The Ringer NFL Show - Micah Parsons Has Made the Packers the NFC's Team to Beat, With JP Acosta

Episode Date: September 12, 2025

Sheil and JP Acosta from SB Nation get together to share their instant reactions to the Green Bay Packers’ dominating win over the Washington Commanders on ‘Monday Night Football’ (0:00) Intro/...cold open (2:27) Micah Parsons Changes the Way we look at the Packers (6:52) The Packers impressive defense (9:12) Is Matt LeFleur properly rated? (14:05) Jordan Love has full control of the offense (19:02) Are the Packers contenders now? (20:47) What do we think of the Commanders? (24:29) The Ringer 107 picks 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: JP AcostaProducer: Chris SuttonSocial: Kiera Givens and Brian WatersProduction Supervision: Conor Nevins and Arjuna Ramgopowell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to the Ringer NFL show. Shield Capadia here with J.P. Acosta from CBS Sports. Great to have him here. You can listen to him on the Pushing the Pile podcast. We just got finished watching Packers Commander. So we're going to talk about that game. And then at the end of the show, I will give you my Ringer 107 picks. JP, before we dive into the game, I got to start the show with this question.
Starting point is 00:00:25 If you are a Dallas Cowboys fan who happened to be watching Thursday, Day Night Football and Micah Parsons, what is going through your head right now before you go to bed? So many negative things about Jerry Jones. Just far too many negative things. It is the type of things that you got to go and pray and ask for forgiveness for. It's just all the worst things. Yeah. That's what I was thinking as I was watching that game.
Starting point is 00:00:51 If I was watching that game, I would just be thinking I can't. The whole game was like a tribute to Micah Parsons, which we're going to. get into here. So let's take a quick break. Let's get into it. Packers looked great. Commanders, are we worried at all? We'll get into all the storylines from this game when we come back. This is the Ringer NFL show presented by Fandul, and the NFL is officially backed. So if you're going to be in it, be in it with Fandul. They've got the goods, futures, live betting, SGPs, Your Way bets, all of it. The apps clean. It's fast. And yeah, when you win, you get paid instantly, which is nice because Sunday patience doesn't exist.
Starting point is 00:01:34 So get your bets in, build something bold, and make every game feel bigger. Download the Fandul app or head to fandul.com slash ringer NFL to get started. The ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit RG-help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available. And listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states. We're 18 plus and present in D.C., Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem.
Starting point is 00:02:02 Call 1-800 gambler or visit RG-Help.com. Call 1-88-78-9-7777 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. Paid endorsement. All right, we're back on the Ringer NFL show. All right, J-P. I'm going to get started, my big takeaway, because you can really go in a number of different directions with the Packers here, but I'm going with the obvious.
Starting point is 00:02:38 And that's that Micah Parsons has already transformed the Green Bay Packers. It's been two weeks. They were already a very good team. You could have picked the Packers to go to the Super Bowl before they got Michael Parsons. And no one would have said you were crazy. But if you were watching that game and if you didn't think it felt different than it's felt for the Packers the last couple of years, I don't know what you're watching. Because Parsons, part-time player right now, team high eight pressures. The numbers almost don't even matter.
Starting point is 00:03:06 just the experience of watching that game and how differently the commanders had to play and how the Packers could just rush for, play zone coverage, take away the explosive plays, and they knew their pass rush was going to get home because of Michael Parsons. It's completely changed the way I look at that team and I think the way we've looked at that team
Starting point is 00:03:25 over the past few years. We say it a lot, but a rising tide lifts all boats. And Michael Parsons is the biggest rising tide to hit Green Bay in a very long time. It is just something different. about watching him and watching how it affects the entire defense. There was a play during the game where he's taking on, I think, like a triple team and still forces Jay and Daniels out of the pocket, forcing an incompletion.
Starting point is 00:03:49 And like you said, it allows Jeff Hathley to be a coordinator to be so much more versatile with his coverages, knowing that you don't have to devote so many bodies to pass rush. But when you really turn it on, when you really have Michael Parsons line up in different spots, Edger and Cooper, Quay Walker, his blitzers, there were so, many unblocked pressures today for Washington because you have to account for number one on the edge. You have to send people at him
Starting point is 00:04:14 and you can tell how tight the commanders were every time they went to a drop back situation to the point where they're using Debo Samuel to chip. Austin Eckler was a chip guy. They were just throwing bodies at him just to try and slow him down so Jay and Nails get some time to throw the ball. And if you're dictating
Starting point is 00:04:30 past protection like that, you've already won. Yeah, it's the old force multiplier jargon that we when we talk about football, but it's spot on. Like you said, I mean, you look at the other guys, the Lucas Van Ness, Roshan, Gary, Devante, all the guys, the linebackers, like you mentioned, what Jeff Halfley, the defensive coordinator can do now with this guy. And again, he's a part-time player right now.
Starting point is 00:04:53 Like, I don't even know how many snaps he played tonight, but he was, there were a lot of sideline shots of Michael Parsons. And then him coming in on third down or him, you know, rotating in on first down there as he gets healthy. And as he gets acclimated. And so it just completely changed kind of the ceiling, I think. I shouldn't even say ceiling because I thought they could have been a Super Bowl team, but just the ways they can win now, you know, offensively, we'll talk about you have a great play caller,
Starting point is 00:05:19 you have a very good head coach, you have a quarterback who looks healthy and is playing well. But now defensively, like if you get in a slug fest, you know, in a playoff game or just the formula we're talking about, this is a formula that has worked for many Super Bowl teams where they say, hey, let's play zone. I mean, think of the Eagles against the cheese. in the Super Bowl last year. What was the game plan? That rematch is coming up this weekend. It was zone coverage on almost every single down, rush for, win with the pass rush,
Starting point is 00:05:46 and then Vic Fangio, who likes a lot of wrinkles, he's like, I'm not overthinking this. Every defensive coordinator, if they can play that way, that's kind of how they want to play. And it also ties so well into what Jeff Hathley has done with the coverage. Outside of Michael Parsons, the Packers' downfield coverage really stood out. Those guys are on a string communicating with the
Starting point is 00:06:06 other so well. There are multiple times where they're spinning from single high into an inverted Tampa 2 with Xavier McKinney as sort of that middle robber guy. And every time Jay and Daniels has to hold onto the ball. And what that does is if you're speeding up the process up front with Michael Parsons and all the pass rush games but can still spin inverted Tampa 2s on third downs, good luck because you're thinking so quickly about the past coverage, but then Michael Parsons is moving at a different speed than everybody else. And they have created so much of the problem for opposing offenses that you just cannot get into third. You can't get into obvious passing situations against.
Starting point is 00:06:47 Yeah. I don't remember like an open wide receiver for the commanders all night. I'm with you. I mean, it was just like. Yeah, they were a lot. He was trying to take some shots downfield. You know, he was, he knew at times, like you said, I got to get rid of the football or I'm going to get crushed here. He took some hits.
Starting point is 00:07:04 He didn't really, scrambling wasn't really available to him because that's a really fast Packers defense. And I'm with you, Kishon Nixon, Valentine, Hobbs. Those guys were all over those commanders wide receivers. I think at one point in the fourth quarter, 30% of Jaden Daniels' throws were into tight windows compared to 7% for Jordan Love. So just a very impressive defensive performance for the Packers. Commanders had 230 yards of offense, 15 first downs. Both of those are the lowest total. in any game that Jade and Daniels has started in one plus year.
Starting point is 00:07:39 In the end of the. Insane. I was trying to figure out what other things really could help kind of categorize and like talk about this game. And something that I saw was on early downs, the commander's early down runs had a 20% success rate. Yeah. That's not going to win. You're not going to win a lot of games.
Starting point is 00:07:57 And it's again, it's another testament to how Micah Parsons affects this team, but also how Jeff Hathley is sort of created this defense where they're able to steal a lot of gaps in the run game, despite not being very big. I mean, Devante Wyatt is maybe around 300. Colby Wooden's more of a 290, 295 guy. Carl Brooks is undersized. Their biggest guy, I think, is Nazir Stackhouse,
Starting point is 00:08:21 and he barely plays. So they're able to spin into gaps using stunts and loops, and they were able to frustrate the commander's run game for the entire game. And once you can't run the ball game, this team, they can just pin their ears back and that's where you lose. Yeah, and that's been a hard run game to stop. I mean, you got Jaden Daniels involved.
Starting point is 00:08:40 They're creative in what they do. And they've had a very good run game really since day one with Jaden Daniel. So you're right, they got them. And even those drives where they scored, it felt like, all right, they got to convert this fourth down. They got to get a penalty or this third down. So great job by the Packers defense there. The other next thing I want to talk about with Green Bay, J.P. is Matt LaFle, and just like, I feel like,
Starting point is 00:09:05 let me ask you before I give up, I mean, what is your take on Matt LaFleur? Like, is he just in the upper, upper echelon for you? Do you think he's underrated, overrated, pretty boy, yelling at his team? I mean, what's your Matt LaFleur take here? I hate to be not a hot take artist, but I think he's properly rated as one of the better coaches in the league.
Starting point is 00:09:27 The way that he has designed this offense and continued to build upon the things that he has done. done in the offense. They kept all the Malik Willis, like, spinner stuff in the run game that they ran. When Jordan Love was hurt, they kept all that in the playbook. And now you have a guy in Jordan Love who was able to make every throw,
Starting point is 00:09:44 but what stood out today was they were just opening up windows using motion. And the way that they used that jet motion to just widen the nickel defender and just throw a seam right behind them. And it really gave their second, Washington's second level defenders a lot of problems.
Starting point is 00:10:00 Bobby Wagner just was running around all over the place, trying to put out fires everywhere. And that's a testament to Matt LaFleur's offensive design. He's able to open up windows using motion and formations. And that's, when you get those guys,
Starting point is 00:10:16 when you get Tucker Kraft the ball after the catch, he is a monster with the ball in his hands. You're able to kind of elevate this entire offense with the way that you're designing plays. So Matt LaFleur is one of the better floor raisers in the NFL with his play calling. Tucker Craft, you mentioned.
Starting point is 00:10:32 I got to get this on the record, JP, because I handed off one of my fantasy teams to my daughter. She's in eighth grade this year, and she wanted to do it. I'm like, yeah, you know, I'm kind of tired of managing multiple teams. Brock Bowers and Tucker Kraft on the team. So she comes out. What do I do? I got to set my lineup.
Starting point is 00:10:50 She says, Bauer's going to play. I said, I don't know, but he plays at 10 o'clock Eastern on Monday night. So you're not going to know. Like, they literally haven't even practiced yet. So I said, I think you should just start Tucker Craft. You might get burned if Bauer's. plays, but then Tucker, I mean, father of the year, JP, I'm giving it to myself, right? Oh, yeah.
Starting point is 00:11:07 We got to get you a little father of the year, mug. We got to get the award for you. I felt good because I would be hearing about it. If Tucker Kraft went two catches for 19 yards, your boy would be hearing about that for a long time. But now, I love what you said about LaFleur scheming up those explosive plays in the way he did it. I mean, he had the commanders in a blender.
Starting point is 00:11:27 I mean, from like the first series, there were just guys wide open and going a bunch of different guys. I mean, at times it almost felt, you know, when Ben Johnson last year, it felt like he would get bored sometimes and just like, when they're giving those Savion Williams, you know, manufacturer touches. And I'm like, all right, the floor is just like, let me empty out the whole bag right now. We practice these. We might as well go with it. So I even felt like, like they didn't play a perfect game. They've left plays on the field. That could have been 35, 40 points. But yeah, I just thought he did an awesome job. His winning percentage is 12th in NFL history, which I don't even know if people realize is better than
Starting point is 00:12:02 Bill Belichick, Andy Reed, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh. Now, he's never won that Super Bowl, but he just consistently wins games year after year. So impressed with Matt LaFleur. And they were able to do this offensively without Zach, Tom, and Aaron Banks. And there was just the weird penalties stop them from scoring 40 points. It's a great point because I'm looking at all the games this weekend. And it's like, this team has multiple line injuries. And there are certain teams when that happens, you're like, this is going to sink them.
Starting point is 00:12:31 I think their offense is going to stink, you know, it's going to get torpedo, but there are other teams. And it's almost like a differentiating factor for some of these teams. You know, like the Eagles, I feel like they can withstand it. The Packers, they can withstand it. Lions will see. Past versions of the Lions, I felt like they could withstand it, that you have a couple of those injuries, but you trust the coaching, you trust the depth, you trust that they'll scheme around it and won't make those guys do too much. But you're right.
Starting point is 00:12:57 I mean, it came up early in the game that they're down to offensive linemen, but then as you're watching the game, you kind of wouldn't even know that that was the case. So yeah, they did a terrific job there. All right, let's take a break. I want to come back. We've barely talked about the quarterback. I want to talk about the quarterback for the Packers and then get your take on where you are with the commanders. This episode is brought to you by NFL Sunday ticket on YouTube TV. NFL Sundays are back and you won't want to miss the action. NFL Sunday ticket and YouTube TV lets you catch every game, every Sunday all in one place. And now new users get NFL Sunday ticket for eight payments of 3450 per month.
Starting point is 00:13:36 Head to YouTube.com slash Ringer NFL and sign up now. New users pay $276 or eight non-cancelable payments of $3450 per month, first charged at purchase. Availability varies with NFL Sunday ticket for out-of-market games and YouTube TV base plan for local and national games. Base plan required device and content restrictions apply, terms restrictions and embargoes apply, It's digital-only games. Commercial use excluded, no refunds. All right, we're back on the Ringer NFL show. Jordan Love, 19 for 31, 2992 yards, and two touchdowns.
Starting point is 00:14:16 JP, he is, you know, when we all like to look at our charts, average depth to target, who's throwing down them, we're all sad because we see Patrick Mahomes at 6 and whoever else, and we're like, no, let these guys show off their talents. Jordan Love is here to save us because his average pass. went 14 yards downfield, and he's never seen a downfield opportunity that he doesn't want to take advantage of. Jordan Love is the perfect quarterback
Starting point is 00:14:40 for people who think that, like, the peak of quarterbacking happened in, like, the mid-2010s, like early 2010s with Brady and, like, Peyton Manning. He's always throwing the ball downfield. And I respect that so much, and I respect the offense for being built around his aggression throwing the ball downfield. And I think that's something that Matt Ford doesn't get a lot of crows.
Starting point is 00:15:01 Reddit 4 is sort of morphing this offense from being with Aaron Rogers so much of a point and shoot like, I'm not going to call it dink and dunk, but it was Uber efficient through Aaron Rogers just kind of being a supercomputer at quarterback. Jordan Love is still making steps towards that. And I've actually thought he's improved in his pre-snap and post-snap and sort of diagnosing coverages. But what he really does is LaFleur has given him the full, like, look, man, if it's not there, just throw it downfield.
Starting point is 00:15:32 Because you have the arm and you're able to make other throws that a lot of guys can't make. So this game, I think, had a couple of just weird misses. Like the opening drive miss on fourth down, I think he was just laid on. But outside of that, I mean, you can tell that he's got full control this offense in another year. And I'm really excited to see how he continues to grow.
Starting point is 00:15:52 Yeah, that fourth down, there was a Matthew Golden deep shot where it looks like he just missed on that. His best throw might have been the one that got, called back to Jaden Reed. I think it was the first possession where Jaden Reed unfortunately got injured and the Packers had a holding penalty. But that was like a sick throw into a small space on the right side there in the end zone. So yeah, I've been a Jordan Love fan for years now. People get on me, you hype him up too much and you overrate him. I'm like, I just love the style of play, to your point. I love that he's looking for those explosives.
Starting point is 00:16:25 And tonight, a lot of them were schemed up. And then like you said, he's taking shots regardless. there were two plays I loved from Jordan Love in this game. One of them, first half, a scramble, which I'll give credit to our friend here at the ringer. Deonté Lee was the first guy. I remember pointing this out last year, I think it was. He's just like, Jordan Love never scrambles and it holds him back. And I'm like, you're right. Jordan Love never does scramble.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Why doesn't he scramble? And so that was great to see. I don't know if he needs to lower the shoulder or not, but there was a play in the first half he takes off, goes down the right side, picks up a first down with the scramble. And then in the second half, not the same thing, but he felt some pressure, creation mode rolled out to his right. It was a third down. It was a tight game at that point, 1710,
Starting point is 00:17:11 and he finds Tucker Kraft. So I feel like he's got that creation mode in him. He doesn't always turn to it. And even simple things like, hey, man, you can run and pick up eight yards here. Other quarterbacks are doing it. I really like to see that. I like to see it too.
Starting point is 00:17:26 And again, it's unlocking another aspect of his game that can really help take it to another level and help keep the offense as efficient as it is. Because of how far he throws the ball downfield, every opposing defense is going to go, oh my gosh, we got to get downfield to cover and make sure we have enough bodies 25, 30 yards downfield. If you don't have it, you can just scramble and take the easy yards yourself. That is basically another version of a checkdown in the offense outside of just their run game being their version of a checkdown. So I think Jordan Love adding that to his game is going to be huge.
Starting point is 00:17:58 And just the throat of Malik Heath, where he kind of just like, he literally got like toe tapped it was insane. Just one of the most incredible catches that was probably like there's been a lot of insane catches. That has been one of my favorites of the year. But man, just the ability to put the ball exactly where it needs it to be. Like you said, the touchdown to read that got called back was insane. But he is growing and becoming a quarterback that I think we all hope. he could have been, which is like an upper edge long guy who can elevate
Starting point is 00:18:32 everybody else around him. I love the Heath call out because my favorite catches are the ones where you watch live and you go, no chance, he's not in. And then they show the replay and they show the toes and you get to go crazy. You know, watching on TV like, oh my gosh, how did he get those two feet in? So yeah,
Starting point is 00:18:49 that's what Heath did on that play. Supporting cast did a nice job today for the Packers. That's been a popular topic for years and rightfully so, but they came through for Jordan Love. in this game. So let's, let's zoom out. Packers, and it's only week two, but just like NFC contenders, is it, you know, again, it's way too early to be discussing this, but we're doing a podcast. What do you want from me? Is it in your head? Is it like Packers and Eagles and everyone
Starting point is 00:19:15 else? Is it Packers, Eagles and hey, don't forget about the Lions and someone else? Just say, what's your kind of gut feel very early in the season? So very early, I think it's the Packers, I think it's the Eagles, and then I would throw the bucks in there. Fox. Okay. I think getting Tristan Wurfs back healthy, potentially getting Chris Godwin back. I think both have said
Starting point is 00:19:35 they don't know if they'll play on Monday. If Tristan works at Chris Godwin both play Monday, that would be an incredible testament to their recovery process. But that is once again adding another element to their offense. But it's hard to not say
Starting point is 00:19:49 the Packers aren't Super Bowl contenders because they just, they're so dominant on defense right now. And I'm sure they're probably going to go through Loles during the season because it's a long season. But when you have an impact player like Michael Parsons, when your defense in the secondary is as tied together as they are and you have a quarterback that you can trust in big games, you're going to go really far when it comes to playoff time.
Starting point is 00:20:13 So there's, they're definitely one of Super Bowl contenders in the NFC. They feel like they can win in a lot of different ways right now with the way they're, their set up, run game, play calling, scheming stuff. Jordan Love can just go to that tier where maybe the scheme's not working. but he's making high degree of difficulty throws, the defense, the pass rush, the coverage, to your point. So yeah, I think it's a, it's, I'm embarrassed. I can't believe I asked you. We're on week to.
Starting point is 00:20:37 You're finished week two, and I'm asking you that question. Listen, this is what happens sometimes when you're, when you're doing the daily pods. Your mind wanders to weird places there. How about the commanders, JP? We haven't talked too much about them, so I don't really think this game was about them. Are you like, all right, that was just kind of a learning experience? Are you like, no, some of the warts that. maybe I thought we were going to see from this team
Starting point is 00:20:59 we're exposed tonight. I think they'll be fine. I think they just kind of ran into a buzzsaw. This game, I do think I'm going to be monitoring some of their run game stuff, especially the running back runs, because the office last year was so propped up by Jaden Daniels
Starting point is 00:21:15 scrambling. If teams, which are very few of them, but if there are teams that are able to slow down Jaden as a scrambler, how are you able to move the ball on the ground, which is where I think you add more Bill Crosky Merritt into the offense. I think you get Debo Samuel involved in the run game. The biggest thing for them
Starting point is 00:21:31 is Debo Samuel looks healthy and he looks like he has the juice again. And that's something that's going to help keep that offense efficient especially because it feels like Terry McLaurin has sort of kind of been an afterthought. What's going on with him? I don't know if he's injured or what. Yeah. It's weird. Maybe it's just the ramp up after
Starting point is 00:21:47 the holdout, but I think if they get Terry McLauran back up the speed and all the elements in the offense, they'll be fine. It's just they ran into an angry group of Packers. Yeah, and their old line couldn't hold up and didn't have their full group there. And this is not the weak to be a little underman on the offensive line. So I'm with you.
Starting point is 00:22:08 I think defense, I don't think they have a great defense. They're going to have to be opportunistic and great turnovers and negative plays. And I think we expected that coming into the season here. I don't think Jaden Daniels look bad. I mean, like I said, I don't remember an open wide receiver for him all night long. So, you know, without having watched the film or anything, I don't know what he was supposed to do. there. I am concerned about the past catcher in group is an interesting. I'm with
Starting point is 00:22:31 you. When Debo got the ball laid or even on the return, it's like, okay, he's got some juice, but I was like, where was that earlier in the game? There were some snaps, you know, he wasn't on the field early and I'm wondering, and then Terry McClaren, like you said, hasn't been much of a factor through two weeks. So just like the secondary receivers and those kinds
Starting point is 00:22:49 of things. But man, they figured it out last year, so I kind of give them the benefit of the doubt that they're going to be okay there. All right, JP. We did it, I think. You know, we've covered this game. JP Acosta love talking football with him. CBS Sports, pushing the pile podcast. Check him out there.
Starting point is 00:23:07 Appreciate you coming on, JP. I'll be back in a minute to go over the Ringers 107. The Ringer NFL show is brought to you by Fandul. NFL Sunday's coming. You've got your crew, your couch, your snacks, your slate, and Fandul's coming in with something extra. This isn't just another NFL Sunday. It's your chance.
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Starting point is 00:24:16 Gambling problem? Call 1-800 gambler or visit RG-HALP.com. Call 1-888-88-7-7-7 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. All right, it's the hurry up. And on Fridays, you know what we do. It's the Ringer 107. Today's Ringer 107 is brought to you by Fandul. I will give my five picks for this contest.
Starting point is 00:24:41 Hopefully you've heard about it on other pods. We're competing with the Bill Simmons podcast, with the Ringer fantasy guys, and with two different Ringer gambling shows. So I made five picks last week, two and three. Not great, but you know what? It was tied for the best record. So we're okay.
Starting point is 00:24:58 We're still in the mix. So let's have a nice week here in week two with my five picks. Pick number one, I'm going Cowboys, minus four and a half at home versus the Giants. I know we made fun of them at the beginning of this podcast. But guess what? I like to make fun of the Giants more. I want to fade this Giants team. We talked about it with JJ on the pod earlier this week.
Starting point is 00:25:20 I think they stink. Brian Daibald has won 36% of his games as an NFL head coach. I think they're counting down until they go to Jackson Dart here. And then the Cowboys, I actually thought, had a very respectable showing in week one. I think their offense looked pretty good. I don't love their defense. But, you know, against the Giants, do I really care?
Starting point is 00:25:40 You just got to limit some explosive plays from Russell Wilson. So I don't think the Giants are good enough to move the ball consistently in this game. I think Dallas wins it comfortably. So that's my first pick. Pick number two, give me the Texans minus two and a half. Now, JP had me a little nervous because the Texans are playing the Bucks. He thinks the Bucks are a Super Bowl contender, but I like the Texans in this game minus two and a half on Monday night football
Starting point is 00:26:05 against Tampa. I'm not that confident in the Texans offense. I'll be honest. Week one, not great, but I don't think they have to light it up. I think there's going to be a low scoring game. They just have to win by a field goal. I think they bounce back after losing to the Rams in week one. So Texans minus two and a half.
Starting point is 00:26:24 All right, pick number three, the Denver Broncos. also minus two and a half. They are at the Indianapolis Colts. And I'm sorry. But you know what, Daniel Jones? You're going to have to do it again before I'm a believer. So if I'm getting a very good defense against Daniel Jones and it's under a field goal, I'm taking it. Maybe that'll look dumb.
Starting point is 00:26:45 And the Colts offense will be the story after two weeks. But I feel pretty good about it. The Colts have some injuries at cornerback. And then that Broncos game was very weird in week one. You know, they had the four. turnovers, but if you look at it last year, Bo Nix is not like a turnover prone quarterback. That was kind of his superpower was avoiding negative plays. So I think that was an anomaly in week one. And I think he'll play better and more importantly, make fewer mistakes in week two.
Starting point is 00:27:14 So I'll tell you this much. If the Broncos lose this game, Sean Payton better call every single reporter back and tell them, hey, I hate my team now because he called them all in the summer on his propaganda tour and told him he had a Super Bowl team. So if he loses to the Colston week two, we need retractions, Sean Peyton. All right. That's Broncos minus two and a half. Pick number four, give me the Seahawks plus three at the Steelers. Do I trust the Seahawks offense? Of course not. But Justin Fields went up and down the field against the Steelers defense last week. So I think there's hope for Sam Darnold and Clint Coupiac in Seattle to get back on track. Defensively, I thought the Seahawks did some nice things last week.
Starting point is 00:27:56 A little banged up in the secondary. Makes me a little bit nervous. But in general, Mike Tomlin as an underdog, don't bet against him. Mike Tomlin has a favorite. You want to fade him a little bit? That's not a bad strategy. So that's what I'm doing here.
Starting point is 00:28:12 Seahawks plus three. And then finally, pick number five, give me the bills minus six and a half at the jets. It's like I said with Daniel Jones with Justin Fields. played well in week one, would just like to see you do it again. That Bill's offense is just so reliable if they fail to cover this number
Starting point is 00:28:31 or lose the game and it's because of turnovers or special teams miscues or whatever, so be it. But if the Jets just thoroughly outplayed the bills in this game, that would surprise me. So I've got Cowboys, Texans, Broncos, Seahawks, and Bills. Those are my five picks.
Starting point is 00:28:50 Today's Ringer 107 was brought to you by Fandul, odds subject to change. All right, thanks to everyone for listening. Thank you to Christopher Sutton for producing Kiera Givens and Brian Waters on social, additional production supervision by Connor and Evans and Arjuna Ramgopal. I'll be back Monday morning breaking down week two in the NFL on the Ringer NFL show. Everyone, have a great weekend. Talk to you then. Must be 21 plus and present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino
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