NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Colts-Chargers Recap + Top 6 MVP Candidates (with Jourdan Rodrigue)

Episode Date: December 27, 2022

Gregg Rosenthal and Jourdan Rodrigue recap the Colts-Chargers Monday Night Football matchup and then go through their top MVP candidates for the 2022 season.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Foles. Fakes it to no one in particular, and that throws a pick. Intercepted by Michael Davis. Chargers do come with extra men on the rush. Throw to the sideline, up for grabs, and it is intercepted, I believe. No single signal yet, Derwin James.

And the catch is made. It's a pick. There's a pit intercepted by the Chargers and Samuel. And Asante Samuel ducks out of bounds with another takeaway for this Charger defense. What did Nick Foles ever do to our producer, Justin Graver, to embarrass him like that? Three interceptions by Nick Foles in his return to the starting lineup, first start for the Indianapolis Colts. It wasn't close. 20 to 3.

The Los Angeles Chargers are head. headed back to the playoffs. First time under Brandon Staley, first time with Justin Herbert, but the second time this year that I've got Jordan Roderig with me on a Monday night recap, Jordan, you cover the Rams for the athletic, your team not going to the playoffs this year, but the other resident of SoFi Stadium, the Los Angeles Chargers are there. I know. They're just maxing out that stadium, aren't they?

Yeah, I had a lot of fun on here with when we talked about Raven Saints, feels like years ago at this point, I felt like I was kind of bugging you because I wanted to be back on here talking football and getting to watch other games other than the team I've covered that's 5 and 10 this year. Although they were pretty fun on Christmas with the 50 Burger, made my daughter happy. But yes, we're talking. That's 50 crabby patties. Thank you.

Oh, there you go. I love that. The Chargers, though, in an uninspiring game for the most part in terms of its competitiveness because of the Colts offense, get the job done, and they're celebrating. It's a big deal, 20 to 3. And yeah, I wanted to have you back, Jordan. You're one of the best guests we've had on. Everyone loved hearing your football takes. And this Chargers team has gotten a lot more interesting, I think, over the last month, because of the defense.

That's where I'm going to start. I know they were going against Nick Foles. but they still only gave up 10 first downs and 173 yards. They've played really well now three straight weeks. Brandon Staley, the old Rams assistant, has been in his bag. Like what have you seen out of this Chargers defense lately? Yeah, it's been really interesting. Maybe it was something about watching Sebastian Joseph Day really occupy and sort of disrupt space at the nose.

Or, you know, maybe it was Brandon Staley on. It's something about the way that they've been playing, especially some of the coverages they've been using that Miami game, I thought was really well coached. And then they've really brought it home defensively the last few weeks. There was something about that that I had this weird deja vu at that Asante Samuel pick. It looked like, you know, the way he dropped off that overhang and sort of just like read, knew what the concept was going to be before it totally unfolded. Explain what overhang means to the lessness.

Just when they're on the, when they're on the outside of that sort of shell that they play in and and the corner is able to, even when they're, if they're in a zone or even if they're in some sort of hybrid of a match zone or something like that, you're allowed to sort of be free and flexible if you're playing the way that Brandon Staley wants to play. You can pattern match. You can do different things with a little bit more autonomy if this thing is evolved and playing the way that it's supposed to play. And so it reminded me a lot of Darius Williams Rams 2020 had like the season of his career

made a bunch of money after that season because he just was. taking the ball away on similar such concepts when he's just dropping in and and disrupting and sort of matching and playing with vision and free like that. And it's fun. I think they've been fun to watch. This defense, it's supposed to be alive. It's supposed to constrict and suffocate over the top of routes. And it's also supposed to really disrupt in that way. And it's supposed to evolve and sort of really empower the players. And that's kind of what I see over the last few games. And my colleague Daniel Popper at The Athletic, he's written a little bit about the players meetings that Kyle Van Nuoy has been leading and those types of things, that really reminds me of

sort of what this ethos of this thing is supposed to look like. And that's kind of, it also does describe what you said is Brandon Staley being in his bag, because this is what his vision is for something like this. Right. It's why I think this Chargers team is a fun playoff team other than the fact that Justin Herbert wears a Chargers uniform. Any team with Justin Herbert's on it is going to be box office. I can't wait for whatever the matchup's going to be. It could be Herbert. versus Lawrence. It could be Herbert versus Burrough. It could be Herbert versus Mahomes or Allen. But the defense

is the reason why I think they're a real team. They've made it to 9 and 6. And the way you described it really, I think, points out how the coverage is starting to match the pass rush. And they just

haven't had much of a pass rush for most of the season. Today they have 7 sacks. And again, I know playing the Colts and Titans in back-to-back weeks is a huge factor in this. I mean, it really is. But they weren't the type of defense, I don't think, earlier

in the season, that could beat up on bad offensive lines. And they end up with seven sacks today. Some are from the linebacker level with blitzes, Drew Tranquil, Kenneth Murray, Van Nuoy, I think, got in there. Some is from Rump and Mack, and Rumpf has

been playing better as the second pass-risher. Joey Bosa could be back, for the playoffs. So they're getting heat. Nick Foles didn't have a chance back there on some of these plays. And then the secondary, to your point, I think, is playing with more freedom. Asante Samuel wants to be a ball hawk like his dad was. 51 interceptions.

I looked it up tonight for his dad. So he's got 47 to go. Asante Jr. is only at four right now through two seasons. Derwin, James, we can talk about his ejection. later, but that interception that he made was fantastic. And I just think that this is a defense that has playmakers at every level. I consider tranquil a playmaker. You get Bosa back.

Joseph Day has been back. I think they found something in their defensive tackle. How do you pronounce his last name? Semi Fahotu. He's played well lately. It just feels like they're a complicated defense. Tell me if I'm wrong. It's like a lot going on and they want to change up who they are week to week

in a different way than Bill Belichick does, but on some level that way. But you need to have like a team that really understands what they're doing for that to work. And for much of the season and much of Staley's career and with the Chargers, it hasn't worked because I don't think they've really understood what he wanted them to do. And now it's working. Yeah, I think something that I learned about him when he was coordinating the Rams defense in 2020 was the way that he could explain and sort of give players the answers to the test, but then help them see it and not just, you know, hear it or be talking at them or showing them

clips or whatever. It was really something that they, the players internalized. And this was something they learned, you know, basically over PowerPoint, essentially, because the buildings and everything were shut down at that time. And the first time they ran it was like, you know, deep, deep into the summer when the building reopened post start of pandemic. And so I think, you know, I wouldn't be surprised if he has sort of been relying on a little bit of those foundational points from his own career arc, especially as things have seemed to kind of in the middle there with injuries and, you know, just some lack of cohesion it felt like on both sides of the ball. I wouldn't be surprised if he sort of leaned into some of those foundational

elements of the teaching part of this, because once players feel that they know the answers to the test, that's really where you're seeing them, you know, jump over the top of these routes. And like I said, they always have pattern matched in practice, but really feeling what it's supposed to look like and really feeling what it is to, like I said, have this thing, have life in it. And like, it sort of evolves and changes as the players feel more and more empowered within the system. And that's what that's what I see. again, because I watched a different variation of it, you know, very, very closely for a year and then sort of dropped into this thing tonight, essentially. And that's sort of what I saw.

And yes, it's, you know, Nick Foles and the Colts and they're having their own problems. But again, like you said, it's, you know, your brain doesn't compute a team beating up on this O line with how much has been invested in it. They've not been good this year. But your brain, like, does not compute the lopsided nature of what this thing is. And so this was, a, you know, a game that this defense did need to completely assert itself and completely dominate. And they did. And I think that that's a credit, like, like you said, Brennan's Daley being in his bag the last month or so. But I think over the years we've seen wherever this defense is gone, it's gotten better. If it's doing what it's supposed to do,

like I said, if it's evolving and becoming more alive and empowered with the players, it definitely gets better as the year goes on. That's what it's supposed to do. So I think that's an important part of this too. That's very Belichickian too with his old defense is that they would improve in December. And again, yeah, it's the Colts. But they dominated the Colts offense more than the Vikings did, more than the Cowboys did, more than the Steelers did. I'm thinking of the Jeff Saturday era, even more than the Eagles did in terms of yardage in terms of points. So that's all you can do is play the team in front of you. I can understand why Brandon Staley is pumped up right now. We're seeing kind of the reports of them celebrating our colleague, Bridget Condon, who's been on this show,

saying she's never seen like a locker room like this with the charges. And it makes sense. It's a big deal. Making the playoffs, music, playing, everyone's celebrating. The Colts reporters are like, oh, wow, this is what a happy team looks like. You think about Staley, and they've had some winning. It's only been two seasons, but it wasn't that long ago that we were sitting at six and six, and Sean Payton is having his sources. tell the media that he's looking at L.A. teams. And that's, that's Brandon Stanley because there's a Super Bowl winner on the other L.A. team.

And who knows, maybe McVeigh could have a surprise retire. And that's what Peyton's thinking. But I think he's thinking the Chargers. And they're at 6 and 6. They're heading to a stretch against the dolphins and the Titans who at the time were looking like world beaters. And I was thinking like, this is a big moment in his career. So I totally get why they.

are celebrating and it's the first time, you know, since they've moved to SoFi that they'll make the playoffs. They did make the playoffs one time their first year technically in L.A., although they were down in Carson with Philip Rivers, but anytime you can get to the playoffs first time in five years, it's a big deal. Do you have confidence, though, in where their offense is? This is a limited sample size, I know you're watching tonight, but I think this was a good sample because I think The Colts are a good defense. They're not a top five defense, but I would put them in the six to ten range,

a really good defensive line who played well tonight. How do you think the Chargers often stacked up against them? You know, I did, I did do a lot of research coming into this because you know me, Greg, I like to be prepared. And then I go down these like, I get so excited about just random details that I find. And then I just go down these rabbit holes of information gathering. And like most of it I don't even use. but it just sits there in like a Google Doc.

But I had it written down at one point. I wanted to bring up the point that a total superstar and the brilliant Mina Kimes brought up about Justin Herbert and moving his pocket and getting him going in some of this like boot action and some of these types of things where he can throw on the move and it helps his line. And you kind of already, you didn't see any of that to open the game. And, you know, the other thing that was really. announced to open the game, though.

Yeah, and especially coming after interceptions on the other side, I mean, it just was like this sort of gasping feeling that you just didn't feel like anything was comfortable. It felt like what it feels like to be sitting in a doctor's office and your like shoulders are clenched. That's what it felt like watching this group. And it shouldn't feel like that. Is that in the Google Doc? You got to freaking, no, it's not.

That's not in the Google Doc. That's just off the dome. That's good. I'm like clenching up talking about it right now, like on the screen. like my fists are clenched right now and you got a freaking Lamborghini at quarterback and it's just it's it shouldn't feel like that right and and it's interesting because you know I'm not really the type especially if I don't you know as a beat I'm a beat writer so I you know I know my place and I'm not going to sit there and go scorched earth on another team's coordinator or anything

like that but I do think that it shouldn't feel like that and it was really noticeable like they live and die only on these third downs and that shouldn't be the case since he got there It's since you got there. But they're not, but they're not, they're so dependent on converting specifically on third downs, no matter what the down and distances. And usually it's not super advantageous. And even so, that's such a low probability position to put your quarterback in, even if he can do it.

So there's like multiple things that are true. Like, yes, he can do it. He can make the hard throws. He can convert the crazy downs that, what was it, third and 13 and it was 16 yards. And like, it was a really nice play. That was on us after a second in 21. That was one of the key sequences on their first touch. down drive super disadvantageous spot though even if your quarterback can do it doesn't mean he always

should have to be in that type of you know live or die kind of mode in that regard and I think that that's been so interesting like you know the managing the down and distance they've been so something like 66% of their conversions are coming on third down and like it's it's really it's really lopsided And it's something where, you know, if you can, I know they've had troubles running the ball and all that stuff. Osseneckler, by the way, love his guitar celebration. I think that's like one of the best ones. Iconic. He gets to do it so often.

I know, iconic. And he scores really well and all of that. But in terms of that overall, like I know they've had some troubles with the run game. But in terms of, hey, you know, get your, have your quarterback just drop back and and try to make something happen to me. Just because you can do that doesn't mean you always should. and that's why my shoulders are clenched. Right. They went 8 for 18 and third down.

That's very good. It's good, but it's still a 50% probability rate. Right. You don't want to get. That's still not a high probability rate. That's been his whole career is waiting until you get to third down and let Herbert make a play. I mean, it is much better than the Colts who went 0 for 10 on third down. They went a whole game without getting a third down.

And I was like, man, that's brutal. When was last time that happened? I was like, oh, yeah, six games ago with the Patriots, the Colts went 0 for 14 on third down. and that got Frank Reich fired. So they're not going to fire Jeff Saturday after this one, but I think Jeff Saturday's chances of keeping this job really dissipated around the fourth quarter of that Vikings Colts game and tonight did nothing to change it around.

When we talk chargers, a lot of times it feels like it's Justin Herbert Nation, of which I'm a card-carrying member, like coming up with reasons why people are, holding him back. In this case, Joe Lombardi. And you can absolutely go scorched earth on Joe Lombardi because you're not a beatwriter in this setting, Jordan. You're a podcaster. And we're totally irresponsible. We answer to no one. We're beholden to no one. Well, this is why I get to just like giggle delightedly over some of the really epic Mark Sessler rants over the years. But, you know, from afar. It's like, you don't want to get, that's true, Mark. You don't want to get too

close to the sun. Like, Mark flies real close to the sun all the time. It's dangerous. It's dangerous sitting next to him, but I love him for that. But I noticed on just my Twitter feed after the game, we're waiting to start the show. And I had, you know, tweeted how I was excited to see these possible playoff matchups with Herbert. And all the responses are about like Herbert essentially not belonging in a matchup against Burrow. or Allen, or even Trevor Lawrence, that, like, he's a ton of comments. It's like he's not even an above average quarterback. Did you watch tonight's game?

Like, what are you talking about, man? And I'm thinking, like, this game is a perfect example. If you watch this game and you think that Justin Herbert's a bad quarterback, you're bad at watching football. Like, he... That's a take I agree with. Right. You're bad at it.

Like, I'm not saying that he was perfect in this game, but through three quarters, next gen stats had him. as the most pressured game of his entire career. I don't know how that was in the fourth quarter or not. I didn't look for the update. But on 50% of his dropbacks, he was pressured. And he sometimes looks like he's almost a safe quarterback because he has a Drew Breeze, Tom Brady-like thing

that if he's getting pressured, he gets rid of the ball. It doesn't mean he can't improvise. He does that sometimes too. But he's not going to wait around forever. He's going to get rid of the ball. And that's a good thing. And oh, by the way, when you run a like a, a flea flicker and your receiver's not even really open,

he can throw it 30 yards on the opposite hash without the ball ever like going five feet above the ground and it's going a million miles an hour and he had a few of those plays tonight and he had the third downs that kept drives going. They had two long touchdown drives and it wasn't perfect. But to be under that much pressure, like people are crazy if they don't think he's in that category, but I guess people just have this thing in their mind. that you got to win playoff games or else they just don't think of you that way. I don't know what it is.

Yeah, the interception was like a tip, right? So that happens. Like, yeah, I know he's thrown a couple of these last few weeks, but like the interception was a tip. That happens. And then the fumble even, I mean, oh, my God, he got sandwiched between two people. All four guys had pressure on that play. Strong out.

Yeah. Literally. I checked next gen. I check next gen. I check next gen because that never happens. All four guys won because we were kind of. saying on our Channel 5 broadcast, shout out to all the UK viewers, that like, oh, why didn't he let go of the ball? There was someone open. And then you look and all four guys in front of him

are losing their battle. You're going to accidentally, what are you going to do? All your linemen are now free, right? So what are you going to do? You're accidentally going to like dump the ball off to without seeing. And it's, oh, it's a lineman. And then you get a penalty. You know, worst case story. But like it's, yeah, that was crazy to me. And then so that makes it a little all the more compounded why, you know, then they're not moving the pocket around and those types of things that could maybe alleviate some of that or at least keep the opposing defensive line off balance a little bit. And then also, you know, I understand though that it compounds because they're also having some problems managing the downs because they're not, you know, they are not necessarily running

the ball super effectively. You know, it's just, it's a compounding of some of these issues. And then Herbert, Justin Herbert, I think when I watch him play, I think you're never really thinking you're out of a series, regardless of what happens on it because of what he can do and the throws that he can make. He's just incredible. And when you go back to the Sean Payton thing you brought up, like, of course, this dude salivating over, you know, anything with the quarterback like that, right? Like anyone in the league want to be the offensive coordinator for the Chargers, Sean.

You know, if you want to live in L.A., work under Brandon Staley. You're dressing them directly now. I love it. It's spicy. You dress them directly. I mean, I'm just saying that if you want to live. wants to coach Justin Herbert and he wants to stay in L.A., like, flip it up. I know it'd be awkward.

Joe Lombardy used to be on Sean Payton staff back in the day. So it all connects. More awkward things have happened in the NFL today, Greg, today alone. That is absolutely true, not a great day. But I think you're right. I mean, you're absolutely correct. Like, Justin Herbert is incredible and you watch him do some of these things, even, like I said, in the most low probability situations, like that's the thing that I think.

think people don't always factor in when they're watching him is some of the things he makes happen in the lowest probability situation should not he should not be as consistently good at like a human should not be as consistently good at making things happen in low probability concepts and yet he is doing that over and over and over again and i think that one thing that's different about him right now is that he has keenan allen he has mike williams he has joshua palmer who's had a nice second season. He's healthier with the ribs. Their offensive line can get healthier. Pipkins, I believe, was back out there, and they might get Rashan Slater back before the playoffs, which is kind of crazy. We actually might see him in week 18. So this Chargers team isn't perfect,

but it is the best version of the 2022 Chargers team going into the season. A lot of people thought, roster-wise, they're there with the top three or four teams in the AFC. It's been a bumpy road to get there. They're going to have to play on the road, but I think they've put themselves in the best position possible to matter, and

that's a big step. Congrats to the Chargers. I always have a soft spot for the Chargers. I was a big Philip Rivers fan, and now I'm a Herbert fan. One to the next. You can't really root for the Chargers, though, because the Rams, I know you don't... I'm in texts, yeah. You're not like you don't work for the Rams, but the Rams are

not happy with the Chargers success. That's what I'm going to say. Not the players at the organization. This week is going to be fun because the Rams are cooking a little bit. I didn't even think about that. They're playing this week. Rams Chargers. And there's and there's not going to be to me, in my mind,

there's not going to be any like taking snaps off or anything like that between either group just because it's just it's been a since those practices, like I said in 2020 with Brandon going against Sean's offense. it's been highly competitive and it's been really fun. That's good. I like that the Rams added a little juice to this, putting up the 50 patty crabbies and Baker playing well. And the Chargers have something to play for.

It's not the biggest games in the world, but they finish with the Rams and the Broncos. So they have a real chance to finish with a five-game winning streak, which if nothing else, especially playing another two compromise offenses in a row, can really put some wind in their hands. sales could possibly get them up to the five seed. They cannot be the seven seed.

That is clinched. They are either the five or the six, so they would have to pass the Ravens to get to the five that would be a better spot, I think, for the first round, because you'd play at the AFC South winner. The Jaguars would be favored to be that team right now, but that'll come down to week 18. So they're going to try to get that seed. They're going to try to keep the good vibes going.

Not much to say about the Colts. I feel bad for everyone there. They've been outscored in the fourth quarter under Jeff Saturday 90 to 9. And their defense has played great all year. And I was sad to see Nick Foles throw three picks like this because it's quite possible, Jordan. And we'll move on quickly. If you have any Colts thoughts, tell me them. But it just occurred to me like, man, Jeff Saturday might be putting Nick Foles and

Matt Ryan's careers to bed in like the most depressing way possible. Yeah, he's like getting two for one, just swept aside. I mean, it's, it is, I don't know, I don't know for sure if we'll see another Ryan start. I would guess Foles will start next week because he said he didn't consider bringing in Sam Ellinger and it's like why I keep spinning this wheel, but we'll see. Yeah, I like the Colts defense a lot, actually. I did have fun watching them. Okay, give me a couple, give me, I know you got something written down by them.

They are a great front line. Well, I just like the concept and the theory behind what they do. I think that, like, they kind of knew that, again, the Colts, or excuse me, that the Chargers were going to have some trouble with their down management. And they sort of keyed in on that with some of the coverage structures they were playing. And they really capped, you know, I think Justin Herbert, of course, is incredible. And I think, you know, there's some explosives and all of that. But especially in some of the, when the game was a little bit tighter and there was.

just some just a little bit of cloudiness and a lot of kind of constricting downward out of that umbrella shell that they like to play. They really took away the outside throws to Williams and Palmer. And he's so, Justin Herbert's so good at those and those are such money downs for them. And I think that being able to, like I said, keep those guys on the overhangs really, I'm like gesturing wildly over here, keep those guys on the overhangs really disciplined. and then they'd always constrict inward and they'd always constrict down.

And I think that's a really good way to play aggressively even if you're going to play in a shell. So that to me, I thought was fun to watch. And I like them. I mean, I, you know, I've always enjoyed watching stuff on Gilmore play. And I like that, you know, I like the Colts defense. I feel bad.

They are. I feel like I'm just watching some Sissifian, Sissifian effort every single time. Right. There's a reason why they get crushed in the fourth quarter. They wear out. And they, they really have been a, I was at,

actually kind of make a mentalist during this game and I would have them like they'd be like the seventh best defense in the league a nice little comeback season for Gus Bradley who's bounced around the last couple years including with the charges he might have been their defensive coordinator the last time they made the playoffs to bring it all around I could go check time is a flat circle but who but it's but I think I could pressure too they did they got pressure in a lot of different ways they got like like they totally just brushed past the you know whatever the charge you're doing to try to set those protections. And, you know, like I said,

stayed really disciplined on the back end. And I just, it was, I thought it was a good game plan. It's too bad they couldn't score on the other side. And by the way, Gus was that defensive coordinator. Offensive coordinator was Ken Wisenhunt. Oh, my God. And the coach was Anthony Lindley. They won 12 games that year.

They beat the Ravens in the playoffs. And then they gave up a 40 burger in the divisional round to the Patriots. And yet everyone says that Tom Brady was carried to that Super Bowl. they only remember the Super Bowl. And yet he put a 40 burger on the Chargers and out-duled Mahomes in the AFC Championship. He wasn't carried anywhere. All right, that's enough of all that.

Greg, do you think that your coworkers are going to start, like, putting a jar out for every time you bring up the Patriots during a podcast. It's not about the Patriots. I don't think I do that. I like to remember the good times, though. Do you want to – I know. It's fine. You're working through some stuff.

Like, I'm here for you. I totally get it. Like, I empathize. You're just – work through it. Feel your feelings, man. I mean, I don't even like watching them anymore. It's just like, I don't. You said, by the way, that the shows lately, you said this off air.

You thought they were getting like spicier, maybe. No, I just, I like the bits. Like, I like the Lockfather bit. Okay. I, like, laugh deliriously every single time. And, like, I think it's hilarious. And then you could, because I, I listen to it. I don't want.

I love the YouTube concept, but I just, I love listening. I would never watch it. I'm on the go. Yeah. But I love listening to it. And I like, I can picture you guys as Dan gets going. I can just picture you guys sitting there, just staring at him and kind of like letting out those like sigh laughs every once in a while. I know.

It's just so good. And Colleen's AI generated Hallmark episode was fantastic. I mean, I think you guys. All right. Stop it. I've become a podcast host that asked the guest to compliment us. This is horrendous. To that point, I listened to an old clip of our last Christmas Eve show,

and we played a couple with our friend Chris Wessling, and I'm in the Chris Wessling podcast studio. And the thing that I got listening to that was we miss everything about West, but man, I miss his laugh to those bits. You know what I mean? Because I listened to a couple, and Dan had some jokes there. And just his laugh. I know Dan misses that part of it, too.

It just added so much to the show. And instead, I'm looking at Dan, like, side-eyed during that. Well, as a listener, too, I mean, Wes, when he would laugh, like, you felt like you were there. That's the kind of laugh that he had where, like I said, I'm always listening. I'm never watching it. And so that whenever he would laugh, you would just feel like you're sitting in the room and, like, watching everyone react. Because you can literally hear it in his laugh. It encompassed not just what the person who made the joke was saying, but also the reactions of everybody else to that joke.

That is really well said. An all-time laugh. We're going to go through my top six list quickly here. It's a simple one. We're getting to the end of the season. You can actually vote on the MVP top five this year. I've been pushing for that forever and it happened. I'm not going to say I contributed to this happening,

but I'm not going to say it had no impact. You never know. Why would I say that? So it's a list of five. I'm considering six right now for my list. I am struggling with four through six. help me sort these guys this is my four through six no order Joe Burrow Tyreek Hill Josh Allen that's my four through six

oh man because I feel like with Burrow you're gonna want like a lot will factor into these next couple games they're playing each other this week yeah and same thing with Tyreek even I know he's not a quarterback but I like that you have them in there I like that you have them in there though because I so I think like overall I'd probably go oh that's really tough Oh, my gosh. Anyway, I slice it.

Someone's going to yell at me. It's fine. I accept it. But I feel like Tyreek, in terms of, you know, I feel like you're going to go Josh Allen, Tyreek, Joe Burrow. It's nothing against Joe Burrow. So Burroughs six. It's nothing against Joe Burrow at all.

I think he's outstanding. Like, I think he's so special. But I think that if you're looking at sort of like the season as a whole and you're also looking at, I like to shake it up. I like the idea of receiving. who are at that level of playmaker, Justin Jefferson, I think, being one of them, too. I like the idea of receivers being included in these lists and these votes, especially, you know, how they have elevated everybody around them.

That's the definition of them. They changed this season, those two trades, Tyreek and A.J. Brown. Exactly. And what I think is so interesting, too, when you're looking at, in A.J. Brown, you're looking at Justin Jefferson, you're looking at Tyreek Hill. when you have a player at a skill position like that that is that tier sort of at you know that their their mean is elite and on a good day they can become sort of like this transcendent presence on a field like you can build so much of your roster and factor in how you build

your roster and the resources you put in and even the way that you draft and develop complementary players around talent like that you can change your entire team building model and your ecosystem around players like that. If you can keep them long enough and you can keep them healthy and paid. And that's what the Rams did for so long with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. And it helped open up like literally the entire rest

of what their ecosystem became that led to that Super Bowl win. And I think that that's a trend. That's what you can do with players who are maybe at skill positions, but they so transcend on their good days and on average, they're elite. And I think that's really important. At that skill position,

position. I mean, I don't think it's at running back. No, well, this I'm saying, maybe there's Travis Kelsey. Yeah, I just mean it's changed. The NFL's changed. I do this wide receiver, the free agent list every year and there used to always be great receivers on it. There's none this year because everyone's re-signed. They're not letting anyone get out there. Juju and Jacoby Myers and Beckham are the best wide receivers. And that's a pretty big drop after that. There used to be teams understand that wide receivers have been undervalued for a while and now they're getting getting paid and everyone like got their laughs in about christian kirk making 17 18 a year that that deal

looks great i think that that that's fine if you can have a 15 million 18 million dollar receiver that's playing 800 900 good snaps for you like that's what it's going to cost now and everyone wants three of those guys and uh yeah i right now i would probably go tyreek six i really struggle between those other two Josh allen's running is so good. He's actually averaging... That's what I factored into it. He's averaging more yards per carry than last year,

and he led the league last year. Like, his percentage of runs that are first downs is insane. He's going to set a career high in rushing yards. He's only, you know, 200-something yards behind Lamar and Hertz, or at least Hertz, who's over 1,000 now. So it's like... It's tough. Burroughs have made less mistakes, though.

Right now I might give Burrow four. It doesn't matter. Jefferson number three on my list Justin Jefferson I like it I like it Number two Jalen Hertz Not ruling him out Although he's been to my whole season

And now he's missed one game If he misses two That's probably it To me that's a big chunk of the season He might be back this week though And then Mahomes won Hertz would have to do a lot Over the next two weeks

And Mahomes Would probably have to stumble a little bit Certainly lose one of these games or be responsible for a bad performance. So that's my list. I'm feeling good about it right now. And I think Jefferson feels at the worst is going to be in my top five at the end of the season and get some votes here. Yeah, like I said, I like that more players can get votes.

And I like that that's how things are structured. Thank you so much for doing that for all of us football fans. Greg, really, really appreciate you being the catalyst for that movement in a league that is so slow to change. and I really think that I don't know if you've seen the pins we've been wearing lately probably not but they say inspire change and that's really what I've done

that's your contribution wow that's really impactful so and I think I totally agree with your list and I think I really liked this conversation that was sort of happening on the internet like over the last couple weeks

about have we psychologically normalized Patma Holmes and I think that's such a fun thing to think about because he's just so consistently elite, you know, have our brains sort of just like, sort of almost like scar tissueed over that impact layer that he always has that, that, but and I, I'm just saying, I appreciate it every time I see it, but it's, but as a society, have we, have we

normalized? They're the best offense in the league. It was one thing when the dolphins were competitive with them, but they are easily the best offense in the league efficiency wise. Obviously, they don't have Tyreek Hill this. year, it's because of Mahomes. It's always because of Mahomes. It's why they could get those draft picks to

help the rest of their team. And he is playing outstanding, making it all work. He's my MVP. You're one of the big MVPs of the Monday night season. We've only got one more. Nick Wessling is going to be my guest on the finale. Bengals.

Bills. Best Monday night game of the season is the last one. So I'm excited for that. I was excited to have you, Jordan. Thank you. Thanks for coming on. And, yeah, enjoy Chargers Rams.

Thanks so much for having me. That will be a blast. Perhaps not as fun as Bengals Bills, but that will be a blast. And I always love coming on the show talking to you about football, Greg. So thanks for having. We will do it again, not just on the Rams. And until tomorrow, when we'll talk about all sorts of teams, probably not the Rams. We got a guest in the studio, Andrew Hawkins, former Brown, my former co-host on Game

Day View is going to join us on the show. We're going to talk about our favorite playoff matchups. It's been a crazy week. Until Tuesday, eat the call. This is an IHeart podcast.