NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Latest news & Divisional Playoff concerns

Episode Date: January 7, 2015

A room filled with heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling and Marc Sessler -- breakdown the Divisional Playoff Round and share their concerns about Cam Newton's mechanics and how DeMarco Murray will handle the Packers defense. Plus, they rank the remaining eight quarterbacks who are still in the playoffs.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. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Greg Rosenthal. Get ready for a big time show today. Before we get to it, we're going to tell you a little bit about our sponsor, Fandul. The fantasy football season is not over. You might think it's over, but you can play in one-week leagues at fandul.com. Matt Nichols from Ohio turned to $25. Joey Watts. Maddie died. No, it's not Joey Watts. Joey Watts is old news. Maddie Nix turned a $25 deposit into over $25 grand.

That's a lot of cash that you can win at fanduil.com. Only two weeks left to play in this NFL season. Go to fandul.com. Click on the microphone in the upper right hand corner and use our code around and sign up now. You've got a new user special. Fan duel is giving you a bonus of up to $200 on your first deposit. So just go there. It's good for the first 50 people that.

use our code around. Again, don't forget to use our code around. You can do all this at fandle.com. Now on to the show. The Around the NFL podcast are the ones who knock. 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. One thing, we know that Joe. Joey Watts has, he's spent all this money by now, obviously, right? Guys probably wandering around the street somewhere. How dare you talk about Joey like that? A young guy suddenly handed 30 grand. It's not a good scenario.

You could work Matt Nichols into the mix here, but Joey Watts will be the guy I always think of when I think of Fanduel.com sign up today. Welcome to the Around the NFL podcast. We have a great show for you today. This is now two days out from Wild Card Weekend. So we will start looking towards this Sunday's game, the divisional playoffs, which there are a lot of juicy subplots.

Greg, you're excited about all these games, I know. This is the best weekend in sports. Saturday, Sunday, four straight games, eight, really seven teams with a chance to win a title. I'm not going to put the Panthers in there. But whatever. What? I think everyone else can do it.

Well, you better watch out. Panthers have a better chance in the Ravens. Well, they got to, what, they're going to win in Seattle and Green Bay. Give me back to back. Be careful. Grab the reins, Dan. I was going to say, be careful putting down the. Panthers you might have low-grade shock jocks out of Carolina trying to bring you down on

Twitter has happened with me with at Kroger clown you don't want to mess with Kroger that's what one of his listeners tweeted at me is like you mess with Kroger you mess with doom something I was like I was okay it was it was sort of paralyzing your workday at one point it was just because there was I Wes you would be proud of me I really went went to town with my block button for the first time ever because so many Panthers fans how I felt that I was, felt pretty good. I know, I got to say. By the way, I believe in these Panthers, but, you know, winning in Seattle and Green Bay back-to-back would be the biggest upset any teams ever done in the playoffs.

You believe in the one out of eight teams that's going nowhere, according to you. Yes. I feel there's a sense of contradiction there. On today's show, we will go through. We're going to talk about four big concerns, so one from each of us about one of these eight teams that are playing this weekend. So we're going to talk about four big concerns from these guys. games coming up. Also, we're going to touch it.

We're going to check in on the mailbag. I sent out a prompt for some questions. So we're going to have a mailbag up on NFL.com. But also, I'm going to share some questions with the group here. We'll answer some. But before we get to any of that, it is that time when we check in with TD. How you doing, Badi? What's going on, fellas?

Does anyone know what that money tag was? I have no idea. Well, I know it's breaking bad. Yeah, there you go. I'm not a Breaking Bad. Well, I was still coming off the high of that fan duel read, so I wasn't really paying attention. I'm still trying to get through the first season of Breaking Bad,

which when you watch that first season, you have no idea what people are talking about when they call it one of the best series of all time. It's the, I wouldn't say it's the worst season, but I get, you're not the first person I've heard to say that, but stick in it and it will get really good. I'm the one who knocks is one of the great lines in television history. TD, time for some news, buddy. So let's do it.

Um, phrasing That's what I'm talking about Some Archer action Very well done, TD Just for the record TD asked me to say, let's do it So he could drop it on me So you kind of set me up for it

But that's cool Um, phrasing I've actually gotten many tweets People saying that I sound like that guy H. John Benjamin That's a high compliment I know, I'm very happy to hear it I'd say you sound more like

H. John Benjamin and then you look like John Hamm. Well, listen, that is your opinion, but a highly influential casting agent in the Los Angeles area disagrees. All right, so let's get into it. And we'll start with the big news out of Washington where there is a new general manager, Scott McLuhan. McLuhan has been hired as the Redskins new GM.

This is a big hire. McLuhan, obviously, had some success early in his career with the Niners and the nineers. The Seahawks went away for a while, had some personal problems, but now pops back up. He takes over as GM, which Greg leads to a big shake-up in that organization, one that probably was overdue. Well, it's a good sign that they're bringing in someone with a clear track record of picking football players. Bruce Allen's never been that guy, and I don't think he even really was pretending to. He had the title of general manager, but he essentially just was managing the personnel staff.

He's done well everywhere he's been. I would say it's a great move, and it makes a lot of sense, but it's the Redskins. And so anytime the Redskins make a move, I just assume what has been rotting in that organization for a decade will continue to rot and ruin anything that comes into it. We watched that press conference from Bruce Allen last week, which was one of the tipping point most awkward press conferences I've seen in a long time. But maybe something came from that. He was pressed so hard that he promised they were going to do something. They asked what, and he's like, well, you know, our charitable organizations, organizations are very strong.

You're not answering any of the questions. And they went out and they got someone who, with San Francisco and Seattle, very interesting player evaluator. He's done a great job. He helped build three straight conference championships with 49ers, a conference championship games for the 49ers. Then he helped build a Super Bowl champion for the Seahawks. This guy's one of the best talent evaluators in the NFL.

Right. And I was knocking it because it's the Redskins, but you have to make moves like this. We're hearing that Wade Phillips. has a good chance to become the defensive coordinator. And I really like that move, too. Phillips has been great as a coordinator wherever he's been. So those two things, some optimism.

Yeah, but you're right. It's the Redskins. Yeah, but how do you turn things around? Because we could say, yeah, it's the Browns, the Jets, the Jets, the Jaguarism. They don't have corrosive ownership for the last decade. At least the Browns do. I mean, haven't. They have a new ownership.

Well, that's fair. And Bruce Allen is still there. He's McClun's boss. I mean, and Allen still has the same boss that's been there forever. So that that hasn't changed. I like that Bruce Allen failed at his job so he got a promotion. Is that what happened? Well, he was already in a presidential role.

Oh, okay. Yeah, he's been there and look, he ran, he seems more like a business guy. Someone was explaining why is Bruce Allen going to be there forever? And they talked about the training camp deals that he's worked out that's made them millions and millions of dollars and the sponsorships and stuff like that, things we don't even think about. But if it's putting $20 million in Dan Snyder's pocket, he's happy with Bruce Allen. His father was a Hall of Fame football coach, and he's not known for his football acumen. Well, we don't all do what our fathers do.

How many of our fathers were on podcasts 20 years ago? My dad was a man. Well, father's sons have worked out great for the Redskins, you know, the Shanahan's, the Schottenheimer's, the Allen's. It's terrific. Moving on, more front office news. NFL media insider Ian Rappaport, known as Rapsheet, reported Tuesday that Mike Tannenbaum will take over the football. all operations of the Miami Dolphins, effective February 1st. This was a move after, you know, he's the former Jets GM, as we know.

Also, a friend of the podcast. Maybe we could parlay this into some insider heat for the round of the NFL podcast. First ever podcast guest to subsequently get hired as a general manager. There you go. So connect the dots there. Tannenbaum was a Dolphins consultant last summer, and now he's on the payroll in a more substantial manner. and the Hickster, their GM Dennis Hickey,

will report to Tannenbaum, so a little shake up there in their management. Well, it may not report to them for very long. I mean, he'll probably be around through the draft and stuff, but don't you feel that this is a, it's like a football czar to some degree? And I wonder, I can't help but wonder, if the Dolphins owner is saying,

why did I, three weeks ago, tell everyone that Philbin would be back? Why did I do that? I mean, he should feel that. Because you're bringing a football czar in, in theory, to not just sit around and collect a paycheck, but maybe tell you midway through the season next year, these guys have got to go. I don't think they're bringing in Tannenbaum for his scouting skills. I mean, he's closer to the Bruce Allen mold, and he's shown that he knows the business of sports very well.

He's quitting a lucrative job as an agent of coaches. That seemed to be a burgeoning second career. He's the coach of Dan Quinn, so he's going to have another big-time head coaching hire that he will be responsible for and at least get the commission for, but then he'll move into this role. So the Jets will be organizing Dan Quinn's contract with the football czar of the Miami Dolphins? He is not officially, I think, starting until the Dan Quinn contract is done, yes. I like that you actually called Tannenbaum the coach of Dan Quinn. Is there something that we need to know that you are holding out right now?

That was just a slip of the tongue. But what a surprise and a pleasant surprise. I would not have guessed that Tannenbaum, after leaving the Jets, and the way that that ended would have not only gotten another good job, but really a promotion. I mean, this is a big-time job. This is essentially the type of job that Bill Parcells used to have in Miami. Greg Rosenthal, in an exclusive interview with Dean Blondino,

at least for a few minutes. You're changing the subject here. Yeah, I'm moving on. At least for a few minutes, you had an exclusive with Dino Blandino, the vice president officiating in which you discussed the play, the past. I don't like the word exclusive. 25 people have the same interview

and they all call it exclusive. Greg Rosenthal is playing to that. He's playing to that. No, because what happened was, Blendino, Dino talked to 14 straight media outlets about the past interference call between Dallas and Detroit. But talk to Greg first.

So for a small window, it was an exclusive. Well, I like to Greg also was wise enough to, you know, burrow his way into Rich Eisen's office so that when Dean Blandino saw the call coming in with Eisen. I don't want to get in. trouble here, you know. We always used to Eisen might listen to this and not be

too happy. But look, he's not in that office. I need some space. I don't have an office. That's the go-to. That's the other thing. You are the boss. What are you doing in the cubicles with the rest of us shows? That's a question for, you know, shadowy league figures. That's true. Anyway,

Greg and the Cube phone. So Greg and Dino on the phone together and Blendino acknowledges that the pass interference call that was made against the Cowboys in their win over the lines on Sunday. then was picked up the flag was picked up and it kind of started a chain of events that led to the cowboys eventually winning that game called it debatable uh well he called it whatever something that's already been happening the debate raging across the country i certainly could have supported

if they left the flag down i wouldn't have supported the i would have supported the foul but i think it's a close judgment call where you have two officials differing uh with differing opinions on it He basically said that, by the way, yes, it was a holding before the pass interference. He said that on the aftermath. That was not exclusive to Groh Rosenthal. And, yeah, he talked out the Des Bryant play, also on TA, that Des Bryant ran on the field during that whole situation and said that wasn't necessarily a penalty,

but he would have supported if they threw the flag. Well, and he also, the key to me was when he said he would have preferred they kept the flag down. So he was saying he thinks it was a penalty, but in judgment calls like this, this can happen. And where he was the strongest was really saying how the communication broke down, that they never should have announced the penalty in the first place. One guy's announcing while the other two are talking about whether this is actually a penalty or not. And he should have explained and made it more clear when he announced the correction.

Apparently he did, and people at the stadium heard it, but it was very quick and the broadcast missed it. So on one play you had defensive holding by Anthony Hitchens, pass interference by Anthony Hitchens, and unsportsman-like conduct on Des Bryant, and none of the three got called. That's fair. The Bryant one was probably...

Well, that's accurate. The Bryant one was probably the one I have the least... Came onto the field without a helmet. The helmet has nothing to do with it. Yeah, because he's not in the game. Unless he's in the game. They explain that. That, you know, of course he doesn't have a helmet

because he's not in the game. The helmet only has to do it if you're in the game at the time. And that is a use of discretion that I actually think is okay. Like, in that big of a spot in the playoffs, Like, if he's not doing something like pushing or going crazy, it's like, do you really want to give a team 15 yards for that? I have no problem with him not penalizing Des Bryant. And I get, I think we talked about this Sunday, but I'll repeat myself, I get Lions fans being pissed about how this all played out. You have every right to go into the offseason with a bitter taste in your mouth.

But still, even after that whole situation went all dowels his way, eight minutes on the clock, three point lead, fourth and one at midfield, your ball. Right. Your punter, your coach calls a punt, your punter kicks at 10 yards, and then your defense can't make a stop, and then Matthew Stafford can't lead them back down the field. That's a lot of things. They had a lot of shots to turn it around. You're absolutely right. And even our own Lions fan, Kevin Patcher, is the first to point out that you don't just point to that penalty and say that's the end of the game.

It didn't happen in the final 10 seconds. But a complete breakdown from officiating in a huge spot for a team that hasn't won a playoff games. since the Bill Clinton White House, yeah, the fan base has a right to be irritated. Of course. That's what I said. No, I'm not disagreeing with you, but it's not we just turn around white and say,

well, they didn't handle the rights. It's like, we get it. We all get that there were eight more minutes. It's talked about like it was the tuck rule, though, where it's like, that's the play that changed the game, and it is a play that changed the game, and it was definitely one of the biggest plays that changed the game. But there were seven or eight plays that changed the game after that.

Right. Did not decide the game. Sure. Remember a couple of months ago, when I bailed on Jim Caldwell or a month ago, this is right. Fourth and won and he has no stones. Right.

Jim Caldwell is one of the most conservative game managing coaches in the NFL and is going to come back to haunt the lions for years as long as he's there. And I got it to an argument with Bucky Brooks, who were big fans of here on the podcast, of course, about, you know. Your boy. He said you had to punt there. And all I'm thinking is, look at the Ravens in John Harba. They were up 20 to 9.

in the fourth quarter at midfield and had a fourth down, and they went for it. I mean, that. Stones. It's January. Right. And you trust in your offense. You trust in your offense. And that's what Garrett did with the Cowboys in a fourth down situation.

You let his players go out there and make the play. Speaking of the Cowboys, let's hit this real quick. Mark, Jerry Jones, you know, Chris Christie was up in that box, the Jerry Jones box, celebrating. He was into it. He was way into it. He got left hanging on a high 10, which is very rare. It's very hard to get left hanging on a high 10.

If you think about it, Chris Christie is a big man, so he's got a big width, too. So he's holding up his arms and 10 fingers out or, you know, the big paws out. Wide berth. And you miss everything. You miss the whole thing. So you got a big catch radius. Yes. And, but anyway, point being, Chris Christie was a big story after that game, celebrating with Jera.

And then Jones said on Tuesday, Chris Christie is, quote, part of our mojo. I want him there all the way. I don't know how we can even think about going up there referring to Lambeau Field without him. Your thoughts, Mark? Well, I mean, I think that it's, okay, you haven't been in the playoffs for one, a playoff game outside of once since the mid-90s.

You got a big, jolly old man rolling with you in the box. You bring him to the next game. It's a little bit, though. I mean, the people of New Jersey, there's various people in outrage because this is happening. Isn't he busy? He's already lost the Michigan primary. He is not.

He is not busy. Like, we're not political folk around here, but if you're the governor of some state that's 1,000 miles away from Dallas, you're busy, right? You've got to be in that area. Sunday afternoon, you're just hanging out. There's one important thing I need to know here. Is he from Texas?

No. He's the worst. I hate Cowboys fans who aren't from Texas. Well, that's, like, half of that's at least 80% of Cowboys fans. He's representative of all these bandwagon hangers on that show up in a box. Give me a break showing up in the box. Well, when you're asking for Giants fans to, show up and, you know, pull the lever for you

next time you're running for office. It's like the goofy kid you grew up with, I mean, in our age, like you would know this one guy in your class who was like a Yankees fan, a Florida State fan, and a Cowboys fan. And a Lakers fan. Yeah. That was always the combo. You guys just described Michael Fabiano, by the way.

Hey, if the food sh-hs, oh. We can, we'll have to leave that westism out because there's some profanity involved. But anyway, so, yeah, so Chris Christie, going to be at Lambeau Field, I guess, celebrating again if the Cowboys step up in that big spot. So let's move on the Cincinnati Bengals. Out of the playoffs, West of us come,

and Wes is back here, which is really I'm a little bit relieved, to be honest with you, because I know he had a great day on Sunday celebrating. Well, that's true. We should hear a little bit. How was Westivis for you? West of us for new listeners, we don't know. That's the annual celebration by Chris Wesleying

when the Bengals losing the first round of the playoffs. It was glorious. It was epic. I was with good company. We were enjoying the game. The game went as scripted. I was a little bit more nervous this year than other years because so many people were on the Bengals

can't have nice things bandwagon. Right. And too many people knew about it, so it had me a little bit nervous. But I think it played out as I expected. You cannot pick a team that has Andy Dalton over a team that has Andrew Luck. It's just, it's anathema.

especially given what Dalton was dealing with in terms of supporting cast. But I will say this, Marvin Lewis spoke at his press conference, season-ending press conference on Monday, and he doubled down on Andy Dalton. So, Mark, I know you suggested potentially Sunday they should start thinking beyond Andy Dalton. If Marvin Lewis is there, that is not happening. Here is the quote on Dalton season from Marvin Lewis. I think that he continued to grow, which is great. I think that working with a new influence with Hugh Jackson and so.

forth to see that relationship continue to grow forward. Andy had a lot of pressure on his plate coming into the season, and he dealt with it and handled it, and he won another 10 football games. This is why this is a reliable holiday for Chris Wesleyan to celebrate every January, because the Bengals organization is not going to strive for more. I was listening to the podcast while I was ride my bike to Malibu yesterday. It's you. And I agreed with both of you guys, with Dan, that I give Andy Dalton a complete.

pass for this game. I don't judge him harshly one bit when you have, you're missing Marvin Jones, Tyler Eiford, AJ Green, and J. Green and J. Graham. Greg reads off a list, and Dan thought he was making up some of the names. Kobe Hamilton? I mean, he gets a complete pass for me. Any quarterback would when your team just isn't there. I mean, to me, he gets a complete pass, but I agree with Mark also. We've seen four years of this. We know what Andy Dalton's going to do, and I fully expect him to have a really good year next year with all those guys healthy and then to lose in the first round of the playoffs. Luce's other comment.

Yesterday I don't, referring to Sunday, I don't attribute as much to the quarterback as guys did not respond. I think the quarterback did what he could do to get it done. So not only did he let Dalton up the hook, he basically said Dalton was fine. It's all these other guys I needed to step up. That's because Dalton played about

as well as Dalton could play in that scenario. But that's not a good thing. But if you gave Luck the Bengals offense and Dalton the Colts offense, Luck still beats him. I completely agree. I don't think it was just about that game. That's not even what we were saying on Sunday. We know what this quarterback's ceiling was after the first season,

and the bar is so low on any Dalton that people want to give excuses to him over and over and over. Keep him around, give him another year. What he needs is the Seahawks defense with him, and instead he has the team that's last in the league in sack. So it's just not going to add up that way. Here's a tricky thing. I'm from New York. I know how that fan base would react to another.

year of Dalton after how this season ended. I don't know how it would be in Cincinnati, but I would think that you're going to start hearing boo birds if Dalton goes into a funk next year and the pressure is going to amount to get him out of town. I can report from the front line. I was there for Christmas and not one Bengals fan I knew thought they were going to win this game. They knew who Andy Dalton is. They knew who Marvin Lewis is.

And they're frustrated by Lewis, but they also know that Marvin Lewis has a record over 500 with the Bengals. And all other Bengals coaches combined under Mike Brown have a reference. record about $2.50. Other Bengals news. So Gino Atkins, that's a name we didn't bring up a lot this year. He came back from that ACL tear, but wasn't the same guy. Only had three sacks in the middle of that defensive line. Paul Gunther, the defensive coordinator, said some interesting things per ESPN this week after the game. This year, he was just a three technique number 20 in my mind, referring as opposed to his rankings amongst defensive tackles.

He was just a guy out there. And then he added this. We need to get him back to. to where he was, being that game record there inside. Otherwise, we need to go find a new inside rusher. That he put that guy on blast. He ranked number 20 by pro football focus. That's what Gunther was pointed to with number 20, which I found interesting that even referenced. That might, maybe the question set up that and then he responds.

Who puts Gunther on blast? Yeah, well, that's what, I mean, they were 11th in total defense. Well, not Marvin Lewis who said that Gunther did a better job than he did in his first year as defensive coordinator. But I, I mean, I'm surprised that Gunther was that aggressively. pointed at at that you don't say that unless there's something going on with his effort level or something that you don't that you're not happy about if a guy is doing everything he can and that's the result i don't think he makes that comment but this is a player gino ackins that's paid like a superstar

i mean he's paid like one of the best guys and he's coming off at torn ACL but there's not there's not a lot of argument here he had a he had an okay season he was like a solid starter he was not a star by any and like you mentioned he's not alone the whole team let Andrew luck just roam around and circles till he wanted to throw to the ball. It's ridiculous. Moving on. The Indianapolis Colts are in the midst of glory days. They went from Peyton Manning straight to Andrew Luck and Jim Ursay in a state of the franchise

type press conference. On Tuesday, thanked a particular player for that. Maurice Jones Drew, Drew on January 1st, 2011, torched the Colts for 169 yards on 25 carries. Indy lost the game, secured the top pick, allowed them to draft Andrew Luff. And Ursae said Tuesday, he changed our destiny, which is accurate. It's fair. It's a good thing I wasn't on the podcast Sunday night because I would have been full of vitriol over Andrew Luck critics, which to me, how are there Andrew Luck critics? Who are they?

I've not even run into them. Greg Bedard, Greg Rosenthal. Oh, yeah. See, the thing is you take one bit of like mild criticism ever, and that's all you remember. I'm joking about you. Right. But why would Greg Bedard write an article saying luck isn't great when he clearly is great already? Ely and Harrison ripping on him for turnovers.

Give me a break. Look at who he doesn't have an offensive line. For most of the year, Reggie Wayne wasn't himself. T.Y. Hilton was out for a little bit. Dwayne Alton was out for a while. He didn't have the weapons. Why pick on a good quarterback when there are so many bad quarterbacks to pick on? And he had his best game of the year in the playoffs.

I thought that was his best performance. He was making throws that no other quarterback makes. I agree. And I love the Jones Drew reference by Ursae because I love these little turned. We should almost do an article over it. It seems like something Damashik would be good at. Like the five games, you know, that changed the course of NFL history just for draft seeding stuff like that. Because you don't really think of it at the time like Tampa this year when they totally, I mean, I think they gave that game away on purpose.

Maybe that's going to be their moment. It's smart. Right. But instead it was Jones Drew. And I remember that, though. I think it was on NFL Network. No, no, that was the week before. the rushing title for MJD, too, and then he was never the same.

That was the end of the road for MJD. Jim Fossel on a coach's show this week. He was a co-host on the coach's show. Wait, the what? The coach's show, man. Oh, yeah. Get with it. That's good.

He mentioned Andrew Luck. That's a podcast, right? Because no one listening knows about it. Oh, okay. That's a podcast, okay, cool. With Coach Brian Belich and Mooch, we had Jim Fossil co-host, and he did say he believes Andrew Loke will be the best quarterback ever. I didn't even hear, I believe.

It was just he will be the greatest quarterback ever. Tidi, I want a number is the answer to this question. How many times during the coach's podcast have you broken in to remind something to them that happened on this podcast? A number is the answer. Zee Drizzles crack it up in the background. What's the answer? Let's say the same as Andy Dolan Playoff wins. All right.

So your mic has been cut for the rest of the podcast. I like this idea. Next time you're like, well, Mooch, Mark Sessler said on the NFL podcast, you might want to take some notes here. Wait, is that my point? Cool boy? Not holding my breath. All right, so that is what's happening in the NFL. Okay, guys, let's move on.

The divisional playoffs are here, and we're going to talk about four big concerns that we have. So one from each of us. This is video, and TD has done a great job here. He's going to throw some video up. It's very exciting. TD, I lift the veil. I said that you couldn't speak anymore after you, you know,

went against us for the coaches show again, but now you could speak. Yeah, this is something we're trying out new. I'm here back here with Z-Jizzled and Rob Crowder. And we figured, hey, we have this big TV screen behind us. Why not use it for a video segment? Great for the podcast. I like to think.

Yeah, check it out. So, yeah, so we're going to each take a concern. And we're going to start with Chris Wessling, who wants to look at the team in Carolina and the quarterback specifically. Well, my biggest concern is Cam Newton's mechanics. He looked like a human corkscrew throwing last week. throwing off his back foot he doesn't get any weight on his front foot TD's going to throw up some video back here of

Cam Newton throwing off his front off his back foot and he loses accuracy he does this I'm sure Greg's seen this on film he does this several times a year I thought the panther should have shut out the Cardinals and one of the main reasons they didn't was Cam Newton was incredibly inaccurate in this game over through Ed Dixon a couple of times through wide of Kelvin Benjamin he was all over the map with his throws

And I think this is a team that can hang with the Seahawks As long as Cam Newton is pinpoint accurate He has to play much better Is that doesn't sound like something That's suddenly going to get fixed here in early January It happens sometimes though Because I think the thing that defines Cam Newton right now Is he is the streakiest quarterback in the NFL

So he can have it going for a game at a time You don't want him throwing 40 throws But he can even in this Cardinals game I think he made five or six really great throws That a lot of quarterbacks couldn't make So maybe he gets a good streak. Well, look back to one of your quarterback indexes from mid-October. You had Camp Newton as a top five NFL.

Yeah, that was embarrassing. But you weren't saying what the film was showing. He was passing better early in the season than he ever had in his career. All right, Greg. We will now talk about another quarterback in New England. His name is Tom Brady. Well, you're trying to get me scared about this Tom Brady versus the Baltimore Ravens matchup. And the one reason I am a little concerned.

about it and now we're going to be showing the video here is the offensive line and it's no secret the recipe to beating tom brady is by getting pressure to him and this baltimore ravens front seven is playing really well it's not just threll suggs and elvis dumerville it's brandon williams nada had a very nice game last week courtney upshaw who's not known as a pass rusher had a very nice game last week against pittsburgh so you look at what the patriots offensive line did in december and that's all i can go off They struggled with a big defensive line against the Jets. They struggled up and down really throughout the month, and now I think they have a very tough matchup up front.

You're going to have to get the ball out of Brady's hands quickly. I think that's a concern, at least. Am I crazy? That was a little long-winded, but that was crazy. I think they should just give the game to the Ravens. No. Don't even play it. Everyone assumes the Ravens are going to win because they have a pay-trance number.

I don't think everyone assumes. I have a feeling no one might take the-reepen here. Here's what I think Wes is saying. I don't think everyone assumes the Ravens are going to win, but I think a lot of people are assuming this is going to be another field goal type game. And you, Wes, believe everybody's getting a little too excited about this Ravens. All we've heard since Saturday night is, oh, this is the last team the Patriots wanted to play. The team that had to beat Connor Shaw and have the Chargers lose to get into the playoffs is the last team,

the 13 and 3 or 12 and 4 Patriots who are way better on defense than they've been, what, in a decade? Well, and they have Gronk, which has not been a factor in these other Ravens games. It's a little unfair, though, Wes, because I know they didn't have Leveon Bell, but the Steelers were your boys, and they went into that building and whipped them, they beat them pretty easily. Okay, but come on. That's pretty huge. They had a great game. Who did you pick in that game?

Right, they won that game, and now one week over Shadow 17 weeks. We advertised that game as a game where LaVian Bell wasn't that important. That's not how we said it. That's not how we said it. Well, we pitched to some degree that if there was a game for Leavon Bell not to be involved, it would be that one. But back to Greg's point with the. offensive line of the Patriots. Yeah, there have been some cracks

with this unit, and their offense hasn't been that great in general for a few weeks, so that's part of the reason Greg's a little scared. Six on the piece. I'm kind of saying that I'm scared when I'm really not, to be honest. All right, let's move on next to Mark Sessler, who is, he's looking at Lambeau Field. He's excited about this game,

but he's looking at the Cowboys running back to Marco Murray and wondering how he will do against that Packers defense. Well, I mean, outside of Mother Nature, number one, you've got to deal with the Packers offense. I don't know who that is, by That's a, she's a woman. She's variable. Her behavior is up and down. Okay. Now, I mean, the Packers at home averaging about 39 and a half points per game. So the Cowboys got to shorten this game with DeMarco Murray. Here's the video up here.

And that's what they've been doing all year. But in the four of his last six games, under four yards per carry. And so the question is, is you wearing down? I'm not sure it's just that. He's been banned up here. That's pretty slow moving to Marco Murray. He doesn't look quite the same. And Wes, I know you pointed out in weeks past two. And so the question is, can the Cowboys go in and do against Green Bay, defense that four of the games they've allowed under hard young hundred yards rushing happened in the second half of the season held the patriots to about 85 yards held the bucks to 16 it's not the same defense from the start of the season i think what the point that west has been

making for a couple weeks now about murray and maybe not being as explosive as fair but i thought he ran pretty well that's the thing is i solid against detroit right that's what i was saying what i was thinking was like didn't he look good against detroit the offensive line was a little they're going to have to do that all game against green bay because Green Bay is going to score points at a different rate than Detroit. So that's my concern. Can they play the game that they've, you know, the way they beat Seattle and other teams this season? I think the Cowboys can hang in a shootout with anybody.

Now, whether they're going to win a shootout in Lambo, I don't know about that. But to your point, I think Murray needs to show up and needs to have a good game. What if it never becomes a shootout because the Packers are just that much better than the Cowboys? Could just be not a shootout. It could be a big score for one team. Finally, my big concern heading into Sunday or this weekend is Peyton Manning. His ability to win a potential shootout with Andrew Luck in Denver if it comes to that because when I look at these two teams and when I look at these two teams and these two

quarterbacks, I see them potentially going in opposite directions. Manning has not been terrible. When you look at his numbers, the last eight games, they're not bad. So like some of this has been dressed up a little bit to make it look like Manning has fallen off the map. but he's not the same guy he was at the beginning of the season and then I watch Luck

and I see what Andrew Luck's been able to do especially on this week and I really love the way he played even though his numbers might not reflect that he had one of his best games so this will be a good game to watch to see how Manning looks in the playoffs in cold weather

Yeah I mean he's throwing floaters he's leaving the league in floaters that's always been an issue with him but I really think that'll be interesting to see how he plays in this setting against the quarterback that to me it's about to surge pass when you talk about the best

Cubies in the game. Not the same defense. This video, if you watch this video on NFL now, I mean, it's almost hateful towards Manning. It's almost mean. You're just showing the best passes Andrew Luck's ever made

and like the worst floaters, Peyton Manning. I mean, this guy's not above me. He's still okay, Peyton Manning. That's what I'm saying. I don't think that this is a situation where the Broncos are in deep trouble because Peyton Manning is their quarterback. But I wonder if this is the game

where the Colts knock off the Broncos and Luck plays much better than Peyton Manning and it's remembered as this is when Andrew Luck passed Peyton Manning and the passing the torture moment. I don't know, a little bit of a Cessler that happens. And that's how I feel.

Well, that's how you're going the Rosenthal route. You like to look at the big picture and how this will be seen years down the road. And then Manning retires in April, as I predicted since August. Oh, my gosh, I forgot. Mark Sessler has 14 sandwiches riding on that. Better happen.

So those are four big concerns entering the divisional playoffs. and I thought they were all concerning. I'm concerned about you guys also, and myself. I'm concerned Sessler never buttoned the collared buttons. I mean, they're there for a reason. They want you to be buttoned them, but you always let it just fly. So I'm just supposed to follow all of society's rules.

By the way, this is Little Blue. This thing is about to be in the little circular file. This shirt needs to go. You can see through it. I have to be honest with it. You got to wear an undershirt with them. It was a mess, and we just did an NFL now spot with it. Very concerning.

I thought that when Santa came. You're saying there might be nipple in that NFL now spot or what? That would be unfortunate. I thought when Santa came that this was one of the shirts that would be retired. I'm little surprised to see it ever again. You know, picking shirts in the dark at 6 a.m. on the West Coast. I don't know what I show up to working. Okay, fair enough.

All right. Let's hit the mailbag before we get out of here. A lot of good stuff, as always, from you people. You people. That didn't sound very nice. Wow. You people. You people.

great people. I mean, you great people. See, one word makes a big difference. So let's go down it. Let's see. Where do we want to start? This is an easy one. Ricardo Gomes, at Richie, kid. Will Wes eat his softball pants before the Super Bowl? Yes, Wes will. Even if it's like literally the day or two before the Super Bowl, it's coming. Wes, your day of reckoning is near. Your thoughts. I am happy to put this behind me. We've mentioned when it will happen on the podcast several times. understandably not all the listeners listen to every single podcast so so it happens Super Bowl week so maybe it's in it's in Phoenix maybe it'll have some

sort of Southwest Chipotle like theme under the softball pants I like this kind of party just make sure you and Wes it's up to totally your discretion if you want to wash your pants beforehand or what but you just got to turn them over to me my softball career has been on a hiatus for a year so they are they are washed they're clean they're put away in a closet maybe I'll wash them again I brought this up downstairs to you, Wes. This is from Manuk, who is a editor, actually,

for NFL media, a very good man and a, you know, great man when it comes to socializing here. How would you pronounce his last name, Dan? Acupiana. This is the question, what is the protocol for throwing a proper playoff party?

How can a random Johnny still keep it playa? I don't know what that means. You know, he's just, he's saying, regular Joe, all right? That's random Johnny is the millennial's version of regular Joe. How can he still keep a player? Well, the first thing you do is un-invite anyone who has playa in their lexicon.

I think so Mnuke can come. That's great. So anyone under the age of 30, Wes's party is going to be tilting. Wes is going to be basically a baby boomer party, I think. I hate to be a Clintons. I'm going to sound like a Scrooge, but I don't really like watching games with a bunch of other people. If it's going to be like one or two people and they're kind of focused on the game that's fun but in general like a group of eight or ten where half aren't paying attention

i don't like it this is the this is the mistake that people always make when they especially super bowl parties because i've been to a few before i started working here they they go out of their way to make it like almost like a regular party where you invite you know a lot of people that don't know anything about the the game whether it's guys that don't know about sports or girls that don't follow sports and then they're all sitting around and they're only in it for the quote commercials and then when the games actually get into the nitty gris nobody's paying attention. Everybody's drunk or half drunk or just checked out

because it's four hours after kickoff. Sounds like a good time. And then the real football fans are trying to watch a game and people are being annoying. So just keep it tight, keep it right, and make sure everyone's a real football fan. I like this kind of party! I don't feel like anyone in this room likes people.

I like a select amount of people. I think I disagree with you. Okay. I say you have all the fun you can possibly have, make the day epic. He can always rewatch the game. Have a multiple room party where there's a serious television

and people watching seriously, but in the rest of the house. Especially if it's your team in there that changes things a little bit. Well, Greg, most of us don't have our team in the Super Bowl every third season. It never crossed my mind. If the Jets ever were in the Super Bowl,

there would be no one in the room except for my father and my brother probably, and that's it. And it would be a lock in the door, and that's it. I don't think you guys really understand what a party is. You're putting a lot of rules

and stipulations on this. Okay, Wes. Have a party. I have a bash. That's what I'm talking about. If that's what you're saying, I would not have a party at all. I just suggested a multi-room and vent where everyone of every mood could have fun. That's very democratic.

All right. So this is from Tom Marshall, one of our UK listeners, loved our UK listeners, at Red Zona. Ooh, I like that. Red Zona, UK. If Jerry Jones invited you into his suite for a playoff game, would you go? could you handle the exposure? This is a callback to earlier in the podcast. We were talking about Chris Christie,

getting left hanging on a high 10 and getting ridiculed for being there. Would you want to be in that box if you were invited? Of course. People that say no to experiences that they couldn't otherwise have. I mean, those are the people that don't live at all. You've got to go.

That'd be fun. I'm with Greg. Wes is going to say no. I know it. No, I'm actually going to say yes, which makes me a hypocrite for what I said about Chris Christie. Just to see what's going on there. I mean, it'd be a crazy spot to be.

I agree with Greg. You have to take advantage of these experiences in life when they come up. It's a two-part question. So I would absolutely go if asked, but could I handle the exposure? I don't know if I could. I'd be very nervous about the 800 Fox cutaways to me in the booth. I'd have to be on my best behavior all times, watch how much I'm drinking. Don't pick your nose.

Don't get left hanging on a high 10. That's a lot of pressure. What if you were on bifocal cleansing duty? Yeah, you don't want to be that guy. That's, yeah, I want to see. What's going on with that guy, the bipocal cleaning guy? I want to know what Jerry's drinking. I want to know what he's saying about Jason Garrett during the game.

There's a lot of fun stuff to take out of that. Moving on, this is from Sarah Peters, one of our favorites, at Indy Sarah. Aaron Rogers came out recently and in an interview said that he quotes The Prince's Bride, the 1987 romantic comedy classic, a lot to teammates. A lot of them have no idea what he's talking about because most of them weren't even born when that movie came out. In your estimation, Sarah Peters asks, which movie have you seen and or quoted the most?

Well, those are much different answers, aren't they? I don't know. You guys start. I think I've seen Casablanca the most. It's probably quoted Caddyshack, Animal House, one of those two. Uncle Humor on Dan. Casablanca is the movie you've seen the most? Really?

Yeah. How are you not married yet? You old cad, you romantic old dog. We're going to dig in another podcast on that. I've got to think about that. I will jump in. The movie I've seen the most and probably quoted the most is The Naked Gunn starring Leslie Nielsen, 1988. Comedy classic, if you've not seen it, you have to see it.

I've used so many of the lines from that movie over and over again, and probably in an Aaron Rogers way where people don't even know what I'm talking about half the time. Greg. Dan draws a parallel between himself and the greatest quarterback in football. Well, I'm trying to come up with the right answer, And I think it has to be a movie that I would have watched 30-something times before I was even 15, because that's the most. And I think the answers there might be summer school.

Oh, wow. Do you remember summer school? I think I probably watched that about 30 times. I definitely haven't quoted it a lot since I'm not really a quoting movie type. I always make that joke about one rib from I'm going to get you suck us. So maybe that. I don't know. All right, that's good.

And finally, Mark Sessel. I don't know. I don't, I love, I love movies, but I don't go around quoting them. I just don't. I don't, I don't. Answer the first one. The first one. I'm with Greg. No, I think as a kid I probably saw singular. Empire Strikes Back like 87 times. It's got to be up in the, in the mix. Thin red line I've seen about 25 times. That's a good one. TD, you are a legitimate sinifier, at least for popcorn movies directed by Jerry Bruckheimer. That's not even a true. I'm not a fan of Brookhimer at all. What is the movie you've seen the most And quoted the most? The movie I've seen the most

Definitely has to be the Lion Kank Probably done a few quotes from that But I would say a movie I've probably quoted the most As American Gangsler Wow Dead Zeld Washington It's a really, really good movie I do like that movie

Great soundtrack It's a good film That's one of those movies I really liked it in the theater And then just never saw it again I just remember the one I probably quote the most Tombstone Let's hear a quote, your favorite quote off it

I mean the easiest one is I'm your Huckleberry I'll blow you right up that Wildcats ass I've never even seen Tombstone Nor have I Oh you guys are missing great You've never seen it then? No Wow

My favorite naked gun line is I realize that Wow Frank Trevin rest in peace All right finally This is We're going to go again back to our newsroom David Ealey

One of our favorite guys down in the newsroom Eternally single But a really good catch Somebody give David Ely I like that none of these questions have anything to do with football. How long do you need to keep a New Year's resolution before it's not that embarrassing to break?

Does January 5th count? I think one day, everybody breaks. I think it's understood that when you make a New Year's resolution, it will be broken. I think you get to the point where you realize, stop making these. Right. I'm at the point, I'm at even past that point

where it never crossed my mind to even think about making them. Is that a problem? No, your April 23rd resolution is much more steely than your New Year's Eve. That's my birthday, April 23rd. Is it? That's my wife's birthday, too.

That's what I'm talking about. It's very weird, Wes. Now Greg made me self-conscious, so we need to drop one more football. No, no, no. The old football head got a little uncomfortable, a little hot under the collar. Greg, how would you rank the eight remaining quarterbacks in the playoffs? Oh, boy. Here, I will tell you what they are, because this one is one of the ones I answered for the mailbag.

Here we are. You ready? One, Aaron Rogers, two, Tom Brady, three Peyton Manning, four Andrew Luck, five Joe Flacco, playoff version, six, Romo, seven, Russell Wilson, eight Cam Newton and nine Scrony Arms Roblo Oh man you got Peyton Manning way too high Got Russell Wilson way too low I agree with that

You go Rogers Andrew Luck and then you just deal with the rest Get Connor Shaw on there around number five or six I like this playoff flacko thought That's interesting I actually like that list other than I think I'd flip Manny and Luck I might be in full agreement My interesting thought was that I think everyone agrees Rogers is one or should agree

And everyone should agree that Newton's number eight On this group You could almost mix up any of that the rest of those guys in any order you want, and you wouldn't have an insane list. With the Flacco thing, like I think we have to see what happens here because outside of one playoff trip,

everyone has been a disaster in the second game to some degree. It's not like he's been this pristine guy. Well, he should have went to the Super Bowl again if Justin Tucker doesn't let him down and his wide receiver doesn't drop a ball. He's up there. I'm not putting him low. It's just that if he does it again,

then you've got a real argument. I would put him second to last. Despite the playoff stuff, now that I think about it, I still would rather have Romo this weekend or Russell Wilson. I would have Russell Wilson pretty high. I'm with TD on this one. All right.

So that's it for Tuesday's edition of the Around the NFL podcast. We'll be back on Thursday with our massive, hugely important and influential divisional round preview where we break down each of the games. Really a deep breakdown. TD's excited about it. He's going to tell the coaches show all about it, I'm sure. So until then, thank you for everyone that listens and everyone that sent in their questions.

We love you. This is Dan Hansa signing off for Quiet Storm, the mailman, the boss, and Tay Day. Find the glass. Until Thursday. On the 6th, we take you inside. From Breaking Down College Prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies coaching trends in how front offices construct winning

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