that have reached the Super Bowl, we put this together. Highest percentage of a team's receiving yards, guys who ended up in the Super Bowl, Irvin Cup, Irvin, and Jerry Rice, and Cooper Cup in 2021 and Jerry Rice in 1988, both won Super Bowl MVP. And Jason's got the higher than any of them. Correct. Exactly. In terms of one receiver getting the lion's share of the yard.

So I just think that there's a historical game. script that it could go to JSN, but we're both. I also would take a small flyer on DeMarcus Lawrence. Ooh, just the anti-Will Campbell play. Correct. Yeah, it's really just Will Campbell is the LVP of the game. And DeMarcus Lawrence has two strip sacks. It has the Vonneller game.

Exactly, yep. All right, let's get to the NBA. You and I, huge basketball fans. We talk about it all the time. Trade deadline passed at 3 o'clock today. James Hardin went to Cleveland. Cleveland, Anthony Davis to Washington. The big news of the day, even though I've been predicting it, Janus staying in Milwaukee.

Nick, what's your biggest surprise of the deadline? Well, I know we're going to get to Janus in a bit. I am stunned at how little trade value Anthony Davis had. Stunned. Anthony Davis was traded for what will be the 27th or worst first round pick this year. and a warrior's first round pick in four years that is top 20 protected. Right, so a bottom pick, yeah. Or nothing.

Or it could convey. Or it conveys, it turns into seconds or something terrible. I understand the guy who's on the wrong side of 30. I understand he has injury issues. And he makes a ton of money. I know all of that. I can't believe Jaron Jackson Jr. has significant.

Jaron Jackson Jr. went for good picks. The 2031 Phoenix pick. I'm about to talk about it. Oh, okay. Sorry. And a Utah pick, a year from now, that's unprotected Utah pick. I can't believe Jaron Jackson Jr. has that much more value than Anthony Davis. And I can't believe the Golden State Warriors did not, if they knew they weren't getting Janus, how do you not find a way to trade for a?

rather than bringing Chris Deppes. You can't say it's injury issues because Chris Deppes has a different type of health issue and Anthony Davis is at least a needle mover when he's out there. So that was stunning to me how little his, how far his value has fallen. So we're saying the same thing here,

but a little bit differently in that I am shocked at the teams that made the moves for a couple of the guys that you mentioned. And you're a great NBA historian. I've been thinking about it all I don't have great comps. Maybe they will come to you.

But if I throw up the Jaron Jackson Jr. trade and the Anthony Davis trade, horrible teams traded for them. Like a 13-win team in Washington pushing chips in. And I know that they're not that valuable of assets. But it very much accelerates their timeline. And so next year, Anthony Davis, Tray Young and our young guys and our pick this year, we're going to go try to win in the East next year. You don't often see 13-win teams do that.

And a 16-win jazz team trading a 2027 first that's top 24 protected. The 2031 first from Phoenix is unprotected. Yeah. That could be the first pick in the draft. And listen, Jaron Jackson Jr. is one of the best defensive players in basketball. He's been defensive player of the year. He's led the league to block twice. But you don't often see teams with less than 20 wins push in,

all of their chips. And they're just saying, these are moves for next year. Because they still need to lose games for this year to take this unbelievable draft we have. So Washington still wants to get, Washington's hope is, we're going to end with the top three pick and have DeBanza, Peterson, or Boozer. Yep. To go with SAR, Trey Young, and AD. The Jazz are like, Keante George has accelerated our timeline, but your point. Kianti George, Walker Kessler, Lowry Marketing, Jaron, Jaron, Jackson, Jarre.

Jr. Ace Bailey plus their pick. It's like, oh, okay. Utah's going for it. But they still need to lose because they lose their pick if it's outside of the top eight. So my read on, it's a little different in that I think it is teams acknowledging free agency doesn't exist anymore. Not that Utah was ever going to be a free agent destination, but Washington maybe could be. But guys don't hit free agency. Cap Space is no longer a valuable command.

in the NBA the way it used to be because guys simply say, I'd like my extension, way to beat, now trade me, as opposed to rolling the dice on that. And so those teams, like at Washington, trading for Trey Young and Anthony Davis, potentially putting them both on ice this year and be like, but next year we have a new team, Utah was like, finally,

Keante George is good enough, we kept marking in, let's go try to win now. I respect it. And I don't, I don't think that Utah gave up maybe some valuable assets, but if they're going to try to win, then their pick in two years is not as valuable. And Washington, I think, got the steal of the year

by getting Anthony Davis for that little. All right, so now let's talk about Janus here. Because I've been advocating for this for years. Like, I just do not think they should trade him. I think that they've got a new coach, they got him new players, it hasn't worked, bad luck. But, like, they are going all in around Janus, and they are going to continue to do so,

even though they don't have a ton of assets going forward, though they get more this off season. Why do you think it's so ridiculous to say? Because they went, sorry, go ahead. No, no, just like this off season, they can trade three first round picks to go get a great player to put around Janus and then go try to win the East.

Why is that ridiculous? Because they have gone all in twice and lost. And it's the reason we say you go all in is because the idea is, The idea is, if this doesn't work, you're out. It's come from the poker world, obviously. They went all in on Dane. It did not work.

It's bad luck. It did not work. They then, you know, went into their shoe and were like, man, I put this money in my shoes, so I didn't lose at the poker table because I need cab fare home. This is old, and this is something that I've done back in the day when there were cabs instead of Ubers. Yeah, I've got it.

And I'm like, you know what? I'm buying in with this too. Then they lost that as well. And instead of walking out of the casino, they're like, how does cash advance work? And that never works. You got to at some point cut your losses.

And what is best for Janus is to go to a team that can instantly contend. And what is best for the bucks is that they start the rebuild, not continue to deny the reality. And the reality is the era ended on some bad luck. If they get young all-star caliber players in trades this offseason plus excellent picks, that's fine. But the stuff that was being reported for Janus has been so wildly disrespectful to his talent that I think Milwaukee looks around and is like, oh, well, we have a few assets that we can trade to try to build a contender in the East. and keep the most popular player in franchise history home. So that's the part that I disagree.

I agree with the first part. I think the Warriors Trade or the Knicks trade were outrageous. Outrageous. I wouldn't even create the full screens for him because I thought this is insane why Milwaukee would take it. Oh, why didn't they trade him to Minnesota for Julius Randall? Get out of here. So that part I agree with you on.

But they will be able to get a full marketplace, real trade this off. And that's when I think it's best for both sides. So I don't blame them for not trading them for 30 cents on the dollar today. I will blame them if they decide to flip three future firsts for Kri Irving this offseason. That won't work. You would buy into Kyrie and Yannis together. John Morphe. Let's go.

Run it back, Milwaukee. It's a terrible idea. Don't be afraid. It's a terrible idea. Back here on the O.T. We got Coach Manjian. Geney out here on the desk. Super Bowl Sunday fast approaching.

Everyone knows that Seattle's a four and a half point favorite. But I used to love watching these back of the day as a kid. Just an old school tale of the tape. And I got an old school coach out here. So we're going to run down some of the great, you know, the big factors in the game, according to Coach Manjini. And then I'll tell them if I agree or not. All right, coach, first up, that's quarterback league.

Which team has the advantage at quarterback? I don't know if I like the eye of an old school coach out here. I could have just said old. Yeah, I don't like that either. I probably like that less. Yeah, for me, this is, this is interesting because as, uh, as Drake May was coming out of college when I talked about him with Wilds early on, I said he reminded me of Sam Darnold. And that was, that was the player comparison that I made when we were talking about him. And I think in his first year, to some degree, there was a little bit of that trajectory. Now, he had the benefit that Sam didn't have of getting a guy like

Josh McDaniels in the second year and you saw the growth that took place. Now Sam Darnold is sort of on the hero's journey here where he has the failure in New York and look we could point to the organization and then Carolina and then San Francisco and then Minnesota and we saw in Minnesota where things went well until it didn't at the end of the year with the last game of the season and then the playoffs and that big moment he folded and then fast forwarded this year I think you and I were talking about it that first Rams game that was a another big moment for him and he had the four interceptions and then go back to, you know,

we fast forward in the playoffs and he took a huge jump. And that huge jump was the NFC championship game where where he performed in a big moment. And I think to me, that's what gives him the edge. It's the combination of him getting over that hump and also the fact that he has the experience that he has and he's performed at the level that he has for two different teams over the last two years. You make the case very well, and he obviously has more experience, and I am picking Seattle in the game. I haven't been shy about that since the matchup was set. But I still think the body of work this year, like I just believe Drake May is a better football player than Sam Donald.

I think that there might be other situations and the defenses that Darnold played, and certainly JSN and the receiver that he can throw to. So even though one is coming off the best game of his life and the biggest game of his life and the other has struggled in these playoffs, I still believe Drake May to be the better player. As we go through here, Coach, tail of the tape, better weapons. I feel like this one's easier. Yeah, I'd say at the core, it's got to be Seattle. And they have the best offensive player with Jackson Smith and Jigba. And I do think New England is going to do a good job of trying to take them away.

I don't know if they're going to be able to take them away as consistently as they hope to. and then it's going to come down to how well they can fool Sam Darnel as to when he's doubled and when he's not doubled. And then with Kenneth Walker Jr., he's been more productive than Remandre Stevenson has. And I like Stefan Diggs a lot, and he's outperformed what I thought he would do in New England. And I'm sure New England's probably surprised at how well it's gone also. Tight ends. To me, it's somewhat of a wash. Seattle really uses more of their tight ends for,

for blocking than production. It feels like a lot of solid players, and then one of the best players in football is on Seattle, which just tilts it to me for Jay. You don't think the running backs are slanted Seattle's way, too? Or the first running back? Well, that's the thing. Like, I think Kenneth Walker, the third, sure,

but then Stevenson and Henderson would probably be two-three. They've been using Stevenson more than Henderson, but J-SEN is just clearly the best weapon on either team by a considerable margin. Now this is where it gets interesting. Coach Manjini, defensive coach, who has the better defense in the Super Bowl? I like New England's defense, and I know that that's not the in-vogue pick. But in watching them, everybody's contributing.

They're using everybody in different roles. They're doing a lot of things in terms of whether it's variations of coverages, variations of pressures, the way that they're disguising coverages. So all that being said, the multiples of multiples that they've been bringing in the playoffs and the way that they're doing it with very few mental errors, to me, is going to be hard for Sam Darnold to diagnose. And I know we talk about the defensive lines. I think New England's defensive line stands up to Seattle's defensive line. And you have to include the outside linebackers in that mix because they use their outside linebackers as down linemen.

And you can't just count the interior defensive lineman in that package. We'll get to coaching in just a second. I just want to put it up there because I was shocked at how close the numbers have become when you factor in the playoffs. Part of its weather, part of its opposing quarterbacks. The whole right Stroud having a terrible game playing Stidham. But these are first and second now in opponents points per game. Seattle and New England and New England is clearly playing their best defense of the season. I still slightly lean Seattle.

All right. Who's got the better the coaching advantage? Both head coaches, finalists for coach of the year tonight. Yeah, to me, it's New England. You've got Braybill. He's got the playing experience. He's got the experience in New England. He's got the head coaching experience.

He's got the Super Bowl experience. Those things are a huge edge. And then when you factor in Josh McDaniels, this is his ninth Super Bowl. He's played over half of a season. He's coached over half of a season worth of Super Bowls. And that being able to bring that Super Bowl experience through the preparation, through the pre-game through the halftime, all those things, it seems like a little thing, but that experience can be a big thing because there's so many distractions leading up to the game. I think Seattle's,

I mean, McDonald would be by vote for coach of the year. Kubiak just got a head coaching job, but you can't argue against that experience point of depth on New England's coaching is ridiculous, and bravel in-game has been special, no doubt. NFL honors tonight, I don't know why I don't have a vote, but I'll tell you who I would have voted for on the other side. NFL honors tonight, Coach. We get to find out regular season MVP, offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, coach of the year, the Hall of Fame inductees.

You may have heard there's been some controversy around that. I don't know why I don't have a vote. I should. People need to remember these are regular season awards. It's not about the playoffs. So Drake May has not really helped his MVP case based on the playoffs. But in the regular season, I've been. would have voted for Drake May. I know everyone thinks Stafford is going to win and his counting

numbers were spectacular. But I do think there is a doing more with less argument for May. A lot of the advanced numbers liked May, but he didn't have Puka, he didn't have Devante, he didn't have Sean McVeigh. He didn't have a top five running game during the year. He didn't have a top five defense during the year, which the Rams were for the majority of the year. I would have given my vote to Drake May. Yeah, I would have gone with Matthew Stafford. Letting yards and touchdowns. Yeah, the numbers are too, too compelling. Well, We'll see who wins tonight, probably Stafford, all the other awards get given out. We'll be back tomorrow on First thing first.