KSR - NFL Cover Zero: Injuries Mounting and NFL Week 5 coming!

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

Matt Jones is traveling back from South Africa, so Drew Franklin takes over the reins.  Looking back to Sunday's tie between the Packers and Cowboys, are you still okay with teams playing to... a draw?  Tyreek Hill and Malik Nabers suffer season ending injuries and we're awaiting news on Lamar Jackson. The Browns are benching Joe Flacco in favor of rookie QB Dillon Gabriel.  How do you feel about Bad Bunny as the Super Bowl Halftime Show?  Heading to NFL Week 5, the Rams host a hampered 49ers squad.  The Vikings and Browns are in London and Dillon Gabriel gets his first start.   Will the Eagles stay undefeated after facing the Broncos? The Bucs and Seahawks don the throwback jerseys both looking for their 4th win. Jayden Daniels returns as the Commanders visit the Chargers. Drew explains why he's got no hope for the Cowboys against the Jets.  Jaxson Dart gets his 2nd career start when the Giants are in New Orleans. How can the Ravens get back on track against the Texans? The Bengals will have their hands full against the Lions. Can the Patriots hold an edge against the Bills?  Drew wonders which Chiefs team we'll see this weekend against the Jaguars.  We wrap up with the Touchdown Parlay and looking forward to Matt's return on Sunday!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 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. Welcome in to a new episode of NFL Cover Zero, the NFL podcast featuring Matt Jones and Drew Franklin. You're used to hearing Matt Jones right now, but I am Drew filling in in the host seat today. Matt is finally on his way home from South Africa. Our longtime listeners know that he spent the last. last few weeks over there on a safari and hanging out with people in his fellowship group that
Starting point is 00:00:42 travels the world a couple times a year. We did a good job checking in with Matt from, I think he was in a hut last week. We've talked to him in Cape Cod when he's been putting his life on the line to go out and get yogurt. But today he is actually on a flight on his way home and all day travel days. So I am taking over the reins of this midweek edition for week five of the NFL season. I'm going to preview the week five games, talk a little bit about the biggest news of the week, but I won't be alone because Billy Rulich, who you usually hear on this podcast in the third chair, he produces the show, but occasionally pops in with stats.
Starting point is 00:01:20 He's just sliding on over to chair two. And Billy, it's good to have you here as a co-host as we get by with one episode without Matt before we return to our regular routine when he gets back. Yeah, I'm honored. Who needs a guest, Drew? Just bring your producer in to fill in. fill in the second host chair. Wishing Matt is safe travels as he come back from South Africa.
Starting point is 00:01:40 I'm hoping he has a bottle of wine for me and a Tate Ratledge jersey, but you know what? Beggars can't be choosers, Drew. So just hoping he can make it back safe and sound. And that hyena, he's been carrying around in his luggage. We know that he won't have a phone. He's still been without that his entire trip. He told that story on this show a couple weeks ago, how he lost it on a ferry, going across, some cape down there in South Africa on his way to see where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned at Robin Island.
Starting point is 00:02:08 He's made it without a phone so far down there. But Billy, now he has the travel day without the phone. And this is a whole other animal. This is a different beast because I'm playing in my head a typical travel day for me, just domestic United States, you know, direct flights. And I mean, I need my phone. Just I keep my boarding pass. You know, I'm Uber into the airport, scrolling at the airport bar.
Starting point is 00:02:32 check in Twitter. Matt is having to do an international all-day travel. No phone. Can you even imagine? I can't. I mean, I can't imagine being in a foreign country without a phone, let alone an airport, one of the most boring places of all time if you're not having an airport beer. He's a guy that'll read a magazine at a Reds game, so I'm sure he'll be fine for the most part. But if you're like me, Drew, I put the boarding pass on there. I do everything on the phone. So it might be a little difficult to get around. But if anybody's going to do it, it's going to be Matt, but how great was him whispering in the tent, not trying to wake people up in the bush in South Africa, trying to do an NFL show. That was great last week. I've been on a, I call it
Starting point is 00:03:12 glamping trip where we say tent, but it's a nice tent. Mine wasn't South Africa, but it was out in the wild miles and miles and miles from civilization. And that is just a level of quiet that we don't experience in our everyday life. And I'm sure that all the people around him were expecting that as they put their head to their pillows that night out there in the middle of Kruger National Park. And then right it around midnight, they probably heard, welcome in, NFL cover zero. And Matt, doing that show. So we were able to get it done. I'm surprised we got connected and put an episode out.
Starting point is 00:03:43 But I know the people around him heard every word that he was saying, well, half of our conversation, but his side of the whole podcast. Right. You might expect to hear some hyenas in the background, maybe some exotic birds chirping. But him talking about Jackson Dark in the New York Giants is probably not what. what they expected, the nine other women that are with him on his fellowship. And didn't his Reds make the playoffs in the middle of that too? So he probably screamed that a little bit out there.
Starting point is 00:04:07 And could be out of the playoffs before he even gets back. So a typical Reds fandom thing. But yeah, they did make the playoffs and haven't had too much success yet. Back to the traveling without a phone thing. It's just now hitting me. I forgot how long his flight is, but it's hours times hours, time hours. It's just an unfathomable amount of time. Now, he said he's blurged for first class.
Starting point is 00:04:28 So hopefully they have a screen set up where he can watch all his favorite movies. But if not, I'm just thinking about that has, if it were me, I would have podcasts. I would have downloaded maybe some Netflix onto my phone. I have books on my phone, games. If he doesn't have movies, but does he just stare at the back of the seat for 14 hours, whatever it is? It has to. The flight path where you can see the airplane go over the water. Oh, you can only watch that for so long.
Starting point is 00:04:58 He's got to be raw dog in that for at least 14, 15 hours. Do you talk to the people around you, Drew, or is that like you're at the gym? You don't want to talk to anybody. You're locked in. Oh, Matt hates flying. He usually has noise-canceling headphones on, and he's got something going on. I'm sure that's out. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:05:12 I guess you could read the pamphlet that teaches you how to get your mask down and the flotation device. You could read that over and over. There's usually a menu. You could probably memorize the nutrition facts on like the ginger ale and the free coffee. But other than that, that's such a lot. Sounds like the worst day ever. Yeah, there's a lot of responsibility if you're on the emergency exit. Make sure you have a flotation device as well.
Starting point is 00:05:34 He's going to be going through all those checks if you don't have a phone. So he's just taking it back to, you know, a simpler time. Drew, maybe he'll connect with the people around him and look out the window for 14 hours. Yeah, well, he'll be back on Sunday to recap all of the games. He'll be back stateside here within the next 24 hours. I guess for our KSR listeners, he's back on Friday's show this week to the regular routine. and then he'll be back, as I said, for our week five Sunday night recap. But today, I guess it's just me and you, Billy.
Starting point is 00:06:03 We'll go through the normal grind. We know ball. You know ball. Even though you don't talk as much as Matt and I do on this. I mean, we hear you chime in. You know what's going on. Let's do this thing, man. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:06:12 Because of Matt's travels, as you mentioned, we had the Hutt show last week. We had to do a little earlier so you could get out of there. And we didn't even get to the two primetime week four games. Usually we wouldn't look backwards on this episode. but we got to talk about the Dallas Cowboys and the Packers and the Micah Reunion. I know it's a little old news, but the fact that it ended in a 40-40 tie, a Sunday night primetime game, high-scoring game that ends in a tie. What did you think about, Billy?
Starting point is 00:06:41 And are you one of these people that, like, you hate soccer and it's just completely unacceptable to have a tie? They should just play it out until their legs fall off. I'm not somebody that hates soccer, but it does feel un-American to end a game in a tie. You know, these overtime rule changes where each. Each team gets a possession, you know, makes it a little bit more fair for each team until you get to the playoffs. And unfortunately, this just ended in a 40-40 tie. I feel like everybody was watching this game all because of Micah Parsons, who didn't do squat until the overtime period. So that actually worked out for him.
Starting point is 00:07:14 But how about Jordan Love? Just laissez-faire, not caring, throwing that ball in the end of one second left. Luckily, they are able to kick a field goal and tie it. But I'm ready to banish ties. What about you, Drew? It's not fun ending in a tie, but you might notice today, Billy, you know, every day I wear a Titans gear because I'm a Titans family. Always wear my Titans gear. You know, this year we ass now.
Starting point is 00:07:37 And my we-ass T-shirt hasn't gotten here yet. So I'm wearing Cowboys gear today, my second favorite team, because I can't support a loser anymore. I need a team that can at least tie. None of my teams can win. I haven't found a winner yet. You know, Ryder Cup didn't win. Kentucky football can't win. Titans can't win, so I'm head to toe my favorite team that can at least tie.
Starting point is 00:07:58 I will say, though, one of the players on this team that tied Pickens, George Pickens, had a great game. He's a big reason they won two touchdowns, eight catches, phenomenal filling in without CD Lamb. He is a pro athlete, and after the game, he admitted he did not know you could tie in an NFL game. George. Come on, George. Even if that happens, you can't admit that to the media afterwards. you just shut up and you don't say anything about it.
Starting point is 00:08:24 Say that it was a good game. But he didn't know the rule? Didn't know the rule. He was maybe an MVP. In the MVP conversation of the entire game, kept the Cowboys in it. As you said, Love and Dak, they were back and forth. I think a lot of that says about their defense is our boy Carrington Valentine from Kentucky,
Starting point is 00:08:40 got torched back the kids on a play. But it was an entertaining game that ends in a tie, and a star player there didn't even know the rules. Before we keep going with some news and things, people have asked, because I don't believe in people that, like, two teams. You don't like two teams. That's unacceptable. Yeah, you've got to like one. But I, there are circumstances.
Starting point is 00:08:58 And as I am rocking my Cowboys gear right now, but I still love the Tennessee Titans. I would like to explain one quickly circumstance that I think is acceptable that I have lived out. I grew up a Cowboys fan. Got it from my father, my aunt, the whole
Starting point is 00:09:14 family like the Cowboys. If you want to talk about picking a front runner, talk to them, it was handed down to me. We all have grown up in families where you like the team. that you're people for you. Like, yeah, Cowboys fan growing up. My whole room was decked out in Cowboys gear. I had like this picture that says,
Starting point is 00:09:30 Welcome to Texas Stadium, Drew Franklin, where it's like Photoshopped on the scoreboard. It looks like they really did it. The Cowboys, the metal trash can, recliner, all cowboys. Bedspread. If I could fit that star on it, I had it. I had an 8 by 10 signed by Emmett, an 8 by 10 signed by Michael Irvin and one by Troy Aikman,
Starting point is 00:09:49 all in a row above my bed. couldn't have been a bigger Cowboys fan. But I live an hour from Nashville, a little bit more. And out of the blue, they say, hey, we're getting an NFL team. That point, I'm still 13 years old, maybe even a little younger. Cowboys, they're starting to get in a little bit of trouble off the field. And that's a little kid. I'm like, they're doing what?
Starting point is 00:10:13 No, we can't do that. And then literally the Titans pop up in my backyard. So that is how I'm a die-hard Titans fan. And I adopted them the moment. They weren't even the Titans yet. They didn't even have a stadium. They were practicing at Vanderbilt. I said, hey, I got like the local team, but I can't undo my childhood.
Starting point is 00:10:29 So, Billy, that is why, at least in the NFL, I'm a Titans fan, but still love the Cowboys. And you might see me wearing both. Otherwise, you can't just start picking teams and deciding who you're going to like. But that one I feel like is a little bit understandable. Yeah, normally you need to have one team and stick with them until the end. But I think that's acceptable when they create a team at a thin air in your. living area, you should have every right to root for that team. It's the local radio,
Starting point is 00:10:54 the local CBS broadcast, I could go to games. Now, I'm sure you got a great time that first season. No. Well, yes, early, early. That first season was a lot of fun, right? But do you regret the decision to go from Cowboys for time? No, no, die hard Titans. Cowboys aren't much better, but I had
Starting point is 00:11:10 to get that off my chest because people, no one's accusing me of being a frontrunner by wearing Titans and Cowboys, but you had to explain that because of many people of that. How did you become a Bucks fan, by the way, while we're on it? Well, everybody's got their story, right? Some people just, that was the only game on back when there was only three channels. That's why they liked the Cowboys so much.
Starting point is 00:11:26 I grew up in it. I'm originally from St. Petersburg, Florida. My dad had season tickets, so we used to go to the games. Some of my first memories were going to Bucks games, specifically in the 2002 season when they won the Super Bowl. I went to two games that year, both against the Saints and both losses. So they win the Super Bowl, and I go to all the games that they lose. But made me a fan for life. Went through plenty of suffering after.
Starting point is 00:11:50 that, whether it be Josh Freeman or James Winston, who I absolutely adore now. And then Tom Brady came and saved us and won us a Super Bowl. I moved from Tampa, Florida, St. Petersburg area, to Kentucky, Oldham County, Kentucky when I was a teenager, talk about a culture shock. But I kept my fandom because Kentucky obviously doesn't have an NFL team. So I've hit all the bases. You know, you go to Cincinnati, you go to Nashville, you go to Indy to watch those games. But always been a Bucks fan and always will be. Well, we're going to talk a lot about your Bucks as we get on to the NFL.
Starting point is 00:12:20 NFL news here, but there's a little intro on how Bill and I got to like our teams. How about that? And yeah, how about we get to some news? Start with the big headlines from the week. I'll tie in the first one, also looking back to Monday's prom-time games, Bingles Broncos blowout, whatever.
Starting point is 00:12:37 But in the Dolphins game, Dolphins get a win, but in one of the biggest news pieces of the entire week, Tyreek Hill, out for the season, you know, Dolphins didn't have promising aspirations this season. But Tyree Kill, your vertical threat, one of the speediest guys in the NFL, one of their biggest, if not their biggest playmaker, dislocated his knee and tore multiple ligaments,
Starting point is 00:13:00 gruesome injury on prime time. And that's one of the talks of the league right now is him being out. Yeah, I had to take him to the hospital. Just hope he's okay, wishing him the best. You know, hate to see that from a guy that's so explosive, probably never returns to the form that we saw him in Kansas City. But a lot of people made comments on him, like, laughing and clapping as he was getting escorted off the field. I thought that was a little low brow.
Starting point is 00:13:23 You know, you're kind of high at that point, right? I mean, you don't really know what's going on. Yeah, so, I mean, you got to think that guy is just doing everything he can to keep his motions intact and get into the locker room. But I did like Tua's comment on it. I don't know if you saw this. After the game, the Dolphins won a much-needed win for Miami. And Tua went on to say, all glory belongs to God for keeping us safe for the most part. Yeah, well, mostly safe except your star player.
Starting point is 00:13:49 star player you should be throwing to. Who is going to absolutely hamper your ability to make the playoffs this year. You know, I already have a tough time watching to a play just because of all the head injuries. But to see Tyreek go down like that was tough. Yeah, and, you know, he had some frustrations before the injury of how things were going there in Miami and then to lose your season on an ACL like that. Yeah, there's clips of him grinning, but I doubt he was thrilled to blow out a knee. It's not like he just wanted to stop playing with the dolphins.
Starting point is 00:14:15 It was so bad. People were making that opinion. I thought that was crazy. But also, from the same weekend, another star NFL receiver, Malik Neighbors, torn ACL for the Giants. Another guy was a little bit of frustrated earlier in the season, but the Giants made the big QB change, got a win. You'd think, you know, maybe neighbors get some excitement back. Pair it up with Dart, future looks bright. And then his torn ACL, just excruciating injury for him, second year guy.
Starting point is 00:14:43 And the Giants, right when they find some swagger, losing their star playmaker. Visibly frustrated with Russell Wilson for the first. first few weeks. Finally gets Jackson Dart. You know, Billy R. Sports is doing his victory lap for his touchdown early on in the game, and then it just comes crashing down with Malik neighbors. You know, I love everything about the Giants.
Starting point is 00:15:00 Actually, Scadabot and Dart, you know, it seems like they've got a young core and the fan base is getting behind them, but yeah, that was tough. I mean, that is your superstar. And you've got a pretty good defense this year, too. We'll have to wait until next season to see more neighbors. It's kind of eerie, but he's their
Starting point is 00:15:16 best receiver since Odo Beckham. Listen, these comparisons. Odell Beckham and Malik neighbors. Both went to LSU. True. Both first round picks. Both were playing against the Chargers when they tore their ACL and MetLife on turf.
Starting point is 00:15:32 I don't like that. Both were catching a pass from an Ole Miss quarterback. I know that's getting deep. So is that Eli? Yeah, Eli, Dart, playing the Chargers. Okay. On the MetLife turf, first round pick from LSU. And Odell Beckham came out and said,
Starting point is 00:15:48 like we got to get rid of turf. Like this is, this is happening too much. And, you know, I don't know if they'll get rid of turf. But here we are. We're going over the headlines of the week. And I didn't just decide to talk about injuries, two of the stars, the NFL and more that we'll get to. But these two especially two huge leg injuries early in the season that are costing those teams. Yeah, that's tough.
Starting point is 00:16:07 And while we're talking about turf, the turf held up in the international game in Dublin. And I think a lot of eyeballs were on that. But even like MetLife, it is these stadiums are going to be a little different than playing on that natural grass. So that's a tough injury for the Giants, no doubt. We won't sit here and continue to do the NFL cover zero injury report and just, oh, sucks for this guy. But there are a couple more that's huge news because another injury report that we don't
Starting point is 00:16:31 have official news, but Lamar Jackson, you know, an MVP candidate, or he was until one and three start, but he's dealing with a hamstring. They haven't officially said anything about their game coming up, but originally was two to three weeks. Now I saw it today in Rap Report said it's more week to week. But regardless, looks like there could be some Lamar Jackson down time. Another huge name dealing with an injury right now. Yeah, and before that injury, he really seemed to be struggling with Kansas City in that matchup last week.
Starting point is 00:17:01 So Derek Henry gets the fumbles. Lamar Jackson pulls a hamstring. The Ravens are suddenly one and three. And this is a team that was supposed to be a Super Bowl favorite now kind of on the brink here. So do we know who the backup is? Is it Cooper Rush? Yeah. Do we know much about?
Starting point is 00:17:16 Cooper running. Well, I'm a Cowboys guy, secondary Cowboys guy, so I know some Cooper Rush. We'll get into what that means when we break down their game a little later when we go through the games. But, you know, just big injury report this week. This one, not an injury, but a big QB change that's a headline. We're finally
Starting point is 00:17:32 going to get Dylan Gabriel in Cleveland. The Browns are switching from Flacco. Flacco's not hurt. He's just 40 years old. I recently turned 40 years old, so I can just say everything hurts. Flacco is dealing with an everything. If he's like me, when he walks up steps. He's like, why is my right knee throbbing? Or maybe randomly your elbow will just
Starting point is 00:17:51 start making a noise and stinging. Who knows? But 40-year-old Flacco was out. They're turning to the rookie Gabriel. Brown's with the one and three start. Billy, what do you think about them handing over the keys to the young rookie? Well, I've kind of come to love Joe Flacco. Not only because people say that he's an elite quarterback and probably not being an elite quarterback, even though he won a Super Bowl, but just the whole thing with his kids, being fans of other teams. They wear the opponent's jerseys. Yeah, they wear the apposion jerseys and let Joe know about it all the time. Like, I think one of them was a big St. Brown fan and they played the Lions last week.
Starting point is 00:18:24 And he's like, yeah, he's going to score a lot on you. And he's like, okay, thanks. You're my blood. You're supposed to be supporting me. So I am a Joe guy. But, you know, Dylan was a surprise in the draft, right? You know, Shadur was rumored to go to Cleveland very early on. I mean, many thought he'd be a first round pick.
Starting point is 00:18:40 He did eventually go to Cleveland. But the fact that they not only took him and Dylan Gabriel, real, you know, it was, there's been a lot of question marks. Now, Dylan has been in a couple games. He's thrown like three passes. He's looked okay. But, you know, it's just, it continues the Brown's musical chairs of quarterbacks. And Drew, I want to ask you a question.
Starting point is 00:18:59 Do you think that Joe Flacco's age or the amount of quarterbacks the Browns have had since 1999 is greater? Which number is greater? Oh, I've seen the famous jersey where they keep adding the names. And it's so long, like it's, there's like duct tape hanging that's not even. attached the jersey anymore. Okay, so I just said Flacco's 40. I know that because we're the same age.
Starting point is 00:19:21 I feel like the Browns jersey's got to be in the 40s, though. That thing's, they've been tracking that thing for 25 years. I'm going over 40. It's close. 41. Oh, right at it. What a great one. See, I'll ring the bell for you.
Starting point is 00:19:32 Yeah. 41 quarterbacks since 1999 and Dylan Gabriel will be 41. Can you name them all? I'm just kidding. That would be, that would be a choice. That would be very impressive. Kentucky's own Tim Coucho started the trend. Yeah, Johnny Mansell's in there somewhere.
Starting point is 00:19:45 Johnny Mansell. Oh, you got Trent Dilfer, a little Ken Dorsey, Brandon Whedon. Josh McCown. Josh McHen, yeah. Derek Anderson. How about some Derek Anderson? Brandon Whedon. Yeah, there's some names.
Starting point is 00:19:58 We can do that all day. But, you know, Brown's making the change. They needed to do it. They have a great defense, but averaging 14 points a game. They're like one of the worst offenses. Similar to what we're saying about Jackson, Dart, and Russell Wilson a week ago. If nothing else, it just gives you some swag and something to, look forward to like no one is looking at Joe Flacco saying this is our future so just go ahead
Starting point is 00:20:19 and give it to the young guy and see what you have yeah and I'm thinking about brown spider and first lady I'm hopefully they're on board with this I wonder what they would think about people rooting for two different teams in the NFL that's probably blasphemy to the people that get married in the parking lot of a tailgate they would not like my reasoning but I'm sticking with it yeah the other big news from the week um we have a Super Bowl halftime performer Taylor Swift yes I does not Taylor Swift, Billy. What? That's the betting favorite, Taylor Swift.
Starting point is 00:20:47 It was not her. What do you mean? Roger Goodell teased it. I know. You know, Taylor, she's got to keep her rights to her stuff. You know, they had that whole, that's all above my pay grade. But, you know, Taylor's music's untouchable. She's her own Super Bowl.
Starting point is 00:21:01 But they have the next best thing. Oh, who do they go? Are you a bad bunny fan? Bad Bunny was announced as the halftime show last weekend. I know that's been out circulated, not breaking news here on NFL I'll cover zero. But one thing we do is break down the news. And Billy, again, I'm 40.
Starting point is 00:21:19 A little past my bad bunny era. So tell me all about Bad Bunny. Because if he's the Super Bowl performer, somebody's driving around and just listen to Bad Bunny. I'm sure it's you. Somebody's going to be entertained by this Super Bowl halftime show. I don't know if it's going to be most people in the United States. But this is an international game.
Starting point is 00:21:37 Roger Goodell said he wants 16 international games in a season coming up. You're playing in Dublin and then in London. If you're the Minnesota Vikings, you just stayed over there. So I get what they're trying to do to welcome in a bigger audience. But, you know, he was good and happy Gilmore too. And wrestling, I think it's like the Royal Rumble. Oh, he's an great intro. Well, that's about all I know about Bad Bunny.
Starting point is 00:21:57 And I think most people in this country is that it probably is about the knowledge that they have. Yeah, I know he's a mega star. You know, Grammy nominations. I think he's won a few. I mentioned the wrestling. He's Saturday Night Live. He does it all. But I've just accepted, you know,
Starting point is 00:22:12 I remember being young and like Nelly came out. My parents were like, who's Nelly? And I'm like, Mom, Dad, Country Grammar's the greatest song. You know, listen to you're the young kid and you're trying to teach your parents. I'm accepting that I am going to need someone at the Super Bowl party to tell me more about that bunny. I support him getting a gig. I'm not one of these people. Like, it needs to be my crowd.
Starting point is 00:22:33 But where's my favorite music? I get it. It's not for me. But I have finally reached a point where the Super Bowl performer, I cannot name a song. Is it like the Ryder Cup? It's a sad. It's a sad ending for you. It is a little sad. You're getting old. We all get old, Drew. But remember the Ryder Cup that can't lay complaining that none of the players get paid or anything like that. You know, they don't pay for the Super Bowl halftime show. You think Taylor Swift didn't get that.
Starting point is 00:22:56 I guess she doesn't need any money, does she? I think she has all the money. Yeah, she's fine. But I want to come off. I won't be the guy eating nachos at halftime saying getting bad bunny off my TV. Where's, you know, whatever I like. I mean, I'm very excited to see it. But I'm just having to accept that I'm no long. longer the demographic for something like the halftime superlady. No, I'm sure I'll be gyrating at some point.
Starting point is 00:23:17 And, you know, all our wives and girlfriends will sit down to watch it, too. They'd rather watch that than the rest of the game anyway. They call it Latin trap music. I know a lot of it's Spanish speaking. Yeah. It'll get your hips going. I can't. I can't sing it all. One of the songs I think is called Mia, maybe with Drake.
Starting point is 00:23:33 So maybe I know a bad bunny song. Okay, look at you. You said you're the old guy at the party. It sounds like you know a bad bunny song. That's more than the average, I think, at this party. Don't put me in the retirement home yet, kids. I'm trying to hang in there and keep up. This one has just thrown me for a loop.
Starting point is 00:23:46 But we're talking cameos on cameos, right? Like if the main performer isn't English-speaking, we're going to get some good guests, I'm sure. Yeah, it'll be fun. We've got a long time before the Super Bowl. That's, you know, Titans could get hot and, you know, playing. Okay, now we're getting into Fantasyland here. Let's get into some actual football. That was a long intro for us, had fun going over the headlines, even though a lot of them were injuries.
Starting point is 00:24:08 Or did you have any other headlines before I just gloss over you? you bring a lot to the table. That's what I had. Any other exciting news bits? You were telling me something fun about block punts earlier. Yes, yes, that's what it was. I was trying to remember the headline I did want to bring up. You know, there's been a lot of blocked field goals and blocked punts in the NFL this year.
Starting point is 00:24:24 I mean, my Buccaneers have had three straight games where they've gotten a kick blocked in that regard. And so CBS Sports did an investigation and asked some current coaches and players about special teams and what's going on. And I could not believe the answer to this, Drew, a special. a special teams coach anonymously said that they don't have enough time in the day to practice blocking on field goals and punts because all of their emphasis is on the new kickoff. New kickoff rules. Yeah. In a primetime game previously where they didn't hit the ball inside the 20. Apparently, according to these special teams coordinators, they are practicing so much on the kickoff that there's not enough time in the day to practice scoring plays or punts.
Starting point is 00:25:08 Drew, can you believe that? that in the NFL, there's not enough time to practice something. I get that they're having to put an emphasis on these kickoffs, because you mentioned it just last Thursday night, completely changes the game where you don't hit the – don't get it inside the 20. Right. But I don't believe that you just – we couldn't possibly figure out how to block –
Starting point is 00:25:26 I mean, there's only so many hours of the day. How could we possibly focus on two things? I don't believe that whatsoever. That's my thing. I mean, these guys are making millions of dollars to practice twice a day for five days a week, right? You got time to practice fuel goal blocking and punt blocking? Like, come on. And the technology we have now.
Starting point is 00:25:47 Like back of the day at practice, you're drawing stuff up in the dirt. You might be lucky enough to roll a TV out on a cart that's hooked up to a VCR where you can see a few plays. Now, we got a camera angle for everything, a next-gen stat for everything. You've got a staff member for everything with an iPad that can do more than our brains could ever comprehend. And you're telling me, with all that technology, all those resources, all those people, all this money invested in your organization, you can't possibly figure out how to get a couple things into a practice session. Get out of my face. Not a time in the day. That's insulting, Billy.
Starting point is 00:26:22 There's only three phases to the game. We can only focus on two of them, Drew, because the third one's all messed up with new rules and new kickoffs. Our average listener right now, they're working a 40-hour job. They might have kids. They might have to get them to practice. They might have two jobs. to cook dinner every night. And we all have busy, busy, busy lives.
Starting point is 00:26:41 And we would all love to have the problem of having to figure out a punt block or how to land it inside the 20 being paid all this money with everything at our disposal. So get out of here with that excuse. You got me worked out. It's the kickers that are drinking the MJ juice recently. I mean, 65-yarder from the Bucks kicker last week. The Cowboys guy might hit a 70-yarder this year. Oh, he's amazing.
Starting point is 00:27:02 Aubrey, just a soccer player that was like, I'm bored. can't really play soccer anymore. I'm getting a little old, hard to, you know, get out of breath, can't run for 90 minutes. I guess I'll just go be the best kicker in the NFL. It used to be a 50-yarder was like news, right? Like, all right, you really got into that one. Now, I mean, that is the minimum for these guys.
Starting point is 00:27:20 Yeah, well, let's get into our games. We'll start with, do a top five games. The slate isn't awesome. It's kind of an ugly slugly. We were very blessed in the first four weeks with some just monster matchups of playoff teams. And we even had a Super Bowl. rematch to open the season. This week, we're getting, you know, teams are separating.
Starting point is 00:27:40 Not a, not any huge marquee games, but we can narrow it down to five. We'll run through all of them, but I'll go kind of chronologically with what we think is exciting. We found we started getting some by weeks. So Falcons, Bears, Packers, Steelers fans, take a couple a couple plays off, keep listening, but we don't have a lot to say about you all. Enjoy your rest. Let's get to our top games, and we got to do a little Thursday night. A couple three and one divisional rivals here with 49ers heading to the Rams, Billy. Thursday night football.
Starting point is 00:28:22 Rams are a big time six and a half point favorite. Rams almost lost last week to the Colts. They were lucky to pull that one off. But otherwise, it's been a good year for the Rams. Had the ugly loss to the Eagles before that, one they should have won. 49ers, same record, but don't feel like
Starting point is 00:28:38 they're nearly as dominant and they are just so banged up. But it's our first game, Billy Thursday Night Football. Who do you like? Yeah, the other day, I think it was, was Ricky Pearsall couldn't enter the medical tent because Juan Jennings was already in the medical tent. I mean, this 49ers team is beat up. And Brock Purdy comes back and he could be already out again. He's dealing with some toe issues. Mack Jones could be the guy that comes in. Really, all I can
Starting point is 00:29:01 think about is the defensive coordinator, Sala, and his comments with Liam Cohen from the last week. He talked about the legal sign stealing and how Sean McVeigh's coaching tree is really good at legal sign stealing. Well, here we go. Now you play Sean McVeigh. Liam Cohen said, keep my name out of your mouth as they met at Half Field. It was pretty dramatic between Sala and Liam Cohen last week. So that's all I'm thinking about is
Starting point is 00:29:26 how are the Rams going to legally steal the signs of the 49ers this week? Yeah, we didn't get into that much last week where Cohen and Salah had their big interaction, but I'll admit, knowing that and then picking up the schedule this week and seeing 49ers Rams, you know, I have an
Starting point is 00:29:42 actual schedule. Billy, I'll lift it up off the table. It's a printed schedule. Okay. My brain, Emilio, went, oh, this is like the worst opponent for this story to go. If Saul wants this to disappear, he does not need McVeigh, Thursday night, prime time. I saw Shanahan was asked this week. I don't know what reporter has the nerve to ask this, but they can come hang out with us anytime NFL covers zero. But they were like, what coaches can beat up Robert Salah?
Starting point is 00:30:08 And Shanahan said, I can, but I'm the only one, something along those lines. So we just got like Shanahan saying he can beat up his own defensive coordinator. But it has added some juice to an already big divisional game out there in the NFC West. Well, you know, if you didn't want the story to go away, what Salah said after the game was puzzling too. He said he was genuinely trying to give Liam Cohen a compliment. He said he regrets his word choice. Instead of using legal sign stealing in preparation of the game, he could have said film study. But I guess Liam took that personally, brushed him off at midfield.
Starting point is 00:30:40 And that's when he said, keep my name at. to your mouth. I guess that's a nod to Will Smith, you could say, without the slap. But yeah, a little dramatic. I kind of love the drama between coaches. Give me more of it. And let's bring that reporter on NFL cover zero, it sounds like. I side with Cohen on this.
Starting point is 00:30:55 If you say you're stealing signs, it's not really a compliment. I feel like he's trying to twist this to get out of a hole. I mean, you said what you said, man. Yeah. Also, Liam's been a little feisty down there in Jacksonville. Yelling at Trevor Lawrence. Every week, he's yelling at somebody. Duvon.
Starting point is 00:31:11 I thought you'd get down. there and palm trees are around you and it's like you're in retirement but he's worked up going after coaches his own quarterback yeah and to his credit maybe we'll talk about this more when we talk about jacksville they're in a good spot i mean them and indique you're going to be fighting for that division certainly not the titans
Starting point is 00:31:26 yeah any team that plays the titans twice in one year of course you're in a good spot so who do you like here 49ers or rams rams it is the NFC west pretty stacked through four weeks though you got three three and one teams and the cardinals are two and two I expect the ramps to win this
Starting point is 00:31:42 So 49ers are just so banged up. And, you know, Matt has his big case. He thinks they're going to be just not a good team, but ends up having a good record at the end of the year. I think he's spot on with that. But the Rams get them Thursday night. Pooka and Akua has just been unreal. Phenomenal.
Starting point is 00:31:58 13 catches, like 175 yards, and a touchdown against the Coles last week. He's leading the NFL. They signed Devonte Adams, and you lose, why am I drawn a blink on? Cooper Cup. Cooper Cup, yeah. And you wonder, you know, what will Pooka-Kua look like with things changing up like that?
Starting point is 00:32:18 Just has become the top leading receiver in the NFL. I think that was his first touchdown last week, too. First team in a lot of yards. Long flowing hair as well, I think helps. I'm jealous of that hair. Let's move on. This game, not that exciting from a match-up standpoint. Neither team has a winning record, but I love a good London game.
Starting point is 00:32:35 So we'll go to 9.30 on Sunday where the Vikings back-to-back 9.30 a.m. morning games for Viking fans. They're playing in London. They got the Browns. What do you think about how the Vikings just said? We'll hang around. Well, I think that they're fine with it since they both count as road games for Minnesota. You know, you really get the short end of the stick when you go overseas,
Starting point is 00:32:57 and that counts as one of your home games. You've got to win every game in this league to give yourself the best chance for ranking the playoffs. So I think they're fine with it. You know, we went through the logistics with Matt last week. That was super interesting about the thousands of pounds of equipment that they had to ship over. and the meals, the passports and things like that. It's too bad that the international crowd has to watch Carson Wentz for two weeks in a row. But at the same time, now they get the Cleveland Browns and Dylan Gabriel starting.
Starting point is 00:33:24 And can we get into Charder a little bit and what he did today? Yeah, yeah, of course. We touched on Dylan Gabriel a little bit, but we didn't get into how they could have gone to Sanders. Yeah. And then he was asked about it in the locker room. Dylan Gabriel is the new starter. What do you think? and he was miming to reporters, moving his mouth, but not actually speaking.
Starting point is 00:33:46 And on the heels of it coming out that he told the Ravens, he didn't want to be behind Lamar Jackson, so don't draft me. And then what Rex Ryan went off about recently, where Shadur said that he was more than capable than several of the starters in the NFL currently. Drew, did you see the video? Because it's one of the more bizarre things I've seen from an NFL player. Yeah, and I was sympathetic for Shadur when he fell so far on draft. Half Day, one of those people.
Starting point is 00:34:11 I didn't think he should have been a top pick, but I didn't think he should fall that far either. I felt bad for him, and I thought he was very mature in how he handled it. I thought he seemed pretty mature in camp. I think we're starting to see some cracks. You're a pro. You're in the locker room with TV cameras in front of you asking you a question about the QB room, and you're just, like, pretty much trolling the people talking to you. You can't give a genuine professional answer.
Starting point is 00:34:36 Like, I'm going to be ready. Right. If it's my turn. Yeah. I wish I'd won the job. I've been side by side with Dylan and Camp. You know, he won it out, but I'm right here ready to go if they call my number or if they need me. Plenty of stock answers, you can say.
Starting point is 00:34:50 This was pretty childish. The easiest thing in football, the canned answers to the media. You just get on the same page at the beginning of the year and you can not have drama in the locker room. It's a pretty easy thing to do. But with losing comes people lashing out, people getting emotional, and Sheter Sanders pulling this stunt. You know, the better question is, why would you become a mind? Like, you know, these people, they don't ever talk, but, you know, they're dressed in makeup and, you know, like to try to make people's day, Drew. Was that ever in the career path for you?
Starting point is 00:35:18 No, I talk way too much. I am disappointed in his miming. He didn't do, like, the wall. The wall or the ladder or pull on the rope. If you're going to go, mom, commit to the bit, maybe you don't have the costume handy, but he could have added the hand motions. But, you know, he's a guy already facing criticism. He's trying to beat the immature, selfish allegations. already, it's kind of like read the room a little bit.
Starting point is 00:35:42 You're trying to help your reputation and not drive it farther into the ground. But if he started pulling the rope or like doing like the fishing line or something like that with reporters, like I may ask him to leave, like right then and there. You cannot be miming in the locker room, Shadur. Do you have faith in Dylan Gabriel's Jackson Dart moment? It's very similar circumstances where you had the old veteran who was fine. He's doing all right, but he's not going to take you anywhere. So you hand it over to the rookie.
Starting point is 00:36:09 Is there any chance that it's just a repeat of a week ago and a rookie gets a big win and it takes over and starts a new era? No, I'm a little worried about DG. I mean, not only the fact that he's a lefty, but Cedric Tillman just went on injured reserve. They can't figure out what they're doing at the tight end spot. I am worried against a pretty good Vikings defense. What, did they play, Cincinnati,
Starting point is 00:36:30 and the cornerback broke a record for, you know, a pick six and a fumble recovery touchdown, all does it in the first half and sacks as well. So this could be a long day. Minnesota's already adjusted. They've been waiting for Cleveland to come over. They've already got accents. Their teeth have already rotted.
Starting point is 00:36:48 They're fully committed to the London vet. Beans and toast. I mean, it's just part of their natural diet at this point. Hey, I like a good English breakfast. You got your beans, your toast, your sausage. I think there's like a little tomato, a little egg, beans, lots of that. We talked about the logistics. What do they do?
Starting point is 00:37:03 I think about when a game's over and all the recovery these guys need and the routines they're in. Are they just at like the Marriott lobby taking turns on whatever spas available or whatever gym's in there? That's a good question. How many cold tubs are available to the NFL players? These are big soccer stadiums, right? So you've got to think that some of them have some pretty good interiors, but there's probably some that don't, right? Like, it's not everyone is going to be pristine.
Starting point is 00:37:29 But for now, I think they're still going to the mega stadiums that do have the cold plunge in the sauna. And believe me, I would need it after playing the bar. rounds. Well, congrats to Vikings fans. I love the 9.30 a.m. Sunday game. You just wake up and it's just there. You know, I hate that I don't get to see Jane Polly and CBS Sunday morning at that point, but not having to wait for NFL. Let's get started. I would love to have that at least once. Titans, I guess they did it a year or two ago, but congratulations to Vikings fans. I can get it two weeks in a row. Well, Gadell says he wants a season with 16 international games in one year, so that could be on the horizon. But I do like it much more than the Dunders. I do like it much more than
Starting point is 00:38:07 the double Monday night football. I just... I don't love that either. You know, we're big Roger fans. We work for the company now. We get Rogers emails. You know, we're big Raj guys here at NFL Cover Zero. We fully supported the international games,
Starting point is 00:38:18 mainly because I just want to get up right away and start betting on football without having to do chores and other Sunday things. Next game. How about a little Broncos Eagles? Okay. Eagles, of course, one of the best teams in the NFL, depending who you ask.
Starting point is 00:38:32 You might have them ranked one. I might have them ranked two. But they're undefeated. hosting the Broncos who just destroyed the Bengals on Monday night football. We glossed over that a little bit. But I think that was said more about the Bengals than it did the Broncos. Regardless, huge win for them. Denver leads the NFL with 15 sacks this season.
Starting point is 00:38:52 And the Eagles are just absolutely loaded. What do you think of Denver? We kept wondering who's going to keep the Eagles from going undefeated. Your Bucks gave them a run for their money last week. Is there any chance Denver can be the team to knock off the defending champs? Yeah, absolutely. They've got a shot. I think Matt has been pretty negative about Bo Nix and saying that's going to be a regression year for him.
Starting point is 00:39:11 Denver ranks ninth in total offense this year. Meanwhile, the Eagles are 13th, so not too far away, but the Eagles are 31st in passing. I mean, Jalen Hurts had zero passing yards in the second half versus Tampa Bay. It feels like the Eagles forget how to play football for a quarter each game. They've had some wild finishes in their undefeited street. Like the Rams game, I mean, it's just a little confusing what Philadelphia does. They've also run the quarterback sneak 92 times since 2020. 22.
Starting point is 00:39:39 We can't do the, that's a lot. We can't do another tush push breakdown. I feel like every NFL show, every day of every week, has a tush push conversation. I want to go back to you saying they don't throw the ball. My guy, A.J. Brown, my favorite receiver in the league, former Titan. Oh, yeah. Arthur, Juan, Brown. I love him.
Starting point is 00:39:57 He's unhappy, it seems. Yeah, what's he doing? Is he just being a diva receiver? I mean, he's got some diva tendencies. He's the best receivers are divas. It comes with the territory. but did you see his tweet after the game? I guess this is a Bible verse.
Starting point is 00:40:10 I need to brush up on my Bible reading, but he tweeted, if you're not welcomed and not listened to, quietly withdraw, don't make a scene. Now he'll play that off as I'm just putting out a little scripture doing my weekly Bible study. But doing that right after you had like,
Starting point is 00:40:27 what, two catches, I think last Sunday? Is there trouble with AJ Brown, J. Brown, J. Helens magic there. Yeah, probably. I mean, you know, last year, was Sequin's year, right? And he kind of took a back seat and let Sequin run for 2,000 yards and let the Eagles win the Super Bowl. Now I think he kind of wants his a little bit. And now that he's not getting it, you're seeing tweets. You're seeing these cryptic things. The guy had nine targets.
Starting point is 00:40:51 So it's not like he was just ignored the entire time. Only two catches, but nine targets, Drew. That's a pretty good day for most receivers in the NFL. But, you know, it makes me think Trell Owen's doing sit-ups in his driveway. Maybe just receivers just have a little bit of diva in them. It needs to come out every now and then. Jamar Chase is yelling at Zach Taylor on the sideline. AJ was reading books on the sideline. Yeah, I was about to bring that up. That was last year he was reading the inner excellence on the sideline.
Starting point is 00:41:18 Been following AJ very closely since he is rookie year in Nashville. I love him, but, you know, he has a tendency to do a little bit of this kind of stuff. Or Traylon Burks and the expectations that came with replacing AJ. But are you still rooting for AJ or is it kind of like watching an ex? I don't blame him. AJ actually wanted to stay in Nashville. It's rare to get a superstar come through the Titans and be open about, I want to be here. I want to stay here.
Starting point is 00:41:41 He went to Ole Miss, which is very close to Nashville. I believe he's from right outside Memphis, northern Mississippi, that area. So it's like we finally have a receiver, which the Titans have never had, always had good running backs. It's like we have a young receiver that we can call our own. He loves it here and then just shipped him away in that draft for nothing. But don't get me start on that. We ask.
Starting point is 00:42:03 We all know that the Titans, we ask. Moving on. Let's get to your team. All right. Your Bucks. You want to do that one? Yeah, let's do it. Big game for your Bucks.
Starting point is 00:42:13 Hosting the Seahawks, a couple three-and-one teams. Let's see, your Bucks could be undefeated. Tried to come back on the Eagles last week. That was a tough task. Baker Mayfield had an interception of the end zone down 8. Still a good showing for them. What do you think about having Seattle this week? Both of these teams are going to be wearing throwback uniforms.
Starting point is 00:42:33 Oh, I didn't know that. This could be the best. uniform matchup of the year if we're talking about those throwbacks for Seattle and Tampa Bay. And it's in Seattle. I said box hosting. I flipped that. Yeah, in Seattle, four o'clock game. It kind of makes me think of the redemption arcs for Baker and Darnel. Both in the same class. Baker goes one. Darnold goes three in 2018. They go through multiple teams. I even saw a reporter ask Baker, do you reminisce of the good old days when you and Sam were at Carolina? And he goes, what did you say? Good old days? No, no, absolutely not.
Starting point is 00:43:05 And so just for these guys to see this resurgence in their career, Sam, with Minnesota last year, and Baker, obviously, with Tampa. It's been a lot of fun. Also, two really good Ohio State receivers. I believe Jackson Smith Injibah was the Ohio State receiver. And then Emeka Ubuka, who has been really good for Tampa. Both of those guys tearing it up right now. But Seattle's sneaky good. You mentioned their three and one.
Starting point is 00:43:28 They've had time to prepare. They played on Thursday night against Arizona. I think I would die for Baker Mayfield at this point. Oh, it's that kind of love. is. But I think this is a game that Seattle might come out on top of. You mentioned the receivers. Wook has been awesome for a rookie. And then Smith and Jigba, I think he's second in the NFL in receiving yards this year.
Starting point is 00:43:48 Yeah, a couple of young stars. Bucky Irving, I think, his status is still up in the air. That would be a tough loss. He's not a spring foot, not long-term serious, but could miss some time. So that would be Rashad White getting the carries there. But this should be a good game between two good teams that I expect. expect to make some noise in the NFC this year. I've always wanted to go watch a game in Seattle, too.
Starting point is 00:44:10 The way that they've got that stadium shape to the makes it a little bit louder. I think that would be cool. I've seen the stadium empty. Like it's just when the, just in Seattle walking by it, even just seeing it from afar with no one in it looks awesome. But I would like to see the 12th man in person. You got me excited about these throwbacks.
Starting point is 00:44:28 Oh, yeah. These are two of the best, maybe the best. I mentioned this because your box wore the cream sickles just a couple weeks ago. I think Matt asked me, like, what's another classic? And my answer was the old Seahawks. I didn't like them at the time, but it's one of those, as time goes on, you look back on it fondly. Bring them back occasionally.
Starting point is 00:44:44 Steve Largett or something like that back in the day. Way back then. And the creams, you know, Tampa was so bad in them for so long. And now that they've come back and, you know, people just forget that they were Owen 16 wearing those things back in the day. So it should be a great uniform matchup and a fun four o'clock watch. How excited are you about the bucks? It's the Eagles and the Lions.
Starting point is 00:45:04 are your NFC, you know, favorites. Do you think you can maybe join that mix or maybe knock one of them off if you get to the playoffs? You're on a great pace to get to the playoffs in that division. Do you think you can knock down another door and join that NFC championship conversation? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you get to the playoffs, anything can happen, right? And they're in such a bad division. They've won the division four years in a row, and it looks like they're going to do it again.
Starting point is 00:45:31 So they'll have their chance. you know, Tom Brady coming in, went in a Super Bowl is great, then he does one more year and then leaves, and you think we're back to irrelevancy. And Baker's resurgence has been incredible. I think at this point I like Baker more than I ever did Tom Brady, which is saying a lot. They're pretty beat up. Mike Evans, he's got a hamstring injury. Tristan Wirth just came back with Chris Godwin. This is not the healthiest Bucks team as they lost Collagic Cancy as well.
Starting point is 00:45:57 But absolutely, there's nobody in the NFC that really scares me to the point where if, Tampa were to play that game, they would have no shot. I mean, to win the first three games on game-winning drives in the final minute, that's unheard of. They've been fun. They have been incredible. I've been jealous of you. So if they can stay healthy, I think that they have absolutely as good a chance as anybody.
Starting point is 00:46:18 And then it's just a matter of, you know, probably Buffalo in the Super Bowl, maybe Kansas City, if they can draw something out. You're already picking out who your AFC opponent. Yeah. That's the attitude, though. I'm already looking ahead. That's right. I mean, you gave the Eagles a run.
Starting point is 00:46:31 Oh, let's get our last marque. game in, then we'll do quick hitters on what's left. I say Marquis, Chargers losing to the Giants last week, brought them down a peg, but they're at the commanders. Jaden Daniels expected to return for Washington this week.
Starting point is 00:46:49 Another big matchup. I keep getting backwards on At. It's the Chargers. I don't know what schedule I have here. Chargers are at home. They're in L.A. I've written this backwards in my notes. Sorry, I apologize.
Starting point is 00:47:00 Commanders at L.A. commanders 2 and 2, Chargers 3 and 1 after losing to the Giants last week. What do you think of was that a fluke? Was that just some Jackson Dart magic that took out the charges who already have three huge wins on their resume? You know, they lost their right tackle in the draft pick Joe Alt, I believe. And after losing Rashon Slater at the beginning of the year, there's not another team in the NFL that doesn't have both of their tackles. So that is definitely concerning.
Starting point is 00:47:26 But as much as Justin Herbert is throwing the ball, I have to be encouraged. They are the favorite, I think, to win that division over Kansas City. I mean, even though they have a one game lead over Kansas City, by the way that they've started, I think they'd be the favorite. They are clearly a team to be reckoned with in the AFC. And if they can get just a little bit healthier, you know, Naji Harris goes down as well. I mean, they're getting bit with a little bit of unluckiness here. But yeah, I think that was a blip. That's a motivation game if I've ever seen one.
Starting point is 00:47:59 and dart, right? Neighbors goes down mid-game. Scatibos running like Mike Allstop back in the day for Tampa Bay. That was just, there's parity in this league, and sometimes the worst team is going to get the best of a different team. But I am fully on board with the Chargers, and they deserve fans, Drew. They do. I take the Chargers here, even though Jaden Daniels is back. I don't know how much better the commanders are going to be getting Jaden Daniels back, because I got a shout out by man, Marcus Mariotta. Not really a drop off in the two games he had to fill in. They went one and one, but their loss of the Falcons still scored nearly 30 points. He played well in both those games.
Starting point is 00:48:36 And I'm a pro football focused guy. I get into the nerd stats. They said he was in the two games Marcus Mariotta filled in. He was the highest rated PFF-graded QB. Really? It's good to get Daniels back. But how about gray-haired Mariotta trying to hold it together while he was gone? I'm happy for him.
Starting point is 00:48:53 You know, personally, I was working in the city of Nashville when he got drafted, got to work and meet him a couple times at training camp. With the Titans. So, yeah, name drop a little bit. Also earlier, you called Dylan Gabriel, DG? I mean, what is all you? How many quarterbacks you know over there? I don't know, Dylan, but I thought that was a natural jump there.
Starting point is 00:49:09 I do know Marcus, and despite him quitting on the Falcons last year and just going to Hawaii when he felt like it was okay to leave, I do root for him, and he looked pretty good. It's just everywhere else for the commanders at this point, right? I mean, Debo looks good, but they can't get their running backs to stay healthy. Hell, Chris Rodriguez, maybe somebody that's playing for Washington. He played a lot last week. Right. So, you know,
Starting point is 00:49:31 McLaren's been in and out. Daniels might have a little bit of a regression year here after all the expectations that got put on him after beating Tampa Bay and the run that they made in the playoffs last year. But I think this is a Chargers win. I'm going to join you in going with the Chargers. I still think they're good, and that was a fluke last week. Let's run quickly through the rest of the games.
Starting point is 00:49:52 If you don't have anything to say, we'll just pass. We went really long on an intro. I'm not trying to do a two-hour episode here. I guess I'll just go kind of chronologically. We got Raiders Colts. Cults, even though lose to L.A., you should have won that game. We talked about it last week on the show. You have an 80-yard touchdown that you fumble because the receiver cannot simply just hold on to the football for another split second.
Starting point is 00:50:15 He fumbles out of the back of the end zone celebrating. Completely changes that game. On the other end, you got Raiders with three straight losses. Bill, you were telling me there's this Ashton Genty fact out there? Yeah, you wanted me to go quick on these games, but I got to give you this. Ashton Gentie from Boise State was really good when he was in his Michael Meyer stance in the backfield where he's just standing straight up. So he does, you know, normally you get low, hands on your knees, bend your back. But at Boise, he would just stand stiff as a board.
Starting point is 00:50:43 And you're telling me that there's actual results. Well, he came into the NFL and they said, you got to stop that. Yeah, no one does that. Yeah. I mean, put your hands on your knees and act like an actual running back. But he actually went back to the Michael Myers stance. And the stat difference between stances is significant. in games without the Michael Meyer stance, he average 17 touches a game,
Starting point is 00:51:05 49 yards a game, and 0.3 touchdowns. But with the Michael Meyer stance, Ashton Jentee averages 23 touches a game, 155 yards, and three touchdowns. That's nuts. That's absolutely nuts. That should not matter. So is there any correlation to the man standing up in the backfield and it actually making a difference to the yards that they game?
Starting point is 00:51:26 I can't argue with the numbers. I mean, of the man, he's got. out of routine. I think they see him standing like that, Michael Myers, in the backfield and probably think about it more when they should be thinking about something else. It's true, it's throwing them off. Or they're like, well, surely, he's not going to run. He's not even set. He's not even a ready position. He ain't going to run towards me. That's going to be a random stat that's hard to top. I think we should keep eyes on that stat to see if it continues. And if so, then this will just be a weird oddity of the season. It's October
Starting point is 00:51:53 now. Can he wear the Michael Myers mask under his helmet? Just commit to the bit? commit to the bit. He's got to be Michael Myers at his Halloween party this year, no doubt. I'm committing to the Cowboys bit because we have the Jets. Oh, boy. The winless Jets. It's the one-two-and-one Cowboys. Telling you, I like a team that doesn't lose.
Starting point is 00:52:14 Yeah. Oh, boy, this one obviously was not one of our marquee games, but it is a game. Cowboys are interesting because Dak is having an MVP-like season. He has answered all the questions people had about him. He is trying to prove that he's worth the big deal they gave him a couple years ago. He's leading the NFL. The Cowboys are leading the NFL in offense,
Starting point is 00:52:35 but the Cowboys defense is absolutely terrible. They've given up 30 points in three straight games. Dak can't do enough to hang on. We just saw the tie. It was a shootout. The Giants game a couple weeks ago was a shootout. If you want to get your quarterback some confidence, pad some stats, play the Cowboys.
Starting point is 00:52:53 Dak has no help on the defensive side of the ball. Billy. Yeah, and it's really good if you're a Dak Prescott owner and fantasy. I know you guys said that you aren't. I am a fantasy player. I have Dak. It's been great. But that defense, it's like the little giants out there, Drew. It is unbelievable how easy it is to score
Starting point is 00:53:09 against the Cowboys defense. Urbana. Icebox, maybe? Icebox. I mean, Spike don't play with the girls. Annexation to Porto. That's what I was thinking. The O'Shea brothers? That's your favorite O'Shea brother. We're not speeding through if you want to get me on Little Giants. That's a whole podcast.
Starting point is 00:53:25 itself. It is one of, if not the best sports movie of all time. It's up there. There's no doubt. I mean, we've already got Happy Gilmore references, little giants. We could keep doing this for a living, Drew. But at the same time, I don't have much to say here. Justin Fields is a good fantasy option, but... Hey, crazy run last week. Yeah, he did. Yeah, he's exciting. Yeah, but hopefully CD comes back. Dallas is going to put some points on the board, but so is their opponent. Piggins now knows the rules of football. That helps. That's another thing. And then they always cut to Jerry in the owner's box, watching every game
Starting point is 00:53:54 with a scowl on his face. The guy can't be happy. I don't know the over under on this, but I'm saying take the over because the Cowboys can't stop anyone and they'll probably score a bunch of points. How about a little Dolphins Panthers? Let's do it.
Starting point is 00:54:06 Another riveting game, a couple of one and three teams. We mentioned Tyree Kill out for the year. Dolphins dealing with that. Jalen Wattle's going to have to step up and play well. On the other end, you have the Panthers who two weeks ago won by 30 points and a shutout. And then last week,
Starting point is 00:54:22 lost by about 30. So about a 60-point swing between weeks for the Panthers. How do you feel about the dolphins and Panthers? Yeah, I really don't know what to think about Carolina and Bryce Young because Bryce ended the year last year so good. But this year, like you said, it's been bizarre. They lose 30 to zero, or they beat the Falcons 30 to zero, and then lose to the Patriots 42 to 13.
Starting point is 00:54:44 I don't know if patience is running thin with Bryce in Carolina or what. The only reason to watch this game, There is the Darren Waller story from Miami. Former tight end. Rapper. Leaves football to wrap. Going through things beyond football, decides to come back.
Starting point is 00:55:01 And on Monday night football, just a couple of touchdowns for Waller. Hey. Just reviving that career. He's not the vertical threat of Hill, obviously. But they are finding a weapon for two as they're losing one in this week. Yeah. And this is,
Starting point is 00:55:15 you know, probably a big game for Mike McDaniels. I don't think the guy is able to, I know the owner said that they were going to have patience. with him during this slide. But I mean, you lose to the Panthers, and that probably just escalates things even quicker at this point. So Miami, I think, had some high aspirations.
Starting point is 00:55:32 And now that Tyreeks gone, and they've been a little bit of a shell of themselves, that hopefully Jaylen Wattle can step up. But I'm not too optimistic for the rest of the year. But they'll probably beat Carolina this week. Let's go to New Orleans, where when you add the team's records together, there's one combined win. Last week, Jackson Darts win.
Starting point is 00:55:49 We have the one in three giants at the, O and 4 Saints. Gotta give the Saints a little moral victory credit though. Last week, it was their biggest spread as an underdog since like 1975. And they gave the bills, I don't know if we'll call it a fight, but they hung
Starting point is 00:56:06 in there with the bills. They weren't out of it. They certainly played football. They certainly showed up with their pads on and were on the field. They sure did. The bills were my survivor pick last week, so I had to sweat that out a little bit as the Saints kept it close. I did enjoy going through the Owen 10
Starting point is 00:56:22 quarterbacks throughout NFL history as Spencer Rattler has become the newest name to that. But this is a lot of excitement for Jackson Dart, obviously, to continue what he's doing, Scataboo, as we've already mentioned. You know, the Giants have a good defense. And let's see if it transfers, you know, if you're Russell Wilson, though, I don't know what you do if you're Russell Wilson. You just look for another team because it seems like people hate Russell Wilson. Yeah. I mean, Jackson Dart's got so much aura.
Starting point is 00:56:48 James Winston is beloved. And then Russell Wilson, you can make an argument as, like, one of the most hated players in the NFL. Would you agree with that? For really not even doing anything. Like, he hasn't. Yeah, he just, like an awkward commercial. He's a bad person. It's just that he's corny.
Starting point is 00:57:02 He's guilty of being corny. Jackson Dart was very nice about Russell Wilson, talking about how hard it was on Russell, taking his job. You know, Jackson's got some of that young swag, you know, trying to be pretty cool. But he had very mature comments about taking Russell Wilson's job. My only takeaway from this game, you mentioned KM. Scataboo. I love him. Everyone loves him. He is like the old Mike Allstot running type that you don't see anymore. But I'm very confused by one thing, Billy. What's that? We mentioned earlier the Giants lost their star player because of the turf. Odell Beckham's like, get rid of the turf. Get rid of the turf. The Giants play on turf. Why, after the game, is Cam Scadabot? Covered in dirt. His uniforms like ripped up. Someone noted that's like a gritty football player.
Starting point is 00:57:49 However, we're playing on carpet. Is he faking it? How do it even do that? Does he just roll around in a troth before he runs out there to get that badass look? Because that is a great question. How is he so mangled after a game when they are playing on carpet? He's just, he's on the ground every single time he runs a play. There's no mud to roll in.
Starting point is 00:58:11 He could be like the ball's on the other side of the field. They're throwing it to neighbor. who was injuring his ACL in Scatabot who's doing like a dive onto a water slide under the turf just to get dirty, I guess. You know, there's like the black material on these turf fields. Those pellets, they're the worst. They're getting your shoes. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:58:28 So maybe that's it. But that is a look that I don't see a lot in the NFL when you're playing on turf because it looks like grass stains the guy has got on right now. That's just how tough he is. He manages to get tackled and he comes up and he has just that, you know, the big pile of dirt that gets caught in the face mask and the grass and someone has to come pull it out for him. He's doing that on turf.
Starting point is 00:58:46 I don't understand. I don't know if he keeps a bucket of dirt on the sideline and he's rubbing it all over himself to make it look like he's working hard. We all know he's working hard by how he plays. It's just amazing that he's getting so gritty and playing so hard that he has found a way to get dirty on their perfectly clean. Well, as long as you keep Jackson Darts jersey clean, that's the one that you need to keep clean. Scadabo, though, I mean, you could expect that thing to be dirty. And then I'm sure some people are going to want that jersey swap, too. It may be dirty, Drew, but
Starting point is 00:59:14 Well, he's fun. Let's get the Arizona State guys. He's a lot of fun. A team that's supposed to be fun, Baltimore Ravens. Wow. I mean, no one saw this happening. One and three.
Starting point is 00:59:27 Lamar questionable with a hamstring injury. Derek Henry fumbled three times in three games. They're hosting the Texans this week. I can't believe I'm saying this out loud. Houston, also one in three, is the betting favorite. Yeah. What in the world? How did this happen in just four weeks?
Starting point is 00:59:45 That Bill's Ravens game when we set here on week one. But, I mean, that felt like we watched a Super Bowl. If you had told me the Ravens would be one and three on down the road, I wouldn't believe you. Yeah. Derek Henry had some fumbling issues. Isaiah likely hasn't been on the field. Mark Andrews hasn't been himself ever since that drop. And even last year, he was non-existent.
Starting point is 01:00:08 And now Lamar hurt. You turned to Cooper Rush, who I think you asked me to give you a bio. Yeah. Let's hear about Cooper Rush. Former Dallas Cowboy Cooper Rush. Yeah. Well, I don't have much of a Bioblast. That's why I was going there.
Starting point is 01:00:19 She did play at Central Michigan from 2012 to 2016. Played my alma mater, Western Kentucky in the Bahamas Bowl, in which they lost. That's your bioblast, I guess, for Cooper Rush. But Cowboys, Giants, Cowboys, and Ravens are the teams that he has played in the NFL. And the second team All Macs selection in 2015 is now in charge of the Bulldogs. Baltimore Ravens, which is hard to believe. Meanwhile, the Texans... What if I told you he's 9 and 5 as a starter?
Starting point is 01:00:47 It's not a bad record for a backup quarterback. Especially if you've been in Dallas and New York as your two stops. Houston has their own problems. I mean, C.J. Stroud was, you know, Pat and Caleb Williams on the back saying, you know, keep your head up rookie and you'll be there one day acting like a Hall of Famer. And a couple years later, he's one in three and the only wins versus the Titans. So, I mean, there's got to be some urgency there for the Texans soon. Yeah, no one grade the Texans, uh, possibly.
Starting point is 01:01:12 about beating the Titans 26 to nothing. That says nothing about the Texans. I don't know if I've mentioned this, but we ask in Nashville. One interesting thing about the Ravens, and we got to get moving on. I saw the power rankings on Pro Football Focus. They dropped the Ravens. They updated every week.
Starting point is 01:01:29 They dropped them 21 places from third to 24th. Wow. What a fall. It shows you how bad that defense is. I'm sure there's a little Cooper Rush mixed in with that too, but just a crazy spot for Baltimore. Also, crazy spot for the Bengals, injury-related. They're without Joe Burrow until probably the whole season.
Starting point is 01:01:48 But no one expected them to be this bad. They got a couple wins with Joe that you thought could get him a cushion. But since he's been out, they've done nothing. Jumar Chase has been absolutely MIA this season. And they don't have a good draw this week. They are at home, but you're getting the Lions, who since losing their opening week game to Green Bay look like one of the best teams in football. This has to be a double-digit spread.
Starting point is 01:02:09 I mean, even with Detroit on the road, I think. 10 and a half? Yeah, that sounds about right. I mean, Amin Ross St. Brown, probably the best receiver in the league this year, not by passing yards, but I think he's got six touchdowns for Detroit.
Starting point is 01:02:21 Six touchdowns in four games. So really impressive stuff. Gibbs has become the runner that they expected him to be. They reached and drafted him so early, and he's been so good. Cincinnati doesn't look like they practice, Drew. I feel bad for Jamar Chase out there. Or Jake Browning,
Starting point is 01:02:37 who has to survive with that offensive line in front of him. I don't think any quarterback, could do well with that offensive line in front of them. Did you see the clip where they're trying to block a three-man rush with five off, and they can't do it? It lives in my head. They have four guys on one player. Embarrassing.
Starting point is 01:02:51 Chase Brown. Bad. Yeah, lions are going to kill them. Speaking of getting smashed, the Cardinals are lucky enough to draw the Titans this week. Oh, here we go. I've been waiting for this. No, you're not going to get around from me. I'm dead inside.
Starting point is 01:03:03 I couldn't even wear my Titans gear this week. I love you, Titans. If any of you all with the Titans, listen to this, I want to be a, good voice for the franchise. I'm die hard. I will love the Titans blue until the dad die. But Cam Ward was right. O and 4. Go into Arizona. Arizona is a 7.5 point favorite. I have nothing to hang on to put the Titans. Cam Ward threw a fun crossbody throw again last week. But other than that,
Starting point is 01:03:30 I got Brian Callahan telling reporters to shut up. There's stats out there that show that Will Levis much better through four games than Cam Ward. We're imploding, Bill. I keep saying we can't get lower and then we get lower immediately after that. And I appreciate his anger, honestly. You know, I get tired of canned answers a lot of times on 0 and 4 teams. Well, we'll get back to work. You know, it'll come together.
Starting point is 01:03:56 We'll keep doing what we're doing. No, I mean, there should be some frustration. This is your livelihood. And I think Cam brings that energy. That may be the one position you guys do have figured out because the rest. Good luck finding another one. And Jeffrey Simmons ain't going to be on that team for much longer, I don't think. I love Big Jeff.
Starting point is 01:04:10 We've got to ship him, get some pieces. He's like our one asset we have right now. But you're right. You know, fighting Paul Kaharski and the media scrum or, you know, stats about Will Levis actually being just as fine, if not better than Cam Ward. It just piles on. Piles on. And now you get Arizona, who does it look like they're going to have a running back?
Starting point is 01:04:30 I mean, I don't even know who they've got playing at running back at this point with all the injuries. Probably a game. Most people won't see many updates on the Red Zone for, Drew. You think that's fair? They certainly won't see it when the Titans have the ball. I will watch every minute of this game. I subscribe to Sunday ticket so that I can live this misery every Sunday. I don't think we're going to win.
Starting point is 01:04:49 I'm going with Arizona. Arizona has had two close losses. It's Seattle and San Francisco. They could be a really good team. They're two and two, but just narrowly lost a couple of NFC games last couple weeks. They're going to get a W now, though. Congratulations, Tennessee. Just keep holding on to that new stadium, Drew,
Starting point is 01:05:08 and it'll just be like 1999 all over all over again, no expectations. So I'm going through the pony show of the season tickets for the new stadium. You're going to get them? I've already gotten the tour. I've had the meeting, but I'm not committing, clearly. I mean, who would commit to that? But they do. They blow your phone up.
Starting point is 01:05:25 I have them saved as Titans in my phone. I get all these miscalls from the Titans. I'm like, not right now, Titans. You figure out your own problems before you call me. But a few days ago, they sent an email, and it literally says, It's not like directed to me specifically. It's clearly gone out to a lot of people, but it says, we miss you. You are not answering our emails.
Starting point is 01:05:42 And I want to reply, I miss you too. You aren't winning football games. Please go fix that and then talk to me about the new stadium. Well, that just happened this week. Somebody responded to one of those automated texts that the Titans send out, complaining about firing Mike Vrable and putting themselves in a rebuilding situation. They got a text back from the Titans that said, we are 75% sold out on the new stadium.
Starting point is 01:06:05 We just converted all of our current members over, so our fan base is very happy. They're not. And the nice guy that calls me, I won't say his name, he's great. I've had several conversations with him. If you hear this, it's not you. It's not you at all. It's me. It's us.
Starting point is 01:06:20 It's everyone. A few more games left. Bill's Patriots. Okay. Nice little match up here. Pat's looking pretty good. My guy Vrable up there got him rolling. Drake May might have figured things out.
Starting point is 01:06:46 He's looking good, but it is the Bills. Had their first turnover of the season last week against the Saints. That's crazy in itself. Penel announced 11 times against the Saints. I don't want to say they nearly lost because it was never really in doubt. But they didn't cover and the Saints played it a little closer. Is there a chance that there's some cracks in the Bills and it could show up this week? Absolutely, after that Saints game.
Starting point is 01:07:08 This is a primetime matchup, Sunday night football. I'm calling this a double revenge game. Oh, the Billy Rulloch double revenge game. Double revenge game, not only for the Bills, who the Patriots. Patriots sent into irrelevancy for two decades when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were rolling. The bills were just non-existent for a while. But also Stefan Diggs, who returns to play the Buffalo Bills. Congratulations to Carter B and Stefan Diggs on the pregnancy and the future kid on the way.
Starting point is 01:07:35 But Stefan finally started getting things going a little bit in the last game for New England. Like you said, Drake May is playing a little bit better. So I think Diggs is going to play well, but the bills beat down New England. And they cover the spread. Drake's got a little swag. He's doing like the Cam Newton Superman last week. A fun little stat. He's the first player in NFL history under the age of 24 to throw two touchdowns
Starting point is 01:07:59 and complete 75% of his passes in three straight games. That's pretty good. It's starting to come together. I did like Bill Simmons's nickname for Drake May. They gave it Drake May. Okay. I think he may just be May. I think he may be him.
Starting point is 01:08:15 Well, after last week, it may be. that he is the right guy in New England, yeah. I would say the bills win, but the spread's seven and a half. I got Pats keeping it close. You got Vrable leading the pats. What's the, I'm drawing a blank Stevenson, the young running back. I keep betting. Yeah, I keep betting on him to get a anytime touchdown.
Starting point is 01:08:37 He and Henderson both. I keep loading up. They're not. They haven't been hitting. Henderson's the young one. Stevenson's the one that's been there a while. But I've lost a little bit on them. But that's mainly because Drake May has just been dialed.
Starting point is 01:08:47 in. Yeah, no, if, you know, that spreads probably around seven and a half or so, then I think I would pick New England to cover that. These division games are tough and prime time, I think, makes it even tougher at times to cover a spread. And the bills have to be gassed from what they've been through through four weeks. Sure. Last game, Monday night football. Jaguars Chiefs. Jaguars. Jack wires.
Starting point is 01:09:08 I'm not saying it. I'm not saying it out of fear. I'll say it for you. Jaguires versus Kansas City. Chiefs got Xavier Worthy back and immediately. turned into a great offense. Can we just say that Travis Kelsey running into him in Brazil at the beginning of that game is
Starting point is 01:09:23 the reason the Chiefs look bad? You got to think the offense was based around him a lot this season because the moment he comes back, he completely, he helped him light up the Ravens last week. Huge win. Do you think that's permanent? Yeah, it could be. Because
Starting point is 01:09:39 I mean, your two losses this year are against two pretty good playoff teams in the Chargers and Eagles, right? Then you come back, you beat the Giants, you're able to beat the Ravens. You could put a beat down on the road in Jacksonville, and it's like nothing ever happened, right? You're waiting for Rishi Rice to come back, and that's another weapon as well. Just a couple weeks away. Right. So, you know, Mahomes goes off throws for four touchdowns last week.
Starting point is 01:10:02 I'm sure it's not all Xavier Worthy, but he is a big part of it. And Kansas City is just going to kind of get back on trap for that. But keep my name out of your mouth, Drew. All right. This is Liam Cohen in Jacksonville, ready to go. I head on a swivel near Liam Cohen because he's going after whoever gets in his way. Worthy had 83 yards receiving and 40 yards rushing. It just shows you how that win last week.
Starting point is 01:10:27 It shows you how dynamic and how useful he is different ways they can get him the ball. I'm not saying the chiefs are back in the Super Bowl mix, but I think I might have been a little quick to question the kingdom the last few weeks. You mentioned how good the opponents have been, and then they look good last week. I don't bend the knee to Mahomes that quickly. I'm not bending any. They're not getting back. They're not getting to the Super Bowl. But they have more life in them than I have been saying the last few weeks. It wasn't long ago, Marcus Mariotta was catching his own passes, beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs.
Starting point is 01:10:56 Man, big show from Marcus Mariotta. I remember that. I was watching that game in the Iheart studio because... I heart studio. Yeah, I was doing some kind of UK post game show when that play happened. It was live on the radio talking about Kentucky. I remember that well. We can't do Survivor League this week with Mab being out. We can't get his picks. He's on a plane.
Starting point is 01:11:14 he doesn't have a phone. I will just say, I'm out, so you guys have fun. Billy, do you want to do one out of the kindness of your heart? No. You want to put this on pause until next week? Everybody gets a bye. A second buy five weeks into the NFL season for us on the Survivor League. I picked the bills last week.
Starting point is 01:11:31 Matt picked the Lions. You pick the Chargers, so you are out. But I would like to do a touchdown parlay if we can still do that. No one loves touchdown parlays more than me. Tucker Craft, you're never allowed at my house. I never want to see you. Tucker Craft. I got absolutely hozed on a touchdown parley last week.
Starting point is 01:11:48 Billy, I do, well, I do one, it's one player from every one o'clock game. It's usually nine or ten players. But when I do that, I understand that's an extreme long shot. I've come close a few times, but every time I bet it, it's not that serious. I always do one with four players that I do take soon. The moneymaker. Yeah, I mean, it's hit a couple times. You only need to hit a couple a year.
Starting point is 01:12:11 Last week, Tucker Craig, I had three of the four. Tucker Kraft playing the Cowboys Packers tied in just needed him It was like $10 to win like 900 or something crazy 600
Starting point is 01:12:22 That might be a little high It's like 6 or 700 Tucker Kraft gets stopped on the goal line They measure they decide He was down at the 1 I'm losing my mind He's right there One more inch
Starting point is 01:12:32 They punched him with the running back Later in the game Big play to Tucker Kraft He gets tackled At the goal line Review it again Determined he was down at the 1 inch
Starting point is 01:12:43 So the touchdown parlays are hitting me at a moment where I'm not well. This week, I'm going to bring you in. Let's do a four man, my usual four man, but you do two, I do two. I like it. And you know, Packers are on a by, so you can just... Tucker, you can't hurt me? You can't hurt me right now? He's out of the picture.
Starting point is 01:13:00 That one's done. Like, if you lose, whatever, I'll lose every weekend. That's fine. Don't get down to the inch line twice on my last lick. That's all ass. That's like having Seekuan and Jalen hurts doing tush pushes all night. So Matt usually we do the mad game. He's not here.
Starting point is 01:13:15 He does like you do a tight end. I'll do a receiver running back. Still don't really know what we're doing with that. But whatever, it's fun. This week, me and you are just picking two touchdown scores for our four-legged. I do like to do different games. So like, you know, if I do... Different, okay.
Starting point is 01:13:33 Derek Henry, don't pick another Raven or whoever they're playing. Yeah, that works. I'll just let you go first. Receiver quarterback. If you want to do Jackson, Darry. Again, that was your big moneymaker. It's all in your hands. You get two picks.
Starting point is 01:13:46 Let me know your first one now. Yeah, definitely the high point of the year for me, Jackson Dart, scoring last week. I am going to go to a four o'clock game. Commanders Chargers, give me Omerian Hampton to score a touchdown. You know, with Najee Harris going down a couple weeks ago, he had 12 carries for 128 yards in a touchdown against a good Giants' defensive front against the commanders who are the 24th ranked defense against the run.
Starting point is 01:14:13 I'm bringing next-gen stats here. Give me Omerian Hampton to be my first touchdown score. Drew, do you like it? You don't even know this, but I mentioned I hit three out of four last week. One of them was Hampton. Oh, come on. I think he might even been the first to check the box in my four-legged. So, of course, I like your Hampton pick.
Starting point is 01:14:29 He's already been good to me. Let's keep riding. Keep riding with him. I'm going to go with a player we named earlier. My big thing on anytime touchdowns is somebody that's really, good that's in a drought. Kind of like the team, you know, they're going to throw, they got their game plans, they got to run.
Starting point is 01:14:45 But occasionally it's like, hey, we got to get so-and-so engaged. You got to get him involved. He's kind of been checked out a little bit. We need him dialed in. And there's no one better right now than Arthur Juan Brown. We just said he's doing cryptic tweets over on the sideline. He's calling them Bible verses, but it sure reads like a guy who's not happy with a situation.
Starting point is 01:15:05 Eagles are a Super Bowl contender. They're defending champs. They can't reach their goal if A.J. Brown isn't happy. So I think Mr. Scripture, Mr. Walk Away when things aren't going well, whatever it said, he's getting the ball a lot. They're going to try to make him happy. A.J. Brown finds the end zone. Well, definitely comes in spurts, right? I mean, he had that big second half versus the Rams where he had six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown and then barely does anything this past week.
Starting point is 01:15:32 But I like the motivation here. The receiver diva got to get him involved. It's these guys screaming on the sideline. Let's make him happy. He's been making a lot of noise. So, yeah, I don't think they go away from him. They're going to need him this year. If they don't trade him away, I think that's a – I'm with you, Drew.
Starting point is 01:15:50 It stinks picking a receiver with the Eagles, though, because I'm going to watch him do five push touchdowns and Barclay and Hertz. We're going to do all the scoring. But I'm going to roll the dice with getting Arthur won happy because he deserves to be happy, Billy. That is the risk. So we got Marion Hampton with the with the Chargers and A.J. Brown with the Eagles. Let's do two more. Who do you have next? All right. I'm going to keep it rolling with a receiver. AJ Brown was close to your heart.
Starting point is 01:16:14 I'll give you one that's close to mine. How about Amike Abuka, the rookie, who has just been sensational this year for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Amike through four games has 18 catches for 282 yards and four touchdowns. Had a 77 yarder last week without Mike Evans. Chris Godwin has come back. and has gotten a little bit more attention to allow Abuca to continue to do his thing. He is healthier than he was last week. So that means, I think, Tampa gets him back into the game plan even more.
Starting point is 01:16:43 Give me Amike Abuka, who I've wanted to pick for the last four weeks as my touchdown score. I've never really gotten it to work out with our game. I think the rookie's going to have a big game. I love that pick. He has been awesome. Figured he'd be pretty good as a rookie coming out of Ohio State. But that's good, yeah. Yeah, right away.
Starting point is 01:17:02 What do you have? Like two touchdowns against the Falcons in his first game. Had the big one last week against the Eagles. Love this pick. Love this pick. So we got Hampton Brown, Ubuka. Where are you going with this one? So you've done running back receiver, right?
Starting point is 01:17:16 I've done receiver. You normally go against the Titans. Are you doing that this week? No, I did that last week with Nico Collins. It didn't work out. I'm going to go running back another player we just mentioned. I'm going to highlight our Boy Cam Scataboo. Yes.
Starting point is 01:17:31 Okay. Each week, the Giants are just giving him the rock just a little bit more. Just a little bit more. He just keeps getting dirtier and dirtier. I still don't know how he's getting that dirt on him. But he's going to work, and this week he's going to get in the end zone for us. I like Cam Scataboo. It looks like he's about plus 110. Okay, wanted a little more juice there, but it's still plus odds.
Starting point is 01:17:54 I'm taking Cam as my fourth pick. So we got running back, running back, receiver, receiver. A 25 carries last week in the game versus the Chargers. Don't think he scored a touchdown because Dart had the one rushing one, but he's been really impressive. Fourth round pick out is Arizona State. We all saw how tough he was in the playoff. But now that he's doing it with New York,
Starting point is 01:18:13 I got to think that market loves him, is going to continue to embrace him and let's ride. I mean, that sounds like a good of a four parlay that I've ever heard. Yeah, it also fits my thing of like a guy that's been scoring that didn't score last week. It's kind of, like, I want to get back in the end zone. He had a little streak of scoring in games. So that's it. I wish I could pull up the odds what it is overall, but because some of these are night games, like Abuca, actually, you're two.
Starting point is 01:18:39 I'm not blaming you, but they don't have odds for Hampton or Mickey. That's because they know they're sure bets. I mean, why would they want people to make their bets? Because they're so sure. But I'm definitely betting it. The odds will certainly be long with a bunch of players and plus odds there anytime touchdown scores. It's the Drew and Billy four-leggar, A.J. Brown, Amarian Hampton, Cam Scataboo, and Amike. Bucca. I don't see any way it doesn't hit. You bet it if you want. We're not going to sit here and encourage it.
Starting point is 01:19:06 Use Draft Kings if you'd like. We prefer Draft Kings. The Crown is yours. This won't be on there. This posted like the KSR Parlay. But just know that your friends, Bill and Drew, picked it and we're on it. And when Matt gets back, that'll be our entire first 10 minutes of the show is talking about the parlay that hit for us, Drew. If it hits when he gets back, we have to tell him his little game of different, you know, running back, whatever that is. We're out until the Drew Billy Parley is going to go. Because you had Jackson Dart last week at like plus 360 for an anytime touchdown. This will be crazy odds. Let's make it happen.
Starting point is 01:19:38 But it was a fun week filling in for Matt. We'll be excited to get him back. It's been a long three and a half weeks on the KSR morning show, NFL cover zero, all the things he normally does. We miss having him around, but we know he had fun on a South African trip. Billy, did you have fun today taking on a larger role? You already do so much for this podcast. It's not like you're stepping into something brand new, but you did get to do a lot more talking
Starting point is 01:20:00 today. Did you enjoy it? I'm very honored to be in the second chair here along with you, Drew. Normally, I get told five minutes before the show starts the bit that I'm going to have to do on the show. I got to prepare a little bit and talk a little bit more. So I'm having a lot of fun with this show, and I hope the listeners are too. Yeah, thanks to everyone for listening. This was the midweek edition before week five. I appreciate y'all letting us do kind of a makeshift show here with me hosting and Billy sliding over into chair too. As I said, Matt will be back on Sunday as we recap all these games. Let's hit that four-leg parlay. Let's keep everybody healthy so we're not doing a lengthy injury report.
Starting point is 01:20:36 And I guess I'll say tighten up. I love you all. We'll get through this Titans fans. Tighten up. Thanks for listening. NFL cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin is a production of the NFL and IHeart podcast. For more podcasts from IHeart Radio, visit the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
Starting point is 01:20:58 you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

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