The Ringer NFL Show - Caleb Williams Is a Top-Five QB and More Main Characters for Week 7

Episode Date: October 23, 2026

Tom, Sheil, and Billy get together to share their reactions and analysis on the Bears' big win over the Patriots on ‘Thursday Night Football’. Next, they dive into their main characters for the Week 7 slate, including some insights on how Kellen Moore and the Saints will approach their game in Paris vs. the Steelers. They end the pod with this week’s Ringer 107 picks from Sheil.(00:00) Intro(1:44) Bears defeat the Patriots on ‘Thursday Night Football’(19:54) Ranking the NFC North(29:09) Main characters for Week 7(52:52) The Ringer 107 Check out Tom Pelissero's newsletter 'The Sweep' on Substack! The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit https://fanduel.com/playwithaplan to learn more about the resources and helplines.Host: Tom PelisseroGuests: Sheil Kapadia and Billy GilProducer: Chris SuttonVideo Editor: Curtis SchultzProduction Supervision: Conor Nevins and Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's up, everybody? It is the Ringer NFL show. It's Friday, October 23rd. Tom Pellisero here, Shield Capadia, Billy Gill, along for the ride, as always. Big win for the Bears. Thursday night against the Patriots.

There were highlights. There were hilarious handoffs to guards that didn't count. Fireworks on both sides. What do we make of it? How do we rank the NFC North right now? We'll dig into that. We've got our main character. for Week 7 Sunday across the NFL, both coaches and players who's going to define this week.

And She'll try to dig out of his latest hole, Ringer 107. It's been a rocky ride. You're not going to want to miss, though, a couple of the picks that Sheal is making this week. I'll start chapter this. This is the Ringer NFL show presented by Fandul. Make every NFL week more rewarding with Fandual Rewards Club. Just bet like you normally would and earn points on eligible. settled bets, win or lose.

Keep collecting points, level up, and unlock bigger rewards. So keep an eye on your rewards club progress and see what you can unlock. This is your most rewarding season ever with Fandul. 21 plus select states, 18 plus DC or Wyoming. Gambling problem, call 1-800-Gampler.

Call 1-888-7-9-77- or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. So the Bears play two games in a five-day stretch with Caleb Williams back into the line. The most concerning thing that I had with Caleb coming back four weeks after the injury, missed three games, was it wasn't even about what was going to look like in that first game, but the concern for the Bears too was the quick turnaround. You're dealing with a hamstring injury. There's basically, you don't have the normal week.

It's three days and you're right back on the field. they score 30 points in both those games. The offense looks largely electric throughout, not perfect. And we can get into some of the game management stuff late and the sack they took, Sheel. But for the team that kind of you wonder, the 59 points in week one, weird game against the Vikings, Caleb gets her like, what are they going to be?

I think you saw it in the past two weeks, which is this defense is better than everybody expected them to be. But there's still a team that regardless of how things goes and who's available, they're a threat to go out, go score 30 and outscore you every week. I think Caleb Williams is playing incredible football. Like, you know, I thought there were times last year where I was like, well, I think it's a little more Ben Johnson or, you know, he's still not totally consistent. Like, there were things to work on.

And I know it's only been four games, but to me, he's so obviously playing better than he was last year. And he's making this leap. I had this thought watching that game last year. night because it's, you know, Caleb Williams, Drake May. If I were the Bears, I don't think I trade Caleb Williams straight up for any other player in the NFL right now. I don't know if that's a hot take or not a hot take, but he's 24 years old. His talent jumps off the screen every single time you watch him. And for him to have already made this improvement just in terms of consistency from last year to this year, like, I think he's going to win an MVP at some point.

I don't know if it could be this year if he plays enough games and they keep winning games. I I think he's playing that well. And where in the past I've been a little bit on the fence where I've said, like, I see the highs with Caleb Williams, but he's got to be more consistent. I'm just like all in after this four-game stretch. I think he's going to be terrific for the rest of this year. And I think he's going to have a terrific career. I want to drill down on this, Billy, before I jump you in, Sheal, you're saying right now, Caleb Williams for Josh Allen straight up. You're saying, no.

Caleb Williams for any other player, any person. any position, you are a no untraining Caleb Williams. So listen, if it's Josh Allen, if it's Mahomes, if you want to throw other couple people in there, we're having a meeting. We're having a long meeting saying this guy's at the top. Josh Allen is a sure thing. Yeah, we're doing Model GM. We're saying Josh Allen is a sure thing right now.

But Josh Allen's 30 years old and Caleb Williams is 24 years old. And again, I don't think this is recent. He buys like in my mind, I'm like, I am speaking logically here. I don't this isn't just about last night's game it's about what I've seen the development I've seen and what I've seen for four games I think ultimately they ask you to raise your hand would you make that trade right now I think I would be a no I would say let's have the long game in mind let's keep Caleb Williams where he's going to have a longer career theoretically than Josh Allen then Mahomes than these other guys and I would take him over all the other young

quarterbacks in the NFL even though I thought Drake may played really well in that game too so Again, Billy, you laugh. Maybe you think it is recent. But yeah, that is legitimately what I'm saying right now about Caleb Williams. It is recency bias, obviously, right? Based on his development this season in the past two games that he's had. But you have seen the jump this season where he keeps you in absolutely every single game that he's in. Like if he's starting, you have a chance to win that game.

And he's electric and he's been efficient and he hasn't really been turning the ball over. So he's like he's been really good since he's been back. Granted, it's been two weeks that he's been back from the injury. I would say that's the one thing about him that's kind of the question mark, right? Where if you're offered one for one, Josh Allen or Caleb Williams, you know Josh is not going to get hurt. And you know that Josh depends. Like, he's going to take hits and he's going to tough it out.

Now, with Caleb, we did see that. And then we got the initial report. So it was just like a minor strain. And then it was upgraded to like a more severe strain. And he was out a couple weeks. So like we're not questioning his toughness or the severity of that injury. That's something that other people can do. We're not going to do that.

But I was wondering who would even be in that conversation for you. Because Josh is out because of his age strictly is why you're saying Josh is out, though. He's not out. He's like 10 more years of Josh Allen. You know, you probably have 10 more years of Mahomes. Yeah. They're in the conversation. I think they're both in the conversation.

Caleb Williams and then Drake May are those. Those are probably the four. I think I'm looking at this real quickly. Yeah, I think those are probably the four guys. I would have at the top of my rankings. And depending on my mood in the week, maybe I'd switch them, but I'm not backing off.

I still think if I were the Bears, I would say no. Well, hold on a second. Let me flip this on you and play like Model GM for a second. So let's say I'm the Chiefs and the Bears call and they say, hey, we'll trade you Caleb Williams

for Patrick Mahomes. Is it an automatic yes for the Chiefs? No, it's not. I don't think it's an automatic yes for any, of these teams. It's a, all right, I think for all, every one of those four, you're having long conversations, you're taking a vote in the room and one person's got to have the final say. I mean, it also depends where you are with like the state of your franchise, you know, given Andy Reed, uh, his age, where he is in his career. I'm sure it's like, we're not doing

that. We're sticking with Patrick Momes. I think the Patriots might be like, no, we don't want Caleb Williams. We're happier with Drake May. And the bills are probably like, we're not trading Josh Allen for Kayla Williams. Who cares about how, how young he is? We're trying to win a Super Bowl right now. So I think individually, all those teams, I would, now you're trying to get trouble with 49ers fans. I would not, I would have purdy on maybe that next tier. Trevor Lawrence, you could make a case for, but I would have those four on one tier in terms of this. This is the old, you know, Bill Simmons trade value rankings, which I've done at times for NFL in previous years where I think I would have Caleb Williams number one right now. I love

take by you. I really do. I don't know that I believe it, but I'm not that you have. I mean, no, the other thing is, all right. So Tom, if all these players were available on the open market, let's say, okay, then Josh Allen is probably getting the most of any of them, I think, you know, if it's just like, we're trading this quarterback, whatever reason you want, I don't know what it is. Our quarterback is available. Everyone email us your best offers by, you know, whatever 9 p.m. I know this is how it works, but email us your best offer. by 9 p.m. tonight, I think Josh Allen probably gets

the most godfathery offer out of that group. Let's say, Sheel, in this scenario, right? The NFL, for whatever reason, say, you know what, we're really going to shake it up next season. Every single player is available and we're going to have an NFL draft

where each team has no one on it. Where do you think Caleb would be drafted amongst those quarterbacks? Wow, that's a good question because that is kind of the expert. So take the contracts out of it, you're saying? We go full de novo. Open rosters.

So everybody is making essentially you can pay the guy whatever it is. Yeah. Or it's slotted, right? So the money really isn't a factor here. You're just, you're getting whatever player. I'm hard pressed to think Josh Allen doesn't go number one. I think you're probably right about that. He's played under, you know, multiple different coordinators.

He's played different styles. Now, he's, he's had a lot of hits and that stuff adds up and he's 30 years old. he's still, when he's at his best, I don't know that anybody else is really on that level with Josh Allen. And with Caleb, a big part of the reason Ben Johnson chose Chicago was because of this ball of clay with Caleb Williams. But if you think back to Caleb, even going back to college, his last year, USC was not great. And there were all kinds of issues, his line, his receivers. He was playing a ton of superhero ball out of necessity. But he didn't play great that last year. and that engendered the conversation of, all right,

to see the clear number one pick, which ultimately he went number one over Jaden Daniels and over Drake May. His first year in Chicago wasn't very good, and everybody got fired, and they changed up, you know, tried to change things in terms of, you know, what the offense was going to be.

And they targeted. The Bears did something they've never done before, which was just go all in, pay whatever it takes, and go get Ben Johnson. That was the marriage. And I still think when you watch the Bears play, there's a little bit of a push and pull. Because Ben Johnson knows he schemed it up for Jared Doff,

who's a very kind of linear type of a player. In other words, he's not making things happen all over the place off schedule. He's not a threat with his legs, but you can scheme it for him. He schemed up a winning game plan with Case Keenum to go out and perform at a really high level, basically just standing there and play an old man football and just kind of like throwing lollipops out to guys,

but they're open and it's on time and it's great. Tyson Bayton obviously didn't play well against Green Bay, but we've seen them have success with Tyson Bay. In other words, Ben, I'm sure feels like he can win with any quarterback. And what you have is you have Ben who's capable of designing these things, but you also have Caleb who sometimes is playing outside the structure of the play. I'm sure on some level that's maddening for Ben Johnson, because he's thinking, similar to Kyle Shanahan,

who by the way, I don't think would trade Brock Purdy for Caleb Williams. like I'm getting guys open. Just be automatic. That's not Caleb. His gift is also sometimes the curse. You saw it on the third down last night. There is no way that play is intended for Caleb to be essentially backpedaling and holding the ball and taking a sack to almost out of field go range.

Didn't end up being out of field go range because Cairo Santos hits it. But that shield is the part of Caleb Williams that we're still kind of honing in. Yes, we know he can do freaky stuff on the field. He's grown leaps and bounds and credit to him. under Ben Johnson, understanding how to play on time in that offense. But there are still times where you can tell it's kind of a Caleb playing Caleb ball out there. And that's a fine line that everybody has to walk together. I think push and pull is a great way to put it.

And I think the great offensive schemers also struggle with that at time. You know, Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rogers, they had a similar thing. Right. Even, I mean, Brock Bertie is kind of the first quarterback that Shanahan has. had who can actually create and make those second reaction plays. And I'm sure there are times where he's like, great, thank you. You made a great play there. And other times where he's like, well, you know, with Purdy, it doesn't seem like

there's a lot of times where like the ball should have come out. It feels like if the ball should have come out. It does come out for Purdy. But yeah, you do see that with Caleb Williams. You saw that in the game where, you know, if someone gets beat up front, I mean, he's so good at avoiding sacks that that's something that an offensive coordinator can't really control. Sometimes the left guard's going to get beat.

And is the quarterback going to take a sack? create a negative play or make a play. And I feel like Caleb Williams is making those plays. Because two weeks ago, he was kind of in robot mode against the Falcons who was just like completion, completion, completion, I mean, 12 straight completions to start the game. So I think that's the balance with him and why I feel like his ceiling is so high is because he can be robot, point guard, get the ball out if he has to, but he can also be playmaker. I think that balance is something he'll have to continue to work on with his career.

as I was thinking about this more, it really does matter how, like, how far ahead are you looking? Because you're right. I think I probably overrated. Josh Allen's not 35. He's 30. I'm not backing down.

I still stand by it. If I'm in, if I'm in the Bears building, I'm not trading Caleb Williams for any individual player in the NFL. But Josh Allen's probably going to be in this mode for at least seven or eight years. And you're thinking,

is Caleb Williams going to be a great player for the next 12 to 14 years? And how much do we value? one over the other, given the uncertainty, there's some uncertainty with Williams where there's almost no uncertainty with Allen right now.

But I'm still that high on it, that I would say no if I were in the Bears building on that. Okay, how about if we live in like an apocalyptic world where we're guaranteed, like there's five years left, AI's going to take over, it's going to eliminate humanity. So you only have five years of a football team.

Then it's Alan. Really? Or you could make the case from a homes. I mean, really. If you knew you had five years until the end of humanity, Billy. How much football would you be watching? I mean, I'd never have football again, right? I don't know how your guys, you know, in terms of like afterlife thoughts you guys have and what you believe in.

But like, let's say, you know, I was a good boy and make it to heaven. I don't know that there's football in heaven. You know what I mean? I wonder if like Jesus or someone will come down, say like too much CTE. I don't know if we're going to be doing this in the afterlife. So let's kind of pipe down with some of that. Let's just have like relaxing Sundays. We don't need to do all of that. So I have a question for you guys unrelated. You sound pretty confident about heaven there. I just, I don't want to let that pass. No, I said, no, no, I said if, if I was a good boy. But you were really imagining the scenario where, you know, if there's no football, Billy, I got bad news for you. You went the other way. Oh, I thought you were

going to say if there's no football, there's no heaven. I was like, Tom, that is a bold take by you. Like, let's scale that one back a little. Hey, welcome to have no TV here. You know, I would say, no football. It all depends on the person, right? Because I got you. If I were to tell my wife, like, hey, hey, you know what's going on here? it's going to be all football now. She would say, like, we're in hell. Like, this is the bad place. Like, you did not make it to the good place.

So it all depends on your perspective, I think. So if you're going, hold on. So if you're going, right, you're coming up to the pearly gates. And it's like checking into the hotel, right? We're like saying the amenities out of the pools on this, you know, out here and the gym's on the fourth floor. And they go, so the only thing on TV and have an FYI is football. Oh, we made it. Is she like, I'm going to go see if maybe there's another place to stay?

Are you just saying, I'm going regardless. How are you handling that moment at the fork in the road that is the afterlife? So you're saying basically something happens, the apocalypse, whatever situation I painted, AI, and it's done. Let's say it's that apocalypse, all right? Because apocalypse then, there's going to be a big line to get into it. Is it a rapture? I hate lines. You specifically are...

Well, there's no lines to get into heaven. It's just right away. You and like 10 other people and your wife. That's who it is. And the issue is, God happens to be a huge football fan. You got Sunday ticket, you got every college game,

you watch all the football you want, but nothing else. There's no Gilmore girls. There's no friends. There's no, you know, unfortunately, there's no Netflix. Like, all you can watch. Well, you got Netflix for the football games,

but that's it. Netflix. I'll be watching you, Tom. Are you going? She's like, I'm out. I just, I can't, this is going to be forever, like I'm in? I can't leave. Like, once you choose, you're in or you're out. And then

if she says, no, are you going without her? Well, this is the classic kind of like Larry David curb situation, right? We're like, it's till death do us part, right? So like, death has occurred now. They don't address the afterlife there. Now we're starting a new vow.

here, which is like life without football. But hold on a second. So if she leaves and I'm saying I'm not going to consume football, then... No, no, no, no. Am I accepting hell? No, no, I'm saying this is in the scenario where you can watch all the football you want. That's all you've got. She's not coming, but you get football.

And you can watch all the football you want. Yeah, but he's saying if he follows her and he chooses no football, where is she going? Am I choosing football in heaven or hell with my wife? You're choosing door number two and you don't. know. That's interesting. Maybe there's, you know, it's like, you know how sometimes there's like a Marriott that's attached to a courtyard that's attached to a residence inn? Like, maybe there's like three different ones. And over here, you can only watch rom-coms forever. Like, maybe it's different parts of heaven and you, but you don't know. Yeah. But you know, the first one is saying

all that's on TV forever is football and you and your wife have to make it a sit. So it's like one of those mega stores, it's like a Marshall and a home goods and then like a whatever, T.J. Max all connected and he just kind of stroll through. A lot of free advertising. But yeah. It's a pizza hut Taco Bell, but you don't know if it's a combination pizza and Taco Bell or if it's just the Taco Bell. Which was the third? I remember. I think I went to, K. Their shield. My guy, you knew right away. I think it went to birthday parties at those things back in the day, which in retrospect, it's like, I don't think they love their kids very much. So I would say, hmm. So I have to love my wife more than football is what you're saying. Jeez, on the record. saying this is also, it's about both of you. She's never going to see this. Well, she's not, well, she doesn't want it.

Not as she doesn't go with you. I can, oh, man, this is like week one or like prior to week one where she'll, like, told the world he doesn't love football, which is such a bad look. So like for the audience, am I to say, I don't want to tell the audience I don't love them in football as much as I love my wife. So I'd have to say go with my wife, right? What would you guys choose? I know she was choice.

Yeah, wife was asking us. We were just asking you. Everyone loves a good Billy death thing. You know what? I'd go to heaven and watch football. I could find a new wife in heaven, right? Like, but I can't find new wife or can't find football wherever that is that she's going. This is going to come back to bite me.

This is not such a bad answer. You're going to be responsible for my divorce, Tom. Like, I don't know if you can live with that. I don't think you particularly care, but let me give you an easier question then. Okay. Rank the NFC North. Okay. Half of your head right now.

Rank the NFC North coming off that game. That's where I was going to go because I think there's different ways to think about this, which I know you want just a quick answer. But I think the Bears might be the most complete team in the NFC North, right? Like I think offensively and defensively, they might be the most complete team.

But I don't know if, for example, it hasn't been the case so far, but the Lions' offense might be good enough to make up for their lack of defense, which again it hasn't so far. I don't think in the long term the Vikings lack of offense is going to make up for their great defense.

So I don't know that just defensively can carry it. So I think it might come down to Packers Bears and I feel like and this is recency bias, I will admit. I feel like I'm giving the edge to the bears right now. But it is the best division in football. And I think that in terms of like complete teams that can actually make a run,

I think it would come down to the Packers, and the Bears if they're able to get out and win the division. I was going to ask. Are we ranking them how we think they're going to finish in the NFC North or chances to win? Best team. Right now, best team. Right now, best team. I do think it probably is the Bears because of what you said.

The defense has been such a surprise. I would go with the Bears first. Lions. Man. Oh, Vikings Packers. Bears Lions, Vikings backers, but it's close. I think the Vikings are more sustainable than everyone's giving them credit for. If the offense, the arrow keeps pointing up, which it was before the pie weekend.

Now they're finally going to be healthy-ish coming off to by. Jordan Mason's coming back. I know Justin Jarison's still on the injury report, but should be fine. Jordan Addison's going to be back healthy. T.J. Ockinson should be back healthy. I think the Minnesota is better than people are realizing. Bill asked me on the pod last night. he was saying, all right, this could be a four team. Everybody makes the playoffs, right?

Especially if like the Rams don't figure it out. If somehow Seattle or San Francisco, the wheels come off, maybe I'll for it in. But if I'm leaving one out, who is it? I said the lion solely because the defense has been so bad. It is literally, if you look at EPA right now, they are the worst defense in the entire NFL. Now, they get Brian Branch, he should be back this week. They anticipate getting Kirby Joseph back maybe mid-November. those would be two huge additions on that side. And maybe it is possible that you make a trade deadline acquisition that helps you on that side of the ball as well. But right now, based on what we've seen so far,

I have to say it's the Lions. I don't think the Packers are a perfect team either. They're getting Josh Jacobs back this week. And they're going to get Michael Parsons back. Their best defensive player at some point in November, that's a pretty big deal. I think that all four teams are good enough to be playoff caliber. It's just a matter of, you know, injuries are a huge part of this.

The head-to-head games are a huge part of it. And that includes Christmas Day, Packers Bears on Netflix. Yeah, this site, unpredictable. It just puts out, like, who would be favored on a neutral field like right now at this point in time. And so their rankings have it Bears, Bears, Six, Lions, 7th, Vikings 12th, and Packers 14. So that's how they, they have a little bit of separation. there between the bears and the lions and then the Vikings and the Packers,

but all four teams are between six and 14 in the NFL and the Bears and the Lions are literally right next to each other. So that's how just in terms of what the line would be if these teams played right now, that kind of adds some context there. Would either of you be surprised if

any of these teams wins the division, though? No, of course not. Has it ever happened that four teams have all made the playoffs? No, right? In a division? I thought once, but somebody plugged that into AI. By the way, some news right now. You know, you had the double spitting allegations against the bills from the game against the Raiders.

CJ Gardner Johnson, his was upheld. Sam Franklin's was just overturned, reduced to a fine of $14,926. If you watch the tape of that and what Sam Franklin is responding. to. It is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen on a field. DJ Glaze, who's a Raiders backup offensive lineman, twice in the game, rears back, and absolutely punches Sam Franklin in a place that would make you question, are you going to be able to have children again? Like, full on whips you back on field goal. On field goal protection, Franklin's rushing and punches on the second time. Yeah, they get into it.

but there was barely no evidence that he spit. So it ends up getting overturned. I get it. I mean, the unsportsmanly conduct shield has been a huge emphasis for the NFL. Spitting is obviously over the line. But, you know, this is an absolute Seinfeld episode.

Like, unless you can actually see the magic luggy, I think it's difficult to suspend guys and accuse them of that type of conduct. Yeah, you got to review the film, Spittle, Lugie, you know, something else. Did he just hydrate?

that kind of thing. The Chaunty Gardner Johnson one, there was no question about it. I mean, the broadcast was all over that with whatever cameras they were using. That was a nice job by them. Like five minutes later, they had a close-up on the Lugie right there.

And I was like, yeah, okay. I can see why he was throwing out. Can we put out, like, on a poll or like just ask the audience to reach out what they would do in the heaven scenario to kind of like maybe put us at ease? Are you realizing what you just talked yourself into? Is that the issue right now, Billy?

No, I just, I'm curious if other people would face the same dilemma and how they would react. And I'm also wondering, like, technically, like, if we're in the afterlife, right? And then because I was like, I'll just find another wife in heaven and I'll watch football, right? But like, then is like my potential heaven dating pool just amongst people who died single or then do they also adhere to the people who chose the Taco Bell in the combination pizza and Taco Bell. So everyone there, including the women, also are cool with just watching football all. Yeah, women do like football, Billy. Yeah, no, I'm not.

No one said that. Maybe there's a app. You get there. You just kind of like match with your pool of people. I won't know. I'm going to go with my wife. Oh, I thought you meant she's going to go to hell. It's like, okay.

I'm going to try to avoid that. That wouldn't be good. By the way, Arjuna chiming in. Never has happened in the four-team division era, which dates back to, I think, 2002. Four teams from the NFC Central did make it to the place. 94 and 97, but the divisions were larger than. That's where my brain was going. At that point, it was three division winners and three wild cards. The Vikings were a perennial playoff team at that

time. The Packers were making it with Favre. The lions got in there at least once, you know, in those days and the bears were always competitive. The Bucks were in that division too. But yeah, so it has happened, but not in the current playoff format. A couple quick injury things. Baker-Mayfield practicing again. We're going to run out of time on this pod, but I would imagine Todd Bowles is going to say that he's the starter this week, barring some calamity in practice.

He took all the first team reps the past two days and played with a glove on the broken or the dislocated thumb shield. But there was optimism a week ago that he was going to be able to do it. Now it's a matter of going out there and actually functioning in what I keep reminding everyone is the first division game of the year for the Bucks. They're one in five, but they've still got six to go starting on Sunday against the Panthers. I still like that Bucks defense. I need the offense to show me something.

And it's tough circumstances with Mayfield playing with the injury. And I just feel like the sort of underachieved. But again, if we're just talking about right now on a neutral field, like there's not a lot of separation, you know, between them and the other NFC South teams. There are two wins behind the first place team right now, too, and the Panthers. Like it's a division that like it's been bad for them, but they can make this up. Meanwhile, Lamar Jackson also on the practice field again, knowing the Ravens, he'll be one of about 15 guys listed as questionable for this game. So we will stop short of diving deep into exactly, you know, what the situation is going to be with Baltimore.

He's been listed as limited. Sometimes that means you're taking some of the reps. Sometimes that means you're taking all scout team reps. So we'll see what direction ends up going for Lamar. Should have answers on that by sometime late Saturday and early Sunday. We've got a lot more to come on this show, including our main characters for week seven Sunday across the NFL. Game in Paris. The Steelers have arrived.

The Saints are there. The protests are far enough from the stadium, at least from the moment. We feel good about it. Would there be a main character in that game? What about in the massive Seahawks Chiefs game, Sunday night football? Maybe even someone other than Kenneth Walker the third. We'll tell you after this. All right.

time for our main characters, week seven Sunday in the NFL, who is the person, who are the people who are potentially going to defy week seven Sunday. I'm going to start off all the way over in Paris. And no, I'm not going to take a page from the Billy Gill playbook and suggest protesters, like a large group of people. He's pulled that once with the Raiders fans. I'm focused on the field. my main character is Kellyn Moore. Kellyn Moore, who along with really everybody in the Saints organization, heard a little bit from their owner, Gail Benson, a couple of weeks ago,

talking about the level of play was not up to standards. They had lost a couple of home games in big moments, the Drew Brees, you know, Jersey retirement, the Hurricane Katrina 20th anniversary game. they responded last week, but it still was sort of an uncomfortable win over the Giants, because they've got the big lead,

they sit the starters, then the Giants put in J.J. McCarthy and Mount a comeback, it ends up being a competitive game. And Kellan Moore, after a win, snapping, what was the three-game losing streak, he's up there answering questions about, like, what were you doing?

Well, like, why did you do that? Right now, if you look at the Saints' offensive numbers, they're in the middle of the pack, in a lot of different categories. Kellimore, of course, is an offensive guy. Tyler Shuck has played pretty well overall, but you'd like to think that this offense has the chance to be dynamic. And this is no ordinary game early Sunday morning here,

Sunday afternoon in Paris. This is the Saints, the Florida League in France. This means so much to ownership to the people of New Orleans. I've seen all the various ceremonies and things that they're having. and they're playing a Steelers team. It's pretty good right now. They're coming in at four and two. Aaron Rogers and the offense have really taken off in recent weeks.

We know what they can be defensively. And it is the difference here between the Saints being right there with a win. Because remember, you know, the Panthers play the Bucks this week, depending on how that goes. I mean, the Saints could effectively be like in a tie for first place in the division. You'll lose this game. again, in Paris, going into the buy, that is going to feel like an eternity

over the next couple of weeks. So big moment for Kellyn Moore and the St. Shield. Paris will all be watching. Hopefully no hitches whatsoever. The NFL's confident. They've got things under control. It just feels like a really big moment

in a Saints season that seems so promising early on when they took the lions to the wire, they beat the Ravens, and that's just kind of been a bumpy ride for the past month. Yeah, I think the owner's comments have such a, that just puts a microscope on the rest of the season. You know, we can all talk about, well, where the Saints really going to be great this year or, you know,

what were their goals this year? But when the owner comes out, what was it, Billy, the New Orleans quarterback club? I know you were doing research on that. Yeah, I think Louisiana quarterback club, something like $40 annual membership. When the owner comes out and makes those types of comments, now everybody has to pay a little more attention. And Mickey Loomis was doing, you know, some press,

in Paris as part of this whole thing, saying, well, we're a young developing team. And you just, you haven't known what to believe with the Saints. Really, since Sean Payton has left, it's like, are you a young developing team? You have some old players. Are you a good team? No.

Are you a terrible team? No. You're just kind of in the middle every single year and everybody points to their managing of the cap. And it's like, should you really be managing it this way when you don't have a chance to win? So I'm with you on more. I mean, they're 8 and 15 in 23 games since he took over.

at the start of last year. He's an offensive coach. So you feel like if they should be losing, all right, if you lose it because of the defense, but the offense is cooking, you could probably live with that a little bit, but that really hasn't been the case.

The offense has been mediocre. And I don't know how close, have you guys been following the, what the Saints are doing in the first quarter, this storyline? Has this been on your radar at all? I don't think so. Please.

It wasn't on my radar until this morning. I'm prepping for the pod. And I'm like, huh, there's a lot of like the Saints coverage. Just talking about the first quarter. Kellyn Morris getting questions about this. So since he took over in the first quarter of games, they've been outscored by a hundred and twenty eight points.

That is not only the worst in the NFL, no other team is worse than minus 65. So if you look at the difference between them and it's the commanders who are 31st, is the same as the difference between the commanders and the bills who are 19. Now, maybe there's some randomness and luck to that, Billy, but maybe if you're not a Kellynmore fan and you're like, all right, this guy's kind of coaching for his job the rest of the way. You can make the case like, is the team prepared for these games?

Like, why do I show up on Sunday as a Saints fan every week? And at the first quarter, we're just losing literally at the end of every first quarter. So for those, we haven't discussed it yet, right? And it is weird that you get outscored that much in the first quarter. But, and I'm wondering what your guys' thoughts are here. Kellan Moore, obviously, famously, Mike McCarthy's OC in Dallas from 2020 to 2020. Who do you guys think that is an advantage for Shield? Do you think that's an advantage more for Kellyn Moore because he knows Mike McCarthy?

Or do you think Mike McCarthy kind of bringing up Kellyn Moore has a bit of an advantage here? And I wouldn't say this is a revenge game exactly, right? Because I don't think they ended on bad terms. It's not a revenge game. Just kind of like, you know, friendly foe, we'll call him. I think it's more of an edge for McCarthy because they kind of handed the keys, right? I mean, Tom could probably fill us in here. But it seemed like Kellyn Moore had the keys to the offense there for a couple of years.

And maybe they didn't end on bad terms, but they were fine letting Kellynmore. walk and giving Mike McCarthy the offense at the end of it. So I would think Mike McCarthy knows really well what Kellyn Moore wants to do offensively and that Steelers defense has a bunch of guys who can make life tough on a quarterback Tom. So I would I would give McCarthy and the Steelers the edge in that. Kellyn Moore, remember, was the play caller under Mike McCarthy during their time together in Dallas. And if there's one thing, knowing Mike and how his brain works and Kelly and kind of his track record, Mike knows. that you can get Kellyn

into a throw-it-all-the-time mode. He knows that it is possible to get him out of having a balanced offense, which when you don't have Travis Ateen, who's still on injured reserve, when you've got Alvin Camara, who's battling through a back injury, he's had some good moments here.

But you could potentially put them into a more one-dimensional game, which when you look at the Steelers, pass-rushers plays right into their hands. T.J. Watts's playing unbelievable so far this season. You've got guys like Highsmith also. who can rush the passer. And you got a lot invested, you know, in the secondary,

including with Jalen Ramsey, who's playing through a broken wrist right now. To me, that's the key to this game, is whether it's by virtue of the game situation, get an early lead, or if it's just by, just force him, frustrate him in the run game and just get telling into a throw-it-all-the-time mode. That'll play right into the Steelers' hands.

And I bet that that's what Mike and Patrick Cramm is a very smart defensive coordinator are going to be aiming to do. Sheal. Your main character, week seven Sunday in the NFL, who you got? My main character, let's go to Sunday night, Seahawks Chiefs. I've got Sam Darnold as my main character for this game.

If you kind of look at the Seahawks team so far this season, and look at their offense, they're all the way down to 27 in EPA. You know, teams that we've discussed, like the Broncos, have actually been better than the Seahawks offensively this year. Teams like Billy's Dolphins. Seems like the Jets have all been better

statistically than the Seahawks this year. So I was looking into it, Ari. What are the real differences here? And they're like a little bit worse in a number of different areas. They're rushing efficiency. They're explosive plays. But the big thing that's killing them is turnovers.

They have lost more EPA on turnovers than all but one team, the New England Patriots so far this season. So this has led to, it's been a weird week for like local media asking coaches about quarterback situations. It's not weird because they're doing anything wrong, but just like, oh, I didn't think we'd be getting

here where Mike McDonald would be asking questions about potentially benching Sam Darnold and going to Drew Locke. So I don't think that this Seahawks offense, like I actually think they're close. Coaches like to say they're close all the time and they're not close. I actually think the Seahawks offense might be close. It's almost like those mistakes, those turnovers are killing them. And if they can just create a couple more explosive plays for game, I know that's easy for me to say, but I feel like there's a chance that a month from now, we're saying, okay, this offense actually doesn't look that different than it, did a year ago. But man, they're going up against the Chiefs defense that's been playing

really well. Spags has been doing what Spags does. But I think, again, one of the best coaching jobs in the NFL this season. Darnold's in prime time. You don't want to fit in, you don't want to go down to three and four when the 49ers could potentially be seven and oh. So I think there's a chance that when we're doing pods next week, we're talking a lot about Sam Darnold and how he performed in this game. I feel like this is a hipster pick for you. You know what I mean? like you had the main character was right there. It's the big game of the week. And it's like, whoa, this is.

And this one, I think it's fair to say, this is the Kenneth Walker revenge game. And you went, nope, you know what? I'm going to say whatever wants to talk about Kenneth Walker. He's leading the NFL and rushing the Seahawks defense. They haven't given up 100 yards to a rush in like 35 straight games or something like that. They only allowed 96 yards rushing per game against them. So like it's right there. You have the guy.

He's the one that was the MVP last year. year in the Super Bowl. They let him go. Zachary Sharbonne may be coming back here and he's the guy that Kenneth Walker kind of came out in the Super Bowl and replaced. And it's like, all right, now we're going to see like who was right in this breakup. And you said, you know what? No. Sam Darnold. That's going to be the main. Well, here's the thing, Billy. I pay attention to what we do in previous shows. I know you, I know you one show. All right. You're moving on to the next play mentality. He's got a next play mentality. He flushes it right away. I like to review the fit Well, I don't actually review the film.

But it's in my head. All right, we had a lengthy Kenneth Walker discussion. So we need to have another, like our third lengthy Kenneth Walker discussion time. So I don't think this is hipstery. I went with the quarterback. I mean, what's less hipstery than just going with the star quarterback of the defending champs? I think it's valid. I think that the questions about moving on from Sam Donald to Drew Locke are extraordinarily myopic.

This is not a team that's built for Sam Darnold to drop back 40 to 50 times and throw the football. It's just not. to run it. They let Kenneth Walker, the third, go in free agency. There was a scenario that he could have been back, but they just weren't going to get into the market, which was the Chiefs gave him the biggest free agent running back contract in NFL history. What you can't bank on is that, I mean,

the New Zach Charbonnet probably wasn't going to be ready at the start of the season. You would have liked to think he's back by now, but they've kind of been deferring to Charbonnet when are you actually ready and we'll see what that translates to, if anything, this week. Judarian Price, you know, gets banged up and then aggravates the injury goes on IR. He can be back as soon as next week. So I don't think it's crisis mode there, but within that context, when you're not running the football effectively, if you're Sam Darnold and you were dealing with an injury and you missed some time and that through the rhythm,

like you're playing a little bit tight. That's what I see. That's what other people I've talked to see, is that just this is the bad Darnold where he's had, you know, the turnover gene going back to college. But when he doesn't have to grip it and think the whole game's on my shoulders, he's pretty effective. He's pretty good. You saw that in Minnesota a couple of years ago. You saw it in Seattle last year. If you're an optimist on the Seahawks, and I know that all the plays count, right?

You know, wins or wins, losses or losses. But the Seahawks could easily have a better record than they do right now. The defense is, I believe, number two in EPA behind only the Vikings. They're still really good on that side of the football. They held the Broncos, what, 34 yards in the second half last week? and they still lost the game. You don't need the offense to suddenly take over. You don't need Sam Donald take over.

But, you know, I like the pick as a main character because what you can't keep have happening is that Sam Darnold loses you the game or gets loose with the football a couple of times and drastically diminishes your odds. I mean, you know, they've had a game with a pick six that flipped the entire game. There's been so many things here

where you can easily see a couple of plays away from they're still right there. What you can fall back on is the running game is going to get better. and the defense is really, really good. Sam's just got to do his part, and this feels like a big week to do it, because if they can stop Kenneth Walker from taking over this game, who's Patrick Mahomes throwing it to?

Everybody knows how I've always felt about Patrick Mahomes. I think he might be the greatest player I've ever seen in my lifetime, but the only reliable receiver he's out on the team this year is probably in his final year, Travis Kelsey, who's on the entry report with an ankle this week. Like, where else is the football going? stop Kenneth Walker, do whatever you have to do to do that. And I don't think you're going to have to be worrying about getting into a shootout here with the Chief Shield.

Yeah, the wide receiver situation hasn't shown up in a major way yet, but that doesn't mean it's not an issue. Like, I thought about going with Patrick Bahomes in this game. That probably would have been hipstery, Billy, if I was like Chiefs offensive player, but I'm not going Kenneth Walker. I'm going with Bahams because I do think this is a game where the Seahawks have the talent. It's really strength on strength. She's running game against Seahawks run defense. I mean, the Seahawks front can really beat you up. We've seen that over and over again.

And so if they shut down Kenneth Walker and now it's a situation where Mahomes is like, all right, I need someone to make a play. And Chris Collinsworth is doing the freeze frames. And he's circling, not open, not open, not open. We already want him to go with the football here. And it's one of those games that we're saying with Telestrator on Sunday night. Then I do think we could be discussing the Chief next week and being like, do they need to make a move for a pass catcher?

We know they're a very good team. We know they have a very good defense. We know they have a very good run game, but could they add one pass catcher here that really maximizes that offense? So yeah, it feels like one way or the other, there will be a narrative for one of these quarterbacks or one of these teams coming out of this Sunday night game.

I feel bad now because I'm thinking I'm looking ahead because you said like, oh, you just are always looking ahead. You're not thinking about what we're talking about. You're not paying attention to old episodes. So I was then looking ahead to like my main character. And now I'm second guessing myself to be perfectly honest with you when we move on to that main character. Oh, bring it.

No, let's hear it. Now I want to hear it. No, now you guys are going to reject it and I'm going to go into the weekend feeling bad and it's going to be this whole thing. There's no wrong answers, man. Oh, that's what I thought until we entered the last one and then all of a sudden. You criticized the pick. I would never do that.

You called him a hipster. I did do that. But I think that's a compliment to some people. I think some people like it. He's wearing a vest today. I think that, you know, she'll, I think she would like to be a hipster. No, it looks like some private equity today. That's not a hipster look.

Yeah. Yeah, well, you know, and I'm not generally a vest guy, but I'm, you know, I'm trying something new. I've generally made, I've made fun of the hipsters for a long time, Billy, but, you know, as I've always said, occasionally, you know, you want to just crack open a PBR and wear a little plaid and maybe see how the mustache looks, you know? Could you grow a mustache? That was going to be my question, Sheila. If we gave you one month, I mean, November's coming up. Could you grow a mustache and how would it go? Oh, yeah, I don't need a month. if I just did a shave for the next week, you would see it. But I've never worn one actually in public.

It's one of those where you look in the mirror and you're like, this looks terrible. I would never even walk out of the bathroom with this thing there. But I could grow one. So maybe, listen, if we get into some type of big argument, disagreement about something happened in the NFL and you're like, let's bet something. What should we bet?

And you want to put that on the line that shield has to like show up to the Super Bowl in LA with a mustache if this happens. I might be open to it. Okay. Yeah. How about this? It's Friday. Next segment.

we're going to do Ringer 107. How about if you have another losing Ringer 107 week? No, not another week. No, no. Long game. Okay. Okay. Wait, hold on.

How about even better? Okay. The three of us, spoiler alert, the three of us will be together very soon. So how about if you have a losing week this week in the Ringer 107, you show up when we're all together with a mustache? No, that's too short term. You put the mustache on the basis of five picks now. If you want to do something about the end of the season

and like will Sheel stay in last place in the Ringer 107 and attach a mustache bet to that, I would be open to discussing it. I say you have to start growing the mustache today and until you have a winning week, you keep going. Now, it could be as soon. We could get to Monday. It could be like, he's out.

He's out of this thing. Or we could be sitting here in December and you're full dip cut at that point. I would also say, by the way, Sheel, like you were fighting this whole hipster thing. you were telling us about your musical prowess and how you used to play the triangle before we started today.

That's because I wasn't good enough to play the drums and they had one drum in elementary school. You sign up for percussion. You think you're going to be like the guys in the movies. She's just, oh, I'm going to have this whole set. And next thing they know, they're like, Michelle, you're assigned the triangle. Ding it twice during this one hour performance

when I point to you and that's going to be your involvement. It's not like that now. My daughter's playing the drum. She's got the drum pad and she's got the big case. She's carrying now. But yeah, back in the day, you know, our elementary school, I guess we didn't have the funds

to let everybody play the drums. It was just bang on that triangle. You ever late at night, like sneak into like your daughter's like drum kid and just like start living the dream that you had as a child play the drums? No, no, no, that's so. Yeah, no musical.

No, he just pulls the triangle out and things it a couple of times and then goes back to big. So that's all anyway, he'll still let him do. Billy, main character, bring it week seven Sunday. All right. Well, begrudgingly, I will say that my main character

is Trey Hendrickson. And, I mean, hip, I have a hipster pick. And you're a pick and Trey. I'm sorry. That's right. Go ahead. Well, Terry, I mean, this is the big Trey Hendrickson revenge game.

You know what I mean? And once I said, oh, the Trey Hendrickson revenge game is going to happen this week. Then I started looking at your picks. And I was like, wow, there's lots of revenge games going on this week. And I thought we had, I had the big one. But no, sure enough, there's maybe the Kellyn Moore revenge game. And we did a great job about talking about what's going on in Paris. And somehow we haven't heard Aaron Rogers's thoughts on that situation,

which has been honestly miraculous, so we didn't get his thoughts on that. Then we went to your game and you avoided Kenneth Walker, which could be a revenge game. And we already talked about this, Billy, stop talking about that dummy. So then I was like, well, I have Trey Hendrickson. And this is an exciting game.

It's going to be his first game against his old team. This is a team that he seemingly enjoyed to play for, but every year he also seemed to be holding out, but then would come back just before the season started anyways and would cave. And then it looked like he was possibly going to be there again as a free agent, because the Ravens went and they got Max Crosby

until they decided we don't want Max Crosby and they failed him on his physical and then they signed Trey Hendrickson. So they asked Trey Hendrickson about this and I thought, you know, whatever, it's just a free agent move. It's not a big deal. And he tried to give off the whole, it's not a big deal vibe also.

But his quote was kind of like, I think you're thinking too much about this, buddy, where he said, quote, as a Christian, I forgive and obviously I move on. And there were wonderful times that I had there. There will be a time to reflect and all that. stuff, but right now there's an opponent in front of us. And it's kind of like, dude, it's just free agency. Like, this happens all the time.

Like, we don't need to go into like, you weren't like betrayed, okay? Like, you ended up getting your money just for another team. It's not a big deal. And this is why I'm second guessing my pick here in terms of Trey Hendrickson for this game. Because I was reading more about this game and I was like, well, Jamar Chase could very easily be the main character of this game. Because in 10 games against Ravens, he's averaged 120 yards receiving each of those games two years ago he got 457 yards in two games against him. He had five touchdowns in those

two games. It's like, wow, Mark Chase, he could be a main character in this game. Derek Henry could be a main character in this game. He's 110 yards behind Jerome Bettis all time rushing and 132 yards behind Ladinian Tomlinson all time rushing. So if he has a big game, he can move up to seventh all time on the list. So these are three viable main characters, but I said, you know what, let's go with Trey Hendrickson here, because this will be a fun one, a revenge game. And now I'm, I'm doubting that. So now, you know, I'll turn it over to you, Sheel. You can tell me why I'm wrong,

why he's not a big storyline in this game and what you think is the best storyline here. No, I think you landed the plane. I think he's a fine pick. You're right. It felt like an annual story. Like, is Trey Hendrickson happy, unhappy, holding out, traded.

I remember he was like holding out. I'm like, his heart's not in this. He's going to be, remember? We talked about that last year. We're like, he's too nice to hold out. Like, he's just a fundamentally nice guy. It's like, I'm leaving Cincinnati. I'm going to fly to Jacksonville.

Florida. I'm going to wait this out. And it's like, you'll be back. And sure enough, like week one or whatever of pre-season is like, well, I'm headed back to do the right thing. It's like, you're doing these holdouts wrong, Trey. Like, come on, man. Yeah, you got to convince them.

Hendrickson has had an interesting season, I would say. If you look at it, you say all two sacks, nothing's happened for him. I was looking at some of the, you know, pressures and it's like he still leads the team in pressures. He's 12th in the end. NFL in pressures. Watching Ravens game, I can't, I can't say, I'm like, oh, he's really having a huge impact for that defense and they're getting a lot of

bang for their buck, but he's been playing with a finger injury. So it's kind of to me, TBD. Like, let's see how the rest of the season goes. I think there's a scenario where that looks like a great signing and he's making plays in December and making plays in the playoffs, even if we haven't seen it so far. And this is a, you know, with Lamar Jackson is another guy. And I don't even think you mentioned, did you mention him, Billy? I don't know.

I wasn't zoning out. Well, I know, I just, you know, with him, it's kind of like, is he playing? He's not playing. So I was trying to play it safe and not mentioned. Okay. All right. So, yeah, there's a lot of different aspects to this game that are interesting. Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow.

You mentioned Jamar Chase, Derek Kennedy. But Trey Hendrickson, Todd, you know, he is an interesting player who we haven't discussed a lot this season. He was a big free agent signing. And it's like, if the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender, I do think he has to have more of an impact than he's had so far. You also have to remember, like, that signing was never supposed to remember. to happen. They had traded for Max Crosby for a substantial sum and Max like a week later or five days later fails a physical and they send them back to Vegas and the next morning they're signed in Trey Hendrickson. Obviously there's plenty of people who have various conspiracy theories about

exactly how that took place. Yeah. But effectively they traded Max Crosby for Trey Hendrickson and two first round picks. That was the end result where it was the intention or not. You know, Trey, that finger thing was real. I mean, he busted his finger. The plan was he was going to put off surgery until after the season. He tried to play with it. It just was too painful than he has the surgery. So I give him plenty of grace. Like I know Trey a little bit.

He'll say the right things, but this game is definitely going to mean something to him. So I like the pick, Billy. I like it. Let's see him get after, you know, his old buddy, Joe Burrow go after, you know, the Bengals offensive tackles who we went up against in practice for all those years. I think that's going to be one of many fun matchups. in a pretty important game for the AFC North.

All right, after this, Ringer 107 time. What is Shield staking the state of his face two? Mustache time after this. She'll bring us up to speed, Ringer 107. You got off to such a hot start. Where do we stand right now going into the meat of week seven? Listen, everyone's bunched. You can look at the standings if you want to,

but it's like one of these divisions. It's like the NFC North. Well, it's not like the NFC North because we all kind of suck. You're the command. You're the commanders right now? I'm the commanders. Yeah, that's right. It's like the NFC East.

I'm the commanders. I'm 12 and 18 on the season. But we're four games back of first. I mean, there's a scenario where we get on here next week. And we're talking about the ringer NFL shows in first place. Now, I'm not like guaranteeing that. There's a scenario, Billy. You know, I did.

Why don't you guarantee it? Just guarantee it. Come on. I don't know. Listen, once we get some momentum going, then I can be a little more bold. but we're not going to do that when we're 12 and 18. But I think we're going to have a good week this week.

So today's Ringer 107 is brought to you by Fanduel. Make this your most rewarding season. Download the Fanduel app to check out all of our 107 picks and boosted teaser every week this season. All right. So we've got to make four picks against the spread. We've got to have one teaser. And the final pick will come your way Sunday on social media or on the ringer.com.

So the first pick, a game we haven't talked about. We're going to Arizona, and I'm taking the Denver Broncos minus four and a half at Arizona. I think this has the potential to be a get right game for Bo Nix and that Broncos offense, that Cardinals defense, 28th in EPA. I don't think Arizona's offense is going to have the same type of success that it had against the Rams defense.

I think the Broncos defense is playing way better right now. And so I don't think they're going to move the ball. as effectively, I think Sean Payton, Bo Nix, Fance Joseph, that Broncos defense goes to Arizona, takes care of business. Might not be a blowout, but they just got to cover four and a half in that game.

That's the first pick. Broncos minus four and a half at Arizona. Oh, really? I like it. Yeah, no, I like it. I mean, the Broncos have to get right at a certain point in time, right? They can't keep doing what they're doing.

It seems like they're ready to take that next step. They just have it. I mean, unless you read into like all the Bonex stats that we went over last week before where it's like, yeah, he kind of, you know, he just kind of tosses that ball off. And you really shouldn't be winning that many games the way that he's doing it, averaging under six yards for pass attempt. Okay. But this is going to be a get right game, right, Billy? Look, Sheel, I'm riding with you this week.

Even though it benefits me and Tom. No so-so-cho's, Billy. Exactly. This is a no-sotro situation because even though it benefits myself and Tom and the audience for you to lose so that you can have that mustache. And I don't know exactly what we settled on. No, I didn't agree to the mustache. I need a week to gather myself and we can, we can discuss.

You have to start. You have to start growing it. You won't see me. Start growing it. But okay, can we compromise? What if we do this? Well, here's the problem. When you say start growing it, like if I just don't shave it, like, you know, the facial

hair comes in pretty quickly, I got to shave a lot for these shows to look good on Netflix. That's what I'm saying is what if we compromise, Sheila, and we say you can have a beard. until it's mustache time. You know what I mean? Like you could grow out the beard for the next few weeks until we're in person together and then for that you have to wear the mustache.

I think that's fair. I think that's more than fair. Because then you don't look like a fool the whole time, just part of the time. I think the mustache would look good. You don't think he'd look good with a mustache? No, it doesn't look good. The mustache doesn't look good.

I think he would. No, it doesn't. All right, so I have to grow, so you're saying I have to grow a beard until I have a winning week in the Ringer 107. Is that what we're agreeing to as a compromise? And then during trade deadline week,

you got to trim down to the mustache. Yeah. The trade deadline week is two weeks. I only get two shots at this. No, I'm not agreeing. You're not bullying me. I was it born yesterday?

You crazy? I'm not doing that. Well, here's, we're tabling this. I'm not agreeing to anything. I feel like I'm getting, I'm being pushed into a corner.

You know, we got three people on the show. It's two verse one. And I'm not, I'm not agreeing to anything. Now, if you want to send me proposals, or come up with proposals for next week.

I'm going to think about this, but you know what? We're going to have an organized proposal. We will put together the action. But don't change before then. Well, we'll see. Because here's the thing. I don't like the itchiness, Bill. But here's the nefarious part about this plan that like the fans don't know is like,

when we are together, photos are going to be taken. So there's a world. You're right. Yeah, that's not happening. The folks are taken with the mustache. Good point. Yeah. So we have to.

And, you know, yeah, that's not happening. All right. But you know what? The Broncos are going to cover four and a half, so I'm not going to have to worry about it either way. But we'll discuss at a later date and stipulations. All right, pick number two, this is a toxic relationship I have with the Indianapolis Colts. It's not good. I can't just break up with them.

But have you heard of the fire GM bump? No. Where does this way in terms of like the backup QB bump that we rang to last week? This is much bigger, much more proven, whatever your favorite football analytical. site is they have data on the fire GM bomb. The GM gets fired and everyone starts looking around. If the GM can get fired, no one's safe here. So that's what they're thinking in Indianapolis this week. Shane Stuyken's thinking, man, we're facing the Minnesota Vikings. If I can cook Brian Flores here, they can't fire me. I mean, come on. This guy's the talk of the whole league. If I'm coming in there,

we're dropping 30 with Daniel Jones. Heck, I might get a contract extension before we even get on the plane going back to Indianapolis. So I'm taking the Colts plus six and a half at Minnesota. What this is really about is something we've discussed before, the Vikings knowing their identity, knowing that they win with defense, and saying let's just be a little conservative and protect the ball on offense.

So I don't think the Vikings are going to put up a ton of points. Their run defense against the Colts, I'm sorry, their rushing offense against the Colts run defense is like two of the worst units in the NFL. So I'm hoping it's bad on bat. and they don't run all over the Colts defense. And I think Indianapolis keeps this within six and a half plus six and a half Colts.

That's my second pick. I've never felt closer to you than I did in that pick because none of that seemed like it existed in reality. Like it was just kind of like you're just creating these scenarios where all of a sudden, Shane Stank, it hasn't been motivated, but now a fire is going to be lit. He's going to embarrass Brian Flores. And he's going to get an extension based on this game. It's like, ah, I don't know about it. You guys laugh.

But Billy, as our resident Dolphins fan, do you remember what happened the week after the dolphins fired GM Chris Greer last year? The fired GM bump? They blew out the bills 30 to 13. It started a four-game win streak. This is part of it. Carly Ursa, Gordon, said it in her statement. This is a deliberate decision to do it now.

They want to see two tough games with the Vikings and the Jaguars, both on the road these two weeks. But if you see a little bit of improved, prove play. Maybe it's a refocus come to Jesus type moment. I don't know that anyone's holding their breath, but that is the idea of it is maybe this is a little bit of a shock to the system. Let's see what they do

coming out and playing a Vikings team that by the way, coming off their by, they're going to be as close to full strength health-wise as they've been in a while. Not an easy game at all for the Colts. Now I don't know if Anthony Richardson got the memo on the fire GM bump because I am

seeing the news now. He was firing something. Yeah, he faced a A couple weeks ago. A couple weeks ago. Okay. So he faces the missed the misdemeanor charge for marijuana. Okay. But I mean, this week, there's no chance he's doing that.

Right, Tom, after the fired GM bomb? I think that the least the person on the entire roster I'd be concerned with is what Anthony Richardson is going to say, do you think he's going to much of a factor in this one, Shield? Because I hope not. I'm in trouble. I think if that were. If he does, then if Anthony Richardson becomes a main character this week,

I think that your premise might be slightly off. That's going to be tough for me. All right. I'm glad it was a couple weeks ago, so the fired GM bump still stands. But in your defense, I will say, Brian Flores has probably spent no time

game planning for Anthony Richardson. So you never know. You never know. All right, pick number three. There's been exactly one team that's been good to me over the past couple weeks. And so I'm going to show some loyalty.

The Houston Texans minus 10 and a half at home against the New York Giants, against J.J. McCarthy. Now, if you look at it statistically, you're going to be like, ah, this Texan's defense isn't the same defenses last year. They faced Josh Allen,

Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, and Trevor Lawrence so far this season. I think J.J. McCarthy's going to have a tough time. I'm a little nervous, given what Tom was mentioning earlier this week, they're probably going to run J.J. McCarthy a little bit more. He's got the legs. Yes, that makes me nervous.

If anyone's wondering, it does make me nervous. But you know what? You've got to pick a few games. So I can't be happy with all of them. So I think the Texans defense, they're going to play, you know, their pass rush is going to get after it, force a couple turnovers. And more importantly, the other side of the ball, like the identity of this Texan team is different. CJ Stroud, I thought last week against the Jaguars,

that was one of the best games any quarterbacks played all year. He had the one interception in the end zone. Other than that, and I know that's another than that, but, man, he was making unbelievable throws against Jacksonville, high degree of difficulty throws. He is playing maybe the best football of his career, where if their record was better, we might be having conversations about Stroud as an MVP candidate.

So I think Stroud is going to continue to play really well. And I think the Texans blow out the Giants in this game. That's my third pick. I like the Texans to win, but 10 and a half seems like a lot of points. Through six weeks, they've outscored their opponents by a grand total of one point. So 11 in this game,

seems like a certain. I mean, do I think this? You're always bringing the fancy analytics into it, Billy. I just go eye test, you know, he's going to carve him up. I will say that's a fair assessment. If someone were to look at this group, they say, you know what, Billy is the analytics guy and Sheila is your classic sniff test guy who just goes by gut-feeling. I like this little roll reversal.

Maybe an idea for a future show here on the Ringer NFL show. All right. So that's three. And my fourth pick, we got the T's for those who don't remember. You can, you pick two games, but you can move the line. Six points. Either way, I'm going to Paris. And we are bumping that lineup to plus nine for the New Orleans Saints. Kellynne Moore, it doesn't have to look great.

You don't even have to win the game. You just got to keep it within nine to give us one leg of this T. So I don't know that the, now maybe the Steelers will blow them out, but I feel like that Steelers offense is a little Jekyll and Hydish. And I don't know for sure that they're going to put up a lot of points to cover a big number. So I've got Saints plus nine in the Paris game Sunday morning.

And then I'm going to the other game we talked about and taking the Bengals plus seven and a half at Baltimore division game. Cincinnati's really healthy. If you look at just the injury reports from that game, it's like, wow, these are two very different injury reports. Bengals coming off a buy healthy team, good offense. I think they can at least keep that close

to within seven and a half if they don't win the game. So that line is Ravens minus one and a half. So we make it plus seven and a half. And the Steelers are favored by three against the Saints. And so we make it Saints plus nine. So Saints plus nine, Bengals plus seven and a half. That's my tease. Do you know off the top of your head what your record is and teases?

Because I feel like teases have been in us this year. I'm glad you asked. I'm glad you asked because, you know, would I like to be picking a tease every week? Maybe not. But you know what? There are rules of the contest that dictate I have to pick a tease every week. can tell you exactly what my record is. One in five on teases.

So if you look at the against the spread, maybe I wouldn't be in the last place, but that's okay. I'm a team player like Kerry Williams once said for the Eagles. I'm just employee number 26. And that's all. I'm following the rules of the contest. We're not going to complain.

We're going to come back and we're going to have a strong season. I believe in you. I think this is the week that you are safe from like a clean shave. And like you're not going to get the mustache. I like your tease this week. I wasn't even thinking, honestly, because I'm dumb. I wasn't even thinking about.

about the whole Florida Lee situation with the Saints going out there. Because I was reading in Alvin Kumar's like, oh, this is history. It's the first game in France. We want to go down to the history books. The person as the team that wins the first game in France, like no one, no one's going to remember who won the first game in Paris.

If we're going to be like five years from now, if I were to ask you. The Parisian NFL fans will absolutely remember. And again, this is not just, it's like the Steelers playing in Ireland last year. It's a similar type of a vibe where it's like there's these deep connections. Absolutely, people will remember this. Okay. All right.

I'm going to add to my Google calendar, October 23rd, 2013, asked Tom and Billy. No notes, though. But no notes. You can't remind yourself. We just have to ask each other. Oh, no, I won't remember. I don't remember anything.

If it's the Saints that win, I will remember that. If the Steelers to win, it'll probably take me a second. Really? It'll also be their first homewin of the season for the Saints if they're able to pull this one off in Paris. So that's fun. All right. So pick five will come via the ringer on social media or the ringer.com Sunday to review real quick.

Broncos minus four and a half at Arizona, Colts plus six and a half at Minnesota, Texans minus 10 and a half at home against the Giants. And then the T's Saints plus nine Bengals plus seven and a half. Today's Ringer 107 was brought to you by Fandall. Download the app now and find all of our 107 picks and make this your most rewarding season. And Fandul, play your game, odds subject to change. Speaking of international games, if you thought that there was any chance that the NFL based upon, well, various current events,

would be getting, you know, scared off from new markets and going different places and traveling players, Roger Goodell on NFL Daily today with Greg Rosenthal and Jordan Rodriguez says, listen, Tokyo is clearly on our list, whether it's next year or the year after, it's coming at some point in the near future, in or out, Billy on NFL game in Tokyo?

I'm in. Why am I going to fight this one? I saw that they wanted to expand to 10 a season. So, yeah, why not Tokyo? Who cares? I'm starting to wonder if Roger Goodell is kind of like that guy that abuses the company policy. And it's like, I want to go to Tokyo.

Like, I make $60 million a year, but I don't want to pay for that. You know what? Let's send two teams to play in Tokyo. That's how we're going to get to Tokyo for free. I mean, I was thinking that seems like a great spot for a ringer. you know, NFL live show. I think we're pretty, I don't have access to all the numbers, but I think we're pretty big in Tokyo just based on some, you know, conversations with some higher ups at the company. So maybe that's something we work on. Here's the thing. You need to just figure out

how to position it, right? So like you could say that we are the ringers number one three day a week football show in Tokyo. And how are they going to dispute that? You know what I mean? Like it's just, there's ways to sell this if we really want to. Is Tokyo like on a bucket list for your shield? Do you want to go to Tokyo? It's on a bucket list. I mean, it sounds pretty fun. Yeah, I would like to go to Tokyo. I'd be there.

Yeah, thanks. Hopefully Netflix gets that game. Oh. That would help my odds dramatically. All right, so Tom's not confident that the leader's going to send us, Billy. I'm just saying, I don't know. He's saying Netflix. Worst case, you can hop in my carry-on luggage.

Yeah. You can be still away. That very quickly went away from an Oslo's situation, too. I don't know if you caught that. I think it's most important that the show. be represented. I think that at the core of this is what we all truly care about. That was a YOL situation very quickly. By the way, the show represented. How about this, Tom, how that you're saying the show should be represented? Like a little shoutout on Thanksgiving.

What do you think? Or like Christmas Day games that you're doing. Like, hey, you know, hey, Billy, hope your family's doing well. Hey, Sheila, how's it going? What do you think? I mean, I'll be in L.A. It's not quite as exotic as Tokyo or Melbourne or some of those other destinations, but absolutely. You're telling the world, though, you're going to broadcast the world. Hey, check out the ringer NFL show. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. I don't know if you know how live TV works, but it is difficult to promote shows from outside. Live TV. You can get, right, things happen and then they're just over. And then you get called into an office and being told, hey, can you not promote your brands that don't have anything to do with us? I guess it's

kind of a Netflix thing. So yeah, we'll see what we can do. We're all family. I was going to say it's very easy to do. It's the consequences after that are not as simple. Not once it's like, yeah. Not as exciting. Thank you to everybody for watching and listening this show. We will be back on Monday night, Tuesday with another episode. We are, Bill announced the last night, so I can confirm it here.

We are going to be in LA trade deadline week doing shows out there. We'll do one one show right after the trade deadline. We'll do a couple more throughout the week. should be an absolute blast. So keep watching, keep listening. Thanks to Chris Arjuna, the whole team behind the scenes for Shield. And Billy, I'm Tom. Let's see.

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