NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - ATN Live from The Curtain Club in London

Episode Date: September 5, 2018

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler & Chris Wesseling – react to performing in front of a live audience at the Curtain Club in London (1:00)! The heroes then put their food where their mouths are in ‘Go Get My Lunch’ (8:30), including “will Alex Smith have a better season than Kirk Cousins,” (15:00) and “will Baker lead a comeback against the Jets in Week 3” (23:00)? The gaggle of heroes decide to finalize their ‘Team of ATN’ (39:00), deliver their ‘Final Four’ picks (48:00) & answer fans’ burning questions (53:50).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. Ever made pastrami at home? How about smoked salmon? Slaab a bacon? Duck confete? It's easy to make all that more right at home with Jule Suvide. Jule makes it easy to try cooking new recipes and cuts of meat at home because there's zero guesswork. And food is never under or overcooked.

To get yours, visit Chefsteps.com slash Jule and use the code around. To get $15 off for a link. limited time that's chef steps.com slash j-o-u-u-l-E code around jewel perfect food every time the around the NFL podcast now drives on the left-hand side of the road welcome to another edition of the around the NFL podcast my name is Dan Santis and I am joined in a room filled with heroes Mark Sessler Chris wrestling and Greg Rosenthal. What is up, boys? Hey, Dan. Wow. We did it. This is our first live show ever here at the Curtain Club. Is it the

Curtain Club? Curtain Club. Yeah, here in Shortage in London. We are overseas for the... Listen, you know, I'm scared to go overseas. I love my country. And I get nervous leaving anywhere. But so far, it's been amazing here in England. It's exactly what I had hoped. hoped it would be, Mark, and I know this really was a homecoming view. This is what this trip always was about. Getting Mark back to England. How do you feel? Oh, listen, I mean, I've been here twice in the past couple of years

and I've grown up for a couple years in Surrey. I had no choice in the matter. But it was a nice experience if you've been there, perhaps. Hey, Surrey in the house? I heard it's like a super posh, so it's like I don't bring it up too often. Oh, okay. How about you, Greg? How are you enjoying? I'm excited to hang out in Shortch. Apparently, this is like

the trendiest part of town, and we figured like what better place to hold this collection of men than the trendiest part of town. Wes, what was the tweet that we saw? Which one, Dan? About, something got braids and beard. Lots of the hipsters, they even have

braided beards? Is that a thing? It's really tanking our common man ranking here. I mean, we're from L.A., so you see that. Yeah, that's true. And more. All right, so now that we've been in London, so we got in Saturday, We left Saturday from L.A., got here Sunday.

It was pretty halacious, over 10 hours in the flight, and now we're just now starting to adjust. I think West left about 14 hours. We were worried about Wes. We had plans last night, and West just went underground at about 3 o'clock. West coasted us in the most hideous fashion. I got one hour asleep the first night, and about 14 hours asleep the second night.

Yeah, but he's here. So since we've been now in London for, what, almost 72 hours or something like that. Like 150, but math was really not. Yeah, you're a bit off. I don't know, with all these people here, you throw this in my face. I got a 39 and a state-mandated math test, but that doesn't make me a bad person, Greg?

Just bad at math. Yeah, that's true. All right, what is something you've learned about London and England since you've been here, start with you, Mark? You know, I always knew about the double-decker buses, but I thought maybe it was something that there weren't that many of. It was something of the past. Watching these things, I'm a terrible driver.

I couldn't even drive a typical car without... I have known Mark for eight years, and he's gotten so far out of his way to not drive that I've been in a car once with him in eight years. And we live in Los Angeles. I'm like, oh, we live in the East Village of Manhattan, so it's like, we never drive anyway, bro. No, everyone drives.

Is that a shot at me? That one time was driving Dan to his car dealership to pick up his car, so it was necessary. But these buses, I just imagine myself trying to take a right or left turn in one of these things. I would immediately dive right into a storefront and take out 40 to 50 shoppers. So I've already found out what career I wouldn't have in this town. Well, we've often wondered what it would take to get us to like the top of the, like, you know, total access is the quote unquote flag show program of NFL network.

What would it take for us to get to the top of the news where we'd be in the A block, as they call it? Face Lips. you yeah like we've thought like if we if we died like would we make the A block of total access we're like no probably the D block like the last 15 minutes but if you drive and I'm not saying you should do this but if you took a double-decker bus on Thursday and plowed it into the equivalent of whatever Kmart is without a license yeah don't hurt anybody but maybe we get to the top of yeah I'd be making a whole lot of different type of news shows if I did that it wouldn't just be total access so how about no what about you us stay with me here

I'm going to bring this around to a point, but... It's a longer show. 2018 in America, you know, it's normal to look back and kind of wonder about the march of progress if we really are progressing that much. And coming to London, the architecture shows a beauty and a history that allows us to say, in the last 10,000 years since the agriculture revolution, we have a common. things. Look at this beauty. You can walk by the Tower of London. It's a thousand years old and then look at the skyline as you're cruising down the River Thames. It's absolutely gorgeous. And then the other thing, the diversity, I believe that when people of different cultures come together, ideas are shared, talent is pulled, horizons are broadened. And that's what London is to me. And I'm really happy to be here. It's a great city. He's moving here. That's beautiful, Wes. I always thought, like,

Wes was the guy most likely to turn into our Bono, and here we are. Wes keeps topping me in these segments. Once again, there's no way I can follow that up with some silly little joke about London. We need jokes, Greg.

I do think Mark and I are in on just moving here. Wes, I think we could get him to do that. Dan is really... In a heartbeat. Okay, Wes is in. So really, we're just... us down to Dan, because I think

we can sell this to the NFL. I don't like how this paints me either. It's like, come on, Dan, you scumbag. It's like, I like living in my country. I love it here, too. Why can't I like a bowl? But we're more popular here. They like us here.

All right. That's true. Is that what you've noticed about? I don't know. Yeah, overall, I would say our listeners, if we're going to Cincinnati or we're going to Houston or we're going to Green Bay or something for a game, like people aren't stopping us up on the way to the game and listening to the podcast.

No, we're like reviled there. Right. Tumbleweeds rolling past us. If I actually, I went to school in Boston, but if I showed up in New England now, I would probably be killed within 30 seconds. But that's the way it is. Any Jets fans here, by the way? I love you.

Ouch. It's very sad. This is an audio podcast, by the way. But the Jets fan is a shame, so it raises a lot. One hand, like, trembled up. A quiet, dark hand in the back of the room. Any Browns fans? Come on, people.

Pat's fans. Get the fuck out. Oh, look, the loose cannon. What's up? Hey, hey, how's it going? She shot her hand up. Erica Tamposi, everybody. Hey!

On the ones and twos. Hey, hey. Ricky Hollywood. Temposi, have you ever been happier than when you were spinning music before this show started. Literally, this is the highlight of my entire life. Nobody was dancing. Everyone was just sitting patiently waiting for you guys, and Lakeisha and I were like bumping

Usher from the 90s, but I'm having a ball. There you go, she is. Ricky Hollywood, follow her on Twitter. Oh, what have I learned? Apparently, according to my mentions, on Twitter, I did not correctly pronounce the major river that travels through the city. I thought it was the river Thames?

Remember former Yankee Marcus Thames? Yes. There you go. Marcus. Okay, Marcus Tim's. You got to take out the Marcus. Yeah. Is that what it is?

Tims. I'm new to your land. All right. Twicken them too. Great show coming up to the Twick. Great show coming up today. We're really excited to do it in front of our biggest fans here in London. And because this is such a special show, we're bringing back one of our all-time favorite segments.

Go get my lunch. Go get my lunch. And it will be our props for the 2018 season. We'll go around the room. Really, really enjoyed, and Wes just yell out, nailing out, that's never happened. You guys brought that along. Hey, guys.

Yes. I know you're, like, super excited because it's a live show. Yes. But, like, I still have to bleep everything you say. Oh. So you're making it a little difficult for me. This is about us tonight, Erica. No, it's not.

It's about me. There's also, literally in the shadows, a shadowy league figure here right now. It was just probably a fire. In his natural environment. No, give it up for Mark Brady. He's been a big part of this getting us over here. Love you, Mark. A tall Nordic white at the back of the room.

You'll have no problem picking him out here. All right, so let's get to it. Go get my lunch. And Mark, get us going, baby. All right. I know everyone thinks that I come up with this kind of proposition every time. Well, you are terrible at this game. I am awful. I do vow revenge, but I have done some research, and this has happened

multiple times in NFL history. So this isn't some fly-by-night, alien landing, half-baked scenario from the past. This is happening. We'll see. famously said the Super Bowl wouldn't be played one time. Right? I think I might have been a few years too early on that one. Last year, kind of, the one last year was even beyond the pale for you, Mark, where you said a full week of games would be postponed, which very, very obviously hints at something terrible happening to the nation? I was like, Mark, what are you rooting for exactly? I also

believe the Philly Special is the play that is higher than anything else in Super Bowl history and I feel like, let's hear what this room has to say about that. We may owe you a sandwich for that. So I'm already in a bad mood about this entire segment, but I'm going to tone it down what you just mentioned, because I really do believe this is going to happen. There's a lot of issues in the

States. Some of them are natural. Some of them are man-made, we will find out. At least one NFL game will be relocated. to another city this season. This has happened before. One game. Due to either, inclement weather,

and that doesn't mean a light shower, that means something large, a natural disaster-type issue, also large, or massive civic unrest. It's like what are you rooting for when you throw these out? I just, Greg, you're the gambler.

You don't always just bet on what you root for. You're looking at probabilities, which is not in play here necessarily. necessarily, but I am trying to lure you into my trap. You used to famously, like, tell, you know, predict people would get torn ACLs. We talked to you off of that. This is, like, the next step, because you're right, this has happened. I can think of some hurricanes that have moved teams, but, like, that's a terrible scenario when that happens.

Greg, the earth is filled with good and bad. I will. I will take you up on that, though. I will take your sandwich. Let me ask a question. So nothing criminal, you're saying. So it's... I mean, massive civic unrest feels like it would include some criminal.

activity, but that's only one of the options. So you mean, like, protests? I mean, massive civic unrest is an umbrella comments. Yeah. It is hurricane season in the States. Yes, it is. And that does tend to, you're evil. You're literally the most evil man I've ever known.

Yes, it is hurricane season. Listen, I want to win this time. It will destroy them all. By the way, if I get this right, you'll never forget it. It's a daring bet. I will, again, I will vote for what, will keep the most people safe and happy, and it'll be to go against you.

I will not take you on that. Dan Roots for America. Well, that's your point of you. So you're saying there will be. I am saying that what, yes. I'm not saying a game. I don't think there will be will be. I think...

Right. I bet it's not a game will not be relocated. It's like snooze fest. I'm saying something's going down. All right. Wes? Unlike the other side of this day is. I appreciate your duality. And appreciate the Good and Badge merge into us.

And there is not. appreciation for light without dark. Thank you. So I get where you're coming from, and I agree there will be a game postponed, so I'm not taking. Well, you will, you will be on the right side of history. Congratulations, guys. Everyone remembers that Jets Lions game that was just like randomly played in another city. Another historical accuracy.

Jets Bills in Detroit, yes. All right, Wes, you're up. I want to see a house divided here. I'm going to reel in either Mark or Dan with this one. Baker Mayfield. wins more Rookie of the Month awards than Sam Darnold. You son of a b***. All right, so how many, I'm bad at math, as we know, but September,

well, Donald's going to get at least one more month to work with. Yes, he will. So there are four to go around, and you have to win more, so that means, okay, one, two, all right. It means Baker Meefeon has to win one. I mean, there's only four months, so. Not too many awards up for grabs here. I'm saying Darnel is not winning any. How dare you.

I know. It'll be next year when they win the Super Bowl behind him. Okay. I like that. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. I appreciate that. I like the sound, though. It means it's empty.

At least bring Mark a beer if you're getting up, please. All right, so you're saying that, all right, say it one more time. Baker Mayfield will win more Rookie of the Month awards than Sam Darnock. Okay, I take you on that. I take you on it. Let's go. You don't have a choice on that one. He's a jettling it. He's a gambler.

I don't know. I picked Baker Mayfield, not that it means anything in our little preseason predictions on NFL.com to win rookie of the year. Because I do think when he comes in, he's going to be a baller. So I am not going to take you up on that. Whoa. Well, if you wanted a house divided. That is awful. It sounds bad in our studio in Los Angeles.

Misophony. It is horrifying here. I will not take you. Because Baker Mayfield's going to get in there around week four or five, I believe, if not earlier, and he's going to get it done. House divided, achieved. Okay, that's a victory. Eric, does anybody have any comments on onions over there? If you want big onions, you've got to get big onion plants.

That's fair. That's true. All right, Greg. All right, we've talked a lot about Kirk Cousins and Alex Smith, I feel like, throughout the season. So I'm going to harken back to something we did a few. years ago where it was really just a challenge between two players and an independent council

will decide which player had the better season. But in this case, we're going to have three of our listeners just chosen at random be the independent council. Let's try to pick a white male if we could. Just for that, I'll get Kathleen up here. I know you're back there

Kathleen somewhere. My choice here is that Alex Smith will have a better season in Washington than Kirk Cousins has in Minnesota. Oh, what is this? Oh, you get booed off the stage, Rosenthal!

This is a Cousins Corner. Nine minutes into our live show. Boots this, man. Boo! His whole room is Cousins' corner. It's like, how dare you go after America's sweetheart Kirk Cousins? Guess we got a lot of Vikings fans. Michigan State crowd. Okay. Okay.

All right. Okay. I am with you on this. I think that Kirk Cousins, I think we touched on this a little bit last week, I think he's in a sneaky, very tough spot here. He is, he signed the, yes, he signed a huge contract. He's a guy that's always been, you know, right on the right side of the Dalton line, Dalton scale, but not a stud by any means, in my opinion. And now he has to go and fulfill expectations on a team that is looking to get over the hump. So there's a lot of pressure.

It's a bad offensive line. It's bad. And it might take time for Kirk Cousins. It might be until 2019 where he's the guy that they need him to be. And that's why I think Alex Smith, who is steady as they come, I believe he is the guy. So I will not take you on that. Hold on here. I have this over the hump business.

I mean, Kirk Cousins has joined an offense that is loaded at every skill position player. Thank you. I believe Kirk Cousins is going to have the better season. I don't even remember where that puts me in this proposition, but I'm going on the Cousin's side. You are taking them up. You're taking me up. I'm taking you up. You're giving me a stanch.

Kurt Cousins, whose numbers compare favorably to Aaron Rogers over the last three years is going to one of the best quarterback situations in the NFL. He's leaving Washington where his top three running backs got injured, his entire offensive line got injured, his Pro Bowl tight end got injured, his wide receivers got injured, and now he's going to a loaded backfield, the best wide receiver core in the NFL, and John D. Philippo is his offensive coordinator.

This is easy. Kirk Cousins is going to be the choice. New coordinator, but think all of that that he had in Washington, all those injuries, they're gone. He's got a great play caller in Jay Gruden. He's got a great offensive line. That's mostly why I'm picking it is because I think that situation with all the players around him, Jordan Reed,

your boy, Adrian Peterson's just going to make him look good. He's going to have to pass it beyond eight yards at some point for you to win this band, Greg. I am... I need to choose the three people. Who do we want to go with? I like this guy because he's a Packers fan, so he's going to go against Kirk Gunz.

We're going to get your name. How about just the three gentlemen right here? You clearly were here early. So among the biggest dorks in the entire crowd. And we love you for it. So you three will be, we'll get your names after, and you'll decide after the season. Interesting decision, Greg.

You'll also be staying at Greg's house throughout the season, so get your passports ready. Walla Walla is a big onion. Giant sweet Spanish onions are good. And a red zeppelin is a big red onion. I love that guy. Guys into it. Chris Wesleyan, pay attention.

Wedding season is upon us. And when you're bringing a date, you want to look fresh. That's where the black tucks.com comes in. It lets you rent awesome suits and tuxitos and all styles online. With the black tux, you can take your style to the next level in funky, cool options like the Emerald Shawl tuxedo. And blow it out for your big one-time event. Well, we hope it's one-time, Chris. and with free home try on you can feel the quality and see the fit months before your event after ordering your suit will arrive 14 days before your event if anything is less than perfect the black tucks will send you a replacement right away oh that's good

wear it turn heads then send it back three days later it's that easy shipping is even free both ways get $20 off your purchase visit the black tucks.com slash around that's the black tucks dot com slash around for $20 off your purchase the black tucks, premium rental suits and tuxedos delivered. Meanwhile, on the throne of slees. Come on. All right. Here we go. I only brought the ease. That is such a loose canon move.

All right, here we go. You know, I failed on gradual decline, my prediction. So I'm out of the Tom Brady is going to get old business, although he is going to get old eventually, right? That just makes sense. But I do see some cracks in the veneer of the Patriots dynasty. I famously Instagrammed on Super Bowl Sunday, as you recall. What?

I don't remember anything past like two weeks. Greg's been on Instagram for like a week, so. No, that game. Greg Gras and the NFL, check it out. Super Bowl 52, their loss of the Eagles, was the end of the Patriot Dynasty. I honestly, I believe it and that's why this will be

the first year, things the crack show. It's hard to keep track of the times that you said that. By the way, you Instagram that but you didn't tweet that. The New England Patriots will not have a first round playoff buy for the first time since 2009. Don't use the onion drop for that one. I mean, if you said didn't make the playoff. Listen, literally every year for eight years,

they've had a buy. So I'm saying this will be the year they don't. And it's not a loaded AFC. So I'm not saying it's an onion hanger, but I'm saying I stand by it and I believe in it. Well, I have to take you up on that. I never pick against the Patriots. 17 weeks, usually every season, or 20, I guess. Many, or 19.

I'm bad at math. So I'm taking you up. That's easy. That is gross. Go ahead, Mark. Unrewarding. I, you know, that will be fine. That will be absolutely fine from you.

Now you're seeing the dynamic. People next to her. Can you pull her away from that technology? The dynamic between Mark and really all of our producers is on shining display right now. You know, we come up with multiple ones of these in case there we surprise each other to some crossover territory.

And I actually had one that said, sorry Tamposi, but the New England Patriots will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. So I obviously believe that you are right. I will not take you up. You think they're going to miss the playoffs. I wrote it right here on the... I love you, man.

You notice these onions are sitting on top of the ground. All right, let's do another round. Mark. Can I wait on this one? Oh, yeah, that would make some sense. We still got to have Wes answer. Oh, I just figured you would take me up on it. Of course, the AFC East.

You carry that water up and down the hill, Wes. Look at that division. It's like tip-tilling through the park. I know. And yet, they will struggle. This is the worst I've ever seen the AFC East. The Patriots are going to roll. This is easy.

Patriots get a buy. See, I knew. That one was... I've got my concerns. You could have saved the... So would you call it then, Wes, almost like an onion hanger by me? I would call this, like, taking candy from a baby. See, Ellen, I'll show you a little bit of all growing huge onions.

This farmer needs to talk less and farm more. All right, Mark. One more. Go ahead. One more total? Maybe. Okay, here we go. Week three, Browns versus Jets. An obvious territory for Dan and I.

Gangrene will hop out to at least a 10-point lead. The Thursday night football talking heads will crow over Sam Darnold while the Browns look like a sitting duck on prime time. Same old story. Dan and Mark will go silent on our podcast group, text thread. Greg and Wes follow 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 Darnold and Baker going punch-for-punch in some of the biggest AFC showdowns and conference history while the Patriots begin a 14-year streak of missing the playoffs. Not only do I love this prop. I, even by your standards, it is the most hyper-specific.

Right. Proposition, you talk about taking candy from a baby. I lost focus halfway through because so many ridiculous things that already happened, I figured. It all feels un-ridulous. Let's do the checklist. So the Browns have to fall behind exactly 10 points.

By at least 10 points. By at least 10 points. And then when? Wait, their quarterback, who right now is not the starter, their number one pick quarterback, Baker Mayfield has to enter the game and be the man that's on the field when they have the comeback win.

Yes. All that stuff about the future of the Jets and Browns, I love it all, but it doesn't have anything to do with this prop. And then it closes with the Patriots also have to then miss the playoffs. No, that's just a little...

That's just a little poetic. You said it. Well, then we'll, then the bet we'll need to go 14 years. I hope, let me... You try these onions. You like them. You're real sweet onions. I mean, you're donating three

sandwiches regardless, so I'll take you up on it. I've seen this happen. Thank you, Wes. You just outlined the Brett Farv story. He came in, took over for Don McCowski. Yep, Magic Man. Late comeback, and since that happened, the Cincinnati Bengals have not won a playoff game.

Hear that, fellas? And like, yeah, but did anyone predict that ahead of time? Mark could. I was like 19 when that happened. You paint a pretty picture, but it's too specific. I'm going to take it. Okay. All right, Wes, you're up.

The leader in interception passes thrown this year will be a member of the 2017 draft class. All right, who are we working with here? Deshawn Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Mitch Trubisky. If you want to delve deeper, Deshawn Kaiser? Well, how about Nathan? That would be a horrific result for the Green Bay Pack. You know about Aaron Rogers clavicle.

Was Peterman a rookie last year? He was, right? Yes. But he won't be a long. lineup long. He threw five picks in one game, so he only needs to be in there for like four games. Yeah, he'll be benched by mid-September, most likely, so he's not going to win any interception title. That's what it's called. You've got to be good enough to lead the league in interception. You have to be young, you have to be a hot shot. Or Eli Lerner. Yeah, you have to

be a young hot shot or a two-time Super Bowl MVP, right, Greg? I'm just saying he's led the league in interception. That's Justin Tuck's MVP. All right, so what do you guys think? I As you mentioned, I'm a man of probability. And I think as an addicts, guys. Take the field, Greg. It's your mood. You're going to use it. As possible, it is, you know, you did pick a group of players who you could see almost any one of those.

Maybe except Deshawn Watson, lead the league in interception. Oh, no. You could see Deshawn Watson. Maybe you could see him, too. But I have to take the field when it presents myself. It's a heavy favorite. I figured that was happening. That's a great one.

I really like that one, Wes. I will also take the field. but I would not be surprised at all, but I will not take you up on it. Trabisky was throwing about one a day in training camp. You're on to something. I'll take the feel. I think this is your Aaron Rogers throws like 35 picks.

All right, Greg, you're up. I agree with that, too. The Packers fan in the front, very upset. I'm going to keep this one simple. How about the London Jaguars will not make the playoffs? Ooh. And a hush falls over the city. I'll take you up.

The AFC, to me, feels somewhat half-baked, and they still have a great defense and some issues at quarterback. I'll take it, too, because the same reason the AFC is trash, and I can, you know, I'm ready for Cody Kessler to lead this team to the playoffs. That's what I'm kind of counting on. How did the Jaguars not make a hard push for Teddy Bridgewater? I don't understand that. Fragile psyche.

They really, maybe that's it. They had to protect Blake. And by the way, like, getting behind a quarterback named Blake in the first place. I mean, but I think that they are very vulnerable. If things really detonate with Bordals, I just don't, again, in a weak conference, I don't think it's going to happen. I think they're going to win 10 games or 11 and make the playoffs. I just am amazed and want to, like, repiate a live audience every time so that we get live audience

Chris Wesleyan because this one is delightful just like whispering little things fragile psyche I'm not done with you yet Greg all right Greg you're up I just did it oh you okay my turn here we go

everybody loves in this room all of a sudden it's a little bit weird everybody's all like I love the Bengals oh they're so fun I'm having an about man Cincinnati's having a moment right now well maybe Cincinnati has never had a moment now but I'm saying

You have been talking positively about the Bengals for the first time since I've known you. Both of you guys also have said positive things. So let's put your money where your mouth is. Your sandwiches where your mouth is. A Bengals trifecta. I'm going to give you four different things, and three of them have to happen. Okay? Andy Dalton, 3,800 yards passing.

A.J. Green, 1,100 yards receiving. John Ross. Remember that guy? At least five touchdown. and the Bengals over nine and a half wins. Three of those. Put your money where your mouth is. Sandwich time.

What was John Ross, five TDs? At least five TDs. So if we take you up on that, we believe that three of those four will happen. You're saying they will not. I'll take you up on that. I think Roth is maybe the toughest one of that group. 3,800 is a little much for the old red rifle,

but in today's NFL, that's basically an average year. And the other two, I do believe. And I think A.J. Green, that's a gimmy for him. And the Bengals, I'd put him at 10 wins. I prefer Dan's nickname for Dalton, the glowing ginger man. Isn't it a shame that Andy Dalton never, like a real nickname, never stuck with the guy? He looks like that. So were you agreeing with Dan or disagreeing with him?

I'm confused, by the way, it was phrased, but I'm saying three of those four things will happen. So you take me up on the challenge, yes. So you're saying three of the four, well, not happen. Yeah. I noticed you didn't say playoff win. No. No? I'm not going to go, I'm not crazy. It's been since the 80s. Wow.

You know, it's a game where people hit each other. Someone's going to get injured. I'm going to say that's not going to happen. I agree with you. All right. You guys remember when Annie Dalton got really offended because JJ Watt, like, made a little comments about him after the game? He did. Said he lacked class or something? Come on.

Let's calm down, Andy. All right. If you care, if you care, I will take you up, too. Oh, yeah, I do. Yeah, there is a trend of these two guys down at the end getting dropped out of the end of these betting rounds. That's fine. All right, a little speed round, one last one, and we go quick. Is this the onion?

If it's an onion, I hear, let's hope it is. You want big onions, you've got to get big onion plant. This one is a little in-house one. Okay. Neither Greg, Wes, or Dan, will win the Lock-It-Up Challenge. Last year, Dan and I tied. There will be no tie this time. That was fluky.

There's another way to say that, but yeah. Well, Tampo's he might win it. You never know. I'm going to take you up on that, and I'm locking it up! Yeah, I think we're all taking you up on that. It's a pretty headstrong group. I didn't think anyone was going to agree that I would look at. Oh, man. It's good.

All right. Go ahead, Greg. Or Wes. All right, that's my onion hanger. Adrian Peterson. for more yards than any 33-year-old running back in NFL history. I'll take you all that. Well, I want to know what that number is. I don't care. I believe it's your boy.

Frank Gore, 1,025 or thereabouts. I'll take you. Exactly age 33? Yeah, does it have to be age 3. It can't be John Riggins age 34. It can't be Curtis Martin or anybody else. It's kind of weird, Greg, but it's purely to reel you in. 33 or over.

That would have definitely real me in. Step into my web, Greg. Well, it's getting uncomfortable. It's a little bit, let's be fair, Wes. You could have done the, giving us the research and given us the number. So it's a little unfair. You put us on a spot here. He's saying, if it is Frank Gore.

Frank Gore, 1,025 yards. He out did Franco Harris, who had 1,07 yards. That was a season which you pretty much belittled Frank Gore throughout and said anyone could do that. Somebody has to be the voice of reason when you build up this compiler as a Hall of Fame. Uncomfortable, Dan. The inconvenient truth. I wish you had said Frank Gore will get more yards than. It's about to be an inconvenience.

This is the speed round, guys. I'm taking you up. I'm taking you up, of course. Yes, and I have taken you on that. Greg. All right. My final one is that Eli, oh, Mark, were you in? You guys are getting a first-hand look at my entire life here. I will take you up.

I don't even remember what the question is anymore at this point. Adrian Peterson will have the most yards for 33 years. He will not. Okay. Greg. Mine will be that Eli Manning will not be the job. Giants starting quarterback by week 17. Ooh.

That is not an onion hanger. Well, we were told that the last round might be the last of ours, so that I threw mine out of a little early. But I think that's an onion hanger, considering the last coach who tried to do that, got fired. I hope maybe you try these onions, you like them. You're real sweet onions. Shut up, old man.

There's no, no, Eli's, every season he's ever played, except for, when Akadu fired him, he has, or benched him, he has played every game. Never missed the game. And he never got enough credit for that, especially from certain people up on the stage right now. He's going to stay healthy. Who's on the bench behind him that's going to take the job this year? Kyle L. Okay.

I'll give him credit, Dan. He has been healthy enough to play bad football much longer than he should have. I'm surprised Greg came up with this question because any good boss knows that especially when you, in your first year, you don't go and make the exact same mistake that the last boss made on a very public New York media front, no. Well, I was not

a good boss. That's why I'm the old boss. You're pretty good. I'm not going to take you up on this one because it's going to happen. Wish casting. Last one, Jimmy Graham, less than 700 yards receiving. Simple.

I don't buy into Graham as a guy that's going to have juice. I know that he looked old last year, and as much as people get excited every time a promising tight-end signs with the Packers, for whatever reason, it doesn't seem to ever come together. And I think Graham is the next guy in that list. I will take you on this. I will take you on this, too. I've changed my mind on Jimmy Graham this offseason. I was down on that signing, but they don't have great receivers, and everything we've heard about Graham there has been good.

And I kind of forgot that Aaron Rogers can make anyone awesome, and Jimmy Graham is pretty good. I also suck at math, but I think that's like 48 yards a game or something. I like where you're going, though, because the Jimmy Grand hype in 2018 just simply annoys me internally. But I'll take you up just because that's the only way I win any of these. That's the smart way to play the games. All right, there you go. There's our Go Get My Lunch Wagers for 2018. We'll see how it all plays out.

And now a word from our sponsor on Thursday night football will make its long anticipated return. That means bragging rights and huge cash prizes are up for granted. at draftkings.com, the leader in one-week fantasy sports. For the season opener, Draft Kings is hosting a fantasy football contest that is $10 to enter and has a $1 million top prize, Austin Powers ref. For a limited time only if you sign up with code around NFL. Today, Draft Kings will give you a free entry with your first deposit single game showdown is the newest way to play.

All you have to do is draft six players from Thursday's games. Stay under the salary cap and see how your team stacks up against the competition. means you could win $1 million while watching the season opener. And don't worry, there are $2.5 million in total prizes, which means thousands of winners, download the app or go to draftkings.com now and use the promo quote around NFL to sign up and make your first deposit when you do draft kings. We'll give you a free shot at $1 million this Thursday. That's code around NFL at draft kings, minimum $5 deposit, eligibility restrictions apply.

See draftkings.com for details. And now we move on to a very special ad read, Mark Sessler. All right. Yes. Thank you, Dan. Let's pause for a second to recognize the lifework of Betty Zhang, the 1700s era futurist whose ideas still resonate 500 years later. Born in Vienna in 1506, Betty Zhang was the daughter of a Russian Orthodox mother

and a father from Shanghai who paid the bills toiling as a short. order cook at a bacon and eggs joint. At night, Betty's father would get hammered on discount beer and tell the family things like, I don't trust nine out of ten animals. And I invented wood. Three months later, Ottoman Empire warlords ransacked Vienna and took out Betty's parental units before stealing 50 eggs and 22 pounds of uncooked bacon. Just 16 years old, Betty Zhang was left orphaned and penniless, but this didn't stop her from penning a killer novel that left readers beguiled. Zhang's 750-page epic

titled, I Dream and Red, doubled as a chilling piece of science fiction while establishing her as one of Austria's first-known futurist thinkers. Within its pages, Zhang deftly predicts the importance of steam power, cites the rise of French and Russian symbolism as a late 19th century art movement,

and not so subtly devotes a chapter to the brief but powerful reign of UNLV's college basketball program under the helm of Coach Jerry Tarkhanian. Tark! Betty Zang's career took a strange turn from there. By age 20, she was tugged under by the allure of absent in Vienna's raucous nightclub scene,

quitting writing altogether after her failed 20,000-word poem on the false notion of utopias and anti-utopias, sold 12 copies. At age 21, Zang denounced eggs as a food item and took an overly expensive cab ride from Vienna to Moscow, where she threw away her adulthood, operating as a barfly in various Russian whiskey bars and houses of the night.

She never wrote another word. Sign up for Mr. Flames' high school economics class today at www.flameclass.com. Mr. F. Team of ATN talk, hit it. Who will be the team of ATL? Sing along if you know it. The team. Team of ATL.

Only one team can earn the right. Now's the time to shine a light. On the team. T, R, R, A, T, A, T. This is a very special honor. All right, so if you're in attendance today, you probably listened to our show last week where we made our nominations for the team of the around the NFL, and if you're not aware what that is. They were wretched. Best episode ever.

If you're not aware, it's the one team that we pick and follow as a group. We root for as a group, and we generally shower with praise or, when necessary, derision. We need to be honest if it goes sideways, but we open the season all behind the team. because we believe in them. And last year was the Rams, and that went pretty well. Last week, we had nominations. Mark, you nominated the Saints. Yes, thank you.

Greg and I nominated their rival, the Falcons, and Wes, and I'm still trying to figure this out, the Baltimore Ravens? We got Ravens fans in the house? Ravens Nest! There we go. That was for you. All right.

It didn't go well. It did not go well. West was all fired up. And as I said, this is kind of the team of West T.L. As we know. That's some bullshit. It's about me. So once the writing was on the wall there, the Saints weren't going to happen.

The Falcons weren't going to happen. And no one wants to root for the Ravens. I mean, let's be honest. That's a fair point. Even Ravens fans don't. No, that's a fair point. Well, it must be unanimous, and it will not be unanimous. It's a smart ratbird.

We decided we need to come up with a new one. And it was very, very good timing because a couple days later, the Chicago Bears made a major move, as we know. Acquiring Khalil Mack, one of the very best defensive players in the league from the absolute insane Oakland Raiders, or maybe not, I don't know, for two first round picks. So now Mack joins a very promising Bears team. So an official nomination Never been done before A secondary nomination of the Bears Is this our team of ATL

Speak now or forever hold your peace I hear a lot of I think Team of ATL Well played Literally she is in my life 24 hours a day doing this A bunch of Vikings fans booing that selection I believe

Or maybe some Bears fans here All right well Here's the thing I'm sorry if you're a Vikings fan Because I screwed you two seasons ago when they were 5 and O and I won that nomination and then they went off a cliff. We can't go back there. And you went off a cliff too

as I recall. Well, because I was oft criticized for what something everyone agreed to. None of us cared. Thank you. But I'll tell you what. The bears are the closest thing in my book that we're going to get to a team that could go be a surprise, get to the playoffs maybe. People talked about them a couple months ago in a

loaded M.C. Or totally shit bed. It's exciting to me because of the vast contrast in possibilities, and they're the closest thing we're going to get to the Browns ever being the team of ATL, too. So I could throw my support behind this. Because it's CB.

That's well said. I didn't consider that aspect of it, but you have added another... Team of ATL. It's the other few after the show. I'll be speaking with you. Now, you guys, this is a fun thing because that's Mark actually mad right now.

No, I'm... Like, it's not like, oh, this is show business. Oh, Erica, how dare you? No, she's mad. You don't need to be mad when you've already devised. I've already devised my revenge and it will be rich. And many layered. Wes, your thoughts.

About 99 years ago, a bunch of men met in the Hupmobile showroom to start the NFL. Two franchises are left from that original one and the Bears are one. So history's on their side. They have a lot of things I love. of things I love. They've got Nagy and Trubisky with the little bit of Sean McVeigh, perhaps magic coming to turn it all around. They're the monsters of the midway. They have a very strong tradition of great defenses and great defensive players. You bring in Roquant Smith

and Khalil Mack. They play in the Midwest in a grass stadium without ridiculous blazing sunshine that you see in California and Florida in like September and October. This is perfect fall weather to get you in the mood for Midwest football. Is this weather related to West's point? You can't go six weeks hating game pass because of the sunlight on their field like Tampa Bay

who will never be the team of baseball is meant to be played in the autumn, not in like 99 degree humidity in July, which is what California and Florida looked like in September October. Weather. So yes, I'm in on the Bears. Greg? I could, like my head can see this going wrong

quickly because we have no idea if Mitch Trubisky is a good quarterback. I can see the tweets around week three just saying another curse of the around the NFL team. Don't be scared, Greg. But my head, I also don't really care about the Bears this year, but they're inoffensive. Perfect Greg answer.

Hey, who cares? I like about seven different teams. They're not one of them. But I am excited to watch them, which is that is the first time that's happened for a Bears team in about 10 years. I am looking forward to seeing them because they're a mystery and they're different.

We have no idea what's coming. And to me, those are good characteristics. I just like West coming at Greg, 100 miles an hour. All great points by you guys. I'm in on them. I love the city of Chicago, and I think that that city and those fans have been waiting a long time for the Bears to be interesting.

They made the Super Bowl in, what, 2005? Even that team wasn't interesting. How about a real interesting team in one of the great American cities? So, yes, let's put the rubber stamp. The Bears are the team of ATN for 2018. All right. You guys are like, I don't care.

Hey, put the breaking news drop off. This is breaking news. Oh, one more thing. That's good. We're good. All right. One other thing, since we brought up Khalil Mack and the trade, the bear's got a lot richer. The Raiders got a lot poorer.

And we, you know, we have a lot of very famous Raiders fans that are friends of the podcast, Ice Cube, the rapper. he came on the show, we talked Raiders. A friend might be a stretch. A little bit, a little bit. He was in the studio, so that's close enough. He's not returning my text. But another Raiders fan that we've known for some time. And in fact, when she came into the studio,

she was wearing a Kaleel Mac jersey. She was also, her eyes were bloodshot, and she was a little wobbly at the time. I don't know what that was about. To be honest, so is ice cubes. Yeah. So here we go. Let's hear.

We reached out. to Lil Debbie to find out her thoughts about the Kalil Mack trade from the Raiders. What's up around the NFL family? Can I just say that it's been a really sad past couple days for me and Raider Nation with this trade? I mean, Khalil Mack was our best player on defense. And honestly, he was our defense. Now he's gone. So what now?

Do we go back to the old Raiders? I mean, was it that they didn't want to pay him? you guys know more than me why did they trade him oh little debby that was my favorite this has been a great show but that was my favorite moment just imagining little debby

reading out the typed piece of paper in front of her because there is no way she was not reading hold on Greg because I texted her manager to get that but she sent a second three and a half minute long sound clip digging into Oakland's four three fronts and Arden Key and all this other stuff so I like to keep

the more 30-second sound bite here, but I got the rest. There is so much about everything here that's improbable. Lil Debbie giving her opinion on the Cleo-Mack trade, maybe the most improbable thing we've ever done. Check out Lil Debbie. She's a hell of a rapper. Yeah, we've had two. She's the better of the two.

All right, here we go. Moving on. Final four predictions, all right, boys. Two teams in the AFC, two teams in the NFC. who's playing for the right to play in the Super Bowl and who wins the whole thing, Mark Sessler. I forgot we were doing this, but on the fly.

I'm going to go with the predictions that I picked on not NFL Network. They didn't care, but NFL.com did ask for my opinion. NFL.com is Mark Sessler? Yes, and always will be the truth. So can I go backwards from the Super Bowl? That seems anticlimactic. We're going to go in the NFC,

the Falcons and Saints, in an excellent Greg-ish NFC championship. I love that. The Falcons will prevail. In the AFC, the Pittsburgh Steelers will, now this does not please me

because one of my favorite games from last season was when Jacksonville took it to Pittsburgh in the playoffs. You guys remember, I threw that pillow across the room in the newsroom. Another angry Sessler moment.

Nearly hit a woman in the head. But I think the Pittsburgh, after so many years of getting close, and I've already predicted total doom for the Patriots, they will deal with Jacksonville correctly this time, get into the Super Bowl.

It will be Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh will lose to the Falcons and Big Ben will retire. He's out. Finally. You predicted last year that four or five times, but let's go with the pick at least. All right.

Let me jump in there because we're very similar. I've already predicted earlier that I think the Patriots are ready to crumble. Deal with the Patriots fans! And you lose cannon. So I do not think they'll make the AFC title game and I like... I like the Steelers a lot.

I really do think that they are going to get over the hump this year, and I like the Jaguars, too, making it there. So I like Steelers Jaguars, Steelers getting through. I didn't do the segment, or you didn't do it. You're just going to copy what I've done so far. I have the Falcons against the Rams, though. I really like the Rams this year. But there's something really fun about Atlanta,

and it's why I had my original nomination of the Falcons of the teammates. of ATN. It's almost a story if it's not the Jets. And where's that Jets fan again? Is he still sad? He left. Yeah, he's crying. If it's not going to be the Jets, I want to spell Redemption, D-I-R-T-Y, Dirty. The Dirty Birds win the Super Bowl in Atlanta.

That is my prediction, which will be wrong, but it's fun. I would root for that if only because with all the acts in Atlanta, like there's a lot of potential for Greg like rap section, you know, throughout Super Bowl weeks, and the more we can do that. show with a 45-minute Greg loves rap section.

I love the Falcons, too. It really worries me that we're all on the same page there because that never works out. But I want to see them do well. I don't want to see them heartbroken. I think they're complete. I think their young defense is really exciting. But I do think they're going to lose in the NFC championship game to the Packers, who I think had the biggest addition in the offseason of Mike Petten. Replacing Dom Capers with him is like replacing Donald Trump with whoever our next president is going to be like... I was like, is he going to nail this analogy and he did it.

So I don't know how it's going to happen, but Aaron Rogers is just ready to show the rest of the NFL why he's one of the most talented players in league history. I think he's going to beat the Chargers in the Super Bowl, because that would just be a beautiful story, to see the Los Angeles Chargers who basically don't have a home team, win home field advantage in the AFC playoffs, take out the Patriots, in the AFC championship game. A game I could live with because it would take the pressure off

covering another Patriot Super Bowl and at least it would be the Chargers. They will cut up to the booth where they show Mike Pedden in this Super Bowl moment and Dom Kaper's hair will be floating next to him just sitting there in the atmosphere.

And it'll all be worth it for that moment. One more heartbreak for the Chargers but at least they get to the big game. Mark, I'll have to finally knock the chargers off the top of the pain rankings if that happens. Yeah, I mean, what they've been through and probably what they're about to go through is just heartbreak.

breaking to me. Well, I agree with everything Greg said about the Packers. I have them in the Super Bowl beating not the Falcons, but their NFC North rival, the Vikings, going through the dome to get back to the Super Bowl. There you go with weather again. Nobody likes domes. AFC, you'd be a fool not to pick the Patriots. They're there every year. Tom Brady's there. Bill Belichick's there. Gronks there. They're going to be back. And I tried to find a team that maybe they haven't faced yet, but they've beaten the Chargers on the way to the Super Bowl. They've beaten the Steelers.

They've beaten the Ravens. They've beaten the Jaguars. Are they not going to play in the AFC title game? They're just going to be like, all right, go ahead, Bill. Let's take the team that actually puts a scare into Patriots fan. The quarterback that puts a scare into Patriots fans. Joe Flacco

and the Ravens. He's right. Ravens are frightening. Ooh, are we back in the Ravens Nest out of nowhere? The Patriots win, of course. They'll be in the Super Bowl. And then Aaron Rogers will win there we go all right there you go there are predictions did i get you mark yes i followed my answer thank you it's so memorable hey you may or may not have heard but loz is the new home of craftsmen which means that at loz you'll find an ever-growing selection of mechanics tools tool storage and more in store and online ready to help tackle projects throughout your home if one of those projects

happens to be in a really tight space to get to then you definitely need to check out the one tooth ratchet. It has a three-degree arc swing. You guys, don't you know what that does? We didn't either, but we do now. A three-degree arc swing means you can loosen our tighten bolts with less movement in those hard-to-reach spots. Shop the new home of Craftsman today at Lowe's.com slash around.

That's Lose.com slash around. Cool, right? Lose. All right, so let's wrap things up here with questions from the audience. anything you want to ask the heroes. Now is the time we have... And don't we have a special... We do. We have a helper with a microphone.

We need a mic person. I feel like Chris should introduce her. Is there a paramour in the house? Woo! Is Jetleg Jackson here? I'm here. Over here. She's right off the plane, literally, to this place.

We were talking about Lakeisha Jackson, of course, the paramour. we're talking about Jetlag Jackson. It's just one of the great names. And I just think it's something to lean into. How are you, Lakeisha? Pushing through. This is great.

I love it. All right. We're going to do a Q&A. There's a gentleman. This guy over here, I know I'm putting you to work here. He shot up his hand first, and we're going to get to a bunch of questions. So if you have any, let us know. All right.

First up, who are you, sir? Tim. Who's your team? Chargers, actually. So hopefully this is the year that the pain won't be there. How did you become a charge? fan from here? I was actually born in L.A.

And when I went back when I was younger, La Danean Tomlinson was killing it, and that was the first time I watched football, and I was like, yeah, this is a good team. I thought the answer would be I was drugged, but that was good answer to. And ever since then, they just seem to get there and stumble,

and I've been with them ever since. All right, what do you got? So, actually, Chris, you said that this was a surreal moment, listening to Little Debbie on there. I have a very, this to me is a surreal moment. For us, too. This is our first show.

A couple of years ago, I think it was a couple of years ago, you mentioned something happening, Dan, in the desert, was Spice Rack. And I remember that you had cut it off quickly, and you were like, oh, we'll just put it to one side. And I thought to myself then, if I ever get the chance in a bar to ask you, what happened in Vegas with Spice Rack?

What would happen? So what happened in Vegas with Spice Rack? Well, it's a well-worn cliche that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Poor up. I am among friends. I love you guys. The funny thing, and this is the true story, honestly. I'd love to tell you something horrible happened in Vegas, and there was some crime that was covered up, or me and Spice Rack were fighting in the middle of like a pool atop a major casino. But the truth is, is that it was a perfectly cordial weekend with Spice Rack. He actually, me and like four of my buddies from high school, went to Vegas, he hooked us up. We went to. He hooked us up. We went. Went up onto the deck of the pool. We hung out, and I think we had free drinks.

It was great. And then left on great terms. And then when he came on the podcast two weeks later, he was fucking furious with me. And I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what was going on in his mind. And I think, Wes, and Wes, you know the spice rack. That's how he entered our world.

That he's just a bit of a wild card. And I just, that's what I marked it off to. But I honestly can tell you there was not an incident in the desert. I kind of wish there was. I would say to you, keep digging. Yeah, I don't know if I buy that. I don't know if I buy this. I've put my favorite super sleuth on the case, and he's been unable to unearth

anything, and it's because Spicerax's a great guy, but he's a weird dude. As his new best friend, Greg Rosenthal, can attend. We have been getting along quite a bit lately. I just texted him while you were talking what happened in Vegas with Dan, and he responded. He's good about things were said,

life was lived, a gentleman would never say. Thank you for coming through, Spiceroyce. That's Spiceroyce's greatest contribution to this podcast. Maybe something did happen. Who else got a question? Thanks for listening. Who's up next?

Okay, sir, it's the Packers fan in the front row. Your name, sir? My name's Dan. Nice name. All right, what do you got? I think this is going to be a good year for defenses. Which defenses are you guys excited about watching? Now the Bears.

Yeah. Thank you for picking them for. team invite you out. Also, your Packers. I agree with Greg, and I bet Mark agrees, too, that Petten was a great hire. Well, they've already talked about the players loving him. Petten was not a perfect head coach in a bad situation, but there was never a question about whether a lot of his players enjoyed playing for him. Some of the Jets stuff went a little sideways, but he's a guy well-liked, and I think it's a desperately needed change from Dom Cavers. I would say same division, though, this is obvious, but when you look at that Vikings roster,

there is not a weak spot right now. That's why I love this. idea that they're going to tumble somehow out of existence this year. Yeah, two of the teams that we just talked about as final four teams, but their defenses don't get talked about. I love what Atlanta's done, like building up. It really reminds me of what happened in Seattle, where you have the same players and they're stay in the system, and they're just fast. They have an identity.

I think Grady Jackson's one of the most underrated players in league. Dion Jones is great. And then the Chargers are kind of slept on, even though they have Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram up front, and they're good everywhere. Those are two. That was a Grady Jackson slip. The old 380-pounder run stuff? Grady Jarrett, right?

That's right. There's a high ceiling, high floor with the Texans. If everything clicks, and now they got Watt, Clowny, Honey Badger back there. If everything clicks, that whole team is so hard to figure out. But there is a scenario where they kick ass on defense, and that would be fun to watch. I had a theory this week that British fans, really based on almost nothing, seem to enjoy defense more than, in the States, that in the States, it's like, a high-scoring game or the games everyone's like.

Like, is this theory correct at all? Just make Greg feel good. Is it because nobody scores in soccer? Or it takes four days to score in cricket? Who's got another question? West London's a great wedding venue. All right. Ooh, the West, Lakeisha.

I think that slipped by the parables. Do you hear that? Maybe a London wedding? Yes or no. That's what Chandler did in friends. I think Keisha's got her heart. I'm sorry. We could do it.

You know, the NFL could send us here. I don't feel like Wes is going to base his wedding off of friends, Dan. We got a friends fan in the house? Who was that? I don't know. That was weird. Okay. I liked it, too.

Who's up? Yeah, hey, buddy. Someone has to have this question. What's your name? Luke. Luke, what's up? Obviously, Nike dropped the Colin Kaepernick ever yesterday. How do you think that's going to affect the NFL going into the season and as a boring part of it?

Can you name a better backup quarter? about than Colin Kaepernick in the league right now? Wes, why don't you start there? The better backup one is difficult. It's funny because as we were coming down the stairs here, I saw some notice that the NFL was going to release a statement about Kaepernick, which I was very curious to hear. I think in terms of how it's going to move forward,

it's all about the collusion case, but I think there is some sort of understanding, or better understanding among the league ownership that came after the recent anthem policy, that the pushback on that was maybe not what they were looking for. They were looking to get it out of the news, and I think they're starting to understand that maybe letting people have their voices and letting people, whether it's Colin Kaepernick or anyone else, speak, is in their interest, and I'm hopeful.

I think it's been hanging over this season. It's only two days away. the NFL and the NFLPA are trying to get together to figure this out. And I'm hopeful they're going to basically let the players do what they want. And I think it will be a black eye for the league if Eric Reed is not in it this year. And at this point, I've almost given up hope on Kaepernick. But it would be a great thing if some team did step up because he deserves to be in the league. I agree with that.

The one thing that I look at that statement, and it talks about Colin Kaepernick putting this cause that is so misunderstood by big chunks of people. in America, putting this cause before his own well-being and his own reputation and everything else. And it has become something where, you know, Wes, you just mentioned the hall they met in when they formed the NFL. This is going to be imbued and interwoven in NFL history the same way because our society is changing. And anyone that wants to shut down the players from sharing issues that need to be shared in America, but all over the place, that does not work anymore. and so I'm squarely in his corner as to what he is supporting.

And the people that get angry about that are the people that want to conflate that issue into something else completely. Wes? I admire Colin Kaepernick's courage, and I'm behind his movement, everything he stands for, and I never thought he was a good quarterback. I still don't think he's a good quarterback.

And if you want backups, Teddy Bridgewater, Josh McCown, Baker, Mayfield, Josh Rosen, we can keep going. He's not a good quarterback. I want a quarterback who can avoid pressure and not just throw to one side of the field, but throw to both sides of the field, who can throw with touch, which he's never been able to do, who can read the field, who doesn't, is not a third down sack waiting to happen, who doesn't need his own system catered to him in order to succeed. So in my opinion, he's better than a lot of third string quarterback. he's not better than a lot of backup quarterbacks. All right.

What else? Who else got one? Keish. Hi, I'm James. James, who you root for? I'm a deeply scarred Minnesota Vikings fan. Hang in there, buddy. I really thought last year was the year, and I blame myself.

I shouldn't have bought it. When the play happened, of course, Stefan Diggs, the Minneapolis Miracle, for most teams, even for your Patriots, once upon a time with the snow game, that's the game and then you get over the hump and you win the Super Bowl. There's only a few teams and as a Jets fan I can embrace you and understand, physically embrace you, meet me after the show.

And understand like only Vikings fans thinking to himself only us. Like we have one of the most famous plays in playoff history and then we crap the bed the next week. So I get the frustration but good luck to you next year. What do you got? Well my question is for Mark as a well-known

resident of the corner of sadness. I was wondering I was wondering what the criteria to join the corner was, because I've been very sad as a Vikings fan. I would tell you it's not an alluring place to be. I totally get the concept of blaming yourself when these things happen. It's like, it must be all of this is just some sort of computer simulation, and this keeps happening, and it's got to be my fault. Something is wrong in my personal life. It's all about me in the wrong way.

No, you're right. It might be right. I invite you to join, but I really wish, for the Vikings especially, that something happy would happen for you and for all of them to prevent that because you don't want to spend the next two years on that factory of sadness, corner of sadness front. Yeah, the Eagles were, and I don't know how the Eagles fans are going to handle this success. I'm a little nervous about it.

But I will say that it's always a better ending to a season for me when a fan base that suffers for a long time does finally get that win. It's always a lot of fun to see the reaction and that catharsis. and I hope if it's the Vikings time I mean if it's not the Jets time I hope it's the Vikings time Thank you very much Good luck

All right what else We got a couple time for a couple more Sorry I'm making my way Thank you Thank you sir I think Wes wanted a bubbly colored drink I've never True story I've never turned down a free beer

Definitely the first around the NFL podcast That someone came up to us and handed us beer Do you have any LeCroix by any chance? No, do not respond to them. Okay. Thank you, though. All right, what do we got? Hi, guys. Hi, my name's John.

I'm a Cardinals fan. Hi, John. You're the one. Yeah, it's me. I feel like you guys are really good at talking about every team throughout the weeks, but there's one team who we haven't really got a lot of news on recently. I'm looking at you, Dan. I want to know what's going on with the graybeards.

Where are you? Oh, there you are. The gray beards. Yes, the graybeards are my fake team of unemployed veterans. My superstar, and the man that I put on the press guide this year was Adrian Peterson. And he was taken from me. Turncoat. Yeah.

But the state of the gray beards, people always ask questions. And you guys, you probably might have been the people. Some of you might have done this. On Twitter, a member of the graybeards, and I put the roster out on the first week of April, when he signs, one of these players sign the first reaction is oh now what are you going to do? No, no, no. I don't lose them. Once you're a gray beard, you're

a gray beard forever. And that's the way it is. So there's the status of the gray beard. What was your question exactly? Soliloquy. Yeah, I mean, I was looking for a soliloquy. I'm looking to see whether maybe there were some of the cuts which maybe Oh, who could end up from... Some team building versus just sitting in the front office running

the pelicans. Brandon Marshall will be on your team by October. Like, who are they, let's spin it forward and really play this world out. Like, who are the graybeards competing against this year? How is their season structure? The Washington General's. Where are they? Well, Brandon Marshall, who are some big-name veterans that have been cut?

Because they're always welcome. Damn, this is your team. You guys handle the news. I don't know, like who, Paxton Lynch, he could come on board. He's a little young for the graybeards. But we're always looking to scout. We always, we give the veterans a home. So God loves the graybeards, and so do I.

What else? Two more questions. Two more. Hi, I'm Chris. I was a Jags fan as well. There you go. Hi, Chris. I was just wondering if you'd heard since you've been in the country from Gary Barnage. Gary Bonnish. That man's mega. Have not heard from Gary, which is weird because obviously he lives here in England. In fact, Gary Bonnage.

He's still holding out. I've always wanted to do this. all these Englishmen Does he nail the British accent? We're here among... It's not terrible, right? See, I get... It's a mixed reaction from the crowd.

I get killed... Yeah, it's mixed. I get killed... Actually, speaking of English people, I do get sometimes angry tweets like, don't you dare ever use our language like that, might? It's like, all right, I'm just trying to have fun,

it's a football podcast. Block them. Yeah, yeah, so... There you go. I don't know Gary Barnage. I'd like to meet him. I'd like to meet him one day. but he did record a message for us once because everyone, all our listeners,

started tweeting at him about an English accent. You have to wonder, that had to be fucking confusing. Yeah, it was a slightly dismissive message that I believe NFL network's strong arm into and he left the network very quickly after and went home in the park. There you go. He hasn't played since.

He has not. One more question. What we got? Going to the back. evening guys hey what jersey is that it's a crimsicle josh freeman jersey beautiful that is amazing

do you just like throw things 10 feet over people's head while you wear it oh you're the one that didn't like our bucks sunshine comment there's so many ugly things about that jersey like where do we start all right what do you got then well I just want to give you a go get my lunch because it's likely that you're going to get lunch

from me is from each other. I reckon that Ryan Fitzpatrick will end the season with a higher quarterback rating than James Winston. I know Greg's going to take you up on that one. Yeah, I mean, how are we going to get

these sandwiches? Well, come back next year, and I will actually give you to the sandwiches. We would like to come back next year. We want to come here every year and do this again, because this has been a lot of fun. I think it's more likely that Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn't make it to week four would it be,

and that he gets benched for Ryan Griffin in those three weeks than it would that he'd have a higher one than James. Who did they have the Eagles, Steelers, and Saints, the first three games? It's rough. You might be about halfway through that week three game and think, like, let's just pull the rip court here. Yeah, but pass the rating's also a little bit fluky. Let's say they ran the ball a bunch,

and he got out of it with an okay rating after three weeks, and then Winston, maybe a fluky okay rating, and then Winston goes to the rigors of the rest of the season and gets nipped by, like, 0.4% of a point. Is that even a real thing? I'll take you up just because I want the sandwich. Let's make it Nando's. I'm kind of into that.

Okay, I'm off of Nandos. I'm up in Nandos. Just to contextualize also, the best Ryan Fitzpatrick season ever, as any Jet, the sad Jet fan, sobbing on the floor. Anyone listening to this podcast knows. 88, I think his 88.7 was his past rating

in the Fitzmagic, 25. 15th season, which is pretty good but not great. That is the ceiling for him, and I just don't see that happen. Do we buy it to Dirk Cutter, by the way, saying that he doesn't necessarily get the job back? You didn't have to finish his sentence after, do we buy into Dirk cutter?

I can't believe Dirk has a job. I can't believe you know Ryan Fitzpatrick's quarterback rating in 2015. It's pretty amazing. It's very sad when the 2015 jet season gives you warm, fuzzy feelings when they collapse in Week 17 against the film. Dan 1, math, zero.

Nailed it. All right. Can I weigh in on this one? What's that? Can I weigh in on this one? I love you, too. I want the sandwiches. Sometimes it's best not to think too deeply.

James Winston's a much better quarterback than Ryan Fitzhack. There you go. And that's coming from someone who doesn't appreciate James Winston that much. Go get me my chicken. Yeah, get my chicken. Nandoz. All right, thank you for your questions, everybody. Before, and if you did ask a question,

Charlie, a wonderful woman who helped us set up earlier today, be right over there by the speaker, and she'll give you a free around the NFL podcast t-shirt. So thank you for helping us with the show. Before we go, and thank you again, everybody, it's been a lot of fun. We've been really lucky to have the UK following. It's not something that we ever could have anticipated that the podcast would take over on this side of the pond. I just wish our own country liked us as much. Yeah, seriously.

We're really appreciative of you guys. It was a dream. If you've been listening to the pod for many years, you know that we had our on-to-London campaign where I don't even know where this stuff comes from, but we asked you guys to send postcards with, I believe, a penny, and send it to Roger Goodell in New York. And a lot of you guys did do that, and that didn't work. And last year, it almost happened, but it didn't happen, and it turned out to be a blessing because Chris was sick at the time. and if we would have been sent to London West would not have been able to join us

so it was just how things work out it's amazing that the four of us are on the stage together with you tonight and before we go I just want to bring Lakeisha onto the stage because if Lakeisha wasn't around I don't know if Wes is around right now so we love her and we want her to come up here too you're a real MVP Kisa

I look bad, I didn't hug her. All right, thank you. How are you not crying, Lakeisha? Come on. Because I cry already. All right, we love that girl. Thank you to everybody for coming out. We have an after party that we'll tell you about after we sign off here. So stick around.

Thank you for attending the first ever around the NFL podcast live show from London. This is Dan Hansa signing off for The Quiet Storm. The Mailman. The old boss. And the loose cannon behind the ones and twos. Till Friday. This is an I-heart podcast.