Geoff Schwartz Is Smarter Than You - Patriots Cameramen Get Creative, Baker Buries His Trainers & 49ers Get Exposed

Episode Date: December 10, 2019

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and discovered the fastest, easiest way to get into the game. So head to the App Store or Play Store now to download GameTime and score awesome deals on last-minute tickets. You know, evidently this is our production people on the TV show that were there. And we have absolutely nothing to do. We have absolutely nothing to do with anything that they produce, direct, or shoot or anything. I've never even seen any of their tapes or anything else. So this is something that we 100% have zero involvement with.

This is something that you'd have to talk to the production people about or what they were doing or whatever it was. From The Athletic, I'm Jeff Schwartz, where the Patriots just doing their job. How are the brands handling their season? And will the 49ers strike gold in the NFC? It's Tuesday, December 10th, and this is Jeff Schwartz is Smarter Than You. We're going to get right into this. Gabe Goodwin, producer extraordinaire.

He hates the Patriots. He hates Tom Brady. He's a Jets fan. So he was fired up when this news broke yesterday of the Patriots allegedly having Spygate number two. We'll talk all about that. We'll talk about the game, hopefully, against the Chiefs from this weekend.

What does it mean for the Patriots? We're starting with the Patriots, Gabe. Go ahead. I don't like how you tried to disqualify my thoughts here by claiming that I hate Tom Brady. You do, though. That's not the point. But you do.

I am just a truth teller who has observed this league for many years. I keep track of what the internet says and I present it to you, which is what I will do here. So here's where we are. We will start on the field a little bit. So Tom Brady has no weapons.

The refs screwed us. Our Pats heads are falling off. That's the take in New England right now. In fact, that's the take among all you NFL media types. Everyone is panicking about the Patriots. I will remind you, okay, before we even get to Spygate 2.0, I will just remind you that this team is 10-3. They're still winning the division.

Only two weeks ago, people were talking about an all-time defense that they had. They still have the coach. They still have the quarterback. Everyone needs to shut the hell up about New England. There's nothing wrong. Relax. Are you done? I got plenty to come.

Relax. Gabe said to relax. Everyone relax. It is what it is. Okay, let me tell you a couple things here. One is I did not tweet at all that the Patriots got screwed by the refs. I do not believe you lose games because of referees. Unless maybe it's the Saints and Rams

with a no-call. But think about this. Nikhil Harry should have scored, right? He did not. It was first and three at the three. And every other year, the Patriots would score a touchdown there. They did not because they're not as good in offense. They've been able to make up issues with referees or poor play because

their offense could always make a play. They can't do that anymore, and that's the problem. That's the problem with the Patriots. It's not the referees. And yes, the referees cost them 14 points. I get that. That is true. It happened.

But really, I don't feel sad for the Patriots because they've got a lot of calls throughout the years. And I'll go back to this game. You make your own luck in the nfl you make your own breaks and the patriots do that typically typically by knowing all the rules and we'll get to that in a second by by um having a system teasing it over and over again you keep teasing of the system of the system of of the way they play they're smart and tough all the time and they're able to just make their own breaks and i think when you're a better football team of the system of the way they play. They're smart and tough all the time. And they're able to just make their own breaks.

And I think when you're a better football team, I think this is human nature. When you're a better football team, officials let things go more than they would if you are a team that's known for being undisciplined. Like the Browns are undisciplined, Raiders are undisciplined for years. Referees are like, yeah, we're going to play. We know they're going to make mistakes.

The Patriots do not make mistakes. And in the past, the Patriots would overcome these issues. They can't now because their offense is not very good. They can't run the football. And Tom Brady trusts nobody. On the fourth down play, Jacoby Myers was open, but he'd already dropped three passes. Tom Brady was throwing the ball at Julian Edelman no matter what, even though guys might have been open to the situation. So it's more of a wide receiver issue.

I think Tom Brady actually is fine. His arm strength is fine. I don't have any concerns there. He knows the blitz is coming. He's not surprised by it, but he can't make a play because no one else on the offense can get it going. And I agree with you, though. You can never count them out.

They're going to have the two seed most likely. The Bengals, they'll beat the Bills, who offensively are even more challenged than than new england is and they'll beat i think dolphins or jets week 17 um and they'll get the two seed and they'll the chiefs rematch most likely in the in the in the divisional round and they'll go to baltimore and play baltimore again um so right right 13 and three going to the AFC championship game again. But I'm not going to happen. But I that's Gabe.

That's we're going to disagree on Spygate, but we don't disagree on this. I'm with you here. I agree. So why do we have to endure this? Why do we have to listen to people whine and moan? Because they don't like that because they're like you. They don't like the Patriots. But I can't root for the Patriots if I'm a Jets fan but I can also root for sanity

these Patriots fans and by the way too many people who are on television just sound like Patriots fans well the reason why I tell you this the reason why we like the Patriots a lot of us the media is because we're like jealous like we're jealous we couldn't play there and win a championship and we understand that they're just smarter than everyone else and they that's just nonsense they're not smarter than everyone they are dude they do they they they just they do things a certain way they prepare a certain way and they just don't make mistakes ever they're always in there in every game dude yeah so you brought up a point and this will transition us for a second here you brought up a point and i think it's a fair one. That's a smart football

point, right? And I hadn't considered it. But you basically said because they're disciplined and because they have a track record of doing the right thing and understanding the playbook and basically making it easier for the referees to call the game, they get the benefit of the doubt, even subconsciously, from a lot of referees. They drive by the speed limit on the field. They don't get pulled over much. That's kind of what you're telling me right right but i think i think that extends though to to other teams like the niners don't get called for a lot of weird stuff the saints don't like they just if you if you play a clean game and you you know you have and typically if you have better players that use better techniques you're not getting called for more penalties

so it i don't think people go out of their way in the nfl and make sure the patrons get more calls i mean you make no your own luck i i totally agree with that and and the essence of that point is that human nature sort of suggests that we sort this stuff out in our brain and we keep track and we notice patterns right they have a pattern of playing clean football they also have a pattern of being very, very dirty away from the field. OK, so for the same exact reason, but in reverse, if there's anything even mildly suspicious going on around them, people assume the worst because they've been caught twice that we know of blatantly cheating. cheating. This time, just for people who haven't heard the news yet, they had a video crew shooting video

of the Bengals' sideline while they played the Browns. Now, the explanation that was given, which many choose to believe, is that they were there shooting a feature for a series called Do Your Job, right? You can look it up on YouTube. It's a show that the Patriots produced themselves.

In-house production, yes. In-house production. And they highlight some of the behind-the-scenes people who helped make the team a winner, right? So trainers and equipment guys, et cetera, et cetera. So in this case, they were supposedly filming the advanced scout team. And they were doing something with clearance from the team. Apparently, it was all by the books, right? And so now people are saying well what the hell

is going on the nfl needs to investigate are they cheating again is this spy gate 2.0 why do they have cameras aimed at the opponent you know sideline the week before it sounds fishy and then most people i think you included are like that's insane why would they do that there's a very clear explanation and what are they going to spy on the Bengals who cares and just dismiss this as nonsense so why is this nonsense Jeff why why don't we as fans have a reason to wonder what the hell is going on here well look I I I can't say well I can't say that I think the Patriots or would be very stupid to do this on purpose right and to you'll get opportunity to be caught after they've been caught you know with spy gate and with the flight gate so look obviously they might be that stupid i i don't think they would be i don't think it's stupid i think it's sociopathic but let's they just keep

doing this stuff but first of all that i here's my point with with this whole thing is forget like the actual videotaping of stuff because my point is that is, is been the whole time is that I think we are, we're making this more dramatic than it actually is about what they're actually getting from the Bengals. All right. So when spy gate happened, only the quarterback on the offense was getting radio and radio end calls from the coordinator,

right? The play caller, whoever was doing it, right? On defense, you were still using signals, okay? So it made sense to tape someone else using signals. And by the way, Spikey really kind of bothered me. One is that the person that ratted on them was a former Pats employee, right? It was no one else in the NFL.

Don't say ratted on them. I think. Told the truth. I think it, I just, I can't imagine the Patriots were the only ones that were recording signals that everyone could see. All right, nonetheless, you know, they signal in the call.

I still remember some of our college defensive coordinator stuff because we just look at the sidelines of the offensive linemen during practice and see what he was calling. Like, it's not a surprise. Like, oh, look, he's calling a pressure. Okay, well, they don't do that anymore, right?

They signal in in a headset, well, really the helmet of a defensive player. Most time, middle linebacker, some teams is a safety. If you look at NFL helmets

on defense, there's a green dot on the back of whosoever helmet is the one that has the communication, okay? Yep, that's helpful for people.

And like, some players have two helmets. Like, if the middle linebacker gets hurt, then, you know, the safety now wears the helmet with the mic in. Okay. So that's helpful. And like some players have two helmets. Like if the middle eye gets hurt, then, you know, the safety now wears the helmet with the mic in. Okay. So everything now is radioed in. And if the radios, if the radios don't work, then yes, you still have to signal stuff in. So they're not getting any actual signals that help them play in the game. Now there's stuff that still does get singled in, right? Personnel groupings. All right. So personnel groupings is how many offensive players and what positions they are on the field. But dude, as soon as those players run on the field,

you can see what the personnel grouping is. Like I would be in the huddle as an offensive player. And I, so this is vice versa, obviously. And I know we have three wide receivers in the game. I look at the defense and I'd be like, okay guys, they're a nickel because one linebacker is out and one nickel is in. It's easy to tell, right? There's no need to tape the Bengals giving out personnel signals, okay? And so the idea that they're getting anything from this does not make sense to me. Also, the idea that this is the only

time they've done it this year, like a long con to go film the bangles i mean they've been on every they've been everywhere this year with their scouts and the idea that this is the first time and maybe they've done it every single game what what are you talking about that maybe that nobody would no sane person thinks that if they were doing the thing they've been accused of that this was the first time that's not nobody thinks that of course that's crazy they wouldn't wait till this week to film the freaking bangles do you you don't think that that other teams are on the lookout for this the bills wouldn't let like belichick's son like even near the even near them warming up on the field that was allowed to warm up on the field like

of course they're looking out for dude people look out for everything against the patriots like this is not if this was happening it would already be known to 12 other teams and so that's just a jeff that doesn't make sense to people like me who are fans if you can explain to me how that's true fine but i don't believe that the time you get caught is evidence that you never could have been doing it before i just my brain is not wired that way but But here's the thing. Everyone who plays the Patriots, okay, I'll give you an example. When we play the Patriots, this is now 2015, in the preseason, okay, we made sure that, like, we did, like, sweeps of our hotel and of the locker room to make sure we didn't leave a single shred of paper behind

so the Patriots could, like, have an employee at the hotel, like, take it with them, right? Like, that's how much paranoia there is so the Patriots could have an employee at the hotel take it with them, right? That's how much paranoia there is about the Patriots. They're always on the lookout for any little clue they can find, okay? And that even means, like I said, someone throws out a piece of paper that has some sort of thing on it for the game plan in the hotel, and a hotel employee grabs it out and gives it to the Patriots. Okay.

Like that's how paranoid people are about the Patriots. So to me, if this was happening all season because of the paranoia, you know, when you play the Patriots that they could be filming you, they're trying to steal your signals, steal your paperwork, steal all this stuff that you're going to have someone besides the bangles

who notice that there's craft media, whatever third independent media wasn't craft media. That was the last time. Whatever they said they were filming on the sidelines shouldn't be there. I can't imagine this is the first time the Bengals are just the only team now in week 15 that noticed someone shouldn't be on the sidelines. Okay. So first of all, we don't know it's the only time. We just know it's the only time it's come up in a press conference with the head coach of the other team, right? So for all we know, there have been a lot of incidents that were mild or hard to prove or never detected.

Or there's been none besides this one. clean play on the field and I'm bringing up that they have a pattern of dirty play away from the field. I just want to remind people of this because I'm not wearing a tinfoil hat right now. Okay. I, I believe me. I thought the flake gate was crazy at some point. It was just too much, but it was a reaction to spy gate the previous time when they were caught cheating. All right. And, and then thing you need to know, right? And this is reported by ESPN. This is Don Van Nata and Seth Wickersham, two of their best investigative reporters. When they were caught the last time, they reported that Patriots videographers were told to look like media members, to tape over their team logos or turn their sweatshirt inside out, to wear credentials that said Patriots TV or Kraft Productions.

Those are the guys who are filming the stuff you're not allowed to film. That's what they were told to do. Correct. The videographers were provided with excuses for what to tell NFL security if asked what they were doing. Tell them you're filming the quarterbacks or the kickers or footage for a team show. This was reported years ago. We know the playbook. They are following the playbook. It's far too suspicious to just rule out the possibility that they're doing this again, especially if you're complaining about the quality of their offense. Any little thing they can get to get a half second back

to give Tom a little bit more help, they would take. Okay, but here's the difference. Again, is that they're not signaling in the plays. I saw the report yesterday that they signal in adjustments. I talked to a couple guys who play defense in the NFL, and they said maybe someone does that, but not really. Because, look, unlike college, and this happens all the time in college, where you run into a line of scrimmage in college, you call a fake play,

everyone turns to the sidelines, right? And then they look at the sidelines, offense and you get a play that doesn't happen in the NFL let's say that you have let's say that the offense gets a line of scrimmage you know where the ball is with 20 seconds left on the play call okay you have 20 seconds left then someone motions across and then what the defense then stops looks at the sidelines to find an adjustment and then looks back at the field they They don't do that. Part of the call, like in the call for defense or offense, are the adjustments.

You're not looking at the sidelines for stuff. That is not accurate. That is not accurate reporting. It does not happen like that. Are there guys that signal stuff to defensive backs before the play? Yeah, probably, if they don't want to huddle all together. I watched, after this report came out, I watched the second half of the Giants-Eagles game just to see if one person on defense

looked over the sidelines to get an adjustment. Not a single one did. It doesn't happen like that. It's bad reporting. And so this idea that like they looked, they're trying to find, I don't know what they were trying to find is my question. I know what they were trying to find in Spygate.

They were filming their defensive signals. Very obvious. I know what they were doing. This case signals very obvious i know what they were doing this case i don't know what they were doing unless they're recording coaches and players talking about adjustments you know when they come off the field and then you have to match that up with the play you're seeing like it's just it's a lot of work to make that actually work for you as an organization but i don't know what they were filming and what how would matter toward playing an nfl game that's the problem i have with the reporting on this story is that they could have been doing this.

And I guess, I mean, I don't know what they would have gotten out of it, but not very much. And maybe they're just dumbasses for doing this again and getting caught. But I don't know what they would have gotten from filming a quarter or really the whole game because they don't single in anything anymore. They use walkie-talkies and coaches cover their mouths. And maybe, I don't know, I have to look this up, the Browns defensive coordinator could have been up in the booth and didn't even matter anyways. You couldn't see what he said.

So I just think, look, the Patriots are stupid for getting caught doing this again. But I really, and look, obviously we'll find out in the next couple of days, but I think it's as much to do about nothing. The argument that well even if we were cheating we wouldn't have gotten very much out of it is a very weak argument if somebody wants to stand on that well well i'm not really i'm not standing on that i'm i'm just saying that i don't know what they would have gotten from doing this i i know you don't but you're not as good at cheating as they are i'm saying that you wouldn't have known what they were getting from the last few things.

I wouldn't have known. I told you what they were getting from it. Back then, you signaled in, okay, here's a zone blitz. Here's my hand movements everywhere. You watch college football, right? You see them signaling stuff in. That's what they got the first time. Okay, here's a signal for a blitz.

Oh, they ran the blitz. Okay, when we play them, here's a signal for the blitz. And like, so that made sense. They don't do that now. All right, so before we move on, a tweet with an article from The Athletic came across the wire here on the old tweet machine. And it says that sources that have viewed the video

of the Patriots say that it shows direct footage of the Bengals' sideline, direct view of the sidelines of players running on and off the field, coaches make signals for plays. And so it obviously confirms what we thought they were doing. But again, I don't know what they were recording, actually. Maybe they were trying to find something that the Bengals were doing, considering it's a new staff. But I'm watching the game right now, by the way, on the All-22, just to pull it up.

The Bengals are not looking at the sidelines for any adjustments. So, again, this idea that they're signaling in, like, new things in the middle of plays is not happening. So unless the radios are down, then there's nothing. They're signaling personnel groupings, which, which again is not that big of a deal. So maybe the Patriots were trying to like find that they were doing something different. But again, I don't know what they were trying to, what they were accomplishing by doing this, which makes it even more stupid. The money after they steal it from the bank is not my problem.

This makes it, this makes us even funny. This makes us even more stupid that, that, that they're doing this. So your, your defense for the Patriots is that they are, there's no point in this cheating and it was stupid to do this cheating because what would be the upside? And I'm saying, well, we don't know what the upside is because they're going to get, I mean, they're going to get, they're going to get in trouble. Obviously they're going to lose a draft pick.

But I don't, it just, pick um but i don't it just i'm just telling you it just it it's really stupid for them to do that of course it's stupid and it's and it's against the rules and it's oh they're gonna get it they're gonna get a big they're gonna get like they're gonna lose a first round draft pick like they're gonna have big problem maybe more than they're gonna have big problems just since we've started recording i'm and i'm now following down the same Twitter wormhole that that tweet leads to, right? So one of the reporters on the Bengals conference call, so the teams have to give these media availabilities each week. So they have a call with the Bengals, and this is obviously coming up.

And reportedly, what Bill Belichick said when asked about this was, quote, it's not a football issue in any way, shape or form. I have nothing to do with it whatsoever. OK, do you believe for one single second that anything going on in that organization is happening without Bill Belichick's awareness, that they're just making some silly show that involves all his staff and he doesn't know about it? Do I think they said to him, hey, we're going to record the Bengals' sidelines. Are you okay with that?

Probably not. But did he know? Dude, I think. That's not how it works. Dude, I can't imagine that he would even get himself close to being involved in this. Of course he wouldn't. He's good at this. He wouldn't say, right right so you're so

right so you have you have plausible deniability so did you ask me did he actually know that he did someone ask him this was happening i say he probably did not tell them to do this but did he know what was happening i i would probably think yes have you ever seen a mob movie has anyone in the mob ever been like make sure you murder this suspect with a gun at this point no no it took me like i mean it took me eight days to watch the irishman but very clearly you didn't have to actually say to kill someone to kill someone that's right this has been going on for a long time i have a feeling i'm not equating that type of violence with stealing signals in a football game. Ultimately, who cares?

It's not that big a deal, except it's a big deal in this league. And it's a pattern of behavior. And it's too much. We're not going to be able to unpack it today as this news is literally breaking while we're talking about it. And I don't want to sound any dumber than I might have sounded already. You've straightened it out for us in terms of what they could get from this type of cheating, even if we don't know that that's happened yet.

So we'll be fair. We'll wait to learn more. But it's extremely suspicious. And for those of us who have been annoyed by this behavior from the Patriots for years, this is an especially annoying thing. I need to find like, you know, there's a video, you know, they show like video of like the huddles, you know, like in between. I need I want to see like if they're huddling or not, because like this again, it's incredibly

stupid because there's like no purpose in – like I'm watching the sideline right now. They're not signaling anything right now. It's like so incredibly stupid that this was – it's just so stupid for the Patriots to do to try to get caught doing this. All right. Well, wait. I'm sure our guys, our colleagues at The Athletic are doing a lot of good reporting.

I'm sure in the next few hours and days, we'll learn more. We'll come back to this one so we don't step in it right now. I think it's suspicious. End of story. Moving to the next topic. So before you pile on Baker Mayfield, like everyone else in the whole world has been doing for the last few days, can we just listen to Baker speaking after the game about Odell Beckham Jr.'s health when he was asked a question by a member of the media? This is in postgame.

It wasn't handled right. He's not able to run as well as he should be able to, as well as he knows, and that's frustrating for him. You can sense that's some of his frustration where that comes from. So it wouldn't handle the right way in our training room. So, you know, it is what it is. And so his not 100% is still good enough for us. Okay. Shut up, Baker. Shut up. Jeff, that's him talking about OBJ and, according to many,

throwing his training room under the bus. Go. According to many, that's what he did. Baker Mayfield, your job is not to talk about anything but your job. That's not your job. That's not your opinion. The reason why he sucks as a quarterback this year is because he's worried about things that do not concern him. And when you make poor decisions like throw your training staff under the bus,

you're going to make poor decisions on the football field. It's very clear. Here's the deal, guys. There are many things that go into a decision of surgery or not, right? First of all, it's really the head athletic trainer, the GM, the doctor, and the player, right? It's not so much like the training staff in general, okay? Like the trainers, most of them have no say in whether or not a player gets surgery.

But in the end, the person whose choices get surgery is the player. End of story. If Odell did not want surgery, that's on him. It's not on the Cleveland Browns. I'm sure they told him the options. I've had the injury before. I know what the options are. You play through it or you get surgery.

End of story. This is not on the training staff. The training staff might have told him. How does Baker know that the head trainer of the Browns, the John Dorsey, that Fred Hinch told Odell, hey, Odell, get the surgery. How do we know that that wasn't said to Odell? He doesn't know that.

It's the player's decision whether or not they get surgery. We've seen this year we've had an issue with the Jets, the Redskins, where players wanted surgery. The team didn't like it, right? Olesame of the Jets, right? The guard who gets surgery against the team didn't like it, right? Olesome of the Jets, right? The guard who gets surgery against the team's will. If players want surgery, they go ahead and get surgery. The team is not allowed to stop them from doing that.

So, Baker, again, dude, you just won a game, and we're only talking about some stupid comment you made. All you have to say was, look, that's Odell's issue, Odell's deal. I wish he could get healthy soon, be nice if he was healthy, whatever you want to say. But why throw the training staff under the bus? You have to work with these guys every single day and now you've publicly shamed them.

And I don't give a shit about your stupid apology on Twitter. You meant to say it. Otherwise, you wouldn't have said it. Okay, that's all fair. And I've heard you just said it smarter and, you know, more eloquently than a lot of, uh, of our peers, uh, who've been yelling about this for a few days. Can you consider this and just let me get this out? Cause I think you're going to strongly disagree, but can you consider the possibility that Baker Mayfield, who is extremely bright, let's just say he's got a mind for modern media,

he sells himself well, he knows what he's doing out there. He's a popular guy for a reason. He's in more ads than anyone on earth because he knows kind of how to message who he is, right? Yeah, he has more ads than touchdown passes this year, so it's good. Okay. So he's a good communicator. He wins people over.

Does he? He's also always seen, at least as watching him, like he's kept his locker room and he's had the guys on his team buying into him and enjoying playing with him. That's what it seemed like. Is it possible that Baker Mayfield is spending a lot of time around the star players on this offense, namely Odell Beckham Jr., and is hearing them rant and vent and say all the things that they want to say? And maybe what he said to the media was basically what Odell thinks. And maybe he was just out there accidentally rolling his training guys under the bus, but really getting the back of whatever his receiver thinks.

And is it what he thinks? I don't know. Maybe not. But is it him channeling the words of his star receiver who he wants to keep in good graces, who he wants to have a good relationship with? Is it possible that maybe he's just being a good guy to his teammate? And yeah, you know what? If that means the guy who tapes ankles has his feelings hurt to keep Odell Beckham Jr. on his side, he's willing to do that.

Sure, but that's extremely stupid of Baker Mayfield to do that. Because, again, what's the point of airing this out to the media to back Odell up? Odell has not made this an issue. And so to go ahead and throw your training staff under the bus, the staff you work with every single day, the staff that I'm sure is stretching you, that's sure that's helping you with your arm throughout the season, that's making sure you're healthy,

throwing them under the bus because Odell's upset? I don't really get the purpose of that. upset like i don't really get the purpose of that like who like who like like like like again like who's he defending odell from in the situation no one has no one has put any blame on him for being hurt like i don't understand what he in what he inelegantly essentially said was odell's playing her that guy's You know, he has a good excuse. He's not even making it. I'm making it. Right, Gabe.

If he had just said that, that's perfect. Done. End of story. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect statement. Done. If I could throw the football like him, maybe I'd have his job.

But then he didn't. But then again, the problem is, dude, it's that extra line he says every single time. It's the extra line. It was a couple weeks ago. He threw in like a throwaway line, he says every single time. It's the extra line. It was a couple weeks ago, he threw in like a throwaway line, like mocking somebody. It's the Daniel Jones thing. He's sitting there at dinner, doing the interview,

and the throwaway line about Daniel Jones. It's always the extra line that he throws in there to sound cool, tough, to take a dig at someone. Whatever it is, I don't know. But that little extra. And I tell you, that decision-making process to have to throw that line in there affects the way he plays in the field. It does.

It does. I know. It's also that extra is why he's kept his teams motivated and happy and enjoy playing with him. That's why he has the – Odell cannot wait to leave. What are you talking about being happy there? Odell cannot wait to leave.

Don't you think that he told Baker what we now now know through jay glazer before jay glazer knew it don't you think odell beckham jr was venting and ranting and complaining to baker mayfield and baker said i gotta say something or do something to prove to this guy i'm on his side but but what but again what's he proven to to odell that, he's standing out from the media when he didn't need. We all know Odell's hurt. We get that. We know Odell is a great football player. What is Baker Mayfield going to the podium and throwing people under the bus to back up? Odell does not want to be there.

I knew this was second was going to happen. He doesn't want to be there. Jake Lazor, remember, was the first person to report that the Giants were going to trade Odell. So he probably just talks to Odell. Yeah, probably. Glazer's pretty well sourced. If it's not Odell, it's someone real close to him. And the idea that this is now going to save Odell from wanting to leave is ridiculous.

And Baker Mayfield should know better. And that's my point again. Baker Mayfield needs to know better. And he's like the 28th rated quarterback right now in the NFL. He is terrible. And I said this entire season, I'm 100% right about this. I've been wrong about other things. I'm right about this one.

His attitude is what's holding him back. He has physical tools. He has the ability to read defenses. He has the ability, the heart and the play hard. But all these little decisions he makes off the field show us the mindset of him on the field. And he's not acting

like a professional quarterback. And maybe he will next year. Maybe he'll get it. But he doesn't get it yet and it's hurting his team. Okay, I'm going to ask you one question from personal experience.

I'm not trying to dig up dirt. I just, I want you to talk me through this. You played with Cam Newton. Cam Newton, not quite the same up dirt. I just, I want you to talk me through this. You played with Cam Newton, um, Cam Newton, not quite the same guy as Baker Mayfield, but a flashpoint kind of guy. It seems like everything he did for a few years there in his prime got, you know, split the sports media in half. Some people loved him.

Some people hated him and that way he's similar, right? He took a lot of takes. He absorbed a lot of heat for a lot of people I'm guessing that there were people in the locker room who were grateful for that that he was like a deflector of all of it it all went to him and other guys on the team maybe you included but other guys on the team just didn't have to deal with some of it because he took it all is it possible well A is that true and B is it possible that Baker's doing that normally that he's just like I got it fellas I'll eat it it's all coming my way I'll be the distraction myself um well I'll play with Kim for a year and I don't

really know if that was what he was doing like taking the heat off you know other teammates but but what they just won the game though like what heat is the other Browns getting right now like I gotta understand if the Browns lost the game and he wanted to change the topic, they won the game. So what is he taking off Odell by making this comment? I would imagine that near 100% of people are like, yeah, that sucks that Odell's hurt. I hope he gets better. You know, like, all right, he's hurt this year.

Like, we all think Odell's a transcendent talent. That has not changed. And who is he protecting by throwing the train set under the bus think Odell's a transcendent talent. Like that has not changed. And who's he protecting by, by throwing a train set under the bus? Odell's what feelings that we all agree though. Odell's really good. Odell's feelings are the hardest part to manage with Odell. We know he can play football.

It's all about his feelings. He's a, he's, that's out there. Like he's in his feelings. So Baker's trying to manage that. There's no way. But again, just like I said about the endgame with

the Patriots, I don't really know what the endgame like, this is not going to make Odell want to stay in Cleveland because Baker Mayfield throws the training staff under the bus, who Odell now by the way, has to work with every day for a sports hernia. Like, I don't understand. I just, I don't get it, man.

I just, I don't get it. Baker Mayfield just, dude, be quiet. Do your job. Focus on winning. And one last thing on the Browns. It seems like every single week we're always worried about what happened like the week before. Like, they're always talking about what happened the week before, right? By Thursday, they're talking about what happened last Sunday. But they never move ahead.

You're right. I can't defend how he phrased it, and I'm just trying to look into what the larger motivation might have been. And I could be wrong. He could just be clumsy and stupid, and he just made his life hard in the building. That's entirely possible.

It just seemed like everyone was on that side. Dude, he has commercials, though. I mean, it's all good, dude. He's got commercials. Shut up. I mean, dude, it's just like he's living the dream. He's got all these commercials out. Like, I'm watching him throw interception, and then there's a commercial about Baker, like, vacuuming in the stadium, and then he throws, like, another bad play,

and then there's another commercial about him turning the lights on. Dude, it's so adorable. Like, it's so cute. And, like, I'm glad for Baker that he has become a star of commercials while he's been, like, the 28th rated quarterback in the NFL. It's just a perfect – I'm really for Baker that he has become a star of commercials while he's been the 28th rated quarterback in the NFL. It's a perfect, I'm really happy for him. His job is to be a superstar for progressive commercials. It's great. He's done a great job with that.

Your sarcasm is noted. I'm moving us along in the division to the team that, to everyone's surprise, is winning the division. The Steelers won again this week. They've got third stringers at basically every offensive skill position now. But Duck has them winning. Steelers are red hot. I just would like to put it out there that they are now the team that everyone in the AFC

will be scared to see in January. I'm not saying they're winning the Super Bowl. I'm saying nobody really wants these guys anymore. They are worrisome if you're a good team in the AFC. Yes and no. I think their defense is worrisome. Their offense is not good enough to be worrisome, in my opinion. Their offense.

I don't know if I said their offense or not. In the last three games, the Steelers are worst in the red zone. They're converting 18% of their opportunities into touchdowns. That is atrocious. They're kind of just getting by offensively by making just enough plays to do that. And that's my concern about them in the playoffs is you can't make just enough plays on offense to win multiple playoff games. I mean, if you go to Kansas City, let's say the Chiefs are the three seed, or six seed, you know, the Chiefs are putting up 24 points.

Are you going to score 24 points? I mean, just kind of like not converting red zone opportunities? No, you're not. So that's what concerns me about them. Their defense, by the way, outstanding. They were third this week in DVOA coming into the weekend. They're obviously going to go up as this gets updated. They got the Ravens coming up pretty soon.

That would be a fantastic game when Baltimore. They got the Bills this weekend, a Bills team that offensively, again, like I said all season long, not good offensively, very good defensively. It should be a very low-scoring game. And in this type of low-scoring game, they have a chance to win because they can make a play or two and get it done. Mike Tomlin, dude, gets so much respect and so much credit for what he's done. It's been incredible.

You mentioned it. Third-string quarterback, wide receivers out, corner – excuse me, not corners out, wide receivers out, wide receivers running back, offensive lineman. Third-string running back. It's incredible what they're doing. So I don't think they're a threat in the playoffs. I think they'd be a tough out,

but you really cannot be one-sided to win many playoff games. It's really hard. Because remember, playoff teams are good for a reason, and it would worry me that they don't have that offense in them to get this in. They have the Bills, the Jets, and the Ravens. Now Week 17, by the way, Ravens could have home field advantage and just rest everyone so that we might not see how that plays out. They can easily go 3-0 down the stretch because the Ravens might be giving up.

And they'll be the sixth seed most likely because the Bills will be the five seed. So they'll go to Kansas City. And look, as a Chiefs fan, I've seen this play out before, many times before, where the Chiefs, you know, they have a game against the Titans or the Steelers in the playoffs and it's ugly and, you know, the Steelers make enough plays to win. I just, their

offense is just not good enough right now to really, for me to take them as a serious contender. Okay, but they could beat the Bills this weekend and then they have an easier pass. Oh, I think they're going to be a wildcardender. Okay, but they could beat the Bills this weekend, and then they have an easier pass. Oh, I think they're going to be a wildcard team. I think they're in. No, but they could be the five, not the six,

which would probably mean the Texans, right? Well, I guess if they – oh, they could. Yeah, because if they beat the Bills, then we're giving them a Jets win. Then we're saying they might beat the Ravens who aren't trying. And they'll have the tiebreaker over the Bills, who have the Steelers and the Patriots. Yeah, meanwhile, the Bills have the Steelers and Patriots. That's a game they're going to play.

And, you know, they'll beat the Jets. But they could flip-flop. They could, you're right, yeah. You look at the Bills have the Steelers, Patriots. I think they'll lose to both those games. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, they could get the five seed. So now suddenly they're going to Houston.

Or Tennessee. Yeah, or Tennessee. Either way, that's a team that can't be happy about seeing the Steelers come to town. Because like you said, I think you're right. The Chiefs are going to score 24 against pretty much anyone out there. But are we positive that Tennessee is going to outscore the Steelers? I don't know, man. I think this little dream ride the Steelers are on.

I mean, also, by the way, Mike Tomlin has more playoff experience than almost anyone out there. I mean, obviously, Harbaugh and Belichick are in the NFC. Can we talk about how Tomlin has yet to have a season under.500 yet? It's incredible. He's so completely overlooked at times. We're so quick to think he's the next big coach fired. He just keeps on winning.

Just win after win after win. It's unbelievable. It's amazing. It's amazing. If you guys are like me on a big NFL Sunday, you do not want to leave your couch to get food. So use DoorDash to get food to your house. DoorDash connects you to your favorite restaurants in your city.

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That's $5 off your first order when you download the DoorDash app from enter the promo code SMARTER, that's $5 off your first order. When you download the DoorDash app from the App Store and enter promo code SMARTER, it's a great way to get food delivered to you on a big NFL Sunday. Don't forget the promo code SMARTER for $5 off your first order from DoorDash. All right, let's switch gears. We're going out west here. So, you know, the biggest game of the week, the one that probably a lot of shows led with that we're only getting to now, the Niners and Jimmy G. What a game, right? Jimmy G was clutch. George Kittle was King Kong. Kicker didn't blow it this time. So the Niners beat the Saints 48-46, the game of the year so far. They went on the final drive. game of the year so far they went on the final drive cool here's the thing everyone out there has the niners top the nfc right now maybe the top team in all of football they gave up 46 points

look as good as basically drew breeze has ever looked which is about as good as anyone ever this is supposedly some like world-beating defense of young guys and skilled guys all over the place. I would argue they were exposed. This was a game that no one should be happy about. This proves that they can be scored upon and no way in the world we can safely call them the best team in the NFC. No way. Well, look, I think both defenses did not play their best game. And maybe it's a credit to the offenses and Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan.

I'll tell you why the Niners, why this was such a huge thing for them. It's less about having home field advantage and more about not having to go to Seattle or New Orleans possibly. Under Drew Brees, the Saints are 6-1 in home playoff games, and the one loss was the Rams game last year. Under Russell Wilson, the Niners, I mean the Seahawks, are five-and-one home playoff games. So winning this game and possibly winning Week 17 against Seattle

allows the Niners to not have to travel to two places where it's very hard to win playoff games. So that, to me, was the win of the weekend for the Niners. And yes, their defense did not play very well. But either the Saints, I mean the Saints, you know, both defenses were good coming into the game. And it just didn't play very well, but either the Saints and the Saints, you know, both defenses were good coming into the game and it just didn't play as well. I think their defense is fine. This is an anomaly game where both teams were scoring like, you know, like, like the Big

12. I'm not worried about that. But like I said, the most important thing with the Niners do not have to go now to Seattle or San Francisco. I mean, Seattle or New Orleans. And they and Jimmy G is the dude like we understand how Jimmy G is the guy. now to Seattle or San Francisco. I mean, Seattle or New Orleans. And they, and Jimmy G is the dude. Like, we understand now Jimmy G is the guy.

We don't have to, I think that question, all those questions are put to rest. He's the dude for the future of organization. He can win these games. And in big games, you do not have to worry about whether or not he can handle the pressure. Okay. Yeah. or the dude just keeps needing to get bailed out he's like great because he's got these three fourth quarter comebacks this year but will you build on why from what but he's just like he needed the fourth quarter comeback against the cards and and the i mean the steers we just got busy saying how great they look but

when they were sort of down in the dumps, he needed to come back against them. By the way, they got the extra yards in the Kittle play from a flag. That's kind of fluky. You know, like, I don't know. They haven't played. If you look at the schedule, like, the good teams have given them trouble. They beat up all the bad teams.

Like, I'm just not sold on it the way you are. Who's your favorite in the NFC then? Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Oh, get out of here. They're benefiting from the fact that we spend all our time talking about these other teams.

They're terrible. Their point differential is like plus... Whatever team I said, I could have said the Flying Jets. Their point differential is like plus 30.

Dude, they beat the Redskins by five. Their offense is atrocious. Okay. They're not winning a Super Bowl. Get out of here. Go ahead. I'll tell you what.

We'll go to Santa Clara. You can bet on Jimmy G, and I'll take Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. We'll see how that plays out. And by the way, if Drew Brees gets another shot at him, he might throw nine touchdowns. But not in San Francisco. That's the point. That's why it's important might throw nine touchdowns. But not in San Francisco. That's the point.

That's why it's important. That game was important. I will grant you that. And they look good. I'm just not sold on number one, and I'm not entirely sold on Jimmy G yet. Kill? I like that dude. That guy's fun to watch.

I love when people – I love when our producer – other producers laugh in the background. It's amazing. I can't tell if it's Zuri or Matt just giggling like a schoolgirl in the background background i think it's there it's amazing and it makes it's like we have a live audience i love it i think they're just wondering why i'm so punchy by the way i was in new york i'm in new york right now so i literally only ate pizza yesterday i had two meals since i landed both pizza including sal's pizza the Maronite New York best pizza in the world check it out someday um so that plus uh you know a few beers maybe that's doing something to my diet I'm just feeling a little extra I love dude this is you're fired up I love it you're back in back in New York you're probably just uh just just living the dream dude yeah well so here's the segue to to uh moving the line and And I took some notes late in my cab ride home, late after midnight last night.

I had a few with me. So that could have inspired what I'm about to say, which I'm not even sure I still believe this morning. But I was surrounded by Giants fans last night, and the Eli vibes were flowing. And it felt nostalgic. And right up until the end there, it looked like Eli was going to pull it off. Just good enough to win. Unfortunately, they lose an OT. But over-under, game started by Eli Manning next season, over-under 2.5.

Are we going to get Eli playing somewhere? Zero games. He said last night his wife was at the game. I guess she hasn't attended a road game in a long time, especially one in Philly because the fans of Philly are brutal. Because he doesn't know how much longer. He basically said, like, this is my last game. I don't know when I'm going to start again.

Because I think this is it for him. Okay. Don't you think, though, as tough as it has looked for him in the last couple years, don't you think, though, there are still a few teams that might give him a chance? Don't you think somebody would want to see Manning win their jersey next year? No. Zero? Zero.

The Bengals? Would you? The Broncos? The Broncos did it once before it got them a Super Bowl. Do you think? Would I take him on the Jets? I'd give it a shot. Why not?

Again, I'm in New York. I'm feeling the love, man. Have a few drinks around Giants fans. You start to believe some crazy crap. All right, let's move along to something in your headspace. The next season that we will see a Pac-12 team in the college football playoff, over, under, next year. So I don't think so.

I don't think so. I don't think so. I'll tell you why. The only team that can make this happen is Oregon, and we lose four offensive linemen. We lose our quarterback. We lose our defensive leader and our best tackler, Troy Dyer, linebacker. And we have Ohio State next year at home who's going to probably destroy us.

Justin Fields is going to come in there. Justin Fields has 40 touchdowns this year, one interception. And if we lose that game, we're done because Ohio State was the first team in college football whose conference plays nine games to go undefeated since the playoff era. So to go undefeated in a conference with nine games is very hard to do, and Pac-12 hasn't done it yet. So I just – probably not, but I'll tell you this.

What we're doing at Oregon is we're recruiting like a big dog. You have to have top 10 recruiting classes to compete nationally. You have to do that. USC did it back in the day. We're doing it now. We had a top 10 class last year. We have a top 10 class this year. And we're going to get there. I don't think it's last year. We have a top 10 class this year and we're going to get there. I don't think

it's next year. I would think the year after possibly, but we're getting there and I'm excited for the future of our program. So you're saying Keaton Slovis' junior year, USC makes the playoff. That's what you're getting at here? Keaton Slovis, yes, yes. Under Clay Helton still, totally. Yeah. All of us, yes, yes, under Clay Helton still, totally, yeah. In all seriousness, do you feel like, because you're saying us and we, do you feel like the Pac-12 has to do extra? If it comes down to a Pac-12 champ or a Big 12 champ, it seems like it's just going to go, assuming it's a big brand name. No, I think Utah would have been in with a convincing win over Oregon.

You do? You think they would have picked Utah with Roe Klum. No, I think Utah would have been in with a convincing win over Oregon. You do? You think they would have picked Utah over Oklahoma? Yeah, I think so. I think there's – though this sounds really silly, but the way Oklahoma played and just the fatigue of Oklahoma possibly. They haven't won a playoff. They're 0-3 in playoff games now. I think that that whole kind of fatigue of that might have played –

and look, they won in overtime against Baylor. I mean, I don't think Baylor's – Baylor's good and they probably don't get enough credit for but they're they're not like like they're not that good um jeff you have so much faith in humanity man you're just such a sweet man that you think that because oklahoma played close with baylor and hasn't had success in the playoff that the tv execs and utah... Utah was fifth in the country, dude. Like, what? Utah? Who's he like, Utah?

Oh, my God. Well, let's make sure we get that Salt Lake City market in the loop here. Well, it's not like Norman has a huge market. Dude, there are Oklahoma fans all over this country. I know. That was a bad... I'm trying to do my best to make the arguments.

Listen, I'm not... And my best to make the arguments. Listen, I'm not, and I understand it. And I've been, you know, near it when I worked at some of these bigger networks, like it makes sense why they want the big brand names. It gets the biggest audience.

And if it's a coin toss, if you can make an argument for why Oklahoma over Utah, they're going to make that argument. That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying it's fair or right. I just, I don't think we're going to see it unless it's SC or Oregon. And I think they have to be clearly better than one of the teams from those other conferences.

All right, enough Pac-12 talk. Let's get back to another team that fires you up. I want to know the chances your Ravens clinch home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. 75% over under. I think over. I think that they have the tiebreaker now on the,

on the path. They have one game advantage on them. So they have to lose two games down the stretch to make this a thing, right? So I think they easily get home field advantage. Yeah, I don't really see how they slip up here. We talked earlier about how maybe they don't really play everyone week 17. Maybe they've sort of accomplished everything they can by that game against the Steelers.

So maybe they lose that game. But even then, I think they've got the pad they need. So, all right, we're going to give them the one. Does home field matter in Baltimore? I mean, I know everyone loves home field. It has mattered in the past, but it does not seem to matter. It does not seem to matter last year, obviously. Yeah.

All right. Well, let's see. Maybe Lamar likes running on his home track. Odds Jeff Schwartz plays fantasy football again next year. Over under 20%. You in or out? It is – wow. So I ended up losing 13 weeks in a row, I think it is now.

I had my quarterback hurt, both my running backs, and then Saquon came back and it sucked. I had Hunter Henry hurt for six weeks. Thielen's been in and out of the lineup all year. I've lost every matchup by at least 30 points until this week, and I lost by half a point because Barkley only got like eight points

last night. It was fun. I mean, I'd still play. It was an interesting year, but the one week I was healthy, I won week one, so good to go. Okay. Well, it sounds like you're a lot better at reality of football than any fantasy. I've won. The previous two years I've played, I've won. Maybe you're a lot better at reality of football than any fantasy. The previous two years I've played, I've won.

Maybe you should see if you can create some kind of offensive lineman. That'd be amazing. Scheme-driven fantasy league where you can really geek out. All right, last up. We always try to talk about the latest stuff on the streaming services. So I want to know, actually, this one isn't a streaming service. This one's out in the theaters. Adam Sandler 2020 Oscar nomination over under 0.5 for what for that gambling movie uncut gems he's the leading man is he like really upset about like that he won't be

included or something i don't know if he's upset but i think apparently he did a great job in this film those of us who've watched all of his work and love him almost a little too much will tell you that he's an exceptionally good actor. He has an empath. He knows how to channel human emotion. He's not just a funny dude. I'm betting he gets an Oscar nomination for this film, and I haven't even seen it yet.

I'm looking forward to seeing it soon. Is this a Netflix movie or just straight to a theater? No, it's a full release. I haven't been to a theater in like four years. I would say that, no, he doesn't get a nomination. I have no idea. You're the movie guy. I have no idea.

Okay. Well, he is saying, I think to reference what you were getting at, that he would make a movie that is, quote, so bad on purpose if he doesn't win an Oscar for this. He thinks this is his chance. He's been in some good movies, man. And by the way, controversial take here of all the great Sandler movies, the best one, Wedding Singer.

Number one. The best one? I would rank Wedding Singer number one. I don't think I've seen that start to finish yet. What? Yeah. Oh, dude. If you don't go to theater, what the hell?

I told you, I'm not like a i'm not like a like a big movie i'm not a big movie person oh dude come on get watch the wedding singer my best the the groomsman at my wedding sang the the main song from that to my wife at my wedding really oh yeah that's awesome i gotta look that. Yeah. Thanks for that heartfelt response. All right, let's do the social mailbag. This is a little exchange that took place. It started with you and our buddy Dave Damoshek, who also does a great show here called Football Fact Check. There's something you said on Twitter between all of us that I need to have

explained. You were kind of coy. So Shecky tweeted out a picture of Primanti Brothers sandwich. He was in Pittsburgh for the weekend. He just tweeted, didn't want to, felt I had to. And then you and I start responding. And you said you should try eating two and a half of those the night before a game. I don't know from experience, but I'm sure it wouldn't be ideal.

Jeff, what were you getting at? Oh, I had before a preseason game in 2010, I had two and a half of them. I didn't think I was going to play. And so I had one and a half for dinner and then I had another one after meetings at night. And so, oh, boy. I didn't think I was going to play, but I had to dress anyway so we had a bunch of guys hurt. And so thankfully I did not play. But that was painful, man.

That's a lot. That's a lot happening in those sandwiches with the fries and oh boy so you just took the gamble you were like ah they're probably not gonna need me it's pre-season anyway i feel pretty secure about my spot here i'm gonna just eat two and a half sandwiches before bed? Yeah. Well, I had one for dinner, and then I had obviously one after. One and a half before dinner, one after dinner. And I mean, I've told you before, I gained 17 pounds one weekend playing football.

Actually, playing the actual game. I've told you that story, right? Hold on. 17 pounds in the weekend? No. If you've told me this, I don't know how I forgot that. Go. Okay, so it's 2013.

We're playing the Jaguars week one. I'm in Kansas City. My first start in three years because I was hurt, and I didn't start with the Vikings. So we go to – I wait 3.32 on Friday. And then Friday morning on the offensive line room, we get like, I think McDonald's it was. So McDonald's breakfast. We then have fast food Fridays.

I think it's no longer a thing in the NFL where like Friday for lunch, you just eat really bad because your weigh-in's done. Basically, your work week's done. And you get afternoon off on Fridays in the NFL. So you eat your lunch, you go go home so we had fast food friday so like it was like you know fried chicken and pizza and all those right nonsense okay so then i had sushi friday night with my wife for dinner saturday we had these uh have you ever had kolache before

like for breakfast it's like a it's like a bread ball filled with eggs and stuff inside. So we had kolaches for breakfast. I then had lunch. Then I had a Red Robin cheeseburger on the airplane. Then I had Dave and Buster's for dinner in Jacksonville. And then we had snack and snack at night. Now, again, it's changed now. It's all healthy.

Most teams have healthy snack now, but our snack used to be, most of my career, after your meeting Saturday night, was a Sunday bar, pasta, pizza, wings. I remember in 2014, after the Giants, they went healthy with the snack. And the first night, they didn't have wings. The first preseason game, there was almost a revolt among the players on the team. There wasn't wings the night before a game. We used to eat really bad before games. So then I wake up in the morning and I don't eat very much for breakfast. I never did before games. I didn't like feeling full before games. I then got two bags of fluid because I, you know, you're playing in Jacksonville. It's hot in September, 1 p.m. kickoff. We win the game. I eat on the plane on the way home. I think my wife that has sushi waiting for me when we get back to kansas city and i weighed in at 349 on monday and then i was 340 the next day and i got

back to 330 a lot of it was just water but like that's pretty impressive i played the whole game yeah so this story more than like hearing any guys 40 time or you know watching any guys smash into each other like this is how i know professional athletes are completely different types of people than guys like me like i couldn't do a single thing that you just described and you did it all and just like also played a football game in the middle of it all. That's insane. Yeah. That's not, I mean, 17 pounds is, you're a big guy, but that's a big percentage of weight even for a big guy. Like, I don't know how the hell you could move around

gaining that much weight in a few days. I made it happen, obviously. I played well, too. I had one of my best blocks of my career on a screen actually, in space. I went to, it's really funny, I went to cut a guy's legs, you know, like a cut block, and I missed, and I hit him in like the midsection and the guy went tumbling he went flying down the field and only my brother knew what i was trying to do and he texted me after

the game it was like you tried to cut him and you missed huh and i was like yep but it was a great block like my coaches were like sweet block i got like a couple attaboys and mitch mitch is the only one who truly knew how actually kind of bad that block was like what I was actually trying to do. It just failed at it. Well, now a lot more people know because they've listened all the way to the end of this wonderful show. I feel smarter. Hopefully we'll learn more about what the Patriots

may have been doing. But Jeff, you filled in some gaps for me as a casual fan and believes a lot of what he reads on Twitter. And that is the point of this show. So thank you for putting up with me today. It was a lot of fun today. You're firing today.

I like it. You need to be in New York more often and get super fired up. Like, you need to make this happen. Matt, Matt, get in New York more often. Get fired up. I'll be in L.A. next week. I'm having a lot of fun in Los Angeles. I can't wait to do that.

But thank you guys for tuning in, as usual. Great, great show. Please let us know if you liked it. Go to iTunes, Google, Podcast, go to Athletic, obviously, Athletic.com. Let us know at Jeff Schwartz on Twitter or on iTunes. Also, remember, Gabe is supposed to be fired up. So if you tweet

me, Gabe is fired up. That's his job. So good work today, Gabe. Talk to you guys on Thursday. All right, folks. You guys know I've been pretty critical of the Browns this season, mostly because they absolutely deserve it. But if you generally want to follow the team as they scrap and claw for a wild card spot,

look no further than Civilized Barking on barking on the athletic podcast network Zach Jackson brings you inside the dog pound with all the best insights from the team that many people love to hate so remember that civilized barking on the athletic subscribe today