NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2018 Week 8 Recap!

Episode Date: October 29, 2018

In a room filled with jubilant heroes – Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler & Chris Wesseling – react to a marquee NFC clash, as Green Bay gave it all they had against the (now) 8-0 Rams (3:20). The band of heroes then discuss Jacksonville’s lackluster defense against Carson Wentz’s Eagles (9:10), should Dirk Koetter have kept FitzMagic Tampa's QB1 after another bad showing by Jameis Winston in Cincy (17:50), KC grinds out another division win (22:45), Wess’ lock streak ends (sad face) as Russell Wilson delivers versus Detroit (36:45) & lastly, Alvin Kamara and the Saints’ defense did WORK on SNF (1:00:20)!Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Credit Union app message and data rates may apply. The Around the NFL podcast is on board with Vince Matching. There we are. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I'm joined in a room that is filled with heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What is up, boys? Hey, Dan. Sunday night show, week eight. Woo-wee.

A lot of football to talk about, boys. I know you're excited, Mark. I am excited. I think this is a special time of year, getting. through the bulk of week eight games and right into week nine the special time of year is getting through the bulk of week eight games i mean i you know sometimes when you open the show i have like it just flows out of me what i want to say that time was the opposite i have no idea why i just made that correct you give it a shot last uh wembley game of the year so it's kind of good to get that

that 630 wake up out of the way but uh it was another another solid day wasn't convinced everyone in the room woke up at 630 but good call yeah i certainly did not. I remembered that there was a London game about 9-51 Pacific time on my way to the office. I was like, oh, all right, I'm going to have to check that one out on the old game passer. I was involved in shenanigans in the old Zeusers garage last night until about 11 o'clock, so I wasn't getting up at 6.30. That factored in as well. We watched a baseball. We watched a wretched stand-up special that we had a bail on. We had a parachute out of it.

Yeah, probably watched each other drink multiple glasses of Tito's mixed with something else. Perhaps. And then we had a Beyonce video viewing party. It wasn't just me and Wes. There were some ladies in the garage as well. It was a nice Saturday night. I learned who Sean Carter is. Check my Instagram at Dan.

Dot Hansus. If you want to hear, Wes actually learning that Jay Z has a name that is not Jay. Why did you go dot between Dan and Hansis? Is that already used by someone else? I don't know. I don't remember. It seems like an odd choice, but. Well, I don't remember.

What else he got over there, Mark? No, I got nothing else. Just that kind of, that stood out to me. It's a very odd strategic move. All right, a lot of games to get to, but why don't we start? There's only one undefeated team in the NFL entering week eight, and they got another test, and they passed. From a yard deep in the end zone, long-but-up task marks.

Coming up field is Montgomery, and he's feral down near the 20-yard line. Oh, pop-loose, and the Rams say they got it. I'd be kidding. Volcanoes. Remiglson may have it. It's Los Angeles football. At the 20-yard line of Green Bay. Ty Montgomery turns it over.

Oh, you hear it in the voice of Larry McCarran and Wayne Larravee of the Packers Radio Network. Despair. Aaron Rogers and the Packers were all set up for some more late-game magic. But Ty Montgomery's kickoff return fumble with two minutes to play, cost Green Bay the ball and the game. forced the huge turnover held on for a 2927 win at the Coliseum a Coliseum packed with cheeseheads Los Angeles reaches the midpoint of its schedule at 8-0 West Rogers didn't get his shot this game was like a an Emmy Award winning TV show at the

height of its powers with all of the leading characters all of the iconic characters nailing their parts Aaron Rogers and Devonte Adams for the Packers Clay Matthews and Blake Martinez on defense Mike Daniels and then they're rolling this whole game. Todd Gurley, it feels like the Rams jumped on his back. He gave them a jolt. Johnny Hecker, possibly the best punter in history, gave them a huge jolt.

Aaron Donald with a couple of sacks. Robert Woods continues to make plays every week. This game was living up to it. And then, as usual, Bones Fossil Special Teams crew swings the game in its favor and is the decisive. We didn't get our like Aaron Rogers moment because of the Rams special team. and because Ty Montgomery fumbled with the game on the line.

I thought another star in this game of this drama that you're discussing was Mike Petten out of the gate, whose defensive scheme absolutely was working. Beat devil the Rams on third downs. Right. If you thought that you could get the Rams to open with five punts, you would like your chances with Aaron Rogers as your quarterback. They still wind up scoring 29 points.

It's a reminder how difficult it is to beat the Rams because there's so many good things we want to talk about in this game in terms of how they got pressure on goff, the throws that Rogers made. And you look up at the end of the game, and the Rams had it for 75 plays, and the Packers had it for 52. They had more, you know, 50 or 60 more yards.

Todd Gurley is the closer in the NFL. And this is not the first game that Todd Gurley has helped to close out, not just on the go-ahead field goal drive, but after they get the ball back to put the ball inside the five-yard line and make sure there's no chance for Aaron Rogers' magic. He is the number one closer. the NFL along with that offensive line and it's like you have to do everything perfect to beat them you look at golf and like he he got hit today what was it for sacks if not more hit almost 20 times

his final line is 300 yards three touchdowns no picks you just can't see on the from the box score that anything here went anything but right for the rams going back to west and it was well put that it was a you know a tv show at the height of its powers Montgomery fumbling that ball was like loving, you know, 50 minutes of an hour-long episode and then like the cable cuts out. It was the Seinfeld finale. Yeah, I was going to say it was the Seinfeld finale. It was like, we tuned in for this. Well, you had mentioned, where is Ty Montgomery in this game?

And then he makes the biggest play. He was out of the running back rotation and they still should be given the ball to Aaron Jones more often, but there wasn't much. Let me use a different example because the Seinfeld finale was completely clunky. So that would have been if the game really wasn't good. This was almost like the Sopranos finale, where everything else was built. building up nicely and then right when it cuts at the diner to end you're like wait wait what else there's got to be more you're expecting this amazing ending and and it does a little bit and this

Sean McVeigh's got the horseshoe with him this season because I did not like his decision to run the ball and take the field goal to go ahead field goal as opposed to being aggressive and trying to win the game give basically you're asking your defense to stop Aaron Rogers in those last two minutes and I get that you respect your defense it is one of the best units in the league. But Rogers has been killing teams his whole career like that. I feel that the special teams kind of bailed out McVeigh, who got a conservative, which surprised me. That is a fair criticism, but I loved when the Packers are up 10 to nothing, controlling the game, the Rams can't do anything over and over and over again on third down. So they have a fake punt and it gives, it just gives

the team a jolt. And I don't know how many coaches do that, but they know they have the best special teams going. Right. And then the pitting the ball on the one-yard line, former Packer Sam Shields, getting Heckers punt to set up a safety. It's cliche, but all facets really do contribute for the Rams.

Not just special teams defense offense, but every like position group you can see making an impact. Even on a day where they missed Cooper Cup, they still are getting production from Josh Reynolds, from Gerald Everett making a player or two. It's like, it's just such a deep team. And I think the Packers have to feel better,

about themselves, but their schedule's so tough. It's like you can't have too many moral victories. You have to start beating these good teams that are. And the Rams, meanwhile, they get out of here with a win. You have the Saints, Seahawks, and Chiefs over the next three weeks. If you can get to your buy with three more wins, then you could really start talking about undefeated. I would love, by the way, and it's certainly in the realm of possibility, although like Greg said, you've got to win some of these games, Packers, to make the playoffs.

But this feels like a divisional playoff rematch possibility right back in the Coliseum. They are in New England, Seattle, and Minnesota in three of the next four weeks with a home game against Miami in the middle of that. So those are three tough road games. Got to get some dubs. Put Robert Woods on your pro bowl ballot this year. Do it. You heard, Wes. Let's move on.

Play action. Wentz running. He's looking. He is firing. It is complete. Down to the five. Breaking the tackle. In for the touchdown.

It is Goddard. Dallas Goddard. Merrill Reese, WIP with the call. Carson went through three touchdown passes, including that toss to Dallas Goddard. And the Eagles held on for a 24-18 victory over the sliding Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. It concludes the three-week run London games this season. Greg, the Eagles haven't done a great job closing out games this season. On Sunday, they got it done.

They did with a little help from the Jaguars. The Jaguars had the ball down six late in the game. They had been moving the ball pretty well in the second half. Blake Bordos played well, and they had seven short-yardage plays in a quick span. Second and one, second-and-one, third and one, third and one, fourth-and-one, and then the same thing with third and two, second-and-two, fourth and two.

And they threw on all six. One of them, Bortles ended up taking the ball and running with it. He went 0-4-6 on those throws. And I just am thinking kind of the Jaguars are so, far from the team that Doug Marone wants to be when you see that. That was my big takeaway, is he's so afraid of running Carlos Heider, Yeldin, who had a combined 18 yards on eight carries, that they're throwing out a shotgun seven straight times in a situation like that.

And the Eagles defense did their job today, and they got out of there. I thought if you're the Eagles, and you know that you're going to lose your right and left tackle in this game early on and have to deal with that, that it was one of their more impressive performances in the second half to shut down the Jaguars in terms that they were the ones that we're able to run the ball. And Josh Adams, the rookie, played well. It was a bit of a different type of game for the Eagles. And the team that comes out of here, three and five, since 1990, 8% of teams that are three and five make the playoffs. 92% do not. So you needed this. And the Texans, we've said the South is open and, you know, maybe eight or nine wins gets it,

and then the Colts are in it. But the Texans that ultimately are five and three with an easy schedule of their own and coming into their own with a win over the Jaguar. So they're You can't just count on getting to eight or nine wins and getting into the playoffs if you're the Jaguars. Don't let the Jaguars. Oh, okay. Go ahead. A hell of lock it up.

Wait, we have two, I believe. Two. Uh-oh. There are two of you. Uh-oh. We're getting hot, Maug. See, Dan and I could be on the same team sometimes. We can celebrate together.

This is good. Not only that. You guys both jumped on my previously said one, and I freaked out, jumped off it and lost. Not had done that. So it was a bad idea. Should have just read an actual manufactured Joe. What was that?

What a manufactured joke. One thing I wanted to point out was that even though you look at the box score four catches 35 yards for Alshan Jeffrey, he has been awesome since he came back from injury with so many key plays. And on two of the key moments of this entire game, third and long, he beats Jalen Ramsey one-on-one

to keep drives going. And those were two big moments. In a game where it was kind of like you're just asking which quarterback is going to make a better play on their own on third and long, and of course, Carson Wentz is going to be better at that. Speaking of Ramsey, don't let this Jaguars defense off the hook. I thought that was the story of the game. Blake Bortles brings them back into the game, and you're hoping for a stop so you can see Blake Bortles with the game on the line, and you never get that chance because the Jaguars couldn't

stop the Eagles in the second half. Let's move on. Newton fakes to McCaffrey, throws tipped, jumping catch, though, on the tip ball in the end zone. It's a touchdown McCaffrey. Sometimes the heavens just look down on you and smile. Mick Mixin, Panthers Radio Network with that call. Cam Newton completed 21 to 29 passes 219 and 2 scores, including that very fortunate ricochet touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. The Panthers, take care of the Ravens, 36 to 21. That is nine straight wins at home for the Panthers.

We don't usually connect the Panthers with having a massive home field. advantage, but they are cooking in Charlotte West. The Panthers deliver another reminder that they are a beast in the West. They are, and as Greg has mentioned, you can't trust top defenses in this league anymore. The Ravens had the number one overall defense and number two past defense going into this game. They jumped out to a 7-0 lead, scored on the opening possession, and then due to a mixture of basically self-destruction and bad luck, the game was over by halftime. Cam Newton looked good, DJ Moore, because of 20.

Corey Smith was injured, got a much bigger role in this game, and he took over a 99-yard scoring drive with chunk plays of 33 and 37 yards and an 11-yard end-round on the same play. But this was one of the more impressive all-around wins by a team against quality competition. I thought you made a great point in your write-up that sometimes it's lucky or it smiles on a team to have a veteran go out of the lineup and have more in this case, step in and have a role he didn't have from previous weeks. Yeah, the old saying you're only an injury away from being a good team, and it's your own injury.

Tori Smith allowed a better, more explosive player to get in the lineup. I remember a hearing over the last couple of drafts, you know, okay, here's this idea. We're going to surround Cam Newton. No more these Dave Gettleman, power forward, lumbering receivers. Let's get a fast team around him. And I think today was an example of you're kind of starting to see that. I know Curtis Samuel isn't a huge factor. Oh, he made some pretty plays in this game.

He'll make a play or two here and there. DJ Moore certainly adds speed. Christian McCaffrey obviously does. And you're starting to see an offense that is more than carrying their share. They have room for growth with these young receivers. And Greg Olson get a little healthier. And don't forget their right and left tackle have been out the first half of the year. They might come back in the second half.

We saw this offense explode for 21 unanswered points against the Eagles in the fourth quarter last week. This week, four straight drives in the final 16 minutes of the second half. the first half to pour it on to make it 24-7. So this offense, sometimes we get into funks like any offense, but when it gets rolling, it could change a game very quickly. So the Panthers are looking good in the Ravens. The AFC is hard to figure out because the Jaguars a month ago, everybody said, oh, look out for them, they're going to be in the mix.

The Ravens, just when you start to get confident in them, now the defense takes a step back. And the offense simply isn't good enough to pick up the slack if the defense is going to come down. to earth it does matter scheduling looking at it when the schedule comes out means nothing but it always was on my radar that the a fc north got each other which they eat each other up for the first part then you get the nfc south and they've run into a two game thorn bush they're like a little child that just rode his bike into a thorn bush because it's like the saints and the panthers back to back

now you're four and four last sunday morning you were four and two now you're four and four and four and have to go deal with the steelers next and they lost like their offensive line had ronnie stanley going in and out of that game and then had a walk-in boot on, Marshall Yonda went in and out of that game. And they already were missing a couple starters. So it's like when you have that many injuries at the same position groups, things can go wrong. And tangibly, it was a factor. Hironis Grasoo, who is filling in for an injury, missed a block. Nice pronunciation. Very nicely done. He missed a block and Kyle Love, Panthers' defensive tackle, went unblocked and blew up Alex Collins to cause a fumble and basically set the Panthers

up for an easy touchdown and there were little mistakes like this that happened to the ravens throughout the game nice inter-conference conversation guys but let's let's move back to a full afc matchup he snaps it to huber huber puts it down the kick from randy bullock is on its way and yes that's dave lappum has just kicked the bengles to a 3734 win at the gun Dan Horde and Dave Lappam of the Bengals Radio Network with the call. Randy Bullock, Big Bone Randy. He cares not for your love of Fitzmagic. His 44-yard field goal and the final play of regulation lifted the Bengals to a 37-34 win over the Tampa Bay Bucks in Sincere.

Andy Dalton engineer at the game-winning drive after Ryan Fitzpatrick replaced an ineffective James Winston and brought Tampa Bay back from the dead mark. We'll get to the winning team in a moment, but this Bucs QB drive. but won't go away. I think this is the kind of game that potentially alters destinies for Tampa Bay under center because there are now whispers out there

that James, they would listen to offers for James Winston before the trade deadline. He was dreadful in overtime against the Browns last Sunday. They won to spite him. And then today, through four killer picks, the final pick six, costing them an extra point. I mean, if you're, my one question

from a Dirk-Hotter angle is, why did you need to get to four interceptions to replace him? He was totally ineffective. You're in a tight game and you waited that long to put Fitzpatrick back in, who we already know that Fitzpatrick earlier in the season, despite one ill contest, played very well with this offense. I did see some criticism that it made sense to lift Winston at the half. Dirk Cutter, of course, he knew he was going to be asked after the game,

what the next move was the Bucks. Here's what he had to say. Today's not the day I have to decide that, right? I mean, I don't have any problem making decisions. and I'll make it when this time's right, but now it's probably not the right time to make it. That, to me, often feels like you're going to sit down with the person who was your starter today and have a conversation about putting Fitzpatrick in there.

It would be very surprising, I think, if you didn't stick with Fitzpatrick. Because of the way he played when he came into the game, I believe they went touchdown, they went field goal, touchdown, punt, touchdown. And obviously no turnovers in that span. So you put up 17 points in a quarter. I don't think you're going to come back out. This is a franchise shifting move. Like Mark, you alluded to it.

If you bench Winston for performance issues to put in the 35-year-old quarterback, what is the next move for this organization? I mean, only because probably the coach won't be there. Someone can come in and whistle Dixie all off season about we're going to get the real James Winston. But how much longer do we need to make a decision on James Winston? I don't even want to bury James Winston. It's more about Dirk Cotter for me. Does he just hate magic?

He hates being relevant. Every time Fitzpatrick plays, the whole nation pays attention. Every time Winston plays, nobody watches because you're not exciting. You're not fun. Your team isn't as into it. Your locker room is into it. And this guy made the bonehead decision of the year to take Fitzpatrick out of the lineup. What about on the Cincinnati side, Mark?

What do we see? I mean, you just listed, Greg, the fourth quarter drives for Tampa Bay. I mean, the Bengals built a massive lead in this and it looked like it was a get-right game after the embarrassment against the Chiefs, and they did everything they could to allow Tampa Bay back in. Their final six drives were punt, punt, punt, punt, punt, and then that field goal by Fat Randy.

But they also had four straight touchdowns. To start the game. But my point is they... Did you say sizable, Randy? I don't know, I don't want to say... Big-boned was what we were wrong with that. Sizable Randy. And we should give Andy Dalton credit.

Bills out a photo booth. Annie Dalton did what he needed to do on that final drive, absolutely. After the touchdown of two-point conversion, it seemed like the Cincinnati Bengals shame spiral was about to be complete, and he did kind of save the day with that drive some passes to AJ Green,

got them set up and the bullet kicked the makeable field. It's his fourth game-winning drive this year in the final minutes. That's also because their defense is putting them in position where he has to go do that. That's my concern with the Bengals. You need a drive. You just call up Andy Dolk. He's the modern-day Joe Montana.

One thing on Winston. Those four picks, they weren't tipped, and then, oh, it's not on Winston. These were, there were some awful decisions made by him. Why can't you give Andy Dalton the love he deserves right now? What I thought we did. Just say he's the most special ginger quarterback to ever play this game. Forget about Jason Garrett.

Is that true? Who else is in the running? There's not a lot, Brandon Wheat and not hard to. Todd Morinovich. I think Carson Wentz counts, and Carson Wentz was unbelievable. Carson Palmer is sometimes called a redhead. Carson Wentz has reddish. He absolutely has reddish hair.

I don't know if he's a It's not a orange But Andy Dalton's like a raging ginger It's a glowing ginger man I submit Ruben-esque Randy for Bullock I like that Ruben-Has He's not even big anymore though right Right I think he's not so

Zaptig Randy All right let's move on We're going to give it off on a shovel pass Kareem Hut breaking tackles inside the 10 hurdles of Bronco dragging Broncos all the way to the end zone Touchdown Kansas City on 4th

that inches, the Chiefs fire bazooka on a shovel pass to Kareem Hunt. Another Hunt hurdle, love it, and a great call from Mitch Holdis of the Chiefs Radio Network. Patrick Mahomes threw for 300 yards and four more touchdowns. He's up to 26 on the year. Sammy Watkins went over 100, two touchdowns, and yes, Karim Hunt once again, acrobatic and dynamic. The Chiefs, a 30 to 23 win over the Broncos at Arrowhead. sweep the season series.

They are in total control of the AFC West at 7 and 1 West. It wasn't as easy as usual, but the Chiefs keep on winning. It's like the Portland Trailblazers trying to beat the Golden State Warriors. The talent differential is just too wide. Who are you going to stop on the Chiefs? This pick your poison offense, and they picked Sammy Watkins. The other team did. Sammy Watkins burned them.

He had a big game. Kareem Hunt had another one of those personal highlight reel plays where he hurdles a guy. breaks a couple tackles, runs into the end zone. This offense, I mean, they ran out to 30 points and then basically just shut down for the rest of the way, but that's all they needed. And the defense, the pass rush is coming along nicely.

I think D-Ford had another three sacks. This guy's having an incredible contract. I think he might be first team all pro right now outside lineback. I agree. Chris Jones had a sack for a fourth consecutive game. You can run on this team. The Broncos, I mean, Philip Lindsay looks phenomenal every week.

He had another good game. But I think that Chief's pass rush is really coming alive a little bit. Mahomes has 26 touchdowns, not to pick on Alex Smith, but that ties Alex Smith career high in Kansas City, which was last year, which was Alex Smith's best season, and that's the best one-to-one comparison, because obviously this Chief's team is very talented, and they figured out some things schematically.

But the fact that he's done it in half a season, it's amazing to think how that move was considered a little gutsy in the off season when they made it because it was obviously such a clear decision clearly smart. One note on that touchdown total. He joins Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as the only quarterbacks ever to have

25 touchdowns by mid-season. So are you less concerned about the defense or is it more the opponent they played? About the Chiefs defense? Yeah. I think you can still run on them and the secondary is still very subpar. Justin Houston's going to come back at some point.

D. Ford is playing lights out. Jones is playing well. Those rookies, Breeland Sparks had another sack today. I think there's some talent there on the front seven. You never know if Eric Berry ever helps this team out. That would be nice. It's got to be a leap of faith to think he's going to be the same player when he comes back. At this point, that would be a surprise.

But I do think they're maybe the number one team to watch on Monday and Tuesday with the trading deadline. There's a few cornerbacks that could be available. Maybe it won't be Janoris Jenkins, who's a big name, but maybe they'll just be a solid starter type that can help their second day. Well, Bridget really liked my Patrick Peterson trade possibility. That would be great. I mean, pumped up. Good for her.

Well, they did. Cardinals don't seem to. You were in my garage, by the way. You didn't see Bridget because I don't share Bridget. Oh, she lives in your garage? I keep her in the garage. I didn't know. Yeah, I talked about it on the Thursday show.

She's. Listen, closer, West. I need to, I had to move her to a different part of my home because Bridget is mine. How does the rest of your family? feel about this arrangement. I told you they don't know. Did anyone listen to the show on Thursday? Does anyone in your family listen to the show?

My wife is not aware that Bridget is in the home. Bridget, are you there, honey? Dan is hot and masculine. The trade old sister. I think if anything, it's the intellectual connection and the ability just to conversate about anything you and Bridget. It's true. She's always coming up with new ideas and ways to express herself.

You guys do something. Not. You can't buy that conversation. of affirmation. Anyway, let's get back to the game. The Broncos, and again, keep an eye in advance, Joseph here. Is he safe? Because they got a tough schedule coming up here.

They get at-chargers. I mean, home to Texans, at chargers, home to Steelers. They got to figure out a way how to win games. And they're sloppy. Ten penalties for 83 yards. Penalties that wiped out big gains. You know, the Broncos started 2-0, now they're 3-5. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have the Browns and Cardinals before that showdown with the

It might be Demarius Thomas' last game, but seven targets 30 yards hasn't really gotten it going. So I'm not sure if other teams are really going to bother to give up a late pick for him. Let us move on. Trubisky floats a pass, caught wide open. There goes Cohen 40. Midfield, big block to the 30 to the 20. Angle 10, 5, hands of touchdown. They beat the blitz.

Touchdown Bears. They've got the lead. Cohen, 70-yard. Catch and Run. Jeff Johnnyak, WBBM with the call. Tariq Cohen makes big plays every week. This time it was a 70-yard catch-and-run on a perfectly executed screen pass.

The biggest play in the Bears is a 20-13 win over the Jets at Soldier Field. The Bears played without Khalil Mack. He was held out after a pre-game workout that I suppose didn't go too well was the first game he's ever missed. But it didn't matter much against the banged-up and predictable Jets offense

that didn't even cross midfield until late in the third quarter. So the Bears, the team of around the NFL, always difficult. Very difficult when the team around the NFL goes against your favorite team. I can really feel the. I really struggled with you. There was a lot of personal conflict. But ultimately. Who's the team of ATL again this year?

They are the four and three. Chicago Bears, are you sure? I've heard a lot of support down the stairs for them. But they took care of business here. It was the right move to bench or to sit Mac because he hasn't been the same guy the last two weeks. If bears are an actual player in the NFC, which I'm not totally convinced of.

But if you want to make that case, Mac has to get back to being what he was before the ankle injury. I would even honestly think about sitting him next week, too, on a trip to Buffalo and see if your defense can do the same thing it did against the Jets. and let this guy get right. But Alan Robinson also sat out this game. I guess he's their number one receiver. He hasn't had much of an impact this year.

But the defense did the job, as I said at the top. So many injuries in the Jets' wide receiver group and now without Bilal-Paul that the field is so small for Donald. It's like a 10-yard field, no downfield threat, and the Bears just sat on it. And they're a very not an exciting team to watch right now. A tough watch the Jets are. So the Bears, not an incredible effort here,

but take care of business game. And Mitch Drewisky still spooks you a little bit with some of his erratic throwing, missing open receivers. But I do like watching him. I know he's not a complete player and he's got a lot of work to do, West. But I like he does make throws

and then his ability to make plays with his legs. I still find it to be an intriguing talent. I think he's fun to watch. And ESPN's QBR metric is not perfect by any means, but I've always had a lot of respect for it. they've got him with a 91.7 QBR, which is a great QBR ranking for this game. QBR in general pumps up running quarterbacks. I mean, that's just like part of the rating doesn't give him nearly an upgrade.

Like Tyrod always is super high, Kim Newton. But I think it's, that's good to have different measures. And it does show you his legs have so much value. And you do look at their schedule next week there in Buffalo. They'll have played the four AFC East teams in a row. You don't see too often from a non-conference opponent. And the one thing I'd worry about with them, you look at their schedule and they're humming along at four and three,

maybe they get to five and three. I think the other NFC North teams are going to want to do better than two and two against the AFC East. To me, that's a good non-conference schedule to have. You want to beat the bills, the dolphins, and the Jets. And how much happier you'd be as a Jets fan to have Matt Negi attached to Darnold? Because that's why you feel like Tribisky can grow as well

because of the scheme he's in because of the history of that scheme. And you look at Donald, it's impossible to evaluate him. And Rich Zemini, your boy, Dan, I thought appropriately came out of this game sort of lashing Todd Bowles for over-complementing the effort of the Jets today. Sort of saying they really played, you know, he was impressed with the effort, X, Y, and Z.

Come on. I mean, they were flat. Come on. It was not a great effort by the Jets. They hung around early because the Bears, quite frankly, weren't playing very well on offense early on. but I think Bowles is in deep trouble I think he'll survive the season

but I barring some type of big turnaround and I don't know if it's in this Jets team especially with their current state for that to happen I think he I think he's done I think he's in a lot of trouble I don't think the offense coordinator Jeremy Bates is a guy that's probably going to survive this either so we'll see what happens but the Bears get the W

and we move on James with the Rock breaks three 20 1510 He's in touchdown. James Conner doing his thing against Cleveland. Bill Hillgrove, Steelers Radio Network. Bill Grove. With the call. Ben Rafflesberger threw two touchdown passes to Antonio Brown.

James Connor did his thing again, scoring twice. The Steelers beat up on the Browns 3318. Mark Sessler, the Browns remained winless in Pittsburgh since 2003. the Steelers overcame a slow start, but the game ultimately followed a familiar script. It did, and how far of a different path these two teams have taken since we were in London and watched them fight towards a tie? Because I watch Cleveland's offense,

and I'm nothing but concerned about Baker-Mayfield's physical safety behind a line that has no concept of how to block for him, where the Steelers, and it had a lot to do with, the Steelers have stars, the Browns have prospects, Pittsburgh just leaned on the familiar faces of Antonio Brown, but also the second half usage and production of James Connor is one of the more fascinating halves I've watched in years. He absolutely took Cleveland apart, and he can do it all.

And I'm not getting into the Levion Bell comparison game. It's just that they do a great job grooming these running backs. And if you're Todd Hale, you had to hate watching this, because your job is now completely on the hot seat in that world. as is that entire coaching staffs, where the player that you were with last year looked like one of the best players on the field of any NFL game today.

Yeah, what you described sounds like the old Steelers running backs, Jerome Bettis, you know, Barry Foster or Bam Morris, where you just let them take over in the second half and just run it down the other team's throat. Exactly. And like how familiar is this all for the Browns and the Steelers? The day starts with competing reports,

or essentially a bunch of different reports that agree on one thing, which is that Todd Haley and Hugh Jackson aren't getting along and depending on the results of this game, one of them could be fired but not sure which, which is a ridiculous thing, which I don't doubt is true at all, but it's like, well, we'll figure out which one to fire after the game. And then you also have the Steelers who are looking at a division

where I know the Bengals won, but they don't look as good to me right now and that we're rounding into mid-season. And the Steelers look like the class of the division again. Yeah, a month ago, we were like, can Pittsburgh handle all? this drama, except every year this happens with them. This is what they do. They thrive on it, I think.

They look fine to me. I just said, I think Todd Bulls survives at least until Black Monday. I don't, I still think Hughes in deep trouble in the here and now. This week. You're the Chiefs next week. Let's say he survives this week. Who knows? You got the Chiefs, then the Falcons, then the buy.

I don't know if I see a wind coming before then the way they're playing right now. And that would be the time if you, I mean, the guy's 3.36 and one. At a certain point, you just got to move on and get. the spirit and the demons out with him this brown season slipping away at what point do you just say the hue thing didn't work we got to move on to the next step i think what they tried to do was in the sake of continuity because they had such a history of you know flipping schemes every two seasons this is a this is the wrong fit and it for me it is not just on field it is every autumn there are in there's infighting there's channels of gossip and whisper and you're here again and we've been

here a thousand times credit to pro football talk for this stat of all the coaches in NFL history there is only one with a worse record than Hugh Jackson Bert Bell who went on to be the commissioner for it went on to I don't think that's Hugh Jackson's destiny but he went on to coin the phrase any given Sunday too I think Hugh could come up with a any given Sunday type line I actually could see Hugh not being the commissioner but being one of those guys who ends up like working in the league office because people like him just like he's like the head of operations or something like that.

Yeah, I don't think it's about not liking him. It's just this is not working. Yeah, like he'll get an offensive coordinator job after this if this doesn't work out. But if that doesn't work out, then he'll probably be working with like Michael Sanarcy in the NFL office. I don't know who that is. A name that comes up a case. I think you're thinking of Michael Signora.

What is his role within the company? He's a high-powered league employee. We have a lot of respect. The job is to shoot down all of your best ideas. There's where there's where Hugh is heading. Let's move on. Russell's going to throw back shoulder. Moore makes the catch.

He is in. Touchdown, Seahawks. The snap throw back shoulder to the youngster David Moore, who tipped it up in the air and tipped it right to himself in the end zone from 15 yards out off the top of his helmet and the Seahawks score again. Wow, Steve Rable. Seahawks broadcasting with a call. Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in the second.

quarter. That's what they needed. That's all they needed. They beat the lines 28 to 14. Greg, after the game, Russell Wilson said, quote, we can do whatever we want right now. They're feeling themselves, and you're feeling these Seahawks. I am and they should be feeling themselves because this was like Brian Schottenheimer's offensive image come to life. Just Chris Carson running people over. Russell Wilson being protected well, not having to throw too much. And then you almost plan to have the occasional third and long where he just runs around, figures out what he wants to do. And then he gets about one or two shot plays a game, and they're the two of the prettiest shot plays that any team runs all week. And at the end of the game, he has three incompletions

on only 17 attempts, three touchdowns. They let the lines back into it a little bit. But this team is really impressive and has changed really all the cliches of what we thought was bad about the Seahawks going into the season? I was wrong about the Seahawks. I think a lot of people thought they were an All-Soran team this year. But their defense especially, I mean, this whole, the big conversation

around them as well, the Legion of Boom, it's over, this is a team in transition. But they've managed to very quickly put back together a defense or rebuild on the fly, and they're winning games with this defense, not to mention a running game that has been an issue for them for years. It's a great job by Pete Carroll.

And, you know, we heard a lot in August. that he's rejuvenated by this by getting rid of the backbone of that dynasty that he loves having all of these young hungry players and that plays to his wheelhouse and it's come true. They're not just physical on defense and on the offensive line

which has done a good job run blocking and protecting. They're physical at receiver and that was a huge difference in this game. You boy, Mark Sessler, David Moore. He's just become your guy. He was dominating. He's just winning one-on-one. They're throwing balls up to him.

They're throwing balls up to Tyler Lockett, who's small, but somehow... Their turnaround started when David Moore replaced Brandon Marshall. Right, the contested catches. And these guys were too physical for T's Tabor and some of the smaller lines secondary. Well, I don't mean to keep hitting the schedule, but you have the Chargers, Rams, Packers, and Panthers next. That feels like a AFC-N-FC combined playoff run. But I think that makes it fun to root for them, because if they can get through some of that without the wheels falling off, it's all right to be completely wrong about things sometimes or often.

and we were, I was, about Seattle. And it's fun, or if you're a Pete Carroll fan, Pete Carroll seemed like he was being kind of eased into retirement, and all of a sudden he's got a team that's in the mix. He said after the game, he's still mad about how the season started when they got off to that slow start because they would be a real story in the league right now if they had to figure out a way to win a couple of those early games.

They're so good at coaching defense that it's like a safety-friendly offense. I know Earl Thomas, I mean defense. Earl Thomas isn't in there, but they're two safeties. McDougall and Tidrick Thompson are playing really well. They signed a slot cornerbacker traded for Justin Coleman from the Patriots two years ago. Justin Coleman's, but one of the best slot cornerbacks in the league right now, made a huge play in interception to take Matthew Stafford. It's like they do a better job coaching up defense and certainly defense back than the Patriots.

You can look at it when they have similar players. And, you know, to address what we really are here to address. The streak is over. Chris Wesleyan, the streak is over, long live. The streak. We got out-coached. We overthought. We went into this week, fired up about the cults,

but knowing that we couldn't look ourselves in the mirror and take them. We had a feeling about the Packers and probably should have taken them, even though they ended up losing. And we got too cute. We thought we'd run back that Broncos one in back-to-back to start the season. Yeah. Trying to go for like an identity. It was a heat check.

It was being too cute, you know, but we own this loss. We're going to learn from it, on to next week. A total round of applause for an amazing run. Seven straight. But you should know, Wes,

that you built up a nice little lead, but the Zusers on a four-game winning streak himself, just two games out with a lot of season left. Over here in the Wesleyan household, we do not take our competition lightly.

Or seriously. Man, you are good at your job. I've seen a lot of press conferences. All right, any other thoughts on this game? Chris Carson doing things. 176 yards rushing for the Seahawks. You haven't seen that a lot in the post Marshawn Lynch era. No, getting snacks.

Snacks actually, Damon Harrison made a couple plays for the lions, but that alone isn't going to change their defense. This game could have gone a few different ways. It didn't necessarily need to be so one-sided. I think Matthew Stafford had one loss. He had one last fumble. He had one interception. It was not a heavy possession game.

But that's what Ciox does to you is you better make your possessions count or else the game suddenly. I don't like Detroit coming out of last week's run heavy. everyone's all excited about them. They run for 34 yards. It's fair. Come on. All right, let's move on.

Lock to Doyle, Doyle, running defenders over, and he takes it in. Doyle rules. And the Colts back on top. Yeah, we don't usually go with the TV calls on Sunday, but when Andrew Catalan references Billy Madison out of nowhere. bring it up deep cinephile that's who he is exactly the Colts are building momentum Andrew luck through three touchdown passes Marlon Mack went off for a buck 32 and two scores 42 28 win over the Raiders at the black hole Mark Sessler another cinephile you'd like you like

the silver screen I do I like the silver screen perhaps more Oakland fought hard in this game but the Colts attack was too much in the end this was one of these games that go watch this this week on game pass and watch it soon because it was just like, not you, Dan, you don't have to, the other two guys, like possession for possession. And you got the best game of the year that Derek Carr is offered. He played great. Played absolutely great. After a week of criticism and uncomfortable criticism, let's face it, about if he was a man,

that's a real thing that he faced this week. Are you crying on the field? Your teammates like you. You're going to be traded. You trade his number one wide receiver. And I watch a lot of this game. I thought he played tremendously well, and it kind of reminded me of now it feels like forever ago, but when they were 11 and 1 or whatever it was about three years ago,

and he was playing like a near MVP candidate, there is good, there is, I don't want to say greatness, but there is supreme goodness within Derek Carr, and I would think twice if I was John Grunin about getting rid of him. I don't know if that's what's going to happen, but he played so well in this game. I don't think they're going to get rid of him. I'm not sure what the continuity plan would be there unless you know you're going to get the top in the draft and get some quarterback that you're going to develop. But that's exactly something John Gruden might do.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised by anything. We're trade for James Winston, which really sounds like something John Gruden would do. I'm not kidding. Go back to the Monday night. James, do you think that John Bruton would look at Derek Carr and Winston and say that Winston is the preferable option, though? I'm only saying this because he seemed to love Winston so much coming out and when he spoke about him on TV.

But then again, the same was true for Derek Carr and most other young quarterbacks. So that's just how he is I thought this game came down because it was just you're waiting for someone to make a mistake the Doug Martin fumble and Doug Martin ran really hard and you know Marshawn Lynch in there

we talked about it Cooper's gone and I just thought this was going to be a game where Oakland just did not show up and the opposite happened but Andrew Luck on the flip side is running one of the more exciting offenses league wide and they trust their running game they ran for 200 plus yards

after lashing the opponent with the run last week this was the embassion balance has been replaced by absolute balance and an offense that is hard not to take your eyes off of. Frank Reich. Look, he's put a stamp on this team. Back-to-back games with a 100-yard rusher. Three straight games, Andrew Luck, hasn't been sacked.

The offensive line is now one of the best in the entire league. They are averaging 35 points per game over the last five weeks, and that is with their number one receiver, running back, tight end, and offensive tackle being out of the lineup for most of those games. Wow. I mean, that's why guys like Hugh Jackson and Todd Bowles have a hard case to make to their owners, because you look at Matt Nagy, you look at Frank Reich, we're halfway through their first season.

You can see the stamp. They're absolutely just different operations eight games in. And sometimes you've got to get lucky. It's better to be lucky than good because the Colts hired Reich on like two days' notice after their guy left them at the altar, and it might be one of the great moves that's happened to them in years. After seeing what the Colts are doing with Frank Reich, how can you go into next year and say,

I want to hire a defensive specialist to be my head coach? I mean, you're looking for it happens. He got Dantrell, Inman involved, six for 52 in this game, but I do have to plan. This is one of the low moments in a proud franchise history for the Oakland Raiders, one of the national teams,

that we were just handing out about 50 lollipops to start off this game that you stayed within 14 points against a 2 and 5 Colts team. Wait a second. Well, you've got to watch a game. I know. Derek Carr did it.

a nice job. There was a turnover. I'm just saying they're allowed to I don't think the cults are the record right now though. No, that's true.

No, they have a plus 18 point differential and that is with a team decimated by injuries. I told you that was a bad line though by your desert

people. The idea, yeah, that's true. The idea is just to get the wagering close to, you know, even and hope that the public is up

but I bet you're right. I bet everyone thought the same thing and they ended up they ended up taking a bath on this one. Take a bath, desert. Take a bath.

Oh, and West, Andrew Luck. Probably know everyone took the Raiders and they made lots of money. We have no idea. Three touchdowns. And I get Greg off the topic. One to each of his tight ends. Do you know the last time a quarterback had touchdowns to three tight ends in one game?

According to the game story I read on NFL.com, never. You're right. Okay. Who's rating those? That was Bergo. All right. Bergam. Great story about Burgo at a Halloween party.

I see, you tried to trick me on that, though. I did. I did. Bergo, who's a friend of the show, he's been on several times. Jeremy Bergman. Jeremy Bergman does great work at a party, carrying around a walking stick or a cane of some kind. A beautiful woman at the Halloween party in costume comes up to him. I heard this from someone else who was in the circle, makes a beeline for Bergo,

looks them right in the eyes, and everybody's thinking, uh-oh, Halloween, happy Halloween for Virgo coming up. She says, you took my cane. took it where did what he had found it at the party and was walking around with it and this woman said you took my cane recovered the cane and then left with her boyfriend so we might have to get burgo in here just i got to check in on burgo to love life a little bit i want to know davy i always want to know what's going on with ely and the ladies yeah i want to see what's going on with burgo too burgo burgo has an interesting resume he's got a couple of hollywood films under the belt as a child actor he could throw that around

at a party that's what i'm saying there's some he's got an arsenal he's a bright he's a bright guy. He's got a great future ahead of him. I mean, he should be doing well. But the Halloween party is struck out. Well, I mean, you can't just swipe, you know, some girl's cane. Yeah, let's stop, like, stealing items from people at the party. I mean, I'm not sure being the little kid and kicking and screaming is open up any pants. By the way, not the better kicking and screaming either, the one with Mike Ditka. So, all right, let's move on. It should. Hang in there, Berger. One on the plate clock, handoff to Adrian Peterson, through a hole 40, 45, 50, up the sideline 45, 40 to the 30. 20, 15, 10, 5!

Touchdown! Adrian Peterson all the way! It was a rough line by Greg? Finally! Finally, Adrian Peterson bass. He was inch by inch all day, and he takes it to the house. Woo-wee! Larry Michael and the Redskins Radio Network with the call. Adrian Peterson scored twice, including that game-clinching 64-yard sprint in the fourth quarter,

leading the NFC East Redskins to a 2013 win over the woeful at the Meadowlands Washington is now 5 and 3 has won 3 straight sometimes the box score is a little misleading but that's also it feels like it's great

it's kind of cool for a running back so they gave the rock to Adrian Peterson a lot in this game late in the fourth quarter he's averaging about three yards of carry and a lot of work for not a lot of glory bang you break off a 64 yarder all of a sudden you're averaging six yards to carry for the game and you're off for 150 yards or whatever it is so they bottled up here some most of the game but they couldn't when they needed to stop the giants and peterson is is fun to watch 33 years old and uh he's

he's probably on pace for what 12 1,300 yards and and he doesn't get injured and he has he always even when he was young he had that little hitch to his giddy up when he gets to his top speed It seems more pronounced now. I don't know if that's true now that he's older. But it's just fun to see him in the open field going down the sideline, beating everyone to the pylon. He bounds up and down. He's like a dog when an owner comes home, just bouncing at you.

He is. He is kind of like that. But like there's not much else for me to take away from this game. This is a bad game. Went according to script, right? Yeah, went according to script. The Giants can't score. They made it look like they at least put an offensive.

of showing by getting a touchdown late, but that was with, I believe, 17 seconds left. So like last week, it was just window dressing, ultimately. No one scores points in the final minutes when they're down three scores better than the Giants. And Eli Manning, is Eli Manning? You just wonder, they obviously kind of botched last season how they were going to handle moving him out of the starting lineup,

and that led to a domino effect that rocked the whole organization. You just wonder how much longer they're going to. going to go with him. They have two quarterbacks on the roster, including, I believe, a fourth round pick. Kyle Laletta. Yeah. So you just, you just wonder because Eli has not been competitive. And because of the offensive line, West, we talked about it last week, it's a chicken and the egg scenario. Because the line can't block him, and because Eli can't move, it's just a mess. He got sacked seven more times. Oh, my gosh. I mean, this, this looks like if you put in this year's Redskins into a computer and say, give me the most Redskins-type

game. You've got two picks by DJ Swearinger. It's been awesome. A lot of Adrian Peterson, not a lot of wide receiver action happening. The offense is who they are. They want to win these games, 20 to 13. They're going to go about 10 and their schedule along with the Colts. It's one of the easiest down the stretch. You go about 10 and 6 and losing the playoffs, which is not a totally disaster scenario for a team that everyone counted out in this division. Let's hear for their front seven. The last three weeks they've held Saquan Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Christian McCaffrey under 100 rushing yards combined. That's pretty damn good.

They have an identity, and they've sort of had it back even in the preseason. They know who they are. I don't know. It's kind of Jay Gruden's dream team. Like, this is how he wants to play football. I don't know if you're going to win a title that way, but you're probably going to save Jay Gruden's job at the very least. The only thing is, though, we talk about over and over that defensive-oriented teams are going nowhere, essentially, right now.

We've seen this Jay Gruden act, and it means next week they don't show up. Yeah, and then what happens when they play like a team with a high-powered offense versus Eli Manning who is in sharp decline right off a cliff? I think they're a coin flip team almost every week, but at the end of the day, they're five and three. Got a game and a half lead in the east, and the Giants are count down the weeks until they can start this review. They don't play anyone for the entire rest of the season

that you would put as one of the eight best team. The eagle, they have to play the Eagles twice, and that's tough. They have the easiest remaining schedule by winning. percentage in the NFL hubba hubba all right let's move up once set to the right two receivers left shotgun snap over the head of bethers he's chasing it down he picks it up with two seconds left he hoists it far side incomplete and the game is over the game is over and the Cardinals win it 18 to 15 trick or treat David

we got we got a we got a clip off that Ron Wolfley line That was great. Dave Pash, the Wolfman, Cardinals Radio Network. Yes, with the game on the line, C.J. Bethler watched helplessly as the snap sailed over his head. That gap cost San Francisco the final seconds of the game and allowed the Cardinals to escape with a 2320 win at the farm. Greg, you look for progress when you're playing a rookie quarterback.

Josh Rosen's go-ahead touchdown drive that preceded that final possession. That qualifies. Absolutely. I spent three-quarters. watching this game thinking, I don't know if benching Josh Rosen for a week or two would help him, but that he seems so lost that they need to do something. But this is why you play the kids because sometimes they play themselves out of it. And the experience that he had with Christian Kirk for the go-ahead touchdown,

the throws that he had to Larry Fitzgerald, who had a 100-yard game and a vintage performance. Yeah, he did. In the fourth quarter, after doing absolutely nothing all day, two really strong touchdown drives. The only other drive they had was stopped because one of his receivers fumbled the ball that Rosen pulled himself together after what was really a rough performance to go get a victory and you put that in the bank

and, like, that's the experience you want your young franchise quarterback to have. How about Byron Leftwich? Well, I was going to say, did you see any noticeable difference at all? They got the ball. I thought they used David Johnson a little bit better. He had more than, I think he had about a hundred. He left the game too, didn't he? At the very end, yeah, he left with.

He came back. They were testing his concussion, but he came back in. He got about 100 yards from scrimmage. They got to bother him in space a few more times, I thought, especially in the passing game. So that helped. That was his promise to not just Cardinals fans, but also fantasy owners, that I'm going to use them the way Bruce Ariens used David Johnson. And it did seem like they made that concerted effort to get the ball to him in space. Cardinals have swept this series this year.

You know how in college they have like the Iron Bowl and like the bucket of nails bowl or whatever? This should be like the recycled bathwater bowl. Or in New York, the Snoopy Bowl. Yeah, it's tough when your season or at least. Snoopy Bowl has been discontinued. I'm just saying. Sadly. It existed at some point.

Like the game came down to the 49ers center had two bad snaps in a rhoda in the game or else Phil Dawson at least would have given it a shot to try to tie it up. But it's not like the 49ers deserved it. They had the ball a few times in the fourth quarter. and Kyle Shanahan, who's known for being aggressive, was just hoping the game would end, just running the ball. I mean, he tried to throw it a few times on third down, and then the Blitz would just batter C.J. Bethard.

You're saying he wants the number one pick? No, not at all, but he was just hoping that his defense, you know, would finish the game off for him because he had no faith in his offense, and I don't blame him. Oh, speaking of no faith. Oh, yeah.

No faith. He lost this game. I did. This is one of my four locks of the week. I clearly shouldn't have jumped off. This is the one you settled on. This is off the first one. You probably got the other three rights.

No, I deserve to get the loss because I jumped off. And I went two and two, so that's a big loss anyway. It wasn't meant to be. I went two and two in my locks. And, you know, next time, C.J. Bethard will carry me through. It's a good experience. Were you intimidated by Dan and I jumping on the Eagles thing? That seemed to rattle you a little bit.

It wasn't so much intimidation, but it just didn't seem fun or sporting to all have the same. It just seemed boring. Not that I thought my people. pick had a lesson. We got in your head a little, I think. You did. Unsporting like conduct. Well, just doesn't that feel like, I know there's no rules to this game, but doesn't it

feel kind of like what's the point of three of us lock up the same? It would have a little bit of fun if we were all in it together for once. Put it this way. If it happened all the time, you would have a point. But I think one time, it's like a. I had about four or five games that I thought I probably would feel equally about as good in. Unless you want to undermine this segment. Well, yeah, that feels like a part of it.

Well, that wouldn't do it. But that does add a new element. if I start locking up four to five games a week. Well, we're going to be tracking you, obviously, to make sure that you're respecting. Well, there are no rules, though. You can do whatever you want. You could just lock up the baby.

You are an anarchist. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I'll, I'll behave. You need to get some Ws, though, because you're way under five. Well, it doesn't matter. At this point, West would have to totally collapse. This is actually, I could hear in your voice that you're a little bit upset with yourself,

that the locks have gone. I get upset when I lose. I am. It's, I, like, I have had terrible sports luck as a fan lately, and this is, like, the latest thing. The Red Sox in the World Series and the page is in the first place. That's, that was the joke. Oh, okay. All right.

What was that, Bridget? Greg is back on the asses. Thank you, honey. All right. Before we get to Monday night football or Sunday night football, let's talk about sports information traders.com. Perfect segue. Listen up. If you bet on sports, that's where you got to be.

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And that's pissed off at the 44-yard line by PJ Williams, uncontested, to the end zone. And it's not often your own receiver gets you. Diggs is going to come over and stop and try and come back. The defensive back keeps going, and cousins thought he was going to keep going. Ends up throwing a right to P.J. Williams. P.J. Williams. pick six of Kirk Cousins it was basically over at that point

the Saints took control of this game late in the first half and Cruz to a 30 to 20 win over the Vikings in Minneapolis somewhat surprising effort here from the Vikings who seemed to be hitting their stride Mark Sessler

and yet the Saints come to town the Saints up to 6 and 1 now and they smack the Vikings around a little revenge after the NFC divisional playoffs a year ago. This is the kind of game, if I'm a Vikings fan, has me concerned about where your season ends

at some point in early January because you were looking at an offensive line that could not protect the cornerback and there were a couple killer turnovers in this one, the Adam Thiel and fumble that resulted in a major turning point at the end of the first half for the Saints that I don't think the Vikings ever got back into this game mentally after that. Took the wind of their sales.

I know how much Dan loves win probability. According to ESPN's win probability chart, the Vikings had a 77% chance to win before that fumble. Wow. And which shows how stupid the win probability. I love win probability. I put a lot of stock in. So they forced the phone with Adam Thieland of all people,

who by the way had another 100-yard game building his NFL record and scored a late touchdown in the fourth quarter. But when he turns the ball over, the Saints are able to quickly turn that into seven. So that's like a 14-point swing. And then, like you said, Mark, when they got into the second half, it just seemed like the game had changed at that point, Greg. Why did it work out that way?

Because the Saints can be in different ways. This was on some level a fluky game with that turnover and then the pick six being so important. Drew Breeze only throws for 120 yards and you put up 30 points and win comfortably. But the Saints have shown that. they can win different types of ways. And one of those ways is having a ball possession attack

where Mark Ingram is running out the clock at the end of the game. You're having short passes for long drives, which they did. It was only an eight possession game, I believe, for New Orleans. And the Vikings, who are a team built on defense, they got the interception of Breeze. But other than that, they basically didn't get any stops. They could not stop the Saints from scoring. And now that division is wide open in the NFC North.

There's no cupcake in that division. and the Vikings are four, three, and one right ahead of the four and three bears and the three and one Packers. Can't make sense of this Vikings team. They started off slow, got hot, and this is a distressing loss. Did you say you thought it was kind of a fluky loss? I just mean there was a couple plays that made it a strange kind of game. I think the Saints are a more complete team in terms of running, passing,

and even the defense, you kind of know what you're getting. Marcus Davenport right now is making a play or two every game and they're getting better in terms of their pass. Saints have won six in a row, and we have a game next week where they now face the Rams. That's a beautiful. I mean, the Saints have the top two tackles in the league, according to pro football focus, whereas the Vikings are putting, you know, a rookie in his third start trying to stop Cameron Jordan. Good luck.

Don't you feel like the NFC North will not have a wildcard team this year? You better win that division if you want to go to the playoffs. Right now, the Saints and Panthers both look like playoff teams for sure. And you think the Seahawks are up. I do, but they have a pretty tough schedule. That last spot in the NFC, I mean, the entire NFC North seems totally up for grabs. And Tayson Hill continues to stake his claim as the under-the-radar greatest NFL player of all-time. I mean, this is the kitchen sink game.

You got Tayson Hill on that throw to Camara. It's a ridiculous catch. And then you have a play with Teddy Bridgewater and Tayson Hill on the field at the same time. It's like Sean Payton went here for a little revenge. Well, Mark Sessler has closed his laptop, so that means we must close this podcast. Yeah, it's like, I feel like we've said enough. It is time to move on to new phases of our lives. Yeah, we did.

We will be back next time you see slash hear us. It will be our Tuesday Twitter show, 1.30 Pacific, 430, Eastern, 930 overseas in the UK. And then we'll be back audio show next Wednesday, where we'll be recapping the trade deadline, which is happening Tuesday at 4 p.m. Eastern. So make sure you follow us, as you always do, with such loyalty. We thank you so much.

This is Dan Hansa's signing off for The Quiet Storm, The Mailman, the old boss, and Ricky Hollywood behind the glass. Until Tuesday. Hey, take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies coaching trends and how front offices construct winning rosters we study the tape talk to decision makers and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else it's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on sundance don't miss it listen to the move the sticks podcast on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or

wherever you get your podcasts I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet.

We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL, visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. This is an IHeart podcast.