OverDrive - Palmer on the Chiefs' search for the three-peat, Mahomes' winning mentality and Barkley looking to make a statement

Episode Date: February 7, 2025

TSN NFL Analyst Jesse Palmer joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NFL, the Chiefs' search for a three-peat in the Super Bowl, Patrick Mahomes' clutch mentality, Jalen Hurts becoming the factor for the Eagles, Saquon Barkley's running strength and more.

Hey, James Duthie for McAlpine Lincoln in Aurora. By all means, go ahead and compare Lincoln to the competition. You may be surprised to see how our luxury SUVs stack up. With our calm interiors, suite of standard driver assist technologies, and pickup and delivery service, Lincoln brings you thoughtful experiences and comfort in the extreme. Schedule your Discovery test drive and compare Lincoln today. We're confident you'll be extremely glad that you did. For details visit McAlpineLincoln.com

Here is our TSN NFL analyst Jesse Palmer. How you doing Jesse? You guys doing awesome. How are you? Happy Super Bowl week. Yes love it. We're doing well. The Hall of Fame actually was announced last night. I guess we'll begin with Eli. Eli Manning was not a first ballot Hall of Famer. How did you respond to that? Not overly surprised, just to be clear. I mean, I think Eli is going to get in eventually. The best way I would sum it up is if you looked at Eli's career, I would say he's had Hall

of Fame moments. I don't, you know, but a lot of people don't feel like he's had the hall of fame career, no MVPs, no first team, all pros, anything like that. I mean, obviously the two Superbowl wins against Tom Brady and winning the Superbowl MVP in those games, I think he's the strongest case. And ultimately I think that is what's going to get him in. I think right now he sits 11th in career passing yards and career passing touchdowns. So statistically, if from that standpoint he gets in, I think the problem right now is that from a career standpoint in 16 years, he's got a 500 winning percentage. But historically, if you look at guys like Dan Fouts and Warren Moon, they had similar career winning percentages and both of those guys were first team, first ballot, all the famers.

Warren Moon actually never even reached a conference championship game in his NFL career. And so, you know, I think it's just a matter of time for him. It's not surprising he didn't get the first ballot. By the way, Michael Strahan didn't get a first ballot. Chris Carter didn't get a first ballot. Theo didn't get a first ballot. So, you know, John Randall didn't get a first ballot. So, I mean, it's not surprising to me.

He didn't get in, but I do think he is gonna get it. Now, it may not be next year though because you look at next year drew breeze is available Philip Rivers is available Bill Belichick is available Jason Whitten available very good they're available so you know it's going to be a huge discussion next year too but I do think it is a matter of time before he does get it Jesse the guy in KC is a slam dunk to get in. We all know that. And as far as the game Sunday, he's the guy that never loses. But Philadelphia, just watching NFL live and all the shows in the States all week, people

are describing the Eagles and they have all week. And they have for quite some time as the best roster in football. So if you had a choice, like if a random fan was going to pick between the best roster in football. So if you had a choice, like if a random fan was going to pick between the best roster and the guy that kind of missed her clutch and doesn't really lose, what should they take? I'd take Mr. Clutch. I mean, because just look how good he's been in the biggest games throughout his career. So there's nothing about the best roster with Saguon that says maybe that's the recipe to take him down Absolutely, I mean listen there there there's no question in my mind, so it offers the best roster in the NFL this year

You know there are a lot of people that also think This is the best team that Mahomes and Andy Reid have played in a Super Bowl so far, even better than Tom Brady's bucks with that defense and, and Antonio Brown and all those guys do. I think that's personally debatable. I mean, listen, I mean, I think what makes Philadelphia different from the team that they, that got beat by the chiefs a couple of years ago is state one Barkley.

You can just mention it yourself. I mean, they're explosive now running the football. One play can be a home run at any given moment. Um, and you combine that with the best you've had in the NFL statistically. And that feels like a recipe, but here's what I know about the cheats. They've won 15 straight games by seven points or less. Think about that for a second. by seven points or less. Think about that for a second.

This game's straight. Like this is a team that knows how to win close games. That's been the theme for them all season long. And listen, luck plays a big part of that, by the way. And there have been some games where, you know, kickers have doinked kicks off the uprights. We've seen quarterbacks fumble snaps late in games that have secured wins for the chiefs, but dude, with my homes,

he's the best third down quarterback in the NFL this year during the regular season. And it actually got better in the postseason. I saw some crazy stat this week. And they went back and they looked at every quarterback in play NFL playoffs history in the modern era and they were looking at how successful they were on drives at the end of the game where they were trailing and they needed either a field goal or a touchdown to get it to OT or to win the game.

And they were looking at the percentage of times that quarterback was able to come through for his respective team. And Tom Brady was like at 50%. I think Drew Brees was at 60%. I wanna say Mahomes is something like seven for seven or 13 for 13, like 100%. Like with the game on the line, there's never been a guy more clutch

than Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. It's like Joe Montana stuff. And so, I mean, yeah, I hear what you're saying about the roster. I totally get it. I mean, Jalen Hurts was effectively Superman. The last time these teams played in the Super Bowl and that still wasn't enough to get it done.

And so, I mean, listen, Kansas City still has other good players too outside of just my homes. But to me, that's the guy that makes the difference. And that's why I have a really, really hard time picking against him. So if that's the case, you're on the field after the game let's say the Eagles win do you think the story will be the Eagles winning and how they did or will it be the Chiefs losing and what happened in Mahomes? I think it'll be the Eagles winning and what they did I think if they win this game I think Saquon

goes off first off I think Saquon will have to have a monster game. They're also going to have to have balance. And I think AJ Brown and Devontae Smith and Dallas Goddard and all those guys are going to have to get theirs too. I think they have to have, Jaylen Hertz has to have a day throwing it. It's good news for them by the way, that they've had an extra week of healing time for Jaylen Hertz and his left knee. But to me, the big story will probably, probably be Philadelphia's defense, I think. I mean, I think if you're going to slow down Patrick Mahomes,

it's going to come from the past rush. And we know that the chiefs this year, they've had problems protecting from homes. I think he's been sacked 41 times when you count the regular season and the postseason combined. And they've had all of these issues with their left tackle. Nolan Smith for the Eagles has basically been unblockable in the postseason. I think he has four sacks throughout the course of the playoffs. So no question, if the Eagles pull this off, it's gotta be about what they did

to unseat a team that no one's really been able to figure out in the postseason with one of the all-time great quarterbacks and one of the all-time great coaches on their side. Well, I mean, I think Saquon has to have a big game, but when you look at Jalen Hurts, the last time that these two teams met in the Super Bowl, he did throw for over 300 yards. Do you feel like he's kind of being slept on a little bit as a guy who could impact the game here this weekend? Yeah, I mean, I think, I don't know if people believe it's the old formula of just, hey,

let's just run the ball with Saquon, play great defense, we win in the trenches, we win the Super Bowl. I think, I don't know if people believe it's the old formula of just, Hey, let's just run the ball with stake one, play great defense. We went in the trenches. We went to super bowl. I don't, I don't honestly, I mean, that, that generally is the formula that you, that you would follow. And there's probably a lot of other teams in super bowl history. You can point back to and say, that's exactly what they did. And that's why they won the bears at 85 pop out Ravens, um, uh, with Trento for that team. But I feel like to beat beat Mahomes it's gotta be more, so you're right.

I mean it does have to be more Jalen Hurts. And you know, he talked after they just pummeled Washington in the NFC title game at his post game press conference and he said, you know, Suriani finally kind of took the straight jacket off me a little bit and kind of let me loose, let me throw it. There's no, there's no doubt in my mind that he's going to have to do more of that. Like Philadelphia is way too talented at wide receiver and at tight end. Um, for those guys not to be able to make plays in this one, they absolutely have got to, I've got to do that.

You know Kansas city's defense is going to come into this bank saying rule number one is we have to stop seeing more embargo. The second thing they've got to do is they've got to stop the push part, which I mean, I think we, I don't know if we talked about this. I think I talked about this on Monday morning quarterback, but in the AFC title game, I'm ridiculously good with Kansas City's defense on Josh Allen's quarterback. I mean, a six foot five, 240 pound quarterback tried to sneak it six times.

They stuffed him four times and they did it once on forced down. It was huge. Now, if you go back, I mean, that's, that's, I know like quarterback sneaks, you know, in the, is a micro shock and obviously at the game, but I feel like when you play the Eagles and you play Jalen hurts, that's a big part of being able to get off the field. And by the way, the last time these two teams played in the Super Bowl, I think Jaylen Hurts scored two touchdowns on quarterback sneak.

Kansas City actually struggled with that. So if there's kind of a weird area of the game that you're looking at in this one that might determine it, when Philly gets into third and one, fourth and one, if Kansas City does what they did against Josh Allen and the Bills, man, that is huge for the Chiefs. Jesse, Tom Brady, I mean we talked about Mahomes being Mr. Clutch, like that guy was Mr. Clutch for the Pats and then he got it done again with the Bucks. What do you think he's going through with his first Super Bowl up on Sunday? I mean, do you think he's got nerves and how do you think he's been overall as far as,

you know, the color guy yeah i i i i'm sure he's got nervous probably got excited though i mean that that was a guy that just derived in playing in big games so i i think that probably translates his broadcasting as well he's probably so excited uh... to get up in the booth and call that game just just understanding the stage and i mean it's it's fun for all of us, at least watching the game to,

to hear from a guy. No one's ever done it more, right? No one's ever, no one's ever won that game more than that guy and been in those moments. So I think it'll be a lot of fun. I've been a fan of Tom listening to him this year. Honestly, I mean, from a guy, you know, I can speak to it firsthand, at least having played the position, not anywhere near the level he did, but then make that transition to the booth. It's tough. It's daunting. And there are a lot of things, a lot of fundamentals and mechanics that I think go into broadcasting and calling games that probably a lot of people at home aren't aware

of. And the only way you ever get control of that, the only way you get used to that stuff is like anything else. It's just reps and calling games. So I mean, he's on a big stage in his first year of doing this. There's going to be, I don't even know how many people around the world are going to be watching this game. It's the biggest stage in sports. So obviously a lot of pressure on him, but like, it like is he making like 35 million dollars a year or something? Yeah, he's got like he's kind of got to meet the moment doesn't he for 35 sheets?

Yeah, I think so, you know, but but listen I mean if there was ever a guy built to do that based on his own experience You got to think it's him. So I'm excited and what's gonna help him too. I think is you know I'm expecting this to be a close game i'm expecting that uh... to probably go deep into the fourth quarter uh... to broadcast it you know to broadcast in that that always helps you know staying locked into the moment and me actually knows a bit also

but i can't wait i'm sure you're gonna do great yes can be a fun one sunday enjoy jesse we always appreciate you find a time for us you can get that procedure there's a jesse palmer tsn nfl analyst