The Ringer NFL Show - Making the Case for the NFC's Top Playoff Sleeper With Danny Heifetz

Episode Date: August 18, 2025

Sheil gets together with The Ringer Fantasy Football Show’s own Danny Heifetz to shine a light on some of the teams in the NFC that may be lurking below people’s radar as we head into the 2025 NFL season. Teams discussed include: San Francisco 49ersArizona CardinalsDallas CowboysAtlanta Falcons The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.rg-help.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Sheil KapadiaGuest: Danny HeifetzProducer: Chris SuttonSocial: Kiera GivensProduction Supervision: Conor Nevins and Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the brand new Ringer NFL show. I'm your host, Shield Capadia. This is a big day for us. We are switching things up this season. I will be with you every Monday through Friday all season long to talk about the biggest stories happening around the NFL. It's going to be a lot of fun, you know, joined by my Ringer colleagues, other friends around the NFL and the best part about it. You could knock these episodes out. You know, you're commuting to work, you're walking to get a coffee, you're walking to class, whatever people do.

Now, I'm trying to sound like a human here. Whatever people do nowadays, you can listen to these episodes every day. So I'm thrilled to have with me for the first, the debut episode of this new Ringer NFL show, my friend, Danny Hyfitz. How are we doing, my friend? I'm good, man. You just caught me walking in class like a totally normal human being. You know, that's what people do. Yeah, yeah.

It's just great time to have me. I do appreciate it because I think I did the first ever show with you here at the Ringer. So I'm honored that you have me here today. Thank you. Yes, I like partnering you with you for all my first, including when I ripped Josh McDaniels during that first appearance high fits, and I was right about him. So don't you forget that. So today we're not going to talk about McDaniels. We're going to talk about the NFC and we're going to talk about sneaky playoff teams.

And so when we come back, we're going to talk about which teams that didn't make the playoffs last year can make it this year on the Ringer NFL show. This episode is presented by American Eagle, whether you're hanging out at home or headed out for a training session, American Eagle has you covered with a ton of new stuff. We're talking super comfy heavyweight hoodies and joggers that look and feel great, sweat-wicking active shorts that are good to go anytime, anywhere, new move-free jeans made from a crazy, comfy, real-looking denim, and their biggest underwear collection of the year with striped, solid, and print styles to fill your drawer. You can check it all out at Ae.com or just go to the store.

All right, let's get to it. Hi Fitz. You know the drill. This is quoted by everybody every year that every year six new playoff teams in the NFL since they moved to this new format on average, six new playoff teams, three from each conference. So the job for us is very simple this time around. We are going to try to identify who those three teams in the NFC are going to be that didn't make the playoffs last year, but are going to make it this year. You are the guest. You get first, pick, who is your first team? Let's see if we agree on any of these or if we're just calling each other dumb for a half an hour. Well, I mean, you could call me dumb no matter what. But no, I mean, the first team I have in the playoffs that was not in next year, that was not in last year. I have the San Francisco 49ers. And I guess that's the product of going first, because that's kind of easy. They're actually the only, I think, non-playoff team, betting odds-wise, that just are basically slotted like a playoff team. But it's just, the schedule is so easy for the Niners. And we can dig into it. But between the schedule, a coaching staff that I

think has become underrated. And honestly, I kind of think the free agency losses they had are a little overrated. But overall, I just, this is a schedule that was the 28th hardest schedule. So what is that, the fifth or six worst hardest schedule last year? They just have the easiest one of the entire league this year. I mean, the NFC South, the AFC South are on their schedule, which is the two weakest divisions in football. And like, maybe that's a boring answer.

But that is usually how this goes, is which team goes from playing really good teams to really bad teams. So the Niners are the easiest one in the entire exercise to me. What about you? All right. We're on the same page. We've both got the Niners. Now, let's dig into this a little further.

Are we like, oh, you know, they're going to be a cute little 10-win team and sneak into the playoffs. Have you thought about, or do you have them winning the NFC West? Do you think they're a Super Bowl contender? Because easiest schedule, you're right. I'm with you. Easiest schedule. Last year they were the most injured team in the NFL. I know they're pretty injured right now.

So it could happen again. But all the things you look at, like you said, when you're looking for this type of team, their special team stunk last year, all these things that don't necessarily. carry over year to year. Those are like all working in the 49ers favor. And so I think that's why the fan dual odds do reflect that. I actually think they're going to win the division. I think they're going to be a legit like 11 win team and they're going to be heard from

in the playoffs. Are you going that far? Are you just like, no, sneaky cute little team that's going to get in there? I do have the 49ers winning the division. But to be totally honest, it's the Rams are the other team that I think have there as, you know, obviously a division favor for the NFC. West. And if I'm being totally honest, if you told me Matt Stafford is going to play the whole season, I'd pick the Rams to win the division. And the fact that Matt Stafford's getting epidurals in his back

and Jimmy Garoppel might have to play, I'm like, yeah, then I would pick the Niners. So that is honestly, the issue to me is I'm just read. Everything Sean McVeigh says about Matt Stafford makes me more nervous about his back. He hasn't made me feel better at all. So that is what actually is pushing me toward the Niners. But no, I do think they're going to have a good season because, I mean, man, like if you just look at the Niners schedule, I know I mentioned the divisions, but you're talking about the Saints, the Spencer Rattler, the Falcons with Michael Pennix and his first season as starter, Panthers with Bryce Young, even if he's better.

It's like the cult with either Danny Dimes or Richardson, the Jags is Lawrence, which maybe they get better, but that looks like six and two to me with the two divisions. And then the other thing is the other basement NFC teams the Niners get. It's like the Giants, the Bears. And then the random 17th game, the Niners get is the Browns. So if you just look at the quarterbacks that they're playing, it's literally half of the nine.

schedule is just teams that are on the brink with either guys at the beginning or end of their careers. And that's assuming they play staff for twice. They might get Jimmy G twice. But overall, I don't know about you. I know that Bill Simmons, our boss here always says Kyle Shanahan's overrated. I think that's like the worst take he actually has on the NFL. I think Kyle Shannon's been to four of the last six NFC championship games. He's every level of a great coach that, like his reputation. But Robert Salas back as the defensive coordinator in San Francisco. This is super underrated. How are you on Salah? I think people have smirch him as head coach. I think he's super underrated

as a defensive coordinator. Yeah. I like solid. Fellow bald man. You know, we tend to stick together. And so he keeps a nice clean shave like I do. No, I'm with you. He's a good defensive coach. He was a good defensive coach with the Jets. You saw what happened to their defense last year when he left. So I don't think

they're going to be great. I mean, you look at the depth chart. It's not a good depth chart. But they've got some young defensive linemen. And to your point, it's the old formula. Very good offense. Mediocre defense. That equals playoff team and contender. And you know, you look at it, you look at a couple years ago, like you said, with Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy, they're 12 and 4 with Purdy. They had the best offense in the

NFL. And it's just like, last year was the year from hell. Everything went wrong. I don't think they're going to be as good as they were two years ago, but they're going to be somewhere in between. And I think they're a playoff team. I totally agree. And again, not to belabor the point, because this is the easiest team. But this is, you know, I know that I yuk is hurt and Debo Sam has gone. But they have Juan Jennings and they have Ricky Piersel. I think are really, good. I think people are going to yell at me when I say this. I think Christian McCaffrey's fully healthy and it's fine, which I think people forget how good he is. And then on top of it, it's like all the guys who left, I mean, you know, I know with Tolanoa Hufango went to Denver,

but it's like they have Mustafa. Like every player, they lost players, Traveris who were to cornerback. They have a player who is younger and maybe actually maybe a little better stepping up at each of the spots. I know they lost like 17 free agents. But it's not as much turnover as you think. It's actually kind of like renewal in a way. So I, and like, if we saw the Rams last year. Sometimes those younger defenses come together faster than you think. So overall, yeah, I just, I'm betting on the staff and betting on talent. And again, the schedule is so easy. So the nineers at the free space. All right, Niners, we both had the Niners. Now you're up again, because you had Niners. I had Niners. Who is your, now it gets tricky after this. I feel like

the Niners were a pretty obvious choice. And then after that, we could go in a number of different directions. So who is your next team? I feel weird about this one, but I really thought about it. And I actually go in with the Arizona Cardinals. I feel really weird. Wow. The hip have gotten to you, huh? Okay. Make the case. Yeah, I did, they did. They did, honestly. I'm being honest. The three NFC West teams, I really, I know I keep doubling down to that, but we just saw it last year at the NFC North. And I just think you look at the NFC West and they're playing the AFC South, the NFC South. Like, I just think they're going to beat up on him.

You couldn't have put it better. Like, yeah, the hipsters got to be. The Cardinals doing frisky stuff on offense and defense. I think Paris Johnson Jr. is like a dark horse candidate being an all pro candidate at left tackle one day. And then I just think the defense, like the Cardinals, again, no one thinks about the Cardinals. No one, you Google Cardinals, the baseball team comes up. That's not true for any of the other 31 teams. But the secondary in Arizona is quietly, like one of the better ones in the entire league. Like the Buddha Baker, Jalen Thompson, at safety.

And then you, I mean, if I always, I always, the name is so generic. Will Johnson, the cornerback that just got out of Michigan. If he's legit. And then in addition to the Garrett guy they got at Nickel, it's like, that's a very versatile secondary, in which case I think it makes the defensive line better. I don't know. I do think they have a lot of stuff cooking in Arizona. But you're right.

It's kind of like an indie band take. Yeah, it's one of the, like everybody, oh, they do cool stuff. Like, oh, they do fun stuff and tricky stuff. It's like they're 12 and 22 in the last two years. Kyler Murray's been in the NFL for six seasons and they've made the playoffs once. They're 36, 45 and one with Kyle. Like, I think they'll be okay. I don't think it's a crazy take.

I think they're like a coin flip, you know, they could get in if they get some injury lock or some turnover lock. But I'm not going to pick. I don't see the case for a big upside with the Cardinals. I know you guys have talked about Marvin Harrison Jr. on the Ringer Fantasy show. What's the, are we feeling good about the biceps? That's the thing, right? He got jack this off season? I think the, so yeah, Marvin Harrison, Jr. added a bunch of muscle and he just looks larger. And I think that the optimistic case is, you know, bigger receivers, you know, they need

an extra year to adjust. That's probably true. The flip side is, you got to get used to the speed of the game to learn if you're not a speed player to necessarily, like, how are you going to win with technique in a faster league? I don't like that he worked at his arms. I don't like that. I don't like that he worked on his biceps. You're a wide receiver. I don't know.

I just, I don't like that. Yeah, you don't need the beach muscles. You know what, this is like back when I was a kid, this is still one of my favorite NFL conversations where I just remember listening to Sports Talk Radio and they're like, Donovan McNabb got two jack this all season. And, you know, like you 14 year old me, it's like, huh, is that a thing? I'm going to keep an eye on that. the Eagles played this weekend.

The last jacked quarterback was Will Levis. What does that say? Patrick Wilms is a beer gut. You know what I mean? It's work the most as you need. But yeah, the Cardinals overall, and I get it.

I really do believe the NFC West. I think the flip side is, do you have the Seahawks in? I do not. Because that was the other team I'm thinking about. I thought about him with Donald in. Yeah, no,

I'm with you there. Like I said, I don't think it's a crazy take. I'm not going to be on board with the, I feel like I know how every Cardinal season goes. Like in October, you're probably going to text me, you know,

and you're going to be like, oh, yeah, I called the Cardinals. And I'm like, get back to me in December. You know, they're going to be six and two. And there's going to be, Kyler is going to be, you know, an MVP candidate. And then we're going to get to Thanksgiving. Then we're going to get to Christmas and no one's going to care about the Cardinals anymore. That's how every season, there'll be eight and nine. The meme with Arizona's call of duty comes out and Kyler gets terrible.

But here's the thing. We haven't lived in a world where he's been fully healthy and the studying has been in his contract. So now that he contractually has to do the playbook stuff now. And Battlefield came out earlier than. unusual, so maybe won't play as much call of duty. I don't know if you know what any of that means. But I do think for real, I do think Kyler said he's the fully, the healthiest they'll ever be after the ACL tear.

I do think that matters. And again, I'm not saying the Cardinals going to win the Super Bowl. I agree. I think Kyler Simmons, Kyler Murray has 10% of Ben Simmons in him to just really do the Philly thing here. Like a little bit, a little bit, like really talented, a little. But getting to the playoffs, plenty of teams that cannot win the Super Bowl make the playoffs all the time.

Yeah, no, it's true. All right. Yeah, I'll accept it. Arizona Cardinals. I had you pegged. for a different team, which I wonder if that'll be your third team. But let's take a break. We'll come back.

I will give you my second team. All right. We're back on the Ringer NFL show. Shield Capati here with Danny Hyfitz. This one, like I'm embarrassed to say, I almost wish we ran out of time. I feel like my ancestors, my parent, you know, my dad, my friends, my neighbors. Everyone's going to be like, what are you doing, man? But I've got the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs.

The Flesh is a week. The Flesh is week. No, I don't have the Cowboys. You don't have a minute. Okay. Here's my take. Just watching so much first take. Yeah.

Hit me. No, here's my theory is that for the first time in my life, the Cowboys are actually undervalued because everybody sees Jerry Jones being a ridiculous person, which he is, and they equate that to what's going to happen on the field. But I look at the team, and I'm trying to keep it simple. Quarterback. You know, is the quarterback going to play pretty well? Is the passing game going to be pretty good?

And what has happened in the past with this quarterback? With this quarterback, Dak Prescott, the Cowboys have been 76, 30 games over 500. And I'm talking regular season, so don't talk to me about the playoffs. 30 games over 500. When he started 12 games in a season, they've never had a losing record. And so I'm looking at that going, they're not great. I don't love them. They have flaws, but in this wide open NFC, can they win nine games?

Ten games with that quarterback and C.D. Lamb and George Pickens? And I say yes. Nine games, ten games is exactly right. Like, to your point, the Cowboys, they're just a worse version of the Bengals with way bigger branding. But the Cowboys, they are going to, I don't really disagree with any of you're saying. I think Dak and Joe Burr actually have very similar styles of like old school Peyton Manning-esque. Like, we're going to do everything at the line and throw a ton. The difference to me is C.D.

I mean, Cid Lam's great. George Pickens is probably not as good as T. Higgins. The difference to me is who's going to be the left tackle for the Dallas Cowboys? Because Tyler Guyton, I mean, broke part of his leg. And they were like, good news, not out the whole season. I'm like, that sounds like bad news. Number one, two, they cannot run the ball. They're not going to be able to run.

They have Giovante Williams. They have Miles Sanders and Jadam Blue as the running backs this year with Phil Maffa. Like they're literally not even pretending that they're going to be running game. They're going to pass the ball. Like the Bengals. The difference is they, the Dallas cannot stop the run and they can't, I don't like teams that can't stop the run. And so they literally paid all this money. They're going to pay Michael Parsons and capitulate.

They're going and they ended up paying one of their better defensive tackle. this offseason. So they are going to shell out all this money to lock down a team that could not stop the run last year. In addition, let's play a little game. How many Dallas cornerbacks can you name they're going to start for them this year? Duran Bland. Mm-hmm. Shavon Ravell. Is he healthy? Is he? No, he actually, he had reconstructive knee surgery last year in college and then his father said he had a setback a month ago. That was plan B. Plan A is Kair Elam, who, again, is a- The quarterback who was a first-run pick on the bills

that the bills couldn't even play. And I'm like, the bills need cornerbacks too. So this guy who couldn't play for a Super Bowl contender is going to start for Dallas. So they have no real outside quarterbacks. And then Bland is either going to have to move outside but he's not at nickel. It's like there's no run fits.

The whole defense is a mess. So they're a fantasy football team. Just like Jerry Jones is a fantasy football manager. Like, so anyway, I'm disgusted by the Cowboys. I don't want teams that can't stop the run. Can't really run the ball and like just are going to get just beamed on the outside. side. So, yeah, there may be nine and seven, or nine and eight. I guess that was the record, but I, I'm not getting sucked in this year.

All those things make me nervous. Yes, they cannot stop the run. They have an offensive tackle issue. There's no doubt about it. They have a cornerback issue. We think they're going to still have Michael Parsons on the team. So maybe he can just wreck some games. He's going to stay. I'm not factoring that. There's no chance Michael Parsons is traded. You know what's so interesting? You know what's so interesting? You just gave a great defense. for why the Cowboys are not going to be a playoff team. If you're like, you know, I don't know if Mike McCarthy has children. Let's say you're a cousin of Mike McCarthy and you're like, this guy, like, you just gave that whole defense. And going from Mike McCarthy to Brian Schottenheimer didn't even come up. I love that.

He doesn't run the team. He's a middle manager. It's like office space. It's like Jerry Jones just wants someone to, like, he just needs a puppet. Shout out to Ben Baby, who works at ESPN who pointed out to me that all Jerry Jones wants us to win another Super Bowl, but he wants to be Jimmy Johnson, walking out in the locker and saying, how about them cowboys?

And so he's literally saying it. He said it out loud. He's like, yeah, it's a soap opera. When nothing's going on, I got to kick up some stuff going on. Like, it's not a serious team. They are like a Lakers-esque operation. Masquerading's a big thing.

This is all they have going on. And I don't know. People know this at this point. The secret's out. Also, Jerry Jones is older than Joe Biden. And he does everything. Yeah, that's true. I just said you just gave another press conference

while we've recorded this podcast. I think, yeah, it is. I mean, when we're doing this exercise, it's so funny how you just are like tunnel vision and you try to find one, especially in the NFC, you try to find like one good thing about a team and you're like, can they hang their hat on that to get them above 500? And I'm like, you know what? Now, I said George Pickens, like, it wouldn't shock us if George Pickens is off the roster by Thanksgiving. I mean, everything is in play with that guy. So yes, I'm hopeful that their passing game can be good with this prediction

and then that can lead them to a playoff berth. But not that confident about that. Oh, wait, sorry. That was. I can't, I think. I lost you. I can't see you. Oh, no, sorry. Just that's the sun beaming in from the stadium because there's no curtains up at the Jerry world. You got, I actually did think I had a technical issue. I'm like the man, we're recording our first debut and now I have a technical issue. No, I don't. He was making a joke. All right. Hi Fitz, your third team. Who do you got?

I talk to a lot of stuff. This is hard. But this is the one that, this is where I'm going to embarrass my family. Again, where the exercise is every year there are like three new teams and it always does look weird. So my, that's, that's, building that in. It does look weird. I have the Atlanta Falcons. Oh, the Falcons are the official team of the Shield Capadia. I had them too. What are the odds? Oh, my God.

No, I legitimately do have them. I was so worried. I can't. This is terrible. They have no chance. I'm embarrassed. Let's try to make the case why we settled on the Atlanta Falcons. Go ahead. You start. Again, I just think the NFC South has an easy division. The Falcons have the fourth easiest division in the entire league.

When you look at Warren Sharp's strength of schedule or just ESPN FBI, anything you want to look at the Falcons have an easy schedule. And again, it's just a component of just they get to play a lot easy teams. But on top of that, the Falcons have like eight homegrown first rounders on their offense. I just believe in Michael Pennex. Yeah, well, Michael Pennex was the first rounder.

They're all taken to the eighth pick, too. It's like Michael Pennix was the eighth pick and Bijon Robinson was the eighth pick. And Drake Lennon was the eighth pick. Kyle Pitts was four piece. Yeah, you're right. The Calebigary was a first rounder. Chris Lindstrom was a first rounder. Jake Matthews was a first rounder. And then like, Harrison Berger was like early second rounder. And then like, Darnel Mooney, who's shoulder thing, but they paid $13 million a year.

Like, this is the, there is no team that's invested more in their offense than the Falcons. That seems crazy. The Bengals just gave like half a billion dollars to Chase and Bruy and Higgins, but the Falcons have arguably invested more, eight first-run picks. They're all homegrown. So you look at the defense. It's year, well, it's year two of Zach Robinson on offense. So I think that's going to get better. And I believe in Pennix.

And the defense, I just think so Jeff, I always get his name wrong because I'm to Jeff Albright, Jeff Oldbrick. Brick, yeah. Old Brick, the defensive coordinator, whose son famously. a prank called Shadur Sanders, which is going to be what he's known for. But he was on the Jets and the Niners staffs and he's a really good defensive coordinator when his son isn't stealing his work laptop

or whatever happened there. But I just think that the system they're implementing on defense in Atlanta, I don't love what they're going to do with the run defense. It's not as bad as Dallas necessarily. But I think that the Dallas defense will be, sorry, the Atlanta defense will be capable enough.

I think the Falcons are going to sling it around the yard, man. I think Pennix, at Washington, you're looking at Jalen Polk on the roster bubble at New England. And I'm like, Michael Pennix made all those guys at Washington looks like stars in college. I kind of think he's going to do it again at Atlanta. So combine that with just, again, a bad schedule.

And I'm like, yeah, I'm kind of into FedEx, man. I honestly think you mentioned how my first podcast at the Ringer three years ago was with you. I think in that time, I don't think I've said one nice thing about the Atlanta Falcons on a podcast. I'm not even joking. I would just, anybody I was with who had anything nice to say about them, I'd be like, give me a break.

Desmond Ritter, Arthur Smith. No, they stink. Stop believing in them. This last draft, I thought, was a train wreck. I did completely reckless what they did in the first round for James Pierce, Jr. The way they handled the cousins penins in the last year. I thought that. So I think they might have the worst front office in the NFL. And I also think they might win the N. Terry Fonson, though, the GM started in marketing. I believe in the Saints. Like his kid, start on the football side. He started on the marketing side. Well, that never gets discussed when they worked his way up to trade future first round picks. Shout out.

Yeah. Nice job by him. But I think they got a chance to win the division. I mean, I'm looking at it. And I feel like the bucks, people are talking themselves into like, oh, no, it's got to be the bucks. The bucks might be a Super Bowl contender. And that might be the case. The bucks have been a better run franchise.

There's no doubt about it. But last year, even with everything that went wrong for the Falcons, going into what, week 16 or 17, both teams were eight and seven. And the Falcons lost their final two games in overtime. The Bucks win their final two games. and they go into the playoffs. But I think ultimately what you said earlier, I'm with you.

I kind of just want Michael Pennix, Jr. to be a story this season. Yeah? Throwing bombs, slinging it downfield. I mean, that would be, because I feel like we do this, and especially this year, there's a lot of quarterbacks who it's like,

well, what if Bryce Young is good? What if J.J. McCarthy is good? What if Anthony Richardson is good? I feel like no one's making, well, what if Michael Penning's good argument? And I feel like there's some stuff to work with them. Well, the teams we're talking about, a lot of these teams exist in the cracks,

of no one pays attention. Arizona, no one pays attention. Lantan, no one pays attention. Like, yeah, these things kind of happen within the cracks. So are you taking Tampa Bay out of the playoffs? Are they the team you're pushing out? I am. I got the Falcons winning the NFC South. That was the hardest thing I had to figure out was the Bucks. Because to your point, there are the other trendy team where everyone wants,

and me, I've thought about it's going to be the second best team in the NFC this year after the Eagles. But I will say with the Bucks, there's a couple things that bother me. Basically, I just feel like the offense might take a step back, so you need the defense to take a step. up, but the defense might actually step back to. Defensively, I'm like, I don't know. I remember, when I started this job almost a decade ago, people would look at a 35-year-old middle linebacker and assume perhaps he cannot do it.

Now we look around the league and all these, everyone just is like, yeah, yeah, Levanti David, who I love, should be a Hall of Famer if he was on the New York Jets, but he's on the Bucs, and no one cares. Levante David's 35. We're going to assume he's going to keep doing this. And this Todd Bulls defense, they have so many pieces left and I just, I'm a little nervous. But really, my thing is Baker Mayfield, lost. Dave Canales a couple years ago, and we were like, can Liam Cohen keep Baker's revival going?

And he did. So Liam Cohen leaves. And everyone's like, well, I guess anyone could do that. Easy. And I'm like, so no one's worried that just because they got the coordinator shift once, no one is worried. No one dares question Josh Grizzard, Josh Grizzard from Lizard Lake, North Carolina. No one dares wonder if this guy who was like a quality control coach two years ago, perhaps

it's not as good of a play caller or play designer for Baker of Mayfield, who, by the way, has no other pitches. He throws everything. He's like, he's honestly short Joe Milton. Everything is the same speed. He's got no touch. He's got no arc. I'm just being honest. Like, Baker himself, who if Baker's listening, I'll play you in Halo 2 any day. But if Baker's listening, like, it's true. Like he holds down the bullet on batting like any time. So I'm just like, I don't know. I think it's so weird that everything with Jared Gough is like, can he do it? Ben Johnson. No one wants to ask this about the Bucketeer's coordinator we've, we've like never heard of. Yeah, you're right. It's good. Bowles has kind of.

kind of nailed it twice in a row, but that doesn't mean the third time in a row is going to be the charm. And it was a very schemed up offense, short passes, not a lot of tight window throws. And then the other thing is the worst injury. I mean, how many times in fantasy are there the splits of like this offense without tackle Lane Johnson, without tackle Trent? It's like the offense falls up. But we see this year in and year out when you lose the all pro. And we don't know how long he's going to be out or how much time he's going to miss. I got his knee scoped in July.

I don't want this. This is being spun to me. Like it's a good thing. Yeah, I can't believe we're talking ourselves into the Falcons on. I know, we're idiots, dude, we got to, this is so dumb. Unbelievable. Falcons have no chance. We'll sit.

Listen, I like Bijian. I thought they were better on offense last year than maybe they got credit for. It didn't always look good. But if you look at all the numbers, they created explosive plays. They ran the ball well. They have the sixth easiest schedule to your point earlier. So I think the defense is probably going to stink. But you know what?

If the offense can overachieve a little bit, maybe the Falcons have. a chance. The thing I want to touch about the Falcons, like, do you ever sit back and think about how many words and minutes you've spent talking about one man in Kyle Pitts over like the last three years? Oh, me? Yeah. He's a toxic ex.

He's like a third. Those players like that are thirst traps. Players are all his potential that never hit. It's like a thirst trap. You look at Instagram. You're like, oh, I should, I should call her. And you're like, no, you should not call her. Who is the other team that you're pulling out of the playoffs?

You know what? I had it. All right. the other teams on, so I think I'm pulling. Everyone wants to add teams to the playoffs. They got to pull teams out. Well, listen, I was focused on the exercise. Hi Fitz.

Oh, okay. The teams I'm pulling out. So I said the bucks, the Vikings, I think, I'm pulling out. And who is the third team? And the Rams. I'm, to your point in the beginning. You know, I don't like to go against Sean McVeigh and Matthew Stafford. But how am I supposed to get over what that injury could potentially be and pick them to make the playoffs?

So I get it. That's fair. hard to argue against him like he's he broke his back seven years ago yeah doesn't really have any sense of self-preservation for messy stafford that's hard to argue i can't argue against yeah the 30 how old's he's he's like 37 he's like i can't argue against the 37 and having a back injury and it's tired 30s the the vikings i agree at some level like the viking won seven games two years ago and now they've they won 14 i'm like that usually doesn't hold jjc microthi is a rookie i just i don't know jordan has suspended i feel like they's like i don't know what if they

just start behind the eight ball. It's like, it's not crazy to me that they start one in three, one and four. Like, what if J.C. McCarthy has any kind of issues? Like, the secondary in Minnesota is bad. And so if, I think Brian Flores is getting his flowers, but if any shine comes off the defense at all, or if anyone, if they lose any edge of being like an elite defense, I mean, the corner, the secondary is really bad in Minnesota. Harrison Smith is starting safety. He's 36 years old. Yeah. The quarterbacks are even worse. So it's like, if they stop getting the, the past rush and pressures with the exotic stuff in Minnesota. it could go down.

There could be a lot on changing McCarthy's shoulders very quickly. Yeah, I was debating. I was debating between Minnesota and Washington, but ultimately I'm just like, I'm going to believe my eyes with Jaden Daniels. You know, if they take a step back, that's fine.

I'll live with it, but I'm not going to pick them to not make the playoffs when I watched that guy last year. This is my cancelable tovignon. I picked Washington to miss the playoffs. Okay. A lot of smart people are picking that. Same thing.

Here's the thing. Jaden Daniels is 24. And yet Washington is the old. the oldest roster in the NFL. They're basically the Belichick. Like he's Jordan Hudson, he's 24 and they're like, he has nothing in common with these other people. Like, Zach, like, the list here is, like, the truth is Washington just had a horseshoe up their ass last year. Like, I mean, the 11th, they went, they had 87% on fourth down. That's like a pretty good free throw percentage in the NBA. 88%. They hit a goddamn Hail Mary. They also had the oldest

roster in the NFL and no one really got hurt. But Zach Ertz is like 34, Bobby Wagner's 35. Like, if you just go down, Laramie Tunsell's 31. Like, like, you just go down. Laramie Tunsell's 31, like you get on the list. All these guys are so old. And I'm like, you're counting on mid-30s guys. If Bobby Wagner gets hurt, that defense is screwed. They also have no pass rush. So I look around and I'm like, I hate doing it, but I don't know.

They just, Washington played so many bad quarterbacks last year. I will go through the list, but I know we're hiding on time here. But they just are playing way better quarterbacks. Washington, in a nutshell, Dak Prescott and Jalen Hertz missed three games versus them and Daniel Jones missed zero. So they just kind of got like a good run of luck there for Washington. But I unfortunately think they won't have a horseshoe up their ass this year. Defense could be very bad.

But again, as I was picking the Cowboys to be in, I'm like, I'm not picking the Cowboys to be in over Jade and Daniels after what I watched last year. So I am the idiot. I might have three NFCE teams making it. I have a big reveal. I mean, what could go wrong? I got the Eagles, commanders, and Cowboys all in the playoffs. I mean, that's of course going to hit.

I can't believe I did this on the first. If I give you a Molygin right now, do you want to actually have that on the record? the first episode you're doing. I was going to say I don't do Mulligans, but I feel like we'll golf at some point, and you will find out that that is absolutely not true with my seventh breakfast ball of the day. So I'm not going to do that. Listen, this was awesome. Danny Hyfitz joining me on our reformatted Ringer NFL show brand new again.

Every weekday, Monday through Friday, I will be with you with a number of guests hitting on the biggest topics in the NFL right around the length, I think, of this episode. It's going to be a lot of fun. looking forward to a fantastic season. I don't even need to do a big plug because who doesn't listen to the ringer fantasy show? I mean, I listen every day. I got it in. I'm laughing.

I'm hearing them rip me for my Tanner McKee takes the best football podcast out there. Fun to hang out with those guys. So check that out if you're not checking it out. All right, thanks Danny. Thanks to Christopher Sutton for producing Kiera Givens on social, additional production supervision by Connor Nevins and Arjuna Ram Gopal. We will be back tomorrow on the. or NFL show.

Must be 21 plus and present in select states. For Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in D.C., gambling problem. Call 1-800 gambler or visit RG-Helpsheap.com. Call 1-88-88-8-9-7777-7-7 or visit ccpg.org or visit MD gamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gambling helpline, ma.org or call 800 32750-50-50.

for 24-7 support in Massachusetts, or call 1-8778 HopeNY or text HopeNY in New York.