First Things First - Shedeur Sanders' excitement, Darnold vs. Maye, Josh Allen to blame for Sean McDermott firing?

Episode Date: January 31, 2026

(0:00) Josh Allen takes blame, Patriots or Seahawks more likely to win in a blowout? (26:57) Reaching the Super Bowl mean more for Drake Maye or Sam Darnold?  (36:11) Greg Jennings’ Tips for Super Bowl LX (44:37) Josh Allen played on broken foot, SB appearance for Maye impact Burrow, Lamar, and Allen?  (01:07:02) Patriots confident, Ravens closer to winning a Super Bowl? (01:22:18) Will Shedeur Sanders bloom under Todd Monken? (01:28:32) Allen or Jackson closer to Super Bowl, Can Darnold have a monster game? (01:52:00) Josh Allen comments, Like Todd Monken for Shedeur Sanders?  (02:03:57) Can Drake Maye overcome the Seahawks defense? (02:10:27) Ravens hire Declan Doyle as OC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from New York. It's a show that is asking you if you've ever seen the movie E.T. E.T. the extraterrestrial. You guys have? Of course. Yeah. Of course. Why? You know, E.T. starts feeling bad. And Elliot starts feeling bad.

The flower starts to wilt. I woke up this morning. And then I saw that Drake May was out in practice with the illness. I went over to my house plant, wilted. So he's E.T. And you're the kid. I'm Elliot. And the flower is the flower.

Oddly, I'm the flower. Okay. The flower is the kid and he's eating. You worried? No, he's not worried. He's not worried. They're blown about. No.

But you know what he's doing? I know. He's getting that into that comfy middle ground. Where if they lose, he's got a little something there. If they win. Nine days. But I prefer if he was, if he was like doing the combine. So you wouldn't be surprised if Seattle was.

He's not there. It doesn't. It doesn't feel great. Okay. Luckily. Yesterday they were going to blow him out. Blow him out. Today.

We're still going to blow him out. On this morning's call, he was like, well, when the Patriot dropped 14, I tried taking it easy. Right. That's what he said this sport. You know what's cool? We're going to take our foot off the gas. Taking responsibility.

Oh, wow. Danny Parkins. trademark. Josh Allen basically saying it's all his faults we discussed. Meanwhile, he is quick to take. He is quick to take. He is quick to take. Graham. I give me a bigger. I do not know. You know who's enormous? I guess it being is small. The Eagles O.C. Josh, you know how tall the I'm going to Joe. He's a former NFL quarterback. So I bet he's six six had a now you that I swear to go. Yes, he did. He knew it. Had a cannon. I swear I

didn't. But the fact that he was a former QB and you were like he's big. I'm going to go six six. Yeah. We should probably talk. I wish you was six seven. This guy, come on. Just keep going. Just keep going. It's definitely a fly. The more of the Ravens, are they going to win the Super Bowl?

Let's find out in 370 days. And finally, what is the- Tell you now, though, in about an hour? What is he making the Super Bowl mean for Drake? Now what? Listen. Oh, we cleared Nikki G. They played this at the stadium,

and I thought you get a kick out of it, Does the guy's name is Nick? It's a Drake May rap song, Drew. Yeah, I'm telling you right now, all of your Christian hip hop is better. No, he's taking shots at JC. No, I'm not. Jay-C. No, I'm not.

I'm Fosy. Completing it. Start the show. It's some dope Christian hip-hop out. I know, Drew. I said that. It didn't feel like you say. I said that's better than this.

Shout out to Nicky G. Drake Drake, Drake. See now it's got it. It's got a hook. It's going to be in my mind all week. We start with a blowout on the board, question mark. Seahawks still favored by four and a half. Here's how the teams match up.

We're going to look at the 10-point wins here specifically. Both have nine during the regular season. And the Seahawks are averaging. And the playoffs. And the playoffs, yes. This is the whole shooting match. The Seahawks averaging 29 points a game. The Patriots.

averaging 27 points of game. So who is more likely to win in a blowout, Seattle or New England? So I think we are going to get a very good Super Bowl. Oh, good. I do not think this is going to be reminiscent, as you were talking about earlier, Brew, of the Super Bowls when you were getting into media and when I was a little kid. And they were all just, it was shocking when you got a good Super Bowl. Right.

And then we had, because we've had, I understand last year the Chiefs got blown out, but we have been that game notwithstanding on a run of great Super Bowls. And so we've gotten used to it. I think that is what we are likely going to get, a close, tightly contested game. But if you are telling me that the story, the Monday after the Super Bowl, is someone got blown out, I think it's pretty clear it would be the Patriots that got blown out. I don't think Seattle can get blown out. Seattle this year has lost three times.

Same as the Patriots, by the way. It's not like the Patriots has been blown out, but it's talking about Seattle. Two of those losses, they led at the two-minute warning of the game. And the other one, they lost by two despite Darnold throwing four interceptions. The Patriots, to me, don't have a way that you are going to, make them fall apart or crumble and especially because we have seen well what if you lean on a darnold and force him into a terrible game

they've sustained that they've sustained that against not a bad team in my opinion a great team in the Rams and listen I think Vrable is such a great coach I also don't think the Pats are likely even if they make some mistakes to get blown out. But if they get the type of performance from May that they have gotten in various games this postseason or in stretches of games, that can lead to a blowout.

Because Seattle's offense, in my opinion, is clearly the best offense they have faced. And their defense is of the caliber of the Texans and Broncos defenses that, to my eye, gave Drake a ton of trouble. So I'm not picking a blowout. But if you're asking me what's more likely, I think it's more likely the Seahawks ball that the past the other way around. I'm going to take a page from your book, Wiles.

Oh, I love it. Could it be 100 degrees tomorrow in New York? January 31st. Man, I've never seen it happen. Maybe. You've never seen it happen. Yeah. There's two things I've never seen happen, Nick,

that one, Drake may cook in a playoff game. Wow. I just never seen it. I'm not saying it's not possible. I just never seen it. Or the Patriots this year blow out a team with a winning record. Oh, gee. A blowout's 14 points, right?

14 or more points. So I've just never seen it. So I'm going to go with Nick and say Seattle. Okay, just. I've seen them blow some teams out. And just a few weeks ago, San Francisco. Why? I'm in a tough spot right now.

Why? Well, go ahead. I'm in a tough spot? You guys didn't blow out the Ravens. He's just going to be in a tough spot. You're beating teams by 13. I don't know what we mean. Hey, Josh, can you do me a quick favor?

Can you pull up the Patriots results just before? 14 points is a blowout. 14 points. We haven't blown any, any. Not with a winning record, he said. Oh, I thought you're saying playoffs. No, he said winning record. No, you guys, you guys blew out Carolina.

Carolina, wow. You guys blew out Carolina. Who finished the year. You blew them out. Wow. In the playoffs. Congratulations. They didn't say that were eight, nine.

No, they actually blew up. My God. They actually were eight and ten. And not that's not there You guys blew out Carol. I mean, it's just true. I said a team with a winning record. Listen, you guys.

Seattle has a winning record. You guys don't blow out teams with winning records. Drake doesn't cook in the post season. I just never seen it. What's cooking in the post season? Three, three touchdowns? I mean, show his numbers. Close in 300 yards.

Show Donald versus Drake. 84 paths are rating it in cooking. I mean, one quarterback is cooking. The other is getting cooked. Right. You guys are both in the game. And I think Drake's a better player than Darry. But he has not acquitted himself.

He played tough defenses in bad weather and hasn't played great. Okay. So this is really good. What did I say wrong? He played tough. He's been dropping the wall. Drake May had 40 yards passing in the first half of the Broncos game. And it was per immaculate conditions.

So this is a game sprained more as a whole. No, I, I'm. I'm saying that the idea. He didn't do even less. When the weather was perfect in the playoffs, he hasn't played great. When the weather was bad in the playoffs, he hasn't played great. But I think it's fair to say the weather was bad in Denver. Josh Allen crushed the Patriots.

In the first half, he did nothing. I just think it's fair to say if the second, like, I'm not willing to be like, oh, so hold on. But the first two games he didn't cook. He did have three touchdowns against the Texarkers. He had his moment. I'm not willing to die on this hill. All I'm saying is he's played good defenses in bad weather.

Which is about what he's about the face of a good defense. But on your playoff team thing, KW, and then go, you guys have blown, if we just, because Brew did winning records, which I like that. I know. I knew what I'll cheat. If we do playoff teams, you guys blew out one playoff team all year, Carolina. Seattle also blew out Carolina and blew out Pittsburgh and blew out San Francisco. go. So like they have

they they have shown more instances of being able to blow not to score a lot of points but blow a team out and they did it to the one team you guys did it too but go ahead. This is all I would ask when you say like you haven't seen it happen.

Have you seen the Patriots defense get lit up lit up? Yeah by Josh Allen yes. You got lit up by you guys didn't they score 35? You just said it. They scored 30. They scored a bunch of points. Josh Allen, the team had, it was a balanced game,

181 passing yards, 168 rushing yards. Yeah, they ran the ball. They scored 35. They scored a good amount of points. So, yes, I've seen them get lit up. Have you seen the Seahawks defense get lit up? Yes. By the Rams and by the Bucks.

Yes. Yeah, by Stafford and by the Bucks. So against the first Rams game, Stafford had 457 yards. In fact, we have Stafford's two games against the Seahawks. This show is so funny. all year, okay, it's been Stafford and Drake May, either one in two or two and one. So I'll give you an example. If we're on a road trip, okay, and you say, ooh, I'm starving.

I could really do for some McDonald's right now. I get some McDonald's right now. And then you fall asleep. And I pull over on a road trip, and we're in the Burger King drive-thru and you wake up. Can you be furious? I get it. Go ahead. You'd be like, oh, this is about the same.

Yeah, I don't. It's a little bit, one's maybe a little bit different, a little bit, a little bit, but it's about the same. So if you take out Matthew Stafford and you put in Drake May, and I just saw Seattle's defense, which is, I know the Seattle's is amazing. And they're so amazing defensively. They did just give up 100, 365 yards to Matthew Stafford and 27 points. That might be total yards. So. Drake May threw like what?

Matthew Stafford through way more touchdowns than Drake made his show. And had more big games. But they were the one and two. If you think that they're way off, you don't think they're McDonald's and Burying, that's fine. If you think it's McDonald's and just nothing. I think Matt Stafford, no, I think Matt Stafford in the playoffs versus Drake May in the playoffs. Matt Stafford, not just this year, but for his group. Matt Stafford has been for the last half decade, one of the two or three most dominant

playoff quarterbacks in the league. Drake, maybe we haven't seen that from him now. What did Matthew Stafford do in Chicago when it's freezing cold? But he didn't do great. That's, he didn't do great. But then he got into a comfy environment against this vaunted Seattle defense. Uh-oh. So, but do you not think Seattle's defense?

I don't understand like that. I think Seattle's defense is good. Seattle's defense has been good all year. Drake has been good all year. Until the last three weeks. Until recently, he hasn't been great. And I would, we're going to argue about whether or not throwing three touchdowns against the Texans is good or not.

Yeah, it's more. He certainly dropped the ball. I think he's been good. He had four fumbles and three turnovers. He had three turnovers, two fumbles that weren't turnovers and three touchdowns. And he had three touchdowns and broke the Texans, 10-game winning streak that everybody had the Texans winning that game. Everybody did not have the-one one show picked the Texans. Well, certainly not everyone in the planet, but a lot of people, right?

No, I don't think anyone on this show picked them. Well, I did. I picked the Texan. Okay, there we go. So that's basically a third of the show. Okay. And some people upstairs were probably around 60%. All I'm saying is this.

I think it's strange where people point at the last game against the Broncos and say, Drake May is probably going to have a similar game than this, but don't point the same finger at Seattle's defense and say, huh, why can't Seattle's defense is going to have a similar game on this? And this is why I said the show is so funny, because you pulled up Seattle's defense against Stafford, and I pulled up Seattle's defense against everyone else, because they didn't play only play.

bad quarterbacks other than Stafford. That's right. And so they played a bunch of really good quarterbacks, really good teams, and some bad ones, obviously. And so it's eye of the beholder. Is it that the best and second best quarterbacks of 2025 are going to give this Seattle defense real trouble? That would make you optimistic.

Or is it that the best quarterback of 2025 plus McVeigh, who plays them twice a year and the familiarity that they, after not doing much in the first matchup, in the second and third matchups did better, and everyone else, it's been a disaster to play Seattle's defense. But, Brew, we have allowed Kevin Wilds to do a parlor trick and let him off the hook here a bit. Because everything you are arguing for right now

is a great argument as to why this can be a great game. Oh, yeah. As to why, you know what? I think, I'm Kevin Wilde. I think the Patriots can win. what is your argument as to why you not believe they can blow out the Seahawks, they will blow out the Seahawks? I think the final score, and this is in pencil, when do I have to, when am I going to be in ink?

Next week we'll do it, probably Friday. Yeah, sure. Right now, I feel like this game is 2813. three two touchdowns in the air from drake one something on the ground a defense in a defensive score when things get a little bit wacky not to bring up mahomes but like when guys start to press like this game starting to get away so you guys are going to darn take control throughout yeah yes and i actually i'm sorry i'm actually don't think this is going to be a blowout this is what i'm battling with to be totally honest with part of me thinks it's going to be a blow at 2813 if you call that a blow

part of me thinks it's going to be a classic Vrable, oh, we're up by 10, start just what I call a boa constrictor win. So here's the other reason that I'm interested in that take. As dominant, I'm not going to say as bad as the offense as you've placed have been, let's do the positive version. As dominant as your defenses have been and as awful as your defense has made the opposing quarterbacks look.

Going into the fourth quarter against the Chargers, it's a six-point game. Going into the fourth quarter against the Texans, it's a five-point game. Going into the fourth quarter against the Broncos, it's a three-point game. So every, you are,

it sounds like you are expecting to be able to do to Seattle what you up to this point have not been able to do to any of these other teams. I mean, I forgot if we had, I forgot field position. if we had the ball there.

I don't know if you haven't. So the playoff, no, the both game, every game you have played this postseason, the other team has had the ball with a chance to take the lead either in the fourth quarter and in the Texans game very into the third quarter. And then, so like those were not, that you guys, I did feel like those first two games

were dominating the game, but you had not, you were not in a dominant position, even though it felt like you guys were. dominating the game. I don't know if that's... I'm just... The other team had the ball with a chance down less than a touchdown. No, those were closed games. In the fourth quarter against the Chargers. The Texans had the ball down less than a touchdown with two minutes left in the third quarter against the Texans.

And Broncos obviously had the ball down three all throughout the fourth quarter. So I'm just, it's just food for thought. I also think, Josh, that graphic that we had, just nod your head if I had this right. We were down at half once all year. So from that, like, second... We've only gone to the second half down once. But that's the Seattle story to all year. So I think a lot of not to, I'd be worried on like, and this is,

I don't have any analysis in this, what does the box score say and what does the feel of the game different? I never, that Chargers game did not feel close. I don't think any of us. Texans felt close. The Texans had felt. You guys thought. And CJ was throwing the ball all over the place.

That did not feel close to me. That Texans game until the booty throw. It was like, oh my God. It was like if CJ can just make a play. Yes, the Chargers, it didn't, even though you guys were only up six, because as bad as CJ wasn't that game, he at least had three good moments. And Herbert, from the opening snap, it was like, this guy won't throw the ball. And so it didn't feel like they could do it.

But it's just, you know, I didn't. I know what Kate. Maybe I'm irrationally confident. Yeah. No, it's funny. But they never, they never felt. No, I actually. Right now, in pencil, a blowout.

out, but I reserve the right to change that to a boa constrictor. Patriots comfortable win to squeeze the clock. And you see no scenario. Did that drive take four minutes? Where the four minutes is not bad. Right. Four minutes is not like a crazy drive. Just to get a first down.

The four minutes would be a short drive. 15 minutes drive. Okay, there you go. All right. Let's keep four minutes. Dusty's in our ear. Dusty's in our ear. Let's get dusty.

Josh Allen joined Joe Brady's press conference. entered the press conference in a walking boot and crutches. That's not good. He had surgery on his foot. He also took responsibility for the season ending and getting his coach fire. Gee whiz, take a listen. I'd be lying to you if I'm sitting here saying that, you know, I feel like I had part in it because if we made, if I make one more play,

that game in Denver, we're probably not having this press conference right now. We're probably not making a change. And honestly, it's probably. We're probably getting ready to play another game. And that's the hard part to take in from my perspective. But that's reality. It is what it is now. And I am very, again, very fortunate and thankful for Coach McDermen

and everything that he's done and the trajectory that he's set here for our players. Ooh. I apologize on Josh's behalf to you. Yeah. Into the Patriots. I mean, it was disrespectful. We're probably still playing. No, he didn't say it.

He said getting ready to play another game. Yeah. He could have said and we might still be playing. Hold on. You don't think that's what he was saying? Getting ready to play another game. We would have walked over to Patriots. He's saying, yeah.

I mean, if you, he's saying that they would be, they would be the, if they had won that game, they'd be in the Super Bowl. I don't, I don't want to be straight. But why do you think if he's getting ready? I thought he's like getting ready to play a game if they didn't, if they win the Denver game and getting ready to play the. the second game. No, because he said right now, he said now we're getting ready to play another game.

That's what you said. You guys don't scare them at all. I basically would have been. I mean, I politely disagree with your with your interpretation of that. Okay. Okay. All right. All right.

But as far as, what's the question? I don't know. Just reaction, I believe. Yeah. Look, Josh said if I make one more play or if he had made one less play, one less turnover, one less interception, one less fumble, because they had two of each, two interceptions, two fumbles, they probably win.

So I'm not obviously putting this firing on Josh Allen, but he is correct than that. Had he played better, they probably would have won and McDermott would have survived at least another week and maybe longer. But the thing is this,

the defense still, for all Josh's mistakes, Josh's mistakes, they still scored 30 points and the defense still gave up. 33. And that has been the problem with McDermott in the playoffs. He's a defensive coach. Defenses are really good in the regular season. And the playoffs, they give up 33 points. And so Josh should not, we all, we told, we put the game on him. He didn't play well. But McDermott's defense kind of sealed his fate regardless of Josh. This is one of the reasons

I like Josh Allen and I respect Josh Allen because he gets it. in a way that some of his biggest defenders in the media don't. That it's not just, yes, of course, the bills are the bills because of Josh Allen. The bills are a Super Bowl contender every year because of Josh Allen. They are an A-list team because of Josh Allen. All of that's true. It's also true that had any of their last three postseason defeats gone different. differently, McDermott might still be there because the previous two would have meant they

finally beat Kansas City and either got to a Super Bowl or had a chance to go to the Super Bowl by beating Baltimore the previous year. And in all three of those games, yes, Sean McDermott's defense is underperformed. But despite that, in all three of those games, Josh Allen had the ball in his hands down three points. Two years ago, at home. down three on the Kansas City 27, first in 10, 242 left. They gained one yard. They got zero points. After moving, they had to move down there, but that's time.

The next year to go to the Super Bowl, down three with 333 left, Kansas City kicks off. They got 17 yards and they got zero points. This year, in a sudden death overtime, any point. and we win, they gained 29 total yards, they got zero points, and the drive ended on an interception. That is, he is wearing heavily because he is a great athlete that takes the responsibility seriously. I needed to come through in that spot, like I came through against Jacksonville, that if I had been able to channel, or been able to perform the way I did in the wildcard round in these bigger spots,

my coach isn't fired. And I think that if you read, like, I know we have a dot, dot, dot it dotted there, the transcript of what he's saying, you would definitively agree he was saying, you know, we're getting ready to play another game because we're in the Super Bowl. I don't really, you're not talking about it being disrespectful to the Patriots. But I think it's- That's the other reason I thought it was strange. It would be, it feels like to me it would be out of character for him to dismiss another team. So I don't think he was like that.

So this is why I found it very relevant and not to try to tweak you, them being sincere here. Because I think that shows why that loss stung so much. I think they truly believed we are going to go to the Super Bowl. This is our year. This is our year. And you can maybe accurately believe, you guys are dope. Your team wasn't that good. We beat you once.

And the other time we lost you, we were up 21 nothing and got distracted. Whatever it was. That doesn't. That can be true. It can also be true that Josh Allen and that Bill's locker room believed if we had won that Broncos game, we were going to the Super Bowl. It was going to be our year. And that's where I'm very curious how much the cloud lingers into next season. And I'm curious how much not having the half measure of we're firing the coach, but we're not bringing in a new voice.

We're promoting the voice that's been in your ear during these last three playoff defeats calling plays. that to me is, you know, potentially concerning. Your read on like he needs to come through in the biggest moments, I had the opposite read on that. I didn't think it was a higher high. I thought it was a higher low. I thought that game was lost when he started scrambling. At the end of the half?

Trying to not to be mean. Scambling unwisely, let's say, and turned what could have been just a kneel down into three points. And then the game's tied and you go into overtime. If you don't do that, the whole game has changed. And I thought it was one of the more unwise plays of the entire NFL season. So it's not even him like, I got to get to new heights.

Like, I have to do things that you would get yelled at for doing in high school football. I totally agree with you on your grading of that play. What I, my only counter would be anything that happens before the very end of the game. there is a but who knows how the rest of the game plays out we don't know if Denver doesn't get those three points how everything else plays out he does know if we score on that last drive we win the game it you know what I mean so like that's the definitive thing I look at it holistically yeah he's a big I'm like relief pitcher in the ninth inning I'm like here's an idea relief pitcher every inning yeah

you invented that please that's basically what the Dodgers do now it works This song is hot, dude. This is terrible. Is he trying to sound like in menu? No, he doesn't sound like Emma. He's trying. No, he sounds like he's trying to sound like. Well, it's like, it's like, you know, trying to play like Patton.

Is he saying he's like that in Drake May? Yeah, there's lyrics too. But the course is what really sells the song. You are not allowed to do that. Let's not do it on the air because I, I need to. It's a great story. You have to double-checking. Yeah, you already burned us several times.

Check on our podcast. Listen, I'm sorry that I took Adam Schepter saying Jim Leonard was going to be the D-coordinator to mean he was going to be the D-coordinator. Was his chef? I don't think it was, Shepter. Also, our YouTube channel is at 4.5. Stay tuned to Brandon I.U.

Catching Passes from Aaron Rogers. That wasn't me either. That was, we did a whole show on it. It's my friend, but it wasn't my story. You go-signed it. You don't see my friend. He's an architect. I'm not like, look at this drawing.

Sam Donald and Drake May have had different paths to the Super. Super Bowl. Darland has been great for the last two years. Strike May only one. But look at the company. Sam Darnold already keeps 30 wins in a two-season span. This includes the playoffs. This looks like your Jimmy G. Graphic.

Sam Darnold, Brady, Mahomes, Payton Manning, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman, Brett Farb, and Russell Wilson. Does reaching this Super Bowl mean more for Darnold or May, broil? I think I'm going to ask you a question that will make this obvious. Great. Do you think much more differently of Drake May now than you did before the playoffs started? Great point. Not really. Right.

Right. If anything, some people are questioning. He hasn't been as great as he was in regic. Do you think much differently now of Sam Darnold than you did before the playoffs started? Very much so. Well, not me, but I think it's Sam Darnel. You know, and I don't, Drake, we all, we could talk about he's got many chances to get back. We won't go there because we've seen guys get there in the second year and never get back.

But Drake, I don't see much difference in how we thought about Drake now versus when the regular season it did. Donald has changed everything. Donald has ended the, he was a bust discussion forever. Donald has ended the he sees ghost destruction or, you know, discussion forever. Like Sam Darnold has completely changed his legacy. And so there's no question to me. And he's become the face. It was Baker, maybe it was Gino.

He's become the face of the reclamation project. And not only showing, you know what, after a slow start to a career, you can really be a good quarterback like Baker like Gino was for about three years. Donald's show, no, you can also make the Super Bowl. And I do think, Nick, it's not always been the case by any stretch. But I think that the dominance of Brady, even later in his career, the dominance of Mahomes has, for the most part, made a lot of us feel like, you got to have one of those elite all-time guys to make a Super Bowl.

And that's never been the case, but we've forgotten that recently. And Donald has shown us again, no, you don't have to necessarily be a Hall of Famer to make the Super Bowl. So I think it means a ton more for Darnold. Look, you make some great points, and I think it does mean a ton for Darnold. I say Drake May simply because I look at it differently. The footprints that he's following behind,

I'm not going to say the shoes that he has to try to fill because you don't want to try to fill Tom Brady's shoes. But because he's following in the footprints of a guy like Tom Brady, a dynasty in which we talked about a couple of days ago. And now he's gotten his team to the Super Bowl. You know you had your guy this regular season when we watched him play. Now you know you have the guy for the future that can get us to this game and we'll see if he can win it. That speaks volumes when you already believe that you have the coach.

You see you have a young roster. The last piece that you had been missing the last few years was the course. quarterback. And so now you have a guy who's delivering the goods regardless of how he's playing in this postseason thus far. We know he's capable of getting this team and potentially

restarting what we are what we're kind of flirting with potential another dynasty. Because of how young they are. So we don't, as great as Sam Darner and I'm not, it's been impressive the turnaround that he's had. Drake May, knowing what we

have in terms of expectations, of this great franchise because of who led this franchise, both at the quarterback position and head coach, if Drake May is able to deliver and continue to basically get there or put his team in contention, this means more. Well, so you, at the very end there, you got to where I ended up at, which is, I think, getting to the Super Bowl,

particularly given how Darnold played to get there in the conference championship games, particularly, and how May played to get there, it has meant more for Donald. However, where you were kind of going at the end, winning the Super Bowl, I think unequivocally would mean more for Drake May. Because Drake May is, even though he has not been this playoff run, the driving force behind the team. Like the story of the 2025 New England Patriots was the coaching job of Mike Vrable

and the MVP level quarterbacking from Drake May. And as we've talked about before, like with the 06 Colts, if you are an MVP caliber quarterback and your team wins the Super Bowl, it doesn't really matter that much if during those playoffs you didn't play MVP caliber. You were the reason you were there. You get the lion's share of the credit. And right now, as far as, and I don't think Donald would get that. To finish, I interrupted myself kind of.

If the Seahawks win the Super Bowl, I think it will be looked at as a collective more than... What if he plays like he did in the NFC championship? Then maybe, but I still don't think the story of the 2025 Seattle Seahawks was, oh my God, Sam Darnold. We talked a lot about how the final eight weeks of the year, he was eight touchdowns, eight turnovers, and they were eight and no, like that they, you know, that it was a collective. And unquestioned bus driver guys that was.

won the Super Bowl that are active. It's Mahomes, Stafford who's old, and three guys who we don't know if they're going to be in the league next year in Rogers, Russ Flacco. Jalen Hertz is, I think, not unquestioned bus driver, right?

He was more of the collective piece of it. I don't know. In the Super Bowl, he was such a bus driver. No, in the Super Bowl, but for the season. But even if we include Hertz, my point is it's on the board that a year from now, even if you include Hertz,

there's only three active guys you could say that about. Mahomes, Hertz and Drake May. Because all the other guys are, you know, at nearing or at retirement. It would be so resonant if Drake May leads a team to a championship, and that's what would be happening.

But right now, I think, reputational to Bruce's point where reaching this moment has transformed Sam Darnold's rep more than it has Drake May's. Because Drake May's rep was already so much higher. You know, going into this. started here, one started down here.

I made a quick list in no real order, because I kind of agree with Brew on he becomes the face of, hey, you know, it's a winding road and never give up. He's the face of reclamation projects. Brady was the face of, it doesn't matter where you're drafted. Yes. Kurt Warner was the face of like, you could be out of the league. Nick Foles was the face of like, hey, you can be a backup. up, Eli was the face of any team is beatable.

We slayed the undefeated. And Jaylen, I don't know if, since Jaylin was there, it was like, I was benched in my biggest game. I was trying to find some parallel there, but I don't know if it works. But I think that Darnal becomes like a story in the NFL that you can never give up on anybody. Like, that's why I think like Zach Wilson's the sneaky big winner if Sam Darnel wins. Like, oh, should we give up on any of these guys?

Yeah, you're right. Well, you're right. Well, thank you. I'm just supporting you. You nailed it. Are we playing the Drake May? Have you heard the Drake May song? You don't want to hear it.

We don't. I'll go for you. Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake, Drake. That's it. I love it. That's it. That's really it. It's so good.

I don't know any other words. The weirdest most wonderful place, and Greg tells us some stories about playing the Super Bowl. Also, do you see Joggeridge this morning? Yeah. Holy. We're nine days away from the Super Bowl, first for the head coaches, as coaches. Ray Bull is there a few times. First for the QBs.

First for the wide receivers. Here to share his experience. What a game, man. Is Super Bowl champion Greg Jennings in a segment we're tentatively calling. Three things I wish I knew about playing in the Super Bowl before I played in the Super Bowl. Greg, the floor is yours. So it's interesting because I was having a hard time identifying three things that I wish I knew before playing in the Super Bowl. So I kind of just highlighted what I kind of figured out on the fly and then won before.

But living out each moment and story time. The reason why I say living out each moment is because when you are a focal point of an offense or a team, the opposition, they're going to focus on what you do, where you are at every point in the game. And so JSN, the expectation is for you to be great. Know that they're going to focus on you. You know this. Your coaching staff know this. Everybody know this.

There was a play in the Super Bowl that I made my first touchdown. And we started out in a two-by-two set. I motion over to a three-by-one. Here's the play. But prior to all of this happening, during the motion, everyone on the Pittsburgh defense is yelling, 85, there he is, 85, 85. From the defensive line to the linebacker level to the secondary.

In that moment, which is why I say live out every moment, I'm going in motion and I'm in my head like, well, I'm not getting the ball. And then also in that same very moment, once I get lined up, I understand because I believe I'm not getting the ball, well, I got to create an opportunity for my other guys around me to get the ball. So I still got to run my route with the same level of intensity. intensity and expectation of what the defense has. And this happens as a result.

And so the reason why I say live out every moment, because we think we visualize things and we script things in our mind and we dream up how we're going to hoist the trophy and all the success. But it never really works out that way. The second thing I would say is I learned. It was pretty sick catch. Like, yeah, it was. I mean, you took a shot.

You can give more than what you think. Good job. I found out I have. I had more than what I thought I had. And why I say this is I never, we all say, you know, give more, be more, do more, whatever it takes. But until you're in this moment, until it's right in front of you,

and you have the Super Bowl lying in the balance, and you are about to play in this game, and you're playing in this game, you are willing to do whatever it takes. In that moment, what you see me doing, I'm telling my coaching staff and Aaron Rogers, the corner route is open. I don't care who runs it. It can be Jordy.

It can be James Jones. Anyone can run it. It will score. It will produce a great result for us. I had never prepared for a game the way that I prepared for this game. Oh, that's interesting. Like, you believe that you prepare. Everybody's a competitor when you're playing in this sport.

and you believe that you do everything that you can to win games. When you play in this game, you find yourself doing more. And you realize, man, I've kind of been shortchanging my preparation, my ability to literally be more than what I've been all season long. And in this game, it all played out, the third and ten moment. It was special. I was prepared for it because I was more. And so the last thing I will say, yeah, this is a.

This is the third and ten. Everything on this play says Greg is not supposed to get this ball. But because I was asking Charles Woodson, Tremont Williams, I did self-scout on myself. Like, if they view me a certain way, I want to see how they view me so I can then compete that way and combat that. So Ike Taylor in this moment, he likes to get handsy. I usually didn't mind DBs getting hands on me. And so I had the tendency to get off the line of scrimmage and run straight down the field, but they're touching me. They're touching me up, if you will.

And I didn't want to do that. And you see me swipe the hand off, hands get up, pluck the ball. First down, we go on to win that game. That's a huge moment in that game. So I lived that out as well. The last thing. So by the way, before you keep going, I'm about 60 more seconds of this from being like, you got robbed. Super Bowl and McHugh.

Yeah. I'm saying, I'm saying. That's a great game. I'm like, wait. They had four cannons. They all were huge. My first touch. Jordy has a case as well.

Jordy was special in that game as well. The last thing is the Super Bowl is not for the players. It's not for us. It's for the fans. It's for everybody in attendance. And we have this preconceived idea of, man, I'm playing in the Super Bowl, everything, the glitz and the glam and all the things. There's a lot that goes on while you're down this.

the media day, all of these things, you are so mentally dialed in because it's almost you're driven by a fear of losing the game, a fear of not being what you need to be for your team. And maybe it was just me, but I just didn't want to have a moment where I felt like I could have, should have done more. Were you more scared of losing than you were fired up to win?

So the strange thing about that is I never wanted. once thought about losing. Heck, it's like Marty Supreme. I never envisioned. Spoilers. I never envisioned the other team's confetti falling down. And so the last thing I'll end up saying, and I didn't put it on here, is what I learned about playing in that game and getting to that game, it takes away a little bit of your

drive. What do you mean? Your passion because of how you approach. every single season. Because prior to getting to that game, that was it. That was the mountaintop. Everything was built towards

accomplishing what we did. And so that doesn't mean I didn't work. That doesn't mean we didn't still strive for that goal. But it's just the Brady's of the world, the Patrick Mahomes of the world. And maybe because they've lost one, it fuels them a little bit more. And they are able to reignite that flame

of believing that I got to be more. I have never done it before. Brady always, I admired his ability to reboot what I called his playing career every single year. It's like what happened last year never happened. When you play in a game like that, you become a little entitled. You've become a little bit more expectant of we got a team. We can do this again. We went 15 and 1 the next season.

Did not get to that game. Had a different type of approach. Coach. Drew, I want to save some time for your takes on as a wide receiver and a big. Yeah, that's a big. Yeah, we made the state playoffs and got stumped. I did have some catches. We got stumped.

Greg, that was excellent. That was outstanding. Do you have anything for Greg? Well, I wish you could have given me these tips before that track meet I told you about all those things. Greg will get that joke. And so that's for Greg and Greg. I go, because that's funny. You just love the story.

What happened to your track me? may or may or may not have been in the state final. Faked it into. Nobody can quite remember. It doesn't matter. I didn't think I had more to give. I thought I could give more than you think. I thought I had given all I could give.

You faked an industry? It was in a real life. I thought I was running a bad time, so I was like I got to pull up on this Baham. And then I just cost my team everything. It is true. One of my teammates was the American City now. Yeah. Yeah.

That's all true. Can't win with them. Can't win with them. I didn't know. Literally. I didn't know to live out each moment. Yeah. Can you imagine if an athlete did?

I didn't. How you're driving? It's running. I started grabbing the hammy. I needed an excuse where I was running a bad time. Your hamstring is supposed to, if it hurts, it hurts. I'm just telling you. It was.

It was. It was. It was. It was. Live from New York, the show that's a judge quietly making a case that Greg should have at least been co-super Bowl MVP. And I got to tell you,

that's going to matter in like 20 years. now that we see all these senior committees Janemate? I'll tell you right now. I'll tell you right now. The senior committee. It's a fact. Like, hey, why not?

I have a chance. Exactly. Second hour of first things first today. Strict may do for a huge game. I assume it's just not a blizzard. Meanwhile, is Jalen Hertz going to make the leap now that he has a new OC who is 6-6. A huge O.C. Six-six?

But right now, we're talking about all the great quarterbacks in the AFC. Drake May will end, besides the Holmes, Drake May will end his son, and the prince, end his sophomore year in the Super Bowl. How does his shot at a ring affect the other AFC QBs? The ringless ones. O'Henborough made an appearance in sophomore year. Josh and Lamar will go into year nine trying to get there.

Does Drake reaching the Super Bowl affect Alan, O'Borrow, or Lamar more? I think Burrow. Really? Yeah, because Lamar and Josh have, they've both won MVP, obviously Lamar too. So they've kind of established a legacy. I get it. Obviously they need to win a Super Bowl and get to one.

But they've established a legacy outside of winning a Super Bowl. Like both of them, certainly Lamar, and I say both of them are Hall of Famers already. And Burrow isn't. Correct. And Burroughs kind of claim to fame was he. He beat Mahomes. He got to this Super Bowl when you just couldn't beat Mahomes. Now, though, with Drake May get in there, it just kind of lessens that.

And then Lamar and Josh are with better teams and better franchises. So you have confidence that they're going to kind of get built up and have, I mean, even next year, I'm sure we all expect them to be in the hunt. We can't say that about the Bengals. So we look at that franchise and the way they run it. they've done with their defense. And we say, will Burrow even get to another Super Bowl? So I think it affects him more. I think it affects Josh Allen more. Wow. And I'll tell you my reasoning, like growing up in the neighborhood, you're the kid that you dominated in every sport. You're the

best athlete. You have nobody that can compete with you. And then there's another family that moves into the neighborhood. And they bring a kid. He comes outside and just like, oh, shoot, he that's Drake May it was Tom Brady and Josh got over that in the last few years Josh had nobody to compete with him in his own neighborhood

now it's like he This is an AFCEs AFCEs correct He was expected to get out of that No problem unscathed So we always Bookmarked Josh Allen's going to be competing

for a Super Bowl We still feel like he can But now his road just got a little Little tougher because now you have a guy in your division that you're going to have to box with him twice. You're going to have to go through him twice. He's already gotten you once you've gotten him.

He's the younger of the two. We see you come in the press conferences with crutches on so you're expected to be even more. He's going to get even better. I don't know if Josh can get even better. I'm sure he can play more efficient. But like I just feel like it affects Josh Allen more because now all of a sudden, Lamar and Burrow, they've been battling every. year pretty much. They're in the same division.

And then you got obviously Patrick Mahomes, who always is there waiting for everybody to get done. But now Josh Allen actually has to compete to get out of his division. So I agree with you in that Drake May's, this is going to sound weird, existence affects

Josh Allen more than affects the other ones because of the divisional piece of it. But Bruin went exactly where I was going to go, which is that Mahomes is as far as accomplishments and legacy and all of that in a class by himself amongst active quarterbacks. He's minted. Alan and Lamar are minted in a different way, which is the consistent

regular season dominance and accolades that have gone along with it. Lamar with far more than Alan for what it's worth, but Alan seemingly with kind of more media support. Those guys, I don't think that Alan is, if he retired today, a Hall of Famer. Really? I don't think, I don't think if you retired today, but I think it'd be stunning if he didn't end up being a Hall of Famer. Lamar, if he retired today, because the two MVP's would be. Joe Burrow is, to your point, not.

And there's no argument for it that he is. And if Drake May has jumped him in the line when, to your point, we think Drake May is only going to get better, that was Joe Burroughs thing. Now, I'm not trying to turn this into a Chiefs or Mahomes discussion. Was Joe Burroughs thing really he made a Super Bowl, or was it really he beat Mahomes in the playoffs? Like which of those two things actually weighed heavier? Because Drake May didn't get the opportunity to beat Mahomes on playoffs.

Not saying you guys wouldn't have, but they just didn't get the opportunity to the Chiefs didn't make it. But I think that especially right now when like Hall of Fame stuff is in the zeitgeist, And there's only so many guys at a position from each era that make it. And a lot of it's because it's like, well, was he ever the best at his spot? And Burrow doesn't yet have a claim. I was ever the best quarterback in the league for a season. And now if we're saying he's going to have another guy that for the entirety of however long his prime is,

he is going to have to compete with along with John. and Lamar, let alone Patrick, I do think that it impacts Burrow them. He's never finished higher than fourth in the MVP. Right. And he's done that twice. All them have already won. These teams are all, I don't know if you put the Bengals on the S-Bob list.

Usually not. Burroughs board in the team. No, the Bengals at this point would just love to make the playoffs. So I mentioned they're going into year nine. So let's assume who's going into year nine. Lamar and Josh. Okay. Let's assume Lamar gets it.

Then we're going into a year, gets to the Super Bowl. We're going in year 10. Like, Josh has been in the league a decade and still not there. Well, one of the two of them are the spot by definition. Yeah, so someone's going into year 10, a decade in the league. One of the iconic players of the last 10 years hasn't even touched the Super Bowl. I think I looked it up. Stafford was 14 years in Detroit.

Yeah. I think it was 14 before he moved. But we think of that as like, oh, my God. Yeah, he was just out in the wilderness and there was no success. All of a sudden it's like, all right, year 10, I'm in like Stafford territory of just being with a feudal. There are a much better teams. Yeah, I know.

Because Stafford didn't win a playoff. But when you look at, but I'm just saying, getting to the ultimate goal, all of a sudden, I think you have to kick around that someone's going over career? Somebody is. You think you think? Well, I think someone is. Someone's going to ringless.

Because of, not necessarily, not necessarily, but it's a good chance. I mean, they all could win them. Yes. There's no doubt. They all, it just, you can't have another Mahomes type run, whether it's Mahomes or Drake May or. If somebody's going to go on that type of run, then, yeah, one of them's probably going without it. This is just getting there. Right.

That's the other, and it's also, and this is maybe more of a discussion for next week, it's also why for you, for you, are resident Pats fan. Like, there's so many different things bouncing around your head going into this game. But one of them is, man, finish the deal. Because as opt, and I am, I'm maybe not quite as optimistic as you are about the Pats next decade, but I'm pretty optimistic.

But even with that said, when you are just to get to the game, most likely most years are going to have to go through, those three guys on the store. screen plus Patrick plus you know what I mean God knows now that now that Justin Herbert finally has an offensive coordinator that'll fix it. Oh no prince. So all of that like this is

such a golden opportunity that we I'm sure Joe Burrow thought and we've talked to this before when they lost that Super Bowl this close to the Rams plenty more chances. Yep. The guy's been in the playoffs one time since then. I think that's one of the reasons why he's so stressed. Burrow? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like, ah. Now, he starts talking about his career.

Everybody's stressed, man. Burrow was stressed during the year. Lamar was stressed at the end. The hard ball ends up being fired. Josh is crying in the press conference. Like, it all was different phases of it. So it's hard. Drake was a little bit stressed on the bench when you thought he was playing great.

He was just like, man, this is hard going to the Super Bowl as a 23 year. Josh, like, yeah, I bet to, I'm actually going to my ninth. But don't worry about it. You're in good hands. Joe Ash Allen attended new coach Joe Bray's introductory press conference. Greg, he's on crutches in a walking boot. He said he played through a broken bone in his foot, suffered late in the season. Take a listen.

If we had a game this week, I would be playing this week. Absolutely. You kidding me? Yeah, I had a little broken bone in there. So they went and took it out and cleaned it up. Obviously, not ideal situation. Painful throughout the weeks. But again, game day, different storage.

being able to put that to the side and just go out there and play football. Not to get into the weeds of it, but it's been an older injury, but just re-agravated it. Sounds like Sean Payton. Does this change your view of the playoff loss, Greg? Nope. Nope. Look, you guys know. I say this all the time.

No one cares. No one cares. If you win, I think it's like, man, that was impressive. He did that with a broken foot. You lose. We're like, well, I mean, you lose. I mean, I'm not going to feel sorry for you because every time you put on that uniform, the expectation is that we're going to get the product that we've always gotten.

That's the expectation of Josh. That's the expectation of everybody in that locker room. And that's certainly the expectation of the fans sitting in those bleachers. So, like, you can feel however you want to feel. The reality is, okay, he had the injury. But also, both can be true. The reality is no one feels. sorry for you. No one feels like, man, if his

foot wasn't broke, we would have won. Because did his foot cause him to throw that interception? Exactly. Did his foot cause him to make those turnovers? Now, he talked about not having his feet in the right night, not underneath him and setting his feet. And if I had a playback here

or there, well, yeah. Everybody says that when they lose. So it's not why I was running with the ball like this. On that fumble. Yeah. Now, I'm with Greg. Look, he's a warrior. I will give him, like, he is a warrior, and I know that was tough to play through that.

But like, Grace, once you're out there, man, nobody cares. It would have changed it had he not played. Had he not played because of a broken foot, and I'm glad he did, but had he not played because of broken foot, all the criticism he got against him last week or whenever that was would have been, it would have just been, oh, man, what luck. It would have been a boat. Right.

You couldn't have blamed him. him at all. Now we blamed him for that law, so that would have changed it, but once you're out there, man... So I don't know that I 100% agree with you guys that once you're out there definitively across the board,

we have to treat it as if you have no injury. Well, if we saw him visibly... So that's the point that I was going to make. Like, if he came out there and from the opening snap we're like, man, he's not running at all. His... Like, he looks

nothing like Josh Allen then, and then we found this out, it'd be like, oh, there's the explanation. And I watched this full game. He looked like the best and the worst of Josh Allen in that game. He had some amazing moments. He ran the ball a ton. He had some great throws, and I'm not going to sit here and act like I know how much that foot did or didn't affect him. Just from as a viewer, at no point was that.

there is there a single one of his four turnovers that to me logically it's like oh if the fifth metatarsal wasn't broken I think that's different like they were it was a fumble on a careless play it was a strip sack from behind and it was one bad throw and one you know what the bills think was a perfect throw and a perfect catch that was then stolen away and so that I don't so it doesn't change it for me at all

If he had come out and looked honestly like how one of those random Lamar games, where it's like, wait, he won't run. He's getting chased down by like 300 pounds guys. Then that would be one thing. But that's not what that game is. Can I zoom out a little bit? Yeah. Just not specifically about the Broncos game.

Seeing Josh Allen in a walking boot and on crutches hit me a certain type of way. Oh, about it. Big picture? I almost put him in the. category that I reserve for LeBron tweaking his ankle. Like all I need to do is tighten up my shoelaces. And it was happening a little bit in the Jags game when he's on, when he's trying to like, I think it was like a,

their awkward push. Yeah. He's twisted around. He's like, ah, his legs getting bent. But Bill's coaching staff and their play calling, Greg, to me, do not treat Josh Allen with the same TLC as Andy Reed treats Patrick Mahomes. And I know they're totally different players, but it feels like winning the game, obviously, priority number one. Patrick Mahomes' health, keeping him out of harm's way, priority number two. I don't know. And maybe that is for the bills, but I feel like the chiefs are constantly thinking about Mahomes. He doesn't do those crazy seats. And this year, by the way, they didn't do as good of a job of that. And Patrick didn't do as good. And Patrick, yes. And Patrick ended up, he needed to push the lever a little bit. So do you. So do you. think this affects the way this is the first time it's like a rockiest cut moment. Luckily the

bills didn't promote that play caller. I don't. I think this is who Josh Allen is. For how long though? You lean into it until you can't. I mean, I don't think he has shown us that he can play a version of football and they reach the goals that they have for themselves without him being this version of Josh Allen. As far as the physical version, the version, the that can run the ball and use his legs. So that's, this is, sorry, like two weeks ago during one of the O.T. segments. I don't know if it was Danny or I think it was Danny, and I think it might have been the day you were out. Danny just said kind of in passing, when we were talking about Josh and Lamar, like, Josh is obviously the better passer.

And I saw your reaction. I saw your bruise reaction. And Bruce's reaction was like, really? Is it obvious? And what I think, the reason I'm bringing that up right now is, like, Josh is, like, Josh is. is certainly more, like, it feels like his great passes are more like the great quarterbacks we've seen historically, and he has far bigger, like, yardage passing numbers than Lamar. But if you removed running from Josh, just like if you removed it from Lamar, that's not an efficient quarterback.

Like they, and we have years of data backing up that Josh Allen purely throwing the ball. it's a lot of boom, a lot of bust, a lot of yards. It's different than Lamar's, but the running is mandatory for the superhero stuff. Absolutely. And so that is, that's where I think this, to your point, is noteworthy. Because I don't think that, like, oh, okay, Josh Allen, age 33 plus as a pure dropback passer, is a dominant player. It's the same way I've said that about Lamar. Like I think the threat of running as different as it is is critical to the success they have throwing the football.

And so that would be the concern. All right. Let's head down to Philadelphia. Jalen Hertz named to the Pro Bowl thus he just told me. And the Eagles got a new O.C. Packers QB coach Sean Manion will take the reins in Philadelphia. Now he appeared in 14 games himself as a quarterback before picking up a headset. And the Eagles website, I pulled this from the Eagles website, says he played for or coached on a

McVeigh, Liam Cohen, Kevin O'Connell, Kevin Stefansky, and Zach Taylor, and has, quote, a heavy influence from Mike and Kyle Shanahan. So do we expect Jalen Hertz to take his game to another level? Feels very offensive-minded, which is good for an O.C. I think he'll play better. I definitely think he'll play better. I think they'll lean into throwing it intermediate passes more. I think he'll run well next year. Like, I think their offense will be more consistent,

and you won't see the, you know, things you saw this year with them going scoreless so much in different halves. But he's never going to be, like, a huge statistical guy. He's never thrown for 4,000 yards. He's never thrown more than 25 touchdowns. Like, that's just not who he is. And I don't, I've said that before. That's not who he's going to be.

To me, his legacy will be leadership and winning. Now, you got to win a lot for that to be your legacy. but that's what I see from me. He just does it differently. I've said before he's like Tyrese Halliburton. I don't expect Tyrese Halliburton to come out next year and average 29 points a game. But if he does his thing and plays the way he does,

which is different from most point guards now, he can be effective and so can the team, and he'll be a superstar. And so I think the same thing with Jaylor. Yeah, no, I don't. I don't expect him to take his game to another level because when I look at the levels, I go back to

2003 when he was in that Super Bowl dueling with Patrick Mahomes. I felt like that's the best version of Jalen Hirsch that we were exposed to. He has yet to meet that again. And so I'm not looking at it. Will he be better than last year? I believe, yeah.

I mean, it's not going to be hard, or he won't be hard pressed to be better than what he was last year and perform and actually executing the second halves of games like he wasn't able to do offensively last year. But to see him go to another level, it would have to be that he is better than what I've seen at his best.

He's not. Like, the Brewer uses the Halliburton comp. I used the Russell Wilson comp. He is who he is. And there is, can you win a Super Bowl with Jalen Hertz that way? Yeah. We have literally seen it. Can you?

have the highest scoring offense in football. Yeah, we've literally seen it. But he is going to, and we've seen it, by the way, he can't pin it on one coordinator. We've seen damn near a half dozen coordinators now. And he is always going to be right around 220 yards per game, right around a touchdown and a half per game. And that does put some constraints on the type of offense you can have.

have since he's been a full-time starter. There have been this many, it's so funny, Brew, you said he's never thrown for 4,000, he's never thrown more than 25 touchdowns. There have been 21 quarterbacks to throw for 4,000 yards since he's been a starter. And that's not like, oh, you know, Patrick did it four times. Like Patrick counts once there. Like, there have been 23 quarterbacks to throw more than 25 touchdowns. Jayland's done neither.

Oh, more than, more than 25. Yeah, in a season. His career high is 25. And so he has zero. So I just don't, he is not, he's a young player in that he's still in his prime. But I don't think he's a young player in that we expect massive leaps for a guy who's going into year seven. Like I don't the, I think you can improve obviously and around the edges. But I think that the idea that he all of a sudden is going to be a 275 yard per game passer.

we have no evidence of that. Yeah, I'm not so sure he couldn't. Yeah. Like, I think he's of the mindset, like, I win. Like, you know what I mean? Like, all these criticisms. I've won a Super Bowl, been to two, been to MVP, played great in both. If he, because of the improvements he's made throughout, remember when he first came in,

you have people that pulled for him that thought, man, he just can't throw. It's a great guy, great leader, can't throw. And so I would think if he really, he really, you know, focused on his throwing problems, the things he can't do. I think he could improve and become a much better passer, but I think he looks at it like I do what I do, and that's enough. Coming up next, the Ravens hired their new OC, Declan Doyle, we thought was going back to the Bears as the OC.

He's actually going to Baltimore. We discuss next. I want to bring a little out Chicago magic, huh? Oh, my goodness, the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It's tomorrow. It's not the whole thing. It's the agility championship 430 on Fox. I'm going to be locked into this thing.

Locked in. Big day tomorrow. You got that. Then you got Shakur Stevenson, T.P. Mel Lopez at MSG tomorrow. It's big day. And I'm going to medieval times. This guy, again, first thing's, first meet and greet, part of three.

It's my wife's birthday tomorrow. Oh, come to medieval times. I'm not, I can't do it. Ravens. I have announced that they. have hired Declan Doyle as their O.C. He was previously the O.C. under Ben Johnson in Chicago. We thought he was going back. Nope, he's headed to Baltimore. And yesterday, they introduced head coach Jesse Minter, who called Lamar the best player in the league and talked about the team's

ultimate goal. Take a listen. Lamar and I have had multiple conversations. It's been great. It's been great to get to know them. I think relationships take time. And so you don't, you don't become the head coach of the Ravens and expect to have a deep relationship with anybody. I just look forward to connecting with him, helping him become the best version of himself, creating a team identity that allows him to thrive, which he's already proven to be an elite, one of the best player in the National Football League, and put a team around him that allows him to reach that ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl back to Baltimore. I like that.

All right. Do you think the Ravens are closer now to winning a Super Bowl? Well, look, they were eight and nine and out of the playoffs. So, yeah, I think they're closer than that for sure. But I would say yes because, you know, it seems like they had John Harbaugh's voice had gone stale. So I think the players in Lamar in particular will be more energized by a new hire. But I think the defense, too. You know, Lamar's struggles and injuries this year kind of took our eye off the defense.

Remember how bad that defense was early on and even a year ago as well. And then they came on, got strong. But in their two games with Pittsburgh, they gave up more than 26 points and 27 points. Against an offense that was not very good. So that defense was up and down at best. Mentor was great with the Chargers. His first year, he took them from 24th in the league defensively to first in the league and scoring defense. So I expect him to kind of bring back more consistency to the defense,

which obviously will help Lamar. And here's the other reason they're closer. Kansas City is not presumably what it used to be. Now, maybe they'll come back and, you know, they'll get back on the horse and next year it'd be great. But that veil, that veil of invincibility is gone. They've got to rebuild. Right.

It's gone. And so they're not, there's no longer this empire that nobody can be right there in your country. conference. The bills are in the same position as the Ravens rebuilding and all, or you know, retooling with a new coach. And then the Denver's, the Patriots,

the Patriots have a quarterback you know, but Denver, the Chargers, Houston, Jacksonville, they don't have a quarterback that's going to really put fear in you. Wow. So, I mean, do they? Now, I'll give you with Drake,

but I'm just saying, Jacksonville, probably the way the season ended. But you've got to, I mean, he's not yet where you... Right. And you just are dismissing Cincinnati because you think they're defense stinks. Yeah.

I mean, I'm not saying these are all good teams, but that one... It was... It was Mahomes and Chiefs, and there, we'll see what they are, you know. But that's gone, and so he should feel like, it's tough because you got...

You do have more competition. Yes. I'll give you that. So go ahead, Greg. I don't think they're closer. I don't think they're closer. closer because and you talk about Patrick Mahomes in that veil

of invincibility but I still think that looms over Lamar your most important player seeing them miss the playoffs you think it looms over you missed the playoffs and they did beat them this exactly and they

I was going to say that's beat them that's when that invincibility was still there at that point I mean you thought we all thought the chiefs were the chiefs at that so so for me I think there's optimism though when you look at the higher

the excitement that probably comes with it. I like Declan Doyle knowing that he was in a system where you had primarily two good tight ends that you featured in Colston Loveland and Coquamette. You have that with Isaiah likely and Andrews obviously

Lamar loves both of those targets so there's some carryover there that I think that they'll really lean into but this is all about Lamar. This is all about Is he able and capable of taking the next step? We know how fantastic he is. We know he's an MVP two-time.

We know all of these things. What we don't know is if he's capable of being what's necessary and needed, when it matters most. When his team needs him, can he stay available and healthy? Then if he is available and healthy, will he deliver? We know in the regular season he's done that. but when the games really matter in the postseason, he just seemingly hasn't been able to do that.

We can blame whoever we want. I don't think he has all the blame on his shoulders, but he definitely takes a majority of it. KW. Mr. Consistency. Thanks, you know how I don't love skinny, super skinny football players? I know this take. He's going to love it.

He looks like Mike McDougain. Oh, no, gosh. Sorry, but it's a good take. We love your necktakes. You don't even know what I'm going to say here. Declan Doyle's 29. 29. He's 29.

That's, might be, I can't tell. A corollary of the too skinny take might be too young. And, and so here is my concern. McVeigh was what, 32? Say it again? As a head coach, McVeigh. Right, no. McVeigh's been a head coach for damn near a decade.

And still, whenever they show the youngest head coaches in the NFL, he's still on the list. 29. Good for him. Yeah, but same age as Lamar. Jesse Minter's first time head coach. I typically, and we'll see who they hire as D. Coordinator, they're one of the teams looking at Jim Leonard, but he also hasn't been a head coach before.

Usually when you have the young first time head coach, you then have, you do what Ben Johnson did with Dennis Allen as his DC. So I don't know what's going to happen there. But for a team that the players have dealt with game management issues and blown leads, I'm a little anxious about this little of experience being at the forefront of the coaches. Kyle Van Nuoy can't be the oldest person in the building. No, for real. And then when you look at the history of there have only been five rookie head coaches to make the Super Bowl.

all. Two of them of one, and we can show you what they are, and it's unique circumstances for all of them. So Jim Caldwell took over the Colts that had won 12 in a row six years straight, had won 12 or more six years straight, and Tony Dungey retired, like they didn't fire the coach. Bill Callion took over the Raiders because the Raiders traded John Gruden for two firsts and two seconds, which is still a wild, you know, trait. But that's what happened. And then so that's a unique circumstance. Bill Walsh retired.

Red Miller is, I guess, the one instance. And then I just have to get this in there. That 1970 Colts team was so good. Their starting quarterback and backup quarterback were league MVP's. It was Johnny Unitas and Earl Moral, who were both multi-time all pros and multi-time MVP's. So I'm not saying that team coached itself. And good for Don McCafferty.

Point is, it's very, very difficult, not for first year with a team, but first time ever had coach. And this applies obviously to Buffalo, too. But this feels tenuous for me. And when you hire an OC that's 29, a DC that's as young and I think energetic as Jesse Minter, that does feel like, man, I think these are good hires,

especially because we can long term and build and all of it. and they are the ultimate S-Bob team. So that would be my concern. I'd like to have, like, when you see young NBA coaches end up hiring, you know, Jeff Van Gundy is behind the second level. Yes. Even Vrable, I think we had, we've got Doug Marone is on the staff. They should bring a former head coach there.

Maybe the D.C. will be. Yeah, I mean, he's going to call plays, he said. He's, that's the thing. No, I get that. But that's why you would have a former head. associate head coach. Yeah, so he can just, you can bounce things off. Seattle has been putting points on the board, Donald and special teams, 41 points in their

opening game, 31 last week. Patriots defense through three games have given up a total of 26 points. And while I was initially worried the Patriots had feasted on the Brady Cooks of the world, the defense has actually gotten better in the playoffs. Here's Milton Williams. Take a listen. It don't matter who they got, what they run, what's a scheme. You know, we do it.

We do up front, you know, I always put the game on us and be able to control the line of scrimmage. So I job to get back there, speed them up, get them off the spot, you know, try to take advantage and try to make them put the ball in harm's way. You've been pretty vocal about the fact that people are out of the help. Do you welcome the fact that it's been talked about since both games ended on Sunday? My whole life, people being counting me out, you know. Heck yeah.

Patriots defense. Remember, I was like, in the regular. season, we don't really get to the quarterback. Hello, turn it up a notch. Four side, doubled our sacks, almost doubled QB hits, and doubled the takeaways, almost tripled the takeaways. So, is the Patriots defense

being overlooked? Drew, you're an unbeliever. Oh, no, they are. Thank you. If I was a Patriots defender, I would be ticked off. All I'm hearing about is Houston and Denver and Seattle. This is where I'm like, those teams are, for the most,

are giving up twice as many points a game as we are in the playoffs. Exactly. Right? I would be upset. They are being overlooked. And it's because I think of Drake's just, he had a great year. He's an MVP candidate, so everybody's focused on him. The quarterbacks they face in the playoffs, obviously stood them.

But Herbert kind of just, okay, he can't get it done. I heard. He was top five all year. Oh, yeah. By from game. No, that part's fair. No, no, a lot of people like Herbert. Like that, that part, I don't mean a real.

you, Brue. You are correct in your frustration that Herbert and C.J. Stroud only were talked about as if, well, obviously they were going to be terrible after they were terrible. Like that, it was just... Well, Stroud, you said it a few days ago. The fact that he played poorly in his first playoff game, too kind of, okay, he's really just not where he used to be right now. But he came into that game with a winning record in the playoffs and then...

Yeah, he had been pretty good before that. But, yeah, bottom line is, yes, I do think they're being overlooked. And that could work for you. Because like I said, I'd be highly upset if I'm on that defense. Yeah, look, I thought they were, like, not getting enough credit as well. It's hard, though, because rightfully so, they weren't the better defenses that we were focusing on in these matchups. When we look at the Chargers to the Pats, it was like, well, the Chargers got a top five defense. You look at, obviously, Houston, well, that's the defense we've been talking about all season.

long, Denver defense, we've been talking about all season long. Seattle, we've definitely been talking about them all season long. So naturally, if one team is driven by that side of the ball, which all of those teams were, and offensively, you had the better quarterback and you were driven by that all season, you're going to be overlooked naturally. And it's not any shot to them. It's just how we view that team in the regular. season was Drake May.

Hold on. So there you go. The answer to this question is yes. And it's not directly your fault, but you represent the people whose fault it is. It is because the loudest and most vocal and

angriest, you weren't angry, Patriots fans all year made the story of their season. Drake May should be the MVP because he's carrying us. And because, like, when all of the narrative thrust behind the team, there were two, you guys were fighting a two front war. One was, don't look at the schedule.

Who cares? Since when does that matter? Which I think's fair. And the other one was, our quarterback's been the best quarterback in football. Here's his pressure numbers. Here's his EPA. Here's his deep passes. Those were, that was the Patriot story were those two things.

Fighting off the schedule stuff promoting Drake May. And so the defense got overlooked. And now my only incredulousness is now many of those same people who all year long were trying to explain how Drake May had carried this team to 14 wins are now saying, we've had an awesome defense all along and no one will give us credit for it. I don't think we actually did have an awesome. I think the defense has risen to another level in the playoffs. and just how you see great players take their game to another level, this defense has gone to another level.

I don't think there's one Patriots fan or expert that was like, you know what, this defense, look at this graphic. I don't know if you have it does. Allowed under 25 most games entering the Super Bowl, you love that Chief's defense. Remember you were saying like, gee, that's the quiet story. 2,000 Ravens. I mean, I didn't think we were on par with them,

but steel curtain, Steelers. Steel curtain, we don't even have a nickname. Yeah. So look, I didn't think we were that good, but the way they've been playing and the pressure numbers are crazy. And once you start to get pressure against skittish quarterbacks, good things happen. And I think we're playing Sam Darnold in the Super Bowl. So I thought you liked Sam Darnold. I do like 14 wins forth. I like for this game. It doesn't sound like you like you. I like him. I told the line on this one. I'm just saying Super Bowls are strange. They are. That's why Sam Mike Cook.

Milton Williams seemed to do pretty good in the Super Bowl. Fox College Hoops. Number three, Michigan. Michigan. Against number seven, my guy Cohen Carr and the Spartans. Michigan State. Don't forget, I got the Spartans going to the final four. Don't worry about it.

Great, why don't you like Michigan State? Because he's a Michigan guy. You can't like. What are you talking about? If you like one, you hate the other. You know he's a Michigan guy. They're hated rivals. Both teams are from Michigan.

No. Just, I'm just saying, if there was like Connecticut team and Central Connecticut, I'd be like, I like, I like Connecticut. Former Ravens O.C. Todd Munkin. takes over in Cleveland. It seems like he's a fan of Shador. Listen to this interaction. How are you doing? Welcome back to the States. How are we doing, man? Good. Then we tried to draft your

class. It's all worked out. Yeah. You remember that, right? Yeah, that's not about to tell you. Someday we'll get a chance to talk about that. Very interesting. Brew your reaction. Look, I think this means that Shadur will get a fair shot. I don't think he got a fair shot. Now, once he started playing, they went with him, but it just felt like they were against him to some degree or Stefansky and even Barry, you know,

it just from day one it felt like they weren't, didn't believe in him and won him. And I give him credit for the way he handled himself because that has to be tough when you kind of feel like they don't, you know, they don't want you to succeed or they don't believe in you. And he went out there and handled himself well. So I think he will get every, I think Monkin will give him every shot to be successful. He'll, the offense will probably be somewhat based around his skill set. He will, I imagine, be number one on the depth chart entering training camp, no matter who they bring in, if they bring in anybody else. So I think he'll get every shot to do it. And then we'll see, is he good enough? I mean, Monkin feels like an uninspired hiring, but that doesn't mean he won't be a good

Listen, quarterbacks have played well. He's had successful. Lamar played the best football of his career under him. Absolutely. So, yeah, I think it's good for Shadur. I think it's refreshing. And it's, I know Shadur is probably like, man, okay, here we go. I get my shot to all your points you made.

But we've seen areas of where he struggled with holding the ball a little too long. Like Lamar has some of those same issues at times that we've seen, but we've seen the development of him under Todd Munkin. become a better passer, all those things. But the most important and most impressive thing for me, just watching that entire dynamic is the fact that the season has been over for the Cleveland Brown since January 4th. That man is still there.

I think he said he came back for that. Like, I thought that's what he said, but go ahead. He's there to see the new head coach. Just to see how they're treating him right now and how he's walking around the building as if this is my job, this is my job. This is mine to lose. Like he's taken down that rearview mirror and he doesn't care who's behind them. And that's what that's kind of the vibe that I see and I'm getting.

And so I believe that he's going to have every chance to be the starter in Cleveland. Yeah, poor Dylan Gabriel, right? Right. I mean, the Browns posted that, right? They did. You know what I said. That's their pro-ball quarterback. Shout out to Gianna, but I never know if like this, what the social media team is posting is indicative of what.

No, I understand. No, that's fair, but I, I disagree with Brew that Shador didn't get a fair shot. I think he got as fair a shot as most fifth-round quarterbacks get, if not more than that. However, I don't disagree with Brue that the new head coach sure seems to be a bigger Shador-Sanders advocate than previous head coach, because the new head coach's team in Baltimore, we know wanted to draft Shador. And while the Browns did draft Shador, I don't know that the head coach, Stephansky wanted that. Can I stop you there for a thing?

That hit my radar. It's like, we tried to draft you, but you did not want to come to be a backup. You didn't want to come back up. I'm not blaming him at all, but I'm saying we tried to draft you and you told us not to.

Correct. It was the reporting. Right. And that to me confirms the reporting. And he's like, we'll get into it. Yeah. And so listen, I,

I have. However, when you're, I want to hear you. The, no, go. No, that was, you say something, something negative? I don't know. No, I don't know. That's why we do something. It's just.

I don't think it could be something negative. I don't think a coach would look at a guy like saying, I don't, Lamar Jackson is going to be there for the next 10 years. Right. At the same time, we tried to draft you. And if we were on the team, you would have had an opportunity to play this year. Yeah. That wasn't known.

Yeah, but hold on. But at this point. Of course not. Your backup, but you weren't drafted. for a starter in Cleveland either. And I don't have an issue with it, but I'm just saying it was a unique way to talk. It was, but it was to me that

's water under the bridge. I am not as convinced as Brew that he's just QB1 going into the, I think they will bring someone in. You know, you think it training can't. I think they're going to bring in a veteran. I don't know. Okay, but you think that train, like,

I get it if it's an open competition, somebody will be named number one, right? And I think it'll be Chduro. I mean, it depends on who they bring in. I think he's in a driving seat to where he can lose the job or he can just run away with the job. But I think they bring somebody in, but it's like, okay, we're going to give you the fair shot. They bring in Jacoby Brissette. I don't even know if they could do that.

And he's like you said about Stittam and Bo Nix. He's a little better than Chador. But I'm also not convinced they won't use one of their first round first round picks. They have Jack's first round pick, which is. in the 20s. They might draft a quarterback. Like, I don't think Shador is locked in there, but what I'm saying is, this is obviously a positive sign.

But they don't have a ton of money because the Sean's contract is still sitting there, right? So they can't really make a move for Kyler or anybody. Welcome to First Things First Overtime in this wonderful Friday. I've got three teases here. One. Lamar, is he closer to a Super Bowl

with his new head coach and new O.C? And did the Bears get worse? Danny will spin this into Bears Convo. Last time the Bears had an offensive coach leave for a promotion, it's been over a decade. Next up. Very rare. Sam Darnold, Tom Brady seems optimistic.

Is he due for a monster game against this underrated Patriots defense? And finally, Josh Allen says, you know what? I could have played better. And maybe if I did, we would have kept the same coach? See how we feel about that. alongside Chris Bressard, who's looking for a new TV show. Kevin Wilde's. Not to be on.

Not to be on. No. No, not to be on. No, my gosh. A new show. I'll take either. You don't take either. No, no.

To act. Oh, oh, additional. Oh, yeah. Soap opera. Oh, yeah. You saw your career flashed before your eyes. He started the show. Drew Reeves.

And Danny Parkins. Parkins, do you want to talk about Josh Allen or do you want to give Brew one final TV show recommendation. The Americans. The Americans, it is. Great finale. Best finale.

Really? Because I've seen some bad finale. That's what I'm saying. You don't want to invest in a show that gets worse over time. I'm still star about it. How much you jump to the finale? It's a great finale.

How many seasons? Like five? Do you do that with books? No, not books. Shows. Right there. Tiki Blinders is mine. Oh my goodness.

It's so good. I want to start dressing like people. wear a little hats. Ken Burns Civil War documentary, bro. It's a comedy. Lamar and Josh Allen. Both got new coaches. Both of their coaches think they are now coaching the best player in the NFL.

Take a listen. Everything I think about is trying to find ways to put him in a position to have success, because that's all I care about with him. Josh Allen is the best player in the NFL, and I have to grow. But Lamar, I just look forward to connecting with him. connecting with him, helping him become the best version of himself, creating a team identity that allows him to thrive,

which he's already proven to be an elite, one of the best player in the National Football League. Okay, Perkins. I just think Joe Brady was definitely saying Josh Allen's the best football player in the league. I think it's certainly on the table that Minter was saying Lamar's been the best player when he's won the MVP's. Because the way he said it was like one of the,

the best player, the best, I thought, I took that, I'm not trying to define, I took that as, oh, he means when he was, that he is, that he has reached that mountain top. I don't know he was saying it as boldly as Joe Brady, but. Yeah, it might be a distinction without a difference, right? He's praising his guy and saying that he can be the best player football. Yeah, you could, yeah. All right, which quarterback duo with a new head coach is closest to winning the Super Bowl in your eyes, Parkins? Well, I'm going to stick with the team that I thought was going to win the Super Bowl this year, the bills that made it to the playoffs, you know, went further, obviously, than the Ravens did, although it didn't end up how I thought.

And maybe you guys will say this is reductive, but like there's questions about both first-time head coaches. Obviously, both organizations are in a period of transition, and obviously the next coach could be worse than the one they had. Right. Right. Minter could be worse than Harbaugh, certainly on the board, and Brady could be worse than McDermott. But I'm still pretty confident that Josh Allen is better than Lamar Jackson.

and I know he's better than him when it counts. In the playoffs, these are not comparable players. They are comparable in the regular season. But in the playoffs, and you got to win three or four playoff games in order to win a Super Bowl, I will just take Josh Allen over Lamar Jackson 10 times out of 10 in the playoffs. And I know that's maybe a slight spin on the conversation,

but Brady and Minter are the same exact type of question mark. as head coaches. So I will just default to the quarterback that I trust more in the postseason. I mean, that's fair. Obviously, Josh has been better in the playoffs, but I have questions about the bill's defense. Yes.

Who's, you know, their offense is going to be great, like it always has been. But the defense, I'm not sure, because I agree with what Nick said earlier in the week, McDermott overachieved a lot of years with that defense. And maybe, to be honest, maybe with what we count as he, couldn't get it done in the playoffs with his defense.

Maybe it was just the defense really wasn't as good as he made it look in the regular season. Then when they had better competition, they couldn't get it done. I'm convinced that both offenses, Ravens, Bills, is going to be good because of the quarterbacks. Jesse Mentor has proven to be a great defensive coordinator in his brief time with the charters. So I don't have the questions about either side of the ball in Baltimore. I do have a question about the bill's defense. So that's why I would say Baltimore. They're both in the same boat, but I would lean toward Baltimore.

So I think it's on the board that neither one is that close next year. I don't like the rookie head coach thing. I understand the need to move on for both of these teams. I think that there is a cost associated with that and there's a real cost associated with that in this head coaching cycle where there weren't a bunch of veteran proven coaches available. The one, you know, Mike McCarthy got hired. I know you don't love that. John Harbaugh got hired.

Yeah, but John Harbaugh is one of the guys who got fired from these teams. I didn't think the bills were going to hire him. Robert Salai wouldn't have felt great about it. There wasn't, you know, the surefire. Not that there's ever surefire fire, but Jim Harbaugh felt like a surefire answer. Sean Payton felt like a surefire answer. Hell, Andy for the Chiefs a dozen years ago felt like a surefire answer in that moment. moment. So I don't, I don't love that piece of it. I don't love on the bill's side that I didn't

think that the person they ended up hiring his head coach Joe Brady was going to get a head coaching job elsewhere. I do like the fact that I feel like Jesse Minter was. That mentor kind of had more had his choice of jobs. I know Joe Brady said this is the job he wanted and he interviewed for other jobs. So I don't know if I can't prove that, but it seemed like Josh Allen liked him. They liked the continuity, so they kept him. But the real thing that's changed enough for me, Danny, that – because I normally would have just said exactly what you said, which is I don't trust Lamar in the playoffs, and I do, to a degree, trust Josh in the playoffs, certainly in the wild card round and then somewhat after that.

Man, one of the things that used to work against Lamar is, man, that's such a tougher division, just to get there, just to win the division, just to get the home playoff game. it's so much tougher in Baltimore's path. I don't think that's the case at all anymore. I think that if you take out Baltimore and Buffalo and you look at the six other teams they're competing with, New England is drastically better than the next best team. And I don't think that we have seen enough from Josh Allen

as far as what his playoff performances on the road have looked like, what their success has been, that you would feel great about them having to go the wild card path again if we think the Patriots are here to stay, and for the most part, I think they are here to stay. So I wonder if that, I wonder if the emergence of Drake May and Mike Vrable almost offsets your graphic,

which is something historically I've totally agreed with, which is I just don't trust the Ravens and Lamar come the postseason. I agree that if we're removing Baltimore and Buffalo and then grading the other six teams in the respective divisions, New England would be the best team, but the second and third would be in the AFC North? I don't know that. I mean, the second, I don't know what Pittsburgh's going to be. I don't know who their quarterback is.

I don't know what they're going to be without Mike Tomlin. I don't know what Pittsburgh's going to be. But we know that Mike McCarthy. Miami and the Jets aren't very. Right, exactly. Miami and the Jets, we just, they should be awful. The Steelers are never awful. Hired Mike McCarthy might be bringing back a quarterback that just won 10 games.

And then Cincinnati, I know they are a one-sided team, but it is still a team with, depending on where you have them, the fourth to sixth best quarterback in football. Cincinnati was not much better than Miami this year. Like, they did, I had the, and since. And so. Not impressive. And so I, like, so I don't, I guess, I agree with you.

The Jets are always awful, but the Browns are pretty much, you know, awful too. So I don't know. And I don't know if that really should. They factor as much into my math as it is. I just think that, I think that the Patriots and Drake May loom very large over this half of Josh Allen's career. And I think that is an unexpected turn of events when it looked like Josh was going to have the path Tom Brady did,

which is the whole division's incompetent. It's just turnover of quarterbacks and coaches for all these teams. And I am, you know, I basically, I'm locked up the division every single year. Just real quick before we move on. Christine, can you throw up this graphic of the bill scoring? defense ranks. Right, their second, 16. They were first.

They were second. They were fourth. That's when Josh really started to like come on and be a superstar. Then 11th and 12th kind of fell off and the next thing, you know, they're on road playoff games this year. Danny, did you view, because I kind of agree with Brew that did you view the bills as an offensive team with a good defense or a defensive team with a great? quarterback. Does that make sense? Well, this year, they were an offensive team with a bad

defense, right? Well, this bad, but I think they were a very flawed run defensive team that kind of their past defense was, no one passed on them. Their run defense was so bad. Over the course of his tenure, you're right. Sean McDermott has had their defense overachieve and they've had a great quarterback. I think it's shifted. I think now they are considered, I would pencil them in to be a top five to seven offense, like an offensive team. But where do you have the defense? But where do you have the defense. If the offense is top third, they're bottom third. I think it's tough.

I think they're signing up to win these like, it's like, oh, we're going to win a lot of games like 28, 20. Yeah. Four. Dangerous. Very dangerous. Brew, you won that conversation. Oh, wow. Competitive sports debate in the ocean.

I like it. It's just a good hang. Tom Brady joined Brock and Salk in Seattle. Sounded pretty optimistic about Sam Darnel. Take a listen. They're more of an explosive passing team. They're not looking. I don't always think for those.

high precision surgical throws. They're looking for more of the downfield throws, the overroutes, the flag routes, off of play action that moves their quarterback. I think Sam does a great job at being out of the pocket where he can see really clearly. All right. Do you believe Sam Darnold can have another monster game, Danny? I do. I think that Darnold can give them what they need from him in the moment.

Sometimes when he's gotten shaky and made mistakes when you're watching, it does, and I've mentioned this before, it feels like they're high. hiding him a little bit. Like they'll throw a little wide receiver screens or one read stuff and like, oh man, is Sam Darnold going to melt down? But since the game that we all reference all the time where he melted down, the Rams game in week 11 where he threw the four picks, he's been remarkably clean. They haven't always needed him to be excellent.

Like in the game against San Francisco where they blew him out. 12 to 17. He was 12 and 17, but that was just because their team was over. Their team was so dominant. They didn't really, but he's played a lot of clean football games, even when they haven't asked him to do it. Whereas, like, the Rams, there was really never games where Stafford had, like, unimpressive statistical box scores.

They were always throwing for touchdowns inside the five-yard line. Like, his stats at the end of every win always looked impressive. Donald, if they need him to light it up, he has been down the stretch. And a lot of times they're just so overwhelming that he doesn't. So, yeah, can he have another monster game? He's on a really good run right now, so I think he absolutely can. Yeah, I think the answer to this question is, of course. Hmm.

And my frustration with some folks in football media refusing to acknowledge this is a small sample-sized sport and that your really bad performances, even if it's just a half of one game in a huge, huge spot, weigh super heavy on your resume and your reputation. That has to apply on the good stuff too. Sure. Like Sam Darnold's performance in that Rams game to me weighs even heavier because Stafford was so good, because he was going to have to go throw for throw. Because when they got the ball back with five minutes left up four, he was, they put it in his

hands that he had to convert again. And I mean, he had three first down conversions when they were trying to run out the clock. When they decided we're not running the ball to run out the clock, we're trusting Sam Darnold. And so I think that it is similar to the conversation we had to start the show. I'm not predicting a blowout. I'm not predicting Darnold throws for 325, three touchdowns and no picks. But he has earned to.

me the respect to say, can he, he can do that in any spot now. If you can do that, you know, against your divisional rival, who you have played your worst football against, your two worst games of the year, arguably were against them, even though one you came back in one, at least six of your eight worst quarters of the season were against them. And then you can play up your best game. Yeah, your best game of your entire career. Then, yeah, he can do it.

He can do it again. Yeah, look, I think the most. most likely good game from Darno is two touchdowns, 245 y'all, something like that. But he certainly, of course, is the answer. If he can stare down Matthew Stafford, the MVP

Super Bowl champion, and play a great game. You don't think he, in a week where all, I don't know if he was watching TV or listening to the radio or anything, but all of the talk was about can he get it done? Is he going to

a melt down. Will he see ghosts? Blah, blah, blah. Six interceptions in two games. And he was able to put all of that out of his mind, including the guy that he's facing across the field and play his best game in his biggest game. Yeah, he could definitely do that.

I think it's fair. The only thing I would add, Danny, is that the Rams defense has been, was the 26th best defense since Thanksgiving. So I am, what I think is fair is the same reason, like Drake has not been. been good statistically in these playoffs, but he has played the top five defenses. So I'm like, you know what?

His numbers haven't been good. But if I was a professor, I'd grade him up just because these defenses were so tough. Sam Darnold played amazing against the Rams. I wanted to put that Rams defense was 26th Thanksgiving. I'll just bring it down. Oh, just a little bit. Just a little bit. And kind of, I think.

And the Patriots are playing their best defense of the season. And the Patriots are playing great. So I'm just going to, I don't. I'm not like, oh, my God. I'm really glad you did this thing here. Yeah, I think that's fair. But you are trying to get it to where the quarterbacks this postseason are even. And there is no amount of curve.

There is no amount of extra credit you can give Drake's performance. I'm not even interested in it. I'm not trying. Sam Darnold has played better in these playoffs than Drake, certainly. But I'm saying it's not like this. He lit up one of the worst defenses in the league. league is in the Rams. Okay.

Is that not fair? It's not true? No, I think the arbitrage, I think that doing the thing of where if we start at this point, this defense who, for every conversation we have, including the one we just had, where we showed the bill scoring defense, we

do whole year. And for the Rams, we decided for their whole year numbers, they're actually a pretty decent defense. But we're going to pick this moment in time and say they were actually a really bad defense. I did not think the Rams in the two playoff games leading into the NFC championship games

looked like an awful defense. I didn't think. You didn't against Carolina where Bryce is running, is scoring at where they did. In a freezing game against Caleb. Okay. I thought that the Rams defense over the second half of the year was below average. I don't think it was a terrible defense. And I think maybe I should say game right before in that Bears game,

I didn't think that defense looked awful. It's just because it was free. I think I'm putting more. You were there, Danny. It was freezing, and it wasn't going to be like a... Danny was at the other game. Dan was at the Packer game. I was at the Packers game.

Oh, you're at the Packers game. They were both really cold. Could you tell it was cold? Do you want me to confirm it was cold? I think that's totally fair to say since Thanksgiving, they were really bad. And we maybe shouldn't waste time. Shouldn't spend as much time talking about the Rams defense in this conversation. I am the, it is to me, unfair to Darnold to say we are,

we are treating his performance in the NFC championship game with, as you put it, we are lowering the grade because we're just declaring actually that Rams defense was terrible. I don't think the Rams defense was terrible. I think that was a great performance by Sam Darnold. I do too. But he wasn't playing Matthew Stafford. He was playing the Rams defense. That was 26th since Thanksgiving.

It was a lot of chatter in his ear, though. Well, yeah. Drake headed to the Super Bowl after the worst passing game of his year. Here's how he described it. Take a listen. I think you embrace it when you try to build an identity and you carry it on the road with you. Be able to start one and O and be able to build a kind of a trend of winning games on the road and starting kind of a win streak on the road.

That's tough in this league and it's tough to do. And I think that won last week was kind of the epitome of what this roadward is like. It's not pretty. It's not going to be everything we wanted. but there's times on the road where we've been, you know, on fire, and there's times when you're just trying to do whatever you can to win, I think that was play of football's about. So it's kind of the opposite, Danny.

Who do you trust more to win in a shootout, since Drake's talking about scoring 10 points there? Yeah, and I tend to think that we will see a decent amount of points scored in this game. Both defensive coaches, both defenses have had great stretches. I do think the Patriots are playing their best defense in the season, but I think we're going to see points in this game. and I'm not sure over the course of a week we'll figure something out where I'm going to give the edge to New England

but I'm going to say again Seattle. I trust Seattle more. I think they are the more complete team. I think they've had the tougher road to get here over the course of the year. And Darnold, to my point earlier, about like anything he's been asked to do, he has been able to do it, like whatever they've needed in the moment.

We haven't seen a ton of it when the Seahawks have been in shootouts this year. But whenever they have been in shoot, like whenever their defense has been got, Donald has come through. It's been kind of amazing. It's three games. It's a three game sample of allowing 27 or more.

When Seattle's allowed 27 or more, 31 quarterbacks have been in that situation, right? You would think the majority of the league, your defense gives up 27 or more at least three times. He's been awesome. It's the two Rams games and the Bucks game. Now, obviously, there's the turnovers in one of the Rams games. But it's because, again, this includes the postseason.

But shootouts have. not been a problem for Sam Donald. They just haven't been. Now, Drake Bay also is good in high scoring games. He is too, but he's not first across the board in it. So I do trust Seattle and basically any game script that happens in the Super Bowl. I trust Seattle more in a blowout as a team. Like if we talked about this earlier in our show, if you had to pick which team do you think would win a blowout, it would be Seattle.

But of the quarterbacks, if they're going at it and it's nip and tuck, I'm going with Drake May. Just because I think he's the overall better quarterback, and I do think he's more poor, as great as Darnel just was, he could win a shootout, but who I trust more, I just think I like May's poise more.

Maybe it's because he's young and he's shown that type of poise early in his career. I think he's more of a gamer than Darnel. And so I just feel like if it's that type of game and I had to pick the quarterback. Again, the team would be Seattle. The quarterback, I feel like

May would be the one to kind of figure it out and make the big play like he did to Booty in the Texas game more so than Darno. I would have felt that way a week or a month ago, but, and this might be to use Danny's word from earlier, reductive. One of these guys is coming off the single best game of his life. The other guy is coming off the single worst game of his season. One of these guys, you know, dealt with some mysterious odd injury a couple weeks ago. seems to have had no impact on him, and he's fine. The other one we learned evidently has been dealing with a different mysterious odd injury, and it got re-agravated, and then he didn't practice today,

and he threw for 40 yards in sunshine in the first half, and then 40 yards in a blizzard in the second half. When you look at how these two quarterbacks, if that's the focus of it, are coming into this game, having played this postseason, looking at Darnold's numbers versus Drake May's numbers, I trust the guy who's playing awesome, not the guy who his awesome game involved four fumbles and a pick. Like that's, so I, the, and as a little added bonus on that as far as shootout,

the number one draft pick by a mile of the weapon you would want from either of these two teams. True. Is on Seattle. In a, in a shootout. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The number one weapon. Maybe the number two.

I mean, Booty's a great deep threat, but Cooper Cup. I mean, maybe the number two. And so, like, so I just think JSN is the best offensive non-colle quarterback in this game by a month. Nick loves the fumbles, not fumbles lost. That's a recent. Well, he's going to, he's on track to break the record for a playoffs. It's noteworthy. I think it's something.

I didn't love the interception. It was kind of a throwaway one, but I'll, well, he's thrown at two interceptions these playoffs. One was a throwaway. One was just a bad pass. I'm sure it wasn't. I'm sure it was actually good. But I thought it was bad. It was tips. Only Caleb's good. He throws beautiful. Welcome back to the OT. We got Greg Jennings and Willie Colon hanging out. We go to Buffalo where the bills held a press conference yesterday to introduce their new head coach, Joe Brady.

But as you see, Josh Allen, limping on some crutches there. He's got the boot. He's recovering from surgery. but of course him and Joe Brady have a relationship last three years as his offensive coordinator. But Josh Allen was reflecting on his role that led to all this change in Buffalo. Take a listen. I'd be lying to you if I'm sitting here saying that, you know, I feel like I had part in it. Because if we made, if I make one more play, that game in Denver, we're probably not having this press conference right now. We're probably not making a change. And all honestly, it's probably, we're probably.

We're probably getting ready to play another game. And that's the hard part to take in from my perspective. That, he can probably remove the word probably from it. It's how I felt. Like, when the owner comes out and says, I did not consider firing Sean McDermott until we lost the game and how I saw the locker room after the game. And you were the quarterback who made the turnovers and were crying after the game.

if you take the owner at his word, which maybe we shouldn't, but for the purposes of this exercise I have chosen to, of course Josh Allen should feel like that. Is that not? I feel it's the only conclusion that you could come to. It felt morbid, that whole comment. It felt dark, man, because it's tough, right? Because you talk about the two interceptions, the two strip sacks.

He had the big heave and overtime that gets picked off. It was all on him, right? He's the guy. He's our superman. We talked about him being able to put on the cape so many times, and then your coach gets fired after it, it's tough to process. And then I think also he's on crutches, right? So all of that has like an avalanche on him as being the guy on the face of this franchise.

I was a part of a firing, man. When I was at the Jets and we let Rex Ryan go as one of the elders in our locker room, man, I felt like me, the Brickshaw Ferguson, God rest of soul, Nick Mango. We felt like we let him down, right? Because we couldn't, we knew what our deficiencies was. But we felt as a unit, we could have played better. We could have won some more games. We had a young Gino Smith.

if we knew what he was lacking. But overall, we felt like we could have played better throughout the season. And watching a head coach, Greg, I don't know if you ever been part of it. But Rex was crying. And he was, they gave him his boxes and told him the lead exit left, right? Like his dad wants coached for the Jets. So there was so much, it was such an impactful moment. But it also taught that young locker room that we did have because in 2013

with the second youngest team in the league that your play has consequences. And this is the consequence. So Josh being an elder, if you will, understands that him not being his best in that game cost a man his job. Heavy as the head that wears the ground. No question. That part right there. And we all knew all season long, shoot, watching the Buffalo bills the last few years,

as he goes, they go. And we knew these performances that he has where he's stellar. But previous years, just recently, being more efficient. This year he had a couple games where turnovers are up. Obviously, in that game, they were up. But it's largely because of those risks that he takes, that superhero cape mentality that he wears and has to because of the lack of productivity they have in other areas, like, you wear that. Should ownership not have put it on him? Because I was critical of that press conference.

I was critical of that press conference because of the logical inconsistencies. I said on the front end that I would have fired McDermott because there was just too much. scar tissue there needed to be changed after always coming up short and the defense allowing as many points in the playoff exits a lot of people disagreed with me on that that's fine but coming out and saying the reaction of the emotions in the locker room or what made me think I needed to fire the coach when the quarterback said that he was crying because he felt like he let the team down and then dion Dawkins started crying when he heard what Josh said. They weren't crying about Sean McDermott. They were crying about Josh Allen. At least Dionne Dawkins was. It was an odd thing for the owner

to put on his quarterback. And I think that's why that comment's heavy for Josh because it felt impulsive, right? Like normally when we're talking about coaches being dismissed from a team is because the locker room has given up on a coach. They're on the hoxy for weeks. Yeah, the ears are falling. Like his words are falling on deaf ears. Those guys are crying. They also felt like they let down McDormick. They were crying because they felt like they let down Josh. Just started on pro left tackle. Damn they had a mental breakdown because he was like, man, if Josh feels that way, then we let him down. And then there's a firing after it. Nobody was on the same accord. Everybody in our lockerer felt like they was going to run it back next year.

And it didn't happen. So it was like, man, we did. We blow it up. To some degree though, as players, you have a feeling of, man, this could, we have to do this for coach or else we know what could be really waiting for them. And when I look at Josh and I look at this team, the fact that there was no Patrick Mahomes in the postseason, there was no Lamar Jackson in the postseason and you still didn't get it done. That just those, that combination of not having those individuals that have, that you've had success with, but you know, you could take a loss to Patrick Mahomes.

but the way that they lost, who they lost to, no disrespected. Yeah, it felt like a missed opportunity. Absolutely. And that carries, that weighs more heavily on your head coach. And obviously the play of your quarterback because of what he was to that team all season long. We have more coaching news as we go to Cleveland. Shador Sanders has his guy and it is Todd Munkin, former Ravens offensive coordinator. His first stint as an NFL head coach comes at 59 years old.

And Todd Munkin, maybe he's just saying everything that you want to hear on the first day on the job, but he seems to be a huge fan of working with Shador Sanders. Take a listen. How are you doing? Welcome back to the States. How are we doing, man? Good. Then we tried to draft your last year.

It's all worked out. You remember that, right? That's what I was about to tell you. Someday we'll get a chance to talk about that. And then Chador Sanders takes to his Instagram and very excited with the, you know, it's time and the flame emoji. You can translate that. Welcoming his head coach, Todd Munkin.

Will you like this higher? No, no, I don't. Okay. Yeah, I don't. I don't. You know, we got to understand Tom Munk is only a few years younger than Pete Carroll. So I worry about relatability. On top of that, I think we underestimate that Lamar and Derek Henry kept this guy afloat in his

scheme because I thought. Lamar's ability to escape the pocket, throw the ball 15 yards down the field, keep things going off a bit of pure athleticism, kept him relevant. On top of Derek Henry, just being Derek Henry in the screen gaming coming downhill. At times, we've seen a big game. This man gets stumped. AFC championship, 2003 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Who stumped them?

Spags, right? So we've seen elite coordinators match up against him and put him in the baby seat. So now you're sitting one to tell me you got Chidor Sanders, who is not as athletic as Lamar Jackson. We have a young quarterback, I'm assuming a young runnerback in the Browns, who I think is good. But nevertheless, what he did in Baltimore, I think was only elevated because of the personnel. He's brought into this building to be the end-all-be-all, to elevate this office. And I don't think he has the same skill set as what he had in Baltimore.

So I do like it. I like it because of what we saw. If I take it for what we saw on face value, the interaction, it seemed genuine to a degree. you could tell that Chardour felt like, man, all right, here we go. Fresh start, clean slate. I get a real opportunity to show what my worth is from the start and an opportunity to compete. That's all you can ask for. The relatability aspect of things, it's, I think he can be relatable.

When we saw Lamar at his best, a large part of that goes to Todd Monkin and what he was able to implement, how the involvement of Lamar Jackson. I'm not taking anything away from Lamar, not giving it all to Todd Monkin, but he shares some of that as well. I think for Shadur, though, simply put, he's excited to have a fresh start with somebody that seemingly feels like,

all right, here we go, let's do this. I don't know if you guys have ever applied for a job where you felt like you had to say anything to get the job. You probably have not been in that situation. You guys are Super Bowl champions. I have occasionally had to, yeah, no, of course I know how to do that. No problem. Learn on the job.

Yeah, a little bit learn on the job. Right? Like, I'm a radio guy working in TV. I'll say anything. No, but honestly, like, Todd Munkin is 59 years old, and it is his first head coaching job. He probably wasn't going to get the opportunity to go coach Josh Allen. He wasn't going to get the best job available. It's probably felt like he aged out.

Well, right. I mean, it's rare, like, for your first head coaching job to come that late. I mean, the guy was 13 and 25 at Southern Miss, the only time he's ever been a head coach before. He's been a career coordinator. And to your point, had a ton of success with Lamar Jackson, and that is the silver lining for Shador or the Browns. Like, you could point to what Lamar was before Todd Munkin got there and what he was after. And I think I got the number. Like, he was better.

Like, Todd Munkin is a established, good offensive coach. Yes, to your point, Willie, with great talent. But do I think that if Todd Munkin, like, had his choice of jobs, he would be like, I just want to coach Shador Sanders. And we almost drafted you in the sixth round in Baltimore. Like, that's just like he said what he needed to say. It was an icebreaker. And I'm guessing in the interview process, hey, what do you think about Shadur Sanders?

I loved him. We almost drafted him in Baltimore. I could coach him up. Like, does he actually? Snoop Huntley. Does he, right? Right. Like, does he actually believe?

it or did he say what he needed to say in order to get the only head coaching job that he could have possibly got? So both things can be true. He could say what needs to be said and also have a feeling and a sentiment that revolves around that. Look, I think what he said, how he said it, the fact that they chose to bring in Shadour, have them meet, record it, we all see it. naturally you're going to try to put on a little bit to make sure that you look good.

But I don't think he was just putting on and just saying whatever he needed to say in that moment. I do. Listen, the date goes better when you bring flowers and chocolates, right? So you got to start off on the good foot. You're not going to go up in there and say, hey, man, let's see how it goes. You know, you got to say something. And I think people, some people, Mike McDaniel didn't even want to interview for the Browns head coaching job to take the offensive coordinator job with the Chargers. Like, this is not that desirable of a job. But it is a desirable job if you can't get a head coaching job anywhere.

But quick, deep, look at what he's also stepping into. There's a lot of guys in that feel like Jim Schwartz should be the guy. And he's been stepped over. So now he's been able with some guys are like, man, you know, I get it. We're not going to say some guy. Miles Garrett feels like that. There you go. It's a weird spot for him to be in.

But he gets to be a head coach in the NFL. There you go. And there's only 32 of those jobs. So if anyone wants to hire me, might be available. I need a great play call. by the way. Don't you guys think pass on every down? That's the problem right here. Yeah, every down.

You can't sell that. Five. Five, five. Right. Five one. Welcome back to the O.T. in Seattle. Mike McDonald, Seahawks head coach took to the podium today ahead of their practice. Was asked about the Patriots offense as they get ready for the Super Bowl.

It's a big game coming up next Sunday. And here's what he said about his opponent's offense. Take a listen. It's rooted in their system without having been there the whole time, but have gone against the page. for a number of years. There's like the core principles seem like they're there and then look you got to give them a lot of credit.

I mean, they're an incredibly efficient offense. They've been explosive. There's definitely some things that they're probably doing that's exclusive to Drake and as they should. But that's what you'd expect from a great offense is have a great foundation and be able to build around your players. Greg, do you think that Drake may can overcome this Seahawks defense? I think he can.

Do I believe he will? That's a different question. Yeah, okay. I mean, we're not ready for predictions yet, but go ahead. Look, I think he can. When Mike McDonald talks about how they've been running their offense and how efficient they've been, large part is that, large part for that is because of what Josh McDaniels

has been able to do as a play caller. He always seemingly has this team in a good play, in a good position to where they can run, they can beat you with a pass. They don't have to. They're not forced to do things outside of the realm of what they've been executing all season long. And so when you get in those situations, you tend to have favorable situations and matchups. Drake May has always stepped up to the plate and been what they needed in moments when they need them to be that.

So I think he can overcome it. Look, this defense doesn't give up a whole lot to a lot of quarterbacks. Matthew Stafford, who probably is going to walk away with the MVP this year. But in fairness, over Drake, May. Absolutely. He has been one of two. Baker. Baker.

Baker, that's 38, 35. He's the only other quarterback that's really towards this defense. Outside of that, they just don't give you a lot of great opportunities. But again, Josh McDaniel, he's been here before. He can put his team in a good situation. Yeah, I think he's definitely capable. I think a matter of going into this game, how much can he control his nerves, right? how much can he understand that this D-line that he's about to go against, man,

is they're going to try to speed up his process. And we just mentioned, you don't want Drake May to get out of character and feel like he has to play hero ball, right? You want him to stay calm and methodical and do what he did thus far during the playoffs. As far as explosive, I just don't think that's their game. Like he said, that's a component of their scheme. But I think it really comes down for them to be able to set up off-play action, run the ball, and stay ahead of the sticks.

I just worry about his nerves. I think we've never, this right here, I think we're going to see a tell a lot about Drake and May. Because going into this game, man, there's going to be a lot of pressure on him to answer the bell. He's done it thus far in the regular season. The playoffs, he has some turnover woes. This game is going to be big. So the Super Bowl, it's going to be big. Man, I'm going to write that down.

No, listen, here's what I'm saying. Write it down. No, you're right. And I didn't fully realize this until we're looking it up before the show. And you can do it by EPA, DVOA, more advanced. stuff, but just doing it by scoring defenses. Drake May has played a top 10

scoring defense three times this year in the three playoff games. Correct. All year long, they did not play a top 10 scoring defense. EPA, Cleveland is a fifth, New Orleans was ninth, and he had good games against them with some of the more advanced stuff. So I'm not suggesting that Drake May can't

do it. But we've watched Drake May in these playoffs against the Chargers and the Texans and the Broncos, and it hasn't been pretty. Yeah. And Seattle's defense, again, by scoring, number one scoring defense in the NFL in the regular season.

So again, to your point, can, yes, but I don't think there's a reason to expect Drake May to have a great game against Seattle's defense. So this is, I get it. The numbers are what they are. If you go back to the Houston game, it was a nasty game at home. The weather wasn't, the weather wasn't favorable for offenses. And then you look at the game that they just played that's on your screen right now. This would be balmy for what New England's dealt with.

Correct. No doubt. So I don't take those numbers and say, oh, yep, it's been the playoffs. That's why he's struggling. But he's also not that proven against great defenses. Like in good weather or not. I get all of that. But that goes back to my, I know we laugh at my last statement,

but you're talking about Seattle Seahawks having a really good defensive line. This being a Super Bowl, like this, for me it's about his nerves. Canny Hamlet because the only caveat with the Patriots right now is they can't keep them up. right at times. Especially when they go against an elite defensive line. So I'm saying, all right, Super Bowl,

another elite defensive line. Who are you? This is your legacy game. So this is why I say, man, I'm not worried about him from a getting it done standpoint. It's from the neck up how he's going to handle this stage, another elite

defensive line, especially I think a defense that has momentum going into the Super Bowl. It's going to be tough. That's why I say, Josh McDaniels, he's going to put him in great situations. He's not going to put more on him than he needs right out the gate.

And he's going to allow Drake May to play with a level of confidence stating that, you know what, we don't need you to be hero yet. If that time comes, I need you to be able to put that hat on and go make something. It's weird, but I trust Sam Darnock more than him in a hero moment. I just do. I feel like Sam has been through the fire and come out the other side being the better quarterback, especially against Stafford. I was going to say, is that strictly because of last week?

I think it because week 16 last week. Like, I've just seen him get punched in the face and respond better. We haven't seen that out of Drake. Yeah, I just... Like, I think Drake May is better than Stafford, but... Drake May is better than Donald, but Donald just had the best game of his life. So, you know what to be? 46 are.

Right. So he just... He did. That's a data point of one, though. Well, you know, like, Drake May has not been playing great circumstances. And so that's, you know, that's why it's going to be close. That's why it's a big game. Is it?

Y'all can laugh. Y'all know what I'm it. It's one of the biggest games. I try to drink the L.T. It is one of the biggest. The Super Bowl. Give me all you got. Sorry, Will.

Welcome back to FTF. We go to Baltimore. We're yesterday, the Ravens introduced their new head coach, Jesse Minner. Today, continue to add out to that staff. Declan Doyle, 30-year-old offensive coordinator from the Bears, becomes the new offensive coordinator for La Mark Jackson and the Ravens. He can move for a lateral title because it is a promotion and responsibilities. He gets to be the play caller in Baltimore.

Willie, how should Lamar feel about this higher? Well, the goal for Declan is how can he help Lamar evolve? And I think if you're going into this situation with Lamar Jackson, my goal is how can I keep him upright and healthy? You know, less fewer hips, less developing routes, quick game answers, you know, answers versus blitz, things that he needs to involve into this offense where Lamar not can play all 18 games, right? When we're not worried about his health

because he's getting older. So for me, he should feel excited. Young, O.C., who's pretty much going to do anything that Lamar tells him to do. The boss? The boss, pretty much. The boss. It's that part for me.

Like, Lamar's going to have a heavy influence in what he wants this offense to look like, and he should. And when you have that responsibility as a quarterback, a lot of the blame and the success is going to be surely on your shoulders. And so with Lamar Jackson, this is not about what he can turn Lamar into.

It's about how he embraces what this young coordinator is going to bring to the table and what he does with it because I think he's going to have a lot of carry over from what we saw with Ben Johnson because of the scheme using tight ends the way that they did. And he had a lot of success watching that. I will just say, I mean, I know in Chicago they had a ton of respect for Declan Doyle. They're not surprised that he lost. It's rare for a bear's offensive coach to live. leave and get a promotion. There's normally not that successful. But it's a first time head

coach. It's a really good point. I'm just saying. I mean, like Adam Gase is the last one. 2015, long time ago. It's first time head coach and first time play caller. That's a lot of inexperience at key positions for Baltimore. Enjoy the weekend. We're back on Monday on the OT. Thank you.