NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2022 Week 6 Recap: Spicy Teams Stay Spicy

Episode Date: October 17, 2022

A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, and Gregg Rosenthal recap all the action from a thrilling Week 6, starting with the game of the year between the Bills and Chiefs (1:29). Then we hit Ravens at Giants (10:10), Jets at Packers (17:41), 49ers at Falcons (27:09), and Vikings at Dolphins (33:58). After that, Nick Shook joins to help cover Bengals at Saints (39:29) and Patriots at Browns (45:25), then we discuss Jaguars at Colts (54:25), Cardinals at Seahawks (1:01:12), Panthers at Rams (1:07:20), Buccaneers at Steelers (1:11:59), and finally close the show with Cowboys at Eagles (1:17:30). 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. Wishes every day was Sunday. Sure, why not? From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansis with Heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler, the week six flagship program.

Boys, another big day of football in the book. and I'm excited. I'm excited for today's show. It feels good to football. You know what? They nailed that. They nailed that. And it is a feeling for New York football fans in particular that something is happening here,

something different for the Jets and Giants. And that's becoming a storyline now in this season. As unbelievable it is, the fact that the Giants and Jets are nine and three combined to start the season. And we're going to get to that. But Mark, I think where we're going to be. we have to start. Oohie. Somewhere else.

A different New York team. Yes. The only New York team. The only team is actually stationed in New York State. Hey, there's only one real New York team. That's how people from Western New York talk. That's who I'm connecting with that comment.

The other two play in New Jersey. Hey, hey, over the boat over there. But that's not their accent. No, I lost it. Right. Let's get back on track. To Kansas City, where the Buffalo Bills look to make a state.

against the juggernauts of the AFC. Revenge. Mahomes takes, has a pocket, gets away to the right a little bit. He fires downfield it is picked off, picked off of the 20-yard line, intercepted by the bill, picked off by Darren Johnson. He goes down right there, and the bills have the football. They are celebrating. They're running down to the end zone for the celebration. They pick off Patrick Mahomes.

John Murphy, get pumped up. WGR with the call. a huge, huge win for the bills who go to Arrowhead, get a late touchdown from Josh Allen to Dawson Knox and then get the big interception there to seal a 24-20 win. Getting some revenge, yes, for the AFC divisional loss

in January, as painful as that was. Mark, you had your eyes on this with the first overall pick. Let's talk about it. Well, we all did because this is so, far the game of the year. And I look at that last drive and say this difference between this Buffalo team and the one that fell to Kansas City in heartbreaking fashion 11 months ago, or a year ago, whenever that was, January. I'll understand how months worked. It is October, so about 10 months ago. About 10 months ago. Is their defense so well-coached?

And you're going to give up plays to Patrick Mahomans and the Chiefs. But along with that stop on the final drive, I go back to how the game started as well, where another major A series of events for Buffalo happened because of their defense. It looked like Patrick Mahomes on their opening drive had thrown one of the passes of the years to Marcus Valde Scantling, a touchdown that was taken away by an eligible man downfield. Seconds later, a nearly perfect pass to Travis Kelsey is knocked out of his arms by a Buffalo defender.

And then Patrick Mahomes ends the first drive of the game with an interception to Kyra Lam. Like, this is, Buffalo's defense was a difference maker in this in every way that they weren't last January. Well, just, I hate to be so basic, but Von Miller was the difference. The last three drives of the game were ended by Vaughn Miller. One of them was on a pressure to force a field goal at a time, you know, where you're expecting KC to get seven.

Another one was on a sack, and then he's the one that flushes Mahomes out on that final play. And what was crazy was how many times Mahomes escaped the pass rush today. But how many of those times were just three, or more often, four-man pressures. They were not having to send extra guys to get free rushers in. One of those rushes where Miller ended the drive was on a three-man rush, so they got to drop eight, but Bond won so quickly.

He was absolutely the difference, and he's getting support from the guys around him. And I just couldn't help but think everything Mahomes did in this game was hard. Both the touchdowns were like incredible throws. Like, there was nothing easy for the chiefs in this game. Or Allen, for that matter. It reminds you a little bit of how they attacked the Rams. in that opener because there was no it wasn't blitzing in that situation it was exactly what they were capable of doing in that game i mean it looked like to me these are very evenly

matched teams but the bills i think are the best team in football we've seen it again now with this win and we talked about on thursday show the the idea that the bills the version of the bills uh that the front office and sean mcdermit cooked up together we hadn't really seen it yet and then all of a sudden they get the guys on the field for this huge regular season game and you see it on every level how they have all these playmakers and they're disciplined and well coached, and they make big plays in huge spots. Like Josh Allen, again, I don't know where, well, the QB, this is what the QBA index exists for, at least in our digital sphere, where you put him ultimately in the best quarterbacks of

the league, but like, who do you trust more? Maybe Mahomes. But to make that big drive at the end, to put that pass on the money to Dawson Knox and then get the defensive stuff, just a total team effort by the best team in football. I mean, I think about the drive where they went 96 yards. Dan sometimes is thinking power ranking Sunday night. I got to assume they're one, too. I also am thinking about my project on Sunday night because it takes up my entire Monday.

Who's one? It's flip-flop between the two of them. Who is it? Alan. Okay, now it's Alan. It was Mahomes coming into this game. I felt like Mahomes played so well tonight, too, though. It's not because it's hard to say that someone's lesser.

It's just that I think Alan came in and think about the environment here. And that one minute 13 touchdown drive where they went 96 yards. This was the loudest stadium I've heard all year. I think. To end the first half. Right. And I mean, that was just so resilient by the bills. And then I think of Josh Allen on a key moment leaping over a Chiefs defender for that

major conversion. I mean, these are moments that Josh Allen does things that no one else can do. Right. So you brought up that touchdown drive at the end of the first half. They get it with 129. At that point, the score is seven to three chiefs. It was a lot of great defense being played in this game. Turnovers.

And he goes 98 yards, as you mentioned, in seven plays, leaves only 16 seconds. The Chiefs somehow get a field goal back, just like at the end of the AFC championship or divisional round game there. But I thought it was interesting on that final drive. They get the ball with 531 to go. They go on a 12-place 76-yard touchdown drive to take the lead. They relied on his legs. Like that's where it's like, okay, let's stop messing around.

Let's have Josh Allen run whenever possible. Some called runs, some scrambles. And for the most part, it worked because they were struggling in short yardage. But that throw to knocks and the two other touchdowns. And the two other touchdown throws before, I think shows a difference between Alan now and maybe two years ago. I mean, that was an insane ball placement to Knox. Like, there was not really a hole there to find,

and he found it to Dawson Knox and take the... And having Knox back after he was knocked out last year, that's a big part of this offense, having him in there. He's a trusted red zone guy. Gabe Davis continues to kind of be a guy that you could trust more and more. He had a long touchdown in this game. More than Isaiah McKenzie, at least.

Right. And then you had Stefan Diggs, who, you know, he's a number one receiver in every way that you need. And he had 10 for 148 and a touchdown on 13 targets. So that's my takeaway from this game is it doesn't change how I feel about either team. And like everyone else, it's going to feel like we're cheated if they're not playing again in January. But you know how football is. You never know how injuries and other things can pop up from now until then.

But it's just fun to be able to enjoy these games with Nance and Romo. It was just a fun afternoon. I think it's also, it's more of a rarity. this season because we were talking about this in the newsroom and there's more to get into but like there aren't six or seven teams like this in the NFL right now dominant teams this is sort in the AFC and then there's a big there's the Eagles and then there's just a fall off to mediocrity or just teams that are figuring out who they are although I know and I know it's early to say this but it might be bigger for the bills to get this win because the AFC East and I know

we're getting to it looks a little more challenging you know if they fell a game back of the Chiefs where the AFC West maybe doesn't look as good as we expected. Like, they might need that cushion. I know last year it didn't end up mattering too much. I don't know, though. I think the bills have more answers in the Chiefs. I think they're a better team overall, as you said. Psychologically.

They ran the ball better today. They have more playmakers on defense. I think psychologically had the bills lost, it's like, this is the team we can't get past. Now it's like you went into Kansas City where it seems like they're always having to go and they took care of business. And it's very possible they end up with a tied record at the end of the regular season. I also think, and I'm sure the bills would back this up if they haven't actually been on the record saying it, that they lost that game in January and felt like they were

the better team. Like they should have been the team that represented the AFC and the Super Bowl. They should have won it. So it had to be an incredible feeling to get this win. And you're right. Going to January now, if they do see each other again, there will be no nerves existing in terms of can we get over the hump. They know it. We're better than these guys. We've, we showed it in October. We'll show it again. But can't get ahead of ourselves. But it's been a while since you could like look at two teams to be like, oh, we'll see them again. It just feels like. We will.

And quick shout out to a West favorite. Matt Milano has gone from like everyone's underrated linebacker to just maybe the best off ball linebacker in football. He has been outrageous each and every week. And he was part of that last play too with Von Miller. There you go. All right. So, ooh, who locked it?

West Bros. Hey. Redemption. Nick. He did the three-hour uncut version, but guess what? He got a W, and hopefully, more importantly, wins and losses, he got the faith of his own brothers back, and the Cincinnati Zoo has some peace.

I think he paralleled the bills today on some level. All right, speaking of the New York teams, let's start with a team that played at the Meadowlands today. Jackson and a shotgun set. Call signals, takes the snap. He's back to throw. Under pressure. Hit by Timito.

Ball comes loose and the Giants scrambled for it. It's still loose and finally recovered by the Giants at the 12-yard line. Kavon Timito gets his first career sack in big fashion. Boy, that's a closing play there.

Bob Popper. Cravedigger. Uh-uh. Uh-uh. Oh. Not another word. He's taking his knees out from under him. Bob Papa with the call on WF-A-N.

It is on in New York City or East Brotherford. Get over it. The big blue defense led by former Ravens coordinator, Wink Martindale, forced two turnovers by Lamar Jackson late in the fourth quarter, and you heard our friend, our bud, Kavon Tibuto, stepping up with the strip sack to seal it. The Ravens, another meltdown late, and the Giants, another victory in which they hang around,

they enter as an underdog, and then all of a sudden it's the fourth quarter, and a team has to make a play, and guess who makes the play? The Brian Davel team makes the play. And I said it to you, Gregi. It's become an every week thing that you look up at the monitors in the newsroom

after these early window games, and there's Brian Daibel running off the sideline to greet and celebrate with his team and do the handshake with head coaches, and then you see him pumping his fist as he's looking to the crowd, you know, supporters, whether it's family or friends or fans or whatever, there is something cooking here with the Giants. There absolutely is, and this was the case where a team, and I'll start like on the defensive

side of the ball here, because this is a team we talked about, their defense had the potential to be one of the worst in the league entering the year, but they're so, like everything else with the Giants, so well coached and their ability to keep Lamar Jackson from beating them with the big play, beating them with huge play. with his legs getting no big like Devin DuVernay bomb down the field these type of plays that have marked the Baltimore offense they were held in line

and then when the game was on the line they made big plays and made Lamar look like Clark Kent right that that interception that Lamar Jackson threw in the fourth quarter is a surprise and yet on some level with this Ravens team I think if you're

a Ravens fan right now you almost felt it coming because there was a crazy out there. They were 31 and 2 in the fourth quarter since the Lamar era started with a 10-point lead. They're two and three this year. Now, on some level, it's impressive. They've had a 10-point lead in five games, and they've blown it three times, you know, twice 17-point leads. This time, a 10-point lead, like neither side can, you know, making a big play. But I'm surprised, Dan, because they had a running game working today. Like, what do you think it was? Because it's another

game where you look at the Giants box score and the leading receivers Daniel Bellinger with 38 yards and you're like, how is this happening? No, you are, if you're a Ravens fan and apologies to you guys that are listening to this right now and I respect you for listening to our podcast because this has to be super, super frustrating. Team stats here. The Ravens put up 406 yards. The Giants had just 238. The Ravens held Sequin Barkley to under four yards of carry and he didn't have that type of ridiculous big game that has marked many of the Giants wins to start the season. They did what they wanted on the ground.

They averaged almost nine yards per carry on the ground in this game. But again, there's just something about this team. And Daniel Jones deserves credit as well. He doesn't throw an interception in this game. They lose one fumble. It's a Jones fumble, which has obviously been a bugaboo for him. But that was at the end of the first half on the last play of the half. It didn't mean anything.

So I think that's a big difference here, too. You have the defense has taken three steps up from what we expected. You have Daniel Jones playing cleaner football. and then you have a much improved offensive line with Saquan Barkley healthy. You add it up and I'm still surprised it's five and one. But at a certain point, we have to be two things, Mark. We need to stop being surprised when the Giants win close games

because especially in this landscape with so many teams that are so close to each other, good coaching and smart football down the stretch matters. And number two, like me, I'm going to take an L on this. And when I think about the power rankings, like you can't give the Ravens the benefit of the doubt anymore because when it happens three times now in six weeks, there's a problem with their ability to close games.

Yeah, they can't close. And I think the Wink Martindale factor mattered here. Again, like, what is football other than self-scouting and scouting? And this is someone that knows Lamar Jackson better than ever. He didn't know, though, that he was going to fumble at the 13-yard line to give the Giants that short field. I mean, the difference here to me is Lamar Jackson mistakes at the end. And we've seen this in other games.

It doesn't characterize his career entirely, but there just seemed to be high-profile Lamar Jackson mistakes. It's happened this season. It's been the Ravens defensive issues, too, with some of these collapses. But today, it's like the Giants in the right place at the right time. Brian Daibald is not just the coach of the year because of what he's doing technically. It's like the Giants feel a completely different core energy source than they have during our entire run of this podcast. And I think that people look to the Packers win and said, well, that's a lot to do with Green Bay being out of sorts.

Okay, well, they are at a sorts. We're looking at Green Bay differently. But no one really looked at this game and said the Ravens are going to stumble against the Giants. They've done it. I don't care. Five and one in 2022 is five and one. What are any of these teams?

I feel like their week one game against the Titans was the biggest week one game because just the feeling that they got from coming all the way back at the end of that game and winning it, the way that they won it, gave them something where the next week, by the way, they were tied with the Panthers late in the fourth quarter.

They have the feeling they can go win that game. And then these last two weeks with these comeback, there's something that the numbers can't measure. And yes, that doesn't, like, carry over from year to year necessarily. But I do believe that it can carry over for a year. And it's happening for this Giants team. Yeah. And the Ravens will, when they look at the tape and it's not going to be easy,

they'll look at the first half when they outgain New York 256 to 90, but one to the tunnel of 10-7. Even just a Tucker missed the field goal. So everything seems to be. breaking New York's way right now, including the schedule, because next week they go to Jacksonville. I know Jacksonville is not the pushover they once were, but it'll be interesting to see the Giants now with a lot of hype going to play a team where they're going to be the favorite on the road. Another test for the day below.

I locked up the Ravens. I'm sorry to hear that. Let's not be said that I'm some type of New York Homer. I was not so much in my mind, like, that was not so much doubting the Giants. It was believing in the Ravens, but I have to recalibrate that Baltimore situation. I was surprised because I felt like you've been getting on me for being an anti-giant guy. And I was.

42 and 46. You went out, you did an escape hatch on this lock, I also locked up the Giants, I mean not of the Ravens, and then jumped out of it. Smart. We'll see if I end up being right. That's a teaser for your Sunday night football recap. He's a pro, baby.

Well, the nation is gripped to discover what happens on that front. All right. Well, there's one team from New York. Those Little Town Blues, they are melting. Away. Let's make a brand new start of it. Let's head to Lambo. Jack Wilson takes the snap.

Counter handoff. Up the middle goes Breece Hall. He's at the 30. Not the 25, 20. Right side, 15, 10, 5. Touchdown. A little counter inside handoff to Breece Hall. Who finds some jet fans in the crowd and does a Jets Lambo leave.

Oh, yeah, the Bongoes are back. I think the Jets are going to own the Bongoes. The Jets doing a lambo leap into a group of Jets fans in that end zone. Unbelievable. The Jets are good, maybe. I think so. Rookie of the year candidate, Brees Hall, ran for 116 yards, including that 34-yard touchdown. While Quinn and Williams and a relentless pass rush sacked Aaron Rogers four times and really gave him a beating.

In the end, it was a 2710 victory over the Packer. Yes, at Lambeau Field, the Jets have won three straight. They're three and all on the road. You know, had Buffalo loss today that would have been tied for first in the AFC East, but they're right behind the bills. And this had to be a great feeling, boys, for Mike LaFleur, the brother of Matt LaFleur, Green Bay Packers coach, the Jets offensive coordinator really had his way with the Green Bay defense

as this game really started to take on form in the second half, they outrushed Green Bay. The Jets did 179 to 60 on a day that Zach Wilson threw for just 110 yards. So, wow. Here are the Jets. They break a three-all tie with two touchdowns in the span of less than two and a half minutes in the third quarter. And they have this, they have this juice to them. This Jets offense has juice.

But I think the story of this game, boys, to me, was the defense. the Jets defense with that pass rush and Quinn and Williams like I said he has superstar type potential now that he's starting to act on with that secondary with Soss Gardner leading that end of things they were swarming a Green Bay attack

that just didn't look alive again I totally enjoyed watching this next to you you have never really heard you as spirited about the Jets not just like trying to salvage a mediocre Jets team into something they're not, but there's actually a core of wonderful young players on this team and someone like Quinn and Williams who, you know,

up and down, starting to be unlocked by Robert Sala, the same way that he did with Niners players up and down the roster in San Francisco. And every time I looked up, the Jets were essentially taking the spirit out of the Packers and just shutting them down. And I have never seen a Jets performance like that on that front. I mean, the Packers have a ton of issues, but they right away, I mean, three straight puns,

a misfield goal, another punt, a fumble and downs for Green Bay. Their defense is a difference-making defense right now. He was sacked four times and hit nine times, and those just aren't numbers you're used to seeing out of a Packers team. Number one, their offensive line is usually just better. And Elton Jenkins, who's had a great career so far, he's a young player, came off toward ACL. It hasn't been the same this year.

But also, Rogers is so good getting rid of the ball, you know, and not taking those hits, even if he holds it longer than some purists want it. He always avoids getting hit, and he just doesn't seem like he can avoid it these days, and that's happening a lot of times when you play this Jets defense. Yeah, and from the very start of this game, you could see him holding his thumb, shaking his hand,

and that is something to keep an eye on, because there were some throws in this game where it was vintage Rogers, and it's like, oh, there's only a handful of guys that can make that throw. But there was a deep cross at one point, Romeo Dobbs that was underthrown. He kind of dirted the throw, And again, like every, whenever he's idle, he had his hand in the hand warmer, shaking it out. And you're just wondering, you know, how that's feeling right now.

And speaking of Aaron Rogers, you know, it's become, it's new on our radar here as a trope alert when a team, whether it's offensively or defensively, feels like they need to make a change midstream to not be so, you know, dense. Listen into Aaron Rogers. All of it. Yeah. I don't want to get too specific. And I'm not attacking anything. I just think that based on how we've played last two weeks, I think it's going to be in our best interest to simplify things.

For everybody, for the line, for the backs, for the receivers, especially with Kabi's injury, just simplify some things. And maybe that helps us get back on track. The only other person saying this right now is his former offensive coordinator, Nate Hackett, out in Denver. So we've got problems. I mean, when's the last time or how often is it happening that you look at a Packers team that went four of 16 on third down and looks like it? And then one of four, one of four times on fourth down. I mean, they're shut down.

Or a team led by the reigning two-time MVP in an offense he's been in for four years saying we need to simplify. Right. Four yards per play. And Cobb that he mentioned, by the way, Randall Cobb looks like he has a high. high ankle sprain and we'll miss sometime. That's the initial reporting. Green Bay does not look right on offense. The defense we've been talking about

all season. They got a score the Rogers touchdown pass to Lazard that cuts it to 1710 in the second half and you're thinking, oh, look out as a Jets fan and what do they do? The Jets march right down the field and they get that touchdown to go up 2410. They never

then get a stop on fourth down in the next ensuing Green Bay possession and it was over. It was almost like as the game was winding down I think every Jets fan and I talked about on Thursday show you know this game could go one or two ways Green Bay can get right and blow you out

or you could find yourself in a close game I did not imagine the Jets were going to blow out the Packers but that's kind of what happened and you talk about the Lambeau leap with a jet leap there after the game you have Soss Gardner walking around the stadium wearing the cheese head Lazard reportedly knocked it off his head

in frustration and this is just like all Jets have some swag, and I think it was Robert Sahl that's calling them the baby Jets, which is something I think you're going to start hearing because this is a young, talented roster. Still don't trust the quarterback, but there's a lot to like, especially in a very wide open AFC, why not the Jets? Yeah, it's crazy that Zach Wilson having 110 yards is barely, you know, barely makes a blip. Breece Hall, like his scrimmage yards through this time, this baby Jets thing, I think, is going to catch on.

And sauce, like, I just love the feeling he has given that defense. He seems like a leader right off, right from the jump. He's a dude. And Mark, you were a dude. All right. Because you were the only jet supporter in terms of the picks from the NFL media gang. And after the game, the Jets and their social team, right? We're only rocking with Mark Sessler and a nice little callback to the best part of, what is the Chappelle?

Half baked. Half-baked. You're cool, you're cool, blank you, you're cool, I'm out. You're the your cool old guy with your thumb up. That's great. I might have been half-baked when I made that pick, but it certainly came out looking quite good on the other side. Before we get like...

He's a top 10 football insider. If we get too many annoying tweets, it's like, FM, FM, FM, you're cool. That's right. I had it reversed. Thank you. Just throw on that out of it. Thank you for that.

And that is, that's the move, by the way. And I know we talked about this, Mark. We did. Yeah. You always be the one person picking against it. Because now these social teams are going to highlight that. No one cares if you pick with everyone else. No.

Do we have a friend in the Jets social department? Because you did that with the Giants too. You probably was the only person to pick the Giants. I don't know. What was the Giants tweet, by the way? I don't know. It was the only person to pick the Jets and Giants. The Sessler fans.

It's just like the Giants are like, oh, we're above such things. We won't point out to that individual. Oh, that Rapscallion. Because he made it, Sessler. I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? Who is that guy? We're the giant.

Now it makes sense because we're... Tiffany franchise. We would never highlight... Not that... Oh, that... Scallion. Or maybe they saw the Jets do it and thought we just got beat to the punch. There seems to be...

I don't know how much Dan is truly enjoying the G-Men, you know. It's sharing the New York Shine here. It's something you keep missing on. It's fine. I don't care. I don't care. I've been waiting for so long for the Jets. It'll be a fun team to watch and to follow on this podcast.

And they're real. And I can't wait to see what happens next. I was wondering why Mark was enjoying this game more than like any game all season. And now it makes sense. He knew like that social pop was coming. I mean, when I picked the game, I knew what was going to happen. So I was just sort of like watching it happen as I prophesied. Mark likes to have like these moments.

Yeah. Yeah, I like to like unlike anyone else on the show. I was going to have my little spotlight moments. You'll give Greg and I a lot of greetings. for, like, seeking the spotlight. No, I don't. You're not much different, Mark. You're just like us.

I probably have. Let's move on. Check in with another frisky team that might be making a turn on to Spicy Lane. Bird comes in the orbit from left to right. Mario to looks. Now going to Luke and Kyle Pitch caught a touchdown. Who's that?

On U.S. soil number eight as a touchdown. Glad that's over. West Durham, WZGC. We were there on foreign soil when Kyle Pitts had his first career touchdown last year against the Jets, in fact. But there haven't been any touchdown since for the tight end, who once again didn't have a big game. But guess what?

None of the receivers on Atlanta are going to have big games because they don't pass the ball a lot. But that doesn't mean they can't win, as we saw again today. Because Marks Marriota threw 14 passes, but two touchdown passes and a 2814 win over the Niners in Atlanta. Gregi, these dirty birds, they're interesting. I mean, they are dirty. That's what Kyle Pitts was doing after that touchdown, the dirty bird.

And it reminds me maybe not even of late 90s football, more like 1980s football. They out 49ered the Niners. I mean, to run it like that. And the defense that the 49ers is known for, ultimately wasn't there. Like they were missing their starting defensive line. They had some other players go in and out during the game. And I don't think the Falcons were afraid.

And when this game was taken was really in the late second quarter when they just kept handing the ball to Caleb Huntley and he just kept running through them. Mariotta was only six for 50 on the ground with a rushing touchdown. But it felt like each one of those six rushes were design runs and they were all killer, Tyler. Al Jir gets 51 yards, too, and they just kind of did the 49ers style of play, and they did it better, and they forced three turnovers, too, on defense that helped them out.

But I was just, like, impressed, and I think they're blowing past spicy. I don't care if Chick-fil-A is, I don't care of Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. Give them some spicy. Did you say they're blowing past? Are they the best team in the league? No, they're going past spicy to frisky. I mean, they're past frisky. They're to spicy.

I don't know what they are. excited he is. I know. Well, I mean, here's a thing. You made a great point because I thought they did this two weeks ago and they nearly beat the Bucks a week ago. They nearly beat the Saints in week one. A lot of things that go, like this game was absent of the Marcus Marriota killer turnover, which has pockmarked some of their losses. But in this one, it reminds me of what they did against Cleveland two weeks ago. They said, we're going to, you think you're going to beat us with the run. We're just going to go do it right to you. And they were the dominant, more physical team in this. And they show no fear. And I think if we talk about the giants. They stopped the run too. That's a good point. Right. I looked up at one point, and the Niners had, like, 30 yards rushing the first half. So they're taken out of their system. They're missing half their defense. So I think when these guys have a rematch, it's going to look different. But the Falcons, to me, if we talk about Brian Dayball being a good coach. Wait, a rematch?

You're predicting a playoff rematch? No, probably not a rematch. You're right, down the road, if they ever went to meet again. I would love it. I would love it. But I think Arthur Smith has been overlooked as a very good head coach who has had a lot of injuries, got a weird roster on offense. You're seeing progress since he's taken over.

Absolutely. There were little elements of it last year. There have been a lot of elements this year. And today was sort of like the breakout game. I think similar to what's going on in the AFC with the team like the Jets. Like you mentioned that they nearly beat the Bucks. They nearly beat the Saints. But it's like who are the Bucks? Who are the Saints?

Like who are these teams that we expected them to be big time teams. So if there's these teams that were at the bottom of the standings or teams that were seen as afterthoughts entering the year like the Jets, like the Falcons. man, if they start gaining some confidence and they're a young team with some players and a quarterback of Marcus Marriota who's seen a lot, who's been through a lot, and now has better perspective.

I remember Steve Weiss, who covers the Falcons for the team talking in before the season and he was like, yeah, there's a lot of good vibes around Mariotta because he, in this opportunity as a starter, it's so different than when he was in Tennessee and everything was given to him. He's appreciating it more and he's ready to be that guy. Yeah, he also, as I think, come close at times to testing the concept of putting Desmond Ritter in there

because there have been moments quarters in a row where he's been really inconsistent. This was the perfect Marioita game because he only threw the ball 14 times. He didn't have an incompletion until 10 minutes left in the game. He finished his 13 for 14. There were a couple good throws in there, but for the most part, they were open receivers and short throws. And that's perfect for him. On the 49er side... Wait, one more thing, though.

Like what they want to do is run the ball. They want their quarterback to be mobile and make plays. He fits really well. He's never going to be the superstar that Titans perceived him to be 10 years ago. But I think he's going to be imperfect. But I think he's a good fit for what Smith wants to do. I'd be surprised if they turn. No, I don't think they will for a long time.

And Nick Wesleyan, you know, said he wishes Chris was here. And he knows Chris is watching his guy Mariotta saying, I told you so. Like on a day where James Winston was benched, Chris would be sitting here in this never-ending Marioita. Winston thing that has no purpose to it and no winner that no one else is paying attention would be back on his side the 49ers uh quickly lost mooney ward charvarius ward in this game he wants to be called mooney by the way okay and i think he's playing like an all pro so

we got to listen to him sure but i think we should listen to him even if he was a bad player that's that's his personal that's a good point uh mooney ward and mike mcglinche so there's are two more they're starting right tacking two more injuries i read an article uh after the game from a 49ers source, and they went through all the injuries. I counted 11 starters. I mean, that's a lot. 11 starters is getting to a totally preposterous scenario. Now, most of them will be back this year, almost all of them.

But 11 starters out right now. There was a drive in this game quickly that pointed out how Mike Shanahan and Jimmy Garapolo, really Shanahan, this is his stat, are 0.26 when trailing by four points after three quarters in the Shanahan era. They don't have a single comeback trading by four. Kyle Shanahan, just to be clear. Not Mike. Because, I mean, their careers didn't totally cross.

No, Kyle Shanahan. There was a 16 play, eight-minute 49ers drive, and the score was 28 to 14 in the fourth quarter. Eight minutes, 16 plays. They only reached the 19-yard line, and they turned it over on down. So that's sort of like a proof of the cliche. Like, they're not built to play from behind. I think the 49ers are kind of the ultimate not built to play from behind team.

That seems like a problem, as it was today. All right, let's take a break, and we'll be right back. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin, and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that?

Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Let us move now to Miami, Miami, where the dolphins look to avoid a three-game losing streak after a three-game winning streak to start their season. But there were the Vikings.

Miami. Miami. Miami. Miami. Miami. Miami. He gets to the right. He gets to the 30.

Delvin 20. And is loose. Touchdown. Welcome home, Dalvin Cook. He just ran into the end zone and ran the Minnesota Vikings to a 2210 lead. Paul Allen, KFAN. He's an all star. That's Paul Allen.

As is Dalvin Cook, his 53-yard touchdown rush, salvaged what was an otherwise pedestrian day for the star running back, and it also iced a 24-16 win for the Vikings who improved to 5-1. And yes, the Dolphins, after a three-game winning street, starting 3-0 have now gone 0-3, so they fall to 500. The Dolphins have their issues of quarterback. But the Vikings are finding ways to win. win and really not lose, which happens too often with this franchise.

I mean, they really tested the limits of almost losing today. I mean, we talk about the Vikings as a streaky offense, and I cannot find a game where that was more true. Kirk Cousins on their two touchdown drives before that Dalvin Cook March, which came off a critically terrible Jalen Waddle fumble for the Dolphins. They were a lot of mistakes on the Dolphins' offense today. But the Vikings before that, their first two touchdowns, cousins, cousins was 11 for 11. On every other drive, they went three and out, essentially. I mean, they had, like,

I'm trying to count up how many drives they were between these two teams, about a billion and six. And there were endless punts. I think they had 10, three and outs I just counted. In one game, one team. And it was awful. It looked that way. They just could not. You know what, you know what thing that Miami does have? Like, you're not a lot of weather advantages, but we've seen this over and over. The heat down there, it was like they literally, it completely, it completely, I think, changed the Vikings out of the gate. It was dolphins-ish, and mistakes, though, that I think really cost Miami, and they're going to be so frustrated looking back on this because early on, Jalen Waddle essentially had a bobbled pass from Skylar Thompson

that ended up in a Harrison Smith touchdown, which killed a potentially good drive. Teddy Bridgewater came in for Thompson, who had hurt his thumb, and Teddy looked like he was simply unprepared to be in there for a big chunk of this until they got a little unhinged. He had a terrible interception. He was lucky he wasn't picked six by Patrick Peterson on what would have been his second interception. They just had a lot of terrible like offensive line penalties. There was a bad intentional grounding that ended a drive. I mean, Teddy to me until the end was just a very discombobulated individual in this game. And it's too many quarterback changes. It's just too much going on. It's been the fourth game in a row where they've had a quarterback switch.

He also doubled them almost in yardage though, the dolphins. What, what a bizarre game. But that's because the Vikings are going three and out, literally league. the entire game until these other things couple drives. To put that in perspective, the Vikings had as many three-and-outs in this game as about half the league had drives in their respective games today. Like, that could be an entire game having 10-3-and-out. So they kept getting the ball back and eventually they hit, but it's kind of a perfect Vikings win, a one-score game ultimately,

the four-strate one-score win. And just like a game that you're like, huh? Like, I know you said that there aren't great teams, Dan. They feel like such a strange five and one. They feel like one of those teams in the middle, but they're five and one. Yeah, they're an example of a team that has talent and has playmakers and, you know, they're reinvigorated with a new coach and they're taking care of business because there's a lot of teams that aren't figuring things out.

It's interesting to me on the Miami side, obviously that, yes, the quarterback carousel is a tough situation, but they're still getting production. Last week against the Jets, they got 100 yards and pass interference calls. This year, the production was back for Hill and Wals. like nearly 300 yards or over 300 yards between them. But the points just aren't there. Just tough situation for my name. Down there starting tackles to Ron Armstead was gone.

That mattered a lot because there was an opening drive where they kept moving the ball. It was a 47-yard drive that ended up with nothing. But like there's 40 yards of penalties, four killer penalties on offensive linemen who are replacing starting linemen. So I think just like from the Mike McDaniel front, he learned over the last three or four weeks like, you know, it's nice that six. touchdown performance against the Ravens, but suddenly you get injuries, quarterback problems, you're losing your left tackle.

Right, that feels like seven years ago at this point. The NFL season is so long that they were three and O and it just feels so different. And it's so long so I know I shouldn't put too much into it, but the Vikings are two games up and have the tie break with a win over the Packers. That's not insignificant. It's something.

It's like, do you want to trust the Vikings? No, I don't, but I mean, that's something. But as messy as the Packers have been, oh, we have a lock? Someone did trust the Vikings. Great. It wasn't exactly how I envisioned it, especially when I saw Teddy Bridgewater coming into the game, but Vikings get the job done.

You can trust them, I think. All right, we'll see. Many of Vikings fans have thought that before. I could watch this and see how much you can trust the Vikings. Like, I just want to let you know. It was not kind of. All right, let's get into another thriller down at the Superdome. Burrow in the gun, mixing to his left.

Joe drops back to throw. His pass, caught by Chase at the 50, runs through an arm tagline. There he is. He's going to take it to throw. the house, Jamar Chase, a 60-R touchdown. And the Bengals have the lead with 1.57 to go. Unbelievable. That is what has been missing for Cincinnati.

Dan Horton, Dave Lapham, to call WCKY. Joe Burrow passed for three touchdowns, ran for another, and yes, had that big hookup, the second of the game with Jamar Chase to secure a 30 to 26 win over the Saints. It's a nice comeback now. We welcome in the Pipe. Nick Shook on Thursday show, Pipe. Talked about like it's kind of on the head coach and the brain trust there to pop the hood on this offense and find a way to get the big play element of Jemar Chase back. Well, they found a way and it had won them a game.

Yeah, maybe they just needed a trip to New Orleans, you know, where Joe Burrow and Jemar Chase used to throw it all over the yard in the national championship game for the LSU Tigers. He certainly showed up in the jersey of the LSU. Let's see a jersey of Jamar Chase and then had a huge game. Maybe you should keep doing that. Yeah, exactly. Seven catches for 132 for Jamar Chase, including that 60-yard touchdown. You know, more than anything, it wasn't even so much the big play for this offense. It was the fact that they were able to continuously convert, especially in the second half.

They had four possessions, three of them ended up in points. Field go, field goal touchdown. And it was the drive before the touchdown that really mattered the most because, again, it was third and six, third and seven where Burrow would be under pressure and dump it off and just get enough past the sticks. Higgins made a nice catch, got him in field goal range, whether two sacks still was able to stay within Evan McPherson's range, he hits that field goal. And then the biggest turning point the entire day, and really, I think the story of this game beyond the Bengals being able to produce

that big play is the Saints who hadn't had a three and out since their opening drive, which they got back because Trent Taylor fumbled the punt, they go three and out in the worst possible situation. They get two yards or two runs for three yards each, incomplete pass. You got to punt away, a team that had dominated time and possession to that point. They ended up with like a five minute advantage. But they, you know, they were keeping it on the ground all day and really controlling the game. They couldn't do it in the biggest moment. Gave Joe Burrow that opening. If we know anything about Joe Burrow through the short time he's been in the NFL, he's going to take advantage. And it's going to be Jemar Chase and makes the play. So it was a perfect little

caper to what they, you know, their history in Louisiana with with LSU and everything else. I'm looking forward to watching this game. It's such a strange one. I mean, the saints have to be killing themselves that they rush for 228 on the ground. And it's not one of those like 50 for 228. It's like only 34 carries. Everyone who ran the ball ran well. for them. They were down their top four wide receivers in this game. The Saints that we should be pointed out. James Winston was essentially

benched for this game. He was active, but he didn't start. It was Andy Dalton, which to me is like a soft benching. Let's see what happens. And Marshawn Latimore, their top cornerback is out for this game, and yet they still were in position to win. Like, what is happening

with his defense shook? And like, how much was Honey Badger in the safety position a problem because I follow a lot of Saints Twitter. They are not happy with what's happening with Honey Badger this season and he made a bad angle on that Chase touchdown and Marcus Mays

been up and down. And that was kind of the identity to their team a year ago. They let Marcus Williams walk and people are missing that safety duo who's now giving up a lot of big plays in New Orleans. I think it's kind of a bad fit. I mean, not the worst fit, but not a fit like it was in Kansas City for him. I don't think it's necessarily

a condemnation of where Matthew is as a player. I just think that the fit in their scheme is not quite as good. I mean, they still were pretty effective in the first half. You know, they, they built themselves a bit of an advantage. It was, you know, 20 to 14 going into half time. And it felt like the Bengals, it just weren't quite getting on track. Yeah, they had two touchdowns on the board, but it wasn't just there. We kind of seen that from the Bengals throughout this season. So it was like, okay, this is a saint's defense that should be able to stand up. And then the fact that their offense fails to put more than six

points in the board in the second half. And then they crumble. You know, it's not like they were on the field for a ton of time in the second half, but these were all long possessions by each team. I think the Bengals in the second half had a drive of 13 plays, another drive of seven plays. They knew that one for 60. That was three of their four second half possession. So they were out there and tasked with keeping this offense bottled up while their offense wasn't necessarily continuing to do what they needed to do.

And it ended up hurting them. And we mentioned Winston. He hasn't played for three games now with the back and ankle injuries. He was in uniform in this game. Here's what Dennis Allen had to say the Saints coach after the game. He's not 100% healthy. Look, we got a Thursday night game. Let's get into the study on that, and we'll see where he's at, and then we'll go from there.

Andy Dalton also said, Mark, I'm going to let DA, Dennis Allen, handle that whole situation. So we'll see how that goes. I mean, he could be talking about the district attorney's office, but I'm assuming it's the coach. Shook, question for you because we just talked about Baltimore melting down today. That's been their characteristic with these big leads. Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh, Cleveland's Cleveland. Do you trust the Bengals as the best team in this division going forward? Big picture, Sessler.

I mean, that's going to be tough when you talk about the fact that the Ravens just beat the Bengals last week, but it was a close one. I think long term, yes. I'm not confident in anybody in this division. I'm still most confident in the Bengals and the Ravens, but the Ravens, that's become their MOs to blow those leads. These two divisions, by the way, you know, including the Saints NFC South are kind of typical of the NFL right on. There's no winning record in either division. So on one hand, like two and four feels dark for the Saints.

On the other, there are only one out of first. And like the Bengals are tied for first at three and three. Good job, NFL. That's what you wanted. Good job. Our league. All right, now our Brown's beat reporter. It's not the most glamorous job, but that's what Shook is.

And he's going to be a pro once again. I can feel it to Cleveland. The tight end, Henry now in motion left. Zapping with a play fake and a deep drop. Throws it near side wide open. Henry at the 15 to the 10 to the 5, waltzing into the. the end zone touchdown patriots i need four out bill because i'm starting to get the fever again he always delivers he's not a gatorade bottle make him a pepsie or something he wishes he was a

gatorade bottle he's a powerade bottle bob sochi and scott zolak with the call w b z Bailey's happy. Have a day, kid. The rookie threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns. And Bill Belichick gets his 324th win, tying George Hallis for second on the NFL's career list. Watch out Don Shula. Final score, yes, 3815.

Pats over, Browns. Shook, this one seemed pretty ugly on the Cleveland side. But let's start with the Patriots who week by week are figuring it out and look like a team that is going to make noise in the AFC. You know, last week, the Patriots got a shutout win and there was Zappy fever and everything, but I felt like that defense did as much to win that game than Zappi, you know, just as much as Zappi did. This week, Bailey Zappy won this game for them.

Now, do the Browns defense have some breakdowns? Yeah, but he found guys consistently at a variety of levels in the field in different situations, completing key third downs. The only one third down conversion from the Patriots that really like jumped out to me is almost being insulting to the Browns was Ramandre Steve. Stevenson's touchdown run on third and 10 because it's like, well, they're running on third and 10 that takes some gall, but they trust their, you know, Remandre Stevenson in the rushing attack. But Bailey, Zappi, over 300 yards passing, just connecting with a number of targets.

Some guys really helped him out. Devante Parker had a great catch down the sideline. He kicked up with Jacoby Myers a variety of times. Hunter Henry had the touchdown. We looked down the list here. You got nine, eight, nine different guys who had receptions. Well, Zappi, I guess had one according to this because it was a bad at pass. So it was like, you know, seven, 80 guys who had receptions. I mean, like, he had a great game. He had a great game. And we talk about quarterback long term there now.

I give it a little bit now. Like, oh, boy. Dallas, there shouldn't be a controversy in Dallas, but maybe in New England. He's gotten pretty well. He's gotten much better each week, which is a great sign. I have a hard time believing they would sit Jones when he's healthy, but he might not be all the way back. You're right. Like, he got to his second and third read on that Tyquan Thurton touchdown.

Tyquan Thornton, who was a rookie, second round pick, speedster. It came off IR a couple weeks ago. I think he's going to be a big part of this offense. He had a rushing touchdown today, too. A couple different reds on there. I just thought this was a coaching game. Yes, Zappi played well, but guys are open. Like, there were so many Patriots guys open this year.

I didn't see a lot of Browns guys open in this game. Like, even the plays that Jacoby Brissette made and the receivers made was in tight coverage. And you kind of compare that and you think about coaching. Then you think about the other side and you think about Joe Woods having kind of no answer with a lot of talent in wide open guys and confusion. And you flip the other side. And it's like the Patriots are coaching up these rookie defensive back. Marcus Jones and Jack Jones.

They've got two rookie quarterback playing starting snaps playing great. And like to me it felt like a very much a coaching win, Nick shook. Yeah, Greg, you know, I think that statistically the Patriots defense doesn't stand out as a great one. But if you watch them in a week-by-week basis, they play better than the numbers indicate. Yes, they're very good. You need to start paying attention to football world to the Patriots defense because they're really coming together, of course, under the direction of Bill Belichick. And then on the flip side of the coin, like you said, Joe Woods, another bad performance from this defense. I'm getting some feeling here in Cleveland that people are going to be wanting some heads to roll potentially, which is not good at this time.

It's week six, but they're going to want jobs on the line. Like, they're disgusted with this. So it's going to be interesting. Well, and it's time to create a scapegoat. Kevin Stefansky probably because I think that Joe Woods, the defense, I know there were moments, stretches of time a year ago where they looked competent, but this defense seems to me to have week by week breakdowns. And I would just flip it around because Dan's big thing all week was like run Nick Chubb until the earth ends. He had 12 rushes for 56 yards.

I know that's New England did a nice job against the lions against the run a week ago. They did it again. Could Cleveland just not get into their game script here? Well, they struggled to run the ball on first down, but then the most, I think the worst offense. I thought today was Kevin Sinfancy's worst called game of his career with the Browns. Oh, oh, how about the 45 to 7 game a year ago against Bill Belichick? Oh, no, no, this is worse. Okay. This is worse because they were within striking distance.

They were within striking distance. And you're down 11 points early third quarter. You're facing the 22nd ranked rushing defense. You have Nick Chubb and you line up Jacoby Brissette, drop him back to throw on three straight down. and punt the ball. I mean, it happened over and over again. They abandoned the run for no reason with a lot of time left. You know who wouldn't do that?

One of the best offensive play callers in the league right now. Matt, Patricia. Oh, right, right, right. I mean, when you want to develop an offense with, like, young players, Bailey Zappy and Cole Strange and Thornton, you just go to an offensive mind like Matt Patricia. No, we can't do this. Seriously.

No, that ain't right, dude. We can't, we can't give Matt Patricia a collection of roundhouse kids. and uppercuts all through the summer. I'm making fun of myself. See, I think people understand. And then mock his success now. I'm not mocking his success. How about we just say Matt Patricia and that coaching stamp is doing great?

I'm trying to mock myself. I mean, I'm mocking how wrong we were because I'm mocking the mocking. Right. If McDaniels called this game, we would be saying like what an amazing job McDaniels is doing with Zappy. And there were a couple really great play calls. You mentioned the third and 10 to Remandre Stevenson, you know, where they run it. I think they're running for first down there.

That's not a give-up down. And then the bigger one was third and one late in the game. You just expect them to power up the middle. And then they call the play action. And that's where I blame Joe Woods. They call the play action. That's the long touchdown pass to Henry. They're calling an aggressive game playing with Bailab Zappy.

But this is where I blame coaching a little bit. Like any play action fake, every Brown's defensive player is running five yards forward. And there's just like a sea of air behind them for the tight ends. That's the other coach. this season that talked about scaling down the playbook and simplifying a little bit. So that's, to me, just a crisis. And a little unsolicited advice for Stefanski. Got to be strategic in your scapegoatery.

Sure. Because if you can hold off until January, that way you can have some, you could point to something after the season. If you dump your DC now and the season doesn't get better, you could have a problem in January answering to your owner. I like to call that the old Mike Nolan move. I really feel like the Jets kind of. stole their, like that game in hindsight. They stole their soul. They've free places.

I hope not. Season a little bit because it's like, I'm aiming higher than the 2020 Browns. That's what I'm hoping for. Because like you're, you know, you're losing close games and you convince yourself you're a better team than your record. And the Browns are, but then at some point you end up start playing bad games. And the Jets, on the other hand got lucky a couple times, but then you end up start playing better games.

It's like a body swap 80s comedy. We've seen 80s football today. Let's, hey, shook. Not everyone's laughing. you, buddy. And no matter what happens in the baseball game, you and I are still going to be tight. I know that. Okay, good. I'm glad. You know, I was there last night. You know, we'll see what happened. Downtown Cleveland's going wild. We can't, we can't talk anymore about it. But Shooki, thank you. And we'll see you next week, buddy. As always. Yeah. All right, we said goodbye to Nick,

Chuck. But before we leave Cleveland, I do want you guys to hear just a delightful moment from Kevin Harlan. Oh, please. Friend of the show. Yeah, please. Good friend. Tell you what, Trent, I love my family, and I love football, but I love blimps, maybe number three. We've had some incredible shots today, that's for sure. I love all we have. I love food, too, but I love blimps, I think, more than food. I love blam. Lips even more than food.

You know, that's kind of, there's some boomer energy there because, like, he probably also loves fireworks, and he loves space travel things like that, the man on the moon. I've always wanted to be in a blimp, like in the little metal part underneath the blimp itself, that little place where you look out the window. And I've been hard on Trent Green over the years. Also known as the cockpit, I'd imagine. It would be nice.

We should all take a bluepy. What did you call it the metal part? The little metal part with the windows that you look at while you're underneath the blimp part of it. The blimp part is another way to say it. I've been hard on Trent Green over the years, by the way. But if there's one thing Trent Green can do, it can be a straight man to like a comedy.

He's in that spot. He found his thing. He found his skill. All right. Let's take a break. We'll be right back. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin.

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

Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt. Jones and Drew Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Let's head to Indy where the Colts, they're getting off the mat. 13 now for the Colts, 23 seconds left. Coults down by a point. Ryan throws down the near sideline, looking for Alec Pierce.

He's got it. Touchdown! Touchdown! Alec Pierce spikes it into the end zone. Touchdown. I. N-D-Y. A 32-yard grab over-the-shoulder snag. Alec Pierce, 32-27 Colts.

Nice ball, nice catch. Matt Taylor, W-F-N-I with the call. Maddie Iceback? Colts back? Maybe. Come on. Matt Ryan lobbed a perfect 32-yard touchdown pass to rookie receiver, Alec Pierce.

17 seconds to play, gave the Colts a 3427 victory over the Jaguars. Matt Ryan, listen to this stat. Ryan was 42 of 58. Jonathan Taylor was a late scratch on Sunday morning for 389 and three touchdowns. Wow. Which is outrageous. But it shows that it's still within him. So let's bring in our AFC South correspondent, The Grave Digger.

Justin, and I know this is annoying, but does it feel like the Colts are kind of finding their way here. We talked about that a little on Thursday. This is what the Colts do. They get better as the season goes on. This is a game that they led for 17 total seconds. But the most important 17 seconds, the last 17 seconds. It was a big game.

Your Colts will finish last place in the AFC South sandwich prop is looking like a big fat. Oh, and 4 right now. But that was a fun prediction. Sure. So I don't know. So who really lost? I got it.

Your angle, the showman. It's like the friends we made along the way is the sandwiches for me. You should know, by the way, that Mark was staring straight ahead, tapping his fingers on the glass and went, the showman. I do think that you have an element of a showman. I mean, you're doing a fairly good job. Sorry to totally sidetrack you with irrelevant sandwich. You're doing a fairly good job.

A very good job. You're doing an excellent job. I hope you give your kids like more enthusiastic affirmation. than that. This is an okay art project. Mark wants me to keep improving. I get it. It's good constructive criticism.

Go ahead. See it that way. It was kind of a weird game because it felt like the Jags sort of dominated the first half, but then they were only winning 14, 13 at halftime. And then Trevor Lawrence didn't have to do a whole lot. The Jaguars were able to run the ball really well. ETS snapped off a couple huge runs. Agnew had a reverse play that was tossed around in the back field a little bit

that he took for a long run and then the Colts came back and they stopped they started stopping the run they came down they took a lead Trevor Lawrence had an incredible response drive it was like the only time in the whole game that he had to do anything and he he was great converting on third downs using his legs using his arm and got them into the end zone with touchdown to Christian Kirk and then the Colts came down with two minutes ago and they and they did it they went and they scored and it was weird because they got down into field goal range they converted on a third and four they converted on a third and 10 into field goal range Matt Ryan takes a snap where they're like just trying to milk the clock and set up a better field goal and stumbles and falls down and

loses four yards and it turns in what would have been a 51 yard field goal I'm gonna and then two plays later it's third and 13 they were forced into being aggressive yes so third and 13 they caught the the Jaguars in single coverage threw it up to Alec Pearson he made a great play over Shack Griffin, and that was the game. I'm seeing this Jaguars drive that you mentioned, though, 18 plays, 72 yards, had it for 10 plus minutes. But if you were the cults organization, and you could have one vision after the Carson Wentz meltdown a year ago

against the Jaguars, and you could see that you go get Matt Ryan, he throws the ball 50 plus times, you close the game with a touchdown field goal and three straight touchdown drivers. You'd be thinking, this is money in the bank. We're going to the AFC title game. It's just that it's been everything other than this. This second half that was a big problem.

I'm not saying none of it matters, but the fact that they've gotten out of this at 3, 2, and 1, yeah. Huge. You know, they can improve. We know that Frank Reich has the play calling ability to improve. I love that they believed in what they were going to do today in terms of their short passing.

Yeah. And they got it done. And their pass rush has really become a thing. Trevor Lawrence took four sacks in this game. He's starting to take too many sacks and hold on to the ball. But I think the Indianapolis pass rush won them that game. go. Sounds like they were crucial today, too. Trevor Lawrence took a sack on a play that could have been a field goal on the Jags' first

drive, and it just pushed them way out of field goal range. And then the Jaguars had the ball up by two with a chance to kick a short field goal, and they went for it with like an option play. And it was just there was no room for Lawrence. He pitched it to E.N. No room for him either. And like those were crucial. I mean, you get those two field goals, obviously.

It's a totally different game. Come back to us, Jaguars. I thought you were going to be a fun part of this season. I'm kind of stunned by this. Yeah, well, yeah, this was a near win, but, yeah, they've been disappointing in the last few weeks. And the decision to not play Jonathan Taylor probably was a very difficult one for Frank Reich, because I don't imagine he thought maybe this Matt Ryan would be unlocked at this point. You didn't have Nightim Hines either.

I think this was a game plan because Ryan threw the ball 58 times. I know, but if Jonathan Taylor is playing, I would imagine it's a different game script. Exactly. So it's interesting that Colts can evolve like this, but 43 of his 58 passes were within 10 yards of the line of screen. And here's the crazy, and I don't know if you've already said it, and apologies if you did. Zero turnovers and zero sacks. So a lot of positives, that's kind of unheard of

to have that many dropbacks in the offensive line to keep you clean. And Ryan, who's a statue at this stage, to be able to make the decisions. Just allow some people to be suspicious about who the cults are going forward. That's all. I mean, oh, absolutely.

Sure. It's a nice win. In this division, they've steadyed the ship quickly. Like, we mentioned how long the season feels for the dolphins and the Jaguars, too. You can throw in there. The fact they're getting out of this with a winning record here and some offensive, you know, good feeling is great. We're suspicious of the cults as well, Mark. Yes.

Real quick. They're good, but not great. I'm not even sure they're good, but they were good today. How many great teams are in the league, though, going back to the theme of tonight's episode? They were dead last. We get the chance to look forward to a good team winning the Super Bowl. Real quick. That will be visually fun.

Michael Pittman, 13 catches for 134 years. Career highs. All right. Difference in the game. Thank you, Justin. Great work. The AFC South correspondent on fire, as always. Let's head to Seattle.

Seattle lines up for to rush on Tyler Murray, and they rush four. Murray steps up. He's going to throw deep down the sideline, and Woolen reaches up, and they make another interception. Are you kidding me? Tarik Wollon. Oh, Greggie. Perfect position.

Intercepts his fort in four games. Oh, Gregie. I know who Tariq Wollin is That's my guy That's your guy Mark tried to make it his guy Try to Denied

I can still enjoy him as a player I don't really care about this rule system that you've concocted Tareke Wollin Had the game sealing pick For the Seattle Seahawks And their beleaguered defense

Which really had its way I guess you could say had their way But the Arizona Cardinals Offense is struggling so much That it's hard to make sense Of these performances sometimes But at the end of the day 199, Seahawks over the Cardinals.

Oh, the Cardinals scored a touchdown? No, they didn't score a touchdown on offense. It was a botched special teams played by Seattle that led to a dropped punt attempt and recovery in the end zone. That's how Arizona scored a touchdown in this game. So their struggles continue. And good news on a day where your boy, Gino Smith, Gregi, didn't kill them with the mistakes,

but took some sacks and the offense struggled to move the ball with Rashad Penny out. Kenneth Walker, who's a very important guy on this team now, if Seattle hopes to be a playoff team, he ran for 97 yards, had a fourth quarter touchdown, 199, there you go. And as crazy as it is, because we saw it as a big time division potentially, the Seahawks at three and three, shared the lead in the NFC West with San Francisco. Wow. Gino, first place quarterback.

And Gino is a first place quarterback. But this was kind of a toughie this game. It was playing opposite, hypothetically, or potentially the game of the year, Buffalo, Kansas City. So it wasn't seeing football play at that level next to football being played at this level. Not great, but at the end of the day, Seattle's not going to apologize for anything and they shouldn't. Tariq Willan may give Soss Gardner not only competition for defensive rookie of the year, but just best defensive rookie cornerback. And he's got the same confidence.

You got to love cornerbacks. Ask, you know, about his interceptions after the game. He said, I don't know why you would throw to a 6-4 corner who runs a 4-2-6. That is like, hey, he's not wrong. That's swag. Used to play, you know, wide receivers. So he's learning the position. It's one of the reasons I think he's, like, taking such an exponential leap.

They are putting together, potentially, one of the most impactful rookie draft classes of the last decade. Both of their starting tackles are playing well. Cross. Huge. And Lucas. Murray, I mean, Kenneth Walker, you mentioned a rookie at running back. Tariq Wullen having this. That's four guys not only playing but playing well.

And oh, by the way, they're also playing Boi Maffei a decent amount. They're kind of starting Kobe Bryant. I don't think he's played that well, but he's been played. That's six rookies that are basically starting and four of them are playing at a really high level. If you're a Seahawks fan, you've got to feel great about this kind of rebuilding season, especially on a day like today where you needed the defense to show you. maybe they'll give this team a chance to stay relevant. I mean, that's what they pitched,

and I thought there were a lot of issues going into the season with the idea of Gino versus Drewlock. But the youth part of it had the class worked out, you feel good about where they are. And like Richard Sherman came out and just said, this is one of the most amazing rookie classes he's ever seen as a player. And, I mean, he understands what Carol's trying to do. I think it's such a, like, an energy shift from what's going on with Arizona

because the idea that DeAndre Hopkins is going to return next week can change what's going on with this offense, 4.4 yards per play. They're a horizontal offense that can't unhook from their issues. They're terrible on third down. And Kyla Murray cannot do it alone. He's not that kind of quarterback. I mean, he can be that kind of quarterback.

But when the scheme is this uneven and uninspired, I don't think anybody could save the day. He runs for 100 yards in this game. But it is horizontal. There's no vertical element to the game. And I thought it was interesting and unfortunate that kind of been talking for the last couple of weeks thrown in there. Well, DeAndre Hopkins is right around the corner. And Markies Brown,

he's getting self-paid. He's having a big year. He's helped off the field late in this game with some type of ankle issue. He did not look like, he didn't get carded or anything, but he looked like a guy that he landed on, I believe, on the interception. So we have to see what's going on with him physically, because if it becomes a situation where Deandre Hopkins returns and then Hollywood goes out, I mean, that just sums up the frustrations in Arizona, who are now two and four and firmly in the discussion of, you know, the most disappointing teams in the league. And I can't help it. And I'm looking forward to you guys, like, watching this game.

But I can't help but think, like, what is management thinking now? You know, it's like, who do you, you can't fire the play caller. You just gave Cliff Kingsbury an extension, but nothing seems to be functional right now with Arizona. I don't think the extension matters at all if things get worse and worse. It matters a little because if they didn't have an extension, I would expect him to get fired. Maybe mid-season. With the extension, I feel like it's a deeper discussion. The defense has improved each week, which is why this total clunker from the offense,

I mean, three points against the Cioxx. I mean, that's literally the worst possible game you can have in the NFL is scoring three points. We talk about Joe Woods in Cleveland. If there was a flip side going on here, it would be what's happening in Arizona, but the way the organization is set up right now, it's hard to say. And one more note on their offense, they went 0 for 3 on 4. fourth and short in this game. So they just don't have their vertical games hurting.

If they need a yard, they're not getting that either. They're a tough watch. They're a tough watch. I watched them on Sundays like four times and I'm not doing it again anytime soon. They're what you don't want to be. Like the Vikings are a five and one that by the eye test doesn't really look like five and one. The Cardinals are a two and four that by the eye test aren't as good as two and four, which is like that's where you don't want to be.

It's not a good place to live. Let's take a break. We'll be right back. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel?

That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL.

Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. All right, we're back. The Carolina Panthers with their new interim head coach profile. Does a get-right opponent for the defending champ? Let's see if that's how it played out. 20 seconds left in the third quarter. Another jet suite. A handoff scuronic.

He's got speed. He's got the edge. He goes in untouched. Ben Scaronic Touchdown LA His first as a pro gives the Rams

a league deep in the third quarter Love it J.B. Long, our buddy KSPN with the call. Also another Rams employee, Ricky Hollywood. Great Eric Tamposi sent us

a video of Sam Donald stretching in the end of... He was doing that pregame. Sam Donald's ready to shock the world potentially. or not. Anyway, the Rams, yes, did take care of business at home. Maddie Stafford passed for 253 and overcame another pick six. And Ben Skornick rushed for a touchdown in the second half, as did Daryl Henderson.

Two-game losing streak over 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers. And yes, Steve Wilkes in his first game as interim coach. Gregi, you saw signs here of the Rams as they head into their buy being able to feel kind of better about themselves. I thought this was a significant game for the Rams. Not only you have to avoid a loss against this Panthers team, but you had to start showing that you could play offensive football. And the Panthers' defense hadn't been that bad throughout the course of this season.

And they played well in the first half of this game. Like it was just another ugly Rams game. And you just felt like more of the same. And in the second half of this game, just felt like for three drives, we saw the Rams offense. 12 play, 72-yard, field goal drive that came up just short, five-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, 10-play, 61-yard touchdown drive.

And it just was using the classic sort of Rams plays where Sean McVeigh was one step ahead of the defense. Alan Robinson had his best game. Who? Who's that? Made a big mistake, I would say, where he faked out Stafford on the goal line. That led to the field goal.

But for the most part, five for 63 in a touchdown. He played well. And I just felt like it was important for them to go into their buy week feeling like that. The defense was absolutely dominant, as you would expect, going up against PJ Walker. But it was kind of next level dominant.

There was a seven-drive sequence where I believe they had about 38 yards, and they had no first downs for a six-drive sequence. So it was dominant. What else can you ask for other than health, which they don't have? They lost left tackle and Joe Notepum potentially for the season to an Achilles injury in this game.

So as good as the second half felt, that is a big Pyrrhic victory. That is a killer for me because we're looking at their issues and, you know, we'll see what happens with someone like Cam Acres who was essentially not played today, not active because of personal issues. They want to get rid of them, I think. But like the Rams to me, they're three and three and have looked really poor at times because of their offensive line problems. I mean, it's really it. I don't doubt Sean McVeigh. I don't doubt like their skill position players in general.

But the scheme has been totally out of whack because. I doubt their skill position players too. I think it's the combination. Well, all right, but I'm saying like they worked their way out of the dark corner last year where they didn't win for an entire month. I think they have the DNA to do that. But I don't know if you can do that when you've gone and lost another offensive lineman. There's so much chaos happening because of that unit, not looking like a professional unit most of the weeks.

The Rams getting to the buy at three and three is nice and important for them. But there's so much work to do, as you're saying. And on the Panther side of the ball, you know, not too much here because we know this is an organization in flux. but Steve Wilkes in his first game on the sideline sent Robbie Anderson off the field and into the locker room I guess I don't know the details beyond that like to hear more about it.

In some sort of argument with the wide receivers coach he wasn't being played that much and it seemed like it was more decision not based on an injury that they were essentially just benching him. It sounds like before that. They're actively like open to trading him and Christian McCaffrey

and I think that could have played into some of the snaps day. Here's the latest on that that Peter Schrager, our own Peter Schroger reports that the Panthers want multiple first round picks for Christian McCaffrey. So obviously, any team that's playing the Panthers right now, pick them because this is not a team that's looking at the 2020 season

in the same way as their opponent most likely. Let's move to the field formerly known as Heinz where the Steelers had a date with Tom Brady. Trubisky in the gun. Long count, gets the snap. He's back. Fires for the end zone. Touchdown.

He's a play pool. Wow. Oh, a little stock rob into some zone coverage. What a great job. Mitch seen it. He just seen it, man, and he let it go. He sees it that he does it. That's our friend that was like,

a little kiss on the daisy on the Daisy Rose. Bill Hillgrove and Craig Wolfley with a call. W.D.V.E. Chase Claypool scores. Mitch Trubisky comes in for a concussed Kenny Pickett and makes plays. How about that as Pittsburgh snaps a four-game losing streak and beats Tom Brady

and the Bucks 20 to 18. I don't know. Mark, I didn't see a second of this one. You need to give us, how did this happen? It's, to me, kind of the stamp of the Steelers where you're coming off and really embarrassing loss. the worst of Mike Tomlin's career to turn around and do what they did, because let's start with who the Steelers did not have.

You don't have T.J. Watt on defense. Minka Fitzpatrick was out. Akella Witherspoon was out. Cam Sutton was out. Levi Wallace. You're missing essentially your secondary. So top four players back there. I mean, and so this would have been the day

for Tom Brady, who had thrown for 700 plus yards in the past two weeks, to throw the ball downfield. Nope. Instead, I think what happened here was Trubisky coming in fired up after you lose Kenny Pickettton. You never want to face a fired-up Mitchabist. I mean, it was his best game of the year.

It really was. He comes in. It's a perfect spot for him. Exactly, because it was like the heat was off and you come in and just do what you can. The game was manageable. He hooked up with Connor Hayward on a 45-yard catch run. That's Cam Hayward's brother. That led to the Chase Claypool touchdown that put them up 20 to 12.

Then I thought the classic bucks thing, because we've seen it all year. They're a field goal offense, and they were all day today. Long drives, 10-plus plays. They get close but not close enough. They had a chance to tie this game. They go 14 plays, 73 yards for a touchdown. And then Chris Godwin on the two-point conversion cannot pull down the Tom Brady pass.

It's 20 to 18. And so here's where Tribusky could come and mess it up and you get the Tom Brady comeback. Instead, Mitch hits Claypool on a 17-yard pass. Beautiful play. He hit him on a 26-yarder. And then Trubisky, unwilling to be denied, runs for a key nine-yard chain mover,

and then converts a first down to win. the game, essentially. And Tom Brady's look throughout this game seemed to be about as frustrated as I've seen him. Let's hear from Tom Brady. Yes, you can see it and you can hear it. The man is losing patience. Losing comes down to, obviously, scoring less points

than the other team. Then you evaluate why you score less points than the other team. It doesn't matter if it's Steelers or the Chiefs to the, right? So you can look at this and say, well, why don't we score more points? That mean, that's fair. He's about to be a television analyst, so he's He's so good at saying nothing that now we're like...

Sometimes it takes your breath away. He's like he said so little there. Right, but now we're built into like looking at the tone of his voice. And he does have that feeling. I think Belichick is similar. When they lose a game, it's kind of like all of the life force inside of them has been sucked out like Freddie Kruger, one sucked out all the air from one of his victims.

And it's just like nothing is left. Yeah, but how about the idea that all that was sucked out of him at Bobcraft's wedding or birthday or whatever it was. People need to calm down about that. So what, he went to a wedding on Friday night? I heard from desk chief, Dave Ely, that he missed like some team meetings. It traveled on his own to the game.

Does any of this sound like the Tom Brady that we have grown to know and respect? Listen, I'm not challenging his professionalism. I'm just saying this is not the first time we're hearing these kind of stories that you just wonder where he's at. Where's time at right now? Plus everything else going on in his life.

I mean, it's like you are going through these changes to lose this game against the Mitch Trubisky-led Steelers. Tough sitch. I mean, Todd Bowles. I love Tom Brady. Getting fired up. He was like, I think we didn't take them lightly because they were like, did you take them lightly? He's like, number one, number two, I think guys living off the Super Bowl are living in a fantasy land.

You got to get your hands dirty and go to work like everybody else. Maybe there is something to this. Got him. Didn't go to work. I mean, he literally didn't go to work. He went to Robert Kraft's wedding. He did not. That was a fairy tale wedding, though, from what I understand.

Oh, I'm sure. Talk about based on reality. Wait, what if this is the perfect role for Mitch Trubisky? I think we know it is, but I really mean it. You know, sometimes a hyped-up starting pitcher in baseball. Sure. You know, it doesn't turn into it. It doesn't work out.

Right. But you bring him in as a guy who can have some flexibility in the bullpen. Sometimes he gives you four. Sometimes he gives you two. Either way, he brings you heat. Mitch Trubiskyy. as a good backup who has frisky for a game or two, a season, that I can live with the next seven years.

That's his destiny. He was enjoyable today. What you're saying makes sense in baseball. It would be like his stuff plays up in relief. Right. His basketball's got a little more life. You know, it's just maybe this is his role in life. I don't think you want.

It's not a bad role, right? Patrick, you did it for 15 years. He's now a great Amazon analyst. The model is not to have your starter concussed weekly so that Tribis could come in in a good spot and feel good about it. He's doing, but, you know. That's right. He'll have to start next week.

All right. One more game. Let's hit Hose Sunday. Second and eight. Rush. Downfield. CD Lamb open. It's underthrown.

And it's scooped and intercepted. C.J. Gardner Johnson heard his hand earlier in this half. He's okay. He's more than okay. He's got the big pick. Mike Tarrico with the call. NBC. The Philadelphia Eagles are 6 and 0.

They got two interceptions from C.J. Gardner Johnson, one of three thrown by Cooper Rush and a 26 to 17 win for Philly. Once again, Greg, and we're taking this home. Mark has something to take care of. Once again, the Eagles, and this is a historic thing. now are dominant in the second quarter of games this year. This was a scoreless first quarter. I know Eagles are marching at the end of the first quarter, but they outscored Dallas 20 to 3 in the second quarter.

Cowboys fought back admirably in the second half, but putting themselves at that advantage allowed Philly to coast to 6 and O. Well, not quite coast. They finished the job. And there's a way to look at this game and see, like, ho-hum. It's like, okay, Cooper Rush was starting. The Cowboys held the Eagles under 300 yards of offense. The Eagles averaged under four yards per play.

And it's like, okay, you did the thing. You beat the Cowboys at home. No big deal. Let's not go crazy. But I do love the way this team has responded. So it's 2017 in the fourth quarter. The Cowboys just had maybe their best drive of the season, 93 yards. Their second touchdown drive of the second half to make it 2017.

And very similar to a week ago, Dan, when it was tied against the Cardinals and it was nut-cutting time. Ew, gross. There's so many better ways to say it. They just handed the ball off. They said, okay, we've struggled in the second half of games offensively this year.

What are we going to do? They're just going to hand the ball off. 10 out of 11 plays to start that next drive. Jalen Hertz either hands it off or he runs it himself, including on a scramble. Then they throw a couple times on the goal line, get the touchdown. And I just like the way this team

has responded in those big moments. We've seen them dominant for quarters at a time, often the second quarter, sometimes even games at a time. We've seen the defense step up and we can talk about that. But I like how when push comes to shove, it's just like, we're going to run over you.

And so far, no one's been able to stop them, including a great Cowboys defense. Right. We talked about how Dallas had not given up more than a touchdown in any of their first five games. Then he'd get lit up in this game. In fact, Philadelphia averaged only three and a half yards of carry

on 39 carries. So the Cowboys did a nice job overall. Hertz only threw for 155 yards. So I think the Dallas defense, I don't come out of this game. In general, Gregie, I don't come out of this game thinking anything less of the Cowboys team.

If not, if nothing, I might even think more of them, especially with Dak Prescott right around the bend now. But yeah, that big drive did say a lot. It was Jalen Hertz, who has impeccable instincts when it comes to that read option

and knowing when to hold them and when to fold them and that has got them some big conversions in this game and then you have their their one two punch at wide receiver while neither of them filled up the box score AJ Brown and Devante Smith

each made big plays in this game scoring touchdown so yeah we see it week after week with Philly the only undefeated team in the league they may not be as dominant in a visually appealing way at the level of the Chiefs or the

bills. Okay, not that sexy. They are, they're highly sexualized to me as well. But I'm just saying, like, there is something to be said for this team's ability to win in so many different ways. They're well-coached with a lot of talent, and that goes a long way. And they've had some adversity. So Lane Johnson, their great right tackle has a concussion in this game.

It's going into the bi-week, and they have a pretty easy schedule after the bi-week. So hopefully he's able to get better. But the second he was out, Michael Parsons and the rest of the Cowboys' boys defense started feasting for a few drives really attacking them they had another starter on the offensive line out for portions of this game and jordan my lot is banged up as well with the shoulder so this is a nice time by here right so they i just they've handled the different obstacles uh that have been in their way and part of it's just turnovers you mentioned you know gardner johnson had two picks one of those was tipped by james bradbury whose numbers this year are just like outrageous i feel like

he's breaking next-gen stats. They showed that he's averaging two yards per throw, two and a half yards per throw on throws to him this year. I mean, what is that? Like, he's supposed to be their second corner. And tonight, he was involved in two of those interceptions. He has been outstanding. Like, they have playmakers.

Brandon Graham had kind of the classic Brandon Graham play to clinch the game, where he doesn't get anything in the stat sheet. He might have got a quarterback hit, but he's the one who pushes Cooper Rush to the ground as he throws that interception. So everything is just feeling very eaglesy. They get to this by. They're just going to be kicking back.

But I'm with you. I feel good about the Cowboys. We were talking about how your power rankings are messy this week. And that's, you know, people should listen to the Power Ranking Show for that. But like after the top three, who knows? And I think I might keep the Cowboys in my top, my personal top five. I think they're impressive. Spoiler alert, I will be moving the Cowboys off a loss because I do think they overall

comported themselves well in this game, especially when it could have gotten very messy and turned into another bloodbath in prime time just to stick it to Tariqo, who somebody's got a voodoo doll somewhere of Tariqo. But this game ended up turning interesting in the second half. Cooper Rush, it's time for Cooper Rush to return from once he came to a nice, cozy backup roll.

I thought we saw that a little bit in the second quarter when Philly goes on the long march and the Cowboys get the ball back and he kind of throws a ball into coverage, gets deflected, intercepted leads to seven more points for Phil. You just need the game script to be perfectly set up for Rush. But overall, he did a very nice job if this is indeed his final start. We'll see.

We'll see where DAC is. But in general, we talked about this stretch of games. The Cowboys didn't get the win here. But at 4 and 2, they would have signed up for that. They would have run to the paper to sign up for that after six games. That's fair. These are two good teams. And some good signs.

They're running the ball well, Pollard, and Elliott both ran it well tonight. The offensive line is playing better. I do think the lack of explosion we were worried about in terms of their past catchers. We'll see if that changes with DAC. It'll certainly improve, but I think it might still be there. Michael Gallup coming off of a really serious injury doesn't seem like himself.

It's still just C.D. Lamb, but that's relatively small problems for a team here that's four and team. Yeah, I guess I'm just leaning on DAC as just a much more dynamic player than Cooper Rush. we will see when down the turns. Oh, we have a lock. Oh, that's right. I switched it to the Eagles lock. Wow, look at you.

Out of the Giants lock or the Ravens lock. Right. Some people are calling that the lock coaching move of the century. And also, Greg, on the Friday Fun Show, predicted that the Eagles defense would end the Cooper Rush hype with two turnovers. So he was wrong because there were three turnovers. Oh, well, I had to hit it at least two. That's implied. Yeah, no.

That's a miss, but we'll save that litigation for a Friday show. And, oh, by the way, the next two weeks, the Cowboys venture to the NFC North for matchups with the lions and bears. So, Giants could be okay. It's nice. All right. That is the week six flagship program. Thank you to everybody for listening. As I said, we have Monday night football with Gregi and special guest.

We're working on that. It might be you, buddy. Oh, yeah, that's probably not going to happen. We'll have Power Rankings Tuesday. We'll have the return of around the NFL with Colleen Wolf on Tuesday and the whole Javang. Until then, this is Dan Hansa signing off for Greg Rosenthal and Mark Zessler. And remember, heed the call.

This is an Ihaught podcast. Thank you.