NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2023 Week 2 Recap

Episode Date: September 18, 2023

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler recap the second week of the 2023 season. The heroes open with the Seahawks visiting the Lions (02:58), the Packers at the Falc...ons (13:22), and the Chiefs at the Jaguars (22:59). After the break, Nick Shook joins the heroes to recap the Ravens at the Bengals (28:25) and the Commanders at the Broncos (35:53). The heroes wrap up the show with the Chargers at the Titans (44:21), the Jets at the Cowboys (55:57), the Giants at the Cardinals (01:04:30), the 49ers at the Rams (01:11:42), the Raiders at the Bills (01:22:10), the Bears at the Buccaneers (01:29:55), the Colts at the Texans (01:37:00) and the Dolphins at the Patriots (01:45:44).  Note: Time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Starting point is 00:00:25 It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.
Starting point is 00:01:01 Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast. Always goes for it on fourth down. From the Chris Wessling podcast studio, it's Around the NFL. Flagship Program Sunday Recap. And I am Dan Hansis, and I have Greg Rosenthal and Mark Sessler here.
Starting point is 00:01:38 How are you, boys? Feeling frisky. Oh. I don't know what that means. Greg and I spent a lot of time together today, as we do on these Sundays. Yes, how was it? Well, I end the Thursday night recap the bond, not just because of our adopted team. We'll get to them later.
Starting point is 00:01:56 It's just going stronger and strong. I know you don't like it. You want animosity. You try to bring us apart. It's a burgeoning issue for you, Dan. Let us, let me, send me a photo of the two of you hanging out in a social setting. And then I'll start to get. We are always, I mean, I'm in the same social settings as with you as with you.
Starting point is 00:02:13 The fact that you're, you can get along with each other at work should not be something that's celebrated or made for me to feel uncomfortable. I'm happy you guys like each other in the office. We can choose to celebrate each other in any way we wish. It's a change. I appreciate it. How is it a change? Be the change you want to see in the world. You know who said that?
Starting point is 00:02:33 Mike Tyson. Well, Greg has said it multiple. Yes. We're just pushing back on a little narrative. But you made the narrative. I'm happy you guys are falling in love and agree with all the same things. You sound thrilled. You sound absolutely thrilled with the development.
Starting point is 00:02:45 There's nothing better than a podcast where everyone agrees with everyone at all times. And if I have to be the guy that slides into this little bond, I will. Wow. What a setup. As Razor Ramon once. said, I'm the bad guy. If I must be, I will be for our listeners. And, you know, the referee in Detroit, let's hear him.
Starting point is 00:03:07 Potential rounding. Offense number seven. It's a 10-yard penalty. I'm talking to America here, excuse. And that's cool. He's talking to America on this podcast. We talk to the world. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:03:21 So, yes. Plus one point, ref zero. I think it's great. I think it's great that you guys have this bond. year 11 that's hitting a level that we hadn't seen before. It's an international bond now, according to...
Starting point is 00:03:35 Speaking of it international, we'll have an announcement coming up soon. Leave it there. Leave it there. I feel like our listeners could guess the general gist, but there are specifics. Just leave. Sometimes just leave it, Greg. Leave it. Leave it.
Starting point is 00:03:51 You did the same thing on the Thursday show when Mark and I were laughing about that thing. I don't even remember what you're talking about. You know the thing? You remember the thing. A lot of people have, they've inquired where the giggles came from. And it's like, let's, let the thing. You let the thing in the air.
Starting point is 00:04:08 All right, week two, Sunday, lots of football. I think we just got to get to it. Greg, you ready to get to it? Please. Let's do it. Starting where we must start. The game is actually in the same building where that referee had that little America quip. I wish I knew his name.
Starting point is 00:04:26 I actually typed the officials. I said, I can get that for you. I tried to. Good luck because it just said on Twitter, I typed it in, X, excuse me, the quote, waiting for one tweet saying what the man's name was. Did you try Google? Did you try the game book? That's way too far. So the effort became too much.
Starting point is 00:04:47 It was a search. After the reliable landscape of X didn't provide what you needed. Come on. I'm seeing Alex Kemp, lead official for that game. Yep. Alex Kemp. camper's got a good personality back to fordfield hutchinson is back in the game for the lions gino from the shotgun with walker beside him three wide receivers in the game gino is looking looking now he throws fourth time it's locket does he reach the ball across he goes it's over baby tehawks tyler locket on a little pass out into the right side flat reaches the ball across the pylon he scores
Starting point is 00:05:28 They're going to check to be sure, but all you've got to do is get the ball across the top of the pylon. Hell yeah. And he touches it. He did it. He did it. Knee out of bounds. All right. We got it.
Starting point is 00:05:42 Did he say my hero? It was worth hanging in. Well, we don't need that. That's what I do. What a game by the Seahaw. All right. Here we go. Steve Ravel and Dave Wyman with a call, K-I-R-O.
Starting point is 00:05:54 The Seahawks almost let it slip away at Ford Field, blowing a comeback. 10.4th quarter lead, but they won the overtime coin toss, then won the game. When Gino connected with Tyler Lockett, O'Reliable, who connected with the Pylon. Final score, Seahawks 37, Lions 31. Greggie, great back and forth a fair and a huge lift for Seattle after Week 1's disappointment. An awesome game between these two teams for the second straight year was 48 to 45 last year. This one just as exciting, and as much as I want to honk about Gino, and we can a little later. I just think Tyler Lockett's one of those guys that is going to be a legend in Seattle for the rest of his life.
Starting point is 00:06:35 What is this? His 10th year in the league that he's a bigger deal to his team than you can possibly imagine. And to me, this was such a classic Tyler Lockett game. He drew a PI that led to a TD early. And then 2421 fourth quarter early, Seahawks trailing, third in 10, big spot. I'm sorry, they were trailing by four at the time. Rilling by 4, 3rd and 10, Big Spock, need that first down. Lockett creates so much separation, wins early in the route,
Starting point is 00:07:04 gets open for Gino, gets the first down. Very next play, gets open immediately for Gino, who drops it in the bucket on a beautiful touchdown pass, and then fast forward to overtime. When he needs someone to get open and make a play, it's Tyler Lockett. And so he doesn't jump off the box score, but it was such a smart veteran game by Gino, Lockett,
Starting point is 00:07:26 and D.K. Meccaf, who was fighting through an injury to survive without their two starting tackles against this Lions team. So it's such a week two type performance in general with the NFL where there's this bounce back. And we saw it from Seattle and Gino looks like it played great. Like, I have a question because my takeaway from watching the Lions against the Chiefs in the opener was, wow, this defense is transformed. It's different. It's changed. The secondary especially, and I'm looking at the numbers today. It's like, what happened to Detroit's secondary? Well, let's let Dan Campbell start by maybe addressing some of that.
Starting point is 00:08:00 You know, we had our opportunities there again, man, take the turnovers away. All of a sudden, man, we're in control of that game like we should be. But ultimately, you know what? They got the ball out. We didn't. And we put a tremendous amount of stress on our defense, you know, when you do that. And we did. We had some, man, you know, we had some really good opportunities that we just didn't capitalize from.
Starting point is 00:08:24 And, look, I know it stings, and those guys are disappointed. I'm disappointed the staff is, but my gosh, man, this is good. You know, we'll get a little humble pie here, and we've got a real good opponent coming in next week. And, you know, they run it as good if not better than those guys, and they have better weapons. I usually think, again, Campbell's pretty straightforward. That was not being straightforward. He said it was good. His defense was bad.
Starting point is 00:08:55 I think he's doing the thing. It's the Parcells thing, too, and he once played for Parcells, where you pump him up a little bit, like the people that really need to hear it, the negative stuff, you don't say it to him after a loss. It was on their defense. Yes, the offense turned it over. That was the difference in the game, because otherwise I think the lines could have put up 50 today.
Starting point is 00:09:15 But the defense had one quarterback hit, the entire game. That came on a play where Gino Smith thought that he had to take a sack, no matter what, and it would have been the play that people remember Gino on this game for. He played like 50 perfect snaps and then ran around and took a 17-yard loss because he didn't want to stop the clock, even though it was the two-minute warning right before they gave the ball back to the lines late in regulation. That was the only time anyone touched Gino the whole game. And yes, Gino did a great job navigating the pocket.
Starting point is 00:09:45 He got rid of the ball pretty well, but their pass rush was pretty much absent. The only play Aidan Hutchinson made was like a screen pass. that he tipped, I mean, the Seahawks out-schemed them, they could have had more points in this game, too. So neither defense covered themselves in glory in the lines and didn't make any plays on defense. Gino referred to as the adversity killer after this game.
Starting point is 00:10:11 And by the way, the opponent coming up next is the Atlanta Falcons, a team that obviously loves to run the football. Did he just say they had better, the Atlanta Falcons had better skill players than the Seahawks? Weird little. It's D.K. Neckaff, who called Gino the Adversity Killer. So, yeah, that was after all that disappointment in week one to be able to rally back the way they did. And on the line side of the ball, the end of this game, because they had a pick six, Jared Gough, I understand, in this game.
Starting point is 00:10:43 And how did they get back into the game, take me through that? Right. So they were up by four, as I was mentioning, 2117, going into the fourth quarter. The Seahawks end up ripping off two touchdowns in short order. The first of the pass from Lockett. And then Goff on a throw that Campbell said was more of a indecisive route by the running back, which was Jemir Gibbs. I didn't see that.
Starting point is 00:11:08 But injuries really did affect the Lions. They were without their left tackle, Taylor Decker. And for the most part, that was fine. And then they lost David Montgomery in the game, who had a costly fumble too. And the Montgomery injury did hurt him because they had a bad pass protection play, right before Goff through that interception where he took a sack. And then he seemed a little spooked and got rid of the ball a little too quickly, even though pressure wasn't there.
Starting point is 00:11:32 And they blamed it on Gibbs, but I don't know. It just looked like a bad throw and kind of one of those, Goff gets spooked after that long interception streak ended. So their injuries mattered. And they also lost Vaitai, their offensive lineman, to what did not look like a good injury during the game. So that was a couple of key losses. And that's who they are.
Starting point is 00:11:52 I mean, like their offensive line is the. core of, I think one of the huge reasons that, you know, up until today, Jared Goff was without an interception. That streak is broken. That was very costly. Like, I thought, I was sort of expecting Gibbs to make a leap in this game or soon. And it's like seven carries for 17 yards on the ground. Is he just not fully there yet? They, uh, yeah, they didn't really do much on the ground in general, but you can kind of see why they like Montgomery. Gibbs also busted up Seattle on a couple nice choice routes. Like, I'm not that worried about him, but you saw why he was on the ground. I do want to give Pete Carroll just a little bit of juice, though.
Starting point is 00:12:24 Go goes for a fourth down on that drive in the middle of the third quarter, in his own end. It's the second straight week. We've seen some of these old coaches, including Pete, going for it on fourth down. I think he knew his offense had to carry him today, and then they went for it. And give Pete also some juice. Man's in his 70s now. That intentional grounding that led to the, I'm talking to America line.
Starting point is 00:12:51 He was on fire. He was on fire. It was a terrible, terrible. Like a man 40 years as junior. So, Pete, it's a never-ending flow of optimism and energy. Very vivacious. Extremely. And a very nice win for the Seahawks.
Starting point is 00:13:05 And a tough one for Detroit who fall to one-in-one. I do want to hear Jaron Reed just quickly for you guys, who in the locker room after the game was wearing a blue ski mask. Chauncey Gardner Johnson, who's trying to make the blue ski mask a thing in Detroit and all these fans who were so loud. Greg Olsen said it might have been the loudest stadium he's ever been in, especially when they made that comeback.
Starting point is 00:13:25 A lot of people show up with the blue ski mask, but Jaron Reed brings it out in the locker room. That's the risk for the listeners is a dance. There's a huge dance in the locker room. Jaron Reed's got the mask on. Yeah, I didn't like the premise of it, which was Gardner Johnson said, you know, our defense, you know, we're villains or something like that. So let's lean into it.
Starting point is 00:13:52 I don't look at the lines of villains in any way, even if you want to be the bad boys. I like them as a heartwarming, lovable group. So I'm fine with the blue mask going away. It's not my thing. Today they robbed their own offense. So that's not how crime works if you're a smart criminal. Well, you've got to move on from there because there's no coming back.
Starting point is 00:14:11 I think I should maybe. Maybe I should move on from the whole evening after that. Jim Nance had some howlers today where just some different. play on words where Nance is, I think he's just leaning into certain elements of his play by play that just ground the whole telecast to a halt.
Starting point is 00:14:30 It's very concerning to me that the first place you went after my hideous comment was Jim Nance parallel. That's not a good trajectory. Let's head to Atlanta then. He'll like this better. Ball at the 7. Coo to try the field goal to give Atlanta the lead. And the crowd is cooing.
Starting point is 00:14:46 Which has become kind of the norm here in Atlanta. And this will be right at 26 yards. He's hit already today from 24, 33, and 39. That's going to put it right on the 15, so it'll be 25 yards. Pinyon to hold McCullough to snap on the left hash. Young wave for the lead, snap, spot. Kick is up, and it is perfect.
Starting point is 00:15:09 And Atlanta's in front with 57 seconds left. Okay, West Durham with the call, WZGC. Try to contain yourself there on the radio call. Yeah, maybe. Okay, Bijan Robinson ripped off a seven-yard run on fourth and one. That's set up. Coos, 25-yarder with less than a minute to play. And the Falcons rally for a 25-24 win over the undermanned Packers at the Big Benz.
Starting point is 00:15:44 I'll call it that. Mark, it appears as if Bijan or Bajan is the, immediate difference maker. We all expected him to be. Looks great. Through the offense having a lot of up and down moments over the last two weeks, it's not ever been anything but consistency from Bejan Robinson. And I think his role just grows weekly. It's inevitable that we see less of anyone else from the backfield. It's just that powerful. I mean, I want to mention how we got to that moment, though, that kick, because I thought the Falcons, two-thirds of the way through this game, I was sort of imagining this show.
Starting point is 00:16:18 and mentioned to Greg that I thought we were probably going to get verbally last for our enthusiasm. We were nervous. Nervous about this Falcons. We were nervous about what big old mean bully Dan was going to do to us. And there was reason for it. That's terrible. You guys have a bad attitude about that. Okay. We're just having fun with it.
Starting point is 00:16:34 It's okay. It's okay. Separate of this having this conversation again, separate of that. The Falcons were not looking like the hype machine that we had been discussing over the past couple of weeks. Desmond Ritter, really up and down. And it's just like, They weren't the sum of their parts.
Starting point is 00:16:50 I thought they grew up today a little bit. They evolved. And it has a lot to do with Arthur Smith for me. They were down 12 points in the fourth quarter. They reel off 13 consecutive, scored on their final four possessions. And part of it is, you know, they're down 24, 22 just before the two-minute warning. And they're at that fourth and inches situation. And a lesser coach might say, let's just go field goal here.
Starting point is 00:17:15 Instead, Arthur Smith does not want to give the ball back to Green Bay. On fourth and inches, he dials up that Bijon Robinson run. Previously in the game, when they were down 24 to 12, they had a fourth and four from the Packer's six. Again, he's like, I'm going to trust my offense. And on that play, Desmond Ritter, rolled out, ran into the end zone for a score. So it's like Arthur Smith, foot on the gas, over and over, trusting his skill position players to grow up.
Starting point is 00:17:39 And that move to have Robinson do that, milked that clock down. And it put Jordan Love, who had a really particularly great game today in general. into a tough spot. He only had about a minute to operate after that and looked lost. Like the Packers' offense couldn't do anything at that point, and Atlanta completed the comeback. There's a lot to say about the Packers' young receivers, about the ups and downs with Desmond Ritter,
Starting point is 00:18:03 about in general I think where this Falcons offense is. But I kind of love that I think what Arthur Smith is building is coming into focus to some degree. This would have been an easy one, had that final 20 minutes of the game gone differently to be like, the Falcons are half-baked. I think they grew today. This is the recipe. Now, they should get this win at home when the Packers don't have David Bactiari,
Starting point is 00:18:25 which is, that was surprising. Aaron Jones, not there. Christian Watson, not there. Elton Jenkins leaves during the game. So you could argue that's their four best players on offense. Unless you want to throw Jordan Levin as one of their best players on offense. But they also did exactly what the Falcons are supposed to do.
Starting point is 00:18:45 They dominated this game in the line. Cambridge, 446 yards to 224. That's the profile of a game that's not close. 78 plays to 47. That's them wearing down. And so maybe it's not that surprising they had a fourth quarter. So maybe this game shouldn't have been as close, but you still see what the Falcons are. 45 carries 4.7 yards per rush.
Starting point is 00:19:05 There's progress here. I thought it was kind of a bad game plan last week and Smith was defensive about it. And now it makes more sense. Here's Bijon Robinson. He's leading the game team and carries. That makes sense. He has 23 touches. you're going on or 22 touches excuse me 23 touches that's going in for 172 right direction
Starting point is 00:19:23 Kyle Pitts still is lives somewhere but not on this roster but you got drake london more involved with seven targets you know the touchdown just you know I'll have to watch the game but I know Ritter started very poorly and and depending on you know who's watching the game and how you want to see it I was I was reading that there could have been many more potential turnovers for Ritter if the bounces go against Atlanta but I'm not here to rain on the parade You guys watch the game. No, no, because I think Ritter is the parade stopper if you don't get, he threw, you know, he threw his first career interception today.
Starting point is 00:19:54 He also threw a pass right into the arms of Quay Walker that, like, Quay Walker's going to be thinking about that all week. He should not have dropped it. He should have had three picks. He is really inconsistent throwing the ball deep, but he did, they did, Arthur Smith kept trying, and he had a couple deep connections that made a difference in this game, but you're kind of riding that Ritter wave. I'm not sort of selling him as the light bulb in this operation.
Starting point is 00:20:16 This was nice, though. It's a comeback victory. I think this team is built to play from ahead. All teams are, but this team especially, that would be my only concern around Atlanta, because I think this running game, I think we all know is for real.
Starting point is 00:20:30 And if the defense can play at a certain level, I don't know if this was a real test in week two, because Green Bay was so banged up. The Panthers in week one, I don't know about their defense yet. But they're 2-0, though. Yeah, you can't take that away. You can't start any better.
Starting point is 00:20:45 It's been a perfect setup. to start this season, two home games like this where you get the Panthers the first week. And then the Packers, I think, are a tough opponent, but with the injuries that they had, it's massive. The David Bakhtari situation for the Packers, which has been ongoing for years now, literally years. And we were trying to decipher it, Gregie, at the end of the summer leading into the season. And then we thought maybe veteran rest days actually did mean that it was just a veteran rest day because then he played last week, this week, not around. And now LaFleur adds a little more.
Starting point is 00:21:17 context to it and you realize really what the packers are up against with one of their most important players. So Bach Chari, was that a turf? You're going to, no. I mean, we all know that Dave's been dealing with this and so, no. So it could just be a thing where he doesn't play anything? You guys, I'm not going to get into that. Like, we all know this has been, this is two years now. So I'm not going to get into it. It's probably going to be like this from here on out. He was at, he was being asked if Bakhtiari doesn't play on artificial turf now, if that's going to be and maybe it's only at home games at Lambeau
Starting point is 00:21:52 and road games on grass. We'll see. Obviously, it's tender situation. Let's, any other thoughts on the game? I would just say that when you're, yes, you were without those guys, but Jaden Reed, really nice game today, two touchdowns. Dantavy and Wicks,
Starting point is 00:22:09 making big plays. It's like, they're just so young that, like, David Bakhtiari feels from like eight years ago to me. I know he's so important to them, but it's like, they are growing this young offense. And I thought that Jordan Love, like, after two games, I'm sold. Like, this guy can play. I mean, they kind of fizzled out over the
Starting point is 00:22:24 final three drives. That wasn't a great look, but, like, Jordan Love was making plays all over the place. I think we need to represent the Packers fan base here, because behind the glass before we started, I was talking to Randy, Big Funk, and Yeah, I was venting a little bit. Yeah, he was
Starting point is 00:22:40 pissed and that's good. Tell me what you're, what were you saying to me behind the glass? Well, I said some things along the likes of Joe Barry should walk home, walk back to Wisconsin. There was a moment in the game that I think really stood out where Campbell, our all-pro linebacker lined up against Bejohn Robinson. It's like, you can't be making those kinds of calls that way in the game against someone that explosive.
Starting point is 00:23:02 And then also, it was, you know, it was really hard because A. Day Dylan just, he can't, like, go more than five yards or something without tripping somehow. It's like, I get it. He's the big bruiser. He's the big truck. He's a good backup running back. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:23:14 But it's like, if he's, if he's. If he's your truck, if he's your truck, but your truck blows a tire every four yards, it's like, it's frustrating. You got a problem, a vehicle problem. You got a problem. And the young guys look great. Right. And, I mean, that's saying one thing, because everyone's young on that team. But, I mean, it was just, it was tough, man.
Starting point is 00:23:31 And those two big interceptions that the guys, they got to get, you know, it's Jair. The Quay Walker one was just, like, sitting there. But Jairier had a, that's a touchdown. That's a pick six. And it's like, you can't, if you're going to talk all that, and you're going to have that persona, you're going to carry it on the field. You got to back it up. And it's, I'm going to be honest, he was getting cooked for a good part of this game
Starting point is 00:23:51 by a lot of the receivers for the Hawkins. All right. Joe Barry is potentially the offseason sin, though, that sets this team back. Because I was curious. This was like an early litmus test of, is this Packers evens any different? Because they haven't stopped the run for three straight years. This is as tough a test as you can get. And in this game, no, they really weren't any different.
Starting point is 00:24:11 They did not stop the run. Let's head to the big chlorine tank where the Chiefs were looking to get off the match. after a frustrating week one loss. Third and three, Mahomes and the Chiefs at the Jaguar 9, 7-6 Kansas City. 1142 to go third quarter. Single-back McKinnon in front of Mahomes this time. Snap back to Mahomes, rolls to his right side. Now throws it for Kelsey White Open in the end zone.
Starting point is 00:24:35 Touchdown. Kansas City, the 47th time that Patrick Mahomes has found Travis Kelsey in the sweet necker of the end zone. That's in all time. Kansas City Chief's record quarterback to a pass catcher. Kelsey's back. Mitch Haltes. WDAF.
Starting point is 00:24:59 Kelsey caught that touchdown pass. It was to go ahead and eventually game deciding score for the Chiefs who don't really surge again for the second straight wake on offense, but it was enough to take care of the Jacksonville. Jaguar, 17 to 9. in a rematch of the AFC divisional playoffs last week. Boys, this game, I kept on waiting for it to achieve liftoff. It never really happened.
Starting point is 00:25:28 And Kansas City had three early turnovers in this game, and the Jaguars had multiple opportunities on offense, including a first and goal situation where they couldn't punch it in. And in the end, it was one of those games where both head coaches are saying, man, I wish we would have played better, but one side gets to go home with the win, and it was the visitors from Kansas City. These Trevor Lawrence passes
Starting point is 00:25:52 into the back of the end zone where Zay Jones, like, you know, if you're a half an inch, two inches different in a different position, it's a touchdown. I think another one to Calvin Ridley, similar situation. It's like, this game came down to those plays, I thought, for Jacksonville, because I'm watching
Starting point is 00:26:08 a chief's offense that is still waiting to get on track. It's nice to see Sky Moore show up a little bit more. He He played a ton of snaps last week and had zero production. Cadarius Tony caught all five targets. I guess that's a positive. Kelsey caught just four of nine, and he seemed so steamed during this game. I kept cutting to him just, like, freaking out on the field.
Starting point is 00:26:26 Well, it should be said that everyone was steaming because I believe it was around 100 degrees. Well, there's that side. I'm saying more temperament. Right. Which could also lead to temperament change is the climate. Do you want to talk your shit, Tokyo shit? Yeah, it can really lead you to be more amped up and deal with fresh. It's happened to us.
Starting point is 00:26:43 Remember our draft live show? I mean, I was a mess by the end of you were too. Yeah, a lot of frustration on both sides of the ball. I want to point out also that the Chiefs, in addition to the three turnovers, had a ton of penalties in this game, 12 penalties for 94 yards, and a lot of players cramping on the field. I kind of hate that. Like, you know, grew up in the Northeast.
Starting point is 00:27:06 Like, football to me is the leaves fall and some crispness in the air. It's also week two that feels like it makes it even tougher. I think that I think the weather and the elements absolutely played a played an effect in these offensive struggling. And yeah, the Lauren side and the near misses. That's that's frustrating on the positive side for one of the teams here. Chris Jones came back and had an immediate impact in this game. So you have you have him in the mix now. On the negative side for the chiefs, you have Joanne Taylor who started his career with the Jaguars.
Starting point is 00:27:39 His homecoming was terrible. He was penalized five times. bench diverse series flagged twice for false ones for an illegal formation and twice for holding so it's just it's just not even there the whole game was a little bit like man like is a tough spot for the number one overall pick in our draft yeah zoosters i was i was waiting for this game to take off it just couldn't couldn't get it and even iron eagle the normally dependable iron eagle after the kelsey touchdown his quote kelsey finds a blank space for the score referring to the taylor swift song and i'm just like at this point it's already i know there's a relationship versioning here go deeper in the catalog for me i don't if you want to impress me oh go a little deeper than you want you want people to get the joke no you don't you want to go so deep that only the real ones get that's my take i don't i don't know if iron eagle would be the bad beat by eagle he's a swifty potential but he does well he does very well yeah exactly uh and uh if if kelsey's knee is still bothering him you wouldn't know
Starting point is 00:28:39 because he punted the ball into the end from the end zone in celebration. But only four catches on nine targets are 26 yards. So the missed opportunity. Is watching Chiefs games now? Sorry, Greg Lee. I don't know. I haven't really done the necessary deep dive if this is even a real thing. Okay.
Starting point is 00:28:55 So I don't know. I don't think anyone really knows. Even Jason Kelsey was asked about it. He was not going to be talking. It's a missed opportunity. Jaguars could have put the Chiefs at O and 2. Yeah. Could have had a tiebreaker.
Starting point is 00:29:06 Could have been two games up on the Chiefs and held the Chiefs. and held the chiefs to 17 points. It's only seven times in the Mahomes era that they've scored 17 points or less. And you don't even get a touchdown. You're an offensive team. It's a good call. It's a in your building and you circled it as a revenge game after the playoffs and you have the chiefs still finding themselves.
Starting point is 00:29:27 This is when you want to catch the chiefs and you didn't. So, yeah, not a good performance by the Jaguars who only had 271 total yards in the game. All right. Let's take a break, and then we'll welcome in our weekly guest. 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
Starting point is 00:29:49 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.
Starting point is 00:30:18 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. 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.
Starting point is 00:30:49 Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcast.
Starting point is 00:31:11 Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager,
Starting point is 00:31:37 or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. All right, welcome back. We keep on rolling now, and it's time for the Sunday Drive,
Starting point is 00:32:01 presented by the first ever Toyota Grand Highlander. Pat Ricard, Gus. Edwards in the backfield, Lamar Jackson under center. Third down and three, or third down in ball game. Give us to Edwards, up the middle. He's got a hole. He's got a first down. And with 110 left to play in Cincinnati, the Hayes in the Barn.
Starting point is 00:32:23 There it is. And the Ravens will pick up win number two in the 2023 season. I think the Cincinnati Bengals fans know the Hayes in the barn, and they are going to find their horses. John Harbaugh was pumped on the sideline. Wow. Wow, Rod Woodson. And they're going to find their horses.
Starting point is 00:32:44 Jerry Sandusky and Woodson with a call, Ravens Radio. Yes, the big first down conversion by Gus Edwards and Lamar Jackson. Again, looking like the MVP, the Ravens need him to be this season. He threw two touchdown passes, repeatedly extended drives with his legs, and Baltimore topped the still slumbering Bengals 27, 24. Let's now welcome in the great Nick Shook, who looks like a man that's as pumped up as John Harbo was on the sideline after that first down. There it is. I'm still trying to find my horse.
Starting point is 00:33:18 Where is it? What kind of thoroughbred do I have? Is it an Arabian? Get a quarter horse. Horses. Appaloosa. I was in Rod Woodson, like a head coach in one of those spring leagues this year? They still doing that?
Starting point is 00:33:31 Yeah, still doing it. Okay. What are you got, Nick? What were your thoughts? Let's start with Lamar. who did not look very good in week one. The offense was a little sleepy for Baltimore, but this was much more like it, wasn't it?
Starting point is 00:33:44 Yeah, he looked better this week. This offense is starting to find its footing with him because, you know, new offensive coordinator, new system and everything else. He had a couple of really nice passes downfield. He also had a couple of misses, but what I like most about him was that he was able to continue to extend drives,
Starting point is 00:33:58 especially in key moments. And when he lost guys like Odell Beckham, who exited the game, he went to Devon Duvrenay. Well, he tried to go to Devon Duvon. He didn't actually complete a pass, but he did go to Nelson Agalore a lot. He actually ended up leading them in receptions with five. He spread it around.
Starting point is 00:34:13 The offense moved well. The run game was balanced among their running backs. It just looked like an offense that's taking that next step under a new coordinator. And it was really nice to see. But conversely, the team they were playing, it took them six quarters, the seventh quarter of the season to finally score a touchdown. So they were operating with a bit of an advantage in this game. But I was more impressed by the Ravens and Lamar Jackson this week, certainly than I was last. week.
Starting point is 00:34:36 Yeah. They're 0 and 2 again, the Bengals. We were here a year ago. But a year ago, they had five more points per game at this point, nearly 100 more yards per game. They were far better on third down. Joe Burrow is averaging 0.56 fantasy points on vertical passes. Like, I guess it's just like, oh, they're the Bengals,
Starting point is 00:34:54 just like the Bills and the Chiefs. They're a little funky right now, but they're going to get right. Or is there a real concern here? Are they even like the, where would you rank him in the AFC North? Oh, man. Well, considering we haven't seen the Steelers and Browns play this week yet, they're third, if not fourth. It's the offense just has not gotten out of first gear.
Starting point is 00:35:17 And you could tell in the second half of this game, really the end of the first half and going to the second half, that Zach Taylor realized, look, I got to like start from the first step from the ground level here. We're rebuilding this entire offense right now because we cannot do what we did well in the last few years. So we're just going to dink and dunk. We're going to get Joe Burrow into a rhythm, connect with some guys underneath, run some deep digs, beyond the sticks and then maybe we can open it up. They never really opened it up because it was never there. And they just don't look comfortable as an offense and as a whole.
Starting point is 00:35:43 I mean, fans are booing them in the first half of this game Sunday because at one point they had zero first down. They'd run 12 plays. They were, I think, time of possession was four minutes early in the second quarter. Their only offensive touchdown prior to the second half was a punt return touch. That was our first touchdown of year was a punt return. Charlie Jones, shout out Purdue. So not a good situation for them right now.
Starting point is 00:36:04 But they did get a little bit better. They got better, and T. Higgins got on the board with two touchdowns. That's a start after getting shut out yesterday. But to me, the biggest storyline coming out of the game for the Bengals, even beyond the final score, is that Burrow limps off the field after their last possession with aggravated the same calf injury that took out his training camp. And now we're in the middle of it. We're in the middle of the season now.
Starting point is 00:36:27 They're going to be entering week three, 0, and 2. And Burroughs saying if they would have had a chance to get back on the field, I would have been out there. but this is a really big concern shook. And we just saw a superstar quarterback blow his Achilles in week one. Like the fact that Burrow is dealing with a calf and going to try to play through it,
Starting point is 00:36:44 it just gets you nervous. Yeah, and Rogers had a lot more time to heal from that calf injury than Burrow got. So it is without a doubt concerning. And it's calves are kind of, I'm not a doctor, but calves are kind of like hamstrings and that they can be nagging
Starting point is 00:36:56 and that they can be an issue throughout the season. If he's limping in week two, I'm not feeling great about that right now. And if that's part of what's wrong with this offense, then that kind of makes sense because they have too much talent to be operating this way. I do, though, feel a lot better about where they're headed based on how they played in the second half than I was at halftime today. But if this injury is going to be a consistent problem,
Starting point is 00:37:17 then you have to lower your expectations for this team as a whole. He's using one of those Thera guns on his, like, half there on the sideline. Yeah, kind of waking it up there. I think his mobility was an issue last week. You know, the rain maybe is part of that. I'll be anxious to watch it here because he's a different player if he, can't move. I mean, he's a guy who wants to get rid of the ball quickly, but his superpower is he's so good at that. Plus, he can extend and make the plays when he needs to. What fascinating
Starting point is 00:37:43 me, and tell me if you can just see anything different. Here, Shook, is that Lamar got rid of the ball in 2.6 seconds. So far, a career low through two games where he's getting the ball out faster. And I think it's telling that Aguilar was like their fourth or fifth receiver, and then he comes in and is solid enough. Like, in the previous years, he would have been the first receiver. and just from the beginning. So they actually have guys that can come in that are okay when they inevitably suffer Odell Beckham or their receiver injuries.
Starting point is 00:38:12 Yeah, that's what I really like about this offense is they have surprising depth at receiver so much that when DeAndre Hopkins became available in the all season and people tried to pair them with the Ravens, I'm like, look at their death chart. They've got a lot of guys there already. I think it's a little crowded. And that crowded room benefited them today. But you know what really worked more than anything, Greg,
Starting point is 00:38:26 was you talk about quick passes. It was everything over the middle. It was just crossers underneath stuff. You want to talk about getting somebody into a rhythm. and that was Lamar Jackson. He was finding different guys over the middle all game. He took some shots, but it wasn't super prevalent. He didn't even have to extend the play all that much,
Starting point is 00:38:41 except in some key moments where he had to scramble away from the rush and pick up a first down. So I really like the rhythm they got into. And I think that they can be a better passing offense than they've been in the Lamar Jackson area. I'm not saying that's a 5,000 yard season for him, but it offers more potential than we've seen from them to this point in his career. And let me just throw it out there.
Starting point is 00:38:59 Odell Beckham, yes, as we mentioned, did go out with an ankle. It's not believed to be serious, but again, he's a guy that's missed a lot of time in the last couple of years, and it's something to watch. And Burroughs said he'd have to see how his calf feels over the next two days before knowing whether it will affect his availability. Yikes, that was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. Learn more at Toyota.com slash Grand Highlander. Let's head to Mile High with Shoki. Now, Washington can still win the game right here. There's no time on the clock. The Broncos have to convert a two-point conversion to send you.
Starting point is 00:39:32 at the overtime. Drama, Sessler. Batesden. Let's go. Maybe it'll end differently than when I watched it. Play action. Steps up, throws towards the end zone, towards Cornland Sutton.
Starting point is 00:39:48 Incomplete. Broke it up by next to St. Deuce. The flags. Game over. Washington wins 3533. Should have been flags. Oh.
Starting point is 00:39:59 Really? Yeah, this was a wild one. Bongo. It's a wild one. Well, the game itself, it's, I trust our producer implicitly, but it's about the team. Did the team have the moment they need? We're about to talk about it.
Starting point is 00:40:14 Ram Weinstein, London Fletcher, WBIG with the call. Cessler is not about it. Russell Wilson connected on a Hail Mary touchdown to Brandon Johnson as time ran out. With that two-point conversion temp you just heard, incomplete, a crushing end for Denver and a heart-stopping 35-33 win for the commanders. at mile high shook i ask you as a fan okay and i know you're going to be oh browns doubt tomorrow
Starting point is 00:40:40 monday night i'm so bitter it's my monday night what is wrong with you did uh put yourself in the shoes of broncos nation would you rather convert that hail mary and then miss the two-pointer with a missed dpi to boot brutal or never see it get to that moment at all as a fan what would you rather had there never see it gets that moment at all and i can Totally with you. Of course. Yeah. The first example, since you know, you're going to paint me into that Brown's corner,
Starting point is 00:41:07 I was at Brown's Ravens 2015 Monday night football when they had their, uh, game winning field goal attempt returned for a touchdown. Oachers. I remember that one. I've been there. Yeah. Tuffy. Tough sitch.
Starting point is 00:41:19 Uh, your thoughts on this game. So yeah, the, the, the Broncos getting it to that point was a miracle because this is a game. After a quick start for Denver, Washington had total control of before it went mayhem. Try to like. break down like this game because it was kind of all over the place. Okay, so Russell Wilson and Sean Payton discovered that they could hit the deep ball. And Marvin Mims was their guy in this game. 60 yard touchdown pass, just a majestic, beautiful throw.
Starting point is 00:41:46 And I'm like, Russell Wilson's unlocked. They can go deep. Everything's great. They fell in love with that deep ball. They were up 21 to 3 and it felt like Russell got a taste of just what is so delicious in scoring big play touchdowns and being the star and forgot how to operate. the offense in the intermediate short levels because all of a sudden his processing slowed down. He didn't look comfortable in the pocket.
Starting point is 00:42:08 This is not the defense that you necessarily want to try and take a million shots on because their front is so good. Like you have to give Washington a ton of credit two games in a row where they've done a great job up front. But I mean, Russell Wilson was a different quarterback from half one to half two and really quarter one, early quarter two into half two. They blew it. Straight up blew this opportunity in my opinion because of the way their offense just
Starting point is 00:42:30 ground into a halt in this. second half. And then they struggle in the red zone prior to that final possession, which they hit that Hail Mary and have to settle for three. I'm seeing shades of Nathaniel Hackett. And then finally on the two-point conversion, you know what Russell Wilson did? He misses a crossing Jerry Judy open on the left side of the field, just like he missed a crossing KJ Hamler in that game against the Colts in prime my name is Nathaniel Hackett. Thanks. It's nice to see you out here. It was not nice to see this offense. I'm defending the honor of the bongos here. If you give a game where one team is up 21 to where Russell Wilson has multiple bombs,
Starting point is 00:43:04 including one of the wildest Hail Marys we've ever seen. I mean, that thing was a rainmaker, got batted up by like three or four different players, then goes in, and then you lose on the two-point conversion after you made an 11-point comeback in the last five minutes and Sean Payton's 0-2 at home, and in Denver, that feels bongo-worthy.
Starting point is 00:43:25 That's just like bonkers. That's what bongas are all about. I would never doubt our producer. But he nailed it to me. I'm not openly doubting them. I could just, I know what kind of games I like. There's a quiet. For the bongos would come out in my opinion.
Starting point is 00:43:38 I have an argument against this. Most of those comebacks that you just described are explosive. There are tons of fireworks. It's thrilling. This moved to the glacial pace. It was dreadful. The last six minutes, the anxiety was just building the dread that the Broncos fans were going to have to go home and process the fact that they watched their team blow an 18 point lead.
Starting point is 00:43:55 It was there. I could feel it through the TV. And then all of a hell Mary where everybody's, He's like, let's just leave. Let's just get this over with, oh, my God, he caught it. Well, they're probably not going to get the two, and then they didn't get the two. And the look on Sean Payton's face said a lot to me throughout the second half of this game. It was like, how many lemons can you ingest?
Starting point is 00:44:13 I would say, though, flip side, like Washington, because the career of Eric Biedemi in Kansas City, it's like, whatever they achieved, it's like, well, it wasn't really you at Sandy Reed. Like, this Washington offense with a quarterback that was completely untested coming to the season, this was a pretty great performance by Eric Biener. me yeah very solid balance between the run in the past brian robinson had a very great day and you know what guys i owe sam hal and ron rivera an apology because as you guys probably remember maybe not you do a lot of shows you probably no we don't we once did a segment uh what has you shook and i was shook about the fact that he was going to roll with sam how i see why now i see
Starting point is 00:44:48 it i am sold i love the way this kid battles he's a gamer he's decisive he's got to get those bongos yeah so there's the bongo juice right there if that's a thing uh That sounds disgusting, but it's a thing. Now you've said it, so now it's out there. Russ was holding on to the ball for a while. And I hate to put this too much on the offense because the Broncos' defense has really been a problem in both of these games. I know the score wasn't high last week, but per drive, the Raiders put it to them.
Starting point is 00:45:16 And they were the problem here. But Russ did get hit 14 times, seven sacks, four times that the commander's got their hands on the ball in terms of pass defense, passes deflected rather. And so that's too much. I know a lot of teams, we got Young and Sweaty back. It's back, Dan. Chase Young is a thing. Montes Sweat is definitely a thing.
Starting point is 00:45:35 They converged. There's a great moment, and Washington fans have been waiting for this, and we're expecting a lot more of it, quite frankly, in the last couple of years, where on that penultimate drive for Denver, flamed out and ended with a field goal, Young and Sweaty meet at Russell Wilson. And there's a great shot by Fox of young and sweaty, like screaming at each other and excitement after the sack as you see Russell.
Starting point is 00:45:59 Wilson in the background kind of pill himself off the turf and walk away. And it's like, that's what the Washington commanders need for this defense to be special. Those two guys in concert. Now, here's the ultimate test mark. And I said, I set it up this way, shook as we say goodbye. Broncos fans, I'm going to play you the Denver radio call of the Hail Mary from Dave Logan and Rick Lewis, K-O-A. If you don't want to hear it because you wish in reality it never happened, you're going to
Starting point is 00:46:29 to fast forward what about 30 to 45 seconds Eric yes hit the fast forward button three times to be safe if you don't want to hear this because I understand it can be triggering here it comes three seconds to go from the 50 down eight trying to get a free snap commanders don't jump off they rush four rustle in the pocket now bounces around he has no expectation descending well the ball deflected the ball deflected Touch, touchdown, Denver, Brandon Johnson! Oh, my word!
Starting point is 00:47:06 And it was a great catch by Johnson to kind of deflected it to himself, too. Wow. that's a shame it's a shame you got to lose a game with that good googamuga indeed chuky thank you buddy i'm getting that printed on my wall in my house playing like a good gugumuga bongo juice gugumuga what a sagg all right chucky till next week let's keep on moving on to nashville the a a f got him back into the nfl and now he's going for his 13th all game-winning kick.
Starting point is 00:48:00 It was the XFL that Rod Woodson was in, by the way. Lost this job. How did you do? Not well. Ryan Stonehouse to hold. And the kick. Yes, Mark? Yes.
Starting point is 00:48:13 Yes. Yes. The redemption of Ryan Tadahill on a Sunday that started sunny, ended with rain. Love it. I got to know, Mark. What he's so upset about? It is a huge moment for a Titans team that looked dead and we could go off.
Starting point is 00:48:34 There was a 15 seconds. I saw it. It was 15 seconds away from kicking it. Right. So we're having a casual XFL career history chat in the middle of the game call? But he hadn't kicked it yet. We were waiting for the kick.
Starting point is 00:48:46 So I cut it a little short. He actually brings up that he was selling real estate last year too before that. There you go. Don't tell Mark that. You've got to be even more mad. It's not a personal issue with the person you're discussing. It's just like, you know, the showmanship nature of, like, talking over the game call.
Starting point is 00:49:03 Sorry, Dad. Mike Keith with the call, WGFX. Would this have anything to do with the lock of this game, Mark, perhaps? I have something to say about that. Nick Foll kicked the 41-yard field goal in overtime in a downpour that broke out at the wrong time. Titans fans are like, Madone, what are we doing over here? God. And the Titans beat the Chargers 27-24.
Starting point is 00:49:23 Marky. The Titans got a three-in-out to start overtime, then drove for the game winner. that was very nice, especially after week one's brutal disappointment. And yes, Tanna Hill having a big bounce back is a part of that. It is. You know, you mentioned, Dan, and I didn't really agree with your Herbert comments in terms of, like, who he is and who I think he is.
Starting point is 00:49:47 But you are right about the fact that we're kind of missing large Justin Herbert moments. We're not that deep into his career, but like, it's hard to find them. And you have to point to, like, oh, maybe it's a Peyton Manning thing where these playoff wins and all this other stuff is going to happen. Like, when they went to overtime, this was, he directed a field goal drive at the end that tied it and put it in overtime.
Starting point is 00:50:10 They get the ball first, and it's like a great chance to erase what happened a week ago, where the pass rush against the dolphins snuffed them out, and it wasn't all Herbert's fault, but the whole thing fell apart. It's like, how about the whole entire team, Chargers? Like, this is a team, it's a good Titans defense, but you have no business going O&2 with the roster you have. You're in overtime, you get the ball,
Starting point is 00:50:32 you're Justin Herbert, three straight incompletions. They look totally lost. And they made some big plays on offense in this game, but it's like then you hand the ball over to Ryan Tannahill, who a week ago looked like maybe the career was over. And Tannahill flamed this Brandon Staley defense
Starting point is 00:50:49 for a number of big passes today. And looked different than a week ago. He's like 20 for 24, efficient, playing behind a bat off. offensive line. You're not getting the same exact performance from Derek Henry in the past, but Ryan Tannahill in overtime makes enough plays to go down, and you're right, that rain started to come thundering down. It was like, kick this thing as quick as you can, or wait till it ends, because it's like the rain was going to impact this kick. But they go get it done,
Starting point is 00:51:14 and it's like, who would have put their money on the concept that it would be Ryan Tannahill, not Justin Herbert, to get it done in overtime? And so as I was driving to work today, I was listening to this like preview show on the radio and this one guy's like he was from Vegas one of these people and he's like I love that you always loved like the deep on the AM dial Vegas shows where it's like if I
Starting point is 00:51:38 got one for you now I'll give you this one for free but if you want my super duper lock of the week you got to call this special number and it kind of like it got in my head and then I got to work and you're trying to do like forgot about it he's like I would never in my life touch the chargers
Starting point is 00:51:54 on any type of anything And I was like, wait a minute, I just lock this team. And it's like, of course they're going to go into Tennessee and win. Like, how can they, how can this team come out oh and two? I came out of this game being like, I will literally, for as long as I do this show, never touch the Los Angeles Chargers in a lock ever again. Well, what a disaster. Let me just say this, because I think it did get perhaps.
Starting point is 00:52:19 We got to remember this. What a disaster. Someone remember this when he locks the chargers again. It gets easily. misconstrued when the three of us are just you know babbling on and having honk attacks but on Thursday show I was not saying I don't believe
Starting point is 00:52:35 in Justin Herbert or that he's not a great quarterback I was simply saying that sometimes I need Justin Herbert to like you know just turn into a Superman that we talk about him as and it just so happens the way it worked out is this game it perfectly was set up where they're down three points late in this game
Starting point is 00:52:53 and yes like obviously you give Herbert credit it for marching that team into field goal range and getting that game to overtime. But I do have to, I'm going to pick some nits here and say it's first in 10 at the Tennessee 14 yard line in at the end of the fourth quarter. Like, finish that drive off. Absolutely. Win the goddamn game. And then you win the coin toss.
Starting point is 00:53:15 And again, Herbert, like, your team needs this. That was a bad, bad week one. And it's not just a quarterback. It's the blocking scheme. The receivers have to make the right reads and make plays. three play zero yards punted away and you lose. And it's just like I know Chargers fans might get mad at those any Herbert takes. They're like, well, maybe he's not as good as all the people say.
Starting point is 00:53:33 But then a game like this happens and you look at the box score and you look at the actual, the way the game played out. And it's like you just want a little bit more. And that separates the 500 teams from the true contenders. And right now the Chargers are a winless team. I think it's just somewhat reductive because I think he's had those moments. He's among the league leaders in fourth quarter. comebacks game, you know, game-winning drive.
Starting point is 00:53:54 Since he's coming to the league, we can think of ones where he did it. But you can't always do that. Like today's a perfect example. Derek R. Derek Rled that stat for a long time. Right, right. My point, though, is that his coach is in the crosshairs more than anything, more than their offense.
Starting point is 00:54:10 You are right about that. More in their, and certainly their defense. And just seems like who is Brandon Staley? Like there's a point in the first half where he punts on fourth and one in Titans' territory. I know it ended up working out well. They coughed, you know, kick them, corner kick them, whatever, and they ended up getting the ball back and scored. So it worked out well.
Starting point is 00:54:31 But it's also just like, who is Brandon Staley? Here is Brandon Staley, who was not happy when a reporter referenced how their season ended last year, of course, the 27-0 playoff meltdown. Here is Staley. A lot of people sort of wondered whether that Jacksonville loss would be carried out. I'm not worried about the Jacksonville loss. I hate the question. The Jacksonville loss hasn't carried on to the season whatsoever.
Starting point is 00:54:51 If you've seen our training camp or you've seen the way we've played in the first two games, it hasn't had an impact on our team whatsoever. Our team is connected. Our team has played its hard out in two games, and we've lost two tough games. But there has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game. And if you ask anyone in our locker room, it has nothing to do with the Jacksonville game. And that's just the truth. It's a convenient storyline for you and for everybody else, but it's not the truth.
Starting point is 00:55:13 We've lost two tough games. But the guys in that locker room, the men in that locker room, they are finishers and they have what it takes. And we're excited to prove ourselves. Staley's shown a little personality and fight, so I do want to hear more from it. Yeah, we just lost a game in overtime, Jeff. So how do you think the mood is? How do you think the mood is?
Starting point is 00:55:30 How do you think it is? It's tough, it's tough. It's a tough group in there. There's a lot of pride in that room, okay? And we put a lot into this, and we got a good football team. And so we've lost two tough games. We've got to bounce back,
Starting point is 00:55:40 learn from our mistakes and be ready for Minnesota. First of all, it's a clown question. Like, it's such a weak question that I don't mind him getting mad. Not because bringing it up. No, no. Because he said a lot of people are saying, and that's a... I don't like that either.
Starting point is 00:55:54 It's a B move. Any reporter that ever says that says a lot of people are saying or people are saying this and then brings up a tough question. Just say yours said. You're a word we can't say on this show. You're just being a shallow, weak person in that spot when you're talking to talk. Oh, just come down a little bit, Draghi. A shallow weak person?
Starting point is 00:56:13 I think so, because if you're going to have the... If you're going to say that in a public spot, you stand on it. You're getting on them. for not, you know, being tough and standing out, and you are, like, exhibiting the worst sort of, like, secondhand. I'm afraid to actually say this, but I'm going to put it on a lot of people out there are saying it. You're there, just say it.
Starting point is 00:56:33 It's fine. He'll respect you more for that, too. Like, it's not that big of a deal. He's frustrated because, like, the NFL is brutal. It's a short season. These two, like, have they played better than the commanders on balance in their two games? Like, sure they have, but these games come down to the end, especially when they're the Chargers,
Starting point is 00:56:49 and they usually end this way when they're the Chargers and he's the coach. I know what you're saying. We've talked about this before. I hate when reporters open a question that way. Say that's what you're saying. Yeah, that's all. Now, this is where...
Starting point is 00:57:01 You could bring it up. Just to kind of extend that a little bit. A lot of people are saying that. Not necessarily that the end of last season has somehow carried a hangover because if that's what the reporter's question was exactly, I'm not sure what his true angle was, then I disagree.
Starting point is 00:57:15 But a larger idea about the Chargers and an inability to seize the moment. That's a good question. Like, there's a better way to ask that question. And, but overall, it's fair to wonder whether the Brandon Staley Chargers are ever going to figure it out or we're going to just be in this purgatory forever. Right. Why?
Starting point is 00:57:31 Like, we, let's just isolate what the Brandon Staley Chargers are. He went on a long, you know, explanation, a season plus ago saying, like, whatever came before here is different now. It's not what we're going to be. And that's fine. I like that he said that back then. I like that that's his mentality. and I think he's a smart, ingenious coach. But that's not been the case.
Starting point is 00:57:52 The charges have been as chagerie as any time before. And I think the one thing that bothers me today is that under Kellyn Moore, it was like, they didn't have Austin Eccler, but Kelly is still a good running back. You ran the ball for 2.9 yards per carry, 6.1 yards. Tennessee is a good run front, one of the best in the league. But you didn't find a way around that.
Starting point is 00:58:10 And that was against the defense missing Christian Fulton, missing Amari Hooker, Amani Hooker. I just think if you are on the flip side, year three, Brandon Staley, like, what are you on defense? Like, you woke, the Titans awoke on offense after looking very lost for six-quarters, five-plus quarters, with deep downfield bombs.
Starting point is 00:58:30 Bosa woke up today, you did get the rush going, but there is no identity to this Chargers defense other than we're probably going to collapse at some point. Give the Titans from some flowers, Mark, because I could hear a gravedigger getting upset. Well, he's right. This is such a classic Titans win versus a classic Chargers loss. What do the Titans do here that they didn't do last week
Starting point is 00:58:47 against the Saints. Well, number one, you got an efficient Ryan Tannahill who wasn't destroyed. I mean, he did inflict damage, but he looked more like Ryan Tannahill. And you are working with, you know, Nick Westbrook-Akeena and, like, DeAndre Hopkins had a little bit more to do today. But they got the, their passing game made big plays when they needed to. And I thought that, you know, your run game made, they converted in key third-down spots. And like, the version of we got a Tanna Hill a week ago. You're going to go win four games all season. This Tanna Hill is the guy we've been watching.
Starting point is 00:59:19 Derek Henry owner is in fantasy. Might have a little bit of a Taji Spears problem. He's too good. You've got to keep him on the field. That's good for them, though. Yeah, it's great for them. It's great for them. Let's head to Jera World.
Starting point is 00:59:31 Not great. Ball near the left. Not great, Bob. In the gun, back is on his left. Snap goes back. Looking to his left, looking, looking. Checks it down. We go on.
Starting point is 00:59:41 It's a one. Leans over the pylon. Touchdown. It's the touchdown of the year. Jake Ferguson was not happy with himself. We're going to bleep out. You don't sneak an ad into our show.
Starting point is 01:00:00 We're bleeping it. We're bleeping it. We sell out on our own. Well, the company does. We don't get a dollar of any of these. We're part of it. Right. You could have watched that play on NFL Plus,
Starting point is 01:00:10 but we're not playing the sponsor on. Hell. Cowboys right now. I'd love to drive a Toyota Highlander. I don't have one. It's not like they gave them to us. But you don't get that. That's an idea.
Starting point is 01:00:22 Brad Sham, the sham god, our friend, with the call. Dak Prescott threw two touchdown passes, which is better than Zach Wilson, who threw three interceptions. And his first start after Aaron Rogers' season ending, well, question mark. Achilles tendon injury, and the Cowboys roll the Jets 30 to 10. and the talked about on Thursday this was a buzzsaw
Starting point is 01:00:49 situation for the Jets given where they are and the way the Cowboys look right now and it was that way but it's interesting watching this game how close it was to almost being a real game it was a Cowboys
Starting point is 01:01:02 who really kind of bullied the Jets defense which was a surprise you didn't expect that but that's what happened in this game up 10-0 and the Jets offense doing less than zero until Zach Wilson plants his back foot and zips went into Garrett Wilson in man coverage. And Garrett Wilson does, which Garrett Wilson does, 67 yards to the house. And all of a sudden it's 10-7.
Starting point is 01:01:24 Dak Prescott then drops back on the next drive and hangs one on the sideline. Sauce Gardner reads it perfectly, breaks on the ball, jumps the receiver's route, drops what is a back pocket pick six. So you go from potentially 1410 jets and a whole new ball game. and Dak feel on that energy suck after all the turnovers last year to a new life. The Cowboys turned that second life into a touchdown helped on a very, very tick-tack, roughing the passer call and third down in the red zone. But it is what it is.
Starting point is 01:01:58 And they never look back from that point onward. And, boys, Zach Wilson, a lot of the storyline will be on the jet side. Zach Wilson's three interceptions, which I don't think is totally fair. For me, the storyline is more what the quarterback of the Jets was facing, which was a Cowboys Front Four and Front Seven led by Micah Parsons that looked unstoppable for the second straight week. And it's always a little bit different when it's your team playing Player X that everyone rave is about.
Starting point is 01:02:28 But Parsons has been putting on tape for years now. It was said in this telecast, who was it? It was Romo and Nance. Nance said that he thinks, and he's called a lot of Cowboys game, That was the best Micah Parsons game ever. And he was a constant force and a nightmare for the Jets. He had that strip of Delvin Cook. And he raised to the house, you know, ruled down.
Starting point is 01:02:52 Parsons was ruled down, but it was still a strip. Like, that was like defensive player of the year material right now. It was like MVP stuff this game, the way he played. Or a quarterback hits, three tackles for last two sacks, a pass defense of forced fumble. And a fumble recovery. There was, and you, and we're a little young. Even Mark is like a football fan in the mid-80s. you weren't really, I'm sure, all there yet.
Starting point is 01:03:12 Like, when they talk about Lawrence Taylor. I watched a lot. I was all there, like, in terms of Lawrence Taylor because he was on my television, like, every week. LT. You were a boy genius. No, no, not. You could, you, I would say that you could be a very dim-witted individual and see that LT made a difference. He was on NFL Plus back then, breaking down the all-22.
Starting point is 01:03:30 But Lawrence Teller, when you watch those old clips on NFL films, like the way, the immediacy in which he got to the quarterback and how we made offensive lines look silly. there's a on the first possession for the Jets it ends with a parson sack where he literally is in the backfield in less than two seconds and taking out the quarterback and that just set the tone for the game and like I said if sauce makes that play and it goes the other way you never know but overall like this loss was not because Aaron Rogers is in Malibu right now with his state of the art surgery recuperation it's because the Jets defense got its ass handed to to them by a cowboy's offense. that looks very good and a defense that looks otherworldly through two weeks, look out. So I hear what you're saying. You can't just pin it all on Wilson or X, Y, and Z, but
Starting point is 01:04:22 the uneven nature of this team right now in both sides of the ball is what freaks me out because we have to point to, had this one play happened, they would have had a chance. The door would have still been slightly open. It's like, you're waiting for a very improbable thing to occur, and it's typically going to have to be the
Starting point is 01:04:39 defense making some wizard play or scoring, the Cowboys had the ball for 42 minutes. Yes. The Cowboys had 26 first downs. The Jets had 12. The Jets were 1 for 10 on third down. The Cowboys were 9 for 18. The Cowboys had 382 total yards. The Jets had 215.
Starting point is 01:04:57 The Cowboys had 83 offensive plays. The Jets had 46. That's a non-functioning offense. It has a lot to do with the Cowboys defense, but I'm not sure it has a lot to do with who they play next week either. It's like you have a real. real problem here. And my concern is because it's such a likable, well-coached team that you're going to get a locker room schism because the defense is going to tire out and give up plays
Starting point is 01:05:19 after a while when you're out there for 40 plus minutes. You got to run the ball. There's too many things to overcome if you don't have a running game and whatever Zach Wilson is going to give you as a pastor. And it's certainly in this match. Their schedule stays brutal. I mean, it's not going to stay this brutal the whole season. It's a tough, tougher match. Tough matchup against the Patriots are not as tough as this. But it's a concern when the main storyline coming out of the game is Rich Samuni saying, like, the mood in locker room is really supportive. They came in there.
Starting point is 01:05:51 Garrett Wilson's got his arm around him. The T's there that Titans are there encouraging him. Wilson said, you know, he's being encouraged saying, we got your back. The team's got his back. It's like, that's good. They're going to need to step up too. But I do think that almost any team playing Dallas right now is going to run into this sort of bust out. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:06:07 And, you know, I said it in the summer. it felt like a needless gamble by the Jets that Wilson is the number two quarterback. But you, but that this is the reality. And because it was the Jets, the absolute worst case scenario immediately presented itself. How Dack looked, by the way. I'll get to that in one second. Like, but he is not going anywhere. And unlike text threads that I'm getting, like, got to bench him.
Starting point is 01:06:27 You got to put in the third string quarterback's like, no. Like they made their bed. And now they have to find a way to make it work with Wilson, who two of his interceptions were when the game was kind of decided. I didn't think he played as badly. is the stat line looks. I'll let you guys decide. On the, on the DAC side, great. Dak look great. Again, he should have had a pick six hung on him, but other
Starting point is 01:06:47 than that, he kind of did whatever he wanted. There were multiple times where the pass rush almost gets home to Dak, and he hangs in there and delivers the pass. And even on a day where they try to run the ball, and especially once they were in control the game, they run the ball 44 times,
Starting point is 01:07:03 but average three yards a clip and rushing. Dak made enough big plays with CD Lamb who had 143 yards. that they just cruise. And I, you know, if I'm the Eagles, and I know the Eagles are the team to beat and the NFC, a lot of people believe this. I shouldn't say that.
Starting point is 01:07:19 Greg will call me weak-willed. I mean, all I'm saying, not a lot of people are saying it. I'm saying it. You're not asking. I'm sorry, Greg. It's different. But the Cowboys.
Starting point is 01:07:31 It's also, though, like, that's a big spot. Like, that's your fourth-down decision that you're criticizing them over. That's your big moment, and you blow. I know where you're going. From the Cowboys and Niners to me so far are the two best teams in the league. Let's move on. Let's move on.
Starting point is 01:07:48 Anything else? No, just the NFC East. Hasn't lost the game yet outside the division. Hamana, howma, howma, howma. 7 and O. Let's stick in the NFC East with Lujim. This will be a 34-yarder from the right hash, Gilling the hold, Crider the long snapper. Big whisper is not going to like that whisper I have to go into the silent.
Starting point is 01:08:09 Ganoe is set. The anti-whisper community. Knotes'nick on its way. Plenty of length, and it is good. Graham Ganoe hits from 34 yards out, and with 19 seconds to go in the game, the Giants lead at 3128. Hit it! Oh!
Starting point is 01:08:32 Bob Papa with a call, WFAN. Grand Ganoe's field goal in the final seconds, the difference for the G-Men, who wiped out. out a 21-point second-half deficit and a 31-28 win over the Cardinals in the desert. Oh, Cardinals. If they're sitting on Owen 13 in a couple of months, you're going to kick yourself about this one. Really, week one as well? Or maybe they're not as bad. It doesn't matter.
Starting point is 01:08:56 We'll get to it later. Daniel Jones accounted for three touchdowns in the comeback. The Giants largest since the 1950 season, Sizzler. It is indeed on. In New York City. I always like that, do it! Yeah, that's a nice little... Like, do what?
Starting point is 01:09:19 No one asked her to sing it that way. She did it on her. But, like, do what? What's your choice? You do what makes it on? If you refine yourself in New York City, you could do a lot of... Good follow-up question.
Starting point is 01:09:29 What's on? It's a mysterious song. Like, this stadium, In Phoenix, or Glendale sounded like New York City. It was like 65. It was one of these stadiums where it's like just suddenly 65% the visiting team. Sure. I mean, I, Greg, I think I heard you say that you, there was a part of you,
Starting point is 01:09:50 and I know you're not the Giants biggest fan of the planet, that when they were getting cooked heavily by a Cardinals team where Josh Dobbs looked totally competent, they were making big plays. James Connor was fired up and shredding this Giants defense. to look completely lost, the offense looked lost, that there was a party who kind of wanted to, like, had this holy anger to come on and just tear the Giants a new one on this show.
Starting point is 01:10:15 Or dance on their grave. A trip to San Francisco on Thursday night. You needed to win the day. Would have been fun. Yeah, I felt like you were more mad at the Giants when they came back. I was furious at them. It was just like, because I think the thing I thought that was consistent was like Brian Debel, I thought he deserved coach of the year.
Starting point is 01:10:32 He worked on so many different levels for me. and, like, through six quarters, they just looked poorly coached. There were all these terrible penalties. The offensive line couldn't get out of their own way. Like Daniel Jones looked like one of the worst re-signings of our podcast run. Can I quote the Twitter echo chamber out there that doesn't like Daniel Jones? I saw a tweet that said, just a reminder that the Giants only have one year of guaranteed money left toward Daniel Jones after this year. The great, like the shovels were out on the G-Men tonight.
Starting point is 01:11:03 And then it just, it, this just happens like it seems with these teams that start this way. Like, the Giants just completely changed and everything started to come to life. It was a lot to do with rookie Jalen Hyatt who caught two big passes in this. Saquan Barclay got going. We got Darren Waller involved. And it was like Daniel Jones just looked like last year's Daniel Jones. And Sequin, who left late with a. Did not like that.
Starting point is 01:11:32 Pretty nasty. It didn't look good. It looked like a nasty ankle injury. We'll find out more. And they played Thursday night, so that's against San Francisco. So it's like, it gets dark all over again. But this was what you were hoping from New York. And again, it came against the Cardinals.
Starting point is 01:11:48 Although the Cardinals, honestly, this was a massive collapse. There's no way around it. And it is a disaster of a loss for Gannon and friends because it's like this would have been a massive victory. And I thought Dobbs, like, compared to last week, made some big plays. He's only been on this team for 25 days. I'm not saying he's... All the he's considered, he's done well.
Starting point is 01:12:05 Yeah, I would just say that it's been, it's, that, I don't think anyone understands how hard it is to suddenly have to go do what he's had to do. He's a patch. He's a, he's a placeholder, he's a stopgap. Well, what does that mean? He's been sent to be the fall guy for you. He was their best option.
Starting point is 01:12:24 He wasn't playing fall guy today. And I honestly, like, we talked a little about James Connor. Like, he just looks really good right now. And so I think the Cardinals are not to be taken. that lightly. It's just that what happened today kind of is like, where's the team's mentality after something like this? This was a massive collapse.
Starting point is 01:12:41 Yeah, it'll test Jonathan Gannon as a head coach, but that's such a massive victory for the Giants. Like, you have to manage the season. Yes, okay, it's not going to feel great if on Thursday night the 49ers win that game easily, but these seasons are so long. We make these declarative statements
Starting point is 01:12:57 early. And they go like, they go back and forth and back and forth and banking this one where you didn't just get embarrassed when it was 20 to nothing at halftime when it was 28 to 7 midway through the 3rd and you get that victory is just huge in every respect. And these 20 point comebacks are like nothing now. Like we don't even think twice that the commanders came back from 21 to 3 and this one was 28 to 7 and then the Broncos came back 11 like halfway through the 4th. We just sort of like, oh yeah, that's the NFL now because that is the NFL now. Only this is the giant's biggest comeback in 73 years.
Starting point is 01:13:33 I mean, you're right, though. But it doesn't like, it used to be over. It doesn't feel like we're not leading the show with it. Like, what a historic comeback. The thing I like about it, though, is there was no fluke element to it. It was second half drive chart. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. Oh.
Starting point is 01:13:49 Oh. But you get Waller. It was a better team figuring it out, basically. Yeah. You get Waller and Sequin, the two best players on the offense and Daniel Jones running the ball. Like the three things you were hoping to build your offense around rolling together. That's encouraging. And mega premature for me to say that Sequin's not playing Thursday,
Starting point is 01:14:07 but you know these players in the body language sometimes. He's helped off the field badly limping. And then he throws his helmet down when he sits down. It had all the looks of a guy that just like, you know, the trainer's like, yeah, it looks like might be a high ankle spring. Throw the helmet down because when you deal with an ankle sprain like that, it's going to cost you time and maybe stick with you. I don't know if it's a high, but the way he reacted made you think it wasn't a love.
Starting point is 01:14:30 Yeah, we saw him and I had never liked this where, like, still on the ground, he just pounded the turf. And it's like, he knows more than we know. Well, I hope he's okay. And Giants fans, I told you, we weren't going to do this until they won a football game. And I don't know if you win a football game for a while after this. The schedule is pretty rough for the Giants, too.
Starting point is 01:14:49 And you take a look at it, but you got this one. So you get this one. The G-Man. What's going on at the end of that, by the way? Poor someone. He's had his heart ripped out by the. These cardinals two weeks in a row. Yeah, there's a silver lining, you know, at the end of a long, painful road, perhaps.
Starting point is 01:15:10 Is there? I don't know. Let's head to Sofi across the sidewalk. 30 under center, back pedals, throws for Debo back in the game. Jennings never made the block, but Debo breaks a tackle. Debo takes it all the way out to the goal line. There he is. Touchdown!
Starting point is 01:15:26 San Francisco! Wow, they're loud at Levi's. All right, that is Sofai. Craig Papa with the call. KNBR. Debo Samuel went over 100 yards from scrimmage, scored that touchdown. Gave the Niners breathing room and an eventual 30, 23. They got that extra three at the end.
Starting point is 01:15:48 Yeah, we'll talk about that. Win over the rival Rams at SoFi Stadium, which, yes, was completely overrun by red jerseys in that crowd. Greg, Brock Purdy didn't have a touchdown pass in this game. I think it ended a streak of seven regular season. in games with at least two, but San Fran can beat you in so many ways. They can and they just have players like Debo that can make individual plays to beat you. Same thing with Fred Warner.
Starting point is 01:16:13 But watching these two teams play, my biggest takeaway was like, wow, these teams seem close in a way that they usually aren't when the Rams and the 49ers play. Even better Rams team. This is a ninth straight regular season win for the 49ers over the Rams. Of course, the NFC championship would have mattered. The most Rams got it done. but yardage, yards per play, the way the drives were going, it all felt very close. The difference was the Rams offense stopped in the second half when they had a couple
Starting point is 01:16:42 misconnections where there was a couple drops. One Stafford's a little late on a throw, another a drop bounces in the air and turns into an interception. And then the killer was Stafford's second interception, which Mark Sanchez in the booth blamed on Van Jefferson for kind of rounding off. fading on the route. I don't know if I'm smart enough to totally blame it on Van Jefferson,
Starting point is 01:17:05 but I can't say... Eight-year-old Cessler would have been able to diagnose it. He would have. Precisely. I can say that whenever Matthew Stafford throws it to basically anyone but
Starting point is 01:17:14 Van Jefferson, Puka Nakua, Tutu Atwell, like great things happen, and he trusts those guys much more than he trusts Van Jefferson through two weeks when bad things happened. But beyond that, it's like these two teams look like
Starting point is 01:17:27 division rivals that are both a little spicy that are fun and an evenly played game. Puka Nakua, by the way, 25 catches in the first two games is easily the most by any rookie going back to 1980. That solves one problem for the Rams. They're like, who's our new number two receiver? When Cooper Cup hopefully gets back in a few weeks, you got a nice one-two punch. I would say that I was singing during this game. Like, I spent six months kind of unnecessarily totally discounting the Rams as a concept. And like, I'm totally wrong. I know I'm not alone, but I'm doing the great thing.
Starting point is 01:18:03 I'm saying I thought that and couldn't have been more far off. Why should I should never have spoken? Magnanimous. Like, it's a long season. Like, things could change negatively for the Rams in theory, but I just don't see it offensively. And I actually thought, despite the score, Rahim Morris called up a nice play and got more punts than I would have expected.
Starting point is 01:18:21 Now, this is a lot of, like, giving of the flowers to the team that lost. Let's give Kyle Shanahan some credit because at the end of the first half, I thought the absolute key sequence of the game. is the Rams score to go up, what was it, 1710 at the time, and the 49ers get the ball back with only 1.45 to go. They go down the field. They're aggressive. They get a long pass interference called.
Starting point is 01:18:45 Purdy had a pretty much perfect game, as Kyle Shannon pointed out, except he missed two or three open deep shots. That wasn't one of them. That was a penalty. He missed two or three open deep shots. Otherwise played great, great movement, decision-making, all that. Shanahan doesn't get touchdowns on his first two tries. basically from the one yard line on throws.
Starting point is 01:19:03 They didn't have any time outs left though they were throwing. And I was like, you got to just run it. Of course the 49ers can get one yard. I don't care if you don't have a timeout or not. You could run it on first, second, or third. You're the freaking 49ers. And Kyle Shanion, who's been so conservative over the years with his fourth down decisions, went for a big one last week, went for a big one this week.
Starting point is 01:19:21 He got it. It was 17 all. And I just thought that was such a crucial moment because the Rams needed to get every break possible. They couldn't lose this turnover battle two to nothing and give up. up that touchdown. I think this would have been over earlier, though, because Purdy is just very consistent and, you know, totally believe in them.
Starting point is 01:19:39 But, like, the two misses, the Juan Jennings on third and seven, when it was tied, 17, 17, and the deeper shot to Brandon Ayuk that would have, I think the game would have maybe just been less dramatic and over earlier. Have those two incompletions been hit? Sure, you could look at it both ways.
Starting point is 01:19:56 Absolutely. But the Kyron Williams, who looked great. By the way, Cam Acres was benched for this game. Why are we back here with can't do it anymore? I can't. This is not this. I have a note on that because I was watching the beginning of this telecast. I think at this point, though, he's not going to get his job back this year.
Starting point is 01:20:14 I don't know why he would. Kyron Williams, to me, looks like a nice ball player. This whole thing where I heard what they said if you got to paraphrase. Yeah, it was the sideline reporter for the Rams. I apologize to her for not having her name, but said that he wasn't like adhering to the culture of the Rams in terms of accountability and basically I think team attitude I think he was upset because Kyron Williams played way more than he did a week ago and that's the same reason why he was upset last year he wasn't getting touches it kind of slipped under the radar but Kyron Williams
Starting point is 01:20:50 was essentially the starter a week ago even though he didn't start and there was something to that effect but it's like maybe just maybe just give up on him but man the things we thought that were good about the Rams week one. It wasn't a fluke. Tutu Outwell is actually more shocking to me that he's a real dude making contested catches, this little guy. I thought McVeigh was forcing him on the team. It was like McVeigh's pick.
Starting point is 01:21:13 Everyone said it. Now like 13 catches, 196 yards after two weeks. Who's that? Tutu Atwell. The lightest player in the league who did nothing through two years. And everyone, including myself, was wrong saying like he's only on this team because he's kind of McVeigh's pet project. And here he is in the third season, on time, open, making really tough plays.
Starting point is 01:21:36 Like, they have three receivers right now when they get Cup back. And Van Jefferson's going to get the Cam Acres treatment. I think to the point, well, you were saying too, Mark, that it's like Sean McVeigh knows what he's doing. So he's working through this. Nukua was targeted 20 times. Like Nakuwa. 20 targets? That seems a little insane.
Starting point is 01:21:53 Well, and Williams have 28 catches in this game. I mean, they were in deep catch-up. mode for a while in the fourth quarter, so that was part of it. But they were throwing early, too. Brandon Ayuk got a little shaken up in this game. That's something to watch. He played through it, but didn't seem as effective. And I think McCaffrey is just kind of like run for 100 yards every single week.
Starting point is 01:22:15 Stay healthy, kid. Big journal energy here. Fox's Laura Akmeen had that nugget on Kamakers, not adhering to the culture. It's a good nugget. Let's take a break and we'll continue on. 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
Starting point is 01:22:48 insights you won't find anywhere else is 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 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.
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Starting point is 01:24:38 Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. All right, before we dive into the next game, I think it's important, Mark, because I think I know what angle you're going. but I just what is this it's just it's you know it's going to be fun just to hear it um you said you because you had lost your lock you lock the chargers um did you have something you wanted to share beyond frustration with just locking the chargers was there any any other comments you had i can't remember if we didn't get to it or not no i basically said i'll never touch the charge i was a lock contest ever again he ever in my life okay and i also have a strong feeling that i'm about to rip off like
Starting point is 01:25:22 12 to 13 victories because this, I was, I maybe was dealing in a pond of apathy to some degree about the lock things. It's just like, I don't know, it seems so impossible to pick these games. And now I'm irritated and I'm refocused on this. You sound like Aaron Rogers saying, just doubt me. All the prognostications. Give them, give them to me. I want them all. I welcome you to. Nice. I welcome us to move forward with the show. Real quick, guys. Yes. I forgot to cycle in a loser horn. earlier in the segment during the Jets game
Starting point is 01:25:57 because if you guys recall the West Bros went a little West Bros. I'd say bro. Hit the horn. Hit the horn. The Cincinnati Zoo. I went too. Is on fire. Nick Westling, completely rogue. And, you know, I love him for it
Starting point is 01:26:14 because it's my team, but he locked up the Jets, which was, it led to some, it got a little heated on the the Wesleying Brothers text thread that we're on? Understandably. One of the brothers said to the other that I wish that mother never conceived you or something.
Starting point is 01:26:28 I mean, it wasn't quite. Well, Phil said it just call it Nick's Picks, which seems fair. Yeah, I think that part's factual. Also, it's got a little, you know, sizzle to it, next picks. But yes, I think Nick hit back hard that, I wish you weren't born, right?
Starting point is 01:26:43 Something along those lines? He said, that was the conceit. Well, Phil said Locky to any team with Zach Wilson is irresponsible. Nick said your mom was irresponsible when she conceived you, which is funny because obviously it's his mom, too. I think he wrote thanks.
Starting point is 01:26:57 Well, yes, we know, Greg. But I'm saying, like, that is... I mean, you just don't usually hear your mom's response... To brothers. And you have to know the Wesleyan brothers to love them. To know them is to love them. His response to his brother was thanks, bro. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:27:13 I think the rest of the zoo have a very viable, you know, beef with Nick, who's completely gone off the rails to pick the... Jets against the Cowboys and Dallas. I don't know how, you know, how it all works. And there's going to be an incredible theology podcast down the line. Maybe our last podcast. But if Chris Sussling, if it works where you're in the clouds and you just get to, like, watch what's going on, first of all, scary thought.
Starting point is 01:27:39 But second of all, he would be cackling his ass off just reading that thread of Phil and Nick just World War III. I think he is loving the Wesleyan brothers being non-competitive for a few. Fifth three year. All right, let's move on. Trips right formation, Diggs and Davis in a stack. Shakir inside of him, knocks on the left side. Cook to the left of Allen in the shotgun. There's the snap, has time.
Starting point is 01:28:06 Going to roll out to his right. Max Crosby in pursuit. Back across the field, complete to Gabe Davis for the touchdown. Fourth and goal. Game over, baby. It's a two-yard touchdown reception. It's over. I gave Davis in traffic.
Starting point is 01:28:21 Mercy. Mercy. Like that. Chris Brown with the call, Bill's Radio. The Josh Allen eulogies, premature. I repeat. Josh Allen death notices not necessary at this team at this time. Following a four-turnover season opening, Dud v. the Jets,
Starting point is 01:28:42 Alan got back. Josh Allen got his groove back. Almost perfect in a 38-10 rout. of the Raiders in Orchard Park, a perfect get-right opponent for the bills and setting for Buffalo. I counted, boys, just one capital D, capital P, dumb play
Starting point is 01:29:03 for Josh in this one. It was a scramble, I believe a second down scramble where he attempted to leapfrog the entire Las Vegas defensive line for a touchdown. But he was at like the five-yard line? when he attempted it?
Starting point is 01:29:20 He did the same thing. I mean, if you want to check out our special, you know, X's and O's breakdown of it on NFL Plus, I'm sure that that'll get you excited. Yes, he did it again. He didn't fumble, though, and he didn't fumble last time either on that play, but no fumbles of any kind. He played very well, completed his first 13 attempts, kind of rained it in, but kind of how you would want as a Bills fan, him to rein it in,
Starting point is 01:29:45 where he wasn't overly aggressive or just insane. like he was at the Meadowlands, but also was still Josh Allen. And that's his 21st game of his career with at least three touchdown passes. So Buffalo dominated this game. They finished 183 yards rushing, even though Allen just had seven himself. James Cook, who I think he's looked really good. Look great last week, too. Look good against the jets and looked excellent here.
Starting point is 01:30:11 123 rushing yards. The most by a bill's running back since insert name here had one. 56 in December 2017. Fred, no. Fred Jackson. LaShawn McCoy. Oh, that was way past Fridge. And the Bills Cruz.
Starting point is 01:30:29 So nice win for Buffalo. It didn't start great, by the way. The Raiders opening kickoff go right down the field for a touchdown. But the game changed pretty quickly after that. And I believe the Bills ran close to 50 plays in Vegas territory in this game. Wow. That gives you an idea of what. Well, there's a couple things that I love about this,
Starting point is 01:30:52 that McDermott was very aggressive on offense and went for a bunch of fourth downs, and I think four of them, and I think that Allen and crew converted three. I like that. The defense was nasty, and the one thing that is just jumping out of me is that if you are the Raiders
Starting point is 01:31:09 and you're going to try to sneak wins here and there, you cannot have Josh Jacobs running for negative two yards off nine carries. Had Trey Tucker, a wideout, not bolted around the end for 34 yards, whatever that play was, they ran the ball for 21 yards today off of 14 other attempts. Yeah. I guess a team that often struggles to run the ball. Yeah, like when they were effective last year, what was it? It was Josh Jake.
Starting point is 01:31:36 Those couple games where they just hammered teams away. It's like, it's cool. You held out. I'm sure you were working out. I don't know what you were doing, but it's like we have not gotten the version of Josh Jacobs that they were hoping for. Well, and especially not the run blocking because they have the same line back. I thought I was actually too quick to be hard on Jacobs. When I rewatch that game last week, I thought he moved well.
Starting point is 01:31:55 He did catch five for 51 this week. But yeah, they're not going to exist unless they have a running game. And it was surprising when they brought back the exact same offensive line. But they also played one of the best teams in the NFL over the last three years consistently as angry, I think, as they possibly could be. And played well. This was a great game. Get right game. Remember Forrest Whitaker in Fast Times of Regiment High
Starting point is 01:32:19 after they jacked up his car, the arrival high school? That's got to be one of his earliest roles, too. And I get it, you know, porn 32, standing up. That was before our time, to be fair. Well, it was before our time, but it was on TV a lot because it was a classic of the genre. But that's beside the point. Whitaker was the star like, he was like the Micah Parsons of their high school.
Starting point is 01:32:42 And then after the rival high school jacks up his car, he just destroys the team and kills everybody on the team. That's what I thought about the bills in general. And Josh Jacobs, yes, negative two yards in this game, according to Elias, first time since the merger that a defending rushing champion had negative yardage in a game. That's not good. And I know he didn't jump out in week one,
Starting point is 01:33:02 but I would be curious like what the next gen yards over expected or whatever they call it would be for him because there was nowhere to go. This game was a mad, angry, super, bowl contender that was getting right against an inferior opponent and you just saw that. So I think that there will be better days for the Raiders
Starting point is 01:33:23 offense and this team, but they just, I think, ran into a buzzsaw in Buffalo. Not surprised the Bill's defense did it. I think it's a great sign even with the competition against the Raiders that the bill's offense was that dominant. After that first three and out, like
Starting point is 01:33:39 they either scored a touchdown or reached the Vegas one on every single drive. That's outrageous. That is pure domination until they ran out the clock at the end of the game. That is pure domination. And I'm curious what they're doing with Hunter Renfro. Like, he never plays for them anymore.
Starting point is 01:33:55 I know he did play more this week, but that he feels like a trigger. After like months of speculation that he'd be moved. Yeah. Max Crosby, by the way, was totally taken out of this game. They miss the Raiders, Chandler Jones. And we talked about that they have a lot of stars, the Raiders, but the depth's not there and you need some other people to step up. By the only fly in the ointment,
Starting point is 01:34:16 we were laughing at other people in our company that picked against DeMar Hamlin to be a comeback player of the year. So how could anyone even think to name another person, the man that nearly died on the field? We laughed at you for being so foolish. You're not remembering recent NFL history. He's a healthy scratch for the second straight week.
Starting point is 01:34:35 That could be the only way he doesn't get it. He's got to play. He's got to be on the roster. There were whispers that it was a tough thing, but maybe because they were deep at sea. safety that maybe he doesn't make the team, but it's kind of like you can't do that. So maybe he's sort of on the team, but he's not the top guy. If you look at the roster, it totally makes sense.
Starting point is 01:34:55 It's their deepest position. I would say the deepest safety position in the league. And they probably weren't counting on him initially when they were building it. But based on the way he played last year as like a great fill and starter and a like a plus special teamer, he'll play. He's just going to need someone in front of him to get hurt. Just put it out there. Someone has to get hurt. We need a couple game day active.
Starting point is 01:35:13 That's all. That's a completely logical statement. Or maybe we don't. James Cook. He's going to be the better cook this year, maybe. I forget maybe. Matt Milano, by the way, again, another interception. He does things in terms of playmaking ability
Starting point is 01:35:29 that not many other linebackers can do. Let's move on. Let's head to our next location, which is Tampa. Bears and Oring. Don't give up the big play box. Two receivers to the left, people in mind. On number two, DJ Moore. Fields, takes the stamp on the gun, looks up the field.
Starting point is 01:35:53 Those the ball up, Bill. It's intercepted. Picked off by Shaq Barrett at the wand. He's in for a touchdown. Touchdown, Tampa Bay. There's the takeaway. Yeah, they tried to run that screen again. Shaq Barrett hung at the line of scrimmage.
Starting point is 01:36:09 It was able to snatch it one-handed, and they got some help from his buddies, Push them in the end zone. Oh, no, no. Gene Beckerhoff, WFUS, Jack Barrett, exclamation point on the victory for the Bucks, who take it 27 to 17 over the troubled. I'm like a troubled teen. Troubled Chicago Bears fall, 2717 on a day where Greg Baker,
Starting point is 01:36:40 again, was cooking here and taking advantage. of a bear's team that isn't really going to stop anybody right now. They're not. Baker was the more consistent, comfortable. Don't say it. Don't say it. Decisive. Oh, no. Quarterback in this game, making big time plays. I mean, his life is much.
Starting point is 01:36:59 Greg. Yes. This is Justin Fields Year 3. We can't be saying that anymore. Are we saying that? Greg was going off in the newsroom on time. I was really enjoying Baker Mayfield's performance because I can't remember him playing so smart and composed a long time. You got to give Dave Conallis, who was
Starting point is 01:37:13 with Gino last year, some credit here. But to compare the two, if Fields was on the bucks, I kind of have no real doubt that he would be outperforming Baker Mayfield. I mean, Justin Fields, for the most part, didn't, he was very, he was up and down today, but they don't have a consistent running game
Starting point is 01:37:35 that they stuck with. The defense is a total shambles. And, like, there's nothing that makes sense consistently, on that offense. He's getting it in his head that like, this is my game. I'm not going to run. And we're not going to call any design runs. That doesn't make any sense either. And he's stuck in the bucket. He made some really bad plays. But that wasn't one of them. That was James Harrison in the Super Bowl burning Kurt Warner. That was a great play by Shaq Barrett. And the other interception came on a contested catch when they were down 10 in the final drive. He had ups and downs. But the sad thing about that was he was coming off by far his best drive of the year where he got them to within three points. And then the buck's got a little conservative. of the next drive. And then it was like, here we go. Two plus minutes to go. Fields has to drive to tie the game, and that's
Starting point is 01:38:19 the first play. And it was just the air being let out of the balloon. It just feels like this bear's season is cursed two games in. 12th consecutive loss for the Bears dating back to last season. It's a proud organization that's been around since the very beginning. That's a franchise record. What? What? What?
Starting point is 01:38:34 What? Yeah. I saw people comparing, like, the Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, chemistry to what Evans had with Johnny Mansell back in college. But I'd say this, though, it's like, it's certainly, it's certainly better than what we saw with Tom Brady and Mike Evans a year ago. It kind of undersized quarterback who's like athletic, but not quite NFL athletic. But do you remember how frustrating?
Starting point is 01:38:57 Baker's like, we don't need, we don't need to do that. But how frustrating was the Mike Evans' Tom Brady connection a year ago? Last year was a mess. It was disjointed. I mean, I got to get Baker some credit because two games in a row, like you're getting this, he's such a variance factor. You're getting the better version of them. So it's like good coaching or like he's grown mentally
Starting point is 01:39:17 and not making some of the same decisions he used to. I mean, it helps 100% that he played the Bears this week. And who did they play in the Vikings a week ago? But despite that, he's made, he's played two pretty perfect games. This one was even better. Like he had a throw where he's rolling to his left and throws it up to Evans. beautiful throw. The long Evans play was an arm strength type of throw that the ball got there so
Starting point is 01:39:45 quick that they couldn't react to it. Evans does look better this year. He's thinner. He's moving great. He has six for one. And then there was one. And this is where he won't get away with it every play. And it was like the most Baker play of the game where he throws it sidearm while falling down like a half inch of his knee above the ground. And he hits it to set up like a closer field goal. That's not going to happen every week. But he really is playing smarter. He's on a heater. He's on a heater, and that's what makes them fun to watch when he's on these. I guess it's screaming to me small sample size, and this is not going to continue all year. I'll be the first one, I guarantee you guys to admit it.
Starting point is 01:40:21 If Baker's doing this a month from now, that I'll be like, I'm shocked. But I need to see it against other than the Vikings and today's opponent bears. I think killed Baker more than anyone on this podcast and not really been impressed with how he plays football. I've just been pleasantly surprised. I'm with you, but it gives me hope that maybe there's a medium here. year where he can be a little closer to like where a Gino Smith was a year ago and give this Bucks team a chance. They'll hang around in the division.
Starting point is 01:40:48 If he could do that, they will. They are two and oh. And I do want to tell Rashad White, um, who we really got on for his expected yards, uh, compared to replacement. Pop the hood. 17 for 73 today. I haven't looked at the numbers, but I think he ran quite well. I did, well, bears defense, but yes.
Starting point is 01:41:07 Eric, can you check the yards over expected on Rashad? I got to say, I did re-watch that game last week with that in mind, and he did leave a lot of yards on the field. There was a lot. You were going to have, like, roaming mobs of criminal children in Chicago if this continues. Like, you, they're... You're right. This can't continue.
Starting point is 01:41:24 Jaquan Brisker got hurt in this game. He was in and out. Eddie Jackson got hurt in this game. He was gone. So, like, a bad secondary lost more players, so that was bad. We don't need that. Chicago doesn't need roaming mobs of children. Criminal children.
Starting point is 01:41:38 Criminals. Bad intentions towards... Anything labeled Chicago Bear? Do you want to tee up Todd Balls? I would because all these, you guys laughing about Todd Bulls. He's still got Shaq Barrett there. Levante David making plays. Winfield had a great game.
Starting point is 01:41:55 And then you have the spirit of Todd Bowles getting the whole city of Tampa excited after the game. Let's hear this. My stars played big. We did a good job holding the ball, keeping them out there. Obviously, we like to be better in the red zone. But for the most part, we were operating running past game. It's pretty balanced that way.
Starting point is 01:42:11 We got a good time of possession. We just got to punch them in. We've got a field goal block. That's not a good thing. It wasn't perfect, but as he started to gel, and win while we jell, and it was a good victory for us. Let's go, Tampa. Let's go.
Starting point is 01:42:24 I could listen to that for 15 minutes. Look at my goosebumps. You could see them. What a rousing empath they have his head coach. Greg, why did you do that to all of us? I think it was fun. He went for another fourth down today, by the way. And he got it.
Starting point is 01:42:37 New bowls. Just doing what other coaches should be doing. Let's close things out with a trip to Houston. It's a fumble recovery for Indianapolis. The call in the field was overturned, so the Colts have a fumble recovery, and they take over at the Houston 15-yard line. And running right side is Anthony Richardson fake the reverse, turns the corner.
Starting point is 01:42:58 He's in. Touchdown! Touchdown! I-N-D-Y! Three rushing touchdowns in the first two games for Anthony Richardson. He faked the reverse and then took it off. right side into the end zone from 15 yards out and the Colts have two touchdowns on their first two drives of the game.
Starting point is 01:43:18 Bittersweet there. Matt Taylor, good call. WFNY. Anthony Richardson, the rookie rush for two touchdowns. Fortunately, on that play, they believe or it's possible and quite likely probable when he gets knocked to the turf in the end zone. He bangs the back of his helmet, which leads to his inability to pass the. concussion protocol. So he exits in the second quarter, does not come back. Gardner
Starting point is 01:43:45 Munchu threw for 171 yards and a touchdown in relief and the Colts coast to a 30-120 win over the Texans. That's the first victory for Shane Stuyken. And I am in on the Colts early on this season. I like what Stuyken's brought to this offense. A lot of Henry and in Philadelphia, although I thought they looked better on Thursday night overall about what Stikin's presence or absence means there. But I certainly see. a difference with the Colts and the Richardson side of it now it is two
Starting point is 01:44:16 games he's played electrifying plays in both games two games he's exited with an injury so it's something to watch but overall if you're a Colts fan you're loving the trajectory here because the team is compelling and watchable right now they are
Starting point is 01:44:30 but the one thing about Richardson in general it's like we don't have a sample size from any real like tier of his career and I guess you would and go past beyond college, but, like, his style of play, and I kind of hate these arguments because I think, like, it's always like, oh, Lamar Jackson is.
Starting point is 01:44:48 You're not, like, running the ball too much yon. But, like, it's, like, you don't know how durable Richardson's body is. He's a giant guy, is powerful. He's physical. Two NFL games in a row, like, you leave the game concerned about his health. Near the goal line where he's kind of selling himself out to score. Yeah, I think he's 6.3.2.40? 6.4-240.
Starting point is 01:45:08 And it's like, so it's not an issue of. him his body size wise not being able to take the hits but he's going to take licks and it's just unfortunate and hopefully this is just an outlier and he'll play this upcoming week and and you won't have to be talking about this every week because really the best case scenario here for the cults is Richardson stays healthy and stiking and Richardson continue to to grow something here and hell maybe Jonathan Taylor comes back and you have something really cooking with this offense which has had it had its way here with Houston they they only they had an 18 point lead at halftime.
Starting point is 01:45:42 They managed one field goal after after that, but it didn't matter because the game was over. And Gardner Minchu came in and kept moving the ball with them. And that's why with a concussion and a rookie quarterback, like you don't need to push him to play next week if he's coming off a concussion. You can, you just got to be thinking long term. Gardner Minchew starting is just fine for a week. I thought you noted on Twitter, Dan,
Starting point is 01:46:07 that Richardson self-reported, which is concerning that that's even necessary because he's a guy in a very highly visible play whose head slams against the turf. And did he stay in the game for a little longer in self-report? He did. I mean, that's an NFL total failure. Like, we spent a week on Tuatunga Vailoa because it was just more dramatic, but it's the exact same thing. Yeah, it was, I guess, tricky because there was, I'm trying to think,
Starting point is 01:46:37 there was something else going on immediately after the play. Maybe he's a scrum that directed other people's attention away from it. And even after he hits his head on the turf, he pops straight up. He does like a backwards rolling. He's got his arms up and he's jogging back. But obviously there were cobwebs and some issues cognitively that were building or sustained after that moment. So I get that. I also, I think sometimes it's quick to just say, look at the system failed.
Starting point is 01:47:03 There's supposed to be a spotter on the sideline. But you're also, if he's not woozy, if it doesn't appear that he took a bad shot, how do you really, it's hard to know. It's always going to be difficult. I think that because you see so many plays every game that someone's head slams on the ground. Yeah. It's like you should be checking a lot of them and they're not checking. Like Josh Allen got hit on a head-to-head.
Starting point is 01:47:25 You saw it, Eric, a scramble where, again, he probably should have gotten down. But then a second guy came in and smoked him and they threw the flag on it. And that's a helmet-to-helmet shot. And, you know, should the game stop down there? Like, how do you play this? Or just take them out. It's a lot of it, let's be real, it's optics because head collisions and stuff like this is happening every play to different positions. But when it's quarterback and we see something visibly that looks wrong and it's like we're saying,
Starting point is 01:47:55 a lot happened after the play, that's fine if coaches didn't see it or someone else. But, like, they have people designated to look for this. What was going on? there. Well, like I said, he was showing those outward signs initially, is what I'm saying. I think it's a tough judgment call in general, but like, I don't know. Part of it is, I think what happened with Tua last year was like, it became this inflamed scenario. So it's like over-protecting the whole thing. And now it's like, it's not a story right now, but it will be soon enough. Do you put much into Stroud, uh, hooking up Nico Collins for 146? Woods for 74 and Tanktel for
Starting point is 01:48:28 72. I mean, yes. I thought, I thought, I really think that, uh, Stroud looked good in this game. Now, a lot of that chunk yardage was occurring when the game was kind of out of hand. But you know what? When you have a – this is two 21-year-old quarterbacks in this game going at it. Like any type of – you need them on the field to develop. Like I saw real quick, like Will McDonald, the Jets' first round pick was a healthy, inactive today. And I'm just like scratching my head thinking to myself. I understand they're deep at D-Line.
Starting point is 01:48:55 But when you have rookies, they need to play to develop. So that was giving me some issues over there. You're seeing him get these, even in garbage time, the ability to have success and throw the ball, build confidence. He went over 300 yards in this game. So, yes, I think if you're the Texans on offense, you're feeling bullish about Stroud's development. I think one of the things I'm over in terms of storylines in our league, you know, well, the Vikings or the Texans, well, they have Mike Flores or Demico Ryan's now. So they're going to be better on defense. Well, you need the players and you need the time.
Starting point is 01:49:32 in terms of the scheme and the Texans are not better on defense right now and it's going to continue to be a major issue for them at least early in the season. I would say one thing about like Stroud's performance. It wasn't just over 300. It was almost 400 yards. The last 150 or so really was just very soft coverage, but I don't want to go too crazy about it, but also is nice to see. But look at his environment compared to like rookies that are put into a better situation. You don't have Larry Mitt Tunsell today. Their offensive line is like battered and not effective. Damien Pierce, 2.1 yards for carry, 31 total yards. They barely ran the ball. And so it's all on Stroud and he's getting it done in like your second NFL
Starting point is 01:50:13 game. And like the one thing that's always consistent about him is like he's going to throw a couple passes every performance where it's like there aren't that many people that look like that throwing the ball. I think it's just like I enjoy watching him just throw the ball. The trick, I would say like it's as good as an 02 start where you're not competitive any other game can feel because you feel like, okay, I think we've got our quarterback because plenty of quarterbacks don't light it up in garbage time or make the type of throws he did a week ago.
Starting point is 01:50:37 But they don't own their first round pick this year. So it's not the best way to start the season. You want to win at home against the Colts. That's one of the games on the schedule where you were favored coming into the week. You didn't really come close either. They didn't have a lot of work to do. It's like when you don't own your first pick,
Starting point is 01:50:53 it's got to start feeling very uncomfortable if the loss is pile up. I mean, pick up C.J. Stroud and fantasy because they're probably going to be playing from hopelessly behind a lot this season. Last note on this game. It's about the telecast. Robert Smith, not
Starting point is 01:51:08 my cup of tea. For what name, can you give me one reason? Just not jiving with you, it's not a match. He's been back in the mix now for a few years. It's not for me. Okay. Maybe for you? No, I think it's like you are... Maybe for America? Maybe the world. Yep.
Starting point is 01:51:24 Subjective. I have the beholder. Great running back. It's a Sunday night football. First and 10, Miami. Moster to the running back, Walton flank to the right. They give it to Moster. Murser, big hole up the mill.
Starting point is 01:51:40 Big hole. Large hole. He just put that into fourth gear real quickly, and it was over. Ooh. A little car talk for Rosenthal. Getting under the hood in the garage on the spare time. Remember real mans, man's man. I don't know anything about cars either.
Starting point is 01:52:07 Greg and Dan taking this one home tonight, Jimmy Cephalo and Joe Rose on the call for WBGG. The Miami passing game was the star in week one. And week two is a running game that had its way with an opponent this time. The Patriots, who could not stop Mostert on that game icing. Not exactly game icing. We'll get to that in a moment. touchdown run, 145 yards on the ground for Miami, and a 2417 win over the Patriots. New England falls to 0 in excruciating fashion in the Dolphins, 2 and O,
Starting point is 01:52:46 leading the AFC East early on. Gregy. So the game seems over at that point after the Mosterts score. And it isn't, though, because after they go up 2410, the Patriots get a lot. a touchdown, I believe, off a turnover or a defensive stop. And then they have the ball. They're going down the field, Gregi. And just like last week, it was the completion
Starting point is 01:53:10 that wasn't, where it's ruled a completion. And then they say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Stop the clocks. Let's look at this and they ruled incomplete turnover. Opponents' ball. Pats lose. Again, a crazy completion to the tight end. They flip back to Cole Strange, the lineman
Starting point is 01:53:28 who appeared to get the first down. First down was given on the field and the whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, stop the clocks. It is overturned upon review. That one stings. I question whether you had the right angle to determine that definitely. Because if the camera is at an angle, how can you say that so surely? But this loss, as annoying as that ending was, is actually easier to take for me than a week ago, where I think they were the better team
Starting point is 01:54:01 and they, you know, to use like a Tom Curranism, pique on their leg. That was a game they should have won. This is a game they felt lucky to be in. And that was one of those like crazy, throw it back to the Tom Brady era sort of miracle plays that would only happen
Starting point is 01:54:19 during the Tom Brady Patriot era, except now when it happens, you come a half yard short. Or as a week ago, you review it and it's an incomplete pass. And like every good bit of mojo they had for two decades was used up. And Mack Jones is suffering for the sins. Cue the violins for Patriots fans over here.
Starting point is 01:54:41 It's like Hunter Henry's catch that was overturned in that Vikings game. I can't remember, though, in the past, like the national cognizante being like, wow, the Patriots were kind of job done to play. That never used to happen. And now it's happening all the time. But they did not deserve to win this game and we can get to the reasons why. How does it feel to no longer have magic on your side? It's okay.
Starting point is 01:55:01 We over indexed as fans, I would say. I'm using We and the Fans version. I hear you on that. Multiple decades. You know who did pee down their leg, I thought, in this? And don't worry, Dolphins fans. This is going to be about you and positive soon enough. But the only reason the Patriots even had a chance here is I thought Mike McDaniel, who I like.
Starting point is 01:55:20 I love the guy. He's a funny dude. After he gives us half-time interview, he's on national television. with like, I don't know, how many people watch these games? I don't know. 20 million? Something like that. A thousand?
Starting point is 01:55:31 Big number. He sprints away, just looking insane. It was wonderful at halftime. But in this game, they have a fourth and three at the New England 37 yard line with 219 to play. And they are up seven. And your offense was historically great in week one. And you're running the ball down the throats in New England in game two. And you send out Jason Sanders for a 55-year-old kick,
Starting point is 01:56:00 and Jason Sanders cannot make 50-yarders. The data backs it up, and sure enough, he misses it by a mile wide left, and that set up the pats. And I thought that that was a situation where McDaniel blinked, and it gave the Patriots a second life, and they got away with it. But this should have never gotten to that point, and yet it did. But on the positive side of things, Greg, like you said, the Dolvin's controlled this game from the state.
Starting point is 01:56:26 start. They were the better team. And when you can now say Rahim Moster, it's a guy that can pop off for 120, when our passing game is being held down a little bit, it shows you how deep and dangerous this offense is. Right. McDaniel gets a little knock for that. I'm with you. As someone rooting for New England, I was like, thank you. Thank you for the field goal attempt. They have a better chance at this than stopping a three-yard play. The only reason they stopped the third and one is because Tua, Tungavaila, and his center messed up the exchange for the umpteenth time this season.
Starting point is 01:57:02 Who is it, McGovern or Connor Williams, rather. I confused the Connors with, you can play multiple positions. It had a couple other bad snaps that led to bad plays in this game, but this is so unpatriot. Like, I will puke the next time I hear someone says like, well, these are, they're just making sloppy unpatriots like mistakes. So they're playing mental errors. That's not like the Patriots. it's exactly who they've been since the very moment Tom Brady left.
Starting point is 01:57:28 Like they get penalized a lot. They make mental errors. That's just part of it. But what they have done better usually is run the ball and stop the run. That's Bill Belichick wants to do that. They didn't stop the run on Sunday night. They didn't run the ball well. And even though Tua's numbers don't look great,
Starting point is 01:57:44 I think Belichick threw some things at him and he had that interception. Man, he made a couple beautiful plays. He mostly made really good decisions. I think the first third down to the game, he steps up in the pocket, makes the right read where a lot's being thrown at him processing wise. And I think he handled it, let's say better than Jalen Hertz did a week ago. The drive at the end of the first half was beautiful, where they only have a couple minutes and he just has to go down the field and has a great throw to Barrio. So he still was the better quarterback in this game, certainly, even though Mack Jones is better and they had the better running game. They out gained him by 100.
Starting point is 01:58:17 They're the better team at least through two weeks. Yeah, I thought it was interesting and remarked on him when we were watching. in the film room that Mac Jones, who's, you know, you don't hang the loss on Mac Jones, but it's a lot of hard work for Mac Jones. And it's strange to me to see a quarterback in the league now that doesn't feel like he's a highly athletic player. And so I think they're just earthbound offensively,
Starting point is 01:58:42 not because of him, but he's certainly a part of it. And Ramadra Stevenson, who's supposed to be the dog of his team, he has been pretty quiet through two weeks. He averaged 3.3 yards of carry. In this game, that's only after they did a little bit of work later on in the second half, for the most part. He was totally bottled up. Zeke is not really a part of this offense right now either. So there are issues, obviously, with New England.
Starting point is 01:59:05 And I think it's going to be a season-long situation. It won't be as... I think they can improve. I think that... Listen, I think they can improve, but I think last year was an outlier that they were kind of laughed at for how out of sync they were and poorly coached on offense. But I think it's going to be a grind for this team to score points for most of the year. I mean, if it doesn't, improve. I have my doubts about Bill Belichick's future, but we can talk about that throughout the
Starting point is 01:59:28 course of the season. I think it will improve because it needs to improve. When they're third and three, third and four, they can pick that up. If it's anything longer, they can't pick that. They didn't have a play over 14 yards. Their longest play of the game, Dan, was that catch that set up the fourth down, which Mike Keseki caught with one hand, and then the Dolphins quarterback, Katerko, who had it with one hand, and then it would look like Julian Edelman in the Super Bowl. That was their longest play and that was 14 yards 14 freaking yards that moster i do want to just point out a couple little sequences so another time like they got the christian gonzalez interception in the middle of the fourth quarter at that point they're only down seven you're thinking the place is going crazy
Starting point is 02:00:07 you're thinking okay uh this is where they have a chance to make a run and their next three plays was throw to juju who has this i'm the new free agent wide receiver with the patriots look to him which is not a good sign because usually when it starts bad it doesn't get better Incomplete pass to him. Then Andrew Van Ginkle, who will sign a huge contract to be a New England Patriot in a year, forces them into a long-yarded situation with a big sack. And then they just throw a Mac Jones hope ball on third down. And there's a lot of Mac Jones down the field, hope balls.
Starting point is 02:00:39 Van Ginkle had a force fumble earlier in the game. That, to me, that's such a telling sequence of where they're at. Even though they're making plays, like the Mac Jones touchdown at the end of the game, one of them was on a play that was totally improvised and was a play. busted play and probably should have been penalized on the Patriots. They didn't get all the brakes. And they got, you know, tough, tough scheduling, Eagles, Dolphins, but 0 and 2 at home to start the season and now, and we'll get to it.
Starting point is 02:01:03 Now they're in a kind of a wounded animal death match, going to the Meadowlands to face the Jets. And God, that, that. Jets are one-in-one. So technically they don't qualify for your previous wounded animal. They do not. They're not a wounded animal, but also there's a depressing vibe around that game, because it might be very similar to last year's Patriots, Jets games, or it's like very low-scoring, big-time slogfest,
Starting point is 02:01:30 and we'll see how that game goes. They absolutely need the game. And the Dolphins, now they welcome Denver into their building and they're 2-0. So, you know, I think it's funny with the, we talked about it all summer, at least I said it a lot. I think Mark said something similar, that everybody was hyping up the Dolphins and Jets. And one of those teams was going to get picked off by either just the hype monster or some type of injury, sadly, was my team.
Starting point is 02:01:51 the Dolphins on the other hand. They're the team that looks like they could be set up for a nice season here. They need to not get picked off by the injury. We know what I'm talking about when I say that. But right now, so far, so good for my end. I just love what Mike McDaniel is doing. He's stacking these creative little wrinkles he's added. All week, all anyone talked about is the short motion that Tyree Kill was doing,
Starting point is 02:02:13 you know, from either kind of inside the tackles and what kind of challenges it presented. And for the most part, the Patriots did, well, But then he was playing off of that. That most dirt run partly came because they were so distracted by what Tyree Kill was doing in the backfield. And the Waddle big play that he had down the field was partly because they were distracted by what Tyree Kill was doing. So I love McDaniel just stacking nice play calls on top of nice play calls. Yeah, it's impressive when Tua can throw for 460 and Tiger can go for 200, but maybe more dangerous to the rest of the AFC when they can win a game when Tyree can.
Starting point is 02:02:51 has 40 yards. Only one wounded animal game will be on the week three slate. That's a low. That's a little weird. But it's the ultimate wounded animal game. Wounded v. Wounded. Chargers Vikings.
Starting point is 02:03:06 I mean, that's that's it. That's wounded or franchises. Wounded centuries. Is it possible that they both lose? I want that game. I want that game. I think it's in play. All right.
Starting point is 02:03:17 Big Sunday show. Thank you to everybody. Too big. for listening. I think the listeners are going to enjoy. They like the size. Who doesn't? Big Monday coming up, NFL Plus and two podcasts.
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