NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2016 Week 12 review

Episode Date: November 28, 2016

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling, and Gregg Rosenthal – go game-by-game breaking down all the Week 12 action which included a come-from-behind victory for the Patriots as they took down the Jets at MetLife Stadium, and yet another overtime thriller on Sunday Night – this time between the Chiefs and the Broncos.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast. Vacations in Teams medical whirlpools. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I am joined. As always, my room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Hey, oh. Let's get a handle of us. on these drops. We bathe in teams medical pools. I like that one. It's not that far off from what's going on. Vacation there.

It's pretty far off. When was your last tropical vacation? My honeymoon. Yeah, which was what, years and years? 2009. Yeah, I went on a nice one on my honeymoon. That was years ago. Well, and you massively overspend for it.

We paid for it for the next four years. I think what Matt Money was getting to there was, we are men of modest means, and humble origins. Very high up in the common man ranking. Right. So we're not cliff diving in Kauai without Michaels this weekend.

We are bathing in whirlpools in locker rooms. Maybe that's a little bit over. You might be reading too much into it. I think it's just a totally ridiculous statement. And I approve. Maybe. Got to be pretty high up in the food chain

to be inside a team complex to start with. So there's some fundamental issues with the whole thing. It is week 12 and a wise man. Okay. was Mike Francesa once said to me over and over again as a team listening to sports radio. You don't take the NFL seriously until Thanksgiving. And on some levels, Mike, he's right.

This is when we really start to figure out what is going on. Who's for real? Who's a phony? Thanksgiving is come and gone. And yes, there were three games on Thursday that we usually talk about every game this season. We will get to those games in some way a little later in the show. But for now, this is our Sunday flagship show, Sponsored, of course, by Mr. Flames' economics class in the Hague, the Netherlands.

Mr. F. And we have a bunch of games to talk about today, 12, in fact, including the Sunday night affair in Denver between the Chiefs and the Broncos. So I say, fellas, unless there's anything else, anybody wants to discuss, we should just get right into it, fellas. And why don't we start with one of the games of the year at the Black Hole? Newton takes the snap back four-man rush Newton got hit balls loose it's free and this game's over it is recovered by the Raiders they got him with the rush and Carolina is going to fall the four and seven on the season Khalil Mack was a big play machine on Sunday his sack strip and fumble recovery the difference in the Raiders 3532 win over the car oh oh somebody

locked that up? Who locked it up? Mark Sessler. Oh, the Sizzler. Didn't even remember doing it, but that's two weeks in a row. Look at you, Mark. Enough with the hot-headed critique. Look at you, Mark. Anyway, a 3532 win over the Carolina Panthers at the Black Hole. Carolina had wiped out a 17-point halftime deficit, and Derek Carr suffered a painful finger injury. But the 2016 Raiders are a special team that all finds a way who wants to get us started here.

Well, this is one of those games you thought, well, for once this Raiders little magic is going to wear off. Because you think the game's over. It's 24 to 7 going into halftime after a Khalil Mack pick six. And the Panthers look lifeless. I think Cam Newton had less than 20 yards passing in the first half. And you think this thing is over. And they put 25 straight points up.

If they not just take the lead, after they take the lead, you think the Raiders maybe they're going to come back. Three and out, Panthers drop another touchdown on them to go up eight points. In the middle of all that, the Carolina went for three two-point conversions. Each time it sort of logically made sense, each time they missed. But when the Raiders got their touchdown back, they hit the two-point conversion. They win it at the end. I mean, a game had a little bit of everything that we can dive into,

but it just shows the Raiders in a spot where most teams, I think, would have crumbled there, fought back. The Panthers are four and seven this year, and they are done. There's no hiding it. But again, what they flashed in this game is what they flashed all years. That team from last year was still in their DNA this year, and it would pop out in spurts. But the difference between this team and last year's team is West,

they just couldn't keep it going. And this is a perfect example of what happened today. Yeah, I think you point to Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, Kahl Mack making plays with the game on the line, and Derek Carr this year in the fourth quarter, when the Raiders are tied or trailing has a passer rating of 122.5 with a 10 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio.

You can't play quarterback better than that. Right. And it's on a day where he suffers an injury. He leaves the game. Ouch, that looked bad too. It looked bad. He comes back in and throws one of the ugliest interceptions that you'll ever see a week after he threw another ugly one.

But I think that's sort of why I'm not in on Derek Carr as an MVP. But that doesn't matter. He's one of the best quarter. back's in the league for one of the best teams in the league. And when he makes mistakes, he fights back and they get 13 points in the last two drives. And the defense, they get a little bit of luck. They make some plays to end the game. It's crazy.

The loser of Sunday night football will fall two games behind the Raiders. And, you know, when you live in Southern California, it's easy to walk into any sports bar and find yourself annoyed with Raiders fans in general. They can be, because they are very passionate. They can be an annoying group, but I will give this to them. they're loyal they've been that team has moved multiple times they've been through a lot first winning season guaranteed since 2002 wow steve i mean yeah and colio mac ended the game with with a sack of cam newton so just to be able to do that like punctuating they were in the

darkness forever i mean so for them to come out and this does i mean there's there's pixie dust in the air with this oakland team uh not only they win and win in different ways and win late um they seem to continue like many teams would have you know went down the tubes when Carolina took that game over, but the Raiders came back. And it's tough when you're trying to, for the first time as a young team, figure out what to do when you're 8 and 2 going on 9 and 2. How do you play against a team that has essentially nothing to lose in the Panthers because your season is now over, but it was heading towards over to begin with?

Right, and they're without Luke Keekly and Mario Addison have been their two best defensive players the last few weeks. So Luke Keekly, obviously, their best defensive player. So, you know, they deserve some credit for fighting back, Ted Ginn. The end of this game showed the difference in this team. Kelvin Benjamin shows a total lack of awareness in a tie game with about five minutes left, catches a pass that should have been a first down. He goes out of bounds about half a yard before the first down marker.

Really could have easily had it if he was just aware. And what does Ron Rivera do? Old Riverboat Ron. 40-yard line. And no, it's on the other side of the field. Five minutes left, though. In an offensive game, he punts it away. He needed a foot.

With a physical freak at quarterback. And he punts it away and the Raiders go right down the field on him. Connor, what did you have to say? Keep pile, dude. Perhaps not. They're forked. They're done. The Raiders, though, vying with the Patriots for the number one seed in the AFC,

they have three rogue games left in five weeks. All three rogue games are against AFC West rivals. How about that? Oh, wow. That's tough. That is tough. But the Patriots aren't playing well either. So I don't really see either one of these teams as a huge.

favorite. I mean, the Raiders, every game comes out of the end. And the Patriots, I think they have their own. If they ever got a run in the AFC playoffs, the black hole is, I would imagine, would be a very tough place to go and play a playoff game. Interesting to watch a playoff game. Wait, they get rid of the infield

after baseball season's over. We don't have to worry about that. That's true. Panthers have to stay out in California all week before I believe playing Seattle. Well, they could go stay in Eurasia or Central, you know, Japan at this point. Who cares when they stay? Greg Papa at KGMZ had that call, by the way.

Got to give him some credit. Now let's check in on the team. Another downtroddened 2016 team, the Arizona Cardinals. The opponent of the Panthers in the NFC title game seems so long ago now. Ball at the 35 for Ryan who's in the gun now. He'll dump it here to Gabriel. He'll make a move 30, 25, 20, Taylor Gabriel, 10, 5, touchdown. 219 to go in the first half, and the best thing.

Cleveland's ever done for Atlanta is standing in the east end zone with a touchdown that gives the Falcons their first lead of the day. Felt like a shot at Mark by West Durham at WZGC, Falcons Radio Network. The Falcons are so dangerous in offense because they can beat you in so many ways. On Sunday it was Taylor Gabriel's turn to shine. His touchdowns of 35 and 25 yards helping to lead the Falcons to a 3819 win over there. Oh, it got locked up. I think this one's the old Zucer.

oh yeah 2 and oh baby we're halfway home we're halfway home exciting what would you do if we got all four locks correct for the first time all year what would you do i mean i obviously i wouldn't go to sleep that night i would drink all night at the local that tavern at the cozy the falcons um hand a 38 19 defeat to the dead in the nest cardinals chris westling sometimes it feels like the falcons and cardinals switch bodies sometimes it feels like the falcons and cardinals switch bodies sometime last summer. I can't get over that intro, dead in the nest, switching bodies. Look at you.

Look at you. I know what you were doing while we were watching the end of these games. It's week 12, baby. Wow, that was impressive. You know, a lot of people are going to kill the Browns for Taylor Gabriel. It's unfair. It's one thing to ask him to be your number one wide receiver in Cleveland, a 5-foot-8 guy, undersized.

And then it's another to go to Atlanta where Julio Jones draws all the coverage. You only dial up Gabriel's number four or five times a game for big hit plays by a great play caller like Kyle Shanahan. And that's, it's one thing to be a role player. You can't ask a guy like that to be a number one receiver. It's not fair to kill the Browns for not appreciating what they hit. No one was going after Taylor Gabriel.

He's only there because he knows Kyle Shanahan's off. But he was phenomenal in this game. Lightning quick cuts, making plays in the open field, slicing through the Cardinals defense. And I think every week you see the, the talent on the Cardinals roster that got them to 13 to 3 and then during that game

you also see costly mistakes and you saw that today two defensive pass interference penalties for Patrick Peterson on Holio Jones one led directly to Devante Freeman one yard touchdown and the other negated an interception by Deo and Buchanan there was a Clay as Campbell

penalty on fourth down that gave Atlanta fresh set of downs and led to a touchdown and then DJ Sweringer dropped an interception that led to a touchdown for Atlanta. A lot of mistakes by the Cardinals. I see one team like last year's Cardinals that finds a different way to kill you every week.

We're talking about Taylor Gabriel this week. We'll be talking about someone else next week and someone else the week after. And the Cardinals for me, David Johnson, the highest floor of any running back in the league week to week, maybe Levy on Bell's right there with him. But it seems like a two-person offense right now.

It's Larry Fitzgerald. It's David Johnson. And that's the opposite of last year where guys like Nelson and both Browns and multiple other players were stepping up for the Cardinals every week. Michael Floyd hurt his hamstring in practice this week, so he was limited in this game. Bruce Ariens told the Fox Broadcasting team that John Brown was as healthy as he's been all season. He proceeded to hurt his hamstring and left early in the third quarter, if not before then.

So you're right, it's a two-person offense, and David Johnson and Lafreyfrey-Ferrell both had spectacular performances. David Johnson, the only running back besides Edron James, with 100 yards, from scrimmage in 11 straight games to start the season. And Larry Fitzgerald just making diving plays, caught a ball and immediately slid to call timeout to save one second on the clot for a 54-yard field goal right before halftime. It was great by both of those guys,

but they're all alone on that offense. Where would the Cardinals be this season if Fitzgerald wasn't still playing? I can use 27 years old. They might only have a couple wins. Well, I think we've talked about two teams now in the Panthers and the Cardinals that last year we couldn't have been higher on.

There'll be two teams right now that are flying that next year will be total junk. There's not enough consistency with these teams. Right, but there are also, there are two teams that, like you said, you kind of see the talent each week, and if a few things broke a little differently, they'd have winning records, they'd be flip, but that's the NFL.

Like the Falcons are a great example of it a year ago. Like this game, they have 360 yards and 38 points. You don't usually see that. The yardage in this game, it looks fairly even. I don't know if it was an evenly played game, but the Falcons are the ones playing smarter. Cardinals came out and moved the ball almost at will early on. They had reshifted their offensive line,

kicking DJ Humphreys over from right tackle to left tackle, which they believe he's more natural on the left side anyway. And then they put Ulrich John in on it, right tackle, and Vic Beasley used basically from mid-second quarter on, used him as a punching bag, and hurried Carson Palmer on most of his drop-bush. I mean, there are three NFC-West teams shuffling the line in week 12, and it's not working for any of them.

Hawkins got a chance here at a buy, by the way. All these teams that are seven and four, including the Lions, that number two by, number two seed in the NFC is pretty wide open. Let's check in on another Southwest matchup in the NFC. Wide receiver screen to Sneed, he can throw as well. It's a lateral and across the field. He hits High Tower in stride, down to the 10, makes a move at the 8. He will score touchdown. 50 yards from Willie Sneed to Tim Hightower.

Sontade is opening up a can. Oh, gotcha. Who gotcha? Can a gotcha. I like it. Jim Henderson, stepping on a great line from Deuce McAllister there of WWL. You know, I think that had a chance, by the way, to get into the top ten calls of the year,

that they kind of trampled each other at the end there. You know, I'd still consider it. It's rare to, you know, see the two guys work so poorly together. It almost makes it charming. Plus, Deuce McAllister. I missed Deuce. Also, like, dude's clearly a homer, and that's fine with the local radio guys. When the ball's in the air, just going, got him, got him, got him.

Anyway, more on that play in a moment. Drew Breeze accounted for five touchdowns, and the Rams and rookie quarterback Jared Goff could not come close to keeping up in a 49-21 win for the Saints at the Superdome. Whoa, that's 3-0. Who locked this baby up? I should have known. I locked it up. Gurg.

Great job, buddy. Not exactly out on the win with this one. Pressure's on me, huh? A lot of pressure on you. No spoilers. I don't know what it was. You might not know what it was. I know what it was.

Okay. No spoilers. All right. The Saints rolled up over 500 yards in total offense with a game plan that seemed like a special F-U from Sean Payton to Greg Williams. Greg. I have not regretted anything in our podcast more than Wednesday night I remembered. I didn't even mention in this preview that this is the Greg Williams, Sean Payton,

revenge game. They have not... So much revenge. They have not played against each other since Greg Williams was unceremoniously pushed out the door after the 2011 season after a lot of transcripts came out from the Bountygate hearings where Joe Vitt and other Saints officials buried this guy, Greg Williams, and Sean Payton, his player said it. This game meant more, you could tell this game meant more to Sean Peyton than others. Cam Jordan, at least I heard this, is someone tweeted about it that that he said, you know, Peyton talked to the defense and players during the week, and he told them, we're going to get 50 for you.

Whoa, 50 Burger. And this guy puts the whole, you know, you know he loves putting the, this Rams. So he failed. Yeah, he failed. This Rams defense in its place like, okay, this Ram's defense is okay. It's not one of the top defenses in the league.

So we're simply slicing out Sean Payton from Bountygate and anything. Right. I think it's all Greg Williams. And Greg Williams, who produced a Super Bowl winning defense for New Orleans. That's all watching. washed away by the alien that the same, Sean Peyton, the perfectly behaved Sean Peyton is so, this is his revenge game, don't buy it.

Well, it is his revenge game. It's subtly absurd. There's no doubt that there's hard feelings between the two. I think fans and Greg Williams' players, including Roman Harper, have much more mixed feelings where they give Greg Williams a lot of credit. And Sean Payton should take more of the blame. But that's beside the point. This is a one-sided game between two teams with the same record.

You know what I? I mean, this should be a close game in here. And going back to that play, there was. was a 21-point lead at that point, 42 to 21 for the Saints. It was 10-15 to play in the fourth quarter. Breeze took the ball. Breeze, who by the way should be in the MVP conversation and tossed it to Tim Hightower,

who then unfurled that 50-yard pass to Willie Sneed, 49 points with 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter. And they didn't even really call off the dogs until late in the game. The next position possession, the Saints were throwing at midfield on third down, and then they finally called off the dogs. but absolutely it seemed like a message was being sent to Greg Williams and I would say the message was received.

Well, I can't help but wonder what the Rams would or the Saints would be if Greg Williams were still part of that team. If you could have a little bit of a better defense, this Saints team is fun to watch and I had to say Greg back in the summer who called the NFC South, the most exciting division seemed like

absolute nonsense at the time. You've got at least three teams in that division that are fun to watch. Do you think the Saints would have a better defense with Greg Williams? Yes, I do. It feels like a bad day, though, to say that Greg Williams can help a defense. He just got embarrassed. I understand today, but I'm not looking at just today.

Overall, the Saints over the last couple years with Greg Williams would have been a better defense. Yes, they've been an absolute disaster on that side of the ball. Sounds like from reading Kevin Petra's excellent recap that Sean Payton used his familiarity with Greg Williams to his advantage and that they used aggressive, the misdirection, which he knows the Rams defense is overly aggressive, so they used misdirection and took downfield shots. And that's knowing your opponent pretty much. This is one of the worst defensive efforts I've seen this year. I watch this game pretty closely.

Mark Ingram had a touchdown reception where, I mean, it looked like a no-contact scrimmage. He caught the ball and just basically jogged in from about 20 yards. He ran through massive holes all games. So the Saints, everything worked for them. And we shouldn't note, Jared Goff made some big strides, at least, you know, in the first half. He threw three touchdown passes in the first half,

and you guys will watch this game on a game pass. You know, he played very well in the first half. And in the second half, they did not put any points on the board. So you have to keep that in mind. But I would say this was some progress, even against Bad Saints' deep. I think what you saw with golf was he's got the arm that they, that's why they took him. I mean, he can throw the ball deep. There was some touch on that.

I don't think it's a bad Saints defense anymore. They haven't been for about five weeks. So based on just watching the game's last five weeks, they've been an average defense. They've been playing pretty well. You know, they lost those two tight games where you really. really thought they should have won against Denver and Carolina. They're at 5 and 6, so they have a long uphill battle, but I still think they have a chance here.

Jared Goff's getting the much-coveted leadoff batter roll on game pass. Ooh, wow. Tasty. Oh, by the way, I got to throw this out here. Yes. Jeff Fisher, after the game, you know, mentions how, well, they had an extra three or four days to prepare for us coming off a Thursday. Come back to us, Jeff.

It looks like they used it well. You can't give your team that kind of an excuse. Come back to us, Jay. You might not go seven and nine, by the way. You want the seven and nine BS? It will be stretched to do that. It is, we are going down six and ten alley, big time. Maybe, maybe worse.

We'll see. Let's stay in the NFC South. Here's the snap five step drop by Winston. Risk. Hotsky, fires a fade route toward the horse. Criskey. Touchdown on him, Humphreys, touchdown, Tampa Bay. I think you heard, Mike Evans.

13. What a great grab by Evans again. A strike from James Winston. Oh, Gene Deckerhoff probes that. No one's perfect. WFU.S. James Winston and Mike Evans connected on two first half touchdowns in the Tampa Bay defense. Did the rest in a 14, go figure, five win over the Seattle Seahawks at the Pirateship. Does anybody call it that? No? Well, you just did. I think that's a start. It's better than the big bell bottom. The Seahawks were held to just 245 yards of total offense. Mark Sessler, did the Bucks provide any kind of blueprint on how to slug. low the Seattle offense? I think the issue for Seattle, and we talked about Seattle being of those NFC West teams,

the one that's done the best being so short-handed at the offensive line. It came home to haunt them big time today. I mean, the Bucks have in their last three games allowed 17, 10, and today five points. Talk about a defense that's getting better inexplicably over the last couple weeks. It's them, and they did just enough. They got out to an early start, and on offense. James Winston and Mike Evans, frying Seattle for two quick touchdowns, did not score again all day long.

But this is a Seattle team that Russell Wilson had one-yard passing at the half, and it was not a mirage. Not a mirage. They could not run the ball. I think the people wondering why they let Kristen Michael go, I understand there was an injury at that position, but there is no sense today that Thomas Rawls alone is going to save you when you can't open holes.

And you cannot protect Russell Wilson. he had 80 yards rushing. But again, it's deceptive. It's because everything was breaking down around. And there was no downfield element to their game. Two turnovers, two picks for Wilson. And every time a key situation seemed to come up, Tampa took them down. Tampa sacked Russell Wilson in a couple big spots today.

And I was a very impressive win by the Bucks. I'm not sure you're going to go see them do this again. But it's a Bucs team. It's a Seahawks team that scored three points on offense and two on defense. A quick look at the NFC South here. There's one team out of it. it, and it's the Carolina Panthers, go figure. The win now, the Buccaneers are now six and five, only a game out in the south.

The Atlanta Falcons lead the way it's seven and four, and the Saints hanging around a five and six. This is an interesting little division as we head toward the final month of the season. Do you want respect from this podcast if you're not a very good team? Go out and do what the Bucks did. Grab it. Yep, they took respect by beating the Chiefs and the Seahawks. Right, those are two playoff teams. This team is frisky, the Buccaneers.

They're going to be fun to watch. watch, and Antonio Brown and Julio Jones are going to be fighting for one all-pro spot because Mike Evans has one locked up. Oh, wow. I agree with you. I think Mike Evans has been a monster this year. He made one play. Listen, they don't have Earl Thomas in the Seattle secondary. That's a

huge difference. I can't think of another safety that the defense would be that different without him on the field. That said, Mike Evans, they asked him to go and be the number. They don't have a lot else around Mike Evans, one play after the next. And they were really banged up Tampa early in the year. And it was a new

defense with Mike Smith. I'm still stunned to see this sort of turnaround, but you have Gerald McCoy playing well now. You have Noah Spence who missed some games early in the season. You're a little deeper. Robert Ayers was injured early in the season. But I was shocked to see. I mean, there were four sacks and nine QB hits in the first 20 minutes of this game.

They finished with 11 QB hit. They took them so out of their element right away. In the first 20 plays, they wreaked total havoc on Seattle. This game, the score would have looked better for Tampa Bay. one my one critique of Winston it was a late fourth quarter they had the ball deep in Seattle territory he threw it through a bad

he made a bad decision and threw a pick that gave Seattle a chance to maybe come back and climb it was a kind of game where you kept thinking Seattle's going to win this they're going to find a way having done nothing all day long to have that one drive like they do but Tampa Bay kept shutting them down and give them a lot of credit I guess the question I have in Chris Wesleying as a football historian you surely remember last year

right around this time James Winston and the Bucks got really hot there was a fun little locker room scene Levy Smith and Winston then they lost all the games and everybody got fired do we think this buck's team is different and their teams are really keeping an eye on here I think the one difference from what we've seen the last few weeks and what Mark said about today is their defense

is much better than it was last year at this time right and I think Winston is better he was more up and down last year he'll still give the defense a chance to make a few plays but overall he's more consistent Doug Martin obviously hasn't been as good The problem with the bucks, I think, and I'm all in. Look, I got sandwiches on it.

I would love for them to serve me up some sandwiches. At Chargers versus Saints, at Cowboys, at Saints versus Panthers. You know, that's a tough road. They can, but that's a tough road. You're underdog in three of those games. That's all I'm saying. In three tough places, I would say, to win. Well, I mean, you spent a month plus describing how they could get back in the mix,

and now you're telling us how they can. At some point, you know, they might just have to take you with them. They're going to pull you in a January potentially. I hope so. Wes, this is a Bermuda Triangle team, the Bucks, right? Well, the Bermuda Triangle has traditionally been Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Tennessee. Okay. Maybe.

But I think extended. If you're in SEC country, you're not getting any coverage from the NFL. That's why I like this discussion right now. We're getting out on the Bucks. I know a big-time listener of the podcast, Shalyn Patel in Tampa's excited. The Bucs are a team to watch. If Mike Evans played in New York, he would be on every pregame show, every highlight reel. It's because he's got four team in that pervue.

Winston is relatively under the radar for a number one overall pick having a really good second season. I was going to say, I know it's, I know it's sappy. One more point. Then we got to move on. I know it's sappy, but Althron Verner's interception was a great sports moment. His father passed away. It was great. And it was on Friday.

That happens on Friday. he gets the interception. And it's not just that he gets the interception, just the... What happened? His father passed away on Friday, I believe. He got an interception early in this game and just the reaction by him kind of going to the ground

and very emotional. And then more the team all coming around him and supporting him, you know, 20, 30 guys. And it was no, like, last second, meaningless pick. It was a big pick and a big spot that I think Tampa suddenly gained confidence from it, too. He was crying on the sideline. There's so many highlights all day long

and so much nonsense being thrown at you, it's something that just got swept aside, but it was a big moment for that team. Not his only good play of the game from what I saw on Twitter. He must have had a really good game all around. Did. Let's move on and check out two fringy AFC playoff teams. Rivers back, looking, firing towards the end zone,

diving catch! Good catch. Hunter Henry! Touchdown! San Diego! A 12-yard catch, Hunter Henry, rolling over with the football. He had to peel it off the deck. Peel it. Josh Lewin, K-I-O-Z with the call. The Chargers are still alive.

Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, including the one that you just heard to Hunter Henry. And San Diego pulled within a game of 500 with a 21-13 win over the Houston. Oh, he did it! Oh! He locked it up! He locked it up. We locked the whole thing up.

We turned it up, and we said goodbye. See you Sunday night. Thank God. You called yourself a love. Bone Wolf, and you're going to go for the Houston Texans, which instigated me to lock up the chargers, and we pull up the four wins. Four across, baby.

What do we get? Connect four, baby. Pat on the back. This, this moment of volation. The segment ends, actually. This is it. There's no more lock of the week. This is the extent of our reward.

I mean, what do you want? I want more. You want a lollipop? For starters. Lollipop coming up for the sizzler. I think a party horn. I mean, it feels. Hit them with another party horn.

Okay, that might have been enough, thank you. That was just for you. Thank you. Cindy's breaking out new sound draft. She's got new glasses on. What more do you want? Well, she got a lot of money now. That's true.

She walked in with one of those poodles in like a Cartier bag. Cartier? You would know, Cindy. I believe it is Cartier. If I knew an expensive type of glasses, I would have, you know, made that sort of joke. But I can't even think of any. Greg walking us through his humor process. Where were we?

Oh, yeah, we did it. So, four across. Greg, the Texans came into this game with a much better record, but the Chargers simply have a much better quarterback. That's at the heart of everything in this game, right? Not an exciting Chargers game, which was a nice change of pace, I think, for Chargers fans. Although, we'll get to it a little later. Mike McCoy always has to make it a little interesting.

Oh, you were pissed. I was annoyed by Mike McCoy playing. not to lose and that's going to come back to haunt this team but this game was not really that close because Philip Rivers can make some tough throws and I would say this was one of Brock Osweiler's better games

which is pathetic when you think about he had three interceptions in this game two of them were I can't believe it two of them were it took a long time Greg was saying before the show a real catchphrase

yeah that's got one he locked it up locked up a catchphrase in a big spot They asked Bill O'Brien after the game, by the way, if Tom Savage would possibly start next week, he said no. Tom Savage? Well, how will we know? He said, no. Brock is his guy. He didn't like that question because he got asked him.

Tom Savage is real. They asked it to him of twice in a row, and he was getting red-faced. Tom Savage is real. Sydney's rich, both in heart and spirit and financially. I love that Philip Rivers this year with this team has turned into such a big playmaker. He is second in the league and plays over 40 yards. He has the second most plays over 40 yards of his career. He's a good vertical thrower still at this point in of his career.

And it wasn't a perfect game, but Dantrell Inman and Tyrell Williams, and the defense especially is showing a lot of life, and that's what they're going to need. They got to win out. We didn't fork him. Greg and Wes are on that hill. I already regret being on this hill. Why is that? For the same reason,

I'm surprised that Greg loves a Chargers team where the coach is kind of just, what's the right word for him? Mealy-mouthed. From Mike McCoy. He coach is scared? Yeah, he coach is scared. He coach is scared, and I don't like that.

Yeah, I don't think they're going to win six games with the way he coach is scared in the fourth quarter. I also think it all back. He coached Brock Osweiler for a number of seasons and maybe new, not a threat to beat us. Interesting. Bill O'Brien should have to stand up there and take those questions because his quarterback, the one that he and Rick Smith,

handpicked to lead this franchise. That was kind of forced on him a little bit, but go on. He sat up there in a press conference and said, this guy checks all the boxes. I watched all film on him, and this is the guy we want. This is guy going to lead our franchise, and he's holding the team hostage. Last year's quarterback room, which featured prominently,

Brandon Wheat and T.J. Yates and Ryan Mallett had a collective 21 and 11 TD interception ratio. Brock Goswiler is 12 to 13 TD Interception. Here's the thing. Their formula to win is defense and running, and their defense and running aren't that good. Their defense is fine. It's better at home, but it wasn't good enough today. You know, the Chargers had more playmakers really on their defense than the Texans did. Joey Bosa, who had a quiet couple of games before their by, got back on the defensive player of the year. With a big-time game, seven tackles, drew some penalties, tackles for loss, half a sack, an amazing hustle play to kill a Texans drive.

And then Casey Hayward has been a really underrated free agent signing, leads the league in interceptions, made a really good one today. He's been a playmaker. And your boy, Corey Toomer, Wesseling. It's not a Tuma. That's your boy. Inside linebacker. You love Corey Tum.

I do like Corey Tud. Kind of this guy who came out of nowhere has been playing great. Jatvis Brown might never get his job back. Who knows? They're going to do it. You're the Chargers. You've got the San Diego is the Bucs, the Panthers, the Raiders, the Browns, and the Chiefs. It's doable.

I think it is. I would sooner fork the Texans than the Chargers. Oh, yeah. This AFC South is tight now. And I like listeners of the show immediately tweeted a lot of tweets at me that a Chargers' Bucks game. It's like the battle of my two real loves. Somebody loves. I'm ready.

Let's move on more AFC, you know, fringy teams. Well, one of them is not even on the fridge anymore. Here's Flacco to throw toward the end zone to Perryman, a leaping grab, back right side of the end zone. Touchdown Ravens. He's in the board. Rashad Paravit, a 14-yard pass play from Joe Flacco, and the Ravens jump out to a 6-0 lead with 10-15 to play first quarter. Tom McCarthy of Westwood won sports on the call. Joe Flacco threw that one touchdown pass, and Justin Tucker, the NFL's best kicker, did the rest, hitting 4-15.

field goals, including three from beyond 50 yards to lead the Ravens to a 19 to 14 win over the Bengals, um, who are forked hard. Mark Sessler, the Ravens, a team that lost four straight games at one point will head into December, a top to AFC north, just like everybody predicted. Well, I think we predicted that they were unpredictable. We didn't know what would happen with the Ravens and, you know, they've been that kind of team, flip flopping back and forth. But for a couple weeks now, we've talked about the potential of their defense and the actual play of their defense and today came up big because they are a touchdown averse offense that needs Justin. They need Justin Tucker and that dude is money in the bank. He's their MVP this season. But if you want a

second group, I would look at the young Ravens defense that as the Bengals were in this game longer than they should have been down the stretch, Andy Dalton's final nine attempts on drives that could have taken this game somewhere else. Four of the nine attempts tipped. They strip sacked Dalton three times. He's playing behind yet another bad offensive line that we've discussed today. And you remove, you know, Dave Damashek's Jenga theory that you take one player away and the team crumbles. A.J. Green fits that as well as most non-quarterbacks in the league. I mean, their offense has no downfield element. It's another game where Jeremy Hill 12 attempts for 21 yards. They didn't get the ground game going until Rex Burkhead came in.

in the second half. He kind of actually gave them a little bit of life for a stretch. But this offense, I mean... Bring back Trent Richardson. For the Bengals? I mean, bring him back to Cincinnati for the first time. I would say why not at this point? Just keep going.

The Bengals are exactly... They're what the record is right now. It's not deceptive. And the Ravens, I don't know. I mean, we'll see how the AFC North finishes up, but their defense is for real. When you were mentioning the Djanga piece, I thought you were talking about Justin Tucker and the Ravens,

Because in a sloppy division... Oh, he would be, too. He absolutely is a weapon that could win this division, which is a crazy thing to say, but he's that good. I don't know if you mentioned what it was, but it was 52, 54, 57 yards. And it was like you're seeing other kickers mentally fizzle week after week.

By the way, Mike Nugent missed his third extra point in two games today, and that hurt Cincinnati. But Tucker comes out there and he knows he's going to hit it. Guy is flamboyant. He doesn't lack for confidence. He said after the game that he believed that he could have hit a 75-yard field goal and I usually you know don't do this but because

it's Justin Tucker's special day this is how he opened his press conference after the game you got smell it smells like up dog what's up dog nothing much man so with you it's a bit guys got bits

he's a bad bit he's flying high and he's got bits the kicking is better than the post game he's a bit he must be some type of like dude behind the scenes because they when Terrell Suggs was with the media and they asked him to you know assess Tucker's performance, it's like, oh, man, like he didn't even want to say anything. He's like, you know, we've got to keep this guy under control, so I don't know what to say.

Can you imagine what's going on with Justin Tucker? NFL kickers are like Major League Baseball closers. As a general role, they're incredibly overvalued, but the ones who are money are priceless. And just imagine what the Vikings record would be if they had Justin Tucker right now. Right. I mean, the Ravens especially, I mean, you call them a touchdown adverse offense, which is not an adjective you want to describe your offense. but it's apt.

This offense is set up to kick 55-yard field goals. That is their obvious. Hey, let's get to the 35 or so. That's about all we're going to get to. Justin Tucker has kicked 14 extra points the entire season. Look at the quarterback. Do you know the company Joe Flacco is keeping? It's not pretty.

Bortles and Bortles. Most consecutive games passer rating over 100. Blake Bortles, Brock Osweiler, Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco has the fewest tied. Under 100? Under 100 pass rating. He's tied for the fewest tides. touchdown passes of any quarterback who started every game this season.

Mark, remember after Super Bowl 47 when Flacco played out of his mind for a month and won the Super Bowl single-handedly, we went to the locker room and Steve Bashati, the Ravens owner, was sitting A.C. Slater-style on a chair backwards with a big cigar sticking out of his mouth, just staring ahead with a grin on his face, but wasn't saying anything. I remember reporters going up to him and he just didn't even like acknowledge him and people just walked away. I wonder if now looking back, he was actually thinking to him, himself. Oh my God. I should have paid Joe Flacco before the season started because this contract is looking worse and worse by the year. And everybody loves Joey Flacco down in Baltimore.

I get it. He's forever a hero. But my God, he's getting paid a lot of money to be a mediocre passer. I don't know if it's entirely on Flacco, but it is interesting to see him kind of come back to the pack so viciously after being a different quarterback for a couple years. Does that contract look as bad as some of the others at this point? I'd have to see where we are with him. I mean, was he ever? I mean, It was outrageous when it happened, but it was quickly, like, he was quickly at the fourth-fifths-six guy. He's been at the top of getting paid. But, I mean, the cost of doing business when it's one of the great contract. It's one of the great contract pushes ever.

I think it's the best. Yeah. It's got to be there. This, AFC North, you never know. One of these teams could still be in the wild card mix. I don't think it's a lock right now that the Ravens and the Steelers couldn't go to the playoffs. It's possible. Well, we talked, we asked Baltimore to go and shut down the Cowboys if we wanted to take

their defense absolutely for real. I need to see them do that again against Pittsburgh if Pittsburgh's flying. Well, this division will probably come down to week 16 when the two teams match up in Pittsburgh. But an already stout defense like the Ravens, it's hard to overstate that they get a guy like Elvers Dumerville back in week 12 and he makes the play of the game to end the game. I mean, he and Suggs looked like it was four seasons ago. They were both playing great. They're playing without Jimmy Smith too, so that's two of their best players if you're

getting better late in the season. Mark, who was the opponent of the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl 35? The New York Giants. No, the giant highlight, Sidney. Why would that make anyone upset? I didn't know where you're going with that. You know, you get money. You got new money over there.

Listen, you just got excited. I just picked one. Okay. New nickname, new money. New money, I love it. New money. All right, can we hear the giant highlight? Yeah, sure.

Thanks. Love you, Sid. The count drop straight back in the pocket gets hit. Ball comes out. Intercepted. picked off on the fly jason pierre paul's got it to the 10-5 touchdown giants mccown got hit the ball fluttered in the air and jpp scores his third career touchdown jason pierre paul had the play that put the game away and elie manning and odel beckham connected for two touchdowns the lift the new york

giants to a 2713 win over the still winless cleveland browns um the pick of uh the three of us in this room to go with the Browns did not work out. Mark, the Giants are now eight and three, six-game winning streak and a great position to get back to the playoffs. Great position. Bob Poppa with the call. Yeah, it was 14 to 6 New York when that Jason Peer or Paul pick six happened. And yes, that ended the game.

But the same DNA that's haunted Cleveland for the last month plus, if not all year long, but which has been intensively, was present again. And that was Josh McCown getting sack seven. times, him getting pounded back there. Their run game cannot do anything again. Isaiah Crowell should not be starting at this point. I don't know who should be, but he should not. Duke Johnson, he's played well this year. Well, I mean, Duke Johnson deserves a bigger opportunity, and I would look more that when you're the Giants, and this was not a great Giants performance, this is, you can talk about the fact that they are a mid-level team, eight and three record aside,

but you go into Cleveland, and when you have Odell Beckham, and you've got a young rookie like Sterling Shepard, and you've got even Cruz who made a play today, and you've got an active pass rush. There's nothing from Cleveland's side to stop you, to usurp you. There's no star power to match against it. You've got Joe Hayden, who calls himself

the best cornerback in football right now. I think he's talented. He's not even close to that, and he knows it. And they had to come up with effective, disguising secondary cover just to try to stop Beckham and the rest of them, and it doesn't work. You don't have the depth. You don't have the power

and the ability to shut down anyone in the league right now, anyone. And it's catching up and starting to really weigh on Hugh Jackson, who understands the history of play here now at 0 and 12. Here's what Jackson had to say after the game as he held back tears. Being 0 and 12 is probably the hardest thing ever. It's been a long 12 weeks. You know, it's been a long 12 weeks. And unfortunate for the men in that room over there,

we haven't been able to get him a win yet. Press conference that started 20 or 30 minutes late, the Browns are in serious danger of O and 16, Wes. They are. Let's talk about the Giants who have spent the last three weeks playing patty cake with the Bengals, Browns, and Bears. Doing their job. Winter is coming for the Giants.

Wow, Wes. Look at this schedule. This is a team that is 5 and 1 when they have 330 yards or fewer on offense. They were out gained today, by the way, by the Browns. The rest of the NFL has a 399 winning percentage. the Giants have an 833 winning percentage when they have 300 yards or fewer, 330 yards or fewer on offense.

Chickens are coming home to roost. Here's their schedule. Next three weeks, they play a first place team in all three of those weeks. At Pittsburgh versus Dallas at Detroit. Final two weeks, divisional rogue games at Philly and at Washington. Okay, so they'll be tested.

Anything that Giants fans want to say to us that they're not getting enough respect or anything, this team is going to get a chance to prove it. Because even just winning three of those last five, games, you're going to be good. And if you want to make the case for the Giants, it's that the defense is not just good, but it's getting better right now. JPP is better every week. I agree. JPP is taking over games. I thought he was the best player on the field last week in the game. And just looking at the box score, three tackles for loss, three sacks. You know, the touchdown,

he sounds like the best player on the field this week. And now they're getting Olivier Vernon's coming around too. And so the defense, it can try to win games on its own. Yeah, and if you go one and two over those next three weeks, you're nine and five. I mean, the Giants have not done it in dominating fashion in the way that we would all like to see. And if you go 0 and 5, you're 8 and 8. Well, that's fine, but the bottom line is they could crash that hard. Look at that schedule. I mean, look, the Steelers, at Steelers' tough game, but which Steelers team shows up.

Home at Cowboys, very tough games, Sunday night football. They won the game against lions. I mean, I don't think they should be scared of the lions. And they can also beat Philadelphia the week after. I mean, the thing is, if you're, if you want to take away, you're 8 and 3, yes, it's not been impressive, but these are the teams that make the playoffs because they carve out this kind of start. There's a, there's room for them to step up still. Yeah, they have a lot of room for error now.

I, to talk a little bit about what you said with Hugh Jackson, we were talking before, you know, the game today, Mark, and I think Browns fans obviously want a win, but they're conflicted. In some sense, you want a number one seed. But I think you saw with Hugh, tears, tears were. in his eyes. I went back and watched that. It was pretty emotional and he was late to the press conference. You know, it's weighing on Hugh Jackson and it's weighing on, I'm sure, Sashi Brown and everyone in that front office, and it's weighing on the players. So there's no conflict in their heart or their minds and they're out there fighting every week. And I think

they're going to have this by to really think about it because they do not want this being stuck on them. It's a big deal to be a winless team. And they are feeling it. at this point. It would mean the world to them to get one win. I think they will get a win. I mean, I didn't see it coming against the Giants this week, but there's a chance against Cincinnati. It'll happen somewhere potentially. But I don't think any of us could understand the weight on you when you put 80 hours a week and you're the figurehead of the organization and this happens week after week. It's easy. A 1 in 15 season is quickly forgotten. But in 0 and 16 season is historical. And so I think the key is you got to

do everything you can to avoid that fate. Before we move on, let's pause now. And there were three games on Thursday night, Thanksgiving here in the United States. So I thought this would be a perfect time to bring back our old favorite song, West. What is it called? Five o'clock. Eight o'clock. Delight.

Sunshine? I think it's eight o'clock to light. Sid, can you help us with that? Eight o'clock delight. All right. I'll get going. Two-minute drill here. everybody with a takeaway from the games.

I'll start with the Cowboys. I think the Cowboys now at 10-1 and in very good position to claim home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, I think if they get that number one seed, they're going. They're going to Houston because what we saw on Thursday was a perfect summation of how they are almost impossible to beat in their building. Every time Washington came back, the Dallas Cowboys went right back at them with their embarrassment of riches on offense. The Cowboys are going on the Super Bowl if they take them.

one seed who's that they they got the number one see that's over at this point with this seattle lost their two and a half they're going they're not losing three of their next five games that's what they have to take and you're right the redskins played an almost perfect perfect game offensively sure i don't know how many takeaways do we get one each baby we're having a conversation we got two minutes well one team that cowboys won't be playing the emails apparently go ahead one team that dallas will not play in the playoffs is minnesota if if the gods the football gods want to do this correctly the entire nfcese deserves the more than the Minnesota Vikings right now.

They had a chance on Thanksgiving to rest away that division and they couldn't get it done. Bye-bye. You don't want the Vikings. You're giving up on them. Vikings aren't dead. There's a difference between...

I have no effect on them. I'm not giving up on them. They are not a playoff team from what I'm watching. How we on time, by the way, Sid? It's over. Run the song one more time. Wes, you're up.

Said last week that if Andrew Luck wasn't playing, you would see what kind of tire-fire the Colts are. That's exactly what they were. dropping passes, offensive line not blocking, a physically overmatched quarterback who has no instincts for running the ball whatsoever. That was rough. And the Colts, they're not a playoff team either. The Titans are the team to beat in the EFC South. That seems fair.

Greg, back to you, baby. The wheel turns, and it's on Rosie. I love that the lion's offense essentially counts on Matthew Stafford to make crazy plays and to win games at the end. And then he just does it. That's what he does. I love it. Oh, I can't believe it. Let's check out the other New York team.

Tom Brady, adjusting at the line of streamage, left foot forward, waiting on the staff. Short motion by Edelman left. Shotgun staff to Brady. He's looking left. He's thrown toward Mitchell. Has the catch inside the left pylon. Touchdown and the lead for the Patriots. Oh, man.

What a throw. Bob Sosci? Is that so she going? You always ask me. I've never heard. WBZ with the call. Malcolm Mitchell with a game winner beating. Yeah, you guessed that Dorel Revis late in the fourth quarter to lift the Patriots to a 22 to 17 win over the New York Jets at the Meadowlands.

Cue the throne of ease because the pats did not play well in this game and still found a way. That's what good teams do. Jets are a bad team. New York jumped out to a 10-0 lead in this one and had a lead. in the fourth quarter but showed no ability to close the game out on either side of the ball when it mattered most and um focus on the pads here rob gruncowski exited this game early i believe in the first quarter with a back injury and i think i saw you boy florio gregg um on sunday night football the pregame show uh report that the patriots were confident uh we didn't say the patriots

were confident but he he said uh rob gruncowski at this point are is expected to play next Okay, and then Seth Walder of the New York Daily News tweeted that he saw Granc exiting the Meadowlands and he could barely walk and he needed help to kind of get down steps or something along those lines. So obviously he was, whatever that injury is, he was not feeling well after the game. And you really start to wonder with Grunk, you know, I mean, he's the best tight end ever potentially, but is this going to be the part of the Gronk dialogue going further, where is his body going to eventually betray him just the way he plays the game

the size, the amount of abuse. You get a little worried as a Pat Savan, Greg? It's been part of the equation the whole time. Since he was 21 years old, entering the draft. And the back injury, it's concerning because that's a recurring one. That, you know, that's one that, you know, I think they're playing it safe today. Who knows? There's no way to really know Martellus.

Bennett also gets hurt in this game. And just as importantly, you know, Tom Brady wasn't healthy this week. He doesn't want to miss two practices. He was technically a game-time decision, and he played his worst game of the season. So, you know, I'm not a, I don't know what reason there was for that, but he missed a lot of throws

that he hasn't been missing earlier in the year. He averaged less than six yards per attempt, did throw two touchdowns, including that game winner, and made some big throws down the stretch. That's what you expect from Brady, but this was throwing 50 passes in less than 300 yards.

That's not the time Brady were used to. I mean, as a Jets fan, I had to ask you a question, watching, and this is not the first week this has happened, but Darrell Revis just victimized. Does he play again? I don't think so.

He's a prideful player. He's not going to want to... You think this is his last season? I think he takes the money and goes home. He won't move to safety? I don't think the Jets, my feeling, my guess at this point is that the Jets are really upset about the season on a number of

levels and effort levels a part of it. And I think the idea that he's just going to take a pay cut and they're going to move to safety. I think there's a lot of a wiggle on both sides that would have to happen. I agree with that. That's a huge issue. He's playing inside sometimes this season. I feel like he's shown a lack of passion this season. You've seen that reported. I thought it was very telling that Mike McCagnan in his state of the organization press conference last week during the by week did not go out of his way to defend Revis on comments about his effort level and what type of season he was having.

I think Revis is done as a jet and maybe outright. We'll have to see about that. But yeah, he got beat routinely in this game. And in the big drive of the game, too, it was like, okay, let's go Mitchell on Revis. That's a matchup. And frankly, before then, Edelman beat him for a 24-year game. Yes. And frankly, I thought there was a flaw in the Patriots game plan that they didn't go after him more because it's gotten to the point where Revis is not just not a strength anymore on the Jets. He's an outright liability. And other teams have taken advantage of it all year. But one last note before we throw it to Keith on this game. And I couldn't believe when I saw it.

le garret blunt his first or second carry in the game i think was the first play of the pat's second possession and uh if you check out end around you'll see this um they ran a play where le garrett blunt went one way then doubled back and went to the opposite side of the field with brady all of a sudden lumbering in as a lead blocker and it's one of the most unreal things because he goes straight uh through a crowd and every jet player goes out of their way not to to touch tom brady and uh when i tweeted out a vine of this of the vitriol. I mean, this is an unhappy Jets fan base about what that said about this Jets team and your opportunity to lay a clean hit on Tom Brady. And perhaps Chris Wessling, it was more like a Joe Namath 1974 act of respect. But I don't know how you let that opportunity pass. You kind

to put Brady on his ass. It says a lot about this Jets team this year to me. I would have to look at the play closer. It seemed to me that he did a good job of just avoiding contact on his own. It was some Jedi mind-trick stuff, if that's what he was trying to do. He's just, he's not moving too well. One guy said it was like Tom Brady was running on stilt, somebody on Twitter, over a fault line or something along those lines. Well, in the first time all year, pointing to the knee injury, the slight regression did look like it took hold as far as his pocket movement went. He couldn't escape pressure, and the Jets were pushing him off his spot early in the game. The Jets always play well against Brady, especially at home.

It's been that way since Rex got to town. This is my only The slight regression I'm not going to celebrate Because the Jets lost obviously And he made Brady made some big throws down the stretch But again this does

This is kind of part of what I was getting at In my prediction that looks like it's going to be wrong But if you couldn't get some consistent pressure on him And if he's not moving well And part of being 39 years old Is you might have Injuries that you can't heal from Is he vulnerable against a big pass rush

Well but you essentially need him To be hurt for this regression Which is what happens when 39 years old. It's all together. Anyway, let's see what Keith had to say after another brutal Jets lost now, 3 and 8 in the lost season.

His name is Keith. He's dad's dad. No doubt about it. He's a big Jets fan. What is he going to say about the game today? What is he going to say about the game today? Chatswall of 3 and 8. And once again, the Jets,

have perfected the art of losing. A game that I thought that you could have won. It's just when the defense had to make the big play or the offense had to step up and make a big play, they both failed. So there was just another tough loss for the Jets. I thought Revis, in a couple of big plays, was shown up.

Once again, I'm in a quarter position. So I don't know what's going to happen. with that $17 million he's making this year, but we'll see what happens. Disappointing game. It's the fact that they play the Patriots stuff. Bye. We might have, by the way,

Keith Hans is in studio next week. Oh, yeah. Jets are playing on Monday night, so it doesn't work out, but it might be behind the class. Maybe we can talk to them a bit. Disappointing game, by the way, for the Patriots. I mean, they are the masters of saying

it doesn't matter until Thanksgiving. You want to, you know, I think that comes from, Parcells and Belichick, that's where Francesa really, I think, gets it. And they're playing worse right now. You know, they had- Reminiscative last year. Their first QB hit of the season, of the game, was the sack fumble by Chris Long,

which is a big-time play, to win the game. It's great that Brady put together a game-winning drive. They hadn't really been in that position, except for the Seattle game all year, and he delivered. But they're playing worse. You know, you're concerned about the ceiling? Five weeks ago, you guys were saying the season's over. they're in the Super Bowl. All right.

Nice try. Hold on, number one. I mean, you're coming off a win. This is throne of ease. Actually, after a Patriots win that was too close for comfort. Well, it's got to be the final question. Are you concerned about their ceiling versus where you were a month ago? Oh, absolutely.

I don't think they're playing great. I mean, I think it could change, but the last three or four weeks, they're not like a great team. Well, you've got to come up with a couple of AFC teams that are consistently better than them for us to be really concerned about this. The Gron thing's a big deal, though. We have to see what's going on with his body. Of course it is. They're a dink-and-dunk offense without gronk, and Martell's Bennett aggravated his ankle injury today.

They didn't have a play over 20 yards until the middle of the fourth quarter. The defense has been pretty bad all year, and just because you play the 49ers and Jets and you have their in the Rams, and now if the offense comes back to the back, I'm just saying they're playing their worst football now. Are they a better team than the Raiders? Yes. Yeah.

Raiders got magic boys. I think all those teams are close, but yeah. Let's continue our tour through the AFC East and take a look at the second place team. Kaepernick takes the snap, looking, stuff like him. He's going to try to run for it. Now to the far side pump fakes, dives. He's tackled just short of the goal line. And by a yard, the Miami Dolphins hang on and win.

Kaepernick saw open green, and he thought he had the right side of the end zone. But the dolphins squeezed him in that final yard and stopped him. Nice call by Ted Robinson, KNBR. Colin Kaepernick's final second scramble came up just short and the Miami Dolphins ran off the field with a 31-24 win. I think that's their sixth straight victory. Crazy. Greg, the Dolphins came dangerously close to letting this one slip away.

Maybe we should be handed out lollipops holding off the Niners at home. But they have to be feeling good about their playoff chances after all these victories. They have not lost in months. And for the second time in three weeks, Ryan Tannahill was, a huge reason why they won and probably more than any game this year they needed him to make good throws down the field. I know

it's against the 49ers but if you're throwing the ball 35 yards into tight coverage it's still a tough throw and he made a lot of good throws and man is he fast there was a couple of plays as a runner that were key where the pressures coming after him and they just could not get him to the ground on a day when Colin Kaepernick

ran for over 100 yards and reminded everyone what a monster is he as a fantasy quarterback. Tanna Hill can run too, and he was the better quarterback ultimately in the game. I think when their winning streak started, we all looked at Jaya Jai and said, hey, that gives them an identity finally. They've got something to hang their hat on. And now the last three weeks, you look at Tanna Hill, and you say three weeks ago,

that was his toughest performance of his career against the Chargers, taking big hits. Last week, the best fourth quarter comeback of his career with the game on the line. And this week, one of his best passing games, you're seeing the progress we've been asking for, for four years now. 9.5 yards per attempt from a quarterback that the narrative's always been. He's challenged deep.

He doesn't show chemistry with whoever his wide receivers are. And are we willing to look at Adam Gase now and finally give him some credit or it's nothing to do with Adam Gaze? I think let's wait until the end of the season. He's obviously done a great job in season just coaching this team. In terms of Tanna Hill and quarterback guru, I think let's have it play out. But this is great. I wouldn't say they were, they ultimately outplayed the 49ers by much.

It was a close game where the 49ers ended the game on the two-yard line. They fumbled the ball in the red zone, selected, and they had a tipped interception, which was, you know, a little bit of luck, and that was kind of the difference. I would probably put the 49ers ahead of the Browns now in terms of when you're talking about the worst teams, because they're playing teams tight three weeks a row against a pretty good competition. It doesn't mean much because they're still losing every week. But that's what I feel about that. The other thing I want to say now that,

and, you know, me and handsome Hank have beef over this dolphins team. And I'm not, you know, whatever. But this is where now we're going to see. Is this Dolphins team a different Dolphins team? Or are they the same old dolphins? You got your Niners win at home. You're flying at 7 and 4. Now you go, now here's a tough game at Baltimore next week.

Not a, not a killer game. Tough game. If you're a different Dolphins team, do you win this game in December? After that, you host the Cardinals, a down-trodden Cardinals team this year. do you take care of business at home? Then you go out to the Meadowlands and Rich Stadium, or whatever it's called now, after that, before ending your season at home, so many Dolphins seasons lost in December. Now we see if they're the real deal.

I'm not convinced just yet. Suddenly the AFC has 10 teams with six wins or more. So it's a deep field that could go a lot of different ways. Even at 7 and 4, it's not like the dolphins are in great shape. Can I ask one question about the Niners well fast? If you're Chip Kelly and you're kept for next season, or you choose to stay, I'm not sure all those things are definitively true. But let's say you have the second, third, fourth pick in the draft somehow.

Is there any scenario where you keep Colin Kaepernick and don't decide to take another quarterback very high? I think it's way too early. I mean, we don't follow the college game close enough to have a beat on any of these quarterbacks, but I think it's way too early until you know what their scouts think about the quarterback. I mean, in a season where the Browns and the 49ers and teams like the Jets need the quarterback, the Bears, we're not hearing good reports on this QB class. No, we're hearing bad reports almost exclusively. I'm just saying to you, I wonder more of the question is, is Colin Kaepernick done anything to say, I am the guy going forward. I've changed your mind about me.

I don't think so. Even though he's a monster in fantasy leagues, he's been up and down, he's shown some things. He's obviously talented. and he fits what Chip Kelly does, but maybe he's a good guy to have there to be with a rookie quarterbacker to compete. I think he's shown that, but not where you're going to say,

let's just stay away from it. Well, I'd certainly hope no coach is keeping anyone based on their fantasy numbers. That would be concerning. Let's complete our look at the AFC East with one of the more fun games of the day. First down bills from their own 25-yard line. The snap and the give goes to McCoy.

Cuts to the right now at the middle. Shady on the run at the 40. Out of midfield, over the ball in his right hand at the Jacksonville. 40 operating everybody 20 15 10 fight touchdown touchdown shady mccoy touchdown 75 yards yes I like that one a lot I love when the passion overwhelms a man doing his job in the broadcast booth much agree with a football game yeah let's let's just put that on the list and I'm not saying it's going to be in the top 10 at the end of the season that's good one that was john murphy wGR anyway the bills uh came

into this game leading the NFL in rushing yards per game and, you know, then LaShawn McCoy took one to the house early in the third quarter, 75 yards and that was a big play in a 28-20 win 21 win for the bills over the

Jaguars and you know this was a game, I thought the turning point of this game guys was the bills were getting booed at, I believe it is New Era Stadium. Late in the second quarter, four minutes to play. They're being blanked by Jacksonville.

They're down, 7-0. And on 4th and less than a yard in field goal range, Rex sends out Dan Carbender with less than two minutes to play. And then thinks better of it and takes Carpenter off the field, sends the offense back on the field. Two plays later, they're in the end zone. And then over the next nine plays from scrimmage, they had scored three touchdowns.

So I thought it was a nice bit of onion hanging by Rex. If he would have kicked the field goal, I thought that would have been gutless. He thought better of it, and I thought the bill's offense rewarded him in this game. And that was a big difference in the game for me. Nice to have Sammy Watkins back. Three targets, three catches, 80 yards. A beautiful deep ball. I mean, that's half their passing yards.

A beautiful deep ball from Tyrod Taylor, who played really well. When we look back at the season to me, one of the guys that really stands out for me is Tyra Taylor. I know he's not the perfect quarterback, but I really. really do think that he is the answer for the bills. That's something I didn't necessarily believe in entering the season. He makes so many plays. He can make throws. He'll miss throws occasionally. You see that every week. But he's also, in terms of mobility, I think he's the best. He had a touchdown run in this game where he basically, with pressure all around him, sidestepped a couple guys and then darted into the end zone. I don't know how many

guys healthy Russell Wilson and maybe a couple others. But I thought he played really well in this game. And Shady McCoy, two touchdowns. This team's dangerous. Very dangerous. Yeah. I don't think any NFC contender wants to see the bills in the playoffs. With Sammy Watkins back, Tyrod Taylor is playing better than his passing numbers would

suggest. Lashaw McCoy's having an all-pro year, or at least a pro bowl. Darius is starting to make plays for them. They've got their schedule. They're six and five. They go to Oakland. Then they have three home games, and they play pretty well at home. And they close at the Jets who could be starting Bryce Petty in week 17.

Oh, that would be sweet justice if the Jets going nowhere knocked out wrecks in week 17 after it happened the other way around last season. We'll see if it comes to that. I mean, low wadage justice. That's not a lot for a Jets fan to take away from this point. No, Wattage Justice. I understand. I mean, it's, I hear where you're coming.

You should know more than anyone, Mark. You just take your victories where you can happen. I mean, it's, I don't know. We don't need to go down that wormhole right now, but. Sounds like a bad buddy cop movie. Low Wattage Justice. Low Wattage Justice. What, can I ask you quite?

You watch this one? Oh, I did. Lashon McCoy, I mean, you take away the long run. He's got 18 characters for about 27 yards. My one feeling about Lashon McCoy is when he's healthy, this offense is so much better and so dangerous. They're the toughest rushing attack to stop. Right.

Were they shutting him down? You know what, Jacksonville, here's the thing. They are the NFL's Inland Beach House franchise, of course. But I thought that they, I thought they played well in this game. I thought Blake Bortles had some really nice moments in this game. He actually didn't throw an interception. For the first time, this is an insane stat. They had a touchdown drive on their first possession of the game.

It was their first opening drive touchdown since week two of last year. So that was a problem that that's obviously haunted this team throughout Bortles as tenured. But, you know, I thought they played well and they just, they didn't play good enough in this game. The bills were better to. Their defense has been better. It's not a great defense, but it's an average to good defense. The offense has been the issue. I mean, I would have never expected it in a million years, Mark,

Keith Lee. Albino Tiger is quite possibly their best receiver this season. They're certainly their most consistent and been playing great. I mean, he deserves credit for it, but I would have never expected. I think he's just about leading the team. He's barely trailing Robinson, but he's made a lot of plays lately. All right. Let's move on, gentlemen, a little Tennessee Titans talk. Fourth down, Barclay, under pressure, Hitt as he fires in the past, is incomplete.

Intended for Thompson, and he could not hang on with Parrish Cox defending with all he had. Tennessee exhale. Mike Keith, WGFX, Titans Radio. The Bears had their chances to steal one from the Titans, but they couldn't get it done. The Titans with the help of some Chicago drops, moved to 6 and 6 after a 27 to 21 win. Marcus Marriota continues to play at a high level. West, did you come away impressed by Tennessee's latest conquest? So impressed until Mike Malarkey did his best Mike McCoy impression.

I tried to play not to lose, sit on the ball. Don't believe that Matt Barclay could possibly bring his team back into the game. Titans had zero sacks against a banged-up Bears offensive line. Their defense didn't play well. Their cornerbacks got picked on. And you're right, they needed drops. They needed the Bears to drop the ball like Josh Bellamy did. In the end, the end, the game on the line.

The Titans were the better team. They just allowed the bears to come back into it by taking their foot off the gas pedal. Imagine blowing this game, and it came very close to happening. Are you concerned? You said you think the Titans are the favorite now in the AFC South, or you would take them? Well, once Andrew Luck gets back, it's a different Colts team.

I assume he'll be back next game. I have no faith in the Texans whatsoever. Here's the thing, the Titans defense, is worse now than the Colts defense. The Titans defense is just as bad, just about as the Texans offense. Depends on the week. They get sacks, but they don't get stocks.

The Colts don't have anyone like... They give up 400 yards to Matt Barclay. Any other defense said that we'd be frying them. And week after week, we see them give up yards and points. They should be better. The Colts have no one like Jarrell, Casey, Brian, O'Rackpill, and Derek Morgan. Right, but as a team,

they're giving up yards, they're giving up points. They're not making a lot of place. We're talking about with these AFC South teams, which one has the most poignant weakness? Well, they all do. And it's really a race to see who goes into January and gets picked off big time. Mark makes a stop in at the lab. I like it. Door was open.

I like it. Any other thoughts on this game, gentlemen? No. Marcus Marriota set a, or a continued a franchise record at least two touchdowns in eight straight games. He's playing a old. Matt Barkley, by the way, he's been in the league since 2013. Today, he threw his first touchdown pass. Three of them.

He also threw two red zone interceptions, cost his team the game, and Mariotta has zero red zone interceptions his entire career. I'd like the upside of Mariotta over Matt Barney at his point. Mario da also has a 1-18 passer rating in his last eight games. Well, the Texans are... Probably shouldn't have dropped him off, my favorite. Eight games.

Also, he already has with... Romo will be back soon, right? With four games left to play, you'll appreciate this, then. Yeah. He already has the Titans record for most times. touchdown passes in the season. Good. I'm happy for it.

It's good. Just looking at the schedule. If the Texans lose next week, which I just think they always are going to lose, although it's at Green Bay that's not a tough game anymore, there could be, I'm kind of sensing when the Titans come back from their buy, a three-way tie at top the AFC South at six and six. So let's have the Jets next week a very winnable game, unfortunately, on Monday night football. I don't care.

It's over. Yeah, give me three and 13. Let's go. Texans are on the road the next two weeks. All right, let's move on. Which takes us to Sunday night football. Oh, Sunday night. And what a game it was for the fourth time in seven weeks.

We go to overtime this game between the Chiefs and Broncos in Denver, a game that Denver appeared to have in hand late in the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead. Trevor Simeon playing tremendously well from the second half on putting Denver ahead Kansas City has one last chance Alex Smith leads his team down the field they get a touchdown with 12 seconds to play

a play that was game was almost over at that point because it was a challenge it was originally spotted right near the goal line but after a challenge it was ruled a touchdown they then convert the two-point conversion to go to overtime and then in the OT they trade the two sides trade field goals

and then take it away, Mike Tariko and, excuse me, Chris Collinsworth, after the Broncos attempt a 62-yarder with Brandon McManus that gives Kansas City great field position. Take it away, Mike Tariko, and Chris Collinsworth. 34-yard attempt for the win. Off the upright, and in, and in, unbelievable game winner. Kansas City. You've got to be kidding me. The only way this game could end. Holy smokes.

Wow, what a game. Greg Rosethal. Whoa. Insanity. So many places to start. I think you got to start with the Gary Kubiak decision to kick the field goal, 62 yards in tough conditions, but not as windy at that moment. I did not mind the decision because he did not want to tie.

He wanted someone to, he wanted to, he wanted to, win the game, he almost looked at a tie as just as bad as a loss. You could have gone for it on fourth down, fourth and ten. That would have been the other option. He went for the kick. He went big and it didn't work. I would say that he should have thrown the ball there. If you're going to go for it, they talked about the kicker saying before the game

that he was topping out at 60 yards. You're asking him to make a 62-yarder. It's fourth and 10. Sunday night. I just, I go for it. Like, I just, I would, if you're going to go for it, unfurl the pass and go for it. Yeah, I think it's very unusual to see multiple things in a game

that you've never seen before. One of them was that when they kick the field goal, the other team already has better field position than you had when you kicked the field goal. Sure. And the other one was Tyreek Hill's touchdown. I had never seen a play going into overtime or not where the guy has to bobble the ball in order for it to be a touchdown.

That was insane because, yeah, if that, if he catches it clean, the game is over. I mean, just one of the most wild endings. And then the field goal, as you heard on the call, gets drilled off the uprights at such a velocity that it's able to stay just inside the opposite upright. And it barely passed the cross. Just past, you could see the shadow on the opposite upright. and the upright is shaking on the other side because it had hit the 34-yard attempt

that Santa's got to put down the middle. But you make it and just one of the biggest wins for the Chiefs in a very long time, and it puts them in great position here. Well, the thing that stands out to me in this game, we make fun of Alex Smith a lot. He doesn't go down the field.

We made fun of him a few times in this game where he didn't take shots down the field. But you know what? The facts are he gets the ball needing to score eight points against the vaunted Broncos defense in Denver, and he drives it 75 yards for a touchdown to win the game. Then the next time he gets the ball, he's in overtime.

You have to score points against the Broncos defense in overtime, or the game is over, and he does it. Then he gets the ball at the end there, one time out. Very good in the game management and the clock and not rushing things, and he had three chances there where basically you got to score or else you're going to lose or in the last case, tie, and he delivered every single time. That's not over praise, Alex Smith.

I'm just saying it's a result's business. The facts also are, he ran himself into some sacks and negative plays throughout the game. They have 50 yards at halftime, and he didn't throw a pass over 10 yards until six and a half minutes left in the game. This is why we crap on the Chiefs all the time. They play boring football, and they were extremely lucky, as lucky as any team I've ever seen, to win this football game. But there was no luck in those last three drives.

That's the thing. Of course there was. Iriek Hill's touchdown was luck. But they made a great drive. This late at night, guys. Get up out of the lab. Yeah, we're not in the lap. I think that was locked.

Of course it was locked. I guess my point is the play before that, a fourth down, a situation where the Broncos are blitzing six. He throws it to Hill a perfect touch pass who gets out of bound. There were a lot of plays where if Smith doesn't make the play, the game's over. You've got to give some credit for playing his best in the biggest moment. Also, 44 attempts, 5.0 yards per attempt. So it was a very... Throw away the stat sheet.

Throw away the stat sheet. You can't just look at the game completely on those last couple drives, the bigger picture, but he made some big plays. What a crazy game. And so did Simeon. That's the unfortunate thing. This to me was almost typical of his season in that he played outstanding and he's not going to get any love for it because he was electric really after halftime.

People that really follow the game. Well, he didn't get what he wanted, which is a win. It's amazing that we've talked already. of five minutes about this game. We haven't mentioned Justin Houston or Von Miller. Both of them had two of the best edge rushing games all year.

I think they combined for six sacks, if I'm not mistaken. They did. Which tells you quite a bit. They had seven quarterback hits to combine six sacks. Ten tackles for each man. Whoa.

And this was the game. We've talked a lot about Tyreek Hill. This was the game, kind of a breakout game on a national stage. Three touchdowns. One as a returner. To me, that's such a chief's way to score nine points in the first half.

You get a Justin Houston safety and a Tyreek Hill return off of a free kick after the safety to put up nine points. And then Hill has a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown. I mean, this is what he's been doing all year. Wow. So the Chiefs move to eight and three. The Broncos, the defending Super Bowl champions, now two games behind the Raiders in the AFC West with only five games to play. So obviously a huge outcome in Denver tonight. And that's it for us tonight.

I mean, enough of it. I mean, new money behind the glass. I mean, how many overtime games on Sunday night? We're just trying to get home to our families. No more, please. Please no more. All right. That's it.

The next time you hear from us, it will be on Tuesday. So thanks to everyone for listening. Make sure you go to iTunes and you leave ratings and comments and all that good stuff. Support the show, and we will not let you down. That's it for today's show. This is Dan Hansis. signing off for a quiet storm the mailman the boss and new monday on the glass till tuesday

This is an I-Heart podcast.