The Herd with Colin Cowherd - What’s Wright - NFL Week 17 Reaction: Maye-Stafford MVP DEBATE, Eagles & Bills PANIC? 49ers FOR REAL? | Nick Wright

Episode Date: December 31, 2025

All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet.  Nick Wright recaps Week 17 of the NFL season, starting with the MVP race between Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye following the Rams' Monday Night Football loss. Then, Nick discusses the playoff races between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers in the NFC South. After, Nick sounds the alarm on teams around the league, including the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. Later, Nick and Damonza answer your questions. #VolumeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey, Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an Acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's

telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless.

And at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know. I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast for no nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garris. Jench who win. She's an outsider to win the French name. And she likes Clay.

Listen, Leonard Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now. And I actually can win on any surface. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcasts on the Iheart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome in. What Drive with Nick Wright, episode 409. Our final episode of 2025. 2025.

Has been an unbelievable year for the podcast. We partnered with the volume. DeManzai became a father. We added all these great new sponsors. And we really hope 2026 is even better. It is also our second to last show of the year. Did I say it was our last? It's our second.

Last movie of the gambling show coming to you tomorrow. Last week, we saw. saw the real perils of doing an NFL gambling show on Tuesday, Wednesday, heading into the weekend. But despite the results, I don't mind the process. This week, we are tweaking it a bit as week 18 is always tricky. But that is coming your way tomorrow. We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, wonderful holiday season as we get ready for New Year's. Demonsie, I was telling you before I keep having dreams about your daughter.

She's about to turn two months old. No, no, she'll be two months. No, she'll be two months. Two months. She's about to turn two months in a week.

Like almost a week, exactly. In just over a week. And my subconscious must think that she's way ahead of the developmental curve because with my dreams involve her walking around and talking to me. So I think that really, I assume, listen, I'm sure she's going to be smart and I'm sure she's going to be athletic since you and her mom were both college athletes. But I just, what I am really trying to get to evidently is her turning into a full-blown person with a personality.

And that's going to take a few months. My subconscious is trying to accelerate that process. But we have a ton to do today. We have a loaded show after an insane week 17, and this morning, one of my favorite things, the NFL Hall of Fame finalists came out. So we will get to all of that. And as always, this show is brought to you by our friends at Boost Mobile, and we bring you straight to voicemail presented by Boost Mobile. Yokic left last night with what looked like a scary knee injury. Now, I don't want, as they say, in the poker world, ride the broom on this.

But it looks like the preliminary reporting is he avoided disaster. That they think it might just be a hyper extension with no real damage. That obviously is season changing and more than season changing when you're talking about the best player in the league, who was just days off of a 56, 15 and 15. So, and a guy who's never been hurt, a guy who's been incredibly durable. It was shocking to see him go down. And it made me think, like,

have I ever really seen this guy in pain? And I, like, where he really looks like something got hurt. And I couldn't remember it. So our great producer, Daniels, a diehard Nuggets fan. He's holding his breath. but it seems like they think everything's going to be okay. Luca leads NBA All-Star fan voting, and Braun turns 41 today,

which means the numbers are in in his age 40 year of basketball, and he was 25-7 and 7, from his 40th birthday until today. Pretty solid. I understand that some folks would like to make the story of the Lakers, you know, swoon over the last few weeks that they have a LeBron problem. I would argue if the plan was ever have the guy with 70,000 minutes in year 23 who just turned 41 be our primary lockdown defender.

That's probably a roster build problem. Speaking of roster build and like rate, subscribe, review to our channel, it would be a wonderful New Year's gift for us. did I I didn't even tell you guys I do this very quickly before I get to the football that I didn't even tell you when I was out there that I talked to Polinka no you didn't tell me that when I was in the game that's insane when we were at the game because I have been very critical of Rob Belinka yeah um some would say mean and when we were at the game the day after Thanksgiving he walked right in front of me and didn't like was looking the other way and I was just like yeah

I was like Rob and he turned around and saw me and was clearly just my read on it a little taken aback and I did what I always do which is made things awkward because I don't want people to ever say that guy's a coward so he came over and I was like, hey, man, nice to finally meet you. Congratulations. And he said, oh, thank you. And I could have left it at that, but I don't. Swindling the Mavericks. Yeah, exactly.

But so I could have just left it to the congratulations. But I didn't. And I was like, listen, maybe you know, maybe you don't. I've been very critical. But. What the fuck. Um, congrats. I was like, I was like, but congrats, you know.

Yeah. I don't think I said you got Luca, but I just kind of motioned over to the team, which at the time was rolling. Um, and I still think, you know, he was in a really good position. And he was like, oh, thank you for that. Thanks, man. And I was like, yeah, and that was, and that was my Rob Polinka interaction. Now, there is the small chance that he had no idea who I was or that he knew who I was,

but had been critical. critical of you to my family. Right. Yeah, that would have been super funny. If he really had no clue who I was, just that I was just a fan. Right. Where? Critical me on message.

At home. But yeah. So there's our NBA talk for today as this will be an NFL heavy show. And again, please if you could, subscribe on YouTube. It really helps us. And definitely on iTunes. and or Spotify don't need to do both. Also, DeMonse, do you, oh, no, that's just the light.

I thought you had something in your, I thought you looked like a little tear. No, okay, no, okay, there you go. I talked about your daughter walking and talking and made you try. It's unbelievable. All right, let's talk about last night's football game. All right, so Bejohn rolled through the Rams last night in the upset. Stafford messed himself up a little bit, dropped to number two in MVP. he's at plus 300. Drake May is now at minus 450 after his three interceptions.

How do you think last night impacts the MVP race? So I think last night Drake May won the MVP, and I do not like that at all. And it is not because I don't like Drake May. I said on this show and on the TV show two months ago that there aren't five guys in the league. I'd rather have it quarterback. than Drake May. And that's not just moving forward. That is right now this moment.

I think he is, I've been telling Wilds all year how legit, how much I do believe in Drake May. And he is having an unbelievable season. And it is not as if him winning MVP, I would find it to be a travesty or an outrage. That's not my issue at all. My issue is MVP has slowly started to turn into December player of the month amongst the MVP candidates. And I don't like that. We saw this. There have been, listen, 2018 MVP Mahomes was a no-brainer.

he ran away with it. 2019 MVP, Lamar was a no-brainer. He ran away with it. 2020, it was a two-man race. Rogers and Mahomes. I thought it should have been Mahomes. Rogers won it.

There was no issue with that. That was two great candidates. Mahomes rested at the end of the year. Rogers won it. Fine. 2021, Rogers and Brady, it was a legitimate argument, Rogers won. And 2022, Mahomes ran away with it. There was no question. Those MVP's were relatively easy.

2023 was the first year I saw this phenomenon happen, which was there wasn't a clear-cut favorite throughout the year. And then in December, two MVP, there were games amongst the MVP candidates, Dak, Purdy, and Lamar.

And if I have it correct, and I'm going to double check to make sure, DAC law, I thought Dak, you know, as far, I thought Christian McCaffrey had the best argument for MVP that year, but it doesn't really matter, like that's not the point. Dak played poorly in a December

game to Buffalo. And people were like, well, he's out. Now it's between Lamar and Brock Purdy. And then Lamar and the Ravens annihilated the Niners in Purdy. And it was just like, oh, okay, Purdy's out.

Now it's Lamar's MVP. That's that. And we ended up that year giving MVP to a guy. And again, this is not anti-Lamar, I promise, because if we didn't get, Lamar had a better case last year than he did the year before. But Lamar in 2023 was 15th in the NFL and passing yards. and 11th in the NFL and passing touchdowns. And while he had an awesome passer rating,

it was fourth in the league. He did not have MVP numbers, but he had the MVP December, and so he won it. And then last year, Lamar had been the MVP really all year long, but Josh Allen had the moment against the Chiefs, the six touchdown game in a loss to the Rams, and he had the finishing surge, and because of that, he was the MVP.

And this year, from start to finish, Matt Stafford's been the MVP. MVP of the league. If we look at, if you take this season to Monce and put the 16 games each guy is played and you reorder them randomly and you do that a hundred different times with a hundred different orders as far as the order of the games and then stack up the MVP seasons. I think Stafford wins MVP, 85 out of 100 of those reordered seasons. But because week 17, Drake May throws five touchdowns, and week 17, Stafford has one of his two bad games that he's had all year, it's now going to be betting-wise,

It's over. And conventional wisdom-wise, Drake May won the award. Even though Stafford is thrown for more yards, has thrown for 12 more touchdowns, has taken 25 fewer sacks. They have the same number of interceptions. Now, Drake may is a slightly higher passer rating. There's got one more game, too. No.

They play the same number of games. No, I'm saying, okay, yeah, fair enough. What do you mean? I guess they've both played their week 17 game. I was going to say they've got one more game. It's not locked up. But going into the T yesterday, I would have easily given it to Stafford.

The pigs makes it confusing. They both have a week 18 game. By the way, do my lights just get really weird? Oh, Jesus. Okay, can I fix that? I don't know how the hell that happened. I'm going to keep talking to you guys. Oh, now it's better.

I don't even know what I didn't even touch anything. I don't know what just happened. That was really weird. I looked like I was glowing for a moment. The bright lights is not a good look for me. I need a very just regular warm lighting. No, I just don't, it feels to me like MVP is slowly moving towards who's hottest at the end of the year. And I don't love that.

And I just think Stafford, and this is where I do think when it comes to League MVP, It's totally fair to pick Nitz. I think the fact that Stafford has done it in the league's toughest division against a brutal schedule where they have played Houston, Philly, the Niners, Jacksonville, the Niners, Seattle, Seattle again, those seven teams, and that's just me listing the teams. they have played that have locked into the playoffs, not including games at the time that we thought were big, like Indy, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Carolina, where he didn't play well, Detroit.

And Drake May just had his five touchdown game against the Jets. And again, he still, he was, I'm not going to neck that game. He was perfect in it. And I think he's an awesome player. But I just don't love that, It feels to me, this is, I guess, my general take. It feels the last three years, this is the way the MVP has been done. The first three months of the year are to determine who the actual candidates are,

and then the award is given based off who has the best December. And I don't love that. And it feels like we are, and by the way, Stafford, Thursday night against Seattle, Stafford was unbelievable. That was his second most recent game. They scored 37 points. He threw for 457 yards. He had three touchdowns against that defense.

and now the team blew it at the end. My lights just did that thing again. I don't know what's going on. We're just going to, I think it's a camera thing. They also now drop two in a row. Yes, but I know they dropped two in a row, but one of them was a 38, 37 win, or 38, 37 loss. And so I just, it is very difficult for,

And I know Drake May had the great comeback against Baltimore. I just don't, it doesn't sit right with me that it feels like it's becoming a glorified December player of the month. So that's where, so right now my vote would be for Matt Stafford. I don't think he's going to win it. And I also think we've talked about this all year that, man, it is crazy. thin these margins are in sports but is there an argument that not tackling Rashid Shaheed on the punt return in the fourth quarter last Thursday night is going to cost Matt Stafford a spot in the Hall of Fame

maybe because if they win that game and they are sailing to the one seed i happen to believe if they win that game they come out more ready to play last night because they know we control our destiny for the one seed rather than being locked out of it as they knew they knew going into last night that they were locked out of the one seed and i think you saw that lack of attention to detail early if they're the one seed and Stafford has the exact same numbers, but in a win, he is going to win MVP. And maybe, and they are the huge favorites at that moment to win the Super Bowl. Now, and this now impacts, the Rams are now,

DeMonsing in a very interesting spot in this regard. And this impacts whether or not we want to bet them this weekend. Here is the situation for the Rams. if the Niners beat Seattle on Saturday night, the Rams are the six seed, locked into the six seed no matter what they do against Arizona. The six seed means you're either going to Chicago or to Philadelphia, cold weather, January road playoff games.

That is if the Niners beat Seattle, the Rams are locked into the six. If Seattle beats the Niners, then the Rams can be the five seed if they beat Arizona. And so whether or not they have anything to play for will depend on what happens Saturday night. I still think on a neutral site,

I like the Rams, better than any team in the league. But McVeigh and his Rams teams have not been great in cold weather against good teams, and their road just got so much harder over the last couple weeks. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor Hard Rock Bet, Florida Sportsbook, and the official sportsbook partner of your favorite Florida teams like the Jags, the Jags, the Jags, Bucks, Heat, Magic, and Panthers. Week 18, playoffs spots are on the line.

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Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers, and guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it.

We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts. We're starting a trend. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name, Hey Jonas, guys? I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it.

And we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel. Help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-heartedly. radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered.

SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis,

and I know firsthand. because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris. Every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on Clay. Jenchian went. I mean, she went down to three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted. She's an outsider to win the French for me.

And she likes Clay. Listen, Lina Rabakina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface. Because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court-side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes. for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, DeMonse, I got to get on a soapbox here for a minute, so go ahead. Yeah, we now have a half-decade decade sample of the 17-game season, 14-game playoff. You said you wanted to talk about this? Do you have some gripes? Yeah, well, so they expanded the season shortly after COVID. They expanded the playoffs during COVID and it stuck with it. I don't love this.

I think 16 game season was better, but I understand everything's always explained. Like, that is a fight that's not going to be won. And this other one probably isn't either, but I want to get on the record on it. And I've advocated in the past for the 17-game season via the international week. So I don't have a huge problem with it. Now, though, that we have a half decade of the expanded playoffs from six teams of conference to seven teams of conference, I think the jury should be in that it was better at. six teams of conference because anything in life shouldn't not any that's too that's

overstating most things in life are improved by a little exclusivity by a little bit of man you could be good you could be deserving you could be deserving you could do things right and still be left out, which makes getting in all the more rewarding and gratifying the greater reward. And when you look at the playoff field this year and what is turned into a pretty, week 18 it is because every team

that is worth a damn is going to make the playoffs and under the six-team playoff field de Monzae per conference, 12-team field the bills would be in a situation where

we're headed into week 18 on the outside looking in, where we have to beat the jets and get help. The Chargers would be in a situation where they've overcome all this, had this great year, but because they couldn't take care of business against Houston, they have to go win in Denver in week 18.

I'm sorry, they sound like vendettas. They sound like vendettis. No, no, no. I'll do it for the whole league. It's not that at all. No, I get what you're saying, but like the bills of the charges being the first.

Well, I'm just, I'm looking at the seven and the six seat. I, the, it's, it's really, it is absolutely not that. It's that last week's,

every game, down the stretch run, the last week and this week, has felt, okay, they're playing for seating, but no one was playing for their lives. Because of the expanded playoff field, the Packers can sleepwalk on defense through a game against Baltimore because they know they're going to be in the playoffs anyway. At 9, 6, and 1, they're locked in,

as opposed to the Packers having to win that game to then hope to win this week and have pressure on the Bears to not fall. Again, every single team that is any good is in the playoffs. That's too much. You want there to be a team or two that was good, but not good enough. Every single team in the league this year, with the possible exception, I guess, of Pittsburgh,

if Pittsburgh loses this weekend, that is a big. above 500 will make the playoffs. That's too much. If the Steelers win this weekend, then every team in the league that finished above 500 will make the playoffs. That's not what you want. And there would be, there should be real stakes to the only week 18 games

that feel like they have massive. stakes are divisional games because the division is terrible. The NFC South and the AFC South. That's it. I'm sorry, the NFC South and the AFC North. But under the six-team format, Texans, Chargers, Bills would all know if we don't win this weekend, we could be out. And one of us will be.

under the old format, the Packers would have felt going into this Saturday. We have, if we can win this game, then we can set up where week 18, if Chicago trips up, we're in and they're out. And so, and there is an added benefit, and I'm actually glad. The chiefs are not a part of this because people would assume this is a chief's thing, the second part. It also was more fair when there were two buys per conference, when the one and the two seed got a buy.

The Broncos and the Pats have been start to finish this year, the two most consistent best teams in the AFC. they are likely both going to go 14 and 3. The Broncos reward is going to be they get a buy home field advantage, all of it. The Pat's reward might be the bills in round one. The, and that's on how it should be. And again, just because the way it used to be, I don't know,

see the winner of the NFC West is going to get a buy. I personally, I don't think you have, like this is a year where another NFC team definitively deserves one. But Chicago and Philly going into this weekend feeling like, man, we can get a buy, get some rest and all of that, as opposed to going into this weekend feeling like how important is it. this game really. I just don't love it. And so I don't mind the 17 game season, but the

playoff field was better when it was more exclusive and when good teams got left out. Like, if you go back, I mean, the most famous example is probably 2007.

2007, or sorry, 2007. 2008, the 11 win New England Patriots, 11 wins, absent Tom Brady, obviously, did not make the playoffs. There were good teams that was just like, man, you had a, you had a hell of a year, you should be proud of yourself, not good enough. the nine and seven teams missed them all the time obviously but you would have with some regularity 10 win and sometimes didn't happen a lot 11 win teams miss and that's just never going to happen again and that to me we had the in 2015 the 10 win jets Missed out.

2014, the 10-win Eagles. Missed out. Turned the pressure on. Yeah, I just, and it makes the end of the season feel like it just has a little more stakes to it, which I personally enjoy. The 2010, the Giants were a couple years removed from winning the Super Bowl. The Giants and Tampa in 2010, both won 10. games. Neither made the playoffs in the same conference. I just think that was a superior

setup and it would have made week eight, it would make week 18 a mat like bills, Chargers, Texans, you, if you're the Chargers this week, and again, and then I'll stop ranting about it. If the Chargers felt like, we have like if we're a 16 playoff and the charges be like well the bills are going to be the jets so they're going to get to 12 wins and the Texans are playing riley leonard and the cults they're probably going to get to 12 wins we're going to be out of the postseason if we don't go to denver and win that then makes Denver have to obvious Denver's playing for the one seed matters to them The Patriots all of a sudden are like, holy moly, you know, we are alive for the one seed.

The Jags say, well, if Denver loses, we're just one, you know, we can jump up to the two. It's just the exclusivity is good. All right, let's talk about that Eagles. The Eagles escape Buffalo with a win despite not completing a pass in the second half. The Bills had a chance. Josh Allen kind of whipped on the two-point conversion, but the playoffs coming. up, who was this game more alarming for? I think it was more alarming for Philly as far as the quality of their team, but it was super

alarming for Buffalo as far as their path now. Had Buffalo won, they're going to be, they're alive for the division, but they again would need the paths to lose to Miami, which could happen, but I don't think is likely. But the bills would then be in a position, beat the jet. That's where the five seat. We get whatever fraudulent team comes out of the AFC North, and we'll see if Josh Allen and this Bill's team can get its first ever road playoff victory. Now they're in a spot where round one de Monzae, they are playing either in New England or in Jacksonville,

on the road, the entirety of the playoffs, and their path just got so much harder. And the other thing on the bills that I will say is this, because we just have, fair is fair, and you guys know how highly I've talked of Josh Allen this year really the last couple years. He's got to be better in that game. I thought the fumble was a bad call,

but you can't stand there and argue about it rather than chase after the fumble. That's the first point. You got your offensive lineman running 30 yards down field. You're standing there yelling at the rep. That's the first one. Taking the 20-yard sack, knocking you out of field goal range,

when that field goal would have mattered, that was bad. And he just missed the game-winning play. It was open. It was not that hard of a pass. He just missed it. And that game mattered for that. And so you got, I've talked a lot so I don't have to do too much more on it.

How much pressure I think is on the bills this year. We have, we have not talked about McDermott or Allen in these in like this because the Ravens have been struggling. The chiefs are out. The Bengals are out. But man, if DeMonsei, the bills end up with the sixth seed, which that's what it looks like they're going to be. And they go to Jacksonville and lose. Man, I wonder if Sean McDermott survives that.

Like we, we haven't, if they go one and done by losing to the Jags, even though I think the Jags are really good, it feels like it. When the, all the other veteran excellent quarterbacks that feel is, you know, are removed from the field, then you, this has to be the bill's moment. Now, I did think their defense was excellent and the defense has been the question mark about the team. On Philly, I don't know what people want me to say.

I, they had negative passing yards and a half de Monzae for the third time they, this season. So they have played 32 halves. Honestly, what other teams have done this year? No, they're the only one. You've played 32 halves of football. Three of them, you had negative yards passing. One in 10.

That's insane. It's just really weird. What the hell is going on? And then you got Siriani yelling at the bills fans in the tunnel. AJ Brown's clearly annoyed by him. I understand

they win and I feel like winning in Buffalo which has been it's happened twice in the last two years that a team's gone to Buffalo and win should be like an unimpeachable type of victory.

But that wasn't unimpeachable. They're up 13 nothing and then gained 17 second half yards as a team and negative yards passing. And so I will see how everything falls seating-wise, because they could be the two or the three, and if they're the two, they get the Packers. But if they're the three, DeMons A, they get either,

the Rams or the Niners. Yeah, both very loseable. And if they lose... I like either of those teams to go to Philadelphia and win. I understand the weather could be a factor. But I just feel like those teams have been so much more consistent

throughout the year. And they don't go through these just inexplicable, indefensible droughts. And listen, AJ Brown was not wrong. His delivery might have been wrong, the way he did it,

all of that, but his concerns were correct. The offense has been an issue all year long, and Sequin can't save him. So I, I don't know how, you know, on one hand, they're the first defending NFCE champion to win it again in more than 20 years.

They're the defending Super Bowl champion. They just went to Buffalo in one. On the other hand, we just watched that game. And man, that offense goes through droughts, the likes of which no other even average team does. All right, let's talk Niners Bears. A party, he's peeking 300 yards, three touchdowns without all his guys. had five touchdowns in the game before. You were going to end the party debate after Back Jones came in earlier in the season,

balled out, you know, assistant quarterback stuff. How close were we to reopening that conversation? I got to say Brock Purdy's looked amazing. He's looked great. Listen, there is, there is no argument. I mean, he's had back-to-back five touchdowns because he had three touchdowns through the air and two. He's moving out there.

He's been awesome. He's running. He's been awesome. I, it is. maddening to me that we are somehow, I'm just in an endless loop of me making statements that seem unprovable about the Niners quarterback situation, they then get proven and folks still saying I'm wrong. Like, which is this, the,

Jimmy, the original statement, Jimmy Garoppolo, don't care that he wins. He's not very good. Oh, but look at how he wins. They went to a Super Bowl with him. My statement. I think if you dropped any starting caliber quarterback in his spot with that team, they would perform at that level.

You think Matt Jones in the last two games would have done? Okay, I'm like that. Go ahead. Just hold on. Just wait a second. They then put literally the last pick of the draft in Jimmy Garoppel's spot. He performs at an even higher level.

They go back to a Super Bowl. And people are like, see, Nick, you were wrong. Like, wait, what? Didn't we just saw it? Then Brock Purdy has this run prior to this season. They go to the Super Bowl. We were like, give him more credit, Nick. I'm like, I, listen, he was underdry.

He's clearly a starting caliber quarterback. He might even be good, but I think most of the credit Should go to the Avengers on the team. They're like well, what do you want you want to see him do it without those guys? I'm like well, he probably won't ever Have to but yeah if he did it without those guys they then have a season where all those guys are hurt The team goes in the tank and I'm like see the thing that we didn't think we'd be able this is the second time The thing we didn't think we'd be able to test, we tested and I was right. We were like, no, it's not fair. This year comes out. He's out for two months.

A guy that everyone agrees is not a good quarterback. Mac Jones steps in. Looks awesome. The team wins. I'm like, oh, another test. And then Purdy comes back is better than that guy and people are like, see Nick, you're an idiot. I don't know what people want me to say here. Now, do I think Mac Jones is as good as Brock Purdy?

Obviously not. Do I think Mac Jones could have done what Brock Purdy did the last two weeks? No. Do I think Brock Purdy is proving himself to be a pretty good NFL quarterback? And does that surprise me? Yes. All of those things. But all the folks arguing with me two months ago when I said, see, this is why I wouldn't

necessarily paid purdy 53 million we can get that level of production from mac jones we're quietly agreeing with me which is why they stopped arguing with me and now he's on this heater and certainly if he's playing at this level he's worth 50 million dollars i don't think this level is sustainable but he's been great but my biggest thing is and i know people and I've done it to myself, so I'm not whining. Look at me as a Purdy hater. But the other way to look at it is, I just want the right people to get credit.

And the story of this Niners season is not a Brock Purdy story. He has played half the games. The story of this Niners season is about two people more than any. by Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey, who has been available and used like a pack mule all year, and Shanahan, who has been in his bag to even by his standards an insane degree. That's the story of the Niners season. Now, the story of the last two weeks is Purdy has been utterly brilliant.

and I give him credit. But I don't, I can't, I feel like I'm in a time loop on the Niners quarterback arguments, and I keep throwing out there things that I believe, but I'll never be able to prove, and then somehow we get real life samples of it. Replace Jimmy Garoppel with Mr. Irrelevant. See what pretty looks like without his star players. See if you dropped Mack Jones in the Niners' offensive would look like. and every single time it looks exactly like I say it would.

And then people are like, Nick, you're still wrong. I'm going to lose my mind. All right, go ahead with some follow-ups. You think that Shanahan should win coach of the year at plus 150 at number two and CMC at offensive player of the year at plus 275. They're both number three. Yeah, who's number one for both of those? Because those would be my picks.

I think Shanahan's been coached of the year. Oh, you know, Christian McCaffrey should, win offence play of the year over JSN. As good as J.S.N. Christian McAfre is the most important non-quarterback in the league this year. And Vrable for favor for the other one. No, I would give it to Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey.

The Niners, they're playing for the one seat on Saturday. How alive for a real run at the title do you think they are? And do you think this game should have been a Sunday night football game? No, I'm fine with the win and you're in game being Sunday night football.

They want Ravens, Steelers, Rogers, Lamar, it's fine. It might not be Lamar. And I think we're going to... It's not... I mean, yeah, we'll get to that. We'll get to the Lamar stuff. Oh, Nick's a hater. Nick doesn't know what he's talking about.

Nick's making things up. I told you so, guys. But let's stay here for a minute. Dude, he's hurt. but okay we'll get to it we'll get to the Lamar stuff Hey it's us the Jonas brothers and guess what we have some big news What's the news news news?

We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas we invented a podcast Well we didn't invent it we just contributed to it We're the first people to do podcasts Pretty yeah pretty wide range of podcasts We're starting a trend but this one's extra special So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas guys I honestly don't remember

I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, hey, Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys.

Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-12 and the TikTok podcast. Network on TikTok. The French Open is one of the toughest tests in tennis, and I know firsthand because I competed there myself. I'm Renee Stubbs, and on the Renee Stubbs Tennis podcast, I'm breaking down everything happening at Roland Garris, every match, every upset, and what it really takes to win on clay. Jen she went. I mean, she went down in three to Rabakina, but I'm delighted.

She's an outsider to win the French, me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lena Rubakina is arguably the best player in the world right now and I actually can win on any surface because if she's serving, well, good luck. Consider this your court side seat to the French Open. Listen to the Renee Stubbs tennis podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast, Superhuman, documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I don't think the Niners defense should be good enough to win a Super Bowl, but with the way the offense is playing and the with the way the offense is playing and if they win on Saturday, getting the buy and having all the games come through Santa Clara, obviously they've got a great shot at it. I'm shocked by that.

And that speaks what I was saying about Shanahan and McCaffrey and how well party's been playing. All right, let's talk Bears just for a second. After it bears, after Atlanta defeated the seat. No, no, no. Oh, yeah, on the bear, I'm sorry, I was like what? On the bear side, Caleb had a shot to win at the end, but he came up short. Is this the team that you feel comfortable with bed money on in the playoffs? Listen, I think there's been a great year for Chicago.

And I think that if they win against Detroit and get the two seed, I think they'll beat the Packers in round two in round one their defense has just as many questions as the Niners and while Caleb I think was awesome in that game I don't I think they're probably a year away from real contention now it doesn't mean they can't do it but it would surprise me and so if they now if they fall to the three and they have to play one of those NFC either the Niners again. Obviously they can win that game, but that would be tough or the Rams.

I don't think I'd like them. I certainly wouldn't pick them against the Rams and I might not pick them against the Niners. But this is a great year for Chicago no matter what. The NFC playoff field, just the three NFC West teams, Chicago and Philly, it's a tough field.

All right, now we can do NFC. C-South. So, yeah, after Atlanta upsetting the Rams, the Panthers' bucks race a little bit more complicated. If the Falcons win next week, against the Saints, Tampa Bay will be out. So it's totally possible that your two Super Bowl picks don't make it to the playoffs. Yeah, I know. So the Falcons winning was a big problem for Tampa because it's no longer, as you explained, a win-in-your-in situation for Tampa against Carolina.

because now it's weird because the Falcons can't win the division, but they can get to 8 and 9, which is because the Bucks just keep losing awful games, that's where the Bucks would finish if they beat Carolina. And if it's a two-way tie between Tampa and Carolina, Tampa gets it. If it's a three-way tie, Carolina gets it. So here's the, what the bucks have done since the start of the year is unacceptable on so many levels.

Since starting five and one, they have two victories. A good win in New Orleans to get to six and two. So I really should say that since starting six and two. And then a skin of their teeth win against, a terrible Cardinals team while losing to the Patriots, getting blown out by the Bills, getting blown out by the Rams, a bad loss at home to the Saints, giving a game away to the Falcons,

a terrible loss to the Panthers where Baker threw a pick at the end, and a loss to Quinn Ewers and the Dolphins. It is unforgivable for Tampa. need help, to need to win and get help to make the playoffs. Now, I think that their upside is higher than Carolinas, who, again, I don't know how many people are actually watching the Panthers on a week-to-week basis, but Bryce just had one of the worst games of the NFL season this year. 24 pass attempts for 54 yards, 2.3 yards per attempt, zero touchdowns, one

pick. He, and he's had a few, I mean, that was his worst game, his worst game of the year, but he's had a number of rough ones, but neither of those teams, Carolina deserves it more. To be honest, the only team in that division that's playing like it wants me in the playoffs is the damn Saints, but they even Tyler Shuck, but they just started, they started too far behind. All right, let's talk AFC North de Mose. Pittsburgh had their chance to wrap up the division against the Browns this weekend.

They failed. The Ravens won without Lamar, Tyler Huntley. I like what he was doing out there. Derek Henry just run the ball. Now the EFC North title is up for grabs on Sunday with his Ravens showdown against Pittsburgh. Yeah, listen, Pittsburgh's loss on Sunday was one of the most unacceptable performances of the NFL season. way, Joker, hyper extension in his left knee will miss at least four weeks. Not bad.

Not bad, but what it does do to Monzae, it probably eliminates him from being able to be MVP. You have too much too many games off out. Yeah. So, and they're, I mean, they were already down three starters. So this has, I mean, we're about to see. Right. I mean, they're going to, right, they'll be, they'll be fine for the playoffs, but not fine for seating. Seating.

And so this has massive implications, but that you do have a sigh of relief that he's okay. You know, miss a month, maybe more. My guess is maybe they hold him out through All-Star. That'd be like a month and a half. And, you know, then he comes back. But that is, and, but it does probably eliminate him from being eligible for the MVP, which sucks. Because he's been playing so great. Helps Shay a lot in his ability to win MVP.

Keeps Lucas sneaky alive for MVP. It opens up for a lot of people. All right, back to this. Roger's performance on Sunday was unforgivable. I don't know if he was just trying to avoid Miles Garrett getting a sack record on him. Just so he couldn't get sacked. That's what it seemed like. It was so bad.

And his decision on fourth and one to throw a deep fade to Scotty Miller, his decision on the final drive to only target MBS, he was awful. And they brought him in for that moment. And if the Steelers had won that game, they're in really good. shape de Monzae. If they win that game, they are locked into the foreseed. They can rest in week 18. They get a home game against either Texans Chargers bills who will just come off games

that they, well, no, it wouldn't be the Chargers. But the Texans are bills. And again, not an easy game, but teams that would have just had to go theoretically. Well, I don't know. those teams are going to go all out in week 18. It doesn't matter. Bill's probably aren't. But regardless, a home game and rest.

Instead, you have to win a playoff game to make the playoffs. And I just thought Rogers was awful. Just really, really awful. I believed in Pittsburgh this weekend because I thought Shador would make a few just egregious mistakes. He did. He's solid. And they couldn't take advantage of any of them.

it was pathetic. And to that be a game that you know, it was as if they thought Baltimore was going to lose the night before, so that game wasn't going to matter. But Baltimore won the night before. You knew that game mattered, and you knew if you won it, you won the division. You just can't, you can't score six points.

And I know the Browns have a good past defense. They've been allowing 27 points a game in the last. month. Like, that's just so, it's as bad of a loss as it gets. And now we get to Baltimore. Derek Henry was unbelievable. Snoop Huntley did his thing, but Derek Henry was great. And Derek Henry, by the way, since he's been a Raven, leads the NFL in rushing yards, leads the NFL in yards per game, leads the NFL and rushing touchdowns, and his second the NFL in rushes. He has gotten his fair shared touches. He's been awesome. But the story in Baltimore is Lamar.

And Damanze, you can get mad at me here. I am just going, like, so there was that article in the Baltimore Sun that was a torched Lamar. Yep. By a guy who was written at the Baltimore Sun since 1983. Okay. A 42-year writer in Baltimore. Local columnist. Now, it doesn't mean that he doesn't play favorites.

It doesn't mean that everything is saying is fair. I'm not saying that. I'm not saying, but right. And I have been trying to tell you guys all year that something is off with Lamar and Harbaugh. And I'm not just guessing. and what we are now seeing is a situation where for the third time there have been like I want to be fair here but I think the fairest way to put it is to just give you the timeline on it in real time and I will read you exact quotes because people

get very mad at me, but I don't know what you want me to say. Okay? In 2021, which was the first year that Lamar Jackson was playing for the Ravens in the midst of wanting and deserving a contract extension that the Ravens were unwilling at that time to give him. you add to the context, Lamar does not have an agent, and I know everyone says, well, his mom does it for him, which is fine. However, this is an important detail.

Lamar's mother is not a certified NFL PA agent. Here's the only reason that matters. It means the team is not allowed to talk to her. Okay. She can handle stuff for Lamar once he gets it. But the team can only talk to Lamar. And that has been weird up to an including that we found out through court filings over the summer that when they were trying to negotiate a contract with him, the summer he asked for the trade to Monzae. He's in the court filings.

He said the microphone on his phone wasn't working and because of that they couldn't talk. So like it's been the weird, it's a weird contract negotiation situation. and as someone as someone who has you know done negotiations one of the reasons you have an agent is you go to you want to make you know a hundred million dollars from the place you're working the place wants to pay you 80 million dollars they are going to explain to you why you're actually not worth what you think you're worth, you're worth less. That can hurt feelings.

It's like, well, actually, you're not good at this or as good at that. So the agent does the negotiation, keeps the relationship between both sides, you know, happy where you don't have to say nasty things to each other.

You don't have an agent. It makes it a little tricky. Again, it doesn't mean you have to have an agent. I'm just giving you guys the little details. You got to have some thick skin going in there. Right. The context of it.

Additional context that is not lost on me. What was the big, one of the big stories of this Raven season that they removed all those video games and toys from the locker room? And what was one of the kind of weird, huh, pieces from that column for Mike Preston? That they think Lamar stays up all night doing what? Playing video games. So there was a lot of not-sour-s. subtle.

And the other thing in that story was Lamar wants a new contract. He's the back-to-back defending first team all pro quarterback. He's won an MVP since his last contract. A bunch of quarterbacks have passed him in the pay scale. Seems reasonable. Also, the Ravens, right now he's got a cap hit of 75 million each of the next two years. So they certainly want to rework his

contract, he wants to extend his contract. So I give all of that context while trying to be fair. And then I remind you guys of this. In 2021, when the Ravens were in the midst of trying to make the playoffs, and Lamar wanted and deserved, by the way, a second contract, he hurt his ankle. in week 14. John Harble said going into week 15

I'd say he has a chance to play week 15. It's one of those things where it's an ankle sprained. If he starts feeling good and everything is all right, we'll check him out, probably pregame. He's in all the preparations. We'll see where we're at. Week 15. He did not play against him. that season and the Ravens missed the playoffs.

After the year, John Harbaugh was asked about why Lamar didn't play. He said, quote, Lamar felt like he was going to be back. The first week, he thought he had a chance. The second week, he assured me, he said, I'll be back, I'll be back. So in 2021, Lamar got hurt at the end of the year. The team thought he would be back. He was not back. He was in the midst of A.

contract negotiation. He did not get the contract. In 2022, Lamar Jackson obviously deserved a new contract. They had not given him one. He got hurt on December 4th in a game that removed from the game. John Harbaugh said,

it's not a season-ending type of need. We'll get more tests tomorrow and let you know how long it's going to be. we'll see if he can be back this week. If not, he'll be back sometime after that shortly. He did not play again that season. They did make the playoffs. Everyone thought he would be back for the playoff game.

He did not play in the playoff game. And then he tweeted after the season that it was a grade 2 PCL, sprain bordering on grade three, which was not what Harbaugh had said, Schefter had said any of it. So in 2021, he suffered an ankle injury. The coach thought he'd be back. He never came back.

He was in the midst of a contract negotiation. In 2022, he suffered a knee injury. The coach thought he would be back. Shefter said he'd be back. And I'm not picking on Schefter here. It's just like meaning. the team was telling him he'll be back. He did not come back and he missed the playoff game.

In 2025, Lamar Jackson evidently has been in a contract negotiation. He suffered a hamstring injury against the Chiefs. He missed time. The team did not play well. When asked about why the team would be better after the buy, John Harbaugh said our quarterback is going to be back. That's a big one. Lamar then was not back after the buy.

And if you remember, there was the issue with, I'm trying to remember what game that was before. The weird, what was the weird game this year? Oh, that was after the hamstring injury. That's what it was. after the buy when he had when they had to change the practice designation remember and they got in trouble for it it was like oh that the about whether lamar was a full practice or not a full practice oh yeah um and now Lamar Jackson suffered what his coach called a back bruise

in week 16 while in a kind of contract negotiation with the team and missed a must win week 17 game and we don't know if he is playing in week 18 that's the timeline of it folks can draw whatever conclusions they want and folks can act like i'm just being a shit stirr for no reason but i feel like i can say with full confidence that The Lamar Jackson, John Harbaugh partnership is ending. And it is very likely that Lamar has played his last game with the Ravens as with John Harbaugh being the coach. Let me say that better because I do not think the Ravens are going to move on from Lamar. but I don't know that I believe Lamar is going to play again this season

and I don't think there is any realistic chance John Harbaugh is the coach next season and here's the last thing I'll say on it and this is supposed to be a quick show but they never are and we still have a bunch more stuff to do we might not get to all of it Demand say there's to me tell me if you think this is fair

there are two ways to look at this because Lamar does want a new contract. Yeah. The either. Lamar has suffered by my count, hamstring, knee, ankle, toe, back. Five different injuries this year that were legitimately severe enough, that two of which he missed games and three of which he missed practices, that a guy who turns 29 next week is a running quarterback who doesn't run as much anymore and is coming off his worst year, suffered five separate from semi-significant to truly significant injuries and wants a new big guaranteed

contract. That is one option. option is that these injuries are not quite so significant, but because he is in contract negotiation, he is leveraging his injury status. I don't see, and if the producers do or you do or anybody, a third door to walk through. I think it is A or B, and my response to that is, if it's just A or B, is that a player that you are comfortable giving a top of market guaranteed contract to? Either a guy who is not playing in do-or-die games as contract leverage, which is a real indictment that I am not levying, or a guy who suffered.

five different injuries this year that made him miss valuable time. Either way, that's a risky investment. And that's where I stand. People can say I'm unfair. I know I'm not wrong. And I know that's your guy, DeMonsei, and I apologize for putting you in this spot, but... Yeah, the timing... It's what I believe.

like a year after year, December, the contract negotiations, I'm going to sit out. And then even just seeing the play where it is where like his back got hurt. It was fast. He ran into it back. And seeing Harbaugh make clear on Monday this past a week ago, it's a bruise. It's a bad bruise, but it's a bruise. It would be unfortunate if he was just like. I also like, go ahead.

No, like leveraging his injury, especially at this time of the season. but I will say that if he does end up playing next week, win or lose, I think that's huge. I just hope he plays. So they're also in a weird spot. If he doesn't play and they lose, that's obviously awful. If he doesn't play and they win, man, talk about pressure on him to finally perform in the playoffs.

If, you know, if Derek Henry's rolling and Huntley plays fine, There's just a lot there. And I know Marcus Spears and a lot of people I really like don't like any of this Lamar commentary. I get it. And they think some of it's unfair. I just, something's been weird with Lamar and Harbaugh and the Ravens all year. Mike Preston shined a bit of a light on it.

And to me, it's pretty obvious where this thing's going. So are you thinking about upgrading to the all-new iPhone 7th? 17 Pro designing the most powerful iPhone ever, but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way to the store and the hassle of transferring all your data. Good news. When you order a new phone online with Boost Mobile, they'll send an expert to your home or work to deliver your brand new iPhone 17 Pro and get you all set up on Boost Mobile within minutes. No hassle. Visit boostmobile.com to get started. Delivery available for select devices purchased at boostmobile.com. Terms do apply. All right, before we get to our quick hitters, DeMonsei, let's do the Pro Football Hall of Fame here.

The NFL announced its finalist for the Hall of Fame class of 2026. We talked as we do every year about it, and you gave out your finalists. The 70 finalists were announced to take a look at how you did with yours. All right, so here are the finalists. Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald, Willie Anderson, Luke Keekle, Terrell Suggs, Jari Evans, Tori Holt, Eli Manning, Adam Minterrey, Reggie Wayne, Darren Woodson, Marshall Yonda.

And so I, the other finalists are Frank Gore, Jason Whitten, and Kevin Williams. I did not think Gore and Witten or Kevin Williams would be finalists. They were. But otherwise, this went about from the semifinalist to finalists, went about how I said I anticipated it.

I believe this will be the Hall of Fame class of 2025. I said this on the other show. I've thought more about it. I believe Breeze and Fitzgerald are no doubt first ballot guys. I think that they are going to have too hard of a time debating between, Keekly and Suggs. Keekly, Higher Peak, Suggs such a longer,

more decorated career, both similar as far as A plus honors. So I think they put them both in. And then I think they put in one offensive linemen and you can make the case for Willie Anderson, Jari Evans, or Yonda.

I think they will end up going with the person who's been waiting the longest in Willie Anderson. So I think the Hall of Fame class is going to be Breeze Fitz, Suggs, and Kekley, along with one offensive lineman Willie Anderson. Eli Manning is going to have to keep waiting. You know, maybe Evans or Yonda get in. I bet one of the offensive linemen get in.

And I don't see any chance Frank Gore or Jason wouldn't have to get in first ballot. All right. Let's do the other games quickly. The Jags beat the Colts. It was the first not great Jags game in a while, not great Trevor game, but unlike previous years where they have these not great games, they won it anyway.

They are still alive for the one seed, but they would need Denver to lose to the Chargers backups and the Patriots to lose to Miami. So they are probably going to be the three seed. I was really hoping we would get charged, Jags Chargers in round one. It looks like we're probably going to get Bill's Charter, Bill's Jags in round one, which is a bit of a bummer, but is what it is.

Cowboys beat the commanders in a meaningless game to all parties. Vikings beat the Lions in just a Jared Gough disaster class on Christmas, just as bad as it gets as the lion's season from hell continues. Broncos beat the Chiefs in one of the worst. performances in a win a team has had all year long. The Texans beat the Chargers in a game that neither quarterback played well, and if you're the Chargers, you're a little anxious after that performance going into the playoffs. Patriots beat the Jets.

We talked about it earlier in a game that might have won Drake May the MVP. Saints beat the Titans as Tyler Shuck keeps rolling. He's played well, bro. Bengals beat the Cardinals, Joe Burrow having fun again, and Giants beat the Raiders in a game. Literally nobody watched. All right, like, rate, subscribe, review to the show. Gambling show. We're going to record it now.

It will come at you tomorrow. We will try to rebound from a tough week 17. That is tomorrow. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much to the volume, Blue Duck, Hard Rock, Boost, and Zana, all our wonderful sponsors. Talk to you guys tomorrow for the gambling show. What's right? Hey, guys, it's us.

The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast. Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast?

Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from D. Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes.

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happens. That's where SportsSlice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline.

And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Winning on Clay is an art. The rallies are relentless. and at the French Open, only the toughest survive. I'd know.

I competed there for decades. Join me, Renee Stubbs, on the Renee Stubbs' tennis podcast for no-nonsense breakdowns of the biggest matches, the toughest players, and the moments that define Roland Garros. She's an outsider to win the French for me. And she likes Clay. Listen, Lerabachina is arguably the best player in the world right now, and I actually can win on any surface.

Listen to the Renee Stubbs Tennis Podcasts on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.