NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2016 Week 16 review

Episode Date: December 25, 2016

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling, and Gregg Rosenthal – recap the action in Week 16 which included the Browns finally coming up with their first win of the season, plus a couple key injuries that have major playoff implications.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 is a factory of gladness. 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. Merry Christmas Eve from NFL Network's podcast.

Headquarters in Culver City. We're always here. What a night to be spending together. A festive atmosphere, Mark glowing in his brown sweater and good reason to. I mean. Greg has never celebrated Christmas. I celebrate Christmas every year of my life. Well, you have it all.

That's the facts. You have it all. And, you know, we can't be with their... Greg celebrates every holiday. We're not with our families, but we're kind of with our family. You know what I'm saying, guys? I guess. Yeah.

I agree. I celebrate Saturnalia. Pagan's had the right idea. I'm ready. I'm ready to go home to my family, but there's a job to be done here, okay? And that is talking about all the football that was played on Saturday.

Saturday of exciting football. By the way, this is our Sunday night recap show, Saturday edition, sponsored by Friday, and brought to you by Tuesday, by your good friends on Monday and Wednesday. so crystal clear oh and mr f in his economics class in the hague the netherlands mr f by the way this morning about ten minutes after i woke up the u s p s knocked on my door with a gigantic gift package of wonderment from mr f who delivered gifts for all of us

including sidney i've got to get you one sidney what a guy shipped it from his uh family's home in colorado what do you get for the girl that literally has everything Well, I think he might have purchased this before she became ultra wealthy, so it maybe has no use to her. We'll have to see when she opens it. Okay, yes. Thank you, Mr. F, you're the man. Thank you to everybody for listening. If you're listening tonight or on Christmas or the day after, you know that we love you.

And this has been a great season with you and happy to spend the holidays with you. And I was all set to open the show, by the way, and talk about how all four of the big QB, in the MVP talk had huge days today. Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Derek Carr. And then something truly terrible happened. So on this Christmas Eve where, you know, it's all about good cheer and, you know, being warm and with your family. We have to start with a terrible situation.

It happened at the black hole. Let's start there with our first game of the day. Something one from the five, and complete set. And Wolfram takes it home for the title. touchdown broke away from T.J. Green. And Carr has his second touchdown toss of this first half. Yes, that was Jim Nance of CBS. Derek Carr threw for three touchdowns, no interceptions. And the Raiders stayed in the hunt for the number one seed with a 33-25 win over the cults. But this was a hollow, painful victory for Oakland, who lost Carr to a broken fibula in the third quarter.

The MVP contender will undergo surgery to repair the fracture out indefinite. and Lee, Translation out until 2017, you would think, Chris Wessling. The Raiders were shaping up as the feel-good story of the playoffs. In one instant, all that promise wiped away. If you could draw up a scenario that would have Raiders fans flying as high as possible, end of the third quarter was it. Five straight drives, touchdown drives, led by Derek Carr. The running game for the second straight week looked more dynamic with the Andre Washington involved,

a new element to that running game. game. After all the questions in Kansas City about that offense, they seem to have answered them. And then Derek Carr goes down. He gets his ankle trapped underneath his body the first time the Colts defense laid a finger on him all day early in the fourth quarter. And he goes down and Dan, I think you saw this on replay. He immediately screamed out, it's broke. It's broke. Yeah. I mean, that was, we have the internal feed that allows us to watch on our TV screens while you're at commercial break and they were running the replay back and forth. And immediately he's pointing at it.

Not in a state of panic, more like anguish and just almost shock that he knew right away the season was over, which led to the surreal moment. He gets helped off the field and this to me underscored how serious it was for this Raiders team that thought they could go to the Super Bowl. The entire team around the trainers table on the Oakland sideline holding up Gatorade towels trying to keep cameras off their car over, I guess what felt like a really vulnerable moment for the franchise. It's such a downer.

You know, the Raiders were probably the best AFC story, and right there with the Cowboys is the best stories in the league. And we'll see. They might still get the buy. You know, by the time you hear this, things are going to happen on the Christmas day, and, you know, we'll see what happens there. They might still get the buy, but it's hard to see a team with Matt McLeoyne. I like Matt McGloin, but it's hard to see a team that's really led by their offense.

This is not a defense and running team. It's a passing team. It's hard to see a team with Matt McGloin making the Super Bowl. I like McGloin, too, but not in January against the field of playoff teams. And the implications in the AFC are massive. It felt like the Raiders were one of the teams that could potentially threaten to unseat the Patriots. Instead, you look at this conference, and you've got a Raiders, Dolphins, and Texans team that all have the new quarterbacks from the players they started with this year.

Houston may be an upgrade. Alex Smith in Kansas City, please. And then it's maybe just Big Ben and the Steelers that have to sort of, like, basically rip off wins to get to New England. And like so many teams in the NFL, I know the Steelers are playing very well right now, but I don't view them to be a flawless team by any stretch. No. I think the Raiders were, to me, and I'm bummed out about the AFC and a lot of, for a lot of

reasons this year. But this to me is the death knell of the AFC being a compelling conference playoff to me. Because the Raiders, to me, were juicy. the pats a little bit of heat. Instead, it's some serious thrown of ease action. I'm sorry. Oh. I locked it up.

Where's my lollipop? Sid, where are the lollipops? Every week, I leave them. Coal for you. I know. In the stocking. I know. And I was waiting for a moment to put in the lock because everything was such a downer.

It doesn't really feel like a lollipop type of day with car going out, you know. And the Colts here can't be surprised that their defense didn't show up because they haven't shown up all season. But I've seen some speculation. You know, what's the surprise? head coach firing going to be this year? I mean, couldn't it be the head coach that everyone fully expected to get fired a year ago when he had the same record except Andrew Luck wasn't his quarterback playing well all

year? And couldn't that be this by his firing? Yeah. And go home, Colts. I don't think he'd be taking Grigson with him. I think they'd quickly separate and go their own ways. Go home, Colts. You're good, you're bad, you're good, you're bad.

Figure it out and get back to us in 2017. And go home people that are criticizing Jack Till. Rio for having Derek Carr in the game. There's no question he should be in the game at that point. And they should be throwing because you're playing the Colts. Every coach in the league would have had him. It was literally the only QB hit they had all day. That's terrible luck.

It's just coming from people's frustration. Sometimes sports suck. That happens. And they got banged at a big spot. If you pull them in that situation, you have to start pull them in the first half of games to prevent injuries. It doesn't make any sense. The football God said no to the Raiders.

And that's sad. Let's move on. Two timeouts available for Rogers and 32 seconds in the 6. second. He is rushed this time. He rolls to his left. Rogers will keep it himself to the five, makes a move to the goal line. Touchdown. Aaron Rogers from six yards out. Rogers scampers in to put the Packers up 2713 deep here in the second quarter. Kevin Lee, Westwood won sports. Aaron Rogers is playing out of his mind right now and the Packers are emerging as a Super Bowl favorite as a result. Rogers threw for how many touchdowns today? He had four. Four touchdowns.

through for four and ran for another. Ran for another. 3825 win over the Vikings that stretches Green Bay's winning streak to six. Chris Wessling, if you ask your grandkids, if your grandkids ask you, excuse me, what Aaron Rogers was like at his peak? Just point him in the direction of what's going on right now, right? Show him a clip of Michael Jordan in 1991. That's Aaron Rogers in his peak.

You know, Matt Ryan probably deserves the MVP. He's done it all season long. He didn't have any cold streaks. Tom Brady's right there, Ezekiela, Aaron Rogers. Those guys might have had better seasons, but there's no quarterback better than Rogers right now just because he's more talented than any other quarterback,

and he's at the top of his game. He should have had six touchdowns today, but Devante Adams dropped another one on Roger's best throw of the day. Obligatory. His best is better than any other quarterback's best. I think we've seen it. And he's at his best right now. You mentioned it to me downstairs, so I don't mind bringing it.

I mean, this is the same season, and this is why I don't think Rogers should be the NBA. I don't think it's crazy that he's in the mix, but I don't think he should be there with Ryan, Brady, and Zeke. It's because this is the same season that inspired Chris Wesleying to say just seven or eight weeks ago that you didn't think we'd ever see that Peak Rogers again. And we are seeing it.

And then here he is. It's crazy. Well, he's too young to cancel the idea that he would have come back to that point. You saw that through tape study and you may be wonder if it was gone, but there's too much left to Aaron Rogers. My one concern with this team, though, this is a Vikings offense that has been absolutely stagnant for months and months piled up 400 plus yards on this defense. The Packers' defense had improved, but come January, you're going to be playing Matt Ryan and the Falcons and other teams that can put up points in yardage. Matt Ryan's Falcons, they have the same concern as the Packers do.

One thing that's been big for them, I saw during this streak, I think they have 15 takeaways and only one giveaway. So that's a huge part of the equation. And if their defense, they do have playmakers on defense. This is the second straight week they've given up a lot of plays. But if they can make plays kind of 2009 Saints style where you get three turnovers a game and you still give up 450 yards and 25 points, maybe that's kind of their MO. I mean, another angle to this game.

And I think it's clear that, you know, and you can put it all on me, that the team of ATL has been an absolute. An absolute mess, and today's loss guarantees that they will not have a winning record. At best, they go to 8 and 8. And that doesn't even seem a reflection of what they've been. We chose them as the team of ATL when they moved to 5 and 0 heading into their byweek. They're 2 and 8 since that point. Is that on us?

This will be like every male in America that at this point, no one, no male in America saw the film Titanic. No one at this room will have claimed to have voted for this team a year from now. Well, and they had one of the ugliest stories we've heard all year that that Terrence Newman and Xavier Rhodes literally decided to not follow Mike Zimmer's game plan and play sides instead of just having Rhodes man up against Jordy Nelson and Nelson killed them Nelson destroyed them that's what you get they ought to be suspended for the season finale I agree and not just have a mutiny on your team that's a tough way for Terrence Newman to go out great career but that might be about it Mike Zimmer you know after the game said this in the first half Terrence

Newman came over and said something to me like I can cover this guy Let me have him. I said, do what you're supposed to do. And they just didn't listen. They didn't listen to him. Terrence Newman, I'm Mike Zimmer. Fire everybody. A Mike Zimmer favorite in Dallas, Cincinnati, and Minnesota.

I think that's as close as any relationship between a coach and player in the league. Unbelievable. And that, I mean, talking about a microcosm of the shipwreck, the Titanic wreck that's become this Viking season right there. Zimmer, a respected good coach getting shown up by his own players. Ugly stuff. But the Packers are three. driving and moving towards January. Let's move on.

Talk about another NFC superpower that ran into trouble today. Nine seconds. Kenan Zero from 43 yards to win at five seconds. Will it get it off. The kick is up, and it is good. A stunning win for Arizona. Cannon Zero drills it home for a stutter, 34, 31, Arizona. Kevin Burkart and John Lynch of Fox.

Chandler Canisero's 43-yard field goal as time expired was the difference. The Cardinals dealt a rival a huge blow, a 34-31 win over the Seahawks at the clink. Go figure, Arizona. The Seahawks took the lead or tied the game in the final minute on a Paul Richardson touchdown catch, but it all went to hell after that for Seattle, starting with a PAT miss by Stephen Hoshka that kept the game tied, and then Arizona went down the field. Big David Johnson reception, another huge. huge game. And then Mark, Arizona stole the game. The Seahawks won't sleep well on this Christmas

Eve. Yeah, it's quite a different result from the 6-6 tie we saw in week seven, which was a highly bizarre game. I'm not sure if even Stephen Hauschgood made that P.A.T. Even Stephen. Well, even Stephen. I mean, the Cardinals might have gone right down the field and done the same thing. I mean, this game started so slow. The Seahawks, I think, had one yard in the first quarter. two minutes into the second quarter Russell Wilson had been sacked four times and both teams couldn't really get it going and then suddenly it became

explosive in the second half. Very fascinating, fun game to watch and a killer loss for the Seahawks because what it does for them they were the number two seed. You're knocked out right now. They've been overtaken by the Falcons who watching both teams

I kind of think this may be good for the playoffs to put Atlanta in that number two spot. Well let's go to Tabulation Corner. What happens now, Greg Rosenthal. Well, Atlanta has got the number two seed right now, and all they got to do is win at home against New Orleans next week, and they are sitting at home. First week of the playoffs. The Georgia Dome goes out on fire with a home game in the divisional round in that case.

What a turn of events. If they ever lost, the Seattle Seahawks get the 49ers next week. So there's a lot to play for. Right, but the Seahawks, they got problems just springing up now. It's December. It's like new things. are popping up. Now Thomas Rawls got hurt in this game.

And so they got to go with Alex Collins in the second half. Tyler Lockett is out for the season after a gruesome ankle injury. He was the key, well, along with Doug Baldwin, he was the key receiver for this team down the stretch. He had just made the starting lineup last week. Right. And had 130 yards and was playing great. And then their defense, they give up 20 points in the four-order in this game.

They lost Cam Chancellor for a couple plays in the first half. And Carson Palmer and Bruce Ariens wisely combined with the play call and the reed of the field. Palmer nailed J.J. Nelson on an 80-yard touchdown. Nelson had something like 130 yards in this game or so. Big game for him. No Lockett, no Earl Thomas. Right now, no Thomas Rawls. And the offensive line just doesn't match up with half the opponents on the schedule.

This is not the same Seahawks team that was going into last year in the playoff. No, I would always give them a chance in a one-game playoff scenario, That's what it is each week, but this is a team that Carol said it today in his press coverage. Well, we just weren't ourselves out there in the first half. How many times did he said that over the last six weeks? I mean, that just is that. The fact that they came very close to stealing this game, Arizona was a better game for a long, better team for a long stretch of this game. Is it oversimplifying?

I know you guys laid it out very well. Is it oversimplifying to say that their season, just like the Raider season probably ended today with their car, then when Earl Thomas went out, everything else kind of, their defense is no longer the, Seattle defense we know ever since he's gone out. Nor is their run game. You take away Russell Wilson's yardage on the ground. They are unable. They have four as far as the defense goes.

Absolutely. Not named Earl Thomas. They can play better on defense. I don't think it's the same as losing Derek Cardo. No, but it's a fair question because we still have respect for the Seahawks, but they've dropped in my mind below the Falcons and Packers over the last couple of weeks. I agree with that. Let's move on to the AFC.F.

East. Another great game this time in Orchard Park. The 27-yard field goal to win it. Gold is down. The kick is up, and the kick is good. The Miami Dolphins defeat the Buffalo Bills in overtime. 34

to 31. Unbelievable. Announceer B shoots in from outer space to interrupt announcer A's play call. That will not make it to the top 10 city. You could delete this one off your iPad as soon as this podcast is over. Jimmy Cephalo. W-K-Q-A-M with the call.

Yes, the field goal late in overtime ended it. Jay-A-Jai broke out of an extended slump with his third 200-yard game of the season, and the Dolphins refused to let the bills play spoiler in a 34-31 overtime win. The Dolphins now clinch a playoff spot if the Broncos lose on Christmas, and the bills are eliminated from postseason contention for the 17th straight year. Oh, my gosh. The offense deserve better than that, and they need to put out a better product on the field. Greg, this was a gutty win for the fish.

This was an awesome win for them and an awesome game. If you guys get a chance to watch it later in the week, if you like the running game, 300 or no, 533 yards of rushing between the two teams. And J. H.I.E. had a playoff worthy performance to go out there in overtime and get, I think he had 75 of the 77 yards in that in that overtime drive, including, you know, one big run and he's doing it through an injured shoulder and he is running through contact all day. It felt like most of his 200 yards were after contact. He's doing it through injury. That's the type of thing that puts you in the playoffs. I don't think this team can win games

in the playoffs, but that's the type of thing that gets you there. Buffalo knew what was coming. And Jai, he destroyed them the first time they played. You think you'd have, you'd come up with a better, you know, way to stop. Yeah, he had 200. Yeah, he's run for 420 yards or something like that in the two matchups. I mean, I mean, this was, if you love offense in general, this was a great game. And, you know, you got to give it to the Dolphins. And by the way, is there anything better for handsome Hank? Happy for him.

Father Christmas comes early for Hank because not only are the dolphins probably going to the playoffs, you got Jay Ajai, his fellow Brit looking like a superstar, only the fourth running back in NFL history to have three, 200-yard games in one season. And a reminder, West, they're doing this with Matt Moore, a quarterback. Yeah, Matt Moore must have played well. My question for Greg is, is Jay Ajay back? Is this slump over, or is this the same Bill's defense that gave up almost 300 yards to levy on Bell a couple weeks? Well, I think it's more on the Bill's defense because shoddy tackling was an issue all day.

You know, Devonty Parker had a 56-yard touchdown because of bad tackling. Kenyon Drake had a 45-yard run because of bad tackling. I think Ajai was running well the whole time. I think it was more of a team thing. I think you've got to be a little worried about the Dolphins. If you're going into next week, still needing a win, which we don't know right now. That's going to depend on the Denver game. They had 90 plays on defense this week.

Their defense was terrible. I mean, they gave up almost 600 yards, could not get a stop until overtime against Buffalo. So I'd be a little concern there. Anything else, guys? Got to wonder if Adam Gase, if they do get into the playoffs is Coach of the Year material. I mean, this was a team we essentially came very close to forking a month into the season. Not the record show. I saved it twice, actually.

Dan saved a fellow AFC East team. Nice. I mean, that seems a little. All right, I'll take it. You've never denied this song. That was the first time I almost did it because I'm not a dolphin fan by any stretch. We should mention this is probably the end for Rex Ryan. And he goes out because he trusts his defense too much.

His defense has been the problem both years. He punts the ball away on fourth and three in overtime with five minutes, four and a half minutes left and overtime. That's what you do when you trust your defense. It kind of makes sense. But this is an offense first team now, and what does his defense do? It gives up the lead right away. Four to three from the 40-yard line, too. Here's the irony for Rex Ryan. He made what at the moment seem like a bad decision or a rash decision in firing Greg Roman and promoting Anthony Lynn. Now the whispers are they like Anthony Lynn so much, Bill's ownership, that they want to keep him and have him be this year's

Dirk Cotter and have Rex Ryan sent away. I don't think you should base things off one game, but if ever there was a case to be made for keeping the Tyrod shady and Watkins trio together with the same scheme. This was it. Tyrod was incredible in this game. LaShawn McCoy's been unbelievable all week, all year. And Sammy Watkins had the game that they've been waiting for. Some clutch catches, some tough vertical catches.

He was great. And we should lay it out there, too, that that Bill's defense had a chance to win the game. Tyrod Taylor had a clutch, fourth down, touchdown pass to put the bills up. Yep. with one minute to play in the fourth quarter by three points, and they couldn't get the stop. Couldn't get a stop. Matt Moore didn't have like a great game,

but he got that field goal and a great, probably the best clutch kick of the year just about by Mr. Franks. Yes, 55 yard are running onto the field. Rex tried to ice Franks on the play, but his timeout call came in too late and it was ignored by the official. Ouch, Rex. We'll talk about Rex a little bit more in a couple minutes,

but let's now move. Unfortunately, we're not. not done talking about broken legs involving young star passers. Shotgun for Bortals. They run a reverse. And Markey Slee's going to throw it back to Blake. Blake is open to the five into the end zone. Touchdown.

There's a gadget for you. Marky Slee took the pause from Bortles and then he threw a pass back to its quarterback for the touchdown. Frank Frangy, or Frangy, W-O-K-V with the call. You know, I like what you do, Sid, like with Bob Sosy, you get. give me the pronunciation on the printout. I'm going to need it for a couple of these. Get left alone on Bob Franke slash Frangy.

Yeah, that one didn't have one. Frangy. Apparently, they assume you should just know how to say that. Cephalo? Cephalo. Jimmy Cephalo played for the dolphin. Cedric Cabalos? Anyway. Speedy Gonzalez?

Cedric Ciballus? The Doug Maron Revolution has begun. The Jaguars with the help of a strangely, bizarrely effective Blake Bortals, expertly played the role of spoiler in a 3817 win over the Tennessee Titans. at the chlorine factory in Jacksonville. What do you think about that for a nickname? I like it. It's clear.

It's actually very factual. Yeah. Wes, this marked the end of the road for the titoons who laid an egg in a big spot and lost Marcus Marriota to, yes, a broken fibula. In the NFL, you have to get used to loss. Only one of 32 teams stands atop at the end of the season. And unlike other sports, you continually lose throughout the season. You lose players.

A lot of times you lose coaches. At the end of the year, you lose even more coaches. Titans lost Marcus Marioo, and then they had to watch Matt Castle come in and knew that their season was over. Matt Castle is not taking you to the playoffs. And frankly, they ran into a bus saw today. Doug Marone's Jaguars played with a lot more zest and zeal

than Gus Bradley's Jaguars did. Let's not let the Titans off the hook here. And they proved me wrong with that great win in Arrowhead. But even before the injury, they stunk in this game. They were getting outplayed thoroughly. by a Jaguars team that obviously has nothing to play for. So, again, they're just like so many other teams in this league where they're a week-to-week proposition.

And this week, they were a bad titan. They were an up and down offense lately. You know, I know their running game had a good first half against the Broncos, but they ended up with 13 points. They didn't do anything in the first three quarters last week. Great fourth quarter. Didn't do anything in the first three quarters today. Would have been nice to see Marcus Mariotta get a chance to pull off some comeback,

but I don't think it was going to happen the way their defense played today anyways. And that's why I said, Dan, don't worry about the bandwagon this year, because they're not ready to win this year. Right. They're a year away. They won three games last year. This was a great season. It was a phenomenal season. No GM in the league added more to his roster and more parts that contributed right away than John Robinson.

So, yes, they don't make the playoffs this year in the season ends in disastrous fashion. But I can't think of too many young AFC teams with a fan base that has more to look forward to. They're going to be around for a long time. To be clear, and this is a tricky spot, we're taping this. during the Saturday night Christmas Eve Texans game. The Titans, as we're taping it, are not out of this. It's Thursday night football on Saturday. Thursday night, Saturday night special football game day live.

Yes. You know, so it's tricky as we're taping this. In a, for instance, that Matt Castle was playing the Texans, I don't know. I mean, the Texans aren't some world-beating team that I think would have no chance. From a realistic angle, though, even if they sneak in, the season is over. Right, right. I'm just saying. Matt Kassum might be the worst player in the NFL currently.

Everything's in place now for the Titans. We'll give them a lollipop. Lollipop given, nice season this year. Now you've got to take the next step. And that means Marcus Marriott has to hit the ground running next season, which he didn't do until mid-October. And all these other pieces need to fall into place for them, really to be a superpower.

But a nice start, just a sour ending today. Let's move on. Oh, there's nothing sour about what happened in Cleveland today. Nine seconds and the clock is running. It's down to seven seconds. They set it down at the 35. It's down to four, three, two, one. They got it off.

The kick on the way. And over end, over and the kick is up, and it is no good. And the bronze have won it. A 45-yard field goal, no good, at the absolute last tick of the clock. And it's 0 and 14 no more on Christmas Eve. The Browns are a. winner. That might be at the top of the list.

Jimmy Donovan. That might be number one. Jimmy Donovan has suffered through a lot of bad football. Into the top 10 with a bullet, Sid. Jimmy Donovan there with the call. They did it. They finally did it. Josh Lambo's 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired when wide right and the

Browns have avoided O and 16 infamy with a 2017 win over the San Diego not-so superchargers. Mark, before we get to Mark, I want to throw it to Hugh Jackson. Here's what the Browns coach had to say after improving to 1 in 14. It's about those guys. It's a heck of a Christmas present for all involved because these guys work so hard. They've given me everything they have, and so I can't think are this team enough for what they do every week to try to go out and win a game? And today we're finally successful.

So today was a good day for the Browns. Mark, you weren't thrilled when they won this game. You were happy a little later in the day. But this was a nice day for the Cleveland franchise. I'm thrilled for Hugh Jackson and for the front office and for everyone involved with a team that would have continued to just been ripped on and made fun of all offseason had they gone on 116. From that angle, I am happy.

It was a half measure in my book had from a team building process. They lost the number one pick in it. And there's something to be said that from a, I'm glad they're not O-N-16, but at what point am I supposed to express downright joy? I know it's not popular that I wasn't dancing around when they won the game, but it's been an incredibly rough run for Browns fans. I'm happy for those fans that go to the stadium week after week and finally saw something worth their money.

But this is a product that still needs so much work that I, you know, yes, I'm a little too hardened to have people come up and pat me on the head and say, you got your win, have nice, have a nice time. It's good they didn't go 0 in 16. I know, Dan, I feel like you don't agree with me, too. No, I don't at all. But you're not a Browns fan. I've not missed a game in 31 years.

This is my unique perspective. I get it. I'm a Jets fan, so I had no pain as well. And the reason I disagree is because, like, the video after the game of what went on in the Brown's locker. That part I don't disagree with. Joe Thomas crying in the locker. room. Hugh Jackson's so emotional. They all huddle up and hug. Joe Thomas said it. He hates to say it, but that was their Super Bowl.

I couldn't be more happy for Joe Thomas and for Hugh Jackson. That's different. Yeah, it's been a horrible run for the Browns and for fans of the Browns. But you got to take, it's still just a game and you have to, to me, take the good moments when they come. And for the Browns, it was today that win, the dramatic way it ended. That's why I was personally surprised that you were upset. I am happy for them. I don't know. I wasn't upset. said, I don't know what the reaction was. People were acting like they had made the playoffs.

And it's like I would like to see the team achieve more before you start to get me, you know, having mountaintop moments in the newsroom. I think there's an element that also were at work. And I was in the middle of doing something else at the moment. And it's like, I don't know what. I'm happy, again, for the organization, it is a huge monkey off the back. But there is so much more to achieve for any of them to keep their jobs beyond next season. down the road.

That's fine, but I'm able to look at that too. The fans were going crazy there. I mean, they love it. I'm happy for everyone that found joy in it. I am. I mean, and I, and if my reaction was, you know, off putting to anyone in our newsroom, it's like I, I am loyal to this team. I've watched every single one of their games.

I'll know when to celebrate. As somebody who went through a lost decade and saw the Bengals lose the first eight games of the season multiple times and be an embarrassment and laughing. I totally get where Mark's coming from. what's one more utter failure in laughing stock moment in two decades of futility? Like to me, it's not that big of a deal if they went 0 and 16 compared to what you've already had to put up with. Scarlet letter, 016. And that's why that's why people are, I mean, because it's not personal.

The Browns are already a laughing stock. Like, what's the scarlet letter to them? Oh, and 16 stays forever. Yeah, but for the people. I mean, you ultimately do root for the people. But we've already established that we're happy for the people. But I couldn't be happy for you, Jackson, man. They've been hurt by the last two decades,

much worse than an 11-16 season would have hurt them. Right. No, I mean Joe Thomas, who's going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer sobbing in the locker room because he's a proud guy and that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. And it's fun to win. It's not that serious. That's the thing. In a way, it's not that serious.

So you win a game and for that one day, Joe Thomas is happy. And for that one day, Chargers fans are thinking, like, nothing can get worse for them. that the Browns kind of finally met something stronger than their Owen 16 Quest, which is the Chargers inability to win in the fourth quarter. They're the worst fourth quarter team in football, and they probably got their coach fired today if he wasn't fired already. I think they probably did. I don't know how you argue for yourself if you're the Chargers coach.

All right. So with the win, the Browns had temporarily fallen out of the number one pick spot, but that changed later in the day. The 49ers rolling the dice, Kaepernick, rolling, running, and in for the two-point conversion. That's just heartbreaking for the rounds. Oh, come on. This TV call. Well, the TV calls aren't the same.

Do we have a bottom five of calls? That's right there. A little more excitement there. At one point. Won them the game. He went for two to win the game. It was great. That's Chris Myers with Ronde Barber.

Ronde Barber, after this, exclaimed, this rivalry is alive between the 49ers and Rams. Anyway, the, yes, Colin Kaepernick's two-point conversion run with, and I'll give some excitement, Onions alert. 30 seconds to play was the difference as the 49ers snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 22-21 win over the Los Angeles Rams at the Coliseum. You know, you're a Rams fan. You decide to go to the Coliseum on Christmas Eve,

and this is how you get banged? It was pretty packed. It was pretty packed. And you watch Jared Goff have 90 yards passing with two interceptions and a touchout. They've had a lot of low moments. That was a great moment for Chip Kelly and as low a moment as it's been for the Rams. And what a moment for the Browns? Seriously, that it all worked out perfectly.

You know what I'm saying? We need the 49ers to win this game. Whoa, Greg. Cody Kessler comes off the bench, gets the Browns off the Schneide. There you go. And they build a statue to him engraved with. the speech that Cody Kessler made at halftime, Tim Tebow style, that they still have the one pick, that they have the number one pick.

I could not agree more with you, Greg. This is winning in full measure where you get a victory and you get the number one pick. To have the win cost you the number one pick is not something I was excited about. And Kessler to Coleman got that key first down at the end of the game when he came off the bench, which was nice. That tells us that at some point, and I'm proud of you, Greg, on Saturday afternoon while the games were going on,

reached out to Sydney privately and said, you know, pull this, pull my greatness from the previous podcast. I'm proud of you for going down that road. Thank you. Well, it was really the Kessler thing. I was excited. And I wanted this whole scenario to happen. That's the scenario needed to happen. The scenario was perfect.

It made it much different. It was perfect. A Niners offensive lineman after the two-point conversion got hit with a, you know, personal foul for sticking a football in the face of a Rams player. and then after the kickoff that was pushed back, the Rams took over at the 43-yard line with about 21 seconds or so or 25 seconds. You only need about 20 yards at that point.

And three timeouts. And I tweeted at the time, this is a nice little moment opportunity for Jared Gough. His first pass probably should have been caught, but it was an out that was low and the catch wasn't made by his receiver. That's a row. His second pass terrible downfield.

He eyes his receiver the whole way and then it was intercepted. So Gough West, not even remotely ready. for that moment against arguably the worst team in football. It's hard to find a more depressing operation right now. Jared Goff has been so much worse than Case Keenham, who was arguably the worst starting quarterback in the NFL, and Todd Gurley having his season out of Trent Richardson's career.

I am extremely, I'm already exhausted. I've read this this morning in multiple places about Coach X wanting to go to the Rams potentially because of the extreme talent on the Rams. They've got a franchise quarterback locked in place, and they've got so many players on both sides of the ball. Who is watching the games from this team? There are a couple talented players,

but slowdown on framing the Rams as some sort of A-plus destination outside of the fact that it's in Los Angeles. Let's beat the 49. Let's not get swept by the 49ers before we get too excited. Brutal. Let's move on to the throne of ease. Shotkins staff to Brady with 31 seconds to go. pulls up. Lobs are throwed right. He's got wide open.

Behind Harris. Touchdown Patriots to the right near Pylon. I'm telling you, it's a different way of thinking with this football team. They're in postseason mode. Great strike by Brady. 25-yard touchdown pass. Bob Soce and Scott Zolak. I'll tell you what with that. Scott Zolak. Every week with this guy. WBZ with the call. No trap game here. The Patriots embarrassed and underman and under-towners. is that even aware it doesn't matter it is now jet squad a 41 three win that inched new

england ever closer to the aFC's number one seed and if ever there was an appropriate time to be playing the throne of use theme it's right now not only do you get to whoop up on an embarrassing jets team at home on christmas eve your number one top threat in the aFC the raiders see their season ended week 16 hell week 17 you get the dolphins and jj eyes banged up it just it is a wide open path to the Super Bowl for the Pats. And they do look a lot different right now, as our friend Mr. Zolak said, then at the end of last season,

Tom Brady kept his name, Greg, in the MVP race, three touchdowns. Jets were pathetic. So everything you want to see, though, the defense has been playing bad teams, but they've been dominating against those bad teams, and that's what you want to see.

I mean, there's nothing more you can do. Bryce Petty left the game with an injury. Through three quarters, this is a wild stat. The Jets had just the, as many turnovers for as they had completions. Yeah. That's what you want to see out of your defense if you're the Patriots. That's the side I'm kind of worried about.

And I think they can win different sorts of games now. They can be complimentary, a little defense, little running, little Brady. The difference between the teams in this game was startling. And I think they were, you know, the desert people knew that. But it was scary to see even the Jets owner, Woody Johnson didn't even go to this game, which you start to wonder what's going on in that building as the, blowouts pile up. I think they've been beat by around 30 points and three out of the last four games. And, you know, the pads look great. They look tremendous. Jets had just 239 total yards.

The entire, you know, Bryce Petty audition was a farce from the start. He has no opportunity with this offensive line. And he hasn't made the throws when he's had the chance. And now he's probably out for the year. He heard something pop in his shoulder. So forget about that. So we'll see what happens. And it sets up guys, a little hot butt bowl. between Rex Ryan and Todd Bowles in week 17. Oh, what a fun scene that will be in week 17. You can cover that game. Dan, you stuck up for the Jets on Thursday saying that you thought...

I stuck up for Bowls. Well, no, but that the team had not quit on him on any level. And I need to watch this one closer. Actually, I don't. But do you, A, believe that they are completely plugged in as a team? and B, do you, if you had to guess, does Bowles coach this team next season? I think he's back. I'm going to still say he's back, and there is, they got to get rid of a couple of bad apples.

Sheldon Richardson again after this game. This guy feels like a superhero's arch villain. Can this guy just stay out of the slow down, buddy? When told that Brandon Marshall had said that the game was embarrassing, he said that Brandon Marshall should be the one that should be embarrassed and then said, oh, I shouldn't say anything. scratch. I mean, get the hell out of town. He also said he knows what he did. Get the hell out of town. We don't want you here, guy.

I mean, let's be a little honest here. How many locker rooms has Brandon Marshall been kicked out of in his career? But you're right. And that's totally fair. But Brandon Marshall has been a really good teammate last season and this season during a lot of crap with a lot of bad quarterback play. So I don't know, we don't know the story for that, but that is a bad situation. If you're curious, and you're probably not listening to this, the number one seed is something that the NFL usually moves the times of the games to make sure that everyone's playing hard. So the Raiders are in this thing.

It means the Patriots, maybe they move that Patriots Dolphins game. That's a big game for both teams. That could be the playoffs on the line for the Dolphins and the one seat on the line for the Patriots. Where they move that game to? I mean, they move it later in the day, maybe, so it's the same time as the Raiders. I mean, so they're playing at the same time. Toronto. And that would be fun.

And Mark, to answer your question, I think it's even worse to say this, but I don't think this was an effort issue. I think the Jets are this bad right now with their roster that going against a stud team like New England, it doesn't get. It's just crazy. They won 10 games a year ago. I mean, they've been the most injured team in the league, but they're also a terrible team.

Moving on to a better team. Rino to play fake again. Going to throw it for Perkins, a catch and score for Atlanta. Joshua Perkins into the end zone. and I mean a big time catch by the rookie. West Durham, EZGC. I've never heard of that. That was a person?

That was a person. The Falcons are gaining steam as we head toward the regular season. Finish line, Matt Ryan, 27 of 33, 27 yards, two touchdowns. The Falcons, a 33-16 winner over the Panthers that clinches the NFC South title for the Falcons. Mark, Atlanta thrived in the air and on the ground in this game. I wouldn't want my team to see this squad in the first round, would you? Not at all.

I mean, Matt Ryan could not have been more white hot coming out of the gate. I mean, his first half stats were unbelievable. He started 10 of 10, absolutely blew up the Carolina Panthers. It got closer, you know, at one point in the third quarter, but then the Falcons, they just have so many ways to dial up plays and to find holes in coverage. 33 points feels low for a team that dropped 83 over the last. two tilts. So I, look, I mean, you don't want to see anything bad happen to knock these teams

out of some of these seedings, but I think the Falcons and the number two seeded, they take over Seattle, they deserve it. They are the most explosive team on offense right now, and the best chance for an NFC title game against the Cowboys, if it gets to that point, that could be truly competitive and fun to watch. In a season in which, it seems like all 32 teams have been the number one defense in the league at some point. Everybody's had their share on that one. And a team like the Cowboys had a two-game stumble against the Vikings and Giants where their offense

didn't play to its capabilities. The Packers went through a month where they weren't playing well. The Falcons offense has been the metronome in the NFL. They have been the unstoppable week-in, week-out, best offense in the NFL. Incredibly consistent. You're right.

Their average 33 points a game heading into this game, scored 33 more today. If you think about it. Whoa. Who locked? Hello. Oh, yeah. This is an audio program, so to inform the listeners,

Christopher Wesley just raised his hand. Yes. I've been on these Falcons all year, and I like what I've seen. That's two locks so far today, right? Two and O? Yeah, I mean, they're 10 and five, and, you know, they blew a few fourth quarters. You know, they blew one against the Chiefs. They had a close game against the Seahawks.

They blew another lead against the Chargers, a big lead. They're close, they haven't been great closing those games. They're close to being a 12-13 win type of team. They also feel like over the last three, four weeks, they're starting to operate at peak power on offense. So I don't think you can blow a game when you're up by 25 points. I would ask the Kiss and Cousins. You guys despise domes as everyone knows.

Are you upset, though, the possibility of there being multiple dome playoff games involving the Falcons? I will not. I don't think I'll enjoy the dome atmosphere, here, but I think the Falcons offense is fun enough to watch that it makes up for it. But there's nothing worse than a dome playoffs. Two sneaky, really good playoff games in the Georgia Dome the last time they were going to pass against the Seahawks and the 49ers. Those are great.

This time around, you don't have to pump in fake crowd noise because the team is giving you something to cheer for. I mean, with all things, yes, I typically don't like domes, but I have no problem watching this team play multiple playoff games. They're fun to watch. A solid, nuanced answer by both of you guys. Let's move on. And Greg. And Greg.

I didn't ask you, though, Greg. I don't need to be asked. I'll just jump in. I mean, when you are NFL networks, Greg Rosenthal, you know, you don't need to be a... Kissing cousins don't matter. The Raiders don't matter. Greg Rosenthal. You celebrate Christmas.

You celebrate Hanukkah. You celebrate Easter. You celebrate Flag Day. Everything's coming up, Rose's for you. You don't think I should celebrate Flag Day? Yeah, that's the sticking point. I'm not American. The music makes it sound like Greg got turned into a lifetime movie.

It could happen. Let's move on and see how the Redskins are doing. Redskins, the Bear 17. Here comes the heat. Cousins, little dump off Chris Thompson. The catch on the right side of the 10 to the 5. He's got a hole, and he's into the end zone for Redskins. Touchdown.

Second score of the game for Chris Thompson and Cousins. Really bought some time that time, Sonny. A good call. Sonny Jurgensen, legendary quarterback, not at the peak of his announcing game, though, today. That was the creature of the Black Lagoon. I don't care what you say. Larry Michael and the creature of the Black Lagoon W-T-E-M with a call.

That's a Hall of Fameer, Dan. That's going to get back to the Redskins organization somehow, some way. Kirk Cousins had, bring it on. Had one touchdown through the air and two more on the ground, and the Redskins bounced back from that ugly Monday performance with a 41-21 win over the Bears, the little success story that was Matt Barclay derailed in this one as the backup through five picks including four in the second half

and now let's swing on over to tabulation corner to find out if the Redskins have a clear path to the playoffs after today's win. I love those numbers. It really depends on the lions. I hate to say that. They are really rooting for the lions to lose those two games. Why do you hate to say that? Well, I mean, just because we're taping this early,

it's not a definitive answer. I'd like to give a yes, a no. They're in the mix. The Bucks loss helped them. What a pro. They needed the Bucks to lose one of those two games, and now they got one. Tabulation Corner, he takes it very serious. Yes, he does.

Greg, disappointed that he couldn't give a more concrete answer. It tells you that he is invested. He hits home runs. He doesn't hit singles or doubles. All right, very nice. I don't know what else there is to say about this game. The Redskins were a much better team. But you give him credit on a short week bouncing back

and wiping out the best. there's who, you know, Jordan Howard is really the success story here. He had another 120-yard game, but Matt Barclay didn't give them a chance in this game. Robert Kelly, I believe, left with an injury. I don't know. I'll have to keep a tab on that. Well, that we-shot Breeland, the Redskins Corner, said every pass over 15 yards that Matt Berkeley threw, they all just looked each other and said,

whose turn is it now? Oh. This was kind of an early Kirk Cousins type of performance from Barclay, where he just tried to be the hero, I think, in the second. He started five games and he's going to be knocking on the door to the top 10 in interceptions. That's not ideal. The Redskins, by the way, play the Giants. We should mention the Giants today have done some tabulations.

Okay. Oh, back to the corner we go. I mean, this is a big part of today. Yeah. Giants have clinched the playoff spot. Oh. They're in. And so the Reds.

Get ready for some more giant football. Well, you know how the Raiders have Matt McGloin and the Dolphins have Matt Moore. that Giants have Eli Manning, which is pretty similar. Well, people have said that kind of stuff before. But the Giants won't have much to play for next week, and the Redskins playing the Giants. It's going to be a big game for them. We'll see how the Giants handle it.

Oh, I can't wait. Wes, maybe that could be the West of us, if you really feel that strongly. Well, I don't know. Eli Manning? Yeah, failing in the playoffs. I mean, I wouldn't get behind Eli in the playoffs to go against them. I feel like I've been rooting against Eli Manning

as long as I've been rooting against the Bengals, so it's pretty similar. Let's move on to our final. game of this Sunday night podcast Saturday special, sponsored by Friday and brought to you by Tuesday, by your good friends on Monday and Wednesday. From the Bucks 14, it's Abram his second touchdown today. I tell you what. You couldn't have started this half any worse if you're a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan.

Like Greg Rosenthal, Kenny Albert and Darrell Johnson of Fox with a call. Drew Brees through one touchdown pass. And Mark Ingram ran for two scores. Hopefully he wasn't fuming on the sidelines if that wasn't enough. As the Saints ended the Buccaneers' Feel Good story with a 31-24 win at the suit. Mark Sessler. 3-0. Whoa.

We are flying with the locks now. And the conf- we put it into the safe. We spin, you know, the wheel thing or like the, what is it? It's like a circular. It's almost like a pirate ship wheel almost. Kind of like a pipe. We spin the pirate ship wheel lock and then we leave it there. And then we go get it on Saturday.

Don't need to think about it again. I got to wait until Sunday for the Steelers. Bad job. I should have picked a lock that was on Saturday. Poor showmanship. No lollipops today anyway. You're no Liberacee, Greg. But anyway.

Strong silent type. You know, it's true. Greg, the bucks were eight and six. and leading the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football in the fourth quarter just six days ago, it feels like a more innocent time now. It does, and yet eight and seven feels right for this team. You know, their defense was good.

It was a little too dependent on takeaways. They didn't get that the last few weeks. Give up 31 points here. And James Winston, to me, needs to just raining in a little bit. He's a little up and down. He's a little bit all over the play, a little out of control, I would say. Not with his emotions, but just his throws and the plays

and everything from drive to drive just seems, you know, two up and down. He's a young quarterback, and that's what happened. That's why you go eight and seven. We talked about Matt Barclay wanting to do too much. Is there a little bit of that going on with a team trying so hard to be that feel-good squad? Absolutely.

I mean, he's like so angry at Josh Huff for not beating a cornerback in the open field that you can just see him like going crazy and I'm thinking like you can't be worried about that too much it's like a young stallion needs to be broken in a little bit your description reminds me of Brett Farv and Mike Holmgren just like smacking his palm against his head every time Farv does something silly

same thing same thing and they played a quarterback you know they played a this was not a shutdown defense it was a good defense for five six weeks I think it's it has the making of a good defense. I don't think it was going to be a top five defense. You want a Jeopardy answer, Greg? They're not out of it officially, by the way.

One more trip to tabulation corner. It's like under 1% or something, isn't it? They need a lot of things to happen. You know, they need the Redskins, the lions. Like the Lions playing being lost at sea. It's a lot of things. All right. Little Jeopardy time, Greg.

Who are Matt McGloin, Alex Smith, Matt Moore, Tom Savage, Top Savage is real. Trevor Simeon and Matt Castle. Who are they? They're all quarterbacks in the NFL. I mean, they're all potential. I know you're looking for more than that. I'm trying to think.

All quarterbacks better than Eli Manning right now. All quarterbacks who have never been in my kitchen. They're all quarterbacks who have a very good or moderate chance to be playing in the AFC playoffs against your boy. That is a complex. I noticed you left Ben Roplasburger out of the game. Yeah, because he doesn't fit in with that. I'm talking about these are all terrible quarterbacks, the middling quarterbacks.

Awesome. That you get. What does that have to do with anything? March through. There's your Christmas gift today. Congratulations, Greg. I mean, the Steelers are the only team in the NFL that are ranked in the top 10 in football outsiders' offense and defense.

So just throwing them out of that mix seems unfair. You don't get it. I'm sure they replaced the Philadelphia Eagles as the only team in the top 10 in the TVOA. I think Dan has made a solid point. that the road to Super Bowl 51 for the New England Patriots, you could never have imagined it be this soft, this cushy. It's like an easy pass lane at 4 a.m. You're going 90 miles an hour.

There's nobody else on the road. And there's no costs. Stay awake. Stay awake. We've seen football. We've seen what happens. Here we go. But I'm confident because the Patriots are playing great.

That's the key part of the equation. Oh, yeah. They're playing there. They're playing better than I expected. Everything's clicked. That's the key part. Don't think we didn't notice your nod to Cliff Clavin on. that answer too.

Thank you, sir. Cheers. Oh, Weston. You know. Sorry, Bucks, by the way. Doug Martin, a healthy scratch. That was weird. That was weird.

We will be back. There are still three games this week. Yes, the Cincinnati Houston game, and then the two Christmas games. We've got to cover every day of the week this week. But we will touch on them in some capacity on Tuesday, I'm sure. And the Lions Cowboys, that's a big one. Yeah.

So that's the next time you'll hear from us is Tuesday. on the other side of Christmas. But that's it. Now, that's it. Now it's time to begin Christmas. Are we allowed to use this music? I don't know. Probably not.

Don't tell any shadowy league figures, Sydney. That is it for the Christmas Eve edition of the Around the NFL podcast. Thank you to everyone who, if you're watching on Periscope, Merry Christmas. That's a good job by you. Happy holidays across the globe. Yes. So thank you very much for listening.

happy holidays. Merry Christmas. Greg, happy Hanukkah. Thanks. And we will see you on Tuesday. Until then, this is Dan Hansa, signing off for a quiet storm, The Mailman, the boss, and new money behind the glass.