NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2023 Season Predictions: Awards, Playoffs and Super Bowl Winners

Episode Date: September 4, 2023

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler get you ready for the 2023 season with their predictions for all the major awards, division winners, and ultimately who will win the Super Bowl. The heroes start with the awards telling you who they think will win Coach of the Year (07:00), Comeback Player of the Year (11:20), Defensive Rookie of the Year (13:20), Offensive Rookie of the Year (15:35), Defensive Player of the Year (20:00),  Offensive Player of the Year (22:10), and Most Valuable Player (25:25). After the break, the heroes dive into the team side of things starting with the AFC and the East (31:05), followed by the North (37:15), then the South (41:10), the West (43:51) and finally the AFC's Wild Card teams (47:12). The NFC starts with the East (49:50), followed by the North (51:50), then the South (54:20), the West (58:00), and finally the NFC's Wild Card teams (59:07). The heroes wrap the show up with their picks to come out on top of Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas (01:04:13).  Note: Time codes 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, three bozos going absolutely nowhere. From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, it's around the NFL. That was necessary. It was time to take a little air out of the blue in this room. Dan Hans is here, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Zessler. was just an op-ed from Jason Somal. Right.

Totally off book. It's definitely getting high off our own supply season. This is our 2020-3 season predictions and awards show. How fun is that? We're going to go through all our picks that you actually, you could read about on NFL.com, Ali Bonpore, and the team put together a nice rundown of all the. analyst a list that includes

Judy Patista Jeremy Bergman how about that Eric Ed Holm, new power rankings guy Michael F. Florio not the other Mike Floreo the hour Mike Floree

the real one Leslie Frazier MJD Steve Mariucci Nick Shook Brandon Walker Hard Knox guy and And last but not least, Dan Hansis, Greg Rosenthal, the mark.

I got this in just before deadline. So imagine if I had not been included in this exercise. I was hoping everyone would get it in last year. Not everyone got it in. I was meaning to look up who didn't get it in last year because it wreaked havoc with this episode a year ago. I don't know. Who was it? It's probably you.

I did get it in personally. I know that I had to ask for an extension. Do I have to look it up? It probably was me. We don't need to look it up. Maybe you're right. It was probably me. I don't really remember.

It was probably me. And yet you tried to put me. Well, now, once I thought about it, let's just move on. I mean, yes, it is cool to be making picks alongside Maurice Jones drew overrating his employer for, like, the seventh straight year. But I get it. You mean the Rams? He works for the Rams. And it doesn't even work for the Jaguars.

He's just a fan. He always overrates them, too. but I think he nailed them last year because they had a nice little season. Mark, you and I participated last year in the sexes. Okay. I missed it. It's called being a professional at your workplace.

Because you know for Greg not to do this year ago meant he was blowing off emails from I don't think it was... Tom Blair, Genero Felice, all those great people. Don't have time for you people who operate in cubicles and desks. And then he tried to brush this off as something we shouldn't even talk about by saying, oh, it's probably you, Dan. I believe that in the moment.

And then I thought about it. And I was like, actually, that's something. sounds like something I would do. You need to get going, Mark, I know you, before the show, you're getting a little jittery. I, so, you know, not unlike the two of you, I have multiple responsibilities in the city on the planet and have somewhere with a tight deadline. And, you know, we've done a lot of things today and we took a big long lunch in the middle. So I really enjoyed that, but then suddenly I started a clock watch a little bit.

Got to move, got to be in places. I'm expecting clip dancers from Mark. I don't know. Here during the show. Because we began with a fair amount of time. It's Patrick Wilhelms. Of course it is. Next.

So we're going to try to get through this in a decent amount of time for Mark, you to handle all the adult responsibilities that you had. I only care about. I do not say that you don't have these responsibilities. But if you did, if you did he say that? If one of you had the responsibility, we would have crank this thing. We would have been going 35 minutes ago. We do have responsible.

Right now, our responsibility is to the audience. To each other, I care about the listener and the co-hosts that I work with. I think you care about driving 54 miles per hour out of this building in exactly 44 minutes. Do I care about that, too? Not as fast as he'll be out of the studio running. He's just whew! We've got to start getting a camera on Mark exiting the studio or any of our shadowy league figure meetings. It's become my favorite.

There was a classic one on Monday where, yeah, you were three. that glass door and it was just like... The chair was spinning. Look, I spent like, I had like 20 terrible corporate jobs and I became involved in this industry to not do corporate meetings. So I have to learn on my tolerance to rise it because I'm not a, I'm not acclimated to that. We do that out of respect for you.

We don't give you a hard time about it because usually in those meetings, Greg and I then have another 10 minutes where the bosses still want to talk post meeting. Yeah. You ever think that we're taking that bullet for you every single time? Well, no, I've stayed to the end of many of them, first of all. It's a lot of, like, then we start talking about, like, pickleball and, like, like, you know, what softball games? Yeah, just like, just like, it's not, like, what is the, what are, why are we doing this? Why are we here?

Anyways. Big question. That is a big question. I'm adding, I'm adding multiple minutes to the show with the complaint. We are actually got to tackle that on the metaphysical podcast. What are we doing here? right now we're going to pick yes our predictions

and awards for the season this is once it's on digital print for nfl.com you can't go back on it and then you go back I think I already did at the end of the season and you know listen

I remember Greg with his old like oh I picked the Eagles that remember we couldn't we couldn't stop hearing about that and it's because Greg in his back pocket and that's not even a shot on you Greg you knew you had this article in the digital archive that you could point to forever. I love that for the Eagles.

I like that. So now we have an opportunity once again to be as annoying as Greg was a year ago. That's all you're going for in this sort of exercise an opportunity to be annoying in the future. And it can go on and on. And they offer this thing mid-season where you can go back and change all your things.

I think we should all just say there's none of that happen. I always decline that one, but not out of disrespect. for my colleagues. No. Like Greg Lashier. Because I stand on what did

Wilson is saying, concussion. Tell the truth. I tell the truth here. I don't need to rewrite history in the middle of the season. I'm either going to be right or wrong, probably wrong,

but that's the fun of it. Let's get to it. We don't mention that movie. Yeah, out of loyalty to the employer, I never went and saw that didn't buy a ticket. Don't believe it. There's that. And there was like this Patriots player

in the early aughts. An off-field story we'd never mention. Shush! All right, let's get to it. Let's do it this way. Let's start by talking awards. Okay. And then we'll get to the picks for the divisions, wild cards, and then close with their Super Bowl picks.

Which way do we want to go? Let's go from down to up. Let's start with Coach of the Year. Mm-hmm. All right. All right. And this is an interesting one. Let me throw out, first of all, the NFL.com consensus was my boy, Robert Sala.

And I get it, the idea that seven first place votes or votes on NFL.com. Sala and who's plus 1,600 according to, what is the, those draft kings they're using here? Cesar's? I think it's Cesar's. Anyway, Sala got the most votes. None of us, though, voted for Sala. Take that. If you ain't got no haters, you ain't popping.

But I get it as a choice. I went with Mike Tomlin, and he was the second place vote, and that might be teasing some of my picks later on. But I think that Tomlin, who's plus 1,800, by the way, Tomlin has never won coach of the year. Would you believe that? Wow. I kind of would, actually.

I think it sort of tilts towards new faces. I like that choice by you. For a guy who has been around forever, who is on a Hall of Fame trajectory that is now building up another team that could be ready to make noise this year. And you remember when Leo finally got the Oscar for The Revenant, I believe it was. And it was by far his greatest performance. So it was like it was time. We got to make up for the same thing. Denzel Washington.

Marty, Marty Scorsese. Yeah. They gave it to him for The Departed, which is a fun movie, but not special, like, say, Goodfellas or Raging Bowl. It's course correction. Course correction. Even if the Steelers win 10 games in their wildcard team, I think they give it to Mike Tomlin and say, Mike, good job.

We recognize you finally. This is his revenue. Needs more than that, I think, to win coach of the year. I think you need to win the division or need to win 12 games and somehow get boxed out in that division. Because now the expectations. Who says I don't have Mike Tomlin win in the division?

Right, sure. I think that's what he'll need because we've had cognizentee like Mark leading the pack here. that actually have elevated the expectations enough that I don't think the seventh seed would be enough for Tomlin to do it. But I love that choice. I sort of wish that was my choice.

This is the award that has the most differing opinions. 14 different people got votes here, and no more than seven out of 30-plus voters. I think it's going to be a tough road for Tomlin unless they have a three or four game spike and win the division. What do you have? I have Arthur Smith.

I think he fits the narrative of how this award goes out. because it's like the Falcons have been competent under him. We've talked about them a ton, so I don't need to reiterate at all. But like, there's a vision, and I think he's going to fulfill it. I think they're going to make the playoffs. They're going to be a fun team and a completely different version of the Falcons than we've seen for a long time.

And it's kind of like Arthur Smith, newer face, gets a lot of votes. So he actually is one of the favorites, depending on where you look on Caesar's, as we're listing on the website, he's plus a thousand, one of the favorites. I hate it when people say like, oh, Dan Campbell's the favorite to win Coach of the Year. And then if he doesn't win it, it's like, oh, yeah, he was the favorite. It's like, yes, but he's plus 8.50, which is an 8 to 1 odds. It's like even calling the Lions the favorite in the NFC North, you should understand, like actually the odds say it's more likely one of the other three teams, you know, the field wins over the Lions, but they are the most likely.

So Coach of the Year is one of those awards where there's a million people with a chance. And I took one of the bigger long shots. I didn't realize it. Plus 4,000. I got Ron Rivera, which, yes, is obviously giving away a little something. Because I actually think he fits a narrative, too, with what's going on in Washington. If he can save his job and if he can make the playoffs, I think he would be a very popular figure. He's popular with the media, and that would be a great little story. It has the backstory because everyone knows he's kind of on thin ice here and maybe not even all by his own doing,

just the change and tumult around Washington. Okay. I think they're all good picks. Come back player of the year. This is interesting. So 22 votes for NFL media for Demar Hamlin. It's crazy to me that anybody else would vote for anyone other than Demar Hamlin? One really stands out.

Unless they forget that DeMarre Hamlin nearly died on the football field and now he's on the Buffalo Bills this season as a football player. What were you going to say? Well, no, I think it's either you forgot or you're really trying to be a tad extra by picking someone else. Now, I think this is a person that's going to essentially fulfill the concept of a comeback. But Calvin Ridley wiped off the face of the earth for gambling, essentially, is a weird comeback story that I think the NFL would not. He got six votes. He got the second most about a votes. And I thought the little extra star at the bottom, the asterisk, which notes that Caesars isn't even offering betty lines at comeback player the year.

So I think that speaks to this is a weird, uncomfortable award to bet on generally, but a special. especially with Damar Hamlin, but other places are putting up odds for this. Adam Shine, come back to us. Right, and DeMarne Hamlin actually is a huge favorite to win this award. So there's something awkward about this, but he got all three of our votes. He did. And he's going to win. He's going to win.

Six people went Ridley. Oh, John Mechie would make some sense. Is that what you're going to say? The only other person, John Mechew, obviously, battled leukemia after being a second round pick of the Texans. And he's going to be in the mix for Houston this year. I mean, Breeze Hall, sure, Tua, got a vote here. O'Dell? K, Beckham, Lamar.

Come on, you don't, do not give away comeback player of the year award to somebody who just was okay as a player and missed, you know, four or five games. Christian Gonzalez voted for Tua as the comeback player of the year. This is not, and I've done some digging, it's not the Christian Gonzalez that was taking 17th overall. Oh, okay. No, he's not working for us. digital content producer and he went to a defensive rookie of the year let's see hanses i'm sorry that's funny hansis voted with the majority here at jalen carter the defensive tackle of the philadelphia eagles i just think it's been proven that the eagles know how to assimilate

these talented players and get the most out of them and even if he doesn't play a huge amount of snaps as a rookie, they're going to find a way to make it count, and he's obviously studly coming out of college. So he was my pick. Who did you guys go with? So I am one of two people along with Nick Shook, so I feel good about this, that went with again, Steelers theme, Joey Porter Jr. I just feel like... We're all the way in on these Steelers. Well, first of all, I was banging the table for the Steelers to take Joey Porter back in the draft because it's like, don't bypass the son of a Steelers legend. Just take them. I think it's going to work.

And I think cornerback is the kind of thing or you've made a couple big splash plays, you've got a chance to get those votes. Now, history says it's usually won by a pass rusher or a linebacker. So Dan voting Carter makes sense. I do think he might struggle to get more than 50% of steps. He could still win rookie of the year with that, but there's just so many good players.

Will Anderson got 11 votes, so almost as many as Carter. I went with Brian Branch safety slash nickel. It'd be pretty rare for a second round player in the secondary, but we did get three votes. How? He's had such a good camp and preseason that maybe we're getting two. But he's also the kind of guy who's got to make splash plays. I think Interceptions Sacked, like kind of like a Mike Hilton but playing safety type

where he's just in the mix with big plays on a team everyone likes the lion. So I went Brian Branch, but history would say Anderson and Carter make a lot of sense. That's a nice guard throw. The Homer and me really wanted to go with Will McDonald, who got two votes in this exercise as well, but I managed to rain it in. That was really... And you rained it in on Sala too?

I mean, this is a... Again, the integrity is just shining... Anderson is the favorite, by the way. Jalen Carter is the number two betting favorite. And then Christian Gonzalez, the Patriot is third. Tyree Wilson and Devin Witherspoon after that. Got it.

Offensive rookie in the... Of the year. This is a runaway in terms of NFL media voting. 26 of the... Twenty six of the... 26 of the 34 votes went to Bijon Robinson. Can't get too cute. However, he got cute.

Danny got a little cute. Well, this makes sense, though. I got a little cute because what's the one thing that could take out Bijon Robinson? A quarterback? And how about a quarterback that potentially throws for 3,000 and runs for 10 rocks? 10 rocks. Is that how we're talking? That's how I talk over here.

I like that. If you were going to pick one of the three quarterbacks, Richardson is actually longer odds in Vegas than Bryce Young. And I agree with you. He would be the most likely rookie quarterback to win rookie of the year because I think he could just put up 1,200 yards on the ground and be highlight worthy. C.J. Stroud didn't even get a vote out of the 34 in our ballot.

Yeah. That's going to be a tough team to be a... I felt great about Bejohn. I've been riding the Bejon as a top three or four fantasy pick. I think he could lead the league in rushing or close to it. So I love Bejohn Rob. I happen to notice Jack and... Harry Hanses

yes Robinson number one overall in our well you had the 11th pick and he fell that far and like many of Jack and Harry

quote unquote's pick I was like wow this team has drafted remarkably well incredibly well marauders I would go as far

to say the preseason favorites in this league from what I saw when they say you know how they do the thing afterward they do a draft recap where they predict

your record right I mean I bet it was like 14 and 1 or some nonsense. I was just like every time there was great picks I looked up and it was old Jack and Harry. You know, these two things you need to know. How heavily involved were you? Obviously heavily involved. I'll tell you a couple things. First

of all, the projections, which are pretty bad. Something we need to work on here. Have us finishing 3 and 11. Wait, really? Yeah, but that, whatever. I'm shocked because I really did think you're down. But I also, in my league of a record, I once had a prediction of

0 and 13 and I won the league with Okay, so yeah, they don't matter. So, yeah. But second of all, if my sons were very, you know, my youngest is six years old, if I left it up to them, it would have been Aaron Rogers' first pick. Yeah. Garrett Wilson's second pick. They would have tried to pick sauce third pick, and then they would have walked outside

and played soccer. Okay. So I am there to help them. Okay. And for instance, Aaron Rogers coming off the board in round four is absurd when he should be there but it's not in this league which is which are mostly kids just in fields went third overall or something people are doing crazy picks um i helped also you turn your child into a football loving cyborg i didn't turn to me he's so like he has such much more much more knowledge but he still

made crazy picks he got upset when i entered the room though and tried to help him but i did help my daughter ellis what did you what was the anecdote you told about your son a couple shows ago you remember it about walker which is beautiful and cute and i love it but what does he do now what's his new thing he does he took what that he took brady and mac jones back to back no no no in terms of watching uh highlights watching games he turns on nfl plus and and starts scrolling through old games i don't know which story that's beautiful yeah you created it's not even a company man it's a company child but he's just like that it but it did make me proud from year one to year two he didn't want my help this year and he did a much better job i wouldn't say it was an adult job

my boys aren't there yet no alice wasn't either i give her like an option of a handful of people She picks it. All right, where were we there? I have no idea. Sorry. Dad corner there. Zay Flowers got a vote. I think that was a nice little plus 16.

That's Jeremy Bergman. That's a, he's going outlier there. That's a fun little plus 1600 vote. That's good. Jerry Bergman. Jerry Bergman. So you going by that now? No, but you might want to think about it.

Bejohn is plus 275 to get it. I like that one. So what does that mean? If you put down 100 bucks on Bejohn, what do you make? You got $2.75? Oh, that makes sense. that's a bad bet though well also you're not allowed to you you particularly would not that's how i don't know yes i don't do those things but greg seems plugged in but we're just

listing what we're listing on the website that's got to be allowed defensive player of the year let's see let's see let's see let's see the number one vote getter is micha parsons of the dallas cowboys you've got 19 of the votes including from gregg rosenthal love this mark Sessler went with... I was the lone individual in the entire organization that voted for Sauce Gardner. And I love it.

God bless you, Chavez. It has an absolute chance of happening. If the Jets are on television 4,000 times, and he has like three pick sixes and wins a game with a pick six, and he's sort of just Dorel Revis 2.0. He has been positioned as that type of star. And they never gave Dorel defensive player of the year, which was an absolute

travesty. But if he wins, defensive rookie of the year and then defensive player of the year, year one, too. We're talking about a potential legend of the position. It is a stretch. I think that, I think it's a little bit tough. It's going to be tougher versus some of these T.J. Watts and Parsons and Miles Garrett's of the world. I am buying

and I think this is my favorite pick of all my picks in terms of like, look, even though he's the most likely guy, Parsons, he's still plus 450. And to me, I think he's got room to grow. We heard about it all off-season. I just think there's another gear for him to go and he's already one the best defensive players have ever seen. So I love me some Michael Parsons this year.

And I've always been a fan of Miles Garrett and his upside. And he does deliver every season when he's healthy. But is this the year where he doesn't get slowed down by anything? And if that doesn't happen, Marg, you've been watching him since day one. Yeah. Closely. If he gets through a season where he doesn't get dinged up and slowed down, I think he's a guy who could break the sack record by week 17. I think it also, like, so you didn't have Clowny there for a couple years, but Zadaria Smith alongside him, that helps. I think it's like you can't ignore the other side of the ball. There have been a couple seasons where he was sort of an island,

the lone guy and getting triple teamed and still getting numbers. I do feel like there's a little bit of bias against the Browns in general. Just through this whole exercise that we go into. Let's get to that. I disagree. Maybe not Miles Garrett, but. That team. We'll get to it.

Let's get to it. Offensive player of the year, Greg, did you sit out? this year, I know you famously hate this. I actually did it for the first time ever, and I even got a response from our editors saying, wow, you did it this year. I did it for the last time. A difficult, a difficult employee. Well, I mean, I have principles, and I stand by them until the one year I randomly don't.

For the new listeners, why don't you like offensive player of the year? Because it's just like. As a concept. Because it used to, it's just like it should be the best quarter. It's just the same as MVP, because MVP is always offensive. It should be the same thing. It's like best picture, best director. I guess I've been convinced that it's just a nice way to honor someone else that's not a quarter.

A minor tweak would be make offensive player of the year a non-quarterback award. Yes. Absolutely. There were a number of years, Manning was one year. There was a Rogers year where the quarterback swept the same guy. And that was when I really was against it. But that hasn't been happening lately. That should not be allowed.

I was a little surprised to see this. And the vote was split heavily on this one. So the leading vote got only got seven votes. And none of us. here did it but Kevin Patrick did Christian McCaffrey I just you know he's just so there's so many touches to go around there and I know he's going to get plenty in San Francisco but is he going to be able to stay healthy you never know okay so let's see where did I go I went with Garrett Wilson so there was my my Jet fandom coming through maybe but not really because

Garrett Wilson to me and I don't need to get into this because I've said it before but when you watch him he's one of those guys he just jumps off the screen and when the ball in his hands. He's both smooth and violent in the way he runs, cuts, jukes. And now you pair with Aaron Rogers and the chemistry is absolutely there. I thought it was a nice little moment

in Hard Knocks when they their last played together on the field. Touchdown on a perfectly thrown Rogers ball and Rogers went up to Garrett Wilson said first of many, bro. Aaron Rogers knows he's special. That's good enough for me. If he says healthy, I might have an onion hanger coming up when we do our sandwich props

around Garrett Wilson. I'll hold it there. That was my pick. What did you guys go with? Let's see. I went Jalen Hertz. Now, I'm with you. I kind of think if I could organize the awards a certain way, it wouldn't be, it would be quarterback. Did he or Justin Jefferson win it last year? I think it was Jefferson. It's interesting. They're both $2,500 in Vegas. It's just weird because like then why wouldn't he, why wouldn't he be the MVP? Well, because there's someone else that very clearly could be the MVP.

It shouldn't be two quarterbacks, but it is. So on this list, there is Justin Fields, Jalen Hertz, Aaron Rogers, Joe Burrow, LeVar Jackson, Tua. Chase got the second most amount of votes in Vegas. Chase and Jefferson and McCaffrey are the top three most likely. I went totally wild. I went Chris Olive. Saw that. I mean, do I think this is going to happen?

I mean, probably not. But I just thought it would be nice to throw him in the mix as someone to keep an eye on and that he would have a chance. I think he has a chance at like a 15, 1600 yards. season. It's a bit of the long shot. I like it. Finally.

Yeah, that's a good pick. I think Alavi was basically Garrett Wilson South last year. Guy that was just different and special right away. Most valuable player. All right. So, in this category, Mark, you and I

both went with the great Mahomes. Yeah. I went with Mahomes because you know, these MVP awards, as you see it, they are not afraid to go on runs with guys, the voters. They are okay with that. Brett Farv, I believe, won three in a row. We've seen other players, Manning, won multiples. Players go on streaks.

Brady, I believe, did it back to back, right, at some point? No. Did he never do back to back? He was quite, yeah, his three were pretty far apart. Let me look this data up. But I thought he, if there's anybody... Manning got a couple in a row. If there's anybody who the academy, as it were, would be willing to continue to reward excellence.

It's this guy who's the face of the NFL. So I feel good, knowing that Mahomes, once again, is going to put up monster numbers for the best team in football, the Super Bowl champs. That's my vote. Easy, but. I think he is the, in the flesh he is. And you're right, it is the one category where it's like, we don't have to come up with a different name every year, like coach of the year and all these other ones. Like, it's just Mahomes. and it would be an upset to me if any of these other names won.

But Greg, you went to... Well, last year I nailed that MVP by choosing Mahomes, and I'm honking about it right now. And not that many people were picking Mahomes last year. So you don't want to be a year late. So I moved to my guy in the division, Justin Herbert. So this is the year that he's unleashed Kellyn Moore going down the field. Great offensive line.

Great weapons. I really do think he's got a chance for a 5,000-yard, insane statistical season and he's not one of the bigger long, you know, he's like the fourth or fifth favorite in Vegas so I'm not totally coming out of left field but I went just in Herbert. Okay. And my long shot, we talked about it earlier

last week, Trevor Lawrence is a long shot I kind of like I don't know if did he get any votes? No, not one. A little surprise by that. In Vegas he's only the sixth six or seventh most likely which is not too low on the list. Here is just for you history buffs out there. Joe Montana went back-to-back 89-90.

Farr went back-to-back-to-back, 95-96. There you go. That's insane. Hello, Larry. Let's see. Kurt Warner won two out of three. Doesn't count. Peyton Manning went back-to-back.

03, he shared it with McNair and then one on his own in 2004. And then Manning won it again back-to-back. Wow. 08 and 09. And then it kind of bounced around a little bit until Aaron Rogers went back-to-back. in 20 and 21. So there is history. And Mahomes has never gone back to back,

even though he's won it twice. So if anybody, if you were to set odds on like, who's a guy that's going to have at least one stretch in his career where he wins back to back. Come on. That's absolutely.

It's Pat. Bad sketch. How did a movie? We'll never know. We'll never know. I like Julia Sweeney. Fine. Good actress.

Good comedian. A funny woman, they'd say. That was a big misstep by old Lauren Michaels. that honorable S&L say the least for kids out there it's pat was a popular sketch

on the show Saturday Night Live in the late 90s early 90s maybe even mid okay so there you go that is all the award predictions

when we get back season predictions including our Super Bowl picks teas we'll be right back oh but before we do reminder ATN plus NFL plus new shows every Monday and Thursday

the Monday show it's our game of the week where we dive in watch it again together share thoughts insights all sorts of good stuff it's like while you're watching Game Pass you're going through the games because you enjoy watching the games again and then you're like oh I'm not going to rewatch that game on Game Pass which is also on NFL Plus, because I'm going to watch the heroes talk about it. Dang. A lot of rules, a lot of guidelines, but I think you want to follow these ones.

If you're a fanatic of the game. Yes. You do what Greg just said, that seven or eight things he told you to do. You go do that. Well said, Mark. And on Thursday, it's going to be our Dreamatorium show. Lots of classic war horses of our show, favorite segments, and new ones. in addition to a fan outreach where we ask you the fans to deliver us, ATN, your most creative video submissions.

Send them to ATN Fan of the Week at gmail.com. If it's funny, if it's incisive, if it's weird, give it to us. We'll be right back. What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation

that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on game day. Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it.

Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Matt Jones. Now, I'm Drew Franklin. and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game.

What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, 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.

Welcome. Welcome, welcome. Now it gets real. Because, you know, winning awards, Mark, that's an individual triumph. Yeah, that would be focused on self. But the idea in the end is for the team collectively to be hoisting that Lombardi trophy. So let's talk about what really matters, success of the teams.

we're going to go through the divisions pick the division winners also share our wild card picks and then we'll get to the postseason but let's start in the aFC and let's do it let's start in the afc east um mark who do you got coming out of this division as the champ this was the toughest division for me to sort through i spent probably 18 to 20 seconds on this one um i went bills. Well, no, when you're filling this thing, you're kind of just, you've been thinking about this for months.

Just bang through these things. There's two ways to look at it. You could labor over it. Right. Or, you're right, after all the kind of conversations. Good instinct. I feel like I've been thinking about it,

you think about it all off season. But I also had to contact the editors to change my answers multiple times. You were, Greg, I don't know what, like, what did you go with, Greg? I went with the bills. This one I didn't. From what?

What did you change it from? No, this division I didn't. Okay. I mean, there were a couple other choices. is the NFC wildcard situation. I kept going back and forth. We'll get to that. I felt good.

I mean, I led my over-unders with the bills. I didn't lead it, but they were one of my picks of the overs. I just feel like they are one of the three or four best teams in the NFL still until I am shown otherwise. Taking them over your jets. A lot of people took the jets, though. Where are you, Dan? More than ever in this exercise took the jets.

I would gamble. So I think it was... Well, if you go all the way back to peak, I don't think they had many people doing this back then. Yeah, but even then, did they have them going over the Patriots? Maybe that one year there was a lot of hype coming into it. 12 votes for the Jets and 20 for the Bills. That sounds about right in terms of...

I'm surprised the Dolphins only got two. Yeah, I... Yeah, Stunner. I went with the Jets. Patra and Shook went Dolphins. Yeah, and that's okay too, because I see the Jets who are at plus 250, by the way, Dolphins plus 300. You could...

You could make a case for either of those teams. if things break the right way and then the bills come down just a little bit. It's very interesting. And by the way, no votes for your darling Patriots, Gregi. But here's the good news. Someone that we respect very much, a former colleague,

did pick the Patriots to win the division, Connor Orr. And he was met with furious blowback in the industry. Let's listen in. Welcome back to a very recognizable show. Check in on Sports Illustrate's Connor Orr, who predicted every game on a, schedule and has what do you know the Patriots winning the AFD east what I do

wonder whether upon the return of Bill O'Brien this is Connor's writing it will assume that same kind of automatic competency I like that I like that a lot that defined the majority I would add large majority really I would add almost all vast majority vast majority even better of the Bill Belichick era Brew I didn't even write a question here I was just going to pontificate but do you have any issues with this

Yeah Connor does good work But this is ridiculous First things first FS1 That's got to be a drop Who's the gentleman by the way That was Chris Broussard

I do love how He prefaced it with Connor Orr usually does good work That's a good way to like when you absolutely hate the take but don't want to come off as a jerk. That was kind of a pro move. I love you, Connor.

You did it. And I think it could be a fun, spicy one. They're plus 800 to win the division. So it's a little crazy. But the craziest thing, and I'm just got to mention it now while we're talking pages, because we're not going to revisit it.

They're not in any of our wild card picks. They were in any of the 36 respondents wildcard picks, 04 for these Patriots. And I can't hate on it because I didn't pick them either. I don't think it's that surprising. But I do like a little Patriots Liden in the Weed season. Well, all right, that's fine.

But, like, this is why I was surprised that I'm the only one that feels that Belichick's safer than perhaps you guys do, just because the team's not that great. And the division seems to be very good. He is the team. If they're not great, he is the most responsible person.

He could coach this team up and they could go seven and ten. And it's not because he's bad at what he does. It's because. think about it then. Wait a hold on, though. As a general manager, you'd have to say this overall roster is lacking.

I think it's average. But that's a very average team. I think it's average. I don't think it's not great. No, but I think it's. But he's great. But this is right. Doesn't he get the benefit of the doubt?

Hold on. The reason we're talking about Belichick, this year particularly, it's relative to all the other seasons where he was as safe as any coach in any sport. I should have put them. It's now Kraft has talked about this team this season, the Bill Belichick experience,

the Matt Patricia experience in a bit of a different way than we've ever heard him talk about Belichick. And I think, you know, these marriages come to a conclusion at times. This is a different feel. You have to say that, Dan, right, than in past years with Belichick. I like the... Of course. It's a different era now.

So that's why we talk about it. They're not. And yet, I should have... You know, I'm not showing my belief because I didn't put them as a wildcard or anything. There's just so many good teams in the AFC. But I am... honestly optimistic that they can surprise teams winning with the defensive personnel that they have

and a much more efficient offense. It just would not surprise me at all if they beat one of the end up ahead of one of these AFC East teams, the Jets or the Dolphins specifically, that end up being a discipline. Well, one of these teams will probably lose their quarterback for the year. It's like, I think I see the Patriots like winning eight games. They're not a disaster. When I say that, I think they have a chance to win 10 games this year. But I did not say it with my chest

Because they're also I am with you I thought that last year But I underestimated the Patricia disaster of it all I think they're always lying in the weeds in that sense And guess what? Bill Belchuk's going to win coach of the year

If they win 10 games a show I was nobody He's never won it right I was very down on them last year This year I feel I feel better I feel better All right Saucy

More on some of these teams in a bit AFC North I Greg Mark just checked his clock I mean there's also I had a thing show up

my function in that corner a little just like Siri started talking you a little thing showed up on my on my watch so I looked at it Greg and I both went with the defending champs of the Cincinnati Bengals as I said last week no team has ever won this

division three years in a row the Bengals are looking to do it think they will but that's not, that doesn't mean, oh, look, old Zusser got the blurb in this one. They came to me for the blurb. I love that. Don't remember writing it. Why Dan Hanses chose the bangles.

The clock is ticking for the offensive core that surrounds Joe Burrow after back-to-back seasons of great success that fell just short with urgency in an all-time high Cincinnati, balanced, battle-tested, and led by a true difference-maker, a quarterback will defend its division crown in a rugged AFC.

Rugged. Rugged. Nice graph. You don't recall writing that? I knocked it out yesterday. I do remember. All right. Tough schedule, but I think if I had to just choose one team, you know, just the Bengals to me feel like the safest, even more than the cheese.

I really feel good about the Bengals going into this year. What's not to like? Yeah. The division and the schedule, I guess. Yeah, or just some, you know. But specifically, what's not to like about this team? Like, remember they won, they were steaming. They went 10 in a row last year.

once they figured things out and Burrow got healthy I think it's going to be a very similar vibe but I think they're going to roll. Burrow has MVP vibes I think they just got to protect against like

another slow start I mean the Burrow calf thing eh kind of like freaks me a little bit but he's practicing maybe he's fine as long as they manage that correctly and you took the Steelers

you're in so deep with the Steelers now that you almost have no other choice I didn't I didn't do this as a trick or a folly like I think they're going to win the division

Well, you're one of four people out of 34 voters. I think actually in the last couple weeks, in the last couple weeks, I'm starting to hear so much. I think the Steelers thing is becoming the vast opposite of original because it's everyone's starting to pile on and feel the Steelers fever. People put too much into the preseason. It's true. People are so on fire because of five drives. Mike Tomlin with bad Steelers teams or down Steelers teams still pulls off nine wins. This is a better version of the Steelers and we've seen in a long time.

Totally agree. They didn't have T.J. Watt for most. of last season. I think their quarterback, like I do put it into the preseason the way that Kenny Pickett through the ball and looked. Okay.

Well, that's a great point, Mark. It's just, I feel like it's a runaway train now because they were efficient on some preseason drives against vanilla defenses of back. Yeah, that's not one called a runaway toy train on the toy train track.

In the end, they still got half the votes that the Ravens got. The Ravens getting in. Maybe I'm talking about you. Twice as much as absurd. What about the Sessler curse, though? That was very real last year, you took down

multiple teams. Well, that's a deep state. That's absolute, like, you know, that's psychological warfare. Like, if I'm a Steelers fan, I am furious by how excited you are about this. So a little uncanny. And how about this?

How about this, Greg? I'd leave the league and start, I'd build a house in the desert. How about this? Greg, or Mark, the X Browns fan, gassing up the Steelers. Gaslighting. In a reverse jinks for the ages.

I'm not gas lighting. Gas lighting. And those are hard air quotes for the listeners for Mark, the X Browns fan. Well, what, if I had to pick some team Reverse jigs, yes or no? No. Yeah, well, hold on.

Whatever team I pick in this division is a former hated foe. You've been down on the Ravens. And he didn't pick the Browns and nobody picked the Browns. So that's not a single voter who thinks the Browns with the Sean Watson could win this division. Okay, so division's fine, but even we'll dig in later, it's like they just were largely ignored. I find that I think there's got to be something. Yeah, but I don't think they're making the playoffs. So, okay.

No problem. Division's a pretty high bar. deep, deep, deep, deep. AFC South, not so deep, comparatively. But 31 votes for the Jaguars. Greg is a special little boy, so he said the Titans. I mean, why aren't you a special little boy when you've been making some of your out of left?

Because, as I've said, that you do not like the Jaguars. Well, I do think there's opportunity here. The Jaguars are a heavier favorite to win their division than I believe any team is in the entire NFL. I guess they're the same as the chiefs to win their division. That's too much to me. And why is that, though? Because the view of the Titans is so low,

and then rightfully it's low of the Colts and Texans. So it's about the rest of the division. But to me, the gap between the Titans and the Jaguars, in all respects, is not that big. I don't think it's big coaching. I would actually take the Titans. I think the defense is really loaded. and I think Tana Hill and Hopkins, we'll see,

but I think the Titans are kind of the poor man Steelers, whereas even in their worst season, like last year, they still find a way to get seven. I think they get to nine or ten, and I think that might be enough. I think what we're seeing here with just three votes, including yours, is that the Titans have been probably prematurely totally written off.

There's a couple reasons for it. I mean, they didn't fix some of their own problems. We've talked about the line. Their wide receiver situation is really variable. We don't know what we're going to get with Ryan, Hannah Hill or any quarterback behind them. But the things you mentioned are consistent and real. I am a special little boy.

My mama. You are a special little boy. Does she still call you and tell you that? I know she listens to the show, so maybe she'll give you a call. I don't know if she actually used those words, but that's the feeling she left me with, yes. I think the window closed on this Titans team and now they're in transition. And because the reason why I'm not feeling good about banging the under on six and a half or whatever, seven and a half, is because of the reasons why what you're saying, Greg,

I actually, I think your take is fair that there might not be as big a gap between the Jags and Titans for this to vote, for instance, to be that crazy 31 to 3 on NFL media. I hear you on that. But one team does have a potential generational quarterback entering year three, really year two in Trevor Lawrence. And one has a 30-year-old running back who's going to the Hall fame. Right.

Ryan Tannawho, who's aging and brittle at the stage, playing behind a bad offensive line. All fair. They got the tickle monsters on the defensive line. I'll get me wrong. And I'm usually an offense is what I pick. And they are the offense is the Jaguars. They are a great-looking offense.

I hear you. All right. AFC West, 32 votes. You are a special little boy, Greg. Yeah, Greg does it again. 32 votes, including Hansis and Sessler, with the defending champion chiefs and it is the bolts

according to Greg. Now you obviously don't actually believe this. Of course I do. Getting a little shine on the chargers. Maybe you'll get some tickets down the line. Maybe Daniel Jeremiah and Matt Money Smith reach out to you and say, hey man, good job on that pick.

Here, come by my seaside estate, hang out for the weekend in the offseason. There's definitely some motivating factors behind the scenes. You have because you have flipped off your internal PR campaign with the Rams and you've picked up the chargers, Greg. This is extremely Machiavelli.

This is, none of that is true. It is absolutely deadly true. I do believe it. Tell me why the chiefs are the best team of this division. As a veteran takesman, though, I think you are hitting on something. Last year, you pick one special team that you really believe has a chance to do something special. For me, that was the Eagles, and you ride that. Right.

Who's that special team this year? I mean, we'll get to the Super Bowl predictions and whatnot, but for me, it's the Chargers. Or like the seventh time in the last nine years, it's the Chargers. Sure, but it was. wasn't last year. I think this is going to be their year. I think their offense is going to be unlocked. I think year three if Staley gets better. I think the Chiefs and the Chargers in this division, you know, I think this division's easier than the North and the East. I think they both have a chance to rack up 12, 13 wins. Maybe there's a little hangover effect from the Chiefs. I don't

know. They've been so good for so long. It's hard to discount them. But I think the Chargers have a better chance to be like a top five team in the NFL than anyone's given them. credit for i i love what i see i know it's on paper i know it's the offensive line but i think they got the quarterback they got the line i'm rolling chargers this year one thing that you see one of the keys with frances you have to have a bunch of pregnant pauses no i talk too fast one thing that you're missing here okay you're missing the fact that the charges always find

a wait and so does Patrick Mahomes back after this that's pretty good it's got to end at some point you know so you got the bluerpher

even even even even uh even Belichick and Brady would have so I don't care I'm just going to keep rolling through verbally the blurb selected the man selected to write

the blurb for the AFC West. Skill. Mark Sessler. I think they're checking to see if I was still awake. I wrote, What Fact, Whisper, or Iota of Gossip suggests the Chiefs are about to be stopped. Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes

will chop through a top-heavy AFC and route to another conference title game and they won't stop there. He went even further. He went too far, actually. Actually, yeah. Once again, spoiling. What are we spoiling?

That's more of the explanation for when you pick your Super Bowl teams. This was just the AFC West, but yes. Guess who will do what they want? All right. So let's now go to our wild card picks. Okay. This is fun. All right.

So I'm trying to think what's the best way to do this because this is a little hard. Why don't we just each say our three wildfire teams? Go ahead, great. Okay. So my wild card teams in the AFC in order, since I put the chiefs not winning the division. And in my vision, Chiefs and Chargers both win 12 or 13 games, something like that. So the Chiefs are my number one wildcard team. I included the Ravens as my second wildcard team.

I do think their ceiling is extra high, and I think the offense is going to be special. And I, as my third wildcard team, why am I forgetting right now? You got the Jets. I put the Jets. I do. I kind of wanted to hate on the Jets, but I just don't believe it. I believe that they're going to be good enough on both sides of the ball. So they got in.

All right. I've got the Bengals as the first wild card team. There's no, like, disdain for the Bengals on any level. I think they're just going to get nicked by the Steelers. Chargers, second. Believe a lot of what you said, Greg. And Jets third. So we're pretty chalky here.

Even though I switched my teams around, they weren't crazy teams. All right. What about you? I have, because I picked the Jets to win the East, but I still like the bills a lot. lot. Okay. So I have them as my first wild card. I have the Browns as my second wild card. I and I'm one of the only people, the entire media group to even think they have a chance to even play January football. Only four people put them into the playoffs out of 36. And I do have three teams coming out of the AFC North. I have the Pittsburgh Steelers as the third wild card team. So that means that I don't see the dolphins or the Chargers. getting that spot and feel pretty good about it. I think we were all sensible.

I like the Brown's got some representation. I'm not in on it, but it seems to me they should be represented. It's interesting, none of us put the dolphins in the playoffs. And it's funny because if we had taped this podcast in May, the dolphins very well might have been my chargers that I just would have put it all.

I was all into the dolphins back then. And for some reason, by the time we got to the season, it just feels like there's nine or ten really good the AFC teams and the dolphins after a bad August got left out. Maybe I'm overrating August. But I think they're getting dinged because of the injuries in the past couple weeks in general. It's like who do I trust more, though?

The bills, the jets, or the dolphins. I trust the jets more than the dolphins. I just feel like they're on a little more stable ground. Who do I trust more? I trust Harbaugh and Lamar, you know, and I maybe I'm crazy, but I trust the Chargers too. All right. NFC, let's move over there now. The NFC East.

Nobody put the Patriots in. How dare they? Nobody. Okay, interesting. Let's see. Mark Sessler, you have the Eagles defending their division. So do you, Greg Rosenthal. I was among 10 voters out of 34 to pick the Dallas Cowboys.

And I think it's not crazy to think that the Cowboys can come up just a little bit and the Eagles come down a little bit. I think this is going to be a great division race. I think this is one of those who they, are they playing each other week 18? I hope they are. You always play your division mate because that would be incredible theater if that's the case. And they're not heavy, heavy favorites, the Eagles. They're minus 125 and the Cowboys are plus 165. So not like a crazy gap, kind of similar to the 24 to 10 votes gap.

But yeah, I stuck with the Eagles. What do we got, Roberts? What's the week 18 Cowboys schedule? Eagles have the Giants in Bummer 18. What are they doing there? They've got the Cowboys on Sunday night in week 14 and week 19. Cowboys have commanders. Week 18.

Nice, timer, sweet. Perfect. Okay, Greg, you did, you picked Eagles. Who's sleeping back there? And you got the blurb on NFL.com. I mean, they know we're top shelf writers here and they go to us in big spots. Why Greg Rosenthal chose the Eagles, colon, go. The Eagles have the best combinations.

of offensive and defensive lines in football. Jalen Hertz is their quarterback. Let's not overcomplicate things here. Greg's like I'm getting out of this assignment about four and a half minutes stops. I mean, less than that's for sure. A minute and a half. 40 seconds.

All right. You're like texting while driving and sending that in. I'm just like, why do we got to even explain it? Look at this team. Not a single vote for the Giants or the commanders. Let's move to the NFC North. 20 votes for the Detroit line. And so we are gassing up those lines.

Not all of us, though, Rosenthal's gassing them. Sessie is gassing them. Oh, here comes the authority. I am a special little boy because I am among the group of people. I thought I picked the Vikings, but I didn't. I picked the Packers apparently. How about that? That surprises me.

But yeah, I said it on our last show that I know everything kind of checks out for the lions here. certainly it feels like it's there quote time but why do I think the Vikings and or the Packers not so much the Bears not yet anyway but certainly even possible bears if everything broke the right way come out of this as the division champ I just don't like all the expectations

on a Lions team that still is I know it's Jared Gough of the quarterback the offense played over its head a little bit potentially last year I'm happy Ben Johnson's back there but perhaps just perhaps the Lions aren't as good as we want them to be. I think it's a, you know, exactly.

We haven't seen it. And the lions are certainly the kind of team where just historically, like, I've attached myself to their caravan before and it's gone right off the side of a mountain. But you stuck with them. And you know what? I've given you some grief. And you stuck with them.

I do. So I appreciate that. I think they have the potential to be the best team in a very confusing division. I think this is a tough one to pick. It's not a good sign for the Bears. There are only two votes. were from Bears fans, Ali Bunpuri and Adam Rank. You know, when they only get it from the fans.

And I have noticed the odds have changed. Four months ago, the Packers were behind the Bears in terms of odds, and people have been kind of appreciating the Packers' chances more and more. Although the Vikings, despite not getting many votes and not getting much love from us, they're actually the second favorite in this division over in Vegas. Interesting. that means a lot of people in Chicago are gassing them up. No, the Vikings are the second favorite.

None of us gave them love, but the Vikings are still a second favorite Packers. Sorry, I was communicating with our producer. You know, yeah. I regret the error. You're multitasking, and I think everyone would forgive you if they understood the weight of your task. I'm sure there's a lot of Chicago fans that are also, quote-unquote, gassing up the bears. Mark and I are on the same page with a lot of these teams.

I like that. You guys are on the same page on a lot of things in life, I find like. All right, NFC South. Now, let's get into it. Let's get really, let's zero in on a team that we could all finally agree on. Have we had one division winner where we're all on the same side? Does it happen yet? I don't think it has.

No, because of Greg, essentially. How about the Saints? I mean, of course we're going to get it with the Saints. Here we go. Hanses has them winning the division. That's it. Because you got, oh, God, the Falcons gas up crew here. No, you went AWOL.

You did the wrong thing. Because I ain't gassing up the Desmond Ritter team. So the Saints are the favorite. They're plus 105. They got 20 votes. Falcons plus 190, a little longer than I would expect 12 votes, including Rosenthal Sessler. Maybe that gives you a little insight why I feel like I'm taking crazy pills in the studio every single week. It's not that big a difference.

Because you guys speak about them like they could go 20 and 0. No, they're the second favorite in the division. And they have a great, it's somehow bigger than just like, looking at the depth chart for me, for them. It's just a feeling of their organization that they're on the right path. Yeah, I think this is a low-octane division. If someone stays healthy and has a desire to absolutely take the top off of every other three houses in the division, that's what the Falcons are going to do.

They're going to beat you up, Dan. And I get your exhaustion, but I think once you start to see them in the flesh, you're going to understand where we're coming from. Here's the thing that's annoying to me the most, that I actually like what they're doing as well. and I was on that early in the spring I was sharing that sentiment with you like I think there are things here you guys were you guys were premature

in the first two years you were wrong and I was right hold on that's incorrect you guys are gasing them up for two years under Arthur Smith yeah wait a minute we were saying that they were they were overachieving to some degree like they won more games that's rewriting history absolutely not go back and listen to any of those episodes and now in year

three of the program I actually think they can matter instead of this cute little game you guys have been playing with the Falcons for years. I can't do it anymore because you guys are gassing them up so much that I have to pull back and bring some sanity to this room.

Okay, great. You know, congratulations. The Saints are the favorites. They're actually a pretty big gap between them and the Falcons and then a huge gap to the Panthers and then the Bucks or even further back.

It's so hard to be me. No, no. I figured out why Dan has always hated the Falcons. Let's hear. Yeah, I'd love to hear this. This is going to be brilliant. Let me take you back.

Clinical psychologist, Greg Rosenthal. You do? Let me take you back to London, October, 20, 21. A young Dan Hansis is on the sidelines watching his little boy, his little boy that will lead him, the hope, Zach Wilson. Oh, yeah, we finally found our quarterback, Zach Wilson. And he's going up against a moribund falcons team who came into that game, not looking to good.

And he's on the side. And there's these big hulking man in this handsome young, quarterback. Oh, this is the guy that's going to finally lead us into the future. And you know who comes out of that game with a big win? Pretty convincing the Atlanta Falcons. And ever since then, he's held it against them. How about you go find the tape of me being sold on Zach Wilson on this podcast? Well, you had a t-shirt about him, didn't you? Yeah, Zach is good or something. If you guys understand that I have a sense of humor, yes, I did have that shirt. We've really gotten under your skin in the last 10 to 12 minutes. You have.

You, I have been exceedingly patient with you bozos about the Falcons for years. And I just can't do it anymore. Start the games. I love it. Start the games. Let's get to the NFC West way. I think we all agree. I think we got one.

Finally, the San Francisco 49ers. We're all in lockstep. Man, Greg, I thought you were going to go Seattle here. No, I didn't believe it in my heart. 30 votes, NFL media for the Niners. just two, four votes, excuse me, for the Seattle Seahawks. I mean, yeah, talk about trying too hard. The Niners just seem, now, I want Nick Bose on the field,

but even with that up in the air, I feel confident about this one. Well, just the way that, like, last year, these two teams mostly intact and similar to today, San Francisco just seemed to completely solve Seattle. And the back at the Rams are a totally unknown situation. The Cardinals aren't even trying. makes it then a Seahawks versus Niners and who's going to, unless you're a Seahawks fan really feel like they're the better team right now. Right.

I think the Seahawks could be significantly more complete as a team and they could even win more games. They won nine last year. I think they could win 10 or 11 and I still think that's not going to be enough in this division. It's just a belief in the 49ers is not a discounting of the Seahawks for me. All right. Let's look at our wild card picks. And yes, I have the Cowboys winning the NFC East, but it doesn't mean that. The Eagles are a flop this season.

In fact, I think they're going to be very good again, which means they're going to get the first wildcourt in the NFC. See, I didn't go there. I like to have my cake and I eat it too, Dan. Chom, chom, chom. So I'm still high on those Seahawks. I make them my number one NFC wildcard team, and I see a nice little name next to me.

Well, I picked the Seahawks, too, and I filed this before Greg. Kissing Corner. Well, I wouldn't know what you filed. Kissing Corner. Kissing Cousin Cousins. What is it? Kissing Cousins. That was you in West and West.

and I both were pro-Kirk cousins for a bit. Wild card, too. I have the Seahawks. So I feel good about the Seahawks as well, not in the class of the San Francisco 49ers, but, you know, 10 wins. What do you got, Greg? I mean, this is almost getting scary.

I mentioned on our last show, actually, they were on the NFC. At first, I left the Cowboys out of the playoffs. This is where the e-mail started coming back forward. I had them in, I had them out, I had them in. I was just so stupid. I was trying to be too takey. Like, there's no reason not to believe

that the Cowboys are going to win a lot of games. Yeah, I got the Cowboys, too. We have the exact same again. Those guys are basic. What do you mean? I mean, you're lockstep on everything. I mean, but yeah, just as a weird coincidence. I think we've figured out how to really unschool you.

What? So I should pick the Cowboys not in the playoffs. Here, we're going to disagree on this third wild card. I need you guys to disagree on something. I have the Falcons to play on twice now. I pick the Falcons as a wild card and a division. That's not true. Wild card three.

I surprised myself here. I did put the lines in the playoffs. I have my third wild card. Okay, so there's a lot of agreement. They're not too many crazy teams here. But I'm putting the old commandos. I kind of mentioned it earlier. Rivera, I think that line, that defensive line,

I think Howell's going to be fun. I just think they're going to have a great spirit about them and find their way to 10 wins. They managed to win seven or eight games with Rivera these last three years, despite a lot of trouble. So I think they get that third wildcard spot, keep his job. I don't think that's crazy. I went Giants.

I guess one thing that this isn't the same level of annoyance as you feel about the Falcons. But this everyone, just looking at last year's giant season, and I get it, maybe inflated win total there, no problem. But, like, are they really well coached? Do they have some pieces? Have they added some pieces? Do they have a defensive coordinator I love?

Do I love Brian Daibow? Like, Giants are my third team. I'm glad you represented the G-Men. Yeah. Who's to say they can't be building off last year? Why does it have to be, you know, they're cooked and Daniel Jones stinks? That's just negative talk. So there's so many teams that got multiple.

Exactly. So many teams, including the G-Men, that got multiple votes for that last wildguards. It was really split. But actually, the team that got the most that would get the, in theory, consensus seventh spot was the Vikings among the voter. That's actually I thought what I had emailed in, because I do have this weird feeling about the Vikings being better than people think. Because everyone, kind of like the Giants, and they were similar in that they were both kind of very fortunate in one-score games in a way you don't usually see. But, yeah, I think the Lions are a better team probably at this point. Saints got seven total points, Packers, six, Bears got four people voting for them for the last spot.

And yes, that Rams employee, MJD, is one of two people to put the Rams in. The Saints are the team that I had in multiple different versions of this and kept 10. taking in and out, in and out, in and out. So do you have the Cowboys? I have the Saints out. None of us have the Saints in, and Saints Twitter is going to come after us because they're so high. I have the Saints winning the NFC. I don't even check Twitter.

So find me in a different mailbox. Do you have the Cowboys in third place or last place in NFC? No, I had them at second. My second Wild Card. Oh, they are the second Wild Card. Commanders. Commanders are in the playoffs as third place. I mean, if MJD's vision here, maybe some sort of mushroom vision comes true in the Rams or in the

playoffs, like that would be one of the weirdest. stories after this off season. Well, it reminds me of the year coming off Baker's good year in Cleveland that there was like four Browns fans who all picked them to make the Super Bowl or ASC championship and you were one of them. Joe Thomas. The Freddie Kitchens era.

I won't make fun of that because we're not done with this episode yet. If you have the Cowboys, the Eagles and the commanders all in the playoffs, what do you have the Giants at 1 and 16, 2 and 15, Greg, this year? It's almost like in a little bit of an agenda there a little bit i don't feel good about my giants over under under that i put out there i

really don't i regret it and because i got bleeped out with my one of my other over unders but guess what 46 42 oh that's greg's intermodel of love 46 42 go ahead what is that uh the two of the best years of my life. 42's already happened. 46 is coming. I don't know. I don't know.

Go ahead. Are we doing Super Bowl picks? Can I go to him? Because I know you try to bleat me out here with the Chargers over under, but now we know we're going over

because we're putting them in the Super Bowl. Let's go bolts. I'm going to have them lose, though, to the Eagles. I'm sticking with the Eagles. So the Eagles, I'm sticking with them,

but they win over the Chargers. Finally, in the end, someone takes down Justin Herbert, but Eagles Chargers, two next-gen quarterbacks on the biggest of stages in Vegas, Walker Rosenthal will be watching. Wow.

Hopefully. The Los Angeles Chargers in the Super Bowl. I think they're that talented. I think they are a top six team. What a story that would be, going from blowing a 27-0 wildcard playoff lead

and losing. Yes. Having what many people believe to be a coach that's in and over his head. Yes. And then to turn it all around. Let's go. And go all the way to the Super Bowl.

Like way back when there was a team that had a magnificent regular season and were completely upset and stunned by the Jaguars in the playoffs. The late 90s Broncos, they came back around and like Shanahan the next year, devastated going to win the Super Bowl. Is he going to do it? I'm going to lock. Wait. I'm not picking the Chargers to do anything close to that.

I'm just saying that would be, no, the Broncos is not going to the Super Bowl. Oh, yeah, the Broncos didn't get any one. You want mine? I got 49ers. Okay. Taking out the Chiefs. Revenge. Finally, Kyle Shanahan gets it.

It's going to be Brock Purdy. He's going to go wire to wire. They're going to have a 77-yard pick-six of Mahomes with seconds to go in the fourth quarter and win the game. Love it. Wow. Love when you get detail like that. Specific.

It is sort of lost to history, I feel like somewhat that the Chiefs were down 10 points in the fourth quarter. Not just down 10 points. They were down 10 points to the Eagles, too. at halftime. They have, Jimmy G. has an open man downfield, Emmanuel Sanders fourth quarter. If he hits the pass,

it's over, Johnny. I mean, it is over 2420, and he misses him. And leaves the door open for the great Mahomes. Who wasn't even having that great a game at that point? All right, 49ers finally get it done. That would be really

well, in my fantasy world. Impressive after being to the NFC championship game, what, three out of the last four years, and to keep coming back. That is an incredible organization when you keep getting back. You know, someone's voice I haven't heard in a while, and I miss him,

and I hope everything's cool because I thought he would be at the Hall of Fame, where two jet grates were, went in, were inducted, and then they played the Hall of Fame game against the Browns, and then I thought we'd see him on hard knocks, but we did not see him on Hard Knocks. Let's hear

from Joe Namath. I think we go heck of a shot of winning. We'll beat anybody in the world, and I think we're going to win next Sunday. Yes, Namath is on the hot seat. Most of the pressure is on him. He has said that the jets are going to win. He doesn't even predict it. He said, I guarantee a jet victory. Attitude is a whole lot in life, and I had a terrific attitude about that game. I know we're going to win. I have that attitude. I feel that way, and it's not overconfidence thing. It's football sense. Talking about guaranteeing we're going to win, yeah. That's right. That's the way we felt.

That's the way we felt. 55 years this January, Joe Namath guaranteed Super Bowl 3 over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts, 16-7 win, altered pro football forever. I've got news for you. We're going to win the game. I guarantee it. was his quote by the pool. A young Brent Musburger was there. Sure.

Amongst other reporters. Aaron Rogers in 2024. Samezies. Mm. Now, that wouldn't be as impactful. Sam'sies is the quote. Aaron, let's actually, we'll get an edit on that. It's too well-spoken for that.

It's, uh, I said on the Hard Knocks podcast, it's time. It's been time. And so many things have to happen to fall into place. But it does for so many other teams. The Chiefs waited forever. The Eagles waited forever. And it happened for them. Now it's time for the Jets to end their tortured half century drought.

Get back to the Super Bowl. And if you're going to go to the Super Bowl, win the damn thing. You can't get to the Super Bowl and not win. And I think they will. The guy, who was the guy the, on Hard Knocks, he was like the guy that looked into the future. And he predicted, the mentalist, the mentalist predicted Jets 31, 49ers 21. That works for me. We back, baby.

Jets finally win the Super Bowl. And Aaron Rogers is a legend to rival any New York hero that's ever lived. Why not us? And you can say, oh, Dan's setting himself up. Oh, Dan, blah, blah, blah. I always thought if I ever got to the Super Bowl as a fan, not just winning the game, and we've been up close for years,

that fun, that two-week break between the games and all the fans have flooded into the city, that's part of the glory as well, like that build-up to that game. I just want to experience that once. even this off season when Rogers got there at the end of April people are saying like Jets fans are getting in over their skis and getting so excited that's okay like we've been able to enjoy this summer and express hope and optimism

but that's all in the past now now we need to see results and man the logic checks out now we just need it to happen I mean why do you do all this if you don't have those two weeks if you don't have that moment Patriots fans have had it multiple times to the point where it's like it all becomes almost normalized on some level. I'm not speaking for you, Greg, but like for a Jets fan, it isn't even just you haven't been there. You've been a laughing stock.

You know, you have to defend your team in our newsroom all the time, out at taverns and bars. When people find out you're a Jets fan, they giggle at you behind your back. Like, this would end all that. That's just behind my back. Right in front of your face.

But I actually think after all we've been through on this show, too, you've done a, like, you could have been hyper-annoying, about the Jets during all this. I don't think you have been. I think you have been kind of stoic about it. It's like that would be a pretty incredible sports journey. And I think the most winding, bizarre, unbelievable NFL tale that I could have, I could imagine.

So I would love to see it. Your dad, I mean, give me a break. Think about not just your sons, because they have a long, long time to see what happens with the Jets. Like your dad has been waiting and waiting. I would hope he'd be your guest at that game. I'm pretty sure he would be. Oh, you know he would be.

Yes, stoic would not be the word I would use to. described Dan's fandom of the Jets and I love them for it. Well, I just mean like these couple months, you haven't been going nuts. Part of that is defensive. Sure. Yeah, I don't I know that it's very, there's so many outcomes that work against this happening. That

makes sense as well. It's one little fun subplight of this season because I'm looking back there at our producer, Eric Roberts with his Bill's hat on. Is that a Bill's hat? Yep. Old school Bill's hat. And I'm thinking how many of these teams in the AFC feel just like those Jets fans. If you look at

Who have the best quarterbacks? Long, tortured fan base waiting for their title, the Buffalo Bills. A long tortured fan base with a great quarterback, the Cincinnati Bengals, who are just there. Not a great franchise, but a tortured fan base with great quarterbacks, the Los Angeles Chargers, who I have in the Super Bowl. Like, there are a lot of great possible stories. Dolphin fans have been waiting a long time.

They have had a rough road. A lot of great possible stories with great players leading them in the AFC. There's going to be a lot of disappointment, but that's why we're bored of the chiefs. We've got to get someone else. And what's a little bit annoying is Browns fans. And that's what complicates their situation. Yeah.

Is that that the one fan base that feels like you can't really feel the same way for, but they made their bed and they picked their quarterback to try to get over the hump, but complicated their situation. That would be a very different two weeks. I think you're right. All right. We got everything? I mean, yes.

We famously thought. thought the show is going to be about 20 minutes shorter. So, Mark, apologize to your children who are waiting on the street corners right now. Play them this episode in full. I'm an absolute professional and rearranged some plans while we were doing the show. I had absolute blast. Really? Yes.

He's like, Colton, remember that day I told you, I taught you how to drive in case of emergency? Use that leg. Sitting on three phone books. Yeah, I don't know how exactly it was. leg extenders uh all right we are done um for today but just starting off a huge week as we steam towards the thursday night opener between the chiefs and the lions we could finally stop talking about what's to come and experience it all until Got that hard knocks recap final finale Finaly tomorrow Big Wednesday show after that

And the preview It's all happening He'd the call This is an I-heart podcast.