NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Week 1 Recap

Episode Date: September 11, 2017

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, & Marc Sessler – recap all the games from the first Sunday of the regular season including the Rams stomping on the Colts and the Detroit Lions comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals. Then the heroes break down the Sunday Night Football game where the Cowboys came for revenge against the Giants, stealing a win unlike their week 1 match-up last year.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Around the NFL podcast is hoping to have its fifth year option picked up. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast presented by head and shoulders. My name is Dan Hansis and I'm joined by a room filled with some heroes, Mark Sessler to my left, Greg Rosethall on my right. What's up, boys? Forget hoping for the fifth year option. This is it.

This is the fifth year. It's starting, week one. The fifth year of our flagship program, Sunday night recaps. We're here, Mark. Another year for you and I, Mark. Our seventh year here at the NFL and our fifth year doing this little shabang. Yeah, I mean, I don't understand this fifth year option talk. Either we've got an extended deal at this point or you'll pull the plug tonight before we wrap the show.

Yeah, let us know. Let's hope that doesn't happen. Because if I knew they were hanging that over us, I would have. staged a holdout of some kind, made a huge stink, worked with the media back channels with different insiders, and caused a whole ruckus. Right. What? I mean, we've built up this Sunday night show to the point speaking to my mom this morning

on her 50th wedding anniversary. Shout out to the Rosenthal's. She called it. Well, I'll listen to your flagship show tomorrow. She called it the flag. Oh, Deb Rosenthal in a big spot. Congratulations to the Roses. That's a nice, that's an incredible achievement.

What is that? Silver? I believe so. It may even be more than that at this point. Might be golden. You got to plug in on this one, Gregie. I'm assuming you purchased a gift. Get some flowers.

They're going to be here this. I mean, beyond flowers. I'm sure you did something to marvel and show your appreciation for. I just gave her a shout out on one of the best podcasts around. That has very little cachet. Let's get back on script because that's why it's the Sunday flagship show because we talk about every game that occurred on Sunday in this week one. from the early kickoff, straight through Sunday night football,

the Giants and the Cowboys and Jero World. And it was a week one gentleman where there were some surprises there always are, but also maybe not as much sizzle. Maybe I was expecting some fireworks, some crazy things happening. There was things to learn, but it wasn't blown away. Let's put it that way. I felt that way, but I also would point to the fact that we have two Monday night games that look enticing.

These weeks, when they start a little slow, usually round out with a lot of drama late. Well, it was the most one-score games in NFL history last year, and there were only out of the early games, you know, before the Sunday night game, only three one-score games. So there weren't a lot of close finishes, as you mentioned. All right. So we got so much to get to. We should just do it. So, Erica, by the way, welcome your first flagship program. Any butterflies?

Sure. A couple. Erica's still dead inside after Thursday night's result. He's doing okay? I'm doing fine. I like that I find that if you get snarky with her on Twitter about the Patriots, she will come right back at you with fire. Oh, she's L.C.

All right, Erica, let's get into the action. Another season's here. There's glory in the legends of this hard muscle life, and there's poetry in each season made of sweat and strife. Winds whisper of high hopes. Victory is in the skies. A season awaits with glory in her eyes. one joins with many on summer's green field time to strive to dare for all not to yield now that doesn't get you excited

slightly overdramatic but i'll accept it let's settle down just a little bit sir again fessenda i love fessenda in the ground cannot defend himself well beautiful work by john fessna and sam spence of course with the music Classic stuff. All right. Okay, we can get rid of it. As much as I respect it, like Mark. It has its time. All right, let's get into it, and we'll start with a game at Lambeau Field

pitting two NFC superpowers against each other once more. Now the pack is going to catch them with too many guys in the field. Rogers takes the snap. The flag does come in, so Rogers has a free shot, and he throws it over the middle and completes it in the end zone to Jordy Nelson, A 32-yard strike, touchdown Green Bay. Aaron Rogers' third quarter touchdown hookup with Jordy Nelson gave the Packers some breathing room,

and Green Bay swarming defense did the rest. A 17-9 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Guys, this is a game that could have huge playoff ramifications down the line. And appropriately, it had that feel of January football. Two great teams going at it. The defenses certainly seemed like they were ahead of the offenses in this game. Maybe if this game was played a couple months from now, it'd be a little different, the feel of it. But this was about defense.

But at the end of the day, Aaron Rogers made the plays he needed. And that's now three straight wins for Rogers over the Seahawks in as many years. Greg, what were your takeaways from this game? A really good game, maybe not a classic, but a nice game to start the season. That the last time we saw the Packers defense, they were getting filleted in back-to-back playoff performances. and they worked hard to shore up that secondary, but it was really the front seven, and the last two guys that got big-time extensions from the Packers,

Mike Daniels and Nick Perry, were dominating this game. I think Connor Orr put in our write-up, and I totally agree, Mike Daniels deserves the game ball. I mean, he wrecked this Seattle offensive line, but you have to wonder about who was on the other side of the field. After hearing nonstop about what the Seahawks offensive line is going to do all offseason,

and they had a worst-case scenario performance and really didn't give their team a chance to win. I come out of this concerned for Seattle because the offensive line has been an issue forever, and it held them back last year, and it also curtailed Russell Wilson's season in terms of his health. Though Seattle, year after year,

seems to figure themselves out on offense about a month into the season, if not later sometimes, completely shifting their identity by mid-year at some cases. So do we really take away from the, anything other than it's a rugged loss on the road for a team that we trust to bounce back. I don't put too much into the loss. It was hard fought and they just came out on the losing end.

Three years ago, I believe it was three years ago, I was in Seattle for their kickoff game against the Packers. That was in CenturyLink Field. And it was the same type of vibe where it's like, it's kind of like you're a little torn because it's a great game to start the season. And that was the first game of the season period on Thursday night. But at the same time, these two teams, If they finish tied now atop the standings in terms of one loss in the NFC,

an NFC title game could be in Lambeau field. And now the CL Seahawks have to actually finish ahead of them by a full game in the standings to finish out ahead in a tiebreaker scenario. You almost wish this game's a little deeper in the season when the teams are a little more worked out because it has so much on the line. It does, but the Seahawks are a team, as Mark mentioned, that tries to figure things out. This isn't just a bad offensive performance.

I mean, they had about 25 yards through their first five drives. I mean, they couldn't. Five punts to open the game. Right. They couldn't operate an offense at all. I think the better team ended up winning. Even though it was close in the score, the Packers were doubling them up in terms of yardage. I think the Packers had to be a little worried about their offensive line.

But the good news for them is David Bactiari, who is very noticeable by his absence, you know, will be back. He'll help shore up that line. I think the fact that the Packers could move the ball when they absolutely. needed to late in the game and have some sustained drives. They have to feel really good that they can win these types of games. I wonder, you know, one of the questions for Seattle, they didn't have Thomas Rawls this week was how the backfield would shake out. And it looks to me like Eddie Lacey does not have a major role in this team at all.

He should have had it. If he doesn't have a major role in this game, it makes you wonder how high they really are. Chris Carson, the rookie is getting more action than him. Russell Wilson leads the team in rushing today. Right, right. Thomas Rawls was inactive for this game. We didn't know that going into it. I do believe that Chris Carson ended up getting more snaps than Lacey.

Lacey had seven snaps in this game, and we didn't hear that he was hurt. Maybe something else will come out, but that's troubling. So you have a couple of things working against you if you're Russell Wilson now. You have no protection, and you are figuring out the running game as you go. Maybe the Packers' defense is better than we think. They'd certainly have talented players up front, but that's a tough way to start. All right, boys. Let's move on.

Car going to throw it for the end zone. Touchdown! Raiders! Seth Roberts popped it right away as they quick-snapped him. Came back up on the ball, and Seth Roberts does it again in Music City. And they ran four verticals that time, partner. You watch all the receivers going out. Not waiting on the backside throw.

Seth Roberts right on the second level beats the Tennessee Titans before a touchdown. Now, I'm not saying that is worthy of a top ten calls at 27. Far from it, I would hope. But Erica, loose cannon, you're new to the show. We got to track these, whatever great calls from the... We like going with the radio calls because we like the local guys. Some of them are literally insane people. Yes.

And we lean on that insanity and we thrive on it. Lean and thrive. Yeah, as a clip that was not a top 10 clip, but that Raiders call, that was spicy. That was weak ones. That's Papa. That's Papa. That's Papa being Papa. Aye, Papi.

Derek Carr threw two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score you heard to Seth Roberts as the Oakland Raiders went on the road to beat the Tennessee Titans. You heard me, 2613 in Nashville. Greg, this felt like an opportunity for the Titans to announce themselves as an AFC power player, but the Raiders instead gave everyone a reminder that they're already in the club. They are, and they're a year ahead of the Titans in their development, and I thought this was a really well-played game, some sloppy performances around week one. a lot of people complaining, go watch this game. It wasn't a barn burner at the end because the Raiders were too good and they put it away. But these were two really good teams very evenly matched. But the difference is the Raiders have been there.

And this is kind of the win we were looking for last year a lot of times where the Raiders didn't convincingly win. It felt like they got a little lucky. This was complete. And the two guys that they added on offense, Marshawn Lynch and Jared Cook could make a huge difference. This was already a great offense. And they upgraded at two positions of need.

I thought Marsha and Lynch looked fantastic. I was going to say, does he look like Marsha and Lynch of 2014? Yes, the numbers didn't pop off in terms of the box score. I think he got almost 100 yards from scrimmage, so very solid. But he's breaking tackles. He got a fourth and short near the goal line where most running backs would have been taken out. He ran over Jarrell Casey, who is 305 pounds and just knocked him back on a totally different play. I thought he looked great.

He's the guy Seattle could have used today. Yeah? Because he looked to me. It's a great point. Like the youthful runner of four or five years ago, not just the guy from two seasons ago in Seattle. And they tried to give him some rest. He, you know, was out every third drive or so.

They used DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard a lot. And yet at the end, when they needed to close the game out, they went with Lynch and they killed the clock. And they basically turned a really good game into a sleeper just because they held onto the ball. And, you know, I kind of kid, but I'm serious. You know, Tennessee was a whole off season. There's so much football to play.

Obviously, I'm not saying now the Titans are done or something. But, you know, you're at home and you're starting a season and it's been talked up a lot that they're now ready to make this big play. And then you let Big Brother come in and take care of business. It's disappointing. You have to be disappointed as the Titans fan. I am annoyed because I thought that Tennessee would see this as a comprehensive statement game. Ooh, I forgot about it.

Yeah. Oh, you did like that. I locked this one. I locked this up. I would say that I locked it up, you know, you could not do less of a positive job out of the gate in week one than to latch on to a team that ran into a buzz saw. I mean, listen, the one thing you could say about Tennessee

is they're not going to meet the Raiders every week. The Deadbolt did not turn. It did not turn. There were a lot of positives. Corey Davis was out there. Look good. Overall, I think they were fine. Who do they got next week?

I'll put you guys on the spot as anybody know. I can find that out before you're in about one second, baby. Yeah, you got to win a ball game next week. next week the patriots no i'm kidding they do not have the patriots they have well they have the jacksonville jaguars then after that they had the seahawks and the texans and i know i know we got to move on but one last thing my you know one game ball today goes to georgio tevecchio the new raiders kicker get excited the first italian born player in the NFL in more than 40 years he put the opening kickoff through the uprights you don't see that too often he hit 250 yarders first time in

NFL history a rookie kicker ever did that there's been a lot of an understated anti-Seabass sentiment coming from Greg, and I think it's because he's the last player from that Tom Brady draft class, and Greg wants zero competition. He wants them out of there. I'm telling you, this kid was booming it. All right, well, Seabass will probably not be coming back this year.

But Greg, I thought that game ball was going to go to Tony Romo. I thought you were saying it that way. I forgot about that. Maybe we'll save it for Tuesday, but you were very happy with it. Tony Romo is already one of, if not the top color analysts in the business. Love them. Look at that. I can't wait to watch this game and see if I can concur.

with you or violently disagree. Let's keep moving. Could be the last play of the game. Fourth and goal. Four on the play clock. Snap to Glennon. He'll step up in trouble. Brooks Reed socks him. Brooks Reed gets another sack. And Atlanta's going to win for the first time since 1983 at Soldier Field.

The Falcons got the type of stop they could not manage at the end of Super Bowl 51. At Ryan led two fourth quarter scoring drives. The result, a 2317 road win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mark Sessler, this was not easy, but the Falcons found a way to finish, putting just a little more distance between themselves and the events of the first Sunday in February. They did, and an uncomfortable and, you know, I'd say disturbing finish for Bears fans. You have first and goal at the Falcons 5,

and you've hung in a game that many people thought would have equate to a massive slaughter in week one. And quite the opposite. They hung around. You've got three shots at the end zone, three straight incompletions, and it was not on Mike Glennon and this final chance here. He's not. His wide outs, and that's, you know, an area of weakness for the bears, could not get the job done.

They had their hands on these passes and dropped them. Mark knows it. I know it as a Jets fan. The difference between good teams, average teams, and bad teams, is that any little bit of playmaking ability when it really counts, and they could have easily scored twice. maybe even three times in that final drive and nobody can make a play when it counted. And the end game, Greg, is the Falcons get a little bit lucky.

Let's be honest. If somebody steps up and makes a play, you're staring at a dreadful 24, 23 loss and a week of being told, or the Falcons, you know, do they have something wrong with them emotionally? Oh, yeah. Instead, they get to not worry about that and keep moving at 1 and 0. Well, we've said we expect their offense to come back to the pack. and they have 370 yards. I think it gives some credit to the Bears' defense,

which is going to be better than we expect, but these were games last year that they won a little easier. I think last year, and there are always these teams, that they suddenly just completely hit and find their groove and move into the sort of, they shift into this unstoppable mode, and you can't ask Atlanta to do that year after year. They're not that team. They look more like the Falcons of a couple years ago.

What do we see from Mike Lennon? I thought Glennon, listen, What they have in their arsenal is a fascinating pair of running backs, and Jordan Howard and the rookie Tariq Cohen who was electric today, was absolutely electric. Mike Lennon is hindered by the fact that they have no weapons for him to throw to, but he was not a disaster today. It was not the Glennon that we would have put into a game script where suddenly they're going to be calling for his job.

This was not on him alone. Like it's good and bad news that Tariq Cohen is your leading receiver and your leading rusher. I think they found something. But it's also you want more playmakers. Kevin White, who was a top 10 pick, is going to miss the rest of the season. Oh, and you have to wonder what his career leads to after this. That's at least the expectation. They believe he suffered a broken collarbone, according to our NFL Network insider,

Ian Rappaport. He's played five career games. And they're going to be starting, you know, Josh Bellamy and Deontay Thompson and Kendall Wright. That's tough. Do like their defense. I think Chicago could win off, you know, win six, seven games this season to do. And listen, if you

or every show listener of the NFL podcast, you could have Tariq Cohen on your roster right now. We told you, be on the lookout for this guy and he went over 100 total yards. He's a nice little weapon for him. Let's see if they can build off that because that gives him a nice little tandem back there.

But no win on Sunday. Let's keep moving. Stafford up under center. Single back is Amir. Matthew's got it. Fakes to give to Amir. Sets deep in the pocket. wants to throw does deep down field once Gallaudet inside the tail guys did he make the catch oh he did

oh rookie you are something special touchdown Detroit Lions and 45 yards on the connection holy smoky laid out to make the catch that is something else and you got the tape just got down on his hands and knees and did a Osana and we're not worthy to Kenny. Matthew Stafford through four touchdown passes including two fourth quarter hookups with Kenny Goladay. Wow, and they were excited on the radio about Kenny leading the Detroit lines to a comeback 3523 win over the Arizona Cardinals. And now we welcome in Nick Shook, brains and body.

Nick Shook, as always, who gave this game his undivided attention. Nick, we'll get to Detroit in a second. But this felt like a worst-case scenario Sunday for Bruce Ariens. David Johnson gets hurt, and we don't know how serious it is, but it doesn't seem slight. And Carson Palmer played like an old man. Yeah, it was kind of a little bit of a disaster scenario, especially in the second half of the Cardinals.

Because in the first half, you know, they had a little bit of an early lead. Things weren't necessarily off the rails yet, but Carson Palmer throws three interceptions, and you suffer injuries in multiple areas, and then you end up blowing. in a lead that you had on the road. I mean, for a while, it looked like the Cardinals were in control, and it all fell apart pretty quickly.

20 points given up in the final period. And, yeah, I was watching this game I wasn't, like, totally plugged in on, but I was checking in in the second half because it was a tight game near the end and then the lines pulled away. But Palmer, and maybe he had this last year when he was playing well as well, but he kind of had that late period Marino look to him where he just wasn't fluid in his movements. And then when you throw the turnovers in there, all of a sudden, just looks like you're watching a guy that maybe

is somebody to really be concerned about. Everyone gets one bad week and week one you don't make too much of it. But I'm definitely like my radar would be up as a Cardinals fan another year later. He's kind of looked like that for a little bit of a while now. And it's not really encouraging to see him start the season still kind of looking like that. One of those interceptions wasn't as fall as a tip ball.

But overall, you're right. The late period marina thing, spot on, especially Detroit taking the turnover battle 4 to 1, major turnaround for the Lions as well. You got to give their defense a little credit. I wasn't expecting much out of their defense going into the season in general. Like how did they look? No, I think when we talked about the preview a couple weeks ago,

that's what we were worried about with them, was they're supposed to take a step back because they're injured, they're thin, you know, and so on and so forth. But they looked pretty good, especially when they needed it. And I don't know if that's so much a reflection of, Arizona not necessarily hitting on all cylinders and talking about, you know, Palmer not really looking the best. Or if maybe they're going to surprise some people. They definitely forced the stops and turnovers they needed in the second half to fuel that comeback,

which then again was on the arm of Matt Stafford, who that took up on a tail of two halves. The first half didn't look like, you know, Matt Stafford didn't look like the highest paid quarterback in the NFL by a long shot, and then turns around and leads a few drives in the second half, hooking up with Kenny Galladay. He's found another receiver that he might be able to rely on. It's important. I mean, Dan, maybe in our... argument to start the preseason, to start preparation for the campaign much later, the way Detroit did essentially ignoring all of us.

I mean, it was a good point by me, Greg, it wasn't quite that good of a point. Greg's loudness in his laughter, I forgot what you said. You were saying, oh, so Detroit taking, you know. Yeah, I mean, they essentially said, listen, every 31 other teams get to work, we're going to do things on our own clock, and then you come out and you stamp the Cardinals in week one. Maybe they were fresher. Maybe pro-senioritis. But also, like, there's also narratives all over the place.

Last year when Carson Palmer was struggling, it was because he was throwing too much. He managed that. And now it still didn't work out. I don't respect Carson Palmer. I think if you were ranking who had the most concerning, depressing, whatever you want to call it, week ones, the Cardinals have to be at or near the top of the list.

To have a loss like this and then to lose David Johnson for what's reported to be either weeks or up to half a season at this point because of the wrist injury. By the way, David Johnson was 11 for 23. He was active in the passing game, but he struggled to run the ball. Their left tackle got hurt in this game, DJ Humphreys. Like, that's a lot going wrong on that offense. They were so reliant on David Johnson last year, too,

which I understood he was a great fantasy find and an excellent player and one, like a revolutionary multi-purpose threat. But I don't like any offense that is so reliant on one player. And that looked like that to me with the Cardinals last year. Now what happens? Yeah, he's gotten hurt in their last two games, the finale last year in the opener. Just in terms of right now where we're recording this on Sunday night here in L.A.

ESPN has a missing multiple weeks at a minimum and potentially half the season. PFT reported that it has not been determined if he'll even miss time. So it's really all over the place. But you've got to hope if you're the Cardinals, Johnson's still around. Hey, Nick, you want to stick around for one more game? Absolutely. Let's do it.

Jags showing blitz again. and let's see if they bring the house again. Yes, they do. It's an all-out blitz, Savage dropped the throw. He's hit the ball is out again. That ball is out. Dante Fowler picks it up. 45, 40.

Dante the 30. Dante Fowler to the 15 to the 10 to the 5. Touchdown. Touchdown, Jacksonville. Fowler has run it back. And the Jacksonville defense is running amok over the Houston offense. And guess who? Janique and Galkway.

Once again, but against a different guy. This time, Chris Clark, the left tackle. The chop. by Ngokwe and then knocks the ball out and it's clearly a fumble and once Dante Fowler gets it he's got an entire Greg what did you hear during I'm worried about the cat that was stepped on in the middle of that. It sounded a little bit like Brock Osweiler's cliff from last year slash a cat stepped on midbody. My goodness the Jacksonville Jaguars set a franchise record with 10 sacks and forced four turnovers chasing Tom Savage. Tom Savage is real bad at football.

out of the game and rolling to a 29-7 win over the anemic Houston Texans. Shook a lot of people, myself included, thought the Texans were well set up playing in front of a full house of resilient. Is it Houstonians? Yeah. Yes, it is. But the old quarterback issue flared up on Bill O'Brien once more. As I watched most of the first half and it just got worse and worse and uglier and uglier. I actually wondered how the Tom Savage's real drop would be used when breaking down this game.

Do you want to hear it again? Pleasantly surprised. I'll hear it again. Tom Savage is real. Bad at football. What's the bad at football? That is unfortunate. It's accurate, though.

That's how he was. Oh, totally accurate. That's how he was on Sunday. You know, I don't want to pin it all on him because I want to be a nice guy here. Houston's offensive line is, first off, they're one of the three cheapest units in the NFL. They looked like it on Sunday. They struggled to protect him from either side. Calais Campbell had a field day in the first half.

He had three and a half sacks. which tied the franchise record for most in a game. Not bad for a free agent pickup in the first game. In the first half. Four for the game. Dante Fowler was a wrecking crew on the other side by himself. And then Yannick and Gokwe, which I'm glad that that play-by-play guy said his name because I struggled to say his last night in the entire game.

He was also a force. That defense finally looked like it was supposed to look for the last two years. But when it comes to Tom Savage, my real problem with him is he's a statue in the pocket and against pressure like that, you can't survive that way. You can't, and it's also worth pointing out Deshaun Watson came in, and yes, they had a touchdown drive right off the bat, but in the end, his numbers weren't any better. He actually averaged fewer yards per attempt.

He was sacked four times and threw an interception two. So I agree with you, not having seen the game in depth, though, that they have systemic problems that go beyond the quarterback, and they don't have a logical veteran quarterback that can fix it. I think it's so concerning if you're Houston because the game script here and what happened so early in the year is everything against what you talked about wanting to achieve all offseason with Tom Savage and the fact that the veterans were all into him and he was their unquestioned leader.

And Bill O'Brien pulls the plug midway through the first game of the year. Very concerning. On the flip side, if you're the Jaguars, you talked about we're going to run the ball 150 times a game and just hide Blake Bordles. They did it. And you did it. And I would have thought the defense, even if it were quality, you would never be able to achieve that on offense, but they did.

This is a great road win for Jacksonville. But I do want to see if this formula holds against the team and an offense that it could actually move the ball. I hate to say, you know, to maybe burst your bubble. You expect it to maybe come to? I think it's going to stick. You think the Jaguars? How did Fournet look?

Lennonet looked like the pick. Worth the pick. A hundred yards. Everything you would expect from him. That was my NFL.com rookie of the year. you can find that on our site, nflict.com. Shameless, Mark. Shameless. You can also find my Jaguars defense making the leap this year.

Looking good so far. I've actually had that unpublished. And Fournette who caught three pass was their second leading receiver might have to continue to because Alan Robinson, it's confirmed by the Jaguars, has an ACL injury. It's believed to be a torn ACL. They already were a little thin at receiver or just in the passing game in general.

That's a huge. Ken Leonard Fournett rush the ball for 1,100 times this year. Stay healthy. That's the question I have. Also, J.J. Watt left this game with an injury. Did he come back with a finger issue? And his brother outplayed him this week. And he was very, Watt was very frustrated about his effort and the team's effort.

I don't know. Listen, Bill up, one thing about Bill O'Brien, I don't, and Wes, you know, is all over O'Brien on this and fairly so, that he's very bad with the quarterback room. It's annoying to me that we, because we're so close to the game. and covering the game that we listened to three months of Tom Savage being pumped up as the guy. It was even some, you know, New Hopkins talking about how he's a franchise type quarterback. And then two bad quarters and he's banished. And I don't know if we're going to see him again, barring an injury. I just don't know if that's as bad as he was.

And I would have to see watch the game more closely. Is he a guy that should be pulled out of the game after you spent all this time talking yourself into him being a real option? I just wonder what sort of instability it creates in your quarterback room and to a wider degree in your locker room where you say, we're going to get behind this guy for the entire offseason and build him up. And then in the minute one half goes bad, it's not entirely his fault. We change everything. Against the good defense. I am convinced that none of his teammates are worried about how he feels,

and none of them are upset by him being benched in favor of Deshawn Watson. How do you mean? Because Deshaun Watson and Tom Savage right now are on the same plane, except that Deshawn Watson has the mobility to escape the pass rush that he's inevitably going to be facing all year from less than average. line. We'll have an update on this by the time some people hear this, but this is a Thursday night game the Texans are playing this week against the Bengals. So can they...

It's about as sexy as last year's Christmas Eve game between these two teams. All right, all right. It's a fair point. Can they get the Sean Watson ready on that short of arrest, like trying to avoid Owen to it? Did you hear the... Mark, did you hear Greg the suit get upset that you said something negative about it? I was sort of slapped on the wrist. You must enjoy that game. It will be fun for you. I'm looking to move up that ladder. here on Thursday night. Dan will come back. We'll be doing the preview show. I'm hoping I'll watch it, but I don't, I like to discuss good football when I see it. How about that?

Shook, nice work. Thank you for stopping by. We love having you here. I love being here. Where are you off to now? What is the rest of your video? Workout number four. Time is it. I don't think I have time to make the gym. We're going to go watch more games today. There you go. Nick Shook, signing off. Love us some Nick Shook. Let's move on. Cousins, lines them up again. He's got Thompson to his. right back again goes cousins he's hit the football comes loose it's picked up by Cox and he is into the end zone now isn't a fumble or was his arm going forward the signal is touchdown Eagles Carson Wentz threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns and the Eagles defense did their job as well

the Eagles with a 3017 win over a sloppy Redskins team Greg Carson Wentz looked like a guy ready to take the next step in year two, while Kirk Cousins and the Redskins just looked ineffective. Their offense didn't make you feel any better about the preseason you saw, but what really stood out to me was something we've talked about this offseason, which is by far the best group in this game was Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Timmy Jernigan. They won this game. They were dominating it early. They are getting all over cousins, making it very hard to do anything.

They end up winning the game with the strip sack late. But even before that, they were hitting him, they were sacking him, they're getting tackles for loss in the Redskins running game. And Carson Wentz, he had his ups and downs. But I think if the Eagles can have that group up front each and every week, they're going to have a chance to win a lot of games. Yeah, it's unusual to look at two teams where what we saw in August translates almost entirely to week one.

And that unit for Philly dominated throughout the entire preseason. And the question for me was, when the lights go on, would we see a Redskinned team under Jay Gruden that suddenly knew how to run the ball, that suddenly the chemistry between Cousins and Terrell Pryor and others would be there? And Pryor had a better game than we've seen, you know, during any time with the Redskins, but this offense concerns me. And even with his better numbers, there was a couple deep shots early, one which he dropped, one which it wasn't synced up, him and cousins.

They weren't on the same page. So you saw that early kind of chemistry issues plagued them. that they were worried about. And Josh Dotson just wasn't even on the field that much. They need him to be out there a lot, and they used him sparingly. I don't know if they're sending a message or they just don't trust them to stay healthy right now.

I mean, cousins on top of being sacked four times and having his own issues, loses two fumbles. I mean, you want to look at a team in the NFC East that, Greg, you called the Eagles to win this division. I mean, they have some nasty elements to them. I think Jim Schwartz is a coordinator of the year type candidate. I think, yeah.

I mean, this is a bad, bad start for Washington. But Cousins is a guy that people like to count him out, and then all of a sudden he'll get hot. I'm not with him. I think he's going to be okay. It's early. Bad start. And, yeah, they clearly have things they have to work out.

And I think Philadelphia, you know, benefited from that. Well, real quick, Carson Wentz. I mean, Carson Wentz, I think it's okay to get excited about Carson Wentz. I don't know if he's like a top 10 quarterback this year or whenever, but he's fun to watch. I mean, that one touchdown to Aguilar, that's Randall Cunningham stuff. I mean, that is, that's rare. We talked about a very different player, Patrick Mahomes, in the precinct. There aren't many people that can pull off a play that Carson Wentz did to Aguilar.

And we talked about Aguilar a lot this offseason. Yep. Ended up having six catches for 86 yards. He had that touchdown. He also had a couple key third down conversions. I think the Eagles really want Carson Wentz to start coming up with some of those improvisations. plays, and I think they have the receivers this year, even though he missed some passes that can do the scramble drill a little better with him to come up with those plays.

One injury here, Ronald Darby, the cornerback acquired in a trade from the bills last month suffered a pretty bad-looking ankle injury, dislocated it, tendon damage. You could expect him to miss many weeks and perhaps all of the weeks in the season. We'll see how that plays off. That's huge. I mean, there's a reason they made a big trade for him and gave up a real assets for him. Well, he was looking very good for them, too. And they were really thin at that position.

It's a huge loss. Let's move back to the AFC. Dalton empty backfield in the shotgun. Ravens bring a blitz past deflected, floats high into the air, and it is intercepted at the 10-yard line and taken down inside the five-yard line. As the Ravens get their third pick of the game, Terrell Suggs had the tip, and Lardarius Webb with the pick. I don't think I've ever seen a ball tip that high before.

That must have grown up 20 feet straight up in the air, and nobody knew where it was except Lederius, who caught it in a crouch like a catcher would. The Ravens defense was as good as advertised on Sunday, picking off Andy Dalton four times and forcing a fumble in a 20-0 victory, folks. A shutout victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in front of a frustrated home crowd at Paul Brown Stadium.

On Thursday, on Thursday's preview show, which again, you better be listening. Listen to that preview show. Dropping nuggets. You're going to learn something. It's not just about the flagship show. On Thursday, we talked about this Raven season rising and falling on their defense channeling its dominant ways of old. So far, so good.

As for the bangles. Is that gross? I mean, I think that's appropriate if it sounds like to never do it again. The offense deserved every boo that rained down on the field. Let's be honest. Because you open your season against a division rival. and you get shut out after people like me and many others that stuck up for Cincinnati he said last year was a Murphy's Law type of season now they're healthy now they're going

to get things together everybody that had concerns about this team whether it was the offensive line or whether Andy Dalton was good enough or what have you all that stuff played out in a nightmarish form for Cincinnati I'm concerned about a Bengals offensive line that allows five sacks, an overall effort that has Dalton lose a fumble, throw four picks. And the guy who most impressed me in the preseason, Joe Mixon, rushes for nine yards off eight carries. I'm sure the narrative in terms of having a running game went out the window pretty early here. But I remember, Dan, you and I watching that Browns-Bengals game from 2014

where Dalton utterly melted down in a prime time loss to Cleveland. I don't know if he's had a game this bad since then. He's a good point. Two very, very bad play. I mean, he had a bad game in general. But early in the game, when things were under control, they're in the red zone. And he floats a pass into coverage on third and seven. His receiver was well covered, but it's just a throw you can't be making,

especially if you've been a starter for seven years, as Dalton has. And was picked off by C.J. Mosley and run back 25 yards. And then in the, after they have fallen behind, I want to say it was in the third quarter, The start of the third quarter, Cincinnati gets an interception, gets set up. You see that the crowd getting into the game, Cincinnati makes a couple plays, gets into the red zone. And then Dalton rolls to his right, doesn't sense the pressure, takes a sack, fumbles the ball, loses it.

And then at that point, all the airs out of that stadium. And they never really threatened again after that. It was basically, if you are not an Andy Dalton fan, this was the exact type of game that reinforces all the notions you have. Well, the box score in a lot of these guys, games offensively in week one was ugly. It's usually offenses ahead of defense early in the season. There's higher scoring because the weather and all that. Both of these teams were under 300 yards. The Bengals were at 220, which is really, really low. That's about where the Seahawks

were, too. You don't see that too often in the NFL. The Ravens weren't even much better, but you should give the defense, we should give the defense the most credit because they're coming into this week looking like one of the deepest, baddest units around, and they come and pitch a shutout, which you just don't see in the NFL too much. Terrell Suggs, I don't know, I don't know what he does that he never gets worse. Like he, no, I'm just saying he never gets worse. He gets better. Right.

James Harrison-like on that front. Right. Brandon Williams had a big game. Michael Pierce is a nose tackle. Like they're kind of big and nasty up front. And then I think they translate really well to today's NFL where there's a lot of substitutions and depth where they can just have guys out there for 20, 30, 40 snaps. And they're just, they're shuttling in. in and out and they're doing a great job.

I like that you go out and sign Tony Jefferson and he had a big game and that's secondary, which was a nightmare a couple seasons ago, totally short up at this point. And Baltimore could win games based on their defense alone. We talked about them winning games 12 to 9. Well, 20 to nothing works. Yeah, two more notes about the quarterback play.

Dalton against the Ravens, yikes. I mean, he's now had in nine, he's had nine three interception games in his career for them against the Ravens. And he's had one other four-pick game that was in 2013, also against the Ravens. And Joe Flacco, on the other hand, no flucco, not a great performance. He didn't have to do much. Nine of 17, 121 yards.

He did throw a pick. But it was almost a perfect situation because you're kind of working Flacco back into the mix. He was not going to carry you on a bad back this week. You let the defense do it. And maybe that's going to be the order of the day in Baltimore. It's going to be a lot of ugly games. Danny Woodhead suffered a non-contact injury. We'll see how long he's out there.

Like a hamstring, which was a problem this summer as well. Yeah, it was not. That hurts them. That hurts them. Was barely on the field for them. He was also very active in that drive before he got hurt. He looked like he was going to be a big part of the offense, and now he's got to get a car.

Big to get a road division victory. It feels like those count double. Well, in a division that's going to accept the top three teams can be separated by two games in that division. Hey, Ravens, great job. Let's stay in the AFC North and move on to Believe, The clean snap, right foot, a kick is blocked. The Steelers block it.

It's loose and bounding in the end zone. The Steelers fall upon it in the Brown's end zone for a touchdown. Tyler Madakevich shot in, and they get the clean swat, Anthony Chickolo, able to pounce upon it. And the Pittsburgh Steelers strike pay dirt without their offense even getting on the field as the former Temple Owl blocks it, and Chickolo gets the six. The Steelers got in front with a huge special team's play. and Ben Rothesberger threw two touchdown passes to tight end Jesse James. The result, a 21-18 win over the Cleveland Browns.

Mark, downstairs, you didn't seem to put much stock in the idea of a moral victory. But given the Steelers, all they can handle counts as progress, right? A very weird game. And Greg made the point on Thursday show that if there was a week to play Pittsburgh, it might be this one because of the kind of lack of time they spent together on offense in the preseason. And it really played out that way. In the first half, I saw Cleveland do a couple things. They basically had a couple, safety is just hanging back,

almost playing like a prevent-type defense that was sort of forcing Big Ben to watch the field, and they were throwing a crazy blitz package at him left and right. And you take away that blocked punt for a touchdown. This game is 1814. And here's the thing. If you look at what Pittsburgh was able to accomplish

not accomplished on offense, it was a massive, like, output by Antonio Brown, who blew up right before the half and never, never settled down after that. But Levi-on-Bell, on the field for the majority of the game, was bottled up from start to finish. And really, honestly, Cleveland came close to taking this thing. It's just that they don't really seem to have the weapons themselves to go and take advantage of a game where Pittsburgh's not on top of its own out. Well, it's another game.

Neither one of these teams went over 300. yards. It was a weird game. That is a deep. There's a lot of defense dominated weeks. Antonio Brown 11 for 182 and he made the big play of the game at the end 226 to play. He crosses across the entire field

leaps for a ball in coverage and that's why he's arguably the best wide receiver in the league. He comes down with the ball and that really sealed the game. Mark, what were your thoughts on Deshaun Kaiser in his first start? He did throw a couple of touchdowns. He seemed to do some good things. It was, I cannot, A, Cleveland has not won an opener since 2004, which everyone knows at this point, but it was the most promising...

I was not aware of that, actually. Really, I feel like it's just been hammered into people's minds. It's been hammered into mine. Yeah. But it was Jeff Garcia of all people that won that game back then, way back when. I have not seen a more promising rookie debut by a Brown's quarterback. That includes Tim Couch. That includes anyone dating back to the return.

turn of the league in 1999. It was not perfect. They did not protect the well. What did you like about it? What I liked about it was that sacks seven times, some of them were his own fault, but just kept getting back up, just like he did in the preseason. I think that he's got a demeanor about him on the field where he doesn't freak out in the pocket. He looks off his first receiver. He'll find his second. He showed chemistry with Cory Coleman and a few other Browns receivers as well. I honestly think that there's something to take away from this game that you can grow on. And I do think he's going to have a couple of games where he will surprise people and knock out a favorite team or two. And he might not have the crazy pressure. I know it's not a good team, but the crazy

pressure that a lot of Brown's quarterbacks have had because... I agree with you. Can his offensive line play better? You would think that they can play even better. Can the defense be better? I know it's only one week, but they gave up fewer yards mark in this game than they did in any game of all of last season. They also gave up fewer yards. The Steelers, had fewer yards than almost any one of their games. It would have been their second or third worst game for the Steelers' office. So that's big. They only gave up 21 points or less one time all of last season.

So it was an embarrassing defense last year, and this was not embarrassing, but by any stretch. No, they look different. They're actually tackling people and stopping the run, which was not present last year. Two more notes. They have to clean that up with Kaiser if he's going to get sacks seven times a game. He's not going to stay healthy.

We've seen this with Cleveland with injuries at the quarterback position. and we already know their depth. Well, he also puts himself in danger. He had two runs today where he got hit heavily. Oh, no. When you've got to be sliding. And finally, T.J. Watt, two sacks in the interception in his debut. So the big summer hype seems to be paying off.

And Big Ben does improve to 21 and 2 against the Indians against the Browns in his career. Wasn't there a T.J. Watt sandwich prop or something? Did West throw that out there that he was going to get more than J.J. Watt? Am I crazy? Sounds crazy because I don't remember that. Maybe that's another podcast you do, Greg. I don't know. Let's move on.

Newton with his arms outstretched, fists balled up, indicating a possible play change. Single high safety looks, same friend. Newton from a muddy pocket, flicks a pass, caught left side, deep down the sideline. Russell Shepard breaks away and will score a touchdown. Carolina Panthers, 40 yards. Cam Newton to Russell Shepard.

That's called a bus route. So far, so good for Cam Newton and a surgically repaired shoulder. He threw touchdown passes. He threw two touchdown passes, and the Panthers defense did the rest in a 23-3 win over the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan's head coaching debut.

Mark, this was supposed to be a season of renewed hope by the Bay. That may still be the case, but Sunday just felt like more of the same for a scuffling organization. Well, they ran into an excellent defense, and it was the kind of performance by Carolina that will always expose a quarterback like Brian Hoyer,

who was not protected well, but also creates his own issues. And, you know, he does, he does. I was having flashbacks listening to Mark watch this game, and he was just like, oh, Hoyer! Well, it's just. Hoyer, not another Hoyer. It was a lot of Hoyer.

It was frustrating. Although I found Cam Newton to be, I think Panthers fans would have been frustrated by his performance, especially in the first half. He seemed to warm up as the game went on, and the entire offense sort of came into its own later on. But I think that happened against a 49ers team was sort of broken by the end of the third quarter.

This game felt it was six out. hours long. Let me note that. But Newton to me, he missed a wide open at Dickson in the end zone. He had a couple of throws, one to Kelvin Benjamin, a deep shot that was intercepted in a way, a beautiful, beautiful interception by Jekisky Tart, Jaquistki Tart, the 49ers safety, one of the plays of the day. I don't, Cam, to me, was not all there at all. He moved well, but he has not seen the field perfectly yet, and it's going to take a few more weeks to play the bills next week. Had McCaffrey look in his debut. He seemed to be a big part of the offense as we expected not a breakout effort by any means.

Yeah, I think he was, I would say he was largely bottled up, maybe strong, but he didn't have one of these sort of flashy 45-yard breakaway runs. But it is so clear that he is going to have a massive workload from week to week. But along with that, same with Jonathan Stewart. I think they're going to find a way to use them both. And there was one screen bash. They ran the ball 40 times. Oh, I think they love to do that in this.

and there was a screen pass to Jonathan Stewart that was successful in my mind specifically because McCaffrey was on the field and causing concerns for that defense. Shaq Thompson, they used as a pass rusher, had a big game overall. If they could add him to Davis and Keekly,

that's the best linebacker group in the league. And then West Horton and Lodolay-Lay and Peppers and Kwan Short, they might not need Cam Newton to be crazy good right away. I think they've got the defense and running formula that Ron Rivera wants.

I didn't really think this much, but it kind of may be just seeing it in action in week one. I kind of like Carolina. Carolina is a bounceback team this season. If the defense is going to be good and Cam is healthy and McAfree is going to break out and have big games.

And you've got... They look good. Yeah, the parts are there. You've got a Hall of Fame linebacker as long as he stays healthy at his absolute apex right in the middle of that thing. There you go. Let's move on to...

Oh, yeah, baby. It's the rebuilding bowl. DeMarco the fullback is in, and they will flank him out to the left side. McCoy, the tailback, first and goal from the two. Tyra going to throw it, fires it short, caught into the end of. Touchdown, Andre Holmes. Holmes to the house. Touchdown Buffalo.

They came from the right side, Murph, so they fake the hand off. Go play action pass, Charles Clay's to the back of the end line, which threw the coverage. And here comes Andre Holmes underneath. Tyrod buys time with his legs. just delivers a floater to Andre Holmes. He walks in on touch. Touchdown Buffalo. Tyrod Taylor threw two touchdown passes

and the Bill's defense had no trouble stifling the Jets. A 21-12 win at Orchard Park. Sean McDermott wins in his head coaching debut and the Jets looked comfortable in what should be a familiar role for them this season. In truth, gentlemen. What does that mean they looked comfortable? As a loser.

Playing second fiddle too. They were just like, oh, that went about it. No, it's like they, I'll tell you what, they played hard for Todd Bowles. You could tell this was a team that wasn't in there mailing in their effort. But it just, it just is so much against this team. They just don't have the talent on the field. And you see it even against the Bill's team that we know isn't going anywhere. Because in truth, a nine point defeat is a small victory for the Jets.

They were dominated by the Bills. They nearly doubled up the Jets in total yards. If the bills were a little more efficient as a team, this is probably, you know, a 30 to 10 type game, but they got it done anyway. So, you know, in terms of takeaways, I guess I'll, I think it's time to throw it to my dad. Keith Hansis, who is, you know, if you're new to the podcast, my dad is a Bronx native who, if you grew up in the Bronx in the 1950s, you were definitely a Yankees fan and you were probably a Giants fan who also played at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

But my dad was brought to the Jets by Joe Namath and his flair, and he drafted me into this. He got Super Bowl 3. I never got any of that. But I've been stuck with this team. I'm now passing it down to my two sons. I don't know why, but I am. But Keith's been there through all the ups and downs, mostly down,

so let's check in with Dad. His name is Keith. He's Dan's dad No doubt about it He's a big Jets fan What is he going to say About the game today What is he going to say

About the game today The Jets builds this afternoon Bowls had the Jets playing hard But Taylor and McCoy Were just too much for the jet defense The jet offense was terrible the gown is accurate for short passing, but I'm able to throw deep, partly good with personnel on a bright side.

Kurt was pretty good at wide receivers, stepped in there and looked good. My question on the offense also was, where was Blal Powell? Forte seems a little slow when the offensive line didn't seem to be able to open up any holes either, so it wasn't a very good effort offensively by the Jets. Thanks. I like that he thanked us at the end. Yeah. We should be thanking him.

This is, if you're a stringer covering a sport, this is a tough assignment he has this. I know. I feel like that was, it sounded later in the season than week one. You know what I mean? Yeah. Well, he's already been through the preseason. That's been long enough. If you're, listen, if you're a Jets fan, yeah, you had 5 and 11, which was really a worse season than that.

The 5 and 11 looks kind. This off season aged you, just how utterly depressing it was as you sunk deeper and deeper into this long rebuild. A bloodletting. And now the season arrives, and it starts with a pretty decisive loss against a bad team, to the point that my dad made about the running game, I don't really know what, I understand he had guaranteed money coming. I just don't understand Matt Forte's role on this team.

He just looked maybe two steps slow, and the offense, in general, 15 carries with 38 yards, two and a half a pop's not going to get them. 214 yards, I mean, so many of these games are just crazy. Very strange. Shot out of like an early 1970s canon. But why is Josh McCown throwing the ball 39 times in a game that was close up until the end? Score-wise. I see I'm watching the game and I didn't see it as some type of horrific breakdown and play calling. I think they were playing from behind the entire game.

Just trying to get things going. On the Buffalo side of the ball, I thought Tyrod Taylor looked good. Again, I don't quite get the hate the Tyrod Taylor gets because every time I see him play the Jets, he makes plays. He makes plays with his feet. He can make throws. I know he's not, he's not Steve Young in terms of accuracy, but the guy makes every time I see him play, he makes a couple guys miss, and that's why he's the best running quarterback in football. I think if you're a Bill's fan, I know it's the Jets, but you have to be really encouraged after the preseason that they had. For all the troubles that the Jets have and everyone makes fun of them, that's mostly on

offense. I'm not saying they're a great defense, but they're not an embarrassing defense. And right after the preseason that he had and the concussion to go out there and lead a team to 400 yards of offense, the throw for eight yards per attempt, and for the team to run for 190 yards, this looks like out of the 2016 Bill's playbook where they're the number one rushing team in the league. Jets missed Sheldon Richardson, who they traded. It's encouraging. That's all I'm saying. Well, they'll get Carolina next week. Let's see how that goes. You've got to feel a little bit of hope, though, coming out of that. They're like, okay. This is a perfect game to start at home against the Jets. let's face it, but the Buffalo running game is a real deal.

Sean McCoy looks like as good as he ever was. I wonder if they're truly in it to lose it, like the Jets with a rebuild. If McCoy has some trade value before he gets hurt, he's so good. I don't think they're trying to lose. I really don't. Yeah, maybe they're not. That's for sure. And then one other interesting thing is Mike Tolbert had a really beefy role in the running game.

He had 12 carries. He scored a touchdown. So the bills looked very capable against the Jets. Let's see what happens when they're against, you know, better opponents. Let's move on. Here comes the pressure for the Rams. Tolzeen gets it out. Far side.

Trayne Johnson picks it off. 38, 20, 15, 10, pick six L.A! New season, new L.A.Rams. Jared Gough passed for a career high, 306 yards, and a touchdown. It's his first one as an NFL starter. Maron, the L.A. Rams embarrassed the Indianapolis Colts, 469 at the Coliseum. Sean McVeigh could not have asked for a better debut as a head coach and Scott Tolzine.

Yes. Skote Tolzine. Scott Tolzine. Starting NFL quarterback. Oh, boy. Actually somehow went worse than expected for old Scott, huh, Greg? Yeah, the early pick six. I mean, the sacks.

Everything was bad. got to give credit to the Rams and I could hear the cheering all the way from the newsroom Chris Wesseling over at his paramour's abode and they're getting excited and people say, oh, well, it's just Scott Tulzine and the Colts. Well, you know what? Last year's Rams weren't blowing out anyone. The last game we saw like this in the Coliseum it was the Rams that are getting blown out by the Atlanta Falcons and what's a good sign of a solid team? You blow out the bad teams. I think this team is exciting. I even smell a little whiff of team of ATL with this. Hello. Because I think Wes is probably getting into him and I think

Wade Phillips gets me going a little bit. And just that they've been a lot of ways. They've been so bad to watch that. And once you and once Greg and Wes have decided on the team of ATL, there's no turning back. So that's the that's part three. I have it. Robert. Go ahead. Go ahead. I was going to say that I am totally with you in the sense that yeah, the cults are dreadful. And I don't want to hear it, by the way. Subjected on this podcast and elsewhere, oh, the culture making all the right moves. I know Andrew Luck is a huge, huge missing piece of the pie puzzle here, but he, you know, this team looked like they were worse than the Jets today, and it wasn't necessarily close, but the Rams taking care of business, they don't look, this doesn't look like a fluky win for

the Rams. They look like very much like a good team. And a lot of that, to me, was Jared Goff looked like a real quarterback. And for the first time, Post Jeff Fisher, because it never happened during Jeff Fisher's reign in that city. Cooper Cup, Sammy Watkins, you're adding players around a young quarterback. That Cooper Cup is the absolutely perfect security blanket who makes some incredible catches today, and he looked just like the guy we saw all August. And he is good enough where Goff trusts him to just kind of throw the ball up, and Cup is making a contested catch, or he's making a one-handed catch.

I think he could lead this team in receiving. He did it on Sunday, and they're just the creativity and the way that they're coaching Goff. Like there's one play where they're faking an end around, and then they're faking something else, and then suddenly you've got a wide open receiver in the middle of the field because of all that action, and it gets an easy to fine throw for Goff that he can execute. He was very solid today. I am concerned. I'm just looking at the box score.

I'm going to go watch this game later, but Todd Gurley, this looks like another nightmare scenario, 19 carries for 40 yards, 2.1. Is there a mirage there? Is there something else attached to that? That's a lot of carries or not a lot of yards. Yeah, early in, you know, a lot of those poor carries were in the second half when they kind of knew that they were running, especially in the third quarter. But I wouldn't say that he stood out in any particular way early in the game either. He just was kind of a work course.

He did catch the ball a lot, 56 yards. You know, he has to show that he can be special, but I think other guys on the team showed it. Robert Quinn, who Phillips talked about as DeMarcus Ware-like, in terms of the role and the speed that he could have, he looked like he was back. And this front seven without Aaron Donald really just made it impossible for the Colts. And my last thought in this game, Chuck Pagano, come back to us. I don't want to say there's a hot butt involved with this guy, but one week in.

But I thought it was so emblematic of my feelings about this guy. They're down 10-0 in the first quarter. They get a play. Marlon Mack should have a touchdown where he clearly stays in bounds, hits the pylon, scores. He gets ruled erroneously out of bounds. Instead of taking a look at it, challenging it and getting seven points, he rushes his team to the line. They do a running play that loses yardage. They do another running play that loses yardage. And then on third down at the goal line, they have Scott Tolzean throw, and he very nearly throws another interception.

It was a perfect. have been picked off. It was a perfect microcosm of Chuck Pagano as a flawed head coach to me because you have to have seven points in that spot and you take it away from the kid Mac. Feels like an L.A. based, you know, honorage to Jeff Fisher. A nod to what Fisher did with that team for years. Let's move on. Oh, and one more thing about that Rams win, guys.

Daddy locked it up. Oh, oh, good job, Dan. Whatever. Dan, an excellent job by you. Yeah, well, you know, maybe you should try it next week, Mark. Didn't work out so good for you this week. Maybe I should have doubled up with you on that locket lockup. I didn't like that strategy by you.

We'll see. We'll see how it works out. Doubling up a lock. It doesn't matter. On just Sunday night. Oh, Sunday night. Fake. Caught.

Touchdown, Jason Witten. Dak Prescott's touchdown pass to Jason Witten, old reliable, was really all the Cowboys needed on Sunday night football. The Giants didn't show up without Odell Beckham. Offense could not do anything. And when I say they can't do anything, 223 yards of total offense, there's that 200 number again, boys. The final score 19 to 3, a easy victory for the Dallas Cowboys,

Mark Sessler who moved to 1-0 and if you're a Giants fan you have to be upset that the team didn't compete without its best player and if you're a Cowboys fan hey you check a win against the Giants which you didn't have one of last year yeah I mean this is a Cowboys team that we just spent the entire offseason in panic mode over their defense and suddenly you're the New York Giants with or without O'Dell Beckham a three-point stinker

and all the same issues as last year that I saw, a running game that you cannot count on on any level, putting everything on Eli Manning to handle when Brandon Marshall is your leading receiver in theory tonight. Give me a break. Well, and Brandon. What, Carrie's coming after me this year? You can't trust Carrie.

You don't know where she's coming from. I like that. I like this trend. I see what's going on, dear. Well, Mark almost, we almost lost Mark by the end of last season. So I talked to Carrie, so let's mix it up. Carrie famously rude and interrupting, and I can accept that.

Brandon Marshall only had two targets until a last meaningless garbage time drive. But he was hardly the only problem there. Eli Manning wasn't protected well. They didn't have a great power running game. You have to give the Cowboys defense, though, some credit. This wasn't a defense that we thought was going to be able to just shut down just about any team. And Sean Lee, it's a reminder when he's healthy. and flying around those past patterns and just making life difficult for opposing

quarterbacks, opposing running backs, what a difference maker he can be. Eli Manning finished in the Gabbard zone, just about 5.7 yards per attempt. Paul Perkins, who a lot of people talk themselves into in fantasy drafts as an option. Maybe he will be, but not tonight. His long rush was three yards. Brandon Marshall, yes, that one catch comes in garbage time. You're saying to yourself, you're a Giants fan right now. You're saying, O'Dell Beckham, I know he's our best player.

But again, it hammers home for a team that hasn't scored more than 20 points in seven games now. Seven straight. Seven straight games dating back to last December. There's something wrong with your offense fundamentally if your best player walks out. And then you just got nothing. And Marshall was supposed to have a chance to step up today and he disappeared. Yeah. And on the flip side, in Dallas, Des Bryant was largely kept out of the game until late, late when he had a 35-yard grab at one point.

Nine targets, two catches. I mean, we knew that was a possibility with New York's secondary, but it wasn't as if Dallas had everyone operating at, you know, high-octane pace either. No, I think Dak Prescott had some really mature moments. He was going against what I believe is one of the best secondaries, one of the best defense in the league. If you're the Giants, you have to be happy. If you can keep the Cowboys to 19 points.

They did their job. Yeah. You know, they did their job. But the Giants' offense on the flip side, it really was a theme. And I suspect it'll be a one-week blip, but I just went and I crunch the numbers, Daniel, while we're doing this. Half of the league was under 300 yards this week.

Only one team in the league all of last season averaged under 300 yards. That was Jeff Fisher's Rams. So for whatever reason, half the league this week were like the 2016 Rams. I don't think that'll keep up. I don't know. I don't even want to have a theory about it.

It just seems random. I have a theory. I think over the offseason, teams got together and said, how do we maximize our operation? We do what Jeff Fisher, who was taken out of the league last year, we're going to do what he does on offense. That's the new mode.

This is the new football. It's the Jeff Fisher era in the NFL. Yeah, all this talk, oh, we can't wait to see all the celebrations this year with the new relaxed rule. Well, nobody scores touchdowns anymore, so you don't get any more celebrations. Get done. Fans? Very grim.

Put that on a t-shirt. Logan for the league. Monday night, I'll save us. Love those matchups. I think we'll get some good games. Yeah. So we have two more games to play.

The Chargers at Denver and the Saints at Minnesota. The next time you hear from us, we'll be on Tuesday. We'll recap those games and have some more fun. Connie Fox will be back with us. So that takes us to the end of our first Sunday show, the flagship show. So thank you to everyone. Post-show grade. We're listening.

Post-show grade. You got a knock. Oh, I should, before I say that, just because Wes isn't here. And just like I had the honor of doing the top of the show after a Patriots meltdown, Wes not getting a chance to go crazy about Eli. Let me just do a quick West. Eli Manin stinks. He's the worst.

You take away his best player. He's exposed. He is a terrible quarterback. Love you, Chris Wesley. It's like game what he needed. I'm his voice right now. It was like he was in the room. I'm sure Wes feels completely valid.

stated by that. All right, we'll be back on Tuesday with our video show. Dan Hansa signing off for a quiet storm. Nick shook. What a body. The old boss and loose cannon behind the glass till Tuesday. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks.

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