Green Light with Chris Long - NFL Week 14 With ESPN's Stanford Steve. Eagles Win. Chiefs/Dolphins, Bucs/Vikings, Bills/Steelers. Sunday Superlatives.

Episode Date: December 14, 2020

(00:48) - Welcome and Shouts Out. (05:58) - Bills vs Steelers. (09:39) - Eagles vs Saints. (22:00) - Stanford Steve on NFL Week 14 Recap. (1:04:49) - NFL Week 14 Superlatives. Sign up for your DraftKings account at https://www.draftkings.com/sportsbook and use promo code : Greenlight Green Light with Chris Long: Subscribe and enjoy weekly content including podcasts, documentaries, live chats, celebrity interviews and more including hot news items, trending discussions from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA are just a small part of what we will be sharing with you. http://bit.ly/chalknetwork Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The biggest irony of this season is that a team like Buffalo doesn't get a chance to enjoy their fan base in this situation. I've said it before, the Alex Smith Ovation, the Teddy Bridgewater returned to Minneapolis. We've gotten robbed of some really exciting moments that players can get opportunities to share with fans. That's what makes it so special. Happy Monday morning, everybody. This is the Greenlight Pod. I'm your host, Chris Long.

Week 14 in the NFL, I thought it sucked. I thought it was incredibly boring for much of it. There was a point early in the early slate where there was only one, one score game. So that was kind of the entertainment factor we had for much of the day. And then the second slate was a little bit better, but I really just wasn't that into it. So I've got Stanford Steve coming on today. we're going to talk about some of the marquee games, the dolphins and the chiefs going at it, which was a really interesting matchup, as well as the Bucks and the Vikings.

And obviously, we're going to talk some Eagles as well, and the Washington football team getting a win. So, although it was a good day for the NFC East, the darlings of late had a tough one. The Giants kind of came back down to Earth. So we've got Steve today, Wednesday this week. I want to give you a big heads up. We've got a real good MBA guess that's going to be dropping in. And I'll just be very vague.

I think you guys are going to be excited about it. Take a guess. I don't know. I'm making you guys guess a lot lately. One more reminder. You guys, nobody has gotten the guess as to who the artist is going to be on our new intro music.

I'll give you one more hint. The guy's not around anymore. God rest his soul. But he is a six and a half out of ten name recognition artist. But if you're a music head, he's a 10 out of 10. Okay, like if you're like a TikTok millennial, you might have never heard of him or you vaguely have some association with music when you hear the name. But it is an artist.

It is not a band. That's a breakthrough. I really want to send somebody to Disney World. If somebody gets this right, you're going to Disney World. deceased artist all time great name recognition sub seven according to john i've had a few people ask me i don't even know what i'm supposed to guess maybe i'm bad at explaining things we've only done this 40 times try to guess the artist who will be featured on our new intro music here very shortly and if you do you get to go to disney world you got to dm our green light twitter account

stop dming me guesses i because i'll miss it you could get it right don't come to me and be like hey i dm'd you dm either the instagram account for the podcast or the twitter account for the podcast it's going to take a little deductive reasoning here it's going to take some good guesswork it's going to take some common sense and you got to hit your search bar uh to find the accounts, but it's Chalk Network at Twitter.com, right? Cowboy Read? Yep. And on Instagram, you can also find us at Chalk Network. Sounds good to me. Get your guesses in. If you want to go to Disney World, act like you want to go to Disney World. Holy shit. Yeah, big MBA interview coming up this week, being vague about that, get your guesses in. Quick update on this week's picks.

Starting next week, we'll have a nice graphic so you guys can believe me when I tell you the that, you know, the picks were in. So with the Sunday slate picks here, week two of this thing, yeah, we started year two of this pod, week 13 in the NFL season. It's kind of how we are. We're a work in progress. We'll have a graphic for you so you believe us,

so you can take our word for it that these were the picks. But so far, why would Macon agree to faking going one and 11? These picks are real, folks. That's what Macon did last week, but he has rebounded this week. he went seven and six. His lovely wife, Kate, went seven and six. And my household is all fucked up.

Meg went five and eight. I went six and seven. Last week, me and Meg, we tore it up. We sent a message. I'll just put it that way, week one. The longs, we got upended this week, okay? The Gunther's win, making with a seven and six rebound effort.

Next week we'll have these picks out Sunday morning. So you guys believe me when I go 12 and 0 next week. fantasy football did not know I was in the playoffs had no idea thought the season was over was just glad I didn't go on the billboard another reminder the loser of our fantasy football league is going on a billboard outside of Charlottesville it ain't going to be me shout out to mike Lewis I didn't know I was in the playoffs and guess what I won today I didn't know until Thursday set my lineup right on time I don't want to say I won today I probably just jinx myself I'm up 35 and he's got jarvis landry going Monday night and that's it

Win probability 1%. Of attempts without a sack. Now with 272. Make it 273. But he threw a pick. Back the other way from Buffalo. Terran Johnson will score. Touchdown bills.

Steelers just scored 15 points against a team with a defense I've never been sold on this year. And now they've lost two straight. I've seen them go toe to toe with the Cowboys. I've seen them lose to the Washington football team. And now this, they are trending way down. they're clearly no longer the favorite I got asked last week a lot

after the Washington loss I'm on NFL next and one of the big questions was on Amazon was are the chiefs now the clear favorite in the AFC well at this point because it looks to me like they're going to get the buy they are as I've said all along it's all about the buy

the Steelers are my Super Bowl team I'm not writing them off I'll tell you why in a little while but they're certainly not the favorite anymore. And they are trending down. They clearly need to figure some things out offensively. And it starts with the run game, in my opinion. Exciting night in Buffalo, gosh, you wish, like,

for that fan base, the biggest irony of this season is that a team like Buffalo doesn't get a chance to enjoy their fan base in this situation. I've said it before, the Alex Smith Ovation. the Teddy Bridgewater returned to Minneapolis. We've gotten robbed of some really exciting moments that players can get opportunities to share with fans. That's what makes it so special. And you haven't been able to do that for good reason.

But it does suck. If you're Bill's Mafia, that place would have been rocking tonight. Rocking. And for Josh Allen, who started slow to come on strong in the second half like that, it was all about the pick six before the half. I mean, that just crushed the Steelers. They've been playing a near perfect game defensively. And, you know, I don't know if maybe Brian Daible and Josh would have turned it on in the second half, but what a win for them and what a performance in the second half. And conversely, what an awful loss for Pittsburgh. It was like everybody talking about your ineptitude offensively.

And, you know, the fact that you're done, stick a fork in you. This is the classic spot that team turns around, fights back with their backs against the wall. And instead, what you see is Buffalo, I think finally solidifying themselves as a real deal contender. And a team that they get in will be so exciting to watch and so exciting to pull for. I mean, there was a dip in the middle of the season where a lot of it had to do with, I think, the taste in your mouth as a viewer when you were watching them lose to the Titans the way they did, you said, maybe these guys aren't for real. And Josh Allen had a kind of a coming back down to earth

period after that first month of the season. But I don't think that dip was as long as it felt. And they're back up where they need to be down the home stretch trying to win a division. Maybe that's why Eric Ebron was so excited

in post game, running up to congratulate Josh Allen because he hates the Patriots. I have no idea. what that was. I want to shout out Brandon Pratt. He is a football coach and I know him from Twitter.com. Brandon Pratt won a bet. Okay, he told me that the bills are going to win. I told him the Steelers are going to win. And he told me if he lost, he would donate to Waterboys. I appreciate that. And if the bills won the game, I would shout him out. So shout out to Coach Brandon Pratt.

Didn't see that one coming. Honestly, thought this was a good spot for the Steelers. As for the Eagles, The Eagles really put the Saints behind the eight ball today. And we're talking about the Steelers earlier. Similar situations today, two teams that were in the driver's seat to get the buy, and they both blew it. Packers won a division today. They own the tie break over the Saints, and the Steelers are now behind the Chiefs,

and they have a tougher road ahead. You know, you still got Indies, used to have Cleveland. It doesn't look like anything's a sure thing. with this offense right now. So the bottom line is Steelers, whether they're two or whether they're four, I don't think it makes a huge difference. They're going to be in.

The Eagles, they don't quit. And I saw on TV today before the Bill's game, they were showing a montage of Bill's Mafia fans and how much, you know, they probably miss being at the stadium and how much we miss them. Just any NFL fan probably misses the Bill's Mafia.

And there was a guy that had just voluntarily covered himself in ketchup and muster. He looked like one of the dogs from Dumb and Dumber when they get out of the car at the place. And Harry is very confident that he has shampooed the dogs and they look impeccable. But much to the chagrin of the very rich lady whose poodles they were, they're covered in ketchup and mustard. That's what the guy looked like on the TV. and I tweeted that if the Eagles win the division and get into the playoffs

I will do a whole pod covered in ketchup and mustard I can't do it on these on these nice chairs but I will I will stick to that I had people like well we're going to hold you to it I was like I have a tattoo of a 60 year old man on my rib cage because the Eagles won a football game like a podcast with with ketchup and mustard is not a big deal by the way I have to probably

reveal that tattoo soon but if I'm gonna if I'm gonna reveal it I've got to, I don't want my like winter layer. You know, like if I got to pull my shirt off, like, or pull it up, you know, just a little bit. You want to have some abs. You know, you don't want to. Right now, it's, it's the dead of December. This podcasting stuff really gets in the way of my fitness.

I don't know if anybody has noticed that looking at me sitting here in this chair. I'll show you the tattoo someday. I don't think they will do it because I think they lose the Cardinals. next week probably. But if they went out, they get in, man, I don't mind their chances. I've said this before. If the Eagles slide in for some reason,

they can beat somebody. The Seahawks, part two, if they flip spots with Washington right now, who'd be in if the playoffs started today, of course, the Eagles still have the Cardinals, the Cowboys, and the Washington football team, they'll have to beat those teams. If they get in,

I think they stand a chance. against the Seahawks. Even if Carson was still playing, I think they'd stand a chance against the Seahawks. I mean, they played atrocious offensively in that game, and they were still in it until the end. Because the Seahawks are so variable, and the Eagles have a front that can disrupt

Russell Wilson's timing and that sort of thing. So, hey, listen, I don't think they're going to get in, but if they do, things could get weird. and like I've said, trying to sell a team like that on it wouldn't be great if we just ruined everybody's fucking weekend because nobody wants us in.

Like that's what you're selling people on. Be real with that team. Just sell them on that. And then take it one game at a time. But to do that, you got to beat the Cardinals who looked really good today. Looked really much better. And Kyler looked much better

tucking the ball and running it. Danny Dimes patented turnover machine inaction. And the Giants trying to win that division, they should probably put Colt in if they want to hold on to football because they're not a team that's good enough to overcome turnovers. That's what you've got to look at

if you're a team like that down the stretch right now. Does the upside of Danny Dimes and he has some upside really outweigh Colt McCoy just managing a game and handing the ball to Wayne Galman and hoping you play good enough defense to win? And what happens to

the dbs that went out today for the eagles when you play the cardinals next week a healthy kiler couple guys down in the in the back end that's going to be a tougher game than today was so steve's coming up but you know the saints and the and the Steelers both took steps back today and they both blew it they were in the driver's seat they both incurred really bad losses obviously you'd probably rather be the Saints right now than the Steelers Steelers seem to be they can't find different ways to win right now. The Saints have found a lot of different ways to win over the last few years. They couldn't find a way to win today.

I'm going to talk to Steve about this, but my two cents on the Tayson Hill thing is, you know, at the end of the game, you're looking at why I'm skeptical about the QB of the future thing. And one more time, I don't mean the QB right now. I think Taysam Hill has done an admirable job filling in. He's a heck of a football player. But in the future, you will find yourself down 17-0.

teams and not all of them will be down three defensive backs and not all of them will be three and eight and by the way next year your cap's fucked up so let's just fast forward to the end of this game real quick on jalen hurts threw a lot of good balls today through one great ball to alshan geoffrey he threw another nice ball or two on the sideline on the run people are talking about you don't you don't call why wasn't dug calling rollouts for carson a lot of these were broken down plays. And when you're in a crisis situation, you need somebody that can manage a crisis, and that's somebody who's athletic. I mean, the O line is all over the place. And it's been all over the place. And when Carson was back there getting killed, this guy can run. You know,

Cam Jordan noticed it a lot because he would take off and run sideways. And he'd be like, damn, this is, this kid really does run like a four or five on the field, too. So Doug did a great job of keeping things simple. Doug did a great job of and the Eagles did a great job of running the football. They jumped them and right before the half you're thinking, all right, they're perfectly happy to just get out of the shadow

of their own end zone up 10-0. They get the ball at like two, three-yard line. Instead of running the ball up the middle and getting stuffed or Carson making a bad throw or taking a sack, which has been the thing lately, this kid finds a way with quarterback run game to get out of the shadow of that end zone

and the next play you know just surviving backed up against your own goal line turns into an 80 yard touchdown and yes Miles Sanders is the best player on the field offensively for the Eagles and today they remembered it

great run Kelsey with a great block and Malcolm Jenkins can't run them down Malk also blew up a fourth downplay, which was great. So all in all, if you look at the throws that Jalen made in that first half, and we'll get into this with Steve, a lot underneath stuff, a lot of easy open throws, including that long play to Jalen Rager, which was a lot of run after the catch. But to be fair, he delivered.

That throw to Alishon was great. Through a couple balls on the sideline. It looked great. The rest of them were good, solid open throw. And I'm not going to count that against him because the other guy who you've been paying all that money has not been hitting the easy open throws. Sure, has he been under siege?

Have the Eagles failed him on a level? Absolutely. But when the open throws are there, he hadn't made him. And today, Jalen hit the open throws and Jalen got them out of crisis situations with his legs. And Doug did not look excited as maybe Eagles fans were after the game because I think he knows two things.

One, this was one game. The more tape you get on Jalen Hertz, just like first half to the second half, things are going to change a little bit. And by the way, I think in the second half, the best drive they had was after that big Josh Schwett sack. Josh Schwett, he knew exactly when to step up and to make that play on fourth and two.

That's what championship defense is. And this is, unfortunately, we'll never know the potential of this defense, even down three DBs at the end of the game. they found a way. I'm not saying they're an elite defense, but this defense has not gotten the credit they deserve because the offense has been so all over the place. Josh Sweat knew when to make that play.

And that was huge. He had two sacks on the day. Can't understate the effect he's had on that defense. But the best drive followed that. Because it's one thing to jump the Saints, 17-0-0-0. Should have been 20-0 with the Jake Elliott field goal. It's another thing entirely

when you respond to getting punched in the mouth. You get a stop on fourth and two. You drive 50 yards to put them up 2414. But the point is, for two teams that don't know the future at quarterback, I know I've just beaten a dead horse here, but this is going to happen. The Saints are going to go down.

If you keep Tayson as your quarterback of the future, you're going to find yourself down in some games. You might be down 17, nothing like you were today. And it might be against better teams than the Eagles. and it might be against teams with better offensive lines, and it might be against teams who aren't down three DBs. That's my point, okay? I'm not saying Taysam's not a good football player.

I'm not saying that they're not a good football team right now with them and that they can't find ways to win. But this is going to change next year. Or late in the game, Taysam takes two sacks to get knocked out of field goal range, essentially because Lutz misses the field goal. And that'd be the difference. If they had just kicked the field goal with the fumble that they'd create, created later. The game is totally different. Lutz missed the field goal earlier as well,

but Jake missed one too. So the point is you can't take those two sacks, you know, missed Sanders on an overthrow. Again, the two touchdown passes were, and one of them followed that overthrow, but the two touchdown passes were lobs and they were, they were great catches. And I'm just, guys, be real. Take off your Homerism hat here, if you're a Saints fan, and realize that Sean Peyton is a genius and I think he's remarkable and I think he wins games in amazing ways but Sean Peyton doesn't even believe

that in the long term, Taysam Hill at 31 years old is going to be the answer under center unless you're taking the cap situation to account next year and you just want to fucking you just want to ride it out. Doug Peterson didn't seem excited after the game because he knows two things. Number one, it's just one game.

We got a long way to go. number two, the more we win with Jalen Hertz, the more complicated this gets. Doug certainly might keep his job as a result. And if they win three out of the next four games and make the playoffs, Doug should keep his job. But then you're stuck with this option next year. So it's going to be interesting.

I don't know how this ends. But good start for Jalen Hertz. Not spectacular, but a really good start. Let's get Steve on. It feels like just yesterday that Los Angeles was lifting basketball's most coveted prize. Since then, we've introduced a new class of professional basketball players through the draft and seen a few marquee names switch teams. Luckily for us sports fans, Draft King Sportsbook, America's top-rated sportsbook app, is here to kick off the 2021 basketball season with a

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Must be 21 or older in New Jersey, Indiana or Pennsylvania only bonus comprise the first deposit bonus and first bet match each up to $500 deposit bonus requires 25 times play through. Restrictions apply see draftkings.com slash sportsbook for details. problem call 1-800 gambler or in Indiana 1-800-9 with it. All right, so I got Steve. He's back. We are breaking down week 14 slate. Gosh, that was mostly ugly, huh? There was a lot of things that happened that I figured we're going to happen, if that makes

any sense. A pretty predictable week. Give me one thing you thought was going to happen that's going to make you look smart. The Chiefs would outscore Miami I actually thought I was on the right side of things with the under but it just it felt it felt so good for so long it did but right out of the half 30 to 10 yeah and and we'll get to that game in a bit

because I think you and I would both agree that was the one that we were probably most excited about seeing I mean yeah no other than the one that's on right now and I am I'm in chase mode I'm I'm I'm on the Steelers. I've been on the Steelers all week, but I just doubled down and Ben just threw a pick six, so I was just screaming at the TV.

By the way, the Steelers look just fine to me as we're watching in real time. They're going to be fine. They're going to be fine. College football. Let's start with the Florida kid. Throwing that shoe.

What did you think when you saw it? Had you ever seen anything like that? No. I mean, in that circumstance right there, like you're, everything you do is working towards a national championship. You still have a shot at winning a national championship. That's what made it bad. And, you know, the immaturity. It's, you know, I don't want to pile on the kid too much because one time I got a sack and I was in a slump and I got a sack and it was on Blaine Gabbard and I got his towel and I just threw it in the air.

but that's way different, okay? And I kind of buy the emotional part of it. Like when you make a play, you throw whatever's in your hand. Like, okay, I don't know what the kid said after. But, you know, the kid at Ole Miss last year that peed on the fire hydrant, the stakes were much different. So, I mean, it's brutal. I mean, it's brutal.

And that kid at Ole Miss has had a nice little success story this year. No doubt about it. No doubt about it. Is this Florida kid got a chance at doing the same thing? He plays defense, so I always favorite offensive guys. Yeah, it's hard for him to have enough production to erase that situation. And also, he's going to have so many more eyeballs on him this week as they play the best offense in the country. Yeah, that doesn't help either.

Just a couple of weekend. I was going to give him my Hollow Man award, but we'll probably, we'll probably, hold that. Okay. And then who got fired this week? Malzan got fired. Malzan, Lovie. What, Lovie go

10 and 6 or something? No, the Aligni did not get there this year. I know. Yeah, Malzahn, I'm missing one. Oh, Butch Jones got hired at Arkansas State. Auburn, which

is just fascinating to me in every sense. you know you got to have a couple screws loose to to be the rival of Alabama. Like you've been tortured in the past. You know, you can't do things the same way as they did things. So you know you got a couple of screws at your Auburn. But I guess things just get real stale, real fast on there.

And, you know, I always thought, great, always thought well of Coach Mileson, Like every time I went down there or whatever, we need an interview, super nice guy. You talk to people, X's and O's wise. I think he's good. It's just, I mean, that is, you talk about a constant uphill battle, Chris, every day of the year. Like, that job is brutal. So in college football circles, is it not considered a great job?

Oh, no, I think it's considered a great job. It's just, you know, you're always going to be compared to roll tide. Yeah. You know, like it's, there's no denying. And down there, it is 365 days a year. Bama people are letting Auburn people know we're better. I know. That's been what it's been like for a whole day now for Virginia fans.

We lost the Commonwealth Cup. But, you know, we're not a December Commonwealth Cup team. We're more of a Thanksgiving week Commonwealth Cup team. And it's just the COVID situation that totally threw us off this year. That's all right. We'll be right back. Astros. Yeah.

Astros. Total asterisk next to that Virginia Tech win. So at Auburn, who do you like to get that job? Well, we're talking about Alabama, and you're going to be compared to him. There's one guy when you talk about beating Alabama. He beat him back to back years. His name's Hugh Freeze, and he's coaching at Liberty right now. I see Lane Kiff and jump the ship.

So I think I counted, in the SEC right now, I think there's four coaches that have beaten Sabin, and now Malzahn's gone. Right. And Hugh Freeze has two wins. He has two. He has double what the amount of wins in the whole conference have against Saban. Okay, so Clemson was a five and a half point favorite over the Irish when they first squared off. What feels like a while ago in South Bend back when there were actually people and they,

they rushed the field and that sort of thing. Yeah. Now they're what, a touchdown plus favorite? 10.5. 10.5. Oh, my goodness. Are we just being invited here to bet the Irish? I had Notre Dame Money Line the first time I played. I know Lawrence is back.

I don't understand how much better. The kids set a record for passing yards against Notre Dame. Notre Dame has been playing football for over 100 years. Right. Like, I don't know how much better Lawrence is going to be than Uiunga Lele was. Nice. You stuck that landing easy. You just got to keep saying it.

Yeah, Uiungo Lelele, Uiunga Llele. Yeah, I'm on Notre Dame, no doubt. All right. No doubt. We're together on that. I love the matchup up front. And, I mean, you know, I mean, you played obviously in the idea of the NFL where, you know, you're rematch and your divisions and stuff like that.

Guys up front know what happened the first time they played. If they can't do anything about it, they're just going to give it to them even worse. So I think Notre Dame will keep Clemson off the field as much as possible with that run game. I love Ian Book. I would love it if Ian Book's the one who ruins Clemson season. That would be incredible. Holmes gets away before the hit. What a catch.

Just snags it out of the air. Way from the defender, Kelsey. He knows that was brilliant. and he picks up 32. All right, so the big one in the NFL, week 14, because as boring as the slate was to me today, it was much more exciting than the college football slate. Kansas City, Miami, Chiefs Clinch, the AFC West with that win.

Are you coming away more or less impressed with who they are, and are you more or less impressed with who the dolphins are coming away from that game? I'm more impressed with both teams. Yeah, me too. I thought, I mean, Mahomes started out as bad as he started out that I can remember. And, you know, the two early picks, just not good decisions, you know, a little bit of bad luck with the second one. Well, still a little high, though. Yeah, it's just not him.

For a guy that's done two picks, it's not often that a quarterback throws an interception, everybody at home knows which number pick that is on the year. Oh, yeah, and who the other two picks came against? that's usually a good sign for the quarterback but who would have thought that we'd be looking at a hat trick the second one was high right deflection by the way

Byron Jones hadn't had a pick since October of 17 or something or 18 so off the Schneide for him but yeah it was a bad start man how many career I&Ts do you have I have one in preseason and it was it was a sweet pick too

I was never a big play on the ball guy You know how you look at these rookies? You know, like Chase Young picked up a fumble and ran for touchdown. I would bet you I'm a better rush in a lot of these playmakers, but they're better playmakers than me. You know, like I just was never a playmaker. And we're going to talk about your boy, Chase Young, in a little bit, and the Washington football team because you were all over that game.

Yeah, the two picks were terrible, the fumbled snap, the retreating sack for like 30 yards. It was like, these guys were in the Matrix right now. And, you know, it was also one of those ads just too, Chris, you got to be up by more than you were if you're to dolphins. I think they'll be the first ones to tell you they needed to jump on them, you know, a lot higher, you know, faster when they got those mistakes that Kansas City made. But I'll tell you what, man, like I thought Miami had some crucial drops. I thought too his touch with some of his throws was incredible. Devante Parker a couple drops.

But, I mean, they came all the way back. I got, you know, everybody's still out. I don't know about two. I don't know about two, man. He looked pretty good to me. He. And the Chiefs matchup wise, defensively are a pain in the ass. And, I mean, Honey Badgers out there, it just feels like there's two of them sometimes.

He's all over the field. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. And Clark up front with Joan, I mean, Jones a couple times, you know, beats a polar and creates negative plays. And then you have a chance. So I'm impressed with both teams. I don't know if Miami's going to make the playoffs, but they could have used this one today,

but I mean, they come all the way back, and then you got to love the field goal for the cover, you know? You do if you were on them. I stayed away from this game. Listen, I agree with you. I'm impressed with both teams. You know, I'm as impressed. I've been with Kansas City because you turn the ball over four times.

You're not supposed to boat race somebody, and they basically did the whole game. But still, the sleepwalking. That's why. we keep saying Kansas City, four games in the playoffs, I don't love their chances. You see Pittsburgh, their ceiling and their floor are closer together than Kansas cities

throughout a 60-minute ballgame. So, you know, I just feel like this is dangerous for them. Austin Powers, they like to live dangerously. And for the dolphins, this is why people don't want to see them because they force turnovers every week. And this is what they do. So, I mean, we talked about the bad start for the chiefs early, you know, and,

Gaskins, it's the worst time for him to be out with COVID. You just get him back. I think this is maybe a different ballgame. You talked about closing them out. That was my exact sentiment. Okay, you have multiple opportunities if you're the dolphins, okay? You miss a field goal. You don't capitalize on a turnover early.

Parker drop is huge. That's 14-0 if he makes that play. That's the difference in this ballgame being super tight down the stretch. And before the half, this was one to a mistake. He takes a sack that kills the clock for them. and they can't get points for the half. And then one of the big mistakes that I think two have made, and I'm nitpicking here,

but when you have a chance to go for the jugular and Kansas City heats you up, and because he's so good at looking down field but feeling the pressure, he sidesteps the free runner, and he's got his man who's got maybe three steps on, I forget who it was back in the secondary for Kansas City, and the guy's got to come back to the ball.

Those little differences, Now, a great receiver probably makes that catch, but instead it's a pick. And just putting in that situation where the Honey Badger can come up with that ball in some situation is what you have to avoid if you're him. And I think these are the learning experiences. But he came right out in the second half and was slinging that ball around. I love – one of the things I love about, too, is he responds. You can tell this quickly in his career that he's very responsive. He took him hit earlier.

They had to wrap his ankle up. you know, he came out in the second and was slinging the ball around, and they had those two touchdown drives late. Too little too late, but it's building. They're building something. No doubt. And had they jumped them like, say, if they'd actually jumped them like they did, the Rams,

maybe this game is different. But it just goes to show. Yeah, you throw up three scores early on, you never know what's going to happen. The way Mahomes are throwing it around. You like your chances better up three scores against them than you would if you were Houston Texans in the playoffs, because your defense is built for that.

But, you know, Hardman murdered the under. We were talking about I had the under. And Hardman, you know, they come out four plays, touchdown right out of the gates. Then Hardman on the punt return, it was like before you can blink. That's why they're like the Warriors, man. No lead is safe. And you could have used those two points in the safety. So that's another mistake that they made.

So, I mean, like, Miami's, we've said this. They're ahead of schedule. They're exciting. their team that nobody wants to slide in, but they're just, they weren't quite ready today. And I bet you that Brian Flores gotten there in the locker room afterward and said, guys, listen, I'm proud of you,

but you and I both know we can beat these guys. And, you know, and by the way, I just want to say this because it was kind of garbage time, but the Xavier and Howard pick was unbelievable. That one in the one by more for the Colts today. I mean, those are incredible. The kid May for the Jets has unbelievable. That's the best.

three picks you'll see on a Sunday. And they all happen within a couple hours of each other. And I don't know which one you like best. I thought the Moore kid two weeks in a row. He took the ball off somebody last week on the ground. That was one of the most amazing interceptions. And again, in the end zone today. And the Colts just drugged the Raiders. So I think

I have a feeling I know who the Raiders are now in the second. They just fired their defense coordinator too. That would be a start. I hate seeing people get fired. But, you know, it's, you know, old Rod Marinelli is going to take over. I like Rob Marinelli a lot. You know, one thing about Rob Marinelli is guys play fucking hard.

Absolutely. Listen, Rob Marinelli in Dallas, he had those guys humming. He had them humming. And, you know, at least you know what you're going to get out of him. And that's effort, balls to the wall. By the way, Kansas City, again, really dynamic closing the game out, fourth and one, up six with two minutes left. They did the sprint right option,

and they did the same thing to ice the game against Tampa a few weeks ago. They're just even in four-minute mode, they're so creative. They're like a cheat. I will say there was a good game for tight-end porn. Kelsey, incredible. And I've got to keep an eye on the Gaseki interview injury. That did not look good. That looked like he separated his shoulder late in that game.

When he first went down, I thought it was head or neck. Yeah, I know. But then you saw how they were old, you know, like they almost popped it back in. and he was holding his, you know, an arm like that. You know, usually it's that or a sling right away, but that's not good because you saw, I mean, look at the red zone targets and you see how much Tua thinks to Guseki. I mean, he's a matchup nightmare, man. And the best thing about it is how high he could go up and get balls.

And Tua gives him such a good chance down in the red zone and the end zone that he, you know, two scores again today. Did you think he'd be this good watching him? I did. I actually got to see him play and play. person the year he was on the Penn State Roseville team at the Big Ten title game he showed me some things TJ Y was on the other team

for Wisconsin but Keseki's super athletic man yeah I bet he could do some shit on a basketball court I don't doubt it I don't doubt it much like you and I first snap in Vikings territory for Tampa Bay Brady all day downfield so the other game that I had on my number two TV in the bullpen

today was on the early slate was Bucks Vikings. I was so interested to see because listen, we know the talk about the bucks. It's been swirling all year. Pre-stamp motion. Brady's control of the offense, run game, agree with all those things. And then the deep ball, because coming in,

Brady's doing the worst he's ever done throwing the ball deep. And this was the week to fix it because the Vikings have been abhorrent giving up deep passes. So I thought this would be a big day for them. Eric Kendricks was out. You thought it would be a big for Gronk. It pretty much was. But the main thing I wanted to see was, I think we've beaten this Bill and Tom, let's decide who was the straw that stirred the drink up there by just one year

of football, totally imperfect sample size. One place I know Tom wishes he was still in New England was during a buy week because they get so much out of their buys. And this is such a pivotal buy week for them. And I thought coming out, although I'll give them an incomplete grade, there were some positives. Yeah, what did you think when you, when you, when you watch Tom today? Do you think he answered any of the questions coming in? I loved what I saw when they took the shot. I said to myself when he hit the long touchdown in Scottie Miller ballgame, because right there, they got Minnesota out of sorts, know they could go over to top with him. We know how Ariens always has those shot plays early.

You know, I like to see him early in the game, but he always has him in his arsenal. I just thought that's Tampa today is what people expected to see. And Brady was able to make his, you know, all the throws, they have plenty of toys to play with on offense. Minnesota was really disappointing to me in this situation. I know the kicker was the problem, but that's, I mean, you know, in this league,

it's field those or touchdowns. Especially when you knew it coming in. Believe me, I was one of the few people that was watching that Jacksonville game last week and Bailey had a day from hell. I didn't think it could get any worse. And today was awful. Here's the deal. For me, I kind of had the same feeling with you.

They just needed to hit that one play. I feel like every time you watch the Bucks this year, there's a lot of situations where they seem tight early. I mean, obviously the Saints game was one. there's been a number of other games like Kansas City a few weeks ago in big spots and this felt like a big spot although Minnesota Vikings are not a contender type team they struggled early I mean there was at one point early in the second they were 13 to one first downs Minnesota was they outgained the bucks six to one and time possession was like two minutes to like 13 at one point early in the second quarter the bucks had not run a play in Vikings territory at the time that they took took that shot. And if you remember, it felt like this third and four is huge. Now, Tom, instead of just going for the easy dink and dunk and getting the confidence back, hits Scotty Miller, who they thrown the ball to like two times the last three weeks. So that was

big. It was huge for confidence. And then from there, they rolled. I mean, they really did. And there were a few big plays by the Bucks as well. I wanted to highlight. I mean, Sue's sack was huge because they're in the red zone. And by the way, 98 caused that. They're in the red zone and that forces Dan Bailey to kick and we know what happened from there. And at that point that set up the Scotty Miller

throw. They forced another field goal because 24 made a big play at the sticks. Again, forcing a kicking situation, 54 yards. I think Zimmer could have coached a little bit differently in those situations knowing, hey, we got a guy we can't trust kicking the football, but he didn't. So that

the sous sack, the third and four play, Tom dropping his nuts, and the wheelbarrow like Stan's dad. I mean, that was huge. And those were the little sequences that made this game get out of hand and then allowed that pass rush for Tampa to eat. Yeah. Pierre Paul has had a great year this year, too.

He feels like he is just takes his game to another level in these big spots and always around the ball in a big time, you know, third down, money down situations. He seems like he's always around the ball. our guy Brockers the other night for the Rams. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. He showed up big

and Brock, I just said this on the last pot. I feel like when people look back at his tenure on the Rams, there were some guy, you know, Fletcher Cox was that same draft. He's never been the flashiest

sack number guy, but he's a hell of a football player and a captain and a guy that's been a decade mainstay in that uniform. So I think they'll look back and say, man,

we got a lot out of that kid and he's grown into a leader on that team, which is wild to me. As far as JPP is concerned, the thing that I think is crazy about that is I kind of feel like we wrote them off a couple times. We wrote them off first because we thought that, you know, that New York run was maybe that 15 and a half sack year,

that DPOI type year was like a, you know, a once in a lifetime thing for him. I also thought obviously with the accident that people were like, this guy can't pass rush with one hand. This dude has had a Hall of Fame level career. He stands out week and week and week every week. We're actually had a conversation today. The defensive rookie of the year, obviously with Chase Young just going all out today.

But the kid Winfield. Yeah, Winfield's had a bigger impact. Winfield, another 12 tackles today. And I think he had a pick. Listen, the Winfield thing was huge because, and by the way, we talk about heeding up Kirk when he's trying to come back from 236 deficit. This is why you have your past rush. Well, I'll talk about how we're going to heat cousins up, you know, and blitz and blitz and bowls is going to be after them. Five of those

six sacks came on four-man rush. So a lot of times when you're, when you have a really good four-man rush group like that, this has been my problem with Baltimore sometimes is like, Tampa, I know that at the drop of a hat, they can rush with four. Yeah. You know, teams that blitz a lot, sometimes they get out of their, their rhythm rushing. And these guys rush really well up front. Honestly, it was the surgical, tactical nature of when they brought their blitzes in the Winfield sack late, which again, you know, they're down, I think two scores, but they have a chance to go in and make it a ball game. And instead, they don't give the ball to Dalvin Cook once in goal-to-go situation and then drop back and Winfield knocks the ball, I guess, out of Kirk Cousins' hands. And that made a big difference. So Winfield's been awesome.

I would agree with you. He deserves to be in a rookie of the year, defensive rookie of your contention for sure. I also just look at, I mean, Tampa Bay's secondary holding Thielen to three catches. Justin Jefferson, you talk about rookie of the year, it's offensive rookie there most likely. But Thielen and Jefferson combined for seven catches. Yeah. That's a hell of a job, man. Yeah, absolutely.

That's a really, really good job by Todd Bowles, which doesn't surprise me at all. Love what he does. I want to peek ahead. here and look at the because it's all about the playoffs it doesn't matter how they're going to get there the bucks I mean this experiment was supposed to be a work in progress anybody that knew that

knew they weren't going to win the division they're tracking right where I think I think we had them 11 and 5 here they're tracking right for that for all the disappointment and the dysfunction that we've painted and the growing pains and they'll continue right now they'd play the Rams who they've already lost to

they'd be the six seed and they play the Rams it'd be a tough matchup but it's hard to beat the bucks twice unless you're the Saints. I think they have a great chance at making a run in the playoffs, especially because the team that's beaten them twice now, they don't know what's going on. And we'll get to them in a second

at the quarterback position because there's no foregone conclusion that Drew comes back looking, you know, like gangbusters with 11 broken ribs and a puncture of whatever was. And we obviously see the ceiling on Taysam Hills play.

We can get to that in a second. I want to give credit where credits do. I got the Eagles and the Saints coming to you guys. in a moment. But let's talk about the good team, the really good team in the NFCs, the one on top of the division, and the red hot NFCs, because it's three and one today, the Washington football team. And you watched those guys today. I had one eye on it. Talk to me about what you saw. Dominance, Chris. I mean, dominance up front. Chase Young made the splash plays today. Obviously, the fumble recovery, everybody's seen. But on the other side, Montez Sweatman, like he is. is the arms and how long he is and how he gets into people. I mean, they are constant, never stopping.

They rotate the other guy. I mean, we're talking. Our guy, Kerrigan's the fifth wheel there. Which, right? Carrigan's a fifth wheel. Yeah, that's crazy. And, you know, Alex gets hurt. Didn't look great early on.

Niners did a really good job jumping on them, turnovers were an issue. Alex gets the calf. and Haskins comes in and doesn't fuck it up. Yeah. And he tried a couple times, but he did it. They ran the ball a lot and got some big first downs, you know, when they needed to run in the football.

And obviously this was the first game without Gibson. McKissick did a really good job. Barber runs hard as hell. So, you know, you got Logan Thomas. He's been awesome at tight end. Like he's been, I mean, there's a role. for that guy now. And I know Alex love throwing him the ball, but

Haskins hit him, you know, late in the game too, but the Niners are, they're limited, you know, I mean, and, but still they're, you know they're going to play their asses off because Shanahan still hates Washington for what they did to him and what they did to his father. So

I was, I was a little bit surprised that he didn't go to Bethard. Because Mullins, I mean, he's in there for Mullins. I, I always thought, better is better than Mullins, but I've always thought that too. But at the same time,

Mullins has had a couple really high-end, streaky moments. No doubt. Maybe that's tantalizing, but they're moving on at quarterback next year. I mean, it's easy to get out of that Jimmy contract. And they'll be moving on, but I don't think the quarterback of the future is in the building

in San Francisco. Now, I will say this. I'm so glad you said that about Montez Sweat because, man, from what I can tell, Chase Young seems like a great kid, and he plays his ass off, and he is obviously the sky is the limit for him. You know, I think people thought immediately he'd have 12 sacks, you know, like that he was a Julius Peppers-type talent. I mean, there was a lot of names getting thrown around. It's hard to come in and rush in the NFL.

It really is, especially on a team that doesn't have leads. And they're not some offensive juggernaut. what they have is five guys that play their asses off. And I should say eight guys because that's the type of rotation they have. But Montes Sweat is the one. And it's funny the way we give credit to defensive linemen for all the shit that really is not that hard to do. You know, I heard all day Chase Young had the biggest most monstrous game.

He had a force fumble, a touchdown, and a sack. The trifecta, right? I go, look, what you got to do to pick up a first one, force fumble and take it to the house is be fast. Okay, I should never do that. The sack, I believe, was a bit of a gimmy. He was in coverage. He was still an athletic play. And the force fumble, he's unblocked.

What he does do is play his ass off. He's relentless. And he makes plays that we don't praise. So it's funny, he deserves those freebies. And Montes Sweat deserves credit for setting up plays for other people. And that's the way, you know, Jonathan Allen, the whole

group, they work pain. Pain. They work off each other. And that's what I love. And today, Chase Young was the benefactor, but they all work together. And I guess what I mean to say is, when you're watching defensive line play, don't be a stat watcher. Go watch the way these guys play down in and down out. And I don't think enough people do that with Washington. They just follow the football. And there's a reason somebody pulled him up so that Chase could come from behind and strip the football on that short yard is played. There's a reason, you know, in coverage or in the rush that Chase can come from the

second level and make that sack. I'm going to enjoy watching these guys play for a long time because they play with effort and they play physical. And again, Chase Young seems like a great kid. I will say this. I was not high on Scott Turner and that higher. He's done a really nice job. You know, for all the pieces that have been all over the place throughout the season, they found a way to stabilize the different spots. And I think the Gibson loss I thought was was going to be fatal for them, but they found a way to win a football game today. No, great job.

All across the board, missed an early field goal, too, but also too, John Bostic's been great for them. He led them in tackles today with 10, but he's just been really good. On the other side, did he have a nice day, Kinlaw?

Like what I saw from him, yeah. Well, at least the Eagles won, and that's... How about that, huh? Listen, okay, these teams, it's funny, they're in a mirror image situation. Neither of them know what they really want to do at quarterback. Both of them are criminally over the cap next year.

Saints are north of 90 over the cap. Eagles are way up there as well. Now one team's going to get relief from a possibly retiring quarterback. One is not. One cannot move their franchise quarterback. If they wanted to, it seems like, you've got Jalen Hertz. He looked good today. They didn't ask him to do a ton,

but when he was asked to do, to his credit, he did what he was asked to do. And he got the word. He didn't get sacked. He didn't get sacked. He didn't get sacked. That's all you need to know. And no, and they did a great job.

And one guy who did a great job is Jeff Stoutland. Connecticut product. Yeah. Love Jeff Stalwin. He's one of the best offensive line coaches you've got out there. And Lord knows he's had to deal with more personnel fluctuation. Yeah. But they moved him.

They got the run game going. when he had to make throws he made him. He missed maybe one big chunk play. He threw one or two Aaron balls. He threw some nice outs. And the throw to Alshan Jeffrey was beautiful, okay? To be fair. But I didn't see enough today to tell me this is the quarterback of the future. I like the kid. I like his poise. I like his attitude. He obviously gives him a spark. But if you got a chance to have Jalen Hertz or Tassum Hill as the quarterback of the future, it's an easy to decision for me. Okay.

Where are you going? Me? Yeah. Between those two? Yeah, between those two? Option C. I got Jalen Hertz, man. And believe me, I'm not overreacting.

Me too. Because there's a ton of people in Philly right now who are like, see, you know, I got tweets that were like, oh, the team wanted to play for him more. See, the team hates Carson, et cetera, et cetera. The Saints hadn't given up a hundred-yard rusher in 50 games. they gave up two of them today. One from the quarterback

and one from Miles Sanders that came, 82 of those yards came in one play. So I guess if I'm the Saints, this could cost them. They're currently, Green Bay has the tiebreaker. Yeah.

And they still beat them in New Orleans. Exactly. On Sunday night football, which to me was the best Sunday night football game, at least in actuality, until tonight's game, which is turning out. to be extremely boring and tragic as it goes.

But I think you look at the Saints and they're not in as good a position as we thought they were a week or two ago. I knew that eventually this experiment would have its bumps in the road. I think most people did. But we weren't being realistic enough about the fact that in the NFL, look how crazy things are week to week. These guys found themselves down 17-0 to a three-win football team. Okay, objectively not a good football team.

What do you do then? What do you do then? Taysam Hill didn't start moving the ball until three dudes in the Eagle secondary went out with injuries. Now, I think Taysam Hill is a terrific football player, and I respect the... Key words, football player. That's then I'm careful with my words. Yeah. And I am careful with my words, and I think, I hope he plays a long time because, you know, him and Sean.

and also Sean's a wizard congratulations to them for stealing three wins but you know it's this is going to happen and that's why I don't

buy the quarterback of the future thing in New Orleans I don't think Sean deep down buys that unless unless unless the cap

as we mentioned before is so fucked up that they're just going to play Army football next year that's it I just can't imagine how much

they do not trust James for him not to get any snaps. It's crazy to me. I think Sean Payton is bored. I think sometimes he's like, I want to see how creative I can get and how great

I am at coaching football. And he is. But I just don't think this is sustainable. They've got the Chiefs this week. Figure Drew's going to come back. I don't know. They're reevaluating on

Tuesday or Wednesday, I think. Well, let me tell you something. If they go out and beat the Chiefs with Taysam Hill, I'm going to be really impressed. No chance. Really impressed. Do you think New Orleans can go to the Super Bowl without home field? Do they have Drew?

Yes. Where do they have to play? That's the question. Back green bet. Okay, so they can beat the Packers. They're going to have to be physical, but they can beat the Packers. When it comes to the Saints, if you're looking at the playoff picture right now, let's check this out.

They'd host the Cardinals at this point, Wild Cardinals. Good for the Cardinals get back on the board today. Yeah, and Kyler looked healthy. Yes, he's running more. He pulled the ball down. Drake had a good day. Yep, although Danny Dimes did not. Danny Dimes, I mean, right off the bat here,

if Danny Dimes was incapable of turning the football over, I would be in love with the dude. I think there's so much potential there. I really do. I do. I do. I actually do, but he's a turnover machine. And that's why you just, that's why you just can't do it. Your team is not good enough. And even good teams, you know, the better the team is actually the lower, the threshold for dealing with that shit is. So I, the one thing that the Giants did the past month is they haven't turned the ball over. They've taken the ball away. I think 10 takeaways and two giveaways. The minute they got back in there, they're knocking at the door to score. And Golden, who was just, in New York and Steve Kime and them went and got him back, you know, it just became so apparent the way that the Giants are going to have to win football games if they want to do this down

the stretch is to take care of the football. And if Colt McCoy is the better option, Colt McCoy's the better option because there's just, you can't win with that. You're not good enough. No. No chance. So who do you got one in the East then? Washington. Okay. All right. A huge one with Seattle next week. That will be fun. That D-Line against Russell Wilson, that's going to be really interesting. That's the perfect type of game Seattle could look awful in. You knew they were going to get well today. They could look awful next week.

And Washington is well coached. I will say this. I think Doug did a nice job today. Save for the sneak on fourth and one. I really like that and a couple other plays there. But he got Jalen in rhythm right out of the gate. I mean, they had like a full legs, all that kind of stuff where he's going. You know, he has a choice.

He's, you know, always, he had him rolling to his right a lot where he's better, obviously, throwing. No, he dugged it. I just feel like sometimes maybe he outsmarts himself. Well, if I had to float a theory, one, it would be that Carson, this year's Carson, it would have been hard for anybody to, to salvage the state he was in with the personnel that's around him. And again, we both know that this is framed by awful personnel. If the personnel isn't awful, we're not at this.

juncture. I believe that. But we are, and Carson did not, he played horribly this year, so I've never had a problem with the benching. But I think part of it is we get a new kid in, we're going to run the football, we're going to make things easy, and sometimes keep it simple is the way to go. I mean, simplify. Simplify. And, you know, a lot of those throws, especially early in the game, they went on like a 40-yard drive in the beginning of the game that was like 17 plays. They were averaging like three yards of play. But all they were doing was getting his feet wet. And then the next drive, they take a couple shots.

And you see maybe the shots are there. We can get a little bit looser with the play calling. And, you know, like Jalen gets a coach out of trouble too. Absolutely. Carson was sitting back there and he's pressing because he knows what he has to do to regain the trust of the city and the organization. He's trying to make big plays. And Jalen's out there trying to win a football game.

You know, for Jalen to win that football. ball game 107, he's a hero. He won at 24-21. So a nice day for that offense. There was an Alshon Jeffrey siding, Miles Sanders. They remembered he was their best player. Ertz, not a lot of targets. And a big shout out to Sweaty Jay, Josh Sweat, who I'm just telling you, had he never heard his leg? I mean, this kid's an easy top five pick. One of the most talented, twitchy people I've ever been around. And if he can kind of figure this thing out, he's going to play a long time. and if he can stay healthy. He had two sacks today. And an absolutely clutch sack on fourth and one at midfield

that set up the touchdown that made it a two-score game. I mean, that's the type of play that you need your playmakers to make in December. And that's what he did, and he's a young kid. Derek Barnett showed up too and made some plays. Derek Barnett's been really clutch. That defense deserves a lot of credit. And again, they'll get the Cardinals next week. I don't think it'll actually be as easy as playing Taysam Hill and the Saints,

because the problem is, if you're Jalen Hertz, you could run in the same problem that Taysom Hill ran into today. What happens if the Cardinals jump out? Because Kyler Murray looked like a different guy they did last week or the week before. So, again, I feel better about Jalen Hertz as the quarterback of the future that I do, Taysam, but I do not, I am not after one game going to concede that I know who the quarterback is in the future for Philly. Just not doing it. And we don't know in New Orleans either.

So how about Mitch before I let you go? Mitch is four and two on the year, huh? I look at the other side and say, what about Houston? I just... They're awful. Too much talent on that team. Too much. And Matt got off to Snide, too.

That was nice. I saw some media types whispering that, you know, he was washed last week because he had in a sack in five games. His team's terrible, and that happens. He also is coming off a run of DPOI level play for four years. Okay, the guy can have a fucking down year. I just don't get it. And Hassan Reddick, nine pressures,

Temple's own, nine pressures, five sacks, 22 rushes. That's a dream game. Dream game. So shout out to some rushers today. Steve,

anything else you saw today? How does T.J.Y. always get the lineup off sides and no one calls it. I'd have to look closer at that. Offensive linemen, generally the ones that get away with false starts repeating.

They're always off early. Watch when his hand is down. How many times it's on the line? He's royalty, bro. I understand that. I'm just asking why. Who's better what or what in his prom? I like TJ a lot.

I think TJ down in and down out. Yeah? I do. I think down in and down out. Yeah. I think maybe JJ was more. He is this is that it? He's got himself so much better, man.

It's amazing. Is that a ridiculous question? No. If this is TJ Watts Prime, give me JJ's best year and TJ's best year. I know some people are going to say, well, JJ had 20 sacks and that sort of thing. TJ just affects the game in so many ways. So many ways. I know you'll tell me that JJ had PbUs and that's great.

But I'm talking about just everything TJ does and I have recency bias. Exactly. That's a huge factor when you talk about that argument. No doubt about it. No doubt. All right, man. Well, pray for the Steelers and you have a wonderful week. We'll see you next weekend. Careful. So let's get snow Wednesday. I'm excited. I'm Amazon Prime and all types of sleds and stuff. You are. Yeah. I'm going to get after it. Be safe, bud. All right. What do you say we finish with some superlatives, huh? Shout out to Macon. Big shout out to Megan. He's sleeping soundly in his in his race car bed right now with his PJs and his chamomile tea. It's after midnight.

So there's no chance he's awake. And he won the Sunday slate pick him this week. So congratulations, make him. Best plane ride. Best plane ride. I'm gonna go with the Colts. You know, you take away that Tennessee loss, although you can't take away that Tennessee loss.

This is not how it works. But I will take the fact that they played each other twice. It didn't look like that twice. I think the Colts just hit a wall and they didn't have Buckner, and they didn't have Autry. I think they're better than what they showed that second game. I think the Colts have a little bit of sleeper in them in the playoffs.

A little bit of sleeper. I keep calling them a team that's just going to be around. I mean, like, not spectacular, but they're a different team with T.Y. Hilton playing well and with Pittman emerging. They had a dominant performance day in Vegas. I think the Raiders just hit a wall. They were fresh off that, you know, that win against the Jets, which unfortunately felt like a bit of a Super Bowl.

And two East Coast trips in a row, the Colts coming to town, their physical football team, their good football team. And the Raiders who aren't quite ready yet, they have some changes to make defensively. Those changes are already underway. As me and Steve just talked about, they just weren't up to the task.

And the Colts get on a plane. They head back home. they are a playoff team essentially at this point in the season and they've got chances to prove themselves as being a real problem in the playoffs over the next couple weeks they could finish real strong here they could beat the Steelers that's their only road game left

they're going to be at home against two teams that have no business even playing football at this juncture in the season I think they get the Texans and the Jaguars and sandwich in the middle there is the Steelers game on the road so that's not a long trip for them Steelers are wounded. I think they match up fine against them.

And you got to feel good about where you are because they're starting, I heard some things on the broadcast where if you talk to Frank Reich, he feels like Phil started to turn the corner and get back in gear with him like three quarters of the way through the season. Remember, they've been together before,

but it's not like you just pick up right off where you started. I think the Colts could be a problem in the playoffs. And listen, the Raiders, the defense is bad. So bad, Damien Lillard tweeted that they have the worst defense in the NFL. Damian Lillard is a Raiders fan. I had actually suggested last week that Damian Lillard look for a side team. I think it's the perfect situation.

if you're in the market for a side team, look at a team like the Miami Dolphins. Great side team. Reliable, bright future, good defense. You know, you could visit your side team, watch their defense a little bit, make you feel better, go back to watching your Raiders.

You can have two teams. I have a side team in basketball. It happens to be the Blazers. Long-suffering Knicks fan. Washington had a great plane ride too. And what a great team win. by them. I'm going to do a likeability

index coming into playoffs here. Washington has got to be up there, right? They got to be up there. What a feel good story. What a great team went. Look like they were playing in London. That was bizarre.

The grass even looked fucked up like it's London. And Arizona has great grass. You know in Arizona, fans, you know this probably, but they actually grow the grass. outside and like they wheel it in. I've always been told that. It could be a total lie, but they have pristine grass

this time of year. And it looked kind of bad today. And with the logo in the middle, the kind of ambiguous NFL, the shield right in the middle, it was like, where the fuck are these guys playing? So a big week for Washington and quite frankly, I feel bad for the Niners.

Like I've kind of counted them out since the beginning. The attrition's too much. The Steelers. Worst flight. worse flight short flight they might already be on the plane and they're probably getting ready to land

in Pittsburgh in a little while but actually with a short flight it can be worse because you're like tantalizing close to home but it always takes so long after the game

to get to the bus to load all the equipment you get to the plane you sit there for like an hour in the time I don't know how long the drive is from Pittsburgh to Buffalo. It's probably a ways.

But it probably doesn't net out too much different. And when you're dealing with like a late night short flight like that, you're like, man, I wish I could just get in a fucking Uber and fall asleep. Like I'll call an Uber and drive to Pittsburgh. Actually, I don't think it's close at all. Let me look on a map. New York map. Oh my God, it's a three and a half hour drive.

Holy shit. That makes this plane ride way worse. Way worse. It's gonna take three and a half hours to get on the plane and take off. It is unbelievable how long it takes to get on a plane in the NFL. And they're like, oh, we're waiting on the trucks. Maybe they bust the equipment separately to speed up the situation after the game. This absolutely sucks.

You want to know why it sucks? This is a terrible plane ride. It sucks because they flew in this morning. And they're coming off their second short week in a row. They flew in this morning. Same day flight. Hate that. Hate it. I'd rather bust three and a half hours than I would fly one hour.

I'm telling you, this sucks, and it was like snowing at the beginning of the game. It should probably comes back. Flight's probably super turbulent. Ugh, hate that. Deontay Johnson got like benched for a while. Your offense is shot. The run game couldn't get going. Ugh. I guess the only thing for the Steelers that there's a saving grace that might leave me to believe they'll be better is that that short week thing. I think they got in the short end of the schedule stick a lot this year. Okay. The COVID stuff, they were the team that was getting jacked around nonstop. And that can really mess with the teams kind of flow. I'm not going to put that on travel. I'm not going to put that performance on short

week. They are who they are at this point. They've got a chance to reinvent themselves a little bit over the next month, but it's really hard to do both, like try to win football games and do different things in December. That's going to be a challenge for them. I think one of the biggest challenges for them down the stretch is not only winning football games, but trying to reinvent themselves in ways that their little deficiencies are hidden. Maybe on Wednesday I'll talk about a little bit more about what they could do to do that. Worst flight, Pittsburgh Steelers.

Hollow Man. So what's it like being a ghost? Ghost are dead. I'm very much alive. Man, we gave it to kid from Florida. I gave it out to the kid from Florida right there in the Stanford Steve segment there. When I saw that, I was crushed for the kid. Because, I mean, yeah, it's dumb.

It's really dumb. Young people do dumb things. And also, when you make a play, like at night in a big game, your brain just is it's very fickle it just does things your brain makes your body do things after you make a big play that guy's brain made his body throw you know a size eight and a half Nike cleat 45 feet in the air i don't even know if he knew he had a cleat in his hand i haven't seen the post game quotes i'm almost like it's one of those things like i don't want to see the post game quotes i'm almost like it's one of those things like I don't want to see the post game quotes I feel bad for the kid

like literally cost them but if there's any year to cost your team the playoff it's this year it's like COVID playoffs yeah hollow man I'll go ahead and give that one to the kid from Florida he's a shoe in you like that huh I actually didn't I didn't plan that uh viewing party I'll go army navy okay like I watched it on TV but I would love to go see Army Navy one year. It's always in Philly. This year, it was,

where was it? At West Point, my only regret watching that game, I feel like it's always overcast watching that game. It's like they dial the weather up. I guess wouldn't put it past

the military to be able to control the weather. Yeah, it was foggy as fuck. And they didn't think for a second about like delaying or canceling that game. When I watched like Oregon, Oregon State, earlier this year they were like, I wonder how long they can play.

And there was like another game that was super foggy this year. And they were like, if you are the troops, like you're like, nah, fog is not going to stop us from playing football. Like, we're the troops, bro. And it's always really cool to see

everybody out there in the stands. And then like this year, there's no fans in the stands. I suppose West Point is absolutely quarantined. It's its own bubble. So it was like safe to have her, everybody out there, but all the cadets and stuff, it's just, it's a perfectly gray scale football game. The overcast, the outfits in the stands, the uniforms, I mean, it's like that

olive drab is so cool, man. I love those army uniforms. I thought they crushed it with those. The helmets are awesome. From the, from the shoulder up, those might have been, it was a left shoulder for me. Had the dog on the side. Some of the coolest uniforms I've ever seen. Navy, I didn't love the uniforms, but I know what they're going for there. And I support the troops, okay? But I'd love to go to that game. I would love to go to the game. What a cool atmosphere. And I'd love to know what went into, what goes into that game every year? Like, what's the what's the back and forth

between you know a Navy man and an Army man that week you know like what's the shit talk like what's the shit talk on the field like what's playing football for Army or for Navy like what how challenging is that we talked to my buddy Jason Van Camp who's a Green Beret

and he played an Army man what an undertaking that is I would love to to see the game. I wish I wish I could have been at one in my first 35 years. I'll try to get to a few in my next 35 years. Frank Gore Memorial Award presented to you by the St. Louis Rams.

I'm going to go Mitchell Tribesky here. Shout out to Mitchell Trebisky. Four and two on the year? Is that what he is? QB wins, man. Three touchdowns. Wasn't the only embattled quarterback to have a nice day. I mean, nobody was watching that Bears game. unless you lived in Chicago, or you're a glutton for punishment. And, you know, you like seeing one of the best quarterbacks in our game,

throwing to absolutely nobody, just getting crushed in the end zone by Khalil Mack. I'm happy for Mitch. I really am. He wasn't the only in battle QB to have a nice day, but it was a really, really big day for him because of the elephant in the room, because of what Ryan Pace and those guys did or didn't do the day that they picked Mitch Trubisky has nothing to do with Mitchell Trubisky. It's not a strike against his character and it doesn't make him a worse football player than he is. It's just that they didn't draft

Deshaun Watson. So I don't hold that against Mitchell Trubisky and I'm glad he got a W. Nice day for him. Also, Andy Dalton got a win and a comeback, you know, our homecoming, I should say. in Sincere. Dwayne Haskins comes in and makes a play or two to secure that Washington win. It's a weird year, ma'am. It's a weird year.

And finally, game ball. Let me give this bad boy to Hassan Reddick. Temples own. Hassan Reddick. Hassan Reddick, I think he had seven and a half sacks on his career. He's a relatively young career coming into this football game.

my man had five buckets five buckets that is a dream i laid in bed at night and thought about what it would feel like to have five buckets my entire career and i never got them do you know how perfect things have to be for you to get three to five sacks in the game i was lucky to get three enough times getting four oh rare air to get five how about getting five how about getting five sacks on 22 rushes, nine pressures on 22 rushes. Now that says something about the

Giants O'Lyne. Don't think this isn't, I don't think the giants are off the hook here, but this is about Hassan Reddick. Unbelievable. Good for him. Seven and a half sacks coming in, five today. It was funny, I saw him make a big sack at the end of the game and he just kind of was like chill about it. I didn't realize he had five.

I would be maybe chill about it. of two if I had five sacks in a game. I'll always remember two. I mean, obviously Derek Thomas went out and got like a bunch, but Derek Thomas was like a hall of fame or so if he had five sacks in a game, it was like, you know, Derek Thomas did it again. I think he had more. I think he has the record, the single game record.

But I'll never forget, Antoine Odom, maybe my rookie year, my second year in the league, five sacks for the Cincinnati Bengals. and he was not a, you know, a household name. So it was like, this guy. Oh, my gosh, do you know what that does for you? That can get you paid. You get five sacks in a game. You get four the rest of the year.

You got nine sacks on the season. Like, you're getting paid. Adrian Claiborne. Everybody remembers that game. Well, a lot of people, because it happened against the Cowboys, where he went to work. He had, like, five sacks in the game. Adrian Claiborne had, like,

And Adrian Claiborne's had a really good career, man. Adrian Claiborne mathematically to have, at that point, I think he had like 30-something sacks. He had literally woke up one day with 27 sacks or something, went to sleep that night with 33 sacks, or 32 sacks, whatever it was. That's insane. It's crazy. You don't realize how hard you work for just one bucket.

Let's do that five. Good for him. And Khalil Mack back on the board today while I'm at it with the D-line or the pass rush or stuff. I heard people whispering about, is he washed? Oh, man. He hasn't had a sack in five weeks. Listen, my man's got 68 already.

He's 29 years old. He has six and a half on a really bad team. He changes the way people game plan for him. I'll look closer to see if he's falling off, but I can guarantee you, he ain't fucking washed he'll be back full force next year

I guarantee it book it I mean he might end up with with double digits this year a lot of times when you're slumping as a rusher I talked about Byron Jones slumping earlier

and getting his first pick in a couple years when you get that first one changes everything Khalil Max got Minnesota Jacksonville my man is going to get some buckets

the rest of the year he might end up with 10 He had eight and a half last year. So I don't, like, listen, I'm just not here for the very reactive, like, oh, the sacks aren't there. Takes. So, yeah, shout out to Khalil Mack with a late shoutout, but the game ball, Hassan Reddick. Star of the day, five sacks. All right, we'll see y'all on Wednesday with a mystery NBA star, okay?

Y'all take care.