KSR - NFL Cover Zero: Divisional Round Recap and QB Legacies being formed!

Episode Date: January 19, 2026

Matt Jones and Drew Franklin open with the Bears falling to the Rams.  As a Bears fan, Matt feels like the team was playing ahead of schedule.  Are the Rams an even bigger Super Bowl favorite now?  The Bills may have missed out on their best chance to win a championship.  How will the Broncos fare without Bo Nix?  Matt explains why he thinks Denver still has a chance! Will Josh Allen ever win a Super Bowl?  Matt notes the rough night for CJ Stroud and how it impacts what the Texans are willing to pay for an extension.  The Patriots are back in the Conference Championship and have a chance at another Super Bowl.  Matt ranks the networks for his viewing experience. What are your first thought Super Bowl picks?  Matt explains how winning a 2nd QB puts Matthew Stafford in a new category.  In other NFL news, Kevin Stefanski is hired by the Falcons.  Where will Mike McCarthy land?  Drew expresses his hopes for the Titans.  We wrap up with Matt's plans for Super Bowl Week in Santa Clara and predictions for the CFB Championship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast. Well, it is a sad cover zero for me. Just minutes after my Chicago Bears lose a heartbreaker to the Rams, we are here for NFL cover zero. I'm Matt Jones, Drew Franklin. and Drew, you know, I don't even get a chance to like, I don't know, I don't even get a chance to sort of recover. Just minutes ago, we lost this game.

And it had a chance if the Bears had won to potentially have one of the two, three, four greatest plays in NFL history. And I wonder if it'll be forgotten now that they lost, but the Bears losing overtime. I feel for you, but what a great game. I mean, is it better that that play happened and that you got the little taste of the excitement? Or would you rather just not have the false hope there at all with the Williams, Hell Mary. I kind of felt like the whole playoffs, you were kind of playing with House money a little bit. Because, I mean, I felt all year, I think they were fortunate to win the division. I mean, I think they would have made the playoffs either way.

And then, of course, the Packers game was ridiculous. And then this game, I mean, that. that the Bears did a lot of bad stupid things throughout the game. But then, you know, he ran. Caleb Williams runs 30 yards in the wrong direction. I mean, that's a play that only works in your backyard. And it works. And I mean, I celebrated.

But then immediately, I kind of thought they were going to go for two because Collinsworth had said earlier that Ben Johnson had suggested he would go for two. So I was kind of like, I muted my celebration because I thought they were going to go for two. And they ended up not doing it. you know, in hindsight, would you have gone for two? I wouldn't have, but I was surprised Ben Johnson didn't. Just the way he coaches, there were, what, three fourth downs? He tried to convert, leaving points on the board.

Just the way he gambles and it played that whole way, being at home, you kind of had your magic there. I thought he would just try to end the game. So I was surprised that he didn't actually go for two there. I think he probably didn't go for it because they're at home. The Rams are reeling at that month. moment. And I mean, it kind of worked like his thought process kind of ended up correct. I mean, the Rams didn't get a first down. The Bears drove down. So, I mean, the gamble was actually

probably the correct play. But I thought he was going to go. And I wouldn't have minded if he went. Maybe because Loveland was out. Maybe he was hesitant to do that. I don't know. So overtime starts. what do we think about on the interception there? You blame that? Immediately I was like, that's a terrible throw, Caleb. But then Collinsworth seemed to suggest he blamed it on DJ Moore. What do you think? I agree.

It looked in real time like a horrible interception, which the regular TV view, and then they give us that closer angle where you see Curl make the break on the ball and DJ Moore doesn't. I mean, the Curl, the Rams cornerback, he played a receiver, saw Williams eyes, and it made the play where Moore was just, just completely lost. So I think it's more on the receiver, even though a third interception in that spot is bad for Williams

after he had the late of rugs. Yeah, it is tough. I mean, I thought, you know, the one interception he threw was really bad. I thought the other one he was trying, I mean, he had to try to make a play. That one didn't bother me as much. But, you know, it stinks.

I think the Rams, and I still think the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl. I think if you sort of take my view that Hall of Fame quarterbacks are who you take when you go to the Rams. to when he gets the Super Bowl. The only one left right now is Stafford, although, you know, May, Williams, Knicks, who knows, maybe they get there one day.

They're not there yet. But so I feel like I'm vindicated in picking the Rams to win the Super Bowl, but I'm still upset about the loss. It was an amazing year. And the people of Chicago, like, what have they gotten to watch these last few weeks in home games?

Like, these environments and these games have been insane. Yeah. And just like last week, I was so jealous of everyone there. Soldier Field looks to have been maybe the best environment of football these last couple of weeks. And to get the heroics, I can't imagine the feeling you all had when he's just backpedaling because there's no way you're thinking that's going to work. I didn't even think he was going to get a throw off. It's like you all can't even just have a normal game.

Was there a game all year where you just went out and played football on and team one without some chaos? Yeah, that was his third, fourth down on that one as well. And then he got one in overtime as well. I think he got two four, well, one, the sneak on fourth down. You know, I, the only, here's my only complaint. I do not like, I think we messed up doing the run plays really towards the end of the game. We should have just given the ball of Caleb. You know, when they got stopped, the possession before the touchdown, you know, they get first in goal and they run it three straight times, end up not getting it.

both times and overtime when they do the pitch, it's a three-yard loss. I think that really hurt him on that interception. He felt like he had to go farther down the field. I just didn't, I mean, yeah, Ben Johnson's been awesome. But I wish they'd just give the ball to Caleb. I mean, like, he is so far exceeded my expectation. I do think Bears fans can take this loss a little better than, say, the bills, who will get too soon, because it does feel like the start of something rather than the end of something.

Yeah, and even though he had to pick, Caleb Williams' late in games, there's some witchcraft going on there. He's just so fun to watch. So I agree with you. They should have gone to him more. I did like DeAndre Swift going for the jump there at the goal line from the three. Yeah, he got hit. I think he got hit in the nether region. That had to have hurt.

But just showing you laying it all in the line, it didn't work. But to try that in that moment, I mean, they were doing all they could to get in the end zone. Yeah. So I am bummed. I think I had already picked out my nails for the Super Bowl. And now I also won't have a reason to stay for the game. And I actually kind of objectively think Ram Seahawks, I'm going to say something kind of controversial.

I kind of hate the four teams that are left. I just kind of, I don't, I think you needed the Bears in or Josh Allen in. I mean, I actually think you could make an argument that with the exception of the Patriots beating the Texans, the three teams that the NFL would have liked to have won the other games did not win them, right? I think they would have rather had the 49ers, they would rather have had the Rams, or excuse me, the Bears, and then they would rather have had the bills, and they didn't get any of them. So I do kind of hate that that's what we're left with.

The Seahawks Rams gave us a couple classics in the regular season. I think maybe their two games were decided by three points. to go to overtime. So a third installment of that game's pretty exciting, but I think we have a dud across the other way. We've been fun having the Bears in it. I mean, that, you know, if you, if it's Bo Nix versus Drake May, two second year quarterbacks, I mean, that's, that's a great story. It's a cool matchup. You get Jared Stidham. I mean, I, you know, I don't know. Now, they've had, well, we'll get to that game, but they've had, I mean, guys in this situation win in the past. We can't, everybody's going to want to talk.

about the Bears. So you do have to talk about the Rams. I actually think they, I'm even more confident they win the Super Bowl because it was freezing. I knew Matthew Stafford didn't want to be there when he would put his coat on during the timeouts. Like that, like you, he wanted 20 seconds of warmth. And that said to me, he really didn't want to be there. So for them to win in that environment in that weather, I actually think they have a really good shot now of winning the open. it. Yeah, to be that high-powered offense and probably our MVP here in a couple weeks, their first two game in the playoffs, they've had to eke out a couple of wins without a great offense. The Bears defense played them pretty well. Stafford didn't throw a touchdown.

Not a ton of yards. It was below their typical average. So the Rams have kind of not had their best game yet and still got on the road and the win. You've got to think they're going to have one where they light it up. And it could be in Seattle, even though that's another tough environment. They're going into one of the best defenses coming up next Sunday. And if I was the Rams fan, I would also have a play call complaint. When in their first possession on third and one, when they did that pitch play, same thing you've got Matthew Stafford.

Like, you know, that play had, the Bears had hit, hitting five times before he got to the line of scrimmage. I would have hated that playgall too. You know, people forget with Sean McVeigh. You know, he's considered like a genius play caller, which I think is fair. But early in his career, he got criticized. for this exact thing that in key situations, he would make weird play calls. I kind of wonder if Lamb and Ben Johnson,

there's just a little bit of when you're that sort of guy, it takes you a little while to understand what to do in these situations. Maybe sometimes you're too smart and you're overthinking it. Maybe you're going to show off a little bit. But you're right. When you have Stafford and Puka Nakua and Devonte Adams and all those weapons, as you saw, just dump it off to Puka and he can go get you some yards. There's nobody in the league that can just take a short pass.

and get the yards after catch like him. So they should have stuck to that game plan, even though they still worked out on the end for them. That's what they didn't know for time to set up that field goal. And we got the sideline reporter that said some of the Rams players put cayenne pepper in their socks to stay warm and promote blood flow. Do they say that? Yes, right at the start of the game.

What does that do? Like, do you mean like an actual pepper or did they put, because that would seem to be uncomfortable? It brings heat and keeps the blood flowing, according to the sideline report. order. But like they didn't put actual peppers in there. Like, what did they put? I guess, I'm guessing what seasoning. A little powder. So they had cay and pepper seasoning in their socks. Yes. And that works. That sounds completely made up. I saw the bears had hot chocolate and chicken broth on their side line. So we had hot broth.

We had broth and there's peppers. Makes sense to me. I can see how hot liquid would help in that circumstance. I do not see how this can't be true. It's true. We've got to test this. Billy, I think you're going to have to, for our midweek show, going to have to put Kai and Pepper in your socks and see if it makes you feel warmer. From the report of Melissa Stark of NBC.

I mean, I can try it. But yeah, it's the actual seasoning put in the socks. I just, I can't be true. I mean, I believe it's true that she said it. And I'll even believe that it's true that they did it. but I also don't think it would work. That's, that can, that cannot be true. All right.

Nevertheless, they move on to the next round. Can I give you one thing I was disappointed in the game? I was disappointed in Chris Collinsworth. In the Caleb Williams play, he was oddly muted. I thought Torrico's call was great. But then he was like, Mike, that was a great throw. That might have been the greatest throw in the history of football. Where was his us?

and like, oh, it's like he should have had a record one of those, and I thought he was way too calm for the moment. Yeah, especially one of the last games a year to come down like that. All have ooze and Oz all year both up to that moment, and he didn't have it for us. Yeah, he gave more to J.J. McCarthy in week two than I got right here. Like, I think he was so much in shock that he didn't give his usual moaning. I was very, very disappointed in his last.

Hope he's all right. I like the, I don't know if you saw the camera angle that the reporter had from the back pile on kind of behind Cole commit. Yeah, I mean, I wish so bad it would have worked out. That would have been so legendary if they win. Like that video would have been, and just on another note, just on a personal level. This had a chance to be, I mean, we talked about last weekend that that was maybe like my best sports weekend in a while because the Bears, the Kentucky and the Carolina Hurricanes that all won during the same time. This would have been even better. Kentucky beat Tennessee in a miracle comeback.

My Carolina Hurricanes, I went to the game last night and got to watch them win in person with my favorite player, the guy whose jersey I had on, got a hat trick with me sitting there. And it's Svesnikov. And then if you get this, I would have just basically said, maybe I should stop watching sports at this point. And I guess that was the God saying,

you can't get all that you want. You can't have it all. And I guess that's what happened. robbed of an all-time good weekend, but what a run for your bears. You might not want to hear it right now, but that was a wild season for them. They got the youth, new head coach, nothing but up for them. And you'll get there eventually. They turned quarter.

That's the thing. The bears have had a lot of heartbreaks, but this one, I think, will long-term hurt less because, A, nobody thought we were going to win the Super Bowl, and B. It looks like you're building for the future. Now, switch that with the Buffalo Bills, who lose to the Broncos, where I think it's the opposite feeling. I think there, even though Josh Allen's going to have many years of being good, I think there is a sense when you lose this game like, you just blew your opportunity. This was the moment. This was the time for you to actually win a Super Bowl and then they don't.

Josh Allen was great most of the game, but misses a couple throws at the end, not able to get it. He's crying after the game. says he blamed himself. I actually thought it was kind of emotional to watch him. What did you think about? Yeah, I mean, he did play pretty bad. It is on him, but it did hurt to see him cry like that, knowing he dropped the ball, as we've said many times with this path in front of him,

no Mahomes, no Lamar, no Burrow, you just got to go beat Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix. Like the path was there, and it's not just the interceptions. He had some bad fumbles that aren't like him, especially right before the half. Denver just scored. there's only like 30 seconds left and he's scrambling and kind of slings the ball. Denver ends up getting another score right before halftime. Just uncharacteristic of him to have five turnovers in a game like that,

even against a good defense. He should have been much better on that stage. Is that what he ended up with was five? It was a lot. I think that was CJ Stratt. I think he ended up. Well, he had two fumbles and at least two interceptions, maybe four turnovers. Four, okay.

And even with all that, he had that pass at the end. if he hits the receiver in the hands, that's a touchdown. When they got the field goal that ended up sending it to overtime, if he hits him in the hands, that's ballgame. And he just overthrows him. And I think that'll be the one that haunts him. Like what happened after, you know, it is what it is. But he had him, and it was on his hands,

and that's the game winner right there, and he misses it. I think that will be the one that he looks back on. Did you find yourself, like, so did you find yourself feeling bad for him? I mean, I did, which is weird because he's married to Haley Stanfield. And he's, like, I should hate the guy. But like, I kind of felt sorry for him in that moment. He's kind of in your Tom Brady category where you got too much good for going for you. So I'm going to hate to.

Way too much. The only bad thing for him is he has to live in, no offense, Buffalo. But he has to, but they've got great fans at least, right? So he's in a place where people care. But I did, I did feel sorry for him. I did too. He just seems like a likable guy. I've wanted him to get one for a while.

No offense to Bo Nicks and the Broncos, they'll have their chances. The time's starting to tick on Allen. I know he's got a lot left, but just the way he plays, this was the year to go get it. So I did feel bad for him. Even his teammate, the big defensive tackle started crying in his interview when he saw that Alan took the blame. I like the way that guy took up for him. I thought that was really good.

Like some, I guess one of the reporters that said Josh says it's his fault. And he didn't even hear Josh Allen talk. And that was his reaction. Like that's what I need. If cover zero ends up like, you know, not ever winning the podcast award for best podcast the Golden Globes. I need Billy crying like that defensive tackle taking up for me when I said, you know, I didn't, I just wasn't able to do it.

And Billy be like, no, it's not on you. It's like, I need that from you, Billy, that amount of loyalty I saw from the defensive tackle. Yeah, you could see some emotions if my integrity is. has continued to be tested on the touchdown parlay game. We've got to get that right later today. Oh, yeah, it was good for me to get Kyle and Williams again. That was twice. You didn't have...

Billy was a hero for me on this game. We were at an event called Bourbons and Bubbles. I even took a picture, Billy had the game on his phone for all of us. So even though we were busy with some work stuff, we were locked into the game. I was leaning over Billy's shoulder watching his phone for fourth quarter and overtime. So he was clutched with the streaming Saturday night. which was better bourbon or bubbles in bourbon and bubbles

I didn't partake in any of the bubbles but the bourbon was good and the football was good so we had a good time but you know I did see I co-host Ryan that's the most have ever seen him dressed up I don't know where he got that cream sweater but I've not seen him to wear anything like that in my in my life all right so let's talk about the Broncos and bills game you mentioned the turnovers that's obviously going to be the thing that people talk about what about the Bo Nick's injury? I mean, you don't even know. He plays one more play after he gets hurt.

He even does the post-game interview and doesn't even act like he's in pain. Am I crazy to say how much pain could it be and if he did the interview and he didn't even mention it? But he's out now. And you get the situation where Jared Stiddam has a chance to be like Jeff Hostetler, Doug Williams, Nick Foles, like in the backup quarterback pantheon,

do you think he'll be able to do it? I don't, you know, I don't want to write off Denver, but this just stinks, having sit him go in. I saw he's the only backup quarterback who hadn't played all year. He hadn't thrown a pass. Oh, really? I didn't realize that. Wow. Completely raw for a team with real chances here in home field, great defense.

And I hate we have to go to a backup quarterback with no experience. They signed Ben Danucci. I thought was funny. Yesterday, he was on a set discussing the injury, I believe, on CBS. Yes, and then that night gets the call. So he goes from talking about the Bo Nix injury on TV to get signed to be a backup. Oh, they signed somebody. I didn't realize they were still allowed to do that.

Yeah, it's a practice squad. I guess he had been there before. I don't know the exact rule. But he went from being on TV talking about Bo Nix's ankle to go into play for Denver just a few hours later. All right. So let me try to be an optimist for the Broncos. If you get to, he gets a week to get ready. Well, let me ask you this.

Would you rather have the week to get ready or have Boe's, Nick's get hurt on the first play, and then you come in and you don't have the time to think about it. Like, which one would you rather have? Definitely, at least give me a week of knowing I'm getting the start. I'm practicing. I'm putting my head on the pillow at night, knowing the game's coming up, much better than sitting there cold and look it up and you're having to run in. So, you know, the circumstances speak for Bo Nix, but if you're going to be sitem, it's the best way to work out. But it's going to be weird that you just said he hasn't played a play.

Like that is that is brutal man to then and then you get a Patriots defense that's really that's that you know it's been up and down but has had some really good moments that is a tough tough situation playing against Drake May who almost probably the runner up for the MVP. You know Jared Stidham is from Corbyn, Kentucky so he's from your region. That's right. I forgot about that. He is in eastern Kentucky. Where did he play in college? He went to Baylor and Auburn. He moved. to, I want to say Texas for high school, but he grew up

and you're part of the state over there. People don't know listening across the country. Corby, Kentucky is a town. Good people in Corbyn, Kentucky, not known for their football talent, right next to where the first Kentucky Fried Chicken

was down the road in London, but not used to having guys in the AFC championship. So, Corbyn will have to mount up and get ready. I actually think, though, the Broncos, as long as he isn't terrible, have a chance. And I'll also say this. The Broncos have had a pretty good running game this year, and they completely abandon it in that game.

They did not run the ball at all. I think they actually got away from what they should have been doing, and this will make them use their running game. And maybe it gets them to where they play, you know, to one of their strong. ranks. That and they have the best defense in the NFL. So you can run, play defense, get stops. And hate to have an ask you how to be a game manager in the NFC championship. Just don't go lose it, Jared Sidham.

I'm looking up his stats right now. He actually hasn't attempted a pass in two seasons. He didn't attempt to pass last year either. So he's coming in very cold. His last pass was in 2023. Yeah, only four starts in seven seasons. That's the fewest ever for a quarterback in a conference championship. game. Four starts in seven seasons. But an opportunity, think if you're him, you're just along

for the ride, taking pictures, got your family there. Next thing you know, you are two wins away from being a Super Bowl champion starter. I got to go back to that. You mean this man has collected a paycheck for seven years and has only had to play in four games? Four starts, 20 games. But here's it. So he has a great gig, essentially. And this has a chance to ruin it. Because if he plays terribly, he's going to be like known forever for playing terribly. And that's not what you want. Like this is actually, I think this is the worst thing that could have happened to him. He had gotten seven years and only played four games. He literally had one of the greatest jobs in America. And he's like been in the back, hoping nobody sees him,

like he gets all the free snacks after it's over and now they're like hey you get to play and he's like oh good oh it's the afc championship and the whole world is going to watch it and if you're bad do you think anyone's going to pay you to sit in the back of the room anymore like this is awful his cover's blown he's just been enjoying being the backup quarterback being a part of the team it's like if you work in an office and you've been there forever you're just going to the motions yeah reply to emails then they come up to you and promote you you're like i don't want to be promoted i like where i am right now right right right I just want to be right here, just replying to emails and going home at the other day. I don't need more responsibility. You don't, some people don't want a promotion. Like, some people, you don't want to have that moment where you can be exposed to the world. Actually, that's kind of how I was when they asked me to do the play-by-play. You know, I'd been saying for years, hey, will you give me more responsibility at ESPN? And then they gave me it.

And I was like, wait a minute, I don't want this now. Please take this away. I was doing five. It's exactly like this. Jared Stedom's like, I just want to sit on the bench and throw soft tosses to the receivers to warm up. I don't want to go play. Well, he's going to have to. And then it's for Josh Allen.

Go on record. We will write it on the whiteboard and we will revisit it in a decade. Will he ever win a Super Bowl? Or was this the chance? This was the chance, I'm afraid. Yeah. Me too. Because, I mean, just look at the AFC.

Like, you're going to have, I just want you to think about the AFC permit. Obviously, Mahomes, Lamar, Borough. You now also have Bo Nix and Drake Mac, right? Francisco Mendoza is going to be entering it as well. You've got Trevor Lawrence, who has done what he's done in Jacksonville. I mean, the amount of- What? I mean, the Texans are a star quarterback, but that defense, you're going to face them.

We're going to get to C.J. Stratt. I don't know. I may not be a. to put him on any list anymore. But I mean, you're going to have at least eight guys who are star quarterbacks in your conference. That's not good, right? Yeah, I meant more so a defense you'll have to run through. I don't know if Stroud will be there much longer, but a lot of good young teams that aren't going anywhere are going to be in your way as you're kind of seeming to be coming down the hill and never got to get to the Super Bowl. Yeah, I will. Okay, a couple moments from

that game I enjoy it. Former Kentucky Wildcat Dionne Walker, we got to see his belly jiggle in slow motion, which I thought was one of the highlights of the weekend. I don't know how the announcers didn't mention it. Okay, they showed, they showed the other guy hitting the quarterback, but no one seemed to notice this 340 pound man's belly jiggling. I think that should have been, uh, Nancy Romo owe an apology to the viewers for not acknowledging. what was an amazing sight. Yeah, everyone at home, they weren't watching the quarterback. They were watching Dionne Walker's belly jiggle like that.

The slow-mo was beautiful. And I don't know his personality about it, but a lot of fat guys, they love it. I would like to think he liked the attention to guys. They're not self-conscious. First of all, he was wearing a cut-off t-shirt. So, like, he has to have known that it was a possibility that, I mean, he might not have known they would do it in slow motion.

But he had to have known his belly was going to be out. So I think he's probably, I think he's sad they lost, but I think he's probably pretty good with that. Yeah, he had an interception in the game, and I think the belly and slow-mo was the best moment he had of the whole game. Yeah, it was his first interception of his career. I will say, again, they lost. You got to give a lot of credit to Joe Brady,

who I've been saying someone should hire the play call where they did the little pitchback to Ray Davis that got them down the – that was a heck of a play and a gutsy play at that time of the game. And our boy, Ray Davis. As much as I feel bad for Josh Allen, I actually feel worse for Ray Davis. I know he doesn't have quite the legacy to protect is Josh Allen, but a good year from him, and that's our guy, and he had that big play, and I wanted him to play more football this year.

All right, so the Broncos make it. Let's go to the other game, the Texans and the Patriots today. C.J. Shroud, five turnovers, four interceptions, and a fumble. And it's not just that he had four interceptions, that they were awful interceptions, and they weren't even interceptions like on the Caleb where you could go, well, maybe the receiver could have done. They were on him.

And they were in bad times twice they're in range where they would have scored. Really just an awful game. And, you know, quarterbacks in general, the third year is a huge thing because you have to decide whether you're going to extend them. Really, the third year of a quarterback is the most important year for. them. And now it ends like this. And it's very likely the Texans will have to make a decision in the offseason. He probably, even if they decide to keep him, they will not give him what they could have given him. And that game today might have cost him $75 million. Like, I'm not even kidding. It

might have been that much of a paycheck game for him. I agree. But he was. He was. so rattled, completely rattled. They were even talking about during the broadcast going to our guy David Mills, like Davis Mills, should they really consider putting Mills at this point? I think he's been a fan favorite of this podcast all year. But I also think it's one of the rare occasions, Drew, that maybe you should have thought about doing it. Yeah, and we joked about him during the season, but that little stretch he had where there wasn't really a drop-off kind of tells me a lot about C.J. Stroud, too, that there was not really a difference between Stroud

and Davis Meals playing with that defense. So if I'm the Texans, I don't think Stroud's the answer. You're in a great spot. Now, I will say this. If you take Stroud out today, then you can't ever bring him back. Really. I mean, like, you can't take him out of the AFC playoff game and go to the backup.

I mean, that would be hard to ever bringing back. So, I mean, it's probably one of those things. If you're going to do that, you've got to understand what the ramifications are. And that's exactly what they said on the broadcast. They said if you sit him, this is probably the last time you see him, because in a playoff game, you can't just go to the backup quarterback and bench your starter and franchise player.

So that's probably ultimately why they didn't end up doing it. But I mean, he looked awful, looked completely terrified of being in that situation. But how much blame do you put on the weather? Because Drake May fumbled four times and through an interception. They only lost two of those fumbles. But I mean, both of these guys played big four. I mean, I put a lot of it on the weather. But you also have to remember, I mean, I think part of it was CJ

Strowd is the fact that where he was two years ago, right? As a rookie, I think most people thought he was the next guy, right? Like, I mean, I think there were people who kind of thought we're going to be putting him in that Lamar, Burrow, Allen, Mahomes group. I remember he, after that season, ranked the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Do you remember this? and he put Mahomes 1, Lamar 2, Me 3, Borough 4, or Allen 4, Borough 5. He put himself ahead of Josh Allen and Burrow.

So I think part of this is the expectations and then what has been a huge drop off of play. And, I mean, I don't think, like, I don't have any sources, but I've seen online that there are a lot of people that blame, there's a certain sense of thought that he doesn't work hard and that he doesn't do the prep that's necessary to be a great quarterback. So I think all those things combine, Drew, to make it to why he gets so much criticism for it. Yeah, as bad as he looks today, he wasn't even too good in the first playoff win. And you don't want to have a guy in year four still chasing his rookie season where

that was his best numbers. I mean, his numbers don't even compare to how good he was in that year one. I know he was hurt this season, but it almost looked like that was just a flash in the pan there, and that might not be what he truly is. And if I'm a Texans fan, what I saw today, I don't know if. if I can put much trust in that moving forward, even if there was some snow. Yeah, and he's on a team where you could argue

if he had just been average, maybe they could have won a Super Bowl, right? I mean, he didn't have to be great. That defense is so good. I mean, he lost him the game. Of the Patriots 28 points, C. Day Stroud, you could argue, gave them 14, maybe even 21 of them just himself.

Because you're right. As Billy said, Drake May was not that great, but they win the game. So the Patriots win. I really hate the Patriots. I hate that Bill Simmons is happy. You know, I hate, I just hate it. I hate everything about, I hate that Jeff Goodman is happy, the college basketball reporter.

He's a Patriots fan and his daughter goes to Indiana. So he gets this back-to-back days. Like I just, it's a bad trait that I don't want people that I even like to be happy. Like I like Bill Simmons and Jeff Goodman, but I don't want either one of them to be happy. I don't know why the Patriots made me so mad, but couldn't we have had a few, couldn't we have had like a decade of not dealing with them? Yeah, they didn't really have a drought. What was it like three years and I going to the playoffs?

And now they have their quarterback of the future. And everybody's already making comparisons to the goat. It's completely unfair that Boston gets all the success. Where we root for teams that have these decade-long droughts. We barely have memories of happiness. And they're just every year. Well, let's go have another parade because we won something else. You should.

I mean, the person that might. be the saddest is Matt Jones because he'll be remembered as the guy between the two guys that was picked. But yeah, I can't stand it. And the thing is, they're going to make the Super Bowl and they'll have a good chance at winning it. I mean, I think whoever wins between the Rams and the Seahawks will be the Super Bowl favorite, but I think the Patriots will certainly have a chance. It's also a bummer about the Bears because you had a chance to have, we talked about the anniversary of the 85 Bears game. I mean, there was a chance to. to recreate that 40 years later.

Yep. There was some history today. Drake May is now tied for 13th all time in fumbles in the playoffs, and he's only played in two games. He has six fumbles in two games, which is 13th all time. Wow. That's pretty impressive. I did not know that. That is amazing.

So I think he's got a real good shot of beating that record before his career ends, don't you? Especially when he stays on this pace that he's on through the first two games of his career. that's a really a really good good stat i like that um it was it was interesting in watching i think it was interesting watching there were four games over the last two days on four different networks right so you got four different views of the playoffs i mean i the bill the seahawks by the game was that game sucked i mean rachid shahid hits this runs it back it's over so i don't even i mean you have anything you want to say about the seahawks 49ers but Pat myself on the back.

I thought that was going to be a blowout. I didn't think the 49ers stood a chance. It's amazing they made as far as they did. Then it was a blowout. That wasn't good going and getting Shaheed. That was a trade they made mid-year. He had the kickoff return. He's got a punt return this year.

And then he had a big run in that game. So I guess he's the storyline. But otherwise, no, it was just a whooping. And they probably should be the favorites to win the whole thing. But, you know, still Sam Darnold. By the way, Sam Darnold has a chance to be, the first person from his class to go to a Super Bowl. And by the way, that was the class that had Lamar and Josh Allen.

Right. So if you had said that which would be the first quarterback to go to a Super Bowl with Josh Allen and Beaker and Lamar and Baker Mayfield as well. I mean, so all those guys get picked and now it may be Sam Darnel Drew. What are the odds you could have gotten on that three years ago? Wait, was Jared Stude him in that class too? Maybe he beats all of them. Snips up.

I don't know if he was. If there was gambling, live betting that... I think he is in that class. It's pretty close. I think he might be. It might be a year. I'm drafted in 2019. Okay, so that was two years later because I think it was 2017 was that.

But anyway, go ahead. Yeah, I was just joking about that. Yeah, if you've gotten a live bet, you know, when Darman was on, maybe the Panther or something, who would be the first of that class to get to a Super Bowl would have made some good odds there. But he's earned it this year. not an MVP candidate, but the year he's had has been amazing. So, yeah, so the four games are on four different networks. And I found myself sort of, and this is tough because I work for one of these networks,

but I'm going to act for a second as if I don't work for one of these networks. I found it interesting to watch the ways these games are covered. I want to see if you agree with this. So for me at this point, and I don't know why it is, I think the network where the games feel the biggest is NBC. That there's something about probably because those games are always at night, that I feel like the games are the biggest if they're on NBC. And then I would say second for me is Fox.

For some reason, just the way the broadcast is on Fox, I feel it's the second biggest. Then probably CBS and then, well, actually maybe then ESPN and then CBS. For some reason on CBS, I don't feel it's as big, even though we've had so many big like Bill's Chiefs games and stuff over the years. For whatever reason, it feels like that to me. What about you? See, I think CBS does feel big. I put CBS above Fox, and this might just be what we're used to.

I'm an AFC team that plays on CBS all the time, and you're an NFC team that plays on Fox all the time. Might be a little biased there from what we've grown up watching. I think my Fox one, though, goes back to when I was younger, you know, Cowboys 49 or, like there was a period of time once Fox got the contract

in the 90s where it felt like when John Madden was on a game, it was the biggest game. And that was Fox for those years. So I think that's probably why I feel that way. Yeah, that makes sense. And the robots, you know,

they're timeless. The robots, yes. You get Jim Nance on CBS. If I'm ranking them, I might even agree with you on NBC and putting Tariko above Nance, in football, maybe not overall, but for these football moments, I really enjoy... He gave you the little hello friends, Ben.

No, I'm ranking Tarrico above Jim Nance. I'd say Toriko's probably first, even though Collinsworth wasn't moaning enough. Can I also, let me say this about Fox. I got to give a shout out to Tom Brady. I think he's gotten a lot better. Like, I actually would argue that he has improved exponentially, which is probably why shouldn't have been put on the first team in year one. He should have had some time to get his legs under him.

But I actually think he's really, really good now. And I actually think he's a lot better than Tony Romo now. It wasn't this weekend, but I guess last weekend or two weeks ago where they clip live viral, we have explaining about throwing in the wind. Just when you have someone that's a master of their craft, the best to ever do it like that, I could listen to them to talk about anything with technique, something like that that I never would have considered. and Brady's been doing more and more of that, and that's what people want to hear.

Well, it's hard. I mean, it says a lot about his ability that, but he has kept at it. I thought he might walk away after a year, and I think he's gotten progressively better at it. And then again, I don't know if the Romo, if the predicting plays thing just gets old, but he's not for me anymore. I think Collinsworth's still great. Aitman and Buck are kind of like, they're almost a part of your life now. They've been doing it for so long.

So I think that, I think they are blessed that like there's nobody terrible. But I would actually argue of the four networks, Romo is the bottom. Last thing, the visuals of the game. Well, I think they all have like crystal clear. I mean, obviously they all have the technology. I don't think anybody's like us trying to get their computers to work. I do think for whatever reason, it looks crisper and like more perfect on NBC. for whatever reason, I think their cameras just seem to make it look crisper.

Do you think that? I can agree. It could be they have the benefit of all their games or night games. We get the Sunday night production. You know, night games always look better, pop better. So that could be it. But I agree with you that NBC has the best. I don't love the carry underwood intro.

We have to mute that in my household. My wife's not a big carry underwood. You know what? Wait a minute. Why aren't you a carry Underwood fan? Well, my wife isn't a big fan. It's like a known thing. We have to mute the intro.

Your wife is a very sweet person. Why doesn't she like Carrie Underwood? It doesn't like the voice. Like when I'm watching football, I got to mute that. It's going to be a problem. There's no carry Underwood in this house. Wow. I didn't realize Abby hated Carrie Underwood.

That's a good rivalry I didn't know about. He did rivalry too. Yeah, that's a strike against NBC in this household. So other than that, I agree with you in the ranking. Yeah, well, I do say it sometimes. Like, I've been waiting all day. for Sunday night. Like, it did stick, don't you think?

I mean, what a lyric. I've just been waiting all day for Sunday night. I guess it's true. It's objectively true. We have been waiting all day, and it is now Sunday night. I mean, I think that's a fair. It's fair. She said I've been watching football all day, and now it's Sunday night, and I'll watch more football.

We've got the matchup set. We will do further predictions later in the week. But if you had to pick now, where are you leaning on? the Super Bowl. I just can't believe in the Broncos at this point. I probably would have picked the Broncos and Bo Nix hadn't rolled that ankle. So that one's not even a question for me. The other one, I'm pretty conflicted.

I'm going to lean Seahawks. Just being home, the way the defense has played so lately, didn't have much of a challenge whatsoever against the 49ers. But I also, as I said, we were talking about the Rams. I think there's another gear that they can hit in the playoffs of that offense. But I think I'm going to, I'm not committing now. I can update as it goes on, but I think I'm going to go Seahawks in that one. Yeah, I'm going to go with the Rams.

I think Matthew Stafford is better than Sam Darnold, and that will show up. But I thought the same thing about Josh Allen with Bo Nix. I will say this. We were talking on my ESPN show about sort of historical quarterbacks. And it is a different tier when you win your second. Okay, because if you kind of go look at the guys who've won two, it is the best quarterbacks of all time. I mean, it's Brady, it's Manning, it's Mahomes, it's Montana, right?

It's Steve Young. And you throw those- Elway. And it's Elway. And then there's a couple that are kind of like team quarterbacks. So you're talking about Terry Bradshaw and to some extent, Troy Aitman. The only quarterback out there that is considered one of the greatest that only has one title really is Aaron Rogers.

Like if you, he's really the only one that anybody would put in the best quarterbacks conversation that's only one, one. If Matthew Stafford gets his second, I mean, just think about the names I just said. Those are the best quarterbacks of all time. And then I think in the, you know, Bradshaw-Aitman considered to be the leaders of two of the best, like, dynasties of all time. Well, this Rams team is not a dynasty. So if Matthew Stafford gets his second one,

I think you now have to think of him as one of those quarterbacks, which I don't think people naturally do. But if he wins it, Drew, I actually think he will need to be put in that group. Oh, I completely agree. He'll probably have an MVP after this season. Looks like he's sending straight for that, adding that to his resume with what would be two Super Bowls. I mean, his numbers are up there already with some of the greats.

Still got a few more years to add to that. So absolutely if he gets a second ring. I don't think that's any question that he's made himself into that top tier. But I don't think most fans. I don't think most fans would just think that off the top of their head. They would not think to put him in that group. But I think when you hear that group of names, the ones I just said, you think, okay, no one would disagree that Brady Mahomes, Montana, Manning, and Elway, maybe are the five-be.

right? And then I don't think anybody would disagree that right under that you might have a group that includes Steve Young, Troy Aitman, whatever. He's going to be there. I mean, he is. And I, if he wins, and I think that's kind of an interesting storyline to watch as we go. All right, let's look, let's go back to some other NFL news. The Falcons hired Kevin Stefansky. I sort of thought he was, since Mike Tomlin's not going to coach, I kind of thought he was like Target 2 behind John Harbaugh for NFL teams. Kind of impressive that the Falcons would get the second best guy,

don't you think? Yeah, we knew that name would get picked up quickly when I'm sure the Browns should let him go. It's just part of being the Browns, I guess, him not having a losing season there. But yeah, good get for the Falcons. Suffishly, I was hoping the Titans would be in the mix there for him. But they made it quick and made a good move there.

I, with all the, you know, we've spent the last couple podcasts ranking those spots. Wasn't as high on Atlanta as maybe some others, but it's a good hire for them. I think that might be the best one they can get. It's odd to me, though, because, like, isn't he going to have to be Kirk Cousins? I mean, is it Kirk Cousins going to start next year? Like, that's a weird place to want to go start. Yeah, he must be thinking, you know, I'll just get through this one year of whatever their quarterback situation is and however it goes, maybe the following year, I'll have a draft pick,

or maybe Michael Pinnix comes back and turns into something. but Cousins doesn't have a lot left, so it'd be weird to get excited to take a new job, and you look up in Kirk Cousins as your starting quarterback. Are you starting to feel some Mike McCarthy sexiness there in Tennessee? I mean, are you starting to – I hear he went to – apparently he was there all weekend, went to eat, went on Broadway, had a Bachelorette party.

Like are you starting to – Oh, bachelor at a party? Yeah, he and his girls had a Bachelorette party. Like, are you starting to feel it? I'm just all the Mike mix. We got Mike McDaniel, Mike McCarthy, our current coach is Mike McCoy. I'm just prepared for some kind of Mike to be coaching the Titans.

Which one would you rather have? McDaniel or McCarton. McDaniel. Most people would prefer McCarthy, including a lot of ones I trust that I'm reading. But I just, I can't do that again. After watching him with the Cowboys,

I know he's been a great coach. It just seems like an old hire. I would like to see Daniel with Cam Ward, in that offense, even though his personality and all of that would take a little bit of getting used to. Well, you're going to get him. You're going to get Mike McCarthy, and I'm going to be excited that you get to have him in your life again. I know you liked it the last time when he was with the Cowboys. I think it'll be very exciting for you. I am enjoying watching which one of these teams is going to screw up the job. I think the very good candidate is Arizona. I think there's no doubt.

It seems to me, I don't know what the Raiders are doing, but I feel like the Raiders have to at least wait and try to get Signetti. Even though I know he'll say no, like if Mendoza is going to be the quarterback, I feel like you've got to try. It won't happen, but you got to try. But like no one wants to go to Arizona, right? You have nothing. So I think they're going to end up getting the worst tire, whoever it is.

Yes, nobody wants to live in Arizona, though. Remember a few years ago? where that picture of Cliff Kingsbury's house came out of the draft and it looks like... But you've been there. We went out there. It's hot. It is hot. It's really hot. You can deal with it to coach the Cardinals.

Yeah. It's pretty hot. I mean, I got sunburned. All you got to do is look at the picture of me from that Barstall party. I look like I just, like a lobster just walked off of me. Because you and I had played golf the day before. It still maybe my worst round of golf in history, So maybe that's messing up my view of Arizona.

I just don't know that's where I'd want to go. It's living in your head. Sunscreens your friend, but that one does not look half as good as Vegas and what you're saying about Mendoza. I don't think Sig would take it, but I agree with you that they at least need to make the call. We're taking your quarterback.

We can build on this. You've already got a ring in college. Come be the greatest ever and get just Super Bowl. Let's also talk for a second with Super Bowls now two weeks away. As a matter of fact, we will be flying to San Francisco. Francisco two weeks from Tuesday. So I've learned more about all this because I talked to my boss of ESPN who told me like

all of the ESPN shows are going live. Apparently where our set is is right next to where McAfee will be live. So we will be taping this podcast while McAfee is live just like 20 feet from us. So my assumption is we'll get the same guess. they do because people will want to do both shows knowing where they hear and they're there. And then when it comes to like the parties, Billy, have you been working on your wardrobe? Not yet, no, but we are going to find some something to wear. Like are you thinking about various things to wear? I mean, these are going to be some high class

affairs. Yeah, I have no idea, honestly. I'm hoping somebody at the store can help me out. What store? You say the store. Or we go to Dillards or Macy's or something like that. Men's warehouse maybe. I feel like I've got to bump it up to a different level, though. I don't think these are men's warehouse parties. Like, I don't think you want to come in like a business suit. You're trying to look hip.

You're trying to look like you're on the scene. Yeah, I wasn't going to wear my khakis to the Sports Illustrated party. But maybe like an all black look or something like that. I mean, I don't know. Maybe black. Do you have, do you have like nice jeans, like nice jeans? Yeah. Yeah, I got jeans.

You think that's acceptable? I didn't ask you if you had jeans. I asked you if you had nice. Well, that's subjective. So I'm not sure. They're not acid washed or have holes in them. So you can say they're nice. Yeah.

I don't think you want acid wash. This is not 1986. Do you have like shirts? Are you going to like try? Are you going to go for sophisticated? Are you going to go for sexy? Like, what are you going to do? Well, I got some extra pair of contacts.

So we're going to ditch the glass. in San Francisco. So, I mean, what do you mean you have an extra pair of context? What does that mean? Like, I ordered some more contacts so I can wear those out and about in the San Fran nightlife that we're going to experience.

You don't want to go, like, you're trying to turn it up enough. Glasses off, Billy's parties on. Employee of the NFL is going to be there for, ready to go. I don't know. What does your wife think about all this?

Oh, she's worried. Why don't you order contacts for her? I don't think she knows about the parties. that we're going to be going to. She just knows about the trip right now. Well, don't you think maybe you ought to tell her that? I thought she might just find out when Mario films us while we're at the club, maybe. Okay, well, listen, I've never been married.

I would suggest you give her a hint that you're going to parties. I think, don't you think, Drew, she might want to know that? Yeah, just tell her, get her a souvenir at the parties. Just get her a magnet or something from the supervisor. A magnet. Yeah, that would go a long way. Really the most important thing to, the most important thing to pack is a positive attitude.

You have your positive attitude. Oh, absolutely. We're going to have a weird time frame, okay? Because, I mean, if you think about it, our KSR show will be, you're going to go on the air at 6 in that morning local time in San Francisco. And then these parties, you know, some of them, they might go, let's say we stay out late to midnight, Billy.

That's 3 a.m. on our body. He's like, this is going to be a lot happening. Yeah, I'll sleep when I'm dead. This is a week I've been waiting for a while, so we can make it happen. Well, the United States Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, said that he only sleeps two hours a night. So I don't believe him. He said he works 22 hours a day. I do not believe that's true.

But he did say that, Billy, so you could follow in his footsteps. Hopefully we can get more than two. I'd be dragging and be a little bit of a grump the next day if I had two. So I can't. Mario, or Mario, Drew, do you believe that he always sleeps

two hours a nine? No, I believe he's a liar. I've done some stretches where maybe like three consecutive nights of two hours and about that's about all you can do.

It really starts to catch up with you. So if he's claiming that's his regular life, no, absolutely not. Yeah, I don't believe it either. Well, it was a great,

two really great games, two not so great games, but overall, all these playoffs have really delivered. Tomorrow's a national championship. Drew, who do you have, Indiana or Miami? Indiana is going to kill them. It's just maybe the most dominant season we've ever seen

from a college football team. And I put the final stamp on it Monday night. I know Miami is supposed to be a home game, but Mendoza, it's a home game for him too, and I expect he's going to have a big game. Yeah, I kind of feel like that, too. I think Indiana crushes him. And I think Indiana will go down then as one of the great college football teams

of all time, which people don't want to say because it's Indiana, right? They don't want to say that. But objectively, if you beat Ohio State and then you destroy Alabama, you destroy Oregon, and let's just say they destroyed Miami, wouldn't you have to say that true, even though it's Indiana, you don't feel like you want to?

Yeah, and I've seen some stats that don't have them in front of me, but they're like the first team to win five games, about 40 points or something, and their margin of victory and all these. There's a lot of stuff that's never, been done before already. So if they finish it with one more big win. I think if they win by 15, if they were to win by 15, they would have the highest margin of victory of any undefeated team ever in the history of college football. It's going to happen. I think the spread is seven

and a half. I'll be partaking in them covering that. I'll lay those points. All right. Well, thank you guys very much. Billy, thank you in your generic NFL hat. Drew, nice to see you in your Max Headroom blurry screen. And for all of you that are out there, enjoy your week. And we will see you midweek. It's cover zero. NFL cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast.

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