NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - 2nd annual NFL schedule bonanza

Episode Date: April 21, 2015

A room filled with heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler -- delve into the 2015 NFL schedule (10:40), highlighting Week 1's marquee matchups and debating which teams got a lucky draw (20:45). Plus, grading the primetime games (31:37), a look at the Thanksgiving Day slate and much more.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast. Sugars the A-Cath. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hensis, and I'm joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Oh. Oh, boy, guess what, Chris Wessling. This is a special show. It's up. Right as it hits, as the news comes out, this is our second annual NFL 2015 schedule extravaganza. This is how we do. That'll get Wes excited.

We don't have a lot of annual shows. I mean, this is a tradition, kind of like carving up that turkey on. Second annual. There won't be a third annual. Just the second it drops. People don't go to NFL.com to check the schedule or watch NFL network. They just put on their old iPod and listen. iPods.

Don't roll with the iPod. Typically, yeah, typically we'll have a show up earlier on Tuesday or perhaps even Monday, but the show is coming out a little later. I think it's 1 a.m. London time, if I'm not mistaken, when this drops, you know, evening time here on the West Coast. I'm sure people are staying up to get it. The United States. They are.

Don't underestimate the U. Good job, by the way. UK audience. I've been doing some research on her listeners. I know we're going to get to the schedule. I want to party with you, Cowboy. The UK audience keeps growing percentage-wise, so thank you. And all the other countries out there, you know, step up to the UK's game.

Let's go Angola. The UK only has about four countries in it. I'm just saying the percentage of the audience keeps growing from the UK. I don't know anything about Angola. So, Angola's in trouble. We got a big show today, big, big, big show. I'm excited about it. Not quite as excited maybe about Thursday show.

I was really excited about this one. And this one, I'm like, you know, seven out of ten excited. That's good to be honest. Yeah. And we're going to break down the schedule or the schedule, Wes. In six parts, basically. We have a bunch of content. If you go to NFL.com slash around the NFL, we have, we break down the schedule.

We've all written pieces about the 2015 slate. So make sure you check that out. And we're going to talk about, you know, basically, we're going to break it down in every possible way, Wes. and I know you're excited about it. I can't wait to analyze a schedule that won't even matter for another five months. One of the joys, I think for all of us, the three of us, watching Wes, just as like a kid in a candy store, this is one of his favorite off-season, you know, ten-pole moments when the schedule releases.

That's Wes's sweet spot. I wish you weren't a liar. It's the most over-hyped thing we do at NFL media. It just comes in a quiet time of the year. You're absolutely right. It's total nonsense. We already know all the opponents. Right.

It's just shuffling around different. Sometimes. They play in week three. Who cares? But it's fun. Tell me about it in week two, and I'll get ready. I'll get excited for it. Sometimes silly things are fun, Wes.

Very serious. You know, we could talk to me like I'm your daughter. By the way, Wes, you know, we could talk about the schedule or we could do a show on Tim Tebow, signing with the Eagles. Do you have any hot takes about that? Actual football news and analysis? Yes, I have much better talk about Tim Tebow or Phillip Rivers than this schedule. Give me a Tim Tebow hot take. Well, Tebow is not going to make the roster, but it's interesting that Chip Kelly, he wound up with

Chip Kelly, who once said while he was at Oregon that it wasn't a Tim Tebow type of offense. So I found that a little interesting. The Phillip Rivers, I think Greg had this yesterday because we were watching Ledany and Tomlinson. It kind of shocked us how frankly Ledanyan was talking that he thinks that Rivers will be gone from San Diego. Rivers is sending a message. I mean, that's something to think about while we're looking at this Titan schedule. Who's the quarterback there? Rivers is not talking to the media this week or next, but through Tomlinson's words saying that he's

frustrated with the organization, went through a laundry list of the players that have left there. He's basically talking. He's talking through Tomlinson. He's talking through Kevin Asi of the Union Tribune. He's not happy. He wants out. He's hoping for a trade. It's crazy.

And as far as to circle back to Tebow for one second, it's a perfect way to cap Chip Kelly's offseason of me. Oh, absolutely. You know, now he's got Tebow on the roster, and he could quietly cut Tebow in August, but because it's already achieved its desired effect. We are once again trying to get inside the mind of the mysterious Chip Kelly, the great genius, but we can't because it's just too much going on in there. I look at it differently. I see this as once again Chip Kelly's thinking outside the box,

a player who definitely should be in the NFL. He's better than a lot of second and third string quarterback. Chip Kelly disciple to my left. You can win games with Tim Tebow. You can't win games with a lot like Thadius Lewis. I mean, yeah, good for you, Chip Kelly. So Chip Kelly's smarter than the 31 other coaches for signing Tim Tebow? No, I think there's a group think in the NFL, especially when it comes to player evaluation.

And once somebody says, I don't want a circus in town, he's not worth it, then the rest of the teams agree with that. I hear you, but you've never thought I'd hear Wessling defend a quarterback that can't throw. I mean, he hasn't shown the ability. Tim Tebow wins games. Wouldn't you take him over Matt Barclay? I would. Yes. John Fox has no interest, had no interest really.

in Tim Tebow. Bill Belichick had no interest. It's shocking that John Fox would have no interest. Josh McDaniels, who drafted Tim Tebow didn't really have interest in keeping Tebow on the team. He couldn't do anything in New York. I'm just saying a lot of people have given up. They've seen what he could do. I'm not saying that Tim Tebow is some secret weapon. I'm saying he's better than a lot of these guys. He's better than Ryan Lindley, by far. And one thing with Chip Kelly doesn't have to because he doesn't have an empowered general manager or anyone to say, hey, guys, not a good idea for the organization. He runs the show and he can make this move where other coaches, they wanted him, have a lot of hoops to jump through to even bring him on.

It's the beauty of the NFL. He'll have to answer to it if it doesn't work. Yeah. Well, enjoy this because it won't last beyond August. He ain't making that team. Can't play. Can't play. I think the only way that he would make the team is if they do what the Jets want to do and figure out some way where you could use him a few plays a game or here and there.

It's not like he's going to be starting for them. The Jets thought they were going to do, and it was a huge distraction. I don't know why Chip Kelly would ever invite that into his building. And it's not just to me, group think. It's the truth. The guy, he's a lightning rod for debate. The second San Bradford struggles in September. It becomes this whole deal again.

It won't be about Tebow. Get Tebow in there. Give him a shot. I think that's past. I really do. I think most of the country knows that Tebow can't throw the ball. So there's not, Eagles fans are not going to be clamoring for Tim Tebow. And there is less interest in him now.

I mean, we're talking about it. It's the middle of April. This story would have gotten a little more buried if it happened right in the middle of free agency. But, you know, I want to applaud the audience once again. Not really clicking on the Tim Tebow stories as much. anymore, which I like that. Nicely done. They were forced to not coming to our site.

It's all relative. It's still very popular, but it's not the craziness. You could sell the executive-type people in our building when they were forced in meetings this morning to acknowledge that the Tebow stories weren't doing well. Ooh, that hurt them. They had a hard time with that. Shadowy League figures, a dark day when Tebow is not moving the needle. Let's now look behind the glass.

It's been a while. And maybe it hasn't been quite as long as it feels to me. But I feel like it's been a while since the great TD, St. Daniel, has been behind the glass. What's up, buddy, boy? What is going on? It's St. Matthew Daniel, buddy. I always get that wrong. No disrespect.

It's only been five minutes since TD walked in and took a shot at Mark Sessler. Well, that was unprofessional. It was off the air and it was unprofessional. No, no. I was providing facts and you just come with some heat-seek. One of the great antagonistic relationships in all of podcasts radio right now. maybe perhaps the premier antagonistic relationship glad to be back guys

that was aware last week but I'm back and I know gold stand is here doing a stadium big fan of gold standing are you though you guys try to turn me against it when he's going out the door you guys try to turn him against me it's impossible just put it this way put it this way if gold standard wasn't moving on to bigger and better things

at the end of the month you wouldn't have been so cool about him doing four shows and five I mean I know I missed the show but you know right like gold standard is my my guy. Did you notice when Wes was drunk on the phone a couple weeks ago and he said how much he missed you and how great you were?

That's true. Oh, you didn't listen to that show. Oh, I listened to quite a bit, but not the whole thing. Wes sung your praises in an enviated state. I was not drunk. I listened to quite a bit. What does that mean? Five minutes, maybe?

I listened to directed and produced that Goldman show. I listened to, you know, last episode where Zach did a news drop, you know. All right. T.D. talking about the gold standard reminds me of Belich's fly. flowery statements after he cuts a guy. You know what I mean? He's the greatest patriot of all time that I just fired. And, well, the last show, you did mention right before we started,

you might have had an issue with something that we talked about in the last show. Well, I just said it. You know, like, you know, I remember when I first started producing the show, when we go to news, and the very first time I said, let's do it. And everyone went up in arms like, oh, that's the ghost standards thing. You can't say, let's do it. So I had to come up with a new job of every show. Okay.

And that sort of became, you know, sort of my thing. And then, oh, this is the last episode, and then, you know, you asked for a news drop in. Well, we wanted one once, you know. Well, okay, that was tied to Britt McHenry, the suspended ESPN reporter. Team Britt over here, by the way. And that was, you know, that was nothing against you. That was more like I wanted to get that into the show. And it was my idea.

So don't put it on Zach. Like I said, go. I don't want you to be, you and Zach become the way you are with Mark. TD, it's called a production element. Go stand, you know, here's the best of us. I'm a ghost standard fan. Well, quick question for you guys, though. Really quick question.

Better be on the schedule. Who's worse, it is? The guy that says schedule or the guy that says immature. You mean like 70% of our audience? Wait. Schedule or what? Immaturity. Immaturity?

Yeah, so rather than going immature, you go out. Oh, immaturities way worse. I never heard that, so that sounds worse to me. I like schedule. I mean, I don't really look to bury people about how they pronounce things. That's right. I think you just put a lot of effort into it, right? Yeah.

It's somewhat easy to say schedule and immature. Schedule is not bad, though. It's kind of sneaky under the radar as a good alternate pronunciation. No too much, I think. A questionable comment by TD. Yeah, I mean, that was weird. But TD, it is good to have you back, buddy. So let's talk about it now.

Let's get into the schedule or the schedule or however you want to say it because it is out. And I guess we'll start. Let's just start right off the top because I want to get into a little bit. my colleague and my boss, the boss, to the right. We talked about a couple weeks ago when Labion Bell got suspended, and we said, oh, you know what, this is all setting up for the Patriots to pull the Steelers in week one in their building without Labion Bell. And when did you know it?

They all get together in their little office in Park Avenue, and they close the door, and they have so many options to choose them. What do they do? They give Bill a check and the Patriots, the Steelers, without their best player, the best running back. To me, it all smells like the throne of ease is cooking again in another season. Or maybe they looked at two of the best teams in the AFC over the last 10 years since Ben Rathesberger was drafted.

I can't hear him. He's too high up on his throne of ease. And the number three team. They're the two of the favorites for this year. Of course they're going to be there in week one. I think Dan's theory is probably more solid and correct. This is good news for the Patriots that they get to misspell. But I promise you, it's good news for the Steelers, too,

because they get the Patriots in week one in September. That's when they're at their worst, their winning percentage, way lower in September than any other month. But it's the truth. If you play the Patriots, you want to play them early. How about... It takes a month or so to figure out how they're going to run their team now. But, okay, fair enough.

But as Damashchuk said downstairs, Damashik, very upset that the Steelers got week one. He referred to the week one road opponent in the Thursday night game as a sacrificial land. and with the exception of one year, which is an outlier, the Giants falling to the Cowboys a few years back, it is always that home team

defending champion wins. The Patriots are going to be a heavy favorite to win that game, and the Steelers are without their most dynamic player. It just gets me mad. Why did the Patriots get somebody great? They're less of a favorite than they would be against the Jets or the Bills, or the Eagles, for that matter. So those were the options.

They picked the best team. Well, we wanted Eagles Steelers, and I still think that would have been more interesting. but this is a good game. I don't have a problem with Steelers, Patriots. It is a good game. I was only a little surprised because it's the all I got caught smoking pot

and got suspended for a bowl. I mean, Lagarin Blunt's out, Labian Bell's out. It's just a little weird because that's going to be a big focus of this game. Shouldn't it be?

I don't know why you needed to throw the word bowl in there. I think you already had made your point at that point that you keep hammering at home. Drugs. So, yeah, I don't know. I guess it will still be a good game. I'm sure it will be,

I just thought it just seems so. obvious to me that's how it was going to play out. I don't know. Well, what would you have wanted, week one? Eagles. I think that would have been fun. We should celebrate that matchup by reading the Drugs Delaney letter from outside Providence.

I have no idea what you're talking about right now. Yeah, I mean, Drugs Delaney. Dear Mr. Thunder turd. Yeah, rest of the peace, Mr. Delaney. All right, so yeah, that was the thing that jumped out to me. Does anybody want to, how do we want to do this? We want to kind of go through some of our content here. Do anybody else have something that?

jumped out to them immediately. Well, let's start with week one. Okay, that's fun. I like that. I wrote a little just about that week one week, but one of the games that's under the radar, not a primetime game or anything, Titans Bucks, week one.

Maybe we're going to have the top two picks of the draft possibly. It's not going to be a sexy game, but if it's James Winston versus Marcus Marriota in week one, that's pretty crazy. Shove that back down under the radar. I'm just saying it stuck out. I mean, as that ever happened, I'd kind of doubt it.

Speaking of predictable, and I'm a fan of this matchup, but also hyper-predictable is the first Sunday night game of the year. Yeah. Giants at Cowboys, which I feel like has been either the week one or week 17 matchup on NBC for the past 13 straight years. You can already hear Chris Collins worth calling this game. What a great game that would be in 1990. They should just call this the Giants at Cowboys Sunday night game,

because that's all it is. You're right, but it guarantees the ratings. all the Cowboys, you know, talk we give, every single top-rated game ever is a Cowboys game. I like this one out of the game. And they play entertaining primetime games also. Good quarterback, come on. Ravens at Broncos. You get Kubiak in Denver

taking on his old offense in Baltimore. And, you know, that's a tough one. Whoever wins that has got to feel very good about week one. Surprised I didn't think to put that on my list of revenge games. Kubiak. He still could. One thing I'm not surprised about is that Mark was given one take away from week one, and he went straight to the

coordinators. The friend of the coordinator, Mark Sassler. Well, it's exciting to me. Why is it that you connect with coordinators in such a way? What is the mentality behind it? I'm curious what it is. I think because, you know, they're in the shadows a little bit, but I think if I were ever to be a football coach,

I would want to be not the head coach necessarily, but the offense coordinator. You on some level see yourself as a coordinator on some level, whether it be in the office or at home, and you think you deserve more pub, and that's why you bring it to you. That feels accurate to me. interesting you're the mark trustman of the group speaking of a coordinator just was fired so

speaking of mark the jets and the brownies in week one how exciting is that gregg obviously will be sending us to that game so uh to all our listeners in uh new york new jersey area we could have a tweet up Greg thank you for that yeah that's not sure i just made that up but Greg how about it if we're sending anyone anywhere it's to foxborough for that kickoff like you went to last year A couple of teams hoping to get to eight wins. Our roving week one reporter, Dan Hans. I can do both. I could swing by New York and then pop up or pop into New York after New England.

That's cool. I mean, they do always try to have the teams that struggled last year face off against each other early in the year. So you get some early wins. I mean, that's been a formula for 50 years. That's why the Titans and the Bucks are playing each other. The thing that stuck out to me is that finally, the double-header night cap on Monday night in week one is not including the Raiders, is not an AFC West game. I think that's the first time ever.

Vikings 49ers, Teddy Bridgewater on national TV against the New Look 49ers. I know their teams kind of in transition, but I like that as two teams kind of, I just want to watch by themselves. New Look is generous. I mean, it's more like what was in the picture. It's been like 60% of it's been removed.

How about Eagles Falcons the same night? First time we get to see Shanahan's offense. A little bit of a snoozer, though, in Atlanta. I don't like that one that much. I mean, I like Eagles. fake crowd noise going and that thing's going to be hopping. Do you think Tim Tebow will watch that Eagles game from his couch? Or do you think he'll go to his sports bar?

I think he'll be watching it from the sideline. Well, Matt Barkley is somewhere else watching it from someone else's couch. I always thought they should. All right. I'm not on board with this. Tebow doesn't make the Eagles thing. We'll see. I always thought they should do this Monday night double header a different time of year.

Because by that point in the first Monday, It's like we haven't had any football for months. It'd be like keeping Chris Wessling away from Tybee Island for a year. That first night or two, he's back. I mean, he's getting after it. There's a lot to go for. And it's like, wouldn't we enjoy that nice Monday night doublehead or a little later in the season? Spread out the love.

You see what I'm saying? Okay. I respect that. Hey, one other tent poll portion of the season, Thanksgiving. Let's talk about Thanksgiving. And we'll start with Eagles at Lions. That's the early game. solid game. I like that game.

I'll miss Indomacan Su. He always seemed to bring adventures to that game. Then you have the Panthers at Cowboys. That's the middle game. That's a little weird that the Panthers snuck in there. Your thoughts about that. They're a fun team to watch. Why do you have a problem with that?

There are much more fun team to watch than the Cowboys are. I mean, they were literally one of the final eight teams in the NFL playoffs, two straight years. How many teams can say that? We're going to count the Panthers as a true playoff team last year. They won a game. They would play in really well. the end of the year. And they played a team with no quarterback, but they were good down the

stretch. Is anyone forget that game against the Seahawks? Was I wrong that it was tied to start the fourth quarter? You know, they were a competitive team. They have Cam Newton. That makes them watch. All right. I'll back off. The lions to me are a little more boring. I think they messed up this Thanksgiving slate. And then the Thanksgiving night, Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, you know, talk about sacrificial lambs. Bears will be lucky to be out of the first half, not down 20 points. And then at halftime, finally, thankfully, Brett Farb is going to get his freaking number retired. I don't know how long we've had to talk about that,

how many stories we've had to write about that. I mean, like, as if it's such a big deal, but he will get his number retired at halftime. But that game, to me, smells like a potential stink. Well, it's a nightmare. I think, like, last year, and, you know, Wes pointed this out in something that he's written that two years in a row, no AFC teams on Thanksgiving.

And this is the perfect setup for a classic Steelers Ravens-type brawl. Instead, you're putting Jay Cutler in there against Aaron Rogers. Maybe Jay Cutler. Well, right. Or someone even less. It smells to me like an absolute bomb drop is the five-time game. Weren't they up 45 to nothing at halftime last time they put? Something insane.

I agree with you. Packers have gone 11 and 2 against the Bears since Jay Cutler landed in Chicago. The Bears were a fun team to watch at this point. I feel like it's up to them to change our mind. But what's the thinking? Like, there's a bunch of smart people in the room. I'm thinking. Brett Fav is getting his number retired on Thanksgiving. It's his return.

That's the star. It's all about Farrv that night. It's also the NFL's oldest rivalry. Right. And Farrve had one of his best records against the Bears, 22 and 10 against them. A lot of games against them. It all. Who knows?

Maybe the Bears surprises. It does make a little sense. Listen, it's Green Bay Lambo on a Thursday night Thanksgiving. I mean, that's never happened before. There is something cool. I kind of like this match. I'm on board. Why not?

Maybe the Bears won't stay. I mean, Green Bay plays Seattle. How about you put that Thanksgiving night? Ratings Firebomb. Instead, you got Jay Cutler in late November. All right, you're right. Hi, Mark. I have a question for you.

Okay. I want to know. I want you to tell me, if you can, some teams in your estimation, got lucky. Who got lucky when it comes to the release of the schedule. When you look at it, obviously, we can't really tell. We don't know who's going to be good. No. Who's going to suck?

But maybe your first glance and you looked at these schedules, who maybe jumped out to these teams that will have the advantage this season because of the way it was scheduled. I don't know about advantage because for me it's some who bounced back from having crappy schedules last year and have a better situation this time. The Jets are one team for me. Like they had a murder's row of quarterbacks last season. They had to play Aaron Rogers, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning.

None of those guys are on the schedule this time around. And they get the AFC, they get the Titans, Jaguars, and Texans, and they open with Cleveland. They don't have that first place schedule, so they're getting the Cleveland's and the Titans. Titans, that type of fare. And so, you know, four wins last season, I think they could double that. They got the NFC East.

Better win that week one game. Yes. You got it. They got the NFC East. They got the AFC South. That's not too crazy at all. And their division's tough. I mean, the Patriots are there.

But then the rest of the teams are all kind of at their level. So I think they're in pretty good position. Who else you got here? Well, I went NFC South because, I mean, you know, what do we know today? But they play the AFC South. So that's going to help them get out of the city. it's 7, 8, and 1 won the division last year. It's not going to be that way.

I think the Saints are an improved team. You know, the Falcons, I think it'll be a better offense this year around, better team, and like, well, they get the crappy AFC division. That's what more can you ask for? That's huge, and that's how I, a lot of times I pick my wildcard teams. Just, okay, what divisions could get multiple playoff teams? The AFC North had a very advantageous schedule last year, and it worked out that way. The only thing is the AFC South might be looking at that NFC South

and thinking, we've got a lot of schedule. I look at the Saints, though, that are the only team of, every NFL team that doesn't play consecutive road games. They don't have to go on any nasty three games. You know, I mean, the teams that are in trouble, the ones that have three or four road games in a row. It's a couple of those three teams. Mark, I'm looking at your post,

which on this Who Got Lucky, you listed a bunch of teams and divisions. And I wanted to say, if anybody wants to read Mark's stuff, NFL.com slash Mark's latest think piece. Yeah, well, this one was thrust upon me. Dan, I'm going out of his way to have people not read Mark's content. No, make sure you read it.

It's good, but I also notice that you use autumn. You are the only around the NFL writer that uses autumn repeatedly in your content. Well, I'm tired of having to write last year, last season, blah, blah, blah. I'm not taking shots. No, no, it's, you know. It's also incorrect because half the season doesn't take place in the autumn, so I get that. I notice the Colts continue to have the softest schedule in the NFL. Yeah.

Well, they do. They're eight and skate. Well, again, they play the division. we were just talking about, and they can eat up, they can eat them up. And then they're tough games. New England,

and I think the Saints is a tough game in Denver. They play all those teams at home. They get eight free wins every year, when I was in the post office. Just six, right? Well, you used to have a phrase, eight and skate?

What is that? What was it? So if you're part of the union and you, like, a veteran guy, you have so many days a week where you're not allowed to have overtime. So if you're guaranteed only eight hours that day, you got eight and skate.

You got eight hours in the, You skate for the day. Bulls get eight free wins every year, eight in skate. I'm so glad you escape that work. Six free wins. Not to ruin. No, they get another two easy games every year. Yeah, they get plenty of easy games.

They got a start in Buffalo. That's a fun week one game. They got the Buccaneers this year. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. You like the Saints as a team that's been set up for a bounce back year, Hummer? I think so.

It seemed like everything kind of went wrong last year, and they've set. They were my Super Bowl pick. last year. I got to do something, right? Wait, you put them on this list just because you picked them to go to the Super Bowl? No, I like the fact that they don't have a nasty road schedule. Do you want to give any details?

No. I'm reading your content. Only NFL team without back-to-back road games. Well, I mentioned that earlier in the broadcast. I wasn't listening. Their only consecutive away dates come on either sides of the teams of week 11 by. Did you know that? Yeah, well, this is the research I did about an hour ago.

They got to start in it. Arizona I always kind of look at that September start I mean because after that who knows but start in Arizona that's a tough place you got to go to Carolina week three you guys want to know who got B. Sure we're not allowed to use that terminology on the website or probably even the podcast but uh on the NFL.com bleeped out okay who got hosed that's another thing we couldn't say online but we can say that in the podcast yeah that that's fine every time bang a gong comes on the radio TD bleeps it out we can't We can't say hosed in print?

No, we can't say... Can't say host. Last year, it was asked who got hosed was up for... I think it was the third year we did Who Got Hosed. I was the writer, I remember. But last year in the morning, I remember, there was some shadowy league figure that had us change. Greg got a stern talking to him for his...

I feel like this, my post, which is, had to be retitled, 2015 schedule, colon, who's facing an uphill climb? This is what's going to cost me the Pulitzer. It would have been hosed. I think I was going to get the polls. There's like eight colons and four subtitles in that story. Anyway, so yeah, here's the flip side of the teams or divisions where I think they're kind of in a tough spot.

And I'll start with the teams that have three straight road games at one point in their schedule. Again, there's not too much. You don't want to get too crazy about what's an easy game, what's not an easy game, because we don't really know who's good. But you know that going on the road three games in a row is tough, tough. And the Falcons, Bills, Dolphins, and Jaguars. all have to do that. And just a reminder how hard it is to win on the road.

Only six teams had a winning record on the road last year, and no team had less than three losses. So, I mean, that's not easy to win on the road. It's not, and it just reminded me of something, you know who should be on this list every year? The Jaguars, because they give away a home game. I love the international series, but it's a competitive disadvantage that the same team has volunteered.

Yeah, that's what's keeping the Jaguars out of the playoffs every year. It's giving up a home game. But the Jaguars fans pack Wembley Stadium. So now they're good for four wins instead of three? I'm not saying it. Look, there's only 16 games in the season. You want every advantage you can possibly get. So those four teams have three road games in a row.

So that's not fun. The Steelers I'll throw out there. I think, you know, of course we mentioned Sheck was upset about that week one that they got stuck with the Patriots without Levy on Bell. But here's the other thing. If you look after their post-by schedule after week 11 is rough. They're at Seattle, home to Colts, at Cincinnati, home to Denver, at Baltimore, and then at Cleveland. There's no gimmies there at all.

How often do you see a team that they know is going to be in the thick of the division race? In the final month of four games, three are on the road against division opponents, all road games. That is just, that feels. Damasek is a right to be annoyed. What I'm seeing here is games at A.J. McCarron, home to Brock Osweiler, and at Johnny Mansell. Best case scenario. That's what happens when you look at the schedule in April. Yeah, I mean, that's fair West brings a good perspective for sure.

That is tough, though. The Steelers especially, that first place schedule and the AFC is so much harder than the third or fourth. The fact that they get the Broncos and the Patriots and that NFC West, that's disastrous. Let's see. Nine and seven winner of that. It does seem like the Steelers get the hardest schedule this year. So, yeah, sorry about that Steelers. They had the easiest last year.

They got to be like seven and three hitting that by. or I think they're in deep trouble. And by the way, the Ravens are home three of four of their final four games. So it's like, come on. It just seems tilted bizarrely. And also throughout the NFC West as a whole, you know, listen, it's not maybe as stacked a division as it was when the Niners were a powerhouse. But even factoring that in, that's a competitive division.

Those teams beat each other up. And then all the West teams, they've got to play the AFC North, which is maybe they're one-two in terms of most competitive divisions, AFC North fielded three playoff teams. last year. This also does, in a somewhat related point, this does, Mark, present the possibility of Johnny Mansell playing at Century Link Field. You know, any...

Well, presents this, you know, the possibility of Cleveland winning three or four games next season when I look at the schedule. I could have easily put Cleveland on the list. Their schedule is not easy at all. But you know who didn't get banged, I think, when you have the West... No, hosed. Hosed or, you know, toyed around with... The West and No.

the west and north playing each other that we win those are going to be some great games a bunch of great games there i love football the around the NFL podcast would not be toyed around with don't you us tedious going crazy you can this is how you welcome me back then but you to work hey i put gold standard to work too don't worry about it uh all right any how about uh kevin patcher who by the way is our

Chicago correspondent and Wes This time next week It will be the Patra and Wes Variety hour 24 hours a day in Chicago For several days You're looking forward to that? I don't know if the windy city is ready for the two of us

I don't know if I said on the last podcast or not But here's the only thing I worry about When it comes to any type of You know Situation in a parking lot or in a bar where there's a disagreement Patra's go-to is Fistacuffs every time. Right. He uses those two big meat hooks.

Well, he's got a peacemaker like me around. I don't know. I mean, I feel like you might... You guys could turn into like the tag team champions of the Midwest. I'm... My contankerous fistacuff days are over. You don't think Patch will bring it out of you, potentially? Nah.

What about you and Patrick are getting into a fight? That was... Yeah, that's where I could... I could see that a lot more. Patrick's a good man I don't envision that I'm looking forward to hearing about this trip together

You guys are an interesting pairing It could be like the perfect mix Or it could be oil and vinegar It could go either direction We've hung out before just the two of us Patrick and I And we had a good time Maybe too much fun

That's what we're suggesting Well I think I found the only person I know Who complains more than I do All right Thursday night preview Let's talk about the Thursday night games real quick Kevin wrote this piece I'm just going to go through it here Broncos at KC

All right Give me a letter grade, Greg All right For each of these But you've got to be quick, rapid fire Ready? Broncos at KC B minus

Redskins at Giants C Ravens at Steelers A Colts at Texans B minus All right We're switching over to Mark now

Grades please Falcons at Saints BP Solid B B, B, B, B. Cahawks at Niners. A minus. Dolphins at Patriots. B plus.

Browns at Bengals. A plus. Switching over to Wes. Bills at Jets. F. Two teams without quarterbacks, no thank you. Titans at Jack. You're stupid.

Titans and Taguars. F minus. Oh, he got the terrible part of the slate. This is great. Vikings at Cardinals. B. B plus. Come on.

at Rams. D. That Rams? That's automatically less than to see if you're playing in that mausoleum. Oh, wow. I don't even have to guess what this one is. Week 15, Jets at Cowboys. C plus.

Wow. Thursday night preview schedule. We've got more. We got two more. That was a terrible idea. What? I can't wait to hear from the shadowy league figures on that one. What are the grades?

I didn't think we were getting F bombs all over the place on us there. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Anyways, I find it. funny. I like, one of the things I like about the Thursday night schedule are the Saturday games back once again. If you remember last year, we had a double header late in the season. This year, no double header, but two Saturday games, including Jets at Cowboys. That's a Saturday game. Oh. And you, uh, you left off Chargers Raiders. That's a Christmas Eve game. So, you know,

C minus. Bring the family around and settle in for a little. Sell it, Craig. Philip Rivers and Derek Carr, which means the final game there, Redskins Eagle. Oh, I guess that's actually a Thursday game. Redskins Eagles is on a Saturday. So there you guys. So Christmas on a Friday. That means there's NFL games Christmas Eve and NFL game the day after Christmas. And then the full slate of Sunday games.

This is your message to tell us we're not going to be celebrating the holiday. Yeah, we're warning your families. It's going to be that kind of year. It's going to be that kind of year. one game, you know. Cool. Worn your families. Actually, you have to talk to my wife about this.

Well, we have Christmas off. I'll take you off, Chargers, Raiders. You're off Christmas. It's like one day couch between like five days of madness. Real restful. All right. Finally, revenge. Best serve cold.

Best serve cold. Mark, you of course wrote the revenge piece last year. Opened with who was the quote from? uh frederick nietz i'm looking at that piece today and i had no memory i thought to myself when i checked out mark's post from last year what if i just put the nietzsche quote up there again and just rolled with the same intro and see if anyone noticed including mark but i might as well write my own but um all right so here's some revenge games and revenge is as west previously stated best served gold a dish best served a dish uh i'll start with right off the top this one's more

Packers versus Seahawks. I was bummed out. I think we were talking about this, Greg, on an NFL now hit we did this week. We knew the Packers and Seahawks were playing. We didn't know when they were playing. We're kind of hoping maybe put it later in the season where the stakes are feeling their stakes are bigger.

No, but they stuck in a week two. I hate that. That was a little odd. Sunday night game. That was your Thanksgiving game right there, and you sold it. I also still on national TV. It's a fun game, and obviously it's going to get mega ratings and everything.

So it's not like that it was an obvious misstep. But it would have been cool to see it a little later. But then again, we might end up seeing them in January again. Selfishly, though, I don't like the good games on Sunday, the great games on Sunday night. Because ultimately, that's the game we are too busy to really pay really close attention. That's selfish. But early in the season, I hate that. You know these are going to be the two best scenes.

But that's what the NFL wants to do. They want to knock them down a little bit. Here's the difference. Obviously, the Packers lost their first and last game in Seattle last year, the second of which probably the worst lost in franchise history. This time in Lambeau Field, so it's going to be the challenge will be on the Seahawks more than anything. Packers went 9 and 0 there last year. You know, the Seahawks just for a second to talk.

Their first two weeks in St. Louis and then in Green Bay, just saying, that's a tough. Drinking that less need Kool-Aid, aren't you? I'm just saying that's a tough start to the season. Two- Tough Road games. With almost their entire defensive backfield coming off major injuries. Right. I mean, they've struggled in St. Louis, even at the best time. I'm just saying that is a tough two-game.

Nick Bowles against the Legion of Boom I don't know Advantage Boom Andre Johnson did the Did the badass move Where you a team that scorned you You go sign with another team in the division

So you get to You know I was going to use the B word TD But because I respect you You know He wants to hose The Texans twice He's going to toy around with him

He doesn't get a toy around with the Texans twice You get them in week five and week 15 So that'll be interesting. Andre Johnson, who basically got cut after Bill O'Brien said, hey, you're going to have a roll about 50% of what it once was. And Andre Johnson said, no, man, I'm Andre Johnson. I'm still the man. That's basically what he said.

That's the transcript from that conversation. I was listening in. I was in the office. Nah, man. He's taking a different tact from Steve Smith. He has not predicted blood and guts everywhere. He said he's not really upset with the Texans. But I have a feeling he's going to have a pretty big chip on his shoulder,

especially if the owner came out and, publicly said that Andre Johnson wouldn't acknowledge losing a step? I'm not even certain I've ever heard Andre Johnson speak. He's got a deep voice. He would be a great guy to do those money intros. He's got a mean swing too.

He's got the nice baritone. A mean swing? Yeah. What does that mean? Burlin Finnegan, man. Oh, yes. Of course, but of course. Don't you just think, plus he's playing with Andrew Luck now. Don't you just think he's playing with a quarterback for the first time in a decade? He's celebrating all off season because of that.

He's going to drop. He's going to crush the Texas. So smart. He's signed with a Super Bowl contender and the best young quarterback in football. I bet he has a big year. DeMarco Murray versus the Cowboys. Again, same situation. He gets to face his former team twice on week two and week nine. And again,

in my opinion, the Cowboys made a mistake. They didn't give DeMarco Murray enough respect after he won an offensive player of the year and carried that team. What was the big difference between all those eight and eight finishes and 12 and four is DeMarco Murray? In my opinion, I thought he was awesome and they should have kept him around. They didn't.

And now he gets to stick it to him. Wasn't he on those eight-and-eight teams, though? Well, he was banged up. It was one they changed their philosophy a little bit and built the offense around him. What are you smirking at? I'm not sorry, they didn't think he made a good point. Their offense, oh, their offense wasn't changed at all last year?

They were much better. Certainly was. Were they more amazing offense? Mr. Smirk, were they more run-heavy last year? I was just laughing at their reaction. I'm just saying. They were great. They were the best offense in the league behind Green Day.

So when they depended on to Marker Murray Moore, they were better, and now they get them out of them out of. town that i don't i don't think there's logic to that i'm just saying he was on the team those other years that you said was the difference i'm glad that game is early week two you're fired great game we fire the boss it's uncomfortable week two national game on fox that's good i'm looking forward to that game i love anything in the east as you know to make it up to you dan you have been assigned that game oh cool the earliest the signing of a game in at l I'm looking forward to it.

We'll stick with the NFC East team, Shady McCoy, LaShawn McCoy. This one has a lot of heat on it. He got traded to the Bills and a surprise move. It really a stunning move right at the dawn of free agency this year. So the Bills and the Eagles square off in week 14. And you think there'll be a lot of talk going into that game? No, I don't think there won't be a lot of attention around that. Michelle McCoy, he is the jilted lover of the NFL.

this offseason. He doesn't shut up. It's great. And, you know, in his defense, he was a great player for the Eagles, and they basically kicked them out of town and said, you don't make us better. So he's let him know that he thinks. He even said that he thought that DeMarco and Ryan Matthews's signings were a, quote, panic move. So a lot of heat. Plus, you know, if they're playing well at that time of year,

Rex Ryan's going to be honking about how the Eagles should be sad that they let McCoy. He's one of the only coaches that likes to get into this. mix it up. Into this mix to kind of boost up his player. He's going to be toying around with the Eagles. Will the bills, a quick aside, will the bills be in playoff contention at that point? Yes.

Week 14. Definitely. I think they'll be in the mix. Yeah, for Wildcard, I think they'll be the mix. Okay. That's a 10-win team right there. Yummy. How about this, Greg?

How about a little Patriots wants some revenge under Rel Revis? Do they really? I don't know. Week 7 and week 16. The hired gun who helped them get a Lombard? trophy? Well, I don't think Revis should be looking for, well, that's a fair point. And I definitely don't think that Revis should be looking for

revenge on the Patriots. They paid them millions, let him reestablish his market value, and then got him a ring. But the Patriots may be like, oh, not only did you not maybe give us a little discount to stay in town after all we did for you. You went and signed back with the jets and all that stuff. I think everyone won here in this deal. And they're about

to hang out at the White House, right? Aren't they? He is going to the White House. That's true. I'm not pumped about that. Surprise they put this game at 1 o'clock. But maybe the revenge here is Bill Belichick versus everyone that wrote their secondary was going to fall apart without Dorel Rivas. He tries to find motivation in anything. It shows, you know, we didn't win just because of Reos. They've won a lot of games without Revis, that's for sure.

It's Marcus Marriota. What about the idea of maybe Belichick getting a little frisking and going after Revis? Oh, I like that. That's some revenge. Brady and, yeah, that'd be fun. Revenge. Watch Brandon Lafell torch him. That'll embarrass me.

I would literally kill myself. I wouldn't bank on that. Speaking of the Jets, Rex Ryan versus the Jets, again, two matchups, week 10 and week 17. And the NFL definitely made sure to leverage this one. The first matchup is a Thursday night football matchup, week 10. And I can imagine Rex Ryan's press conferences that week will be aired live on NFL network.

That would be my guess. I'm going to throw it out. Already teasing it. Well, and if company, man, I like it. If we're not buying Belich-Reevis heat, you don't have to sell Rex because what he said over the last, the weekend. I mean, he is clearly agitated with the Jets, and he's not

holding back, and he has no edit button. Well, Jason Barrow, at least, he was really upset that this rookie came out and said that guys were laxadaisal and being late. He didn't think, he thought he was out of line. And then another player came out and said tardiness was a problem. Yeah, Willie Cologne. I'm just saying.

And then, so after that Thursday night came in week 10, then they bring them back, and week 17, the two teams play. So for any optimistic bills fans and Jets fans that think that they're going to be in the mix, could be an elimination game in a best case scenario. So they really lined that up very well. How about the Redskins in week 14 going against what will then be their former coach,

Jay Gruden, who's been hired as a consultant on the Bears? See that? Revenge game. Jay Gruden is not in a good position. Finally, the last one I got here, a little Johnny Fox. Johnny Fox coaching against the Broncos in week. 11, four years John Fox was in Denver, four

division titles, one Super Bowl trip, and yet John Elway famously said in his first news conference after that they split, they parted ways that they disagreed how to get to the next level, which is a little twist of the knife, I thought, by Elway unnecessarily.

Foxy wants to show him. I'm going to toy with you, and I'm going to hose you. Oh, boy. Cliss, who I like a lot, who writes for the Denver Post, said in the first day of the Kubiak era, when everyone was meeting with the media, what a necessary change of culture it is around here. You can already tell in day one. Oh, that's so unfair. And I thought, wait, where were you last year? I didn't hear anyone reporting or talking about that there needed to be some culture change. What was the huge problems?

Well, that was never spoken about that way. I think Fox was one of the amiable coaches in the league. I want to know what the real story is then. There must be, I don't know. They just, what is this? Was the culture fine before Peyton Manning heard his, you know, broke down physically than the last year? That feels like that was the biggest issue, right? I feel like too many people, including Chris Wesleying, giving up on the Denver Broncos.

Wait, I got sandwiches on the line against Damasek. Oh, he predicts, he has, Broncos did not make the playoffs that Peyton Manning starts for them, and I have they will make the playoffs. Dan, where is Johnny Mansell coming back into Cincinnati and saying, Listen, Marvin Lewis, you don't call me a midget. I'm coming back around. Who's shot in Mansell? All right.

Primetime game against Andy Dalton. There are worst places to be for the Browns. That is an annual NFL network game, Browns Bengals, right in the middle of the season. They do seem to do it every year. You know what they should have done West? They should have put, they should have taken it out to the wild card round and just eliminated the bangles there, too. West of us. Just skip the whole season, 10 and 6.

You're going to be the five seed. Everyone in the AFC is angling for that four-seed, so they get the free buy. West of this is coming. Every day takes us closer. NFL doesn't have to schedule that. The Bengals take care of that themselves. Wes, I'll give you the final word on the schedule release, 2015. I don't have to think about the schedule again until the day before the season starts,

which is when we should think about it, when the games start to matter. Maybe the whole week before the season starts. There you go. Mark, I'll give you the final word as well. I think the NFL has done an absolute. fantastic job with this the people upstairs the management figures especially just outstanding

and Greg since you're here quit it with the throne of ease stuff give me a break what listen to Mr. Smirk I don't know yeah he's smirking at me talking about making my points to Marker Murray from your throne of ease I love this song

I do all right we will be back let's lay it out again the rest of the next week and a half we will have what's today. I don't even know what's happening anymore. Tuesday.

Okay, we'll have another show on Thursday. You gentlemen will go without me. I want you to take care of the girl here, okay? I won't be around on Thursday. So getting ready for that, Greg. Pressure's on. What does that mean exactly? You're going to be leading the show.

I know that, but about the girl part. Taking care of the girl? The podcast is a girl on this. Oh, okay. You had us thinking all sorts of things. Like Gaia? Like Mother Earth? Kind of. And then next week is the big draft week.

Like we said, Wes is going to Chicago. We're going to have three shows. We'll have a Tuesday preview. We'll make some sandwich propositions with predictions for the draft. And then we'll do a show immediately after a little bit, a couple hours after the first rounds up, done. And we'll get the podcast up before any of our quote-unquote competitors. And then, of course, after Saturday, after the draft, we'll do a recap. And then we're going to watch the Mani Pacquiao Mayweather fight.

That's right. But that won't be on the podcast? Well, you don't have to. All right. Any Avengers? Oh, is that coming out? Same day. What's an Avenger?

Oh, that's one. Like five or six people? Nobody's... That didn't make the social calendar. I graduated from junior high. I'm not really into it. We're older than 19. Stunningly, T.D., I did see that first one in the theater, and I enjoyed it.

I don't even know what was the... Maybe I had a cousin. I was entertaining, a young boy or something. I don't even know why I was there, but I did see it, enjoyed it, but we'll not be seeing sequel what are these folks avenging um i don't know mayham mayham you know like he says and only going to be the top grossing movie of all time but do you have any Td you have any other shots against people that don't talk the way you talk um nothing i think the schedule folk man it's too much you're not their fault for being by the way nothing is more you're going to

get hammered to this by the that's not it's not a british thing i've got a british it is well it is a british not every not every not every brit says that i grew up around a lot of brits Your timeline is going to be ugly, horrifying. Nothing's more current, by the way, than a comic book based on themes from the 1950s or whenever it was created. I mean, just saying. Of all time, maybe. It's turning ugly. Yeah, how many sales did Justin Bieber have?

Let's measure things by sales. Well, so the Bieber analogy, I like that. This is pretty good. It's falling off the... All right. Okay, that's it. Shout out to Marvel. Not Marvel.

Not Marvel. Actually. John Marvel? Excellent. Yeah. Big adventure. okay cool all right so we will be back uh on thursday thank you for listening uh this is dan hansis signing off for quiet storm the mailman the boss and the great tete eight behind the glass until then

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