Locked On Bengals - Daily Podcast On The Cincinnati Bengals - NFL Squad: NFL Playoff AFC/NFC Wildcard Weekend Upset Alert, Head Coaching Carousel

Episode Date: January 8, 2025

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses the current landscape of vacant head coaching jobs in the NFL and where things are headed with certain jobs, plus they discuss the NFL Playoffs Wildcard Weekend and which games on the AFC and NFC side are poised for Upset Alerts.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Turbo TaxReady for stress-free taxes and the most money back, guaranteed? Head over to TurboTax.com today and get matched with your Expert—who’s ready to take your taxes off your plate, so you can focus on your day. LinkedInLinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply.PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFLGametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelYou can start the season with a big return on FanDuel. New customers can place a FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - if you win or lose your first FIVE DOLLAR BET ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's the most exciting time of year because even if your favorite team is not in the NFL playoffs, there's a lot to discuss about the future of your favorite organization. That's coming up on this episode of NFL squad. You are talking ball with the NFL squad sponsored by game time. From the chiefs to the bills, Falcons to the 49ers and everyone else around the NFL. It's the local experts of the Locked On podcast network bringing you scoops, breakdowns, and the most comprehensive preview of the upcoming weekend for Harvey. hitting football with our harder hitting take.

Buckle up. It's the NFL squad. Then we have a seat for you. No hurt feelings allowed. Squad up. You're part of the NFL squad. And welcome back, everybody, to NFL squad. We took a couple of weeks off over the holiday season, but we are back.

We're grabbing our favorite drinks beverages. Hopefully you're grabbing your favorite as well as you join us here. We're going to get ready for a wild, wild card weekend come up at the NFL. but things are already going a little bit crazy out there with coaching vacancies opening up across the national football league. Of course, we are all part of the locked on podcast network, your team every day. And this NFL squad episode is brought to you by prize picks. Go to prizepigs.com slash locked on NFL use the code locked on NFL. You get $50 instantly when you place your first $5 ticket.

And I am joined in this squad today by Cody Rourke, locked on Broncos and producer extraordinaire. Landon McCool, locked on Cowboys, James Jarko, not locked on Illinois. Locked on Bucks. Mike debate, locked on Patriots. Kevin Ostriker, locked on, not going to win the AFC championship. Peter Bikowski locked on Packers coming through. Sorry, Kevin, you know, I love that. Man, we're the man, we're going to get in hot.

We've got to come in hot here, guys. He's not wrong, no. We've got some interesting job openings coming up, or not coming available. They are available here in the NFL this offseason gentleman, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Las Vegas Raiders, Kevin Ostriker, or not Kevin Ostricker, I'm sorry, Mike debate. As we all boo Ross Jackson of Locked on Stacey. Booboo me. Sorry, guys.

I was. Robbitton Jackson of Locked on things, booing himself. That's right. Sorry, guys, I was interviewing for the New Orleans Saints head coaching position, my policy. Oh, well, so that position has been filled, but Mike debate of Lockdown Patriots. Explain the team. you cover, man. Explain why they did not or did give Coach Mayo a raw deal here and firing him after one year. Well, it is kind of difficult to make the argument that giving someone only a

year is enough time to prove that they are a worthy head coach in this league. But gradually there started to be an erosion of trust between the fan base, between the organization, and between the players on the field and the coaches in that locker room. And when that exists, you need to make a change. And that's exactly what happened with New England. In those I talked to close to the team this week. There seemed to be an erosion that continued to unravel, and really what started to make it unravel even worse, was the fact that this team came out of their late round by,

their late by in this 2024 season, and they lost 30 to 17 to the Arizona Cardinals in a game that sounds a lot closer than it really was. The Patriots were never in that. They played listless football. They played, you know, very undisciplined and very fundamentally unsound. And when you have that kind of effort coming out of a buy,

especially when you know that you're playing for pride and you're playing for your coach's job, essentially, that really kind of brought to light that there was a disconnect in the coach's room. I happen to like Gerard Mayo very much, and I do believe that he does have something to contribute to a team in the future. And I do believe he will find another home somewhere, whether it be in college or whether it be in the NFL. But for the Patriots, this was the right move to make.

Now they have to make sure that the coach that they brought, bringing in not only embodies everything they want on the field, but is able to handle all of the extracurricular aspects of the job that were just a little bit too big for Gerard at this point. I'm so glad, Mike, that you started with the fan part of this because I think that is such an underrated piece of why these decisions get made. And I don't even think it's a bad thing. Like when your fan base does not trust your coach.

And let's not forget, Mike, the last week of the season, they had a chance to roll over to get the number one overall pick. there was not organizational alignment. They go out and they win that football game for reasons that just like defy explanation. You, it's untenable. And the team is made up of players who live in the community.

They interact with fans every day. They know, by the way, what's said on Locked on Patriots and Locked on Patriots and Locked on Ravens and Locked on Broncos and Locked on Cowboys. If the players aren't listening, their families are, their friends are. They know what's being said.

And when it becomes toxic, I think an ownership, group is well within its rights to just say the fans don't trust this coach. And unless we think he's Vince Lombardi reincarnated, we can find another guy. They can find another Gerard Mayo. And guess what? Like Mike Vrable might be a better option anyway. He might have been a better option to start with.

Yeah. That's exactly what happened here in New Orleans. The ownership group, Gail Benson, who's the owner of the New Orleans Saints and governor of the New Orleans Pelicans here in town. She and her ownership group said, man, they really don't like him. Like that was a big part. That was a big part. is like they saw the stand start to empty.

They heard the booze for the first time. You don't hear booze in New Orleans very often when it comes to the Saints at least. And so like that shift, and for a team like the New England Patriots, it's been so long on top of its game and so long on top of the game for things to shift the way that it shifted over the course of past few years. Yeah, you are going to hear that fan vote. Just ask for Robert who's the owner of the Jets. No, right.

I mean, Aaron Rogers is firing people left or right because Jets fans are incredible. If there's one silver lining for Patriots fans right now, it's to say that we're not the New York Jets. So I think that's the only solid they're finding. But Ross, I think you're absolutely right. That is such an incredible part of this. The Patriots have heard the booze the last few years. The fans in New England are not ashamed to boo their own team. It's when they're not showing up.

I was there for last years. But this time, they didn't show up at the arena. They didn't show up at the stadium. That parking lot was relatively empty for a regular season finale to give your team an opportunity to head into 2025 and say, we're still behind you, we still support you. We got a great young quarterback where we believe in what you're doing for them to not show up in droves. I think was a real eye-opener for the crafts, especially after being drubbed 40 to 7 just a week earlier against the Los Angeles charges. So again, perfect storm in New England.

We'll see what happens now in the next couple of days. big deal when the jet show up and all of a sudden the green jerseys and the stands outweigh the blue and red jerseys, right? It's also easy for the craft to just simply point to this as a Bill Belichick choice, right? Oh, well, this was Bill's handpicked guy. That's a good point. It's easy easy for us to move on. I think that's probably an easy way for them to kind of get out from being the scapegoats of this too. No, change jarco of locked on bucks.

I want to ask you this question because for every job that's open, somebody's going to fill that job, right? There's only 32 of these things in the world. somebody's going to take these jobs, even if they're really bad. Dave Canales prove that somebody will take even the worst job in the national football. To his credit, he did a pretty good job there at the end of year. Look out for the Panthers. You got to get him out. Liam Cohen, yeah, Bucketeer's office coordinator.

Liam Cohen is one of the popular names. Obviously, there's others, but he's one of the popular names here in this year's coaching, early coaching talk. If there is a job here, and I know there's got to be some contextual value for Liam Cohen specifically, but if there is a job here on the board that you're looking at, that is the best for a coach like Liam Cohen, which one, is say it James probably the bears it's probably the bears uh it's probably the bears uh you have a young quarterback with incredible athletic ability in Caleb Williams that he can kind of mold you have a

great wide receiver core uh that you know you can you can look to the Rams that Cohen was a part of you can look to the box of this year before Chris Godwin goes down you have a trio there that can do some serious damage you have a tight end that he can get the ball to probably need to address the running back a little bit. But I mean, that's, that's really the best fit for Liam Cohen and the kind of offense that he likes to run. It certainly isn't the same. So quit, quit ruling, Ross.

I mean, who doesn't want to inherit the 32nd most cap room? And if you don't know the count that's the worst, that's the lowest amount of cap room in the national football. Thank goodness. Thank goodness these head coaches, thank goodness these head coaches don't just take head coaching jobs for one years normally, Mike. That's usually not the case. But it's, yeah, thank goodness. these guys are looking at like long-term stuff instead of all of us who go,

wow, things are really bad right at this second. We're talking to 2025, Ross. Okay, that's what we're talking about. Landon McCool, locked on Cowboys. The Cowboys are not listed on this list of coaching vacancies. What is the latest greatest of what is your prediction for what's going on there in Dallas? Well, the latest is that they denied the Bears' opportunity to interview Mike McCarthy. So it sounds like at the very least, they are negotiating with him.

But we'll see. I tend to think what's going on is that they are. they want to get Mike McCarthy under a very specific situation, right? And I think that they're using this to kind of negotiate that. And if that doesn't work out, then they'll probably let his contract expire in a week and then go, move on to the next. But then why Landon?

Why? If it needs to be that specific, move on. Like if you, if it needs to be like, it's like think about being in a relationship. Like if it needs to be that, all right, I have to have my poker night on Thursday.

And I need to be able to see other women twice a week. Then just break up. up. Like, let's just be done. Why do we're doing? Don't bring that name up in here with me. These situations are not like relationships, you know, not in that sense. Like, there's, there's, it's a lot more conditions. It is when it's Jerry Jones. They are literally relationships. Like he just, I don't know, man. My relationship doesn't have, my relationship doesn't have millions of dollars invested in it.

I'm, I'm doing it on that. My relationship doesn't care if the team I'm attached to ever wins a Super Bowl. But there are a bunch of things out there concerned about whether. They're going to win a Super Bowl. We're going to start diving into this weekend's playoff picture, starting with the NFC, the best conference, goes first coming up next on today's NFL squad. Today's episode is brought to you in part by Fandulul,

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at home to beat those commanders. The over under on total point scored is sitting at 50.5 points, so they're expecting some fireworks in that game. Whatever you think is going to happen this weekend in that game or any other game, put your opinions to work by visiting fanduel.com to join today and again, get started with $200 in bonus bets, whether or not that first $5 bet wins or loses. That is fandul.com. Make the playoff season unforgettable with Fandul, an official sports book partner of the National Football League. The NFL playoffs are getting kicked off this weekend, and we're going to kick off our coverage and our conversation of those playoffs, the wild card playoff round looking at the NFC.

If you're not familiar, the Detroit Lions are the number one seed in the NFC. They're not playing this weekend, followed by the Eagles, Buccaneers, Rams, Vikings, commanders and yes Peter Berkowski number seven the Green Bay Packers all the way the bottom of that list they will all be playing this weekend but the NFC is not going to get started until Sunday afternoon the AFC is going to have three games in the bank before the NFC even takes the field and that is going to be Peter McCausky's Green Bay Packers not traveling to Brazil for a rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles Peter will let you go out the floor my friend is there is there an upset brewing here how much does the quarterback situation matter with with two quarterbacks that are

at least a little bit banged up, one, I think, a little bit more than the other, though. I really wish that I could have one of those men in black. Oh, the little memory eraser things. Yeah. So I could just forget about the last two weeks. If I could just forget about the last, yeah, thank you, Cody. Who am I? Who am I again?

For the, for the listeners, Cody held up his cell phone with a light on, by the way. It was a good bit. It was a good bit. All the underlying metrics tell me that this Packers team is really good. All the metrics that I care about, EPA per play and the DVOAs and all the acronyms that people love to make fun of me on Twitter for. Those things say that this Packers team absolutely has a chance to upset the Philadelphia Eagles. But the team that I've seen over the last two weeks, they look like they should not even be playing this weekend. So it is hard for me to

square those two things right now. I also remember week one, once upon a time when the Packers did everything. They tripped over their own testicular region so many times in week one. I can't even tell you. And they were one stop away at the end from winning that game, 411 yards of offense with a C plus performance from the offense

against the defense that turned out to be the best defense in the league. The Ravens game notwithstanding, Kevin. I appreciate that. And so, like, yes, the Packers can absolutely go to Philadelphia and beat the Eagles. especially since Jalen Hertz will not have played football in three weeks by the time. And he goes out there, assuming he's cleared.

He still has not been as we record this, gone through concussion protocol. And I know fans are like, well, they're just slow playing it. Like, no, there is an independent person that has to clear him. And if they were just dicking around, they could have done it last week. And they didn't. So this is not just like, oh, let's just hand wave this. No. And brain injuries are, they're brain injuries.

Like we can't just say, well, he'll be back and be fine. Let me just throw one stat at you and then I'll shut up. Almost 25% of Jalen Hertz's dropbacks this year have resulted in a non-target. That's a sack, a throwaway or a scramble. A quarter of his plays led the NFL in such plays. As long as you just don't let him beat you with his legs. And like limited to one or two big plays because AJ Brown and DeBonte Smith are going to get some. Yeah.

It's going to happen. This offense is inconsistent through the air. You can get inefficient quarterback, and that's what the Packers have to do. That was a lot of amazing information, but I'm going to tell you right now, here's all I heard. Testicular region, sticking around, get some. I hope, Ross, we need to send this clip to Hems and Blue Chew and just start the picture. The Blue Chew days. The listeners, the audience needs to let us know if they remember the Blue Chew Day.

We need. Oh, geez, man. I know locked on fans 100% do. And you're like locked on eras. And if you're struggling to score on the red zone all the time, all the time.

You got a lot of true blue comments. Yeah. My next NFC game. Yeah. The next NFC game will be Sunday night. It will be the very next game of the wildcard weekend. It will be the Washington commanders visiting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. James Jarko and I have an amazing crossover scheduled.

So I am not going to let James Jarko poison the water Instead, I'm going to turn to Oh, no, wait, wait, wait, someone who is, no, I am the host, Illinois. Sit down, Ross Jackson, you have covered games against both of these teams this season. So I want to get your opinion, because you also covered them both in December or January.

So very recent information from you, I want to get your thoughts on this matchup and who you think could come out with a win this weekend. Well, I'll tell you, one of those teams hung 51 on the New Orleans Saints. The other one just only put up 20 against a really bad, defense. And the tapeway Buccaneers have a much more as much. They were saving it for the playoffs. They were saving it for the playoffs. The Tampi Buccaneers have without argument a much better defense than the New Orleans Saints have 31st in run defense are the New Orleans Saints.

Not nearly that low. I believe James Craig, if we're on top five run defense in the NFL, if I remember correctly for the for the bucks, at least going in the last weekend. And I know the Saints didn't move that needle very much. I'm going to say not top five, but they've worked their way towards the top takes. They started off. Top 10. That's right. Low.

Yeah. Yeah. Thank you, Bo Nix. Yeah, right. So I think like if I'm looking at these two teens based on what I saw against the New Orleans Saints, I got to say it's a San Bay Buccaneers, but here's the thing for me. What I'm looking at most of the time is head coach quarterback when it comes to the playoffs. And you heard the conversation that Peter just had, the inefficiencies of

quarterback when it comes to Jalen Hertz and the difference that that can make. And I think Matt LaFleur is without argument the better coach in that matchup as well. I think Dan Quinn's the better coach in that matchup, but I think Jane Daniels is the better quarterback. So I can see the Washington commanders coming out on top of this one. Landon McCool, I want to let you chime in. James, you will have your turn on Thursday. Dan McCool, I want to let you chime in there. You obviously do not agree with Ross Jackson.

Well, I was going to say, I'm going to say. the other guy that also has a team that played these two teams in the last few weeks. And I'll tell you that I think that if Cliff hasn't fallen off the cliff, then I don't know what's happening. He was hanging off the cliff

and then Terry McLauran saved him. No, I think the Cowboys wanting that 12th dig saved him is what happened there. And Michael Parsons suddenly, you know, getting a hingee knee or something. I love a we lost because we wanted to take. That's really great.

Hey, listen, not because we wanted to, but certainly, the commanders certainly needed to win that game more than the Cowboys needed to lose it. And I think both of those sides were working pretty well in the first half and screwing up their chances. But look, I think that to me, I think Tampa Bay looks like the stronger team right now. I think that's what matters when you're getting into the playoffs is who's the most dangerous. at the most dangerous team going in or at the playoffs. So I think to me, Washington didn't play a good game against us. I mean, certainly weren't in a game that they needed to win to kind of improve their situation. They didn't play good in the first half to the point where it almost felt like they were pulling

Jane Daniels just to kind of not screw up anybody's confidence of what's going on. So I think, I think, you know, for me that the Bucks are the hotter team going. Is he healthy, David? Do we know that? That would be the thing that I would want to know. Like is he going to, he's perfectly fine. Jayden is fine. The question really is Marchion Lattimore and Tyler Biotish that James Jarko and I will talk about.

I got news for you, buddy. The question will always be March on Latimore. Listen, listen. All of your information, all of your logic points to Buccaneers win. And I look forward to talking to all of you next week after I, after the watch the commanders prove you wrong. We've also got Minnesota Vikings visiting the Los Angeles Rams Monday night football. And I'm not going to lie. To me, that's like the most boring playoff.

off game this weekend. But Cody, I do want to ask you these NFC slate Packers and Eagles, commanders of Buccaneers, Vikings at Rams, if you got to pick an upset, where is it coming from? I feel like it could definitely be, I'm going to go with the Packers over the Eagles at this point. Look, I think what

Sequin's been able to do in terms of the run, like he's a legit MVP candidate. However, it's probably going to go to a quarterback, you know, or in a situation like that. We always have this discussion every year. So much is predicated on is Jalen Hertz going to be healthy, right? Are they going to roll with a Kenny Pickett, you know, or Tannam McKee.

What's the plan there? A.J. Brown is going to have one moment where a pass goes over his head. He's going to get mad. And the Packers are going to find a way to capitalize on one of those instances. My only concern that I have with Green Bay is, okay, you lose Christian Watson, but you do have really talented wide receivers behind him. I still think that's a big question mark looming into this matchup. But if I had to pick an upset on the NFC side, I feel like it would be Green Bay over Eagles. Yeah.

No, that makes a lot of sense. Kevin Ostriger of Lockdown Ravens, get ready to talk because you're going to finally get your chance as we go through the AFC playoff. I think James is on the NFL too. Today's episode is brought to you in part by prize picks. It is playoff time. And if you're like me, you want to make the most of these final weeks of football action. And that is where prize picks can come in to give you a little bit of help. If you love football and you want a chance to win real money while watching the games,

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It's clear that people are loving this platform. Here's a special offer for locked on NFL listeners. Download the price picks app today. Use a promo code locked on NFL, all one word to get. $50 instantly after you play your first $5 lineup. That's only a prize picks run your game. The AFC is going to get us started this playoff weekend as Wild Card Week. First three games coming from the AFC and Kevin Ostracker, Lockdown Ravens.

Look, the Steelers and Ravens are the second game of the Wild Card weekend, but I can't let you sit there any longer and not say a darn thing in this episode. So Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore, Ravens, we all know that Lamar Jackson cannot beat the Steelers, right? I mean, he did it a couple weeks ago. He did it about a month ago. The nerd has got to be dead now, right? I mean, yeah, because it happened. So now we can, now we can put it to bed.

But I'll tell you, when you have a situation where you play a team three times in a season, it just becomes like, yeah, we know you and you know us. Like what else do you, you know, pull any more fast ones on us? We know everything about you. We've been playing you for all these years now. So, I mean, this is going to be a really good game. I mean, it couldn't really go any other way, in my opinion. I know they had the chance of playing the Chargers,

but this is just like cinematic Raven Steelers. And while the rivalry might not be from the days of Ray Lewis, Heinz Ward, Troy Palomalu, like those days, it has some juice to it again. I mean, Patrick Queen's been talking all year after going from Baltimore to Pittsburgh. And I mean, here in Baltimore, every Ravens fan wanted to see Derek Henry, stiff arm, Patrick Queen. We got that picturesque picture.

But this is going to be interesting because I don't know if Pittsburgh can keep up with Baltimore's offense if Baltimore gets. going. I mean, I don't know how many danger witches Russ Wolfson is about to eat before this game or if he's going to do high knees on the plane to prepare for it. But I don't know, Cody, I might be scarring you with those references and I'm sorry. No, not at all, man. Let's ride. I do, though, I want to flip this on its head and throw back to Mr. David Harrison saying the Ravens aren't going to win the A&T championship taking shots at the beginning of the show here. I mean, I was just talking trash. Don't even read it. Don't even read it. Don't even read it. I was just talking

Okay, so there you have a David Harrison picking the book. There's no actual. I'm hosting. I'm not here to give opinions and analysis. I'm hosting. I just get to have fun and just be wild, just like the fact that somehow the Buffalo Bill's Denver Broncos spread isn't the biggest of the weekend.

It's actually the Ravens. Nine and a half points on Fandual Favored over the Steelers. That's crazy, my way. Even in the Ravens, yeah, it's crazy. Cody Roark of Locked on Broncos. The bills are favored to put a whoopin on the Denver Broncos. What is Sean Peyton and are Sean Peyton and Bo Nix can do about that? Well,

look, it starts with having at least the threat of a run game against this Bill's defense. Obviously, is Greg Rousseau. I mean, you talk about Matt Milano. You talk about Von Miller. Like, Bon Miller, as of late, looks like he's really just kind of been saving himself for the postseason. And that's kind of a scary thing, yeah, especially with them being in the position that they are in. That's a scary dynamic. But, you know, Bo Nix has had an incredible rookie season.

You know, the Broncos have certainly exceeded expectations. Denver has only been blown out once this season. And that was by the Baltimore Ravens. They had a chance at halftime. I think it was a one score game. Right before halftime, the Ravens going, they score. Then they get the ball to open up the second half. They score again.

By the time Bowenicks stepped back on the field, it was 31 to 10. Every other game that they've played or have lost this season has been by one score or less. So they've been competitive. So if you can keep it close and you can find a way to make Josh Allen and somehow this bill's team make a mistake, find a way to capitalize. And that's what Debra did last year when they went on the road and beat them on Monday night football with Russell Wilson. And probably one of the more improbable catches we'll see in the NFL. NFL with him to Cortland Sutton on fourth down.

But so much is going to be based on Ken the Broncos defense, which has struggled as of late the last handful of weeks. They've struggled against good receiving cores. I don't know what's happened. Teams are attacking the middle of the field with the linebackers and the safeties while they have a defensive player of their candidate and Pat Sartan, you know, probably going to follow Amari Cooper, Bama on Bama there. I think it'll be a fun match up here.

I think if Denver could keep it close, they might be able to shock somebody. You never discount Sean Payton. He's a he's very hungry about this. Yeah, Buccaneers know all too well not discounted Champagne. And that's not a shot of James Jargo. That's experience talking. And it's, you know, it's fine. Okay.

At least, at least, you know, once. Mike debate. I'll never forget, the game from a show standpoint. But Los Angeles Chargers are in favor to beat the Houston Texans on the road this weekend. I mean, the Houston Texans have kind of fallen off a little bit, but they still won. That line should be the biggest one of the week.

Yeah. So what's going on with that Chargers, Texas matchup, Mike, that has you most intrigued about the opening game of the Wild Card round? Yeah, I think basically is Houston going to be able to keep up? Are they going to be able to find a way to keep this one competitive? Look, they're running out of targets over there in Houston. I know Nico is still around. C.J. Strout always gives you that puncher's chance. You have to Neil Hunter over on the other side and you've got a pretty strong secondary.

They can always keep things interesting. But look, Los Angeles right now starting to hit its stride. Jim Harbaugh loves to run the football. J.K. Dobbins looked like he's going to be back in the lineup, still limited this week. I know the ankle injuries, still on the injury report, but he's looking like he'll go. And if he does, that opens things up so well for guys like Quentin Johnston and especially Ladd McConkey, who has been phenomenal this year. And that secondary in Los Angeles is a lot better than people give it credit for.

Derwin James, one of the most versatile defensive backs in the league. He always gives you a shot, whether he's making plays in the backfield or whether he's playing up toward the line of scrimmage. This kid can do it all. I think Los Angeles just as too many weapons right now in their arsenal for Houston to catch up. I think this is going to be a comfortable win this weekend for the yellow charges. And they've got playoff Zeke, baby. And they've got playoff Zeke, baby. Getting a dog in Zeke, Elliott.

Let's go. I think we're all going to combine for as many postseason yards as Zeke this year. Let's be horrible. Well, another Ohio State running back. We all might have more if he gets a care. He might go for negative. No, that's one thing he actually has a few less offense. Yeah, he won't go for negative.

He doesn't go for negative, but he doesn't go for anything more than two yards either. So somewhere in the zero to two yards, every carry. James Jarko of locked on bucks, you're finally going to get the opportunity here. But I don't want to hear anything about this wild car match between the commanders and the buck bucket ears. I want to hear your, your, don't encourage him. Your, I want to hear your upset pick out of this AMC. bracket this weekend.

Well, what I wanted to say had nothing to do with the matchup, but you wouldn't let me talk. What I wanted to say was you owe me a public apology because on this very show, when the bucks were four and six, I said they will make the playoffs. And you said in all of our years of doing the show locked on bucks together, you had never disagreed with me on anything more than that statement. That's fair. And until the third quarter last week, I was right. So I'm not going to give you anything there, buddy.

Who's the upset in the AFC anyway? Nice try. You still don't mean an apology. She's, I guess I would have to go with, if I have to pick one, it's going to be the Broncos. I just, I don't really see it happening. But to Cody's point, when they can keep those games close, you know, Bo Nix has just developed into an incredible play. to watch. And I saw something the other day where John Gruden was offering guys $20 for every player on defense that they could name for Denver. And they have this no-name defense that just dominates

because the only name anyone knows is Sartan. So as much as I love Josh Allen and I love watching the bills play, they just, they don't seem to have that next level when they get to the postseason. So there could be some disappointment there. That would be my pick. Could you imagine, McDermann might get fired at the Broncos beat the bills. Oh, my gosh. You said John Gruden offered, and I thought we were going to cut the stream. I thought we got it here. I did not know what was.

I felt the same thing, David, but I didn't feel it until after John Gruden offered $20. Oh, my goodness. All right. Well, that's going to wrap it up here, guys, for this NFL squad episode. So make sure you come back next week because we're having a lot of fun here. And each of us has come into you every single day, bringing you the latest on your favorite NFL team. So make sure you're following every single one of these guys in this NFL squad here this week. Don't miss a moment of the coverage. All of it. Part of the locked on podcast network,

your team every day. Spider-2 wide banana, man. I'll tell you, man. Now, here's a guy.