The Ringer NFL Show - Super Bowl Expectations, Quarterbacks Under Pressure, and Lovie Smith

Episode Date: February 9, 2022

Jason, James, and Ryan start the pod by sharing their early thoughts on the upcoming Super Bowl between the Bengals and Rams. James and Ryan then share their personal experiences when preparing for big playoff games including Jones's own trip to the big game. Jason and Ryan then dissect and analyze all of the aspects of next Sunday's matchup including the WR-CB battles, (11:38) the Rams' running game, (20:32) the pressure on the two teams, (28:26) and even the halftime show. (31:43) They wrap up the pod by sharing their game picks (36:00) and reacting to the Texans hiring head coach Lovie Smith. (47:40) Hosts: Jason Goff, James Jones, Ryan Shazier Production Assistance: Chris Sutton and Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let's help everybody. I'm JJ John Gistramski. And I'm Jason Gough, and if you haven't heard, the ringer has gone local. I'm bringing the fire. I'm bringing the rain from the Big Apple with my show, New York, New York. And I'm reping Shy Town with my new show The Full Go on All Things Chicago. We've got episodes three nights a week with all the reaction to the local teams and guests. Plus bonus episodes around all the big games and storylines.

So whether you're uptown, downtown, downtown, in the burbs, or a transplant. Make sure you follow New York, New York, and the full go on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. All right, we're doing a Green Room edition, a live edition here at Super Bowl 56 in Los Angeles, California. The Tuesday Ringer NFL show is in your ear. It's James Jones, Ryan Shazier, and me, Jason Goff. You know, it's been 24 weeks that I've been talking to these gentlemen via Zoom. I've been counting it like a jail sentence. It's been 24 weeks since I've been talking to these gentlemen on Zoom,

and now we have the culmination of the season. Fellas, good to see you, James. Good to see you, Ryan. Good to see you. credentialed up our Juna and Isaiah rolling with us. We got the entire team with us. I don't know who are the police and who was working with us, but it feels

good to be out here. This is only my second time in L.A. period. Last time I was out here was in 2008. So we're going to be leaning on James Jones, Ryan. For all the dinner bills, for all the parties. Yeah, he definitely owed us. Yeah, yeah. We got fresh book money over here.

No, well, it's the first book money. It's the thing. You don't get rich from a book? Okay, like I'm a royalty out here. So the scene has been set the next few days. We're going to talk about this Super Bowl amongst each other and amongst your NFL brethren. But the very early, early look at it is the L.A. Rams are the team to be in this game.

And I keep going back to the last three teams that have gone up against the Bengals were probably the team to be in that game. So how much do you put into the first time experience for all the guys, on the Cincinnati side and also the legacy building experience that we're going to see in Aaron Donald. You know, Vaughn Miller's already got his, but Vaughn Miller has turned it up over these last few weeks where his pass rush win rate is double what it was early in the season in these last two games.

So what do you think experientially and all the other things that are going to come into play here in this game? I won't ask for your picks just as yet, but what's the scene looking like for you as we get close to the Sunday? For me, I think that experience stuff overrated. I do because when we came in and played the Steelers, you have the Troy Palomalos, the Ryan Clarks, the Ben Rothusburgers, who've all been there. We coming in, Aaron Rogers, the Donald Drivers, you know what I mean? We've never seen the Super Bowl, you know what I mean?

So at the same time, at the end of the day, we just kept it to football as football. Nothing is changing. The football field is 53 yards wide. There's two end zones on each side. Do what you do on offense. Do what you do on defense. You know what I mean? So the experience factor, I really don't say that, oh, a team.

team that's been here seven times or a team that's been here twice or whatever they got. It is no upper hand. You got to come out and play the game. Now the thing to me that gives the Bengals the edge is they playing with House's money. You know what I'm saying? Nobody expected Jojo Burrell to be here. You know what I mean in Cincinnati Bengals. Everybody expected the Rams to be here with what they did. They went and go give Vaughn. You get OBJ. You get Matthew Stavre. It was the expectations that they were going to be in this game. And they here, they are the favorites and all the pressure is on them to win it. You know, so I just think Joe, Joe Burrow coming out there cool and calm.

Like, man, if we lose, everybody going to say, like, man, this team is up and coming. They don't have a good chance to get back. So it's really no pressure, you know, so experience, I'm not really worried about that because football is football. You got to go play the game. But, you know, just having no pressure. For that game, when they talk about the first team to calm down, like the pre-snap penalties or guys not knowing their assignments or guys may be studying to our show. I ain't going to lie about that because. McVeigh said he over-prepared.

Adrenaline and all that. So, you know, all that stuff gets caught up in it. Because I remember I dislocated this finger, dislocated this finger, same week. Right? So during the Super Bowl week. You done that all year? No, it was before the playoffs even started. Which finger, by the way, they can't see you on Channel Zero.

This one and this one dislocated. So during this one and this one. He's talking about both his ring fingers, ladies and gentlemen. So during the playoff, Ron, I'm getting my fingers shot up. Oh. So I only can feel these three on each hand, you know, because these two no, right? So I go to Eagles, Atlanta, the Bears.

I'm getting them shot up. During the week, I can't even catch a pass. Aaron, I'm just running routes. Aaron ain't throwing to me. I'm not in the read. I'm just running routes, making sure my legs and all that stay good because I can't shoot them up during practice, right? So I get out there for Super Bowl, and Aaron's out there, and I remember I had talked to Pam Oliver.

She's like, how are you feeling? And I'm like, I'm good. You know what I'm saying? Like I'm excited. So you lied. And Aaron started throwing me passes and I'm just whack, walk, whack, walk. And I ain't got my finger shot yet and I feel nothing. And I'm like, I'm like my dream.

And I'm like, and that's what I knew. Like, man, this ain't just different. It's different. I'm like, this here is real. So yes, I think early in the game, hey, know that your adrenaline going to be kicking. You know what I'm saying? You're going to have to calm down a little bit. But I think they'll settle in and be fine.

Let's just keep it real. The most important positions on the field have never seen the Super Bowl. And that's Joe Joe Burrow and Matthew Stafford. You know what I'm saying? And that's what it's going to come down to whatever quarterback plays the best. Ryan, early returns for you. We know the game is a few days away, but people are leaning towards one side. What you're thinking right now?

And if anything, changes, obviously, we change picks. But what are you thinking right now about this game? Man, first of all, this is probably one time the whole year that I'm about to agree with James. There we know. You know what I'm saying? I think it's only one person that matter. I think it's only one person that matter when it comes to experience in the Super Bowl. His name is Tom Brady.

You know, that's the only person I can think of when it comes to experience. But I've never been here, James been here. You know, Arjuna made that known in the beauty. And not to cut you all, but even Tom Brady lost to Nick Ford. Yeah, facts. You know what I'm saying? So that's what I'm saying, experience and all that, you know. It's overrated.

Now, but to me, the whole year, you know, I said the Rams, the Rams, the Rams. And then I've been talking to a few people this year, And it's kind of like making it sway a little bit. Like, hey, like you said, they plan with house money. They are. They are. Obviously, they're not trying to come in here and lose. Go ahead and do what you want to do.

But they have all the talent, but I'm definitely going with the Rams. I'm going with the Rams. I'm not going with Cincinnati. I can't do it. And the reason, and this is the reason why. We know the reason why. And this is the reason why. And not all the other stuff, everybody know, you know.

This is one of the main. This is the main reason. This is the main reason. No, no, no. This is the main reason. first of all this man got sacked nine times

versus the tightest yeah and what was it five five against the chiefs yeah the right side of that line is having some problems right now if you don't think

Aaron Donald yeah in Von Miller and Leonard Floyd yeah are not about to go off this game but that's the only thing

that scares me because it's because that's big enough though but no the only thing that scares me is because Cincinnati I mean Tennessee got after him.

No, but it ain't the same. But listen, Joe Joe Burrow responded. You down 21, 3? And the Kansas City Chiefs getting at you, and here come Jojo Burrow now. So that's what I'm saying. Something is just telling me that. That's not supposed to make any sense,

guys. I'm telling you all. Aaron Donald. I know. Aaron Donald leads the league in past win ratio and he's double team over 70% of the time. I'm with you. If I was a betting man and I was betting my money on this,

could nobody talk me out of going on with the Rams. But son, this is just telling me, you know what's telling you. Joe Burrow is just going to find a way to get this done. And we all know confidence is contagious. You know what I'm saying?

And if as a team you said, we have took it down the number one team in the AFC, and we came back from 21 to 3 against the number two team in the AFC. Ryan, when you're in that locker room, you're looking at your brother like, we can't be stopped. You know what I'm saying? We can't be. The thing is with me, man, they got all the talent in the world.

They do. They got all the talent in the world. But I feel like the only way this game the Bengals win is if they jump out. Like, they jump out on the Rams. That forced Matthew Stafford. Of course Matthew Stafford to actually do Matthew Stafford. And the thing is, Matthew Stafford can. He can definitely win the game.

But the biggest thing for me is that Cincinnati has shown multiple times the last like eight games. We cool being behind. The Rams, they get fishy when they're behind. They don't play the same. But when they're in front, you know, that's what I think they get physical. The key to this game is going to be Jojo mixing, strictly because you know the pass rush coming. If we could settle them down and slow that pass rush down with some screens and some runs and all that with Joe Joe mixing, then I think that's going to be the equalizer in the game.

I think the Bengals will win this game. And the reason I think the Bengals are going to win this game is because of that reason right there. Their running game has been average the last two or three games. but they stuck to it. Yeah. You know, they're not scared of, like you mentioned, you're not scared or something. They're not scared of going third and six,

third and seven on you because you're saving yourself a quarterback hit. You're saving, you know, wearing a tear on a quarterback. And we all know accuracy declines once you get hit, right? So if Joe Mixon is getting one or two or losing one, I'm cool with second and nine. I'm cool. I'm not cool with second and 14. Only thing that's, you know,

you got earned the right to rush to pass it, right? And we're going to find out. And they're going to find out. And they're going to get it. 38 and that turned into running. That turns to pass down. I can dig it. One thing they're going to have to do, though, is they're going to make sure they need to stick with this run.

Because if the pass rush gets going and Jojo Burrow just feel the swiping. He might not even be close, but it's just because the pass rush is coming. It comes with his own sound effects, you know. Hey, that can be hot feet ball coming out early. I'm calling here right now. But what about Joe Burrow make you think that he going to have ghost and see ghosts and have hot feet? I'm not saying C ghosts. I'm just saying.

I know sacks on him too, by the way. Like we put a lot on the right side of the line. He holds a ball trying to make something big happen often. This is the reason why I truly believe that this could play a factor if you feel Floyd and Vaughn and Aaron Donald consistently. I'd never forget we played the different Broncos when they had DeWare and they had Vaughn Miller. And all week our old line like, don't we got it. You know what I'm saying? Actually, you're a football player.

Don't come up to me trying to add people in the box and all. I got it. You know what? Straight up. The paper's been not be saying that. We end the tunnel. We're in the tunnel Before it coming out for the game

And A-Raw said If you're around at 15 You run it at 10 Break that joy Because they're coming After the ride-roats He comes to put you to the satellite I know what they're saying

I hear what the old line's name But they're coming You know what I'm saying? So hey these boys You said it They're coming No for sure You know what I'm saying

How is he going to deal with it? I'm calling it right now You know Aaron Donald is going to score a touchdown All right All right ladies and gentlemen We appreciate y'all In the game that the defense is needed to

take over. Von Miller did it a while ago. So, I feel like Aaron Do a prop bet. Aaron Donald touchdown. I don't think you do prop bets in California, but yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the superstar. Exactly. It's time for Daddy Warbucks to take himself on to his other

ventures. This is his city and his town. James Jones is being summoned. Look at him. As he walks off, we're splendid. Is that Lulu Lleman? I love Lleman. I ain't a lie. It looked like money is what it looks like. James Jones, ladies and gentlemen. So, right, in my head, on the flight, as I was coming here trying

to figure out, like, the angles to this game. And we talk about Joe Mixing, right? To me, this game might come down to Joe Mixing versus the Rams run defense, which is, you know, not going out on the ledge, or T. Higgins against anybody else who isn't Jalen Ramson. Because if Jalen Ramsey's going to be shadowing or being on the side of Jamar Chase, and I'd be interested to see what they do with Chase to throw them in the slot, give him two-way go, put them on the boundary. But T. Higgins has been on the outside all season long. So if you're going to mess around and have Williams or somebody else, go follow Jemar Chase.

Good luck with that. But I feel like five is going to be on one most of the game. T. Higgins can make plays. You talk about Aaron Donald's scoring a touchdown. I think T. Higgins has to have seven, eight catches. Yeah, for sure. The other guys around the stars, if Joe Mixing doesn't have four or five yards and carry, then he got to give you at least 3.1, 3.2, just to keep them honest,

because the Cincinnati Bengals, the only way they're going to win this game. I think they can win the game close or I think they can get blown out, if that makes any sense. For them to win the game, they got to keep it close. And if Jamar Chase is going to be taken away, I mean, you look at what they've been doing, they haven't been stretching the field much either, especially these last couple of weeks. They've been throwing a ball pretty close line of scrimmage

because of their offensive line woes. So if you're a defender and you're looking at, Okay, having to defend against Joe Mixing in that running game and knowing that they're going to keep it going as much as they possibly can. Because if you get into the 40s and 50s with Joe Burrow throwing the football, that means something ain't right to me. Defending the run game against the Bengals or counting on your second and third corners to go up against Tyler Boyd and T. Higgins,

which if you were a defender in this game, which one do you think you would have the easier go at? I think it would be easier for the Rams to defend. their receivers, that's not Jamar Chase, is because the whole season, everybody understands Jalen Ramsey is going to be on the best guy, or he's going to be moving around near the best guy. And so the rest of the season, those guys understood,

we're going to have to stand up versus everybody else. You know, they played against all the big dogs in the, you know, during the season, they played the Arizona Cardinals. You know, Seahawks, they have, you know, they have two big dogs. Right, right. You know, they've been playing. It's a tough division to go against. and I think their receivers already understand,

hey, we've been against these type of guys before. To me, I think it's more about Eli Apple. I think it's more about Eli Apple. Like, because can Eli hold Odell? Because the thing is, Eli will give you one good game, and then out of nowhere, he'll be gone for two games. But then, you know, then come back.

Or very present for the wrong reasons. You're right, right, are very present. So the thing is, obviously he's Ohio State guy. Yeah, for sure. You know, we know each other. Yeah, he's talking crazy. But he shut him down. Yeah.

You know, so, like, he had his game last week. Is he going to have back-to-back games? You know, is he going to show why he was a first rounder? You know, so because everywhere else he was at, they didn't feel confident in them like they do here. And to me, because everybody knows, I don't care what nobody does over there. Cooper Cup is going to eat.

So let me ask you, do you, which side do you shade? Because it's all about matchups and winning a matchup, and they have it. Robert Woods is a terrific player. He's not Odell Beckham Jr. Athletically, you know, different round running, different kind of receiver. But athletically, they haven't had a guy who was on the opposite of Cooper Cup or on the opposite of Robert Woods that has Odell's talent.

Right. Do you shade coverage over to Odell or do you shade coverage over to the guy who's probably going to be the offensive player of the year? Honestly, I think Cooper Cup's going to eat. Last week, Cooper Cup had it 140 yards. And the 49ers seen him three times that year. And he was like, and he still couldn't stop on. Shimon Vay is just a great play caller. He's going to get his guys the ball.

And I think Odell, when he gets one-on-one, I don't think he's going to beat anybody deep. Like, he can. He can, but I think it's going to be more of his route running, him doing comebacks, him doing over-rout, him doing, like, drag type of things to give him the ball. And because Odell and Cooper Cup are really good with the ball in their hands.

And the thing is, I think it's, like, with this game, we talked about, like, the big stars, T. Higgins, O'Dale, Jemar Chase. Like what is Tyler Boyd and what is Vance Jefferson going to do? You know, because I think, you know, I think that's stuff that Sean McVey is thinking about. X-Factor dudes. You know, and Zach Taylor, because if you really thinking about it, both of those guys have big games most of the time in the season.

But everybody always inspect the stars. The stars to make the play. But in the Super Bowl, Malcolm Smith was the MVP before. Yeah. James White was his MVP, but, you know. It should have been. You know, but it ended up being Tom Brady. Yeah.

You know, so sometimes it might not be the superstar. Like, one of the superstars are going to step up. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of those guys. But I think me personally that the Bengals will have a tougher time guarding the receivers of the Rams than the Rams. Then the Rams have a tougher time than the Bengals. The matchup also, you look at some of the numbers and listening actually to the Monday NFL ringer-fees show with Ben and Kevin and the boys. Ben Solac brought up the fact that, you know, the Bengals teams, that drops seven, drops eight, you know, doesn't do a whole lot of blitzing.

If you're Matt Stafford in this offense, you're going to have to take small bites because if they're dropping eight, dropping seven, and that's the defense they implored against Patrick Mahomes to make him look crazy in the second half for the AFC championship game. We know Matt Stafford has a tendency every once in a while to give it to the other team. Yeah, for sure. Right? And in this game, turnover is obviously going to matter. It's one of the biggest indicators in NFL football.

So do you trust that? if the Bengals are dropping eight, dropping seven, not bringing heat and saying, hey, field position. If you're going to get that thing at the 25 to 30, you're going to have to march 65, 70 yards, and be patient and take what we give you. I think there's going to be a low-scoring game myself. But if they employ that strategy that we've seen them employ the last couple of weeks

in terms of dropping that many people and saying, can you find a hole, do you think Matt Stafford can go an entire game, especially, as James mentioned, with the adrenaline pump in and the stakes and his legacy and narratives that are being written about, Both quarterbacks, do you think that he can be as patient as he needs to be and not give up the ball and have that crucial mistake that we've seen quarterbacks in this game have? One thing my dad told me, Coach Tomlin told me, and a bunch of people told me, you are who you show you are.

Yeah. If you're a deep ball thrower, you want to, you want to gusto, I think it's going to give him a quarter. You know, give him a few. It'd be cool for a couple drives. It's cool for a couple of drives. But I feel Shaman Vease that type of guy, too. You know, he's the type of coach. He's going to try to scheme something up to get a one-on-one.

You know, they're going to have somebody deep back there with it, but it's going to be like, hey, my guy versus your guy. It's not going to be two guys versus my guy. But I won't be surprised if that happens because even Patrick Mahomes in tough situations, and, you know, everybody loved Pat. And everybody said at the beginning of the season, hey, man, Pat trying to keep going deep. He keeps trying to go deep.

He keeps trying to go deep. And then throughout the season, you know, he comes. down a little bit, but then once the playoffs came, he went right back to who he is. Matt Stafford almost threw the game away trying to go deep. Yeah. You know, so, and to me, I think when somebody show you, there's something, that's who they are. You know, so I won't be surprised if that's something that happens. Like, Joe Burrow is the type of quarterback.

I think he's more of, I will take what you give me. Like, they liked those shots, but like, like you said, in the playoffs, they haven't thrown a lot of shots. they've been they've been we can't throw shots like my line is not allowing me to throw shots right you know he likes it but matt staffer he knows that Whitworth he's going to be one-on-one with henderson and probably sam hubbard and he knows like hey i trust that guy right you know he he's going to have uh you know cam acres or sony michel they got good pass protect you know i can trust these guys so i don't see why he wouldn't go deep or why he went through a deep pass um because that's who he's been the whole

season. I'm glad you mentioned Cam Makers and Sony Michelle because the Rams running game, you know, we talk a lot about Sean McVeigh and a lot of his concepts is power running concepts. It's just, you know, tricks and obviously he can put together a passing scheme to complement it. The Bengals

with the bare front that they run some times, so you got five guys on the line, three, you know, three essentially defensive tackles inside of the offensive tackles. Do you think that that is going to be enough to deter Sean McVeigh from running the football as much as he might want to.

Like, they're going to show, like I said, they're going to show different looks, obviously, but they want to make sure they stop the run, because if you don't stop the Rams running game, the game's probably over. Because they're going to be able to pick anything from the playbook. How do you think the Bengals will try to slow down the running game, if not grind it to a halt in the Super Bowl? I think they're going to load the box, but the way they're going to load the box is kind of like how the Steelers do it or kind of how the Ravens do it, is they're loading the box,

but they might send somebody, even though they don't send a lot of pressure, but they're going to load the ball in a way that they can, you know, interrupt Cooper Cup, interrupt, you know, the receivers so they can still kind of slow down the run. But I don't think Sean McVe is going to stick to who he is. Like his whole career, he's been a guy that my whole offense is based off of play action, based off of how I set up the run. So I don't see why he would change that up, you know, because they slowed down to run a little bit.

Like we even see with the Bengals, they, they come. constantly run the ball even when it's not looking good for them, but because they understand, even if I'm not running the ball, you still have to respect it because I'm going to do it. It's a lot of teams that we've seen. And I remember times when we had Levion, Levi-on run eight times a game or James Conner

would run eight times a game. And it's like, we throw in it 60 times a game. Teams not even respecting it anymore. Right. And I think that both of these coaches understand I'm not going to get to that point. I'm not going to have us in that type of situation. so they're going to make sure that they continue to run the ball no matter if they're getting one yards, two yards apart,

because they know eventually if they don't think we're going to run the ball, we have good enough running backs. Well, Cam Acres is a home run threat. Joe Mixing, he'll get caught, but Joe Mixing can still get you 30, 40. You know, so I think that they both still believe in their running back. We talked a lot about the right side of that offensive line for the Bengals and how they've struggled in these playoffs. Nine sacks against the Titans. I mean, it's a damn good defense. Some of those sacks are on, Joe, some of those sacks on the right side of that line.

When you have, I don't say those kind of deficiencies because they're in the Super Bowl, right? But when you don't have a strength in your O line, and obviously if you can't block it, you can't run it. But for some reason, these last three games, they've been able to block everything enough to win. How do you compensate for a banged up O line or an O line that isn't up to snuff, especially like you mentioned going up against Vaughn Miller and Aaron Donnell and Leonard Floyd and that defense. What do you think the Bengals will have to employ? Because we talk about a quick game, but if I know you bring a quick game, I could just sit on your receivers and, you know, bring safeties down

and know that the ball is not going to get past 15, 20 yards, anything in an intermediate. How do you think the Bengals have to counteract all the while making sure they protect Joe Burrow? I think that it has to get the runner back in the passing game a lot more. Joe Mixon, he's a good receiver. He's not having Camara. Right. But I think that he can do really good or do well versus the Rams linebackers. Like one-on-one coverage, you know, angle routes, just get them to the flat, make him make an open field tackle.

I think if they give Joe Mixing the ball a lot more in the past game, really quick, just give him the ball. Like almost like a, it's almost like an extended run game type of situation. I think that that can really help them when it comes to slowing down the, slowing down the pass. passing game because they understand that if I can't throw short and I can't and if I go deep, you know, I have Aaron Donald and everybody at me. I have to figure out a way to give somebody that's one of my best players the ball. And I feel like just extending the run game by just giving Joe Mixing passes two yards from the line of scrimmage, three yards from the line of scrimmage.

Joe Mixon is good enough to pretty much make anybody missing the NFL. So he might have, you know, 10 carries, seven carries. touches, that's still 17 touches and have over 100 yards and it still be as effective as if you handing them the ball the same amount of time. And then also once you start counteracting that, you can start hitting them with double moves and misdirection type of situations. So then now you have yourself in an advantage because now they're thinking you're going to go short, short, short, or give Joe mixing the ball here or Joe mixing the ball there. And then you can mix it up while giving them type of misdirection or double moves and things like that.

Do defensive coordinators get antsy, you know, as a player out there on the field when you, you know maybe you're not getting the heat that you want to get, or they're moving a ball on you, but you're not getting blown out? Like, do defensive coordinators get antsy the same way offensive coordinators do where it's like, all right, we got to take a shot here, but with a blitz or, you know, an exotic blitz, or something coming from the edge or, you know, putting – because I've seen times this year where they put Aaron Donald, Vaughn Miller, and Leonard, Florida, all on the same side of the field and say which one of these guys you're going to block,

play, you know, tackle end games and stunts with them. Does that happen with defensive coordinators in certain portions of the game or do they pick their spots the entire time? I think that definitely happens throughout the game. One thing that Coach Tomlin, he's a very aggressive coach, so I'm going to use just from experience. Yeah, yeah, for sure. One thing that Coach Tomlin likes to do, especially towards the, well, it depends on what Tommy is in the game, but he likes the blitz on first down, while a lot of teams don't like to do

that because if I blitz you on first down, then now, like you were saying earlier, hey, I'm cool running the ball and having a 30 yards. Yeah, three yards. Yeah, three yards. You know, my blitzing on first down and you do a play action pass. Now it's the second 18. You know, so he might, like some coaches might change it up like that. It's like, hey, I've been seeing you run it, run it, run it.

I'm anticipating this play action right here. I'm going to blitz you and try to get a sack. Or, you know, some coaches, they may get antsy in a different way. They might not be as aggressive as you think. And like the stools are a very aggressive team or the Rams are a very aggressive in a situation where you think that they're going to be very aggressive that they might just man up or they might zone up on you. And now you're thinking six guys are going to come or five guys are going to come. Now you have multiple eight guys in coverage. And that's not something that you anticipated because a lot of times of a quarterback, you know, drop back pass.

A lot of times they're trying to get it, not drop back pass, but quick game pass or play action pass. If it's not going down the yard, it's a playoff. and the quarterback pretty much turns and he's already in stride where he's going to go. If you have eight guys in coverage, it kind of throws the quarterback off. And then now that allows the D-line to get there a little bit faster. I mean, not a little bit faster, but get there. Yeah, a tick earlier. Yeah, a little bit earlier because the quarterback, now he's holding the ball a little bit longer.

So it might not be as aggressive as an offense when it comes to like, hey, play action. Taking a shot. Yeah. But there are teams, you know, in some situations. third and one, fourth and one, hey, I'm going all out. You get it or you don't, you know? And it's a few teams like that. But I feel like defense of quarterness have to be a little bit more reactive than aggressive

because that's just the nature of the game. We're reacting on everything that they do. Yeah. What's more dangerous in this game, the lowered expectations that maybe the Bengals might be coming in here with because everybody thinks the Rams going to win this game. Not everybody, but a large majority of the folks think the Rams going to win the game because of their star power is here in L.A. if that means anything to you.

Or the heightened pressure that's on Matt Stafford, that's on Aaron Donald to cement that legacy, that Hall of Fame career, all the defensive player of the years. He's talked about the only thing he's missing is a Super Bowl championship. Ball Miller getting a chance to be, was it, one of six players who's got two Super Bowl MVP's. I mean, a lot on the line for these guys, legacy and narrative-wise. So what do you think is more unrelenting, I guess,

the expectations that are lowered? Maybe you can bounce around a little bit and not be on your deem the way you're supposed to, or the pressure that is on the Matt Stafford's and the OBJs and the, you know, the Aaron Donalds. And Sean McVe is the world. Because last time Sean McVeigh was here for all the offensive guru stuff that we talk about and the Sean McVe Tree, last time he was here, he said he got out-coached. He said he said he was tight. He said he wasn't his normal self.

So what do you think will rule the day on Sunday? To me, I don't, I think the pressure is different for everybody. For instance, I don't think Matt Stafer has ever had pressure like this before. Yeah. You know, Aaron Dono. Shout out to Detroit. Shout out to Detroit. No, really.

Aaron Dono has to have pressure the whole time he's been in the league pretty much. He was the defensive player of the year. I mean, rookie the year. And then right after that, he gets player to year. So now everybody's like, you're the best. Yeah. Now everybody's like, you're the best. You know, so his whole career, he's the best.

So, like, what is the best going to do? And he's been on some of Bronn. It's like, I'm stepping up every single time. So I don't think pressure bothers him. I think Aaron is actually going to go out here and have himself a game. Von Miller, I don't think he's going to bother him either. I think if anything, the pressure is going to bother Matt Stafford more than anybody else. Because imagine going to a team, you're getting traded to a team.

And most time when you get traded to a team, most guys are like, hey, this team is going to be good. This team is going to be solid. The moment he gets traded to the team, they're like, this is going to be the Super Bowl winner. It's the final piece. It's the final piece. So that's a lot of pressure to have on somebody that hasn't even won in the playoffs before. So I think the pressure on him is big. I think the fact that the bangles don't have any pressure at all,

I don't think that bothers. I think that might bother them more than Matt Stapford. You know, because imagine just being as good as you are and beating the hell out of one of the best divisions in the NFL, and everybody's like, yeah, they're all right. Yeah, it's not the turn yet. At the while, I know just from experience, sometimes when people underestimate you or feel some type of way,

about you, you kind of get over-eager or over, like I'm over-prepared, but just over-excited about a certain situation. And I remember I played versus University of Michigan one time. I was super, super excited about that game, super ready to go because they beat us the year before. And I was so tired. I mean, I was so amped up. I was tired before the game even started.

And that's what we was talking about to be at the top of the show where, you know, there's going to be dudes who that first, those first couple series is going to be out there with their hands on their knees. Like, wait a minute, this seemed like the end of the game. I mean, guys talk about that. So settling those nerves down and that pressure that you speak of is important. Yeah, so I don't think the experience matters as much, but I just think that being amped up can really affect certain guys in this type of situation.

But I think certain guys are just, you know, pressure, what pressure makes dominance. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, obviously we have a dominant error. You know what I'm saying? And so we're going to have to see with, you know, Sean Mivey and we're going to have to see with Matt Stafford. But I think Zach Taylor and those guys, I think they're just like, hey, just don't be too ready. Because it's a such thing as being too ready.

Yeah. You know, don't be too ready. Let the moment come to you a little bit. Yeah. And now for the time that we're all here for, to be honest with you, the halftime show. You know, the game's going to be cool and all, right? I expect the game to be much like the games have been this entire year, which is some mid. But the halftime show.

Not the playoffs. Yeah. Yeah, no, the playoffs been outstanding. Don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong. The divisional round games, outstanding. But come on, man. We did this for 20-some-odd weeks where it's like, hey, y'all, let's talk about the two games this week that were fun.

And you know what I mean? And the other 14 that were trashed. The halftime show. I'm looking forward to it. You know, I look forward to all halftime shows, right? get a chance to talk to your guests or just hang out for a little bit, get away from, get away from all the food that's probably in the kitchen. Are you looking forward to the halftime show?

I'm actually looking forward to it. The one thing that I wish that the NFL did a little bit better, and obviously I feel for this halftime is perfect for this half time, you know, having Dr. Dre, you know, Snoop Dog, Kendrick. Kindrick, having like really LA dudes, you know, Mary J. Blas, and then obviously Eminem's from Detroit. But I think just having that type of atmosphere, I think it's, you know, I think it's super dope for the Super Bowl.

One thing that I wish the Super Bowl did is kind of play to the demographics a little bit, too, of having younger talent sometimes in the Super Bowl as well. They had to this time. They had to this time. They added a little bit. They added it with Kendrick. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But everybody else is 10, 15 years older than Kendrick.

You know what I'm saying? True, true, true. So the one thing is I wish the NFL did a better job of, you know, having some younger cats in the, in the, in the, the halftime show because sometimes the music that's getting played in the halftime shows obviously the older crowd they understand all this music but some of the younger crowd they're like i never heard this song ever before in my life you know why because the younger crowd ain't buying a damn thing that's why the younger crowd there's all these people here in at the super bowl first

of all super bowl is always like very um quiet right because there's no home field advantage you got sponsors families everybody in the in the crowd and they're not trying to impress timmy Timmy ain't got no money and you're trying to impress dad. Dad is out here spending all this money on the NFL experience. I walked through the NFL shop just now. I damn near lost my mind. I was trying to find a Ryan Shazier jersey out here. I'm too old now.

No, see, and again, and again, I don't believe so at all. Like, I'm looking forward to the halftime show because, you know, I like everybody's music that's actually performing. No, I agree. I agree. Kendrick's got an album coming out hopefully. You know, he's letting everybody else in the world drop, waiting for his album. And if Dr. Drey's involved, you know there's going to be sonically,

you know there's going to be a certain level of quality to the performance, right? But I'm with you. I'm with you. Like, there have been Super Bowl performances in years past, where I'm like, eh, you know. Did you like last year's Super Bowl? What was last year's Super Bowl? J-Lo. Yeah, I don't remember it much, to be honest with you.

And that's the experience that I feel that a lot of people have when they come to Super Bowl. So I just feel, I think people are going to remember this one. Yeah. I think people are going to remember this one. But I feel that they should do a better job of having more of a memorable experience, a memorable experience when it comes to the music, you know, because I'm not really trying to listen to. Say it. No, I'm cool.

I'm cool with Snoop Dog and Dr. Dre and all them. But, like, man, I'm not trying to listen to dudes from the 70s, 80s, you know what I'm saying? Like, we're into 2022. 40 years ago. 70s and 80s. 80s. You may it sound like it's the Stone Ages. Think about it, man.

There's some people that's in the NFL right now that weren't even born in the 90s. Yeah. No, I know. I know. You know, so I feel like they got to start working on that a little bit better. Yeah, I think this is as young as it's going to get for a little bit for us here at the old Super Bowl. Ain't nothing but a G thing is going to be the most recent song. You probably go here for a while after the Kendrick set.

But, you know, hey, man. The halftime show, you see. to be a bigger for me when I was a kid. Now it's just a chance to not watch football during a football game and talk to your guests. So you're going with the Rams. Yeah, 100%. You're going with the Rams.

You're going to keep that pick. I'm going to keep that pick. I'm not changing. All right. So why are the Rams? You think the Rams and Matt Stafford have enough. Is this going to be a closed game? Is it going to be a widespread?

Is this thing going to crack open at the end? What are you thinking? I'm thinking more like 27 to 24, 27 to 27. something like that. I think he's going to be around there. I don't think it's going to be way too many touchdowns, but I think it's going to be enough. Like I said, I think Aaron might score. I'm kind of biased. I'm close to his family. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can dig it.

There's nobody you aren't close to, Ryan. No, no, that's very true. That's very true. I don't know anybody on the Green Bay Packers. Well, I mean, and you should. To be honest, there's no reason to. But honestly, I think that, I think that certain guys is, like, their legacy matters to them. And you can see the way that Aaron plays. in the way that Vaughn plays,

that this really matters to them. And to have a Super Bowl where you can literally sleep in your own bed and then, I don't know if the NFL is making them sleep in the hotel, but you can sleep in your own bed, come to your own stadium, and then win a Super Bowl in your own venue in front of your own fans.

Obviously, it's going to be fans all over the world. I think that means a lot to Aaron. You know, I think that means a lot to the Rams team. I feel that the Bengals team, is kind of like the chiefs when they lost in the AFC championship. I think this team is... A couple years back.

A couple years back. There is really, really, really good team. And they have a lot of young pieces that can be there for a while. But I don't feel that right now is their time. I think it's the Rams time to win this football. Kind of like, I think Stephen A. said this earlier today.

When Kevin Durant went to the Warriors, everybody was like, man, the Warriors win the championship. obviously Kevin Durant is a lot better than Matt Stafford. Right. I'm glad you clarified that, my man. He's a lot better than Matt Stafford. But also, I think it really means something that when one guy came to the party, he was like, hey, this is a Super Bowl caliber team.

This team can win a Super Bowl, and they're here. There's a lot of dudes that come, and they don't even get close. And they're here, and he's been stepping up. So I think it's their time. And I think I would be surprised, though. I hate to say this, but I won't be surprised if you see the Bengals around for a long time. I think the Bengals are going to win this game, and I'm going to ask you, because this is what I'm hedging it on.

Not even hedging it on. This is what I'm betting it on. Would you be more surprised by a horrible Joe Burrow performance or a fantastic Matt Stafford performance? I'll be more surprised. That's a tough question. Because to me, that's what it comes down to. If this game is kept close, because we act like their postseason experience isn't the same,

but, you know, three games for one guy, three games for another. You know what I mean? Like one guy has one win in playoff wise coming into this. Another guy is the second year in the NFL, right? I trust the results that I've seen over these years. Like, you get pops and Mike Tomlin, everybody said, you know, somebody show you who they are. Believe him, right? No shade to Matt St.

But for a number one pick, Matt Stafford has kind of skated through with the Detroit thing for a while now. And now we see him on a big stage making enough plays. But man, that Jaquaski Tart drop. That was a flashback that me as a bear fan, I was like, oh, like that right there. I think the Cincinnati defense is opportunistic enough. Then I drop in those. Yeah, they're opportunistic enough. Jesse Bates and them do, DJ Reeder.

Like, I think they have enough players on defense that at some point, it may not be in a crucial point. Like, if the Matt Stafford turnover comes, Rams are hoping when they up by 17, up by 14, whatever case may be. But if that joint comes when they down by seven or tied or down by three and it's a backbreaker, I wouldn't be as surprised by that as I would be by Joe Burrow having a ridiculously poor performance. I don't think he has that in him in this moment. one because there's just, I mean, there's something about the dude, right? Like he ain't number one in any of the tangible rankings that we would have

where they'd be arm strength, athleticism, this, that. But he damn showed top six, top seven, and a whole bunch of them, right? Yeah. So I think all those things are going to come to play. That dude for some reason has a knack. And, you know, I hate to get into like the touchy-feely, like intangible stuff. But for some reason, people play better than they are.

at times around him. Like, call it a winner, call it whatever you want to call it. He's a winner. And on top of it, he makes enough plays. If we're going down to it, man, the most important position

on the field is those two quarterbacks. And one of them, I believe in, a lot more than the other. And the other one is a good, like Matt Stafford is, I think a good player. Like, I was part of the Matt Stafford.

You don't think he's top ten in the NFL right now? I think to, I think in this game he's number two. No, I know that. You know what I'm saying? it's only two on the field for this one. And I think in this game, he's number two. I think the better quarterback is going to win this game.

I don't think today we have seen Joe Burrow have a bad game, like a bad bad game. And you guys can look it up, I'm not sure. I mean, the nine sacks. That's the thing. I keep going back to it. Is that his fault? Nine sacks?

Some of them. We could talk like, nine sacks can't all be on your offensive line. You take four away. That's still a decent amount. Right? I'm saying. It's still a decent amount. A three-sac game is a great set day for a defense.

I know. Nine is, you know, everybody eating. Everybody eating. So to me, if we're talking bad game, I wouldn't be surprised to see a big sack game like that from Joe Burrow before I see a three-pick game from Stafford? A three-pick game. Okay, so what's more probable? Three interceptions for Stafford or?

six plus sacks by the Rams defense. Six plus sacks. Easy. That's not even close. Not even close. See, there's something in me. Zach Taylor can't be that crazy. Like, there's going to be Max Protect situation.

Zach Taylor is out here. One, you got to protect the franchise. Two, you know, if you win in Cincinnati, you can write your ticket in the NFL for the rest of your life now. I agree. This is all I'm going to say. In the last three games we watch, the last two games for sure, Cincinnati has started from behind.

And when you start from behind, that means people can start rushing the passer. Yeah. If the Rams go up by 10 points. Ball game? I'm not going to say ball game. Okay. But a six sacks is coming. It's coming.

It's coming. Ladies and gentlemen, we are talking to a defensive player. Please keep that in mind. How many had last week? He is part of the old guard of the NFL. How many he had last week? He hates points. How many you got said last week?

He hates free releases. He hates free releases. With any offensive success, he is cheering for an SEC championship kind of six to three ball game. No, no, no, no, I definitely want to see points. I definitely want to see points. To me, I just, it's crazy, man, because the game is really, the game is really offensive game nowadays. Yeah, yeah. And to me, it's crazy because it's like, it's almost a lack of respect for defensive players.

Yeah, all the rules are skewed towards the office aside, yeah. To the office aside. But with all the rules skew like that, and somebody, he's still getting nine sacks. And you tell me... You know what you're saying right now. You tell me, do you think Tennessee's defense or defense-aligned is better than the Rams' defensive defense-al-line?

No. No, their front-seven is not as good as... But Tennessee's front-seven is pretty damn good. But, yeah, the star power, I mean, come on. You know, you're talking about two Hall of Famers, short-fire Hall of Famers, two of the greatest defensive players of their generation in Vaughn and Aaron. And a guy that, you know, I got a chance to watch for a couple years in Chicago and Leonard Floyd, right?

You know, so no, I, trust me, I understand. I just got a, I got a Danny and the Miracles kind of vibe about this. No, he'll win. He was a winner. He was J-Hawks. I won't be surprised. I won't be surprised. I won't be surprised at all.

And that's why I was kind of changing my, changing my opinion. At first, I was like, clear at first. It was around. Clear at first. And I'm kind of changing my opinion a little bit. But, well, that's what the week does to you, though, right? The closer you get to the game, the underdog gets more steam, gets more publicity.

And in this case, this is the other thing, too. We got to talk about this. You know, Joe Burrow is a cool dude, right? Joe Burrow is a guy who went to Ohio State and Louisiana State University. So Joe Burrow is around a fair amount of brothers. People are acting as if they have never seen a cool white dude before. No, I agree. It's like, hey, man, you see the swag on Joe Swind.

They rename him Joe Swag and all this other. Oh, it was curse. My bad, they are. Yeah, yeah, Joe Scheisty. Yeah, I'm like, because he wore a chain and a mock turtleneck. Like, is that all you got to do now to be invited to the cookout? As I sit next to I being his kintay cloth, like, you know, you know how we bobbing. I'm like, it's like, it's like he never met a cool white boy before out here.

I agree, I agree. Like, everybody's saying. Joe for president now. Like, damn, like, Lamar Jackson has been dressing like this. for years. Like, what we got going on out here? Huh? Hey, you said it. You said, cool white boys. Yeah. Most, most quarterbacks in the league, they don't have that persona, man. They all, you know, button down.

Button down. And the ones that do end up being, you know, at mid, like Baker. You know what I'm saying? Like, they come out the gate, like, hey, don't you, don't you bring that sauce in here? Because if you do, you better be good. And Joe Burroughs, you know, answered the bell, because there's a lot of cool ones, but, you know, they soon will be backups, You know, like Ryan Fitzpatrick came out there with Deshawn Jackson's outfit at one time. It was funny. But, you know, Ryan Fitzpatrick, he's a double agent. He's going to give you the balls.

When a hover, he understands. Well, yeah. Ben, right? When Ben first came in the league, Fubooed out, had the big chains. That was really been, but then, you know, stuff happens. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Make a hard left turn on the old image. You know what I'm saying?

And that's just, you know, that's just an aside. That's just my side note. But, like, let's, folks, we have all met cool white people before. Joe Burrow is not the first one that y'all have met. Knock it off. It's a lot of pressure on him, right? I mean, he don't matter what he wants to want it. Exactly.

You're going to make him a caricature. You know what I'm saying? Like, let him do his thing. Like, oh, look at the, this. I heard middle-aged white men on SportsCenter say the words, swagger, 45 times yesterday. And I'm like, stop it, y'all. Knock it off. He's a young dude.

He do be clean, though. He is. He is. He is. Don't get me wrong. I respect the swag. But it's like, come on, man. Like, he's a quarterback.

Like, this is the new age. Josh Allen, have you heard Josh Allen talk? Like, you know, that's Jamar Allen damn near for 60 minutes of a football game out there. So it is what it is. So you're going with the Bengals. I'm sorry, I'm going with the Bengals. I'm sorry, I'm going with the Bengals. So, Lovie Smith.

He is going. to be the Houston Texans head coach got it. Hey, the Bears ain't been right since Lovey was gone. And I've said it before. I'll say it again. They fired the man when he was 10 and 6. The only thing that... I don't understand that with NFL teams.

What? When they fired him, they wanted to fire him a year before. A lot of times, they were fire a coach after success. You might not win a Super Bowl, but you still have success. That means they wanted your ass out of the year before. And that's what it was with Lovey. But even like with John Fox, like, obviously they didn't have win the sports. Super Bowl the year after, but you can't tell me that they weren't, like, he would have came

back and they still wouldn't want a Super Bowl. Hey, man, I can't explain to you any of these head coaching hires or the criteria, and especially in this cycle where we've got everything in the mix with the Brian Flores class action suit. We didn't get a chance to really talk about that too much, if I'm not mistaken, but this Houston Texas thing is super weird to me because you let go of David Cully after year one. And there's reports that Lovey Smith wasn't even on the interview list. The Brian Flores class action suit comes out. Then all of a sudden, it's kind of like, you know, it's not like it.

But remember 9-11 where people talking about the first time people could fly would be the safest time that people could fly after 9-11? It's like after the Brian Flores class action suit, the best time to be a brother head coach is now. Because now you got Lovie Smith and all these dudes getting looks. And shout out to Lovie. I'm a fan of Lovis, but if he went on your interview list and all of a sudden he's your head coach, and everybody thought Josh McCown was going to be the guy after having no previous head coaching experience with being loved by everybody in the NFL, it just speaks. It's like proving the point that not only Brian Flores, but a lot of people are making around the league,

like, you're going out your way. And then on top of it, you're giving the brothers the worst franchise to coach now, too. So it's like how long is Lovi Smith? They go win no games in Houston? Yeah, no, no, no, right? So he's going to be the next one to get fired, too. So it's kind of like the animal eating itself every single off season. You know, it's kind of crazy to me.

Obviously, with the lawsuit going out, it's been with nine head coach jobs, not nine, eight, it's been eight head coach jobs. Lovie Smith is one when you have the situation when he wasn't even a candidate. But I'm not saying that black coaches need to, like, we have to have 10 black coaches. I'm not saying that. But I feel like there should definitely be more. To me, how is, you know, how is Beinini not a coach? How is Brian Lefowitz not a coach?

You know, how is Brian Flores not a coach? You know, how is Bowles not a coach? I understand that he didn't do well in his first time. There's a lot of people who don't. Dennis Allen is getting another body at the apple in New Orleans after that Raiders' tobacco. Right. right so to me is i understand like all this is happening i feel all this is happening it should make you even think like hey let me just let me think about this one more time you know at least

let me think about this one more time and obviously there's more white males than there are black males in america like that's just the world we live in but at the day i feel that there shouldn't be one or two two coaches for 30 for 32 teams and i guess half a coach you know what i'm saying And so we have two and a half black coaches in the league. On his grandmother's side. You know what I'm saying? So to me it's kind of crazy what's going on. But I just, I'm happy for Lovie Smith to be able to get the job.

For sure. But to me, I feel that he's obviously qualified for the job. But for me, I feel out of all the coaches that have the ability to be a coach right now, he was the least likely to be a head coach. Yeah. Yeah, especially in this cycle. Right? I mean, you got guys like Patrick Graham and others out there. It's just, yeah, it's just weird. I remember as a kid coming up, Sharm Lewis was that guy for me, and I'm 41 years old. So Sharm Lewis was running offenses, and you're like, man, they keep scoring points in Minnesota, but Sharm Lewis can't get this gig. And it wasn't as big a story as it is now. And I got a chance to work with Shirm Lewis's son, Kip Lewis, at NBC Sports Chicago for a little bit. And, you know, I talked to him about. like what it did to his dad and thinking that you're next in line and you see these

coordinators who are getting gigs and you know that your offense is out there putting up numbers and you're like all right this is you know these things change the course of people's lives like a lot of people don't get um looks and when they do get a look they show you they should have got that look you know i'm from chicago right Chicago white socks had no intention of interviewing ozegian but they did it because jerry rhizorff has a good rapport with him he's a former player with him. Say, hey, give Ozzy a look. Next thing you know, the only World Series you get in 88 years until

the Cubs won theirs, was from Ozzy Gien and Chicago White So, hell, Mike Tomlin. I'm not saying the Rooney's, you know, had to be forced into sitting down with Mike Tomlin, but, you know, there's a lot of bad coaches running around. Yeah. So you might want to open up your talent

pool. I mean, it seems simple from a business standpoint. If you are limiting your talent pool, you're going to get limited talent. And we just keeps like, no shade to Dennis Allen. Like, he, he stepped into that New Orleans defense, turn that thing around. Like, the Saints defense rose to the level where their offense was falling off and kind of caught up and kept them competitive.

But Dennis Allen was 8 and 28 in his two and a half seasons with the lost fate, well, the Oakland Raiders at the time. I don't know to me, brothers, they got 8 and 28 on their record or resume that can go back and get a job. I remember back when I was a kid, Ray Rhodes, right? Eight and eight, get your ass out of here. You know what I'm saying? Like, you know, so I just, it's weird to me.

And the fact that there are all these people who, like the benefit of the doubt is giving like, oh, well, you know, maybe this is happening or maybe this happening. Or maybe exactly what you see is happening is happening. And that's what it looks like. When Jack used to be in the Houston, Texans can sit down and say, uh-oh, we can't hire Josh McCown right now because this is going to look bad. So let's give it to the black guy after just firing the black guy after one year. I just, you know, and in the end, I don't know how much of it did it makes either because we're all, you know, we're all complicit, right?

Because we're here at the Super Bowl. We watch NFL football. So we gripe and we bitch and moan for a little bit. And then three years later, we back in the same pocket. And, you know, you're having the Fritz Pollard committee come out and say things. And Roger Goodell comes out and say things. And I don't think Roger Goodell is, you know, I think Roger Goodell is apart from the owners on this. I think Roger Goodell wants this to be a certain.

way and he doesn't like the optics but he also understands who he works for as well and so it's a trick bag that i don't think the NFL is going to be out of anytime soon because to open that frequency up is going to take a lot more than a hashtag on at the end of the end zone or on the back of a helmet agree agree another coach that kind of surprised me that he didn't get a job and i don't know if he's a good interviewer or not and i have two things to say after after this one is rich besotchy he led a team to the playoffs and then now he's back at a special team's role and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that but to me is just if anybody after what that team went through yeah if anybody showed that they can lead a team and then you see the response from the players of how they felt

as him as their coach if anybody can show you that they can lead a team and just to success and obviously they have pieces yeah but nobody didn't think they was going to make it to the playoffs after what they went through to me it was kind of surprising that he didn't get a opportunity of a head coaching job and I don't know if he interviewed or not but I was really surprised about that but one thing I want to ask you is like when you want to become a head coach in the NFL do you just say hey I want to apply like no because they're talking about the pipeline a lot right because I'm not even trying to be an asshole right now I got you for instance I like Josh McCown has a lot of NFL experience football quarterback experience but he has zero coaching this man yeah he coached high school this last

couple of years I believe but no no professional or collegiate yeah so to me you know if i'm like hey ryan shay zer wants to be a coach do i just go up to you know the Oakland raiders like hey i want to be a coach you're not going to do i put the application under the door you know what i'm saying and that's that's all i'm asking because to me is like how do they even know like do i talk to my agent and just say hey i want to start being a coach and then you apply you know because to me that just that was that's kind of crazy that somebody that has zero experience in the NFL in college

is about to win a job over people that's been coaching and very successful at coaching. You know, so I'm not trying to be funny, but to me what is the process? That Texas thing is a little different, right? Because you got McNair and then you got Jack

Easterby and they roll a little bit differently than the rest of the league does in terms of what their values are. Josh McCown is an incredibly religious cat. Jack used to be his entire, I believe he was the team chaplain, if I'm not mistaken, before he started running the squad. So it's like there's different, there's different entry points there in terms of that relationship.

But, you know, for years, they, you know, it was the coordinator route. And then it switched to, okay, we need offensive minds. And if you look at it, the college or collegiate level, it's not a lot of black head coaches, then not a lot of black offensive coordinators. So if you're, if you're just minding the offensive talent, because of it's, you're, of the way the rules are skewed, the way the game is officiated, the way you are allocating funds now in terms of offense, left tackle, quarterback, wide receiver running back, like the big money positions.

Offense is going to be the role. You got to have somebody that knows how to deal with offenses. Oh, wait a minute. All the brothers and special teams coaches and defensive coordinators. Oh, wait a minute. You got Eric Bionemi out there who's been with Patrick Mahomes. Oh, he's coaching under Andy Reid, and he didn't develop Mahomes. Well, what about Doug Peterson and Matt Nake?

right like so at some point you're going to keep running into these dead ends of the bullshit right like you can't just all right that's just a lie after a while so if the and now it's about the pipeline i don't know if everybody's been watching but these these uh these owners are going to like liberal arts colleges to get all these dudes like mike mcdaniels went to yale so if you're finding cats from yale and and these directional schools it ain't about the pipeline it's about who you know It's about nepotism, right? And if we're really getting down to it in any industry, there aren't too many where black folks are going to rule when it comes to nepotism. So I believe we're generations, to be honest with you, especially in this sport, away from having the kind of numeric balance that we see on the field in coaching front office and ownership groups. I don't think we'll ever see the balance that we see on the field. I don't ever think we'll see the balance that we see on the field Was it 70 30?

70 30 I just don't To me Obviously A friend of mine Who owns an NFL team And I'm not going to say which one Ooh you see that y'all

You see that? That's money talk That's big cloth talk right now I'm not going to say which one The man was telling me that his closet His closet fell down Because of how many clothes he had No I didn't say that

I didn't say that He's like yo Jay My Egyptian cloth so heavy I don't have any Egyptian cloth He's like My My gold-covered pillowcases. You know what's crazy is that I actually gave a lot of clothes away.

Oh, war cloth talk. Charity. No, no. Letting you peasants eat off my fine linens. Here you go. I actually gave a lot of clothes away. And my wife actually continues to buy stuff. I don't, I wear the same stuff every day.

This man is hitting all the checkpoints. No, but it's all I'm saying. But the thing is crazy, my closet did. My closet wrap just fell off the wall. We just told the story. People know what. I don't have any, like, I don't have no attention. You got whatever, man.

Gold covered dashiki's in there? Yeah. No, that's you. That's not saying. That's you. No, that's you. No, but to me, it's just, like, my friend who was saying that on the NFL, like, franchise is more fun than it is actually a business. It's like, it's not as profitable as a lot of the businesses that a lot of owners have.

So to them, toy. It's an asset. It's more of an asset, you know, so a lot of teams aren't going to just give up their team. just to give it up. No, you ain't getting out the NFL business. Yeah. Nah, no, no.

The thing is, if your team goes to the playoffs, that's when you start making money. Your team win the Super Bowl, that's when you start making money. But just having a team is not that profitable. Or you can be the Cowboys

and not doing anything for 28 years. But you have to be wrecking in the dough. But you have to build your stuff into the biggest brand. Yeah. True. True.

Like, not just American sports. True. Like, not just American sports. Yeah. Like, people who kick balls, too. You know what I'm saying? People? The man couldn't even,

Ladies and gentlemen out there listening, the man disrespects soccer so much that he can't even say it. He said, people who kick balls. You disrespect the soccer because it's really called football. I know it's called football, right? Look at him. See how he turning on me? That closet joke took it there. It's really called football.

It's really called. His man is looking at somebody whose parents are from Central America and telling me that it's called football. You just said the people who kick balls. Hey, they kick balls. We throw balls over here. We throw balls over here, ladies and gentlemen, the civic pride is beaming right now. I'm going to be honest. It used to be a running game, you know, when Jerome Bettis played, Eric Dicketts and played.

Like the good old days. Now we throw it. You know what I'm saying? This ain't football for real. Hey, I see, he's about to go off from a whole different tangent now. He's about to call people. Yeah, yeah. It's the old man part of this man.

She's here 27 years old. All I'm saying is that if you, the only way that you get paid like that, you have to turn into the biggest brand in the world. And that's what they did. You know, so it's not a lot of, like you said, it has to be generations 100 years from now when there's going to be, you know, multiple black owners. But then we're going to have teams all over the world.

Yeah. You know, and that's when we have black owners because it's in Africa. Or if it's in Europe. Or it's in Europe. Come on, bro. No, no, I'm saying. No, no, we're good here. This is a good idea.

Instead of NFL Europe, we do NFL Africa. Have my man, Ryan Shazier, be the commissioner. You dig? You know, we employ his trucking company, you know, get things from place to place. I mean, it's a double dip. No, I'm just saying because overseas is a lot of wealthy people of color. You know what I'm saying? So I think when we start going overseas and having expansion teams, that's when we might have a little bit more diversity.

I think I was reading something of like the 150 billionaires here in the country. Seven of them are black. So we got to get those seven together, right? We got to get Oprah and Jay-Z and Robert Smith. and all these people together and have them try to buy. But, you know, they ain't going to sell us nothing other than, like, the Panthers or something like there. They ain't going to get no, you know, no top.

Shout out to all the Carolina Panthers fans out there. Broncos are up for sale right now. They ain't going to get the Broncos. Yeah, it's going to be something else. Would you, if you were able to buy a team, Ryan Shays, and it wasn't the Pittsburgh Steelers, which team would it be? Like, does it depend? Oh, see, look at Liza.

smiling you think about money because like everybody price going to be different like if you if you buy if you buy the jackserville jaguars their price i'm not i'm not living in jacksonville their team their team their they're i don't even want to visit but i'm saying but if you if you buy the jackserville jacquars that's completely different than buying the new yorks or the l a rams yes it is it's florida it's opposed to new york no i well let me say it is i'm not i mean shout out to you as a good Let me say this. The Vegas Raiders are less expensive than the Rams, but both of them are going to be very expensive.

I can't. Vegas is going to be expensive for me on the backside. To me, it will be about where I feel like I can have a large fan base, but also have a loyal fan base. Got to have a good stadium situation. You don't want to move in anywhere, and the next thing you know, you got to ask the folks for the money. I want a loyal fan base.

To me, if I was to buy a team, me personally, I'll probably buy the Giants. The Giants? And the reason I'll buy the Giants is because they've been through a lot of pain and any kind of winning you bring, you're going to be the man. That too. But also the reason I say the Giants is because, no matter, obviously, they have a loyal fan base because they have the most people, obviously.

But you know that your stadium is going to stay packed, and that you can really grow it into like an American-type team. Who's going to be your head coach? Who's going to be my head coach? You better hire a brother right now. Who's going to be my head coach. You better hire a brother right now. The whole world listening.

We're going to send up the coach. clarion call to the brothers right now. Who's going to be my head coach? Oh, man, that's a tough question. He ain't about to hire a brother, honestly. I can see it in his eyes. Hey, no. It's what happens when they get in power.

That's the problem. That's the problem. Hey, I'm interviewing. I'm doing the interview process. Hey, my business already a minority own company. You see me? Wow. Ladies and gentlemen, you see what happens?

You get power and they forget. It's not that. I'm not forgetting, but I'm just trying to get the best person, you know, the best person for the job. You're talking like an owner right now, ain't it? I'm going to see, if I was to hire a coach right now, obviously I can't hire Coach Tomlin, but, like, I would hire somebody that's like, you know, like a... Joey Porter.

No, no, no, no. I love Joey, but that ain't my coach. Not right now. Joey and knocking anybody out. No, I'm not. I think Joey would be a good coach, but that wouldn't be my coach right now. I think I'll hire somebody like, you know, somebody that's like Troy or somebody that's more of a, like, Ray Lewis type of... Yeah, Ray is your head coach?

No, but not. That's going to be an entertaining situation. And the reason, I'm not even saying Ray Lewis. I'm saying somebody that's kind of like, somebody that's known, but like you know they truly love the game and going to try to find the best situation. For sure. For sure. Not just trying to, you know, just.

I'm going to hire somebody's defensive-minded because me personally, I think that we can find a good offensive-minded coach since there's so many of them out there. Yeah. You know, but it's not a lot of good defensive-minded coaches. So I would hire somebody, you know, like that or, um, Yeah, somebody around there or like Cam Hayward or something like that, but he's a player. He's a player. Man, I'm looking forward to when the New York Giants are sold to my main man, Ryan Shazier.

Man, that team is going to be like $15 billion. Hey, you got it. I see you over here replacing gold-plated closets and stuff. You got it. All right, man, this was fun. This was fun. As you guys are used to, James Jones did his, you know, this was the Tuesday ringer NFL show featuring James Jones. We got a nice little feature out of JJ.

You know, he stopped in on us. I'm looking forward to this experience, though. So we got the Rams, we got the Bengals, Super Bowl Sunday coming up. You know, the NFL experience is happening. We're in this giant convention center. We got a whole bunch of stages. We got a table set up over here. We got AR, we got Isaiah, we got the entire social media squad.

And this is my first green room as well. So I appreciate everybody for treating me as gently as possible. even though I know them comments over there are just flagrant. So, right, before we get up out of here, man, anything you want to say before? Super Bowl week is done, I guess, because this is our only pod for this week, right? So you got the Rams winning, so, you know. I got the Rams winning. I think I'm changing my coach.

You think he's. Oh, Lord, have mercy. This man is hiring another coach in his head right now. Who? Oh, man. I think I'm going to have to go with like Rob Wilson. Oh. Honestly, I think it's going to be a great.

experience. I think the Rams going to pull it off. But I think it's pretty dope that the Super Bowl is in L.A. I think it sucks, though, that, you know, it's COVID. Because I think it'll actually, this is, it's big, but I think it would be a lot more going on if it wasn't

for COVID. But I think the NFL is going to do it right. And then I won't be surprised if it's back here in like five years or something like that. Yeah, man. Looking forward forward to this week. Looking forward to hanging out with everybody. Make sure you guys are following us on all of our social media platforms. Make sure you're following the ringer NFL.

You're already following the ringer because you know you should. And, of course, if you want to follow me at Jason OneGoff, what are you at Ryan Shazir? As simple as that? If it's Instagram at Shazir, if it's Twitter at Ryan Shazir. Okay, there it is. And what about all the other, you know, nefarious websites that you might be on as well? Any other apps that we might catch you on, you know, clubhouse? I don't really be on many other apps like that.

Yeah, yeah. You know, so. Yeah, you shouldn't. You should, man. It's a dangerous place out here on the Internet. All right, for Ryan Shazir and James Jones for 40 minutes ago, I'm Jason Gough. Thank you all for hanging out with us here on the Tuesday Ringer NFL show. Yeah, James knows he's our guy.

And on top of it, James is buying everything for us this week. That's because for 20-some-mile weeks, you know, the diva-wide receiver has been, yeah, we've been dealing with him. So now we're here in his city. It's time for him to pay up for Isaiah. And our junior, Ram Gapal, for everybody. Thank you so much for hanging out with us. This has been fun. This has been a Green Room, and it's been the Tuesday Ringer NFL show.