Locked On Titans - Daily Podcast On The Tennessee Titans - NFL Squad: Who Is The AFC Rooting For In Bills vs. Chiefs?

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

In this week's NFL Squad, the crew discusses this weekend's NFL Conference Championships in the AFC and NFC. Will the Buffalo Bills become the team of destiny and end the Kansas City Chiefs 'Villian' era? Can Jayden Daniels make history for the Washington Commanders against the Philadelphia Eagles and Jalen Hurts? Plus, the crew reacts to the latest hires in the NFL coaching cycle and touches on which jobs that are still open are the most appealing or unappealing.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!TalkspaceAs a listener of this podcast, you’ll get $80 off your first month with Talkspace when you go to Talkspace.com/LOCKEDONNFL and enter promo code SPACE80. 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/LOCKEDONNFL GametimeDownload 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. FanDuelFrom the first whistle to the final drive, FanDuel makes the NFL Playoffs even more exciting! Right now, new customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get THREE HUNDRED BUCKS in BONUS BETS – if you win your first 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)

Championship weekend and everybody is a Bills fan and a commander stand, right? It's NFL squad time 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 hard-hitting football with our harder-hitting takes. 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 in to this week's NFL Squad. Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and join us as we get you ready for another

wild week of action across the National Football League. Of course, all of us are part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day and we're doing this episode today. Thanks to FanDuel from the first whistle to the final drive. FanDuel makes the NFL playoffs even more exciting. Right now, new customers, you bet $5 and get $300 in bonus bets even if you or if you win your first bet, visit vandal.com to get started today. We are joined Cody Rourke locked on Broncos,

Landon McCool locked on Cowboys, Peter Rogowski locked on Packers. Packers. What is, what is that cup? What does that cup say? Nice. It's bleach. Kevin Ostriger of locked on Ravens, Damian Parsons of locked on NFLraft and no Bills fans. Joe is not here, but we are talking plenty about your Buffalo Bills. So stick around. Plus if you watch the episode on the Locked On Bills channel, it actually still helps Joe. So you can actually do Joe a solid. We know you guys love Joe as much as we do. So you can still do Joe a solid by sticking around here and hear Joe still show. People are probably watch Joe still show the Ravens and they get to poke fun at me. So it's okay.

It's a win win. It's so worth hanging around for, uh, speaking of which guys, let's, let's put on our fan hats here for, for, for a moment, right? Every single person in this room, uh, got into this business because you like football or you love football to some degree, right? Nobody, I don't think anybody here woke up and said, you know what, that game that I really don't like, I'm going to dedicate my life talking about it. So let's put on our fan hats here. Let's talk about the bills chiefs. How many of us in this room are bills fans this weekend? How many are chiefs fans this weekend? And is it because you genuinely like the bills or you're just sick

of the Kansas city chiefs? Peter Bukowski, you always bring the hot takes. I want to, I want to start with you. Well, I feel like now there's a lot of pressure on me to say that I'm cheering for the Chiefs because I know everyone else is gonna say that they're cheering for the Bills. But I think the best thing for the NFL is for, and I said this to Kevin, I think a week ago,

I said the best thing for the NFL is for either Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen to win the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes having an actual rival is the best thing that could happen in the NFL. And remember this happened with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning where Brady just owned that rivalry. And then Peyton Manning in the AFC Championship game,

one of the craziest comebacks we have ever seen, they got that, I wouldn't say the script flipped, right? Like Brady still ultimately ultimately like, oh, Manning, but getting that, it carried them for like 10 more years of rivalries and if Patrick Mahomes wins again and they win the Superbowl again, it's just sort of like, I kind of feel like, why do we even have a regular season?

Because like, who cares? The Chiefs kind of felt that way, it seemed like, for the first eight, 10 weeks of the season too. So I'm just sort? Um, the, the chiefs kind of felt that way. It seemed like for the first eight, 10 weeks of the season too. So I'm just sort of like, man, they, they have to, they have to serve some sort of penance for not giving a crap about the first 10 weeks of the season. And I hope Josh Allen can deliver that because I think it'd be great for the game.

Yeah. Damien Parson. I mean, you're your first time through here, buddy. So I want to kick this over to you pretty quick. Um, where is there a value? Is there, I mean, should football fans generally speaking? I mean, obviously Bill's fans don't want to see the chiefs win another Superbowl and whoever plays the chiefs and Superbowl is not going to want to see them win. But, but general football fans, is there a value to seeing the first ever three Pete super in the Superbowl era?

Is there a value to that? Somewhat right? Cause it creates more hatred for Mahomes and the Chiefs which it's like the Floyd Mayweather effect every time Floyd fought people tuned in hoping and praying he lost and it's gonna be the exact same thing Lamar well LeBron James he was the same thing right when he was on his run whether it was with the Cavs or with the Heat anytime he was on the championship team even with the Lakers when they were in the playoffs in those big moments, people watched hoping and praying LeBron lost hoping and praying his team did not win the NBA title. So I definitely think

it has some value. I'm just hoping that the value does not come to fruition. Yeah. Uh, Kevin Ostreicher locked on Ravens. I want to throw you a very not football focused question. So I really hope you get your fan hat on here. Should there be a side wager? If the chiefs win, you find you get to keep Taylor Swift on the television screen. But if the Bills win, Haley Steinfeld's got to get some burn. What's happening here to where one or the other gets shown on TV. The other one is disappears forever. I just feel like the NFL is always going to side with Taylor in this and that's just feels like the reality.

I mean, we've seen it. Obviously she brings eyes to the game and not that Haley would and it doesn't but obviously the Taylor Swift effect is very my eyes. I'll be honest. I got it. I got to look at it though. I'll be honest. I got it. I got to look at it though. It's like, if the Chiefs lose, Haley replaces Taylor as as the the NFL, like, you know, that's who brings the eyes to the screen. But I feel like to me, people would be less inclined with the whole like Chiefs

three Pete, this is so annoying if we didn't have the Patriots just do this for years and years and years before it feels like we just kind. If we didn't have the Patriots just do this for years and years and years before, it feels like we just kind of went from, okay, the Patriots dominate the league for a decade plus. And here we are now, we just went right into, like literally it was a segue. You could see the Patriots dynasty fall and the Chiefs dynasty rise up.

And there was no in between of like five years of different champions. It was right from Patriots to the Chiefs. So I feel like it's people are just ready for some, some parody, like let's get five years of just like different champs or maybe a team wins twice in five years. And the other three are, are different teams and not taking away from how great the Chiefs team is.

I mean, it takes a lot to go to seven straight AFC championship games. Yeah. To me, it feels like there's just like this. We've seen this before. It's been happening forever. We want something different. It is crazy that like I thought I thought we'd never see a quarterback

that could do the things that Aaron Rodgers did on the field. And then my homes is like right after him. And I never thought we would see a quarterback control and win games the way that Tom Brady did and Patrick Mahomes like it. He's still playing and end up in Tom Brady did and Patrick Mahomes, like he's still playing and Tom Brady played for a million years. But to have it happen right after, like we don't see that happening.

There was a gap between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, a pretty big gap of like when Jordan in his prime, right? Like I know Kobe was in there too and Allen Iverson, like there's some really great players, but there was a whole discussion of like, who's gonna carry the torch. And it took, you know, until, you know, the early 2010s for Lebron to start winning titles. And so like, this, this is really in sports, we don't see this happen. Like you don't, you don't go from Tom Brady to Patrick Homes. It doesn't happen. And the fact

that it is, I think Kevin's totally spot on about this. Like people are just ready for it to be open the same way that they were when the Warriors were winning all the titles. It was just sort of like it almost felt preordained and and that's not fun. Like we don't we don't want that. No, I think you hit the nail on the head man. I think you're you're we're dealing with exhaustion of dynasties and you know again in the league that has the most parity and I think the NFL still has the most parity of all

pro sports leagues, but still you have this team constantly at the top. Landon, I do want to kick it over to you. Locked on Cowboys. Tell us what happens, man. Do you think the bills are going to pull this off and finally Patrick Mahomes is going to have a true rival that can actually beat him or are we all doomed to another year of Chief's Kingdom? I hope they can pull it off because I'll tell you what, I mean, I think just from a personal side, I just think the Bills fans deserve this. I mean, I think you talk about like how long they've been long

suffering and frankly, as you know, the perpetrator of two of their Super Bowl losses, you know, 35 years or whatever it was ago, the last time we were relevant in the NFL. I think that, you know, I feel for like the kind of long suffering. I saw that commercial the other night where the guys like, and they put prosthetics on his face, and he's the Bills fan, he's young, and then he's old, he's in with his grandson. I'm like, man, they've never actually won a Super Bowl in his entire lifetime or beyond that. And it's like, it's tough. So I think from that point of view, just to see kind of a really great fan base that's kind of beloved in a in a, you know, kind of a smaller sports venue, I think it's it'd be incredible just to see and I know that's tough for Kevin to hear it right now. But I think if he's able to look past fandom, I think that's a that's it's. I mean, Ravens fans have a Super Bowl in somewhat recent

history right? Like maybe not the last couple of years, but two and 20 years. I mean, yeah, you'll take that. Yeah, you have some Lombardy's in your building that are older than 9 11, right? Like that's I don't know if that's like the benchmark we really want want to use here but Cody Rourke locked on Broncos to give you the last call on this game is it is it going to be bills or is it going to be chiefs and keep in mind most of the no Joe no show people are probably already left so we don't need to suck up the bills yeah look I I think everyone's going to root for the bills just because you know they're not necessarily a villain right you look at the chiefs as like a villain right now everybody does the national media you know certainly when we were all watching

the game, even Troy Aikman flipped the script a little bit and was like, this is ridiculous, you know, with some of the penalties that were coming up. And right now the Chiefs are the villain. And I think they thrive in that role and I think they embrace it. They love it. And the Bills are this team that, you know, yeah, there were some people that were writing them off early on in the season. And I think some people in the national media who don't really bring credibility to football

discussion like the Emmanuel Achos of the world, don't really feel like they bring value and substance to it. But the Bills have a gripe. Like you look at Josh Allen, the narrative surrounding him was, well, he can't do it without a legit wide receiver like Stephon Diggs. Well, they brought in Stephon Diggs, things didn't go well. They lose to Joe Burrow in the Bengals one year in the playoffs at home. There's all this conversation and drama.

Josh Allen doesn't have as great of a receiving talent or crew around him, but I think he's got a more balanced team. You got a good run game with James Cook. You got Ty Johnson. You got Kincaid at tight end who's very talented. Amari Cooper, he ain't the guy he used to be, but he can still produce Keon Coleman. Kalush Kurn, you got a guy who, you got King K to tight end. Who's very talented. Amari Cooper. He ain't the guy he used to be because they'll produce Keon Coleman, Kalusha Kern.

You got a guy who, you know, you absolutely hate if you're going against a Mac Hollids, but if he's on your team, you love him. They, they can punch you in the mouth and Josh Allen against the Ravens didn't have to really use his arm to do that. It was the run game and the way that that defense is playing. Matt Milano is an absolute piss missile. That team right now, I think everybody Buffalo would be easier to root for game and the way that that defense is playing Matt Milano is an absolute piss missile that team right now. I think everybody Buffalo would be easy to root for against a villain

like Kansas City and luckily we get to watch that this weekend. Yeah, look, I'm with I'm with a lot of what you guys have said. I've been to Bill's games just as a football fan just just living in upstate New York. So I want to see football in person and a fan base is wild man. They definitely deserve a championship, but there's another fan base that deserves a championship. Hasn't had to wait as long as the Bills fans have or fan base has. It's the Washington commanders fan base and they've got a quarterback that if Josh Allen can't get the job done, they think maybe he can get the job done against Kansas City Chiefs. We'll talk about the NFC championship game coming up next on this episode of NFL Squad, part of the Lock down podcast network, your team every day.

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partner of the NFL. We've been talking to AFC championship game here on the locked on NFL squad episode or NFL squad. So locked on podcast network or team every day. We're going to switch it over now to the NFC championship game, the Washington commanders visiting the Philadelphia Eagles, number six against number two in the NFC. And we're going to kick it back over to Kevin Ostreicher locked on Ravens. I know it's not the team from the DMV that you wanted to see trying to go to

the, to go to the big game, but you're kind of close to the situation. And quarterbacks are somewhat similar, at least athletically. So let me ask you this, Jayden Daniels best rookie quarterback that the NFL has ever seen? Or do you think he's not quite? Man, I think he might have the best poise of a rookie quarterback I've ever seen. I mean, this guy's faced by literally nothing. And, you know, there's all these stats out of it. Obviously, Jaden being a rookie and getting to the championship game. Obviously, I watched Joe Flacco do that as a rookie in Baltimore.

And that was such an incredible season. And I think obviously the way, and even Mark Sanchez, like all three of these guys handled it differently going there. But the thing that stands out to me with Jayden is that he's just calm. Doesn't matter the stakes, doesn't matter the pressure. I mean, that's why the commanders are where they are right now is because some rookie quarterbacks hold under that pressure. And we've seen that over the course of a lot. But to me, this team, the commanders, they go as Jaden Daniels goes, right? This is what it is.

And if Jaden isn't that calm, cool and collected, and look at what we got Cody, go, what do we got? The VR training because that's the J got the VR training? Yeah, look at that. You know, and maybe that maybe Jayden actually starts a trend here. Maybe Jayden is a trend center and I think he won't be in certain aspects, but this commander's team, their points comes from Jayden and that's what I love about his game and what we've seen from so far. Yeah, I mean, the truth be told, man, look at the cheese can beat the bills. Jayden's the

only the only option here to be a quarterback that's going to defeat Patrick Mahomes. Can I ask Damien? Yeah, go for it. Damien, to chime in because, um, I don't, I don't get to ask him about other, I, I have mine to talk about the Packers players, but I don't get to ask him about other guys. Damien, I was a Jayden Daniels guy in, in the pre-draft. I thought he was the best quarterback in the draft.

He was the guy that in the middle of the year when the Packers are not great in 2023. I was like, Jane Daniels is the guy that I wanted Green Bay to draft. What what did people miss about that? Because it didn't feel like there was the heat for him to be this like people liked him. I know he went number two overall, but like, all of the heat was on Caleb. And then it was like, oh, Drake Mays underrated. It seems like everyone missed this. Why do you think that is? A lot of times, um, the age thing, the how long guys playing college football, that is

such a, and this honestly a big thing in college basketball as well, where they hold it against guys, right? If you're a basketball player, you stay till you're a senior, you're not any good. We shouldn't draft you in the lottery. It's the same thing with the NFL, especially a quarterback. And for him, it was a lot of misnomers that, hey, he won't make those throws in the middle of the field, which is where NFL quarterbacks need to live and thrive. And we've seen it, you know, in his rookie year,

he's been able to do that. I talked to an LSU, someone who worked with him, well worked at LSU on the coaching staff before he left after the draft. And I asked him, I said, tell me about Jayden. He said, he's one of the coolest, calmest, collective guys I've ever been around. The main thing he drilled to me was self-awareness. He said he's very self-aware. If he makes a mistake on the field, he runs to you, he comes to the sideline, the first thing he says to him, I messed that up. I messed that up did not he was like

Yeah, he's okay Then they look at what happened and they go out and he corrects those mistakes to watch him play the way he plays I think the the frame also people say took those cartoon hits in college right like where you just see him get hit Yeah, Lamar Jackson did that too. I like I yes if you go back and watch Lamar Jackson in Louisville He's taking hit like I went back and found it in my draft notes. I was like, what is he doing? Like you're 190 pounds. What are you doing? He has improved on that by the way. And you know what? Jayden has to actually in one year he's actually, he's gotten better as well. Jayden Daniels did it right away. He like walked into the NFL and is just like, no, I can avoid

hits now. And it's like, well then why didn't you do it for two years? I was just like, what, what, what his football IQ is through through the roof because if he sees what he wants pre snap and he identifies what you're in, you're done essentially. Cause he's one of those quarterbacks. He played a lot of football. He's very decisive and he knows how to find the mismatches. That's a key part of playing quarterback and he does that at a great level. Yeah. Like I'll tell you guys, leaving Indianapolis last year, every single person on the commander's beat that was in Indianapolis,

I can tell you without a doubt, every single one of us was Jayden's quarterback number one. And we were all just praying the Chicago Bears didn't realize it. And I know there were multiple members of the Chicago media that were in Indianapolis who were praying that the Bears realized that they, I don't want to say make a mistake. That's not fair to Caleb, right? But like in the aspect of getting the best quarterback in the draft, that's that's where a lot of people were. We do need to

talk Philadelphia Eagles as much as I would love to just be a jaden Daniels. Let me get to the Eagles one real quick. Peter will come back to your question. I won't forget you. I promise the commander do need to talk about the Eagles and I want to go to Landon McCool here because you obviously know both of these teams say, is Saquon Barkley going to be enough to get the Eagles past the commanders or is, are the commander is going to be the team in the Superbowl because Saquon,

if you look at the stat box, had a lot of stats in both games against the Washington commanders. But in that first game, the commander has held a fourth quarter lead. And the last game, obviously the commander has won that game. So both of those situations proved that Saqu Kwan by himself, not necessarily going to, going to get the job done himself. What do you think is going to happen this weekend? Yeah. I mean, I think it's a good question. I mean, I think,

you know, they've had to work around Jalen hurts even more. This playoff, these playoffs that it seems like in the recent past. And it's worked. I mean, obviously they've won. They've gotten as far as they have. I do wonder, you know, just watching Washington, their ability to be. I do wonder, you know, just watching Washington, their ability to be able to slow down, you know, say Kwan, I mean, I think that's a major concern is that Jayden Daniels and as excited as everyone is about Jayden Daniels that he may not have a ton of opportunity in this game if Eagles are able to possess the ball

the way that I'm assuming they're going to, especially with the way that the Eagles play defense, not just the with the volume of the efficiency that they play, but the actual Xs and Os of the way that they play defense. They're going to slow things down. And it's going to, I think, try to get eyes on Jayden Daniels and try to just slow things down to a grind. And if they can get that, I think that's going to play right into the Eagles' hands. So they're going to, if that's the case, I think they're going to, you you're gonna see a lot of Saquon Barkley. And until Dan Quinn can figure out a way to kind of, you know, load up the box to kind of get that going, then we'll see if they if they can stop Jalen Hurts in the kind of design pass plays when he's got his outside receivers in one on one situations. Yeah, 100%. Peter, go ahead.

I was just gonna ask, I wanted to know from the group, because I we're probably not going to talk about the coaching stuff. Ben Johnson to the Chicago Bears. He had the opportunity to go to Washington last year. Do you think in retrospect, whether he was going to pick Jaden or not, he thinks that that was a bit, given what we've seen of Jaden Daniels and Caleb Williams, all due respect to Caleb Williams, Jane Daniels was one of the five best quarterbacks in the league this year. I think someone was on the squad show saying he was the best quarterback in the NFC. I can't remember who that was. Just be right on Packers. Do you think he regrets not taking that job in Washington a year ago?

Maybe. I mean, it's tough because you know, there's still some uncertainty is an organization that was going through widespread changes and transitions of ownership. For a coach, and especially for guys who are going to be a first-time head coach, are you going to a place where they're going to fulfill their promises? Certainly ownership groups, as we've seen, can be the negative side of an NFL team. Having the right ownership in place that actually can help you. I think that they've proven so far it's been good, but for Ben Johnson, maybe at the time,

it was a little risky considering the unknowns. Well, and I also, you know, I don't think John just should regret anything. And the reason I'll say that is the reason this fell, fell apart between Ben Johnson and the commanders is not because of anything. Oh, it's cause of philosophical reasons. Right? So the Washington, so Josh Harris went out and hired Adam Peters. He and Adam Peters had a very clear and they were very much in agreement with how they wanted the Washington commanders team to be. Like, what is it going to be to be a Washington commander? He and Adam Peters had a very clear agreement on what that was going to be. And they sought out a coach that agreed with what that was going to be. Ben Johnson didn't agree with Adam Peters and Josh Harris's vision of what a Washington commanders team was going to look like. Therefore, that's why things fell apart

and they found the guy and Dan Quinn who does see that. So I don't think I think it comes down to two coaches and teams and GMs and everybody involved having being on the same page. I think it's incredibly important because truthfully, if Ben wasn't willing to come off some of the things that he wasn't willing to come off of, I don't think Adam Peters is going to hire him anyway. So it kind of actually saves him a little bit of face because you can't go from being the number

one target, having a plane flown privately to your location to not getting the job. That makes you look a lot worse than you bowing out of the race. So I think that honestly, he probably made the right decision for him if those are some of the sticking points that were there. But we are going to talk more about these coaching journeys, but I do need to get two predictions here. Cody Roark locked on Broncos, David Parson locked on NFL

draft, I need to know who's winning, the commanders or Eagles this weekend? Damien, we'll start with you. I'm going commanders, man. I'm a big JD five fan. I'm just pulling for him, man. No, no disrespect to Philly. I like, I love Saquon actually.

Some disrespect to Philly. Some disrespect to Philly. Some disrespect to Philly. If I was landing, well, I'll be a hundred percent disrespect to Philly. Full disrespect to Philly. Full disrespect. But I'm going JD5. I'm going with the commanders, man. Let's go.

I'm going to go with the commanders in the upset. I look, I think the Eagles, I think Saquon's going to get his, the biggest wild card that will determine whether or not the Eagles win or lose. I think it's all going to come down to Jalen Hurts in this game, to be honest with you, but Saquon obviously a dog. I mean, I think the formula and we could talk about it later on for some of these teams who are perennial play out or on the outside looking and trying to get to the players, what they could do to replicate what we've seen.

Uh, but I think Jayden Daniels, the commanders that that story, things could be commanders versus bills in the Superbowl. Hmm. That's, I mean, that's the matchup all the other fans want and I'm all for it because you know don't don't throw me won't cover a Super Bowl. I'm all for it. Look we don't have to worry about offending Eagles fans because I hear down or up in Philly they say no Louis no viewie so they're not here anyway. We're gonna talk about the NFL coaching carousel next year on Lockdowns NFL

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We've got a very large prediction happening here that the commanders and the bills are going to be in the Super Bowl. So actually really quick want to go around with put all five of you on the spot. We're probably going to talk about this between now and the big game. But commanders bills who wins that Super Bowl will start with Cody and just go around the horn. You know, hey, great for a rookie quarterback and obviously, a new head coach in their first year together to get to the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, Josh down the Buffalo Bills are the team of destiny and will finally get that Super Bowl win that has been eluding them for quite some time. And then it really changes the conversation, but it also sets the stage for the young guys like Jaden Daniels, maybe bone Knicks, maybe some other guys, Jordan love like the young quarterbacks. The NFL is in a good spot, I think, going forward, but Josh Allen is going to run away with it at this point. Landon, you're next. Bill, just simply because I can't take it anymore. I couldn't take that. You can't do this. Fair. Bills. I think Josh Allen, I think he gets it done. He steps into the phone booth, puts the cape on, takes off the glasses, throws away the

briefcase. Superman comes out. He has a heroic type of game on the biggest stage of them all. He go ahead and submit himself as one of the best ever. I'm going to go Bills also. They're a heck of a team. And I think that they've improved in a lot of areas over the course of the season. And I know that everyone thought trading away digs would have a negative impact,

but it actually has opened up their offense a lot more. And I just feel like looking from, if you want to talk about it, I feel, you don't listen to the champs. It's okay. If you lose at the champs, you take that. So I'll go bills. This is boring. I'm going to go, I'm the champs, it's okay. If you lose at the champs, you take that. So I'll go Bills. This is boring. I'm gonna go commanders then forget that.

Like I'm gonna take Jane Daniels. Like give me Jane Daniels. The Buffalo Bills just won a football game where Josh Allen did not even get to 150 yards passing. He didn't get to 130. It is one of those things where Jane Daniels, what I saw in Detroit, I know that defense was just like beyond fumes,

like they were getting out and they were pushing the car to the gas station. They had the six of us out there. But the poise that he played with, the dual threat ability that he has, I just think he had, like I think he can be the kind of guy that puts on the Superman cape and just says,

I'm gonna do something historic here. I think the way that you're playing in the playoffs matters so much and nothing drives offensive success, offensive efficiency, like quarterback play. The quarterback playing the best football right now and really for like the last month is Jay Daniels go back and watch what he did against the Philadelphia Eagles three weeks ago. He lives them up. No one has

done what Jane Daniels did against the Eagles in since October. He is he is that guy and if he's gonna be that guy why not put your stamp on it go in the Super Bowl as a rookie. I don't, I don't think we've ever seen anything like this before. So why not make it fully historic? We can do something we've never seen. Yeah. Landon, that's a bigger flex. If Marcus Marriott doesn't come in after halftime and Torps, well, I don't know. Actually, I think it's, it's a better,

bigger comment on maybe Jayden Daniels not being as, as spectacular. That's not true. Where's the James Rappi clip from earlier in the year? So Sammy bar is the only quarterback in history in, in, in pro football history to have a championship win as a rookie, of course for Washington. So Jane Daniels winning a Superbowl as a rookie would, uh, just add to that kind of lineage there. And, and listen, for those, for those who are fans of the NFL being scripted,

Jayden Daniels beating Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl is actually the way to go because the way that probably goes is the Chiefs have 10 penalties called against them while the commanders have less than five. And then next year the commanders visit the Chiefs. Obviously it wouldn't be week one because the commanders would get a home game in week one, but eventually they visit Kansas City and this quote-unquote rivalry that we're trying to figure out for Patrick my homes could potentially Be born if everything is scripted

We do have to get to the coaching searches the notes here say head coaches defensive coordinators offensive coordinators and whatever So landing mccool clearly the whatever is for you. What's going on with the Dallas Cowboys? I Think whatever sums it up pretty good I mean, they're just taking their time at this point and trying to do whatever they can to get into the the news cycle. You know, I mean, I feel they had an interview with with with Brian Schottenheimer who wasn't even, you know, calling plays for them last year and now he's going to be the head coach. I don't think so. I just think that they're trying to, you know, insert themselves into the conversation. Their, their two most hated rivals or two of their most hated rivals are in the conference championship game. I don't know if

anyone's mentioned that, by the way. And so, you know, Jerry Jones is hurt because Cowboys fans are screaming and yelling. And, you know, so that's why you're hearing names like Deion Sanders, despite the fact that Deion Sanders isn't giving an, hasn't gotten an official interview. You know, Brian Schottenheimer is probably being interviewed for an offensive coordinator job, depending on who the actual head coach is. But you're hearing all about it in the news, because Jerry's trying to keep, you know, the organ grinder grinded, right? Keep it grinded. So that's what you're saying. So I think we're gonna have an answer in probably a week or so maybe, or depending on who loses in these next round. I think he definitely wants to talk to Kelly Moore, maybe even Cliff Kingsbury.

And I'm hoping Joe Brady, if Joe Brady were to fall out of the playoffs for some reason. But I think they're just kind of trying to keep their name in people's mouths for a little while. Jerry Jones has not requested the interview Billy Bob Thornton or John Ham yet, not yet. I mean listen he is taking he is giving lessons on acting if anyone needs him We'll say that was pretty cruel You know Jamie and Parson locked on NFL draft which of these I want to say open jobs But will include you know the Chicago Bears the New England Patriots, even though they've, they've hired their new coaches, which of these teams that's going to have a new head coach this

off season has the best draft assets to really make a move like the Washington commanders did this year or the Houston Texans a year before. I think it's the Patriots, you know, being what they have the fourth pick hiring variable and bringing in, bringing in Josh McDaniels. You have your quarterback. Now you can go into a litany of ways, whether it's Travis Hunter, Mason Graham, Abdul Carter. You can grab one of these blue chip prospects

and improve your team right away. Travis Hunter being that dual threat, that just athlete. We haven't seen a guy like that where it has that tag. Typically guys coming out of high school have that tag where they are Yeah, I play wide receiver and I play corner It's up to you coach to figure out which one I'm a play this guy can come in and play both and I think honestly When you look at that Patriots receiving core, I might lean for him to play wide receiver so for a team that for them to be in a position they're in and

You don't trade if you I mean, of course if a team to be in a position they're in and you don't trade if you, I mean, of course, if a team tricked themselves with that whole QB thing, like I want to reach for the third best quarterback that I can get on day two. Like if they want to reach up and try and move up to four, cool. But if I'm the Wendley, I'm standing right where I am. I'm not picking one of the top players off the board. Let's go ahead and inject this team with some talent. Yeah. No, I absolutely hear you. Peter Bukowski.

Well, you know what? First, actually, before we get to that, I want to go to Cody Rourke. What do you think about the New England Patriots doing this back to the future act? What do you think, Robert? I think Mike Vrabel is going to be great for that culture there in terms of, I know Gerard Mayo tried to instill that.

And look, I still think that the Patriots, the way they went about with Gerard Mayo, I didn't like it. I mean, obviously they had a guy in mind already in variable, which I found a little interesting because Dan Orlovsky early on in the year said, Hey, don't worry. Vrabes already got something lined up with things, continue to go poorly in one destination.

Everyone already thought new England turned out that way. I don't agree with how they did it, but I mean, variable makes sense for that job. And then now you go and you bring in Josh McDonough to bring him back. What's next? Tom Brady going to come out of retirement and play quarterback again. I mean, it's certainly in the stars here. I think New England's probably an appealing job because then obviously Vrabel, that's the reason he took it. You're gonna have a lot of salary cap space. You're gonna have good draft capital work with you're in a good position to add a playmaker here. And you saw from Drake May, I don't know how many times we've done the squad show or, you know, we've had Mike debate, say, get Drake may some playmakers. This is the opportunity to do that.

Um, is it still going to be enough right now to compete with the Buffalo Bills? Probably not. And look, but maybe they can climb up ahead of the jets and they can climb up ahead of the Miami dolphins, but, uh, that's the job I'm very curious to see. But can we also maybe talk about the most unappealing job? Look, I understand you only have 32 of them every year, but it's really open up the New York Jets job has to be one of the most unappealing jobs to take. If I'm any potential coach.

I want to, let me, let me pause you there, Cody, cause actually that's what I want to ask Peter Bukowski about. Cause Peter, the smoke around that Jets job is Aaron Glenn, Lance Newmark to well, one former lion currently commander for Howard one, that's going to last. And then one soon to be former lion. What do you think of that tandem? From what you know about what they did in Detroit or help, you know, be a part of in Detroit, what do you think about that tandem going to a New Jersey?

I, I think Aaron Glenn is a hell of a coach. Matt Derry and I had a running bit about future head coach Aaron Glenn, because for like two or three years he was tagged as a future head coach. And I kept watching those defenses going, these defenses suck. Like, what are we talking about here? And then this last year, oddly enough, with like, you know, it is the proverbial making chicken salad out of chicken something else. And like what they were able to do for long stretches without their best players Like, you know, it is the proverbial making chicken salad out of chicken something else.

And like what they were able to do for long stretches without their best players with, you know, like somehow 15 of their 11 starters were injured. And it was just sort of like a crazy phenomenon there. And everyone you talk to in Detroit raves about him from the players to the coaches to like, you know, the the the parking attendants, like everyone just loves Aaron Glenn, the Saints, you know, Ross Jackson, our guy would like would love Aaron Glenn in New Orleans. So I really like that pairing in New York. And like the Jets have to be thanking their lucky stars that Aaron Glenn played

in New York. Otherwise, I don't know why he would want that job over any other opportunity that he would get. They don't have a quarterback. There's no way Aaron Rodgers is coming back. You got to deal with Woody Johnson, senior, you've got to deal with Woody Johnson, the juniors, I don't know, doesn't matter what their names are that you don't don't even tell me what their names are doesn't matter. And like, they have 17 year olds in the front office meetings, what are we talking about? It is a disaster area and I don't know why anyone would wanna go like they are like my son's favorite song still even though we're in past Christmas is Grinch. I don't know why you'd wanna go near that job with a 39 and a half put poll. I just, it's toxic. Yeah, as long as that ownership situation

as far as like how involved the ownership is, I should say stays the same. I don't know how anybody can be successful in that position. So to Cody's point, I like Lance a lot. I've gotten to know him just a little bit here as the assistant GM for the commanders this year. Great dude, cool dude, really enjoyed him. Uh, if he takes that job, buddy, good luck to you. I'll be, I'll be rooting for you, but I don't know if it's going to go very well. Kevin Ostrack,

I want to finish up this week's episode talking to you, which of these open jobs, so no bears, no Patriots, which of these open jobs would you take if you had your choice? Uh, I'm going to go, you can't fire Harbaugh. Well, that's not happening anyway. I'm going to go maybe off the grain a little bit. I'm going to say Las Vegas. I'm going to say Las Vegas.

And the reason is I think there's a lot of room to grow there. I think that there's a lot of you can shape that team to wait like you were like the Jets. That's just going to be someone else's decision. Like there's always going to be someone who's over top of you. The Jack Wars job. Trevor Lawrence is that quarterback and you know, you don't get your choice. I think that fresh, fresh slate, like you get to choose who comes in, you get to choose who comes in. You get to choose what direction you go in. Do you want to swing big at a quarterback here?

Do you want to maybe wait a year or two? Do you want to beef up your defense? I think that with the Bears job being gone, with the Patriots job being gone, I just feel like a blank canvas is honestly what I'd want to sign up for at this point, as opposed to maybe a team that has a couple more good assets, but there's not as much flexibility. Is that gonna be the coaches? Ben Johnson will tell you that Chicago

is where he always wanted to be because they just gave him $17 million a year to do that job. But I heard from multiple people that were very close to that situation that said that Ben Johnson was close to signing in Las Vegas, that they had cleared the decks for him. The Tom Tolesco firing was part of clearing the decks for Ben Johnson and that the

people in Las Vegas, talk to your boy Q, I know that he's all over this. They are pissed at the way this went down because they thought this was not a done deal because it's never done until the names at the bottom of the contract. But they thought this was happening. And I had someone who knows a lot of things say that they wonder if there was a little bit of panic post Jayden Daniels, post Jared Goff after that playoff game that he was all set to go to Las Vegas. And then he was like, oh no, I just watched what happened with Jared Goff. I need to have a different quarterback plan here. I need to find a more creative opportunity and that that's what sold him on Chicago. That is just someone speculating, but someone who knows, you know, that they know a lot. So it's just, it was one of those things that when they said that, I kind of stood up and took notice. I'm just going to say this right now and I don't mean any disrespect to him, but, uh, the,

the more I hear about Ben Johnson's decision making process, the mapper I am that he's on in Washington. I'm just, have you noticed we've, we've heard an awful lot about what he thinks and what he wants and, and like on the record, way more than we've ever heard from like a hot offensive coordinator name. Like it just seems weird to me a Tell me a year and a half ago, what he wanted out of a head coaching job. It's like, you have a job, bro.

What are you doing? Cowboys fans are livid that Ben Johnson's not part of that process. And I was like, but look what he's asking for. There's no way with the Joneses ever give that up to anyone. And frankly, I understand the Joneses may not be the model of how you should be running a franchise, but I cannot believe that more people weren't pushing back on what he was asking for. Like, personnel control when you're a first-time head coach and your play calling, like, that's a lot.

But when has that ever worked? Can you point to me? Yeah, look, I'm not going to pretend that I was like Dan Quinn, No. 1, from the jump, because I wasn't, but I'm also not going to sit here and say I was Ben Johnson number one throughout any stage of that process. Well, obviously I'm very happy with the way that turned out. Very happy with the way that this NFL squad episode turned out as well. So thank you to all these illustrious hosts for joining for all of you out there. Bill's Mafia, especially who are still here hanging out to hand this episode for watching. We will be here every single week. And of course, each of us is here for you every single day,

bringing you the latest on your favorite NFL teams and the NFL draft. Damian Parson, shout out to you for coming through. So make sure you're subscribed. Make sure you're not missing a minute of the coverage. All of it. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.