NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - ATN midseason awards

Episode Date: November 4, 2015

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler – discuss the latest news from around the NFL, including the Titans firing head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and the 49ers benching quarterback Colin Kaepernick for Blaine Gabbert. Then the heroes present the "Around the NFL Midseason Awards" before finishing off with a preview of the Thursday night game between the Bengals and the Browns.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 is actually married. But have you met my friend Wes? Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I am joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Christopher Wessling, Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan.

Like that intro. I have to say one thing. Matt Money-Smith. I covered the Cardinals Browns game. And one thing we didn't mention Sunday night, he was the play-by-play man. Unbelievable job. X-Natural.

Yeah, for those who don't know Matt Money-Smith voices that intro. He comes in from across the city every show just for that 10 seconds and then drives back. And I should add, while on the subject of the money drops, that that one was written by my good friend Bob Castro, who had his second child yesterday. a beautiful son named Nicholas. So congratulations to Bob. Congrats, Bob.

And our friend Jason Zonwalt also had a child. Wow, sweet baby James. Another boy. So the children are here. And so is it around the NFL podcast for another show. A big Tuesday show with a lot of big news going on in the NFL. There's a lot going on. And, you know, we have coaches getting canned.

We get the trade deadline, trades that happened, trades that almost happened. Other saucy news, big names getting sent to the IR, a lot to talk about. So we will get to all that in a moment, but also to let you know what's coming up today. We're going to, Greg, you wrote a saucy piece on, you know, alternative midseason awards, which you can find at NFL.com. I used to be a big fan of Alternative Nation on MTV. Remember that show? Kennedy is the host. Oh, I had such a thing.

I remember Kennedy, please. Yes, Alternative Nation was the late-night program. Wes, were you familiar with that? Well, I didn't have cable TV until I was like almost 30 years old. So this puts you in that realm, though? Kennedy. Like 94? I didn't care for Kennedy.

Well, wait, so you do know who she is. Yeah, I thought she should take a shower once in a while. Oh, boy. No, I like Kennedy. Sorry, I got a side track. Get rid of the Petulli. Alternative Awards, yes, it's the midseason report this week, all on NFL.com. NFL.com slash midseason report.

So, yeah, we decided. since that's out and since we're kind of at the halfway point of the season, let's hand out some mid-season awards so each of us have nominated some teams and players and whatnot and we'll hand out awards later today. We'll also hit the TNF preview, Cleveland at Cincinnati, and also the Monday night recap of Colts and Panthers Mark with a thumbs down just referencing his Cleveland Browns, very upset. Well, this isn't the time of year that you, if you're a Browns fan,

and you want the parade being put on national television. What is the time of year? Football season? That's the time of year. Sure. Apparently so. I mean, let's couch that on 1 p.m. Eastern, please. It is a bit of a factory of sadness right now.

But before we get into that, the Thursday and the Monday night game, let's get to the news. We're going to do some news a little earlier today. So, Sid, behind the glass. How you doing, by the way? I'm doing well, Dan. Thanks for asking. I played kind of a cruel little bit on Sydney.

Sydney loves Disney land so much. much. And I said while we were taping an NFL now hit, that if it messed up for any technical reason whatsoever, she would be banned from Disney properties for a decade. Messed up four times in a row. So that's 40 years. None of those were my fault.

For the record, not a single one of those was my fault. You're like the quarterback, though. It's on your shoulder. I was going to say great leadership there, Sidney. Yeah, exactly. Everybody behind the glass. What's it like having the bus tracks on the back?

Oh, nobody, there's nobody in here behind the glass. Okay. fault there. These are great, hardworking people. Someone's getting hammered. All right, let's do some news, Sid. You're there, Russell Wilson, wow. I don't know what that was.

I heard, I think I heard Russell Wilson? Here, listen to it again. Ah, it's Clay Matthews telling Colin Kaepernick. Oh, I know Russell Wilson. I like that. You're there Russell Wilson, Ralph. Very topical. We'll get to that very shortly.

But let's start with the biggest news. that came out on Tuesday morning, the Tennessee Titans in the midst of a highly disappointing one-and-sixth start have moved on from head coach Ken Wisenhunt. He was fired. This was an unexpected firing. Usually these things, there's a certain, you know, how would you put it? There's a certain chemistry to where you kind of see it coming together.

There's some reports. There's usually a bi-week attachment. A little bit, yeah, there's little heat around the coach. and certainly Wisenhunt should deserve to be on the hot seat. He's been 3 and 20 in Tennessee and 4 and 31 over his last 35 games dating back to his Arizona days post-Warner. That's positively cotidian. So Wisenhunt deserved to get canned.

It just was a surprise that it happened, Chris Wessling. Do you think? And I've seen stuff on Twitter and the like that this is a devastating setback for Marcus Mariotta's development. But if Wizard Hunt isn't the answer, it's good to just get him out of the building and start again, right? Exactly. I don't see how having a guy who was 4 and 31, getting rid of that guy, how can that be anything but good for Marcus Marioti's development? You're talking about a coach who has habitually, since he landed in Nashville, played his least skilled players at the skilled positions.

If you give him a Sean Green or an Antonio Andrews or a Harry Douglas, they're going to start and play major menace as opposed to playing somebody a lot more talented. and frankly, their quarterbacks have been knocked out of five games in the last two years, the starting quarterback. They need someone in there who can drum up some better protection for the passer. Well, I don't know if that someone is Mike Mularky, who in his last 23 games as coach, and he's the new interim coach for Wisenhunt. He worked for Wisenhunt and was hired by him. He's three and 20.

In his last 23 games, he's had a lot of quarterbacks get injured. He's not a guy, I think, that is necessarily going to solve anything. So for the middle of this season, I don't really know what it matters. It's really just looking to next season. I mean, the only problem for Marriota, it's not a problem to get rid of Wizz and Hunt because he clearly completely failed at the job. But you're going to have Marriota, assuming they aren't dumb enough to keep Malarkey around, third coach in about five months.

And that's tough. That's what happened to Blaine Gabbard in Jacksonville. Blaine Gabbard is also just a bad quarterback. But isn't that a ride above everything else? Well, no, but in general, young quarterbacks on bad teams where the coaches change every year or two years, that is a bad stamp. And Mariotto's too much talent. They've got to, if this gets them time to find the right guy, but there are a lot of good young offensive coordinators out there right now. And they've got to go find an offensive coach that can find the right offense for their quarterback.

I think it highlights how weird this situation in Tennessee has now been for the last few years. I would say for the last year or two of Bud Adams' life. and then the transfer of power since he was gone. Watching the press conference, you got the clear impression. The decision was clearly made by Bud Adams' daughter, Amy Adams Strunk, who basically got rid of Wizz and Hunt. It's unclear how much the GM was involved, if at all. He wasn't even a part of the press conference.

It's unclear who's going to be making the decisions moving forward. This has been an organization really adrift for a little while. Amy Adams also great in the office remember the booze cruise episode I do there's more to the name this is a different yeah oh okay well I feel silly this is strunk that's right yeah there was there's nothing that that really painted the picture of franchise in transition then the podium that had the interim CEO and the interim coach and then the GM sitting like amongst the reporters and then they after a reporter asked and they were like hey, where's, where's Runston?

And then they were like, oh, he's here. And he's like, well, why isn't he up there? Because I didn't ask him to be up there. The interim CEO said, but he'll be a part of the search for the next coach. It just sent like a weird message. And also it seemed to cut off a Webster at the knees a little bit. Don't you think our knowledge about who the best coach for Mariotto would be is just extremely limited? We don't know anything.

You wouldn't dream up Bill Musgrave as the best Derek Carr coach. You wouldn't dream up Mike Shula as the guy. guy to make Cam Newton a franchise quarterback. I still am not sure. You wouldn't dream up Greg Olson for Blake Borders. These aren't the first picks we would have. And guys who are great minds, like Greg Roman couldn't develop Colin Kaepernick, Jim Harbaugh could not develop.

Be careful, Wes here. You're starting to dig into. That's Sessler's thing. I just think our knowledge from thousands of miles away on which coach is going to help a quarterback is just extremely limited. We're not making the decision. So that's fair. I mean, but that's the, that's the Titans job.

Their job is to find someone in a support system. for the young quarterback. Otherwise, what are you doing? And I don't think they need to find someone, you know, I've been reading, you know, you've got to find someone who can really, you know, install some of those Oregon concepts. I don't see that. I think Marcus Mariotas already showed.

I think he can work in a lot of different systems, but it's not like you need a coach to come in there and change everything and make it a college-style system. I think Marioita can work in a lot of different systems. I think the problem, I think Ken Wisenunfired himself on Monday, when he answered a question, they said you looked at the people who were hired before you, or the year you were hired or the year before, they've had better results quicker. Have you noticed that?

And he said, have you looked at their rosters? Have you looked at their situations? That's the question I would ask you. I'd say every situation is different. And the Titans believe they have a much better roster than this. And when they heard Ken Wisenhunt say that, I think they're like, all right, this, forget this guy. He's blaming. You know, that's not.

nice. But you know it's crazy. What is that? What is that? I did not do that's obnoxious. That was Vince McMahon. But you know what's crazy too? And it again illustrates how much things change and how quickly things change in the NFL is Marriota had that amazing debut. And you thought Wizz and Hunt was out of the woods. You thought, wow, they kept him around. And now he has the young franchise passer. And this team is going to be on the rise. A couple weeks cut two months later. And he's out of work. And I don't think he'll get another job. At least, at this level. Well, I mean, the joke going around yesterday, obviously,

was that of the three wins from Ken Wisenhunt, two of them came when he had eight months to prepare for the opener. That's true. And that was never give Ken Wisenhunt, eight months to prepare. And let's stop calling this guy a quarterback whisper and all this of the nonsense. He has left so many young quarterbacks by the side of the road at this point. Who said he was a quarterback whisper?

It's just based on the fact that when you get to a Super Bowl with a veteran passer, you buy yourself a lot of rope. He's still going to get another job because it's just, an old boys network and they'll find a way for that work well but not a head coaching job no but he'll work he'll make a millions of dollars being someone's offensive you'll never forgive him for not developing max hall or 13 other quarterbacks matt liner was definitely not calling him a quarterback whisper i've never seen anyone as gleeful as matt liner was on twitter when whizzen hunt got fired today just saying that you know he deserved it basically karma calm down that so can whizzen hunt out of a job also

out of a job pep hamilton the indianapolis cults offensive coordinator this came down late tuesday has been relieved of his duties or as the press release on the cult site so uh harshly put it he's been terminated as offensive coordinator for the cults this following um the monday night loss to the panthers that we're going to get to in a little bit um this is a situation where they're going to put rob chitzinski the former uh panthers coordinator and brown's head coach into the offensive coordinator role. Perhaps, Greg, something of a Hail Mary for a season that's really slipping away, and now PEP becomes the fall guy.

My immediate question is, who is making this call? Is it Chuck Pagano who knows this could be his last season in Indianapolis unless things turn around dramatically saying if I'm going to go out, I want to go out with my guy, Rob Chudzinski, who I coached with that University of Miami and a little, for a year with the Browns, and that's going to change things up. That would seem to make sense, but then again, you're never really sure who's running this team. Maybe it's Jim Mersey who's sick of watching this awful offense go each week and wants to just make an emotional change in the middle of the season.

Well, also, I mean, I don't have a problem with the change being made after what we've seen and how players were used on the field in Indianapolis, but they wouldn't let Chud interview for head coaching jobs last year. For Pagano or someone. For coordinator jobs. Spragano or someone thinks highly of him and maybe, you know, he's not going to be the last one gone, Pep Hamilton, but they wanted maybe to get their guy in place. I think you're right.

It's odd in the sense that Pep Hamilton was with Andrew Luck in Stanford. He's really the only coordinator he's ever had. Well, Bruce Ariens did a great job with Andrew Luck in 2012. And I think that created a very difficult situation for Hamilton to replace. Remember, he got criticized a lot in the first half of 2013 because they were just running and people were like, unleash the luck. And eventually they did.

I remember you would talk about it a lot, Wes, and then we thought they kind of had an epiphany and they started throwing like crazy. There's a sentiment in Indianapolis that for a long time, they need to get rid of this too tight end offense in the power running game and just go up tempo with luck. And most of their great quarterbacks in the NFL do go up tempo with the quarterback running that kind of system.

So I can see why that was a thought, especially after last night when you saw Andrew Luck sitting on 40 yards after three quarters with that offense. And as soon as they go hurry up, he has 185 yards in the fourth quarter. But to me, like, this is why this doesn't make sense. First of all, if they had a lead in overtime yesterday, they didn't hold on to it, they lost,

and Pep Hamilton gets fired the next day. And if it really is a situation where it's like, hey, Pep, this offense runs faster when we're up-tempo, wouldn't it be better to say, Pepp, this is how we have to run it and just keep them in position, instead of flushing them out of the building and causing this distraction in the middle of a season?

Well, and right, and that's why it'd be great to read at some point a tell-all article or book about what's going going on behind the scenes because maybe they gave him an ultimatum and sometimes these guys say, listen, this is the offense I've run for 15 plus years and I'm not going to change. And Chudinsky, who grew up under Norv Turner and other more pass-happy type coaches, has maybe a better offense and plan for luck. I want to see how it changes. It's not going to look the same. For me to consider this a distraction when the whole season's been a distraction. Exactly. Something going smoothly would be out of the ordinary in Indianapolis.

That's true. And you can see them. It's weighing on it. When Chuck Began cries and says everyone is the biggest win of their career. And if you watch the press conference last night of Andrew Luck, I've never seen Andrew Luck look as dejected and emotionally flat as he was after that game. And it all sets up for Sunday. As bad as this season has been for the Colts, it's about to get a whole lot worse because unless they play a lot better, Peyton Manning is coming back into Jim Mersey's building.

He's setting the all-time passing yards record. He's setting the all-time wins record. and he's giving a big middle finger to the ownership booth. Like, what a terrible. I'm down, Greg. All right. I'm just saying. I like having you around here.

You could not drum up a worse scenario if you're the Colts. Maybe they'll win the game. Who knows? We'll see about that. All right. Let's keep moving. We've got a lot to get to. In San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick was once viewed as one of the rising stars of the league,

almost won a Super Bowl. Now he doesn't even have a starting job benched NFL media. I mean Rappaport reported late Monday night in favor of Blaine Gabbard, one of the notorious draft bus of the last 15 years, of course, with the Jaguars, which tells you everything, Mark, that you need to know how bad it's gotten for Kaepernick,

who's had a series of just dreadful performances has been, you know, you can't sugarcoat it one of the worst quarterbacks in football, and Jim Tom Sula has decided he has to act. Well, I mean, and I can't think of a more depressing free fall for 49ers fans who a couple years ago saw a quarterback switch when Alex Smith

was playing very well statistically in San Francisco, but the coaches believed in Kaepernick and it propelled them to the Super Bowl and I'll never forget, we were standing on the sideline of the Super Bowl watching Kaepernick. He just didn't even know what he didn't know during warm-ups. Now it's almost like the job just became too

cumbersome and he's crumbled under the whole thing. And how depressing is it that their hopeful move here is that you're bringing Blaine Gabbert in as your starting quarterback? It just shows you everything west that's gone wrong in san francisco from personnel to the the connection between the front office and the coaching staff and it's all coming to the head with their franchise quarterback and tatters now and turning to a guy that everyone knows is a bum let's face it it just

couldn't get any worse yeah i think if you had to draw up the definition of dysfunctional is benching your franchise quarterback for blaine gabbard and cavernick has regressed in every single way possible physically touch, accuracy. I mean, those were never his strong elements, anticipation, but mentally with the field awareness, Dan wrote the post on Tori Smith. Every time you look up, he's calling a time out because the play clock's running down.

And even teammates, Rappaport, Ian Rappaport reported that there was basically a locker room split. Well, and then he reported there was a meeting last week in which essentially players were sticking up for him and not. And I know that was reported widely that a similar sort of meeting happened a few weeks ago. But doesn't that, that sounds dysfunctional too.

This shouldn't be an open room discussion that Jim Tom Sulla is holding where half the team is like, nope, got to get rid of the starting quarterback. And Colin Kaepernick's sitting right there. It's just so dysfunctional. But what this benching told me is that Kaepernick's not going to be back with this team next year. I can't imagine that he's still going to be the quarterback of this team. I agree with you. But when Blaine Gabbard, everything that we've ever seen from Blaine Gabbard,

who has the absolute potential to underperform what we've seen from Kaepernick, I wouldn't be shocked if he's back on the field this season. Right. I would expect him to be back on the field before December. There's a lot of conspiracy theories floating around. Colin Kaepernick might have wanted to be benched because this is such a dysfunctional team. I think it's pure and simple. He just never graduated from college spread offense to becoming a pocket passer in the NFL.

Him and Wisenhunt having such bad, I mean, everything is defined by super. Super Bowls, if they didn't take that time out when they had the right running play for Kaepernick on second and goal in the Superdome, he's the Super Bowl winning quarterback. If Ken Wisenhunt's defense gets one stop there, they got the lead with two and a half minutes, he's a Super Bowl winning coach for the rest of the league. How football work. And if you would have told me, because, yeah, Kaepernick, there's no way he'll be back at this point.

If you would have told me after the 2012 season that RG3 and Colin Kaepernick would both be on the free agent's scrap pile, I would literally punch you in the face. I'd insult you. Well, I don't do that, Dan. Because I'd be so shocked, I would hurt you. It's not my fault. We were wrong. I was very wrong.

We did a whole series, which looks ridiculous now. The top 10 quarterbacks, 25 and under. Number one was Andrew Luck. Number two was RG3 and number three was Kaepernick. Poor Cam Newton and Russell Wilson get dropped behind these guys. By the way, it's Kaepernick's birthday today. So happy birthday, Colin Kaepernick. Oh, at least you're a millionaire, buddy.

But money doesn't, you know what, Mark, money doesn't solve everything. It solves a lot of problems. It doesn't solve the fact that he's not a pocket passer. It's not going to make you happier, Mark. It's not going to make you happier. Why are you talking about me? I have a feeling it would make me happy. Let's talk about more 49ers news.

One, that the around the NFL group had prognosticated. Yes. That's correct. Nailed it. You crystal balled this. Vernon Davis has been traded. This went down on Monday to where? The Denver.

Broncos for a swap of late round picks. San Francisco also received the Broncos sixth round pick in 2017. This per Ian Rappaport. Yes, this was something last week we wrote our prediction pieces. I remember talking with Wes downstairs in the newsroom about what would be some sensible options. Wes mentioned Vernon Davis, the Denver Broncos. It just made sense. And for all the reasons that I wrote.

about last week that Peyton Manning needed another target he's always had success with tight ends Vernon Davis can still move as West the next gen stats tell us it was just the situation where both sides had a lot to gain from this the Broncos obviously more and now the deal is done and Peyton has another weapon a seven and no team the rich get richer Greg absolutely the things don't usually line up so perfectly for a trade like this but this is the exact type of thing I'd like to see more of in in football Vernon Davis he's trying to earn a new contract I think you're going to get the very best effort out of him. He definitely upgrades a position that they finally got involved on Sunday night

with Tammy and Owen Daniels. They really need a third receiver. That's part of their issue is they don't have any depth behind the top two wide receivers. Why not Vernon Davis? Well, this has nothing to do with Vernon Davis or the Denver Broncos. I mean, it's really just the fact that Dan nailed this person. Oh, I didn't know where you were going to storyline here. I mean, that's, I thought you were going to talk 49ers dysfunction.

The rest, and Wes, you know, You were part of that, too, and there was some controversy about how this, you know, came up. I am a consigliary to Dan on a day-to-day basis. That is part of my contract. Wes, as everyone should know, I guess I did post. Well, this kind of transcends Milana Vintraub now five and two and in first place in our fantasy league. But Wes is my day-to-day consigliary and a 4% ownership of that fantasy team. But, yes, I do lean on Wes as a scientist that sits next to me.

And yet you got all the public praise on Twitter, America. was buzzing about how hands just nailed it. No, but Dan went out of his way. Life is a functionary. Yeah, and he wrote a series of tweets, though, thanking Wes for actually coming up with this. I'm like a presidential speech writer. I feel, yeah, I feel like it was one of those things where West is okay with the

hair. Because, yeah, the old regular Joe, you know, to come out like a genius every once in a while is good. He got old Darlo, Jeff Darlington, tweeting, congratulations. Whoa, what? Slapping me on the back. No about that. And you know what?

Listen. Old Darlo. It is a victory for around the NFL that we've predicted this. And that's how I look at it. I would just say about this trade that week eight changed my opinion about the Broncos more than any team in the league. That Peyton Manning threw better and people are going to chalk it up to getting accustomed to Gary Kubyx offense during the by week. He physically threw the ball way better than he had been all year. You didn't see six or seven ducks coming out of his arm.

C.J. Anderson looked like end of 2014 C.J. Anderson. This offense looks much better. U.A. and Verdon Davis, who has two of the three fastest times by any tight end this year, I think he can still play. The Broncos seem like more of a threat to the Patriots than the Bengals to me. My question, though, is why after Peyton Manning isn't just learning how to play the position, suddenly looked completely different physically. I have no idea.

That's because you counted out the sheriff and you never count out the sheriff. I've been telling you for weeks. I don't buy it. I've been telling you for weeks. It's like a flood of Humblebregs. I don't buy that his comfortability with the offense. He just physically threw the ball way better. But that's the thing.

I think he has thrown the ball well three or four throws in these other games. Yeah, around 20. But this was throwing it for 30 or 35 throws. It's been mental decisions, and he was better on that front on Sunday. Plenty to talk about, about Peyton Manning in the future. But we've got to keep moving. It's a busy show. And by the way, in that prediction post where Vernon Davis to Denver was predicted

days and days before it happened. and happened. Mark Sessler threw out a little Joe Thomas trade. I don't know. Was it to Denver? Well, no. In fact, on top of heaping the glory onto yourself, you're incorrectly suggesting what I did, because I got it wrong. I suggested Alex Mack would be traded.

And Joe Hayden. Alex Max's name did come up, though. Yeah, whatever. So Joe Thomas to the Broncos, a trade that percolated on Twitter minutes before the 4 p.m. Eastern deadline on Tuesday that a deal would get done, but apparently John Elway said no. The Browns wanted a first round pick and a second round pick we're hearing to get the left tackle that has been really the cornerstone of a bad Brown's franchise for several years now, maybe get him to a contender

in his early 30s, but the deal didn't come through, not because they ran out of time or anything like that, just because the Browns wanted too much. And John Elway to his credit, Mark, said, well, I'm not going to give up the farm. Well, and I think that Elway and what's happening in Denver, swinging for the fences with an already, you know, completely strong, built team is the opposite of what's happening in Cleveland where essentially two seasons ago you traded away Trent Richardson, one of your few at the time pieces with trade value,

to get into number one picks. They talked about it to go get your quarterback. But you swung and completely missed on getting that quarterback. Two years in a row you had two number one picks. you have no quarterback still and you're stuck trying to trade what is one of the few good guys in the organization for more accrued picks. What Cleveland's plan could not be more hazy and convoluted at this point to me.

I have no idea what they're doing. Patton said it best. All this nonsense that went on this week is like throwing a grenade in the locker room. Right. It's a no-win situation because now the guy that everyone looks to that is the spokesman of that team that all the reporters and the teammates go to who ends up saying the right things about the Browns was just dangled, but now he's still stuck there.

Apparently he wanted to stay there. I don't think he's disappointed by that, but you just know the organization wanted to get rid of what's the one good thing. It never really made sense to me. Why is Joe Thomas not worth that pick? I would rather have Joe Thomas for the next three or four years than those picks.

The Broncos are going to win, what, between 11 and 14 games this year? So what do you get a 28, 29, 30th overall pick? It's not even a great value first rounder. It wouldn't have been that crazy. franchise history. I wouldn't have blamed the Broncos for giving up a first and a second with a fourth coming back. I don't think it's that crazy. If you have them under contract for pretty low money for the next three years, you have Ryan Harris as your third string left tackle in a win now season.

You have Michael Schofield, I believe it is, a right tackles. So they're going to have, their tackles could have trouble. Maybe that big performance Sunday saved those guys' job. Just one more thing. It wasn't just that the Browns were asking for too much. Joe Thomas also asked. for too much rap sheet reported while we were on the air that a hold up on converting remaining salary for 2016 and 17 into guarantees for Joe Thomas. Why would Joe Thomas not want to do this? Other than the fact that Clayty is under contract in Denver, too, and maybe it would lead to more just change for him.

Maybe he's like into supernatural things and he likes that his practice facility is built upon an Indian burial ground. Listen, anything's possible at this point, Dan. Let's move on. the Dallas Cowboys no longer employed Joseph Randall. The running back was released on Tuesday, ending kind of like a world win, a whirlwind of news and info about Randall, some strange. Of course, he was deemed to have violated the NFL's personal conduct policy recently,

dating back to a recent arrest in Wichita. He also, there was an issue with a girlfriend in which the police, he called the police. He was arrested for shoplifting back in October of 2014. This is a guy that has full. flashed real talent. I remember there was a game earlier season where he had like 100 yards and a half. But ultimately all these things, I guess, added up, Wes, and the decision was made.

Joseph Randall does not belong in our backfield. I think this one's simple. He's not good enough to act a fool. You can act a fool in Dallas if you're really good. Joseph Randall was outplayed by the guy who was backing him up. Thoroughly outplayed over the last two weeks. Darren McFandon touched the ball 57 times for 275 yards, which Joseph Randall would need five weeks to do.

he's just not that good. They have received almost the same exact amount of carries this season. One is averaging 4.1 yards per carry, Randall. One's averaging 4.0. Has Joseph Randall ever touched the ball more than 15 times in the game? Because that's a talent, too. That is? It wasn't about talent.

They obviously need running backs, and they'd be happy to keep Joseph Randall. Some of the stories that have coming up about him. By the way, he did touch the ball more than 15 times in every game this season, except for one. So that was a bad little stat to pick out. So between 15 and 20, all right. Let me know when he's carrying it 57 times.

Also, Darren McFadden not exactly a workhorseover. No, I lost. What are we arguing here? There's heat because, you know, we had a Randall versus McFadden. Hold on, I've got something here. Oh, uh-oh. From May 27, 2015, email from Chris Wesleyan to Greg Rosenthal and Connor or one high-octane sandwiches on the following.

Most yards from scrimmage this season by a cowboy's running back, Greg has some scrub scatback named Joseph Randall Wes and Connor have Darren McFadden's return to glory Scoreboard McFadden 5006 yards from scrimmage Joseph Randall 400 yards from scrimmage Yeah, you got me I want to stay out. I'm going to stay out of this mostly But I will just mention that Wes has another sandwich prop

Based around Christine, Kristen Michael leading the Cowboys in rushing So there are no winners with the Cowboys backfield No, there's another email from May 20. This one from Greg Rosenthal that says, I take Randall and two breakfast burritos. You take McFadden and a torn ACL. Thanks. The function of the show is simply going around from one person to the next

and slapping ourselves on the back. Just sticking it to each other. Settling grievances. Randall, some of the stories about him leaving the facility and obviously had the incident, I believe it was at Kmart last year. No, I believe it was Dillard's. It was Dillard.

Sorry. he just doesn't seem like he should be employed. By the way, he should not be employed. Wes, just so you know, right after this podcast, Greg is going to corner you and say the following.

You're fired. That's funny. I don't. Greg doesn't strike me as somebody with that thin of skin. It's been a nice little three-year run for Wes, but it's back to Tybee Island. Have a nice day.

One more time. We heard that again. It's my favorite. You're fire. You know what? He can tell me that. as long as there's a note on top of the sandwich he owes me yeah right anything to say he got he got me this time i'm just glad it was you know wasn't football related it was just he's a knucklehead and

finally uh real quick here keenan allen who was out off to a historic start in terms of receptions was uh philip rivers number one target uh this season was having a great third season he underwent a procedure on monday to repair a lacerated kidney um a surgery that ends this season. He was moved to injured reserve later on Tuesday, I should say. So Keenan Allen reminding us that football is no joke. Keenan Allen, you know, right there with Phillip Rivers is the best players in the Chargers offense this year.

And the around the NFL midseason all pro team coming out on Wednesday, he's going to be an honorable mention at why. I think he had the chance to be first team, no? I'm not putting him over Julio Jones. in either Steve Smith or Antonio Brown problem. I would consider him over either one of those guys. Third most amount of receptions

in NFL history through eight weeks. And I know you could say he's not going down the field that much, but these aren't cheap receptions. I mean, he's catching very difficult passes. I would put DeAndre Hopkins over him, too. Leading the NFL and receiving. All right, scientists. We have a lot of time to get them.

With Hoyer and Mallet as his key Bs. You guys should take it offline and just do just a head-to-head sitting at a local diner in L.A. It's the end of this poor guy's season. One of the best players in the league this year. He deserves a minute on the round of the NFL podcast. And if you ask, if he asks Sessler, it's like, oh, just another millionaire to me.

Yeah, that's accurate. That's true. He's like, well, it makes the money. He doesn't experience real pain or suffering. And that's what's happening. That takes us to Monday night football. And it was a game that led to the end of Pep Hamilton. Unfortunately, Graham Canoe hit a 52-yard field goal in overtime,

lifting the Panthers to a 2926 win over the Colts in Charlotte. It kept Carolina as the NFC's only unbeaten team. And this was a game. The Colts were down 17 points if 7 and a half minutes to go. Luck with that uptemper. offense that we were referencing earlier led the team back to a tie took the lead on a military field goal in overtime but the defense could not get a stop in the end the panthers finished the job and pep hamilton is finished west you wrote up the what we learn piece what was

your big takeaway from this game though i don't think there was like one big takeaway other than andrew luck is no longer fun to watch that it was it was an entertaining game but i felt more sorry for luck then being amazed that he brought them back. I think that was my biggest takeaway, just how broken the cults are. He looked lost, he looked lost, just as lost really the week before against the Saints. And just it's hard. You're right. At first it was interesting because we're so used to these quarterbacks.

They've spoiled us like Peyton Manning and, you know, other guys, Aaron Rogers, that we considered for MDP. A lot of us thought Andrew Luck might win an MVP this year. We just don't even think it's possible that a quarterback. could suddenly go from one of the best to one of the worst. No, I don't think it's possible. There's no doubt he's one of the worst this year. There was a moment after, how many picks did he throw in this game?

It felt like he, if he threw a couple, but it felt like you could have thrown six. And I would say it was in the, early in the fourth quarter, he threw a terrible misguided pass, chased down, ended up on his stomach on the turf, and he just stayed down on the turf. And they had the camera on him. He, like, hit the turf once. And a teammate was standing over him, like, waiting to help him. him up and it was like luck didn't even want to like show his face because he I think this is a stunning to him as it is to the rest of us that he can't believe he's making these mistakes

because they aren't just physical mistakes they're throwing into coverage throwing off his back foot mistakes that you expect him to make in 2012 but not in 2015 I've asked myself all along is are we going to find out down the road that he's dealing with a laundry list of injuries that's changed him up physically but honestly the week before he threw an interception that was the most un-andrew luck type pick that I've ever seen from him, where he just basically pulled a Brandon Wheed and staring down coverage, terrible pass, picked off. And we're seeing this stuff game after game,

and it is the most mystifying quarterback development this season, hands down, easy. Well, it's in his head, I think, at this point. I mean... But how do you get there? Because this is one of the more mentally tough. Think of how many times he's been hit every season he's been in the league. It's not like now he's suddenly getting wet. To be fair, after that moment, after that interception, that was the exact sequence.

He goes on the sideline. He refuses to talk to his coaches or really any teammates. He standbys himself. And oh, by the way, leads him to 17 points the next three drives. And West, and they get into overtime, and they take a lead in overtime. If Chuck Pagano, who's a defensive coach, could just get a stop on defense. There's no rule you can't get a stop on defense. That Pamilton still probably has a job right now.

Get a stop. I find it hard to believe there's not an injury involved, a serious injury that is affecting him mentally because we've seen this before. It really reminds me of Carson Palmer the end of his Bengals career when he had an elbow injury and it changed him mentally. It made him more hesitant and it made him a guy who couldn't move the offense until garbage time, which is what Andrew Luck has been this year. But when it's 10 points, we talked about it. It was 17 points and the Panthers started backing off in coverage. But it was 10 points with five and a half minutes left. At that point, that's a ball game.

And I heard, you know, they backed off in coverage a little bit. I went back to rewatch it a little. He still made some nice plays where he evaded the pass. Which I think the biggest problem in Gruden hammered it was the Panthers had no juice left at the end of the game for rushing the passer. He had all day to throw. Which, again, that's why he's able to suddenly start moving the ball. And as good as it was that he led them to the tie and to the lead,

prior to that go-ahead field going overtime, he missed a wide-open Andre Johnson that if he hits Andre Johnson in stride, he probably scores in the game is over. And then on the other side of the field, Ted Ginn, can you catch a ball? I just agree with the West, though. It's that it doesn't seem like someone

who trusts his body right now. Something is going on. He doesn't trust his body, his offensive line, or his wide receivers who his receivers, as good as we thought they would be entering the season, don't separate from press coverage. And yet in overtime,

you couldn't help but notice. That's when Cam Newton put together his best moments of the game three of the best on target throws you could possibly want when you're down three in overtime not not easy throws really four in a row if you include the gin drop he was sensational he's the best short yardage option in the entire league because of his running and that gets overlooked i mean that's just part of his game that that is a huge huge value add compared to some quarterbacks like you know palmer and brady for instance they don't have that.

Kirk Coleman, game of his career, game of his life, played awesome. And if you are bringing out your mid-season defensive player of the years and you've got Akeeb Taleb or Charles Woodson, you're watching the highlights, not the games, if you're taking those guys over Josh Norman. Josh Norman has been way better than those two guys this year. How about Jonathan Stewart too? Stewart, I think Stewart ran with power last night, even if he's not getting the big numbers. He has, he's ran hard all year.

It's been fun to watch. they know and I think identity sometimes it just gets thrown around this team needs identity there is something to the fact that the panthers they know exactly who they are they play the same way every week and it's working all right so that is Monday night football and gentlemen I you know we're going to get to Thursday night football in a second but before we do that you mentioned midseason awards and Josh Norman deserves it more than old man woods and got five picks that's nice What are you watching people? They're watching the highlights. We're now going to hand out some awards that aren't. These are not awards that were given, you know, willy-nilly or from a distance or based on, you know, watching some highlights.

It's based on being in the mix. That's what we do around here, isn't it, Greg? Trying to give it a little gravitas. These awards could not be more important, serious, or meaningful to the players that receive them. If you're listening, Dick, sporting goods, this is the hammer drop. So let's go through it.

I think we each drew up three or four awards that we're handing out the mid-season awards for the NFL. And I think, Mark, you are up first. You are the first presenter of a mid-season award. That's big. In the award show, they always go with a big name right off the top to let you know they're saying, sure. That makes sense.

Advertisers love it too. The award is the player I would not let near my children. All right. So the award, do you have nominated? or just a straight winner? No, there was a clear winner. Okay, so the award for the player that you would not let near your children goes to.

The trophy grows to Griff Whalen. Wow. Well, Carmen Upsen. Well, not in my book. You got to unpack this one, buddy. Well, I think, you know, talking with Connor, both in London and hearing him on the show,

discuss the arc of Griff Whalen, both in virtual reality and in real time. This is someone who is too focused on themselves and their own fame. They've taken a little bit of a villain turn in my book. Wow. I just don't trust this individual. Big catch on Monday night, football, Griff Whalen, in a big spot.

Not concerned about that. Wouldn't let him near my family. So it's a personal thing. Sure. An interesting first award to get the mid-season awards going. We now go to Chris Wesleying with the second award of the night. All right. The next award is the Lovie Smith Memorial Quarterback Bunkling Award.

who does not handle a quarterback room, Bill O'Brien, Houston Texans. Oh, big win. They're in first place tied with the Colts Night right now. They'd be in first place alone if he would have just let Brian Hoyer keep playing after week one. And after he told the whole country, hey, I've got two of the best quarterbacks in the history of the gridiron right here in my locker room. But he didn't exactly say that, but you're right.

I mean, he earned this award. I don't think there was anybody else you could even consider unless Jim Tom Sula is a late entry to the mix but i think bill just is overconfidence and overzealous it's been so bad that we're going to rename it to bill o'brien memorial back bumbling award that's an honor all right let's keep things moving this award uh is the primate in clear and present danger award a first time award presented to the creature facing a life or death domestic crisis Dallas brian that's des brine's pet monkey and a lot of danger this monkey this monkey I don't know if you guys are following the news,

but the PETA, Greg, is all over this. They say, Des, you got this monkey, post the picture on Instagram. Bad news. That thing should be in a sanctuary. That monkey could die. Look, I don't agree with PETA, you know, on every subject, but I'm not sure Des Bryant should have a wild animal as a pet.

That's fair. Greg told me before the show, in quotes, I don't care about animals. I've never said that I love to eat animals That's where we differ I would not eat a monkey But if it was socially acceptable

And I had been raised in a country where that was I probably would just be Why are a monkey and donkey pronounced different Shouldn't it be dunked by the way How come it was okay when Ross Geller And friends had Marcel that stupid monkey And now Des gets one

You know Des always under the spotlight For the wrong reasons And it's not fair Greg, you're up My award is an award for the most embarrassing division and you would think the AFC South, they're a strong candidate, four and 17 out of the division, but they are not the winner. It's the NFC East. Wow, that is an upset. The first big upset of the award show. Tell us why, Greg. Because we are subjected to watching the NFC East week after week. The AFC South has no delusions of grandeur. They're humble. They're firing their coaches.

They've got, you know, Blake Bortles is interesting. At least the Colts give us something to talk about. But the NFC East, they think they're good, they think they're important, they get big ratings, and they're a bunch of vanilla. They have a transam. All right, very good. Now, back to Mark. Mark, you went a little esoteric with your last award. Will this one be more for the people?

I don't know. Well, let's see. Okay, here we go. Most likely to become a middle manager at a Florida-based data entry firm. Joe Philbin. Wow. I think that was literally an award on a previous award show.

It was a different company. Not true. So Joey Phibbs, who is out of work, unfortunately, right now, you're saying the next job he gets won't be in professional football, but for... No, I think that he, you know, let's put him back in his comfort zone. Meetings, cups of coffee,

not a lot of sticks. It's a day to entry. You ever done data entry? I know what the job is. Not a hard job. Yeah. Okay, very fair. And it's hard to argue.

anyone else could win that award west next award is the ostrich award oh what is that this award is handing out to the people or person with a tendency to bury their head in the sand rather than face real trouble and man up to it the competition committee oh for having the worst rule in sports nobody knows what a catch is every single year and every year they make the language worse so the most basic active football nobody has any idea if it's if it's a good catcher Fun fact. Ostridge award to the worst people in the NFL, the competition. All right, all right.

A fun thing about Wes, very rarely does Wes raise his voice. It means he truly believes in something. And, yes, Wes is fired up, as we all are about the catch rule, which is nonsense. You ever had a beer with Wes? The voice goes up. Well, that's different voice. Rich McKay and Jeff Fisher, I know they're big fans of the podcast. They listen to it together often, even though they live in other cities.

they just put it on, put it over the phone. It's got to be tough to hear that. When they aren't being drowned out by the fake noise in the stadium. I'm familiar with their history. I wouldn't expect any action or pro-actant groups. Wow. All right. This next award is the NFL's Forgotten Man presented to the former prominent player

who fell off the grid. The nominees, Tori Smith, Robert Griffin III, Alodi Nata, and Dwayne Bo. And your winner. Robert Griffin the 3rd. He earned this guy. guys. This was a transcendent. Everyone was ready. Put him in Canton after 2012. Yes, the last two seasons after that were disappointing, to say the least, but for him now to not even really be in the NFL anymore. And I saw a report on Tuesday that they, you know, they were sending out trade feelers, the Redskins all season, have not even gotten a lick of interest. That just tells you how incredible his falloff has been. He's off the grid is the NFL's forgotten man, 2015 at the mids.

season point it's quite an honor i mean he deserved it hey you put that right next to his heism the only person that's seen him is connor or at kudoba think about it yeah it's true you got the 2012 or 2011 heisman trophy you got the 2012 offensive rookie of the year and now the 2015 forgotten oh but this is special i mean yes this gets the middle the mantel piece great go ahead all right my my word's going to be called the uh the most surprising statistics award And this is possible two-time winner because this award goes to Brian Hoyer. Wow, Brian Hoyer.

He somehow made it into our award. So did you know that Brian Hoyer has missed three games and yet he is among the top 10 quarterbacks in passing touchdowns? In yards per pass, in yards per completion, 13 touchdowns and three picks. If you took a look at Brian Hoyer's stats, you would think he is having a pro bowl type of season

and yet he was benched after three quarters for a man who can't show up on time and is no longer even on the team. I will never question the academy, but I will say 21% of those stats were accrued after his team was down 41-0. It's still surprising. Junk time is a glorious thing.

It is. All right, we'll go around one more time maybe. Mark Sessler, keep going. Okay, outrageous Humble Bragg Award of the 2000. 2015 mid-season goes to Philip Rivers. Explain. All right, we get it.

You're potent. Okay, eight kids. It works. Enough. Well, what was the humble brag? It's a silent humble brag. Hey, look at me. Just had an eighth child.

I can keep turning these things out like it's a machine factor. And I've said on this podcast, I'm very happy for Philip and Tiffany. As a wife's name. Very nice. And all the children. and the latest daughter. You don't sound happy. Well, I think it's a humble brag, though.

It's not that I'm not happy for him, but it's a total humble brag. Is anyone else aware of the population problem in the world? I'd much rather Philip River say as 15 or 20 kids with the means and the morality to raise them correctly than one horrible person raising one kid. How about three kids? Still a humble brag.

How about four? Hey, how about you don't police a woman's body? Thank you, Greg. That's a slam dunk victory. That was unprofessional. rivers around west well we went from the ostrich award now to the goat award named in honor of jerry rice greatest all-time receiver we're going goat quarterback in tight end new england patriots tom brady and rob gruncowski i'm ready to give it to him already grunk already to me has a better

career than tony gonzalez his peak is that impressive tom brady for the extent to which he has carried his peak on for his entire career and more highs that's a big award those he has overtaken Johnny Unitas in my mind. That's quite a mid-season award. Yes, it is. It's really going to be hard to top that. That should have been the last one. Because that's big coming from West Gronk.

I like it. That is. That's true. And it just sent me into a panic about whoever has the last award. It better be a good one. Here is the next award. And as we know, Sid, there's a little more work behind the glass for this one. This is the best commercial award presented to the best advertisement with

heavy airplay during the NFL season in the first half. The first nominee, Troy Aikman, Miller Light. Aikman, Touchdown, Unbelievable. Aikwit Touchdown. Unbelievable. Aikrit touchdown. I dwell in the past. Very good.

A round of applause, please. All right. Next up, Matthew McConaughey, Lincoln Motor Company. That's a big bull. What was that, Matthew? That's a big bull. what's the bull's name from last year so those are both good nominees but the winner of the best commercial in the first half of the season goes to I bet if they just had the

chance some of those backups would really shine Luke McCown Verizon and Luke really deserved it and I think he ran away with this thing with his ability to deliver deadpan humor and a really solid line reading and a very successful campaign as we talked about. He came in, got the chance to succeed as a backup when Drew really got hurt and got the job done, showing us once and for all that Verizon's backup generators could be counted on in a pinch. Greg. Why would I have anything to say about this? I don't know what to say about Verizon.

This is confusing. It's a very special honor. Now it's your turn. Oh, it's my turn for another award. I thought we would kick the last award. Kick that one around. You're up, Greg. All right, finally, the worst narrative of an award in the league.

Many options. Cam Newton for MVP, that's a joke. Anyone but Eric Berry, how can you compare it into cancer? But no, it's anyone voting for Charles Woodson or Akeeb Talib as defensive players. Thank you. That is the worst narrative out there. What does that even mean? Charles Woodson would win defensive player of the year

and in a season where J.J. Watt is playing at his best, or Josh Norman, if you want to throw it in there. Akeeb Taleb's not even the best cornerback on his own team, much less the best quarterback in the league. But he's not defensive. He's not even the best. Is he in the top three defenders on the team? He was the best defender on Sunday night,

and they sent these ballots out on Monday. How do you pick Tilibe over Von Miller or DeMarcus Ware? Come on, people. And by the way, I'm not slamming anything. I'm about Eric Barry's candidacy. What I'm saying is the comeback player of the year should be slammed because it's very confusing. How can you compare someone coming back from cancer to someone coming back from knee injury? Like how does it's possible.

You hit the nail on the head once again, Greg. Incisive. What we have time for one more award. Does anybody got one? No, we are at a time, that means. And it was a really great award show. The mid-season awards are officially over. One last round of applause for everybody.

Thank you. Really good stuff. Thanks. Really good stuff. We move on now. To the final discussion of Tuesday show, Thursday night football, Mark, your Cleveland Browns, head to Cincinnati to face the Bengals, the undefeated Bengals.

This is a 7-0 Cincinnati team, and the Browns will be starting Johnny Mansell in the game. We're hearing from our own reporting, Rand Gettlin. Mike Patton didn't go quite that far. at his press conference on Tuesday, but let's trust our reporting on this that we're going to get Manzell in there a quarterback. Mark, I'll start with you on this. Does this give them a better chance

to hang with Cincinnati, or is this what you would deem a lost cause type of game? Well, it's not a good setup for a player that doesn't have a lot of on-field experience to have to go through a week where you get maybe one practice and kind of a piecemeal walk-through. And Josh McCown has not been the problem

in Cleveland at all, For all their ups and downs, I mean, you know, he's not a perfect passer, but I think they'd be in a much better position to stick with the guy that's been throwing two or three touchdowns every week and producing yardage and showing such good chemistry with Gary Barnage. I mean, it's back to wild card stage at the quarterback position. On the flip side, the season is lost, and it's time to find out what is happening with Mansell.

It's going to be a tough matchup. This Bengals defense gets better every week. I think the secondaries playing really well. Georgia Loka seems to be making plays every week, the defensive line. I mean, they had a really impressive performance against Pittsburgh that got lost in the shuffle. I mean, Ben Rothesberger, he looked terrible in that game. By the fourth quarter, and it was a full-scale meltdown. But I think for the most part, the Bengals defense forced Pittsburgh into looking so bad for that game.

We've come a long way from people advocating for Johnny Mansell after throwing six completions or eight completions in a game to be the starter. after Josh McCown basically his average 300 yards and two TDs a game, I think it's a clear step down. Absolutely. And, you know, this could be scary for this Browns team because the Bengals team that absolutely destroyed Cleveland late in the season last year with Mansell on her center, that Bengals team is not nearly as good as this Bengals team.

And yet the Brown's defense is far worse than it was at the end of last season. And with Manzell, the offense is a complete unknown. Let me throw out a scenario that could play out on. Thursday night. The Browns, they've been at times very frisky. They're frisky in this game too because of the Browns. They don't finish the deal. They end up losing, let's say 28, 24 on a late AJ Green touchdown.

But Mansell plays very well. I mean, he doesn't turn the ball over. He looks like a guy that knows how to play the position. He looks like he's shown a lot of growth from last year. The Browns after the loss will be two and seven with no playoff chances. As good as Josh McCowns has been, and we've talked about this in the past. he's still the first round pick last year, Johnny Manzell. If he plays well in this game, why would you take him out?

I think what's happening in Cleveland a little bit is that the coaching staff and the front office could not be on a farther islands. And that Petten just wants to win games. And he probably doesn't care about Johnny Mansell and what to do with that because that wasn't his decision and his pick. And he believes and trusts in McCown. It's clear that whole coaching staff and locker room loves McCown. So I agree that's what they should do because, This team has nothing right now. You've got to find out if you're going to go all in for a quarterback in the offseason.

And it's weird. You just signed Austin Davis to a long-term deal. You've got Mansell sitting there as a question mark, and you've got a 36-year-old veteran quarterback. If you're Mike Patton, why would you think any differently than I want the guy who gives me the best chance to win each and every week? He's got to think about his job, not the future, especially when you haven't seen anything out of Johnny Manzell that makes you think,

oh, yeah, this guy could lead us out of what we're in. It was an really awkward press conference today with Ray Farmer, especially the general manager met with the media. One of the questions, I believe, from our Albert Breer, was, you know, does Dwayne Boe, what was it? Does he look like an over, like a bad investment? And the answer was essentially, that's an interesting question. And then he sort of dodged it. But I got the sense from Farmer, if you're really reading between the lines, he was saying, you know, it's up to us to put him, Dwayne Boe in the best situation. situation to succeed.

And it's up to us to get these guys that we've brought in and put them in the best situation. So I think there's definitely, I think that's a little bit of that schism you're seeing coming out in public that he believes in the guys he brought in. Clearly, Patton doesn't believe in some of them. And Ray, he can't control this, but they're saying never let them see you sweat. He's speaking to the local media and he's sweating so profusely that a team personnel official has to hand him a towel and he's wiping down his face and slugging down water. I mean, it just doesn't, he seems to me to be part of the problem,

not part of the solution, and they just seem to be a far way off still. This was one of the first press conferences where Patton preceded Farmer up at the podium and looked to me exhausted and angry. And I think it's a week of a lot of gossip and trade rumors where, again, he said, you just dropped a bomb in the middle of our locker room. And that was a shot in my book at Farmer because they aren't on the same. same page. No doubt about it. It was handled terribly all week long. And this team now, it's true proven veterans. The few they have are wondering what the hell is going on. All right. Around the

room now, I have a feeling we might be on the same page of this game, but you never know. Your pick, Mark, and final score. I mean, this is, there's no way I can go against the Bengals here. There's no, there's no indication to pick against them. 31.7. Well, Wes. Bengals, 34-2-10. I'm going to say the Browns are going to be frisky. I think it will be a closer game than maybe we expect, but 24-20 Cincinnati. Yeah, I'll go 31-13 Cincinnati.

Second best tight in the league right now, Tyler Eifert. Jeremy Hill, I think,'s running well lately. Is he even the best tight end in this game? You'll watch Gary Barnes. Please. What do you please? It's been great. You can have your highlight real catches.

Tyler Eifford's very consistent. I can't believe. Barnage has been more consistent. You're telling me barnage isn't British. Gary Bonnage. Well, he may want to be. Well, with the way things are going, I mean, do you want to be in Cleveland right now? Maybe you go to London.

Okay, I hear you on that. All right. So, there you go. So tune in, by the way, to NFL Network exclusively that game could be seen on the NFL Network. Line up. Line up for that. It is. Johnny Manzell, that's, I think,

they're loving it. In our news from people, we're going crazy that it is Manzell because that is your ratings hike on what would have been. As somebody that's not connected to the teams as just a football fan, that makes the game more interesting. It does, absolutely. So we'll see how he plays and, you know, maybe he'll surprise us. That is it for Tuesday's edition of the Around the NFL podcast.

We will be back on Thursday with another show. We will get the Thursday. We're going to preview all of the Sunday games. We're going to, what else are we going to do, Greg? That's about it. That's what we do. So many things. All right, this is Dan Hansa, signing off for The Quiet Storm, the Mailman, the boss.

La Cede behind the glass. Until Friday. This is an eye heart podcast.