NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - First quarter power poll

Episode Date: October 6, 2015

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling, and Marc Sessler - discuss the latest news from around the NFL including the Miami Dolphins firing head coach Joe Philbin. Then the heroes break down their first quarter power poll rankings of all 32 teams. Plus, a preview of the Thursday night matchup between the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast is accepting tailgate invites. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I am joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan. What is happening?

Happening. Things are great. Things are really great because it's good to be alive. I've been all over this world, guys. Dan's especially happy because he's in the country, the United States and America. The only country he likes. That is totally untrue. I am a world traveler compared to some people in here. We were talking about before we came on. This is where I've been. A lot of countries. Ready? America. One.

Doesn't count. Texas, too. It's its own country. Ask anybody from Texas. Texas declares they have their own state flag that they... They've all been to Texas. They have their own odd curriculum, too. That's two.

Mexico. Cancun, spring break, 2K1. What a party. Culture. I like it. Canada. And my paramour, Kirby, up in Toronto. I forgot how about your made-up relationship with Kirby.

The Motherland, Ireland, 96. Nice week on the buses Seeing all the great Emerald Isle It's a lot of places So anybody you want to come at me Mark Like you wasn't about that you hadn't traveled as much Although that's true too As much as you just didn't like

Or see the need to ever leave the country In the future My wife always comes It's like we got to go somewhere I'm like ah Well she's right It's good I'm happy right now Maybe down the road

I'll see the earth You've made some slightly jingoistic comment. I disagree. Dan's like, yeah, once we have more kids, they get older, then it'll become really easy to trouble. Oh, what's my jingoistic comment? Best damn country in the world.

That one? Don't need to go anywhere else. As Greg mentioned, you don't have to challenge that if you don't go anywhere else. And it's like, this is all roundabout way for Mark to mention oh, I used to live in England. All right, Mark, we got it. You mentioned it. You all said a word of us. I'm in Australia. It's like, oh, I was an Easter Island.

All right. What do you want from me? I was keeping relatively quiet because you embarrassed yourself before the show with your perspective. It was downright embarrassing and you should listen to your wife. Listen, I'm just a regular Joe. I don't have a ton of dough to travel around the planet like some other people. I don't know what happened in your Connecticut upbringing. It's not regular Joe. It's not a regular Joe scenario we're dealing with here.

The old Zusser is a man of the people. The old Zusser is like a raging fireball diva about to take the. the showdown four minutes in. The guy who nicknamed himself after the greatest god in history who lives on Mount Olympus is a regular Joe. Just the guy, man. I'm a jag. This is the Around the NFL podcast Tuesday edition.

You know, so you know what happens on Tuesdays. We got a lot of stuff to get to. And I'll go over it real quick before we get into it. We're going to recap that Monday night football game, a wild ending the Seahawks and Lions. I'm sure there will be plenty of. Hot takes. Hot takes of plenty from the around the NFL team, including West, wearing a Henley shirt today.

Is that what it is? Yeah. I don't think it's. Very masculine. I don't think it is a Henley. It's close, though. It's got the buttons. All right, whatever you say.

We will also, everyone, you guys are just questioning me on all turns. Well, it's time. Also, we have some news to get to. We have to fork some teams. We forked, how many teams last week? Not enough. No one knows like the entire AFC South. We forked, I believe, four teams last week at least.

We'll double check on that. And that means that they have no chance of making the postseason. And there are going to be gentlemen, three more teams that join that group, our stick of fork in them chatter. Also, we are going to do our Thursday night preview of the Thursday night football game between Mark. The Houston Texans and the cults of Indianapolis. Very good. And then we will do, you know,

We had our power pole that we unveiled, I believe, the last day of August, about a week before the season started. And now with the season one quarter through, Greg, 16 games for each team, each regular season, 16 divided by four is four. So this seems like a good time to check in on our power pole. Our second edition of the power pole, and we'll also check what we have right, what we have wrong, what's cooking. What's changed in the power pool?

And that'll be up on the website as well. Maybe we'll do NFL.com slash power pole. Yes. I like that. Now I have to remember to do that. And so that's what's coming up on the show. Very exciting show. I look forward to every time Greg, I come upstairs, look forward to this.

This is fun. This is what it's all about. This isn't work. Greg barely alive right now. Trying to get something out of them. There's not much there right now. Well, I'm just saying, let's get to the news. Let's go.

All right, sorry. All right, boss. Before we get to the news, though, behind the glass, We have, you know, the Irishman, Brandon McGinnis, is gone. Thank you. Now that he's gone, you drop the tea from his later. Sully, I finally was made aware that there was no tea in his last day. Sully's also gone.

They did great work. But now, rising, a real future star is Sidney Carlson behind the glass. What's up, Sydney? Hey, guys. Hello, good to be here. Great to be part of the team. Yeah, so Sydney will be helping us out on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we'll be getting to know each other.

Right now, it's almost like that first day of school thing where, you know, you're just feeling each other out. In a couple of weeks, it will be like just a bunch of buddies. Right? Well said. Whatever, Greg. Why are you on my case today? Dad.

Dad. Concerned about Sully, by the way. Why? Saw some image. I think it was on Facebook, some sort of social media platform where he was, he's back in Tennessee. Uh-oh. He was at a Vols game. His plan for, like, the next two plus.

month is just to stay at his parents' house and go to Tennessee Volunteers Games. Just some wild. He looked massively inebriated to me, just dressed in orange from head to toe, otherworldly Sully doing absolutely nothing with his adult life. That sounds like the picture of any Sully event I've ever had in my mind. Sounds great. It sounds awesome. All right. So before we get into the news, Cindy, why don't we do a little Monday night football?

Ooh, jaunty. Cam Chancellor Seattle Seahawks Seahawks safety punched the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hands at the goal line, preventing a game-winning touchdown in the Seahawks 1310 win over the lines on Monday night. And of course, that was not the biggest story, unfortunately. After the game, it was the call that was missed by officials. The ball being punched out of bounds by Seahawks linebacker KJ Wright. Should have been a penalty for batting the ball out of the back of the end zone, first and goal from the one for the lines instead the call is not made game over the

Detroit Lions oh and four rest easy in that good night the Seahawks are very lucky and fortunate Chris Wessling two and two right no the Seahawks aren't lucky oh come on how is that not lucky how is that not lucky they controlled the whole game all KJ right had to do is fall on the ball I don't I hate these little controversies that everybody gets worked up about when they really have little to do with what happened in the game well that that That's fair, and I agree. That said the offense all night for Seattle had nothing going except for just Russell Wilson's scrambles. And if one of the greatest receivers of all time doesn't fumble at the one-yard line,

they're facing – and it was totally a great play by Cam Chancellor. He deserves credit for that. But he should have tucked the ball away, Calvin Johnson. They were about to be trailing and staring at a one-and-three record unless they went down and scored a touchdown. So they still have to be considered fortunate that they got this call going their way. Of course. I fully expected Russell Wilson to lead them on a touchdown. What did he show in the second half?

Really, the whole game that made you think that that was going to happen. I think it's more about what Russell Wilson showed in his career. I just believe in him. I don't. The Seahawks were in control all game. They got, you know, there was a fumble that the Lions returned for a touch. The Lions couldn't do anything on offense. Right.

They were two very similar-looking teams, I thought. Well, the Seahawks could do a few things, let Russell run around for eight seconds in the pocket and then make a couple of plays. but that was the only offense in the game. This is a terrible job, though, by the Seahawks. They were up 13-3 in complete control. The offense completely sputters out. And, yeah, I don't disagree, Wes, that I could see if the Lions did score that touch, and I could see the Seahawks come back to win it.

They're not a team you can count out, and that offense comes to life out of nowhere, it seems at times. But 13-3, they turned the ball over at midfield, and the Lions can't do anything about it. Then Russell turns it over again, running for the touchdown, a three-and-out, and now here comes the lines marching down the field for the win. The Seahawks, this was not a great performance by this team, and I still think that there is a lot of reasons to be concerned if you're a Seattle fan, that this team has not come together.

Well, Seattle's a kind of team that will come together and figure itself out. They've done that. Last year at this time, we were very concerned about the Seahawks. But it's not a formula. It's a formula to win when Russell Wilson is as mobile as he is and is so aware of the field and where has received. are and he's able to extend the plays with his feet the way that he does, doubling the length of passing plays. But the offensive line is a legitimate sieve. I don't know if that's a formula

that you can count on for long before disaster will strike. I mean, it's going to affect your quarterback after some time. It reminds me of Russell Wilson's rookie year, which they started out and they were not able to throw the ball at all. And eventually they turned it around. And last year, where they start out very slow offensively, and they did turn it around. But I think this is a problem. I think Russell Wilson gets a little bit of a pass. Granted the offensive line is bad, but he still took two sacks. He fumbled twice. He led the league in fumbling two years ago. He led the league in fumbling last year. And now he had two fumbles last night, one return. So that's part of the equation when you talk about Russell Wilson. I don't think you can totally ignore

that when comparing him to some of the best quarterbacks in the league. They're not leading the league in fumbling. They're not fumbling as often. If Jay Cutler did something like that last night, you know, we would kill him. But that's going to happen because of his mobility. It's completely unfair. He gets a pass for a reason because they built this roster to rely wholly on Russell Wilson's sandlot football ability and when you are forced to run around in the backfield for seconds and seconds and seconds on every play fumbles are going to happen that's how they built their team some people would argue he has to run around though because he doesn't see open receivers so it's all it's all it's what he does well he's an amazing quarterback but it all kind of comes together

I mean sometimes he's got to get rid of the ball sooner than he does the other part of this offense Yeah, a big part of this offense is what Russell Wilson can do and making things happen. But it's really, this offense has always been built around that running game. And Lynch, here's the connected tissue between Marshaun Lynch's first three games and then Thomas Rawls is getting swallowed up behind the line of scrimmage. And that's back to your point, Mark, that this team is not run blocking well. Russell Wilson is scrambling constantly. There's just no, there's no way for this offense to get into a groove. And I thought it was telling John Gruden at one point, high.

highlighted Russell Wilson took off when Jimmy Graham kept running downfield, didn't pick up an outside blocker, and Gruden made a common line of Jimmy Graham doesn't know what he is in this offense, doesn't know what he's doing in this offense. There's still a lot of stuff that needs to be getting worked out here. But I think that's not a shock to me. When you don't have Lynch on the field, you're still figuring it out with Graham.

We're not going to see their prime performance in week four. Their best offense has been their defense. Yeah. Because when you're going to allow 10 points or you're going to shut out the bear, the offense doesn't have to do much. Now, last year in games, they did and they responded. I don't see them being able to score 20 plus points a game if they get into that situation. I think they'll figure things out, but they need to figure out what to do with Jimmy Graham

because, you know, he got hammered in the pregame shows for his poor blocking this year, and they usually count on the tight end to block. And they just need to figure out how to best use him because it's not happening right now. He has not been much of a factor, and they really seem to miss Max Unger. I mean, they had a Pro Bowl center, and that's where a lot of. of the pressure was coming last night. And I do agree with the U.S. to talk a little bit about the call that it was a little bit of a technicality. I totally understand why people were up in arms about it. It was such a bad call that Dean Blandino got on the air immediately after to say it was a bad

call. For him to do that, it's saying we couldn't have screwed this one up more. Now, maybe it's a stupid rule, but he was basically signaling, you know, it's a terrible call. If there's any gray area there, he's not going to get on the air and say, you know, our bad. right away. Isn't the whole process what's broken about it? And Dan mentioned this on the Dave Damashek football programmer today too, just that when everyone, let's not sit around and pretend we knew the rule.

Maybe one out of a thousand people are sitting around knowing that rule. But the point is, when the ref doesn't catch it, but your command nerve center in New York, or most fans, after it's discussed after a while, realized that a grave mistake was made, then you have to be able to reverse it. You can't have these calls that aren't reversible.

It's tricky. I mean, Why is it tricky, though, because it's an absolute black eye. Bill Belichick would like everything to be reviewable. You know, the NFL would say we don't want to review judgment calls. I understand why this is a judgment call on some level. Maybe you make it that everything inside two minutes is reviewable. I would take the 180-degree opposite view of Bill Belichick and make nothing reviewable. It disrupts the flow of the game, makes a mockery out of the catch rule,

and just manufactures controversy that we don't need. Here's the problem with that, though, because we've already been there. There is more controversy with the replay than there was without it. Just wait. They had to replay in the early 90s. They got rid of it. And then calls are getting missed over and over again. It costs the Seahawks, a playoff spot in 98, which is the impetus for it coming back in 99.

You just had the same different problems, but same issues. It would just be different issues. That's jobs and money. Right. And without replay, it doesn't disrupt the flow of the game. You're still getting controversy. You still pay, you're a league who pays people to explain roles to the audience because the audience. is it doesn't understand them.

Every network employs a rules. It is tough. A rule statement guy. Because nobody knows the rules. And even then, you know, the ESPN broadcast, Mike Tariko, who's the very best at knowing the rules, they didn't mention anything about it. That was the first time I've ever seen Toriko miss something. But this is one where someone can act smart, but this is one where no one knew what the rule

was. Pete Priscoe did. That was about it. The second it happened, he said that should be Lion's ball. It's a stupid rule anyway. And by the way, you know what else is a stupid rule? that the ball goes, maybe this is getting too far. But the ball's oblong.

It's like, how about a real ball? Right. Well, that's why the technicality is also stupid, because the ball was probably going out of bounds. And KJ. Right, if he knew the rule, would have just caught the ball and the game's over. It probably didn't really affect the game. I think it's stupid that the defense gets the ball back in that scenario.

I never understood that. Why does the, and I think that could change. I think there's some sentiment that the offense keeps the ball. Whoever possessed the ball last gets to keep it. Well, I think it's weird It's weird It goes to the 20 yard line Yeah, that's always been a weird rule

Going back to Ben Watson Against the Broncos Right, exactly And I think there has been talk That that could change at some point By the way, between the fail merry And now this The Seahawks catching some breaks

And prime time We're all even for that Super Bowl Against the Steelers What this game? I don't know about that Nobody can complain anymore That was a Super Bowl, Dan, please My primary complaint

about that controversial call is that it overshadowed this game, which was basically emblematic of what's going on for the first four games of the season, that offensive lines are a huge problem for every disappointing team in the league this year. And this game was a perfect example of that. Keep that point in mind when we get to the Power Bowl. I mean, the line, you want to talk a little bit about, I mean, the line, that has been the case every single. It's amazing to watch a team with Abdullah, Tate, Calvin Johnson. In theory, Matthew Stafford, although I don't know how big a plus is looking so unexplosive. We have to start considering that Calvin Johnson isn't what we thought he was.

He's no longer that guy. You're matched up with Carrie Williams when I'm wanting. You're just not making plays. Whether you want to blame it on Joe Lombardier or Matthew Stafford, when the ball comes to your direction, sometimes you just have to catch it and make a play. All right. So that is that.

Now, Sidney, if you would, if you don't mind, let's do some news. That might be the craziest question that I've gotten in the history of football. I don't think it was that crazy. Sydney is shining out of the gate. Chuck Pagano last week when the reporter asked him if Andrew Luck was in the state of Indiana. That's a fair response. All right, let's start with the Miami Dolphins. Joe Philman out as head coach, as everyone learned early on Monday.

He was fired at the three-plus seasons. The Dolphins are out to a one-and-three-season. start replacing him on an interim basis is Dan Campbell, the tight ends coach, who has the power to decide, I guess, I know Kevin Coyle, the defensive coordinator has been a major issue around the team, at least internally, as a problem as well, but there's been no decision made yet. And whether Coyle will remain with the team, I assume they got to, you know, they're on a bye week, but the more time the passes, he's probably going to stay the coach, right? I think that could come out before people hear this podcast sometime Tuesday, maybe Wednesday.

Make a move if you are. Either way, I think they'll announce that he's staying or not. It does sound like he could be gone. Right. So Philvin out and Mark, I'll start with you on this one. You don't have to be some type of football genius to see that this was probably not a marriage bill to last. But was this the right time to get out now or should they ridden out a little further? Well, the right time to get out of it would have been after last.

season. I mean, this is what happens when teams, they can't get maybe the coach they really want or that coach isn't available that offseason. And you re-sign a guy like Joe Philbin. The issues are no different now than they were last year or the year before to some degree with Philbin. And you keep them around and then you're in week. It's the same with Dennis Allen. You're in week four and you blow the whole machine up. And how often do teams with interim coaches do anything? Right. If the dolphins don't block a punt against the Vikings. in week 16 last year to win 3735 in a meaningless game. They got a safety on that punt.

I don't know if Joe Philbin comes back. Now, Philbin said, Stephen Ross, the owner said him, told him earlier in the season, oh, you'll be back next year. But he never went public with it. And he emotionally, after that win, much like Woody Johnson down in Miami, you know, emotionally bringing back Rex Ryan for another failed season, he announced Joe Philbin's the guy and he went into told,

tell him, hey, I'm definitely keeping you. And that's like, it's such an emotional, short-term, weird decision on a meaningless game. And then you waste this whole season. Here's the big difference since you brought it up between what happened with Woody and Rex was after that season. And then they had an incompetent GM

that didn't give Rex anything. So Rex was a dead man walking, even though they brought him back. The Dolphins, they spent money. They brought in the best defensive tackle in football. They added, they redid their wide receiver group and gave Ryan Tanahill a big, fat new contract. So this, Joe Philbin was set up well for success, at least from a roster standpoint,

but he was never the guy, and everybody could see that. Not really. Coach is come and go in Miami, GM's come and go, players come and go. What stays is a roster building philosophy of buy expensive free agents and have a shallow roster like the old Cowboys used to, where if your stars get hurt, Cameron Wake has a hamstring injury. And Domic & Sue hasn't done anything. Brent Grimes has been playing injured.

If your stars get hurt, nobody makes play. And you compared it to the Jets. I was going to say, there's a lot of similarities because the Jets, they fire coach, but they keep the GM. But then they fire the GM and then they keep the coach. And then they're doing one thing at a time. They hired Joe Philbin. Then they hired GM Dennis Hickey, who did not hire Joe Filbin. And then they tell they're going to keep Philbin.

Oh, and then we're going to hire Tannenbaum. Where is Dennis Hickey, by the way? That's all true. So it's almost exactly the same where it's different people having different agendas and no one's on the same page. But I guess one thing just to point out is that, you know, as a group, we picked the dolphins to make the playoffs this year. There was a lot of reason for optimism this season. I had them in last place. Well, I don't know who picked them then because I didn't pick them and I had to write up a post about us making them.

Plenty of people. Plenty of people were optimistic about the Dolphins outside of this team. And perhaps, yeah, this is another reminder that you need to have stability at the top of the organization for this ever to work. I think, sir. You need to build through the draft and not go out and buy free agents every year. But you can't build through the draft. when your philosophy and your schemes and your general managers and your assistants are changing year after year.

Dolphins are, they got to be careful because they're close to getting into the cycle of not just being the eight and eight team, but the team that starts to go four and five wins every year because there's so much transition. I'm excited about the Dan Campbell era, though. I mean, he seems like he's fun. I think he's going to have a good chance to be right there with Joe Vitt, you know, the one game of Jim Thompson,

some of the great interim head coach memories that I've had in my life. I mean, he just seems like he's going to, there's going to be some fun stuff here with Dan Campbell. Dan Campbell is very, I love that. Yeah, he was a long hair monster. And it'd be any less fun than it's been. Like eight months ago. And now he's the head coach of 53 men. But the other interesting kind of humorous slash fascinating report.

Other than a man losing his job. Other than that is Ryan Tannahill. This is how bad things have gotten in Miami. This stuff always leaks out after firing like this. That National Football Post first reported. Tanahel had been getting rattled during practice sessions last week and was letting his frustrations out on practice squad players, including this one quote, according to a player who told the National Football Post, enjoy your practice squad paycheck. Enjoy your practice squad trophy. And it got so bad that Joey Phibs was going up to the practice squad guys and say, hey, take it easy on QB1. And gentlemen, you know what this is. This is a clear case, Sidney. Larraville, Magnifico.

Ryan Daniel's a little baby from Texas who can't handle it, and you give all this guy money and you build a team around him, but that is a lot of view, Magnifico. Defend your boy, Greg. What do you mean? You're going to hell? I'm not defending him in this case. It's worth noting Jeff Darry.

Is he still your boy? Or have you bailed on him like I bailed on Josh McCown? That is a great question. I no longer think he has that highest ceiling. I think he is what he is, which is a mid-level guy who's going to make a long career as a starter, but I'm not excited about him ever turning the corner as a top 10 guy. Not after hearing this.

Well, that's part of it. To be fair, Jeff Darlington strongly reported that he never said the paycheck line. Everything else was true, he said, but he said he never. Everybody's worried about his fragile little psyche, though. That part, no one's disputing, though. I want to know the tone of this. And, you know, stuff that happened into NFL practices. This is a quote from an NFL practice.

like three or four different sources. I'm just saying. Tana Hill has absolutely not been a problem on this team ever. I'm not as bothered by the quote. It's a little kind of a pissing thing to say. Not a big deal. The problem is the head coach approaching these like sea level players and be like, hey, take it easy on our $100 million quarterback because he needs the confidence right now.

And that's fair. And you mentioned Rex Ryan. And for the bashing that Rex Ryan's taken, the one thing that Ryan mostly didn't do in New York was losing. It's going to be a begrudging compliment? Is it will not lose his entire roster. You have to dump your coach when Philbin over and over cannot handle these conflicts over.

I have no problem with Tannel being frustrated in practice and going off on whoever. I want him to be frustrated. They've sucked. Sure, but it's a sign that the pressure is getting to them a little bit. For a little bit of context, some teams, as Alex Marvez pointed out, you know, they really prefer that their practice squad team kind of show the defensive scheme,

but not necessarily try to make plays on the, ball, that that's almost an idea that they have, that they're not supposed to be making these interceptions. Now, I thought it was really interesting. Campbell addressed the situation without mentioning Tannahill pretty directly. He said when we have practiced, the best teams, they go after each other. The defensive practice squad, they're going to go after the offense, and that's the team I want. And to me, that's said at all, that he thought Tannahill was being babyed. Joe Phelbin seems like a wonderful person and a nice guy and a good human being who oversaw something where he had no authority, and this is the same coach

who allowed Richie Incognito to be on the leadership council and allowed that whole controversy to happen in his locker room. It's not for everyone like that balance between being a leader and also not being their friends all the time. It's half these guys fail. They all fail most of them. In other AFC East news, the Buffalo Bills have some injury issues in their back field.

LaShawn McCoy has a concussion. Carlos Williams has a hamstring. Carlos Williams has a concussion. So they worked out some running. backs today. And this is a special note to the Quiet Storm and myself. Trent Richardson was one of those running backs that was worked out, of course, cut by the Raiders in August or early September. Also worked out was a Dan Boomeran who actually got signed, Trent Richardson not signed. So T. Rich, and this is, let's just break this down real quick, Mark, when we talk about like

P-scale. And of course, our sandwich prop was that in the This was made back in February that T. Rich would never have another carry in the NFL. It didn't look good for me when he got guaranteed money from the Raiders. It looked obviously good for me when he fell down that death chart and then got cut. This now lets me know that he's at least on the grid still. So my pea scale on Trent Richardson is at about five and a half. If peeing your pants is cool, consider me, Miles Davis. So I'm like right it around like five and a half.

Like he's still on the grid. I would have rather that he just was out somewhere giving up on football, but that's not the key. Well, he certainly has the ability to lose these tryouts over and over. But what I like to see, because the whole premise was not whether he makes the Raiders or even plays the in week one. It was if he ever plays a snap ever again. And what I kept hanging on, and again, he's ripe to fail. But it's October 6 and people were to give him try. trial. I thought this was going to happen in early December.

As injuries, mountains, someone's like, we just need a fresh body to do practice, and then maybe he gets into a game or two. Then you bang, because I already gave you a sandwich. You have to give me two back. That's fair. That's how it's going to work. And that's what's going to happen here. And I was a little nervous about Rex being involved because, you know, he's a little bit, I'm a Maverick and all that stuff. But by the way, even if he got signed to a team, it doesn't, you don't get the wager because he's got to get a carry. You look at Christine Michael. Kristen Michaels had, I think, one carry the season. I'm very clear of the outline of the deal.

And that's why I'm confident. That was more a check-in. By the way, Ray Rice is never going to get a job. If he can't get a tryout when guys like T. Rich are getting tryouts, we're not going to see Ray Rice no more. And your boy, Pierre Thomas off the grid. I don't know. What's going on?

Should have taken that job with the Texans. Yeah. All right. In other news, this is interesting. Odell Beckham, you know, not off to the type of start that perhaps we expected. And there is some buzz in the air around the NFL. about, you know, his personality and where he's at headwise after an offseason in which he was, you know, the biggest star in the NFL just about. The bills went after Odell Beckham after Sunday's loss.

Stefan Gilmore specifically had a lot of things to say, and Wes, I'm going to tee you up on this. Gilmore said, I don't know what's up with him. He acts like you're supposed to let him catch the ball. He's weird. He gets mad when you play physical with him. He's weird. And then he went on to say he's different. It's kind of like you're playing your little brother and he gets mad.

mad at you for being too physical with him throwing a tantrum. I'm like, man, we're playing football. It's a physical game. He's a prima donna. He feels like he's on top of the world and nobody's supposed to do anything to him. And finally, Gilmore added that, you know, they watch tape. They don't see him as that special guy. He's got

great hands. But he's not as good as what people think after that one catch. He's calling him one-hit wonder, Chris Wessling. The floor is yours because ODB's your boy. He said he's no Sammy Watkins. You're right. He's much better. than Sammy Watkins, who apparently Sammy Watkins is a new Tom Savage.

I'm not sure if he really exists. He's never on the field. Look, there are a couple of ways to look at this. I threw Odell Beckham out of the penthouse of my stable of the boys over the offseason when he was complaining about his teammates making fun of him. Lover's quarrel. This is another sign that he's a prima donna. I totally get that.

Stefan Gilmore's right. He is weird. O'Dell Beckham's a weird dude. And he's not getting back in the stable. He's out of the... Wait, he's not only out of the penthouse, he's out of the stable of boys? He's out of the stable of boys. He's gone.

He's done. I don't do prima don't know. Have a cigarette. That said. Take the rest of the day off. That said, Stefan Gilmore might not be very bright. It's definitely not watching game tape. And he's got to be watching game tape.

And loses all credibility when he says that Odo Beckham's a one-hit wonder. Well, he's clearly biased and emotional because Odell Beckham, through punch, at multiple bills. And this is on film, one of them, the one. Oh, I know. It was a whore. It was, that's what got, that's what got him thrown out. We can't deal with the physicality, so you come up punching.

I mean, I don't think that he's a one-hit wonder by any stretch, though. Well, here's one thing. Let me just, of course he's not. That's ridiculous. Here's what, here's something to take, take out of this. He is on a pace, I believe for a 1,000-yard season, he's on pace. Yes, he is. To have a nice.

season, but he has certainly been a little disappointing this year, and it makes you wonder, A, if teams maybe figure it out how to play him on defense a little bit, B, if the offseason and all the outside football stuff that he got involved with somehow did change his mentality or mindset, and see if there's a little secret weapon here with O'Dell Beckham, is that you can get under his skin and it will take him out of his game. All those things seem fair because he's a good receiver right now, but he's not transcendent, which he was last year. I repeat. Go ahead.

The Rams tried to get under his skin last year with dirty shots all game and he got him for 190 yards. This is about Eli Manning has faced the least pressure of any quarterback in the league this year. And it's behind a bad offensive line. It's because teams are playing six and seven defensive backs in an effort to stop Odell Beckham Jr. Well, and it's because they let go of the ball. The bills through the ball and an average, this is from Mike Rodak in one point seven seconds in that in that bills game. that's the shortest amount of time any quarterbacks, you know, throwing the ball all season. Because all they're doing is dropping back three or five steps and throwing the ball six yards.

That's not going to get big yards for Ode Beckle. I think he's looked fantastic during certain moments this season. But he punched the guy in the helmet with his fist. He should have been ejected from the game. He's got to get a lot of fine. So he's a little bit immature. I mean, that's fine. He's also 23 coming off one of an off season where you came into the league last year with a chip on your shoulder.

because this time last year, everyone was ripping this guy for not shaking off a hamstring injury and getting on the field. Then he proves everyone wrong, and then suddenly NFL Network wants to do specials on you when you're 22. Everyone acts like you're a king. Every time he throws a soft ball, it gets mixed, you know, the front page of the newspaper, it's ridiculous. I mean, that's going to toy with your head. I can't believe you're defending a high-level millennial. I did not see this coming. Because when it's coming from his own teammates and they're calling him weird and all that stuff,

that is going to get on my radar more than the opponents who are dealing with them. You shouldn't be throwing punches, but it's like his career, I'm done with these players that after one or two years, we're saying what they are and we're done with them. And to Beckham's credit, he has not been incredible this year, but this just tells you how great he was last year. He's on pace for 96 catches and 1,200 yards and 8 TDs right now. He's on pace for an all pro or pro bowl season,

and he hasn't even played that well yet. Yeah, he has 200 yards next week, and what's the on-paced stats after that? And he absolutely dominated two different halves of games this year in a way that almost no receiver has. It just hasn't been every single half. And are we surprised that Buffalo Bills players are talking again? I mean, how about they keep the mouth shut? I mean, it's like part of it is give me a break with the bills.

It's getting old. That's fair. All right. So that's what's happening in the news. That was a good news segment. It was all good, Dan. All right, Greg's back. I thought Greg was a little low key in the intro.

and I can feel the energy, but now it's coming back. It was always here. I was just, you know, sometimes you lay back. You lay back and watch the pros do their work. Fair enough. Okay. Or you take a segment off. Is this new energy natural?

What? The new energy that you gained in the last 15 minutes. What are you trying to say? I'm just asking what you're... Is this manufactured energy? Well, I'm drinking coffee if that's what you're getting out. There's no... That's organic.

That's organic. That's organic. It's acceptable. Greg, your thoughts on the Daily Fantasy League, controversy go ahead floor is yours i i don't know i don't know anything about it don't care blow it all up uh all right let's get into our power pole uh we we're going to do one every quarter of the season so we did one before the season started and now after week four it's time to do another and i will quick let's start this by doing how do we want to do this

let's go through the power pole as it stands right now gregg you sent it to me and i earned lost it. Do you have the current power pole? Sure. So many things. Our printer didn't work today so I'm all discombobulated. All right, here we go. One through 10. Patriots, Packers, Cardinals, Broncos,

Bengals, Seahawks, Falcons, Panthers, Steelers, Jets. That's the top 10. Let's talk about that. All right, we'll start. Why don't we do it this? Do it this way. The top 10 back in early September, we had the lions at eight and the lions are now where, Greg?

They are buried at 25, which is pretty high for the only winless team in the league. That's true. The Colts were five where we have them there. They have fallen all the way to 14. All right, the Eagles we had at six, bullish on chip, the genius. That was trouble.

They are at 23 right now. And to what I was saying earlier, we had the Dolphins is the 10th best team in football entering week one. They are now one and three and... 26, which seems very high. I put them dead last at 32. I think they would have been the worst team.

Which you can't really argue. I put them higher. I think I had them around 22 or so or 21. Just because I think they're talking big about Campbell. I could see them starting to play harder and maybe win some games and end up around 500. I see them. And I do think there's talent there. I think the team, awful start, not the worst team in football.

I think they've played like the worst team. Their one win was exceedingly lucky in the last two weeks were as bad as they could possibly be. So that's why. Campbell tackling for them? I mean, part of it is just there. They're looking absolutely terrible on the field. 11 through 20, Rams, just missing the top 10. By the way, Jets, I see you at number 10 in the power pole.

Well, which out of those teams that have fallen the furthest are we, do we think maybe he's going to bounce back a little bit? I mean, that's a huge loss for the Ravens have sunk. The lions we had as a top eight team. They were the start of our second tier. And they're forked. I would go maybe, I would go with the cults, not because I think the cults are what we thought they were before the season,

they're not, but you're in an absolutely wretched division where you could string together games. And Andrew Locke, if he, you know, rebounds some, then why not? Rebounds, rebounds. That's interesting. We just, with Dave, Mark, this morning, we did this thing where we did the quarter poll awards. And you could with those four top 10 teams, if we had a category, most disappointing team,

Lions, Colts, Eagles, and Dolphins, that is quite a tough category. to win. But I would probably say it would have to be the dolphins because it's been so all-encompassing, just a total collapse of the organization. But you could make a case or any of those teams. How many interim coaches, I'd like to know, have turned a team around? Like most of them go about two and ten.

1961 was the last time an interim coach made the playoffs. Oh, my gosh. Usually it's like just a caretaker for an ultra top five pick disaster show. And I like not talking about the teams that fell, but the Falcons, climbing all the way up. We had no respect for the Panthers. We had them as the third place team in the NFC South at 23, and now they're in the top

eight. And when I filled this out, tell me if you guys were disagree, I realized, man, the middle of the NFL seems soft. There was about nine good teams. I would stop it at the Steelers. The fact that the Jets and the Rams are 10 and 11 kind of shows you like how much this league is up for grabs right now.

I put the Jets comfortably ahead of the Panthers. Well, that's why, like, you know, when I said I thought the Jets were a top 10 team in September, it wasn't because I think the Jets are great. But Mark Lask, because he thinks I'm making a point that I called it. Well, you are. What I'm really saying is that when I did think that they could be a top 10 team, it wasn't because I think the Jets are a contender. It's a very top heavy league right now.

Well, but I think compared to some other seasons, the top 10 has some shaky offerings who might not even be close three or four weeks. What? Falcons and Panthers? I'm just saying compared to what we look at in general, when we look at the top half of the league, there is average all over the NFL. Let's look at our 11 through 20.

Rams, Vikings, Bills, who really, you know, they could have easily have been seven if we were doing this a week earlier, but that was a bad loss. The Colts at 14, the Giants at 15, the 16. The Dalton line is the Chargers, which makes sense. Cowboys at 17.

Redskins, 18. Ravens at 19. And then we had the Raiders at 20. So, yeah, those teams are all kind of more. or less the same, I would say, with the exception of the Colts, if Andrew Luck gets healthy and they put it together, and the bills were really hard to figure out. Yeah, much of

the NFC East is in that group. The Raiders got a lot of love. I mean, I think that also shows, if you look, when we do post this and you read our article, once you get past the NFC East, Redskins, Ravens, if you got the Raiders at 20, that means there's a whole end of the league that's kind of up for grabs

too. I mean, that any of those teams could start emerging and surprise us and maybe a forked team comes and forks us. Yeah, I was going to say, who is the team most likely out of that pack to make the playoffs? Let's throw out the Colts because they're kind of an outlaw. Well, you know who I'm going to say, the St. Louis Rams, who I had before the season. I still, it's going to be tricky in that division to get three teams into the playoffs.

And I love the Cardinals. We have the Cardinals number three, which is great. It's cool to see the Bengals. We really believe in them. But I think the Rams have the most talent of all of those teams. What about a team? How deep down we're going? About the Redskins at 18?

because that division to me is an absolute unpredictable race at the moment. And the Redskins have shown they can play well. But there are so many teams in the league right now that are so schizophrenic from week to week. So it's hard to really make sense of it. Including the entire NFC East, though. Like a team to go 8 and 8 or 9 and 7 and win that division. Same with the Cowboys. They're getting Desback potentially in week 7.

Romo won't be too far behind. They're getting Greg Hardy back. They're getting Raland and McLean back. This week, they've had Sean Lee been injured. They have had by far the worst injury lock. They've been somewhat impressive that they've even been competitive with Bray. Well, I like Whedon, but you've got to win a game. That's the problem.

You've got to actually have to pull out some wins here. They should have won one of these two games. And now they put themselves in a tough spot. Yeah. All right. Now here's 21 out of 32, to 32. Greg, there are 32 teams. Titans at 21.

Chiefs, Eagles, Saints, Lions at 0.14, there are 25. Dolphins, Jaguars, Browns at 28 marks. So I think they moved up a little bit. I don't think so. A very small amount potentially. That's the same place they've been holding for three years of this. They went up one spot for like 16 years. Way to go, Browdy's.

The Bears, the Bears, 29. Texans. One win will get you. Texans. More spots in the pool at 30. The Niners at 31. They should be 32 to me. And the bucks at 32 on our joint power pole,

which we all, the four of us, in addition to the Chicago correspondent, Kevin Petro, who hurled a sneaky expletive at me after the completion of the Monday night game, which I was okay with me. I don't think you were alone. And then, of course, Connor Orr, in his New Jersey haunted match. Why did you get that kind of a treatment? I made a comment that I knew that the lines were going to blow it or something. Oh, yeah.

You know, and his response was something me. That's all I'll say. Yeah, well, you know, you We also had a long text conversation about how you don't think the Lions fans have experienced that much pain or, you know, they don't have the pathos, the special pathos of the New York area

because we don't know Detroit people because they're in Detroit. I know Detroit. Meanwhile, the great, you know, one of the greatest receivers of all time literally ties in all-time Lions franchise record for receiving on the same play that he fumbles the ball.

going in. I mean, that was an amazing, painful moment. You have to admit. As I tweeted, it would be in the hurt files of my pain rankings, which you could find at

NFL.com slash pain rankings. And just so everyone knows, do it right now. The Detroit Lions are at number four on the pain rankings. So it's not like they got job too hard. I just don't think there is a little missing, you know,

Genesee qua when it comes to the line. You said they had lost too much. That the bills. Exactly. That's what my point was. Well, I agree with Dan, 100% on that. At a touch. Bills, Jets, Browns,

have that, that the Lions are just stunk. I'm going to make my pain rankings and put the Jets like 12th where they blow. Your case for them was that the Lions have been too bad to even count for pain. Right. That's what Lions fans to me are. They're a lot like Kevin. They just expect the worse. It all is boiling inside.

They're angry about it. It's all just pain. No hope. I'm going to trust, Greg, that when you completely dismiss Dan's 30-plus years following the Jets and wallowing with fellow Jets fans, that you know at least more than one Lions fan that has absolutely impressed you with the level of passion, anger, and loss.

I'm assuming it's based on research and many Lions fans, not just playing devil's advocate. No. The Jets at every draft growing up were the most down-trodden. Drag-playing Devil's Advocate? The draft's in New York.

The draft is in New York. I'm just saying Jets fans have to be viewed as one of the most bizarre downtrodden fan base. Absolutely. And it's all very close. But Lions have great fans. I mean, when you watch the games, I'm taking the Lions crowd over the Jets crowd. Detroit is a sports town.

They love sports. You act like you know about Detroit and I don't. That's my issue. Tell me about your knowledge of the Detroit area. Well, I spent a lot of time in the Motor City. I watched the movie 8 Mile. I own many of Eminem's solo albums, but also some like when he was a guest star on compilations.

You know what I mean? It's a placebo. You're not, there's no research here. I just floated off onto Lake Michigan there, just a corpse. Listen, you can make the case, obviously, the lines are a top three team. This is a compliment to your thing that it's inspiring so much debate.

That's what you're looking for is debate. A debate is great. Embrace the debate. Anything else with the old powerful? Yeah, how are the Texans not 32nd? That's fair. That's fair. You can make a case.

The bucks are pretty bad. It's all a mess down there. I would think the one team, though, the Titans, where are they? They are sitting. 21. 21? Okay.

We're a little underrating this. I think the thing is they had a buy week. And let's say they play the bills nuts. If they ever pull that out and they go three and one, they're not a 20, they're not the 21st team in my buck. They're one and two. You can make the case that they should flip with the bills if that would happen.

Yeah, I just think that like, they were lost in action and so we kind of forgot about them, but I had the record wrong. It's crazy how many bad teams are because all of those 10 last teams, their fans would just say that they're having the most miserable season ever. Chiefs fans have to be miserable. Eagles fans are very fan base in the country. Chiefs fans are extra miserable because they can't yell

at you anymore. That's true. But in Chase Daniel, how about that? I'm a man of the people. Now that Dan has exposed himself as a Speaking of Chase Daniel, number 32, dead last and QBR right now is Alex Smith. What's Andrew Luck?

31st. He's hanging around. I know he's in that mix. Let's get back to what you were saying there, Greg. You were about to bury me, so I noticed. Oh, that I was going to take over as a man of the people. It was a little thing I used it was sarcasm. I'm not a man of the people. I'm not a man of the people.

All right. So that is our power pole at the quarter pole, I call it. Why not? Keep rolling. We'll bring this back. We'll trot this back out after week eight. Wes. I was told by apparently at least 73 horse racing aficionados yesterday. The quarter pole is actually at the

three quarter mark, not the one quarter mark. Was that Mr. Falcon at the iTunes review store? Yeah. It was More acorns, please. All right. Well, you know, that's What we call it is what the horse people don't call it. I mean, it's just different. It's apparently taken from a horse race.

The quarter pull is like the last quarter of the race. The power pole at the quarter point of the NFL season. All right, moving on, the time has come, gentlemen, to take out some cutlery. Stick a fork in them. And we did, Sidney, our new producer, who's doing a wonderful job so far today. We let me know via the old Slack chat. Quit Slack and sign up for Slack today. Need some sponsors.

Come out of Slack. She let me know on our IM chat client that we forked six teams last week. They were the Patriots. 49ers. You know what? Bears. Let's just go over the whole list and I'm going to add the three new ones at all. All right, let's do this.

Here we go. Shame. Cleveland Browns. Shame. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Detroit Lions, Shane. The New Orleans Saints, and the San Francisco 49ers. Shame.

Okay. Now, we have three more to add to that list. We voted. It has to be unanimous amongst the four of us. And the three new teams are. Shame. The Houston Texans. Shame.

The Miami Dolphins. Shame. Shame. Shame. And the Oakland Raiders. Shame. All gone. That is nine teams in the NFL.

And Mark, it pains you to hear the Raiders, I could tell. Well, it comes down and they're going to make the playoffs so they're not. That's all this exercise is. Not are they a better team than last year? Are they more fun to watch? And it's not, are they going to be five and five and in the mix even at some point? Remember, we're being bold. And we are.

And from that angle, you know, when, I came in, I was off yesterday, and Dan said, here's the teams we're going to fork. That gave me pause, Oakland, just because Amari Cooper is a weapon. I just think they've got better quarterback play. There's something going on with their defense here and there, but they're not going to make the playoffs. So I had to agree with you, but that stuck with me.

That one we could be paying the charity on. It feels. I'll take my chances that the Raiders aren't ready for the playoffs yet. Personally, you know, they're improved, but not about the Jaguars. We didn't fork them yet. I know there is some love for the Jaguars, but there's still the Jaguars, and they still blew a game.

Half of us didn't want to fork the Jagu. Andrew Luck team, Andrew Luckless team. So Greg and Wes. I thought Blake Bortles played pretty well against the Colts. The final score doesn't show that, but he made some throws. He played pretty well. And I don't know.

To me, like, I know you're hesitant about the Raiders. I think one thing we don't pay attention enough is to division. Yes. Yeah. Because the Texans, according to, Numberfire have a 26% chance of making the playoffs. The Dolphins have a 5.5 and the Raiders have a 4.3% chance. Right, because the AFC South is so bad.

I mean, last year, we forked the entire NFC South except for the Saints and the Panthers made the playoffs, a fact that none of us even remembered when we were talking about making mistakes with the fork just about a week ago. So generally we... Well, that said, number fire... I'm just saying that's the impression. These playoffs odds do not recognize Bill O'Brien's complete inability to run a quarterback room, too. I think your point is founded, though, that you don't want to fork half the division when the Colts' quarterback has a separated shoulder.

We have no idea what that's going to turn into the race. Well, all, I'd say one thing for the Raiders, and again, I'm happy, send him down the river. That's where they're going. But what, the chiefs and the chargers are the big blockade to you getting to eight or nine wins? Those are two completely up and down teams. Eight wins ain't going to cut it. Yeah. I'm just saying it's not even the AFC West of two seasons ago

where you're going to get buried twice by the Broncos, probably twice by the Chiefs, and probably twice by the charts. Now, there's an argument to be made there. She's on a bad team, by the way, I don't think. I don't think the Readers are a bad team either. In week two. Well, I didn't say they were terrible. But I think that cheese blew a terrible game in week two,

and then the schedule gods got them. I wouldn't be surprised that they come on strong and they're in the mix. I wouldn't be surprised if we'd four Kansas City next week. Well, they got to win. They've given up 30 points in three straight games for the first time since 1987. They have not been competitive last two weeks. The first one, it's totally misleading, at least in terms of the defense, because that was their offense that got the points scored on it.

But either way, they weren't really very competitive against the good team. So there's no reason to think that they suddenly will be. Baltimore Ravens were 0 and 3. We did not fork them. They were very lucky to get that one win. They got a lot of help to get it. But they still got to be squarely in our sights. heading into week five.

But their schedule, they're going to be heavy favorites the next two weeks. It's the 49ers and another, I can't remember off the top of my head. Browns, I believe. I think the Browns. And then a buy? So they're going to have a chance to get help. It'll be interesting when we've already forked the Browns again. I'll agree on that.

But the Ravens will probably have potentially have a worse record than the Browns, and we're not going to fork the Ravens two weeks from now. You've got to bury that team. Well, I mean. I just don't like the Ravens person. Well, no, but if the Ravens go, if they're two and four at some point. We could have, if we would have forked them at 0 and 3, we would be sweating bolts right now because they would have been 1 and 3

with two easy games coming up potentially into their buy. And we'd be like, oh, Hamana, howma, homo. But if we're playing this game right, we're going to have to sweat some bullets. Yes, of course. Sweat some bees. And that's why I say get rid of the Raiders. These teams should want us to fork them. History says one a year, make it out.

You guys on October. Greg is not a friend of the segment. Talk about bold. On October 6th, you guys are telling me we're too afraid to rule out the Jaguars making the playoffs. I didn't say that. I am telling you that. The division is smart. That division is absolute tire fire right now.

We're just starting this little journey that's called the 2015 season. I'm excited, but it's just barely begun that we're getting in. A lot of crazy things. It's over for 19. Nine teams go home. Don't even play the rest of your schedule. Sorry. There is a rule.

This was a nice of Greg. it lowers our workload a little bit. Any team that we've forked, no one attached to this podcast needs to write any of those teams. Oh, is that true? Yeah, they're off the grid. The Jaguars are a bad, bad football team.

The good news is, so are the Colts. It's fair. That's fair, dog. All right, there you go. So the fork has come out. Nine teams, done. You're gone. It's over.

Give up. Mark, that gave me a pretty good idea. We could actually have a forked. A forked beat. Right. Like everyone else doesn't cover those teams, but then, for instance, you just cover the teams that were for. Oh, that's it. Your thoughts, Mark. Seems a little bit ridiculous. Okay.

But I'm not in charge around here, so. Let's hit up our Thursday night preview now as week five begins. It keeps on rolling. And the Indianapolis cults who squeak by really, by the grace of God and bad field goal kicking, they get. a win with Matt Hasselbeck to move to two and two and take first place in the wretched AFC South and now they head to Houston speaking of wretched to face the Texans and Wes I'll tee you up on this one there one and three and Bill O'Brien made an interesting decision on Monday what was that he watched Ryan Mallet play football and decided he wanted to watch him again that's it I thought the Ryan Mallet experience was

over i thought we weren't getting anything else but what happened here is bill o'brien banged himself let's face it he went away from brian hoyer too quickly and thought just hope brian malon wouldn't be a tire fire he is and now he's in this position where he doesn't know when he can go back he's he's really west as you put it on twitter put himself on a corner the only explanation i've heard that makes sense and this came from one of my twitter followers i forget his name i apologize for that one of your fans you mean part of my fan base yes is that if Bill O'Brien's going to turn back to Brian Hoyer, he owes him at least a week of preparation,

not a short week against the Colt. So that would allow him to turn back to Hoyer after 10 days and more time to prepare for the next game. That makes a lot of sense. Watching Ryan Mallet play, it's literally incredible that anybody would start him again. And I guess if the cults who are better on defense, the defense has not been the biggest problem in Indianapolis,

if they go and drop and bomb on Ryan Mallet on National. television. No one's going to give O'Brien as hard of a time for switching back. And if the Colts drop a bomb on Brian Hoyer, what do you do? Turn back to Mallet again. That all makes sense, but he has to be thinking what a big game this is. They're playing Andrew Luck, who will be starting this game, or it's fully expected that he's going to be back for this game. And I think that helps inform why he didn't play last week. Maybe they thought he couldn't handle two and five days, and so they kept him out. I mean, it's a huge, huge game for the Texans. If they can win on the road, they're right back in it.

We're sweating bullets. Yeah, but when you watch them, you're right. There's something like one for, when it's third and long, it's over. They might as well punt on third and long. They should be the first team to do that in a while. I think they're one for 17 or something like that on third and long because it's all mallet worm burners. It's all him just thrown at the feet of people. It is. And there's no surprise that the Houston's are dead last in the NFL and yards after catch because there's no after catch element in their offense the uh evans sylva the rhoda world grinder who we'd have to get on the show at some point had had this tweet on mallet ryan mallet lacks anticipation athleticism touch an ability to locate passes and an understanding of his own limitations

but sums it up but he's good at making dan hands his laugh oh i love ryan mall i'm happy that he's started because the Texans aren't going anywhere and Cleveland Springsteen I like that he looks like the lead singer of live but he can't play either that's a good point the Texans aren't going anywhere let me ask you guys this John Fox is punting his season they're trying to get the best draft pick possible does Bill O'Brien have enough job security to pull that off because it when you start Ryan Mallett and back-to-back games like this it certainly seems like you're punting your season I don't I have a hard time thinking any coach wants to ever lose.

Even John Fox. It's just not in anyone's DNA that you want to show up because it's such a miserable experience to lose. I think they all, I don't believe John Fox is punting the season. I think he's doing everything possible. You just punted one game. What are you talking about? The Seahawks game, they can try to win.

He's misguided in what is going to win. He's misguided in what's going to win games, but I think in his head, that's his way of China. He tried to win that game in Seattle. I think he's doing what he thinks is. Well, Wes, let's look at it from another angle. I have to agree. that at this level that pro coaches who have zero job security worse than ever before aren't punting away seasons starting in week five because you're not going to be there you're

not going to hand the next guy there i don't think they're going to fire him well i don't think they're going to fire o'brien either i think he could have a three and 13 season and he was that organization doesn't knee jerk and blow the thing up every two years on a different point and more kind of like a big picture of football thing i'm just curious what you guys think so like the texans there's a chance because mostly because of this quarterback play that they're going to go 3 and 13 or perhaps even worse. J.J. Watt, sometimes like in the offseason

when we talk about who is the best player in the NFL, and J.J. Watt sometimes beats out Aaron Rogers when those discussions happen. Isn't it a little interesting that you could have the greatest football player on the planet defensively and it doesn't matter? And you can never say the same thing about a quarterback.

It just kind of points out, first of all, how important quarterback is, but also maybe the J.J. Watt stuff is great as he is. It's just kind of apples and orange. Even with Lawrence Taylor, the Giants needed Phil Sims to go finally get off the Schneide and have a good season for them to turn into a playoff team. The proof was two years ago. What was the Texans record? I thought that JJ Watt deserved a defensive player of the year that year.

I thought he was the best defensive player of the year. Cortez Kennedy did win it one year when the Seahawks went two and 14. I mean, it's football is such a team sport and it seems so obvious, but one player does not make that big of a difference. Unless it's the quarterback. Unless it's a difference between... Aaron Rogers is the best player in football and has been for five years. But should, like, a defensive player even be in the top ten?

But it's not most valuable. He's the best at what he does. But Aaron Rogers is a better football player. He impacts the game in a greater fashion. You know, I just like to ask those kind of big picture things. Just to, you know, bend your ears, get those minds thinking a little bit. Go find me one person who would rather have J.J. Watt and Aaron Rogers on their team. I liked...

No one's arguing. years ago during Mark's protest against the top 10 list where he listed all quarterbacks that was it was the right kind of thinking well I mean he shipwrecked the segment but it was good well listen yeah in the name of truth he had a cause and his cause was right was Mark finally just put Andre Johnson at number six I don't know I'm sure someone made a gaff that that was the year they didn't put holio Jones and Andre Johnson's you're right highest paid number five receiver in the league right think he'll have a Catch on Thursday.

51 yards on 20 targets. That is hard to do. Not a great fantasy pick by the old Zeus. I'm still holding out hope that he's just getting acclimated. I know it sounds naive. No, I hope. He's been such a great player for so long. I just hope that the quarterbacks don't trust him.

Him and Dwayne Bo. Before we go, real quick, winner and score, Mark Sessler. Of what? Oh, my God. There is Thursday night game? Yes. Colts 35 to 10. Wow.

Your luck comes back with a vendon. Why not? Offensive problem. We just ranked the Texans as the second worst team in the entire league. That's not crazy. Wes. I predict that JJ Watt will have more sacks than the Texans have points. All right.

What's the score of the game? Colts win 24 to 6. J.J. Watt has seven sacks. Wow. That would be fun. I like your score so much. I agree with it. 24-6 cults.

I don't think the cults are very good right now. Nor do I. So I'm going to say 17-13. we get a little entertainment. It's an ugly football. Frank Gore, the inconvenient truth, bounces back after a tough week. Ryan Mallet, two pick sixes.

I reserve the right to change that pick of luck doesn't play, but Mallet's going to bomb out again. Let's be honest. Well, let's be honest. It's a good show to be honest on. Let's not lie. Okay. All right, that's it for today's show.

Hey, Sydney, not yet, not yet, not yet. Sydney, I just want to check with you and say, how was your first show behind the guy? I know, I like that. I love that. You're very eager. She did an outstanding. You're like a Google intern, just filled with hope and belief.

Yeah, well. Underlust. Trying to start on a high note. You are. I think I would give you solid grade. Nailed it. A plus for show one. Well, okay.

Now where to go but down. Yeah, exactly. I was just going to say. So welcome aboard, Sydney. A lot of fun times ahead. That's it for the Around the NFL podcast. Tuesday edition. We'll be back late Thursday, early Friday.

So check it out. This is Dan Hansis, signing off for the quiet storm, the mailman, the boss in Sydney behind the glass until Thursday night. iHeart podcast.