NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Championship Sunday recap

Episode Date: January 25, 2016

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling, and Gregg Rosenthal – break down all the action from Championship Sunday starting with the Broncos who held off the Patriots on a late comeback drive to punch their ticket to Super Bowl 50, and a dominant performance from the Panthers, who routed the Cardinals 49-15 on their way to Santa Clara. Then, the heroes check in on their sandwich props from Thursday’s show, and quickly preview what’s to come in two weeks when the Broncos and the Panthers face off in the bay.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. Does it slip in the shower? 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, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan.

What's happening? Let's hear it for the boys. I always enjoy how the, oh, opening of the show. The tone of Dan's voice, you can tell if either the Patriots have lost or the Jets have won that day. We know the Jets are out done for the season. So one of those things happened. Yes. Well, spoiler alert. Yeah, the Patriots lost on Sunday. And as I promised, Greg, I'm, you know, I'm not being a jerk. I never rubbed anything in. Everybody, I was getting a ton of tweets. Oh, you must be really giving it to Greg right now. What am I a effing monster?

No, I don't do that. That's the fan code. You don't do that. well sometimes people do it but if we had to tape this well they're monsters right after the game then you know it'd be a little surlier the emotions are raw but we had that entire beat down by the panthers to watch for right well and also you're not a cool down you're not invested admittedly you're not really like i was crushed when the jets lost a regular season game to miss the playoffs like eight hours later you're already kind of over it i can't tell you seem to take it very well well that it's all a facade it's all on the inside uh i was like you're going to go home and like shed tears. Well, no. At this point, I've started to move on, but the, during the game,

it's like two hours after the game. It was, it's four or five, right? But it's the tightness during the game and the tension during the game and the pain during the game is real. That was, that's about as painful losses there's been. Those are, again, foreshadowing, clouds rolling into Foxborough and some storms. I have, I've pushed down some of that fandom, but once you get to the final four, I mean, these are, kind of the games where you can't help you're playing with house money when you're this close when you're this close have i mentioned by the way um that this podcast is presented by scott trade wow no good tea scott trade you want you like money west i need more of it but yes i well i like the

little that i have west i'm trying to get a catchphrase going here you like money was absolutely you want more of it no question hey call up my friend scott hey trade There you go, Wes. Bang. That's what I've been missing out on all along. Scott trade. Mark, you've been quiet so far. Tough day for you, obviously.

We'll get into it. Big day for Peyton Manning. Your pats go out. Well, all of that is incorrect. I mean, I thought they were, I was expecting two classics, especially the late game and we can get into it, but that game was a stinker. So, you know.

The late game, we, yeah, it just shows we don't know anything. I think everyone in our predictions, I think they were all high-scoring one-point game. basically I think Mark West and I had 31 30 with a flip and who would win Mark saw an 88 yard Cam Newton touchdown run and overtime to win it Greg stopped doing picks so I don't remember what I think Cardinals in a close one but that game was anything but close we'll get to that obviously so we're going to get to the New England Denver game we'll get to the Carolina Arizona game we will check in on our prop bets that we made on Thursday our Thursday show calling our go get my lunch Go get my ludge, you human garbage. And then we'll peek ahead at the Super Bowl. There's two weeks until the game. And, of course, we will as a groupie going to San Francisco, hashtag blessed.

So, you know, Mark disgusted by me right now. What are you talking about? You just rolled your eyes at me. I don't know if that, you know, hashtag, this is our job. This is what we do. We just roll in and do our job. Gotcha. All right.

So. Because of a simmering low-level disgust for something right now. I don't know what it is. I think the over-analysis, which is also incorrect, is a problem. We're eight minutes into the show. Let's start analyzing things correctly. All right. That's fair.

So let's get into it. We're going to get to the bottom of this by the end of the show. I'm fine. I mean, I don't understand why, you know, the nitpicking is going on already. Let's just get into the games, which we're great, sort of. We'll start. at mile high and a game in which the new england patriots the defending super bowl champions enter this game as favorites all four of us for instance pick the pats to win the game

uh but immediately gentlemen things didn't play out the way a lot of people expected the the bronco scored two quick first half touchdowns uh taking advantage of some shoddy play from pay tom brady but it wasn't really on tom brady necessarily at least not completely he took a beating in this game a savage beating in fact he was hit 20 times in this game sacked a bunch pressured into throws the denver defensive line secondary really son of bum Wade phillips deserves a lot of credit they got the job done and then near the end of the game after the broncos offense Greg sputtered out it gave tom brady one last chance at the end of the game he leads uh the patriots down the field converts a fourth and ten to rob gronkowski i mean what a what an amazing play that's one of the best plays

of Brady and Granc's career. Absolutely. And, you know, even as a Tom Brady hater like myself, how can you not respect the guy for what he was able to do, gets him in the red zone, then hooks up again with Grank on a play where Gras just showed off why he's a man amongst boys. Then they need the two-point conversion.

They can't convert the two-point conversion. And that was it. Onside kick recovery by Denver. 2018, the Broncos, going to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. And the Pat's going home. Chris Wessling, get us going. Your thoughts about this game, which did not play out how we or a lot of other people thought.

When's the last time you saw three players combined for 15 quarterback hits? Von Miller owned Marcus Cannon. Derek Wolf has started to channel JJ Watt over the last month, and DeMarcus Ware had seven hits on Tom Brady. It was an incredible performance by the Broncos defense. I doubted that they were still dominant, and they showed today that this was the best game they've played since September. on defense, I think.

And I talked about it this week, that the players are there to have that sort of performance that they've shown, I always think with a great team who's shown greatness and the players are there, they always have a potential to have that sort of game. And you said it, that's exactly what happened. Fifteen quarterback hits. That's the most any team has had in the NFL this year

before this game. And that's what just those three players had. And what did it end up with 20? You wrote about it. That's the most since Charlie Fry got hit 20 times 10 years ago. By the Ravens. And you got to give Tom Brady credit. He's a 38-year-old man who's been playing this league for 16 years.

Stephen survived this game just shows you what a competitor he is. That's a beating. Well, survive it. And that's one reason why it hurts so much. One is they could have won this game. I think you get to a neutral field. I would have loved to see what they could do against Carolina. Just what a game that could have been.

But the thing is, they get into scoring position three times in the last seven minutes. So they were knocking on the door. The one fourth down doesn't work. get down there again, stopped again on the fourth and one. And then they get down again with one of the best plays in Brady's career to Gronk. And then a total miracle play by Gronk on fourth and six at the goal line. And suddenly you're within two points and you're that close to what would have been maybe the most epic comeback or finish in Brady's career.

And there's been a lot. I mean, they had that right there on the table. Yeah, but I also think this game completely revealed a Patriots team that is two, banged up. Their offensive line was a nice story. You're shuffling players around more than any team in the NFL. But what they did last week, which was come out with a quick pass attack and essentially scrapped the run game, you can't do that against this defense. And we did, we all picked the Patriots, but we weren't disrespecting Denver's defense during the week. And there were questions about Ken Brady repeat what they did

against the Chiefs this time. And absolutely not. The Chiefs have a good pass rush that they never got to him. Completely different story today. I mean, we watch Marcus Cannon get turnstiled over and over by Von Miller, who was dominant today. Absolutely. It went beyond the pass rush. You're seeing some of these plays right now. Julian Edelman and Danny Amandula got crushed on slants and crossing routes by by T.J. Ward and Darian Stewart and then even Shiloh Keo had a big hit. Well, Shiloh Keo was a big part of the final play, and we might as well talk about that now, because I thought it was a fitting end to the game. Tom Brady made a bad decision

because pressure came quickly in his face to Marcus Ware was coming after him and then Brandon Marshall, the linebacker, was coming after him and he decided to throw across his body to Julian Edelman. Now, I think Patriots fans and Tom Brady, when they see the all-22 of that play, you see Rob Grunkowski getting single covered by Shiloh Keio. And you see Rob Grunkowski with a whole lot of grass in front of him running to the side of the pylon.

Phil Sims totally botched it, so people, I think, missed it when we was talking about the replay. But that's one of those just what-if type of moments that if Brady, his vision, had just kind of go to his secondary receiver, which was gronk, maybe he makes that play. Well, what about the what-if moments where he kept missing James White, and James White is culpable for what were essentially sort of drops or wasn't there on target? He has to make those play. It was one play after the next. But that's part of the problem when you're targeting a limited player like James White

on deep balls down the sideline. You can't expect them to make all those plays. And by the way, let me just go back to the two-point conversion. Yep. Greg, you had that freeze-framed on your screen at your desk. So before we completely write off, Greg, as a Pats fan, that was sticking with him hours after the game. You see Granc single-teamed in your dreams, don't you?

I do. I mean, I froze it because I wanted people to see. It just seemed like it got lost in the shuffle right there, that they had a chance on. that play to make a little history, to send it to overtime. Wouldn't have that been delicious? But the Broncos to the James White plate, some of those plays didn't work because Brady had to throw the ball too quickly, too.

And that's on the passers. It was a mirror. It's amazing that the Patriots, for everything that went wrong in this game, outgained Denver by 90 yards and were in that position to take a lead in the fourth quarter. It's amazing that they believed James White was by far their best offensive option at that point. and they kept going one-on-one with a linebacker he has to make that play it's amazing but it's also part and parcel of what we talked about with the broncos which their offense is not the reason they're in the super bowl on any level and they're going to have to find a way for their defense to neutralize cam newton in that carolina attack because it was the Denver offense that had chance over and over in the fourth quarter to end this thing and they kept giving the ball back to brady one time after the next if you're a broncos fan that is concerning it was maddening to watch that they say played scared but an offense I think they they they definitely took the air out of the ball they they Peyton Manning has done a great job uh over the last two weeks not killing

the team with mistakes and I think they they were felt probably if I'm thinking I'm the Broncos coaching stuff we got two touchdowns out of Peyton in the first half we think we've scored enough points to let the defense hold it up we are not going to do anything to let this game slip away because our quarterback made a mistake that's how it seemed to me I would be a little nervous still from a Broncos fan because the offense did nothing in the second half. We'll get more into Peyton's first half in a second. Greg, where are you going to say? Well, just that they're the best closers in the NFL. You know, we can say they're lucky, but they've beaten playoff team after playoff team in the fourth quarter. They're a good team with the lead,

I believe, because they're a running game and because of their defense and that lets the pass rushers go. And that's why Bill Belichick took the ball first, because they're such a good team with the lead. The Patriots wanted to get out on top. So I think Gary Kubiak, when he's got a lead is thinking we're going to like you said make sure we don't make a mistake and if we you know we're just going to be very conservative if we happen to give up a lead we're only going to be down what two or three points and we've shown we can make that comeback well they might be the best closers in the afc i mean what about the they're the best tight game they almost handed this game away they have 11 wins by seven points or less that's what i'm saying that's what i'm saying is whether you can

say it's a little lucky but whatever you want to call it mojo what they believe they're going to win close games because they do it every single time. You weren't concerned, though, by the offense going three and out over and over. They just won the AFC. That's there to be concerned about. I'm just some asking from a next game when you play a team like the Panthers. We haven't even mentioned their special teams. They were dominant on special teams against the Steelers.

That was the difference in that game. And then today, Gascalky misses the extra point while McManus has hit drilling 52-yard field goals. And the field position, how many games did, how many drives did Brady start in the shadow of his own goulon? Yeah. That Gostowski miss. And this will be the season, the first season where they move back the post. You know, he doesn't miss that if it's the old rules. So in a way, Greg, the new rules directly led to your boys going home.

Conspiracy. I always like this rule until now. Now I don't like it. No, I'm kidding. But Gaskowski had hit 55 extra points this year. He hadn't missed one since December 31st, 2006. 523. But that was blocked.

But that wasn't the same. extra point. So you can really only talk about this year's extra point, but that was 50 plus. So that's a pretty big sample size. The odds on him missing that. And he said after the game, you know, put it all on me. And I, and with Peyton Manning, I think the way I look at it, what he deserves a lot of credit for is basically when they turn the team over to Brock Osweiler, they wanted to give it to a young guy who was a little more mobile, maybe had, you know, more upside at this point. And it was like, you know, make some plays, don't kill us, and then we'll trust the rest of our team, defense and special teams.

And to Kubiak's credit, he gave the team back to Peyton, hoping Peyton would play ball on this and take the step back and become just the supporting player. And that's exactly what Manning's done. I give him a ton of credit because I don't think a guy like Brett Farve could ever done this. I don't know if there's a lot of star quarterbacks that could really become a bit player the way Manning is and be okay with the fact that they weren't giving him a chance

to close out that game in the second half. And he did make the plays in the first half. I mean, that first drive, I mean, that looked like old Peyton lead, and that dictated the flow of the entire game. He missed Emmanuel Sanders before that second touchdown pass, but then threw a really pretty ball to Owen Daniels, who was supposed to be eradicated by Vernon Davis, by the way. That didn't work out.

Jamie Collins is going to have nightmares about Owen Daniels of all people. So Peyton, at the end of the day, legacy game, by the way, guys. We talked about this, like who this loss would hurt more for. The reason why it kills Brady for me, because I think Peyton Manning now, is three and one, and this is not all quarterback, but three and one quarterback or three and one in the AFC title game. It's still 116, I believe, overall. But to win three of the four title games, that's big when you look back down the line. I really think that means something from Manning, and it's a big picture of this. I think if you're a Broncos fan, you can talk

yourself into being somewhat excited about Peyton Manning. You mentioned that opening drive, which looked like 2013 Manning. And I thought his mobility was better today than it's been all year. absolutely and scrambled for first down when I was saying is that a concern to me it's like that's missing the point we'll get to that and we'll that'll play out but today they're the a fc champions you know today you a week ago you guys were saying I didn't even believe the fact that this was a tough matchup for them that I didn't even well that I didn't even believe my own talking that this was not the matchup they wanted to see because the Broncos defense was so good I was right I owe you an apology you everything you said about this game was true that the Patriots offensive line was a major concern. It's a terrible matchup for them. That Broncos' defensive line was incredible. And then you mentioned the concerns about the Patriots running game, and you were dead on about all of it.

And my point on Manning was, I don't know what's going to happen. Obviously, we never know what's going to happen. But it's a great achievement to win the AFC. You guys are fans. More times. You guys are fans of teams. Like, winning the AFC is a huge moment. And especially this team in particular that's just so different.

And like you mentioned with Osweiler, It's a great moment in Peyton Manning's history, no matter what happens. Justifies Kubiak's decision. I mean, he got killed when Osweiler was benched. And a lot of people were scratching their heads, and it worked because Manning played well enough to help this team win. Well, Kubiak handled it well by never closing the door on either of his quarterbacks. Greg, you were right. You were right on all accounts about this entire game.

You were completely right. That's what I figured it out, by the way. That's not true. Mark, you're covering the AFC in the Super Bowl, aren't you? Oh, yeah. You're covering Peyton Manning, the man. you thought would be completely wiped off the face of the earth. No, but I asked to, and I said that honestly, that we're manning.

But that's why you're a little upset today. No, because we're Manning in this game. I asked to cover it because whether you not, you think I like Peyton Manning. It's historical. It's absolutely historical. I'm not going to begrudge what he did today. I mean, what I don't necessarily like is the idea of people framing this as Brady versus Manning. We're not doing that in this studio.

We never have. And so that's fine. I mean, it is the rest of Denver's team that are playing a big, there's four or five factors on the Broncos that are playing a much bigger role than Peyton Manning. His job is to not make mistakes, and you're absolutely right. He's not been a malcontent or been a late period, Brett Farve, where it's all about him. That's not been the case with Manning, so he deserves credit for that. Well, this game is a great example of that it's not, and it is a team game.

Because clearly the Patriots have the advantage overall at quarterback, but Brady made bigger mistakes early. I mean, the two interceptions that he had were on Brady. His passes were way more off than Manning's today. I mean, his interceptions killed them in the first half. He doesn't make those mental mistakes. They would have a better chance to make the comeback and when he played well in the second half.

And then, like you mentioned, it's a team sport. Derek Wolf was incredible. Von Miller, who I said hasn't necessarily been playing at that JJ Watt level, had an all-time type of game. Um, by the way, Greg, I don't know if you're interested. We looked, um, I checked in with Foxborough. I got a feed over there. Trow wanted to check in.

Just see what's going on over at the old throne of slees on a very difficult day in the region of New England. Brandon, do we have that? Okay, seems okay. Oh, oh, no. Oh, no. Oh. No. That's worse than before.

That's troubling. Wait, that feels like that's just not a sports story at that point. Right, that's an massive body count. That's a major national story. International. There's probably hundreds of people dead in that region. Millions, maybe. Be honest.

New England's not, you know, it's not just Massachusetts. A lot of upset Patriots fans tonight, Greg. But you know what? You Pat's fans, and I started to see. see it again by the way all the patsons very quiet today didn't hear much in my time like today i i was well that was like three hours of having your nails pulled off yeah i i mean because from minute one that was a tough they really they have a lot of fun when they're winning and i didn't hear anything from them today but you know that's how that works that's how it works that's how it works that's how it works

they were going for the back-to-back championship again i mean that would have been cool you got i got to i got to go back to you know what i said last year that it was all great maybe after the fourth. Does it, as a Patsman, does the three to one title game thing bother? You'd be honest. Yeah, a little. Not about the title game. I mean, who cares?

That's a weird line to pull. You could say playoff wins because, to me, the divisional round game in 2003 when they were the best two teams in the entire NFL and they stomped the Colts, you're like, you're excluding that. So that's a weird one to exclude. I'm not like, it's not weird. It's the highest level of AFC playoff play. And while Peyton Manning and his head-to-head matchups has faltered,

typically in that high spot, his team. I never really bought into that when it was when it was the Brady Manning thing when it, because Brady had a much better team. I never brought into it when it helped Brady. And now, like right now is that we're at a point where Brady's a much better player. The thing that bothers me more than anything is how close they, they were in this game to getting back to another. And I think this is a really good, you know, it's a really good Patriots defense.

I mean, the Broncos had 15 drives. I think they would have had a chance to win the Super Bowl. Well, there you go. it's over you're okay though what i'm saying is okay now you got all the wins in the bank you got the four titles that helps you've even said it was gravy going into this season yeah but once i think once you get back to the once you get to the final four then that's thrown out of the win see now you know what it's like to be a yankee fan by the way that's now you know all you red sox fans all through the years that's what it's like are you attempting to drive pity

for yankee fans or something no i'm saying no one should pity a yankee fan right just like nobody should pity a patriots fan but for year i'm not going to get it you don't play i forgot The Von Miller Interception was one of the most amazing. The fact that he did that before all the QB hits. It's a great player, dog. It's one of the best, like, big game, defensive game performance as I can ever remember. Two and F. Sachs are the most in a single game in Broncos playoff history. I'm a little bit nervous about Von Miller on media.

Oh, I like him. And in general, you know, a whole week of the media. I don't know if he'll be tired. He is the least of our problems. Who do you think is the biggest problem? Like 20 players on Carolina's roster. I think the other, the other journalist acting like, barnyard animals at Super Bowl Media Day.

That's the biggest concern. The worst place to ever put Chris. I don't even know why he was sending him to it. The West Beat Rider heat is going to be off the charts again. I'm still mad at Al Leiter. Media night. Can you just, yeah, it's a night this year. Can you please don't even send Wes.

It's just going to aggravate them. I can't. I can handle it. What was your Outliner story? This is the New York Super Bowl. Outlighter is a former baseball pitcher who now works for the Yankee Regional Network. Yes.

What happens? He muscled his way. to the front of the line. Everybody's been waiting for 20 minutes to talk to No Sean Marino and Al Leiter big times everyone, pushes his way through, sticks the microphone in his face.

Like he's the most important guy at the place just because, oh, I throw left-handed. Come on, give me a break. I love that story just because it gets West. The only thing you got to mess more irrationally angry is when his cord starts annoying him. Like, watch, if you're watching on YouTube. Don't put it back there.

Look, he starts to freak out. Look at him freak. Don't put it back there. Hey, look, Outlighter's just representative of all the rude reporters who are there and don't need to be there. I'll have Wes write like 10 things that drove me crazy at media. Oh, I kind of like that. That's good post.

I think you might be 25 things that drove me crazy. So there you go. That is the AFC championship game. Let us now move to the NFC side. This game was played in Charlotte. Home field advantage for the Panthers, of course, who are 9 and 0 going into this game in their building. Make it 10 and 0. The Panthers romp the Arizona Cardinals, yes, the team of around the NFL,

49 to 15 a game in just like last week against Seattle, Carolina jumped out to a fast start, went up 17 nothing, went into the half up 24-7, and then didn't look back, poured it on in the second half, scoring 25 more points, no tight butts in this game. And the story of the game, yes, Cam Newton, just as he's done all year, every time you turn up the lights, he shines brighter. is a special guy having a special season. Four touchdowns, but there's always goad horns. Carson Palmer, this will be a hard one to shake for Carson Palmer.

Four interceptions, two lost fumbles. That is six turnovers. Six of the seven Cardinals turnovers, guys. So the Cardinals blown out, had their worst game of the season when they really needed to play their best. And the Carolina Panthers, the superior team to, again, once again, our surprise, we all thought it'd be close. but Mark Sessler, the Panthers are the best team in the NFC,

and I guess it wasn't close. Yeah, it wasn't close. I mean, I, for one, I'm stunned. I picked an overtime game, and I really thought it would be. I thought that Arizona, after what happened in Seattle in week 17, and after having to get over the hump against Green Bay, would be locked on because that's how they've been week after week all season. But really, Carolina right now is so tuned in that I'm not sure anyone could have gone in there

and touched them today. this game at the end of the first quarter, we knew it was over. Yeah, they boat raced a bunch of teams in the second half of the season, and I thought this was their most complete game of the year coming against the second best team in the NFL. And they not only does Cam play great and kind of entrenched himself as the MVP, thoroughly out playing Carson Palmer,

but the defense forcing six turnovers on the opposing quarterback. Well, that's the thing. The secondary loses Roman Harper during the game. they lose Thomas Davis to at linebacker during the game. And yet they're shutting down Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown and Michael Floyd to a combined 80 yards. The coverage is great. Kwan Short is forcing a fumble. Luke Keeckley is getting a pick six.

The offensive line is giving Cam Newton all day to throw. Corey Brown in what I think was the biggest play of the game, you know, makes a defender miss, goes 86 yards. Ted Gins makes him. Boy Brown. Everyone on this team had a hand in them. being dominant halfway through the game we were talking about what we're going to write about and chris was thinking well we might not even he wasn't thinking that it was that special of a cam newton game necessarily at that point because the rest of the team had done so well it was just like

in everything panthers game and that that's what this team has been right now top to bottom they've been the best he it's one of those things where it's hard to picture them losing again i mean and we'll we'll have two weeks to figure out who we think's going to win or what kind of kind of game it's to be but doesn't it just feel like we're witnessing like a potentially special team that's maybe one decisive win in February away from really putting himself up there like when you want to talk about the best teams of the Super Bowl era maybe we talk about the Panthers in that you know maybe they're in the top five discussion because this has been really since the midpoint of the season a team that is just kicking everybody's ass taking uh is it no numbers you take

numbers well no names you what do you do with the numbers well let's I don't know the numbers of that. Don't need the numbers. Like a sandwich shop, you take a number. Yeah. You wait. They don't need numbers. Take no prisoners.

Yeah, take no prisoners. And you take some numbers, then throw the numbers on the ground. Who cares? Because they're just destroying everyone. And these are good teams. That was the Seahawk team, a proud champion that they hung at 31 burger, Greg, on. Hulams Wada open in one half. Not a burger at 31.

Okay. And then the Cardinals, we love the Cardinals. They were the team of around the NFL. we can't even play it is there a sad version of it that's depressing right now and they made them look like a bunch of chumps i mean this is a special panthers team not just a special panthers team but a special season for cam newton and he's an unstoppable force of nature best exemplified by those back-to-back plays where he carried chris clemens for that was sick no other quarterback in the league absolutely and then he's diving over the goal line for a touchdown

Superman style as the home crowd is chanting MVP. It was just, I think that just was a defining moment for him this season. First and goal on that dive, and they run it twice. And I'm thinking to myself, you have the greatest goal line quarterback that has ever lived. And smartly, they then call his number. And he does that thing where he jumps and he's so big and so athletic that you think he's not in. Then they show the replay and his like 14 foot arms are like basically at the back of the pylon or whatever. It's, like, amazing what this guy can do.

On that stiff arm play, though, that is not, that's what Arizona has been doing in multiple ways to other teams all year, which has been a Bruce Ariens, aggressive, beat you up type club. And today, they looked completely lost, but it goes back to one thing. You're going to go on the road in the playoffs. Anytime your quarterback is going to have a day like Carson Palmer did, I don't care what team. You could put the 85 bears against this Panthers team, and they would have got waxed. You cannot turn the ball over that much. Palmer's had a bad couple weeks.

Well, yeah, as we now know for sure, like all the warning signs last week, it was all there for us against. And then when he faced higher competition on the road, it was a complete implosion. I mean, four picks, two loss fumbles, Bruce Ariens after the game. And it was very weird to see them be embarrassed and have Bruce Ariens talk and be humbled the way he was. He made it very clear he did not want to hang the loss on his quarterback, even though that's how history is going to remember it. here is what Bruce Ariens had to say. Carson didn't lose the damn game, nothing wrong with his damn finger. You can keep all them questions.

We just didn't play well enough. Our best players, especially didn't play well enough. Wes, that last line directly connects with the post you wrote after the game. Right. Carson Palmer had the six turnovers. He had the jitters again, too, it looked like. And then Patrick Peterson with the costly muff fumble when they had just scored, had a chance to take some momentum and close it to within a one-score game if they were able to take that next drive.

That was a huge fumble by Peterson. And then even Larry Fitzgerald, who Ariens raved, great players play great and big games, and they flourish in the moment. He had two drops. He had one drop over the last two years combined. I think their great players kind of shriveled in the moment. Right, and that's why as bad as Palmer was,

they were never going to win, like Mark said. But it's also hard to even put it on Palmer when it's 17-0 after the first quarter. and the Arizona defense gives up 500 yards today. So it wasn't just, okay, they're getting a short field or okay, Lou Keechley gets a pick six. They're putting up 17 points in the first quarter. They're moving the ball up and down the field. And the Arizona pass rush was a huge problem.

I think they were a little afraid to get aggressive and blitz like crazy because Carolina was going to hit him deep. But when they didn't blitz, they had all day to throw. Even when they did blitz, they protected it up well on a couple of the big plays. no matter what they did, they couldn't get at Cam Newton. And when he has time, he's just going to rifle it there. So it was everything that the Cardinals did that didn't work. It wasn't just Palmer.

Yeah, I mean, this game, to me, felt like when you go back to that string of 1980s, early 1990s Super Bowl, where a great team would come out at the AFC, teams like those high-scoring bills teams, or teams like some of the Broncos teams, the Elway-led ones, where 15 minutes into the Super Bowl, forget everything you thought you knew, the game was over. There are so many big games like that that got completely out of control. This game is not exemplary for what the Cardinals are or what they would be if they played another 10 times. Everything just got out of hand in this game.

Or if they played in Arizona, and that shows why the regular season is so big. I didn't mention it with the Pat's game. But, I mean, those two losses to end the season, especially the one to Miami, you put that game in Foxborough, who knows what happens. Carolina won number one seed by going 15 and 1. They mean, they earned it. This game's in Arizona. who knows if all that happened.

They had a magical thing going in Carolina. They boat raced a lot of teams. A lot of boat racing. Especially in the first half of these games. Every single home game, it was like a celebration. It was like the Cam Weekly Party in Carolina. And that's going to anger some more Housewives after another epic photo on the sideline. And I think 17-0 this game, they get it to 17-7.

And Bruce Ariens said it after the game. He thought the game got away in the period at the end of the second quarter, early third quarter. So they get the touchdown. They get I believe a three and out Arizona does force the punt. Peterson muffs it. But then their defense makes a stand and gets an interception

of Cam Newton and they go back the other way and now we're inside a minute in the first half. Carson Palmer forces one into the end zone when he had two timeouts and they did not have to make that throw. It was intercepted. So that was a killer and Rivera made a point to say that. And then

coming out of the locker room in the third quarter he said the defense needed to set the tone and take control of the game and find a way to slow them down and instead they laid down and all of a sudden the game's gone all of a sudden it's you know 24-7 31-7 and there's no coming back yeah it was an eight-minute drive to start the second half i mean every every phase how could you not be so impressed and think about them as an all-time team but i was trying to think of other teams that have had great playoff runs lately and have got us thinking that way and i actually thought back to the season that the panthers made the super That was the best Patriots team, I would say, in my lifetime in the playoffs.

They came through a couple games where they played absolutely perfect. No one gave the Panthers any shot in that game against the Patriots. That was just looking like a team that was on such a role, having beaten the Colts and the Steelers, I believe, who had been playing so well. And then, you know, who knows, it ends up being a three-point game. So you never know, and yet, no one's going to be. There's this weird image in my head of, like, forget all the analysis, all we've said about Peyton Manning. that in the end, this maybe just ends with him winning this game and going out in John Elway-like fashion.

Elway move with Elway playing the role. I'm just saying there's something that just sticks with me. I've been seeing it. I just feel like maybe it doesn't all have to make sense in the end. This is Ham Newton's you. It really does. Well, yeah, you want to talk about legacy because suddenly he'd have as many Super Bowl wins as Manning.

And we forget what we'd say about Peyton. It could be Cam Newton. But this is what makes this game interesting. I'm picturing Peyton somehow winning. the Super Bowl like Mark saying and then Elway and Manning are on the podium with Terry Bradshaw or whoever and they hand the trophy to Peyton and then John Elway rips it out of Peyton's hand and holds it up and goes this one's also for John that is that's more probable than we realize which is not where I thought you were going but I like it I like John Elway just taking

all the credit do we think a quick question do we think the football gods will smite the Panthers for going for two up 40 to 15, Chris Wessling. No, I don't even know why they would. No, because they went for two up 40 to 15. That was great. I loved it. Play to win. I loved it.

This is the NFL. Play to win. If anything, the one problem I had with Ron Rivera all day is when right after that they got another pick six, you got to go for two again and get the 50 burger. That was a chance. A housewife is going to write about you guys in a second. Just wouldn't have it. Bring it on.

As memorable as it was that they went for two the first time round, If you went for two twice in a minute, under five minutes left, to get it to 50, it would have been one of the most, it would just want to have been the most incredible. Why not? It's football. Bruce Ariens understands. He wouldn't have been offended by that. We got to, let's just double back again to the Shakespeare tragedy that was Carson Palmer's game.

Because, I mean, I feel terrible for the guy. I really do. And there are a lot of people, West, we were talking about downstairs, people in Cincinnati, I'm sure, that don't feel like anybody should feel bad for Carson Palmer. Oh, they can get. That's unfair to say. Maybe some ex-girlfriends at USC. Bengals fans are saying, we've seen this all before.

This is the Carson Palmer. You can't blame him for getting his ACL torn up in one game. And then the next game, he's playing through an elbow injury. This idea that Carson Palmer has been the same player over the last five years is untrue. He didn't even have a strong arm his last couple of years in Cincinnati because of that elbow. Well, he also basically said he would retire than ever. My point was that he said I'll retire before I ever play for the Bengals. I don't blame him.

Well, he's an aging quarterback, and this is going to stick with him all right. It's going to be hard for him to shake this from his legacy because he still has just now one. He's 30. He's going to be 37 next year. Gifted guy. He's probably going to be in the top 10 and most relevant offensive categories when he retires. But not only is he now have just one playoff win as he heads into his twilight, he now has one of the word. I mean, this is right up there statistically anyway with what Jake Delome did for the Panthers against the Cardinals eight years ago.

Brian Hoyer. Brian Hoyer, Ryan Lindley a year ago. I mean, this was an embarrassing performance. And you just feel bad for the guys. He had such a nice season, and it just gets marred by this. Not easy to get back here if you're the Cardinals. I mean, this is a season where really everything went right for them up until the last 24 hours. Dr. Seuss created a word for just this situation, Carson Palmer, deboculus fiasco.

That's bad. Oh, speaking of which, I did reach out to somebody over in the, Carson Palmer Legacy Foundation. And I just wanted to get some comment for the podcast. This is what they had to say. A thriving foundation. No, God.

No, God. Please, no. No. No. So, and then he hung up. I wouldn't count the Cardinals out. They're done. Why are you moving on?

That was a big get. Dan, a tough, maybe a tough time to place that phone call. The Legacy Foundation guy. That was the chairman. That was Carl Sassler. No relation to Mark, of the Carson Palmer Legacy Foundation, and you're just going to, you know, glance over it.

That's like a nonprofit. He's available all the time. Respect my bits, Greg. Let's get to the heart of this. I didn't know it was ongoing. That's going to be a drop on Go Get My Lunch.org. Respect my bits, Greg. I felt.

All right, go ahead. Says the guy who started that whole segment by going, I feel bad for Carson Palmer. But, oh, by the way, I'm setting up a huge bit that's going to block. Ma Villenefico. All right. Machinferi exists. A little bit.

A little bit. Well, maybe it's my heartstrings talking here because it was tough to watch the team of ATL go down like this, especially after the team of myself. The team of Rosenthal goes down right before that. Yeah, that's tough. And I want to believe that this team is loaded and that they would have a chance to come back next year. And they are pretty loaded. I mean, it's a different feeling than Denver, which is such a strange team to be in the

Super Bowl where you know the quarterback's going to change next year. 36 is not a death sentence. You're always going to be worried, though, no matter, it'll be like the Bengals were this year. If the Cardinals are 11 and 3, people are just going to see, yeah, well, but it's Carson Palmer going to blow it in the playoffs. He basically is going to have to get back and erase that. That's a fair assessment.

And Mark, you made the good point, which is you never want to not win the championship in your season where everything went right. it just this everything seemed primed for this to be Arizona's year for it to end and end this way it's just like you you must be looking up at the mountain and you know the

Aryan said it after the game it's you know their whole thing is Super Bowl or bust now and that comes with a lot of weight too when you come out and say that when that's the doctrine within the organization that if you don't have the confetti falling on you you basically blew it

that's a lot you know they go into next season knowing that that's tough well the problem is they ran into a team that had even more go right for them in Carolina. And so it was a tough year to be the second best team. They need a pass rusher. Well, yeah, not to mention they're stuck in a division with the most dominant team of the last four years

and the potential future team of around the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams. Oh, stop that. Not in a million years. I feel like we're going to be told by a shadowy league figure that they have to be our team of the 18th. The Culver City Rams. If that, Jeff Fisher from Culver City, if the Rams are ever, yes, if the Rams are ever the team of around the NFL, you'll know that we sold out.

No, I think it could happen organically. If they got rid of Jeff Fisher and got a quarterback. They're in our backyard, baby. We have some, you know, listeners, I'm sure, from St. Louis. We can't do that. This is L.A.'s team for 49 years before they were in St. Louis. All right. They belong to L.A.

Dan has made a strong statement. I'm going to go along with our host. Wait a second. Because you have teams that at a principle You'll never make the team of ATL This is mine Why? Against you and Greg

I'm declaring vengeance When it comes to the team of ATL This is by far the earliest team of ATL discussion ever Yeah you're welcome for saving you three from the 49ers And one when you guys were in love with that Oh I was not on board with that Yeah I was the only one who voted against it I don't believe that

Check the tape All right So that's the NFC championship game wrap up Any final words on that game? I can't believe it happened the way it did. Poor Carson Park. What a hideous game. Six turnovers?

It was awful. Focus on the positive. It was Corey Brown's greatest moment. Well, it's a sports writer's dream because, as you mentioned, by halftime, we were like, Greg's doing this, Dan's doing this, Wes is going to write this, Mark is going to write this, everyone else is eating pizza. Have a nice time.

I like the idea that the rest of the newsroom is just eating while we're working. Well, I'm just saying that, you know. I think we've gotten maybe a number. other candidate and the reasons for Mark's aggravation. He has not eaten in 17 hours. I'm actually, like, I think the number one reason I feel am starting to feel aggravated is that I'm not aggravated, but I've told 23 or 24 times that I am. That would do the trick.

Thank you. Well, usually we're pretty good when we sense it. That's all. Yeah, you are. I mean, today I would say I'm workman-like, and I am doing my duties the best I can. what's for john why are we discussing fair enough we'll leave it at that i am looking forward to some glowing peyton manning pieces from denver headquarters well i'm going to prove anyone that thinks that i am going to treat them in a different way or a negative way i'm going to prove them all wrong

because i don't go into a situation like this and not give the cessler best and it's going to be a workman like effort that is exactly right i'm not going to bury patent manning who's going to apologize to him when you see him for what you know well well well well should go with you that day. For what? Suggesting that he wasn't as good as he could have been or he's not the same quarterback for much of the year? That's not high for the truth.

It's a rare writer move that nobody believed in me as a writer going into the game. I'm going to write some articles that are really positive. For all the haters out there who said I couldn't do it. That's right. It's already been advertised that I'm essentially going to write like 18, you know, killer hate pieces on Manning, not actually true on any level. How about this? Like, believe man, believe Man.

I don't know. I like the idea of eventually, Mark, getting to a point where every one of your stories has the headline with Believe in it somewhere. I like that. All right. All right. Let's move on. Let's talk about, we made some prop bets, of course, as we do. Go get my lunch, filth bag.

Still working out a name. We had a... And a sound bite. We had a name, and, you know, our sponsor, Scott Trade, wouldn't know. Wow, look. We also have a special graphic. Oh, look at that. Watching us on the old Zusser.

The old face of Go Get My Lunch. I like that. There's a little gray in the hair back then. We used to have, you know, another word in the title, and it was inappropriate. We certainly couldn't have attracted a sponsor like Scott Shade when we had to go get my life. It shows how we've grown. And so we've been searching since then for a moniker to add to the end, and you're still searching. We count out to sponsorship.

Sometimes we do that. Let's go over them now. Mark. You said that Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will throw at least four interceptions combined. Tom Brady through two. Peyton Manning did not throw an interception. You lost sandwiches to, I believe, the room. To everyone, I mean, it was looking good.

I was getting a lot of tweets, you know, because it was early that those picks came. And then all the turnovers dried up. All right. So, Mark. I'm paying. Oh, and three there. Chris Wessling, the Cardinals trio of Larry Fitzgerald. John Brown, Michael Floyd, more total yards than the entire Denver offense.

And Denver's offense did not light it up, 244 yards total. Such a low number in 15 drives, by the way, 15. 75 punts. That's a game and a half, 15 drives. Arizona, though, those three players only totaled 90 yards receiving. Who took them up on it? Did I? I think everybody did.

I think we all did. Good. yeah to the guy who tweeted me saying that didn't even make sense why would you pick that it made all the sense in the world the broncos had one of the worst offenses in the NFL this year and the Cardinals have one of the best wide receiver typical game typical game it was a hike buddy it was an onion hanger you know that's a risky even on a day like today where they had a not a very good day you would have to have a big day from those three guys if we just made predictable propositions it would be a horrible game yeah you'd be a dan so take a hike tweeter uh well since you brought me up i didn't not think mine one nobody took me me up on it, but I remember Wes actually saying at the time, that was a good one. Cam Newton will have more total touchdowns than Gronk, Edelman, and Amandola. I thought that the Panthers would score a lot of points. I thought the Patriots wouldn't score a lot of points. You're right about that.

And it was four to one, Cam Newton, but no one took me up on it, so I won no sandwiches. I think we agreed with you. Well, good statement, but we agreed. Yeah, and I've realized Dan has gone next level. He realizes the way to win this game. is to make picks that are heavy favorites. No one takes him up on it. And then it's a zero-zero.

He's going to win this round because he just went with a safe, easy, opposite of onion-hanging type of pick. Whatever, bro. Never hangs his onions anymore. It doesn't matter to me. The onions are... He did when he had the photo behind him

when he, you know, looked like a high school child with all completely dark black hair. Greg, Carson Pomerol will have more total yards. Yeah, go ahead with your onion hangers. have a fun time with it. Carson Bomber will have more total yards than Cam Newton. Final tally, 382 to 235.

Not good. I took you up on that. Did you guys? I think Mark did too, but I did not. I may have. I mean, he almost threw more yardage to the Panthers than Cam Newton did. So final tally for this round. Old Zusa goes three and oh.

Well, and he picked up some others too, right? Or no? No. Oh, that's right. And what did you do, Mark, then? Oh, I don't know. I mean, I lost the one. You went all and three, and then you won two.

But I won this one and two. So what? Two and three. Two and three. Two and three. You were one and three, I believe, Wes. Because you didn't take. I would have been two and two.

I would have escaped. Two and two. Would have escaped without it. What does that mean? I have to buy three sandwiches and I'm bought two. I'd rather just buy one and not have any. We'll just add it to the standings. Nick Fortier at GoGetmylunch.org.

I'm looking forward to the Super Bowl version where Dan predicts the winning team has more points than the losing. Wow. Wow. You see your leads slip it away. Are you in first in this? I don't think you are. I think you are. We were in a virtual flat foot tie.

There you go. We're all close. Show some respect to the hard charging Zeus. It's been a tough day for me. I got to take what I can. All time standings. Make fun of you. Wes at 54 and 46.

So now Wes, well, you guys can figure it out. Yeah. That is not compelling radio right now. Great TV. 51 and 44, Zeus are now. Now, zooming up the power rankings. All right. Finally, before we get out of here,

might as well take a quick peek ahead at the Super Bowl. Yes, the Denver Broncos, who are now 14 and 4, is that correct? Sure, yeah. Against the 16, no, 17 and 1, Carolina Panthers. And what I think, I'll start here, I think it will be a competitive Super Bowl

because I do believe that Denver, now you get two weeks you rest up the defense got a ton of energy a ton of confidence i think they will not let carolina no i can't talk myself into it i think the panthers it's going to be a coronation guys i really do i think the carolina panthers are going to jump out ahead again and have a big win it won't be close and peyton manning's career ends with another super ball blowout that's my initial thoughts on the game i think this is the panthers year all right no one has to listen to the next five shows i know it's all been revealed i am annoyed at the Falcons more than anything that they robbed us from a great story of the

Panthers being undefeated going into this game. Wouldn't that just be, I just would be so much. Who did the Falcons, right? Yeah, the Falcons, it would be so much more. I'm excited for this game on a matchup type of level. You know, I'm not because of the Patriots aren't in it, but there are great storylines, but man, it would be cool if they were undefeated. Yeah, for the Panthers to undress the Seahawks and Cardinals like they just did, that's extremely oppressive to me. I think they should be heavily favored in this game. It's not a home game, though. But look at the quarterbacks.

One guy is so dynamic he's taking over games, and the other guy, you have to hide him. Yeah, I mean, two weeks in a row, Carolina's jumped out to a big lead, and there's no reason to think they couldn't jump out to a quick lead again against a team like Denver. That is when I get... Defense would be the reason.

Sure. They need a close game. They do. If it's a shoot out there in trouble. That's the thing. I mean, if this follows the script of the last couple wins for the Panthers, then you'd have a hard time imagining Denver's offense, mining the way back into that thing.

They've got to play them the same way they did New England, which is get to Cam Newton and lay a hurt on them. Not easy to do. This is not New England's offensive line. Well, it's such a different matchup, but if we believe that the Broncos defense has the special qualities is to come up with one great game plan, and Wade Phillips had a great tweet after the game.

Last year I was out of work, and now I'm heading to the Super Bowl. you know if one reason why I had some confidence in the Patriots if they had made the Super Bowl you always give Bill Belichick a chance with a couple weeks but I think maybe you got to give Wade Phillips a chance with a couple of weeks and all of those players at all three levels of the defense to come up with something that can slow down this incredible Panthers attack it's it will be a fun game either way because you have the Panthers a potentially all-time type team and then on the other side you have just the drama that we'll have building for two weeks what could be Peyton Manning's final game ever just the idea if they did pull off the

upset because I think a lot of people are going to pick the Panthers that he has a chance like we said to do the L way I mean it could be going out as a champion that would be that would be if you want to if you're into like who's the greatest quarterback ever I think Brady definitely surged ahead based on last year but if Manning able can win a Super Bowl that I mean that's great for the resume what a build on that is get into it get Get into it. Come on, Greg. I think they go, this one's for Pat.

Pat Boland, not there. They're going to do it. This one's also for John. I like that. I think Dan's scenario is far more attractive. Yeah. It's also very strange and bizarre, and I like it. I think we've said it all.

Oh, by the way, the one last thing. When I knew that the Panthers, you know, had the game in hand. and you when they were the crowd is getting more and more wild and you knew it was a total celebration when they came back from commercial on fox and this is what we heard crowd going nuts because they're rude great job by the people at the stadium in charlotte what is it west what the charlotte the panther stadium i don't know bank of america bank of america bank of america come on west the raven state i mix up my banks the crowd going nuts never mix it up with scottorick crowd going nuts sandstorm is playing got a love so that's i just love one sandstone good for carolina congratulations uh that's it for the sunday night edition of the around the nflb podcast we'll be back on tuesday full week of shows no football but full week of shows and then we head to san francisco this is dan hanser signing off for quiet storm the mailman the boss and be

behind the glass till tuesday Hi and hello football fans, your old pal Dave Damashek here. Make sure you check out the Dave Damashek football program. You can watch it on YouTube, NFL.com. You can listen to it on iTunes or Stitcher or NFL.com slash podcasts. We look at the world of pro football and the game called life. This is an I-Heart podcast. Thank you.