NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2019 Week 16 Recap

Episode Date: December 23, 2019

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Chris Wesseling, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal recap every game from Week 16 including the Cowboys disintegrating in front of the Eagles (3:00), the Saints win over the Titans (12:00) and nail biter between the Rams and 49ers (18:28). The Patriots defeated the Bills (34:12) and the Jets beat the Steelers (1:01:06), causing Gregg to pull out his playoff calculator. The Raiders technically still have a chance, much to Wess' dismay. (1:07:21).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. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we 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 Sunday. 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 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. The Around the NFL podcast. Won't have a buy until February. Damn right. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. presented by the United States Marine Corps.

My name is Dan Hansis. Coming to you from a room filled with heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What is up, boys? Hey, Dan. Week 16, flagship show. Can you even believe it? So much to look forward to if you're an NFL fan.

If you're a podcast fan. Not only do we have a lot of big games coming up, the playoffs, The Super Bowl also, as we announced at the end of our show on Thursday, the around the NFL live podcast from Miami. Oh, my goodness, the Thursday of Super Bowl Week from the Miami Improv. If you want to get tickets, hit Miami Improv.com slash events and just scroll down the calendar. You'll see it.

Also on our Instagram page, The ATN Pod. Is that what is it? The ATN podcast? Yes. You could get the link in the buy. as well of our profile. Get tickets. Bring your friends. Let's party.

Bring many friends, please. We'll tweet it. We'll pin it on the Twitter account around the NFL too. We'll try to get some special guests. Maybe Gloria Estefan. Wow, an owner. One of the Williams sisters, basically, yes, the entire ownership group of the dolphins we're going to gun for.

And if we can't, Mark Sessler personally, we'll spend time with each and every one of you after the show. Yes, I will. And whenever we do these traveling shows, and it's been a couple Super Bowls. It's a treasure emotionally to find out, you know, we're very big in Miami. And it's just that's being confirmed

through a lot of factors, factual things. So it's exciting. You know. That was quite a point, well. All right. So, yes, be there. That's going to be fun. We're looking forward to it.

We have a lot to get to. Oh, my goodness. Greg, this is one of your biggest weeks of the season in terms of playoff computations. this is when we really lean on you. And you understand that. You know that. I've been, you know, preparing.

I got extra sleep. I did push-ups. This calculator buttons, you know, don't press themselves. Plus, your family's out of town. They've left you. Yeah. For Japan. Yeah.

And you now have all this time to yourself. I don't know what you're doing with all this time. I've heard some strange reports. I just hope all that free time doesn't lead to faulty computations. I hope so. I mean, I hope you're right. All right. So we're going to get to all the games. There were three games, of course, on Saturday, and we'll get to them in fairly short order.

But let's start with a couple Sunday games that really jumped out to us. Yes, including one that could very well end up deciding the NFC East. So let's start in the city of Brotherly Love. Prescott, back, Prescott steps up. He is firing deep, and it is incomplete, incomplete. Broken off by Cindy Jones. who made the play of the day against the Giants two weeks ago. Well, Sidney Jones just made the play of the day

because he is stride for stride down the sideline and able to get the football out intended for Michael Gallup down that left side. This game is not over yet. Oh, but it was Brad Sham the Sham God and Babe Laughanburg with a call for KRLD. Yes, Sydney Jones broke up, Dak Prescott's fourth down. pass to Michael Gallup in the end zone. And then the Eagles were able to run for a couple, complete a first down pass, run for another first down,

and end the game. They win 17 to 9 over the Eagles. And the Cowboys had a chance West to win the division. Didn't come close in this one. And the Eagles are the team. They're playing like a true team when it matters most. And the Cowboys, it just seems to be busting apart at the seams. Well, I think it's the second time in three weeks where you look at the Cowboys

operation and the Blue Boys. blame just gets spread across the board. Starting with the coaching staff, they were just running into stacked boxes. Seemed like the entire first half on early downs when the Eagles cornerbacks were injured, they were lining up to take numbers at the medical tent for a while for the Eagles. There were so many injuries. And the matchups, you could tell, was the Cowboys' Wide Receivers on the Eagles cornerbacks, and they kept running on early downs, and then you spread the blame to the players

because, you know, Amari Cooper drops, Jason Whitten drop, Cobb, a couple of drops, Michael Gallup drop, Dak Prescott, who's got a bum shoulder, a couple of misfires, especially at Tavon Austin, got wide open on the final drive with a chance for a long touchdown. There was a third down throw that Dak missed Amari Cooper. The defense could not stop the Eagle's screenplays in Miles Sanders. It was just a poor effort across the board.

And I, this is, to play like that with the season on the line twice and three weeks, just terrible I look at the passing game and I know Dak Prescott's injured but it's 2019 and you're dropping back to pass 44 times

and the Eagles didn't really have much pressure on them they ended up with four QB hits on the day didn't have a ton of hurries if you look at the PFF pass blocking grades it's all great so you get great pass protection

you got Dak you got Amari you got Cobb you got all these players and you can't throw the ball against a team that in the Eagles that's giving up some pretty big point totals to some pretty bad offenses lately. I feel like whoever lost this game was going to face essentially

a home city firing squad. Because, you know, Troy Aikman notably called this Eagles win the best team win he's ever seen, which that shocks me because it feels a tad... Feels like Troy's in his feelings a little bit. Yeah, it feels a tad hyperbolic

because it wouldn't be surprised if next week the Cowboys went out and wiped out Team X and the Eagles lost and they're both eight and eight. I just, the Eagles, to me, it's a Dallas Goddard guy stepping up when Zach Ertz is out. That's huge and that's a big win, but it's still a very inconsistent team, both of them. I think Troy is referencing the fact that even if the Eagles were healthy, the Cowboys have a much better roster at this point. And they weren't healthy.

They were decimated by injuries and the Cowboys still have an incredibly more talented roster than the Eagles at this point in the season. And the undermanned Eagles just took it to the Cowboys. And if you want to make the case that Jason Garrett has, overstate is welcome, and it's finally time to say goodbye. I understand it, and I think anybody that says that's not something that should be done, really, he better have a good reason why, because Garrett has not made the most of this team. But then it's like the only thing, and I bring this up occasionally on this podcast, the only thing that gets on my radar a little bit when people get mad at coaching staff or a head coach is,

man, where is the accountability on the players in this game? To your point, West, how many big plays and game-changing plays that Tavon Austin, overthrow by DAC, the drops by Gallup. These plays are absolutely on a team that is not stepping up when it matters most, when it counts, and maybe it's a personnel issue as much as it is a coaching issue. And that's just the story of this Cowboys season, that everybody kind of faltered. It wasn't just a head coach's fault. I agree with that, that the players have to take some of the blame, but it's on the coaches to stress the urgency here. And for the past month, urgency here for a team that is way more talented than any other NFC East team. And that hasn't been

done. And a guy like Joe Banner, who, you know, I know some people like him, don't like him, used to be the president of the Browns, president of the Eagles, spent the entire game pointing out the specific areas in which Jason, yes, on Twitter, the specific areas in which Jason Garrett was getting out-coached, in which the Cowboys defensive staff was getting out-coached. And then you see things like Jason Garrett punting on fourth and one in the fourth quarter and then the very next drive going forward on fourth and eight and the drive after that going forward on fourth and nine and it's like where what's the logic here and on the key snap of the game amari cooper's not in there amari cooper told reporters he was pulled out by coaches that wasn't a case of him

pulling himself out there was also a key third and one where zeke apparently you know hit his helmet that he wanted to be taken out which is going to get attention it's you I know I'm sure he was tired and all of that, but that's a play that you expect Ezekiel Elliott to want the ball and to be on the field. Yeah, they have three more wins the Cowboys do than the New York Giants. It is completely unacceptable. From where we were at the beginning of this season,

you looked at this roster up and down, that the blame is spread everywhere, but the coaching staff has found a way year after year to not maximize the roster. Well, they can't, I really do think there is something unique about Dallas that because of Jerry Jones and the way, way he treats his players because the way the city treats their players that they struggle with success. And just because it keeps happening, every single time they have a good season and they

expect the next season's going to be the one. It never happens because football, there's such a small margin between these teams when you lose a little bit of that edge. It's huge. And I think the biggest mistake Jones made in the Garrett era was 2013 after their third straight eight and eight. When Garrett had blown so many game management situations over and over and over again. And to me that felt like the time where he had shown that he wasn't your coach. And here you are another six years later headed to an eight and eight. And maybe the playoffs. You said it. I can totally see them winning next week and the Eagles losing that game to the Giants. The Cowboys have the Redskins. I mean, I don't think this thing is necessarily over. We've mentioned this

before. This season has been so up and down. I think the Eagles will win by the way, but it's just possible that you'd like to think that. But weirder things have happened in our universe than two weeks from now, we're talking about the Cowboys and the Wildcard round having shocked a team at home, seem like the Seahawks. Or the Eagles, and I just want to give the Eagles the credit they deserve here, because Carson Wentz leading the way for the past three weeks, how could you not be ultra-impressed with him? In the last two years, he's been basically sidelined by injuries this time of year and what you've been able to see. And even today, another example, we already have, he has almost nothing to work with at the wide receiver position. This game, he loses Zach Ertz, who is his security

blanket, his all everything. Some quarterbacks would go into a shell at that point and he would have a perfectly good excuse. In this case, Dallas Goddert and to Goddard's on him, good for him. He was able to step up in a big spot here. Nine for 91 and a touchdown and they just made the plays and he's played mistake-free ball

and as sloppy as once was when they were struggling. These last three weeks he has been exactly who they've needed. Greg Ward outplayed Amari Cooper today. And we touched on this in the preview of this game that the Eagles have something on office. offense now that they didn't have a month ago. Greg Ward, Dallas Goddard, Zach Ertz, Miles Sanders.

This is way more than they had working for them a month ago. And Carson Wentz. And Wentz the difference today, I thought, was in these third and short situations, in these third down situations, Wentz found a way to move the chains, whether it was by rushing, whether it was avoiding pressure and hitting receivers. Dak did not find a way to make those players. And as good as Wentz has been playing late in the season, Miles Sanders has over 300 yards in the last two weeks.

That's huge fun. That is monster. You're getting Christian McCaff, granted, it's two weeks, but he had some games before that. But you're getting Christian McCaffrey production out of Miles Sanders' last two. He's now one of five rookies in history to have 500 yards rushing and receiving in the same rookie season. The Eagles are a win at the Meadowlands against the Giants away in week 17 from the NFC East title. Let's move on the Saints are team that will be playing postseason football. And they had a chance to strengthen their chances at a buy in Nashville.

What happened? Breeze under center here, eye formation. Joshel motions left to right. Breeze is going to look to throw. Throw into his right throws. And it's caught. And guess who? Michael Thomas from two yards out.

Mike Thomas gets the touchdown back. And he now extends his lead 145 receptions in one football season with a game to go. Look out now. Zach Streep, Saints Radio Network with the call. Yes, in week 15, it was Drew Breeze making NFL history. In week 16, it was Drew Breese making NFL history. In week 16, it was. Michael Thomas's turn.

Thomas set the single-season catch record and caught the game icing touchdown pass you just heard and a 38-28 win over the Titans in Nashville. At 12 and 3, the Saints remain in the hunt for the number one seed in the NFC. Greg, this was another impressive win for a Saints team that looks ready to do some damage in January, regardless of where they fall in the playoff bracket. They look like a Super Bowl team to me, and I think Super Bowl teams have these check marks games that they have to go through. And they lost that tough one against the 49ers a couple weeks ago,

but down 14-3 on the road. You have two of your starting offensive linemen out of the game. Your offense, and Drew Brees was just furious through the first five drives of this game. They had one field goal and four punts, and you're playing a good team on a short week, and they score five touchdowns in their next six possessions. And they put up 38 points

in Tennessee. And Tennessee is a little banged up in the secondary. They were without Derek Henry in this game as well. And Jeffrey Simmons was out. They might have been looking a little bit to Week 17 just in terms of those decisions, but they were playing as hard as they can. And for an offense to just take over,

that's the Saints to me. And I really love their chances of getting a buy. We'll have to see what happens in the next couple days or next week or so. But they are putting themselves in position to be in the Super Bowl. There's a lot of bubbling up on Twitter of when they were struggling against the Titans at one point in this game that, oh, it's just like every other Saints team. You put outside, they're not going to be able to do anything.

That's going to happen. But now, I think that there's a reason for that belief because it has been true of Dome teams and it's been true of Drew's, Drew Brees. But it hasn't been true of this New Orleans Saints team. They're 6 and 1 on the road this year versus 6 and 2 at home. They have the best record in the NFL on the road over the last three years. So if they got some bad luck and did have to play, some games on the road and don't get that by like they're hoping for.

I do think that this is a team that can be anyone anywhere in the NFC. How did Alvin Kamara look? He looked like a different Alvin Kamara, especially on his touchdown run. Just the speed was there. He still didn't make guys miss in the open field, but it felt like a relief for him to get that 40-yard touchdown run. He added another touchdown later in the game, had 110 total scrimmage yards.

So I think they feel much better when he's running like that, especially because they will get their linemen back, they believe. I don't, I don't, the one thing that happened in this game that I, to me, was just a ghastly moment officiating wise. And it deserved a longer look was the Khalif Raymond fumble for the Titans. Oh, yeah. Where the, you know, what, the, stop by one defender, but the second one coming in, I saw helmet to helmet contact.

And you mentioned that the broadcast didn't really, they kind of let it flowed by. That's the kind of thing. That was a key moment in that contest. And it kind of killed Tennessee's chances. I mean, it goes both ways. It's become impossible to kind of accurately get that right because the game's moving so fast and how many times will be seen 15-yard penalties assessed on a team

that did not land a head-to-head ball. But in that case, it was stopped because they were checking, it was on a turnover to set the stage. But can you call that on challenge? You could have. Mike Rable did, you know, no after the game. Look, they looked at that play. And when they look at that play,

they can look at everything. You know, that's one of the things that they can look at. That happened on a turnover. Kaleef Raymond fumbled the ball, like right when he got hit. It appeared to be contacted in the head. The Saints pick it up, and then they go for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to go up 10. So it was a huge spot. The Titans fought really well all game.

And I guess the officiating, you know, back in New York, decided it wasn't enough to overturn it. And the Derek Henry sitting, I'm sure there were a lot of fantasy owners that were devastated by that. but that could end up being a brilliant move by them because they still, they're in the playoffs, they got to beat the Texans, and then they need the Steelers to lose to the Ravens, if I'm correct, Greg, computations. Yeah, they just need to win. That's all they need, win it in.

They didn't know that when they started today, but they knew that next week was going to be the key game, and Pittsburgh loss helped them out. They can also get in with a Pittsburgh and Indianapolis loss. If those two teams lose next week, Tennessee wouldn't even have to win. But it's a weird day for Tennessee because they came out of it despite the loss in better shape than they were going into it because of the Pittsburgh game. And feeling even better about Ryan Taney.

It took a couple more sacks. But God, it's amazing how well he's throwing the football. He's throwing the football, like the ball as well as, I would say, any, like a top five quarterback. He threw it great again. It was the only reason they were in this game. There were a ton of big plays in both directions. he made some great things.

And I saw a couple plays where the Saints were right in his face and his grill and he got the ball. It just looks like a completely different player than he was in Miami. The concern would be their offensive line, which was definitely a problem. He held the ball too long a few times, but Taylor Luan had a rough day. And in general, he had to make some tough throws. And the Texans are likely locked in to their seed or they can't make a move into the buy. So you would imagine the Titans might be facing a Texan team that's not playing everybody or playing big snaps next week. So things could be all right for Tennessee to cite what happened today.

It's going to be one of the stories, not to spoil what teams do want to play next week. Because the Texans will, in theory, have seating to play for no matter what. It's the three and the four seed, though. So how much do you care about that? And you're going to need to get help to move up and get that three seed. It might not be that. Jay Wada in playing. Well, that's for sure.

Texans are shallow. They need to keep their players healthy. Yep. All right, let us now check in on the Saturday games. Let's roll through them, and we'll start with the Saturday night game up at the Burtbell bottom. Geropolo in the gun, Kittled to his left, but he moistered to his right. They twist the front, Garapolo, going to throw a deep shot. Down the field, Emmanuel Sanders has got it.

They ever touch him? He can still run, I think. I'm not sure they touched him down. In any event, the 49ers are in field goal range. It is Robbie Gold Time. What a shot there on third and 16? They pick up 46 on the post drop to Emmanuel Sanders. Greg Papa with the call for the 49ers Radio Network.

The Niners seemed to be involved in late game dramatics every week. This week they were on the right side of the ledger. Emmanuel Sanders, 46-yard catch, set up a chip shot Robbie Gould Field goal. This time ran out. 49ers win, 34 to 31 over the Rams. The loss eliminates Los Angeles. from postseason contention nearly 11 months after they made it all the way to the Super Bowl. And, you know, this is a game that is still coming down to Niners Rams next week.

But you wanted a Niners team coming off that really bad Atlanta game. You didn't want to lose another one here and put yourselves in a situation where you feel like you're trending downward in the wrong direction. So credit to them also, you know, that's a tough game against the Rams team that was desperate for a win. The Rams needed to win twice and get Minnesota to lose twice to get back to the playoffs. And instead, they get the job done. And on the Ram's side of the ball, I mean, it was such a frustrating season for the Rams. After that 3-0 start, they just could never really get things going. And you wonder what Liza had for this team. But I thought it was just fitting the

way that this game, you know, the play that you just heard went down where Jalen Ramsey and the safety had a miscommunication. I don't think it was Ramsey's fault. Well, Ramsey called out safety Taylor Rap is saying after the game that he blew the assignment. I don't know if you want players saying that by each other, but that's... I mean, Charles Davis said it on the broadcast, too.

Taylor Rap was Guard and Air. There was no one anywhere near Taylor and Ramsey got beat on the play. And whatever the... Who was responsible for what? It was a coverage bus that absolutely could not happen in that spot. And it kind of a crushing way for your season to essentially be ruined to break down mentally in that spot. So the Rams go home and the Niners are feeling good against a compromised Seahawks team coming up in week 17.

Feels like there's been so many crucible moments for Jimmy Garoppel over the second half of the season. He's won some, he's lost some, but I don't get the doubt at this point. We know that at this point he's not a guy where the moment ever seems too big for him. I mean, despite his lack of experience coming into this year, who's more battle tested for January? Jimmy G as we head toward the playoffs. They went from a team that won a lot of games by a lot of points to about seven straight weeks, many of which against really good teams, have all been, you know, knuckle. What do they call them?

Knuckle, knuckle, knuckling down? White knuckler? White knuckler. What does that even mean the white knuckle? You're so tight that the... I think like working men of the past knew what that meant. I'm not sure we do. It's like your hands are on the steering wheel and all you can see is white knuckles.

And he didn't even play that well in this game. I mean, that's the weird thing about this game. You watch it. It wasn't a great Jimmy G game overall until the end. And Jared Gough played incredible. It's one of the weird things about this Rams season is you couldn't get everything going right at the same time. Jared Gough made four or five throws in this game

that were as good or better than any Jimmy G's a soul-crushing mistake. Yeah, and one big mistake. You put up 31 on the 49ers, even giving up a pick six, you expect to win that game, and it could have repercussions. Mike Silver hinted at that in his column that Wade Phillips could be a goner after this year. you're and maybe Todd Gurley too. And from the 49ers at this point, you wonder what their identity is.

And to me, it just seems like it's George Kittle. Hop on his back, let one of the five best players in the NFL take you there, and he will. Two third and 16 conversions setting up. It was outrageous. Field goal, the second being that coverage bust that we mentioned. I think the one thing that jumped out to me a little bit that I'd be concerned with. If I was a 49ers fan was the offensive line, Garapolo didn't have a lot of time in this game. There were a lot of times the pocket was pretty jacked up. And we know they lost

Weston Richburg, the center to an injury, some bad snaps in this game. Also, in general, you imagine not every team has an Aaron Donald and a Dante Fowler, but in January, they're going to send, you know, they're going to be coming after Garoppelow and he can't protect him. He's going to make mistakes. He's not, he's not a mistake. He's not a flawless quarterback. And if you put the pressure on him, he could throw a game away, I think. Would anyone have a problem with Kyle Shanahan winning coach of the year? I guess it's outside of the Ravens situation. To me, he stands out. I think it's John Horrible. I wouldn't have a problem, though. Those would be my two, and it seems basic because they've got the best records. But I also think,

you know, in Harbaugh's case, they have the most creative offense, the most creative defense, and he's the one that put it up, you know, put it in charge. But in Shannon's case, what team has overcome more adversity in terms of injuries and been competing every week? Even their three losses were all, you know, at the last second, he's done a good job. They don't have that outlier game or two where they just didn't show up every single week. Their team, it's kind of the opposite of the rim. Their team seems to pick each other up. I'd be a little concerned that defense isn't nearly as dominant as it was early in the year,

but they still have the personnel there where you think that with the right matchup and in the playoffs that they certainly, like last night when I'm watching this 49ers defense, I'm always thinking their defense is going to make a play. And they did make a couple. I feel like the arrow's been pointing up on Gurley. in the second half. And I know due to his contract, it'd be very hard to get out from under it.

Would they be that desperate to lose him? I know he didn't have a big yardage day in this game. But I don't know, he has been moving better in the second half. I guess maybe they're looking for a fresh start. Maybe we're in that territory. I think a lot of changes could be coming to the, I mean,

in Mike Silver noted it. But, you know, this is, they put themselves in a kind of win now mode where they're not winning now and they have no draft picks coming up. You know, there are some questionable transactions and moves attached to that front office. Silver's column, which was very good,

made it seem like McVeigh was more pressing for more changes after this loss than the Super Bowl loss that he took this one harder. All right, let's check in on the early game on Saturday. Empty backfield now for Janus Winston. Here's the snap. Winston, quick throw left side.

Intercepted at the 40-yard line. Jaliel Adai with the pick. The Texans have the ball at the 38 with 127 left, and the buffs. with only one time out. Mark Van Damir with the call for the Texan. Oh, here we go. Uh-oh.

Follow that Texan. Copland. Follow that Texans. Ball that Texans. Did you miss this last week, Mark? Totally. Oh, yeah. Bring me the girl.

Sacrifice her. To the great beast. There's Mark. You get those moves. Why am I the last person remaining in that graphic? That's how it would be in real life. The Texans forced five turnovers. Bratley.

Robby. Forced. The Texans were the recipient of five turnovers. Four from the quarterback. James Winston, including a pick six. The sixth, pick six. by Winston tying an NFL record. And yes, that interception you heard basically put the Bucks in a body bag.

2320 Texans win, clinching the AFC South for the fourth time in five years. Mark, we had an idea that the Houston D.Bs could have some opportunity with Winston missing his top two receivers. And that's exactly how it played out. What a roller coaster. I mean, the day started with Ian Rapp Report of NFL Network reporting that the Bucks intend to bring Winston back based on this hot month that he's had. Don't leak that out until after week 17. That's the lesson, it's always.

Well, yeah, the timing, you know, and then hours later, this stat absolutely is fascinating to me that when we went to London and we saw James Winston against the Panthers throw five interceptions, that announcing booth included Rich Eisen, and he did the game yesterday along with Joe Thomas, who in his first day as an announcer, Joe Thomas, saw an insane opening 15 or 20 minutes. But Rich Eisen led booths have now witnessed. nine James Winston interceptions in the course of two games. I mean, and I will say this about the Bucks, though,

and watching this at home, it made me just love Saturday football. This would have been one I would have caught on game pass and condensed late, but the way that it unfolded, and it was finally you got that Tampa Bay field under clouds, and it looked glorious, forget that hideous Tampa Bay Sun. But, I mean, the Bucks to me struck me is very resilient because a number of calls. You could point to a number of calls that went a number of calls. against them that seemed totally ridiculously unfair. And Bruce Ariens, I thought, was going to maybe get booted from this game at one point

because he was red, hot, furious with the officials. And there was a moment where an official came over to circle back and kind of explain the latest debacle. And you could sort of see Ariens saying, get the F out of here. I mean, his face matches his red hat and his red pullover head coach jacket at the stage in his life. I worry about the man's health. I heat, but he had a reason to be hot.

And, you know, the Texans, the Bucks run defense has been lights out for a long time. And they absolutely smothered what Houston tried to do on the ground. 2.6 yards per carry. Deshawn Watson, you know, they lost Will Fuller, and I think that seems to happen every week to them. And then their passing game never really, I thought got unhooked for the most part. They put it to Houston. I thought this game was going to go Tampa Bay's way for a while because it's one of those things

where it was started so ugly for Winston and the rest. And then they still were only down like 10-3. hanging around and the Texans and they're an up and down team were refusing to put them away. But, you know, Winston did what he does at the end too. It did feel that way. Like this was a game that Houston would let get away and it would destroy them. But it didn't because to the Texans credit, they do find a way usually. And they have their hiccups every so often, but they do a good job closing games out.

But at the same time, one of my big takeaways from the game was that they're in trouble again. And I thought with the Will Fuller injury, it's another soft tissue injury. This time it's a groin and it doesn't look good. And Bill O'Brien after the game, he was fairly blunt in his assessment. He was saying what everybody else is thinking. You can understand why frustration has set in. Here's the quote. He's a great guy and I love coaching him, but it is hard for him to stay healthy.

That's the bottom line. And there's tons of next-gen stats and anywhere you look that would point out how much better this offense has been with Fuller on the field. But it's almost gotten to the point where you just have to assume he's not. not on the field, and that's something that they're going to have to look to address in the off seat. That's why that Kenny Stills edition by B-O-B makes him again, those early season trades made some sense for the Texans. I mean, James Winston was missing his top two receivers, and he moved the ball, and

that's perhaps a little bit unfair because he can throw caution to the win with no consequence. Well, their offense is better lately. It's better than, well, I don't know about better. I feel it's physically impossible for Winston's decision-making process to ever factor in risk. I mean, he could have thrown another couple in this game. We talked about going to this game, he was six picks away from the hollowed. Actually, no one's ever established it yet, 30-30 club, 30 touchdowns, 30 picks.

He is now up to 28. It seems like a mortal lock than he's going to set it. It's going to happen. He mentioned it to the game that his goal for the final game would be to protect the ball and avoid turnovers, and it's like you'd have to change the way you're wired. That's not who he is. The first half to me was the culmination of his entire career. It was everything.

It was them falling down 17-3, him having all of those turnovers right off the bat, then getting it all the way, four turnovers, I believe, in the first half. Yeah, first 18 minutes. Yeah, and three by him. But getting it back to 17 all at halftime, including a terrific play right before the half to tie it, and that they were leading in yardage, 281 to 83, but it was a tie game. And like, that is the buck's experience. In this game, they held the Texans to 229 yards.

And that's not just because, you know, they're giving short fields with all these turnovers and they get extra possessions. It's because the Texans couldn't really move the ball throwing or passing. If there's one thing I think Bucks fans should feel, I think there's a few things Bucks fans should feel good about. One, this offense is working. I mean, whether Winston should be the quarterback or not,

I think that's a totally fair question. Maybe he shouldn't be. And finding another one's not easy. But I don't know. you put someone else here with Bruce Ariens and Godwin and Evans, and I bet it's going to be pretty good too. And then the defense is the main thing that surprised me. Their young secondary has stepped up.

I mean, Murphy Bunting, who you've talked a lot about, Wes, who's played great, Carlton Davis shut down DeAndre Hopkins pretty well. This is about five weeks where their defense has played well. So I think I'd feel pretty good about that if you're a Bucks fan. And Deshaun Watson was grabbing at his ankle at multiple points in this game. we mentioned it earlier. They can't really move too much in the playoffs. They're either going to be the three-seed or the four-seed.

You can make a case for keeping Watson on the bench and getting him ready for a wild card match. Right, and they would need a Chief's loss even to have a chance to move up anyhow in Week 17, which is unlikely the way that the Chiefs are playing in general. So it is a fair question, you'd be wonder. And they're very possibly, going to be hosting Buffalo Saturday afternoon in that first wildcard spot.

The new west of us. Buffalo is locked into the five-seed spoiler alert, and the Texans would most likely be the team hosting. What's changed for me with the Texans is I don't believe in their ceiling the same way I did six weeks ago. The idea of, ceiling being if you play the way they were capable of when they blew up the Patriots, that they're going to do that three games in a row in the play. The FC's a little deeper, too. Or it's better at the top.

You know, a lot of times it's the Patriots, maybe one other team. Now you've got at least two or three teams that are going to be tough to get through. Are there more Texans games than Bengal games on Westavis now, Wes? Has it reached that point? Wow, it's close. Westivis being the-Texivis. The Saturday early wildcard round game that the Bengals dominated throughout the early part of this decade. By dominate, you mean lose.

They were dominated in the games, but dominated the time slot. Right. I think they started out with three years in a row, but the Texans have come. up to them. And how dare you put the bills as the early game? They are primetime darling to that point. Fifth winning season out of six for Bill O'Brien. And another division championship.

It's not nothing. You know what I mean? It's like, good coach. It's not nothing. Good job for coming around on this. David Caldwell, the Jaguars GM is supposedly coming back. The Jaguars have one season with more than five wins in his seven years in charge. He's keeping his job.

And yet, Bill O'Brien, you know, I mean, they're winning the division. All right. The Texans were not the only team that clinched the division on Saturday. That's right. Fourth and goal for the 15. The blitz is coming. Alan running for his life. Woffs it toward the back of the end zone.

A man there. And it's knocked down. Incomplete. J.C. Jackson breaks it up in the corner of the end zone, knocking it away from Cole Beasley. And that should be enough to give the New England Patriots their 11th straight. AFC East title. Westwood won with a call.

I don't know why, but that's what we have. The Patriots rule the AFC East for another year. Josh Allen marched the bills inside the Patriots 10 in the final minutes, but the New England defense held securing a 2417 win that clinches the division and keeps the pads in line for their unprecedented 10th consecutive playoff by. My own. Listen, here's the thing. This is my takeaway from this game.

If you're a Patriots fan, you finally have something to feel good about now as you get closer to January because I thought this was a really good day for their offense, moving a ball on the ground. Sonia Michelle really moved well, had nearly 100 yards. They had 143 in total.

And that ability to keep the defense honest, really, I thought, helped Brady, who was crisp and efficient. and was accurate with his throws for the first time in some time, and this is not going to be a world-beating offense. But if you take this version of New England's offense and combine it with their defense, they absolutely, and you give them a short playoff field

with a buy and home games, yes, this is a team that can get back to the Super Bowl. If they play like this, now can they continue to string these games together? My concern is that they can, and they've hit on a recipe that they're going to ride hard here, because it's not particularly interesting fun football to watch either. But that was my big takeaway on the New England side

that they had something here and will they be able to replicate it as we go down into the playoffs. Guys made plays for Brady. I know there was a lot more that went into it and they certainly protected him pretty well against so-so pass rush of the bills. But guys made plays for him. Burke had made a couple of nice plays.

Edelman made contested catch. He leads the NFL and drops. He made some tough catch. catches. Jacoby Myers made a contested catch. Mohamed Sanu made a contested catch to keep a drive alive. Nikiel Harry did. It really felt to me like that was the number one thing watching this game was these guys are never that open.

And in this game, Brady was more accurate, but more importantly, the receivers made catches with guys on them. And it just kind of kept them on the field, which is just going to make everything look a lot better. And it was, to me, easily, their best game of the year on both, you know, overall. I'm with you. I have to wonder if quietly Bill Belichick has enjoyed this coaching experience and what he's got out of all three

phases, I mean, because it's special teams every week, and the defense is playing at magical levels at times. And I just I've never really, I can't think, I'm trying to think of another team that has had been so hamstrung on offense and found a way opponent to opponent to squeeze the life out of whoever they're playing and win in very weird, strange ways in some cases. I got way hooked into this emotionally because I felt myself just rooting...

Let me find that tweet. Routing hard for the bills because I just, I know what? They're so imperfect, but I love them. And I just wanted this city to experience a win over New England because... Well, do you hate the Patriots in your family? You know, but I know that's another thing is

the Patriots I've often... It's fine. It's a lot of people there. But at one point in every season, I hit it, I hit that wall with the Patriots where I'm done with it. And then they'll pull me back. Here's a tweet from Mark Sessler. The Patriots

advance beyond, quote, dumbly annoying, close quote, to open quote, death ray ponderous, close quote, levels. Their soft-bellied fanatics fanned and fed grapes as if they'd accomplished literally a particle of tangible progress in their own lives. Floating in soft ecstasy, Foxborough Thicks, vicarious goons. And this, uh, this led to some, Pushback. I would say that's, that's fair. Who came out? Do you get some barstool goons and?

I stopped looking because it was, no, it's the local radio guys. The full entree of New England. And it's fair. I mean, I put myself out there to be roundly abused by these people. And that's what's unfolding at the moment as we speak. I enjoyed it quite a bit. My thoughts on the bills is the same one that's kind of been holding for a while. Now, the bills are good.

It's their gift. And it's they're cursed. Curse. And when you're good, you could beat terrible teams and you can beat bad teams. You can beat mediocre teams. And probably more often than not this bill's team

could beat other good teams. But once you hit that next level, and I don't think the Patriots are a great team, but Greg, this is my scientific analysis. This game they were. They're a very good team. They just don't get it done. And we've seen that multiple times this season.

Now, the positive of this is one, you're going to the playoffs anyway, and that's going to be fun. Two, with two narrow losses to the Patriots this year, you know that this gap is not wide any longer, and it's something that you're trending in the right direction. It's something to build on next year, because everyone on the AFC East, the number one goal now entering the season

is knocking the Patriots out of their division chair, and the bills are closer than anybody else in that division right now. They're just not there yet, and I think that's what's going to haunt them when you get to January, when you play better than good teams, but there's nothing to be ashamed of anything they've done this season. Good for them for hanging tight in this game. We've been through almost two years, two seasons of Josh Allen,

and I understand that he's often the problem there, but I don't get like this skepticism that he can't possibly develop into a good quarterback. He's been confused by the Patriots twice now, and I know that's no small thing, but in the fourth quarter when you throw out the game plan and ask the quarterback to win the game for you, And he didn't come through, but that drive was really impressive.

When I watch his playing style and athletic ability, he's the closest I've seen to a young raw John Elway. He just has so much similarity to him as far as athletic ability, arm, ability to make plays when it breaks down, ability to drag the team down the field. I mean, nothing close in terms of accuracy. Well, Greg, you didn't watch John Elway when he was young, and he was incredibly inaccurate, and he was just as raw as Josh Allen. He had some hideous box scores back in that.

He was not a fantasy-type quarterback at all. That's from early in his career. Alan made some great throws. Look, he did. I thought the Patriots defense played their normal game, a really good game. They didn't force a single turnover, so that's abnormal. But the bills were in this game because Josh Allen had two just gorgeous throws. The touchdown at the end of the first half to Doss the Knox,

which seemed like it would be a killer, considering how well the Patriots had played that half to go in tied. And then the touchdown to John Brown were, you know, Brown ate up, Stefan Gilmore. and Devin McCordy, those were unbelievable. And the fourth quarter drive was awesome too. The problem is he also had layups that he missed throughout the first. He had some layups in the first half that just ended drives. And then you just don't, the thing I've, it's so, it seems obvious, but the thing it took me a weird, long time to realize is like every NFL quarterback

is going to make completions if he's protected. Every single one. That's how good they are. But Josh Allen does not all the time. time. And so that, like, the fact that he doesn't fit into that bucket where I think, you know, even the Mark Sanchez or whoever, they're going to complete passes when they're protected. Like that, it just worries me. But he obviously has a lot of other good qualities that makes up for it and puts them in this position. And he's entertaining to watch. Yes, he is. He is. I, uh, I don't know. This, uh, the way that game ended with Kyle Van Nuoy, uh, getting two straight pressures was to me kind of an under, undersung part of it is he beat their left tackle. John Dawkins two straight times. He is their best pass rush, or he is their best player in the front seven. It was too bad he didn't make the Pro Bowl in my mind, but that was kind of a classic way.

Their pass rush sealed that game. They got him for the sack, Alan, and then it was basically a jailbreak. It looked like in the last play of the game leading to the incompletion. They have to beat the Dolphins next week. That is essentially a playoff-like game for them, whereas if they beat the dolphins, then they advance to the divisional round. I love their chance. You don't see Brian Flores being involved in some Pink Pony stuff that allows New England.

to fly right through Miami, like a brick through a piece of paper. You've got to convince Ryan Fitzpatrick here. Right, exactly. First of all, this Dolphins team hasn't laid down for anyone, but they did play once earlier in the year, and the Patriots won that game. And Dolphins spent plenty of time laying down to the Bengals towards the end of that game.

I was going to say the same Dolphins that blew a 35-12 lead earlier today. Hey, they won it. Let's move back to Sunday. Empty back field. Jackson out of the shotgun. Once the throw, blitz pressure coming. Jackson hit. Lob to the end.

Caught! Touchdown! Mark Andrews! Adlib to perfection from Jackson to Andrews, and the Ravens converts in the final minute of the opening half. The hay will soon be in the barn, Jerry Sandusky, W-B-A-L. Yes, Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes. Two to Mark Andrews, late in the second quarter. And he ran for another 100 yards. Lamar Jackson, this is, if there was any doubt, this kind of. kind of removed it. He is the MVP, and you'll find out for sure in about a month. But yes,

the Ravens clinched the top seat on the AFC playoffs for the first time in their history with their 11th straight win, 3115 over the Browns. Mark, Baltimore's offense took some time to get going, but there's an inevitability about this team. They just always get you in the end. They do. And the reason I asked you to play that highlight was that it capped, or was right, sandwiched in between a sequence that went from the end of the first half early into the third that highlighted for me everything that's wrong with the Browns and everything that's right with the Ravens, where basically, all right, the Browns are up 6-0 and had done a really nice job on defense of making this a tough world for Lamar Jackson and the rest of the offense.

And they had another marking or fumble, which happened the first time they beat Baltimore. Things were going their way, and their offense, you know, has issues Cleveland. But they basically, so the Ravens go on what is a very quick two-played 63-yard touchdown March, all right? Takes about a minute. Quite a March. Yeah, I don't know if that's a March. You're just like basically just threw a rope for a touchdown. The Browns get the ball back and they're down 7-6.

You've got to find a way to get out of that half before, just stop the bleeding. Get out of that half because you're kicking off to Baltimore. So what did they do? They fire off a string of passes. They're three and out and their drive takes 23 seconds. You give the ball right back to Baltimore. on a short field, and that just happened, the highlight. So suddenly it's 14-6.

You come out of half, you kick the ball back to Baltimore. They rip down the field on 13 plays, 69 yards, taking up eight minutes nearly of the third quarter. That's a March. Right? That's a March. And they're up 21-6, and you know the game is over. And the game is over because they are well-coached.

They understand situational awareness. They understand how to deal with the final two or three minutes of a half and maximize it and use it in a way that destroys their opponent. in Cleveland is absolutely the opposite end of the spectrum. They looked lost, completely lost. You have, by the end of this game, O'Dell Beckham screaming at Freddie Kitchens on the sideline. Now, they said later, because this was the Browns climbed back in

and went for an early two-point conversion when they would have needed another touchdown to tie. And, you know, you got Baker Mayfield throwing to Ricky Seals Jones where O'Dell Beckham is basically, Tony Romo thought he was annoyed at Freddy Kitchens for saying, why isn't the ball obviously going to me? why is not the whole play on our season is on the line with a very little oxygen left

and we're throwing to Ricky Seals Jones and after the game, Freddie Kitchen said, no, it was Odell upset about the Ravens and the way the Ravens were playing physical with them. I just don't know what I buy at this point because every game to me is a reflection of a coaching staff and an overall organization that spent the whole year cannot get out of their own way.

And today was against your mortal enemy, the Baltimore Ravens, the team ripped from you and the team that's going on to have the success that you should have if you were a functional organization, the Browns cannot make it happen. And it was one of the more depressing losses. And you have to, it is inexcusable. Well, it is inexcusable at this point. For 15 weeks, Mark, in what has been, since I known him, the most disappointing Brown season,

given how exciting everything was heading into it, Mark for 15 weeks was in pretty good shape in the newsroom. Did not really get upset, did not get very annoyed. kind of viewed it as in its own level of inevitability. But for some reason, this game is the one that got you, triggered you. My apathy is helping me. Maybe not. The storm was so quiet as if to be non-existent for 15 weeks. But today, the quiet storm raged.

Well, they've squeezed. And, you know, Browns fans, I'm sure, at this point are just, they find new ways to author terrible seasons. And this just is, any team where you don't add up to the, talent of your roster. We talk about it with the Cowboys. It's just inexcusable. And by all accounts, we met with Freddie Kitchens. I like the guy. Seems like a good guy. It's not a personal thing, but I don't know how you argue that you bring the staff back for next season. There's just no way. And it's another one and done scenario. It's embarrassing. But you have to hope you can

get someone in here that can work with this locker room. Mark Ingram left this game with a injury of some kind. Is it anything to worry about? I, you know, at one point, he was hurt. Lamar Jackson was hobbling around. Mark Andrews was hobbling around, and I just, they need, they need rest. I don't know what the deal is with. The calf injury, and Adam Schaefter reported it's a strain. Right, and there are no structural issues or anything like that. So it sounds like I just, you might not see them next week when they play this dealer. Right. And then that's three weeks off for them, which is tricky, but they're wrapping up, you know, one of the great regular seasons of the last 20, 30 years. That's how good this Ravens team is. I'm not surprised that the Ravens defense kind of choked

out this brown's offense eventually because that's what's changed the most since they met in week four I'm just like amazed looking at Lamar Jackson going over 100 yards again rushing it's not even a big deal anymore that he ran for 176 times this year for over 1,200 yards averaging you know almost 7 yards per carry assuming he threw for 36 touchdowns too by the way that I know we're just like used to it at this point, but to think of, if anyone had thought that this was possible in August, even his biggest fans, like that, that Lamar Jackson of all these guys who was drafted last year. Or the Making the Leap author. Right. It is the MVP, an MVP playing football. And it's just like, I don't know. It's amazing. In the time we've done this podcast, we've had some really

incredible individual seasons, individual seasons, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Adrian Peterson, Patrick homes last year, but this one just feels unique. It's like we've never seen anything like this. And it's the way the whole organization bought into this, you know, when the entire rest of the NFL doubted that it could be done. It was, oh, it's a nice five or six game stretch last year. And then they were figured out in the playoffs and it's not going to work. And it's like, no, everyone's wrong.

Yeah, that playoff loss where he looked, you know, so exposed for three and a half quarters, that was the last time we saw him before this happened. It's just remarkable what he's turned into in such a fast expedient. And it's a team, he's the key, and they built it all around him. But his success in the MVP is a team thing because he wouldn't be able to only throw the ball 25 times or less in every game since week six unless their defense was playing that well, unless every, you know, the offensive line. I mean, he's the key that makes them all look better, and that's why he's the MVP.

but it's pretty remarkable that they've been able to keep with that formula every single week. I think Baltimore is an underrated place to have to go play, and they have home field advantage. I just don't know who is going to take them out at this point. We will see. Greg, would you care to guess whether John Harbaugh is going to play RG3 for at least three quarters next? I think he's going to play him the whole game because Garifolo did indicate earlier this week that they would probably sit Lamar Jackson. So I wouldn't be surprised if RG3 starts.

and I wouldn't be surprised if the Ravens' backups or at least, you know, you can't sit everyone, I wouldn't be surprised if the Ravens backup beat the Steelers. We saw it in 2004, I remember when the Steelers backup. I mean, it's the Steelers backups mostly too, but yeah. Right, that's partly what I mean. Like, I think the Ravens backups with RG3

can have a good chance to beat Duck Hodges and whoever the Steelers are lining up. I wouldn't say that that's just a game that you chalk up. I just remember so distinctly that two, 2004 Steelers team, which was great, who had the one seat sat everyone. They played Willie Parker and their backups in week 17. Bill's fans got knocked out of the playoffs with a home game,

thinking that they're going to beat their backups. I don't know, this Ravens organization is special. The one thing I'd say is whenever RG3 has been in there, I mean, the, that offense falls into unwatchable territories. No, it doesn't. It won't for them. It won't for them. It'll matter for the Steelers.

But, yeah. All right. We're going to get to the Steelers in a second, but there was another. upset to dig into this in the NFC. Three receivers in the game. Shotgun Sam Huntley's going to throw looking to his left in trouble

gets hit, breaks out of there, rolling right to the 20 to the 15, cuts back to the left of the 10. He's at the 5 and he's got the first down as he dives to the three yard line. Oh my goodness, Brad Huntley was sacked. I mean, you literally had a Seahawk with his arms around

his waist in the pocket and somehow he got out of that. And then an incredible run by seven. Oh, man, I want Ron Wolfie at Thanksgiving dinner next year. Christmas dinner, New Year's Eve. Simply invite him. I'm sure he would do that for you. Ron Wolfie and Dave Passed on the play-by-play for the Cardinals Radio Network. Yes, Brad Hunley.

You remember him. He replaced an injured Kyler Murray, and he gave the Seahawks' fits on defense, making big plays to close out a rather surprising, 27-13 upset win. over the Seahawks in the clink. Greg, the Seahawks can still win the NFC West with a win next week against the Niners. But, you know, this loss and some crushing injury news kind of puts their whole season in a different category now.

No team had a worst day. They lost Dwayne Brown, you know, before the game even started, and it turns out he's going to need a knee surgery. That's their left tackle. Mike Yipati, their guard went in and out of this game, missed most of the first half. Chris Carson is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a hip injury. C.J. Procise, who came in as Carson's backup, also got hurt and will be out for Week 17.

Rashad Penny, of course, are already out. Broke his arm. And who's the defensive player that I'm now forgetting got hurt? We'll get back to that later. Janavia and Clowney didn't play in this game, and maybe he'll return, and that'll help. And they could have used him because even before all these injuries. kept cascading, the Seahawks defense had no, what, you're always in Claylocking. Dan has some relative, him and Jadavian Clownie, although you met each other once and you interviewed him.

No, I have no problem with him, but it is remarkable. This guy, for all the talking points, is never on the field. Well, factually, that's totally wrong until this year. He played a higher percentage of snaps over the last three years than literally almost any defense. That's wrong. Lineman in the league. Check your math. This year, he's always playing through injury.

Don't get in the way of our muck-raking journalism. This year he's definitely been off and on, and that has hurt them big time. It's remarkable and yet not totally shocking to see their defense struggle against the Cardinals. The bigger surprise was that Russell Wilson could not come up with anything offensively throughout the entire day. Even before these injuries were happening,

They had a first drive touchdown, and then after that, they couldn't get anything going. I mean, you looked at this. D.K. Metcalfe targeted once a drop, and that was it. And then Tyler Lockett, a guy we were just singing the praises of heading into this game because he was healthy and making plays again. He shows up in this game, and he finishes with one catch for 12 yards on eight targets. This is not what we expected ever from the Seahawks offense. And I know this doesn't, as I laid out at the top of this,

this does not end their season, this loss, but it's just something seemed very wrong with the Seahawks. How many people out there lost their fantasy championships today? And probably maybe even to get there because of what's happened to Chris Carson. And then how many won because they had Kenyon Drake, who has six touchdowns in two weeks and went off for 166 yards today,

turning David Johnson once again into a raging afterthought? Two carries for three yards for David Johnson. who was once viewed as like the future of the position. And the King and Drake's a free agent, so they have to decide whether to pay him and cut David Johnson or pay both or what's going on. Well, they're going to cut. They're definitely cutting David Johnson.

And they did say they want to sign Drake. His price tag went up, but he fits that offense. I give Cliff Kingsbury so much credit. And it was almost fitting that his best moment as a coach, a rookie coach, was with Brett Hunley on the field running plays. The fact that they were able to still have a decent running game. And some of it was just improvised Hunley. scrambling, but some of it was Kenyon Drake's runs that were very creative, that even with

Hunley at quarterback, they were able to move the ball. The Seahawks did come back. You know, they were down 20 to 7. They cut it to 2013. It's 10 minutes left. The clink is going crazy, and you think, okay, they're going to come back and win this game. That's what they do. And then the Hunley led Cardinals go on a nine-play, 78-yard, five-and-a-half-minute touchdown drive to end the game. That was the most surprising thing I saw all day. Chandler Jones, four sacks, two force fumbles. now joins Robert Mathis as the only players in history with 19 sacks and 8 fourth spumbles in a season. That includes guys like Deacon Jones

before the sack was invented per pro football journal which has researched all those guys out. Wow, good from the pro football journal. Yeah, they're busy over there. He's got to be in the next third defensive player of the year too. Okay, and I get that. He's been one of the most underrated guys. He should probably be an all pro.

But take a game like today. Go on against the backup left tackle Jamarco Jones. I want to see you do it against the best left tackle in the league. Here's one thing I love about Chandler Jones. One of those forced fumbles was him running 17 yards down the field to knock the ball out of David Moore. And that was one of the things I loved watching him when he was on the Patriots. He is just a man on fire every play in terms of his hustle. And that's sometimes why he gets these like clean up coverage sacks.

So credit to him. But I do want to quickly mention how poor Pete Carroll handled this game in my mind. It was just a Pete Carroll game. Seahawks fans know what I'm talking about. He's been waiting all season for this, folks. No, I've done it a couple times. Thrown out of Seahawks corner, now it's his turn to get revenge. All right, third and one, Russell Wilson throws the ball deep.

He's around the 40, I think, he passed the 40 yard line early in the game. He ends up throwing it deep, taking a shot on third and one. He said after the game, it's because he assumed they were going to go for it on fourth and one. But nope, he's got Pete Carroll as his coach. He should know better. only did they not go for it, they punted the ball instead of kicking a 51, attempting a 51 yard field goal. Later in the game, Jason Myers, the same kicker, hit a 52 yarder with room to spare to that same end. In the fourth quarter, they had a fourth and three, I believe, in the red

zone where they decide to kick a field goal to make it 20 to 10. So they're trying to catch up with field goals instead of going for it on fourth down. And then there's also a third and three before one of these field goals where you hand it off to Travis Homer. That's the one that's the one got me. Fourth string running back. You're on your fourth string running back and you're still trying to establish the run. And look, their offensive line can't protect Russell Wilson. So it's kind of your damned if you do, damned if you don't. But give Russ a chance. All right. That's fair. You feel better? Oh, yeah. That was good. And Chandler Jones, 19 sacks. The record, quote, unquote, 22 and a half,

Michael Shrayan, give that record its dignity back. It was stolen when Brett Farb, slid at Michael Strayhan's feet on the final game of the 2001 season. A disgrace. Taking it away from Jets' great Mark Gastineau. Now give it its dignity back. And what does he need? 19 somebody to do.

The math. Another game like today. I mean, that's against Jared Goff and the Rams whose offensive line is not exactly a shining star. Get that record as dignity back. Chandler Jones. The further we get away from the Brett Fier, it's really funny he did that if you think about it.

I mean, that is like that he liked Strayhand that much And then he was just like collegial enough That's so much revision is history here Isn't it a bootleg? He turns around and stray hands in his face So he decides to take a plow? No, it was

It was late in the game And the Packers, I believe, had it sewed away And it was pretty clear that they set it up Harvest set it himself Yeah, Farv has Farv is up to it. He basically said, I'm going to roll this way And set it up because they're win He's admitted that?

Yeah, I mean, it's, yeah. It's a disgrace would have. Happened. All right. Kyler Murray, I didn't even mention, you know, in a hamstring injury. He made a couple of good plays before he left, but you would think, well, we'll see. He heard his hamstring. And who's starting at running back for the Seahawks in the biggest game of the season?

Travis Homer? Yeah. Dan, would your eye run as deep if they were not in Mark Gastino's record, who was the Jets? It bothers me a little bit. My franchise has nothing. Kristen Michael on Speedo. Oh. Yeah.

Or. Trent Richardson, Mark. Well, they also just worked out. They worked out Robert Turbin last. week so you never know all right the other big upset on sunday fourth and seven hodges in the shotgun three receivers jets bring it all out blitz he fumbles the snap hurls one at the middle of the field and it's incomplete he missed you to smith schuster Greg williams brought the house and the jets get the stop on downs and it will be victory formation for new york yeah bob wish shoes and with the call

the jets radio network uh the stealers they're not taking care of their own business Pittsburgh's to the playoff. Playoffs got a lot murkier after a 16-10 loss to the Jets at the Meadowlands. This was a game that featured a Duck Hodges benching, a Mason-Rudoff injury, a Duck Hodges return, but no Steelers magic on offense. It's a trend west in these all-important December games. What has changed for this Pittsburgh offense from where they were three weeks ago when everybody was feeling good to where they are now?

I think luck. Like, Duck Hodges was always a little over his head that he wasn't good enough to be playing. I mean, he was your boy, though. No, anyone who wasn't Mason Rudolph was my boy. I think this is being way misrepresented. Grass is always greener. Every time I talked about Duck Hodges, I said he has obvious limitations,

doesn't have an NFL arm, and is an undrafted free agent rookie. Well, you said he was clearly, you know, the best quarterback is sitting on the bench. And unfortunately, this was a, the last two weeks have been on Mason Rudolph, you know like performances i mean 17 throws for 84 yards and two picks of this game for hos well there was an eight possession sequence from the end of last game through the beginning of this game where he

threw five interceptions and had three three and outs and there went the steelers season they have they have gone seven and three in their last 10 games and then three losses they've averaged nine points and i would say to hodges credit he he threw two early picks which led to the benching he comes in on that last drive he throws a pretty nice ball to James Washington in the end zone on third down and Marcus May who had a nice game for the Jets did a really

nice job in one-on-one coverage because Greg Williams he was aggressive he went after him twice in a row and then on fourth down a snap that he drops it wasn't a great snap but Hodges probably should have caught it on a fly but he recovered enough to give Juju Smith Schuster a chance and this

just has not been Juju's year he didn't even really come close to it but so Hodges didn't totally flame out in the last possession like he did the previous week but at the same time Wes and you talked about this downstairs earlier it's just another reminder the Steelers are paying for their sins of never finding a real capable person to put behind Big Ben well every team whiffs on some guys but whereas the Patriots find a Jimmy Garablo and a Jacoby Brissette the Steelers have had Landry Jones Josh Dobbs who they traded away Mason Rudolph who flamed out and they had to turn I mean

How many times have you ever seen a playoff contender play an undrafted rookie at quarterback? No, but they loved Mason Rudolph in the, you couldn't see him in real games, but the reports on him whether the coaching staff was smitten with his traits and abilities. And then you get him in real live games and you realize, and like, we are a week away of very possibly having an eight-and-eight team in the AFC make the playoffs. And there are put the Steelers in that flock of clubs that have to look back on a game like today in a series of games that just like could any of the, these teams get hot and get it get and make it happen i mean this is there's an absurd scenario happening

at the end right i think if you're the chiefs who at least right now are holding the three seed you look at the the differences in danger compared between tennessee and anyone else that could get the six seed which at this point is just pittsburgh and oakland who who will get to and to me the titans are a very dangerous team uh if they get in as the sixth seed and right now they are in position to do that, whereas Pittsburgh and certainly Oakland would be a lot less. Well, and Dan, you talked about how Duck didn't. He didn't do so badly on that final drive, but after they put him back in, and even before they put him back in, he played scared too much in this game. That's fair. He got rid of the ball too quickly. He was afraid of pressure. He

played scared. I saw your tweet, and it reminds me just of basically everything happening in Cleveland, where there was the report that the locker room is down on gase for what his tough guy act and that they've been responding more to Greg Williams. And I feel like, you know, there were predictions that the two of them could butt heads. Not that they are, but does it change the way, I mean, are we? I was going to say, my point I was going to make before we moved on was that Adam Gase is a profoundly unpopular figure among Jets fans and perhaps inside his own building. But to his credit, after that one and seven start, they have a chance to go seven to nine

if they win on Sunday. And that is nothing to celebrate. But that tells you that this team never quit. on Gase, despite all the, you know, setbacks and disappointment and injuries and some of the offensive play calling, which has not been good, and it wasn't good in this game either after an early touchdown. And I just want to throw one thing out there, Greg Williams, when you talk about assistant coach of the year discussions, he's not going to get it. Nobody's ever going to give Greg Williams any trophy. However, what he's been able to do, he's turned that Jets defense into

a top 10 unit and the number of injuries that group has had and the lack of talent what he's been able to scheme his way to really deserves some credit whether you like the guy or not the Jets defense has been good this year and no I wouldn't go that far I wouldn't go that feels rich we don't get on in New York City for it but I don't know if he's going to be back either because you know he's a guy that burns out quickly behind the scenes as well but he can gets credit for that. T.J. Watt, big force fumble in this game maybe helps his defense player of the year

case, and then Mike Tomlin, who I never bought that he should have been in the coach of the year race, but that's definitely over after the last two years. You didn't buy that? No, not compared to John Harbaugh. To me, I mean, in the race, there could be 12 people. Right, but as like in what way. The Ravens head coach is getting head coach

of year. Well, you know, I'm on board with that at this point. If not for that, T.J. Watt's tripped sack. The Steelers probably finished the game with three points instead of 10. That's fair. That's fair, dog. All right. Speaking of the Raiders. Can take this opening drive in the second half into the end. I love getting Musburger on the show. Pushed back, cuts, hits in zone.

Touchdown Raiders. Opening drive, third quarter. Staying alive. That's the theme today. And the Raiders are staying alive. So far, all four of the things that had to happen today happened. And now the Raiders win this and they'll go to Denver with a chance to be the sixth seed in the AFC. A was.

It's true. You can't say that's not accurate. Brent Musburger, K-CBS. West before the show was on fire that people are plugged in on this Raiders chances in making the playoffs. Man, what did Saturday teach us? You want good teams because you'll get good football.

You guys keep rooting for bad teams. I'm not rooting for it. I mean, it was... Greg and I were discussing in their length. You're absolutely rooting for it. You're delighted by the Raiders. Whoever does get that playoff spot is... They're not long for this world regardless.

But anyway, Oakland Raiders, they keep their playoff hopes alive. 2417 over the Chargers in front of a sea of silver and black at Dignity Health Sports Park. Oh, what a mess. The whole situation. Chargers are going with a silent count on offense because the road fans were so loud. Mark, this stat from the great Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports over in London. Entering Sunday, the Raiders had a 1 and 200 chance of making the playoffs.

They'll wake up Monday with a 1-and-8 shot in Week 17. Well, I understand Wes's point that rooting for a team like this... Just pointing out that statistically they made a huge jump in terms of playing... I like things like this in sports. And how do you not win the Jaguars game? Well, that's... It makes last week's inexcusable loss even tougher to fathom. They would be tied right now at 8 and 7 with the Steelers and the Titans.

It's unbelievable because this was as much of a home game as that was. And the broadcast crew pointed out they were there because you can't tell on TV. It seems like there's a lot of Raiders fans. They put it at like 95% noise level and support level for the Raiders, which is, you know, we can get to that in a second. But the reason I picked that drive capping touchdown right there

was that this game felt to me, and I mentioned to you guys a couple times, utterly formless. And I was like struggling to find anything from it that was even vaguely relevant. But then the Raiders, they're up 14-7 and looking very Raiders-ish, and the Chargers have already gone to sleep.

I don't know what is happening with them. But they are up 14-7 and put together an effective nine-minute drive that did two things. I thought it tired out the Los Angeles defense, and they never really were the same after that. And basically just challenged Philip Rivers, who spent the entire game with his right thumb taped up. And, you know, he was not in a good place. He had a glove on his other hand just to even be able to protect the ball well. And, you know, that Chargers game from a couple weeks ago where Rivers went on, was on fire and jawing at people

and it was the Jaguars, it makes that seem even the more ridiculous because two weeks in a row, they've not gotten the job done. I don't know what to say about Oakland. I mean, they just have no weapons at all, and they don't have Josh Jacobs right now. And it's a little bit of Hunter Renfro. It's a little bit of Darren Waller's a lot of bit of Hunter Renfro who took Greg Shagrin. He is the janga piece of that offense.

He's the guy that keeps everything together in that passing attack. he goes over 100 yards he is the evolutionary wayne crebet and everybody knows it well okay i mean i'll i'll side with you on that one i just coming out like i do i'll take the out renfro has come along well it's been one of the best 490 yards seasons we've seen in a while well it's all they have but they i i just cannot imagine okay what is going to happen to this chargers team and i you know it's not something that the that the NFL wants people to to to talk about and complain about Mark, you've said enough. When you put them into an 80, 70,000, whatever state stadium,

what is going to be the weekly, the optics of that are just ridiculous. It's not fair to these players. It was, yeah, well, it's a huge disadvantage to the organization, but it's one that they created, that the Chargers created. I did want to mention this article that cracked me up from our old friend Gilbert Manzano, remember? Oh, yeah. And he was asking some of the Chargers players

if they knew the name of the stadium they played in. And they didn't. You know, or a few of, many of them did not. Austin Eccler guessed it was Divinity Health Field, which is not it. Some of them call it the dig, which I didn't know about. But this is it. It was the Stubhub, it turned into dignity health.

I mean, today was the Oakland Coliseum. And this was it. And so it was three years of... Sure, they don't have fond memories. The key was, yeah, the players all said, we are ready to get out of here. These corporate-name stadiums change their name every year. I can't blame players for not keeping up with it.

Let's move on. Third and goal at the three. Jones in a shotgun. Barkley to his right. He calls out signals, takes the snap. He's back to throw. Fires went right. Touchdown Giants.

Taten Smith, and they win it in overtime. Second touchdown catch for Smith. Jones fifth touchdown pass in the ball game. And the Giants win it in overtime, 4135. Bob Papa, W-F-A-N. Yes, Daniel Jones threw for 352 yards and a career high five touchdown passes, including that game winner in OT, lifting those Giants. Hujiman, 4135 over the skins.

Jones, he wasn't the only young giant star on Shining Display. Saquan Barclay set a franchise record, gentlemen. I mean, this is a decorated franchise with 279 yards from scrimmage, two long touchdowns. it was a Davy Gettleman fever dream. And that's the thing that my takeaway from the Giants at this stage, that they have so much work to do. And it's been a terrible season,

and it's been a run of bad football for this team, for the most part, outside of one largely forgettable, who's the head coach with the really bad hair? Ray Hanley? No, no, no. They went 11 and 5 or 10 and 6. McAdoo. Oh, I mean, he's the best.

Why did I dial that back 24? He had like a comb over. And McAdoo. I mean, he's the best Giants coach of the decade, including Tom Cofflin. All right, great. You lost twice. You got beat twice. Actually, that was his decade.

Yeah, that was his Tom Cove. 42 and 46. It's never going away, Greg. Anyway, they have so much work to do, the Giants. And Dave Gettleman doesn't deserve a parade because a lot of his moves haven't worked out. But there are worse places to be in than to have a high draft pick. And I don't know the salary cap situation, but to have Daniel Jones, and this is not his first game this season where he's piled up these monster stats. I've touched it.

I meant to go back and check it out. According to Gil Brandt on Twitter, Jones is the only rookie since at least 1950 with 350 plus passing yards, five plus passing TDs and zero interceptions in a game. And Barclay, this is the performance you expected more of these type of games, but it's just a reminder of how incredible. incredibly talented he is. He is the type of guy that you could get on his back and take you to the Super Bowl if you have the right team around him. So as far as the Giants goes, they have so much work to do, but they have

two potential big pieces. Barclay we know he's already a superstar. But Jones has shown certainly enough in his rookie year to make you think they have a guy that they can really build around. I found an interesting in this report that when Dwayne Haskins went out with an ankle injury

that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder told him not to come back the game? Or is that not? Haskins clarified after the game that the doctor told him not to, and then the owner basically said, listen to the doctor. Oh, well, that feels less controversial. Yeah, well, that's the way it was spun after the game. The initial report was curious, so.

That's what Haskins told the media, and then a Redskins spokesman came out immediately. He's like, no, no, no, no, no, that's not how it played out. Case Keenum came in and almost led them to victory, but because the Redskins defense was so bad and lost it in overtime, you got the Redskins with the number two pick in the draft, which in this draft, especially with Chase Young sitting out there, it's very advantageous. They just need to lose once more. Yeah.

In fact, I was kind of blown away that after Case Keenham led the Redskins on a 99-yard touchdown drive to pull them within one point with 29 seconds to play, they opted to kick the extra point and play for overtime. It's like, what are we doing here? Yeah. The move is to go for two there, either win or lose, And by the way, wink, wink, throw it over the crossbar, and let's get to town with Chase Young. But anyway, he kicked the extra point, and Daniel Jones did the rest.

I like, I set up all that Gettlement stuff, and it was just silence in the room because nobody likes to talk about Dave Gettlement. No. What's waiting for someone else? Every time one side says look at the score, but the other side looks done for a month. I would like to have a parade for him. I mean, that would be fun. I mean, it hasn't gone well, and they're set up for the number four pick. It looks like they'll stay ahead of Miami.

next week as well in terms of strength of schedule. So if they don't win, they're at number four. But I'm not crazy. Jones has had, he's stacked together. I know he's had bad games too. But every rookie does. He's had monster games. He's had some big games.

He's had some monster, like, on a banged-up fantasy games. It's been up and down, but there's definitely been those big time moments. I mean, this game had 28 points before there was an incompletion. You know, the running games and Haskins and him were going back and forth. If Baker or Darnold threw five touchdowns and zero picks and that game, we would be running around the building with no clothes on it. And the thing with the whole thing... I'm just saying it would be treated differently.

Yeah, that would be great. And the whole thing with going back into the game and the owner, you could lay that out and put Team X and everyone would say, oh, we know what team was responsible for the shenanigans or this controversy. Yep. And that's a problem there. All right, let's move on. Straight eye formation slot right.

They handed off Philip Lindsay straight ahead and it's loose, 2015. Lindsay inside a 10. High steps inside the five. Touchdown, Denver. Philip Lindsay, his seventh rushing touchdown of the year. That's a scamper of 27 yards. And it extends the Broncos lead to 2617 with 639 left.

Dave Logan with the call, that was the final score of the game. Philip Lindsay seals it with that touchdown. And Drew Locke delivered another promising performance. The Broncos 2717 over the Browns. or Lions, excuse me, who have now dropped eight straight. Wes, you pick this game for the grass field the men would play on. Did you get anything else out of it? Lindsay looks good.

Drew Locke, you can't really take a whole lot out of this one. It was mostly the Philip Lindsay show. He did lead an impressive drive where he threw the ball to Deshaun Hamilton. He might have had the best game of his career. I was just wondering a week or two ago if this guy just isn't very good and will never be a starting caliber receiver for the Broncos, but he had a pretty good game today. Locke was good, and the Lions had their first lead of December for a while.

I mean, that's saying something. They had a Jamal Agnew return, punt return for a touchdown, and Kenny Gallaudet played well as he always does, and Blow shrunk against pass pressure as he usually does. Now, wait a minute. Well, he... Wes knows what he's talking about. All right, but I'll have to go check.

out this game extensively myself later this week. I mean, by the very nature of your club, you have to stick with the quarterback. Well, thank you. I did notice that the Blauards who support David Blau, along with the Bohemians who are Boz Scarborough fans, those two players combined, and one of them

is a quarterback for 151 total yards. So we're going to go... Bohemian culture. Yeah, we're going to go through some tough stretches supporting these guys, but if you think that we're going to jump ship at some point, you're insane. I think the lions are going to jump ship. Well, David Blow will do something in his life. We will report on him no matter what he's doing, whether it's on the field or not.

Anything else? If Blow should run a plow. Anything else? Lines up to the number three pick. Kind of snuck in there. Yeah. Kind of snuck in there. If the Redskins mess around and beat the Redskins next week.

You know, like a nine-game losing streak to end your season. That could really do one. Undoubtedly, Bob Quinn will do the right thing with that draft slot. Let's move on. Move on. Freeman in the backfield. Jacksonville brings four. Quick throw.

That's Freeman. The catch. Atlanta. Caught it at the two and then just kind of backed his way into the end zone. He took Gerard Wilson and Trey Herndon with it. So Devante Freeman on the board, on the ground and through the air, and it's 13-0-0 Atlanta. West Durham of the Falcons Radio Network. Devante DeVante Freeman scored two touchdowns before the Jacksonville Jaguars even took a snap. And that was enough. The Falcons beat the Jaguars 24-12 in a matchup between. two teams thinking about whether they want to fire their head coaches.

Yep, the hot butt bowl. So this would be another positive Sunday on the Save Dan Quinn front because they have a chance after a 1 and 7 start to finish the second half of the season, six and two. And that's the type of stuff that makes ownership think twice. Unless, of course, Arthur Blankerty decided at 1 and 7 that he wanted to hit the reset button. and we'll find out soon enough. And a couple things.

We get the report from Ian Rappaport this weekend. Same thing. Let's hold off on this stuff. That Doug Marone, after the Tom Coughlin firing, might actually be safe, and he might continue on in 2020 as the head coach. Along with David Caldwell. With David Caldwell, the GM,

although Tony Con, who we've met, very nice man. He could end up having a greater role potentially in the decision making of the team. And then you go out and the Jaguars, you know, lay another egg in a game that 24-12 is kind. It was not even, it wasn't even that entertaining. Your boy, Minsh, did nothing until the very end of the game. He had 19 yards passing, like with minutes to go in the second quarter. I know, but he's your guy, so I don't know.

And I want to focus on Julio Jones before we move on, because, Wes, you made a good point when we were in our conversation about the all decade team that almost flies under the radar a little bit how great this man has been. On Sunday, Julio Jones had his 55th career 100-yard

receiving day. That is the most among active players, the fourth most all-time. And if he manages 84 yards next week, he'll tie Jerry Rice. Yes, Jerry Rice for the most 1,400-yard seasons at receiver. Juicy.

Also, Julio's going to do it six years in a row if he does it. Six years in a row and keep in mind Jones is still just 30 years old. It's been remarkable what him what he and Matt Ryan have done together yes they blew the Super Bowl but it's not all about that. What this

these two guys have done as a tandem oh by the way Julio Jones didn't blow the Super Bowl he made the catch that should have locked up the Super Bowl against the Patriots but that's a different conversation. This is a tremendous player we get to watch greatness every Sunday even if the Falcons aren't very good. Left foot and kicker

Gets this one away, a high spiraling kick. He turned it over. Backing up, Naim Hines, inside is 20. Now, near side numbers. 25, 30, 35, 40. 45, down the near sideline has the putter to beat. Nearside, he's at the 30, he's at the 20. He's going to go.

Naim Hines, a punt return for a touchdown. Naim Hines takes it all the way back, and the Colts made 13 to nothing. Matt Taylor, Colts Radio Network of the call. Naheem Hines became the first NFL player in six. seven years to score two punt returns in the same game. And he set up another touchdown with a long return early in the game. I mean, it's like one of the, Greg, 386 win for the Colts over the Panthers. This is one of the best special teams performances in NFL history based on what I'm seeing here.

Yeah, I mean, you don't know what you're going to see when you sign up for Colts Panthers in week 16, but you got one of the great punt return performance. It was only three returns. One was for 40 yards, which set up their first touchdown. And then the next two was an 84-yard touchdown, which we heard. And the 71-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter was even more electric. It wasn't just the blocking. It was him making guys miss.

It just made me wonder, like, why was Naim Hines not the punt returner until this week? You got to get Bones Fossil in Carolina is their next head coach. Let's put this in perspective. There's only six guys who have more punt return yards all season than Naim Hines had on Sunday. Right. We're in an NFL where this isn't happening anymore. and it was essentially Eric Metcaffeine. Is it too late to make the Colts the team of around the NFL?

Yes, a little bit. Yeah, so he set it up. There wasn't too much else. I know our friend Spicerack had a lot of hopes, hopefully just hopes, pinned on Will Greer today. Based on the text, it felt like a lot was on the line. Well, he was 0 for 7 with three interceptions on deep passes today, and we were told to watch for deep passes.

His first throw was like 50 yards down the field. It was pretty well covered. Sorry spell incomplete. Two of those interceptions were in the last three minutes of the game, so sometimes garbage time goes wrong, you know, but he didn't really make any plays that made you excited. I thought it's interesting. Garbage time goes wrong.

Ian reported that the cults will take a long look at the quarterback position and would be open to drafting someone and that they're just, you know. Of course. I mean, well, not of course. I mean, we were debating that on Thursday, but I think you have to at this point. I think the thing is will they go after, like a veteran, because you could get out of his contract easily enough,

Jacoby Brissette that is, who did not play well today. I mean, he didn't look any better than Will Greer. Does anybody's stock on lower in the last eight weeks in Jacoby Brissette? You know, relative to where it was before? Yeah, he is playing in theory through an injury, but he's just so inaccurate. All his balls, his passes are sailing. They somehow scored 38 points with him completing 14 to 27 for 119 yards. Well, you have Nahim Hines and a rugged,

running game racked up over a couple hundred yards. You know, you're going to do it. Panthers just wait for that off-season vacation at this way. The Colts have a playoff chance, right, Greg? No. No, they're done? They are done. But they, I'm glad you said this just so that I can...

I'm magnanimous of you, Wes. But they are, wait, they are a factor in a playoff scenario, West. Because here's what they can do. We forgot to mention with the Raiders. We should at least spell it out what needs to happen. The Colts are involved in the Colts, if they win, at Jacksonville, West, next Sunday, they could be part of a four-way eight-and-eight tie that would send the Raiders to the playoffs because they would win that four-way tie.

For that to happen, not only the Colts have to win, the Steelers have to lose at the Ravens. Not impossible. The Titans have to lose at the Texans. Not impossible. And the Raiders have to win in Denver. And that would send them to the playoffs. And they just need some help from Nahim Hyams and a few other teams. And Spice rack, nobody has any idea where you are anymore, but wherever you are, Merry Christmas.

Greer bounced back. This was just, you know, it was a flesh wound. Do any of these precious little calculations take into the fact that the Texans are probably going to rest all their players and it won't matter anyway? No, the tech, well, that, yeah, that would be a problem. Yeah, all your little 12% goes down to like 0.1.2%. Wes, allow people to dream. To Miami, we go. On to Miami. Coming from the dirt nap guy. That's funny.

It's the only one It's your Raiders Here it is. Talk the holder, Sanders trying to win us in the Langellies. Hold it down, kick is up and the kick is good. And the Miami Dolphins have defeated

to Cincinnati Bengals 38 to 35 in overtime. Miami goes to 4 and 11 on the season. The Bengals fall to 1 at 14 in one of the most unusual games in the history of this stadium. I mean, let's hear it then.

You don't get many wins, Jimmy Cephala. Dolphins Radio Network. The Dolphins gave up 16 points in the final 29 seconds of regulation, but somehow regrouped. Getting a Jason Sanders 37-yarder in OT, 3835 dub for the dolphins. Miami had a 3516 lead, excuse me, 3512 lead, with less than seven minutes to play, but watched Andy Dalton go ginger nuclear to force overtime. the big picture mark the bangles are one and 14 and now own the number one overall pick in the 2020 draft and you can't take it away from them hello joe barrow yeah i thought i mean for a minute that we were witnessing insane glowing red ginger man revenge on the organization he'll likely not be with next year by orchestrating this ferocious comeback and you know had they won and they didn't and had something stuff happened next week uh you know they would not have the number one overall pick and joe burrow would be going somewhere else potentially,

would have been a delicious Andy Dalton narrative to close the year. I mean, if I were the Bengals owner, I would have called down when they were trying to essentially tie the game to go into overtime with a two-point conversion. I would have said, you listen, if Andy Dalton doesn't fire this ball into the stands, everyone down there is gone. And instead, they're toying with fate going into overtime,

but the Dolphins, who had an incredible game today from Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is just playing as well. as anyone around at this point. They squeaked it out. Wes, you watch this too. I don't, do you have anything else you want to say? I just tag team this one. Yeah, we tag team.

Relightfully. It was, this game started out total yards, 159 to one, dolphins over Bengals. And I had written in my notes when I turned the game off with about 40 seconds left, I really stay with it for a long time. This game not nearly as close as the final score will be. That was 35 to 19.

It was 35 to 19 with 30 seconds left. And then the Bengals scored a touchdown on fourth down, had a two-point conversion, had a successful on-side kick, had a 29-yard touchdown with the clock hitting zero, then had an untimed two-point conversion, all in the final 30 seconds of the game. I don't think we've ever seen that before.

No, that was remarkable that they did that. And it worked out perfectly. Because, yes, Wes, as you pointed out, what would be more Cincinnati Bengals than this being, you know, they lose out of Burroughs because of this. this insane one in a trillion scenario and then whoever goes with the first quarterback ends up being, you know, the next Tom Brady, that nothing would be more Bengals than that.

So let's just be thankful that the Bengals fans had a fun little moment there. Andy Dalton had maybe his last great moment in a Cincinnati uniform and they still got what they needed to get. Well, fast forward to late April. No one knows who Mike Brown's going to take until they're on the clock and there will be some speculation, you know, has already started, that he'll take Chase Young because he loves Ohio State guys and he's a once-in-a-generation player. And it's just Mike Brown, so we won't know until they actually call the pick. But we'll, you know, we've got four months to talk about that.

The Scattering portals. The joke in scouting circles is the Bengals will draft the best Big Ten player available every year. So, of course, it would be Chase Young. But there's another factor here. The Bengals are very, this goes for all Cincinnati sports teams. They love Ohio people. And Joe Burrow is from Athens, Ohio. Perfect. So they'll probably take him because they do love the local connection. Don't worry, banglesons. This should be covered. Is it just

assumed that the right coach for Joe Burrow and fill of the blank is Zach Taylor? You've got the half season. Talk about it. No, I'm saying is, are we sure that they're bringing him back 100%? I think so. Because do we know enough about what Zach Taylor's had with him this year?

And do we know anything about Joe Burrow? I don't know. I don't know. This Dolphins team, we were questioning their very integrity early in the year. Not the players and coaches. Right, but the organization. And they ended up, now they're in the fifth pick. You know, they won four games. They played too well.

That doesn't say that we were wrong for questioning the front office for trying to tank a season. Sure. They have a coach. But just more that the NFL, there was talk, and we had it on this podcast, that the talent level really wasn't that different ultimately because it's the NFL and all these players are at least good enough. Ryan Fitzpatrick now has more four touchdown games in his career than Matt Ryan or

Tony Romo or John Elway. Put him in Canton. Put him in Canton. All right. Now on to Sunday night. They're done in five for the Chiefs with the 12 of the Bears. No score. Big rest to the outside. Mahomes will scramble. He's at the 10. He's at the five. Touchdown. Tansas

City. Patrick Mahomes runs it in from 12 yards and the Chiefs get a touchdown on their first drive of the game. Mitch Holt us Chiefs Radio Network. Yes, Sunday Night Football. It looked like a mismatch on paper, and that's exactly how it turned out.

Patrick Mahomes got the Chiefs going with that rushing touchdown. The knee looking pretty good, I might add. And the Bears never really threatened. 26 to 3, the final score. Kansas City moves to 11 and 4, keeping themselves in the conversation for a first round by as we head toward week 17. The Bears playing out the string

and Bears fans who were loyal enough or, you know, they were already in the hole for the tickets, to go to this game at Soldier Field, got some booing in on Trubisky and the Bears' offense, which was inefficient as ever, Greg Rosenthal. But that's the story for another time. The Chiefs keep rolling.

It's part of the story here because this Chiefs defense is good enough, especially stopping the pass, to hold a really bad offense to 26 yards of passing at halftime, which is what the Chiefs did today. They are able to just strangle these poor teams, and we saw it last week against the Broncos, to the point where you feel like Patrick Mahomes in these couple weeks, it's like, you know, it's like Michael Jordan going out

on like a back-to-back against the suns. We only need like 27 and, you know, five out of you tonight. Let's save the real fireworks for the bigger challengers up the road. Chris Jones and Frank Clark are healthy up front. They add Terrell Suggs. Juan Thornhill and Honey Badger feel like they're playing as one of the best safety duos in the league over the past month. And this past defense gets better every week to the point where I think they're as good

as teams like the Saints. Yeah. I mean, what defenses, look, the Patriots. Patriots and Bills have better secondaries, probably. They do. but even the best defenses that are making the playoffs, and I include the Patriots and the 49ers in this, I just don't feel that they're going to come in

and shut teams down every game. And the Chiefs have holes, but their defense is good enough. They're going to be competitive with anyone. I don't think they're going to be the reason that they don't go far in the playoffs. I love the way they're winning games. I mean, last year it was, you know, every game, you knew the defense was going to give up 27 points,

and you had to have monster performances from a homes and the rest, And yeah, you're playing a bad opponent today, but they made the Bears look as bad as ever. I mean, drives of 14, 4, 32 yards in the first half, a total disaster. I mean, the Bears' offense is offensive to the eyes. And we are a week away from saying farewell to 20 teams, and they are the one. And I think their fans would agree that I cannot wait to say goodbye to. They need a long winter's nap, and I don't want to hear from them until August. After six prime time games this year, I'm guessing it was six.

That's the Mac. They will be penalized. They'll be down to, let's say, two to three. Yes, and maybe if they truly deserve a punishment for inflicting six primetime games upon us. Including the kickoff game. Just give them a Thursday night game next year to reestablish their value. Robert Mays made a good point, Robert Mays of the Ringer, who does good work over there. He made, you know, this game was the connection, obviously, between Patrick Mahomes,

who was picked after Mitch Trubisky famously infamous. Chicago traded up to go get Trubisky while there were superstar quarterbacks to be still on the board. Mays wrote, Patrick Mahomes was an incredibly difficult evaluation who landed in a perfect situation. Deshaun Watson was one of the greatest college Cubies ever. Passing on him is the franchise altering mistake. That's just this game is a reminder. And when fans in Chicago are booing loudly, it's because this is going to stick in their craw for a generation. that they picked the wrong guy.

And now that decision will be big. What are the Bears do next to that position, whether it's bringing a competition or finding a way out of the relationship entirely? But I want to make one more point about the Chiefs defense, as we've established, is playing really well right now. This is their fifth consecutive game now, where they've allowed 17 points or less.

And in these five games, they've allowed all wins, 17, 9, 16, 3, and 3 points. It's just different. It's when we talk about the Patriots are different this year. The offense is just different. The thing with the Chiefs is maybe they're not scoring the way and Mahomes isn't as like your eyes aren't popping out of your head watching what he's doing on a weekly basis.

But this is a more rounded team and they continue to kind of lay in the weeds in the AFC is a team not to look past and a team that can absolutely go in a run, especially if they close out and they take care of. business at home against the chargers and then get a break? And what is the break they need to get a break? They need the Patriots to lose to the dolphins. It's the type of thing that hasn't happened in this Patriots run where they end up giving the break to another team. That would make their life, the Chiefs, that is, a lot easier. But they are 7 and 1 on the

road. And if any team could beat New England and Baltimore in a row on the road, I think it's this Chief's team. Their one road loss was that crazy game in Tennessee, which they should have won a few different ways. And even if the score wasn't that high, it's like Kelsey is healthy and Tyree Kill is healthy. And Patrick Mahomes, as you saw with the speed on that rushing touchdown is healthy. They barely touch, you know, Cleo Mac had the only quarterback hit on Patrick Malhams the entire night. They're not touching him. Like everything is just, if you're a Chiefs fan, you just want to get past next week healthy and get on because I think they got a chance here. Oh, this is true.

We all love how they're playing. It should be acknowledged that during this stretch where they're allowing 9.8 points per game on defense. They've played the Chargers, Raiders, Patriots, Broncos, and Bears. There's not a good offense in the bunch. Right. That's why they'll give up points in yards against a good team, but I think they can score with anyone. And I know Ravens fans don't think it matters that much,

but they've had the Ravens numbers last two years. They beat him pretty soundly. Is Mitch Trubisky the weak-win starter in Chicago next year? I just don't know how you can do this again. But I've been tough on them, maybe overly so at times. But, you know, unless they're GM won executive of the year in amid making all these decisions. And they're hamström.

So, yeah, the award is not indicative of what. Tulane product, though, Ryan Pace, and great hair. And he'll get a chance to rebuild this team. I don't know if Trabisky will get a chance. No one's knocking the hair. I got a text, Ryan Pace text while we were recording the podcast today from an unnamed, highly, esteemed member of talent here at NFL Network

saying Ryan Pace, great hair, good looking? Going to dig in on that. As in questioning if those two things is true? A little bit of a surprise. Did we kind of miss the boat on this? And I certainly will be doing research. That feels like a David Ely text. I said talent.

It feels like Ian Rappaport text. All right. Now let's get out of here. It's been a long day. A reminder, again, the Miami Improv. the Thursday before the Super Bowl January 30th, 7.30 p.m. We will be doing our live podcast, the now annual Super Bowl show tickets available at what I believe is not an offensive cost.

And you get to have a good football show that gets you ready for the big game. Oh, yes. Exactly. Wes is pumped up about it. And we will be back. Are we going up Monday night with a show or Tuesday? We'll figure that out. But we will be giving you all.

the content you need on Christmas week. Do not worry. We'll have the wrap-up of Week 16 with that big Vikings Packers tilt and then you'll have the Christmas holiday and then right on the other side of that. Yes, the preview of Week 17. We don't stop. Other people stop.

No break. We do not stop. All right. Stan Hans is signing off. For Quiet Storm, the mailman, the old boss, Ricky Hollywood, and everybody behind the glass. Thank you.

Till Tuesday. Hey, everyone. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, we 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 Sunday. 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 Fulrio, 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 Podcast, 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.