NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - MNF Recap & Buy/ Sell Extreme Teams

Episode Date: September 29, 2021

A room filled with some heroes- Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal and Colleen Wolfe recap the Cowboys big win over the Eagles before buying or selling teams with extreme starts (such as a team 0-3 or 3-0). We preview the TNF game with a special message from one of the Wesselings - Colleen travels to Cincy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast is really digging the Mike McCarthy glow-up. From the Chris Wesleying podcast studio, it's the Around the NFL podcast. Dan Hans is here, Greg Rosenthal. And in the new studio for the first time. And what a treat. It is Connie Fox

What a place this is It's like It's still got that new car smell Everything is like bright and shiny People are smiling I think because they're wearing masks But their eyes are smiling You were just giving me major

Like Kristen Whig vibes of that character She was like Oh I'm so excited Turn this up for headphones It's a surprise Yeah the first time I've been called that Kristen Wig But now, now back into the wolf vibes.

The main reason we're here with you, Connie, because the Eagles lost like 20 points on an end of football. And it could have been 38. You could blur that out, right? That loss, blur it out from my memory. But it's great to have you, Connie, sitting in for Mark Sessler, who is on the mend. And, you know, we told Mark, take your time, get right, come back.

And he is very antsy, but also. knows he needs to give this little time. So Mark is on the right path. Everybody should know that. He's not in the hospital. He's recuperating at home, but he's taking it easy. And Connie, nice enough to be in the Sessler chair. And when you're in the Sessler chair, Connie Fox, the tiny box, you got to bring that Sessler energy. Well, I definitely had to come in this week after you called me Big Box last week. Like, that's not going to happen. So that's a great way to get my studio. I floated huge box. Huge box. That's what it was. I'm sorry. I stand corrected.

But I don't think that one's going to take. All right. I hope not. Please. And we will. You're always on the Tuesday show to talk Thursday night football. And we're going to get to that in a little bit. The Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals will get caught up to date on if Colleen used any of ATN slang and any other ATN Easter eggs on last Thursday's telecasts on NFL network.

So I'm excited to hear about that. coming up later in this episode as well. We will, we're going to break down any, call it this, buy or sell on extreme starts. So teams that are 3 and 0, teams that are 0 and 3, maybe teams that aren't winless or undefeated, but have had kind of extreme starts if we want to touch on some teams there.

So let's check in on where our teams are as we head toward week four, but before any of that, we've got to close the door on week three. And yes, we got to do it. in Big D and talk about the Eagles. Let's do it.

Hurts in the gun. Goddard sets up right. Back to throw. Check down over the middle intercepted by Diggs. Right side line, 30. Diggs 20. Diggs House. Devade Smith fell down.

And Trayvon Diggs is the second cowboy ever to intercept passes in the first three games of the Connie is looking skyward for answers on this eagle season. There are none coming. No. Brad sham, the sham god for KRLD. I'll tell you what, Greg Rosenthal.

That tree has gone bigs is a player. He's a nice little player. Talk about it, glow up. Yeah, glow up. His pick six really sealed the deal early in the third quarter for were the Cowboys who got ahead early on the Eagles and coasted from there, 41-21 final at Jera World. And Connie, you got a really nice win in week one

on the road in Atlanta. Then the Eagles in week two, fight hard against the very good 49ers team, come up short, could have went the other way if they execute better, but they didn't. And now, how do you make sense of a total blowout at the hands of a division rival like this? part was the fact that it was in prime time against the cowboys. So it was just insult, insult, insult. And I asked my mom yesterday before the game, oh, what are you going to do tonight? What are you and dad up to? And she's like, we're going to watch the Eagles lose. So she already knew what was coming. That's why I'm a true Philadelphian. Exactly. I'm wearing my bad things happen in Philadelphia shirt today because I can feel the anger all the way here in Los Angeles.

This team looked a mess last night. And it started off right away with the Cowboys just coming out to such a hot start. And they were feeling themselves. And you could see it. At the half, the Cowboys had more first downs, I believe, than the Eagles had run total plays. So it was just all so one-sided. At the end of the first half, Greg, I don't know if you saw this that, but this was wild. At the end of the first half, the Cowboys had a 19-to-one first-down.

advantage. I mean, it's outrageous. And even our response to it is a little outrageous because, like, Connie, you're a Philly fan. Gonzo. Is he still a Philly fan? I mean, he was born there, so I guess it comes to the territory.

But no, actually, he was born in Vegas. I stand corrected. I think we have that in his bio, maybe. But John has been in too many press boxes. So sometimes he has a detached viewpoint on sports, but you're saying that secretly he's a little upset about the Eagles letting you down. He, when he doesn't really get upset.

set about the Eagles or Philadelphia teams. He's either he's happy about it or then he kind of just laughs at them. So it's not really, I think it's a defense mechanism more than anything else. And like what I was getting to is like, I'm sneaky and Eagles fan. I don't know if you know that about me. No, you're not. I really am. I think Dan would know this.

Well, Greg's a fan of 30 to 31 team. I always, I always root for them. I've loved them since Andy Reid was there. How can you not love Andy Reid? It was always one of my favorite team. But Andy Reid's now at the Chiefs. teams to watch. I know, but it's like I know,

I know people who like the Eagles who maybe work for the Eagles. My daughter likes the Eagles for some reason. It just likes birds. Anyways, I've overrated them going into this. But they're like, they're not the main characters here. They're just kind of there.

Like this was a story about the Cowboys. The Cowboys are one of these stories of the 2021 season. The Eagles, maybe they'll have a chance to be frisky or in the mix or not. Like, everyone looked at this division as like, well, maybe it only takes seven, eight, nine wins. No. I mean, the ceiling has been raised significantly.

Number one, the offense, which you thought, okay, on paper, maybe this is one of the best offenses in the league. But for some reason, I was doubting it. I wanted to see that back from his injury. I wanted to see the offensive line all back from their things. I wanted to see it all work again. And then you watch it for these three games. And you're like, oh, wait, these are all veterans

who have been with Kellyn Moore forever, who are awesome, continuity, and a quarterback who is, in total control. And then the bigger surprise is that Dan Quinn has their defense playing frisky. And suddenly I'm looking at this Cowboys team. I'm thinking, this is not a division that should be close. They are going to be the heavy favorites in all their division games. They are the best offense, not just in the division, but maybe in the entire NFL.

And this is going to be a story. I'm falling for it. I mean, I'm not falling for these Cowboys, but I'm believing it. Yeah. I don't know how much you can put, like, how much stock can you put into the fact that the Cowboys with the Eagles looking so bad last night. But the Eagles hadn't given up a play over 20 yards. It's like all season going into this game.

And I know they were playing the Falcons and the 49ers, but they were extremely competitive and looked pretty well coached on defense. And I know they've lost some players, and that's going to hurt them. But to me, it's more just about great offense versus a good defense and great offense is going to walk them all over the field, kind of like they did to the Chargers, even though it didn't show on the scoreboard. They have moved the ball really well three straight weeks.

I wrote in the new power rankings, the first line I wrote, The Cowboys look like the best team in the NFC East, and it's not particularly close. So this idea that a lot of us had coming into the season that this division could play out like it did last year where it's a bunch of fumbling teams around 500, maybe a 10 and 7 team comes out of the mix, but it's probably like 9 and 8 beats out 8 and 9 to go to the playoffs.

I don't know, man. This looks like a 10 or 11 win cowboy team. And if we're giving Kellynne Moore credit, we're giving Dan Quinn credit. I know he's not a popular character here, but Mike McCarthy is the head coach. And I know he made some time management. What does he really do there?

You know what he's going to do is watch Kellynne Moore become the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, like after this season, even if they go to the playoffs? It's one of my least favorite tropes of this podcast where we become enemies. We see veteran coaches as enemies and don't give them any credit without realizing that they're running the operation.

So if the coaching staff is thriving, you have to give the boss some credit. He's not a boss getting a massage up there by himself during team meetings. Oh, wait, he was at some point, but that was a long time ago. The point being that Monday was filled with mojo moments for Mike McCarthy's team.

And it's not just C.D. Lamb and Amari Cooper that are making big plays. It is Ezekiel Elliott. After all that handwriting, Zeke looks fine. He had a big game here. It is Tony Pollard. It's a great

one-two punch there. Dalton Schultz is making plays. I don't know where they get these guys, these Novichek Witten Schultz types, but the Cowboys always seem to do it. And Trayvon Diggs, they needed stars, and talked about this before the season to emerge on defense. Michael Parsons seems like he's going to be

that guy. Trayvon Diggs could be a star in the back end. I do want to just point out too with all the Tony Pollard buzz that was going on. He wasn't facing nearly the amount of stacked boxes that Zieg was. So a lot of that had to do with his success early on

in the season. But this game I know that we don't want to talk so much about the Eagles because they were such a mess. But I do want to just say, I thought that it was really weird the entire game plan, the fact that they didn't run the ball, especially in the first half. Like, yeah, I know, you fall behind. You don't run the ball, but they did not come out and run at all.

You tried to surprise them and didn't. The Cowboys' third string back, Corey Clement, who used to actually play for the Eagles, had more carries than the Eagles' number one guy. Like, that should not be. Where does this coaching staff fall on Miles Sanders? It doesn't seem like they are interested in making him a focal point of the offense, and he's shown in the past that he could be that. Yeah, and the first two games of the season, the Eagles ran the ball well.

It's like, you know what, Nick Siriani and your highlighter and your visor? Why do you like focus on some run blades on that place? How about the way he puts his pen in the side of the visor, like vertically? It rubs me the wrong way. It's a little strange. Listen, a tough game script there for their running game. So you've got to say that. But also this is a team that got penalized

13 times for 86 yards. And it was just a Barry the ball game. They don't make sense unless they're a really great running team. And I've been wrong about a lot of things this season. Getting too excited about the Eagles thinking that they could be kind of Baltimore

North. Are they north of Baltimore? Yes. They are. Nailed it. Their offense only makes sense if Jalen Hertz and their running game is the basis of it. And it wasn't that way in week two against San Francisco. They really didn't run it that effectively.

He scrambled a lot, but it was just out of structure scrambles. And they didn't even try in this game. And to me, that's like the only way that they're going to make sense and be frisky. But like, you got to give Quinn, who hasn't been a coordinator for a while, some credit that all we wanted out of this Cowboys defense is just like,

hey, can you be average? Because if you're average, then this team is a championship type contender. And they've been frisky. They've been missing players up front, including DeMarcus Lawrence. And yet they're still getting a lot of production. It's not just Parsons. It's the rookie. A diggy Zua is playing pretty well for them.

We know Parsons is going to be like a defensive rookie of the year. Diggs is a player. J. Ron Curse has played great at, like, safety. They don't need to be amazing. Suddenly, I think, like, I don't know. This good in offense, they have great potential. They throw in a right tackle for Lyle Collins, and he stuffs the Eagles all night.

You didn't hear a word out of Tarynsteel. I am going to appeal to your desert, desert-loving life, Greg. I'm going to set the over-under now after three weeks for the two-one Cowboys at ten and a half. I'll go over, but I want to look at the same. schedule, but I would go over. I did pick them to win the division.

Oh, look. Oh, there's something. I had picked Washington, I believe, but that is, that doesn't feel like it's going to happen right now, but it's still very early. Let's see what happens. But for now, the Cowboys rule the East, and it seems definitive. All right. That's Monday Night Football. Oh, and they might have the best quarterback in the league, too.

We didn't bring up that. I'm just saying, like, that's the thing that's the thing that gets me going more than anything. is that he is a veteran quarterback who's been surrounded by these players in the same system. It's pretty rare in the NFL to have a group together like this and maybe this is the group

it all comes together because he seems like, to me, he is like the Peyton and Eli Manning. I was watching the Manning cast for the first time last year. Eli threw up the double bird. That's why I said blur it out.

Can we blur out the loss? Because Walker, Walker hates the Manning cast. So while he's away, we watched the first half together. My son. Right. He's like, these guys talking, this is distracting. He doesn't want it. But once he went to bed, the second half, watch the

Manning cast. It's amazing, by the way. Mark was totally right. I don't need the guess. I just want to hear the mannings. The analysis is better than any football. There's too many guests, but yeah. Any analysts, like, they have way better analysis. But what I heard from both of them

was like their appreciation for a kindred spirit in Dak Prescott. I know they love all quarterbacks, but like, I said it, a A couple weeks ago, too, when he played Brady, like, who is the successor to the Brady Manning type of quarterback? To me, that's Stack Prescott. Like, more than any quarterback in the league, like, he is in control of everything. He understands everything. And that's him and Kellen Moore. But I just think he's, he has more, like, more next level, mental things to go. And

you are going to have to really throw some things at him, a different call every other play. Like Nick Saban was one of the guests, not to keep brambling. I'm sorry. And Sabin was just like making a joke. He learned when he was the Dolphins. If I showed you the same coverage, two plays in a row, we learned that we were dead. Like that was something you just can't do in the NFL. And that's what DAC is to me.

It's like Tom Brady, Dak, those guys like, if you don't keep mixing it up every other play, he's going to freaking kill you. I saw everybody ripping Sabin because he had terrible lighting. Was he like checking in from a closet? He didn't really understand there's like a game going on and he sort of treated it like an interview. He had some pretty interesting answers, actually, of like, why doesn't everyone play hurry up all the time, like, like they do in college? And I was just easy because, like, it really hurts the defense. And that's how every college team plays. And I was like,

that's a good note. But he was Nick Saban. That was Nick Saban. But he was an NFL head coach, right? He was. He was. Yeah. Aveco. Those dolphins teams were underrated. They, they, they, they, he took a terrible roster and went 10 and 6, which is a little. Okay. Nick Saban was a great NFL coach. No. what we have to litigate everything i'm just saying do you remember that first saving season they were a winning team with a terrible it was you know a fairly unmemorable run he's a college guy but maybe you're right what was that 2004 or something later later than that six because it was drew

breeze's first year in new orleans six and seven all right the dack thing i think is snuck up on a lot of us because before going into i don't know if it was the year before or last season. You weren't quite sure where he fit in in terms of, is he an elite guys? He's stepped below. And now there's just no question. Because a lot of it was like,

oh, well, he's got Ezekiel Elliott. Right. And it felt like that he was, almost Zeke was like the face of the offense at that point. All right. Now, let's get into it. I did some research. It's very busy.

Tuesdays are very busy for tugboat. Tugboat Tuesday. Tugboat Tuesday. Ashtag. Golden Tate didn't know about it. I was disappointed. He just called you Dan the man, right? Oh, Dan the man. Then he's like, hey, Dan. And then I was like, hey, what's up called? He's like, you're not so excited. This is on good morning football. You're not so excited to talk to me, I guess.

I was like, I don't know. I said, hello? What am I supposed to do? It was a weird moment. It made me laugh. I was like, Golden Tade. Oh, my goodness. This was on air. I got to check the job now. Yeah. Yeah. But it's good. He's doing a nice job in the, the Nate chair. You're in the Mark chair. Golden's in the Nate chair Buy cell on extreme starts

You're in the Connie chair I mean she's done enough full shows at this point I'm a utility player Whatever chair you need to throw me in I'm there I mean we can put pressure on you What do you? I don't need to be on the white knight

A horse right now Greg Of course Connie's a part of the show She's the fabric of the show But I was just mentioning that that's Mark's chair Dan how is Greg making you feel today on the show He's hurting me But I was kind of pivoting this to like, we can have a weekly chair here for you on Tuesdays. Oh, that's so nice.

I'm sure she would take us up on that. Yeah, it doesn't have to be like a one-time thing where you're... Well, Connie has another podcast now. On Tuesdays. Well, wait, we record on Tuesdays and it drops on Wednesdays next week coming up, split ends. It's basically odds and ends, just a whole podcast of it. Nice. Yeah.

So you jack the IP of this program for your own. Sure did. That's fine. That happens a lot. think it's smart on NFL media but hey Erica what is this show about like where do you come in are you going to be given a spit and some takes to oh yeah or you just make fun of Colleen during the episode like how do you see it playing out no it's both of us uh we're talking about fun um stories around the league like matt naggie was in a mcdonald's hiring commercial

i mean you can't i mean really yeah see this this is the stuff that you will learn damn yeah talking about the fun stuff around the league and and split ends i have some scoop there it is ice cream that we're going to taste test next week yeah that's fun we did a photo shoot yesterday that was fun do you think Colleen is in it for the long haul you think she's going to be on the show every week or it's going to be one of those things where

she's on the first episode and then the second episode ends up getting delayed two days but it goes up and then all of a sudden weeks you know six and seven she's out of town or something yeah definitely where's your concern level that this is not going to be a regular show? No concern level isn't good we had a good business meeting over coffee yesterday I think

we kind of set our expectations. I think Tamposi is looking at this as a real opportunity to have her own show coming up in the future. Yeah, yeah. The show must go on whether Connie's there or not. All right, check out split ends. When's the first episode going on up? The trailer dropped today. So the feed is live on Spotify, IHeart, Stitcher.

Good. Yeah. I'll check that out. Subscribe, everybody. Let's take a break. Hey, this is Matt Jones. Now I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL Cover Zero.

We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. What's up, everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies,

coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down. the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on game day.

Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Let's get to it. I did my research is what I was trying to say. Even though it's Tugbo Tuesday and I'm very busy, I love that.

I checked in, there are five three and no teams. This is research. There are five, oh, and three teams. Okay. And but it's still week three, Greg. And a lot can change. So maybe we could cherry pick from those teams. And let's start there, Greg.

Let's start with the winless and undefeated teams. Then we can get to the teams that have a winner or two wins. also. But why don't you get us going, Mr. Rosenthal? You want me? I was, see, I was going to pick a non, a non-winless team. But let's start with the Broncos then. Okay.

Because that's kind of what I was kind of leading toward. I knew you'd want to talk about. Well, I just want to hear where you guys are at with them because, look, they've won three games by the score of 76 to 26. Right. That's, you know, if you just heard those stats, you would think. That's awesome. This is the best team in the league.

Right. Point differential. I don't think anyone's. sees them that way, but now that they're going to face kind of the meat of their schedule to get Baltimore this week, I'm curious how you guys kind of think they can move through this season because the injury is really concerned me so far. If you name the players that are out for them, it's a lot of their best players. K.J. Hamler blew out his knee this weekend, and that was a bummer because we know we already lost Jerry Judy and Cortland Sutton, even though

he popped in week two, it's still a guy that's coming back from a serious knee injury. himself. So you're wondering there. But I will tell you this, Greg. So I have the Broncos at 12 in the power ranks, which is kind of like wait and see. You're not really buying. But also, I'm in wait and see mode, but also giving them respect for winning three in a row. It is just, and this wasn't something I did for effect. It's literally the situation that their season, their wins are against the teams that are 30, 31, and 32 in the power rankings. Like, you can't make this stuff up. Historically, this is one of the softest starts to a schedule you've ever seen.

So my issue is not that I don't think they're good, because I think they are. Even though they're beating bad teams, they seem sound on both sides of the ball and well-coached. I just don't know how you can't be in a little bit of a hold mode until you see what they do against their real competitor. And I think the Ravens certainly fit the bill. This is a great game to look forward to in week four. This was going to be my first team that I was going to sell on the show today. How dare you?

Because you look at the quarterbacks that led the teams that they're selling. they beat. Yeah, I am. I am because I love... I'm buying. You know what? I do... I love Teddy Bridgewater, Greg. I want you to know that. I want you to just like... It's fine. He listens to the tone. Nice guy. The defense is very talented as well.

But beating the Giants, Jags, and Jets, who are now combined 0 and 9, that doesn't really inspire a whole lot of confidence. It doesn't light up your Christmas tree, Connie. It does not. That's not what it does. I just want to see them beat teams.

that aren't led by Daniel Jones, Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson. The Ravens absolutely will be a better test for them this week. I like that they have the plus three turnover margin. That's kind of what you get when you have steady-tedy in there. Steady-Teady. But his decision-making in the past, he's almost been overrated for it. Like, he made a lot of mistakes considering he's not like a big playmaker. And he has been on the money.

I do worry, though, Hamler and Judy. I mean, those are your two kind of quickness guys that get open in space. Patrick and Sutton are similar players. They're not going to get that open. They're the guys on the outside. But they have a running game. If Glasgow and Reisner, who are there two guards who got hurt in that game, are coming back. Judy gets back eventually.

Maybe Chubb gives you something. Like, their offense has been really good. I know the matchups have been solid, but, like, they looked like the best offense so far again. the Jets. You know what I mean? They looked like they've been very under control, well coached, and they have a really good one to punch in Giovante Williams and Melvin

Gordon. I think that Teddy is undeniably an upgrade over what they had last year. And I am leaving the door open to see that he's going to actually be closer where you saw him and be a legitimate good quarterback. I don't think he's ever going to win

a Super Bowl. I don't think this is a Super Bowl team, but I am buying in the sense that I do think with this hot start, with the fact that they look so good, I think they can win 10 games. That's where I kind of peg them right now, not a dominant team, but a solid team that might end up eating up one of those wild card spots. I'm just worried about the health of the team.

That's an issue. I mean, Chubb being on IR with the ankle injury and obviously you just have a lot of... Darby was another guy, I didn't mention one of their highest speed players. Yeah. So I'm buying at like a discount. Is that... I mean, 10 wins is going. seven and seven the rest of the way.

And I know it's a tough division and you're going to have to play the Browns, for instance, out of division too. But I'm more optimistic. So you're buying, but you don't feel great about the purchase? Yeah, I feel like buyer's remorse could happen. But I also, I'm not buying it and thinking, oh, I'm going to put this right in the middle of my living room. Now I'm thinking of them as like some type of piece of art or something.

Like a vase. It's like this one, I'm going to actually put this maybe in the guest bedroom on the dresser, you know, the dresser that used to be in my bed. bedroom and then I got a better dresser so I moved to the guest bedroom gets all of the recycled stuff that you kind of just want to like push out of where it is in your house. So I bought like a you know moderate

vase. That's the Broncos to me. All right. What about you Connie? Okay. So I am selling the team, the last team that I saw on Thursday night football. I'm going to sell the Panthers who are three and O. So right up the bat, the two three and O teams that everyone's freaking out about

Connie selling on them both. And it's like a It's a light cell on the Panthers. But I just think that Sam Darnold, yes, he played well. He's played well this season. I liked last week he had the two rushing touchdowns. I'm just really worried about Christian McCaffrey and this offense if he loses significant time. Because when he went down in that game with the hamstring injury in the second quarter,

you could see that Darnold was a little rattled and then he shook it off and was okay. and everyone's thinking, okay, it's just a hamstring. They didn't put him on IR. But honestly, based on what I saw after the game when I was leaving the stadium and I saw Christian McCaffrey and he was on the cart, he was sitting in the front seat with the driver. He had crutches. He had his hood over his head.

And the look on his face, it looked like he was sick. And that made me feel sick for him. So it just to me in that moment looking at him and that's not any inside information or anything else. It's just a gut feeling by looking at his facial expression. It just doesn't seem like it's something he's going to be bouncing right back from. And I think that that will really hurt the offense. I think you're absolutely right. I think the Sam Darnold's experiment in Carolina really hinged in a lot of ways on having CMC be the linchpin. And the fact that

he's not on IR tells you they think they could get him back within three weeks. However, you actually saw Christian on the cart I wasn't even part of the conversation but I overheard a conversation with a prominent retired NFL player at some point in the last 24 hours and I'm trying to guess so hard right now and he was saying like

that's major that's a problem that's a problem because even if McAfrey comes back that's something that sticks with an athlete if you really pop a hamstring badly and to expect him not only to come back but to come back and be the workhorse again his body is probably not going to allow that

and I would imagine a lot of McCaffrey's what made him so upset that night is he missed all of last year and now he has another injury, he's just making a stutter step. So I'm selling with you and I'm curious where you stand Greg on Darnold because we haven't had really a chance to talk about him yet and I know you've been famously kind of out on him

the last couple of years. Sometimes I feel like I can't even provide any real analysis with Donald because it's just it's a little too hot for a Jets fan to try to figure out where things are at right now. I see him and I'm watching him as like he's definitely better than he was in his last

year or two in New York. But I also see a guy that maybe five weeks from now we're going to have a different view of what his season is with the Panthers. Yeah, he hasn't had to do much beyond hit his first read. And he's done that well.

Like he puts it in there. He's been pretty accurate. There was a couple second reaction plays where he had to do something on his own. Generally, if you pressure Darnold at all, he struggles. And their whole often so far has been McCaffrey or DJ more on these option routes. And they're going to have to expand that. That said, I think that's great coaching. Like, they've almost put a clinic on like, week one, we're going to do this.

Then we're going to build it up a little more. Then we're going to build it up a little more. And you look at their schedule, you got the Cowboys this week. That's a tough game and a better defense, but not a defense that scares you. And you got a lot of winnable games until a totally brutal stretch run. Their last four games is at Bills, the Bucks twice, and at the Saints, which is just crazy. But I see a lot of doable games. To me, I think the offense is going to be good enough.

It's whether the defense can be this like otherworldly and whether that's just about the fact that they've played Zach Wilson, James Winston, and Davis Mills. Yes, that's probably a big factor. Like if their defense can stay in the top seven defenses, let's say, all year, then they are for real. I'm just holding because I think they're going to be a story all season. I think they're going to be in the playoff mix and they might get to the playoffs. Playing the Cowboys, though, with that defense and that's your biggest question to see whether or not they're sustainable.

Losing J.C. Horn is a huge, huge blow for that defense. And he'll possibly return later this year, but he's going to have to have surgery. They just traded for C.J. Henderson to try and help. But that's not in the middle of a season. C.J. Anderson has already struggled to adapt. the pro game after being the ninth overall pick. Also kind of interesting that and it's one of those things where summer

football got just laughing you. All that Sam Darnold, Dan Arnold talk and now that's not even the thing anymore because it's not even on the team. But obviously that was a great trade for the Panthers. Yeah, Matt will see something there. I mean that's not a top 10 pick four years ago. That was last spring

the ninth pick in the entire draft was C.J. Henderson, a cornerback that has elite skills. So, maybe a change of environment, that could be a steal. And then if J.C. Horn gets back, whether it's this year or next year, you might have a serious nucleus in that back end. Now, I'm going to buy on a team because we can't just sell on everything. What kind of show is this?

We were doing our around the NFL TV show, the broadcast, with Weish and Claibon on Friday. And they'll be joining us again this week in about, I don't know, Greg. It was about an hour and 40 minutes into the show. And you're like, have we just been relentlessly negative on the team? So I'm going to do something positive and maybe we'll be more positive on the television program Friday as well. I'm buying on these Raiders.

I'm in. I'm buying on the start. It seems sustainable to me. It's been dramatic, of course. Dramatic wins over the Ravens. A dramatic win over the Dolphins. That was a fun, weird game, by the way. The Dolphins score 14.

The Raiders score the next 25. Then the Dolphins score the final 11. Then they trade field goals. and then the Raiders win on that amazing one of the best games of the season. Great game and I'm happy that handsome Hank was there with his son and his son got to slap Dan Marino's hand coming out of the tunnel. Just a great thing.

But anyway, the Raiders are a vibe in that stadium. And now I look at their schedule. So the three and all they got they're crossed the sidewalk here on Sunday. They got the Chargers. That's a tough. Monday night. That's a Monday night. That is a great game.

And imagine they win that game. If they ever got past the Chargers this weekend, it's not crazy that they could beat the Chargers. They then get the Bears at home at Denver, another Tuffy, home Eagles at Giants. So I think there's a very real chance at the midpoint, well, what was the traditional midpoint, but now just about the midpoint of the season.

They're going to be six and two or seven and one even. And that's going to play. That's going to play to the point where in a loaded AFC West, you might actually have a chance to win that division. I'm not getting ahead of myself there because I know what the ratives have done in past years. under John Gruden, but this year feels different. Yay or nay, Greg, I'm buying.

Yeah, I'm buying because I think the defense similar to Dallas is going to be okay enough. And it's been better than that so far. They've won, you know, two kind of crazy close games. So there's some variants there. Derek Carr can't play any better, but I don't think that that should be used as a negative. He's just playing the best that he's ever played. Like he is one of the five best quarterbacks in the league that far, no question about. it. He's someone who's been in the system a long time.

He's got enough weapons. Yeah, this whole division, I'm buying the whole division. I said that last week. I was kind of trying to say, I think all these teams are good. That's possible. You're buying the whole division. I just bought it up. You're buying the AFC West. The Raiders were... West Coast bias.

Yeah, that's true. We are the best... We try to avoid those things. We are the best time zone. I mean, our sports schedules way better. It's pretty good. The weather is better. Yes, West Coast biased. I do.

in your time back east. I love the NFL schedule on the West Coast. It's great. The Raiders were the team that I had the most questions about for this exercise. I couldn't tell if I was buying or selling or what I should do here. And I just have so many questions about them because I wonder if they can consistently outscore better offenses in the league. Their defense, I think, has a couple questions with the linebackers and in the secondary.

Lamar definitely helped them out week. one with the fumbles and Jacopi Percette and the dolphins just took them to overtime. So I don't know what you guys are thinking about the dolphins, but does that maybe give you a little bit of pause, maybe temper any of your expectations after seeing that game? It actually, what it did was remind me how smart the dolphins are for having capable backup quarterbacks because I thought Jake Brisket played really well there in that game. Yeah, I don't think the Raiders are obviously dominant by any stretch on defense,

but they have an identity with that pass rush now. And if they could just, you know, make enough plays, Carr with this offense, they have a chance to do that thing that we talk about. So many teams now in the modern NFL, just play okay defense and then score like hell when you have the ball. And that's what they've been able to do so far, 33, 26, and 31 points in the first three weeks.

Yeah, their offensive line has been a little up and down. They're a totally different team than they were the last few years. They're not a great running team. the offensive line is up and down, but I do think they're getting enough contributors in the defense where I'm like, okay, I see you, Gus Bradley. It's like the race to the middle. Like every, I almost feel like not that defense doesn't matter,

and this was like a hot take on PFF at one point where, you know, they were saying it in an outlandish way. Defense doesn't matter. But there is something to the fact that defense doesn't matter as much as offense. And defense is like number eight through 24 in the NFL. I don't know if there's that big of a. difference. It's just sort of like, can you make a couple plays in a given week?

All right. Before we go around one more time, let's take a break. Ooh. Professional. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL cover zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL

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

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Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we're back. Before we get to any other ones you want to throw out there, I just want to hit these 0 in three teams real quick. Jags, Jets, Giants, Colts, Lions.

On Good Morning Football, they put up a graphic, just, and it tells you the state of Big Apple, as Western New York has nothing to do with this. Northern New Jersey football, the Jets and Giants are tied for the worst record in football since 2017. I believe the number was 17 and 49. It's something like that,

because I saw Garifolo tweet that out. I mean, think about that. But of these teams, Jags, Jets, Giants, Colts, Lions. Obviously, we're selling, I would think, on all these teams, Connie. But can you make a case for one of them digging themselves? out of the grave, clawing out, dirt under the fingernails, they're alive.

Well, I honestly thought that before Sunday, the Giants would be able to win because... Such a bad loss of the Falcons killed them. So bad. And that came after the Thursday night game against Washington that they should have won. And they basically had won that game 17 different ways until they just crushed themselves with penalties, 11 penalties. And obviously that one at the end that was the killer. Well, what about the Falcons, the Dore Jackson?

I think we brought it up on Sunday night. But again, you've got to close out game. So, yeah, you can make a case. Maybe the Giants should be actually 2 and 1. But the problem, Connie, is then you look at their schedule coming up. They're not 2 and 1. They are 0.3. They have no wiggle room.

And now they've got to go to the Superdome, which is going to be on fire. It was literally on fire a couple months ago. Now it's going to be on fire emotionally with the Saints team that's going to want to put on a show back in Nola. Does anybody call it Nola down there? Greg? Yeah, people say no. Nollas. Nollins.

That's going to be a great vibe for the saints and their fans. The Giants are in a lot of trouble. Yeah, the schedule after that game, they're not. They're not winning. What about the cults? And they were, I think they've been the best of all these teams. Like they're 18th in DVOA, the Giants are. It doesn't surprise me because to me they've kind of looked mediocre.

But the Colts would be the one team. Can you buy in on the Colts getting back to 500 and making this a season again? I can, yes, because. of the organization, because they have moved the ball pretty well this year. And more than anything, just like hoping that the Titans don't run away and hide, there are some soft spots in this schedule. You know, you've got the Texans, the Jets, the Jags, you got, you know, Texans twice, jags twice.

Like, you could stack up some wins, but you have to start doing it soon. They've moved the ball fairly well, but like Carson Wentz on injured ankles is just not like an exciting. It's so bad. And I can't even imagine what his mental state is after last season with the Eagles just getting crushed. Ouch. And now I'm playing on two little. It's just like, wow, I didn't realize Philip Rivers' shoes were so big to fill.

But I guess they were. I tried to tell you. Yes, we all, is Phil coming back? Is that still going to happen? There was that little random report at the end of August. They need to be competitive because they also give up a bit. You got a root for Carson Wentz to say healthy as an Eagles. Oh, I know.

you get a better draft. No chance. I really think there will be a controversy at some point, yeah, that if they're like two and seven, they're like, oh, yeah, we've got to sit once down and get them 100% healthy. That can absolutely. That's a first round pick on the line, and that's a good call, Greg. They will absolutely do that. That's like a karma thing for Philly pulling its starters against the Giants or against Washington for the giants to lose the division.

Especially, and it's so telling because you just saw CJ Henderson get traded as a number nine overall pick. I know Urban Meyer, before Urban Meyer was hired, there was no such thing as the Jaguars to Urban Meyer. So there's no sense to try to work with a guy that talented. But in general, once you start to get, the calendar turns over to December. And then, of course, through the early stage of the off season, it's crazy how draft obsessed these organizations are and how draft pick obsessed they are. And when the cults, if they internally turn the page to 2022, they're going to freak out about that pick. And they're going to say, there's no way we're giving that thing up to ride out the string with Carson. Right. He has to miss four or five games, which might happen naturally.

Right. They might not have to do anything. Ooh, messy divorce because he's going to want to play. Oh, okay. Okay. My comeback player of the year prediction, not looking high. Oh, no. Greg, do you want to throw out either a two-and-one team or a one-and-two team that has been extreme to you in their own way?

Yeah, well, the most extreme team in the league to me is the Saints in terms of just being up and down. I'm buying them at two and one. Marshawn Latimore, I think, could have an all-pro cornerback seat. season. Him missing week two was a big part of them struggling so much in Carolina. Chauncey Gardner Johnson, too, missed that game. When they were back on the field and Dennis Allen has that front kind of cooking, they still have the bones of a really well-coached, I think difference-making defense. There's only some defenses that matter around the NFL. I think they're one of them. And I think as the season goes along, they will figure out something with this

offense. Assuming Taran Armstead comes back at left tackle, which they should get them back at some point. The offensive line is really good. And I just think if you look at the Saints history, they often close much stronger that by the time we get to mid-November, that they can figure some things out offensively. They can stay alive in the meantime. And they have been through a lot this year. And I think they should come out of that stronger than ever. And they're going to be in New Orleans this week. I know the team is just so excited to get back home. I'm sure. I know mulligans don't count in our league, but if you want to give them the mulligan for week two, and they had COVID issues and injury issues, and they're like five weeks into

their road trip. They've got like a, they've got like the cafeteria worker coaching up the defensive line because they don't have anyone else around. If there was any time to give a mulligan, even if you can't do it in the standings, it's that. So if you take out week two, awesome week one against the pack, really strong week three against the pats in new England, and I know that pets aren't the same anymore, but still, that was a really good effort. Yeah, I'm buying too. I think that, I think. And they might not be that watchable or fun.

I mean, their, their, their passing game is, is a tough business. Well, I'm buying Sean Payton. I'm buying his defense. I'm buying a defense for sure. But I'm not, I'm still not buying James. No, unless you could build a quarterback. He's sinking like a rock in the QB index. I was going to say, unless you can, in 2021, build a quarterback-proof team, that's probably going to

bang him in the end, which is why I have the Vikings is the one a two extreme team that I'm into, because I just think, again, you don't get anything for coming close, but they could easily be three and oh right now with a little bit luck in execution. And they were, Connie, they, they were brilliant on offense against the Seahawks, shredding them in every direction without Dalvin Cook. And Mike Zimmer said after the game, it was the best offensive game he's ever been a part of as a Vikings coach. I like the Vikings going into the season.

I picked them to make the playoffs over the Saints. and I think they are a better team and I just want to give a shout out to the Vikings fans. I think we kind of sleep on the U.S. Bank Stadium as in the conversation of Best Home Field of Antica. Oh, I love that stadium.

And I'm sure you've been in there on Thursday nights when the place is on fire and I'm not just talking about the horn, although the horn was just going on constantly throughout that game. 28 first downs. There's a lot of horn. Rolling up, it was a horn fest.

I almost said something else. But like it is a team. that I think is going to build off that week three performance and they will be in position like eight and five as they enter December. I feel that about the Vikings and buying. I was really impressed with Alexander

Madison too. I mean, coming in 26 for 112. I mean, he just felt like he kept ripping off these runs that were pretty long, just breaking off there. I just think that that team is a little spicy and especially

out of his mind. Right. I know. No, and that's the thing because I don't, I keep being like, well, I don't buy it into Kirk Cousins. But then I watch it. I'm like, I don't know. Kirk Cousins is like not that bad right now. And I loved the quote that he had this week. I think it was this week when he was saying that Kyle Shanahan told him that his swag is having no swag. And I was like, oh my God, that's the most accurate thing I've ever seen.

That's great. Is Cousins in that cube that he talked about in the summer? The Plexiglass, I won't get the shot. I won't get the jab cube to stay healthy because he can, he obviously is vulnerable because he's not vaccinated, but so far, so good. This is what Adam Thielen said. It's been a different Kirk. He's just locked in and on time.

He's trusting it. So, I mean, that's sometimes a narrative. You know, he's different now. It was just playing really well, but he has. He's throwing up some, he's got some passes that I don't think he would in the past. Like that completion to KJ Osborne last week on the late third down, that's a ball that I feel like cousins eats to be a little safer, you know, but instead he did a little Kyle or Murray imitation backpedaling and throwing it.

And he's made some plays on the run. You do have a Thursday night game. Are you going all season to every stadium? Except for the London games. They're going to be hosting. Why not? The Steelers, week 14, is Kirk Cousins, like, would he be a good guy on the podium? Well, you got to be worried.

On the podium before. And it was awkward. I remember that. Yeah, because it was not your fault. Yeah, they were having issues. I forgot about that. But that's against the Steelers. Like, yeah, you don't, you know, you want.

want to be careful with Kirk, but maybe he'll bring the cube. Make them go in the cube and lower them from the ceiling. Make jokes about that. I'm sure it'll go great. I think for some of the weeks, every team is different. So sometimes we'll have a player up with us on like the dais. Other times we'll have a player just like throwing headphones on from across the field. So maybe that's a current situation.

Sometimes you'll have Sam Darnold and he'll just be like, this crowd is great. Oh my God. I was like, please. It was even worse. It was like, that was my favorite. We're going to get to Thursday at Football. But since you brought it up, Darnold, you guys, you have them on the day. It's an exciting time.

The Panthers are 3 and O. It's a home game. You got, you know, what, 200? It wasn't a home game. It was just, those Panthers. There was a ton of Panthers. You have, like, what, 200, 300, 300 fans, like, right by the set. And you guys, T.M.

You said, Sam, look at this. They're all here for you and celebrating with you. And then the camera's on Sam. And he goes, it's awesome. Well, I was. But then, and then there's a, like a three second pause from you. Steve and the gang. And you guys are waiting for Sam

to give you something else. And it just never came. And then I don't know who it was, but there was like a chuckle. And then I was like, okay, well, you're just not going to get it. I wasn't even going to ask him about that.

But I couldn't ignore it because as soon as we started, the Panthers fans were just going wild for Sam Darnold. And I was like, this is a weird kind of thing to get used to. And there were so many of them in Houston. So I had to ask them.

And I thought for sure that, this is his opportunity to be like, here, let's talk about the fans, let's say how great they are, that they came out tonight, blah, blah, blah. I don't know. No one had a worst start to their career in terms of just getting beat up physically, mentally, emotionally being taken advantage of by a bad coaching. Sam Darnold, it was a nightmare. This was his moment to shine on prime time.

And when he finally threw it to him and he had his chance to get it all out there, awesome. He just seems like he's a guy that's really tightly whelmed. and I think that he went through a lot of trauma. Yeah, it's like in the America, what was the South Park guy's movie? America number one force or whatever it was. And they have the Matt Damon guy and it's just like, I'm Matt Damon. That's darned.

Maybe by the end of the year. If they keep winning, he'll loosen up as a game. It's really awesome. Maybe. I think he's just afraid to say the wrong thing. He's coached up well. He's a good guy. I said that after he got traded.

Like, he deserves this because he went through hell. We're off track. Do you have one before we move on? Do you have another one? We already covered all of the ones that I had, like, prepared. Good talk. I don't, if that comes off being mean. Broncos, Panthers, Raiders.

If that comes off being mean to Sam Darnold, first of all, calm down, relax. We're just having fun here. Or me being bitter about Sam Darno. There's Mark. it's just kind of funny to me because New York tried to get stuff out of Sam for years too. Colleen now has tried

one day. Get something out of Sam. It's going to happen. And the reason Panthers fans are so excited is because they don't have to watch Teddy Bridgewater anymore. Wow. I mean, they're both undefeated.

That's true. We'll see. We'll see who finished it. Also, both former jets. I mean, it's just like a stew of pain and agony for the jets. Everybody that's ever been a quarterback, Bryce Petty's somewhere 3-0 right now, I'm sure. All right, before we go, Thursday night football. I keep on forgetting.

I want to get the Priyanka song to get us ready. I know you love it in my city. Oh, that's good. I married a Jonas guy. That's exactly how it goes. It's because of my identity. Is this it? You have it?

I'm married a Jonas. My name is Jonas. Best Weezer song, Greg. I don't know. The first song on the first album. My name is Jonas. Yeah. No, that's not at the...

That is. Yeah, this is... Oh, yeah. I know you got your own way. It's fantastic. I know there's a place like home. But I know you're going to like it in my city. And this is where, like, they would, like, show her superimposed.

It was in front of, like, in Cincinnati, in front of Skyline Chili. You know, it'd be like, suddenly Priyanka's wearing a Bengals jersey in front of Skyline Chittily. It was great. It was, I mean, the top of the line special effects graphics package in 2012. The best, like, digital city you could have behind an Indian pop star, it was wonderful. But it didn't take off the way we wanted to. We liked that song, though. I liked it.

Yeah, it was a whole thing on our podcast back in two. 2012. We had a podcast in, or no, 2013. That's before I started working here. We had a producer then who later stole our Stitcher award, but at this point, it was like, hey, I think we got Priyanka on the books. She's going to come in and do the show. And she's like, gosh, she's like one of the biggest stars in the world. That sounds pretty good. It didn't materialize. Yeah, I don't know what happened.

We had, we had Prank on the hook, we were told. You don't still think about it, though, right? Never. Never think about it. All right. Let's get to it Thursday night football. And on the surface, listen, Connie, you can't say it. I can. Feels like another dud for the fans.

Oh, who wants to watch the Cincinnati Bengals in the Jacksonville, the Jaguars in prime time? But here's the thing. I'll sell it this way. And I don't have to sell it too hard. Yeah, the Jaguars are a mess and they're winless. But you got a chance to see Trevor Lawrence in his first primetime game. And Trevor's been obviously up and down, but come on, he's Trevor Lawrence.

This is going to be fun to watch him develop. And the other side, it's in Cincinnati. they're two and one and there's some genuine good vibes around this team when you look at their schedule they have a chance here to get on a little bit of a run

and it starts with whipping up on a winless Jags team it could be a celebration Cincinnati and I love the idea Connie of Burrow obviously slam don't get him up on the dais if they win and maybe Jamar Chase's buddy at LSU and you could tell that you'd get more

than it's awesome if you get those two guys together there's no question You might be got a cigar up there. Connie's beaming right now, just thinking about it. I know. Well, now that you say it that way, I'm very excited. First, I was like, you know, it's a jungle cat game. Okay, cool.

We got the Jags and the Bengals. But I'm excited to see Joe Burrow. I think that he's played really well. Also, last week he had the luxury of not having to face T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, so he was able to connect with Jamar Chase a bunch. And those two have looked really good. Their connection, it's really carried a. over from college. Jamar Chase's four touchdowns and 220 yards on just 11 catches so far this

season. So I saw from NFL research that Chase has become the youngest player in NFL history with four plus receiving touchdowns in his team's first three games, passing Randy Moss. So he's been outstanding. And I really love the trio of wide receivers that they have there. I know T. Higgins didn't play on Sunday because of the shoulder injury. And I'm not sure what the short week means for him could be a little dicey if he goes or not. but Tyler Boyd, he's sassy, and I like it. He's talking some trash. I like what he had to say about the Steelers just giving up at the end of the game.

I love that. I think I know what he was talking. Or at least I thought, was he talking about Tomlin kicking a field goal with eight minutes left? Because that felt like giving up to me. Oh, after the, I think it was because it was a 15 play, like, nine minute drive. And they're like, we can't not score here. This is embarrassing. We have to just kick the field goal to save a.

our face. Save my face. And going up against this Jaguars defense, I think that all of the opposing quarterbacks have diced them up so far. So Joe Burrow, I don't think, will be any different. I am also really excited about the Bengals defense, too, who look really improved from last year. Right.

That's been their story. Looking at DVOA, I'm guessing they've got to be in the top five defensively. They are fourth on defense right now, 25th on offense. So the first couple games, the offense, was starting to come together. But this is why I just remind me last next preseason again. It's just like none of this stuff matters. It's like even early in the season, I was overreacting a little bit to Burrow. But the first play of last week's game against Pittsburgh, he escaped from the pocket in a really great way.

Like legitimately upset about this thing. What? Talking about the preseason letting you down. Well, and just that we talk about these topics and Jamar Chase can't catch it and Burroughs not confident and I didn't think Burrow looked confident in his knee the first couple weeks but okay, that makes sense. And then last week you could see it on the very first play

he escapes multiple pass rushers. He starts doing kind of the running around Joe Burrow thing and you could see after that play he was so confident he cut on that knee multiple times and he looked like Joe Burrow and he started hitting players outside the numbers And on that touchdown to Chase, look, he hasn't completed many deep throws this year, even with that one. But you saw that last, like, five yards of the route where Chase just goes, wham! And it was just like, okay, that doesn't show up on the 40 time with Jamar Chase, but you could see it right there.

And those two guys had incredible games. That was one of the best games of Joe Burroughs career, including the rookie years. You still probably should have taken the tackle. but if this is going to be, if this is going to be what it is and they really have something here, they didn't blow it and that's something to celebrate

and just don't mess this up, Angles. You're going to have 75,000 West Cincinnatians and Midwesterners there. Do not, do not blow this. And you know who else is going to be there? Courtesy of definitely not huge.

The tiny box. She hooks up Wessling Brothers. The place is going to be filthy. It's going to be lousy with Wessling Brothers. on Thursday night in Cincinnati. We got three officially coming in. Wow. And one of them is Tim Wessling,

and it's his turn to share the Wessling Brothers' lock of the week. And I think you know where this is going. Hey, around the NFL podcast. This is Tim Wessling. This is Chris Wessling's brother. You know him best as Wes. Got it.

It's my turn to pick this week. So I'm going to the Thursday night game in Cincinnati. It's going to be Jacksonville versus Cincinnati. Sure. I'm a little biased, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing Trevor Lawrence play, but much more I'm interested in seeing Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase Dominant, which they will do again this. Boom.

In that case, I'm going to go with the Cincinnati Bengals. Mm. And I'm locking it up. I mean, was that the greatest thing ever? They all have their own. Nick sounds a lot like Chris, which will freak you out if it catches you the wrong day. But Tim doesn't sound like anybody else in the world and Phil as well. Phil has like a little bit of Wes.

I can hear when he talks. I feel like we're on a Wessling World Tour this season and I'm loving it. I am loving it so much. I won't point out this is actually seven and a half points in the desert. It is over our look in the mirror thing. But it's a Cincinnati home game. You're doing rules on this? He's very weird with this game in general.

But you have to, let's give them a little accident forgiveness because they did lock up against the defending champion bucks. Wouldn't lost, you know, nine months. We'll give it to them. I mean, when you can lock up the worst team in football by far on the road on a three-day week, stop. You try to do it. They're all listening right now.

So just know in the future, check out what the desert's saying and try to keep it underneath seven points. Guess who else is going to be at the game with the Wesse's? Lecisha. Oh, that's right. party in Cincinnati. You get loose. Well, after, after work.

How loose we get, and are you getting wild? When do you get on a plane to come back? Well, I have to fly to Philly first, and I'm doing the Saturday show from NFL films. But you have a chance to go out after the game and have a little fun. A little bit, yeah, it's usually a late, like, we don't get done until like midnight or so. But yeah, it'll be fun. I want to see Trevor Lawrence, like, play better. I'm a little worried because this Bengals defense, as you mentioned, is playing really well.

I don't know if a Wuzier, who's played really good at corner. cornerback is going to be in for them. Suddenly, they're on their, like, third and fourth corners. Eli Apple played, like, 80 snaps. So in theory, maybe you could attack them. Trey Hendrickson's been great for Cincinnati up front. But Trevor Lawrence, it's looked rough. It's been tough.

And everyone, understandably, saying, you know, it's going to be fine. He had, like, the touchdown throw to Chark last week. That was an amazing throw. He has one or two of those every week. But. DJ Reader also has been really good. I don't think he gets enough love either. But, like, Lauren, yeah, but Lawrence, it is worth pointing out.

I wouldn't expect this to suddenly get great this season. You know, this three-game stretch is worse than any three-game stretch of some pretty good rookie quarterback season. So I think he'll get there eventually, but it doesn't seem like the scheme is helping him out much. And he's just really late with everything. I'm going to push back on that a little bit. I think the fact that you're pointing out correctly that he's had a few wow throws every week means it's better than a different situation where he's not giving you anything like I've seen from the number. two pick, Zach Wilson the last couple of weeks. I think Wilson's played better than Trevor Lawrence over.

All right. Well, okay, I see what you're saying. If I had to pick one. I think also Trevor, he might be dealing, his expectations are a little inflated, but that's part of the deal when you're the number one pick. And people say you're the best prospects since Andrew Luck. So I don't know. It's almost like I'm in a wait and see mode by Trevor Lawrence.

And I would love to see him play well in this game because that would, that's some juice. You could have Trevor Lawrence on the dais too. That's true. That would be interesting as well. Well, I think this is a good setup. Did you get, and we check in every week on this, any ATN Easter eggs into the telecast last week? Of course I did. If you guys are going to give me a challenge like that, I'm going to deliver.

I got Snow Patrol in. I got Let It Snow. Did you get 12 inches of snow in there? I didn't. All right. That was maybe a bridge too far. I don't know if it's taking off. Oh my gosh.

I asked the McDonald about it. Wait, I totally forgot to tell you guys. Oh. So after the interview ended and we went to break. Sam Darnold was getting off the stage. And I was like, oh, hey, wait, wait, wait, real quick. Just a quick question, is anyone in the locker room calling, referring to the defense at all

as like either Snow Patrol or, you know, like saying let it snow? And he's looking at me like I am insane, which I am at this point. And he was like, no, no, I haven't. This random, like, Irish rock band from the mid-a-a-a-t's. I haven't heard of Snow Patrol. He was like, no, that started two days. ago on that podcast you were on with no other context.

Hasn't reached the locker yet, but we're trying to make it out. Everyone has tried to make it a thing wherever Phil Snow has been. So I didn't realize this at Temple they were doing it. At Baylor, they were doing it. And like the local radio station there in town has been trying to do it. For some reason, and

Darnold's only like 24 and Snow Patrol hasn't had a hit for a while. But I guess I'm really curious, has Sam Darnold ever heard chasing cars? Has he ever heard? a snow patrol song. They got some bears. I love them.

By the way, Greg. What do we do this week, though? Is there a challenge for this week? Okay, what do we got? So, Jags and Bengals, or if you want to, if you want to tweet it later, we can get it on the record that way. What about you, Greg? Got anything? We're going to give you something to try to, and also listeners will make this a challenge.

Why don't we call it the TN, the A-TNF challenge? That's a little bulky for a hashtag. Nothing too crazy, though, because then it's going to. It's going to be tough to get it. I got flying camel spin in last week for Steve Weich and Stacey Dales. And that might have been... So you're just doing this for everybody. Now we don't feel so special.

No, no, no. That was just a one week thing with them. You, I will always be true to. This is my jam. Let me think on it. And we'll see what we can do. And Ricky, if we can get things into the show, please pull it for Connie's next appearance on Tuesday.

And Connie, thank you for, you know, stepping in. Of course. You're a queen. Greg, the top five, I was a little distracted. at one point at the end of our last segment because I was coming up with the top five Weezer songs. Number one, the good life off Pinkerton. Number two, Island in the Sun. That's my favorite. Off the green album. Number three, El Scorcho, also off Pinkerton. Number two, my name is Jonas. That is track one on the blue album. And the greatest weaser song is say it ain't so. Don't

overthink it. Don't overthink it. It's a functionally perfect, perfect song. I'm sort of partial to undone the sweater song just because I remember, like, when the video came out, it was like the album still hadn't come out. And it just blew my mind. I was like, what is this thing? What is this? And me and my friend Phil went and bought the album like three weeks later.

And that wasn't even the Happy Days video. That was like before, yeah, that was before, you know, videos were coming out, singles were coming out before albums. That was an incredible song that I completely just erased from my memory. scene was deleted there, but I'm with you. I like this. How does this get deleted from your memory? How does that happen? It's just, I have no control over it. They just, they're just gone. So here one day, gone the next. All right. Good stuff. Should we give any update on our London journey that we have a sold-out show, as people know?

And everybody's upset because we keep on putting these shows on sale in the middle of the night in England and then they're sold-out minutes, which is awesome. But, you know, we get it. We're efforting for a second show. We're not sure if we're going to. to have it but we're working on it and if we do we will promise you again another team america callback i promise i will never die we promise you that we'll give you a heads up when tickets go on sale right we'll put it at a specific time it won't be in the middle of the night and that then it'll be fair for all but even that will be you know fair for all and then a free for all i'm so bummed i can't come with you guys we're going to have so many mojo moments i know let me know about them just text me every five seconds great all right good and the split ends podcast is coming

that's right another plug for you because you are thank you appreciate it just a wonderful woman thank you what do you want i just want you to be my producer until i die i want i want to be 90 years old and be really bad at talking football and and you're stuck a promise that you gave me in 2021 that you would never leave me yeah it's got really dark why i'm not going to The better my podcast does, you know, it doesn't mean I'm leaving. Oh, no, it does mean that. Look at you. You're already trying to get out.

If split ends has any success, there will be a Greg. There's going to be a conversation with a shadow league figure. It's like, I just don't have time to be doing the producing thing anymore because I'm such a hit. I mean, this is like a three-year-old story that her wanting to get out. So, yeah. That's not true. You're spinning false narrative, Greg. All right.

And Ricky's going to be with us in London, too. Love it. All right. Let's go. Okay. Next time you hear from us, Thursday, the preview show, Thursday night, the TNF recap with me and someone to be determined later. Until then, he the call. This is an I-Heart podcast.