NFL Stock Exchange: An NFL Draft Podcast - 118. What Matters Most From Every Game of Week 13 in the NFL

Episode Date: December 5, 2022

Hosts Trevor Sikkema and Connor Rogers go through every game on the Sunday slate of games form Week 13 in the NFL and tell you what really matters most beyond the final scores

This episode is brought to you by our good friends at NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV. I'm sure by now you've all got back into your Sunday routines, but they could be even better. With NFL Sunday Ticket and YouTube TV, you get the most live NFL games all in one place, every game, every Sunday. And you can even watch up to four different games at once with MultiView, one of my favorite inventions of this decade. It's exactly what you need to catch all the action. Make your Sundays more magical. And also, YouTube TV is great. I got it this year.

It's awesome. Sign up now at youtube.com slash BS, device and content restrictions apply. Local and national games on YouTube TV. NFL Sunday ticket for out-of-market games excludes digital-only games. Welcome to the NFL Stock Exchange podcast. In this episode, it's Monday, so you know what we're doing. We're telling you everything that mattered most from each game of the Sunday slate in the NFL. Week 13, getting down to the final stretch so you know that these results matter, but not just the results, what went into them and what happens after that.

What's the ripple effect? We tell you what matters most, not just from the wins and the losses, but what matters most for the playoff picture, for the NFL draft picture, everything. I'm Trevor Sycamore. With me, as always, is Connor Rogers. Let's ring the bell. Welcome to the opening bell of the NFL Stock Exchange Podcast. I'm Trevor Sycamore. That is Connor Rogers joining you on a Monday morning after week 13 in the NFL. Here to tell you what we think mattered most from every single game. Some games, obviously, at this point of the year, more significant for differing reasons. But we're going to try to give you a little tidbit from each of the games that we watched from the Sunday slate.

Connor, as we are recording this here on a Sunday evening, how are you doing, my friend? I'm good, man. It was another wild Sunday. I just sit here and can't believe we're going to beat 13. That's what keeps blowing my mind. It's really... Right.

I'm like, my God, where did this season go? And obviously how tight everything is, I just sit here and can't believe we're going to beat 13. That's what keeps blowing my mind. It's really... I'm like, my God, where did this season go? And obviously how tight everything is, especially in the AFC right now. So I'm doing good, man. I'm doing real good. And I'm excited to talk about some of these matchups as, you know, there's a little fun element of this is that some of these matchups have a full-on draft element now. And obviously that is always going to be what we specialize in on this show.

I am looking forward to, because we normally go in order, right? We go with the 1 o'clock games first, and we run through that part of it. And then we get to the 4 o'clock games, and there were some good 4 o'clock games. And not just entertainment value, but also playoff implication value, what we believe for these teams, how they're changing races, like MVP offensive player of the year, who's getting the one seeds,

the Superbowl odds, all of that. So we'll get to that as we kind of run through these games in order, but is there a game in the one o'clock slate that you want to get kicked off with here? Full pun intended for us us to for us to talk about here yeah let's start with let's start with a game that had a super high total and there was a lot of points although it was it was kind of lopsided because i think these two teams

matter so much in the context of the draft but also in the context of winning soon and the need to win soon and how much that matters. And that is Jacksonville, Detroit, Trevor, for me. The Lions score 40 points, Jacksonville only 14. Not a good game for Jacksonville. There's not a lot of ways to slice it. Scary moment with Trevor Lawrence, but obviously the Lions offense is a real thing to

fear right now what stood out to you uh in this game yeah it's you know we were talking in the pre-show and you're kind of getting to the point of the year where we don't want to sound like broken records talking about teams but there's not a lot of new that we're learning like I feel like I made this point about the Jags four or five weeks ago, where it's just like, hey, this team kind of is who they are this year. I like where they're going. I obviously like Trevor Lawrence.

It was great to see a game that they were able to cap off last week. I like Doug Peterson as a head coach. I think they're going in the right direction. They're just not good this year. And most of the time, they're probably not going to be good. And coming off of an amazing comeback win

last week against the Ravens this week was a complete dud for the Jacks like complete dud Travis Etienne fumbles the ball on the first drive they had it was just like see ya we're done we're done like that's the hope of the game the game's absolutely over it was not competitive after that the defense was terrible in the secondary up front everything they were bad Trevor Lawrence was good the offensive line was bad up front and they don't have enough playmakers in the passing game. So I wanted to say that a problem. What would you say? Is that a problem? Basically everything's bad. Yeah. I mean, today it was definitely a problem, but I think like it's a lot of young guys.

I think that they're, they're certainly a couple of off seasons away from really, really contending. But I wanted to say that about the Jags. My main, what matters most does come from Detroit, though. Connor, Detroit's sitting here, and as of right now, Sunday evening, Sunday night football, not quite in the books yet. Detroit has picked four because the Los Angeles Rams, they lost to Seahawks today.

And they also have picked 15. So 15 is their original pick. They also have twoahawks today. And they also have pick 15. So 15 is their original pick. They also have two second round picks. I think I'm with you now. I think I'm on the train. Welcome, buddy. You don't have to use one of them on a quarterback. I don't know if you have to use any of those four picks on a quarterback.

You don't. Am I saying that Jared Goff is going to lead them to a super bowl no i'm not saying that but the lions could take all four they could bring jared goff back and i think it'd be relatively cheap for them to bring him back i really do and you could use all four of those picks on solid roster building players and if you really need a quarterback get aggressive the next year sign jared goff to probably a three-year deal i don't know if he's going to take anything less than that so you make it a three-year deal you put all the incentives on next year and like half of them through half of of year two you make it essentially a two-year deal and you can move on

and if you really need a quarterback you get aggressive for one next season and that that way you are combining the slingshot of the winning window of a young roster that is getting better and i feel like i like that strategy more than i do even them taking a quarterback at three i shouldn't say more i shouldn't say it like that more but i'm definitely there where it is alluring i've been running through mock drafts of the lions and it's definitely alluring taking those first four picks they have, the two first rounders and the two second rounders, and using them to build the rest of the team.

Keep golf for a year and then get aggressive for a quarterback if you really need to the year after that. So you don't want to be in QB purgatory. So that's where the one pushback is that I would have. If you got the number three overall pick, you got a chance to take a quarterback, you should heavily consider it.

But I no longer hate the alternative strategy that you have been bringing to the table over the last couple of weeks so is this music to your ears my friend i love it when i look at the lions you have golf under contract for the next two years you can get out of it with not a huge charge 2023 wait wait he's on for another two Yeah, he's under contract for 23 and 24. Had a $30 million cap hit, 31.6. The dead money next year is $10 million. The dead money a year after that is $5 million. Okay, so that's what I was thinking of. I thought his contract was up at the end of this year,

but essentially it is move-on-able. He signed at a fine number, $30 million a year for Jared Goff. Then I'm even more okay with this. You roll with Jared Goff. He's 29 next year, he'll cost you 30 mil. If he bombs out in 24, you cut him with 5 million loss, whatever. It's nothing for them. So, yeah, roll with Jared Goff. And I think it's just the leverage they have in the situation is massive.

If they were picking number one, I would say take Bryce. They're not. They're too good. They're not going to be picking number one, barring the Texans winning games and the Rams just never winning again, which could very well happen, but unlikely. Man, I just want to see Jalen Carter or Will Anderson on this team with a top five pick playing in that front, load up the defense.

If a quarterback that you really like falls to you at 15, you can take him if you want, but that's another opportunity to add another player or you could trade out of 15. If that scenario is 15 if that scenario is there that scenario might be a little unlikely if you want to take a developmental guy you have you have the perfect bridge in jared goff he's under contract for two years you can take an anthony richardson you can take a will levis you can take one of those guys you could take hendon hooker on day two and be like man you got get healthy, but we have time for you to get healthy.

The Lions are set up so nicely right now for a quarterback to sit behind Goff and have zero rush to play while improving what they need to improve. So yes, I absolutely love that. Lions fans should be feeling good about the position they are sitting in. I have one quick take on Jacksonville from this game. I know Cam Robinson is under contract on big money for the next two years after this man, they, they need better tackle play. The tackle play sucks. He was awful in pass pro. I don't think Jacksonville's lines very good. I watched Trevor play and for all the great

things he could do. There's a lot of times where he can start to play a little slow and maybe better playmaking would obviously help that. But whether it's just slowly processing or loading up to throw, it's not every play, but once in a while where a stronger offensive line would really help. So Jacksonville's offensive line has to get better. Trevor Lawrence is the future, but they don't have the guys in front of him, in my opinion, right now. I would agree. For as much as, again, my Jags take doesn't really change. I think the team is going in the right direction. They're just void my opinion right now i i would i would agree i for as much as again like my jags take doesn't really change like i think the team is going in the right direction they're just void

of talent right now they are and i think the next year with this offseason coming up um hopefully with their top pick they're investing in the offensive line that's the one that i like more and more i think that's the way to go it feels like, for Jacksonville. But that's my ultimate scenario for the Lions. I have other draft scenarios for the Lions. But why would I ruin Wednesday's show? I can't do that. I can't do that to the people. I can't spoil Wednesday's show.

What were they tuning in on Wednesday for? How would we feed our families? I mean, can we have a combo one day, too, and not now, because we have a lot of games to go through? Trayvon Walker, to me, is a Trayvon Walker to me is a disappointment. I'm sorry. He's a disappointment. Look at the guys going off in this draft class right now.

He's not playing like the number one overall pick. Let's have the conversation one day because I don't see it personally. And he needs time to develop, but it goes back to the combo of taking him number one when. Brother, there's a lot of guys that went in the first round that are balling out balling out you know what would really be a great pod episode is a full not like a full rookie review of like every rookie but like a handful of rookies that you and i really sit down and we watch their rookie season at this point and almost have a rookie report like we each have like four guys five guys at table maybe we'll do that for thursday we always kind of leave thursday leave the door open brother maybe uh maybe that's maybe that's what we end up going with maybe you guys

tell us something a little bit better but i i do like that idea because i would love to go back and really put trayvon and a lot of these other guys under the microscope and see how their rookie years are going all right where do you want to go next what game do you want to hit next all right let's keep this train rolling right now let's do Steelers Falcons um okay this will probably be a little bit of a lighter one for me obviously two teams kind of out of the playoff race not officially but unofficially I think my very very standard take here is is that it is important for Kenny Pickett to show this franchise that he can get them wins and he's won quarterbacks wins aren't a stat, blah, blah, blah. They've won two of their last three games,

and Pickett has played, in my opinion, under control. I think he's played like a pro quarterback. I think he adds a sneaky rushing element at times that can be key for them. So actually, Pickett has won, let me correct myself, they've won three of their last four games now, started by kenny pickett so for the steelers to me them being able to have any kind of positive signs that the guy they took in the first round last year they can go into next year with confidence i think that

really really matters at the end of this season yeah and i'll go i'll go on the other side of the spectrum for this game on my what matters most. I'll talk about the Falcons. I've touched on it a little bit in weeks past, but if Ritter looks anything close to competent, play him, man. Play him. Even if he doesn't, can you find out for us? If Ritter, right, basically, yeah, if anybody out there knows. You really just want Ritter to not be at the point where if you play him, you're going to ruin him long term.

Because I do think that that is a case, right? There are some guys that get in the league and fragile seems really harsh, like calling guys fragile. But there is something to being the man in high school football, then going to college football and being the man starting very soon no matter what position you're in having a ton of success getting a ton of notoriety just being able to play at those levels and dominate and then you get to the nfl and it's just the best of the best and you're maybe not standing out right the way that you think and you're dealing with that mentally for the first time so fragile seems like a really harsh word because it's it's just that people obviously fragile i guess is negative but i don't want to be too hard on this when i say like if if ritter is fragile

right now and his confidence is mindset okay then just keep playing mariona like the year's probably a wash anyways they're not going to make the playoffs they're probably not going to catch the buccaneers but if ritter is not in that state mentally like if this dude is confident like if he's if he's ripping throws in practice and and it's just a matter of like oh well we're playing mariotta right now because we were you know in contention for a playoff spot and he's the veteran make the switch now man you're five and eight at this point the playoffs got to be in the rearview mirror because for as much as you want to say like oh get in the playoffs anything could happen it ain't anything's gonna happen you're gonna you're gonna lose in the

first round and it's like it is more valuable to see what you have in desmond ritter especially because what are the falcons picking now falcons are picking 11 right now at five and eight if you end up being bad if you end up with a top 10 pick shoot even if you end up with a top 15 pick top 20 pick this quarterback class has enough intrigue to where maybe it matters to you at that point but if you don't find out what you have in Ritter at least a little bit more than what we have now it just it's not advantageous to you so it just felt like a classic Falcons game that we've seen so many times this year where sometimes the falcons play their brand of football and it goes really well other times the falcons play their brand of football and it's not enough and this week guess what it was not enough i do

want to say this though before we move on to the next game shout out chris lindstrom this dude is insane right now he had Connor he had a 99.3 pff grade today the scale tops out at 99.9 this guy had a 99.3 initial pFF grade. Incredible run blocking grade as well on the season. All year. All year. On the season. Actually, I'll just say today's stat because it's even more eye-opening. He had a 50% positively graded play rate today. He played 53 snaps.

You grading positively? Now, some people would say, like, wouldn't you want to grade positively more than half the time? We got to understand how PFFs grade work. PFF grades work like this. You can either get a zero on a given play, which means, I mean, like, you did what you were supposed to do. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

It wasn't anything that really hurt your team. It wasn't anything that was an individual difference maker to your team on that given play. You basically did what you were supposed to do. That is a zero. Now, it's not a zero in the sense that the grade comes out to zero. It's a zero on this kind of a scale. Outside of that, you have negative 0.5, positive 0.5. Then you have negative one, positive one, negative 1.5, positive 1.5, two, 2. That's the scale right there. That is how every single play is graded based on what the expectations are

and what they believe that your job is on a given play. And then all of that, how many positively graded plays, how many negatively graded plays, that kind of comes into a one out of 100 grade that it spits out at the end of it. Chris Lindstrom had a 50 50 positively graded play rate this year he is so far the highest graded positively graded impact run back put run blocking player which is a lot to say right there at 25 on the season next closest to him is 21

today he had 50 i hope that made sense to people out there. Because that is just absolutely mind-boggling that he was able to grade positively above expectation on more than 50% of his 53 plays that he played this year. To put that in perspective, one of my favorite things about Icky was that he was grading close to 30% his final year of college. In college. In college.

Which is extremely impressive. And Lindstrom did this in an NFL game. So, great call out, Trevor. I like when we give guys love on this show that we'll get no love throughout the week, probably. One of the best offensive linemen, if not the offensive lineman of the year. So, I just wanted to point him out before we moved on. It's huge for the Falcons under Arthur Smith

because that matters so much to their offensive identity. Let's go to Packers-Bears in this one. Green Bay beats the Bears for what feels like something that just, you know, Aaron Rodgers, yeah, just happens. But it's kind of shocking the way this went down. The Packers scored 18 points in the fourth quarter. The Bears did not score any points. The Bears scored three points in the entire second half.

This isn't necessarily like a what matters most red alarm, but what stands out to me in this game is that, and don't say tanking because coaching staffs do not tank. Coaching staffs don't even think about the draft, especially this time of year right now. I just wish the Bears would try to go for the jugular with Justin Fields once in a while it's like he comes out of the gate he has an explosive play with the running touchdown a couple throws looks really really good in the first half the Bears are winning going into the half 16 to 10 nothing really happens in the third quarter. The Bears play super conservative in my eyes,

and then they just get totally rocked in the face in the fourth quarter. And I understand there are Bears fans listening to this that are going, hey, I'm so glad we didn't win this game because we want better draft position. And I agree with you long-term. But these are the moments to me where I think you can put a little bit more on a young quarterback's plate and play and say hey go for the kill shot right now let's see what let's see what we're made of because there's going to be a time where we think next year we're competing for a playoff spot that you're going to have to do this so this

isn't a blaming justin fields thing this is more of a how the coaching staff called the game in the second half that i mean you got to eventually try to figure these things out and they just they just kind of rolled over in the second half in this game when they could have beat Green Bay. And I think that would have mattered to that team in the locker room. Yeah, I wonder if you can... I mean, I don't think... I'm going to be answering my own question here.

I don't really think that you could do this. But you know how in training camp, quarterbacks talk about all the time, like, yeah, I'm throwing interceptions in practice. I'm supposed to throw interceptions. I'm learning what I can get away with. Right, I'm learning what i can get away with right i'm learning what i can get away with but of course like training camp practice obviously different from preseason games and preseason games are different than regular season games if the bears are going to lose which let's face it they're going to lose almost every week that they play throughout the rest of the

season they're sitting here and currently have the number two overall draft pick at three and ten let chelsea fields rip it up a little bit here. Now, you don't want him to get super discouraged. Again, I think there's a fine line, but maybe there is a little bit of room to open up. Ultimately, look, the Bears are hurt. They traded away Robert Quinn. They traded away Roquan Smith.

They've traded away Chase Claypool. Sorry, they acquired Chase Claypool. I think it's helped a little bit on the talent side on offense. But defensively, they just don't have the talent there. The guys are beat up. Herbert wasn't in the game um Darna Mui wasn't in the game I like what Cole Komet's been able to do this season but it's just not there yet it's a lot similar of of how I talked about the Jacksonville Jaguars they're the Bears are just they're not there yet the Packers I I don't know man well I I'm sorry I know I'm a podcast co-host and people tune in to hear my opinion on stuff but like I don't know, man. I'm sorry. I know I'm a podcast co-host,

and people tune in to hear my opinion on stuff, but I don't know what you do with the Packers. I don't know what you do with the Packers. This is a team that finished the last two seasons, 13-3, had the back-to-back MVP, who all of a sudden has just absolutely crumbled and become an absolute shell of himself. He still wants to play.

It would absolutely behoove this team to play Jordan Love Love look what happens when you give them one competent young wide receiver like Christian Watson and they're force feeding him and guess what it's turning into wins I don't know what to do with this team I would tell you play just play Jordan Love down the stretch they're not going to do it I don't think they have the power to do that the only one who has the ability to bench Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers I I think. I just, it would be, I feel like it would just go nuclear if Matt LaFleur, or if Matt LaFleur, yes, I almost said Mike LaFleur. If Matt LaFleur was just like, hey, Aaron,

we're going to bench you for Jordan Love. I just think it'd go nuclear. And it's not what you want to do with your absolute franchise legend who might be on the doorsteps of retiring this offseason to make it easier anyways but man i just i don't know what to do with the packers i i feel like i'm babbling i know people are going to be mad at me for that take but what do you do here they have no shot at the playoffs it's you're about to you're just playing a 40 year old quarterback you're getting no progress out of this outside of maybe christian watson getting a lot of confidence playing with a future Hall of Famer.

Offensive line played better today. I'll give a shout out to the Packers. Offensive line played better. That was nice. Felt like Aaron was very clean all game. When Aaron's clean, look what happens. I think he's still really talented, but it's too late this year.

Does it matter for next year? I think you've got to start making moves to figure out what does matter for next year. And I'm not so sure Aaron Rodgers does. So that's kind of my Packers take. Well, buddy, he has a almost $100 million year and i'm not so sure ann rogers does so that's kind of my packers take well buddy he has a almost 100 million dollar hidden dead money for next year 68.2 for 2024 45.5 for 2025 about 23 for 2026 so and he'll be 43 years old that season.

They made their choice already. Unless they, he retires. They already made this choice, right? Which you're not wrong, but they already made their choice. So nobody's taking that contract.

No, I don't think so either. Nobody. All right, moving along. Commanders giants, a tie on this beautiful Sunday. Nothing. I despise more than a tie in the

nfl i almost felt like this is so bad that we shouldn't do this game but these teams both have a winning record they are both in the nfc picture this was a massive massive game trevor what matters most in the game that neither side won both teams are good are good enough to make the playoffs this year in the nfc like that's what matters most as is evidenced by the tie like we saw them tie down the very then their teams that are win absolutely ugly it feels like every single week but you look at the giant stat line and how they played the game daniel jones led this led the team in rushing again 12 attempts 71 rushing yards 5.9 average Saquon Barkley got 63 rushing yards, but it wasn't a great average.

Scored a touchdown. Jones, 200 yards passing, one touchdown, zero interceptions. Slayton still leads the way at receiver. And then on the other side of things, it's exactly the way that you think of it. Brian Robinson continues to be RB1 for this team on the ground. Taylor Heineke, once again, a very Taylor Heineke-type game. 27 completions, 275 yards. Taylor Heineke plus again a very taylor heineke type game 27 completions 275 yards

he just didn't throw a pick he was the no ads uh premium subscription of taylor heineke today that's what i love the fact that he got both receivers involved obviously mclaurin's been fantastic and with taylor heineke in the game he clearly trusts mclaurin better than everybody so he's giving him a chance johan Dotson scored an amazing touchdown today, in case anybody missed that. My point matters most is that both of these teams are just right there in the NFC playoff hunt. I don't know if it's going to matter towards making noise

into the first round, but they're both still right there, and neither of them are going away. They're going to stay competitive, and don't we get this game again? Don't we get... I believe we do. I'm literally Googling this before you said it. Don't we get it in like two weeks or something? So the Giants play the Commanders, oh my God, yes, in two weeks.

In two weeks, right? We get this again in two weeks. It's so weird when they do that. They play a team out of the bye. I hope they tie again. That would be unbelievable. What if they tie again? And then tie in the playoff seating?

What does it come down to again? The playoff seating. Yeah. If you, if you tie twice a year and you tie with your record, what does it come down to? Now I'm Googling it. Hold on.

All right. Well, anyway, the giants do play the commanders. They go to Washington stadium Stadium December 18th. Then the Commanders have the Niners. Then they have the Browns and the Cowboys. So I think that's a really, really tough schedule.

Despite the Niners losing Jimmy G today, we'll see where the Cowboys are at. I don't think they'll be resting guys. But obviously it makes it that much more important that they need to actually beat the giants and the giants have the eagles next week commanders again vikings colts eagles again so i actually think the giants needed this game more than in washington which made it that much more surprising how willing these teams were i don't want to say to take a tie, but I absolutely did not see teams putting pedal to the metal to avoid the tie either. So it's going to be, the NFC is not very good as a whole.

So maybe the Giants are still in, but I think it's a much more rockier road, especially if Washington can get Chase Young back at some point. No ads version of Taylor Heinekeke if he continues to play that way. I can't believe I'm saying this. Washington is not in the craziest of bad shape right now. It's nuts. By the way, did you find the answer on that?

Because I don't. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The following procedures will be used to break standing ties for postseason playoffs. The number one tiebreaker between two clubs head to head. Best one loss tie percentage between the two clubs. Okay. So obviously like you got to tie there.

And if you tie again, then there's no head to head best win loss percentage in games played within the division. So then it goes to division record if you tie that then it goes to best win-loss percentage in common games so against the common opponents because they do play similar opponents because they're in the same division and then it has been best win-loss percentage in games within the same conference. There are 12 tiebreakers. I just named four. Then it goes strength of victory.

Then it goes strength of schedule. Then it goes best combined rank among conference teams in points scored and points allowed for conference games. And then it's the same thing for all games, best net points in common games games best net points in common games best net points in all games best net touchdowns in all games and then number 12 is a coin toss that unreal what's the furthest we've gotten is what i want to know man what here's my question how do they like what kind of event is the coin toss? Is it like a lottery for the NBA or NHL draft

where they, like, make it a TV special? No, do you remember Friday Night Lights? Yes. The movie? Yes. When there's the three-way tie between the teams and they, like, need it like a local diner and it's raining and, like, some, like, county official literally just...

Oh, yes, the Texas is a little different, but yeah. That's what they need to do. They just need to meet up at a Waffle House or something and just flip a coin. And the local B or the team account tweets it out. We have won the coin toss. We will be in the playoffs. Unreal that it gets to that point.

There has to be something more creative than a coin toss as your last resort. How about a skills competition? Oh, we're at 12.'re at 12 time if you get to 12 you basically need to have a drew breeze competition and see you get struck by lightning first god what a week who thought that was a good idea i it wasn't real connor but the fact that they've staged it was an awful idea we're talking about it i guess i guess what a day i don't even remember what i'm not giving out the sports books name they don't deserve it oh okay all right all right all right i was i was literally that's what they want that's what they want okay all right all right fair fair fair fair fair all right what's next what game is

next next is giants washington you're both good that's my that's my what matters most and I'm surprised you really make the playoffs you're gonna be the first to admit I didn't predict that for either squad so hats off to you Jets Vikings oh you're up buddy the biggest nail biter of the one o'clocks I'm just double checking didn't Ravens Broncos which a little different fashion Ravens Broncos was a little bit like, yeah, nail biter jets. Vikings was, I had people texting me that don't care at all about either team. And some people that don't even care that or much about the NFL. And they're like,

this is bananas. All right. So what matters most to me, I'll do one for each team here. Okay. I will start with the Vikings. I think while it wasn't pretty a lot, they're secondary being able to batten down the hatches in back-to-back stops in this game matters a lot to them because I don't think this

is a really good unit, but they can score enough and get enough pass rush that if they could just communicate and play average football on the back end they're going to be they're going to be okay and they're going to make some noise in the nfc that just lost jimmy g on the niners so credit to the vikings secondary for being able to get those stops when they needed them most when the offense really had nothing in the second half the vikings scored 21st half points they had a monster second quarter They were awful in the third quarter. They got the Justin Jefferson touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Vikings defense, which has not been very good this year overall on the back end,

got them through this game, and that's huge for their playoff future. The Jets end, heartbreaking loss after the comeback, no doubt about that. But what matters most to me, Mike White can play quarterback in this league i'm not saying mike white's the starter for the next four or five years i'm not saying mike white is taking them to the promised land right now mike white is enough to the next guy if they don't believe in zach wilson's turnaround and that matters a lot for the new york jets right now because good lord if if you didn't have a mike white i I mean, yes, Flacco had the Browns come back early in the year.

Flacco did not look good at all. We've seen some bad backup quarterbacks. A lot of them had to play today. What do people want from Mike White? I was a doubter for a long time. And you can look up the stats, and sure, you see besides the 369 yards, he threw two picks. One was a tipped pass that should have been caught or called interference. The other was the end

of the game. He had to throw the ball. Yeah, right. And the play calling in the red zone by Michael Floor, awful day for him. I like Michael Floor, bad day for him. But what matters most to me, Trev, is that you don't need the question every week. Mike White, Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, Chris Trevler. Mike White deserves his shot,

and Mike White is not the problem on this team right now. I think he'll at least make the end of the season very interesting for the Jets. So shout out to Mike White deserves his shot, and Mike White is not the problem on this team right now. I think he'll at least make the end of the season very interesting for the Jets, so shout out to Mike White. Yeah, you said Mike White's not the problem. I would definitely co-sign that Mike White's not the problem. There were times as I was watching that game today where I was like, I like Mike White a a lot especially given the context

of who he is and how he's in the game i think certainly as a guy who started the season as qb3 right on the roster being able to come in almost got cut play play the way that he has over the last couple weeks that's super impressive if if zach wilson was who everybody thought Zach Wilson was going to be, the Jets win this game. Because even though they started super slow, if you had a better quarterback, I feel like that would have been mitigated a little bit sooner, and then that also would have been supercharged towards the end of the game.

It felt like it was a tale of two halves with the Jets, and that's kind of just what you have to deal with with Mike White, right? The rest of the defense. And my one thing that mattered most is certainly the Vikings got the win. They need the win. They're staying in line with the Eagles. They're not in line with the Eagles. 10-2 now.

They're close to the Eagles. They're staying within striking distance. If the Eagles mess up, the Vikings are right there, right? So they're staying within striking distance of them. They're getting a win. That's important for them. But on the Jets' side of things, I thought this was a good game for the Jets. I thought so.

I'm telling you, it was tough to swallow in the moment. Right. But the real postgame of it, I was like, man, if you told us this a year ago for the New York Jets. And they started so slow. Like, it felt like they started. A slip walk off the plane. This game was bad.

And they were able to climb back in this one. And a lot of the big stars were able to show up i think as a superstar superstar gary wilson's awesome man and dude when in the game it was near the very end right when mike white just barely missed him on that bomb would have won the game yeah the second the second to last drive for the jets gary wilson okay gary wilson finished with 166 yards. If Mike White hits that throw, he goes a mile over 200 yards. So my what matters most, I think in a more articulate way,

is for as much as I give Mike White a ton of respect, especially for where he came and how he got this job currently if they get the if they get their franchise quarterback the rest of the roster is there that's what i'm saying that's what i'm saying makes it that much more frustrating if you if you take if you take mike white and extend his ability just a little bit like if you make mike white a little bit better if zach wilson is even in year two what you drafted him to be they win this game they win this football game they they need that quarterback this roster is about to get to the point where you need that quarterback to just be like just good and good and great some weeks like almost like a

Kirk Cousins type right like oh you know you know you'll get me probably well Kirk was terrible today but you know you get really bad today you get me. Well, Kirk was terrible today, but you know, you get really bad today. You get to that point where it's just like, if you can get good from a quarterback every week, and then sometimes you can get great. This Jets team is going to be really good. I don't know what the answer at quarterback is, but it's just, we'll have that larger combo for the draft with the Jets and the offseason.

Like my thing is that, is that Mike White can get them there. It's not a total bomb out. It's not like with Ben Shackles in a word, we're sinking. He's fine. He's enough to the next guy. That alone really matters. Yes, but you still need that next guy.

I agree. I think, at least at this point. I would think that you still need that next guy. Let's see what he can do. But, yeah, we'll see where it goes. Titans-Eagles? Blowout? What'd you say?

I said blowout. Titans are a house, man. I don't know what else the takeaway is. The Eagles. Wait, did I say the Titans? Yeah, yeah. Titans are definitely not it. They're solid, but the Eagles are, yeah.

I was about to just say, Eagles are an absolute house, man. The Titans have played so many teams so incredibly well all year long, and they go to Philadelphia, and Philadelphia just goes, okay, we're on a different planet than you are. And there are not many football teams. How many times have we logged on to this podcast for a Monday edition of the show, and we go, Titans are just going to, I mean, they just win, man.

They just keep it close. They scratch and claw every week. Every single week, and the, they just win, man. They just keep it close. They scratch a claw every week. Every single week. And the Eagles blew them the hell out. This team is unbelievable. It looks like Philly's getting the number one seed. And let me tell you, if they get the one seed, they're going to the Super Bowl.

They're not going to get beat. Because I believe, well, I even believed this before the Jimmy G injury, but if the Eagles got the one seed, I think that they would be on a collision course with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship. But if it was in Philadelphia, I'm taking the Eagles. If it was in San Francisco, all of a sudden we got a damn good game. And I think anybody could have won that one. But if it's in Philadelphia, I would have taken the Eagles no matter what. Unfortunately, the Jimmy G injury, we'll get to that in a second. That really affects things. Ultimately, I would have taken the Eagles no matter what. Unfortunately, the Jimmy G injury, we'll get to that in a second.

That really affects things. Ultimately, I think the Eagles are Super Bowl bound. They took a team that has played tough basically against every single opponent they've had, and some of their opponents have been the best in the NFL. And the Eagles just clowned them today. They just clowned them. And that just shows that they are upper class. They are Tier 1. And if you give this team home field advantage throughout the playoffs, Eagles are going to the Super Bowl. today they just clowned him and they just shows that they are upper class they are tier one and if you give this team home field advantage throughout the playoffs eagles are going to

the super bowl i fully believe that man it's their house you know that their house they are you know what blows my mind with the eagles is not even so much the fact that we know all their high-end talent right but when you just watch somebody like Reed Blankenship come in and make plays for them all over the place, and the fact that Adamic and Sue was signed, what, 10 to 14 days ago, he plays a total of 24 snaps in this game and grades out off the charts in his run defense snaps, which was their biggest problem and why they signed a guy like Sue.

I just, man, everything's going right for Philadelphia right now, and a mini one on the Titans side. I love Traylon Burks. I was very high on Traylon Burks in the draft. Hope he's okay. I know he went out with a concussion. Had the great touchdown catch of where he suffered that concussion. You can't win that trade.

You can't win it. A.J. Brown just rubbed it in your face. He just said, why didn't you pay me? You can't win that trade. Some people counter and say, what if Burks turns out to be a superstar? I evaluated Burks as being a high end wide receiver and he's looked good, but AJ Brown's just, I think it also kind of does have this trickle effect to the team.

Sometimes when you don't pay guys like that, that you are willing to let them go. Cause he didn't want to pay them. And he just, boy, did he just rub it? He rubbed it in their face. Like we all expected him to absolutely cook them. It was just just it was crazy to see and McCreary and Fulton are good the two outside corners for uh for for the Titans I think

they're playing really well this year and the Eagles just whooped them they're right the Eagles are supposed to be a team that's this rushing football team right now they're out here just killing folks in the past unbelievably season for those wide receivers and for jalen hurts who should still let's not get bored about it be in the mvp conversation for what the eagles are able to do uh last two games in the one o'clock slate we got the broncos and the ravens we got the browns and the texans browns and the texans watson looked awful and i i figured that Watson was going to look awful. But the Texans are obviously worse. They have the number one overall pick right now.

They have it for good reason. They're the worst team in the NFL. I wonder if we're starting to get to any hot seat points for Casario. I wonder if Casario is on the hot seat at all. Does he get to do the rebuild, right? I don't know. I don't know. I think he will. This team is putrid. They're like they're they're really bad they're really bad and they're

really young non-competitive but they are clearly very non-competitive i mean like watson was as skittish and bad as you could be today and i looks terrible i would have told you that he was going to be terrible game one and i think that a lot of people would have told you that you would have been terrible game one i mean for game, for him coming back to be Houston. I mean, we knew that this was going to be terrible for him. And no, there were certainly a lot of Houston Texans fans out there today was one

of them, but it just, the Texans are, they're just, they're just not a competitive football team. So I really do wonder if, because I don't have anything to say about the Browns this season. I mean, the Browns are cooked, they're toast. It it doesn't matter i don't think um but for the texans

my big what matters most is yikes this was supposed to be your game like the seahawks had against russell wilson to open the season like this was supposed to be your yeah we might be bad but we're about to get an emotional win here and they stunk they're extremely not competitive Bryce Young could change a lot of things next year but I wonder if Casario is going to be the guy to make the pick I really do my gut is he will be I think the bigger question for us is should he like what has Nick Casario done what good what decisions has he made that inspires hope that he's going to make the right decisions not only at number one but with the browns pick as well how long has he been there two years right yeah i believe so i'll i'll i'll fire that up and of course we could read his drafts really quick so he took that job in 2021 yeah january 7

2021 okay so so he got the 2021 drafts oh 2021 draft though they didn't have a first round pick or a second round pick so this one doesn't really count they drafted davis mills they gave davis mills a chance i don't hate that pick nico nico Collins. I think he's a wide receiver too for him. That's fine. Revan Jordan. Athletic tight end. They got in the fifth round. That's again, fine.

Roy Lopez goaded sixth round. Got to give him the nod for that. This is a safety today. This is a Roy Lopez supported podcast here. Derek Singley jr. I like that pick. Kenyon green. Didn't love that one,

but whatever. Jalen Petrie. I think he could be good, but he's been bad at tackling. John Mechie, unfortunately, obviously, John Mechie has the off-the-field medical issues as well, but I think he's supposed to be coming back at some point, which I really hope. Christian Harris. He's still in chemotherapy, still, I believe. Christian Harris, Damian Pierce.

I mean, but nothing here tells me you should lose your job no i i don't think he's gonna lose his job i don't think you should i don't think you should be fired i don't think i don't think so either it's early because i guess it's early i'm not saying that i just i think the the kenyan green pick is one where i'm just like yeah i mean it's bad but every gm has her misses. I can't be that mad about it. Well, can't miss in this draft. And like, he might not be like a miss.

Like, let's give him a little bit of time here. What about Ravens Broncos? I have a draft take for this one. Oh, please fire away because besides Lamar getting her, what a slop of a game, right?

Good Lord. I hope Lamar Jackson's okay. Um, John Harbaugh said the knee injury for, uh, Lamar Jackson was days to weeks is what he said super helpful

you want to throw months in there as well John tell me decades next time John he is year to year the Denver Broncos obviously do not have their original pick which would be the number three overall pick in this draft, which I think would have been very helpful for the team.

You think? They do, however, currently have the number 25 overall pick, which is owned by the, which is from the San Francisco 49ers. Originally, they got it via the Miami Dolphins because that was part of the trade. So it's technically the Dolphins' record. They're sitting there at 8-4. Right?

Or did I do that wrong? Say that again. Did I do that right? Denver currently has the 25th overall pick. That's... Yeah. It was originally the Niners. It was originally the niners because they gave it to the dolphins who traded it to the yeah broncos for riley chubb yep yeah okay i got this for the

trail lands that was trail lands at the beginning i was saying a lot of words i was getting confused sorry for you got to the end point i got to the end i actually you know what i said it right the first time i wasn't even trusting myself i think i threw threw you off that's a that's an important lesson folks you got to trust yourself. So anyways, the Denver Broncos do have a first-round selection. It's just number 25. My draft take is... Take a quarterback.

Take a quarterback. Draft a quarterback at 25. Russell Wilson was bad last year with the Seattle Seahawks. Russell Wilson's bad right now. I don't know if Nathaniel Hackett's going to be coaching this team next year. Sure looks like that probably isn't going to be the case. But regardless of if Hackett's the guy or not, Russ has been bad. I legitimately would put quarterback on the table.

Now, I'm not saying take a quarterback no matter what at number 25, but like Tanner McKee, Anthony Richardson, they're sitting there and 25 still on the board. Go take one of them. I'd tell you to take Anthony Richardson. Let him sit behind Russell Wilson because obviously you're not moving on from Russell Wilson immediately. But you got to get somebody else in that building because it's bad right now. They cannot move the football at all whatsoever.

Hopefully it gets better next year because they've got Javante Williams to lean on. He's definitely going to help the running game. They've got nice guys who are backups who can be RB2s, RB3s. I've got faith there. I like the wide receiver group with Corlin Sutton. I like Greg Dolsic. I like Jerry Judy. I like KJ Hamler.

I like Tim Patrick when all those guys are healthy. That's all fine. But Russ, I mean, you cannot let Russ just go into this thing with no other quarterback option. I mean, it's either next year. It feels like maybe the year after you might get real desperate depending on how things go. But all I'm saying is 25 quarterbacks got to be on the table for the Broncos right now.

It is that bad in my opinion. I agree. I'm fascinated to see one, who's coaching the team. Two, how they balance the personality of Russ, who from everything we hear you know probably won't enjoy that if you can't take it get out you're i you're a hundred percent right who the hell cares what he thinks because he's the problem what's russ's contract i live

i have no don't do this to yourself unless you want a good laugh it's it's truly the definition of diabolical yep there you go there it is for those listening just in your ears trevor's reaction looked like he just saw somebody's head slashed right off of their neck like house of dragon all right i take it back you can't hold the whole take the what matters most he just deleted it. His dead cap next year is $107 million. $107 million. His dead cap in

2024 is $85 million. His dead cap in 2025 is $49 million. It could be the worst trade in NFL history. this might go down as the worst trade in nfl history because of the contract this is immovable so he said he's 17 million on the cap this year he's 22 million dollars on the cap next year he's 35 the year after that he's wait there's more he's 55 on the cap when he's in 2025 and then he's 58 on the cap 53 on the cap 54 on the cap for the three years after that 26 27 and 28 what who did this deal

who signed this all right never mind so i mean you know like a good playmaker a solid wide receiver would be a great draft target for you you have to you have to double down you have to double down if you're george payton you have to double down you have to triple down you have to sit in the smoky dark casino and take out every last loan you have yeah and just keep putting your chips down man and then when you run out of chips you got to go to the atm and pray that you don't get declined i didn't know it was this bad man i didn't know it was that bad okay great do you have a what matters most from ravens maracas i think we summed it up well i will say yep i'm a tyler huntley fan oh yeah absolutely i'm really excited to see what

the offseason holds for tyler huntley who i believe is an rfa let me double check this right now um i know he is definitely some kind of free agent because tyler huntley obviously was um yeah so he's an rfa after this year obviously the ravens he's a very valuable backup quarterback i'm assuming they'll tender him there's something to me intrigue wise about what can tyler huntley be versus what i know a lot of the middle tier veterans are i'll just say that so it's fair there's a mini mini take all right four o'clock before we get into four o'clock i i do have to read an ad and i'm just gonna let you know it's shorter than what russell wilson's contract implications at least it is this is a manscaped ad this is the wildest manscape copy

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Yeah, that one actually took real... It had a theme. It had a theme. It has everything you need to deck the halls from face to balls. Just, I mean, it's unbelievable. It's poetry buy the freaking products people lord what more of an endorsement can we give you okay let's hit let's hit the games i think we're going to talk um not as many words about and that is

seahawks rams and then chargers raiders do you have a seahawks-Rams take? Yeah. What do we got? Seahawks escape with the win, right? We're in a very scary situation for them. Geno gets it done. Geno had a big, big game, stats-wise and just really overall. With the random re-emergence of Cam Akers on the Rams side of this, to me, I think what matters most to me right now, because we're looking at the Seahawks in the thick of things in a playoff hunt you gotta be still really concerned with their defense as a

whole in this one right now i think that's what matters most to me is that seattle can't afford games like like this against a rams team that just has nothing right now they have no talent on the field no talent on the field, no talent on the field. So I think that it's a little bit of a lighter panic alarm because Seattle did get away with the win. And that's super, super important. Gino played really well. We've been adamant that Gino is going to be their quarterback, despite being a free agent.

He's going to be their quarterback of the future. Kenneth Walker getting her obviously was tough, but I just look at Seattle's defense and go, man, you know, it's a good thing they have the capital to do so because this is a unit that not only needs to get healthy in the offseason, but they need to add more talent really badly. Really badly. This is mean, Trevor. This is not going to be receivable. I guess my what matters most after saying all that, I just think they're a pretender. I really do. And I will raise my hand if I am wrong. This is not a good conference,

and they're not one of the teams in this conference that I think are for real. Because of their defense. Offense is so much better. Yeah, I mean, that's fair. I mean, you're saying that the Seahawks aren't going to beat the Niners, the Eagles, or the Vikings, right? That's basically what you're saying?

Or the Cowboys. Oh, okay. Yeah, all right. So, yeah, then you definitely think they're a pretender. I do think it's basically what you're saying or the cowboys oh okay yeah all right so yeah then you definitely think they're a pretender um i do think it's funny because you're like oh am cam acres big re-emergence he averaged 3.5 yards per carry he got the ball that's you're right you're right you're playing football again no he is he is he is you're right uh my one thing that matters most is you got to sign gino i mean like if there was any debate before this i mean like we're signing gino where you don't even need to entertain a quarterback even though they currently

have the number four overall pick in the draft I think Gino's your guy you just got to make Gino your guy he had so many big time throws this game it was fantastic to watch that last touchdown that DK Metcalf was nothing more than just confidence in his arm and his guy to make it done DK and Jalen Ramsey were going back and forth all game. They were talking smack to each other all game long. DK Metcalf gets a little drag route over the middle throughout through the end zone. Jalen is right on him when he goes to curve that drag route. Jalen is like in his hip pocket and DK still puts up his hand like throw me the ball and he's not really that open. Gino just boom plus the ball exactly where it needs to go Jalen had fantastic coverage on him and DK just too strong boxed him out was able to

get the touchdown I mean that was awesome to see you can't get rid of a quarterback like that who's able to do that kinds of stuff for your team with that kind of chemistry so you got to resign Gino another thing that matters most came up with this when uh myself Mike Renner, and Stone Rochelle were all watching the games today. We watched Tariq Woolen because he made a couple of big plays. And in one of the big plays that he made, I was like, we got to come up with a nickname for Tariq Woolen. I was like, it's got to be something like, can we call him like the sheep? You know, like something because it's like wool, you know?

So like something with his name, you can call him the sheep whatever they're like nah like the sheep's not that not not that intimidating and then i think it was renner who just goes what about like something with cashmere we're like wow the cashmere king because cashmere is made out of wool cashmere's made out of wool how smooth is that nickname right the cashmere king tarik woolen that's my what matters most is that we have that nickname that's nice that's real nice i it's funny i guess on the same show i call seattle pretenders i just i love everything about their future i know like with the gino situation how high powered their offenses with kent walker hopefully he's healthy he could stay healthy um and the fact

they have the top five pick that could be will anderson or jaylen carter i would just i love seattle's future and think they're going to be they're going to be really scary next year so go ahead go ahead no i was i was gonna move on so what were you gonna do scary move us on oh wow okay because we're connected go baby yeah you want to do dolphin's diners next yeah okay so the what matters most in this game could be the laundry list of injuries so let me just put all those aside to not do the hey here's what you're going to hear about on every single other podcast show yada yada i think nick bose is the defensive player of the year right now i think that's what matters most.

And I know coming into the weekend, Micah Parsons was, I almost believe, minus money. That's how much of the favorite he was. He was significant. It wasn't even like a race at this point, which always surprised me. And Micah's amazing, an amazing player. Amazing player.

There's no doubt about it that this is definitely – I think my point is it's a conversation, but Nick Bosa would be my pick to be the defensive player of the year. He had the three sacks, forced fumble. He has 14 and a half sacks on the year. I just – he wrecks games. He wrecks games. And I know there are other like you can make the argument for

micah as well but on a day they lose jimmy g they needed nick bosa to wreck this game and he did and now you're looking at a player that he obviously the season ending injury in 2020 to start the year right he comes back in 2021 he has 15 and a half sacks and 21 tackles for a loss this year he now has 14 and a half sacks already he's gonna hit 20 he could hit 20 sacks it's just an insane player an insane player mike is minus money that's wasn't bosa like plus 600 stratosphere. I have Micah being minus 1200 and Nick Bosa being plus 1100. That's not even like a, that's a no contest, right?

That's like a no con. I don't essentially, I, I, I am not necessarily saying that Nicholas is blowing out Micah Parsons. Now I'm saying, I don't understand why this is not a that's the better bet nick bose is the better bet for sure for sure yeah so um my takes

well before i read the talk miami of course because they they matter so much and i will i will in a second obviously the niners win this game 33 17 uh it was close a little bit but man the niners really pulled away and it felt like they pulled away emphatically. So it felt very one-sided for a long time. I would have told you before Jimmy G's injury that the 49ers are the scariest team in the NFC. I would have told you before Jimmy G's injury that I understand that the Eagles have a substantial lead on them when it comes to the one seed, but just the way that the Eagles have a substantial lead on them

when it comes to the one seed, but just the way that the Niners are playing, how dominant this defense is and the playmakers they have on that defense. You pair that with an experienced quarterback, a good O-line, and all the weapons that they have, nobody wants to play the 49ers. Home, away, night, day, Thursday night, Monday night, Sunday night,

Tuesday night, it doesn't matter. Nobody wants to play the 49ers. Nobody. Not even the best teams in the NFL right now. So I would have told you they're the scariest team in the NFL. And now Jimmy Grapple is out for the year. He's got a broken foot. He's going to have to have surgery. They've got to clean a lot of that stuff up. Trey Lance is already out for the year. He's got a broken foot. He's going to have to have surgery.

They've got to clean a lot of that stuff up. Trey Lance is already out for the year with an injury. They played Brock Purdy today, and credit to Brock Purdy, who looked better. Capable. More capable than I expected. Brock Purdy looked better in this NFL game than he has since he was a freshman at Iowa State.

Great take. Because Brock Purdy came on, I believe it was as a redshirt freshman at Iowa State, and everybody was like, this guy's the next guy. And then the next year came, and we actually put an NFL draft microscope underneath him, and we went, no, he's not. What happened? And then he turned out to be extremely mid over the next handful of years that he was still at Iowa state ends up being Mr.

Irrelevant in this past draft and comes in and again, like looks better than, than he did in college. So incredible job on a hand effect. Yeah. I mean, the Shanahan system is just unbelievable. So clearly they're,

they're still a force with Brock Purdy, but I'm not going to sit here and trust him over teams like Philadelphia. When it comes to winning in the playoffs. I'm not. On the other side of things, I don't think the Dolphins are Super Bowl contenders. I don't. Ooh.

I just don't think they're Super Bowl contenders. Now, that does not take away from the fact that I think the Dolphins could make it into the playoffs, get a matchup against literally anybody. I think the Dolphins could beat anybody any given week. I still believe that's true. But do I believe the Dolphins and Tua specifically can be consistent enough to win three or four games in a row to either get to or win a Super Bowl. I don't. I don't. And today, he played a really great defense

and against really great defenses that he's going to see in the NFL. Sorry, in the playoffs. I don't have faith in him to string things together. I just don't right now. And so if you want to call me a two-way hater because of it, that's fine. I still believe that any given week they can beat any NFL team because of how great that offense is. But can they do it consistently week in and week out against the best

teams going through the playoffs? I don't believe they can do that anymore. So where I think the Dolphins are dangerous, I do not consider them a legitimate Super Bowl contender this year. That is my take. They are, they ran into a laundry list of injuries today and the you know we'll see the latest on to uh tron armstead's been dealing with upper and lower

body injuries waddle got hurt i'm not making excuses for the dolphins they lost this game a game that brock purdy played a lot of the game okay so you just have to wonder how much durability it will also factor into you know know, how far they can go. So that AFC race, man, woo buddy. We can continue that talk because Chiefs Bengals has every bit of to do with it right now. The Chiefs lose the Bengals. The Bills go back into the number one seed. The Bengals go to eight and four and stay right in the thick of it right

now. So you have in this AFC playoff race, you have the Bills right now set up to get the bye. So much could change. But the Chiefs and Titans as division winners. You've got the Bengals and Ravens going back and forth. You've got the Dolphins and Jets still in the playoff seating as well.

They play each other to end the year. There is so much going on. And then you still have the Chargers who will get there too. And the Patriots. Those teams have not done themselves any favors to get back into the seating. Chiefs Bengals, Trevor. Not a good day to be Justin Reed.

I mean, why would you do that? You're talking about him? Nobody shuts down this Bengals wide receiver core. You're talking about the Twitter beef they had leading up to the week, right? Yeah, and then Jamar Chase letting them know about it in the game. The Chiefs always have this game at some point. The Chiefs always have this game where they lose late-ish in the year, then they get right. The Chiefs today and for a while have been my Super Bowl pick.

They're the only team I have a ticket on from the summer, from like June or July. Full transparency. They always have this game. Well, there is something alarming, and it goes to the Bengals' point. The Chiefs' secondary has questions, but I feel like the Chiefs' secondary has questions,

but I feel like the Chiefs' secondary always has these questions at this point of the year. That's what matters most to me for the Chiefs' side. If you have an overwhelming Bengals' take, I'd like you to go first just so I don't steal this whole game, because this was a thriller, obviously. I do have an overwhelming Bengals' take. My what matters most comes from the Cincinnati Bengals. All of a sudden, the Cincinnati Bengles are one game out of the one seed

with they are terrifying with with now with now the tiebreaker over kansas city they will potentially have the tiebreaker over the ravens because they play at the very end of the year is the very last game of the year so depending on what the score is there because they lost to the ravens early on but depending on what the score is and how bad they might beat the ravens if they beat the raven at the end of the year I believe that is in Cincinnati yes it has to be in Cincinnati um because they've only lost one game at home this year and it was the very first game against the Steelers they will also play the Buffalo Bills the week before they play the the Ravens so they will have a chance to get the tiebreaker over the

Buffalo Bills and they're home so the Bengals have a chance to get the tiebreaker over the Buffalo bill and their home. So the Bengals have the ability to get the tiebreaker over and make sure I have this right for every team, including the Miami dolphins, because they beat Miami in week four. They have, they are one game back of the number one seed and they will have the ability to own the tiebreaker over every team. If Cincinnati gets the one seed,

I think a lot of the teams in the AFC are in trouble. I talked on this podcast a couple of times before about how incredible home field advantage has been for Cincy over the last year and a half. I believe they've won seven of their last eight games at home going back to last year in the regular season and in the playoffs. And the one game that they lost at home

was that crazy, weird, didn't make any sense, almost throw it out the window, week one game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. You take that game out and they are perfect at home over the last like year and a half. This team is firing on all cylinders. Lou Anarumo is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL.

Could be a head coach very soon if he wants to climb that ladder and get to that point. Zach Taylor has figured out this offense. Joe Burrow is playing unbelievably well. They got a 100-yard rusher without Joe Mix in this game. Samajay Pirine got over 100 yards in this game. Tee Higgins is still an absolute animal, even with Jamar Chase back, and Jamar Chase, of course, proving that he is one of the top five wide receivers in the NFL. This team is so damn good. And unless they go up against a defensive line that can get after the O-line bad enough to put Joe Burrow on his butt before he can throw the ball,

I don't know how you beat this Bengals team. I just don't know how you beat them. Their weaknesses are so few and far between. So this is, the Bengals are not just a legit playoff team. They are not just a legit division contender. They are not just a legit division contender. They are a legit Super Bowl contender. I wasn't sure if I was going to get there this year. I thought a little bit of what they did last year was fluky.

They're proven that it's not. This is a legit Super Bowl team this year. And as long as they stay healthy, they could absolutely get to the Super Bowl again this year. I remember how much we preached not to overreact to the bengals start because joe burrow did not have a summer he did not have a summer september was joe burrow's preseason yep joe burrow is unbelievable and everything is going right for cincinnati right now we talked about the spartan style defense no yet, yet, no franchise name, right?

The Bengals don't have a Nick Bosa, Micah Parsons on defense, Miles Garrett. They have really good players, but they play as a unit as much as anybody. Lou Anarumo from New York. The Bengals. Shout out. Shout out.

So, here's why I love more to even emphasize your point before we move on the bengals play the browns at home next week their two road games are back to back through the rest of the year at the bucks sorry trevor at the patriots dub dub then they finish both at home bills and ravens you can make make the argument that the Bengals are the biggest control their destiny team. Yes. Out of any non,

out of any non one seed. So the bills and Eagles don't count here. They're a wild card team right now. They are the biggest control your destiny team in the NFL. That's not a number one seed in a sense that I'm betting on them, betting on her. It's a bangle. What's the Bengals? And we'll see where Lamar Jackson's injury goes,

which is really unfortunate, but it's reality of the situation right now. What's the Bengals? Hold on. What's the Bengals? Bengals Super Bowl odds right now is plus 1,100. Very interesting. Very.

Not the worst bet. Very interesting. Last game game chargers raiders raiders do it again don't know how don't know well no of course i know how it's it's on the back of josh jacobs and and from an unbelievable performance from Devontae Adams. I mean, that man went into God mode against the Chargers. That was just one of the most insane wide receiver performances we have seen so far this year. Connor, do you have a take from this one? Raiders become victorious again.

They move on to 5-7 on the year as their record, while the Chargers dropped to six and six what's your thoughts on this one so i have plenty of really bad takes predictions all those things i we have to do a weekend winner on nbc's fantasy happy hour when we close out the show fridays and my weekend winner was the raiders to upset the chargers. And the reason was, why I'm not surprised by this game, is because the Chargers cannot stop the run. And the Chargers can barely play defense at all. I look at this game, Trevor, and go,

if you're Brandon Staley and company, you knew exactly what was coming. You have a reputation of being a poor run defense team, not a good defense as a whole. You're playing the leading rusher in the NFL, the leading rusher in the NFL by a wide margin. He's forced the most missed tackles out of any running back on the season coming into this weekend. And you still let him go for 144 yards, five and a half yards per carry. I just, here's my what matters most, Trevor. The Chargers, after, and I know people are going to be like,

injuries, injuries, injuries. This is the NFL. They didn't lose Justin Herbert for the year. I know he was playing hurt a little bit at once upon a time. The Chargers don't deserve to be a playoff team. They don't deserve it. I don't think. They're particularly a well-coached football team.

And they went into a fight today where the instructions were printed out on a sheet for them of what the Raiders are going to do against them. And they still lost. And honestly, the game wasn't even this close. Honestly. They don't deserve to be a playoff team. After all of...

Everybody thought they'd win the Super Bowl. There was people that were like, they are my Super Bowl pick. Talented roster. I don't believe in this coaching staff right now, to be honest with you. Well, that's my what matters most is, is Taylor getting fired?

And it's something that I scoffed at when people brought it up like a couple of weeks ago. And, you know, I scoffed at when people brought it up like a couple of weeks ago. And, you know, I scoffed at it for a couple of reasons. I don't like when, I know it's a results based business,

but I don't like when fan bases are, are quick to get rid of coaches that I feel like have good heads on their shoulders. Like I think Brandon Staley is a smart dude. Like, I think he gets it. I really do. Does that mean that he's done everything perfectly? No, I don't. I certainly don't think that he has. And for a defensive guy to be as bad on the defensive side of the ball as the Chargers are, I mean, I think they're 28th in EPA per play on defense. I think they're 27th in EPA per pass. I think they're like 29th in EPA per rush.

And this on the defensive side of things, like giving up those kinds of points and those kinds of metrics. So like the defense is terrible. Like the chargers are one of the worst defenses in the NFL. There's no doubt about it. You can't totally write off injuries. You know, it could,

because throughout the year you're missing, you're missing OT one, you're missing edge one, you're missing CB one, you're missing wideGE1, you're missing CB1, you're missing wide receiver 1, you're missing wide receiver 2. They lost Zion Nelson for a little bit during this game. So your quarterback's obviously been beaten up. The injuries suck, and I don't think you could just totally brush that off.

No. They are bad. The team is bad. And if Brandon Staley is not going to be fired, which I still lean, no, you shouldn't fire Brandon Staley. The assistants do have to change. Joe Lombardi's got to be gone. The defense coordinator, Ronaldo Hill,

both those guys are in their second year with the Chargers. I think you might have to move on from both of them just to kind of save your own job at this point. I like, again, I like Staley. I do think that he seems to be somebody who is a smart football coach. I don't really understand how he was so aggressive last year and how he was so conservative this year. I don't know where that's really coming from like is did the olds break him yeah but like sometimes sometimes you know this we've talked about this on this show sometimes football at the highest level does not

allow you to actually make the decisions that you want to make right we talked about jim ursae the reports of him being like hey you have to start sam Ellinger and when the owner of the team tells the head coach you have to start Sam Ellinger guess what the head coach has to do start Sam Ellinger and so I wonder if people from higher up than on than Staley's seat are basically like hey man quit going for it on fourth down so much what are you doing like quit going for it because fourth down so much. What are you doing? Like quit going for it because it looks bad when you give people a conservative and traditional thing to point to when you have disappointing results. And for Staley,

even though some of his decisions were very sound logically, if people above him don't really get that, they're just, that's going to be the first thing that they point to. And they're going to be like, quit doing all this shit. Like, what are you doing?

Like, be a real coach. And it's like, I'm trying. But I don't know exactly what's going on with the dynamic behind the scenes. And I think a lot of that goes into this. So a lot of this conversation, that's kind of the breaking point that I don't exactly know where it is. I don't think you should fire him. But I do think you've got to make a change in coordinator

because you can't go into next year with Justin Herbert having one of the lowest average depth of target of any quarterback in the NFL. Like, that can't be the case. You can't go into next year being one of the softest run defense teams again. Like, it can't happen. So something's got to change majorly, but I'm not quite at fire steel yet.

So that's my that's my world management yeah you have to weigh what's out there i mean it's crazy on a day we heard that jim harbaugh is going to get some nfl looks again you got to weigh what's out there well i obviously given what's that indianapolis colts is what i said yeah i mean yeah that's what i think makes a lot of sense makes a lot of sense but know, one quick note for the Raiders, some of their young defenders, including Trayvon Merrick, solid today. These are tangible things.

These are progress. This is a team that's supposed to be built on Devontae Adams, and it's unbelievable, obviously. So maybe these wins do give them some momentum going into the offseason where they try to run it back with Carr. They try to improve where they're weak on defense and maybe get another piece for the offensive line, get Darren Waller healthy going into the year,

find a way to keep Josh Jacobs, and maybe this gives them some life, which, you know, it was an awful start to the year for the Raiders. But you don't want to just dump on the Chargers and take nothing from the Raiders in this win. Because the Raiders do have an identity right now that's working. They do. And Josh Jacobs is going to get paid. You see this running back class?

I mean, I've seen it. Yeah, I've seen it. Saquon, Josh Jacobs. Oh, I thought you were talking about the draft class. No, no, no, no. The free agent class. Which is also good. I wonder how much that's going to drive the price down.

It's going to be fascinating to see. We're obviously going to cover that and so much more throughout the rest of the league. That was our What Matters Most from Sunday. We'd love to hear from you guys. Let us know what you think. Let us know what you think of our takes. Give us your takes as well. Love to hear it on Twitter, at Tampa Bay Trey, at Connor J. Rogers.

We love to hear it in the YouTube comments. Let us know. These are just our takes. We. Love to hear it on Twitter, at Tampa Bay Trey, at Connor J. Rogers. We love to hear it in the YouTube comments. Let us know. These are just our takes. We'd love to hear yours. That's what this show is all about. So, Connor, you got anything else before we get out of here? No, we will be back on in the middle of the week. Heavy draft talk, like you said.

Might have something special for Thursday. Cooking. Cooking with gas. Maybe do a little rookie report on Thursday. I don't know. I really like that. It's a good time to dive in and see where guys are at right now. I was kind of jazzed about it. maybe cooking cooking with gas maybe do a little rookie report on thursday i don't know i really like that it's a good time to dive in and see where guys are at right now it's been kind of jazzed about it i know i like it i like it too if you guys like it let us know if you want to hear

that on thursday uh thursday is always kind of our flexible show we we want to talk about what you guys want to hear us talk about what you guys want to talk about as well so again let us know in the comments let us know on twitter let us know on instagram you can hit us up on instagram as well what you want to hear for Thursday. But next time you hear from us, it will be the Wednesday show all about the draft. We will update the draft order for you guys as it stands. Man, we're getting to the point where

almost only a month left of the season. So we're finalizing. We are honing in on what that final draft order is. So every week that we do this, every week that we go over these scenarios, they become more and more realistic with with where these teams could be we'll of course talk about some team needs some team targets all that good stuff but um that's on wednesday i'm trevor sycamore that is connor rogers thank you guys so much for joining to watch the nfl stock exchange

podcast we will see you again on wednesday on Wednesday.