NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2022 Week 16 Recap: Merry Christmas (Eve)!

Episode Date: December 25, 2022

A virtual room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal spend their Christmas Eve recapping the first round of Christmas Weekend games, starting with the NFC East matchup between the Eagles and Cowboys (3:47), followed by Giants at Vikings (11:39), Commanders at 49ers (19:22), Bengals at Patriots (27:34), Bills at Bears (36:36), Lions at Panthers (41:35), Seahawks at Chiefs (48:52), Falcons at Ravens (54:40), Saints at Browns (59:50), and finally finishing with Texans at Titans (1:05:08). Happy holidays to everyone! Note: timecodes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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 is working for the weekend. You know we are. welcome to a Christmas Eve edition of the Around the NFL podcast scattered across the Southland I'm Dan Hansus Mark Sessler Greg Rosenthal yes was the night before Christmas and all

through the house I wish I prepared a line here that would have rhymed and it would have been cool but I didn't all I could tell you is daddy's got a lot of work to do up upstairs, Santa's coming, but the NFL sleeps for no one and nothing, including baby Jesus. And so here we are to give you a recap of everything that happened on the Saturday of week 16. This is what we went with Gravedigger. It's called Holiday Beats. Yeah, this, I don't know. I was looking for something a little more traditional.

This is a Christmas and Hollis knockoff. this is like the in-sync Christmas album. This is pretty traditional here. I can go with this. Anyway, let's talk. You guys, how did you enjoy the football? Everybody working from home today is where the big holiday approaches. I loved it.

I think, you know, it got tiresome working from home during Corona, obviously. And it's nice to be able to do both. But I just had a couple nice cups of coffee, you know, making some breakfast walking around and less clothing than I would normally. It was fantastic. And I'll tell you something else. You can feel that a big chunk of these teams are reaching the end. There's a very distinct feel to me for like Christmas week football is really you're starting

to say goodbye to some of these teams. And it's about time. And others are rising up and I enjoy them too. And you don't have to talk about the Titans like that, Mark. Come on. That is rude. Not my intention, but it's accurate. Miss Eve.

Says the guy in the jet sweater. Mark's not wrong, so whatever. Jets are alive. Jets are alive. And yeah, I mean, it's a big night. Who knows if Santa's going to come? When I was at your house, Dan, last week, I liked how you wielded Santa's potential coming or not over your kids like a scepter.

I like to see a daddy hands just really laying down the wall with his kids. You haven't figured out how to do the dad thing until you could weaponize Santa and have the children's behavior molded as a result. I mean, my boys want Nintendo Switch. You know what? They're probably getting Nintendo Switch in reality. In fact, I know they are. It's in the house. I hope they don't listen to this on YouTube. But, however, if they were to, I don't know, burn down the living room tonight, there will be no Nintendo Switch in the morning. So they need to take this thing across the goal line, as it were. I don't know if that's the goal with Santa as a parent. I see what you're doing and I think it's very effective, but to turn them into sort of a

menacing deal breaker is maybe it's a new way to it's a new approach hey listen you you take care of business in your home mark i'll take care of mine in my house it's a house of fear okay all right all right let's get into the games we're going to do 10 games today uh we're going to leave the sunday night game or the saturday night christmas eve game we're going to hit that and the three christmas games monday morning so stay tuned for that right now we're going to hit all the early and late afternoon games, starting with the game of the week. And dare I say, in the running for game of the year, let's head to Jero World,

where the Dallas Cowboys look to keep their NFC East hopes alive against the Eagles. Fourth down and 10, Minchew back, four-man rush. Here they come. He heaves it. Back into the end zone, the ball's on the ground incomplete. The cowboy defense was equal to the task that time. The Cowboys are going to take it over with 14 seconds left. And that was, ooh, bongos to start a Christmas Eve gift for the Cowboys and their fans.

And I endorse it because the Dallas Cowboys fell behind 10 points early. They fell behind 10 points again. I believe it was 2717 at one point in this game. But they turn multiple Philadelphia turnovers into points. and win 40-34 after getting, yes, that stop on the final play, fourth down and long for Gardner Minshue, who played very well in the place of Jalen Hertz, who might not even be back next week, keep an eye on that.

But in the here and now, Minchu moved the ball against the Dallas defense. But Greg, when Mike McCarthy made the decision near the goal line on the other end to kick the field goal, he said to his own defense, don't let them score a touchdown. it got a little hairy there, but they got to stop and they're 11 and 4 as a result. It got real hairy.

He trusted his defense who did not play that well except for the turnovers, although that's a big except for, and except for those last few plays, although that's the big except for because a team that had a Golston in this game, the Dallas Cowboys, that is no quarterback hits, no sacks. Kind of crazy in that many plays. Dirty Peter, I believe is another one to look at it. You could go with him.

They get the pressure there. back-to-back plays on third and fourth down. Third down, it was Parsons, who helped force the fumble earlier in the fourth quarter, and then fourth down, the interior push gets Minchu to let go to the ball. I hate when a team clocks it like Minchu did there with 30 seconds to go. I think if Jalen Hertz was in there, they might have a play called and not waste that down. But big ups to the Cowboys defense. We've been a defense team all year, and they made the big plays there.

And I mean, you mentioned the turnovers. In a game like this, where both teams were just sort of at different junctures marching up and down the field. It felt insane to me. It just became one of those games where it's like, you just trusted it would come down to the end. But the turnovers, they weren't getting a lot of pass rush. But Jaron Curse, like that first interception,

he had leaping over a wide receiver led to a touchdown. The fumble of Minshu led to a touchdown. The Duran Bland pick led to a field goal. So that's 17 points. That's the difference right there. And I mean, Minchew otherwise, and I, you know, not to overrate who he is, But if you take away the take, the turnovers, like his box score looked a lot like a lot of Jalen Hertz box scores, 350 something plus yards.

Both wide receivers went for 100 plus. He just didn't operate on the ground that way. But they did have that big, you know, fourth and one push as well. I thought Minshuk, I mean, I know that they're not in must-win territory, but he can sneak him a win next week. No problem. I mean, they came very close to taking this. I thought, yeah, I thought it was, you know, I thought Dallas really left the door open. on each of their last two possessions

with some suspect play calling and decision making by DAC on their final possession where he went out of bounds on a scramble on a first down scramble at 201 on the clock which stopped the clock and then with essentially one more snap

before the two minute warning instead of thrown it out of the back of the end zone he takes a nine yard sack which allows not only the eagles to get that stop and give them one more chance after the field goal it also left Philadelphia to preserve a timeout and put them in much better position. I thought it was interesting the quarterbacks in this game.

Like you said, Minchu was very good. He wasn't perfect. And they made him pay for it when he wasn't perfect. He threw two interceptions. He could have thrown a third. But he also made a lot of big throws in this game. And right before the crucial Miles Sanders fumble on the penultimate drive for Philadelphia, I was saying to my dad, Keith, who we were watching the game together,

I was like, I don't know if Minchu's going to lead them down the first. field here, but this guy is not scared. And it was kind of a bummer to see the situation get taken out of his hands there. But he did get one more chance. And Greg, on the DAC side of things that early on the first possession of pick six, and you're thinking, oh, my God, are they really going to blow this game with Hertz on the sideline? But he played really well, some of those mental blunders at the end of the game. But in general, I thought he really played excellent football. He was 24 for 24 when the Eagles played zone defense for 300 yards and three touchdowns. To me, the biggest play of the game was the 52-yarder to T.Y. Hilton, third and 30. It had been two years

since any team had hit a third down when it was third and 30. T.Y. Hilton is back in our life. And Dak, when he throws a pretty ball, to me, for some reason, it's just prettier than other people. Like the CD-Lam pass over the middle, too, that was big in the game. But that throw to Hilton on third and 30, which led to points was part of an awesome performance. Other than the pick six, he was incredible. They got a little lucky. calling on the three fumbles, they recovered all three fumbles in this game, but Dak deserved it. It just shows you, though, defenses are a little overrated. It's like neither one of these defenses could get a stop. There was one punt in this game.

Yeah, I am concerned. I want to see what's going on with Lane Johnson. He left the game, went to the tent, and, you know, he was a little banged up last week, too. So that's a major development for the Eagles. But I'm with you on Dak. I mean, I think he hit, what, 16 straight throws after that pick six. I mean, and when he's on, and this offense functions with him completely flipped on. Like the Cowboys are pretty unstoppable. So it's like, I guess for me the hope is that like if they meet again, you get this version of Dallas because this was

sort of Dallas. I mean, they weren't perfect, but they were operating. I thought that they were not scared of the moment. The run game wasn't even as good as it's been in other games today. And they still, they put up a ton of points. And so it makes me hopeful that Dallas doesn't melt away in the playoffs as I feel like I've seen 37 times in my life.

Yeah, they still give me that feeling of a team that could do that And like I'm saying, some of the mental mistakes and some of the play calling, it's like, it was, are the Cowboys when the rubber meets the road in the crucible of the playoffs going to do the right things to win big games against top teams? We shall see. But one thing we do know on Thursday when we're previewing this game, if they got beat by Minchu, they're going to, they feel really fraudulent. And the fact that they took care of business here, they are coasting now to the playoffs. And still in the mix here. and we wait to see where Jalen Hertz is physically

and how the Eagles proceed there, but they still need one win in two games or Dallas loss and they will take the one seed, Philadelphia will. Should we keep moving, boys? I mean, it is Christmas Eve. Yes. Oh, who locked it up?

Who locked it up? I'm sorry, everybody. In a surprise move and a late Twitter lock, the Wessling Bros. Locked the Cowboys. Yeah, nice. Oh, okay. Did they not get their initial lock in

under the head of the Thursday preview? No. We seem to have deadlines in place at this point. Nick was a little busy, so you never know what's going on in the zoo. Yeah, you never know. It could have been a grill on the loose, you know. Hopefully they're listening. They are hosting Lakeisha and Link in Cincinnati.

So that's the place to be listening. I hope they're having a wonderful time together sitting around the heart. Merry Christmas to the Westlings and the, Lecisha, Link, everybody, and all the brothers. and everybody. All right, let's keep moving now. Let's head to the, I was going to say the Metro Dome. It's no longer the Metro Dome. It's a beautiful, gleaming temple to football, U.S. Bank Stadium,

where the Vikings look to continue their insane winning ways in one-score games, of course, against the Giants that had to come down to the last play. 61-yard dry, right hash. Snap spot, Joseph, with a big leg, and! Merry Christmas, Minnesota Vikings fans. The Vikings have beaten the Giants 2724. It's Joseph from 61.

Wow! I mean, we live in a world now, and that's Paul Allen, by the way, KFAN. you heard Brad Sham the sham god before where a kicker that's not even known as necessarily, you know, a big-time kicker, Greg Joseph, can just smoke a 61-yard field goal at the gun? I think that's one of the most underappreciated aspects of how pro football has changed Mark Sessler,

even since you and I joined the company way back in 2010. The kicking game is outrageous. And that's why it's celebrated on this show. Greg Joseph, 61, bang, right down the middle, and the Vikings beat the Giants 27-24 prevents New York from clinching a playoff spot. Vikings already locked up the north. And this was another feel-good win for a team mark

that is 11-0 in one-score games and they can thank the kicker for that. I mean, it was just days ago on the Thursday show where we were kind of challenging the Vikings for, you know, maybe once this season, just win a big game, but make it, you know, take the drama out of it. How about the zero drama element

and just go do it and become a playoff team. And instead, you know, this is naturally how they are. This is their DNA. This is woven into their bloodstream. And I thought it was just incredible to watch. Once again, the idea that they didn't top last week, but it's just like another version of the madness that unfolded last week. And every other week, they're historically this team.

No other team has done this. And I do think the thing is that I believe in is like Justin Jefferson setting the single season record today. T.J. Hawkinson, who they traded for, like, that's totally completely work. Like he had, what, 13 catches for 100 plus today in two touchdowns? I just think it's a nod to the entire coaching stuff that he melded right into the offense and has been a big difference maker and some of these huge games that have come down to the last second. Yeah, with two minutes left in the game, this Vikings team is the best team ever. They're as focused as Mark Sessler, you know, reading the highlights while cats are climbing all over him

and in the background if you check it out on YouTube. He is locked in. He's a cat man. That's a professional. He's not a cat lady. It's a cat man. I wouldn't say that. They have won more games in the final minute than any team in the history of the NFL, six.

They have one more, one possession games than any team in the history of the NFL 11. It's crazy. It's crazy. And people can just keep on pounding the table myself, included for regression. But maybe the regression comes next year. Maybe regression isn't even a thing. I don't know. But 11 and 0 in one score games is crazy.

The only reason it got to this point. I thought when the Vikings, because you know the way these coaches are now with the analytics, I thought when the Vikings had a chance when they scored the touchdown to go up seven, I thought they were going to go for two and win the game. If they get two, they're up nine. Instead, they kick the extra point.

They're up eight points. And that left the door open for Daniel Jones, Saquan Barkley, and the Giants, and a drive that ends with a 27-yard. touchdown run right up the gut on fourth and two with 201 to play. Jones follows with a two-point conversion. It's the Minnesota defense is not good. And we could we could apologize for doubting Minnesota.

We could we could pump Vikings fans who puff out their chest and say you can't argue with results. I mean, we're going to make a deep run in the playoffs. But you see it week after week that you can move the ball on the Vikings. And Daniel Jones looking like Phil Sims and Super Bowl 21 here was just the latest example of it. So that's not ever going to get better for the Vikings, but their ability to make big plays. And I was saying it to Keith today, T.J. Hawkinson, great addition there. He's been a perfect, his role is perfect and a filled a void for them. But Justin Jefferson, every time this

team needs a play down the stretch, that guy is there. And I know he's not going to win MVP, but take a look at every big drive when they've had all these dramatic wins. How many times is Jefferson made one of the big plays or the big play. And that's been a major difference. It's him. He is him. Put him on the MVP list. I believe he should be there.

He absolutely is MVP worthy. I know he won't get it probably because I think he's already like the same. But now they do the top five. I think to me he would be three or four on my personal list. Maybe this year's a little different too because nobody, you're not going to give it to Cousins because usually when the wide receiver has a massive year, you give it to his quarterback, but Cousins doesn't fall into that category. Maybe this is the year.

where a wide out could sneak in and take that trophy. But he certainly deserves it. I just see, I could see voters splitting their votes to some degree where MVP goes Mahomes, but offensive player of the year heat that Jefferson dominates that vote. I just, I just wonder if that's how that could play out. I mean, one Giants thing about this, because I don't know what they're going to do with Daniel Jones. I think he's been better than advertised in a lot of these games. He's had high-profile gaffes, but really for the most part, I think he threw his first pick in weeks and weeks this this week. And like he's playing, throwing to Isaiah Hodgins,

Richie James and Darius Slayton. There's just very little around him. And to even see the Giants in some of these games, I mean, it helped to see Barclay play better today than he, that slump he was in. But I feel like this is a sinking balloon and we're just catching on the way down. Yeah, I think Jones. See, I disagree with that.

I thought the Giants played well in this game. And I think they had 445 yards of offense. three hundred and thirty four through the air through Jones and their defense is not good enough to get stops against this Vikings offense in a big spot but they also I thought in general this was a back and forth game that they they lose on a 61 yard field goal on the road I think the Giants are going to make the playoffs especially with Washington not being able to pull off an upset today and I think I would not be surprised if they're in another very close game down the stretch because I think they've refound themselves

a little bit when they were in that slump before the Washington game, I think they're going to hang around to be a tough out every week. Well, I think they're going to probably, I could see a high percentage likelihoodness that they play the Vikings again in the playoffs. But I guess I'm worse saying, like, I just think if you run into a Niners team or the Eagles again, this Giants team to me is like, are they going to sneak into the playoffs? Yes. Like, I was on the side of wanting them to be fun and joyful. And it's like, they're a bit fraudulent, but they are what they are. And like, I do, I do still think they've been well coached from wire to wire. This is. entire season. Like, it is a win for Brian Dable. Yeah, the results for week 16,

spoiler alert, is going to help the Giants' chances of making the playoffs. So they lose this game because the Cowboys won, the Cowboys all but assured themselves of getting that five seed versus the six. But Giants are much less likely to fall out of this. And the Vikings are still alive here for the two seed. They are the two seed. And that really does make a big difference. So that's something that them and the 49ers are playing for down the stretch. All right, let's move on. Now, speaking of the 49ers, they welcomed those commanders into their building. And, you know, they just suffocate their opponents.

It happened again. Bertie under center. Toska to fake it and roll to his left and we'll throw wide open Kittle underneath. 20, block, 10, 5. George Kittle, touchdown again. Touchdown! San Francisco! What action there by Brock Ferd.

Brockin and rolling, baby. On the keeper. He's going to hold this football as long as he can. Man, brockin and rolling is some real dad energy. I'm in, though. Greg Papa and Tim Ryan with the call, KNBR. They're inevitable, these 49ers right now. Brock Purdy threw two more touchdown passes to George Kittle.

And the Niners take out the commanders 37 to 20. That's eight straight wins for San Francisco. And Greg, Purdy is now 3-0 since taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo. He's not doing it alone. The whole team is playing well right now, but he has fit in nicely, and they are just rolling. Yeah, I think this was perfect for them because they were really tested offensively. I know they had big scores where Kittle got wide open

and Shanahan coming out of half them really picked on the linebacker situation and created some mismatches that Kittal took advantage of. But before that, they were struggling to move the ball. And I think that was good because Purdy had to make plays under pressure. They got unlucky with an interception that Joanne Jennings dropped. And they were tested, I think, by a playoff caliber defense. It's not a playoff caliber offense for Washington, but it's a playoff caliber defense. And so they were tested, but in the second half, it was just like downhill.

They had four out of five possessions in the second half that started in 49ers territory because Heineke kept turning it over. and there was another special team's play. And so they just kept getting the ball. It honestly could have been a 50 burger in this game because they were stopped on short drives in Washington territory so many times in the second half. Yeah, like when we talk about, you know,

maybe defense doesn't matter in that Philly Dallas game. And you're right in that situation. Like the Niners defense keeps mattering week to week. I thought they completely turned Tom Brady's season into total darkness a couple weeks ago. they basically unplugged Gino Smith a week ago. I mean, kind of changing that narrative, the way we viewed Gino Smith change. And they just got Terl Heineke benched.

I mean, it's like they, they're that early goal line stand that they had, which flipped around into the Ray Ray MacLeod's 71-yard sweep with a great block by Chris McCaffrey. It's like their stops turn into points. And like they had the same thing. I thought the fourth and one stop of Heineke when it was 14 to 7 and then bang, seconds later, it's 217 because Purdy is, you know, overcomes the. interception, completely data wipes that from his memory, and mind melds with George Kittle, which you did for the rest of the game. Then they've got a strip sack and an interception.

They just like, to your point, great, was just downhill. They never stopped. And Washington is a very compromised team. They kind of remind me of the giants in the sense that they're little things you like. But if you get caught into the bad game flow and you start to get behind, I don't really trust Washington to work the way out of it. I don't really care if that's Carson Wentz or Taylor Heinege, a quarterback. I kind of hated the, I understand everyone's aggressive all the time now. But that decision by Riverboat Ron, fourth and one at his own 34. You got to convert it. You got to do it. I mean, I mean, you better love your quarterback and trust your offense because against this team, if you don't get it, guess what? You don't get

it. And then two plays later, it's 217. And I know then Washington came back and scored again, and you give them credit for that to keep the game interesting. But that, to me, the game felt over at that point. And a couple of things that jump out to me, Gregi. I feel like we haven't talked about Nick Bosa a ton on on the show this year, or maybe I'm just forgetting it. But he's been a beast this year. He definitely deserves serious consideration for a defensive player of the year. He's up to 17 and a half sacks now. He had two sacks and a forced fumble in this game. And then the other part of it, obviously Carson Wentz replaces Heineke. And I would anticipate, Gregi, that Carson one stays in the lineup now

because it just felt like Riverboat had an itchy trigger this whole time with Taylor. Yeah, it's funny because I think Heineke was so lucky all season playing poorly in getting by and this was the reverse. I thought he played a good first half. You know, they get stuffed on the goal line

where Fred Warner makes a great play in the running game or else the Washington could have been up 14-7. Heineke made a number of good throws and in good decisions. And then two quick turnovers in a row, which one came on the boast a strip sack, which I don't know if that was really on Heineke, and then an interception.

And Wentz came in and played well. In one drive, he had like the most Carson-Wency stuff happened, making a miraculous play as he's falling to his knees that turns into 25 yards, a total dime for a touchdown, but also had what should have been a turnover by Wentz, too. But he got the touchdown, got another good drive after that. And my guess is you're right. They play the Browns next week. They are still in position for the playoffs, but only half a game up.

So it's wide open for that seven spot. They have the Browns and the Cowboys to finish up. And the one good thing I think they get Chase Young back and he made a difference in this game. He looked good. He wasn't coming off an injury looking bad. So that's one thing to be happy. They may also have a star in Jahan Dotson. I mean, they really have weapons because if it's him and McLaurin, like, and the one thing I'd say about Heineke that was different than Wentz when he came in for the first kind

of month of Heineke for all the issues, he had great chemistry with McLaurin. Like the splits were completely different. And then they've just become such a ball possession ground team. That's what they want to be. couldn't do that today to some degree, but I, like, I know we don't care about this, but I would love to know what the majority of the locker room thinks about Wentz in there over Heineke, the person. I just do. I just have a sense that there's, Carson Wentz seems to have struggled to attach himself to a locker room everywhere he's gone.

Heineke slammed his helmet down when he was taken out of the lineup and was seen arguing with Rivera. And just one quick thing. Dan, I think you're right. I think Bosa probably won the defensive player of the year today, just the way the Cowboys defense is and apart in the way Bose is playing. Yeah, I think Heineke is a guy that is liked in that locker room, but the coach doesn't think he's a good quarterback. It makes sense why they would look to Wence as a spark here. And here is, speaking of Wence, what was that thing Colleen did on Tuesday?

She, like, simmed all of the holiday films, or somebody did and she was reading it? Yeah, like a sim watched like a thousand hours of Hallmark-esque holiday films and created its own script. this this quote from carson wince feels like a sim like they uploaded every taylor heinecke pass ever into wence and then a reporter stuck a recorder in his face i this is carson wince on hynicki's first half i thought he played well i thought he was dealing i thought taylor played well obviously the way the game ended was strange the way ended that's from nicky javala

he's so afraid to offend anyone and i don't i don't blame him at this point as we all know let's decided to really go ahead and start to take command. Not too late, Carson, not too late. And Greg, the calculators, we go to our first break. It's Washington needs to win their last two games. The Giants need to lose their last two games. Does that sound about right? No, I mean, Washington's in the playoffs right now.

So they're trying to hold off Detroit and Seattle and Green Bay. Oh, that's right. Half a game up going into the final team. Man, NFC got real sloppy in the back of that wild card race. Yeah. Here I am thinking Washington was cooked, but they are very much alive. Wentz has a big opportunity for some personal redemption. Let's take a break and we will roll on.

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and maximize game performance with enhanced over. clocking. Win the tech search. Power up at Lenovo.com. It's 5.23 p.m. One of your kids is asking for a snack. Another is building a fort out of your clean laundry, and you're staring at a half-empty fridge and thinking,

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Go to Hellofresh.ca and use promo code Dinner 50. That's Hellofresh.ca promo code Dinner 50. Hellofresh.com. Canada's number one meal kit delivery service. 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 insight 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 die-hard 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. All right, we're back. In case you're just joining us, it's Christmas Eve,

and we're talking football because we can't get enough, baby. All right, let's move on. San Francisco takes care of business. How about the Cincinnati Bengals who are rolling themselves, and they have the Patriots up next and what's felt like a blowout turned into something entirely different. Mack Jones waiting for the shotgun snap,

hands it off. Stevenson stacked up, going backward, tackle. Ball, ball. The ball is out. It's out. The Bengals are celebrating. Turnover time. They've got it.

Turnover. The Bengals have recovered of the circle. That should be golf and nails. Bam, bam, bam. Oh, my goodness. Greg, if I didn't hate the Patriots so much, I would feel bad for him. These last two weeks have been insane. Throw that Vikings game in there, too.

Oh, my goodness. Thanks, goodness. Dan Horde and Dave Lapham with the call W-C-K-Y. Here's the breakdown here, and this is one of my games. The Bengals absolutely dismantle the Patriots in the first half in Foxborough. It is 22-0 at half. I believe the first downs between the teams. I believe the number was 22 for since.

Cincinnati and three for New England. My wrong. It was that ugly. And then the Patriots do what the Patriots do. They pick up a defensive score. I pick six. And all of a sudden, like, all right. And they missed the extra point.

It's 226. And then all of a sudden, the Cincinnati offense goes totally cold. After Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes and the Bengals offense just did whatever they wanted in bad conditions in New England. They go cold. Meanwhile, on third and, forever from midfield. Mac Jones throws up a prayer that gets swatted from one hand into Jacoby Myers for a touchdown.

And now they're within 10 points. They kick a field goal. And then all of a sudden they have the ball after a turnover by Jamar Chase, the Patriots do. And they're going down the field only for Stevenson to fumble the football inside the 10 when it looked like the Patriots are going to have one of the more unlikely wins of the year after the. the most unlikely loss. So in the end, it was a crushing loss for New England. Final score was

2218. So New England has a chance to really stay in the mix in the AFC playoff race. Instead, they're in a lot of trouble now. Cincinnati's winning streak extends, even though you're not feeling too hot about after you watch the last two quarters. I mean, or the first two quarters against the bucks last week where Tampa Bay looked, you know, playoff ready all of a sudden before falling off a cliff. I think Zach Taylor said it. When you're up 22-0-0-15-0, you've got to find a way to put these teams away if you want to be a Super Bowl team. And I kind of, they're not a team I worry about, slump-wise. I think Burroughs turnovers occasionally like today caused a big problem for them. But who do you trust more to work themselves

out of it? I mean, they've essentially off New England at this point. I cannot, I do find from a New England side that if you look at the way the last minute of the last two games, finished or the last 10 seconds, it's mistake prone, it looks disjointed, it's very un-Belichekian, and it's an odd, strange end to a season that started this morning with rumors that Bill O'Brien might return as the offensive coordinator next season. The funny thing is, it's like, I'm thinking as a Patriots fan, it's like, oh, great, I would love a Bill O'Brien at this point. It's like, that would help you.

Now, that said, they were so close to what would have been like a stirring victory, and I didn't hate their strategy at the end. They were trying to make the Bengals burn time out. They were running the ball well. It was the only two minutes of the game I watched, I'll admit, is the end. So I got that dagger right at the end. And that probably should be a forward progress, like blown dead. I think that's a pretty clear call in most situations.

And they answered it after the game saying they just thought he still had his legs moving. But that's not what forward progress is about. Once you're moving backwards and you're held for like three straight yards, they'll call that. But that's been this Patriot season. And I think all the good fortune the Patriots have had for 20 years. It's like it's cashing in the other way this year. Just pile it up all in one year. Well, if it makes you, I don't want to worry you, Greg.

But if that's the theory that's actually taking hold, imagine being a fan of a team that hates the Patriots and feeling like that happened for 20 straight years. So maybe it will for the Patriots. Well, here's one thing in your favor here. The Patriots would have knocked out the Jets with a way. win here if stevenson had had won that game but i know and it felt in and also not for nothing but old zeuser locked up the bangles and it's 22 nothing and i'm i'm coasting to the finish line and then all of a sudden this game gets totally bizarre and wacky and uh it did feel like they had the bangles right where they wanted they had them on their heels they're running the ball really well

and stevenson and it's just a kind of a snapshot of their season in general the frustration of New England to just do the type of things that we kind of just expected them to do. But you saw another defensive score, like I said. Marcus Jones, it was Marcus Jones, right? Yeah, he made some history. That was a beautiful play by Marcus Jones, who not only picked it off, he then tight rope down the sideline for the touchdown. Kendrick Bourne makes a beautiful catch in this game.

Back Jones didn't do a lot here, but he made a few. throws. So it all, it was kind of a rip your heart out loss for New England. And for the Bengals, it's one of those things like, I don't know what happened here, but we did win just like last week. They don't know what happened in the first half either. And Mark, I guess the question is, do you, does that make you nervous that four of their last eight quarters have been terrible? Or does it make you feel more confident that you came out of both of those games with wins? I mean, it doesn't, it doesn't concern me. Not that I, you know, and brushing it rushing and off is nothing, but their slumps are different than other team's slumps.

I think the bills, we could say, you know, they didn't lose during their slump. And the Bengals are finding ways to win these games. To me, it's like, this is part of the roadmap that you go through. And I just look at one thing about New England. Like, I feel like this is a theme this year of a couple really good defenses that got completely hung out to dry by their offenses. I think of New England because it's been a really well-coached defense and been typical for most of the season.

And like Denver, it's like these defensive players, the text threads, must be absolutely on fire with what they're dealing with from the offensive side of the ball. I would love to read them. I think they'd be very spicy. I would too. Marcus Jones quickly is the first player or the second player in NFL history to have a career 40-yard catch, punt return and interception return. The only other person in NFL history to ever do that is Dion Sanders. And Marcus Jones has already done it as a rookie. Not just, you know, this is talking about entire career. He had a big catch on offense too. And your lock sound there, Dan, reminds me of when we started this lock competition six years ago.

I went back and listened to the last time we did a Christmas Eve show. Oh, wow. Just to see if I could get some fun stuff there. And the lock competition had just started back then in the middle of that season, actually, just kind of impromptu. Let's take a listen. At the suit. Mark Sessler, 3 and O. Whoa, we are flying with the locks now.

And the confidence, we put, we put it into the safe. We spin, you know, the wheel thing or like the, what is it? It's like a circular. It's almost like a pirate ship wheel almost. Kind of like a, we spin the pirate ship wheel lock, and then we leave it there. And then we go get it on Saturday night. Don't need to think about it again. Spin the pirate ship wheel line.

I got to wait until Sunday for the Steelers. bad job i should have picked the lock that was on saturday poor showmanship no lollipops today anyway you're no liberacey gregg but uh anyway song silent tight you know we it's true the liverachi comes up a lot on the show um and great to hear chris of course and greggie to think just think of all the joy and like the grinch coming down from the mint mountain trying to kill the lock segment shame on you that's part of the fun. I just like we were still talking showmanship. Yeah. There were so many little moments. He called me the the strong and silent type, which

was a running joke and the whole thing. It was, it was nice to hear its voice. I remember we were in the studio that night. Yes. Always good to hear Chris, especially on Christmas Eve. Layall Collins, by the way, went out with a knee injury. Keep an eye on that. Their offensive line really crumbled Cincinnati after that. Hmm. Okay. Let's move now to Soldier Field where the bills, you know, they know the Cincinnati's breathing right down their neck as they try to lock up home field advantage in the AFC. Time to take care of business against the Bears.

Josh Tates, going to keep it, going to try to run it himself around the right side. Josh, heads to the end zone. He is in. Touchdown Buffalo. Josh Allen runs it in from three yards out. Touchdown Buffalo bills. The bills did get it done. Maybe not as easy.

as they expected, at least early on. But in the end, Devin Singletary, James Cook, both had long TDs in the third quarter. Allen scored, as you heard, and Buffalo coasted to a 3513 win in one of the coldest games ever played in Chicago. Yeah, I should mention that as I tee up Mark Sessler here. All across the country, just hideous weather.

And luckily, we're not traveling this week. But these games, some of these games, really were impacted by the weather. One of the games, Tennessee, and Houston even had to be pushed back an hour because of a power grid situation. Unbelievable. Anyway, get into it, Mark. How did the bills win this game?

I think the weather had a real effect on this, as it did on a lot of these games you mentioned. They just weren't really the same operation through the air. It wasn't completely visible to the eye that they couldn't move the ball, Josh Allen, through the air. But really what stood out to me today was because we've, you know, mid-season,

them are kind of questioning the balance of the offense. Like, if they needed to, could they really run the ball in a situation and do it without a major issues? And today was the day where I think we've seen that bubble up, especially Allen against the Dolphins, I thought, had a big day at another 41 yards in that touchdown we just heard today. So that's part of their offense right now, especially in weather like this. But it was Devin Singletary, you mentioned, 106 yards. James Cook, 99. They had 254 yards at 8.2 yards per carry, off 31 of Toats. And what I loved about it was the two touchdowns you mentioned

was like they were just really looking for an explosive spark and back-to-back drives. You get Cook and Singletary blasting for long touchdowns. And it really just put it away on the flip side. The reason I thought, you know, we've seen these bears hang in these games. And it's always been about Justin Fields. They had a good plan for Fields. They were dealing with it.

They have nothing in their offense through the air. And so it's him or nothing. And he had, when the bills at one point were up 21-0 at 181 yards, Fields had seven, and he finished on the ground with 11 yards off seven carries. So if you're going to take that element out of Chicago's attack, see you later, Bears. Bears still got a chance for the number one pick, by the way. They're only half a game behind. They've quietly kept losing the last two months.

Right. They're close every week. And then look, the bills clinched their third straight AFC East today. That's impressive. With two weeks to go in this division that we were saying looked like the best division in football, they end up being the class of it by far. I always say how hard it is to be the best team year after year. And we look up and here it is.

It's the Bills in the Chiefs again. And you nailed it, Mark. I mean, being able to run to win is really important for them. And it wasn't like those running backs loaded up on like 50 carries. It was 12 for 106, 11 for 99. That's a really good sign for them. That is for a Chicago fan base that know they're going to, watch a loss. And I don't know how many people. I'm sure there were a lot of empty seats there,

but the temperature kickoff was nine degrees with a minus 12 wind chill, only three degrees warmer than the record low for a bear's home game. And it's their coldest road game for Buffalo by temperature since at least 1967. I mean, what causes people to go to these games? I respect it, but it does strike me as a whiff of madness. There were a ton of empty seats. There were a ton of empty seats in Foxborough in Cleveland. And I assume in this one, Mark, but I didn't really check out this one. I didn't track the seat scenario that closely, to be honest. But I will say the one time I were professional. What happened? Well, there's a lot going on. Like the one time I do recall getting like tangible, I wouldn't snow if it was like deathly frostbite, but I couldn't feel my toes even like

in the middle of the night was the first game I ever went to was a week 15 Chiefs Giants game in East Rutherford, New Jersey. And it was like this kind of temperature. And it was like what I had the same question is you, Dan. What am I doing here? There is, as anyone that grew up in the Northeast knows, if you go to a game at giant stadium in the 80s, 90s into the 2000s, and it is a late kickoff, a 4 p.m. kickoff, and you are on the side of the stadium that is in the shade, you are going to suffer for many hours. And I'm sure you were on the wrong side of the stadium on that day, my friend. Well, I'm a child. I'm not, you know, you can't like have whiskey and do things that would warm up the body.

You're just sort of left out to dry. Right, exactly. All right, let's move to Charlotte, where the team of ATL look to keep things rolling against the Panthers fighting for their playoff lives in the soggy NFC South. This one did not go to plan.

Trips left. The snap, screen pass, back to DJ. He's got the five, reaching toward the end zone. Ball comes out at the end. Touchdown! Carolina, DJ Moore. And the Panthers lead at 30 to 7.

We're about 24 minutes and 12 seconds away from a game against Tampa next week with first place in the division on the line. Whoa, what? Good call. What, what, what? Do we have a Greg Rosalalahua, what? What?

What? DJ Moore with the score there, but this was about the running game for the Panthers. Dante Foreman ran for a career high 165 yards in a touchdown. The Panthers had a franchise record 320 yards on the ground. And they defeat the team around the NFL, 3723. Greg, how do you give up 320 yards on the ground in this spot?

Why is the sad? The sad ATN team of ATN music is back. It felt like a moral victory. What? What? What? What? What? What? It was 240 at halftime. I got to Google, what's the all-time record for rushing yards in a game? I mean, they were on pace. They were on pace for it at that point. Never good. Yeah, never good. I mean, five play, 78 yards on the first drive, and they were all runs.

The first play of the game was a 35-yard run. And they were just huge holes for Dante Foreman and Chuba Hubbard to run through and bad tackling in the secondary by the lines. and it started that way. And you just, that happens sometimes. And you figure like, oh, this is going to get under control. And it never really got under control. The Panthers set a franchise record with that rushing total. But they also set a franchise record just for yardage. I mean, they've been around a while now.

570 yards is a lot. And Sam Darnold, when he had to make a play in this game, made a lot of high-level throws. They just destroyed this team, the Lions defense, at least. Not offensively, but it was cool. crazy. The Panthers had seven runs to your point, Greg, of 20 yards or more. And the Lions had been very stout against the run defensively in recent weeks. They had been averaging just 84 yards rushing per game in the last five weeks. And then Foreman and Hubbard both go over the

century mark in the first half. So Mark, there's the first time that had happened in any game since DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. It's insane. Yeah. And Mark, I guess this is, we'll see. We'll see what this means for Detroit. Is this another game, by the way, temperature is 20 degrees to kickoff, wind chill of nine. Maybe this is a dome team that just bit it. But we'll see if they bounce back from this. This seems like a pretty humbling loss. Well, I think golf splits at home versus not only on the road, but like when he's been outdoors are unbelievably varied. Like he's not the same person in this outdoor weather. And so I do have a question. Was it his box score awesome in this game? I'm coming into this game like his like literally 90% of his production has been like an

indoor weather and so I mean I think that helps them the way they're built to I mean to me it's like I'm sure the lions they've been so improved but like they were kind of due I thought for a step back at some point I mean I'm just surprised by Carolina being able to dominate this way they've been really hot and cold because they had 64 yards rushed against the Bengals it's like all right well that plans out the window then the next week they put up 240 against the Falcons on the ground, then 36 against the Ravens, then 185 against a good Broncos team, then today. So it's like when it works, they're essentially unstoppable. But then the next week, they completely s the bed. So I'm not, you know, it's like I don't know who to trust in any of these

situations. Right. They're going to play the bucks no matter what happens on Christmas and they are in a win-in situation. If Carolina beats Tampa next week, they are in first place. And then they could clinch the division. I think Dardle makes a huge difference in way he's he's playing. He's played the cleanest month, I think, of his career. Maybe he had some more spectacular moments with the Jets, but he's just made good decisions. And he wasn't like the headline here today, but there were a couple spots in the game where they needed a throw, and he made some really high level throws. And they needed to keep scoring because the lions offensively were fine in this game. Gough, I thought, actually played pretty well overall. They were stopped inside

the 10 yard line twice, once on downs with, I think it was a batted pass, and once they fumbled a snap on a first down, you know, they put up 380 yards and 23 points. Like it was really their defense had had no hope in this game. I'm happy for Sam Darnold who's getting another shot of this NFL thing after a horrendous start to his career. And we are, it is within the realm of reality here that Sam Donald starts a home playoff game. game. This could happen. Tampa Bay is not a team to trust. Keep an eye on this because the Panthers now. And I know it was a disappointing loss last week against Pittsburgh. But to bounce back like this, that is pretty impressive. They had 500 yards in this game, the most ever on the

coldest day that they, the history of that stadium. I really hope that Steve Wilkes gets a legitimate real chance to continue as coach. Because I think this is one of the better interim runs there's been. Yeah, you wonder if they like lost two straight weather would happen. But today, it felt like, man, I think he's going to wind up keeping this job. I did notice Dan Campbell, like, I thought he blinked at one point. There was a fourth and one at his own

36, and they had been moving the ball well, and that was a play that they've gone for in most situations all year right before halftime, and he decides to pun it away, and his lousy defense ends up giving up points in that situation anyway. You didn't see the aggressive call from Dan Campbell on a day they needed to, but it wouldn't have mattered.

I just, and by the way, I do see that golf had a major box score today. I was more mentioning that, like, coming into this game, it was one question about the Lions because they've been so explosive at home that, like, can you go win on the road in a big spot, you know? Well, they're home next week against the Bears, and then they might be on the road, week 18. That could be the Sunday night game in a cold weather situation against Green Bay. All is not lost for a team of around the NFL. They had been on a run here, but if you win these last two games, you're probably in the playoffs. Yes, just that we're going to stay positive here.

I don't like giving up 320 ground yards in a game. It makes me nervous that they've been exposed in a profound way. But we're not going to happen again. They're not going to do that again, not exactly at least. Right, right. All right. Let's take a break and we'll row through the rest of the games. In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you.

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Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game. 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. All right, welcome back. We have a three-team race atop the AFC trying to get that number one see the all important

by and home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. We know the Bills won. We knew the Bengals one. How about the Chiefs? Did they keep pace against the Seahawks?

Kelsey, three point stance to the left. There comes an inside blitz. Mahomes reads it. Moves to his right. Keeps the ball in his right hand trying to stay alive. Dyes for the far front pylon. Did he get it?

Did he get it? Are they going to give it to him? Touchdown! Kansas City, all precincts finally reporting, and they give it to Mahomes on another rushing touchdown. The 12th of his career, and the Chiefs have broken it open at 23 to 3. Whoa.

Is that it just the 12th rushing touchdown in Mahomes' career? That can't be right. Is that right? Feels like they all were to win the game, though. It's great. I think so. Patrick Mahomes with Jaylor. hurts out with an injury has a chance here

to really put the MVP race in his favor and he got it done today throwing two touchdown passes no interceptions, adding that rushing score that you heard and the Chiefs do take care of business and move to 12 and 3 with a 24

to 10 win over the fading Seahawks. That was Mitch Holtus of course for WDAF and Gregi yes another, is this another KC just kind of grinding their way through these things? What did you take out of this game?

That their defense needed to step up. I've really wanted their defense to show me a little something more, and they did for the most part. It was a lot of stopping the Seahawks on fourth downs, like, in their territory. Seattle could not finish drives. They turned it over on downs three times, and Gino threw a red zone interceptions. That was four times they were inside the 40 with zero points to speak of.

But Chris Jones was dominant. I think he's second in the league in terms of interior pass rushers and pressures. He had four quarterback. Legerius Sneed was really good against D.K. Metcalfe when he was lined up against him. And the defense kind of just did what they needed to do and waited for the offense to put them away. They're going to get the one seat here if they can just win a couple division games against Denver and Vegas. I think that's huge because in the AFC, in theory, Buffalo Cincinnati, like you don't have to play two of those teams. you would only have to play one of those teams

if he can get the one seed. I mean, was this another miniature? I don't want to over-emphasize it, but maybe come down to Earth or step back for Gino Smith because what I kept seeing early on was that on key, fourth-down plays,

he was throwing short of the sticks that created two turnovers on downs, and I think they had three or four of those situations in Kansas City territory, where, you know, I know they're compromised. Like, Kenneth Walker, look, it seemed like he had a better game today, but you don't have Tyler,

locket and it's just like they're not able to this isn't the same environment that gino smith was sort of thriving in a month and a half ago two months ago no this was one of the coldest days in kansas city um in arrowhead history too which is maybe why mahomes's numbers were pretty low and and they they're not protecting them i think charles cross their tackle went out of this game the seahawks tackle and uh gino was getting hit gino was missing locket and you're right they kept throwing it like eight yards on fourth and nine and it was killer Greg, let me get the calculator out. Help us out, because obviously I'm confused about it.

So the Giants are in great position even with the loss still. What does the rest of this NFC wildcard field look like right now? Well, it's pretty simple. With the commanders lead, they're only half a game up on Detroit and Seattle. Seattle's got the tiebreaker there, but that's all they got to do is make up one game in two weeks. Commanders, Lions, Seahawks, maybe the Packers in that mix. Well, there's also the fact that if those two get Seattle and Detroit get tangled, that insane game from earlier in the year that Seattle won 48 to 45,

they win the head-to-head over Detroit, too. If you want a real positive sign for the Chiefs, that's the first time in 10 games this season that the Chiefs did not commit a turnover. That's kind of been a little bit of an issue for him this year. So cleaner football, Harrison Butker, clean things up. He's been off this season. So we'll see where they're at as we feel. finish out the regular season. And by the way, Andy Reid on Christmas Eve was given a gift

by his team in the locker room, listen in. Hey, hey, hey, thank you. May you all get a gift as great as this? Cheeseburgers in paradise, baby. So the game, a wrapped gift and it was a cheeseburger in the box because he likes cheeseburgers because he's Andy Reed. Do you, what percentage of the locker room, Mark, do you think got the, got the, you know, cheeseburgers and paradise callback to Jimmy Buffett, like 1977. I think it still gets played pretty widely at, you know, pubs and things like that. I think you could still have heard it in college and various, you know, pubs and taverns, maybe, but I'm with you that it's, it's an Andy Reid reference.

It's dated. Andy Reid was probably talking about it, you know, 30 years ago. So, yeah, you're aging yourself. One little takeaway was if you go back earlier in that interview, when they gave him the box, they wrapped it and everything. and he shook it violently. And so I was like, we knew it was a cheeseburger. I'm like, that thing is going to be an absolute tatters

when he ultimately opens the packaging. And it was completely fine. So it's like someone must have speared it from head to toe so that it wouldn't get, you know, ramshackled. It was a classic spear scenario on that cheeseburger. That's a good gift giving. Great work. Great work by Travis Kelsey.

They're spearing the burger. Great work by Mark, noticing that and then commenting it on the podcast. Well. Let's move to Baltimore, where it was also very cold. Man, it's nice living in Southern California sometimes. It's 73 degrees today in California. No joke. Watch the games outside.

Huntley out of the shotgun in the empty backfield. Lobbs in the back of the end zone. Looking for Demarcus Robinson. He makes the catch. Touchdown Ravens. And the red zone drought is over. A terrific touch pass from Tyler Huntley to DeMarcus Robinson in the back side of the end.

zone. And this crowd is happy for the first time this afternoon. Hey, it hasn't been easy for the Baltimore Ravens on offense for a while now. And it wasn't easy again. But they did get it done. Jerry Sandusky with the call, WBAL, Tyler Huntley through first half touchdown pass to DeMarcus Robinson. The Ravens defense did their job, kept the Falcons, and Desmond Ritter out of the end zone. Final score, to nine. Ten wins, Mark, for the Ravens. They're going to the dance.

And another game without Lamar Jackson. But they won two of the three without him now. I mean, this would be another team I'd point to where the defense could quiet be like, excuse me, attack, please start to operate on a somewhat functional level. I mean, they're just getting by. Like, before that to Marcus Robinson,

touchdown, they ran the ball 11 times. They really are very one-dimensional. I think we know that about them. Outside of Mark Andrews, you're getting, like, guys with 14. yards on the entire day. They just don't have anything there right now with Duvenay also out in Rashad Bateman. But it was their defense. Their defense is marvelous. And it kind of makes you think like, you know, if they're going to win an ugly playoff game, you could do it with

this defense, I think. All right. I wish I had not used that word. But like, they basically clipped. They clipped the falcons. This looked like also, I feel like 90% of Falcons games are exactly the same in the sense that they just don't quite get it done on offense. They had four drives inside the Baltimore 20 that resulted in three field goals and a loss on downs. And, you know, it was just little moments where Tyler Algeo, we know he's been

great, he's my guy, but he was stuffed on fourth and goal with six minutes to go. Yes. And like he just, that to me felt like the game was over. I mean, there was a, they even got the ball back again and they were down, you know, 17 to 6. And Desmond Ritter,

you know, second game got his, his handoff messed up and kind of clipped Alger as he was running on a second and goal situation. That just led to another field. They just could not punch in touchdowns against a very good Ravens defense. While the Ravens' offense, they can run the ball and do very little else. And so this game felt exactly what you thought it would be in this weather. I mean, they were in the playoffs. This was a huge win for them, especially with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.

They were very vulnerable, Gregie. If they would have lost this game, things would have getting very walkie. So good for them. and they get to enjoy their Christmas. They are an uninspiring playoff entry right now, though. I mean... I hear you, but to me, you throw Lamar back in there, and it's a different world.

I know their offense had struggled with them, but I just mean in a playoff situation, let's say right now the playoff matchup would be them, spoiler alert, at Jacksonville, at the AFC South champion. And if you're the Ravens, you're like, okay, we can party with that. But you're right, they feel like they're back in 1999. Here are out of their last six games.

here are five of the scores 13-3-10-9 16-4-3-13-17-9 yeah these are just like these are boring asking you say 16-4 that can't be right 1614 1614 yeah against the Steelers 164 would have been fun Sammy Watkins had a 40-yard catch in this all I think I was killing him on Thursday show so I'll credit it to him the whole um marvelous things. Sometimes I feel like the Ravens Defen gets a pass and we forget about some of those marvelous meltdowns they've had this season. I'd like to see them in a big spot down the stretch and maybe in January playoff where they need to get a stop and get it done. But on general, they have, if this defense hasn't been as good as it's been for most of the season,

they're five and ten instead of ten and five. That's how kind of off this offense has been for much of the year. Well, they've given up over 20 points once since early November and even going back then and was just low 20s. I think that Roquan Smith is another trade like T.J. Hawkinson, some of these teams have made good trades. Like Roquan Smith was a transformative addition for them. All right. And by the way, bye-bye, Falcons. Holy God, you are eliminated and I am so happy because for two years straight, you've been an annoying, boring team that just gets in the way. And now we don't have to think about you anymore. Go figure out who your quarterback is and all that other good stuff. We'll see you in September. Let's move on.

I don't care, whatever. Sometimes. Sometimes I've just got to say goodbye to a team. You know what I'm saying, Mark Sessler? Sometimes I do. I do. I think we've run out of enthusiasm for that operation. Bye.

Just getting rid of some of these NFC South teams. Bye. It's the only one so far. Let's go to Cleveland. Let's keep doing it. All right, Cleveland. Let's go. Let's go.

It's Christmas Eve. Fourth and 10 to throw, Saints rush three. Watson standing. he'll pull it down he'll run but he'll get caught he'll get tackled and that is going to be it Carl Granderson wraps him up at the 25

yard line for the sack says defense answer the call Merry Christmas Love that Rankin and Bass Rudolph's special obviously it's iconic but

I've watched every year for 40 years or whatever I don't know if it's just the changing times but it's getting more and more cruel to Rudolph. Everyone treats Rudolph like a POS in that special, including Santa himself. Well, it's unfair because, I mean, in general, Rudolph has a pretty heroic resume of saving the holiday once or twice,

so I don't know why you'd need to be dumping on him. I think it's jealousy, I think. And there's an arc, obviously, to Rudolph. It pays off for him in the special itself, but I think some people have to look in the mirror after that adventure. All right. So Mike Haas, WWL, Alman Kamara, Taysam Hill Bolt's score, and the Saints make a stop late to get a 1710 win over the Browns.

And just like the Falcons, Laida Brownies, lay gone. They're also eliminated from contention, Mark, a game that they had a lead here, didn't they? they had a 10-0-0 lead and we're talking about the third coldest game in the history of Cleveland football and you're playing a team from New Orleans

that operates inside a dome and who was tougher down the stretch the Saints were I mean in a Saints defense it's been really hot and cold so I look at this and I think this is one where you know this assumption

that Kevin Stefanski escapes unhindered from this year's disaster I would point to two possessions the final two possessions for Cleveland that it's 1710 in the fourth quarter with about six minutes left and they have Watson throw the ball on essentially second and two and third and two and they're both incompletions from Watson.

Just another show of disjointedness inside the attack. They get the ball again, all right? It is second and ten and third and ten from the New Orleans 15. And then this time Watson hits Donovan People's Jones, catchable ball, David Adjoku, catchable ball. Both are dropped. This is happening to Cleveland kind of week after week. And on 4th and 10, a completely out of his head, Watson is tossed to the ground.

The game is over. He had 62 yards passing in the first half. If I'm not mistaken, he had the worst passerating of his entire career in this game. It's like, he also does a couple things where you're like, I can see the old of Sean Watson just for a minute or two here. But this game is all about the fact that the Saints decided, they even reported this before the game. I don't know why this would get to the press, but that this was going to be a Taysom Hill.

game. They were just going to lean on them big time. And that's sort of exactly what happened. I think it had like 85% of their yards in the first half somewhere around there. And it was not a splashy situation by the Saints' offense on any level, but they got enough done. And you're playing a Brown's offense that looks way worse than it did a month ago. 110 yards from scrimmage from Camara. Kamara's had a couple of manly games here in a day where the Saints only had 244. This was the coldest game in Saints history, which which isn't a huge surprise. And of all the cold games here this week, this was the coldest.

So the passing game numbers are not surprisingly low. But this game, which I watched the end of, there was no one in the crowd, Dan. I mean, I don't blame. I don't blame them, but it was so cold that there had to have been less than 5,000 fans there. I would guess by the end of that game. But I want to know about those 5,000. Right.

They were all of them going to be literally frozen. I mean, how do you not take the names and numbers of every fan that went to this game and send them a Rolex or something? Because they are the diehard of the diehard. If you're one of those fans that are listening to this game, wherever you were in these sub-zero temperatures, I have so much respect for you, but I'm also wondering what's going on in the bigger picture of your life.

Saints are still alive for one more week. They got some bad luck when the Eagles lost that. game that means the Eagles will be playing next week their starters and have a lot to play for assuming against the Saints and they could knock out the Saints then but the Saints stay alive for one more week and it was hard not to think about how they had swung and missed for Deshawn Watson they really thought they had Watson and they didn't get them and then they end up in the end season right and yes if the Bucks lose tomorrow they're playing tomorrow right yes they're playing the Arizona Cardinals in prime time tomorrow.

Three-way tie at six and nine. Nice. Let's move. It's Christmas Eve. Let's move. Let's move. Let's move. Let's move.

Up next. A blast. We got one more. Is this it? Let's go to Nashville. It was cold as hell there, too. Two o'clock start. What?

Davis gets the snap looking, stepping to his left. Mills throwing to the end zone. Caught by Brandon Cooks. Touchdown, Houston. flag is down but the Texans take the lead and this should stand as a touchdown to Cooks. Legal use of hands to the face defense number 20. That penalty is the time

and the play as a touchdown. And the Texans have the lead. 19, 14, 252 to go in the fourth and they're going to go for two right here. That is a man that I don't think we've heard this year. Mark Van Damir K-I-L-T, maybe once we heard him. Yeah, we heard him once and now twice. you know Justin and good for the Texans but let's get the sad hard knocks music on

because let's because you just got beat by the Texans at home which I said was going to happen on our preview show we all said it felt like it could happen and it did Davis Mills threw a six yard touchdown past the Brandon Cooks yes with 252 to play

the Texans snap a nine game losing streak by beating the Titans 1914. As I said, this game was delayed because of power grid issues connected to this vicious cold snap across the country, really, in many parts, except for here where it was 73 and sunny. But Gravedigger, you got 126 and a touch from Henry, but that's a little misleading too. Well, it's interesting.

This is the third straight game that Henry's gone over 100 yards and the Titans have failed to score more than 20 points. I guess they got to 21 barely on a garbage time touchdown. But yeah, usually, you know, common knowledge would say if the Titans can run the ball well, if Henry's successful, then their offense is successful, but it just hasn't been the case. They cannot drop back to pass without giving up just crazy numbers of sacks.

And with Malik Willis under center, plus the Titans are one of the most injured teams. Honestly, like good for Houston. I'm glad they got to win. I'm happy for Lovie Smith. This Titan season feels like a lost season with all the entries that have happened, and I'm not even, like, super upset because I kind of accepted it a couple weeks ago.

Yikes. Well, you're going to have to watch them play the Jaguars in week 18 with the division online, so I don't care how much you've accepted it. That's going to be a big spot for a playoff spot no matter what happens next week in week 17. With Malik Willis starting. And, you know, if we're trying to evaluate, is Malik Willis a franchise quarterback or whatever, he's now started three games.

He's appeared in seven games total. He's 31 for 61 on the season. which is 50.8% for just 276 yards. That's 4.5 yards per attempt. Zero touchdown passes, three interceptions. And the one thing that we thought he could do really well, no matter what, run the ball. He only has, I mean, he has 27 carries for only 123 yards,

and he scored his first touchdown today. He honestly hasn't looked like that great of a runner outside of that nice touchdown run today. And, you know, he looked pretty good as a runner in the preseason, but he hasn't shown it in the NFL. I know his supporting cast is so banged up and his best receiver is a rookie in Traylon Burks and he was down three starting offensive linemen today

but I don't know he doesn't really look like the guy. Absolutely brutal. I can't believe it happened but as you pointed out when we were texting back and forth Justin earlier today, you know, in addition to a lot of bad losses, these injuries and the roster wasn't deep enough to handle it this year and they just went into a tailspin and what I was saying about Henry, yes, he didn't have the 200-year-old.

yard game like he always has against Houston. He had 126, but outside the 48-yard touchdown run, he was held to three and a half yards per carry. So the running game was on balance, not great. The passing game is horrendous and they didn't get enough stops on defense. Good for Levy Smith, like you said, they have played the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Titans down to the wire here. Now they get another win. Lovie can make a case here if they finish strong. Like, I got these guys playing hard. Now give me some better players. Give me another. year we shall see. They've been a well-coached team for like a month plus. And frankly, like I've been on Mike Rabel all year long as coach of the year. Not the case now. I like, Justin, I don't know

if this is like my thing is when I'm watching Tennessee in the way that Houston just ripped down the field on that five-play touchdown drive to take the lead. I know they didn't get the two-point conversion. It's like I know they're banged up. All sorts of teams are banged up. It's been worse for Tennessee. But I don't see a team that like has the same identity they had six weeks ago. And I don't know if it's ever coming back because the general manager that crafted that, that was his entire vision, has essentially been told we don't want your vision. You're out of here. You have no idea what's going to happen with Ryan Tannahill. The team can look completely different. They need to restock on offense. This can be a completely different looking offense than the one that

we've been used to for three or four years. I hope so. It needs to be. At this point, this version of the Titans has run its course. Henry's only going to be another year older next year. Tanna Hill has no guaranteed money on his contract next year and the Texans get a win and maintain the top pick in the draft which is kind of nice for them I guess Here's the good news Justin it's Christmas That's the Christmas that's the cue for the Christmas music We're going to sign off now

We have one more game that's being played tonight Las Vegas at Pittsburgh Mark you locked up the Steelers Greg did not come clean with us or the audience That he had locked up the team of ATN and took the loss what do you mean did not come clean well you try to hide it from us to graver i forgot i mean i didn't forget i believe i believe you hit it from the audience that's the host job well i did i brought it like uh woodward and bernstein i had to bring it up from uh deep within

it was my gift it was my gift to you to uh justin to mark let everyone back in to the the competition you just paralleled yourself to the two men that broke watergate essentially i don't get the, I don't see the quality there. I compared myself to Santa, one of the great men out there. Well, you both have issues. I have to say this. Everyone, it really doesn't matter what you celebrate. Have a great holiday. Have a great weekend. Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. What are the holidays we got going on? All of them. Celebrate it with your families. Thank you to everybody for listening. We'll be back on. Monday with two shows, a recap of the remaining games ahead of Monday night football,

and then Greg's MNF recap with the great Jordan Rodriguez. Wow. That's a big Monday. Thank you to everybody for listening. And you boys have a Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas to all. Merry Christmas to you both and to all listening. Justin Graver.

Love everybody. Happy Xmas. War is over. Heed the call. now that's it now it's time to begin christmas we allowed to use this music i don't know probably not don't tell any shadowy league figures uh sidney that is it for a christmas eve edition of the uh around the NFL podcast thank you to everyone who uh why if you're watching on periscope merry christmas that's a good job by you happy holidays across the globe yes so thank you very much for listening happy holidays have uh Merry Christmas

Greg, happy Hanukkah Thanks And we will see you on Tuesday Until then This is Dan Hansa signing off For a quiet storm The Mailman, the boss And new money behind the glass

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