The Ringer NFL Show - Urban Meyer Has Made a Mess in Jacksonville. Plus: Fangio and Harbaugh Have Beef, and the Chargers Continue to Roll.

Episode Date: October 5, 2021

Jason, James, and Ryan start by discussing the Chargers' victory over the Raiders on 'Monday Night Football.' (0:45) Then they provide their thoughts on the war of words between Broncos coach Vic Fangio and Ravens coach John Harbaugh (17:01). Then they discuss all of the Urban Meyer news, the Cowboys' impressive start to the season, and James's Packers beating Ryan's Steelers (26:45). Hosts: Jason Goff, James Jones, and Ryan Shazier Production Assistant: Isaiah Blakely Additional Production Supervision: Arjuna Ramgopal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let's up everybody. I'm JJ John D. Stramski. 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. Once again, welcome in to the Tuesday edition of the Ringer NFL show. I'm with my teammates, Ryan Shazier and James Jones. I'm Jason Gough and fellas. We had ourselves an entertaining Monday night football game to cap week four in the NFL where we're trying to figure out. I always used to hear Lovie Smith talk about, you know, four game seasons.

And this is the end of the first four game season. We got a few three and one teams out here. We got some teams that are underwhelming. But let's start with what we saw last. night. James Jones's Raiders did not score until the second half, but got it going in the second half. Put

some pressure on the charges, but for the most part, man, I, listen, that charges team, I think, is well-rounded. And Justin Herbert is an MVP candidate. We're going to get it to MVP candidates, but it looked good. The game felt good. Like, the Monday Night games haven't been what the past years

have been, and I'm a big fan of Lewis Riddick and Brian Greasy on the broadcast. So, what stuck out to you guys as the charge of defeated the Raiders last night? Well, for me, it was it was that Chargers defense, man. I mean, you want to look at it and say, man, you know, the Raiders didn't play well on the office side of the

ball, but that Chargers defense came to play. And everybody said the weak spot in that Chargers defense was running the ball downhill at them, and then boys came to play. I mean, Josh Jacobs had nowhere to run every time he got to football. I want to say he might have one run over five yards, but that defense came to play.

Them linebackers are flying around. In my humble opinion, Derwin James is the best safety in the National Football League. Man, I mean, shoot, he can guard receivers. He can guard tight ends.

The boy in the box, he blitzing. I mean, he's just a different dude, man. I mean, Harry Ruggs ran past him one time, but he's going to run past a lot of people. He's going to run past anybody. Not a lot of people,

everybody in a national football league. Every Rugg is four two. He ran past everybody. And if you stuck back, there in that one-eye safety. And Henry Lugge got the number three receiver come on that B-line. Boy, you better turn around.

You'll start around. Hey, it's 50 yards down the field, and he's waiting on the ball. I'm like, this dude is sprinting. Yeah, he got that goal button for real, man. But that defense came to play. I mean, you know, they shut the Raiders down, man. And the Raiders did.

I mean, they had a couple of good drivers in the second half, but other than that, that defense buckled down again and made it hard on the Raiders. I'm sure you like to see that, Ryan, defense doing the thing. Yeah, no, you know, I always love defense. But for me, I feel the charges are the one team that people really wasn't talking about like that. Like, everybody talked about all the other squads, Tampa Bay, Cardinals, Rams, Raiders, you know.

But at the end of day, like, nobody was really giving them to love, like, basically how they've been playing. Like, their defense's been up to par. They have probably one of the best defenses in the league right now, not just off of last week, but just if you watch all the, the games that they play, they have one of the best defenses in the league. And then Justin Herbert, man, he's really leading these boys. He's not turning the ball over that much, and he's really just pinned them in great position to play. And then it was actually exciting to see Echler run their way he was able to run last night

because they have all the weapons that they talk about. When they do talk about the charges, all they talk about is Herbert and those receivers. And they never give Eccler to love. And to see he went for 117, I think it was, a 115, a touchdown, rushing and receiving. that let you know, like, they're really versatile and they can do a lot of things. So it really was exciting to see that game last night. But the Raiders are who I thought they were, you know.

Oh, man, after one game, after one loss. He was waiting for it. He was waiting for it, JJ. He was waiting for me. The Raiders are who I thought they were. I can't wait today lose so I can get on their head. Next week. And the reason I say that Derek Carr is a good quarterback.

He a good quarterback, and I'm not throwing no shade on them. But the one thing about, most quarterbacks and especially Derek Carr, when he started to get pressure on him, man, he plays completely different. He doesn't play like himself. And I think you started to notice that last night and, I mean, Joey Bosa said the same thing.

Once you start to pay pressure on him, man, he started, you know, he almost anticipating this sack instead of actually trying to get away from it. And you started to see that a little bit more in that game. You know, in the second half, he started to show up. That's every quarterback, though. Like we all sit here and say the same about Tom.

You get pressure on him up the middle. He gets happy feet. He want to go down. We see Eli Manning. I mean, Eli Manning used to slide down when we're... I got a whole different... You know what I'm saying? When they come to Eli, man, don't even get me started with Eli.

No, please get started. No, man, don't give me started on Eli, man. Every quarterback that you get pressure on, man, get a little happy feet and get up out of there. To be honest, which you mean. Even if the quarterback know that they got some goons over there, the ball coming out hot or the ball,

are they ready to get up out of that pocket when you know you got some big-time pass rushers? I actually liked what I seen from Derek Carl. Yeah. It was getting after him. He stepped up in the pocket, made some throws. He made some big-time throws. If he don't miss Henry Ruggs, on the last one,

when he got outside the pocket, I mean, shoot, that's another quick score for the Raiders. But, I mean, he did curl up on that one, but he seen big boy coming. He's like, man, big boy ain't just going to fall on my shoulder. Hey, now, but sometimes you got to sit in the pocket and take that hit. You know, James, James, let me tell you right now. If nobody open, you got to curl up.

James, this is Ryan building up. Like, this is the long con right here. He's going, this is coming back to Ben Rafflesberger at some point. What you mean? Because Ben was the dude and is the dude who's going to hold the ball and stare down a big hit or whatever in case may be? It's not even a bent thing. It's not even a bent thing. And the reason I say that is,

it's not even a bent thing because even like, even like Mahomes or something like that or like Collar, you know what I'm saying? Obviously, they're very shifty, but when they get hit, they still play the same as if they didn't get hit.

And Derek Carr, he doesn't play as well when he don't get hit. I know, like... Was I the only one saying Kyle Murray last year when he was running for his life getting up in that pie?

He was ready for his life, but he's still throwing that thing. That's all I'm saying. What I'm saying is Derek, he not Kyler. He ain't got juice like that. Let me say, I'm not going to say Colin. I'm not going to say Colin. Let me say this.

I mean, Derek got, what, 350 yards and two plus touchdowns in four games, right? So, I mean, you know, it's. The other games, they weren't really getting to them. And when the pressure did get to them, it got a little dicey. And then, you know, but then, you know, the pressure got hurt, you know, so it is what it is. But that's what I'm saying. I mean, credit to Bosa and that Charter's defense, because they got after. after him. Did I feel like Harmaids made some throws?

Did I feel like he stepped up in the pocket? Absolutely. But that defense was hunting all night long. No, no, I'm not going to. Yeah, the Raiders ain't have no answer for them. They were beat that offensive lineup. They was coming off the edge. They was coming up the middle. It was a wrap.

You couldn't get the run game started. It was over. So it's funny because when John Gruden took that gig, the first things that people were saying was, you know what? Derek Carr might not be his kind. kind of quarterback, so we'll see how it works out. Now, three years later, Derek Carr is still the quarterback, and the Raiders are, you know, they've got a different city.

Yeah, I always tell people, Derek Carter, the best quarterback John Gruden ever had. Coach Gruden out there playing, he winning Super Bowls with, oh my name. Brad Johnson. Brad Johnson. Brad was cold that year, though. It's called the Temple II defense.

Here you go. That Brad was cold that year. Oh, man. He had a rich-gannon type year, man. That was cold with that big-time defense. But what I'm saying is Brad ain't Brad A, Derek Carr. Right. The best thrower, the football best quarterback grew than ever.

Yeah. And now we're talking about Justin Herbert in the same lights that we're talking about some of the better quarterbacks in the league. And it's crazy because if the Chargers trainer didn't try to assassinate Ty God Taylor, then this, you know, we probably seen him on the bench for at least half a season or more. He gets thrown into that thing and sets rookie records. How early is too early to call a guy what people are calling Justin Herbert? Because coming out of Oregon, you know, seeing a lot of people talk about him,

Pac-12 football and, you know, made some tough decisions at times, was super athletic, trusted his arm too much, was one of the things they said about him. He comes into the NFL, gets better players around him, gets an actual receiving core around him, and all of a sudden you've seen a dude who's blossomed into one of the better young quarterbacks in the game. to me, they love to throw titles on people so early. Like, Mahomes, he's a great quarterback, but people, he's the greatest ever. It's like, come on, bro.

Come on, bro. And he's a dog. He's a dog. But in the day, you have to also respect the dogs before him. Like you said last week, you know, you got to respect the Hall of Famer's. And they, Aaron Donald, he's proven. Like, he showed what he can do, you know, but, like, Justin Herbert, like, he's still, this is second year.

He still has a lot to prove. He still has a lot to do. But noted to me, he's better than Derek Carr. But that's my opinion. As a defender, what about his game do you like? And what can you pick some holes in? So to me, Derek Carr is more about him and John Gruden are more about, like, oh, the QBR and all that type stuff.

You know what I'm saying? They're more willing to take the same. sack and throw out the bad pass and all this type stuff. To me, I feel Herbert like, man, I'm trying to make a play. And I feel when I'm playing, I'm more scared of a guy

trying to make a play than somebody that's worried about. And let me get this two-yard checkdown and hopefully he can do something with it. So you all like take what the defense gives you guys? No, no, no. I don't have nothing against them. But I feel

to me, it's more dangerous with a guy that is willing to like, hey, I'm gonna thread a needle because I know if I've made this pass, it can be six. You know, like some guys like, hey, I'm gonna take what you give me, take what you give me, take what you give me, take what you give me. But sometimes all I'm gonna give you is five yards

the whole game, you know, and then, you know, after a while I'm gonna take that. You know, if both of us gambling, you know what I'm saying, you take your shots, I take my shots, you win, I win. You know, like, Everybody ain't going to beat Tom Brady and Dick and Dunkin' win all the time because you don't got a top five defense. You know, so to me, I'm more scared of a guy that's willing to take the chance.

And those are the type of quarterbacks I like. How you feel about Justin Herbert, James, before we move on? It's crazy because real quick, I want to touch on that. Number one, Justin Herbert is special. You know, I think we've seen that. We need to start putting Justin Herbert in the conversations with the Patrick Mahomes and with the Air Rogers and with the Josh Allen's. And what I mean by that is, if you want to beat the Chargers,

you got to keep him on the sideline. Like, he's that dude. He's going to come in there. He's going to put up points. I mean, we all know he can make any and every throw. I mean, he's like that. He got Mike Williams, Keenan out, and we seen him going to Jared Cook last night. I mean, he throwing wheel routes to Austin Eckers.

Like, he's a problem. When he steps on the field, I feel like the Chargers is going to get points. You know, like, he is that dude. He had that rookie other. year last year and he came back and he said boy I wasn't playing that wasn't no fluke this is this is me you know what I'm saying and he and he's getting better and better and he he has his team at three and one to let the whole league know that but I want to touch on Derek Carr because I feel like Ryan Jay's Ryan is a is a he's talking like a Raider fair right now you know back in the back

in the day Raider fan where he really not put respect on Derek car no no I respect Derek Carr I just don't feel like he's better than Justin Herbert. No, the only reason why I say that is because Derek Carr, since he's coming to leave, and the only reason why I know this is because I'd be going to back. Because you're a Raiders fan. No, no, no, because I'd be going to back for D.C.

Because I know how good D.C. is, and I put Derek in the Aaron Rogers conversation. Not when you talk about the talent level of it. When you talk about just how much pressure and disrespect he gets. And what I mean by that is,

Aaron Rogers has had a top 10 defense two times in his career. He won the Super Bowl one year. He lost in the NFC championship. Derek Carr's best defense that he's had, and I don't know where they ranked this year, but the best defense he's had since this year has been 27. And last year, they were the worst in the league. And last year, they were 32.

And what I mean by that is since he's coming to league, out of the Tom Brady's, out of the Drew Breezers, out of the Aaron Rogers, out of the Pat Mahomes. He has the most fourth quarter comebacks out of all of them. He's threw for 4,000 yards the last four years. He's all always losing. Y'all got to throw the ball. But I'm saying, what is he doing his job?

Like, you're the 27th ranked defense. Let me say this. I'm not going to blame him. Defense. And Derek Carr has you looking at eight and eight every year. Make a good case. Derek Carr. You're right.

Derek Carl, when you talk about accuracy, he might be the most accurate quarterback in the National Football League. And I am going to include Aaron Rogers on that, Tom Brady on that, Pat Mahomes on that. Like, he probably is the most accurate quarterback in the National Football League. Like, the Raiders would win, too.

They would have a top pick every year if Derek Carr wasn't on their kid. Man, he hanging out with David too much. I'm just saying. Hey, man, he hanging out. with David too much, man. The dude is a baller. He's just not doing it flashy.

No, no, he is a baller. So, so to me, if this was Chicago, they'll be blaming Matt Nagy. True. Why nobody, why nobody blaming John? Man, I've been saying that. I've been saying that. Or Mike May.

Because at this point, you got to put some defenders on the other side of the field. And Max Crosby and Yonick and them boys to try to get after. He got defenders. It's just you got to scheme it up. Well, you look at drafting, though.

Like, Jonathan Abrams is, you know, a nice player. But Cleland Farrell and some of these other guys, like they've had some guys not pan out the way that their picks would belie. Like, when that Khalil Mack trade went down, I mean, John Gruden might be having the last laugh in the long run. But when it went down, it was like, oh, my God, the haul that they got. How was he having the last laugh? The Raiders are better than the Bears.

Right now. They traded Khaled Mac. They not because of the draft. picks that he got. But I'm saying, you got the capital. You just didn't execute it. You know what I mean? Yeah, so their car making it looked good.

They traded Khalil Mac and said, hey, we have a pass rush problem. No, listen, hey, Bears fans were celebrating the trade. Celebrating the trade. They came out a year and a half later and said, we have a pass rush problem. Like, you traded one of the best fast rushes in the league. Then you asked for. him back. Then you extra room back.

He's like, hey, like you trade something in school. Like, hey, man, can I get my milk back for that orange? Is that cool? But not only that. And then you go get Cleveland Farrow. And Cleveland Farrow have been a healthy scratch. Yeah, he didn't even dress him. So he really didn't win in the trade because Cleveland Farrow ain't giving them nothing, man.

You know what I'm saying? But nobody thought he was going to go that early anyway. Yeah. But that coach Gruden conversations is a good conversation for down the road. man because, you know, he started off 3-0 this year, but it's been rocking. All right. So I want to ask you guys, two former football players, guys who are still, you know, into the game and observers of the game, cover the game.

The unwritten rules of football, because the unwritten rules of baseball, I laugh at all the time. Like, don't bunt to break up a no-hitter. Kiss my ass. If we getting, if we can beat, I want to make sure that you don't have the greatest, you know, time of all. Yeah, we button, we button. You don't have a perfect game on me. Right, right.

Right, exactly. If you down, if you up 13 to nothing, don't swing at a 3-1 pitch trying to hit a home run. We saw that here in Chicago, and Tony LaRuso went crazy on his player. The unwritten rules of football, Vic Fangio and John Harbaugh got into it. And we've seen this before. Who was on Greg Shiano, the coach of the Buccaneers, who had dudes diving at the ball at the end of games when he was in victory formation? This is a little bit different. Let's listen to Vic Fangio and John Harbaugh as the end of the game.

game didn't play out the way that Vic would have liked with the Denver Broncos versus the Baltimore Ravens. Isaiah, run it for us real quick. Yeah, I thought it was kind of bullshit, but I expected it from them. You know, I've 37 years in pro ball, I've never seen anything like that. So we decided that if we got the ball back, we were going to try to get the yards. And we got it back with three seconds left. So you're throwing the ball in the end zone, with 10 seconds left. I don't know that there's a 16-point touchdown that's going to be possible right there. So Ryan, James, the unwritten rules of football. Is this one of them?

Do they really even, do they exist? For me, it's like, hey, everybody out there is professionals. You do whatever you need to do within the guidelines of the game. Am I wrong in this? Is this just a fan's point of view? What say, y'all? I'm with you. To me, man, like, we live in a generation and a time now.

people would lack respect for each other anyway. Like, the respect level is ridiculous nowadays. So to hell with it, right? Hey, honestly, it is, like, for real. Like, people don't respect people no more. It's crazy. And to me, it's like, if you can't stop me, I'm going to do what I got to do.

Like, you're trying to throw a touchdown on my defense and you know this game over, run the ball. You don't want to run the ball? We'll do it for you. See, that's a dude from that nasty-ass-a-mast. NFC North division right there. That's what that is. That ignorant-ass AMC North.

That's what that is. But that's what you, bro. Like he said, it ain't no 16-point touchdown. What you're out here? What you practice? We ain't practicing this a game. And that's the problem that Vic Fangio had to me, James, is that he mentioned the safety aspect of it.

And if it really is the safety aspect that you kneel that joint down and shake hands and take it back to the lab, but that's not what happened. So first off, so first off, number one, That's just that that's not the code, bro. You know what I'm saying? Hey, I'm just telling you. This is the generation, man.

Number one, number one, it's a different situation for big fans you on the Broncos. Like you have 16 seconds left and you're losing. I know it's not a 16 point touchdown, but we're not just going to quit. Like you're losing. So who knows what's going to happen? We throw this dang hell, Mary, we catch it and it's eight seconds left. And we get a covered spread. But we try to kick an onside kick, get an on side kick one second left

to another helmet. Who knows? But what I'm saying is you're losing. Y'all isn't going to all game. I know. But you lose it. The game is over and you are winning. Man, you take a knee, man.

Oh, James, say they so. Ryan, I'm saying so, Jay. Man, you got me dealing with a baby boomer, man. This is a baby boomer, man. Man, this man, so my old school football, man. That's not how people do it no more. Right. It is what it.

Hey, you can't stop it. Right. Don't be mad at me. Hey, that's always like, it's safe for me to, it's safer for me to run the ball to you throwing it to my player's safety. It has been so many times to where teams should have,

could have did that. Like, over the national. They didn't have a record, though. They didn't have a record. It's been so many times to where teams could have said, oh, I got to get this dude another yard. I got to get this. I got to get that.

and you take a knee, bro. Like, that's that, that's just, you know who his quarterback is? That's just the respect of the game, man. You, you take a need. That's the, that's, that's the respect for the other coach on the sideline. These dudes have worked together forever. Vic mentioned that too. He was like, you know, he, that's their, that's their mode of operation over there.

They, they, they pretty much intimated that they have been, they haven't cared about physical welfare or safety of other teams for years. So this shouldn't be a surprise, which I thought was, you know, There's certain lines that coaches and players cross. You know, calling a whole team and organization dirty is quite the statement. I wouldn't be surprised if Coach Harbaugh, like, we're about to need a ball and they'd be like, hey, Coach, we only got to get two yards. Lamar, like, yeah, let's run it.

Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm just being honestly done, that's extreme. Like, I said it's disrespectful. I said it's disrespectful. But I'm just saying, like, think about it. Like, people troll each other every day. they be in each other, Twitters, they'd be trolling each other during the game.

Like, even, even, like, Elaine Kippen before Alabama, he was like, get your popcorn ready. Like, that's, that's disrespectful. Do you lose by 28? Like, come on, bro. Like, that's the time we live in, nah, James, like,

this here's on a whole other level, man. Like, for real. Like, to me, like... Now, that's mad disrespectful, though. To me, that's disrespectful, disrespectful. Like, this is on a whole different... And the reason why I say that is because,

because, like, I don't know too many organizations who would have did that record or not. Like, to be honest with you, I didn't play for Coach Tomlin. You know what I'm saying? No, Coach Tomlin would not do that. I couldn't see Coach Tomlin handing this thing off to Najee Harris, even though Najee Harris got a 20-game, 100-yard, you know,

streak and he needs two yards. He's going to take a knee. And it ain't disrespect to Najee, it's the respect to the dude I'm going against over there. I might be going up against a coach that I coached for, played for, whatever did, and I got respect. They might not like each other, though.

I'm a take a knee. You know what I'm saying? Even if they don't like each other, it's the respect for the game. Like you know that that's how you're supposed to do it. No, you do. You know what I'm saying? But you don't lose respect for the game is what I'm saying.

You don't like buddy, but at the same time it's the respect for the game. The right thing to do was to take a knee, bro. Like even when you see the, forget Big Vangio, even when you see the reaction of the players from the Broncos, like they mother effing the Baltimore I know they just ran it on them. Like, bro, tackle them, you still can stop them and all that.

But they like, bro, after y'all stuff right now, like, but this is the bro code, really. You know what I'm saying? Like, come on now. But, James, even if you look back at this whole weekend, right? This whole weekend, everybody was pretty much playing Madden out there. His team's going forward on fourth and seven and fourth and ten, like all throughout the league. I'm like, yo, what's going on right now?

Dan Campbell elected not to take points. You know, being inside the 10 several times. Yeah, like, now we're going for. People were just playing Madden this week. I don't know what was going on, but like, it's just like, it's a different generation of how, because all the anti-legged stuff is a different generation of how football lives nowadays, like, back in the day,

it's all respect and bro-cold and this and that. If I'm up 13 in a baseball game, I'm hitting the ball. If I'm bunting the ball, you ain't about getting no hitter on me. I'm sorry. Like, and I'm getting to base. I know I'm fast enough. That whole situation right there, bro, you can't do that,

you can't, it's the brokehold, bro. You can't do that. I agree. I agree. If I was a coach, I wouldn't have to get that. Yeah, just like you came on the show

and buddy they used to coach at Tampa from Rutgers, I don't know as great. Greg Shiano. Yeah, when Greg Shiano had them boys in victory formation and they ain't coming to rush to quarterback, man, they're about to start a bra on the stadium,

man, what does you do it? I ain't allowed. I'm swiping at that ball. So I was what to say, hold on. So what do we, we can't be the same. fans and former players and observers that say play 60 minutes as if your life depended on it.

And then with three seconds left, be like, all right, well, life don't depend on it these last three seconds. Like, which one is it? The game over. No, hey, James, if you about 20 with three, if you're about 20 with three left, I'm in the center, I'm swiping the ball or something. That's different you're trying to swipe at the ball, though these dudes is coming down hill rushing Like it's a real, like they running 38 trap at them or something.

But we're in victory formation. We ain't coming down here running. Because you know on victory formation, everybody just be chilling too. That's what I said. They ain't, man. Hey, you're in victory formation. You already telling buddy across from your good game, dog. You know?

Yeah, yeah. We're doing that. You know what I'm saying? Like it's over. But thinking about it, they like, the Ravens do a lot of mad, disrespectful stuff. Like, people were like, man, that's a guzzy call. going forward on fourth down in your own 20 is,

that's disrespectful too. Yeah, but what I'm saying is the game ain't over, bro. Like, you go on forward on fourth down, that's all you, man, but the game ain't over. This right here, you should have been in victory formation. You should have took a knee,

and you said it, because you should have said, good game, Vic. Jason, he don't play, man. Hey, man, all right, listen, the point has been made. I don't think y'all going to agree on this thing, and I'm happy to you agree.

Frankly, Speaking of a point being made, this from Mike Silver, who obviously NFL reporter, this is a thread he just put out here as we're taping maybe an hour ago. I want you guys to listen to this because your boy, Urban Myers, got himself in some hot water. There's a video that surfaced. He didn't fly back with the team. Then all of a sudden the video from a bar surface where a young lady is dancing on his lap. And man, got problems at home.

You got problems with the team. you know, and this, the whole Urban Meyer thing hasn't, it hasn't, hasn't come about the way that people in Jacksonville would have hoped. And now this is what Michael Silver is reported. He says the Urban Meyer situation in Jacksonville has reached a crisis point, especially in the locker room. One player told me, quote, he has zero credibility in that stadium. He had very little to begin with. This is the continuation of threats. His players were particularly put off by the fact that Meyer canceled Monday's team meeting as he dealt with the uproar of the videos of him in a young one.

woman getting cozy in that Ohio bar. Quote, he even canceled the team meeting. He was too scared, unquote, said. Instead, Meyer, quote, only apologized to position groups individually. He portrayed the woman in the videos as a random person who he was, quote, just there dancing with. Suffice it to say his audience was highly skeptical. Silver goes on to tweet, said one player, quote, we looked at him like, what the

F, right? Right when he left, everyone started dying, laughing, and he knew it, unquote. bottom line said the player is bad. I don't know how he's going to function. I'm going to tell you all this right now. I have only covered locker rooms that have been lost by the coach. I don't know if you guys ever been in them. You know, and I know Ryan going to say he ain't never been in one

because the Steelers don't play that kind of game. Neither is Mike Tomlin. But, man, this ain't it. You can't get down on your players and talk about accountability. And, you know, of course, throughout the preseason and training camp, Like you're getting on guys, but you got to be the leader of men in this situation. And Urban Meyer right now is off to not just a shaky start, but this is one of them joints where, you know,

it might be time to go spend some time with the family or take a break because this is not good at all. And it keeps getting worse because players are now speaking to media members about it. Yeah, I'm going to start off with it because he was my coach. So honestly, as a former player, I'm disappointing than coach. And I'm actually, he's actually a friend of mine, so it kind of, it kind of hurt to see him in this type of situation. So it's disappointing because a lot of the things that he taught the players and taught the team. And, you know, like if he was to see us in that situation, the way that he would react, you know, so it's kind of, it kind of hurts to see him in that same type of situation.

But like you said, as a leader, you have to understand where you're at. understand what you're doing and understand the people that you have around you. Like some of these guys that you're coaching are young men. Some of them are very, you know, not gullible, but some of them are very immature as well. Yeah, impressionable. And the smallest things can change the way they play, the way they act, and the way they do things.

And to see somebody that's supposed to be your leader and the way that he's, acts around you on a regular basis and then see him in this type of situation, it hurts. It hurts me because like I said, I see him as a friend and as a mentor and they see him in this type of light, it hurts because to a lot of people, Coach Meyer was a, I'm not going to call nobody a god, but like in Ohio. He's a legend, man. He's a legend. Yeah, he's a legend.

You know, in Ohio, they love him. You know, then it also hurts me as well just to see that he wasn't able to confront the team in the setting because you will make the team, you'll make a player do that to the team. You know, so to me it's just you'll want the same that you give. I mean, you'll, you'll want the players will want the same respect that you'll make them have to give. You know, so it kind of hurts me to see him in this type of light. Man, I hope everything turned out well with him and his family. And bad in the day, you can't just be running around in these streets. And you have to understand, you have to understand, like, man,

whatever you're doing, man, is people watching you, man. So not only that, so clear this up from me. So you lose to Cincinnati. Your team flies back and you stay to party. Is that what we happening? Okay, so. So, so the thing is, let me say, so the place he was at, he actually,

that's like a really, like, that's like a high park type of restaurant that he own in Ohio. So I don't think he went to party, but it ended up turning into a party on the way. He sat his ass at the bar. What do you think was going to happen? Forget about it.

Come on, Ryan. Come on. Hey, you can shoot your man bail all you want. What I'm saying is forget. Forget about all that. You just lost a game. Got to ride back on the team. Exactly.

And you told your team in the locker room, I see y'all Monday. I'm staying down out here. I'm not getting on. Like, who does that? There's no NFL head coach that would do that. You fly back with your team, whether you wanted to fly back to Cincinnati or whatever and chill at your bar because you gave all these people the day off.

But in my humble opinion, you fly back with your team because you and your coach has got to be. break down this film on Friday. Oh, yeah. Because we're not a good football team and we're trying to get better. There ain't no need for me even to stay out here in Cincinnati. And we got to work tomorrow on a Friday. Like, I don't understand that.

Number two, like, you are a leader of men, man, young men. You know what I'm saying? Like, come on. Now it's really going to be hard for you. And that's why the GM came in and said, man, he has to earn a respect back. because as a young man, you look at him like, bro, I ain't listen to nothing you're talking about up there right now, man. You know what I mean?

Everything you don't have preached to us in the training camp and all that. You know, it ain't like he's been there for four years, but everything that you've been preaching, man, you're playing. Number one, I don't even know how dedicated you are to us. Like we owe and four, and you said, I'm not flying back with you, I'm going to the club. Like we, like we own, I don't understand that. Like any coaches that I ever been around in the National Football League,

you owe and four, you know that if we don't win, this is a, this league that we're in right here is all about winning. If you don't win, you get fired. So if I'm looking at O and four, there ain't no way that I'm going to stay back away from the team and go party. Like even if I wanted to go party and all that, at least I'm going flying back with my team and I catch me a club in Duval. Let me ask y'all this.

Is it because when we talk about losing locker rooms in basketball and the basketball teams that I've covered, it's different, right? You could drag ass on a basketball floor. You cannot give it your all on a basketball floor. We always hear about football. You go half speed out there. You're going to get hurt. So how do you lose a locker room, especially when, you know,

you're going out there. You got to put stuff on tape for maybe this team or another team. And on top of it, the other team out there, knowing what's going on with you. So they know they got maybe. the mental edge on you, you know you can't go half speed because you might get hurt. What does losing a locker room look like,

you know, like actually look like because of how you have to play this sport? We talked about being disrespectful in the last segment. It's more about this being disrespectful in the office. Like, more like, hey, that meeting at eight, people rolling in there at 8, 10. People like, oh, hey, coach,

a, a practice started at 10. all right, I'll be there. You know, then it's like, now you're finding me. All right, you finding me, yo, but did you find yourself? Like, they're going to come at you with all type of stuff like that. You know what I'm saying? Like, and it's going to be, they're going to disrespect you on that type of level because they, this is the one thing you understand with football,

whatever you put on that tape is that, that's who you are. But see, my thing, yeah, and my thing too, Ryan, like, if we're trying to win and we're o' and four, and we just lost a tough one, and you're saying, you know what, fellas? You know, I'm staying back, y'all flying back by yourself, and then I'm going to go out here and club. That's not how you do it. That's not what you're trying to.

Like, now I can't trust you. Now I don't know how dedicated you are. You know what I'm saying? Because are you looking at our team just like the whole world looking at our team? Like, man, we might not win a game and we're sorry because obviously that's what I'm taking from this. You know what I'm saying? Like you're walking in the locker room telling us,

we're going to turn this thing around. We got this, we got that, we got that. But then you ain't even flying back. us after loss and you partying, and you should be breaking down film the next morning and trying to get us, trying to get us better. Like, that's crazy to me.

If this is some other coaches, brother, I'd be fired yesterday. So that's the thing, too, because whenever a college coach makes that jump, you know, there's always going to be that scrutiny of, yeah, you ain't holding scholarships over nobody head over here. Like, everybody in this room, damn near,

well, the most important people in this room make as much, if not more money than you. So that relationship changes. I remember talking to somebody who used to be a member of Washington when Steve Spurrier was the coach and talking about how much Steve golfed and players like, hey man, this ain't that.

Like, we out here playing for our lives and our livelihood. So when that jump is made, you already got all the eyes on you. And on top of it, you know, you made the jump because you got gifted the number one pick with the team that was playing before you

and Trevor Lawrence is supposed to be that guy. So it's a tough situation. all the way around. Speaking of quarterbacks, fellas, the Dallas Cowboys offense. You know, Dak Prescott for the last two or three years has been battling.

Is he a top five players? Should he get Mahomes money? All this other stuff. And he got his money. You know, he broke his ankle, got his money. And I don't know, man, this cowboy's offense. Now, the team overall, the defense, there's a lot of players on that defense.

Michael Parsons might be the defensive rookie. year coming up here. I mean, they lost DeMarcus Lawrence, but Trayvon Diggs out here on national TV making people think he, Dionne Sanders, like, it's a lot going on on that defense, and I think they're going to get better. But that offense, man, you know, Tony Pollitt and Ezek and Ezek have the right combination of, okay, I got, I got it when the Zeeke ain't, you know, plowing head,

and Zika's had two good games back to back. The receiving core I like, the tight ends I like, and Dak Prescott very quietly. I don't know how you could with us quietly, but Dag Prescott has snuck up in there in that top five, top six range in terms of quarterbacks. How good is this Dallas offense or is it just too early in the season to put anything on it? Jack Prescott and this Dallas Cowboy offense is a problem. They are, they are a problem. Like, Dak, I never think Dak is going to make a bad play.

Like when you start talking about big time quarterbacks And I and I put Dak up there And then big time quarterback conversations With the Aaron Rogers and and the Pat Mahomes Because when I was in a huddle with Aaron I always felt like we had a chance to win I never felt like he was going to make a bad play I always felt like man

He's going to make a play to win this game He's going to make a play to put us in the best situation to win this game. And that's how I feel about that. When Dak takes the field and that ball is in Dak's hand, I don't feel like he going to make a bad play. Like, Dak Prescott is an absolute baller. Like, I mean, we seen it last year before he got hurt,

then putting up all them points. And even though they was losing ball games and he was throwing for 500, but he's off to that same start. And what's good about this defense is they getting turnovers and they're giving the ball back to him. Like, it ain't like you got to stop people from getting a bunch of yard. But if you can get a couple of turnovers and get it back to Dak and that offense, short field.

But you're absolutely right. Right now, DAC is a top five quarterback in this league. You know what I mean? And to be honest with you, you know what I mean? You can argue them up there in the top three when you start talking about, you know, who's the top three quarterbacks in the National Football League. You might not put that there. Yeah, you might not.

Yeah, no, no, no. Yeah, no, no, no. You might not put that. No, no, no, no. I'm just saying, I'm just saying just this year. But you definitely, but you definitely can argue. You know what I'm saying? Like he's, like, like he's,

even if you just go back to last year, before he got hurt and this year now, like that is, he's, he's that dude, man. And, and I'm telling people, this ain't the same old cowboys. A lot of people want to see him full, but this ain't the same old cowboys, man. It might be the best team in the NFC, man. They got, but they believe it.

And you got to argue me, like I said, man, the top three quarterback and a guy that I feel like is never going to make the bad play. How you feel about Dak, Ray? No, no, I like that. I think he's a good quarterback. I think he has so many weapons around him. They finally got it right.

Well, they've been had it right. They just didn't know how to put it together. Let me say that. They always had a solid team. And he has all the weapons around them to succeed. Honestly, I think they have a serious shot at winning the Super Bowl this year. I'm not.

I didn't pick them to win it, but I think they have a serious shot. If they go to Super Bowl and win it, I won't be surprised because they definitely have the weapons to get there. My biggest problem with them is, and this is more personal. They need to give a sheet, lay on the ball a little bit more. Oh, here we go. Here we go.

Here we go. Ryan going to tell us about his damn fantasy football team. No, no, but I think, no, but I think they're telling you. solid, man. At first, I was questioning them, you know, doing the split backfield with Paula and Elliott, but, man, I'm going to be honest, man, that junk

is looking pretty good. And if they keep doing it like that, they're going to have both of them boys healthy all season. That's what I was saying. I'm like, if you can have Zeke with 15 to 17 carries, but in that fourth quarter, he looked like it's his first carry, teams is going to have problems.

So I'm like, I like, I like Tonya are coming in there getting 10 carries. Nice. Yeah, but I'm just saying, like, you taking 10 extra carries off Zika when he do get it. And not only is he going to be angry, he going to be fresh. You know what I'm saying? And these dudes on the defense are going to be tired

and you've got to tackle a fresh Zique. And that's why you're seeing Zika have the success he's having right now. I mean, the boy, he went crazy the last two games. Yeah, this secondary is definitely taking a step forward, right? You know, it's Anthony Brown and Trayvon Diggs. And that game, that primetime game with Trayvon Diggs is making every play on the field. It's a different, it's a different Dallas defense, especially if that secondary is, you know, intact. 100% man.

Coordinator of the year, got to be Dan Quinn right now. Yeah. No, no. They're playing some ball. This Cowboys defense, like they say, can't stop a nose blade last year. But, hey, I know Ryan, you know, he may have CDA getting it for his fantasy. If you had any fantasy football players going against the Cowboys last year, I don't care if it was the third string, you was putting the men.

Yeah, he was eating. He was eating. You know what I'm saying? Like, these boys are out here shutting people down. All right. Well, speaking of a defensive struggle in a game that was hyped up that really wasn't interesting or intriguing in the least, Tom Brady went back to Foxborough and squared off against Bill Belichick.

And it was a 1917 game. I mean, Mac Jones, Tom Brady, it kind of, and as we talked about in the pre-show meeting, kind of looked like Tom versus Tom in terms of, you know, some of the, the throws. And actually, Mac Jones might have played better than Tom Brady, but there was a lot of hype going into it, and the return was the return. They booed them with the first drive, but the game to stand and know in the beginning of the game. So it kind of seemed like the Patriots fans had a game plan on how they were going to receive Tom Brady.

Would y'all make it a game that was supposed to be like, the game of the week and the game of the season that just happened to be a ho-hum NFL football game. Honestly, I knew that game was going to end up being like that. And the reason I say that is because everybody's like, Tom Brady this, Tom Brady, that.

People forgot that Bill Belichette was with Tom Brady for 20 years. I imagine going against somebody you played with for 20 years. You know every single thing about that person. You know what they're good at. You know what they're bad at. You know what they don't like looking at. And you know, the weapons

that they were, like, you know the weapons that he has now. So all you have to do is build up a plan for all the things that he don't like to D.C. And then basically, and basically gather that plan and build it around them. And then Bill Belichet, he's one of the greatest coaches because of the way he adjust and the way that he builds defenses. He wasn't winning all those Super Bowl just because of the offense. Every time they went to Super Bowl, they had a top five defense. So you didn't think Tom, everybody, everybody,

Like, oh, man, the spread 14 and a half at halftime and this and that. I'm like, bro, like, this is about to be a close game. And to be honest, Mac Jones outplayed Tom Brady. Yes. If you really look at it. Yes. And to, you know, but I'm not surprised at what happened at all. And people could say emotions didn't get involved, but if you've been somewhere for 20 years,

some of your best friends, some of your kids live there, have their life. You know, you know, every nicking. cranny of the building and all that. Like, man, it's an emotional tie to that building, but also it's like playing against your, obviously they're not friends or whatever, but it's like playing against your best friend. Your best friend know everything about

you. It's like playing your brother. Like, you can play your brother, but you know where he good at, you know what he's bad at, and you know what his good move is, and you know how to stop his good move. So it's like, I feel like that was a situation that we watch, and I wasn't surprised at that game at all. Well, let's

let's not get it twisted. Tom Brady got that smother put on him by Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick was on that boy's head. He was sending people. If you're really watching that game, Bill Belichick made Tom look average. Mm-hmm. I mean, it was his worst game of the season.

Might have been his worst game as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Like I tell people, when he ran for that first down, and they keep showing it on TV and all that and they're showing his eyes and all that stuff. I said, that wasn't like, I just got the first down.

That was like, this boy is homie. Like, I ain't got nowhere to go with the ball. I'm out here running and I'm 52 years old. I just pictured Tom Brady saying in his head, this boy is on me. This boy on me, man. Like that's what he looked. Like, he looked confused.

Like, man, where is Bill coming from? You know, it was a chess match and to be honest, Bill won the chess match. The young fellow on the other side at one point in the game, he 19 for 19. And if, and if, and if, uh, if, if, if, uh, if, if, if, if, uh, if, if, if, uh, if, if, if,

, uh, if, if, if, uh, if you talk about bill for time, goal, you know what I'm saying? But Bill Belichick got after Tom Brady. And I think that's what a lot of people's not talking about because Tom got the win. But if you talk about Bill versus Tom, it wasn't close. Bill got after him.

They found a way to win the game because his defense stepped up and made a play when they had to make a play. But Bill got after Tom, man. Tom looked average. All right. So speaking of average, we got to do this as we wrap up to show.

Steelers versus Packers. Have at it, fellas. I'm going to back off. I'm going to put my microphone down. First of all, I just, I came to terms, you know, like I'm always back my dogs up. Like, I'm Michael Irvin or the Steelers. I'm gonna bat my dolls up no matter what.

Like, no matter what, I'm backing my dolls up. I feel like Ben gonna come back and be the MVP by the end of the year. Like, hey, I don't know. Hey, I might have a drink before this pot. I'm not to say it. Hey, y'all, we got a test, man. We got a test before the pod.

Hey, Ben, no, but Ben, uh, being gonna do better, like, we're having a tough start. But I'm not gonna lie, though. The thing about that whole game that got me, He's not. Like, y'all got us, y'all beat us fair and square. Y'all beat us fair and square into the refs. The, the, the, the, the, the, y'all, y'all beat us fair and square into the refs

call that field goal block back. And you know that was on sides. And, and that was a 10-point swing, and that changed the momentum of the game. And after that, it's like, hey, bro, we, we only got so much juice. Like, like, you know, we, Michael Jordan and Space Jam. We had a little juice left, and y'all took all of it. Like, we had a little. Hey, hey.

Hey, Jay. the referees are against the Steelers. Hey, and he... Was he not on sides? Was he not on sides? You're right, you're right. Joe Hayden looked like he was on sides, man. It looked like it...

And Mika, both of them was on sides. It looked like it was a clean block. But are you just going to override the way Ben looks? No, no, James. That is now from here on out, the quarterback that shall not be named. I mean, I mean, dude, the last three... He had full bad games, bro.

It's cool. That's his full of the year. And it's only been full in the season. Ain't that so? Like, this boy in that full bad games that we sitting here talking about, like, he going to get better? Being done, man.

Ain't no weed. One of us is saying that. Like, straight up, like, watching the game. Big Ben is throwing this ball up when he don't have any pressure. Big Ben is throwing this ball up when he got pressure. his faith. I know Big Ben

ain't Lamar Jackson. I'm not saying Big Ben, you need to turn on the juice and get up out of there. But Big Ben, he ain't trying to, he ain't trying to step up in the pocket. He ain't trying to make nobody miss in the pocket. Cooked. Just like we talked about Derek Carr, when he cradled up, Big Ben is just, he ain't cradled enough. He's just throwing it up. That man is a double agent. Like, to be honest with you, and I know we talked about this the last pocket. Why don't we've been

talking about this right now. Like, the show is supposed to be over. Like, he just wanted to throw shade. Hey, James Ryan got to go. We got a little time. I really do gotta go. Y'all just came in through shade just before I love. Like, that's crazy, man.

Ryan, for real. Hey, no, but it's cool, though. Like, you'd be happy. Hey, you're gonna be winning a still a jersey, a stiller shirt next year when Aaron come, so it's cool. You better believe it, I'll have a 12 jersey on. But I'm, listen, I'm not, like, I don't like seeing people just play bad like that. Like at one point it's like, come on, bro.

Like, you know, but he got to move on, bro. I know we talked about the Rooney family and all that and this and that. But he ain't Darius Butler. It was it Darius Butler? Who was it? No, it wasn't Darius Butler. It was a dude from the coach. No, the dude from the coach that just quit mid-game.

Oh, no, that's my man. On the corner, right, Bonte Davis, right? Bonte Davis, right? Yeah, he ain't Bonte Davis, bro. He can't quit mid-season, bro. No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying Tomlin has to move on there. Tomlin has to say, listen.

It might be an executive decision. But I'm just, I mean, and like I said, I ain't in the top and all that, but he has to say, if Ben keeps playing at this level, he has to take a hardball approach right now. You ain't fin of my winning record. Or get me five.

I ain't had to lose a season since you've been here being that you playing with that right now. Hey, man. Y'all just throw a shame, man. That's going crazy, bro. Hey, hey, hey, look back at this moment and wait till it's made the playoffs. Let's sit on this moment and we can look at the next four games. They go play.

We can look at halfway mark of the season. That ain't happening, players. Like, I don't see a change in this week, bro. They play the Bronco. They play the Broncos. We winning. We win in. Bad money.

I bet on the pie. I'll bet on the pie. What y'all trying to bet? Lord have mercy, man. Edible arrangement to one of our ladies. Hey, I bet you a salsa McMuffin for McDonald's, man. I ain't even trying to take your money like that. He ain't trying to put nothing on it.

That's how bad at it is. See, that's y'all scared. That's what it is. This man got the Broncos in his sight now. Brian. What's crazy is I was kind of feeling like you, like, man, big Ben to bounce back, you know. and you had a chance to see Big Ben in person this season before me.

But once I see them in- Because you went to a Steelers game this year, right? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so you got to see how- You should have known. You got to see how stinky he was in person. So that's why, like, that's why- Hey, man, it's time to end this part.

That's why, like, my decision right now to get him out is because I've seen this man in person. It's time to get him out of there, man. All right, bro. All right, right. Sounds like, Who is San Jose coach right now? Who is San Jose coach right now?

Look at it. He's taking it to the alma mater now, boy. Hey, Brent, Brennan. Hey, Brent, Brennan. Hey. All right. That's when it's time to end the pod is when we started talking San Jose State football. Oh, Lord, have mercy.

Good. Don't disrespect state. Boy, we three and two, boy. Hey, man, I don't want no problems. I went to Southern Illinois for one year. I don't even know if we got a football team. So I'm going to let y'all have that it. For James Jones and my man, the beleaguered Ryan Shays,

I'm Jason Gough. Next up on the Ring of NFL show is Kevin Clark talking about those Dallas Cowboys. We'll be back every Tuesday on the Ring of NFL show for the entire NFL season. Reminder, check out the full go with me, Jason Gough, every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday night on Spotify or wherever you get your pods. Thank you to our production assistant, Isaiah Blakely, for the production on this episode with additional production supervision from Arjuna Ramgapal. So for the fellas, thank you so much. Take care of yourselves and be safe out there.