NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2025 Week 10 Late and Primetime Games Preview

Episode Date: November 6, 2025

Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue, Patrick Claybon, and Steve Wyche to preview all of the late game and primetime Week 10 action from around the NFL. The crew starts with Eagles at Packers on Monday Night Football (01:08) followed by Rams at 49ers (10:42), Steelers at Chargers on Sunday Night Football (25:43), Lions at Commanders (28:17) and Cardinals at Seahawks (34:14). The show is wrapped up with a conversation about the conversation (43:30).  Note: time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we're ready to listen to Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on one of the games of the year. We've been needing a good primetime game lately. I know we had Packer Steelers, but like I just feel like they've been wanting. Yeah, and we want, we want football. And we want you to listen to the best of NFL daily because if you're listening to us and you didn't hear the first half of the show, you could have heard stuff like this. Booty is massive. Is that really what I sound like?

Greg, I regret to inform you. To hear that again? Booty is massive. I mean, didn't lie. Well, my favorite part of the audio is you said sneakily first. where it's like the yeah the idea sometimes you know

you're not expecting it but yeah sometimes it happens you're just like oh booty is massive booty is massive got all that back there didn't know what's happening we got all this ahead of us yes quick reference that the philadelphia eagles on the road at green bay where the packers just lost to the carolina panthers the packers favored against the defending super bowl champions

by two and a half the over under is 45 and a half it is joe it is joe it is Troy and Jordan Roderick, it's an opportunity for us to see the Philadelphia Eagles after taking a break. It's like all that consternation week in and week out. We're delving through Instagram. The Eagles just disappeared. Now they're back. It's like it never even happened. Patrick, as Saquan Barkley said, they all got away from each other for a little bit. And hey, guess what? Just like the local media there has been saying all year, A.J. Brown did not get traded. Wow. Always read the beat writers. Guys, they've got a great group on the ground.

there in Philadelphia. This game is going to be good. Packers need to bounce back in a big way. This team is too talented to be playing as inconsistently game over game as it is. And the Eagles after a break and gathering themselves in a deep breath, we know they're going to come out swinging. I'm curious what kind of adjustments the Eagles have in store on defense. They're coming off the buy week. They added the cornerbacks, Michael Carter, Jaya Alexander. They add, you know, the edge players, including Brandon Graham, is back in the mix. Jalen Phillips should be available. And just like, how does that work? How are they losing Jihad Campbell, who, you know, wasn't on the field as much? But that might have just been like a one week thing. You learn a lot, as we've said

on this show, of how you operate after the buy. And I did think it was noteworthy. That without A.J. Brown, I thought they had their best game plan of the season in that last win before we last saw them, where they just, they were running everything finally. They were, they looked, they had a little bit of Atlanta Falcons disease where it's like, they're just doing one thing at a time.

And in that game, they showed all their different ways that they like to pass the ball, very diverse running game. And if they can bring that to the Packers, I think they'll be up for the fight. It's a tough match. I think you're going to do that. I think we're going to start, you know, Baker Mayfield said, now some real football stars. I think we're going to see that with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Um, my big concern for Green Bay is the best tied in and football is out for the season. Tucker Kraft is that guy. When you talk to defensive coordinators, they're like, he scares them because he can block, he can catch, and he can run after the catch. Like, when you hear the comparisons to Gronk, that's what you hear people saying. So not having him really puts a lot of pressure on an inconsistent wide receiver group. And so I think this is going to change your offense. And I think it's going to change their running game.

And so I like Philadelphia. this game. And for now, with the Packers, as good as they may be, their defensive front didn't look that great. That might have been a one-game aberration. But they're going to have to tighten it up and going to go against an Eagles offensive line that's not been as great. It's been good. It's going to be interesting, but I just think Green Bay's offense is going to have to be restructured a little bit because Musgrave is not. And nobody is. And nobody is like he is that guy right now in the NFL. And it's a difficult plan to emulate when you you looked at how the Carolina Panthers ran all over Green Bay.

Because it was Rico being, because Rico Dowell is one of the more imaginative runners inside that we sit in a while. And he had four yards of carry, inside left and inside right and two touchdowns, ran the ball 19 times on the inside, where we've seen Philadelphia struggle to run on the inside of the got Sequin out on the edge on the first play, on the first run of the game against the Giants. But that sustained success has. hasn't been there. So I'm not even sure that the Eagles run game, like as good as it was last

year, can duplicate what Carolina did in Green Bay. But, you know, on the outside, where the coverage has been good, you have AJ and Devante where it's not a similar talent situation. And that's why, like, the idea of trading AJ Brown, because anybody that's trading for AJ Brown, I think we all love the idea of it. Yeah. They're going to be better. Love the idea of it. Like, anybody that wants A.J. Brown is, you're even playing them in February. Yeah. Like, at some point.

So, yeah, that's, but beyond me, that people would think that that was going to happen. But the, the style's making the fights here. And I still don't know who I'm going to pick, correct? I don't either because I like the Eagles. I feel like everyone will be on the Eagles, which, you know, I just then think, well, it is a home game for the Packers that they could bounce back. The way they lose in these games are so mystifying. Like, they didn't punt last. week. That is hard to lose a game and only score that much, but also just, yeah, losing

on downs a couple times. They, I think critical mass hit last week of the Packers running the ball too much. And it was partly because Greg Olson said it on the pod on the broadcast, but also I think, yeah, my buddy, I think it's because you watch them and they want to be a great running team. And they're just okay. And they're just slow. Like, they, they, they, they, they, they slow the game down, but you don't want to slow the game down when you're the better team. They take forever. Just like pick it up a little bit. I think like make it a little bit more of Jordan Love's show than these 13, 14, 15 play drives. And that's part of it is, you know, you're just missing on the throws to Golden. We'll see if he's available. Jaden Reed has been gone

so long. We kind of forget that he's gone, but he's a really important player for them. And that's part of it for that fourth down that we nominated for worst throw of the year. Here were the skill position players on the field. Emmanuel Wilson, Malik Heath, Savion Williams, Romeo Dobbs, and John Fitzpatrick. I mean, that's a pretty rough group. Like, that's not very talented. It's just not a talented

group. I think this might be the game that you've been wanting for Jordan Love, honestly. Because if you, first of all, missing Tucker. Big Cube Island spot this week for him. the Ivy Island game for Jordan Love. Well, not really. Potentially after two weeks ago had such a defining incredible game. And then last week, you know, the Packers were just not good enough. And so, okay, so because I think that without having Tucker Kraft, who wowed everyone with his yards after the catch running and his ability to just carve out the middle of the field and played incredibly before the injury, also is one of the best blocking attachments to an offensive.

in football. And that's part of why they felt so confident running the ball. Luke Musgrave is more of a pure passing mismatch tight end. So I don't think you're going to be able to do the plotting run game the way that maybe they had. I do think that you're going to lean on where you actually have a strength even minus your massive Jenga piece in Tucker Kraft. And that is try to formulate and force passing mismatches. And it's tough to do against this Eagles secondary. But they are more vulnerable than they had been last season. And this is going to be really, really interesting to me, especially, I mean, is this, is Jeyer going to play?

Is this a revenge game? Ooh. What do we? I don't know if he's going to play. I would assume that they, the Packers hope so. Yeah. I would assume they traded with him,

traded him with the idea to have him active on game days and participate. Does he go out for the coin toss against the Packers? Just autonomously. Whether, whether he's supposed to or not. Just do it again. What I do. flashback. Great call on the spot.

Incredible work. I do think we saw some of that frustration of trying to be explosive in the run game for LaFleur when Savian Williams fumbled and then LaFleur was yelling at him on the sideline. I think that was the frustration of not being explosive in the run game and then you try to get the ball to Savian Williams in the run game and he fumbles it.

Kind of over the whole Sabian Williams thing too. In general, like guys that use as Gatsy on, Magic guys, it has diminishing returns. Here's a little news that involves the Packers, by the way. He is visiting, Asante Samuel Jr. is visiting the Packers, among many other teams. And he's just an interesting player that could be added to the mix. Was quite high on my free agency list based on, you know, his play,

which is a little up and down, but pretty good at a high level. But he had spinal fusion surgery this off season and was finally cleared to play this week. And he's visiting the Panthers Packers. Vikings, 49ers, bears, and Steelers. I mean, that's, I've never heard of a visit list that long. It probably won't go that far. They all want to check the medical and see if it fits their personal specs. You know, a lot of times, you know, guys will show up and give the diagnostics to a team.

They're like, no, we want our doctors to check you because there are some teams that have we asleep at night policy. Like, can we sleep well at night putting a player on the field? And there are other teams that do not. And so I think that's why he's visiting so many teams. And he's probably going to pick a spot what could be best for him. Or whichever one has the immortal chamber rate. now I would ask like hey can I get you guys all in one place like getting poked and prodded like seven different times like after sitting on multiple planes like yeah like I already had back that's what

teams want to get guys after they've been poked and prod at three or four times to see how durable that is that's that is a technique in the combine like give me an injured player after he's worked out for three teams because I want to see how durable that thing is well you know you get good veteran teammates. Then you get ones that set you up with incredible segways like chambers, like quarterbacks that play in Southern California. It is Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles

Rams, Steve, four and a half point favorites against the team that beat them at their best in SoFi on Thursday night. Football the San Francisco 49ers playing host 49 and a half is the over-under. Kevin Burkhart and Tom Brady, it is the Fox Uno to

to see Mac Jones. Once again, starting for the 40-5.5. How do you see it going? How are the Rams a four and a half point favorite? That's a big number. I mean, they've outscored the teams they've played since playing the 49ers, 84 to 20.

I mean, fine, but, you know, you look at these matchups. They tend not to go like this. Look, the Rams outplayed them at SOFI, but the giveaways. I mean, some of the punchouts, some of the players who stepped up for the 49ers, and Christian McCaffrey has been the bane of the Rams exist. Look at his numbers against the game. the Rams, even when he was in Carolina, he like averages about 150 combined yards against them and passing and receiving. He carries, he touches the ball. I was looking at this

yesterday like 24 times or more against the Rams. They can't find a matchup against them. I know the Niners defense might be, you know, banged up or whatever. It plays well against the Rams. I'm not saying the Rams you're going to lose this game. Just four and a half points is a huge number, especially with the Rams. Great. kicking issues that they've had this year. Look, Mac Jones. No, no Cardi Party for you. No.

The thicker kickers on the practice squad. Oh. Oh, there we go. Competition. Where's the big booty drop? We missed that one. So it up right there. It's massive.

There it is. There it is. Look, I like the Rams, which I think whoever wins this game, and it can't be the Niners if you're the Rams. Because then they swept you, they've got tie break. yeah you can't hear for you so and they beat seattle once yeah i i actually like san francisco in this game just because the mcalfrey factor whoa kyle shanahan's having probably his best year coaching honestly and and that's saying something considering some of the team the monster teams that

he's that he's coached and robert sala is putting on an absolute clinic they're more and more injured every week and i think that becomes the biggest threat factor to me if you're thinking about these matchups between the rams and the 49ers and how strange they can can get and how in their own heads the Rams can get against the 49ers at times. I just don't think this goes that way. I just, this Rams team on two of three phases, offense and defense is such a wagon. Yes. I mean, their offense is just rolling over people, through people, pass them in the air.

Their offensive line is finally all back together again. Rob Havenstein being back last week was huge. the time to pressure went way up time-wise versus quick pressure that sometimes can get to Stafford and enforces the shorter completions. Puka Nakua's ribs injury is concerning. I would imagine they have one eye on this game, obviously. They're always going to play physical against the 49ers.

They probably also have one eye on next week, which is the Seattle game. Their first time that the two teams have played each other, you really have to manage this correctly if you're Sean McVey and the Rams. And I think part of why they were able to go so heavy personnel, 12 personnel, 13 personnel. You love that.

Oh, man. You love that with the Rams. I said some things. Give me two tight ads. Give me three. It's finally happened. Let's go some 21. I freaking leave the building and they finally

freaking do it. Yeah. And I think that that bodes well for playing a different style of offense as you give Puka maybe a little bit less of a workload. It was interesting that they alternated drives. between their running backs,

finally doing the thing that they say that they were going to do between like Corum. And Corum adds a little more explosion. I just think Stafford versus a team that can't rush the passer, it's,

you're almost drawing dead if you're the 49ers. And they probably will get Bryce Huff back this week, which is a big addition, but they're also losing Michael Williams. He's gone for the season. Not much of a pass rusher there.

But like one of the reasons why when I was split, Litting Harris. I know I made you mad and I didn't choose Stafford for MVP was just his numbers clean. I mean, they're they're insane. He is the best quarterback in the league this year. His numbers versus pressure are actually quite poor. He reminds me a little bit of Tom Brady in his later years and this is a compliment. He's no longer hanging in quite as much to take those big hits because he's playing the long game and he's just he's just dirt and balls now. And so his numbers, yards, if you get But this 49ers team, they're not going to get pressure on them.

Newsflash, it's not going to happen in this game. Well, I think they smoke them. Teams are sitting pressure from depth at the second highest rate against the ramp. That's a great stat. You just try to mess with the picture for Matthew Stafford a little bit, but you've got to get it early with Stafford or else you're in trouble where you've given this situation where Devante Adams is this red zone tight-end target. Savant. Well, they're getting their tight ends involved in the past game, too. And so there's so many different places where you could say, well, the history,

Cal Shanan figures it out. You know, maybe Kyle Shannon will get the ball punched out on the one-inch line again. Like, it's hard based, like, using the logical mindset to say that the 49ers are going to win this. Yeah, the inferior division team, they pull off one upset. They don't do it twice. They used, I've seen, we've, you're not. I know, but it wasn't, man, it's like too many. I think the Rams win, but these games get so weird.

Yeah, they do. And they feel weird. And being in the building all week feels weird. It's just like, it's everyone's tight. Hopefully, Mac Jones has a standard gait by the end of this game. I know. Or dude, he's not punched over. He's so extra with everything.

I love it. And I think we wanted to get to a throw the year nomination. Right, Greg? Oh, yeah. Let's see. The deep dig that I wrote a whole poem about this throw last week. Stafford and yeah, if you're on YouTube. Look at his helmet because

there's Devante running the deep dig. There's Stafford. Who's he looking at? Not you. Very similar to the throw in the Super Bowl to Cooper Cup. It's beautiful. But here's the thing. Doing that on a intermediate to deep depth route takes a level of confidence in oneself

that not many human beings have. It's also disrespectful. Can we be honest? It's 30-yard pass down the field. But look and look at how deep the linebackers drop. Yeah, but he did it in the Super Bowl. It wasn't quite as deep. But it wasn't this deep. It wasn't that deep, but it was pretty deep.

It was, it was a, it was like a 12-yard pass. I'm just saying it is disrespectful, but so is every celebration. So it's the quarterback version of holding out the ball while you're running towards the end zone. It's just adding a little sizzle to your Sunday. This is why it's disrespectful. Those linebackers drop like 20 yards each. You got a runner with Devante and he just brings it to him. When I, when I put.

this game on this morning. Yeah, no. Look at the depth of the linebacker. It's, it's an incredible strong one. It's so sick. And the crazy thing is, like, it wasn't, I mean, it was the best throw he made all day, but his deep one to puka was almost as good.

He, he's feeling himself. And I just think the 49ers, look, they're not getting, weirdly, they're, we talked so much about their rookie class earlier in the season, and now they lost Mikel Williams. Stout their nickel has been a little up and down. And the other guys, like the defense, they're not helping.

They're not playing. There's injuries. They're just a thin team. And they're trying their best. I think the most symbolic play I have. I should have made this a play of the year nominee is last week with a 17-point lead. I think it was McCaffrey. He might have been Brian Robinson was trying to pick up a short yard situation.

It doesn't look like he's going to get it. And Mack Jones, who's all disheveled and everything's all messed up and his face is busted. He runs in there and he lowers his shoulder to push the pile forward. and I'm like, Mack Jones is out there living life. I love it. Football player. That's awesome. So see if Mac Jones can do it again against the Los Angeles Rams.

It's time for the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. The Pittsburgh Steelers fresh off of thrashing. Once again, one of the best teams in the AFC are on the road to SoFi Stadium to take on Herbo and the tackle list chargers who are a three-point favorite. 45 and a half is the over under Mike Tariko, Chris Collinsworth, the entire gang on NBC. Do you need tackles to beat the Steelers? I think that would be helpful.

That would help. Yes. Not a question. Not sure if Bobby Hart, who, it's crazy. Like, oh, I hope we can get Bobby Hart back. He was like literally their fifth tackle and was like didn't make the Bengals at one point. But he got hurt during last week's game too. So hearing that penning is going to be a tackle and against this team.

in particular. It's not like the Chargers major in a quick passing game. Like, despite all these offensive line injuries, like Herbert's back there, he's holding the ball, and he's trying to make plays, and he is making plays. I felt bad not listing him in the MVP conversation,

because I do think just he is playing as well as any other quarterback. Insane. And you just think about him versus Herbig and Watt, and Hysmith was probably their best edge guy last week. One thing I noticed was a couple of the plays that High Smith and Watt got off. it was because Herbig got doubled,

which is a very interesting wrinkle at their stage of development, but it just shows how many weapons they have. But Herbick's been, you know, a high volume pressure guy for years. I mean, he's a heck of a player. And I think somebody got into Watt in the highsmiths and said,

this time we start earning your money here. Maybe it was Cam Hayward because he was been very strong against those guys. The guys who were getting paid showed up last week. This is an intriguing matchup because... Arthur Smith would love this because there's a tight end on the Chargers. I'm sure he would love to have on his team at Aronday Gads and Jr.

I think he's going to be the threat for the Chargers in this game. There's got to be some type of quick outlet pass a game, even though they don't have it. They don't really have a matchup because their edge guys are forward-going guys. They don't really have a dude to match up with Gads. And so I think he is going to be a factor big time in this game. I like Pittsburgh in this game. I think Aaron Rogers are starting to play better football. real, just real, some interesting storylines in this game.

I just want to see Pittsburgh and keep it up. But the charges without those offensive tackles, to me, is a significant issue. Two unpredictable teams. I'm super curious, especially with what the Steelers did to the Colts tackles. Like, you noted on the recap show this week, Greg. I'm really interested to see if the Steelers play Arronday Gadsen the same way they played Tyler Warren. And that was pulled Jalen Ramsey back to the deep safety position and mix up your zone pressures to really and get that pressure especially on the outsides

to really mix up the quarterback and kind of know where the quarterback is looking. It's really hard to mix up Justin Herbert and obviously he will make plays with his legs. But it is curious because so this Chargers offense being able to funnel through a mismatch tight end the way that the Colts offense is also able to do. I'm curious to see if they deploy a similar game plan because that one was so effective to the tune of six takeaways. And it does sound like Ramsey's just playing free safety now. And not like they said, it's going to be permanent, but he said he's there this week. And they have injuries.

It's easy to forget. They lost to Sean Elliott. They lost, I think Chuck Clark it was. And he's just playing free safety. It is weird that he's essentially playing Minka Fitzpatrick's role. Like that trade just seems. But it's something though he's wanted to do for years. Yeah.

He talks about his affinity for Charles Woodson. and making that change and so. And let's be real, like, he was not playing well in man coverage. And even last week where they did play, you know, the split safety is a lot more. They looked different. They still played the Colts more man coverage than any other team had all year because that's what their cornerbacks can do.

And I think you look at these matchups for the charges. That's the thing. If he can just, if basically if Justin Herbert can play offensive line for himself by just running around and making it happen and he had to do it even against the Titans, then, man, there are mismatches with Ladd, and with Gadsden and with Quentin Johnson,

like against the Steelers secondary. Well, fortunately for Justin Herbert, he's got one of the best past protecting running backs in the entire NFL in Kamani Vidal. Yes. Back there where, you know, he's making plays in the past game, again, whether catching the ball or blocking for Herbo. And I think they're going to need it.

It's going to be Herbo out on the edge. Yeah. Make Highsmith miss. You have Ladd and QJ come back to the ball, and Gadsden work the middle. and just Justin, figure it out. It's going to be quarters of that versus the Steelers kind of plotting their way down the field

scoring a predictable 22 points. Yeah, they have really gone extreme in terms of the ball coming out of Rogers' hand so quickly and it being short, but I don't think they'll need to throw it that much. The Chargers are 27th against the run, and so you think of those jumbo packages and Darno Washington and all the tight end.

Jalen Warren. Jalen Warren, like, the charges are not a good, run defense. I'm a little stunned. The Chargers are favored by three in this game. My take on the Chargers is that they've actually overachieved quite a bit this year based on what's the real level of where they should be.

There's no doubt about that. Yeah. My colleague Daniel Popper at The Athletic actually wrote two sentences that I think are really depressing, Trading for penning is the equivalent of cleaning up the rubble. Oh, it hurts. It does. And yet, because it's, bars, but it hurts.

Because it's Herbert back there, they are a must watch every week and with the weapons that he has. And you give him a chance in a game where I trust the Chargers coaching just a little bit more than I do, the Steelers. Steelers, you never know what you're going to get. That's true of the games we will talk about after the break. We have almost made it to the end. of our week 10 preview.

That was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota. Let's go places. Toyota is all-in all season with another year of Toyota Game Day giveaways. Coming up during this week's Sunday night game, the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Los Angeles Chargers, if there's a completed pass of over 35 yards in the second half or a rush of over 20 yards in the second half,

20 fans will each win a $1,000, Marriott gift card to take the game on the road. Terms and conditions apply, enter for a chance to win at Toyotasgameda giveaways.com. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Ends 2-826. Open to legal residents of the 50

U.S. States and D.C. 18 and over. For complete details, how to enter, prizes, and official rules, visit Toyotasgamedaygivaways.com. Back on NFL Daily, big week in terms of news. The future of this country getting shaped, but that wasn't the biggest news. The biggest news was that Tom Brady

revealed his dog, Junie, was cloned from a previous dog that he owned back in 2023. And the first thing I thought about when I learned, not only did Tom Brady clone his dog, but that he's an investor of the company that cloned his dog. I wanted to hear what Patrick thought about that. Well, it's a similar thing that you've heard me say every single time. We, for some reason, find out about Tom Brady's most recent investment, which is every single time that Tom Brady has money going on in something. It becomes news. And Tom is at the forefront of seemingly every circumstance that I, you know, personally, I'm not a money guy. I know very little about everything.

Every time we find out about some tech thing, it's Tom Brady is there. And sometimes it doesn't work too well. And it's a, you know, maybe it's a fad. You know, maybe there's a pickleball league coming on. Maybe it's some crypto thing. But it seems like it's always Tom. Well, the crypto pickleball Venn diagram is just like a circle. It's everyone, it's all together.

My bigger thing, though, is, you know, you are all dog owners, I believe. I used to you. You're not anymore. I can't take it. Okay. But you, you, you know, I'm just, what are your thoughts on, you know, you know, would you clone Tucker, your dog, Jordan? Well, it wouldn't be Tucker.

Well, yeah. Yeah. That's my take. Yeah. There's only one Tucker. It's my Tucker. And that wouldn't be Tucker. Yeah.

That's the same exact space where I am, like in a spiritual sense. Yes. I do believe in individuality. And I believe animals have souls. And yeah, it wouldn't be Tucker. And they can't talk and they can't necessarily consent. to anything. So it's a lot of the same way I feel about, you know, quote-unquote AI or plagiarism machines, especially when somebody is no longer with us. They don't have the ability to say whether or not

they want this thing. And so hopefully, you know, Tom's pup would have wanted this. Let the Venn diagram also between people who clone their dogs and chat GP2 users also close into a circle. And keep it away from me. I don't like these last couple games of the week. I'm curious if the lions are going to bounce back. And we'll see if they if there's a team we expect to bounce back. It is Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions. The odds makers feel like they will. They are eight and a half point favorites over Marcus Mariotta and the Washington commanders as we are hoping for it returned at some point for Jaden Daniels with that dislocated elbow. The over under is 49 and a half points. Kenny Albert and Jonathan Vilma. They're on the call Jordan as

the lions got beat. They got beat. Dan Campbell acknowledged it. There's any number of places where they could have improved. Do they play better against a defense that's had some issues recently?

Well, that's putting it lightly, Patrick, because the Washington commanders came into this season. I think a huge concern and question mark on the defensive side of the ball, the oldest defense in the league and immediately did nothing

to soften anyone's fears about them. And now they're banged up. They've got players You know, they got guys that are hurt. Their linebackers are not playing the way that they expect from the caliber or the reputation of those linebackers. Their plans for some of their players is mystifying to me, Steve, I know we've talked a lot about that. And I think that the lions are probably pissed off and they're looking to roll. And I think they will.

I think they have real questions that we aren't going to really get answered in this game because they're just too good. Yeah. But Colton Pouncey, your colleague at the Athletic, had some numbers that supported something that was in my head, too, is like, I test-wise, they don't quite look the same on offense. And he did have some numbers to back it up, that they are 16th in explosive play rate, they are 12th in overall offensive success rate, and they're 26th in terms of their rushing success. All three of those numbers last year were top two in the league in terms of offense. So they have put up some big scoring numbers. They've had, you know, moments where they've looked good, but they haven't been as consistent.

And I think it's that interior line. It is. And they also lost Christian Mahogany for a while. Maybe not the season, but he's a starter, and he's going to be out. And Taylor Decker is talking about retirement at the end of the year and trying to just fight through one last year. And he picked up another injury. He's had a shoulder problem that I think might make this his last year.

And now he has a knee injury on top of that. Him and Pne Soel were both out. on Wednesday out of practice. So just some concerning signs. And Taylor Decker, it's kind of like a, you know, not Joe No, but who's Roger Saffo, what was the Rams a couple of years ago, where he's basically held together by like tape and willpower.

And so the offensive line has not been as dominant. And remember, they lost some guys in the offseason too. But against the commanders, I mean, the command, I mean, Marshawn, Lattimore is out for the season. He wasn't playing great anyway. They've got nobody to generate pass pressure. pressure. They went out, the players that they signed on the defensive front were run

stoppers because they were getting gashed on first down by the run last year. So they wanted to solidify the run and then come up and be creative on second and third and known passing situations. When out teams aren't any known passing downs. So this is a game where Detroit should have its way, putting points on the board. In Washington, what's stopping anybody, anybody, anyway? George, we talked about Frankie Louvre, they're having to use him on the edge to create pressure. That's created gaps all over the middle of the defense in the run.

and passing games. It just, they're just throwing stuff, you know, out there to see what they can do because of all the beat-up personnel they have defensively. It's,

when you do that with an inside linebacker as frequently as they're doing it with Frankie Louvue, it becomes mathematically appealing for an opposing offensive coordinator to say, okay, I'm going to make it so you only have 11 players on the field

because you're just going to waste that guy's rush. You're going to find a way to get him, tilt the play away from him or block him up or chip or do something. And then you're able to say, okay, now who am I going to, because you only have technically 11 now in my math, who am I going to target? Who am I going to circle? Who am I going to block out of the play? And a lot of times, too, it's been the other linebacker. A lot of times they're blocking. Which is Bobby Wagner. He's getting doubled and getting sealed. He's getting doubled and he's getting sort of pushed out of the play because, again, they have this mathematical advantage. And teams are able to key in on these things. And when you have a concern like that in the middle of your defense, you have nothing.

And real quick, Frankie Louvo, he is playing this weekend. His hip-drop tackle suspension got overturned. He's being fined $100,000. But he's going to be able to play this week. I thought it was interesting the commanders didn't make any trades at the deadline. There was some reporting that they were talking Debo or Von Miller, potentially, to the bills. That was from Tim Graham, but that never happened. They could have been sellers.

Some of the teams that didn't make any trades, I thought were telling. Like the 49ers not trying to trade too hard for anyone who's kind of like maybe they're accepting their fate. The commanders didn't become sellers, but I think they know where they are for the rest of the year. Boy, you're going to be talking compensatory draft pick when you...

Bear. Especially with Debo, yeah. And so it maybe gets a little insight into how they view their roster construction long term, maybe not as much like the way they view their hopes this season. But, you know, if you're watching on YouTube, you saw the Elijah Arroyo touchdown

where it's a similar thing where the commanders have given up the third most completions on vertical routes, all season long, and Jared Gossman throwing them actually more than he did in the Ben Johnson era, where we saw the late touchdown to James and Williams on a vertical route. So maybe the Lions get a chance to work on that, you know, increase that metric and explosive players. Yeah, get the explosive plays by, you know, maybe Isaac to Slah.

Yeah, let's go. New hands up the ball. Yeah, I'd like to see them, I'd like to see them close a game early on, I really want the opportunity to say the offensive coordinator Morton, salting away a game. Oh, I'll leave. I will leave now, actually.

No, don't go anywhere, Jordan, because we've got another game. Last one. We've got our last game. And it's the best team, I'll say it, in the NFL right now. We agree. Playing host to Jacoby Brissette

and the Arizona Cardinals. The Seattle Seahawks are six and a half point favorites. It is Kevin Harlan and Trent Green on CBS. Let's wrap it up, Greg. where where's the weakness? How can we find the point of injury for NFL teams to compete with what Mike Mack has going

in the Pacific Northwest? Now the weakness is that they got to play the unstoppable Jacoby Brissette this week and the Arizona Cardinals. Very interesting that they named Jacoby Brissette the starter and one day later Kyler Murray goes on injured reserve. Now Murray's been out with that foot injury.

No one's questioning that, you know, Obviously, he's hurt. Right. And there was some reporting. Ian Rapport put it out that, you know, sometimes with these foot sprains, it's a four plus week injury. The thing that's confusing is he's already been out a month. He wasn't put on injured reserve before.

So they were hoping it would appear that he would be back within that four-week window. And he's been on the practice field for three weeks. Clearly, they're playing better offensively. We don't need to repeat all the reasons why, like, with Jacobi Percet. It's just obvious. You can see it. but how it all was being handled I think it's fair to wonder

what exactly was going on behind the scenes and if Kyler Murray is going to be on the team next year I thought it was interesting that Gannon said look we talked to Kyler and we talked to a few people before making this decision to putting it on injured reserve

this is like an organizational thing what's been going on going to Jacoby I think if he wasn't really hurt we hear Kyle and Murray talk about it whether social post scrubbing you know the Cardinals from his Instagram or whatever. You know, I think he is hurt.

Maybe they're saying, okay, maybe he can come back. Maybe he can come back. You know what? But now we got another month. So he'll be out almost two months by that point. So let's sit him. Jacobi Bissette's playing well. Marvin Harrison got the ball last game.

Everyone talks about like he was getting the ball before. He wasn't getting targeted that much beforehand, even with Jacoby Bissette. But the offense was on time. I think part of it's because they're playing a terrible. Oh, yeah. Cowboys defense. I mean, because here's how misleased. some of this stuff is.

The 27 points that Arizona scored, those are the third fewest point that the Cowboys allowed. Fair. Right, so as bad as their defenses, they actually played better than they did normally. But Jacoby Brouset,

you just saw it, and part of it is physical size. He can throw the ball with a 6-4 defense event in his face where his collar's got to bounce it, extend it, and everyone tells us in Scramble rules. And so I think Jacoby's

patience with some things, but also his quick decision-making is why this offense is working. a little bit better the offensive line playing a little bit better a little bit more physically we'll see how it goes i mean this week it's going to be tough i mean he'll show me something if he goes up to seattle and handles leonard williams in the way that defensive front my god they are smacking people up there and they got swept last year by the seahawks in a in a version of the seahawks that wasn't as good as this one yeah i mean i fully expect seattle to take care of

business but i really don't want it to get lost that before they played the worst well the bengals exist. But before they played among the worst defenses in football right now, Jacobi Burset balled out against the Indianapolis Colts who have a good defense. But they didn't score. And the Green Bay Packers who have a good defense. And so I think that this is important to remember

that Jacoby Burset has like this consistency that the team really you can tell has craved. If you listen to the press conferences post game from Callais Campbell, from Trey McBrose,

who was on the Scott Van Pelt set after the game, they clearly wanted to keep rolling the way that they are, regardless of an injury. Kyler is hurt, and I think it's confusing for fans when there are reports from practice of Kyler taking reps at practice a couple weeks ago, but the injury is going to be something

that's sidelining him for a while as well. So I think there's some mixed messaging that needs to get under control out there for sure. But at the same time, I don't want to discredit what Jacoby Brissette has done. and how Drew Petson clearly, clearly sees him as a guy, sort of a throwback of what Drew Petsing used to do running this offense back when he was like full on QBX system

under, you know, with the Browns, under Stifansky, those types of things. Show me something this week. Because if they can be competitive in this game and just give me an entertaining product, and they want more than that. But that would show that this team is still going to make some noise, I think, down the story. stretch. I'm not sure if they can do it. And I thought it was interesting that. We're listening to the

broadcast and the booth is calling to keep Berset. Oh yeah. Troy Aikman. I don't hear. You just don't hear that happen often. And this was before we love Troy though. He'll do it. But this was before we knew that this was going to actually be an injured reserve situation. You know what I mean? Like I know we have that context now, but to have the broadcast team calling to keep Brisset as the quarterback after going through, Tom Brady can downplay these meetings all they want, but those guys really get in there in those meetings and they're in the building to say those things on the broadcast was telling to me. And again, I'll bring it up once again because I always will.

I wish the booth community had collectively decided to support Jacoby Brissette when he clearly should have been the starting quarterback in Cleveland, where it's a little bit for some reason, it was easier for people to defend Deshaun Watson keeping his starting job, where Kyler Murray has kind of been on the opposing end of threats and critique from the general booth community from the majority of his NFL career. You're so right, though.

Yeah, if there's a guy there, everybody's like, well, you know, they're better now with Jacoby. It's going to be Kyler. Let's think about like this game two from Seattle's point of view. They're coming off like a high. It's a much tougher matchup. Rashid Shahit is there. I cannot wait to see what this looks like.

You know, for the first time. They already led the league in Arizona. yards per attempt. So I do love a team that's building on strengths, like strength on strength on strength. And he's just going to give them so much. And I am curious just when they're on offense, their offensive line who's played well

against this Cardinals front, which can test your protection scheme and your communication. And they have Walter Nolan now who I like. He looks great. Who look good. So it's a good matchup, I think, when the Seahawks have the ball. What this does, though, getting Shaheed

is going to open up the run game. Because now you've got two vertical threats, you know, we know J.S.N's better up the seam. Now you've got a guy who could do stuff on the outside. Okay, so now you're going to have to, if you're playing nickel, you're more worried about rotating coverages than seeking a safety to stop the run. Yes.

Which is what teams are doing to the Seahawks. So, this is something that's going to open up things for Arroyo in the middle of the field, but I think, because Seattle doesn't run the ball consistently well, this is going to pull guys back to open up some seams for the... 100% and they can stay in 12 personnel, which they clearly have

designed their version of 12 personnel because they want to attack teams in the passing game with two dominant receivers and two dominant tight ends as mismatches. And they're not seeing a lot of light boxes to your point, Steve. They're only seeing light boxes, 20% of rushing attempts this season. And so that number is going to dramatically change. That's going to probably flip on its head because they're going to have to pull everybody back to the middle of the field. I will say if you're if you're Seattle fan who's grading things and Donald's throwing all these downfield passes there's only four teams that have more interceptions

than touchdowns allowed on deep passes and one of them is the Arizona Cardinals. Hey now. So you know, maybe you know, why are you working things out? There you go. I'll never throw it. I never put it past Jonathan Gannon to come up with a no, he can coach now.

Game plan that makes it tight, makes it tough. So there are six and a half point favorites. They're a pretty decent. survivor option. I know we respect the Cardinals, but we have not picked our survivor pick of the week. Last week, we had the Rams.

I mean, we've been in Blowout City. We've hit, what, seven straight weeks now? We have. In terms of the survivor. Can I offer up Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers at home against the Saints? We could chase the Saints

two weeks in a row. But we're not eligible to take the following teams. The Bills, Lions, Packers, Chiefs, Colts, Rams. Essentially the best offenses in the league, as you pointed out, a week ago. That really does eliminate a lot of the good options in this week, in particular.

It's getting tough out here. The Panthers are a strong option. I would say the Panthers and the Seahawks are, to me, pretty clearly, the best two options. Yeah, if you're asking me, Jacoby or Tyler Shuck, I'd rather play against Tyler Shuck. I'm going Panthers.

Oh, that could do us, but it's hard. I would have gone to Seattle. So I can win either way. Either we win as a group where I can point out that should have been the CIO. And isn't that just what it's all about? Yes, pretty much. I would like to use you guys as a resource for a project that I've been working. Oh, okay.

Because I know you've had a conversation about the MVP. Yes. The MVP conversation is sometimes deemed a race, sometimes simply deemed a conversation. But more often than not, it takes the form of a verbal tournament, Steve. with loosely defined rules that seemingly change from year to years. So I wonder what if I use the incredible resource of the brainpower available to me at NFL daily? Wow.

And facilitated a conversation about the conversation while also highlighting its inherent absurdity and lack of logical consistency to ultimately predict the 2025 most valuable player using key metrics. Oh, wow. Okay. So it's a scoring system that begins because, as Baker Mayfield said, and again, this is not what I believe.

This is just what the circumstances have put forth because Greg does it all the time. We have to analyze the people voting for the MVP while we make our statements about who the MVP is going to be. So once week 10 begins, if you are a non-quarterback, it is minus 17 points. We have to go back to Adrian Peterson. The only reason he got the MVP is because a lot of the qualifications weren't met by the quarterbacks this year. If you were a defensive player, it is minus 50 points. off the bat. You have to do the following things.

If you have a positive game after week 10 and you are in the conversation, which we've already established some players who are in their conversation, we'll finalize things and make this once we get week 10 going. It's a plus 5. If you have a positive game in primetime

or a major 425 Eastern Time start, after week 10, it's plus 7. If it's after week 10 against the contender, it's plus 10. And you guys don't have to worry. I'll track all this, an Excel spreadsheet that looks... Oh, I'm going to get real into this. Morose here.

A negative prime time game after week 10 is negative 12. Okay. After week 11, it's negative 15. Remember back when Brock Purdy was an MVP contender, and he had the negative prime time game fell off... He was done at that point. It was the same thing happened to Michael Vick in like a Monday night game. It was Michael Vick versus Tom Brady.

Three weeks later, Michael Vick didn't get a vote. Yep. And so it's those scoring. Primetime versus primetime against contender. The scoring goes up and changes every single week. I'll have the full list available whenever we finish. Negative primetime game after week 13 goes all the way up to negative 20. Oh, yeah, that does hurt.

And you guys will be helping me to determine whether it was a positive game or a negative game. Again, in my view, things can be a little great. I was about to say, you could play Patrick Mahomes could go 13 of 30. Exactly. But in terms of the MVP, conversation. There are only winners. Yeah, it's true.

It is very binary. What if it's a 405 game? Let's say that Darnold Baker Mayfield Seahawks game happens later in the year. But it's 405, it's buried. It's a Fox game when it's a CBS doubleheader week. You get minus what happens. Yeah, later in the year, Greg, the flex comes into play.

Okay. Because in the conversation, later in the year games are important. To me, they're all football games. And we can evaluate the teams with their totality of their resume. This is the Baker rules. But the Baker may feel logical understanding of the MVP applies here. If you're leading the NFL in a category while in the conversation, but it only lasts for that week, it's plus five.

If you break a season-long NFL record at the end of the season, it's plus 15. Oh, yeah. If you've never won the MVP, despite a solid resume, it is plus 12. And if you've won multiple MVPs or you won the MVP last year, it is minus six. in the final week, that is the conversation. Wow. They won't be playing in the final week. Yeah.

This explains... That's like the Drew Brees rules. Yeah, this explains why JJ Watt did not win the MVP that season that he had the greatest season any defensive player has ever had because he had the minus 50. Yeah.

Right off the back. Really sunk him. Yeah. Because he got close even with despite it. He was in the conversation every week. The conversation. Well, I don't know how we determine who was even starting the conversation

because one of the most ridiculous things about the conversation. Do you remember, oh, you know, mid-October when Baker Mayfield and Dak Prescott were in the conversation? And yet here we are just a few weeks later. But how does it want? But Baker himself said that this is when football starts.

This is it. But how to say Kwan? How did they get back in? They played nothing but prime time. Well, he got the minus. Off the top, though. He got the top. That's a one shot deal.

He got the minus 17 and one time. And Josh Allen's team had the consistent success and he plays the quarterback position and he had big wins late and he hadn't won the MVP before despite a great resume that's a plus 12 sayquine hasn't either here's my question for you bang lamar's got no shot no he doesn't what do we do we also count so obviously we count players who are in the conversation correct okay do we also count players who are the subjects of many takes and and quotes and headlines that say we should be talking more

about, or that's a whole another section. That's the Daniel Jones rules? Or it's time to have a conversation about those guys count. Once the conversation is invoked, you can be placed in the conversation but if statistically you're eliminated from the point total

it's not going to matter. Like Sam Darnold and Dimes will remain in the conversation. It's significantly longer than JSN and Jonathan Taylor despite perhaps not having a similar level It's that minus 17. Matthew Stafford's going to get a bump right there too. Matthew Stafford is hitting a lot of the qualifications for the conversation.

The we need to be talking more about conversation is, is it like a cousin? I think it's a cousin to this conversation. Well, yeah. Well, those are the guys who the scoring is a little bit lower. So it's a tier down. And so they're going to need some huge performances, perhaps break, perhaps break an NFL record in order to get into the actual conversation. I'm glad we did. this. I'm glad I'm looking behind the glass and I'm seeing our producers. Drew is like wondering,

why am I here right now? Why is this show still going on? Eric's just thinking about how much math he's going to have to do all on on QB Island. None of this is going on the NFL channel. It's all being cut out. You're not going to see it at a prime pizza on the back patio. Yeah, baby. If you show up on Friday afternoon. And we should have a conversation about that. Yeah, we should. You can check us out, by the way, on the NFL channel. I believe Friday afternoons, maybe Wednesday afternoons. Who knows? It's all a surprise.

We will be back in this very feed for Thursday night football. And because Nick Shook and I look at Raiders, Broncos, and we say, there's a chance it's one-sided. We're going to give you more. We're going to do a little power rankings. We haven't done that in a long time. So we're going to come up with who are the best teams in the NFL? That'll be us on Thursday night.

I don't know if we can top this show. let's have a conversation about this is an iHeart podcast