NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2021 Week 10 Recap

Episode Date: November 15, 2021

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal recap all of week 10 games starting with the Packers win over the Seahawks and the Saints-Titans narrow game. Nick Shook joins the show to talk about Tom Brady, the Browns and the Vikings. The heroes recap the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Chiefs and Raiders.  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. Watches Succession on a Monday. From the Chris Wessling podcast studio, it's Around the NFL. Bell. Dan hands us here with Heroes, Greg Rosenthal, and Mark Sessler.

I make a point to actually watch it on Sunday night with the wife. I get home, knock it out. Hit the hay. That's what it's like. That's married life. In that order. That's treating yourself. That is.

That's living right there. And I want to say, and you know, we are, you know, we try to keep ourselves distanced. from it but the reality is is that we are employees of the national football league i mean there is you can't you you can't get around that like that's they roger he's the one signing the paycheck okay and with that in mind i think there's a responsibility to the audience uh and that's the global audience not just the end around the NFL audience uh to to to be up front when we see something that a statement needs to be made based on the action today. So, Ricky, can I get the missive music?

And this wasn't sanctioned by anyone above us. Okay. Or Greg and myself, but we're happy to hear it. I think you'll be okay. Well, Greg, we'll probably. It's probably about Teddy Bridgewater's lack of a tackle. No. No, but we will get to that later in the show.

Sweet. Here at the National Football League, we strive for excellence on a week in and week-out basis. Our goal is to deliver to you, the fan. a quality product every Sunday from September through February. And we understand that we failed to clear that lofty bar in week 10. We are working diligently to diagnose the issues that led to today's decline in product and appreciate your support and patience. Moving forward, please forward any remaining concerns over gameplay to at Mark Sessler on Twitter.

I'm going to bear the brunt of a Sunday that did not deliver due to a host of low outs? Somebody has to be. Just the game. Okay. It was the gameplay in general. I don't think this was like, uh, low off tape. The best Sunday.

Sure. And, uh, but I, I am, I'm not, you know, I am, I'm an employee and I do pretty much what they ask for the most part. This feels a bit of beyond, but that's okay. I think Brian McCarthy will be cool of that statement over there in NFL PR, Greg. I mean, I, I, I, I wasn't sure where it was going. I was like, is this specifically. from the Browns and that's why Mark has

to apologize like what is what's going on no I thought it was pretty clear the statement yeah it's dashed off ahead of today's show right they can apologize to me I think you're saying that I should probably apologize on behalf of the league or shield no no shield the issues I said any any other issues

from the fans right forward to them funnel it to Mark Sessler in his Twitter mentions and then you'll handle any kind of the backlash no DMs just keep it keep it in the public It's like you need to have bad Sundays or you don't even know what a good Sunday is. Good spin.

It's like you need to have a tie at least once a season. So you know how, like, great it is to have wins and losses and all the rest of the games. This feels like the guy that should be, you know, absorbing the messaging. What is the speaking of succession, the Roy's, they have this term. Everyone assemble in the pod or something when they have to do some type of crisis management. I thought Greg just spun gold there. He would do well in that family Based on what we've seen

So there you go Give me the miss of music on more time then Now that we've recrafted And shifted the narrative Fans Chill out Chillax bros And sisses

If you didn't have bad weeks You wouldn't truly enjoy the good ones So you're welcome See you next Sunday Contrust Peace about today? I feel like most fans, it's like if your team won, you're happy.

Not everyone, Greg, lives in your little rose garden. I just mean, I didn't know. Patriots are suddenly kings of the AFC. I didn't know there was an outcry against week 10. I hadn't heard anything about it yet. I try to stay in tune via my tweet deck app and to what the general vibe is of the football community

and, you know, an underwhelming week. But enough, we've already, we've released two statements already. The show is four minutes old. No more on the matter. That's what statements are for. They speak for the entire organization. And again, Brian McCarthy, head of PR. That was, I got you.

I handled it. All right. He's been busy. I worked in PR for a brief time in the mid-aughts. Oh, no. It wasn't really. Now I'm working in it. Thanks to you.

All right. Today's show is going to focus, of course, on all the games that were played on this highly controversial week. 10. And there were some big blowouts and some unexpected blowouts. Some expected some stunning in nature. I would put the Patriots Browns affair in the stunning category personally. We'll get to that in a little bit. But let's start with the marquee matchup of the day. It was the CBS game of the week late Sunday. It was supposed to be a shootout between Russell Wilson and Aaron Rogers. It was anything but.

Snap to Wilson off play action. Deep drop plenty of time. Rainbows deep down the middle and the end side. It's intercepted. Intercepted by Adrian Amos. What a spectacular play by Amos. Spectacular play by the entire Green Bay Packers defense. And it's been that way for weeks now.

Wayne Larravee with a call WTMJ. Aaron Rogers returned to the lineup victorious, but it was that defense that played the starring role in a 17-9-9. nothing win over the Seahawks at Lambeau Field. The Packers D permitted nothing to Russell Wilson in his possibly premature return to action. In fact, Seattle was shut out in a game for the first time

since Woods Wilson joined the team in 2012. Greg, the Pack D is on a heater. It's crazy because every week that they play better, they lose more great players. Like during this game, Whitney Merciless, I guess he hasn't been great this year, but he's come up and had an immediate role with the Packers. He gets hurt.

That might be serious. Roshan Gary, who's been their best pass rusher on balance, hurts his arm halfway through this game. It didn't look great. We'll see how long he's out for. And yet they just keep rolling. They are so resourceful. Whatever it is that winners have,

Matt LaFleur has got it at this point. The highest winning percentage in the history of the NFL in terms of coaches, 34 and 8, it's outrageous, and you just look at them and think they should and could be so much better this year than they have been so far, and yet they're 8 and 2. Like, they're going to get great players back, and I think they can play better on offense than they've had than they have, and yet they're winning games against good teams and in games like this one going away. Yeah, I mean, this is a Packers team that I personally can really, really get behind because they've not given up more than 22. points since week three, and yet they haven't scored 30 since week three. They're winning in a different way than in years past when you kind of trusted the defense to crumble at some point when it mattered most down the stretch. They're doing it differently. I know this game was,

everyone thought it was going to go, you know, right down to the bitter end, if not into overtime. I like a nice 17 to nothing but smack once in a while because despite, despite it adding to the week that you described, Dan, it kind of decisively separates two teams. is that I think once Russell Wilson came back, like, oh, this could go to either one of them. Actually, the Seahawks have a lot of issues. And Russell Wilson alone, I think he's going to be better than he was this week. Oh, yeah, you're on Seahawks are dead corner. You stuck a fork in them.

I forked them because, and I will be right because it was the, you know, it was the right call at the time and it's the right call now. And Russell Wilson, even if he improves with his little finger, is not going to save them alone. Time is still on their side, although it's becoming less so as we go on and deeper into November. I'm still not willing to rule out the Seahawks making a playoff run. But yeah, it has to start soon. And it was supposed to start this week in Green Bay. And before we turn the conversation over to Russell Wilson and whether he shouldn't even be playing in this game, because he was not good.

As good as the Packers were on defense and they deserve Joe Barry and his defensive unit deserve all the credit they're getting, considering they've held Kyler Murray, Patrick Mahomes, and now Wilson in the last three games. games to a combined 34 points. Wilson was missing a ton of throws, Greg, and it changed the entire game. Now, it went from a, it was bad enough, Greg, where I wondered and was being contributed a lot on the telecast to Rust. And I wondered if it was more like, is his hand healthy? This is a guy that came back in four weeks on an six to eight week injury. It was a PR assault upon us as we headed into this game on Sunday.

And he looked like a guy that wasn't right physically. He missed a lot of throws. And I think Rust has to be part of it because his timing was off. But his timing is off and off. I mean, the whole point of Russell Wilson's career when it's going well is not about timing. It's about him holding on to the ball forever and like making plays. And they keep changing their offensive coordinators to find one that makes the offense kind of go in rhythm. And it doesn't really happen.

And I think he bears some blame for that. But him having one of the worst games of his entire career coming off that injury makes you point to the injury. Even if Pete Carroll won't. He said it had nothing to do with his finger. He could have made all the throws. He was laid on throws. And some of them early at least felt like the speed of the game. Maybe he was not totally ready for that.

And Tony Romo was ahead of that, thinking that that would be a major problem for Russell. And they went heavy shotgun. I mean, they were a shotgun-type team. But it was like to protect his finger, that does change. your versatility on what you can do on some level. Right. He had one deep throw to swain where normally you kind of expect him to put it out there and a little late on that throw. Definitely skyed some balls. So it seemed like it was a little bit about the finger. I mean, Gina wouldn't get it going to got shut out. I saw your tweet there.

I mean, I'll leave it at that. Russ Wilson said after the game of his repaired finger, that was not the factor. We can say whatever you want to say. It comes on my shoulder because I didn't fulfill those two plays referring to the two end zone interceptions. I guess this is just the way it works and Russell Wilson could be frustrated and Seahawks fans can be annoyed that people are going to focus in and hone in on his struggles in this game. But he made it, I'm not going to say he made it about himself and made it a bigger story than it needed to be. But when it's built up the way it was, and I happened to switch on ESPN's pregame show briefly this morning. And I saw like, I don't know if it was staged or a reenactment, but it was like, Russell Wilson learning from the doctor in the office that you're going to be out

eight weeks and him making like a very pensive, serious face. And I couldn't even tell if it was real or not. And I was just like, okay, I got to check out of this because I can't take any more of this stuff. A rap sheet referring to Russell Wilson as Wolverine because of his quick healing abilities. All that stuff like being funneled our way. And then this performance happening. I mean, it's just kind of a, it's kind of an extreme of two things.

It is. It's also, it says a lot about the whole Seahawks team whose defense also has been better. there was some weather in this game as well. Dan, I don't really view you as the target audience for Russell Wilson messaging over the years. Who is? Right, but who is?

Everyone kind of... You either. I mean, I'm not saying I am either, but like... People see through it with him, though. There is something about him that even... I want to hear the rest of the point out. No, I just think there is...

I mean, he's not striking out with 100% of viewers. There are people that find that kind of stuff. They see it differently. I'm with you in the camp. I'm not maybe like as locked on. Why'd you single me out then? Because you, I'd say, I'd say I'm not as, like, locked on to this as you are, but you, whenever he releases any sort of statement. I think he's the funniest person in the world.

By the way, we watch here in the office, we have the truck feed. The Rishan Gary injury, while you guys are watching the commercial, I saw the replay that was so gnarly that when they got back, Jim Nance was like, we decided not to show the injury because how bad it looked. It was gross. The other big injury, Aaron Jones, sustains an MCL injury in this game. he had tears in his eyes he sat on the bench was ruled out quickly we'll see how long he's out

but it should be noted that AJ Dylan ran the ball extremely well he's been doing that for weeks this season but he looks like a guy who could step in and the Packers won't lose much because he has that ability. That 50-yard catch and rumble that he had down the stretch, AJ Dylan

Dan and I noticed this I love the way he dresses he looks like when they did a bad job with action figures back when action figures were a thing, and they'd make like a regular-looking Joe super musly, but he looks insanely musily. He is the biggest running back in the NFL. He's a head figure. He looks

good. He's old school with a big shoulder pads and everything. Yeah, he looks like an 80s guy and I thought he was the difference offensively for them today because there was a key, I can't remember if it was third and one or fourth in one, but a key point in one of the scoring drives where he broke through a tackle

where he was hit in the backfield, ends up picking up that first down to keep the drive going and that's how he got one of those other touchdowns too i mean as much as this feels like a blowout was three nothing in the fourth quarter like this thing was still up for doubt and bob he's when you're dragging bobby wagner into the end on your bad man yeah you are and uh one good note for the seahawks jamal adams got his interception he had you played a great game he played very well which he was very active you suggested that you wish felt it was coming yeah and he got that i nt the man's got glue on his hands. All right, let's move on to, oh man, we've got to get the Grave Digger on the

headset because the Titans keep roll. Titans have to win one play from the seven to maintain their lead. Simeon takes this now. Byers, right side receiver not looking, and it is incomplete. Incomplete. Mike Keith. We're hearing a lot from Mikee this season, WGFX. The Titans defense bent but did not break on Sunday in Nashville.

Tennessee surrendered a late touchdown pass to Trevor Simeon, but got that stop on the ensuing two-point conversion from the seven, by the way. Bad, bad, bad, bad fall start, put the Saints in a bad spot. 2321 was the final. With the win, the Titans become the second NFL team to win five straight games over playoff teams from the season before. Whoa, Tennessee is also seven and up. no overall against 20-20 playoff teams this season, and they get a well-deserved layup next week against the Texans.

So the number one team in the AFC, they battled here. Again, they did not really ball out on offense, and it should be a couple things here. Of course, Derek Henry is out, but also Ryan Tannahill woke up ill with what I believe was like a stomach bug. So he was less than 100% physically. And yet they score enough points, get the stops they need. And yes, get some breaks from game officials, particularly on an egregiously bad roughing the passer call that wiped out a Tannahill interception in the end zone by the Saints.

And then a few plays later, Tennessee punched it in for seven. So when you factor in that, and again, we got to make those plays reviewable. When you factor in that the Saints missed two more extra points in this game and then the fall. start failed, followed by the failed two-point conversion, you can understand why Sean Payton wasn't in a great mood when asked about the phantom roughing the passer that served as a major swing point in this game. Let's listen in. No explanation. There wasn't an explanation. What do you want me to say?

You want my opinion on it? No, no opinion on it. The Saints outgained the Titans three. 373 to 264, but Gravedigger, they still found a way, and they're doing it every week. That's what good teams do. Six wins in a row. If they go on a run like this in January, they're playing back in Los Angeles again. Look at you. You're on fire.

You're feeling it. I feel good about this team right now. It feels like everything that happens from here on out is just like getting ready for the playoffs, keep players healthy, get guys back healthy. they are getting somewhat healthier. Christian Fulton was back, but then Bud Dupree left the game early with an abdominal strain and who knows who at his status will be.

Julio Jones is on IR again, so who knows how long he'll be out. But does any of it matter until the playoffs start for this team? Because getting the one seat is a playoff game essentially. And losing Julio in the very week that he was off the injury report for the first time

since 1992, it was crazy. Like he was finally healthy and he literally got hurt the next day at practice and now he's out for a minimum of three weeks and I think that's a killer injury for them because losing Henry is one thing but I think it would have worked it works okay offensively if you've got the two guys outside AJ Brown was facing double coverage throughout this game ends up with one catch 16 yards I hear what you're saying grave digger they're resourceful enough they'll probably win looking at their schedule yeah the schedule the Patriots are the only team other than the Steelers

Patriot Steelers. The rest of the way, they'll get enough wins and maybe they get that one seed. But it's going to be hard to be a good team offensively without Julio and Henry at the same time. What Greg just said will be put into some sort of, you know, online headline because everyone, and I've done this like 12 times, keep finding the reason the Titans will be knocked down a peg at some point doesn't happen because you could get to your... I just mean the one seed matters is all I mean. It absolutely does, but what it's, they are saying we're the one seed right now. It doesn't matter what happens to them.

And we've seen this 100 times. Good teams find a way to get over these hurdles over and over. And you could theoretically get out of your bi-week, much health than they are right now. Julio back soon after that. It's not like Julio has torn the world down for them either. Well, that's – I was going to say that. Like, he's always been a big addition to them in theory ever since the offseason. And then this whole year he's given them basically nothing.

I could think of one game maybe where he was really a difference maker. And so you lose him, but what you do need – Because if Julio Jones is just not going to be the guy that they needed him to be, if Derek Henry is going to be out until January in a best case scenario, you do need somebody else to step up. So here comes Marcus Johnson, for instance. He had five for 100 on six targets in this game. You're going to need contributions in places you didn't expect.

I think that's the only thing. The last thing I'll say in terms of doubting Tennessee is I don't think it's sustainable to be, you know, 200 to 250 yards a game on offense. Even if you can beat up on bad teams for a while, that's going to come back to haunt you unless you could build out some more dimension to your offense. That is true, and I will say the last two games they've played have been against pretty good defenses. The Saints are a really good defense. Obviously, the Rams are.

And they have the Patriots defense in a couple weeks, which is also a really good defense, and the Steelers later in the year. But other than that, the defenses they play are not very good the rest of the season. So I think you could see the Titans offense getting back on track and learning how to manufacture yards without Derek Henry, which they, I mean, these last two games rushing under 70 yards in both games, the Titans hadn't won a game with that few rushing yards in like 15 years or something before last week. So I don't remember the exact stat, but it's been years. And then on the same side, before we move on, I just want to say that I thought Trevor Simeon played pretty well in this game.

Mark Ingram had a lot of juice in Alvin Kamara's spot, but it's, you know, they were missing three key starters on offense and they need Kamara to be back on this field to give them that added dimension. Trey Kwan Smith had a bad drop in this game. So, you know, the Saints, I think, are going to be okay, but they're going through a little, they're going through it a little bit right now, Greg. They're five and four, oh and two since they lost James Winston. So they're a team to keep an eye on what happens next.

I'm amazed this game was as close as it was. You're down 23, 12, 10 minutes to go in Tennessee and Trevor Simeon gets them back in a position to win if it wasn't for those, you know, missed extra. points. And you got a penalty from Adam Troutman, who is like public enemy number one with Saints fans in general, sets up like a two point conversion from the seven yard line. Like, Simeon is playing well. I feel like this game, you know, outgaining the tight. I know they lost the game. Like this should be more support for Sean Payton winning coach of the year. Like them putting together this many yards with this group of players is wild. I'm with you. I mean, he seems

extremely grumpy based on his sound clip. The whole press conference was wild. He was out of it. Right. I mean, it makes that Falcons loss a week ago doubly hurt because like that, they couldn't let that thing go. But Mark Ingram, by the way, is the leading rush for now. My dog, Mark would have seen. In the history of the New Orleans Saints became that today.

So even if he was just there for this chunk of season, it was well worth it. Very good. And what is an 800 winning percentage good? Sure. Because that's the Zusser after 10 weeks in the locks because I locked up the Titans. I set up Sessler on that. Got them. Let's move on.

Well, it's factual. What am I going to say no? Not a ball game. Forty-five pounds, three-time pro-bowler, Cam Newton. McCaffrey swings out of the backfield, wide to the right. Newton's going to run right in the grass, breaks a tackle. Caffrey, Newton, everybody celebrating touchdown right side. First play, a touchdown.

Oh, Cam Newton was active and in vintage form for the Panthers on Sunday, throwing for a touchdown, running for another, and sparking Carolina to a 34 to 10 win over the Cardinals who played short-handed and sure it looked like it in this one. Greg Rosenthal. A statement victory for Carolina and for Cam, and he sent a message to the rest of the NFL. You're going to!

Hey, he earned this moment. It was a lot, and if nothing else happens, positive for the Panthers this year. At least they had this. And I expect them to matter moving forward with Cam Newton, but just to imagine that this was possible like a couple weeks ago would have blown my mind. To keep it in perspective, he had eight yards passing.

He threw the ball four times and 14 yards rushing. They won this game because PJ Walker was good enough, moved the ball, and the defense was dominant. But what Cam Newton brings, other than obviously some short yard is chops and he'll take over that starting job soon. soon enough was energy, I guess I got to like, yeah, I got to believe like Christian McCaffrey and Hassan Redick, who both said the energy before the game and giving Cam Newton credit, you know, for a big part of that was unlike anything he had ever seen, was what Hassan Redick said.

And McCaffrey would say, like, this was just like a wild feeling from the team. They were so hyped for this game. Reddick, of course, a former Cardinal too. You're not going to give Cam all the credit for just. like off field stuff, but that is part of what he brings to you is a guy that like everyone is hyped to play with and they just destroyed Arizona. It was over quickly. You could tell. I, I don't know if it was the first or the second touchdown, but McCaffrey and all the other Panthers just swarmed Cam. And I think one thing to make clear, because I saw somebody on Twitter, a Panthers fan,

they weren't, they were cool about it, but they were like, hey, you know, you were really burying the Panthers about what, what's been happening with their quarterback situation. Like, you don't understand the Panthers fans. We're excited about this. And I was like, This had nothing to do. Any criticism about the Panthers was about the organization. If I'm a fan of the Panthers and I grew up on Cam Newton, this is awesome. This is completely unexpected. And now he's pumping, he's back on your team and pumping fresh life into a season that felt like it was a deflating balloon, Mark Sess.

Yeah, I mean, for their fans, I've heard from some too. I couldn't agree with you more. And Matt, Matt, this is not the plan at all that Matt Ruhl, if you think it was weird for you, Matt Rule probably feels like 12 days ago. I had no idea this is where I'd be either. But why not? I mean, totally, why not? And whether you're into the Cam Newton experience, the overall one or not, I'm somewhere in the middle on it.

It is interesting to me that it's happening. Well, no, because it's, look, like, honestly, they were in such a dark place. And you have to look at, like, for the Sam Darnold business, like you've never thought, oh, well, Sam Darnold, if anything, is going to bring intense energy to the locker room. There's been a void of that at quarterback. And so that can change things. Yeah, I think Donald and I love Sam Donald. It's sad to what's happened with his career.

But he's never been like some type of dynamic leader of men. And Cam is like a guy who's just got like he's dripping with charisma. So like all these things you, it makes sense why the organization like it was such a shot in the arm. And it also like makes you think. And I know once we see Cam playing again, you're going to get a better idea of who he is now compared to where he was five or six years ago. He's not the same player anymore. But he probably should have been on a team. team of two months ago, three months ago.

It just never happened. I think he wanted to start, you know, and there weren't opportunities to start. And now there's... His phone was ringing based on what we heard. Now there is one, and he's getting paid well for it. I think he'll get a little more juice in his legs as it comes, but he was a great goal line runner. And he was a very good runner in general. He brings that, you know, element to the table.

I mean last year in New England, like we don't need to project how he's going to be helping them in the red zone with McCabe. who had a really nice game overall. He did go out with a head injury briefly, but they said after the game he's totally fine. He'll be good for next week. All this said, it's like they won because their defense, you know, bum rushed Colt McCoy.

I mean, almost the first play of the game, Hassan Reddick forces a fumble on McCoy, who also throws an interception later in the first quarter. It was a two-touchdown lead at that point. And this Panthers defense, I know they're not like amazing each and every week against some great competition, When Shaq Thompson's been on the field, and he was everywhere today again, they've been pretty

special. They've been one of the best defenses in the league. They're five and five. They are in the playoffs if it ended today. I know that doesn't mean anything, but they are in that ugly NFC mix. And I think with the defense that good, they'll probably stay in that mix until the end. They're totally relevant. And it, you know, it pains me to say it. But the backup experience, the backup quarterback experience, because I think we all like kind of super fall for these dudes for the week after they succeed. And I was totally viable on the Colt McCoy front to do that. But it's the Mike White experience.

Col McCoy, you love these guys rising up out of nowhere. They kind of remind us of like if we were thrown into a lineup in our deep fantasies. I mean, it would be much worse. Right. It just doesn't last two weeks in a row. The other shoe always drops. And Colt McCoy and any other guy, Mike White, they're competitors. So they want to be out there.

But in truth, the best thing for their careers would be just to have the game and then disappear again. But I think Colt, you know, Colt bought another two to three seasons with last week. He'll be all right. It's a big loss, though. You know, the Rams are still coming up on Monday night, but now they, you know, can tie in terms of the one seed. The Packers are now tied with the Cardinals. Obviously, they lose or they have the tiebreaker, so they're even ahead of them there.

Like, these games do matter. It sounded like Kyler Murray was close to playing, but between him and Newk, I mean, they are missing a lot of guys in general. Chase Edmonds, like, they've survived, but they need to get those guys back. I'll tell you what, it's been, it's not easy suffering through a loss like this. But I like what the Cardinals are doing here because I think they saw what happened last year when they tried to rush back Kyler to save the season and it ended up kind of submarine the season, even if it's going to cost you a game or two and they're one and one now without these two guys, it will help you in the long run.

Hopefully those guys are back. To be one and one is not the most of course. I bet they would, they would never admit to it because you never admit I'll, I'll lose. That's fine. They would sign up for one and one without two games without nuke and Kyler. All right, we're going to get the pipe rattling around in here right after the break. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin, and this is NFL Cover Zero.

We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew.

Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters.

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Heineke steps up, throws to the corner of the end. It's got Carter caught. Touchdown. DeAndre Carter. 20-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Heineke. Brad Weinstein with a call for W-T-E-M. Tom Brady picked off twice in his first six throws, and the bucks were in trouble

because Tyler Heineke was on target during a clock slaying 19-play drive that sealed a 29-19 upset, huge upset by Washington over the champs. Yes, I said it before, Shook, the pipe. He's here. And Shook, this is how it goes. in our league. If you don't show up ready to play, you'll get embarrassed by anybody, and we saw that

today. Yeah, if you sleepwalk out of the biweek directly to the nation's capital, you'll get caught. And the, the Buccaneers got caught extremely early, Tom Brady being one of them. A guy who is typically really good out of the biweek was not really good today and helped the Buccaneers dig themselves a 13-point hole, really before they knew what had happened. It was really in the second quarter they were down 13-0 and had to fight their way back. And for the first time, Probably this entire season, we saw a little bit of the Washington defense we thought we were going to see all season based on what we saw last year. Even after losing Chase Young to an injury that sounds pretty serious, they were tough, they were gritty, they forced turnovers. They didn't get beat on big plays for the majority of the game.

They did on a pass to Mike Evans that made things tight late. But then, Heineke responds. And the offense responds, Terry McClureen comes back from a collarbone injury that cost him a little bit of time earlier. They go on this drive that lasts over 10 minutes, and then Riverboat Ron comes out, goes for it on fourth and goal from the one. There he is. Gives it to Antonio Gibson ball game and a stunning victory for a Washington team that has been extremely, well, more down than up, but definitely up and down the season. That riverboat had been parked on River's Edge for a number of years there. Stuck in the mud.

Glad to see it back out on the waters. And they're going to need to keep doing that because we learned this morning before the game that Ryan Fitzpatrick is not. expected to return this season, something that does not surprise Greg nor Mark. No, what about me? Well, I'm just saying that Greg and I were saying we thought that he basically was soft selling this into an early retirement. Stop signaling me out, Sessler. No, no, you too.

Also, Dan. I mean, they were saying his hip, like, the report on it was funny that they did a follow-up MRI and none of it was good and he's back on crutches. I mean, he's an older guy coming off a hip injury and I don't even know if. If you would want to go back to him right now, not that Taylor Heineke has played well, but this is just like the team you have, and you just pulled off one of the drives of the season.

To get a 10-minute drive against the Bucks to win the game, 19 plays, 80 yards to seal it. It doesn't really get any better than that. To do it against the Bucks run defense is amazing. It's one of the most surprising results. And longest drive of the campaign for anything. And insult to injury for the Bucs. on the last play of that drive, Vita Vaya, who's so important to what they do in their front four,

the nose tackle got carted off with injury, and that's a bad one, too, show, because we saw him, they lost them last year and they felt his absence a year ago as well. Yeah, and we saw how effective he was early in this season. There was multiple games that they played earlier this year where Vita Vaya was destroying any offensive lineman he was faced up against to the point where it was causing serious problems for opposing passers every time they dropped back because they had a man in their face. on every snap. And so, you know, this defense has not really played up to par in the last few weeks to begin with, and especially in this game today, uh, and losing a guy like that that takes

away a strength on the interior. Not that the, that Washington ran the ball well today because they didn't, but teams in the future are going to be able to find more success up the middle, which is going to put more onus on the rest of the defense to perform. And right now they're already not performing at a level that you want them to that you expect of a defending Super Bowl champion that looked really good about a month ago. And lately not so much. I mean, they also are down four corners and they lost two during this game. So I am struck by the difference of how they came out of the by week last year. You know, they go undefeated after that and win a Super Bowl and how they come out of the by week this year. An injury plague season gets more injury plagued. And Brady

after the game is just, he's dying. And I, you know, everyone like is going to kind of pile on that he's not a good sport. And I just think of that Bill Parcell's, you know, quote about how he says, As you get older, the losses are so much tougher than the wins are good. And you could just tell he was like his insides were like he was just trying to end that. And it's not a good look or whatever. What happened exactly? I mean, it was like a 45 second press conference that he is answering very short, politely but short answers, tries to walk off after 45 seconds.

The guy from the athletic Greg Owman, I believe, was like, can you stay a little more, Tom? And they keep asking him questions, like, how are you feeling right now? And he's like, I don't like losing. And then he ends up walking off like 45 seconds later after about a minute and a half. Well, you're not supposed to do that. Right. Right. Right.

Right. So it's not a lot of time. Well, he's fired up. No, and he wasn't. It was more that he just reminded me of Belichick and Brady after like Super Bowl losses, how it just feels like everything, like if you base your whole life around this one thing when you lose to the Washington football team, it's like, you have nothing left in your being.

And just to add on to that before Shook, I throw it back to you, you know, this performance, which Bruce Ariens in his press conference called embarrassing. And then a reporter asked if wide receiver issues, injuries played a role in the loss. Ariens pulled no punches.

His performance. No, I had nothing to receivers. It was him. Shook, is it just me or is that like kind of a good thing that Brady isn't playing for a coach that treats him with kid gloves. I think that's actually another sign of a good landing spot for Brady in general. Yeah, absolutely, because at this point, it would be super easy for any coach to just be like,

well, he's Tom, he's the greatest ever, he can do whatever he wants. But on a day where you throw two interceptions, you need to be held accountable. And I know Tom would be the first person to hold himself accountable, but as a team and as a coach, you come off of this loss, if you treat that guy as he's infallible and we go into the next week and everything's fine and he doesn't deserve any criticism, well, you start to get other guys looking at him and saying, well, hey, we're on two different planes here. and I know he's the greatest of all time, but we need to win football games.

And he didn't play like the goat that he is. And we need him to play better than that. So as a leader on your team, he needs to be the first guy in the room to stand up and say, look, guys, I didn't play well enough for us to win. And that's on me. And if a coach is going to do that for him as well, it keeps things even.

Because you know in this season, you deal with injuries, you deal with so many different things to try to get to the end of the year and get to the Super Bowl, you got to have everybody on the same page. So it's good for them. But, you know, you talk about Tom being upset after the game. You can see it in his face on the sideline.

as Washington's slowly getting down the field and the time's ticking off the clock. And Tom is chomping with a bit, ready to get the ball back and go lead another comeback win. And then he never gets it with any time left with any real chance because they're down, you know, multiple scores at that point. I can totally understand why he was so upset after the game. He had the opportunity taken out of his hands by a defense that he's been able to count on in the past and couldn't count on today. All right. So a frustrating game for the goat and the defending chance. But as we learned last year, should not count them out in November.

see how they bounce back next week. But let's now move on, pipe to what happened across the sidewalk here at SoFi Stadium. They're going to go for it. Toss right to Dalvin. Turns it up 35. Leap for the first down. Ball came out, but the Vikings recovered it at the 29. They'll say Dalvin's down at the 32. Fresh four for the Minnesota Vikings. Paul Allen, K-F-A-N with the call. Don't try to figure out the Vikings. Anytime you try to figure out the Vikings, they'll make you look dumb. Kirk Cousins threw a pair of touchdown passes the Tyler Conklin.

You heard me. Dalvin Cook, rush for 94 yards, touchdown, and that game icing first down. And the Vikings bounced back after a little bit of a slump here. They beat the Chargers, 27 to 20. Shook, more of the same from Minnesota, right? They'll look bad one week. They'll look great the next. Well, sounds like they look pretty good.

great in this one. More of the same, but a difference. And a key difference that I think could help them going forward if they can kind of stay consistent. This is a game that the Vikings typically would lose this year. They go into halftime with a lead. And even on the broadcast, they mentioned coming out of the break, well, you got to feel a little nervous if you're a Vikings fan right now because they've been here before and they haven't followed through. And for a little bit there after halftime, they were again trailing. And yet they responded. And not only did they respond, but they responded with emphasis, two long touchdown drives. The second one was a 12 play drive. Eight of those plays were running plays. They capped it off by giving it to

Dalvin Cook slamming it over the goal line for a touchdown. It was emphatic. It sent a message to the Chargers that, hey, we're going to rely on our offense. We're going to rely on our ground game. And we're going to run it down your throats. And we're going to score. And it's going to be on you to stop us. And ultimately, the Chargers, their last three defensive possessions, couldn't get Just stop, two touchdowns, and then the game ending drive with that fourth and one conversion. And I felt as they tossed the ball to Dalvin Cookie gets around the edge and across the sticks for a new, a fresh set of four, as they said on the call. I like that. That's exactly how this game should have ended with the Vikings doing it on the ground, doing it with emphasis, making a point that, hey, you know what?

We've lost games like this in the past. We're not losing this one today. I think another change for them out. Coming off the last two weeks, and there's been a lot of heat on them, where Justin Jefferson, your best player, was targeted. nine times over the last two weeks. They got away from him last week when they, you know, they got up early. They built two 14-0-0-0 leads, 14-point leads over the Ravens and did not lean on him. 11 targets today, 143 yards off nine catches, totally dominant. One of the better catches you're going to see all year and one that helped them ice that game and get them

to the Dalvin Cook fourth down carry. So that, I think, is something if you're the Vikings, don't get away from that again because the inconsistency is sometimes like, just keep doing what works, please, and their defense without Patrick Peterson, without DeNeal Hunter, held Justin Herbert to his lowest yardage total all year and stymied them down the stretch. I mean, I thought these two teams feel like mirror teams to me in the NFC and AFC where every game comes down to the end. You don't know what's going to happen. And the Vikings, one of them had to close it out. We'd be saying the same thing about the charges that was reversed. I like that point a lot, but I also feel differently about these teams. I feel like the Vikings

are just like all over the map where I start to worry, Shook. if I'm a charges fan, that they might be pretenders. Do you get the vibe that they're a team with major issues or maybe fatal flaws here? Yeah, a little bit, especially in the last month. Their offense has just not lived up to what we thought it was earlier in the season. And the defense, especially today, has not picked up its end of the slack. And, you know, you think Brandon Staley comes over after engineering that Rams defense that was the best in the league last year.

This defense just hasn't had the teeth that you expected to have. And especially in key moments, this game being one of them. And Justin Herbert's going to have these games where he, throws an interception, or he's not as sharp as you'd like him to be, and he's been like that lately, you need your defense to pick you up. And they just haven't played complimentary football in that regard. And that's, while still being largely healthy on the offensive side of the ball, I mean, they have Austin Eckler. They're able to still move it. Sometimes they moved it in the second half a little bit. But, I mean, there was a telling moment for me late in this game in the

fourth quarter where they were, you know, within goal to go situation and they get stopped. And Brandon Staley down 10 takes the three. And mathematically, it makes sense. You know, you're down 10, you take the three, you get a stop, you try to score the game, tying touchdown, potentially go for two to win the game, right? Well, the problem is that defense couldn't get a stop. And this is a guy who loves to go for it on fourth down. It felt passive. It felt like you were playing kind of not to lose, or at least to give yourself a chance.

The aggression in these chargers has not shown through in the last month. And I think that's a big reason why they are where they are at five and four. It was shocking. I mean, in a way, these teams are mirror teams, but it was the opposite of what you would expect. The Vikings were incredibly aggressive today in their. play calling. Like as aggressive almost as any team I've seen in a game ending situation all year. It was first and 25 on that last drive and they threw it three straight times. That is

exactly the spot where Mike Zimmer this year has run it multiple times in a row. They went forward on fourth down. The drive before that too, they were backed up in terms of penalty and when you would think they would prioritize taking time off the clock, they threw it in situations where even the most aggressive coaches often will run it in that situation, whereas the Chargers didn't just blink in that fourth down situation there, but also punted, I think it was on the 40 on the other side in the first half of the game. It's very surprising to me to see that Staley did not have as much confidence in his offense, because I don't think it was about him having confidence in getting stops defensively.

He just did not think his offense was playing well enough. Maybe he was right. All right. Now, Shook, I know. you watched the Browns professionally today, are you prepared to talk about them? Of course. You know, hey, man. I separate the two very easily.

Stiff upper lift. Has time. Fires down the middle for board. Reaches off, extends. It's right in the end zone. Between two defenders. Touchdown. Patriots. Two big throws on his drive by Mack Jones, your quarterback,

to get him off the plateau. What does that even mean? Bob Sochi and Scott's so. Lack with the call for WBZ. Mack Jones threw three touchdown passes. Rookie Romandre Stevenson rushed for a career high 100 yards and two scores. The Patriots stick it to the Browns, 45 to 7, blowout city. Mark, heading into the weekend, we all kind of agree that this felt like a close, low-scoring,

maybe a field goal difference type of game. How did we end up in grizzly blowout territory? Well, I think the other thing that we brought up, this was a lot of, on my mind, I wonder if Shook agrees that the Browns needed a signature win, you needed to go into New England and do something that basically, had they won this game, they'd be in the driver's seat of the division right now, they'd be looking arrow up and we'd be saying we think differently about them a week ago. Instead, we're right back in the darkness. And this was the most discombobulated Brown's loss of the, I will say of the Kevin Stefansky era, because I don't care about some of the

blowouts last year where they were figuring themselves out. They were outcoached. They were outplicated. They were outplayed. You know, by halftime, it was utterly clear that Mac Jones was putting together a performance three times that of Baker Mayfield, who I think had his worst start in eons. I mean, it was an absolute debacle. New England's defense adjusted very early to what Cleveland did. They had a nice opening touchdown drive, and we've seen this before, and then nothing after it. And in reverse, this is so Bill Belichick, it's so Josh McDaniels, and the play-by-play guys were going nuts over this early on. But they basically used the aggressiveness of Miles Garrett and what Miles Garrett presented to dump off screens where he would be, where there was no one, to eat

up big chunk yardage, to invite him into the fold and run reverses where he would be. I thought they did a great job with Cleveland's defense, who came into the game 10th and allowing points and were out of this thing early on. It just, it's Cleveland and New England both want to come in and run the ball. I know the Browns and not have Nick Chubb. New England was missing people too. and their players stepped up and they had a season high in rushing yards and beat up a Brown's defense that looked totally asleep at the wheel to me. This was a case of a good opening game script, so good preparation versus good in-game coaching.

Because Kevin Stefansky and Joe Woods got completely out-coached by Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels. I mean, to the point where while the time you got to halftime, it was clear that the Browns were going to need a miracle to come back and win this game. They had the great opening drive, and then Baker Mayfield throws an interception. and they score quickly. And before you know it, it's 21-7 and the Browns have no hope left in them. Ramandre Stevenson just bullying his way through the Brown's punchless defense.

They couldn't make tackles in the open field. They couldn't make tackles in traffic. They had them on the one-yard line and allow him to somehow squeeze through for a gain of six and they end up going on a 99-yard touchdown drive. And defensively, every time the Browns tried anything, the Patriots were right there with an answer. I mean, it's like they knew what the play call was. essentially because defensively the Browns do not adjust.

They haven't adjusted all year and they didn't adjust. Miles Garrett even talked about it after the game. But offensively, they also didn't adjust. And I know, you know, Baker Mayfield goes out with an injury and you don't have Nick Chubbs. You don't have to be able to rely on the run. But this is one of the weaknesses in Kevin Stefanski where he's good at game planning. And he's good in certain situations where he knows the team's weaknesses. But when it comes to running into a brick wall of a defense, he just kind of folds.

He just hasn't been able to answer that with anything better. And I don't know if it's a lack of talent. I think they have enough talent to make it work. But it's clearly a lack of execution and ingenuity offensively. And it contributed to this blowout where, I mean, you had Mack Jones on the sideline cracking up with his teammates. And Brian Hoyer going three for three for 85 yards in a touchdown pass to Colby Myers. I mean, yeah, it was a dominant performance.

The Brown's got completely outlast. Yeah. And that is and Connor wrote a good piece today on SI.com, Connor Browns fan himself saying that, you know, the Browns are five and five. So it's like, you know, four years ago, it would have been a celebration to be five and five in November. But I think the way that the bar was raised this year, especially, that's why you hear so much frustration from Brown's friends about how hot and cold they've been. And that's what they are.

At a certain point, you've got to believe a team when it's telling you they are what they are. We're an inconsistent team that could be good one week, bad the next, and you can't trust them. The Patriots on the other hand, Greg, they are not inconsistent. They've been consistently great now for a month. And what we saw from their quarterback, the rookie quarterback, was, hey, FYI, if I level, if I level up in my game, we can really make a run here. And he did it on Sunday. His anticipation and just knowing what the defense is going to do and ball placement when it's on is awesome. But I think such a big part of it is like he's got players making plays for him.

And I know they're not like the best skill position group in the world. But that throw to Kendrick Bourne that everyone was going, was going. nuts on where he sticks it between two defenders. That was a great catch. The Jacobi. Jacobi Myers made a couple plays for him. Their offensive line, it's not skill position players, but they got Trent Brown back today for the first time

all year. And they've got a great looking offensive line. The one that we talked about coming into the season, it took a little while, but the last three or four weeks, they're up there with one of the best offensive lines in the week. So sudden, in the league, suddenly, then you surround Mac Jones with that, and you surround him with Josh McDaniels, who I've always believed is a great play caller and a great offensive coordinator and has shown he can win with different quarterbacks.

Belichick gets credit for that, but like when they've won with Jimmy G and Jacoby Brissette and Castle and like Josh McDaniels has been there for that, it's not just been Tom Brady and it's it's hard not to be very high on this Patriots team right now, like they are coming together, but I also think this was this was a matchup thing. Like you were right, Chuck, when it was 21-7, it fell over, but that's because of the Browns more than the Patriots to me, because they just don't feel like a team that can come from behind. They feel like what people used to say about the Ravens, which I never totally bought into, which is that they are a bit of a front-running team.

If you get them a couple scores down, it's not happening. You can tell what's going to happen in a Browns game about 10 minutes in. It's been the way it is this year. Joe Botanyo called them a Jekyll and Hyde team. The Patriots had three touchdown drives of 90-plus yards. They took a bomb inside their own house and blew up the. ceiling there's Stevenson's a beast too

you know Damien Harris misses this game with a concussion and it didn't matter because they've got a they're running back room right now with Brandon Bolden playing so well it's pretty great with with Stevenson Harris and Bolden look out for the Patriots and the Browns have dropped four of six and have not won at New England since

1992 when their coach was Bill Belich Bill Belich and the same year I was born well well I was in college so that should tell you That seems unnecessary. All right, Chuck, thank you. You've said it all.

You do it all. You're the man, The Pipe. Follow him on Twitter. Check out all his great stuff on NFL.com. And we'll see you next week. Thanks for the plug. I'll see you guys later. All right.

We'll take a break. And we'll talk about the first tie of the season. God, I hate them toys. Up next. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL.

perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn. more. What's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how.

teams put it all together on game day. Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box

score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies.

Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Throws the out pattern to flyer move. He loses the football. It's free on the ground.

It is the Lions football. The Lions picked it up again. The second force fumble in overtime, and they come out of there with it. Unbelievable. There's the mistake you needed. Oh, are we going to give the Lions the Bongoes on a tie? You know what?

Let's give it to Dan Miller, the voice of the Lions, who we hadn't heard this season until now, WXYT. The Steelers in position for a long field goal attempt. The line stripped rookie tight end, Pat Fryermuth and fell on the ball with nine seconds to play. It was the turnover that clinched a 16-16 tie. What do they say? It's like kissing your sister, which is always, we don't need it. I don't have a sister. I have a sister, and I just don't like the visual.

in dreary Pittsburgh. Mark, this is a, you know, hideous four-hour game just about. Ben Rolfsburger went on the COVID list, did not play. Mason Rudolph was completely Mason Rudolph and ends with Detroit mercifully avoiding the loss column

for the first time in almost a year. Totally unrewarding basket of treats. Did you, not to interrupt, but you took this game as you often do in the draft process. You like to get a couple blood baths in there so you don't have to worry about it. So how fitting on a,

the day where the browns crap their pants, you get a four-hour slog tie. What is that, like, little girl say on the thing? When it rains, it pours, baby. And, like, that's what happened today. I don't know what you're talking about. The little girl says it on the thing. It's a slogan on the salt thing.

It's some sort of salt that people buy. What is it? Oh, I know. It's a very famous salt. Yeah, I don't buy it. Yeah, okay. It's a salt product. You're out on salt, too.

I don't know, but this thing, by the way, they're like, it's not going to be four quarters. It's going to be a full five. Enjoy it. A total ill basket. treats. It was a hot mess. I mean, the problem that was so frustrating was that both teams had chances to win this in overtime, if not before. I mean, the Steelers fumbled twice in overtime. The Lions, Santoso, their 48 field goal kicked miss, just a disaster for them.

It just went on and on. The game had 16 puns. Jared Goff averaged 1.5 air yards deep into overtime. Golf was playing, and I know this was a, people were wondering what was going on with Jared Goff because you won't see a team all year long play around their quarterback the way they did with Jared Goff. And it's partly just what's going on with Jared Goff. It was successful for Detroit. They ran for 200 plus yards and barreled through Pittsburgh's defense. And that kept him in this game. But when Goff was on the sideline, they were wrapping his waist and back, lower back with like this medical tape. You could tell he was in tough shape. He couldn't throw the ball straight, which is a tough injury for any athlete. Get the Blowhard up. I mean, let's get him in there. how he wins the coin toss. I don't get they were doing it. They were at the point where it was 13, 16, 16 at one point. It was third and 15. And the lions are tied 16, 16, and they run the ball on third and 15.

They were, I think that, you know, in Pittsburgh still couldn't do enough with that. They couldn't do enough to stop the run in that situation. So it was a weird game in crappy weather that went on for about six and a half hours, happy for the lions to have a tie. I don't hate ties the same way that some people do. I hate how they mess with the symmetry of the season, but the NFL already. We can create symmetry. I know.

It's annoying that we went out of our way to lose symmetry. Plus, what if they go 016 and 1? That would be somehow worse than 0 and 17 in my mind. Can I just say, and I don't want to pile on because I'm sure he's a nice guy. But I knew when Ryan Santoso is lining up for that 48-yard kick in overtime, what's that old, like, WWE song? No chance in hell. He didn't have the eye of the tiger. He had this look in his eyes.

Like, he needed to be anywhere in the war. world at that moment. And he kicked the ball like he wanted to be anywhere else in the world of that moment. And that, you know, speaks to the lines. Do we have Campbell talking after the game? Because Campbell's like, you know, he just wants a dub. And he'll take a tie, I'm sure, over an L. But, you know, it's tough being the head coach of the lines. Yeah, honestly, I don't know. Like I say, I don't, I don't, in this twilight zone, I don't know what this is, really. And I'm sure I've been in a tie before as a player for some reason I can't remember that if it was so I don't know it's yeah well you could it's fine to cut him off there because he doesn't know what to say either it's just been a a tough

season great what about the Steelers it's impressive it's about as bad it's it's somehow worse than a loss okay that's stupid it's not worse than a loss but they they tie in the lions in this sort of game where you also lose joe hayden uh and kevin dots into injury and dots it was ruled out quickly and has been good for them on the offensive line like this this was a very costly day I feel like, I do want to say on Campbell, though. I feel like he's part of the issue here. It's like they once bench Peyton Manning for Brock Osweiler. Like, put, put Blow in if Goff is out there and he can't move around, just at least for this one game.

It's not like a franchise legend that you're trying to be sensitive about. Go put Blow in and win a ball game. He's also, you know, I'm not paling on. I guess I could see the strategy because you don't want to tie the game. But he's called timeouts for the Steelers on the Steelers drive that almost ends with the game-winning field goal attempt to stop the clock, which is helping out Pittsburgh more than it has the possibility to help out Detroit. You know, not piling on the lines. But here's the thing.

I will pile on Mason Rudolph that he's not a good backup quarterback. He's not a good starting quarterback. He's not the future in Pittsburgh. I can't talk too much on this game because I only watched overtime, but I read that he missed a ton of throws in this game. He also just, he's throwing to ghosts sometimes. And you just can't try. Chase Claypool being out was no treat for them. Ju-Ju's out.

Like this is a bit, this is a banged-up team, too. It's a good news for the Browns, though, because the Lions, they get the moral victory. In this case, it was a moral tie every other week. Greg, this is where you and I just have this human disconnect. I don't want to hear about good news for the Browns. I'm just saying the Lions have this thing where everyone's like, hey, they're well coached.

They tried really hard. And then, like, everyone's kind of in on the Lions a little bit going into the next thing. And then they get their doors blown off. And so that's the Browns. Well, that's good. That's all I mean. There is some actual good news for the Browns also that this is a hideous, week for the AFC North. The Ravens go down against the two and seven dolphins.

Wow. The Pittsburgh Steelers barely tie the O and eight lions and the Cincinnati Bengals are in flames on their by week. So you actually don't lose any ground. Well, I guess you was half a game, but anyway. I would just say if you watch this from wire to wire, people aren't going to be running around like waving banners for the Detroit Lions. Like there were issues. All right. Let's move on. Third and champion. It's good to hear from Dan Miller. One by three set. They throw it back to digs of the left corner and this time he holds onto it in the end zone for the touchdown the bills do in fact take a 16 to 3 lead should have seen mark stern nod of his head when i said it's good to hear from dan miller i don't know what do you have against dan miller i mean i'm not i'm not

aware of dan he hasn't been on this show a lot lately he's very good i was just acknowledging that i listened to what you said and yes i comprehended your statement and can i also say that dan Miller was a class act when I interviewed him for the pain rankings years back. This is where it all comes in. Well, you have this blossoming friendship. Ted Miller. It's been on ice for about five years, but you never know when it can get picked up again. The Jets were just what the doctor ordered for the bill's slumping offense.

That was John Murphy with a call for WGR. Josh Allen picked apart New York's weak defense, throwing for 323 yards and two scores. 3810 win at the medal ends. Allen's offensive line gave him a ton of time to work from the pocket. He reestablished his connection with star receiver Stefan Diggs, who enjoyed his second 100-yard day of the season, had a touchdown. And I'll say this before we kind of get into the game more above the treetops about the bills. The Jets were a nice confidence booster,

but we'll need to see more evidence before declaring that Brian Dable and company have successfully counteracted the game plans that have stifled the attack this season. But that said, good work, took care of business. The Jets are a mess defensively right now. Mike White was a mess in this game, four interceptions, and that was a great storyline while it lasted. We will be seeing Zach Wilson sooner rather than later. But it is the defense of the Jets that let the bills do anything they wanted.

So we'll see what they look like against better competition Buffalo. But for one Sunday in northern New Jersey, they were back to their old ways. Can I, like, I'm trying to remember if I've ever seen this. And it's not to pile on the Jets. We get it. But last four games, they've allowed point totals of 54, 34, 31, 45, and 45. This is like beating up on a lost friend on Madden in like 1994, someone who's never touched a console.

The Bills became the fourth team in five weeks to roll up more than 400 yards against New York. Some of these yardage tolls could be higher, but the blowouts are so grisly that the teams are taking their foot off the pedal unless you're the Patriots and you have no class. But, you know, GM Joe Douglas has so much work to do. There's so much work to do to return the Jets to respectability, but they have to dedicate serious resources in the offseason to this defense, completely overmatched by. And injured.

They were overmatched coming into the season for the most part on paper and banged up. Well, even if you have Carl Lawson in there and Marcus May, you still got to add more talent to this defense. Absolutely. Especially in the secondary. You would expect more out of a defensive coach. I think that's the risk of a defensive coach. But I like to his coordinator higher on offense.

They have allowed more points. in the last four games, to your point, Mark, than any team since the merger, except for the 2004 Titans had a, had a four-game stretch, just a little bit worse. But that's it. So they are historically bad in terms of the month. And I know we're saying, like, okay, you want to see the bill's offense against a better team and all. But we were coming into this thinking, I don't know, Mike White might keep this close. And the bills, if nothing else, have been the most consistent defense in the NFL.

So I'm going to give them some credit for stifling, you know, picking off Mike White four times and just, you know, getting a blowout. The Bill's defense has been really good this season, even while the offense hasn't been. And Mike White was by halfway through this game, he was the one seeing ghosts. He was just kind of throwing the ball up for grabs, wasn't even kind of looking downfield. Like he was a guy when he had that big game against Cincinnati, a lot of it was underneath. And he was just doing a good job going through his progressions and taking what the defense gave. Once he got on tilt a little bit in this game and he had to push the ball downfield

or felt that he had to, it was a disaster. So bad stuff. Joe Flacco showed up in this game. So nice move by the Jets trading for Joe Flacko. He got him in the answer. He might start next week. I wouldn't be, no, that wouldn't make any sense. That would be crazy.

And it's back to it doesn't matter. Really, whether it's white or Flacco, neither of those guys are an answer. You need to have the boy back in and we'll see if he is back in the next time they play. But good win for the bills. they got out of there, I believe, pretty healthy, and they move onward and upward.

Let's move on. Jets stink. And they get to a... Half that build and filled with Bill's vets. They may have lost the ball around the 46th. Because you put bad product in the field for 10 straight years. No signal yet. The Colts think they have a takeaway and a formal recovery.

It's Colts Ball! It's Colts Ball! There's the takeaway. They desperately knew it and they got it. All right. Taylor. I mean, I feel like when you have to scream about a desperate takeaway needed against the Jaguars, it's not a great look. But at the end of the day, you know, all the guys in Jackson will drive Cadillacs too, right? Are Cadillacs like the highest form now? Well, Earl Weaver, the Hallfame manager of the Orioles. He coined it, and that was probably in the 80s when the Cadillac

goes. It's like now they all drive Phantoms. Yeah, Phantoms. Is that a Bentley? I don't even know It's hard to park those cars That's why I would not Extremely difficult Where are you putting that Parallel parking of Phantom I would not recommend

Jonathan Taylor ran for a buck 16 And a touch of the Colts Added another score On a blocked punt And they held on for a 2317 Win over the Jaguars It is a Rose Royce by the way And you know

Like before you come into my mentions And it's like Oh these three white guys Don't know Phantoms or Rose Roy's It's like I paid off that Mazda CX5 three years ago, I'm riding that thing until the wheels come off. Ten years from now, I might be riding that thing. You're one of those?

I don't know. You're Larry David all the way. I don't care about cars. But you know what? Even Larry David, where are you going, Greg? Now, Greg, is up out of his seat. You don't have to call that out to the list. I'm just picking up a pen.

On curb your enthusiasm, in later seasons now, he has like a luxury, you know, it's a electric car, I believe. But he drove that Prius for the first 10 years of the show. He evolved, Greg. Maybe you can as well. You're a figure of stature now. Give me a Larry David's money in my 50s or 60s or whatever. I'm just saying you can spend that money elsewhere.

That's true. We all make 70 to 85,000 according to Matt Money Smith. So you know, you got to pinch those pennies. Anyway, Jaguars, they got a couple wins this year and they hung tough in this game. So they're playing hard for Urban Meyer, but the Colts get it done. I feel bad for Trevor Lawrence. So many drops in this game. I know Jamal Agnew like makes a big play as a as a runner, a long touchdown.

But there were multiple drives that I saw killed by Agnew drops where, you know, you're throwing slants to like a return guy who couldn't make other teams. And he's like your ex-receiver. It's like the only deep game is just kind of like throwing it up back shoulder to Marvin Jones. I'm not saying Trevor Lawrence has been incredible, but I think the team. letting him down has increased as the season has worn. Well, they're going to, you know they'll make a couple big free agent signings in the off season. And one of these huge narratives will be like, Trevor Lawrence is about to show us who he really is.

And I don't doubt that that's true. It's just that I can already feel that being. It's happening. Just like I just talked about another bad team, the Jets are going to, you could like look into the crystal ball and you'll see that Joe Douglas is like, we have a great defensive coach now to start to give him more pieces. And they'll spend money and draft defensive players. That's what you're going to see from the Jaguars in this upcoming. offseason. This is what you want to see, though. They outgained the Colts, the defense of

improvement seems like it's there. It's a little shocking that the Colts offense at one point, I think had eight punts in nine drives, including five, three, and outs against Jacksonville. I'm a little shocked by that. I got to admit. This Jacksonville defense showed up last week, and I, you know, it was just like, well, that doesn't count. Well, it's like actually, maybe they are becoming a little bit better. And they gave them a test today. And I checked in late to this because I called the Jaguars a berser team that can maybe cause a little bit of havoc down the stretch and at least they did totally get wiped today.

Colts are in this race, though. There you go. Moral victory for you. Yes, I chalked that up is the best thing that happened to me today. I was trying to, I was like, where is the analysis here? There, there, there. Oh, it's about Mark. I said out of nine drives, they had one that went over 11 yards.

That's good on defense in the NFL, by the way. They were one and four. So I know this game's ugly. Just move past it. You got your win. They were one in four and you get to five and five. That's a pretty nice accomplishment to be right in there. And we don't have to tell Colts fans don't trust Carson Wentz.

They know. So when they go hot and cold on offense, and again, I need to get eyes on this game. But the quarterback is top. But he's going to play 75% of the snaps. So people in Philadelphia are loving the Wens experience right now. All right. Let's take a break and then we'll hit the rest of the games. They blitz him.

He throws it left. Lambs in the corner of the end. And he walks under the ball. Touchdown to C.D. Lamb, his second. And he comes up grinning at Dalton Shultz and shrugging his shoulders, saying that was too easy. It was too easy for the Cowboys on Sunday. Brad Sham, the Sham God for KRLD.

Dak Prescott threw a couple touchdowns. Zieg scored a couple times. Nishon Wright recovered a block pen, punt in the end zone. Cowboys roll 43 to 3 over an overwhelmed and seemingly unprepared Falcons team. How out of control was this blowout? Dauce's halftime lead was 36 to 3. Half time.

Greggy, that's a Dan Quinn revenge game, baby. That is. I mean, we got, how out of control was it? We had an entire quarter of Josh Rosen versus Cooper Rush. Wow. What a gift? Both teams just called off the dogs. If you look at the box score and it's 43,

like this game play, it was exactly what you thought it was. Like if you don't want to watch it on Game Pass, you can pretty much guess what happened. Doc Prescott last week was definitely misfiring, didn't seem right. He looked like the DAC from the first eight or nine weeks here. One thing that struck me, though, in this game was the fourth downs,

two big ones by the Cowboys, which one was a touchdown and one led to. a touchdown. And it got me thinking about Mike McCarthy and the aggressiveness that he's had this year. And I started thinking, like, we got to get a Mike McCarthy versus Aaron Rogers with like Mike McCarthy calling for fourth downs. And somehow that he gets back at Aaron Rogers. Like, this is what I want in the NFC playoffs. And these are the two teams that I feel, uh, I trust the most in terms of we'll be there in the divisional round. If only because I, I know they're going to win their divisions, and I know they're both really good.

That is a luscious idea. I'm totally on board with that. And, I mean, you can look at the point total. Obviously, their offense is high-powered, but I like this Falcon's offense, especially over the last three or four weeks. The Cowboys did not have DeMarcus Lawrence. They did not have Randy Gregory. Matt Ryan had his lowest

passer rating. The pregame shows were all about Matt Ryan knows Dan Quinn's defense. By the way, Dan Quinn knows Matt Ryan. Nobody knows anything. And none of that stuff matters, but It's like the Falcons experience has been up and down because they have been really enjoyable to watch. You can kind of see it coming together on offense and then they completely got manhandled. Well, Corderell Patterson suffered an ankle injury early, tried to play through it, couldn't kind of look like a high ankle sprain.

They're playing on Thursday night, by the way, against the – once Patterson has gone, this team is no longer fun. You got Wayne Galman for 15 carries. That tells you it's a bit of, you know, house built of sticks and rock. Right. It's not like they're winning this game or being... Sticks and mirrors? Yeah, it's a house of card. They're not winning this game or being competitive with Patterson,

but they didn't have anything. Doran's Armstrong had an incredible game. Sticks and stones actually might be sturdy depending on the crass machine. It's a house of cards. I know, but we're talking about things that men of the pasted. We've never done any of these things that they do. Mirage. They create like cliches.

What do you mean? It's like, oh, it was a real tough day down at the mill. It's like none of us had ever been to a mill. I mean, just we don't, we're talking about men. I'm a homeowner. I do a lot of work outside now. Well, then I exclude you. I exclude you from the commentary on modern man.

You alone are doing the work that men used to do. I worked at a strawberry farm. I worked at a strawberry farm for like $14 an hour, please. I mean, I was driving, so it wasn't that tough. Give me a break. Getting lost. You had to get there. You were getting lost.

You had to get there at like 5.30. I'm picturing just like flashbacks where it's like the gauzy look to the camera. And it's market camp happiness at the lake with his, his girlfriend and all his buddies listening to Collective Soul and just Greg, just like driving to nowhere in that strawberry truck. No idea where the fucking is going. No MapQuest. No, no cell phone. Dishwashing. That's like going to the mill.

Did a lot of dishwashing. I'd get lost to restaurants. That was tough. I'm just saying you did get lost. Where were we? Oh, I just want to say this, the Falcons. On top of like a really ugly game, it just stinks that this is just where things are. but everyone destroying the Falcons on Twitter when it was 28 to 3

to the point where the Falcons Twitter says, yeah, yeah, we know. It's a bad day for Falcons. And then, you know, to get off, it didn't last for long because 30 seconds after it went to 28 to 3, they had a punt block to make it 36. Nice job by the Falcons. 36 to 3. Got themselves out of the corner there.

I think we should just stop with the 283. It's been long enough. It really truly is the most painful loss I can think of in the history. of sports because every time there's any 28 to 3, it gets brought up. Yeah, but you like, you love your Saints and, you know, they're your pet team and everything. Like they're the ones. Oh, yeah. That are into it more than anyone else.

You should, you should go on the Saints podcast with those dudes and say Adam and Ryan. Adam and Ryan, you should say, you say, hey, guys, next time you're on the Saints Twitter podcast, you say, announcement. Before we get into this, I got a monologue, hit the miss of music and then just be like, no more 283. and then give like a detailed reasoning why. You don't condone it, basically. You stand out and you don't condone it. It's been enough. Not just I don't condone it.

I command you to stand down Saints Nation. I'm not going to do that. By the way, like why is Dak Prescott running over a linebacker when it's 36 to 3 late in the third quarter? I'm all about, everyone's always about like protecting your players. And yet they leave in their players in these meaningless situations, even late in the third quarter. You could take them out. Why Zeke out there and not at 100%? The bills did the same thing today.

It's very strange because they're so concerned in the preseason and then in the regular season, no one thinks about it. Well, you don't condone that either. You know it's a great way to avoid people taunting you for 283 forever. Same thing like I've gotten like the butt fumble gift sent to me for 10 straight years. Don't get the butt fumble done to you. Don't blow a 283 in the Super 83 lead in the Super Bowl. This is sports and sometimes it's just cruel.

All right. Let's move. And Gordon is knocked down. Football comes loose. Eagles come up with it. Sleigh picks it up. Sleigh running with the ball. And Slay takes off to the far side of the field.

To the 30, to the 40. Sleigh running away from people. Slay at the 40, the 30, the 20, 10, 5. Touchdown, I think. Darius Slay. You can tell Merrill Reese in his voice wasn't sure whether he was calling a game-changing touchdown. for WIP, but he was.

Cornerback, Darius Slay returned to fumble 82 yards for a score that held up upon review was a good call. And rookie Devonta Smith continued his surge. He had two touchdown catches from Jalen Hertz in the first half. The Eagles roll over the Broncos 30 to 13.

You know, last week, the Broncos go to Dallas and embarrass the Cowboys. And then seven days later, the Cowboys make the Falcons look like, like a Little League team, a Pop Warner team, and the Broncos go right back to looking like also rents, mediocre, ham and eggers. And that's, and that was kind of my takeaway from this game. My other big takeaway, other than the Broncos are mediocre and, um, and they were a tease last week is that Jalen Hertz, um, was so good in the first half of this game. He only threw

three passes in the second half. Uh, so I can't, and he threw an interception in the second half. But in the first half with what he was able to do with his arm and with his legs again he he is showing signs that this is a guy that you should give serious thought to continuing to develop and stay the course with jalen hurts i really liked what i saw in this game the eagles are four and six uh all four of their wins have come on the road so it's an interesting uh season they're having and i thought one more note on the broncos and this and bad day for teddy bridge or bridgewater bridgewater all around, Greg, you're going to really struggle with this game tape because in addition to the Phantom tackle attempt on the Darius Slay touchdown, which was not a great look. He said he was trying to force the action, the other direction, but it looked like he was trying to make a business decision there. He just missed a lot of plays in this game. He struggled, and they stalled out in the red zone repeatedly.

They stalled at the three, the 10, and the 11. That was the difference in this game. Right. They were living in the red zone in the second half of the game. to make a comeback. I am impressed and surprised about how quickly the Eagles have flipped this offense. Like, everyone was begging them to just run the ball more for the first six weeks. And then they started to, and they're the best running team in the league.

The last three weeks, they are the number one offense, according to expected points a lot. Now, you've got to look at the, you know, the opponents, but they've been wildly efficient for three straight weeks, you know, with this very run-heavy approach. Yeah, I mean, that is, there is when they can run the ball and then he and Hertz can make plays with his legs and this Devante Smith connection, which has really come on the last two weeks. His catch, he had an incredible, it was a great stat. His touchdown catch, the first one was over Patrick Sartain, the second or is it the third? Is it the second or third Sertain?

I mean, the second to play in the NFL. And I think he had less than like a half yard of separation. It was the smallest window for any touchdown reception this season. That's the type of play a star receiver makes, and he made one there. So the Eagles are a team to kind of keep an eye on here. And there are only one game back in the NFC. I have a crazy stat for you right now. Are you ready for this?

Yes, let's do it. All right. Out of the 32 teams in the NFL, only five are more than one loss out of the playoffs. Five. I believe it. There's 12 in the AFC that are in that mix and 15 in the NFC. The lions are the only team that's not within one loss. If you really want to stretch it and say the Giants in Washington are only one lost behind.

As George Bush one said, mission accomplished. That's what the league wanted and they are here. And if you would have told me if you like traveled from the future back to August and gave me that stat, I'd like cross my finger and be like, come on to Jen. He got to be in the mix. He got to be one of the teams. but they are not. Now, before we move on, Greg, I'd like you to speak on the teddy play. He's catching a ton of heat for it.

Business decision in a big spot. I mentioned it on Twitter and all the Broncos fans got angry. He's got two bad knees or his knee was shredded. I get all that. Right. People kill quarterback sometimes for like throwing their body at offensive players when fumble or defensive players when fumbles are being returned and getting hurt. It's like, was he really going to tackle?

tackle him there. Well, he could have slowed him down. It led to a tag. I don't know. He's a football player. What I do love is he did a very demonstrative lowering of his head, just like lowered his head like eight feet away from the player like that meant anything. They're like a stepback three type thing.

I want Teddy's career to continue. That that play did not decide the game. I'm happy. It decided his fate in his locker room going forward, but you know. I hope not. His approval rating in general with Broncos fans, but went from like it felt like it was pretty high and now it's just out the window one play i put it this way greg if you would have hey how about don't fumble the ball in a big spot melvin gordon have you ever seen

melvin gordon fumble the ball in a big spot i'm just saying between broncos fans and chargers fans they know what i'm talking about a fourth and one play he gets the two yards and fumbles how about a little attention on that happened a couple weeks ago i have deflected that's what you learned what was a debate club not debate club It was model Congress. There were no lessons in model Congress. No one ever gave us tips or anything. But Greg, you were the president of it?

No strategy. You were the president of it. Everyone got to be president once you were a senior because like there's only seven people in it. You learned to seek power in an early age. Let me just say this. I was the only person in my class. We won't dwell on it. But you see what Bruce Ariens did with Tom Brady today?

He didn't let him off the hook. He held him accountable because ultimately that's what's best for Tom Brady and his team. That's how I think you should be with Teddy right now. Don't let him off the hook. let him know what he did was not acceptable and we don't think that's going to happen again because we know you're a man of high integrity and character but we were disappointed today.

What I'm not going to be is a Twitter scout. I need to know more about what happened on that play. I need to see different angles before I just start flaming people. You're not going to like all the angles because I've seen them. All right, which takes us to Sunday night football. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL cover zero.

We're just here to. Try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get.

Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL. now to learn more. What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development

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It's on a time. Escapes, goes to the end zone. It's Williams there, and he makes the grab. Oh, my goodness. Darrell Williams. So, of course, you're going to take a running back and just throw up a prayer and expect him to make a play like that. Are you kidding me?

Al Michaels and Chris Collinsworth with the call. And some of the descriptor words there by Collinsworth, incredible. Are you kidding me? We haven't heard those when describing the Chiefs attack in a while. But it was back on Sunday night football from Vegas. A 41-14 win for the Chiefs who outscore their division rival 24-7 in the second. in half, 14 Zilch in the fourth quarter and Patrick Mahomes threw it 50 times and he translated those 50 throws into 406 yards, five touchdowns, zero picks. Mark, this is the Chiefs offense that

everyone was waiting for. It has returned and at the expense of a Raiders team that is now reeling. I think we'll find out if it's fully returned, but I saw a Raiders defense tonight that could not take advantage of a number of rather reckless throws from Patrick Mahomes. downfield as well. And the Raiders simply no-showed in the first half. And I do trust that with Patrick Mahomes, this is what, this is who he is. Like the whole like he's in the slump, he's not the same person. Should you be taking chances like this? That always felt a little bizarre to me. But do you trust, Greg, that this offense is fixed based off of this game? I just think the Raiders are missing pieces and parts. I mean, you don't throw away the whole rest of the season, just as

annoying as people saying like, oh, the chiefs aren't coming back from this is the people that are pointing to one game and say, like, they're back. How many times do we need to watch an NFL season to learn there's going to be like ebbs and flows and all that? But I never got the idea that changing who Patrick Mahomes was as a player is some sort of solution. And yeah, like the turnover luck turns his way tonight. But this was like an amazing performance by them too. Kelsey was feeling himself early. Them throwing short to Tyree Kill was working great. The play calls were great.

Damian Williams has a game for him to remember. And I think more importantly than all this is that Chief's defensive resurgence over the last month seems pretty real. Like Chris Jones was living out there tonight. Tyron Matthew shuts down Darren Waller. And that's a solid month now of the Chief's defense being good. Good enough. Yeah, look out.

That's what I'll say. I'm buying in and I know they've had even this season. They've had big weeks and then you think they're out of it and then they go back and do a funk.

All right, could happen again, but I think about tonight in the immediate moments after it's over and I'm saying to myself, okay, they're going to run away

with this division now. They are atop the AFC West and you look at the rest of the division, the Raiders look a hell of a lot like the Raiders of the last couple of years under John Gruden now where they get you kind of sucked in myself,

included and they start to fade and there's some different factors clouding their situation this year. But it's more of the same. They're now a five and four team. The Chargers, the Chargers look like to me a potential pretender. They're five and four. The Broncos, they showed who they were today even after that great win in Dallas. So that division is there for the taking and the chiefs, there is a very real chance that they've gone through their their ugly period and they're about to start Rollins. And if you can now combine, Greg, this offense, out of a slump and performing again at an elite level with a defense that's improving. That's won Super Bowls for them in the past.

They picked the right year to go through a prolonged slump. I mean, because they've come out of this to your point in amazing shape. Like, okay, Tennessee is a couple games up in the lost column. It's going to be tough to get the one seat. Other than that, it's all right there in front of them. And you look at their opponents and you look at the rest of the division. Nothing seems unbeatable. I do think this night was different, though, Mark, not just like that.

Okay, Damien Williams outguns Abram for that touchdown, and they make a couple big plays. But, like, the ball was coming out on time. Mahomes was pretty decisive in what he was doing. It didn't feel fluky. They had a good game plan for an opponent that they know well, and they destroyed him on both sides. It was pretty complete to have that kind of night.

Yeah, and I think the Raiders, you know, they're trying to climb back into the game. They came out with a really nice opening drive to the second half, but then you get into the scenario where, Deshawn Jackson makes his first catch as a raider. It's a 40-yard to the Kansas City 17. He then fumbles it in a very strange sort of loop-de-loop move where it looks like. The game changed on that play.

It changed in on the next possession car through a prayer downfield. And it's picked off by Daniel Sortson, who's been, you know, victimized for a month straight here. So I think, like, they had a chance to climb back in. They are missing pieces on offense and they're not the equal of the Chiefs tonight. And the Chiefs, I thought I was saying, you know, on Friday, like, will they come out looking a little bit different. And they did early on the way they moved the ball with passes behind the line of scrimmage tonight that the Raiders, I think to deactivate some of like the Las Vegas pass rush.

And then they got, they start throwing it deep. So it's the antidote arrived. I wish that people could have heard Dan, though, in the film room on that touchdown throw that we just heard. The Damien Williams one. Yeah, to start this broadcast. And it's fourth down. They just gotten the fake punt. Nice job there by Townsend.

Nice job by Dave. Taub, legendary special teams. 16 years, the last 16 years, Dan, he's had a top five special teams, DVOA, 13 out of 15, 16 times, number one this year. I need to study up on my town. We were talking top. Sorry, I got distracted.

And Dan, when it's fourth down on the place, it's like, we need a highlight, need a highlight, need a highlight on this play, need a highlight, need a highlight, and then there it's up in the air and he gets it and he gets a touchdown in the place. There's crazy. There's the highlight, and we got it. And, you know, a little peek behind the curtain.

also know that a few minutes after that, Chris Rose rolled up to the back row of the theater and had a really nice conversation with Mark about the Browns. Mark was fully engaged, I thought, Greg. And that, you know, it did make me think. I did actually, I pondered it because coming off a win, Mark sometimes likes to depress his feelings, keep him inside. But a loss, he's more open. It's almost like with Cleveland fans, it is the losing ultimately that brings you together. Yeah, I mean, just to, you know, to be real, we, it's the second great conversation that we had. I would say in depth Convo, because earlier in the day,

he stopped by our cubes before you were there, Dan, and I thought I couldn't have been more, you know, welcome and opened arm to discussing the day's events with Chris Rose. It was good to see you guys get back together. I was wondering, watching that interaction is, have you taken Mark, like, lessons from Derek Carr? Because, you know, he's talked a lot about

forgiveness and being there for people, and it seems like maybe, or maybe it was Chris Rose that was doing the forgiving. I don't know, but you seem to open your heart. And I mean, I think even on last Tuesday's show with his voicemail, I could have found a couple things if I wanted to, to be annoyed with. He made another mustache reference. Yeah. And it's like I, you know, I'm not claiming that I like have some sort of Burt Reynolds facial hair scenario going on.

It's the opposite of that. I understand that. But he's pointed it out multiple times and that's fine. When it happens again, yeah, it seems like that that's an issue might have to rectify with him privately. So we're not out of the woods yet. But back to the Raiders, I'd be very, very nervous if I'm a Raiders fan. And it's just, it does feel like it's trending downward. And Derek Carr, Greg, I know you've been out front on the Derek Carr resurgence bandwagon.

You've had him high up in your QB index all year. But he made some throws in this game, arm punts. He got away with one. He got picked off on another. It just looked like a quarterback trying to do too much as the season starts to crumble. And that's very familiar if you've been following this team the last few years. And familiar if you watched them last week, too. So that part concerns me coming out of the by.

That second half against the Giants was similar to the second half of this game where you just started going for it. That said, it's like he goes 25 for 35, 25, 261, 2. It didn't feel like it was on Derrick. Everyone wasn't on him, but you would sense the strain. Once it started going bad, he got very desperate. But the good things that the Raiders had been doing all seemed to go away. Their pass-wrest, their run game, all of them.

I do want to see this. Kansas City versus Dallas next week. Before I know what's going to happen this week. We're already there. And I'm just going to, I'll just cling on to the train and run behind it. But it's like, yes, the chiefs are back. Everything's back to normal. Like, let's just see.

Why do things upset you so much? No, because it's like, but let's because it's such a week to week. But why are you saying you need to cling on to the train and run behind it? Because you're not. It's too tiresome. It's too tiresome to stand in front of a train. But then. Is this why you're chaotic neutral?

Then say, I am not on board with the chief's resurgence yet. I don't think we should take. too much from this game. I need to see it next week. Because I think that the thing is they probably were never even close to as junky as we thought. Oh, they were pretty junky. In terms of their final destination. And they aren't what we saw tonight going forward without interruption.

Just something in the middle. I'm just saying they were pretty junkie. Cowboys Chiefs, though. Is that a CBS game? Give it to me. Romo. Sign me up. Who's got the first round pick in the draft next week?

It might be the Zeus. I'm last. Um, final stats here. Casey 516 total yards to 299 for the Raiders, turnovers. Casey just had one, uh, which is a big, uh, improvement for them this season. They dominated time of possession over 35 minutes and 29 to 15 first down. So almost doubled them up first down first down on the road. That right there, Greg Rosenthal is a statement win by the chiefs who said the division is still

ours. And guess what? I know we have we lose the tiebreaker to the Titans. the bills head to head, but do not count us out from getting red hot. I'm all in on the chiefs. Make me look dumb next week. Now you're all in. Make me look dumb.

Okay. It's a Fox game. Don't hate that either. Love all the Troy Aikman in my life. And so that'll be a good one. Greg is getting on. I have been this, I've been pro Troy Eichman for so long.

You don't like him on your corner. It's more territory that Greg is attempting to arrest. He did it on our Friday show as his final thought was some sort of glowing 22nd. Oh, that's right. And it's like, it bothers me. a lot. It's been like a growing appreciation. It's really the Thursday night football thing. You get them twice a week. But Thursday night, I'm able to just sit back, enjoy, watch the game.

I'm just saying, he's great. Let's also call out that there's a growing distance between you and Tony Romo and your belief in his commentating. You're filling in a void, Greg. There could be something there. I don't think it's been his best season. All right. There you go. That is the Sunday of week 10. We keep rolling. We'll be back on Tuesday. our latest episode of the Around the NFL podcast. So check that out. The wheel keeps turning. Ricky, do you have any thoughts before we say goodbye? No, you guys did a great show.

Oh, wow. Thank you. Good job. And you did really nice work behind the glass. Thanks. All this love. Still a great night. All right.

Let's go home. Succession night. That's what Daddy and Mommy do together. Put the kids to bed. Not all they do together. That's all you can know about. All right. up of that till Tuesday.

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