NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2024 Schedule Release and Reaction

Episode Date: May 16, 2024

In a virtual room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, and Marc Sessler break down the 2024 NFL schedule. The heroes start by discussing the Week 1 slate of games (04:30), followed by the Monday Night Football (13:12), Sunday Night Football (18:45), and Thursday Night Football Schedules (29:07). The heroes then run through the NFL's international schedule (36:00), Thanksgiving Day games (44:56), and Christmas Day games (49:00). The show is wrapped up with a discussion about news from around the league including Jared Goff's new contract and Marquez Valdes-Scantling signing with the Bills (01:02:30). Note: time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast. The NFL always wins. Welcome to another edition of Around the NFL. Yes, the NFL always does win. May 15th, schedule release blowing up the sports world. Dan Hans is here with heroes, Greg Rosenthal. And yes, Mark Sessler. And that is what we are all about on tonight's episode.

We're taping this Wednesday evening here on the West Coast, Mark Sessler. The schedule is out. We're going to go through all. the interesting nugs that we can dig up on short notice. And I know I could see the goosebumps through my monitor right now looking at you, bud. I mean, you know, I was thinking, though, that back when I was in like seventh and eighth grade, that there was a very special day each, I think it was back in April back then, where USA Today would print. And it was breaking news as a newspaper back then, like the entire NFL schedule. And like my brother and I would have a wrestling match over, like, who got to look at it first. So it is historically as men a lot to me. I think now I'm surprised that it's not taking place over four or five or six days as a week

long event, because I think that's probably where we're heading with it at this point. For some reason, like when Mark started telling that story, I expected him to be like, and then the milkman came over and told us from the transistor radio. He's older. Yeah, it's funny. I'm a huge fan of the You know, since I was probably about 10 or 11 years old. But I don't remember the NFL, obviously they didn't handle it at all the way they do now in terms of a blowout event the way it is now. But even then, I feel like when the NFL schedule dropped, you would find it, I don't know, on like the back page or deep in the sports section when it was released. And there would obviously be your local football team or teams that the beat reporter would hammer out 800 words on it, maybe. But. now as everything is tied to the NFL, it is a huge to do. And while we, and this is a good time when you think about our great late friend Chris Wessling, we like to keep it in perspective and not be one of those shows or people that cover the game that put too much into these schedules

and look at them and actually try to figure out, oh, this team's going to be good, this team's going to be bad, and you're going to see a lot of that over the next few days and weeks and months. But also, it's fun. It's still fun to look at what's going on. And I think Gregie, what, and I'm going to give you the last word before we jump into it, before we look at week one, that's a good thing to remember too. Like, it's all fun. And maybe it's a little bit over the top and and overdone a little bit on some level. But at the end of the day, it takes us one step closer to a new season. And that's exciting. Yes, it was my role. I feel. like back in those shows with West to just suddenly needle and be like,

hey, let's lighten up there, Larry, and have a little fun with football. They'd be like, you already know the schedules. You know who's home and away. You just started like saying when the games are. It's like, yeah, okay. But then you see the week one schedule and it does get my blood flowing. And yeah, like Walker could not have been more excited. So now I feel like I'm reliving what it was like to be a fan.

Not that we had this, but he immediately starts looking at the schedule and doing the win-loss thing for various teams, which is, like, that was the number one columnist slash beat writer move back in the 80s and 90s. Well, they've got an NFL segment that copies that exact same trend, and maybe he could step right in and fill that role if they want to. Yeah, the Falcons at 13 and 4, I was like. I think that's at a corner, by the way. I think that's Rank's corner.

You better watch out. Rank could be somebody that will, he'll go after you if you come toward his corner. You're right. So watch out. He gave the Falcons 13 and 4 to start, Walker. And I'm like, okay, you got to, you can't just make every team 12. And five. It doesn't work that way. You got to balance it out. I know. I mean, you got to balance it out. It doesn't make sense. Why the Falcons? Why did he? He started in an alphabetical order. He's going to do every team. I don't know. Listen, far be it for me to ever doubt what Terry Fontno could do, you know, the brain trust over there. 14 seems like a better number. Let's start with week one. Yes. And we're going to go through it. We'll go through, yes, week one, because that's the next week of football games. and we'll check out the prime time slate.

We'll check out the international games for you listeners out there that love that. And maybe or maybe not. You saw I was on social media talking with handsome Hank, Henry Hodgson, and he gave me one of those things, which I love it.

He's like, hey, do a promo read where it's you're giving way the tickets. Like I have two tickets to Jets Vikings, October 6th. And you give them to the audience. I was like,

I love that. That felt like a curse. career checkpoint, like a checkmark. Like, like, I've always wanted to do something like that. So win Dan's tickets. Like, that's nice. I like me. I'm giving away.

It was about 2 o'clock here in L.A. when I, you know, logged on my phone for about the 600th time today and noticed that that had dropped. And I thought, I know Dan is enjoying this moment because it is. It's kind of like a, you're a contest announcer at that point. That's a special privilege. You're our Terry Bradshaw. Shut up. All right.

Yes. The holiday games. What's on NFL Network. all that stuff. We're going to get to, but let's start with week one. And how about this, Greg, as a way to get into it, because you are, I say this begrudgingly, but it is what it is. You are the defending Locke's champion. So when we do get to that first Thursday show ahead of week one, the Thursday show will do on September 5th. You'll have the first pick. Two time defending Locke's champion, four out of five. Don't forget. Enough. I know. You took it too far.

Greg, it's late at night. We don't need to hear that right now. Um, uh, you will have the first pick as a result. Uh, what would be the game? And if you don't know, if you're new to the show or just a little hazy on how we do it, uh, we don't draft island games, uh, but what would you take in a non island game draft week one pick one? Oh, that's a spicy question. Because I'm going to take one that I don't think you guys would want, but I want it. It's Texans Colts, actually. I want Anthony Richards and C.J. Straud. Like I think...

Oh, please. Please lock yourself into that pick. Okay. First of all... Those are picking second. I love it. First of all, the best games in week one are the primetime games. We know the kickoff game is great. Ravens Chiefs. Packers Eagles is in Brazil on Friday night. That's incredible.

The Sunday night game is delicious. That's Rams. Lions. Your jets are back in prime time on Monday night again. in week one. And to me, those are like the four best games of the week, actually.

So the draft is a little different. And yes, I'm all about quarterbacks. And the 120 minutes of complete games that Anthony Richardson played last year, to me, were just so electric and I love me some C.J. Stroud,

that that or like Caleb Williams would be where I would probably go because I just want to see it right away. Yeah, that's a great one. I would have the second pick. And hell, let's do it. Hmm.

tough. Can I tell you with the other one I was debating? Yeah, what's the other one you were thinking? Falcons Steelers. Just because it's either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields with the Steelers and it's Kirk Cousins with the Falcons to me. That's funny. This is a classic reg move to pick multiple games when he's already picked a game.

You know what's funny? Because I would do it just either I would leverage it for a trade or I would take it just to get the season off on a horrible foot. Cowboys at Browns. And Mark, you texted me about what the news that came out.

So I think that's a really good game. I think it's an interesting game. It's the late Fox game. And who is on the call, Mark Sessler, for that particular game? That's why I think it's just incredibly spicy and we're all going to be watching it. But it is the debut of Tom Brady. And, you know, I think that's something that, you know, Greg and I have been in the booth as the number one guy. The number one guy for Fox.

Greg and I had been on a beat wondering if this would ever occur. It's clearly happening at this point. And Greg Olson has been bumped to the second. booth, which I think is I did a segment about that earlier in the offseason feels unrighteous to me. They're loaded. Fox is loaded. But of course you're going to want to watch that game and just see how does Brady handle A, the Cowboys and the Browns. But like I text to Greg saying like I am legitimately surprised with all the teams you could have found to play the Cowboys in week one and have Tom Brady announcing. I know the Browns were a playoff team, but that to me felt like an

upset that the Cleveland got that spot at home for Tom Brady's first game against the Dallas Cowboys. Kind of a strange pick, but that's where I would have gone with the number two. The Cowboys, listen, and we all know,

the Cowboys having been to the God damn Super Bowl in over a quarter century, but they always do the biggest number. And Fox is like, put Tom on that game and cross their fingers and see what happens.

I mean, I think that makes sense. It could have been, you know, the Eagles versus Dallas or something, but they're going Cleveland versus Dallas. The Cleveland side kind of threw me, but why not?

I'm changing my pick, by the way. just to annoy Mark and I do want the Tom Brady factor. So that's a big one. Too late. In fact, I kind of picked it, I think, or maybe I traded it to Mark for seven number ones to be named later. I do, it's it. There's plenty of good games there to pick from. I do think it's a little, you know, that guy, Greenberg on ESPN. They kind of use him as the Jets fan mascot. And it's a little over the top to me, to be honest. Like every time I try to read a story about the Jets on ESPN.com. You know, I like Semeni as a beat reporter. He's the longest tenured beat reporter in team history. And so he writes from a perspective that's unique on the beat. And I can't scroll down without a giant picture of a video still of Greenberg's eyes bugging out. And I'm like, what is he, what is he fired up about now in a performance based, a pure performance?

Like, I know this isn't how he actually feels. Like when I'm talking about the Jets, it's how I actually feel. It's not, it's not for the cameras or the microphone. What a joke. What a joke. Point being, wow, hit piece on Greenberg in a big spot. I know. I was like, what did he actually say? I still don't know. But he said he was, he stood up on his morning show and was screaming that why are the Jets in prime time again Monday night football to start the season. I don't know why I guess bad juju because of what happened with Rogers last year. I think it's, I think it's fun and exciting and it's going to be obviously a reset for that for that team. And damn, I think it's going to be a lot. of fun to see the Niners and the Jets in that spot. The Jets with that great defense, the Niners with the unstoppable offense at home. I think that's a great game. I'm really looking forward to it. And I'll throw one game that could be sneaky great.

How about nobody's talking about the Jaguars this year? How about the Jaguars at Miami? Maybe a nice little shootout with two quarterbacks. Miami. I love playing in the warm weather. I'll give you one. Not all the matchups are great, but I would think that a second round draft pick in one of our drafts, like, I want to see Jim Harbaugh's Chargers in their debut.

They're playing the Raiders. The Raiders aren't that sexy to me. But, like, I can't think of a team that I'm more interested to check out early on is just where the Chargers are right out of the gate and what they become. And it's like, go play the Raiders in week one and be something different than these past Chargers teams. I think they will be. I mean, if the Chargers at home against, I think that's going to be a bad Raiders team,

like, if they can't beat the Raiders in the Jim Harbaugh homecoming game, I mean, Chargers fans are going to be like, Are you kidding me? Is this happening again? I know there's like, yeah, there's varying levels of excitement about the teams around them. But to me, like Jaden Daniels, you want to see his first start. That's against the buck. So that's at the same time as the Cowboys. If J.J. McCarthy's starting, he gets the Giants in an early game.

And Bo Nix. We're going to have so many damn rookie starters. It's kind of outrageous. He starts in Seattle. The prime time slate, though, that might be the best. I was kind of looking through it. that might be the best primetime slate of any week all season on paper. Those are pretty much, I mean, and you can't ruin it with injuries,

hopefully, you know, praying to the football guys. You can't ruin it at least with bad records. Like we know, they'll all be zero and zero going into it. That is like four bangers in a row to start. So good job, but good job. It's a good point, though, because these networks, especially this past year, just getting absolutely banged over and over every week by matchups that looked amazing in May.

at our dog poop by November because of the injuries. And you definitely give yourself more coverage by front-loading these schedules. So we'll be ready for that. Now, let's move to Monday Night Football. Let's go through some of the primetime island games. We'll start with MNF. I guess I could start. Mark, depending on your perspective, I could start with TNF because it's kind of the first game

of the week. But I've already said Sunday. We've talked Sunday. So now we've gone to Monday first. What do you think? Was that a mistake? I don't know if we've made a mistake. I do think it's interesting that while you've just ripped Greenie a new one,

he probably like minutes later is wondering who this Jets guy is giving away Jets tickets in London. So I think there's just a rivalry there. But anyways, we can move on. You don't think Greenie knows who I am? Now that hurts. No, I think he's probably, I think he's probably dismissing you. He's probably dismissing you to the level that you're dismissing him because Jets fans in the media don't like other Jets fans.

taking their spot. I have noticed that in like over the years. I think that's a thing. I would like to I would love some examples by the way. I mean that's a deep cut to our Culver City newsroom. I know I can give you some examples. I mean who Mark is talking. I mean who Mark is talking about. I know exactly. And for the record, you know, Greenie is a legitimate Jets fan. I just think they've kind of leaned into his Jets vandum in a bit of a overly performative way. but that's that is what it is all right now you don't think he knows me Monday night football I do all right here we go so we talk about Jets at Niners week two we have Falcons versus Eagles so we're going to get how do the Falcons do by the way

with primetime games did they get a lot I'm glad you asked that they are in primetime three of the first five weeks. We're going big on Kirk early at Philly Monday night, week two, home for Kansas City, Sunday night, week three, we'll get to the Sunday night games. And then they got an Amazon game, Tampa, week five. So it is, it's a lot of Kirk early. Hmm. We got back to, I'm with that.

I like that. We also have three Monday, which I've never been a fan of Mark, and I know you feel this especially, three Monday night football doubleheaders. Week three, when you have Jags, Bills, and Commanders, Bengals, week four, Titans, Dolphins, Seahawks, Lions, and week seven, when you have Ravens, Bucks, Chargers, Cardinals. So you get three of those in a four-week stretch, in a five-week stretch, and you also get another one.

This feels, oh, is that, that might be tied to the holidays. But week 15, you're going to get Bears, Vikings, and then the Falcons again versus the Raiders. Week 17, by the way, you have a. epic showdown, potentially an NFC championship showdown preview between the lions and the Niners. So ever since Joe and Troy hit the scene and the rights in terms of just what ESPN pays for Monday night football and then what they're paying for that booth, these games are so good now. Sunday night football is always going to be king. But Monday night football now is a very respectable silver medalist. I'd say this. We are veterans of watching multiple games at the same time

on Sundays. So if anything, we have the skills to watch these Monday night doubleheaders. I just, I kind of, it's just the classic. Mark, keep that energy in October, okay? No, I'm saying. I like that. It's the classic sense that Monday night football used to be like the sporting event of the week.

And they're competing against themselves and with everything else at this point. So I, at some point, you got to give up the ghost and be like, next year, there'll be five of them. And the years after that, there'll be seven or eight. So you got to just roll with it. I'm glad they didn't do it in week one at least. I'm glad they didn't do it in week one. There should be an asterisk, though.

Like, when you're looking at all the teams, it shows how many primetime games each team has. But then you're, you know, like the ESPN Plus game for the Arizona Cardinals Chargers as part of a double header. It's like that shouldn't count as a full prime thing game. That's a half of a game for the Cardinals. Sorry, you didn't even really get a. It's like David Zazloff over here now.

It's the same thing. You can kind of see it. It's like, oh, let's give the Titans one prime time game, but it's the ESPN game when ABC has one. that's better on that same Monday night. Monday night got one of the games I was keeping an eye on. Where is it going to land on the schedule? The Harbowl.

Little Jim and John. John coming to L.A. on Monday night after Thanksgiving. So it's a big football weekend. And then you get a little Harbaugh v. Harbaugh in week 12. John, I'm intrigued by that. You know, you remember the awkward press conferences. Oh, I'm sure modern day Jim Harbaugh is going to handle that. extremely well with the daily pressures of the gig at the place he is at now emotionally and

otherwise. It's not just another day. It's two day. All right. Why don't we take a look at Sunday night football unless we've had any other MNF takes? The only one that stands out to me also though is Bengals, Cowboys, Week 14. My main note there is like, can we please still have Joe Burrow at that point? That's some of these games I would like earlier just for what we talked about before. but if everyone's healthy, that is, you don't, I can't really remember a Bengals Cowboys game of much note in my, in my lifetime. I'm honestly, like Burrough, sure, you always want to make sure he's on the field. I don't know.

Are the Cowboys even going to be good this year? I don't know. I got a weird feeling about the Cowboys. Out of the mix by week 14 would be shocking to me, but you're right. I'm with you on the, are the Cowboys going to be good. All right. Let's pause real quick. Take our first break.

And when we come back, more schedule talk. What's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL

stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how. teams put it all together on game day plus we dig in the coaching strategies roster construction and the trends that shape the league year after year whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level we give you the full picture if you want insight that goes beyond the box score this podcast is for you don't miss it listen to the move the six podcast on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Now, I'm Drew Franklin, and this is NFL Cover Zero.

We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet.

We've got the insight to help you crush your overall. opponents listen to the NFL fantasy football podcast on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Toyota the official automotive partner of the NFL visit toyota dot com slash NFL now to learn more all right let's check out sunday night football so i just said that monday night football's slate is always uh you know okay and then it's to good and then now that that joe and shreyer involved that now it's great but nothing ever touches Sunday night football it is which is funny like speaking of Mark you're talking about the old days uh you know checking out the the agate in the back of the sports section in 91 to see what the

brown schedule was but you know Sunday night football used to be a total afterthought on some level it was almost like why does this game exist Monday night football was the marquee game there was no Thursday night football Sunday night football was this kind of weird ESPN telecast I remember it was like Joe Thais is, what's it, Thaisman? Paul Aguier was on the call. Paul McGuire. And was it Maguire? Paul McGuire, yeah. Paul McGuire was on the call and the games were sometimes.

Why am I suddenly like making only comments about the 80s and 90s? Like I do have takes about this generation. I think you're just correcting me there. Don't, don't beat yourself up about that one. That was actually very important. That was very important. But anyway, so Sunday Night Football back then, was not the place to be nowadays let's check it out sunday night football 2024 and remember

um at a certain point and it's earlier than ever now uh greggie i know you'll have the details these games can start to be flexed out uh that could happen with other prime time nights as well now but uh sunday night football opens like we mentioned rams lines a rematch of that great one point wild card showdown in detroit in january week two chicama Houston. Oh, give me all you got with that. I like that.

I love that. That's creative. I think that was like, we're going to put Caleb in prime time maybe a couple times. Let's do it right off the bat in Sunday night. That's juicy. Right, because especially the bear is obviously a huge market,

huge hype around them, but they could still suck. I mean, they have a rookie quarterback. Well within the range of outcomes. But in week two, they're still sexy and there's no stink on them if stink were to potentially exist down the line.

and then you get C.J. Stroud. Chiefs Falcons. The leaning into the Falcons thing is interesting to me, but it is what it is. Bills, Ravens, Week 4. That's nice. Cowboys, Steelers, Week 5. I'm just going to go through them. Bengals, Giants, Week 6, Jets, Steelers, Week 7, Cowboys, Niners, Week 8. And I'll pause here after Jaguars, Eagles, Week 9. Any thoughts on the first half of that slate? Keep it up, Please. The one thing I noticed that I love about this season is that you've got the AFC North where you've got four potential playoff teams against the NFC East that it doesn't really matter how good they are. They're primetime gold. So it's like every week is dotted with these North versus East showdowns. And I'm looking up and down this Sunday night slate. I don't see a bad game outside of a couple teams that are a little suspect. It's like there's not a bad game on this slate. Right. You can flex games starting in week five. I mean, it'd be sad if you had a week five game and you got flexed out of it, but maybe it would be a big injury.

A maximum of two between weeks, five and ten, and then you can flex whatever you want after that 11 and on as much as you want. What strikes me, Dan, is your boys. You know, they're not living on Sunday night where they never used to get any action. But they're just in, we might as well mention it here. They're just in primetime all the time. They got a Monday night game week one, Thursday night game week three. They're in the hot toddy, which is an island game, week five, Monday night, week six.

You mentioned the Steelers on Sunday night, week seven. They got another Thursday and another Sunday coming up in weeks nine and 11. That's outrageous. They are in prime time more than any team in the NFL. I think they're tied with the chiefs, but they're all also in the first 11 weeks for whatever reason, and then it dies off. So it's just get ready. They are not America's team, but they're not America's team, but they're just.

just going to be the conversation, like among the leaders in conversation week after week after week. I think America's team might be the team with six standalone games, which is the Lions. We live in a world now where the Jets and Lions have a combined 13 standalone games and they lead the league. That is an unusual place to be. Yeah, it's not about the Jets. It's about Aaron Rogers. And if you look at Aaron Rogers, how many primetime games he's had, I would imagine no one's had more primetime games in the last 15 years than Rogers. He's bankable. And last year, you know, Jets fans had it the worst and Rogers had it the worst the way it all played out.

But then everybody got dinged as well with all those games that showed up. So it's almost like the networks and the NFL had a decision to make, which was do we, you know, sit on the Jets a little bit and move away from them? Or did last year just not count in a lot of ways? and this is the route they went. So I'll get the frustration if the Jets disappoint and they keep popping up. But there's also a very good chance when you look at their roster

that they are going to be a team that is a competitive playoff team. So I get the consternation if it's out there. But it makes sense to me with Rock. No, it makes sense. It makes sense. All right. And second half of Sunday night football,

Lions, Texans. Ooh, doggie. there's a lot of Texans too you're betting big on the Texans which makes sense Colts Jets so the Jets are back again in week 11 hopefully Anthony Richardson's back as well

him against that defense makes some sense Eagles Rams week 12 9ers Bills week 13 this is this is a who's who in the NFL at least where we stand in May Chargers chiefs week 14 Packers

Seahawks seehawks get a primetime game in a Sunday night. That makes sense. They get it week 15 bucks. Cowboys week 16, week 17, a game marked that potentially could have huge ramifications in the AFC playoff picture, the fins and the brownies. And then week 18 is TBD v. TBD. They always try to make that one either a winner go home game or a game that otherwise has big play. off ramifications. The one thing I see, because if you look across these like prime time, the only, they used to, you know, TNF used to be a way to, you know, wedge the, the, the, the,

dirt nap teams at some point into the prime time schedule. And only the Panthers weren't given a prime time game this year, which I think when it's only one team, that's a real slap in the face. I was saving that nugget when we got through the prime time games. But, oh, yes, while we're here, yes, they are not Monday night or Sunday night. and they won't be Thursday night either. The only team without a primetime game. But man, you go two and 15.

And you know what? I don't know if the NFL is thrilled with the operations in Carolina and how things have been handled in the last year or so. So you might have a little bit of a slap on the wrist there as well. It doesn't not make sense to me. But if you're Bryce Young, you were the toast of the town one year ago today. And now you're on a team that doesn't even get a single primetime game. when the NFL is probably about 59% primetime games now.

So it does tell you a lot about where they're standing is at this moment. So one thing I noticed looking at this NBC schedule is the chiefs are on NBC like four times. And we don't see it if you're looking at the graphic on YouTube. There's also a Saturday game, which is a new little wrinkle that's part of the NBC schedule. Sometimes was, I think, on the NFL network. I think CBS has a game. And it's this, it's Saturday week 16,

but NBC has it. And it's like going up against college football a little bit. You know, some bowls are going on by then. And it's a big time game. It's Texans chiefs. So it's not surprising that they're leaning into the chiefs, but like the chiefs are the Sunday night football are like the NBC team, which a lot, a lot of Tariko and Mahomes. What, well, well, it's Collinsworth in the homes. Sure. And Mark, like I get I get the frustration of people not wanting to hear the folksy wisdom of Collins or screaming about Patrick Mahomes for the ninth straight season. But I really do hope.

I have a lot of concerns based on the current construction of the roster and the uncertainty around Rishi Rice and the amount of pressure being put on a rookie wide receiver and Hollywood Brown to be big time stars that we might have another somewhat ground and pound type chiefs team that maybe they're not as fun to watch in prime time, but certainly you can't complain about the chiefs being in prime time. They're the back-to-back champs. No, but that's not one of my top 50 concerns about the upcoming season is the chiefs being unwatchable. I know what you're saying, but I think they have a better whiteout core already without, even if you miss Rice for a big chunk of the season, potentially wise than they did last year. And my issue is more with Tony Romo

in Mahomes. And this is taking some of those Mahomes moments and big matchups. away from Tony Romo and giving them to Chris Collinsworth. So you're right. There's more to consider there. Yeah, that Saturday thing is weird. It was a little twist because now I'm looking at it and we'll get to the Wednesday Christmas games, but they put the Ravens and the Chiefs both on that Saturday game, two big time games. The other game is Steelers, Ravens, and that one's on Fox. And so that's just a little new wrinkle. They're trying to take out college football. I mean, they're coming for everyone putting big time games on those days and then putting the big time quarterbacks making them go from Saturday to Wednesday, you know, on a Christmas Wednesday.

When does it end? Who, I mean, where, when do the slaughters cease? There's no such thing as enough. Enough is it does not exist. Let's take a break and we'll take a look at that Thursday night football schedule. What's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks.

On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from Scouting Reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trans, and how front offices, construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on

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

What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. I'm Marcus Grant.

And I'm Michael Florio. and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet, we've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL, Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Yeah, all right. Welcome back. In case you're just joining us would be weird. But maybe you wanted to jump ahead of the ads and then you went too far and you were like, ah, I'll just start here.

You know, like I'm sure that happens sometimes. People have a lot of podcasts. I mean, 30 minutes. How bad are they at pressing the 30 second forward? You know, it was just it was a decision they made. and then, you know, they didn't lose sleep about it. They're not going to lose sleep about it. Anyway, we are going through the NFL schedule release that went down on May 15th.

That is today's taping. And, you know, I was just thinking we're throwing up these graphics. You could watch this on YouTube. Check out the program on YouTube if you want to get another viewpoint into how this show looks and operates. And throw up, like, throw up Thursday Night Football right now. ETP because I see that there's it's an issue because it's covering up Greg right now and it is there a way to let's play with our headshots is there a way to get all take it

down take it down a second it's obscuring Greg that doesn't see yeah all right try a different grouping of the images for video okay now throw it up good that's good I like that oh yeah I like that this works what this is ridiculous then I'm now I'm blocked and that work for you. But it's cleaner and it's actually even tighter on Dan and I. It looks good. It looks good. Eric said he was going to fix it. I don't see how this is how I would label it. I mean, I, you know, I can understand for some of the listeners of the viewers, but I'm completely off the screen now. So, nice work. This is actually kind of amazing. Just hearing Mark's disembodied voice behind a, you know, Broncos versus Saints. Like slowly getting more angry, like the building. Do I need to do, do I need to

discuss Thursday night football still? Or you know, it would be good if we, if we could do in post-production, the literal steam starting to come out from on the sides of the schedule for Thursday night football? So predictable. All right. No, you could go back to the original one because Mark's going to get mad. So, all right. Let's go, let's go through Thursday night because Thursday night is, again, it used to be the redheaded stepchild of the primetime slate, but then the NFL network sold or NFL media sold, uh, or, NFL sold it to Prime, and now Prime says, no, you've got to give us some good games. So we've gotten better games as a result.

So what we found in a lot of ways here is that the Sunday product, ironically, which is, you know, what it's all about, because of the business side of the NFL, so many games now have to be farmed out to these primetime slots mark that Sunday doesn't always have the best games anymore and usually doesn't accept when you take out Sunday night football. But the plus side is these island games have gotten a lot better over the years. Thoughts on that? Well, yeah, I still think that that 4 p.m. slot, whether it's Fox or CBS, will continue to have major bangers because they're paying a ton of money for that.

But you're right. Like the best games on paper when we're looking at it now, each one of these primetime venues are solidified. There isn't like one that's just sort of float and stinkers out there like TNF. to be. I see on this one, we can get into it, but on this slate for TNF this year, they're leaning hard into divisional rivalries. And they got a lot of good divisional games, especially late in the year. You know, I agree with everything you're saying, Dan, but this is the spot where you sneak in a couple teams. So we get the Patriots get one

primetime game. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. You know, they get the international game, but they have one primetime game. You do it early before their record. Maybe it's too bad. It's Drake May. And isn't it funny? Now the Jets. are the big team lifting up the Patriots for their old only primetime game. And then you kind of see in here, it's like the Bucks didn't get a lot of prime time love, even though they've won their division three street times. And let's sneak them in here. It's like the Broncos and Saints don't get a lot of love now. Let's do the Sean Payton revenge game. I don't know if it's revenge, but Sean Payton comes to New Orleans. And so that's like a fun game. So some teams still,

this is like where they slot. Yeah, absolutely. It's still of the island slots, Thursday is still going to be the landing spot in that sense. But I mean, I've been with the company for the entire run of Thursday night football. And it used to be used to feel like the Jaguars and Titans played every week. And if it wasn't actually the Jaguars and Titans, it was those type of matchups almost every Thursday. Now we got bangers. So let's go through week two because obviously week one is the kickoff game and that goes to NBC. You have Bill's Dolphins and then you have a rivalry game. Pat's Jets with, you know, new quarterbacks in the mix. Cowboys Giants, Bucks, Falcons. So, Mark, you're dead on. These are big time division rivals. Niners, Seahawks. Now we have an intra-inter conference.

Broncos, Saints, week seven, Vikings, Rams, week eight, Texans, Jets. Woo! Big showdown, week nine. Week 10, Bengals, Ravens, Week 11, commanders, Eagles. week 12. Oh, Markey, Steelers, brownies, week 14. So I think we got Thanksgiving there. Week 13. Week 14, Packers, Lions, Week 15, Rams, Niners, Week 16. Browns are back against the Bengals, another big prime time game. And then week 17, two teams that are hoping to be in the postseason race, Seahawks and Bears. Like that week, take out week 11, commanders, Eagles. I mean, we don't know where we're going to be about with the commanders. but 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, those are megaton matchups between playoff teams. Like, that's unusual for TNF from six years ago, to your point. Yeah, Packers, Lions and Rams, Niners, 14 and 15, back to back, the Bengals, Ravens. It is, this does seem, like, they're doing everything they can to keep Al as invested as

possible in this last year, potentially on this contract. So the Panthers are the only one Yeah That feels a little personal It should have been like It's two teams Then you're not alone you know Oh yeah but me though Gregie

Like if it's two teams Then you can say well you know There's a reason and there's only so much space But when it's just the one team I'm just saying the Cardinals had only ESPN plus The Jags get the international games But they only have one sort of secondary Monday night football Actually no they have a couple of my bed

Now you're right it's it's not great but they were a you could follow some red crumbs there i feel like they were truly an abysmal team yeah um all right let's check you you know we have a ton of listeners overseas so why don't we check out the international game schedule as you know and that the zuzzer is giving away two of his own tickets the jets Vikings october six about at the hot toddy uh check out social on NFL UK and Irish NFL side of things and of course my own handles where you can all you got to do by the way on that post is comment and tag a buddy and you could get those tickets I'm going to do that there's no there's nothing I watched the video nothing in the video

says that Mark and I are you know literally in the video it says yeah you you must be a resident of the United Kingdom or Ireland so we are not eligible but we can hopefully if we're at you know that game we can meet those fans I like where Greg's head is at though I mean that was that's I would have gone there too

if there were no stipulations I like us being involved in like a quiz show level scandal over this that feels like a nice way like of all the ways that we could exit the company that feels like the best version of our out of our ouster Hot take, God Save the Queen

Better song than God Save the King The lyrics had just hit harder I thought lyrically it was a better song He had a great run Yeah Let's check out the schedule I mean King Charles They just had his portrait

Do you see that? He looks like Vigo from Ghostbusters 2 Like what are we doing? They made him look He looked relatively youthful and hotter than I believe he is today by my per just my personal take but he looked a little more fiery and youthful but well the reason that looks more fiery is because you could see it as what it would feel like to be in hell I mean that's all it's it's it's quite red that's all all

all right let's see the schedule nice king talk in a big spot a little king breakdown international schedule, San Paolo, Brazil, Friday night, week one. You know what? I've come around on this. I came around on this pretty quickly. I bet this is going to be an awesome vibe, great energy, and a great game. Jordan Love coming off his breakout, a 2023 season against the Eagles, who obviously are the off-season champions, as they always are.

But they have some doubters to prove wrong now as a new season. kicks off and they get a fresh start in Brazil. And then we get three games in London. I mentioned that the Jets Vikings, October 6th at the Hot Toddy, you have Jaguars doing the back-to-back as they are want to do. Jaguars against bears. So you're getting, again, you're getting Caleb Williams. Hopefully the bears are the real deal.

And they're a good team or an entertaining team by the middle of October. October and the Jaguars bounce back after a rough ending to their previous season. And then the next week, you get the Pats, who it's interesting, Gregi, the Pats, people might not know this. People in the United Kingdom do, but in surrounding territories, that the Patriots, because of their winning ways, were the most popular team in that region when we first made our trips to London about five years ago. I wonder what kind of hold they have now that.

that they've had some down years post-time Brady. It's just interesting, but they are there. Obviously, for a reason, they want to keep a foothold in the market. They get the Jaguars. That game's at Wembley Stadium. So let's talk about the London games. I think they have a huge foothold just based on social today because I saw the announcements for these games.

And every other reply just about were Patriots fans being like, finally. Yeah, like we're so excited because they actually haven't played in the UK. they were in Germany last year, but they haven't played in the UK, I believe, in a decade. So it's been a while. So these are popular team. Bears are a very popular team in the UK. That's a fun matchup. I like it.

We got to get to the hot toddy. I guess we're going to see your team, you know, if we were picking one. I don't know if we're going to any of these, but I feel like if we were going to one, we're probably aiming for that jet scheme. They do get Aaron Rogers. You get, you know, in theory, J.G. McCarthy. That's another rookie. And I think they're trying to.

It could be Aaron Rogers versus Sam Darnold at the hot toddy. Pinch me. I've woken up and gone to heaven. I think they're trying to squeeze at least one win here for the Jaguars based on the opponent. And because they only have seven games in Jacksonville. So one of these needs to feel like a home game. Am I crazy? I feel like they play well over there.

Yeah. No, they've been good overall last year. They swept last year. Yeah, last year it turned their season around really, at least for a while. until it didn't. They, you know, reached the new stadium deal, which I was wondering how that would affect London, but as stipulated, and it's not completely agreed to. There's a lot of stuff going on, but they still will be coming to London one game a year. I don't think they'll be coming two anymore, or at least according to that deal, they'll be still planning to do the one game in

London, even when that starts, which won't be for another five years. You'll be kind of an awesome move if Shod Khan's son still had the neck brace in October. You got to lean into it. I think he, I think that would be incredible. Or maybe even like, maybe he's more injured. Maybe he's in the, you know, the old

what's funnier or more pathetic than the neck brace? Whenever someone's in the full body cast, when you have it on the arms and the legs and you're in the wheelchair, you're just a human disaster. Good stuff. Ramp it up. And finally, the international game

Germany this year in Munich is against the Panthers. So they get a stand-alone game. They do get. I guess they give them that. Yep. Keep owning. They bury the Panthers somewhere in Eastern Europe. And, and they get a, they do get a 9.30 a.m. Eastern Germany game. So, okay. I didn't know that. I didn't realize that. So in. So they can, so let me just, I walk back what I said a little bit earlier. Like,

they didn't get nothing you know what i mean they got oh we're sending you we are and imagine the phone calls like no no no you can't be upset we're sending you to germany that's an incredibly important and ferociously growing territory for us and we've chosen you mr tepper to represent us there so they're covered a little bit there that gives them a little bit of back-end coverage uh from this perspective also i mean that's how you grow a German fan base. There could be a bunch of seven to nine-year-old

first-time football observers and they fall in love with the Panthers unknowing of what state they sit in in the NFC south at the moment. Maybe they'll be much better. It does make me think

about the Germany game last year, though. I know there was two. One of them was Colts Pats, but I saw the little, the graphic for this one, you know, Giants.

And I'm excited. Those three London games and the Germany game, they're all our NFL network games. that's our time to shine. But I remember the graphic for last year's game in Germany. And it was Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes. And this time it was, you know, Bryce Young and Dexter Lawrence. And I actually had to Google, because I'm like, that's probably Dexter Lawrence, but I'm not really

sure what his face looks like. He is the best player on the Giants. And it was kind of a beefy face, but I had to make sure it was Dexter Lawrence. It was Dexter Lawrence. Nice. Well done. by the way yes good point mark because these european football fans they are they have long memories i mean the fact that the bears are a popular team bears have done like nothing in 40 years but a certain age of a football fan that came up in the in the mid 80s when the NFL first started trickling through and getting across the sea that's why there's a lot of merino and dolphin fans like handsome hank and then there's just a lot of people are like my face Replyers refrigerator, Perry.

What a specimen. Perry was over there, so that makes a lot of sense. Oh, my God, from one yard out. Why didn't Walter Paiton get the ball? All right, let's check out the holiday games back here in the States. Thanksgiving, 2024. Can't wait. Maybe my favorite holiday outside of Christmas.

Thanksgiving. November 28th. We got Bears lines in the early game. And again, there's, you know, Marky, there's a lot of pressure on the bears not to suck when I, as we go through these island games, uh, here on schedule release day, because if the bears are fun and Williams is ahead of pace and I did see we had our first trope alert around a rookie quarterback, uh, that popped up on social media earlier today, uh, some type of beat report. I don't think it was a beat report. It might have been a TV reporter. I actually don't know who it was. I think it was like a fan more or less a fan account. Was it? I said, I know I shouldn't say this, but Caleb Williams, as he's just throwing warm-up tosses on, you know, slants is like, he looks so comfortable. He's ready for this.

It's like, trope alert. Holy God, can we just let the guys get a little more deep into the summer, at least, before we start with that business. Anyway, Bears Lions on CBS. And then you have Giants, And I'll be fair here. You know, I try to be positive about the G men, but we need the Giants not to be one of the worst teams in the league, which they could be. That game, of course, is always going to be in Dallas. So that game could be a dog potentially. And then the Thursday Thanksgiving night game, dolphins versus hackers. We're outside of the Super Bowl, September dolphins at this stage. So the idea is this game in Green Bay? Yes. I'm a little nervous about the, Miami Dolphins in late November giving us a show, but maybe this year is different. Or it's a way to show us that like in the frigid temperatures of Green Bay, they can survive. But this slate throws me just a little bit because I feel like, you know, it's, this always seemed like a place for like Raven Steelers or something that just like absolutely had like conference title game implications. I just don't see that with this slate, but I kind of love

the idea that we could get a really spicy Bears team here. Giants, TBD and Dolphins Packers is that's intriguing and just a little atypical for Thanksgiving to me. Maybe asking the Giants and the Bears both to be good might be a lot, but if one of those teams

is feisty, then I can live with it. I love Dolphins Packers. You're right though. I saw that and I was like oh, that is a, it doesn't feel like a Thursday night game or a Thanksgiving night game, but Green Bay, like Lambo on Thanksgiving night, there is something spicy by that and I was thinking about the Giants Cowboys because they had this game just two years ago

the Giants were pretty good two years ago but this is usually the most watch game of the year is that game or it's the light the two most watch games of the year are Lions early you know Thanksgiving and then the next Cowboys one and it's like maybe they just feel like it's it's team proof you can you can throw anyone in there throw in a big market or whatever but it's like people are watching that no matter what. I'm not turning it off if it's a blowout. Maybe they should actually, you know, because at this point, they're like, we dominate the ratings no matter what.

Let's put Panthers jags in there and see what happens. What kind of number we do? Maybe that's, yeah, that's a bridge. Good concept, Dan. I take that to the top of the network. I'm sure they'd, uh, I'm going to say it. It is my favorite.

And that is the best holiday. It's past Christmas for me. Now, is that because my family leaves me like three nights before Christmas and we have to pretend it's Christmas the week. Well, your name is also Greg Rosenthal. So Christmas is not like high up, I feel like, for you in general. No, it always was as a kid. We always celebrated the 25th.

It was Presence Day. But yes, Thanksgiving wins. I thought you said President's Day. I was like, oh, you celebrate the U.S. presidents on December 25th. Presence Day. All right, let's check out Christmas. Without further ado. Somehow we made it happen because the NFL defeated days now.

Christmas falls on a Tuesday I think Tuesday or Wednesday It's a Wednesday And in fact To your point Like the one little nugget About the team that we want Like the Chiefs

They play on every day of the week This season except for Tuesday Every day of the week Except for Tuesday I read I mean if you go look at it Because this game seals it But they don't play out of Friday though But yeah

But close I don't know I gotta check it out this Is anybody else think it's funny Like when we were kids Like every game was on Sunday And maybe one month Monday night game. And now you have the defending

champion playing, what, six days a week? Greg, they play on Black Friday. Oh my God, they do. I'm so sorry. They play on every day of the week except for Tuesday. Like, that's never happened to an NFL team in the history of the earth. Never questioned You just laid out another challenge for Mike North in the Park Avenue.

Like, how can we make, how can we get all seven? They'll do it. They'll figure it out. They got the Black Friday game. They really, you know, it's not quite to the level of NBA where like the players like if LeBron or Curry's on it's just like that's why that's why they talk about him so much their games just like do double other games but Mahomes and the chiefs are kind of like that now that they're just like anytime we need a big spot like Amazon tell us the one thing

you want the most this year we want Patrick Mahomes on that Black Friday game I swear I bet that was it and it's like okay we can make that happen and by the way I hope I hope you the listener have the financial wherewithal to have multiple streaming options because it continues to build up what you need to watch all these key games because the Christmas games this year are on Netflix. That's a new one. And the next two years also, they would get a three year deal for that. They're great. So the Christmas Day games, which again is a Wednesday, but now football's played on Wednesdays. Chiefs versus Steelers, 1 p.m. Eastern. And then you have Ravens versus Texans.

Mm, gorgeous. 4.30 p.m. Eastern. A little bit surprised that they don't have a Christmas night game. I wonder why. I mean, it's Wednesday. I think that's why. Even two, when I saw that there was two, I felt like that's a stretch just because I think it's because you had these, but these teams mishmash and play each other the Saturday before. So you'd have to get another two teams in there to do that.

Because the turnaround is so brutal, you have to at least do an earlier game. to do a primetime game, because you can't give all these, I guess you could figure out a way, I'm curious what the Ravens and Texans have the week after Christmas. Right, but it's after buys. So they're both playing.

Right. So that is tough. Jesus, I mean, that is. That's tough. So we had Pooka Nakua on NFL network. I'm using the NFL network.

We, and he said, they asked him what he thought about the schedule. And he said, all I look for is the Thursday night games, because it's like that's the weeks you have to sort of almost plan ahead to prepare my body and that's just going to be a totally crazy different week than any other week. That's on the players' minds first and foremost.

Think about that. Think about the by the end of the regular season, the physical toll of these games and these two teams, I mean, four teams playing on Wednesday that they then have to turn around and I'd have to go before I kind of... Well, they go Saturday to Wednesday. So those four teams, as Mark pointed out, that that weird Saturday I was talking about before that's now going to be on major networks,

those four teams will then flip and also play on Wednesday. Think about this, though, because, I mean, you know, this isn't huge to us, but even from like a fantasy angle, if the game is on Wednesday versus even Thursday or the next Sunday, there's a handful of players that might be like, well, I could have played on Sunday, but I can't get out there.

on Wednesday. And there's teams that don't even really add a lot of like schematical intricacies for Thursday night games

or don't even practice. They just do a walkthrough. So it kind of truncates everything in a way that we haven't really seen outside of that Ravens Steelers Wednesday game

during Corona when half the rosters were out with Corona. Now the flip side is that's like fantasy playoffs and you got people who like their DFS and they like

watching the games for gambling reasons or whatever. And that's kind of fun. to add an extra day of that, you know, to add the Saturday and add the Wednesday of that. I'm glad we're talking about this, though, because if you really want to dig in and like, like, what does matter in the middle of May when you look at these schedules, the turnarounds and which teams have these brutal turnarounds does matter. So, and I'm, I'm citing, uh, because,

you know, Gloria, I mean, this guy. How many, he's written probably 55 articles today about the schedule. He has one here. He mentions that there was a rule for many years that the NFL required teams to play only once per year with a four-day turnaround. They got rid of that before last season. And now multiple teams play multiple games with only three days off between games. This year, 13 teams do it twice. So the Jets, that is a flip side of having all that, you know, the spotlight on you is that you have a lot of short weeks. The Jets, the Niners, the Seahawks, Rams, Bengals, Browns, Dolphins, Cowboys, Giants, Bears, Steelers, the Ravens, and the Texans all have multiple games with only three days off.

Basically last year's playoff teams plus the Giants. And the Giants. Those are all good teams. So the two New York teams and then playoff teams. So, you know, you could kind of figure that out. For Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Houston, one short week happens between Sunday and Thursday and the other lands on a Saturday to Wednesday for Christmas. The Chiefs also have a five-day turnaround to Black Friday

and a four-day turnaround between Saturday, December 21st and Wednesday, December 25th. There are studies that the league has done, that short week football, injury rate is not higher, but you also listen to the players. And as you just said, they have to wrap their head around it and plan and be prepared mentally as well as physically because it's very challenging.

All right. Anything else, guys, before we do a little news and say goodbye. Anything about the schedule that jumps out to you? We get Russell Wilson returning to Denver. Week two, if he makes, if he has a job. I did think like the teams that, and this is more of a schedule thing, if you were ever going to try to get into the schedule of like what's helpful, I feel like the teams,

divisions that play the NFC South, that's helpful. So the NFC East plays the NFC South or vice versa, that that's helpful. The AFC West, the Chiefs, the Chiefs to me have one of the, even though they have the quick turnaround and they have the first place schedule,

they actually have one of the easiest schedules because I think that division's pretty lame and they play the NFC South out of division. So, you know, to the Victor go the spoils, I guess. Mm-hmm. We also get Chiefs Niners, week seven in that 425 slots. So not everything's on prime time.

I can't wait to see that one. That's good. That's fun. Let's see. The NFL research department, who I am, as you boys are, quite fond of. They have some great tidbits in their schedule release research packet. Let me take a look at they have a whole section here on revenge.

throw some revenge games at you we'll love revenge right this is where Chris's eyes would especially glaze over let me see let me see if I can find this let's take a break real quick and then I'll find this

and then we'll hit a little bit of news and say goodbye be right back what's up everybody Daniel Jeremiah here and I'm Bucky Brooks on Move the Sticks we take you inside the game from Scouting Report and player development to team building philosophies,

coaching trends in how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on game day. Plus, we dig into coaching strategies,

roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a die-hard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin.

And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit. Different? Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. I'm Marcus Grant.

And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more.

All right, we are back as promised, and I know people who are just, I mean, they wanted to respect the sponsors so they didn't fast forward to the commercials, but it must have felt like an endless wait to get to the top 10 revenge games of 2024. I want to hear them. You guys ready?

The Russ one I mentioned has to be on there. I spoiled one of them, I'm sure. ETP, give me some, like, revenge background music, okay? All right. Sequin Barclay versus the Giants. And you know what? I'm sick of, like, being critical of the Eagles and taking a little break from that. But also, Sequin did not cover himself in glory.

He was sitting courtside at Sixers games during that Sixers' Knicks series. It's like, he was like trying to taunt Giants fans because some Giants fans were mean to him on Twitter. buddy just you know what live long and prosper my friend star wars reference just you know have fun enjoy yourself you don't need to tweak giants fans they didn't want you to leave that was management that decided to sign daniel jones bizarre anyway sayquan giants week seven and 18 uh we mentioned russell wilson at the broncos week two imagine he throws imagine he turns into 2014 russell wilson and lights up sean peyton for 470 and four touchdowns that's like legit revenge that's a real revenge game if he is but russell wilson was like

you if you have to come from the angle that russell wilson was done really wrong by the broncos like he didn't come in there and shine and then was ingloriously cut it was like a disaster that they had to decide to walk away from no i don't i don't know him and his coach didn't get along his coach showed him up a little bit you know the late season benching which was financially justifiable but was also, you know, for a guy of Wilson's stature in the league was, it was a tough one to swallow. He was released. I'm just looking at this written down. It's still crazy.

You look at it. Wilson was released after two seasons of, uh, into a five year of 245 million dollar contract. He signed in 2022, Stefan Diggs versus the bills in week five. I'm sure he's going to want to have many catches in that game. Let's see if he can get open still. Uh, Kirk Cousins at Vikings in week 14. Aaron Jones versus Packers, week four and 17. Derrick Carr versus the Raiders.

Ooh, I kind of like that. That's good. Well, that's in week 17. Let's see where Derrick Car exists in our life at that point. That's fair. That's fair. It could be Spencer Rattler versus the Raiders. All right, this one I'm going to have to, I'm going to swing by the, I'm going to swing by the research department to say we need to remove this one.

Calvin Ridley versus the Jaguars. I can't, I can't go there. I don't know. Stretch. That's a revenge. They just needed a round 10 number. Let's get Jacoby Brissette versus Washington or something. Montez Sweat at the command.

Come on. I mean, they needed 10. Fine. Sweat at commanders. Brian Burns at Panthers. Ooh, la, la, la, from Germany. From Germany. That's right.

We will have our revenge. I love Dexter Lawrence, but yeah, give. You have the Burns. We will have revenge on Brian Burns. Hactung, baby. 49ers versus Chiefs. Ah, because of the Super Bowl. Wait, what orders this list in?

That's not buried below Derek Carr versus the Raiders. Oh, my God. I love our research department. They have honorable mention. Let's keep going. Bills at Rams, Tradavius White versus the Bills. Hell yeah. Okay, Von Miller versus the Rams, too, you know.

Devin White versus the bucks. Ravens versus Bengals. Talk some ish on Devin White back in the day, so that's real revenge. Ravens versus Bengals, Gino Stone versus the Raven. Chiefs at Bills, 2002 AFC Divisional Round Rematch. We're losing momentum. Ravens versus Steelers, Patrick Queen. Patrick Queen goes and makes a ton of money and it's his revenge game.

And finally, Marky, meerk. Jerry Judy versus the Biancos, meerk. I don't, Jerry Judy to me is like, if like the Broncos won that one. See, they clearly are focused on players that changed teams this last year. Yeah. But I'll circle another one for you. Week 13, Danny Boy. Yeah.

gino smith at the new york jets let's go okay that i buy that feels like the water is way under the bridge at this point but it's fine it could probably replace gino stone versus the ravens i think it could probably edge out in met life gino shows you're proud of me now dad i could promise i know this sounds crazy greg but i could probably not one jet fan has ever thought to themselves if only we had gino smith this whole time uh all right

News. Jared Goff. Yes, the Lions have six primetime games. How about that? And Jared Goff will be the quarterback if the fates allow, and he's going to be the quarterback there for multiple years to come because right after we finished recording, and I thought we declared vengeance, by the way,

on the whole industry to do this, but not an hour after we left the studio on Monday. Goff and the Lions four-year, $212 million contract extension got out there. He was heading into the final year of a four-year extension. He originally signed with the Rams back in 2019, traded, of course, to the Lions in 2021. Listen to this show at that time. Listen to anything at the time. It was widely assumed that Goff was abridged to whatever came next,

the quarterback for the Lions, and nothing more than that. but instead Gough returned to playing at a high level like the early days with the Rams and became a beloved figure in Detroit, almost the rare Greggy underdog figure for a guy that was a number one overall pick who had been to a Super Bowl before he got to Detroit. So now he is amongst the highest paid players in football. He will receive 170 million and guaranteed money on this new deal. Contract runs through 27 with an option to remain with the team through

28. It's a remarkable comeback story in a lot of ways and a unique one because the circumstances are so different than a typical comeback story. But it is a comeback story. Don't get it twisted. You're absolutely right. There isn't quite a perfect comp to anything like this happening in NFL history, partly because we've never had these sort of contracts, but a player that was traded as a distressed asset where, Goff last contract, which was very similar. I actually believe it depends on how you slice it up. I think the numbers are a little fluffed up, but there's one way to look at it with

the new money that he's like the second highest paid quarterback in new money per year average. And that was what he was when he signed the huge deal with the Rams, that he was the second highest paid quarterback. And that contract proved to be so bad that they had to trade him essentially as a like with negative value and yet here he is just a few years later signing the equivalent to that contract again it's remarkable basically the first three years of this are more or less guaranteed so he he is locked in at least through 2026 which and for huge huge money yeah because

i think like you always wait a couple days to find out like if there's fugazi elements to some of these deals like it's a lot of real money yeah that he is getting and i mean it is interesting to see what happens with him the player. But in 2026, he has like a nearly $70 million cap hit. So, I mean, it's just like, I think, but in general, with the cap, like, these deals don't concern you the way that they would have in the past. There's just a way to get through these. But this is like not, they were, they, this is full belief in a player that the general

manager knew going in and like took a chance on. And even at the draft, it's like the roster loves him, the town loves him. He's getting paid. It's one of the better stories, because you're right, Dan. Like, I used to make, I used to just use words to describe Jared Gough as one of the most dull-to-the-eyes quarterbacks around, and he's completely transformed the way that we look at him over the past two seasons.

Can I have, can I, I have, like, a medium hot take on this? Like, this contract might not be great. Like, even in a best case scenario, we are in this weird spot where, like, the top 13 or, 14 quarterbacks all get to be about the highest paid quarterback in the league for a little while. But they're not even. Like, the fact that Jared Goff essentially is getting the same contracts as Joe Burrow and Josh Allen and stuff, he's nowhere near as good a player. Like, that's, that's not that helpful to the Lions. I don't think you want to, you maybe just don't have a

choice. But, like, he's significant, like, his numbers are very poor against press. pressure. They always have been. He needs things to be right. He's somewhere in like the 8 to 12 range. And that's great. He stabilized them. He's perfect for them. But like just as a pure like analytical numbers thing. Like it's not great for them that they basically have to give him Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burroughs contract when he's nowhere near as good as those players. I mean, it's worth noting. Right. I mean, who's the big, the biggest winner are all these quarterbacks that are better than him? Like right. Like, well, they just the floor. So if you're now, eight even feels strong. I like golf a lot. But I feel like and we'd have to do and we'll do this exercise. We'll do a little Dalton scale at some point this off season. But I would say he's in that 10 to 12 range maybe. And and if he's getting paid this outrageous sum that just lifts it up for everybody else. I feel like ultimately though in a lot of ways like the lions were in a tough spot because what are you going to do? You're going to play hardball with golf. You're going to move on from golf. Like you, you, going to or are you going to try to keep this the ship which is running on very the fuel is like high octane good vibes in Detroit and a lot of you know a lot of feeling about this this could be the year pay the quarterback you heard it you heard those fans tens of that hundreds of thousands of Detroiters chanting his name it's they overpaid him sure but if if you're a quarterback that could play at a high level in that offense there are worse ways to spend

your money. I also like the lions are and not in an annoying way that I think like the Eagles get on your radar, Dan, obviously, but like they just kind of Brad Holmes and the whole front off. They do things their own way and they kind of they believe what they believe and they've been proven correct building this team. And it's like they got this done before like Dak Prescott gets paid or Tua. I mean, there's other quarterbacks sitting out there. There's a Trevor Lawrence sitting out there and other dudes Jordan Love where it's like these contracts are should have happened in some cases. I think Tua is a, is a mysterious one, how to handle that. But like, now it adds like a little heat to all of those deals as well. By the way, it's the coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles that I

have a problem with, not the Eagles themselves. Well, but I mean, when like the Eagles think differently, it's like, I think the lions think differently, but it's not on everyone's radar because they're probably closer to be in America's team than the Cowboys for many. And, uh, one other transaction, Marquez Valdez Scantling, formerly of the Chiefs, who won a Super Bowl, made a few plays there on the way to the Lombardi has signed with the Bills. And, you know, we did that exercise a couple of maybe last week looking at some position groups and I pulled the bills depth chart

and trying to make sense of it in a post-Diggs world. And yeah, MBS is just like yet another guy. In that room, it's, you take a look at this Bill's death chart now. This is, listen, we're putting a lot of faith in Josh Allen. The offensive line is good. And the running back broke out last year, James Cook. So we're not going to say the bills are going to have struggle scoring points. But he's probably their wide receiver four, although I think he actually adds some value just

because they didn't really have like an outside burner. Man, he keeps on signing with the right quarterbacks. I have to give MBS that. He's usually good for like 400 yards in the regular season, but then suddenly it's the AFC championship game, and he's like two for 75 with a game-winning play. And so maybe he'll keep that going. But yeah, your depth chart would be what?

There's no one. This is awesome. They are the Just the Guy All-Stars. Here we go. Curtis Samuel, I know we like him. We got the rookie second round pick, Keon Coleman. Who knows what he's going to give you in year one? You got Khalil Shakir.

you have you have Chase Claypools in the building you have KJ Hamler in the building you have Andy Isabella in the building you now have Marquez Valda Scantling in the building Mac Hollins is in the building Quintes Cephas is in the building what a motley crew

they just need a couple of those guys to pop it just reminds me of like the last team MBS was on a bunch of guys in the wide receiver room yeah a little better A little bit. Shakir's a nice player. Samuel's a nice player. They're a little similar, though. But they're leaning on a rookie to do a lot quickly, too.

You're going to lean on Dalton Kincaid. I think they're hoping, at least. Finally, in the news, I don't know if you saw this, but Tom Brady has come out and said he regrets the Netflix roast mark that you attended last weekend. And he said that he on some level misread it and he didn't realize the effect. Let's see. He was on the pivot podcast and he was upset about how it impacted his children, the people he cares about most in the world. So he has regrets. And I should I should throw out there that I was texting with a friend of the podcast,

Nikki Glazer, who was the breakout star of the roast. and we were just commiserating about this. Nikki, who was on the show Super Bowl Week, had no connection to the sporting world, and then shows up at this roast, and her career goes through the stratosphere and becomes linked to Tom Brady kind of forever as a result. Can someone say sneaky backdoor flashpoint focus?

Nikki Glazer? Yes, I think so. I mean I mean I mean I mean she noted to us at the Super Bowl

and she said this since when people asked about you know why she did the roads but that she had no connection to football at all and it was it was Taylor Swift

that got her involved and you know she wrote a lot of her own stuff she went through a lot of her material on Stern that she didn't use

got a little bit of help too but like I think I think I texted you guys during the show. This was the runaway hit from the night. There was a lot of good stuff that she was the runaway hit. But as for Tom Brady, like, I mean, yeah, you see the reaction and you don't want to do it, but you knew what was going to come up, I would imagine, topically, during that, during a roast. I listened to it, and I don't think he totally had, like, wrapped his head around it for whatever

reason. Just that, like, he said it affected his kids. And I get, he just like for some reason didn't connect the dots of like, oh, yeah, they're going to bury me related to my divorce and that that's going to hurt my kids. He said he said the rest of it was fine. Everything was about me was fine. It was a fun night. Like, I love comedy, all this stuff. Like, I don't think he even fully said that I regret doing it, but he, he does regret that part of it.

Oh, I think he regrets doing it, Gregie. Yeah, I guess you're right. I wouldn't he said yeah I wouldn't do that again because of the kids and yeah shout up you know Nikki you know the the AFC couldn't stop Tom Brady but Nikki Glazer did you know and like Nikki and I go way back and we would joke about how like I was like a sports guy and she didn't know anything about sports and didn't care about sports and then I said isn't it ironic that like being involved with this sports event like changed your career forever and sent you into the stratosphere.

She kind of had a monoculture moment out of it, which is just so crazy. But, you know, Tom, I don't know. Listen, Tom lost $30 million on crypto. Tom has made some strange decisions in his life. And this is another one. He's got a fascinating guy to track. Now he's going to go into the Fox booth. Is that going to be a similarly, similarly disastrous decision?

We shall see. A little bit of like a wandering soul. I think so. I think there's something going on there. But I do want to say as much as, you know, I love everything I've worked on when it comes to the flashpoint focus, I do want to say, like, as executive producers, I would have thought if that was a flashpoint focus moment, we probably should have. We should have probably mentioned. You're talking about Mark and I? Yeah, I'm talking about you guys.

Oh, okay. What would you have done differently, Greg? You tell us. I mean, usually it's not the. the gaffer's role to be sharing this, but go ahead. I would have maybe mentioned or said the word flashpoint focus at some point in the Nicky Glazer conversation. I think, Mark, I think I called it a sneaky backdoor flashpoint focus, which I think it was.

And they have industry-wise, they have backdoor pilots, things like that, where it doesn't seem like it in the moment, but you look back and like, oh, okay, I see they had something cooking the whole time. I knew what you were saying. Next show, let's work up a sneaky backdoor flashpoint-focused song with Lussid. All right. Good show. Good out.

We'll be back on Monday. Oh, before we say goodbye, Mark, do you want to share with the audience why you weren't here on Monday's episode? I want to compliment. some of our listeners, because someone sent me a link to, there goes the flute. People were like, oh, what's the flute about? Because we had talked about floutists and flutes during the, you know, big funk song. But someone connected the dots that I went to a Los Angeles Renaissance Fair. Wait, how did someone, who are the, who is someone?

Because I think these are like, the, it was a thread of people trying to guess. And I was, like, stunned that someone pieced it together that in the L.A. region that this occurred. Based on what? Like, what were the... I don't know. It wasn't, it wasn't like... Are they geos tracking you? Where was this? This was on the Reddit board, you're saying? Yeah, like, it was not, it was just someone pieced together. And someone else like, wow, that's a really interesting, like, theory or something. I was like, how did they possibly know that? But I went with some friends. I had never been in one of my life. I had no idea what it would be like. It was about 96 degrees out with a burning sun. I just was happy to get out. out of there without a sunburn. But it was an experience and I made sure that no photos leaked because I did, I was given

a slight costume slash outfit to wear. It never arrived. It was sent to my building but then was either stolen or the package was put somewhere incorrect. So I had to buy something else on Hollywood Boulevard on the fly and it was an absurdist looking

thing that I wore. You have to share with the audience. I really don't even know if I have a photo because like I said it was 98 degrees and this was like a furry like tunic that was so hot that I was dying so it wasn't on me for long but I will if I can find it if I can find a photo I will out of honor I will provide you wearing I like to picture furry tunic is probably what I would have guessed a veil of flowers and then like panaloons and then no no kind of like um moccasins that like kind of curled up, almost like an elves?

No. I imagine like the puffy pirate shirt from Seinfeld, that sort of thing. It wasn't that furry, but like, I made, with a good attitude, I decided to not be like the only one not in our group dressed up. But there was a limit to it, that is for sure. You know, I can't believe I'm telling you this. I could have said I could have hedged this story. No, I like, this is the new Mark.

Yeah, you're on a journey marked as you're going through like new adventures. And, you know, as someone who is now, you know, married for a long time and just celebrated my 12th anniversary, you know, the idea of not having to do things I don't want to do is something that I really, one of the best, very best things about weddings. But you're not there right now with your life. So, but I'm, I'm hoping you made the most of an event. I would say this. It was definitely four adults. I would put it that way. There were some kids running around, but it was four adults in many ways. And I found that angle of it to be intriguing. I also believe that Mark is a man who does what he wants and that you might not want to be dressing up in a furry tunic, Dan. I know I'm not. But I think Mark probably enjoyed it. If he did it, he wanted to. some level. I applaud it. I applaud it. Thank you. I was like, I'm going to do it. Oh, you're so naive, Greg. No, it was enjoyable. Had a good time. Maybe the Renaissance Fair is something, because I could see Mark, you know, Mark, pre-spirit, and he could float around it. I could, like, I could picture

Mark, oh, yeah, I'll float around, like, the fairgrounds for a few hours, like, on a Sunday. You know, some of these events, it's like, wow, Mark went to this. Mark went to the rose. Oh, Mark's going here. Mark's going there. It's like... The roast was connected to our career on some level, I think. Roast was very normal. I'm not going to... A lot of people were at the roast.

Oh, Greg. All right. Anything else? Anything else? No? All right. In that case. We'll be back on Monday.

What we're going to talk about? What do we talk about after the schedule? sure there's some OTAs and you never know. So make sure you check out the show. We'll certainly find something fun to chatter about with the league. Thank you for checking this show out. Until next time, Pete the call. everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape,

talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move The Sticks podcast on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies.

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