NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2016 Week 14 review

Episode Date: December 12, 2016

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling, and Gregg Rosenthal – go game-by-game breaking down all the Week 14 action which included the Bucs shutting down the Saints offense to claim a first-place tie in the NFC South, and the Giants snapping the Cowboys’ 11-game win streak.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. Gets in scuffles with Liz Frank. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I am joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg. Rosenthal, what's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Woo! We are flying, fellas. week 14 Sunday action in the books and a lot to talk about home stretch so much to talk about

a lot of good games going into the gig although they didn't turn out to be great not every game a lot of ugly games I was excited about they didn't deliver maybe you shouldn't have been so excited for the Rams I don't think anyone was excited for the Rams Wes makes a good point

before we we started today I haven't done this in a while I thought you guys would, because I always value your input and feedback because you're always honest and you have great ear for things. I've come up with some new NFL slogans as we move towards 2017. All right. Greg, you pay attention? All right. Okay.

The NFL, you worry about ratings. I'll just enjoy the bone crunching hits. Love that. It's good start. I feel like that's off message. Is it problematic in terms of the violence of the game? Yeah. I feel like the same people who took away our music.

music might take away that slogan. Okay. Let me stay away from that one. All right. The NFL, National Football League, or is it no way? Fun excitement. Like it, I do. It's a bit much verbally.

Did you pick up that acronym? Yeah, there was the acronym, a very stretched out acronym with multiple words between. It'd be tough to fit that onto a commercial. You know what I mean? You know, when you're just thinking of writing it out, it's a lot of words. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody is the soul of wit, Dan. Okay, last one.

I'm over too, but, you know, not giving up yet. NFL action, way better than your kids. But you don't need to tell them that. Love it. Love it. That's, hey, you said what we're thinking. Hey. All right.

Maybe I'll go back to the drawing board. No, I think you nailed it on that last one. The third one? Yeah. I wouldn't assume that you did. I would go back to the drawing board and come up with more. Yeah. Maybe that one of those, you know, sneak through as well.

All right. Listeners, let me know if any of those seem like 100% hardcore winners. A lot of games to get to, of course, the Sunday night football game between the Giants and Cowboys is where we'll close things. But with every team playing this weekend, we have 14 games to talk about today. And I believe the best thing to do, guys, is to get right to business. And where better to start than Lambeau Field? Roger's shotgun with a cent back to his right, snapped A-Rod, dancing to the right, looking, lofts it, right sidelines, over the shoulder.

Yes, and it's made by DeVote Adams, and he's gone for the touchdown. 67 yards. Oh, what a way to start. Duane Larravee, W-T-M-J. Here come the Packers, Aaron Rogers, fought through more leg issues and another excellent performance, and Russell Wilson through a career worst, five interceptions and a Packers 3810 win over the Seahawks.

The West, the Packers have won three straight and are once again looking like a power player in the NFC. But what about the Seahawks? Is this what life without Earl Thomas is going to be like? Marron. I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. This was a comprehensive dismantling

of the Seahawks by the Packers. That's not to say on a neutral field on a different day it would have wound up the same way. The bounces literally went to Packers way in this game. A lot of interceptions bounced either out of receiver's hands or off a defensive back's shoulder pads. It was a game where the luck went on the Packers side, but they also played really well. And I think about the Packers now as the 2014 Packers or the 2011 Packers, not the October and November Packers. And to Mark's credit, he's been on this for about eight days now, just assuming the Packers will be in

the playoffs. That was sort of a backhanded, is that a backhanded compliment? I think you were being genuine there. No, Mark is a visionary. He is, he gave up on rooted against the Packers for a reason. He knows they will be playing in January. I mean, mine came. That's one way to look at this, but okay.

Mine came probably less from, you know, all 22 coaches film and more from just a resigned sense that my midseason campaign to get them out of the postseason, to think I was ahead of that was faulty and could not have been more off base. They're going to do what they always do. They're going to go play in January. Green Bay fans, you had about two weeks there to have a tough time as a fan. It was like six weeks. Well, me, it was a little bit rough.

You know, you went through a real time of, you know, it probably changed your character and emboldened you. But now you're back where you belong as the most fun fan base, having more fun than anyone else ever possibly could. You really hold it against the fans that they've had too good of a time. Yes, I do. Only in Mark's world is it a bad thing to have fun as a footballer? No, I just want to have it too. How about the Seahawks team being so bad consistently on the road? I mean, you can't say year to year that they're like this necessarily,

but they lost to the Rams on the road, they lost to the Bucks on the road, they lost to the Saints on the road. They're not even competitive in this game. I know they beat the Patriots, but this is a team now with four losses and a tie. Obviously, we know to win the NFC, they're almost certainly going to have to go on the road. And they now have some work to do to get that buy in the NFC. Well, I think people have said for a long time that bad offensive lines don't travel.

And that's probably the biggest weakness on this team. So that's one factor. And the defense today, I'm not ready to say just because Earl Thomas wasn't there. This is what we should expect. Aaron Rogers was to the point, he was in the zone to the point where he was doing heat checks. He was that hot early on. And I think Jordy Nelson and Devante Adams are playing as well as any tandem of wide outs in the league right now. I don't know.

How does any defense come in and stop what I saw of this game where Aaron Rogers, was absolutely zero and I think it's you put an interesting nugget in your in your write-up about Troy Aikman who sits with the teams late week said that he had and he saw an energy coming from this group that he's not seen all season or in a long time you can see that on the field the defense which was getting crushed is in the last three games today gave up what 10 points has given up 13 13 and 10 points they turn around they pressured Wilson throughout uh six turnovers by the Seahawks nine quarterback hits by the Packers defense seven passes defense than three sacks.

This is not the Packers defense you were seen in November. Well, and one thing that's been consistent from week one with the Packers, they have among, if not the best pass protection in the league. I mean, it is right there. And when you can do that against this group, you know, look, Earl Thomas isn't playing on the defensive line. When you can do that against the Seahawks and, you know, looking by the box score in terms of QB hits, three QB hits all day,

he had time. I mean, you're getting something done. You're going to have a chance. I have one concern here, if I'm a Green Bay fan, who's feeling very good right now. Aaron Rogers' body is a little beat up right now. And he had the hamstring issue. And now he has a calf issue, I believe, on the other leg. And if you remember, a calf issue really blew up a season of his couple of years ago.

And this is just something to track now as we head into the final game's regular season. If he's limited, that is a major piece of this. The first, you can say, 45 minutes of this game, we're so reminiscent of that NFC championship game in 2000. from Russell Wilson's interceptions to Rogers' calf injury, which he was playing through in that game. And they're going to have to keep winning. I mean, at 7 and 6, they still have a lot of work left to do to get into the playoffs.

They might have to win those last three games. Not saying they can't, but that's my... At this point, I'll be surprised if they lose another regular season game. So the NFC North is really heating up now. The Lions, could they keep up and stay ahead of the Packers? Well, let's talk about that. Stafford's got it. Back, looks, looks.

Back it up, looking for somewhere to go. Stafford's going to tuck it and run. Stafford at the five, three, two, one, and two, touchdown, Detroit Lions. Oh, Matthew took it home. That is one tough quarterback. Got to be Matthew. Do not call him Matt. Dan Miller, W.J.R.

with a nice call there. They did it again. Matthew Stafford bounced back from a disastrous pick six to lead the Lions to another comeback victory. This time, a 2017 win over the show. Chicago Bears to keep Detroit in the NFC North driver's seat now at 9 and 4. Whoa!

And the lines are 9 and 4 and they've won again in their first place halfway through December. So maybe it's time to get a friend on the phone. Find a friend. Been a long time. Is that what they call that? Who wants to be a millionaire? Too long. Phone a friend.

He is our show. Good current reference. Thank you. Surprise it wasn't Wes's. You are the weakest link. Goodbye. Different show. Good one, though. I liked it. Our Chicago correspondent, but of course, a big Motown fan. He is Kevin Patrick coming at you. What's up, buddy? What's going on, fellas? Getting me pumped with that Dan Miller call right there. Yeah, Dan Miller's a good play-by-play guy. I remember when I did the pain rankings, I interviewed him because he had the famous call, Patrick, after the O and 16th season, which I'll spare you his famous line at the end of the season. but it shows you how far we've come now since 2008.

The Lions are in a really good position. What did you see in this game? Because I watch this game fairly closely, and this was not their best effort, but once again they found a way. And that's what we've been all year. I mean, again, they trailed for the 12th time and 13 games in the fourth quarter after Matthew Stafford's pick six,

which was just not a good throw. He didn't have his best game today. He got hurt early. Reports are that he's got a dislocated middle finger, tendon hurt in there. You didn't play well. The lines have done this several times. They barely beat the Jags,

squeaked out against the Vikings twice. You know, but sometimes you play down your competition, but good teams keep winning, and that's what you need to do to get in the playoffs. Yeah, I think that's fair, and I thought that the bears have showed a little pluck here with Matt Barclay, so I don't think it was necessarily, you know, the Lions had a terrible day.

I thought Chicago played well, but at the same time, Wes, I know you're not a big fan of this Lions team. But there has to be something to be said about their ability to continue to win games. And all of a sudden now they're 9 and 4. They could get to that 11 win mark and possibly even get a buy. Anything's possible here. They could get to the 11 and win mark. And they could stay at 9.

They have the legitimacy bull next week at the Giants. Oh, I like that. Which one of these teams is legitimate. And then they play the Cowboys and Packers. And the Packers and Cowboys might be the two best teams in the NFC right now. So I think saying that the Lions are going to win 11 games, I mean, I'm going to need to believe it. I would like to ask Kevin, how do you rate this Lions team? Do you think they're legitimately a legitimate playoff team?

I think with the mediocrity that throughout the NFL, yeah, they're a lower level playoff team. I mean, I said coming into the season, they're an 8-and-8 team that could win 10 games and could win six games. And that's who they are. They've squeaked out a few games here and there. They lost a couple of years that they should have won. So that's where you're back at. nine and four, with eight and eight talent overall at depth. I thought Terrell Austin has had a great last few games.

I agree. They've been used a lot more, a lot more schemes with three safeties, such and such. So I think that the talent, getting John Andre Levy back this week, he didn't play a ton early, but you can see the difference in his tackling at the line of scrimmage and the run defense. I think that's going to be big against the Cowboys and the Packers to close out the season. I mean, okay, that's the analysis side of whether or not we, view them to be a legitimate playoff team. Kevin, we've known you for about a half a decade now.

You're one of the iciest, most cynical fans out there. And I think that's because you're realistic and you've been through utter hell. You've got to be enjoying this. You've got one loss since October 2nd. How does it feel for you? Does this team just get taken right off that pain rankings after this? Kevin, before you answer that question, just know that that is one of the highest compliments Mark could give anyone to call you an icy cynical fan. You are. I am purely aware of Mark's compliments, and I take it as a compliment, frankly. I don't think, I didn't take it as a shot at all. Just clarify.

Because I don't think West is wrong in his analysis of the upcoming schedule. I mean, as a line fan, I've been waiting for the, to fall off the cliff for the last three weeks, to be honest with you. That's why I thought the Saints win was so impressive and so huge, because if they lost that, because I think this guy would have fallen. But the ways the Packers are playing, having to go on the road, Matthew Stafford, is a different quarterback. outside than he is in a dome they haven't played outside since the week four loss against chicago which is kind of ridiculous to think about so i think that seems huge especially with his finger we don't know how much it's going to affect that's a big that's big cold how do you you don't know

how it's going to react after after a week maybe rehab helps maybe it stiffens up and he can't throw in the cold you know they don't want any of that they don't want to talk about it in Oakland but i i i really do think that the the finger for derrick car played a big role in his struggles on thursday night and now you have a middle finger injury, he's throwing with a glove. You never want your quarterback in those situations where he's putting the glove on and they're talking about it on the sidelines and all that stuff. So that is something big to watch. But Kevin, before we say goodbye, just I know you're a cynical man,

but you were in Chicago when the Cubs ended, ended their long drought. How about a little magic run in Motown this year? A couple of playoff wins. They've been showing it that they could take victory from the jaws of defeat. How about a little magic run? run this season. How about that? How about the positive look at it? You know, I was in L.A. when the Kings ended their drought, not as long. I'm here for the Cubs. Maybe I should move home back home for the end, so the Lions can then end their

historic drought. How about just ending the not having a home playoff game drought? It's been since 1993 before that fans could even go to a playoff game. Let's just do that. You've got to win probably one more game. I think that Giants game was massive. And you're going to be the division winner most likely. But we shall see Kevin Patrick. How's your body, by the way. My body's doing great. God, I love your body. And that's total respect.

Yeah. Right now it's the winter, so it's more bulk, right? Bulking up, yep, yep. Push up, pull-ups. Got to do them. Send me some private. Chase and chickens, climbing stairs. Matt Barkley, by the way, has made some money.

Yes, he has. He has made a career. He's going to be in the NFL. A ton of money, but he's... Oh, a lot of money. He's going to be in the NFL now about 8, 10 more years. He'll probably get $7 or $8 million next year. It's great to be a backup quarterback.

You go out late season, and in a loss, you perform just a little bit above average for a couple weeks in a row, and you've extended your career probably half a decade. He's better than a lot of backups. To be fair, he got hosed on the last drive. He had him in field-go range. He did. Two separate really nice throws across the middle and got two holding calls that just ripped the drive apart. Holding calls drops.

Enough. I mean, this Bears team, I can't watch them. All right, Kevin. We'll catch up with you later, buddy. Appreciate you, guys. See you. Let's move on and check in the AFC and the defending Super Bowl champions.

Simeon dropping, looking, pumping, throwing, got it complete to Derby, his tight end. He lost the ball. The ball stripped. Titan ball! Derby made the catch. Williamson raked it out. And the Titans have come up with the recovery.

Avery, that was Mike. Keith of WGFX. Avery Williamson sealed the game and the Titans are tied for first place in the AFC South after a 1310 win over the Denver Broncos. Chris Wessling will get to the Titans in just a little bit, but let's start with the defending champs. Do you think they're in serious danger of missing the playoffs right now? Yes. Whoa. I don't, I think even their fans would admit they're in serious danger of missing the playoffs. They have a tough schedule remaining. This was a game they had to win, and they have problems in the run game on both sides of the ball. If they miss the playoffs, they're going to look back at the season, and they're going to look

forward to next season saying, how do we fix our offensive line and rushing attack on offense, and how do we plug our holes on defense in the running game? Right. You look at the box score, and Marcus Marietta completed six passes of 20 for 88 yards, and you managed to lose the game. Explain it to me. I didn't see the game. This wasn't a game for, let's see, the first three and a half quarters at least, almost, well, the first three quarters. The fake punt from Riley Dixon was the one thing that got the Broncos jump started. It happened with four minutes to go in the third quarter. And then Simeon hit Demarius Thomas, and the two of them connected for, you know, the final 20 minutes of the game.

But the Titans ran all over the Broncos early. And really should have jumped out to a 20-point lead, but two Delaney Walker red zone penalties. penalties cost them seven points, and Chris Harris got away with a couple of past interferences in the end zone. But this was all Titans in the first half. Yeah, I mean, from what I saw this, exactly what you said, it was not a close game on any level. And I feel like it's every single week. We're looking at Denver's rushing output. And today, two yards per carry. And you've got 51 attempts from Trevor Simeon. This is the exact opposite of what Gary Kubiak would want to do with a first year starter.

You want to pound the ball with the run, control the game. with your defense and have Simeon doing less. And it's game after game where they're not able to run their offense the way they should. Simeon's one of their best offensive players. I like Simeon, but I mean, you can't get through the playoffs running the ball for 20 yards, 30 yards a game. Devonty's doing fine, but they are putting too much. They're asking him to do too much and to save the season. And that's not fair to the guy.

When you're rushing for 18 yards in the game, nine carries. I mean, that's ridiculous numbers. And then your defense on the other end, if you're not going to run the ball, you better be as good as you were last year. and you give up 180 yards on the ground? 167 yards, I think, by 32 minutes into the game, by two minutes into the second half, they had given up 167 yards on the ground.

And this, five times they've allowed 140 or more yards on the ground. That only happened once last year, and it was in mid-September. They got better throughout the season, whereas this team, I think their run defense has gotten worse throughout them. What do you think is? The Titans scored 13 points. It needs to be pointed out, whether they had some bad breaks or not,

if you can hold the team to 13 points on 11 drives, any flow of the game. It seems dominant early on. I can't give the Broncos defense credit in this game. The Titans blew too many opportunities and then like Mike Malarkey as want to do pulled his foot off the gas pedal. I am not giving the Broncos credit for this for 13 points.

Okay. I mean, 4.4 yards per attempt. I'll watch it. I'm just saying they gave their team a chance to win towards the end. They got the ball back right at the end. And Penny Fowler dropped the go-ahead touchdown. And the Titans have given up late leads. The Broncos have come back late.

If he catches that goal, a head, touchdown, then we're seeing a whole different story. What do you think is at the core of a run defense that's come apart here? Well, the defensive line isn't very good. I think last year, Malik Jackson was a very good player. Derek Wolf is a good player. But now you've got Jared Crick, Sylvester Williams, are your two best linemen maybe? And that's not very good.

It's crazy that they signed Fawcett this week and he comes in and is their leading Russia with 17 yards. Except it's not crazy. I mean, for all of us that have watched the Broncos, Devante Booker is not a lead back at this point. He's at best a complimentary piece. It's not going to done. A 13-10 final. If somebody would have told me that you were asking Trevor Simmons to throw it 51 times in a 13-10 game,

they're all out of whack right now. And if they don't figure it out very soon, the season's going to slip away. I think it's standing to Treveithin, too. Yes. And here's what's especially telling about that backfield. Justin Forsett took over on passing down in his first game. and he's been the least effective receiver out of the backfield of any running back over the past couple of years. And I'm glad Tennessee won this game, by the way.

They got a tough schedule coming up, but they now have a nice little path to win this AFC South and make the playoffs more interesting. Go Titans. Let's check out some other action in the AFC South. Here we go. The Colts have to get a yard here to keep this game going. Luck out of the gun. He's going to throw it. Dropping.

Now moving to his right, throwing, and it is incomplete. At the last second, he just tried to flip it underneath to rob. Robert Turman, and now the Texans can go down to a knee and win this game on the road. Come back to us, Colts. Brandon, Godd, and Westwood won sports. The Texans aren't dead yet. Houston rolled up 185 yards on the ground and got the big stop in the final minutes to preserve a 22 to 17 road win over the Colts,

who looked like a very different team on Monday night against the Jets. Greg, it was another underwhelming performance by Brock Osweiler, but the Texans survived in a big spot. They somehow have this formula and it might actually get them to the playoffs that they can make enough defensive plays and Lamar Miller can have a big day and the entire running game can win to win this lousy division. I mean, Brandon McKinney breaks up that screen pass at the end. He's played well all year.

Jadavian Clowney had another big time game. Force fumble, sack fumble in the red zone, had another big play. on one of Andrew Luck's interceptions, you know, caused a penalty. That's all great. Whitney Merciless is great, but these are two bad teams. I watched this game, and I just thought neither of these teams deserve to be in the playoffs. I don't think either one of them really played great on Sunday,

and it was just a really disappointing, sloppy effort from the course. Right, so is this, I feel like the AFC South and a lot of teams are just a week-to-week proposition for the most part, but is this a tremendous indictment of a Jets team that potentially just didn't? not try on Monday night football. I'm asking because coming out of Monday night football, the Colts to me looked like a team that wanted to win this division,

that it discovered itself. We talked about them on Tuesday as a team coming into its own. Six days later, you get this? You're right. All these teams in the AFC South, I include the Titans are a week-to-week proposition. They're a bad six-and-seven team. The Texans are a bad seven-six.

They deserve credit, but the problems that the Colts have had throughout the year in terms of their offensive line, Andrew Luck got hit 13 times. terms of their lack of wide receiver depth. Dante Moncrief went out with an injury. He's been hurt a lot this year. Dorset comes in, gets targeted eight times. They get 19 yards on those eight. He had his ball, hands on the ball on three of those. You could call him drops. You could call him, you know, tough catches, whatever. And Andrew Luck didn't play a good game. He said he was disappointed himself. Only one of the three turnovers were on him, but he missed passes anyways.

Dorset has been a debilitating draft pick for that franchise that needed offensive linemen and pass rushers went with a wide receiver and he just doesn't make plays. And you just see penalties and you see situations like on Clowny's sack fumble they had Dwayne Allen just blocking him one on one and they Aspagano and he's just like that was the protection

scheme for that play. And it's just stuff like that that happens where it's not a clean team, not good coaching. This Texan team really depresses me and I think it's fitting that West of us started because it was the week every year where the Texans hand the Bengals their playoff defeat.

So I think it's only fitting that they could be a surrogate for the Bengals. No. They are the air. No, the Titans are playing them in week 17, and now the Colts are in really deep trouble. They're just about out of it. And if the Titans can just take care of business against Houston, get the Titans.

All right, but you are a glow. How excited are you about this division in general? I mean, it's just, I like the Titans best of the group, too. I just want a better playoff game is all. Brock Osweiler, by the way, It's worth noting. Terrible game, but he did make two or three throws on a key fourth down drive that essentially helps salt this game away, his best two or three throws of the day.

He's accurate on that. I can't believe it. That's right. He also had the ultimate play where that sound drop was fitting, where he puts his head over his hands after an interception just because he just couldn't believe it. All pro quarterbacks. I can't believe it. Don't make that hand gesture.

There is one more team in the AFC South, and they took on the team of ATL. Bradford's under center play action. Sam rolls out to the right, looking for Ellison. Now he throws to Rudolph. Touchdown! Bradford to Kyle Rudolph. And the Vikings have taken a 24-16 lead. And for Kyle Rudolph, that is his 28th touchdown as a Viking.

How exciting. That is Paul Allen of KFAA. and the team of ATL showed a pulse on Sunday, rolling up over 400 yards of total offense. Oh, yeah. And a 25-16 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whoa. Who locked this one up?

I locked it up. All right. The one man still supporting the team of ATLIN. Oh, wow. Oh, for those listening on the podcast, Dan just handed me a lollip. Got lollipop right there. Thank you. Sent to us by the listeners who have been shipping.

hundreds of lollipops they got a lollipop so you got a lollipop you know and take the win you get needed the win need to stay in the mix you got got the game done you got it done but you know you know you got excited about this oh people say well you know you don't you don't you don't get a lollipop for beating the jaguars everyone beats the jaguars you know well that's true i go well that is seven straight losses for the jaguar well that's fair there the vikings offense had their best day of the season so you're if you're really really after that early start Absolutely. Most yards all season, their play inside the three-yard line was embarrassing. The fact that I could say this was their best offensive day of the season. It was the most yards they had.

They basically went up and down the field on Jacksonville. They had three plays over 40 yards. If you just watch this game, you wouldn't think that this is an imbalance team. You would have thought, you know what, the defense gave up some drives there to Blake Borders. Look, I'm not giving up on this team. I tried to get the group excited during this game. And no one even cared. Greg, what we've learned so far in this broadcast?

is that you couldn't be more the patron saint of seven and six teams having nowhere. That's fine, and it's a nice win. If they had ever lost this game, what would we be saying about Minnesota? You've got to go in and take care of this game. What shameful is getting excited about any Jaguar's game, whether you win or lose. What shameful is locking up a game involving a 2-11 team. Oh, that's not sure. It's a whole other discussion.

You know, we were doing hazzas over when we swept four games when half of those teams were like touchdown favorites. Relax. Nice job, new money. I love it, new money. All I'm saying is you saw some nice things out of the offense. The defense without Harrison Smith, that's a big time concern. Let me ask you a question. You've got the cults, which, okay, the cults flat out had the potential to stink, but then you play the Packers and the Bears if you're the Vikings.

Playoff team? No. I think they can get to nine wins. Before today, I thought that would have had a better chance to make the playoffs than I do now. Even if they win two of those three, I don't think nine wins is going to get you in. Here's a Cessler. They're going to horrifically blow another game. One more.

That they have no business losing, that they find a way to lose through bad special. That would be the Bears in Week 17. And that should have happened today. They had two different times that they were inside the three-yard line that they didn't score a point. Okay. Two different times, because their running game is so bad. Let's talk about the best player in the NFL in week 14. Third and two at the three.

Ben in the shotgun, Bill Show Blitz. And he hands it off. And here's Bell down to the goal line. Did he get in? He's in. Touchdown, Pittsburgh. Lavian Bell. And that for Lavian, his fourth rushing touchdown, and the Steelers punch it in.

He would have two more in this game. That is Bill Hillgrove of WDVE. My goodness, Lavian Bell was a monster on Sunday, collecting 298 total yards from scrimmage and on 42 touches, literally carrying the Steelers to a 27 to 20 win over the Buffalo Bills at New Aris. Whoa! Oh, the Sessler! Mark, there's no meat in this.

Here's a lollipop. Thank you, sir. Congratulations. Mark, Pittsburgh, won on a day in which Ben Rothelsberger threw three picks and no touchdowns. But what does this tell you about the Steelers? Well, it tells me how versatile they are. We said last week you're going to get in these games

the good Steelers or the bad Steelers. This is the Good Steelers. the defense played a great game, number one. I think the defense is something we don't talk about a lot with Pittsburgh, but they played on the road in the snow and one of their better games. Secondly, they came out throwing the ball. I thought that the game plan was to be to air it out against Buffalo secondary, which has given up a lot of big plays this year all day long.

150 yards for Big Ben about a quarter in, and it looked like that was the way it's going to go. Then when the turnovers came, you know, Big Ben through three, like you said, When the second one hit and it had taken more points away from Pittsburgh, they seemed to shift to a let's make Levion Bell the beginning and the end of this offense for the rest of this game and 236 yards rushing a franchise record. I grew up hating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

They were an absolute joy to watch today because the way that Levi-on Bell... You were giddy. Well, because, you know, there's a lot of stuff that happens every week and there's so much stuff thrown in your face over the course of a Sunday that it's easy to become desensitized to all sorts of highlights and big plays and happenings.

Impossible to watch this game and not be mesmerized by Levy on Bell what he did. And, you know, I wrote a column last week and I was getting killed by it for saying that the Steelers were much higher in terms of AFC playoff potential teams we could trust over teams like the Chiefs and others.

And I understand the whole Chiefs thing. Good for them. Who is killing you? On Twitter, just fan-based. And I get it. You're going to be a turn. When the Steelers are playing the way they can on offense, they can take down anyone in the AFC.

They've got to show they can do it in January. Absolutely. Labian, Bell, Wes, is the best running back in football? Well, you have to put him up with David Johnson and Ezekiel Elliott. I mean, it changes every week. Ezekiel Elliott's in the MVP discussion. Right. And David Johnson is.

I think Bell could, you know, if he didn't miss the three games, which is a big F, then he, to me, would be right there in the MVP. I think he's already going to be there. Right. If you put Tom Brady in, you're putting Lady on Beloit. He is getting more yards per scrimmage per game before this week when he just put up $2.90, then he was in the top, you know, 10 to 15 of all time with that. It's averaging 161 yards.

That's the first 10 games of his season, which is the highest total since Jim Brown in 1960s. Right. His metrics put him up there with Jim Brown. He's in a category of people that over the current course of their first 30 games puts them up there with Edge James, Eric Dickerson, Marcus Allen, Ariane Foster. It's all legit. Without all that's it, you've got to be careful about 42 touches. That's the type of thing that ruined season, that hurts players.

And it's been week after week. 42 is outrageous. My favorite metric is four seasons I've now sit across from Mark on Sundays, and that was the most outbursts of unbridled joy that one player has inspired in a Sunday afternoon. You had at least four outbursts where you were yelling about Leveon Bell's spectacular. Leve bursts. I think it's great. Leve burst.

I have a theory, though. You have, and you've said it, and I believe you, you've detached from the Browns, and it's freed you up on Sundays to experience joy while watching football. There's something to be said for that. I mean, there's something else you can do with the Cleveland situation, but Pittsburgh also, I see great potential in them. It's like there's so many teams that are so middle of the road and milk toasts and dull to me right now that it's fun to watch a team go out and dominate.

Well, the bill. Well, all these seven and six teams that we're getting over excited about, yes. The bills on the other side, let's hear from Rex Ryan, who before this, game even started. Their reports surfaced in two different outlets that his job was in such jeopardy that he could lose it as soon as Monday. You could be listening to this and Rex Ryan could be fired possibly, but that he is in grave danger of his Bill's career ending. Let's hear what he had to say when asked directly about that. The first I've heard about a rumor about it or whatever. Why? I never did until you guys just said something. So that'll probably tell you

how true it is. I don't believe that at all. I think Rex obviously was plugged in when all this stuff was flying around this morning. But I guess, I guess, Greg, that Ryan is done no matter what happens here, because it sounds like there's more going on behind the scenes than we know about. Oh, very hot butt. You would think so. You would think whoever's telling this to these reporters has an agenda,

and maybe that person is closer to the top of the food chain. they're in Buffalo than Rexes, that there's some sort of internal. Talking about Doug Whaley? I don't know. Or it's just ownership. Who knows? That there's some sort of discord. It wouldn't be the first coach to have discord with Doug Whaley.

Not at all. I talked to someone. Who knows? Maybe they both get cleaned out if they lose three straight. You know, it's a long way to go still. I talked to somebody at the Super Bowl last year that was close to the situation that said Rex was all but done last year. They had a late reprieve changing their mind.

So there was a lot of bad blood last year. and he's not doing enough, apparently, with the bills at six and seven now. I mean, so they've got the Browns and Jets and Dolphins and maybe a Dolphins team with no Ryan Tannahill. So I'm typically anti-Rex Ryan for various reasons, but I don't think that he's been the main problem. I do, though, look at a defense that got absolutely wiped away by the Raiders in the second half. And then today, they were outgained about 460 yards to 228. Hittsburg just had its way. Not good.

You see this with new ownership a lot. Their first hire lasts about a year or two, and then they get antsy and they want to make a new change. You mentioned Ryan Tannahill. Let's check in on the Miami Dolphins. Matt Moore gets rid of it open. He's got it. There's a flag down and he's down.

Inside the two. The value of an experienced backup quarterback. He knew where to go with it. That was Matt Moore with the pass, and we'll get to that in a minute. Chris Myers of Fox with a call there. That Kenny Stills reception set the stage for the clinching field goal in a 26-23 Dolphins win over the Cardinals.

Oh, no. You know, I had this. You could have it. Oh, no lollipop for you. How dare you? I dare you. I thought perhaps the Cardinals would steal this. They wiped away in late deficit.

But this is ultimately a Pyrick victory for the Dolphins, who likely lost Ryan Tannahill for them. the season with a knee injury that rap sheet reports is believed to be a torn ACL. It came on a play where Cleas Campbell kind of went in low and got Tannahill in the lower leg area. And there was a sad moment on the sideline this in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals were making their comeback, where Tanahill now in street clothes, was holding back tears and wiping his eyes as different teammates were coming up to them. And I believe he was telling them the news. and everyone was kind of reacting in real time.

It was kind of a crazy moment for a team that now is 8 and 5 and in good playoff positioning, but barring some type of miracle in any type of testing follow-up goes with Matt Moore the rest of the way, Wes, and what does that mean for the dolphins? Matt Moore, to me, I hold in the same regard as Sean Hill. Guys that the last time you saw them play in the regular season was like 2011, and they held their own.

and when you see them now in the preseason or spotty play in the regular season, they look like their body just isn't there anymore to handle throwing 30 or 40 passes a game. It's like a car sitting in a driveway for five years. It's not going to be the same way. He's not, you know, if you want to make the case for it, not as old, 32 years old, not too old for a quarterback. Also not very good for a quarterback.

I mean, he was never a stud. I mean, he had his moments. He's okay. He's a perfectly adequate quarterback. But Wes is right. He has basically gone into mothballs now. because Tannahill has been fairly, you know. I was a missed a game.

Very durable. He's been very durable. But now all of a sudden you throw Matt Moore into the middle of a playoff chase in December. I don't like Miami's chances. I don't think you should like their chances. This was a slop-fest game. It's hard to take a lot from it. One thing you can take is that Miami's defensive line, which was invisible last week,

pushed around an Arizona offensive line that is injury ravaged and has been a liability all year. So you can, if you're a Dolphins team, a Dolphins fan, you can say, look, that was a promising game from our defense, but you have to be concerned about the quarter. Well, here's what I think a Matt Moore-led team could do is beat a Bryce Petty lead team. Yeah. Or potentially beat this Bill's team.

So while this team's ceiling was always fairly low in terms of playoff run, you know, I think they're, they still have a chance there to win those two games, and that probably gets you in the playoffs. Well, that gets you. I don't think Matt Moore necessarily kills. Assuming that you'd get wiped out in week 17 against the Patriots, who probably will still be fighting for that number one seat in the regular season finale, that gets you to 10 and 6.

And there are 10 and 6 teams that don't get into the playoffs that happens every year. But if you're a Dolphins fan, your emotions have to be over the place. You've lost your starting quarterback and you may get into the playoffs. Let's face it, though, Greg. You said, you know, it's not the end of it. It's over. They're done. Because even if they do somehow get into the playoffs,

If they had Tana Hill. I don't think they had any chance to do anything with Tantanillo. Yeah, probably not. But at least you kind of have maybe something magical happens with Tannahill. The light goes on and stays on. For all tens of purposes, their season ended. That's fair. That's fair.

I mean, if they go 10 and 6, playoffs or not, this season looked utterly lost for Miami a few months back. So you have to say, first year, Adam Gase, nice job. And so much for our one week excitement over the Cardinals where maybe they could have made a run here. The team we forked like two weeks ago? It was a tsunami of this game. It was kind of a sloppy weird game. I'm wondering, by the way. The leading wide receiver at 18 yards.

Yeah. Where are the Cardinals at? Now 5-7 and 1. We don't want to get stuck on this topic too long. But 5-7-1, three more turnovers for Carson Palmer today. Again, bad weather conditions. But they have to figure out what their situation. Is he done, Wes?

No. And I'm surprised by how many people are assuming he's done or that he's going to retire. Not retire, but is he in harsh decline now at this stage, do you think? I think there's nothing wrong with his arm. I think he's throwing as strong as he ever has. His pocket movement is not as strong as it was last year, and that's highlighted by an offensive mind and an offense that still asked him to take seven step drops and hold the ball.

And that's the way Bruce Aaron's. He played great over the last three weeks. I really believe that. Why don't? Go ahead. No, go ahead. I was just going to say that's the way Ariens runs his offense. he's not going to change it even if he has a bad offensive line.

So you're going to have a bad season. All right. Let's move on. Check in on the NFC. Maybe the 2017 team of ATL. You never know. Breeze drops back to pass, throws left, and it's intercepted. That's the ballgame.

Tandy. Keith Tandy with his second interception of the year. It's the third interception for Breeze today. And the Buccaneers with 51 seconds. left to play in the fourth quarter will just have the victory formation. Whoa, Tom McCarthy, Westwood won sports. Should we put that one into consideration for the top 10 calls of the year? I mean, it's nice, no.

I would say no. It didn't stand out to me. Okay. The bucks keep surging. This time they leaned hard in their defense to secure a 16 to 11 win their fifth straight. This is the first time since 2002. The Tampa Bay has won five straight, and we all know how that had, happened that year right mark absolutely what happened mark lots of good things happened for the

tampa bay buccaneers that year specifically a super bowl victory all right mark i wasn't even listening so that was a pure guess yeah it looks like old west not the only historian around here way to go mark the ceiling probably isn't that high for this buck's team uh but they just might be the sneaky team nobody wants to play if they can extend their season of january i think it's incredibly sneaky that Mark Cecil was assigned to a game that involved two Greg Rosenthal pet teams, but I'll try to get a point out here before Greg jumps in. I will tell you one thing. Shots fired.

No, it's not a shot fired. I can just see Greg salivating to discuss this game. The derision. Typically, though, when we do talk about the Bucks, it starts with James Winston. It's the opposite today. You know, they started out well on offense, but it is the second week in a row that safety, Keith Tandy, game-winning pick. It seems like no matter what the week.

is someone new is stepping up for this defense. There isn't a real weakness for a unit that Mike Smith, a lot of jokes made about Mike Smith in this studio in the past. Since week 10, 12.3 points per game allowed by the Bucs, which I think that makes them more of a serious threat to teams than necessarily what's happening on offense, which I think a lot of what happens with the Buc's offense is a little bit of smoke and mirrors

behind a very talented quarterback. Their run game is not especially strong. They couldn't take this game away from the same. when they needed to today on offense. That said, I mean, this was a... We watched this, Greg, down the stretch. It is a strange game, and if we want to get into it later, there was a very strange way to end the first half,

but give me your thoughts. These are your two teams, maybe. They're your two teams. Give me your thoughts. Well, they're the NFC's chiefs, and they beat the chiefs in Kansas City. They do it with... It's a tough formula every week to just win with the turnover margin,

but that's what they do every week. And that's Mike Smith's old formula, and it's working. Alexander and Levanti David and Noah Spence and Hargraves, the rookie. They're playing good team defense and you said it, getting enough out of Winston. It seems like a lot of random plays where he's just kind of running around or throwing it up for Evans. Cameron Brates having a really good year, but it's mostly the defense. One of my favorite Mike Lombardiisms is you're one or two injuries away from being a good team.

The Buccaneers are a better team with Keith Tandy and they're starting lineup to Chris Conte. I was so impressed with his interception last. week. He basically ran the route for the wide receiver and showed great ball skills in that play. It was the exact same thing this week to close out the game. And Breeze, by the way, ended up with no touchdowns, three interceptions, back-to-back week's first quarterback to do that since Tyler Palco. He got some serious stink on him when I put him in the MVP race. That didn't help. I think that might have played. You're the kiss of death. By the way, Mark, how would, what is it possible? Let me put it this way, that you can

always set up any analysis going forward by taking a shot at Greg and then throwing it to him in a kind of an aggressive way. You know, looking back, it probably looks like a shot at Greg. It's just that I found it funny that, you know, these have been, it's like if Greg were covering like a Browns versus Browns game. Why would he be? Why was I assigned to this game? I can't put my head around it.

But I quite enjoyed watching it. You know what? I got Steelers bills earlier. I got this late. It was a good day football. You think Greg did a good job there, staying out of the way? long enough to let you get your points out before he jumped in? I mean, I was quick to set the table because I could feel it coming.

It was like an air dirigible coming at my head. It was going to explode all over me. Nice dirigible job. I needed to just, you know, I needed to hand it over to Greg. He did an excellent job with his analysis. He's a pro. And the upset here is that I hadn't even brought up yet the whole sandwich factor of two teams getting from the NFC South and one of them is the bucket of ears.

And this is, this is starting to look good. Well, they're tied with the Falcons. right now, a team that I thought was going to run away with this division. The Falcons, you say? I thought you like that. It's called a transition. That's a pro at the top of his game. Sid?

You? And golf three steps, looks to the right. And it's intercepted Dion Jones. Keeps his feet 20, 15, 10, 5. Touchdown for Debo. 32-yard pick six for Deon Jones. Wait, I thought James Harrison was Debo. Listen, these things...

Well, when you're Debo and then you're still in the league and you're 48, there are going to be more debos. That's fair. You know, these nicknames sometimes like Alex Rodriguez had A-Rod locked down, you think, and then all of a sudden Aaron Rogers, people calling him A-Rod. Nobody calls him A-Rod. I mean, what are we doing here? He's capital A lowercase A-dash-a-dash-Rod, so it's different.

Anyway, a get-healthy game for the Falcons who had no problem whatsoever with the lifeless Rams and a 42-14 win at the Coliseum. Atlanta now 8 and 5 had two defensive touchdowns. in this game once again showing they can still win and dominate without Julio Jones. Greg Rosenthal, the Falcons took care of business and may have put Jeff Fisher on even thinner ice while doing it. Fisher should be in trouble. This game was preposterous, maybe the most embarrassing home performance in the year.

Hit him at the hide. Wow, if any team. Of any, it's right there with the jet. The first play of the game, they fumbled the kickoff. The second play of the game was a touchdown for the Falcons. I mean, that's so confusing. the play-by-play still hasn't figured out how to even set that up already

because you don't even know what's happening. I mean, you got Todd Gurley yelling at Jared Gough, you got defensive touchdowns, you got drop passes from the Rams, you've got a 42-0-0 score and Matt Ryan out of the game after three quarters in a game that there's no Julio or Sunu. Wow.

I mean, how could it get worse? Wes, your Paramore, big Rams fans, as we said on the show before, actually got to go to this game, poor girl. Yeah, for some reason she was a little bit excited for the game. I mean, I can understand being excited for tailgating. Yeah. But to go to a Rams game and hope they're going to show up, not in the Jared Gough era.

I mean, I think it's funny that she won it. Derek Gough written off. No, I mean, he has a chance, but he wasn't ready to play when they put him in there. He's not ready to play now. And they're a joke of a team right now. And the defense wasn't much better. She won the tickets through her employer. Yeah.

Thanks a lot, employer. Yeah, that is the machine keeping the man down, in this case of the woman. I mean, the reminder that don't venture outside this world to enjoy our product. Get back in the building, earn a paycheck. Buts and seats. The Rams ran a quarterback option with two minutes left in this game at the goal line, in which Jared Goff, you know, rushed it in, was not aware of the defender. takes a huge shot to the ribs where it looks like he could have gotten hurt.

It scores 42 to 7, and then fireworks go off in the stadium, and it's 42 to 7, 42 to 14. On purpose? Yeah, it was the Rams fireworks. I am not. We just got our quarterback killed in a totally meaningless situation. Let's let off some fireworks. I'm not writing Jared off, but this coaching staff has not developed him. He's not ready to play.

And I think we have to wait for the next coaching staff to get something out of. him. I don't think there's any debate. They're a much worse team with Jared Gough than they work with Case Keenham. Let's give a little up to Vic Beasley for the team that hopefully will be playing in January here. Up to 13 sacks after three on the day, up to seven forced fumbles. That's an outrageous number of forced fumbles. He's leading the league. I mean, he's leading to me. I believe in both categories. Canada. Sacks too. And to Wes's point, you can look up and down the Rams roster and look at offensive players that were drafted. drafted highly that have not developed into anything.

And it goes back to the coaching staff. Flipside, the Falcons, for how many years have we said, you've got to draft and find a young pass rusher, couldn't do it. You bring in Dan Quinn and you get Vic Beasley. Coaching changes, not that we're pushing for this, but it's that when you're not developing young players, I can't think of a worse reason to keep a coaching staff around

when you see young talent not growing into something more than they should. I thought Vic Beasley had the quickest first step in the league as a rookie last year. He wasn't strong and he didn't have all the moves. Dwight Freeney has probably helped with him. And the Falcons, they have a major edge on the Buccaneers for this reason. Next week, the Buccaneers are at Dallas. The Falcons host San Francisco.

And then they both play the Panthers and Saints in the final two weeks. There you go. That could be the difference maker next week. Let's move on, check in what's going on in the NFC East. Redskins up by five looking to hold on for. a win here once back to pass the heat and the footh out it is loose and the wretkins is going to pick it up it is trent murphy with it at the 33 yard line and that's going to do it that's going to do it the showstopper ryan carrigan got to him larry michael showstopper

that's the worst nickname ever what about blunt force trauma larry michael and sunny jorgensen a w t e m the eagles made them earn it but the redskins kept their playoff hopes on alive with a 27-22 win in Philly with that late stand. Deshaun Jackson had 102 yards and three catches, including an 80-yard hookup that represented the biggest play in an up-and-down afternoon for Kirk Cousins. The Redskins, they break a two-game losing streak. Now, 7-5-1, gentlemen, and here's their finish. At home against Panthers.

Wes, win lost me here. Home against Panthers? Win. 8-5-1. At Bears. Win. 9-5-1. Win.

10. Well, you set the table for that one. 10, 5, and 1. Congratulations, Redskins. You've made the playoffs. Yeah, the West season on a four-game streak. I mean, this was an important win. You can't dream up a better schedule than that.

That's nice. People still think the Giants are a playoff team and they have the one of the worst offenses in the NFL. Wes also has the Giants picking third in the draft, so, you know. I mean, I agree with you, Wes. Tell me where I've gone wrong in my Giants and now. I do love that you included an 8-and-4 team on the best. possible schedule you could come up.

I mean, you could throw the browns in instead of the Giants. That would be better. Also, just to pull back the curtain here, it's in the second quarter of the Sunday night game. Wes hanging a little onion here, just assuming the Giants will fail, currently down 7-0. I've seen the Giants offense for the past month. I feel pretty good about this. Yeah, well, we'll get to the Giants. But for now, the Redskins with a big win, really a tough one.

And I thought, I thought this showed a little bit of Moxie. I'm surprised by how much I continue to hear talk. about, ooh, this was a big, big performance by Kirk Cousins who really needs to convince management that he's, are we past that at this point? He's going to get paid by the Redskins, right? I would some type of collapse. I'd be surprised if he didn't, but for one large reason, like, what's your other option at quarterback? I mean, you're going to, he's also.

That's how all quarterbacks get paid. Right. And he's also, it's not just you're backing into Kirk Cousins. He's shown incredible progress this season. He's earned it. And, uh, good fit for the, for Jake Rudin. One thing, uh, kind of like the. the little unique nugget of this game happened

with the longtime long-time long-snapper for the Eagles who I'm sure he's had a very nice career and I wish I remembered his name. John Dorimbos? Yes, that's him, Dorenbos. He suffered a wrist injury, left the game. He was then replaced for exactly one snap, another wrist injury to his replacement,

and it led to a third string guy, a long snapping who got the snap down for a long field goal that put the Eagles ahead temporarily. So that was a bizarre moment in this game. John Doran Bose was involved in. Brent Seleck tried. He also got hurt. And then Donnie Jones, finally.

But question for Mark. Yes. A couple weeks ago, it seemed like for about a month-long stretch, you were very bullish on the Redskins. Yes. Are you still as bullish on them now? I think that you have to look at them as a team that could disappoint you any week.

But I do think they're going to make the playoffs. We just talked about their schedule. And there's a nugget here, and this is something that I've liked about the Redskins last two seasons. It goes to Bill Callahan. Connor War wrote this up and talked about sometimes when the Redskins get hot in the ground game, the way that they design blocking schemes

and the way they run the ball, ties back to Bill Callahan and the coaching. And you mention the cults, and it's the polar opposite with the cults, where you ask Ryan Grigson, or you ask the coaching staff, what happened on this play? Joe Philbin's running the Colts offense.

I mean, I do think that the Redskins have a good coaching staff. I think that they've got the requisite amount of explosive players and a ground game that shows up enough to give you a real chance to win a playoff game. When they lost to Dallas on Thanksgiving, the first thing I thought was, I want to see these two teams play again. I'm not sure they're that team, but the DNA is there to do something in January if it goes right. 10 QB hits today, and they play three bad offensive lines coming up, If they can just keep the pressure on, that's enough.

They just got to be okay. I'd be like their pass rush has really steadily improved throughout the season. Well, you got the showstopper. Showstopper. Let's move up. And now, an actual promo from a real-life CBS program that millions of humans watch. The woman is trapped in her car at the bottom of Librea Tarpus.

I'm scared. September short breaths. In 35 minutes, she runs out of oxygen. That's it, I'm going to go. To go down there, the tar is going to life-threatening burns in 15 seconds. It's me or she dies. Scorpion, Lundas. Tolbert to his left.

Four receivers in the pattern. Now Tolbert joins him. Here's a throw-in zone caught. Devin Funches, touchdown, Carolina. Devin Funches, if your mouth hurts, you need to keep your mouth hurting because that was a beautiful catch. Top 10. Call it. Back-to-back wackiest sound clips. Are we really even ready to get to the game after what we heard previous?

LeBray, it's Harpitz, please. Who is that announcing? That was Mick Mixon and Eugene Robinson of WBT. Do you think Mick Mixon's real first name is Mick? Or is it just because his last name is Mixon and that's a nickname? I don't know. Probably born in the late 60s. I traced that back to his parents.

As someone who lives in Los Angeles and I've actually been to Lerbriot-Tarpie. It's not that easy to crash your car into the tarpits. Yeah, nor is it easy. It all screams to me. You know what? We've got to pound out another one of these episodes. And we're located in L.A. The tarpits are about five miles from here.

Easy place to shoot. Build a drama, a ridiculous one around the – Librea Tarpits. What else is going to come down to? You know, they got to pump out 24 of these Scorpions every year. A lot of episodes. They can't all be gems. Who is Scorpion?

Does anyone even know? Scorpion is a collective of operatives. Many of them very intelligent, but also they all have different personalities, unique personalities that are both interesting and compelling. I mean, it just sounds like something the LAPD would handle. I don't know why you bring in Scorpion. Scorp is when the police can't handle the job, you call up to Scorpion. And we don't need to hear any criticism from Panthers or Chargers fans. You guys are just talking Scorpion.

You guys did this to yourself. Yes. This should have been a fun game. just a bunch of five and eight teams. Those operatives are so intelligent. Perhaps they should be writing the scripts for this show. A couple things. First of all about this game and then we got to keep moving here.

But Melvin Gordon in the first quarter of this game entered this game, I believe seven yards shy of 1,000. We have stated publicly on this show that Spice Rack, Chris Wessling's Desert Consigliari, would have a chance to, redeem himself on this program if Gordon runs for 1,000 yards, suffered a hip injury in the first quarter, three yards shy of 1,000.

Now, here's the good news for everybody, because we don't want Melvin Gordon hurt. The Union Tribune reports that Gordon's hip is good. He's okay. So it looks like after a big scare, but not before Spice rack. And by the way, spice rack. Come back to us, baby.

Well, we'll see. These are early reports. MRI is coming Monday. Good might also mean it's not broken. but he's out for the rest of the year. They've got nothing to play for. They could put him on ice. They absolutely could.

Spicerack takes a random shot at our sponsor, by the way, Mr. Flames' economics class in the Hague, the Netherlands, on Twitter randomly takes a shot at Mr. F, blaming him for Gordon's injury. This is the type of stuff that Spicerack got banned for. It's just like Spicerack's bizarre mind decides that he wants to take a heel turn for some reason, thinking that this is going to play up his character.

Come back. to a spice rat. How will the listener recover if he does not appear on our show again? It's sad because he's been right about Gordon, who has been fantastic this season. And as bad as this season's been for the Chargers, they just lost Gordon and they lost Joey Bosa

in this game to a neck injury. And if he's out for a while, might get in the way of his defensive rookie of the year. That would be a shame. Which would be a shame. And oh, by the way, the Panthers won. Your boy, by the way. Yeah, 2816 Panthers won.

Your boy, Philip Rivers, Greg, has really stumbled down the stretch. Five turnovers in this game. He was also sacked five times, took a safety. So you predicted that, and Wes, actually. You guys thought they would go 10 and 6, but they were going in the wrong direction. We were wrong.

By the way, do not go after Mr. F. What are you thinking now? Mr. F, a heck of a nice guy. You're crazy. Rivers. That is not the way to get back on the show, buddy. This is a trend for Rivers. He has struggled in the second half of seasons

compared to how great he's played in the first half of season. I believe three straight years. There's been a pretty marked decline for whatever reason. That's something to be a little concerned about for the L.A. rate chargers. Our Panthers coverage went all to Cam Newton's tie,

so that's why we haven't covered them tonight. Mr. F., an apology for Mr. F. is now part of any spice rack return to the show. Absolutely. That's fair. If he gets there. Let's move on. The Browns are starting inside their own 15,

a free-flipper from their own end zone, into triple coverage and it's intercepted by George Iloca has some blockers on the return I loca is shoved out of bounds curious play call there by Hugh Jackson and the Bengals and the Browns rather and it proves costly

If one play sums up a season that might have been it. Robert Griffin the 3rd was not the spark the Browns hoped for and Cleveland fell to 0 and 13 with a 2310 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in Cleveland. Mark the Browns are now you know, winless at home, winless on the road,

and they're running out of time to avoid the unthinkable. They are. You've got the bills, the chargers, and the Steelers left on your schedule. I don't know where the wind comes from there. And, you know,

for all the trouble that the Bengals have encountered this season and for as much of a low wattage version they are of last year's team, it's stunning to still look at the separation between where they are and where Cleveland is. It's not a one or two year rebuilding operation in Cleveland, which we knew, but the deep gutting that took place, it's very hard to build an NFL team, and it's another week.

I don't think we need to bemoan it for much more than that, where it's just ever present how far away they are from not just really winning games even, but being the kind of team that can go seven and nine or eight and eight and be kind of frisky. I mean, we aren't seen enough of these young players kind of developing down the stretch into players that can take over games, not at all. How much do you think their chances of winning a game are decreased or do you with RG3 at quarterback versus Cody Kessler who is healthy and ready to play?

My only comment there, and I know a lot of Browns fans would disagree with this, Cody Kessler's had two concussions, so I get why you might just shelve him at this point for the rest of the year. But I don't understand how RG3, And what we've seen on the field or just in general what he represents, should on any level get in the way of future plans.

And he should not be considered as the starter for next season. He's not reliable. They've got to go in a completely new direction. And so why is he starting games in December? I don't know why you'd put him out there over anyone. This is a winless team over anyone that could grow in the role, including Kessler, who's been better than RG3. Maybe it's as simple as Cody Kessler took such a beating.

I mean, I think that's what it comes to. They need to have somebody else back there that's healthy right now. I think he's essentially, they would like him maybe not to see the field again. That was Andrew Catalan of CBS with the call, by the way. It was sorry to delay that announcement. The Bengals are set up to play the spoiler role more than any team in the NFL going down the stretch. They are frisky right now. They have not packed it in.

They're playing very well through the injuries. Yep. Marvin Lewis is coming back. They play the Steelers. Then they play at Houston. Then they play the Ravens. Three teams right on the edge of. the playoffs right now. And the Bengals are not some team that you can just say as a

gimmee win right now. Right. I mean, you think about teams like them and the Cardinals and the Lions and that's where I think Kevin was talking. There's not that big of a difference between those three teams. Nope. I would say what the Cardinals would have won three extra games if Caton Zero wasn't a disaster this year. I'd say one issue with the Bengals that we've mentioned that showed up again today, which is a concern about them beating anyone down the stretch or taking care of a team like the Steelers. The Browns are the worst pass rushing defense in the NFL, and it's not even close. Four sacks, five quarterback hits, and they derailed the Bengals a number of times with

Keith third down sacks. So, you know, what happens when you go play a Pittsburgh team that on defense is really emerging? One last note on the Browns. Really? Terrell Pryor, Torel Pryor who's had his moments. What is it? He seems to be getting under people's skin after the game, Pac-Man Jones made a big.

big spectacle. He said he would only answer questions about Torel Pryor held up a garbage can and was anything about Torel Pryor, any questions, he would signal that Troll Pryor was in the garbage can. They had some words before the game and I guess dating back to a Pryor matchup, but Pryor has seemed to get on the grid for some people this year. I don't know why. Seems to speak positively in interviews.

Yeah, 21 yards and two games against the Bengals. Part A. Right against everyone else. Pac-Man Jones, who talks trash about all sorts of people. But it hasn't been just him. Who's having a sneaky great ear. This guy is ageless. Patman?

He's sneaky good year. No, he's not. He's played really well over the last month. Right. And the first half, he was a liability. I don't know. There is a second part to that, but I feel like the whole thing has sailed away at this point. All right.

All right. I feel like Pryor has been a good soldier. I think I would say, I wonder, I don't know the answer to this. I wonder if people that players, other people, innately disrespect or look down on a player who is attempting, attempting to switch positions from A to B. I'd think it would be the opposite, to be honest, because you'd have to know how hard that is. But also, if you're trying to guard him

and he's frustrating to deal with, maybe that's where it's coming from. I don't know what's happening. He probably honks a lot. Good, you know what? Sorry, one player on the Browns is talking trash. I mean, he should. He's honking.

I mean, he shouldn't, but it's nice they have that quality. Let's check in with the, around the NFL podcast, other glory team. Petty and the pistol, Bilal Palo just behind him. He takes the snap, gives the Belal Powell runs left gets to the 15 at the 10 at the 5 to the end zone the Jets are going to win it one bobber with a field goal and Bilal Powell can score his second touchdown of the game and Marty win it for the Jets in overtime yeah you do you Bob with Susan of WEP that's a good call

Bilau Powell's 19 yard touchdown round an overtime was the decisive play in the jets 23 17 win over the 49ers the Jets were down 14 nothing five minutes into this game. No lollipops to be handed out to the Jets, obviously, but they snapped a four-game losing streak and extended the Niners losing skid to 12 on a day that a fire Trent Balke banner flew over Levi's Stadium, which was ironic considering John Igzik, got canned in part, in my opinion, by a fan movement in New Jersey and New York in which banners were flown above MetLife Stadium. Also terrible decision-making, but yes. Well, that is what. I said in part.

Okay. So, yeah, Bryce Petty first pass of the game, interception, but he showed, showed some things in this game. And this was kind of why Wes, and you and I fundamentally disagree on this, but why I want to see Petty. Not necessarily to see if he's the starter, but is this guy at least maybe our number two next year, see what he's got? He's shown some things, but very raw right now. As for the Niners, guys, I mean, if you can't win this game, you're not going to win any game. Well, you're playing the Rams. But yes. I don't know. That's going to be quite a battle right there.

This keeps the number one pick alive. I mean, the 49ers, they had this. The Browns were in great position. Well, Dan and I were having, I mean, I'd say, Dan, I don't think I've seen you. I don't know if it was, it didn't seem manufactured. It seemed genuine, genuinely giddy during the final couple minutes of this game, which was nice to see. Well, you know what? These tough years, and Mark, you know better than anyone.

These tough years, even though it might have technically hurt the Jets in the long run with their draft standing, It is nice to get a win. I didn't want them to get embarrassed by the 49ers of all teams, which would have led to another round of Twitter mocking. Or your coach being fired. And the coach, we don't want that. That's not positive progress. So a little bit of the Keith Hansis and me,

who my dad was sending texts all through the – in fact, I was not going to have Keith Hansis even call in for the rest of the season, but he's been so relentlessly pounded by losses. And he's a guy that just wants to see his team win that I thought, Let's have Keith talk about a Jets victory for once. The first time all season on this show, I think. Yes. His name is Keith.

He's Dan'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? Great comeback by the Jets versus the 49ers today. With that overtime victory, as a jet fan, every win is sweet despite this poor season.

I was renewed with happiness again. Petty, Powell, and folk for the heroes. I'm looking forward to next week. Bye. That's a fan. Absolutely. My dad, you know, you get, and since 1969, the Jets have really known nothing but heartache.

But my dad just wants to see some wins. On Sundays, he watches the game, and he wants to see the Jets. That right there is why the NFL is king, because what the Jets have done to him and the Browns have done to you, Mark, and you just come back for more, you want to be happy. And I love hearing, I love when you call him Billy Powell. You were just. I like Billy Powell.

This was the Billy Powell game. 29 carries, 145 yards and two touchdowns. I'll take that all day. I mean, you know, the Niners would also take 193 yards from Carlos high at 11.4 yards per carry, but that's separate. Most of that in the first half. Anyway. Chip Kelly took blame for basically sitting on this lead.

I don't think he thought Petty could come back on them. You know, they might. You can't sit on a lead of 17 points. 176, I believe in the fourth quarter and the judge found away. And the Niders are still in the mix for the number one pick. Let's move on. Which takes us to Sunday night football. Oh, Sunday night.

The NFCE showdown between the Cowboys and Giants. Chris Wessling, Winter, has come for the Cowboys 11-game winning streak. Here's a lollipop. No, no lollipop for you, Chris. Odell Beckham ended the winning streak. Odell Beckham. What did Odell Beckham do in this game, Sid?

Beckham, making the catch. And off of the races, he goes, car chasing him down. Can't get him. Touchdown Giants, they take the lead. Yes, Odell Beckham's 61-yard touchdown. down, put the Giants ahead and kept them ahead on Sunday night at the Meadowlands, a 10-7 win for Big Blue over the Cowboys.

The Cowboys lose for just the second time this season. Both their losses now in week one and week 14 have come to the same Giants team. The Giants now improve to, what is it, 8 and 4. 8 and 4 on the season. 9 and 4 on the season. are in prime playoff position, and this was a game, Chris Wessling, that the Giants offense could not do anything with the exception of that Beckham play, but the defense showed up in a monster way.

You have to give Janoris Jenkins and that defensive line a ton of credit. And O'Dell Beckham, I think you saw that he can turn a slant into a touchdown like nobody in the NFL. The offensive line had a poor game. Eli Manning had a poor game, and that's what's been happening for the last month. But to me, O'Dell Beckham didn't win the game. game for them. Although Beckham got 10 points on the board, which is going to get you beat every other week of this season against the Cowboys, the Giants defense won the game for them. 15 drives for the Cowboys and 260 yards. They had more drives than they had first downs.

For the last two weeks, the Jaguars, I mean the Cowboys rather, have put up Rams level or Jaguars level production. It's just two weeks. There's no need to panic, but they've had two straight weeks under 270 yards, which would be by far the worst any team has in yardage all season. It's a problem. Go ahead, Mark. Well, I was going to say, if you look at... Oh, Sunday night. Wow.

I can't get upset at that. I never will be able to get upset at that. It's just sheer talent coming over the broadcast. It's like a Disney character behind the glass. I was like shaking back here, like an anticipation of Mark Tagar. I was like, oh, when's going to happen? You're obsessed with Disney, and I'm starting to see that maybe you have a role in a Disney film at some point.

But like you look at Frozen too. You look at the way that Dallas closed this game and it's their drives are ridiculous. They're all short drives. It's a punt, an interception,

a punt, a punt, a punt, a fumble and downs. It's just the opposite of what the formula we talked about with Dallas all season. Long drives that chew up the clock control the line, the opposite today. Zeke Elliott, 24 for

107, so everything looks by. Most of that coming early. By the way, he had 86 yards at halftime compared to 84 for the entire Giants offense. Wow. But he slowed down the second half after a great start. Dak Prescott, and here is now the big talking point. You know who's, you know, Skip Bayliss and Shannon Sharp are doing backflips right now

because they have something to talk about for the next five days. Dak Prescott, 17 of 37, 165 yards, averaging yards per attempt, 4.5. His first game in his career, where he's thrown two interceptions, sack three times, past rating of 45.4. So a true stinker against a very good Giants defense. But again, the Giants defense, Greg, won this game without JPP too, which makes it even more impressive. Yeah, and the credit should go to Janoris Jenkins for an incredible performance.

And Devon Conard had a nice night and Olivier Vernon had a nice night. But I think we have seen, and all credit should go to this Giants defense who's been fantastic down the stretch. We've seen now two weeks in a row, and I think that's enough to worry about. that a great defense at home can take down this Cowboys offense. They're not infallible. On plays from a clean pocket per pro football focus, Dak Prescott was only 7 of 21 for 91 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions from a clean pocket.

I think the last few weeks, and really, look, just two weeks ago against Washington, he lit it up. Baltimore slowed him down for about a half, but then he, you know, figured things out and responded. But these last two weeks, you've seen defenses throw a lot at him in terms of looks, in terms of disguises, and they've had a lot of talent that helps, and the offensive line wasn't as dominant as we're used to see.

I mean, I just, we just got done praising a resurgent Packers team that we know is going to go to the playoffs that three weeks ago looked like an utter trash heap on defense. Teams go through these ups and downs, these byrithms. Or they just change. They change. But Dak Prescott also is, up till, you know, outside of two games, answer the call every single week.

I will not tolerate a bunch of chatter about, oh, let's bench him now. Well, you know what? What will you do? Stay at home. Stay in my house. He's going to, yeah, he'll get criticized and there will be. He should get criticized for this game. And that's fine.

And there will be idiots that come out and say, now it's time to get Tony Romo in the mix, which you should ignore and unfollow and block anybody that does that because Dak has earned much more rope than that. this point. But I would say if you want to spend positive as a Cowboys fan, that it's good if you're going to hit a bump in the road early to mid-December. Totally agree. It's okay. You still have time to kind of

figure out how teams are adjusting to you. Maybe you can tie up some issues here, loose ends, and then move forward because you're still in great position to get the first seat. You are, and I think that's right, Dan. And I think it just shows how important I think these next three weeks are, regardless of what they're seating.

They're playing a good bucks defense. next week. They're going to get the line. I think it's important for a rookie quarterback and a rookie running back and a team that has won fewer playoff games in the last 20 years than the Seahawks have won in the last two years. I think it's important for them to close out strong and get a little bit of this stink off. Prescott's third in the league and fumbles. So I know everyone loves how careful he's been to the ball. He's third in the league and fumbles, and now he's got a couple picks here. So it's just something you've got to clean up. Well, there you have it.

Wes, you're annoyed because you had the Giants figured out, and now they got another win. They're probably going to the playoffs. I'm annoyed because I'm competitive and I wanted that lollipop. But the Giants' defense just deserves a ton of credit. Yeah. And I have all my friends from back home in the Coltown are Giants fans, and they were texting all game, freaking out about Eli Manning with good reason.

Let's see, as Wes has said, this often still looks broken. and let's see if they could they can figure out in these last three weeks because if they do if they west if they can somehow pull themselves out of which is more than a slump right now pull and figure something out they are dangerous in january as we've learned before which reminds me uh rodney harrison come back to us did he pick the patriots tonight this is this falls under the realm of gas station criticism went to the gas station last night to fill up my tank you know how sometimes they have those videos playing they had damn patrick and rodney harris and Rodney Harrison's analysis was it's going to be a tough matchup for that Cowboys secondary because the Giants attacked downfield with Eli Manning in that great downfield offense and I'm thinking, is this guy mailing it in for the entire season?

Eli's got the worst downfield offense in the NFL this year. Do your homework, dog. Do your homework. It was remarkable in a game that's as big a win the Giants have had in a while that you're not letting Eli Manning throw the ball in the fourth quarter and when they do let him throw the ball he almost throws it away a few times. It's just such a, it's a strange, it's a strange season.

I like with this listener, Matt Raven has just tweeted to Dan and I saying that Jets and Browns fans utterly unite and laugh at the BS narratives of struggles and QB quandries in Big D. Give me a break. Yeah, fair enough. Very fair. And Des Bryant makes some plays in this game. Got to make some place.

Hold on to that football makes some place. Anyway, all right. We'll be back on Tuesday. where we will recap. We got one more really good primetime game this week to come. That's Baltimore at New England on Monday night, so we'll talk about that game. And then we'll take a closer look at the playoff picture on Tuesday

the next time you hear from us. Thank you for listening. Leave stars, leave comments on the old iTunes page and show everyone that you support us the way we support you. No, that feels strong. That's strong. The way we entertain you. If we try to do our best, and if you could help us out, that would be great.

Cindy, great singing. Really proud of you. Don't leave us for Anaheim. This is Dan Hansa's signing up for a quiet storm, the mailman, the boss. A new money behind the glass. Top Tuesday. This is how the sausage gets made, Mark. It's not just magical unicorns and a show arrives.

This is an I-Heart podcast.