First Things First - Jaguars beat Chiefs, LeBron missing 3-4 weeks, BUD List, Nick’s Tiers & Mahomes Mountain for Week 6

Episode Date: October 9, 2025

(0:00) Jaguars beat Chiefs, Mahomes Mountain (29:14) Eagles, Ravens, and Packers in Must-Win for Week 6 (41:48) Brou’s MVP Ballot  (45:42) BUD List (01:06:47) Nick’s Tiers (01:22:37) Eagles vs. Giants preview, Does New York stand a chance? (01:27:35) Caleb Williams vs. Jayden Daniels, Packed Stats (01:51:40) Frenemies: LeBron James out 3-4 weeks, End of Belichick at UNC? (02:01:47) Steelers kings of the AFC North if they beat the Browns? (02:07:35) Can Eagles ease concerns with a monster game vs. Giants? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm back. Live from New York. It's a show that usually drinks like a nice green tea with a little dab of honey in it, and now just shotgunning Red Bull. He's drinking Red Bull. This guy had a weekend during the week. What's the first time? Let's get to it, baby.

Let's go. He's been on tilt since the Raven season fell apart. We're all over the metal. He was yelling at Greg on Monday, all two days. Now drinking Red Bull. Special edition of First things first. Not only does Bruce. going to be full of Red Bull,

but we're doing all of our franchises. So coming up, Mahomes Mountain and Tears. Yes. Mahomes Mountain's going to come up in about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, are the Eagles facing a must win tonight? We have another episode of must win. Sequin Revenge Game Part 2. And finally, of course, it's Thursday.

So we will get to the most motivational segment in all of sports, the Bud List. It's nothing but franchises. And what else? Bruce Ballard. Your favorite conversation. Yeah. Exactly.

That's why you're up. Wilde is trying to put Aaron Rogers in the MVP conversation. In the conversation. Everyone can't be in the conversation. If you're the quarterback of a first place team, you're in the conversation. That's, Daniel Jones is in the conversation. I'm glad you brought him. He was going to be on the outside looking in because he didn't start every game.

So if the Colts lose this weekend, Trevor's in the MVP conversation. I don't know. He beat Patrick Mahomes. had one of the plays of the season. This guy did. The conversation is too much. It's a long conversation. Yeah. We're starting with the under 500 chiefs.

Lost to Jacksonville Monday night, although Mahomes did throw a 99-yard touchdown. Not preparing to take on the four and one lions who are on the longest winning streak in the NFL. Nick, did Monday's loss? Shake your faith in Kansas City. And because we didn't have a show, I already know the answer to this, because guess what? I listened to the What's Right podcast with Nick Wright. Wow.

Trying to get some tips on how to pod. Fludgeling Enterprise. What do they call me, Wiles? Mr. Consistency. So I have to be consistent on this. I hated that loss so much. I hated it. And it feels like the sports gods were a little,

cruel to me personally in that regard, that I was not able to enjoy the greatest moment the Prince has had since the playoff victory against, if I may steal a turn of phrase from Brew, another one of everybody's All-American, Matthew Stafford, or I'm sorry, Justin Herbert, pardon me, because it came at the expense of my team. all last year, I railed against these stats that were like, the Chiefs are the worst 5-0 team in 10 years. Those, you know what those same exact stats are saying this week? The Chiefs are the best 2 and 3 team in 10 years.

I hate that. I don't want to be the best 2 and 3 team. I've said forever on this show, I believe winning is a skill. I do not care about your look at the yards per play. Look about the explosive, and so the things the Chiefs did well in that game are not things that, A, I value immensely when it comes to winning a championship, and B, not concerns I had. If I went into that game worried about the Chief's offense,

then I would understand why that game would make one feel better. But I take as a given that with a healthy Patrick Mahomes and a functional offensive line and a receiving core with a pulse, the Chiefs are going to be able to score points. So I was not shocked that they move the ball. But I said on this show three weeks ago, what makes the Chiefs different from these other teams is while they might not blow people out the way other teams do,

they don't blow leads. They were up 14 points. I said all week, they can't lose that game if they don't turn the ball over. And Patrick, listen, even the Greats get got. That was no one's fault. I mean, it was Patrick's, mistake. It was a great play by Lloyd,

and he got God, he didn't see him. That's rare, but it happened. I hate dumb penalties. He was rife with them all over the game. And special teams matter. And the Chiefs Special teams this year, where it's always been at an advantage,

was a deficit. Again, it's a fifth straight game, Buckker made a mistake. And the same special teams player, Jack Cochran, had back-to-back holding penalties on kick returns, the last of which I think cost him a chance to tie the game. If he doesn't hold there, I think they get in field goal range. So it didn't shake my faith, but it was maddening and it was incredibly damaging because they

had the opportunity brew to erase the O&2 start divisionally and just be one game behind Buffalo. And they had it. They had that game and they gave it away. And I'm not used to the chiefs giving away games. So that bothered me. I still think they have the ability to be a great team, but you got to win football games And they didn't win the football. Very fair.

That is why they call me the mayor of fair as well. Very fair. I said after they trampled on my Ravens, the Chiefs are back. And now after that game, I'm saying, no, they're not. You know, like, and what I mean by back, I still believe, like, they're one of the best, I really do. They're one of the best teams in the AFC. But when they beat the Ravens, and you were. right.

Like your first, it sounded foolish at the time, but the Ravens defense is just that bad. And 28 points against Jacksonville is not bad because they have a really good defense. But in that game against the Ravens, it like, like, oh my, and wait until Rice gets back, like the offense is going to be great. And a lot of that was just how bad the Ravens defense is, although they have improved with worthy. I thought the offense was excellent against Jacksonville. I mean, Patrick made a mistake.

Yeah, that took the way. There are one play from 35 points, you know, against a very good defense. Yeah, it wasn't. I mean, the offense wasn't bad, but this loss, what it told me is they are, they're a good team. And I know the record isn't good, but I view them as one of the best teams in the AFC, but not head and shoulders above everybody else in the AFC. And that's really what they've been for almost all of Mahomes' career since Brady left,

the AFC. That's what they've been pretty much, except for since 2021 when they started the season slowly. Now that year, though, Kelsey was still in his prime. Tyreek Hill was still there. This year, while I, you know, like I said, obviously I'm still giving him a shot to get to the Super Bowl. But Mahomes has, that was a huge mistake, the pick six. Kelsey's made the mistakes against Philly when he dropped the pass that led to the interception in the red zone. Harrison Butkers made mistakes and missed field goals.

And Chris had the real bad moment at the end of the game. Yeah. So you're seeing some of their top guys. I'm not going to say they're not plugged in, but it's just different. Like you usually don't see that. So and on top of that, Nick, there's this. They haven't beaten the team.

The three teams they've played with winning records have all beaten them. So look, I think they'll bounce back. I think when they get rice back, there's going to be another jump. But right now, for at least, they're just another good team in the AFC. That's fair. The Chris Jones thing made a lot of waves. I couldn't tell him, like, is he hurt? Did he misread the play?

Is there something else going on? No, I think he misread the, like, I think that he thought it was over. He thought it was over. And then by the time it's not, there's, so to me, it's worse. aesthetically than it is impact. Because once he saw... You don't think he could have made... No, no, no.

I do... If he would have just kept going... He probably... I think he could have maybe... Don't want him and hit him in the backfield. But I'm saying once he realized he wasn't down there, I don't... If he would have started sprinting at that moment,

it would have looked better, it would have changed nothing. You know what I mean? Once he is like almost parallel with him. So that, listen, I have... Chris Jones, we are, that game was eight days removed from him going to a funeral for a family member, flying back moments later and playing in a game. I am not going to question that man's commitment to winning and the team and all of that.

It was a bad moment. You know what I mean? There's no, and I would almost put it in the same bucket as the play in the Super Bowl where Mahomes is running for his life. Kelsey thinks the play is over and Kelsey is just walking. had them pull the video. And then Mahomes kind of escapes and then fumbles and that's recovered himself. And Kelsey is checked out on the play. It's a bad look, but I don't think it's indicative of who they are.

Yeah. I do think that the 2021 example, Brew, is a right one where they started three and four. And this team now- I think they were two, were they two and three at one point? Probably. I don't remember. I know they started, they lost, they got blown out by the Titans to fall to three and four. and then they had the pass heard around the world and the season turned around.

This, oh, I can't even do my bid. They can finish it quickly. The tackle that turned the tide. Oh, the tackle that turned. Just the numbers. The Mahomes. That's in jeopardy. Well, turn the tide for the team or for Mahomes because Patrick has, again, he made the mistake. But he was, I thought the passing offense was excellent in that game.

So they're going to have to follow more of the model of the 2019 chiefs, be an explosive offense and have the defense. and have the defense come through in big spots rather than a dominant deep. All right, we are doing all of the segments. And of course, when you see the snow start to fall in the studio, that means we're headed up to a higher altitude. Let's take a look. Let's go. Special Thursday edition of the Mountain,

and we've taken a more animated turn as Dak and the Cowboys have a bit of a pep in their step. Also, gloves and a hat. Meanwhile, Baker and the Bucks mapping their way to an, MVP. At the same time, Bo Nix and the Broncos continue to impress in Denver where he does have an unfair advantage because he plays at altitude. It's in the mountain time zone. Nevertheless, let's see where all the quarterbacks fall as we climb Mahomes Mountain. There we go. We're back. We're back on the mountain and we've also welcomed Greg from base camp. Greg, welcome, of course. Great to see you, buddy. Despite how mean you are to me on social media all the time. That was, you know what?

It was unnecessary. It was unnecessary is how I felt to Greg. Is it, what are we talking? You know what? Since you mentioned it, and I was muted in the first topic intentionally. What do you mean? America because of- I actually requested you come.

You're usually not in for the A block. Your fees too high. And so I requested you be here for the mountain, but also- Before we even start the mountain, I just want to remind everyone what we're talking about. Because I know you, I know, we know, but maybe not everyone. everyone who's tuned in right now, no. So if we can just take a little transport back in time, really quick and listen to what we're talking about and what we're saying. I love it. I do. Jags Chiefs. I do. Give me the Jaguars. Very often when you pick against the Chiefs, it's on a Friday.

And then you're not, you don't have to deal with the fall out of your erroneous prediction. I know we're not on tomorrow because of baseball, but we are on again this week. Are you sure that's the direction you want to go? I've never heard you be a big jack yet. The question is, are you sure? Okay, you're kind of, you know, you do. Wow. Erroneous prediction.

Wow. Do you still feel that way? It doesn't matter how you feel. We're on the mountain, let's go. Fair enough, great to see you, Greg. All right, on the mountain, also, let's just show who's off the mountain so I can, and I'll explain some things. Once you've missed a couple weeks, you're off the mountain, but it will be designated for injury.

So Lamar and Purdy are off. It is not based on play. Pretty maybe. But it's based on injury. They just shouldn't have a spot once it's more than a one week absence. Jake Browning off the mountain. He also is off his starting job. Joe Flacco off the mountain, even though he's starting for a new team.

Cooper Rush off the mountain. Carson Wentz almost got on. I know Wintz and Bryce got wins this weekend. And Wintz played better, not enough to get on the mountain. Bryce did not play that well. He's still off the mountain. Now, by the way, I'm very curious to see if we were able to upgrade our software so we don't have to be as color-coordinated reds on the left, screen,

on the right, you know, where people implied that the mountain was left to right. We all know it's not. Bottom row, hanging on for dear life, Gino Smith. Man. It's sad And it really It's upsetting to me More on Gino and the Raiders

in tears Justin Fields staying where he is Shout out Dylan Gabriel Got there Got on the mountain Kyler Yeah I guess Can some

One of our Intrepid NFL reporters Please get to the bottom of Did they check him for a concussion Because the football Hit him in the head I want to know Everyone wants to know

Greg's trying not to laugh We need this information. Cam Ward, you got a victory, I guess. Michael Pinnock's had the week off. Jackson Dart's fine. That's the bottom of the mountain. You okay, KW? Yeah, Jackson Dart also hanging on.

Hanging on. A lot of these guys are hanging on. Your guy, Cam Ward, you know how we were talking about before the draft? He's the least discussed number one pick of all time. That's working out in your favor so far, buddy. I'm telling you right now, it's very nice for him that we don't talk tight. Really in the everyday day. We still talk for us.

Chador. Hey, Caleb, can you imagine Caleb having this start? Row five speaking up. Caleb and Aaron, they were off last week. They dropped because there were some good enough performances by row six guys that we had to make room for some guys. And we had to drop two guys who didn't play. They have an opportunity to obviously move back up. It's not really their fault.

They were off. Other people did well. Bo Nick's really weird game. game as bad as he's played in a year for the first three quarters and the best football of his pro career in the fourth quarter he stays where he is KW. Look at who would I ever thought we'd never thought we'd see the day never thought we'd see the day. I didn't think he'd ever be back on the mountain. I know. Correct. And climbing. Climbing and he has played well enough that I will call him by his nickname rather than his given name. He's always been McCorkle on the mountain. That's what I thought you were going to say the beach.

And Spencer Rattler has played well. The team has not played very well. I know they got the win, the win. But his numbers are fine. Like, he actually is not their problem. So shout out to him. Row five. Jordan Love stays where he is.

Again, more on him in a moment, I'm sure. Justin Herbert has to fall. I understand the protection has been really shaky. But his play, particularly the last two weeks, but really most of the last three weeks, weeks has been really shaky as well. Jaden Daniels, back healthy, playing well. He moved up and we'll probably move up further.

CJ Stroud, here's the thing. CJ got a little bit of benefit of the doubt. He probably should have been further down the mountain before the week five explosion given his play this year. So the week five performance didn't propel him up higher. And shout out to the prince. Listen, it was a very princely game. you've watched this whole career.

There's a few goofball. Listen, the guy's a rap scalian. He's a bit of a goof at times. Some would say dopey surfer boy. I wouldn't. Some would. Regardless, you also saw some of the best of him. And some of those throws he made are what and the comeback.

The comeback, the throw to Brian Thomas, and a little a Clemson Trevor using his legs. Coming out of school, he was a huge rushing threat. He hasn't been as much in the pros. He was on Monday night in the biggest regular season game he's played since his second year. Top 10. Shout out KW. We're here. Shout out.

We are here. Shout out KW. KW. Greg KW. This is their road. I mean, Drake May deserves it. Just flatly deserves it. It's no grading on a curve.

It's no anything. He has been very impressive. Sam Darnold, who you notice, Brew. KW doesn't get mad these days when we say he's a darned guy. Beginning of the year, after that loss of the Niners, he was like, I'm not a darned guy. I'm just like 14 wins, 4,000 yards. Just take it.

I'm not. Glow? Just take it. Take your victory lap. I can't take that many victory labs. Greg was not here and got very mad again. Greg, for a guy that has like real life muscles, he has even more Twitter muscles.

He'd be real aggressive on social media, particularly towards your old buddy, Nick Wright. He gets a lot of tweets about me that he could just ignore. And he's like, great point, X-O-X-32. Let me expand on it. And so last week, Daniel Jones got dropped on the mountain. Greg got tweeted about it. He was like, I knew they would betray me while I'm gone.

Well, you're back. He played well. Jalen Hurts, hardest player in the league to great. We'll see how it goes tonight. Yeah, Jalen Hurd stays where he is. All right, top six. Dack, still playing great. Matt Stafford, I got to tell you, I didn't feel awesome about dropping Matt Stafford because I think he's played fantastic.

But they were a huge favorite. They did lose. I think he's been great this year. Drop him just a tiny bit. Jared Goff continues to quietly just orchestrate one of the highest scoring offenses in the history of pro football. The mountain has always had a reputation for fairness, contrary to what other people might say. And it will be further illustrated by this because we will have for the fourth consecutive. executive week, a different person to top the mountain. This is because Patrick has to drop. Oh.

Patrick threw a, listen, I understand the yardage numbers were good and all of that. Patrick threw a pick six that ended up flipping the game. You drop because of that even if the rest of the game you played really well. You were a favorite. You lost fair as fair. Just stays where he is. And for the first time ever, and I believe only the sixth different person, I'll have to check the full archives, to ever be a top of the time ever. atop the mountain.

Wow. Baker Mayfield. Wow. Shout out to Baker and also shout out to Baker for one of my favorite quotes of the week, which was paraphrasing. Yeah, that thing that I did yelling at the fans, I've been doing that in my whole career. When I was in Cleveland, y'all hated it.

Now y'all love it. It's just because I'm playing better. That is the latest edition. Now it shows cuts. You're trying to figure out who's been on top. Baker, Jalen, Josh, Lamar, Patrick. And I believe there was a mountain that Joe Burrow was in your whole time of all the years of doing. I mean, we've only been doing it for three and a half years.

Still, wow, Baker's in the half, doesn't? Yeah, I mean, and for some reason I feel like golf might have been a top at once. He didn't get that. I don't think you've ever made golf or top the mountain. Okay, I again, we're going to have to check the archives. Greg. Topped the mountain. Josh, got into the mountain.

So the mountain was, it's very interesting. I could mess around with a couple of, but the one that I want to focus on is DAC. I feel like if I were able to move a guy up, I would move DAC up. And again, this is not knocking anybody above DAC, but he has an argument that can be made that there's been no other player.

If you're in Tampa, you are definitely going to have this argument as well with Baker. But for DAC, there's no other player in the National Football League that has entered into this year with more expectation to do more and to be more for his country. be more for his club. And he has delivered.

Not in, not in terms of wins like some of these other guys like Baker, but in terms of productivity, absolutely. He's had the most completions, the most attempts because they're asking him to do more. Their running game is benefiting because of what he's able to do in the passing game. He's about to get George Pickens paid. That is true. I mean, he's elevating the guys around him and I can't speak more to it, but I, I could, but I'm not. Even when you look at the defense, the defense is poor. They're giving up the

most yards. They're giving up, like, top four or bottom four, I should say, in points, yet alone, this guy, because of what he's able to do offensively and with the weapons that he's been provided, no CD Lamb, may I add. It's a captain's team averaging over 30 points a game. The most yards in football as far as total offense, it's been impressive to see what he has been able to do. I know the record doesn't suggest that he should be because of it's a tapestry. And what you're saying is fair because he has two wins as far as the record goes, Patrick has two wins. His record's better.

Yeah, two, and one versus two and three. I what I again, it's not left to right. However, if I were ranking the guys on that third row, I would coincidentally have Dak first. And what Dak, Josh, Patrick, and Baker all having common this year. is, in my opinion, their offense asks them to basically do everything. I understand Josh has James Cook, but everything runs through him. For bakery, he has a mecca, Buku's been unbelievable, but he's been orchestrating

the comebacks. Patrick still leads the chiefs in rushing, which is, again, not a good stat. And Dak has had, Dak, again, has good weapons. Great when CDs, they're good when he's not. But the defense is so bad he has to do everything. So I understand the point. I think the three guys above him are deserved to be above him, but I have no issue with what you said about Dak.

I want to talk about J. Why so low? Jay. Why so low? J-Lo. The Red Bull. Y'all are not feeling J-Lo on this show. I'm the only one.

I mean, I'm the only one. And I'm not saying he should be in the second row. Move him up a row. I don't think anybody in that row above him made Donald Jones hurts is playing better than him. What? Only Jones has a higher passer rating. He's got Jackson's, I mean,

Donald, I'm sorry, has a higher passer rating. And he's got Jackson Smith and Jigba who's playing like might be the best receiver in the league. And only Daniel Jones has a higher yards per attempt than J-Lo, but J-Lo has two more touchdowns than Jones does while playing one fewer game. All right, not to mention, let's see, Sam Darnold, I mentioned Jackson Smith and Jigna. Daniel Jones has Jonathan, Jonathan Taylor doing his thing. Drake May has a rejuvenated Stefan Diggs.

Now, some of that's made, but still, Diggs is an elite talent. We know that J-Lo does not have a. wide receiver in the top 65 as far as yards, total yards. But is that partially because they're spreading it out? And they have so many. They just have a bunch of options. If you got one great one or even close to great, you feed them. You know that.

Like you, I get it. They do have about four good receivers. But if he had one great one or even close to that, he would be getting him the ball more. He doesn't have a wide receiver in the top 90 as far as receptions. You're not arguing that Drake May has better weapons than J-Lo, are you? Well, Stefan Diggs is having a very good season. And J-Lo's top rusher, Josh Jacobs, who I do like, he's only averaging three yards of carry. He's only average three yards of carry.

So I'm just saying like eight touchdowns, one pick. He's top five impasse rating. I think J-Lo should be up. Listen, it's hard to move up off a buy. And so that's the other thing that hurts him. So maybe, but I know you thought he should have been moved up last week. I think this group, I don't think it's that we're not in love with J-Lo like you. I think it's more, we are more bothered by, it's, they played weeks one, three, and four.

Week three, he threw a pick, lose the game. And week four, they almost blew that game as well at his hand. So I just think that is... But he also had a great game. He had a great game. No, no, no, no. That game he had a great game, and then at the end, there was that. I understand what you're saying.

If I were to flip him with anybody, again, it's not left to right, but oddly, I'd probably flip him with Jalen Hertz, but I didn't want to argue with the wilds. Go ahead. Jared Goff. Greg, this is a little bit for you. Also, Echo is one of my friends who is from Detroit, who just randomly sends me Jared Gough data. Wasn't asking for it.

It's like, here's the... a three page text on Jared Gough. I said, you know what? I'll have a little bit of Jared Gough love. I would flip Gough and Mahomes. They're playing each other. They're, when it's like, that game is Sunday night. Mahomes has never beaten Gough once with the Lions and that opening name.

The other game was with the ramp, so we didn't really do a huge thing about it. So this is golf this year. And I know that Danny likes to do a lot of Herbert Payton Manning stuff. Here's Gough and Peyton Manning. 12 passing touchdowns and a 75% completion percentage in the first five games. Peyton won MVP, made Super Bowl. Golf MVP talks. I know I'm like Mr. MVP talk guy, but golf is in the mix.

Then it's this season, golf versus Mahomes. Golf has got him in everything except passing yards. What about since the tackle that turn of the tide? I didn't do the tackle that turn in the tide because I didn't know if it was totally fair because he doesn't have a tackle that turn of the tide. But if there was, I would pro-rate the tackle the turn of that tide. and pre-teclet turn the tide. And then last three seasons, just so it's, again, this is pre-Teckle-turned

the tide. But Jared Gough has just been so good, and we just kind of, you know, wins, points, yards. Also, just as an added little bonus, we were very worried that the Ben Johnson effect would take everybody down a notch, and it hasn't seemed, maybe that first game against the Packers. But since then, Jared Gough has been cooked. He's been awesome.

Unfortunately, you're not giving enough. credit to tackle the turn of the tide. I mean, I do have the numbers. I oddly. You pulled up tackle turn of the tie? There it is. I mean, again, since the tackle the turn of the tide, he's been, it. Listen, they still lowered in golf.

I'm not, I'm not giving him a pass for the pick six. The pick six hurts him. Six and one and 12 and two line up. Yeah, but that's not, that's oddly not including his rushing touchdowns, which I saw Josh made you put at the very bottom of your fancy graphic. Or Patrick had more passing yards and then an additional 38 rushing yards. and three rushing down. That's fine.

I'm not here. This tackle the turn of the tide. So I'm just saying, luckily they get to play each other this Sunday night and we'll see. See that little fancy thing? See how the home has more passing yards and then an additional 38 rushing yards. And Jared Gough doesn't run.

So I give him 11 and 2. I'm just telling you. Actually 12 if you count the pick to the other team. Exactly right. Yeah. Well done. Good job. Okay, that's a 30 minute A block.

See how the rest of the show goes. Stop is getting floated next. Bruce Ravens facing a must winner. Is Bruy going to just be in a bad spot? That's next. If you get a chance, check out our podcast. Some people are calling it the Alperin Schengoon of Podcasts. I heard it's good, but then when you give it a shot,

you're like, whoa, this is way better than I realize. That's not bad. Yeah. The shingoon of podcast. Have you listened to the podcast? Yeah, roughly the 18th best in the world. That would be excellent. Could he be top 10 this year?

Oh, I think that's going to be hard. Just throwing it out there. I'm not saying he will. I mean, what was he last? Was he second team? 13. 13. But I think he's trying to elbow, you know, his way on to the shooting.

Welcome everybody. Time now for a segment that grows more literal by the day. And it is scored must win. First up, the Eagles and their bipolar offense taking on the Giants tonight. Looking to bounce back from their first loss of the year. Saquant going up against his old team, which he feasted on, remember, in his last homecoming to the tune of 170. 76 yards.

Serious, I want to break the record? He's like, I'm fine. I got plenty of yards. Well, not this year. Down from 125 to 53. Who won last week?

Do we remember? Coach one. So Greg, that is your seat. You can choose to pass or play. I will play. Okay, here we go. This is definitely a must win. Look, this is a team that was setting the pace for not only the league,

but definitely the NFC in terms of the one seed. And now you tripped up, obviously, against the Broncos. and the style of which you have been playing is being in question. You have an opponent where you just got to win the games you're supposed to win. This is a game that you're supposed to win. I don't care how it's supposed to. I don't care how it looks, but you can't put yourself in a situation where you're fighting at the end of the season

to get home playoff games because road eagles in the playoffs is different than home eagles in the playoffs. The two old games that Jalen Hertz has had, he's lost. both against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. When they play at home, it's a different team. And you're supposed to win this game. Go out there and get it. Yeah, so I don't think a win in and of itself does much for Billy. We've seen them be plenty, you know, upset or dysfunctional might be too strong.

But post a win, I know post this loss, they had a two-hour meeting, Jalen, AJ, and Seekwan. And this is really a Kevin Wilde's take that I've co-opted. That meeting's too long. Anything, marriage counseling is 55 minutes, guys. Anything that wasn't accomplished the first 45 minutes of that meeting is not going to be accomplished in minute 102. But that's either here or there. The answer is this, KW, and you alluded to it. It's a must have Sequin go off game.

If Sequin Barkley against the league's sixth worst rushing defense in a game where he should be fresh since he got one second half carry last week cannot go off, then we just need to accept Okay, this is going to be a down year for Sequin. They are not going, and in his career, his super high usage years have been followed by at least slight, if not significant dips, and last year was his highest usage year by a mile. So it's a must win with Seekwon having a monster game. If we are still going to think about him as anything close to last year, Seekon.

Definitely a must win after that play. players only meeting, whatever it was. You don't want to lose that momentum coming out of a meeting like that. You come out of that where everybody's talked about it like, oh, wow, okay, this is going to solve something. And lose to the hapless giants, not good. Secondly, Nick was right about Sequin. The problem is he didn't name it. It's the must S squared game.

Must salvage Sequine game. All right? You got your former team you're playing against, right? And they're one of the worst rushing defenses in the lead. I'm saying everything I said. Well, you didn't say that. They give up 140 yards a game. Okay.

And they allow five and a half yards of carry. You go in there getting three yards of pop, something's wrong. Sequin hadn't had a hundred yard game all season. Only 73 yards rushing the last two games combined. All right. Thank you. Throw in the towel. Guys, yikes.

Wave it off. Obviously won nothing. Oh, sorry. Sunday at one on Fox. Rams and Ravens favored by more than a touchdown. Now, Brew, you retired a show Mainstay, and it might not come back against this powerful Rams offense. Let's look at the Rams offense. It's excellent with it powered by everybody's all-American Matthew Stafford. Ravens defense continues to be terrible.

Here, of course, is what you retired. Oh, wow. All of your Raven stuff. where we're just waiting for the day that we can bring it back out. This would be a win worthy of bringing it back, but Lamar is not here. So.

Okay. I mean, that'd be making great. You can just break the rules. Nick, it's your turn. You're down one nothing. It is not a must win because if they lose, everyone's just going to say, all right, after the buy, Lamar's back and you have bears, dolphins, Vikings,

Browns, Jets, Bengals, rip off five out of six or something, and you're right back in. it. However, a win would flip the season for them. Ooh. Because if they steal this win and then have that exact schedule coming up and Lamar coming back, they can sit there and say, guys, we're two and four. Like we're two and four, we, as bad as that would have sounded going into the season, it wouldn't have sounded that bad at all three days ago knowing this is what was coming up

in front of us. And the Chiefs, who nobody's given up on, are going to go into week seven, either two and four or three and three, and people are going to think they're fine. So I don't think they have to win. If they do win, I think they undergo a bit of a transformation psychologically of, guys, it's going to be fine. Lamar's going to come back. The defense isn't going to stay the worst in the league. Psychological transformation? No, and if they won, it would, their defense would have to play well. I mean, Cooper Rush not putting up 40 points, I don't think. So that's true.

Not a must win. Nobody expects them to win without Lamar. Like Nick said, the schedule, one out of six, he named the teams, but only one of those six teams has a winning record. So, I mean, I said it, that Chicago game, a couple weeks ago, that Chicago game, that's really their season. That could be their season. So that's a huge game out of the buy, assuming Lamar will be. back. Here's the other thing. It's also a not a must win for the Ravens,

but it is a must win for the Rams. Rams have lost two of their last three. People think they're a Super Bowl contender, but they lost to San Francisco as banged up as they are with, no offense, but Matt Jones at quarterback. And so they got it.

Look, Stafford has been putting up 400 yards a game almost over the last two. He's got to cook against the team. If they don't, and they lose, Your morale is really dropping in a tough division that is going to be hard to survive. So, yeah, must win for the Rams. It's a must win for the Ravens.

Look, I don't care who's playing. Number one, are you going to compete? As a player, are you going to compete? Who are you? Because we don't recognize who you are right now. As Raven flock nation, whatever you used to be, we need to see it. So with or without Lamar, you need to win. You need to show up and play like a Raven.

Whatever that means to you in that building, do it. Must win. Give me that point, Wild. That's all the action. Well, you guys are like, well, you're going to be like one in 14. They can make a run. They're losing a lot of games. It's got to be a must win.

I didn't know theatrics got. That's the only thing. Well, it's time now for the bonus round. All right. This is worth three points, so it's still anybody's ball. No, it's actually with two points. So it's anybody's ball game. I'm sorry.

I thought it was worth three points. Bengals and Green Bay. Flacko picking his Sinti debut as a 14-point underdog. Now, the weird part is he's already beaten the Packers. But it was the worst win by any quarterback this season, but it still counts in the win column. Here he was against the Packers defense. Hey, that was enough for Cincinnati to sign him.

So is this a must win for the Packers? Again, this is the bonus. But, Brew, you're leading off. Absolutely. It is definitely a must win. They haven't won in their last two games. I know they tied one, but still, they have one. They've lost that momentum from the great start with the two big wins over Detroit and Washington.

And it is a get-back game at Joe Flacko, a payback game because he beat him with Cleveland. On top of it being a must-win for Green Bay. it is a must turn back the clock game for Joe Flacko. Two just a few weeks ago. No, to a couple years ago. He has turned back the clock before. Two years ago in Cleveland, he was left for dead. He was old.

Everybody had written him off. He goes out there, has a great run, and leads them to the playoffs. He must turn back the clock and play well to keep Jamar Chase and T. Higgins engaged. And really the rest of the team, If they go out there and lose their fourth straight game and Flacco plays poorly, he's supposed to be the Calvary.

And he doesn't have it, then those guys might zone out for the rest of the season. Wals, mark this point down. It's a must win. You're coming off a buy. Clearly we know that you got extra time to prepare for a team that everybody in your division who has played them thus far, aka Detroit, Minnesota has smacked them. And just for giggles, real talk, guys, I'm gonna be there. I'm gonna be in the building, get it done.

Look, we want antics, I'll give you antyk! You bet not lose this game. And when I come to practice on Saturday, I better see effort like I'm going to see that translates to winning a game against the Bengals. We don't care about no stinking bangles. Who they? Nobody cares.

Win the game. What type of practice? What? They do the day before the game walk through at the hotel. Nick? I don't even know that Nick should go. They're not on the road. They're just going to be walking.

You're like, I want to see it in your eyes. I want to see the attention of detail. They don't know what that is. I know what it looks like. Coach, hold on. I want to run that again. Oh, yeah. Walk through.

Repeated. I didn't like the way I saw it. You were in a tough spot. You were in a tough spot. I'm not even going to try to get the point. I'm just going to try to get two quick pieces of analysis. One is what is a must have is the Packer defense looked like. It looked the first three weeks and not the game.

We saw them tie against the Cowboys. Their path to the Super Bowl is having a top three defense in football. We thought they were going to have that. And the last one, this is an oldie but a goody that I just, I can't help myself but to bring up whenever something like this happens. Once upon a time, a lot of our friends and family in the media swore. You could never sign a quarterback off the street and ask them to play within one or two or three weeks. It was impossible.

They needed a month. Colin Kaepernick's not getting blackballed. It's just that it takes them a month to pick up a game plan. Since then, Baker flew southwest to L.A. won a game six hours later. Joe Flacco was a brown this week and is playing for the Bengals in two days. And everyone's like, oh, see how it works. That was always a farce.

Give Greg the point. That wasn't bad, though. That wasn't bad. Thank you. Greg still. Walks away. Walks away. No, I was just saying it was addicted to control.

Coming up next, special edition of Brew's ballot. Is Jared Gough going to be at top of the ballot? That's next. It's going to be a surprising ballot to you guys. Right now, however, we're back to the Brin Iron with Brew's ballot. Brew, this is usually a, what do we do this Tuesday? Tuesdays. This is usually a Tuesday staple.

Yeah. This one was tough. I bet. Because we're still early in the season. So there's a lot going. Why is Jordan Love? Sorry. Because they, he has two of the best victories in the league this season.

Detroit, which is one of the top. teams in the league. I want to see where they are on the tiers, but they might be at the top. Detroit's playing great. Washington, we just saw them come back with Jaden and get a good win. Two of the best wins and the single worst loss. And no, I mean, Mahomes throws a pick six 99 yards and we brush over. We didn't brush over. We led the show with it.

Yeah, but he was great otherwise. I mean, it was a mistake. I mean, you know. They just read. They were just a gross. They had to scored three points. I mean, they had two one and one. But the dude is cooking.

He's number five. Two one and one. Two wins. Everybody on my ballot, unlike some people in here, got a winning record. How about that? That's a little hint to y'all. Number four, Josh Allen. Hadn't been phenomenal the last two weeks.

I think he was number one on there last week. Yeah, last week number one. Three turnovers in his last two games. But with all due respect to James Cook, who is a very good running back. It's so much is on his shoulders. He's carrying that team. I don't think he has a great receiver,

so I still have him on the ballot, but he's number four. Number three, I had this guy number two, but he and number two, I had to really look closely. Golf is having a fantastic year. Number one offense in the league. He's second to Lamar and pass rating with 120,

leads the league with 12 touchdown passes. And like you guys said earlier, no Ben Johnson, no problem. At number two, everybody's all-American. I got to give him love. He's throwing for 300 yards a game. The last two games, he's got 764 yards combined. He's, you know, cooking with, I think, 11 touchdowns with just second to golf. I know he's had some, they've had some bad losses, but he is cooking so off.

He thinks he's playing better. He's throwing for 300 yards a game. He thinks he's playing better. I mean, the records are not that difference. It's hard. It's hugely different. It's twice as many long. At number one, Baker Mayfield.

I mean, I got to give love to Baker. Four game winning come back, game winning drives in the last minute this season. You too. This is got burgers. Hold on. That's supposed to be on there? No. No, that's not what Greg's going to be mad about.

Oh, what? Golf should be number one, you think? Come on, man. We really need to do that. Daniel Jones? Daniel Jones should have a spot above Jordan Love. With six passing touchdowns in five games. Daniel Jones has been better than Jordan Love this year.

Has he? Yes. Really? Because Jordan Love doesn't have Jonathan Taylor. Oh, and glitin and shaking and running for leading the league in yards. He got Josh Jacobs who I like. I love Josh Jacobs, actually. Do you?

But he's only averaging 3.3 yards of carry this year. For who? All right? He got, he don't, I told y'all. He don't have a top 100 receipts. What is his fault? It's coming up. Oh, yeah.

That is something speciality. That first one, it raised. I don't know what. He is definitely the number one under the rest. That first cowboy, Roo, get that, I'm not feeling that. That's why he's under the rest. I don't know. Live from New York, if you show that happened.

Nine different franchises coming up in the next 60 minutes. If you've ever seen the show and said, you know what, I like that little segment, it's in today's show. Yeah, we're off Tuesday and Wednesday. We've got to get it all in. Jam packed. Also coming up, Tigers, Mariners, deep analysis. Might end up a podcast exclusive.

We've got to talk to Gianna, if there's room for that on the podcast. I know you love it. Second hour of first things first. Today, the committee met deep into the night. It's a special edition of Tears. that's coming up in about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, are the Eagles on upset alert. It's the one segment we are not doing upset alert.

Yeah, correct, because we are on the air tomorrow. But I got confused from Dusty. But right now, of course, it's time for the most motivational segment in all the sports. It's also a time where to read some viewer mail. Sometimes I get physical mail from the post office. You know, it goes down to the post office? Yeah, of course.

Well, you're looking at your notes. You're paying attention to the letter. No, I was honestly debating whether or not I was going to point out for the first. fifth time in the last six weeks that Christina has been promoted. She runs the OT show and you should stop making her spend her valuable time walking goes down she goes down she's just gracious also don't know she walks I think she takes dusty scooter no she's far too smart great work ethic.

Comments this time. Oh from last week's Bud list on YouTube subscribe to the YouTube channel. Oh wow one brew in the first things first crew better get the brew cinematic universe onto the same level as the MCU. Remember we mentioned the, do you know what the Marvel Cinematic Universe is? You know what that is? Now I do. It's like all the more Iron Man and Captain

America. They all know with Dusty. Dusty talking about it all the time. The first thing for cinematic Bruniverse. This is something we as fans want to see expanded. Bruniverse. Bruniverse is good. And Professor Brou, Cowboy Bruce Sandwich and Injured

are all characters in the Bruce CU. So there was overwhelming response that this took off. So here are all the different brews injured brew, Brutow, Muscular Brew, Robed Brew, Cowboy Brew, Ballot Brew. That's just your normal self. We tried to introduce a new one. Was that James Bond? Yes. I love. Captain Easy Stance. Captain Easy Stance is the hero in the brew cinematic universe. There you go. Keeps expanding. Wow. Wow. A true Thesbian with quite a range. Yes, thank you. You guys finally recognized. It took a

a while, but you were 100% right up. And Greg can act too. Well done. Oh, yeah. Greg with the go team? Was that go team real? That was real. Okay.

Did you bring that back? He's way. He got it right now. No, but it was long. All right. All right. Here we go. Number three, Aaron Rogers.

Wow. MVP talks. No. Well, I will say that he's not in the MVP conversation, but he's quietly having a very good year. As Wallace pointed out earlier, he's got eight touchdown passes, ties him with several guys for like top five in the league. I mean, there's a bunch of guys with eight,

a bunch of guys with nine. But he's doing well. He is top 10 in pass a rating. 102, which is like his best since his last MVP season in Green Bay. Right. Second last year in Green Bay. Yeah. So he's playing well.

But the thing is this, nobody believes in the Steelers. You guys probably know this. They're three and one. The Ravens are one in four. yet the Ravens are still favorite to win the AFC North and you got Cleveland

coming to town for I'm sorry Cleveland Cleveland is playing Pittsburgh and you figure you should win that game you're 4 and 1 Ravens will be 1 in 5 if they lose which everybody expects them to

to the Rams without Lamar that is a sizable lead even if the Ravens get it rolling you still, with Mike Tomlin coaching, the defense starting to play well, have held their last two opponents to about 17 points a game. They got an opportunity to win the division and obviously make the playoffs.

And then even if they lose in the playoffs, whether it's first, second round, Rogers, if he retires, can really go out of here in somewhat of a little blaze of glory. So it's all there on the table for you, Aaron, but you got to do it this week. I actually think this is going to be a tough. game.

This might be my upset alert. Wow. Because Cleveland, you know, they play some team stuff. They obviously be green pay. And yes, that's right. So, Aaron, I'll be watching closely. Okay. All right.

At number two, Patrick Mahomes. All right. Fair. Now, Mahomes is playing well. And I would say, Nick, a lot of it is the eye test. He looks really good with the eye test. The stats aren't eye, but I know he threw. for over 300 last game.

Well, here we go, though. There was, so his passer rating total is still 93. Yeah. That's 19th in the league. All right, obviously that's not great. He had the great game against Baltimore, which we seem to say every week for that quarterback, but he had four touchdowns in that game, but every passing, this is all passing. Every other game, though, the other four, he's only had one touchdown pass in each game.

So playing well, like it looks better than it actually. actually reads statistically. He's obviously running the football well. But the team, of course, is two and three. And this is a game, though, that unlike the Baltimore win, if you beat Detroit, this will age well. Like Baltimore obviously isn't aging that well at this point. But you beat Detroit. That's going to age well.

You beat a very good team still without your best receiver, one of them in Rashid Rice. And now I think momentum that you lost in that this weekend. against Jacksonville last weekend, you get back if you beat Detroit. Also, there's the Jared Gough thing. You said it earlier. Jared Goss the only current starter in the league that Mahomes is faced that he hasn't beaten. And golf has actually outplayed Mahomes statistically in these games, which is very rare for somebody to do that. So this is kind of a good chance for Patrick to get the team rolling again, but also to get a little get back on Jerry.

at golf. Boat, you know I believe in you. All right, at number one. Gino, I am not sleeping on you. I'm comatose. All right?

I am dead to the world when it comes to the Raiders. I'm knocked out wild. You can't wake me up. Bro. Still doing the segment. I'm sorry. We started talking about the Raiders

and I got, I fell asleep. Gino! Now, I know people think I don't like Gino. No, you like him. I do. I do like Gino. You like him. I just, I'm just about tough love.

That's true. All right, Nick and while, y'all, y'all just crazed Gino for, you know, playing fairly well, being, oh, he's become a franchise quarterback. And y'all praise him. Yeah. I believe Gino can do more. So I challenge him to be better. And Gino, you got to be better.

Nine interceptions already. Nine. I mean, only. He's on pace for 30, bro. Only Jake Browning and Joe Flacco and the prince. You're saying. A little theme here? The Prince, Gino.

What about what about them? They're the only ones within the realm of Gino as far as interceptions. Oh, the only ones are even close. All right. Jake Brown, he's got eight. So, Gino, this is the weekend to turn it around. You got Tennessee. Tennessee, all right?

Probably the worst team in the league. All right. If you don't cook against them, And they're coming off of victory so they're feeling good about themselves. This is your chance to cook and turn it around. Because now people are like, Gino was the one that went pumpkin mode. We've been waiting for somebody to go pumpkin mode. And Gino, after a nice three-year run, I don't think you've gone pumpkin mode.

I actually still believe in you to turn it around, but it's got to start this weekend. And like I said, Gino, I believe in it. Oh, wow. I do. Excellent, Bud List. That was tough love. I'm pulling for it. I definitely liked the Gino ad.

That was a good ad. Thank. I'm going to throw Jamar Chase up here. Wow. I know a lot of people are like, what? He doesn't have his quarterback. And that's why I'm throwing them up here, because Jamar, this is not really a knock on you.

You've been as good as you have been, but we need you to be better. And not just better statistically, better in the building, better on the practice field, and more importantly, just better as a leader now. Like, you don't have Joe Burrell. Now, a few more months down the road, we'll see. But right now you got a guy coming in, Joe Flacco, and you got a guy that is your counterpart and T. Higgins that has been playing below standard. You've been trying to hold up your end.

We need you to be more vocal. We need you to do everything you possibly can as a player to solidify the fact. Now, you earned it, you deserve it, and you are paid as one of the best players in the game. I want to see it show up. Regardless of record, I want to see continued effort, and you've been giving that. I want to see you get the best out of the guys that you're on the field with. That means any quarterback that's in there, you need to say, and do whatever is necessary to elevate their game.

You need to talk to your counterpart, T. Higgins, and say, my man, I need more. I need more out of you. Regardless if we're going to win these games, we can't be a reason why we are not having success, not only as a team, but isolated as an offensive unit because we were dependent upon to be special. Be that, despite what you don't have.

Now, you've been putting up your number. And I want to show everybody your numbers because we need to do a little bit of everything. You've been putting up the yards. We need more touchdowns. But even if you got to tackle. That's a lot of tackle. I need you to tackle. Five tackles.

That's a lot of tackle. We need you to do everything that we possibly can have you do in Cincinnati if Houdai Nation is going to stand up. You got a tall task in front of you this week, but it's nothing to a real one, right? So be a real one. Look to your left and your right. I bet you can add a couple of your left. more tackles this week. You might be, might have to.

How many tackles do you have in your career? Probably about three. If that. He had three last week. Yeah, he did. At one point, he literally was leading the Bengals and tackles last week. Like, I mean, it's been rough. Yeah.

Jamar. But if there's anybody that can get through it is you. That's motivational too. It's 412 on the dot. We nailed it. It's time now whether you like it or not for the sports media ombudsman. All right, I think you're going to like it in Today is one where the sportsman on buds would like to give some flowers.

Oh, good. Wow. So I know it, and don't put the bar up yet if we could, but I want to talk about Ali Connolly for a moment. So if you guys, you're like, where do I know that name? About nine months ago, Ali Connolly reported first all the way from England where he's based, Bill Belichick's going to be the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Hears. And people are like, huh?

Why does this guy have this story? But he had it. And by the way, shout out to him. He was on Sky Sports coverage of the NFL games from London. He has a great substack called the Read Optional. He often goes on my favorite NFL podcast, NFL Daily, Craig Rosenthal. Ali Connolly, for some reason or another, has the Belichick story more than anyone, which is why when yesterday he tweeted the following, and I'll read you some of his tweets,

per sources, Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options. with North Carolina's hierarchy, Belichick has signaled a willingness to trigger his own million dollar buyout if he can find a soft landing if you can find a soft landing with another team or in media. He went on to write, members of Belichick's coaching staff have already spoken to other schools that are expected to be in the CFB

playoff about taking on roles during the postseason. From one coach, quote, The rats are leaving the ship. Again, that's from a coach. That's from a coach on the staff. Some staffers believe a change will come within two weeks. Then he sent a few more tweets in the last one. From one, UNC defensive assistant.

What we've done to these kids is bleeped up. Now, two things. One is shout out to me for reading that off the screen in front of me. You don't know how small that was. I was, good job by me there because I was really testing the old eyesight. But here's the point. Belichick's tenure at Carolina's over. You can put it on the bar now,

which means Bill Belichick's coaching career is over. Yes. And this is going to be a real test in can you actually go backwards in legacy? Because this has been such a farce and such an unmitigated disaster if he is essentially quitting during year one, when it is young people, it is college,

it's not the pros, I know they're paid, but when you have 70 students transfer to play for you, and we are in early October, and your own assistants are making international calls to Great Britain to be like, oh man, we're looking for jobs this season. That said, looking for landing spots during this postseason because you keep getting dog walked by every Power 5 school you face. What does that mean for Belichick how he is remembered? And again, I am not someone that tries to do the revisionist history on a Belichick, you know, without Brady because Belichick's first three Super Bowles, Tom Brady wasn't yet Tom Brady.

I am taking nothing away from what he accomplished from 01 to 20 in New England. Yeah. But this last half-decade brew has been covered in embarrassment, odd decisions, a very weird personal life that has become very public, and now one of the most disastrous tenures in the history of major college football that might be over before it started. And so I think it's done. I trust Ali Connolly.

If he's saying it, I believe him. Yeah, because they were denied, you know, both camps kind of came out and denied it. But it's over. But, yeah, look, I think this is a great conversation. I am one. And like you said, you can't take anything away from Belichick's legacy as far as, like, he's arguably the goat. Yep. But I am one that has pointed out whether it was Cleveland, whether it was New England, whether it's this, UNC.

He hasn't done really much at all, much winning at all without Tom Brady. And I get that he was Brady was not Brady in those first three Super Bowl. So Belichick gets a ton of credit for that. that team did turn around as soon as Brady took the starting job. Soon as he just, for whatever reason, it was something about Brady that got them to win. But I would say when you said his legacy, I do think it, I have in the past said he's the goat. I think this puts, and I just said it, and arguably in front of there for sure, now when you bring up an Andy Reid or some other coach, I think it may people won't just scoff at it. Like, what are you talking about?

He's got six Super Bowls. But I look at Phil Jackson in New York, which was bad, you know, but it wasn't embarrassing. Think about that. No, I'm just saying, my point is this. I'm saying that did not hinder Jackson's legacy at all. Jordan with the Wizards did not take away from his legacy. I don't, I don't think this.

I hear you, Nick, but I don't think, I think he should go into media, and I think he'll be beloved. See, I don't think it'll ruin. See, that's the thing. KW, like I think this cements he will not get another chance to coach. No, he won't. Probably. I would say a media.

If he wants to consult, but he can't consult, that's the problem. He wants to be the king. He should be the king and run everything. I don't know if he has the bandwidth for it right now. We say you should do media. He will need to do it differently than he did it last year. Last year, it seemed like he was just auditioning for jobs. Oh, yeah.

And taking like the only time he was critical. He's really good. Right. I think he could be good. He was critical about the Jets, the Patriots at times. But every like so I think he could be good at it. But it what it didn't seem to be his real goal. His goal was to get the job.

I don't know. I think he'd be good. First thing first overtime. Just saying. I think he'll be great. Yeah. But it's it's a bad finish. I don't think this is going to be a bad finish.

But it is an awkward fit. Janice making the bud list. Talked about how long he is from Milwaukee. Take a listen. I've said this many times. I want to be in situations that I can win. And now I'm here. I believe in this team.

It's definitely going to be hard. We're going to take it day by day. But I'm here. The moment that I step in on this court in this facility where this jersey, the rest does not matter. I'm locked into whatever I have in front of me. Knife in six, seven months. I changed my mind.

I think that's human too. You're allowed to make any decision you want. Okay, so Brew, my question to you is this. Can that philosophy actually work in practice? Where I am 100% locked in here, day to day, focused on what's in front of me, the game in front of me, the play in front of me, who we have to play tomorrow, maybe. I'm not looking long term.

Or is there already cracks in the foundation that prevents you from playing at your best that will hasten his, hasten means go faster? Hasten your exit from Milwaukee. I actually think with Janus, it can work. Because people know his, first of all, he's going to give 110%.

We know that. Practice games. And people know his character. Like his teammates know his character. And they know, I don't think there's going to be any question about how hard he's playing. The problem with the bucks,

they're not going to be good enough. Correct. That's just all there is to it. And I think what you need to watch is the trade deadline. At some point, McHale Bridges will become movable at some point for the Knicks

during the season. Yeah, but the Knicks don't have picks. Right. But if he's saying he just wants to go to. And I think from both standpoints, New York wants to see what they look like. Because right now, on paper it's New York and Cleveland

atop the east. I can tell you. They look better with Yannis. No, I hear, I hear you. Regardless. I do hear you. And I'm not, like Nick said, the picks are what kind of has stalled stuff. But I'm saying if you're New York and you don't look quite as good as you thought you would.

And if you're Milwaukee and it's just we're mediocre, that's when something could be done. It feels a little. And again, I would never think this would, this was a unique situation. When we knew that Durant wanted out in the Dremont conversation that they had. felt like that was finally. Well, they still would have won that championship, but for Duran getting hurt. True.

Oh, it's fresh edition of tears. The hits keep coming. Next on first things first. Oh, welcome back to a great power packed edition of first things first. Let me get you caught up to speed. Last night, after a long day of gardening. God, dog. An elite committee of analysts,

Mission Impossible enthusiasts, and card sharks, fought and toiled while, covered in soil to deliver the best segment in all of sports. It's an honor and a privilege to present a Thursday edition of Nick's Tears. Yeah, that gardening was a two-day experience. In America, when folks tell you, man, I love what I do. I'd work if they didn't pay me. I'd never believed that until I had two unexpected days off from work,

and I found out what that turns into around my house, which is I was neat. We live in the middle of Manhattan, and I'm garbage. for two days straight. I'm not a man built on manual labor. I'll tell you that one right now. I'm glad to get back to the tears. Committee came in. Let's get to it.

Happy news. No new eliminations. Oh, good. For the second, we can show you the eliminated tiers. It's the same as before because the rules facing elimination last week for the second time this year. And they avoided it the Carolina Panthers. Both times when facing elimination, they've won. There is one team, however, facing elimination this week.

It's the Raiders. Wow. What a fall makes me sad, but they're supposed to make the fun. They're one and four. They still could. But if they lose to the Titans, they're eliminated. They're one and four. They're facing elimination.

Fair is fair. Can you imagine how embarrassed you'd be if your team this year I'd lost to the Raiders? Yikes. Sorry, I'm not you. All right. Terrible, but not hopeless. The Ravens.

They're terrible, but they're They're not hopeless because Lamar will come back and you got to think the defense will improve. Oddly, that might be better than the next tier, which is not terrible but hopeless. Panthers, Browns, Giants, Bengals, Cardinals. They're not terrible. They even win a game, but they're hopeless. So it just is what it is. Again, I don't know what you'd rather be terrible but not hopeless or not terrible but hopeless,

but it is where it is. Here for the quarterback, Texans, Falcons, Bears. And let me be clear on this. The Texans defense has been great. And the Falcons have other really interesting players. And the Bears, I think, have a really solid overall roster. The reason they are called here for the quarterback is because what is intriguing about those teams is how good is that quarterback?

How good will he be for CJ? Can he reclaim what he had? For Pinnix, his performances go from, you know, high to just awful seemingly weak to week. And Caleb is one of the most fascinating figures in the league. And I think all three of those teams are about similar caliber. This is one of the, you know, Marshall who names the tears. He goes to this one quite a bit, potentially frisky.

I don't know what Marshall's into, but he sure likes the word frisky. Cowboys, Vikings, Steelers. What are you implying? I don't know. The Cowboys offense is one. that's scary. The Vikings, a weird three and two. Are they going to get better at quarterback when J.J.

McCarthy comes in? I don't know, honestly. And the Steelers, to your point, Bru, they're three and one. Rogers has good numbers. I don't really fully believe in any of these teams, but as Marshall put, of their potentially frisked. Flashes of brilliance, Broncos Chargers,

who are kind of fighting for the same real estate this year, actually. The Broncos, when, When Bo Nix is on, the Broncos look really, really good because that defense every week performs. And the Chargers win Herbert has some protection and they're mixing in some runs. It's like, well, it's a good defense. That's a great coach. The Quentin Johnson's having breakout here. But the problem is for both of these teams, the flashes of brilliance are intermixed with some really disappointing play.

whether it be overthrows by Bo Nix or sacks taken by Herbert. Like you feel like you can bottle if you could bottle their best, they would be some of the best teams in the league. Don't do it enough. Huge week sixes, Washington and Seattle, who I think are almost identical in quality this season. For Washington, it's one versus two, Jaden versus Caleb. Last year, that was the Hail Mary game that kind of flipped the two seasons.

For Seattle, got to go all the way across the country and a little south to Jacksonville for a really tough matchup of two. I think it's fair to say, really solid football teams. The four and one Jags and the three and two Seahawks, but neither of which has, you know, all three of those teams, three combined losses, they've been right there. Seattle and week one almost had it against San Francisco, obviously lost to Baker in the last second. The Jags won loss. They should have won, in my opinion, against Cincinnati. So huge week sixes. Are you for real?

Patriots Jags, Colts. And I think these teams are for real. I don't know it yet. For the Patriots, they're, if we took a five-minute clip of every team's worst five minutes of the year, the Patriots would be neck-and-neck with, the Titans and the terrible, the eliminated teams. That's hard to divorce yourself from when thinking about them as a real playoff contender.

But quarterback's playing really well. Rabel's good. They're offseason defensive edition, but helpful. The Jags, maybe they can live on defensive scores and forcing turnovers all year long. And maybe Trevor will take the momentum from Monday night and play better in the second half of the year. and the Colts have just been really good all year long. I mean, it is what is now they have made their money by annihilating the worst teams in football. And then their two games against decent teams have come down to the wire.

They won one. They lost one. So it's just a question, are you for real? We'll come down to the wire. And that's when these two teams play each other, and that's for this division. The Rams and the Niners. All these games feel like they are nip and tuck super close. And with respect to the Seahawks, I think this division is going to come down to week 18,

and it's going to be these two teams. Can be great, haven't been yet. The Chiefs and the Packers. So neither of these teams' records deserve to be anywhere near the top of the tiers. The Chiefs partially because of pedigree and partially because what we've seen from the offense post, obviously, tackle the turn the tide. And for the Packers, what we saw for them, defensively the first three weeks of the year and what we've seen from J-Lo at various points,

you feel like either of those teams can win the Super Bowl. Either of those teams can be great. Neither of those teams have been great teams yet. Excellent weird teams. Eagles, bills, bucks. They're excellent teams. They're all weird for different reasons. The Eagles because they just can't play a normal football game. The bills because they have one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the history of football, yet their best path to winning seems to be to ask him to do less. And when they do more, it doesn't work out. And the bucks can only function down a score late fourth quarter.

Let me turn it all on. And then atop the tiers for the first time this year, probably unbeatable. The Detroit Lions that had a one game hangover and then have been blasting everybody. And I got to tell you, I don't know who in the world is going to beat them next. But whoever it does, that must be a special, really, really good football team. And so they are at the top. They're probably unbeatable. I imagine they'll just go the rest of the way.

Certainly wouldn't lose this week. Greg, go ahead. I'm going to focus on the chiefs. And I'm going to move them down. Oh. And yes, you talked about who they played this week. And this isn't because I know there's kind of like you. every other team that you talk about.

When I talk about the chiefs, everybody thinks that I hate the chiefs. I don't hate the chiefs. I just speak honestly. And the honest truth right now, a lot of it is the poke at Nick. But the chiefs right now, as we stand, don't deserve to be this high on the tiers. Now I am not saying that they will not be and they will not even end up being one of the better teams in the league come the end of the season. But right now, both teams on that list, I love the name, can be great, haven't been yet. They both are undeserving, but I'm focusing

on the Chiefs. When you look at the game, you're not going to their practice Saturday. Exactly. Exactly. They can't get the motivation at talk. When you look at the game that they played against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night, like they did so many good things. They had so many good positive takeaways from that game. And yet, things. that we have not seen them do crept up to bite them. We've not seen. I heard you on the What's Right podcast.

I listened to you on the Cowell. Like everything that you said, we've not seen them lose in this fashion. When they get a lead, they don't relinquish it. They don't give it away. And we've seen this team do some odd things this year. And I just don't think that they're deserving to be this high on the list. Again, we know who Patrick Mahomes is.

We know who Andy Reid is. We know who Spags is in that defense. Even Chris Jones with the lack of effort and whatnot. I don't think that's who they'll be moving forward. But for right now, we got to knock this team down. And when you talk about that 49ers team and that Rams team and even some of those teams on that, are you for real bar? Like, you got to knock them down.

So here's the thing. So what you're saying is you could see them being deserving of this at the end of the year, but not right now. Correct. And that's, by the way, to add to your point maybe, that's kind of what Vegas is telling us and not to just appeal to Vegas, but Vegas has the Chiefs

with the fourth best odds to win the Super Bowl and the second best odds to win the AFC, which is very funny because they have the third best odds to win the AFC West, but the second best odds to win the conference because the feeling is once the playoffs start, there'll be a different team. But the other thing Vegas thinks is

that the Chiefs are that good right now as evidenced by the other thing on your screen. They are, how many, many teams in the league would be two and a half point favorites over the Lions this week. That's interesting. Honestly, I think only the bills and the Eagles in their building. I think those are the only teams that right now this week would be favorites against the lions. Do you think that?

And I find that like in Vegas, it doesn't always give the chiefs ton of credit. They've been home dogs twice this year. Yeah, that is telling. That is, like they think that this week that the chiefs. did turn a corner despite losing the game. Is there not to get too much into the gambling things, a lot of times we look at the odds as like, you know, gospel to a certain extent.

Is there because the chiefs are so popular and then is there more money coming in? Like people just believe in the homes kind of blindly. Well, I mean, are they a super public team is what you're asking? Yeah. For the futures bets, maybe, and that the Vegas, by the way, like that's been like Vegas has been burned by the Chiefs a lot. You know what I mean? If they,

because they keep making Super Bowls, on a week to week basis in the NFL, that doesn't really exist. Like there's not like the Duke style old school inflation of people are just going to blindly bet Duke, which is why the Chiefs, again, they've been home dogs twice this season.

And so I find that line telling. Now, part of that might be the Lions cornerback injuries, but probably not that much of that. So I'm going to move the Broncos up. Wow. And I think the Broncos can easily go on that, are you for real line? No question about they can go on there.

And I think they're certainly, I mean, we're wondering that about the Broncos. Are you for real? And they look like they're for real because of that defense. But you can say with a lot of teams, you can even point to the Chiefs game against Jacksonville. And well, if this had happened, they'd be three and two instead of two.

But with the Broncos, that loss to Indianapolis, which obviously is a good team, that really was. Like, if they don't have that penalty on a 60-yard field goal, then they win that. Yes. They win that game. So they should at least be four and one. The charges lost was still a very close game. And then, like I said, the defense, they're giving up 16 points a game. Second in the league.

They lead the league in sacks. They're top five in total defense. five against the run, top 10 against the past. Like, their defense is legit. And Bo Nix, I know he's been, at times doesn't look good. In times he looks great. But take away that first game where he had the two interceptions. And over his last four games, he's got eight touchdowns and two picks.

It's just a lot of miss. Like, where I'll give Sean Payton credit, guys are getting open. He is, you, you, the play is being run the way he thought it would. Bo hasn't seen. And Bo or when he sees him, he's overthrowing them. Yep. There's got, and so there's that piece of it. The only, I hear what you're saying.

My only minor pushback would be football gods kind of made it even on the Broncos. Isn't that? Yes, a kind of a ticky tack call cost them the Colts game. And then there was an egregious pass interference that wasn't called that maybe helped to win the Eagles game. And so, and the Eagles would have had to then go execute, I understand. But I think three and two, given how they played is probably their fair record. But yeah, and they have a soft part of the schedule coming up. They have Jets Giants next two weeks.

They should get to five and two. What do you think about this for a slogan? The tie that turned the tide. It's not terrible. It's not bad, right? Cowboys starting to believe in the Cowboys and DACA a little bit. Look at the Packers. Like, you know what?

We can go toe to toe with the Packers. Yeah, our defense isn't great, but we can put up 40. Packers can put up 40 and we'll be right there. I felt like while the tie was bad for the Packers, it was actually a little bit of momentum builder for the Cowboys. DAC this season, third in yards, and like Greg talked about, 10th in touchdowns, completion percentage of six, playing great without CD Lamb. And then, Brew, your guy, and you said this before the season started, it may have been during prediction week, most rushing yards, Jonathan Taylor, James Cook.

He looks really good. Javante, who you were always a fan of. Always. privately I love him and just trying to believe in the Cowboys a little bit more Hey Wilds yeah what's that mean oh I did the reverse Jerry Jones it was good he loved it I thought of it while you were talking I stopped listening to your analysis I know people who got it though loved it huge college football Saturday starting big noon Saturday live from Champaign covered

starts at 10 and that's Ohio State, Illinois at noon. OKW and the family going to be in Madison this weekend. Oh, really? Wisconsin, Iowa. Afternoon headlines sponsored by Hilton Garden in. Hilton. It's a hell of a game. It's for a stay.

It's homecoming weekend. Um, what are we doing? Giants Eagles. Yeah, Giants Eagles, sorry I forgot. Eagles Giants tonight, 815 or Sequan Revenge Game sequel. Is anyone giving New York a chance to upset Philadelphia? Philadelphia. I am not.

I'm not giving them a chance. No chance. I mean, other than any given Sunday or Thursday, if you will, but no. So usually when you guys do this, I jump on the opposite side and I say, absolutely, I'm giving them a chance. Oddly enough, this time, I'm doing the same thing. I'm actually giving them a chance. You are giving him a chance.

I am going to give them a chance. And I thought about this when Brew was just. saying the end of the game of Sunday, when you have so many things that can go wrong, that has gone wrong as a team in the locker room, it's almost like you're just, you're playing with house money. And you understand, yeah, the Giants. And when you have a team coming in that you feel like, look, they've disrespected us the last time we played with a player that used to play here.

He's struggling. They've been struggling as a team, both offensively and defensively to some regard. Like, we can beat this team without Malik neighbors. Obviously, we know he's done. And with a young quarterback that we feel like if we rally around him and if we put together a game plan, our defense is good enough to stifle that offense. Our defense is good enough to definitely get after their quarterback

and to disrupt what they're doing offensively. So with that, yeah, I'm giving the Giants a chance. So this would be a, in my opinion, catastrophic loss for Phillips. Yeah. Because it would then no longer be, well, listen, it's champagne problems. You know, yes, there's a little dysfunction or discomfit about how it's going, but they still always win. Losing to this Giants team right now, after, to your guy's point, last year,

the one game they played that mattered against the Giants, they were deciding what records they wanted to or not want to break. and the other game they played was kind of a similar situation, it was week 18, and it's like, hey, Sequin, are we going for the single season record or not? And now the Eagles are in a self-imposed bit of crisis because of how they've talked about their own issues and because of that now public meeting,

which the most interesting piece of that is, why that meeting became public. Usually when something leaks, it's because someone's trying to damage the person they're leaking. That doesn't make sense. or it's because someone's trying to make themselves look good. I don't know who looks good in this, and I don't know, like, I don't know why that news came out. I also will add one last piece to it.

When the Eagles had the supernatural funk, it was a loss to the giants that cemented this team is in real trouble. And so I think Thursday night games are weird, but I think, I don't think the Eagles are actually in crisis. And I think it would be a sign of crisis for them to lose this game. So we're going to transition right to your pick here. I will go with the Eagles. I think the Eagles, I think Sequan's got to have a – If Seekwon still Sequin, he's got to – He has to.

And by a monster, I just mean 100 yards. You know, I don't mean what he did last year. But if he can't do it now, then he just can't do it right now. That sounded stupid. But if he can't do it this week, then he's not going to be able to do it this year. Yep. Like I said, I got the Eagles. Not a blowout, but the Eagles.

Yeah, I got the Eagles I'm definitely not You got to win the games You're supposed to win I'm obviously taking the Eagles I'm taking the Eagles in a blowout Oh your heart is not in that one No

No I'm trying it's a little bit of I'm trying to put it out into existence KW you are This should have been the topic You're very worried about your Eagles I want to see The difference between I think it will show up in this game There was some real get back

and animosity in that game for like let's win this for Seque Juan let's run it up let's really beat a team and now it feels everything's just kind of like where the champs it just doesn't feel like a they feel like finesse fighters now where it used to feel like

you're worried about the Eagles but it's okay offensive line has just not I think it's fair to be worried of Barley from New York it's a show that's not into indoor mini golf indoor mini golf or not doing indoor this guy

this side of the table's into indoor indoor minors Indoor minimum golf? Any sort of goal. I got to tell you some. No. This will be relatable to America. Kevin Wilde is the guy at your office that's like, hey, this plan everyone has, it's a bad one.

And then when you suggest alternatives, he's like, those suck too. No. And comes with no ideas of his own. First of all. And then skips me a bit. I like bowling and I've always been to it. But I'm not going to do indoor mini. No, you just, it all started by you saying we're not doing bowling.

this. No, I said, are we doing and it's because I beat you last year. You guys almost came to this. Yeah, exactly. I still have your $100 to tape to the office wall. That's correct. And what he's 70 to 70? No, I spoke to Nick last year.

That is correct. And Wilde lost money and now he's bidders and I'm just fine we should switch it up. So we're not doing laser tag. We're not doing it mini golf inside. Okay. I said a dinner. Paintball. I said a dinner.

And you said no dinner. Would you do paintball? I'll do paintball. Yeah, of course. You're such a fraud. It's just hard in January. You would 100% skip it. No, I'll do laser tag.

Okay, sold. Great. Laser tag, it is. Got to recover. Third hour first and first. Today, the one stat you need to hear before Lions Chiefs. Right.

Got my briefcase. He's got his briefcase and it's going to be a facet. This stat better deliver. It's going to. I am selling the heck out of this segment. For real. Meanwhile, what can Caleb prove with a win over Jaden Daniels? This is interesting, too.

A lot of narrative storylines about this. For sure. But right now, no, bro, you don't like it? No, yeah, yeah. Eagles at Giants tonight, Jaylon Hertz, trying to get this offense to start cooking. So here he is talking about chefs. Take a listen. It's like, you know, having all the same ingredients,

with having a different chef in the kitchen. You know, I think that's kind of what it's been for us over the years. And, you know, you can have the same ingredients and, you know, somebody can make the same dish and it tastes different. And so ultimately, the whole objective collectively as a group is to go out there and find ways to win. Delicious. Do you need to see a statement game from Philly? Yeah, it would be nice considering their opponent.

But let's go with the chef analogy for just a second. I think other than his performance in the Super Bowls, the most impressive thing about Jalen Hertz is how many different chefs he's had throughout his career. This is my favorite Jalen Hertz stat. We can show it. He has had 12 different offensive coordinators in 10 years of big time football, college and the pros.

A different voice in his ear, at least one, every single year. That is crazy. Some of them great, some of them not so great, some of them become head coaches, some of them interim, whatever the case may be. But still, it is possible. It is on the board that they just got it wrong this time,

with Kevin Petulow. Like, that is on the board based on how they've played. It's early. I'm not suggesting that they're going to make a change after tonight. But a lot of people have gotten right playing the Giants. Obviously, DAC had a huge game. Javati Williams had a huge game. Rashid Shaheed on the Saints had a massive game.

Tackle to turn the tide. Omar and Hampton had a huge game. Like, if we come in tomorrow, and the Eagles eeked out a 17-14 win. That's a disaster. That's what I'm saying. It's not a full-blown disaster as they lose, but right beneath it is a loss where the offense doesn't hum.

Like a 3835 loss might actually calm things more than a 10 to 7 win. Maybe I'm parsing The Eagles' offense has no business being bad And the Eagles offense is bad And that is at this moment Inexplicable unless the explanation is What you said, which is they have bad O.C. And I'm not, Jalen is great behind the mic

He's so good behind the mic that at times I find him It's a little bit like you're just walking through the home goods section of the different motivational quotes. But that to me was about as pointed as Jalen Hertz gets. Because if we're following that analogy, the chef is the OC. And I think what he's saying is, and the meal doesn't taste good anymore. It's the same, you know, we're all the same ingredients. And by the way, I don't think that's unfair.

No, it's not unfair. I do think there are some limitations on a passing offense quarterbacked by Jalen. I don't think it's the most limitations. I think there are some limitations to what he is most comfortable routes he's throwing and things like that. But they absolutely need to brew have a normal game where it's not jarring that they either never pass or never run. and Sequin needs to get going. That's the thing that's not Petulah related, in my opinion, is Sequin hasn't been as effective.

And I'll add one last thing. I thought Brian Daibald did a really smart piece of, you know, I don't know what the word is. Mental warfare. Yeah, mental warfare. When he said, he was like paraphrasing, they've got a lot of great players, everyone's going to want the ball. And then he added, but if you watch the film,

A.J. Brown is open. A lot. Like really stirring the pot on. I'd be frustrated by our AJ too. So there's a lot of things that need to happen. But most notably is the offense just needs to look good because they have good personnel. Yeah. They need a statement win because, and this, look, I'm going to point at Siriani,

who I think is a very good coach. We obviously, I think we think he's much better. We haven't much higher than Nick does because the dude is. one. But Jalen we know is a good leader and I think one of their major problems is a lack of leadership and it has to be

above Jalen. I'm not going to question the front office because they've obviously done a very good job there. But Siriani has to like for a team that has been so good for so long under him they always feel like they are this close

from catastrophe. They really do. And I get that like we talked about the last week what other teams have these sort of, we have seen great teams, the Cowboys of the 90s, have all types of problems off the field and they overcome

them because when they get together, get on the field, they win and they all do their job. But how many teams like it's just in the locker room stuff is always coming out? You win and there are problems. You know, they always feel like they're a bad game

from Catatria. And again, I'm not predicting another supernatural funk, but that year, when they were 10 and one, they were beating good teams. They were, yeah, they were at, they were winning close. The chiefs, the chiefs, the bills, the Dallas when they were good, like, they were beating good teams and every week it was just like, you know, felt like they were interested from disaster. Yes, so that has to change. And maybe a big win here with a good offensive showing would do it.

With all the players, it should happen. Like we can explain why the Bengals offense is bad. Their quarterback got hurt. All the personnel is there. It makes no sense. I want to see this storyline be a Sequin game. Like the other games for A.J. Brown games, Devante game, Jalen games. You know, we had a Jalen Carter storyline.

This is the Seekwan game. Last year he had 176 yards and a touchdown. And he sat down in a series line. He was like, do you want to break the record? There was so much confidence and bravado with that team. and he's gone from 125 yards per game last year to 53. It's not like even you were a little bit skeptical on heavy usage, heavy yardage. You'll drop.

I don't think you were expecting a 70% drop. I mean, right now he's on pace for less than 900 yards. No, I wasn't. This is shocking. This is shocking him, but it would have, let me say, let me add, I don't know if you agree. This is less shocking. than if he were on pace for $1,700 for me. We have no, there is no, and I understand football changes and athletes change.

I don't think the human body has changed enough over the last 50 years for 450 touches of tackle football, not having an effect on you a few months later. And I, and every time, we always start on about the 2,000 yard rushers, but every rusher that had that type of workload except for, I was good. It was Earl Campbell, I think. Yeah, he had to back to the back. Right.

Yeah, but his career was short, but he at least did it back to back years, but Earl is dealing with it, you know, for the rest of his life. So I expected some type of drop. I'm not shocked by this. And if, if Sequin can't get off today,

I think it would be foolish to assume he's going to get back to anything close to last year's Sequan again this season. Why are a galaxy brain conspiracy? Not conspiracy theory, just Galaxy Brain. Almost everything you say is. Eight carries last week?

Six carries last week. Oh, saving himself. I think they have had the long view of like, we're going to need Sequan in the playoffs. Well, didn't they trade for Tank Bigsby, who I don't think has played? Like, they seemingly wanted to save him. So Galaxy Brando that they blew a two touchdown lead.

They were like, you know what? This one backfired. But we really want that. Like, we're up big. Should we run the ball? Like, no, we've got that Thursday. We got a Giants game. Bears Commanders.

It's going to be a rematch of the famous Hail Mary game. Danny was in my house for this and literally dropped to his knees. That is 100% true. Battle of, are we sure we drafted the right QB for Chicago? Danny, what's your thoughts on or what's on the line for Caleb if he beats Jaden? A ton. This is a massive game for Caleb, for Ben Johnson, for Tyreek Stevenson, the defensive back, who was jawed with the crowd, and then his guy catches the Hail Mary there. But the main thing for the narrative for shows like this is the book had been written after last year.

Well, Jaden Daniels, bears made a mistake. Jaden Daniels, maybe the best rookie season we've ever seen, goes on to the NFC championship game, wins nine, one score games. Man, he's clutch, he's a leader, he's dual threat, he's everything. Caleb Williams, not in terms of winning, not in terms of taking sacks. But since that Hail Mary game, he's been really good. And if you compare him to Jaden Daniels and touchdown interception ratio, Jalen Hertz, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes are the only guys better than Caleb. Last week, your guy, Drake May, had a bit of a coming out party in a national game

that the whole country was watching. It's like, oh, wow, is he going to do battle with Josh Allen for the next 10 years in the AFC East? Caleb Williams can swing the narrative because people are going to be talking about stuff like that in front of a national audience on Monday night. He can start to make that a conversation again about the 2024 draft class. Well, I think what's interesting about that draft class

is right now, I think there are, it's the rare class that a year and a half in, I think there are three different guys that people, that you would get at least 10% of the public say he's going to be the best. I think there are- Caleb and Drake? Yes.

and it was the top three picks. And Bo Nix had 29 touchdowns last year. Yeah, but I don't think people. I don't think maybe this is my own bias. You could argue Bo has been better than, in fact, statistically Bo's been better than all of them up to this point of his career except for Jaden. But I think that there is not a statistical argument

that Drake May is better than Jaden Daniels, but there are certainly people that believe he's going to be the best of these three guys. I believe Caleb, Danny I think believes Caleb, can still be the best of these guys. And Jaden has been the best. Most of these, like, there was no argument during year two, C.J. Bryce, Anthony Richardson, who's it going to be?

There wasn't argued during year two, honestly, about Trevor's class, as disappointing as it was, I guess maybe Mack versus Trevor. But then Trevor went to the playoffs. Like, I don't think there was much argument. Burrow was in a good class with Tua and Herbert, but I think by the end of year two, certainly Joe had been to a Super Bowl.

Like the, it's usually pretty defined the hierarchy. And right now, I think there are a lot of smart people who asked, rank these three guys who you'd want. I think we'd get a lot of different one, two, threes. I think Caleb would be third though. I think for- Right now. Right now.

I think he would be, I think he would get more thirds than anyone. But I also think if Caleb balls out Monday night and they win, And, you know, that, that, be interesting. I think the recency bias of that might be a thing, but I think people would start being like, hey, look at these. You'd see a lot more graphics on other shows similar to that one. Like, hey, have we been too hard on Caleb Williams showing those numbers, maybe contextless, but showing those numbers? I do think that would happen. I agree with what you guys are saying, and what you said, like, on national TV, this would be a huge jump.

And just like, you're right, Drake got a huge jump from beating Buffalo on national. national TV, the stand-alone game. This would be similar, but for Caleb, it would be interesting to see how he built off that because he still, like, last year he had some really good strong games. He was on the roller coaster. And this year, it's been somewhat similar. Like, obviously, Dallas, great game. And then last week or, you know, after that, he still, two weeks ago, he struggles, you know,

had like what a 73 passer rating 59% completion like struggled in that game so if he plays great it'll be it'll help him in the moment but he's got to follow it up and not stay on that inconsistent roller coaster i know this isn't the the topic but i just want to add it i think this is a bigger ben johnson moment than Caleb i am fascinated man like early early by week for a team with a new coach and a team that's had a ton of like pre-snap penalties and getting the play calls fall in late and all that stuff. Like, do they come out and play a good game? Well, also, I'm, I'm at, you're talking more X's and O's than I, I'm talking more almost like kind of narratives. Tell me if I, isn't this the team that got mad because he stood him up that wanted to hire Ben Johnson? He was on their list when they hired him.

He was on their list. Oh. He knew they had the second pick of the draft. He knew Kail. Everyone knew Kail was going one and that he could have taken that job and coached Jaden if he loved him or Drake, whoever he loved. He turns that job down and then goes and jumps at the bear's job. So like, and he's known, you know, for since he took the job, I'm getting the commanders after a by week.

You know what I mean? Like there is an element of what does, what has been Johnson cooked up for this game that I find interesting. Now it is time for a special Thursday edition of the only segment that has a large silver briefcase and not one. But is there several or there's just one? Thanks for watching. There are three. There are, I thought there was three. I just don't know if Troy would always come out.

No, there's only one brief. He's not asking how many stats? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought there's, yeah. I apologize. That was unnecessarily hard. It's okay. Yeah, there are three stats within one briefcase.

I got you. You're walking around with three briefcases? Like he's in the Diamond District? There's, there's, there. I think they should be handcuffed to me. Yeah. All right, time now for packed stats. Yeah, thank you.

I brought my stats to work to do. today and with great stats come great power and great responsibility. Give me my lights. Wow. Thank you. Stat number one. Brew is very surprised. The first stat is 34, 4 and 13. That is the pace that Baker Mayfield is on for 34 passing touchdowns,

four or fewer interceptions, and 13 wins. Meaning, Brew, your MVP ballot was correct. Baker Mayfield is on pace. If he hits those thresholds, it's only been done Twice before by Aaron Rogers and Tom Brady. Both went on to win MVP. Go ahead. No, Baker Mayfield, on pace for the MVP.

I think Baker Mayfield right now is a great bet to win MVP. We didn't, the, he was on my fake preseason. I actually did this on, it's not been mentioned three times on the show. On What's Right When they cried, very popular podcast. Oh, subscribe. He was my second pick in the preseason. It was Mahomes than Baker because I think they can get the one seat. I think you can have crazy numbers.

I would be absolutely gobsmacked if he finishes the year with four picks. I feel like at this moment he could have had six already. Like he is going, he's gotten a little lucky with some of the dropped picks, but he makes up for it, more than makes up for it. But his numbers are, you know, on to your point, a historic pace. And I think he can win MVP with 34 touchdowns, 10 I ints, which I, in a 13 wins. Yeah, it needs to be the one seed for sure. Yep.

Yeah, I mean, the one C would be huge. There's so much football left to be played. And like they have struggled. Like these comeback wins, most of them have been against bad teams. So why have they struggled? His numbers just got eye popping after last week. Like before that, the numbers weren't great, but it was the comeback wins where he was clutch. So if he can keep, he has to continue to play well throughout games, not just.

opportunity for him. Niners Bucks is one of the biggest games for the weekend. Oh, KW's got his upset alert already. For both teams. Mac Jones. He's already got it. For both teams. No, it is. It's a huge game for both teams. If San Fran and Mac win this game

what does it mean for your guy party, bro? That they're just going to let him get healthy. No, they just go take your time and let him get help. All right, next packed stat. Give me the lights. That's right. Yeah, every time. The next stat, Brue might not like this one as much, is 163. That is the most points allowed ever through five games for a team to go on and reach the playoffs.

Your 2021 Kansas City Chiefs actually accomplished that feat going back to 1970. The Ravens have allowed 177 points this year suggesting their defense is so bad, the season is over, because no defense has ever been this bad and then gone on to make the playoffs. No, that, well, first. Well, first of all, I would say I bet none of those teams, very few probably have given up more than that, to be honest, in history. But they didn't have Lamar Jackson or Derek Henry. So I think offensively, you know, they still can be great.

And not just, you know, you guys mocked me because of the culture comment. But their culture, they are not going to be the worst defense in football. Drew, the culture is what it once was. That's true. The culture is decaying around us. It's not going to be this bad. But it's horrible right now. And then it got going.

It became great. They got to do. Thereby week, it's going to be interesting to see if they make any changes. Can I have a bonus stat for you? Oh, please. I got this courtesy of our pal Dan Lovettard, which he got courtesy of someone he saw on Twitter. The Ravens have already allowed 12 more points this year than they did all season when they won the Super Bowl in 2000. They allowed 165 that year.

They've allowed 177 through five games. That stat is so good you should send Levittard a complimentary first thing. Roofcase. Briefcase. Brifcase. I said give me another stat. I mean, I didn't really like it. Okay, sorry.

That's not instructive. That's not instructive to what's going to happen. It's just wow. All right, Pax stat number three with the lights. Yeah, yeah. Lights, camera, stats. Please, thank you. No, I like that's a good.

You like lights camera stats? Yeah, another. Oh, another name. Light camera stats. We got it. Changed it. 30.7, as in points per game that the Lions have scored, dating back to when they spoiled when they spoiled the banner drop at Arrowhead in the opener of 2023, the most for an offense in a three-year span

since the 2018 to 2020 Chiefs average 31 points per game. So Nick, I'm sorry to say. When we keep talking about is the light show coming back. The light show is now in Detroit, my friend. Interesting. It's the best three-year stretch of an offense since the offense that you deemed the light show. Well, first of all, I didn't deem the light show. That's Bruce's terminology.

My apologies. Since this. Brew. Brew gets, Sports Illustrated didn't say this, but Brew was the first one to call it the light show. We all know that. Yeah, I, listen, they have the most explosive offense in the league and they've had the last few years, which is why they have all the banners. and it's why they're underdogs and arrow them this weekend.

I mean, listen, they've done an amazing job building that roster. They have great players everywhere. I give them a ton of credit. I don't know. I feel like there is still some probably unfair Jared Gough bias against considering the lions like an old time. When I had that graphic that they're number one. The fact that they're number, certainly they're not thought of in the same. headspace as the

Tyreek Mahomes, Kelsk just because they haven't won. They won 15 games last year, scored 31 in the playoffs and lost. I don't think it's just not just because they haven't won because some of our favorite offenses ever also haven't won. The 98 Vikings with Moss and Carter and Randall, the 07

Pats, they didn't win at all during that run. I really think it's a golf bias, which is people think he's good, but not the force behind one of of the most prolific offenses ever. He has the most passing touchdowns in the NFL

the last three years. I know. That's what I'm saying. I don't even think it's necessarily a fair bias. But he isn't viewed as the force. He's not, right. He's not viewed it. And he's not worried about that.

They've been so good. Ben Johnson. You'd be worried on the bear side of it. A little bit. Like, hold on. This thing works without Ben Johnson the genius. They have not missed the other than, you know, obviously the first game.

They haven't missed them. And they got John, but the, I feel like Ben Johnson's doing a good job though, thus far. Chicago. He's doing a very good job. Very good might even be stronger than I would say. But I think he's doing fine. It's not like maybe they're both. But if I was a Bears fan, I would feel better if the Lions defense. It had fallen off. No good. A hundred percent. Coming up next, a fresh episode of Frenememones. Stay tuned.

Time now for the most surreal moment of my week. College friends talking sports on national TV. It's kind of unbelievable. We call it Frenemones. He's Nick. I'm Danny. And Bill Belichick, this story, man, there are reports of investigations into recruiting violations which are underway. Ali Connolly, who broke the original story that Bill Belichick was going to North Carolina. He is reporting now that Belichick has discussed buyout options, saying per sources, Bill Belichick has discussed buyout options with North Carolina's hierarchy. Belichick has signaled a willingness to trigger his own $1 million buyout if he can find a soft landing with another team or media. He quotes defensive coaches. There's all sorts of reporting around this. It is a huge story.

Do you think Belichick last the season? Well, right now, no, because Ali Connolly, who I trust on this, and like you said, broke the original story, said he thinks this could be over within a couple weeks. He also says that he has talked to coaches on the North Carolina staff that are looking for jobs with teams that they expect to be in the college football playoff this year. So I think it's up in the air whether or not he lasts the season. I think it is guaranteed that he is not the head coach there next season, which to me means Bill Belichick's coaching career is over, which is unbelievable. Danny, I was, we were discussing whether or not post-supernatural funk the Eagles should

fire Nick Siriani to hire Bill Belichick. And by the way, they were discussing it. They is the owner talked with Howie Roseman about should we make, I think I have that right. They they, should we go after Belichick? Then nobody hires him. He goes North Carolina and five games in, it seems like he's giving up. And it's, it's, that is surreal.

So I said on this network when this story first came out that I did not believe it. I thought I would never see him coaching college football. It felt beneath him. When the original story that he was going to Carolina. When the original story that he was going to Carolina came out. And it struck me as, and this everything that's happened since has struck me as someone who took a job that he didn't really want to take. Because it's just, all of it feels petty. We can't tweet about Drake May. The Patriot Scouts can't come here. I'm going to release a statement about what the crafts said in some interview, firing people and not really doing all of the little minutia that it takes to run a college football program.

He doesn't seem to feel any shame in any of this or any embarrassment, which is like an amazing trait for a performer or a stand-up comedian, but not for an all-time Mount Rushmore coach. So I don't think this is going to damage his legacy. I know you disagree on it. I think in 10 years when you and I are doing this segment, We're going to say who's the greatest coach of all time. He's going to be one of the first names mentioned. Oh, I think it'll be one of the first names mentioned, but I think now, I think in the, let me put it like this. I don't think in 50 years this is a big part of his story.

But in five years, it could be if all of a sudden Andy Reid has ticked off another Super Bowl or two, has passed him in wins, and there is a debate about, wait, who is the greatest? coach ever. I do think it is hard to go backwards in legacy, but I think we saw Russell Wilson did a little bit. If Russell Wilson had retired, instead of going to the Broncos, I think he's held in higher regard. This has been

mortifying for Belichick. Do you think he is mortified by it? I don't know the man. I would imagine probably not, but I don't know how relevant that is to the fact that he has

failed in an epic historic way and to just be so out of in out over your skis and to have this level of embarrassment surrounding your personal life as well and have it be that public is it's really unlike anything that I can remember and I it is shocking to me that it has gone this badly this quickly. The reason I find that just a little relevant is because it seems like a lot of this is fueled by ego. And he is, I mean, they got to quote, Ali Connolly, from a current defensive assistant, what we've done to these kids is effed up. Like, just everyone is abandoning one of the greatest coaches of all time, five games into this thing. Well, that is. But the other thing Ali reported was his own coaches couldn't get a hold of him during the by week. Sounds like a guy who's

doing a job. He doesn't really, he's not all in on. I guess. Or, He's not, it's been a very long time since he wasn't good at something. And I think in New England, I think at the end, he blamed that not being good at it, be it on the crafts, be it on Mac Jones or the court, whatever. There is no one to blame but him and his buddy, Mike Lombardi. Right. You know what I mean? And the level of hubris from these guys, we're going to be the 33rd team, all of it.

They're averaging 13 points a game against Power 5 opponents can beat by. more than three scores. So yeah, I mean, it is crazy. It could be over this quickly. Yeah, just hang around, Bill, until you can get boat raced by Syracuse in a couple of weeks. Yeah, please. That would be a great moment for our football program. Breaking news into frenemies. Sham Sharania is reporting that LeBron James is going to be out three to four weeks with sciatica. Opening night coming up in just 12 days, Warriors at Lakers. You see it there. He is out for the start. of the 2025-26 season.

Yeah, I'm only laughing because, and the audience is just going to have to take my word for this. But I, this is such a guy who's in his early 40s, old guy type of injury. I asked my wife two days ago, I was like, what is your sciatica? Because I think I'm having pain in it. So I was like, is it your tailbone? Like, what is it? Lower back. I'm not sure.

Is LeBron a side sleeper? I want to know. And so there's one of two ways to look at this. One is like, oh, okay, he's going to have an injury riddled year, you know, and this is disastrous for the Lakers. The glass quarterful that I will call half full way to look at it is the best case for the Lakers is LeBron only plays around 60 games anyway. And to have to miss time early.

You want him to be like resting to rest, not rest. to recover. No, of course. And so I don't think because they have Luca, I don't think this is a huge deal. And again, the other optimist way to look at it is if you, if there was any question about how Luca was going to become the focal point of the team, you now have the beginning of the season to get it done. But the guy's in year 23.

He's turned 41 in December. Like stuff like this, I think is just going to happen. Yeah, it's, it is a middle aged injury. You know I've had a lifetime of bad. back issues. And I would just say, like, once you start having back issues, they don't tend to go away. And sciatica can go down your legs, whatever the case may be. But it, this is the type of thing that can be treated with surgery. It is the type of thing that can linger. So, like, hearing that LeBron James, who played 70 games last year and has all of those miles on him, now has this type of injury. Obviously, I'm not a doctor and I don't know the specifics of his diagnosis. But I'm just saying, like, the glass half empty one is,

we will also have, oh, LeBron needed to have some maintenance on this three months from now. Oh, listen, I would imagine, yes. And LeBron is, I am there for the big moments. Like, LeBron has never not been available on Christmas. You know, he's playing on every Christmas. Opening night is obviously one of those things. Also, LeBron is a guy who, right or wrong, cares might be the wrong word,

is certainly very aware of the 65 game threshold for accolades. He played 70 last year. Right, and wants all those accolades. Like, that's part of the legacy. So this is, if he's missing opening night, which this report is he is definitively missing opening night, it's a real thing. And obviously, the Lakers' only path is,

LeBron and Luca are both excellent in the postseason and Aiton, you know, gets to who he could have been early in Phoenix. So this is not a good sign. It's better than any type of, in my opinion, like groin issue, hamstring, knee, those types of things I think are more likely to linger than just this. But it's not the news the Lakers wanted. And it also explains why he hasn't really been participating in the Lakers preseason.

I couldn't figure out, like JJ said today, he's on his own timeline. So something was going on. don't know what it was. Right. It wasn't business related or something like that. It's clearly an injury. Maybe you get your Luka MVP bets in? Like best shape, best shape of your life, Luca. I know he's already one of the favorites, so it's not like there's a ton of value. But this is a great opportunity for Luca to like, hey, when LeBron comes back, we've got a winning record. Also a great opportunity for Austin Reeves to bounce back from a really tough playoffs as a second option, which is where he's more comfortable. A draw in front of me here? Well, we agreed on everything. Sure.

Yeah. Okay. Sounds good. Steelers huge game for the AFC North. We'll get into it coming up. Welcome back. We got Greg Jennings and Willie Colon out here. We begin in Pittsburgh. Steelers got the Browns on Sunday coming off two wins in a row for Willie's former team. Went into their buy last week.

Aaron Rogers was asked about keeping the momentum through the buy. And here's what the quarterback had to say. There's no momentum carried over. It's just you're practicing like a good team or not. Good teams practice a certain way, a certain tempo, certain focus. And, you know, I felt that from the first day I got here from IndyCan. All right, Willie, this is your squad. Yeah.

This is an AFC North game. Yeah. King of the division. If they win this game, you feel uncomfortable, confident if they win? So let's be clear. This game Sunday against the Browns is a pivotal one. If they lose to the Browns, I don't know if they survive the next three games after. that because they have the Bengals, Packers, and Colts.

You know what I'm saying? So now you're looking at this schedule right here. I mean, Sunday's a must win in my eyes. And I think part of the anxiety I have is because I don't know what the Steelers do well right now. They're too inconsistent. You talk about they're not really dominant up front. They don't run the ball really well, especially with Jalen Warren out of the lineup. Defensively, they dealing with Jail and Ramsey dealing with a hamstring.

T.J. Watt has not been the dragging like we're used to seeing. Overall, I look at this team and I'm saying, man, you know, Aaron Rogers said no momentum. You need momentum to carry into these games. And so if you're the Steelers right now, especially if you're a player, your mindset is stack and win, staying healthy,

and go on stretches where the back five of this game, the season for the Steelers is going to be tough. You may have to buy some time. You get what I'm saying? So this, to me, this is, Sunday is huge. There's a fork in the road. Yeah, they're the kings of the AFC North.

Nobody else wants it. Nobody else wants to claim it. That's kind of where I was at. I was like, if they, if the Steelers can't win this division with how it's broken, with Lamar's injury, with seven starters out for Baltimore, with Joe Burrow being out, like if, then what was the whole point of bringing in Aaron Roberts? Absolutely. When you look at this division and we immediately on the onset from the start of the season,

we were like, man, do they have the third best quarterback or do they have the fourth best quarterback? Well, right now, you can argue they have the best quarterback right now playing until Lamargett's back. Until Lamargett's back because of injury. But you're going up against a Browns team who we understand who they are defensively. But if you do what you did kind of against the Vikings and that heavy blitz team, he got sacked on the first snap of the game. And after that, it was like get the ball out of his hands, get it into the hands of playmakers. If they're able to do those types of things, yes, they can have. have success in this game and you would have to argue this is the team to beat in that

division. Yeah, but the reason why I'm not crowning them because Lamar is going to come back. They will get healthy and Baltimore has enough when they're healthy to make a run. Also, Lamar was healthy for the first few weeks. Yeah, but I understand that. But I'm talking about, you're talking about their star guys getting healthy when everybody is getting weaker. You got what I mean? So they're capable of making a run. Flacco can be the difference maker for this Bengals team. So yeah, I like. like where the Steelers at. I don't want to discredit them. As a guy who follows them closely,

I'm just not convinced them, them yet. You know what I mean? I'm not saying if I'm seeing the juggernaut they claim to be solely because they got three wins. Danny, and I'm going to speak for you. I don't think either one of us are saying that they're juggernauts. Definitely not a juggerna. In that division with what we have seen thus far, and I don't believe that even with Lamar coming back,

I do think, obviously, he makes a huge impact. And I do think that he makes that team a, threat. How much we don't know because of what they haven't looked like defensively. The Bengals. Is Joe Flackle going to be the answer because defensively they have struggles and even offensively they have even more holes to field than just quarterback. They don't run the ball well. They don't protect well. And so when you look at this Diller team, yes, we don't know who they truly are. But we definitely don't know who the other teams in that division is right now. At the moment, they have the fewest questions. Yes. Because

of the injuries to the other teams. The thing I would say, not to predict injuries, but 41-year-old man playing quarterback behind a questionable offensive line who's taking a lot of hits this year, I'm not at all convinced that Aaron Rogers is playing 17 games. And the Brown's defensive line... If there's one thing

they can do, they can do after the quarterback. Right? So, like, every week that Aaron Rogers is healthy and ready to play the next week is a win for the Steelers, and no team in the NFL has spent more money on defense than Pittsburgh. So, Their defense needs to be great.

Right, and they haven't. And they have not been. And they struggled to close out the game. They almost lost to the Vikings Sunday. Yeah? You know what I mean? So it's like, yeah, I get where they at. But I just know what they've shown as of late.

And I'm like, okay, let's see more. And this is why if you lose to the Browns, that knocks all that off the table. And we started at zero again. Oh, it would be a horrible loss if they lost the vars. And I will say this to your point. I'm not writing anything in Penn in this division after six weeks because I just, I feel what Pittsburgh has is pretty flimsy with Aaron Rogers. They're not going to be a juggernaut.

They're not going to be a dominant football team at any point this season. Like I said, but you also have the Packers and Colts. You beat those teams, then we can turn. Yeah, schedule gets much, much tougher. We got a big one tonight in the NFC East. We'll see if anyone here is given the chance for the Giants to pull off the upset against Philly. We got a big game tonight. Oh, guys are looking sharp.

Sequin Barclay. A good look. Walking it. Yeah. That is a good luck. What's that in his ear? I don't know. Orange.

Airphones, man. Orange. Okay. Jalen Hertz and Devante Smith, all business. Man, Jalen does a good job for Jumpman. He's always sporting. He looks, I mean, it's a good logo, and he's getting paid to do it. That's probably why I put two and two together.

There you go. So tonight, all the stories about the Eagles. Wonder if he has to pay for me. No, Greg, here's how a sponsorship works. They give it to you for free. A little behind the curtain here. Greg's never paid for anything in his life. Two touchdowns in a Super Bowl.

Well, again, it's very true. If the Eagles come out of tonight with a win and a good offensive performance, put everything to rest, all the concerns? Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Look, this is a team that I think they're going to figure it out as the season continues to progress. I think that regardless, this is one of those can't win type situations for this team. Nothing to gain everything to lose.

So I don't care what they do unless they lose. That's a tough spot to be in in the NFL, man. That's a tough spot to be in. I agree. Listen, I think the Eagles lost Sunday against the Broncos left a bad taste in my mouth. Because you took the ball out of your best player's hand in the fourth quarter. Saquan Barkley only had six carries for 30 yards. He had one carry over the final 35 minutes, and you blew a 14-point lead, right?

And so to me, the win matters because if you're not dominant and you don't go back to playing bully ball and winning a situation of football, there's a cause for a certain. there's a cause concern because your identity doesn't seem like there's a shaking identity here. You have to make the Giants tap. You can't just win by three or seven. Like this should be winning, you should win by 14 points. But this defensive line and defense of the Giants should feel like, man, we outclass, we've been outplayed, the bullies are back on the block. If you just screech out of this game and everything is okay, yeah, you got the W, but you look like there's still questions, I'm going to be worried about the Eagles.

Well, and to your point, and Wilde said earlier, it's like I'd like this to be a. Seiquon game, it should be. Right. Like if Seekwon has, the Giants defense has been bad. They're 26th and yards allowed overall, but it's been extra bad for their run defense. And I can just put up some names. They played a few games. Omar Ian Hampton, Giovanni Williams.

These are nice players, but they're not. They're not Sequan Barclay. You're right. And they have destroyed and gotten right and had best games of the season against the Giants rush defense. So if Sequin doesn't ball out tonight, I think the storyline, obviously, you know, if they have zero passing yards and a half, that'll be the story. But if A.J. Brown says something.

But if Seqwan can't go in tonight, that's the sound of the alarm. Oh, man, he might not get going at any point. And enough with the antics, right? Like, sure, they threw the ball early Sunday against the Broncos, but I want to go back to seeing boring Eagles football and win. I want to go back to that. See? I don't want to see that light show.

They're not the light show, Greg. This is why I'm saying I don't care how they win. I just need them to not lose. All right. Well, so let's get on the record here. I want them to win dominant. Let's just win. Okay.

So you guys both were correct in the Jags over the Chiefs. We have this fancy pick bar technology. Willie, Eagles are Giants. Come on, Eagles. Okay. Fly birds. The dumb question. I'm not going to say, come on Eagles.

I'm going to say Eagles. Why won't you say, come on Eagles? You think the Giants got a shot? Yes, I do. I'm going to say Eagles. Beware. I will say this. For all the concern that we have about the Eagles offense, the Giants offense is worse.

We'll make it a clean sweep here. Eagles win the game tonight. And I expect them to look very good. We'll be talking about it tomorrow on first things first. Thanks for hanging out.