Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast - JJ McCarthy is energizing the Vikings (and Aaron Jones practiced) (Part 2)

Episode Date: November 7, 2025

Matthew Coller talks about the Vikings players talking about JJ McCarthy's youthful energy and the matchup with the Ravens. A positive injury report. Manny picks the schedule. The Purple Insider podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Also, check out our sponsor HIMS at https://hims.com/purpleinsider Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of Purple Insider is presented by Fandul. Brian says, what's the percentage chance that JJ Energy and Moxie boosts continue into this week, getting the same intensity out of the team. I mean, coming back to U.S. Bank Stadium, feels like it's, I mean, they played Philly. Do I need to look this up with their schedule? When was the last? I mean, they played Philly, but how many times have they been at home? since, I don't know, the beginning of the year,

it feels like they've never been at home. You know, they go over to Dublin. I'm going to look this up. This got the dates. Okay, this has the dates. I mean, just in terms of home games. So on September 21st, they played the Bengals. And then the next time they played at home was October 19th.

And now it's November 9th. So they have played one home game since September 24th. first. Yeah, I think they're going to have the energy built up for U.S. Bank Stadium for that. I mean, that's just a crazy schedule. You know, when we look at this four and four start through the light of McCarthy playing, beating the lions, getting healthy, and you think about all the things that have happened in the first half of the season, and now it gets a chance to settle where you have Sunday or Monday night football, then Sunday night football. And he has a kid in between as we've heard about many times and then after that he's hurt and so is everybody else

and then it's play in Dublin play in London come back over here oh it's the Eagles and then it's Carson Wentz on three days rest with a torn labrum and fractured something or other in his shoulder and no Derisaw and no only like it was just so chaotic this first half of the season there's so many things that were just not good breaks for them, especially the injuries, but also I think the schedule-wise, having one home game since September 21st, it is about to snow. And they've played one time at U.S. Bank Stadium. It gives you a reason to think that they can win six out of the last nine games and make a case for a playoff spot because they are going to play at home a lot here.

They're going to play home this week, next week, go to Lambo, which. which is not like a home game, but when going on the road to Lambo, it's a place that these guys have been so many times. So, yeah, I mean, I think that there's going to be a ton of energy for them. And there is a very good shot that they can carry that over and get some momentum going into the season, but into the second half of the season. But most importantly, they can actually have a regular week,

almost every week for the rest of the season. Justin, how is Ryan Kelly doing? I saw him on the side field and he was starting to do his rehab work. I, it concerns me. It concerns me with Ryan Kelly. It does. I think that there might be a chance that he does come back. And it's hard not to say, hey, man, they could really use him because he's very, very good.

I also think that Brandl did a really good job overall last week, but Kelly's one of the best players of the last 10 years at that position. If he does get back and he does go out there, it's going to worry me. It's going to worry me a lot. But he is starting that process. So we'll see how that goes. MKR says an upbeat personality like JJs will lift the team's spirit. Yeah, you know, I think it's it is lift the team spirit.

And everybody likes that kind of energy for. their leader and their captain. You heard Hawkins and saying, hey, he's the captain. I also think it helps you when things aren't good. Everything is, everything is just up and down and up and down with this league. And if you have a guy who gets down and stays down as your leader, it's going to be hard to operate. But if you get a guy who always stays up no matter what, then you're going to feel like you have a chance all the time. Joel says, is there a game to get the run game going?

Oh, if there is a game to get the run game going. It's this one. Keep Lamar off the field as long as possible, run the clock down. KOC needs to get uncomfortable by calling more run plays. Yes, yes, very much. And I know that I've said recently, and I'll continue to say, look, we can't every single week on the interwebs, on the podcasts, in the articles, just keep saying every year, Kevin, run more, run more, run more, run more, run more.

It's like the family guy, Stewie, where he's like, hey, hey, hey, hey, there's a, I forget exactly the scene, but, you know, the baby trying to look at me, look at me. Like, sometimes I feel like that's us. We're like Stewie with O'Connell, like run more, run more, come on, run more. He's always going to be a guy that's got a past first offense that trusts quarterback. And Mike Zimmer was always a guy who never trusted his quarterback. back and always wanted to run more and like what if you two melded and really i think that was like 2019 where they hit the perfect mix of run pass they played the the pass game off the run the

bootlegs and you know all that stuff and the deep shots down the field they still probably ran a little too much that year but that was probably the one season where i thought that they kind of nailed it and i don't know that any of the teams have nailed it since um Zimmer wanted to run even when they weren't running well or when the running back was hurt. Like, it just, you know, it got to be too much at times in other seasons. But I thought they got it right that year with Stefansky and Gary Kubiak running things. And I don't know that they've gotten it quite since that. I mean, not 17, they got it right.

You know, I think 16, they couldn't run at all. 15, they probably ran too much. So that was the year that it pops out to me. They had the screen game going and they built everything off the run game. It's never going to be O'Connell's. philosophy to run first down, second down, third down. But if there is a game where you could see them getting that going and wanting to stick with that and wanting to build the past game off it, it's against the team that ranks 27th

against the run by PFF. So that I agree with you. But also, there's certain things that I just don't have the energy for anymore, which is like debating Dallas Turner's draft talking about the 2022 draft. You know that one. It's like, look, we've covered it. I know we've covered it. And I feel the same way in some ways about talking about O'Connell running more. It's like, well, I think we all agree that there are times in a game. And, you know, I thought the middle part of the game against the Lions where you go could

really use a little more on the ground here. And if you have one run that doesn't go well, you can't just bail on it, you can't just, you know, pass, pass, pass all the time. But I'm kind of willing to say this is what their offense is going to be. And if J.J. McCarthy is good, that that's going to be okay. And there are times where I'm sure we're going to say, oh, dude, second and one, run the ball. Third one, run the ball. But that's what their offense is going to be. And overall passing is better than running in terms of efficiency.

It doesn't mean you can just ignore. running. Running has been successful the last couple years. But in this game in particular, that's a long way of getting to. Like, I totally agree with you. If it's working, then you need to keep running. Because this defense can just get pounded. And we've seen that happen a few times against some of their opponents where they have just gotten smashed in the run game. Norse force is Eric Wilson and Blake cash money. Come on, man.

let's uh we can let um let let them give themselves their own nicknames which we learned that miles price's nickname is jug head like that's what kind of weak it's been uh for this team is or it's just jug i think it's just jug because his head looks like a jug i'm not joking that was mentioned today uh but anyway blake cashman uh make the difference more physical uh defense more physical and dominant i mean eric wilson it gives them a player who can line up a difference he could play in coverage, but I think it's intelligence for him. He is tough. He is physical, but IQ, man.

The guy is smart as heck, and he's been around for a long time. And it just gives them something where you know where the guy's going to be. You know what the communication is going to be. And now it's so funny because everything looks a little different now after a win against Detroit. And everyone who's clamoring for, they need to have younger players. they need to have more draft picks. They need to have more development. And then you're like, okay, well, Van Ginkle, Cashman and Wilson are out there and look

awesome. Oh, yeah. Yeah, veterans. High intelligent veterans. That's what I was saying the whole time, right? I mean, that's how this goes. But that's why Brian Flores has them. That's why he has veteran players on the field a lot because you have to communicate so much

in this defense that an Eric Wilson becomes incredibly vital. and he is extremely physical, and he brought a physical presence to them, but also he brings an intelligence to them that, you know, I think Ivan Pace as a young player is not on the same level as someone who's been in the league as long as Eric Wilson. First name, last name says for the Fandul question of the day, I think Addison needs to hit the over. Addison seems to have the best chemistry with McCarthy.

I need to see a lot on that Sunday. I think that's, that is a good observation. And I don't disagree with you because, I mean, look, 47 and a half yards is not a very high over under for someone of Jordan Addison's caliber. So if he doesn't hit that, it means he was basically taken out of the game. So that's a good point. Last Samurai, do you think we see more of Dallas Turner this week against the Ravens? I do not think that. I don't think he's going to be completely benched, but, and he does

have athleticism to chase down a guy like Lamar Jackson. But the way they used Eric Wilson at outside linebacker, I think they're going to do it again. I think they're going to keep doing it. And, you know, Turner played 14 snaps. He made a couple plays, made a couple tackles and coverage. And he's going to be a part of this. But Wilson at the outside linebacker position, knowing how he can rush, knowing how he could drop back into coverage from there, how he can run stunts from there, how they can start him at outside linebacker, move him to the inside. Like, these are the things that they're trying to teach Dallas Turner how to do. And that's why when we keep going back to this player, Dallas Turner over and over, it's like, well, Turner hasn't

turn 23 yet and it's just hard to say like yeah in this defense if it was a different defense that was if it was Cleveland which is a very simplistic defense he's probably just on the edge with his hand in the dirt rushing the passer time and time and time and time again and he's probably getting some sacks and his sack numbers might be decent he might get seven or eight in a season you'd be like oh good season eight sacks this defense just asks so much more from the experience and intellectual part that I think it's hard to go out there and play 60 plays like he did. And I think that Wilson might be a better fit right now. And that's, and that is tough.

I think that that is difficult because you did spend the draft capital on him. And he is very talented. But look, my thing is always, and you guys know this, it's like, I know he's drafted. The other guy's not drafted, free aid. You need to win. I don't care how you do it. You need to win. And if Eric Wilson is the best place,

to be out there at that spot, then he's the best player to be out there at that spot. So I'm sure we'll see Turner. I just don't know if it's going to be as much as it was early in the year. And so, and, you know, of course, you know, we always get the one person, he's a bust, whoever. Look, there's, it's, to me, there is a development curve for players and they're all different.

And I have seen, I could give you 20 examples of guys. I've mentioned Melvin Ingram, Trey Hendrickson is another one. guys who needed time at that edge rusher position. So, you know, I think Turner has showed his youth. He, I think he's also shown some flashes of being good this year. But if you're asking him to go in and set edges and things like that, like that's just not, he's just not there yet in some of those details. But, you know, I'm not, I think he could play a role on this team going down the stretch

the same way he did last year. And I'm just not going to spend every day of my life talking. about a move that they made last year in the draft. He's a player on the team that's going to help them. But if Wilson is going to be better than play Wilson, that's always going to be how it's going to be. And if you nail a player who becomes super valuable in free agency, but you miss on a draft pick, I don't know. What am I supposed to say? Are you brilliant or stupid? I don't know. It's always really frustrating to talk about. But I would say that Dallas Turner is a guy that has the physical capability to change.

chase around to Lamar Jackson. So he may end up on the field a little bit more. That if you're talking about one guy that has a pretty insane speed, that might be him. Kay says pressures aren't the same as the blitz. Yeah, I mean, there are different ways to do pressures, simulated pressures. Maybe you're referring to.

And if, look, if you could pressure with four on simulated pressures, that would be great if they could do that. lot of that against Jared Gough. It was not all blitzes. I would imagine we're going to see a lot of that against Lamar for sure. KFT players don't often talk up the quarterbacks the way the Vikings talk about McCarthy. Bridgewater was a gamer, but they didn't talk about it in the same way. Disagree. And I was there after Teddy got hurt, but have talked to a lot of players over the years about Teddy Bridgewater. Different people, different people. Teddy Bridgewater. Teddy Bridgewater was a 22-year-old going on 32.

It's incredibly mature for a young person. I think he had grown up a lot as a young person and had leadership traits as a kid that were those that you would expect from veteran NFL quarterbacks. So they're very different. So they do talk about them differently. Like McCarthy is a ball of energy who is just, you know, bouncing around is the best way to describe it, like a kid in a candy store kind of with playing football, and they love him for that. But, you know, Teddy Bridgewater came in and was a professional right off the bat. And I think

his work ethic, his calmness, he had a lot of joy and enthusiasm, too. It was just a little bit more under control. But teammates, and look, Jeremiah Searles has talked about this on the show, teammates adored Teddy Bridgewater as the leader of their team. And that's why I'm drawing on the comparison, that the two are very similar. Bridgewater and McCarthy in that way, that I'm hearing some of the same stuff and seeing some of the same stuff that even though the quarterback was not fully developed yet, Bridgewater was not fully developed yet. And McCarthy is not either.

And Bridgewater wasn't always the most accurate and didn't have the strongest arm where McCarthy has the strongest arm, but he doesn't have the touch on it like Bridgewater did. So there's differences. But the same point is that. that the locker room is buying them. And their leadership capabilities seem natural, not forced. And I think that when people make the Mr. Unlimited joke about Russell Wilson, I think,

is very forced, where McCarthy's, I think, is very natural. So that is the difference. But there's a lot of stuff that is similar between those two. Let's see. Napster. Collar has been chasing caffeine pills with Diet Dr. Pepper to make all these videos. Hey, man, you don't have to push me to talk about football.

Although I got water here tonight. I've been trying to drink more water. Oh, it tastes terrible. I don't know how you people drink this. I don't know how we're 80% of this. It's awful. But I have been trying to actually reduce the amount of Diet Dr. Pepper by at least a little bit because I tend to talk too fast sometimes.

But, no, I mean, look, it's an exciting. week. And I, we have so many people on the show that love football, Searles. Manny's coming up here. I had a pre-record. This is, this is how much Mani loves football. Okay. So Mani, Mani Hill, who's on every Thursday night, he had a family function tonight and couldn't do the show. But he said to me, hey, can we, can we record my segment? I'm like, let's go. So we're, hey, look, everybody who's on the show myself, like we all like talking about football. So it doesn't take any, any extra work. And look, when you can, what is the beginning of the season, this is how it goes, right?

And I've said this before. Some people will reach out sometimes like college kids and ask me about doing this job. And the best way I could describe it is when I went to Chicago, there was a little bit of a change we had to make. The dog got sick and we had to kind of turn things around a little bit with my travel schedule. In Chicago, I left Soldier Field, I think, at 1 o'clock in the morning. I flew into Chicago that day on the Monday. And so I got there like the middle of the day. And then I get to the stadium at, I don't know, 5 o'clock, left Soldier Field at 1.30 in the morning.

And my flight was leaving at 6 a.m. And I get back to the hotel and I've still got more work to do because I got to write, finish up my article from the locker room. So I'm finishing up the article. it's probably three in the morning there and that's when I finally take a little bit of a nap so I take like an hour nap get up you know you want to miss Chicago traffic

so get the Uber go to the airport fly back then there's a O'Connell Press Conference then there's a show we got the round table and that's that's my Monday right or Monday into Tuesday that doesn't bother me at all because we're talking football here it's great but if you don't love

it enough, if you don't have that energy naturally without the caffeine pills and diet Dr. Pepper, it's probably not for you. So, you know, for me, it's always, it's always fun to get together with, you know, Steve Palazzo, Mani, like, I always enjoy the conversation. When things are down, it's a different discussion and it's different with you guys, but I always like doing it no matter what. Brett says Addison, Jefferson will take a lot of the attention Addison needs to take advantage yet also you know Marlon Humphrey's in this game so a really good corner still and if you can get an advantage on the other side that could be a big deal uh you know hawkinson though that you know Kyle Hamilton is lurking and I think if you could take some of

his attention away from the receivers that could also play a big role as well because he's kind of everywhere marauder says will we ever see the rookie wide receiver you're talking about Ty Felton He has speed. Can't we use it? Well, he develops. Can we get a wide receiver screen once in a while? Well, the thing about that is that Jalen Naylor and Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson, but those two, I mean, they're good with the football in their hands.

I don't think you want to take those guys off the field. Give Felton time. Let these guys develop. Let Felton develop. Let Miles Price develop. I wouldn't mind seeing Price get the football, but you have guys who are great with the football in their hands. Felton will develop or not in due time. I like how he's played on special teams.

But I think there's always this, like, hey, can't we get a look at the young guy that we drafted because it was exciting on draft day? It's probably going to be a next year thing when you have a trio of wide receivers like this. You're not, there's no situation where you're saying it's better to give a guy who's never played in the NFL on offense, the ball, instead of Jordan Addison. So just throw some of them screens to Addison. You saw him in space last week. I mean, it's just so freaking good.

two dog dad said doing some more brainstorming today was thinking about the DTs. How come we never move pre-snap like all the other positions. They always go down and become statues. Is that true? I don't know. I don't know that that's true. I think they shift up there at times before this. Now, they don't walk around.

They don't stand up and like move around and walk. But a lot of times based on the communication with the linebackers, and Blake Cashman, he will tap somebody on one side. They'll shift, they'll move. But they don't like all stand up at once. I don't know if any team actually does that. I mean, most teams down linemen are going to be, you know, they're going to have their hand in the dirt or the turf or whatever those little

pellets are. They're going to be like that. I don't know. Like it depends because if you're, I think also if you're having a bunch of guys moving at the linebacker positions, maybe you would prefer that you also don't. have every position moving all at once. So I'm not sure, but I don't know if they're, I don't think they're doing it wrong.

That's defensive. Oh, what about defensive tackle standing up? Well, you're going to do that on third down maybe in the past with certain rushers. So if you had like a jihad ward, you might do it. You don't want to do that with Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. These are hand in their dirt rushers. So, you know, I don't, standing up Javon Hargrave wouldn't make any sense. Like he's a guy that gets low in the way that he rushes.

and Jonathan Allen has been doing this for how long he bursts out of his stance and does that pass rush move where he uses the guy's momentum. I think it's based on who they are, but I mean, you don't see too many defensive tackles just standing up. What you would be thinking about is if they were using a NASCAR package where they have outside linebackers, and they've done this in the past with like Patrick Jones, Jihad Ward, if you had outside linebackers who were standing up over the A-gaps and then two edge rushers, if that was your pass rush package, then you would have those guys standing up,

but not guys like Hargrave and Allen who have been doing that forever. KFT says, how good is Gray's Zabel? Seattle's offensive line was terrible last year. I saw a stat with Gray's Abel that he had allowed, I don't know, some very small number of quarterback pressures this year. I think the answer is very good. If I'm not mistaken, Jeremiah Searle did say something to me like, yeah, maybe you were right about

Gray's Able. But, you know, his PFF numbers are just okay. What they're doing for a rookie, they're just okay. I don't think they're even as good as Donovan Jackson, but what they're doing is getting rid of the football very quickly. So you don't have to grade super stupendously to

not allow pressures. He's only allowed two pressures in the last four weeks, but it hasn't even graded that grade except for one of the games and he's been average otherwise. But that's the key, right? is if your quarterback and your system is getting rid of the ball quickly, then, you know, it's, that's going to give you an advantage. Just, you know, for example,

Jonathan Jackson actually has a better overall PFF grade than Gray's Abel. But they've gotten the ball out faster. And Jackson did really well last week. And I ended up getting Wes Phillips off on a, on a PFF conversation today. about Donovan Jackson, but I'm just seeing a lot of really good things with him as well. So look, it's a good guard class. I don't know. What is Tyler Booker doing?

I haven't even looked with the Cowboys because he was the other one that was on. Oh, he's, yeah, he's playing. It was just a great, he's got really good grades. It was just a great class. Tyler Booker is this big giant mauler, 325 pound dude, and he's had some great games, been really good in run blocking, pretty average and pass protection. but not like giving up a ton all these you're usually not seeing guys drafted in the first round the guard position unless they're really great prospects which i think this year was unique for that

so all of them have done really well they kind of couldn't miss uh let's see the bm the broncos with the throwbacks they should never have modern jerseys again i know if you actually go back and look uh when they first changed the jerseys i think it was even john elway was like i don't no man i don't like this and i don't either i like the ones that uh they've always had forever and changing them ugh not not my favorite that goes for almost does any team how often in history of sports because now the timber walls are rolling out their old ones how often in the history of sports is a team changed their jersey and it's been way better not not often uh norse force is uh ingram tie ingram dawkins injured or not playing he was banged up

Yeah, but he might end up being inactive depending on just how many they need of each position. So we'll see on that. But Ingram Dawkins was banged up. That's why he was out. Jake, do you think that Flores will take what he learned from Tomlin to stop Lamar? Pittsburgh has been Lamar's kryptonite and Flores was on that staff. Certainly. Yeah, certainly.

Yep. I mean, as much as you possibly can, there's no, like, true answer to how to stop Lamar Jackson. but I'm sure that when he was there, he took some things away from how to do that that he'll be going back to. I don't know exactly what those are, but in terms of different looks, coverages, pre-snap stuff,

I mean, I don't know exactly the details of how Tomlin has slowed him down. But my guess is if you have Lamar where he's getting impatient, like that's the only time where you can kind of get him, where if he's not seeing it right away and he doesn't have the open receivers that he's looking for and then you get him to kind of,

okay, I'm going to take off a little too early. You see this from Caleb Williams all the time, but Lamar will still do it. He's human and he's done some playoff games too where it's just, I'm a little impatient. I'm going to take off too early. And then the rush hasn't developed itself yet and he kind of will run occasionally right into past rushers.

Not all the time. We're talking about very small nitpicks here, but, you know, that that does happen from time to time. Let's see. Up north says he isn't going to win games solely from the pocket. Yeah, no, he can. He can.

I mean, really, like, that's, I get what you're saying, but Lamar truly is capable these days of winning games where he doesn't run a lot. I mean, there's not a lot of games where he doesn't run a lot because he's so prolific at it. but the efficiency with which he has passed over his career, I mean, he can win games in any type of way. Last year, 915 yards rushing, man, that's crazy. But hey, look, he has a double-digit fumbles the last two years, and that's something that they're probably looking for. But now, I think that that's, it's sort of like people say that about Jalen Hertz, too,

and then he throws like a 70-yard touchdown. and you're like, well, yeah, seems that he can. Seems that he can. I think all these great quarterbacks can win from the pocket if you make them. I was trying to look through some games from last year. They won almost every game from last year. I doubt he ran for 1,000 yards every game. I mean, there were games last year where he didn't run for that many yards, and they still won.

I mean, some of these games last year ran for four yards, ran for 33, 46, 15, 22. like he didn't always run for you know a hundred yards every single game so he's he's just a great he's just a great player he's just a very very hard player to stop so great example Denver last year he he ran for what did I just see he ran for four yards and ended up with 280 yards passing 93 pf f grade in that game games. So, you know, and three touchdowns. Yeah. Yeah, he can beat you in a lot of ways. I mean, that's why you don't win MVP's from just, you know, being okay. Let's see. KFT Josh Allen had major accuracy issues, McCarthy improving, but his mechanics need to be

consistent. Well, that's the thing is like a good number of quarterbacks have had it. Those accuracy issues when they're young. And there's plenty of ways to develop it. And I think the best way is to play. And then you get the real sense because you can be, and I know that Alan worked with, I don't know, was it Jordan Palmer or one of those quarterback guys? And he worked like crazy. And so did Jalen Hertz. worked with Quincy Avery, I think, and worked like crazy to get the mechanics down. But, you know, the best experience that McCarthy's going to get is having the feeling of really running in a panic away from Aiden Hutchinson. If you're running away from Aiden Hutchinson, like a crazy person and in a real game,

then you can get the actual sense for what that's really like, as opposed to trying to simulate it in practice. There's just no way to do it. So, Alan playing a lot and developing on the fly is kind of what they're going to have J.J. McCarthy do here. And then in the off season, next off season, then he will know, I think, what to really build on and he will have a full off season. We are so far away from J.J. McCarthy being the top version of him as a thrower,

but you have to start with the velocity that he can create naturally, which I think is very high. And then the timing is something that has to come along to and understanding the offense. A lot of accuracy. People don't always think of it this way because of Madden, but a lot of accuracy is just throwing to the right spot. I mean, Drew Breeze is a great example of this. Drew Brees would drop back and he would release that football and it's headed toward a spot where he knows his receiver's going to be.

And they are able to adjust on the fly because it's traveling with a nice arc to it. Kurt Warner talked to me about this when I did the article with him where he said, you know, sometimes it looked like I threw a flawless ball and I missed my spot. But it had a nice arc on it for the receiver and he made an adjustment in the air where he, you know, maybe cut it a little bit tighter or maybe, you know, went a little bit vertical on it. it because he could see where it was headed and then I look like a genius with a perfectly accurate ball and that's why they're going to keep pounding the table for McCarthy to get more of that touch so um some of you guys are watching i i i Denver and uh i just get the raiders are a hard watch man they're a very hard watch Denver is a team that is interesting though to talk about whether Denver is actually a super bowl contender i tend to think that they are

You know, Knicks is a guy who's going to be debated all the time. But they kind of have San Francisco 49ers of the last few years vibe of their defense is so good. And their quarterback just has to do enough. Well, that's kind of been Philly too. I would say that with their defense and the way that defense really dominated in the playoffs last year, Denver does have a chance. KFT can't believe pundits are talking about Daniel Jones as an MVP candidate. Well, he's played.

He's played like it. he has definitely played like it. But I don't think that's going to continue. I think Daniel Jones is going to regress. Not regress to being terrible, but I think some of the turnover worthy plays are going to get there. And I see the possibility of playing harder teams in the second half. They've really had an easy schedule.

So, yeah, everybody's, everybody talking about, You know, Bo Nix is one of those quarterbacks where he has, what's the score there? I'll take a look where he has a bad quarter and then everyone wants to talk about how bad he is. Then he has a good quarter and then every, you know, the other people want to talk out how good he is. He's, he's an up and down type of quarterback who is playing with a team that, wow, Gino's been sacked five times already, who's playing with a team that's going to play it very safe and conservative because they have such a great defense. and they think that the longer you go on with not making big mistakes, if you don't throw interceptions, if you don't have sacks,

that you're going to grind the other team down. That's kind of how they're playing. KFT, Eric Wilson, the spy or Pace. Could be Blake Cashman, his instincts are so good that it could be him. I would maybe prefer Wilson because Cashman did get hurt spying Caleb Williams. Turner as a spy makes sense. But Turner, the instincts, are they there the same way they are for Wilson and Cashman? um he it kft the turner talking training camp uh proves that doesn't mean much sometimes it does sometimes

it doesn't i mean i think he's made improvements and he had a very good training camp but it doesn't it doesn't project everything this goes like just for example you know miles price in training camp and preseason we're going guys there might be something there with miles price right and it's turned out that there is and there are other times where where you think that something's going to percolate and it doesn't get there. I think he did take step forward. And I think overall they weren't able to execute the plan that they wanted to execute, which was to have him still as a rotational player with Van Ginkle.

So he spent all of training camp in one role and then played another one. But no, it doesn't, it doesn't always. A lot of times it does. A lot of times what we see with preseason and training camp, it will project if somebody's about to take a next step, that kind of thing, but is it perfect? No, I mean, it's practice. So it's not always going to work out that way. And you're also not like setting edges the same way, which I think has really been the biggest issue for him. And just dealing with, dealing with huge offensive tackles and having the pass rush bag, having the power, you see the quickness that he has.

You see the acceleration that he has. But is it there, is it developed enough to be able to beat those guys with just pure technique? that seems to be something that's got to come along. But really, the issue was that teams would see him out there and attack him in the run game because they know how good Grenard is. So, you know, look, I still think that it's a, it's something that is not decided yet, is not set in stone yet. I know everybody likes to call these things and seems to really enjoy just using the word bust.

Maybe it's just fun to say. But I think that as we go along here, we're going to see him in more of a contributing, type of role that was what he was supposed to be in this year next to Van Ginkle. So. Anyway,

BMS's friend of the show, Drew McGarry complimented those awful Packers' faux leather helmets in his article today. I've never disagreed with him more. I'm not really into that stuff. like the extra jerseys and, you know, I kind of like the jerseys that are out there, the Packers jersey, just them being them.

So maybe I'm on a little bit of a different viewpoint of that. But if Drew was complimenting the Packers, that means he really meant it. I just don't like, I don't like any of the special jerseys. I don't like any of the throwbacks. Just play with who you are. But, you know, you got to sell jerseys and stuff. Steve and Tampa Bay's Creamsicle throwbacks are awesome.

Yeah, it's like, imagine the jersey that they originally came up with is great. But then, you know, we've just gotten worse and worse as a society at designing jerseys. You know, we've just gotten worse at it. I mean, look at the newer teams. They're all bad.

The Houston Texans. Huh? The Tennessee Titans? Oh, dark blue and blue. Gotcha. Nobody wants to be bold. Remember when Tampa Bay brought out those jerseys that looked like they were from the Arena League? We're just not good at it anymore.

First name, last name is Theo Jackson looked any better since Harrison Smith came back. You know, I just, the thing with Theo is that his M.O. in practice and then when he's gotten in games early in his career was making place, getting his hands on the football, past breakups, interceptions. and he's a playmaker out there and they've shown a lot of belief in him. So they continue to like him. I don't think that yet at this point, he has played with the type of confidence that I expected him to play with.

And I think that the tackling has been a legitimate issue. Maybe it's circumstance, the targets. I mentioned that, you know, other teams have been able to run a lot, which makes everybody look worse on defense. When you're in passing situations, then that's where you get mistakes. you get interceptions.

So I think, you know, we'll see it from Theo at some point. They've believed him enough. They're usually not wrong. Like when they make a bet on a player like this, they haven't been wrong too often and let someone like Bynum leave. But I do think that the performance at that position has been nowhere close to what they got from Cam Bynum. But there's nine games left to go.

So there's an opportunity there for him to get into that role and get more comfortable and make some plays. But I don't know if it's been why. wildly different than what it was, what it was before earlier in the season with Harrison out. Bust is a very enjoyable word. Yeah, I think people like to say it. I don't know why.

So Tinkerbell Princess says other things Matthew is over talking about Chad Beebe. I don't, is there a reference there? Did I ever have some sort of Chad Beebebe ran? I like Chad Beebe. he was a good dude. I wish he hadn't gotten hurt. Because I thought he could have had a, you know, a career.

But that's a really random shoutout. Anyway, so look, on every Thursday night, what we do is pick the schedule with Manning. And as I mentioned, Mani is, as one of you said, a football sicko. Of course he is. So he made sure to say, hey, let's make sure that we pre-record me picking the schedule, want to be consistent, want to have to pick the schedule, in every single episode through, you know, the entire year.

And then we could track the ups and downs of Manny's emotions. And, you know, look, Manny is a lifelong Vikings fan. He goes along with the ride with you guys. And so when it's things are good, there's going to be more wins. And when things are bad, there's going to be less. You know how he is. But it's a great way to look at where they stand and setting our expectations and so forth. So before I bring you the segment with Manny, where he picks,

the schedule. And that will be the end of the show tonight. Then tomorrow we'll have the hardcore breakdown with Andrew Kramer, as always we do on Friday night. But let me give you one more reminder about that Fanduel question of the day. Justin Jefferson on Fandul over under is 71.5 yards. Jordan Addison is 47.5. And T.J. Hawkinson 30.5, which one of those players is the most important to go over? And I think a lot of you have decided, Addison. I kind of want to go Hawkinson, because I think at some point, it starts to click there with him and McCarthy, and that's where you could get a more consistent offense rather than kind of boom or bust.

What do I think about Miles Price? I think that Price has a, well, first of all, I will say, I love the fact that the kick returner guy is back. I mean, throughout history, there's been a ton of players that would have no chance in this league at other spots or no chance to get opportunities to go make plays. that because they were good kick returners, they got that chance. And some of them became more all-around players. We would have never known a Dante Hall, I'm sure, because he was not really a wide receiver.

And yet, you know, even a Devin Hester, who was, you know, a defensive player, but wasn't at all a Hall of Famer and became that way from returns. I love the fact that Miles Price, undrafted guy, no signing bonus, and this dude is making a major impact on the team. It's great. Love to have that back. J. Ward, KFT is a J-Wart of Possibility. I think so. I think so. And look, Flores said it. He said that the best guy is going to play.

And if Jay Ward ends up playing this week and playing well, then he has a chance to continue to stick. He was drafted in the fourth round. He had a good first week when he was out there. I wouldn't be shocked by it. I mean, we've seen Eric Wilson take Ivan Pace's job. They'll make changes. So if he plays this week, it plays well, we could see it.

Let's see. let's see do you think from boogie do you think byron murphy will get back back to form in these remaining games yeah i mean last year was just such a like big play festival for him with so many interceptions some of them and this is why interceptions are tough to pay a guy on are random um sometimes like mad staffer threw it right to him kirk cousins kind of threw it right to him but i i still i still think with him there's so much more to the story than that and he will have a better second half of the year. I just think everyone underperformed in the first half of the season

overall because of a lot of the circumstances and the offense was so poor. I think it just made everybody look a lot worse. But I do think also that they would like to have him play nickel more and that might be if they can get another corner or I don't know, Fabian Morrill plays well. It seems like every year they talk about why. wanting to get him nickel more and then something goes wrong and they're not able to do it. So, yeah, I think Byron Murphy will emerge and make some plays in the second half here. If things are going better offensively, they're playing from ahead more often. Teams are throwing, that's when he's kind of at his best, is ball hawking in those spots.

So we'll see. Anyway, let's get to Mani picking the schedule. And then we'll see you guys on Friday with Andrew Kramer. And then we got a football game at home against Baltimore. a very exciting week to talk Minnesota Vikings football with you guys. Really appreciate it. Football. All right.

It is time once again for Manny Hill to pick the schedule. And I got to say this has been one of our biggest journeys ever in terms of many picking the schedule after week one. I don't know. Somebody's got a track. And I think it might have been 11 or 12 after week one. And then last week it dipped back down. I think you were positive enough to get them to eight wins.

last week. So let's see where it goes this time, Mani. And what I love about this is I tell you on purpose, like don't think about it. Don't write it down. Don't work your way through it. I just want your instant reaction. So the Vikings are four and four. They are in the playoff race in the NFC North and they will play the Baltimore Ravens of Baltimore coming here, US Bank Stadium on Sunday. Are they going to win that game, Manning? I'm going to say no. only because it feels like Baltimore maybe has kind of found themselves again with Lamar coming back from the injury. Now they beat up on a bad Dolphins team last week. So, I mean, that's part of it too.

But that team still feels like they have kind of a heart of, even though they haven't wanted Super Bowl championship with this group yet. That team feels like they still have a heart of a champion. They still got one of the elite quarterbacks in the league. Derek Henry is still, you know, he's not what he was last year, but he's still very productive back. And, you know, and they made some moves on defense at the trade deadline. That should, that should help them on that side too. So I think they're going to find that continue their groove a little bit. I think the Vikings are going to play well in this game. I think they'll keep

it close, but I think Baltimore is going to sneak out a win. I did like their move for Draymond Jones. I think he was one of the more underrated rotational type of pass rushers that they needed after some injuries there. I think that I'm going to go with a win. I haven't fully worked out the prediction, everything yet. But I think I'm going to go with the Vikings pulling this off now that they're the full Vikings. But that would drop them to five and four.

And then the Chicago Bears who are the 2022 Vikings right now, man. He's just winning every last second game, getting every break at the end of games. But they also added a little bit at the trade deadline to help some of their defensive depth. Caleb Williams, no doubt, is playing better. Ben Johnson is pulling out all the trickery where he throws the ball. I don't know if you saw this, throws the ball, the Tyset Baygent. And then he throws it back to Caleb Williams. You know that that nonsense is going to be part of that game.

But do the Vikings come out with a W? I think they bounce back from a tough loss against Baltimore and come away with a win. I think this is another one that's going to be close because like you said, it feels like the bears have kind of found their groove offensively a little bit. I still have some questions about their defense and their ability to kind of get after the quarterback. I know they made a move to kind of help with that a little bit. I don't know how much it's really going to help. And the Vikings being at home, I think is going to really help them too. So I got them winning a semi close game here and

evening their record up at five and five. All right. Staying at 500. And then they will go to Lambo and a Packers team that at times has looked invincible this year. And then at times has looked very vulnerable. And one of those times was them losing to the Carolina Panthers, but they also lose Tucker Kraft, which I don't think you can overstate as an injury, as the main part of their offense so far this year. But I think that the Jordan Love experience is one week,

it's the top of the roller coaster, the next week it's the bottom. He could hit the sickest 40, 50 yard pass at any time. He could also throw the worst interception at any time. So does the Lambeau advantage give them the edge here? J.J. McCarthy's first trip of potentially many to Lambo field. How does this one play out for the Vikings? You know, I was very skeptical at how J.J. McCarthy was going to handle going into Detroit,

especially consider it was his first start in a month and a half, basically. And, you know, I thought he'd settled in. I mean, it certainly wasn't a perfect game, but I think he played well enough. and obviously the Vikings went into Detroit and won the game. I think it kind of showed me that he's at least from a mental standpoint of handling the major environments, he can do this. He can, he can function, you know, and I get the sense that he's going to start, you know,

growing and playing better as the weeks go on. I think the Vikings are going to find a way to win. Just because, you know, the Packers are that team that you just, don't really know, especially now with crack being out, you don't know what you're going to get out of them on a week to week basis. And I know they've got the Eagles and the Giants coming up before they play the Vikings. And who knows how those games are going to go. But I'm going to give the Vikings a sneaky win that is going to raise some people's eyebrows here. And I've got them jumping up to six and five. Six and five. That one will be how much can they block Micah Parsons? But, you know,

They gave up seven total pressures to Aden Hutchinson and shut down everybody else. And we're still able to survive against the Detroit Lions. The other thing is that a quarterback who can run away like J.J. McCarthy can, a big difference maker, six and five after a brilliant win at Lambo in the late fall should be really nice down there. Then they fly out to face, and I'm not even joking, the league's best quarterback this year, Sam Darnold. By the statistics, he is at the top of the NFL at this moment. They also just acquired Rashid Shahid a speedster for that team. They have been on fire since the beginning of the year, but do the Vikings win?

I will not. I refuse. I will not call it a revenge game. It's a nice to see you game because Sam Darnold has no reason to get revenge against the Vikings, and the Vikings have no reason to get revenge against Sam Darnold. it's a it's a handshake before the game good to see you all smiles football game against the seattle seahawks do the vikings fly back with a w though think about what rashid shahid is going to do for jackson smith and jigba now i mean he's jsn's already been fantastic this year but you know sam

darnon has had to kind of lean on him quite a bit and teams are going to start scheming for that so getting Shaheed is, I think, is a really sneaky good move for them. And I think it's going to open things up for Sam Donald a lot more. And I'm going to give Seattle the win here because I think they're just playing at a great, at a really high level, a great level right now. And Sam Donald is just off the charts, off the charts good right now. And I think it's going to continue. And I think Seattle comes away with a win.

I'm going to stop and I'm going to give you a take here. The way that the schedule plays out, if the Vikings can go two and two, and get to 6 and 6 at this point, no matter how it happens. If you lose to the Packers, beat the Seahawks, if you beat the Ravens, lose to the Bears, whatever it is. If you could get through this next section, 2 and 2, which is a very, very hard part of the schedule, then it goes commanders at home, cowboys,

Giants on the road, and then, you know, the Lions are the next four games after that. You can win three out of those four and get up over 500. I think this is a very, very vital part of the season. Not that they're all not vital, but because of the caliber of teams that are coming in to face the Vikings and then going out to go up against Seattle, if you survive this, if you go one and three, it's probably over. It's got to be at least two and two. And if it's three and one, then you're a serious contender.

So very important next four games. After that, they will come back home and play Marcus Mariotas, Washington Commanders. now this screams though and man you've got them losing to seattle so come back bounce back against Washington if they beat Seattle it screams let down game after that with Washington but uh since you have them losing to Seattle to go to six and six what happens against the commanders yeah I think they win this one and you know I mean Washington just you take jaden Daniels away from that team it's just not good Terry McLaurin who went and got got his bag He got his contract, and then he just can't stay on the field right now.

He's just been in and out of the lineup all season, and that's kind of their best offensive weapon overall. And, you know, Debo Samuel, you know, where is he at at this point in his career? He's a little up there in age now, too, and their defense is just not very good right now. So I think this is going to be a win for the Vikings. And honestly, Collar, I don't think it's going to be particularly close. This kind of reeks of, now obviously the Vikings have to be healthy, but this reeks of kind of like a 31 to 14 type of game where the Vikings play really well.

McCarthy plays well and the defense was able to shut down Marcus Marriota and that limited offense. It feels like when a team has extreme disappointment from their expectations, it just hits them so much harder. I mean, if you go into a season and like we're kind of bad and you might get like a blip from that team as everybody's trying to get their contracts for next year. I think it becomes like a sad week to week thing for a team like Washington that expected to be back in the playoffs, expected to be beating the Philadelphia Eagles and going back to the NFC championship and to be here is such a shocking letdown for that team and the Vikings should be desperate at that point. So seven and six and then out to Dallas.

So you said, hey, this is where they could get a big offensive explosion against Washington. Well, even with Quinn and Williams. And I think Quinn and Williams is a great. player, but they still can't cover anybody. The Vikings have Justin Jefferson. This is the one where what, what are McCarthy's career highs because they're probably getting set in this national TV game against the, uh, the Dallas Cowboys. But can he out dual Dak Prescott? That will be the question because Dak is when Dak is on, that offense can hum pretty good with the Dallas Cowboys with Pickens and with C.D. Lamb, obviously. I think the Vikings win this game.

I think there's going to be a lot of points scored because of what we talked about with both quarterbacks. I think this is going to be a great opportunity for JJ McCarthy to really shine and show what he's capable of doing. And maybe it's a situation where the Vikings get out to a big lead. And McCarthy ends up throwing for maybe like 250 yards because then they start to run the ball because they've got a two touchdown lead in the fourth quarter, that type of thing. But Either way, I think the Cowboys, their defense is just not good enough. And the Vikings go into Jerry World and get a win. I see this one being much more like 34, 28, Dax got the ball in the last drive and

takes a sack and loses the game to the Vikings because I think they're going to score just like with Detroit, you know, we're praising the defensive performance. It was overall fantastic, really, really great job by Brian Flores. The same time they allowed 24 points because they gave. gave up big plays. And C.D. Lamb, George Pickens, like those guys, who's covering them? The Vikings didn't make a big trade for a cornerback. And if there's any injuries at corner, you could really be talking about being down bad and facing two great receivers. So I think both teams will score a lot in this game. But to get to eight and six from three and four would be a big, big accomplishment. And

then they go to New York to face the Giants who at that point may have an interim head coach, not really sure. Christmas time in New York, though, for travelers, maybe not the easiest stadium takeover because of the, you know, it's hard to travel to New York at Christmas time. It's expensive. I don't know where we'll be at then. But Vikings fans could be very excited and the Giants could be very down. So we'll see the situation there. But it feels like the Giants are going the same direction as they always are in December, which is being just one of the flat out worst teams in the league. I think this is a game that the Vikings will win and should win. But I do think they'll have to be careful because coming off of two exciting wins over, you know, two other teams in the NFC East, Washington and Dallas, you know, you're going to be riding high and you have to be very careful not to overlook a Giants team that might be reeling and might be having an interim head coach, like you said, who knows what happens with Brian Dable. Vikings have to be careful here. Show up. Make it a business like trip. Don't get too into, oh, it's New York.

It's December. It's Christmas time. Let's have some fun. It's a bad team. No, show up and do what you're supposed to do, which is beat a team that's inferior and come away with a win. I think they'll do it, but I think it's a game that they have to be very careful of.

As Mike Zimmer said, don't get high on your oats. That's what he said once in, which, yeah, fair enough. I mean, when it comes to the Giants, in this game, I think Jackson Dart versus Brian Flores' defense is a very big mismatch in the favor of the Minnesota Vikings. We just haven't seen a lot of inexperienced quarterbacks ever have good games against this defense. It's usually the other way around where we're talking about a Jared Goff, who I know didn't have a great game,

but it's a it's a Justin Herbert, it's a Jalen Hertz, it's a Dak Prescott. It's guys who can pick through all of the noise and the different pressures and the different looks who have been good. and it has not been the young quarterbacks where their offenses are simplified for them. I even remember C.J. Stroud last year comes right out, gets sacked, throws an interception. They jump off sides five times. You're like, yeah, that's what it looks like when a young quarterback plays against this defense. Was it 20, 23 when they played Bryce Young and Carolina? And they just blitz them off the edge.

And, you know, so we've seen kind of a lot of that. And usually these quarterback struggles. So I don't know that it will be an easy win because they do have some talent on the defensive side. but I think that one should be a win. I agree with you. So that means nine and six. That is quite an accomplishment to win. What would that be six out of eight?

Six out of eight. Six out of eight to get to nine and six. But the last two are the hardest two, Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on Christmas. Do they win? And according to the way I pick the schedule, if they win either of these two games, that would mean they will have swept that opponent.

Oh, yeah. Because I have them beating, because they already beat Detroit and I have them beating Green Bay on November 23rd. So I'm going to say this is a lion's win on Christmas Day that Thursday. So I'm going to, I think Detroit is going to be in a position where they're very desperate to, you know, maintain control of this division because the Packers might be on their heels. Maybe the Vikings are on their heels.

in this division as well. So I think Detroit's going to be very desperate. We still know how good, how well coached they are, the offense, the quarterback, all of that. I think the Lions are going to come into U.S. Bank Stadium and play really well and win a game. You know, just as a schedule picking philosophy through the years, I have always just tried to split with the division except for Chicago.

Like you can sweep Chicago. Now we do that before. I always gave them a soldier field loss. but O'Connell is completely wiped away the Soldier Field curse. So since then, I've changed and they're the only team I'll pick two wins against. But for Detroit, this version of Detroit and Green Bay, usually I have them splitting. But is that going to be the case here? You've got the Vikings nine and seven going into the final week of the season.

Oh, the playoff scenarios, the graphics, the what happens if this team wins and that team wins in our playoff simulator gives them this many? who's that guy, Steve Karnacki, who does the politics, who's up at the board saying, well, the Vikings need to do this in order to get in? Do they beat the Packers, U.S. Bank Stadium, and give J.J. McCarthy a signature win of his young NFL career to get to double digits? Boy, that would be a signature win, right? If that's win number 10, and they get into the playoffs and it's against the Green Bay Packers, and then you complete a season sweep of the Green Bay Packers at that.

You know what? What the hell? You've gotten high right now. I'm riding high off the win against Detroit. Let's give the Vikings the win in 10 and 7. 10 and 7 for, let's talk about what it means because that's the other part of this. And look, I mean, when it comes to these division games, we set it going into last week's game where it's like, yes, they are nine and a half point underdogs,

but you know this team so well. you know their players in and out, you know their schemes in and out, and you can beat them. Like every one of those games with them in Detroit ends up being super close and crazy. So the same thing goes for playing against the Green Bay Packers, where even both games last year where the Vikings got ahead on them, they came back and made it really interesting at the end. It's never, ever going to be easy against good teams within the division. But if J.J. McCarthy could take this season, regardless of stat lines and PFF grades and so forth, because it's a little bit Jim McMahony

where it's like, hey, the guy makes some clutch plays, guy makes some scrambles, they play to their defense, they find ways to win. If he were to get to double digit wins after taking the team back over at three and four, that is to me the through the

roof, best case scenario, 10 out of 10 stars for the Vikings organization that when they were three and four and walking off that field in L.A., I think all of us were saying, like, what is what is not just this team what is this franchise what is this salary cap situation what what are these moves what are these draft picks what or whatever whatever and if mccarthy

gets them to double digit wins that conversation to me is totally different of the vikings go into the playoffs as dangerous and they go into the future as dangerous if mccarthy can get there 100% and you know depending on the matchup um you know maybe they can win a playoff game or two, if they're in that position. Now, it's entirely possible they could finish 10 and 7 and still not make the playoffs because we've seen that too. But I think regardless of whether or not you get into the playoffs, if you finish 10 and 7 and J.J. McCarthy essentially went 7 and 3 as a starter down the stretch of the year,

you've got to be feeling, even if you don't make the playoffs as a fan base, as an organization, you've got to be feeling really good about where you're at with your young quarter. back where you're at with your team going forward and you know it does mean though that the pressure going into 2026 is i mean if you thought it was high going into this year it's going to be even higher going into next year because now it's going to be oh now we really got to you know play off of what we did in 2025 build on that and improve and get into the playoffs in 26 and make some noise and go on a deep playoff run right and if you're at that point where you're talking about the pressure and expectations for the following season

through the roof, that's where you expect it to be. That's where you're supposed to be after 2025. And it would be an all's well that ends well type of situation, despite the madness in the middle of all of that. But let's talk about the other part of this, which is you've got them at 10 and 7. But when you look at this schedule, 7 and 10 is not insane still, considering how many good teams are ahead and how many good quarterbacks are still ahead for them. What is the number for you where you could walk out of 2025, still mostly saying what we said about 10 wins?

Not 100% of, oh, man, like you watch out for the 2026 Vikings, but like, okay, that was a good outcome. Well, how many wins would that have to be? I think for me, eight or nine, because I think, you know, and, you know, maybe one of those games ends up being, a coin flip and you know you this or that could have gone a different way and then you would have ended up with nine wins instead of eight but i think that eight or nine range is is kind of where i'm looking at where if you can get there and depending on how you look if you're

if you're very competitive against detroit and green bay at the end of the season and you just end up losing both of those games so be it you know you just you can live with that but i think eight or nine is kind of the target win here. If it's seven, it might depend on how it looks, how those remaining three wins look, but that's still, that's a three and, you know, four and four. So they finished 10 and they finished seven and 10. That's a three and what, a three and six finish the season. That's, that's not great. No, that's not great. And that would be extremely bad, yeah. Yeah, that's so, I mean, how are you feeling at that point? But if it's a four and five finish and you finish eight and nine, I think, you know, depending on how it looks, I think you can feel pretty decent about that. You'd like to see them be over 500 now that you've proven that you can beat a team that went into that game in the top three in Super Bowl odds on Fandul. I mean, if you can beat that team, it feels like everything is on the table. If you can't get to over 500 at that point, then something went pretty horribly wrong. If they, right, if they win seven, you're probably talking about, all right, who's competing

at quarterback with J.J. McCarthy next year. And if it's eight, there's still a little bit of, we don't know. Nine feels like, and I know I'm putting it on a QB wins, but it will be a reflection of how he plays, right? So if you get to nine wins with this team being over 500 in the second half, that would be putting you in the race potentially to have something break your way and get into the playoffs and get that seventh seed and have confidence that you could play above 500 football with J.J. McCarthy. And then you'd be looking back to the beginning of the season where you should have won more games and go, that's where you needed him to be healthy. That's where you needed to win an Atlanta game that was on the table for you. And then he gets hurt and doesn't play well and all those things.

You'll have a lot of regrets. You'll have disappointment about the Carson Wentz era that they needed one more win against the Los Angeles Chargers and couldn't get it. But at least you can have those conversations. If it's less than that for me, even eight is kind of like, is the future going to be very clear there? I think it gets muddier and muddier as you go backward from 10 wins. But 10 is probably the best, best case scenario for this team. Mani, thank you for still making the time to pick the schedule

amidst your busy schedule. And as always, Monday, we'll be back with our roundtable with you and Brian Murphy and Thursday next week. We'll pick it again and see where we go from there. Thanks for your time, my friend. You got it. Football.