The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL - Divisional Round Saturday recap — Chiefs triumph in the Patrick Mahomes ankle game, beat Jaguars; Eagles dominate Giants from wire to wire

Episode Date: January 22, 2023

The 1-seeds in both conferences are moving on, but that doesn't come anywhere near telling the whole story of Saturday night. Sure, the Chiefs are headed to their fifth consecutive AFC Championship Game, but it will be a tense few days ahead after Patrick Mahomes injured his ankle in the first quarter of the Divisional Round win over the Jaguars. The Eagles, meanwhile, reasserted some dominance in the NFC by controlling the Giants from wire to wire. Robert Mays and Nate Tice break down the two games on this episode of The Athletic Football Show.Follow Robert on Twitter: @robertmaysFollow Nate on Twitter: @Nate_TiceSubscribe to The Athletic Football Show...AppleSpotifyYouTubePhilo: Sign up today at philo.tv and use promo code MAYS to get 50% off your first monthBurrow: Show Burrow you’re listening to The Athletic Football Show by shopping at Burrow.com/mays and get 10% off your first orderLinkedIn: LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/maysMizzen + Main: Go to mizzenandmain.com and use promo code MAYS, to receive $35 off any regular-price order of $125 or more2:05 Chiefs beat Jaguars, advance to fifth-straight AFC Championship Game25:37 What's next for the Jaguars?37:22 Eagles dominate Giants, move on to NFC Championship Game47:09 What's next for the Giants? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is the athletic football show. Welcome to the athletic football show. I'm Robert Mays, joining me tonight. It's my good friend Nate Tyson. How you doing, buddy? Doing very well. That was a quaint little divisional Saturday. I liked it.

It was good. The first game, you know, when you nail a prediction, you feel pretty good about it. Good on you, buddy. You got the score right. You were hammering Travis Kelsey overs. He finished with 14 catches. Good day for you. Good early slate for you.

They peppered them. I was really more worried about the yards for a while because it was like, I think only like three, one of his catches was over seven yards, seven air yards today with Travis Kelsey. He had 10 catches for 55 yards at one point. That's nice. That's a nice little peppering right there. That's like a checked out artist right there. But it was a good day.

And then the second game, it was kind of, you know, we tried. I felt like we did a good job. We're trying to build up like an angle for the giants and everything. But it kind of was like, oh, yeah, that that's what happens. Would you have a really good run offense or run defense? But it was still fun. I still enjoyed the game. It was a great Saturday, and I'm excited for Sunday, too.

We'll talk about the ass kicking that just took place a little bit later in the show. But I want to start with the first game because it was the most exciting. It was the most interesting, and it had the most interesting moment. So the Chiefs go down on that first drive, and it just feels like it's going to be another Mahomes Day. I loved the Jags game plan on defense at the start, and I appreciated what they did for most of the game. After blitzing twice the entire game, the last time they played in a week 10, they brought heat all day. And on the first drive, they gave Mahomes trouble. And he was just doing Mahomes nonsense.

He had the jump pass in traffic that Devin Lloyd had him wrapped up in the pocket and he somehow found Kelsey. They go down and score and you just had this feeling of it's just going to be one of those days. Even if you do everything right, there's nothing you can do to stop him. And then on the second drive, in the first quarter, Arden Key comes down on his ankle. And I think all of us collectively kind of hold our breath. like, what does this mean? He goes out for a series. They go down and score a touchdown.

He comes back in and still plays magnificent. Right. With one foot. He couldn't move. He could barely step up in the pocket. He was limping around the entire half. Nate, in this game, he finishes 22 of 30 for 195, which not like a gaudy yards per attempt or anything.

You know what his EPA per dropback was in the game? I actually don't. I actually want to know this. It was 0.29. Which is what his season was. That's better than he was in the regular season when he was the MVP of the league. It's just an unbelievable, memorable, kind of put it on the all-time resume sort of reminder.

My brother texted me at one point during the game. He said, this is the ankle game. When we talk about Mahomes and we just build his legend over the rest of his career, we'll remember this as the ankle game. And that's what it was. It was just another feather in a hall of, fame cap from an unbelievable player. Right. It was the ankle game. I've always wondered like my homes will age, will it be like Marino where Marino was shuffling back in the pocket and just

firing these rockets and it got a little preview. That was like a little nice preview of it. Oh, this might this might be my homes in about a decade or 12 years from now. But no, that was coming back and you could tell he was pissed. He wanted to stay in there. They forced him to go into the locker room. I mean, being competitive. As soon as you was standing up, I was like, okay, it's not a knee. And so how he fell down, we've seen enough of them that, okay, high ankle sprained. Okay, how bad is it, though? And yada, yada, yada. I think we are all on the same page watching it.

But him coming back and then this is, you kind of got to see both sides of the Mahomes, Yen and Yang. You got the first drive with him just ad lipping all these throws and creating something out of nothing. He had the third down completion to Kelsey in the red zone on the first drive where the Jags brought a blitz. Chiefs did a great job picking it up. He just bought that extra second for Kelsey to witness. win on his like win whip route that takes forever but mahomes is that's it's like controlled ad living i don't know it's the robin rilliam stuff it's like you're faking like that you're making it up but

you are making it up at the same time like that's what it feels like and him doing that but then the second half we got to see him you know hobbling around and working from the pocket and peppering the defense and still ad libing someplace and it's just he's he's so much fun to watch and you almost feel for the other side dug peterson's just throwing the kitchen sink out there Trevor Lawrence is playing fine. And it felt like I said this to Deonté. I said it feels like watching Felix Hernandez pitch where it was like he just threw a gem nine nine innings, one earned run, one walk, 12, 12 strikeouts and they're losing two walk.

He's compared Patrick Mahomes to Felix Hernandez. No, no. He just used the most innate comparison that's ever happened. Trevor Lawrence. Trevor Lawrence. To Felix Hernandez. That's even worse. That's even more.

That's even more. That's even more. That's even more. That's even more. A parody of himself. Yes. Yes. Right there.

But that's what it felt like. And it's like, that's what happens when you go. against these other guys are going to go against number 15. He's just shreds in. They always just felt in control. Even with Henny in there, the Chiefs just felt in control of that whole game. Even as the Jaguars were doing some nice stuff, it was a great game from him. It's the ankle game.

That's exactly it. And I think that's a really important point to bring up is that beyond Mahomes, it's just a reminder of what Andy Reid and just the infrastructure is. For Henny to come in and for them to drive all the way down the field. And Pacheco had a 40-yard run on that drive. They had other guys step up when they needed it, when he couldn't be a superhero. He was still a very good quarterback.

Patrick Mahomes with this high ankle sprain is probably like the second best quarterback in the league, third best quarterback in the league. That's what it felt like today. Can you win with him or because when it's, you know, like that's kind of, it's like, no, you win because of him still. He just drops just a half tier. But what they, the Pacheco run, obviously that great play. And then the fourth and one, or the third down call was the same as the fourth and one

call against the Browns in the playoffs. The little chat hennies sprint out, which I really appreciate. it, but other guys stepping up, the defense stepping up. The defense for the chiefs played well in this game. I'm curious, before we get into some of the nitty gritty on the chiefs, what did you think of the Jags offensive game plan in this game? It was a coach understanding that they would lose if they dropped back up front. Like it was a coach getting the ball out as quick as possible, try misdirection.

I think it was rather than Doug Peterson going like, oh, we're going to, we got Trevor Lawrence, we're going to go toe to toe to toe with his defense and toe to toe to toe with Mahomes. I think he understood, it's like, Chris Jones is, did you watch Chris Jones in the second half when the Jaguars had to start dropping back? No shot. He was winning right away. Every play and other guys were taking turns and they're having buss. And then you saw in the second half, that's when Spags's pressure started getting home. He's bringing the corner and the will at the same time, like just over. He, I think Doug Peterson is no dummy. He understands that. So this was to give, this is their version of a ball control offense. They, I sometimes say having quick game,

quicker passes with a running game. It's kind of redundant. I think in a game like this, that's actually okay because that's ball control. And then you try and pepper it with a couple shots down the field. So it got tight on them. I really felt that. It opened up a little bit. I think this is just what they had to do.

I think they just had a talent mismatch up front. Through three quarters, I tweeted this out, 43.5% of Trevor's passes had gone behind the line of scrimmages through three quarters. He averaged through three quarters, four point nine six air yards per attempt. and that's with the 55-yard bomb that he threw. So that even lifts that number. And they ran the ball well. 19 carries for 144 yards.

They had the same success rate as the Eagles did before that Boston Scott run. Those are the stats I have. I figured the game was over. So those are the Eagles numbers I have. They ran the ball extremely well. I'm surprised they didn't run it a little bit more, honestly, because some of those perimeter runs or those perimeter throws actually got them in trouble. One of the really rough parts of the game for the Jags was the first two.

drives in the third quarter. They had two punts. The first drive was the Kalin Saunders unblocked play, where they just let him go as a miscommunication between the center and Scherf. And then the second drive was when they had those two TFLs on those perimeter throws. And that was, Ligeria Steed made a fantastic play. Just told Zayette Jones to get the hell off of him, dropped the guy four yards deep in

the backfield, and that led to another punt. Other than that, though, the ball control stuff was working pretty well. the one time they tried to take a shot early in the second half, that's when Nottie just absolutely lit up Luke Fortner and it was a sack. So it came out today, Mia O'Brien, who covers the Jaggs. She tweeted it. I think she was talking to J.P. Acosta, John Shipley,

or just the Jags contingent on NFL Twitter. And she mentioned that Luke Fortner was nursing a back injury all week, which Luke Forner being having a back injury, Brandon Shurf was banged up. Yes. And you know you're dealing with. with Chris Jones. I have to imagine that was the onus for the ball control game plan that the Jags are trying

to use. And eventually they got some shot, like really big chunks off of it. The reverse to curb drop was a way, was this close to, but I would have to change the whole picture of the game, too. So I didn't mind. I just thought it was interesting. You know, when I tweeted that out, I think people thought it was a criticism. I was like, I understand why they think they have to do that and a lot of it was working. Yeah.

So I totally agree. Well, and also, too, is that it's not, they didn't go as extreme. But all the quick game, all those flats and bubbles, that's to beat slot pressure, which is what the chiefs love to run. That's just a simple answer. And that's just, what's not overthinking? Let's get five, six yards. And they got them.

I mean, it wasn't, it never felt negative. Like, it wasn't like, oh, my God, are you kidding me? They just needed a little breathing room, but that's, this is what I think it was the best of a kind of a rough situation that they, that they understand their matchup. And I thought it was a decent job. Also, I just maybe thought I agree with you that maybe a couple more QB reads. I think they did try to do some zoned reads, but Trevor just kept giving it because ETIN was getting eight yards.

They're giving them the give read. So I understood that maybe a little bit. I think the biggest contrast watching these two offenses today was what they did in past protection and what they did in blitz pickup. So you have the Kaelin Saunders mishap. And then on the last play, another just kind of stark example on the last interception, Justin Reed comes untouched through the agap. That wasn't happening at all today.

for the chiefs. So Mahomes finished 9 of 12 for 91 yards against the Blitz in this game. And that doesn't even take into account all of the simulated pressures that they came with four guys, which I bet there were another half dozen of those. I bet on two thirds of Mahomes' dropbacks in this game, they brought somebody from the second level, at least one person. And I thought it was the right game plan. I understood wanting to do it that way because they got absolutely shredded in the first

match up. Don't sit back and let that happen again. Try to force the issue a little bit. But the chiefs did such a remarkable job in pass protection. The number that stuck out to me, so he averaged 0.68 EPA per dropback when he got blitzed. And 90-something yards. That means that's a lot of first downs. There's a lot of first downs. Yes, which is what's what you want to get. If they're going to blitz you, let's get a first down against them. Here is the number that sticks out to me the most. His time to throw on those blitzes, 2.85 seconds. they were picking up the blitzes.

Yeah. They were picking up the blitzes consistently. There was one play that I wanted to show from the second half. It was a second and ten, and I think it kind of encapsulates why the chiefs were so dominant in this game. So the Jags bring five, and they drop one of their defensive ends, their edge rushers. They did this plenty in the game, and they tried to muscle Kelsey a little bit and get those guys into zone coverage. The blitz from the second level from Ray Sean Jenkins, he gets absolutely, stonewalled by Jarek McKinnon on this play.

McKinnon was fantastic the entire game in pass protection. He had like three or four big pickups on what turned into chunk plays for the chiefs or first downs. So he picks this up. Mahomes is able to slide up in the pocket against a five-man rush and Kelsey comes open late against a dropping edge rusher in space. This play, I think every aspect of it explains why the chief's offense was so good today. And McKinnon was a huge part of it.

I just feel like he deserves a ton of credit for one. what he did in past protection, but also what Mahomes did. That was like the subtle part of his impact on the game with not being able to move. On the MvS touchdown, Mahomes goes to the line and checks the protection. I rewound it like three or four times to listen. And he said, Rip Liz, Rip Liz, which I assume is a three-man slide to the right. Yeah, so rip is right, Liz is left. But so if you say Rip Liz, that might be a double point, which is a pain of the ass, by the way.

Whatever it ends up being, because I was wondering if Ripley, was first, that mean it meant three to the right. But whatever it ends up being, that he said it, he goes up and says it twice. They have a three-man slide to the right. They pick up the blitz, gives him time for defined MBS in the back corner, in the back of the end zone. He did that three or four times where he's changing the protection at the line. They pick it up perfectly. So on those blitz is to hold it for almost three seconds and be as dominant as you were. That was like the defining aspect of their offense to me. Absolutely. They had another one where he threw a swing past Pacheco and it was against the Jags bringing it like a double twist.

They brought a double A gap. And it was hilarious. They didn't even show it. Like I rewound this one. They didn't even show it. And Mahomes starts looking around. And then he calls, I think it was their kind of like, he was like alert squeeze or something. He gave something.

And snap of the ball. They brought the double twist. Pacheco runs a little swing. No one drops with him. So he just throws it right over there to the left. It was hilarious though because it might have been simulated, but it might have been for it. But it was a double twist from the two linebackers. But that's the whole process.

And it's simple. But if you pick it up, there's going to be a whole. somewhere. There's somebody moving at the wrong spot. There's somebody late. There's gashes to be had. You just got to find them. And that's exactly right. When you pick them up, not just the line, but the running backs. And then the quarterback is finding these spots. The similar pressure stuff can be a pain in the ass. I've watched the Broncos do it against the chargers this year and limit their whole offense just by bringing simulate it's because the runnerback, the runnerback has to know when he can release. If you're just whole, I mentioned this a million times, but he has

to stay in at protecting, even though they're rushing for, that's a win for the the defense, right? Just a schematic advantage win. So that's intelligence. And McKinn's been great at it all year. So I'm really glad you highlighted it. And on top of it, this is past protection, but also just the run game today from the Chiefs. I mean, they're just even getting into 12 personnel, but I mean, they had nine successful runs out of 11 personnel. They were just over and over. They're finding different run plays. When Henny was in there, I noticed that the Jags went to a ton of man. And so it was funny, the chiefs went back to the stick RPO world with with any in there not my homes in there and it was because of man coverage if you run the stick those man defenders run out of the box so it's just

these light boxes they just kept pounding away at so just a great great job andy hex the offensive line coach there great job by him and great job eric bianney he does with the running backs like great job by those players because that leads to successful days like this when the defense is trying to heat you up that play you were talking about the swing to pacheco was that the play right before they challenge the spot. Yes. Is that the one you're thinking of? So on that play, I wrote it down.

He yells Roger, Roger, which I assume meant a five-man slide to the right, because they all slid to the right. So he checked the protection on that play. Thank you. There were a couple different times where I was like, okay, I see him changing it. What is he saying? I want to emphasize, this is why Mahomes is so freaking good. He does protections.

Like, this isn't just all the ad-lips stuff. He's incredible. He's incredible. That's why it's amazing. He's checking five-man slides. I know that sounds, not every quarterback does this guy. that's why it's really cool to hear that the MVP, you should be MVP,

the star is doing this type of stuff. He did it multiple times the second half. And again, I thought the way that they picked up pressures in this game was the real difference between what the Jags' offense was and what the Chief's offense was. So the other aspect, the other thing that just wanted to highlight before we move on is,

so obviously the game changes on the Agnew Fumble. Like if that doesn't happen, then this is like a real game. And I feel like that it's important to acknowledge that. Yes. So the Jags were in this. thing before that happens. So highlighting all the great things the chiefs did and the fact that they slowed Jacksonville down and, you know, the offense really moved the ball or an amazing clip. The Jags were still in this until that moment happens.

Yes, absolutely. Real quick, the one thing I do want to say with the, it's interesting, the Jags defense against the Chiefs offense. When the Chiefs go 12 with Kelsey, they treat him like a tight end. So they match with base and which I think is if you guys want to know, it was, it didn't end well. So the Chiefs had 15 passes out of 12. I just want to throw the stat out there. 10 were successful out of there. And it was just, and when they went to 13 personnel, they matched it.

Same thing. Two out of three were successful out of there. So I just, and they only had one successful run, which makes sense when you're, Kelsey's not really joining in on the blocking there sometimes. So that's why the base defense went there. But what you're talking about with the, the Jacks was I wanted to mention that Felix Hernandez comparison because of what Doug Peterson and Trevor were doing. Peterson was it was a game plan.

Game plan is not just money plays. This is why we compliment Shanhan. It's why we compliment Andy Reed, McVeigh when he's been hot. This is a whole plan, one play building into a next play. You mentioned the reverse to Christian Kirk in the red zone. The very next play,

it was the touchdown to ET on the run play in the red zone. They run a ghost motion, which is a fake reverse action. And back to back plays. That's wacko shit. And it's like, But that, do you think the D-end is going to get caught on another reverse, even though it's at the two-yard line? No, he's not getting caught on that easy touchdown, walking touchdown.

That's psycho stuff. I love it. And all just all the other quick games to beat all the slot pressures. It was great. I mean, the Christian Kirk touchdown that with, you know, the backfield to catch Carl off the backfield. Yeah. They were hoping for a pressure there. And they got it because Trevor didn't even hesitate.

He went right there. They did a lot of cool stuff. They had one other cool. Sorry, I went to Iran about the cool plays of jazz. did. But they did the fake reload with ETN on a third down. And that was awesome. So the empty and he trots back. Like he's coming to the backfield and they snapped the ball. And that that was awesome because the chiefs checked into their zone with the motion. Oh, it was awesome. They just ran a quick swing. So ETN was out. They were an empty. ETS was split out as the number one receiver to the right.

He fakes coming back in motion to the backfield. So the corner drops out. Yes. And so then they can run a screen with all that space and they got it on that third down. They had a few of those. They have an empty check and then they are like, oh, we just get into our, oh, shoot, the play snapped and they got him. But they had some nice stuff that they'd anger him on the first driver first quarter, where he's holding a block. And then he released front side. Like front. It was almost like a delay play front side. It wasn't leak.

I know everybody loves saying leak. It was like a front side just delay. But it was nice. It was like just a little stuff like that. They understood what they were and they tried to make it work. It was like a offense playing against a trap defense and just quick passes, which is fill out the passes, fill out the traps. They just did it all game and they didn't finish it at the end, but it was tough performance from them. I was talking about this at halftime, and I was curious what you thought.

I understand the rationale behind not wanting to give the chiefs the ball back, but Christian Kirk, when they were driving, catches a pass with 52 seconds left. And it was third and two with 52 seconds left. The Jags have two timeouts. they elect not to take a timeout. It takes all the way down to 34 seconds. They don't huddle. They have to rush up to the line. They get a playoff, incomplete, fourth and two.

They kick the field goal. People are saying, well, you don't want to give them time. Well, Chad Henney's playing quarterback. Right. And even if you take a time out at 52 seconds, and it's third and two, let's say you don't get it. Then it's 48 seconds. You still have one timeout left.

I'm inclined from the 23. guard line with 48 seconds left in a timeout to go for it potentially. So I just think that it could play out if you take a timeout when you catch it in the field of play with 52 seconds left or whatever it would be. Because you'd have almost a minute with a timeout. So then the timeout gets you to the huddle. You can call your best third and two play. But also, I think, with 52 seconds instead of 34, or let's say by the time the play's over,

it's 48 seconds because it's a quick throw. Then you can attempt to go for it. But even if you don't want to go for it, let's say it's incomplete with 42 seconds left. You kick the field goal, there's 43 seconds left. You're still kicking into them with only 43 seconds and Chad Henney over there. So I just think the upside of having more time and potentially trying to score a touchdown and go for it on fourth and two from the 23 might be worth it there. I don't know what the analytics say.

I'm sure they say I'm wrong because the Jags are very good at this. But I just thought that was an interesting decision when you consider all of the factors, including the non-Mahom's factor. The chiefs got the ball back with 23 seconds. They took a knee and they went in the locker. That was it. Yeah. I know.

And especially good in the half. That would also, too, is that you're an efficiency-based offense today as opposed to an explosive one. Those drives are hard to string together. Get down to the 23. We've already moved. Exactly. We've already moved that far down.

Like, what's, you know, we're already down here. Might as well, you know, make the most of it. Like, we're already in town. So might as well get a hotel room down here. But that that's exactly what I think. I kind of agree with you. I thought, I thought, I thought it, Doug Peters, is very aggressive and he's very aware of their situation.

And like I talked about their offense performance, but also when he is aggressive, there was the game earlier in the year. Might have been the Titans game, but it might have been a game earlier in the year, but they kicked a bunch of field goals. It was the ugly, ugly game. They kicked a bunch of field goals.

Everyone's like, why aren't they going for it? It's like, they know the other team. Jets game, thank you. Thank you. It was a Thursday night game. I knew it was a Thursday night game, but they kicked a bunch of field goals because they're like, you see the other quarterback?

Yeah. He is very aware of game situations. So I'm, I'm curious too. That's a, that's a good point. to bring up, especially in the game like this where, hey, what's pressing, what's trying to get as many points as possible as opposed to, you know, field position. The last thing I want to mention before we get to kind of the Jags and what happens next here, to have to acknowledge the game that Travis Kelsey had, okay? Yes. Not even just the numbers, but the numbers in relation to what the chiefs did on offense.

The chiefs had 37 pass attempts in this game. Travis Kelsey had 17 targets. Okay? They had 27 completions. He had 14 receptions. So he had more than half of the team's receptions in the game. He had seven receiving first outs. Yes.

Seven. Yes. That's pretty good number. He's just unreal. He is just unreal. And it's the ways that he wins. There was a second and 10 in the second half. And it was again,

it was another one of those plays where they brought somebody off the second level and they dropped the edge rusher out. So Josh Allen was near him in zone coverage in space. And he just widens it this tiny little bit to give Mahomes a window. Completion turns around first out. And it's so small and it's so subtle. But watching those two work in those ways, even the third and six,

that was that little delay where Lloyd was hanging off of them. You mentioned it. Their connection, just the way that they work in the margins on those plays is so incredible. credible to watch. And today was just the utmost reminder of that. I mean, it was ridiculous. It was, yeah, so only one catch had area, I said this at the beginning of the show had area yards of longer and 70 yards. And that was the jump pass on the second down on the first drive. That's the only one. It was a trick shot. But that was, I mean, the fact that he can just continuously get open. We talk about defenses playing cloud to outside receivers. The jaguars dropped their ends. always to his side.

And I know that's a standard thing to go towards a tight end. And I think, but they're trying, everyone's giving him funky looks to work around or mugging them or just doing any type of way to try and beat him up. And I mean, the touchdown that Henny through to him was, he was double covered. Like they, it was literally bracket coverage on him and they just ran a beautiful pick play with him. But he has such great body control to maximize that space and get out there and create more space for it.

So he's, he is incredible. I mean, the fact that 14 catch. on 70 targets to seven first downs. It's any stat line like this is ridiculous. Not nonetheless, like even a divisional round is ridiculous. All right. Let's talk about the Jags and where they go from here. A little Jags post-mortem.

A really fun year. And we talked about, we did not mention Doug Peterson and our Coach of the Year conversation last week. Simply an oversight. That was good. What he did. And I think, yeah, and today a reminder, an interesting game plan, one that makes sense,

one that is, I think, a good expression of his personnel. Obviously, the progress that Trevor Lawrence made. I think it's hard to watch this season, a season which they won a playoff game, came on so strong at the end, we're a top eight offense by virtually every measure and not be incredibly enthusiastic and optimistic if you're a Jaguars fan. Yeah, I'm excited to see this offense too with Calvin Ridley dropped in. Yeah.

I mean, they're not, they're doing it with a lot of B players. I'm being, I know that sounds mean, but I mean, honestly, watching this offense and watching the improvement, obviously he's going to have some effect on Trevor Lawrence. Like being a former quarterback himself, that helps so much. And on top of it, just using the personnel, right? It was, I was, there was no matter what there was going to be improvement, but to see this much and see the tangible improvement where it's not like you're watching this off. It's like, it's too gimmicky. It's lucky.

It's like, no, this is sustainable. Now I'm excited to see what they can drop into it. It was a bonus year. What do you want to see them do? Well, if you're making a little moves on offense. I think that it's worth mentioning Juan Taylor is a free agent. Evan Ingram is a free agent. But on the line, I think it's easy.

Cam Robinson's under contract for a while. Walker Little, I thought, played well in his stead. Had a couple rough moments today. But I thought he played very well after Cam Robinson got hurt. So I think Taylor walks, you potentially move Walker Little over to right tackle, and then you see what happens at your left guard spot, which potentially could use an upgrade if you're. watch the interior of their offensive line this week.

Fortner's a rookie. So you hopefully get some progress there. And then you drop Calvin Ridley into this. And I think you try to bring Ingram back if you can. I mean, obviously, it's been a huge part of what they did. So if you have your tackles are probably set with the guys you have on your roster, if you bring in Calvin Ridley and you've Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk and Evan Ingram is kind of the baseline of your passing game with Trevor

with ET anime. I think that's a pretty good starting point. It's fine. Ridley does so much. It's been a while since he's played. I mean, that guy was a legit number one target, number one option in an offense and a good offense. So dropping him in is what this offense needs. I still wish that he had this offense had that true ball winner type.

You know, Calvin Liddy really is more of a smooth route running type that that's going to win on third down. You see how Trevor goes when he lets his guys try and go make plays. You see him at the end. He's trying to let Marvin Jones win some jump balls. The interception that Zay Jones didn't really look at, you know, he got heated up on it. but he's trying to let him go make a play. He has two hot options on that play. Ingram wasn't one of them.

Ingram was chipping. So he either had the running back or Zay Jones. And he's like, we need plays here. We need chunks. He's willing to let guys go make those plays. So I always want that kind of ball winner. That's what he had at Clemson, that always had a nice chemistry with those types of guys.

But Calvin Raleigh is going to be great for them. So maybe a second round receiver type. That's where a lot of this talent is in this receiver class anyway. So you might get a decent guy. A.T. Perry from Wake Forest is the one. I'd have circled. But then I also, this defense, they spent a lot of money on this defense. It needs help.

It still needs players. It needs growth from these young guys that they had. The development is huge from in-house. I mean, when you spent what you did on Devin Lloyd, I think that you need huge strides from him. The other thing worth mentioning, Ben Bartch is on IR. So I think that he might have been even there day one starting left guard anyway. So I don't know if that's part of the plans or whatever, but worth mentioning.

But on defense, I think that the most important part on defense is just getting growth from high highly drafted players from this year's draft can you get more out of walker can you get more out of devon lloyd i mean that's going to be the biggest question yes uh when you see the botches in this game that's where kind of the playoffs will have a magnifying glass on your weaknesses and and we had a christier kirk had a nice great season a nice game today but he had the drop and then also got contested catch won that thornhill made a great play on the ball yeah a couple really nice plays this game agnew is a fantastic gadget player more of a number five receiver type in the offense that you drop in there.

Great return. Obviously, he had a great return today, but he has the fumble. Zay Jones is not looking on the fade ball, the go ball, the interior line. They couldn't, you know, shore up in the protection. They didn't trust that protection. The defense couldn't really get a stop throughout the whole game. So that is kind of like sums up where I think they need help. You know, they need that one receiving option.

Calvin Ridley is going to help. They need help, I think, in the offense line somewhere. They just need another body dropped in. And the defense needs some juice and some improvement, like you said from those. young guys. I think that's kind of a great way to kind of narrow down what I think they need this offseason. We have a lot of time to talk about this. Oh, yeah. It's a week or so about the chiefs, but it's time to start thinking about, okay, when you're playing against Cincinnati or you're playing against the bills is a hobbled Mahomes, a bigger concern. And I think the answer is yes.

So what he looks like and how healthy he is, is going to matter at some point in the rest of the playoffs. So hopefully it's better than we saw at stretches in this game when it was a pretty fresh injury. Yeah. I mean, how many plays against those teams for Mahomes extending a place? Like, I mean, that's, you take that out. That's why having that in your bag is so amazing because those are the games that it's, it's a haymaker fest. So that's why you need that in your toolback. So taking that away is obviously going to be, if it's a high ankle, that's a six week injury. We always talk about that. That's one week rest. That's most guys would be missing that type of game, but obviously he's not going to. But yeah, taking that out,

That's making him. He was the fourth best scrambler, I think, this year. They don't do design rushes with him. So he had the third most EPA added on scrambles in the league this year. So the only guys ahead of him were Josh Allen and Jaywin Hertz. So you even cut that in half. You know, one first down instead of three in a game. Like that's first downs are very valuable.

It matters. And that's what I think you take away. More comfortable playing man coverage. There are just things that maybe you crack into that you wouldn't want to do if he's able to scramble on third down. So be curious to see how. they end up planning for that. All right. We are going to take one extended break here because we didn't want to drop ads into the

middle of a game breakdown. So we're going to take one longish break here. We will be back in a couple minutes. Please come back as we talk about Eagles Giants and wrap this thing up. All right. Let's get to the absolute beatdown that we just watched in the later game. This was a reminder to me, plain and simple, of who the Eagles are. Yeah.

And there was a couple stumbles. a couple fits and starts near the end of the season. I think it's been a while since we saw this version of the Philadelphia Eagles, but this was a statement about the team that they have been all year and just a little poke in a little nudge to everybody who might have questioned whether they could hit that level again. Yeah, that was a reminder. I was like, oh, yeah, remember we did our all pro teams and we just kept listing off Eagles

and other people did too. And you just forget. You forget sometimes. You're like, oh, yeah, this is the difference between the talent level of an entire team. The talent discrepancy was insane. The entire game. Giants offense versus Eagles defense. It was just, it felt bad.

Especially how the Eagles ran the ball too is going on the other side of the ball. But usually when you can run the ball like that, it's just because you're dominant. That's why you usually see it in college for high school. And you don't see too many of those games in the NFL where you have that big of a discrepancy is the League of Parity, much less in the playoffs. You know, and it wasn't just, it wasn't the Kaepernick versus the Packers where the Packers looked like they never defended his own. well, they never had a zone read before. It was just straight zone runs and split zone and just right down, right down their throat all from the gun.

And you remember that's like, oh, yeah, they're really good. This is why they won. They're the number one seed. That's why they walked away with it. And this is why they, you know, just the whole year, they were sitting at the top of the NFC. And then that the Giants were the team that was like, oh, they're a fun story. And yeah, that's, again, it's a reminder. It's the playoffs.

This is when that really stands out. The two guys, I mean, obviously so many guys, but Hassan Redick on the first drive. Oh my God. Immediately, it's like, this is going to be a problem. This is going to be a problem. And it was a problem. His second sack, they line up in a 5-0 look on third down, so everyone is covered. They run a big twist with him coming all the way around.

The center is engaged with Sue, so he's late coming off of it. He drives the Fliciano right back into Daniel Jones's lap. It's, again, a combination of, we have better players and we're deploying them well. James Bradbury, multiple, big plays. He had the pick, obviously, but the play he had at the sticks on Isaiah Hodgins that he came down and just made a stick to make him bob on the ball. He had a couple of those in this game. Goddard, who didn't play in week 14, makes a one-handed catch somehow stays on his feet and then runs into a touchdown on the play. So it's the talent discrepancy that you saw throughout the game.

And not surprising. And we'll get into that as we talk about the Giants. But this is a team in the Eagles that has the best roster in football. Top to bottom. The best roster in the league. This is a Giants team that wasn't trying to win games as they built their roster coming into the end of the year. Important to remember. Usually this just happens in week 15, not divisional round playoffs.

Yes. That's the big difference. No one was more upset about the Giants performance today than Vikings fans. I always say it's Twitter. Oh, my God. I mean, they're letting it out. We made this offense look like, you know, like the 98 Vikings. Like they were just, they couldn't get over it.

But yeah, but I wanted to talk about the, the Bradbury interception because it was, it was just perfect. Remember he had the interception against Trevor Lawrence in their matchup where it was just he read it perfectly and, and showed like what they're trying to do was like a switch vertical concept against pressure. That interception, I tweeted out the first drive, the Giants motioned Barkley to empty like three or four times. They love doing this. They put them on a speed motion. It makes it, especially a defense like the Eagles and a lot of two high shells, we kind of. kind of widen out and you kind of get some nice kind of horizontal stretch at the snap of the ball. I did kind of a few times.

They've done it all season. Did a bunch of last week. Second drive, they do it. And Brett, when you do that, you're in empty. Typically, when you're in empty, you're in five-man protection. When you're in five-man protection, the ball's going to come out quick, especially when you have Daniel Jones, who is, you know, it's the opposite. It's on the rails. It's not choose your adventure.

It's on the rails. He's going to do it. It's point A. That is where I'm going with the ball. So it's a lot of slants. It's a lot of hitches. Bradbury is very smart. He was like, oh, there's Barkley in motion.

So he just guns down and makes that great play. But that goes to show. Seager Gardner Johnson Blitz on that play too. So I think he was probably looking at the pressures. Like I'm throwing it right where that pressure is coming from. That's all this. When I say replace the pressure, that's like the classic quarterback. That's they're replacing the replacement.

Like that's exactly what they did. And it was like just going to that, like we watch the stuff and we notice it. But now imagine these guys with being a top, top tier athletes. They notice this shit too. And the coaches do too. That's just, I thought that was just a great. awareness, either from the coaching staff or the Eagle, Eagles players, which I'm sure it's a combination of both. But that's just a discrepancy there. It's like the Giants can't hit the easy buttons.

And that's when we talk about when you take away easy buttons and they actually have to play the hard football, which is dropping back, which is like running hard run plays. That's why there's the quarterback tiers. And when we talk about them in offensive tiers and play catcher tears, that's why there are tears that exist because it's hard to sustain when there's a talent discrepancy like this. And we talked about this coming into the game. game, all of the ways that you can just go after the Vikings play action, big crossing routes. Just we're going to bank on you to fuck up. Yep.

You can't do that against the Eagles. You couldn't do that against the Eagles all year. You have to have a game plan. We're like, all right, we're going to put CD in the slot and we know they're playing zone on this and like we have a talent advantage here so we can do it. The Giants have no talent advantages. So all the smoke and mirrors, when you're playing against a team that it's hard to beat with smoke and mirrors, that's ultimately what happened tonight.

And I think the other kind of reminder of this is what the Eagles are is this idea that we've harped on all season. They are going to find what is easiest and they are going to hammer it until you can stop it. And that's exactly what happened today. All right. So they had 41 carries for 227 yards at one point. This was before the long Boston Scott or the long Kenneth Gainwell run. That's what I had the numbers. Okay.

So they actually make it easier. I think they finished with like 267 rushing yards. They averaged at one point, like deep into the fourth quarter, 3.16 yards before contact per rush. They had a 53% success rate running the football. And they, and the other number, I can't, I don't know why I can't find them, but the throwing the ball stats were wild to me.

So in the first half of this game, okay, Jaywin Hertz's time to throw was 2.3 seconds. He was averaging four air yards per, attempt, and that was with the shot to Devante Smith on the first drive. In the first half of this game, five of J-1 Hertz's 17 attempts were deeper than five yards. He had two completions that were more than five yards in the air in the first half. They were using play action 47% of the time. So, Shane Steichen and Nick Siriani and the rest of the Eagles offensive staff looked at the Giants defense and said,

we think you were going to blitz a lot. And we think your linebackers cannot play. Yep. And that was the game plan. And they absolutely slaughtered them with it. It was no more complicated than that. And that's what I love about this team, where it's like, you do not have NFL linebackers.

Jared Davis, who started for the Giants today, was not in the starting lineup until week 18. That was the state of the position for the Giants, because that's who they are. At certain positions, that's who this Giants team is. So the Eagles offensive staff said, okay. Yep. And the Giants linebackers were on a different planet this entire game. It was rough to watch.

Yep. That's those split zone plays. And what split zone is is the tight end is crossing the formation. He kicking out the opposing D. End. I've talked about this, but it affects linebackers eyes because they might have bump off rules and naked. They might have just, they have to communicate because they have to stay gap sound.

The gap is changing on them. And if you have bad linebackers, that is like the classic. way to affect them. And they just ran that. The flats, the Dallas got her, including that touchdown. It's man coverage. And that's their classic man coverage beater because it just ended out like basically a pick play with an RPO.

And that's why you saw a bunch of those today. So it's just those are simple answers. That's why you saw all the short passes because those are just the, like you said, straight line. They don't overthink it. One of my, my favorite things the Eagles offense does when they cross the 50, if they're really moving the ball on a defense, which they were tonight, is they'll just repeat the same run play like three or four times in a row.

They've done that five times at least I've seen this year against five different opponents where it's just they were just called the same play. They did that tonight. They crossed the 50. They're like, oh, you're not stopping us. Repeat, repeat. Don't overthink it. We have an advantage.

Don't over, don't get cute, which is when this game going away. What's put the, what's put the JV team in. Like that's kind of what it felt like this game. It was like, just take care of business.

Straight line it and let's go. I mean, they had 37 shotgun runs. 20 of them were successful. Six explosive runs. Like, that's just, that's insane. Like that in a playoff game that you got 20 successful runs just out of the shotgun. I mean,

you're going to win every game like that just like this just like looked like secretariat at the preakness. Like that's what this game. That's what this game kind of felt like. And there's so many other guys. I mean, Jason Kelsey was fantastic in this game. He had like two highlight plays for a center, which obviously that doesn't happen very often. It was blowing people off the ball.

I mean, it's just again a reminder of how overwhelming their talent can be. I don't know if there's really anything else to say about it, except to contrast it with this Giants team. And I think that brings us to a conversation about where the Giants go from here. And that conversation, in my opinion, has to start with where the Giants were to begin with. Yes. The Giants coming into this season were 31st in cash spending among every team in the NFL. The only team to spend less money on their roster this season in cash than the Giants was the Chicago Bears.

The Giants spent $115 million in cash on their team. The Packers and the Rams spent $210 million. They weren't trying to build a team that was going to win games. They actively had to shed James Bradbury's salary to field an NFL team because of where they were against the cap. And this year in general, we always talked about coming into it, could it be like the first year of the Bill's regime that Joe Shane was a part of, where you're kind of tearing it down because you're under a financial rock with some of the deals. Remember the Marcel Darius contract, Mario Williams, and all of those contracts that the bills have. And they eventually had to get out from under that.

And they still made the playoffs. And that making the playoffs was an indicator of what was potentially going to come down the road. It was proof of concept for that new regime. And that, in my opinion, is what this giant season felt like, even if tonight's ending is not exactly exciting. Yeah. I mean, this is all bonus. The fact that even start, when they start off to such a hot start this season, it was kind of just like everything from here on out, great. Like just doesn't matter. Can we make Daniel Jones look decent? Like, yes, that's a win. Can we get anything else? Say Juan Barclay. Awesome. Oh, Dexter Warren's looks good, huh? Maybe we got, oh, we found a receiver. Isaiah Hodgins. And we made the playoffs like in a season. Like, that's what's actually great, too, is they want a playoff game. They want a playoff game on top of it. I know. But it's kind of like they made it worth it. I think. think the worst thing that a team can do is like that they are no man's land or they're rebuilding as a franchise and then they go like eight nine or nine and eight and they miss the playoffs. So they get a middle round pick, no man's land, but they overachieve and they don't get,

they get a later pick. At least make the playoffs and make it worth it and win a playoff game. So, and you've mentioned this, you said this and I think you nailed it. It just gives something to build on as a team, as an organization, something to point to. It's like, man, what could those make the playoffs with that team? Now imagine with all these guys growing up. and getting more out of it, and guys that we want playing these positions for us and with this vision.

But the adaptability. The Eagles last year. Like the Eagles last year making the playoffs. And I think the Eagles are closer than this Giants team, by the way. The 2021 Eagles have a hell of a lot more talent than the 2022 Giants. But that first year of a new regime, you make the playoffs. It's just, I've talked to coaches about this. I have.

Because I'm so curious about it. This is what you're talking about. Is it worth it? Like, if you're not going to be a contender is what is worth. making the playoffs if it's going to put you out of range of draft, the quarterback, and the Rams were like this. Just talking to Sean McVeigh about what it was like to make the playoffs in that first year, the check it writes you with ownership, the buy-in you get from players.

Like there is value in doing it. And I think that we have seen that over time, the bills being the most applicable example to what this Giants team is. Yes. It's a culture year. Like, that's the best way to put it. And usually I hate using that term, but you can feel, right. Like the when I there is something that there is there is that there is something there.

When I watch that week 18 game. Watch that week 18 game and the giants of all teams are the ones sitting there starters in a week 18 game, which is just so funny. Meanwhile, you look at the chargers playing their guys. But you watch the the giants doing that and starting their guys. And it was so cool watching that's growth because some of those guys are still going to be on the team next year as depth or maybe some young guy that we want to get a couple of reps for. We're just, you know, a young guy that needs the reps. but watching how locked in that team was and dables out dables out there high five in the corner because he made a great place and practice squad guy like that matters that is really cool for a team they talk those guys say hey it's a great situation these guys are smart they rested us in week 18 like you know that it's just all that stuff that's positive to build build from and i think you're right is i compared this like the eagles team last year yeah that eagles team had a lot a lot a lot better players uh to go around especially receiver-wise with Devante Smith. But also it's just, I don't know, you need it. It just helps to do it now as opposed to next year. It's like, okay, we build the next year. And then if they made the playoffs next year, then it's like, okay, shit, year three, man. Oh, man, year three, we really got to ramp it up and you might start making moves that don't make sense. So it's just nice. You kind of check the box already. So I want to talk about that, about understanding what your timeline is, even if you made the

playoffs this year and understanding what you are. They have decisions to make. Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if Seekwon was back in some form. The franchise tag is like $10 million for running backs. You can live with that for a year with the amount of cab space you're going to have. I also wouldn't be surprised if they extended him. There are running back contracts. The one that jumps out to me, Nick Chubb's contract is three years, $36 million, $20 million guaranteed. It's a lot of money to pay a running back.

But if you can go one step down from what Derek Henry got, which is four years, 50, and you can make it work in a year where you're going to have space and you can front load it a little bit based on how important he is within your offense, I think you can justify that. The Daniel Jones question is the bigger one. Yes. Maybe famous last words, and maybe I will just regret saying this. I think they know what he is and what they are. Yes.

I do. There is absolutely a timeline where bringing him back makes sense. I don't think the franchise tag makes sense for $35 million. I don't think anything that ties you to him for any length of time makes sense. But if you are looking at the situation and saying our best chance to win a bunch of games next year to send the right message to the locker room, I got about a guy who played well and did a lot of good things for us. You want to take care of him. You don't want to walk away from that. I think that there are ways to kind of serve everything you need to while still being realistic about the player that Daniel Jones is.

and how he fits into what a Super Bowl winning plan looks like if you're the Giants. Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, at least they have that path. And I, I agree with you. It's, Jones played well, the hype got a little crazy, especially after last week. But it's they, they, I think what you said right there is they know how they game plan for him is they know. They, they, they narrow, they narrowed that it's a, we call the shanahan offense, sometimes training wheels offense.

That was a training wheels offense. It was. They maximized his skill set, which is running the ball, and he could throw the shit out of an overball. And he's willing to go one and done and stand their strong. But they know. They know that. They know. But man, we just wish we could drop back.

You know, he's going to find the right throw. That's why they had the game plan so much. So, yes, they know. I think that's a great way to put it. Having a tangible starter that can at least create first downs does have value. And so I think what you're saying in finding that he might have a role coming, going forward. At least it gives them something viable to assess other guys on the roster. We mentioned that. That's always so important in having a quarterback that's actually competent.

You know, how frustrating it probably was for the Jets offense this whole year. You know, it's nice to actually have someone that's going to get the ball to the right receiver on time every once in a while. That does help and can call the plays and all that. So I don't know. I don't know what they go down. I think this team is kind of another choose your adventure team where I understand a lot of the past, a lot of the answers they can take. but that's a good thing. It's a good thing that they can do that, even though they have a question at quarterback, I still think. They had it set up with the contract that they gave Tyrod. There was a two-year deal.

I don't think that was an accident where they decided to decline Daniel Jones' fifth-year option. Let's say we're backed into a corner. Do we have a bridge quarterback potentially in Tyrod for a year? Right. I think that if you were to let Daniel Jones walk, let's say Daniels doesn't have a market. he doesn't get paid crazy starter money from somebody which wouldn't necessarily surprise me and you let him walk and say we're going to tie rod next year I think after the success you had that year that's a somewhat tough sell but I still don't think I think it there was a

there was a potential world where you could do that I don't know if that is as realistic as it was even during parts of this season based on how he played down the stretch but I also think that you have to be incredibly wary of any decision that locks yourself into him for any length of time Right. And do you want a clean break and maybe just go, hey, we're figuring it out without you, like, you know, Jacoby Brissette or something of that, a guy like that, you know, that there should be a line in the sand that you draw. And I, again, maybe famous last words, I think that Joe Shane and I think the leadership there is the type of group that is going to understand the importance of that line. Yes. They're very, they're realistic. It's a staff. I agree. I think they are. Coaches and personnel with the Giants are very realistic and understand the league and themselves, which. I'm saying this is a compliment, and I know you are too. This is a compliment. I think they're very aware of what everything is and all the factors that go into a situation like this.

So the rest of the roster, okay? This team has $54 million in cap space right now. They save $13.5 million if Galdet as opposed to June 1st cut. So I'd have to assume in some way, shape, before me, he will not be on the roster. Okay. Leonard Williams is a $32 million cap hit next year. Wow. The last ghost of the Dave Gettleman era.

man. I can't assume he will play on that. It's $32 million. Okay. So I assume he will not play on that. They will figure out some sort of solution, whether that means him on the roster at some sort of reworked deal or he's not on the team.

Leonard Williams, Dory Jackson, and Dexter Lawrence are the only guys if they get rid of Gala Day slated to make more than $10 million next year on this team. That's a sandbox. It's a blowup, man. It was always going to be a blowup. This is a rebuilding team.

Yes. That's why they weren't supposed to be here. Yeah. They're opening up the shout, the quick stop. I'm not even supposed to be here today. Here they are in the playoffs going like, I guess we're game planning against the Eagles again. Like, here we are. This is what we're expecting in August running a wildcat offense and zone reads every play.

Like, that's exactly it. But no, that's what's hilarious. That's what we keep emphasizing. It's like, this is just bonus. This is just this season. I mean, because this is what the situation is. So you say there's three guys that make two. $10 million or more.

Yeah. There's like a couple guys right around $10 million. Yeah, yeah. But that's ridiculous. That's like they can do whatever they want with that as long as they, you know, hopefully they spend it responsibly. But they will. I really do think this is a regime that won't just shell out money just because they

have the assets for it. I think the only group that is probably going to come back somewhat intact will probably be the offensive line. Yeah. Okay. So Fliciano maybe not. I mean, I think he might be. just a one-year deal.

But they have... That's going to be his career for the rest of his life. So they've got a couple guys under contract. So they're, I don't know, basically how he was. So Gwinski was a multi-year deal. Obviously, Evan Neal is, that's one area where he just hope he progresses. Rookie right. Rookie tackles is always...

He's up and down. Crap shoot, man. So you hope there's be some growth there. You have a... Look at Andrew Thomas. Andrew Thomas, we thought it was going to be a bus after his rookie year. I mean, so you have an all pro left tackle. Yeah.

And so Nick Gates was their left guard for the last chunk of the season. and Shane Lemieux is on this team. I think that theoretically there's a world where LeMew shifts or where Gates plays center and they have all of their five starting offensive linemen under contract right now. Other than that group, and then I guess maybe the defensive line,

depending on what happens with Williams, because Lawrence will obviously back, Tibido, O'Jolari. But other than that, it seems like anything is on the table and anything should be. So it was a very good first note for this team. I think that you have to feel, good about it. I pick Brian Dable for Coach of the Year and I tonight doesn't shake me off of that.

True. The season award. Yes. What they did, the one, the punt at the end is, was tough. But down 21, the punt. I was like, I don't, that, that one's, that one's, that one's a puzzler. Yeah, it was fourth and six at the 42. So that's a puzzler. But I think what they did on offense with this team for an entire season to feel the top 10 offense with this group, it was remarkable. It was then, it is now, and I think it's a great first note on which to start your tenure as a coach and their front office, and we'll see what happens from here. But tonight they got outclassed by a team that is built to win the Super Bowl right now. Yeah. In horse racing, the class you're in is very relevant.

You know, there's grade one races, grade two, grade three, and there's stakes races and all that. And sometimes you see some winner of like they've won that this horse has won five in a row. There's like 70,000 claimers. And then also they jumped to like a 250,000. dollar race and they just get their doors blown off and then it's like oh yeah class like that's and usually it's just not this stark in an NFL playoff game I think that's why we just keep coming back to this it's just that but that's what it is the eagles I've been the cream of the crop this entire season the giants have been the frisky I want to misfit toys I also think it was so stark

because of the ways that the Eagles highlighted where the biggest disparities were right over and there by sitting there and saying you you cannot defend them the run based on the second level players that you have. We are just going to do this the entire game. It was the perfect set of circumstances to shine a light on where they were the furthest depart. Right. And I think that is a credit to the Eagles.

Yes. Because they don't overthink it. It's two staffs that don't overthink it. By the way, by the way, you had your first successful tout this season. You're one for one. The under in this game. I don't feel good about it. It hit.

Because, well, I predicted 2010 as a final score. So yeah, how do you think that felt? But yeah. I don't feel good about it, but the under did hit. The under did hit. You're one for one on touts this year. So way to go. I'm proud of you.

It's a dirty win. I really don't feel good about that one. It counts. It counts. The Boston Scott touchdown. Didn't matter. That's all we got. All right.

We will be back doing this exact thing tomorrow. Some great, great games tomorrow. Hell yeah. I mean, now we got this version of the Eagles against whoever wins that game tomorrow. It builds bangles is going to be great. I mean, he's one of those two teams against Mahomes. And this is what it's all about. So really great day of football tomorrow.

We'll be doing this exact same thing right here a little bit earlier, but same place, if a slightly different time. So please come back and check that out. If you have not subscribed to the YouTube channel, I encourage you to do that. We're doing these shows live on YouTube. We're going to be doing a lot more video stuff as we get into the spring. So please subscribe now, get in early.

We'd really appreciate that. Please subscribe to The Athletic. Theathletic.com slash football show is where you can do that and read all of our great NFL coverage, our great Eagles writers, Zach Berman, Bull Wolf on tonight's win. Go read Nate Taylor on the Chiefs and everything that they put together tonight. We'll be back tomorrow, the two of us. Until then, we really appreciate you guys' listening. We'll talk to you soon.

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