NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2023 Week 8 Recap

Episode Date: October 30, 2023

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler recap Week 8 of the 2023 season. The heroes start the show by discussing the Bengals beating the 49ers (02:26), the Chiefs being upset by the Broncos (11:27), the Vikings beating the Packers and losing Kirk Cousins to injury (19:40), and the Cowboys blowing out the Rams (29:31). After the break, Nick Shook joins the heroes to recap Jaguars at Steelers (38:24) and Eagles at Commanders (43:31). The heroes wrap up the show by recapping Jets at Giants (51:12), Browns at Seahawks (01:02:08), Ravens at Cardinals (01:08:18), Falcons at Titans (01:15:30), Patriots at Dolphins (01:23:01), Saints at Colts (01:29:58),Texans at Panthers (01:35:30) and wrap things up with Bears at Chargers (01:42:02). Note: time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast is part of the Dave Damashak coaching tree. From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, it's around the NFL. I am Dan Hansis. I got heroes here. Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler. We're here now at what is, you know, pretty close to the midpoint of the NFL season. And it's been a weird NFL season, boys.

It's been an unpredictable NFL season. It has been the Sunday, an injury-plagued NFL Sunday, and we're going to get to all the big news that came out of the day and go through all the games, and there are 13 of them, Gregie. So bring your A game, buddy. Full slate, I'm feeling it. It did feel like a momentous day. I don't know.

We'll see. I mean, we know some teams, their future at quarterback change today. We saw some teams kind of reinsert themselves into the, bigger picture. It felt like, okay, maybe this season's starting to take a little shape today.

Well, I think a lot of it is like, it's a big week when you know that there's a lot to come on Monday in terms of like news updates and where we are. And there was a period

where, you know, because Greg and I watched these games early and then you live close by and you come around half time of the second game, usually. Yes.

And, uh, well, okay, phrasing, but Greg and I, like, there was like five or six major quarterback.

It was like all happening. Brocas is within about a 12-minute period. and we're just like walking back and forth to each other, talking to each other about it. I can't follow it up tomorrow. He painted a picture. You really did. I did.

And the audience is so prosaic. Let's get to it. All the better for it. I don't know. Been here since like nine in the morning. I was to say, at what point were you realizing that story really had nowhere to go? You know, I tried to guard myself against that. During a show last week, I warned you in the middle of a segment that whatever I was doing

was not working, and it's happened again. And this is also a side. that in my corner of the universe, I witnessed one of the most insane unlikely comebacks in the history of the NFL and data backs that up. So we'll get to that as well. But let's start with the big news. I can't, I can't lock a game anymore because anywhere I go, the NFL says, no, what you think is not what it is.

The Niners at home, unstoppable. The Niners are very stoppable right now, especially when a healthy Joe Burr. was involved second and goal from the five chase out to the right everybody else bunched in tight burrow and the shotgun waiting for the snap from teddy carris burrow catches it to 10 gives it to mixing again he's on his way to the promised land touchdown Bengals mix and dancing in the end zone and Cincinnati takes a two touchdown lead oh the bongos come out early wow Okay. Dan Horde, Dave Blappam, WC-K-Y, with the call.

You see Joe Mixing in that end zone and doing that dance and a very quiet big bell bottom. There's a swagger and an energy around the Cincinnati Bengals now that wasn't there just a scant few weeks ago. Joe Burrow threw three touchdown passes. Cincinnati intercepted Brock Purdy on back-to-back passes in the second half. Mix and iced the game.

with an incredible kind of answer drive by the Bengals in the fourth quarter and yes, the Bengals beat the Niners 3117. They've won four of five now.

And Greg will start here. Joe Burrow, when this man is healthy and he is absolutely healthy right now, he is one of the most thrilling players to watch in the league. And, you know,

there was some kind of, conversation on this podcast, Greg, about what's wrong with the bangles and what's wrong with this coach and why is it the system working? But it's Burrow. He's the heart of everything. And when he's right, everything clicks into place, 28 of 32, 283, 3 touchdowns. And he has this team believing that they are better than everyone. And that's the way they look today. When I, when I said at the top of the show, you know, certain teams, you know, reintroducing themselves, putting themselves back in the pick. I'm thinking this game. Because I never expected to be in a point in the season where the 49ers have a three-game losing streak.

And I, you know, I was wrong, but I started doubting whether the Bengals were going to be the Bengals, because I thought they had these other issues that were plaguing them in terms of their run defense, in terms of their offensive line. But maybe you're right, Dan,

like these numbers and the texts I'm getting from Nick Wessling and Spice Rack, Wes's old friend, Brad Spicer, who just started saying, like, it's all happening again. Like, are you seeing, like, even after the game, Zach Taylor said it was our first complete game

like this was the Bengals team that we've been waiting to see all season. They didn't commit a penalty in this game until very late in the affair and everything came so easy and the reason why I picked that mix and touchdown even though really was a day that was about Burrow and how great he looked

Mark was that at 24 to 10 after the back to back interceptions by Purdy, San Francisco takes over and finally perks up, comes to life and goes right down the field I want to make sure I have the numbers right here. They go right down the field, 10 place 75 yards in 452

and make it a seven point game. And that's at the point where that building is loud again. In Cincinnati, with Burrow at the control, says, no, this is not going to go the way you think it's going to go. They take the ball back and they go 10 place, 78 yards to end the game. And that is a closeout drive from a championship type team. It's, I think what has happened to San Francisco, over the last three weeks

as equally as to me stirring and surprising is what's happened with this Bengals team and Bengals are like week one and two we don't care we just don't care

we didn't care last year we don't care this year who would have thought the Niners three weeks in a row would put up only 17 points three weeks in a row and that Brock Purdy who was if nothing else

not creating mistakes not taking the team and putting them in reverse two interceptions today and it's one of the first times where I've heard Kyle Shanahan come out after and say one of them was just flat out a bad decision. It was a bad decision. And it's

like we are seeing a version of Brock Purdy that makes me wonder if someone like Kyle Shanahan who was a little bit up and down and like he has eyes for other quarterbacks left. Would he ever be kind of compelled to put someone like Sam Darnel in there? We're not there yet. Let's talk about the Purdy situation because Purdy when we did the show on Thursday

he wasn't playing. He was in concussion protocol and everything would had to, he had to check every box and it was pushing right up against it to check the fifth box. So he does get cleared. So it looks like, pretty rare. It looked like Donald was going to start. And then at the last second, Purdy started. And again, when you guys see this game, you're going to see, Purdy wasn't bad. In fact, there were moments in this game where, you know, he threw for 365 yards and had some, made some plays with his feet. He ran for 57 yards. But yes, there's not, you can't say anything to two on back to back passing attempts in crunch time. He threw.

those interceptions that sync the team. And yeah, you thought maybe the first time you're looking at him after that second pick, Greg, and you're saying, is this confidence starting a waiver a little bit? Not, I don't think there's a controversy there yet, but we're now we're starting to make something toward that. They hit the by with questions about consistency at that position that are fair to ask. I believe so. And, you know, I don't expect to see Sam Darno coming out of the buy or anything, but it's

a little concerning that these turnovers are coming in bunches. Like when it starts going bad, it stays going. bad but that's partly you know because they're playing this this bengals defense and and to flip it around like the 49ers linebackers are known as the best linebacker duo in the league but the bengals linebackers you know jermaine pratt who they were able to keep on a pretty cheap contract this offseason and logan wilson's who signed long term uh they made big plays in this game they were the better defense ultimately and i i'm more surprised that the 49ers gave up 29 first downs then I am that the Bengals held, you know, San Francisco to 17 points.

I am quite surprised that the 49ers defense, which just coming into this year and through the first five games looked so good, has allowed them to lose three straight because, you know, they haven't played well in any of these games. No, and Burrough set the tone on the first drive of the game. It was third and long on their side of the field, and he was done. Like, there was a, a nineer in the backfield. This was a sack. He gets, wiggles out of the sack, and then scramble.

to his right and as he's going out of bounds he zips one. That looks like a throwaway at first but no, it wasn't. It was for a long completion and that's a stay in that drive and led to the touchdown. Then there was another play where he once again ducked out of trouble and turned on the jets and

scrambled for it was 20 yards. 20 yards. It was like, okay he is fully right when he's doing stuff. We talked about that and this was a game where you got the best version of Nick Bosa who had nine QB pressures in the first half, which is the most by

any pass rusher in the first half of a game this season, 12 on the day. So that was working. And I watched that play too. I got all these screens up and I saw Burrow break away for that. Someone say too many screens. Too many. It is not in the lot. How does anyone watch anything when that these screens are on? In the late window, you're

just dealing with four. But like when he had that 20 yard dash, you're looking at a player that's completely healthy. He's fixed. He's fine. And suddenly this Bengals team to me has no ceiling. Wait. I mean, And it's just the season is so long, and that's why I'm not panicking about the 49ers,

but they're now spotted the Eagles a couple games if they're trying to get like a one seed, for instance, and they're bringing the Seahawks back into the division race. But it's just crazy that the Bengals and the 49ers essentially have the same record. One's four and three, one's five and three. Like start over these two teams, which looks so different three weeks ago.

And like I said, the 49ers are in their buy. Then they visit Jacksonville, a team that's surging as well. So it doesn't get any easier. Two quick notes, Trent Williams. Oh, yes, I did lock up the Niners thinking it was Sam Darnold. And I was very excited about it. Then Purdy came in and it was like, well, I'm not going to bail out of the lock,

but it took kind of like the feistiness out of it for me. They didn't fight hard enough for the lock, I think, because of it. Locks mostly come down to luck. I've said that in the years that I win and don't win. It's mostly luck. I was locking up this game. Well, when you win, it's skill. No, I'm saying it's mostly luck when you win.

I was locking up this game, but it switches. to Darnold freaked me out. So I jumped off of it. And then it wasn't Darnold in the end, but then it was too late. You're having a blessed year in the locks. And that's why the competition is effectively over now. Like we said last week, and now you're picking up another game on me. Yeah. Um, left tackle Trent Williams missed a second straight game with the sprained angle. And shout out to Christian McCaffrey, even in a loss. He had two touchdowns. And he has at least one, uh, touchdown in 17 straight games, including the playoffs that

tied the NFL record set by 1963, 64. Gail Sears. Matt Snell, I don't know. Wrong. Lenny Moore. All right. All right. Let's move on. So the Niners, humbled by the Bengals.

How about another, well, I want to call what happened in San Francisco, stunning. But interesting and quite surprising. Let's head to Denver. This one was stunning. Takes the snap. Mahalb's in the pocket. In trouble. Tries on the run.

He throws the ball on the run. That ball is. Interceptive Justin Simmons. Simmons in Kansas City territory. Get out of bounds, Justin. His sixth interception of Patrick Mahomes. Unbelievable defensive performance by the Denver Broncos. Justin Simmons had two of Denver's five takeaways.

And Patrick Mahomes had nowhere to run. I mean, it was, listen, you're not going to find a, a Sean Payton supporter and me. But as bad as his year has gone, his first year in Denver, I can't imagine a much sweeter tasting win than absolutely housing Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, which is what the Broncos did in a 24 to 9 win at mile high. And it was, it was really surprising to watch. The Broncos hand Mahomes' first, AFC West road loss, and they beat Kansas

City's quarterback for the first time in 13 tries. This has been as one-sided as it gets and there was nothing fluky about the performance. The Denver Broncos defense from the very beginning gave Mahomes fits. They never got comfortable and

Kansas City was just not sharp enough with too many turnovers, a sloppy play and every time Mark I feel like we're getting to a point with the Chiefs and their offense where you're like, okay, here they go. They're off and running. a game like this happens.

And it's like, what is up with this team? And oh, by the way, the trade deadline is in two days. Yeah, I love that they mentioned Nick Benito in the play call there. I thought he played a great game. He caused all sorts of problems. Pressured Mahomes eight times. Mahomes, you know, reports coming into the game that he's dealing with the flu. And I feel like we never really know what that's doing to a player.

It feels sometimes like it's a great way for us to market you if you win. We've seen that before in another sport. But he really was off his game. like he a different sport that did happen a completely different player that we mentioned too much i mean conspiracy theory here uh on old uh jordan no no no i think the golf so he was dealing with that um it was you know they cleared the snow off the field but he also at one point in the game had his hand was all banged up with gashes and cuts so it was a tough day from homes he had a negative 20.6 EPA over 44 dropbacks which is the lowest of his entire career

And that's what triggers the Broncos to beat the Chiefs for the first time since Peyton Manning was quarterback. And I look at this Chief's team. I think the one way is any team that loses a turnover battle, five to one, you've got some weird Bahomes plays, some interceptions, three-lost fumbles. That's your way in. But Denver actually, their defense has improved over the past couple weeks after looking like an absolute open barn door for the earlier part of the season. It wasn't so much about the offense. It's like their defense showed up today. and this is a different looking team

if you can do that. The season is so long. We just were talking about it with the 49th. There's such peaks in valleys, but they've played three games and they've allowed 45 points. And I would say this result

would be even more stunning if we didn't see the Broncos hold the Chiefs to one touchdown two weeks ago. I hate the two games in three weeks. It's not the reason. They both teams have to do it, but I do think there's something strange about it. And it's also a division matchup

where there is familiarity. I know it's a new coaching staff and everything, but the Broncos plan for the chiefs worked really well last time around in terms of like stopping them from drivers. This time, it sounds like it worked even better. But yeah, 45 points by the Broncos defense the last three weeks. It's funny, like when things happen. If they started the season that way, everyone would be talking about like,

Vance Joseph, one of the best jobs in the league right now. This is the best defense in the league. And it was the complete opposite. They were historically bad early. Peyton was asked after the game about their trade deadline strategy. He said, we have no strategy. We're not the team that's going to be calling, but there's nothing happening.

If something was happening, I would be the one to know it, so nothing is happening. Well, we know you're talking to people and saying like certain guys are available, potentially, but they are. I believe everything he's said. But they are three and five now,

and the AFC is so wide open. I think that's a trend. We'll see the rest of these games, is these teams that were maybe on the outs winning games and maybe less likely to make trades. The key play in this game, it was third and eight at the KC-27, and the Broncos at this point are ahead 14 to 9.

The chiefs get a sack, and it's a bad sack that Russell Wilson takes that knocks them at a field goal range. So they ended up punting, and that's when Mikol Hardman recently reunited with the team, muffs the punt, recovered by the Broncos. So after they get off the field, the chiefs, and it's about to be Mahomes taken over, down five points.

They muff it, sets them at first and goal at the 10. 10, two plays later, Russell Wilson hits Cortland Sutton for six yards, 21-9. And that essentially kind of was the game at that point. So, I mean, in a game that was marked by too many mistakes, the Hardman Fumble was the one that I feel like broke the back of Kansas City here. Yeah, I think it's like they're, it came to a point where there are too many gaffes. I mean, if you told me that Russell Wilson was going to throw for 114 yards in this performance, I would think it'd be another typical run-of-the-mill chiefs Broncos outfit scenario.

but instead Denver is blasting Taylor Swift as the chiefs walk off defeated with Kelsey having, sorry, it is a little bit of a, to me, a split when she's not in the stadium, 58 yards, kind of held at bay. I know we're not supposed to talk about it, but... Bad news, by the way, because she is now going,

I believe, on the international leg of her record-setting eras tour, which means... Not to Germany, apparently? She is not going to be around anymore. And yes, Russell Wilson, through for just a buck 14, but with three touchdowns. So that will give you a nice one-twenty move. Former people that have worked for the Saints, like Sean Peyton

makes, he's a great pay caller near the end zone. So he always is trying to get his quarterback's touchdown near the end zone because he loves the QB rating and the quarterbacks to have these gaudy stats. That's such a Greg take. He's probably just trying to score. It's absolutely true. He's always trying to set up the quarterbacks to have these gaudy touchdown numbers.

But he's great at doing it. So why wouldn't he? But this is a great running team. I meant to say it on Thursday. Giovante Williams really looks good. And Julio McLaughlin's a great number two. So they had over five yards per carry on the season, Danny, before this game. That's pretty impressive.

So they're a good running team. They kind of ruin their season, potentially, with how poorly they got out of the gates. And 70 to 20 is going to stick with you. I mean, or this ruin their season. Or a long time. Or aiming for that number one pick. But they're three and five. But they're not going to have the number one pick because this team has, they hit the bottom early.

And now we're seeing them most weeks now. They're pretty competitive. They're not a good team But I'm looking at, yeah I mean, they've lost a close one To the Chiefs and they beat the Packers They beat the Chiefs. Now they go to Buffalo

Who knows who we get with Buffalo? Shout out to Russell Wilson, too. We're hearing that the audio is not great on this But I see you, Russ, trying to change Oh, it's here. Trying to change your new slogan to Go Broncos. Yeah, we got all the confidence in the world and what we can do.

We know what we're capable of. And, you know, it's about the work. It's about the work. It's nothing else. It's about the team. but us being together continue to work put up put our best foot forward and uh we're excited we're excited about where we can go enjoy this one guys thank you thank you did it with the press conference too afterwards in front of the assembled denver media it's now the thing it had not been

the thing i liked uh bronco's country let's ride i i feel like you should have stuck with that but you're right it did not test well did not go through the roof no for showman purposes hot you also rented out a waffle house for his very famous wife for her birthday let's go let's ride baby good for them that's a beautiful couple all right let's now move on uh to uh the most stunning injury news of the week to lambo field first and 10 from the green bay 20 cousins he's going to loop on right caught touchdown Jordan Addison with his seventh national football league touchdown that gives Minnesota a 23-3 lead and for Jordan That touchdown means he has the most in the history of the Minnesota Vikings through the first eight games.

That's Paul Allen with a call KFAN, and that turns out to be, that is the high point in all likelihood of the 2023 Minnesota Viking season, up 24 to 3 over the rival Packers in Lambo, a Vikings team that started slow, but was really turning it on with Kirk Cousins playing some of the best football of his career. But after he threw a pair of touchdown passes in this game, Cousins took a bad step on the field on the fourth quarter of the 2410 victory. Immediately was ruled out after an examination. You started seeing things floating around on Twitter, a close up of his calf area and that redded ripple that we saw Monday night football with Aaron Rogers back in week one. And sure enough, reports out there that it is indeed a torn Achilles tendon for Kirk Cousins that will end his season and in maybe all likelihood his Minnesota Vikings career.

Here's Kevin O'Connell, who did not announce anything because it's not official official yet, but talking about cousins as a guy who will no longer be playing for them this season. I'm thinking of Kirk, our locker room, every single player in our locker room, you know, thinking about our leader, our guy right now. And I'm just so proud of him, proud of the way he's played all season long. And, you know, it's, you know, whatever is the case if we don't have him for one snap or for the duration of our season, that will not change the fact of what I believe Kirk Cousins, the level he played to this year, and ultimately what he's meant to me in our organization. Dang. Cousins has never missed a game because of injury in his 12-year career.

An Iron Man, he sat at one game in 2021 because of a positive COVID test. Crusher. Greggy, this is always one of my favorite players to watch, and the Vikings were really shaping up as one of the more interesting teams in the NFC in the second half, and it all disappears in a blink. It's so crazy, because you think about this game where they look

clearly better than the Packers. Osborne gets 99, Hawkinson 88. Addison is a legit dude, 82 yards in a touchdown, and where they can go, because their defense is good, and I look at this team, I think they're better than they were a year ago, on balance. They're not going to get the 13 wins. And you think of cousins and how they didn't sign him coming into this

year that he's going to be a free agent with Achilles. And it's just heartbreaking. And you also think of the timing because the trade deadline is Tuesday. And to me, that's a bit of a gift for the Vikings because they chose to go into this season. And it was a big topic in Minnesota with Jaron Hall as their backup quarterback, fifth round rookie. They couldn't get good play out. I think it was what, Nick Mullins was on the roster before too. I think being here, year. You've got to see what's out there because Jaron Hall just doesn't feel like it's something that you want for 10 games, for nine games. Whether it's James Winston or Ryan Tannahill or someone, like this year's version of Josh Dobbs, I do think they're given not a gift, but just the fact

that it's this week and not next week, they can maybe do something about it. I would expect them to do something about it. Yeah, because so when they beat the Bears in that 19 to 13 contest, which it was a win, but it looked to me like the coaching staff had not cooked up a way to cover over Justin Jefferson's absence. I thought against the Niners, you know, with Addison's stepping

up, there are answers. And today we saw multiple pass catchers be extremely productive. And Kirk Cousins is playing one of the best seasons of his life. You lose them, but then you look at the schedule when I'm with you. Why not look for a James Swinster or someone like that? You've got the Falcons, the Saints, the Broncos, the Bears,

and the Raiders coming up next. You're four and four, why not? It's over. Well, because over. Okay, here's what it is. And I get it. The coach staff can't think that way. I, I, well, they can't, but like, we can.

Like, you can't just, you're not going to trade for a quarterback in week nine. You could trade for James and then expect him. Yeah, we think James Winston would do with the playbook in his hands in the middle of the year. This is a rookie for BYU, though. It absolutely is. I guess I just mean, look, it's not going to be in Questie's long-term plan. Like, this is a team's actually trying to add draft picks and think about the future and get rid of, you know, veterans.

We were talking about them, trading away veterans. Could it be something that actually makes them more likely to trade DeNeil Hunter over the next two days? I don't know. But I think just life is short and you have to all live in the next nine game. And you could say like it's over. Yeah, they're not going to win the Super Bowl. They weren't winning the Super Bowl anyways. I think you have a responsibility to your team that if you can get a guy like a James or I'm not coming up with, you know, great answers.

Jacobi Berset. Or in it could be for like a fourth round pick or something. and that it dramatically improves your next nine games. I wouldn't even do that, though. Like, why would you bring in? Because what's a fourth round pick? It's like a coin flip. They value them.

General managers value them. They do, but that's what I mean. Like, to me, nine games of these next nine games are more valuable than a coin flip for a guy that might be a backup safe. I hear what, trust me, I hear what you guys are saying. I'm not trying to be flip about it. Yeah. I'm just like kind of being a little more black and white.

And sometimes you just get screwed. And they lose Jefferson to a serious hamstring injury. Now you lose your franchise quarterback to the most brutal injury. And it's just like, that's kind of it. And maybe for this team where they are now, it's not the worst thing now for it to be a developmental. Get the, if this kid, he's on your roster, coach him up and see what you get out of him. And maybe you get a high draft pick if things go poorly. And if he develops, it's a, it's a bonus that comes out of a terrible situation.

I just think trading for like a guy like a Jake Brisket, like, what are you really trying to do? Well, I think part of it. Win, I think part of it is, it's your head coach in a particularly tough situation. What do you want to tell your locker room? I wonder if maybe you tell one announcing booth, Matt Ryan won't be with you anymore. That's what I wouldn't, I mean, I just forget the draft pick. It's like they're not going to, even with Jaron Hall, they're not going to lose enough games to get a worse record than this Packers team right now.

Like, yeah, like the Packers are one of the worst teams in the NFL. There's got to be too many bad teams for them. By the way, Matt Ryan, it's fun. you brought him up because Matt Ryan did supposedly reach out to the Jets or his representation did. So, you know, I'm sure maybe if he did it for the Jets, he would, I can play with Justin Jefferson in a nice dome. That doesn't sound too bad. We'll see. We'll see what happens. Let's hit the Packers because we've got to keep moving. But it's bad. This team is obviously going in the wrong direction. And I think especially Jordan Love is going in the wrong

direction because earlier in the season through about week three, you're thinking yourself, wow they're just rolling into the next guy in this game you really could see a young passer whose confidence is in a bad way right now which yes he's a young passer but he's also been cooking on the bench for a couple years now so you were hoping maybe you wouldn't have to live with something like this but he's missing open receivers he's making bad decisions he's turning the ball over a lot he has eight interceptions in the last five games uh under throws just kind of of throwing prayer balls up repeatedly in this game and hoping for good results. It just seems like he is trending downward and Packers fans who are a very positive fan base.

I feel like for the most part, at least inside that building, they're like booing like they're the Philadelphia Eagles fans and they're booing Matt LaFleur and they're booing the quarterback and the general direction of the offense, which is kind of rudderless right now. Yeah, if you're 25, you've never been through this. If you're 35 as a Packers fan, you've never been through. this. And it's unusual to see a game that starts with four punts. You have 98 yards in the first half, 12 minutes of time of possession. And you close the game with three essentially fourth down stops, downs in a row. It's like they're not, this is Matt LaFleur's coaching challenge. And it's not

working right now. And it's interesting to see Packers fans in a place like this because it's pretty unprecedented. Right. Cousin's injury happened before that, you know, when that fumble happened. And And they had totally, you know, they had the ball inside the time. They totally had a chance to get back into this game. It was like nothing. Cousins, by the way, before he went out, was 12 of 13 for 139 yards and a touchdown on third down. So he was cooking up the green by defense on third downs. And yeah, the Packers offense has gone now five straight games without a touchdown in the first half.

They didn't have their first, first down in this game until four minutes of the second quarter. So for the first time, I really think the Matt Lafleur era is under attack. right now. And I think there's a chance he could be in some trouble if this thing stays bad or gets worse from here. Do you think it's a, it's a him issue? Is that fair or not? Well, is it a him issue versus like who else to be coached? The offense isn't working. And he's the offensive guy. I don't know. Like, he has a role. It was to show me something

we said going into the season that like, we're going to really learn about Matt LaFloor. Like, was it just, you know, Rogers? Or like, is he a coach that can sustain success? And they're one of the worst team's in the NFL. He's got a lot of work to do. There's no doubt about that. All right. Let's see. Where are we at? Let's head to Gero World. Here's third and eight. Rams are going to rush four. Prescott runs up out of the pocket and runs right. Looking down field. Throw into the end zone touchdown. C. There it is. That's easy. That's easy. That's all. That's C.D. 22 yards at his second touchdown of the day.

That's what the Texas coast offenses miss. It just target your best guy in the end zone a lot. Anyway, Brad Sham, the sham got our buddy from KLRD with the call there. Dak Prescott threw two of his four touchdown passes to CD Lamb, who was a menace in this game. Duran Bland had his third pick six. That's pretty crazy. What?

And the Cowboys torch the Rams 43 to 20. That is the 11th consecutive win at AT&T Stadium for a. America's team. Greg, wow. It's funny. I didn't realize that either. It's funny in the NFL because after the Niners smoked Dallas a few weeks ago, the Cowboys were rightfully being flamed as this overly familiar pretender.

And maybe they are still. But then they drop a hammer like this and you see what happens to San Francisco since. And you're just thinking yourself like, NFC is freaky right now. It is. And they're so talented. And you just see it when when it's allowed to come out that. they are among those teams that have a chance. I know you don't want to, you know,

you're not going to believe them in them, Mark, and I don't know, I have to see it too. You can say this about 14 teams, and you're right. They have a chance, you're right. I wouldn't. I would only say it about like five, but they're one of those five because they're so talented. On a day like this, like C.D. Lamb,

listening to around the NFL on the way to the stadium, saying, saying, you know, I'm on pace for like 90 catches and 1,300 yards, Dan. Get off my back. I'm going to put up nine for one, 22, and two in the first freaking half. There you go. I mean, I don't want you to be like a guy that just, like, fill in the statute. I want you to be AJ, AJ Brown taking games over.

And that's what he did today. He did because it was everything. To me, he's the top 10 receivers. There's so many good receivers. But he, because he can do everything. He can win at the catch point. He can make plays after the catch. He was so good after the catch today.

And then he can, you know, improvise like he did on that last touchdown play. Just snatching ball. snatching souls, and Dak has played about eight perfect quarters. I know he had an interception in this game, but it was on a tip pass just at the line of scrimmage. He was near-perfect. One of his best games in a long time against the charges

before the by came out, made all the right decisions in this game, was hit a few times and still just like made great decisions. Really, if you're a Cowboys fan, you just love to see it. You love to see Brandon Cooks getting involved too. I think what I like about Dallas, and we've seen it, you know, multiple times this season,

is that when they win and when it's like the little girl with her umbrella, the reins it pours girl on the salt box. Like, it's not coming from just one place. It's coming from like all facets of the team. And we saw it in the season opener. But today it's like you get the Duran Bland pick six. You get a punt blocked for a safety on special teams.

You get C.D. Lamb and DAC playing the best versions of what they are. And Mike McCarthy has one of his greatest, you know, offensive coaching performances of the entire season. And that I can believe in. It's just like, you know, we'll see. But it's like, this is encouraging. The only thing I'd say as a human is that, like... Human.

Well, Sean McVeigh just, like, had a baby two days ago, and, like, we've all had children, and we have them now. But, like, that week, that couple, like, those hours after that happens is a complete mystical fog of war scenario. So it's, like, having to go deal with this. Wow, that's the interesting thing. You're letting them off the hook. If you talk about one thing that could disrupt your life,

it might be that. It's just a little bit of a full. He's got, like, 20 million in the bank and probably, like, a full-time au pair. I know, but it's, if you're having your first... And it's the first... And it's the most... And it's the most... mom that's doing all the work.

If it's the first two days with your new baby, you don't hand that out to a pair. Just a side idea. I have been there. We've all been there. Yeah. Eric, one day you'll be there too. Big Funk, maybe.

You guys will both be fathers. I hope you will be. Because it's a beautiful thing. Yeah. But let's keep it real. And the women that listen to our show, the scant few, they know the truth.

The dad's not doing too much around this time. The baby doesn't care about dad. That's a hot time. The baby cares about mom who's keeping them alive. him or her alive. So to say that the head coach of the Rams gets let off the hook. Were you like at a tavern when your child was born?

No, I was like, I was there and up for like 36 hours. You're not doing any work. You're like, you're like Desmond Ritter after you got bench today. Just clapping on the sideline. The grandparents come in.

Don't put me into a world. We're like, I'm not saying like physically it's more toiling on Sean McVeigh than the, you know, but it's a, he's not off the hook. I don't, yeah,

I don't think McVeigh had had much to do with a couple questionable calls. early in this game that went against the Rams. One extended a drive for the Cowboys that ended a touch on. One ended a drive for the Rams. And he definitely wasn't throwing the ball to nowhere with that pick six, where Stafford and Cup just weren't on the same page. Also, Stafford gets hurt in this game.

It really seemed like Stafford just made a mistake on that play. It made no sense on the pick six. And then Stafford, on the last drive before halftime, hits his thumb hard on helmet. And you're thinking, oh, is he going to have to leave the game? Did he just break a thumb? No, he's going to stay in there. Okay, he stays in there.

And then he hits his thumb again on the helmet. And that was on a touchdown. And you're like, oh, wow, okay, the Rams not giving up in this game. They cut it to 33 to 9 before after them. Then they come out out of halftime. Okay, Stafford's still playing. He's going to be fine. They score a touchdown.

Wow, it's now, you know, 3315. They're rallying. Let's dial up the two-point conversion where Matthew Stafford has to catch the pass with this injured thumb. And he catches it because it's not a perfect pass from Squarnick, or no, from 2-2 Atwell, rather. And he then dives for the end zone and braces himself with his thumb.

Come on. And then he hurts the same thumb again. And McVeigh said after the game, he actually believes that's the play he heard his thumb on. That before that, he doesn't think it was a big problem and he's going to undergo an MRI on the thumb. So that is going down as like an all-time, like what was that play call in that moment?

Maybe. Maybe McVeigh was, if he was more focused, he would have pulled his quarterback out of that before that happened. It is a possibility. We have a lot of backup quarterback action in this league right now. It's not a great vibe.

Major Bones Fossil Revenge game, though, with a big return, a block punt. You want to go cheap on special teams, Rams? You entered this week 32nd in DVOA in special teams, and their special teams killed them all day today. And I'm going to cycle back real quick because we're going to bring up coordinators.

Captain Luan Arummo, what a job. He was fired up, too. He was. And Romo did a nice show. job on the telecast saying, hey guys, get ready. This is a head coach in a couple of months. And he will be. But yeah, Bones, who's had it.

He's been an interim head coach in his past. I wonder if he can work his way up the ranks. We all seem to like Bones Fossil. So anyway, 4320, Cowboys roll. Let's hope Maddie Stafford is healthy. And last note, you mentioned Cooper Cup and Stafford on the same page. Cup and Pooka and Akua combined to go seven for 64 in this game. That's basically like a half of production for these guys at other points this season.

and that's what they did combined. Let's take a break and then welcome in the pipe. All right, we're back. And just cycling back to the thing. Because, again, we have a lot of male listeners and maybe a lot of men that are new fathers or fathers to be. Don't get me wrong. You are on call.

Like, you need to be there post-baby, but you are basically a glorified gopher. like that's and and whatever she tells you to do you do and if you have a chance to hold the baby that's great too but you're not you're just not a vital you're not a vital piece of the pie at that point i thought i did a tremendous job personally so you know he's thinking this personally right i don't i'm sure you were great since i'm sure you were very flexible and and and there for her but i'm just saying you're awake a lot but i don't think that means um you know that john mcvay called a different game.

Well, to your point, back when this happened to me, you know, our HR department, you know, sleep at the wheel. I was back at work three days later. So there's that. There's that aspect of it. I'm not playing. I'm not pointing fingers. But how vital could you be if you're already back at work three days later? No, I became completely

a complete non-entity. You were a bit player. Yeah. I kept that rule since. All right. It's time for the Sunday Drive presented by the first ever Toyota Grand Highlander. Let's head to the bottle formerly known as Heinz. From the 44 yard line,

two left, three, right, empty backfield for Trevor. He drops four-man rush. Looks, fires right side. Ball's caught. Oh, good ball. That coverage. 10, 5. Into the end zone.

Touchdown. A touchdown pass from Trevor Lawrence to Travis E.T.N. A 56 yards for the score. Mm. Break for Angie. Frangy WOKV

with the call Trevor Lawrence threw for 292 yards and hooked up with Travis E-T-N for that 56-yard or late in the third quarter

it was a dagger for the Jags who ran their winning streak to four with a 20 to 10 win over the Steelers yes in Pittsburgh we now welcome

in the iconic hype Nick Shook Shuky a road win in that environment tells me a lot about

Doug Peterson's team How say you? Yeah, I mean, it was a soggy day in Pittsburgh. It's been pretty poor weather here in the Midwest for the last day or two. And usually, especially in that stadium where the field is notoriously pretty bad at holding up against the elements, it was going to be a challenge. And especially for how this team operates offensively and really how the whole first half went for them. Because they probably should have won this game by three scores, maybe four scores. They had plenty of opportunities.

They just didn't finish drives. But Trevor Lawrence had a solid day overall. So it wasn't until that touchdown pass where it was like finally they've broken through. They've put themselves far enough ahead where I feel comfortable that the Steelers are not going to come back and win this game. Yeah, big win for them going on the road, getting down there and continuing their winning streak. It's, you know, the Jags are ascending, baby. So we're doing TNF this week. I'm on the case with the recap, little Steelers, Titans before today started.

I thought that might be like Tanna Hill versus Pickett. Now it might be Tribisky versus Let's. I what give me the give me the Mitch Trubisky update in terms of how he looked when he came in for picket and and everything about how Pickett looked with the injury if any matchup describes where we are as a league right now it's that backup quarterbacks is galore first off but Trubisky looked like Trubisky he put together a nice touchdown drive it was a eight play 75 yard drive that George Pickens did the last 22 yards worth of work by the way look up that highlight he leaps over a defender and then gets that defender to take out the other defender

and then just slipped that arm off of his leg and walks right in the end zone. Like one of those plays that you just see like a super athlete make, like an alien make, super easy for him. It was great. But otherwise, Trubisky was still Trisky. He threw two picks. One of them mattered a lot because they still had a shot to come back in this game and it effectively ended that.

I mean, he's a backup for a reason. We know who he is at this point. There's nothing really different. He'll do some things that impress you, but overall, he's still Mitch Trubisky. They also lost Mink of Fitzpatrick, the Steelers. Travis E.TN, who I think is, you know, at this point, just simply sort of underrated was a big factor in this game. I just saw, like, on X, a lot of hate for Trevor Lawrence early on.

Like, just like, hey, he's regressed. He looks like he's being coached by Urban Meyer. Well, early on in the game. So I don't know if that was just totally misguided. But, like, I know there were some issues. Like, would it, do you feel like it was just sort of like the elements, the weather, just a bad little stretch? And he played well overall.

He played well. Yeah, I thought he looked a lot like he's looked for the, last month. I think that's the big confusion with Trevor Lawrence. We've discussed this separately in relation to QV Index, is that he hasn't had the spectacular game or produced all the highlights that you expect from him. But overall, he's been very solid and he was very accurate

today again, especially considering the elements. He just dazed all a few times. They couldn't convert third down a few times, and that was that, but I liked most of what I saw from him. All the talents there, that has not changed. Anything else from this game shook in terms of takeaways? Losing Macon Fitzpatrick Hertz. I don't know the

details and severity of that at this point, but that was a direct contributor to why Travis ETM was able to score that touchdown. Otherwise, I mean, it's a bummer for the Steelers. Watching Kenny Pick could go down really hurts because last week it felt like they were taking that next step. Maybe this was where, you know, they won some games when they were a bad team. Maybe they ended up winning more games as a good team. I don't know what they are now.

But that's a, it's a rib injury. So we'll see how long term that is. He only averaged four yards per attempt on 16 throws, you know, before he left. And Steelers fans have been begging for them to bench Peterson and, and bring in Porter Jr. And he starts his first game and they go crazy. And he's the one getting cooked by ETN. That's not his fault though.

That's not his fault. The safety should have had him over the top and came down, tried to drill down on the third and short play and left it wide open. It's crazy. By the way, Nick got to take out the pipe to that take and he just brushed it. It's fair. They've been begging for these young players to come in.

They had a couple young cornerbacks play today and then left tackle. It's like that's not going to solve it. This is good. The Steelers were in the like they can't keep getting away with this. meme category for me. So I didn't want them to get away with another one. This Jaguars team is good. I have higher expectations now than I take heart

Steelers fans. Greg feels good about what happened. And that was the Sunday drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. Learn more at Toyota.com slash Grand Highlander. All right.

Let's move on to an NFC East matchup. I hope you hit the over in Washington. Hertz. Calling for the football. Clock still running. 40, 39. Hurts back, hurts looking, goes into the end zone, and it is caught. It has caught.

Touchdown, A.J. Brown. I know how he put it in. He was near the sideline. What a play. See, this is what I was saying, that Connie. I love Colleen for many reasons, including she's a real deal sports fan. Real Philly fan. Yeah, the Phillies didn't get it done.

They kind of joke. but you got this Eagles team and you got the Sixers too and the Phil's been back in April things are okay especially when Jalen Hertz and A.J. Brown are making magic every week Hertz through four touchdown passes

including a pair to Brown and a 31-21 win over the commanders Shooki are we as a society we don't allow such black magic in terms of what I'm about to say but is it crazy for me to throw it out there

that AJ Brown should be in the MVP conversation in the season's midpoint because there is no one this side of well maybe Tyree Kill that's even in his universe right now in terms of production as a wide receiver um Lil Wayne once released an EP

under the title I am not a human being that is AJ Brown I am not a human being this is two recaps in a row with an alien reference by you so yeah you got Marks hard I got a little too much Charles Davis in my ear today. That's where it came from. But, oh, I mean, EG Brown's incredible.

Like six three games with the 125 plus receiving yards. He should absolutely be in the conversation for MVP. Let's take it outside of quarterback. Let's open our minds to the other possibilities of potential galaxies beyond ours, right? Let's do that with the MVP as well. Let's let's put some receivers in there. He is the main reason that the Eagles win games, whether it's close or not. Jalen Hertz, of course, has to put the ball in him, which he's doing a great job of. But it's It's really fun to watch, man. He just does a spectacular thing or two every week. He catches every contested past.

He's about as reliable as death and taxes, but it has a positive kind of patience. Here's the stat. He became the first player in NFL history, A.J. Brown, to record 125 or more receiving yards in six consecutive games, breaking a post-merger record held by Megatron. This is like sneakily one of the best matchups in the NFL every time they play. It comes down to the wire. It was the same last year. Earlier this season, the commanders had the best day.

Anyone's had against the Eagles defense. Then they put up 31, including 4702 yards. They have a touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. But then the next two touches, and it came in quick succession. So tell me about this fourth quarter that the Eagles put up 21 points in row, including Devante Smith finally getting off. He gets 99 in a touch. And then Julio Jones.

I know it was the only catchy at all. day, but it was a tough catch, and it's a game winning catch. Julio Jones in the year 2023 with a game winner. Wearing number 80, which just doesn't feel right. No, not at all. It's gross. My reaction to this is it's not safe for work, so I'm going to censor myself, but I shouted at the top of my lungs sitting here in my home office, oh my God, Julio Fing Jones.

Yes. I had to figure out who 80 was real quick. And then, well, they don't have another receiver of that height that can make that type of play. It was nice to see that. if he could actually be something, this might be the best receiving core in football, especially since they have Devante Smith back now. And they all contributed in this game to varying degrees.

That turn really came at a crucial point in the game where, you know, it's back and forth. And these two games were so similar, like you pointed out, Greg, that earlier in the season, week four, the commanders tied up against the Eagles at 24 apiece with 801 left in the fourth. 847 left in the fourth today. The Eagles tied up with the commanders at 24 apiece. I had to go back and look it up. because it was so similar. I've been here before, but that shift was the only time in the entire game where Sam Howe wasn't awesome because he was really good throughout the day. They were getting pressures, like, according to how it's registered, but I wasn't seeing it. They only finished with one sack on the day, and he was just dropping it all over the field. The only guys he missed were kind of downfield just shot plays. Otherwise, he, Paul, cool, collected, moving that offense, making it look easy. And then he ran into a rut. He throws a pass into traffic, Reed Blake and Chip picks it off. They produce a touchdown off of it. And suddenly his confidence is a little rattled. Now he's missing. and Terry McLaurin on third and fourth down throws on a drive.

They absolutely got to convert on. They turn it over on downs and it was over from there. They're down by two touchdowns. They don't have enough to come back. That's what swung the game. It was a really entertaining game. It does feel a little bit like Jeff Fisher's old Rams against Pete Carroll's Seahawks where it's like, why are the commanders to keep,

why do they keep showing up against this team over and over? What I love about the Eagles, because it's like we're a little mystified by their offense week to week, not so much today, obviously. When you've got Brown and Smith catching all 15 of the, their targets and doing what they did. It's like they're finding themselves. But I look playing great right now. Right. Earlier in the year, though, they were able to run the ball with such power and might. And like the last two or three games, that's not been the case. I'm just looking that they were 2.7 yards per carry. Is that just sort of a game script scenario? Or is it like

something is happening with this incredible offensive line in the ground game? They scored 38 and fumbled twice inside the three yard line of Washington. I think, I think defenses are trying to take it way. I really noticed that in the Miami unbelievable. They really loaded up to stop the run and dared Jalen Hertz to beat them and then he keeps beating them. The timing of this game though for Washington, when

they were winning, I thought, oh, there's another team that's maybe out of the trademark. It's really interesting because we heard reports that the result of this game will impact whether they potentially trade a pass rusher aka Chase Young or Montes sweat most likely Chase Young. And then I'm like, well, what does this mean? You just

played like the best team or one of the best teams in the ANFC to an almost a standstill. You're only three and five. Ron Rivera isn't going to be there next year if they don't make a playoffs. And he's the one in theory that's trading these guys. Are they going to make them trade? I don't know, but them losing this game, but in this fashion, it's confusing to me.

It's why you got to push the trade deadline back. It feels like it's, um, it could be an executive decision above him for the who is that though? They don't have an executive above him. I guess the owner. I guess the owner is in, is it. It's a new owner. I mean, we've, we don't know anything about it.

Is the owner like grinding tape on Montess Sweat? Yeah, but that also is maybe a new owner's syndrome thing to do like David Teper's done to. It's like, hey, no matter what, he's like, I want you to go get picks. I'm not giving you a choice. Go trade one of these guys. So it's possible. I hate to think that this, we already have now witnessed the final game of the dynamic pass rushing duo young and sweaty. But we're going to find out in just a couple days.

Shook, hop into your spaceship and zoom off to the gym. him and get a pump in, bro. I'm not going to get in the spaceship unless Mark loans me the multi-purpose jacket that he's wearing again. Oh, it's back. I mean, Levi. You fit in this? It's a bit.

You're going to put it on one arm. A bit. Wait, that's, Nick, ask a question. What? Is the jacket a bit? The frequency in which you wear. We did touch on it on the NFL Plus. It's on the ATN podcast.

Everyone should follow us on Instagram, ATN, the ATN podcast. I mean, my 40s into my year 50s has been a bit. So it's just, you know, Part and parcel of all that. Shook. That's the answer I was looking for. Yeah, that was some hard-hitting journalism from the pipe. All right, buddy.

Get him out of here. I'll see you, guys. All right, let's head. Thank you to the pipe, as always. Let's head to the Meadowlands where things got Farieke. Thomas Hennessy will snap. Thomas Morsted will hold. Zerline ready.

The snap clean, the placement down. The kick-up. up and the kick hooks to the left but it's gone inside the left up right for zir line and the jets win it in overtime and honestly i'm not sure how bob was choosing with a call and he is right for w e pn according to let's start here this is the new york bird v new york game ends in a wild way and I hit up my dad Keith dad you want to chime in on this game and he said nah Danny I don't even know what I would say I don't know what to say I was like I that's fair according and this is why my dad was saying that according to ESPN analytics the

Giants had a 99.9% win probability with less than 119 to go in the fourth quarter but that's when things got miraculous in the medallands Graham Gano shanked a chippy on fourth and one the giants committed ill-timed off sides penalty cave on which otherwise a great game from cave on he was very nearly the hero then zach wilson gets a completion and a clock stoppage a miracle clock stoppage with one second to play which sets up the tying field goal and then in overtime you heard that gregg the leg zirline completed the comeback um after a p i call set set the jets up in the red zone 13 10 from jet life stadium 13 to 10 from jet life stadium 13 to 10 And third straight victory for the Jets. And really, Mark, I was thinking about what you said, quite frankly, you said it back in week one when I was mourning what happened in that fateful Monday night with Aaron Rogers that, you know, maybe this is going to be a weird, strange trip and a positive one for the Jets. And then you mentioned it again on Thursday.

This team just seems there's something around this team that they find a way. and I cannot stress enough how poorly the Jets played in this game and I understand that they're the Giants and they're a bad team and bad teams find a way but that is now three wins for the Jets that really you could argue they had no business winning

and yet they have and that's why they're four and three and very much in the thick of things in the AFC playoff race. I think a magical carpet ride in the NFL and we've witnessed a few of them don't typically look like it in box scores. They don't look like it

from drive to drive. It's a game that is so fascinating from a couple different angles. And it's like, this is why I think the Jets are just, they get caught in these strange little worlds. The teams were 0 for 18 and third downs in the first half. They combined for 24 points. Like the record,

24 punts. The record is 27 back in 1998, much more than points. They somehow went into overtime with a team in the New York Giants that had, Tommy DeVito helping to negative nine total passing yards. And you

and the Giants somehow snuck into overtime. So it's like the jets are clearly doing some things very well. I just think they're a fascinating story. And if you can ever get to the doorway where you get Aaron Rogers back and he's thrown on the field again. Yeah. And it's the defense that's that's playing well and catching a break with Tyrod Taylor going out one of many

injuries in this game. But Greg, it was, it was, it was not the offense on any capacity. Zach Wilson made two big throws at the end of regulation and then drew the PI with a deep ball that the Jets receiver was mugged. But this very closely was a game and a referendum again on Wilson and how poor both Wilson the QB is and terrible the play calling with Nate Hack it was. And that all gets pushed aside for another week. The NFL is crazy like that because the day.

of this game. I thought was going to be our guy. I don't know. Our guy Kvon. Yeah. Sacking Zach Wilson, his third sack of the game on a play, on a fourth down play where you got to get rid of the ball and Wilson's showing absolutely

no awareness and taking that sack when he tries to peel back and the Giants taking over up three in-field goal range with not only a couple timeouts for the Jets and it looks over. That feels like that's the end of the game is Wilson blow that, but the sequence is really crazy to go back and look at because the Giants were rushing

the ball well. Sequin ends up with 128 on the ground. The drive before that, they moved the ball quite well, even though DeVito, again, as Mark mentioned, had negative passing yards at the time. They just moved the ball down the field before, I think, another Gano miss, right? Yes, he missed two. He missed two at the end of that game. And Seekwon, if you watch it on first down, actually. He has a big hole. And you know, they told him just don't, no matter what you do, don't fumble it. And he kind of didn't, he almost like just was holding the ball, like to make sure he doesn't fumble and went down maybe a little easier than he would have otherwise. And they end up getting one yard away on third and one and Ganoe misses it. And even at that point,

it's basically over, except for that off sides call. I mean, Wilson has a nice throw to get to a little pass midfield. But it wouldn't have mattered. They did. didn't have any time out. It was in the middle of the They would have clocked it and then thrown a Hail Mary. All the, that's why the Giants were allowing that to happen. But it happened to be an offside on Kvon. He was getting greedy and it wind up being a free play. And then that sets him up around the 45 for Wilson to make his best play of the game.

And for their kicker not to blow it. Yeah. Give Greg the lesson credit. I thought you were going there on our chat client where we figure out the rundown of games. After Kavon has the third sack, I go on to the chat client and I say, all right, here's the highlight. It's Kvon's third. sack, never locked the jets, which was my message to both Mark Sessler and Nick Wesleying,

even though he's not on that chat. Well, myself and a full zoo. An entire zoo had locked the jets in this game. So from a Kvon perspective, like this was his coming out party. And I don't want to gloss over that because he has really come on in recent weeks, despite the personal history our podcast has. You cannot say that he is not making the leap in year two. And he had won the game. And he was going to be the star of the game. So for it to be him that jumped off sides, uh, that was remarkable. And, um, yeah, it's just, it's, it's, it's really hard to wrap your head around it that does feel like there's a cosmic energy around this team. But I don't want you, anyone to think that I'm coming out of this game thinking, uh, they don't have a major

problem because the quarterback is still not a player. And yes, the trade deadline's coming up. And I just said, what's the idea of bringing a veteran in the middle of the season? Uh, say here's a playbook. We got a game on Sunday. But with like Ryan Tanahill maybe out of the mix, like, and we're trying to get the ball, get the torch to Aaron Rogers. Is there something there other than Zach Wilson? But I don't think that's the way this team thinks. I think they're going to ride with Wilson. Here is Brian Dable talking about the decision because it was one that was hotly contested. It was fourth and one less than a yard really after the Saquan play Greg's talking about. And they could have went for and they were running the ball well at that point. They were wearing down the

defense's one. They could have just run the ball, either get the first down and kneel it out, or you don't get the first down, and the jets have like 25 seconds and no timeouts or whatever it was. To go to the length of the field, here's what Dable said. Kick a field goal there, and they have 24 seconds with no timeouts, and they need a touchdown. So I'm making a field goal, and then they'd have 24 seconds with no timeouts to have to drive at the length, and our defense was playing really good all games. So that's why I made the decision. It's, you know, the only thing I'll say is that Gano, who is a great kicker, having a bad year now,

there was a report during the game that he's got a bad knee, that he's kicking through pain, that he might need surgery in the offseason. And it was a miserably rainy day at the Meadowlands to send them out there was maybe an unnecessary risk and they got burned. Daniel Jones missed this game, obviously. And there were reports before the game that he could be out another couple of weeks. Tyrod Taylor had a rib injury. and left for that Tommy DeVito character came in. And then they also lost Darren Waller to an injury almost right away, I think, to a hamstring.

So this is a team. If you're a Giants fan losing to the Jets in this manner, it's about as dark as it gets. You have to feel a little cursed of what happened today. And it's unfortunate because I'm looking at a team that in their last couple of games has become a thunderstorm on defense. They've given up 14 points to the bills, seven to a commander's team that challenged the Eagles today, and 13 today and it's like that side of the ball the wink martindale experience is awakening and the offense

is vanishing before our eyes the ball so crazy because they would be they would be celebrating the hell out of a truly incredible team win if they got that yard or they got that field goal like it would have been I don't know what the state power of devito would be but it would be a hell of a win to pull this off and to beat your cross town rivals on a day you lose you're on your third quarterback and you lose waller and all that five and then it doesn't happen five things had to happen in a row for the Jets to happen.

And they had a game against Cleveland last year where like 25 things need to happen. Like this is a magical team, Greg. So to all rules get thrown out. I think you're right. And that's why you did a nice job. Good job. I mean, you know, we're like 58 minutes.

Never do it again. I'm telling you. That was not a good job. But yeah. Don't do it. I'm, I stress to you. But we got to move on.

But can I just say, can we fly up that Seekwan tweet I saw? This is crazy. Zach Rosenblad, who does a great job for the athletic cover in the Jets. Saquan Barclay's dad was wearing full-on jets gear as they walked out of the stadium together. Barkley grew up a Jets fan.

What? That's like if you were on the Giants, though. What? What? That's crazy. What are you doing? Why is he? I mean... You got to switch loyalty. It's your son. That's a day where you just dress neutral. No. You support your damn son. Maybe he didn't

want to get harassed afterward. No way, that doesn't make sense. It's a giant one day. Or have a hat and take the hat out. That is super wild. Some Jets fans. That's almost the craziest thing that came out of the game. Like when I saw that tweet, I was like, okay. Yeah, it's got to be top one or two in a weird game.

All right. Again, Keith didn't even know what to say. And neither do I quite frankly. I tried my best. Let's move on. Mark, let's head to Seattle where the Browns nearly had one and let it get away. From the shotgun, lock it wide to the far side. JSN, he gets the throw near side.

Turns out field. Got a bunker. Touchdown. Seahawks. No flags. D.K. Medcaf with a great block. Jackson, Smith, and Jimba. Turns up field and takes it in the front quarter of the end zone.

What a drive by the Hawks. Thank you, Julian Love, for the pick. And Seattle goes back on top. 23 to 20. Steve Ible with the call. Seahawks Radio. Gino, Smith. Smith threw a nine-yard touchdown past the Jackson, Smith, and Jigbo with 38 seconds to play.

Signature moment there in the rookie season of that wide receiver. And the Seahawks rally for a 2420 win over the Browns. Same Seahawks team that blew a 14-point lead in this game and then fell behind and then found away. Mark, the Gino coaster, fully operational once again, saving its best thrills for the end of the ride. What a strange game. I want to point to one moment where I think that Cleveland's coaching decisions fell apart.

And I would say that Kevin Stefansky, if you look at the experience with Jacoby Brissette a year ago, and what he's done with PJ Walker, who is a roller coaster himself, he's a pretty great, I think we pointed to Sean Payton in New Orleans as someone that could coach up like a backup quarterback to do the best version of what he can do.

And I'd say that the best version of PJ Walker is still going to be mistake-ridden. They're lucky that in the end of, going into the two-minute warning, they had a chance to win this game. This was a game where PJ Walker had an ugly strip sack, Jordan Brooks on the Seahawks, a really rough interception. They were down 17-7 at one point, but they ran the ball well. PJ Walker also will turn around and make a couple throws a game

where he looked like he had complete mind-meld with Amari Cooper, who plays better than expected week after week. But that said, just outside the two-minute warning, it was 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 41, and I'm just asking, you got seconds to go until the 2-minute warning, and they throw the ball, and it turns into PJ Walker's killer interception.

It kind of, to happen in Seattle, it reminds me of these moments where it's like, if you're a Seahawks fan, you've always thought about, like, run the ball in this key situation in our franchise history versus throw it. They were running the ball really well. I don't know why you throw the ball there

and cause that mistake. It's the one moment in this game where I've thought everything could, have been different. They could have snuck out of here with a win. They had a couple incredible performances today. I'm telling you right now, Miles Garrett, week after week is doing insane stuff. I don't know. I watch this and it's a game that got away from because you got a Gino Smith performance that was riddled with issues.

Outside it, he will make big throws, but he had a couple bad interceptions. And Cleveland just seemed like a team that was like, we're going to do this somehow, even though it shouldn't be happening with the quarterback that we have in this game. And it didn't, and I think it boiled down to that decision. That was the one play call I just kind of like lock. It's like third and three and it's a tip pass right at the line of scrimmage. It wasn't like a bad throw. I don't, I think.

Off the helmet of a blitzing. Right. I mean, I just say, I'm more just saying don't let, what's the better higher percentage situation with the quarterback you're dealing with? That's fair. And they ran the ball pretty well today.

They've been up and down since Chubb left, more down than up. But today was decent. But they probably got caught in a situation where they, they snap it with just over. two minutes. So they're like, we're going to get to the two anyway. The clock is going to stop anyways. They're going to be expecting a run. Let's throw it. But that might not be counting on. That might not be leaning into the best part of your team. If you trust your

offensive line and your running game, like that, that is the spot for it. And Geno's up and down. And he's even at the end where they threw the, he threw the game winning touchdown. He put one in harm's way on first down. He keeps doing that in the red zone. He just always is going for it. And there were some major downs here. But they also put up 17 points in the first quarter against the best defense in the league. So that's part of it, too. It's like the whole game counts.

And this, I really tend to think this as a Gino. It's like, they can look incredible. And then they can make a lot of mistakes. But it hasn't been easy to put quick points up on the Browns for the most part this year. The saying. There was a moment. I saw a lot of annoyed coaches today.

And I think that Pete Carroll had a point. There was a, Pete Carroll was furious. And you don't know, sometimes when you see, them reacting. It's like something that happened like plays ago or a quarter ago, and we'll talk about Bill Belichick later, but there was a play where Miles Carroll was like clearly just off sides. And it's like, I think that's what

Carroll was on a Gino interception right before halftime. So they kind of gave away three points. I just, I know it's not to rip on the officiating that gets tired, except it just seems like week to week there are these things. And Cleveland was attached to it last week and they're attached to it this week. Just wild stuff occurring.

Browns get the Cardinals next week and we'll find out if to Sean Watson will be the quarterback. You know, the PJ Walker thing is it has its limits. There was a report that he would be back within two weeks. So maybe not next

week, but the week after for Watson. And the Seahawks with that 49ers loss are in first place here at 5. How about that? I don't think anybody was predicting that when the Niners were world beaters three weeks ago. All right. Let's Greg.

What? see you're just this is it's all so easy for you right now well it's not easy this like fall into locks this is what i was saying it was like i mean on a day where the jets got west the west zoo and mark one let's calm down here about getting a lucky one but this was a lucky one that's for sure yeah i i i of course i got railroaded by um the the bangles today but that was against one of my tenants which just never go against joe burrow and i will not make that mistake again uh and i can't complain about anything

after what happened at the Middlelands today. So let's move on and head to the desert where the Cardinals lose every week, and now they get the Ravens. Ravens coming up on the 10th play of this drive. Jackson with the ball. Pumps once, slings it to the end. Oh, touchdown!

Mark Andrews, a homecoming six for the Ravens' tight end. Everybody talks about Kelsey, and rightly so. But Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in the National Football League. and he doesn't get enough love. Okay. It's a fair take.

Sure. I mean, but it's kind of like Tyler Lockett, if every single person says he's the most underrated wide receiver in the league, like at some point he's not underrated. They say that about Andrews all the time. Yeah, but he's counterpoint. He's speaking to a home Ravens crowd.

Oh, but like counterpoint, he's properly rated. Right, that's what I mean. Everyone knows he's a good player and a great red zone threat. He's just not at that top, top level. Right. Like we all know, Ravens Radio Network. It wasn't easy. It wasn't always pretty, but the Ravens took care of business on Sunday.

Gus Edwards ran for two of his three touchdowns after I&Ts by the Baltimore D. And the Ravens hung on to beat the cards, 3124. Baltimore now 6 and 2. A little bit of a cushion atop the AFC North. Greg, only 268 yards for the topsy-turvy. Baltimore offense, but that defense they came to play. Yeah, the defense is the difference, I think, with

this team, because the offense was outstanding last week, but I think it counts a little too much on Lamar Jackson, just making great plays. And this is a game where you watch that these two teams, like if you didn't know it was the Ravens and the Cardinals, they looked like two pretty even teams. The difference being one had a quarterback in Josh Dobbs

who threw just a terrible interception right before halftime. It was 7-7 at that point, and it set up the Ravens for a short field, and they got ahead 14-7 and then he threw another really just poor decision. The first one was just a bad throw. He was misfiring early and the second one was a bad decision. That set up the Ravens for a touchdown. They were up 24 to 7. The final score is 31 and 24. The Raven, the Cardos had seven points with seven minutes left in this game. I don't know how this happened. Well, I do

kind of know how it happened. They scored a lot late. And Josh Dobbs was like making great plays late and they did get an onside kick that put three more points up on the board. at the at the very end. But that was it. Dobbs, you know, we've said it. It's a diminishing returns type of season for him, but we're going to get one more week. I think that was the most newsworthy thing

that come from this game was afterwards. Jonathan Gannon said, Josh Dobbs will be starting next week, which is a little bit of a surprise because Kyler Murray is practicing fully, and the broadcast team that was covering this game said they had a feeling, and there's been some reporting that Kyler Murray

would be starting this week. But I think it's mentally him getting comfortable and getting up to speed with this off. is the reason why they're probably going to wait one more week. Well, and you're one in seven. So what are we rushing someone back into the lineup for? There's a deadline where he needs to be active on the 53, but that doesn't mean he needs to play.

So they'll check that box and then make the right decision, hopefully. Right. And I felt like I felt like I was watching the end of the Dobbs era, but didn't happen. He actually, I mean, that fourth quarter, he made a lot of pretty special plays. But before that, it was just like the Ravens coming off a high, felt like they were just like, let's try to,

let's try to win with the guys that no one ever talks about. Michael Pierce, Jason Zummel, our friend sent us a tweet saying he looked like Pete Vince Wilfirk. It's true. You don't see a nose tackle dominate a game like Michael Pierce did. And then Gino Stone. We're going to have a Gino off next week, Raven Seahawks. Gino Stone, their backup safety leads the NFL and intercept.

How about that? How about this, that? His five picks through eight games tied with Hall of Famer Ed Reed for the most by a Ravens player in the first eight games of a season. Dean history. Gino Stone, ladies and gentlemen. Gino Coaster. It's crazy. And this passing attack, they have one

good week and you think they've made some progress and then like man, anytime they throw to Beckham, it's a bit of a disaster. He had an injury got hit hard in the midsection, four targets, no catches. Not on the right same page. Like, Bateman made one really good catch, but Zay Flowers had 19 yards and seven targets. Just like, okay, let's move it forward. Gus Edwards is a nice underrated back. Let's move. forward, but, like, I don't trust their

passing. I think that everyone you just mentioned because this version of Odell Beckham and Bateman and Flowers has been consistent, but it's like these guys are a week-to-week proposition. So we'll see. But they can win in lots of ways. They can run the ball. They can win with defense. I saw it bubble up in a couple places that this could be the

Odell breakout catch, and then he has his first game. Wasn't that we were saying in London? It's just, well, they were saying it. The people of England are very into Odell, so there was a lot of buzz around him being in town. But this is the first, the second time, it is a 102 game career

that he did not have a catch. What do you get, $15 million? It's one of the worst contracts in some time. What did DeAndre Hopkins get? It's like I don't... Considerably last. We've paid the wrong person here and we'd be in Baltimore.

That's on you. I did not pay a dime. No. Cardinals, by the way, would have the number one pick if the draft. So maybe that's why it's like, oh yeah, take another week,

Tyler. Take another one. Get mentally comfortable. Oh, here's a new video game. system. Here's the PS5. There's a new Grand Theft Auto coming out. Work your way around it. Yes. Delight yourself. We'll take the iPad.

Here's Grand Theft Auto 7. Yep. Rip that little contract. It's a prototype. It's a prototype. But learn Liberty City. Fall in love. Fall in love with the landscape. Luxuriate. Luxuriate in the urban warfare of it all.

Serious organization otherwise. Speaking of the of God, Jason Zumwalt. When I lived with him, we lived together in Hollywood back in the day in the late aughts. And Jason voiced one of the most prominent characters in Grand Theft Auto.

He was the, he was like the, man, I can't believe I'm forgetting his name. He's going to kill me. Like a bad guy or a good guy? No, he was like the protagonist's like near do well buddy. Yeah. And Jason like moderate like celebrity gained off that because his voice was that game was so tremendously popular

that in the gaming circles people knew it was connected. I mean, I'm not a huge fan, but that had to have been Roman Bellets, right? That Roman Bellick, that's it. Yeah, I could say multiple listeners. I've seen tweet about that. You look that up. Of course. But also Zumwalt tweeting, you know, deeper scouting reports, you know, he's our Don Pardo on some level. We don't know if Don Pardo could have succeeded on any of those shows that he was on. Is their

emcees? Is Zumwalt just slips right in? Put it this way. Camio, which I understand is falling on hard times. But if cameo existed in 2008, Jay could have just done Roman's voice and paid the rent for the house in perpetuity in Hollywood. Well, that raises questions as to why he didn't do that. Financially dumb move. It didn't exist. That's why. Well, if it could have created it.

All right. Let's move on to Nashville where the Titans got a nice breath, like a burst of fresh air through the door. on second and 11 play fake levis rolling to the right looking looking firing deep down field going for westbrook akine and the end so touchdown tightens will levis oh he's back gets to watch as he has just thrown his fourth touchdown pass of his NFL debut get right out of the city has got an arm whoa What a big time throw. It was kind of a herbertie throw. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. Going one way, throwing across the hashes right on the money to Westbrook. I mean, whoa, that was an eye opener. Mike Keith, great call. WGFX. Welcome to the big show Will Levis. The rookie quarterback made a grand entrance to the NFL on Sunday. Tossing four touchdown passes on a 28, 23 win over the Falcons.

Here's a nice nug. Levis joins Fran Tarkint. and Marcus Marriota as the only other QBs in NFL history to throw four touchdown passes in their debut. Gregi, Levis Mania has arrived to save the Titan some are relevant. Am I right? I think you're right. I think this was one of the games today that made me look at a team differently.

It certainly makes me look at Thursday night football differently. How about the Tuesday trade deadline, Gregie? Right. Maybe Ryan Tannahill, who looked close-ish to play in this game, isn't going to be taking this job back. I don't think he possibly. I don't think they possibly can't. I mean,

he even started the game mixing in a little Malik Willis. And every time Willis came in, the poor crowd booed poor Malik Willis. Not that he did anything. Which Levis addressed after the game saying he was disappointed by the crowd, which was a nice, I like that as a leadership move there. First starting, he's already telling the crowd what to do.

Well, when you throw four touchdowns, you could do a lot. It was pretty rough because they bring in Willis and to no fault of Willis, the first snap to Willis like goes over his head for a fumble. And so it was like everyone was very down at it. But wow, Willis, I mean, Will Levis, who looked awful in the preseason, had some great schemed up deep throws. And he had some throws that weren't schemed up. And he just threw it deep anyway.

He put on those Houston Oiler throwbacks, very controversial. And he said, I'm going to put the soul of Warren Moon in my body. And it doesn't matter if the play calls for a seven-yard throw. I'm throwing at 60 yards down the field. The best throw he had maybe the entire game actually was broken up at the last second to Traylon Burks. Another deep one he had down that Perks couldn't get his hands on.

He could have had six plays over 30 yards in this game. Three of these touchdowns, Dan, rank among the longest air yard touchdowns of the eight longest air yards touchdown of the entire season. And he did it in his first game. I mean, he throws those rainmakers. is like the Russell Wilson sexy deep ball. I mean, there is no business. Ryan Tanahill has had a

great career. And if he gets moved in a trade, we'll be on the airwaves talking about it. You can trust me on that. But at this stage of his career, what he's giving them versus what the upside of just developing and letting Levis play, it just, it makes too much sense that he stays in the lineup. I mean, a guy that can turn DeAndre Hopkins into a star again, catching three touchdown passes in this game. And, uh, yeah. Yeah, this is a game that I can't wait to watch from the Leviside, from the Atlanta side of things. Desmond Ritter has been a problem for that team all season. There's been a lot of outside the building cries to get Taylor Heineke into the game and into the lineup to give them a little bit of consistency and a spark.

And it finally happens in this game. And he did put up 20 points in the second half as the quarterback after the game. and Arthur Smith, who I've been getting on all year, I have not thought he's done a great job this year in a lot of ways, talked about the reason for Ritter coming out of the game, and it just led to more questions around a very confusing team.

Every week, it's something new with this team. I mean, those are obvious questions you've got to ask. You know, we just finished this game. Obviously, we had a lot of confidence in des. We didn't take him out for performance issues, but that's why Taylor's here to be able to come in as a backup and give us a shot to win. So you didn't take the quarterback out, Ritter,

for performance issues, then what did he, Greg, what did he come out for then? Like, why can't this guy just be straight with us? Like, why is he so cagey? Because it does not, it does not, it's not a good look.

No, they tested him for a concussion, and I could tell everyone who wasn't watching this game, which is, you know, 95% of America, understandably, is like, oh, well, let's see, like, when Ritter was cleared, like, let's see what happens. And no, they announced that he was cleared, but he must have taken the test,

going into halftime or at halftime because he came out for the second half wearing a baseball hat. And no backup quarterback has ever clapped more and high-fived his teammates and showed he's a good teammate and good leader and all that stuff more than Desmond Ritter in this game.

So there was no consideration to bringing Ritter back in. Smith said that they were just being careful. I don't know, but they had tested him for a concussion. I never saw him get hit in the head anyways, but they did test him apparently for a concussion. Sacked five times in the first half. Right.

And so he's top five. The ultimate reason why he got benched was he was taking sacks he shouldn't take. He threw, he's top five in the league in interceptions. And he had another fumble in this game. So he's top five in the league and sacks taking interceptions and fumbles. I mean, his calling card was at least I won't make mistakes like up until a month ago. I mean, I'd say like, does Taylor Hineke with what you saw compel Arthur Smith to maybe make a change? We got great, we got the good Hineke.

He played really well. You guys are talking as logical followers of the sport. I think Arthur Smith, one of the problems with him is he's stubborn and hardheaded and almost rejects any kind of hypothesis around his team.

Yeah, so like this idea that you should put in Heineke now, yes, it makes sense, but he can't even say in the post game presser that Ritter didn't play well and had to be replaced as a result. So I don't know what he's going to do. I don't either.

And maybe he's trying to like leave himself and out of he's not sure in the moment what he's going to do. do next week. They, Heineke came in and it was, uh, at halftime, 14 to three Titans. Heineke came in and he didn't really do anything. It was all the running game on the first possession, but they scored their first five of six possessions if, or no, four out of their first five possessions, including two

touchdowns. So he put up 20 points in his first five possessions and they would have come back and had a Heineke come back victory if Levis didn't just keep answering by dropping bombs. and Levis did a nice job. He was getting to his second read, by the way, in a way that, like, Desmond Ritter doesn't. And so that was why early on I was like, okay, there's one quarterback here who never gets to his second read

and then another who actually is in his first game. So Heineke, I would go with him. If Arthur Smith does not start Taylor Heineke next week against, oh, and it's good to be in the Falcons, because your schedule is beautiful. They get the Vikings next week without a quarterback. He should have his head checked. Let's see.

All right. Let's take a break and then we'll finish the, games all right we are back let's check in on the afc east where the dolphins uh hosted the patriots play actually fake over the middle touchdown Miami it's Waddle he walked into the end zone no motion don't look it out and Tyreek Hill and come back to Waddle in the middle of the field wide open broken coverage nobody's around them how's that for a third Short is that... What is that song they play?

In Miami, some cowboys, though? No. It's driving me crazy. It, like, takes me out of the moment. It doesn't feel very, like, south beachish. No. Or football or anything. I'm no fan of the man,

but just, like, put on some pit bull and call it a day. Something upbeat. More fitting. What are we doing with this, like, hokey, pokey music? Let's, uh... How about we go to the minority ownership here and go with a little turn the beat around? Gloria Essephos.

Let's get a little Miami. sound machine Greg is right I assume they would play that during the game at some point come on baby what you da da da da da da

all right um sorry for our younger list Gloria Estefan was a recording artist 20 years younger is this what they're playing what

we're always in control and when you say Miami you're talking to football guys we're the It's traditional Oh it's amazing I mean, it could use an update. It stops us in our tracks.

Just like, just like, uh, it just ended our whole show. What a disgrace. And you know it, Dolphins fans. Stop it. Stop it, Eric, please. And the Dolphins fans are going to get mad and be like, no, it's tradition. If the, if the Jets had a song like that, you'd love it. No, I'd say change it.

Yeah, it might be true. Put on some, uh, Billy Joel or something. let's try to get the show back on track. All right. The dolphins do take care of business though. 31, 17 over the Patriots. So after they were stymied for the most part by Belichick and company, the first matchup at Foxborough, the dolphins take care of business to a unbelievable again. He's six and oh against Belichick. He threw for three 24 and three touchdowns in the game. Greg. I'm not surprised by this. You know, as a company man, I'm glad that. the Dolphins, you know, got to Germany with a win. We, you know, we got a big company game here in Germany next week. Dolphins, Chiefs. You don't have to talk like that. I mean, what do you want me to say?

J.C. Jackson returns to the Patriots to pretend that he has to try to, you know, guard Jalen Waddle and Tyree Kill like he did earlier in the season. Well, and he had a tough penalty in the end zone. That is why you saw, I don't know if you watch this, but Bill Belichick was going absolutely berserk for the concept that Belichick's like eased up and he's chilling and he doesn't care about their record. Like, I have not seen him where this worked up all year. I mean, he was going off like. Was there a concept that Bill Belichick didn't care? Well, I don't, I don't think anyone would believe that. But just that he's maybe, you know, as an older person,

he's, you know, little less rough around the edges. He was going nuts. It wasn't, it was a bad call. It led to a Dolphins touchdown. But it's like the Patriots on offense were obviously just living on the edge. They were in this game and it kind of looked a little bit like it could end up the way the first one did, there was a Dolphins interception and a Dolphins fumble that allowed the Patriots to score 10 points basically on short fields. And that's what allowed

them to hang around. Then the injuries started to happen. New England who already had essentially in this game no one producing anything through the air lost Kendrick Bourne to a knee injury that looked pretty bad. We'll see what happens there. Devante Parker went out with a head injury. Joanne Bentley went out, their linebacker.

They just started to lose guys. And to your point, saying that Dolphins just took care of business. There's no way to stop what they have going through the air if you're starting to lose people. And Waddle went seven for 121 with a touchdown. Tyreek Hill, eight for 112. It was just, it kind of looked like the video game version of what we see from the dolphins week after week. They're not running the ball the same way they were before, but there's this new element that I think Vic Fangio will be smiling about because Jalen Ramsey returned and had an incredible interception and return. And like, you know, I know he looked a little bit.

less like Jalen Ramsey with his final months with the Rams. I kind of wonder if it helps McVanjou do what he wants to do a little bit more with his defense. He looked great today. He played every snap. Right. He played every snap. We'll see. He just mean they didn't have any cornerbacks. Right. And you're adding. He wasn't a total difference maker in the end of his Rams. He wasn't. But today he maybe it's maybe it's just fit or what's going on. But like the interception forced to fumble played every snap allowed zero yards. And it's like this.

This is nice for Miami. It's a nice development for a team that's right in the mix. Yeah, I'm saying that because I would pick cornerback as maybe the entire team's biggest weakness so far this season. So you're out of Jailor Ramsey right where you need it. And I think it's nice to see a big game from Waddle. He's had a sneaky quiet year so far. And they're tough to deal with when both of them are cooking.

Anything else in this one? No, I just see like, you know, with Christian Gonzalez, who was, you know, you had him last time, they're missing guys. And it's like this team already, just as talent poor, and I don't see a way out for New England. Even where I think Miami played like a C-plus version of who they can be. It's a comeback to Earth game for them, too, and trade deadline, you know, Josh Uchay's

been mentioned as a guy who could get dealt. He's banged up right now. I mean, they are an incredibly injured team on top of being talent poor. Listen, I'm not the biggest fan of Flo Rida, but if you want to do like, he's from Miami. That would fit. the right round song. DJ College from Miami.

Are you assuming that the only, they're not the only song they played during the entire contest is that one song. It's not the first time that I clocked that because we've been covering a lot of touchdowns on the show from the Dolphins

because they've been remarkably productive. But it's a problem. I mean, you have you have Julio Iglesias and Enrique Iglesias. Either Iglesias. I would even take, I will be your hero, baby.

before the hokey-pokey. Yeah, it's an insult to those artists. This is grace. Pretty Ricky is from Miami. Don't even know who that is. Ricky, Mark. No, well, he's not from me. All right.

Shout out, give the dolphins a look, right? Everyone gets on them. They don't be the bad teams. You know what they don't do? They don't ever lose the games that they're supposed to win. They win them all, and they win them all convincingly. There's almost no teams in the NFL like that. And they are in first place in the AFC East by a game on the Buffalo Bill.

So everything is going to plan so far. Let's head to Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts were looking to take out the Saints. Same alignment. Tason McQuarback. There's Colin Saunders. Tason keeps it. No. Cason Hill takes it in for the touchdown.

His second score following Colin Saunders, Cesar Ruiz, and the Saints get a huge one-yard touchdown. Up 14, looking at 15. Saints Radio with the call. Taysam Hill, you know, every season. He pops up here and there and is like, oh, here's a big game for Payson Hill. He rush for 63 yards, two touchdowns. He just involved. He had a 14-yard catch in this game.

Derek Carr threw for two touchdowns and over 300 yards again. And hey, look at this. The Saints, a team that we try to figure out around these parts. Win again, 38 to 27. So, you know, they very nearly took one in prime time of painful loss on an end zone drop late in that game. They bounced back and put up 38 points against the Colts and they're back to 500 in a winnable division.

I went and looked through the numbers. This was the best offensive performance of the Dennis Allen era. This was the first time where you're like, oh, yeah, they do have all these talented players. And it doesn't start with Taysam Hill. But I got to say watching Taysam Hill this year, he's 33 years old. sneaky old

I think he's better than ever and this is the first time in my life at least I know our great friend Chris Wesleyan would always be asking for more Tasey him but all season I've been saying I need some more Taysam Hill

he's one of the best players on this team and you mentioned you had 63 yards on the ground that included a 20 yard touchdown run that was like a beautiful run as good a power run with explosion and running through

the tackler as any running back had all day it was also the first 20 yard run any Saints running back has had a all year. So that goes to say, you know, what they've been explosiveness-wise. He's had nice receiving days the last couple of weeks. He had 50 receiving yards last week, 49 the week before. And then you put him at quarterback. And he has one throw or two throws. And one of them's a 44-yard throw to Rashid. The other guy want to point out of that

guy who had three catches today. One was where he took a potential Tassam Hill interception and yanked it away from the defender for 44. Another one was for, 58 yards. And then another was to seal the game a 51 yarder at the very end when they're trying to run clock and they don't get conservative and Carr puts up a beauty. And he goes out of bound with a 51. That is three catches for what, 153. That is Randy Moss. I was going to say that's Randy Moss against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving or whatever it was. It is absolutely beautiful. And Shaheed, after he makes that play to end it, does the Steph Curry like night night, I'm putting the Colts to sleep. I loved it. What a performance by the scene.

It's pretty incredible. Like, Taysam Hill after today's performance is one of two players in NFL history, with 25 plus rushing touchdowns, 10 plus passing and 10 plus receiving. The only other player is a guy that just wouldn't exist this way. It was Frank Gifford. Like, it kind of makes me wonder why there aren't at least like four or five dudes like this in the league. But he's really the only one that does this. Because they couldn't play quarterback well enough.

That is the key. These are the best athletes on the planet. Like Taysam Hill remains the. this complete and isolated fascination, and he's still doing it. And he's actually adding things to his game because he's been like a legit tight end at times this year.

Joanne Johnson was out for a few weeks, and he was taking legit tight end snaps and doing pretty well. The Johnson came back in today that helped. But I was really, if you're a Saints fan, you were really encouraged because Camara had his best game. I thought of this season, you were asking for some explosiveness from him.

He gets two touchdowns, runs over a guy on a nice angle route. They were a little more creative. He had four catches for 51 yards through the air. was, you know, it was much different. Carr had a nice solid game, 310 yards. I was wondering if he would come up. I know. It's like, we've mentioned about 12 people, not Derek Carr yet.

Derek Carr played a really good game. I mean, this is, they said they had 511 total yards. This is, this is the peak of what they imagine this offense to be. And yeah, you're right about Hill. They're going to, if they're smart, they're going to keep him involved because they're better with him. And on some really big plays in the game, especially early, they, it was Carr and Michael Thomas completing some difficult

throw. How about the Colts? I give them credit. I don't give the crowd credit. Mark Sanchez pointed this out. A lot of the crowd started leaving at 35 to 27. Look, that's a one-score game, and they had just punted the ball away, but there was only like five minutes left. Tough traffic there in a bunch of quarter, bro.

Minshu is up and down every game. 21 yards on 41 attempts. There were some great Minchu plays, and there were some total head scratchers and a huge interception at the end in the fourth quarter, I believe, uh, that helped seal it for the same. Why is Jonathan Taylor still not getting a full workload at this point?

12 for 95, Gregie. It is so missed. He had seven for 82 in the first quarter. Come on. What was like, did he get hurt? Come on. They just kept going three and out. It was a very streaky, strange game.

It was pretty entertaining, actually, but he looked fantastic. And then Zach Moss started running so well and he's so good on the goal line that they were using him in that spot. But it was strange. They just didn't have the ball very much. much i don't know i don't know i do like having jonathan taylor back in my life though uh one more game let's go to charler with the panthers uh they were looking for that first win would they finally get it piniero this time he said he had a feeling on the thursday show i didn't get everything

three yards for the panthers first win of the season from the right hash let's do it again jansen snap heckers hole piniero's kick the panthers win the first win of the frank right gero first win as the Panthers quarterback 15 to 13 Carolina over Houston your final. Boom. I have not said this name because the Panthers had not won. Anish Shrofe with the call. W.R.F.X. Pinheiro, yes.

He jumped on the back of his teammate. It was like he was riding a little pony or a horseman. A pony through the open prairie land. He kicks the 23-yarder. that lifts the Panthers to a 15-13 win over the Texans. Tough loss, obviously, for the Texans, a team that there's been a lot of excitement around getting their act together while you don't lose to a winless team

and expect us to take you seriously. What happened, Sestog? I thought both teams put forth arguably their best defensive performances of the year. Neither team crossed 230 yards, and it looked like it. That said, I guess, like, the focus is like it's, you know, Bryce Young versus C.J. Stroud. One verse two.

And Bryce Young, you know, I think, Greg, you mentioned it on the preview show that in the last couple of games, there's been these moments. And it's not like we're looking for one play out of the whole thing. Today, I thought there were legitimate signs that Bryce Young, I think he has a toughness that's underrated. He took a lot of punishment in this game. The Texans who have been came in the league with, I think, the ninth fewest sacks. sacked him five times.

Will Anderson is a star. They've got some players on that defense. They're well coached. And like every time Bryce Young took punishment, he just kept up, get up and just got up and kind of, there was a goal line stand where like they would like Panthers were stopped. But then on the next drive,

Bryce Young goes down the field and leads him to a touchdown game. So a lot of things happen. It was like Bryce Young is starting to show you things. There was, and I know, you know, Adam Thielen, everyone wrote him off. He's been really good on this team. And like he had, he caught a 31-yard pass from Bryce Young.

and it was this incredible shot that showed you his accuracy, his strength. There was a play where Bryce Young hit DJ Chark where he kind of hung around in the pocket, stepped up, saw the field. Chark wasn't his first target, I don't think, and he made it with good vision, hit him. And it's like you're just seen, the win aside,

there was progress. And I thought that the Panthers defense, Frankie Louvue, I feel like he's a guy just shows up every week. And like he had a monster game. His mom came in from like overseas, see him for the first time ever in the NFL and Frankie Louvo. Give me another guy, Mark. Go. What do you mean?

Give me another guy. Dante Jackson. Brian Burns, Derek Brown. Like, they turned the Texans offense into a situation where John McLean, their long-time beat writer, was going nuts about the offense of play calling, the whole thing. Yeah, I love when he gets frustrated and he had a reason to be today. It was a step back for the Texans offense to some degree. But I think both teams, like you kind of got the best version of their.

defenses. I come out a little more encouraged about what the Panthers might be building on offense. Sneaky big moment for their organization. They are very much aware of the Stroud Bryce Young thing. And to get the win in this game, I think that's big. And for him to outplay Stroud. Stroud's had his two least efficient games in a row. It's going to happen. Rookie quarterbacks, it's not all going to be great, but he struggle a little bit in that game right before the buy and then coming out of it as well. It's a different offensive coordinator, different play caller for Bryce Young and so the running game didn't do anything but

I think that's you got to be pretty encouraged you get a new play caller and you suddenly throw for over 7 yards per cent good job good job by the pain it's always a nice moment when the last team without a win gets a win the celebration is always a little extra it's Cleo Lemon to Greg Camerio I mean the celebration

is bigger the later in the season you go I'm just happy for Frank Reich though I mean it's been it's been tough watching old Frank age like a two-term resident. These press conferences all year have been difficult. So you had to, you has to feel great to finally get off the Schneide. And sure enough, a nice scene in the, the Panthers locker room, you know, right before the by, he handed over play calling duties to O.C. Thomas Brown. And

we'll play the clip. Thank you to the Panthers Twitter handle. This one means, hey, they all mean a lot. This one means a lot to me. We knew he was going to be a beast when he got here. And when the game was on the line, he called the perfect series, right? Thomas Brown. Ah, really nice. And you see the emotion there in Frank Reich's eyes. And he made it clear guys that that, even though we had speculated it.

No one knows maybe the true story. But Reich said it was 100% his decision. It always planned to give Brown the play calling duties. And he said he called a, you know, a perfect final series there to help clinch the win. Very cool. And, you know, bad news there for Bears fans. That kind of day.

Yes. Good call. And look at, and I was, I spent the last month being really tough on Frank Reich, who is probably historically one of the most. heroic backup quarterbacks of all time and did things that I saw visually that changed my life as a football fan. So another huge win for my, uh, predictive abilities and everything else. Like I did it. It's like, um, he's, it's hard. Why it's like the easiest guy to root for and that's the guy. That's the guy. You put the target on his back. Yeah. But you know what? How about

maybe I refocus? Don't beat yourself up, buddy. It has been a tough for the Panthers. But they have a positive Sunday. I can't say the same for those Chicago Bears. Greg Rosenthal, let's head to Sunday night football. Pistol formation now with Echler behind Herbert. Rolling to his right, sets his feet. There's the screen to Echler, makes the first man miss, and there's Echler.

Left sideline to the 20, 15, 10, lowers the shoulder. Into the end zone. Touchdown, Chargers. Austin Echler, 39 yards. An historic touchdown for Echler. A historic touchdown for Echler. Matt Money-Smith, our buddy, the original voice of God for around the NFL with the call for Chargers Radio. It's historic.

Thank you, Eric Roberts, with the cue, because that's 400 career receptions, 30 touchdown receptions, and 40 TDs for Echler since the beginning of 2021. One of the premier producers at the running back position in this decade. And that just got the ball rolling for the Chargers who marched down the field for their first points of the game and then roll to a 30 to 13 win over the Woebegone Chicago Bears. The Tyson-Fagent story hits a little bump in the road. That bump, Mark Sessla, is reality. Reality bites.

I mean, isn't this the, like, the Chargers game we've waited for? They refuse to give it to us, you know, for weeks and months in a row, But tonight, their drive chart opens with touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, field goal. Oh, a little punt just to get that in the mix. And then field goal, it's like, and then they, you know, then the game is over at that point. It's like, let's be real. We're in like the rare situation where the Chargers game is happening about 40 feet from our office. So that's why we circled home to record this where we do.

And like, the game was well over. went well in hand by the time we were driving home. And I spent 30 to 40 minutes listening to Matt Money Smith and Daniel Jeremiah. And I know we like to take one of them in actors that they don't exist, but they did a wonderful job. It's like they actually got to call a game that didn't come down to the final two seconds and have something go so totally insane and crazy. And we're not talking about Brandon Staley's job security for once. And they handled their business. And they looked like the sum of their parts. And they played a lesser team and looked like. And looked like it. And that's all I kind of been asking for from the Chargers from the start of the

season. And tonight they did it. And that enough that that that's all I that's all I need. And they did it tonight. It's all Mark needs. It's all Mark needs in the world. The big time chargers win. And it's a right. Greg, have you noticed that like yes, we did head back to our respective homes to finish the pod. It's like a totally different Sessler now. He's he's even talking differently. He's a softer tone. He's more introspect. There is a different sense about him. I'm happier. It's a totally new mark.

It's a new generation. I mean, this Chargers victory has totally changed his insides and in his heart. He's just so excited. Look, it's nice. You get to three and four. That's what we asked for. If they had lost this game, you're right. Brandon Staley shaves what a friend of mine referred to as Staley's podcast beard.

He shaved it. He said he wanted to reset. So he's going, please shave. So good job by him. I do like seeing Joey Bosa, like the very first drive of the game. He steps up with a huge sack to end the drive. He had a big fourth down stop later in the game. Like, I've been wanting their big players to make play.

Derwin James was good in coverage, had an interception tonight. Herbert starts 11 for 11 for 120, like Quentin Johnston, the number one pick who's been struggling. All made plays. Like, it was a feel good night. So it's great. You move ahead. You get to three and four. other teams haven't been blasting the bear so it's nice that they did it all the players that they need to step up stepped up yeah and Justin Herbert is he took a wicked shot late in this game which you don't like to see and it was a wicked shot you know in the ribs area and Collinsworth pointed out you know this is a guy who's had a season significantly impacted last year by a rib injury from a tough hit against the chiefs in primetime if you remember that but up until that point the

Chargers did excellent work protecting him. He did not take any sacks in the game. He had time to throw. And you saw what happens when Herbert gets that protection. He got everybody involved. He pleaded 31 of 40 passes, nearly 300 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions. So on a day, Mark, where the Chargers rushing game did nothing, managing a pathetic 54 yards on 25 carries. When you have a quarterback like Herbert, that's okay if he can make it hum in other ways and against, I guess I'll say, Mark, like, yes, this is definitely progress for the Chargers who are allergic to putting away teams. But if you couldn't put away this Bears team starting Tyson Bayton in your building on Sunday night, you just shut down the season. So there

are more tests to come for this team, but at least they got back in the wind column and can feel good about themselves. Well, yeah, I mean, I think like, you know, coming into this week, we were openly talking about the fact that perhaps the head coach, is, you know, on the hot seat if they didn't win this game. And so you take care of it in like non-typical Chargers fashion. You've got the Jets next week in New York, that defense. I think the same thing applies. It's a Monday night game. It's two weeks in a row where you're on an island game where like we're assessing the Brandon Staley experience. We're assessing what Justin Herbert is in this offense. Like he's not the problem. He's the solution. But, you know, I,

to me, I don't have a whole lot of faith in the Chargers experience in general, but I do think like, you've got to go handle the teams you should beat. We talked about that with the Dolphins earlier in this recap. Go be like that team, at least. This was a step in that direction. Like, you've got all these parts. Like, their roster is better than 80% of the league, and they don't play that way. And that's why they're so frustrating. So tonight, the experience was different and like i i just need fresh experiences that's why i'm enthused by the whole experience greg it is it is it is it is tangible and uh look we could have come out of this game enthused about tyson badgent and instead uh look he hit a big throw on his very first throw of the game

and they barely tried another deep throw the whole rest of the game valis jones it was kind of a disastrous draft pick for them uh you know messed up what what should have been a touchdown but they wouldn't have competed in this game anyways. And it's kind of good to put away the like, well, Justin Fields could have learned a thing or two by, you know, seeing what Bayesian did last week. It's a little more of a back to reality game, kind of like the Patriots earlier today. Yeah. The Bears as an organization need to, you know, keep, keep their eye on the ball here and not get distracted by shiny things like a Tyson Bayesian. It's still about developing Justin Fields and seeing if he is the guy you want to get behind beyond the season. And there's still time.

to do that but they are they are out of the mix in all other ways any other thoughts on this game guys kind of a quiet sunday night football game not a lot of drama or intrigue to be frank no i'm waiting to hear what mark has next well i have something before we get to mark and mark has got something that we're all excited to hear but uh you know i mentioned i mentioned the old man was uh too stunned to even have comments about the Jets win over the Giants. On my way home, I got a text that he changed his mind. Oh, I like this.

Hit it, Roberts. His name is Keith. He's dad's dad. No doubt about it. He's a big Jets fan. What is he going to say about the game today? What is he going to say about the game today? here's my review of today's jet game that ending probably was one of the most exciting endings

that i've never seen with the jets to have the clock stop with one second and then the jets hitting a tying field goal and then getting into overtime and then winning the game with another field goal the fact that they played so poorly didn't seem to bother me so much thinking about it later. But the fact that they won and they beat the Giants was something that I'll always think of as one of the games that will be in Jet History is just a tough game, but not the best game, but a great win. Thanks. Thank you, Papa. And I have to say, like, I sometimes get tagged as being a Giants apologist in some ways on the show.

And it is true that moving west has softened my feelings about the Giants because I have some, like, connections to them as, you know, a connection to my old life back in New York. But Keith Hansis has no such, you know, conflicts of the mind. He hates the Giants, has always hated the Giants. Grew up in the Bronx, which is Giants country. They used to play in Yankee Stadium, and he had no time for that team ever. So anytime the Jets can embarrass the Giants or put a historic loss on them in terms of one that will never be forgotten, I know my dad, even though he sounds a little bit stunned still, that's what he likes the most that he took out the G-Men. It matters. I mean, this is a franchise, and we all know this, spent, you know, decades playing in Giants Stadium.

That's absurd. That's emasculating. like that doesn't work and like uh that would never they would that would never play today um and your dad is um i'm glad he spoke about this because he's now on this magic carpet ride uh that i've told you that's going to just take them to magical places and he's he's getting there i love that mark and uh why not why don't we keep it in the family to wrap up the show mark take it away yeah so like uh uh you know i have two children um one is colton who is younger than my older son luke who turn 13 today. And like, I'm kind of freaking out about the fact that I'd have a 13 year old.

I will note that I mentioned, I think, either, you know, on the show earlier that my PTO was very brief. But the week after Luke was born, which is today, was the actual game that I've mentioned a thousand times where Brian Dayball, the O.C. of the Browns, coached Peyton Hillis and Colt McCoy to that incredible win over the Patriots. It happened literally was like the next game after my son Luke was born, you'll see him right here. And like, um, if you're watching the YouTube copy. And I, I don't know. I just, I'm, I think as parents, we don't know what to say sometimes about how proud we are about our children. And like, uh, he's an incredibly resilient and creative and, um, loving person. Like he's like he's been through a lot in his life, you know,

and he's just like this person that always every day, um, I think sometimes you can see other people. and your family if you have a child, and I see my grandmother from my dad's side who every morning she woke up and would sing and would, it was a new day no matter what happened the day before. And that is how I think of Luke and like I don't have that power. So I don't know where it came from, you know? It's like I watched my son Colton play soccer and he goes and scores three goals. Like the only goal I ever scored in soccer was on my own team. It went off the back of my foot and into our, you know, my own goal. So it's like you learned to like see. things differently and it's like i i'm i'm wondering where these people come from sometimes as a parent um

but i see little things in luke that make me so proud of him every day so he's 13 um not an easy age to be uh but i have full trust that he'll just use his internal skills and who he is to become what it becomes next so happy birthday and i think this is a special show because it wouldn't if we're on ESPN like well you can't talk about this but like on our show you can so like uh i'm thankful for that and like uh i wish him well i don't even know if he'll watch this but if he does well you got to tell him you got to tell him tune into the end of the show happy birthday luke you're the best and uh my birthday present is you know i'll give a plug you got to follow luke he's the best plain spotter around what's his instagram account yeah lex plain spotting i love

it yeah he is like a become a great photographer and videographer of like a niche you know niche like he we live near like lex like dan the closest but we drive over there too and it's like these plans are landing he's got this content he's super into it and like um he just i i remember someone not unlike him that was like super obsessive at age 13 about things maybe that is where the link is and i i know we'll do something with it um and i love it i love to see it um that's pretty crazy that you you just turned 50 mark and now you got a 13 year old son and that is he is a great boy and i i remember him as a infant when we first met and now here he is in yes the very interesting uh sometimes dicey but also at times

exhilarating early teens for a young boy uh so best of luck to luke he he's a great kid good stuff good family stuff to end the show anything else Greg love it let's get your dad on that let's get your dad on to talk some pats I think he's tuned out on the paths. My mom is not. She's probably invested, but I think he's more, you know, it'll jump to the Celtics. Okay, great stuff. So thank you to everybody for listening now.

We got the trade deadline coming up. So we will be ready to record whenever news breaks. Until then, you know what you need to do. Eat the call. Happy birthday, Lou! This is an I-Heart podcast.