First Things First - Nuggets beat Lakers, Jayson Tatum to return from Achilles tear, Brou’s NBA MVP Ballot, Title Pie

Episode Date: March 6, 2026

(0:00) Nuggets beat Lakers, Are the Lakers not contenders? (10:42) Jayson Tatum to return from achilles tear (17:57) Brou’s MVP Ballot (23:08) Title Pie, Ravens or Cowboys a better fit for Maxx Crosby?  (46:16) Chargers or Patriots for A.J. Brown, Expectations for Jayson Tatum? (01:00:04) Eye Test (01:06:41) USA vs. Brazil WBC preview Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boltoni with three grand slams in his MLB career. Looking for one in the WBC. Live from New York, it's a show that has baseball fever. Full blown. I'm really into it. And congratulations to Mexico. Good win over Great Britain. Jaron Duran.

Shout out to Jaron. Danny Parkins in for Nick Wright, who is headed to Tokyo. Says he's going to try to go to the game. Hopefully we get a, hopefully we get a Zoom call from him, but I don't know the times will work out. Yeah, it might not. But you know what? In honor of Nick, boom.

We were missing. Thank you, Brew. I said, thank you, Gus, because Dusts is talking in my ears. I'm sorry. Today, Jason Tatum making his debut tonight in Boston against the Mavs. What do we expect tonight and moving forward? Meanwhile, after a convincing win over Bruce Pistons,

is Wemby jumping to the top of Bruce MVP ballot? And finally, the debut of Part of, Parkins Pie title edition, Title Pie featuring Danny Parkins. Alongside Chris Bussartum, Kevin Wilde's, Danny, any surprises on your inaugural title pie? Yeah, the surprises is that there's no pie. I was told that you vetoed the pie. The pie was just delicious and awkward. I thought you were getting it back.

No, it was just small. I didn't quite know what to do with it. So we, you like Mississippi mud? Who doesn't? Apple pie? Dusty. Dusting? Pumpkin.

Dusting. Dusting. Yeah. Next week. We don't have limited time. We can talk about the pie after the show. We're starting in Denver. End of the game.

Lakers run their offense brew through Marcus Smart. Not a wise idea. Denver ran through Yokic. That was a better decision. Denver pulls away. Joker triple double, obviously 28, 12, 13. Almost did the quadruple double with nine turnovers. Yeah, he did it.

Lakers, as we've mentioned, several times, cannot beat good teams. Versus teams above 500. They're 14 and 19. They give up 117 points. They allow everybody to shoot about 50%, which is the third worst in the NBA. So they can't be good teams. They're currently sixth in the west,

and they don't play much defense. But other than that, what did last night prove to you? Well, look, let me start with a positive. Good. Because it's going to go south. You're big on moral victories. LeBron James, another accomplishment for him. He passed Green Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader

and field goals made. So congratulations. Brown, another notch on your belt. Outside of that, not much to rave about with these Lakers. Last night, however, did not prove to me, Danny, that they can't beat good teams or that they're not contenders. It was just the latest bit of evidence, all right? I say the last two months have proven that they can't beat these teams and are not

legitimate contenders. Here's the deal. You mentioned 14 and 19 against teams 500. better. They are one and eight against the top four teams in the NBA. Boston, Detroit, O.K.C. and San Antonio.

All right. They are four and seven against the five teams in the West seated above them. And they're actually 0. and three against Phoenix, which is right behind them and chasing them. So they're just not on contender level

or the level of a contender. And look, we all know about the defense. Last night, offensively, because Denver's not really good defensively either. The Lakers shot 52%,

shot 42% from three, and still lost. Why? Because Denver shot 52% and 45% from three, but also Denver got to the line 31 times. That's a poor defensive team

constantly foul and stuff. So Denver gets all these free throw attempts. That's really the difference in the game. They doubled up the Lakers in terms of free throw attempts. So, yeah, the Lakers, we all, look, the big three can have good nights together, but their games don't really mesh. They defensively, we know they struggle. And I also think that their culture this season almost accidentally,

but because there's been so much focus, whether it's in the media, a lot of that coming from talking to people in the organization, that they're focused on next year and, oh, we're going to have this cap room to really build this team around Luca that doesn't fit. That has kind of, you know, that spilled over and made maybe some of the players lethargic mentally about this season. Because you feel like you probably can't win. The team doesn't fit.

They're thinking about next year in the front office. And I just think that's sap some of the energy from the team. So they seem like they're just playing out the string. And I will say this, though, Danny, if they were in the east, I'd give them like a puncher's, even more than a puncher's chance, thinking Luca just can tear it up in the playoffs. LeBron can do some things in the playoffs as well as Reeves. But in the West, no chance. Right.

Problem is L.A. is very much in the West. And the West is very good. And you're right. There's been no evidence all year that this is an elite team. For stretches of time, often against bad teams, they can look offensively dominant. They have the seventh best offensive rating in the NBA. Like, that's pretty good, but it's not elite, and there are multiple teams in the Western Conference in front of them. And they got the 22nd rated defense.

And so we can just add this to the list of times where they've played a great team, haven't looked up to snuff, and they end up losing the game. But I did think that there was a moment in the game last night that is just a microcosm for the problem. And I know the drama of Luca and the tech and complaining with the refs. So it's his 15th tech of the year. And Luca complains to the officials a lot.

It's what he does. It's what stars do. But he's become one of the faces of this. And if you watch what happened, he thinks he gets a foul on a shot. And he doesn't run back. And so they don't call the tech. right away because they're not going to stop a transition opportunity for Denver, which is correct officiating.

So then at the end of that play, Denver gets an open three and that's when they call the tech on Luca. So it's a selfish play twice. Yeah. Because he's complaining and not running back and it opens up a wide open three and then he gets the tech. Brew, you've covered the NBA forever. Teams follow the identity and the work ethic of their best. player and Luca's their best player. So that play was in the second quarter. I want to show you a play in the first quarter. I'm watching this game. You tell me what the defense is. This is just a three from Christian Braun. I think we've got the footage that we can show you. Tell me what Luca's doing here on this closeout effort. That's eight minutes into the game. I don't I don't understand what I'm watching from Luca. Other than I know he's got to high usage rate on offense, and he saves his energy on that end of the floor, and he's not a great defensive player. I understand that.

But eight minutes into the game against the team that you're fighting for seating. The altitude. You just have to give better effort than that. And if you don't, I don't care how good you can be offensively on a given night. You're drawing dead against good teams in a seven-game series. You're doing that. You look at Steve Nash, Steph Curry, not great defenders, but they put forth the effort. They are in the right places. They communicated.

They talk. That's what they need to see. And look, this is on Luca. And I would imagine it's happening behind the scenes. But I hope JJ Reddick and LeBron James are talking to him like behind the scenes just like about what it takes to win. Because like he's a great player. But this complaining, his complaining is beyond all the players complain. None of them ever think they made a foul.

he's way beyond anyone. The only one you can compare him to is Draymond. And Drayman's not a player on his level. Drayman's not the best player on his team. All right, so. Dremont is almost, it's not always strategic. His is smarter than Lucas. Yes.

He's a strategy when he does it. He's smarter about it. Yeah, yeah, that's a role on a team. Luca is, listen, he's a brilliant offensive player, and he's a brilliant playoff performer. And I get that he's not going to be a maximum. effort defensive guy all the time because of what he does on offense. But

that stuff can't happen. Quickly, just on the other side of the ball, Aaron Gordon went through his warmups, like normal warmups. He might go tonight against the Knicks. Did this game make you think, oh, Nuggets with Aaron Gordon. I'm moving them up the... Well, look, I've

never, they've struggled. They're seven and eight after last night since Yokin's got back from injury, so they haven't looked great. But I've never, like, written them off just because of Yolans. and knowing Gordon getting back. And Gordon has, I mean, he's been a good player. He's improved.

Like, his three-point shooting has really improved. That 50 piece? Yeah, he's become, like, a really good player. And he's only their third guy. And so when they get him back, then Peyton Watson, hopefully, yeah, I think they're going to be right there, you know, with Minnesota and O. Casey and San Antonio, as to me, those are the four that could come out of the West.

Well, they're also, they get the benefit of doubt from me, because of what they did to Oklahoma City in the playoffs last year. And when I said, like, the Lakers are the seventh offensive team. They're the best. Denver is the best offense. So that gives you a lot of benefit of the doubt for me. All right, Denver hosts the Knicks. As I mentioned, Lakers get to host the Pacers.

That's just exactly what they want. All right, Tatum making his return tonight in Boston against the Mabs. What do we expect next on First things first? And Sirius Radio. Now we're going to go out there. We're going to grind for each other. We're a team at the end of the day. Let's battle, let's win this game.

Tyler Adams has always covered ground. Raised in Wappinger's Falls, New York, by a single mom who made a 150-mile round-trip commute daily so he could train with the New York Red Bulls Academy. He made his pro debut at 16. Four years later, he was in the Bundes League in Germany, and then playing in the Premier League. Tyler Adams always composed.

The guy's a natural-born leader. By 2022, Adams was not only the U.S. men's player of the year. He was named captain of the men's national team at the FIFA World Cup. When he's in there, he's going to let him know. There's not a team that's going to bully us. And now, a singular opportunity on home ground for Tyler Adams, competing for the Cup. 97 days away from the World Cup on Fox.

It's going to be excellent. Welcome back to first things first. Jason Tatum back tonight. Celtics tweeting out this video and they are favored by almost 15 over the Mavs tonight. Officially listed as available 298 days since tearing his Achilles at the garden in the playoffs last year. Here are some other notable Achilles returns, Brew. Dejante Murray, we talked about yesterday 25 minutes, 13 points. Durant had 500 plus days preseason 15.

15. Pookie Cousins never quite the same 14 points. And then Kobe 28 minutes, 9 points, obviously much older in his return. So what are your expectations tonight and moving forward for Tatum? I'll give you another one, not the actual game he returned, but Dominique Wilkins. Yeah. All right. Dominique was 33 when he returned from the Achilles injury and came back in that season average. And he came back in 283 days.

Jason's 298. average 30 his first year back, Dominique. The next two years, the average 27. So I'm going to be honest, I'm not saying so much tonight. I expect Jason Tatum play well tonight. I'll be interested to see if he starts. I don't think they've announced that yet. I was starting, I think, with a guy in no offense to, like a Baylor Shireman.

Like, you can easily move a guy like that out of the lineup or Sam Houser, whichever one you want to choose, and put Tatum back in and it doesn't really disrupt things. But he's Jason Tatum. He's a superstar. He's a champion. He's all NBA. I think I'm not going to call out the Celtics if he doesn't start, but I think he should start.

You see that he's never not started again? Yeah. In the NBA, it's wild. Yeah, so I think. Probably his life. Other than the Olympics. Other than that. Other than that.

But I expect them to play well. I think people are going to be surprised at how, again, not so much tonight, but just going forward over these next 20 games left in the regular season. I think people are going to be surprised at how well he plays. I'm not saying he'll totally be the form he was last year, but I think he'll be close enough where he's playing like a star, not a superstar, but like a star.

This warrants my heart, bro. I like this a lot. So, you know, last year before he got hurt was the best we'd ever seen Tatum. He was, I mean, he's obviously a great player before that, but he was aggressive, guard of the other team's best player, playing with, you know, just impacting his will on the game all the time. Before that, one of the few criticisms that I thought was valid of Tatum was sometimes he would float a little bit.

You know what I mean? You just kind of coast and Jalen Brown won finals MVP, I think, in part because of it, because Jalen Brown was demanding the ball in those finals and all of that. And I wonder if we're going to see that like two years and prior version of Jason Tatum for a while. Like Jalen Brown is second in the NBA in usage right now behind Luca. Like the ball's in his hands. He's an MVP candidate. They've been playing amazing.

And I don't know that you want to rock the boat with that immediately. Like I'm all for bringing Tatum back. And Tatum is obviously necessary in order for you to win a title. But at the beginning, I could see him not drawing a lot of fouls, not attacking. No. But being more of like a catch and shoot, you know, like a little bit more of a still a valuable weapon. But just get into the flow. Get your legs under you.

Catch and shoot. Shoot some threes. Kind of play three point line to three point line and kind of ease back into the game and where it will appear a little bit more passive from Tatum early just to work him back in. Brew, I made a list of three things I don't want to see. Top three things I don't want to see.

Number one, nightmare scenario, grimacing. Grimising always the work. I'm with you there. Yeah, that'd be that. Number two, getting blown past off the dribble. Dusty said looking like Luca. Unfair shot, Dusty. But I think he'll be able to

shoot from today for 30 years. I think if you get him the ball, an open look, the shot will still look pure. Are they going to attack him off the dribble and does his lateral movement? Does he look different than he used to? You got to test him. I mean, if I'm Dallas, that's

what I'm doing. Let's test him. Obviously, you don't want him to get hurt or anything, but you want to test him to see if he still has that lateral quickness. And the thing is, As much as he's been playing 5 on 5 in practice with G-leaguers and things like that, the speed of the game is going to be a bit surprising. And so that's what you want to do if you're the Mavericks, is testing him in that. But look, I think we know the Celtics is about effort defensively.

And I do think he's going to give the effort. And I think their team defense will be good. People will help him out when he needs it. So like I said, I expect him to come back and play pretty well. Can I give you my final one? Yeah. A close game. Oh, really?

This should not be close. The line's 14 and a half. The problem and the mads are on a back to back. The Hornets were on a back to back. Went into Boston and just were they more energetic. Are you worried about Boston tonight? I do not think it's going to be the Boston Tatum party like everyone else does. I think the mads are like, oh, where are the team you guys want to come back against?

sort of the pats he's beat up on the mats. I also think, if we're talking about, like, superstars rising to the moment, Cooper Flagg is from Maine. He's a Celtics fan. This is, he's like, this is the only arena I went to as a kid. I could see Cooper Flag stealing Tatum's headlines. If he goes crazy, there's all this talk of like, why wouldn't I want to play for my team and where the Celtics going to trade up or we're waiting out of the contract for him?

That'd be fun. Well, I would think, here's the thing. That makes sense. but the Celtics coming on, they got beat down by Charlotte from buzzer to buzzer, I think they're going to come out and want to make a statement. All right, so that game is tonight coming up next.

Brew's ballot. Did Wemby jump to the top? That's next on first things first, right here on FS1. SGA already has one MVP. Is there a chance he can button up a second MVP campaign? Let's find out now on Bruce Ballot. All right, here we go. So at number five, same as last week, Jalen Brown.

I'm surprised. You thought he did? I thought he moved up. Really? They're six and one without him. Just make a note of that. And I think actually Anthony Edwards is starting to chase. But as long as Boston has the better record, I'll keep Jailen up there.

And maybe even if Minnesota catches them, but number two seed in the east, giving Jalen a lot of credit. At number four, Kay Cunningham. Yeah. Same as last week. Now, Cade had a rough week. You know, he shot 33% average 18 points a game in his last two games, losses to Cleveland and San Antonio. But he has, like almost every other superstar in the league of the top teams has someone to

alleviate some of the offensive pressure. Yolkich has Jamal Murray, you know, Donovan Mitchell has James Hard. Zah Stewart was out there. Yeah, I mean, he's got Stewart. Duren, obviously, is a big score, but they get their stuff either off the glass or off K. Creating it for him. So a lot of pressure on him. I'm not going to penalize him.

He's at number four. Number three, Wimby. All right. Again, this so far, same as last week. Wimby could get it. If Yokic and Shea have a dip, or obviously if they miss too many games, then Wimby is right there. If he has a lot more games like last night, I'll say this, Danny.

If he catches OKC, if the Spurs catch OKC, they're two back in the loss column. And obviously they have the tiebreaker, having beaten them four out of five. He could end up getting this MVP. All right. At number two, this is where the switch is. Yokets my leader last week. I moved him down to number two.

As I've said, they're seven and eight since he came back from injury. But here, this is what really made me make the switch this week. They may go back and forth on the ballot. We talked about why Denver's the fifth seed. Obviously, OKC, and you can put Shay up. He's number one. OKC is the number one seed in the league, not just the West. Denver's the fifth seed in the West.

And a lot of people, including myself, have pointed out, their injuries. All right. But Aaron Gordon, their third best player in Denver, has missed 40 games. Well, Shea's second best player, Jalen Williams, has missed 48 games. All right, and they still have the best record in the league. They've had other injuries as well. Jamal Murray's missed all but played all but five games.

So Yokic, I know there's been some injuries, but Shea has been hit just as hard by injured teammates, and he's carried his team to the best record in the league. That's why I had Shea number one. But so, I mean, it sounds like it's a three-man race because if you think that- I say for number one. Unless they miss all, you know, they-all-free of those guys. Yeah, 65-game threshold that's put it over here. But in terms of assuming they all hit it and are all eligible, because, I mean, the fact that, I mean, Wembe's only two back.

So if you think that if he would flip all the way up to one or at least really be in consideration for that, that's going to be a wide-open MVP race if other people share your logic out that. Is Aunt going to knock out, Jay, Brown who has carried a team to the two seed. Possibly. When everyone else was a reset year. Not necessarily, but possible. Just saying he's just saying possible.

The Celtics could have easily been Pacers North and nobody would have complained. Nobody would have complained. He's like, you know what? Actually, we're going to be the two C. Jaylon is playing. He's been great. Right. He's their own.

And I know there's now starting to be some talk about, I mean, they're winning without him. They're six and one. They're winning. I think they're. you know, plus minus is superb when he's down on the floor and things like that. But he is their only guy averaging more than 18 points a game or more. Yeah.

All right. So he clearly, make no mistake about it, he's carrying the team. He's averaging career highs in points, rebounds and assists. So I'm not taking anything away from him. But I think more is on Cade as far as carrying that team just because he has to create all the offense. the system doesn't create it for him like there's some of that going on in Boston. I mean, the truth hurts.

I don't know. Where you think Jalen should be? I think he's got an argument for one. No, I think about it. Now that I'm like sitting on my like, well, your, your argument is they could have been terrible. Yeah, they should be terrible. Should they?

That is value. Yes. You were just telling me other good. They how good Baylor-Shire me is. The bucks are terrible. How good Sam Houser is. That's what you were telling me the other day. Playing with Jalen, giving them confidence.

Live from New York, first things first overtime today. Should the Cowboys go and get Max Crosby and the team we found out about today that is interested in Max? Very, very interesting. Got me excited. I don't know. Meanwhile, title pie with Danny Park. We do not have a pie, but we do have a great segment for you. And finally, Jason Tatum making his return tonight in Boston against the map.

What are we expecting from Tatum? Can they make a run to the finals all of a sudden? Holy cow, alongside Danny Parkins of Kevin Wilde's. Nick Wright is out in Tokyo, going to go to the World Baseball Classic Group. I kind of like that. Now, we were on vacation two weeks ago. That's what's the confusing part, right? Because remember you had to do all the shows.

I remember doing your show and my show. Yep. And then I remember taking a week. Because we were on vacation. Because you were on vacation. And now you're back. And then I took a week of vacation. And now it's...

He got a double vacation. I know he's trying to talk. No, no, no, no, you're on vacation. Yes, it's a double. You got to go on next week too. You are? He will. For what?

Japan. You'll go to Japan for the weekend. Oh, for the next one. I was already on. I was already on. I moved forward. It's Friday next week, too. Raiders moved on from Gino today.

I think you should go to the Jets, but we'll save that conversation. Are you serious? Yeah, of course. I think it'd be great. No. All right. Are they ready to make a move on Max Crosby, too? Diana Rusini reporting that the Cowboys and Get Ready, Brew, the Ravens are the teams to watch.

We're going to start with Danny here because I think he's going to save some time for you to talk 10 minutes about your Ravens and defenses in their DNA. What team is a better fit? I will cede my time for Brew to have the Ravens part of us. It can't be the Cowboys. Why? I don't know. I remember being on the air with you guys. a few months ago at this exact time when we broke in to whatever we were doing to talk about the

Cowboys trading away Micah Parsons to then turn around one football season later. A little weird. A lot weird. I hear you but should they just

they made a mistake. Are they supposed to just we can't. You got to fix it. it. If you can get Max Crosby, that presumably would fix it. You don't think they should fix it? Just to save a little

sobbing, stop and making it looking like they got egg on their face? I would like to think that you have a plan and that you... They clearly don't. Okay. I come from the belief of like you should have an organizational plan. And if you have a 25 year old edge rusher who you trade away

for a bunch of draft picks, it doesn't strike me as terribly logical to one season later take a bunch of draft picks and trade them for a 29-year-old edge rusher who is injured and worse than Micah Parsons, as great as Max Crosby is. That being said, and I know it's like, we'll stick with Dallas. Dallas made a mistake, the Mavericks, trading away Luca.

Yeah. And then a new regime got in there. They got lucky, though. Well, no, it's outside of Cooper flag, but then they were trying to make amends for the bad trade. But they also had new management. So if Dallas had new management, no, I'm saying if Dallas had new management and you eliminate the egg on your face component to it, do you think this is the right move for Dallas? Listen, Max Crosby makes every team in the NFL better.

And if the acquisition cost for him is reasonable, literally every team in the NFL should consider it. He's a top 10 edge rusher at 29 who is a great character guy who gives perfect effort on every play doesn't ever come on. He's not like a specialist, like he plays all three downs. He is what you would want. He is what Dallas needs. But he is also what Chicago needs and what Baltimore needs and what Washington needs. He's what a lot of team needs. Dallas has the 12th and 20th pick in the draft and then a lot of cap space.

You can use those things to select players and spend money in free agency. I don't think you need to go all in for a player like Max Crosby when you just had that guy there already. It just makes sense. It seems it would be very reckless. And maybe I should be able to like, all right, it's a sunk cost. You made a mistake with Micah? I can't.

Maybe I should be able to. But I think. But should they, so just don't have a great edge rusher unless you draft him for the next several years? Or sign Trey Hendrickson and just spend money on it and like allocate your resources. They have more. So you don't want them to trade. That's what.

Yeah, because you're trading multiple picks. And it's the most expensive way. to acquire talent. And you could have just paid Micah. You chose not to. So then if you turn around and basically do, call it 90 cents on the dollar, 80 cents on the dollar of what it would cost to get Crosby

of what it costs to get Micah, for a lesser version of Micah, it's just, we make fun of how the Bengals do business. That would be insane. It would look, but I just think, though, like you brought up the sunk cost, you made a terrible mistake, but you can't keep punitive.

yourself and your fan base over the next five years because you don't want to admit publicly you made this mistake. And, look, I think Trey is going to go somewhere and play well, but I don't think he's in the Max Crosby class. I know he's got all the sacks over the last few years. Last year he was a bit down.

Maybe that was just he missed training camp and all that. But I don't think he's Max Crosby. Sure, but he's how much. much worse is he? And you don't have to give up a first and a second to the player. You also, so the difference between Trey Hendrickson and Max Crosby hopefully is made up for with the draft picks. You know, you trade for Max Crosby, you're Dallas. You're giving up the 20th pick in the draft, right, at a minimum. Hopefully you hit on the 20th pick in the draft. Dallas has been good at drafting. That player makes an impact. Like you just, it's not

an efficient way to go get talent. And I just, I couldn't sign off on it for that team in particular. Well, it doesn't matter because he should go to the Raven. There we go. I'm looking at it from Max Crosby's perspective. Let's say these two teams, you mentioned a few others, but they want it. If I'm Max Crosby, I'm like, he's a raven. All right?

I thought he was a raider when the old Raiders, when they actually were good and tough and all that. But he is a raven. I mean, Ray Lewis and I know they're different positions, but I'm just saying like that defensive, you know, game race. the aggressiveness. Like, he just, the rebellious persona. That's, he's a raven, all right?

It is a better chance of winning a Super Bowl. I'm compared it to the Cowboys. Sure. All right. It's a better culture. All right, like, they're a football franchise. The Cowboys are a reality show, a soap opera in a football setting. All right?

Now, he was shining that. a lot of love and a lot of publicity and all that. And the team would probably be good. But if you want to go to a football franchise where it's about football, it's about winning, I think Baltimore is definitely the place to be.

I think he's already got some good defensive players with him. We know their problems early last season defensively. Late in the season, the second half of the season, really they played good defensively without any pass rush whatsoever. They were near

the bottom of the league in that. You put Crosby in there, get a pass rush, and now the other got pass rushers improved, too, because he's getting so much attention. Your defense at backfield gets better. Like, I just think it makes tons of sense, and they obviously are right there on the cusp of being able to win the Super Bowl.

So, yes, Max, put on the purple, baby. Put on the purple. Let me show you one more thing, Danny, see if you like this, and if it makes you think, huh, that's a fit for the Cowboys or, huh, maybe they don't need Max Crosby.

So get this. Last year, the Cowboys only had 35 sacks. They were 22nd in the NFL. But they had 89 QB hurries, most in the NFL. They had a, like, pressure rate was high, too. Yeah.

So they actually don't tackle the quarterback, you know, tax for loss, but they are, there is an amount of, they disrupt the quarterback. They disrupt the quarterback. You could see it in the way their defense played. The quarterbacks were really frazzled when they played the Cowboys. That's a real part.

Maybe it's a good sack. I think personality-wise, I love him in Dallas. If Jerry says he's going to break the bank and do something drastic, it makes more sense. So you like him in Dallas better than Baltimore? Well, you know what? I just want Dallas to be. You guys. It would have a fun story.

It'd be fun. You're like the opposite. You know what it is like the opposite? How you said, like, as long as you have Dak Prescott, you will have a good. I agree with that. The purple and black will have a good defense. Jesse Mitchell will have a good defense with or without Max Crosby. So I would like to see Dallas.

You know what else I'll say about Crosby and Baltimore? Yeah. I'm not totally convinced as much as I love the Ravens that they're over the Chiefs thing. Chiefs clearly have been in their head. This is a great take. They aren't in his head. It's a great take. Even though he doesn't beat him.

I was going to say. But he is not intimidated by the Chiefs. You know what I mean? And if he goes to play Kansas City with a team like Baltimore, that obviously is a good team, I think he can help that locker room. If there's any remnant of the Chief's mystique in there, I think he can help eliminate it.

I guess I'm just a little surprised, like, if you were going to make a huge swing, like one big move for Baltimore in the S-Bob culture, offense or defense, I guess I would have thought that you would have said offense. Receiver? Yeah, receiver. Be sure you bring back Linderbom, like, protects Lamar.

I definitely want Linderbom back. But I think receive, look, obviously they don't have a fantastic number one. But they fight, like, I think their receiving core is good enough. I wouldn't mind improving it. But I think it's good enough. Like, that's not their problem. I mean, their problem has just been they haven't shown up in these bigger games, Playoff games.

Let's turn our attention to the NBA. It's time for the most delicious segment in all of sports. The debut of Danny's title pie. We did not get a pie. We're going to get right to the segment. All right. Still a delicious segment. All right.

Still delicious without pie. You'll have to figure that one out. This first slice of pie. Okay. It might be too big. Coming in at 1%, the Los Angeles Lakers. So why? Because Luca

LeBron and Reeves have not played that much together this year. And when they have post-all-Star break, at times, it has looked impressive. At times. No, again, it's 1%. It's the smallest, it's the smallest slice of the pie. It's probably the last week and maybe the only week that I get a chance to do it. But I just, I'm not going to eliminate them, but this is as close to elimination as I can possibly have. That's a bigger slice than Nick gave him, by the way.

Right, I went back and looked at it. He had him at a half percent with the clip. Spoiler alert, fewer slices on my pie than Nick's pie. Coming in at 2%, the Houston Rockets. They're a little too similar to last year's team. I would have expected them to look different in terms of how they look on the offensive side. They're still the best rebounding team in the sport by far. They're the third best defensive team in the sport by far.

Shingoon is great. KD can get you a bucket. But it's just, in the West, their ceiling does not seem to be as high as the other teams around them. That's one game, but they lost last night a game that they shouldn't have lost to Warriors without staff.

Yeah, it's just... I agree with you, Danny on them. They're just not as impressive as you expect it. Right. But it feels like there's another level they should be able to get to offensively that they just haven't cracked that piece of it yet. so I want to give them the possibility in the next 20 games that it can get there,

but it hasn't happened in the first 75% of the season. I said the Lakers one was too high. In a week, this one might feel too low. 3% for the Minnesota Timberwolves. The vibes are incredible. There was just a great article on The Athletic that came out about how Anthony Edwards is loving the MVP chance and the camaraderie in the locker room

and everything that's going on with this team and how they've come together. Back-to-back Western Conference Finals, appearances, playoff wins over the last two seasons. They play their best ball in the postseason. The teams that I just have is like good but not upper echelon, I have to downgrade a little bit on the pie because of the path that they would have to go through in the west.

Like if Minnesota was in the east, they'd be the favorite. So I just, I really like Minnesota, but I just think that the path that they likely will have to go through for seating is very, I mean, they could be in the four or five matchup against Denver. five matchup against Denver in round one to have to play Oklahoma City in round two. It's just very, very difficult right there. First Eastern Conference team on Title Pie is the Detroit Pistons. I love Cade Cunningham.

I love where he is on Bruce Ballot. I think they are the try hard pistons. They play really hard. They played hard in the All-Star game. But we see a team every year that's young that plays the regular season with a playoff level of intensity. And then when the playoffs start and everybody else plays with a playoff intensity, there's not another gear for them to get to. And it kind of levels the playing field.

They have got the most wins in the Eastern Conference. But I don't think they're actually the best team in the Eastern Conference. I think Cade, you know, he's amazing. He could be first team all NBA, probably will be. But he needs a running mate. His percentage of offense generated of points and assists. It's just too high. It's just too much for one guy to carry the load for a team to actually win four

playoff rounds. 6% for the New York Knicks. And this is higher than I would have expected. And I, their defense has been really good for a reasonable period of time. And Carl Anthony Towns, I promise I'm watching the games. You are playing hard. Like I genuinely respect how hard he is playing right now on the defensive end of the court. Maybe this is scar tissue.

I need to see it in the postseason to believe that this team. can actually be an even above average defensive team with Brunson and Kat playing as many minutes as they do. Because in the playoffs, that just has not been the case. In the regular season for a stretch, it has been. I have serious questions about their ability to do that in the playoffs. They're also four and five this year because the Pistons, Cavs and Celtics. On behalf of Ramsey?

Yeah. They didn't get eliminated in the first round last year. Yeah. Like what do you need to see? I mean, but they fired a coach after making the Eastern Conference finals. I'm trying to hold them to the standard of, The only successful season for the Knicks this year is making it to the finals. It's the only way this season was a success when you make it to the Eastern Conference finals and firetips.

So if they make it, they should win a first round playoff series. Yeah, but like, but I mean, the lucky bounces, you know, fall, went 20 feet in the air and went through the hoop. No, that was a hell of a shot. It was not. It was not. It was not. Next team also in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics, coming in at, at 7%.

You've reached the finals, at least the Eastern for conference finals, six of the last nine seasons. Jalen Brown, top five MVP guy, second in the league in usage. Their defense is six best in the NBA right now. I do wonder what hit that takes, if any, with Tatum coming back. Tatum has led them and shot at field goal attempts the last six years. I wonder what happens there with Brown coming back. They'll probably figure it out. You have to bring Tatum back.

He obviously represents the highest possible ceiling, but until I see this team this year, I do have one Eastern Conference team in front of them, and that is my Cleveland Cavaliers. And they're all really bunched up, Detroit, the Knicks, Boston, and Cleveland. They all have flaws. James Hardin and Donovan Mitchell have only played 127 minutes on the court together in the 12 games since the trade.

It's because there's the hamstring for Donovan, there's the thumb for Hardin. But they were the best office. offensive team in the East before they got Hardin. Now you add that in. I think Jared Allen and Hardin looks really good together, the number of double doubles he's had since Hardin's been there. Mobley and Hardin give them the interior defensively. I love the Key on Ellis edition for them. I do think we are going to see a very high ceiling from them when they get healthy, which they should be come playoff time. Coming to number nine, or except not number nine, that's not how this works.

We're not ranking things. But at 9 percent, the San Antonio Spurs. they beat the great teams and they have an alien for a best player. So, like, I know Nick likes to reference Bill Walton. We have to go that far back for a team for their first playoff appearance in order to go. It's a good historical comp because Jordan had to crawl, walk, run.

You know, LeBron had to crawl, walk, run. But maybe the rules don't apply to a team with your 7, 6, and you shoot 3s you're the best defensive player in the sport by far. But if that is the case, the league should be terrified because Dylan Harper is only going to get better, Wembe Nyama's only going to get better. The pieces in San Antonio are great.

To me, this is like a how good can they be so soon. But they got a legit shot because of how well they play against the best teams. I know the record is not as impressive recently, but at 10% the Denver Nuggets. If you're the best offensive team in the sport, offensive efficiency, three point percentage, points per game, and you have the best player in the sport,

and you took the champs to a seven-game series last year, I'm willing to forgive a lot in the regular season. They've got the heart of a champion. Jamal Murray's playing the best ball of his career. Their offense is incredible, and I know they think that they can beat the thunder because they've beaten the thunder. So, like, to me, they're the next team that needs to be reckoned with, even if their record recently doesn't suggest it.

And if you add all that up, it goes to 50%, which means the Oklahoma City Thunder. It's a good slice. Take the other slice of the pie. And I think somehow the champs are being underrated. Yeah. Because not only do they have the best record in the West, it is the best record in the league. But if we just do the comparison, this year to last year, record, point differential, defense, and turnovers, their first first across the board.

It is this exact same, but as Brew alluded to earlier in the conversation about SGA on his ballot, what's the big difference this year? They are doing it largely without their second best player. You throw the amount of games that Chet, who's been great, Chet, SGA, and Jail. have played together, only 21 of 64. So for them to be the best team in the league with a lot of the peripheral numbers being basically identical to the team that won the title

without a top 15 player in the sport playing 70% of the games, I just think they're very clearly the best team in the NBA yet again. Time for some bonus takes. Not bad. It's a perfect pie. Look, they may be being underrated.

I think the reason, they're being underrated, if indeed that's how you want to term it, is because of what the Spurs did. I agree with that. And I'm not even saying I would pick the Spurs over them in a series yet. I don't know where I go

because I've seen a team dominate one in the regular season and losing the playoffs. But that's what woke everybody's eyes up. Because before that, we felt like it's a done deal. We know. Seventy-3 wins. Right. Right.

And the fact of the fact. fact that the Spurs not only beat them once and then twice, but four times out of five, those last three games at least OKC was like, no, we are not getting beaten by them and they lost two of those games. So that's

the thing, but look, OKC is certainly the favorite. I would move, and you're right about the youth, but I would move the Spurs to second and just slightly ahead of Denver, but I move the Spurs to second. I get the

youth and experience, and that was my knock against the thunder last year. But I think they obviously overcame it. I think the Spurs can overcome that. I would put Denver and Minnesota, Danny, third, kind of the same amount of pie. I

think those are the four teams in the West that could win it. And then my east, right now, my eastern order is Detroit, New York, Boston, and then your cabs. I agree that they're all close, but the The exact inverse of mine.

Yes. So you flip my east order. Just flip those. And look, the Cavs Hardin, we all know about his playoff struggles, but he's also had some good moments. He's also been this close to getting over that hump. And maybe in the east, which we know is easier, maybe they can do it. He had his chance with Durant, though.

Now, there's no Janus right now. Correct. There's no Janus in his way, and that's who beat him. James Hardin is in his way. Well, no, and that's why I got them fourth. I'm just saying, I'm just saying there's a chance. But yeah, I got them fourth in each. Danny's giving some sass to San Antonio.

I like this. That was good. Co-sign that one? Yeah, you didn't like that one? That was Christina. Good job, Christina. That was excellent. All right, coming after a company.

Excellent. After break. Tatum is back tonight. What do we expect? And is there a chance? A.J. Brown teams up with Justin Herbert. Oh, my. That would be so.

That would be MVP championship. NBA, oh, man. We got Willie Colon hanging out with us on first things first. Look at Jason Tatum. About time. Been waiting on him. I mean, it hasn't been that long.

Ten months? It really hasn't been that long. Yeah, I mean, come on. He ruptured his Achilles. But I feel like we've been talking about him. Yeah, I mean, sure, because he was, you know, top five guy in the league, less than 300 days removed from rupturing his Achilles.

298 to be exact. We also have a little bit of news. Joe Missoula says he's not sure on a minute's restriction. I'm sure he is. He's just not sharing it. Of course. But that he will start tonight. And the Celtics, this is going to surprise exactly nobody. They are very excited to have Jason Tatum back throwing that out there on their social media. So he's hyped. The team is hyped. It's I would argue the biggest story in the NBA between now and the postseason because they're the second seat in East and they're getting this elite player back. Willie, what are your expectations for Tatum's return? We'll start with tonight.

Well, tonight, I wouldn't start him. You wouldn't start him. No, I would have him come off the bench. I would cap him at 15 to 20 minutes, have him play early in the second, excuse me, a little bit in the third, wrap it up in the fourth, obviously. But nevertheless, man, I think it comes down to really seeing what he can do, what he can't do. A big part of his game last year was that stickback jumper. You know, he had an amazing friend.

step is that still there? And then if he's a defensive liability, that's going to be a question. So, and then let's keep it a buck. We don't know where his cardio is at, right? Like scrimmaging, running up and down, that's good. But in-game is a different dog. And so, and I'm coming, this is coming from a guy who tore his Achilles. I tore my right Achilles.

And from the neck, from the neck down, I feel like, oh, I could do certain things. From the neck up took me a little bit long. Trust, right? To trust, the confidence. And there's parts in, there's times in the game where you're not thinking about the injury. You just got to go and react. Is all that there? When I look at Jason Tatum, man, part of me feels like, man, I'm worried about him disrupting, disrupting the synergy of the Celtics.

Because they're top, I mean, top ten in offense and defense. And think about it's been a blessing in disguise because you look at the emergence of Keda, right? Hugo Gonzalez is a star, right? You talk about John Walsh has been a factor for them. And these are all-wing guys. And so if you Joe Mozilla, he's done, Joe Mazzula, excuse me, he's done a great job of allowing these young pieces to arrive and help. helped this team out. And on top of that, Jalen Brown's been amazing, man. He has. So starting him just feels like he may be messing with the recipe that's winning for the Celtics right now.

Well, okay, there's a lot there. You're playing Dallas. You're a 14 and a half point favorite. So I'll, with Jason Tatum, without Jason Tatum, I'd expect them to take care of business tonight, no problem. Even if you do mess with it a little bit, what are you going to do? What do you mean? What are you going to do? Well, I mean, like, you have to, you have to, you have to bring back Jason Tatum. He has to play. Because he, because he, he represents, if Jason Tatum can get over the next 20 games, right.

If he can get back to being 85 to 90% of Jason Tatum. But you won't see that, DP. That's my point. Right now, I understand he's probably 80%, 85%, and that's good enough. He won't be 100% to next season. Okay. So this is why I say you build him up. Right.

Okay, fine. But the idea of him, 20 minutes is 20 minutes. Like starting is, I think, more like of a, a serer. ceremonial thing out of respect to you're our franchise player. So I don't think that like the first, if he plays the first, if he has a 20 minute restriction and six of those 20 minutes are the first six minutes or the second six minutes. I don't think that matters.

So I think it's more of like a celebration. They're at home. I understand. Give him a big ovation. You know, I think that's, I think that's probably that part of it. And I think he represents the highest ceiling possible, right? The Celtics obviously are better with Tatum than without eventually. And so I think you've got to work your

Can you say that now? Like the Celtics are... They're not better without him, dude. They're not better without him. I'm not saying they're not better without him. But my point is you got to, if you're the Celtics right now, what you have right now is working. No, in the regular season.

It's okay putting him in a back burner, understanding that he still needs to get work. Like, he still needs to be built up, see what he doesn't have. And if he's not ready right now, because you're not going to play him on a back-to-back. Like, that's not happening. Okay.

So my point is, the slow start is worth him building up into the playoffs. Yeah. Listen, again, Joe Mazzuah said there is not a minutes restriction. He's like, we'll see or doesn't know. But there obviously is. They have a plan. They're just not sharing it publicly.

He, one thing that I am interested in is he is a great shooter. And when you are talking about top five, top 10 players in the sport and you ever say anything critical about them, it is by definition nitpicking because they are great. So you're parsing a little bit. I thought with Tatum two years ago and prior, sometimes. when I watched him, I was like, you're a little passive. Like, you're down, you're down one. Are you sprinting to get the ball? Or are you hoping the ball comes to you? It's a difference. There's a little bit of a difference, right?

There's a one, two, and like, if it comes to me, I'll show up. Exactly. There's a little bit of a difference. And I think Jalen Brown has that sprint to the ball thing. And I think it's a large part of the reason why he ended up winning their finals MVP. I could see, but then last year, I did not see that from Tatum. Tatum was the most aggressive I had ever seen him. Well, he had to be. Because Jalen Brown didn't play as strong as he did the prior year. So I thought Tatum was brilliant last year, and there would be no nits to pick in his game. I do wonder if, because of how great Jalen Brown has been,

because he's coming back from the Achilles, because you have to rebuild that trust. There's a minute's restriction. I do wonder if the early returns on Jason Tatum are a little bit more like what I was saying two years and prior on him, where he's just a little bit more of a catch-and-shoe guy, not getting fouled very much. hanging out three point line to three point line

where he can still be effective and he's still a good player and he's still worth having out there but I am going to be very interested in how much of that Jason Tatum we see. And you won't see it. Over the next 20 games

though, how much are we going to see it? Right, but that goes back to my percentage, right? This is why if you got an 80% you got to see all right out of that 80%, what's the lacking? Because there's parts of his game, especially a guy who watched it because he destroyed my Knicks

and he's always hell for my Knicks. Like when he's on a wing, he's ISO, he's hell against OG, who's one of our best defenders, against McKell. Like, because he can pull up and shoot it or he can drive with his amazing first step or flat out, he can say, you know what, I'm going to take over this court because he has the ability to. All those little aspects of him, they need to see before you get into the playoffs. So that's why if you feel like you want that guy back, slow is, you got to slow this thing up a little bit. Because I think emotions play a part.

Sure. Listen, they're excited to get him back and there will be a minute's restriction. And these games are not as significant as the games that come in five. Well, the schedule gets a little harder after Dallas. They got some competition ahead of them. You know, I know. But like for Boston, I'd rather, if I'm a Celtics fan, I'd rather lose a couple of games and work Tatum back in so that he can be whatever the most effective he can be in the playoffs.

It's the biggest story in basketball between now and the postseason. This was a fun report, though, as we go to football. Let's go to Philly where, shockingly, Willie. We found a way to get A.J. Brown. Well, listen, if top NFL reporters are going to keep putting out potential suitors and teams that are interested, this one caught me by a surprise. Our friend of the show, Diana Rossini. She writes, the Eagles are holding firm on their steep asking price for A.J. Brown. While the New England Patriots have poked around on it, the Los Angeles Chargers are another team keeping tabs on the situation.

All right. Well, so that's an easy hypothetical. which would be the better fit for A.J. Brown, Patriots or Chargers? I mean, you know the answer to this. Go ahead. And I want you to jump out there. I actually, when this broke, I thought you'd be running through the hallways for your man, Justin Herbert. I mean, look. I thought this would be outside of your Bears.

I thought you would be out here waving a tie. I mean, it's a Charger Y'all tie, but I am kind of floored by it. Why? A.J. Brown would make every team better. So, like, that caveat out of the way. But the Chargers, the Chargers were one of two teams, it was them and the Bears, actually, my two squads, that had two guys, that had three players with 600 or more yards at receiver.

Four players overall when you factored in running backs and tight ends. I didn't look at it and say, like, true number one is what Justin Herbert needed. I kid you not. They don't have a vertical threat. Lad McConkey is the only guy in the slot that eight. Listen, he would make them much better. I guess my point is when I watch the Chargers, issues one, two, and three were protecting Justin Herbert.

100%. And so if they're gonna make a huge move, and I know they just signed the center from Washington, which is a good upgrade, but like if they're gonna make a huge move, I would be a little surprised if it was for a true number one. Whereas the Patriots, I'm just trying to be fair on this. I would prefer him in LA because I want everything to work out for Justin Herbert. But the Patriots just lost the first.

Fond Diggs. Okay. They have a bigger need for a top pass catcher than the Chargers do. To me, they both have the same need. The offense and the line for the Patriots weren't good. There's issues there, especially about Wilfam. Left side. Right. And you also got to understand, if you're, just back it up, if you're the LA Chargers, this makes total sense. Why? Because you're getting a true number one receiver who's a legit vertical threat. On top of that, you know what you need on the offensive line. You've got yourself a center. You have to imagine Both tackles won't deal with the injury bug that dealt with last year. That's what they're going to have help.

And I understand this. They only have five draft picks this year. Yeah. And so those five draft picks, you have to feel like they're going to address the offensive line and the defensive line. Well, they're going to have fewer than five draft picks if they're trading for AJ Brown. You would think? You got to give up something. Yeah, but I think it's more money.

I think they have like $100 million or something like that. Well, no, I know. But you're going to have to give your first round pick for A.J. Brown. You're going to have to give things up in order to get him. He's not a free agent. You're going to be getting you're going to be getting. getting him in a trade if he is actually available. I think he's worth the first round pick.

I think he gives Justin Herbert somebody, a grown man at the position that he could depend on. For me, I think it's a no-burner. You have A.J. Brown with Mike McDaniel, right, who is a, who we, we all gloat how great of an OC is. How great of a play call. Listen, I will play the hypothetical game with you. If the Chargers this offseason get to say that they upgraded either through addition or hiring or guys just returning from injury. Okay.

Had left tackle, right tackle, center, play caller, and's number one receiver. It's a win. I mean, yeah. Of course it's a win. They had a guy who got an MVP vote last year, controversially, it wasn't me, would have done that. And won 11 games, and their defense was overachieved.

I just, they've got free agents on their defense at Dresher. They have serious interior. offensive line issues. They have offensive line depth issues. They have explosiveness at running back issue. I just while AJ Brown would be great for them, because you're right. It's a true out.

Quinn & Johnson has not lived up to the hype. He's shown flashes. Ladd McConkey was better two years ago than last year, which was weird. I would expect him to really benefit. But I think I was the product of Justin Herbert running for his life every Sunday. Right. And I would think Ladd McConkey would benefit tremendously from having Mike McDaniel

there and more protection. So, like, do not get it twisted. A.J. Brown would be great on the Chargers and Justin Herbert would get him the ball a hundred. He would have 150 targets. Right. Frankly, and either of the targets changes now, right? There's no longer about AJ Brown getting the ball. He's going to get the ball.

Now he has to deliver because he has an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert. Yes. But I would say that. So, okay, that's the chart. Would you not say all of the same things about the Patriots? He is a clear number one. It's a big armed quarterback. He's a quarterback who throws the ball to all three levels of the field.

He can push it outside the numbers. He was a great deep ball thrower last year. Like, AJ Brown would also be a 150 target guy in New England. What scares me about that, and I've made the statement before, the league will figure Drake May out. And I think they figured him out towards the end of the season. Justin Herbert has been through the fire, been able to stand tall, tried, and true. Yeah, he hasn't had a lot of playoff success, but he's been in the fire.

Drake May next year will see what the fire looks like and can't even handle it. Because the NFL is no longer just like, oh, some little cute story out there in New England. people are going to look at him as a guy. So he has to deliver. So if his numbers don't respond like you expect them to respond, if you're AJ Brown, if you used to choose the two quarterbacks, I'm going with Herbert because he's tough, he's physical, has a talent, and by the way, you look around, you have pieces development with an OC who you know is going to target you.

I'm putting on shades. I'm heading west if I'm AJ Brown. If that's a possibility. But he won't have a say in it again because it's a trade. I will say this, though, it's a, uh, AJ Brown is a fun hypothetical. Just like as a piece to like, what would AJ Brown look like in that locker room with that quarterback, in that locker room with that quarterback? And I think a lot of the locker room things, at least at the beginning, they go away if he plays with a quarterback like this. A quarterback who can get him the ball down the field.

Well, I've always kind of leaned towards the whole A.J. Brown's right situation because he's never changed the story. I've told you that time of time. Yeah. He's not complaining because he doesn't like the guy. He's complaining because I just want the ball and I'm not getting it. And that tape shows you why. Give me the damn ball. It's a tail as old as time. Let's apply the eye test to the free agents that are going to be finding new homes when the window opens on Monday.

Coming up on the OT. Oh, let's apply the eye test. That graphic. It's like a combination of Dr. Danny and someone with a magnifying glass. Doctors don't really have magnifying. Nailed it. I should stick to the script. But there's no fun.

And everyone knows I see the league clearly. Window opens for free agency next week. So let's see who is going to make the biggest. impact in the NFL. The guys are changing teams to the bottom low. This is kind of a fun one. John Franklin Myers from Denver, Devin Lloyd, Kenneth Walker, and O'Dhdafe Owey.

So across the board here, John Franklin Myers, I think, is going to get $22 million a year. It's deserving. He is a plug-and-play immediate impact. He's played 114 games since he entered the league, 34 games over the last two seasons that starts for the Broncos, three-down player, 14 and a half sacks, pressure up the middle, in his prime, a position that you can play very effectively into your early to even mid-30s if you stay healthy.

He's been healthy. I think he's about to get a great jet too. I think he'd be a great everybody, but he'd get a massive contract. Super Bowl MVP, Kenneth Walker, he had 1,000 yards rushing last year, only with 13 carries. 13 carries per game, 24th in the NFL. Like, he goes to a team that gets more volume. We saw what he was able to do in the Super Bowl. Big impact guy there.

Giants! O-Way had three sacks and two forced fumbles in the playoff game. Yeah, he was sneaky good in the playoffs. For the charges. Well, what was crazy about him was, it's like, man, he, you got all the traits in Baltimore, and then you get traded to the Chargers, and then you ball out. I wonder if he goes back to Baltimore now that Minter's there. I don't know, maybe just soft prediction.

You need edge help. To the next line here, speaking of an edge rusher, Jalen Phillips. Love him. Makes an appearance, Alec Pierce, and Malik Willis. Jalen Phillips, everyone knows what he can do. Alec Pierce, if he becomes a number one, which he will when he gets paid this off season,

21 yards per catch, most in the NFL, by over four yards per catch. Like, he is a real deep threat. So when he starts running and getting a higher volume of targets and he's going to get paid, I'm very interested to see what he could put out. he could put out. He's a big play guy. And then Malik Willis, he is going to get an opportunity to start. He's going to get paid like a starter. And it's going to be fascinating to see,

does he get to go to a good team or does he go to a bad team? Because if he goes to a bad team because they give him the most money, I'll understand it. It's his opportunity to get paid. Yeah. But I do wonder, like, if he can find his way to Atlanta or find his way to Minnesota. And like, like, how much is a good team going to invest in him? Because when he's had action with the Packers, it's been very impressive. As we go to the next row of the I test, free agents that are going to make the biggest impact, Kyler Murray and Trey Hendrickson.

I think Kyle Murray's going to be a Viking. I just think it makes way too much. You've been pounding that drum. I'm not the only one. I just think if they're moving on from J.J. McCarthy, and this guy is there, and he is more physically talented than Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins,

and it's the McVeigh system with Jefferson, with Brian Floresback to run that defense. It's like I just, I think it makes too much sense for them not to do it, given that they don't have to pay him anything. Arizona's foot in the whole bill. So in that situation, I think he's going to make a massive impact. And Hendrickson, like, yeah, he didn't have his best year. But he's tough. He had four sacks in seven games last year, 35 sacks combined the two years before that.

And he gets to finally be a mercenary. Yeah. He can keep signing one year deals if he wants to. Just go to the best team, be a pass rush specialist, get paid. He'll probably try to sign a multi-year deal. But, like, I really want to see him on a great team. And then, Willie, I think you'll respect this because I'm going, interior offensive lineman, the center, Tyler Linderbaum.

Baltimore wants him back. The chargers, we can cross him off because of who they just signed out of Washington. My bears are going to be going to be. Desperately need them. They're going to be interested. I think Detroit's going to be interested. I think a bunch of teams with play up. He's not going back to Baltimore.

You don't think so? The price is like he's going to make the bag either with your bears or Detroit Lions. Or, but I think six other teams, like he's a three-time pro bowler. He's missed two games in four years. He's allowed 10 sacks in 66 games. He's a dog, man. He's 25 years old. So if you've got a three-time pro bowl captain of an offensive line center who doesn't give up sacks and is a beast in the run game, like,

basically every team in the league is going to offer this guy $20 million a year or more. Right. He's going to have a lot of good options. But this is, as far as your bears, I know priorities are. Let's go get an edge rusher. He jumps me. Like, he jumps that. Like, I think he passed.

Like, you got, you got think about it. Like, Dahlman gone, gone right? On top of that, you move to any to left tackle. Well, they don't want to do that. But it's a necessity. They have to at this point. We'll see. So if you get him, it solidifies the office line.

and he's the, you know, that office line was the engine that drove that Chicago Bears offense. Can I give my take? Please, yeah. Malik Willis had you have to drop him one. Drop him? You think I'm too bullish on Malik Willis? Way too bullish. Wow.

Can I show you a graphic? Please. This is who Malik Willis is. Like, that's his resume. You talk about six career starts and four games, one start, 35 total passes. Six, like, and he's dealing with a shoulder injury. He dealt with it in the Baltimore game. Like, you're going to give this man start a start.

money and that's his resume. Like, I just, I think you, I think you hurt yourself seriously if you think he's going to be your golden goose with another team. I think, listen, he's not going to get a five-year, $200 million deal. People are talking about $30 million for this guy. Well, yeah, but that's what Gino Smith got. That's what Justin Fields got. He's not, but Gino had a resume.

Like, Gino had played enough, shows you who he is. Nobody knows who Millie Willis is. The reason why he left Tennessee because he didn't want to throw the ball. But what he got with Matt LaFeelellan. floor in Green Bay. His three starts with the Packers. His passer rating was 132 and he had six touchdowns. Those six touchdowns came in the three starts in Green Bay. So he, and he won. No. Someone is going to give him a chance. The game against Baltimore, he snuck up on him. I don't think they believed he was going to be what he was. Yeah, that was an impressive debut.

All right. So tonight, Team USA makes its world baseball classic debut taking on Brazil, eight Eastern, of course, on Fox. USA played in two exhibition games. They're Both won. I questioned, we got a lot of producers around here, Willie. Okay. I questioned every single producer when they said that Team USA is favored by nine and a half runs. I've been gambling on sports for almost 25 years. Run lines in baseball game are supposed to be one and a half.

I did not know this. I apologize. This is embarrassing to me. I should turn in my degenerate guard. I didn't know that in the World Baseball fight you have run lines that are like football scores. This is like a big 12 game. Well, I'm invested. We have four Yankees playing in this game.

There you go. And so Judge, you got Goldsmith, David Bettner. So I'm into it. And, you know, Judge is batting third. You got Bryce Harper batting in front of them. Sherba's batting behind him. So I'm going to give it a shot, even though it seems like it's going to be, it's forget about it. The game's already won.

There's a swatter rule and the spread is nine and a half. It honestly, it feels a little mean. It does feel like. It feels like a little, a nine and a half run spread. in baseball keep the car ride in Brazil but Pete Crow Armstrong get in there and hit a bomb we'll talk to you next week