NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Week 16 recap

Episode Date: December 28, 2015

A room filled with heroes – Dan Hanzus, Gregg Rosenthal, Chris Wesseling, and Marc Sessler – go game-by-game breaking down all the Week 16 action including the Falcons pulling off a shocking upset over the undefeated Panthers, and some trouble on the “Throne of Ease” as the Patriots fall to the Jets in overtime. Plus, the heroes discuss which teams and matchups they’re most excited to watch in the playoffs as the regular season draws to a close.Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. The Around the NFL podcast. Watch them whip. Watch them, nay, nay. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansus, and I am joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys?

Hey, Dan. Good evening. Oh, good evening. It is indeed. Upset Sunday. Upset Sunday. Yes. I would say there were four substantial upsets in the NFL today,

three of which I would call legitimately stunning. Three big upsets. Yeah. The Jets you're counting. I mean, that's an upset. It's an upset. I wouldn't count that in the stunning category. That's about the same as the Bears beating the Bucks upset.

Literally. That's five then. And you know what? Was that a game that was played today? I wasn't aware of that. But, you know, a major playoff implicated. with some of these upsets as well. This was a day that, you know, it's one of those days where just when you think you have

the NFL figured out, it throws you the old U-turn. We did the NFL now hit before we started today. Mark, you said you were agitated by some of the results today because it kind of flew in the face of what you saw is logical in this league. Well, I mean, we can get into it with some of those games, but I feel a lot of times where we come to a conclusion about certain teams late in the year that suddenly a week later it really means next to nothing. You're just learning this now?

I'm not just learning this now. That was condescending. But, you know, it's just as the way it is, the nature of today's league where if you watch back in the 80s and early 90s, a little different. I like it, and it's fine. How was everyone's Christmas? It was glorious.

Excellent. You had a nice, with the family, your wife under the weather. Everyone under the weather, but that just, you know, that just ups the ante. You just got to get in there and do a little bit more. Greg. How is Texas? Texas was fine.

A lot of driving when you could. go to Texas, but it's great to see my wife's family. They're all good people. You know, you are Jewish, as has been well known on this podcast. Not religious, but culturally if nothing. But on Christmas, I heard you went to the movie theater

and watched Concussion 12 consecutive times. That sounds terrible. The truth. It's the way to celebrate that holiday, Greg. I've never seen concussion, which is something I have in common with most of America.

I know we do Christmas in the Rosenthal house I know I'm just kidding That was a bit in the business You should know that with Jesselnik's podcast Your famous friend They do a show with Yes See I get you your plugs with that thing

So yes We'll talk Let's talk a little later about concussion also real quick Greg Let's talk sandwich and box office A little later in the show A lot to get to Today coming up on the show

And you know you have when we're talking about upsets talk about upsets the panthers entered today uh two wins away from becoming only the second team in NFL history to go 16 and oh uh i'm not sure if they did it without being you know no spoilers here but a lot of there's been a lot of hints dropped in the first couple minutes of the show to tell you maybe that's not the case the washington redskins chris wesling's uh one of his favorite teams west of certain teams that he aligns himself with this season the redskins have been one of them on saturday night they use played with a chance to clinch the NFC East.

We'll talk about what happened in Philadelphia. And, of course, Sunday Night Football, the game that I know, Mark, as a big NFC North fan of the game, you've been looking forward to the New York Giants without O'Dell Beckham traveling to the ice box in Minneapolis to face the Vikings. We'll talk about Sunday Night Football at the bottom of the show. Must we. Hey, listen, that's what we do. That meaningful game.

Just like Len Dawson and Nick Bonacardi and the old inside the NFL, we talk about every game. I can tell already that Greg is not going to give me an inch of wiggle room on this show tonight. I got a good feeling about the show. I'm feeling good about the show. There's a little edge, a little heat, you know, the New York Jets. They've been winning some football games, which we might talk about a little bit later. Life is on balance a good thing. It's sad I'm at the point where I have to root for the Jets because the show's just going to be better. Like how boring with that intro would have been half as long, half as excited Dan Hansis, with By the way, you got condensation,

I was condescended to by my boss, so I have to allow it to happen. Greg just basically questioned my professionalism. Wes, you're next. I question your kernel of wisdom that life is on balance a good thing. I mean, isn't that obvious? Oh, well, save that for the theology podcast,

yes. All right, let's move on. Let's start talking about games, and we have to start with the Carolina Panthers. Why? Because, as we said, they entered today 14 and 0, the perfect season in sight but guess what the perfect season is no more cam newton harassed all day long by vick beasley and the falcons front seven julio jones made big plays when it counted a 20 to 13 upset win for

the falcons west the panthers fall to 14 and one and this loss was hardly a fluke was it nothing fluky about this the falcons had 105 more yards than the panthers and really left nine points on the field three different field goal opportunities that they blew. This could have been 29 to 13 or 29 to 16, but the Falcons were the better team on Sunday, and Cam Newton admitted it. Well, you think about back to the game they had with the Saints. You play a road game in your division against your rival

who has a solid quarterback, and we'll talk about the Steelers later. You know, it's never going to be a cinch, even though we expected it to be. The crazy thing, too, is it puts them in a position where Cardinals next week, if the Panthers ever lost to the Bucks, this team that was 24 hours ago, 14 and O, could lose that number one seat. That would be shocking. Here's what Cam Newton had to say after the game.

Obviously, he was not pleased with the outcome and didn't think his team played very well. So this is what Newton had to say for the first time a losing quarterback in 2015. We got our ass kick today. And to a lot of degree, we deserved it, especially the type of way we played. But yet, you know, we know we're capable of love. You know, we're 14 and 1 right now. We put ourselves in a situation that we can use this as fuel to the fire. You know what?

You're right, Mark. They are mathematically, there is a chance that they fall to the two seed. I think they take care of business. Oh, I do, too. I think they go 15 to 1 because this team has shown it all season that they know how to bounce back from adversity, and I think they'll do it here. Could we get a week without Josh Norman talking potentially.

Well, Julio Jones beat him. He caught seven of eight targets for 91 yards. in Josh Norman's coverage, added a 70-yard touchdown over Luke Keakley and Kirk Coleman. But there is a crack that's starting to show in this defense. They lost B'A. Ben-Wickery, their excellent slot corner a few weeks ago, and now Cortland Finnington is trailing wide receivers around the field. That's not good. Roddy White had his best game of the year, so did Matt Ryan.

And I think Roddy White's playing in the slot quite a bit with Cortland Finnegan on him. Roddy White versus Cortland Finnegan would have been a great matchup seven or eight years ago. You wouldn't expect it would be such a big matchup. for today, but as someone that witnessed the Patriots in 2007 go through one of the most joyless weeks of the Super Bowl I've ever seen, I don't know if the Panthers would have felt that sort of pressure, but I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing for them long term that they lose this game. I think if you're a fan of the Panthers, it's very disappointing because it would have been

really special to get to the regular season. And as a fan of the NFL, I really wanted them to get through because it just gives the playoffs more juice, so I'm disappointed. No one's got to remember this Falcons team. I'm annoyed with myself because when they were 13 and 0, I said the Giants would knock them off because I felt that they just, somebody would get pick them off. They didn't feel like they would be a 16 and 0 team.

The second I changed my mind after they beat the Giants, I said, oh, yeah, they got it. And now I got turned on by a team too, Mark, not just you. Wait, so who did Connor pick in this game? Did he finally get this right? No, he went with the Falcons. I mean, he went with the Panthers. So that means he's now 2 and 13 when picking.

Panthers games this year? Any chance? Markable. You guys think Cam Newton, 4.7 yards per attempt that people start considering Palmer or Brady a little more with the MVP with you take out the 60 and no?

Whether they're a chance? I personally think Palmer's case is just as strong as Newton's, but I think that the nation, the national football conscience has already shifted over and I was already annoyed to Cam Newton. I agree. I think that will be the case.

You know, and Ted Ginn heard his knee in this game, correct? There's not a lot of depth there receiver. You take him He's been a big playmaker for them. He's in a situation where you don't have a lot to throw to. He re-entered, but the Falcons took him away. They took the deep ball away totally and kept everything within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. It might be for the best.

If they would, resting starters or not have an important game next week, they would have had basically three weeks between important games. Now they've got to play that game, and they should take care of the lousy bucks. I agree with that, but, you know, there was a lot of hot takes immediately on Twitter. It was like, this is the best thing that ever happened to the Panthers. No, it sucks for the Panthers. They wanted 16 and 0. They're not going to get,

and they got beat by an inferior team. This is not how they wanted to stub their toe against the Falcons. It's not the best thing. And you make a good point about the Patriots when there was so much pressure on them. But, I mean, every Super Bowl week with the Patriots feels joyless because that's just how they seem to approach things. I think the last two was the, I mean, it felt very different in 11.

They went out of their way to, like, Bill Belichick. Hey, that was the big story. Like, hey, Bill Belichick's having a good time. Yeah. So Deflategate was more, had brought more. more joy to the entire operation. Yeah, the Patriots operation was like the North Pole on December 23rd, just a bustle of activity and happiness.

Come on, let's be serious, sir. All right, let's move on. So we talked about the Panthers go down. And how about those Arizona Cardinals, who, by the way, not for nothing, are the team of around the NFL. And they certainly played like it on Sunday. They clinched a playoff by made it look easy, overwhelming, the vulnerable looking Packers, a 38 to 8 win in Arizona.

Greg, the Cardinals look like the best team in football at this very moment. And the Packers are starting to look like a January also ran. What is going on? Well, Wes said it, Chris Wesleyan in our NFL now. Thank you for clarifying that Wes is Chris Wesley. They're the best team in the league, really all year. If you just look, who's got the best offense and defense combined in terms of having the top three in both? They've outscored their opponents by more than 200.

points. Wesie said that was only the third team ever to do that through. Since the turn of the century, the 2001 Rams, 2007 Patriots, that's a pretty exclusive company. And only 10, I think, all time has ever done it. Seven of them make the Super Bowl. So it's very rare to be beating teams like the Packers that it's a playoff team and just do it with such ease. And each week, it's like we have to find something new to talk about with this team. And this week, I'm going to talk about that they're getting a pass rush now without blitzies. all the time. Now they blitz in this game. They hit Aaron Rogers 11 times. They knocked or knocked them down 11 times, hit him 14 times, eight sacks in this game. He only threw the ball 28 times.

Those are monster numbers. And Dwight Freeney is beating guys one on one. He had, I believe, three sacks in this game. Calais Campbell is rushing the pass or better. And now Marcus Golden is starting to make moves. So now they're getting more of a pass rush. By the way, they gave up eight points, a late touchdown. You're saying all, you know, they're peeking all over the field on defense. Their best player wasn't on the field. Right. I mean, no honey badger.

They're deep. It really didn't matter. Now, a lot of teams have made the Packers' offense look bad this year, especially the passing attack. But, man, did the Packers passing? It's just, you're getting used to it now that Aaron Rogers throws for 150 yards. Brainy said after the game that he was on an airplane when Bruce Ariens called in mid-October, and they stewardess told him to get off the phone.

He had to beg to take the phone call. But the idea that all these other teams should have signed Dwight Freeney as hogwash, he only wanted to play for a contender. He wasn't signing with the Colts or someone else. The Colts were winning the division at the time. No, he wants to play for a Super Bowl contender, not some jabroney that's going to go six and seven and win a division or whatever. Well, I was on the NFL Game Day Blitz couch today,

and Bucky Brooks made a good point, where he basically said that this Packers team is not built right now to go out and play out in muscle teams and dominate them physically. but it's the reverse that they're getting dominated physically, and it's happening too often. And the Cardinals are a terrible matchup for a team like Green Bay. And what happened today will happen again if they meet in the playoffs for some reason.

I'm done believing in Green Bay at this point. They're a flawed team. I mean, that's what they are. Here's the other thing when you talk about thinking one thing in the NFL and then it just blows up in your face as the time goes on. Yeah, we were talking about Aaron Rogers as someone that had mastered the quarterback position as someone who was playing at a higher level than we've ever seen. And it just goes to show you one player, even the greatest player at the position cannot lift a team that has this many flaws because they are a human team and they're showing it.

Even last week in Oakland, that wasn't a great performance. This team is in trouble, big time. They are. And I think Bucky's point is right on because they're an easy team to run against and they're an easy team to get after the passer. Brian Bilaga left this game with an ankle injury. B.J. Raji left this game with a concussion. Those are two of their toughest players up front. So that's going to make them even weaker if they're not back for next week's game.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are adding weapons. Andre Ellington didn't play a ton in this game, but he looked pretty good with his seven carries. David Johnson goes over 100 yards from scrimmage for the fourth straight week. And Michael Floyd has really developed. Michael Floyd looks fantastic over the past six weeks. The best he's ever played in his career. I think, I mean, he's, I don't know if he's their best receiver right now.

He's their number one receiver, but he's the guy getting the numbers. 100 yards in five of the last seven games. And you always think of him as a vertical guy, man, he's making plays after the catch too. He looks explosive after the catch. He looks really, and like he said, David Johnson, the most yards from scrimmage of any player in the NFL over the past month, and really has a dark horse shot to get rookie of the year. 88 yards receiving. I mean, he, you couldn't have more. He's such a good route runner for a rookie.

When you said that they were lucky when Chris Johnson got hurt, I mean, that has really played out because there's not many running backs who have the kind of skill set that David Johnson does. He's so much more physical than Chris Johnson. They are, by the way, a reminder, again, the team. team of around the NFL. And the reason they are, one of the many reasons is this stat right here from Greg, they have more touchdowns than punts. That's outrageous.

How do you have more touchdowns than pun? It doesn't seem humanly possible. That's why you have a little bit. No biscuit. This is a very special honor. So the Cardinals have a chance to steal the number one seed. Who would have saw that coming? So let's move on.

And let's talk about another team that had a chance, Greg. a chance to take the number one seat over in the AFC. But this is what happens. Sometimes you go to the metal ends, and it's late December, and Ryan freaking Fitzpatrick is on the field. You can't count the other side out. And that's what happened on Sunday. The New York Jets, yes, the New York Jets.

Ah, that's it. They are now 10 and 5 after a 26 to 20 overtime win over the Patriots that puts them. in position again to make the playoffs no longer and we'll get to the Steelers in a little bit no longer do the Jets have to win and get help they got the help so now they just got to close next week in Buffalo against Rex Ryan of course but this was a game where the Jets were up 17 to 3 and the Pats did what the Pats do they got a defensive touchdown and then in the last couple of minutes they drive down the field convert two fourth downs Greg that takes them to

the goal close to the Jets touch end zone and then James White scores on a wide open nice little route he runs to lose David Harris tie game and then what happens Greg Bill Belichick and Matthew Slater combined to make a very curious decision by kicking off to start overtime yes we have a coin toss the Pats win the coin toss to start OT and the decision is made to kick the Jets get the ball the only thing that the Pats can't let happen is the Jets score a touchdown, not letting the Patriots get on the field. And what do the Jets do? Five plays of Francesism here.

Bing, boom, Bing, Bing. Eric Decker, six-yard touchdown. Game over. Jets walk off. Brady doesn't see the field. Doesn't see the field and the Jets are 10 and 5. Yeah, it's crazy to risk the chance of Tom Brady not seeing the field. I mean, Bill Belichick said after the game he was thinking field position.

He believed in his defense. He wanted them out in the field. confusion as everyone knows from Slater that they couldn't choose which side the ball go do. I think ultimately that that's sort of a non-story. It's just the story of why would you choose to kick off? The numbers say that it's never really smart to kick off. It's not that big of a difference. It's like 53% to 44.

You know, if the weather is crazy, like against Denver, a couple of years ago, the Patriots chose to kick off. They actually chose which side to defend. and they wanted, you know, to have the wind at their backs. But there was no wind in this game. No win. And the Patriots, even though they didn't move the ball all day, they had just scored a touchdown.

So that part doesn't make any sense to me. If you really believe you're going to get a stop and then kick a field goal, just get the field goal first, then get the stop. Brandon Marshall said he approached Josh McDaniels, the Pat's offensive coordinator after the game. They have history together in Denver, of course. And that's what McDaniels explained, that they weren't happy with their offense.

They'd scored just one touchdown on offense all game. and they wanted to play the field position, just stop the jets, get the ball back, get a field goal, and get out of town. But that, it does not make sense, and you're Bill Belichick, and you're a genius, and you've read every book, and your dad's great, and everybody's happy,

and you're going to the Hall of Fame, good stuff. But it does not take a rocket scientist to not choose the option that puts Tom Brady potentially on the bench watching the game end, a terrible decision. That's how this game will be remembered. I mean, we were, after it happened in the newsroom, Greg came over, what, three or four times?

We just trying to unpack why they would have made this decision. And it's Bill Belichick, so you have to say, well, he's made 40 to 50,000 great decisions on national television. Here's one that's very mysterious. But if this happened to like a rookie head coach, it would be a death knell for that individual. With Belichick, it doesn't make it a smarter move, but I have to believe in his mind,

he thought that he was benefiting his team. He makes a lot of unconventional choices, and this one just did not work very well. He applaud him for making unconventional choices. I like it. They're not always right, and this one certainly did not work out well. And, you know, a couple more things. So Ryan Fitzpatrick, he's moving up your, your, uh, I don't think you, I don't think

you checked it out last week. He was way up there. Okay. Well, it granted, it was Christmas week. It did drop Christmas Eve, but hey, if I'm going to be working, pounding out that QB index with Santa Claus coming down the chimney, you should be reading it. Okay. But what I will, where is he now?

Was he in the top 10? Oh, Santa Claus? He's back just chilling. It got another 300 plus days off. Let's see if you're around, Jezelnikl enough, these bits start flying out. You can't even track it anymore.

But Ryan Fitzpatrick, three touchdowns, no interceptions. He is now tied in West. We talked about every year. There is a Vinnie Testiverty in 1998 type guy that emerges from the ether, a middling journeyman type quarterback. It is absolutely Ryan Fitzpatrick.

He tied Vinny Testa Verdi's Jets record today. 29 touchdowns on the season. He has, I believe, 13 touchdowns. touchdowns in just one interception during the Jets five-game win streak right now. So Fitzpatrick looks awesome. Brendan Marshall is out of control. Still, Decker and Marshall, both had touchdowns for the eighth time this season, the same game, which is an NFL record.

Here's the thing as a Jets fan that I'd be worried about is that they gave up that lead. Because it felt like, you know, you were saying, you know, they triumphed after adversity. And that's definitely true for them to stand up and win in overtime and put. put that drive together is incredible. But it's also a game. It seemed like the Jets were the better team. The Patriots have been taken on water here for a while. They have not looked good.

They lose their left tackle immediately, which is just Sebastian Volmer. It looked like a serious injury. We'll find out on Monday, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's done for the year. By the end of the game, they're not their fourth string left tackle. Right.

They're not moving the ball at all. They're giving up huge pressure to Brady. They have no running game whatsoever, especially when they're playing a team like the Jets. And yet they somehow managed to get. get into overtime against the good team like the Jets with one of the signature plays, I think, of Gronk's career on that fourth and nine, and almost stole that game.

So as a Patriots fan, I don't know whether to be encouraged or not. Well, here's why I wouldn't. Sounds weird, but that's genuinely how I feel. If the Jets, though, have so much psychological damage with New England that I don't care how they won. If you're a Jets fan, you got it done. It doesn't matter. All of that is sideline minutia.

They got it done, and it was this today in the newsroom, And we were busy, so we weren't able to celebrate with Dan and put, like, a wreath on his head and stuff. But you were running around the newsroom, pumping your fist. You were genuinely hyped up. This might be the most animated I've seen Dan. It was, but you've waited a long time for it. This is the biggest Jets game in four years.

Coincidentally, the last game, the biggest win, I should say, against the Patriots in the playoffs in 2011. And Greg, let me just say something right now. Before we move on, because we should move on. I could talk about this game for another three hours, if you guys know. But I'll stop after this question. the Jets split with the pets Yeah Jets probably should have won the game

in New England too, let's be honest Well by that logic you could What does that mean? Just grant that they could have They were winning in the fourth quarter Okay whatever now Point being By a point point point being

The Jets could make the playoffs now Sure You gotta be starting to get a little nervous On the old throne of sleeves Wait listen to what's going on on the throne of sleeves about it doesn't sound good uh i'm concerned about the patriots team in general does not sound good not in particular jets if anything this game wow that really does sound scary this game it caused me to look in the mirror and start to wonder if what dan has been saying is true that i'm no and ike taylor's

been saying this on the couch of truth that i'm not a real fan because i didn't really have any feelings the first three or four quarters all i could think was that it's not really that big a big a game which i know that I'm losing touch with the feeling of the fan. You're the king up on his hill and finally you start to realize that your people are revolting. That's what you call a coping mechanism, which Greg is employed. I told you that during the game. Can I make two points here? Sure.

The Jets are one week removed from being lucky to be Kelly Moore. Let's calm down. Okay. Second point. The Patriots have a chance to be 13 and 3 in a year in which Tom Brady is the only player on offense to start every game at the same position. If they get Edelman and Amandola back, they'll be just fine. And Chung and McCordy.

I mean, they let, their two starting safeties are out. Both have been played really well this year. And the Jets got behind their defense so many times. They could have had a much bigger lead if Fitzpatrick had missed a lot of deep. Oh, and all you Pat's fans getting Malthy on, to me, on Twitter about Malcolm Butler, a nice player. And he had a pretty good game. But Revis was the one that had the interception and didn't get beat at all in this game.

And it was Malcolm Butler who got beat in overtime in the game ending touchdown. So pipe down. Also had the penalty on third down to keep that drive alive in over. If the Jets were to win, you know, three or four Super Bowls over the next six years, Dan will be an absolute pleasure to deal with. That's what? That's about as possible as happening is like Cleveland running off like back-to-back 10-win seasons. Now I sort of want the Jets would have to get in what as the six.

We would want them to be the six seed and then they win the first game. And the Patriots still have to win the number one seed. They have not clinched it. They have to either win next week or have the Bengals lose on Monday night. Jets still have to beat the bills. they do and that will not be an easy game rex will have will be pumped up about it but we have plenty of time to talk about that bill's team is unified let us move on uh to yes so the jets needed the chiefs or the steelers to lose on sunday to have control their destiny and guess what guess what happened the pittsburgh steelers cruising toward another playoff berk but they forgot about one thing ryan mallet is a thing that exists the chronically tardy quarterback was on time all day against pittsburgh's throwing it for 274 yards, a career high and a touchdown

in a 20 to 17 Ravens win. Yowser. Greg, we've talked plenty in recent weeks about how dangerous the Steelers could be in the postseason. Now there's a very real chance they want to be there. No, you're going to need the Buffalo Bills

to pull off the upset or else the Pittsburgh Steelers are done. And it just reminds me that not only that anything can happen, but that you can never underestimate a division rivalry like this. The Ravens fans tonight must feel like Auburn at the end of a year or Michigan. If Auburn beats Alabama, that saves the whole season.

If Michigan beats Ohio State, that saves the whole season. They swept the Steelers. They beat them with Ryan Mellon a bunch of bums on their defense. It's insane. That's a strike against college football that just winning a rivalry game makes your season fine. Ravens fans can't be happy. They're 5 and 10. It's a lost year.

But this had to be very sad. That is fine. Ooh, and you know what? It could win me a sandwich. I forgot I had the only one team makes it out of the AFC North. Oh, a Patriots fan continues to eat well. Wow, that is, yeah. How do the Steelers lose this game?

That is, they have only themselves to blame if they don't make the playoffs. And this isn't the first time in the last few years in which that's a case. They lost the dolphins a couple of years ago. Come on, Steele. And let's not forget that they played two awful quarters last week at home against Denver. So that's six out of eight quarters in less two weeks. weeks, which is crunch time for a playoff tested team with the Super Bowl winning quarterback. There's trouble in Pittsburgh.

Well, that was against the best defense in the league. So you can understand having a bad quarter there. Their defense is, the Steelers defense, rather, has been up and down all year. Rathlisberger, though, I think you make a great point because he threw two very loose interceptions, including the one with under five minutes to go last week was catastrophic. His defense just saved them. And then this week, his interceptions were pretty bad. and it's to the Ravens, and it just showed some mental, I don't know, mental errors.

And we talked about the fact on Thursday that John Harbaugh, it's not a good team, but he has coached well and his players continue to care and play very hard for him. It doesn't show up because they're missing so many players. But this game still is a supreme shock to me because Pittsburgh was the team that a week ago, I thought in the AFC, if they got hot could run the table and knock out any one of those teams in the AFC right now, now they're probably not even going to make the playoff. Ridiculous. There's still a chance they could be that team.

There is. They still could get in. It wouldn't be the biggest shock. But if you had said in week two, let's say, that a team led by Ryan Mallett, Terrence West, and Chris Givens, and Chris Matthews were all on the same team and that that team beat the Steelers to knock them out of the playoffs, you would have no idea what that team was. None of them were even on this team. The Portland Riverhogs.

Right. None of these guys were even on these teams. and they're playing huge roles for the Ravens. I mean, think about it. Maybe that's the difference. When we look back, if the Steelers do miss the playoffs, we were just talking about the Jets and how we shouldn't get too excited

because the Cowboys game that they barely won. The Jets found a way to win a game where they played like crap against a bad team. The Steelers couldn't do it. You've got to find a way to win a game when you're not playing at your best. If you're a real team with real gumption, they just didn't do it.

They gave up 386 yards. Like the Falcons game, I don't think this was an unfair result. that they got out gained by 80 yards. And this just shows when you look ahead at the schedule and try to forecast what's going to happen, you never know because the Steelers you thought they're going to play the Bengals and Broncos.

If they can split that, they'll have a chance. If they sweep those, they're in. They swept them and then they get, they stub their toe here. All right. So we move on to the third team in the big triangle for those last two wild card spots. They are, this is the Kansas City Chiefs now.

The NFL scheduled gods. They've smiled upon the chance. Chiefs in recent weeks. Let's face it, with a lot of winnable games. Andy Reid's team keeps taking care of business. And that's what happened today against Cleveland. Alex Smith had just 125 yards passing, but he did throw two touchdowns. And that's enough to lift the Chiefs to a 17-13 win over Marks Browns. Mr. Sessler, the Chiefs of won nine straight. They're going to the playoffs. They locked up a spot with the victory. Are we buying in, though? I do, because you just gave the Jets credit that they deserve for winning an ugly game two weeks ago.

And that's what the Chiefs did today. It was not easy. It looked at one point. The Chiefs came out first drive, chewed up eight minutes of the clock, and looked absolutely proficient, running the ball at will against Cleveland's awful defense, Alex Smith making plays. And it looked like this was going to be set up to be a nice 40 to 10 type game. Cleveland kept hanging around. Their defense finally started to, their defense has been absolutely.

one of the worst in the league, if not the worst in the league, probably played their best game today by simply just not allowing points to be scored. It was not perfect. Shut him out in the second half. Second half, what happened was, because Johnny Mansell, who I think has a long way to go as a passer, they finally just said, let it go, run, run like a madman.

And he had the most yards of any Brown's quarterback in Cleveland's history. Over 100 yards, right? 108 yards. The team, for the second time in three weeks, ran for well over 200 yards. I don't know what's going on with that. But their best defense in the second half was their offense.

Manzell had a 12-plus-minute drive that just kept Alex Smith off the field, and they got enough stops that this thing got right down to the end. And it was a game where I was watching honestly more for your Jets, to be honest, because had they taken care of business, that also would have catapulted, but it been great for New York. And the Browns and Manzell got all the way down inside the Kansas City territory with inside a minute to go. bad clock management by Mike Patton and the Browns.

They called their last minute outside of the last timeout outside of the two minute warning for a meaningless reason to stop the game, which was a death knell. But they ran out of time. Manzell completed a pass over the middle, and there was about eight seconds to go, and they had to run 20 yards up, and they couldn't get it done.

And so much for, I predicted that this would be Manzell a little bit of a shootout or something, and Manzell would give the Brown something to think about. He completes 40% of his passes, I guess not. And that last play, yeah, he's got to be, that's got a throw that's got to go either in the end, or to the sideline he puts it in the middle of the field didn't give him a chance no it wasn't he again as i think that you know kansas city's defense their secondary probably confused him as much

as any team that i've seen the season he just seemed out of sorts through the air the entire time and he has no weapons do you think uh peter's knocked up or wrapped up defensive rookie of the i think he i think he has to i mean he tied a franchise record for rookies with his eighth pick wow and that was a huge interception the NFL and interception return yardage and pass his defense too. And touchdowns of picks. I mean, he's, I mean, he's got to be leading the conversation because it hasn't come at small or minor times for them either. He's helped them win big games. Can we touch on real quick the Mike Petton head scratcher of the week, sending Dwayne Boe out to midfield as a team captain? Come on, buddy. Yeah, it's, I mean. Well, he's in Canton.

Who does it help? That's what they do. Who's that for? Who's that for? It's just what they do. Send Dwaynebo. She's not good enough to play, but he's good enough to be a captain. Yeah, I don't think it says a great thing to the rest of your roster. I'd say that. There are lot of people that have contributed heavily, and you put Dwayne Bo out there. Now, it's not all on Dwayne Boe in the sense that he didn't get to play for months and months, but it is a head scratcher. Oh, it is essentially a pregame festivity where you're trotting out one of the worst free agent signings in NFL history.

Oh, but he used to play on the Chiefs, so let's make sure we send him out there. Enough of that stuff. Mark, oh, go ahead. Did Tom Bali play did it? I didn't notice him. I didn't notice him. I'd have to watch closer. Mark, so the Chiefs are in.

They become the first team that we for. in our stick of forkingham series to qualify for the playoffs, which means as the last either. Won't be the last. No. Which means that we do owe a charitable donation to the Kansas City region. And you have been put in charge of this. Where are we at right now in terms of what we're working?

Well, as you mentioned, we're going to be, you know, we're going to be owing a number of cities some money. So I could only get into the Kansas City operation tonight. I just wanted to get, you know, let's get a feel of what Kansas City is about. Look up a couple charities. You know, how can we really help the civic structure in Missouri, in the middle of Missouri? And so let's start, number one, with the Astronomical Society of Kansas City. Oh, what's that?

Well, they're into astronomy, into the stars. They could use our help. I don't really want to contribute to that. All right, well, we're not, this is not a time for us to really debate whether we want to do it. I'm just putting some names out there and we can discuss later. We put you in charge of this. Sure. And I'm not sure you understand what charity means.

We're actually looking. We're trying to help some type of organization that probably helps people in the region, you know, charity. All right. Well, this one. How about this one then? The Women Who Dare Book Group. This is a real organization. It's works of fiction and nonfiction buying about ordinary women experience extraordinary challenges in Missouri.

That's a hard no. You got anything else? No. Anything like the Red Cross or Boys and Girls Club or? A.C. area Dungeons and Dragons meetup group. No. I think West might have to take over this. What's this last one here? The Cuddle Party Society of the Greater Kansas City Metro area.

That sounds potentially a cuddled party. Horneographic. I don't know what it is. I'm just doing a – I did a loose kind of look. What? You're not so this didn't go out. That's a bit – I mean, that's so far so not good. We'll work on this, though.

We'll work with this together. We appreciate you putting the time in on a football Sunday to start looking up some things. I think Missouri should have a higher. bar for what constitutes a charity speaking of uh could be my fault but speaking of teams that uh we forked that are going to come back to bite us in the old heinie let's talk about the washington redskins because you know what somebody had to win the nfccee so what are the the redskins decided why not us it was like uh you like that you like that you like that cute like it the trademark thing not as cute, but why not us is an app quote for me?

Because what they did, they took care of business in this division. It was a bad division and what the Redskins did, and I will admit it, you know, I never thought Jake Rudin would be on the podium talking about how his team won the division, wearing the hat. I mean, this is a team again, may I remind everyone that we said was the worst team in football in our preseason poll, power pole. now they are the NFC East champions after a 3824 win over the Eagles in Philly, Washington's first division title since 2012.

Kirk Cousins throws four touchdowns in this game. Going to get paid a ton of dough in the offseason as a free agent. Chris Wessling. It would be nice if our producer had like all the doubts that you guys were spewing about the Redskins. It would be nice if we had something we could queue up right here. Well, wait, do you? I think we might. Well, let's talk in January when a beaming Jay Gruden is giving a playoffs.

I was going to say, a Mark will be named Queen of England before Jay Gruden is beaming about a division title. Can you save that for January? Save it. Wow. You guys get off easy. Why? Because handsome Hank, when we talked about forking the Redskins, says he'll never use a fork again the rest of his life. If the Redskins get into the playoffs, Hank, this is your future.

The sport. We got a tight shot on that spork. I mean, that, and if we ever see handsome Hank who, if you guys should listen to him on the Dave Damashack football program, if we ever see him eating with a fork in our presence ever again, his word has no meaning. I'm not listening to anything he says. You know, it's just basically saying you can say something and it never comes true.

We were wrong about the Redskins, and we were wrong about the rest of the NFC East. Doesn't mean this is a great team, but they're a good team over the last five weeks. They've won four or five games. They've been consistent on offense. They have an identity. They have no running game. And so they just hand the ball to Kirk Cousins. Here, throw the ball 39 times while we run it, or whatever it was, 39 times.

And they barely ran it early in the game, and he was hitting third in longs, which he hadn't been doing early in the season. And this Eagles defense is a mess, but who cares? they took advantage of it. They did exactly what they needed to do on Saturday night. And, yeah, listen, this win on Saturday night was their eighth win. They're eight and seven, and they lock up the division before week 17. It tells you what happened in the NFC East this year.

But at the same time, what they proved in the last month or so, or six weeks or so, was that they were better than the bad teams. I thought, and I think a lot of people thought that they were one of the bad teams, they are a step above that. Now, I don't think that means, Wes, a deep January run. I guess, you know, Nor do I. Nothing would surprise me, but I'll say that they're at least a team that come January.

They're a worthy playoff team because they're playing very well right now. Well, I don't know about that. They haven't beaten a winning team all year. I hate that argument, though. But they face the fewest, they have the easiest schedule in the league. They faced the fewest amount of winning teams. That's all a factor. They deserve to make it, but we kill the Falcons.

They're 8 and 7. We think they're a huge disappointment. The Redskins are 8 and 7. They're fortunate, but they made their fortune. And Kirk Cousins especially. Yeah, my problem, well, I don't have a problem with the Redskins is of the teams in this division, they're the most fun to watch right now. The Falcons started out hot, but they have, I don't care about

the records now because the Falcons are an abysmal watch at the time, at this moment, outside of today. I don't want to see Atlanta squeaking in the playoffs. The Redskins, the way Kirk Cousins is playing, they're interesting to me. I have no problem. I have no problem watching them in January. Nobody in this podcast has said at any point in this season that the Redskins are a good team. Right. Just that they were the best of a bad bunch in the NFC East or that the The rest of the division was bad enough that you can't doubt the Redskins. And Cousins corner over here, we get to be a little bit of proud. Kissing Cousins, actually.

He's got as many touchdowns combined passing and rushing as Aaron Rogers this year, 31 touchdowns leading the NFL and completion percentage. He's going to earn that money. And he's got the mojo. I mean, the Eagles had two spots in that game where they had interceptions right in their hands. They're running with it, and then they dropped the ball, and then Cousins hits them with a touchdown right afterwards. They had five, three, and outs in the first half,

and they're winning huge at halftime. When they start moving the ball, it's like they score touchdowns. And this Eagles team is a joke. It's a mess. It ended the league, one of the worst teams in the league. They were very lucky, I think, to get two six wins, which is amazing to think. Question, do you think that Kelly is back next season? I do, yeah.

I do, yeah. I think Bradford's back, too. It's depressing. But, man, those moves, just one by one. It was like a parade of Chip Kelly's ghosts of Free Agency Pass. on the day after Christmas. You know, DeMarco Murray nearly fumbles the ball three straight plays. Kiko Alonzo is not in the same area code of the Redskins when he's in coverage,

which has happened for a month. Sam Bradford, people trying to talk about playing well, it's like he just doesn't get in the way, but he's not helping them. Enough. All the color analysts of society stop making excuses for Sam Bradford. I mean, he misses throws every week. That passed to Zach Ertz down the sideline. Oh, terrible.

And, you know, I think it was Trent Green that said, oh, well, there was pressure in his face. That's a layup, guys. That is, you know, that's a shack going down the lane without anybody in front of him and slamming it down. You got to make those throws if you're going to be a big-time quarterback.

I don't know what the Eagles are going to do a quarterback, but I don't think Bradford's the answer. I think they're going to resign Bradford. I mean, that is, that is that you said, that's the depressing thought to me, Mark, is Kelly maybe and West, you're a bigger Chip Kelly fan than the rest of this room. Maybe Kelly, when he gets comfortable enough

and gets better personnel moves, he will develop into a big-time coach. But there's no way said Bradford's developing into a big-time quarterback. So why pony up? This team is boring. They're very boring. And I think the Redskins, before we get out of this, more than anything, it's coaching. I think they've done an excellent job coaching this year, maximizing the talent that they have.

And that Jay Gruden, especially has a combination in Sean McVeigh, their offensive coordinator with Kirk Cousins, taking what they have and maximizing as much as they can. They've done a great job. Well, the biggest decision they made all year was in August when they, They decided to sit their franchise quarterback and face a lot of heat for doing so. Mike Shanahan did the same thing, but he did it too late with only four games left or three games left of his tenure. Jay Gruden did it here at the beginning of the season. Mike and Kyle Shanahan both said separately this offseason that Kirk Cousins will be proven to be a really good NFL quarterback if he gets a shot.

He's one for two. He said the same thing about John Beck. Well, he got this one right. He staked his reputation on Beck and Grossman. I think, yeah, I think he actually said, I would. will stake my reputation on John Beck. I mean, one last thing, you have to think about where would this team be potentially had they said, you know what, we'll get a guy like Kirk Cousins later in the draft and keep

our number one pick to do something else with, and all the other picks we traded to get RG3 could be a completely different team. They took two quarterbacks in that draft. By the end of those two quarterbacks, rookie contracts, they both have won division titles for the Redskins. But ultimately, the Redskins, you know, they're still just kind of a middle type team, but it just, it's just a weird. Well, you've got to start somewhere.

I mean, they're building a team, too. And they're only in the second year of Gruden, and they've got a good GM. So I like what's happening. It's funny because Shanahan saved all these people who hate his guts and they fired him. But he took two quarterbacks in the first four rounds. That was the first time since 1989 that had ever happened. And people killed the Redskins because they had a shortage of picks that year because of the RG3 trade. And that cousin's pick is what saved all these guys.

Let's move on. The Houston Texans are closing in on the AFC South title. speaking of bad divisions. And Brandon Whedon, I kid you not, is a big reason why. The former first round bust ended a personal 11-game losing streak and a 34-6 win over the pathetic Titans. Geez, Titans. Greg, it's hard to gauge any team when they're playing the Titans,

but the Texans certified frisky as we head down the stretch. I think you have to give a ton of credit to the Texans defense for just coming out and setting the tone. Both teams only had 56 yards through the, the first, I think, 17 minutes of play. But the score was 10 to nothing because the Texans not only got three and outs right away, they scored by forcing a fumble and returning it,

taking the pressure off Whedon, then the Titans fumble a punt. Suddenly it's 10-0 before Whedon's done anything, and then they unlock the key. And you know what comes out? The guy that the Browns expected Brandon Whedon to be. What a glorious time to be alive. Brandon Whedon threw for two touchdowns

and ran for another in a blowout win that essentially clinched the play. playoff spot that you would have never guessed that would have happened this season much less for the texans it's insane mark i don't know what to tell you i doesn't mean it's great but what a moment are you happy that's actually a real question are you happy for weeden or is it just to know you that he's becoming potentially a decent player after cleveland i certainly feel good for brandon because i feel like he was just one of many quarterbacks that went through the system in cleveland where he's you know chewed up has three different offensive coordinators he's

out and to succeed somewhere else i don't have a problem with that someone can you know what someone makes something out of him good for them this rounds can't do that this matchup was one quarterback who hadn't won in his last 11 starts versus another quarterback who has never won an NFL game has now lost nine that metting burger not good yeah his stock really fair ranan weed went over a thousand days without a win wow i think i saw another j j wott mocking selfie of metenberger and i Listen, I don't know, a lot of you guys might have noticed. I'm getting really angry about the Titans because they are just rooting certain elements of our Sunday every week

by not even being competitive. They're just getting their doors blown off. I say kick them out of football until they can learn how to comport themselves with some level of self-respect. I think that's a fair point because on a day where a lot of eliminated teams showed up to play and pulled off upsets, the Titans didn't even show up. Right. You would have thought that the team facing Brandon Whedon

would have been competitive, but they weren't. One of the reasons was DeAndre Hopkins. If you need any proof why DeAndre Hopkins is one of the top three or four receivers in the league, if not higher. He's putting up big-time numbers no matter who they throw out there. So I don't want to hear sometimes when you hear the quarterback, well, he doesn't have a quarterback. Hopkins did it with Ryan, I mean, with Brandon Whedon, and they didn't even throw the ball that much. He got seven for 117. Do you think Mike Malarkey gets even like a cursory interview during the process to find a new coach?

Tide ends coach. Or do you think they're like, well, Mike, I think you know. You know, pretty well. Oh, as head coach? Yes, because I think they do that all the time. No, but you think maybe this will be the case or like Mike, you know. He's making a case to not have that interview. Plowny, by the way, got banged up late in the game, up 34.

As always. I can't stay healthy. Been playing well, and they had them in there in a blowout. I guess you got to play something. I mean, that matters because if they, there's as a playoff team. It is. So the Colts now clinging to life after that, and we'll talk about what their situation is in a couple seconds.

But first let's talk about the game, the Indianapolis Colts, stay alive, an 1812 win over the Miami Dolphins. Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst left this game with injuries. It is the fourth Hasselbeck game. Hasselbeck time. Haslick has been knocked out of a game by injury. Greg, society wants nothing to do with the Colts taking up a playoff spot. I am now going to turn it over to you because you are very good at this.

You are our Sven Gali. when it comes to tiebreakers and other permutations and computations. What is going on in the playoff picture with Greg Rosenthal and the cults? This is the most complicated scenario I think I've ever seen. Listen how excited he is. I'm not because I can't even do it off the top of my head. They need, all I need to tell you is they need 10 different results to happen exactly. Starting on Monday night.

10? 10 different things. One of 10. Go through all 10, alphabetical order. Are they all football related? One of them involves the Broncos Bengals game, correct? That's true. They need the Broncos to win that game to kick it off,

and then they need nine things to happen next week. Oh, I love that. It's all but over. It's a wild computer that you're operating. That's his brain. That's inside his brain. It has to do with the strength of victory. Do you guys know what strength of victories?

It's the teams you see in. So what's their strength, you know, what's their overall record. So that changes in many ways. There are NFC games that matter to the cults. Oh, yeah, all sorts of things. And to answer your question, yes, just football. I know you mentioned before the show, maybe it had to do with something about peace in the Middle East that has...

Well, no, no, common the Gaza Strip required for the cults to get into this point, but that's not going to happen. By the way, I just went political on you, then. Let's talk, yeah, just sent me for a little bit of a loop. Greg, you ready? Okay. First thing with this concussion thing, this movie, this Will Smith movie. did you check the box office at all yet yes i did but i don't think we had a sandwich on this

no well did we i don't think we're going to i was hoping that you hadn't checked the box office oh and then you and i would see who got closest greg why on earth did you check the box office for this movie that he does i just do it i can i checked friday night for the dailies i don't know why or saturday morning for the i'm going to take it have deep-seated issues continue so i just follow this stuff i always have I will take a shot at the Friday night domestic growth. No, I know the whole weekend. Oh, you know the whole weekend?

Yeah. It opened up on Christmas Day. That's right, Friday. All right. I am going to say it made $8 million. You are under. It made $11 million. That's still very disappointing in a poor result.

Not to everybody. Rog is like, celebrate good times. Come out. I think that's less than drafting, you may. to put it in perspective. Well, it's not a heartwarming tale like draft day was. It doesn't seem like Christmas would be the ideal time for this release. No, it didn't get particularly good reviews.

The only chance it ever had, and even with good reviews, I don't think it would have mattered, was that everyone said this was some great movie, and it didn't get good reviews. Well, there you go. There's our concussion talk. Listen, maybe we would have spent it better if they would have paid us some advertising, you know, grease the old palms of the AETN group.

Do you want to know all 10 things that need to happen for the... Yeah, let's hear it real quick. All right. Denver needs to win in week 16. Buffalo needs to beat the Jets. That's not happening. Miami needs to beat the Patriots. Atlanta needs to beat the Saints.

The Ravens need to beat the Bengals. The Steelers need to beat the Browns. The Jaguars need to beat the Texans. The Colts need to take care of it and this beat the Titans. The Raiders need to upset the Chiefs. And the Broncos need to beat the Chargers. If all of those things happen, Matt Hasselbeck and the Colts are going to the playoffs.

What's more likely that happens or Mark gets struck by lightning as he leaves the office today? I think Mark gets struck by lightning. Yeah, that's possible. In L.A.? I think there's a decent chance Mark already has been struck by lightning. Listen. Tell the truth. Tell the truth.

Tell the truth. Let's move on. In what could be, I stress, could be Drew Breeze's final home game at the Super Bowl. The veteran quarterback threw for 412 yards and three touchdowns. That's on a bum foot, by the way, guys. And an easy 3827 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who again, despite us picking the Jaggars across the board, continue to let us down week after week. I think Wes and I are in the same boat that we changed our picks.

We wanted to change our picks and forgot. Human error doesn't help you out in the picks. I thought Drew Brees was going to miss the game when I picked the Jaguars. He's got a torn plataficello, so you would think he would. However, here we go. Here's the question, guys. One quick question about this game, so we don't want to get too caught up here. Blake Bortles now has 35 touchdowns, but it went back and looked back at the tape.

How many of these scoring throws this season? How many have come in meaningful situations? Is he a garbage time quarterback this season? I believe I saw a stat that he has 29 touchdowns this year when the Jags are playing from behind, which is five more than any quarterback has ever had in a season. That's a little bit, I mean, you don't want to take anything away with them. 35 touchdowns in year two for a quarterback. That's promising no matter how you spin it, but maybe a little bit misleading.

He's still learning how to play the position. Yeah, he's also not to be at fault for what that defense has not done all season. I mean, they're playing from behind eight minutes into most every game all year. I think it's a big step up for Blake Bordals, and there's a lot of reason to look at that offense and say it's forming into something very interesting. But you can't, you cannot win. The Saints are a great example of why you can't win games when you're getting with 35 points. I mean, every Sunday.

That's the thing. Everyone says this team's going in the right direction. The defense's going in the wrong direction. They've had three years with the same staff and the same GM and building the same players and they're one of the worst defenses in the league. And they're going to keep their jobs because Blake Bortles has developed. That's what they like. And this is.

He's in the middle of developing. And this is it. I think this is it for Peyton and Breeze as a combo. We'll see. Yes, we're at home. Plenty of time to talk about that. Let's move on, though, and talk about Matthew Stafford, who continued his strong. Second half finish, he threw for 301 yards.

Two touchdowns, the Lions, a 32-17 win over the 49ers who, despite having four wins. And we talked about this on the previous show. I think, Greg, you said that they might be one of the worst teams in football, even if they don't have the fewest wins. Mark, can you tell me one thing that you found interesting about this game between two mortally flawed also rounds? I don't think we need to go too far off. script here. I mean, Matthew Stafford, another game where he showed consistency. And if you want to take one thing away, people say, oh, can Jim Caldwell save his job? He's not even the best

gym on this staff. We've said it week after week. Jim Bob Cooter is done an excellent job. I know we don't know week behind the scenes, what's happening, what's so different with him, you know, teaching Stafford, but Stafford looked solid again today. Is this another segment of Cooter Talk? Greatest Cooter of all time. I think we're heading there. We need some Cooter Talk theme music. We need to come up. It's cooter time. I don't know what that's going to sound like.

Oh, okay. Go on, Mark. No, I mean, it's, you know. Well, you did make the point in the previous show that we shouldn't get too excited about Matthew Stafford's second half because the entire second half has been garbage time. That's true. But Matthew Stafford, if you look at every other season, some of the stuff that's happened to him in December has been so wacky. And it's just he's been such a frustrating quarterback. I don't feel that way about him this season.

I don't feel that he's frustrating to watch. He's Jake Cutler. I mean, he has great halves of the season and terrible halves. I mean, he's one of the worst players in the league the first half of the season. They did confirm, by the way, that they're going to hire a general manager that will decide Caldwell's fate. So on Black Monday, that is one team we don't really need to be watching. He's going to hang in the win there for a little while as they hire. That's not a good, that's not good when you bring in another gym.

It might not be the only thing hanging in the wind. To me, the most interesting thing about this team is, are they going to ask Calvin Johnson to take a pay cut and what happens when they do? That is a big off-season question. Good tease. Yes, very good. He's had too many games where he was almost invisible to be the highest-paid wide receiver. Something's got to get. By a lot.

Yeah. All right. Let's move on. So much for the Kellyn Moore bandwagon, the lefty flinger. It's a little inside football terminology. Played without Des Bryant, and he was unable to guide the Cowboys to the end zone. Even once, a 16-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills. in Orchard Park.

Greg, got a question for you. I don't know if I'm going to have any answer. No, that's a good question, though. It's a really good question. Okay. Who would be more likely to get stunningly sacked? That's British parlance for fired. Jason Garrett or Rex Ryan?

Oh, Rex Ryan, I think would be much more likely. Much, much more likely. So it would be, Jason Garrett would be more stunning. One and done? Right. Right. I don't think either one is likely at all, but I would be incredibly stunned if Jason Garrett got fired.

Even if Sean Payton's floating out there? Being tied in a game with Kellynne Moore and without Des Bryant at halftime. That's a credit to Jason Garrett. I mean, this thing should have been a blah, but the bills are what they are at this point. Bryce Butler is their number one receiver today. I mean, Jerry Jones has, within the last week, talked glowingly about Garrett. I think that there's just so much investment in Jason Garrett. With Rex Ryan, neither are likely at all,

but Rex Ryan has to be the coach that talked the most in the offseason and fail to deliver to the highest degree. Shocking. Right. It's not, you're right. I think it goes to script. It goes to script. To be clear, I think Rex Ryan is wildly safe.

It would be stunning. I love when you put wildness in a weird spot. That's always as good as wildly patient. I mean, why would Rex Ryan get fired? Neither one's getting fired. But I think you should feel good as a Jets fan. I don't think this Bill's team is frisky right now. You got Mike Gillisley starting and running back.

Mike Gillisley's playing well. I don't like him. I get, listen, I get that and the team. the defense seems to hate their head coach, which never is a good thing, typically. But Rex, I would think, and maybe the fact that he's not getting along with his players works of the Jets, you know, benefit even more

because he can potentially pump it up, pump up the Bills, win one for the Gipper, but I don't think they're going to win anything for the Gipper. I don't see that being a real motivator for anyone inside that building because we're just a couple weeks removed for the whole thing was about LaShawn McCoy going to Philly. All this Bill's thing is go do this for one guy in the locker, them. They all of you talked all week along about the fact that they aren't a team right now.

And what's Rex Ryan and say? Go stick one to the Jets because of me? Where's this game at next week? At Buffalo? It's in Buffalo. I mean, it wouldn't be the craziest, right? That adds a little bit of an element. We just saw the Ravens beat the Steelers in Baltimore. I'm not trying to pick on the Jets here, but it is just a week ago that they really almost lost to Kellyn Moore. It happens. I would just say it's not going to be because Rex Ryan gives some speech that suddenly everyone feels motivated.

I'll just say before we move on to the next game, you know, everybody, got real excited when Kellan Moore came in against the Jets and made a couple of plays and there was all this talk. Oh, what took so long to put Matt Castle on the bench? Oh, you had this guy this whole time ready to go. All right, yeah. Enjoy your 165 pound lefty quarterback.

He ain't doing Jack. Not to be mean to Kellan Moore, but that was a, I was particularly annoyed this idea that Castle was hiding some type of hero. Looks like a little boy on the field. Humble brag. Wow. It's hard to stick up for the way Matt Castle's played this year.

Let's move on, gentlemen, to the Chicago Bears who took care of business in Tampa Bay. And now, I have to say, I did not see a second of this game. Again, I'm not even sure it ever happened, but there is a result, a 26, 21 win over the bucks. Cadeem Carrey caught a touchdown pass from Jay Cutler. He is a third string running back guys. He also scored on a one-yard run. The bear snap a three-game losing streak, improved to six and nine in the Buccaneers, fall to six and nine so a lot of the positive vibes around the bucks

melting away now and they look like very much a six and nine team Greg I think it's almost good that they didn't raise expectations too high that sounds weird but they weren't ready they weren't really an eight and eight playoff contender type of team so I think people in Tampa they're excited they have James Winston it's been a successful year because of that but let's not get carried away that there's some sort of playoff favorite for next season I've got one thing for you Dan about this game Charles Sims goes over a thousand yards from scrimmage, which give the bucks two running backs over a thousand yards from scrimmage.

This has been the best duo in the league all season, backfield duo. You know what's been the best duo maybe the last two or three weeks or one of them or could have been too if they were healthy all season? Langford and Forte. Nice little duo. It won't be a duo next year because I think Forte will be leaving Chicago. He going.

Here we go. Moving on, what could have been the last NFL game in Oakland? The Raiders, this is on Saturday night, guys, or Thursday night, was it? Yeah. The Raiders came from, days ago. The Raiders came from behind 2320 win over the Chargers on, yes, Christmas Eve. Chris Wessling, this game was billed as the Relocation Bowl, the Charles Woodson Swan Song at the Black Hole.

But what did you see about Derek Carr that has you worried about the second year passing? This game did not deliver on any level. Derek Carr's top three receivers had negative 10 yards at halftime. he had one first down the entire second half that was the three yard touchdown to michael crabtree after a long fumble return he took a bad sack to end to end the first half and then he had a bad intentional grounding penalty at the end of the fourth quarter that made this game go to overtime i think derrick car's taking a step back over the last three weeks that doesn't mean he's still not a promising quarterback he is he's got all the tools but this raiders offense has really taken a step back i was going to say that you know we spent all the offsees he's in kind of downplaying or disparaging might be a strong word.

But criticizing Derek Carr as a guy that maybe wasn't as good as his number indicates, if he finishes slowly, are we going to have the same questions and doubts about him? Or is he put it up on tape where the Raiders should be confident about this guy going forward? No, I think he's done enough. I agree that the last few weeks have been frustrating. This is, this, we've, there's a lot of games this year. We're like, this is the game for the diehards if you're watching Monday night football. But that's all not true.

This is the game. If you were still watching this thing on Christmas Eve at 12.30 Eastern time, this thing went four hours long, deep into overtime. Poor Wesley just wait for this game to end. I was kind of having fun because it was bad football, and you just couldn't understand how the Chargers could not win this game. Well, part of it was that I had to rewrite my lead about four or five different times. This one was for the diehards.

It also had the ridiculous catch roll where Lederia's great. green to me, clearly catches the ball. They over-scrutinized replay, which they do. This year, they've thrown out the whole beyond that, beyond the benefit of the doubt or whatever the rule is. And if it looks close, they overturn it. It's a ridiculous rule. Wes is right.

I felt like Wes at my house trying to explain it to Emeka, who's stuck watching this while we're eating. He can't even explain the rule to people. I will say, and a testament to Wes's professionalism, dropped a 1,000 burger in terms of word count. It's copy. So if you were one of those diehards, football junkies, you had a lot to digest. Well, I had a long time to be able to write that stuff because the game kept dragging on.

It's a true journalist right here. I'm not surprised. Hardcore journal. They sent Charles Woodson out in style, though, and probably with the win, which gave him a chance to address the crowd with the PA after the game, which was a cool moment. They gave him a shot to play hero, too. They put him in for a gadget play in the red zone in overtime, and he ends up with a three-yard loss on a play in which, he was designed, I believe, to throw the ball to Derek Carr in the end of it. To throw a game winner to Derek Carr.

I like that they just mess it around. I don't have anything in my heart for that Glory Boy stuff. Who are you suddenly now? I don't know. That's somebody. Somebody who's probably yelling on TV. Very, very, very. You should start calling people Glory Boys.

Yeah. That would be a good team name, Connor, if you want to move the river hogs. If it's not working out, after you cripple Portland's economy. Connor is not listening to this. Just throwing that out there. Moving on, somebody finally found a way to slow down Russell Wilson to Greg's everlasting delight. It was the St. Louis Rams who picked up a 2317 upset victory

over the playoff bound Seahawks. Wes, that's now three losses at the clink for the Seahawks this season. How vulnerable are they when Russell Wilson isn't playing out of his mind? Well, they're vulnerable because the Rams really showed today. what the Seahawks problem was in September, October, and early November, their offensive line got worked over by the Rams defensive line. And to me, I know that if you're a card-carrying serious football analyst, you have to disparage quarterback wins every chance you get in.

Every chance. But Russell Wilson's stat where the Seahawks had held a lead in every single one of his career starts, 70 straight, the longest in NFL history came to an end today. And to me is the one of the most incredible stats I've ever heard. What's a team stat, too, but that doesn't take anything away from it. That is the sign of one of the most dominant runs we've ever seen by any team. That's the Seahawks the last four years. I mean, it seems looking at your write-up, too, that really what fell apart here was

they can't run the ball at all today against this. They could not, and that was William Hayes had a phenomenal game, three sacks, four hits, or three sacks, four tackles for loss, and five hits. Akeem Ayers had a great game. Aaron Donald did his usual, you know, great. job up front but the Seahawks offensive line just got owned and the Rams won a game in which they only had 207 yards they won a game where case Keenum had 4.5 yards per 10th here's my question like let's so this we know the Rams were built specifically to win seven games a year

and four of them will usually come inside the division they're very good against divisional teams and that's been that's been from the start with Fisher but can another team look at what happened today and use it as some sort of a blueprint in January? Does that other team have the Rams defensive line? I mean, well, part of it because the Rams are not making the playoffs. Will that playoff team not have to face Marshawn Lynch who should be back for the playoffs? I mean, this could be a very different Seattle team if Lynch comes back and is even close to beast mode because that, I mean, it seems to me that when I asked West that question,

I have my doubts that if Russell Wilson isn't playing like the greatest quarterback ever, they're vulnerable on offense because they can't run the ball. made some mistakes today the center had a couple of botched snaps that came back to haunt them they had a holding penalty that would have put a 25-yard catch to curse really late in the game that would have put him on the doorstep of the end zone that got called back and then two plays later russell wilson fumbled because he didn't run out of bounds he chose to fight for extra yards instead but i didn't think they were out of it until that russell wilson fumble you still thought that he was going to come back and make something happen division factor is real though i mean the teams inside your division

play you different. They know you different. It's a different game. The Falcons showed it today. The Ravens showed it. The Rams are three and one against the Cardinals and Seahawks. The Rams, I mean, the Rams who are a thoroughly mediocre team who've lost to, you know, the Ravens. They lost to some other lousy teams.

They're three and one against two of the best teams in the league. And they did it against Harbaugh's 49ers too back in the day. Right. And so they're going to finish. If they win next week, they're going to get that eighth win. and they play San Francisco. I guess they're going to have to lose that game. Well, we know they'll lose.

I have a little bit of breaking news here, guys. Please. NFL media insider Dan Hansis reports that Jeff Fisher has forfeited week 17 so as not to threaten his 7-9 finish, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. I thought you were going to break the news. Go ahead, break it yourself. The other news, the Seattle Seahawks had a Goldston in this game.

The proud Seattle Seahawks. How many dropbacks did? Case Keatham hit. What is it, Goulston? 23. No QB hits, no sack. Oh, I thought that was the Dirty Peter. That's how I knew it.

That's the Gulsden. So there he goes. Seattle. Seahawks fall. We'll be going to the playoffs, but what's happening with the Seahawks? Which takes us to Sunday night football. So we knew the Giants are going to be in some trouble on Sunday night playing without O'Dell Beckham Jr., who, of course, was suspended for his wild man antics last week.

What we didn't know. was that they wouldn't be even close to competitive in the game against the Vikings in Minneapolis. This was a complete blowout, a 49-17 win for Minnesota, a game in which Adrian Peterson went over 100 yards to strengthen his lead in the rushing title race. And Eli Manning had nowhere to go, nobody getting open, unable to get the offense going. Harrison Smith had a pick six. This was just a game that got away from the Giants and the Vikings. Here come the Vikings now with the Packers' loss and a Vikings win. These teams are tied or excuse me, they're not.

Minnesota's up a game, correct? Right now, it's coming down to week 17. That's all that really matters. That's the size of the division, but they are tied. They are tied at 10 and 5, excuse me. So the division on the line at Lambo next week. Minnesota takes care of business, Greg Rosenthal. in a big way.

Wes and I were arguing before we just went to tape this about whether we should be impressed with the Vikings the last few weeks and whether the Redskins or the Vikings would be a more dangerous playoff opponent. I'd say the Vikings because this is a team I haven't really seen a lot from to believe in all year, but they go to Arizona, they play the Cardinals very tight. I think that was Teddy Bridgewater's best game of the season at the time,

and then he's followed it up with two really good games, and they've blown out bad teams, which is what you want to see. and the Vikings right now are playing better, I think, than they have all season. Give me a break. The best team the Vikings have beat all year was the Kansas City Chiefs when they were one and four. I mean, the last time the Packers and Vikings were set to play, the Vikings were coming off a win against the Raiders team that everybody thought was frisky. Everybody thought the Vikings were going to hand it to the Packers.

We didn't think that. And the Packers swatted them down. I don't believe in the Vikings. Oh, I have to stop Teddy Bridgewater to win a playoff game. Yeah, I'm not really scared of it. Sometimes Greg and Wes get into their little P contest. And let me just say, you guys aren't far off. You're both in the same club without even realizing it.

The Vikings are not a great team. They're kind of a good team that just happens to be playing well at the end of the season. So while they're- That's when you want to play well? They're hardly unbeatable and the Packers might prove that as soon as next week. But they are playing well. They're a decent team that's playing well right now. I think everyone agrees with that.

A P-contest. I like that. Can you say pissing contest? Well, no, I mean, I think people understood where you were going with that. I mean, the Vikings are well, I think they're a well-coached team where in other situations, they wouldn't be 10 and 5 right now. You're right that it's good that they're playing this way at the end. They get all that, and they're getting healthier.

They get Smith Barr and Joseph back in this game and they drop a hammer on them. But isn't the greater point that Wes is making, though, that we look at the Redskins, the Vikings throw the Packers in there at this point, and barring something really unfortunate if you want the best teams to get to the end of this race in the NFC? all of them are gone in three weeks top heavy the nfc i mean there are there are teams there are three teams that you can make a case for being a super bowl winner and none of those three teams you just referenced could be one of those teams you would think it's where it gets interesting is next week

the vikings and packers will have the sunday night game so they're going to know the winner of arizona seattle if arizona beats seattle the winner of the nfc north draws the seahawks in the playoffs and the loser draws the redskins if arizona beats seattle I'd much rather play on the road against Washington. Absolutely. I mean, that's... What do you do, though, if you're a coach? I mean, you got to play to win.

You can't mess around with that. It's not like you can... I don't think you can do that. But playing to win this week or the next week. Now, you play to win every game and just the chips fall where they may. Maybe it's bad luck and you go beat Seattle. If you're going to be the Super Bowl champion, you got to beat everyone. The Rams just did it, but it would be a different situation.

It won't be in Seattle. I mean, Seattle's going to have to go on the road. So that's a factor. I think the Giants, though, laying an egg in this game, they were the number 32 team in past defense going into this week, number 32 team in defense. Oh, you're loving it. What?

Sags hater. I'm just saying this is it. I'm not happy about it, but Coughlin, the way that last week was handled with Beckham and then getting blown out like this, at this point, I think everyone would be stunned if there isn't a house cleaning. Well, I don't think it's any surprise that without O'Dell Beckham, they're one of the worst teams in the NFL.

I mean, what else do they do better as a team? All they do well is get the ball to O'Dell Beckham, and his presence opens up so much for the rest of these guys who can't beat double team. Yeah, I mean, I think that Coughlin, we talked about it last week with what he's been given to work with. It's a one-person team, two-person team right now. Coughlin is not completely the culpable one here.

Jerry Reese, the GM, has put a bizarre and really untalented roster on the field that are so many holes and do so many things unremarkably at this point that the house cleaning, and I mean, we're not, We don't want to call for that kind of stuff, but the front office needs to take a long look at themselves. They have Eli Manning, who is an above average quarterback for another, let's say, four years or so. And you have Odell Beckham, if he can keep his head on straight and not be a knucklehead. He's third and 35 in a week, Eli Manning. Yep, they're going to have a, you know, a top three wide receiver in his prime for the next four years during whatever, however long Eli has left.

So they have two big pieces there. They just have to get right around that. But they still got, they got a lot of work to do on the defense, on the defense, on the offense they got to rebuild the coaching staff potentially if jerry reese is still going to be the guy there he's got a lot of work to do because he's got to fix it fast you have a 35 year old quarterback here this team was five and four at one point they've lost what is that five out of six well in a bizarre fashion some of these teams too falling apart down the stretch right this is the first time in a while really uh since that eagles lost when they were on the road that they've just

been blown out. I think that the Jets loss was an absolute killer for this team. It was kind of like the final of five or six. What's your, what? I can't bring up the Jets once with you thinking that I'm tying everything back to the Jets. Dan, everyone was very happy for you today. We've got one minute left in the show. Let's keep it positive.

Mark's unhappiness with the Browns it spills over with my happiness I just, I do think that's that theory is completely wrong. We are happy for you. Not we. I'm talking to you specifically. I am happy for you. I mean, you know, my team has sucked since I was in like sixth grade.

So I don't even know what it feels like. The grin, I saw the grin. Because somehow everything ties back to a Jets matchup. The Jets just sort of the Giants just sort of stink. Right. Of course the Giants think, but my point is that they lost so many of those games. And that was the final one. And now they're starting to get their doors blown up.

That was a crushing one. You're right. I mean, it was kind of, to me, the knockout blow for that team. So now they, now they're struggling and finish. The Giants are done. We'll see what they do. The Vikings, 10 and 5. Six and two in home.

Well, Mark said I started this show starting fights with people. I'm excited just watching you guys go out of here. No, I love, I mean, I love Mark, but I think the Browns have hurt him to the point now where he can't enjoy the jet success with me. I would enjoy it with you. I mean, all right. I'll settle this one.

We cover the Jets and Browns way too much on this podcast. That is very fair. I mean, I don't know what you wanted me to do. What were you expecting me to do when the Jets won? A team that I am not invested in on any level on the fact that I'd like to keep you in a good mood. I really don't care if they're going to lose that much. You don't need to keep me in a good mood.

I'm very even-keeled. I'm going to even-keeled dude. I just, I want you to be happy with me because I would be happy for you. If the shoe is on the other foot, I would be happy for you. Well, the shoe never will be, so you don't need to worry about that burden, Dan. I don't think we're getting to solve this. We're not going to solve it. I mean, you know, listen, we've been together for 15 hours at this point.

I'm doing my best to be happy for you. and it's crumbling very fast at the end of the show. I hope everyone watching on the split screen on YouTube saw Mark turn his wrist over and look at a non-existent watch. I haven't worn a watch since like third grade, so that wasn't on me. Like 15 hours. Mark started our time today doing an NFL now hit where you said you were very agitated. And I agree.

Well, I'm not going to fake what I feel. I am feeling agitated. All right. By the way, it's been a great, it's been a great year together, guys. It's a great season as we head towards New Year's Eve. Sydney, La Seed, Sidney Carlson, who's done a tremendous job all season for us, took it upon herself to put together a great sizzle reel, little inside talk of the season that was in the around the NFL.

We're going to play that out. Brandon Marcus behind the glass will play that out. So if you're watching on YouTube, and you guys are Sunday show, if you're listening right now, always on YouTube and NFL now, so you can find it in either spot. So that's that. So we'll play that out. And thanks to everyone for listening.

We'll be back on Tuesday going over Monday night football and everything else as we look ahead to the final week of the regular season. See, it's all the wheel spin-in mark. We're almost to the end. And with it, I don't want it to end. You don't. No.

Nobody believes that. That's it. I mean, I enjoy this to some degree for heaven's sakes. Let's, you know, keep it out. You already said you're not buying in. on week 17. Well, we're running out of time. We'll get into that on Tuesday.

Let's do that on Tuesday. That's it. This is Dan Hansis. Signing off for the agitated, quiet storm, the mailman, the boss, big B behind the glass, working on that nickname. Oh, well. Until Tuesday.

the NFL podcast. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansen. And I'm joined by a room filled with heroes. Mark Sessler, Chris Wesley, and Greg Rosenthal. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan. Dan just went around the room and touched us with his sweaty hands.

Well, you two got your hands touched. I didn't, but I'm fine. I couldn't reach you, Mark, but I will after the show. This is our Sunday night, our flagship show, I like to call it. I'm watching this game, and I'm thinking, which quarterback do I want at the end of games right now? I want Cam Newton. Greg, can I see you do that dancing on? What you see you with you see you can?

Right back at you. Mark reacted with excitement to a Browns game. What a waste of time my reaction was. The game did not end well. And getting emotionally invested in this team on any level is a disaster move. This offense ain't mega. You know it.

And Cape Johnny football. Gary Barnage, out. Dan, this is Gary Barnage. And that is probably the worst British accent I've ever heard. Connor or Mark Sessler in London. And we walked into this quaint, rather small pub, and it was absolutely bursting with podcast listeners. You guys were like the Beatles at 1963? We were just a band who made it very, very big.

The U.S. District Court has nullified Tom Brady's four-game suspension. Greg's Thronevieve is a big moment for him. It doesn't get better. The next individual to come through the door. She is the great Connie Fox. I'm just so happy. I don't have to do that weird, awkward ISO. hand thing.

And now that's so much worse. Now, listen, I mean, honestly, though, who is going to stop the Patriots right now? Can anything or anyone? I legitimately get nervous that Tom Brady will be beating my favorite team for 25 years. Everybody's favorite NFL-based game show. With West's poster. Name the two wide receivers that went before Odell Beckham Jr. in the 2014 draft. Pass.

Sammy Walkins, Mike Everett. Six out of six. Oh, yeah. Barron. Great job, Wes. You are the champion. This is Dan Hansa, signing off. Until Sunday night.

What's up, everybody? DJ here from Move the Sticks, along with Bucky Brooks, our podcast. We look at the NFL through a player personnel perspective, looking at teams, looking at matchups, looking at the NFL draft, you can catch us. on Move This Six NFL.com slash podcast as well as iTunes.