First Things First - Seahawks beat Rams, Maye vs. Lamar, Anthony Joshua vs. Jake Paul, Upset Alert & Nick’s Picks

Episode Date: December 19, 2025

(0:00) Seahawks beat Rams, Are people sleeping on the 49ers? (26:24) Chiefs offense will look ‘horrible’, Drake Maye or Lamar Jackson more trustworthy? (41:21) Is Jake Paul going to get pulverized by Anthony Joshua? (47:33) Upset Alert & Nick’s Picks (01:12:06) Seahawks score controversial 2-point conversion (01:23:30) Jaguars vs. Broncos, Time to believe in Jacksonville? (01:29:34) Bears vs. Packers, Parkins’ Picks (01:51:27) Would You Rather (02:01:45) Should Rams fans feel disappointed? (02:08:54) Do the Packers or Bears have more on the line? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talk trash to me. Who? Nick's trying to talk trash to me about my lowly rated podcast. What? I tried to this morning give you some. This guy's taking shots at everybody. I tried this morning to give you some not so subtle motivation in our little daily meeting. Like, hey, man, you really try it this thing.

You can make some money on it. And instead, every Wednesday you're like to Gianna like today or should we roll it to tomorrow. Gianna saves my podcast. I randled and Gianna just works from them. First hour of first thing starts. We have a spectacular show. It is. After a spectacular game.

Today, after the game of the year, the number one-seated Seahogs, now the team to beat in the NFC. Wow. Meanwhile, the first thing's first full four. Who do you trust more? Lamar Jackson or Drake May we discuss? And finally, well, it's a special edition

of Upset Alert and Knicks picks a bit controversial. Not controversial at all. Why? Because we said that we were joking around that we wanted to check Nick's picks. We weren't joking. And he started to get legit mad to the bailout. Can I just say something? No shots here. I told you. But.

Oh, he's definitely. No, I'm just going to say there are a lot of places that publicly post their record against the spread for the season. Some mutual friends of ours have a whole network where everybody post the record. Everyone's getting crushed, except for me and Danny Parkins, who are right around 500, which for this season is doing great. I don't know if we're the best in the whole media, but last year we literally were the two best in the whole media. This year, 500 is like 600 this year because everyone's 10 games under. Not us, though. So I don't need advice from your

14 point upset alert over the course of the season, Pallio. We have to pick upsets. I ain't well there is a difference of course we're not doing the spray but if coach and Greg want to give me advice I'll listen clock struck midnight and Sam Darnel did not turn into a pumpkin actually went Cinderella mode after throwing two picks and erasing a 16 point deficit to win in overtime it depends where you live with the clock struck midnight okay sure yeah here was Darnold post game I think for us it was just for me especially you know I've had games like this in the past where, you know, I haven't played necessarily my best football and turn the ball over,

but at the end of the game, you see yourself on the other side. You know, it's not great when you have, you know, interceptions and turnovers. You want to limit that, but all you can do is fight back. And for us, you know, I was just going to continue to plug away. Darno by drive last night. We're laughing at Ian's a little. Look at the bottom left corner of your screen. in America.

Wham? Those little Easter eggs. First things first. First eight drives. He was not good. Went pumpkin. Last five drives. Eight for 12,

67 percent, two touchdowns, pass a rating of 129 and three two-point conversions. That was good. Did Darnel change his narrative last night? Yes, he did. Wow.

No question about it. And all week, I was saying what? Sam, prove me wrong. That's true. And he did. I said it at least twice, maybe three times on this show.

It didn't hurt him that I put him number one on the bud list. I mean, I gave him a little help. You said he believed me. And he delivered. And Nick, I think the way it happened is perfect. That's the perfect way to end this narrative about you. A lucky two-point conversion. No, no, no, no, no, no.

He started out. terribly, obviously. Two interceptions. The first 50 minutes, he was living down to the narrative. Yes. And everybody was like, here we go again. They're done. He's not a guy you can rely on in the playoffs or in big games.

And the Seahawks season is basically, they're not going to make any noise. And here's the thing. He knew all that. He knows the narrative that has surrounded him. All right. So in addition to all of us, who were watching saying and thinking that,

that had to be swirling around in his hair. Not even just in the back of his mind, but maybe in the front of his mind. So with all of that going on, it was a real gut check moment. It's like, is this really who I am, just a guy that can play against tomato cans? Or can I really deliver against the big teams

and the big moments? And so I think with all of that going on, for him to do what he did, and turn it around that way, I thought it was great. Now, I'm not saying he's about to be a Hall of Fame or anything. I'm just saying he stepped up huge in a big moment. And I do think, Nick, you had the numbers up there.

And overtime, it was five for six, 49 yards, obviously the touchdown, the two-point conversion. He was good in overtime. I do not think he was good in the comeback. You don't think so? That touchdown pass wasn't bad. I mean, obviously, Rashid, Shaheed, was. I mean, so the Rashid,

he saved him. The part of the comeback was a terrible pass on a two-point conversion that got batted down. And listen, I will give him credit for the touchdown pass prior to the two-point conversion, but that was more about

as they showed on the broadcast, the tight-end drought and a coverage bust and him being wide open. And I feel like his coach was telling us during the comeback, he had lost faith in him. Understandable. Here's a play on 3rd and 10 in a tie game with four minutes left where to me Mike McDonald is saying if we run the video

I do not believe that third and 7 Sam Darnold can be trusted throw the ball down the field right now in overtime he came through with some great plays brew where I will meet you halfway is this I think he now has a chance to change the narrative But to me, and I know we throw around terms as if they have real definitions on the show when we made them up. But like I said a few weeks ago, Darnold to me is not a pumpkin mode candidate. Pumpkin mode to me implies a player who's not that good who is playing at a high level who will eventually regress.

And I think Darnold has proven he is good. So I don't think pumpkin mode is what we were, even when we were talking about with Darnold. It's only been two years or what? Right, but it's also just been big moments. It's more gets tight against the best opponents in big moments. Not that all of a sudden he's going to go back to being seeing ghost Sam Darnel. At a risk of being argumentative. Going pumpkin is what you're referring to.

Going pumpkin. A guy comes back down. Pumpkin mode. Fair enough. All right. So again, maybe that's the distinction. But I, so I watched this game like everyone did, and I, for the first three and a half quarters, said, this sucks so much for the Seahawks. They are such an excellent team that, and they now know that our quarterback is going to play his worst ball in our biggest moments and will have no reason to have any faith,

come the playoffs. The hope for Seattle would be his own, because that usually, if a guy gets tight and big spots, I understand you've talked about, you know, against good teams versus bad teams, I have more focused on the super high leverage games, which always do come against good teams, where I just feel like he has been unsure of himself and not played with a level of confidence. That's usually a mental thing. And I will be open to the possibility this game, that overtime, what Rashid Shaheed bought him with the opportunity to make up for those picks, change the trajectory of this season.

So I don't think that he, for me at least, changed the narrative, but the overtime gives him the opportunity to change the narrative because I think the Seattle team is exceptional. I think the Rams are the best team in football, and they have played the Rams once. Darnold melted down. They almost won. They played the Rams again. Darnold was awful for three and a half quarters. They won anyway.

And so does that, does the distinction I'm drawing make sense to you, Brew? Yeah, but what do you think about him? Because I actually think they went into the game, the coaching staff, having question marks about it. Correct. They would just running the ball.

Six times in the first half. And then the second half, it got away from him. They had to pass the ball. Right. And so they did it. But you don't think the players in that locker room, the coaches feel a lot better about him. I mean, in a boxing analogy, he was getting beat around the ring. And then he had to look in the mirror and say, okay, what am I made of?

And I think he rose to the occasion. So hold on. You said, oh, yeah. Can we stay here just for another second? Mm-hmm. I think what you asked, there's a very interesting question. Do his teammates and coaches feel better about Sam Darnold today than they did 24 hours ago right now? Because if they do, to me, that means going into the game that they had all of the deep concerns we do.

And if you watch that game, like when they do, you know, rewatch as a team, when they go over the film, don't you think they're going to see for 85% of that game a Sam Darnold that they've only ever seen one other time this year the other Rams game and that that is... But you can't act like the rest of the game

doesn't matter. And in fact, to me that makes it more impressive that he came back for it because you're right, it is a mental thing at times and that's what the hump he had to get over was mental and he did. I agree that it makes it more impressive. I guess the point that I am trying to make, and maybe I'm making it poorly, is that game as a whole yesterday did not give me more confidence that in the next playoff type game they play, whether that's week 18 against the Niners, maybe with the one seat on the line, or in the actual playoffs, that we're going to get the overtime Sam Darnold versus the first three and a half quarter Sam Darnold.

But it's certainly more likely. than it was if he had lost the game, right? Right, but you guys aren't. What if he just had, you guys, to me, you guys are not thinking about the possibility of, what if he just had a, I think the better thing would have been a normal game. I don't.

So that's where we're disagree. I think he needed to show that he could. Like play that poorly and then do it? I mean, you don't, you never want him to play poorly, but the ability to come back from the terrible game he was having, I think that's impressive. And here's like, look, going into their first playoff game, I will not say, I don't trust Sam Darnel.

Now, I'm not saying, I will not, I just don't think it's binary. But let me finish. I will not be like, oh, Darnold's going to be great. I'm just saying I won't expect three or four interceptions like I probably would have before. Had he not turned that around out, I'd have been like they're done, he's probably going to throw two, three picks in their first playoff game. Expectations have been if they had won the game 2421 with Darnold throwing no picks and, you know, not a game-winning touchdown. I'd have been like, eh, okay, maybe.

That's not him, though. That's that graphic that Josh had is, no pass or ratings in the 90s. Right. That's not him. There was a shot of him on the sidelines. It almost looked like he was reading Twitter and he took a deep breath. He said, it was a good job by the production team. Then he came out and threw that easy two-point conversion.

I was like, oh, that's good for his confidence. I bet he starts cooking. Then he turned it around. Like, look, he was 0 and 3 against the Rams. They were averaging as a team 16 points. They put up 38. Yeah. And you got to feel pretty good.

Okay. Played like a stud. Seattle and Carolina next Sunday. On the other side, weird game for the Rams, though. Firmly in control. Stafford was amazing. 4.57. Puka had 225, two touchdown.

And another apology post game, this time, for criticizing the refs. Again, here's Stafford. Take a listen. Go play. Where are we playing, who we play, put the ball down, prepare, go play. That's the attitude this team's had since day one. It's the attitude we're going to have

until the last game we play this year. Listen, respect everybody, fear nobody, go play. Okay. Nick, there's your squad. They're currently the fifth seed. Are you at all worried? I think they're the best team in the NFL. But that is a horrendous.

tremendous, lingering, painful loss, that they, I am of the belief that if you are a team that has a real shot and real expectation

to win the Super Bowl, that, and maybe this is bad for the show at times, because I am so focused on the playoffs, that the entire purpose of the regular season is simple,

binary, set yourself up for the postseason as well as possible. possible. That is that, you know, for teams that are building or young or, you know, new coach, whatever, but for a team like the Rams or the Eagles and the chiefs this year, it didn't work out for the bills, it is as simple as, as healthy as possible, best path, best seed for the postseason. And the Rams had it all done. They are up 16 points with the added

benefit of they are going to absolutely own the Seahawks and their quarterback. mentally, who I think is the second best team in the conference, if they were to play again, everything was rolling, and then a cascade of errors, some unlucky, i.e. the two-point conversion, some unforced, i.e., what I thought was Sean McVe., not understanding in overtime that a tie for them was almost the exact same as a win, which should have adjusted his overtime strategy. A tie for them was a same. Yeah, a tie for them because then they have the head-to-head was Seattle. So it's because it's

101. Like for Seattle, a tie was no good for the Rams. But you wanted them to go for two? The Rams on their touchdown?

100%. Because at that point, the question you're asking yourself, if Seattle doesn't score a touchdown, it's moot anyway. So you need to be

asking yourself, do we have a better chance of getting a two point conversion or stopping a two point conversion? And when you have moved the ball at Willall game,

I would have gone for it. But it wasn't just that. Sean McI they, after being so aggressive in the first half, got conservative in the fourth quarter, they had so many opportunities to essentially lock up the one seed and put, not give Darnold the chance for this redemption where we are all talking, they're dead, you can't trust him, and they blew it. And so I still like their chances because I think they are the best team, but they are now

likely going to be on the road the whole time. They are likely not going to get a round one by, and that takes them from, to me, where they were, going to be overwhelming favorites for the NFC to the best team, but I don't even know if they're favorites. And so I think it is a devastating loss. They're still alive. I don't know who the freaking best team in the NFL is.

I don't know that there is one. There are usually years where it's like two teams, maybe, certainly when the Chiefs have won it where, okay, they look like the best team. It's wide open, man. It is wide open. And they're one of the teams that has a shot.

But I don't see how you can say they're like definitively the best team in the NFC. Seattle, if I'm Seattle, I'm thinking, we got them. We turned the ball over four times the last time we played them. Our quarterback was horrible. And they beat us by two in their building. But why would you think so? We just turned the ball over three times last night. They turned it over, didn't turn it over at all.

And we came back and beat them. Like, the turnover ratio in this series between these two teams this year is seven to one. And yet it was a split. And the game they won one by two points. So I don't see how the Rams are sitting there thinking, we got Seattle. Like, Seattle should feel like we can beat the Rams if we just play clean football. because we have them in every other area. But don't you think that Rams look at it like those aren't unforced turnovers?

It's our defense forcing Sam Darnold into mistakes. I think some of it's Sam Darnold making mistakes too. Like I think, you know, it's always kind of the team that turns it over and the good defense. But the thing about, because they're likely to be the fifth seed, maybe lower. there have only been two wild card teams to reach the Super Bowl in the last 15 years and they record it was Aaron Rogers in 2010 both of them won the Super Bowl and Brady in 2020 those are obviously two all-time greats and and Stafford is likely will be a Hall of Famer as well but that's how tough the path is and in a conference where everybody's kind of bunched together

and you can make an argument for several teams that they're the best, I think that's going to be tough for them. And listen, I want to make it clear. I don't think they're dead for the one seat. They have Atlanta and Arizona left. But they should win out. They should win out. And then we'll see what happens with San Francisco.

We're going to talk about in a moment. And then Seattle. And San Francisco obviously has a very tough schedule the rest of the way. But I don't want to spend too much time on it because Wilds will get annoyed. I really think, Sean, McVeigh failing to recognize even on their final drive of regulation that a tie for us is totally fine costs them. Like on that final drive of regulation, if he would have known that we are spending the

clock here is as big of a priority as moving the ball into field goal range, I think he would have, after the holding penalty, which killed him, he would have adjusted things differently. really that if they tied yesterday, then all they have to do to lock up the one is what we just said we think they're going to do. Beat Atlanta and beat Arizona. Their path is the exact same with a tie or a win. And I think McVeigh, to me, it felt like most of us thought when they went up 16 points, the game is over. And then the punt return hit them in the face. And then all of a sudden they're going three and out again. And it's like, oh my God, we're in a fight again. and listen, there were some unlucky parts,

the illegal man downfield taking a touchdown off the board, that was unlucky. The kicker that hasn't missed all year, having a kick that looked 80% of the way into the kick. It was like, oh, that's going to make, and it missed. That's unlucky. But it's really, really hard to win the Super Bowl, and the Rams, I think you would have agreed.

Their special teams are a little shaky too, obviously. That brew, they would have been, while you're saying there is no best team in the league right now, if the game had gone the way it looked like it was going at the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter, you would feel like this team is clearly the best team in the NFL. You're higher on the Rams than I am. And I think they're good.

I think they're a contender, but I just, I'm not as high as you guys on the Rams. Now, I think what you, what you do like in the NFC playoffs is they got the best quarterback in the conference. Yes. So that's something good. With the Seahawks win,

the 49ers now control their own destiny to the one seat. The buy, two home playoff games and a home super. remaining games at Colts, home against the Bears, and then home against the Seahawks. Have we been sleeping on your Niners and Brock Purdy slash Mac Jones, bro? We? Not we. Brew, you haven't.

I've been trying to get the Niners in the show for weeks. You have been trying to get Brock Purdy in the show. Who's he played? We're not talking Brock Purdy without talking Niners, all right? You two have been comatose on the Niners. What's Mac Jones left? You only want to talk Niners. If it's Matt Jones, or if Brock Purdy throws three interceptions, or it's bad.

But Purdy's been good. You might be right. So we don't even mention the Niners. And they have been playing tomato cans. So it's just like, huh. Well, they've beaten Seattle. Are they a tomato can? Drew, that was week one.

We did talk about it. Drew, we talked about it. Week one doesn't matter? No, it does, but you can't. Yeah, we talked about it because you guys thought Brock struggled. And I said, but he threw it. His mobility enabled him to get Ruth and throw the game winning touchdown. We're just Wilde was saying, we haven't talked to him because they're beaten tomato cans.

And then you're like they beat Seattle, but we did talk about them. That happened. It was labor. But he said it's week one. That doesn't count. No, that's why we haven't talked about it. Put the Niners schedule up. They beat the Rams.

We talked about it. Yes, we did. I'm not sure we did. We did. They beat the Rams. They beat the Rams. And look, you play who's in front of you. Sorry, we wanted to do a long, you want to do 10 minutes.

Now, I will say this. The Titans and the Browns. They had a buy. They had the Titans game. The Browns. They, since. Hold on. Okay, let me ask you this.

The Browns or the Titans, whoever you want to throw in. If Brock Purdy had struggled. Well, that's news. Yes, that's how you mean. Oh, no. That's news. That's news. Man bites dogs.

Several quarterbacks struggle every week. Do we talk about all of them? I'm sorry, he is the starter, period. The end. But why are we talking about him if he struggles if we know he's the starter? They are five wins away from the Super Bowl. So are you ready to get? And?

I'm excited. Am I ready to say they're going to win the Super Bowl? No, it was a big shock to me where I was like, we were in Sam Darnold World last night after the win. And they also control their own. They can win out. get a buy and beat. Their last home game is in Indianapolis, theoretically, and they could just last away game.

Then they just stay at home all the way to raising the trophy on the board. I think they are, like I said, I think the NFC is wide open. I do think there are teams better than I think Philadelphia. I mean, we'll see, we're going to find out how good they are. We're about to find out because they got Indianapolis, which still isn't just a cakewalk. Then Chicago and Seattle. Starting a grandfather of quarterback.

No, it's the last two weeks. This week. And I'm not, they should win this. And then the next two weeks are huge games. Yeah. So we are going to find, I'm not, they're not my picking the NFC. You know, I got Green Bay. But we're going to find out just how good things.

Well, here's what I do. And I'm sure if Brock will struggle, it'll be. Here's what I do think. And in the ease, too, for you guys. We've been sleeping on. Chris McAfre is just having an all-time season. Yeah. All time?

Brew. I think that's a little much. Hold on. He's averaging three yards. He's playing well. Let me just tell you why. Let me tell you why I think. And I think you'll agree with me, Brew.

He is right now on pace to have 1,000 yards receiving, 1,000 yards rushing. That has been done by Roger Craig in 1985, Marshall Falk in 1999, Christian McCaffrey in 2019, and that's the list. So by definition, if he has 1,000, 1,000, that's an all-time season, right?

like I that you I think you'd agree with me that that is we've only seen it done three times in NFL history we've been expecting him and he is he is leading to your he has not been as on a per carry basis having maybe the worst year of his career or something like that it's 3.6 his touches he leads the NFL in touches by a mile he is third in the NFL in yards from scrimmage he is third in the NFL in touchdowns he is 12th in the NFL in targets with more than AJ Brown He is sixth in the NFL in catches with more than everyone other than Puka, Trey McBride, J.S.N., Jamar Chase, and Amonara St. Brown. He has been the office.

If you're a running back, I want you, your main thing is running the football. He's been great. Don't get me wrong. I just bristle when you say all-time season. Is B. John Robinson having an all-time season? He's got more yards from scrimmage than him. I think the thousand a thousand-a-thousand-thous. I'd rather you have $1,500 and $500.

The, 1500 from, Sequin season last year was much better. Oh, yes, but that was an all time great season. But a thousand, a thousand is two thousand. I mean, I'm saying all the yards for a running back are not created equal. If you're running back, I'd rather most of your yards come off tackle. We got it, we got to go. And we just quickly a note from Dusty. We did talk about Purdy when he was hitting the duggy.

Remember. We talked about Purdy a lot. Yeah. First thing first bowl. Most of that. Patriots Ravens next. Welcome back to First Things First. Check out the YouTube page.

We're headed towards a billion views. And now you're thinking, eh, my view doesn't count. Not true. It counts every single one. 965 million, 221,995 when I last checked. So your views do counts. But everyone who's watched since you last checked, they didn't. It's probably that's right.

Yeah. But on Monday, though, Calming. Thank you for your support. We appreciate you spending some of your time with us. That's so kind of you. Wow. Thanks. First things first bowl part four. Patriots at Raven Sunday night. Drake May looking to avoid losing back-to-back games. Lamar looking to build on his best passer rating since how you got all these great graphics and I'm just still.

You have a whole week we hire several groups of saying for you. It feels biased. I made a a neutral graphic for us. Okay. Even though this is a heated battle for the left side of the Drake May versus Lamar common opponents. Records similar. Team points similar. Completion percentage goes to Drake. Interesting. Total yards goes to Drake. Touchdowns 12 to 5, 5, 5, 15, 7. Passer rating. These common opponents are Bill's Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Steelers, Browns. Now the caveat here is the bulk of Lamar's damage were the bills early on. Bill's, Browns, and then the Dolphins when he came back. So he's been in a bit of a slump.

But overall, those are our common opponents. So who do you trust? Yeah, I'm surprised. I mean, we know how poorly Lamar's played for several weeks. I'm surprised they're that close. But look, Drake's had a better season. There's no if, Sands or Buts about it. But I will go with Lamar just because of his pedigree.

And just because his highs are incredibly high. And he was, I thought he was good last week. So if he was, had to be. continued to struggle last week. I probably wouldn't feel as confident, but I still might go with him just because of his pedigree. And we saw yesterday he was, you know, talked to reporters.

Seems like he's fine as far as, you know, illness or anything. So I expect, I would trust Lamar. I won't be shocked if Drake plays better and Lamar struggles again. But I'm going with Lamar. And here's the thing, Drake, as great as he's been, he hasn't played MVP level ball against the teams that are in the playoff race. This alive are the teams that are in the playoff hunt and eliminated is obviously eliminated. His numbers against the teams that are alive are solid,

but it's not the MVP candidate that he is against the teams that are eliminated. So obviously the Ravens are still one of those teams that are alive. And so he probably, at least according to this, won't be as good as it. issue with that graphic. I mean, it's just facts. No, I mean, it's a little bit of the same bit of a twist. We destroyed the Panthers by so much. I think Drake didn't really have to throw the ball that.

I think our Panthers numbers are suppressed. Actually, that benefits him because his passer rating was like 155. Okay. It's like when we talk about Josh's MVP candidacy against the Jets, he didn't have to do anything, and they won by 40. But maybe you're the. reason you blew you got a huge lead yeah the I mean the go ahead Greg oh I chose to just I'm with brew on this one I trust Lamar I mean I just say I trust Lamar um there was one throw

oh that I saw in that game against Centsy that touchdown throw down the sideline to Zay Flowers him making that throw and being on point with that ball I didn't like that throw you I thought it was an interceptible ball. But maybe you're, I defer to you, but I thought that was up for grabs. So I like that throw because those are the types of throws and that's how accurate Lamar has been when he has been good, when he has been MVP level Lamar. And what we had come to see in the last few weeks wasn't those types of throws. him being more hesitant, him airing balls over his receivers and just missing. When he made that throw, it wasn't necessarily like, oh, Lamar's back, I believed again.

It was like, you know what? Okay, he's getting healthier. He's going to make a stretch run. And I just know with him, you talk about pedigree, I'm just going to go off sheer ability. And what we've seen, Lamar Jackson, in the regular season, is to. typically really good. Now he hadn't he had not been up to this that that point but Cincinnati had beat them a few weeks before he had struggled. Then he goes there and actually plays really well albeit eight for 12 only 150 yards but they were it was still impressive.

They got their running game back. I just believe in what I've seen out of Lamar in that game and I haven't seen Drake in this position yet. Yeah I'm sure I think It's obviously Drake May. And I... Obviously. Yeah. I mean, I think that the... I think Drake May has been demonstrably better this season.

Of course. I think that Drake May is the one, the healthier quarterback. I think Drake May is also on the better team and the better situation and like all of those things. I also think, and this is, I think maybe the more controversial opinion of it, I maybe should have said this at the beginning. I think moving forward, I just probably trust Drake May more than Lamar Jackson. Wow. For the rest of their careers? I just think I think that Drake May, I said this two months ago that I thought Drake May, or a month and a half ago,

was for me when I'm doing the quarterback top fives, I've got to find a spot for Drake May, that I believe in the player that year. And I think that there are some concerning signs for Lamar that the best football for from him is he's not going to quite reach that height again. And I think he's going to deal with a coaching change this offseason. I think he's going to deal with a coordinator change this off season. I think there are the fact that Lamar Jackson seems to have stopped utilizing his legs as such a dynamic weapon, not only makes him easier to defend and less of a threat running the ball, obviously,

but I think it's impacted his passing. And so for all the, like, that is a, I need to see how Drake plays in, a postseason game in a big spot. But when I'm evaluating this, that's not like a positive check for Lamar when I'm evaluating him as his postseason play. And so it matters maybe a little less than this comparison. I think Drake May is right now this moment for this season the better player. And I think that Drake May next year will be better than he was this year.

And I don't know what direction Lamar Jackson is going to be going. And I don't know what the coaching chain. that I anticipate is coming will impact on him. So I... So is that, that's based on basically the, though, that five-game stretch? Has to be. Which wasn't like horror. He had the one or two games that were horrible.

Here it is, Lamar this season, brew. First five games versus last... First five games. Six. First five games, he was amazing. The last six. That wasn't that long ago. I mean, it's six games.

No, but I'm saying to say like... You're saying the first five games was not that... on the calendar that long ago. Yeah, you seem to think there's, I think he's just hurt. You think there's, he might be hurt. Like to think he's taking a turn. I'm a little taken aback from.

You think this is who he's gonna be moving forward. I probably have not been, you know, of the four of us, certainly of the three of Brew Wilds me and I think probably the four of us, brew wilds Greg me, I've probably always been the least a gog at Lamar. I think that there, There are, I think that they have done a really, he has done a really, really good job over the course of his career of improving what was once a weakness and turning it into his strength as far as his ability to just scan the field and throw from the pocket.

But I have never felt like Lamar in got to have it passing situations the way I feel about a bunch of other quarterbacks. The other guys that are clearly in that top, you know, the quarterback Mount Rushmore, I was always trying to. to put Stafford in there. Now it seems because of the year he's had, he's going to be in there. I think Drake's going to be in there. And if I am correct in that the biggest change of Lamar, you know, over the last few years is his hesitancy to run with the ball. I don't think he's going to put up those types of prolific passing numbers moving forward.

You then add to it that I don't think a lot of the, I don't think he is a, I know people hate to hear it, but a big game quarter. I just don't, who would I rather have moving forward? Drake May. Who do I trust more this weekend? Drake May. Who do I think's had the better season? Drake May.

Who do I think will be better next season? Drake May. Passing offense, Patriots are 6th, 241 yards a game. The Ravens are 27th under 180. A little bit of Lamar. I mean, Drake this year will pass for more yards than Lamar's passed more in any year. I trust. Drake hasn't been close to Lamar at his height.

Not close. No. No. I mean, almost nobody has. No. But I'm saying, I get it. It's his second year and he'll likely improve. But this has not been close to Lamar.

No, Lamar's MVP or two years ago or you could even say last year is higher than drinking this year. Arrowhead invitational. It is not. Chiefs field goal favorites over Cam Ward and the two win Titans in Tennessee. Here's the current draft order. This hurts. There doesn't hurt.

Giants, Raiders, Titans, Browns, Jets, Cardinals, San. commanders, Bengals, Falcons, Dolphins, and then finally the Chiefs. That Falcons pick, as it says there, is not the Falcons pick. That's the Rams pick. Oh, good call. Yeah. How much will we learn about the Chiefs on Sunday? I think we're going to learn a lot of how much Mahomes was scotch-tapping together the last month.

Even though they were losing, the offense didn't work. I know it seems like the offense was bad the last few weeks since they lost, you know, both tackles the right guard, then their backup tackles and dealt with the, what I considered an odd wide receiver regression, I think you're about to see actually what a bad offense looks like. I think that the Chiefs are going to lose this weekend. I think that the offense is going to struggle. You're going to see what a, listen, Gardner Minchu is a fine backup,

but he's a backup quarterback. Yeah, as far as backup quarterbacks, he's good, but there's a reason he's not a starter. So I'm not saying what we see Sunday is if the Chiefs had an average starting quarterback. I understand Gardner Minchu's not that. but you're going to see what the total lack of any running threat does to most offenses. And then when you add to it that because of the last month of offensive line injuries, everything has to be fast coming out of the quarterback's hands,

I think the chiefs are going to, on Sunday, look and you add the motivational gap as far as where games they've been playing to this, I think they're going to look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. Jeez, that's quite a fall. I think emotionally there's no way. I think there's a real emotional, from playing in nothing but playoff games to being eliminated. Patrick being out there to Patrick not being out there.

All the injuries, I think all of that. I don't think that is who the team would be if it was week one of the season, you know, with this roster and all of that. But I think all of that in one big stew is going to lead to, like a team that I think is going to struggle to get to 10 points. Well, that's the question. I expect them to win. And I'm basing a lot of this on what Kelsey said on this podcast of we're going out.

We only know how to play one way. And I get it. Maybe that's just taught. I think he certainly is going to show up. These may be the last three games of his career. And I just think, you're right, the emotional letdown has to be huge. They're human beings. But I think they're going to, if you know this great,

better than any of us. You can't go out there and play football half speed. And I'm not saying that's purposely what they're going to do. But if you're on that field, then you better show up. And so I think, I'm not saying they're going to blow out the Titans. I think they'll win anywhere between seven and 14 points or something like that. But I expect them to win and show the heart of a champion. Look, I agree with you a lot as it pertains to Patrick Mahomes and what he is to this team

and what he's been able to mask and cover up. Totally agree with you. I don't think they go out here and lose. I think you see a team that hasn't been in this situation before and will still play with a tremendous amount of pride because of who they are and because the guy that won't be there able to play that has always been more than what we can probably ever know and we might see on Sunday, they got to show up.

If for nothing else, for the idea that if Patrick Mahomes was any way possible able to play, he would give it everything that he got. You don't lay down when you have somebody on your team like that that is injured and no longer can provide his services. So I think to your point, listening to what Kelsey said, they will show up for the love of the game, is what we kind of identify how we identify.

So I just want to make it real clear. I think what you're describing very well might apply to the chiefs defense. defense. I think the Chief's offense, I am not worried about them, you know, mailing it in. I simply think that Rishi Rice out with a concussion, you

are starting your fifth and sixth tackles. You have no threat of a running game whatsoever. I just don't think, I think even with them trying their best, they are going, and Gardnerman's shoes your quarterback. Shador lit up the Titans.

Right. I understand that. I'm, I'm, I'm telling you, I do not think they are going to be able to move the ball with any consistency. Is Jake Paul getting knocked out tonight? He better. I got to tell you something, Drew, you have no idea how much he better. I don't. Jake Paul Anthony Joshua tonight. Now, Jake Paul's 12 and 1 has recently been a 39-year-old

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and 58-year-old Mike Tyson. Anthony Joshua is 36, 6, 6, 245, and a two-time heavyweight champion, bro. Here's what they usually stayed Wall Street Journal wrote about this fight. Is Jake Paul about to get pulverized in the ring? Nick, you had your questions about the legitimacy of this fight. Jake Paul was very fired up about people questioning the fights that he would sue people, and they said some swear words as well. Where are you in a real crisis here, whether you want to cash on this fight?

Decision has been made. Oh, no. Decision has been made. It's already been placed. Joshua by knockout at minus 380. Listen, this will either be the greatest sports bet I ever made or make or maybe the last. But there will be no in between because I don't. Listen, Anthony Joshua got crushed by Dubois in his last fight.

He got knocked down three times. But Dubois is excellent. Dubois can't beat Yuzik. And Joshua can't beat Yusik. Nobody can beat Yusick. So both of Dubois and Joshua have lost a couple times to Yusick. But aside than that, he's excellent. Anthony Joshua is excellent.

And here's the key thing. He's a professional heavyweight. And meanwhile, Jake Paul is like a light heavyweight at best. It was not even a cruiserweight. And he's not a pro. And Anthony Joshua is motivated because I think it's Turkey Alashique, the guy who's putting on all the big boxing stuff,

has got a huge potential nine-figure payday for him after this that I think probably loses some of its luster to Mr. Al-Lashik if he loses to this clown. It could go to Jay-Call. So he's got a win. And he knocks people out. And again, folks out there, I don't give gambling advice except for next picks.

but I just don't understand how this goes any way other than Anthony Joshua knocking Jake Paul unconscious in the middle of the ring I just don't understand any other way for this fight to go bro Jake Paul

fought one professional heavyweight Tommy Fury and lost and that was a light heavyweight right I thought he was a light heavyweight when he fought him yeah but Tommy Fury is not a good professional boxer and he beat

Jake Paul. So that's what we're like, that's what if Tommy Fury was fighting Anthony Joshua, I don't even know if that fight would never even happen, all right? But Anthony Joshua better knock him out.

And fairly quickly, two, three rounds for boxing. Because if he, if this is an actual competitive fight and it's real, this is terrible for boxing. Because we've always been like, yeah,

there's people that can fight, random human beings can fight, but not professional fighting, not like a boxer. And if you take this dude who just picked up boxing a few years ago, has never fought anybody even close to the class of Anthony Joshua, and he actually gives him some trouble? That will be, and I agree with it, I can't fathom it. It better not happen. Anthony Joshua has the whole boxing world on his shoulders.

He better knock this dude out. Especially, Greg, it also would speak to why do we have weight classes? Because this was supposed to be against Tank Davis. And Tank got in some legal trouble, and so they had to be pulled out of it. But, like, you can't have been preparing to fight Tank Davis and then be able to fight Anthony Joshua if Anthony Joshua is actually trying to win, which, again, my kid's college education is banking on. He's trying to win.

Yeah, it's interesting. I've been listening to a lot of interviews in Cassius Cheney, a guy who Anthony Joshua was scheduled to fight in Saudi. He ends up being the sparring partner for Jake Paul. So he was talking about Jake Paul and, you know, him being a little more athletic than what he anticipated. Now, this is a professional boxer that's going to fight AJ, obviously, in Saudi. And he talks about, you know, he didn't give a whole lot,

but he was saying he's a former wrestler. he can move. The ring is 24 inch, 24 feet, so a lot more space, so maybe he might run, try to run away. But if Anthony Joshua is to connect, it should be over. So he didn't say that part, but he was just saying, he was speaking. Yeah, that would be.

But he was speaking to just the professionalism of which Jake Paul has put in, put forth, like him bringing in other heavyweight boxers and to spar against all that. That's great, but if Anthony Joshua, to your point, if he don't knock the... You're talking about him potentially losing to a cruiserweight. You can't take boxing serious.

Who's not even a good cruiserweight? No. That's what I'm saying. You can't take... It hurt the MMA when he beat Tyrone Woodley. I mean, even though Woodley had retired, he was a former champ. And I get it, it's not a straight boxer. But still, that hurt the MMA.

Did it, though? I think so. Now, they're still making their money. They seem to be doing okay. I'm just saying. It may, it just, he better knocked his door flat out. Jake Paul weighed in at 216. Anthony Joshua waited in at 243.

Well, he had to be under 245. I know, that actually made a back front. They said he was like walking around at 290. Yeah, no, that Jake Paul's smart. Joshua looks really good right now, too. But to drop, he dropped a lot away how quickly does that sap? I'm just letting you guys know. He better not lose.

You guys thought I was in bad shape. I don't think he should. If Andy Joshua loses, I might not be here. Live from New York. Let's create a fund. Let's create a fun. There are lots of red flags. 25% return.

Who's promoting the fight? KW. Who's promoting the fight? KW. I got a great idea. I sold it. That way it's a zero-sum game. It all stays within the show.

Me, Brew and Greg, pool, we want to bet, we bet Anthony Joshua at the current odds, and you'll be the house. You'll take it. That way, that way the money stays here. You know when you do Nick's picks, you say, I don't touch it. Too weird.

I don't touch it. Yeah. Yeah, that's a stay away game. Yeah. This is a stay away. This is a stay away. This is an opportunity. He fought Mike Tyson.

You're going to feel on about one minute into this fight. Well, is that what will have? That would happen. They're going to sit there and look at each other. Yes. For eight rounds. It's only an eight round fight. It's a nice sparring match.

Yeah, I don't know. But Joshua, just to win is. Maybe a win, but it's a nice little. That's probably, honestly, that's probably. The most likely outcome is they sit there and Joshua doesn't hit him too hard. Yes. You got it, bro. Anthony Joshua by knockout, rounds one through.

3. 0% chance that happens. Overhand right. Second hour of first things first. Today, Stafford lost, but did he lock up MVP in the process? Meanwhile, upset alert in a red hot 2-1 Knicks picks. But right now, first thing's first bowl, part 4, Drake versus Lamar, Brayble versus Harbaugh, Lamar versus the flu, Derek Henry versus his old coach, Kyle Van Ney versus Josh McDaniels. He mentioned a little something. We should add the me versus Brew. versus the graphics that Bruce Robes is on.

Something moving. An 11 win team versus a 7 and 17 with a 34% chance to make the playoffs. Brew? Who proves more with a win Sunday night? 820. I'll be shocked if anybody says anything but the Ravens. What

in the world with an 11 and 3 team with an MVP candidate at quarterback prove by beating a 7 and 17 that has struggled all year. All week long grew us nagged his own Ravens. It's been an odd.

I'm just saying like if you guys are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, you're supposed to win this game going away. Now, if the Ravens win, oh my. That means are they back in a year where the AFC is more wide open than recent memory, there's no Mahomes. Lamar's kryptonite is gone and they just happen to start playing

their best football. He returns the vintage one. I'm just saying, if it happens, if the Ravens go out there and look really good and win, oh my. The whole AFC playoff field will be like,

uh-oh, Lamar is back. Just in time. I'm serious. It's funny, but I'm just saying, I'm not saying that's what we're going to see. I'm just saying if the Ravens win this game and look good doing it, oh my.

It means something. That's why we can't really have a beef just because I, oh my, Greg, what do you think? It's the Pats. How? I'm about to tell you. That's why we answer the questions.

Like, there's been a couple times this season where this team has, I wouldn't even say it's been real adversity. Obviously, week one, the Pats losing to the Raiders, and that was kind of a shocker. But we didn't know who they were. Whatever. When they lost to the Steelers in the five turnover game, how they responded, how they respond after that loss, we kind of felt like, okay, this is going to tell us a lot of bottom. That's where they are right now.

After that loss and that performance where your quarterback, MVP candidate, had it right there in his hands, if you will, to be. really just between he and Matthew Matthew Stafford allow Josh Allen to come in and say you know what I'm in the conversation and he didn't deliver and that was the first time we really saw Drake May not deliver and not put the team on his shoulders and execute at a high level a level that we've become accustomed to why you feel like he's in that top five and he's ascending above

guys like Lamar Jackson if he does that going into this game to almost basically eliminate the chances of the Ravens against Lamar Jackson when he's starting to play better on the road after that type of a performance, we're going to look at this team with the same belief that allowed us to start to believe in them because of that quarterback now have the confidence going into the postseason because of that quarterback like, hey, he is the real deal. Prime time spot to play the way he did the last time we saw him in a half, a football, against another elite quarterback to go up against Lamar Jackson

and to pretty much eliminate his chances from going to the postseason and he plays well. Yes, this will prove a lot more for the Patriots. So I think that the loser of this game is just not a contender. Like the Ravens I already don't think are a contender, to be totally clear. However, because to all the points Bruy made, and because maybe Lamar is going to snap back and you have the thing that Brew is kind of joked about, but I guess we have to leave open to the possibility that this year Lamar's season is going to be the reverse of other years, which has been smooth sailing, dominant regular seasons and Rocky Post seasons, that this is,

Rocky regular season, then he's going to be peaking at the end of the year. I have to leave that open as a possibility. Even though right now, I don't believe it. But if they win this game in a big spot, keep their playoff hopes alive, it would be cracked open. But if they lose to me, they are done. And the Pats, this might seem unfair, KW, but this is where the distinction between Super Bowl contender

and nice building block season comes in. Yeah. If they lose this game and they fall to one and four against teams above 500 and they have had back to back prove it moments against playoff, certainly a playoff caliber team in Buffalo and then a playoff adjacent team in Baltimore and they lose both. It's going to be hard to believe that they are about to then come the postseason win three straight playoff games against obvious playoff caliber teams. So to me, it's not so much about what the winner proves as what it proves to me about the loser, that the loser we can cross off as teams that could hoist the Lombardi. The Ravens probably won't even make the playoffs. If they lose.

If they lose, yeah. I don't know if I'm willing to go that far, but Greg supported me on basically you're asking, was that a good loss to the bills? And that was my whole theory. If they bounce back, it will prove, oh, that was a good loss. back-to-back good losses, tough for me to roll out. At the same time,

if you lose to the number one defense since week six, I know we have on the screen that they're the 15th best, but since week six when they kind of turned it around, whether it was the toys or they just figured it out, they've been an excellent defense. They were second, and the Rams were first, but the Rams let up so many points. They are now the first.

The other big thing that would prove to me is that we have one big account. Achilles heel on the defense. It's not the run. It's not a huge Achilles heel. This is from Mike Reese. Weakness versus weakness in the red zone. The Patriots defense ranks last in the NFL and touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone.

While the Ravens offense is 31st. If we can't stop the Ravens, now the good thing is that it's a weird stat, we don't allow a lot of teams into the red zone. But once you get there, you score. So at this point, a team goes down like, man, can we please stop them? The answer is always no. So if Lamar gets in there just continues to score and you guys aren't good at it, I'm like, you know what, there's a real Achilles seal that will, a real ceiling on this team. Can I ask you a question about the Patriots offense against the Ravens defense?

Sure. Because Brew earlier, you showed the graphic about Drake May against playoffs. Team's still alive where he's been solid, I think more than solid. It's been like those stats would be like a B plus for the year. And then the other games, they'd be like an A plus for the year. essentially. I understand you're making the point that the Ravens over this last segment of the season have, you know, one, two, or three in all these defensive categories. But I don't think, I don't know if you think, I don't think the Ravens right now have a better defense than Denver,

than Houston. No. Or I happen to think one of the more underrated defenses in the conferences of the Chargers, which has been carrying them the last few weeks. If Drake May struggles at all against this Ravens defense, will it not at all shake your confidence that in the playoffs when they play defenses that are at least as good as this Ravens defense, like the Chargers, the Texans, or the Broncos, that he is going to struggle similarly? I'm not really worried about the offense, to be honest with you.

If we somehow lose, so be it. Wasn't that graphic, what you were talking about, the Ravens defense being really good and it's slowing you guys down? Yes, that's what I'm saying, I'm not willing to, it's not going to lose. eliminate it. Oh, we lost to the best defensive team since week six. I'm not willing to say, we're totally

done. No, but will that not make you think that if you guys play a defense such as the Texans, the Broncos, or the Chargers, which is half the playoff field, it would be concerned. Or the Ravens defense again. Like, that's the other thing. Like, that would, if you guys lose this game, the Ravens could be in the playoffs.

Like, that to me would, I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass. Like, that to me is a fair concern. It would be concerning. Like, I think Drake's bad game was a little bit overblown. against the bills. We scored 31 points. No, and I think he would have the some of the counting stats I think would have added up a little bit more if Travion didn't have some big runs and we only got the ball a handful of times in the second half. So I think those are a little bit overballed.

Time now for a segment so hot. My grandmother puts it in the eggnog and then starts saying, where's the mistletoe? My grandma. Is she coming over this year? Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh, yeah. In spirit, she passed away years ago.

That's what I thought. That's what I was asking. Oh, it's hilarious, Greg. That's great, I'm on the holidays. Oh, that's great from you. No, I mean, I'm laughing at your joke. Oh, my goodness. I'm laughing at your joke.

You're going to do it. Thanks, guys. Around the holidays, I hurt section too, so thanks for that. Standings for Upset alert. Do we have to show this? Every minute. Do we have to show this every week? What, week?

15 points. And this is the group you want me to listen to? Ofer across the board? We can only pick upsets. KW. You get points. The ofer means nobody even covered. Well, we didn't.

You had, you all week long, you talked around how the bills were going to win. They, no. You then pick the Patriots. I, I, Bruce said he was big game hunting. And in Coke, Coach shocked me with the backing of Shador.

I blame brew for that partially. I like he was trying to have to back. Oh, no, because he always liked the look ahead stuff to. Oh, yeah, that's right. So maybe they lose to the Packers because they took the Browns too seriously. Yeah, maybe. Okay, Greg, you're up first. A lot of divisions on the line at this point in the season.

And sometimes while you're picking these upset alerts, you just got to go off vibes. Oh, I love this. Just got to go off vibes. I love this. I'm going Panthers over bucks. Look, there's a lot of breakups that have already happened, so don't look like that.

You've already given up on this team. Maybe they're giving up on. Maybe they're giving up on themselves. He's starting, isn't it? He is. The Panthers, they're one of those teams that you just kind of can't figure out. Right. True.

You don't know who they are, when they're going to have a great outing. Is Bryce Young going to be good? Are they going to dominate you in the running game? The one thing I have figured out about this team, They play good at home. Yes. They are a really good outfit at home, and that's where they're going to be playing the Bucks. A team that had a terrible loss, suffered a similar type loss.

Thursday night, obviously we saw what happened to the Panthers. They coming off a tough loss. But 4-1 at home against the spread, I know you love this, Nick. Yeah, 4-1 at home against the spread. The points are up. And little note, Bryce didn't play a week 8 loss against Buffalo. But the vibes, wilds. But they lost, I thought the vibe

They lost, I know they lost. But sometimes when you lose, you have to bring up the spirits. And you know how they're bringing up the spirits? All black everything, black helmet, black uniform, black socks, black shoes, everything. When they go all black, 2 and 0 in their division. Wow. The only loss, they're 2 and 1 all time. The only loss is to your chiefs last year.

And they fought too thin now. So I like, I like the Panthers against the bucks to take the division lead. Let bright cook, let Bryce. Ask you a question, Greg. And we, I don't know if we've run the numbers on this. I am a uniform conspiracy theorist. Okay. That like the, it started with the red socks.

Red Sox started to where their alternate uniforms started to win a ton of games. And it's like, oh shit was it. those just be our uniforms. So do you, are you buying that? I'm buying that. What do you mean? Are you buying it? It was a whole part of this point.

I know, but I'm just, I can't tell if it was a little. Which is scary actually. No, it's fine. It's the body based on. I liked it. No, I like to figure this team out. So I had to. You're right.

I hope you're right. You only because you want to stick it to me. You don't care about the Panthers at all. You have done. Like I hope you're right. Why? It's just. It's just.

It's just. It's just. You dumped the bucket. Like, like Trevor. The heart launch what the hard was. Go ahead. All right. This one, look, when I made the pick, it doesn't matter.

I'm way behind. I'm not catching anybody. But when I made the pick, it was like two and a half points. Now it's one and a half. So it looks a tad bit cowardly. But hey, Chargers over the Cowboys. The Cowboys, first of all, they're not that good. We thought they were good because they beat the Chiefs and the Eagle.

but they're not that good. And the Chargers, the Cowboys, I think, Nick, you talked about the emotional letdown of the Chiefs, I think there's going to be that for the Cowboys. Because they're done, but they have 0.5% chance of making it. Can I add something to you, bro? Eagles play Saturday night. If the Eagles win Saturday, then the Cowboys find out Saturday night.

Officially they're a little. I hadn't even thought about that, which I fully expect the Eagles to win. Right. If the Eagles lose, I don't like this. pick because then the Cowboys feel alive. Yeah, but I expect the Eagles to win. Cowboys will be deflated and the Chargers have a lot to play for. They're not yet, we think they're going to make the playoffs, but they're not mathematically

in automatically. They got a lot to play for and so I think, and I actually think the Chargers are a very good team. So I think they're going to want, you know, they got, here's the games they have remaining too, what, Houston and Denver. Yep. So those could be easily be too lost. They can't afford to lose to the Cowboys.

So I think the Chargers go and win this game. They're not yet in, but they also still are alive to win the division because they play Denver. So they do, Chargers, you know, Chargers do. They already beat Denver once this year. Yeah, and so they have a lot to play for. It's time for the Pucks tonight,

the football to make his upset alert. You're not saying it with confidence. No, I'm confident. I was debating whether to continue on pretending to eat my paper like a corn on the cob. Well, like a groundhog. Like a groundhog would eat it. And I've decided to do it.

Stupid. I'm going stealers over the lions. Greg partially convinced me yesterday. Really? Here's the thing about... I'm shocked, buddy. Here's the thing about talking trash, okay? What is this?

What's the bar, bro? Steelers beat the lions in a football game. Game of football. Yeah, that's what I like. What? Because I, can I say, you remember on that genius site? You have to put, you know, Kendrick Lamar lyrics. You're like, oh, that's what that means.

That's what our bars have become. I'm watching the show. I have no idea what anyone's talking about. What? I've got no clue. Aaron Rogers, golf, Campbell. What? What are you talking about?

This is a shot at dust. No one knows what we're talking about. Steelers beat the Lions. Straight up, okay? Talking trash. Aaron Rogers, like, yeah, I may have played bad, but these guys aren't showing up to the meetings on time. Guess what?

Since then, we're like, Aaron Roger, you shouldn't do that. That's mean spirit. He's like, oh, yeah, I'll tell you what's mean-spirited. Me completing 75% of my passes, 254 yards, four touchdowns, no turnovers, got a passer at 116. Greg Jennings, like, holy cow, Is that the old Aaron Rogers back there in a package uniform? It is.

Going up against the Detroit defense used to be the hallmark. Oh, my goodness gracious. They're so tough. Uh-oh. They're giving up 60 more yards than the Cowboys. Worst four-game stretch by any team in the last two years. Passing yards allowed since week 12. That's not good at all.

Here's the other thing. So they've been giving up a lot of yards, obviously, a lot of points. the Lions record when scoring 30 or fewer points, 30 is a lot of points. 13 and 5 in the olden days, 1 in 5 this year. So look, I think Aaron Rogers is going to, maybe he doesn't score 30,

but I think he's going to feel good about going back into Detroit where he is 18 and 8 all time. Gets the win straight up. The Lions are 1 and 5 when they score 30 or less? 30 or less, yes. So all their wins but 1. they've had to score more than 30? Yes.

That's crazy. I didn't know that. I'm not being a, that's just genuine surprise. No, I'm not. It's a surprising. No, that is a surprise. That's a surprise. That's a surprise.

There's seven and one when they score more than 30. That is surprise. It's time now for a perfect Nick's at least two and one. It's going to be three and oh and I got to tell you guys, I went all underdogs this week and none of them are your guys picks. First, let's look at last week. Niners minus 12 in a half.

Easy, no problem. Raiders plus 11 and a half. I gotta tell you, I think I might finally be done with the 2025 Las Vegas Raiders. You should be. I think that was a miss by me. I still don't know how the Seahawks didn't cover. They just kept driving the field and kicking field goals. Get in the red zone. We were like, these are too much. That's our first. You know what, KW? I'm sorry, but I care about you. You don't. Two games under 500 on the year. Lox fall to three and one. Going with three dogs. And the first one is unprecedented for the history of Nick's picks. We're picking against the Chiefs.

Wow. Unbelievable. Wow. Titans plus three. Wow. They are not good. It's Gardner Minchu on the road with sixth and seventh string offensive linemen, with no running back room, with his number one receiver out with a concussion,

with the Chiefs playing their first meaningless game in a decade. Now, there are some guys on this team. team that played a very meaningless game last year. Week 18, how'd they do? They lost 38 to nothing. So it's a small sample of the Chiefs in meaningless games, but the sample ain't great. I think the Titans went outright.

I hate that this is the case. I hate that when we're doing Chiefs highlights, I'm seeing Gardner Mintzio on my screen, makes me want to throw up. Sorry, Gardner, nice guy, but not what I wanted. Titans plus three. I'm going to have to save the show now with this next pick. Jacksonville, Duval,

Jags Admonds, Jags fans running big time Twitter accounts, Jags podcast. This show has been the only show for five years that has wrapped you. Now, old Kevin Wilds doesn't want poor little Nick Wright to have anything nice. He's like, you know what?

While Nick's down and vulnerable, he saw I left a flank undeguarded, he's like, Chiefs are out, Mahomes is out. You know how I can really? stick it to Nick? What if I make the Jags think first things first is the anti-Jag show? You're the pro-Jad. Oh, are we? Because right now, America, if you go to at Jaguars on Twitter, you know what you're going to see? This guy's smirking face saying nobody cares about you.

Liam Cohen is at press conferences being asked about Kevin Wilde. It's not about me. It is, okay. We'll tell to Jaggs Twitter. Frank is on there as well. Throw me on his book. You're on it. I'm a second. I don't want to be the only one. Listen. Here's the reality. Yes, he's throwing you.

Here's the reality. The Jags are excellent. Trags are playing best ball of his life. The Broncos too high. In the last 35 years, there are 50 instances, 50, 5-0, of teams on 11-game winning streets or longer. Those teams are 14 and 36 against the spread. They cover 28% of the time. Also,

The last couple Broncos games notwithstanding, what are the Broncos known for all year long? Close last minute wins. Wins by one, two, or three points. I'm getting three and a half points. I'm getting the better quarterback. I'm getting the team that needs it more. I'm getting the team not coming off an emotional comeback.

I'll take the Jacks plus three and a half. I think they went out right. And last but not least, even though KW wants to kick me when I'm down, I support my guy. Pat's plus three. I like it. They're the better team.

They have right now the better quarterback. They right now have the better coach. They're the healthier team. They also have this weird thing where every week their quarterback says, you know what? I'll show up for the full week of practices. Things help the team. And I'm getting three points.

So Titans plus three. Jags plus three and a half. Patriots plus three. KW, you have a question for me? I have a hot take. Okay, but you're supposed to ask me what the lock is. Oh, yeah, yeah. What's the lock?

Don't say, can I tell you something? Don't say... Duval! Jax plus three and a half. Yeah, I'm making... See, that's how good I am to the Jags. I did a worse Duval than Liam Cohn, so he feels a little bit better. Exactly, right.

This wasn't bad, actually. Should I mean to do it worse? Duval. There you go. The Hawks proved their Super Bowl favorite, and we are talking more Jags Broncos. Yeah, damn straight. Oh boy.

Super Saturday. Hey, Kevin. Why didn't you get anything for the kids? Well, I was busy on the... Saturday I'm supposed to go shopping. Eagles commanders at four Packers, bears at eight. You ain't lying, bro. You ain't lying.

Yeah, we're in trouble. I'm trying to figure out when I'm going to go shopping. The answer is never. The answer is never. No time. Gift card city. Tomorrow on Fox, one of the strangest plays of the season. Darnold down two throws this pass backwards.

Jared Verst gets his hand on it. Since it's backwards, it's a fumble. So when Zach Jarbonnet grabs the ball, he actually scores. He had no idea. Sean McVeigh. I'm not thrilled. Take a listen. I've never quite seen anything like what happened on the two-point conversion where you're lined up to kick off.

Then they say it's a fumble because they had the clear and obvious recovery. Now you tack it on you make it a 30-30 game. Very interesting. Didn't get a clear explanation of everything that went on just because of some of the timing of it. They were trying to be able to do that. But that's the thing that I've said. I've never seen anything or never been a part of anything like that. and I've grown up around this game.

Are you okay with the call? Absolutely not. Everything about this is bad. First of all, it's a rules flaw. That it rules flaw so they have to fix it. Because ever since the Holy Roller, there's been a rule that on fourth downs, you can't advance a fumble.

That, for the reason that rule exists, of course, should apply to two-point conversions. it's just an oversight that it doesn't. So that's first of all, but whatever, rules, flaws, rules, flaw. Here are my other major issues with it. They are claiming this is still live, and that's why you get to pick it up. If one of the Rams, when this ball's rolling on the field, clock Zach Charbonnet and dives on the ball, it's a flag.

Oh, yeah. The whistle is blown, which actually doesn't matter, but you can't say this is a clear and obvious recovery, within the scope of the play, because every single person on that field thought the play was over. He wasn't picking that ball up because this might be worth two points.

That's my second issue. But if, go ahead. Let's say, because that's an interesting point. If a RAM, like you said, clock Charbonnet grabs the ball, there probably is a flag initially, but when they, because this was a wild where they realized. No, but replay can't retract flags.

Then there would also be in like a fight. Here's the other problem. The other problem. This wasn't challenged and it's not a scoring play. So it's not automatically reviewed. So it's not a because they didn't score. No, this was technically a replay assist thing. Oh.

And they- Not a scoring play. It is a scoring play. They didn't- No, Gru. No. They don't- this is not automatically review. But they scored points.

No, Brew, I'm just telling you, this does not qualify as an automatic review. Automatic review is if someone scores. This was, this was, I'm, look, I don't know the rule. I'm just saying this is, they scored points on this. Brew, and I, what I'm telling, I'm trying to be rude. I do know the rule. This is not an automatically review.

But they reviewed it, didn't they? They did replay assist, which they said they would never do under circumstances like this. They did it anyway. Can I ask a quick question again? Yes. Just because I do think it's interesting. If it was a handoff and the running back was fell down short and you have to challenge. You have to challenge that.

It has to be challenged. That you have to challenge it. The whole point is this is a challengeable play, but the Seahawks didn't challenge it because nobody watching the game or playing in the game thought this was a live ball. And so I don't like any single piece of it. Now, the Rams have themselves to blame for losing the game

because they had plenty of opportunities after this. But this is in the ongoing creep of replay, which is supposed to make this. better. This is not within the spirit of when they said, hey, we're going to add this thing called the, you know, replay assist so we can quickly fix clear and obvious errors without having to waste time of a challenge. Nobody thought that meant three minutes after an incomplete pass. We're going to find out actually it was a successful two-point conversion. So I hate all of it, to be clear. It was bizarre. And I think we all joined McVeigh and saying we've never seen anything

like this. So I agree with that. that. My feeling is if it is the rule, then okay. I mean, I'm actually glad it happened because it helped it make it one of the greatest, maybe the greatest game this season so far. But, I mean, it's strange. Charbonate, credit to him, I think Greg will address that. But, you know, credit to him, he obviously had no idea. Yeah, when you say credit, yeah, it felt like he was. Greg will address it. Greg will address it.

So what is always talked about in locker rooms and coaches harp on this, when you don't know, and there's a ball rolling around on the ground, go cover it, go pick it up. Somebody cover the ball. Like that is specifically when you're talking offensive or defensive guys, you want to be the clear and obvious guy that possesses the ball. Now, I'm not going to sit here and say Charbonnet knows exactly what's going on, but he did follow rule one. Right. Cover the ball.

Pick the ball up. And if one of the Rams had picked this ball up, no, boy, no. We're good. They win the game. That's right. No issue. That didn't happen. And I get all of what you're saying.

Here's the other thing if the ram picks it up. If a ram picks it up and just starts running towards the other end, because that's a live ball, they could get two points themselves and go up four. That's not being allowed because they blew the whistle. Like, the Rams. are not going to be allowed to advance that. Because, according to Terry McCauley

on Twitter today, because this was, he said, immediate within the framework of the play. But this was to me, not immediate and not within the frame. It wasn't immediate. It definitely wasn't immediate. I just, I think they got it wrong.

And I also think this. If we are going to, I think, and I think this is fair, the things that like, oh man, technically this should be this, but nobody thinks it. The only way you should be able to get a benefit from that is if someone on your coaching staff is savvy enough in real time to recognize it and you challenge it. If Mike McDonald had realized, oh man, you know what, worth risking one of my timeouts in a

challenge, let me toss it. Then I still don't love it, but like then at least it feels like they earned it. Instead, it just felt, it felt to me like if there had been less of a TV delay between two point conversion and kickoff, they wouldn't have gotten it. Can I, can I open it up pretty wide? There's been times in my sports fandom experience, the tuck rule being a pretty obvious one, Dave Roberts stole second base, where one singular play was like, ooh, I don't know if that was supposed to happen. And because it did, it feels like we're the team that is now going to win. Does anyone else subscribe to that theory and did anyone else get that feeling about the Seahawks? And then on the opposite side, Jukwoski Tart, as Rand is like, oh, maybe things broke the wrong for us at this moment and we're kind of getting screwed.

I might have felt that way if this wasn't with six minutes left in a game that went to overtime. You know what? Because it doesn't feel, I don't think it's fair to say, and I don't think anyone is saying that had this play not happened, Seattle definitely loses. You know what I mean? Seattle still would have been down to without the ball. They would have been in road. But they ended up, as we know, getting the ball back. No, but it's a, it's a feel. It's more. It's more. It's a like when the, when the chiefs block that Broncos kick, oh, my God, Chiefs are going back to Super Bowl. Like, it's just, they're just something to. Can I, can I ask just one other question about this? If this, let's say the two-point conversion ended up winning them the game, the very clear and obvious catch to the tight end, that was this.

That was to tie the game. And that this play happens in overtime on the final to win it. I'm just curious. How long is the NFL telling us they can be interviewing the coach everything? Because this was about three minutes. So if this is the final play of the game, are they retroactive while Sean McVeigh is talking to Al Michaels or whomever? being like, actually, we just reviewed it, and as it turns out, Seattle won. Or like, it just feels like it was too cute.

It was crazy. It was bizarre. But there was obviously somebody up there saying, hold on. That was not a forward pass. Also, I loved it. Why? I just love sport. I love the chaos of the details.

It was the rule. It was the rule. I mean, right? I go back to like the California. Calvin Johnson, the catch, no catch. Right. And it's like it just changed everything. This will never see it again.

Probably not. Because it's going to be definitive across the board. Like very few people would pick up on what the rules are and if it was right or wrong or whatever. But that Calvin Johnson rule, when he caught that ball and I still call it a catch, yes. And he caught that ball against the bears and set it down, gets up. Like, that changed everything. Now we have the catch-no-catch survive the fall, all these different things. They're going to implement something to where it's crystal clear across the board.

Brew, do you also agree that they are going to add the rules on fourth down fumbles are the same on conversion, fourth down two-point conversions? You cannot advance a fumble on fourth down because of the holy roller, right? Like only the fumbling player can advance it, which is why sometimes, right? Like the logic behind it is the exact same. And I was shocked that the Holy Roller rule didn't apply here. But the tough thing is when the player's blown dead, it should be dead. Yeah, the Rams aren't allowed to hit the Seahawks guy. Or like the players blown dead before he recovers the ball.

Like if they both dove on the ball, that would have felt more fair. I know, but it would have felt like an unnecessary. But what I'm saying. is if this was in the field of play and no one covered the ball it would we couldn't decide anything. The play

it would be like replay the down or whatever the case is but you can't because the play was blown dead. Does this on? Yeah. Are you following? Yeah and because it's the moment he holds the ball the plays over because he's in the end zone. You know what? I just think. Colin Coward says I root for

interesting and I loved it. Just did 10 minutes. It was a time to stop sleeping. on the Jags. Everybody wake up. Not yet. That's next on first things first. Can't tell you something about the Jags? What? Like most of America, I just don't care.

See, that's the thing. At all. When I watch this team, there's nothing, there's nothing that just jumps out to me that says, man, this team is amazing. They want some. Well, KW. I don't like that.

It's all good. You got to be hated by some. I'd rather not. Well, then why? Why do you, but then, I mean, you're supposed to be pro Texans. No. Unfortunately, it came out as very anti-Jags. And I know sports media handbook, I'm supposed to be like, yeah.

Yeah. That's why you play your game in London. This is competitive sports debate. It's not competitive sports debate. I don't like the Jags. No. Wild. Great, it lit up the Jets.

We're in this together. You haven't talked about the Jags. No, and every time I try to. It's not true. Three years. Every time I try to, you talk about some media. I like the Jags. I like.

Travis, not true. No, because Mac Jones was on, I was like, oh, Brian Thomas Jr. All right. Can I answer this question? No, we're doing a full read. Okay. Jags are rolling. The Prince is coming off a six touchdown performance.

Their underdogs against the Broncos team that simply does not lose at home. 12 straight wins. What can Jacksonville prove with a win on Sunday? That they're legit super old contenders. If they go into Denver and win, they also will have a real shot at the one seed. Now, I don't think they'll get it because I think, Denver what looked like it was going to be a tough final two weeks, not so much now, because next week for Denver's Kansas City.

And then week 18 is a charger game that might mean a lot for the chargers or for the chargers might mean literally nothing. They might be not able to win the division and locked into the playoffs if we think Philip Rivers and the Colts aren't going to go on a streak. So I wouldn't say they're going to get the one seed, but they'd be alive for it. But when you have seen, and I know people get mad at me. about this. There have been stretches where Trevor Lawrence has looked like an elite quarterback. Now, they have been far too intermittent for a guy of his pedigree, for the number one pick,

a guy of his salary, but it is not as if we haven't ever seen him play at a super high level for an extended period of time. We have. We also have seen him play in the playoffs and weird first playoff game with the terrible first half and the perfect second half. And the second playoff game in arrowhead against the Chiefs. He played really well. He's just up against a better team. When we say we have this wide open AFC, if the Jags get to 11 and 4

by beating the number one team in the conference on the road, you've got to take them seriously. Greg was having a fit when you said a lot of that can apply to Daniel Jones, but that's not Daniel Jones topic. Anyway. Love it. I'm just saying. Show me

the seventh and in the way. I want to I don't know. Oh, my. The show. Is that even a thing? Exactly. I don't even know if that's a next to. I don't know if that's a Nick back or what.

I know it's in pro football reference. So I don't know. This is a serious question. You believe that the Denver Broncos can win a Super Bowl. But grudgingly, I have to acknowledge it seems to be possible. Yeah. I mean, I'm asking. Yeah.

He's there. So this is the game where I was saying. even earlier in the week. If they beat the Broncos, okay, all bets are on. This will make me believe and start to give this team some credibility of, okay,

they actually can win these types of games because of what I believe the Broncos are. Because I don't believe the Jags are that yet, because I haven't seen Trevor Lawrence do it against, albeit he's playing great. I haven't seen him play the way that we just saw last week, obviously it gets suggested.

Against the best teams. Yeah, against the best teams. If he goes into mile high and plays great and they win, he doesn't even have to play the way he did last week. If he goes in there and he's a reason why they win, of course. This is a team that can cause a lot of problems in the postseason. You guys are right. And I know all of us, even Nick, we look at the Jags and we look at Trevor and feel like,

even if you think he's on the rise, he's not. playing well enough to lead a team to the Super Bowl. But Bo Nix, have we seen enough from him? C.J. Straub? Yes. You know, I mean, Drake. But seriously, like, we haven't seen any of these guys. And then you got Rogers and older guys.

Lamarro's had a bad season. So, look, I think if they win, yes, I agree with you guys. They are a contender. They beat, they pounded the Chargers. They beat Indianapolis. They beat Kansas City. San Francisco, Houston, and Carolina. I mean, those are some good teams.

And here's the, I will say this, I'm more interested in it. If Trevor Lawrence plays great and continues this string of great games, even if they lose, like, a close game, I will be like, the Jags might be able to do something in the place. And by the way, playing great against the Broncos past defense just means. Yeah, it doesn't mean lighting them up for like four touchdowns.

No, I have a stake. And so in the thing, because Jags Texans is a very likely round one playoff matchup. Jags Chargers is a very likely, those are the two most likely round one opponents. To your point, they annihilated the Chargers. The Texans, they beat them once. And the second time, they were up 26-0-0 entering the fourth and then melted down. But they had thoroughly outplayed him in both those games. Bo Nix is still 22 and 9 as a starter.

He's going to be, if he wins this game, he'll be one behind Russell Wilson for the most wins in his first two seasons. See, see Jags, even in the what can the Jags prove combo, Wild's just like Bo Nix. It's all Bo Nix. Live from New York. I'm not on tilt. I'm just saying. Off the set, my gosh. Rules of Upset alert have been.

22, you were the king of Upset alert. Unquestioned. It's how you became Bugsdonny Phil of Football. Change the rules. 2023, Bru, you dominated. You crushed it. I remember that. 2024, coach and Greg dominated.

And 2025, they're dominating. And you now are going to try to make the argument, they're actually not dominating. I am saying. Here we go. He's mad. Legit mad. Legit mad.

The rules are so skewed, they're being changed next year. Correct? But I told you, buddy, even if we have next year's rules this year's, coach and Greg are running away with it. What's the score? What is it? Coaches and Greg are up on like 24 with the changed rules. 24.

Yeah. I would just pick one game a week. Why would we get 24 for? We could just all agree that I'm the picks champion. Thank you. It's just all agree. Legit. I'm upset about it.

24. 24 is you're just pulling numbers 24 points ahead. You get one point. If we were on the Knicks Parkin, Knicks and Parkins, whatever. Who cares? No one cares, honestly. Sorry.

Bears taking over the division, maybe. Meanwhile. while. Justin Herbert have Dak on upset alert. That's right. Parkin's very interesting. But right now, game in the year. Stafford has a gaudy stat line, throws for almost 460. But Darnold went from pumpkin to bumping as Seattle turned up the volume. To raise a 16 point deficit.

Was that Sam Darnold? You have a hubbs. Hubs, wow. You guys are going to think I'm weird for saying this, but we, you know, I didn't think we played our best football. I certainly didn't play my best football. We got a lot of work to do there, but at the end of the day, we won. And, you know, the team in that locker room, all the guys in that locker room, you know, we work so hard for moments like this.

Obviously, you know, like I said, we got a lot of work to do and we're going to continue to push and get better. But those guys in the locker room deserve a win like that. Danny, what was your number one takeaway from last night? That I nailed my game of the year take. Well, from yesterday. Listen, I, I've had those two teams one and two in top 10 Tuesday for four straight weeks and for five of the last six. Like I think it has been very clear that those are the two best teams in football. And obviously I am rooting for the Bears to be in the NFC championship game and the Super Bowl.

But if I don't get that, I want part three. Like I want to see Rams and Seahawks for a third. third time because yesterday was only the fourth time in NFL history that the top two point differential teams met this late in the season, week 16 or later. And it's just, so it was just rare that you would get those two teams at that level playing at this point of the regular season. And you guys have gone over it, but it still is worth showing just how close they were over the two games. And obviously one team had a much more lopsided in terms of the turnovers with the seven. One yard is interesting. I didn't know that.

One yard difference over two point. One yard, one point, one big play. Obviously, they split the wins. And if you look at the NFC, because I know coming in, I know Brew, you had some questions about Seattle, Darnold. They're just clearly the two best teams in the NFC. Like, it's just far and away.

And so we say it is wide open. I say it as much as anybody. But I just, I loved the game. I love the storylines of it. And I think they're on a collision course again for the NFC championship game. I definitely don't think they're definitively the two best teams in the NFC. I think it's wide over. San Francisco's beating both of them.

You know, Philadelphia beat the Rams. So I think that conference is all tight. But my biggest takeaway was Sam Darnel, you know, and that was the whole storyline. Can this guy produce and deliver in a big moment? And he wasn't. He was living down to the narrative. First 50 minutes of the game, he was bad, right? And then I thought it was a real gut check moment for him

Because I'm sure in his mind he was thinking this is what everybody said about me All week they've been saying I can't play in the big games and I'm I'm showing that And so he had really had to face facts Am I that guy that they say I am or can I overcome it? And I think he overcame it and that was huge and I think that'll help them now I'm not saying in their first playoff game I think he's going to throw four touchdowns But I'm saying I will not go into that game thinking,

what will you think is more likely? Four touchdowns or a bad or an awful game. An A or an F for Sam Darnold's first playoff game. Because I will, go ahead. I don't know. I mean, I will go in not thinking either. Sure. I will go in thinking he's going to play solid and, you know.

What if you had to? I would say With a lot of guys You might lean more toward A bad game You know Especially a guy again This was a great game

But he still hasn't Had terrific playoff game Yeah so I don't I think that the end of that game I have to be open to the possibility That the fact that he got that Chants in overtime after I just want to be very clear

I do not think he was instrumental in the comeback. The comeback was a punt return by Rashid Shaheed, end around by Rashid Shihid, yes, a touchdown. A touchdown pass. I mean, what was it, like an 18-yard touchdown pass? I mean, it said the, but the, that

by the way, the guy's wide open and then has to use all six-six of his body because it was overthrown. And then, I mean, it just wasn't, it just, that to me, the story of the comeback and then the weird two-point conversion, which was a bad play. Now, the story of overtime, he was excellent. The last, the last,

drive was great. That throw to Cooper Cup was very high level. You're talking about in overtime? Yeah. No, in overtime, he was excellent. And I have to be open to the possibility that for him, that's like a fork in the road moment, that he had internal doubt about himself in big spots, but doing that and the fact that now potentially he doesn't have to do with

road playoff crowds, those things will all work in his favor. But I did not come, I can't have watched a game where I thought for the first three hours and 15 minutes that I'm watching, this guy is the biggest problem on his team to then 45 minutes later feel like he has definitively turned a page. But it might not matter because I agree with your point, Seattle is that good, which is why my biggest takeaway is

this is potential for all-time-blown opportunity for the Rams. If the Rams could have just held on, to a 16.4th quarter lead against a team whose offense had done nothing, then they are basically locked for the one seed. They are going to be able to make sure Devante wouldn't have to play again this year if they didn't want them to. They could rest Stafford, get a buy, play zero cold weather games, and the second best team in the conference, Seattle, confidence totally wrecked

for their best player on their team. and they let it slip through their fingers. Now, maybe they can overcome that and win the Super Bowl anyway, but I would have, at 11 p.m. last night, I thought the Rams were the overwhelming NFC favorites. Overwhelming. And now, if they're on the road the whole way and don't have the buy, I don't feel that way at all.

Well, no, it definitely opened up the NFC a lot more because even if Darnold was impressive late, if Seattle's the one seed, everyone's going to be like, well, we can beat Sam Darnold. Or Sam Darnold's could lose the game. You wouldn't feel like Matt Stafford would be the reason they would lose the game in that spot. But I just think the two teams matching up, like McDonald against McVeigh and the coaching matchup. Like even when Seattle was down the 16 points, the Rams had five straight drives of four punts and a missed field goal.

Like the defense clamped down. It's probably the two starting first team all pro receivers in JSN and Puka. Like the matchup between the two teams is just fan. fantastic. And I mean, I thought it was an incredible theater. I think Seattle has to feel good. Like, they've, the turnover situation in the two games they played, they turned it over seven times. The Rams turned over once. And yet you show how close it's been. So if I'm them, I'm feeling like, look, if we just cut down on these turnovers, then we can beat this time. I would feel the exact same way, brew, if the turnovers were like a muffed punt, you know, a couple fumbles. The fact that six of the seven

turnovers were bad plays by Sam Darnold would make me worried that if, you know, that. But you would think we, those are controllable. Yeah. Right. Tomorrow night on Fox, Super Saturday. Packers in Chicago, Ben Johnson, happy with how his team has been playing. Take a listen. When you see in your, you see them in training camp and you see where we came from early on

in camp to the end of camp, I mean, I think that's, it's not that bold of a statement to say that we're going to be playing some pretty good football here at the end of the. the year. We got a good team coming in town. There's a lot at stake. When you're playing meaningful games in December, that's all you could ever hope for. And we're really looking forward to this opportunity. Danny, this was your vice last time. We asked if you would guarantee a win. I think it was the, was it the Packers that we asked for a guarantee? No, it was way earlier than that. You guys have tried to bully me into guaranteeing multiple bears. Again, if you don't want to answer this, you don't have to, but are you guaranteeing a Bears win? How many toes down?

Well, if you guaranteeing, 10. Guaranteed. No, seriously. I didn't know like seven was an option. I just wanted to remind her. No, this is the best. Sorry, Greg. That's right.

Oh, Greg Jennings just walked to the studio, like Roman Rains. Unfortunately, I have to pay off a Bears Packers bet from last time to end the show today, which is going to be a real tough moment for all of my history and my family and my father's side of the family from Wisconsin. But that'll be later. Listen, this is the best I've felt about the Bears going into a big Bears Packers game in my lifetime, including the NFC championship game in 2010. I was like, ugh, I don't know. Well, yeah, I mean, Caleb Haney was starting that game.

So I would just imagine it didn't feel great about it. You'd like to talk yourself into the idea that the Bears could win, and then, you know, injuries and things have happened. So there's a ton of scar tissue that's still there. The Bears injury report isn't great, with Romo Dunezay and Luther Burden being ruled out. But the Packers one is worse. Right. Like Tom, the right tackle for the Packers, out.

Williams, their leading interception guy, the safety, likely out. We're going to see, obviously, Michael Parsons, out for the year. These teams played an incredibly even game two weeks ago where the Bears could have won, didn't, but easily could have. And now it's in Chicago. So, yeah, this is the one. This is the breakthrough moment. It's finally time. Well, for all those reasons, your team should win, you know.

I wouldn't be surprised if they won, because I think the teams, especially now without my. Ica are fairly evenly matched. And, you know, you would expect in that situation, maybe it's a split in the regular season games. But I'm hoping that the Packers can win. But I think it's going to be interesting. I think the Bears, for the reasons you said, though, should win. And if they don't win, you talked about it the other day.

Like, I mean, they say it could be true for the Packers. That's why I'm really hoping the Packers win, because this is a huge game for the playoffs. I think there's a coin flip game, so I wouldn't, you know, I lean bears because of the injuries, but I think the point spreads right. I think that this is a, you know, 52-48 game. I also think that the loser of this game is very live to miss the playoffs, which for either team, say it again.

I said, I don't even want to entertain that possibility, but of course it's correct. For either team would be devastating. The Packers, for different reasons. The Packers would feel like, man, we did everything right, and Micah got hurt, and it fell apart. Like, that's what the timeline would be. We were en route to beating Denver. That makes total sense from a storyline. We were beating Denver.

We had overcome kind of the weird play early in the year, and we had finally hit our stride. We finally got our receivers back. and then football's a cruel mistress and we lost our best. Probably easier to live with what Chicago. For the Bears, if they go into this game, they're favored against Green Bay. It's the best. A lot of Bears fans have felt about the matchup.

You feel like your quarterback's coming off, the best game of his, you know, the most impressive game of his career. You're a few weeks removed from running it down the Eagles' throats, announcing yourselves as actual contenders. Man, if they lose this game, Like the Lions are sitting there saying one of these teams is going to lose. And we're touchdown favorites this week against the Steelers.

I think the Lions' next game is then the Vikings. I'm not certain on that. But I know the last games against Chicago. And so if the Bears win, I do think that you should feel great. And if the Packers win, brew, I think you should feel like, all right, at least we studied ourselves. But one of the two of you on Monday, I think is going to be feeling like, oh my God. There's eight teams alive in the NFC, I guess nine if you include the two NFC South teams. But there's three AFC North teams that can make the playoffs. Only two are going to,

and is my team going to be the one left without a chair? And I would just say, and again, it's pro bears. I understand that. But I do think Caleb is playing his best football. And I think if we were going to ask, who's the better defense? Most people would say Green Bay. I'm just not sure of that anymore. They're allowing 26. a game their last three. They only have one sack in their last two. They blitz a ton more when Micah is off the field. Now he's out. So that's less guys in coverage if you're going to try to generate a pass rush. Bears offensive line is healthy. Bears offensive line has been great. Like, I expect the Bears to put up a lot of points. Well, listen, this is also a huge Ben Johnson spot.

You can't call your shot about beating Matt LaFleur twice a year and then get swept by him when that team is devastated by injury and your quarterback is playing his best ball of the year. Micah was first in pressures, first and pressure percentage, third in sacks, fourth and QB hits. Not there. This is

Caleb's moment. You say best ball in the year is that based on the one game? Listen, I think he was brilliant in the second half of the Packers game two weeks ago, with the exception of the interception, which we've talked about a hundred times. And then, yeah, the game against Cleveland. Three halves.

how was the play? Three halves minus one game and intercept. But I've heard in some quarters that when you're in the game with an interception when you're rallying. He has to make that throw. It was a terrible mess. Bruce taking a shot at me. No, it's not a shot.

But you would agree if he plays great in this game, then it will feel like the interception notwithstanding that he's on. If he plays great this game. Yeah. It's just a small sample size of great play. Yeah. It is. You mean, you thought she knew was going to be better.

All right. Well, it's time now. It's Friday at 516. It's time for a special edition of Parkins' picks. Yeah. Sure. I am seeing the NFL very clearly. This is the official pick segment.

I plug it in the Matrix. I see the league clearly. I'm not going to let 3 and 0 change me. I'm not scared of picking big games. Taking the points with Detroit. Lay in the wood with the Chicago Bears. Easy, easier. and easiest. I know that I'm right.

Oh, hum, just another two and one week. Just another winner. I mean, listen, it's been a tough year, as you alluded to. I mean, not as tough for me as you, because I am over 500, 24 and 21. A lot of the season. Are you well over? Yeah, well, listen, Andrew, I'm one week removed from a three and a week except for losing two games by half a point. So it was a one in two week. It was a one in two weeks. I'm just saying. Seeing it very, very. Literally just a half point here, a half point there. But another winning week, and I feel like we're going to get back to three and oh.

So let's just get right into our week's 16 picks. Why are you watching Saints and Jets? If you got money on it, it's a great reason to watch. Saints minus six against the Jets. You know what people aren't talking about? Tyler Shook. It's playing really well. It's true.

And don't even say no one cares. I care. Last five games, top 10 quarterback in full. Every time we show a graphic with completion percentage, it buttress is my case. That's a meaningless step. Like, if Tyler Shugg's best in the league for five games, it really knows. I'm sorry. Unless it's incredibly low.

I'm sorry. Do the Saints have wins in back-to-back games? They do. Have the Jets been blown out twice in back-to-back games? Jets very one-two-three Cancun. They seem to have packed it in. Saints still playing for pride, playing for Tyler Shook. I see you, Saints.

I think they're at home, right? Yeah. Yeah, it's in New Orleans. Yeah. Saints minus six. Against the Jets and the dome. Oh, Garrett Wilson. Come on, let's go.

Let's go Saints. These type of those readers wild sprues. What's the next bet? I know. Put it on the board. I forgot the order. Oh, that's right. Bears minus one and a half against Green Bay.

We just spent a lot of time talking about it. I can talk to you about Caleb Williams and the Bears rushing attack, but I wanted to go a little bit deeper, because you said it's not a huge sample for Caleb Williams for the last six quarters. Well, let's look at the Packers defense in the same for the last six quarters. Wow. That's right.

I mean, getting shredded and getting worse. Go in the wrong direction when you lose Williams the safety and Micah Parsons the edge rusher. You just got lit up by Bo Nix. You're going to Soldier Field in prime time playing against Caleb Williams? This is none. You don't like it? One of the last six quarters, they had a game ceiling interception from the defense, right? On a bad throw.

The guy was wide open. Good throw ends it. Packers defense falling apart. You heard it here first. I don't know about that one. It's big. All right, you don't have to buy it. One more, and it's another point for the defense.

Chargers plus one and a half against the Cowboys. Cowboys are going to be eliminated by the time this game starts. As long as the Eagles beat Washington Saturday afternoon, this game means nothing for Dallas. It means a ton for the Chargers who are still fighting for potentially the AFC West, certainly seating to make the playoffs. They have been winning. They've been winning ugly. But Justin Herbert hasn't been playing well. and playing well, right?

Correct. Well, Cowboys defense, just what the doctor ordered. Yikes. They're like, oh wow, they fixed it since the trade deadline. No, not so much. They were better for a few weeks, and then they've been getting gashed again recently. Worse by any team since 2020 in terms of pass or rating allowed. Justin Herbert has a big game.

Chargers defense makes Dax life kind of miserable. Chargers win outright. Bears win by double digits. Saints win by double digits. So, green and so even with, I just want to make sure we have it, even with that beleaguered

Chargers offensive line, you think Herbert's going to actually hold up his end to the bar. That's right. Thank you. Herbert has, I appreciate that. Herbert has a big game in Dallas.

All right. So, so, can't say it any clear than that. A 1613 Charger win is a cover. And I understand, but we're not going to hear about how great Herbert was in that spot. No, but we'll talk about how

dangerous the chargers are. Okay. Yeah, that's fine because they're a complete extreme. Excellent. You know what this feels like? Three now? One and two.

It has a one and two vibe. It has a, it's just, you're just looking at it. You're like that's, you're laying almost a touchdown with Tyler Schoen one for no reason. Well, I'll tell you this. You're so desperate that you picked against the Chiefs. So now you're going to be rooting against the Chiefs because of your picks and.

Yeah, exactly right. It'll be a nice. Danny as a as a bonus, can you give us a little Anthony Joshua, uh, Jake Paul tonight. I mean, this is torn the gambling world apart. It's Joshua in a knockout feels great.

It, you guys put the graphic up earlier. Like, we don't have it now. I'm going with the big guy. Yeah, the man. Yeah. Like, you know what I mean? It looks ridiculous. It looks ridiculous.

The two fighters next to each other. So I'm taking the big guy against the YouTube. Also, if you're betting football this weekend, last little bonus thing. And Joshua, You just want to bet Joshua to win. It's minus 900. Nobody wants to make that. Just add Joshua to win to all of your football bets.

Yeah, a little better odds. A little bonus. Yeah, again. Coming up next, Lamar versus Drake. I'm going to give you all my pro- Drake stats if you want. Give them to me. That'll be great. And then I got to pay off this bet with Greg Jennings.

That we hope. Gentlemen, it's time now for a little game of would you rather, deciding which guy we'd rather have leading the charge in three of the biggest games of the weekend. Let's get the first one. Chargers at Cowboys on Fox. Would you rather have Justin Herbert or Dach Prescott? I'm going with Justin Herbert.

And I know it's going to shock you. And I know you will say that is an insane thought. Dak has been better than him this year. And statistically, that is correct. But I will take the better player. And I will also say this. It's not just in a vacuum. It's who are you playing?

The Cowboys defense is awful. The Chargers defense. number one, an opponent pass the rating. So let's look at how the quarterbacks handle turbulence. Anyone can fly the plane when it's 72 and sunny. When things go wrong for Herbert, he overcomes it. When things aren't going so great, when you're sacked, when you're pressured, when your defense allows 20 points,

does it go so great for that. How about that middle one? The one and four when pressured 15 times. That's what the Chargers defense is averaging the last, what is it, three games, four games? 15 pressures per game. Show Dax full numbers when he gets fresh pressure 15 or more times, if you wouldn't mind.

Big yikes. Big yikes. So I think the Chargers defense is going to make this miserable for Dak. I think the Cowboys will be eliminated by the time the game starts. Bad game for that. Good game for Herbert. I got Justin Herbert. Yeah.

I'm not surprised by it. But listen, I have Dak. I'm going with Dak at home. He's throwing for over 300 yards in both of his last two home games. I understand how you feel about the defense. But right now, Herbert is just a gritty game manager. me. Dak has to stand up and he will stand up. And I do think the defense will play her better at home with Dak. I also think right now when it comes down to playing spoiler, I think the

Cowboys up for that. I think they're up for that challenge. So I'm going with Dak at home in Dallas. I'm going with Dak as well. I mean, can the Chargers get to 20? Because I don't know, I'm not so sure they can. I'm not so sure they can against almost anybody. I know they did against the Raiders. They got Beyond 20 against the Raiders. But last couple games, they're not averaging 20. Philly was what, 2219? 2219. But this Dallas offense, I just believe in them. Regardless of who they play, they tend to put up a lot of points. They tend to put up a lot of yards. The one issue that we've been seeing is George Pickens regressed a little bit. Has he taken a step back? If George Pickens is the player that he's

been for the large part of the season, then Dak is just fine. He doesn't get sacked. He's excellent with his completion percentage. Obviously, he's putting up the numbers. He's been great for this team. This is not why they have been losing games. I get it, the defense. But that Herbert offense is missing a lot of pieces.

Is there anything to Philly beats Washington on Saturday and Dallas has nothing to play for by the time this game kicks off? Is there anything to that? I don't think they listen to that. I think right now we've talked about it before. like Dallas has to understand if they are able to win out. Listen, there's still a top five in offense and scoring. They have to make this, they have to make Dallas a sexy destination

and free agency. So you do that by one and out. So it doesn't matter what anybody else does. All right, let's get to the next game. No one's with me on Herbert. Jaguars at Broncos on Fox. Would you rather have Trevor Lawrence or Bo Nix? Well, this was tough.

It really was. Tough for you? It was. It was tough for me. But I'm going with Trevor. Okay. I'm going with Trevor. Okay.

Or no, I said I was going to go with. I forget. I forget which one I was going with. Oh, well, clearly is this stuff. Here's what happened. I forgot it in my head and then I saw a truck of Lawrence highlight and I was like, is that I going to that? No, Bo Nix. Trevor Lawrence, he has played well against bad teams.

Yes. Right? He has 12 touchdowns in his last four games against Arizona, Tennessee, Indianapolis, and the Jets. Yes. That is, he has been dominant against bad teams. I think what Bo Nix did last week against Green Bay was very impressive. So I did really struggle over this one, which is what you saw for the indecision there, because coming into the year, I trusted neither of these guys.

But Bo Nix last week really impressed me. Yeah, I have Trevor Lawrence. I do, and I know you like Bo Nix, but Trevor Lawrence is a grown-ass man, and he's coming to collect his money. Ever since they got Jacob and Myers, they've been 5-1. The offense is clicking. They've been efficient. The defense is playing at a high level.

And when I love about Trevor Lawrence, I just think he has a bigger toolbox. He's able to make the checks at the line. He plays with anticipation. When he wants to turn up his game, he uses his legs. And he's flat out gritty and he's a gamer. So I think right now, who's the better quarterback? T. Law, I'm going with the law dog. I'm with the law dog.

I'm with going with Bo Nix. Look, he's changing the narrative. Like the narrative out, in rightfully so, was he only does it in the fourth quarter. And I would argue you want your quarterback to show up in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line. You want him at his best. He's always been that for the direction.

of the season. Now he's playing from start to finish. I love what he's doing. The offense is thriving with him under center and just leading the way. He's being accurate with the ball. He wasn't as accurate early in the season, especially with the long ball. All the things are clicking and they're looking like an offense that's really a problem moving forward into the whole season. Yeah, the reason I don't believe in Bowdox because I think he wins due to value him. His defense is able to take the turnovers and get the key stops on third down and give him more bites at the Apple, he has more chances to be successful. That's why I'm not a big believer in what he can do.

Trevor gets that from his defense too. Yeah, but I've seen Trevor beat the chiefs and take over. I've seen Bo Nicks pretty much survive games all the way up into the fourth quarter until he has to pop. And then in your words, he puts on that cape. Don't, don't know if it's a cape yet. I don't know if it's a cape yet. He's in training.

I do think in Denver against that defense, it's just a little tougher spot for Trevor. But I really did wrestle over this one, hence why I forgot what I had submitted as my answer. Last one, please. Patriots at Ravens, would you rather have Drake May or Lamar Jackson? Okay. Drake May has obviously had the better season. There's not a statistical argument that you can make. But I am taking Lamar Jackson in this game because of the spot.

Predicting the breakout game is a tough thing to do. You're trying to, it's like picking a stock at the exact right time before it explodes. But I do think Lamar will play well against this Patriots defense that is just trending in the wrong direction. He might not need to throw. They have to throw a lot against Cincinnati. The Patriots run defense has completely fallen apart the last six weeks. The Ravens are the number one yards per carry team in the NFL. I just don't think this is a game where you're going to need 35 or 40 passes from Lamar Jackson.

So if he's playing from out in front and he's playing ahead of the sticks with a great running game, he's not going to need to do much in order to win the game. So I'll take Lamar Jackson. I'm shocked because you've been a fan of Drake. He's been amazing. He's talked about him. It's been great. in his MVP campaign.

And now you're telling me he's going against a quarterback, who we really don't know what's wrong with. We're like one week he's good, one week he's bad. He looked healthier last week. But I got Drake Way, Drake May, because he's a better passer, playing more consistent. And I think if you're the Patriots right now, you confuse this Ravens defense with motion and tempo

and attack the edges, screens and tosses. And I also believe right now you force Baltimore to tackle in space because they're not doing that really well right now. So I have Drake May, I have the pass. I don't even think it's close. Wow. See, they're an underdog in the game. And so just part of me, go ahead, Greg.

I'm with Danny on this one. Like, Lamar, he's obviously the proven guy who's in the regular season typically always been a standalone great. And I know he's had his struggles. I've been on him about the struggles, whether he's hurt or not. He's out there. You got to deliver. And last week, I thought he took a step in the right direction to get back on that winning way. Or was that him or a bad Bengals defense?

Well, well, it's not even about the Bengals defense. I just thought the throw against the throw touchdown throw to Zay Flowers on the left hand side where he decides to make that throw in prior weeks. I don't know if he's been making that throw. It's been off. But now he made that throw. I feel like that's going to give him a momentum boost. But I haven't seen Drake May in this type of situation.

He hasn't faced the adversity where he's had the team really in his possession to win a game. And then he faltered, which he did last week against the bills. Now he has to bounce back. We haven't seen Drake May in this position. Crime time game. I trust Lamar. I'm just not going to give him a more than nod because he had a good performance against a very bad Bengals.

It's not solely because of that. I mean, he has a couple MVP's. Yeah, but we're talking about right now. The resume, there's no way you can argue. I mean, they're not even the same draft. No, May is definitely had the better season. Right. He has definitely had the better season.

But I will say this too. Like, just as the gambler, like in the moment, the Patriots. have had the better year, the Patriots have the better record, and then the Ravens are favored. I'm like, oh, man, it's telling me that Baltimore is going to win this game. The Ravens defense have completely turned it around. That's the other thing. It's not just a straight – who are you playing? Like, same thing I said with the Herbert and Dak thing.

Like, Dax had a better year, but the Chargers defense is way better than Dallas, so I'm going to go with Herbert over Dack. I think the Ravens defense is way better than the Patriots defense. Yeah, the paths are banged up, especially up front. Well, that is all dingin. But we're talking about who would you rather have? What quarterback, Drake May or Lamar Jackson is not about the damn defense. Everybody talking about the damn defense. We're talking about the quarterback, the quarterback.

I want Drake May who's up for MVP candidates. I don't care that you raising your voice. Because it's frustrating. We got to look at your defense. That doesn't. Who doesn't move me? I'm talking to defense where you're asking me who I'd rather have. Well, who they play matters this week, right?

I mean, listen, would I rather have Drake May for the next 10 years? Yeah. But in this game this week against this team and this spot? I'll take Lamar. Give me Lamar. Don't get mad at me. I'm not getting mad. I'm just frustrated that we're talking defense when you ask me what quarterback we want.

All right. Well, yeah. A little scared. No, it was not. You're not scared? No, not. You're on that side of the table and I'm scared. Exactly.

I'm small. How should Rams fans feel after, I called it the game of the year? I'm sick. Kind of the loss of the year. It was a tough one, man, for your squad. Stayed up all night for that. Well, I got one pick right yesterday calling this the game of the year. It was spectacular.

popular sports theater. MVP caliber game from Stafford in a loss. 457 yards, three touchdowns. Obviously they fall in overtime. I mean, they were up 16 points. Unbelievable the sequence of events that had to happen for the Rams to lose that game. Here's how Stafford was processing the loss in the aftermath.

We're going to do what we always do. You know, look at the tape, find a way to, you know, hey, tweak a couple things to find a way to be better, play for each other, and continue to go out and play. That's the best part about it. That's the best part about this team. Whether we beat a team by 30 or we lose by one on the last second play, you know, this team's as steady as a get.

So I'm proud to be a part of it, proud of the effort that we had together, you know, had together today. And, you know, a tough one for sure, but we'll move on. I can't really brag on my Seahawks pick based on how the game went. But Greg and I were on Seattle. Willie, you were on the Rams. How should Rams fans be feeling today? You should feel sick, right? Like you said, they were up 16 in the fourth.

I started to kind of close up and clean up the kitchen because I thought the game was over and then all of a sudden, boom, we got a dog fight. So, you know, you have the output that Stafford had and Pooka had and they were able to really keep them cleaning upright for most of the game. And I'm saying to myself, they still came out the building with a loss. If you're the Rams, you still have to feel like you're a contender

because of what you've been able to do on both sides of the ball. I think special teams let them down. I thought situationally, the defense didn't stand up when they needed to have it. But overall, if you're looking forward to January, understand that you have an offense right now that can put up 30 points. You have a defense that can back you up. You have a front seven that can go hunt the quarterback. All those things you need in January.

So in my eyes, I still have the Rams going to the Super Bowl and coming out of the, and it represents the NFC. And it is what it is. Yeah, they should probably feel sick about the way they lost, but about what they put on the field and put on display. I mean, you've got to feel great if you're the Rams. Like Matthew Stafford and that man right there on your screen, Pooka Nakua put on a clinic.

This was without Devante Adams. Right. This is without no Devonte Adams. Defensively, did you have a letdown? Absolutely. Special teams, you mentioned it, the letdown in the punt return, all those things you feel

like in the Miss Philgo. Exactly. You feel like we can fix and solve those problems. There is nothing that they will watch today when they watch this film that they don't feel like we can fix that. We won't do that moving forward. the Rams are going to be just fine a great game.

It was an incredible game. The reason that I would feel sick if I'm a Rams fan, though, is there is an element of, man, that's football. Like, you can lose any game. And when it's as bunched up as it is, and there's no margin for error, like, hypothetical world. Philly loses a game like that. They've got a huge cushion in the NFC East. Like, Philly's pretty locked in.

They're going to win their division. They're going to be the seed that they're going to be. They're going to get one home playoff game, and then they're going to have to go on the road. The Rams go from the one seed. Every game is in our house, warm weather, controlled environment. We can get healthy. We can gameplay. To now, like, okay, we're the five seed, and we have to travel across the country to either Carolina or Tampa.

Now, you'll be a favorite in that game, obviously, but weird things can happen in football games. By losing a Carolina a couple weeks ago. losing to Carolina, like getting someone injured, like all of those things. And so just the the razor thin margin of single elimination professional football, just, yeah, the Rams are the best team, but it might not matter. And that's what that game really, I thought, highlighted last year. And I thought when you talked about it behind the curtain, there was a chance when you looked at the energy from the defense and how they were playing, especially up front.

I think they exposed the Seahawks left guard. He had a rough night. But I thought they broke Sam Darnel, right? And we all sat here and talked about they didn't, right? Like two picks didn't look good, look spotty, looked indecisive. And then you saw him kind of say, you know what? It is what it is. This is the bottom.

I can only go up. He started to climb. He started to play better. So if you're the Rams right now, like, man, I thought we had him. And that's what he turned out to be. And that's how he won the game. And this is who they are. Now you second guess and how you perceive the Seahawks moving forth.

They're a different outfit. Yeah, yesterday I talked about Sam Darner needing to exercise those demons that he had, as it pertains to specifically this team. And then they showed up like the two interceptions. And you're like, here we go again scratching your head. If you're a fan, you're like, man, really again? We got this quarterback. We thought he was going to be able to overcome.

And in game, real time, we saw him because of the two score lead, have an opportunity to where now your play caller, Clint Kubiak is like, We got to throw the ball. We need you to exercise these demons. He did it. And now you feel like because he was able to do that against that team in that fashion, regardless of how you feel about the two-point conversion call and overturn and all the things. One of the craziest plays I've ever seen.

100%. That was what you want to see out of Sam Donald in terms of bouncing back, showing a level of resolve, and showing your guys in your locker room, I'm never going to quit. And I'm glad you brought up Clint Kubiak and I'm glad. And you got to give a nod to Mike McDaniel because when things got Rockett. McDonald's. Excuse me. When things got out there, got Rocky out there, man, they were running the ball to stabilize the

offense. And they started, the 12th man started booing him, right? Yeah. But it was a chance to calm Sam Donald down and keep him in the game. And I think that's why he was able to kind of really, one, pick his confidence back up in the fourth quarter and two say, all right, we're okay. We're still in it. I need to kind of get back into it and throw the ball with some confidence.

And I'm just happy for the Seahawks, man. I wanted the Rams to win, but Sam Donald drafted to the Jets, Journeyman, signature win, prime time football to Seahawks or where they need to be. It's a big win for the young fella. I'll show it to you guys. I showed it to Wilde's Nick and Brew off the top of the OT. These teams are so close. They've played twice and one yard separates them and one point separates them

and one big play separates them in the two games. Like they are just that close. And I've said all year, like, who is good? Weird season. Eagles are down, chiefs are out of it, it's wide open. If Seattle gets the one seat in the NFC, yeah, maybe that was a breakthrough moment for Darnold. But everyone's going to feel like, oh, well, we can beat Sam Darnold in a playoff game.

He can turn it over. So it just, the Rams losing and not being the one seed makes a wide open season feel that much more wide open. All right, Greg. Welcome to my nightmare coming up. I am very confident about this game on Saturday, but first we've got to have some finished business from the last game. Big yikes.

Big yikes. Our little OT bowl here, your team against my team. My team is a significant underdog in the game. Can I reveal to the audience what the stakes are? Sure. Okay. These teams play again in two weeks on the Friday show leading into it. If the Bears win, you have to do this segment as Mike Dicka.

If the Packers win, I have to wear a cheesehead and do the whole get-up as one of those crazy people at Lamba. Talk about your all-time backfires. Really? Yeah. We got to top this one time. Corado! Yeah! Yeah!

Oh, so cheesy! I got to be honest. I've never seen you look better. Yeah. I've never seen you look better. Your nose and cheese hat combination is pretty sharp there. It's like, right? Take easy.

Take easy. They come at the same green. It's made a same. Some sharp cheddar and sharp nose. Now I feel like you're seeing the NFL clear. Now you're seeing it clear. I was. The dick on you would have been good.

I was, hey, look. It would be good. I've lost a lot of bets in my day. This is among. You look great. This is among the most. painful. Caleb could, oh, you really?

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I might as well. Why not? Why not? Why not? Yeah, why do you go right here and get that? I would just say this. I respect you standing up.

Oh, listen, man. I suspect you standing up. Of course. You know why? Bears. Bears are going to win. Bear down. Come on now, Greg.

Have you not learned anything? Do I look like a man who's learned anything? Right. Do I look like a person who learns lessons? Do I look like a person who's deterred? Do I look like a person? who shies away. You should be motivated.

Double or nothing. No, you actually look like a fan that has experienced a lot of success. Yeah. That's how you know it's got. So you should really enjoy this. That's how you know, it's fiction. I will say this, Greg, I am willing to guarantee that the Bears beat the Packers.

It's called pride, Greg Jennings. That's right. It's called pride. I understand. Your team has lost your right tackle. Yes. Your leading interception man. Christian Watson has banged up.

Micah Parsons is out. Packers' defense, falling apart, giving up 26 a game in the last three, one sack in the last two. It's at Soldier Field. Bears' offense is humming. Caleb Williams has been brilliant the last six quarters, minus the game losing interception. That was. Packers' defense has been terrible the last six quarters. These two teams were very even.

No lies detectives. Very even in the last game. I'm feeling very good about Saturday night. I'm feeling very miserable about how I look right now. You just, you're owning it. But I feel, I feel good. I feel good. I will say this.

All those things are very true. Okay. Fact. Thank you. And because it is the bears that they are playing, I'm not worried. Okay. We be good. We be just fine.

Now, now let's say, let's be honest here. These teams could play again in the postseason. Yes, yes. Right? It could, this could be a 2-7. There's a world, I guess, where it's a 3-6. Certainly could be a divisional. matchup, although I think the Bears could still get the one seat. We'll see.

Double or nothing. If they play in the playoffs, we've got to run it back. And I either preview the playoff matchup in this get up or we get you the Dittka Garb. For the playoffs? If they play in the playoffs. Yeah, winner in this game. I kind of want to sit and basket this. All right. But because I do this, double it up. That's what I like to see. Who do you got? I have the Bears. I think they, listen, I see them pounding the rock, controlling the clock. I think the bears are more motivated.

Is this a reason? I think the bears have to be more motivated. They grab the wheel of the NFC North with the win. They have to have it. This is a guy. Like a weird chance. This is not even about the package. This is all about the bag.

You did this same bit two weeks ago in a green suit. It does feel a little bit like that. It feels like I have been here before. Yeah. I've never been so. We've got to make it a phone booth fight. And if it's a phone booth fight, I'm going with the bears. They don't have a duncee.

They don't have Luther Burted. We'll be watching on Fox Saturday night. We're exercising the demons. Come on, Steelers! Please!