Nightcap - BEST OF NFL Preseason Week 1 Part 1: Shedeur/Browns QB Drama, Saints already cooked?!

Episode Date: August 12, 2025

Recap the top NFL stories with Shannon Sharpe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson as they react to Shedeur Sanders' preseason debut with the Cleveland Browns, performances from Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough of the New Orleans Saints and more. 0:00 - Shedeur Sanders debut 25:47 - Sanders still behind Dillon Gabriel on Browns depth chart  43:46 - Saints QB1 woes (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #Volume #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports Network. Hello, it's your favorite sportsunk here. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button to join the fastest growing community on YouTube. Remember, nightcap doesn't happen without you. So please subscribe or you're going to make Ocho crack. Chodor shines in his first preseason. game, 11 of 19, 103 yards passing.

Two TDs, you know Coach Prime was fired up. Time, yes, Lord, yes, Shadour Sanders. Oh, yeah, what now? Coach Prime, God is good. Shout out to Cocoa Butter Brothers for sending us this video. LeBron James even weighed in. That young King looking good out there, Shadur, Sanders. Keep going up, head down and grind and head high to the most high.

Jordan Shult, text from a high-ranking AFC North Executive on the Brown's rookie. Shador Sanders, it's early, but wow, actually shocked how good he looks. Nike Football, when you get your opportunity, create the next one. Only matter of time. Yeah.

Ocho. Yeah. We could, look, we could pick two plays, Ocho. Well, damn, he missed the Sam Strong Safety Blitz. where he had a guy ride over to the flat on second and 18 and he skipped the ball to him. But you saw that overrout, that Brock Purdy throws so well in the San Francisco offense, you see him fit the ball into those small windows. Did you see him on the move, throw that touch pass?

Now, the receiver made a great one hand to catch, but did you see the touch? Yes. So take off your head. Listen, I wanted to see what should do it would look like in a situation that wasn't advantageous to him. he didn't get any reps as many reps as he should to prepare himself to be prepared for a game like this to this magnitude

Dylan Brooks hurt can you pick it hurt Joe Flacko not playing so the card that he was dealt to go into this game can you be a leader of men can you go in calm

show a presence of leadership run the team command the team show that regardless of who's a Regardless of who's around you, you can still conduct yourself like quarterback one. He was calm under pressure, went through his progressions, made some great throws, had some errand throws, you know, obviously that's what film is for.

That's what the precincts is for. The fix, the nooks and the crannies, to get him out. He looked like he belonged, hung. He looked different. He did. Andrew Barry, you made the right call. There's a reason that you wanted it. there's no reason he should have dropped as far as he did.

You cannot tell me as any scout of those 32 teams that didn't need a starting quarterback for those that needed a quarterback and were in need of one, watch film on Sador Sanders and what he did at Jackson State and we did at Colorado and said, you know what? No, that's not my guy. The quote you just read from the scout in the AFC North, if you watch film, what did you expect him to look like? He looked exactly like he looked in Colorado. He looked exactly like he looked at Jackson State. Calm under pressure, in the pocket, going to progressions, making the right throws.

That's what they expected to see. What they expected to see and what some hope to see might be two entirely different things. Talk to me now. Now, hope. Man, I show hope, man. I show hope this happens, man. Versus expect to see what I wanted to see. I wanted to see exactly what you wanted to see.

I want to see could he play with poise. Could he throw the ball with conviction? Could he be decisive? Could he go through his progressions? The pocket collapses. Could he take off? He showed me some of everything. The over route, threw it on timing.

Guy in his face, led him boom, drop me right in the bucket. fit those balls a pressure in his face the second touchdown pressure at his face the first touchdown the corner slumps off the flat the safety is hugging him he fits it in yes it in boom on the move the touch pass over the top as i mentioned at the top the receiver did make a great play but should door had a nice loft that's not as easy to throw to make he was impressive tonight very um and a lot of people they were in the chat last night let's see what shedore does let's see what your door does. Well, hold on, you know what they're going to say now.

Oh, it's the preseason. Oh, he's not playing against their starters. Oh, he's playing against the two. Hell, he didn't have the starters either. Well, hell, he didn't have the starters. Hello? I didn't see Jared Judy. I didn't see in Joku.

I didn't see the starting off his line. No, Senator Tillman. So this is what I have to say to those who are going to have another excuse. They're going to move the goalpost, right? They're going to move the goalpost and say, well, he wasn't going against the Panthers. Well, obviously, if he's not going against the Panthers' starters, or if he doesn't have his starters as well, and when he has at a disposal and look that good with the twos and threes and maybe the fours that are trying to make the

team, what do you think going to happen when he has the main characters in there around him? Right. That makes your job a little bit easier. That are a little bit better at their position than those that he's playing with tonight. What do you think going to happen? Well, they can try to move the goal post, but I ain't trying to kick a field goal or PAT, so I'm score anyway and should do a sanders score tonight i'm going to give credit where it's due 14 to 23 138 yards two touchdowns no interception he got two sacks like i said we can nitpick a couple of things yeah

the strong safety uh the sam strong safety blitz probably like you know what but it looked like he was telling the guy bro i need you to hook up on that you're probably not going to be able to outrun the safety lamar jackson hold on to the ball a little longer because he could outrun the safety josh allen same thing that's not should do or should do it's not a um a mobile quarterback he's going to do all most the majority of his damage is going to be in the pocket Ojo right he's Tom Brady he I'm not saying he's Tom Brady but he has the athleticism

that's not what he's known for go ahead Ojo this is thing when he lacks in athleticism and inability to get out the pocket he has great pocket presence being being able to move and being able to not telegraph

but understand when that clock is ticking and when it's time to get up out of there right he can move extremely well within the pocket without having to take sacks. What about the third down, huh? The third down, when he scrambled, the D-Line ran a stunt. He was able to get outside of it.

I like, you know what I like the most? He saw the stunt and took off immediately. Yes, yes. That's what I like, Ocho. That's what I like. Oh, I don't know who's supposed to go first and who's supposed to, I don't know who's supposed to E or who's supposed to T, and I don't know who's supposed to T.

Right, right, right. But I'll tell you what, I'm going. I'm going, yep. Yeah, y'all, I tell you what, y'all figured out in film study tomorrow. But in the meantime, I'm about to pick up this, I'm about to pick up the first down. He's played himself. He might have started after four, but after this performance, he can't be number four. Because here's the fact, Ocho.

How? It's impossible. He told us something very, very interesting. He says, you can lose your job because of injury. Because let me tell you what's going to happen. if you get injured and you're out and a guy comes in and he's playing better than you before you got injured is his job now ask yourself with Dylan Gabriel before he got hurt was he playing better than what you saw what should do or Sanders do tonight can't pick it ask yourself

this question was he playing better than what should do or was what than what should do or play tonight yeah so if you're going to honestly ask ask answer those questions okay right And the thing about it, what people need to understand, for those that in the chat, it's one thing to have joint practices, it's one thing to practice against yourself and look good against your players. Yes. Everything is scripted on. Everything is scripted, even defensively, in those joint practices at time because there's

certain things they want to work on defensively, and there's certain things that you want to work on offensively. When you get into the game, nothing, nothing is shared from team to team. No. So it's a green light in everything. everything going as if it's a real game. You're working your scheme, your game plan, and all you have to do is executed. In its simplest form, as simple as preseason games are from an offensive perspective

in the way the players are called, and he did that tonight to a hell of a job, one hell of a job tonight. And this is just something to continue to build off of, clean up. There were some mistakes, obviously. They're going to always be mistakes and things you can get better at. And you continue to see different looks. looks. You're not going to get many looks. Obviously, it's the preseason. Everything you see defensively will be very vanilla, you know, cover tool. Sometimes you might throw in, you know,

man. Don't count the plays, Ocho. Make the plays count. Yeah. Oh, and listen, he made him count the night on. That's what you have to do when you're a low round draft pick, Ocho. Me being a, no, bar. Being a, being a low round drive pick, Ocho, you're not going to get the plays that a high round draft pick is going to get. No. So don't go out there thinking that. But when it's your time shine? Yes. You got to. When it's your time shine?

And that, hey, if you say I don't count time, I make time count, well, I didn't count plays. As my brother used to say, hey, I know you didn't get that many reps, keep your head up. Because one day, John Elway going to call for you. He going to look for you. You need to make sure you're ready. You need to be, make sure you're where you're supposed to be. Right.

Shador didn't get a whole lot of reps. But when opportunity presents itself, that's what luck is. It's when preparation meets our opportunity. I meanson said some call it luck I'm glad you just said what you just said you just said shoulder didn't get as many reps as you should have in practice

but he got into a game and what did he do right but the ref that he did get in practice he made those count because a lot of times I've seen it I don't know if you see it on show I've seen guys man I ain't getting no burn man I can't and then when you get out there you effing up he's fucking up yeah my bad

Shador says hey these ones one of two reps I might get with the three, the threes and fours, I got to make these counts. These got to be my, this has got to be my best worker today. Yeah. Because you know why, Ocho, it might be my only worker today. Yeah. So if it's my only, it's got to be my best because this is the only time they're going to see me on tape.

They see me standing behind and, you know, hey, I'm being part of a good throw, a good catch, good run, good job offensive line, good play called coach. But at the end of the day, I need to get an opportunity to show you what I can do. And when the opportunity presents itself, that's what luck is. Preparation meeting opportunity. Amundsen said some call it luck. Hey. Hey, listen, I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy for Young Bull. This is one of the few times. I can't think the last time that everyone was excited, excited about wanting to watch a Cleveland Brown's game. Did you see all the people in the stands with the 12 and with the signs? Did you see

all that, oh, Cho? A Cleveland Brown's game. on the road. Cleveland don't travel like that. Trust me. I was in the same division with the Jokers. And guess what? We used to play them.

Same. Same. They didn't travel like that. And they ain't got no reason to travel because they've been bad a long time. Yeah. So listen, tonight we saw a very small sample size.

We saw a very small samas of what Shador Sanders can look like. The fact that he played with the twos, with threes, maybe against twos and threes. Yeah, for sure. I say this to say, to say that. What happens when he's with the ones

having to run that same offense? Right. And you, and you, guess what? And you go and you game playing. I'm just calling plays arbitrarily, Ocho. That's it. That's all they do tonight. I'm not game planning.

I'm not game planning because we normally game playing game three. Right. We go back and now the coaches go back and they look at what they did last season and we script a game plan that's going to be what we think we're going to see on first down, second down, third down. third and short, third and long, down in distance, area of the field, first and goal, second and goal, third and goal.

Now we're calling plays, not just to arbitrarily call plays, we're calling plays with a purpose, for a purpose. And eventually they're going to get to that. But I was impressed, look, I understand it's the preseason. But for someone that didn't get as many reps, made the reps that he did get, he made them count in practice.

And when he got his opportunity, when an opportunity presented itself, he took full advantage Tom Brady's the opportunity presented itself which is hey when the rubber meet the what when the rubber meet the road man

and so uh should he should be proud of himself you know him being who he is raised how he was raised you're supposed to say weird I guess you raised livestock and animals

but anyway being raised how he was raised he's not going to be He's not going to be, he's not going to get too high, Ocho, because guess what? Yeah. Even keel. Yeah.

You got to stay even kill. You know why? Because not only you have to deal with the noise on the outside, that's one thing. But now you got to deal with the noise on the inside, especially with the owner coming out just last week saying, that wasn't my pick. Yeah. That wasn't my pick. That's not who I wanted.

Thank you, Mr. Hems. How you doing, Mr. Hemsman? Make sure Andrew Berry gets all the credit. Like you said, Brother Hatham, don't smile. Don't even, don't say anything start with an ass. He said. Don't say, shh.

Don't you say, the audacity. Don't you say itch? The nerve, the gall. I'm appalled. Well, I'm a David. I'm going to say it one more time. And this is for everybody in the chat. If, even if you don't like Shador, even if you don't like them, how do you watch

film, college film on Shador Sanders and every other quarterback that went before him and see what all of them have done and say, you know what? No, I'm a pass-up with him. That's not the guy I want. Right. New Orleans Saints. Pittsburgh Steelers.

I don't know what other teams that were in need of a quarterback. How do you do it? I'm just asking from a person that played the game of football and understanding, I have an eye, I have an eye. I played the game for a very long time. At a very high level, I'm not saying I'm a scout. but I know what it's supposed to look like in situations

that are not advantageous for you. I just saw a young fellow win in Jackson State turned a Colorado program around that won one game regardless of what his record was in its totality, 23 and 12, whatever may have been,

I know what it can do when you got the right pieces around him. I know what he can do. He's a winner regardless of what situation you put him in and he showed it again tonight, yet again a night. with his back up against the wall. Yeah. He just has the demeanor to be a quarterback.

Nothing seems to impact him. He doesn't get too high. He doesn't get too low. He has the utmost confidence in himself. And most quarter, most the good ones really do. No matter how bad. And we've seen it. No matter how bad it might be going, the really good ones,

you know if it's late in the ball game, they got a chance to beat you. Yeah. And Sjouder is in the situation where it's like, doesn't make any excuses, and he always says the right thing. Listen, it's not as easy as you think to always say the right thing because you're dealing with the human element of it, the human element of it. No matter how much you have, no matter how little you have, no matter how good you've been,

no matter how bad you've been, you're dealing with the human element of it. And people have emotions, people have feelings. And so sometimes when people lash out and say things like, damn, man, you know, you take the amount of time, but he hears what's being written about him. Absolutely. He hears, he sees, if he doesn't, he's getting work,

it's getting back to him. But I just loved the way the man, he kept his head down, closed off his ears, and just did what he was supposed to do. He went to work. And that's how you have to approach it. Don't get mad.

I ain't trying to prove y'all wrong. I'm trying to prove me right. And in the process of proving me right, prove you wrong it was it was a great job it was his first outing like i said those throws it was the throw it wasn't so it was it was it was the throws that he made ocho go back and take a look at that overball and we see brock purdy throw three or four those a game to iuk he used to hit britt uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh debo on those plays you'll kiddle on the over look at how he threw that ball the timing of it do you do you understand the anticipatory skills

have to have as a quarterback with pressure coming at you, there was one, there was one, there was one overthrow he couldn't even see. Yeah. Because on the replay, we couldn't even see him. We just saw the ball come out. So he's anticipated where the receiver was going to be. And he just made the throw and put it only where the receiver could catch it. Yep.

That first touchdown. When people saw tonight, I don't think they understand how difficult the game is. I don't think they understand how difficult the game is. But he made it look like he's been doing it for a very long time. it's his first time, it's his first time in the NFL game. But he's used to it. Oh, Chad, look at his mannerisms. Look how he walk on the first down.

Okay, he almost did the watch celebration. He said, you know what? I'm looking at the time, but it ain't time yet. And just, you know, just everything about him and being quarterback number one, just the way he carried itself. He was ready for the moment. No matter what they, no matter what they did,

no matter what they said, just put me in a situation, just hand me the cards, give me the hand, and I'm going to play it. And he did that just exactly how he showed the night. The hand he was dealt, he played the hand very well. And it's only going to get better from here. It doesn't go backwards. You don't digress. I'm excited.

And this is coming from a Bengal fan at heart. I'm excited for the Browns to finally maybe. You have the answer at the quote of that position at the trying 35 times over the years. You know, I, man, listen, man, I can go on and on about this, but go ahead. You got it. I think the thing is, the biggest thing in an athlete can have is the ability to believe that he belongs, he or she belongs. I was a seventh round draft pick. You do it was a five.

There was 12 rounds. When I was a seventh, there were seven rounds. He's a fifth. Yeah. But there is not one point in time that I didn't feel I belong. on that field. Because I saw a lot of these guys at the bowl games.

I saw these guys at Combine, and I read about them. Yeah. And I remember, I remember calling my brother at the East West Shrine Gras. They do not better than me. They're not better than me.

I don't care what they say. Yeah. I remember going to the Combine. I said, man, I, you know, what you think you read? I say probably 4-6, 4-7. I say, but they're not better than me. They might be faster to me,

but they're not better than me. I belong in the NFL. And when I went to Denver, all those guys that went before me. I'm like, ain't no what? I remember asking myself, how in the hell did you get drafted before me?

Yeah. I said, but don't worry about it. Don't worry about it. I say, it won't be long. It won't be long. It was like the cat, when a girl, and she said, boy, the cat got his tail caught in the washing machine.

You know what he said, Ocho? He said, it won't be long now. He said, she didn't know what he was talking about. His tail wouldn't be long anymore or it wouldn't be long. for it all be over. Yes, so. Yeah, man.

And when we put the pads on, Ocho? Yeah. I'd never forget, because, you know, the rookies, we went to camp before the vet. So we would go, like, a couple of days

before the vet, so we would already be practicing. Right. At, in Denver, before we headed up to Greeley. Right. I saw him. They was nervous, Ocho,

like a long-tail dog with a porch full of rocking chairs. You know, if somebody leaning back and go, you know, you don't know what I'm talking about now. Mm-hmm.

I told them they were nervous. I say, oh, yeah. That's all I need to see. Just a little fear. Just a little fear in the man's eyes. Because that's my greatest ability. Yes. Another man's fear.

Yeah. I like it. I like it. And listen, I know we've been talking about Shadour, but listen, remember I told, remember what I told you about the Panthers, right? Yes. Remember what I told you about the Panthers? If there's a dark, a chat, stay with me real quick.

If there's a dark horse team that I believe in this year, that is going to creep up and maybe make it run into playoffs, I said it would be the Panthers. They didn't look bad. Bryce Young didn't look back. Jalen Coker went crazy tonight. T-Mack, the rookie from Arizona

looked good tonight. I know Xavier Lekid got thrown out, getting into a little tussle. Listen, I love the passion. It's just preseason. That's fixable. That's fixable. But again, look how the Panthers

look early in the game. I know everybody tuned in the washer door, but I'm telling you right now. And I say it first, someone that's that's not much of a panther fan didn't play for the organization, they owe me nothing. I'm telling you

the Dark Horse team for this season, the Carolina Panthers, Bryce Young, in their receiving cord. I'm telling you, watch. Oh, Joe, I ain't never been that hot in a preseason game. No?

The tussle? Oh, yeah. They were going at it. They were going at it. I don't really. really got no tussing in practice. Bro. Because I'll tell you,

what Dan Reed's going to say, you fighting, that means we ain't working hard enough. Mike Shanahan say the same thing. We ain't working hard enough. Bro, it ain't like it is now, bro. Them two hour, two and a half hour practice,

man, please, with pads and you had on pads and, oh, let me take that back, Ocho, you have on, they call, see, what they call shales with shoulder pads and shorts. It's not shells like they call it now. Basically got those little, don't little fitted, a styrofoam stuff on,

that was not shells when I got in the 90s Shells were shoulder pants and shorts shorts yeah and you know we hit they were we hit back then 9 on 7 was live live yep

team team was a solid thud up it wasn't no touch the guy on it like two hand touch oh no you put shoulders on it you put pads on it yeah you better come to you better come to balance and be ready

I remember Dennis Smith We call him Kahuna And Atwater Man, they come down in that box Well, we had thumpers back then Oh yeah Man, please Atwater ain't played well

No Atwater coming down here now And Atwater wasn't the thumpel Like Dennis Smith, Kahuna was the thumpper Number 49 Oh, whoa, whoa, more than Atwater? Yes Lord Oh Cho

I saw that joke Hey, at 205, 210 I saw him sit lineman sit lineman on their ass they pulling he ain't never go low right up high he put and that shoulder in their chest and sit them down at 210 at 210

dang go back if y'all can find it go back and check the tape he hit Roosevelt Pots they both ran he pops come through the hole he hit him he was out cold uh marian butts

Hey, if you, if you're a Charger fan, you know who, because back then, Ocho, they had a big old, big running back. They had big Marion butts. They had Rod Bernstein. They had Joe Caravello, big, Joe Cox. I mean, the tight ends were like 300 pounds. Offensive line, mammoth offensive line. Yeah.

Kahuna run through him. Go back and look at that play with Dennis Smith, he hit Marion Bus and he hit Roosevelt Pots. Yeah. And you know who else was a thump or two? Remember Donovan Darius? Yeah. Yeah, I played against DDD at Jacksonville.

But that was back in the 90s. You had Chuck Cecil. You had Mark Carrier from Chicago. Yeah. Boy back there, it wasn't nothing defenseless about that. They said, you got him in his shoulder pants. What the hell you thought was going to happen? You cut across the middle.

Oh, yeah. You're going to get that work. What? You're going to get that work. Rodney Harrison. Oh, raw coming with all four arms every time. Hey, I say, bro, hey, say, hey, shark, just stay on my knees. I say, hey, gotcha.

But, boy, we definitely try to hit each other in the mouth. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Hey, that's a hard playing joker. I'm Jake Hofer, and this is Back 40, a limited series show on Wire to Hunt, part of Meat Eaters podcast network. Each episode, I'll be asking eight white-tail hunting pros, a focused, thought-provoking question about hunting and land management. How do I hunt the best part of the farm with less than ideal access? Should you, that's what the real question is. Stand without good access is not a good stand. Listen to Back 40

on iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season two of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapino, to the show. And we had a blast. We We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, co-hosting a podcast with her fiancé Sue Bird, watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen. What do you miss the most about being a pro athlete?

The final. The final. And the locker room. I really, really, like, you just, you can't replicate. You can't get back. Showing up to locker room every morning just to shit talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candice Parker and Koppel. college superstar A. Z. Fudd. I mean, seriously, y'all. The guest list is absolutely stacked for

season two. And, you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. NFL Insider says Jodora Sanders still stands behind Dilling Gabriel for the Brown's coaches. Gabriel is the head of Sanders in the eye of the coaching staff, but rarely in training camp has that position matched what we've seen on the field. The quarterback situation remains the story of camp and Shuduantz is settling in to lead

three scoring drives in the most extended action of the summer won't make the team's consistent stance that Sanders is fourth in a line any less perplexing. No reasonable person thinks Sanders will be fully ready to lead a team and consistently attack a complicated defense three weeks from now. He's shown enough talent and growth. However, to make anyone believe he should be on the team and have a chance to develop into a

starting quality player, Sanders is talented, his throat out of the end zone to wide receiver Greg Labardon in the preseason opener and it's floated down the sideline to receiver Luke Florea later approved. Until

we see Sanders get practice reps with the number one offense, we can't believe the Browns view him as having much of a shot to be the number two when the season began. I agree with what they're saying. But that's my point is, okay, you said, have we seen enough? Have you seen enough for Dylan? What have you seen from Dylan Gabriel to make you think he can be number two? Did you hear, did you, who the, excuse me, who wrote that? the brown's athletic insider the brown's athletic insider the brown's athletic insider right yeah so you see sure do or do do what he does three quarters of football three i think maybe maybe play well into the

fourth quarter right yeah i think so in a live game you saw him play the way he played and still questioned if he can do the same thing when he has the actual starters at his disposal I'm confused. My thing is, he says no reasonable person thinks Sanders will be fully ready to lead a team and consistently attack a complicated NFL defense three weeks from now. What about Dylan Gabriel? Has he shown you enough to make them believe that three weeks from now, he can leave this team against a complicated defense?

I digress even further. has Kenny Pickett ever shown you that he can lead a team against a complicated defense? Because all I know is that what I keep hearing is what you're telling me what he can't do. Like my coach just saying, call it, hey, well, find something that he can do.

See, you keep telling me what should do or can't do where your job as a coach is to put players in position and find something that they can do. Wait a minute, but where's the can't coming from when we just saw him do it. I know it's a small samasides. It's three quarters of football.

But everything you said he can't do, he just did. Matter of fact, he just did when we already saw him do at Jackson State. He just did when we saw him do at Colorado. We just did, even though it's a small samaside. Uncle, I played the game for a very long time. Yep. I played the game for a very long time. I'm a receiver.

I know what it's supposed to look like. I know what it looks like when there's a quarterback that's playing in a game and he's confident he's polished his pocket presence his mannerisms I know what it should look like we've seen Kenny Pickett

with the Steelers if he was the answer for Cleveland he would have been the answer in Pittsburgh no what's the question you're asking because if Kenny Pickett

is the answer I need to know the question did he play for the University of Pittsburgh yes I don't know what I don't know what more I don't I don't know what more listen when you when you when you when you fill out your resume right when you fill out your resume and you're going for that job interview you want to put your best foot forward yes you want to keep a lasting impression correct well the lasting impression is what what we saw Friday night from the person they claim is the fourth is the fourth string quarterback yeah Okay, what we do? We bill from that on Saturday.

Well, you bill from that, no, you build from that starting in practice by giving him more reps, more quality reps. You don't leave him in the position that he was in where he's getting a handful of reps with the threes and fours. You give him some opportunities with the ones, with the two. I'm not saying he has to take five, six reps with the ones, but I'm saying you sprinkle, maybe you give him one or two reps. Maybe you give him three or four reps with the twos. I do agree with this. until we see Sanders get practice rest with the number one offense,

we can't believe the Browns view him as having much of a shot to be number two when the season began. True. I do agree with that statement. You're not going from four to two. If you're four training captain all of a sudden, the season starts, you're number two. They're going to need to see you with the ones and twos

to feel comfortable because they got to make a decision. And when you make that decision, you release somebody. Ain't no guarantee that you're going to be able to bring them back and put them on your practice squad. somebody might sign them and put them on an active roster so that's the case ohcho do i stay on your practice squad for say 25 30 000 or do i go somewhere and get an opportunity to get a real roster spot and make almost a million dollars a year so that's the question that you have

that's a decision that you make when you release these guys because i'm sure there are some guys you know i would love to have him to have another year learning our system and when we come back next year having a uh uh the o tas the training camp the season of working the scout team stuff. When we come back for OTA's Ocho, he should be good to go. He should be fully developing good to go. So I don't want people thinking that we beat,

Ocho and I are beating up on Zach Jackson. I agree with what he's saying. But my thing, I'm more talking about the Browns as an organization, as a coaching staff. Are you, are, because the fans are saying, you want us to believe you or are lying eyes. I know I know what my eyes I saw I know what I saw I hear what you say it but I see better than I hear come on now y'all keep telling us Dylan Gabriel Dylan Gabriel but we have yet to see him now everything that I see is that now he's you know she's not better than she do her for most of the articles that I've been reading it eight people can write whatever they want to write so I don't want to put too much emphasis but I haven't seen I haven't read a whole lot that where they said that Dylan Gabriel

is better, has been played better or playing better than Shadour. What did I tell you, what did I tell you not too long ago? Yeah. But how camp look. Yeah. I'm not saying no names again this time because I don't want to get nobody in no trouble. Mm-hmm.

What did I tell you? Yeah. And then exactly what that individual said, who's in there every day that plays on the other side of the ball and has to see it exactly what he said way back then, we saw it show up. the fact that he's not getting first team reps with the ones of the twos and still went out there and looked the way he did what does that tell you

he getting marginal reps to begin with damn the one of the tools oh cho he barely getting reps at all and then strip okay i'll say no more again say no more so you're not doing him justice in practice but still showed up in the game and looked apart and looked like that What does that say? But we're going to see Saturday. And I hope Dealing Gabriel gets his opportunity because I would love to see what he does

and what he gives that offense and that coach and staff that believes in him, I'm hoping he gets a fair shot. I'm hoping he does. I'm hoping he does. I would love to see it. I would love to see it. I know he's a competitor.

He was great at Oregon. He was really good. So I'm all for it. Yeah, it's... Let the guy, like, it's like when you end that situation, the guy flashes. Normally when guys flashes in camp, Ojo, you and I both played the NFL for a long time. We both played at a high level. Every team that I've been on, when a guy flashes in practice, a guy flashes in the game,

he gets to move up and he gets meaningful reps, more meaningful reps, meaning for reps, meaning he's no longer on the third or fourth. they'll sneak some reps in with the twos. Maybe they'll give him one or two shots with the ones. That's normally how it works. They're not so set in their ways that it's like, oh, we just see this guy as, it's kind of like TD. I gave a prime example.

TD was a guy. TD was a six-round draft pick. TD was probably like the fifth of the six running back. But every day, he made that play on kickoff, and every day you saw TD get a little better. he gave him a little bit more reps and so all of a sudden he'd go from six to five from five to four

four to two after the first game of the season TD won normally that's how it plays out guys show you in the game because when guys flash in practice Ocho you're thinking to yourself

I wonder if he do that in the game I'll coach put his ass in the game let's see what he could do. Right. That's, that's normally how it happened. Wade Phillips, our defensive coordinator, that's how I got in the game. He said, Dan, put his ass in the game.

Let's see if they can cover him, because we can't. Dan, like, okay, they put my ass in the game. Yeah. Well, Shadour, I think Shadour showed you something that he deserving. I'm not saying he needs to, you need to implement him as the starter, the number one, Ocho. So we didn't say that. That's not what we're saying.

But I think he's shown you enough Friday to says, you know what? We might need to give him some more quality reps with guys that's going to be playing on Sunday. And let's see him facing the number one defense, Miles Garrett, those guys over there. But let's give him Jerry Judy. Let's give him in Joku.

Let's see if he can replicate some of that what he did on Friday with the ones. day. Yeah. That's all we're saying. And can I say one more thing? Go ahead. If you can do what he did without getting the practice reps in a game, without the number

ones around him, things only get easier when you have the ones at your disposal that are better at the position, Cedric Tillman and Joku, Jerry Jue. it only becomes easier, unc. It doesn't get more difficult. Now, once you're planning against a team that's skiing for you and disguises and does all the stuff, you know, with a game planning for you, okay, that's different. Then you just have to process a little bit faster.

Yes. Everything is vanilla. They line up and they just go. That's exactly how it is. But, Ocho, you get better at something by doing said things. Yes. You heard what you just said? You get better

or something by doing said thing. But he wasn't doing said thing because he wasn't doing said and still looked the way he did. I agree. I agree. But they don't view it that way. They, that organization,

they don't view it that way. How? I don't know. I don't know. But I'm guessing in the direction in which they're going, I'm hoping they're right. They haven't been right

in the 35 quarterback that they tried previously. Or maybe I'm wrong. No. I just think, I do believe that he's earned the right to get quality reps with the ones and twos.

I'm not saying that you implement him that now he's QB1. I'm not saying it's QB2. Maybe, but I think he's earned that opportunity I know one thing I know one thing they better put a statue

of Andrew Barry outside their goddamn stadium I tell you that I can already foresee how it's going to go I already know how it's going to go

I can already see it they're going to continue to play continue to play continue to play put everybody in front of him continue to play and then when his opportunity presents itself like it did because of injury he looked a certain way you can't deny it no you can't deny it no matter what you try to do you can't deny it you can't oh joe and in cleveland doing this sometimes a man can make his destiny on the very road he took to avoid it Sometimes they might even have their quarterback even though they tried to avoid giving him the opportunity.

Come on, man. Come on, man. On the very road you took to avoid it, you found your destiny. I just, I'm not saying I'm general manager. I'm not saying I'm a player personnel director. I just know that when guys flash go back

Tom Brady they kept four quarterbacks that year. Yeah. Coach Belichick said that he saw something in Tom that said

if he got more of an opportunity he might be okay. He didn't know he's going to be this hell if he knew he was going to be that somebody would have taken

him in the first pick in the draft. Right. But he flashed enough. Guys, You know, late round picks. Okay. Like, he, he's showing something.

He just, sometimes you just need time. Sometimes you need more opportunity. You know, looking at Trey Lance, Tray Lance, like, he needed time. Time, which the 49ers didn't have. The 49ers are on the clock. They got to win now with the roster that they have. They're not in rebuild. Well, the Cleveland, I mean, you just gave a guy $140 million.

He's under the assumption. Now, he played it both ways. You know, I won out, y'all not winning, got the money. Hey. But what are y'all, what are y'all doing? Are y'all in rebuild or you're trying to win? Because y'all see who is in your division. Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrell.

Now, Lamar Jackson is 27, 28. he got another five to ten years in Baltimore. Joe Burrell might be a year younger than Lamar. He's got another five to ten years in Cincinnati. Well, while y'all playing musical chairs with quarterbacks, they've identified their guy, and he's going to be there for almost a decade. You're not beating a team that has an established quarterback

playing musical chairs with quarterbacks. No, uh-uh, not at all, not at all. Listen, I mean, it's, it's, it's exciting. It's exciting. And listen, even as a Bengal fan, as a Bengal player at heart, it's, it's enjoyable to be talking about the Brown. It's enjoyable, huh? It's exciting.

It's exciting for, for Brown fans. I mean, when's the last time you had a player of this magnitude, Who's a rookie that has you guys in the national spotlight like this? Right. At all times. Basically, yeah, you got to go back to Johnny football. Oh, hey, boy, Johnny, boy, Johnny was special, boy. Yeah.

Another Texas, N.M. Johnny was special, boy. Yeah. You were special. So it's, we'll see. It'll be interesting to see when they go out to practice today. I mean, excuse me, today. tomorrow what comes back what type of reps

did Shadour get did he get refs with the ones did he get a rep or two with the ones did he get anything with the twos or was he back relegated to be in the fourth quarterback and getting one rep

with the fours or no reps or just getting side work that's going to be the tell that's going to tell us Ocho yeah because what they talking and what's actually happening, we'll find out.

Yeah. We'll find out. And we'll see how they play this thing out on Saturday when they play the game. I'm Jake Hofer, and this is Back 40, a limited series show on Wire to Hunt, part of Meat Eat Eaters podcast network. Each episode, I'll be asking eight wide-tail hunting pros, a focused, thought-provoking question about hunting and land management. How do I hunt the best part of the farm with less than ideal access? Should you? that's what the real question is.

Stand without good access is not a good stand. Listen to Back 40 on IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season two of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapino to the show, and we had a blast.

We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, co-hosting a podcast with her fiancé Sue Bird, watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen. What do you miss the most about being a pro athlete? The final. The final. And the locker room.

I really, really, like, you just, you can't replicate, you can't get back. Showing up to locker room every morning just to shit talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar A.Z. Fudd. I mean, seriously, y'all. The guest list is absolutely stacked. for season two. And, you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and

happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Ooh, New Orleans. Uh. Boy, y'all are a heap of trouble. Spencer Rattler.

Mm. So if you just take that R and put a D. Yeah. That's what you say's fans. That's what y'all got to look forward to. And the preseason open to despite throwing a pick six rookie Tyler shook comes off the bench and outplayed Rattler. If you could believe that, it's kind of like getting bit by a water moccasin or a rattlesnake. It's just how close are you to antivenom?

I mean, both are going to hurt. Right. Both are going to excruciating pain, swelling will be immediately shortness of breath. Yes. That's what you get with. these two quarterbacks. I don't know why they didn't. I hope Kellen Moore, who's a Super Bowl winning offensive coordinator. I hope he signed a long, long, long term deal, like six years. Because it's going to be a while with those two

quarterbacks. Yes, sir. Before they win. Before they win. Same quarterback in the first preseason game, Rattler was 7 of 11, 53 yards, zero touchdown, zero interception, but he did lose a fumble. Tyler Shuck, 15 or 22, 165, one touchdown, one pick six. Oh choo i go ahead listen listen i listen while i was watching the game today before the game started i threw out a tweet to saints fans i have a lot of saints fans that follow me on twitter excuse me that follow me on x and the question was are you guys optimistic about spencer rattler as quarterback number one and all the answers were unanimous and saying that they don't believe in him and there were a few that said you know what i'm optimistic about him he can improve

in his second year so based on the small sample side we're able to see from spencer ratler today it didn't look promising but again it is a preseason it is a preseason maybe a little rusty first time out against competition outside of yourself so i want to give him a little grace i want to give him a little grace but he's not a rookie ocho yeah i i know what you mean he started he started real games last year. I would expect him to look a little better the second time around in a vanilla type game playing than a rookie, then say Jackson Dark, say Shador Sanders, say some of these, even even Shook.

Okay, if Shook's going to struggle, okay, I get that. He's a rookie. First time playing in the NFL. Now the guy that started games in the NFL to play that, ugh. Yeah. I mean, listen, it looked rough, but last year watching Spencer Rattler, he played. bad at times but at times he showed flashes of what he can do what we have to find he have to find that that happy medium that keel of balance yes consistency where it doesn't drop below

the bar the standard has to be the standard of consistency he hadn't found that yet obviously i'm not going to panic i'm not saying i'm a saint's fan but just for his sake i think quarterback number one is spencer raler i don't see a rookie beating them out obviously it looked good tyler how do you it pronounced that thing? Shuck. Like Tyler Shuck, obviously probably going against the threes and the four. Once he did get into the game, you would look a certain way. You would look a little better in that manner.

But I think Spencer Rattler is the answer for them. And it's unfortunate. But again, it's a small sample size. I wouldn't panic right now, being that everything is so vanilla, but the fact that it is vanilla, you should look to par. You should look apart with it being your

second year. Yeah. Second year, yeah. I think the thing is what, for me, Spencer Rattler's style of play will eventually get him cut and a coach fired. Wow. That's what happens when you're not consistent at that position. Yeah. Yeah. Because that position gets coaches fired quicker than anything.

Get general managers terminated quicker than anything. Now, they feel comfortable enough. They're like, okay, we're going to wait until I think they got shook in the second round, second or third round. They're like, we like Spencer Rattler. They like him. Right. He was a highly sought effort guy, went to the University of Oklahoma, you know, and then Caleb Williams came.

He transfers, goes to the University of South Carolina. So he has some armed talent, but he's just a little inconsistent for my taste. And it's hard to win when you don't get consistency out of that position. Because eventually it will get him cut and it'll get the coach fired. Yeah. Because that we had, Richard Smith used to tell us all the time. He says that type of play will get you cut and get me fired right. Yeah. Yeah. I can't get any better because all I can do is just give you what you should be doing. It's incumbent upon you. He's kind of, you know, loose with the ball. It's easily knocked out of his hands. He turns it over. But this is what the saints, you know, what happened was is that when you have quarterbacks like Breeze and you have quarterbacks like Manning and you have quarterbacks like Brady, you don't. You don't. You don't. You don't. don't want to waste the guy.

So you're picking guys in the fourth or fifth round and you're letting them sit with no chance of getting, you know, not doing anything. And so when those guys move on, now you got to rush. They try James, James tears his knee. They tried to Tate some Hill, but I never thought Tatea Hill was a quarterback. He was very good in the role that he was in as a Jack.

He'll play a little quarterback, he'll a little fullback. He could play some tight in. He's good on special teams. He's a jack, do a lot of a multitude of things. But I didn't think he was a specialist or a great quarterback. So I never thought that experiment was going to work. I think James could have been good, but James was towards me. And then they kind of moved, they kind of moved on from Jamers.

The way I look at, I think defensively, they might be a little, you know, they might be a little better. They're starting to get a little older. Honey Badger retired. Jordan, Cam Jordan, I think he's going into his way. But it's 15th season. He was in that 2011 class with Von Miller and JJ Watt, all those guys. But in that division, you've got to getting better because Tampa, Tampa's gotten better.

I think Atlanta's gotten better. They have. And so I just don't believe that the quarterback that the Saints want or needs that can get them to where they want to be a consistent team, you know, a team that wins consistently that can get to the playoffs and maybe win a game or two in the playoffs. I don't believe that quarterback is on their roster. No, I don't think so either. I think heavily, I think for the sake of Spencer Rattler, I think the fact that he has Alvin Kamara

to take some of the pressure off of him, you have Rashid, you have Chris Olavé, I'm not sure who the number three will be there, obviously, but I think his job will be a little easier because of the talent he has around him. Chris Olavay is a very, very good receiver. Rashid Shah is a burner. He's a very, very good receiver.

Now, it's going to be telling more to put those players in positions, to be able to make sure a Spencer Rattler doesn't get him fired, you know? There's one thing you can do is when you have a quarterback as bad as him, based on their play, you have to find a way to hide their weakness. You have to find a way to hide their weaknesses, and it's easy to do when you have players of that magnitude. Alamma Cammar is still one of the best in NFL. I'm just not going to let Kamara beat me.

I'm going to make Spencer Rattler throw the football. Okay. Well, but listen, that's the thing. If you're going to go into a game saying, you know what, I'm going to make Spencer Rattler beat me, I like his chances with Crystal Lobby and Rashid. I like it. I like it. What was their record last year?

Oh, shit. Oh, but, hey, you know what the number three is? Who? Brandon Cooks. Yeah. Come on, nah. Come on now. I don't think he's the, he's not the Brandon Cook that was first in New Orleans

or the Brandon Cooks that was in New England. Or even the Brandon Cooks that was at the Rams. I mean, like, Ocho, damn, he's been like 14th in the last four years. Yeah, I mean, listen, he can still run. Oh, he can still run. He can still get deep. He can still do his thing in the slot, you know, it's easy. I hate using the word serviceable, but you can put him in position to make plays.

Right. That's it. I know, what was their record last year, the Saints? I mean, the offensive line, how good is the offensive line going to be to be able to protect him? Right. I mean, they gave up five sacks today. They were five and 12 last year, Ocho.

Ooh, that's tough. That's tough. Look, everybody's running vanilla, vanilla offense, vanilla defense, vanilla special teams, and nobody's showing anything. Nobody's trying to put anything on tape that's going to be extraordinary. Right. Spencer Rattler, having played, I just expect, it's kind of like a second year guy.

Now, second year, a guy makes a mistake. The coaches are going to be harder on him because he's already gone through this, the previous year. Bro, you've already, and Spencer Rattler played in real game. Sometimes don't your guys get on the practice squad. They don't get off that, and then they come back and have to go through the thing again. But Spencer Rattler has been in meaningful ball games. He's actually played in a regular season and played in regular season games. So I would expect him to look a little sharper than what he did.

Now, he was only, I mean, he only threw seven passes. And so he's probably only in their 14, 15 plays. The question is long term, because that's what we're getting down to. Is he the answer long term? No. No. Rachel Mayfield is Tampa's long term solution. Atlanta believe Pennix Jr. is their long term solution.

Bright Carolina believe Bryce Young is their long term solution. The question is now based on what they did, now maybe they believe Shuck is going to be able to come in and unseat Spencer Rattler and be the. their long-term solution. But in order to win at this level, at that level, in today's game, you got to get a quarterback. Because you know why, Ocho? Because he's the one position that you cannot hide.

Yeah. Yeah. If I got a weak corner, I roll, I roll coverage. Yeah. If I got a weak safety, I'll keep him back, put his ass down in the box. I keep him out of a hole. Mm-hmm. Okay.

If I got an offensive lineman, I'll slide protection. I'll chip the back. I'll say, hey, you make sure you chip your way out. Right. So I can find ways to protect a weakness if it's something other than the quarterback. Yeah. You can't hide the guy that has the ball every single time. Yeah, you're right.

But I like, I like that you said that. For some reason, I'm thinking from an offensive perspective, thinking as myself as a receiver. Yeah. And the quality, the quality of receivers they have, you know, in the Warlands. I'm thinking Chris Olavé, Rashid Shaheed, Brandon Cooks, they're so good. I can't remember the titan's name. He's a very good service of titan as well.

I can't remember his last name. But I'm thinking that they can be put in positions to be able to hide the weakness that Spencer Rattler may have, whatever it may be. That's what I'm thinking. That's my thought process, you know. And as an officer coordinator, whoever the officer coordinator is, I'm not sure. Kevin Moore, the head coach. Remember he's the officer coordinator for Philly. He's calling the place.

too? Yeah. Oh, man, listen, man, listen, I don't want to lose my job. So what do I need to do? I need to use those around me. I need to use those weapons. Right. Put them in advantageous positions because my quarterback is not as good as I'd like. Right. Jouan Johnson and Tassum Hill are the tight end. Oh, Juan Johnson. Hey, he nice. Mm-hmm, young, young, young, young, he's more he's he's he's he's he's more of an f um yeah more of the age back type got you know got receiving skills got a uh uh more of a move tight in tassem hill the same thing you can do a lot of different things with tasam hill you can put him at fullback you can hey you bring him in and run the tush push with him um you know you can throw him to football he can do a lot of things with

him and kelly more has a very creative mind um but you've got to get consistent play from the quarterback position because it's the one position you can't hide. Eventually, I'll figure you out and I'll make him beat me. I'll make him beat me. And I'll see if he can do it. Hey, that's tough. That's tough. Yeah, it is tough.

And the fact that I asked that question and 90% of the Saints fan were like, eh, it's going to be a long year. Uh, we might win four games. Hey, we won five last year. We still haven't, we still haven't addressed the position that is the most important. that we do need.

And obviously it took Tyler Shuck and, what, second round? I think it took him in the second round. No, it might be able to all, Ocho. It wasn't the second. Okay, yeah. So I'm assuming I'm not sure what they saw in film from him as opposed to what we saw in film from 12. But listen, that conversation is like beating the dead horse.

They saw what they saw. I'm not sure the scouts were and felt he was after. So maybe he is. Maybe he is. We'll find out. Yep. I'm Jake Hofer, and this is Back 40, a limited series show on Wire to Hunt,

part of Meat Eat Eater's podcast network. Each episode, I'll be asking eight wide-tail hunting pros, a focused, thought-provoking question about hunting and land management. How do I hunt the best part of the farm with less than ideal access? Should you? That's what the real question is.

Stand without good access is not a good stand. Listen to Back40 on Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get, your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season two of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people, an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapino,

to the show, and we had a blast. Take a listen. Sue and I were, like, riding the lime bikes the other day, and we're like, we! People ride bikes because it's fun. We got more incredible guests like Megan in store, plus news of the day and more. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain

on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports Network. This is an IHeart podcast.