Nightcap - Nightcap Hour 1: Rams STUMBLE vs INJURED 49ers + Dillion Gabriel DISSES Shedeur?! Unc & Ocho ROAST CJ Stroud for feeling OLD

Episode Date: October 3, 2025

Shannon Sharpe & Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson react to the San Francisco 49ers winning 26-23 in overtime against the Los Angeles Rams, Dillion Gabriel has some comments on about being named QB1 for the Cleveland Browns, and CJ Stroud talks about how he can improve on his explosiveness and much more! 05:25 - 49ers beat Rams38:30 - Dillion Gabriel on QB154:05 - CJ Stroud on explosiveness (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #Club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my.

We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This episode is brought to you by prize picks. You and I make decisions every day, but on prize picks, being right can get you paid. Don't miss any of the excitement this football season on prize picks, where it's good to be right. Week four, certainly entertaining.

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your first $5 lineup that's code shannon to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup on prize picks it's good to be right Well, it was a hell of a ball game, and I'm sorry that it had to end. It almost ended like the Dallas Cowboys game did. But the 49ers defense rose to the occasion when they absolutely positively had to. And they got to stop on fourth down.

And they keep the Rams from cashing in on the third down. and they win the ball game 26, 23, and overtime. Both quarterbacks were dealing. We'll get to that in just a moment. Thank you guys for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. Y'all know who I am. I'm your favorite uncle, Shannon Sharp, my partner and co-host. He's Liberty City's own. Bengals ring of fame honoree. Madden rating adjuster, former pro bowler, all pro. He's Chad Ochosenko Johnson. Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button and do us a favor go subscribe to the nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from we like to thank each and every one of you for your support your eyes your ears

and your word of mouth because of you nightcap has become the phenomena that we've become and ocho and i cannot thank you enough for your support hopefully it continues in the future make sure you check out she by la portier now if you go into a store and you live in a state or city and it doesn't have shade by laporteur order it online we'll ship it directly to your door we have it in stock. Please drink responsibly and stay safe. Also check out my media company, SheeShay Media on all of its platforms

and my clothing company, 84, with 84 being spelled out. That link is also in the chat. The 49ers banged up. If beat up as they were, they win a ball game. Okay, let me go ahead and get to this. I got one more thing, guys. Ocho Nightcap has been nominated for two Signal Awards under the genre, Best Sports Podcasts and Video,

Best Video Podcast co-host teams. Guys, make sure y'all go vote for us. I don't know what we're doing right now. I don't know where we are in the voting. But I know the support that you've given nightcapting club, Shee, I already know what's going to happen. We know what time it is. 49ers beat the Rams in overtime.

Ocho by the score of 2623. 49ers, improved the 4 and 1. Take over sole possession of first place in the NFC West while the Rams fall to 3 and 2. At the goal line, down 3 points. and about to score Tyron Williams. He fumbled. Great punch out by the 49ers.

They get the ball stuffed up because it looked like the 49ers were going to potentially win the thing in regulation. But, Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL cover zero.

We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game.

What was that? It looks like something that should not be sold. Oh, my. So that was my other big Colts take away. They sold that? Yes. Might want to go back to the Dr. At the Colts Stadium.

Yeah, I might want to go back to the drawing board on that. Yeah. I thought the shape we had with pretzels was working pretty well. Spark for generations. We're just here trying to enjoy it. We hope you all will join us throughout the year. And let's go. I hope I'm as youthful as Pete Carroll is at his age.

He's a young 73. He is a young 73. He is Sprott. I wouldn't fight him. I would. Listen NFL cover zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

49ers hold them out of the end zone there. And then on fourth down on show, when the rubber really needed to meet the road, because it seems to me they were going to go for it. I don't think they were going to complain for the tie. Like we got Sunday night between the Packers and the Cowboys, it seems like Sean McVeigh was hell bent. He wanted to win this game, won't you?

He really, he wasn't playing for no time, and he went for it. The question I have for you, do you like Sean McVeigh going for it on fourth down or does he kick the field goal and give the 49ers because the next score wins the ball game? Yeah, I kind of like, I like him trying to go forward. I want to get this game over with. We've had some mistakes. We've had some drops. We've had some penalties.

We fought back to get back into the game, and I really want to end it right now. I want to end it. So I have no problem with him going forward on fourth and one trying to end that game. Listen, it can go one or two ways. Do you get it or you don't? You didn't get it. The fact that even had the balls and the gall to even go for it in that situation says a lot, and he's one of the few coaches in the NFL who can go for it and take that chance,

like a Dan Campbell. You know, he's one of the few can do it. I loved it also, Ocho. I'm not playing for a tie. I'm down there. I'm in a great position. And look, look, you had an opportunity. You're right there to go the line.

You get a punch out. And now you're down again. And guess what, Ocho? If I kick the field goal, it's 20, it's 2320. Next score wins the ball, wins the game. And the 49ers are getting the ball back. Now, you can say, well, they might fumble it. Nah, I'm not taking that chance.

I'm down there. I believe in my offensive line. And, and, but look, Robert Salah, guess right, he sold out on that side and they stuck them. I mean, it wasn't even close, Ocho. I'd be dating. I mean, as soon as it happened, bam, bam, guess what? Fortin'clock

starts spilling out on the field. They know, I mean, the Rams ain't no, hey, let's get a measurement. The fish is already like, it's over. Going another way. These quarterbacks were dealing tonight, Ocho. Matt Jones, 33 or 49,

342, two touchdowns, no interception. Matthew Stafford, 30 or 47, 389, three touchdowns, no interceptions. I mean, it really was a clean game with the exception of that one fumble by Kairn Williams that probably is no way to know, but it didn't help them.

No. I tell you what, we can't say it cost them the game, but it damn sure did not help them win the game. And the 49ers have to feel good. Losing a game, like they lost on Sunday, or they're short week, you're down Purdy, you're down all these guys. Vosa's not coming back.

Look at all the guys that they had injured tonight. and to have guys step up and rise to the occasion and play as well as they did on a very, very short week. Look, I understand, Ocho. It's not like they had to go cross country. Look, California, but still, you get a short day, a day less to work because you have to travel. But I thought the 49 is given the totality of the situation that they're in.

I thought they played extremely well tonight, Ocho. And I think Kyle Shannahan should be very, very proud of his ball club because they did play well tonight. and they found a way to get a win against a division opponent. Yeah, not only should Kyle Shanahan be proud of his ball club, he needs to take a bow himself. With the play calling, some of the stuff he did, with all the injuries that you just talked about that have mounted up,

no Ricker Purcell, no Brandon Ayuk, no George Kittle. Joanne Jennings is out. Joanne Jennings is out. And the fact- Joe and Bosa is not coming back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But from an offender standpoint. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, keep on the ball. Brother Kendrick Bourne. Brother Kendrick born, I know you're going to see this. Career, a career night, Ocho. Salute on a career night. Obviously, you had some drops last game. They have a short week and come back and rebound. And for one, for Mac Jones to be able to have the confidence,

they keep getting and feeding you the ball. And another thing, I want to talk about the quarterback situation. Tonight's game is a perfect example of the definition of next man up. When you look at a game like tonight and see what Mac Jones is doing, having a resurgence in his career, which is why I also think where quarterback go, situation matters. We saw Mac Jones do it tonight.

We see Daniel Jones do it in Indianapolis. We see in Baker Mayfield do it over there in, God damn in Tampa Bay. Sam Donald, going from Minnesota to Seattle and still doing it now. I think where quarterbacks go and what they have surrounding them including those calling the plays

is so important to a quarterback success. The most. Yeah, and dude, They look really good. This is a really, really good game. The Rams didn't really help themselves either with some of the drops, some of the mistakes, some of the fumbles. But this was probably one of the better,

one of the better Thursday night games we've gotten so far. The quarterbacks were dealing. Ocho, look, you know, I'm not big on hyperbole. And I said this at the time. Yes, sir. I thought the 49th should have drafted Mac Jones because it's hard for me to, I really can't differentiate between the two.

Right. Are you trying to tell me that you believe if Matt Jones had been in this system for the entirety of his career? Because we saw what he did when he had Josh McDaniels. We saw what he did. Year one, yeah. And you're team to the playoffs with a Pro Bowl player. Are you telling me if he has Kyle Shanahan for four years, he's not as good, if not better than Brock Purdy? And guess what?

I get why they didn't because when you look at a guy, nothing jumps off at you. He doesn't have Lamar Jackson's speed. He doesn't have Josh Allen's height. He doesn't have Patrick Mahomes' arm. So why would we take a quarterback that really, Ocho, he's average with the third pick in the draft. But what you wouldn't have had to do is give up all the draft compensation.

So imagine as well as they do drafting what you can put around it. And guess what? Even if he doesn't pan out, Ocho, you go back and you get you another. quarterback or you could go back and get you another quarterback and still guess what you don't have to spend down to 300 million dollars yeah me personally I believe I believe Matt Jones in this system I'm not talking about in this system with Kyle Shanahan with all think about all the pieces that he had Oh yeah when he has kiddle when he has Debo when he has I you when he has Jennings when he had Christian McCaffrey and he got a Trent Williams playing at playing Trent not this guy that's beat up he's

trying to work himself back in in the conditioning and in his form it's hard for me to believe that that that that Matt Jones is not as good if not if not better than purdy and for me I would have taken him but I understand why they didn't because the measurable when you look at the mocho you're like that is not the third pick in the draft and you draft took a guy with the third picking a draft because of the measurables. But it was the seventh-round draft pick that really saved Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch's job. Yeah.

Because you give up that kind of compensation, Ocho, and that guy doesn't work out, and he didn't work out, you're gone. Yeah. What you think? What you think? Do you think Matt Jones, Purdy, similar purty is better, substantially better, a little marginally better? What do you think?

No, it's hard to really decipher between the two on who's better or not. Because when Brock Purdy is in there, he's the rhythm and time and quarterback as well. When Mack Jones is in there, he's a rhythm and time and quarterback well. Both suit the system very well. Really not dual threat, not dual threat quarterbacks. They are your typical system West Coast type off the quarterbacks that are dropped back sometimes in the shotgun and they deliver everything off of timing. And they make great throws and they're accurate. They're accurate enough.

What they lack in being able to escape the pocket or use their legs running, they make up for in other areas. And I think they both. Go ahead, Coach. Go ahead. Finish your fault. No, I was just going to say they both play well doing exactly what's asked of them in that specific system. When you're not that big as far as physical size, Ocho, 6'4, you don't have rocket arm, you don't have Lamar Jackson's mobility or Michael Vick's mobility.

You have to have great anticipatory skills. Yes. Look at Joe, Mike's. Montana. Joe was not overwhelming. Didn't have the big time arm. He wasn't the greatest athlete, but his anticipation skills were tremendous. Brock Purdy, great anticipatory skills. Matt Jones, great anticipatory skills because you got to be. Because you don't have the ball to wait. You've got to get the ball out. You have to anticipate where the guy's going to be. And like, you know what? Have the trust. I trust the system. I trust the guy that I'm throwing to that he's going to be where he's supposed to be. I understand the defense. I know where I'm vulnerable. I know where guys are going to disperse to. I can let this ball go. Just just me. You can't convince me that Brock Purdy is substantially better than Matt Jones. I refuse to believe that. And I believe in the same circumstances, if I had Matt Jones with Kyle Shanahan, I believe whatever fate, the 49ers had gone through over the last four years,

that same fate would have happened to them with Matt Jones, don't you? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Because what we saw the small sample of Mac Jones right now, since Purdy's been out, it's been exact same. The offense has been efficient. The offense is up and down the field. They put up points. And it showed the night to where next man up, that's why I said to start to show off is this was the definition of next man up and not missing the beat.

Now, I wish other teams were able to do what we're seeing tonight from the 49ers. Hell, like, hell, we got the guy. them Detroit Lions here in Cincinnati at Paycourt Stadium. When Joe Burr goes down, I wish we still had the same type of success they had tonight where you don't miss the beat just because your quarterback goes down. But unfortunately, it's a little different. It's a little different.

Yeah, because your guy ain't that good. And I tried to tell you that. And you got the Bengals fan, your Bengals, you got them all hype. I trust Jake. Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. Slow down. Let's let's, let's, let's, they're, there, they're, they're, they're, they're, they're, other, there are other, uh, elements. I don't want you to talk about no other team. As a matter

fact, why are you talking? I don't want you to say foot or ball. You got another week. You can still got, let's see, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Oh, and if you don't win on Sunday, it's another week. I got to, you know what, I got a question for you. What? You understand how the football gods work. You know when it comes to the game of football in the NFL, it's week to week. Well, this ain't going to be y'all week. This ain't going to be y'all week. What happens if just, I'm just hypothetically speaking chat, those in the chat, hypothetically speaking, what happened if the Bengals shocked the world and beat the lions? If a dog had a square butt, he poop blocks, but it's round, so we know what come out.

Don't we? Don't we know what come out of with you? I'm just saying. I could be optimistic. I could be optimistic. Now, I'm not saying we're going to win. I'm just saying hypothetically speaking if the football of the football gods decide to shock the world. I'm just saying. Nah, he busy that day.

he ain't going to be watching I promise you God ain't no Bengals he ain't watching that game he ain't watching that massacre at Paycourt Stadium now hey listen I don't know about

master we're going to put up a fight and whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa if the fate is the same what does it matter I mean listen I got to have some type of

I think we're going to be all right I believe in us that's all that matter there's a reason I'm in town I'd have had that pep talk with the boys I think we're going to be all right. Matt Jones after the game was asked after the game by playing hobble.

He replied, I'm good. I just can't show it. That's on me. I'll be fine. That's what happens when you don't practice for a couple of weeks. So that's my fault. You know, look, it's hard for quarterbacks. There are other positions, Ocho, that can miss practice,

and you can't tell when they get into a game. Right. It's hard for a quarterback. That's why a lot of quarterbacks like to wear their pads, Ocho. Hey, they tell us to take our pants off. We can't wait. We can't wait to lead them mofos in the locker room. The quarterbacks like to throw their pants because guess what?

They're going to throw with their pads. They're going to have, so they want the same feel. They want the same rhythm as if they're throwing with pads because that's how they're going to throw in the game. Yeah. And so Max's like, you know what? His fighting senses probably wasn't tingling. Look at the next four games, Ocho. Week six at Bucks.

Then week seven. at home, home to the Falcons, week eight, at Texans, week nine at the Giants. So it's not like they got an easy schedule coming up. Now, I don't know how long brought Purdy is going to be out, but they, look, they got 10 days. So that's a long time for Purdy. He was out this week, Coach, so he gets, he got an extra, you know, he basically got two weeks because he hadn't, you know, probably done anything since Sunday's game.

Matt Jones, he gets 10 days because they're off until, you know, they don't play Sunday obviously, they play a week from Sunday. So they get ample time to get some of the guys, some of these guys that's banged up, Ocho. They get an opportunity to get them back healthy. You see Matt Jones fit? We got that, we got that. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That red with

a little burgundy in there? Yeah, let's see what, let's see his fit. Can we pull that video? He would clean that. Ooh, okay. Hey, listen, that's a man that came from business, man. Yeah. Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin. And this

is NFL cover zero. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts pretzel? That was my other big takeaway

from that game. What was that? Looks like something that should not be sold. Oh, my. So that was my other big Colts take away. They sold that? Yes. I might want to go back to the Colt Stadium. Yeah, I might want to go back to the drawing board on that. Yeah. I thought the shape we had with pretzels was working pretty well.

It's worked for generations. We're just here trying to enjoy it. We hope you all will join us throughout the year. And let's go. I hope I'm as youthful as Pete Carroll is at his age. He's a young 73. He is a young 73. He is Sprott.

I would say. I would. Listen NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Yeah, yeah. Hey, that's a man. Hey, that's two-face. That's a man been hanging around brothers.

Hey, he's clean. That's a man that came from a minute. I like that. I like that, Matt. As clean as he looked, that's exactly how he played. He played his ass off the night. He played exactly like that. He scared me a little bit when he went down.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But he grabbed him out. Yeah, no, look. He grabbed his knee brace, Ocho. Yeah, I thought it was pinching him a little bit. Yes, yes. When you get tackled, the goddamn knee brace start pinching you. So when they're pulling this calf, I'm like, what, it must be pin, either the knee brace is pinching him or you cramping one or the other.

Yeah. And the little calves, he got any dang, that one, he hurt nothing. Because he got, first of all, he got a knee brace on. So that calf is not as strong as what it needs to be because he wears that knee brace, Ocho. You know what I'm saying? You got to build strength back. up in that calf in order for it to do uh but he played he played his tail off i mean both quarterbacks played well don't give me wrong both quarterbacks played well my concerns with the

49ers ocho without both in the game they really couldn't generate no pressure pressure yeah they really couldn't generate any pressure and and the last thing you want a guy like matthew stafford to have is time yeah and because he was dealing man he was whoo that joke you throw that but he throw it or what i might take that back i won't play with matthew stafford we keep talking about Shadden, if you can come back and play and we keep talking about Mahomes and Burrough and Herbert and Allen and this one, man,

give me more faux man Stafford. Why are y'all out there bumping them? You talk about you got to think. Now, Matthew Stafford is a legitimate gun slinger. It's only about four, maybe four quarterbacks in the league right now that have the kind of ball Matt Stafford

throws with that kind of velocity. And he'd make any throw on the field. Any throw. Even even though Aaron Rogers is old, he's one of them. Matt Stafford is another. I'm trying to think gunslinger, gunsling. You see, the difference, when I think a gunslinger, I think guys that will take unnecessary risk.

That's really not what Aaron Rogers is. Now, Aaron Rogers can make every throw. Matthew Stafford can make every throw. Change arm angles. Both guys can change arm angles. But sometimes, if you look at the interceptions for Matthew Staffer, you look at the interception for Aaron Rogers, and you'll see a vast difference.

Because Rogers was really never willing to take unnecessary. at risk. Matthew Stafford, he believed he could throw a football through a keyhole. And he damn show, how are you going to get a football through a keyhole? Let me show you. And he would try it. Now, he's gotten better. Now, can you imagine what he would have been had he had Sean McVeigh his whole career? But he can throw it, Ocho. I mean, he can flat spend the ball. And now I expect him when I watch the game, I want to see one time where he look over here and throw the ball over there. wait a me he did that against he did it he did that he did it he did it tonight

no he didn't do it tonight i remember he did it against the bangles and the football yeah oh he did it he did it he did it two weeks in a row and he's running down the fields because he's miced up don't look at my eyes don't look in my eyes right right don't ever look at my eyes right but hey but this was this i think when the NFL envisioned look they try to they try to make these game divisional matchup, Ocho. So they're really close. Nobody's having to go a great distance.

You don't want somebody on the West Coast having to go east. Right, right. East Coast having to go west or you let it be close proximity. It's already tough enough playing. I can just imagine because I didn't really start to feel good till Friday. So I can imagine playing a game on Sunday, then turn around playing a day. Another game on Thursday.

And especially as you got older, Ocho, it took longer and longer to get that old man up on. needed to recover. Yeah. But this was an unbelievable, unbelievable ball game. Thank you NFL. Thank you Rams.

Thank you 49ers. Because you guys played your ass off on a very, very short week. This is the kind of games that we want to see on a Thursday. Not some bulljive, you know, hey, this is what we're looking at all with you. See, Mike, final stats.

He had 22 carries, 57 yards, eight receptions for 82 yards. 30 touches, almost 140 yards. of total offense, and that's what he gives his ability to catch the ball out of the back field. You can line him up in the slot, you can line him up out wide. Obviously you know you can handle the ball.

He can run between the tackle. The people are like, I was like, guys, if you watch Stanford's offense, why are you going to be surprised that he can run the ball between the tackles? Because that was a pro offense. He ran between the tackles. That's what he ran. They ran counter and power all the time in Stanford.

He's not a, look, I understand he's small in stature. You look at a guy was probably 5-8, maybe 205, but don't let that fool you. He run behind his past. Yes, I mean, the amount of touches that he has, Ocho, yeah, I mean, the body's going to break down because, like I said, he's not Derek Henry.

He's not 245, 250. He's not one of these bruising backs, but he can run with power. Obviously, he can run with speed. He can catch the football. I mean, he's multi-talented, but I'm not surprised that he had the success or he's having the success

that he's had the NFL best. based on what I saw him doing college, which was run between the tackles because that's what you want to see, because it's hard to just make a living in the NFL, Ocho, just running outside the tackle. You have to run in that box. You got to.

And most of the time, especially with a running back, like Christian McCaffrey, he can manipulate the first man and not allow him to get a clean hit most of the time. And he's falling forward. I remember when Barry's coming out there, like he's a little undersized.

I said, well, who's going to hit him, though? I hate, I hate, I hate, I hate those. We had never seen anything like Barry, though. I mean, I understand what they're saying, Ocho, because we had never seen anything like Barry. We've never seen a guy like that that ran that style. Man, your coach, you cut, boy, stop all that dancing. No, hit the hole, hit the hole. They, for whatever reason, they allow Barry Sanders to be Barry Sanders.

Yeah. And I remember Barry Switzer told the story. Thurman Thomas was the starting running back in front of Barry. right and and barris will say look don't hurt the starter because the backup you don't want to play against the backup right who says don't hurt the starter because the backup and they didn't yeah go back and look at what he did against oh you go back man bar oh joe bear have games of 300 yeah yeah if you held barry to 170 yards you would yeah that's crazy you lucky he don't get three that's crazy That man had 2,600 yards and 12 games, 11 games.

Oh, that's, you're never going to see that. Yeah, we've seen nothing like that. There have been glimpses of players with the same skill set. Yes. LaShawn McCoy. Yes. Not as explosive because Barry could do all that and he'd get up out of there and be gone. B. John Robinson has a bit of that, that lateral movement.

you know, and they're miss, but it's not like Barry. Barry was a two foot, with a two foot, Ocho. He would jump and start with two feet. And come to balance and two feet, yep. And gone again. And get up out of there. Barry was looking, Barry would lose. He would make a three-yard loss look like the most beautiful

22-yard game you've ever seen in your life. You're like, ooh, boy, you'll see, bad. Man, it's second and 13. Don't worry about that. Don't it were. Don't worry about that, though. Don't worry about it. But did you see that run?

Man, he shook eight people. It should have been a loss of 15. He only lost three. Could you imagine? Could you imagine Barry Sanders right now with an officer line like, like Philly? God didn't even give you all of that, oh, Cho, dang. So you wanted that man to have the Cowboys offensive line that Emmett ran behind. Oh, my God.

That wouldn't be fair. No. And he probably wouldn't know what to do. Bad was used to running and ain't have. no block it. So he went to know what to do like Barry like man I'm supposed to run it

run through there. Yeah, if you want to but no, I thought Christian McCaffrey played well. I thought everybody for the 49ers played well. This was a really clean game with the exception of the punchout. And sometimes, Ocho, you know it comes down when you do something. All turnovers are not created equal.

No. When you turn the ball over is the most important thing. Where you turn the all over is the second most important thing. So with that being said, man, you look, and I feel bad because Kyron Williams has turned himself into a very good running back. He can run it out of the back field. He reminds you a lot of Christian McCaffrey because he can do a lot of the same things,

Ocho. He can run it. He can run inside. He can run outside. He can catch it. You see, he called a couple of touchdowns, but that turnover and then they got that late stop. So it was a very clean game.

I loved the way the game was played. The referees. I didn't feel anything that I feel like I should get out of like, damn, ref, you should let them play with that. I thought the refs, the refs called things that were there, but let them play. The quarterbacks were exceptional. Really a clean game with exception to that one turnover.

So there's really nothing to be mad about on a Thursday night game. To get this kind of performance from the two teams, I think, I think, look, I understand if you're a Rams fan, you disappointed your team lost. In the 49, if you decided your team won, but as a fan of the National Football League, I think everybody wins tonight. And again, tonight,

I have to give another salute to Kendrick Bourne. Boy, you look good, boy. You look good. The definition of next man up. Yeah, Ocho, but, you know, the thing is, it's hard for me to believe that he was with, wasn't he with the Patriots?

Yeah, New England. it's hard for me to believe they got four better receiver than him. Uh-uh, but you have to think about this. Situation matters. Yeah. Schemes matter. The play calling matters.

Now, you got a new staff in there. Yeah, you're missing some of your key players. Joanne Jennings is out. Rika Prasay, I'm not sure if I'm saying this, his last name, right? I'm bouching his last name. He's out. Brandon Ayuk is out.

Next man up. And when the opportunity presents itself, even with the drop tonight, he still had a career night and I hope he continues the bill on that next week maybe they give him a little bit more maybe they get it well I don't

is Jennings coming back is I you coming back I mean you ain't got no choice oh not now yeah not not coming back so with that being said they ain't got no choice but like you said

sometimes it comes down to a situation where you get opportunities yeah how many opportunities did he have in New England and who did he have trying to get in the bar? Now, Drake May was a rookie, and Drake May has gotten better. And towards the end of the year, he got better last year,

and he's playing really well this year thus far. But being in a situation like this, Kyle, one thing, Kyle knows how to get the ball to guys. Yeah. That's something that his dad could always do. Look, when you got, you know, you have Jerry and then you deal with me, you deal with Rod, you have Brandon Marshall. So you know how to get the ball to hot receivers

and know how to feature them, put them in situations where they can win. And that's what it was tonight, Ocho. He got put into a situation. and, hey, throw the ball to K. Hey, there'll be a situation like, because I can hear, hey, throw the ball to 84. Yeah. So he's telling, hey, you know, Kyle's in his ear.

Well, we, hey, I don't have Kittle. I don't have Pursale, Pursale. What is it? Purcell or Pursale? Purcell? I'm going to call him, I'm going to call him RP until I talk to him. He doesn't have a name right.

Pierce all, yeah. Pursall, okay. Pursall. And so that's, the thing to Ocho. But if you go back and look, Kyle has made some really, really marginal quarterbacks look really, really good. Really good. So you can imagine what he does when they have somebody. I could just, I don't even want to think about it. Matt Jones finished the game with 49 past the 10th.

That's the most by 9th's quarterback since C.J. Betherd had 54 in 2018. Mac after the game, Kyle came up to me before the game and he was pissed. how we were underdog. So he was like, just let it fly. And I was like, coach, you don't have to tell me twice. Rams were favored by eight and a half points. Quarterbacks with at least three wins and zero losses this season. The only three.

Did you hear what you did you say? Jalen Hurts. Yeah. Matt Jones. You heard what you just said. I want you to think about what you just said. The Rams were favored by how much? Eight and a half.

who won the game tonight 49ers now I don't mean to fast forward the Sunday how much of the Lions favored by not enough I'm just saying now you see what I'm going with this

you're lying you're going to go to hell because you have to give a company lies you tell it hey chat don't y'all listen to Ocho don't y'all go put your money down on the bingoes. I'm not saying I ain't saying that about no I ain't saying nothing about no putting no money but I'm just saying you see how the football

guard showed up the football guard showed up and said the hell you don't first of all Jake Brown and ain't Matt Jones let's start with that your defense isn't the 49ers let's start let's let's let's let's let's continue with that and third of all third and most important of all ain't nobody going to confuse Zach Taylor with cow chanahan let's just let's just let's just say that there was three simple facts wait a minute wait a minute wait wait wait wait wait wait you get a little you get a little too hostile you get a little too hostile let's wait and see what happens sunday night just wait and see because every time i go to a game since i've been disappointed every time i go to a game we win now take with that what you need and what you will

Don't take nothing from that chat. Don't y'all listen to Ocho. They never lost a game when I'm in town. Okay. You're going to be putting stuff in your mama's name. Lous. The lions are favored by ten and a half. Not enough.

All right. Sean McVeigh spoke on his game, losing fourth-down decision. It was a bad call. It was a bad call by me. I'm sick right now because I put out players in an ishy spot, and I've got to live with that. I mean, most people, Ocho, throw on the yard, most people say,

because here's the thing, if you throw it, Ocho, what is everybody going to say? Man, why don't you get a ball to Cameron Williams? A yard? You can't get a yard? Okay, to get them all the car and William. Man, Matthew Stafford was dealing. Why didn't you let Matthew Stafford throw? Come on, man, you know how this thing go, Ocho. If you're running and don't get it, you should have thrown it. to don't get it, you should have run it. Either way, I like the call.

Because when they making a call like that, he's telling his players one thing. I believe in y'all. I believe in you. I believe who we have can get us that one yard. That's what the players think. Forget what everybody thinks on the outside. If we get it, we don't.

You know what? Our coach's believing us. Well, he's going for them fourth one instead of kicking the field goal? Man, no. Players like that. Do you know how to play them play? players feel about Dan Campbell going forward on fourth and four. Yeah.

Three, fourth and two, fourth and one. Oh, hell, man, we run through a goddamn brick wall for him. Mm-hmm. Man, please. You like knowing that your coach has confidence in you and that, you know, well, hey, guys, you guys, you guys going to get it. Y'all going back me up. Absolutely.

And that's the thing. Your coach, you know, when we were in Baltimore and Brian talking crazy and he going back and forth with Jeff Fisher, he's going back and forth with Coach Cowell in Pittsburgh. Mm-hmm. He talked, he put it out there. to go back it up, man? Yeah.

Y'all heard the man say he's talking. Okay. And I did love that. That's the one thing that year. There's a lot to love about Baltimore because it was great. I had a great time in Baltimore. My two years, which it could have been longer. But ain't care.

They don't try to change nothing about you. Just play hard. Talk as much as you want to talk. You just realize when I come Sunday now, you got to back up what you're saying. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Hey, talk all you want to.

You get into it, whoever. Time out, time out, time out. What team you're talking about? The Ravens. You mean the Ravens that's one and three right now? Oh, man. I'm talking about when I was there. Hold on.

I don't know about that he, Ravens. I'm talking about when I was there. No, no, no, no. No, no. You're still part of the team, right? You've been hooping, holland by the Ravens, and they've won and three, the same Ravens that lost the other night?

Bronco Country, baby. Hey, listen, you can't say foot or ball or say anything related to anything Ravens. I get to say that because my team beat your team. Who? Don't do that. Oh, now you don't know who you played for. We beat you that bad game, you're amnesia.

Hold on. Oh, you're talking about the Broncos? Yes. Well, listen, we don't want to hear no whole stories about the Raven until they win the game. Well, you can't say no. I'll tell you what. Guess what?

You won't be able to show those stories for another week. I mean, listen, we'll see about that. Another week and another one. We'll see about that. Okay. The one thing, one thing about me, I got faith. I got faith. Who?

You dated somebody named Faith? I don't know nobody but Faith Evans. How's you doing? All right. We'll see. We'll see. I want everybody, probably everybody in the chat, probably laugh and saying, oh, the Bengals don't got no chance.

Okay, we'll see. We'll see. Oh, Joe, Dylan Gabriel made an interesting comment yesterday when talking about becoming Brown's new QB1. Let's take a listen to what Gabriel had to say. I smile because it's like a moment you prep for and you are extremely excited for, but also got to realize that it's extreme focus and that's what I've continued to harp on. But you wait for the perfect time, you know, you're going to wait a whole lifetime.

So for me, I'm just, I've always been ready for every moment. Wait for the perfect time. You'll be waiting a lifetime. I like that because when you do, you get your moments and your opportunity. sometimes the ideal situation is never perfect. It's never perfect. The ideal situation that you envision in your head to get the opportunity is never going to be how you envision it.

And that's exactly what it is. Sometimes there are adversity. Sometimes there are obstacles that you have to climb to get said opportunities. And for him, it hasn't been perfect. Hey man, my light The light just went out I don't think he was talking about him waiting a lifetime

The report didn't come out That he's told a team not to draft him I don't I don't I don't I don't coincide What he said and having to do anything with With 12 I don't yeah no It's hard to even

No not even close Not even close Not even close no That's in a sense I get you know That would be that would be almost be reaching a little bit that that's to me no so but i'm trying to figure out how you feel what he say if you wait for the perfect time you have to wait a lifetime

well come on huh and i see you're just asking we can't we can't that's his words that's what he came up with that might be a saying he's i i don't know like i don't know but i still don't i don't hold inside what he's saying and having to do anything but it's your door i look is it ever going to be perfect on joe i mean all things being equal you like for the dolphins to draft you all they be like man let me go home i want to play for the dolphins or i want to go play with somebody got a quarterback yada yada yada but look and i get it quarterbacks are different because normally you get a quarterback and he's good he's going to be there for a period of time and you got to you know you got to wait and hope everything happened.

I mean, I did, let me ask you question. Ideally. Yeah. Do you think Tom Brady had given a choice wanted to go to New England after they had just given May,

Drew Bledso, the highest paid quarterback in the NFL? He had just signed a six-year $100 million deal. Do you think that was the ideal situation for Tom Brady? Absolutely not. What happened?

He got hurt. Drew got hurt. True got hurt. And guess what happened? It wasn't an ideal situation, and it wasn't perfect. He made it ideal. Bingo. And the same thing.

Joe Flacco is not playing well. Not the ideal situation, because maybe the ideal situation is I drafted in the third round, and I beat Joe Flacco out in training camp, and I'm going to start a week one. That's the ideal perfect situation. I don't believe there, I don't believe there was going to let anybody, look, it's been reported. They wanted Kenny Pickett. to win the job. And Gabriel B. second, should door be third.

I don't ever think there was going to be a situation, that a rookie was going to beat Joe Flackle out. I don't. No, I didn't either. Based on Flaccoe. I didn't either. But again, the way to go on who you start with is you start with the veteran who has experience. And when the bottom falls out, then you make a change.

The bottom fell out. They made a change. Right. Man. Should a guy could have told him the bottom was going to fall out. Yeah, that's something. The bucket was rusty anyway. You're talking about the bottom fell out of hell. The bucket rusty.

But then you think it was going to happen to the bottom. Look, at the end of the day, Shador needed to make the best decision for him. You might not agree with what he did. He should just be happy that somebody was going to take him. X, Y, and Z. I get it, Ocho. I get all.

I do. I honestly get all of that. Because normally when we come out Ocho, we're just happy to get drafted. Really, I am. I didn't care of it. Man, the big, really. the Bengals, the Patriots, the Colts,

anybody could have drafted me. I got drafted to the NFL. That was the start of the journey. Yeah. I mean, sometimes people get drafted, they don't know, they say, oh, yeah. No, bro, your journey just started. You ain't never been to the NFL.

I don't know if your, my dream was not to just get, was not to be drafted. My dream was to get to the NFL and play. Right. Being drafted is just half the process. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Also, you have to think. Now, let's let's, let's use a little.

My chances if I'm Shadoor, I don't want to go to Baltimore. You ain't been to see the field. You're not seeing the field for the next 10, one, two, three, four, five, 50. The next 10, 11 years, it's going to be the Mar Jackson show. I know a guy that went to New England when Tom Brady was at his apex named Jimmy Garapelo, played a few games, played good enough, and then what happened? Tell the people at home that don't know,

wasn't around when Jimmy Garapolo got drafted to the New England Patriots and Tom Brady got suspended because we never know because there's only been one omnipotent one. Yeah. Be all knowing. Yes. Tell the people at home what happened. Jimmy Garapolo got drafted to the New England Patriots. There's an unforeseen that we cannot have possibly known. Right. Tell the people, I want you to take the story over from there. Hold on. I forgot the story. You got to bring me up to speed. Jimmy Garoppolo gets drafted to the New England Patriots. Yes.

Tom Brady gets suspended for four games. Jimmy Garapolo played well enough to say, guess what happened, Ocho? Yeah. The 49ers traded a second round pick to get Jimmy G. Okay. Now, Lamar Jackson is hurt. If Chodor Sanders is there, guess who's going to get in the game right now, Ocho? Shadoor Sanders.

If you play well enough, because you know you're not going to keep the job from Lamar Jackson. You play well enough, guess what happens, Ocho? Tell the people I don't know what can buy it. Yeah, he could probably get traded. Somebody willing to give up picks for him. And you get, you get to a situation that you always wanted.

Or, go ahead. Or the cars that you were dealt, I'm going to take my chances going somewhere else. I'm going to take my chances going, but let me stay with me now. Go ahead. I'm going to take my chances going somewhere else

where the odds are stacked against me, those obstacles and those hurdles that adversity that I've always had to overcome in life I'm gonna do it the hard way I got to wait and wait my turn because he's gonna get his opportunity on guess what else is stacked against you

what's that? The talent in Cleveland versus the talent in Baltimore because when Jimmy Garabolo went to New England guess who you're throwing to Danny Amandola guess who else Julian Edelman guess who else Rob Grankowski Guess who he would be handing the ball off to, Derek Henry? Guess who he'd be throwing to, Mark Andrews?

Guess who else, Rashad Bateman? Yes, who else? Made flowers. May flowers? Ah, now let me ask you another question. Who would you rather be throwing the ball to? The guys in Cleveland or the guys in Baltimore? Who would you rather hand the ball off to Derek Henry or the guy in Cleveland?

I'm just asking, I don't know. I mean, you might like. I hear you. I hear you. good. That would be the ideal situation. But what did Dylan Gabriel just say? I don't have the ideal situation. The situation I mean was not perfect. But when the opportunity, hold on, hold on. Can we rewrite that and play that again? Can we rewrite his side? I smile because it's like a moment you prep for and you are extremely excited for, but also got to realize that it's

extreme focus. And that's what I've continued to harp on. But you, you know, wait for the perfect time, you know, you're going to wait a whole lifetime. So for me, I'm just, I've always been ready for every moment. If you wait for the perfect time, so I, I'm Shador and I'm in Baltimore, so I'm waiting on Lamar to get hurt because that's what you're waiting for in Cleveland? You're waiting for Joe Flacko to mess up. So either way, whichever place you go to, you're still waiting on the perfect time. You're still waiting on the ideal situation where you can get in there and do what you do. Regardless to what's surrounding you, you should. You should.

still got to do what you got to do. Right. When you get in there. For one, you know what? You know what's funny? What? You can't focus on what's around you. You can only focus on what you need to do. Right. You got to do what you need to do. Regardless of whether you have a great supporting cast or not, whether I got Derek

here or not, whether I got Zayflowers or I got goddamn, goddamn, got damn Derek in the background, I got to do what I got to do and handing the ball off the Junkins, Junkins, right? Junkins, yeah. I got to get the ball to Jerry Judy I got to get the ball at Unjuku Whatever I got to work with That hand I got Well when you play blackjack

They give your hand Right I'm trying to beat the dealer That's it I got to work with what I got I guess I got Man You gave me 14 I guess

What you got? You got a night I got to hit it Hey, that's the beautiful, Hey, that's the beautiful thing about life, though, huh? It is. Think about life. Right.

We all envision getting the perfect hand. But sometimes the car that God deal us, they ain't perfect. Hey, but he ain't going to give us 21 every time. No, and sometimes you might have 21 and the dealer got 21. And you'll be like, and you didn't take no insurance out. Hey, listen, it's a push. Oh, you got, oh, you're like, oh, yeah, I got 20. And then he flip over a blackjack.

Ooh. So you're right, there are no, look, there are no perfect scenarios. Yeah. We make, whatever it is, we make the best out. Because every time, hey, you got, hey, you got eight, you got 10, you get three, you get a five, you get another three. 21. Yeah. Like, damn, I don't know how I got, I don't know how I made that hand.

Yeah. and that's what you're doing is going to have to do. Okay, he's going to have to wait a couple more weeks because Dylan Gabriel is in there now and they're going to give him, you know, three to five weeks. Yeah, I just, I hope he does well. I do, too.

I can't wish bad, oh, Cho. I've been in that situation, Ocho. I was the third. Hold on, Clarence Kay, K, Orson, Berger. I was the four tied in, Ocho. Guy, K. Fourth. Every tight end on the roster got hurt.

Hold on you, you was fourth? Fourth. First of all, first of all, first of all, I was the fifth receiver. So that's what I was the fifth receiver.

Yes. Hey, you were sorry. Hey, I was a special team, man. I was special teams, that's my job.

Now, hey, give them a good look at practice. Right. Special team, go down there and do what I need to do. Yeah. How everybody,

all the tight ends get hurt. Yeah. I'm the biggest wide receiver. But at that point in time, Ocho, I'm already down. I came in, I weighed 221. By that time, I'm like 2.12. What wide receiver you know Ocho

can go play in tight end? Even in today's game, when they don't really block like that at 212. Yeah, that's very undersized. That's very undersized. Hell, I did. Shit, when I came in this movie, I was 212. So it was a situation like,

And when dad, they send for me to come talk to Dan, I think I'm going to get cut. Because Coach called you, they say, hey, Dan, want to see you in his office. And you just had a meeting. What you're going to, man? I'm going to tell my, what I'm going to tell me? What I'm going to tell us back?

Damn. Everybody, I'm back and just, also everything going through my head. Yeah, I know, I know them ends are back home. I'm going to be, yeah, I told you. I knew he wasn't going to last long. Damn. He could tell I was nervous, Ocho.

I'm like, that's a dick, man, coach. Hey, Shanna, come on in. No, I'm good. I can hear you out here. Hey. He said, uh, what do you think about switching positions? Okay. We think about moving you to tie in.

I said, okay. He said, uh, I say, you're going to throw. me the ball. He's like, yeah, you know, you got to learn the plays, but yeah, we'll get you the ball. I said, okay. Ocho my heart was beating so fast. Yeah. So, hey, now I ain't into why I received with me to know, with the tight ends, yeah. And just, and just like that halfway through the season, boom. Exit interview, Ocho, we were five and eleven that year. year. Yeah. He said, hey, Coach Reed, tell him I go to his office. He said, you did really good, but, hey, need you to get a little stronger, put a little weight on. Yeah. Hey, we think you

could be really good. We think you could be really good. He's like, man, I'm so, okay. Bad. Oh, Joe, man, I hit the weight. Man. So that's what, hey, Chador, I don't know when this opportunity. is going to present itself. But when it presents itself, and I'm sure your father has told you this, when the opportunity presents itself, sometimes an opportunity presents itself,

Ocho Grumblers complain about the noise. Don't worry about it. Seed the moment, bro. What that was you said? Opportunity when it knocks, grumbler complains about the noise. Man, who that knock? That's opportunity.

Gone. Don't worry about it. on you're Sanders realize that hang your hat on that all else fails go back who am i what am i how did i become this where did i come from hey boy that was a good one now boy when opportunity presents itself brumbulles an opportunity knocks oh yeah knock knock knock knock knock knock knock man who did knock on my door what you won't that was opportunity knock it and you complaining about the noise Hmm, ooh, that's tough. Hey, that's like a battle rap bar right there.

Mm-hmm. I'm going to use that. I'm going to use that. That was a beautiful. All right, Ocho, check this out. CJ Stride was asked about improving and exploding us. Yeah. Let's take a listen to what he had to say.

Okay. Being 23, I'm not, like, fully in my grown man body all the way yet. You know, I'm still growing every, like, every year. And I just think, like, I've got to just continue to be hard of myself. about not only just lifting weights but eating the right foods like that's been a big thing too um so yeah that that's just a thing where i think the explosiveness comes from like being better with my diet being better with um you know stretching and like um i feel like i'm getting old so i got i'm not i'm not as quick as i used to be i was watching my high school stuff a couple

days ago i was i was like 180 and i was rolling well not no more but yeah i try to just be better with that stuff so I can run fast. All right. You ain't played, I mean, it's hard for you to play 180. Hey, you can't take them legs. No, you can't. But I don't, I don't like what he said in the interview. What he said?

What he said? I don't like what he said in the interview. I got to watch some of the things I eat. I got to change the diet. Let me finish. Let me finish. I got to change my diet, you know, and help. No, the food you consume has nothing to do with your explosion.

When you were 180 in high school, of course you're, faster. So what you need to do in the off season is you work your low extremities. You work your low extremities to have that explosive where you felt much faster when you were 180 in high school. Also, the competition you're playing against is much faster than the competition you played against we're in high school. So it makes you feel like you're not as quick or as fast or as explosive. No, the people around you are that just that much faster. That's all. Ain't nothing wrong with you. Boy, you're

23 years old, what? Don't let the people brainwash you, too. Talk about some diet. I can make sure you never get hurt again. You hear me? Houston, right down the street from me. I'm a nutritionist. I got a 17-week plan that'll take you out this world, boy. Stop playing,

man. Don't let them... 17-week plan to take you out of the league, C.J. Don't you call, Locho. Hey, see, A, Straub, I got a, I'm telling you, well, I'm a nutritionist, huh? I got my license. I'm a dietitian. I got everything you need. thing you need a man that man he ain't got a driver's license he got a fishing license

C. C.J. Stryl, come holl at your boy in all season. Don't holl at him, C.J. Shit. Hey, all that. Man, say he got, he old. Man, 23, boy. If you old at 23, I show hate to see you at 33. He's mistaken.

He's mistaking how he looked in high school and how explosive he felt against the competition. Yeah. How many of them guys that you played against a high school? in the NFL because all the guys that you play against now in the NFL. Hey, it's a different ball game. Hey, Uncle, you got Laman, 300, 290.

One and four-five, man. Yep. Yep. Come on, man. So, of course, you feel that way, but that's not it. It's an illusion. It's in your mind. See, they strive, I can get you down to a four-three. I can get you down to a four-three.

Come on down there to my track program. He ain't get down, 343. CJ, you're not getting down to 4-3. I'm telling you. Hey, I have CJ Stratt at it like Lamar Jackson. No, you're not. I need three months. Because Lamar Jackson been fast all his

life. CJ Stroud ain't been fast. CJ Stroud been fast by his standard. Yeah. But by being fast, Lamar Jackson been fast as his whole life. Lamar Jackson was fast in high school. He was fast in junior high school. He was fast in college. He fast in the NFL.

Listen to me. I'm not saying I can get him Lamar Jackson fast, but I can get him in arm's reach, an arm's length of being just as elusive, not as fast, but fast enough to where he doesn't feel. He's overwhelmed by the NFL talent.

That's what he's saying. Yeah, Victor with me Yamah's arm. They disloan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm telling you, man. I'm telling you. I got a good program for all of them, boys. No, you don't.

Hey, this is Matt Jones. I'm Drew Franklin, and this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining.

And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.