NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Super Bowl, Division Winner and Award Prediction Show!

Episode Date: September 4, 2026

Gregg Rosenthal, Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon put pen to paper and make their predictions for the 2026 NFL season! Are the Rams and Seahawks destined for an another NFC Championship Game clash? Will Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes add another MVP trophy to their collection? The NFL Daily crew gives you their winner for every NFL award and tells you who will make the playoffs and ultimately win Super Bowl LXI. NFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Oh, ho. Welcome to NFL Daily, where we love our producer giving us a little surprise with some music off the top of the show and where we're ready to hand out the hardware that will be handed out in Los Angeles at NFL honors this February. Learn the winners here first. Also, learn who myself and Jordan Roderig will be interviewing on the field

after this Super Bowl as the Super Bowl champions. And our friend Patrick Claibons here as well. Glad to be back. It was too long. And yet it feels so right. Well, it would have felt wrong to have a bad performance on my most recent NFL Daily show.

What was that? It was just bad. It wasn't good. Nobody. I appreciate you casting me up. You never have a bat. Come on. It was a bad one.

But it's not going to be today because I'm back here with you guys and I'm glad for it. No. And you've contributed so much already as we were taping or getting ready to tape. Patrick and I came up with a scoring system, which we're going to illuminate halfway through the show.

It doesn't feel like we excluded Jordan in that. No, no. She just didn't want a part of it. Willingly zoned out. Willingly zoned out. So what we're going to do here, we're going to put our chips on the table. We're less than a week out from NFL kickoff.

We've gotten to the end of this off-season road. And we're going to pick all the award winners, all the division winners, all the wildcard winners, the Super Bowl winner in one big show. And it's with the OG crew that we started NFL Daily with. On a show where we gave our reasons for joy. My reasons for joy is just being with you two for this program. Third season, guys. Third actual season is coming up. And what we do at NFL Daily is we don't warm up to the big stuff.

We start right at MVP. Oh, my. And we're going to finish the show with our Super Bowl winner. So you start big and you end big, like a great TV show. MVP. And now that there's stakes involved, I started to rethink some of my picks. I was like, well, I should play it a little safer, but I'm not going to do that. but I am going to let you go first, Patrick,

since we haven't had you in a minute. Okay. This is not a safe pick at all, but the 2026 MVP for me is Rain Dakota Prescott. As he utilizes, which was a big part of the conversation, the lifetime achievement aspect that I think helped Matthew Stafford down the stretch.

I think it helps Dak Prescott as a lot of people have come to eventually realize, hey, this guy's pretty good at football. Maybe we should reevaluate how we feel about it. I love this because, I mean, I know we as a collective as the media, we are all going to be talking about Deck Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys like quite a lot over the course of this season. But I think he can actually be one of the favorites in this in this competition. And I think it will start pretty immediately in the discussion about this because I do believe this offense will hit the ground literally running and passing. And I just think I love this too because it's a.

he's a different name, you know? And I know you think Dak, we think the Cowboys, it's like, well, we always talk about Jack and the Cowboys. But in terms of this conversation, he is a new name. He did come in second a few years ago, but he was never really in the mix there. That was the year where Pretty kind of fell out of the mix. He had a great year. I love it.

I will be informing the listeners of just kind of like who are the favorites going into the season. Now I see Dak Prescott as the seventh or eighth favorite. But honestly, there's not a huge gap after Josh Allen to the rest of the group. He's kind of in that strong second group. And it really is setting up year two offensive line weapons. Everything that he's had come before leading to this where he still got his physical skills and everything good around him. I love that pick. All right, your MVP. Mine is an absolute dark horse here. I wouldn't even, I would even be surprised. I don't know.

I don't speak gambling. So I don't really know what the odds even would be for this. But I certainly probably very, very small. But I think people are really underestimating where this guy's at in his career right now, the weapons around him. Can I guess before you say it? No, you may not. It's Jordan Love, baby. I'm going with a very different pick. It's not that I do. Oh, no, Jordan Love. What the fuck. So it's time so perfectly. That was amazing. Greg and Eric are sympathetic girl right now. I just think, you know, I, is he going to be the favorite? Probably not. And until we actually see real football, being played, you know, we'll see.

But Tucker Kraft being back, Matthew Golden, ready and poised to emerge the way that he is, you know, the way that he can play and throw the ball. And the fact that he's going to be throwing more this year to my assumption, because their run game is very much a big question mark. I just think Jordan Love has, he's put it all together. And I think he's got the ability to be so steady through the course of a season. Like, I think this is going to be a really fun season for him. And I think he's going to be in the conversation.

I think it makes a lot of sense. I think he is sort of the younger version of DAC where it's been building to this moment. I think a lot of things are set up for him. And I do think, oh, they have less receivers and maybe there's a little less around him in terms of the running game. There's a little less expectations.

That actually would help him narratively for the voters of this award. Which? Which I am won now. A little commotion. I can put my thumb on the scale to try to win it. No, I would never do that.

Please don't take it away from me. Go ahead, Greg. Tell us. Who is it, Greg? Who wins the NBA? Well, I'm struggling because I picked Patrick Mahomes on NFL.com, and yet I had an advantage. I filed it late. I didn't like that no one had picked Patrick Mahomes.

In my heart, who do I think is the most likely person to win MVP? He would be a very close second to your man, Lamar Jackson. Am I influenced by the fact that you said MVP is going to be worth two points in our scoring system, double? Maybe a little bit. Will I be regretting this hard if it is Patrick Mowms? A lot. I just think the way that he has come into this season, sounding fresh,

sounding that he's ready to run the ball more with a new offensive coordinator where he's done so well when he's started new systems in the past that he has more around him maybe than Patrick Mahomes does in terms of getting help. Patrick Mahomes gets helped, I believe, narratively coming off. the injury and Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are both about to have like remind me remind everyone who the fuck they are season but I think Lamar's numbers will just be a little bit better in the end that I'm going I like it I think the numbers are where he gets hurt um in terms of

having to do so much as a as a part of those previous MVP just maybe not to 2024 when they were just a death machine running down the field, 26 yards per play, all that crazy stuff, where I just felt like the Cowboys would have the numerical advantage with DAC and CD and going up and down the field. I would have loved to make the Homer pick. Yeah. But also the story, the Patrick Mahomes story,

where it's like only Grosenthal believed on me on NFL.com. You know what, though, I'm changing it. We're allowed to change our answers as long as we haven't moved out with the award. I immediately regretted taking Lamar because I hate the idea of putting two things in two places. You've got to be consistent in life. It's too late. It's in digital pen. I won't feel bad if Lamar wins.

I think he comes in second. It is Patrick Mahomes. That is the year. I feel that better. What a roller coaster. Sorry. Don't apologize. What a stupid award this is, by the way?

I looked at the odds. It's hilarious how much of a quarterback award it is. It's, you know, the top 20-something favorites are all. quarterbacks. You get Tyler Shuck and Jackson Dart as likely to win the MVP before you get to the first non-quarterback with his Bejohn Robinson. Speed round, long shot to win quarterback. You kind of, I mean, MVP, you kind of, I kind of had one with love. He was about 14th, which that's a pretty big long shot. I'd go Purdy if I had one. Trevor is a good one. That's a long shot. Yeah, Purdy. Purdy was in the mix before, you know, he's so responsible.

And I think you get the numbers. All right, let's go offensive player of the year. Let's switch up the order. So there's no advantage here. Let's start with Jordan. I'm picking Jemir Gibbs because not only do I think he's going to get the ball a lot in the run and the past game. His scrimmage, so his scrimmage yards, I think are going to be really, really fun to watch. But I also like the idea of him with Jared Gough, with Drew Petzing, in the featured role with the explosive playmaking ability that he specifically has. I think that turns voters heads. I think that is something that voters really watch.

And I think the Detroit Lions are going to be in the mix deep into the season and early into the postseason too. So all of these things bode well for Jemir Gibbs. I had fun going back historically and looking at pro football reference at the times a quarterback won it too. So like Cam Newton. Used to happen more often. And now I think they've gotten smarter and they just made it best non-quarterback

award. It was super interesting because it was like Cam Newton, I believe that was 15. Cam Newton won MVP and OPO. And then Matt Ryan won it the second. year, won both the second year, too, which I don't know that Matt Ryan was running for a lot of touchdowns, but I digress. There were some years where the best quarterback won MVP and the second best quarterback won offensive player of the year. I don't, I've never liked this award. I used to refuse to vote on it on NFL.com out of good conscience, but then I thought that's kind of a look

at me thing to do. But it now, I feel like the voters have just accepted its best non-quarterback. So we should just call it that. Yeah. Let's make it Best Quarterback Award. slash MVP and then best none. Or we just get rid of the MVP nomenclature altogether. I like that. Greg Rosenthal. Year 1 is a voter.

Shaking up the system a little bit. Well, he's earned that right. And now, like he wants to make it a look at the situation. I'm just so happy. Like when I found out, I was so happy. I yelled. I sent you a rap air horn. Er, air, air.

Voice memo. It was, I was really excited. I've been excited. My family has been hearing the updates throughout the course of the year. I'm excited and also, retroactively angry that it took so long. I know.

And so like, I'll be... Quicky wheel gets the grease. It all worked out. Your offensive player. Yeah, very boring. I also have Jamir Gibbs. Yeah, don't change the answer. Just someone else adds it. No, and honestly, the, I would be concerned about Drew Petting, but we have, we have evidence, right?

That if things do go wrong, Dan Campbell will grab the clipboard and the headset, which he's already wearing anyway, and just do it himself. And I still believe in the offense. regardless of that, if the run game doesn't work, Jamir Gibbs is going to be a large volume of the passing game. And it's just like the accumulation of numbers

for such an explosive player gets you offensive player the year. And should get you MVP votes, but that's a quarterback award. I would like to see a situation like JJ Watts' defensive season in 2014 where they could win the MVP

where different positions could win it. We haven't seen that really. Be the change. Amir Gibbs is the favorite. to win offensive player of the year by a decent margin. But still, and I know you don't understand how odds work. You know, still it's like five to one. So it's not like it's viewed as likely.

Bejan Robinson's next. Jamar Chase, Hukunakua, Christian McCaffrey. I'm going with the next name on the board, who I guess would be the sixth favorite. And that's Justin Jefferson for very similar reasons to Patrick Mahomes at MVP. Just a season for him to remind everyone who the bleep they were. See, I just wanted to save Eric the trouble. I just think he's the best.

The genuinely kind and earnest, I know, you don't understand how odds work. Face that you put his hand up to. It's not that hard. I don't care. I don't care. It's kind of like my offensive player of the year non-vote. It's a little look at me. You could spend five minutes once.

You're one of the smartest people I know. You could figure it out. You and our friend Adam on the Saints Black Party party. They're always like, I don't understand. How does it work plus three, four? You know, it's like you could do it if you want it. The will is not. No, it's not. Speaking of which, my defensive player of the year is Will Anderson.

That's my. Oh, okay. Well, that's who I picked too. What a transition. Wait, did we all pick Will Anderson Jr.? Yes, but I have, I have dibs. We all picked them. I don't want us to change our minds just because the other person had it. No, I mean, I think he is a rightful pick. I think he would be the best, the best pick here. I mean, he's incredible. He is, he is one of the best players in football right now. and he has a case to be the best defensive player in football this year. So yes, absolutely. Look, there's a million great defensive players.

Obviously, Myers-Gayr could get a lot of attention. Pass rushers tend to win this award. So, you know, does Nick Benito or Aden Hutchinson or Danielle Hunter get in the mix? But I kind of did it thinking about, you know, when we get to the team projections. We all are very high on the Texans defense. and sometimes you award the best player on that defense. Will Anderson is the second favorite for this award. And so I guess we were all parking in the same EV charging parking spot here.

I have a cool Will Anderson story from when I would. I just plugged in at work for the first time ever. There is. Congrats. Congrats. I have a cool Will Anderson's junior story from when I was at Texans camp this summer. Basically, there's the saying that permeates through the building that is practice will go how Will Anderson wants practice to go.

And so if he comes into the onto the field, even in the walkthrough and says, I have the capability of just like destroying this walkthrough or this practice, that is how the practice will go. His tone that he sets. Love that. His ability to even like let up so that other people can get quality reps in is it's very, again, players that are of this elite status where they don't want to give him voluntary, you're like veteran rest days and he probably wouldn't take him anyway,

but it is one of those things where he has the capability to absolutely wreck down to down any play that you throw at him. Yeah, they're like, can you give Veronte Erserie a break here? We don't want to kill us confidence. Protector of the year is such a legit award that there are odds on it. And we're picking it. Patrick. And I am picking Dion Dawkins.

Oh, nice. Another season, a sixth, I believe, Pro Bowl that he would earn. this season and one of those kind of career cherries on the top where we can start maybe this march towards Canton by getting him the protector of the year. It feels like the groundswell would have to be really loud because I do feel like these are awards that are maybe almost awarded a year or too late.

And he's not thought of quite at the tippy top. I went to like a predictable name, which is Tristan Wirth's, just the guy who can do everything. And I think if he plays his best is probably top two. two, three minimum at his position. I went to a very unpredictable name who, narratively speaking, could receive said groundswell that we're talking about.

If this offensive line improves the way that this team hopes it improves, and if this team is as elite as this group thinks that it will be and hopes that it will be, the narrative will fully be behind this very young player as the person who the front office believes is the catalyst. What a setup. I almost want to stop the podcast right now. Yes. He's it and take a break, but I'm not going to do that.

Let's hear it. Keelan Rutledge, the rookie. Whoa. Guard, but potentially will be playing center for the Houston Texans this year. And the reason why, first of all, that dude's a dude, right? Like, he really gets in the mix. He doesn't care against two. He was scrapping with Max Crosby at joint practices.

All of those players, including that incredibly elite defensive line, is really, really impressed with him, how he showed up so far. If he helps turn this offensive line around, narratively speaking, I think he's got a real case because he is the catalyst point. The front office has already stated their intent on that. Nick Casario called him the best offensive linemen they have. He's really, really dang good. And if he, he'll have bumps, rookies do, they do.

But he will be representative of this team that the eyesore where it was last year really needed to improve. If it does improve, he will be the figurehead of that. He would be the greatest, you know, one of the greatest offensive linemen rookie seasons of all time, if that happens. Yeah. Bold. I like bold.

Well, you know, I'm trying to go outside the box. I like it here. I like it. I like it. I'm not really clear on the point system. You know, you don't, you get, you get a point. If you are right, you don't get any if you don't, if you're not. Okay.

I'll go Judarian Price as my offensive rookie of the year. I'm not going to change it to Mendoza now that there's a point system. although just likelihood, you know, if he gets in there by week four or five, like he has a strong chance, just because I think he's very good at football and he plays quarterback. But we're going to talk about the kickoff game

on our next show going up on Monday. You know, I think Judarian Price is going to be one of the key offensive engines of one of the best teams in the NFL. It's not like the deepest group of offensive rookies of the year. And so I think he has a really strong chance if he gets 250 touches on that team to win it. Well, who do you got, Patrick?

I've got Dejohn stripling. Nice. Like that. Mainly, because I was him and Hong with Judarian Price, and I know Jadarian Price will have the opportunity early on, but to play an entire NFL season as the starter at running back, like I think maybe that's going to be something difficult to get to the finish and get that vote at the end.

But a wide receiver, especially in this offense, Like if he's, if Colin coming, he feel good about him now and then at the end of the season, he'll be right where he needs to be to get it. Where I'm viewing him, he's the fifth favorite plus a thousand. That's not a bad one. The favorite by little is Jeremiah Love, despite the injury. He might play still week one. Shout out to the Cardinals, by the way, for getting their Michael Wilson contract done on Thursday. I think that's going to age really well for a good young player. Carnell Tate is the second favorite. Mendosa's tied with him. Price is right there. Basically, it's a big four.

and then it's Dejan's dribbling. Quarterbacks are so likely to win this award that Carson Beck and Jack Strand are in the top. Jack Strand. 12 options here at offensive rookie your Jack Strand. Just continues to just...

The odds makers saw the Falcons second preseason game and we're like, that's it. Jack Strand just continues to elicit these responses from us. From Minnesota Moorhead, it would be crazy if he was good as a rookie, but I do think we are now living in one of the multiverses. I don't know which one.

But let's say there's... The bad one. Let's say there's 20 of them. Let's say there's 10 of them. 10 multiverses. Oh, okay. Universes. In the multiverse.

Oh, yeah, that's good. I don't know how this works. If you just put the effort in, you're like the smartest guy I know. If you just put a little effort... What's the Hot Talk Fingers movie? That's all I know. Everything everywhere at once.

In three of those, you know, universes, like Jack Strand starts at least five games this year. You know? I think there's like a pretty decent chance that we see a lot of Jack Strand. Way more than I was expected. Things would have to go pretty wrong for the Falcons, but that's very possible. All right, quickly, Jordan. It's a gerian price.

Okay, I like that. Defensive rookie, why don't we start with you then? Yeah, I like to crazy how deep this is. Actually, I want to read off to some options. Just want to list the top favorites in order. Ruben Bain, pass rusher for the bucks. Wow, what a great option he would be. David Bailey, pass rusher for the Jets.

Caleb Downs, I think would be the favorite in many years. Safety for the Cowboys. Sunny Stiles has had a quiet camp. He's starting for the commanders can rack up numbers. Arvel Reese, another top pick for the Giants. Mansour Delane could be the version of Keelan Rutledge. What Rutledge you're talking about? Help turn around that defense at cornerback for the Chiefs.

Akeem Messador, great camp for the charges. Jacob Rodriguez is going to be starting at linebacker for the Dolphins. That was about eight names. which I think, no offense, the last year's class, but would have gone into the year last year, maybe as a favorite of just over just about anyone that we had last year. So a really good rookie defense class. Go ahead.

Yeah, it was cool to go through. I picked David Bailey with the Jets, not just because I think he's going to be outstanding, but also because I think he's going to play the most. Akeem Messador was a close second for me, but he'll still be in a three-man pass rush rotation. And then David Bailey is going to be really a featured player here. Pass rushers are usually very popular.

for this award. I really wanted to pick Caleb Downs, but I just thought, statistically speaking, the eye-popping stats are more possible with David Bailey. I love that he had such a strong camp because he was going against the Jets tackles and their reporters saw him win over and over. And then same thing with the joint practices, same thing in preseason. So he backed it up. Patrick, who do you get? I have Mansour Delane. I don't think Spags is going to put Delane in a bad position at all. And I think he will be in position to make plays to the extent where, We've seen good corners, and they're all playing for the Rams now. But we've seen good corners in Kansas City,

but I don't think we've seen this level of talent for Spagnolo. And so I think, as you do, right, with your MVP pick, that it's like this resurgent chief season. There's huge matchups, like prime time against the Rams. And we're going to see Mansour Delane make enough plays to be in this conversation that eventually get him the vote. I think it helps him that Noel Williams is really good last year, too, because he's going to get through,

Mansour Delane's going to get thrown at. And I think it helps him rack up the statistics to your point. For sure. In that aggressive defense, they really count on their cornerbacks. And I think that's a good one. I wrote down, I want to see what you guys choose first because they all seem so even. Just playing his own. No, no, this time I just wanted to be the third.

I just wanted three different names. Sunny Stiles had a quiet camp, so that scares me off of him just a little because the other guy's got such positive notes. I'll go with my heart here a little over my head and go Arvel Reese because I just love that dude and I thought he should have gone higher. Bain is a really strong

Yeah, I'm surprised I don't know this pick up. He is a really strong option. He is the slight favorite for what it's worth, although all these guys have pretty close odds. But I love watching Rvel Reese play football. And back in the day, off ball linebackers would routinely win this award

because of what you mentioned about the edge rushers. They get stats. You know, you just see them making tackles and I think he'll force some fumbles. Comeback player of the year. An admittedly vague award. Minus five points. Which I, no, not minus five points.

You still get a point for this. And this is where the fact we're keeping score has me thinking. I'll let you go first because of that. No. Okay. I have the comeback player of the year as Kyler Murray coming back from it being all his fault in the desert, finding a team that also

had a person to blame in solving that issue as well and fixing things for Justin Jefferson to the extent that he's Greg's offensive player of the year. Kyler Murray is my comeback player of the year. Kyler Murray is the third favorite. Now, in this category,

there is a heavier favorite to win an award, specifically this one, Jordan, than there is in any other awards category by quite a bit. Can you guess who that player is? I was not paying attention to you just now. Oh, my God. Is it Patrick Mahomes?

You got to be present. We're in the studio. I was looking up a rule clarification. What rule? Our rules? We haven't even given out the point system yet. The Associated Press, I was remembering last year they sent out an advisory that said the player has to come back from an injury or an illness.

That was the advisory they sent out last year. I was just looking it up. Okay. Patrick Mahomes is the heaviest favorite in this award compared to any other player. in any other award by far. Now, if I'm just playing the game, you can see him winning this award, but I also just picked him to win MVP.

They're not going to give them both. Patrick Mahomes. Is that going to be your pick, too? If you're playing the game, I think that's... Yeah, that's my pick. Good choice. Yeah. I'll go Aaron Donald.

He's not coming back from an injury, but certainly you could give him comeback player of the year. Yeah, he was my second choice. I don't know if this advisory will actually be followed. That's a thing. Well, I just love that there's an advice.

Because it was Flacco won it. Yeah, there's an advisory for one of the more easily determined awards that nobody's ever argued over, right? But MVP can be as nebulous as we possibly wanted to be. Well, because once they gave Philip Rivers the award for bouncing back from being the 17th best quarterback to the eighth, it like made zero sense whatsoever. There's been a couple times that happened. Aaron Donald literally didn't play football. He's coming back. So I feel like he qualifies.

Part of it was one of the issues where the, a player who came back from his couch to play football, wanted over a player who's heart stopped, whose heart stopped on the football field. So I think in that case, we got a sternly worded. It was a sternly worded. That was a tough one.

But yeah, I'm picking Mahomes, but I think Aaron Donald is a very close second. I love the Kyler pick because I do think that he will be very much in this conversation about, quote unquote, redemption where maybe they didn't have to be even any redemption. Yeah. And I think that,

That makes it difficult because you're going to need the people who vote on this award to feel like there's some sort of thing there. But those are the people who are also willing to blame Kyler for everything that went wrong in Arizona. Well, you look at some of the principles involved and see how things are going for them right now and you have some questions. Even though Mahomes is such a favorite, there's so many incredible options because of how many big stars we lost last year to injury. Jayden Daniels, Malik Neighbors, Michael Parsons, Fred Warner, Michael Parsons, Tucker Kraft, George, Kiddles. A lot of really good options here. Daniel Jones is a lot of really good options.

I think Greg just named an all pro team. Yeah. Last award is Coach of the Year. And this could be a little preview of what's coming in the second half of our show because it matches up. I have Domeco. Damn it. Me too. I had a feeling.

I think I picked him last year too. I have Domeco again. Mika Ryan. He's never won the award. I went into check, he came in second once. I think he tied. How stupid is it to tie and then you don't get the award? Stupid.

Because we had Steve McNair, rest in peace, and Peyton Manning share an MVP once. Why not share Coach of the Year? I believe it was the Stefanski. The ego is involved. Can you imagine? Like, okay, stand together and hold the plaque. Okay. They each had 165 total points, him and Kevin Stefanski.

but Szaansky had one more first place votes and that's the tiebreaker. So someone probably had, you know, D'Amico. I had Sophansky like third, but, you know, had him first. That is where you need to step in. Matt Ryan's on Instagram concerned about fairness. Like, tell Kevin to give that one. Right.

Send that one to Houston. This is where, first of all, Domeco Rines was taking over a team that had won, I think, what, five games in two years combined and one 10. second of all, this is where an awards commissioner just needs to step in and be like, we can't be given Kevin Stefansky a second award here. This is not going to look good when he is falling asleep coaching up Jack Strand in week four of 2026.

Just and some coaches just keep on winning and keep on succeeding and other coaches just sort of coast on the glory of a Coach of the Year award. Ooh. Wow. Bringing us to my coach of the year pick, Kevin O'Connell wins. Coach of the year because like D'emico, players come in, they have success early.

You never get the perception of, wow, this bad player really turned it around under this coach. And so he gets the ding because we take the players that he developed and say, oh, well, they're good. We're here you have this heroic head coach who rescues players and brings them

back from the depths of despair. And Kevin O'Connell lends another coach of the year. That would be sad because that'll be the second time in three years. It basically the only non, like he wins the award whenever J.J. McCarthy is not as

quarterback. Well, I was going to say that means they have to trade J.J. right? Because the reminder of this not working is right there. That is a long shot. By the way. He is. Somebody wanted to trade for JJ? He is the 15th favorite. Can you guess? This surprises me

the favorite, maybe some of the favorites for Coach of the Year. Kyle Shanahan? No. My hint, will be like none of the old standbys who are actually the best coaches of the year every year, like Shanahan and McVeigh and Andy Reed are anywhere close because it's all narrative. So that's, that's ridiculous.

So Minter? Jesse Minner is second. Kellen Moore is third. Salah's fourth. They like the new time coaches, which is the new coaches. Give me a hint for one. He's not going to win the best introductor. speech to his team award. Oh, Liam Cohen.

No. Oh, to his team, Harba. I thought you were meant that to introductory speech. John Harba. I jumped the gun on you there. Solid favorite. John Harbaugh is the favorite. Okay. Provides me with an opportunity to say lines are to spur action. That I know. It's a great point. That I know. We don't go too

heavy in terms of the lines on this show, but I thought it was instructive. That was fun. That was the awards. And I can't wait to hear the sound effects and the music that Eric has for the rest of the show. Let's take a quick break. No pressure, Eric.

Pressure is a privilege. My chair just kept sinking too. Billy Jean King. We'll hear the Super Bowl winners. After the break. What would have happened to Patrick? I'm sunk. Behind every night spent making the kids' lunches,

there's a lot of suspense. Will they finally eat the veggies? Will the pesto survive the first bite? Will the lunchbox come a empty, half full, or come home at all. And will you finish episode 8 before you're done slicing the cucumbers? Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.ca for details and to check availability.

Bell, connection is everything. You know the feeling. You make a pick in your fantasy draft in the entire room groans because they wanted that player. Or you grab a small school rookie off waivers and you start him right before he goes off in primetime. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyason, host of the late round fantasy football podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. We've got data-driven analysis, historical trends, and the strategies that separate winners from the rest.

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Listen to the NFL Report podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Oh, I'm firing me up to tell people about a scoring system. One point for every award, except for MVP. We get two points. One point for every division winner and wild card team. correctly named. Now, if you pick a division winner that ends up a wildcard or vice versa, no points. You got to get it exactly on what they actually earn. You get an extra point if you predict a team correctly into the conference championship, an extra point into the Super Bowl,

and then another extra point for the correct Super Bowl champion. So if you got that Super Bowl champion right, that's four points right there. That's a big deal. We have one extra award that was originated in the great mind of an executive producer, Jordan Rod Rieg, of quarterback island fame. Quarterback Island's a hit. Oh, man. We're at the point of quarterback island. The numbers are great.

The reaction. Everything's happening. It's actually going to be hard to keep the group together because people want to start getting paid more. It's going to be a friend situation where they're all going to start negotiating together. I just, I like that the quarterback island terminology is starting to take hold. Like people were actually. explaining the rules better than I can explain them.

And maybe you need to talk to them. Yeah, I probably don't understand them either. So everyone go check out all the content from this week. This was one of my favorite weeks of the entire season. We have our over under win totals. I did some making the leap picks with Brett Coleman. We had quarterback island kicking off the week. And now we're really ending in style going through every division.

Let's start with the AFC East, Patrick. I believe the Buffalo Bills will win. the AFC East and it's a it's bills, Patriots, the dolphins bringing up the very last bit. The, the jets fall in there in between the Patriots and the, and the fence. But it all shapes up, not a lot of significant changes on offense. They get better on offense, talent-wise, on defense.

It's a mystery box, but it's, it's safe to be chalky with Josh Allen. I think they just have a higher floor. I picked them too. I want to change it to the Patriots for the purposes of this exercise and not all being the same and for picking what I root for, which is generally what I do. But like I said, earlier in the week, we had to put the picks down without knowing anyone else's picks on NFL.com.

17 people picked the bills, including myself, only to pick the Patriots. That feels too mismatch, but I can't fault it because I was one of the two. I have real concerns about the Patriots defense in a way that I don't over anything specifically with the bills. And their depth. Yes. And as the, even the head coach came out and made some pointed commentary on that. And that really serve you well in October, November, December when you're trying to make a playoff push. I also pick the Buffalo Bills to win the AFC East.

I think their upside on offense is even better. I love the pairing of Josh Allen with DJ Moore. I think that's going to be so much fun. Their run game is really good. Their offensive line remains good. Yeah, defense, like you said, it's a mystery box, but I really like some of the guys that are there, and I really like Jim Leonard, the new defensive coordinator.

Yeah, he's a huge X factor. He could upgrade that defense, or he could make you miss Sean McDermott. We'll see. I have the Ravens as my AFC North pick. I think the NFL.com voters are instructive, just how people are kind of. kind of thinking.

They got 10 votes, they being the Ravens, and the Bengals got nine, and no one else got any. I think that's pretty typical that it's getting split, maybe a slight edge to the Ravens. A lot of my Ravens optimism, Patrick, is about the coaching, is about Minter upgrading the defensive coaching, and frankly, them looking on paper like they have a little better depth defensively, especially up front than they did a year ago. So this was not a hard pick for me. No, and especially considering the rest of the division, I was very low in the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns.

And so that lifts up, obviously, the Ravens and the Bengals, the Ravens with a couple game advantage over Cincinnati, where it's not necessarily even homerism in my view, the way that the schedule specifically shakes out, with some of the home road circumstances for the Bengals and the Ravens, as well as the prime time games, where the confidence is there. You get the plus side of a couple of defenders

where you didn't know during the, the ore hallbar era, if those defenders were going to pan out, seen evidence of that in the preseason, enough to feel confident about it. I also picked the Ravens. I think I really like the points that you and Dave Damashach, the great Dave Damashak made.

Donald Tashach. Earlier this week on your show, that the Cincinnati Bengals remind people a lot of the Dallas Cowboys in terms of their variants or just how they're built or the certain elements of the floors that have to be raised here. I just am less high or certain on that because I can't trust that the quarterback will stay healthy. And I trust that when the quarterback is healthy, he's elite. I like what they're doing.

They're not being shy about changing their scheme, the Cincinnati Bengals. It's just that I also look at a team like the Baltimore Ravens and they're also going under an offensive scheme change. And I just believe it so much more. I believe in it so much more and I believe that the defense will be so much better. And this is just going to be a wagon. honestly, the Baltimore Ravens. So I really, I think that to me when I'm thinking about even teams, when we go through like our wild cards and stuff, like it's getting kind of scary for a couple of these very,

very high variance teams of not maybe not even making it. I would include the Bengals and the Patriots in that. The AFC is just so deep in general. The West, the West is just skewing everything in favor of the West, really. The South could make the case. Yeah. For depth two, do we all have the Texans winning it? Yes.

I do not. I'm in the Jacksonville Jaguars. Very good. A little diversity. And the Texans ruining somebody's very good season, getting in at 12 and 5, where these two teams, and not to spoil anything, just kind of make things very difficult for the Dimes bounce back season. And it is the Jags and Texans just wrecking everybody else,

also beating each other up because I have them splitting their games. But just far and away, at least in terms of top-hibitist, maybe not as even as the West, but those two teams, two of the best teams. I suspect we'll talk more Texans coming up with the conference title and who knows beyond that.

So we'll put a pin in that for now. But I do think it's a big two here. And man, I felt bad. Like they were one of my favorite win total picks, Jaguars. And yet you do have to let some teams go when you're picking these playoff teams because on paper, like someone's really going to get disappointed.

There's nine or ten teams. I don't have a lot of hot takes of like who's going to be really disappointing, but someone's going to wind up being that. Like Colts fans even think that they have a chance and they should after how last season started. In the AFC West, you said, great division.

Who do you have on top? And since, you know, we're getting there, you can mention who else you have in the wild card from this division, if you have any. Yeah, I do. I have the Broncos winning the AFC West, and I have three AFC West teams

making the playoffs this year, inclusive to the Chargers and the Chiefs. So I have the Chiefs winning the division. I'm staying consistent when we did the division and did the order. I went back and forth all three of these teams. But I did the same thing Jordan did and put three teams from the West into the playoffs as my second and third wildcard teams, the Broncos, the Chargers and the Broncos. Did you have three?

I had two. I had two because I have the New England Patriots getting in 12 and 5. And the Kansas City Chiefs finishing second in the division with the Denver Broncos going back to back. F. West champions and the start of the Davis Webb sweepstakes. As soon as they get that division championship wrapped up, the interviews will begin. Then what is it? The Bengals?

It could be. I mean, these teams that are out, yeah, over on this side. Well, we have an Eric B. Enemy sweepstakes if the chief's, you know, offense just turns it on. Probably not based on his college experience and his experiences interviewing at an NFL level, but he is part of the reason in the end, I feel like it's sometimes better to pick without thinking too deeply. And to me, it's more just like it's Patrick freaking Mahom in a season where they're expected to come in third by some people, but plenty of others. I mean,

they're over under. It's not like there's some Cinderella's 10 and a half wins. I just think they will find a way and somehow be rejuvenated, like with a bit of a fresh start. And they got to play less football last year. That's not a, That's not a bad thing. That's a real thing. Yeah, it's a real thing. I think it's a real benefit to them. And you mentioned Eric Bienamee and I really love what he will infuse into this offense. The run game, but also the way that he marries the run and the past together, we'll see a lot of the Patrick Mahomes. When Patrick Mahomes was thriving out of a bunch of different alignments a few years ago, we're going to see all of that. And I really, I really can't wait to see what we get from this. I have the Pats as my first wildcard team. I do think they're going to be good this season, double-digit wins. We'll talk about them a little more at length going into that kickoff game, Jordan, you and I. I just think their route is simple.

It's being a top five offense, having just one of the best passing games in the NFL again. Like on paper, it looks better in year two of a complicated offense. and by a lot of efficiency metrics, they were the best last year throwing the football. And so I think that gets lost that like Drake May can get better. The passing game can get better. And that it's a flawed team that I think is going to be very entertaining to watch. And so that's why I have them as a wild card, not as the division winner.

But I like them getting in. You had the Pats in. You had the Jaguars and the Texans in. And you had the, so we already know your teams. You had the Chiefs in as a wild card. Is that what you said? Yeah, Chiefs in the Wild Card. That's yours.

I had the Jaguars in. Okay, you had the Jaguars out. That one hurt me the most of the team. Liam Cohen. I like it. It helps my pick because Coach Cohen will, you know, clip that. Show the team. Show the team.

But you know what? They were one of my highest picks in our win totals draft because eight and a half just felt outrageous. So I do think they're going to be good. They're not going to care about that part. They're not going to care about that. That's not motivating. Small text at the bottom of the bulletin board where it's like, They're also not my pick for the you let us down.

Biggest disappointment team award. If this is award. There's no way to get points for this one, to be clear, unless Eric decides at the end of the year. Why don't we give the responsibility to Eric? Eric. Yeah, let's give Eric more work. Maybe it's a tiebreaker.

I think Eric decides who's the winner of the AFC's, you let us down biggest disappointment team. Yeah, we'll officially put this as a tiebreaker. If anyone ties, this will be the tiebreaker, and Eric will decide it. Although, who knows, we might have the same teams by the sound of it. I've vacillated back and forth. I will go Colts because they're a good team in a tough division. Maybe, you know, maybe it's not fair to say you let us down disappointed, but.

Like, to me, and I'm not trying to sway future January, Eric, fun season. We had a good time, Eric. I know I can be a jerk sometime, but, like, I think we made a great product. and we learned a lot about each other. I'm saying the Colts, if the Colts win eight games, that's not a biggest disappointment to me. Even seven or eight games.

To me, the Colts' biggest disappointment if they kind of bottom out, which I think is a possibility. You know what I mean? If they win eight games, that's about, that's fine.

I don't have them making the playoffs, so I can't be disappointed by them. It's kind of how I read it. Well, in theory, any team that is your biggest disappointment would be... It's the Patriots for me. Because to go from being in the literal Super Bowl and missing the playoffs,

to me that would be the biggest disappointment. The only reason is, A, because I think the AFC West is so strong, and I think the Jaguars and Texan ceilings are so high that this just absolutely is a numbers game. And it just someone is miserable by the end of this, right? And I love that for the AFC in general because it's going to be fun football. But I look at their schedule. I look at, again, the depth concerns.

I look at just, I think that this offense is going to be just fine. I don't see them being able to be maybe as multiple as other teams are, which would really help them. I'm not convinced on the sustainability of their run game. I'd like to see that improve. And I just don't know. And their schedule is dense. So for me, they just sort of had, they were the odd man out.

Plus it's a good podcast move. Well, I learned so much from you as you continue to attempt to mold me in your image. I'm not trying if that's just what naturally happened. by being around greatness, then, you know, that's good influence. You give the man an electric car and an MVP vote. It's all over. CX5, Greg, is gone. I miss it.

I miss the CX5 life. I got to say, I might go back. I'll let you know how it is. Yeah. I like parking right next to Patrick with our matching cars. The Bengals are my pick. and I could be falling victim to the thing that happens in off-season

sometime where, like, back in March and April, I think I was very high on the Bengals and then just I got sick of it over time and everyone's high on the Bengals. New scheme, coaches I don't really believe in, an offensive line I don't really believe in, that's a bad combo.

And then you could read the Joe Burrow, like, urgency and all this stuff is like, eh, you really need to do that. You know, the real ones don't need to do that. Joey B is happy. Joey B's happy. You know, it's almost like voicing your biggest fears. So that would be the Bengals.

And to me, they, you know, if they miss the playoffs at all, that's a big disappointment. They have a losing record, forget about it. Let's do the Vibs Awards at the end. Let's go to the NFC East, where the voters at NFL.com shows the Dallas Cowboys. It was the biggest surprise I saw

in terms of just consensus over the Philadelphia Eagles. By the way, in the West, the Broncos got eight votes, the Chargers got seven, and the Chiefs got four. So split pretty well between those three, which makes a lot of sense. To me, do you have the Cowboys or the Eagles, Jordan? I have the Cowboys. I think that it's not that I doubt the Eagles.

I think the Eagles are going to be really interesting to follow this year. I just think the Cowboys have all of the elements in the equation to ultimately achieve this. Their offense is not getting worse, in my opinion. high level quarterback play, good run game, great receivers, really, really good, too great offensive line, and a lifted floor on defense. So to me, I think that they, and good special teams. So to me, in every phase, I just think they're, they are so quality.

I think they're really well coached. I think that this is just going to be a group that will earn the hype that it gets this year. Have them as my second wildcard team. I like what you said about the offensive line. A lot's on Clayton Adams and the front. Man, I think they have a high variance offensive line. If you told me they have a great offensive line, then the Super Bowl is possible.

This, to me, could be average. It could be a little below average. They could be great, which is why I love taking the Eagles. I mean, to me, it's a little, as I sat with it more, it's a little cuckoo cuckoo puffs to not just view the Eagles as the juggernaut that they've been, that they win 11 games in bad seasons that their roster is off. Awesome. And so I'm just going to stick with the Eagles because whenever I don't, they make me regret it.

I think they'll have one of the top three defenses in football. So you have them as one of your wild card. Yeah. And whether it's one to three, I just don't know. Do you have both these teams in, Patrick? I do not have both. Ooh. Give us the spice now. Why not? I have the Dallas Cowboys in and I have the Philadelphia Eagles out. Are they your biggest disappointment you let us out?

Because if they're out, they're an extremely strong candidate, but they don't have to be that award. Yeah. No, it was the spoiler. The Eagles would be the biggest disappointment team. After winning 11 games in a division that is exceedingly top-heavy to me, one of the more top-heavy teams. But I, you know, again, perhaps the comeback player of the year. Wait, you have them missing the playoffs but winning 11 games, the Eagles?

I do. Now, this is bad podcasting. You're trying to have it, have your cake you needed to. That's a great season, 11 wins. It's great. It's a great season. But at the end of the season, if they're not in, it's going to be a big, disappointment because of the talent that they have.

It's great podcasting. I want. I just, I have one division getting three games in. And so it's going to, it's going to be tough for the Philadelphia Eagles as I have Dallas running away, honestly. Well, not running away. It's three game lead over the Eagles and getting, getting the buy, honestly. Wow. Okay.

Because I have you made up for there. I have horrible seasons for the commanders in the jacket. Good, good move. Yeah. Do any of us have either one of those teams in the place? No. No. No. So I still like the Cowboys.

Funny. Good offense, good schedule with those two teams. NFC North, I suspect, could be mixed up. Let's start with Patrick. The Minnesota Vikings. Wow. After a tiebreaker. You just had to give him some time. Yeah, over the Detroit Lions.

They both finished 12 and 5, but the Vikings get the division championship, leaving two very, very good teams. A crazy season, 11 and 6 Green Bay Packers out of the playoffs. 10 and 7 Chicago Bears. You're just giving everyone a participation trophy. Everyone wins 11 games. And yet they somehow don't make a class. Winning one game.

Okay. Yeah. He balanced it out. I need to see how that even works out. I don't know if it's possible. Wait, who are those two teams that only win one game? Well, no.

The Falcons win two games. The Giants win two games. The Giants win two. That is, wait, how many of the commanders win? One. One.

I just went through and picked. Okay. I just went through it. You've made, oh wow, you went through every game and did that thing. Yeah, I picked every game. And so the commanders. It was the only way to make sure that I didn't have 17 teams. I don't know if you're able to pull this up quickly, but you are saying,

I'm just doing the math in my head that in games, I'm assuming you had the giants and the commander split, correct? Yes. Okay. So in games, when they were not playing one another, they went one. they went 1 and 31 and I'm curious where and what that victory was after the show we will click back through this just for Giants and commanders

fans out there when you two bums don't play each other you will go 131 who is the team that the Giants got a second win in there somewhere the Giants got a second win I'll let you handle that I don't know how we got there I got the Vikings in the playoffs too, by the way. Let's just talk. NFC North.

I thought I was being cute with the Vikings as a playoff team. I was like, man, my picks are a little too shockey. So I had them as my last wildguard team. But I have the Lions winning the division. Who do you have for the end? I have the Packers winning the NFC North. I have the Lions also making the playoffs. I do not have the Vikings.

So none of us, even though we all did the thing where we gave the Bears a good record, I actually, you know, went over on them. I think for their win total, or I didn't take it on the show, but if I had to choose, I probably would. And yet none of us have them in the playoffs. That's what the Bears fans would call. I mean, I've got the entire...

Capital D disrespect. I've got the entire division within two games. It could be a coin. And the answer to your question was the Cleveland Brown Sunday and Week 15, travel to MetLife Stadium to take on the Giants. What did the Browns end up? One in 16.

This is the very... People really, uh, people really arching their back for Mr. Manning. That's, that's the phrase we're, we're trying to get going for our.

I'm sorry. What? I'm inappropriate. You know, you know. What? NFC South is the division I feel the strongest about. Family planning for Manning.

I think that's good. No. I stole mine. Take a break. I stole mine. We can't take a break. The Bucke. The Buccaneers in the NFC South are my favorite, favorite for any division.

I think there's a gap. I think they're significantly more talented. I think they bounce back. I think defense is excellent this year. And they're closer to an Eagles, Lions, that category of teams than they are to the rest of the riffraff and the NFC South. What about you guys? I picked my beloved Carolina Panthers to repeat. Yeah.

When the NFC South, that does make the Bucks my biggest disappointment. team. Yeah. They occupy an interesting space coming into the season. I feel like their vibes and the Falcons vibes are both a little shaky

where they're on awkward footing where you could. Yeah, you could have a quarterback unhappy, a coach on the hot seat. So I could see it going poorly.

And yeah, I just think their players are excellent at playing football and so they win games and prevent any of that from happening. What about you? Yeah,

I have Jalen Phillips and Devin Lloyd being what it takes to take the Panthers defense to the next level and growth on offense. with Bryce and Dave Canales back together again. Panthers win the division and I'll keep the win totals. Well, this one actually makes sense.

Nine and eight. Panthers win the division. Eight and nine Saints second place. Eight and nine bucks and then a two and 15 Atlanta Falcons. Wait, who are the two? Well, you don't have to look at that. No. That's having my back.

They were my number one overall pick in our either win total draft. They said under Falcons was my favorite. I wish we had you on NFL. dot com in general, Patrick and Jordan, but especially for the diversity we could have used in the NFC South picks. Two Panthers picks here, that's two more than all of NFL.com. We had 17 bucks picks and two Saints picks. No one was on the Panthers. I'm kind of... Well, you see the talent of the Bucks roster. That's the thing. But for me, I'm always super wary if a team has that many questions around some of the head coaching job

around some of the players that the franchise is willing to move on from some of the partial measures that seem were one foot in the last era, one foot in the new era. I want Baker Mayfield to thrive, but today at Theathletic.com, my esteemed colleague, Zach Kiefer,

one of our great writers in sports that we have, has a story about Baker Mayfield and how he's basically playing against his own front office this year. So that to me, I just, you know, the vibes. That's, it's a, it's a, it's, I'm a little wary. We've seen good examples of that in the past. It can work.

I mean, Lamar Jackson, I feel like he's doing the same thing. Lamar Jackson is not Baker Mayfield. No. Vice versa. Baker Mayfield is not Lamar Jackson. Right. I, I, I do think it's a little underplayed and we'll make sure to correct that because we are the NFL media.

Um, that Lamar Jackson has a chance to change the salary structure for quarterbacks in a way that we thought he might previously. if he forces himself to free agency this year, which feels possible based on his contract. Well, we'll see. We saw a collective effort. Yeah. A union, if you will,

to collaborate to make sure that it didn't happen last year. That's true. All right, let's go to the NFC West. Do we all have the Rams winning or does someone want to throw a bone to the Seahawk? I have the defending Super Bowl champions winning the NFC last. Let's go. Not a single person on NFL. including myself,

pick the Seahawks to win the division. And not a single person picked them to win the Super Bowl either. Wow. Like, this is just, it's just icky. I have the Seahawks as my number one wildcard team to try to make up for it.

So do I. Why do you have them over the Rams, Patrick? I think in terms of maintaining, at least some aspect of what they had on offense, I understand the coordinator change. You know, you bring in an offensive coordinator who, Brian Flurry, who ran the 49ers ran the second most outside zone in the NFL.

When Judarian Price was running the outside zone again, it's at Notre Dame. He averaged seven yards to carry. I think they can maintain success in the run game. And you get another darn old season, right, with these players, even if it's a different, even if it's a different system, he's back with these players. And haven't seen like, I understand the cornerback departure is significant for your number two corner in Rick Wullen. but not significant enough for me to like hate the defense now.

And this group of veterans is still really good. So I believe. Yeah. I love this team. I love this team. I think they're so there. To me, they don't drop off there. The questions will be answered very quickly into the season about these guys.

And those questions to me include their cornerback depth right now with some injuries. Nickyman Worry still not sure whether or not he's going to start the season. Seems like some days he will and then other days he won't. their third corner, that being a little bit of a question mark, is something we're going to talk about on the previous show. But that, to me, those are not long-term problems. Those are short-term problems. And I actually think the potential of Sam Darnold having a better season is upon us,

frankly. And look, sometimes champions come back and they still, this happens in the NBA lot, but it happens in the NFL too. We've seen it with the Eagles teams after they make the Super Bowl. They start off with still that same mindset. And it's about proving that you can finish as strong as you, you did the previous season, like the Seahawks finished so strong. November, December, what team do they turn into?

The schedule, I think, is a little harder this year. You know, when their offense was struggling down the stretch last year, they were helped out a little bit by some opponents where their defense got to just just strangle other teams. But, man, I just think these are the two best teams in the NFL by a decent amount. Yeah. And people just don't recognize, like, how dominant they were as a Super Bowl team. So Jordan and I have the Rams.

We talked Seahawks. I have the Cowboys. I failed to mention as one of my wildcard teams and the Vikings. I did mention as my third, which means I do not have three NFC West teams. And then the 49ers get my you let us down, biggest disappointment team. I don't feel it with my entire chest. But going through this NFC, the NFC North is stacked and the NFC West is stacked. Someone has to get left behind.

And they just have more questions than other teams. They just have more age. and I'll never doubt Kyle Shanhan's ability to coach it up, but I do see some losing record on his mark that you don't see with McVe, for instance. And it does still stick in my head that they lost by a combined score of 54 to 9 last year. So to the Seahawks down the stretch.

So I know a lot of players are back and everything, but it's not a big three until they prove it. To me, it's a big two. And then the 49ers, it's tough to come in third and make the playoffs. Yeah, I agree with your take on the two best. teams in football. And because the Seahawks, you know, they won the way they did last year, I sort

of flipped it this year just in terms of when I used to watch those epic 49ers Rams back and forth when, you know, Kyle Shanahan wasn't just dominating that entire series in a one-sided fashion. When they started to really go blow for blow, it would always happen where it would be like, okay, you get

two and then I get the next one. Then I get the next two and then you get the next one. So I sort of went with that a little bit more rhythmically for how I think this is going to go. And I actually, I just, the Eagles roster is so good. I just don't, I know there, there's a lot of uncertainty, but even when the Eagles completely hit a wall and we're creaking to like their 10 win season and that finish after their, when their Super Bowl hangover, they still were the Eagles, you know, they still were like one of the best rosters we've seen in, in modern football.

And I just think this is, this is the third, in my opinion right now, this is the third best team in football. Who? The Eagles. So how are they the biggest letdown team? No, no, they're not. The 49ers are for me. I agree with you.

I'm saying I have the Eagles and the Lions also in the playoffs. Okay. Yeah. Wild cards. Yeah. Got it. I got confused. No, the 40.

I'm with you. The Bucks and the 49ers are my, are my letdown teams. You went multiple. Well, I just have enough disappointment to go. Because at some point, Eric, future Eric, looking great, by the way. I think the haircut makes a lot of sense. I like you showing off the leg tats more. often in the office under NFL media leadership.

Some great leg tats that you just don't see out of Eric enough. He's getting uncomfortable. But I think for the interest of future Eric, who I'm speaking to, you have to pick one team for the tie break. The bucks. Okay. Yeah. All right. So my wild card race essentially comes down to those last couple of weeks. And the biggest reason that I have the 49ers in and the Eagles out, 49ers play host to the Eagles on January 3rd. That's so much more work than I did. Some people are calling this the greatest wildcard race

of all time. Everyone goes 11 and 6th. And what a win for Roger Goodell and all of us down the stretch. But that's why it could be a horrible situation for either the 49ers fans, the Eagles fans, or the Packers fans, or the Bears, right? Where everybody's going to be in that range in the final three weeks. They're incredible weeks despite I can't carry the shield. I will protect it. It's great football down the stretch.

Exciting games. And I think the 49th. Hey, as long as you're here in the Chris Wesleyan podcast studio or over your left shoulder not pictured is a big shield. And right there in the logo in NFL Daily is kind of a blacked out shield. The bot's original programming is at its core. I work for the NFL. Please send me to Japan next year, Roger. It's all I've ever wanted for the game. Don't know if you saw that. They now voiced it publicly that they're looking at Tokyo for a game, possibly next year. That's exciting. Let's take a break where we decide the most important factors of the entire 2026 season, the Super Bowl champion, the conference title game participants, and most importantly, who has the best vibes.

Behind every night spent making the kids' lunches, there's a lot of suspense. Will they finally eat the veggies? Will the pastos survive the first bite? Will the lunchbox come home empty, half full, or come home at all? And will you finish episode 8 before you're done slicing the cucumbers? Get Bell Pure Fiber Internet with Craved Netflix and Disney Plus from $94 a month. Price guaranteed for two years on internet with a two-year term and auto pay credit. Visit bell.com for details and to check availability.

Bell, connection is everything. You know the feeling. You make a pick in your fantasy draft in the entire room groans because they wanted that player. Or you grab a small school rookie off waivers and you start him right before he goes off in primetime. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyason, host of the late round fantasy football podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. We've got data-driven analysis, historical trends, and the strategies that separate winners from the rest.

And your dominance doesn't stop with the draft. All season long, we have our 15 transactions, 10 trends, sleepers, and the mailback, data-driven, quick-hitting episodes to help bring home that league trophy. Listen to the late-round fantasy football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The NFL never stops and neither does its newest podcast. The NFL report hosted by me, Andrew Siciliano. It is your home for everything football. Williams, drifting, sprinted for space, in all kinds of trouble, put it up for next to the end. We're tapping the biggest news stories, giving you expert analysis, fantasy previews, game picks, and more.

We fly around every single play. We dominate every single play. Want to hear from the league's top stars ahead of the biggest matchups? We've got you covered. They're a really good football team. We've got to have all hands on deck. Join me at an All-Star cast of analysts for everything you need to know from around the league. Get new episodes of the NFL Report Monday through Friday all season long. Listen to the NFL Report podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, everyone. I'm Mike Yam. And I'm Trevor Sycamma. And together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Show. Fantasy season is upon us. Are you ready to dominate your league? Because if you aren't locked in with us on the NFL Fantasy Football Show, you're already playing from behind. Every episode, we're going to dive into the biggest fantasy headlines. Injury updates that you'll need before kickoff. The best starts and sits across every position.

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Back on what Us Weekly is calling. The most important NFL Daily episode. Episode? Ever recorded. We're doing great. late night at the BTS show. Let me tell you. Nice.

It was fun. Chaperoning my wife. There might have been more just pure happiness in SoFi Stadium than like when the Rams won the Super Bowl. It was just a lot of nice people enjoying a nice time. I had fun. Such good vibes in this podcast studio when the three of us get together that we give the floor to our friend Jordan Rodriguez

for explaining whatever is the vibe. Vibes Award and awarding one of them. Yeah, you couldn't choose this award based on any data off of any predictions or, you know, line projections or desert projections. It could only, you could only choose whoever or however you wanted to crown this team based solely on the fact on the vibes that you, that she sort of felt around them all through training camp. For that reason, I think that the most likely Vives Super Bowl appearance team is probably

the Buffalo Bills. Ooh. The vibes are so good over there right now. Everyone's having fun. Everybody seems to have loosened the expectations a little bit.

And I really like the, like again, the apparent chemistry already between Josh Allen and DJ Moore. Now, really, really good vibes can go south and hurry if you start losing games.

I hope they, you know, they keep the good vibes going. But man, out of training camp, I don't know if there was a better vibes team than the Buffalo Bills. Sneaky good vibe off season.

It's been quiet there relatively. for a new head coach and an MVP quarterback. Good vibes. Which is a good sign. I think Dave Canales's vibes could power, you know, the earth, what he's brought to Carolina. So I'm afraid not picking them to win the division. But similar to yours, I do think, you know,

taking John Harbaugh out of that building after a little while and putting in some younger head coaches, you got all the players talking about all the attention to details. sometimes it's just time for a new start. It's time for a new relationship. The last relationship worked out better than you could have ever expected getting a little stale

and now they got just kind of a new regime and a place that needed it. I think the vibes are gonna, you know, power the Ravens hopefully to the moon. If I'm picking purely based on vibes, it does also happen to be a very good team. The Jacksonville Jaguars win a vibe championship

and a community in Duval, where they deserve the team to be this good. They've been through some rough times. And purely based on the season that I think Travis Hunter can have smile-wise, just an electric glowing smile. When he makes plays, it's going to light up that building. And it's going to provide a lot of positive attention

to the people of Jacksonville and the vibes are going to be through the roof. What is the ad where all the NFL players are practicing their celebrations? Have you seen that yet? it's been in heavy, heavy rotation. But Travis Hunter is giving his all. Like Josh Downs is there. There's different players. But his vibes pops off the screen in a way that no other player does.

He's just joy personify. That's one of the things that is so magnetic about him as a player is he's just, he's just joy. He just is. I can't wait. We get them back. We get back on the field. You know what would have been good podcasting is checking out the odds for Travis Hunter defensive player of the year.

That would have been. Getting in the mix there. Okay, we've done it. We've reached the portion of the program where we start to pick the final four teams of the NFL. This is where it's really on Eric

to give us some inspiring type music. Let's start in the AFC with Patrick Claybott. In the AFC, I have the Jacksonville Jaguar traveling to take on the

Baltimore Ravens for a shot to go to the Super Bowl. Who's going to win this game, Patrick? Liam Cohen and the Jacksonville Jaguars are awarded the Super Bowl in the AFC. Let's... Can you explain what happens in this game? Specifically, in the fourth quarter? In the fourth quarter of this game, the Jacksonville Jaguars are trailing by five. Yes.

Trevor Lawrence has two dump-off passes to Bay Shul Tutin to get over on the Baltimore Ravens side of the field as the clock ticks down. Liam Cohen takes a timeout. During that timeout, Travis Hunter comes onto the field. There's a lot of discussion. As he goes into motion, Ravens defenders are pointing at each other,

and then Trevor Lawrence drops back and hits Parker Washington for 47-yard touchdown, and the people of Baltimore are very sad, and I am very sad, and I will come in here and podcast immediately after, probably with tears in my eyes. Oh. We've been to.

together for some tough Ravens moments. That would be... At least this time it wouldn't be somebody fumbling. It would be a great play about Trevor. And you have an affection for the Jaguars, I would say. And it sounds like Lamar Jackson had a great season and a game in that scenario. Maybe that would ease the pains. No, not at all.

How about the fact that you predicted all of it exactly correct? And then we played it on the show, including the part where you said you come into the show, teary-eyed, and that winds up being the part that's not true because we played it for you and it made you happy. It made me happy. Just being able to podcast with you in this situation. A lot of time space continuum nonsense happening in this show. I'll let Jordan tell us about her AFC championship next. My AFC champions are the Houston Texans. And that's really all I have to say about it. I had a feeling it was going this way. You know, we, We've been fighting over them.

We've been staking our claims as early in the off season as possible. My argument is whoever went to go see them in person gets to stake the claim. How about whoever's flesh and blood has been rooting for them? There it is. Oh, I see. Hold the kid card. How about the best podcast move is actually not splitting up? Ooh.

Is presenting a semi-united front that the AFC South is going to be. going to the Super Bowl regardless, by the way. That doesn't happen too often. The Jaguars are going. Justice for the AFC. And that two-thirds of this crew today have the Texans go into the Super Bowl. And that, yes, we extend a little bit of the pain for fictional Patrick in this scenario with the Texans beating the Ravens in this particular game, the AFC Championship. So the Ravens make it close.

And yet it's an entirely different game than the one that he imagined. Unfortunately, it's a showcase for one of the greatest defenses we've ever seen. And they win nine to three. It's in Baltimore, so bad weather affected it. And they were actually down three to two late in the game when Woody Marks rips off a run. run that ends up being the difference. You kick the extra point.

You win nine to three. So they got the nine in a very... Wow. Did you have a conference championship game loser or did I miss it? No, I just, I read it. I picked exactly how I read it. Conference title game results. Okay.

Well, you got to... Literally what I think. The conference title game results, you have both teams. Sometimes you get a lot of heat for being the robot on this show, Greg. But I think sometimes it's me in my brain that does it. That's fair. If you need... A few extra minutes.

I could give you my NFC pick. We could get into the NFC picks and you could eventually get your AFC runner up when you do your NFC. No, I think it'll be Texans over Ravens. Wow. Okay. Sympatico. Right now.

Identical AFC picks. We live or die together. This is how I keep. Is your game also in Baltimore? This is how I keep getting invited back to NFL. No, this is going to be good. I like, I like that we're going to be on the same. same side here. Let's start

the NFC with Patrick as well, because this will give Jordan time to think of a NFC type of game. Oddly enough, with the way I had the division shaking out, it's a rematch between the Rams and the Carolina Panthers.

No, not in the championship. Oh, okay. Okay. To start things off, the San Francisco 49ers, getting a win over the Seahawks in the divisional round. So it's 49ers, losing to the Dallas Cowboys, the Rams beating Minnesota Vikings

in an NFC championship game. It is Rams, Cowboys, Rams go to the Super Bowl. Wow. I like that. And because you are so good at reading off what was clearly not improvised earlier in what happens in this game. I actually want to know what happens in the third quarter

of this game. In the third quarter of the Rams Cowboys is an MC championship? Yeah, this is the part... Is it close what's happening? Yeah, no, because it's in Dallas as they won the NFC East and the third quarter is really where the folks at AT&T Stadium start to believe. Oh, it's a home game.

Yeah, it's a home game. There's a big George Pickens catch, oddly enough, down the left side of the sideline where it's not in Green Bay, but where Des actually caught the ball. George Pickens makes a similar play, reaches around Trim McDuffie, and it's a touchdown for the Dallas Cowboys.

They go up by four at the end of the third. The fourth quarter is where Miles Garrett and Matthew Stafford take over and the Rams are going back to the Super Bowl. I love that. I love the... Patrick, you're amazing. The story. I have the Rams over the Seahawks.

I did not want to get it twisted. I wanted to imagine a world that I want to live in where the Seahawks and the Rams become a little bit like the 49ers and the Cowboys back in the 90s, where for a certain stretch, they really were the two best teams, that we had these superpower teams that were different and loading up

and trying to beat each other. all about each other and that for the second straight season, a team from that division, yeah, gets out of the wild card, wins a couple road games. The problem is this time it's played in Los Angeles. The Rams are at home and they do get the win. They get the Seahawks back in the conference championship. I love that in terms of the drama between the two teams

because these two teams are such heavyweights. And I think all of their focus, the soft season, on each other. makes either of these two teams just prime for the takedown by the Philadelphia Eagles. Oh, wow. The original thorn

in the Rams side over the 2023 and 2024 and even at times it's... Still, didn't beat them last year either. 20-25 season. So I have the Rams over the Eagles finally, finally getting back.

Oh, you had me excited. All of that. Now, that's the thing is any one of those three teams, to me because of how well they play each other and how intense those games are. This is so, this is so fun. It's like, to me, it's those guys and then everybody else. So it was my fault.

I don't think you intentionally okedoke me there. I thought you were stunning me with an Eagles going to the Super Bowl, but it was the big upset they get past the CHawks. You had too much faith in me. Yeah, that was like, that would have been surprising. You have the Rams in. I have the Rams in. We have the exact same Super Bowl right now again.

We might have the same winner too. We're United. Patrick, who are you putting your belief by? And this is an important part of the scoring system. Remember, you get a total of four points if you get the Super Bowl champion right. If you had this Super Bowl result right, each one of these teams already would have earned you three points. You'd be in great position. Would be.

Hypothetically. Who? Patrick Claibon's Super Bowl championship. This is really the end of the Patrick Claibon offseason. The next time you're on. the show. Like, we're talking season. Yes. The season that leads up to this where there's so much buildup and there's disappointment

on the AFC side is the Ravens can't get there. Disappointment for the Cowboys and disappointment for the Jacksonville Jaguars. We lose to the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles. Sorry, everybody. I wanted a world where for some reason Liam Cohen, like, leaving for Kentucky at the wrong time

was like a huge story. I guess it would be leading. into that Super Bowl regardless, but that it was the pupil beating the mentor in a big spot. Man, that would hurt Sean McVeigh if he lost to Liam Cohen, but instead it's Sean McVeigh's second Super Bowl title. I mean, they've taken the steps here. They lost in the wildcard round. They lost in the divisional round.

They lost in the conference championship game in order. But you know what that means, Jordan? They're due to lose in the freaking Super Bowl. They're due to lose. in another one of the greatest defensive performances that we've ever seen by the Super Bowl champion, Houston, Texas. That's right, people.

Going with my heart, going with my head, going with a world in which the Rams make every prediction happen until the very end, the moment that they didn't and that this pass rush and that this defense ultimately keyed. And I'm sorry to do this to Kyron Williams. by a forced fumble. Returned by Aziz al-Shayir is the difference in a 16 to 13 Super Bowl victory. 16 to 13.

Now are we going to... That's high scoring. Are we going in all the way together? You already knew who I was going to pick. I told you who my Super Bowl pick was. I didn't know that. I didn't know who your winner was necessarily. The Houston Texans are my Super Bowl.

Wow. They were also my Super Bowl pick last year. to state that for the record, too. Well, that was a bad pick last year by me. But the Houston Texans, to me, again, if their offense can get to top 12, top 15, this defense is one of the most special groups I have ever seen on a football field and has a chance to be one of the most historically special groups on a football field this season. And they are together.

They're also a vibes pick for me in the same ways that you feel the Seahawks really being together and really felt that all year last year. You feel that from this Houston Texans team. And I think it'll be lower scoring than that. I did not pick a score because, you know, I'm still me at the end of the day. But I think it'll be so, I think it'll be Texans over Rams. I think it'll be incredibly low scoring. I think that for the real, you know, in the.

in the weeds football insane people, like it's going to be just glory for all of us sitting here to watch something like this. It's going to be fun. I love that. And before anyone listening is like, oh, the media, they're so high in the Texans. Why do you like the Texans?

It just happens to be the two of the three of us in this, in this studio. I mean, look, if you wanted to go and... I don't think they're the favorite. It's three of them winning 12 games. Yes. Who hasn't? They are the number nine favorite, tied between nine and 12 favorite.

There are eight teams ahead of them in the desert. The Rams, Bills, Ravens, Seahawks, Chiefs, Chargers, Patriots, Eagles, and then it's a four-way tie between the 49ers, Lions, Texans, and Packard. So this is not a consensus pick, although two people out of 19 at NFL.com did pick the Texans to win the Super Bowl. The most people picked the Rams with the bills next on that list. What a time it's been.

Play that music. We have reached the end of what I consider the off-season road. What contributions? Thank you, Jordan. Thank you for joining me. We're going to live and die together. Now, you have to do this. You like the Texans do.

You know, we like the team. Yeah. You like the AFC South. I do. I think it's a good division. Two teams are really good. Can we get some teams into the Super Bowl that have never been there before, like the Jaguars, like the Texans.

It's getting an AFC South champion. It's been a while since that Colts team. The offseason was fun. But you know what's more fun? The season. On Monday, we will be previewing for the first time an actual NFL game. Jordan and I will talk about

the kickoff game between the Seahawks and the Patriots, and we'll talk about the Melbourne game between the 49ers and the Rams. That's coming Monday. We'll get into our, regular season programming next week, the previews, the recaps, all of it. We cannot wait either. The entire draft room groans because you just took the guy they wanted. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyason, host of the

award-winning late-round podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. Listen to the late-round fantasy Football Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Mike Yam. And I'm Trevor Sykima. And together, we host the NFL fantasy football show. Are you ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Because if you aren't locked in with us on the NFL fantasy football show, you're already

playing from behind. Whether you're a first-time player or a grizzled vet chasing another championship, we give you the advantage and the confidence you need to make every move counts. Listen to the NFL fantasy football show on the I-Hocel. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Whether you're a seasoned NFL fan or new to the game, there's one place to keep up with all of it, the league's newest podcast, the NFL report, hosted by me, Andrew Siciliano, it is your home for everything football, breaking news, expert analysis,

game picks, and hear from your favorite players too. Join me at an all-star cast of experts for everything you need to know from around the league. Get new episode to the NFL report Monday through Friday all season long. Listen to the NFL report podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.