NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Go Get My Lunch 2019

Episode Date: August 30, 2019

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling and Gregg Rosenthal are hungry for some sandwiches. Before they get to snackin' they have a very big, special announcement. They then spend the entirety of the show making the hottest predictions for the upcoming season. Will Brees be an MVP or on the bench? Will the Patriots get a playoff bye? Will Marc Sessler predict the end of the world?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 will never die. Welcome to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I am joined in a room filled with Heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What is up, boys? Hey, Dan. Hey, it's one of the best shows of the year.

We're rolling out best shows of the year, one by one. Last episode, of course, was our around the NFL in 63 minutes spectacular, which really went off blazingly well. 62, I guess. 62. Yeah, I mean, some ill behavior by a technically minded person behind the glass got a little bit out of control. Somebody got butt hurt about it. Who?

Oh, a chief. She's been got all upset, but they only got one minute on the take. Only one person. Yeah, you should see it. There's a lot of mixed reviews. I think we had the best time ever yesterday, all of us, and that's what matters. I agree. I leadership, Rick.

Most of us did. There's a saying, don't let the bastards grind you down, Ricky. Yeah, I'm trying. As I've said to you, not everyone's going to like you. Not everyone likes me. It's just, you know, one of those things. You just got a, it's part of being a top rate entertainer, which is where you're headed. I mean, you want some detractors.

That's a pep talk in real time. You're not saying anything that's, you know, controversial or different than anyone else. You want everyone to just bow down to you? No, not at all. Look how many dads you have. Yeah, I have so many dads. There was an 80s sitcom called My Two Dads. Oh, yeah.

You can do the spin-off, My Four Dads. And your real dad's like, Erica? All right. That was weird. Okay. So, yeah, great show. So we did around the NFL on Wednesday today. Go get my lunch.

Yes, our annual prediction show. Let's go easy with that. Oh, boy, that's a bad one. That's a bad one. Go get my lunch, our annual season prediction show where we take our minds and we comb them for different predictions and then we put them to the test against the rest of the heroes, hero on hero predictions with sandwiches on the line.

So everyone has had a lot of time, really a whole summer, but more likely 12 hours. to incubate and come up with some ideas and some different pitches. Or like 20 more minutes. Yeah, I would say the thought did cross my mind. Why have I not been cooking these up for the past three or four months versus 45 minutes before the show? Yes. And our buddy, Nick Fortier of Go Get My Lunch.org, has been tracking this for years now.

So check that out if you want to see what we've done historically. And once we make these predictions, he'll put it into his old database and it will be tracked. And then we'll circle back to it in January. It's a lot like pre-season football. It's like a competitive thing, but there's almost no repercussions on what happened since no sandwiches have been actually changing hands lately. It changes this year.

Brought in some burritos last March, I believe. I brought in Doritos. I did not because I'll just cover it this way. I wiped you guys out last year so hard that I was not paying out sandwiches to anybody. All right. We'll check into that because we have the all-time standings as well, Mark. But before we do that,

No need for that. Big announcement. Huge announcement, in fact. Hit it, Ricky. The heroes are going back to London. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. The week of October 8th, we will be in London all week through the weekend.

and we will be covering with Sky Sports the Panthers vs. Bucks matchup on Sunday, October 13th at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Very excited about that. And just like last year, we want to do more than just cover a game. We want to connect with all our awesome fans in the UK, both in England

and the surrounding territories. Not all owned by England. Not at all. Make that very clear. The Irish listeners look at all. fired up. Anyway, we're really pumped up about it. This trip has been great for Dan's European historical knowledge.

It's going to keep growing. Through the roof. Through the roof. And, yeah, so Panthers' Bucks, we're going to be there working with Neil Reynolds and the Sky Sports people. That's excited. We also, last year we did a live show. We don't have anything ironed out yet, but we'd love to do, obviously, another live

show. I mean, we're doing. We're doing something. If it doesn't happen, then the show. Shadowy League figures have failed because that's part of the whole idea of why they want to send us there. We just got to... Roosevelt turns up the heat.

Well, just... It's going to happen. We're going to have some... We'll do everything in our power to make sure there's another live show. How much power do we have? Everything. We got over there, but I know there's probably listeners out there in, you know, Berlin or Rochester, Milwaukee, wherever, who's like, how come you don't come to us?

Well, all right. Support us to the point where we start getting like extra jobs like Sky Sports and that the audience just comes out in full force like they do in UK. If you support us that aggressively, like we'll go any. You're asking for a Rochester local television station to ask us for a weekly opinion. By the way, one side note to this,

Dan did mention that, you know, a lot of times the fans over in London and UK, can we meet with you and get to, can we please, can you sit time aside to have a beer or dinner? Dan offered to meet one-on-one with people. He doesn't want to do the group thing. He wants to do the one-on-one. So hit him up on the DM.

If you can't reach him on Twitter, you can get through his DMs on Instagram. That option is open. Reach out, please. Only $50 per person. It's like a cameo, but, you know, for beers. With dignity. You know, I want to thank, and we want to thank all the people here, by the way, Meredith and Mark Brady and Hank and Sarah, my boss, and Marvel.

And, of course, all the good folks over at the NFL UK office who really stepped up. Thank you. And made this happen. And so we're really excited to go back to London for another year. Did you mention Henry Hodgson there? Yes. Oh, okay. I found twice.

I missed it. You think Hank would squash me under his thumb. I know. But not a bad idea to mention Henry twice. So good job. I'm also Henry Hodgson, vice president of international. Sorry. He's handsome.

He's tall. He's got nice hair. All right. So that's awesome. We're excited about it. And it's a testament to you guys, the listeners. Let's now. And to us.

Sure. but I'm just trying to spin it outward mark. Just for a moment. I like to point it back to us. Fair enough. All right. So today's episode, yeah, it's special like that. It's all about 2019 season predictions.

Hopefully there's a chief zone in there, and then that will kind of make up for the fiasco of Wednesday's episode, but I don't have any. So I'm leaning on you guys. Let's get into it. We're going to go around the horn a few times with predictions, and then each hero has the opportunity to either say, I agree with you on that prediction.

That is going to happen. It's a sandwich prop that I get behind, so I do not challenge you. Or you say, no, you're wrong. You're out of your head. I'll take you up. I'll take you up on your sandwich, and then we have a competition.

And like I said, go get my lunch.org, Nick Fortier, hero of heroes, tracks all of this. And we have a few. There's a couple of things. A little more housekeeping here. We, as the offseason rolls on, Wes,

as you know. Sandwich pops, they pop up over the course of the off season. So it's kind of a little pre-go-get-my-lunch episode. And this year, the old Zusser is involved with two. I have no recollection of... Neither do I. I'm guessing you won both of these

or else you wouldn't be bringing it up? No, they haven't happened yet. Oh, okay. But they come up as challenges during this process. I have, me and Mark have Jets Browns week two. Okay. Obviously, you know who's rooting for whom there. and there's a sandwich on the line there.

I don't know. Your psychological warfare with each other may have reached the point where you're actually rooting for the other. That's absolutely a fair comment. It's just two men like killing each other on the battlefield with bayonets with like simultaneous stabs to the gut.

And then I have two sandwiches on the line with Mark and West that Gronk is playing for the Patriots by December. I think that one's pretty interesting. I don't think I would make the same prop again. I bet that he would not? Yes. See, I'm on this.

that, but I'm on your side now, Dan. I think he will. Yeah, I think I'd like to be in your seat on that one. Hmm. Good job by you. If you want, if you just want to all just change it up right now, I'll take that and I'll say he won't. Such a great comment.

And then three, because I, I don't think he's playing. No, I think Dan got us in an opportunity time. Did anyone see him crying and mentioning that he couldn't sleep for two months? I don't see Maurice Harris 550 yards on it. That was not a sandwich. That was a friendly, friendly discussion. If you feel so strongly about this. How come you didn't take me up on the sandwich earlier in the offseason?

The reason I feel strongly is because of his press conference this week. I think Greg wasn't there that day. That might have been it. Yeah, no, he was emotional, and that was a little jarring, quite frankly, to see Gronk like that. But also, he's also made comments about with the door being open. He's going to get the bug. It's basically what he said. If I get the bug, I'll play.

I don't have the bug right now. That didn't make me feel less confident, him crying. I've got to be honest with you. Just the arduous physical toll that his body has taken, he has the back of, you know, like a 65-year-old man and he basically couldn't live his life for five or six months. So I just think it'll be a high bar for him to come back. TBD.

All right. Now, the way we get into this customarily is with a open prop, right? It's a community. It's a global prop. And this year we asked Chris Wessling, to come up what the global prop was to get us going. So what is it, Wes? This year it is, which week will Danny Dimes take the reins for Eli Manning?

Ushering in a new era in New York football Giants history. Yeah, one where I think this podcast will be more generous and excited about these giants, except for Dan, who loves Eli. I'm going to go first just because I want to. Oh, it's going to be so great. The Giants are good this year, and Danny Dimes is good. They have a pretty... I am going to do somersaults.

Pretty forgiving September schedule, which helps to inform my choice. But let's be honest, this is mostly just because I'm a troll who's small, petty. And it's going to be week seven after the Patriots take him down in week six. His last start of his career is against the Patriots with an L. How delicious would that be? Wouldn't get him back, but it would just be fun, of course. Because I heard you kind of mum. humble this on the last episode, the idea that this would somehow make up for the

humiliating Super Bowl losses. It wouldn't. It would just, that's, this is the small and petty thing that it just would be, okay. It's the smallest, most petty thing you've ever said on this show, honestly. It just would be. And there's some competition there. Please. It would just be fun.

It would just be fun to see. To end Eli's career because he ended the undefeated season in 2007. And then, of course, four years later, beat Belchick again. Yeah. Who can forget that Rockham Sockham's 17 points and 11 drives performance, one of the great offensive efforts in NFL history. Besides all Giants fans. I'm just saying it wasn't an offensive fire show there.

He wasn't exactly Nick Foles. I will tell you, I will say this, as, you know, somehow I became Eli's biggest fan because of the damn podcast, which has never been the fact, but someone had to step in and give the other side of the story. In that 1714 Super Bowl win, he could have turned the ball over four times on that last drive before the helmet catch and the Plaxico play. If you rewatch that drive, and I recently did. Yeah, Saté Sainio dropped the ball.

I mean, the game's over. And there's at least two other plays, including a near fumble or you've got to give him credit for holding on to the ball. And of course, the helmet catch, if you've ever, if you're interested in NFL history, because I do revisit that game for that reason alone. It's such a historic moment in the league's history, the whole thing, everything around it, how history could have easily changed like four different times on that drive. It's true.

I mean, the helmet catch, the same. second most, you know, I would say notable play in Super Bowl history. What would be the number one? I mean, anyone who watches football would know the answer to that move on. I don't know. You probably shouldn't make it more clear. Well, I'm not referring to Eli Manning to Mario Manningham, although that was an excellent performance in itself that seems to get forgotten by Eli haters.

All right. Let's get back on track here. I'm with you, by the way, and I have it right here. Just because it makes sense. What? That's why I went first. Have some dignity. What do you mean?

I haven't written down. I'm not going to change it just because you have it. But it's for totally different reasons. It's because I, as I said, on Wednesday show, I thought this was maybe going to be something around the end of October where the torch gets passed. Danny Dimes is great. August makes the schedule move up. But I still think the Giants as an organization are going to do, are going to be a little patient

on this and they're going to wait. So if they wait until week seven. which is, what is that, mid-early October, mid-October at that point. They have the Thursday night game against the Patriots, so they have the essentially half a buy,

and then they have, I believe, a home game against a not a great team, the Cardinals, at week seven, and that makes a lot of sense. None of the, your reasons are more emotional. I'm just saying, this makes sense to me. A football man, you're a football man.

As I pointed out before the show, it's all there. then it all checks out. But I think it makes sense, right? From that standpoint as well. That franchise has the patience of Job. They do. I've got week five after back-to-back losses against beatable teams,

the Buccaneers and Redskins, they have no choice but to send Eli to the bench. Something that should have happened about two and a half years ago, but, you know, never too late. I'm doing that thing in Price is right, where you bet Wicked Low, where you think of everyone else went over? because I believe this too

because I think this is going to be a jarring, stunning intro to the season. Week 1 relief against the Cowboys, week 2 start. It's happened before. It's not crazy. It's not crazy.

Remember Brian Hoyer got replaced that halftime of the season opener. These things can happen a lot quicker than they appear to something. Charlie Fry was the week 1 starter. Didn't even make the roster for week 2. Yeah, I would say the Cleveland's ties to Charlie Fry were a little different

than New York's to Eli Manning, but fair point. I mean, when they traded a to Seattle. The NFL shook. This is how would play out. The Giants are down 283 late in the third quarter at Big D. They're not moving the ball.

Eli looks confused and has thrown two interceptions, lost the fumble. They put in Danny Dimes, who leads them on two kind of meaningless drives that get 10 or 14 points. And then the real controversy begins. I still think... You've got every borough of New York screaming at you. If you're going strategy, see,

if I'm a Giants fan, I'm going crazy right now, Because to me, you could have gotten really late. They have such an easy schedule relative. They have a pretty forgiving schedule. And you mentioned some of the teams they play. It's pretty easy to see them being three and three. And it just kind of going out. You're living in a world where Eli is still good, though, with that theory.

A lot of people say he played it all really well in the second half last year. I'm sorry. Not everybody's with you on this. This is what happens with washed up quarterbacks when the season no longer matters. When the game no longer matters is when they can suddenly move the ball. All right. Let's now move into the predictions phase. Mark, why don't you get us going, buddy?

Okay, here we go. With the trade deadline passed, John Gruden and the banged up running back needy raiders will shock football historians by dialing up a former arch enemy of Al Davis for help successfully pulling Marcus Allen out of retirement to eight. Just kidding. Okay, here's my real one.

Last year, this part-time but electric player accounted for two regular season touchdowns. I am predicting a larger role for one of my favorite characters league-wide, Taysam Hill, who will account for seven Saints regular season touchdowns in 2019. Seven. I'm not saying it's the sexiest prop bet of all time, but I look at this player and I think his role is at least seven. At least seven. Right.

Right. You said exactly seven. Not seven on the nose, seven or more. This is important. Seven or more regular season touchdowns. And I think this comes through. I'm not this is this is off the bet but he's it's going to be a little bit through the air too these are just sandwich or props off the prop a little bit through the air too I think they're going to find a way to

incorporate him to a juicy degree and he's going to be very successful you know I'm taking you up on this and I talked about Hill a couple weeks ago and and how great he looks and you wonder if Peyton is going to be tempted and you wonder if that would cause some consternation for Drew Breeze who is the man there but this is a classic getting sucked in a little bit bit by the preseason, and then in October, when Hill has 23 touches, it'll be like, ah, that week two preseason performance got me. So I like where your head's at. I just don't think he's going to sniff seven touches. That hurts because this is probably the most logical terraforma-based prop that I've come up with. I'll take you up on that. I don't think it's crazy.

They did use him in the red zone quite a bit. They used them near the goal line quite a bit a year ago. I think that could increase this year. I think he could throw it. more this year, I would maybe put the number, you know, if you're setting it, around four and a half or five. So I think it's fair, but I'm going to go under, which means I'm taking you up. Well, philosophically, I don't like to do any props in which I have to root against myself. And I not only envision Tassum Hill throwing seven or more or scoring seven or more touches, I want him to because that makes it more fun. So I'm on your side, Mark. All right. Who has more touchdowns for the Saints, Tassum Hill or Latavius Murray?

Oh, I'd go Hill. Well. I know. I think Murray, just because Murray is going to have every game chances in the red zone, don't you think? He should. I think. I don't. Why? I'm not saying Murray's going to go. Haven Camara is one of the best running backs in one of the best. I know. I know. You know, when I hear, I hear all the stuff, it's like, stop giving any credit to Latavius Murray. I get it. But I just say in seven touchdowns over the course of 16 games, it's not crazy. He's not as good as Mark Ingram, but I imagine Peyton's going to use him in a somewhat similar manner in the red zone. I think job security is the wild card in that picture.

We just don't know if Latavius Murray will keep that same role for 16 games. All right. So two sandwiches on the line, Wes, I think, listen, I don't want to get in someone else's head or do someone else's laundry. You know what I'm saying? But I think you let your pride get in the way there of a sandwich. No, it's just a feel, it's one of my philosophies of life. I'm not a big gambler. And one of the reasons I could.

We're not gambling here, though. Well, either way, but you never go against what you want to happen or else that's a quote. quality of life. I am not offended by you, not taking it up. I see where you're coming from. Oh, I see where he's coming from. And I also anticipated happening, so why would I go against that? All right.

Okay. Wes, you're up. Nobody knows what Todd Gurley is going to do this year. The Rams don't even know. I say he outproduces each of Levion Bell and Antonio Brown, and we're going to use standard scoring fantasy points as a measure, so it incorporates both yards and touchdown. Do you get points per reception? No, no, that's nonsense anyway.

At this point, that's almost standard. So, to be clear, non-PPR, fantasy points. No idea what you're talking about. I know, it's tricky because now I have to like... The marks got to head to the corner now? I know, I know. Basically, yards didn't touch it. I should have brought my computer up here.

Just, you know, because I'm wondering like even a normal Antonio Brown year versus... A fantasy prop, I like it. That's juicy. Wait, Bell, or... Either Levi-on-Bel or Antonio Brown. Either or, not both. Each of them. Both of them.

Both of them. But not how about. He's got to out-point him. Yes. He's got to out-point him. You know, he's got a huge edge on Antonio Brown coming out of the gate because he catches passes and runs. I mean, just statistically, the odds are a running back is going to score more than a receiver, even the good ones.

It's just the odds are. Although I think Brown is being drafted ahead of Gurley in most leagues. Sure, but that's for many different factors. I mean, quarterback score more points in those guys, too. So then it comes down to Bell. I'm going to take you up on it, but I don't feel great about it. I think this is a good prop. You did reel me in, but I think it's pretty close to 50-50.

I'm going to give Bell a little bit of an edge because I don't know if that's what I'm rooting for, but that's what I expect to happen. I love watching Leveon Bell. I think he's going to have a good season. It's a good one. By the way, I have Mad and 20, and Levyon Bell, a lot of fun to play on Mad in 20. Whenever you can get good players on your favorite team in real life, that's that's aside um if bell stays healthy big if because he's never really stayed healthy

um or not often his career but if he does and he plays a similar amount of games or the same amount of games as girly i think he's going to outtouch him by like 80 touches potentially really he's i mean i think they're going to be smart with girly and i think bell's going to be he's they're going to pound the ball into bell while they have them for two years i think the Jets. So I'm going to say that I feel confident about Bell. I also want it to happen. So yes, I will take you up on it.

Antonio Brown is a bit of a wild card to me for a lot of reasons. And to Gruden. And to Gruden and to himself. But that could happen as well. But I like Bell's usage leading to more fantasy. It was a savvy one here because you picked one guy on a great offense and two guys on who knows how those offenses. Also, a guy of the bricklayer of Roto World, one of the.

bricklayers, that's just smart, Wes. I mean, we're in your territory right now. And I don't feel comfortable going against you on this, but I feel like I got to do it. It's a total 50-50 shot, right? No one knows what Gurley is this year. I'll take you up because it's because of Bell, because I look around the rest of that Jets offense, and I think there's some good receivers there. And I guess I could fall into the idea that Ty Montgomery is going to have this role,

which I think probably withers up to some degree by week three or week four when they just give Love Bell the ball 150 times a game. We're on your corner. I'm going with Bell. I think he's going to out to it because I also think Gurley is the kind of guy that if they get into a situation like last year, such a wild card, they could rest him a game or two. He could be, if they're 12 wins rolling into January, you don't need to play him on some of these games, maybe, if they've got it in control.

So I'm going, I'm going, taking you up. All right. Okay. Three sandwiches there. All right. I'm going to throw some calls. water on that juicy sound drop I'm going to throw some cold water on everybody's up in their feelings about the cults right now so I'm going to take advantage of that you guys are all emotional and as like a tactician clinically minded I am going to earn sandwiches now I like that pre-time I know how to counter this effort by the way take them up on the great tactician here we go you ready Spelling out his plan before announcing his bet.

No, I'm daring you not to... I'm daring you to get out of your feelings. You want cold water. I'll give you some cold water. Ooh. Anytime. All right, what? Okay, here we go.

You guys are all about Jake Brisket. And Jacoby Brissett and... Wes is decidedly not. And Frank... And Frank... And Frank Reich's like, we will rally around Jacobi Brissette. And then you're reading these takes. Well, actually, Jake Briscuit's the greatest leader.

since Abraham Lincoln and all this stuff. And it's like, I'm sure he's a great guy. Like, I'm sure he is. I'm sure that he's respected in that locker room, you know? That's not my problem with him. I just don't know if the guy can play. And I'm sure, you know, he's a backup quarterback, I think. And if things don't work out,

you're going to need another person to turn to. And you know who they have in there? And what got completely wiped out by Andrew Luck in the drama is that Chad Kelly, oh, yeah. Swag Kelly played out of his mind. mind against the bears. This is preseason. And let me tell you something.

Let me tell you something. Swag Kelly had beaten out Paxton Lynch before with the Broncos and had a little promise. This is the nephew of Jim Kelly. This guy's got some lineage to him. He's a knucklehead. He's a major knucklehead. If beating out Paxton Lynch doesn't show you a great quarterback like Ryan Griffin in Tampa, then who knows?

It's not just the Paxton Lynch, the skills. It's John Elway saying, I got to eat the dirt on this one. I need Jack Kelly in my life more often. So he got Swag Kelly, who's a knucklehead. There's no way around. He got kicked off his college team. He got arrested for going to Von Miller's Halloween party and then rumbling into someone's house and chilling on the couch.

Guy style. Who hasn't been there before? Everything you hear about Chad Kelly is that his head's not screwed on straight. But he got another chance with the cults. I think... I'll take you up on this. He can sling it. He can run.

And you know what? When Jake Briskets not move in this team and they're three games under 500, Kelly is going to start at least four games for this team. Four! I thought you were going to go more than Brissette, which was even spicier. So that's your, that's the actual terms of the property. Chad Swag Kelly will start at least four games for the coach. I want to tell you one thing, and you know that I've been a Chad Kelly guy going back quite some years.

I actually didn't, but I believe it. On this show, does anyone else, has that been C-3PO memory wiped from everywhere? No, I remember. It was last preseason. And it's not some years. But yes, I remember you enjoy, you call them like a robot, you know, ready to destroy the world. Chad Kelly, I understand that you can say that he's not got his head on straight. But I will say this, as he knew before the world did, that their quarterback was in an elegant, noble fashion walking away from football.

Chad Kelly knew that. And what does he do? How does he respond on the field? He goes 16 for 21 against the Chicago's Bears defense. for 209 yards and a touchdown and a pick, a pick that should not have been called a pick. It bounced off a player and lands in the hands of someone else. Should have been a fumble.

Statistically incorrect. Dan and I saw it. Talk about getting carried away with the preseason that he's playing the bear's third straighter. Shut up in a fumble, Greg. I don't care. He was playing a stout Chicago defense. It's fun to watch. You know that fumble, that interception ruled a fun or fumble ruled an interception

cost him, cost him 43 points of his passer rating that game? And so, but Dan, I think that you are. are right because his power is going to rise up. This is why you're... But for the spirit of the game, I'm going to take you up, just to take you up, but I will say this. I think you're on to some... Down the middle, Sessler.

You're not allowed to do that. You either agree or don't. All right, then I won't take you up. Forget it. That interaction right there is why Mark's in last place. Oh, there's many other reasons. I am excited to take you up on this. I would be happy to take you up on this,

even if I didn't think Chad Kelly would be... All up in your fear. Billings about the 13 and 3 colds. Here's why. I don't even think he's going to be their backup quarterback. I think they're going to trade or have a backup quarterback in place. That will be bad for me. Within two weeks.

He's suspended to start the year. Yes. They don't need him for the first two weeks. No, you don't. Right, but you have to have someone in place. They just need him around October 20th. Wait a minute. I am taking you up on this.

I'm not falling for that. This is stupid. It's too late. No, it is not. 48, fortier, take it. But even if they don't trade for someone, you know, Hoyer or whoever it is, even if they don't, I feel good that

Brissette gets to, you know, weeks six, or whatever it is. So I'll take you up. Mark, you're going to kill yourself when this guy's the starter for half the season. Because he's fun to watch. All right, I'm not taking you up.

How about that? I'm going to roll with you because I think you're on to something, like, you hit a little psychic line here, Dan, I think. And you... I think you did. You don't even eat sandwiches, so... Right, exactly.

What's the cost, ultimately? No, but I think you might be right, Dan. I do. All right, we're locking you. in Mark. Okay. All right. Chad Kelly and Matt Barkley are better than some some quarterbacks who are like guaranteed three or four million dollars every year to be a high end backup. I would love to see more of each of those guys. But I thought it would be bold to say Chad Kelly starts one game. I can't go. I can't meet you at four. All right. Okay. So you take me on it. Yes, I'm taking it. All right. Two sanguages. Greg, you're up. This is too similar to Wes's, but that's why I want to just jump in and do it quickly. I'm going to have Dalvin. Cook of the Minnesota Vikings gaining more yards from scrimmage than the following players. Todd Gurley, Ezekiel Elliott, and Christian McCaffrey.

I'll take you on that. He has to go, he has to beat all of them. Wait, can you roll those terms out again? I wasn't not paying attention at all. Ezekiel Elliott, Christian McCaffrey, and Todd Gurley. And who's the first person, though? Dalvin Cook is the one who's going to be running wild. Oh, I'll take you from that.

Why are you shaking your head? Absolutely. I just, you know, it's going big. Something rubs me the wrong way about your disrespect for Christian McCaffrey. Because you, you pointedly don't include Alvin Kamara in this. McCaffrey is essentially the same producers. I thought about Camara. Mara is a better play.

I thought about Camara, but I just like, I want to root for him to go crazy. So that goes with that. And I wanted to have some fire here. Let's have some big names. Who are the biggest names I could have that running back? Chad Swag Kelly? I just was like, who can I, who can be the start? the superstars, pick three superstars, and reel in some sandwiches.

I like what you did. Oh, that's great. It's palsy. I like that. You hung onions there. That could have been your certified onion hang. It was maybe going to be, but for some reason, since it was so similar to Wes's, I just wanted to put it out there.

Honestly, if you would have said two out of the three guys, I would have taken up. Sure. But you said all three. But I believe it. And why is Dalvin Cook to you going to be entering the superstar club? Well, we did talk about it on the last show, how, me and you, Dan, like the Vikings' offense a lot. I just think an extra year away from that torn ACL, perfect offense,

a team that's going to move the ball up and down the field that's going to give him the ball. I just like everything about him. I think he has a decent chance to lead the league in yards. Wes, if Dalvin Cook leads the league in yards or close to it, the Vikings are going to have the number one offense in the NFL. Number one. Don't count them out. I think Vikings fans would be happy with top five offense.

Oh, they'd be thrilled. Top eight. top eight i would this is almost the prop but it won't be all right let's go through it um a second time mark all right i predict we will see something in the national football league that has not happened since 2002 2002 a key year in american history when the miss world pageant caused riots in nigeria when elizabeth smart was kidnapped from her family's home in salt lake city that wasn't right a year when averil ravines complicated and shikira's whenever wherever

rocked the dance halls, and a year that saw Chris Wesleying packed the Cineplex nine separate times to drink in the surprise cinema hit, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. That's surprising. You are a romantic. I am a romantic, but I just saw that for the first time, like a month ago. Don't lie. And? And a year.

Delightful little rom-com. Very nice. Don't act like you've not seen it before. Got the job done for an hour and 45 minutes or whatnot. And it has John Corbett from Northern Exposure, which is the greatest TV show of all time. All right. I'm sorry, yeah. Most importantly, in 2002,

La Keisha got you, man. The last time that the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets both carved out winning records. Oh, okay. Here we are, 17 years later, innocence gone. It is a rougher time, but the Jets and Browns will respond by repeating history once again,

nine or more wins for both the Browns and Jets who's in. So 8, 7, and 1 doesn't cut it. that doesn't work this time okay i'm just saying and you know what you said winning records and then nine wins regular season nine wins i want to be clear i purposely held back because i knew you were going to have a jets browns one coming and i was curious how close it would be to mine this is a kinder one to you i feel well mine is mine's a little bit more ambitious uh but we're going with yours but mine was that they combined for 20 plus wins and that was going to put to bed all the um psychological warfare speculation because I want both teams to be good this year.

Look at the olive branch. Even that psychological warfare. I mean, like you wouldn't want the Jets to have 12 and them to have eight or whatever. I mean, give me a break. Jets aren't going to win 12 games. But I think nine is a nice place for both of them to begin this. So you're saying, okay, so they both win at least nine. Was that what it was?

Yeah. It's funny because I would probably, I'm going to take you up on it just because I try to be, as Dan, you know, exhibited earlier, coldly analytical. strategic. Clinical. Clinical. And I kind of do think they're both going to have winning records. But I think just the, you know, stats would... The odds are with you.

The odds would be with going against the Jets especially would probably be the overrunner around eight, you know, eight and a half. And so could one of them go eight and eight? Sure, I'm going to take it. Something can go wrong. All you need is one injury, you know, and then you win. I just realize the real psychological warfare move now is to take you up on this

but I won't as an act of good faith I will not take you up on this because I don't want to root for one of these teams not to do well I will I mean I don't think if you did in reverse I think I would take you up probably for where Greg's coming from

that something's going to go wrong I don't even know it all this means anymore something's going to go wrong but but and they play each other so one of the teams is already oh and one that's a huge issue or one of them is going to be one in one or oh They're not both going 60 to know, we've confirmed.

One team is going to have a thinner line to work with. Even with the presence of Greg Williams, I think this is the most positive I've felt about the jet since we've started this podcast. For sure. Me too. I definitely can sense that in this room. But I think that's a big ass to get the nine wins from where they've been, especially with that defense and how shallow it is.

So I'm going to take Mark up on this. I am because I think there's almost as good a chance of the Browns going eight and eight. Not, I mean, maybe not almost, but there is a chance. Like, that's a significant, you know, part of the equation here that something goes wrong there. And actually, the Jets are the ones that do their end of the bargain, but the Browns aren't. It's possible. Is there any angle mark with a tweak on this where they help each other out? No, more tweaks.

And there's, they just need to get to 18 wins as a group. So one can, a 10 can carry an 8. That's teamwork. No, because if one of them is going, no, because that means one of them could be a bit of a tire fire. And the spirit of this is, I'm saying something has not happened since 2002. And honestly, the only way that you and I can come out of this season without a lot of thorny arguments and hurt feelings is both teams succeeding to some degree. Okay. Not one helping the other.

It's a marathon out of sprint guys. Let's not all freak out if someone's two and two, you know. Or one in five. all right all right we got that settled Wes and Greg take mark up on it

I stay away Wes you're up our guy Al Riveron an alpha dog who cuts through all of the nonsense vice president

of officiating at NFL and gets right to the point and doesn't suffer fools will not survive this incredibly short-sighted pass interference replay review I don't even think it was

His plan. I know. It was just going to lead to... To be clear, you believe he will lose his job, not perish, you know, from this earth. Yes, lose his job. That's good. I think that this is going to be screenshot season. Well, when's like the end date for this?

Super Bowl. Before Super Bowl. After the, by the end of the Super Bowl, he gone. Here's what you have going for you. It feels kind of like... I mean, I'm definitely not Rudy against Al. I like Al, so I'm taking you up on this. I don't think it would happen either.

It's sort of like the White House spokesman where you've got about two years in this role and then you get burned up and someone else comes in and takes the thing. I'm not saying he's going to get fired. It could be his own decision that he could walk away from it too. I'm saying he will not be in that position. It could be his decision too.

By February 3rd. Yes. Or whenever someone is it is. By the end of the Super Bowl. I'm going to say what I'm definitely taking you up on it. And I think on a on a straight, just mechanic level, I think it's a home run sandwich pickup in that they wouldn't announce and he wouldn't announce his departure until after Super Bowl. Yeah, I think he comes up in February or March, I think. Maybe there could be reports that that would happen, but I don't think it would actually happen on Black Monday.

I don't think that's how it would work. But maybe I'm wrong. Who knows? Maybe you're right. but I think it's a I think it's like we need to own Black Monday more as a We need to put our footprints on Black Monday Hey this could be foolish then again I don't I don't like this well it's almost like you're rooting for chaos and and people to get upset with this rule

It's not even that I'm rooting for it it's going to happen I'm going to take you up on this because I think that he's a little bit more of an alpha dog as you say than the last person that took that office and didn't last You refer, of course, the Dino Blanino. The sweatshirt, sweatpants wearing Dino Blanino. I'm going to go with Riveron. I mean, I've seen Dino. I've seen Dino.

Jumped out of that and he's landed on his feet. Yeah, exactly. Like, hey, Dean, would you like to have a far easier job for way more money? Oh, everyone would say no. Why would now Riveron take that if it was available to him? Who says that's being offered? I'm just saying that's part of the fact. Those aren't all out there.

I just think Riveron could take out eight men in an alley if you need. to. I don't think he's too scared about people coming at him on Twitter necessarily. You could get hot, though. He may decide this is not good for me. I think the thing that would most annoy Dean Blandino about this conversation is you say that he wears sweatpants and a sweatshirt. I've seen that Dean Blanino. I say track pants and like a sort of a workout thing. Dean likes to wear designer jeans and cool boots and he hangs out with like an entourage-type

crew at these events. I see him occasionally picking up his kid from school, you know, props to common man Rankin sending his kid to public school still, despite, you know, a great salary. You sound a little bit like a story there, but fair enough. He's never said, I'm just saying, Dan's right. He's always well-dressed, even in a situation like that. So take it back. I stand corrected on the, I, for some reason, I thought I heard a report of him sort of

marching around town with his bros and sort of like a high-priced top and bottom sweat type thing. Maybe I'm wrong. One of the best moves I've ever seen someone make connected to football was Dean getting out of that job. which is just a pressure cooker and taking a TV job. This is like the part of the show where my mom sometimes tell me, I have no idea what you guys are talking about a lot of the times.

And it's definitely the last five minutes of Bladino clothes up. She's like, who's Dan? One really quick counter that, Dan. I think that the on-air ref jobs where you have to jump in and give the correct call. And then, like, if you aren't a master at it, you get exposed week after week. I don't think that's that much better. If you're good at it. And you're confident, which he is, it's a great.

great job. I like Riveron. I think he's going to have this job for a long time. I like him too. Long time. And I think I'm with you. I commiserate with him on what I see is he can't stand this rule. You think he's in a tough spot and he's just not going to laugh. Do you think he might quit? I think it could burn you out. He think, yes. I think he's been against this rule from the beginning and it could lead to some tension. I think Riveron wants to see it through. And he's going to say, if this doesn't work, I want to be part of the solution. It's that type of dude. It's inspired some great debate. I give you credit for that sure all right uh next up chad sware kelly nailed it uh

titans go nine and seven for the fourth straight year uh all right how about this this is not even based on really uh um a strong personal feeling about these teams i'm going to mention but more about what happens every year in August, we think we have everything figured out. That's true. And not just this room. In general, everybody that follows football and analysts and you think you know how the season's going to go,

and then it always goes in a direction that is not what you expect. So for that reason, the Bengals, the Redskins, the lions, the bucks, and cardinals. Five teams that are, if you did some type of, you know, aggregation, or if you did some type of wading of it, they would all be last place picks by, the experts, consensus, thank you. Cognacente.

Cognacente. At least two of those teams will not finish alone in last place. Oh, I was hoping you were putting them in the playoffs. But think of the divisions also. So a lot of people say it's impossible to imagine Cincinnati not finishing last by themselves. The Redskins, the lions in that very tough NFC North, the Bucks who are kind of a wild card, and the Cardinals who are so talent poor as we just talk about. that it's going to be very hard to move up in that NFC West.

I find it interesting that you have the Redskins in here. Just kind of threw them in there just because... Yeah, they're a bit of a wild card because I think most people would have the Giants as the doormat in that division. Really? Well, that's a little bone throw because they're kind of a coin toss in the East. Because the fact that they... Well, plus if they can just tie...

That's some stinky cheese. I know it is. Plus the tying for last place is stinky cheese. Like two teams go four and 12. You know, that counts. Yeah, they got to be alone. You get credit for that. My head hurts on this one.

Five teams you named? Bengals, Redskins, Lions, Bucks, Cardinals, at least two of those teams aren't finishing alone in the cellar. Well, I mean, I'll take you up on it just for the sake of the spirit of the game. But, I mean, it's a good one. Nice. Nice work. Sellate.

I'm going to go coldly analytical and not take you up for once because that's, I think that's likely. At this point, Greg, it's repetitive and redundant to tell us you're going to go cold and analytical wheat. I think the listener... It's like that's not a onion hanger. That's kind of like that's probably the odds are he would be right on that. I'm going to take you up on it just for gets and shiggles because my brain hurts. Ah, see. Whenever you can cause some brain knots. On this side of the table, you've achieved it. I mean, it's not that confusing. It isn't, but it's, I need a map visually to figure out what's happening. I don't know. All right, Greg, you're up.

All right. I'm going to say that there will be more PRP, platelet-rich. Wait, what is it? Platelet-rich injections conducted during the season than Arizona Cardinals' victories. So reported PRP injections. Reported PRP. I love it.

I love it. Who's like, is it NFL network reporting? Yeah, like, are you going to, I could see Greg, like, hunting down. How about one of our reporters? It has to be a player on an NFL. roster who gets this surgery. As long as it's reported in the local news or wherever it is, and listeners, please let me know when you see these PRP projections in case I miss one.

Yeah, more of those during the season than Cardinals' victories. I mean, the odds are definitely in the favor of the PRP here. Are they? I don't know. Well, it depends totally on the reporting. I think in years past, it hasn't been reported as much during the season because it's kind of the player's personal business. But this summer, there's an upticket scenes,

both in the treatment and reporting. And it's the reporting here that's the fact they're spent, I mean, like, there's some random blogger without a blue checkmark count as a... This one was largely inspired by, again, my mom's coming up asking me yesterday, hey, that tweet you sent out a few weeks ago, you didn't really have a platelet injection?

And I was like, well, you think it was possible? Plateley. So you thought it was possible I may have had knee surgery and we didn't even talk about it for three weeks? What kind of mom work is that? I was like, no, that was a joke. Well, she's not coming from the cold analytical side that you are. She's coming from a caring parental side concerned about her son. This is a weird one, Greg. I will take you up on it just because I do think this is becoming a a buzzy thing for players who want to play at their highest level, especially on biweeks and things

like that. It's just going to be a nice little tune-up as long as it's legal under the drug policy and all that, and I think Cardinals are going to win four or five games. So, yes, I think it might be a runaway. Now, there's more PRPs, I'm saying. Yeah, I think there'll be 20 to 25. Oh, wow. So you wouldn't take it?

You wouldn't take me up. Oh, you're saying there's more. Okay, so I won't take up on it. I will take you up on it, but I am concerned about falsely reported PRP. Why would there be falsely? I'm just saying it might be if anything, there'd be underreported.

It gets trendy. Like the player's cousin doesn't count as a source. It just gets trendy. That's fine. It has to be from a, Team, one of our reporters, or certain, like, a Shefti. Yeah, like a, no, it could be a beat writer. Adam Schefter is not official enough.

I mean, if someone in Cincinnati is reporting that, you know, Jordan Willis is getting the PRP, you know, Tyler Dragon for the Cincinnati Inquirer, our old friend is saying that, you know, Carl Lawson's getting PRP and that doesn't get reported nationally. That counts. That's running any report. That's the inquiries.

I have a way to make sure, because we always have to get this right. let's check and Ricky we're going to put you on this the circulation of the papers and if it's above a certain circulation number then it will stand as factual so Erica I'm gonna need you to just comb through every circulation of a major newspaper in the United States Thanks Erica you got it

Thank you. What about sites that aren't newspapers? Right if someone's coming from a very 1992 If someone from the athletic reports it it counts it all counts We gotta talk to the newspaper where are these fake PRP reports you guys are talking about. It's because it's become hyper- trendy,

so it's like, oh, I want to jump on this as a reporter. I'm just going to start spreading PRP. It's going to make it up. It does make a reporter look good when he's like, oh, yeah, this knee issue, it's not just the trainer. He's in Switzerland. He's getting the bloodsend. Right. It suggests that you're very tight to agent and player

that you've got sort of an insider relationship. And some people could fall for that. It's alluring as a reporter. Ricky, connect with the area of paper boys as well. Thank you. You got it, Dan. Yeah, okay. This one hurts my brain, too.

I don't really care. I will go, I will take you up on it just because I don't care. Okay. Appreciate it. The stakes are high. All right. Time now for the big onion hanger. And they better be big.

My onions got the flu. This is the big one. This is the one that you should get wrong. Okay. And if not everyone takes you up on it, there's a good chance you didn't do your work. Which has happened before. It's a bad look. There have been some so-called onions.

I kind of used my original onion hanger already, but mine, this one still still. Did everyone take you up on that one? So you're kind of covered. No, I'm good, though. This one I think you guys will. Wait, you agreed with Greg. No, the Dalvin Cook one was my onion hanger. That was a pretty heavy onion.

This is good. All right, Mark, give us your 2019 onion hanger. And again, check out all of these predictions. Go get my lunch.org. Nick Fortier, the man. Okay. So last night I asked the football gods for a picture of the future. And I'm not sure if this is what you would call an onion hanger per your standards, but here is what I saw. A snowy December morning in the Meadowlands. The parking lot is bare, save for a lanky Caucasian

in a $1,300 double-breasted trench coat and galoshes like your grandfather wore trudging through the icy sludge. Giants owner John Mara gets into his iced mocha metallic colored Lincoln Continental steering the car out of the lot toward Hackensack onto the 95 past Yankee Stadium

beyond high-rise brick tenements of the Bronx He's driving in circles Not really, I mapped this Oh you did? Yes past Pelham Manor New Rochelle Rye Playland

Into Connecticut Greenwich Stamford, Norwalk New Haven and up north through the guts of the nutmeg steak crossing into Massachusetts at high noon Sturbridge Village out the side window I see it now I see

Through Worcester and Framingham and cutting south on 495 to Foxborough Parking the Lincoln In the back lot of Antonio's Italian deli Mara flips on the high beams and waits Seven minutes later a knock on the passenger door Mara kicks it open A hooded Belichick gets in

John Bill what's this about john bill i want you to come home to the giants i'm prepared to sweep everyone away like so much dust full overarching power 20 million a year for life bobby benilla times a thousand we've got a quarterback now this is how you cement your legacy for the rest of time bill cracks the door open no eye contact getting out into the night i'll think about it soon after word of the meeting leaks For the purpose of this prop, we will learn during the regular season that a high-ranking Giants official met with Bill Belichick

in an attempt to wrestle him away from the New England Patriots. The story will dominate the playoffs and beyond. Take it or leave it. So it's essentially what happened in 1990s. There were whispers of it. There were whispers of it. Well, with New England and Bill Parcells and then the Jets, that became a dominant story, and then Bill goes to the Jets in January.

This is what happened to sign with the Giants. I am not saying that Bill Belichick- The meeting will happen during the regular season. So it is tampering. I'm not saying that it will be charged as tampering per se, but the meeting will be reported as a regular season meeting between a high-ranking Giants official. Because I'm now careful about these terms now

because I've been bit on the way that I've phrased things. So I'm not saying what will happen in the upshot or that it'll take the job or all this other business, but it will be an official meeting that Bill Belichick accepted with a Giants official. But not an official meeting, because that's not allowed. Sorry, in a meet, it actually happened.

I mean, it happened. I mean, yes. Now, what if he, like, changes it up and, like, takes the pike to 91 and then crosses up? I said for the purpose of the prop. All that I was painting the picture so that we don't have, just for your own good. Okay.

So it has to happen during the regular season? Yeah, I mean, we're out taking it. It does. And that is tricky because I could get caught on that except because probably these meetings probably would happen more in the past season. I like that you're worried about that you're going to get caught on a technicality.

No, this is never happening. Well, the Giants have had interest in Belichick before. That's where I cook this up a little bit. And they may be ripe for a regime change if they suddenly have a quarterback and a powerless head coach and a GM who's thought about retirement before. And again, I want to be very clear on this

before agreeing to anything. if during Super Bowl week when the Patriots are planning for the 700th Super Bowl game, if it's reported Super Bowl week that there was a meeting during the regular season, that does not count. No, no, no, no. Well, so I said soon after, the Super Bowl is soon after the regular season. The meeting took place we will learn in the regular season. We could learn about it at any point from the beginning of the playoffs up through Super Bowl.

Okay, gotcha. Okay, so the deadline of even knowing about it would be. be the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl, the kickoff of the Super Bowl. Got it. Because sometimes these things can crack. Sometimes these things can crack Saturday before the Super Bowl. That's fair. That disruptive story that tries to throw a team off. That's fair. 49ers player, quarterback doing cocaine. The same exact, you know. Yeah, that doesn't increase. With Marcells and the Patriots. Same thing happened. Increase your chances from half to one percent with that little addition. Yeah, I don't think it's, I don't think it's based in total lunacy because the giants have expressed interest in Belichick before.

and I think it is the only team he would go to other than New England. Okay. Everybody would like to have Belichick, but do you think Belichick is looking to leave there? No, but the only team I think that pulls on his heartstrings a little bit. Like it wouldn't be go back to Cleveland. That means nothing, and he would never play for that owner. He would for the Giants.

I think the one thing he would do, especially if Brady was done. Because it's rooted in fun logic. I don't know if it's good logic, but it's fun logic, why this could hypothetically happen. do think Bill Belichick and the Giants as an organization are too smart if that meeting happened to let that get out. So even if it does happen, I'm still feeling confident. It would not be reported, at least not before the Super Bowl. So I will take you up on the sandwich. Okay. As far as fantasies go, I find this to be credible and intriguing. And I appreciate your

knowledge of and reverence for NFL history that went into this. That played a big part. that said, I find it unlikely and I'm going to have to take you up on it. It's buttering you up there. Well, I did the job. Well, I appreciate the entertainment you gave us. Absolutely.

You had to top, you know, the Browns one last year. You noticed these... Well, the only way to top that would be to get it right. That would have meant nothing had I not gotten it right. No one would remember it. Yeah, that one last year was kind of like a one in a million. So if you used up the one already... I've got a few more of those in the holster.

You have like 999. 9,000 more years before you get the next one. So, yeah, anybody, everybody's in. Okay. Wes. Well, as a nod to former producer, TD, O'Dell Beckham not only breaks Braylon Edwards, Brown's franchise record for receptions in a season.

He also joins Randy Moss and Jerry Rice as the only players in history with 20 or more touchdown receptions in a season. 2019. What's Brailin Edwards? And that is The Onion. Hang it. Adjants!

Double honor! What is Braylon Edwards' reception record for the record? Oh, just touchdowns. Yes. So, you said receptions, I thought. You get tied, he's got to beat it. No, I said he not only breaks it. He also joins Randy Moss and Jerry Rice with 20 or more.

So he has to get 20 or more touchdowns. Yeah, I'll take you up on that. That's an onion hanger. I will take you. I love it. I'll take you up on it. The one thing that Beckham people don't really mention, everybody gets caught up with his antics and his charisma and his amazing ability.

He gets hurt a lot. So I don't think he's going to play 16 games and you absolutely need to play, you know, at least 15 games to do that type of damage. So I'll take you up on it. I think he'll play 13 games. They just have so many good players that I could see him having a, even a historic season where he didn't crack 20 touchdowns. Maybe he gets 1,900, 1900 yards or something leads the league.

That's what the onions are for. Right. No, I know. That's why I'm saying I'm taking it because. you could have 1,900 yards, 17 touchdown, something like that, and you'd almost be right in the spirit, but you'd still lose. It's almost crazy. He's never had more than 13.

Because he gets hurt. It's also never had Baker Mayfield thrown to. Oh, yeah. Okay. Mine is very simple. The odds are stacked heavily against me. But let's have some fun. I'm all in on Drew Brees, having at least one more great season.

We've talked about it endlessly on this podcast that the MVP award is narrative. have driven and this is going to be the NFL's last chance to give an MVP to a guy the most you want to look at the greatest players of all time that have never won MVP Drew Breeze is number one on that list

for me so I will say a great year, a great saint's season and time ticking off the clock for his career it all comes together with Drew Breeze winning his first NFL MVP award All right.

I like it. That's a good one. You get the field, which is what, like 1,500 players or whatever. Right. Right, I think I, if you gave me Breeze versus the rest of the Saints, I might even take Alvin Camara. What I'm going to? Wide receivers never win MVP.

We almost, it's like just a fiduciary responsibility to take that one. You are out on a limb, and I appreciate it. I mean, so. Fiduciary. There's a place in the desert that right now has Breeze ranked fourth in the odds to win it. I don't think it's a, I don't think it would be. Just some shack in the desert? I just think it is narrative-driven.

And if he has the kind of season he did last year, it's almost like they hand these things off. And I know I've said this before, but you just give Mahomes offensive player of the year, and this time you give it to Breeze. I'll take you up because. Where is the MVP award that wasn't earned in the last X-N-A-N-A? Give me the example. I also say that Drew Brees has had seasons where he's played it. He's played in an MVP level every year.

I think that it's not crazy to think. He's had bad luck. When he's had his greatest years, there's been a historic season. There's only one season where he had a strong case for it and he didn't get it. And that was 2009. I mean, I don't think you're saying like, you know, that Jimmy G. Or Jared Goff is going to MVP, but I think the field is a very good bet in this. So I'll take you up.

There's if you, with a 53-man roster, there's, you know, 1,690. these players. I'm picking one of them. Right. But you have to acknowledge you're picking someone that is in the top five short list to win it to begin with, though. That would be suicide, not to take at least somebody in the mix. Okay, all right. I like your onion hanger. It gives you something to work for during the season, gives you a rooting it. I will take you up. Nice work, but I'm taking, I'm taking the field. As Greg said, it's my fiduciary responsibility to make a field. I mean, especially if Tayson Hills going out for 12, 13 touchdown. I got kids out here.

All right, Greg, close us out. I'm going to say that the Patriots' nine-season run of playoff buys comes to an end this year. They do not earn a buy into the playoffs. This is more like a personal onion hanger, but you already have one in the bank as well. Wait, this is an onion hanger? I don't know. They've done it nine straight times. Definitely taking you on it.

Because I just want it to happen. and it's certainly possible they just barely got it this past season just barely got it many times yeah a lot of it's a certain point it's gonna flip and there's a lot of good teams in the afc or it's top heavy but the good teams in the conference are going to make noise and I'm I also believe it will end this year I want it to end this I need it to end the show my issue would be that Kansas City wait so you are taking me or you're not he is I well no I I agree with you that they're not going to get it.

So you're not taking it. Yeah. All right, so I'll lock in Kansas City for one of the two buys. That removes, obviously, anyone else in the AFC West. I'm not buying anyone from the AFC South as a buy team. I'm obviously not buying anyone from the AFC East as a buy team. So it's got to be. Steelers, Ravens Browns.

And I just don't believe that that's going to happen. I just don't, I see those teams as each chipping a win or two away from themselves. And New England, I think, has a better shot than a year ago to capture a buy. On paper, one of the easiest schedules in the league on paper. This is a sneaky tough one. I am not going to take you because of history, because of the fact that they hold a distinct coaching advantage over anyone else in the conference over Kansas City, other than Kansas City. Well, then you are taking it.

You are taking. You think the Patriots will get a buy. Yes, I am. Sorry, whatever that is. I echo all of Mark's rationale. Whatever that is. And his conclusion. You do. You guys forgot about the Texans.

No, we did not. I forgot about the Texans. 11 and 5 last year. Remember the Alamo. Tell me one thing they do better than New England. Win a buy in 2019. Well, other than they have your fandom. That's the only thing they have the Patriots.

If they had just held on against the Eagles, right, in week 16 last year, then they would have had a buy. Eagles were charging hard there. There's not. No shame in that. No. Or had they held on against New England in week one, or Tennessee in week two, or the Giants in week three?

And then there was, what, 10 straight wins after that? Not talking about that? Or how about hold on against the Colts when you got smacked 21 to 7 in the playoffs and you were revealed for what you are? I get the feeling you guys don't like the Texans. No, I'm just not going to, I'm not showering them with glory and glitter. Texans fans can't complain. We've spent a lot of time in the old Texan stockyard this month.

I don't know about that. Let's workshop that one. I have a feeling the Steelers could bang us on this one, Mark. They could, but, you know, fine. We'll see. All right. That's it. Good stuff.

Go get mellunch.org, Nick Fortier. We're going to London. It's the weekend. I mean, what's there to complain about, Wes? Wes is going to be on the big green egg this weekend, doing his thing. Labor Day weekend. We are back on our regular season schedule. next week.

So that means Tuesday, late Thursday night, which goes up after Thursday night football. So it's really Friday morning. And then our Sunday shows, we're off and rolling with. Oh, and one more announcement. The Sunday show will be streaming this season. That's right. If you want to watch us live. Live.

We'll be streaming the show about a little bugle, Ricky. There's a little bugle. That's pretty cool. So the Sunday Night Flagship show where we go over every game. game, you will be able to watch that if you so desire. And it'll be available the next day, the same as our Thursday preview shows will now be available

to be viewed as well. I mean, if you like looking at us, get ready. It's a treat. It's a very small segment of our audience. All right, let's do it. Stan Hansa's signing off for a quiet storm. The mailman, the old boss.

Rick Halliday behind the glass. Till Tuesday. Thank you. This is an I-Heart podcast.