NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Fearless Predictions & Hallmark Holidays with Conor Orr

Episode Date: December 20, 2023

In a room full of heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Marc Sessler, and Colleen Wolfe preview the Week 16 Thursday Night Football matchup between the Saints and Rams and the Saturday slate of games. Before the previews, the heroes make fearless predictions about the remaining three weeks of the season (05:00) and get you caught up on news from around the league including the Chargers turning to a a guy named Giff (27:48) and Arthur Smith's job security headed toward the offseason (33:41). After the break, Conor Orr joins the show for his yearly Hallmark Christmas special (40:14) and the heroes preview Saints at Rams (01:01:06), Bengals at Steelers (01:04:10), and Bills at Chargers (01:09:16). Note: time codes approximate. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Around the NFL podcast. Next week's 1051 club meeting has been moved to 1055. Unacceptable. From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, it's around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansis Heroes here, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler, and I kid you not. Got another screenshot today from the woman to my right of her GPS navigation.

And what does it say exactly 1051, 1051 Club. Every time, every week. It's so consistent at this point, no matter what time I try to leave my house. Every time I do leave, I'm arriving at 1051. I love all the nicknames that you have, but the woman to my right is my new favor. Yeah. What's an actor? I'm going to be asked to be fonded that way.

Tell me the lie. Uh, yes, yes. We, this was our, for the third time in two weeks because of Mark, we had picture day this morning. Yes. I think it's a blessing. I mean, the butterfly effect of cess dog going to see his dentist named Crentist is still affecting the entire crew. I took my son to the dentist. I, myself, didn't just schedule a dentist appointment out of thin air during a,

but a shoot no Mark I'm loving this look it's giving a little Ryan Fitzpatrick like it's like I'm I like to have fun I can party I'm gonna go to an island but I'm also here for business and I love it you would think that that's a compliment no it's a lot of things go through it's super fun

like I literally was like trying to imagine a period of my adult existence where I less wanted like official photos that are going into the company you know photo bank apparently for all time, like, of me taking it. No, it was even more ominous. It was, these photos need to be taken for marketing reasons.

What is that? Why is that ominous? It's marketing. What does that mean? I don't, like, it's so all-encompassing. Yeah. I feel like it'll have the same breadth as our last pictures, which I feel like didn't have a lot of pop.

Can't remember them making a big impact in our lives. Greg, going down, he has no meaning. Nothing matters. Did you do prom photo style? I do like the mark. Mark became the change you wanted to see. For years on this show, he complained about male fashion,

and now he's leading the way. Everybody eventually turns. I thought our photographer was very encouraging. I'd say that. She kept telling us, we looked great. It was obviously... There's always a through line, too. Like, when all of a sudden,

a grown man's fashion changes, there's usually something or someone behind it. Well, we've seen that on this show multiple times. Just Levi, when he shows up, that that is a timeline changer. I love Levi. I suggest it because we did a group shot and I said, I know what's going to happen here.

Greg's going to do the Greg outfit, which is like bomber jacket and T-shirt. It's not a bomber jacket. And then Mark is going to do the Mark outfit, which is like Oxford collared shirt and Blazer. And then whatever I wear is going to make the other person, you know, stand alone. So if I do something Greggy,

like Mark is all of a sudden looking too stuffy, if I do the same thing as Mark, then Gregie's, you know, look at me on the side of Walgreens, I'm the cool guy of the group. So I had to reach out to the group and say, maybe we should coordinate to be similarly casual or similarly dressed up.

But typically you did it after we were already here. Amazing. That's the most day's thing that's ever happened. Right. What? What? By then it's too late. We were already here. What do you mean? You said the 30 minutes before we got there. Greg and I understand that you have to drive further. You have an immense responsibility.

Yes. We understand that. You fulfilled it today with your questions. And Levi is here. I'm looking at him right now. Oh my God. He's in the studio live. But he wasn't used.

No. It was Ryan Fitzpatrick Flamingo album. I'm into it. I switched it up. Everyone should just feel comfortable and what they were. Greg, once again. God, it's so good to have Greg here. Life coding.

If only Greg could always be around. I just mean. To tell us the way things should be seen. It's just my opinion. We all have different opinion. You sent it while we were on the way here, though. At that point, it's too late. I would have changed.

If tugboat could have just showed up as tugboat, what would he have worn? Would you have gone in a different direction? I brought both. Because we also have a dressing area. Yeah, you're versatile. You made a change, actually, after the group one. I did because I had to retake my original photos because I was too sweaty for the first round. Way too sweaty.

They had a fan this time. Yeah, and they had a fan, which was nice. Common man rankings, plunging. Like a Mariah Carey fan? Deva behavior, yes. You love it. have to be the most annoying person I've ever met. Happy holidays, everybody.

Yes. Let's get to the show. Let's start with fearless predictions of the rest of the regular season. All right. So this is pretty straightforward, Connie, right? The final three weeks of the regular season, let's throw out some fearless ass predictions about what's going to happen. How will this all play out?

And this season especially, it's going to be difficult because. It's a weird season. I'll get us going. It has to be regular season. Yes. Okay. Turning on a dime here. What did I write?

I don't know. I created something different, but I can still use it. I mean, yeah, some of mine encapsulate what's going to happen at the very end of the regular season. That's fine. Did anybody prepare for the show today?

I did. I did. I have a lot of notes. I've already adjusted my entries. All right. Here we go. Fearless predictions for the final. three weeks of the regular season as laid out in my text yesterday i'll start here buffalo

bills are going to win the a fc east i don't think they lose again um that is at chargers uh home patriots at dolphins and then the dolphins have so they're eight and six and the dolphins are obviously 10 and 4. So they got two games. But their schedule is a little trickier. They have, they look at it here, uh, home Dallas at Baltimore and Buffalo. So I do think that the bills and Dolphins fans are going to be annoyed, but I do just trust the bills.

And I did try to figure out this, you know, how to look at the, this, these last three weeks, not to get sucked in by recancy bias. It's hard though, but it's also, this is a small, this is three weeks. And I think the bills are playing as good as any team in the league lately. So I think they're going to pull it off. And I think the dolphins have a stumble in them. Basically, they just, you're predicting the dolphins win in week 18.

I mean, the bills win in week 18. Because very likely, I don't think it's a hot take. Right. That is for the division. Because of the bill's schedule, they're playing patsies that have just given up basically until then. And if you're a Dolphins fan and you have home cowboys at Ravens, you'd be happy with one and one. I mean, of course you want to be two and oh,

and it's not going to feel good. If let's say you beat the Cowboys this week, then you lose the rate. Like that night, it's not going to feel good or if it's reversed that night, it's not going to feel good. But you're playing two of the very best teams in the NFL. You are really testing yourself.

Splitting those two games, to me, would be great for Miami. They would include their best win of the season. And then it comes down to week 18. That matchup, you know, early in the season was one-sided. And you're saying the bills are a little more complete. I would like to see that matchup with the division on the line, what a great Sunday night football. I feel like the bills

went on this crazy journey where like everything felt kind of lost about 10 days ago, 14 days ago, where like the coach is offering up 9-11 takes, you know, not sort of problematic. And like it felt like the bills... That was in 2019, but it was floating back up. But it was brought up now

and like had to respond to it. And there was also like a heat seeking think piece about the fact that no one in the organization kind of believes in him and he's taking them in strange places. But then you go and do this against the Cowboys and it's like, this version of the bills makes me believe in what you just

said that it's possible. I do know that there are a lot of people that listen to the show that think that Dan is very down on the dolphins. It's not because of your Jets banned them necessarily. But people just feel that maybe that's I think what you're actually saying is that the bills at their highest power can do

exactly what you do. But you are down on the dolphins, but that's fine. No, I'm saying I am down on the dolphins, but it's not because it's not really because I like the Jets. It's because they've been tested multiple times this year and failed them against big opponents. And now they have another big crucible situation here. And I'm just curious. But even if they lost both Dallas and Baltimore games and Buffalo wins twice,

it still comes down to week 18. Right. Very like, I don't know what the, they can, they have now numbers for all this stuff. It's like the odds that that game is for the division is very high, is very high. Well, I first was kind of turned on to this when Steve Kornacki did on Sunday night football. He had his board, and he was talking about the Bills and the Dolphins and the rest of the way. And he does such a good job.

Like, I just love Kornacki so much, by the way. I wish that I could have him in studio every week doing all the different permutations of everything. But with the Bills, they're playing their best football right now. The fact that they were able to run the ball the way that they did, I couldn't believe my eyes watching it. And we'll get into it a little bit more when we preview the Chargers game coming up. We'll probably talk a little bit more about the Bills side of things anyway. But the thing that's going to be a problem for the bills coming down to the end are the tiebreaker scenarios. Like those losses that they had the losses against the Broncos and the Bengals, that could get them.

They got to keep winning. All right. Fearless prediction, Colleen. Okay. So for my fearless prediction, I was looking at the fact that I think that the Rams will finish ahead of the Seahawks, even after the Seahawks coming through with the huge wins against the Eagles. They're both seven and seven. And when you look at their schedules, the Rams have the Saints, the Giants, and then they finish against the Niners,

but the Niners might be resting their guys, even though, I don't know, two weeks of rest if they get the buy. Like, that's pretty, that's an interesting scenario, but they're not going to be playing their stars the whole time. And then the Seahawks, they have the Titans, the Steelers, and the Cardinals. Now, they should be able to win all of those games. But if the Rams end up winning the same number of games, as the Seahawks, they have the tiebreaker because they swept Seattle already.

So they just need to finish with the same number of wins. And then they'll finish ahead of Seattle. Unless it's like a four-way tie. True. Then it just is thrown up. It's like it could be its conference record, which, yeah, I got to have to look. It would depend, I guess, what happened. There are common opponents.

You get deep into it. Ram's just got to keep winning. Seattle has a little more, a little more margin for error with that schedule. I do worry about county on the 49ers resting. people in week 18, you just can't, you just don't know. And that's that, look, the, the Rams played the 49ers pretty well in that first matchup. Like, they'd look like very even teams until the end, uh, when the bottom fell out. I think the Rams would be up for that game, but they'd be a pretty big under.

I am all about like, I'm very anti-seven playoff teams in each conference, which I mentioned on Monday night. Um, it's very annoying to me. Uh, they don't really belong in the playoffs. most of these later slots, but it all matters which team it is, and I'm so pro rams over Seattle getting in there. And I think also it starts, like, Thursday night. I feel like the Niners are not a team. They could both get in there, too.

Well, that's quite possible. Yeah, we'll see. But, like, the Niners, to me, don't feel like a team that's going to sit everyone in a week 18, no matter what. I just don't feel like a shant. It's like a shan-a-hand type thing. You know what? I would say that, but then this is also a team

whose season got ruined last year because- That's what I was injured going into the playoffs. I just mean the end. Like the old, like, Peyton Manning Colts were like, we just sit the entire team. Then you go lose a playoff game the week later. I don't know if that's the move right now. You know, it's going to be for so many reasons,

the Christmas night game against the Ravens, both in terms of top of the conference, but also it could make a huge difference in the NFC at the bottom of the conference. Because if the Niners lose that game, much more likely chance that January 7th matters for them. Then we'll play those guys. All right. Greggy, fearless.

Yeah, it has to be fearless. so let's go Jags don't make the playoffs. That the Jags continue this free fall and just fall all the way out of it. And this is less about Lawrence. Right now, we're not practicing. We tape on Wednesday. We'll have more for you Thursday and everything.

So it might be bettered this week. They could be underdogs at Tampa. It's less about the schedule because they do have the Panthers next week at Tennessee. Like that is a nice final two games and two out of three, considering they've had the tiebreakers in their division. would probably be enough.

It's more just like I'm trusted what I'm seeing and I see a team that makes a lot of their own problems and doesn't have a lot of foundation to really stand on right now. Zay Jones is week-to-week. That's another receiver for them. Their offensive lines got issues. The defense is bad. Like the running game is bad.

They just feel like a team that maybe wants to collapse. And I don't know if it'll be Houston that steps in. They got their own quarterback injury. or Indianapolis or both, who knows. But I just, the Jaguars just feel like a team that maybe they haven't hit their bottom yet and it's going to keep getting worse. It's weird because, and we talked about it on Sunday night,

but like Christian Kirk, who is not someone I think about that often, like him not being in the lineup. That's a lie. I think of them all the time. I mean, often to, like, often is high up. But like, his absence has meant so much to, like, their swoon. Like, I think, and to lose A Jones. Like, they're just not a team that's exciting right now.

They feel. For this to work, they've got to lose at Tampa, right? They're going to be Carolina at home. So that's, you're going to. Probably. I mean, the NFL. Carolina's been in these games lately. I mean, it is the NFL.

They were in the game against Tampa. Because it's the NFL Carolina might not win too. I'm just literally won a game and they were in the game late against Tampa. Things could happen. If Trevor Lawrence is playing, they are not losing to the parents at home. I wouldn't think. I mean, we'll reassess the society in the world we live in. that happens. That would be one of the biggest upsets, but

you're right, you never know. And then at Tennessee. It's not like a killer schedule. Right. They have to lose, what, two of three? They probably have to lose the Tennessee game. Yes. I like a bonus. Again, I don't know how it's going to happen. It just feels like this is in, there's, it's in their vibes right now. What's going on over there?

Back to a little. A lot of motion. A lot. It's covered. It's covered. We're good there. Okay, so if the Jags don't do what you just predicted and they do make the playoffs, I predict just as like in a little adjacent one, that Jake Browning and the Bengals end up beating them in the playoffs

and knocking them out. If they make it. Well, that's a very... I like that. If we're going fearless. Pacific one. I don't know. It just popped in my head.

I liked it. All right. Jeez. No, no, I like it. I enjoy it. I like it. If that happens, Eric, real circle back on that. Yeah, circle back.

Let's cut that one. That is amazing. All right. Fearless prediction, Mark. First of all, I have no laptop, so I don't know what to do with my physical body to start with. But I would say that it is a, like, a bloody

coup d'etat to get, I'm always going forth. Do you have the chain poking underneath those? This is what I'm saying. Yeah, I didn't see it. I think you saw that and I didn't see that for now. I love it. I talked with Gunzo about that the other night. But it is a bloody coup d'etat to go forth and not have your topic ripped away by one

of the previous three entries. Did that happen to you? No, I feel very lucky that that's. Oh, great. That's why it's a bloody coup d'etat. Yeah, so the chiefs, right? I think there's been a lot of consternation about frustration like that the chiefs will somehow just slide into the number seed because of everyone else kind of not handling their business.

I predict they will not. Number one, I'll start there. That's not totally fearless. But mathematically, they play the Raiders. I think something weird might happen on Christmas Day there. They play the Bengals. I'm all in on Jake Browning right now. Then they play the Chargers, a slight disaster, but you never know. But the reason people will peg them not winning the number one seed slotting is that Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift will break up before the end of the regular season, and it will cause a lot of rumbling, a lot of discussion, and then the chiefs

go into the playoffs, and they are dismissed. You know, it seems from the outside that they really care for each other, Mark. Right. So now you're, now you're rooting. I'm not rooting for them. You want to be right. I don't, I just, it's a, it's what I sense. It's not what I want.

Wait, so what was the first part of it? Well, so it actually goes in reverse order. Taylor Swift and Fattice Kelsey. Or let's say they like, like, maybe it's like not a breakup, but they take. take a break. The classic, like, we're taking a break. It's a soft breaker. There's a reporting, there's reporting around that they're taking a bit of a break.

And then the chief's, like, flatline and don't get the number one seat. She went to Foxborough, Massachusetts four days ago. I've done a total 180. Nobody goes to Foxborough on purpose. Now I love them. Now I'm totally on board. I was completely out of first. But I also do.

I do, too. So I'm not, I'm actually not rude. So how does that affect their, the chief? I think it's just, it's people can't, like, from a Venn diagram, and people can't separate the fact that it might have nothing to do with the chiefs. like, Travis Kelsey, you got to, like, get the lower version of Kelsey, which we feel like we've been getting. Like, and then they break up and, like, he flatlines in a game and the Chiefs don't get the number one seat,

and then they're out of the playoffs. And it's just like, wait a minute, don't mix love in business. And you were worried one of us, we're going to step on that one. Right. I mean, they're very, they are very unlikely to get the number one seat just because they're two games back with three to play despite the game. I know, but haven't you heard people just say, like, oh, I'm just so worried they're going to get it.

Like, this is our biggest worry that the Chiefs. like that's our biggest problem. All right. I have a couple quick ones. I'll just throw out. Anybody else can throw them out too. I think the Steelers have already won for the final time this season.

You look at their schedule and the way they're playing and what's going on in that building right now. Yikes. None of it feels good. And Mark, you'll like this one. Brock Purdy will be the prohibitive favorite,

favorite for MVP by close of business week 18. I like that. And I think he'll be, and I'm just going to back up because I did some Niners single season passing record research. and this is a team with the history is rich very real rich uh he will be the qb one by the end of the season this is why he's going to definitely win it he'll be cuby one of a number one seed

and he'll own that 49 or single season records for passing t's breaking steve young's 36 and 98 yards breaking jeff garcia's 4278 and 2000 passer rating that's young again 12.8 94 yards per attempt some guy named joe montana 9.1 in 1989 and people will then try to manufacture CMC as his closest competitor for clicks and conversation. But he'll get the offensive player of the year. So that'll be clear cut as well. No drama in that conference.

There was this year back in 2003 that Peyton Manning and Steve McNair tied by voters count for MVP. They won co-MvP. And part of me was wishing, like, why can't you just hoist up? Teamate co-MvPs. Yeah, like Brock Purdy and CMC as MVP. The problem is that would take the coordination of,

like 50 different voters. Well, right. And they're splitting the votes, so they're taking votes away from each other. But also, the fact that when you go back to 2000, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rogers, and Tom Brady are the only three quarterbacks that have had a higher passer rating than Brock Purdy through 15 weeks. I think it's all, it's getting to the point where it's staring us in their face, like all his numbers and the team success.

So it's going to really take, like, again, a coordinated, like, decision amongst the football writers to take it away. vastly outplays them in a road win on Sunday. But Lamar has like 16 touchdown passes this year. I'm just saying Lamar Jackson is MVP though. Well, he's actually this is why it's curious because I saw

someone tweet out today. It's like okay, now it's down to a three man race for MVP by the odds. Purdy Lamar and CMC second. And it's just funny because like last week it was a two man race. So if you you know, between Dak and

Purdy. So if you accept that it could change from a two man race to a three man race in one week where now one of the men that was there a week ago is no longer there like it can absolutely flip back now that's why it's a fearless prediction right dramatic things would need to happen what would need to happen is for purdy to struggle and lamar to have a great game on monday night and then those odds would be dramatically different next week when we're talking about this but that's all that needs to happen is i just want to think that's going to happen i think the 40s are going to win that game but that if that happened that that there's definitely a path where he steals the spotlight in the game i agree with you

Because, like, resting yards and touchdowns matter a lot. Like, Alan and Lamar's value on that add a lot. It's such a lesser overall body of work to me than when he actually won MVP, Lamar Jackson. And he's, he passed, he looks better than his numbers are even. I mean, he's, he's, uh, eighth and QBR, Lamar. He's, he's 17th and touchdown passes, 15th and yards past. How does that add up to MVP? Well, I'm saying it doesn't, right?

But you've added in the rushing. A lot of times you've looked at, yeah, the MVP's. And sometimes it's, you got to have to nail those. counting stats also in the yeah with these voters it's not just what right mcalfrey has a has a better chance if he was going to do it if it like purdy's saying go for mcalfrey if mcalfrey had an insane ending and ends up with 2,500 yards and 28 touchdowns and purdy like struggles against the ravens but they win anyways like there are different routes but they're all small needles to thread and purdy's probably i think lamar's only chance Greg is if he absolutely goes nuts in that

game like yeah nuts like the best game of his career and the week after again Miami like he's they've got a lot of big but the Christmas game with all the eyeballs against the the the big team like that is yes that is his only chance it's kind of a Hail Mary anybody else want to throw out any more before we move on it's um it's more of a reckless prediction than a fearless prediction because I like that I'm not I'm not even sure I believe in this this is insane but the bears will finish strong so strong against the cardinals the falcons and the packers that they end up sticking with justice in fields and trading away the Panthers pick.

Of course, Joe Flacco just outlayed him. They're trading the Panthers pick. Yeah, they'll trade down to get more assets so they can build around. But the strong finish is why it's regular season because against those three. You got it. And then. That works. And if they could trade down to like two or three

and then they'll get Marvin Harris. Greg. Greg. While mine was connected and these again are sort of like, Connie's just on the edge of the regular season. That Tomlin will be the coach after this long losing streak that you're predicting that they lose great games to the season.

Yeah. That it's like a mutual type of thing. And that Kyle Shanahan, and this is something Hayden Winks, who's worked at Road World pointed out on Twitter, I like the number that. And I agree with it, that Kyle Shanahan should be coach of the year. Like, why is Kyle Shanahan not coach of the year? Everything that encompasses coaching, like numbers wise, you literally have the, right now, potentially the greatest offense in the history of the league,

or at least since the 80s, in terms of leading and points, rushing yards, passing yards, all these things. And, like, he put this all together. He's losing his assistance. Everything that goes, like, for some reason, he is a little lower on that list, but I think if they've dropped bombs the next three weeks,

and I kind of think they will, that I'm with you, Purdy's likely to win the MVP, and I think they can sweep these words, and Kauzian should win the word. And he's never won it, and I do like the ideas that, like, coach of the guys who should be coach of the year at some point you should win it one time well so I'm completely

over like Shane Steik and you know it was great but it's like a six to a 10 yeah but your problem like I'm with you like I mean like I think he's third in terms of odds right now right like third or fourth and like uh it but the problem is it's a narrative driven award I think the narrative will change the next three week this is going to start bubbling up

that's fine but like Belichick should have won it 16 times and it's like I am with you on Shanahan but it always seems to go to win yet no no dude that's part you know he hasn't gotten one That helps. But I think voters think of like a stikin or a... Right. Or like a...

Even a Stefansky or like... D'emiko Ryans. Like, it's like... Team was a disaster. Team is now successful. I'm with you on narrative. I do think the narrative, though, maybe the next three weeks, if they keep driving bombs, is going to turn into like, oh my God, I know they lost three games,

but this is literally one of the greatest teams and greatest offenses we've ever seen. So then he wins the narrative. And it helps that 31 other teams are unimpressive. There aren't like three dominant teams. I think similar I agree with you that I think they finish strong and I think that is a big conversation as the playoffs begin is just one of the best teams ever because all the pop the hood analytics stats back up that this team is performing especially on often on a level that's rarely been achieved and they survived unlike most teams like the tray lance trade up to get trail

which it's a disaster like most teams like GM and coach float away after all that that feel like hurdy saved their ass exactly but it's like something happened They did a nice job. They picked them last in the draft, but they did pick them. All right, Mark, close this out. So I did this exercising correctly. I have like a playoff one. Got it's one line, but...

What do you got? Joe Flacco. Yes. Beats Greg's Little Darling, Lamar Jackson, in the playoffs. Kind of flipping. He's a big man. You even said so when he came near us at the game. He did. He came near us in London.

You're like, wow, has he been. I just think that will happen and it's like football makes no sense at that point and it's kind of beautiful all at once, but that somehow Joe Flacco, the Brown's quarterback, beats the Ravens in the playoffs with Lamar Jackson, who probably will be, you know, second an MVP vote. I'm sitting the stars. I told you, I had a vision this morning. You did.

Yes, it is. Of Flacco beating the dolphins in the playoffs. I just think something weird is ahead. That's not even my Brown's, you know, attachments. Well, I think, what do you mean? I think we can accept that deep in the subconscious. Maybe there's a little bit of Brown's attachment of the freaking Browns beating the team you hate the most.

I just think it's kind of set up to the point. Just a little. We can, but like Joe Flack was on this really weird. like personal journey. That I'm with. I'm with. And something weird is going to happen. And like Lamar Jackson feels like the perfect victim.

Wait, what if he ends up? Boy, in the Browns defense, taking care of the Ravens, I can see that. Which has happened. What if they beat the dolphins in round one and then Lamar in round two? Well, we got to open up some type of business. Yes. Because we would have, we were seers at that point. Then Mahomes in round three.

And suddenly we're in Las Vegas. And it's Joe Flacka, who shaved the beer this week. I don't know if that was getting good. I hate that, actually. I loved it. I hate that. Why? I'm in.

I mean, he looks good. You don't like beards because Gonsa told us that. I mean, like, everyone can do what they want. I have no judgment. It's just I think that I think that. Joe made the right decision. He looks better. Well, he also has, you know, he's a, we talk about the sneaky hands.

In person. Got a nice jawline. Much better looking than you'd realize in person. All right. Well, Mark, good luck with that fearless prediction. All right. Let's, by the way, I don't even think we mention it. Coming up after the break, we got Connor Oar.

I'm so excited about that. It's the Connor Oar holiday special. He talks about his favorite hallmark films of the year. And I cannot wait. He's excited. Before we do that, let's just get caught up on a couple of things in the news. Can you win the game in the first quarter? No!

You win the game in the second quarter? No! You win the game in the third quarter? No! You win the mother-fitting first quarter! there he is 72 year old Pete Carroll in the Seahawks locker room after that dramatic Monday night

win at home and he's correct about that also that you win that game in the fourth quarter looks like a he did like a 1950s newsboy with his hat backwards like you know throw in the newspaper at the people's door on his bicycle there's more to that clip and credit the Seahawks Twitter on that

because awesome inside. I love the post-game locker room stuff with the team send out. At the very end of it, he's just like, I'm so pumped. I'm just so pumped. Maybe we could get that as a drop, Eric, going forward.

He was also, like, pretty out of breath when he was, like, continuing to talk, and I was starting to worry a little bit about him. Well, we were, like, Dan and I believe, when they beat the Broncos in the Super Bowl, we were in the post-game locker room. And if I'm not mistaken, it was Pete Carroll up on top of the lockers.

Somehow he had climbed a ladder, was up on top of the lockers. We weren't there, but that was... No, you went to either a winning or losing locker room, and I walked in there and was like, Pete Carroll up on the locker room, like, shouted on top of it. Oh, I didn't realize that was a Super Bowl. I thought that was earlier, and we wrote about it on, like, the blog.

No, is when they took Peyton Fanny into the grave, basically. Imagine that? Imagine Pete climbing up there? That's awesome. He must have had a ladder on the other side. They didn't just climb up. Not in always, but in many ways a man to, for myself, I'll speak for myself, to model myself after, because he's sucking the marrow out of life.

He knows that's life right there. in the locker room. He's 72 years old. He knows the end is closer to the beginning and that there's nothing better in life than that moment right there. And he is going to like enjoy it as much as he possibly can. He's the man. He has it all figured out. He does.

He really does. On the other side of the spectrum is the Chargers, by the way. This fell into the Black Hole, the ATN Black Hole because it occurred on Friday morning and we haven't really had a chance to talk about it. But the Chargers got rid of their head coach, Brandon Staley.

And they're GM, Tom Telesco. And I thought we needed to put a stop to this free fall, this black hole. So they have a new head coach. His name is Giff or Giff Smith. And he is the interim coach for the final three games. And this is what he looks like. And this is what he sounds like. And he met with the media for the first time.

Well, that's what he looks like. But here is Giff on the charges. Like an older John Harbaugh? Yep. I've been in this game a while. And there's always. new things that come up and I've been around

a lot of great coaches through the years and you just roll with it you give to these players you give to this organization a little bit of a cess dog vibe to him too looks like an uncle or somebody in like a Sessler family reunion you can see that a little bit right?

Uncle Giff. Bigly like German European roots so yes so you're Hey perfect time for a quick segment I like to call getting to know Jeff Smith. All right Jeff Smith born October 12, 1968, American football coach, interim head coach, and outside linebackers coach of the Chargers.

He previously served as an assistant coach for the Titans and Bills. As I said, 2016, he was hired by Mike McCoy. He's a survivor, a native of Mableton, Georgia. Smith played defensive end at Georgia Southern University. A three-time, Mark, count them, All-American. Greggie, this is for you. In 1999, Smith was hired as the defensive line coach at Tulane University. University.

The Green Wave. And Colleen Smith and his wife, Jennifer, have two children. Yeah, he was on that staff. That's so nice. I love a family man. He was on that staff I was working at student television back then. That was right up with them. You could have crossed paths with him.

Did you spend time? No. No, I was very rarely in the locker room. Giff Smith, and it's the hard G. And Patrick Claibon suggested that should just be his nickname, Hard G. I thought that his name was Griff. this whole time. In my head, I was calling him Griff.

I was sure it's not Jiff. Is it short for it. It is. It's a hard Gifford or something like. I just, I don't know. That I don't know. My data didn't dig anything up on that,

on that end, my research. You know what's funny on that third, that Thursday night blowout was so bad with the Chargers. I actually did treat it like they were getting fired. Right. Because I had never seen a game where it seems more clear. So I was like,

because we're not going to be back till Sunday. Let's look back a little on this daily thing. because it looked like it was all over then and maybe Giff Smith churns it around. I am curious, did Kellyn Moore turn down the job? People speculated about that. Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. And finally, one last bit of research here.

These are two comments from the Chargers subreddit. He looks like that one dude from the Waterboy. And I know what he's talking about. One of those Sandler cronies. And he, another person wrote, Giff Smith or Jiff Smith looks suspiciously like my father. So some guy had a personal A double life.

Thatchement, yeah. Now that would be, what a revelation that would be. Yeah. And that is another edition of Getting to Know Jeff Smith. Jeff Smith. Giff Smith. More work to do on that front.

Yeah. So anyway, the Chargers, they're going to hire a whole bunch of people. Another, another coach who's in trouble is Arthur Smith. We were talking about where is Arthur Blank on everything right now? Arthur Blank spoke to Georgia Public Broadcasting about the situation at head coach in Atlanta. Here's what Blank had to say. And I think that, you know, through this part of the season, it's been mixed quite honestly. And that's what I think that's what the coach would say.

You know, and he's author is a very, um, wait a minute. Very amazing. Wait a second. very he looks himself very critically so he's not you know he comes from a beautiful family that

you know has great values and he reflects those values in his leadership as best he can so I you know we'll see how the season plays out and go from there what a non-answer also that was a PBS interview I don't think that's a person on our show

public broadcasting they're all in sweaters and, you know, vests. What year is it? I don't know. Credit to Eric and the whole team behind the class for digging that one up. How many shows are using PBS broadcasting and the Georgia Public Broadcasting? Why would he go in the world that we live in media-wise? You go and drop this bomb on Georgia public.

That's Silver Fox that asked him the question. Maybe he would only answer questions from that particular journalist. Very curious. Maybe it's probably not, but maybe it's one of those things that was set up ahead of time to promote something different. and it just falls in this week? Or it's not on the schedule? I don't know.

And by the way, the translation is he gone. Yes. When you quickly divert to, he's got a beautiful family. Beautiful family, great value. That X valuable. Yeah, like all those things. Very critical of himself. They have cults at bears at saints.

Certainly, they could improve and win two out of three of those games. And then I think he would have a job. Even if he, even if another Smith gets let go, it's very important that home Depot and FedEx remain corporate partners. So this is it needs to be handled well. I'd agree with you.

I'm surprised that there's not a branded segment for the authors here. That's a good point. That's something that maybe maybe next week. Okay great. Next week. Finally in the news,

Tommy DeVito, this situation is, um, listen. I don't know, um, I don't know everything, Greg, but I could tell

when something's going on. That's Sean Stalado, the agent. I met him on Saturday night. I texted, you know who I texted? Bada Bing! Yeah, we got to let Mike G, I texted him this morning. I said, Sean Stalado. You know this guy?

Like, have you ever heard of this guy before? You know, on background. I said on background. He said, I don't know him. Well, if it's on background, then no, and he said, you've violated it. You've violated it. Let the insider finish his sentence. He said, I've known him for 20 years.

And you could put that on record. Now, that's all he said. I can't divulge anything else. But my first instinct from that Monday night game was, this guy better be on the up and up. He better be up first thing in the morning. He better be working in Davido's best interests. And what happens at that little pizzeria in Morristown?

they win a Monday night and Stalado renegs on a deal an appearance he said no Tommy was going to come for $10,000 no now the deal is $20,000 and DeVito was so horrified

that he went to the pizza shop yesterday free of charge did the appearance that's good damage control and critically and part of my prediction the lotto has been relieved of his marketing duties

now connected to DeVito. Okay, but wait. He's still the contract agent. Correct. Which I don't see an extension coming anytime soon for DeVito,

but Tommy is already, as I said, someone's going to be in his ear like, hey, there's now a new person, business person in charge of his money affairs. That new person is Max Lepselter

and Max has been working with him from the jump doing marketing. So I feel like that was also just a way to give Stilato a little bit of a cover because Max has been doing his marketing from the jump. So maybe Stilato secured that deal. And then Zillado said that there was never a contract signed. So how can they renege on a contract that didn't exist before? Right. So I got a lot of questions about this fuck guy. Oh. And you and you met him. Yeah. What was your impression of us? You got a lot of information too. I got it. I was so excited. I was so excited.

to meet Stilato because Garifolo, having known him for so long, was like, you know, who's going to be at the game tonight

when we all jumped in the car to go over to Broncos and Lions. I was like, who? And he's like, Sean Stalado. And I was like,

you got to get me in front of this guy. And so he, I thought that he was going to be all decked out in his fedora. And no, uh-uh.

When was this? This was on Saturday night, the triple header in Detroit. He had the fedora on the sideline when they showed him at one day. Why was he there? When the cameras ran out later.

put the outfit up. But that was on, that was Monday night or Sunday night. Why was he there at that? Because he has other, he has other players, like a lot of fringe players. But yeah, he was there and he had

jays on and like a cool hat and like a Gucci scarf, like totally different. Did he know who you were? Like out of sight unseen, did he? I mean, I have no idea. I didn't say, do you know who I am? That's a good way to introduce yourself.

But he was very nice. He took a picture. He had a lovely diamond encrusted Italian horn, which I found amazing. But yeah, he was very nice. I think all you really need to know is that if you go to his website and click the About section,

there are pictures of Sean running shirtless, doing resistance training with frosted tips. Those are the photos he choose to represent himself. He looks like Ben Stiller in, what role was that when Ben Stiller had the frosted tips in, and he was very tan. Looks in shape. Zoolander, maybe.

Was he? I mean, he certainly looks in change. Well, he wasn't frosted in Zoolander. I know that. Dodge ball? Maybe it was Dodg ball. Maybe. All right.

That's what's happening in the news. Let's take a break. And when we return, let's see around the NFL holiday special. It was Dodgeball. With Connor Orr. I'm so freaking Jack. I'm so fucking Jack.

I'm so fucking Jack. I'm going to go out of Goddick. Hey, this is Matt Jones. Now, I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL cover zero. We're just here to. try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel?

That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more.

What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on game day.

Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I love the kind of hip-hop Christmas themes That's a good bed

Yeah It is as we taped this December 20th It is smack dab in the middle of the holiday season Hanukkah in the rear view Christmas just ahead Hanukkah's over It's a wrap bro It is the lights are out

Sorry Greg We, yeah, we don't, you know that we don't celebrate. He did reveal there's no menorah in the house, which surprised me, but there'd be one. You guys don't, I guess I don't share enough of myself, but no. Well, we've never been invited in your house, so there's a start. Do you have a house? Do you live in a house? We have a house.

I was not raised. Imagine Greg lived here this whole time. We had no idea. I was not raised religious, and we've never had any menorah. Never had any menorah in either house. When I was very young, I was. actually had one, and then we just sort of ignored my mom, and then eventually... Always a little bit of jealousy for the kids that celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah,

because you just kind of clean it up, and your kids could have been in that bucket, but you said... But we sort of were those kids, and both me and my brother were like, let's just do Christmas, it's way better. Yeah, but literally from a, like, from a hardcore religious angle, yes. You cannot celebrate both. As a kid, you can, because you cannot be both. Right, but none of the people in this area.

It would be here, Mark, on conservative Christian radio? Is this a theology podcast? I'm more saying, like, from a PFF, PFF spiritual. If you were like a PFF spirituality site, like, you can't be both. Like, as a kid, you can have all the gifts, but you can't be both. Right. You can be neither, though. You can be neither.

Hey, what is PFF? Just like, there's no feeling. It's just hardcore numbers, technical side of things. Saint rankings. Right, you can't be both. And it's just like, but it's like, oh, I'm going to get gifts on like 12 days and a bunch of other days. and a birthday, probably in there. So the consumerism is really,

and that's the evil of it all. Yeah, I think our guest comes like, because coming up would agree with. Right. What if your dad was like born in Nazi Germany and then they were like, there is no God. We're anti-God.

Now we've got to bring Nazis into it. So Greg brings up some of that. We can't argue you. You're right. No, but I'm just, why is that not valid? You know, then that messes with you. On the next theology podcast.

Hey, no one said it was invalid, Greg. All right, bring back hip-hop Santa because Nazi Germany just came up. All right, welcome back. Fresh start, holiday special, and here's our guests. This is the show right here. What a mess. What a mess.

Is there a trap door? Are you kidding me? Connor knows what I'm saying. The first holiday special to drop a Nazi reference, and Connor, you are here for it. How am I supposed to follow that? I don't know. Hey, buddy. Hi, everybody.

Hey, bud. This is my favorite time of year, my favorite segment. It's the best to see you, Connor. It is. Connor. I miss you guys. We miss you. I miss you too and you're wearing your Christmas sweatshirt and you're looking fresh and clean with the shaved head.

And you perform a valuable service both in terms of personally because you are a friend, Connor. And I love that you are so open and passionate about Hallmark Christmas movies. And we're talking about months in advance. I'll get to text from Connor like, here are the, here are the, ones that are, I'm kind of heat seeking on that are coming out this year. These are the ones to track. And it's like, okay, we are going to be digging in on two different specials this year, right, Connor? And just in general, before we get into the trailer for the first one, can you tell me again and tell the audience why you and your wife are such fans of this

holiday fair? Because it's not an exaggeration. You guys watch these movies all throughout the December and November, right? Starting November 1. We go full hallmark outside of Monday night, Thursday night, and Sunday night. So, and then even if we have a bad Thursday night game, we'll also do laptop football, and then we'll do big screen hallmark. Big screen hallmark. Big screen hallmark, 100%. And I think the reason I do it, I actually, I had this reaffirmed this year.

So we were at a neighbor's house. Everyone's just talking about like what kind of, what should. shows that they were watching. And, you know, someone was like, yeah, did you see the ending of Ozarks? Like, yeah, it turns out, you know, in order to be successful, you have to murder everybody. And, like, you know, the family unit is dead. And we're all individual creatures of our own destiny. And then, oh, did you see the ending of beef?

It turns out like our parents screw us up in the only way to save, you know. Sounds like a fun neighborhood. Yeah. And, you know, I know exactly what you mean. why are we not purging ourselves like mentally and going on like a hallmark fast and you know because okay yes what the ozarks is telling you is true but also you might be in need of a romantic partner you might go to a snow covered small town and you might meet a hot mailman and fall in love like over a cup of hot chocolate like that is as possible as like oh the the overwhelming sorrow and and sadness and realities of and harshness of the world. Like let's, let's zoom in on, right, you know, hey, look at this, here's this teacher and here's this guy who like fell into her at the, at the coffee store.

And now they just, they love each other and they love Christmas. What, what's the problem with that? Well, I feel like because that guy's actually leading a double life and nobody knows it, and they don't show it on Hallmark. Well, here, okay. So you are sitting. There's nothing wrong with that. I hate that.

That's part of the problem. That's why. I am the problem. Connor. So what you're saying, Connor, and I love this theory, is that because all that bleakness sells, especially in prestige drama. So in a way, you could look at these Hallmark movies

and say, oh, they're trash and they're overly sunny. But to you, it's a balancing of the cultural scales. That really helps us as a society not become so cold and broken like Connie here. It is a mental vegetable. It is, it is, it is, It is health for your brain. It is showing yourself the other side of the coin

because there's always a silver lining. And Hallmark, to me, is the permanent silver lining. Which is what I love about it. You should hang out with my dad because my dad asks me on a weekly basis, maybe sometimes more, when I'm going to go and work at the Hallmark channel. And I just keep telling him that's not how it works. And Hallmark isn't really like a network, like NFL. And he is still really, he's going to die on that.

Although the idea of a pregame, like, half time and post game coverage of these films. Films would be incredible. Connor, let's start with the one that I watched. It is the Santa Summit released this year. Here is the trailer. The Santa Summit. Not the thing with all the Santas. Absolutely the thing with all the Santas.

I am in. Three best friends. I need my wing ladies. One unforgettable adventure. Who something? I just met the most amazing guy. If you two are meant to share something special, he will find you. How are we going to find her?

You don't even know what she looks like. Today, it's the only chance I get to find it. What is it about the holidays that just puts romance in the air? The Santa Southern. All right. So this is starring Hunter King, Amy Growning. Ben Hallsworth is the hottie. Hunter King?

Yes. And Stephanie Sy as the cynic. and who gets her heart warmed as the film progresses. Connor, your takeaways from the Santa Summit. I don't know if you've ever seen, did you ever see the movie Project X? Is that a Hallmark movie? No, no.

So Project X was like, it came out when I was in college and it was like the epic party movie where it was just so over the top and like it was like a massive house party that just basically got out of control. This is the Hallmark equivalent of, Project X, where I would say, like, they're taking all of Christmas, they're turning it up to 100, and then they're just, like, blasting you confetti gun style in space with it. And I, I love,

I love everything about it. Like, I, in it, the message is great, right? Like, this woman bumps into this hot carpenter, and all of a sudden, like, you know, game changer. We're, we're all good. Like, life is good. Right. He's a contractor with his brother, correct? Is that? Correct. Yeah. And. And it's interesting, I thought, the takeaway from this movie, again, because everything is, it's through a different lens. The world is actually a perfect place. So Santa Summit is a takeoff of Santa Khan,

which is a broadly reviled tradition, at least in New York. I don't know if it's everywhere. Same thing in Philly. Okay, and it's where everyone essentially dresses up in Santa and goes bar hopping and gets hammered. Oh, I've run into these groups before. And so here's the interesting thing, Connor, about this. They took this, this widely known to be kind of a debauchrous event, Santa Con, and made it Santa

Summit and stripped away anything that would be kind of lettuous or out of bounds, even to the point where they never used the word beer once. They refer to let's drink cider and hot chocolate. And my God, Connor, the drinks, the symbolic nature of the drinks in this. Let's get into that. like I mean at every single place they have like a cookie platter and then like a massive cup of like apple juice with like chocolate and cinnamon just poured into it and like each each entree must have had like 58 grams of sugar in it like enough to feel like a Dunkin Donuts cup so everyone has diabetes yeah but that's the thing it's like it's it's just it's what you need sometimes you know like and who wouldn't want it. do that. Just a little diabetes.

Having only seen the, you know, the trailer, which was, I like the gleam in the, the, the glimmer, yeah. That was added in the post, by the way. Well, no, I know that it was real, but it kind of screened to me. It's just great to be an adult if you're white. It's great to be a white person. That's sort of what the film said. That's not what the movie's about. In fact, there's an Asian woman who's like a best friend who learns the value of Christmas.

There's another man of unknown, unknown European ancestry that turns out to be a love. of interest as well. So it's really, it's all over the map. Okay. Well, yeah. And shame on you. Once again, the cynics, Connor, all around. I mean, well, I'm surprised Mark took it there, but he just doesn't know the Hallmark

channel doesn't see race, you know. Not at all. They're that person, you know. Everybody was wearing Santa Beards, so they fell in love with who was on the inside before you got to see them underneath the Santa Beard. It's like, love is blind without trying to become famous. I like that. Yes.

And so the final, first of all, how many Hallmark cards would you give it out of 10? This was solid. Like, I would say a 7.5. It was really good. All right. It was my wife's favorite of the season, too. Wow. And, oh, really?

That matters. And in one sentence summary for people that still aren't sold. I would just say, like, all Hallmark movies are kind of you could summarize in the same way that Christmas is awesome and it's going to change your life. And so, and it's going to happen this year. This is the year that Christmas is going to change your life. Connor,

have you ever seen cross-country Christmas? That is also a Hallmark classic. I tried to watch the movie that you guys are talking about last night. It wasn't available. So I just turned on the Hallmark channel. I started 13 minutes in. Rachel Lee Cook is in it for anyone who is good for her. A fan of She's All right.

all that. She was Lainty Boggs. Yes. Played the classic role of the nerd who

Lainy Boggs. Yeah, exactly. Then like the hot guy comes in and shows her how pretty she actually is by taking off her glasses.

So yeah, in this one. Damn patriarchy. It's two friends from high school. They grew up together. They meet on a plane. It's like trains,

planes, and automobiles. And then I only watched for 10 minutes before I had to turn it off. But it seemed like a really nice movie. Your husband, when we got together on Friday, he said there's no way she's going to watch

what she said she's going to watch. I said, no, she said she would watch it. And she said she doesn't have the ability to stay focused and watch the whole thing. And I must say, your husband knows you well. I tried multiple times with your login to get multiple movies. You have a third try.

Hallmarked in. This is how important the project is for me. I got a trial of some app that I've never heard of to access the films that Connor's talking about. Let's one more. I'm spinning out knowing that. This one is called Holiday Hotline. This is just like a quick clip from it.

Holiday Hotline, let's talk turkey. Look, I have a 20-pound turkey, and it's frozen solid. I can help. You just have to trust me. He's on the line and really love it if you can come over. Holiday Hotline. Wait a minute. Hold on.

Can I just say one thing? They're hot. We have to explain. We have to explain. A turkey booty call? That did a terrible job of explaining why this movie is... Wait, Mark wanted to just say something to get us going here. One thing, it's a cultural thing about ads in general.

Whenever they, there's all these ads where, like, someone's at a call center, and it's always like a nine and a half at a ten, like answering the phone. It's like, I actually worked in a call center one time, and it's like, these are typically lost individuals. They're not the hottest people that you'd see on the street. If you work in a call center, that was like a striking individual. He doesn't mean it. He doesn't, well, this is, again, this is a heightened reality, Mark.

All right. This is the place where the call center is beautiful people. You're the outliers. We got a bunch of Mr. Potters and Ebenezer Scrooges here, Connor. Let's get into it. Holiday hotline. First of all, first questions.

Holiday hotlines, do they exist anymore? Go ahead, Connor. I mean, I hope so. They do. This guy, it really helped this guy. And so the guy's, the guy's wife is dead, right? And so, bad break. He wants to, yeah, Mark, so maybe you should apologize.

But he's learning to make a turkey for his daughter. And so he calls the turkey hotline and falls in love with the woman who's helping him to prepare the turkey. Who has Mark said is a stone cold fox? Nine and a half. Simultaneously. Simultaneously, that's a good way to put it. He also starts falling in love with his new neighbor in the apartment complex. And he finds out it.

At the very end, Dan, everybody, that it's the same person. Yes. Amazing. This one, I'm going to give it a nine based on the logline. I like it. I like it. And what did you learn from this one, Connor, in terms of the holiday season and the idea of joy? Oh my gosh.

I mean, just everything. Like love is right around the corner constantly. And, you know, maybe you're, maybe you're just down on your luck and then this beautiful chef arrives from England and wants to, you know, fill the void left in your life by a dead spouse. And we have a lot of UK listeners. There's a scene in this where they're at a Christmas, they're at like some type of shop. And he says, I'm going to let everybody know who you are. I'm British, honey. I don't like to be the center of attention.

And I was like, I didn't know that about British people. I guess that was a thing. I learned something there. They do celebrate Christmas in Europe. That's true. Oh, my God. Wait, I have a question because, like, everyone that says, you know. Mark, what was that?

That was your response there? Well, no, that's like, that's true. But like they, so when we act, like, everyone's like, oh, my favorite Christmas movie is diehard, which is annoying to me. But, like, truly, if you looked at Christmas movies, the full span, like, eyes wide shut would be mine. It is littered with Christmas. Christmas symbolism and Christmas lights, actually, throughout scenes. That's got an edge factor of, you know, a nine out of ten, right? What would be the edge factor of this hallmark offering that you're...

Because it sounds spicy. I mean, I would honestly give this a nine out of ten again because you're in suspense the whole time. And how is he going to find out? Because here's the thing. The woman is British, but she uses an American accent on the turkey hotline. So he's not able to tell. They're the same person. My next question.

How is he going to feel when he finds out? Is he going to feel tricked? Is he going to feel happy? And there's this whole drama where she's worried that he's actually in love with the woman on the phone and not her. And so, but they're the same person. So it's. And why was she hiding her British accent? Code switching.

Fair question. Why was she code switching? She was, I think she was just tired of the grind. Like she came to America for a fresh stuff. art, and she wanted to experience the greatest country on Earth. Unbelievable. Wow. Christmas is your drug, Connor, and man, are you owing on it?

He's high. Connor, of course, is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, but also, Connor. Obviously, obviously. Wait, what's your sweatshirt say? It says, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas. Oh, great. Oh, yeah, that's a song. I know that one.

All right. Connor, before you go, you are involved with the Greater Newark Holiday Fund. Let's talk about that. Yes. So I'm very lucky. I'm the chairperson for the campaign this year. And the Greater Newark Holiday Fund supports 10 really amazing social service agencies around the state of New Jersey.

We deal with homelessness, mental health, food insecurity, all sorts of things, you know, full spectrum, trying to help people, especially around the holidays. budgets for charities get really low. And so we collect funds and we distribute it to needy social service agencies who can then serve their constituencies. So there's a link to donate on my Twitter or just check out the Greater New York Holiday Fund. See for yourself what's going on. I've been posting about it all holiday season.

If you have a Giving Planet Christmas where you like to during the holidays, if you like to give to a charity around the holidays, check it out. And I can also like maybe I'll retweet. the show with the link to donate if that so moves you. Awesome. Be cynical about that, Colleen. No, I'm back in. Go ahead. Now I'm in.

Mark, what do you got? What's Stanley Kubrick film supersedes that? He is a wonderful person. And I, like, he changed the way I feel about the holiday season. My heart is warm. You're the best, God. That's what I'm here for. Love you, Connor.

Hey, do you have a fearless prediction for the last three weeks of the regular season? Oh, wow. A fearless prediction. Or Hallmark. I think that. The Rams will go two rounds in the playoffs. That's my fearless prediction.

Spicy. I like that. You like that? That's pretty great. I like it a lot. Connor, you're the best, buddy. Merry Christmas. Go take another hit of Christmas, buddy.

All day. Great appearance. Maybe the best or holiday special appearance yet. And he's right. I really liked what he was getting out there. Diled in. Because I'm watching it with the wife on Saturday. and I'm saying this is so

ridiculous, it's so sweet it's just over the top but he's right that counteracts the Jason Bateman programming that everyone else is hardlining into their system all the time. I'm not going to lie, so I wasn't happy watching it. I'm like

this is so dumb, this is stupid, whatever. And then I go into the kitchen to grab something and I'm still watching from the kitchen just to see what happens next. All right, before we go, we have one more bit of business to hit week 16 let's do a preview speed round how much time do we put on the clock i think it was three minutes last week all right three minutes starting with thursday night football

which colin this is a good one too you are the anchor of course of the coverage for nfl network uh so why don't you tee us up on this one okay a lot of playoff implications in this one saints rams they both have uh seven and seven records rams holding on for the final wild card spot they're in the seven seed right now the saints they're trying to win the division they're tied with the bucks. They're obviously still in the wildcard mix as well. I'm wondering if Chris Alave

is going to be available this week. Sounds like it, yes. Derek Carr, he had one of his best games last week against Tommy DeVito and the Giants. He had three touchdowns

without Chris Alave and Ryan Ramcheck. And their past defense was really, really good. Eric stressing out waiting to know when to start the ball. Oh, we're doing this again.

Just do a slight pause. There we go. That was for you. Eric, because I could tell Eric back there was like, sweat pouring down when just started. She doesn't take a breath. It's insane. She's downloading info.

She has a lot of research here. I'm looking right at it. All right, keep going. He's actually British, by the way. Did anyone prepare for the show I did right here? You want to talk about Tano Pass and Yoah? Three sacks for him against the Giants and Tommy Davido. DeMario Davis got it done.

Stilato in a big spot. I got a lot of questions about Stilato. Obviously, the Rams, too. They have the pieces to outscore the Saints. Puka Nakua has been unbelievable this year, but now everyone is healthy. Stafford, Cooper Cup, Kyron Williams, and Puka with all of them,

they're kind of like a little bit of a superpower. So I think they definitely have the pieces to outscore the Saints here. This is Greg, this is a good segue from Connor just now saying they're going to win, what, at least one playoff game. He said two rounds.

Multiple. You had something about the Rams, didn't you? And our predictions, they have to win this game, though. Yeah. Are we, because I don't want us to fall into the trap that we've been falling into all season,

and these 500 teams that get a little hot. But at the same time, Gregi, the Rams have been kind of consistent in a lot of ways, different than these other 500 teams. Yeah, the defense isn't going to be great. And so the games are going to be close. They're playing hard. But the offense has been a top 10 offense all year. And now they're healthy and they're leaning towards top five.

But to do all this, they have to win this game. The playoff leverage, which is what the analytics guys like to say, is outrageous in this game. The Rams are like two-thirds likely. to make the playoffs if they win 7% if they lose. Like the route to making the playoffs is pretty low if they don't win this game. To me, it's a beautiful rematch,

maybe a revenge game of the NFC championship game, and you think, well, everyone's different. Sean McVeigh's not different. He's changed his offense three times since then. Dennis Allen's not different. He hasn't really changed his defense at all. And a lot of those same players are there. And I love the way Sean McVeigh has updated it,

and I think they're going to be able to run the ball. And they better, because I'm going with the family. this is my holiday. Oh, yeah, that's right. This is your Christmas. This is my Christmas. We'll be at the game with the family, right? Roger Goodell is Father Christmas to me.

That is exciting to hear. I thought you, but you're picking the family, like the ramily. You're going with the family. Well, I'm picking them too. That's great. But all right, you better win just to make us happy. All right. The Saturday game, Bengals, Steelers.

I got out of that preview. Scott Free. I got you on this one. Here we go. Bangles at Steelers. This is a game. I said in my fearless prediction, I think the Steelers are done.

I think there are seven and ten outfit and there's a lot of drama. That said, if Mark, there was a last ditch effort here from Pittsburgh to kind of pull it together. It would probably be in this spot at home against a division rival, knowing your season in a lot of ways is on the line. If Mike Tomlin doesn't have the team ready to play in this game, they are way worse off than we even realize. So it's the Jake Browning magic work without Jamar Chase in Pittsburgh. I feel like a couple of weeks. ago, we'd say the Bengals have this like quarterback problem, but they've got a quarterback solution. And it's changed the way we think about Zach Taylor and the entire team and they're

kind of humming. I know you, you know, Jamar Chase, that's an issue health-wise. But the Steelers are the team with the quarterback problem. And then like this stuff coming out with like for years, it was like, oh, no matter what the Steelers like draft and develop wide receivers better than everyone. Then you've got George Pickens, the like the replay of him sort of just standing around like I would in the middle of like a break room at work when someone's trying to forge in for a touchdown. He's doing literally nothing. It's like the Steelers to me. This is a weird Steelers team to me where I think the vibe is just very

negative and I kind of want them out of my life. And the Bengals to me are like the AFC's Rams where it's like I thought all was lost and here they come and they feel like a team to me because one of my other feelless predictions with when I thought it was playoff bound was that I think they could win two playoff games. They to me feel with Jake Browning not that different than the Joe Burrow Bengals and I find them watchable. I'm a

historically a Browns fan and I feel connected to the Bengals so I don't know what's happening I loved Jake Browning at the end of that game historically no I'm saying like it's like you would like you would be aligned to think like

I want bad things to happen to the Bengals and I feel differently about this team I kind of find them fascinating and watchable I think Jake Browning is low key funny like when he was interviewed afterwards on the field they asked him just like I think it was just a good generic like how do you feel right now whatever

and he was like I honestly don't even remember what happened. I'm so tired. And I was like, that's the most relatable quote I've ever heard from a quarterbacks get tired. I'm sure they do. It is a high physical and mental toll. He also had some spicy, you know,

video takes yelling at the camera, the team camera, like, oh yeah. Bet you're glad you cut me now, Vikings. And I do worry in terms of them like making the playoffs or winning playoff games, their defense hasn't really looked any better lately in particular. And then

They lose DJ Reader. This is a matchup, though, that they lost with Jake Browning just three weeks ago, 16 to 10, sort of since this transformation happened. And when I watch the Steelers' defense, they're so disorganized. They're getting out-coached every week. I mean, Shane Steichen made them look terrible. Their back seven on defense is so bad. And their offensive line hasn't looked great lately either.

So I do think the Bengals can get after them. And they're just slow, the Steelers. Chase Brown, I feel like that's a nice little deep face. fantasy sleeper for this week. He's so fast versus this slow-ass defense, I think they get it done. Do we have that Jake Browning sound? I want to hear that. That one felt good.

Browning, looking, scrambling to the right, Browning, going down field, it is caught. The Bengals convert on third down and nine. The snap, the placement, the right-footed kick. It is good. I think right after we made the field goal to win the game, I screamed at a camera. I said they never should have cut me. Oh my gosh. Yeah, I mean, you can't say that.

I love him. You just wait until you win, and then don't look like an idiot. I feel like I need a beer. Oh, my God. I love that guy. That is Bengals' Twitter from the jungle. The second part of my fearless prediction was that Jake Brownie would morph into free agency's number one signing. He will become someone else's starter.

Will that be a mistake? We'll see, but that, like, he will become the off-season story and someone will make them anoint him. Like, the number one, like, highest? Biggest story, free agent signing. Wow. Is he a free agent? Yes.

I looked it up. I didn't know that before the show. Well, because I was like, I can't say that if he's under contract for two years, but he's not under contract. He is not. He's an exclusive rights free agent, so he'll be locked up for another couple of years. Well, we'll see what happens. All right.

Finally, Greg, do you want to? No, that's okay. This is why I did double check. It's still very possible. We needed that. It could happen. I'm just saying they could cut him. Right.

And then he's a free agent. I mean, probably aren't going to cut him. Yeah. That seemed very foolhardy to cut him. He may be better than Joe Burrow. We don't know. That would be a big story too.

Well, Greg, the second Saturday game. I mean, Chargers bills. Let's start the clock right away. This is the one. We should have spent more time on Ram Saints. That's like the big,

that's like an early playoff game. This is just Saturday. night. Sounds like somebody wants to be on the Thursday night show with Mark and I. Right. Come on on, buddy. No, no. I'll be coming home. I'll be stuck in traffic. Sorry, honey, I got to go. We're taping the Thursday night show. I hope Bill's fans show up and make this an atmosphere. 11 and a half points is how much they're favored by. That doesn't feel like enough. Does it? This run heavy team. And I know you get the like dead coach bounce and everything. But James Cook is now one of the best running backs in the league. I apologize to Sean McDermott for

getting on him for changing offensive quarter. because what they've done with Joe Brady has been different. These multiple tight ends, they're kind of using fullbacks, the two running backs at the same time, just varying it up, and they're really good at it and matching that up versus this Chargers defense. I think maybe we'll want to account well for themselves after a totally embarrassing Thursday night and they have extra rest.

So maybe they play a little bit better, but who are we kidding? Easton Stick versus Sean McDermott, who's been cooking up some great schemes, and Ed Oliver has been playing really great up front, 11 and a half does not feel like enough. This feels like a Saturday night Bill's party. Are you getting the umbrella out?

No, I don't want to do that. James, I was going to say it's hyperbole, Greg, about James Cook, but look at, I mean, week to week, he has been as good

as any running back in the league lately, all around. I mean, in terms of like yards over, you're expected, like the total performance just by the numbers.

I think he had the number one, I think it was on football outsiders or Aaron Schott where they're at was the number one running back performance. performance of the year against the drops to I mean you got to sure though I'll live with a drop way if he's running like these crazy angle routes they're having him do like wide receiver that's the touchdown catch he had like kind of backhanded was a sneaky hard catch yeah and he did drop another touchdown to be fair that's to be fair they're often black benches ass in past year that's what I say it's a huge ad to them what was that they're not that offense didn't have like the the running and I think Latavius Murray's actually been pretty good too like kind of under the radar just like He's helped in and like they've got balance on offense where they didn't have a running game before.

Do you know that in England because you would... They celebrate Christmas? Pointed out that they celebrate Christmas. I was suggesting that's probably the fact. Did you... No, it certainly is. Yeah. We're in a lot of ways

descendants of, you know, England. We didn't end up that holiday, true. So I will say that they say happy Christmas. Happy Christmas. That's on them. Just throwing it out there. It feels lesser than Mary.

I feel like we got edge on that one. Mary beats happy. I'm with you. Come at us. Mary. What's the reasoning? Mary.

By the way, the Chargers. Cara got married. The Chargers have been put in their, their owner spoke this week and said like, everyone's been calling us cheap. We're not going to be cheap. There's no, there's no, you know, boundaries to what we're willing to accomplish. It almost felt like we would go after Bill Bell.

I don't know what the point of that was exactly. Because they've been a little, like, he was hearing a lot of chat. In every conversation, it's like, obviously not the Chargers. Belichick would never go there. They couldn't afford them. They won't deal. It's like they're probably trying to say stop the narrative.

Like we could bring him here. Also. It would be a good interesting marriage. You know, there's like 30 teams, 31 teams that basically own their stadium and there's one that like rents it. That pays $1 for it. I don't.

It just seemed like in such a weird place as an organization. All right. It's just kind of sad. I don't know. Good app. Hey, Connie, you've said it all. thank you did you and we talked about you you lost your dog and you said Christmas was canceled yeah Christmas come back you got a tree up at the house we don't have any decorations up I know I was hoping

this is exactly the first part of a Hallmark Christmas movie you know what you're right because I usually have the hot Amazon truck guy comes yeah that and what happens that complicates it yes the dog happens the previous Christmas there was the dog bite. Maybe maybe a dog is involved. A dog shows up and warms your heart. If you just ruin John's present for Colleen, that's going to be

bad, Greg. Maybe I do need to get John a puppy. There we go. Or I, you know, helps suggest something. We're not doing gifts either this year, so there's no gifts, there's no decorations. I've sort of opted out of Christmas. It's really dark now. It's fine. Not now, Bridget. Thanks to having

a great Christmas, probably. Yeah. All dogs do go to heaven, they say. I'm trying to get there. We'll see. I listened to Christmas music for like five minutes yesterday. I picked up my beloved captain one year ago this weekend.

So you can, and we actually have great resources that we learned during that process if you do want to do that. It's a rescue dog? Yeah.

All right. We'll see. Now that would be, there would be something to that. The Christmas. You assisting. That would be a nice kind of part of the memory.

Like, how did it happen? Who made it happen? Not important, but we'll get to that. On the wiki page, like there would be a large section about that, Dan Hans is. There's a headshot of me to the right taken earlier today.

No other photo in the wiki page. Maybe the dog. Maybe. Dan saved Christmas. Like background. The name of the hallmark. And so it's like, name of the dog, blah, blah, blah, background.

Wait, did I just suggest this whole thing like that? Like a minute ago? No. Greg, at this point, you did not. At this point, you did not. Photo. Far right. indexed right.

Just like a quick bio background on our relationship and the connection of history. Right. This has nothing to do with animals at this point. I challenge any podcast out there. By the way,

we've been nominated for something called the Sports Podcast Awards over in the UK. You can go on their website and vote for us. We found this out. Really?

But I challenge, this is separate to this. Wait, what? I challenge any other podcasts out there to come as strong with their holiday spectacular as yeah let's get some holiday

music to close things out were you in person and you hosted this was during the pandemic so it was on Zoom but I hosted them one year I would love to know how much they paid Colleen for that wait what you think they paid her

is it is it in the UK it seems like it's from the UK is a lot of UK pods a lot of UK if we don't win that would be do you think they do you think they paid Colleen five grand

25 grand no way 10 higher I don't even remember I'm going to go back and look I'm going to go money is of no option

I just did it because I wanted to do it 2,500 all right sports podcast group dot com vote for around the NFL over all these other jokers

right that's it everyone says it's like an honor to be nominated no we're going to go negative we're running a negative campaign against spear campaign God bless football

cannot win you know who's on that that guy Stucats guy is on it we have a little score to settle with that guy Well, let's let them understand who won the year I was hosting it. Well, isn't that nice?

Well, we remember what Stoucats had to say. Oh, yeah. This is a little chance for revenge. Sessie made it, Sessler. I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? He's a top 10 football insider. That's a chance for revenge.

It is. I don't feel like revenge-oriented against Stugats necessarily. I think it was like kind of a self-reminder that, you know, other people in the industry have no idea I exist. If you would like peace brokered between the two sides, I will gladly step up. Where's that holiday music? Where's Connor? I need some Christmas.

But there would be something full circle. I think it would be. Just like the dog entering the Gonzo household, you taking out Stugats at the award show. There's a Christmas element to that. You know, I'm looking at these nominees. With like a tranked art? Our friend Hannah Wilkes for her huddle also nominated. And I was a game.

guest on that, so maybe I... You have two chances to win. If you're not going to vote for it. Speaking of WikiPages, Greg has already demanded that he has a section of their Wiki page. It's not off brand that Greg pulls votes away from our actual show because he appeared on a rival show that's up for the

prize. Well, Merry Christmas to everybody. We'll be back on Thursday with our Week 16 preview in bulk. Connie, thank you. Thank you. Great to see you guys. Everybody. Happy holidays. Heath a call. Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks.

On Move to Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.