NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - AB News and Playoff Mailbag!

Episode Date: January 2, 2019

In a room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler and Chris Wesseling – react to a rollicking 2018 and welcome in a new year (:40)! After, the heroes discuss Antonio Brown and the conundrum in Pittsburgh (4:15), head coach candidates turning down interviews (11:30), the Lions going a different direction at offensive coordinator (15:30), Jacksonville relieving some coaches of their positions (17:20) and GMMMEEENNNN’s GM Dave Gettleman having a no-holds barred conversation with Eli about he and the team’s future (19:10). Then the heroes unfurl the ol’ playoff mailbag and answer some listener questions (24:00) and lastly, it’s time to review this season’s sandwich props (33:30)!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. Loves football, 14% less. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hanses. I am joined in a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What is up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Happy New Year. Happy New Year. I unfortunately was unable to attend your party, Wes, my wife, for the first time in three years, decided to stay up until midnight, and I could not abandon her in her time of our hard partying ways returning for one evening. Was it hard partying? Yeah, I mean, how did the night unfold? You know what? I've come all the way around on New Year's.

I love New Year's. My podcast, buddy, Bob, and his wife and their two sons came over, and it's like it's more centered around the kids and the parents, you know. have some booze and eat some Well, what about your other podcast buddies? They weren't part of your evening. They weren't, but I knew you guys were having a great time because I saw the Instagram dance party that broke out and that looked like a lot of fun.

There are more videos that we'll never make it to social media. But it was, I would say your get-together seems a tad more mature than ours. I mean, there's four children involved, so yes, I would say so. Between three and seven. I feel like there were children at Wes's place. There were children being made. No, not being produced. It went on until about three in the morning, I think.

Hubba, hubba. Who said the old guys can't party, you know? We don't claim that. A couple of dudes in their 40s going nuts, going hard. A couple of dudes in their 40s. Well, there were more than that. There were women in their 20s and 30s as well. Excuse me.

It was pretty, yeah, it was still, I would say almost everyone was still there by three in the morning. A very fair ratio between the genders. Sounds like a fun time. I have a little FOMO. That's what the kids say still, right, Erica? Yep, they do. Erica sent me some photos on the text very late at night about her night,

and it seemed like she had a nice time as well. Well, then you answered them yesterday afternoon, and I said, oh, my God. I just texting Dan photos like at the way of him. That's how he gets all his sources. Yeah, I wait until people are very, very drunk. All right, that was fun, though. But this is a new year.

It's 2019. It's our Wednesday show. you last heard from us on Monday. It was our New Horizons Monday podcast and breaking down all the hirings and firings across the NFL. We will, today's show, we will get more into what's going on in terms of teams looking for new people for their big chairs. Also, the drama in Pittsburgh right now, which is substantial around a certain star wide receiver. we'll open up the mailbag get some questions about the playoffs which of course start this weekend it's just days away now very exciting and we'll close the show real quick by going through our regular season sandwich props and see how that all played out so let us get going starting with the news he needs to be taught a lesson on that one that's the same thing he did to flaco last year that was bull crap right there that is not appropriate in the game it's disrespectful to the game

disrespect for the opponent. I'm ready to go down there and take care of him. Bill's Radio Man, I wish I had his name, should have his name. But Bill's Radio Man, as he is known on this episode. It's always fun, though. He's talking about Kiko Alonzo. Mark Kelso.

Oh, that was Mark Kelso? Oh, so he was a player. So he could probably handle himself. Maybe not with Kiko Alonzo. He was an active player who was about 27 years old. I thought it was like a regular play-by-play guy, like a Brad Sham God type. That would be more fun.

Saying he was going down to the field. But Kelso, maybe he's got the old jock at heart, so it makes more sense. But he has interviews to do. That's what those guys do, right? After the game. He's calling out Tico Alonzo for being unprofessional. Fair enough, but were he to break out of the booth

as just a man in a suit and tie and suddenly start physically harassing a player also slightly unprofessional. A little bit, a little bit. so it would be a bit of a wash. All right, let's get into a start with Antonio Brown, the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver. It came out in little drips and drops on Monday that Brown was not necessarily out Sunday

because of a knee injury. It was because he had a falling out with Ben Rothelsberger, according to D.D. King of Wall, threw a football at him during a walkthrough, during a practice, has issues with the head coach. Mike Tomlin were hearing Greg Rosenthal? This is what we're hearing. And the reason why he didn't play Sunday

is because it was a coach's decision to sit the best wide receiver on the planet, arguably. Of course, there's going to be a lot of fall out there. Mike Tomlin on Wednesday held a press conference where he described, well, let's listen to Mike Tomlin. This is what he had to say about Antonio Brown not playing on Sunday. Woke up Sunday morning, got a call from his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, Drew Express that he was feeling better and that he would potentially be able to participate.

I outlined to Drew that decisions weren't made like that, but I would be interested in visiting with him in person at the stadium prior to the game, but playing wasn't on the menu. And Greg, there's also reports that Antonio Brown has requested a trade from Pittsburgh, but his cap situation makes that difficult. There's a lot of bad news around the Steelers and a season that had too much drama. Well, it seems like that's bad reporting. by someone who gets a lot of reporting wrong. There was, like that there seems to be pretty clear on our network

that there was no formal request for a trade, that he basically was popping off, you know, if you're piecing it together, and Adidi Kinkawala, as he said, you know, really broke the story, that he popped off and kind of yelled out loud even maybe during Wednesday's practice. Like, I want to get out of here.

That's not a trade request. Mark does that every week. Right. He does it on the air. Like, that's not a trade request. Now, what do he does he? Would he want to get traded? Yeah, maybe that would make sense for everyone.

I was surprised that on our air, Ian Rappaport thought it'd be really hard to do, and it's very unlikely in situations like this. And just reading between the lines, that makes me feel like maybe the Steelers don't really want to do it, because why is it hard to do? It's hard for the Steelers. They would take a pretty big cap hit just to get rid of him. But I think Antonio Brown would be an exceptionally attractive guy to go.

go get despite everything. Ian's reasoning was, well, this guy's a head case. He still do this money. $15 million a year with no bonus or guaranteed money to give to him is a bargain. I mean, that's less than Sandy Williams-Wakins is making. And yeah, he's a headache, but is he a bigger headache than plenty of people that we've seen get jobs again and again and again. This is a guy's a first ballot Hall of Famer.

I just don't think the Steelers want to trade him. That's my early little take. They're just trying to, like, scare him. Well, I mean, Mike Tomlin said it. Well, they've been trying to scare him straight for three years. Like he's been a pain in their side for years. Maybe that's why they're finally hitting a tipping point. Mike Tomlin called it their darkest hour when Antonio Brown chose to essentially abandon the team.

And they're coming off a deeply disappointing season. And Antonio Brown, as great as he is, for what it's worth, will enter the 2019 season on the wrong side of 30. You would wonder if they would be tempted because they have this feeling. they need a culture change, a culture change. Jesse James, their tight end, he might be out of the door, but he said he likened the team to the Kardashians. There's always something going on, and that was a distraction all season for the team.

This all started, well, you can go back a couple of years, but in September, if you'll recall, Antonio Brown tweeted, trade me and find out after someone said he was a product of Big Ben. And then he didn't show up for work that day either. and after that a couple days later he said obviously i don't want to be traded he just does these things where he speaks out he goes off the handle two years two januaries ago we were doing this where big ben accused him of pouting and running the wrong routes um this was after all the

facebook stuff where he released the video in the locker room there were talks about him getting traded at that time too and instead of trading him they signed it they signed him to an extension i think ab bouchette from the pittsburgh post cosette said it well brown is brilliant but unmanageable, and that's the quagmire that the Steelers are in right now. I mean, obviously, because of his talent, they're going to put up with so much more, but it's just not a good look. And I thought Mike Tomlin was pretty honest on Wednesday when he talked through the process of what happened.

And after all the rattling off at Big Ben and stuff, that he essentially, he did have a knee issue or discomfort during the week and he was on the injury report, but that he became sort of unfindable from Friday and Saturday into Sunday to the point where Drew Rosenhouse his agent is the one who called up Mike Tomlin and said, hey, Sunday morning, he's fine, he's ready to play. And Mike Tomlin said, that's not how this works. Like, we are moving on with our game plan. We're moving on with the players that are here.

I mean, I can completely understand. Imagine any job you're in where someone just goes totally AWOL at the most critical time when you need them there when you're part of your team. With the Super Bowl, you know, still on the line. I mean, all they needed was the Browns to get about 15 more yards and kick a field goal, and they're in the playoffs. with a home game here, and they barely won that game against the Bengals. Losing Antonio Brown was a huge reason.

He just quit on the team, which you would think would be kind of like the number one most unforgivable thing a player could do. Because as the reporting suggests, as late as Friday, they still thought he was going to play. Like, it got pretty late where they started to realize, oh, wait, he's just not going to be showing up. He's not going to be available for us. Like, if the Steelers don't do anything, basically, if they don't, if this is just a stern warning, To me, that just says, you can do whatever you want on the Steelers and get away with that. And Jesse James is probably speaking for many, many people in that locker room who are fed up with Antonio Brown, the person.

Then he puts out on Instagram, Antonio Brown, I am divinely blessed with free will. I utilize that gift, choosing to take charge of my life, semicolon, nice use of a semicolon, to express the creativity, vitality, and wholeness that truly define me. I mean, this is fine. You can put all these pretty words out. It's essentially, I did what I did. deal with it. Right.

I did what I did. The more telling one to me was responding to George Kittle, tweeting at him, you know, sup Antonio Brown and then, you know, putting the like eye heart emojis above it being like, yeah. So he's, you know what he's doing. He's just trying to stoke this storyline that, hey, come get me teams. It's a little early in the offseason to really know, but you kind of figure this is going to be a story when we go to the Combine in February.

A brilliant. Yeah, absolutely a brilliant player, but I'm already exhausted. by it. And like you're saying, combines at the end of February, this story will probably be hot from now until then and probably beyond. And I like that. I think, let's go trade for him. This makes sense. Get rid of him, Pittsburgh. He'd get a first. Well, he's also breaking my number one rule. When these teams go into dirt nap territory, I don't need to still be hearing about you at press conferences. You're trying to go away. This is the opposite. Yeah, it's not even like Leavion Bell. It happened. You know, the Leavion Bell's up there. I mean, this is one of the

greats of all time. You're supposed to be in a box. Still playing well. You're supposed to be in an earn until next september little whispers here and there but come on like some 1800s lady in a white flowing dress over a lake with fog don't need that it's a lifetime movie everyone there's a lot of stuff cooking of course

a quarter of the league is looking for a head coach right now in the process and interviews are all over the place right now Mark Mike McCarthy has interviewed with the Jets and we'll interview with the Browns I believe tomorrow but

He will not interview with the Cardinals. So we could touch on and we could throw out. Anybody could throw out any coaches out there that are floating around in the interview process. But I just want to focus on the Cardinals who seem to be in a difficult spot. They make the decision to go one and done with Steve Wilkes, which they felt it was a move they had to make. But even despite having Josh Rose in a top 10 pick quarterback, it doesn't seem to be a place that people want to go. Because Eric B. Enemy, the chief's offensive coordinator and Mike McCarthy have outright turned down an interview with. the team, and that would make me very nervous if I was Jason Zumwalt and the rest of Cardinals' army.

I think it's basically, you know, they offered Mike McCarthy full power, which would have meant by-bye general manager Steve Kime. And then he turned that down. Mike McCarthy has options. And it sounds like from various reporting, and unless Mike McCarthy is totally into and wowed by a certain situation, he's not going to, you know, take something less than that. And the Cardinals, same with Eric B. Enemy, who's turning into a hot name himself, the Cardinals have one of of the worst rosters in the league. They've just fired a coach after one year. So what situation, where will you be a year from now

if you're Eric Bienemy and take the same type of job? There are many options out there. This is the least attractive by far. But I think Dan made a great point. I think it was on our Twitter show about, you know, the hot takes that come this time a year and who looks good and who looks bad. Like maybe, you know, Mike McCarthy and Eric Bienemy turning them down

might help them. You know, a bunch of coaches turned them down who were fired quickly. in the Bruce Ariens hiring cycle, and then they got stuck with Bruce Ariens. It's just so hard to know. They are going to interview Cliff Kingsbury, who is the USC offensive coordinator,

who just was fired by Texas Tech, who also, I believe, has another interview. Adam Gase, I think, is going to interview there. Supposedly he was high on Josh Rosen in the draft. Dan Campbell? Dolphins were maybe going to take him. And Dan Campbell. So who, who knows?

It's just weird. It is interesting that McCarthy is kind of like the big cheese on campus. So this organization is in the same place the Colts were in a year ago. Totally devoid of talent. Nobody wants to coach them, and now they're in the playoffs. Maybe. Well, Josh McDaniels seemed like you wanted to coach him with Andrew. They didn't get a guy.

How often do you not get a guy after the Super Bowl? Yeah, Bienemy, Eric Bient, well, because they thought they had an agreement with the number one guy in the market. Eric Biener also has, like, limited time. He has so many interviews and they're still in the playoffs. But yeah, he's basically saying, Nick, sorry. And I have, I know you, Greg, I know your football philosophies and your takes. It is very much on your radar that people like this Mike McCarthy figure so much right now. Well, I like it.

I kind of want him to land with the Jets as a Patriots fan. I wouldn't mind it, actually. So we're of two different minds there. I know you despise McCarthy as a coach. I don't despise him. I am yet to be, I'm yet to be convinced that he's a huge value ad. But he was a good coach there for a long time. There's no doubt.

I think part of what makes him. so attractive is the great unknown for everyone else. And McCarthy's like, well, this guy is like a 600 winning percentage. He has a Super Bowl, and we know he's not going to collapse once he has the responsibility. And I think that is an attractive quality to have, especially this year, with 80s. I think experience matters. Absolutely. I don't know if he's bringing you a big offensive mind or not.

That's more than, like I think he was in 2006. I don't know if he is. He kind of works with the Jets, in my opinion. I think that would be an interesting fit. All right. Jim Bob Cooter is a man that was once seen as a gifted offensive mind. He was the offense coordinator in Detroit, but the two sides have, it's another conscious uncoupling we're being told, which is always interesting this time of year, Mark, when we're told that the two sides agreed that one guy will no longer be getting, have access to the

building. I don't know if I buy it, but that's how it was presented. Jim Bob Cooter out as Lions' offense coordinator. I mean, it's, you know, it's sort of a coup d'etat whenever your coordinator, a new coach comes in to keep the role and Matthew Stafford really pushed for him when Matt Patricia was hired to keep Jim Bob Cooter around for obvious reasons. There was a lot of success there with the two of them working together and it completely, completely fell off the rails this year

and I don't know, these guys, he'll have another job two weeks from now. That's how this works. You're not pushed into another field. You don't become a math teacher. One of your friends will hire you to do something else with another team within 10 days. The honeymoon process. And I don't know if maybe was you, Greg, maybe connected Patricia's arrival to this.

But the honeymoon ended, like, in a very nasty way for Cooter and Stafford. Cooter was given, you know, like, lauded as this guy that helped fix Matt Stafford and now he's unemployed. I mean, he lasted three years in that job, ultimately, and even longer with the organization. That's like, that's the over-under. half the coaches don't even last three years in these coordinator jobs now. That means that you did a good but not great job. And it does make sense. I don't know if Patricia will bring in some Patriots.

Lackey, maybe their Chad O'Shea is the receivers coach has been waiting for an opportunity a long time. I don't know. I don't know. He made it clear in the season any press conference Matt Patricia did that he wants to run the ball, that he believes you have to run the ball. And that's why their offense is going to be based. The Jaguars are also made.

making changes on their coaching staff. The team fired running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley, in addition to three other assistants on Monday. It is notable, especially because it comes just one day after Leonard Fournett and T.J. Yeldin were blasted by Tom Coughlin, who runs the operation over there,

for being completely disengaged and disconnected from the game on Sunday. The 23 lost to Houston. Coughlin ripped both those players. is disrespectful and selfish, and I suppose, Wes, he connected the dots that Tyrone Wheatley shouldn't be there if the team is that out of sorts in the running back group. So they fired Tyrone Wheatley.

They fired Nathaniel hack it, what, a month ago, their offensive coordinator. It'd be interesting to see what that offensive coaching staff is like, and whether Fournette will be back. Marone said Monday that they avoided the guarantees on his contract due that suspension. And if you remember going back to last summer, this is why Roquan Smith held out with the bears. It was that language about whether you can void guarantees for something like a suspension. And Fournette was terrible this year.

It seems hard for me to believe they would cut ties with him. But this guy has a career yards per carry average of 3.7. And I believe he's due to make about $7 million next year. He hasn't played like a good running back yet. And if you're Dave Caldwell, the GM is apparently unkillable in that inside that organization. going back to 2013, your first round picks are Luke Jockel, out of the NFL, Blake Bordels out of Jacksonville seemingly soon, Dante Fowler traded, Jalen Ramsey, that worked out, obviously, and Leonard Fournett.

Thanks. Fornett, this scared straight thing is straight out of the playbook of when they thought Blake Bortles wasn't taking his job too seriously, and they were like, oh, let's scare him straight for an offseason. We wasted another three years on him. In other news, another press conference this week, Dave Gettelman, the New York Giants general manager. Obviously, it's a big story around the juvenile about what happens at the quarterback position. Eli Manning will be 38 this month, I believe, and Gettlement is being asked, what is the future at the quarterback position.

This is what he had to say. We will do what is in the best interest of the New York football giants. What we're trying to do here is build sustained success. that takes brutal honesty and some tough decisions. Wes Gettelman said everything is on the table. I believe the Giants are 45 and 67 since the Super Bowl victory over the Patriots in 2012. The winter of 2012. Yeah, the 2011 season.

Over the last six years, Eli Manning is statistically one of the least productive quarterbacks in the NFL. It strikes me that David Gettelman should keep his options open. And he said something interesting. Like when you're looking for a girlfriend, he didn't say this, but that's how it came off to me. The worst thing you can do is fixate on wanting to have a girlfriend. You have to let it happen naturally. And he made that connection with a quarterback.

The worst thing you can do is panic and say, I have to have a quarterback. Let it happen naturally, organically. I mean, it's a little bit of a change that they're vocally saying they're open to getting rid of Eli Manning. to change, but I guess I'll believe it when I see it. There's not a lot of options. It doesn't see.

Joe Flacco? That would be a huge upgrade over Eli. I don't know. Well, they're the team that, and I listen. Well, it's more just getting rid of Eli. I think it's more getting rid of Eli, like, and then just whether it be Tyrod or Tannahill or. But are you making your team better? Tyrod's Taylor.

Right. No, I know. I'm just saying, like, those are what the options are going to be. He doesn't want to force it. He didn't like, they made the choice that they didn't like. They made the choice that they didn't like Sam Darnold. I mean, that's what they said. And they love Sequin Barclay.

But they were essentially saying they didn't think Sam Darnold was a guy or the guy. I mean, how's that going to look three years to know? I get Sequin Barclay is an all-time player. So he doesn't want to force it. And maybe he doesn't like any of these free agents and keep the fans happy with another five-and-eleven season. Finally in the news, before the season, I spoke of my ultimate dream of every team in the league going eight-and-eight. extreme parity is what you would call it. And everyone's happy then.

Like Mark, you just had a seven, eight and one season. A lot of fun. I would have been happier with eight and eight, though, to your point. There you go. Well, guess what? This is the first time in the history of the NFL since it went to a 16-game schedule, you know, 40-some-odd years ago that no one won eight-eight-eight-eight. I mean, no one went eight-and-eight.

Like, not only did you not get your wish. It's almost as if the football gods are just sort of up there laughing smiting me just unnecessary football gods they threw enough that's it's it's sort of surprising because it was also a year where overall the league was kind of crowded in the middle like it was there weren't as many extreme records there was no team above 13 wins which is very rare and there was only two of those and there were no teams below three wins and there was only one of those right the cardinals so it was it was everyone was packed in the middle I feel like everyone was very even this year.

You would have expected a lot of 8-8. I'm really disappointed. And finally in the news. And now another edition of keeping up a bowringer. Yes, the German man, tight end. Moritz-Bohringer. Bouncing around the league. He's looking for a home.

He's looking for a shot. Move from wide receiver to tight end. On Monday, the Cincinnati Bengals signed Five players, tight end, Moritz-Bohringer, safety, Demetrius Cox Center, Brad Lundblade, tight-end, Andrew Valerette, Volert, and white and wide receiver, Kermit Whitfield, to reserve future contracts. And that was another edition of Keeping Up with Bowring. Right. Let's get to the mailbag.

A lot to dig into because this is the, Mark, this is the fun time of year, isn't it? I enjoy this time of year. A lot of teams have to look in the mirror and say, we suck. We need to do some things differently. We suck so much that we've fired a lot of people and need to find better people to do a better job next time. Speaking of the mirror, tomorrow, Thursday is our wild card preview podcast. And it's going to be real fun because not only we're going to be. going to break down four really fun games, but we're coming down the stretch of our

picks, Mark, on a historic winning streak, up to 11 straight, I believe. Maybe it's 10. I thought it was 11, but then according to the... Either way, a one game lead on Wes, a two-game lead on myself. And Greg, who's hotter than Matt Lauer in the NBC picks back in 99, is one, I think... Matt Lauer was never involved. I mean, why do we need to reference Matt Lauer? No, now you went too far.

Don't insult the sanctity of some of the great picks TV competitions over the years. This is Matt Lauer business. Okay. Sorry. I apologize. All right. So we asked you, the listeners, to send in some questions. Well, we were talking about Antonio Brown.

If Antonio Brown were to be traded, where to? Eric Jensen asks, could the Jets pull it off? There is this wild scenario where year two of the Sam Donald experience has an offensive minded head coach that I could believe in. And then Levyon Bell in the backfield and Antonio Brown on the outside with Robbie Anderson on the other side. They're getting both. And Chris Herndt in a tight end and improve a first round pick on the offensive line.

And the Jets are scoring 30 points a game. Todd Haley. It's in play. It's in play. What could go wrong by repairing Bell and Brown with the Jets? Like, there's no way you could think that could go around. It's funny you say that because you're absolutely right. It's probably a terrible idea.

But I would sign off on it. In a second. One of them would be nice. It is funny that the Jets are kind of the first team that everyone attaches in these situations. But I think it makes sense because of the cap space, because of the ownership and because of kind of the desperation. Yeah.

Could the Steelers do something like trade him somewhere he absolutely does not want to go? Does he have final say over such the trade? You could send him deep into the netherworld, a team that just doesn't have much say. I mean, he could make it clear and make it. terrible, but it's not something where he needs a new contract, so I think they can send him where they want. All right, let's throw one out there.

Did we ever answer? That's it. What? The Jets? Where would he go? The Browns make some sense, too, to me. Well, no team in the league has more cap space right now than the cults. How about the cults get Antonio Brown and Levi-on-Bell?

That's not going to fit their culture. What's like, keep them away from my boys? No, I've heard Chris Ballard speak before, and I don't think there's any chance he's trading for Antonio. What's your favorite type of frog? I've heard him speak too. It does feel like a Mike McCagnan move. Send him to the desert, the Cardinals.

Ouch. This from Russell Wilson's deep ball. What is the defining NFL game of 2018 for each of you? I'll start. Monday night football, Rams Chiefs, not just because of the outrageous nature of the game in the 54-51 final, double-fifty burger and all that,

but how the NFL kind of very, very, quickly shifted almost immediately after that, suspiciously so, and swung back to defense winning games and the Baltimore Ravens rise. I just thought that was funny, how it went from, well, this is the future, this is the league now where arena football. And then all of a sudden, like, defense said, whoa, slow down. Running games said, hey, hey, we have a, we have a voice. Ink was still drying on the 2000 think pieces that came out after that Chiefs Rams game. And for that reason, and it could flip again in the next two weeks. The word define. makes me jump off yours

and have a similar answer, but it's Ravens Chiefs. Because that, to me, was the game of kind of the contrast of what ended up happening in the money time of the season and was, to me, the most fascinating game of the year to see that study in contrast. Lamar Jackson

kind of representing this rookie quarterback class two, who finished off so strong. And the Chiefs, I guess, are in both these games because to me they are kind of the defining team of the year. I know they didn't end up with the very best record, but they were the most compelling and they were kind of the one representing what was going on and but the Ravens were so fascinating that matchup of just the clash of styles and how good it was

and it might be the most memorable moment that are that the MVP Pat Mahomes had I think those are both excellent answers and I agree I would say the highest level of football was played between the Saints and Rams for me it's funny the Saints Steelers was another one I thought about that was such a good game that's That's definitely top three for me. I would go, and this is more personal, but when Cleveland beat the Jets in week three, I'm sorry, Dan, it's nothing to do with the Jets.

No, it was. But it was the rise of Baker-Mayfield. It got rid of a lot of ghosts, and you kind of could feel the tide-turning for a Browns team that had been such a laughing stock for so long. Jets Broncos in week five. That was also a pretty big team. A lot of people out there.

Bleak for the Broncos. All right, here's another question. This is from Lennert, Len Scholes, are the Texans with their weak offensive line, a true contender. I'm going to spin off this a little bit. You guys can talk about Houston's offensive line if you wish, but is there a team in the mix that you give no chance to win the Super Bowl? No, this is one year I think all 12 have a chance.

But if you had to rank them, who would be number two? Cowboys would be 12 for me. Texans would be 12 for me. I think all the AFC would be higher up. For me, then the Eagles and the Cowboys and probably even the Seahawks because I think all those AFC teams have an even better chance than an NFC one to make it. Yeah, I think the Saints and Rams make the lower echelon wildcard

NFC teams less probable. You have the Eagles ahead of the Cowboys. No, those two would be kind of at the bottom, especially because the Eagles tough draw if they had to do it. I don't think the Bears are not winning the Super Bowl. Sorry, I know I'm not allowed to say that. Really? I think I really do think this is one of those years. They're going to drop a bomb on someone in the wild card round and then get knocked out the next week.

And I've been saying that for two months. A team has not made it to the Super Bowl from the wild card round since the 2012 Ravens, which is wild. Because at that point, I think one had made it every year for about five, six straight years. And many of them, one of them, most years for a while. So what does it mean, Greg? I don't think it means anything. But I just think it's been too long since. we've had some of these teams playing this weekend.

We're due. We're overdue to have them make it. This is the year to happen. Mark, why don't you throw it out there? Here's one from Trevor Crawling. He asks if more teams need to get their act together, operate as the Patriots do, and make the head coach the GM. Do we need more of that or do we need less of that?

Craig, you answer. Well, there's only a couple teams that do it. I don't even know. Is there any other team, really, other than Andy Reid sort of is like Belichick? There's Pete Carroll sort of like Belichick. No, I don't think more teams easy. I think a lot of coaches almost need less power. Yeah.

Very liberal with the connecting of getting your act together and installing. Right. Well, that was my word. That was actually my word. Trevor Crawling did not say get their act together. There's only so many Bill Belgics. I mean, the Raiders are doing it. John Grun really runs that.

And I think Hyrene Mike Mayak was kind of a sign because Mike Mayak's not a traditional, he's not a general manager that's managing an entire huge staff. He's a personnel guy. Cardinals just offered it to Mike McCarthy. he didn't want it. Belichick's doing a little bit better than John Gruden in that regard. Nathan Sherry, last question. If the Eagles were to trade Carson Wentz, what would they get in return?

Multiple first round picks. Yeah. Maybe three. And a player to be named. Darren Sprouls. Bingo. These Eagles fans, give me a break. They got to come down.

All right, there you go. There's the mailbag. Finally, let's go through our regular season sandwich prop. round it up see how everyone did we'll start with Chris Wesleying you ready Wes no but let's do it Sam Darnold does not start week one for the Jets and Greg took you up on that and Greg got a sandwich good job by Greg Adrian Peterson rushes for more yards than Annie 33 year old running back in history this is a clean sweep three three sandwiches and it was a little bit devious and I respect you for it Wes because John

Riggins is the oldest running back to ever uh to he has the most yard hold on it was not devious I said it up front he did talk about it I said it up front I'm trying to pay you a compliment 34 or 35 I'm trying to pay you a compliment for me it is oh okay it was a little devious and in a great way because it wasn't the best season ever by an old running back that is Rigo but Rigo did it at 34 and you said specifically 33 so in this instance being more narrow worked and it was very it was very tight i'm just looking because i'm like didn't gore top a thousand at 33 and he did peterson got him by 17 yards so it came down to those last couple runs there west well how about you should feel good that you took out gore even if i lost this one i'd feel fine because peterson

would have had about 12 or 1300 yards if the entire offense didn't get injured out before that's true He had a great year. I think he earned himself a job next year, right? Someone's got to give him a good job. He'll be sitting there in late July looking for a team again. A member of the 2017 draft class will lead the league in interceptions thrown. Who was in the 17 class? Mitch Trubisky, Deshawn Watson, Patrick Mahomes.

I think Darnold actually led the league with 15, which is not a lot for a league leader. If you want to look at one stat that really points out. Rathlisberger had more. Did he? I think Donald might have led the league. I thought I read that this week. And then the total was... Yeah, Rathesberger led the league.

Oh, well, there you go. Never mind. But just by one more. You're right. 16, it is... It's funny, like, everyone goes crazy when quarterbacks throw interceptions now. Like, oh, what a terrible play.

Like, he blew it. And it's shocking how many fewer interceptions quarterbacks throw than even eight years ago. It's so much less. No one throws interceptions. Hard to intercept a bubble screen. Right? That's fair. Baker Mayfield wins rookie of the month more often than Sam Darnold.

Darnold didn't do anything against the Patriots, which I think is going to cost me. So I think you're going to get a sandwich off me there, West. So right now you're 5 and 7. There was also, because I thought Donald's best game, that was the week he could have run one rookie of the week, and they gave it to Baker Mayfield that week as well, which was, I don't know how these things are. Well, Darno's definitely not getting it for December now. Right. I don't think, yeah.

It would be a surprise. You're just a six and seven, Wes. It's not bad. We're all around 500. All right, Mark Sessler. You have, of course, the iconic Cleveland Browns, New York Jets prediction. Do you want me? I think we should read it.

I mean, this is the best prop in the history of sandwich bros. I will read what is listed here on the go get my lunch.org site. Week three, gang green will hop out to at least a 10 point lead. The Thursday night football talking heads will crow over Sam Donald while the Browns look like a sitting duck in prime time. Same old story. Dan and Mark will go silent on the podcast group text thread. Greg and West follows suit, knowing this game could fracture the group for a thousand generations. All is looking good for the plucky one-and-one Jets until Baker Mayfield enters the game, dealing with at least a 10-point deficit and time ticking away.

Mayfield battles through some ups and downs to baffle the Jets defense and route to a rousing comeback that serves as the opening chapter in a rivalry that sees Donald and Baker going punch for punch and some of the biggest AFC showdowns in conference history, while the Patriots begin a 14-year streak of missing the playoffs. You probably should have just ended it a little sooner. Well, it would be dishonest. I think you guys gave me that last little part of it just for in the spirit of it. Yes, because that was amazing.

Which is why when you go over and over about the Philly Ordinary, you won't let that one go. I saw your little tweet about the Philly Ordinary, and you know what? You're just on the wrong side of history, and everyone knows it. At this point, I just accept the fact that you're, Man, you're so off. How many teams are running the Philly Special now?

I think every team, essentially. How many teams are making helmet catches? I've never seen it. Actually, someone sent me like a 10-minute mashup of like 18 helmet catches that have happened since that Super Bowl. They're like all in college football. No, they're all pro. Every single one of them are NFL helmet catches. It happens all the time.

At least one game will be relocated due to weather, natural disaster, or massive unrest. I recused myself from this, but Mark was given sandwiches there. and neither Greg West or Dan will win the Lock It Up Challenge. Wow. Three sandwiches on the line here for Mark, and right now he has a lead going into the playoffs. I forgot he had sandwiches on this. Mark, you're almost, you're just weeks away from your worst nightmare,

a bunch of sandwiches. I know. I might have to start picking the Cowboys in this playoff thing here. Food, like extra food. This is terrible. It's like chasing a prize I absolutely do not want. So you're at 7 and 4, but it could get even better. It could be an all-time week.

Greg, 6 and 8. Alex Smith will have a better season that Kirk Cousins. Mark and West took you up on that. No one had a worse season, you could say, than Alex Smith in the entire league. Well, even before he got injured, this was a major L. I think it's one of Greg's most bizarre, like, all offseason long stances that Alex Smith was going to come in. I thought the Redskins offense was going to be exciting. I think I had them as a borderline playoff team.

Although they were in position. The crazy thing was they were six and three before all those injuries really hit. But Alex Smith was a big disappointment even before the injury. Jaguars won't make the playoffs. You got that right. Mark and West took you up on that one. So you got two saying. We were baited into that.

I stayed away from that on the Bordals theory, and that worked out for me. Eli Manning won't be the starting quarterback for the Giants by week 17. Look good around week eight. It did look real good. Dan and Mark got sandwiches West did not take Greg up on that. Bad job by me. And he will probably be this quarterback week one.

That's my prediction as well on the other side of the calendar. But we shall see. I am seven and six. Sam Darnold doesn't start week one for the Jets. I bought into off-season fluff pieces about Josh McCown. Mark got a sandwich off me there. Kai Forbeth is on an active roster during week three. Greg, I like mine are very hyper-specific to things I like

and the things I'm in, too. Greg got a sandwich there. If Kai did end up materializing with the team, I believe in week 16, though. Three of the following will occur for the Bengals. Andy Dalton goes under 3,800. Ding. Yards.

A.J. Green, under 1,100 yards receiving. Ding. John Ross, under five touchdowns. John Ross, I don't know if you looked at his stats. He had like 11 catches and 7 touchdowns. So that was wrong. That was wrong. That was not a ding.

That was a, uh, under 9. half wins and they went well under that although they were five and two at one point uh they finished what six and ten well you were saved by injuries dalton probably would have been right around there so that would have decided it for you that was great thought and then that's good you can betty on injuries is a nice way to go but uh you guys uh you guys cost me i got i got sandwiches from gregg and mark and then finally patriots will not have a first round buying the playoffs gregg and west made sandwiches off me i'm so angry about that because it was so close.

Wow, I'm making a lot of sandwich bets. Jimmy Graham will have... Why do you have like 25 sandwich bags? As the season goes along, I throw different ones out and it gets added on because Nick Fortier does an amazing job and go get my lunch. Oh, no doubt about that. Jimmy Graham will have less than 700 yards receiving. Bam, he finished with about $6.50, Greg Mark West, all over me sandwiches.

I never bought into Graham. I don't know why I took you on that because that seems like... Last year with the Seahawks, because I tracked him really closely from fantasy, he just wasn't moving well, and it continued this year. and Bruce Ariens will become the next Brown's head coach. Greg is in the driver's seat on that one because it sounds like when Bruce now has opened up the bucks, is it also possible? It's almost like, well, the Browns don't want me.

They got to schedule an interview with him to start. It's not looking good there for the year. Really? But I'm seven and six right now. It's possible. So they haven't scheduled an interview with Aryan. I kept thinking that there's still a decent chance because he's kind of the way to keep kitchens in place. We'll see.

We shall see. It's not over yet. All right, there you go. So, yes, we'll be back on Thursday. Thursday we'll have another show going up. Previewing Wild Card Weekend, a lot of fun as we head towards January football, the best time of year. These are the best two weeks of the year for me. I love Wild Card Weekend.

I love Divisional Playoff Weekend. Good football. What about championship weekend? That's fun as well. And the stakes are obviously at their highest. But it's just there's something really fun. It's all Saturday, all Sunday. right right it's just good it's not overwhelming everybody else is in an urn or in a box that's good

that's it dan hans is signing off for quiet storm the mailman the old boss and ricky hollywood behind the glass rickie hollywood behind the glass till thursday This is an I-heart podcast.