NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2022 Championship Weekend Recap: Super Bowl LVII Is Set

Episode Date: January 30, 2023

A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal recap Championship Weekend, starting with 49ers at Eagles (3:00). We take a brief intermission between games for the presentation of the Lock Trophy (30:00), and then finish the show covering Bengals at Chiefs (34:10). Note: timecodes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast are conference champions in their hearts. From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, it's Around the NFL. Championship Sunday edition. I am Dan Hansis. I am joined by heroes.

Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. Gentlemen, it is set. two weeks from tonight 3.30 p.m. Pacific kickoff on Fox television State Farm Stadium, the setting in Glendale, Arizona, the Kansas

City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles, two 16 and three teams, two number one seeds for all of the proverbial marbles. Let's go. Let's go. This is a, this is

exciting. It also feels like the finality of it is very sudden. We're coming off this AFC championship game that we're going to get into it. But it does feel crazy that like this is our last time here of recapping games for the season. We'll be at State Farm Stadium. And you could have played out the whole season or you could have just read the NFL.com Super Bowl predictions before the year and just skipped it all. And you would have seen I had Chiefs over. It's somehow it comes down. And once again to Greg talking about Greg And Greg's picks. At the top of this show, especially.

That's what makes it funny. That's disturbing to me. But you know what? You did pick that. And I think you had, in an even bolder choice, Patrick Mahomes' MVP, another victory for you. That's true. That's true. How do you come up with these picks anyway? I guess we can skip the next two weeks of predicting the game and talking about it since we know what's going to happen.

So here we go. We're going to go over both games today in detail the second game. that just wrap before we came on today. Absolutely the better game of the bunch. But don't tell Eagles fans that. They love the first game against the 49ers. Of course, it's one of those games where you got to give credit to the winner. But as a football fan that is just agnostic on this,

you wish you maybe saw something different. You wish you saw a full-powered Niners team against a full-powered Eagles team. But sometimes the football gods don't give us what we want. But again, Eagles fans don't care. And nor should they. Let's head to the link. It is second down on five. Hertz gives it off against Sanders.

Five. Into the end zone. Kelsey. Jason Kelsey. What an unbelievable job. Kelsey joined my Lata off that left side. And Miles Sanders scored a second touchdown of the game and the second of his career in the postseason. That was Merrill Reese and Mike Quick, WIP.

Miles Sanders, have a day. Kid, two touchdowns on just 11 carries. Jalen Hertz threw 120 for 121 yards. That's all right. Didn't need to do much because the Philadelphia Eagles overwhelm the San Francisco 49ers, 31-7. They are back in the Super Bowl for the fourth time, the second time in, I believe, five years.

And you know what, Gregie? Credit to the entire organization and start for me. anyway, with Howie Roseman, Jeffrey Lurie, of course, the team owner. This is the first team in NFL Super Bowl history to get back to the Super Bowl within a five-year span with a different quarterback and head coach. It was once, of course, Doug Peterson with a combo of Carson Wentz and, of course, Nick Fulz, and now Nick Siriani, Jalen Hertz, to the big dance. Yeah, I, as you guys know, I'm loyal to football, so this game was a disappointment to be

one-sided, but I don't want to start with the disappointing aspects. I want to start with... I'm loyal to football. The ways that I think the Eagles... Very great-centric start to the program. I know I'm enjoying it. I'm surprised you started with us, with me. They're pass-rush dominated. Like,

that... Started with us. Well, it started with me. I'm surprised. I'm surprised we're starting with this game because it now feels like such an afterthought in this game because of the injuries and everything. But I think what shouldn't get lost is that the Eagles two lines won their battles.

And so even if the 49ers had stayed healthy, we'll never get to see that game, I don't know what it would have been, but I know that the Eagles defensive line house the 49ers early and often. Early second quarter, they already had had three sacks. The two injuries that the 49ers quarterbacks had,

unfortunately came because they couldn't protect their quarterback. And it's been a near historic Eagles pass rush all year, Mark. 70 sacks in this season, three guys getting over 10 sacks. And to me, that was the reason why the 49ers were going to have big time trouble winning this game, even if they kept their quarterback. Yeah, when you get this version of Hassan Reddick and Javon Hargrave and the rest, I mean, they made life very difficult for the Niners out of the gate.

I think no matter who was a quarterback, it would have been a different environment than we've seen San Francisco thriving in the past. Philly, I mean, I guess, you know, critics of the Eagles will say you got a totally down on their luck Giants team a week ago, and then you got this version of the Niners. I kind of don't really care. it's not really the way I see this because the Eagles simply have performed at a super high level

almost this entire season they've been one of the most consistent teams what happened today doesn't diminish that for me although I think if you're a Niners fan we just we got stole we got we were basically robbed of what would have been I think a Titanic game because San Francisco's

defense I mean they could do nothing on offense but their defense kept them kept them in this for a stretch of time but then when you get Brock Purdy back in there and it's clear you can't throw they're a one-dimensional team and they're just essentially handing the ball off as the clock is ticking down.

That's not an NFC title game that intrigues me. Yeah, so this game is, it really gets decided very early on. You have a fourth down and three near midfield. Jalen Hertz, they stay on the field. Siriana goes for it because that's what the Eagles do. They're an aggressive team. throws a nice ball down field. Devante Smith makes an amazing acrobatic play.

Not a catch. Very close to a catch, but the ball is moving as it's touching the ground. terrible job by somebody. And somebody could tell me who did a bad job here because you could say it's Kyle Shanahan for not recognizing DeVantza Smith and a kind of a panic telling his teammates to huddle up and get the playoff.

Always a pretty clear indicator to me when the receiver's doing that that he doesn't think he caught that ball. But how about this, Greg? And we've talked about this all season that almost every play is reviewable now because the eye in the sky in the NFL's new method,

which is ceaselessly, explained as being this great benefit to the league and has helped the games. And I agree, like, where is the stoppage in the play from that end of things also? Bottom line, and we saw it again throughout today, just like we've seen it throughout the season. The officiating is not up to snuff. A huge early turning point in this game is on a catch that actually wasn't a catch. I just want to start there in terms of breaking down the game itself. I think we should go through the whole game because it was closer than now you look at the final score 317 and what happened to the quarterbacks.

It feels like it was predetermined. But it was closer for a while. It was fourth and three from the 35 on that play. He throws a good pass, considering he was rolling left. The play looked over to Devonthe Smith, who makes an even better catcher, so we thought. I don't blame anyone here. I really don't. He caught that ball and hit the ground with about 10 minutes, 22 seconds or so left.

They had the next snap on a no-huddle 20 seconds later. And we got one replay. So that's what Kyle Shanahan's basing it off of. And by that replay, there was no way to tell that he didn't actually catch it. And I think Greg Olson in that moment saying, what a great catch, absolutely influences the 49ers from not challenging it because they didn't see anything. And sometimes when Jim Nance says, I don't know if that was a catch, then they end up challenging. So I don't really blame Shannon.

But I have a hard time blaming the NFL for not quick spotting that because can they get all the angles in that quick of a time? I think it was just like a bang, bang play, and they did a good job hurrying up, and it's unfortunate. What I read, the NFL, this Hawkeye technology, feeds almost virtually all the replays back to their command center. This is the only game being played. Whatever it was, it wasn't seen.

They score a touchdown, the Eagles. Right. We saw the replay like 40 seconds later. So I'm just saying that, you know, and I think it was more like if you're a Niners fan, just Devante Smith's reaction. Maybe in the first quarter, the first half, maybe you know we we stop playing and take us chance because that's such a huge play in the game

then on the sixth play from scrimmage for the niners rock purdy uh gets hit uh i think it's a son reddick who has been playing out of his mind um bends his elbow back he's out of the game and it's just crazy mark and he does come back in an emergency scenario and it turned into farce at that point um unfortunately um that that is now a niners team that had won what 12 straight games that was in the NFC title game had lost their third starting quarterback to a potentially serious injury this time with the timing at its worst. And to the credit, and this is to Purdy's credit, the way Josh Johnson looked in this game, which is like what a lot of guys deep on the depth chart at quarterback usually look like. I think that's what a lot of people expected

Purdy to look like. And we thought the Niners season would have been over seven or eight weeks ago. That's what usually when a deep backup comes in the game, they couldn't get anything going once Johnson was involved until he went out of the game. No, you hit the point where Kyle Shanahan and the creativity and the acumen in the

experience of tutoring and growing quarterbacks couldn't do anything at this point. I mean, Brock Purdy, we all wondered would he melt down. It's just a game that leaves a lot of unanswered questions. It's the game that we'd want to see. What would have happened here? Because I also think the thing that had nothing to do with Brock Purdy on another level,

though, was that the Niners, for the first time in a while, I thought they were totally unhinged on defense with the penalties. I mean, they kept Eagles drives alive. There was the roughing, the punter penalty that kept things going. Hufunga had a big one. There was a personal foul, a string of personal fouls and a face mask on Dre Greenlaw that just kept the Eagles alive. And really, if you had taken some of that away, I think this game is a little bit different, but you can't get past the quarterback injuries. Right. Because after that touchdown, to be fair, Dan, the 49ers defense forced three straight punts. And they allowed a total of 13 yards on those possessions. Now, the 49ers' offense is dealing

with Purdy's injury. And again, that came from a good player, Hassan Reddick, taking advantage of how they set up their defensive line and that a tight end was blocking him. So that's coaching, that's execution, that's player. And that helped get, unfortunately, Purdy get hurt, but hit. That would have been a fumble either way, a turnover. But then the 49ers go and make a touchdown drive. they trust Josh Johnson a little bit he makes a couple plays or rather pretty yeah is out at that point

they get the touchdown after McCaffrey runs him over it's seven to seven that was a great run by McAfee you know as someone who's rooting for the Eagles here I'm actually feeling quite nervous at that moment it's fourth down it's on the Eagles 35 God they're going to punt it away again four straight punts where they don't even get a first down

and that's the moment where not to our surprise, Nick Siriani, goes for it on fourth down. In almost every, any other coach in the league, I don't think goes for it there. Certainly 10 years ago, no coaches would have gone for it. He picks it up. They end up getting the touchdown later that drive. And to me, that's like where the game changed right there. And if he had blown that, let's say, and it had gone sideways from there,

people would be killing Siriani. And yet I don't feel like in these scenarios, anyone gets any credit for going for the fourth downs. No, I totally agree with that. So the game is 14-7. They're still all right. They're okay. The Niners have the ball with two minutes to go, down seven, and then again, you know, Josh Johnson has been on 100 teams by now, and you can't kill the guy because there's

a reason why he's hanging around the league this long. He must be a really good guy behind the scenes and someone you want in a quarterback room. But that's a killer turnover then, a snap that goes right off his hands. He kind of goes down to get it. He has the opportunity to pick it up, but it doesn't work out, turn it over. The Eagles go down the field again and score, and it's 21-7. And it kind of felt at that point that the game was over. Yeah.

And it basically was at that point. Yeah, it was because there's no way out at that situation with what you have going on at quarterback. And, I mean, it goes beyond just the turnover, too. There were three delay of game penalties. They just were disorganized. It's like you can't run your offense. And it was only a matter of time because, yes, the defense was doing all it could.

But you're watching, if you're the, Eagles defense, you're thinking, wait a minute, there's no one in this game that can really throw the ball. Then when you bring Brock Purdy back in, it's like you're essentially playing a Pop Warner attack at that point. Well, that, yeah, the game's over at that point. But I do think it's worth pointing out that you're right. There were all these penalties that help the Eagles get that touchdown to make it 14-7 after the fourth down conversion that I'm talking about. None of the penalties were, and I've seen a lot of complaining today. And there was some bad cause. And 49ers fans complained, all those penalties were clear and obvious penalties.

Oh, I think so, too. They were good calls. I've seen a lot of criticism being like, why is Kyle Shanahan being aggressive in that two-minute scenario? And I think it's just anger that, like, we have to get mad at something or someone. The first play of that drive, by the way, is a nice throw by Johnson, first down to Samuel. At that point, it's kind of go time. The next play is a perfect shotgun snap, and he fumbled it. Like, if they were being as conservative as possible, he could have fumbled the snap, too.

It was just a fumbled snap, which you hate to see a game kind of end on that. And I know the 49ers defense played pretty well, but there's no rule they have to allow the Regals to run right through them there, that either of the two rushing touchdowns in the first half were absolutely untouched. When this game was in doubt, the first eight drives, the Eagles had 130 yards rushing, which would have been the third highest the 49ers gave up all season, just in those eight drives.

So they were getting it done relative. It wasn't easy, but they were moving the ball somewhat on the ground. Let's hear from the quarterbacks on both sides. Let's start with Jalen Hertz here. Hertz who didn't have a big statistical game, but you could just see it in these two weeks the way the team responds when he's out front and he's leading them. There's a great shot of him after the game,

kind of alone going through his phone, smoking a cigar. This is Hertz's time and he'll be a big story this week. And it's easy to forget now that when he was drafted, the Eagles had Carson Wentz. And the idea was that they kind of were set a quarterback. and that obviously is something that motivated her it's because he made a passing comment earlier in the press conference about how

some people they didn't want to draft him to Philly and then he was asked a follow-up about that off-the-cuff remark. You know, there was a big surprise to many. Big surprise to many. But my favorite verse, you know, I went through a lot of stuff in college and it kind of stuck with me, John 13.7.

You may not know now, but later you'll understand. Hopefully people understand. He says that in a purple leather jacket straight out of like Prince's World Tour in 85. It's working. It's all working for Jalen Hertz right now. Yeah, I mean, I think the one thing that, you know, a year ago, he was still essentially on audition for this job. I think now he's my second choice for MVP. I mean, I know he missed a couple games at the end and it's played through this injury.

But you mentioned this, Greg, last week, is that it is the player, but it is like the Eagles made this choice a quarterback. And they moved away from Carson Wentz. You got this player, but I think they talked about his leadership and who he is the entire time. This was not a great performance by the Eagles offense for much of the game. Their first half, they essentially was their fourth worst performance in the first half all season. That's something to do with the Niners defense, but it wasn't them. In terms of what? Well, just like efficiency and stuff.

It was just sitting out there, and it's like this was not the high-powered version of Philly. It really wasn't. I think it gives me hope that in the Super Bowl, you might get that version against the Chiefs. Right. I think to be more specific, and this is. is just my take personally, and I know the rushing numbers aren't crazy. They ended up 3.4 yards overall, but they had some big plays. I think it was just a subpar performance by Hertz, specifically. I think he was struggling to stay calm in the pocket. He wasn't accurate. He had

that go ball, the A.J. Brown, on the second drive of the game, that would have made it 14-0, just missed it, had another ball way out of bounds on a go-ball that, like, ended a drive. he just didn't seem to be ready for whatever the 49ers defense was showing him. And he was not the first one. This is a great, great defense. And I think Domingo Ryan's was mixing it up. But the pressure, even when the pressure wasn't there, I think their plan really was confusing him.

And he had a 4.8 yards per attempt in this game. So he struggled to pass the ball, especially in the first half. But it was his legs and better decisions in the second half that kind of calms game down. Well, if you take away that Devante Smith, catch, right? Right. His numbers, he finished with 36 yards. That was a 29-yard catch.

AJ Brown had four catches for 28 yards in the first quarter, essentially, and then never had anything else. It's like, we're used to seeing when Hertz has been on the big plays down the field. Guys like Charverius Ward, who played an awesome game lost in this disaster of a situation for the Niners, took that away. I mean, this just was not the Eagles offense. We're used to seeing when they're at their best. The Niners and Eagles, QBs combined for 204 passing yards, the lowest in a conference.

title game since the 1982 AFC title game I mean one of the quarterbacks literally couldn't throw so that's I'm not totally surprised but right that was the famous mud bowl Jets and Dolphins Brock Purdy couldn't throw here were his comments about the state of his

arm after the injury you know my arm just felt like it stretched out just felt like really a lot of just shocks all over from my elbow down to my wrist front and back just pain, really. And this is where it kind of got sad, to be quite honest with you, because we had all kind of enjoyed this rise of San Francisco's offense

in the CMC Purdy era. Josh Johnson bangs his head on the turf in the third quarter. They blow the game dead. He goes to the blue tent. He's done. He's diagnosed with a concussion. They have to bring back purdy. Even after there's discussion,

is Christian McCaffrey going to be the quarterback? Is Kyle Euse check going to be the quarterback? They bring Purdy back. And there's a chance. heard he blew out his elbow. We don't know yet. We're going to have a better idea how serious this injury is. But he goes back on the field and he explains the conversation he has with Shanahan about how bad it is and whether he can throw. And he's even sheepish, almost apologetic about the state of his arm at this juncture of the season. Yeah, I told him right there. If we

run a play, you know, I can't throw it deep. Like just for this play, at least, like, it's hurting really bad. And, you know, if we're going to get a completion, have it you something short if that's all right and so that's really what i was telling them if that's all right how sad it's sad it's a bummer it's um i mean i thought it's been one of the best stories of the year and so improbable and to end this way again it's just like the game is just filled with with what ifs what ifs to me and like i almost would have rather that you and i think like if you're christian mcalfrey there was during especially during like if you're watching the truck feed which we do on mvp in our in our office like he was sitting there looking at a huge play sheet and i

You'll see the look on McCaffrey's face sort of like, wait a minute, I might be playing quarterback. Here, the guy's been on the team for like a couple months, you know. This is the game to decide who's going to the Super Bowl, and the running back is looking at the quarterback play sheet. It's just the way it is. And, yeah, like the Giants, you said they were kind of down to the lot. The Giants are feeling good against the Eagles, but they were clearly outclassed. The Niners, this is a whole different situation. Like, the Eagles absolutely caught a break here.

I think the Eagles are going to win either way, but we'll never. never know what would have happened if these two sides were at equal power. You hear the frustration in a guy like George Kittle, who's had a big year with Purdy and having to answer questions about the situation and how things played out. Does that feel to losing the NFC championship game because I don't have a quarterback? Pretty sh**. To be honest. Yeah, it's about it.

It's fair. It's two straight years. I mean, this team looking at Shanahan on the sideline, as you're just, just, I guess he always looks like that, but it's just like, I was just like thinking of what he is thinking as he's calling these running plays in the fourth quarter of the, and just thinking how the injuries have defined his time in San Francisco, especially a quarterback when Jimmy G first got hurt and all the quarterbacks that they went through. They were healthy in 2019. They lost that one with a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter. But then you think the injury the next year. And then you think last year, Jimmy G. playing through injury.

was the worst version of Jimmy G in blowing the 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of the NFC championship game and then this and you hate you hate to like no one likes to hear it when their teams win especially or just anything but it's like sports are very often about luck and championship teams

the greatest players ever benefit from that it's just part of it like you got to take advantage of it when you have that opportunity the Eagles earn that one seed by having the best record in the league too and setting all of this up but luck is.

part of it and that was terrible luck for the 49ers. They've had awful injury luck under Shanahan and he's had to perform all sorts of acrobatics at the quarterback position for years on end and it's like we spent all last off season wondering if it would be Jimmy G or Trey Lance and now you go into another offseason and we'll get into all that but it's like what like there's a lot of questions at quarterback and what you do with a young rookie who looked fantastic I mean if this is a serious elbow injury for Purdy that I mean it just keeps getting worse because then right and he's got an MRI to Everything is snowballing, and everything will roll into next season.

They don't get a true fresh start next year. Any other thoughts kind of on this game before we move on? I think this game, and maybe we'll talk about more in the coming weeks, but I do wonder if the NFL is going to look more closely at changing the rules in terms of the rugby scrum and being able to push the quarterback. What do they call it the butt? The butt push? It's like a double cheek because you got two guys pushing.

It's like a double cheek push. Again, it was early in this game when we didn't really know what the final result was going to be. You never know with Josh Johnson. I mean, it is crazy looking at the final stats. The Eagles average under four yards per play. They still only ended up with 269. And, like, yeah, I didn't know what was going to happen. And so those short-yardage plays with Hertz felt really important, especially on the goal line.

And I just sense, like, the frustration of how effective this. The Eagles are especially good at it, I think, because of their offensive line and because of Hertz. but I expect the rules committee we'll be talking about this and we will be talking about it in March when they meet. It's almost crazy when you see teams and we've seen situations where it's fourth

and a yard and they're not doing that play that they're trying something else because the Eagles especially have trademark that is like the most automatic fourth down maneuver out there and yet like it seems so automatic that I'm with you.

It's like something about it does seems a little off base to me. Usually usually the way and one of the like beautiful things about football is there's always a back and forth. Like the offense innovates or the defense innovates and then the other side comes back. I don't know if this is something you can innovate

because it's so up close and personal. And you don't even really have an opportunity to find a way to kind of combat it. So maybe it becomes that type of situation. I don't know. Like it does have the sport has its roots in rugby. Maybe it's a beautiful call back to its ancestors. It doesn't bother me.

It doesn't bother me. I don't go notes about it personally. It kind of reminds me a little bit of, like, Belichick always had a way of taking advantage of, like, whatever the rules were. Sure. Like, don't break them, but bend them as hard as possible. Take advantage of what the rules are. I think the Eagles have found something here. Like, they have so many different ways to win games.

And that's why I think this win, even though it was two one-sided, was typical for them. Like, any given week, different parts of their team step up and end up winning the game because any part of their team has a chance to be dominant. And that's what's special. That's why they're going there. That was my thought, too. It's like, I'm not really into hearing about how easy their path was. Like, they didn't choose that. They also had an easier path because they were the best team in the regular season.

But automatically, like one matchup, I know Landon Dickerson was heard today, but their offensive line versus Chris Jones and friends in Kansas City. But then on the flip side, they're pass rushing. Their front seven versus a very good chiefs offensive line. You know, it would have mattered who made it for the AFC because they're so physical. the chiefs have some strengths and some pluses where you can line up against the Eagles, but they have been so dominant

up front that I wonder if it starts right there. Are you insinuating that the game is won in the trenches? I wanted to insinuate it without saying that. But that's what this game was. Before we take a break, can we pull up the Empire State Building,

which is the most iconic skyscraper in New York City? People should know that the Giants were eliminated in embarrassing fashion by their hated rival the Eagles a week ago and after the game the Empire State Building sends out a tweet fly eagles fly we're going to green and white in honor of the Eagles NFC championship victory and I know after the chiefs won they went red and white and maybe this was some type of like pre-plan and then whoever was in the planning meeting was like

didn't even realize there's levels to this as a New York sports fan. fan. I think about as someone that lived in Boston, Gregi, in 2001, when they threw Ray Bork a parade when he won the Stanley Cup championship for the Colorado Avalanche. That's how downtrod and the Boston sports were at that time. New York sports is in such a bad place now. Where is the swagger? Where is the just the confidence and the belief that you are the sports town and nothing like that would ever happen in your most famous building? that's a disgrace Empire State Building. That's a disgrace.

It is a disgrace. And it's just to me it was so baffling. Like we're missing a part of the story. Maybe we'll find out later that there's something that triggered this from a planning angle. But like the idea that my answer at first thought was like someone is someone from Philadelphia is essentially a violent like a violent coup d'etaw fashion taken over the nerve center of the Empire State Building. I'd almost rather it was that. Right. That would make some sense.

This makes how, what are we doing here from a PR angle? I believe that the confidence level. of the sports area has been so battered by the failure to win titles for the most part in the last 20 years that we've lost our sense of identity, just our belief in self and our hatred of outsiders that pretend that they are us, Philadelphia v. New York. It can't happen. And it should never happen again. It should have never happened in the first place. And I'm not even a Giants fan. And it got me mad. Just imagine how Giants fans felt about that. Hold on though. But even if you were, you're talking about the fact that the city is psychologically broken over sports.

A little bit. Okay. But let's just. Let's say even the reverse were true, and they were psychologically fine. Still, why are you doing this? I'm saying it would have never happened. I know. The city would be more keyed up and smarter to understand that. How on earth was this ever thought to be a good idea on any level?

Why are we celebrating other cities winning a and MSC and NFC titles games? I used to live 12 blocks away from there, and it was one of the joys of living there. You always looked up at the end of the day, you see the lights. I used to follow that account no more because it's like, I don't live there anymore. I don't care what the lights are. But the fact that they're not a New York sports fan, Greg. Of course you are fine with it. I would have been excited because I like the egos

because it was such a total wonder. What are you talking about? But Greg, you would have. Again, we're not asking what you think. If you were a giant fan living in New York, I would look up at the Green and White Empire State Building and say, oh, that is unbelievable. I'm saying I was, if I was living there

and they owned themselves that badly, I would have been dancing in the streets because it was like a, such a little dog like biting at your ankle. I should just attack you to just do your stash. But we're actually just asking how this ever came to be. This is my way of agreeing with you. Of course.

It's a total disaster. And I have a theory. I don't think they were going to do the chief's colors. They weren't going to do the, it was not a plan that it was going to go, oh, we'll do the winter's colors early and the winter's colors late. And then they got so much pushback. They realized, okay, here's how we can save it. We'll pretend that that hurt us, and we're going to panic pivot.

Talk about creating your own problems, though. I mean there must be more to this It's hilarious to me It's hilarious to me as a Patriots fan See that see now Okay that makes sense Well that's what I was That's what I am

Okay But that's not how you said it initially I would feel the same way If I were New England sports Anyway let's take a break We'll take care of some business And we'll get to the AFC title game A Quaker

We just took a A break And we're talking about the Empire State Building the entire time. I don't know. I think that's funny. Speaking of green and white and the Eagles,

listen, I'm a man of principle, integrity, bottomless integrity. So I can say, what? So I can say... Greg openly chuckling. Yeah.

So I can say... He said bottomless integrity. That was intended to get that reaction. No, that was supposed to be met. with like a stone face nod. Yes, of course. So I can say that I went down in the Lox Challenge. I like that Eagles team too.

I needed something special from the Niners. And what I got was an apocalypse for the San Francisco team. So my time with the trophy is over. Oh, my gosh. And what I hold in my hand is the Lox title, which I treated with respect and dignity, unlike some other past champions. It's about the trophy.

It's about me, but not anymore. Now it is yours, Greg. And all I ask, before I hand over this Locke's trophy, that you have won fair and square is that you treat it with respect and dignity. It's a fair request? Because it is an important part of our program. I put it in a very high visibility spot.

In my home studio. What are you getting that here? Yeah. And I just don't want this to be a casino with Greg. It's like, I put it in my trunk and then I forgot about it. Be proud with this trophy because you did earn it. Are you guys going to get the shot where I hand it over like it's on the plane in Dallas at Lovefield? Thank you, sir.

There you go. Thank you, sir. Congratulations, Greg. Lock it up. You earn it. How many titles is that for you now? Three? Yeah.

I mean, look, you say I don't respect it. Me and this guy spent a whole pandemic together. It's three out of four. You know, I do say luck is a huge part of it. But if I keep stacking these up, I'm going to have to start questioning that theory. Where are you going to put it in your home? That theory.

I guess I'll have to put it in my shot. I am moving soon, so I'll have to work on that. In the meantime, maybe we'll, should we leave it here? No, I'll just leave it. She's beautiful. You make me look at it. Next to me the whole time. I feel like Joe Burrow.

And I got to say, you know, the lock history was instructive. because luck is very important here, always is. And I, like the Eagles, got some injury luck today that helped that game. But part of it was my lock history. That Patrick Mahomes was really the one who put me over the top for those previous locks. And even though I picked the Bengals today, thought they would win. I thought it's just wrong. It doesn't feel right to ever lock against Patrick Mahomes.

Never do that. Right. If I'm Dan, I've equipped that with a. like a hidden camera. I do want to see what Greg's doing. In general, what is Greg doing in his house? I wouldn't always check on it, but I'd check on it occasionally.

So, I don't know exactly what your Mahomes point was there. In past years, you've stacked wins picking the Chiefs. In the playoffs, that clinched my previous locks, it was Mahomes in the playoffs, finishing out those locked titles for me. So it felt wrong and foolhardy to go against him. And I would have been wrong.

That part of the speech would have been even, more effective if you pick the chiefs and locked them up today for the title. But sometimes it's the locks you don't make. You know what? Good call. And we thought, we all thought, old Zeus are included. I had the Cincinnati Bengals, number one in the power rankings. That at Burrow Headfield, Joe, it would be his time.

And these players, we could talk about luck and all this stuff. What's momentum? What is momentum? We could talk about that. but motivation you cannot discount what players used to get pumped up ahead of games and you knew the chiefs did not like everyone going Cincinnati's way and talking about burrow is the new king of the hill when they had Mahomes to arrowhead field 20 to 20 tie eight seconds remaining in regulation of the afc championship game

harrison butker the biggest kick of his chief's life placement is down Butker's kick is up, the spinning kick high, floating in the air, and it is good, good! It's a field goal from 45 yards out by Harrison Butker. You can doubt the Chiefs, you can dislike the Chiefs. You're going to have to deal with the Chiefs as the ASC champions. How about that? Everyone's connected. I'll give him the bongos.

Bongos. Give him the bongos. Mitch Holtis with a call. Now, I love Mitch. He's off. He's off on this, W-D-A-F. Because, and I'll admit this freely, when the Patriots are winning all these AFC titles and stuff,

there was a certain exhaustion that set in for a lot of fans. The Chiefs are a little harder to root against to me. Like, I didn't set, even though I wanted Cincinnati in this game, and Casey, they've earned yet another trip to the Super Bowl here on the back of that Harrison Bucker. field goal with three seconds to play after Mahomes, scrambled for a first down late in regulation, got pushed out of bounds,

one of the costliest penalties in recent NFL history by poor Joseph Assai, 45 yards, threw up the riots, uprights, who? Who? Sorry, hookum, I said. Joseph Asai? Yes. Who's even speaking right now?

Who would think that hookup? Who would think that hook? is worth it in this moment. Great Digger, how do you bring up Texas football at this stage of the show? Sorry. I think it's a good bit. Continue.

This is one of the lowest moments in Texas alumni football in forever. Poor kid was just trying to make a play. Edit that out of the show. The Chiefs win, 2320, to advance to the Super Bowl. Kansas City, Mark, finally beats Cincinnati after three straight losses,

including a three-point overtime loss. and last year's title game. And before I throw it to you, Mark, when Tracy Wolfson of CBS grabbed Patrick Mahomes on the field to ask him about another big time win in a what's already a legendary career at just 27 years old,

his buddy, Travis Kelsey, came in with the interview bomb of the century. Woo! Burrow had my ass! Woo! It's Mahomes' house! It ain't Burrowhead. It's Mahomes' house. Now, that was a major misstep by the Bengals fanatics and their mayor and everyone else to suggest all this business. Because, yeah, if you're another team in the AFC West or a fan base supporting another team in the AFC West or the AFC,

you might have annoyances with Mahomes and the chiefs and what they are. But give me a break. We spent all week long wondering if Mahomes physically would be up to this game. You know, yes, he was practicing well and moving around, but what happens when you get into this thing with the temperature, what it was, you know, your body's chilling out. Like, Mahomes, to me, this was one of my favorite performances ever for him, and it was filled with so many little moments where, you know, he couldn't move the way you wanted him to. So even before that big run, that scramble that really showed exactly who Patrick Mahomes is, there were how many throws where with guys around him in the pocket, a crumbling pocket, he seemed to almost see-through defenders and make these beautiful little dump-offs. to Isaiah Pacheco on that final drive. That final drive started with, you know,

all his wide receivers are hurt in this game. But neither team's really running the ball very well. He's not able to lean on that part of it. Sky Moore had the huge punt return. That set this thing up. Then you have the Mahomes to the Pacheco thing. I was telling you before. There's an incompletion.

Mahomes then runs for that first down and that all these games like this have that defining moment and that penalty. And I thought Cincinnati went, they dealt at least this penalty was clean because they dealt with a lot in this game. and Zach Taylor was about to have his head explode, but this wasn't actually a good call,

and Joseph Asai goes down in Ohio, Cincinnati playoff, history and lore in all the wrong ways for what happened here because there's no way that Butker is going to make that field goal, I think, without that penalty. He hit the bottom of the net from whatever it was. We're going to be close, but 45. It was very cold. I don't know if you didn't get a lot of attention,

but it was 20 feels like six. Freezing. They said, Jay Feely, your guy, I know you really love the Jay Feely kicking analysis Dan. I respect the guy's hustle for getting a paycheck for what he does. He said that, yeah, that he was only good from 50, most likely. 55 would have been a stretch.

And, yeah, it would have been, I think, a 60-yard attempt before that. I don't even know if they would have attempted that play, although they might add time for one more play before that. Just the fact that it came on Mahomes running, and I know it was the penalty that moves, I mean, you almost can't write this stuff. And as much as the Bengals fans are upset with that penalty are upset with how the rest of this game was officiated,

I think you have to look at Patrick Mahomes as a guy who lost Juju Smith-Schuster, lost McColl Hardman, lost Cadarious, Tony, and ultimately their passing attack was a little more effective over the course of the game. He averaged 7.6 yards per attempt. He didn't have an interception. I know he had that fumble where he just lost the ball.

but it was a very evenly played game. I didn't feel like the Chiefs stole one. I felt like they just ended up winning at the end by three, just like the Bengals ended up winning close games by three against the Chiefs previously. And this is why sports are great. They're unpredictable. Everything did seem to be trending toward this is the Joe Burrow ascension.

This is why everyone was confidently saying that this is Boroughhead and he owns Kansas City. And then it gets set up on a platter. for them. After the big touchdown to make it 2020, they force a punt, a whole mess of things going on on that Kansas City drive. Is that the drive with all the shenanigans with the play that wasn't the play? Yeah, where he had like eighth down. It ended up in eight plays 13 yards. We dodged a couple, put it this way. We dodged a couple of bullets of officiating gone sideways where it looked like it was going to have a major impact on the game. And luckily it's sidestepped those type of situations. Just wanted to talk about two great. great teams playing and that's what we're getting to do for the most part here but they get two chances with the ball uh in a tie game one a possession ends in an interception and after the Cincinnati defense steps up again and forces another punt Greg uh the bangles get the ball back

they get I think one first down and then they go they punt again and and that surprised me I got to say because especially the last possession where it's borough balls and burrows hands with two minutes to play in a tie game, it kind of just felt like that was the moment. And when they got stopped there and all of a sudden there was, you know, time on the clock for the Chiefs after the big punt return, huge play in the game by Sky Moore, it felt like this thing was going to go a certain way and it did. So that second drive, and you're right, they got the ball in a tie game twice in the fourth quarter and couldn't score.

And so you have to give the Chief's defense a lot of credit, give the Chiefs offensive line credit. Other people other than Mahomes lifted up Mahomes, which hasn't always been the case. But on that second drive day, and they did have two first downs. They had the 10-yard play to Higgins. They were on their own goal line practically. Then they have the third and 16 after the intentional grounding, which felt like it might be a killer play. And Burrow gets protected. Really, let's go to the ball. And he did a great job letting go to the ball quickly all game after all those early sacks. He knew he had to get rid of it. Great timing route. They blow the coverage to Hearst. They get 23 yards. That was incredible.

At that point, we're all, I mean, you already said they're going to go down the field. It's over. At that point. Kiss of death. I think Chiefs fans, I think Bengals fans, I think America is thinking game over. They have a two-yard play to Hearst where it doesn't get out of bounds. And that's where... England was like, not quite Greg and Dan and Mark.

That's the moment where the game kind of changed. And we were talking about it in the film room at the time. It was in a very aggressive timeout by Zach Taylor with 48 seconds left. I think a lot of coaches, and in the moment, I thought maybe don't take that timeout, that you run the next play 15 seconds later, you kind of play it both ways, you keep your two timeouts, but you make it so that there's no time left for the Chiefs if you don't end up picking up first down. I can't kill Zach Taylor for that at all, him going for fourth down, like on the fourth and six earlier in the game, him being aggressive throughout this run, and trusting Joe Burrow is why they made it this far.

So I can't kill him. but him trusting Joe Burrow and trusting his offense and being very aggressive with that timeout is why the Chiefs got the ball back ultimately when the Bengals couldn't get a first down. And also Chris Jones having the sack of the game. I mean, he's, Chris Jones, like, it's a little, there's so much mechanics around the drives and the quarterbacks,

but like Chris Jones absolutely was the star of this game. And the back history of Jones, he had played in 13 postseason games, zero sacks than two tonight. It was super frustrated last year after that loss. So to come back and do what he did, And I mean, I'll give Zach Tiller another bit of credit because, I mean, this was a tough environment. I think they were sort of saying this was as loud as Romo had ever heard Arrowhead Stadium, that it was on fire. The weather was a factor.

And the way that that game started, you just sort of could wonder if the chiefs were just going to run away with it because Burrow behind the line that played so well a week ago was getting destroyed. And it was a total train wreck. I thought the Bengals did a good job down the stretch of adjusting to some of that stuff and adding bulk in the backfield and chipping Chris Jones. and others to try to keep Burroughs safe, who's so great with the quick throws. But you're right. I mean, they had two chances. This isn't the Josh Allen Mahomes game where you go into the offseason wondering what with Cincinnati and Burrow had one more opportunity because he was lucky.

He threw two picks in this game. That second pick, which was tipped by Brian Cook and landed in the hands of Josh Williams, was an incredible defensive play by the Chiefs. Those guys are rookies. They got a secondary essentially built of rookies and held their own in this thing. And the Burroughs, both picks resulted in zero Chiefs. points where Mahomes had that crazy fumble, which was a very un-Mahombs-like play, that led to a Cincinnati touchdown that again made me think, this is just going Cincinnati's way in these

little tiny moments. And for Mahomes and the crew to pull it out, it's just another reminder. It's like they're hard to describe because they seem so perfect when they are, same with Mahomes, but this was a different way that Mahomes won. This was a resourceful win, like a tough win. I don't think people think of the chiefs that way. And of course, they think of them as mentally tough. back from 10 down in the Super Bowl to win, but where so much went against them. And the Bengals fans will say, we didn't have our offensive line, and sure, but going into

this game, not only was Kelsey supposedly a little banged up, although he looked fine, and we know about Mahomes, but losing three receivers and Lageria Sneed, your best cornerback all in the game, and to be able to overcome that, it really wasn't just Mahomes, it was the Chiefs defense getting those steps. It was the offensive line doing a great job. Their running game did nothing but they did a great job protecting Mahomes for the most part like this is a toughness a resourcefulness that like championships are made of and like we're giving all this credit to Mahomes and we should have given it to him anyways but if the chiefs give up a field goal on that last drive like we're not giving them all the same credit so it is a team sport and and he got lifted

up by his team more than he has in the past and we saw that in each of the last two weeks where of course Mahomes went down the injury last week and they were able to survive and And I thought the Mahomes injury, I thought it was fairly remarkable that for the first, at least half of the game, you wouldn't even really know that he was injured because he was making all the type of plays that you're used to him making. As the game went on, especially on one scramble where he threw off on a completion, he had to really drive off the ankle. And from that point on, he was limping pretty badly. but this again what separates and when you're talking about like DAC last week what's the difference between the great guys

and the good guys the guys that win Super Bowls and the guys that just make a lot of money and make it to the playoffs every couple of years he somehow in that physical state is able to turn on the juice and turn that corner before he gets pushed out of bounds

get the first down and it's just I just have so much respect for Mahomes the player and I know I'm not alone no and I mean you look at his two touchdown throws like that first one to Travis Kelsey on fourth and one. Again, I love the aggressive nature of what they did there. That touchdown dart was insane.

And then the MVS one on the move. I mean, Mahomes, like, found a way to, I'm sure he's in pain because he was hobbling around later in that game too. And yet there was a couple times where he threw off his back foot and looked as good as ever. It's like he just in this moment, I think that's a thing about when you rooted for teams that can't find a quarterback, whether even if they're good, but they're not available half the time, it's like, you got nothing.

Mahomes is like available and good. And he's playing through something that would keep other. people off the field. I think he's the best I've seen come into the NFL and I think this game shows how he's more than just scrambling around. That Kelsey touchdown you mentioned we were commentating like look he had a wide open it's fourth

down he had a wide open player in the flat that's where the play call was supposed to go to but he holds onto it looking for more and he gets it to Kelsey and then the touchdown to MVS where he moved up in the pocket was a dart but just a few plays before that on that drive the one the one player talking about Dan

on the third down where he plants he's rolling left and Romo did a good job pointing out if you have a high ankle sprain like that's the play where it's really going to hurt you the most than it did he's rolling left throwing right like most quarterbacks can't make that play healthy like I'm a fan of the patriots there's no way mac Jones can possibly make that play healthy he does it on that injury playing through the pain completes it continues that drive and then ends up hitting mvs later that's just next level yeah and going back to the the play you mentioned like that's a the touchdown it is fourth and one, correct?

Yeah. Like that is, that's a fourth and one in the AFC championship game. And you have a guy open in the flat for a three yard gain, but, and this goes back to their, you know, historic connection level. He sees Kelsey, who's not necessarily open initially, but he sees them basically one on one in the end zone. And he knows, Bahomes, I put the ball in a certain spot, 99 out of 100. Kelsey's going to give me a touchdown.

those guys just operate on a different level than almost anybody we've ever seen as well. So a lot of, did I mention Travis Kelsey talking smack after the game? We saw him do it with Tracy Wolfson. How about the mayor of Cincinnati? Now we know we have some connections with mayors of Cincinnati, our buddy Jason, who lived in Cincinnati, moved to Tybee and became the mayor of Tybee. I want to make it clear.

I would say equal power. It's not the same guy. No, it's not the same person. It's not Jason from Cincinnati who became the mayor of Tybee. This is whoever the mayor of Cincinnati is. Maybe Grave-Digger help me out with that. Had some unkind things to say about the chiefs and some sticking out the chest about his favorite team.

The Cincinnati Bengals, Kelsey wasn't done during his post-game riser conversation. Hey, I've got some wise words for that Cincinnati mayor. Know your role and shut your mouth. You job, Brody. I mean, he could absolutely be a professional. So first of all, he's holding the Lamar Hunt trophy while he does it. Then he pulls his hand out to his ear to hear 74,000 Kansas City fans lose their mind over his rock act.

Again, like the mayor, what are you doing in the week leading up to this? That's what mayors do. I know. Let's be honest. I think that it contributed. It's so clear that that was like a vital piece of motivation inside the locker room. I agree. I think motivation, that's one thing you take away from today.

like these players will look for anything and I think it goes a long way especially when you have something like this is kind of like a perfect storm you were able to draw on this motivation that oh this team is better everyone says this team is better than us this was the chiefs 14 wins they're in at home and their quarterback is Patrick Mahomes so they're able to summon all of that and blast it back but Greg like ultimately we say all this I'm glad the mayor said it oh no I think it It makes it more fun, and it's just fun to dunk on him afterwards. Do I think that affected the game in any way? And the mayor would have done a victory lap for three weeks if it would have went the other way. I think that's all good. Do you think it did obviously got a rose up enough, like in the sea level, to get into the Chief's locker room? And it's the first thing Travis Kelsey mentioned. Because I'm sure they couldn't wait to talk about all that.

And I'm sure, like, they were talking about it amongst themselves. Do I think that that made any difference in all the, like, 15 different plays? that helped decide this game, like, including, no, I don't think so. I think it's just, like, it's in your heart, but I'm more sane from a, like, the Bengals a year ago were this wonderful story. I'm not pinning this loss on the mayor of Cincinnati. Like, they got to be clear. Their whole thing around the Bengals, like, turned a little bit of a corner the last two or three

weeks, where it's like suddenly they were the favorites going into Arrowhead, and Mahomes was being outshined by Joe Burrow, who was, who the mayor basically said they need to do a paternity test on Mahomes because if you think he's, Joe, He's Joe Burrell's father. I mean, the problem is that he delivered that press conference, that video with, like, absolutely zero, like, swag and attitude. If you're going to do it, you've got to do it well. Are you voting for that guy? I wouldn't.

I didn't know who the mayor was, so I asked somebody to help me figure it out. The mayor of Cincinnati is aftap pure of all. Thank you. That's correct. Unplug her immediately. Thank you. Anyway, other thoughts? No, what I was saying was.

despite all of this. And we can talk about the greatness of Mahomes and how this is really a well-balanced team. It's not just about the quarterback. We talk about the silent motivations that now came out right after the game. They still just squeezed by Cincinnati. And if you're a Bengals fan,

it's like, man, these are the glory days, but these are two back-to-back. I don't even remember what it's like anymore. It's been so long, but when you become a good team, and you get close and then you get turned back, for it to happen, twice in a row at this big stage.

That's very difficult. That's tough, I feel. For the Westlings, everyone in the Cincinnati Zoo, that's, that's tough. Spice rack. Spice. He did not want, I have the sympathy for a sigh. Your heart broke watching him like break down in tears and not leave the bench. Spice rack, on the other hand, wanted him off the team before the plane leaves.

It felt a little harsh. That does feel. If you leave him in Kansas City, he also was injured. He also had a great game. And can we also, like, I know there, I think there was eight seconds left when the penalty occurred, Mahomes was going to make one more play there in my heart. And I hope a sigh realizes that too. And maybe he gets some peace from that.

Because ultimately, it wasn't a dirty play. It was a guy that was trying desperately to make a play. But it wasn't a bad call. He was, Mahomes was on both feet were on the white line, a mistake that can't happen. And it will haunt the Cincinnati fans for him. I agree. I think Mahomes probably would have found another way to win potentially. but that's not how this works.

I mean, Joseph Assai's name is going to go down in infamy whether he doesn't deserve it as a person, but that's the way this stuff happens. Ernest Biner's fumble still talked about decades later. It shouldn't be lost either. Would you like to talk about it? No, I feel like there's nothing more to say about it, but it colors the rest of your career.

Do you want to hear from Mahomes talking about once again, the mayor of Cincinnati, in part, let's hear it. Yeah, I mean, you got Boroughhead. I mean, they beat us last time. They were talking about we got to play them. There was a lot of stuff. The mayor came at me, man.

I mean, I understand he's the mayor of Cincinnati, so he has to think about something. But, I mean, it's something that you just got to play the football game and then let your play do the talking. Not since the mayor of Amityville and Jaws. Has there been such a guy that came out of a situation with more egg on his face? This guy's having a bad Sunday.

I don't think it should be lost that Sky Moore set that thing up. Huge. And that was a really fascinating decision. by Andy Reed to put Sky Moore back there. So Sky Moore, who they took in the second round and in fantasy heads, like thought he was going to be a huge asset to their team. Kind of ended up being a disappointment,

being a fourth or fifth receiver that couldn't get on the field much, was a bit of a disaster as a punt returner throughout the course of the season, kept fumbling. They ended up benching him on punt returns and Cadarius Tony turned into their punt returner. But Cadarius Tony gets injured early in this game,

You know, poor Tony just can't stay on the field was out early in this game. He planted his leg and it just didn't look right. And so more as the backup punt returner gets put in that spot to make the big play. And look, that was the drive, was the punt return. They barely had to move the ball after that. That brought it to the Kansas City 47.

I mean, if you, if that's a five-yard return or something like that, they don't win that game. There's not enough time. You know, we haven't like mentioned like what the Bengals did well in this game to set it up because it wasn't running the ball. I was a little stunned how poorly they ran the ball.

Mixon was 8 for 19. Burrow had a couple runs. He was their leading rusher by 8 yards per he had the longest rush on the day. Right. And the biggest two rushes for the Chiefs, by the way, were their last two plays of the game, a 6-yard run and a 5-yard run. Those were the two longest run. So no one

could run the ball. But the touchdown that T. Higgins had like skying over Watson and the fourth down play where Burrow, you know, launches it to Chase. And Chase just has a filthy move to get down the field where he sort of fakes going inside, gets Cook turned around. Like those were just two plays that I think is what helped make us feel like, oh,

the Bengals are going to come win this game. Like these wide receivers are just too good. They're just such badass as to win like that that eventually will see more of those plays. But it just didn't happen in the fourth quarter. You hope. Like we saw the good burrow is kind of what I'm saying. Like it wasn't like, this was a bad.

It was a great performance by both of them until the end. But Joe Burroughs not used to losing, and he's been a winner his whole life. And, yeah, he'll, just like he'll have to live with Aaron Donald chasing him down on fourth down at midfield of the Super Bowl. God, those two possessions at a tie game, it was all there for Cincinnati. And once again, they fall just short. And now we get, and I think, and we're going to, we have two weeks, and we're going to be going to Phoenix. I'm going to break down the game. Let's break it down tonight.

Yeah, we could get into it right now, but I'll just say this. Kansas City, like we said, tons of injuries. Mahomes clearly still not 100%. Far from it. They're going to need every day of this leading up to the game, especially against that Eagles defense that had, I think they're up to around 80 plus sacks now overall in the season. It's going to be, it's going to be great.

Two one seeds. We'll be going at it on February 12th. Hamina, homina, homina. So the Chiefs opened as one and a half point favorites right off the bat, and immediately all the money went to the Eagles, and now the Eagles are now favored by two and a half points. Maybe it'll settle down there. But that's kind of like Chief Spengals where it went back and forth,

but initially it almost seemed like people were waiting for the Chiefs to be the favorites, and once they saw it, like a lot of people went Philly. Doesn't really matter. Like either way, they're barely favored, is what I would say. I feel like this is a, yeah, it feels like an Eagles by two and a half. In terms of the batting line. I think that's where it's going to land right around there. That's what it is at least at this moment.

So you've got your finger on the pulse. Interesting. Kelsey Bowl. I mean, our old producer, TD, is one of the big winners today because he's, I think, producing their podcast. We're going to be hearing so much about that that I almost suggest we don't dive into that anymore tonight. It's literally the best thing that ever happened to a podcast. Exactly. Not since the Harbaugh v. Harbaugh Bowl. We now get the Andy Reed versus his old team bowl, Eagles Chiefs. Let's hear from Big Red.

Yeah, I had a great time there. So 14 years, a long time, huh? And I'm happy for them. I'm happy for the city. They're passionate. They love football. I can't wait until Kansas City and Philly clash. It's going to be awesome, man. I mean, what a great Super Bowl will be. It is going to be a great Super Bowl. Get ready for that answer like 47 more times. He'll handle it well. And again, Mitch Haltes, love him. He's not right. I love Andy Reid. I love to say he's going to be the big game.

Mahomes, like one of the greats. We're going to get to watch him in another Super Bowl. And a little bit of, that's an important game in the Mahomes mystique. I mean, he's now gotten back to the Super Bowl for the third time, the true greats. If you want to go get the goat, Tom Brady, you're going to have to start stacking titles. And he's just 27 years old. he's got time to do it. I'm gonna, humana.

And if you're Joe Burrow, like, I know that you've declared the Super Bowl window open eternally for yourself. And I love that that he says that, but it gets harder and harder to get back. I mean, this is like, this is a difference between, I like to say that football and basketball are completely different. And you've been going to apply to baseball. But in baseball, you've got like 10 days in a series, the basketball. You got like 10 days to find out your team's sort of melting down. You can get swept to go to game seven. Football, it's like, bang, it's suddenly over.

Like this morning, bang, it's like one little drive, one little play. It's like, check you later, Bengals. They woke up thinking they were going to be Super Bowl champions by 10 plays into the second quarter. It was all gone. Who did it all went to dust? The brutal nature. And I would say nothing has any meaning. I don't think one player can dominate in football like you can in basketball.

But these AFC teams with Burrough and Mahomes, and we'll throw Josh Allen in there absolutely as well. They're all young players here. And the contracts are going to get more complicated. Burrow might get a contract this offseason. T. Higgins will be coming up soon maybe for a contract. Like, it'll get more complicated. But these teams in the AFC, I know they're not all going to always be three of the final four teams.

But I think for the other 13 teams in the AFC, it's a little scary to think about that Burrow and Mahomes and Allen with these good organizations are going to keep getting a crack at it for the next eight, 10 years on these teams. It's a little scary. I hear that. I hear that.

All right. Coming up this week, we're going to have Baldi on the show on Tuesday. He's going to give us some X's and O's early kind of breakdown of the week to come. He's like an Eagles expert, too. He's been bathed in Philly Eagles football for a decade plus. It's a great booking. It always is.

We'll have our, as per tradition, don't say the Super Bowl episode next week. And then a week after that, we are in Phoenix to cover the whole thing. A lot of special guests lined up. We can't wait. And before we say goodbye, we can't. we can't not bring this up mostly usually when it's a birthday that you give the person

a birthday gift then no Zuster's giving himself a gift because there's nothing that Drew Christensen are 8 foot 4 video show producer would hate more than being specifically pointed out that it is his 35th

birthday and if you want he just pulled on his headset and disgust wheeling out of the shot on our video program that's why you got to check us out on YouTube for this kind of action but now it puts Parker you know front and center so that's great yeah well she wasn't front and center uh when we wanted to hang out with her uh a week ago no show in fact a total no big time no show at our live show anyway drew happy birthday buddy 35 years young nine feet

11 inches tall told me he's going ice skating to celebrate he's nimble of foot despite being a massive man all right thank you to everyone again February 12th two weeks from tonight we will know the champion of the NFL

it's all come to this and it will be our 10th Super Bowl as a podcast thank you for the journey giving us a great life can't wait what game is it 272

something like that You do the math. You're the math. Don't tell me if I'm wrong. He's a call. This is an IHeart podcast.