NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Weekend Recap & Top MVP Candidates

Episode Date: December 28, 2016

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling,  & Gregg Rosenthal – discuss all the latest news from around the NFL including the Bills firing head coach Rex Ryan and deciding to sit quarterback Tyrod Taylor in Week 17. Then, the heroes recap the final four games of Week 16, and break down who they think has the best shot at MVP in 2016.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. Locked it up in a big spot. Welcome back to another edition of the Around the NFL podcast. My name is Dan Hansis and I am joined by a room filled with heroes, Mark Sessler, Chris Wessling, and Greg Rosethall. What's up, boys? Hey, Dan.

All right. Big announcement, by the way. Big news. Really? We've been working together for a while now. And you know what? We hit a certain milestone. Today is our 500th episode.

Wow, what a party. 500, buddy. You made the announcement to me 20 minutes ago. We just found out. Thankfully, the subreddit reminded us that this is episode 500. It's fitting. for just fighting out. I mean, that was a grotesque sound effect,

and that seems fitting for what we typically pump out when it comes to the sound of us. A little slap dash. Do we all get raises? You got a lollipop. Oh, sweet. It's a lollipop for you and a lollipop for you. Thank you.

And a lollipop for you, Greg. It's actually an achievement. But you deserve a lollipop. I know. You're the only one that even knew it was 500. It's a little slapdash. I'm telling you. We only have three lollipops today.

But the fact that none of us, A, got fired, B, quit, C, like move to some type of HR role. D died in four years. It's an achievement. It is. And I kind of like the workman-like approach to not even know it's the 500th episode. Just keep grinding on.

Do you guys want to hear what it sounded like our first ever episode? Oh, yeah. On July. I'm a little afraid. This is our fourth season we're ending. Fourth regular season. On July 24th, 2013, Chris Wessling, just a, what is it called? an apple in someone's eye?

No, that's the apple of someone's eye. What is it when someone's a glimmer in one's eye? Not even part of the show yet. Our first show. Welcome to another edition of the Around the League podcast. My name is Dan Hansis, and I'm joined by Greg Rosenthal and Mark Sessler. colleagues, you'll notice that we didn't call the ATL debate club because, sadly, it is no more. You called it another edition of the Around the League podcast, but technically this would be

the first edition of the Around the League podcast, even though it's really not much different than the ATL debate club. I mean, nothing has changed. Do you know how far we've come? How far? I was here that day. I drew the short straw. I had to stay in the newsroom and cover.

news while you guys did the podcast. Yeah, we were on rotation initially. Oh, that's right. Yeah, we called you up, I believe. We would take turns not being on the show. That only lasted a week or two. Had to be down. It did not last long.

Yeah, had to be downstairs in case hot news broke. I felt like I was medicated, or maybe I just have developed such affectations now that you don't know who the real Dan isn't. I think you've grown as a broadcaster. My takeaway, and it's a vengeful one, was that, you know, after debate club first episode of the new show, I was immediately bumped to third in line behind. Greg, the boss, which is now Rage and a total outrage. I really set the tone for the next few years with that immediate, like, jump in and small correction.

Greg was still trying to figure out how to be a boss at that point. Let's face it. And I think it's only fair. We should hear the first show of the four of us, which occurred on August 14th, 2013. So about four weeks later, all four of us together. Took that long? Wow. No money

Welcome back to another edition of the Around the League podcast My name is Dan Hansis Roomful of Heroes here Chris Wesleying Mark Sessler And Greg Rosenthal Our boss Hey guys how are you today Is this the first time all four of us

And only the four of us have been in for one of these podcasts You might be right We always bring up when we have these new permutations But this might be the last one That we had not conquered and now we have and I listened for a minute into it, Wes, you didn't say anything for the first minute. Greg, again, jumping in there into the domain and saying, this is my crew. I'm going to handle this my way.

I was scared to death when we first started doing the podcast that I was going to be awful. It was like when I was four years old, and I was scared to death that I'd never learn how to spell or read. Well, you've done well for yourself, Wes. It does feel like you got a completely different voice at some point, Dan, or your mic was very low. audio issues. I'm going to put it on whoever the producer was. That's the right thing to do. All right.

So, we're going to have a proper celebration of the show's, if nothing else, incredible duration. A little later, maybe in the off season. I'm just happy I haven't ended up in jail during that span. Yeah, none of us incarcerated. It's been great. It's been a great run. Well, not that we know of. That's true.

No, not during that span. We'll get to that. So, yeah, down the line, maybe we'll do something special, and we'll keep you updated if the shadowy league figures cooperate. But for now, let's move on to talk about what's going on in the NFL as we approach week 17 and come out of week 16. The last time we communicated with you via podcast technology, it was the night before Christmas, and we recapped all of the Saturday games, but there were four more games played since then,

so we're going to hit all those games, talk about them, talk about the big news out of Buffalo regarding Mr. Rex Ryan. And then we're going to have a nice conversation on the MVP race, which is my favorite in a long time. This is a wide open race to me as we enter the last week of the regular season, which is when if you're not too familiar with how the voting works, the playoffs are not taken into account. It ends after next week's games in terms of the resume.

So we'll talk about that. Nice show. I like it. It's sponsored, of course, as always, by Mr. Flames' Economics class in the Hague, the Netherlands. Mr. F. And let's start with the big news, guys, out of Buffalo. Rex Ryan has...

Whoa, whoa. I got a news drop. Hang on. Oh. Excuse me. You know, it's a special show. Like a rookie. Big 500.

I just learned that I talk completely differently now than I did three years ago. Everything's changed. Sorry, Sid. What do we got? Let's do some news. Let's go to eat a goddamn snack. Yes. Yes, Rex Ryan, no more.

The Buffalo Bill said goodbye to the head coach on Tuesday, dismissing both Ryan and his brother Rob one game before the end of another dark January about to beckham for the bills who have not been in the playoffs for 17 years and counting, and Rex was brought in Chris Wessling to end that dark period, and instead they seem no closer to the playoffs, they were two years ago so the bills made the decision to say goodbye the right decision

well i don't know about that i think if you are looking for a champion for the city of buffalo it's hard to do better than rex he draws attention to your franchise he gets he gets your name out there people talk about you i don't know how important that stuff is to you but who's going to do better than rex ryan with this roster he's ultimately done in as gregg has said multiple times by his own defense i just look at it and think i'm fine with Firing Rex. You know, they were seven and eight. I think they believe their team is better than it is.

I mean, to fire a guy after going 15 and 16, you have to believe we were a playoff team, and he blew it. And his defense is the reason. But I have a problem with firing him and keeping Doug Whaley, that if you're going to make a change, change them both. Doug Whaley was there back in 2010. He wasn't in charge until 2013. So he's been involved in Doug Marone,

didn't get along with Doug Marone Doug Maron ends up leaving because of it didn't get along with Rex Ryan Rex Ryan is forced out because of it and this guy who has not stocked the roster with very many draft picks stays on I could not agree more I don't find Doug Whaley

to be a particularly captivating individual but behind the scenes he must have a pretty amazing way of capturing the ear of the people around them who are above him because to get through not only multiple coaching regimes, but to have put your reputation on the line by drafting E.J. Manual and have that go as south as it did.

And then to find out now that part of what they're doing is that Rex Ryan was a champion for Tyrod Taylor behind the scenes, despite I thought it's pretty lukewarm comments about Tyrod Taylor to the press, that Doug Whaley still wants to find out what they have in E.J. Manual. And yes, it's a money decision, too, with Tyra Taylor, but they're going to sit Taylor going into the finale to get. get another look, in quotes, at E.J. Manuel, it's like, why are we still dealing with this general manager? Why is it always the coach that's thrown out? Some guys, every once in a while you come

across, and Jeff Fisher was another one of them, one of these Teflin guys that seems to always duck trouble because they have their good at relationships with the people above them. I think it carries over probably in every corner of the business world, including football, and the Pagulas must believe in this guy. He survived an ownership change, too. That's not tough to do. I mean, he was there with the ownership changed. So, you know, I think that it's a situation where you're going to now put him in charge what we're learning now of finding the next head coach. It's like, I guess then you're going to make sure that they get along. But what if they're thinking on next year?

Are you going to then fire the GM and then bring in a GM that's going to want his own coach? You create this issue when you don't bring in the GM and coach at the same time. I agree. And this idea that they have some playoff roster or that they did when Rex got there stems from Doug Whaley's penchant for clutching E.J. Manuel close to his chest like he's some time in. E.J. Manuel, not a franchise quarterback. And also the notion that Sammy Watkins, who's on the field for approximately half the Bill's games, is a franchise caliber-wide receiver, Rex got stuck with both of those guys

as Doug Whaley's darlings. Right. Tyrod's the best quarterback they've had since, at the very least, Drew Bledsoe. Absolutely. Which was 13, 14 years ago. And by benching him, you signal to the rest of the league that we have no use for him. And suddenly, I wrote about it a couple weeks ago. I thought his contract was very tradable. I know there is a big option in it.

Ultimately, it's a two-year, $40 million deal if you want to pick it up. I thought another team would give them a draft pick for that, even if they didn't want them. But now forget it. They know that the bills are done with Tyraud. They'll just wait for him to cut him. I tweeted earlier today, 29 starts under Rex. And I know Tyrod Tillery is not a perfect quarterback, but there aren't a lot of perfect quarterbacks. 47 total touchdowns and 29 starts, 37 passing, 10 rushing.

He leads all quarterbacks in rushing yardage this season. and only 12 interceptions. And, you know, then a lot of angry and, you know, bitter and upset Bill's fans, which I understand came back and me, you don't get it. You're a national guy. It's because of the money and they don't want him to get hurt. And it's, I get that, but it's also just the type of move like my Jets would make. It's just kind of the one of those ones that sends the wrong message.

It could lead to a backfire in a trade scenario if you want to try to get value back from the guy. It's just the type of stuff losing franchises do. Yeah, I mean, you have to also, if you're Rex Ryan, and he's driving around out of the facility down the streets of Buffalo. and his buffalo bill's, you know, painted pickup truck. With his bill's tattoo somewhere on his body. Which speaks to Wes's point that he was a great marketing tool for the bills. But you earlier in the season went out on a limb,

you fired Greg Roman to promote your friend Anthony Lynn into the play calling spot because you wanted more loyalty in the building. And in the end, it's probably Anthony Lynn who came off very well this season that's going to end up taking your job. That's the NFL. Well, that makes some sense to me. If Anthony Lynn got promoted, we'll see if they actually do that. I mean, their running game is number one by far in the league in terms of yards.

And Tyrod's a big part of that. But when we're talking about Whaley, Tim Graham of the Buffalo News had these stats. The bills have only 22 of their own draft picks on the active roster. 31 still with the organization. That is dead last in the entire NFL in terms of having your own draft picks on your team. And that, I mean, that says it. That says it. That says it.

He's a bad GM, and they're sticking with him. And I think, Wes, you said it, that he was done in by his defense. I'll also say, as someone that's track tracks very closely for years, he was done in by his own ego, in my opinion. I thought after the Jets job finally ended, after the five seasons, you know, he jumped at the bill's job. He didn't have a lot of options. And I think in retrospect, it's easy to say now, but maybe he should have taken the year off, done some TV, done whatever, and then find a nice spot. But he always, the white whale that was the Belichick, Tom Brady tandem, was never going to allow him to truly find real success and he he took that bill's job looking to take on belichick and

brady after they basically kicked his ass for five years with the exclusion of one playoff game came very close to you know getting or wanting the Atlanta falcons job too and i'm sure the falcons are not disappointed with the choice they made today all right so wrecks out we'll find out who's next um so weird too because if if the if baba franks as i want to call him uh Andrew Franks misses that field goal, probably the best field goal of the year. The bills are still, you know, in the playoff mix. You know what, though? It still feels like Rex was gone, though.

I think it's something going on with the GMs and ability to get along with any coach for more than 700 days. I mean, what was the deal with my voice? Is it a better broadcaster situation or have I lost touch with what I actually said? I wouldn't deny that, but I think the audio is better, and that speaks to Sydney. I think that, yeah, that's part of it. But there's probably a little bit of like, hey, you're a little more aware,

hey, this is for broadcast. I'm going to put on a little more pizzazz. I don't feel good about it. Or Alex Wilk being thrown under the bus. Yeah, Wilk Ty, it was our first producer ever, very capable of gentlemen. I don't think it has anything to do it. I sounded, my annoying, nasally voice sounded the exact same. I mean, we were essentially doing the show with zero sign-off from our bosses above Greg.

So we probably had an aura of being a little petrified that we were even attempting to do it. That's true. And again, some of that stuff with Greg, you could tell he's really trying to exert his will and authority over. That's true. Probably behind the scenes trying to get rid of you. I'm jumping in because you never know. If the ball's there, someone's got to take it. All right.

Let's get into some of the football games that we did not cover on Christmas Eve, starting with a little Monday night football. Monday Night Football It's a historic game. Well, it wasn't that a story. But it was an exciting one, at least in the first half, the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions slugging it out through the first two quarters, 21, 21 at the break. But then Dallas Cowboys just turned it on,

once again showing how special they can be when everything's humming and they were having a lot of fun and then it all was capped, of course, by Des Bryant throwing that lefty throw. Prescott under center. And there's the reverse to Bryant. He throws a reverse pass to the end zone. Touchdown to Witton. Des Brutton with a touchdown pass to Jason Witton. And Witton throws up the X.

I've been waiting for them to let Des Bryant throw the ball for about six years. Brad Sham, Sham God, KRLD. Final score, 4221. Chris Wessling, another special night for the now 13 and 2 Downs Cowboys. It was the most touchdowns they scored all year. It was their triplets all starring in this game. It was, as Greg Rosenthal said. And when NFL networks, Greg Rosenthal speaks, you listen.

No, it can't be. That's NFL Network's Greg Rosenthal. I mean, the female energy surrounding Greg is just, it's intense, it's scary. And I don't want to be, I don't want to talk out of school or be disrespectful, but we lost Carrie Fisher today. We just lost George Michael, Rule of Threes. You're a pretty big celebrity. I'd just say, watch out. Oh, whoa.

I just say, watch out. Be careful. Okay, let's get back to the game. When NFL Network's Greg says that Dak Prescott had his best game of the season, you listen. And I thought, Dak, Jerry Jones also had a great point that, you know, Bill Pullian's legacy, Hall of Famer, but the ridiculous notion that you have to rest your stars late in the season, no, Jerry Jones says these guys are still getting better, they're improving. Dak Prescott and Des Bryant found their rapport last night, and that's something that's been missing from their offense most of the season. Dak and Des, that was the best connection they showed all year.

I was so impressed with the Cowboys, certainly in the second half of that game, the offense, the whole game. To me, it shows a level of maturity, I think, to be able to hammer a playoff caliber type of team in a game that theoretically means nothing. To me, that bodes really well for this team's maturity and the ability to stay sharp during the buy week and whatever happens here in week 17. I thought it was awesome. I thought it was maybe even the first time I was like, oh, well, maybe the Cowboys really are just going to go to the Super Bowl. agree with you. And I liked watching

Dak Prescott scan the Lions defense and say we've got Johnson Bottamosi, a former Browns special teamer who essentially never started a game for the Browns. I'm going to go at him time and again and it was successful. And I don't know what other

test Dak Prescott needs to pass at this point. I love also Jason Garrett. The other night I put him as the number one guy I would pick for coach of the year and I was getting absolutely destroyed by people on Twitter for that. Why? Because you're throwing it out to people who are fans of other teams, and that's where it starts. He's really steered them through past some potholes, too.

Absolutely. He has handled, I think, a variety of really tough situations with absolute class and skill. And the Cowboys, it's not a smoke and mirrors operation. They look like an absolute powerhouse at the right time. And now, look at the lines, and we've talked about this for a couple weeks now that they were in danger here, even at 9 and 4. Now here they are. 9 and 6, the schedule didn't go their way, and they weren't. able to provide the efforts to get victories, including just kind of laying down on the second

half. That's a bad job there. And now they got the Packers in Week 17, and they could be, and one of those franchises that have a lot of sad stories about them, 9 and 4 out of the playoffs would be a real painful one. And I see it happening, Greg. I don't want to be negative, but I see it happening. Well, they'll know before the game starts whether they're the wild card or not, whether they

can be because the Redskins play early. If the Redskins blow that game against the Giants, maybe the Lions back. back their way in. Who knows it doesn't have quite the do-or-die feeling. But I'd be worried about them because it's such an offense first team, but they're not an explosive offense. Matthew Stafford has zero or one touchdowns seven times in his last nine games. Wow.

And in looking, I'm like, when did they go down the field last night? Did they? I don't remember many attempts. And then I look in their biggest play is a 21-yard play. So they have one play over 20 yards. Teams force them to go up and down the field. And John Gruden, who I think is underrated at this point. Of pointing out great technical changes pointed out how Rod Marinelli went to three-down linemen, a dime defense, just backed everyone up, and it's like they didn't have any answer for that.

Well, you're basically saying, okay, Zach Center, a guy that most people had never heard of before last night. You had a nice first half. You can either stick with that and try to come at us, but you're not going to throw the ball down the field on us. Dallas's defense is susceptible. You could see the Falcons having a field day against Dallas in the right circumstance, but they're very well coach. I should also see Dallas having a field day with the Falcons defense. Absolutely. That's why you think maybe that matchup in the playoffs is the one we want to see

because it could be a classic shootout. It's all offense if you think about the best teams in the league right now. Because we've been joking all year. There's no good number one defense. And it's kind of true. All the best teams are the offenses that are there every week. Speaking of John Gruden, I'd like this slightly unhinged rant about making offensive linemen fantasy point.

I loved it. That was fun. I think those color guys, they know that if they study, offensive linemen all week, that they're going to come in with knowledge that 19 out of 20 football viewers could never even touch. 19,000. 99, 100, yeah. All right, let's move on.

Let's check out what happened on Christmas Eve in Houston. 43-yard attempt between the hash is for Randy Bullock. Huber will hold. Snap is down. Bullock's kick is up. It's got the leg. And it's no good. The Texans win.

Houston wins the AFC South with a 12-10. Three over the Bengals. Missed field goal at the buzzer and the Texans are the AFC South champions. Can't have Randy Bullock around. Mark Vandermere, K-I-L-T. That killed. Is that Scottish? Well, I don't think intentionally, but I don't know who they're, you know, they're in what?

They're in Houston. It seems like a terrible marketing. How many Scottish people are you? Seems like a terrible marketing ploy in Texas. 94.7. Da Kilt. Vandermere's Dutch. Okay.

That's good. Anyway, did anyone in this room think Randy Bullock was going to make that kick? No. How many people in that stadium were like, oh, great, we got fat Randy back. He's going to blow it. He's big-boned, Randy. Let's not be mean. Oh, sorry.

But he had no chance of making that kick. And, of course, he missed it, stuttered on his way up to the ball like Charlie Brown. I don't want to be mean to the guy. We already called him fat. But it's like that was the difference. And a 12-10 win. And speaking of backing in, it allowed the Houston Texans to move to 9 and 6. and win the AFC South, a game in which Greg Rosenthal, Tom Savage,

maybe didn't light up the field like we were hoping to make Houston exciting. He didn't, and what a fitting way for this lousy division to be won on a Randy Bullock missed kick. You know, Tom Savage did lead them to three scoring drives in the second half when they absolutely needed. They were okay in the second half when they went to a hurry-up. He didn't show a lot, but he also didn't make big-time mistakes. You didn't see crazy bad throws.

You didn't see interceptions and fumbles. This is a defense-first team, and, you know, Alfred Blue running into the line, you know, two-yard gain, two-yard gain. Then it's third and six every time. It's a terrible team to watch. I wish they didn't take the playoffs. But I still give Savage some hope. Well, that's nice, Greg. What are you going to give up on him because of one play-by-play guy is a mediocre band-a-mere?

Sunday night. What is happening? It's like a cavalcade of sounds from every microphone. Calm it down. Was it actually branded Sunday night football? Was that, are we throwing the flag on Sydney there? Wait, this game happened on Saturday. No, it was.

This was Saturday. This was Thursday night football on Saturday, yeah. Well, I give their play-by-play guy. Personal Falsett. Some amount of credit for feigning excitement that the Texans have won any sort of a title. Oh, come on. Okay, so I'm supposed to tell you that this is a fantastic team to shuttle into January. Well, they're excited.

The Genevian Clowny, Whitney Merciless, you know, they're excited to make the playoffs. Mark, you sound like the Brian guy who got shouted down in the press conference by Bill O'Brien. Thank you. Listen, Brian, we won the division. We won the division, Brian. And you know what? You can say you did. And that's good for you.

And you're going to be ejector seated out of the playoffs as quickly as possible. Just like last year. Most likely. Most likely. But, you know, I think, and it was kind of a fitting end to a Cincinnati season that was kind of a, they always found a way to lose games. And at 5, 9 and 1, that's exactly what their record should be. I think Houston, you know, Yeah, I can't make the case that Houston is a play.

I do feel like at some point Marvin Lewis, when he realized this year was out of scope for them, dialed up Bill O'Brien and just said, you take it from here. I mean, when is Marvin Lewis or his entire coaching tree going to learn? Don't run up the middle with 45 seconds left to set up like long field goals for their lousy field goal kickers. Yeah. Even my drops are interrupted by Greg. It's been happening for 10 years. Texans crappy quarterbacks own the Cincinnati Bengals.

They have for years, starting with T.J. Yates, Matt Scha, all of them, own the Bengals. There was a headline after this game. I know we've got to move on where it said, you know, Texans still don't know what they have in Tom Savage. Well, yeah, no, no, no, you know what. I mean, of course they don't know what they have. They wouldn't know what they had if he played well or not. I think he's shown a little something. I do like to Greg is making this point emphatically with a multicolored lollipop in his hand.

It's very hard to take seriously. And by the way, Wes, for many years, Westivis was Cincinnati's first playoff loss, first round playoff loss. You've tinkered with the idea of making Houston that pick this year. You're going to have a little fun with the Texans playoff? Westivist, Texans go out. No, I'm not going to allow. I'm not going to allow that stain on my holiday.

Oh, wow. Okay. The Texans, no. All right, bro. No, this is a Cincinnati thing. Let's move on to Christmas. night and not a Merry Christmas for the defending champions. Hill's going to get it.

Transition. Left side sweet. Gets two blocks at the 35 uses at speed 40, 45. Catch it back. 25, 40. And ankle tackle missed. 25, 10, 5. Touchdown.

A 70-yard run. Tyreek Hill, touchdown, Kansas City. Rudolph, the red nose reindeer with jet propulsion. What? Mitch Hold us. K-C-F-X, let's put that, Sydney, in the running for the top of the calls. Oh, yeah, it was topical. It had a little fun, a little mirth.

I'm in. That was the worst call since Blunt Force trauma. No, no, no. I'm with Dan on this one. Sorry. Come on Grinch. No. That run had nothing to do with Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

All right. Here we go. It's about me. Tyreek Hill went nuts again, a 70-yard touchdown run, and then you got, oh, look at this. Travis Kelsey, an 80-yard touchdown catch. Denver Broncos can't stop anybody on the ground giving up 230 yards of rushing in a 3310 beatdown that ends their season. Denver Broncos go from Super Bowl champions to out of the playoffs at 8 and 7. One of the big disappointments of the year.

And Mark Sessler is this, I mean, we've been saying this, I feel like for 14 months now. What are we going to start respecting the Chiefs? This was a desperate champion on the ropes and they said, forget you, you're done. Yeah, I mean, outside of being a second game on Christmas that compelled my four-year-old to come up to me and say, just go to your office. Oh. It was a very rough moment. He seems to understand that.

With that tone of voice, too, I feel like Colton is a nicer guy than that. Colton had a little bite to him at that point, but I will say. Father, just go to the office already. Yes, I could not help but watch this and say that many of my previous, you know, slashes at the chiefs are that, yeah, you're going to win games. 19 to 17, you're going to be hard on the eyes, and you're going to get taken out by some team on the road in the playoffs. If they were ever able to achieve a buy and to grab that and maybe go into New England, with the way that their offense is playing at this point, much of the critique that I had of the Kansas City Chiefs has evaporated. They're fun to watch.

That field, that stadium was utterly on fire that night, and they showed that they can be explosive. Well, I think Tyree Kill is a guy who flips the field. do that in any game. You can be playing a close game and all of a sudden he takes one to the house. But also, Travis Kelsey has emerged as probably the best tight end in the NFL without Gronk. He has more yards, double more yards after the catch than any other tight end. And also, this is just a great matchup for him.

The Broncos have no one who can cover Travis. I mean, the Chiefs swept the Broncos and the Raiders, and a few of those games were convincing. I mean, that's pretty impressive. formula is not too different than the Patriots, really, especially the Patriots of old. Turnover margin, starting with that situational football, a few explosive plays mixed in. This was a game to put up 484 yards, I'm not surprised the defense played well, but to put up 484 yards on Denver is, it's almost hard to believe that they pulled it.

I mean, I wonder, too, if it's part of what's happening with Denver's defense this late in the year, they were that seamless transition from the Super Bowl defense to this year's early season version. But to crumble under the weight of an offense that can't stay on the field, you can't run the ball and sustain drives and eat up the clock, that your defenses keep doing it over and over. And when you're on the road and you're dealing with

a more explosive Chiefs team than they're used to, the floor starts to fall out. Wes, do you recall, I went down and did my studies. Your findings? My findings on defending all-time defenses. You can't, you don't run it back. These teams don't run it back. They were not capable of it. And Malik Jackson, that's a major issue that they weren't able to plug. And John Elway has work to do. Let's face it. I mean, we can get into the Denver situation down the road. Which you love.

Their defense, though, wasn't really any better or worse than they were in the regular season last year. This was an offense. Well, they allowed 50 more rushing. They're a bad defense team, aren't they? They were a pretty bad run defense. But overall, they're the top pass defense in the league if their offense was competent and simeon who we've liked he he he caved in a little bit the last few weeks under the weight of all the people around i think all these a fc west quarterbacks to go into kansas city find out this is the toughest place to play i know you guys love trevor simian but you can't totally let him off the hook now the last two weeks these have been some terrible but you cannot you also can't judge him when he's got no offensive line and no running game no i mean that's why john oway

personnel maestro's got work to do yeah i also think that they found someone that if If he's not on Denver's roster, Trevor Simeon is going to be in the league for another decade. Maybe as a backup. I'm not saying he's a full-fledged starter, but he's been well-developed, and I think what we say watching his games is that he's been surprisingly good. Have you been watching Game of Thrones over the holidays? No, I actually distanced myself from that show. So I watch it in real time, and then every episode ends, I say, I hate the show. It's a painful.

The way you threw in the maestro there, I thought maybe it was like a vestige of your game. of thrones watching all right let's check out the other game on christmas this one in pittsburg and another division decided gun steeler's trailing by three second and goal at the four he's back he pumps throws it over the middle the passes he's in he got to the goal on touchdown touchdown putzburg nine seconds left and attonio brown wills himself across the shock you've got to be kidding me that's bill hill grove and tunch ilkin of wdvie Yeah, boy. Antonio Brown's touchdown with seconds to play decided this game.

And it was as dramatic as it gets because if he gets brought down at the goal line, the Steelers probably run out of time and they lose the game. And we have the Ravens and Steelers going into Week 17 tied. But because Antonio Brown, he said, that's why do those extra reps, reached over the goal line, touchdown 3127 final, the Steelers. Oh, we locked it up. I locked it up. Here's another lollipop.

I get, yeah, he deserve a second one. That means we went four for four here. Four for the second time. We are on fire as a group. And I believe 11 out of our last 12. A little delayed gratification there. A little bit. That's good.

That's good. It's kind of like saving a present, you know, for a few days after Christmas. You'll appreciate it more. Parallel. So another great game and what is one of the better rivalries in football and the Ravens. Chris Wessling just could not close the deal to get this thing to Week 17. If you go back to the days of baseball, Bobby Lane and Johnny Unitas with the start of great quarterback play and two-minute drills.

Every executive, every coach in the league from 1960 through now will tell you that quarterbacks are ultimately judged on third downs, red zone, and close and late situations. And I think Ben Rothesberger puts as much of a scare into defenses as any coach or any quarterback in the league in those situations. He has more game-winning drives than any quarterback since he entered the league in 2004. and you saw that magic there with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter against a very good defense. I think also by the fact that he's done it so much

that they cut away to him on the sideline as the Ravens were driving and scoring. You know, you go to younger quarterbacks and you can see the fear slash concern slash mystery in their eyes. With Big Ben, it was like, we've done this. We'll do it again. I certainly have a better offense than I've ever been with before. You could even hear it in Bill Hillgrove's voice,

the play-by-play guy. These Steelers have been through all the wars, And there's not going to be any panic. And this game, I'd have a hard time imagining Ben Rathesberger has had a more magical fourth quarter in his life. This, to me, was the best game of the entire season. I was thinking that midway through the third quarter when it was still ugly because it just felt like a playoff game and the hitting and the drama

and the tension was there. And then the fourth quarter was obviously wild. I mean, after he threw the second interception, it was good complimentary football. They immediately stopped the Ravens. You know, the Steelers' defense was not bad in this game. They stopped the Ravens. The Steelers' next three drives.

Five plays, 75 yards, touchdowns, two and a half minutes. A 90-yard drive in two and a half minutes. And then a 75-yard touchdown drive in a minute against what we thought was one of the best defenses in the league. I mean, the Ravens' defense had this division in their hands, and they basically just gave it away. They were no match. I think you could throw some of that best offense, best defense out the window when these two teams. play because, yes, it pains me as a Browns fan to say it, but to me, this is the number one rivalry in the NFL. It delivers every time. And I agree the great best game of the year. Dallas,

Pittsburgh was close, but this was, there was more at stake and it felt like a playoff game. You hear people say all the time that you judge a successful draft class if they have three starters come out of that class. The Steelers, first three draft picks of 2016, already three of their most important players on their defense. Artie Burns, Sean Davis, and Javon Hardgrave at Nose Tackle. Javarne Hardgrave has been one of their best players on defense in the second half of the season. Well, I would say Baltimore has to be given a similar grade, though, for drafting the beginnings

of another great defense. And the only shame for the Ravens is we finally saw this team achieve balance on offense. A good game. And now they're gone. I would take the Ravens over the Texans in a New York second. Right. That's the break. That's the thing.

If Brown gets pushed back a half yard there in the Ravens. wind up making the player. I mean, they're a dangerous team, and I read some reports saying they've never seen a locker room about as devastated and down for a regular season game because it was just as close as it can be.

New York 2nd. I'm not familiar. Not sure what that is. A little bit quicker than a New York minute. An equally tired phrase, though. By the way, best game of the season, Week 14 Jets Niners, OT, baby.

Didn't Don Henley? Was a big comeback. Didn't Don Henley have a song called in New York? Yes, he did. He did. He did. It was a... It was not my intention to bring attention back to all those things either. Sorry, I apologize. One more note.

I'm obviously I'm very down about the Patriots being so good this season and the AFC being watered down. But it hurts Derek Carr and the Raiders are no longer in the mix here. But, okay, I'll talk myself a little bit into the Chiefs and the Steelers here. Maybe one of those teams those are good teams. Those are...

To make the AFC playoffs worth watching. I mean, if you look at it most years, are they really worse than the second and third best teams? Most years, they're good teams. I'd say even with Landry Jones on the field when Pittsburgh played New England back earlier in the season, that there were moments where that offense, even with Landry Jones, was damaging New England's defense and came close in that game before New England just did what it wanted to do with. As a Patriots fan, right. As a Patriots fan, I would much rather see the Chiefs. I don't play. No, because I know they're good, but I'm just. I think the right quarterback could just put 40 points on them.

I'm dying to watch a Steelers Patriots game right now. That would be fun football. Let's hope so. I just worry on the road that the Patriots put up 44 points. And Big Ben does his best, but he throws a couple picks. Gets hurt in the second quarter. It's hurt. Oh, total injury first quarter blows out his calf slipping in the end zone or something.

Landry Jones comes in. Well, you can't control it. He tries to wear a flannel uniform for the first time in NFL history. Those are all the games from week 16. Let's move on. I wanted to bring up something. I don't know who it is. Someone, a friend who knows who Greg is.

Oh. From, he described him or herself as a person from Greg's past. And also described a need for justice and wanted to share with me. You can put the, everything that's coming up, just put it in air quotes. No, just this is essentially what was sent to me on a, on a, shred of notebook paper, a weathered shred of notebook paper, a diary entry from apparently Greg's diary way back in 1998. Kept the diary, huh?

Okay. You can answer for yourself after. It's dated August 3rd, 1998. It says, Dear Diary, sorry I haven't written in a while. To be honest, I haven't had much time for journaling and scrapbooking. Due to my checking account nearly fizzling up in late July, looking for a quick fix, I spoke with my able benefactor,

Mr. Edward Pepper Smith, who pointed me in the direction of the Pell family farm in nearby Summers, Connecticut. Desperately needing cash, I drove to the Pell family estates the following morn, with my letter of introduction from Mr. Pappersmith, who ensured in writing that I was an honest worker with an active driver's license. The Pells put me right to work as a strawberry delivery boy, dropping off my wares to eateries and food plazas up and down the northeast corridor. My new employ was a dream come true. The only blip on the radar diary came three days ago

when I mistakenly mowed down a young family of four and joined a morning bike ride in East Windsor, Connecticut. Yikes. I didn't mean to hit them per se, but I was blasting 1998's new hit song, Are You Jimmy Ray? By Jimmy Ray. While feeling my oats behind the wheel.

Suddenly, I had four dead bodies and a tangle of bicycle parts to deal with. To make a long story short diary, I pulled my strawberry truck off to the side of the road and hastily buried all four bodies in a nearby dirt lot. Today, I have just $270 to my name, but I must find a way to get off the grid until the temperature cools here in northern Connecticut. The state cops are buzzing about looking for four missing whites, and I don't need to be here when those bodies are found.

If only there was a foreign land I could escape to, a place where my funds would blast through the winter, and the whiskey would flow. Sign up for Mr. Flames' high school economics class in the Hague the Netherlands today at www.flameclass.com. Mr. F. Just like I'm going to give, Greg,

I'm going to give Sidney the same advice or give you the same advice that gave Sydney when you're talking about federal crimes. And especially yours, which is capital murder in the first degree, or maybe second degree if you got a good lawyer, manslaughter. You just don't put it on paper.

You don't put it on text. You don't put it on paper. He was young. Well, you know, if I was a lawyer defending myself against these crimes, I think the first question I would ask, whoever wrote that, because I don't think it was me, would be when does strawberry season last in New England? When does it last in the greater... Harry Mason over here.

Connecticut area, because the way I remember my strawberry job, was it was a little bit, you know, you start in May, and you're pretty much blown out of the water by July, mid-July. Those strawberries aren't ripe by the time it's August. Those bodies are ripe, and they're on someone else's hands. Probably would open up just another can of worms about the Pell family farm zap freezing fruit and trying to sell it to people,

much less not essentially getting you off, but putting them in the guilty ring. I have to question the wisdom of you advising Mr. F to 80, in a bed, a known felon. Not advising him to, simply asking. This show is in trouble. Let's move on

and talk about the MVP race and it is a spirited one. What a race. I mean, you could make a case. You can make a real case for, I would say, five to six individuals and there are only four of us. So what we did was we each

took to the defense or offense in trying to make the case for an MVP winner in the NFL this season. And we will start with Mark Sessler and you will make the case for a running back, Ezekiel L. Wow, I'm going first here, huh? Well, you know, to pull back the curtain, when we have our little organizational meetings and we say let's, you know, come up with some MVP candidates,

It's a little bit tired for us to all pitch the same guy. And right out of the gate, my three people in the room here with me snatched up quarterbacks. But I will pitch Ezekiel Elliott and I will do it with pride because I find it a little bit tiresome that these narrative-driven awards are so often centered around quarterbacks. Now, quarterback is the most important position in football. That's not the argument.

I'm going to try to take you down on there. But Ezekiel Elliott, to me, the Dallas Cowboys would not be anywhere where they are without Ezekiel Elliott absolutely energizing that offense and looking to me like one of the best running backs of our lifetime a game changing scenery changing franchise changing player that is going to make the Dallas Cowboys the centerpiece of national television of playoff races of the NFC East for the next seven to eight years if not more I don't know what more a player at his position. And now, listen, he can do a little bit more in the last week.

He could break Eric Dickerson's running, rushing record, rookie rushing record if he wants to, if he can get there, if they give him the shot. I don't care if he does that or not. The Dallas Cowboys are the best team in the NFC right now, and he is the reason why. Four years ago, Adrian Peterson won the MVP, and he did it in a season in which Peyton Manning through 55 touchdowns. And the reason he got is because he ran for 2,000 yards. And that's really the only way I think you're going to get the MVP as a running back in today's football is that you have to have a historic season.

And maybe he does by breaking that rookie rushing record. But I still think that because of the quarterback's importance, he has to be above and beyond even next level superstar stuff. It has to be legendary season status like AP in 2012. That's the way I don't vote for him. But that is a fair. It's an uphill climb granted. I think he has a real chance at it. I do.

And maybe he's not going to break the rookie rushing record most likely unless they just run them crazy next week, which doesn't make a lot of sense. But I think all the guys were pitching here and Derek Carr, who were not, spoiler alert, they're all going to get votes. And I think Zieg's got a chance because they're kind of a sexy team.

Wes, your thoughts? I would have no problem with the Zec U. Elliott getting the MVP award. I feel like between Matt Ryan, who to me is the prohibitive favorite, Tom Brady, Aaron Rogers, and Ezekiel Elliott, I would have no problem with any of those four winning the award in a year where Matt Ryan should be the favorite, but he's not viewed as the favorite. Well, why not? So you're going with Matt Ryan?

I'm going with Matt Ryan, and to be honest, this is the easiest guy to defend on this list, or it's the easiest case to make. Let me let the listeners in on a little secret here. big media and big NFL would have you know that there are only eight franchises worth covering in the NFL the two New York teams the Packers the Steelers the Patriots the Broncos Seahawks that's about it when the Falcons do anything it doesn't matter Matt Ryan should have been the MVP frontrunner from September on he's been the most consistent quarterback driving the best offense in the NFL all season long a historically great offense he is the Steph Curry of the NFL right

now. He distributes the ball. First player in NFL history to throw passes the 13 different receivers for touchdowns, and 10 of those receivers have caught two touchdowns. He has the highest DVOA on short passes as well as bombs. He has the highest yards per attempt average in NFL history for a quarterback with 400 attempts. And he's been so consistent that during the 4-1 start, the Falcons averaged 35 points, during their worst stretch where they went three and his offense averaged 30.1 points. And during the most recent stretch where they went 3 and 0, they averaged 38.7 points. He has been a metronome.

At no point has this offense been bad. Only five quarterbacks ever have averaged 300 yards per game and a 110 passer rating. Every single one of them has won MVP or finished second to the guy who also had those numbers in a season. The only reason he's not leading the league in yards and touchdowns right now, He leads in almost every percentage category. And the only reason he doesn't lead in those is because his offense has been too good. They haven't had enough drives

because they score too easily and too quickly. They have the fewest drives ending in a punt and turnover, and they also are the only team with half of its drives ending in a score. Is the biggest stumbling block for a guy like Matt Ryan who plays in the NFC South for the Atlanta Falcons that aren't on television much and are rarely featured, the fact that a lot of people who vote for these awards

don't get on game pass and watch every team every week. They watch just nationally televised games or whatever comes to them, or less. Or less. So it's a lack of exposure where if you look at a guy like Ezekiel Elliott, he's going to be on what, seven straight national primetime games at some point here? Yeah, he's an extreme case. I'm going to throw a little cold water on the who's Matt Ryan. We don't understand a society who Matt Ryan is. Football is the biggest sport in this country.

It's a huge national sport, even if you're in not a huge, market, which, by the way, Atlanta's not a small market. And I think, especially with fantasy, where Matt Ryan has been a superstar this year, everyone plays fan. Matt Ryan's not under the radar. Is it more than what people thought Matt Ryan was in the past? People thought Matt Ryan's boring. The Falcons are boring.

Atlanta is a small market in the NFL. It is. And I think part of the problem, though, you know, we talked. It doesn't matter, though. We've talked about, not by the NFL, not by the way it's covered. I think that's true. And I think it's just bad luck that he hasn't had that MVP moment. moment. He hasn't had those big games in the national stage. And the ones that he's had,

and this is why I think he would be a totally worthy candidate, and I would have no problem with anyone to votes for him, especially because he's played four more games than Brady. They have had chances to win games late in some of their biggest games, and they haven't done it. You know, the Chiefs game, he had a chance to win late. He didn't do it. That the Chargers game, they blew a 17-point lead. The Seahawks game, he played really well in that game, they did get the ball back with a chance to get a field goal, and he didn't get it. And then a lot of his great play of late has been on those games that are kind of buried against some bad teams.

And so he hasn't had that big time memorable moment. And that does hold a little bit of weight to me in terms of the close games. One last point on people who would bring up Julio Jones carrying the offense. Matt Ryan not targeting Julio Jones this season. These are his numbers. 74% completion rate, 122 passer rating, 29 to 3 TD to INT ratio.

He's been even better not throwing to Holio Jones. His numbers without Julio are better than any MVP candidates. Total numbers. Tremendous season by Matt Ryan. But my choice. And Mark, you've talked about one of the things that annoys you about award season is that it's narrative driven in a lot of ways. Well, it is.

And Wes is touching on that as well with in terms of markets and exposure. Well, here's the guy that I'm going to talk about that matches being a phenomenal quarterback, the greatest player in the NFL, playing right now at the height of his powers when it matters the most, and having the narrative to match. You know what that narrative

is? November 24th, 2016, the Green Bay Packers are 4 and 6. The team's a total mess. The backfield is in tatters. The receivers can't get separation. Aaron Rogers is pressing. He's not playing at his best. And when everything seems like it's about

to crumble to the ground. He says this. I feel like we can run the table. I really do. I just feel like it just takes one. We get one under our belts. Things might start rolling for us and we can run the table. And what happened? They have run the table. Five straight wins. And during that five game winning streak, 11 touchdowns, no interceptions. It's thrown for almost 1,400 yards. He's completing 71% of his passes. His pass rating is 120. And his numbers are outrageous. Even with that slow start, he's at 40,

touchdowns now total for the season. And I'll give you a little history. He's won the MVP twice. He's thrown, he's had 40 total touchdowns in three separate seasons. 2001, he had 45 won the MVP. 2014, he had 40 one MVP. 2012, he had 43. And that was that aforementioned Amazing Peterson Manning season, so it got buried.

So he's having, at least in terms of touchdown production alone, there are a lot out of the metrics to measure how great this guy is. He's right there with his greatest seasons. And I think, I think the lines are. dead in week 17. I think he's going to keep rolling. They're going to win the division, go 10 and 6. So I look at a guy that has taken a team that maybe wasn't the best Packers team he had and has taken him into the stratosphere at the best possible time. And I think they have a deep run in them in the playoffs potentially. That doesn't factor in here. But it's

because an all-time player is playing at his highest level right now. Aaron Rogers is playing better than any quarterback currently in December. He has dragged his team to the brink of the playoffs but the other three months count too. But he wasn't terrible in those months. No, it was really a couple, it was a couple bad games. It was a couple...

It was more than a couple bad games. Right. It was he was up and down but he had a couple games that were way worse than anything that Ryan or Brady really put up. He had a couple stinkers put up this year where he was a big part of the problem and you mentioned week 17. That's

a huge factor. I think the last statement here is going to be in people's mind. And so if they didn't win that game, forget it. He's not going to have any chance. And if he's not the MVP if they lose it. Right. If Brady or Ryan for whatever reason had a terrible week 17 and they blew their

chance at a one seat in the case of the Patriots or a buy in case of the Falcons, that'll be a factor too. We said on this podcast when things were going poorly that Aaron Rogers is saddled with a team that other than good line play had receivers that weren't getting open and had a running game where guys weren't getting healthy.

And usually most quarterbacks, well, that's it. The season's over. I don't have a good team around me. And what did he do? I think he willed his team back to greatness. I agree with that. And, Wes, I agree with what you said about how the earlier part of the year absolutely matters for Aaron Rogers, except that I would say that you're probably, you would be, if

you had a vote in this, you would be thinking more diligently than plenty of other people who vote for this award. And in their minds, it's not to slash the. the other voters, but I think we've seen weird stuff happen year after year with the voting, that Aaron Rogers is still Aaron Rogers, this rock-solid God, and all they need to see is what's happened over the last month and a half to power them voting for, A, a quarterback, and Aaron Rogers would be an easy fit. This is also underselling what Jordy Nelson has done.

Since he got back to 2014 form, he's also driving this offense. He is to Rogers, what Gronk has been to Brady. but anyone who's going to get an MVP award part of it is what's around you who's around you the chemistry of the team so they all have star players around them you're not going to have an MVP on a terrible 2 and 14 team or you shouldn't one last note before I throw it to Greg every week Aaron Rogers is making a play that nobody else can make in the league he's so agreed he's got more wow plays he's got more wow plays go ahead Greg well last one I mean it's kind of obvious where where I'm going to go here but I don't think it's a hard case to make

for Tom Wilkerson. For Tom Brady. Tom Brady, I think, is having the best season of his career other than 2007. His QBR is right about the same as 2007. You watch him, and what he does that I don't think Matt Ryan or maybe any quarterback practically ever does, he is a coach on the field. He is figuring out problems in games where you see that they're struggling with some things. He's a big part of the reason that they adjust.

Ryan's got all the stats, but Brady's stats are outrageous too. He's got the best touchdown interception in the league, 25 to 2. That's his best in his career. He has the fewest interceptions he's ever thrown per pass. His QBR is as high as it's ever been. And when I watch him every week for the QB index and I do these little scores and it's kind of cockamamie or whatever, he is the one that's pretty far ahead of the pack. and I know there's a chance

there's some bias in there but he has the highest floor he doesn't have those bad games and he does have those amazing games and he had that moment against Baltimore on a Monday night game a big moment that I think people will remember so he has a little

a little bit of everything and I look at Pro Football Focus who grades every single play and they have him despite missing the four games pretty far ahead of the pack too and when I watch the games and just basing on what is his average game. To me, Brady is ahead of Ryan, that he's doing more to help his team win than Ryan, and they're close. I think Brady and Ryan, to me, are 1A, 1B, and Elliott is just

behind. Does it help Brady that unlike in past years when you lose Rob Grunkowski, the offense hasn't significantly fallen off. In fact, it doesn't matter who's around Tom Brady. You could argue that of all these candidates, he's got the least real bona fide game-changing weapons around him. Does it hurt Tom Brady? that they went three and one without him. I hate that. I don't care about the record. That's such a small sample sizing.

You would have to take each game as its own. I mean, they also got shut out without him. The offense, you know, the numbers on offense are, you know, far, far higher since he came back. They did a good job winning those games. The better argument is he just flat out missed those games. And there's a precedent for this. Joe Montana is the only one to win the MVP award while missing three or four, three or more games.

He missed three, and he blew every other quarter. quarterback out of the water in that 1988 season, I believe? Or 89 was when they were just a absolute powerhouse. He had a 12-passer rating, 70 completion rate in an era where you just didn't see anything approaching those numbers. Tom Brady isn't that much better than Matt Ryan, if at all. And I think the other thing is Tom Brady's schedule that he's face for past defenses is so much easier than Matt Ryan's schedule as to be a major factor.

The four games is tough to get passed, which is why I wouldn't. you know, argue with anyone that puts Ryan in there. I would argue, though, that his consistency and how good those 12 games have been is still better, you know, that he's the best player at the best position and might be on the best team. Give it to him. You know, I think, obviously, I was wrong about Brady. He's just as good, if not better, this season.

He could decline in the week 17, Dan. Well, watch out for the playoffs. Remember what happened in the playoffs last year? He looked like a 45-year-old man. but he doesn't have the numbers for some people. If he's going to finish, let's say, with 26 or 27 touchdowns, and I know there's other numbers to look at, but when the voters go and they see the other guys have 40 touchdowns

and have better, you know, cumulative stats, I think that will hurt him in the vote. Whether that's fair or not, I'm not saying it is. I think you're right. He's had some games. He's had three games. He had one game where he didn't throw a touchdown. He had another game when he had one.

if he had another five or six touchdowns I feel like his case would be stronger that's not fair but I see that part of that like you cited Rogers leading the NFL in touchdowns big part of this because they have no running game so he has to throw in the red zone but Garrett Blunt leads the NFL in touchdowns

so they're going to run for more short touchdowns than other teams I mean that's why it's it's not fair that the people who vote for these awards don't watch the games they just rely on stats I really like adjusted yards per attempt where Matt Ryan does great and that's kind of yards per attempt plus it includes

kind of interceptions in the mix and this is the second best season of his career and it's very close to 2007 for Tom Brady so that's the kind of level he's been looking for this by the way well I think it's it's it's pro football writers of America it's Associated Press it's it's like a guy in each city and some offshoots though yeah it's a guy it's more or less a guy in each city and then a lot of national guys like I remember when I was at NBC Bob Costa had a vote. Costo.

And, you know, like Chris... I don't think he's watching a lot of game pass. Chris Berman has a vote, I remember, because I saw the list once. And I know Tom Curran, for instance, has, like, the Boston area vote. So it's, like, one guy in each city, plus a bunch of national guys.

I need a new system. Wes, you mentioned... So Montana won it at 89 and 90. Steve Young for the 49ers, then won at 92 and 94. That is a six-year stretch where if you were a 49ers fan, your quarterback won the end.

MVP four times in six years. That's a throne of ease before a throne of ease. It's also a testament to Bill Walsh being 20 years ahead of the rest of the NFL. All right. Yep. Well, some of that came under the coach after him, but you're right. It is George Seiford. Yeah, but that was Bill Walsh's offense, the West Coast, that it took a lot of people,

a lot of years to catch up. Well, I think even George Seifert would admit that he took over, you know, a raging, you know, Super Bowl-headed team full of stars. Good Sefer talk enjoyed it. All right. That's how. The George Seaford podcast coming later in the offseason. That was the whole plan.

The 500th episode, we'd finally unleash our Seaford takes. Yep. Well, we just begun. Now we get to the, now after the break, Seaford's Carolina years. I never trust a coach or really anyone that wears the glasses that have the tint to them. Always a little creepy to me. Well, wait. Greg has those glasses.

That was an absolute shot. You know that Greg has those. I forgot about that. But Greg, do you admit when you wear those glasses that get darker in the sun, you look a little creepy? Well, it's not, it wasn't really on purpose. I don't wear them outside because of it. And I was getting the glasses and it was part of, you know, the insurance plan. They're just like, well, you want the thing where it turns darker and it's free.

And I was like, well, it's free. I guess it'd be crazy not to take it. And I've been counting the days. I don't even have any serious killer glasses. I don't even wear them anymore. It's going to, uh, it's not your fault. It's not your fault. All right.

500 episodes in the can. Thank you to everyone who's been. I know there have been people out there that not only listen to all the episodes. They've listened to episodes multiple times. We get those tweets a lot. Those who I got to say, we get so much great positive feedback. We get some criticism as well, F of you guys. But we get some positive feedback.

A lot of positive feedback. And the one that really is my favorite one to get is when somebody says, I'm listening to Thursday's podcast for the third time. And that wows me. It floors me. It's like, wow, we're doing something right. So thank you to everyone that's been along for the ride. Even if you just got here, even if you've been show 472 to 500, we like you too.

Do we like you as much? No. Tell a few friends about it or, you know, tweet about it and then we'll like you as much. Conditions. It's conditional. I like all of you except Chiefs fans. Oh, that's pretty. That's terrible.

And finally, yes, we will try to maybe celebrate this in a proper way. a little later, with the help of some shadowy league figures, we'll see what we can do. But thanks to the shadowy league figure popped in here for a few minutes watching over us. I don't know if you noticed what was going on. You know what? Speaking of Shadow League figures,

thank you to Mark Brady, who's been with us and really has done his best to help our show grow. It's been a great, great ride, and let's hope 500 more. I don't know. That feels extreme. What are you saying? 50 to 100 more. 50.

Takes us to roughly mid-March. I think we're week by week. Everything's week by week. All right, that's it. This is, what's wrong? Greg. I want to do 500 more. I don't know about you.

Well, come on. We'll see. Until, what is today? Today is Tuesday. Until Thursday. Yeah, we're doing another show on Thursday. This is Dan Hansa signing off for The Quiet Storm, the Mailman, the boss, and new money behind the glass. 500, baby.

Why you stuck up. Why you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerve-herder? This is an I-heart podcast. Thank you.