NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Roster Cuts + 2022 Season Predictions: Awards, Playoffs and Super Bowl Winners (with Steve Wyche)

Episode Date: August 31, 2022

A room filled with some heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Gregg Rosenthal and Steve Wyche bring you all the latest news around the league after a whirlwind of transactions on Tuesday and Wednesday: the 49ers restructured Jimmy Garappolo’s contract (6:07), Tre’Davious White will start the season on PUP for the Bills (14:30), the Saints traded Chauncey Gardner-Johnson to the Eagles (16:41), Malik Willis has won the Titans QB2 job (19:38), the Lions have released David Blough (24:35), and we wrap up the rest of the news with some 8 o'clock delight (28:12). After the break, the heroes predict the winners for MVP (33:41), Offensive Player of the Year (36:04), Defensive Player of the Year (37:25), Offensive Rookie of the Year (38:34), Defensive Rookie of the Year (40:29), Comeback Player of the Year (42:08), and Coach of the Year (44:46). Then, the heroes predict the AFC Division Winners (47:21) and Wild Card teams (48:15), NFC Division Winners (50:35) and Wild Card teams (51:30), and of course, the Super Bowl matchup and winner (53:45). Next, the gang runs through a few sleeper teams who could surprise us this season (59:06), and we close the show with a very special treat from a few talented listeners (1:02:18). Note: timecodes approximate.NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast. Destroyes Families on the tennis court. From the Chris Wessling podcast studio, it's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansis. I got heroes. I always do, but this one's, this is special.

Mark Sessler, Greg Rosenthal, already out of his chair, pen drop in his fancy, shiny Japanese suit. And to my right, he is the conscience of NFL Network. He is the great Steve Weish. What's up, buddy? I love when you say that because I'm like, you know, there's a bad conscience and a good conscience.

You give me a lot of latitude. You know what I think. You're the guiding light of editorial matters, and you're an important figure at the company, and we're happy to have you back. It's been too long. It has been too long. I'm glad to be here.

I love the conversations that we have because you guys are so brilliant, man. This is good stuff. Well, that's strong. Wow, that's smart. Trust me, you guys... No, man, look, when I listen to your podcast, I mean, you guys, some of the ways you guys approach things

are so unique, man. And I think that's why this podcast is so good. Do you have a favorite among the three of us? Why do you always go there? What? I'm curious to know to find out. He needs it. Yes.

Yeah. Be honest. I'll just say yes. Whoa. It always does feel good to have Steven because it's, I feel like having Steven, it's like, it's validating. It's like, we are really part of this company.

You say he's the content. The context of the NFL. He's like the centerpiece here. And so if he's on our show, it's like we're legit. Why are you wearing your suit jacket right now, Greg? Because we did NFL. It's a bit of a weird move. It's not.

We did NFL now. I did NFL now today right before the show. And then I ate lunch. There was no more time. He took off the jacket. The guiding light of NFL Network. He took off the, I don't think this shirt can like carry it on its own. It's just a basic bad shirt.

It's a nice suit, Greg. Okay, quarterback. We've got to go up tempo here. Steve, by the way, in addition to being all over NFL Network, you will be on the call for the HBCU Football Hall of Fame Classic on NFL Network on Sunday, 4 p.m. Eastern. Winston-Salem State University versus Central State, the Marauders. Marauders, Division II Action.

With Bucky, right? With Bucky. Charles Davis. And Cameron, it will be the third edition of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic. I think the first time where it's featured two Division, two schools. So, and one of them being the local schools, Central State of Ohio, one of the few HBCUs north of the Mason-Dixon line.

So it'll be good. You know, two programs trying to get back footing after, you know, having some great years in the past, Central State giving us guys like Hugh Douglas and Eric Williams and Winston-Salem giving us a Mark Sessler favorite, Yancey Thigpen back in the day. Yeah. I don't know if he was in my world. I mean, so you're doing play-by-play. You've been crying. You're living out Mark Streams. He wanted to be Bob Costas as a kid, and now you are there.

I did. I wanted to be Jack Buck. Growing up in St. Louis, I wanted to be Jack Buck. And so I really got into this. All right. so check that out we got a good show today great show perhaps i mean we don't know it could suck no t bd yeah we'll find out in like 50 minutes uh we're going to do our season predictions now that's fun you know you know that's fish in a barrel that's fun because football is almost here

the preseason get out of my life he gone here comes regular season football a week from tomorrow bills rams across the street and then a full slate of sunday action and Monday Night Football. How exciting. So we're going to do our predictions for the new season. But before that, let's get caught up

on a bunch of news as cut downs. Go down. It's time for your boy. Joining some heroes. Steve Rush. Yeah, we know he is to come on. Steve Rush.

Whoa. He's here to drop some knives. Steve Rush. On the ATN podcast. Steve Rush. Steve Weish. I love it. That was hot.

That was kind of like a little bit of, you know, movie theme with techno. Right. Well, now that people should know long time. And who was that, by the way? Rory McGregor. Thank you. Right on, Rory. Longtime listeners, you may remember when Steve was on the show.

I don't know. During Corona. During Corona, 18 months. I said, hey, give us some Steve Weiss song submission. And then we kind of sat on it. And Steve wasn't on the show for a while. It was on the network show, but not on the podcast. But guess what?

The inbox was filled with gold. Thanks, Rory. So we'll give you a little more taste of some submissions. Oh, my goodness. Yes. That one came on May 30th, 2021. Okay. How about that?

Play another one. Play one more before we get to this. Here we go. Out on the beat in Atlanta. In Atlanta. He makes for money Then all you boys come back Who's that man with a silver hay?

Is this your wife? It's Steve. I want that in the rotation. I'll do respect to Rory. That's my leader in the clubhouse. That was the way. With D.B. in Jamaica, you know, a lot of reggae music. That's what I mean.

That's what I have a wife is. The silver hair, it was to the point. And I think we, I don't know about the salary thing. Not sure who was on the vocals there, but submitted by Jonathan Verbetten. All right. So we did. I remember there were some guardrails. Get in that Steve's the conscience.

Get in that he's a man to be respected. Give it a little reggae flare, I remember, was in there. If I recall. Anyway, we'll hear some more at the end of the show. But let's get to the news. See, the listeners, they never let us know. And Rory gets 10,000 American dollars for that, for winning that. contest too from you i thought that was very generous i'll pay him directly from uh from my savings account

let's start with some news that went down on monday that the forty nineers and jimmy gropolo almost impossibly are staying in business together uh ian rapp report reported that the niders restructured gropolo's deal he'll be a free agent at the end of the season so there's some reporting out there that gropolo was you know shrewd in how he timed his shoulder surgery and we can get into that, but let's first hear, is this, who is this from? We're talking Kyle Shanahan. This is John Lynch. John Lynch, the general manager of the 49ers.

Kyle and I just started floating the idea, probably a month ago. You know, what if we kept them here in a backup capacity? And, you know, at some point we shared that with Jimmy. It was important for Kyle to let Trey know that, you know, that may be a possibility. Mm, saucy. So, Steve, A, are you surprised? How surprised were you by this? And B, how much pressure do you think this puts on a young Trey Lance that Jimmy G's going to be in this building?

I was surprised by this because, I mean, I know they wanted to trade him. I mean, they already had made up their minds that they're moving on to Trey Lance. But then, of course, the shoulder surgery came, really took him off the market. Jimmy would have been gone months ago if he didn't have that shoulder surgery. So you get to this point, I'm thinking he's going to be cut. Right. Let's go ahead and cut out. So the fact that they did this, they made it a tradable contract.

Now, the fact they gave Jimmy a no trade clause is very intriguing. to me. But basically he's saying, you know, hey, if a guy gets hurt down and, you know, some non-competitive team, I don't want to go there. But I think this is more for a tradable contract if something happens if there's a, there's an injury a little bit later on. They do have the luxury, and I will call it that, of having him as a backup quarterback, but yes, this could be potentially awkward.

No matter what we say about, hey, they're sticking with Trey, they're sticking with Trey, Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the most liked guys in the NFL by his teammates, by people in the building. You said on NFL now that he was one of the best humans he's ever covered in your life. He is a he is a fantastic dude. I love the guy, right? He has that effect on everyone though. He treats everybody like, you know, they're special. Like, hey, really happy to see. He would come in here and say, Greg, that's that sport you have on is A1. He'd be right. He would be right. Is that fabric Japanese? It gives me those eyes and forget it. It's over right. Beautiful. But I mean, just the fact of Trey line.

He's going to have growing pains. The guy has two starts, right? He's going to have growing pains. There will be calls for the media if they hit a two or three game losing streak. Should we go ahead and make the move. This could cost him the season if Kyle waits, you know, with his stubbornness. Kyle has got to stick with, and I think this is a legitimate comparison, same club. He has got to stick with Trey Lance the way that Jim Harbaugh stuck with Colin Kaepernick when they moved on from Alex Smith.

Remember Alex Smith got hurt, Cap stepped in, Alex Smith came back healthy, and Harbaugh was like, we are riding with Kaepernick and they wrote him deep into the playoffs. Yeah, but Cap balled out. And I mean... Well, who's the straight tree of lance won't? I mean, that's the thing. I think it's a no-brainer if he balls out.

But if he struggles and he goes through some kind of a roller coaster of what's really his rookie season. He loses three straight games at any point, like you said. And Jimmy J. sitting on the bench, it's going to become a big story at the very least. It has to. It's a very unique situation.

We have not seen this happen very much. I mean, it's the same thing where, you know, Andy Reid went with Mahomes over. Alex Smith and Mahomes had growing pains, right? He's got to stay committed to this. Otherwise, it could become awkward especially. Remember, guys, George Kittle would come to press conference with a Jimmy G on a t-shirt. When the players in that locker room know, this guy's not a bad player, he knows what we're doing.

Well, he's so popular and it's so part of the culture there that they were afraid to let him practice with his own teammates. The process to get here was totally bizarre. They either misunderstood his market or misled the media at various points or just didn't know how this was going to play out and were surprised by it all. But I can't come up with another example in NFL history where a guy was not allowed to have the playbook or play with his friends. They said, go to another field. You can't play with your friends over here. Go over there. You can't really practice with us.

Oh, we're going to keep you in bubble wrap. So they didn't expect any of this. And that's all awkward. And then I say all that just to get to the point that, like, well, this makes them better. It totally makes sense from a football system. I don't think you should act scared and be worried that it's, like, putting more pressure. The media is going to talk about it. Like, it does make you better.

I can't think of a coach. It was up to Jimmy G, right? I can't think of a coach that cares less what the media thinks about the whole journey to get here. Well, Kyle Shanahan, just to me, he's going to go do what he wants. And Trey Lance has thrown 389 passes since high school. And the Niners, over the last five years of Shanahan, Rand's reign have lost 30 starts to quarterback injuries. And that just wrecked them a couple of those seasons.

They weren't the team they were. This is a win now team. And I think the idea of going into the season with a green behind, like a wet behind the ears, Trey Lance, you don't know what he's going to be to Dan's point. He could be great. But if he's not, they have a great security. This is a win now team. They don't have time to spend three years developing a quarterback.

They think they're a Super Bowl team. And I think this for them is the best possible solution if it's not too awkward for feel like good news for the 49ers and their fans and maybe not such good news for Trey Lance. But if he's a real deal guy, he won't crumble from this. It will just drive him even more to kick out. And he said he was happy that Jimmy G was there, that he loves having Jimmy G there. That was one part of it where actually I believe that, that if they have that strong a relationship and Jimmy G's been a great teammate to him, and from what you said, that's the type of duty is,

I don't think that's going to bother Trey Lance. It's just going to bother him if he's struggling. It was ultimately up to Jimmy G. Jimmy G could have just said, no. I'd rather go elsewhere. But he kind of probably realized that this was his best chance for success and money. They made it very difficult for him to make his fair value because they held on to him this whole time. Well, that contract changes if he starts.

It goes up a lot. It goes up. And again, it makes it tradable. It makes it a tradable contract. Let's say Kurt Cousins gets hurt up in Minnesota. Okay. They can trade for it. for him. Right. He can go there and get things rolling right away. But also to your point, Mark,

when you talked about they've had all these games lost to quarterback injury, who's been the quarterback who's been injured most of that time? Jimmy Garoppola. Right. Okay, the durability issues. John Lynch came out before they made the trade for Tray Lansing. We have got to get a very good backup quarterback because we know Jimmy Grasel. They gave Nate Sedfeld two million dollars guaranteed. He didn't even make the team. Yeah, because they knew that Jimmy Graspo. Yeah, was so injury prone. So that's why they're like, we cannot keep. We cannot keep. on rolling a dice and getting Jimmy for 11 out of 17 years. And one last point.

If you think if you're a team that has to get a quarterback on the fly, we already have proof that Jimmy G could hit the ground running. He went 5 and 0, I believe, when he got traded from New England to San Francisco. I will tell you one thing to your point, Steve, about that's not how final points work as we transition. I can think of people on the show that add final points on final points, probably 40 times a show. So I will just say that Wes and I one time at the scouting combine ended up, like, seeing Jimmy Garoppolo at the airport and we recognized him when I think back then a lot of

people wouldn't but you're just spending all week watching him I guess it's part of our job but like he could not have been nicer a wonderful dude and then we saw him back in L.A. when we got off the airport he's like what are you two still doing hanging around? It's like he could I just was like I like this guy from the start you're like that's how planes work like if

you're on the front end you're going to be getting off the back of it we were on the same flight as you sir. It's a good anecdote what I liked it. I'm not saying it was a killer anecdote but it backs up what Steve said that he, right of the way, he struck me as a nice human being. Wonderful guy. I wish you would actually, your anecdote

was countering what Steve said and like he was like a prick deal with airport. That would have been great. I would add that Wes and I, on that plane, we don't need to go a lot deeper, might not have been the most easy people. Yes. So if anything, he was very accepting of our presence. They came back to

hot water. The newsroom was hot for these two. That's as far as we'll go. That was an oral history waiting to happen that flight for you boys. Okay. Let's just say we were not the conscience of the NFL. All right. Let's move on. Tradavius White, one of the best cornerbacks in the AFC. He's been placed on the reserve pup list by the bills, which means the soonest he can come back is week five against the Steelers. He tore his ACL in week 12 last year.

Do they give up that game tying field goal in the final 12 seconds of the AFC divisional playoffs? Tradavius White is on the field. Maybe, maybe not. You think about that. Three straight touchdowns in the like seven minutes before that. They're probably the Super Bowl champions if he doesn't tear his ACL. Now, that's conjecture. Now, Steve, smart move, right? Well, an obvious move.

He's not ready. He's not ready. But also, these bills are planning to play in February. Make sure your stud secondary star is 100%. Yeah, I mean, look at their division, too. I mean, is it going to take 14 wins to win the AFC East? No, I mean, 11, maybe. 11, maybe.

Maybe. So yeah, get him healthy. You hope Kyre Elam. You know the rookie who they draft and coming to play. And they've got some other pieces on that defense. You know, if they decide to target that corner, if some team goes after me, roll coverage is that way. I mean, there's things you can do depending on who they play. I mean, week one's going to be a one hell of a game against the Rams. Right. Like Micahehan, Jordan Poyer are the best safety, you know, veteran duo out there. Although Poyer's coming off an injury. They're going to have to earn their money, though. I mean, I think it was a very significant move to have. because because of that first game, they've got the dolphins coming up too. I think the Ravens are early in the skiddle. They got the Titans? Like, that is weirdly one of the worst cornerback groups in the league on paper because Elam reportedly didn't have a very good camp.

He might split reps with Christian Benford, which is a sixth round pick. And then you're starting a guy, Dane Jackson, who's also stepping up and has never really been in a role opposite him. And you've got to go against Cooper Cup and Allen Robinson. It's a lot to ask. That's all. That's a lot to ask.

They do have one weakness now. Like the bill's almost like so too perfect. And now like this is their one. Every team's got one at least. Their offensive line inside, interior is not great either. They've got, I do think they're a little too easily being projected just to be shotguned into the AFC title. We will see. We will see.

Speaking of teams suddenly being projected to be, what did you call it, slingshot it? Fire. I don't even remember at this point. That was eight seconds. The championship game. The Philadelphia Eagles. make another move. They acquire defensive back

Johnsey Gardner Johnson and a 2025, 7th round pick from the Saints in exchange for a 2023rd fifth round pick and a sixth round pick in 2024. Gardner Johnson, just 24 years old,

Greg, that's the final year of his contract. Saints couldn't get an extension done. So now the Eagles shore up a spot of their defense that needed some shoring up. Seems like a nice move by your boys. I mean, it seems amazing.

The Eagles are becoming too trendy, but I don't care. like this was perfect. They've been looking for a guy like this at safety who can play Slot Corner that the reports are that he'll probably play more safety in Philadelphia. But the fact that they got him for nothing is insane.

Like this was terrible business by the Saints. And weirdly, like all the reporters in New Orleans sort of, well, they had to deal him. He like, you know, wasn't nice to the coaches the last two days. Like, can you remember a player that was like a borderline pro bowl player? We've been talking about C.D. Deuce

as a guy we love since his rookie year dynamic just being given away out of nowhere without anything too crazy i blame the saints for that because either they could have traded him earlier in the off season like before free agency for a second or third round pick or you just fix the relationship you have the leverage here one year of cd deuce is worth way more than the flotsam and jetsam oh that they got uh picks it was just like a weird like position of weakness just give a good guy away you almost never see it and the Eagles benefited. I mean, it just sounds like the relationship completely broke down.

And I'm with you, like find a way just to make it work for one year. But Dennis Allen said, we think we did what was best for the football team, which I always read as code of this guy and what's going on with him right now. We can't deal with anymore. Supposedly, he wanted to be paid as a safety. They weren't going to get there. Like, the contract wasn't going to happen in that, I guess the last couple of days at practice, like he wasn't speaking with his coaches.

So I guess that's a playbook. All you have to do is not speak to your coaches for two days. Your team will give you away no matter how good you are for you to get your contract. I'm just saying they could have handled it differently. It felt like they got in their feelings and just was like, we want to get rid of this guy who cares for what. Yeah, I mean, they could have. I mean, they've got some talent back there as well.

That's what they said. They feel great about their depth. Which I get. And look, and they might say, you know, they might be like the Patriots. Like, okay, so we lose JC Jackson. And guess what? name there's a whole lot of corners we've developed and let go so the saints might be like there's a whole lot of dbs we've developed which is true i mean marcus williams being one of them

that does a hell of a player you know who's gone to boston more now who's gone but so they may feel we can develop guys we added tie matthew so that might just be part of their philosophy let's talk about uh malique willis is the number two quarterback on the depth chart mike braybel announced it so ryan tannanahill's the starter let's hear from brayette on that. Malik did some things that were really encouraging that we had talked about, his ability to step up into the pocket, kept his eyes downfield at times, also was able to have some explosive gains running,

which is exactly what we talked about. The operation was better. But then there's some things we have to improve. Ryan Tan, let's bring a gravedigger on this, the Titans fan. Grave digger. Grave digger. Infinite rope for Ryan Tannahill, right, this year? This season, yeah.

I mean... What do you mean infinite? Like... What if they're two and six? If they're two and six, then maybe you see what Malik Willis can do. Really? You don't give him... He's done some things for you.

I mean, it could potentially be a 2019 style season where the Tannihill Marioita change happened, but honestly, I don't see that for Malik's rookie year. How would you not get him on the field in certain situations? I would love to see... I think they will. Yeah, my sub-package for him for sure. I think Tannale's earned essentially Infinite Rope,

and I don't think the Titans will be bad enough that they would want to replace them. But I do think Malik Willis' preseason has gotten slept on. That dude was, to me, the most exciting player in the preseason. He did to third stringers, granted, a lot of the times, what he did in whatever Liberty's conferences. Do they even have a conference, Steve? I should know this. I think they're independent.

I don't even know. You should know that? They're in like the CAA or something like that. Like he made people look silly and people like, well, he's holding on to the ball too long. Like his time to throw improved dramatically in each week. By the third week, he was doing what Vrabo wanted him to do and get rid of the ball quickly. But oh, by the way, all three of those games, he did stuff that was like, oh my God. Like, I can't wait to see this guy play football.

And that's like not a guarantee that that's going to happen. Whatever people were excited about his physical gifts, they're extreme. They're amazing. And I'll look forward to it if he does play for some reason. They're going to use them. I guarantee it as soon as week one. He's one of these guys who clearly is coachable. He did not play under center from the time.

He was like seven years old, right? So these are things. He's not the only quarterback that comes out in the draft who's all, you know, played seven on seven football, basically. That's what happens now. So he can see the field a little bit differently. He's got to see defenses. You know, back when I was talking to Hugh Freeze, Liberty's coach about Malik, he's like, teams played very careful defenses because at that level when you've got a hyper athlete like him, like him, they will play scared defenses as opposed to aggressive defenses. That's not the case in the NFL.

So if he has to get a chance, I mean, I think, I'm with you, Mark. I think you've got to find ways to get him in maybe two or three plays a game just so he can feel it because you never know. And look, Ryan Tannahill, you know, he's talked about what that playoff game did to him last year. Is he going to be able to fully sustain if things get a little sideways? So I think the Titans with that run game and everything are going to be in the mix. But I'd love to see, you know, Malik Willis get on the field as well. Like I get, you might not be totally ready, but there's some Josh Allen stuff here. Like just the physical, I think as these quarterbacks keep coming out, they keep being the best running quarterback.

just about that we've ever seen because they just keep getting better. And Malik Willis, in terms of his running ability, could be close to that Lamar Jackson level with the arm strength of a Josh Allen. And maybe it'll take a while like a Josh Allen to get ready. But the gifts are crazy for a late 30-R-R-Thing. People thought Lamar Jackson wasn't ready. It was like suddenly Joe Flacco looks like carved out of stone in the pocket there. We make a switch and they're on fire.

The offense looks completely different. Yeah. The one thing I want to say about this is that all the buzz around Tennessee when this was happening was about like can Malik improve as a passer and people kept saying things like well we knew what he could do with his legs and to your point Greg like no you don't know just because he does it in college doesn't mean it's going to translate so I think some of the stuff with the side arm like arm angle to get around defenders and things like that was was really impressive and encouraging for Malik's future and lastly with the arms and the legs this dude is a brick house

I mean he is built like a middle linebacker he is a stout guy with incredible balance so he He'll be able to take a little bit of the punishment, you know, and he'll be able to break tackles as well. That's the one thing when I talked to Scott who's coming out. Like, this dude breaks tackles like a big stud, big thick tailback. Like Hertz, like a better, like an even more dynamic version of Hertz. But I think Hertz's running ability ended up being so underrated because it's been so good for him.

Another quarterback that took punishment in the last preseason game for the Lions was David Blow. And he peeled himself off the turf every time, stayed in the game. And after Tim Boyle was cut, you thought Blauhard stood up, Mark, and they were excited because it looked like he was going to be Jared Goss backup.

But we learned today that David Blow also cut. And a corresponding move, Nate Sudfeld was brought on to the Lions. So I think we turn it over to you, Mark, and what I imagine is very difficult time. Well, yeah, I mean, getting to know David Blow, even more than in the past through Hard Knocks,

the person, I have struggled. Are you reading off the Bloward's newsletter right now? No, I mean, the Blowhart's newsletter is actually in production after this show. It's snail mailed out. It is snail-mailed out. It is a me memeograph. It's typewritten. It's a weekly newsletter. And everyone's like, oh, it's so bad for the thing is, like, every great story has its ups and downs.

And I do believe that this is just a down right now for David Blow. He will find his way back on the field, and what a great chapter that will be. It tells me that they want to add him to the practice. squad if he doesn't get a job elsewhere. Well, you can do great things on the practice squad potentially, and other chaos can strike. But it does tell me the lions. I like this about my one thing about Hard Knocks, and we haven't really talked about on the show, their coaching staff to me is just so fun to watch.

I mean, they're just a different type of NFL coaching staff. I think that Dan Campbell is not getting the kind of credit. I respond to him as a teacher and a motivator and kind of keeping that frame of that team through all that's gone on, good or bad. And they didn't just shy away from what they needed to do. fall victim to the hard knock story where it would be nice to keep David Blow. They made a cutthroat decision based on the

quarterback position, the backup court. Oh, cutthroat. Well, I think they just said, you know, we've got these two guys. We're going to upgrade. Right, they got rid of Tim Boyle too. Right. David Blow is just going to have to prove that there's another chapter.

I just wonder. But the story is not over, Dave. If the receiver that also got cut, the underdog receiver, Pippel. The juggler, if he catches that ball for the touchdown, is David Blow still have a job. Do they both have a job? You know, it's, well, that's fair to say, too.

And, of course, check out the Hard Knocks podcast with me and Colleen Wolfe, where we talked about all of this stuff. And in fact, and you mentioned Wes earlier, there was a moment where Jared Goff, by the way, finally showed up in the episode. And they catch a conversation between Goff and Blow talking about practicing without any coaches. They did a no-coaches practice. The players ran the show. And this exchange between Goff, who I think you'll hear first, and Blow did remind me of Chris Wessling. Let's listen in. They're sitting up there in the air conditioning, you know, was that quote, the man in the

arena? To doer in the deeds. That's right. The credit belongs to the man who is in the arena. That's right. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Not the coaches who are drinking coffee in the air conditioning right now. That's good stuff, man.

So Gop at the zinger, but it was the blow comment that reminded me of Wes. So you'd just be in a random conversation with Chris, and he'd just quote from some book he had read or just off the top of his head. with that folksy wisdom that he had, that did give me a bit of a West vibe. There was great depth to Chris Wesleyan in ways that you just learned more and more as you got to know him. And I think that applies

in a different, unique way to David Blau. Ty Brace. Maybe that's why we connect with David Blow. Maybe that's why he has a newsletter. It's finished. And then it takes three or four days to get to you because that's the U.S. Postal Service. But there are a lot of people in Australia and Europe.

That's about 12 days, 13 days. It's expensive to mail. Real quick, 8 o'clock delight, and then we're taking a break, and then we're getting to predictions. Alex Leatherwood, first round pick of the Raiders last year. Cut, claimed by the Bears. Steve, real quick.

Well, the Raiders love it because it takes $6 million off of their salary cap. Yeah. Look, why not, though? Because if you get a guy who ends up playing, then you get him for $6 million. You know, on the rest of his rookie contract, this will not help the Bears generate more Ws, though. No.

Dolphins plays cornerbacks. Byron Jones on the Pupplist with an ankle. That's a high-paid player that is not on the field. Yeah, similar to the bills, I think they are very thin at cornerback. That is their weakness, despite having Xavier and Howard. They do not have many other quality corners. Another high first round pick, Mark Sessler, O.J. Howard in the past. He was cut by the bill, so you couldn't stick with them.

The rap sheet reports he's expected to sign with the Bengals. 25 catches over the past two seasons injured a bunch. Sort of a guy that I think career-wise has fallen off. a cliff after being a high potential sort of fantasy target, not today. I think he got more guaranteed money than any player who got cut, like this off season. $3 million plus didn't make the team. Speaking of fantasy, Damien Pierce, the runway is clear after the Texans cut Marlon Mack. You like what you see from Pierce, Steve?

I do, I do. And much of your dismay. I like what I see from the Texans. Ooh. Me? Am I against the Texans? A couple weeks ago you were. You were like sick of Texans' corner.

You're tired of Greg and I, you know, joining all this on that. They better win. They got things going on down there. Let's keep rolling. Kellen Mon cut in Minnesota, claimed by the Browns. Monde, of course, was floated as a potential Kirk Cousins' replacement just because the old coach hated Kurt Cousins. Yes or no?

No. All right. Jesus. Steelers acquire outside linebacker, Malik Reid from Broncos, guard Jesse Davis from Vikings and trades running back Ryan Robinson. That's such a Greg one. That's just like it shows what they're concerned about. They are not happy with those positions.

Brian Robinson is out of the hospital and he's expected to be on the Washington roster. Good news there. Texans claim wide receiver Tyler Johnson and waivers from bucks. Chargers officially add Sony Michelle to the backfield after he was cut loose. And sources say the Eagles are trading former first round wide receiver Jalen Rager to the Vikings in exchange for a draft pick. Steve, anything from there that gives you juice. Well, the Sony Michelle pickup makes a lot of sense. sense because, you know, the charges are looking for a bruiser, and he's great in past

protection. So you've got to help keep your most valuable asset. If you look at the picks, the Eagles basically traded Jalen Rager for Johnson Gardner Johnson. Yeah. And Cowboys fans are hating this because they got more for Rager than the Cowboys got for Amari Cooper essentially, which is one of the worst trades in the offseason. Oh, no doubt about that. All right. And that's what's happening in the news. Let's take a break and get to predictions. all right here we are fun it's fun to do predictions in fact if you want to check out predictions from people all over the NFL media landscape go over to nfl.com it's probably on the homepage I mean I don't know most likely I would think based on our history working in the

newsroom and NFL dot com slash predictions I just guessed it and it was there like Back to my homepage conversation. I think it's going to be up there for a good 24 hours. It's kind of evergreen content. Perfect for this time of year, Steve. Perfect. You've worked in many newsrooms. I have.

I thought you were going to drop a bag of nails reference. No bag of nails reference here. So we're going to go through basically what the great Gennaro Feliz, who works with Ali Benpari, the features editor. He sends out the email to us. Hey, give us some predictions. All awards, division, your Super Bowl pick. And we're going to share our thoughts now. So let's do that.

Interestingly, Steve Weish, not one of the people who responded to the email. Really, Steve. This is something you can do, I guess, when you're the conscious. No, no, no, no. I was told by a certain person at this table to keep it nimble. He's my favorite, by the way. Oh, I'm just kidding. Mark, because he told me to keep it nimble.

Mark just is glowing. right now the genuine smile I was like I'll get it to you he's like no no no I love you also no no I meant you did not send it to the editors well hold on so I did not receive it I did not receive it I did not receive it from the editors to me to Steve's defense that they don't send this out to oh team reporters typical reporters type type

they want to show bias okay I take it back so again you are the conscience you've got I'm really sorry that's terrible that's terrible rationale by Janara because I have done this in prior years. Now, Gennaro taking shots, but I don't think it was his decision. It came from above Felice, I think.

Yeah, I like Jean-Roll because I sent mine in a day late, and he still allowed it to be included in the article. I lost the deadline. Unbelievable. Like, I was asleep at the wheel. All right, let's start at the top, because I think that will connect with some other things and we'll just kind of go down, right?

So we'll go divisions. We'll do the awards. You want to do the awards first or the divisions first? I think divisions leads to Super Bowl. Yeah. I think awards is good. awards what last first first yeah okay let's do it MVP Steve Patrick Mahomes you say what you want about his lack of receivers he's Patrick Mahomes he will be the

MVP right and I think the narrative he was my pick too he was also Mark Ross's pick the tied for the third most popular pick among our writers who I like are you going to keep giving these nugs sure the article I like I like I like I think people will actually give him extra credit if he's just Patrick Mahomes because Tyree Kills not there Like, I can just see that being... That's a great point. A lot of times it's a narrative award, as you like to point out, Mark. Maybe it won't be 50 and 12 interceptions, touchdowns of interceptions,

like that incredible 2018 season. But if it's, like, maybe close to that first Rogers MVP year of the back-to-backs, he's just one. Similar situation. Andy heard Mark talking about Justin Herbert was the Michael Jordan of the NFL, and I'm like, Patrick Wilms is right there. Well, I will segue off of that to tell you that I pit... Football is completely different than basketball.

basketball. Well, that's true. I picked Justin Herbert and someone else at this table did too, along with a couple other people. I did take Justin Herbert as well. I like it. I like the stars are aligning for Herbert who, you know, there's a definitely a segment of the football community that absolutely adores Herbert already. But maybe this year with that little extra bump and the team being good, right? Very importantly, the team has to be better. They need to be either win the West or make the playoffs. And I think Herbert with big numbers becomes a massive star. And opposing NFL coaches are like Justin Herbert is God. Like they just see something completely different in him.

I'm getting killed for suggesting he's a Michael Jordan-esque figure. But now that coaches who actually coach are calling him God. So let's maybe take a foot up the gas little. Not sham God, but God. Right. I'm looking at the Vegas odds. He's tied for fifth in terms of most likely. Josh Allen is the Vegas Nugs too.

Greg, you are on fire right now. And he got the most votes, Josh Allen, with 12. Herbert was second, with six, then Burrow. Someone not named David Carr voted for Derek Carr. That was our editor, Ali. For MVP? Interesting. Lamar and Aaron Rogers. That's gutsy.

Yeah. The one making the editorial decisions, calling the shots, has Derek Carr as the league MVP? That's correct. Well, his job is to help format the article. It's formatted very well. And no one voted for Tom Brady. Everybody's bored.

That's fair. Offensive player of the year. Now, we've talked about it this on the show many times, especially great. I hate it. I always refuse. I abstain every year. Did you abstain again this year? Well, it's like best picture, best director.

You just give it to the other person that didn't, you know. What do you got, Steve? Joy Burrow. Great, great. Joy Burrow. Guy would have been a good MVP pick. How many MVP picks from Burrow? He was tied with Mahomes.

He got two votes, including Burgo and Kurt Warner, two of the titans of the NFL media. Burgo and Warner. Okay. I have in a, I'm looking to bounce. back year. So funny to just see those names next. It's the only time Burgo and Kurt Warner will ever really be in a shared space. Like totally like Burrow checks in on these.

He's like, oh, sweet. I got Bergman. Who, like, who's that Warner guy? I'm going kind of off the board here, off the Vegas reservation, and predicting a big bounce back year for Christian McCaffrey who gets offensive player to the year runners. I went Justin Jefferson. I think talk about stars aligned.

That's a great call. That's a great call. Fresh face to some degree for these awards, you know. I wish I had gone, like, chased. You should have just voted because, yeah, it would have been fine. It was stupid. Plus, is there any context within that article of why you didn't do it? Oh, no, they don't.

I used to try to do that, and they just ignore it. They just don't count my vote. I was just like, this is stupid. Justin Jefferson got the most votes. That's a great call. How about defensive player in the year, Steve? I think this has got to be unanimous. Michael Parsons.

I did that too. It's got him there, too. I did too because I want to believe in greatness. I want to believe in like J.J. Watts first few years when he won those back to back to back defense player of the years. Like I want to believe that Michael Parsons is one of if not the most special defensive player I've ever seen. So that's why he is. So far he is. Why it's not unanimous is because there are other great players in the league like my pick, Miles Garrett,

who can have a monster season and win that award as well. Actually, Parsons, amazingly, isn't the favorite in Vegas. He's plus 800. I mean, all these are long odds. Garrett, Garrett, Donald, and Watt are just slightly ahead of Parsons. Wow, I thought Nick Bosa would be in that mix, too. He's next step. I almost, I had penciled in, and then I'd whimped out Max Crosby.

I just thought someone from the total wilderness might just end up doing it. We're basic, I guess. Not basic, but the NFL.com writers had Parsons first, just not in Vegas. Offensive rookie of the year. Oh, Mark Sessor's going to love my pick. What? James Cook. People are going to say it's by committee in Buffalo.

By the end of the season, James Cook's going to be that guy. And plus, they're going to get so much exposure. Why is Mark going to love it? Yeah, I'm trying to piece it together. Well, you guys are going to love it too. I mean, I'm a little off the grid.

But you talked about exposure. Okay. The bill is going to be on TV all the time. We're going to be talking about him. That's fair. That's sort of what's been missing for their offense is a running back. So what you're saying is when you come up with a take that everyone's like, Huh, that's a little left of center.

That's something that Mark could identify with. It is A to B, man. You are connecting the time. I didn't understand. I'm connecting the dots on this way. I have Kenny Pickett, who's probably not even going to be a week one starter, but I like his setup.

I thought about it. I think he's going to get into that lineup. And I don't know if he'll thrive or not, but he'll be put in position to succeed with a great coaching staff and a good team around him. Now, we're not allowed to wager on this as NFL employees. No, that's forbidden. If I was allowed,

That would have been my pick, and I was, I think, better than the one I had, which was George Pickens. Because I think, I think Pickett, you're getting a nice value, too, because he's not the starter. But in the end, I think he's the most likely. But I just love Pickens in general, and so I stuck with that and think he'll have a bunch of years. I had Pickens, too. I think I have a feeling that he's going to play a lot more than anyone who doubts that he won't be starting material, and he's going to blow up an offensive rookie of the year from the wide receiver position. If you're making splash plays all year long and a picket, if the quarterback play is good enough,

something about George Pickens looks like he's been in the league for five years. I think people are just going to be, who have not been watching the preseason, are going to see it right away, and he's going to get votes. And that team develops wide receivers like it's nobody's business. None of us picked Olave, who was actually the most likely guy to win, according to the NFL.com analyst Christian Watson got one vote from Steve Maryo. I just thought that point that interesting. That's such a Packers pick.

Green Baytides. How about Mark, defensive rookie of the year? All right, maybe I've been pulled in by Hard Knocks, but I think that everything I see about Aidan Hutchinson, and it's on field, off field, who he is. Like, I think they got a winner right away. That's got to be the Vegas pick, right? That is not only the most likely person in Vegas

and got the overwhelming amount of votes on NFL.com, but is more likely to win this award than anyone is to win any award in Vegas. A big favorite. Not exactly. And yet, I didn't take them. I didn't take him. Who did you take? I took Trayvon Walker, who got the award.

the second most amount of votes. And also is three or fourth. Yeah. He just flashed. Flashed. He just looked like, okay, this dude's athleticism is going to carry over.

I'm excited. Ali Bon Puri went Derek Stingley Jr., by the way. Number three overall pick. And I have the number four overall pick. Sauce Gardner. Sure, I'm a homer. But everything I hear about

sauce Gardner and camp has been great and I'm not putting him in that Revis conversation. But it's kind of that vibe you get the first summer. It's like, oh, this guy is going to be an instant starter, difference maker. I think they nailed that pick.

I've seen a play in person. Aidan Hutchinson is the real deal. I mean, he is effort. He is speed. He's athleticism. And it just, he's got it. So I go Aidan Hudson. But I love all these picks.

I think all these guys. Yeah, he was the third most popular. And Adam Rank picked Jaquan Brisker from the bears, despite it, you know, a recent. I know, he loves the Bears. I mean, he didn't ever. He makes my Jets fandom look like. He also had a surgery recently. Like you might be ready for work.

Rank's just doing what he wants to do there. So it's, you know, it's your power. He just thought I'd throw that one out there. How about comeback player of the year, Mark? All right. You like him in a different category, but I went Christian McCaffrey. I think it's just set up because, you know, they've been so different without him. If he comes back and dominates the way that we think, there aren't as many candidates for comeback player the year that are super obvious this time around, unless someone like Seekwon Barkley went off the rail.

McCaffrey. It's nebulos. It's nebulos. It is. What is comeback player? So you can make it anything. It could be Trevor Lawrence. You know what I mean?

It could be anybody. I, of course, went with McCaffrey because that would make no sense if I had him as offensive player with year, but not comeback player. That's true. It's nebulous. Exactly. Except they spread those around. That's what I don't like about the whole process.

I really like my pick, which is Sequin Barclay. He's come. Oh, now you're in on Barclay? Well, just for this award. Well, I'm getting out on Barclay. I'm totally getting suckered in by a very small sample. size, but a couple of those practice clips they sent out, and a couple of the

preseason. A little more juice in the lights? Just feels like, and he's talking like a lot of trash. And that's not really been his thing. He's just like people, you know, he's talking a lot of trash, and I like that confidence. Yeah. You know, I just can't rock with any Giants, because they sent out the picture of their team captain today, and there was

like 45. So I can't go with anything, Giants. I'm going James Winston. He got the most I think James Winston. I think James Winston but I'm also with you, Dan, if I could ride the Ryan Tannanhill contrails, it would be Trevor Lawrence. You know, just a guy who came back from a completely, you know, shipwreck of a season because seeing the guy twice, talked to some people.

And they're like, guys going to have the biggest jump year one, year two than any other second year player. See, Winston can't get it because I don't know if he knew, but the Andy Daltonissance is going to happen down in New Orleans. Lord. That's right. God. So he's going to be the one to get Chris Alavi over the top.

He'll get a comeback player in the year. Wouldn't that be it? How about? Yes. Justin. No one mentioned Derek Henry. All right. He was third.

He's not even to mention. He's almost too obvious. Yeah, he was third in the votes, and you're right. He's in the top three, I think, at Vegas as well. I also have a question about, I mean, you're talking about how nebulous it is. Lamar Jackson missed the final five games of the season. Can he count in this? That feels like you're really pushing it at that point.

If he missed December, it's just like. But yes, I think it's... Can we give it its dignity of this reward? J.K. Dobbins might get more of a run because of the time he I just don't trust them. It has to be more of a serious injury. But yes, as we've pointed out, unfortunately, for this, like, 65 times on this show, once Philip Rivers won it.

Correct. Just from a season where he was, like, the 17th best quarterback in the league, and then he was, like, the third best quarterback in the league, and he won the awards. Oh, shucks. Thanks for this award. Coach of the year, Steve Weish. Frank Reich. Oh.

He really liked that. I like that. I like that. I think they're going to take a little remade, little remade offense. with the quarterback and I think the Colts. That's a good call. I'm mad I should have picked that.

Frank Reich. I had this is why because there's a narrative in place that I hate the Texans. I was going to go Lovie Smith because I thought they have a chance to build significantly off, not become like a playoff team,

but to rebound. Rebound, yes. But ultimately I went with logic and I said if I'm predicting Justin Herbert as MVP, that means the chargers are going to have like 11 wins. I would think.

So Brandon Staley makes sense logically as someone who would get the trophy. We're linked on this exercise over and over through the same logic because I have Herbert as MVP and I think a lot of the Chargers this season. And I think Brandon Staley is also fascinating to listen to a lot of media people. He's a little bit different. And if he takes the curse of the Chargers and like shoots that into the sun, he's a different type of coach than they've had in a long time. And so I went Brandon Staley.

Oh, if you use that logic, he's going to Cantor. Put him in the hall, make his boss. Yeah, he got his second most amount of votes behind Sean McDermott. Right. Okay. That's a weird one. Yeah, because that's the high bar that he's going to have to reach. That is not something reflected in the Vegas.

Like McDermott's not even in the top 15 most likely, which I think is more accurate. The Vegas odds had Staley tied for first with Dayball. It was all first and second year coaches for the top eight or nine because that's usually the wins these awards. And the Giants? I guess that seems odd to me. Either way, it's an award where everyone's a pretty extreme long shot, you know, because it's just impossible to predict. Because so many people are hot on the idea of the bills finally winning a Super Bowl,

people that are involved with this exercise don't realize that the playoffs don't factor into the coach of the year voting. They would have to go like 15 and 2, I think, for this to happen for him. Shots fired at the bills, right. You know, Steve Maryucci there. Mooch? I don't know. No, eight people voted for McDonald's. I voted for Siriani, by the way, which, you know, might be giving it.

Who voted on Mooch's behalf in this building? I'm just curious. Oh, that's, that's not right. All right, let's move on. It's a regular season award. I love the Eagles in the regular season with their schedule. So I'm taking Siri. Let's stop right here.

Let's take a break before we get to our division picks and Super Bowl. All right, let's get to the playoff picks now. All right, let's start with the division winners. let's just go straight across. I have bills in the east, Ravens in the north, Colts in the South, Chargers in the West.

How about you, Steve? So I'm going, bills in the east, Bengals in the North, Colts in the South, Chiefs in the West. A lot of agreement here. I'm with Steve on the Bengals in the north.

I think everyone's going to have the bills. I also have the Colts. And I do have the Chiefs standing tall, even though I see them in the Chargers is maybe the two best teams in the A.I. I have the bills in the east, the Bengals in the north, the Titans in the South, where's the respect, and the Chargers in the West. So it's a lot of chalk, a little disagreement on Ravens Bengals. As the season, it's like the offseason went along, I feel like people got lower on the Ravens for some reason, which was, I'd feel bad about it.

So there are now, as of last year, three wild cards. This is where it's going to get good. And I may or may not have forgotten about the Bengals when I was doing this, putting in my intense research. But that actually works out for me because it makes it seem like I see something that the others don't see yet. You have the Chiefs is the first wild card. The Broncos is the second. And the team that everyone thinks has no chance of figuring it out this year. The Patriots claiming the third wild card.

So does anyone else have Broncos or Patriots? I have Broncos. Okay. I also have the Chiefs number one, the Ravens number two, and the Broncos number three, just sliding in. I think it's just so hard for all four of those. teams to do well, and I feel like the Broncos are the most likely to face plant. My surprise team was I snuck the dolphins in there as my third wildcard. I think the schedule, I think the defense is actually pretty good, and there's enough

offensive talent. They can scheme it all up, but the rest of my picks were chalk, Chargers, and Ravens. Same here, Chargers, Ravens Dolphins. Did anyone else, wow. Why should I have the exact same picks all through? All three of you except Mark have the Titans going first seed to out of the playoffs? Yeah. Do you have a favorite on the show?

They lost a lot this year, man. Are you still saying that the Titans are like a real first seed team last year? Last year? What makes them not a real first seed team last year? They were technically the first seat. They beat Mahomes and Allen and Stafford in the regular season. Beat the pills? I mean, they lost a lot.

How did that playoff game go? They look terrible in the playoffs, but they are still going to make the playoffs this year. Do you have them in the playoffs this year? Oh, yeah. Of course. They wouldn't let them do his podcast. Am I literally the only one that has the entire company that has the Patriots making the playoffs? We don't have the rest of the company's picks, unfortunately, on the playoffs.

They're dropping that on Thursday and then the Super Bowl picks Friday. I would imagine Willie McGinnis might be Patriots. So I don't know. We just know our room. Or Willie's pick representative. Right. If you first participated in the thing. I hate that like there's so many good teams in the AFC.

It's almost hard to not go chalk, except for maybe that last spot. How about over in? How about this one? None of us had the Raiders. Yeah. Well, it's tough. That was a tough call. That was a real tough call.

I think they have a chance. They remind me they're a little like the Broncos where I think they're upsides high and Saints where they're upsides higher than people think. Yeah, I agree. It wouldn't shock me if they won 11 or 12, but I also didn't put them in the place. All right.

How about the NFC? I have the Eagles in the East, the Packers in the North, the Bucks in the South, Rams in the West. So chalky. I have Eagles in the East, Packers in the North,

Rams in the West, and Saints in the South. Okay. We're the same. I have the same. I got Eagles East, Packers North, St. South, Rams West. This is like you would almost change your picks if you knew what the rest of the show is doing because I have the same as you guys and we're all trying to be cute.

It's like, well, let's not go four chalk picks. Let's go Saints over Bucks. I believe Saints, though. You have Saints over Bucks, though? I do too. Yeah. I do too. I think the Saints are really good.

I was getting heat on Twitter for some reason for dog in the Saints trade and there was a lot of Saints fans and media. There's like the National Media is so against the Saints. I was like, I don't think so, man. I think they're going to be the consensus wild card team. And on this show, three of us have them in winning the division. They're loaded on defense. I have the Saints in the playoffs.

I have the 49ers as the number one wild card. The Saints is the number two. And I got crazy. You know, I got a soft spot for some reason for these guys. The Vikings is the third wild card team. Look, I've got bucks 49ers and Vikings. The Vikings are going to be better. I mean, I don't see why Norris Nation.

The Vikings are going to be out of this. The Vikings are going to be pretty good, man. I mean, I don't have a problem with them being a wildcard team. I love it. Yeah. But do you have them as one? No, I picked my number one wildcard is Niners. I think this is all going to work out for them. And then they're going to be spicy in the playoffs as they are.

I don't really care where they're slotted. Look out for them. I don't care if they play Green Bay in is one degree. Take it easy, Mark. The Bucks will be the second wildcar, but I think there's weird. I feel just weird energy around the bucks. I don't know what's going to happen with that team. You seem to have a lot of theories about the energy.

This, I don't, I'm struggling to buy this, even though I submitted it. I'm going Cardinals as the third wildcard team. You don't believe that. I kind of do because I think everyone's just like so counting them out that maybe they're just like, we actually are talented. We have a talented quarterback who's a pretty good play caller, maybe better than the head coach. I'm changing mine because I had the Vikings as my third. So who are you going to put it in? Now I'm putting the cowboys in.

Why does it scare you to not be different? Why do you get so upset? Why are you so antsy? I just want it, like, statistically to sort of represent all the different possibilities. It doesn't have to. It's just like what you feel. No, I'm glad you did that because I was going to ask why none of you had the Cowboys. I just don't like the Cowboys this year.

They don't like the vibes. Their defense is going to be outstanding. Their defense is going to be really good. Their secondary is really good, right? Their linebackers are good. Their defensive front has a potential to be pretty good. Their offensive line, I mean, that Tyron Smith injury is real. They can sit there and talk about all the gum they're going to patch the yacht, you know,

the torpedo-sized hole in the yacht with. That's a huge loss. Wide receivers. Who are you doubling? Still have Dak Prescott. So, Dak Prescott plus a defense. But you're right, I picked the Vikings.

It got worse. I thought it was going to be cute. It just got worse. He did a bad off season. How's Gallup going to be on the field? He's not on P or P. Yeah, I think he's such an important part of what they're going to do. Jerry Jones said he could play this week if it was a Super Bowl,

but would not be playing because it's week and one. That's smart. Play it smart. All right. Super Bowl pick time. Steve Weish. Rams and Chiefs. You know what, and here's the thing.

I very much... Who's winning? I contemplated putting the Colts in out of the AFC. One of my favorite off-season moves that's not talked about enough is Unique and Gacquay going to the Colts. This dude, man, look at his stats. His force fumbles,

his sacks, just his disruption in a division like that, in a conference like that. I think their defense is going to be pretty darn good, but I'm going to go with the chiefs right here because I look at the talent on their defense and see Spagnola's history, those guys getting better through the season,

Rams versus Chiefs with the Rams repeating. Back to back. How about that? Has not happened. When they sign Odell in December, and they go four wide with Alan Robbins and Cooper Cup O'Dell and Van Jefferson. I suspect that won't be a popular pick, actually.

The people kind of won't, that won't be many, there won't be many NFL.com writers that pick the Rams. their fifth or six actually most likely in Vegas. It's hard to repeat. That's real. Any little birdies talking to Steve Weish about the elbow of the quarterback in Los Angeles? I haven't heard anything that's concerning right now, but I mean, you have to think about it. 17 games, people talk about being a baseball injury.

That's never comforting to someone who's got to throw it. McVeigh, saying he's never seen it with any quarterback ever in his coaching career. So we'll see. Maybe Cam Acres gets 300 runs. All right. But the rest of us that were on the article, Steve was above us. No, I was, I was left out. I was left out.

Actually, it's not too late. You know, I think they haven't posted those. I was kind of like who, I was like, Dan and the Bengals. I was a little annoyed about that. But again, it does like, to Greg's point, you know, it gets another team in the mix. Let's read our blurbs that we submitted. I like that. I phone my name.

I need to fix it. I'm looking at it right now. No, you can't fix things. Greg has. No, no, no. It's published. with this exercise. Not the pick.

I'm just looking at the sentence and I was like, I could have done more with that. Yeah, but it had your name and it went on the website. It's not up yet. It's not up yet. You know, I can still edit it.

All right, well, you got to go with what you sent in, okay? Please. I'm stupid. All right, let's actually, let's get some dramatic music. Let's add the gravitas here. A Weishian gravitas.

Zusser. Bills over bucks. For decades, Tom Brady lorded over the AFC East, an iron fist. Now it's Josh Allen's turn to rule. Not just this division

but the whole of the football world. That was good. That was that style. I mean, I am just seeing like Marv Levy hovering over that entire segment.

All right. Let's save Greg for last. Yeah, let's save Gregs. All right. This is good music, by the way. I've got the Chargers over the Eagles. Ooh.

In full bloom. Justin Herbert emerges as the league's prize treasure under center. His MVP campaign serves as a rousing jaunt through pro football's wilderness, capped in the Arizona desert with a 14-play game-winning overtime drive. Its final note, Herbert scampering to pay dirt to off the favored Eagles. Love it. It's got a lot of Sessler check marks like wilderness in it. I love it.

That sounds like there were four fourth-down conversions on that 14-play drive, too. Oh, yeah. Ending that argument. And now, I actually have hit the music I have Greggs. Eagles win. They're the best. I love them. It's compelling.

It's basically it. Let's hear it. Eagles over Chiefs. Eagles fans won't be able to complain anymore after their second surprise Super Bowl in five years. Well, okay, it's short and to the board. point, but also I know what you're saying because Eagles fans like Gonzo and Connie Fox did a lot of complaining the last few years, not forgetting they had one of the more dramatic Super Bowl runs to beat Belichick and Brady in dramatic circumstances. They acted like they were still

like a sad Jets or Browns or whatever fan the last couple of years. So now you're going to get more glory potentially. I think the way that Greg did that, it doesn't need to be a long flowery composition. It's like, I'm going to issue one sentence that's going to be truth and it's going to hurt for some people to read. But in here, in some way, just doing some self-reflection here, it's almost symbolic of some of my interpersonal problems in a moment where, which are various, yeah, in a moment where I'm actually making all those Eagles fans happy, I picked your team to surprisingly win the Super Bowl, I spend that one sentence instead taking a shot at all of them that they're

a bunch of complainers. That's such a good call. That's a level of self-awareness that I really appreciate, Greg. That's the Greg experience. You neg them within the celebration of them winning another Super Bowl. Oh, I cannot wait to see, though, the paintings of Super Bowl championship winning quarterbacks for the Eagles, Jalen Hertz, and Nick Bowles. I mean, I did it because we don't know what's going to happen. So I picked one that I would like to see personally.

You got Sean Kelly behind the glass pumped up. I'm just being real. It could happen, man. The Eagles are loaded. And I was going to put Bengals and charges are another team. I would love to, in terms of realistic teams, those are teams I would love to see win the Super Bowl. So I was very close to putting one of them. I'm just on the Chargers like I am like on the Knicks.

Like I said love the Knicks, love Knicks. Oh, they're so good. And they would just crush me. You've been hurt. I mean, the Chargers. I mean, it's like 25 years of like, you know, now, you know, I'm a Missouri guy. You got to show me finally. So if it happens, I'm in.

Just even those some of those great Chargers teams with Rivers, then they, even if they did put together the regular season where they weren't snake bit, they trip on, you know, there you know what, like in the playoffs. It's time. I also have done this, like, eight or nine years. I don't think I've ever gotten one Super Bowl team from either conference correct. So picking Chargers over Eagles is bad news for both teams. But that's also why our league is fun and why I think this podcast and part is so successful.

It is, like, incredible that the Bengals came one drive away from winning the Super Bowl last year when nobody, I guarantee you nobody had the Bengals in any of their predictions last August. Not even to make the playoffs. I remember going back and checking on our website. No one. That we had them as a one seat. Well, their summer was, oh, you know, Joe Burrell's not healthy. Jamar Chase is dropping everything thrown his way.

Suddenly it's like week one. It's like all those problems just. Who's that team this year, though? Who's that team that emerges from like the swamp lands? Well, I would say the cowboys are the kind of thing where everyone's so down on them. Maybe though the people are down to the bucks right now too. The Saints are one team. People love the Saints.

Yeah, but I mean, come on, like the Bengals. Okay. So you're saying organizationally. some team that's deep in the mind is it like is it like rangers is it like Washington oh the raiders were a playoff team last year it's clearly the new york jets the Vikings can we just move on and like all agree on that someone always goes worse to first what about your Atlanta falcons Steve you just oh no their schedules too collected a massive paycheck doing their preseason work yeah I know their schedule too brutal I tell you

a sleeper team they're not going to go the super bowl but jacksonville's going to be better than what people think they got players and I think and I think you know, Doug Peterson and some of the guys on that staff. A good coach of the year pick as well. Yeah, and that quarterback, man, talking to people, they're like, he's different. And now he's got some people who are teaching him how to play the position. I don't know if you've got enough offensive talent around him, but they've got some players on defense. And Jacksonville could be a team that could rattle a few seasons.

For truly ignored teams, the Panthers were the one. Now I kind of wish I threw them in there that I thought. Can't. It's over. Like a nine or ten win season of a truly ignored. I don't know about the Super Bowl. but I think it's possible with their Yeah, they have players. There's a great long-form piece on Justin Tucker

in New York Times Magazine. Check it out if you are of interest in Tucker, the greatest kicker of all time. And it does make me think of Trevor Lawrence. Tucker was just a guy until he went to Baltimore, had a real kicking coach that they had at that organization that took him to the next level and made him great. Like Trevor Lawrence had no structure in support

when he entered the NFL last year. And now he does, and he has a better roster around him. I think things went great last year for the Jaguars. I'm not, like, if you look at it from the on the whole. You know what's great? Reaching out to the listeners and saying, let's get a Steve Weish theme song. You want to hear a few more before we say goodbye?

Yes. Do you want to hear a few more? We'll take one more. How many themes are like a woozy banger? That's right. I mean, are you going to play these at home for the family? That reggae, that reggae thing. As the kids here,

that record hit was slapping right there. No, there are some songs. How many songs have been written about you and performed in your life, Steve? That would be none. So listen, now we have a bunch. How about this one? This is Ricky Williamson

who calls himself the fine art rascal. Not the greatest vocal performance, but I love the effort. Okay. A little critical there by Gravedigger. We love you, Steve Wisch. We love you, Steve Wich. We love you, Steve Wich, we do.

We love you, Steve Walsh. All right. Not bad. We need to combine. That sounds like a little Ted Lassow, outro. Right. We need to combine that beat with the woman who sang on the second track. I mean, I think that's the, by the way, I'm sorry about that first guy,

but that second song is. That might be it. That was a banger. This one's my favorite that I'm up. All right. We have a new favorite, at least a gravedigger. This is from Jake the Myth Smith. That rhymes.

Steve Weish. Reporting daily on the NFL. Steve Weish. Live on your TV looking good as hell. Steve Weish. The man's got sources. He'll never tell. He informs and entertains us.

He's got a podcast on hiatus. And he's on the falcons. Making more than Hansus Now he's here to join the heroes for today Steve Weish Oh, that's good Oh, the lyrics We have been sitting on these for a long time

That's good. I know, I could not believe it. That was strong. I just hope these listeners didn't become disillusioned with us. They never played my song. They never responded. It's been a year and a half.

If they listen today, what a pleasant surprise it's going to be. How did we pick a winner? We haven't picked a winner yet. Oh, I thought you suggested the first one was the winner. No, no. All right, let's listen to one more. I was going to go out on this one.

Oh, let's go out in this one. Let's say goodbye, Steve. You've said it all. Thank you so much. Thank you guys. This is one of the best Weish appearances. Oh, man, this is strong. And to the listeners out there, oh, we didn't say.

I know we told you that around the NFC in 48 minutes would be this show. I think by now you've probably figured out that that's not the case. We'll be doing that tomorrow with Patrick Claibon. our Thursday show so make sure you check that out and then next week is the start of the regular season and we got a bunch of exciting stuff to announce for that but we'll get to that when we get to that until Thursday remember to heed the call and just respect Steve Weish because the man has a whole album of tributes now and a podcast on hiatus hit it here's Evan hornsby to play us out He's the one with that white hair, man

I think it's like... Lee-in-jong, Holmes? Brewyo! Steve Weiss! I like this. He knows a bit about football. A bit about life. Steve Waste, Steve Walsh,

on the ATN podcast. And everything is a... all right White. Steve Diggas Steve Wage on me

podcast and everything is all right Steve Steve Weish Steve Wisch Boom shot. Boom shot. This guy, I know you're talking about.

They're now like 500 people driving around Europe listening to that. I love it. Man, our listeners came with it. Yeah, I was strong. Well done. This is a high podcast.