The Kevin Sheehan Show - Urban Meyer?

Episode Date: December 16, 2019

Kevin opened with a complete recap of Redskins-Eagles and thoughts on Urban Meyer attending the game and sitting in the owner's box. Ben Standig/The Athletic joined the show with theories on Meyer and more. Kevin went "Around the NFL" and closed with some Army-Navy, Georgetown, and more. <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. Wentz, left corner of the end zone. It is up and it is caught for a Philadelphia touchdown. Josh Norman checking Ward all the way across the head. Heard defending Ward in the left corner of the end zone and that ball was thrown up for grabs. And Ward 511-190 first-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 out of Houston gets the go-ah-ahead score. Norman just kind of missed time that ball as it came down. He wasn't in a bad position, but he's got to come across the front of Ward, and as the ball goes up, he plays back behind Ward, and it gives him leverage.

Larry Cooley on the call yesterday on Redskins Radio. Greg Ward was the quarterback, if you recall, at the University of Houston. Now catching balls in the NFL, seven of them for 61 yards, including the go-ahead and what ultimately turned out to be the game wins. touchdown against the Redskins who really hit it perfectly yesterday, if you're a fan of this team. They played well. The young guys got confidence. The rookie quarterback made a lot of progress, had the best game of the year for him, but they didn't lose any ground in the draft order. Right now remaining right there in the number four position, the Bengals at one, Giants at two,

dolphins at three, Redskins at four, Aaron. That's the current draft order for 2020. However, this coming week, while many teams will be battling it out to be able to play in January, the Bengals will face the dolphins and the Redskins will face the Giants with April in mind. The losers benefit, the winners do not in a draft that more likely than not will see Joe Burrow go one overall and Chase Young than in the running with anybody who is at number two, even though Chase Young said Saturday at the Heisman ceremony that he might go back to Ohio State. I would doubt that that would happen. But anyway, good day to all of you.

It's Aaron and I today, and Ben Standing will join us a little bit later on in the show. It was actually a good football game. The Redskins Eagles game was an entertaining football game. It's back and forth. It's basically nobody having more than a four or a three-point lead until the final play of the game, Aaron. you make it that bad beat, the Nigel Bradham a fumble return? Everybody in the press box as soon as it happened, as soon as he was running

down the field, we're saying some form of, oh God, the spread. Yeah, it was the spread. I told you Friday, I thought the line would go higher, and it went much higher, from four, four and a half, all the way to six and a half at game time. There was a lot of sharp money on

Philadelphia. I think they looked at the matchup and thought it wasn't the best of matchups for the Redskins, but there the Redskins were. You know, they were battling the best offensive day of the year for them since the opener against Philadelphia, having a chance to win the game, up 27, 24 with the Eagles driving late, getting that go-ahead touchdown with 26 seconds to go in the game. And then still covering it plus four at 3127 on the final play of the game.

Haskins throws it backwards as he was getting sacked, and Nigel Brattum picks it up and rumbles nearly 50 yards for what turned out to be a Philadelphia cover, 37 to 27. It wasn't the worst beat of the day. The worst beat of the day came in Santa Clara at the end of the 49er Falcon game, which we will get to a little bit later on when we go around the NFL. But the Redskins are 3 and 11. The Eagles 7 and 7 and very much alive now with the showdown game in the NFC East.

The worst division in football this year will produce a huge game in the pentultimate week. of the 2019 season. Next Sunday afternoon, 425, the big game on Fox. It's Dallas at Philadelphia. If Dallas wins, they clinch the NFC East. If Philadelphia wins, they would still need to win the season finale or have Dallas lose their season finale to Washington. But the Eagles and the Cowboys with a big one at the link Sunday

to pretty much decide the NFC East. And interestingly, the line came out, Philadelphia, minus two and a half. The Cowboys are now two and a half point favorites. And I think it's real simple. The Cowboys are just flat out a better team with much more potential. They destroyed the Rams. That was a smell test picked this weekend.

The Smell Test three and two, so two consecutive winning weekends with the smell test back to 500 now on the year. And I just, the Cowboys went off as a pick-em. You know, I had them here Friday at plus one and a half. That game was never in doubt. There was some controversy over the coin flip. We'll get to that when we go around the NFL a little bit later on. But that's the game next Sunday.

You know, there's several games next Sunday and Monday night and Saturday. There's a triple header Saturday, which actually includes Tampa and Houston in a big game for the Texans. Tampa is on fire. They're 7 and 7. James Winston threw for four touchdowns and 458 yards. The dude's going to throw for well over 5,000 this year. Then you have the middle of the day on Saturday. is Bills at Patriots.

The Bills clinched a playoff spot last night, but they could still win the division by beating the Patriots, winning their finale, and having the Patriots lose their finale, which they won't, more likely than not against the Dolphins. But the Bills are a really good defensive team. They clinched a playoff spot by beating the Steelers on Sunday night football. You got the Saturday night game, which is 49ers Rams.

After the 49ers lost yesterday, they're now, basically in second place behind Seattle. That game looming is the season finale in Seattle between the 49ers and the Seahawks. But the Rams have to win to remain alive. If they lose that game, the Vikings clinch even before their Monday night game against the Packers, which will keep them alive for the division. The way the Vikings win the division is to win two and have the Packers lose to. But you got meaningful football going on next weekend.

and then with the bad teams, it's strange, but your top four draft position teams right now, they play each other. Cincinnati, Miami, Redskins, Giants, and it's a stakes game if you're thinking about Chase Young at number two. You know, if the Bengals end up with the number one pick, which is more likely than not, and take Joe Burrow, then, you know, Chase Young will be as highly valued, as probably one of the best evaluations, on a pass rusher in the draft in years. And to finish number two and have a chance to take him or potentially turn it into a slew of additional picks

if you wanted to package it up and move down, it's going to be very valuable there. So Redskins Giants big, Bengals, Dolphins big on Sunday. Again, I think if you're a Redskin fan and not involved as a player or a coach or, you know, a relative of somebody who's playing for their job and you're just a fan. It worked out beautifully yesterday. They got confidence, they played well, and they lost. That's hard for some of you to understand, and I don't at all have any issues with

those of you who just want them to win, but just remember, very little in the NFL carries over a year to year anymore. It barely carries over week to week. A win over the Giants this coming Sunday isn't going to be relied upon next year for standings or for playoff scenarios. It's not going to lead to anything great next year. When you're facing, you know, the Falcons or the Browns in week six, you know, of the regular season, nobody's thinking back to the Giants game in week 16 at 2019 and saying, hey, if we hadn't won that game, we wouldn't be where we are. It doesn't work like that in the NFL anymore.

There's too much change year to year. But anyway, Sunday will be interesting at FedEx Field. Yesterday, mostly Philadelphia fans from what I've been told, maybe the biggest crowd, one of the bigger crowds of the year since the Dallas game anyway, but mostly Philadelphia fans, you can hear on TV. Here's another thing just to consider, and that is this, that the Redskins under Bill Callahan have gone three and six. But the six losses, you know, were all,

games in which, with the exception of the jet game, they were sort of in. They certainly were in the game yesterday. You could argue they were in the game down 17 to 9 in the fourth quarter last week against the Packers. It was the same score in Buffalo, you know, a month and a half ago. They were down 6-0 with the ball in the fourth quarter in the rain against the 49ers. But you do have to wonder what kind of credit Bill Callahan is earning right now from the owner. And Callahan's biggest supporter, Bruce Allen, is he earning credit for this right now with the owner as well? You know, is Dan Snyder sitting there yesterday watching this team and saying to himself,

you know what, maybe Bruce was right? Maybe we are closer than I think. Maybe we do have a damn good culture. There's so much wrapped up into this closing of this just dreadful season that it's dripping with potential both ways. negative potential and positive potential. Yesterday at the game, Urban Meyer is there. We broke the news on the team 980 yesterday that he was in the owner's box very early in the morning.

And then he was sitting in the owner's box. Now, Terry McLaren, the receiver, said that he's the one that invited Urban Meyer to the game. Meyer was in Philadelphia the day before for the Army Navy game. So he drove down to see his former wide receiver, Terry McLaren, his former quarterback, Dwayne Haskins, and his former quarterback Alex Smith, who was his quarterback at Utah when Urban Meyer was the coach there.

I personally would not read too much into Urban Meyer being at the game yesterday. Some of you might. Many of you will hope. You will pray. You will dream about Urban Meyer coming in here next year and taking over. I doubt that he does. I think he would have better options if he wants to coach. And you know, for anybody hiring Urban Meyer, you've got to also consider just the burnout factor with him. I mean, look at his last two gigs. Quick burnout, you know, and it'll be interesting to see if he really does want to coach. But anyway, yesterday, the thing that was more obvious than anything else,

because nothing was obvious about Urban Meyer being there, trust me on that. It's not a lock that that was a Snyder situation, that he's in the running for the job, that he's considering the job, that Alex Smith and Urban Meyer, going to make the pairing in Washington next year. I would not bet on that. The thing that was obvious yesterday was Dwayne Haskins played his best game as a pro by far. It wasn't even close. I'm happy for him. He continues to prove in my mind anyway that all of the incredible negative angst and apprehension and anxiety over him playing earlier in the year just was not warranted. He's not that kind of guy that you need to get wrapped up in as to whether or not you can damage his psyche.

That's not who he is. You know, what he is is a badass competitive dude with some simultaneous poise. I don't know if he's the real deal or not. I still probably wouldn't bet on it. But all of the things that I've pointed out over the last month, month and a half, whatever it's been, these are all the reasons to be encouraged. Not to mention, he's got legitimate talent. You know, he's big, he's strong, he's got armed talent.

You know, he's progressing in terms of pre-snap, his awareness of what's going on. He played his best game. With that, let's get to the Game Take. Pay attention. Here's Kevin's Game Take. All right, the Game Take this week, brought to you by Mama Lucia's. Nothing better than great Italian food at the holiday time. Give great Italian food for the holidays with gift cards from Mama Lucia.

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And thanks to them for always bringing in food. during the course of the week for us. All right, the game take. Let me start with the things that I liked. I'm going to start with this. The team was ready to play again. You know, I admitted it last week. I've been leaning in this direction for a month now.

I've killed Callahan much of the year. Old man Bill and his press conferences still drive me nuts, even though yesterday's was incredibly short, which we'll get to because there may have been some meaning there. I would not want him back next year as the head coach, but you'd have to be blind at this point, not to notice that they just are a much better team

during his nine games as interim head coach than they were with Jay Gruden. Now, they're three and six overall with him. Okay, the wins are not super impressive either. The dolphins with Josh Rosen mostly, the lions with a backup, the Panthers with a backup. their three wins have come against teams with a combined 11 and 30 record. So there is that. But watching the games, I mean, we see a team that really, really tries hard every week.

We see a tougher team, a more physical team. And yes, a more disciplined team, which is what he promised at the beginning of the year. And you know what else we've seen? We've seen a team that's been improving, a team that's gotten better as they're the season has gone on. That's a credit to the players, yes, but that's also a credit to the coaching staff led by old man Callahan. Now, do I want a continuation of Callahan in 2020? Am I out campaigning for Callahan in 2020? No, I'm not. Some of you might be now. I am not going to do that. I just don't see him as being an elite head coach in this league. But I give them credit. I give them a lot of credit. He

mentioned after the game that, you know, it was a bit self-congratulating, but I think deserved about how hard they're playing for a team that's out of it and that you just rarely see that. Usually you see teams that quit. I tend to agree with them, although yesterday wasn't the day to say it. Because you had teams like the Giants winning, the Redskins were close, the Jags whose season is over, winning in Oakland, the Cardinals whose season is over, blowing out the Browns, the Falcons whose season is over, playing hard and beating the 49ers. You know, you have that on occasion. The Bengals actually had the lead over the Patriots in the first half.

It was 10 to 7 late in the second quarter. They came out and played hard as well. But I credit them for the way they have played and improved. The best indication of a team that's being coached well is it. team that improves as the season goes on and is playing their best football at the end of the year. And even though they're not winning these games, they're playing much better football. Again, don't misread what I'm saying. I do not want Bill Callahan back next year. I don't want Bruce Allen back. I don't want Bill Callahan back. And I definitely don't want Greg Minoski

back. More on that shortly. On the list of things that I liked from yesterday is Dwayne Haskins. His best game, he's confident, he's a competitor, he's been that in all of his starts, and he's made plays in his previous starts. Some very good plays. Yesterday, the most good plays of any game he's played all year. If you start with the second snap of the game, second and eight, a low snap, he's got to dig it out of the ground, he does it very calmly with poise, picks it up, and slings it sidearmed Adrian Peterson for 10 yards. A few plays later, It's a second and six shotgun. Quick snap, quick throw, quick game.

Quick release. Love his release. When he is confident, which is often, and he knows where he's going, the ball gets out quickly. Look at that throw to sprinkle. There was the touchdown throw to McLaren, which was a lot of McLaren after the catch. There was a first and 10 back shoulder to McLaren that drew a pass interference penalty. He's aggressive. You know, even when he threw inaccurately, like to Stephen Sims' job,

junior on their third drive of the game. There's recognition, much more so now, pre-snap, on where he's going to go with the ball and where the right place to go with the ball is. Sims made some really good catches. That was one of them. How about his speed option runs? How about them using him in the option game? You know, there's a read there.

It's speed option because there's no mesh handoff. So he's coming down the line. He's still got to read the D-end, and he either keeps it or pitches it. The first one, great ball handling skills, good patience, and he fakes the pitch, turns it up, and then comes back to the pitch, and pitches it to Peterson, who picks up, you know, 14 yards. Then you had the big third and one option keeper late in the game for 23 yards. I've mentioned this before, but for those that have missed it, I suggested back in training camp and preseason games that I was watching a guy that was much more mobile

than the guy I remembered from Ohio State. And he looked thinner and he looked quicker. John Kime mentioned this to me recently, that he has had conversations with Dwayne, and Dwayne admitted that he lost a lot of body fat between his senior year at Ohio State, the end of that season, not senior year, the end of that season of his season last year

and the beginning of training camp. He worked at that and lost a lot of body fat. It shows he's much more mobile than he's. then he appeared to be at Ohio State. He plays with urgency. He plays with composure. He plays like he knows what's going on.

This is like the irony with the early season concern. Like yesterday was the first delay a game penalty I think they've had. Or the first time out, I'm sorry, that they had to call because of the play clock winding down. And then yesterday there was a situation that really, for me, I thought, was impressive. Bear with me here. With second in goal at the Philadelphia 5-yard line, second quarter, they're down 10 to 7. The play clock is winding down. Most rookie QBs have no idea that the play clock is winding down.

You look at them and they're lost, and then their coach will hit a timeout, or they'll take the delay a game penalty. But while he's urgently trying to get the receivers into the right spots, and maybe he called the play incorrectly, I don't know, but he's urgent in trying to get everybody into the right location, all the while, you can see him keeping an eye on the play clock. And when he realizes he's not going to get the playoff, he calls timeout. Now Callahan had called the timeout simultaneously as well.

But you could see that Dwayne was all over. A lot of things. He's over the fact that people aren't lining up correctly. He's urgently trying to get them lined up in the right spots. He's watching the play clock simultaneously. This is not something that is easy for young courts. You see it all the time with young quarterbacks. They have no idea how much time's left on the play clock.

He did. And then after the timeout, they come out. It's second and goal. I think it was second and goal. Third and goal, whatever it was. And Sims seems to line up in the incorrect spot. Again, Haskins very urgent, gets him into the right spot, and then throws him a touchdown pass.

This guy is so far from confused and overwhelmed. You know, Callen, Callahan said it last week. I brought this up, if you recall. Callahan said he just doesn't get phased, you know, meaning he doesn't get rattled. That's not him. He had some bad plays yesterday. He's had some bad plays in every game. A lot of quarterbacks have bad plays to go with good plays. A lot of young quarterbacks have many more bad plays than good plays. He had some bad throws. The Sims wide open throw on the third drive of the game. He threw it behind him. Now, Sims makes a great catch, but it's not a great throw. He had the late throw to hard.

Harmon when he worked backside to Harmon in the end zone that got deflected and nearly picked. That was late. The last two throws of the first half are not good throws. Middle of the field of the Sims, now there may have been a miscommunication on that. He's thrown into three defenders should have been picked. And then as they're approaching, you know, they're at midfield right before the end of the half, trying to get in field goal range, he's got Sims wide open for 25 yards, and he misses him because he throws off his back foot.

you know that that's not a good play by him it certainly would have been nice to see him get that Hail Mary launched at the end of the game now I put that on Callahan for not using his timeouts well at the end of the game and I'll get to that in a moment but he took one with him to the locker room but you know before that last snap they had a timeout left I think Callahan should have called the timeout because they saw Philly lining up to Blitz they weren't playing eight in coverage or nine in coverage they were coming with extra pressure Call your last time out. Make sure it's blocked up well. Dwayne Haskins yesterday was 19 of 28 for 261 yards, two touchdowns, no sacks.

He had a 60.6 raw QBR. That's good. Very solid. Had a 121.3 passer rating. That's excellent. Some of you had made up your mind on him already. Some of you have already made up your mind even after yesterday that you just don't think he can do it. I think it's ridiculous to have that opinion at this point. You've certainly seen more. that would give you belief that he can do it more than he can't do it. Now, at what level can he do it at? That's still, the jury's still out on that one. I'm not, just because of yesterday, don't get me wrong, I'm not sold on him after yesterday.

I'm just building towards, as I mentioned and have mentioned, being much more intrigued about his future than I ever thought I would be. He's got talent, he's got a toughness, and a simultaneous composure poise about him that lends well to the position. He was a B-plus yesterday. B-plus. Terry McClureen's so good. Now, is he Jerry Rice good? No. Is he Julio Jones good? I don't think so.

He's for a third round pick. Terry McLaren looks like a steel. He is a deep threat. He is a guy that runs away from people. If he catches it in space, he's a guy that you've got to give space to because he can run by you. He catches everything. He's got some wiggle after the catch. McLoran, another really good game yesterday,

as he's pretty much had all season long. Five catches, 130 yards, one touchdown on that 75-yarder. How about Stephen Sims, Jr.? Sims Jr. or Trey Quinn right now is your slot guy? I mean, come on. Sims Jr. has ridiculous game-breaking ability. The Redskins have added speed and game-breaking. You know, playmaking ability offensively.

He had five catches, 45 yards. He dropped one. Also had a couple of good returns. Had one of his kickoffs go. He had a 41-yard kickoff on one of them. Nearly broke it. He looks like he's a threat to break it every time he touches it. He was back there on punt returns.

Stephen Sims, Jr. is a steal right now. He is a slot guy. He is a guy that, you know, is going to be a difficult match. up, especially if you have speed on one side and potentially like in Kelvin Harmon, a possession type of guy on the other side. Stephen Sims Jr. Really, really good game. Great catch on that third drive of the game on the throw that was behind him and a really good job on the touchdown catch getting both feet in. Ryan Anderson's the most improved player on this roster from last year. So you take all the rookies and first year players out, the guys that were on the roster last

year. You tell me one guy that has improved more from last year than Ryan Anderson. He is a different player. First of all, so aggressive, so confident. Has quick, quick twitch speed. I never thought he had it. He's tough to block and he makes plays, gets to the quarterback and forces fumbles. Ryan Anderson is really, really playing at a high level. I think Cole Holcomb's very good too. I just love the speed. So you're adding speed defensively. I like Cole Holcomb's speed, the fifth rounder out of North Carolina. All right, the things that I didn't like list, their third down defense was just awful. 11 for 16 on third down, that's not nearly good enough. Truth is Carson Wentz missed some things, could have had a better number on third down than they finished up. He had a third and

short throw on their first drive of the second half to Ward. Ward's wide open. And, Wentz just misses them, misses them low. It's incomplete. They had to punt. That should have been a conversion. I looked this up earlier on the radio show. The Eagles in two games against the Redskins. 11 for 17 in the opener, 11 for 16 yesterday, 22 of 33. The third down. That's pretty hard. I'd love to know if somebody keeps stats on the best third down number all time in two games in one season. 22 of 33, 66%. Okay, that's ridiculous. The Redskins were terrible on third down.

They're back to last in third down defense after yesterday. 48% tied with Houston for 32nd in the NFL. It's just not good enough. Their run defense wasn't good enough yesterday. They got drawed to death yesterday. A lot of draws on third and long, including the 56-yard backbreaker by Sanders on a third and a left. that led to the score that gave Philadelphia 2421 lead in the fourth quarter.

I mean, they ran another one earlier in the game. I think it was to Scott on like a third and nine where he picked up, you know, the first down easily. They looked at nickel and they said, we can draw these guys. And one of the reasons they can is Montes sweats terrible. I'm not saying that he's terrible for good. This was a guy I loved. I don't get it. I have not seen the same guy that I watched at Mississippi State.

A guy with a burst, a guy with legit edge speed. a guy with a relentless motor. I mean relentless. This guy gets stuck on blocks, his reaction time to screens was poor. There's not a lot of urgency to his game. Now, he's a first year player, and we've seen Ryan Anderson.

Ryan Anderson didn't look very good. His rookie year, didn't look that good last year. You know, Montez Sweat, though, I thought, was particularly bad yesterday, as was Josh Norman, who came in for like all of six or seven snaps after Colvin got hurt. They didn't intend on playing Josh Norman,

but they had so many injuries that he had to go into the game. He didn't appear interested in being in the game either, and he became a target for the Eagles, including on the game winner award. Monta Nicholson's late hit on Ertz was just a stupid penalty. I tweeted out that if you're a real coach, you pull him from that game at that point. Maybe not for the whole game.

Here, a lot of you had a problem with me tweeting that, and it wasn't that it was a vicious, you know, hit. It was just so late and so obvious that he was doing it intentionally, and it just is stupid. Like the ball has sailed over Ertz's head, and it's like a second and a half later. Here comes Nicholson for a little sideways, you know, big hit on a defenseless receiver. Of course it was going to get flagged.

It was stupid. Instead of having third and super long, it's first and ten. the touchdown passes that they threw in the goal-to-go situations. My God, how do you leave Ertz as wide open as he got in some of those situations? Especially the one in the second half when they had four defenders on three receivers. And Ertz is the guy. He's the guy you got to check and you couldn't cover him. It didn't make any sense at all.

They really struggled in the red zone defensively. They struggled defensively all day. long. Lastly, on the things that I didn't like list was Callahan's clock management. He just doesn't know how to do it. We do this so much that I think it gets tiresome for some of you, but for those of you wondering, he went to the locker room at the end of the game with a timeout in his back pocket. That's inexcusable. They had multiple opportunities to use those timeouts on defense to give them a lot more time when they got the ball back on offense. He'd have to really have an unbelievable explanation for it.

Like, I don't know. Somebody else has that responsibility. I don't know how to do it, and I left it up to Kevin O'Connell. And O'Connell was over there talking to Dwayne about the next drive and forgot to do it. I don't know what the answer would be. It's terrible, though. You had to use it on defense. They should have had a minimum of 35 seconds left.

35 more seconds in addition to the 8th. They should have had 53 seconds left when they got the ball back first and 10 from their own 31 with at least one timeout left, or they could have had more than that with no timeouts left. He just doesn't know how to do it. Jay Gruden didn't know how to do it. Bruce Allen doesn't know how to do it. Nobody in the organization appears to know how to do it. They're not alone in the league.

That's for sure. But what it did is it made it made it so that they had the ball from their own 31 with 18 seconds left, two timeouts, instead of, say, 53 seconds left, one timeout. That would have been a better situation needing a touchdown down 31-27. I certainly would have thought about using that last timeout before the final snap. You want to get a Hail Mary off. Haskins has the arm. Let him throw one into the end zone.

Here comes Philadelphia with some blitz pressure, and the Redskins and he got sacked and threw it backwards and it got returned for a touchdown. How about calling your last time out there rather than taking it into the locker room with you to make sure everything's blocked up? I missed something actually from the things that I liked the list. I was just thinking, it just reminded me when I mentioned Kevin O'Connell's name. Kevin O'Connell called a really good game on yesterday. Maybe his best game as a play caller. First of all, we talked about on Friday what the key to beating Philadelphia was

offensively, and I said they have to throw the football this week. You can't run it against Philadelphia. You've got to throw it. You've got to be aggressive, and this should be the game that Duane has a chance to just sit back there and throw the football. So they did it. But they did it on early down and distance situations, and it was successful. And then Philadelphia started to bring more into the box and start to blitz the early down situations, and Kevin O'Connell hits him with a few screens. He really had a feel for the game yesterday. He did an Excellent, excellent job. A couple of final observations from the game yesterday.

The Ryan Anderson, roughing the passer and Carson Wentz, was a terrible call. It wasn't late and it wasn't low. It was perfection, the hit was. And then one other observation. So the end of the first half, why did Doug Peterson decline a holding penalty against the Redskins? Doug Peterson does some things every once in a while. He's a Super Bowl winning coach. He's very bright and very innovative.

There are things he'll do every once in a while where I'm like, no, that's not the right thing to do. The Redskins had, he called a time out when the Redskins had the ball at the end of the first half from their own nine-yard line after a six-yard game. He wants to get the ball back. He's aggressive. I don't have a problem with that. It was after a second and four in completion where there was a holding penalty called on

West Martin, who I thought, just as an aside, played really well for Branden. and sheriff. And it's third and four from their own 15. He declines the holding penalty. He chose third and four over second and 14. And even at that point, maybe it's half the distance. Maybe it's second and 12, second and 11. You don't decline that penalty. I mean, especially considering the Redskins had been moving the football. Third and four, you know, they declined the penalty. Haskins hits Thompson on the screen, first down, and the Redskins. are often moving. They didn't get anything out of that drive. They certainly could have, but that was odd. A quick word about stamps.com. This holiday season, don't go to the post office. No need to

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Kevin, D.C. Really good effort by all of our players. I thought by and large, they pour their hearts out there today. I commend our team every phase, you know, played hard, played, you know, four good, hard 60 minutes of football, you know. There's not much more I can ask of our team. That was Bill Callahan, and that was his opening statement. And what turned out to be one of the odds.

Bill Callahan press conferences of the year. These things have lasted forever. His answers go on and on and on. And yesterday's press conference following the game against the Eagles was four and a half minutes in total. Ben Standing from the athletic was there. He joins us right now. I've, you know, had fun with these two and three-minute answers all year long, these 15, 16, 17-minute pressers with Callahan. But yesterday I watched this thing, and I thought, wow, this is a guy that's hurting. This is a guy that's agitated. This is a guy that's upset. I've had three hours of radio this morning and, you know, a podcast that's going on for about half an hour, 45 minutes already.

I've heard from a lot of different people. I wanted to know what your reaction to it was. It was strange to say the least. I mean, look, it was a tough way to lose that game, you know, the Eagles score in the final 30 seconds, and it was clearly the Redskins' the most entertaining game of the year, and then probably the best overall game despite the loss. And so I understand how anybody there, players, coaches would feel upset. But that said, this is, you know, Bill Callahan's first rodeo.

So it was bizarre when he started to, you know, the answers were, like he said, very used to his lengthy anchors. These were the opposite. One of my colleagues, Karin Copeland, with the Post, asked him a question about Terry McLaren in which Callahan proceeded to then answer to Adrian Peterson, about Adrian Peterson. When Kareem then said, hey, sorry, Bill,

maybe you'd discern me. I met Harry McCrorn. He gave, like, a ridiculously short, 10-word generic answer. Like, oh, yeah, he had a really good game, you know, good player. I asked about DeWan Haskins. Seems like a pretty good day to talk about DeWain Hask, despite the loss, easily his best game of his young career. And the answer was very nonspecific to anything about Haskins and just focused on the loss.

So I don't quite understand why it seemed to hit him so hard, whether it was truly the loss, whether he thinks for him to have a shot to keep his job, he's got to actually put some wins on the board. Maybe he got caught up in the Urban Meyer or Niss of it all. I don't know, but it was very odd to see a guy who's been there, done that coach. I could have understood that more of that reaction. if they were talking about 34-year-old Kevin O'Connell trying to get a win as a head coach or something, but not a guy who's been around for so long. It was very odd because I believe.

I want to play his answer to your question about Dwayne's performance yesterday, because that was the next piece of sound I was going to play anyway, and you set it up very well because typically, you know, when Dwayne hasn't played well, he goes on and on and on and on. Yesterday, Dwayne plays the best game by Miles, and here's his answer. Yeah, I don't know. I'll have to look back at it.

I can't tell you right now. I'll have to look at the film and evaluate all these early plays, late plays, things of that nature. I think we can always learn, always can get better. That's for certain. That's it. Yeah, I mean, that was all of like 12 seconds. We usually get two minutes from him. It was odd.

I'm sitting there watching it. You're there. and I'm glad you had the same sense, and JP had the same sense as well when I had them on radio earlier today. So here are some theories, okay? A couple of theories from me, and let's go through them one at a time. Number one, what you said, and that was, you know, maybe he really felt and feels like he has a chance to keep this job. And specific to that, Ben, the NFC East has owned the Redskins over the last couple of years. They are 3 and 13 over their last 16.

He referred to it as being 2 and 14. He actually makes a comment. Actually, Aaron, play that one. Play number 11 where you hear him talk about the NFC East record. I just think this team has a lot of heart, a lot of spirit, and playing a lot of young guys. I just thought that it's a divisional game. It's an important game because it is our division.

And we haven't done quite well. I thought that was a huge challenge coming in. I think we're like 2 and 14 now against the NFC East, you know, which isn't a very good record. So, yeah, a lot of improvement. You know, we got a lot of road ahead of us, you know, so yeah, hopefully it's a good start competitively. But at the end of the day, it's just not good enough.

It ain't good enough. This was his first division game as interim head coach. They had played the three division teams earlier in the year when Jay Gruden was still the coach. I think with three division opponents remaining, and we know the emphasis, Ben, that the organization puts on these NFC East games. Like, you play six of those, you play 10 against everybody else. The other 10 are pretty important, too. But I can just hear, you know, Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder, NFC East, NFC East, he felt that if he put together a winning streak here, beating Philadelphia the Giants and the Cowboys, that maybe he had a shot. Maybe he had a shot to keep the job.

And I think that there was some real, you know, I think it was really upset that they blew that opportunity and they had that opportunity. What do you make of that theory because I got two more to bounce off you? I love the theories. Yeah, I mean, look, I think part of what we all sort of, I think, how we've observed Bill Callahan over these last few weeks since he's been the interim or the head coach is that he's an old school guy. But we don't mean that in some of like a cool way. We mean it in a way of like a guy who's sort of, it's from another era who's living, who's viewing the world from another place. This is a guy who's obviously, you know, been through the college wars, the NFL wars.

This is his life to win games. He's not focusing on the stuff that you and I will talk about, like, what they're asking the off-season in the draft. He's living in the moment. And I'm sure for him, like this moment is, right, this is a big game. He's got to talk up his players at these NFC East games are big games. And look, look, do I think Bill Callahan has a chance to be this head coach? Does that permanent head coach?

I mean, I would like to think no, no offense to him, but I just think they need to go in a different direction. But I could understand if he's viewing it as, hey, Bruce Allen's my guy. I don't know Bruce Allen is going to be gone, meaning from Callahan's perspective. And if I win these games out and Duane's playing well, boy, I can make a pretty good case for myself that we improved a lot, considering what I had to walk into. So, oh, yeah, what a dagger. He can't put another win next to his name. I mean, it would have won.

What would I have been? Three out of four. And, you know, all the four wins would have come since he was the coach. So I understand why he would think if I get to win, this helps my case. You know, I don't even know what he thinks. But he has to imagine that he thinks it helps his case. So I think it's a reasonable theory, even if I would view that as, whoa, really? You think this?

Okay, well, I don't know what to tell you, but okay. Yeah, I mean, I think it's a reasonable theory. think, like, if he looked at this and thought, you know what, the Eagles are getable, the giants are certainly getable, the Cowboys may not have anything to play for, if I finish winning five of our last six, and I go as a head coach, all right, at that point it would be six and five. I go six and five over my 11 games with three wins in the division, getting us back on the proper footing with respect to the division at 63 years old, I'm going to get a real opportunity. I think there was more, though. The second part of this is the defense. The defense let him down,

as it did early in the season. I had Larry on the show. Larry even talked about how it had to be, he felt that Callahan was agitated and it might have had to do with the defense. To hear Larry, you know, actually even sort of imply that there was something specific means that he really felt it because it's hard to get that at a Larry. And I thought to myself, yeah, you know, Minoski's defense, 11 for 16 on third down, do you know that that is now 22 of 33 against the Eagles in two games on third down, which has to be close to a record? And I'm sure going into the game yesterday, you know, they look at the first game and he's like with Greg, Greg, we've got to get off the field on third down. They were 11 for 17 in the opener. That's why we lost the

opener. We got to get, we got to have a plan to get off the field on third down. They're not. We got to get off the field on third down, and then it ends up being worse than it was in the opener. By the way, could have been worse because Wentz missed a couple of third down conversions, easy ones. So it was the frustration over Minuski, which I think there's a lot of organizational frustration over Minoski, which they tried to solve that problem last offseason, and they couldn't. But I think he's saying, I finally got a young quarterback that's playing well offensively, we scored 27 points in 51 plays. They had 22 more offensive snaps than we did,

and my damn defensive coordinator couldn't just get them off the field one more time. Just once. Get them off the field once, and we win the game. So I think there was some frustration there. As there has been organizationally with Minuski, what do you make of that? That's fair, although I guess my question is, so when they had the ball before they kicked the final Dustin Hopkins field goal, They're fourth and one.

You know, I don't know exactly if it was a short one or a long one. It was a longer one. It was a longer one. But I know the play at the Philadelphia 25, they're about five minutes to go in the game. Yeah. And so from my perspective, I'm thinking, you know what? Look, look where it sees it is. Be aggressive.

Go for it. And part of it was I didn't trust the defense to make that stop as needed. I mean, not only was the defense, you know, struggling. you know, up and down all season. You know, we already saw at that point, Tim, Jimmy Morland was out at corner. They were going deep into the bench. There we already, you know, the opposite already started,

but they were that Ryan Carrigan, although Ryan Anderson, obviously, more than filled in. For him, I would have just thought for myself, let me just go for it right here. Worst case scenario, we don't get the first down. They have the ball. They still have to go away to get it. Maybe we get the ball back or whatever.

I would have maybe said, let me put it on my offense. rather than my defense, the offense has been clicking, and so on. Of course, the defense had just gotten the ball back for the offense with a turnover moment before. So, you know, conventionally kicking the field goal of the right play. I'm just saying from like an emotional standpoint, maybe I think, you know what the hell with this. Let's put this on the strength of my line, the guys that I know, Adrian Peterson, and go from there. Yeah, you know, it's actually a fair criticism given their situation and given the situation in the moment defensively. I actually think that's a really – now they had had –

the strip sack fumble on the possession before, you know, that set up that field goal opportunity. But, you know, it's funny because they're dead last in third down defense again after yesterday. They're giving up 48% on third down, tied for 32nd in the league with Houston. So it's been a problem all year long. But, you know, as I pointed out earlier on the radio show, scoring touchdowns was a problem for over a month with Bill Callahan as the head coach. You know, they basically went more than a month without scoring a touchdown. And when they finally did, it was 34 to 3 in garbage time at home against the Jets. So every aspect, every phase of this football team has been responsible for what's turned out to be a dreadful season this year.

But anyway, they have now still gone, I believe, since Gruden was fired, they have not scored any points on an opening. drive this year according to some research done by one of my colleagues at the athletic. So even though they did better this game in terms of getting up to a quicker start, it's still, you know, even that's an example of just to the struggle that I've had this year offensively. Yeah. All right. The other theory is just the Urban Meyer thing.

Do you think he was upset that Urban Meyer was in the building? My answer is no to that. But let's use it as a way to get into the conversation about Urban Meyer. because I think you had some reporting on this, right? Yeah, I mean, I decided to spend my postgame Sunday hanging out watching the Steve Urban Meyer was still hanging out in the building. And what the end result was that we didn't see a couple of us had stayed back. We didn't see Urban Meyer.

We did see Dan Snyder and Alex Smith leave around 8 o'clock. having been upstairs in the owner's suite, I was told. So that was some four hours after the game. I've got a piece going up on the athletic team in a bit. Some more on this. And basically, I wrote the other day about potential Kansas and included Urban Meyer because, look, obviously he would be interesting. And there are obvious connection, you know, Alex Smith being one of them,

Dwayne Haskin's, Tara McCorn being others, not that these things would necessarily sway. The guy of his stature to take a job, there would be a lot of other factors concerning this organization. But, you know, I think these things do have some consideration. I don't, my basic sense is that urban mind is not really looking at the Redskins,

and I don't actually think that the Dwayne Haskins' presence would be a positive necessarily. I think you've done that rodeo. It doesn't necessarily need to get back on it again, but people change and improve and, you know, who, you know, and things like that. But, you know, he has also shown open interest in the Dallas job.

And I think on some level, maybe he wouldn't just check out his player, and maybe on some level he decided to, you know, hey, Jerry, here's what I'm doing today. What's up with you? So I'm not putting too much faith in the Urban Meyer coming here. But, look, it's interesting, obviously. This is he the exact guy that we know Dan Snyder has gone after throughout his career, the urban, the Steve Spurs of it all.

So, you know, I could understand the Redskins are wanting that path. I don't think right now it's a likely path. I agree with that, and I'll just add to the post game. He was there for a little while, too, but he was not with Dan and Alex Smith for much of that. But anyway, I agree with you. Urban Meyer would have better choices than coming here. I think it was what we learned from Terry McLaurin, that it was an invitation from McLaurin,

that he was at the Army Navy game in Philadelphia. He might even be visiting the White House today. I've been told that that's a possibility that he was there at the Army Navy game where Trump was and maybe got an invitation to the White House. So he took in a game with McLaurin and with Haskins with Alex Smith there and then he was going to visit the White House today. That's a possibility.

Anyway, where are we big picture right now? Where is this organization big picture right now? What do you think Dan is thinking? Do you have any insight on that? Or a guess. Well, I think my basic take on this has been, until I see any indications, true indications, that Bruce Allen diminished power,

I don't necessarily buy the idea that he's out. I know so many people desperately want him out, including probably people who do what you and I do, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's so. I mean, yes, I understand we can point to little things along the lines of, like, you know, for example, Bruce Allen, I saw Bruce Allen in the area to get into a car and leave well before Dan Snyder and Alex Smith left. Does that mean that he's no longer in the loop? I don't know about that. He's still running the show and every indication that I can see.

And, you know, every time there's a rumor out there about a coaching candidate that the right things you're interested in, that either says to me that Bruce Allen is. part of that process because he's the one who's tasked with hiring the next coach, or it's Dan Snyder's making those takes, which is obviously scary in its own right. So, honestly, I'd be lying if I said I had any real

sense of what Dan Snyder is thinking or wanting to do. Logically, it's impossible to imagine a scenario where he thinks, unlike Bruce Allen, that the culture is good and everything is fine. He's looking at his stands there. I mean, there were a lot of, there were lots of Eagles

the fans there yesterday. A lot of noise who Philly did anything, and this is obviously not a one-off. It's been this way the entire year, no matter who showed up. That has to, you know, that has to sting him as much as anything,

even probably beyond the record on some level, because you could talk yourself into the record a lot of ways was Jay Guden's fault, Dwayne's a young quarterback, but you can't, you know, the stands, that's a moral reflection on the organization than anything. So, I mean, I don't see how he's looking at this

and thinking status quo, it was fine. And obviously, there will be a coaching change, even if it's the changes of Callahan gets the job. But, you know, what that means is he really going to make big sweeping changes, the kind that everybody seems to push for the Bruce Allen of it all? Like, you know, maybe, but I'm, you know, I'm not convinced that's happening until, you know, I see a lot more than I think so far. Yeah, I mean, I'll just weigh in here on this right now because I haven't said where I am today on December 16th, I still think Bruce Allen is going to be gone from the football operation. Could that mean, you know, he gets put into a different spot with different

responsibilities? I guess so, but I still would bet on him not being a part of the organization when this season ends and massive change in the offing. But again, and I've said this a million times, I felt the same way last year at this time with some of the same conversations. with the same people that I had this time last year, and it turned out that he was back and everybody was back. The thing that I think people need to understand is that there's a lot of impulse with ownership. It's part of the personality,

and so he may one day feel one way, and then the other day feel completely different. And a win over Philadelphia and a season-ending stretch of winning three in a row with Callahan, I think Bruce and Dan would have had a conversation where Bruce would have been able to really sell the message. I told you. I told you we're close. We're heading in the right direction.

You can't bail on this thing now. We're good next year. We're going to be really good next year. And that could have played out differently. And maybe a close loss, he can still have, make that case. I don't know. But anyway, you were going to say so. No, that's the thing.

I mean, to me, a week now, no matter what the record was going to be, I mean, the season could end up almost with a, a positive if Dwayne Haskins shows that he's a player that is a legitimate starting NFL quarterback that this team can get excited about. And if that occurs, you give a lot of credit to Dwayne Haskins, but logically, you would also have to give credit to the coaching

staff that helped him get there, and we know that's not, you know, the perception of reality, we know that wasn't so much of Jay Grudence, but Kevin O'Connell, and I guess you could say Bill Callahan would be the people you'd be, you know, saying, hey, these guys really helped. Dwayne Haskins go to another level of that,

the case. Do I necessarily need to break this up? No. I mean, again, this is what you could talk yourself into. So, yeah, even though, despite the loss, obviously, you know, the bigger story is Wayne Haskins had a really good game. The offense looked good, more creative under O'Connell this week. And, you know,

again, there's so many pieces they're missing. Imagine what happened to say, actually get a viable tight end. I have a second receiver to next to McCorn who puts a scare into defenses and so on. You know, you know, no brain and sheriff, no Trent Williams, obviously, yesterday.

So they got a lot of major pieces and still were right there and looked pretty good. So you could spin the positives if you wanted to, and that is both, I guess, I could say you look at it a potentially scary part of the situation for those who really want massive change. Do you think they were trying to avoid at all costs putting Josh Norman into the game, but had to when Colvin got hurt? Oh, yeah. I mean, Colvin hasn't played.

I know. First of all, I mean, it's really unbelievable. I like David Johnson. I liked him last year as a training camp sleeper, and it worked out that he made the team. And, you know, sure, logical. Let's see what he can do, right? Does that mean you start Danny Johnson in his first game

at having not played all year? I wouldn't think under a normal circumstance if that would happen. And then Aaron Colvin, a guy who, you know, sort of the poor man to Josh Norman in a sense of he's a former starter in this league who basically does not play all year, they started playing him over Norman. And it wasn't until, like you said, both Moore and Colvin were banged up a bit that they had to go to Norman. And, you know, of course, the ball finds him, finds the guy he was defending on the Eagles.

Go ahead and touch him. But, yeah, it remains a bizarre circumstance. Danny Johnson played 55 of the 70-something snaps in the game yesterday. Josh Norman got in for the final six when Colvin got hurt. One last thing. I did find it interesting. Not that they didn't have, you know, justification for going to the IR, Kerrigan and Paul Richardson. Richardson's played his last down, I think, as a Redskin. That was a disaster, signing pick, signed free agent. But I just sort of thought to myself how convenient if they start sticking guys on injured reserve here at the end of the year. Now, a lot of teams do that when they're out of it. It's not unique.

but they're going to try to get that list to climb so Bruce can say, you know, we finish the year with 18 guys on IR, whatever it is. It's not going to be nearly that many because they've been relatively healthy. You don't think Richardson's back, right? No way. Now, I wrote a piece like a month ago in which I started looking ahead to the 2020 roster and going piece by piece. And at that point, I was saying that while Richardson, it's not like you're saving a ton of money relative to how much the dead cap would be.

that I could easily see a scenario where it were it for him. It just has not made any sense. Now, of course, anything about 2020, we have the caveat with. We don't know who the coach is, and maybe there's a different coach who looked at a Paul Richardson and says, hey, I actually should throw the ball deep to him, which is the whole point of why I thought they brought him here in the first place, and then they never do. But, you know, it certainly hasn't worked out.

I wouldn't, you know, if they want to justify it but getting rid of him just because of, hey, we need to move on. It'd be impossible to argue his stats, come for two years combined, are like, you know, five good games for Julio Jones. So, you know, I'm exaggerating slightly, but not much. So, yeah, I can easily see them moving on. And look, I think what are you saying or not? They have to figure out more in the receiving game.

You know, McCorn looks like an absolute stunt, but, you know, the two-in-tight-ins and the second-receiver they need more. All right. What else? Did I miss anything with you? Um, no, I, here's one question I guess I would have for you. The Urban Meyer situation, whether it's him or somebody like him, it seems to me that the way you're going, the money, I can't believe money would be a factor. You know, Jerry, if we're talking to Urban Meyer specifically, Jerry Jones, if he wants him, walk for him the moon as well. And obviously colleges out there would probably the same based on, you know, college average salaries an hour,

coaching average salary, they're going to hitting $10 million and up. So it seems like the way to differentiate yourself with the power, i.e., give the guy total control of, you know, the roster and the coaching and all that. That's not going to happen in Dallas because Jerry is Jerry and he is like the GM. But so my question is, would you be good with that? Like, I get the people who said anything besides Bruce Allen is fine, but I'm not a big fan of the whole coach GM scenario. But if that's what it took to lure in Urban Meyer, would you be down to that?

Yeah, I mean, I've thought about this so many times and talked about it, but you hit on it. It's that, you know, the best, you know, the best situation for most teams is to have a true, you know, general manager and have a coach and have them, you know, linked at the hip and working together and understanding each other. And, you know, the GM getting players that fit the, you know, fit with the coach once. And the coach having a sense of what the GM likes. And that would be the best thing. at this point, given how completely dysfunctional the whole thing's been, if you told me that Bruce is gone and a head coach got hired, whether it's Greg Williams or Mike Tomlin or Urban Meyer or Marvin Lewis or anybody,

and they got some power to make the personnel decisions as well, well, I'd automatically say, well, it's better than what they have. It may not be the best situation, but it would be better than what they have. and if that person got true contractual authority and autonomy, then you're talking about, you know, a real, you know, football situation, at least, with football people being involved and not a lot of, you know, impulse and inexperience, you know, having a voice in the football operation, which has always been a problem. So, yeah, I would go for it. Why not?

What's the alternative? Do you really think that he's going to be able to attract a top flight GM and say, you go hire the coach, whether he likes Haskins or not? That's not going to happen. Right. I mean, I think that's the question. Everybody's focusing so much on the coaching candidates. But yes, I think the real question is if you did get rid of Bruce Allen and you could actually convince Dan Snyder to go with the conventional rap that he's

essentially avoided almost the entirety of his 20 years, which is have a true team president slash a general manager who then hire the coach, you know, in a real sense, that would be, that way, and by the guy, I mean, and by the GM who's a true personnel guy, Bruce down there's not really a true personnel guy, that, that to me would be the ideal situation, but the question become, can you hire somebody with talent? Now, maybe they go down the rattle like my Baltimore Orioles where they pluck somebody from a front office, a younger guy who's, you know, from a front office that's shown some good, things and let that guy help shape you going forward and go sort of the slow route in that respect.

But that, you know, they've never shown that incline. So my guess that's the least likely option, but it's probably the one I would prefer the most, to be honest. Thank you for the conversation, the information, as always, Ben Standing, the athletic, all right, subscribe to the athletics so you can read them, follow them on Twitter at Ben Standing. I will talk to you soon, sir. Thanks for the time. Always appreciate, man. MyBooky.ag, guys, if you're looking for a place to wager, consider MyBooky.orgy.

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and you're like, hmm, the only way I'm going to be interested in this one is if I've got something going on with it. Be careful, betting. We always give you that disclaimer. It's not for everybody. If you want to wager and you don't have a place, consider my bookie.ag. Right now, they'll match your deposit halfway all the way up to $1,000. That means if you deposit $2,000, you get an extra $1,000 in free money to play with. I use my promo code, Kevin D.C., to activate the offer.

Once again, that's Kevin D.C. at my bookie.orgie. Before we get to around the NFL, I wanted to mention just in looking at this team right now, I just had this one thought, and I don't know how I got to it with Ben's conversation, but I think I brought it up on the radio show earlier today as well. So the job attractiveness. Look, number one, if you are an NFL head coaching candidate with I, options. Dan Snyder is at the bottom of the list of the people you want to work for. It is no longer a, oh, he really wants to win and he pays well. And, you know, he gets involved,

but you can deal with it because the money's great and the fan base is incredible and the opportunity, you know, of turning this thing around is so great. No, no, no. That's, because of the owner, it's at the bottom of the list. The owner and current team president combined drops it to below the bottom of the list. So an urban Meyer who may have serious places to consider, both in college and in the NFL, I don't think he's coming here. Now, the other thing Pete coaches look for after, you know, management, who they're going to be working for, compensation, etc., is what kind of situation are they walking into? You know, the Redskins roster is not the worst in the league. I think we all agree on that. It's also not what some of you have made it out to be,

which is like this roster that's on the verge, on the cusp of being, you know, an elite roster. In the same way that this offensive line's never been top five, even with Trent Williams on it, or the young defense isn't a top five talented defense. We get crazy with exaggeration when it comes to this. It's a nice middle of the league roster right now with, you know, some draft choices, some potential that they clean it up, you know, and take some pain in 2020, some salary cap space in 2021 and beyond. And you've got some nice young players.

You've got a guy in McLaren who looks like a number one guy. You know, he's not a lot to be a number one guy, but as a third rounder, you know through 14 games, he's no worse than a number two. And he's a number two with speed. But he's potentially a legit number one guy. You know, is he Jerry Rice? No.

All right. Does he have a lot of promise? Yes. Does Kelvin Harmon is a number two as a possession type of guy at promise? Yes. Stephen Sims, Jr., playmaker, slot? Yes, speed on offense in McLaren and Sims. We don't know about Geis. It's a big wild card, okay? The quarterback at this point, jury's still out, but he's got some things that are interesting to potentially a coach looking for a spot. Defensively, you know, ionitis, certainly a guy like Ryan Anderson, who's really been in.

improved. Pain, Allen, you know, hopefully sweat, but who knows about sweat? Quentin Dunbar can play a little bit. Landing Collins can play a lot. It's a middle, it's not a bottom feeder of a roster. It's somewhere in the middle of the league is a roster with a chance to improve it. And with good coaching, you know, you might be able to, you know, you might be able to make a run at a playoff spot here in the next couple of years if you continue to build this roster and coach it well. But it's not teed up for a Super Bowl run. Like Dallas's roster is teed up for a Super Bowl run. So, you know, they have needs, too. And I would rank them in this order. Pass rush or won. Yes, pass rusher one. I know they got one at the end of the first round in sweat. So far, you know, disappointing for me. I'm going to let it play out here,

as I like to say, because he's a young player. He's learning the ropes. Maybe next year is a breakout year. Who knows? Maybe it's year three, him. Pass rusher, left tackle, corner, tight end. Those are the four significant needs for this team. Pass rusher, left tackle, corner, tight end, after, of course, new front office, new coaching staff. All right. That's the priority, you know, you're putting together your priority list for 2020 and beyond. I'm going, new team GM president, whatever we're going to give him the title, new team president slash GM, new football coach and staff, pass rusher, left tackle, corner, tight end. There you go.

And it may be quarterback. Still may be quarterback. Let's go around the NFL. The biggest plays and the clutch moment. It's time to go around the NFL. All right. Let's just talk about some of these games from yesterday. First of all, Dallas destroyed the Rams yesterday, 44 to 21.

There were a couple of interesting things from that game yesterday, Aaron. Number one was, did you see the confusion over the coin toss? Yes, I did. So for those that missed it, Dak Prescott was one of the captains, went out. Cowboys won the toss. And Prescott said, well, kick it. Well, kicking it is a decision. It's not deferring the decision to the second half.

And so Anderson, the referee, essentially said, you want to kick it? giving him another chance, and then he said something that Anderson, the head referee, thought was, yes, we want to kick it. Which means that they'd kick it off to open the game, and then the Rams would have their choice to receive it or kick it in the second half. So they went to the review, Al Riveron in New York. They went to the review of the sound from the coin toss, and they heard Dak Press, press, got apparently upon further review, given a chance to clarify his position, say that he defers. Yes. So even though it looked throughout the first half that the Rams were going to get the ball to start

the game and to start the third quarter, they fixed it and they came out in the second half and the Cowboys got the ball. None of it really mattered because the Cowboys destroyed the Rams. They rushed for 263 yards. Elliot had a buck 17, two touchdowns. Tony Pollard, The rookie had 131 yards and a late game touchdown as well. The Cowboys defensively totally shut down L.A. through the competitive portion of the game, and they want it going away, 44 to 21. And they go to Philadelphia for a Sunday afternoon, you know, right before the holiday.

This time of year, you get these big games in this next to last week of the season, and they're going to play the Eagles for first place in the NFCE Sunday at the Link in Philadelphia. The Cowboys are two and a half point favorites over the Eagles, and they're two and a half point favorites for this very simple reason. They're the better team. They're just the better team. They're very capable. Sean Lee was a monster yesterday. Monster. And they don't even have Vanderesh right now. They're very capable. They're poorly coached. We know that. But they're very capable. And I think at home in a wild card weekend game in Dallas against San Francisco. Francisco or Seattle, a five seed. You know, one of those two is likely to be the five seed. Minnesota could still be the five seed, but more likely than not, it would be the division runner up in the NFC West is going to travel to Dallas. And I could see the Cowboys giving that team a very difficult time at home.

They beat Seattle last year in the postseason. Yeah, that's one that I'm looking more and more at. We always, I shouldn't say always. but it does seem kind of often that we get these, you know, crappy division winners. We go, oh, why are they all wait? You know, why are they let in? This is ridiculous. And then they just go out and win the most notable, of course, being that Seattle.

Seattle is a 7-9 team, yeah. But so I've been looking at that more and more. And no, it wouldn't shock me if Dallas ends up winning a game. Well, here's the thing. You get teams that limp into the postseason that aren't very good when you watch them. You know that even their best isn't good enough. And the thing that you have to recognize about the Cowboys is their best is good enough. If they play their best, they're capable of making a run in the postseason.

Zeke Elliott is a monster. I love watching this dude run. He breaks more tackles and has more yards after contact at the line of scrimmage. He's a pleasure to watch play. Anyway, the Cowboys destroyed the Rams, and that sets up the game with the Eagles on Sunday. The Cowboys are the better team. That's why they're favored on the road. You know, the Cowboys being a two and a half point favorite on the road means they would be an eight and a half point favorite if that game were in Dallas this Sunday. Remember, they destroyed

the Eagles. Haven't they won? They've won a bunch of games in a row now against the Eagles, right? They won earlier this year. They pounded the Eagles in that Sunday night game 37 to 10. Last year, I remember on a Sunday night they won in Philadelphia. That's what sparked their whole run last year. Yeah, okay, so two and O last year they won this second game. They did lose the first game in 2017. Okay, so they're four straight. They've won.

Four straight over the Eagles. Yeah, that game at the end of 2017 meant nothing. It was with the backup players with the Eagles. Six-nothing, Cal, which went. Yeah, six-nothing Eagles. But the two games last year were big games in 2018. It was the game on the Sunday night that really propelled Dallas to like a four or five, six-game win streak, whatever that turned out to be to turn their whole season around at three and,

and five. I think the Cowboys were three and five at the break last year, or at the midway point last year. So anyway, that's, you know, and here's what it guarantees. It guarantees that the NFC East winner is going to be at least eight and eight, you know, potentially nine and seven, because the Eagles finished with the Giants and the Cowboys finish with the Redskins. Now, if the Cowboys win on Sunday against the Eagles, that clinches the division because they would own the head-to-head tie-breaker, so even if they lost to the Redskins in the season finale, it would not matter. Now, if the Eagles win the game on Sunday, they, I believe, still need the Cowboys, they would still need to beat the Giants, because if they lost to the Giants and the Cowboys won,

the Cowboys would end up having a better division record. So follow that one more time. Dallas wins Sunday. It's over because they sweep the Eagles. The Eagles win Sunday. They have to beat the Giants in the season finale to get to 9 and 7, or the Cowboys could still win the division by beating the Redskins and having the Giants beat the Eagles. And that game for Philadelphia is in the Meadowlands to end the season at New York, a team that they barely beat on Monday night a week ago. I like Dallas to win the game. That's my early hundred. bunch. Well, you know, I've not seen what kind of action there is, but I just think they're the

better football team. So the Sunday night game last night was Buffalo beating Pittsburgh to clinch a playoff spot. The bills are in the playoffs. They're 10 and 4. Sean McDermott. What a season the bills have had. 10 and 4. Josh Allen, to me, I don't care about his numbers. He is a baller. He makes plays when they need plays. Devin Singletary, we talked about him last year at the draft. He's got to hold on to the ball, but he's in. dangerous running back. But their strength is their defense, man. Tremaine Edmins, you know, Tredavius

White, Jordan Phillips, Shaq Lawson, Trent Murphy, all right, continues to play well. Lorenzo Alexander continues to play well. I've been a Micahide fan from the days of Green Bay. I used to get in arguments with Cooley about Micahide. I'm like, he's just a player, man. He's always around the ball. He's like, hey, he's too slow, can't run. Whatever. Player. Buffalo's defense?

Legit. Real legit. Pittsburgh's still alive for that last wild card spot despite the loss where Devlin Hodges, Devlin Duck Hodges, look terrible. Four interceptions, took sacks, couldn't, I mean, they were lucky to be close. And watching that game, Buffalo just looked like the better team to me in that game last night. Buffalo's got the Patriots this coming week on that Saturday triple header. What a Saturday triple header. Every game's got playoff stakes. Houston at Tampa, Houston's got a win. Tampa is very difficult to deal with right now. Then Buffalo at New England in a game in which Buffalo can still win the division if they win two and the Patriots lose to. Yes. And then the Saturday night game is Rams at Niners. Niners, you know, trying to win the division, trying to still get the one seed. The Rams, an outside shot, they would have to win their final two and the Vikings would have to lose their final two to get a wild card berth. Really good Saturday triple header on the NFL network. I had completely forgotten about the Saturday games too. Yeah, the Saturday triple header really looks like a good one. Elsewhere yesterday, the Texans and the Titans in one of the

biggest games of the day. I had the Texans in the smell test, even though I liked the Titans, but the public was backing the Titans. I took the Texans. They won the game 24 to 21. They had a lead. They seemed to be in control. You know who I really like is a back as Carlos Hyde. You know, he's a good back. Both of these teams, I think, think are capable and difficult outs. Now, maybe not against Baltimore, but I like both of these teams. Cooley never liked Bill O'Brien. I don't think he gets nearly enough credit. I like Vrable a lot more. I love Deshawn Watson. They've got a quarter. Remember all the years when Houston was making the playoffs without a quarterback? You know, they've got a quarterback in Deshawn Watson. Hopkins is a

beast. Fuller's good. Stills has come in and played really well for them. The Texans get to nine and five. The are still alive for both. The Texans play at Tampa, not an easy game. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that game's like Pickham. I haven't even looked at that line. What do you think that line is right now, Aaron? Houston at Tampa Saturday. I think, especially with Evans and Godwin out, I'm going to say Houston's a slight favorite. One and a half. Evans is out. Evans is out and Godwin, it does seem like he is likely to be out next week. Houston's a one and a half point favorite. Nailed it. There you go. one and a half point favorite at Tampa. New England's a six and a half point favorite at home Saturday

against Buffalo, and the 49ers are six and a half over the Rams. I actually thought that would have been a little bit higher. I bet the Rams looked like a play to me on Saturday night. So the Texans win that first Tennessee still alive, but Tennessee is New Orleans this weekend, and Houston has the game against Tampa. Not easy games at all. The craziest ending to a game with the San Francisco Atlanta game. San Francisco and Atlanta, think about this. The 49ers played a 48 to 46 game a week ago in New Orleans. Two really good supposed defensive teams, right? Now they're playing Atlanta, not a good defensive team, and it's 13 to 10 early in the fourth quarter. San Francisco up 13 to 10. Now, the stretch of schedule the 49ers have had going Green Bay, Baltimore,

New Orleans had to take something out of them going into this game. I've mentioned that the Falcons were going to be a difficult team to deal with the rest of the way. They're just too capable offensively, and they've really shown it. In the fourth quarter, it's back and forth. The 49ers kick a field goal to go up 2217 with about a minute and 50 left, and then the Falcons with Matt Ryan leading the way go on a long drive. They're down at the goal line. There's a pass to Julio Jones at the goal line,

which is going to be the final play of the game. He's ruled short of the goal line. Replay overturns it, gives him the touchdown. They put two seconds back on the clock. 23, 22, Atlanta now with the lead. Very interestingly, and I would not have done this. Just a little bit of strategy here. So Dan Quinn, with two seconds to go up 23 to 22,

the move there is you go for two to try to make it a three-point lead. He put his two-point conversion team out there and took a knee. Did not want to run a play. Now, the risk is you throw a pick or you get hit, fumble, and they recover it and return it for a two-point score. But that's a one-in-five-hundred play? I don't know what it is. One in 150, 100.

It's such a long shot. Here's why you go for the two there. You could get a crazy 49ers play that ends with some sort of penalty that puts them into a untimed down field goal attempt at the end of the game. You don't know. That's more likely than a two-point conversion being returned. So he took the knee 23-22 and then what happened is San Francisco starts tossing the ball around the return and he gets picked up by Atlanta and returned into the end zone for a 29-22 final. As we said at the top, the total in the game was 50. If you had the under 13 to 10 early in the fourth quarter, it's a lock winner. And then in the last two seconds, you had

13 points scored for the game to go over the total. 29-22, do the math, 51 points. If you had it at 50 and you had it under 50, you lost. I did not have any action on that game at all. So San Francisco is now 11 and 3 in a conference with two other 11 and 3 teams. The Seahawks currently at 11 and 3 based on their head-to-head with the Niners. They beat the Niners in Santa Clara on that Monday night game. They are in first place.

Seattle this week has, the Cardinals at home, and then they close with the 49ers. So the Seahawks are probably going to get to that season finale against the Niners in pretty good shape with a chance to win for the division. Now, the 49ers at 11 and 3, they've got the Rams this week. If they lose that game to the Rams and then beat the Seahawks, I don't have that one figured out yet, but I think if they lose to the Rams, You got to find that out.

Can Seattle clinch this coming weekend with a win and a San Francisco loss? Who wins the 12-and-4 tiebreaker scenario with the 49ers winning that final game? Because it looks like they would have the same division record. They'd have the same division record. So then it would get to common games. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know either. I don't know either.

I know this. San Francisco beat New Orleans. And I think Seattle lost to New Orleans. I'd have to think about what Seattle's losses. Let me pull up the playoff machine here real quick. Yeah, do the playoff machine real quickly. Anyway, we move on to other games. Chicago and Green Bay.

Green Bay is in total control of this game, 21-3. The Bears run off 10 straight points and they got the ball one final. Actually, they had the ball twice down 21-13. Did you see the last play of the Bears game, of the Bears' Packers game? I know you're working on the playoff machine. Just it's... No, I did not see that game because I was at FedEx Field. Okay, so the Bears down 2113

have the ball at the Green Bay 34-yard line with one second left. Instead of throwing the ball into the end zone on a Hail Mary deal, they throw it underneath to Tar Cohen. So now they're going to start the lateral drill. He throws it back to Tribisky backwards. Tribisky throws it backwards to this tight end horse stead. And all of a sudden, the C's part and here comes Horstead towards the end zone with a pitch guy on his wing.

Oh, yes, I did hear about that. He was either Miller or Robinson. He's got a guy wide open for the pitch and an easy score, and then Chicago's going for two to tie the game. And Horstead doesn't pitch it. It's so wide open. Like if you've seen the play, it's crazy. He held onto the ball.

He got tackled. And with that, the Bears eliminated from the playoff race. Also, anybody holding a Bears plus four plus four and a half ticket. devastated at that play. Consider me to be one of those people. The Vikings, did you figure it out on the playoff machine? It's because it would go to common games. It's too hard to figure out of the play.

The playoff machine has that here. No, no, no, I understand. But you have to put in the wins for every single game that's going on because it would go to common games, which means that, like, depending on what the Cardinals would do, would have an impact. It's their common games. Right, exactly.

It's their common games. Right. It's how they did head. ahead in their common games. It doesn't matter about winning percentage of the teams they play. Here's what I have. I have the Seahawks would win according to the playoff machine. I also see an article that says the ESPN playoff machine is wrong.

Seattle can't clinch NFC West in Week 16. Oh, you did? Okay. Well, if you've got that, that's fine. But the common games does not depend on a Cardinals game against somebody else in their winning percentage. It's just, you see what I'm saying? Yeah. It's not a winning percentage or a losing percentage of opponents. It's

common games, meaning how each of you did. Is common games before strength of schedule? It's in order of division tiebreaker. I'm pretty sure it is head to head, division record, common games. I'm almost positive, and that's new within the last few years. It used to be conference record, but it's best one loss, here it is. Two teams division, head to head, best one lost tide percentage in games played within the division, best one lost tide percentage in common games. So you match up all the common games and whatever Seattle's record was percentage-wise against those teams that they played in common, and whatever the 49-year. Here's what is, according to this

article, this is one of the Seahawks sites, says they would have the same common game record. So it would eventually go to strength of victory. Okay, then it would, yeah, hold on, let me get that. Yeah, it would be conference record and then strength of victory. It would then be, no, then it would go to conference record. Right, which would be the same. Which would be the same. same and then strength of victory. Which would be, we have no idea because it would depend what happens overall. That would depend on, yes, everybody else's results against other teams other than Seattle and San Francisco.

Okay. I'm glad we figured that out. So basically what we're saying is that we don't know until after next week basically. Yes. Okay. There you go. Good times. Here's what the 49ers should do.

They should go out and beat the Rams, which would eliminate the Rams and put the Vikings in the playoffs before the Monday night game. The Vikings, meantime, went to Los Angeles. I had the Chargers in the smell test, one of the losses, and they destroyed the Chargers, in part because the Chargers turned the ball over seven times in a game. Seven. Philip Rivers three interceptions. Melvin Gordon, two fumbles. There were two other fumbles as well, and the Vikings really didn't need much from their offense. Kirk went 19 of 25 for 207 yards a touchdown. and an interception, a bad one on a screen. Dalvin Cook got hurt in the game,

and they didn't have Alexander Madison for this game because he was hurt. They came in with Mike Boone in his second year at a Cincinnati, and he looked awesome. In fact, he's a guy that if you watched him yesterday and you watched any of him in the preseason, you probably are thinking about if you don't have a running back, dealing something for this guy, because he probably won't be one of those guys that gets a shot in Minnesota next year with Dalvin Cook

and Madison and Abdullah on the roster. Now, the Dalvin Cook injury could be problematic for the Vikings. They really need Dalvin Cook, although their running back position is pretty deep with Madison and Boone. And they got a fullback that can play two in C.J. Ham. They got Thielen back yesterday. I think Thielen had three catches in the game. They won the game 39 to 10 because of the turnovers. I mean, here's the thing about Minnesota. I've said this all year. I don't love their past defense. They made some plays yesterday because Philip Rivers will put it up for grabs. And when they got behind, he was really putting it up for grabs. But you know what? Philip Rivers was moving that team up and down the field during the key portion of the game. And then there was a fumble return for a touchdown right before half that really changed the game. Here's the Viking situation, if you're like me rooting for them and rooting for Kirk Cousins. If the Rams lose on Saturday night, they're in. They clinch a wild.

card. They still have a chance to win the division by winning two and having Green Bay lose to. They, of course, play Green Bay on Monday night. Cousins 0 and 8 on Monday night. And then the Packers finish up with the lions on the road and the Vikings finish up with the Bears at home. So there's a chance. I don't really see the Packers, though, going to Detroit with the division on the line in the final week of the season and losing to a Lions team that's been pretty much dead since Stafford left. I mean, what are they? They've lost now seven in a row. A couple of them have been close. They could have beaten the Redskins. Actually could have beaten the Cowboys. Had a chance against the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. They were within a touchdown in the fourth quarter against Tampa yesterday. But more likely than not, Green Bay is going to win that division.

And here's the thing about the Packers. The Packers still have a chance at a number one overall seed. They still have that chance. If the 49ers lose to the Rams but beat the Seahawks and the Packers run the Tate, the Packers would be the one seed. So, you know, a lot of stuff going on there. New Orleans still in the hunt for the one seed, too, at 10 and 3 with the Colts tonight and then at Titans at Panthers for the Saints. The NFC's crazy right now. I mean, lots of different possibilities in terms of the seeding. The only thing that's etched in stone at this point is that the NFC East

winner, Green Bay, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco are all in. And it's either Minnesota or the Rams for that final spot in the playoffs. And the Rams lost to the Cowboys and the simultaneous Vikings win in L.A. really made it a long shot, but not impossible for the Rams, but more of a long shot. The Chiefs, and the Broncos played in a big-time snow game at Arrowhead. The Chiefs won.

I need the Broncos to finish up with two wins to get my over-under for the season pushed. They play the Lions and the Raiders, both at home. So they do have a chance to win both of those games. The Cardinals wallop the Browns. What a disappointment the Browns have been. It couldn't have happened to a better group of people in my view. I've watched enough of Baker Mayfield this year.

It's a long shot that he's going to become anything good. In the meantime, Kyler Murray at times looks electric. Really something else as an elusive, you know, dual threat quarter. back. Plus he can throw it too. They've got weapons also. I like Christian Kirk a lot. Fitzgerald's forever old, but I like this guy Kirk a lot. And their backs, Kenyon Drake looks good with them. Really good. Everybody was talking about the Oakland thing, like how was the last game in Oakland? For good reason. But that might be, we say this every year. Larry Fitzgerald's last game in Arizona, which is another really remarkable thing. Yeah. And the Jags, speaking of the Jags,

they rallied from, I had Jacksonville yesterday, plus seven. rallied from down 16 to 3, 16 to 6 in the fourth quarter. Gardner Minshue, he's just a playmaker. The Raiders are terrible, man. Terrible. They got a bad call late in the game, too, on a play where Carr went down inbounds, and they didn't rule it that way. Am I forgetting any other games? That's it. I mean, Seattle won at Carolina. Carolina, I had here on Friday, it's plus six and a half, and that was a backdoor cover. You probably got the game at six and you pushed it, but we used the Friday lines. It's worked against me more than it's worked for me. But I think that's it from the games from yesterday of note tonight. The Patriots have this whole video thing

going on. I'll be honest with you. I'm following the story a little bit, not completely following it, because it seems like they're going to get slapped and fined, but nothing's super serious. My guess is fourth round, fifth round round draft pick on and a fine just because of the history. Yeah, the history. Tonight it's the Saints and the Colts. I guess the Colts are the Colts actually still, I think

they're still alive mathematically for the postseason. Barely. Yeah, barely hanging on. The Saints are playing for seating right now for a first round by and potentially a number one seed overall. All right, that's it with the NFL. I just wanted to mention before we leave a couple of things. Number one, Malcolm Perry for Navy on Saturday, rushed for 304 yards.

That Army Navy game, I've been once. It really is spectacular. If you're a sports fan and you've never been and you have a chance, you know, it's typically in Philadelphia close. It's worth it. They had some payback Navy did. And Malcolm Perry rushed 29, the quarterback, 29 times for 304 yards. in the game. It was quite the performance for him in that game. He had he had games all year long with he ended up rushing this year for 1,804 yards as a quarterback. He was approaching 2,000 yards. He had he had multiple games of 150 or more, a couple of games of 200 or more and finished with 304 yards rushing in two touchdowns and an easy win over Army. On Saturday, I wanted to mention one of the best college basketball games early season I've seen so far was Oregon's win at Michigan and overtime. That was such a good basketball game.

But you've got to give Patrick Ewing and Georgetown some credit. They lost two more players, and they went out and beat Syracuse 89.79. And I'm telling you what, seriously, they run great zone offense against the Syracuse 23. Exceptional zone offense against the 23. It's not as good at 2-3 this year as it's been for Beheim in recent years. They don't have the size. They don't have the length. I said this when Patrick first got there after watching them for five or six games.

I felt like it was a well-coached basketball team, and I still feel that way. They've won three in a row since all of the turmoil. Can you believe what Beheim said after the game? What did he say? He took shots at Akinjo. He basically said that Akinjo sucked and they're better off without him. I didn't hear that. Not in those words.

He said, you know, they had a. selfish point guard who couldn't run plays, something along those lines. Well, you know what? That's sort of a defense of Patrick in Georgetown, especially if he knows something there. I think that's it. Oh, I was going to mention, if you guys didn't see this story from over the weekend, and most of you probably have not, PBI, Paul the 6th over Northern Virginia in the WCAC, a nationally ranked basketball powerhouse, as are a lot of those teams in that league, right? Gonzaga, DeMatha, St. John's, PVI.

PVI beat Archbishop Wood from Pennsylvania on Saturday night. 130 to 128 in seven overtimes. Seven overtimes. PVI has this kid Roach who's going to Duke, one of the top, he's a five-star recruit. And they are, they're somewhere in the top, they're somewhere in the top, top 20 nationally, and they've been in that top spot here locally. I think the last local poll I saw was PVI 1, Demath, 2, and I know St. Johns was up there, Gonzag was up there.

I forget who else was up there, but basically, I've said this to a lot of you before. If you're from the area, but you don't really know high school sports, you don't have kids in high school sports, it's the best argument. the best basketball area in the country, the D.C. Metro. If you combine D.C. and Baltimore, it's number one. You know, you've had more, you know, more NBA players. The county with the most NBA players is Prince Georgia's County, with 13, I believe, is the count currently, like six more than any other county in the United States in terms of NBA players. And the Catholic League, the WCAC, is top to bottom, the best high school basketball league in America.

There is no comp for it. Now, there are basketball factory schools out there that play national schedules. And a lot of the schools in the WCAC play a lot of national teams, too. There's no league like the WCAC for basketball or for football, for that matter. But for basketball, there's no league like it. And in the area, if you're curious, the WCAC, teams are essentially the varsity. Then you've got a league like the IAC with schools like Georgetown Prep and St. Stevens, St. Agnes, and St. Albans and Landon, you know, they're sort of like the

JV. And then a lot of the public school teams are truly like the freshman teams in comparison talent-wise. And that stinks for a guy like me. I'm a public school guy. I went to public school. I played sports at a public school. I played basketball, high school basketball. And when I was in high school, the public schools were inferior to the private schools, the WCAC, in particular, the Catholic League, Metro League it was called back then. But it wasn't, the disparity wasn't what it is now. If you're a kid that's got any talent in the AAU circuit and the travel circuit, you're almost definitely going to a private school.

That stinks for the public schools. I hate that. I like when the public schools are competitive with these schools. They've never been truly competitive. but the distance between him now is greater than it's ever been. But at the same time, it produces some powerhouse basketball programs in the area. And PVI got a 130 to 128 victory in seven overtimes, to which the coach said pretty worth $10, wasn't it?

That was the price of admission. I think that's it. Maryland doesn't play until Thursday night against Seton Hall. Seton Hall lost Powell, their other good player to account. concussion and a blowout loss to Rutgers. How about the Big Ten? How about the Big Ten in basketball right now? Ohio State went to Minnesota and got run last night for their first loss of the year.

We got lost by 13. Every single team right now in the Big Ten is one-on-one in conference play with the exception of Michigan State who's 1-0 and they play Northwestern who's 0-1. If Northwestern wins that game that means all 14 Big Ten teams start out the year one-on-one. I'm ready for it to happen. It probably won't, though. I don't think Northwestern is very good this year. Yeah, we've said that about a lot of these games.

Is it at Northwestern or at Michigan State? I don't know. It looks like it's home. It's at Northwestern. There we go. There you go. But anyway, the point is Maryland gets Seton Hall when they're back in action after finals on Thursday night,

and they'll play Seton Hall more likely than not without Seton Hall's best two players. All right, that's the show today. Thanks to Aaron. Thanks to Ben Standing for joining us on the show today. don't forget we've got an app you can access it with your iPhone in the app store or with your Google phone with your Android excuse me in the Google store all right have a great day back tomorrow with Tommy