The Kevin Sheehan Show - Super Bowl Set and Snyder Wanted Bowles Badly

Episode Date: January 21, 2019

A memorable day of NFL Championship games recapped and then Kevin gets into the Jason LaConfora story that detailed Dan Snyder's aggressive pursuit of Todd Bowles and Gregg Williams. Also a quick Maryland recap of their win at Ohio State and a preview of tonight's huge game at Michigan State. <p> </p><p>Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a></p> Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You want it. You need it. It's what everyone's talking about. The Kevin Sheehan Show. Now, here's Kevin. All right, I'm here. Aaron's here. This show is presented by Window Nation. If you're in the market for Windows, call 86690 Nation or go to Window Nation.com and tell them we told you to call. Enjoy the day off today. If you have it, it's just Aaron and I today. We're going to go through these games. We are going to touch on the Jason Lock and Forer report about Dan Snyders. push to hire Todd Bowles and or Greg Williams. We will get to that. And there were other things over the weekend that were interesting that we will touch on as well. I'm going to start with this. Yesterday last night,

one of those examples of sports reaction hyperbole. Total exaggeration. The greatest day in NFL history. The worst call in NFL history. The greatest this, the worst of that. It was a day and night of hyperbole. We've all fallen into it in recent years, me included. I think we all want to think we just lived through and witnessed history.

Yes. You know, the greatest game, the greatest performance, the greatest day, the worst call ever. We've all become creatures of the most recent, impressive thing we've just seen or heard. And yesterday, yesterday was one of those days. I mean, Mike Greenberg this morning on what's the name of that show that he does know? Does it wake up or get up or something like that? Wake up on ESPN. Greenberg said,

The greatest day in NFL history on social media yesterday. Just read some of the tweets after the blown call in the Saints Rams game about witnessing the worst miss call in the history of sports. I'll start with this. There were a few things yesterday that were memorable, truly memorable. I mean, we've had those days before. But there was only one thing, though, in my view, that I would put at the top of the list of the best or worst I've ever seen in my many years,

many years, you know, 40 plus approaching a half century of watching NFL football. And that would just be the continuation of watching the greatest quarterback and greatest coach in NFL history, Brady and Belichick. Both are the greatest ever, in my view. And yesterday was one of those games we'll all use as proof of it. The two together have now advanced to nine-sumptu. Super Bowls in the last 18 seasons. Nine Super Bowls in the last 18 years. One out of every two years, this pair together goes to the Super Bowl. They're in the midst of their, I think, their second

best run ever, three Super Bowl trips in four years. And the one year that they didn't get to the Super Bowl in this stretch was that two-point AFC title loss in Denver in a game in which their kicker missed an extra point early in the game. Remember, they did not go to the playoffs in 2002, but they won three Super Bowls in four years. That's why I would put this run right now as the second best run, but it's comparable. I can say definitively in my mind that I have lived through to date anyway, the greatest coaching run in NFL history and the greatest quarterbacking run in NFL history. That to me is not hyperbole. That's not exaggeration. And when we have those moments like yesterday, and there have been so many of them, it just solidifies in my mind that, yes,

I have been lucky enough as an NFL fan to watch the greatest coach in NFL history during his greatest run and the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Something that, by the way, I would have been willing to say before yesterday's AFC championship game. The Patriots, say whatever you want about the division they've played in over the years. That only partially, and very partially, explains the postseason success. Brady is 29 and 10 in the playoffs. He has played 39 and will play his 40th playoff game. Do you know what that's equal to?

two and a half NFL seasons of playoff games. More than twice as many playoff wins is John Elway and Peyton Manning and 13 more than Joe Montana. SpyGate, AFC East has been weak. None of that can fully explain 29 and 10. You know who played in a so-so division for his run? Joe Montana. That NFC West was not. Not great. The Rams were okay a couple of those years. You know, it's probably better than what the

AFC East has been during the Brady Belichick era, but the Montana 49ers and the Steve Young 49ers, for that matter, they played in a weak division. They won it 12 out of 14 years. If you throw out the 82 strike shortened nine game regular season, if you throw that out. One thing from yesterday stands out more than anything else to me. It's the continued dominance of Brady and Belichick. If you are older than 18 years old, you can say with a pretty high level of confidence, you've lived through the greatest NFL dynasty of all time. Greater than the Packers of the late 50s and 60s, the Steelers of the 70s, than Niners of the 80s and early 90s. No other run comes close to this one. None. Bill Belichick is the great

greatest coach ever, no debate. Conversation over. Tom Brady, I believe, is the greatest quarterback ever. That one gets some debate from some of you, but nobody can debate. He is the all-time winner at the position. Nobody can debate that. Now, what did you want to say? I was going to say, just to emphasize the greatness of Brady, whether you want to, when they got the ball back with two minutes left. Did you have any doubt in your mind? No doubt. No doubt. Or when they got it back earlier, you know, or late in the quarter, but on the previous drive that they were going to go back down and take the lead. What a fourth quarter in overtime. That was. That was memorable. It's not the greatest playoff game of all time.

All right. Yesterday was not the greatest day in NFL history. Get to that in more detail here in moments. Now to the Roby Coleman maiming of the Saints wide receiver. Tommy Lee Lewis at the end of regulation in the Saints Rams game. It was a horrible missed call. As an aside, I loved the way both games were officiated with respect to this. They let them play yesterday. Both games, much more so in the first game than the second, but they let them play. I loved that.

Roby Coleman had another clear interference call on the first play of the fourth quarter on a third and seven on Ginn, Jr., that didn't get called. Gough clearly got face-masked on a play that should have been called and would have been called in any other game this year, and it would have had significant impact because that drive ended in field goal. But I love that the refs let them play. And I believe more than anything else, their intention to let them play from the jump

played a big role in the missed call on Roby Coleman. They had let them play all day. They didn't want a flag to decide it. And as it turns out, the lack of a flag, which should have been thrown, did decide it. Just like the missed Music City miracle. Lateral, no. Forward pass. Yes, Sugar Bay, Ray Hamilton's Phantom roughing the passer call on Ken Stabler was an all-timer in 1976. The Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl that year.

They would have likely been eliminated in the divisional round if that call isn't made. The Hail Mary, Drew Pearson, pushes Nate Wright, clear offensive pass interference, which Drew Pearson later in his life admitted to. Cowboys went to the Super Bowl that year. Could have easily been Minnesota. Mike Renfro in Pittsburgh, all right? Clear touchdown catch called incomplete. Out of the end zone, back at the end zone. Pittsburgh moves on. Houston does not. That was an AFC title game. Bert Emmanuel in St. Louis the year the Rams won it, all right, 11 to 6. Could have been Tampa instead. In recent years, the flag picked up in Dallas in the wildcard game against Detroit a few years back. When Brandon Pedigrew got absolutely mauled by the linebacker on what could have been, could have been a potential game-winning drive for the Lions, they just picked up the flag with no explanation. It was a, it was flag. It was flag. by the correct official, head official picked it up. The Des Bryant catch that wasn't. For the Redskins, the all-time worst call against them came in the regular season. 1975, St. Louis, they were a division opponent back then the Cardinals were.

Mel Gray dropped a pass in the end zone on 4th and 10 in a 1710 game that the Redskins led, a game that was critical to their playoff hopes in 1975. The referees huddled, and they decided. that Mel Gray caught the ball, even though it was clear that he did not catch the ball. He had it in his hands briefly, never came down with two feet, didn't even come down with one foot. Ball was knocked away, I think, by Pat Fisher, and that got overturned. Game went to overtime, Redskins lost, and it kept him out of the playoffs. And then, for the Redskins' playoff history, you've got to go back to the January 1984,

following the 1983 season NFC championship game. And two calls that the 49ers and 49ers fans will forever remember because it probably kept them from a Super Bowl. The Redskins went on to win the Super Bowl. Ronnie Lott on the game-winning drive in a 21-21 game. The Redskins led in that NFC championship game 21-0. The 49ers came back behind Joe Montana and company

and they had tied the game up at 21-21. They had all the momentum. And on a third down, deep in their own territory, on the game's final drive of the game as it would turn out, Ronnie Lotz called for a hold on Charlie Brown, off the ball, nowhere near it. It's not even a hold. They call it Redskins first down.

Then later on in that drive. The most controversial of the calls from that NFC title game, Eric Wright's pass interference on Art Monk on a ball that was not catchable. skins go to the Super Bowl, Niners go home. A terrible call. Listen to the quotes after that game, Aaron. People will remember 49ers fans more than Redskins fans because the call went our way. It screwed the Niners out of a potential Super Bowl. They would have gotten the ball back in a 21-21 game. Maybe they don't go on to win the game. It was different from yesterday in that it would have set up for all intents and purpose as a walk-off field goal from Chipshot Range for Will Lutz had they made the call on Roby Coleman.

But listen to the quotes after that 49ers Redskins NFC championship game in January of 1984. This was Ronnie Lott. Ronnie Lott said, quote, all I saw was a disgusting ending to an important game. You would think in a league championship game it would be decided on the field and not by the officials. Closed quote. Bill Walsh, one of the greatest coaches of all time. Not Belichick, but one of the greatest coaches of all time. Quote, that ball could not have been caught by a 10-foot professional basketball player.

Closed, quote. He continued. He was incensed, Bill Walsh was. Quote, it's too bad our game has to be decided by dramatic calls that come so late and are so close. People have to debate whether or not their good calls. A replay would be excellent. Closed quote. This is January of 1984, Bill Walsh is calling for replays of subjective pass interference calls.

Edward D. Bartolo, all right, who was the owner? Quote, this is how pissed off he was after that one. Quote, if this league is out to get me, they can't do it. This league isn't big enough to get me. Closed quote. Charlie Brown, in near Roby Coleman fashion, because Roby Coleman yesterday admitted that he interfered with and probably hit a defenseless receiver in the head as well.

Charlie Brown was approached, the Redskins receiver, on the holding call against Ronnie Lott early in that drive, was approached after the game to ask about the holding penalty. He shook his head, walked away, and said, I'm going to go take a shower. Closed quote. The discussion about replay of these calls, I don't want more replay.

If they add subjective penalty calls to the list of things that can be challenged or looked at by the booth in the final two minutes, have at it. It's not going to ruin the game. But not adding that ability isn't going to ruin the game either. I think the only thing that has hurt the game in recent years is legislating big hits out of the game. I think that's hurt the game, especially when it comes to defensive backs on pass catchers. and then the protection of the quarterback has gone too far in my view, and it's hurt the game to a certain degree. Yesterday's missed call is not going to impact or ruin the NFL. It's another on a long list of memorable bad calls or missed calls that just adds lore to the sport.

Games have been labeled after bad calls or missed calls. I personally don't want that call to be challengeable. If it is, so be it, I'll live with it. But trust me, if you add that to the list, the Roby Coleman play, as a challengeable call or a call that goes to the booth in the final two minutes or in overtime, we'll get something that is not so blown of a call turned into an overanalysis of a play that is more bang-bang than yesterday's play. Yesterday's play is not a bang-bang play.

Yesterday's play is just a blown call. It was right there. It was obvious. But still, more controversy is headed our way with subjective flagged or unflagged plays. Controversial calls or non-calls are actually good for the game. They've come in some of the most memorable games of all time. The Holy Roller, the Immaculate Reception, the Music City Miracle, the Hail Mary. They all had controversial missed calls.

This league, by the way, is not going to overturn yesterday's miss. Are you kidding me? I saw this last night, and I saw this report from Pro Football Talk last night. It was actually very interesting from this perspective. I did not know this rule existed in the NFL rule book. But the title of the story, it came out at 11.51 p.m. last night, written by Mike Florio, on Pro Football Talk.com. Commissioner has authority to take action over the Rams Saints outcome.

In theory. I mean, listen to this. There's language in the NFL rulebook that could, in the right circumstances, allow the commissioner to take extreme action in the face of a grossly unfair result. It's Rule 17, Section 2, Article 1. It reads as follows, quote, the commissioner has the sole authority to investigate and take appropriate disciplinarian and or corrective measures if any club action, non-participant interference, or calamity occurs in an NFL game,

which the commissioner deems so extraordinarily unfair or outside the accepted tactics encountered in professional football that such action has a major effect on the result of the game. I don't know if that exactly addresses yesterday, but there's a further rule article. It's an extension of what I just read, and it reads as follows. The commissioner's powers under that previous rule include the reversal, the reversal of a game's result or the rescheduling of a game either from the beginning or from the point at which the extraordinary act occurred. Oh, let's do that. Close quote. I want that.

I mean, well, let's just say if this will, it's not going to happen. No, of course not. But if it ever were even more outrageous, let's say like something that could be extraordinarily, extraordinarily unfair, could be a fan running out onto the field on a game-winning field goal and blocking a kick that looked like it came off the kickers thing, like just running right through and disrupting the play. And then on the next snap, the kicker misses or something. And the commissioner says, you know what, we're going to go back and replay that again. Although, really, that is a replay of it.

I mean, there are probably circumstances where this would apply. I don't think it applies to yesterday, but I never knew that that was in the rulebook. I did know. I knew that, you know, it's just like in baseball, technically you have the right to appeal a game. It never actually happens. But it's in it just in case there is an act of God or something. But it has happened in baseball before. Right.

It's never happened in football before, to my knowledge. I don't know that a game has ever, that we've ever reconvened, you know, in the Superdome, later today or tomorrow. How great would that be? After the ruling from the NFL, we put a minute 49 on the clock, and we give the Saints first in 10, you know, and the Rams, what did they have? They have one timeout left. So you would have had the timeout at 1.45, the second downplay would have gone to a minute.

the third down snap, if they had run something, would have taken you down to somewhere around 15 seconds or so, and they would have kicked the go-ahead field goal there. And wouldn't it be crazy if they did that? And then Lutz misses the field goal. Of course. It goes overtime anyway. But it was quite a day. It was.

It was quite a day. It was two great football games and two memorable games, not the greatest ever. all right, Dolphins Chargers, two overtimes in January of 82. The Epic in Miami is still for me the greatest playoff game I have ever watched. The Patriots come back two years ago against the Falcons and the Super Bowl down 283 was better than any of the two games we saw yesterday in terms of a postseason, you know, epic drama, memorable game, great game. Neither game had an ending like last year's Minneapolis Miracle or the Immaculate Reception. great games though great games start to finish great games clutch performances

Jared goth incredible throws on that overtime drive after the interception on some of those bootlegs to get those throws out Brady's clutch performance Edelman's hecker how about hecker how about the fact that he threw perhaps a fake punt pass that may have been the turning point in that football game and then was able to take a bad snap on the game-winning kick in overtime and get it upright for Zerline to drill a 57-yard field goal. You know, even indoors, even indoors with a guy with a big leg, I mean, I still think a 57-yarder is still, it's still not 50-50, is it? No. Yeah, so just the clutch kick to tie the game at the end and then the clutch kick to win it.

We saw clutch performances, all they, including Mahomes, you know, and their comeback. two overtime games on the same day. That's never happened in an NFL postseason. On the overtime rule, no changes, please. I tweeted out last night that I'm fine with the overtime rule because I saw a lot of reaction to, you know, these games, these important games should not be decided by a coin flip. These games are not decided by a coin flip.

If they were, then they would just end the game after the coin flip. and yesterday they would have declared the Patriots the winner because they won the coin flip. They called heads and it was heads. And then the Rams would have lost because they called the coin flip incorrectly. But that's not the case. These games aren't decided by a coin flip. When the old overtime rule, when all you needed was field goal position, it still wasn't decided by a coin flip. But I didn't necessarily, I understand why we needed to allow.

allow for a team to get the ball back if the other team only drives at 35 yards, you know, on an overtime drive. The Rams got a stop on their defensive possession. The chiefs who couldn't stop anybody all year did not get a stop. Brady converted three third and longs in overtime. Get a stop on any of the three, Kansas City, and you get the ball back. The NFL overtime rule, to me, is perfect. The only thing I would change is in the regular season, I'd move it back to 15 minutes. I think it's unfair if you hold a team to a field goal on their opening drive, but that team spent eight minutes getting into field goal range or seven minutes. I think it's unfair then that you only have two and a half, two to three minutes to answer. So I would move it back to

15 minutes in the regular season. The college rule, just me, I've never been a fan of it. To me, it's not football. There's no special teams play. There's no requirement to move the football into scoring position offensively, your handed scoring field position at the 25-yard line. I don't, I just hate the college rule, and I don't need to guarantee each team of possession. Defense is a part of the game. Get a stop. You don't have to stop them anymore. from moving 30 yards into field goal range. If you get a really good kickoff return to the 35-yard line and you're only forced to move 30 yards or 25 yards

or field goal range to end the game, I like that we don't have that anymore. But get a stop. Stop them from three-third and longs. Stop them from driving 75 yards and scoring a touchdown. And by the way, didn't we have a game recently, Aaron, and I was racking my brain last night and early this morning, and I could not remember it,

I was going through pro football reference and playoff games to try to figure out the overtime games recently. And I could not figure out. But didn't we have a game where a team won the toss recently and elected to kick off? It may have been a regular season game. I don't think it was this year. I know the Patriots at one point did do that. Didn't they do that in an overtime game? It was a super windy game.

I want to say, was it against Detroit? I can't remember the exact team. But yes, the Patriots at one point did. and everyone was like Belchick's crazy. Yeah. And I don't even remember the result of the game. But anyway. I think they lost.

You do? Yeah, I'm pretty sure they lost. If I remember correctly, this was probably three years ago, I want to say, two or three years ago. Somewhere around there. Look, yesterday was awesome. I mean, it was riveting. It was memorable.

All of those things. Still, for me, we've had just as crazy, just as horrific officiating that's decided big games, playoff games, championship games in the past. And in terms of, you know, greatest games, neither one of those is going to be on the top five of the greatest games of all time. They were both exceptional football games. But if you want to watch an exceptional football game with the most drama I think I've ever seen in a postseason game, just go back and watch what happened in the Orange Bowl in January of 1982 between the Chargers and the Dolphins. That still to me is the

greatest football game, start to finish, I've ever seen. All right, let's get to each game in more detail right after I tell you about Window Nation. Have you ever watched HGTV for Home Remodeling Inspiration? Or maybe you've attended a home show or two to brainstorm with local contractors. Well, if you've got no time for home shows this year, Window Nation wants to bring the home show savings right to your door all this month. Call them today and mention Home Show promo. That's Home Show promo. That's Home Show promo. and you'll get two free windows for every two you buy, buy four, get four free, there is no limit. Plus, for a limited time only, get zero percent financing for 18 months.

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There's no risk in having Windonation come out to your home, tell you what you need and how much it will cost. That doesn't cost you anything. 866N90 Nation or Windonation.com. Let's go around the NFL and talk more. more in detail about these two championship games. The biggest plays and the clutch moment. It's time to go around the NFL.

First of all, start with this. Smeltess 1 and 1. I mean, I had both unders and I leaned both underdogs. And I did pick with Andy. Andy and I got the second game pretty much dead on. Andy predicted Patriots 3531, and I predicted the Patriots 30 to 24. overtime on a touchdown drive to open up overtime by Tom Brady. Pretty damn close. Andy was not

close on his first selection of 1710 Saints. I had the Rams 2726. So I was, look, the smell test was one-on-one. That's all I care about. I actually personally played the Rams, the Patriots, in both unders, and all four of them looked like winners until you had a 38.4th, quarter at Arrowhead. Let's start with the first game. There were a lot of things from this first game that were just incredibly interesting. First of all, the fake punt early, you know, even before that, even before that, Sean Peyton, after, you know, kicking two field goals to start, you know, you remember they had the opening drive field goal for a three-nothing lead, then you had, a turnover short field, you know, the girly drop that ended up being an interception,

and the Rams held the Saints to a second field goal. And then the Saints have the ball back, and they are driving again. And on that third drive of theirs that ended in a touchdown, they were fourth and two at the Rams' tent. The Rams had come up with what appeared to be their third red zone stop in a row. And we're facing a 9-0 deficit. Except for, Sean Payton decides to go for the fourth and two. We'll never know if they really intended on going for it, because they drew Brockers off sides. And that gave them the first and goal, and they scored on the next play.

A touchdown pass, by the way, by Drew Breeze, to a dude named Griffin. And he set the record this year with 15 different receivers catching touchdowns. That's an NFL record. 15 different receivers. Griffin was the fifth. 15th. But that fourth and two was a huge go-for-it decision and a huge penalty by the Rams. 13 to nothing there. And I really thought the Rams next drive was ballgame. If they don't answer

with points, it's over. And they get stopped. And they've got a fourth and five. And that was the first memorable play from that game. The hecker fake punt throw to Shields, who makes a really good move, picks up 12, 13 yards, and a first down. And I think without that play, they are staring 16 or 20 to nothing right in the face, and I think it's game over. That is an incredible, ballsy call by Sean McVeigh, who's done it multiple times. Hecker's got a great arm. He's got a really good arm. He makes a great throw to Shields who ran a great route. He's a former wide receiver. That drive only produced a field goal for 13 to 3, but it changed the tone of the game from getting blown out early and never having a chance to, hey, we're still in this thing.

Barely at 13 to 3, but we're still in it. I thought the drive at the end of the half, which happened quickly, man. I mean, they started inside their own 20 with a minute 50 to go, They drove it down the field with that noise, no huddle. And the throws that Goff made on that drive, the deep one to Brandon Cooks, the two of them. The Cook's throw on 3rd and 10 was huge, and then the long one to Cooks for 36 yards. And then, with the clock rolling, all right, the clock rolling, I loved the way they handled the clock at the end of the first half. They run the ball. They had a time out left.

They ran the ball and Gurley scores from six yards out. How about Gurley? What? That was weird. What do we have any explanation? He said after the game, quote, he wasn't hurt. He just played sorry. Well, you know, he dropped two balls, one of which led to an interception early on.

He had four carries for 10 yards. Four carries for 10 yards. C.J. Anderson was effective again. I mean, his yards per carry, I don't think were very good, but he still has, he's got really he's got very good vision and he's got incredible sort of low to the ground strength. There were key moments in this game that I thought really, really stood out. You know, I mentioned the fake punt. I also mentioned earlier the refs let them play throughout. I love that.

the crowd noise was coached up so well. This is something coolly said to me, I don't know, three or four years ago. He said, our crowd, and he was being critical, but he was also trying to be constructive. He said, our crowd gets loud right before the snap. That doesn't impact anybody. It's much more impactful when a crowd is loud while the other team is huddling right through the snap. and that's what the Saints crowd was. I thought it was uniquely loud in that most NFL crowds get loud, you know.

Now, before a third down, there's a lot of noise in between the second and third down, and then it builds as you get to the other team approaching the line of scrimmage. The Saints crowd was loud from the time first down ended until second down was snapped. It was so impactful. And early in that game, it disrupted the Rams offensively as much as anything did. It was quite the crowd and quite the impact that you see in football where a home crowd can have for their defense. The Sean McVeigh decision to kick the field goal late on a play that wasn't for 3rd. and goal from the one. It was fourth and goal from inside the one-yard line. I was shocked,

stunned. Shocked that he kicked that field goal. I really did not think there was any chance that Zerline was going to kick at, well, it turned out to be a longer field goal because they took the delay a game, remember? It was fourth and goal at the six-inch line after Anderson got the ball down there. I really thought in the moment that he had just blown the game, that the Saints would drive it down the field and kick a walk-off field goal or kick a very late field goal or score a late touchdown and that would be the game. I still do not think it was the right decision. You know, if you get stopped in that particular situation, then the Saints are inside their own one yard line in what was a 23-23 game at that point, right? Yeah, 23-23. No, 20-20 to 20. My fault.

20 to 20. I was stunned that McVeigh made that decision, especially him. You know, analytics, fourth downs, going for it. Now, the answer to me is totally reasonable. And that is with that crowd on that day, too much could go wrong in the snap and the cadence and everybody hearing and everybody getting off the ball on time. I do understand the reason, but you don't need much for a quarterback sneak touchdown. He ran a quarterback sneak in Seattle earlier this year on a fourth and one in his own territory, deep in a game in which I think they led by three, something like that. Sounds right. And he just, Goff just took it on a sneak, game over.

I thought that that was an easy sneak touchdown. It was six inches, eight inches, maybe. Maybe a foot. Maybe a foot. It was inside the one, definitively. Obviously, we've got the Roby Coleman play. You know, I put this poll out on Twitter last night because I was just sitting there thinking,

I was having a conversation with one of my sons. And I just said, because we were talking about the call, and I just said, you know, I can't stand more than the calls that get missed. I hate the calls that are made on tic-y-tack contact, you know, on minimal contact. I hate those. I hate the free 48-yard plays on pass interferences that shouldn't be called. So I put this poll out last night because I was just thinking about it. And I wrote on Twitter, you can follow me on Twitter at Kevin Shee in D.C. And we're approaching, I think, 1,200 votes, something like that.

As a football fan, which pass interference call or non-conference call? call is worse to watch. The obvious contact no call, which is what we saw last night, or the trivial contact that gets called. First of all, I had a lot of really smart responses to this. One in particular said, the trivial minimal minimal minor contact that gets called happens 10 to 1 over the obvious contact that doesn't get called. I don't know if it's 10 to 1, but it's definitely more, A lot more. And I hate those calls. You design plays based around that call.

Right. Exactly. Chuck it down the field. We'll probably get some contact and get the flag. We'll either get the catch or we'll get a flag. So I don't know if it's 10 to 1, whoever tweeted me that, you know, but it's a lot to a little bit in terms of the ratio. I personally can't stand the minor minimal contact PIs that get called. I hate those.

the defense of holding or illegal contact off the ball where the quarterback was never looking that has no impact on the play that gets flagged. And I do think that that penalty should change to a non-automatic first down penalty. Maybe change it to 10 yards, but it's not an automatic first down. There's nothing worse than a third and 22 getting bailed out by an illegal contact that had nothing to do with where the quarterback was going or the quarterback that was under siege so quickly and got sacked so quickly. He had no chance to even get the ball off. That should be 10 yards, and let's play third down again. I mentioned Hecker that he did a phenomenal job on a bad snap on the game winner.

Keep in mind, if he misses that kick, the Saints are probably going to win the game, because they're going to have it at their own 47-yard line, first and 10, and then they only need a little bit of range for field goal range. the non-call on the interception in overtime, I was okay with that. I thought that the receiver initially, he initiated the contact with Johnson on that particular play. I thought he initiated the contact and then what a great interception on his back by Johnson. A phenomenal interception. Let's keep in mind, you know, if you think that that was a terrible blow,

loan call as well. I think it's a debatable call. That's 50-50. I think the offensive player initiated, but the way the game had been called, they weren't going to call that in that particular game. The only possibility in that spot is because they blew the call at the end of regulation. You may have gotten that call. But that was a second and long play. That was a second in 16, second and 17 play. Ingraham, remember on that play before, had been in the grass by Sue, and then Sue let him go because he thought the play was dead, but Aaron Donald was there to save it,

and actually drop Ingram for a six-yard loss instead of a no-gain or a one-yard loss. It was a significant play there, set up second and 16. And as far as Fowler's pressure and any sort of hit to the head, come on, I mean, you can't make that call on that spot. It's a hell of a play by Fowler to force that awful throw by, by Breeze. And then I really thought

there were some great throws on that field goal drive by Jared Goff on some of those bootlegs. That first one to Taylor Higby where he's rolling left and he's under pressure and he's able to throw a perfect ball. That was the play that got him into field goal range.

You know, that was the 12, 13, 14-yard play that got him to the New Orleans 41 yard liner somewhere around there. And then he made another one to Higby. when he could have easily been dropped for a big loss. Jared Goff was great on those two throws. It was phenomenal on those two throws.

By the way, you know, the Roby Coleman play, which, you know, don't get me wrong from my earlier discussion, of course it should have been called. It was a horrible, horrible missed call. In a game where you let them play, which they did, and I think impacted that call a little bit, the mindset all day, which I loved. But still, that's not a let them play call. That is just, he brutalized him.

It was PI, it was helmet to helmet hit on a defensive receiver. You could have three different penalties on that play. Just horrible, just terrible calls. But Sean Payton immediately said that, you know, the league in Al Riveron, they called to, you know, apologize to say they blew it. I wish the NFL would wait a day on something like that. You know, let's

it was hard not to understand how obvious it was. I understand that. But a lot of you were tweeting me about Sean Payton's play calling on that drive. The fact that he threw the ball early

on that, when they got down, first of all, the play that set that up, right, was the ginn catch with Joyner. I have no idea what the hell he was doing it was a terrible job by Joyner in that particular spot. He had the interception lined up. Ginn makes the catch. It's a huge play.

It's a 40-yard-plus play on what was a second long, I think, from, you know, that was the play at the two-minute warning. But they're at the Rams 13 on the first play after the two-minute warning. The Rams have two-timeouts left, and a lot of you just wanted the Saints to run the ball and make the Rams use their timeouts. I did not feel the same way. I did not feel that that was bad clock management by Sean Payton.

In that particular spot, I'm thinking touchdown if I'm the Saints, and I'll take it at any point that I can get it. Yeah, it would be ideal. It would be ideal to run the ball for five yards on first downs. Rams take their second time out. Run the ball for another six yards on second down, and you got it first and goal at the three or at the two, and the Rams have no timeouts left,

and now you can kneel it and kick a walk-off field goal. but they threw a very low-risk throw as a quick bubble to Thomas or a quick slant to Thomas, and he just dropped it. It wasn't the greatest throw either, but I did not have a problem with that play call. Of course, I'm thinking, as a lot of you are,

that the Saints have the opportunity here to really run some clock and either kick the game-winning field goal or kick it with less time left. If you really want to play it out this way, let's just say you run it on first down, from the 13-yard line, you pick up two yards. The Rams use their second timeout at a minute 50, you know, minute 55, minute 52.

Then they run it again, and the Rams take their second time out at a minute 47, minute 46. So now if you run it for a third time, the Rams are still going to get the ball back with, you know, somewhere around a minute, 50-some seconds left needing three. I'm going for the touchdown there. I'm thinking touchdown. Get it into the end zone and take a 27 to 20 lead. that's what you're thinking there. And if you thought that you needed to throw it to Michael Thomas on a first down slant,

that was, again, a bit of a low risk throw, should have been completed. It wasn't. The ball was low, I think, sort of at his feet. Yeah, incomplete. It was a low pass. And then they ran Kamara, I think, on the next play and the Rams used their second timeout, and then we got the non-call on the third and ten at the Rams 13. So I didn't really have an issue with that.

Yeah, that's basically it from that game. It was a hell of a football game. I mean, you think about the Rams and the trouble they were in early, and that fake punt was definitely the turning point of that game. That was a critical play in that game. If they punt it back to the Saints, Rams defense has been out there the whole way to crowds into it. You know it's going to be 16 to nothing more likely than not,

and it could be 20 to nothing game over. because they're not coming back from 20 to nothing down, not in that stadium with that crowd. Oh, the one of the play I didn't want to mention is just, how about the play before the Zerline game winner where C.J. Anderson nearly fumbled it. It was a handoff that got botched, and Anderson starts to bobble it,

and luckily he wasn't hit right there. I was rooting for McVeigh. I was rooting for the Rams. Yeah, they got the benefit of a call. They did, as we've seen many times. in NFL postseason history. They are a worthy Super Bowl participant. The season they had, the hole they climbed out of yesterday,

the defense that they have played in the last two weeks in particular, a team with a ton of defensive talent but really hasn't played well. I think they've put together their two best defensive performances of the season in the last two against the Cowboys and the Saints. The Saints rushed for 48 yards in that game, 2.3 yards per carry. Ingram was 9 for 31, and Camaro was 8 for 15. I also thought the Saints, the use of Taysam Hills worked out. Don't get me wrong, but that second goal there, was that at the end of the first half?

He put Tysm Hill in and ran a read option where he handed it off and it got stopped, and then it's set up the third down play. Man, you're moving the ball right down the field. I just keep Drew Breeze in the game. That's me. But who might have questioned Sean Payton? They scored on the next play on the throw from Breeze to Taysam Hill. Right.

So maybe it was setting it up. Setting it up. But I just think if they just run Breeze and, you know, on second. I tend to agree. Probably wouldn't have needed the third down. Alvin Camara, by the way, is uncheckable. Uncheckable. What a weapon.

he is. In the same way that Tark Cohen's a weapon, in the same way that McCaffrey's a weapon, there are four or five of these guys, but man, he is special. He is impossible to cover. And the really, the really amazing thing about the way he and Breeze work together is how often Breeze has to be perfect in terms of the accuracy of those throws to Alvin Camara out of the backfield, because he has to hit him in stride. Sometimes he's got to. got to hit him with a touch pass over an outstretched pass rusher. You know, sometimes he's got to hit him just before in the right spot before the linebacker or the DB comes up to make a hit

or to get into position to tackle him. That is one difficult matchup. I enjoyed that game. I thought it was a hell of a game. I thought Sue was great. I thought defensively Aaron Donald was a beast. The Rams are really. really good.

Really good. Hell of a game. Let's go to the second game. I can't believe this game went over the total. I just cannot believe this game went over the total. We had 7-0 late in the first half. And the Patriots on that last drive that ended in a touchdown for a 14-0-0 lead, they started that drive from their own 10-yard line.

All right? You got a Chief's time-out on that. that drive after a second and nine play that came up short of the sticks with like a minute ten left. And New England's like at their own 24-yard line. I'm not thinking New England points there. I'm thinking maybe Kansas City gets the ball back and it's seven three at half time. Instead, New England goes down the field and that was such an impressive, impressive drive. The screen to white was the big play on that drive that really got him way down there. And then he throws the touchdown past the Dorset, which I thought could have been P.I.

in the end zone that wasn't called. Again, that game was a let them play game. Not as much as the first game, but it was a let him play game. But New England's 14-0-0 lead at halftime, I did not think that there was any chance we were going to see a competitive game. I thought this was Brady and Belichick.

Belichick, in particular, at his best, completely stymying and stopping and slowing down Patrick Mahomes. They had in the first half, the Chiefs, the Chiefs, the highest. scoring team in the NFL this season. He held the chiefs in the first half on their own home field, a team that produced 565 points in the regular season. He held them to 32 total yards and zero points. A lot of that was the Patriots not getting stopped. You know, driving the ball,

long drives. Brady threw an interception at the goal line into the end zone. It was reminiscent of that Rafflesberger interception this year against Denver at the end of that game. It was a horrible throw. Great play by Ragland, and it kept Kansas City in the game. Look, it should have been 17-0-20-21-9. It's a terrible throw by Brady. Yeah, that was at halftime. Keep in mind, too, almost forgot this play.

End of the first half. Kansas City's got the ball back after falling behind 14-0. and Mahomes, who got chased out of the pocket all day long, apparently, according to Lewis Riddick, I think it was, faced more zero blitz coverage than any he had faced all year long and was confused by it. But he got hit and fumbled that ball on that final player, what turned out to be the last play of the half. And that ball's loose for the Patriots to pick up and somehow Mahomes got to it. Yeah, I thought that might be the it right there. could have been it right there. How about the drive before? It looked like Kansas City was going to

get on the board. They took that big loss and then re-decided to punt instead of for the, well, it would have been a long field goal. It was the one drive that he got the big play to Tyreek Hill. Right. And they're at the New England 25-yard line, estimating, right around there. And he took that third in long sack, you know, that knocked him out of field goal range. It was at the New England 36. And was it Jay Feely, who was on the sideline, the former kicker or quarterback or ever? I'm not sure. Who was on the sideline?

Not the former kicker. The former quarterback. I don't know. It might have been the former Miami kicker. I'm getting confused now with sideline reporters because I think both of them have worked sidelines before. Somebody will correct me on that on Twitter. But anyway, the point was he was discussing going in that direction the difficulty of anything

beyond 50 yards. It was not as cold of a game, clearly, as others. As forecasted, I'm sorry, earlier in. the week. Then we get to the second half of that game and the Chiefs did what they had to do on that first drive and he finds Watkins Deep and then he hits Kelsey and it's like, man, that happened quickly. It's 14-7. And then they got the ball back. But they punted, you know, a couple of times, you know, in 14-7-17-7 games. We went to the fourth quarter 17-7. Now the Chiefs were moving the football in the fourth quarter down 17-7. But they were

still, I thought, in deep trouble in that game. I still thought New England was going to win the game. The entire time I thought New England was going to win the game. But at 1714, and then you get a play that that game started at 640 Eastern. I don't know if you guys picked up on this, but it was headed at 1714 with about nine and a half minutes to go when Kansas City stopped the fourth and one. When Burke had got stopped by Sorensen on that fourth and one, which was a massive play in the game. That game was headed towards a game that was going to be three and a half hours. Two and a half hours, excuse me. It was at that game at that point, it was like 845. It was like with nine minutes to go, it was barely over two hours long. And by the time we got through all of the replays and all of the challenges and all of the scoring, game ended up being one of the longer games of the year, which included overtime.

What was interesting about that is it set up the Burkhead Stop. It set up what would become an incredible series of events. First of all, the Chiefs go three and out, and then they pun it deep. And Edelman muffs it. It's called a muff. I am still not convinced for me that of the replays we saw, and maybe New York and the... Who is the referee, Clee Blakeman?

Yes. Perhaps he had seen something we didn't, but I did not think that the replays that we saw should have overturned the call on the field. Agreed. I think that if I was, if I was, you know, going neutral and saying which one's more likely, I think that it was more likely he missed than not, but definitely not to overturn. I just didn't, I didn't really think that the time involved to review that play pretty much told you that there, wasn't, you know, anything that was clear and obvious. Right. But that was me. They gave the Patriots the ball back.

And as they say in pick up basketball, ball don't lie. Because two plays later, it hits off Edelman's hands. It's picked off by Sorensen. The chiefs take it in from, you know, I don't know, 25 yards out. On, by the way, a throw to Damien Williams in which there is offensive pass interference all over the field on that play. Was that the play that there was offensive pass interference on? Yeah, I think so. Clearly not called.

People blocking down field and clearing the way while the ball's in the air, clearly offensive pass interference not called. And did you see Belichick's reaction to that? Took his Microsoft Surface pad and just chucked it over the bench. He was so outraged. Of course, the Patriots complaining about offensive pass interference and pick play.

You know. Then you get the next drive. And to me, maybe the call of the game. And the other massive controversial call of the day. Now, it doesn't mean that the Patriots weren't going to pick up a third and seven. But the second and seven down 2117, with, I don't know, six minutes in change left in the game, Brady is contacted below the head,

but it's called roughing the passer on Jones. It's a terrible call. It's an absolute horrible call in a game where they were, again, letting them play for the most part. Horrible call on that gave Brady and the Patriots field position and they went down the field

and they scored on that fourth and one at the Kansas City 10. On the fourth and one at the Kansas City 10, there was three and a half minutes left in the game and the Patriots had all three timeouts left. I actually still thought there was a chance that Belichick may kick the field goal there. I know that's crazy because Sean McVey

I talked about how I thought he would go for it. I actually thought in that spot with three and a half to go and three timeouts left, there was a chance he would kick the field goal. He didn't. He went for it. Brady, apparently, according to Romo, who was brilliant on the call yesterday. It was just unbelievable.

Brilliant. I mean, called almost everything before it happened in the fourth quarter and in overtime. But Brady, according to Romo, basically checks to a run, which Romo saw coming as well. It was a quarterback sneak, and then he checks it to Sony Michelle's run for a touchdown, untouched, and that's the first clutch Brady drive of the fourth quarter, 24-21.

One other thing actually from that drive that gave him the 24-21 lead, the Patriots, the 24-21 lead, was the Edelman catch. The Hogan catch, I'm sorry, the KC Challenge. What a catch that was by Hogan. catch and not the wrong challenge either because the Patriots were going to go fast and they didn't have time, Kansas City did. And that was a third Nate play. So I did not, even though Andy Reid ultimately, you know, could have used. Could have used the timeout. It's the Andy Reed challenge thing again. But I did not have a problem with him challenging that play. I thought

it was worth challenging. It's a third Nate play. Patriots are going to try to go fast to snap it. and I just thought it was the right play. All right, then you get the Chiefs drive. You get the Chiefs drive on the answer, and you know, you had a lot of things on that drive, too. I thought the hold on J.C. Jackson, where Kelsey, by the way, Kelsey catches the ball on that play and fumbles. I don't think that was a catch. And just as a complete minutia thing, they came back, Blakeman basically,

the referee said that the clock was right. There was a lot of that going on at the end with the clock. The clock actually wasn't right if that should have been ruled, if that were ruled correctly, which would have been an incomplete pass. Because after the fumble gets recovered, I think, by Hightower. Yes, Hightower. You have another five, six seconds off that clock. I mean, that's a minutia thing, but the referees missed on that

because they should have been looking at the Kelsey catch slash fumble. And I think they would have ruled that. a non-catch and therefore now maybe with more than two minutes to go that would have had to been challenged well no it's a turnover so but it was a turnover

you're right it was a turnover but the penalty erases the turnover because it's a Kelsey interference play would have had to go to review to get those six seconds back and no one was going to look the play was a turnover therefore I think the play should have been reviewed and they would have put more time back on the play because I don't think that that Kelsey catch

was a catch and fumble I don't think it was. The, my bad, by the way, I just figured it out. It was not the touchdown. It was not the screen to Damien Williams that was the OPI. It was the screen to Watkins on that drive that gave

Kansas City the 2824 lead. All right, I got them confused. It was that, it was the screen to Watkins that got them you know, down into scoring position. on that drive. It was the 38-yard screened to Watkins. That's where

the offensive PI was. All right, my fault on that. So OPI should have been called on that play. Not the Damien Williams touchdown on their touchdown drive before they gave them the 21-17 lead. The 28-24 touchdown drive. Messed that up. Sorry about that. It was the OPI on the Watkins screen that put them down. They were at the New England 40. It was a second and 10, and that put them first and goal to New England too. Look, on some

level for the Patriots, if you assume that they were probably going to go down and score anyway, it was probably best that they score sooner rather than later, because they scored on the next play. Yeah, that was the play before that Watkins screen was Mahomes going deep to Hill and like it

almost got intercepted. I could not figure out why they called that play because I wouldn't have wanted to score that early if I was the Chiefs. But it was the screen to Watkins where you had blocking downfield that was ridiculous that it wasn't called, and that's the one that set Belichick off. Then you get Brady on the answer drive down 2824,

and it's just an incredible drive. I mean, you've got, again, you've got the Hogan catch, which gets reversed, which sets up the third and ten, that you get the off sides on D. Ford, before the big throw to Grunkowski that gets him down inside the Kansas City five-yard line. You know, the throw to Hogan that got reversed by replay, which I think was the right call. But that was a bad throw by Brady on a second 10.

It was underthrown. And then the third and five after the off sides by Ford on the ball that was intercepted, you know, deflected and intercepted. Just a terrible penalty on Kansas City's part to line up in the neutral zone. And it was obvious that he was in the neutral zone. And, yeah. You're going to get to the Gernkowski. I was going to say, the other thing,

Andy Reid lets like eight to 10 seconds run off the clock after that Grankowski play. He did. That timeout could have been taken with about 43 seconds left instead of 39. I think it was. He lost four or five seconds on that. I'm just going to say this. I was surprised that he used the timeout. I didn't think Andy Reid was, you know, he has butchered these situations more times

in almost any coach in recent NFL history. And the fact that he ended up calling the timeout with 39 seconds left after the throat Grankowski on the third and five after the Ford off sides was a good job by him and his staff to understand hey they're going to score more likely than not and even if they don't it doesn't matter we'll get the ball back we'll worry about that then we've got to have time left if they score a touchdown and that time out that time out that usage of time out allowed for the game tying field goal drive without you know a lot of coaches our coach j Gruden would never have called that time out in that spot, would have just been sitting there going,

let's get a stop, let's get a stop right here, and then the Patriots would have had a walk-off touchdown with, you know, 11 seconds or nine seconds left in the game. And I thought it was going to happen with Andy Reed. He didn't call it quickly enough. Fair point, but he did call it, which for a Chiefs fan, I bet they were surprised too. It allowed for 32 seconds left after a decent kick. off return to like the 30-31 yard line. It allowed for, you know, 32 seconds left in Mahomes to make the big throw to wear and then the other throw to Robinson and then they got the field goal. Now, for those of you saying they should have run another play with 11 seconds to go, I disagree. I thought that first of all, the Patriots, of course, the Patriots, played it

the right way. They were playing pre-vent at the goal line. They were not going to let Kansas City throw a ball into the end zone other than a Hail Mary. kind of a throw that would have been massively contested. So are you going to throw it underneath? If you are and you get tackled in bounds, it's game over. Absolutely the right decision by Andy Reid there to kick the field goal. I thought with 16 seconds left, they were flirting with disaster. Although with 16, you should have, depending on the length of the play,

enough time to get up and kill it and clock it to get your field goal team out there. Well, and you know, you just probe the defense once. Mahomes did as soon as he realized what was happening, you threw it well out of bounds. I think that was 100% the right decision. And then you get the overtime drive. A third and nine, two third and tens. What are you going to say? I mean, it was incredible.

Edelman is working himself into a Hall of Fame career right now. I'm being serious about that. It's not stupid because he's not there yet. He's working his way towards a Hall of Fame career. career, a potential Hall of Fame career, mostly because of what he's done in the postseason. And I looked this up earlier. Going into yesterday's game, he had 98 postseason catches. That's second only to Jerry Rice, who's got 151 all time.

He's won two Super Bowls. He's been a part of some of the, you know, incredible catches you'll ever see in the middle of that comeback against the Falcons when they were down 28-3. He, you know, to me, he is perhaps in the midst of one of those post seasons that he can add to a career that'll be similar to like a Lynn Swan career. But he's got more years to go. He's got more years to go. PEDs could play an impact too. I don't want to go nuts here. Edelman is certainly a candidate.

It's not crazy to mention him as a Hall of Fame possibility down the road. You know, he's way down the list in terms of catches. I think he's got right around 500 career catches. Guys like Mike Wallace and Golden Tate have more career catches than he does, and neither one of them is ever going to be a Hall of Famer. Pierre Garsohn has more catches than Julian Edelman. He's not going to be a Hall of Famer. I'm just saying that his postseason numbers, they are, they're Hall of Fame worthy.

the postseason numbers are. Anyway, back to that final drive. I mean, third and ten to Edelman early, third and nine, third and ten, whatever that first one was for 20 yards. Third and ten to Edelman again. Then the third and ten to Grunk, which again, Romo called perfectly. And then, to me, the mistake that Andy Reid made in yesterday's game.

And that is his defense was gassed. He has three timeouts, and he's got to use him on defense. He's got to give his team, his defense, a rest. He's got to get the Patriots off their mark a little bit, make them wait a little bit. Once they got that throw to Gronk and it's first in 10 at the Kansas City 15, I'm using my timeouts on defense. I might use all three of them there if I'm Andy Reed. They were gassed. Burkhead up the middle for 10 yards, Burkhead for 3 yards, Burkhead touchdown.

Ran it right down their throat, three straight plays from the 15-yard line. and Andy Reed went to the locker room with all three timeouts. That is the one criticism of Andy Reid I would have yesterday. The single biggest one. I don't have a problem with the challenge on the Hogan catch. I don't. What a game. You know, some big mistakes, some big plays,

some clutch performances without a doubt. Just a spectacular football game in which, the Patriots, I never had any doubt. As long as there was enough time left on the clock when they fell behind 2117 and 2824, I still did not have any doubt watching that game that they were going to go win it. In part, my lack of doubt or my faith that they would win it had a lot to do with what I've said all year long about the Chiefs. I just never thought in watching them at any point this year, they had a defense that was Super Bowl worthy. I don't. And I do wonder why, Sutton continues to be the defensive coordinator in Kansas City.

Andy Reed could probably, he could have probably attracted Greg Williams or Todd Bowles or Steve Wilkes, you know, accomplished first-rate defensive coordinators. And yet, it's Bob Sutton that continues to be the defensive coordinator for the Chiefs. And have they ever really had a great defense in recent years? They've had decent defenses here and there, but for the most part, not great defenses. great offensive skill players, great running back situations, you know, going, you know, whether it's Jamal Charles or any of them. But the chiefs just, to me, were never good enough defensively.

And the Patriots torched them, man. You know, you're talking about a team that rolled up 530 yards of offense. I mean, it had an overtime in there. They had 43 minutes, 44 minutes of time of possession to 21, essentially, for Kansas City. Patriots remember in this game had two turnovers, lost the turnover battle, including a turnover that basically took minimum of three, if not seven, off the board early, and they still won the game. They were 13 of 19, New England was on third down. Remember last week when I said they had 24 first downs in the first half of the game against the Chargers? And we talked about

that, Aaron, and I said it's almost impossible for that to happen in a 30-minute house. half. I mean, you have to be basically gaining 10 yards and no more on every first down. You know, on every first down conversion. They had 36 first downs in the game yesterday. 13 of 19 on third down. At one point in the first half, James White was six for six on plays that resulted in a first down, five of them coming on third down. What's amazing about them is the way they weave in their running back situation. You know, Michelle, 113 yards rushing, but Burkhead takes over at the end. James White's got big catches early in that game, and then it's Burkhead at the end. You know, it's, they just have so many pieces. None of them appear to be great, although I think

Sony Michelle's great. I think James White's great. Edelman's great. Gronk came up big in this playoff game. Hogan's come up big in these playoffs games. And how about Patterson's kickoff returns? The one kickoff return was huge. There you go. Patriots, Rams. I don't think I'm forgetting anything else from this game. The Chiefs did score 31 points on 32 offensive plays in the second half. 31 points on 32 offensive plays. One might say, well, the Patriots defense isn't good enough. It was good to enough in the first half. And it was the first half that, for all intents and purposes, won this game. Kansas City couldn't do anything for a half of football offensively against Bill Belichick

and his defense. The Rams opened as minus one in the Super Bowl, Aaron, and it quickly went the other way. Sharp money came in and moved that to Patriots minus right now to pretty much everywhere. one and a half two, I'm seeing it. But the opening line from a couple of places, not everywhere, was Rams minus one. Some had it to pick them, and the Patriots are at minus two, pretty much everywhere. I see a couple of minus one and a halves, and I see one or two minus two and a halves. But minus two is the general number across the board. The total in the game right around 58, right around 58 for the total.

This is the rematch of the Brady-Belichick-era first Super Bowl win, the 20-to-17 walk-off, Venetary Field goal against the greatest show on turf as a massive, massive underdog in that particular Super Bowl game. In that Super Bowl game, they went off as 14-point dogs on February 3, 2002. 14-point underdogs in that particular Super Bowl, and the first one that Brady won. There are familiar parts, and that is Brady and Belichick, and then there's nothing familiar on the Rams part. But it is, I thought Jared Goff came up big. I think Sean McVeigh is obviously someone we'd love to have here.

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Rangler, or the Ram and the Ram pickup. Ferriscarcars.com right now for live inventory, live pricing, and their best deals. All right, let's get to this story. that Jason Lockenforah wrote yesterday. I think it came out yesterday, maybe late Saturday, titled on CBSSports.com, titled Dan Snyder's Pursuit of Todd Bowles, Greg Williams, may not bode well for Jay Gruden in 2020. Here's the story, and I'm going to read it to you because it's a pretty quick read, and I'm going to paraphrase some areas, but Jason starts off by writing Washington owner Dan Snyder aggressively pursued former NFL head coach's Todd Bowles, and Greg Williams to run his defense in recent weeks,

despite having yet to fire defensive coordinator Greg Minnowski, with the scope of his pursuit, potentially not pretending well for Coach Jay Gruden in 2020. Now, according to Lock and Forrest's story, Dan Snyder flew Todd Bowles in, an accomplished former safety with the team who was recently fired as the Jets head coach, flew him into the Washington team facility

and made a concerted attempt to convince him to take over the team's defense. The two sides, according to the report from Lock and Forer, never entered into actual negotiations, but according to Lock and Forres sources, he writes that Snyder was leading this push, not head coach Jay Gruden, and the owner made it clear he would compensate Bowles as well as any coordinator in the NFL and was also willing to alter his personnel structure within football operations if Bowles was interested. I think that's an interesting part of that story. Lock and four writes, as one source with knowledge of the situation put it, quote, Dan put the full court press on Bowles. He didn't want him to leave. He wanted to know what conditions it would take to get him to stay. If Todd had said, I'll only do it if I'm the head coach,

I think he, Dan Snyder, may have gone for it, closed quote. As it turns out, Lock and Forer writes it was not a good fit for Bowls who quickly reunited with Bruce Ariens in Tampa, and that made Snyder turn quickly towards Greg Williams. Now, before I get to that part of the story, let me just comment on the Bulls part of the story. I and others had heard and spoken about the meetings taking place with Doug Williams in particular and not necessarily formal.

And perhaps Todd Bowles using Doug as some leverage, and I had mentioned who knows what Doug was thinking, perhaps, about Tampa Bay. But besides that, this is an interesting twist of the story because number one, to me, it speaks of a Dan Snyder involvement that is more reminiscent of the way he used to get involved. I don't believe he's gotten involved in this kind of way that often in recent years. but the frustration of this particular season and perhaps the need for some kind of move, you know, and their willingness to move on with Jay Gruden, maybe against better judgment, maybe not, but they clearly had come to the conclusion that they wanted Jay Gruden to stay,

and I've mentioned all of the reasons why. They needed some kind of big change. If you've been listening to me over the years or on this podcast, you know I'm a big Todd Bowles fan, and I said if he gets fired, go get Todd Bowles and give him any amount of money, or Greg Williams and give him any amount of money. I wanted Greg Williams to be the head coach. I would be fine with Todd Bowles as the head coach. I think Todd Bowles is a fine coach.

I think it was circumstance and the lack of a quarterback. I think if he had stayed in New York with Sam Darnold developing, I think he would have had much more success as a head coach. It was offense. It was the lack of a quarterback the last few years that doomed a jet team that's really been good at times defensively. But, you know, if you're a jet fan out there, Hayden in Virginia, you know, you'll tell me how Bulls isn't what I think he is, and that's fine. You've lived the day-to-day much more than I have.

I just know he'd be better than anybody we've had here. I know that. So on some level, I'm surprised that Dan Snyder got that aggressive, that involved. I'm taking Jason Lock and four at his word. I think Jason Lock and Four is a good reporter. So I think Jason Lockenfora's sources and this story is probably very close to spot on accurate, if not totally spot on accurate. 100%. So I am surprised that he got that involved. I'm on some level pleased that the front office at this point, you know, if it's not Dan, who's it going to be Bruce? Bruce isn't going to get

somebody that wasn't in Tampa or somebody that he didn't know really well. I'm glad that they got aggressive and recognized. You know what? We've got some talent on defense. We need to be coached up a little bit better. And we need to shake something up here. But Bowles wasn't coming here. Okay?

Now we get to the Greg Williams piece of this. After Bowles moves on to Ariens in Tampa, Snyder turns his attention, according to Lock and Four's report to Greg Williams. Lock and Four writes, Williams and Snyder do have a strong relationship from his years serving as coordinator here under Joe Gibbs, even though he did not get the head coaching job,

which I think would have been a better decision in hindsight. The team set up a formal visit and interview with Williams after he was let go as Brown's interim head coach, but the sides never met as he agreed to become the Jets defensive coordinator before the meeting could take place. So we now know that there wasn't an actual meeting. There was in the intention of a meeting. And we had not heard a report that they had actually met,

just the report from J.P. Finley that they desired to meet with Williams. And that Williams had not yet signed a contract with the Jets, which was more or less the news that came out of J.P.'s report, which was a great job by him to sort of put in play Greg Williams when the assumption was that Greg Williams had already decided and had already agreed to a contract with the J.P. Jets, which he had not at that point. Lock and Forra writes the following closing paragraph.

The presence of Bruce Allen, whose poor record running football operations, his team president, has become a focus of scorn in the fan base and derision around the NFL, and it has been a detriment to landing coaches, though there have been rumblings about his role possibly changing to business side only at some point. I still, and I said this even when I had the news that Bruce Allen wasn't going anywhere, I still suggested that Snyder could change his mind and I still feel that way. It's based on just a gut of obvious A. How can I bring this toxic person?

Perhaps the most toxic other than me, and he doesn't have the self-awareness, to say him, the owner, Dan Snyder. So he could clearly say, oh my God, Bruce. is more despised than Vinny was, which I think is a fact now. I think it is. Vinny was a running joke. Bruce Allen's disliked, despised by the fan base. He's a business ticket selling non-starter. They got no chance to generate any interest as long as he's here, unless of course they draft Kyler Murray. Uh, anyway, interest. that Minowski is still here.

You know, for those of you that have tweeted me over the weekend saying, how does Minoski stay? How does that relationship work? Well, Menoski's under contract. You know, Menoski's a guy that's got some thick skin. He'll get over it. He's got nowhere to go. You think he wants to give up this job?

Hopefully he's a guy that says, I'm going to prove all of you knuckleheads wrong. I'm going to go out there and coach up a defense it's going to be top 10 next year. Anyway, interesting report, right? From Lock and Forra. I had no idea that Dan was that aggressive in going after Bowles and Williams. I thought there was a chance that the team, which would include him and Bruce and Jay Gruden.

Also, interesting, another report, I believe, said that Jay Gruden was not involved in any of these meetings, or wasn't involved in the Todd Bowles discussion. do have on decent, you know, source that Doug Williams was involved, but he and Todd Bowles played with each other. Right. So they're friendly with each other. The defensive coordinator position isn't going to solve problems, just like, you know, a change in coach probably isn't going to solve the issues this organization has.

You know, you're looking for, you know, small wins that they luck themselves into or they are forced to make that end up somehow working out. I think Todd Bowles would have been a great defensive coordinator for this team. But, you know, he's also not here because he understands the nature of this organization and how hard it is to succeed in this organization. You know, one of the takeaways, again, Dan's involvement, Dan's aggressiveness, but the fact that Dan got aggressive, according to Lock and Fora, and couldn't make it happen.

It speaks to what this place is right now. And for those of you that still don't see it, Todd Bowles could have probably named his price. He may have been able to say, I want the head coaching position. I will come here if you fire Jay Gruden. And this is what my contract needs to look like. And still, the Redskins now, more than ever, can't close those deals anymore. They can't close them. Free agency has been the same problem. Now, part of that is Bruce takes a very, you know, very measured approach to free agency.

He doesn't want to overspend, and I'm all for that, but he doesn't want to spend, period. You know, he's been wonderful at getting great deals on average players. That's what he's been great at doing in free agency. Oh, man, what a contract. fact, yeah, the guy's not very good, though. You know, Kendall Reyes, all of them. You know, we can go through the whole list of Redskins free agents from recent years. Just this last passed-off season, Paul Richardson, Pernel McPhee, Orlando Scandrick. I mean, we don't, what's the last free agent signing that the Redskins have made that was truly impactful?

Like, not just from, hey, great value. They got really good production for a low ball offer and deal. I mean, I'm talking about a game changer. It's Pierre Garsohn. You know, it's Deshaun Jackson, I guess, because they didn't have to trade for him. If you want to say Sweringer, before he... Sweringer's a good one. Yeah.

Sweringer's a good one. There's probably a couple of others. Mason Foster, to an extent. And that was a pickup mid-season. You know, that was a late-season edition because They just couldn't, you know, they didn't have, they were having injuries in that 2015 season. But no one, no one really wants to be here if you've got a better option. And Todd Bowles had a better option.

That's what it says about this. Greg Williams had a better option. And think about those options, the Jets and the Buccaneers. Those are the better options now. You know, I don't want to spend a lot of time just ripping on the skins again. I'd like to start over the next couple of weeks thinking about things like free agency in the draft. You know, it's sort of a habit this time of year. But it's nothing ever in recent memory for this particular franchise.

Have we seen their production on the field and their dysfunction off it manifest itself in what it's manifested itself into this particular offseason? It's finally become clear, even to those with the most rose-colored of glasses, that this is a place that quality people do not want to come to if they have a better option. It's not even a better option, just another option. They have to create stability somehow.

And again, I think it starts with firing Bruce Allen, apologizing for what's happened on the field and off it, and taking full blame for it, and then figuring out a person that is quality that you can not only, and we'll have to, pay a fortune to, but you have to give total autonomy to, and you start over from scratch. That may be where we are a year from now,

but take some self-awareness for that stuff to happen. Self-awareness, like building an IMAX screen on a yacht. Yeah, that was, how much was the cost of that again? I didn't see the exact number, but, yeah. It was like the biggest yacht. home theater ever on his yacht. Yes. Look, that stuff, people go nuts over, and I don't think he's putting a press release out on that.

You know, this is getting reported, and it's not necessarily his fault. I don't think I'm not following that story so closely. But these aren't the things that bother me, you know? But it's just, you know, that's happening while this is happening with the team. Right. All right. Let's finish up the show with a little weekend DVR. Did you have a busy weekend?

And don't worry, we've got you covered. It's time for Weekend DVR. All right, I'm going to start with the things that I really love, and that would be Maryland basketball. Not going to spend a lot of time on it, but they went to Ohio State Friday night, and we mentioned we talked about it on the show on Friday, and Van Pelt was on Friday.

And we saw the point spread, which was short, and we thought Maryland had a chance. And I said, I think Maryland's better than Ohio State, but Ohio State was the desperate team. They had the three-game losing streak. They had the time to get prepared for this game. and Maryland went in there and handed it to him. Maryland is very good.

I have no idea what will happen tonight at Michigan State. Michigan State's the best team since Virginia that they have played. Lines around 9.5, right? It's amazingly high. I don't feel good about the game tonight. I don't, but I do feel good about Maryland. Now, what's the situation with Eric Ayala? He seems to be okay, nothing official yet, but he was shaken up,

but I don't think it's supposed to be a long-term thing. He got hurt in the second half of that game. It was an incredible stretch where Maryland got, you know, stopped Ohio State for about six minutes from scoring, and Cowan just had some dagger, dagger threes in the game. He ended up with 20 in that game, and Bruno Fernando 13 points, 15 rebounds. He gets every single rebound.

And another great blocked shot. The problem with Maryland, and it's been a problem at times. If you watch them and you follow them like I do, and Aaron does, they can be sloppy with the basketball. And they had 19 turnovers in the game. And that ain't going to cut it tonight. If they have 19 turnovers tonight, they're going to lose by 20. 20. Michigan states loaded.

I mean, they are loaded. Are the rankings out yet here? No, they're not out. Marilyn's got to move close to the top 10, right? I think, I don't know about top 10. I think my guess would be like 13 or 14. All right. So, and Michigan State's going to be right near the top five. So tonight's game is a huge game. A huge game in the Big Ten. Maybe the biggest game of the season so far in the Big Ten. There are bigger games to come, even though Michigan lost to Wisconsin. By the way, Wisconsin was a short dog in that one. That was a winner on Saturday. Michigan still plays Michigan State twice. They still play Maryland twice. Maryland's got the game with Michigan State tonight. They're only meeting with Michigan State this year. I just, Izzo's always been one of my favorite coaches. They are so well coached, always among the

toughest teams in the country, and they have true strength this year. Nick Ward is an absolute 6-8, 6-9-inch, 255-pound, you know, post-up defender beast. He is, he's a player. I mean, you've got, you know, their senior Goans, who's a big strong guy too. He's averaging, you know, eight, nine rebounds a game. This is a team that's Maryland's physical equal, if not superior, Michigan State is. They've got shooters in McQuaid. The only thing I would say about them at this point, I think Cassius Winston's doing a great job, you know, running the point for Michigan State.

I think Maryland right now may be a little bit more versatile, potentially in deep, perhaps deeper in the back court. It's the only thing I would say. Tonight's game, as it always is against Michigan State, is protect the basketball and rebound. You've got to rebound against Michigan State. Maryland's been a phenomenal rebounding team this year. You have to be in a game in which you've got 10 or fewer turnovers in the game, and you don't give up double-digit offensive rebounds. You know, if you do, you're going to lose and you're going to lose going away. Eric Iyala's health would be huge. Allowing Cowan to play a lot of guard, you know, off the ball, you know, in the back court

has really helped him this year. He is having, he and Bruno Fernando right now are having, you know, all Big Ten first team type of years. There's some great players in the league. Don't get me wrong, but they're in consideration. Right now, Aaron, I would say this is the biggest Maryland game, regular season game in a few years. Certainly in January. That Purdue game a few years ago that they blew the 17-point lead in, you know, when they had had a big winning streak. It's the most high-profile game. I don't know if I'd say it's the biggest because they can, they're supposed to lose, they probably will lose, and it won't affect their season at all if they lose this game. So I don't know if I'd say the biggest, but definitely most high profile.

And then they go to, they play a game, their next game is Saturday in Madison Square Garden, against Illinois. That's a home game given up to play that game in the garden. I'm very much looking forward to tonight and we'll have more, have a recap of that game tomorrow. Elsewhere in college hoops, I did watch a lot of the Virginia Duke game on Saturday. I had Duke laying four. I actually was surprised that they were a four-point favorite. And that last three, that dagger three, killed that to finish 727 when they were up 7267. But anyway, You know, Duke's playing without Trey Jones. Virginia, these are two of the best five or six teams in the country.

I still think Virginia is a better team, actually. I think Virginia has a better overall team than Duke. I think they get them back in Charlottesville, don't they? I think they do. Yeah, they do. And, you know, they'll probably potentially play again in the ACC tournament. And who knows, they might play four times this year. Two great teams, two of the top four or five teams.

in the country. And it was a really, really good basketball game. Very good game. I had a troubling realization in the middle of that game, and that's that Zion Williamson and R.J. Bairner, so much fun to watch that I found myself rooting for Duke midway through that game. And as a Maryland fan, that troubled me so much.

It's funny, because somebody mentioned to me that I had kind words for Virginia on the podcast last week, and they said, you didn't really meet it. I actually do meet it. I don't know what it is about Virginia over the years. I never hated them anywhere near. the level. I never felt them to be the kind of rival that North Carolina or Duke were. You know, most teams had Carolina and Duke as a rival, but the Maryland Duke thing was great for

Maryland fans, in particular I think for Duke fans also. The Maryland Virginia thing was intense, but it was never a matter of hate. Not for me anyway. I didn't like Virginia, but I always felt like they should be more, and Tony Bennett made them more. Uh, man, What has happened to the capitals here in recent games? Unbelievable. I mean, they lost to Chicago, eight to five, gave up eight goals in that game. They have dropped now five in a row. They are tied for second, I guess, in their division, but only a point ahead of Pittsburgh for fourth.

I don't, you know, I watch when it's on and nothing else is on. That's just being honest. And I've seen some of the bigger games this year against Pittsburgh. That last game against Pittsburgh was sensational. Eight goals is a lot of goals to give up. Somebody else is going to have to dissect it. It doesn't sound like you're capable of doing it. And we're not bringing on Joe Beninotti or Craig Lachlan or anybody today

after two championship football games. But maybe one day this week, they play San Jose tomorrow night at home. Maybe we'll try to get somebody on tomorrow. to talk about why it is that they've lost five games in a row, and four of them not even really close. Part of the losing streak was losing to Barry Trots at home the other night, two to nothing. Yeah.

To the Islanders, two to nothing. So, and they're the team in first place. Right. In the division. Anyway, James Hardin was incredible the other night. He went for 48 in an overtime comeback against the Lakers. I enjoyed that that was on late night. I haven't watched for those of you that have tweeted me.

I haven't watched any of the tennis. I am happy for Francis Tiafo very much. He's the local kid who grew up and learned the game at that college park facility out at Maryland. He's into the quarterfinals at the Australian Open, you know, has a ton of charisma and is a real talent. Furthest to he's ever gone in a Grand Slam. He's only 20 years old, I think. No, he just enjoyed his birthday was. When he won, he was his birthday.

And then there's this that I wanted to end the show with because somebody sent this to me and I thought it was funny. Jim Jackson, remember Jimmy Jackson, Ohio State, NBA, been a commentator on Big Ten Network and FS1 on games. He and Gus Johnson were doing the Indiana-Purdue game for Fox the other night. And Gus Johnson asked Jimmy Jackson how many points he averaged in high school. And Jimmy Jackson said 32. Gus Johnson said,

Bet your teammates got no touches. Jimmy Jackson says, you know what they got? A state championship. They got to touch that. That's great. Have a great day. Be back tomorrow. Enjoy the day off if you have it.

And stay warm. Thanks to Aaron. And thanks to all of you. We'll do more Redskins tomorrow for sure. And get into the caps a little bit more, especially in advance of their game against San Jose. With this five-game losing streak, we'll try to find out what the hell is going on.

with them. San Jose is pretty good too. There'll be an underdog more likely than not against San Jose. I would guess. Wipe all that out. I'm going to go back to the Jimmy Jackson thing. Ready? So laugh like you heard it the first time. Ready? Okay.

Three, two, one. Wanted to end with this. Someone sent this to me. Actually, CJ sent this to me. My good friend from 980. Gus Johnson and Jimmy Jackson were calling a game the other night on FS1. Jimmy Jackson, of course, of Ohio State fame and NBA fame. And he's been a – I think he's a really good analyst on college basketball. So he's doing this game the other night with Gus Johnson.

And Gus Johnson at some point asked Jimmy Jackson, how many points did you average in high school? And Jimmy Jackson said 32. And Gus Johnson said, bet your teammates got no touches and jimmy jackson says you know what they got a state championship they got to touch that i love that uh have a great day everybody