Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - NFL KICKOFF LIVE: STEELERS, JAGUARS, COLTS, PACKERS, SEAHAWKS AND MORE PUT PLAYOFF HOPES ON THE LINE

Episode Date: January 6, 2024

The Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Hawks all fight for their playoff lives. Some with bigger odds than others, it all gets figured out in week 18 of the NFL and we break it all down.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.PrizePicksGo to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnfl and use code lockedonnfl for a first deposit match up to $100!GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.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.FanDuelScore early this NFL season with FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook! Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR MONEYLINE BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your team wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are listening to NFL Kickoff Live, an hour-long weekly show where Jarvis Davis and Kyle Krabs join me, Tanitra Batiste, to break down this week's action and biggest storylines around the NFL. You can catch us live each week from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern on your favorite Locked On NFL YouTube page. Welcome into NFL Kickoff Live. It's the best hour of football talk every single Friday. We'll go around the NFL, talk about every team and every game, and we'll get local insight you can't get

anywhere else but right here at Locked On. I'm your host, Tanitra Batiste. Alongside me are Kyle Krabs and Jarvis Davis. Now, guys, the cray-cray, also known as week 18 of the NFL season, is upon us. And of course, other than those number one spots in both the AFC and NFC respectively the playoff picture is cloudier than ever so lots to break down on this show and Kyle I want to start with you let's talk about the crazy AFC playoff picture and like I said obviously at the top Baltimore Ravens good to go but everything else from that number two on down murky at best, the only other thing we know is that the Cleveland Browns are going to be the five. It's who wins the South, who wins the East, what the other two wildcard spots look like. And you at least have one game where two of these teams are playing each other on Saturday,

the late game on Saturday. Houston and Indianapolis playing one another with effectively a playoff play in game is at stake in that game. The earlier game on Saturday will be of particular interest to Western New York. The Pittsburgh Steelers playing the Ravens with a bunch of their starters sitting with the number one seed link clinched for them. But Buffalo would clinch a playoff spot with a Pittsburgh loss. They could also clinch on Saturday with a Houston Indy tie.

They could clinch with a Jacksonville tie. And then of course they played their own game on Sunday night football against Miami, where they could go from being the two seed with a win or Miami wins. And they're the two seed, or if they lose that game, depending on what happens in these other games, they could be the six,

they could be the seven, or they could be out entirely. So like the big flux team is Buffalo with where they are sitting going into week 18 and you know that good old nfl they managed to flex that game and put it as the last one on the schedule so you'll have all the drama building up and kind of get an idea where buffalo stands and uh uh they they will know for sure whether they're going to be playing for seating or if they are playing for their their playoff lives when the other games wrap in the buildup throughout the rest of the weekend. Yeah, it's absolutely crazy when you think about where we started in week one in the AFC Jarvis and where we are kind of here now. And yeah, some of the same names and some of the same teams are coming up at the top of the conversation.

same names and some of the same teams are coming up at the top of the conversation we have been having conversation about the bills the entire season although at the beginning of the season it looked like we wouldn't be having conversation about them at all as it relates to playoffs dolphins still in the mix we've been talking about them from day one and obviously the ravens although i don't know that we expected them to necessarily be the number one seed but many of these teams have been in that conversation but we couldn't have imagined when we started the show in week one, that we'd be having this conversation about so many teams that are on so many different bubbles, like Kyle said, other than in the one spot in the five spot this deep in the season.

You know what? And the thing about it is like, kind of like going through my prep and everything like that. I was just looking at the AFC. I'm just like, man, look at this AFC South because nobody saw the Houston Texans doing what they've been able to do all year. And just seeing what D'Amico Ryans and CJ Stroud obviously was out for a little bit,

but they kind of hit a little snack towards the end of the season. But just overall, that team is the type of team that you understand they're going to be, you know, you know what this team is going to be for the next 10 years or five or six years, barring any catastrophic injury at the quarterback position. And I think the state and staying in the division, you just look at what the Jacksonville Jaguars have been able to do and or not being able to do going down the stretch. and or not being able to do going down the stretch, right? Because like they just been losing games and just a lot of questions about Trevor Lawrence and whether or not he is the guy because we've had those conversations, you know, coming to the season. Like, hey, this this division is Jacksonville's the win.

And we're coming down to the last game of the season saying, all right, who's going to win this division? So it's just so interesting. Then standing standing at division annie apples colts anthony richardson the guy the starter and then you got gardner menshu and shane steichen what he's been not shane stock excuse me uh what gardner mission has been able to do as a backup and being able to stay stay in their conversations for for for for the division is just you can just talk about the type of coaching job that he's been able to do. With the players that you have in place,

I just think this AFC South has been really fascinating to watch all season because we understood what it was coming in, but it hasn't worked out that way. And it's worked out in the favor for a couple of teams that don't have teal and black in their uniforms. And, you know, it's interesting that you mentioned the job that D'Amico Ryans has been able to do with the Houston Texans, because so many people have been saying that what Kevin Savansky has been able to do with Cleveland Browns will get him a nod for coach of the year. But I think D'Amico Ryans definitely deserves to be in that conversation because I don't think any of when you saw that the Texans were aggressive in the draft to get C.J.

Stroud and to then get Will Anderson, you thought, OK, that's the team that in two to three years we're going to be having some conversation about. But like you said, you never quite know how things are going to play out, even with Trevor Lawrence. He's still listed as questionable right now. They haven't made a determination for sure on what's going to happen with him in the game this weekend. So that could be a pivotal kind of a do or die in how things kind of play out there. But, you know, Kyle, another team that we talked about at the beginning of the season that maybe would have been that team that you would have thought would have been a foregone conclusion would be your Super Bowl champions. And yet Kansas City has been up and down around. You kind of don't know.

We'll talk a little bit more about their the same version of them in the NFC South. Excuse me, in the NFC and that in the Philadelphia Eagles in just a moment. But yeah, Casey, you look at Kansas City Chiefs and kind of where they are and what's going to happen with them as far as how deep can they go in the playoffs? what's going to happen with them as far as how deep can they go in the playoffs what does the playoff situation or postseason situation look like for them as they get deeper uh through through this postseason yeah you know how ironic is it that we've been on this show for seven minutes already talking exclusively about the afc playoff field we haven't mentioned kansas city and when we started at the very beginning i said oh about the only other thing we know is Cleveland's a five since Kansas City's clinched as the three like that that's locked in as well we know that for sure but it's oh by the way super defending super bowl champions

they have just been in such a rough spot offensively and it's been really hard to watch for the better course of the past month to ask the question when are they going to find, re-find and recapture their rhythm. And it just hasn't happened offensively. And it just doesn't look like Patrick Mahomes really has a lot of trust in a lot of those guys on the outside. I know Rasheed Rice has had some moments and obviously Travis Kelsey is Travis Kelsey, but Travis Kelsey ain't playing like Travis Kelsey. And I think that that's the hardest thing is when Pat doesn't have somebody else that he feels confident in to go with the football, it becomes kind of this funnel game that you can play on 87. And no matter where they move them to,

no matter where they line them up, if they try to manufacture something for him, there's just bracketed coverage around them. And it's very difficult for him to do the thing that he's always done so well, which is work to open space and have Pat find him with the football. So I don't know that they're going to have an answer. Now in the AFC playoff field, if they end up as the three seed hypothetically,, and they get past whoever their six seed opponent is, there's a 54% chance, according to ESPN's FBI, that it's the Miami Dolphins. There's a 16% chance that it's the Colts. There's a 15% chance that it's the Texans. And there's an 11% chance that it's the Bills.

So they got four possible opponents with this week left to play. And they have nothing to play for. So they're sitting Patrick Mahomes against the Chargers. It'll be Blaine Gabbert. So they know Pat's going to be left to play. And they have nothing to play for. So they're sitting Patrick Mahomes against the Chargers. It'll be Blaine Gabbert. So they know Pat's going to be ready to go. They'll get an extra week of prep there. They get past that. You get into the divisional round.

Who knows what happens? Depending on if there's upsets, you could find them in a position to play a home playoff game in the divisional round. So it's not that absurd to think they could still end up making a push to the AFC conference championship, but it would not be at Arrowhead, which would be the big difference this year versus every other run that

Kansas city's had. Indeed. And to your point, Kyle, I feel like where's Peter when we need one of those Taylor Swift references, because I don't know what song we could spin for what we've been seeing in Kansas city. But yeah,

I never thought we'd be having a conversation where we were watching the Bengals, the Chiefs-Bengals game and wondering how that was going to impact and dictate what the rest of the AFC playoff picture would look like. But particularly having that conversation about the Chiefs in week 17 and what was going to happen with them based on whether or not they beat the bingles which kind of sort of technically they barely beat but we know this scenario is all too familiar jarvis in on the nfc side as well because just like that afc south has been up down middling and around we know there's another group south side called the nfc south and nobody wants to take charge nobody wants to take control. Nobody wants to take control.

It's like, it's the craziest thing. And we know it all too well because, of course, we cover the NFC South now. Similar to what we're talking about on the AFC side, JD. We know that, obviously, the 49ers, good to go. They're locked into number one now at the two spot. You've got the Cowboys, Eagles, Lions. You don't really know what's going to happen. You got the Cowboys, Eagles, Lions again. Two, three. You don't really know what's going to happen. You got the Cowboys, Eagles, Lions again, two, three.

You don't really know what's going to happen. And that four or five is probably going to be your NFC South winners. And really, can I say you don't know what the hell is going to happen there anyway? But I can say that for them too. But ultimately speaking, it's like a clusterfuffle on the NFC South, excuse me, NFC side, maybe even more so than on the side of the AFC. I think it's kind of interesting that, you know, you have the, you know, Eagles losing four out of the last five.

Obviously they've been on a downturn towards the end of the season. And we know that how important it is for teams to be playing well in these months, right? In December going into January as the playoffs get ready to start rolling. And obviously the Eagles haven't been able to do that. So the Cowboys are in a space now where they can win a division, which nobody thought they would be able to do because they just been very average to below average on the road. And they've been great at home. And it's, I find it fitting that they have to go out on the road and get a win

against the Washington commanders in order to clinch the division. So, and then the Philadelphia Eagles are at the giants as well. so both teams are on the road. So, hey, they're going to have to take that thing on the road if they want to do what they need to do. Obviously, the Cowboys clinch the NFC East if they get the win. If the Cowboys lose and the Eagles win, obviously the Eagles will get the division. So that's a movement that could possibly be there,

and I think that the Cowboys are going to be able to pull it off. So when you look at the way Dak Prescott has been playing, that's the reason why you feel like this team is maybe a little bit different than what we've seen in years past. I know you've got the Cowgirls and all that stuff and losing big games, and I think that that's something that obviously you take into place because that's the precedent that they've set. But I think going into the playoffs this year in in 2023 I feel this team is a little different I

feel like it's something there um especially when they're at home and then being able to get that first playoff game at home at Cowboys Stadium where they haven't lost the loss this year they almost did but um I think it's going to be very interesting to see how that plays out but as far as NFC South go to you know how how we know how I feel about this. This is the questions coming in as far as the quarterback position. That was the big conversation that everyone was having that covered any team in the NFC South. And it played out exactly to how we thought we probably thought it was going to be because anybody had the opportunity to win this division because there was no set quarterback. Obviously, Carolina drafting Bryce Young and that that's looking like it might be the wrong decision.

More than likely, they probably should just stay, stay where they were, you know. But I think that with the Falcons going on the road against the Saints, they have to get a win. And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to lose to the Carolina Panthers, who've only won two games. And ironically, they've beaten the Texans and the Falcons, you know, those two wins. So I think that more than likely, this is going to be Tampa Bay's division because you just got to look at it from the standpoint of, all right, they're going to get this win. They're more than likely going to get into the playoffs because Baker Mayfield has been playing pretty solid down the stretch here. So it's just really interesting that, you know, how fascinating the AFC South is

and the NFC South is the exact opposite. Right. And for all of, right, AFC for all of the right reasons in their South division and the NFC, not so much. And like you said, it really kind of is predicated on the quarterback play because we know, of course, that, I mean, Bryce Young is Bryce Young. Panthers are who they are. Got good word out of Tampa at least late this morning that Baker Mayfield practice looks like he's going to be a go come Sunday. And then you've got Derek Carr, who's going to be a go for the Saints. Now it's a question about what's going to happen with the Falcons. I mean, right now it's looking like it's going to be Taylor Heineke, but with Desmond Ritter waiting, waiting in the wings because that nagging ankle injury has really been kind of not, it's been there for a couple of weeks now, really, honestly, since Taylor Heineke was inserted back into that starting position. But, you know, another thing that I really like, Kyle, about what I'm seeing on that NFC side,

when you talk about teams that are kind of exciting, intriguing, you kind of don't know what to do with them, but you're liking how they're trending in the backside of the season. That's the Los Angeles Rams. That might be the one team that nobody wants to face in these playoffs. Yeah, they got a lot of young upstart players, and that coaching staff has really taken this season, and they have gelled quite well,

and they got the right guys healthy at the right time of year. And I look at the Green Bay Packers, too, as another team who is facing a win-and-win scenario to potentially get a six or the seven seed here in the NFC side of things. And Jordan Love's thrown one pick in the last seven games, and he is balling. He is throwing the ballC side of things. And Jordan Love's thrown one pick in the last seven games, and he is balling. He is throwing the ball all over the field. So those are two teams as wild cards where you think about, okay,

somebody's going to draw the Detroit Lions. Somebody's going to draw the NFC East winner. If Philadelphia, like if Dallas drops the ball and Philly ends up as the two, are they playing at a level that inspires you with confidence that they are impervious to losing a game to either green bay or la no like i think there's a lot of intrigue for some of these wild card potential matchups because as you said to the the the rams and packers are two teams that are playing really good football right now and oh the rams are locked in it's just a matter of what their seating is. And for Green Bay, you take care of business against the Bears, who you've had so much success against lately.

You're going to be having your postseason ticket punched as well. Yeah, yeah, very intriguing. Yeah, you're absolutely right. I was watching Green Bay last week. I hadn't watched them play a game in a couple weeks, and I'm just impressed at how good they're looking and how they've progressed throughout the season. From the last time I was able to watch them take the field.

So, yeah, some interesting stuff going on on both sides in the playoff picture. And listen, it's almost time for us to talk about one that we have been waiting and kind of salivating for this entire week. Of course, that's the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins. We're going to get into it on the other side. But before we do, let's tap into what Jarvis has to say about LinkedIn. Folks, Jarvis Davis here for LinkedIn. This episode of the NFL Kickoff Live Show is brought to you by LinkedIn. At the start of the new year, every small business owner, including myself, is asking themselves the same question. What's the one move I can make that'll take my business to the next level? How can I make some more money? Well, LinkedIn Jobs, we've got you covered, right? Because they know exactly what leads to success and depends on the

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your job for free at LinkedIn.com slash locked on for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free. Terms and commissions comply. Guys, it's a big game for the Buffalo Bills. Big game for the Miami Dolphins and it is so big that I locked on Bill's host Joe Marino.

Couldn't pick just one key to victory when he joined our guy Kyle in their Dolphins-Bills crossover. What's the number one key to victory in your mind for Buffalo? You know, I don't. I can't give you number one. I got three things down Kyle's grass. Start with number one and then we'll – I don't know if there's any one that's more important than the other. Okay.

All right, go ahead. The first thing I do have written down is defensive intensity. I think that a big reason why the Bills have been able to go on this four-game win streak and be in this position is because of how their defense has played. And against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Chargers, and Patriots, they've allowed an average of 277 yards per game, 17.5 points per game, and have tallied seven takeaways. And I've seen this defense come out and really have some tone-setting dynamics about it with just the urgency, how fast they're playing, how physical they're playing. And that's going to need to continue this week against the Miami

Dolphins. And we all know how potent that offense is. And so that tone setting nature that they've come out with lately has to show up against the Dolphins on the road. Number two is the red zone. When you're on offense, touchdowns, not field goals. When you're in defense, field goals, not touchdowns. And these are two pretty fascinating teams when it comes to the red zone. Both are terrific on offense. The Bills, number two in red zone touchdown percentage. Dolphins, number three in red zone touchdown percentage on offense.

Defensively, neither team's been very good. The Bills, 20th in red zone defense. The Dolphins are 30th in red zone defense. And so who can make those trips to the red zone end in three versus ending in six? I think that's going to be a deciding factor is success in the red zone for both teams and then turnovers. Turnovers are pretty much a story of almost every NFL game, whether you can take care of the football, whether you can take away the football. I mean, the Bills, three, they're plus three in takeaways against New England last week, four total takeaways. Obviously, the Dolphins had a lopsided situation there when it comes to

turnovers and giveaways. And so I think that's going to be a storyline. Who can protect the football, but also be aggressive and make plays, and who can take it away? I think that's also going to be a big part of any game and, of course, a high-stakes game like this. So, Casey, it sounds like, to me, you could make the argument that these are two very evenly matched teams, right? And Joe was kind of – he couldn't come up with just that one key, right? The key to the win.

But what would you say? Kind of want to get your reaction, first of all, to what Joe had to say. And then I want to ask you a little bit about some things of going from point A to point B. But first, your reaction. I've been doing podcasting with Joe for about eight years. And one thing I know for certain is Joe, if you ask him for one thing, he's never going to give you one thing I know for certain is Joe if you ask him for one thing he's never going to give you one thing so I'm glad he didn't disappoint and didn't just double dip which is the patented Joe Marino move he triple dipped you you would think these teams are are fairly closely matched

but the recent history of these two teams suggests that it's anything but the Bills have had nothing but rousing success against Buffalo just about every time they played them. Miami did beat them at home last year in the first year of Mike McDaniel, so that's notable. And both teams are very different, including from a coaching perspective, from the last time they played in week four. The Bills fired their offensive coordinator in Joe Brady. The Dolphins, with the install of Vic Fangio's defense, those players have talked a little bit more about how much better they conceptually grasp it, although they didn't necessarily play like it when they their midseason struggles was the losses that they had incurred this season in Daquan Jones and Matt Milato and Tredavious White. Those are big-time losses.

Well, they trade for Rasul Douglas at the trade deadline, who's probably been a better player than Trey White's been the last two years, just being honest about where Trey White's at in his career. Terrell Bernard has been playing whites out in the middle of that defense and they got Daquan Jones back last week. So they very suddenly in the midst of this stretch of kind of stabilizing their play defensively. I think that's the thing that Buffalo is probably most excited about hanging

their hat on is they've got that mojo back on that side of the ball. So whether you want to call it defensive intensity or red zone defense or whatever else, just the fact that they survived what was some kind of foundational injuries to that side of the football and are now out the other side of it and playing like it, I think is the thing that makes them such a dangerous team. And it's interesting that you say that, Casey, because I was thinking about that as well, kind of looking at those two teams and where they were when they played back at the beginning of October and where each of those teams is now. And kind of it feels like, and this is just, again, this just feels like not necessarily all of the statistics will prove it, but it feels like the Bills are just kind of that team that's kind of surging and kind of going in the right direction

and have had maybe fewer bumps and bruises maybe on the backside of that first meeting? Yeah, I think Buffalo took their lumps midseason, and I think Miami, even though they were churning, they were getting players back as they were simultaneously losing other players with injuries. And the last month or so, it's really mounted for Miami, where if you looked at the top 12 players on the death chart of each side of the ball for Miami, up until about week 13, they had had a minimum of 18 of those 24 players. So starters plus a few key extra rotational guys, 18 out of 24 they'd had available to them the last three weeks or so that number's gotten as

low as 14 and 15 so that they've lost other meaningful pieces now if you want to put the injury lens on for miami and look for some optimism right guard robert hunt is going to play i'll say that he's going to play and that's a they haven't had more than two of their original starters on the offensive line since they played the commanders back in like week 12. So they've been playing with three backups on the offensive line. You get a starter back on the offensive line. Jalen Waddle practiced today. Raheem Mostert practiced today.

They have an opportunity. They're getting Jerome Baker back from injured reserve. He's practiced now two days. It sounds like he's going to be a go and that's going to help them in the second level of the defense. So Miami, you've seen the injuries mount at the wrong time, but they are looking at the perspective of getting some of these other players back. So if you want to know how Miami can kind of even that momentum out, those guys getting back on the field is their best chance to do that. Indeed. And would you agree, Jarvis, because those are some big pieces to the puzzle. Sometimes we don't think we kind of look at the final score. We may look at it and say, oh, wow, 56 to 19, you know, they got blown out by the Ravens. Or you may

look at it and say Tennessee Titans, a shocking 28 to 27 loss. You know, the Dolphins, especially at that time when they were rolling, because they'd gone like they'd had three quality wins in a row. But when you look at the potential of getting a waddle back or most or do you think that's going to be enough to put them in position to get this win i think it'd be enough to put them in a position to get to get the win but like i go back to what i was saying earlier is like just how teams have been playing down the stretch right because you know you talk about what the way the buffalo bills have magically discovered James Cook. Like, oh yeah, Ken Dorsey,

get up out of here. Oh, Joe Brady. We had a run game. Let's use this guy. Let's use this. What did he go to school? Georgia, Georgia, Georgia Bulldogs, Bulldogs. Yeah, let's use this guy.

Yeah, let's use him. Let's figure out what, let's send the offers around him and let Josh Adam play off of that. Right. You know, so you don't have to be Superman every game. So I think that just the way they've been playing the Buffalo Bills, that is, I just really feel like it just goes back to what I've been saying. Like, I understand the whole passing game is cute and everything is sitting around the quarterback. I get it. But when you're talking about going into the playoffs and going on a run and playing and taking it on the road, whether you're on the road or at home in the element, running the ball and

playing defense is going to win you games. So I think that, you know, when you have Buffalo playing the way they've been playing down the stretch on a four game winning streak and everything. If they discover, you know, that they have a weapon, a guy that can count on to give them 20 times a game and and not have to worry about a guy. His his durability, because he's been only been in the league for two years. This is second sophomore season. So like those some of the things that I've really did, I take a look at when you're talking about going into divisional matchups and then, but the only thing that kind of keeps me having a little reserve Kyle is the fact that, Hey, Miami is at home and they've been really good at home. So those are some of the things that I'll take a look at, but it has to, I think it all boils down to, Hey, who's going to be able to be able to continue to establish themselves and i think buffalo buffalo has a little bit more minimum momentum as far as that going into this game right here yeah just one

other thing to nitro i think this is a big james cook and dalton kincaid spot you know traditionally josh allen he puts up like everybody else's best career single game numbers. Every time he plays the Dolphins, that's what he ends up doing. He just rings up touchdowns and yards like nobody's business. But he's really banged up. Obviously, they've needed him. The evolution of this offense with Joe Brady has called upon a little bit more of the quarterback run game.

He has a stinger in his left shoulder. He hit his hand off a throwing helmet and has a sprained digit in the middle digit of his middle finger on his throwing hand, and he hit off the helmet. And he's been dealing with a right shoulder injury too. So for me, it is James Cook, and then obviously Stephon Diggs is such a big presence historically within this group of the Bills. He's been so quiet.

Dalton Kincaid has been the second most targeted player on this team offensively, and that's where you get into, I think, where Baltimore really took advantage of Miami's defense last week was throwing the ball to the backs out of the backfield, and I say likely the tight end. week was throwing the ball to the backs out of the backfield and Isaiah Likely the tight end. So if Buffalo, I think Buffalo's big matchups for them to win in this game are going to be James Cook and Dalton Kincaid as compared to the traditional Josh Allen, Stefan Diggs show that they are so historically forced you to expect when they play the Dolphins. Yeah. And that kind of goes into my X factor question, Kyle, that I was going to ask you guys before we go to break. Jarvis, other than the obvious, which we talked about,

and we haven't really even talked about Tua in this conversation, but we'll throw him in for the purposes of the X-Factor question I have for you guys. Taking out the main players, a Josh Allen, a Tua, and even the running backs, give me an X-Factor in this game that'll help the Dolphins to get the win. Wow. This is going to be something that, you know, I feel like if Jalen Waddell can be able to come back and be that guy or Tyreek Hill, I think this wide receiver group,

if those guys can be the game-breaking players that they are, especially on the field at the same time, they can cause any trouble with any secondary in the international football league. So I think if Tyreek Hill, I mean, it's kind of hard for them to not get the ball without playing his best game. But I think the combination of those two guys being on the field at the same time, being able to pull those guys like that, I really feel like they can be X factors to being able to pull those guys like that i really feel like they can be x factors to be able to definitely get a win especially when being with that being at home and for you casey outside of the usual suspects who's that x factor or what is that x

factor for the bills to walk away with the win uh i i think um dalton kinkid and Dawson Knox are two players. I know I mentioned Dalton Kincaid already, but the tight end room in general, whether Buffalo wants to get success on the ground, their matchup against the edges of the Dolphins defense, which is now without Bradley Chubb and Andrew Van Ginkle, is a big challenge for Miami. And Emmanuel Agba is going to step into that role. He was a healthy and active last week, but he got a big contract.

And the past couple of seasons prior to 2022, he had nine sacks apiece for the Dolphins defense, and he's got five and a half this year. So his presence on the edge in the run game, Buffalo likes to run a lot of power, where they'll get the offensive tackle pulling off the backside and kind of flip the formational strength on you. And that puts some pressure on the tight ends to kind of get seals or to get up on the second level and block linebackers.

I think their ability to execute that will really dictate Buffalo's success on the run game. Because I do think even though Miami's banged up defensively, Buffalo can't come into this game and throw the ball all over the field, no matter how much they maybe would want to to kind of get that rhythm going in the passing game they have to continue the formula that they've had the past month which is running the ball and now as we prepare you for the NFL week with back to tell you on BetterHelp. Jarvis Davis here for BetterHelp. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Now, people, every year,

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anytime for no additional charge. If you don't like the one that you're with, that's perfectly fine. We're going to help you find the one that's the perfect match for you. So celebrate the progress you already made and visit betterhelp.com slash locked on. That's betterhelp.com slash locked on today to get 10% off your first month savings all around the place for 2024. That's better help. H E L P.com slash locked on L O C K E D O N. Guys, Pittsburgh Steelers open week 18 as three point favorites over the Baltimore

Ravens, who, as we talked about earlier, are expected to rest most of their starters. Here's Chris Carter of Locked on Steelers to sell you why the Steelers can then be able to cover the spread. I'm Chris Carter of the Locked on Steelers podcast. The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore for a rematch and are three-point favorites on the road. That may not make sense unless you know that the Ravens are going to be resting a lot of starters. Lamar Jackson already announced his bench. I expect Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hampton, and Zay Flowers all to also not play in this game,

as well as offensive linemen like Morgan Moses and Ronnie Stanley. That's a bunch of key players in a game that the Steelers are desperate to win, while the Ravens, they want to win. They want to beat the Steelers. They have the saying, you're not a Raven until you beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, so they'll be trying. But this Steelers team has gotten red hot. They're averaging over 30 points a game in their last two contests,

and their defense should be getting back. Minkovic, Patrick, and Alain and Roberts, two key pieces in the middle of the defense. I think the Steelers, in desperation mode, find a way to gut this one out in Baltimore 26-17 in a hard-fought battle that gives them playoff hopes for Sunday. Gives them playoffs hopes, indeed, and the word coming out of Pittsburgh, at least within the last hour, is yes, Elandon Roberts and Minka Fitzpatrick are both solicitous, questionable, but with a lean more to Elandon playing versus maybe Minka. But guys, this is still going to be an uphill battle because, yeah, I don't know if I want to go with what Chris said in terms of the Steelers being red hot on offense. That might be a little strong, but we do know that them cracking the code of 30 three times is actually impressive, or at least last weekend cracking the code was impressive

than the weekend before. So I'll give them that, right? I'll give them that. But realistically, do you guys see a path? Because it's not just about what happens tomorrow. They're one of those teams, like several, that still have the kind of what if or the if this, then that situation going. But let's start first things first, Jarvis, with whether or not the Steelers can cover the spread I think they can

cover the spread because we have guys like Lamar Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr those the playmakers the guy the MVP favorite you know going to the last week of the season if those guys aren't playing hey of course they they should they better have an opportunity to cover this doggone spread because, you know, one thing that, you know, I know once Mason Rudolph, since Mason Rudolph has become the starter in these last couple of games, two full starts, you know, this has been interested and intrigued. Like, okay, this dude's been playing pretty solid, right? I mean, he hasn't been losing in the game.

So, and I think that, you think that with the way he's been playing and the momentum that his offense has, being able to put up 30-plus points, and then I love to see it because, hey, the Falcons haven't put up 30, scored 30 points all season. So when you're able to put those type of points on the board, you have the opposing quarterback, starting quarterback, the MVP candidate not on the field, you better dog on cover the spread indeed indeed

and Kyle do you agree that they should at a minimum cover this spread the Steelers yeah why not I'm not gonna doubt Chris again I've doubted Chris enough this season and all the Steelers were 30 points in back-to-back weeks right so I'm gonna say yes I do say yes. I do think Pittsburgh – and, you know, I think this is the big difference. They do have an experienced backup quarterback in Tyler Huntley, but Tyler hasn't played games in this system. You know, they made the offensive coordinator change, and Huntley, he'd been the guy down the stretch for Baltimore the past few seasons as they've tried to make playoff runs

because Lamar Jackson's got hurt. But that was with the old offensive system as compared to Todd Monken's system. So I think the lack of game reps plus the guys that are sitting, I think it does set it up favorably for Baltimore to maybe be a little bit more clunky than you would expect offensively. And I think that's enough for Pittsburgh since they found a little bit of juice offensively to score enough points to win the game. Yeah. Mason with the mojo. Like I can't believe I'm saying that because like Jarvis said, I've been sitting back kind of the entire season going, when is this offense going to wake up? And with the shift of moving on from Matt Canada, and then you try to, I don't know,

the Mitch Trubisky experiment, they just were determined to make that work once Kenny Pickett went down in the concussion protocol and just being dinged up himself this entire season. It seemed like something to where we absolutely had to get to the point of no return to say, okay, Mason Rudolph, let's give you a try, but it's working so far. And yes, in the absence of so many of the Raven starters, even with who the Steelers may be without on defense, it should work out for them as well. Now, another intriguing matchup this weekend is the Indianapolis Colts in Houston, Texas. We talked a lot about this matchup and even what's going on with the AFC South overall. And we know these teams are playing

for a chance to win the AFC South itself. Now, the Jaguars lose. The winner of this game will win the division. The Colts are actually the one and a half point home underdogs in the game. So Jake Arthur of Locked On Colts is here to tell us why the Colts can cover in the game. It's a big one this weekend. What's up, everybody? This is Jake Arthur from Locked On Colts.

And we've got Colts Texans on Saturday night, national TV. And by all accounts, this is a pick them. Texans are one and a half point favorites. Everyone I've talked to expects this to be a very close game as well. Personally, I foresee about a 23 to 20 Colts win, last team with the ball type of situation, maybe a field goal in the final minute or so. But there's a lot riding on this one. The Colts did win handily back in week two, but both these teams are drastically different now than they were at the time. And for a game of such magnitude, it's kind of new territory for both of these teams.

Both do have a good mix of young and veteran talent, but just last year, these teams faced off in week 18 at Lucas Oil Stadium, and it was for draft position in the top five. Now, the winner of this goes on into the playoffs, so somewhat uncharted territory for a lot in the top five. Now the winner of this goes on into the playoffs. So somewhat uncharted territory for a lot of the players that are going to be out on the field here. And I think the difference is going to be as trench play for the Colts. They do have a handful of players, especially on the offensive line that are questionable, but a lot of these guys look like they're going to be trending the right way and that they may be banged up, but a lot of these guys will play. If you have your entire starting five offensive line, plus Jonathan Taylor and Zach Moss, that's not something that the Colts had at their disposal back in week two.

Now, as for the Texans, kind of a laundry list of injuries as well. Noah Brown has already been ruled out. That's someone who's been making big plays for C.J. Stroud this year. Jonathan Grenard, 12 and a half sacks on the season. He won't be there. Will Anderson, his bookend, he's questionable as well. So you pretty much have the entire defensive front for Houston that is questionable or banged up at the very least.

And then you have a Colts run game that should be at relative full strength. So again, I think that'll be the difference. The Colts were able to sack CJ Stroud six times back in week two. Well, I don't think they're going to duplicate that number. I do expect them to at least get to him a few times, hopefully make life uncomfortable for him if you're a Colts fan. So that's how I see it. Close game, Colts bringing it home.

Thanks, everybody. So KC, first and foremost, as Jake said, we know that these teams are so intriguing because you look at them and it's 3-13-1, 4-12-1 from last season. And now all of a sudden we're having this conversation about the Colts and the Texans having an opportunity to win the division and get into the playoffs. It's crazy how that year over year. We'll talk about that a little bit later as well. But first things first, do they cover the spread? Yeah, impressive journey for the AFC South. Maybe both you guys cover yours, but that's what happens

when you play four games against the NFC South in your schedule. All of a sudden things soften up a little. I want to pick Houston to win the game. I think Houston has some better dynamics at play, but Indy's just kind of been like last year, Joe Marino and I on NFL scouting referred to the Minnesota Vikings as the purple cockroaches where you just couldn't kill them. Right?

Like there were all these games where they're down and you thought like, okay, they're backed into the corner. I'll put my foot on them and boom. And then they have the biggest comeback in NFL history and they turn the ball over on the one yard line against the Bills and the Bills fumble the ball when they're trying to run out the clock and Minnesota comes back and wins that game and just all of these improbable games and it hasn't been that extreme with Indianapolis but they feel like that team

this year that you're just you keep being ready to write them off and they keep finding ways to win football games. So I think I do like Indy to win the game. I view it as generally a coin toss game. I think if you played it 10 times, the Texans would probably win more out of the 10, but it just feels like with the way that their individual seasons have trended,

that Indy is in a position to win this football game, just kind of off a gut feeling. And it'll be interesting to watch the AFC South divisional implications. We just came through on the timeline that Jacksonville will face Ryan Tannehill and not Will Levis on Sunday. So, you know, the winner of this game needs Jacksonville to lose to win the division. You'll kind of have that mystery and intrigue going in. I don't know if a veteran quarterback being the team playing Jacksonville is a good thing or a bad thing. And Ryan Tannehill's thrown one touchdown pass his last 136 attempts. Probably not a good thing.

But nevertheless, this is still a playoff win and end type scenario. So I think I like the Colts, but don't ask me to put a lot of confidence points on it. I think I like the Colts, but don't ask me to put a lot of confidence points on it. Yeah, J.D., it sounds like KC is kind of thinking there might be some Minshew magic that goes down this particular weekend. What are your thoughts, first and foremost, on covering the spread? To be honest with you, I like I don't think they're going to cover it because, you know. I like when you have like pick them games, I like to look at the quarterbacks, right. You know, because that's that's the type. That's where that's where I'll go in as much as Gardner Minshew can take over a game. Like you mentioned, the Minshew magic and all that stuff. I really look at the guy who has the brightest future in this league.

And that has to be C.J. Stroud. So because the way he's just handling himself and dealing with all the Q score and all that stuff, you know, at the beginning of the year. And I just think that this young man has done some really good things. And I think that him being paired off with D'Amico Ryans, like we mentioned earlier, he's a head coach of the year candidate. He should be because nobody had any expectations for that team coming to the season. So I really feel like this is a game where I feel CJ Stroud is going to put on that cape and say, you know what? I'm here, NFL. I need y'all to take a look at me because I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. And I feel like the Colts won't cover the spread because of that. Indeed, indeed. Well, you talked about a couple of things that ring very true in the NFC South,

and that is QB question marks and teams that have zero expectations of them. Wow, you just called the name of the NFC South yet again. Well, we know it's going down in my hometown this weekend. The New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons will face one another. And then there's that team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, that's going to face off against the Carolina Panthers. So it's literally like this NFC South battle royale. Keep quiet, man.

Keep quiet. Anyway, the Saints are three-point favorites at home, shockingly. The Falcons, of course, won that last game 24-15. But Ross Jackson, who always keeps it real out at Locked On Saints, is going to sell us why the Saints can cover that spread. If the New Orleans Saints want to get a win against the Atlanta Falcons and cover the spread, it all comes down to the offensive side of the football. My name is Ross Jackson.

I'm the host of the Locked On Saints podcast. And if the New Orleans Saints want to keep their playoff hopes alive and at least control what they can before they need to get some help from some not so great friends around the NFC, it's all going to come down to a fast start on the offensive side of the football as far as I'm concerned. If you look over the course of the past five games, the New Orleans Saints in their best wins, the games where they've looked their best up against the Carolina Panthers, the New York Giants, and of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, it all came with fast starts on offense. And that does three things for you if you are the New Orleans Saints. And just as a converse, we can look at the Los Angeles Rams loss on Thursday Night Football, a game where they didn't get a fast start. Things didn't work out great for them. But those three things that the

fast start on the offensive side give you is that first of all, it builds your momentum on offense. New Orleans Saints have been very inconsistent on the offensive side of the football here recently, but when they build a rhythm, they have what they need to be able to at least keep pace with their opponents and continue to compete. They're not a runaway team, but they're certainly a competitive team. The second thing, and this is big for the New Orleans Saints going into this matchup at home, is that it gets the home crowd involved. New Orleans Saints didn't get their first scoring drive, opening scoring drive all season when it came to touchdowns until last week's game against Tampa.

They've yet to have one at home. Let's see if they can do it here in week 18 and get that hot and cold Superdome crowd in their corner. And finally, it gives the New Orleans Saints the opportunity to play to their defensive brand. Their defensive brand wants to attack quarterbacks. You ain't attacking a quarterback if they're able to run the ball all day long

because you haven't created a deficit over on the offensive side. So all the offense can be the team's best offense, of course, it can be this team's best defense as well, forcing Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heineke into some obvious passing situations and therefore some opportunistic circumstances for that New Orleans Saints defense. It's interesting because my first thought was, wow. And I say this with all sincerity and seriousness. If everything is dictated in this with all sincerity and seriousness, if everything is

dictated in this game by a fast start, that's probably not going to bode well for the Falcons. The Falcons have just, and Jarvis, we've seen it over and over this season, the Falcons are just notorious for going into a game and kind of building, building, building up to the fourth quarter, and you're wondering, wow, where was that team in the first quarter? But before we go there, kind of keys to the game and where we see each of these teams kind of having the pathway to getting a win, Casey, do the Saints cover or no? So I have developed a general rule of thumb for NFC South games, and it is look at it with logic and facts, and then whatever that dictates is going to happen pick the opposite to happen and it's like clockwork it's incredible so the saints should win the game

i think the saints are the better team i think they're still a more talented team in spite of some of the injuries that both of these teams have had to work their way through uh i don't know which is the better coached team between the two, but I don't think coaching is a particular strength for either team this season. But then I also look at Atlanta and I say, okay, Atlanta, let's look at since your bye week, you had a bye week week 11. You had 396 yards of offense in week 12 against the Saints. You won that football game.

And then you had 194 yards of offense. Then you had 434. Then you had 204, now you had had 434 then you had 204 94 06 and 304 so we're we're doing this and we're coming off of a this so I think from Atlanta's perspective for whatever reason I think this is a matchup particularly if Taylor Heineke plays I think this is one of those we can play spoiler. They still technically can win the division, but Carolina has actually not held a fourth quarter lead at any point in any of their games this season.

They've just kicked two game-winning field goals as time expired, and that's the extent of their winning success. So Atlanta would need to win and then have that team beat the Bucs. I don't think that's happening, even though my rule of thumb in the NFC South is pick the opposite of what should happen. But this game, I do think it applies. I think the Falcons play spoiler here in this game how about you Jarvis wow man it's like I'm jaded Cal to be honest with you because I'm so used to the stock market offense you know and the turnovers and everything like that and the

Falcons are going to take Taylor Heineke all the way up into pregame to determine whether or not he plays. I think he plays, but something in me says that Desmond Ritter might end up being the starter for this one. And if that happens on the road, I think we're going to be riding this Ritter rollercoaster. And I think that the Saints will cover the spread because of that, because this dude is just prone to turn the football over.

He just can't help himself. Like, I think there's only been like three games since he's been a starter in the NFL that he hasn't turned the football over or fumbled or thrown an interception. So it's just when you think about that aspect of it, it's just something that he can't get past. And if Desmond Ritter is the starter and Taylor Heineken can't play, I really feel like this is going to be a game where the Saints are going to get the win and hope and pray because we'll know the NFC South would be determined by 4 o'clock because everybody's playing at 1. So I think this is going to be something that they'll be looking at.

Somebody's going to be looking at the other game with Tampa and Carolina, and I think that the Saints are going to be looking to say, hey, please, Carolina, find some offense because we want to get into this on the playoffs and play a couple, at least one extra game. Yeah, indeed. Yeah. To me, it's just a pick them. I'll be honest just because I've seen both of these teams do the unthinkable at the most inopportune times. And I think it's like you said, Kyle, if I go ahead and pick the Falcons, the three of us will be texting on Sunday going, what the hell just happened? If I go Saints, we'll also be texting, what the hell happened? So it's a pick them. Goodness knows that we're going to be right there, locked and loaded to see what in the world we're going to see come Sunday.

But we're going to talk about a few more awards that NFL Kickoff Live is going to give out as we wrap up today's show. But before we do that, Jarvis is going to tell you once again why you should check out LinkedIn. Jarvis Davis here for LinkedIn. Folks, this episode of NFL Kickoff Live Show is brought to you by LinkedIn. At the start of the new year, every small business owner is asking themselves the same question. What's the one move I can make that'll take my business to the next level? How can I get more money? I had a pretty decent year last year. What can I do to be able to have more revenue to attack my bottom line in the positive? Well, LinkedIn Jobs has the answer for you.

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candidates. So easy. In fact, that 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within 24 hours. So not only are you going to get your best candidate, you're going to get it in the time frame is what you're going to be able to maximize it to the degree. So what I want you to do, also want a little more nugget, also know that small businesses are wearing so many hats and you might not even have the time and resources to hire.

So LinkedIn has made this process so smooth, so quick, so easy. So post your job for free for linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free, terms and conditions apply. And Jarvis, you were so generous to tell people about LinkedIn because there are some coaches that maybe a 401, 417 or 425 on Sunday may actually need to use LinkedIn.

Now, that said, there's some guys who are on the other side that won't need LinkedIn at all. I digress. I know. We're petty team right now. Coming up on a Friday. It's been fun in our last show of the season. We're going out with a bang. But listen, there are some coaches who actually have done a bang-up job, no pun intended, this season.

And I wanted to get you guys' take on that. We kind of teased it a little bit earlier. I kind of know where you guys are thinking. But real quick, tell me who, Kyle, your coach of the year would be for this season. I think you have to look at what they went through all season long and pick Kevin Stefanski with the Cleveland Browns. They're starting their fifth starting quarterback of the season in week 18. And granted, they're 11 and five and they clinched, but they're also 11 and five with a quarter of that going to Deshaun

Watson and then rookie DTR and then BJ Walker. And then Joe Flacco comes in off the couch and throws for 300 for four straight game. It's incredible what the lack of continuity at that position, in addition to a bunch of other injuries that they have incurred at a bunch of other spots between Nick Chubb. I think they're on their fourth and fifth offensive tackles this season. Their interior defensive lines take it. They are really banged up. And that defense with Jim Schwartz has been outstanding.

He's been one of the best assistants in football this year as well. I have to go with Kevin Stefanski just because I know there was some expectation for the Browns to be in this general area, but the path that they took to get there is the most impressive coaching job this season in my mind. Yeah. And the first team in NFL history to go through four quarterbacks and make the playoffs. So yeah, bang up job that Kevin Stefanski has done. How about you, J.D.? I mean, I've talked about it pretty well. I feel like a whole show.

So it has to be D'Amico Ryan's for me. But I got to give some credit to Shane Stockton, the head coach of the NLB coach, because when you when you're drafting a rookie quarterback and you're saying that, hey, that guy is going to be your starting, you have a viable backup in Gardner Minshew. And hey, you can go to old school route and say, you know what? This is the guy that is going to be our starter. And Anthony Richards is going to learn. We're going to bring him along slowly and all that good stuff.

But when you name him the starter, you're thinking that you're going to take your lumps and go through the season. And then those plans get kind of stifled a little bit, right? He's out for the season. And then you go with your backup quarterback. And then now you find yourself in week 18 playing for an opportunity to win the AFC South when nobody expected it. I just think you have to give him, he has to be highlighted, right? I don't think he's going to win Coach of the Year, but he has to be at least in the conversation saying, you know what? We understand what the expectations were coming into the season, and you've exceeded those.

So you should at least be in this conversation for Coach of the Year. Yeah, and sometimes, and I'm going to just throw this one out there because sometimes I feel like we do, And I'm going to just throw this one out there because sometimes I feel like we do. And we're supposed to look at the coach who's been able to take his team beyond adversity to get to the positions where D'Amico, Ryan Shane, Cyclin have brought their teams and Kevin Stefanski have brought their teams respectively. But I feel like Harbaugh might just be the most unsung head coach, almost like a Mike Tomlin, you know, guys who've never won that coach of the year award. almost like a Mike Tomlin, you know, guys who've never won that coach of the year award, but they come and they bring, you know, their team to the table and they still get them to the top because there are still teams with just as much experience, just as much depth, just as much talent. But the success that John Harbaugh has, I think sometimes we take it for granted. So I just wanted to kind of throw him out there as somebody who, even with me being a Steelers fan, I've

always had a lot of respect and appreciation for what he's been able to do with the Ravens. Now, I want to ask you guys as well, the MVP race seemed to have locked itself up pretty much two weeks ago. But do you guys feel like there's any way that Lamar Jackson, I'll say it that way, does not get that MVP? I don't know. I don't see it. I don't see it. I don't, I don't see anyone just coming in and say, Oh, well he thought it was Lamar Jackson, but absolutely not. This is going to give it to filling quarterback, other quarterback, you know, but it's just, just the way he's just been mowing down playoff contenders and,

and teams that everybody's expecting to be in the conversations in January and going into February. I just feel like, and you know, we talked about this coming into the season, right? Because, hey, I want my money. Nah, we ain't going to give you that money. Hey, I want to be traded. Okay, we're going to give you a couple of first rounders and you can go on about your business. Nah, we're going to give you your money. And then, hey, I want to be traded. Ah, you know, okay, we're going to give you a couple first-rounders and you can go on about your business. Ah, no, we're going to give you your money. And then, hey, we're going to bring in a new offensive coordinator too. And Todd Monken, who's coming from college.

You know, and we know how that transition can be from time to time. But Todd Monken has basically coached himself into being a big-time head coaching candidate. So when you think about all of those factors that I just laid out and for him to be playing like he is down the stretch when it's the most of importance right now, I just feel like there's nobody, there's no one that's been playing better than Lamar Jackson down the stretch. And for that reason, I really feel there's there should be anybody else in the conversation kc you good with that one too yeah i i kind of am hoping to get like a thank you card or something as the locked on dolphins host for lamar having that be the exclamation point on a season against

miami you know the last few weeks they played the one seed in the nfc and they beat him by two touchdowns and then they play the team that's been slated as the two seed for the last two months in the AFC and they beat him by three, five touchdowns. So it's, it's just been an incredible exclamation point for the best team in football and Lamar taking this evolution with the opportunity that he's had with how they've changed their offense, I think is absolutely the deserving winner for the MVP this year. Indeed. And I'm going to co-sign on that as well. I think Lamar Jackson absolutely balled out. And like I said, as a Steelers fan, it's kind of tough to watch it, but man, it's been beautiful as a football fan to watch. And hopefully for you guys, our fans, it's been a beautiful thing to watch us

throughout this regular season. I've had a blast working with Jarvis Davis and Kyle Krabs on this NFL Kickoff Live show. We're going to be sitting just like you guys this weekend with bated breath to see how this playoff picture shakes out on both the AFC and the NFC side. So thanks again for stopping by. As always, appreciate you guys for rocking with us here at Locked On NFL Kickoff Live. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.