NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Early playoff predictions & Fisher reaction

Episode Date: December 14, 2016

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling,  & Gregg Rosenthal – discuss all the latest news from around the NFL including the Rams firing head coach Jeff Fisher just three days before they face the Seahawks in Week 15. Then, the heroes make some early playoff predictions with a little game of “Who do you trust?”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. Works nights at the factory of sadness. 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 Rosethal. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan.

Woo! Big night tonight at NFL Media, the annual holiday party taking place very near to Greg's home in Santa Monica so you could you could expect Greg to lose all control

stumble back home sometime around 5 a.m. would be my... Is he hosting the post game party? Oh, good question. I haven't checked that out with my wife or both my sleeping children, but I could see what happened. I think you've got to start making more unilateral decisions.

Yeah, it's fair. Generally a recipe. They won't mind. Honey heads up. Greg gets home closer to 5 a.m. or 5 p.m.? I'll still be here at 5 p.m. Heads up, honey. Seven people are coming over tonight after the party, and Wes is going to drink 45 beers and sleep on the couch.

Yeah, that's generally how it goes, right? No, that's, yeah, that's your Christmas part. Slightly hyperbolic. 25. This is the, yes, Tuesday edition of the Around the NFL podcast, sponsored, of course, Mr. Flames' economics class. Like it or not, Spice Rack,

located in the Hague, the Netherlands. Mr. F. And Mark, I know that you and Mr. Flame have become chummy. How did you come down when you heard about Spice Rack taking a swing at your new friend? Won't put up with it, number one. It's not as if Spice Rack, who seems to be, by most accounts, mostly agreeable to me. I have had no major issues with him personally.

When I see that display of behavior, it speaks to a rash of, you know, ill actions on his part. I don't agree with what he did to take it public and to go after a sponsor in Mr. F who's been nothing but a gentleman to us and who never said a single negative word about Spice Rack, where this guy seems completely unhinged to me. Yeah, for anyone, you know, somewhat joining new here, Spice Rack, you know, one of Chris Wessling's good friends, also been on the show. provided analysis for us. He's been on the show three times. He's a good friend, one of my good friends, and a knowledgeable sports fan.

Very knowledgeable. My go-to source for college football analysis. Well, there's a state. That's a consiglaria. You don't get that title by accident. There's a saying, you know, in the NFL or just in life, you know, keep your hands out of my pockets. And Mr. F is putting sandwiches in our pockets.

He's our money man. So you got to keep your, you got to keep your hands out of my pocket. You don't mess with other people. people's money. Horrible strategy. I understand the lashing out and feeling in the heat of the moment upset about what had happened with his potential pot appearance, but wrong guy to take it to. Poor strategy. New money behind the glass. Oh yeah. By the way, Melvin Gordon wants to come back. It's up in the air. Melvin Gordon needs to get to a thousand yards for Spice rack to be back on the show. He's three yards short right now. And he says he wants to come

back and then Mike McCoy, their coach was quoted saying, yeah, we're not going to just bring him back just because he wants to get three yards to get over a thousand. It was almost like a direct message for it. So we'll have to see. This is the best cliffhanger heading into the final three weeks of this. Greg, you have a very important role in today's show so far. You're like the character in a movie that gives all the exposition needed in a scene. You're just filling in all the gaps for the new listeners. I like that. We will miss you, by the way. This is Greg's last show of the week in the studio because Greg, you will be. I'll be here Sunday.

Is that next week? That's the next week technically, I guess. Yeah, but I see what you're saying. You will be heading to beautiful Seattle for Thursday night football. The Emerald City. It's NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal. You're the shrinking girls. Well, yeah, I was wondering what that was.

Cats being run over or something. Well, one more time, said if you. It's NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal. New money behind the glass. Do you want to let Greg know where you got that last sound effect? Oh, yeah. So I found a video on YouTube of girls chasing down an SUV that contained several members of One Direction.

What's One Direction? Really? Yeah, really. They're like the new kids on the block of 2000. He's playing this. Twelve to 2000. I feel like we're just... I am not playing this.

I've never heard of One Direction on the show before. Greg is actually, a lot of people feel that Greg looks like one of the members. I'm not sure which one it is, but I've heard this on Twitter. I mean, that's why we have the shrieking. Anyway, Greg will be at the game. Seahawks Rams. That's exciting. Yeah, Thursday night.

Very exciting. So we will have someone sitting in for you on Thursday, and then we will hear from you on the phone. But we have a lot to get to today. Today's show, we have the Monday Night Football game between the Patriots and Ravens. another resounding Patriots victory, some big news, including the first firing of the year in, of all places, Los Angeles. And then we'll take a look at that playoff picture.

This is where, it's a good thing we have Greg today. This is where as bread is buttered, Greg likes to break down the schedule and the permutations, what means what? Tabulations, computations. Absolutely. That's one of Greg's great skill sets. So we'll break down the play. off picture with a little game of who do you trust.

And that's it. Nice show. That's the show. Nice tight Tuesday show. Yeah. Let's start with Little Monday Night Football. Yes. Yes.

From Gillette. stadium, the New England Patriots, life on the throne of ease is good. A 30 to 23 win over the Baltimore Ravens, really denting the Ravens' playoff hopes and giving New England really an inside track on the number one seed in the AFC, now 11 and 2, a game that was a very, very interesting game

where New England turnover issues on the special teams allowed Baltimore to get back in the game, but just when it looked like, like the Ravens could potentially shock everyone and steal one, Tom Brady and company came back on the field. Brady in the gun with Blunt to his right, to receivers, right, to receivers left. The talent, the left foot four takes the step. Play fake to Blunt, stands in, throws deep down the right side for Hogan.

Behind the defense, reels it in. He's gone. 20, 10, touchdown, Patriots. Woo! Oh, with a woo. 79-yard dagger. Be a professional. Bob Sosie and Scott Zolak of WBZ 3023 final, as I said. Tom Brady, 25 of 38, 406, and three touchdowns, one pick.

And Greg Rosenthal, you believe that Tom Brady might have just stamped himself a favorite in the MVP race. Well, he's got to complete the double header. I saw you're dancing, by the way. That's fine. You can have fun. Got Baltimore one week. You know, theoretically the number one ranked defense. Certainly the best past defense in the league is the Denver Broncos. That's where he goes next week. That's a very tough matchup.

But I think if he could slay both of those in back-to-back weeks with impressive performances, to me he is the MVP favorite. If you can throw the kill shot against those two teams, not only beating the two scariest defenses, as you put it, Greg. And two of the teams that have had a good record against him over the years. Just took my point. Oh, sorry. also to knock both of those teams out of the playoffs

the two teams that have knocked them out of January the most I mean that absolutely Mark that would be something to stamp the resume even missing four games you buying even without playing a quarter of the season that you could give him the trophy I know he needs more trophies you're on that corner yeah I'd buy that it can happen number one I buy that he is MVP material every season so it just swings around to when they feel like giving it to him versus another storyline they fall for more than him. Okay.

And then as far as this game goes, a strange game because the Patriots were totally prepared or looked like they were going to run away with this game in the first half. And then your boy, Cyrus Jones, Greg, had another mishap his fifth fumble and nine game. I ain't going to see him no more. I don't know. Well, we'll see. The Ravens did a nice job cashing in on that turnover for a touchdown. And then when Matthew Slater fumbles, the kick return.

turn on the ensuing kickoff. They punched that in, so that kind of made the game look closer, West. But the Patriots really were the far better team on this night, right? Yeah, I think they distanced themselves from the Ravens, who seemed to be a surging team. And the reason they distance themselves primarily is because Tom Brady's the best player in the NFL. That's why he should get the MVP award. And he was the best player in this game, 496 yards against the number one defense.

40 minutes into the game, he already had a 300-yard. passing game. Those two late first quarter and early second quarter drives were masterpieces, I thought. This was the primary case, I would say, the primary evidence in the case against Dan Hanses. Tom Brady

is not regressing one bit. Well, no. He certainly hasn't to this point. It would be... Highest yards per attempt since 2011. It would be foolish for me to say that. I'm not saying that at this point, and maybe it does when the things change in January, but it's not looking good. I will say, yeah, he slayed the best defense in the NFL.

This is a weird year. Sometimes I think the Patriots who are obviously an excellent team, but they get the feeling that they're almost like the calves in the NBA in the Eastern Conference this year where they don't even need to be a great team necessarily to get to the Super Bowl because if the Ravens are the team and they go and beat a Broncos team, which is badly flawed, to me, that tells me not much. I mean, I don't think either of those teams are great teams.

Those are good defenses, and we're talking individuals. But not great defenses. Like we're saying, oh, they beat, I can't believe they destroyed the Ravens defense. Like it's some type of historic Ravens unit. They're merely okay. It's a weird season. I hear you there, and they lost a couple guys in their secondary, which was massive. Although it was Eric Weddle, you know, maybe the best player in their secondary,

who was at fault for the touchdown that killed the game. But this is a historic run defense, at least according to football outsiders. And that points out something, I think, that this page, this Patriots team is better at than they have been in a long time. Even though they were in great field position at the end, you give the ball to Lagart-Blunt, you run the ball. A little blunt force trauma? You run the ball out on the best run defense in the league.

This is the best backfield that they've had in a vastly improving offensive line. So sometimes, Mark, you win MVP's when the teammates are better. And I think that's part of it with Brady this year. I think he's getting more support from the offensive line in the running game. Yeah, I agree with that. I think that, you know, we talk about in this room that we, or maybe we treat the Browns and Jets with kid gloves because two of the people in here

have some sort of emotional tie to them. And I wouldn't claim that Greg has a deep emotional tie to the Patriots at this point. But I would say that I do say, I would say that we come up sometimes with this, well, this is a real tough opponent sitting in front of New England. And it's one week after the next.

I'll say what I tweeted after the game. Bring me your next AFC Strawman. I am beyond the point of listening to dense arguments about why team X, Y, or Z is going to stand up and knock out the Patriots at home in Jolette on Monday night. Everything would need to go right for the Steelers. And the argument against that is that five years running, the Steelers have found a way to get in front of themselves

through injuries or whatever else. The Patriots aren't a historic team. This is a great team and a conference of pretenders. Fine. So the second part, the second part is that if it's a conference of pretenders, you don't need to be a great team to mow through it. I'm not saying this is the best Patriots team of our lifetime. 2317, the Ravens have the ball midway through the fourth quarter.

If they would execute it a little bit better against an improving New England defense, but still no world beaters, we might be singing a different tune today. So even as better, the Patriots are a superior team. I would argue that this game was a lot closer. This game was a lot closer to 35 to three than it was to. Patriots dominated that game. It was an utter domination. Yeah, the Ravens had a chance because of two completely uncharacteristic Patriots special teams mistakes.

You could go another five years under this regime and not see ever again. That's how they climbed back in this game. I think this is the best Patriots game of the year by far. This was the first time I watched them. And I as a fan, and I told Wes even, you know, how the game was started. I sort of, I was like, wow, this is the first game. I really feel like a fan boy fan. But it's also the first one where I thought this looks like a Super Bowl team.

because you know what the Patriots, a lot of those teams that we think of as, like, these were dominant Patriots team. It's like they're winning close games throughout the season. They're closer to this year's kind of Lions team that they pull out wacky games. But then in December, you see the improvement. They are dominant in December. You see them playing their best. And the defense isn't great, but it's playing its best now.

Ninkovich is playing better. Flowers is playing better. Like they're getting contributions and you see that coming around. This is how you beat the Patriots. you better get Tom Brady uncomfortable in the pocket. The Ravens couldn't do it. And that's why he had the time of his life. And if they can't, who's going to?

My concern was Rob Grunkowski, who is. Yeah. I cannot say enough things about how much of a difference maker that guy is at the non-quarterback position. And they've never been able to overcome his injuries. This year's different. They've got two outside receivers in Hogan and Mitchell, which they haven't had since Randy Moss.

They have, as Greg said, their best backfield since 2004. They have the best play caller, arguably, in the NFL who attacks weaknesses. And they have, for the first time, a tight end who is almost a clone of Gronk when he's healthy and Martellus Bennett. Yeah, I mean, I thought it was in – Eric Weddell talked to Greg Bedard after the game, and they asked how it changed with Gronk, and it was like, it doesn't change at all. They ran the exact same offense. He just takes Gronk's role. And they asked, well, what about – you know, they have the back field is different.

He's like, those guys essentially play receiver. And when Lewis and White are out there, one of them is basically just playing the role. And the one thing I'd say, if there's any benefit to the fact that Gronk has been out of the lineup so often in recent years, that collectively as a coaching staff, you've had more time in past years and this year to think about how to attack without Grunk. It's not a first time thing. And I think they remember last year. And Brady was so amped up for that game, screaming at the crowd, screaming at Edelman. And he even said after the game, what a huge game he felt it was. Because they fell apart down the stretch. last year it cost them home field and they don't want that to happen again and if they can get home field that's a huge edge in a they will weaker a fc one more concern i would have they have no depth that wide receiver they had they they run the three wide receiver sets and they only dress three wide receivers yesterday and at one point someone had to come off the field i think it

might have been hogan they had a call time out so if you lose another one of these guys it's going to start to show but as things stand now as long as they stay healthy amindola might be back week 17 certainly for the playoffs. You can split your running backs out wide too. They're very versatile. All right. Let's move on and check out the news. That is 7 and 9 bullshit. We're waiting for that. Yes, yes, yes. The Rams stunned the football world Monday afternoon, making the decision to fire longtime head coach Jeff Fisher. Just months after he got a contract extension from the team.

it has been a totally lost season for the Rams who are 4 and 9 have lost 7 of 8 and frankly it'd become an embarrassing outfit in recent months I would say the last 6 to 8 weeks here is what Ramp CEO Kevin Demoff said in a press conference shortly after the announcement it's unfortunate for him today because this is an organizational failure and I think when you stand up here anytime you let a head coach go we all have to take look in the mirror. This is not just about the head coach or the coaching staff. We have to improve across the board and personnel to operations to everything. It's what we told the staff today that unfortunately today this is being discussed as Jeff Fisher, but collectively is the Rams. We need to

get better moving forward and that process really begins today. Mark, I don't think people are that surprised that Fisher won't be back next year, but the timing of it, did that surprise you? I mean, I think it did specifically this week because you have a game. on Thursday, which teams, you know, you don't have a normal week of practice. You don't have a chance if you're an interim coach to step in and, you know, on a practice field makes some sort of a statement. It's a super quick week. But it doesn't surprise me that if in the building it became known to Jeff Fisher that this was the decision, that the idea that in some trades that you would stick around and give a two-week warning and train the person coming, that does not happen in the

NFL. And if the feelings were there or there was any tough feelings, it was, it's over now. And when when it gets ugly, it gets ugly. It doesn't really end pretty for coaches in this league. Special teams coordinator, John Fossel, will take over starting Thursday in Seattle. I don't think it gets any uglier than A, the stories and everything else that were coming out the last few weeks. I think Albert Breers article in the MMQB had an impact where he had a source from the personnel side that said that the personnel and the coach didn't get along. That's ugly.

It doesn't matter who's at fault in that. I think when you're at an ownership level like Stan Cronky, that's what gets your attention. What also gets your attention is a half-empty crowd for the second straight game in the second half because you're not competitive. It was as ugly a performance, I think, that's just going to get you angry. So why not get started on hiring the new coach? I think that's the whole idea. Now they're really getting started doing that. I don't want to pile on Jeff Fisher.

My feelings on him have been made abundantly close. clear over the last few years. I think it's telling it's it's great news for Jared golf and Todd Gurley though. Because their futures look like a dead end with Jeff Fisher as the coach. And Mark started with Brian Schottenheimer three or four years ago on this podcast saying they run an unimaginative offense that is not NFL caliber. Todd Gurley said the same thing. We run a middle school offense. That's through Signetti, through Boris. All along the way, you have not developed any offensive talent since Jeff Fisher has been there. This, to me, is the best news for Rams fans that you have a chance now to run in real

NFL offense after almost a half decade of not doing it. And this is just the start. You know, Demoff did not make any promises about the general manager, less needs. Future we'll see. I mean, you never know. But when he also talked about, you know, no formula for head coach and, you know, we'll look under every corner, and then you read in the Los Angeles Times, they're looking for the big name.

They want to make the big splash. They're throwing Pete, one guy, you know, one report has Pete Carroll as a guy that they want to go after. You know, the Los Angeles Times, they're looking for a Bill Walsh type coach. Well, yeah, that would be great. We're all looking for a Bill Walsh coach. Right, that would be great. But they mentioned how John Gruden's representatives or a source close to John Gruden said,

well, that is a job that would maybe interest him. So it's like they're going after a big. shiny name. That's what Stan Cronky did when he hired Jeff Fisher, by the way. There was a big spending spree between him and the Miami Dolphins. I think that they're also finding that, you know, there are very few NFL cities

where you can message correctly a losing team. You just can. It doesn't work with any fan base, but there are cities where you can get away with it for longer. And at St. Louis, I'm not saying that's one of them, but it potentially was when you come to L.A., the idea of what they, the message in the

marketing for year one was nice, and shiny and clean and clear. What a nice reunion it is. But L.A., we've all learned from living here for a while now. You cannot put a product on the field and ask people to pay hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, to come sit in the seats and watch

and have it be a stink bomb. And now going into year two, the Rams face incredible challenges. And I think that one of the reasons you remove Fisher is because the messaging, as you said, from the articles, everything got to such a high point where it was no coming back from that.

And they're going to have, They have no choice but to go get a big name because in L.A., you cannot go hire some third-rate guy that we've never heard of. You've got to be careful, though. Why not? Why not just hire a good coach and forget about the big name?

I'm telling you there's more to it, Greg. Jeff Fisher was a big name and had that work out. Don't necessarily go over the glitz. Trust your football people if you do to find somebody that's the right choice. I'm not saying I think that, hey, guys, I think the only way to go is to hire a big name over a good coach. I just think that when you're the L.A. Rams, you've got a PR, you've got to think about PR too.

It is just true of USC, it's true of UCLA. I know people say that, but to me, I think it's far more important to win games. Right, that's what Demoff said over and over. By the way, a big name doesn't mean, hey, this guy is a hollow win bag and he's not going to win. In theory, you'd think it's someone who's going to, a big name would be someone that you trust to win. And attach to someone. I'm just saying you don't go get one. There are teams that go, they have the fourth, fifth, or sixth choice of a coach,

and it's someone that were like, wait, what? They can't do that and have an easy time managing that message. It's important to the Rams to have a home run name that everyone can say, oh, yes, this move made sense. I mean, Bruce Ariens was on a home run name when he got hired. Mike Tomlin came out of nowhere to get a Steelers job. I just don't think that L.A. is that different. You got to win games. That's the biggest factor ever in sports.

I agree with you. And yet I think the thinking will partly be this next season, this next year is massive because they're going to be moving into Inglewood Stadium. They're trying to sell personal seat licenses, which I have feelings about how fair that is to fans that you even have to buy these personal seat licenses, which is essentially like a couple years of tuition at an expense of college. They need to go sell those things. That is going to be difficult to do. It's a recipe for a bad decision. I agree. If you are hiring a coach based on who can sell tickets, it's a bad decision.

Let's move on plenty of drama around the Rams And I'm sure we'll be talking about them more But let's move on for now Talk about some good news for the Miami Dolphins Ryan Tannahill Who you know 19 times out of 12 You know what?

Screw it Greg 98 times out of 100 Is the percentage better Is 98 out of 100 better than Yeah it would be 95 out of Who It was close 98 times out of 100

When you get the reports out there That the ACL's feared torn the next day it just gets confirmed. Ryan Tannhill did not tear his ACL, or at least didn't have a full tear. He sprained the ACL and MCL in the game against the Cardinals on Sunday. What does that mean? Chris Wessling, it means that while Tannahill is now on a week-to-week basis rather than a year-long rehab, there is a chance.

He still plays in 2016, but probably only if Miami gets to the playoffs without him. And even then, how good is he going to be? Mobility is a big part of his game. I don't think this bodes great for the dolphins in 2017 either way, but you do like to have your quarterback not spending the entire offseason rehabilitated. Well, you know, we've talked about their path. They have the Jets this Saturday night. They have the bills.

We reported, I believe it was Courtney Fallon of NFL Network, said he could be back for week 17 against the Patriots. A little bit of be careful what you wish for. That's a game that the dolphins won a year ago. You could almost imagine Tanna Hill coming back. and having a disastrous loss in that spot where you need a win and you get knocked out of the playoffs, it's tough.

You've got to be careful. I mean, we've learned the lesson RG3 and you could insert other names in there if you rush a guy back with a bad knee that he can end up hurting it worse. They got to play this smart. He's a guy who I think now is out of the woods in terms of thinking he could be available this offseason

in a trade that seems to be what people. I mean, I don't, I'm not a huge fan. Yeah, if you need a quarterback, you'd go after him. I think there was questions going into the year and certainly maybe in October whether he was a long-term fit with Adam Gase, whether he would want to bring in his own type of guy. I think those questions are kind of gone now, though.

I don't think that he is answered whether he's a franchise quarterback or not, but I don't think the dolphins are going to be looking for someone after they paid him what they did. I mean, there's been a supply issue at quarterback since we were kids. You get rid of Tannahill and you've got to have someone to fill them up, fill them with, you know.

Even before. Even before we were kids. I don't want to comment on a world that I wasn't here for, but that's probably true. That's responsible. I mean, once upon a- Our news editor would respect that you did that. Once upon a time, there were only NFL teams. They all had franchise quarterbacks.

That gets the- Right, that's true, too. Wes makes a good point. When there weren't a lot of teams, there wasn't a dearth issue, maybe. Or maybe there was. This is before our time. Right. But maybe meeting the demand.

But maybe people. just didn't practice as much, you know, with a full forward pass. Well, they're asking some of those quarterbacks to throw for 108 yards a game. So, well, look at that guy. He just crossed the 100 yard mark. Smoking three packs a day. This conversation reminds me tomorrow, I've got a piece about the quarterback market Wednesday that is QB index. And it's kind of an interesting trademark.

I know it's a little early to get to this. But Tyrod Taylor, Jimmy Garapolo, Tony Romo, A.J. McCarron. Those are all guys that should be available, which is interesting. nasty names. Are you going to talk about that? Greg Rosenthal. You're going to talk about that. It sounded like gunshots or something.

I don't know what's going out there. Maybe a TV segment, too? Let's hope not. No. I like how you create mass panic among, you know, juvenile females. Hey, I'll take what I can get. Beatles. Creep.

Moving on. There, ooh, deflategate juice. Fox Sports, Jay Glend. Layser reported Sunday that the New York Giants alerted the NFL that two balls used by the Pittsburgh Steelers last week were underinflated. The NFL responded. I'm so happy to be talking about this guys. The NFL responded that no formal complaint was filed. And then Jay Glazer followed up with saying,

while no formal complaint was filed, the Giants did let the NFL know that this was something that was going on. And of course, what makes us even more like interesting and weird and also, you know, annoying is that the Giants and the Steelers are probably, there's no too close or franchises family-wise. So the fact that they're involved with this is kind of saucy, Chris Wesley. Your thoughts. Two different situations that the PSI was found to be under 12.5, the legal limit, both in about 40-degree weather, damp conditions, both fall under the ideal gas law. one treated with paranoia, vengeance, and ignorance of science. The other are treated by sweeping it under the rug. I just think that should be pointed out

that the NFL is now tacitly acknowledging the ideal gas law after suspending Tom Brady. They're not even acknowledging that a complaint was filed. How are they tacitly denying or acknowledging anything? They're acknowledging the idea of gas law when you say that these footballs at 11.4 PSI are not a problem, even though they fall under the legal limit. They said that they don't have a four.

complaint they didn't make a statement on the footballs the giants told the NFL here's what the readings were 11.4 and the NFL said okay that's fine we know that happens now when the temperature is 41 degree where do you see that when did the NFL say that that's it by by by sweeping under the rug and not saying anything that's a tacit that's what the word test I feel like I fell into a Patriot subreddit right now then that is a tacit acknowledgement no one's going to get in trouble for this because now that the now the NFL knows the ideal gas law that when the temperature is like this, the PSI drops. Well, Ben McAdoo did confirm that the, you know, the NFL told them that the PSIs were

low. That's all confirmed. And they basically understood that they checked it and that's okay. This is not a Patriots Upreddit thing. This is common sense. This is a tacit acknowledgement. That's what tacit means. The balls are under the limit, but that's what happens now because of science.

Well, what the NFL, maybe the Giants weren't. saying the Steelers are cheating, they're just letting the NFL know, hey, these were a little low. It's not necessarily the same situation. It's apples and oranges, the two situations. I'm not, in no way am I saying that Giants accused the Steelers of cheating. And I'm saying they showed this to the NFL to say, look, these balls were under. We know that you're now monitoring this stuff.

And the NFL is tacitly saying, we know this is what happens now. We didn't know that that happened two years ago. and I just think that it was handled in a totally different way than the Patriot. Well, so, I mean, from one angle, though, I see what you're saying that you feel in a way that maybe there's favoritism towards the latter teams that would get accused or have this issue brought up. I would not use the word favoritism. I would use the word paranoia in the first place. All right. So paranoia in the first place. But from another angle, if they also didn't know about this before, if that's where we want to go, they have learned now that this happens. And so wouldn't it make sense that they wouldn't go through the same sort of trial scenario with the next team where this happens? They've learned from it.

And so their response is going to be a little bit more knowledge-filled, a little bit different. That is absolutely 100% my point. But that's not a conspiracy against the Patriots when we're – I'm saying that you suspended a guy for four games, you took away draft picks, you find them – X amount of dollars for something when you did not understand the ideal gas law. And now you understand it. So if there's a way to fix what's been wrong here, would you want them to retroactively give picks back to the Patriots or change X, Y, or Z?

I mean, what is the NFL supposed to do? I'm not asking for any redress. I just want it to be out there that this is what's going on. It should be acknowledged, not swept under a rug. And in no way, shape, or form, should any talking head be on TV saying, that Tom Brady can't be an MVP candidate because of, quote, cheating. Well, that I agree with. I think we...

He did cheat, though. He didn't cheat. Nothing was ever proven, and it wouldn't make any sense for him to cheat. The bag of footballs went into the bathroom. Phones were destroyed. Tom Brady didn't take him in there. Tax about being the deflator. Oh, no.

Is a man losing? I mean, hey, if we want to go down this road, we got to go down the road. What road? What road did Tom Brady let his people know that he likes footballs at 13, and during a game when it's 40 degrees, they fall under? under 12? Come on. Let's get a grip.

There is something wild. You would have to admit even as some, you know, as a Brady, I don't know. I respect on Brady. Intagonist. There is something. That's fair. All right. There is something.

If Brady can win the MVP, there is something kind of gangster or whatever, badass about that he would win the Super Bowl immediately after the plate gate among that drama. And then win the MVP. in the season he was suspended for deflake. Listen, one thing that I will never deny, and I've had a front row seat for 15 years and counting, the guy's the best quarterback ever. That's it.

It's not a loathsome team, but he's the best thing. All right. Let's not talk about the deflake in anymore, though. Wes, I totally see where you're coming from. I just wanted to be out there. I just wanted to be out there that the NFL is tacitly acknowledging the ideal gas law now. You're the one that's tacitly acknowledging. No, I'm flat out acknowledging it.

The NFL is tacitly. Scientists have been acknowledging it since 1834. Sidney, is that a record for using tacitly or tacit in a post or a podcast? I'm going to go ahead and say yes. Yeah, history, baby. Can I mention something about C-Money? Yeah, what about Sidney? Sydney, you can weigh in after this, but it was like three in the morning last night.

I get an email from Sydney. Whoa. And I, you know, when you have kids, like you can't, I don't know, can't sleep all the time. I wake up. I'm reading. I'm checking my work email in the middle of the night. I want to debrief with you guys about what I got, and you can just kind of weigh in, all right?

I'm just going to read it point blank, Sydney. Are you comfortable with this, Sydney? Listen, I'm a little, I don't remember this email at all, so. Well, I can see why. It's getting more and more salacious. It just goes like, hey there, just a reminder to get your weekly game picks to me by Wednesday morning if you can. That's normally where the email would end, but it goes on.

It says, also while I'm here, I was wondering if you might have any advice on managing a second auxiliary checking account. You see, the checking account I opened when I first moved to L.A. doesn't allow me to surpass a $30,000 ceiling. So I need to find a second holding cell for the excess streams of cash flowing toward me on a daily basis. I tried to keep my large S under that $30,000 cap by spending like a total madwoman. I dropped $4,000 at Maxfield on a pair of women's cashmere, belted jackets, one I simply gave away to Emma from DDFP. Then I flew to San Fran and dropped a cold six grand on a go-yard hat trunk to put all my shit in. What?

Another 10,000 went toward a Cartier love bracelet before I treated all my gal pals to a $7,000 dinner and drinks thing at Providence on Melrose. After all that spending, I still made money. She goes on, I wish I could find someone to help me manage my funds, someone to steer me towards smart financial choices while still maintaining a lifestyle appropriate to my station in life. I spent 20 plus years thinking materialism and riches were bad Holy fuck I was wrong yours Sydney

aka new money ha ha sign up for Mr. Flames high school economics class in the Hague the Netherlands at www.flameclass.com That felt like a bit the middle section in there felt like the plot from Brewster's millions I don't know what's going on

to spend and still couldn't run out of it I don't know what happened to our friends Google Brewster's millions he used to be just prior vehicle you know such a young innocent And now I have to question Sidney, well, a lot of things. But the wisdom to go to Mark Sessler, of all people, for financial advice, it just feels that.

Well, she knows that he's chummy with Mr. F. There's somewhere else you could go. Well, Sid, your thoughts. Are you cool with Mark of bringing this stuff up? There's so much to unpack there. I do feel like there was some salacious language in there that was added in. but the rest of it was like on point. It was a little unlike you.

Yeah, it was a little unlike it. Not added in. Are you going to the holiday party tonight? Yeah. Oh, I can't. I mean, Sydney's going to go all out. Yeah, well, it's my favorite time of the year because... Stretch a limo?

It's like payday for me because I don't drink. Every day's payday for new money. So I get to be like, hey, what are you going to do for me for my free drink tickets? That's true. We've got to do something about this Sydney teetoteling. Our last producer, the great Irishman who resides. currently on Mount Rushmore, also a teetotaler. Probably fine if someone attached to this production

where, you know, had some sort of modicum of, you know, control when it came to that aspect. A moral compass? Yeah. Not the worst. Irish drinks once in a while. Well, I mean, he was very responsible. Yeah, he was a lot more responsible than we were.

Yeah. All right. Let's move on. Yes, it is Greg Rosenthal time. What? Well, at some level, because it's playoff permutation time, tabulations. computation, computations, temptation, because you're tempted to just take over the show right now.

But this will be a group conversation. Mark Sessler, you wrote a couple bangers last week and this week about kind of who do you trust, a ranking of the teams in both conferences in terms of who we should trust as the playoffs approach, as a real, you know, Lombardi candidate, Lombardi winner candidate. Let's start with, where do you want to start? Mark. AFC or NFC? Well, I mean, to be fair, it's a thing that Greg and I split. We each take a conference each week. Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry. We could start. This week's is the NFC, and I think the NFC is maybe a little juicier overall.

So who, all right, who wrote the NFC one? I did. Okay. Let's start with you. Get everything, everything's lined up now. Okay. Mark, who is the number one team that you trust in the NFC right now? Well, come on. It's Dallas. Okay. You come on a lot. You know, when you write these things, you say I could try to really like,

They grab headlines, but, I mean, you know, I'm also watching the Cowboys, so I cannot. Offense has not looked great in two weeks now, but that's not going to change your trust level right now. No, it's not. I don't know if that's a team that would play as well in the cold just based on the Giants. I don't know. Maybe that's overthinking it, but they're not going to have to. They don't need to. That doesn't really matter.

There's no, I know people were like, well, now they're not going to clinch home field until week 16 at the earliest, which I think is good. Keep as much juice as possible in these games. the Cowboys. Isn't, why can't I shake the, maybe this is what's happened in the last, you know, the last three or four times the Cowboys made the playoffs. Why do I feel like they're going to blow it? I hear you. They're not a great team either.

I don't think they're that much better than the Falcons and the Seahawks and the Packers. I don't think they're that much better. We've seen like the 15 and one Packers that looked zooming for the Super Bowl get knocked off. This happens in the playoffs. That's why. They might have peaked too early. I don't feel like that's a controversial statement. It's happened to this team before

And I don't put that much into Playoff experience But this is an organization that Has won These players have won one playoff game Essentially as a group You know this is an organization that hasn't won a lot You know you get a Seahawks team

Whenever you're playing a team in the second or third round Of the playoffs those teams are playing well Because you don't get to that point And I don't know Bucky Brooks We were taping something for our NFL Pickham show, which airs Greg, Saturdays three times a day.

Can you give us the times? Yeah, if you're in the Eastern time zone, 8.30, 12.30, and 1.30 in the morning when you're a little saucy. Yes. And we, again, we recommend. What was the hand gesture that just went with that? It wouldn't be on TV. I'm thrown off.

Really didn't go with what I was. Not at all. That was crazy. We recommend that you watch all three programs live with the commercials to support the show. But Bucky was saying that people always overlook that everything changes once you get to the playoffs in terms of the intensity of the games, the way team strengths get even stronger. And maybe I guess you could say about all teams.

So it all still bounces out maybe. But Bucky says it's a different beast. Maybe though that Cowboys, the fact that they're not a dominant defense, that their pass rush, maybe that stuff can get exposed by a great offense or Aaron Rogers or Matt Ryan. I trust the Cowboys, but not... Their defense hasn't been the problem in the last couple of weeks. The offense, look, if coaches have taken Carson Wentz's strengths away and exploited his weaknesses because he's a rookie,

and now they have tape on him, why wouldn't they be able to do the same thing with Dak Prescott? Right, who's number two, Mark, on who you trust in the NFC? Let me say, I think it gets very fluid the minute you get to number two. It's almost, we're almost in that week-to-week proposition material, but for me, it's the Falcons, and I'll tell you why, I am, the way I'm projecting this for me is projecting teams that have to go into Dallas in the playoffs. And I need a team that shows that it doesn't, it's not a home away split tight team.

It's a team that goes on the road and produces typically on offense at least that it can, that it does anywhere else. That to me has been Atlanta. They've gone into Seattle. They play well. They drop 35 on Oakland, 45 on New Orleans, and 43 on Tampa Bay recently on the road. And I think that Atlanta has shown all year long that they're not last year's team that's going to fall off a cliff at some point. Again, all these teams are imperfect, but that's my number two pick right now.

The Rams are a total disaster, but I love that the Falcons said, after this, we're going to destroy you and just look ahead to the next team on the schedule. The Falcons are for real. I like him at number two. Who do you have at number three? Who's right behind the Falcons?

I have Green Bay, and I think Wesleyan, you told me earlier that you might be willing to flip those two. I like that you called him Wesley. It's like we're at the school yard in ninth grade. We're just about the guys talking football. Get over here. Wesleying. Until I saw this write-up from you, I thought I was more confident in the Falcons than anybody in the media. I've been, I've loved the Falcons all year. But right now, I might be more confident in the Packers than any team in the NFC. I get that. And yet I still think about the road to get there. And the Falcons Road is still open

for a buy. The Falcons have the most to gain and lose over the next three weeks. In theory, they're not really locked into the playoff spot, but when you look at their schedule, the best team they face the rest of the way, or the toughest game is at Carolina, which is not a brutally tough game. I think they can win that division.

If the Seahawks slip up once down the stretch, they can even get a buy. So that makes sense to me. Whereas the Packers, as much as I hear you, the Packers are more dangerous, almost in a best case scenario, they're going to be a wild card and on the road. Maybe they get lucky, and the Lions...

Best case scenario, they win the division. They have to get that lucky to win this division? They play the Lions in Week 17. Well, they need the Lions to lose it in New York, period. Or Dallas. Uh-oh. Oh, wow. Tabulating.

Go ahead. Tabulations there. Well, there are two games back. That really threw you off. If they lose one game and Green Bay wins out, I believe the Packers will win. They will. And they won the early game, and the Lions play the Giants, Cowboys, and Packers.

Of all these teams, that's one of the most rugged final three-stretch game runs there is. I'm with you, and yet I'd still like to see, and it's not going to happen, I guess, until they play in Detroit. I want to see their defense against the good offense again. That might not happen until the playoffs. I mean, they might be a three-seed, going to Seattle or going to, you know, Dallas eventually. Mark, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you here. You have the Seahawks down at number four. and I know they look bad, but I'm calling recency bias here.

I know the Packers destroyed them, but I mark it off. Bad game, they'll find a way with the Earl Thomas being out to be a team. You don't want to play in January. I think they should be number two on this list, actually. Still. That's fair. And I know that there will be thousands of people calling for my head and life on Twitter that will agree with you when this is published.

You can take that to the bank. Yes. I will say this. It's not just recency bias with Seattle. I put them up high no matter what because of their experience and we have to trust them for that. It's about who you trust. But this is a team that this season on offense has put up

three, five, six, ten, and twelve points in separate games. And it seems that you're talking about a team making a three-game run to the Super Bowl. It just feels like every couple weeks they just simply don't show up on offense. I've had so many teams this season, though. It's true, but I don't think that we can just project this Seattle team. right into the NFC championship without overcoming some of their current issues that they've not overcoming games. They're way healthier on offense now, which is one factor.

I do think you can hold, they were healthy in Green Bay. You can hold that against them, that they no-showed. A total no-show. Unlike any game really in the Carol era, he said, at least since they've had Russell Wilson, that they've been blasted like that and that they were, he called them garbage. It was a garbage performance.

It was crazy. And yet, they would be number one on my entire list. Over Dallas. They would be over Dallas. And that's how I felt going into the season. And I haven't seen enough to come off it. Because to me, Russell Wilson's been part of the problem the last three games. I don't think he's played well.

I don't think that makes sense to me. I think he will play better. As you mentioned, Thomas Rawls really gives them a boost. And I just love the, I think they can beat you in different ways. running, passing, defense, maybe not special teams. Anyway, but the offensive line. Yeah, I mean, that's something that they've really overcome throughout their tenure, and yet I just, I just,

if I had to take one team, that's my team. I'm rolling. I think they need, they absolutely need to lock down that by to not be a team that gets knocked off in the playoffs. And I think if the Seahawks, and look, they've lost to the Rams three times in a row, it would be an embarrassment if it got to 40s. times in a row against, you know, John Fossil and Jared Gough, I think they'll wax them on

Thursday night. Their schedule is as easy as it could get. I know the Cardinals can be frisky, but that game is in Seattle. They're in San Francisco. I think that they clean sweep those games and they should. They're going to be the two seed. As much as I've liked the Falcons all year, their defense scares me more than anything in Seattle. Yep. Mark, you said a big splashy higher for the Rams is what they need in L.A. I didn't say it's what they need. To be clear, I'm not some like, hey, look at me. I want them to get a big celebrity. I just think that.

You said what you said. They seem to be, I could see them being attracted to that in this city. You got to make a splash, yes. You want them to hire George Clooney. No, I was going to say. You should at this one. John Fossel is the interim code. How about former 2020 correspondent, John Stossel?

That would do it. Get him in there. That would do it. Five-year deal, $47 million. That would do. We've gone deep niche into like news pockets that most people listening to this have never heard of that man, but I'm with you. John Stossel reference in a big spot.

Why can't John Fossel keep the job? Yeah, Kevin DeBoff, the CEO said that he should treat it like an audition. And I love Fossil for this. They asked him about it. And he basically said, like, do you think you could get the job? He said, no. He's like, did you ever think you could be a head coach at all? He's like, no, never really, never really aspired to that.

Like, don't think I would have any chance of keeping this job. Might be a few years off if that's the mindset he's holding it. I liked him. He was honest. He was a likable personality. He's right. He has no chance. Maybe one of the only likable coaches on that staff when you watched the five episodes.

Mark, before we moved to the AFC, talk about one more team on this list. And if you want to see the full list, check out NFL.com slash Cessler. You have Tampa a little bit low. Do you want to just talk about why you don't trust them at all? Whoa. Well, I trust any team on this list more than a bunch of other junk that aren't on the list. But I have them at eight. So you trust them more than the 40?

I think part of its positioning. They're going to have to win that division potentially. And they've got the Cowboys next. I think that in Dallas, I think I put you at 8 and 6, then you've got the Saints and the Panthers. My trust in the Buccaneers bottom line, that's one team that I've watched more of lately than I did earlier in the season. I have gained respect for what they've done on defense.

They're getting turnovers. They're not turning the ball over as much. That's a great formula for surging into the playoffs. So it's not that I don't trust them. It's just that who do I put them above here? I know who Wes would put them above. Well, you can trust their talent base and still say with respect that maybe they're a year away. It's a team with zero playoff experience, too.

I think that has a little something to do with it. And this is going to be a tough situation. Them going into Dallas, great Sunday night game. Yes, it is. The perfect week for it for it. Well, and for once a new team, thank you. Yeah, the perfect week for it, too, with the bucks totally surging and the Cowboys staggering a little. You were saying you want a good office.

to go into Dallas. You know, after watching them the last two weeks, it's like, I like that, I think the Vikings or the Giants or teams that can show that they're more as physical as the Cowboys' offense and just make it an ugly game in the teens. Vikings could have won that game. Maybe that's the key.

You know, and to me, that could be the Bucks. Like, I don't know if they're quite that good at defense, but that's how they're winning games right now. I think the Bucks are in a lot of trouble. A lot of trouble. They level Drew Brees in that last year. I don't want to give any spoiler alerts when it's time to seal the vault. All right.

Let's move over to the AFC and we'll talk now to Greg Rosenthal who wrote a banger. No, I haven't really written a banger. I think I have one coming Thursday topic to be decided. But I think we can just talk who we trust in general. Yeah, let's talk who we trust in the same way. All right. Let's get the 800-pound gorilla out of the way. Well, he's not really something we don't want to talk about,

but we don't have to. Patriots, the number one team to trust to make it out of the AFC. We talked about them a lot. But who is, Wes, the closest team to the Patriots in your mind in terms of trust level to make it through the gauntlet. That is the AFC playoffs. Pittsburgh Steelers. Yep.

Pittsburgh Steelers. Levy on Bell said, told Peter King, Sunday night, No NFL team wants to face us right now, and I agree. They're on a four-game winning streak. During that stretch, their defense is allowed 12.5 points per game. That's supposed to be their weakness. And if you watch their last few games, it's the last three draft classes that are finally paying off on defense.

Ryan Shazir was a heat-seeking missile in Buffalo in the first half, making almost every tackle. Stefan Tua and Bud DePree swarming the pocket almost every play, making plays behind the line of scrimmage. They're using Sean Davis, the rookie safety. like Troy Palomalu, he had one and a half sacks and two, I think three quarterback hits in Buffalo. This defense is a lot better. You've got Ross Cockrell, who's having a good year,

and now Artie Burns the first round rookie on the outside, allowing William Gay to play the slot, and it's really solidified as secondary that's been their Achilles heel the last few years. Man, they have 18 sacks in the last four games, and it's funny because you go back to that Browns game. It's when they decided we are going to lean hard on Levon Bell. We're going to run the ball right up people's throw.

he can do everything and their defense down their throats down their throats that pass rush exploded in that game it would start in their it would be even more painful because you'd go right through the top of the throat into the brain and it's over oh you started the throat I thought that's what I'm saying you go up the throat so you go into the mouth up the throat right through their brain game over what if you started from the butt I think less attractive Jeff Triplett would call a flag on that yes you would all right I can agree more with Wes on the Steelers. Okay, go ahead, Greg. No, no, I'm just saying sometimes when you play some bad teams, you start feeling better.

I think this helped the Patriots, too. They got the soft part of the schedule at the right time, and you start figuring out the things you do well. Bud Dupree comes back from injury. That was a huge, huge addition for them. And then when you start playing the better teams, it's like, you're feeling good. You're feeling frisky. Well, Greg, you're feeling good.

Half the room hasn't experienced that in 20 years, but good for you. I'm saying the Steelers just feel good. I'm with you. I'm a little nervous, though. I'm a Steelers fan. I'm worried about At Sincey this week. I think they should be. That could be a trouble spot.

And because of their four-game losing streak earlier this season and some of their other struggles, they're only eight and five. They're not totally out of the woods yet. If they have another stumble... If they lose to the Ravens, the Ravens can win that division. Why are we worried about the Bengals? I mean, the Browns just had a 100-yard rusher against the Bengals.

I just don't see it as a great matchup, to be honest. Bengals' offensive line versus Pittsburgh's defense? I think any team looking at the Bengals is a game. Gimmie is in for Root Awakening. I think that all year they've played a tough schedule until recently, and now they look a little bit better because they've been playing weak teams. But they also welcome A.J. Green back to practice this week. Huge of it.

They're getting stronger. They're a 7 and 5 type of team that's gotten some bad luck this year. But the Pittsburgh O' line has been so good, and I just don't see Cincinnati getting after them. And after watching that last night, I'm starting to think maybe Pittsburgh's O' line can really handle Baltimore, too, in a couple weeks. One thing before, Steelers weren't even in the playoffs. picture last week in terms of those teams.

And the other team that we're high on in the NFC, the Packers, are not in it now. So we are talking about teams that are getting right and finding out who they are in the final month of the season. That still has a very thin line in terms of they can't really foul up anymore. They're not going to play at all. You know it would be great if the team of ATL just knocks your little Packer Boys out on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, this is a team that I...

Hard pass. Yeah. We got to bring the Hell drop back. I don't want the Vikings any. anywhere near the playoffs. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my God. They are repulsive to me.

A little bit of loyalty. Don't worry. I was never in love with them. There's got to be a fun moment on Christmas Eve. I'm telling you, in Lambo. And it's going to be the Vikings are not connected. It's going to be the fourth quarter, and it's going to be a one-score game. And they're going to be about a few minutes away from the playoffs.

And who knows what will happen. Greg, you are. You are positioned on this show at times is the one amongst the four of us, who is a football head and just loves the sport, even bad. matchups. You know what? No, you don't love football more than us. You're rooting for loyalty over good football in the playoffs. I want good football. Keep the Vikings out. Put the packers in. Loyalty is important. Right, come on. Good football. Put them both in and get the Giants out. All right. You knew you had a friend in life. That was building a bridge called

negotiating. Yeah, that got you guys out of the lab there. All right, the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders are both 10 and 3 here. And the, and the Chiefs just beat the Raiders and swept them, in fact, this season. I would say they seem to me to be the team that should be in the number three spot right now. I agree. And for two reasons. One, I don't trust the Raiders in cold weather after that last game. They were a totally different team in cold weather.

It wasn't just Derek Carr. Well, the quarter of a big thing. Their wide receivers were terrible in that game, could not catch a cold football. I don't trust them. And the second thing is the chiefs. playmakers. They have them now. They didn't forever. Tyreek Hill, Justin Houston. If Jamal Charles come back like he plans to, that's another playmaker. The chiefs are dangerous. There's a huge win by Kansas City. It threw everything that I presupposed into the blender.

Because I guess I'm going to be honest, like I just cannot project the Kansas City Chiefs as a Super Bowl team. But tell you what, the way they're constructed, they can play in crazy. whether they can beat you up. You don't want to deal them at all because of their defense. So you can't say they're going to get eliminated in January. You don't know. They're well coached. They don't beat themselves.

They turn the ball over. And the quarterback. Yeah, the quarterback has a great chemistry with Travis Kelsey, Jeremy Macklin's back. I know Alex Smith is the thing that holds people back. But again, I think he showed it in that game that when the stakes are high. He does. He played pretty well against Atlanta, too.

That's a two big games in a row. And for a month before that, he wasn't playing well. Yeah, that's true. You know, these teams play each other so much, and the Chiefs have the Titans this week, which is a tough game. The Broncos have to play all good teams the rest of the way

that we could be changing sort of who looks good by the week. I think the Raiders and the Chiefs are in, though, regardless. I mean, they're going to get in, and the Chiefs, to me, are the team I trust more out of those two. And I really am looking forward to this week 17 match up, Oakland and Denver. I just think something's going to be on the line there. If I had to guess, I think that's going to be the Sunday night game.

And I'm just not giving up on the defending champs yet because there's something about them. They are plus 84 in the fourth quarter this year. They know how to close games. Their strengths are still really strong to the point where in any given week, I give them a chance. Man, their schedule, Patriots, Chiefs, Raiders, if they get there, they will have earned it. And they do deserve our trust. They could go two and one, though, in that and get in. 10 wins, I think, will probably get you in.

And I'll tell you what, that's where my list ends in the AFC. I don't trust any of these. Maybe the Ravens maybe sneak in, but really, if we're talking about who can win Super Bowls, my list ends after those five teams. I'm with you. Broncos coming in as the final team there. I'm finished making excuses for the Ravens after last night.

If they want to run an imbalanced offense to that degree, I can't help it. Kenneth Dixon looked good, too, in the second half. They don't use him. They don't want to run the ball, so I can't trust him. Their whole season is really going to come down to that Steelers game. Because they're not out of it. If they can sweep the rest of the way, they'll win that division.

Well, also, one thing about the Ravens, you know, we've talked a lot about John Elway. Ozzie Newsom has quietly built a fascinating defense almost behind the scenes over the course of a couple years. And you add a couple pieces on offense. They're right back where they've been for, you know, what, the whole freaking century. It's a Hall of Fame general manager and a Hall of Fame titan. The old double trouble. It's like John Elway.

It's like Dick Lebeau. Double threat? Defensive coordinator slash cornerback. Double threat. All right, good talk, guys. I enjoyed it. I thought it was both informative and a little entertaining. You know?

I thought you kind of combined those two things very well. Mark, the stuff with going up the throat, that was wild. Listen, that's... Audacious, I would call it. You know, initially it started as a correction on your part, so give yourself credit. We will be back on Thursday. Greg, of course, we'll now head on a plane

as he's wont to do now that he's one of the big shots. It's NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal. And we'll cover the game. I look forward. Settle down, girls. I do like having, you know, Alex Fergola voice that.

Yeah, Fraggs is still has not been paid a dime. I will buy her a drink tonight at the holiday party. But Greg, you'll be on. the phone on Thursday, talking about the game you just covered, big game for the Seattle Seahawks and a lot of drama around the Rams. So that's fun. But that's for Thursday. One shout out to Calais.

I hope I'm pronouncing this right. Matheson at 8 Cali sent a wrote and recorded a theme song, very talented. It was almost like a very catchy song. It was almost straight out of like the Rocky Four soundtrack. I got me pumped up this morning as I was getting ready to come into the office. So maybe we'll play out Calais' song, the music theme, from the Around the NFL podcast. I mean, it was like a music video because he had one camera on him singing and another on him playing, you know, great talent.

I love it. Like an ace of bass video or something. That's terrible. That's terrible. Genesis is much better. Ace of base. I don't know. From Denmark, by the way. We love our fans all around the world.

So check it out. We'll retweet him from the around the NFL podcast. podcast account if you want to see the video till Thursday. This is Dan Hansa signing off for Quiet Storm The Mailman, the boss and new money. Behind the glass.

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