0:00

The Around the NFL Podcast.

0:04

Will not be deemed a culture.

0:07

Miss fan from

0:09

the Chris Westling Podcast Studio and

0:11

beyond. It's Around the NFL, the

0:15

Week eleven flagship

0:17

program where we break down everything that

0:19

went down on this football Sunday.

0:21

I am Dan Hansis, and I am

0:23

joined.

0:23

By two heroes in the

0:25

afore mentioned Chris Westling Podcast studio,

0:27

Greg Rosenthal and Mark Sessler.

0:30

I am in the guest bedroom of Keith

0:33

and Deb's. So that's that's

0:35

the setup as we begin today's show.

0:37

And yet it's not even the biggest story

0:39

about the setup here. Very nice Mark to

0:41

have you back in the crest with

0:44

Chris Westling Podcast Studio.

0:45

Thank you.

0:46

You know it's have a recurring

0:48

health issue that is bubbled

0:51

up multiple times. And

0:54

appreciate you guys, you know, holding it down to anyone

0:56

that some people that reached out to me who

0:58

have not had a chance to thank some of the listeners. We've

1:00

got a great group listeners, So thank you, and

1:03

I hope it doesn't occur ever again,

1:05

or at least not again during the regular

1:07

season our playoffs.

1:09

Yeah, I must say that we did miss

1:11

you this week, Mark, and the

1:14

shows were I thought

1:17

solid and entertaining, but we need the

1:19

cess dog in the mix, so getting

1:21

them back for the flagship show is a big deal.

1:23

Yeah, just trying to be a culture fit at the same time,

1:25

So working on all these issues at once.

1:28

Plus we got to have it back when the

1:30

Browns are seven and three. There's something

1:32

that's never happened in the history of our podcast,

1:34

but I know we'll get to that later.

1:36

That's true.

1:36

That's true, Mark, don't be a culture

1:39

misfit, culture fit.

1:41

I will say, Actually, the Browns were seven and

1:43

three once when Mike Petton was coach. I believe

1:45

now it's but they

1:47

lost all the rest of their games, So hopefully a different

1:49

path this time for that crew.

1:52

We're going to get to the Browns in just a little

1:54

bit because they are a very nice

1:56

story here.

1:58

But let's start with a

2:01

game and a lot of good games for the second straight

2:03

Sunday. We had a lot of games that went right down to the wire.

2:05

Not as many field goal kicks to

2:07

end it, but there were a few of those as well. But

2:09

let's start in Detroit where

2:11

the Lions did battle with the

2:13

Bears and it was a little tighter than we expected.

2:17

Fields back, Lions rush four, field

2:19

four, getting get hit ball loose.

2:21

It's not the fun.

2:23

It's kicked out of the enzone. That's a safety,

2:25

that's a safe thing.

2:27

The Lions are gonna win this game.

2:28

Meg hudred six knocked

2:31

loose.

2:31

Itick went out of the back of the enzone and the

2:33

Lions are gonna lock this one down.

2:36

What a game?

2:37

What a game? Whoa

2:42

man?

2:42

We still got to get Dan Miller on the show,

2:44

but that is on the to do list.

2:46

Yeah, put that on the potential top ten

2:48

calls of the year.

2:49

Left.

2:49

Sure, I think Miller's all over that list

2:52

once we get a look at the raw data.

2:55

Yes, Miller for w x YT with

2:57

the call.

2:57

Jared Goff through a thirty two yard touchdown,

3:00

tested Jamison Williams with three to zero six to play

3:03

and set up David Montgomery. Gough

3:05

had one yard touchdown run with twenty nine seconds

3:07

left, and then the defense that you heard there closed

3:10

things out in a thirty one to

3:12

twenty six win over the

3:14

Chicago Bears, a Bears team that got

3:17

Justin Fields back on the field.

3:21

Greg Gyard.

3:22

Goff has been so good this year

3:24

and yet this game he wasn't

3:26

here's a quote, it was not my best ball for three

3:29

and a half quarters. Where a resilient

3:31

crew, we're tough, we don't back down.

3:33

So even in a day when GoF was his

3:35

old turnover bug had returned,

3:38

they still find a way a sign of a good team.

3:41

I was shocked by

3:43

the end of this game because for fifty

3:45

five minutes it was one sided

3:47

like it wasn't like I know, Goff had the three

3:50

interceptions, one was tip,

3:52

the other one like a receiver bumped off his route,

3:54

but he also had two that weren't caught by

3:56

the Bears that were terrible throws, and he was terrible.

3:59

But even beyond that, they were just

4:01

outmanned. The time of possession was

4:03

thirty eight to sixteen going into those

4:05

final five minutes three hundred

4:07

and forty three yards to one ninety one.

4:09

Justin Field's played fantastic, and yet

4:11

they got the ball with four thirty

4:14

to go and they were four to fifteen

4:16

to go. It's the first time all year

4:18

any team down ten with five minutes to go

4:21

has won the game.

4:22

And they scored so quickly.

4:24

Six plays seventy five yards including

4:26

that Jamison will Jamison Williams touchdown,

4:29

he gets free, they get a three and out

4:31

where justin fields after

4:33

run run pass, you know, Putt in a tough spot

4:36

drops an absolute dime down the

4:38

field.

4:38

Would have been the game winner. It was a it was a.

4:40

Gutsy throw to try, but it

4:43

was a perfectly thrown ball down the field. Tyler

4:45

Scott drops the ball about forty five

4:48

yards down the field. Lions get the ball

4:50

back, score quickly, and then make that defensive

4:53

play. Just handled all the situational football

4:55

so well and markets cut. I

4:57

think it's kind of one of those other things, like the

4:59

Lions are eight and two, but this is a

5:01

nice little thing to add to your resume on

5:03

a day where you kind of stink and you're getting

5:06

outplayed, that hey, we can go score

5:08

two touchdown to win a ball game.

5:09

In the last five year, Yeah, in a way, it's learning to win

5:11

a different way. And then when they've been dominant, they've

5:14

been so dominant and this was a typical

5:16

and it was a typical Jared Goff from this version

5:18

that we've seen. He hadn't had a game like this going

5:20

back to like twenty twenty one, and

5:22

I love the way they talked about him after because

5:25

I think if you're Jared Goff, like one of my seared memories

5:27

that affected my idea of GoF for songs,

5:30

we saw that Rams Patriots

5:32

super Bowl in person, and you could just tell pregame the

5:34

moment just seemed too big for him. And this could

5:37

have been a chance he's getting booed in, you

5:39

know, by the fans during

5:41

a year where the Lions become the biggest story

5:43

around. It's like, are we gonna slink back and

5:45

go back to our old ways? And he found a way

5:47

out of it. And I thought another part of this too was that

5:50

for all the ups and downs, like they did

5:52

hold the Bears on third down, they

5:54

stopped him a bunch and some potential touchdown

5:56

drives or field goals. I think that mattered

5:58

a lot. And you can't go blame justin Fields.

6:01

This was just a Lions team that finds different

6:03

ways to win, and today it was like, go into the

6:05

darkest corner and work your way out.

6:08

Fields' return was successful.

6:10

They didn't get the win out of it, but he

6:12

finished sixteen to twenty three for one hundred and sixty

6:14

nine yards and a touchdown. Had a very

6:17

nice deep ball in this game. Including

6:19

a touchdown throw to DJ

6:21

More. But in the end, yes,

6:23

they weren't able to win a game in

6:26

which they turned the ball over on the other side four

6:28

times.

6:28

That's a bitter pill to swallow.

6:30

And I think Shuk brought this up Greg

6:33

on the preview show, and it's worth

6:35

bringing up again because I don't want to take any air out

6:37

of the balloon to the Lions. We're off to their best

6:40

start in many years now at

6:42

eight and two, steaming towards a Thanksgiving

6:45

Day game where they were always kind of like the laughing

6:47

stock of Thanksgiving, and now they're one of the top dogs

6:49

in the league.

6:50

That's great, but you know, this

6:52

schedule is not imposing.

6:54

So you take care of business against a team like the Bears,

6:57

there's gonna be questions about Detroit all

6:59

the way to the playoffs because this is kind

7:01

of what their schedule is. I'm not not

7:04

trying to be that guy, but I'm just saying,

7:06

like you had to pull a rabbit out of your hat against

7:08

the Bears, They're gonna have to be sharper than this when

7:10

the real schedule arrives, which might not be till

7:12

the middle of January.

7:13

Right, They've got the Vikings a couple of times. They

7:15

have basically

7:18

I think they have an at Cleveland in there.

7:19

I believe, well the Saints, Oh.

7:22

No, they have the Saints.

7:24

They're gonna end up losing one or two of these games because

7:26

they're not perfect. Because we saw what could happen

7:28

to golf today. They did run

7:31

the ball very effectively, including

7:33

on even on those game you know, winning drives.

7:35

In the fourth quarter, they threw in a couple of runs and

7:37

that was good. Jameson Williams is starting to make plays.

7:40

But I was concerned about their defense now

7:42

coming off some bad performances out of the

7:44

bye, and then you play

7:47

against Justin Fields.

7:48

He was the best player on the field.

7:50

I mean, he made good decisions,

7:52

he made good throws.

7:54

It could have been more.

7:55

They scored, I believe, on five

7:57

straight drives before that last

8:00

five minute sweequence, where again I pointed out

8:02

how Fields actually had a nice throw that

8:04

was dropped on the last drive.

8:06

They really had a chance.

8:07

And you're right, Mark, it was these

8:10

fourth down decisions, which if

8:12

you look at each one, you can't kill

8:14

Eberflus. But he kicked a couple field

8:17

goals in fourth down situations

8:19

one to go up two scores, but it was fourth and

8:21

one and they really had the Lions

8:23

on the rope, and he decides to kick a short biegal

8:26

and then another fourth and five when they decide

8:28

to go from nine to twelve. I didn't

8:30

like that one at all, and I think, big picture

8:32

for the Bears, his defense

8:34

again after a great game like collapses

8:37

in the big spot and he is now I

8:40

think something like five and twenty

8:42

three, and I think games like this they're

8:44

not gonna help him stick around picks.

8:47

Any other thoughts on this one, Greg that you took out

8:49

of.

8:49

It by the way six and twenty two. I want

8:51

to be accurate when I'm getting

8:54

after it. No, I think I

8:56

hit the big ones. I will

8:58

give the Lions some credit here that they

9:00

ran the ball really well against a good Bears run defense.

9:03

It's been good all year, and Gibbs

9:05

Montgomery like that is a thing. It

9:07

shows in this game they do not want to fall behind

9:10

and like get into those sort of game scripts, because when

9:12

they can get ahead and run the ball, they are toughest.

9:14

There was a play in this game where Jill and Johnson

9:16

dropped what would have been another interception

9:18

in oh yeah six. It's like goth Not

9:21

all of those interceptions interceptions were on him,

9:23

but he came close to us talking a very

9:25

different way about him this evening.

9:26

He could have had five picks. He could have had that pick

9:28

six that Jalen Johnson dropped. It would have ended

9:30

the game. So the Lion's getting a little lucky too, but that

9:32

never hurts, all.

9:34

Right, So the Lions get the Packers. On Thanksgiving

9:36

Day, it was the Packers

9:39

fighting for their playoff lives against the

9:41

La Chargers, and it's another one that went

9:43

down to the very end.

9:44

At the thirty five Keenan, Allen and

9:46

Merchant left.

9:47

Herbert had the shotgun fourth and one

9:50

for the Chargers twenty three

9:52

seconds ago.

9:53

Snap to Herbert, looks, wait, fires

9:56

it.

9:57

Come play down,

10:01

Tenny Clark. The biggest

10:03

play of that game.

10:04

Yeah, the Chargers, we

10:07

are dismissed with nineteen

10:09

seconds to go.

10:11

There is your dagger,

10:14

delivered.

10:15

By the Green Bay defense in particular

10:17

Tenny Clark.

10:20

Yes, Kenny Clark with a big paw. He got

10:22

that big play.

10:23

You got that big meat hook up there, knocked

10:25

it away the Herbert pass, ending another

10:27

frustrating game for the

10:30

LA Chargers under Brandon Staley. In

10:32

the end, it was a twenty three to twenty victory

10:35

for the Green Bay Packers. Jordan Love

10:37

had perhaps the best game of his young career here,

10:39

throwing for three hundred and twenty two yards, and

10:42

he hit Romeo Dobbs for a twenty four yard

10:44

touchdown with two thirty three to play that put

10:46

Green Bay ahead, and then they get the stand

10:48

on defense to shut

10:51

it down. So this was kind of a good opponent

10:53

for Green Bay because we know the Packers are a.

10:55

Team this year that have struggled.

10:58

Down the stretch of games trying to find ways

11:00

to close games out. And they found

11:03

a Chargers team that this is their business,

11:05

this is their bread and butter. They take

11:08

games that they should win and they find ways

11:11

to lose them. And that is absolutely

11:14

what I saw here today. And we're getting to the point

11:16

now with the Chargers

11:19

mark where you start to ask questions about

11:22

I understand management side of it. They're

11:24

not a team that is known for firing coaches

11:27

in season, but you know, after another

11:29

day where the offense or the defense that's

11:31

supposed to be his baby gets shredded, this

11:33

time by Jordan Love. And a Packers' offense

11:35

that has not been dynamic this season, Like,

11:38

are they a team that is a candidate here to

11:40

pull the trigger in season on a move in

11:42

a desperation ploy to save their season because

11:44

we are heading to the life support ward right now

11:46

for the Chargers.

11:47

Yeah, on the hottest seat around maybe

11:50

west of Ron Rivera. And it's

11:52

because of the way these games dissolve

11:55

for the Chargers. It's like you have

11:57

bad dropped by Keenan Allen Quentin Johnson's

11:59

like signature move at this point is

12:02

like game defining bobbles and

12:04

drops that like change everything.

12:06

And I don't need to hear that Justin Herbert

12:08

can't like game winning drive he puts

12:10

that pass out there for Johnston.

12:12

Yeah, it's like I think it's like you'd have to be had

12:14

not watched to blame it, to blame it on Justin

12:16

Herbert. But I thought this was sort of like an acid test

12:18

for this defense. It's been as struggling up and

12:21

down Packers offense, and instead

12:23

we come out of this with Love playing one

12:25

of his finer performances, and guys like Jaden

12:27

Red and Luke Musgrave and Dante Avian

12:29

Wicks like showing up and making

12:32

the offense look functional. It's like, what this is

12:34

the opposite of what Brandon Staley can argue. But I think

12:37

after the game like his comments were baffling

12:39

people as well.

12:40

Here's Brandon Staley asked

12:43

about changes for the

12:45

team that is struggling badly as we

12:47

reach late November.

12:49

I have full confidence, like I've told you,

12:51

and like I told you from the beginning, I have full confidence

12:53

in our way of playing. Full confidence

12:55

in myself is the play caller and the way that

12:58

we teach and the way that we scheme. Full

13:00

confidence in that we got to bring this

13:02

group together and do it consistently. Okay,

13:04

And that's where it's at. So you can

13:06

stop asking that question. Okay,

13:09

I'm going to be calling the defenses, okay,

13:12

So we're clear, so you don't have to ask that

13:14

again.

13:16

And this is you know, we've been doing this long

13:18

enough.

13:18

When you hear that tone in

13:20

a head coach, it's it's a little defiant,

13:23

but it's also there's a defensiveness and a sensitivity

13:26

that you're picking up on.

13:27

This is a coach who knows that he's

13:29

in trouble.

13:30

Joey Bosa limped off the field

13:32

in the first quarter with a foot injury,

13:35

showed up in the second half in street

13:37

clothes and in a walking boot. It

13:39

had all the all the looks of a serious

13:42

injury and maybe Greg,

13:44

you and I were texting, maybe this is the last snap

13:46

that Joey Bosa ends up playing for the

13:49

Chargers. Day was not happy

13:51

being prodded about Bosa's

13:53

situation.

13:54

Either, I

13:56

don't.

14:00

Man, there, he goes.

14:01

It's I mean, you've all been like in hot

14:03

water with a like a significant

14:06

other, and like when things get testy, it's like this

14:08

is like that's it makes me feel that same way. It's

14:10

like he he came in as such

14:12

a likable guy by the media and not

14:14

a tough group of media people in

14:16

general in covering this team, and it's like

14:19

it's dissolving before you ours And you're right, Dan, it reminds

14:21

you of like other coaches in the eleventh hour,

14:23

and not a good eleventh hour.

14:25

No, I mean, I feel like we could

14:27

play Brandon's daily clips all

14:29

night. I don't even want to. But it's the it's

14:31

the defensiveness like that. At one point

14:34

he talked, you know, talked about he's not here to talk about

14:36

the fan base. They talk to the fan base, and

14:38

it's not like we haven't made improvements.

14:41

We have made improvements. It's not the true that truth

14:43

that we haven't made improvements. And he's just feeling

14:45

this all personally, and then as

14:47

he's trying to defend the defense, he points

14:49

out essentially, you know, the

14:51

offense kind of blew this one too, which is like,

14:54

not not a great look.

14:55

It's absolutely true.

14:56

Keenan Allen drops a touchdown, Quentin Johnson

14:59

drops another, past they are zero and five in

15:02

games decided by three points

15:04

or less, and I just think, I just think of

15:06

this team, and I think of sloppiness like that Jane

15:08

Reid rushing touchdown, where like none

15:11

of the guys on the second and third

15:13

levels are in their run fits at

15:15

all. It's just you know, Austin Eckler

15:17

getting stuff at the goal, and it's just all these

15:19

little things add up when you watch a Chargers

15:21

game.

15:22

It was to kind of even

15:25

underline the point you just made, Greg, five

15:27

of the Chargers six losses have

15:29

been for a combined fourteen

15:31

points. So the difference

15:34

between ten and seven and seven to ten is

15:36

right there. That inability to

15:38

kind of find a way. And you

15:41

know, this is a team that has a lot of stars on it, a

15:43

lot of big names, and it's never really

15:45

happened. Khalil Mack went over double digit sacks

15:48

in this game. You have Herbert,

15:50

you have Keenan Allen Havn arguably the

15:52

best season of his career. You

15:54

also have Austin Eckler. I just want to Austin

15:56

Eckler. Two things I noticed

15:59

here with their star players.

16:01

Eckler broke away in the first half into

16:04

the open field and it was like he had a piano on

16:07

his back. And that has been kind of a kind

16:09

of sneaky, quiet situation with Eckler

16:11

this season. I feel like he has not been nearly as explosive,

16:14

and he did deal with injuries earlier in the year,

16:16

and I'm just wondering if he's playing healthy.

16:18

Obviously not good for a guy trying to get a

16:21

deal. And then the other thing I want to note is

16:23

Herbert, who did

16:26

really nothing to lose this game. But

16:29

you actually sometimes I want Herbert to be

16:31

a little bit more like Why I like Burrow,

16:33

for instance, more than Herbert

16:35

as a player to watch is I love the fiery

16:38

charisma that Burrow possesses, which

16:41

Burrow that Herbert doesn't naturally

16:43

possess. But I want to show you one play again

16:46

the dysfunction and the failures of the team

16:48

to do the little things. It's

16:50

late in the game. It's a

16:52

fourth and short play. Excuse

16:54

me, it's late in the

16:57

game and they're trying to get something going with seven

16:59

forty to play.

17:00

They don't get the playoff.

17:02

They have a backup center in and you see

17:04

Herbert spike the ball into the ground,

17:07

scream at his line, and it's

17:09

just like I actually liked seeing it, but

17:11

it also I thought was a snapshot into the

17:14

frustration around that has

17:16

to be in that building right now, and you're just wondering,

17:18

we're gonna get to the Jets a little bit later, how long

17:20

before it starts leaking out and that could

17:22

be the death knell for the coach.

17:24

Ultimately, I just I have a bit of.

17:25

A just a suspicion that Staley is

17:28

in mortal danger this week and in the next

17:30

twenty four hours.

17:31

I guess we'll see.

17:32

Yeah, we'd almost have to publish like a flashpoint

17:35

focus probably right after the show to

17:37

get ahead of that.

17:38

I think we're a little late. I'm like saying that the Chargement.

17:40

We're a little late, but I mean, I do think that Herbert

17:42

has shown like insane toughness

17:45

and like total competitives. I know what you

17:47

mean, Dan, but it's like he's also finally

17:50

got reasons every game to feel frustrated

17:52

and.

17:52

That reaction just has to be natural.

17:54

And it's like these players are not children,

17:57

they're not college players. It's not hard to

17:59

lose a lot a month ago, and so I

18:01

really wonder what's happening inside the building, because

18:03

you're right, Dan, they don't do the little things right.

18:05

They remind you of a team that doesn't close

18:08

when they need to, and it goes beyond just the

18:10

game to execution.

18:11

Well.

18:11

They also got their leading

18:13

rusher out of Justin Herbert today eight carries

18:15

for seventy three yards, which to me shows he knows

18:18

how desperate the situation is.

18:19

He is not someone that is looking to run.

18:21

A lot of those were runs up the middle where he took

18:23

some big hits and everything. I know Packers

18:25

fans are geting on us. We spent all this time in the Chargers.

18:28

I said it.

18:28

If you go check out NFL Plus last

18:30

week or no was it. It was on our podcast.

18:33

Actually we talked about snaky

18:35

stories. It's so hard about Yeah, we thought

18:37

Jordan Love. I thought Jordan Love had his best two games

18:40

of the season in a row, and here's another nice

18:42

game. Doesn't even you know, Christian Watson is their

18:44

seventh leading receiver on this gate and they

18:46

still get it done. So three twenty two, you get to

18:49

four and six, you're on Thanksgiving. You're

18:51

not out of it. Actually going into Thanksgiving

18:53

here against millions.

18:54

I know the lines are eight and two, but that is

18:56

not an impossible ask if

18:59

they can find a way in

19:01

that game, in that conference. The

19:04

NFC is very, very soggy

19:06

in the bottom half of the playoff picture the

19:08

whole season. Even if all these struggles

19:10

is right in front of you and I do have

19:13

a bad feeling everything they do

19:15

from here on out might be without Aaron

19:17

Jones, who suffered an ugly looking knee

19:19

injury. He was helped

19:21

off the field then carted and

19:25

it looked like something that's you know, the dreaded

19:27

cart with the towel over the head.

19:30

But with mattla Floor did say that he

19:32

didn't think it was long term that he's in good spirits.

19:35

We'll see what that means, but we're not gonna probably see

19:37

him four or five days from now.

19:39

Yeah, we shall see.

19:40

Yeah, probably asking a lot for Thanksgiving, and

19:42

that would be great news if it's not a long term

19:44

injury.

19:45

If it is something that costs some time.

19:47

AJ Dillon gets yet another chance to

19:50

establish himself in that backfield. Let's

19:52

move to Houston where, yes,

19:54

like Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow, there's a young

19:57

crop of quarterbacks that are the

19:59

tomorrow of the league. No, nay, the

20:01

today, the right now C J.

20:03

Stroud looking to keep it going.

20:06

Here's the game.

20:07

Here comes the blitz.

20:08

Fourth and eight at the Houston twenty

20:10

seven.

20:11

Murray and the gun.

20:12

Murray throwing downfield to his left

20:14

hand. They cut play, knocked

20:17

the way. Steven Nelson and the Texans

20:20

takeover on.

20:20

Downs twenty one,

20:23

sixteen day at the ball with

20:25

thirty seconds to go.

20:29

Interesting, Okay,

20:32

there was I don't know, man, it was a hard week.

20:34

It was.

20:35

It was here this one. I was thinking maybe the Rams

20:37

game.

20:37

I don't know, Roberts, we're giving out bongos

20:40

and beating the Cardinals.

20:41

I don't know, man, it was a fun game.

20:43

The text.

20:43

The Texans were almost team of atm man.

20:45

What are we doing?

20:46

I don't know's choice?

20:47

Like, I don't care. It was a fun game. Where would you have gone this

20:49

week?

20:50

Oh he don't want to know.

20:52

Yeah, Bill's jets. I don't want.

20:54

I didn't want to do Bill jets to you, Dan, give

20:58

it to me.

20:58

No musical instruments in that event.

21:00

I mean, I think, I think if we're if you asked

21:02

me so now I'll answer, I would have given.

21:04

Them to the Packers.

21:05

Really okay, getting back

21:07

in the mix, Well

21:09

you asked me.

21:10

Yeah, you win, semmy loosen. CJ.

21:13

Stroud threw

21:16

for three hundred and thirty six yards with two

21:18

touchdowns.

21:19

That was Mark Vandermire on the call. By the way, Kilt

21:22

and the.

21:22

Texans on a day where they weren't overly sharp,

21:25

still do what they need to do to beat

21:27

the Cardinals twenty one to

21:30

sixteen. And Mark, greg excuse me,

21:33

that was the call that we heard. Was once again

21:35

the defense getting the big stop when

21:37

it came down to it in a sign of, you know, the

21:40

emerging idea that the Texans

21:42

have some depth here to win games

21:45

on both sides of the ball. That's a huge step

21:47

in becoming a team.

21:49

Right defense, Will Anderson

21:52

Derek Stingley, their top five pick,

21:54

their top three pick from a year ago makes a huge

21:56

interception. Their offensive line is playing much better.

21:59

And this game, while I get

22:01

what you're saying with the bongos, it was about as crazy

22:03

as humanly possible a game could be

22:06

that had only seven points in the second half.

22:08

It was just like turnover after turnover,

22:11

fourth down stop after fourth down stop.

22:12

Three times in.

22:13

The fourth quarter, Kyler

22:16

Murray had a chance to

22:18

go maybe take the lead with the touchdown,

22:20

and three times they came up short on fourth

22:23

and short, so they had three straight turnovers

22:25

on dons. One was just a total miss by Kyler.

22:28

He had a couple throws today that were just off target,

22:30

and so that sometimes happens when you returned

22:32

from a torn acl You didn't really see it the first week.

22:35

You saw it this week, just like fluttering balls. Maybe

22:37

it was just weird. One came

22:39

on a well time blitz. We heard that. That was the last

22:41

play call. I think the Demico Ryans

22:43

just one right there, and then one

22:45

was on a bad route I thought by the

22:47

receiver didn't make a good play. So it

22:49

all happened, and they were only in this

22:52

game because the Texans, who

22:54

racked up three hundred and thirty three yards in the

22:56

first half, just couldn't quite put as many points

22:58

as they should have on the You mentioned Stroud

23:01

with three interceptions, but other than those

23:03

three interceptions, and one was on a drop mark, like

23:05

he couldn't have possibly played any better. That's

23:07

a big other then, But other than those two interceptions,

23:09

he made some absolutely insane play.

23:11

I just find him so watchable, like

23:14

he's like a fringe MVP guy for me.

23:16

I know that this game like this could you

23:18

know, I get shadows some of that kind of voting,

23:20

but I think it's incredible to see

23:23

that a rookie quarterback because we're watching so many

23:25

like second and third year quarterbacks still struggle

23:28

and show inconsistency and a lack of growth,

23:30

and then it's so frustrating to watch.

23:31

But CJ.

23:32

Stroud, like his relationship already

23:35

with a fellow rookie in Tank Dell. I

23:37

mean, there were some plays today where like their

23:39

connection and their mind mild is already

23:41

one of the best in the league. And it's like I forgive

23:43

some of these turnovers because that I just would expect

23:46

from a rookie, especially one that's throwing the ball as

23:48

much as he is. And it's like the upside is

23:50

just simply insane, and it's like send

23:53

them right into the second round of the playoffs.

23:54

That's how I view the text, right,

23:59

Yeah.

24:00

Yeah.

24:00

Stroud had three interceptions excuse

24:03

me, two interceptions. Uh, he was

24:05

throwing the ball into tight windows. Didn't

24:07

it always work out? But you know what

24:09

the guy believes. He

24:11

finished with three Sunday excuse me, and he had two

24:13

all season entering the game. After

24:16

the game, he did not like sound

24:18

like a young quarterback who's going to turn

24:20

gun shy after making some mistakes.

24:24

And man, Steph Curry, don't ever stop shooting. I'm gonna

24:26

keep I'm keep laying to ride, you know. And

24:29

I got a shame of my game. I definitely gotta

24:31

be smarter, but I don't

24:33

like, I don't know confidence is taken

24:35

away from me. I'm gonna keep laying to fly.

24:37

I mean, that's

24:39

obviously what you want to hear from your

24:42

quarterback unless he continues to have three interception

24:44

games.

24:44

But you obviously giving him a pass.

24:46

Here Mark and that is also a famous

24:48

Cesstag quote, ain't no shame to my game.

24:50

I've heard you say that, Yeah

24:52

you can.

24:53

You can hear me saying that around the building. Uh,

24:55

you know at any time of day. That's true.

24:57

His his like throw at the end of the half,

24:59

and I'm sure people have seen it. The forty yard touchdown

25:02

Tank Dell was just it showed

25:04

everything from these two players. It was just an insane

25:06

route. I don't you know it was a triple move. I don't

25:08

think the third move was play on. That was freestyle.

25:11

But Dell is snapping off these routes in

25:13

a way that I still have a feeling

25:15

like as high as you think,

25:18

like the ceiling is for Tank Dell, Like, I don't

25:20

think people realize it's not high

25:22

enough.

25:23

He is as good as like.

25:25

As any rookie that's come

25:27

into the league this year in terms of his wide recet,

25:29

Like, his routes are insane. The way he wins

25:31

is insane, the way he wins on the outside

25:33

he ends up with eight for one, forty nine and one, And

25:35

because he's one hundred and sixty five pounds, I think people

25:38

think it's like some sort of weird creation of the system.

25:40

But no, it's like he is just getting wide

25:43

open. I mean, Stroud was on pace

25:45

at halftime for five hundred yards in this

25:47

game, and a lot of them were like these,

25:49

like third third reads where he's

25:51

getting into tight windows. It was really really

25:54

awesome to watch, even though

25:56

they kind of blew it in the in the second half. And Kyler

25:59

at least he's running well, like he didn't

26:01

throw it great, but seven for fifty one on the ground,

26:03

including a touchdown a forty yard run called

26:05

back by penalty.

26:06

Like he looked ready to

26:08

go this sea two weeks in a row. Yep.

26:11

All right, let's take a break and then we will continue

26:13

on. All

26:18

right, we are back. Let's dive

26:20

right back into the games. And it's time now for the

26:22

Sunday Drive presented by the first

26:24

ever Toyota Grand Highlander.

26:27

Oh.

26:27

Another game that went right down to the end,

26:30

Rams Seahawks.

26:31

The rivalry goes on from.

26:33

The left hash fifty five yards,

26:35

So decide Week eleven.

26:36

Here's his kick, very right. It

26:39

is no God,

26:42

no God? Why rights?

26:45

And the Rams celebrates a

26:47

week eleven to three seventeen

26:50

sixteen, and only three

26:53

seconds left. The three

26:55

game losing streak is over.

26:58

The November losing streak. He's

27:00

over.

27:03

The great JB Long for Rams

27:05

Radio with the call,

27:08

and yes, it was Jason Myers who could

27:10

not connect from fifty five yards

27:13

out with three seconds to play and have allowed the Rams

27:15

to escape with a seventeen to

27:17

sixteen win over the

27:19

Seahawks. And yes, like JB said,

27:21

that's ended the losing streak for the Rams and it

27:23

also keeps them live

27:27

four and six in the NFC playoff

27:30

picture. Greg let's

27:33

start with the quarterbacks because

27:35

Matthew Stafford he returned from an injury. He

27:38

led the team on two scoring drives in the fourth quarter

27:40

to complete a comeback. Gino leaves

27:42

with an injury of his own and

27:44

then comes back in a lot of drama

27:47

down the stretch here.

27:48

So much drama.

27:49

Cooper Cupp also left this game early

27:52

with an ankle injury, never returned. Ken Walker

27:54

left with an oblique injury right off the bat, never

27:57

returned, and that sounds like a multiple week injury

28:00

the way Pete Carroll talked about it. But Gino

28:02

missed two drives in the second

28:04

half and it ended up being really

28:07

crucial. And it was interesting because on the second of

28:09

those two drives, he had his helmet on and

28:12

he looked like he wanted to go in, but they decided

28:14

at that point they're still winning, and

28:17

I think the score was sixteen to seven or sixteen

28:19

to fourteen at that point, and they went with a

28:21

second drive for Lock, and he throws

28:23

an interception on that drive. Even though

28:25

Gino seemed like he was ready, he got hit in

28:27

the elbow by a helmet and

28:30

was able to play through it. Gets the

28:32

ball back with one thirty one

28:34

to go and no timeouts

28:36

and gets them into field goal

28:38

range. The problem was they

28:41

could have been much closer. You kick

28:43

a fifty five yard field goal at eight seconds

28:45

left, it's not a bad job to get in that position. But

28:48

they were in that position with thirty

28:50

seconds to go, and they ended up handing

28:52

the ball off for two yards and everyone

28:54

including myself, is killing Pete Carroll. But Gino

28:57

said after the game that that

28:59

communication and his helmet went out

29:02

and he thought he saw a look quickly

29:04

and.

29:05

And he he just was at.

29:06

That point freestyling and making the calls and

29:08

he called the running play there, so unfortunate

29:12

timing for the headset

29:14

to go out there, an unfortunate decision

29:16

ultimately by Gino not to clock

29:18

it there or throw

29:21

a pass, because they could have gotten a lot closer

29:23

than that fifty five yards.

29:25

Can I just say Mark or

29:27

or Gino messed up and then he made

29:29

up the headset thing and and Greg bought into it.

29:31

Hooklines, Well, that's him, that's

29:34

him taking the blame. That's him taking

29:36

the Because Pete Carroll, you

29:38

know, the way he talked about it

29:40

so obliquely, I'm like, what is he talking about here,

29:43

Because he's like, well, that didn't go the

29:45

way we wanted. He admitted it, but

29:47

he he basically was trying to cover for

29:49

what happened, and you know, just told them the truth. That

29:52

was not covering himself. He's saying, I messed

29:54

up. I should not have called a run there.

29:56

Well, yes, I think to

29:58

Dan's point, we just don't tech a lot, have like

30:00

a z Repruiter film on what exactly happened

30:02

on that effect.

30:03

And that's fine.

30:03

But the Seattle starts four and four

30:06

on third downs and then goes one and eleven the rest

30:08

of the game.

30:09

They kind of, I think part of the story here.

30:10

They're the worst third down team in the NFL. They have been

30:12

all year.

30:13

It's plagued them NonStop. And the Rams,

30:15

who in two games have allowed three points

30:18

to Seattle in the second half. I

30:20

thought you kind of remind me of when we were in London and

30:22

they came out against the Cardinals. The Rams, after very

30:25

being able to do nothing on the ground, came

30:27

out and kind of dominated and had a couple of drives

30:29

where they just marched up and down the field running

30:31

the ball. But they kind of let Seattle back into

30:34

this by throwing that pass

30:36

down.

30:36

With it the Rams did.

30:38

They let Seattle back in that choice

30:40

to throw it and it gives Seattle to

30:42

essentially the ball back with about a minute forty.

30:44

Yeah, there were a lot of fascinating game management

30:47

decisions. I think Pete Carroll really blew it at the end

30:49

of the first half by not taking a time out, could

30:51

have given his team when the Rams were going

30:53

into score, some time to possibly respond.

30:56

And like, that's just that's just how Pee Carroll

30:58

works defensively, not being aggressive. But what

31:01

you're referring to, Mark is

31:03

the Rams y had the ball inside the ten

31:05

after two really impressive drives where

31:08

they ran it down the Seahawks' throats

31:10

in the fourth quarter, to score those ten points

31:12

and make this comeback, and they chose to pass

31:15

instead of making those Seahawks burn their

31:17

timeouts. In hindsight, I was with you,

31:19

that was my first reaction. But in hindsight, you

31:22

had to throw the ball to try to score a touchdown

31:24

there, So I just I can't kill them. They

31:26

tried to be aggressive going to Puka Nokua.

31:28

They didn't execute it there. Either way,

31:30

the Seahawks would have gotten the ball back, it just would have

31:33

been with like fifty five seconds in

31:35

no timeouts. It's it's such a collapse

31:37

though, Dan, and this is one of those games if you're

31:39

a Seahawks fan that feels like, oh my god,

31:41

this game might ruin our season. Because

31:44

at one point in the game, the Seahawks

31:47

had thirty four offensive

31:49

plays to the Rams nineteen

31:51

yards, So they had two hundred and five yards

31:53

on those forty five plays to nineteen yards. For

31:55

three quarters, they absolutely looked

31:57

like the better team, and

32:00

they just didn't quite take advantage

32:02

of enough. Gino gets hurt, and then the

32:04

fourth quarter their run defense, which

32:06

has been great all year, kind of gets mowed

32:09

over by freaking Royce Freeman.

32:11

It is a tough way to lose.

32:13

Now, I can't Royce Freeman still in the league.

32:15

I love it.

32:16

Yeah, it's twelve penalties,

32:19

Greg, Yeah, for one hundred and thirty

32:21

yards, the most penalties for any team

32:23

this season, the most for Seattle since

32:25

twenty and eighteen. And you're

32:28

right, like you say that this might ruin our

32:30

season. This is just one game.

32:32

There's still a team with a winning record.

32:35

In fact, six and four is pretty nice spot

32:37

to be. But then you look at the schedule up

32:39

ahead. They got the Niners on Thanksgiving

32:41

Night, then they get the Niners again in a couple

32:44

of weeks, and they also get the Cowboys and Eagles.

32:46

This is a murderers roa stretch. So this

32:48

is a win at home. Excuse

32:51

me, there's a win on the road. You want to stick in your back

32:53

pocket and then set up and say and hope,

32:55

you know, maybe we could split those next four. Now

32:58

you kind of have to find a way to win and

33:00

then maybe three, or you're gonna find yourself

33:02

in dangerous, dangerous spot late in the regular

33:05

season.

33:05

I would tend to think we probably will not trust

33:07

Seattle after that rugged three game stretch.

33:09

And I don't need a.

33:10

Score game and it's the next four too, so you got

33:12

to win one of those scours.

33:13

Trust them.

33:14

Coming out of this game, I do have a question, like if

33:16

you're Geno Smith, like in terms of medically clearing

33:18

Gino Smith, like you're out. He's got a big

33:21

rap on his arm and shoulder. Yeah, and then

33:23

it's like you're in. You're playing again. What happened

33:25

over the course of five or six minutes that

33:27

suddenly greenlit Gino Smith. We don't

33:29

even know if he'll be able to play on Thanksgiving.

33:31

I I I think he just can't

33:33

heat.

33:33

What Pete Carroll said was Gino convinced them he

33:35

could play, and I'm

33:38

sure they're thinking twice because I think he was ready

33:40

to go to the drive before and they decided to

33:42

leave Locke in there. And Gino had

33:44

a good game overall, two thirty three and

33:46

a touchdown.

33:47

You know, avoided the interception.

33:49

He he made good decisions

33:51

and throws it in the last drive, but the balls did

33:53

kind of come out funny if you were looking at him. He had

33:55

one weird sideline pass the metcalf and

33:57

even the one over the middle, like they

34:00

went in right direction. It got there, but they were

34:02

a little wobbly, So I don't know if this elbow

34:04

injury is going to be an issue.

34:06

And one reason I don't I just don't believe in the Seahawks

34:08

team right now because they just have too many things going wrong

34:10

with them. Neither of these teams could protect Stafford

34:13

and Gino were just bruised and battered.

34:15

Both of them are running for their lives the whole game.

34:18

I'm bummed about Cooper Cup.

34:20

This is now back to back seasons

34:23

where the injury bug is biting on him

34:25

hard in that you know, we talked about the

34:27

idea of getting Stafford back, and then you get

34:29

the Big three with Nakua and Cup

34:32

together and it just seems like it's starting to be one of

34:34

those seasons for the Rams where you

34:36

can't get your guys back together at the same

34:38

time for any length of time. But otherwise,

34:41

a very nice win for Sean McVay

34:43

and company. It always, you know, it always means a little

34:45

more in the NFC West.

34:47

To get swept him by the way he owns

34:49

Pete Carroll. There's something about this matchup.

34:52

He swept them, and he's kind of killed him

34:54

since Pete Carroll, especially in the second hand there are Ye.

34:56

That was the Sunday Drive presented by Toyota.

34:59

Let's go play. Learn more at toyota

35:01

dot com slash Grand Highlander. All

35:04

right, so it wasn't you know, I'm in New York

35:06

this weekend and you

35:08

know, spending getting a lot of family time in

35:10

It's very nice. At the last moment, I decided

35:13

to bring my two boys as

35:15

well, so they they've been bonding with

35:17

their cousins and.

35:19

Their uncles and aunts. It's been very nice.

35:21

And to kind of keep it all in

35:24

that headspace of where I grew

35:26

up, I did draft the Giants Mark

35:28

on Thursday show, So Poppy's

35:31

not next to me sitting in the big brown chair drinking

35:34

roop here cursing off Phil

35:36

Simms. But still there was something nice

35:38

about watching the Giants the Autumn

35:40

Leaves and the Crisp November

35:42

air, and they delivered

35:45

a performance set reminded you of the

35:47

old Giants on Sunday.

35:49

Takes the snap back to throw,

35:51

steps up under pressure, runs

35:53

out of a sack, then loves it.

35:54

And it's intercepting by Isaiah

35:57

Sevens running down the love sideline

35:59

twenty fifteen ten to five

36:02

touchdown. Giants Isaiah

36:05

Simmons with the pick six to enter

36:07

with sixteen seconds to go, third

36:10

interception by Howell, and the

36:12

Giants take out the groom.

36:14

They're sweeping Washington again.

36:18

Get gone.

36:19

Who I

36:21

mean that's Bob Papa.

36:22

I mean.

36:24

Lost season for the Giants.

36:25

It's a nice I would maybe give the Giants of bongos

36:28

for one night.

36:29

Yeah, yeah, I think you

36:31

know, when Tommy DeVito gets thirty

36:33

one on you, you get some bongos.

36:35

He got to veto throwing three touchdown

36:37

passes.

36:38

He got Isaiah Simmons pick

36:40

six taken to the house one

36:42

of six. Count them six

36:44

commander's turnovers in

36:47

a thirty one nineteen home loss

36:50

to the last place New

36:52

York Giants. Great line

36:54

here, you know the old

36:57

writing on deadline. You'll have those one

36:59

sentenced grafts that

37:01

hit hard. The ugly game got

37:03

even smellier afterward when

37:05

there was no hot water in the stadium

37:08

for players to shower.

37:09

You know, it's the.

37:10

Most annoying thing. We can't even blame Daniel

37:12

Snyder. Well, we kind of can still blame him.

37:14

This is his old dilapidated building.

37:16

Yeah, but what a dark,

37:19

dark game for the Commanders

37:21

and I guess I'll just start with the Commanders,

37:23

because they are a team that, at least entering Sunday,

37:26

had some more relevance than the Giants.

37:28

I think it's not just us, it's

37:30

everyone.

37:31

Every time we seem to get behind

37:33

the idea of Sam Howell, he has

37:36

an outrageously poor game, and

37:39

this was an outrageously poor game. By

37:41

how he didn't get a chance to watch this yet

37:44

some of these interceptions he threw were

37:46

just wretched, and he

37:48

did not give his team a great opportunity

37:52

to win this game. And I got a shout out

37:54

mark Tommy DeVito because this

37:56

guy who's become something of an

37:58

internet meme at this point, and

38:01

we talked about on an NFL Plus last

38:03

week. Greg just having fun with the idea of the guy

38:05

that has his mom making his bed and he's starting for

38:07

the NFL. He played

38:09

really well in this game, lighting

38:12

up Washington's defense despite taking

38:14

a beating. He got sacked five times in the first

38:16

quarter in this game, but hung tough,

38:18

much tougher than his counter counterpart

38:21

in New York, Zach Wilson. And this was a

38:23

nice win for the Giants and a good

38:25

look for Brian Dable quite frankly, whose team

38:28

in a lost year was playing very hard throughout.

38:31

Yeah, because de Veto looked completely

38:34

utterly lost at sea when we first

38:36

saw him. And this is a short

38:38

amount of time to get someone who's not a high draft

38:40

picked on any level ready, and that's kind of what dables

38:43

special sauce was meant to be.

38:44

So I think it's a win for him.

38:46

If you're Ron Rivera, you were kind of hitching

38:48

your wagon to the fact that you stood by Sam

38:50

how and no one really believed or necessarily

38:52

thought that was the smartest thing to do.

38:54

Howell has been I thought, really watchable.

38:57

He had been keeping the turnovers down prior

38:59

to this week, and even the like six

39:02

nine sack games had disappeared.

39:03

But this kind of sounds like that Buffalo wipeout.

39:06

And if you get that version of him, that's

39:08

wild because like you have to go back to nineteen

39:10

eighty four when a Washington team

39:13

that sacked a quarterback nine or any team

39:15

sacked a quarterback nine plus times and still

39:17

lost by double digits.

39:18

It's like, if you're on Rivera, your.

39:20

Calling card is no matter what, our defense is

39:22

gonna cause a problem for the opposing quarterback and

39:24

it's like you didn't do any of that today.

39:26

Well no, I mean, and it has an all season, which

39:28

is why we don't need to belabor it. Rivera

39:30

is the one coach out there that, like, we know

39:33

he's not making it. He's ann next season.

39:35

I guess, I guess you could create a scenario

39:37

where they win out like then maybe

39:39

he would have a chance. But borring that, it's

39:41

a tough spot. And it's because his defense has been

39:44

so bad. And how about DeVito dimes

39:46

out there? He now has six touchdowns.

39:48

I mean, that's I don't even need to check. That's

39:50

gotta be more than Daniel Jones.

39:52

Has this year.

39:53

It is, It's definitely more than Kenny Pickett

39:55

has this year. Uh, de Vito,

39:57

it's happening in Sequon we

40:00

talked about Saquon has been running his ass of one hundred

40:02

and forty yards from scrimmage in two touchdowns.

40:04

Nice job by Saquon.

40:06

Hey, Eric Roberts, you know it's

40:08

not too late. We can give Tommy de Vido some bongos

40:10

on a Sunday night.

40:11

It might be his last chance, all right, I mean I'm down

40:13

if you guys are like an unshowered deviat.

40:15

I didn't know that we could do it in the middle

40:17

of the game.

40:18

Hey, you know, hey, you

40:20

know what really?

40:21

You know, when he after he threw his first

40:24

touchdown through two touchdowns to Barkley,

40:27

he went sprinting down the field doing that, you

40:30

know, like the Italian dude thing.

40:31

We're like holding the fingers

40:33

up like he is.

40:35

There's there's a level of self awareness Greg

40:37

that I was not expecting from a guy that said

40:39

his all time dinner features Elon

40:42

Musk, who else was it?

40:44

Floyd Mayweather and Jeff Bezos.

40:46

Like, yeah, there was a little more depth of

40:49

character or a sense of humor

40:51

than I was expecting.

40:52

Yeah, a couple of creeps and maybe another creep.

40:54

Okay, selling your

40:56

own plank.

40:57

No, But honestly, he played very well.

41:00

He really did.

41:00

And and I'm not saying he's the future of the position,

41:02

but he's really helping

41:04

out Dable here because this could have this could

41:07

have really degenerated

41:10

into an all time humiliation

41:12

season that would put Dable in trouble. But now I'm

41:14

starting to think they're going to be able to kind of get to the finish

41:16

line with Dignity Attack because I think

41:19

he's good enough.

41:20

Like with the old trope Gregory, we talked about it

41:22

last week.

41:23

You know what, with this game, he's going to be around

41:25

for ten years as a backup.

41:26

You know, he bought a whole career.

41:28

It's like, yeah, sure,

41:31

but I bet but right now, but for

41:34

one for one day, he really did play well

41:36

and good for him. And uh and and I'll

41:38

give a shout out Mark.

41:40

I didn't get a check. Chance to check his final

41:42

line.

41:43

But every time I do a Giants game

41:45

on Sundays, Cavon Thibodau's making plays

41:47

and he really is having a nice year

41:49

or two with the Giants. He's

41:52

absolutely made the leap, and I think they have

41:54

a guy going

41:56

forward that can anchor that that line.

41:58

Yeah, two sacks, two

42:00

tackles for loss, Like he seems to

42:02

be the guy that shows up regularly. And this

42:05

defense, I mean, I know, like they've had a

42:07

couple of sneaky good games. I look back on the Bills when I'm

42:09

like, all right, I'm not sure what to make of that one because

42:11

of what's happened in Buffalo. But no, this

42:13

isn't great anything you can cling to if you're Brian's able.

42:15

This is great. They now passed the Patriots

42:18

in Tankathon.

42:19

The tank the Patriots are into that top

42:21

three here, and we got a big Patriots

42:24

Giants Tankathon matchup next week. Well

42:26

you should pick We need that quarterback to Vito.

42:28

Yeah, save your job, get out of they watch.

42:30

Look, we

42:33

haven't heard that a lot either.

42:37

And I was watching the games with Keith Hansas for the

42:39

first time, like on a football

42:41

Sunday in fourteen years.

42:43

Wo And you know, he's a little rusty

42:45

on like you know, who to be rooting for and against.

42:48

It's good that I was there to help him because he likes

42:50

Herbert a lot.

42:51

So he's rooting for the Chargers.

42:52

And I'm like, Dad, because I have these two games

42:55

on as like, Dad, actually the

42:57

Chargers have the tiebreaker on the Jets

42:59

and they have a similar record, so we've got to

43:01

be against the Chargers.

43:03

And then he's like, oh, those Giants, those dogs.

43:05

My dad hates the Giants more

43:08

than anyone hates anything in the world. And

43:10

I was like that the Giants win this game, it

43:12

actually gives them a worst draft pick and they fall

43:14

out of contention for one of these big college prospects.

43:17

He's like, all right, Danny, So it

43:19

was good to have, like have that dynamic back

43:21

and forth.

43:23

I've missed it.

43:25

You're a man of reason.

43:28

Oh you're right, Danny. All right,

43:30

let's move on and uh yeah.

43:33

Check in with the other team

43:35

that plays in the Meadowlands, who traveled

43:38

up to Orchard Park to face a Bills team that

43:41

needed a win in the worst way, and they got

43:43

it.

43:44

Bobby, Bobby

43:46

Alan making a check Bobby Wagner back

43:49

to the shotgun.

43:50

He goes, here's the snap, pre man

43:52

Rush Jets drop an eight and

43:54

the passes complete to Shakir gets away

43:56

for the tag un to the.

43:57

Corty thirty five thirty.

43:58

Doubles back to the twin still loose

44:01

piece, going all the way for the touchdown.

44:05

Eighty one yards to paydirt

44:08

Khalil ship here.

44:10

Wow, Chris

44:14

Brown with the call, WGR.

44:16

I think that's a fitting call

44:19

for this game, which was a very

44:21

one sided affair thirty two to six in

44:24

favor of the Bills over the fading Jets.

44:26

And it was Sauce Gardner

44:28

that got beat in coverage by

44:30

Shakiir on that beautiful throw by

44:33

Josh Allen and then a Gardener sprints

44:35

down the field, uses his ketchup

44:37

speed and then is unable to bring it down. Shakira

44:40

in around the twenty or so and

44:42

he goes in. And this was kind of the game where

44:44

the dam finally broke for a Jets

44:47

defense that had been carrying this team all

44:49

season, and after another disgraceful

44:51

effort by the offense, it was the defense

44:54

that also caved.

44:55

Josh Allen led the way.

44:57

A very strong effort from Allen with his

45:00

new offensive coordinator, and

45:02

a Buffalo team that scored points on six of

45:04

its first eight possessions gets back

45:07

above five hundred. And also,

45:09

I think importantly Mark

45:12

has a win that they can kind of feel

45:14

good about. And you could kind of sense that with

45:17

some of the it was an endless game, the game would

45:19

not end it Maybe.

45:20

I have to check.

45:21

It might be the longest four quarter game of

45:23

the season, and considering it was so one sided,

45:26

it felt terminal at least for interminable

45:28

for this Jets fan. But

45:31

there was some swagger in this game and some

45:33

chess pump pumping, and this idea

45:35

that the Bills, who have been struggling

45:38

to really find their swagger. This is the type

45:40

of game against the Jet team that's fading but

45:42

still where you can find yourself a little

45:44

bit and build off it.

45:45

Yeah, there was a legitimate stink on

45:48

Buffalo all week leading up to this

45:50

game, so it take I mean, I don't recall

45:52

at any moment Sean McDermott being widely

45:54

criticized by so many different people for so many

45:57

different reasons, and you just felt like the bow

45:59

could break down, will come baby

46:01

and cradle and all and all that business.

46:02

But this kind of stops all that.

46:05

And yet I'm.

46:06

Not sure totally what to take from it, because you're

46:08

watching a non functional offense

46:10

and it's like, I kind of felt like a game

46:13

when they took away the opening kick return, the

46:15

Bills and the Jets were suddenly a sitting

46:17

duck. And out comes the offense in twenty minutes

46:20

into this affair, they have zero yards.

46:22

Obviously, zero yards per play. That is pretty

46:24

unusual. We've seen some weird games this year,

46:27

but you're watching a non functional offense,

46:29

and I think that that weight of that and probably

46:31

what is a fractured locker room at

46:33

some point, to some degree, what can you

46:36

do as a defense. The Bills start to make plays

46:38

and It's like there are a couple teams out there where they're leaning

46:40

hard on their great defense and really

46:43

problematic offense and you're gonna get these things.

46:45

And it's like the four and six Jets right now,

46:48

there's got to be a lot of division inside that locker

46:50

room.

46:51

They're cooked. I mean I would stick

46:53

a fork in them. But I'm emotional right now because they're

46:55

my team.

46:57

And it's a tough game Friday Field.

46:58

Yeah, they got their on Black

47:01

Friday, and but they're getting They're

47:03

going there.

47:03

They're playing the Dolphins. It's at the metal ends.

47:06

But their confidence is

47:08

at an all time low as a team. I could tell

47:10

you that for sure just by watching

47:12

them. And they finally benched

47:15

Zach Wilson in the third quarter. I mean, this is a

47:17

game that it's all there again,

47:19

and it's so frustrating that we're back here where the

47:21

Jets are the butt of jokes. But this is

47:23

just what seems to happen when

47:25

you tie your wagon

47:28

to a team like this. Like Wilson

47:30

at one point, coming off the sideline

47:32

coming back from break is backpedaling. I

47:35

guess what he's kind of communicating with the coach and

47:37

he falls over, he trips

47:39

on his own feet and falls to the ground,

47:41

and I looked over to my brother and

47:43

I said, you know, he's throwing an

47:45

interception now, because this is the jet thing, and not only

47:47

is that gonna happen. And sure enough, three plays later,

47:50

he throws the interception that more or less puts

47:52

the game to bed. They finally put in

47:54

Tim Boyle, and obviously

47:57

he doesn't do much either. They scored six

47:59

points one touchdown in the first half. But

48:01

this is a team that is getting everything

48:03

they deserve now because it's all exposed

48:06

all the things that they were skating by on with all

48:08

those crazy wins, and

48:10

they were ignoring the real problems with this offense

48:13

and refusing to make real changes,

48:15

and this was all coming and building to this point

48:18

in these last few weeks during this losing

48:20

streak, I think everyone has been

48:22

exposed, from Joe Douglas on down for

48:25

making a terrible mess out of what could

48:27

have still been a fun,

48:30

exciting season, even after the Aaron

48:32

Rodgers injury. So they deserve

48:34

everything they're getting right now. With the with the quarterback

48:37

play, the fact that Nathaniel Hackett

48:39

has a free pass on this team is absolutely

48:42

atrocious.

48:42

But you know exactly why he has a free.

48:46

He's the one guy.

48:47

Oh that's the change. He's the guy changes.

48:49

Changed it, but it didn't make any difference.

48:52

Here are the big changes that I noticed

48:54

in this game. You put the overmatched

48:57

offensive coordinator in a booth. You cut the

48:59

third string running back in

49:01

this game. I didn't see much else.

49:03

And they're trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the

49:06

fan base and acting like they're

49:08

trying to really make changes, but the truth

49:10

is they're not doing anything.

49:12

And this is what happens. And if I'm Aaron.

49:14

Rodgers, who supposedly reportedly was

49:16

targeting a Christmas Eve return,

49:19

no, bro, You've got a terrible offensive line

49:21

that got further weekend by Makai Becton's

49:24

ankle injury today. And I

49:27

think it's just a matter of time now before

49:29

this whole locker room breaks because they already

49:31

had a players meeting players only meeting

49:33

heading into this game, and now they're

49:36

going to face a Miami team in prime

49:39

in a game at an Island game, it is gonna

49:41

be potentially a grizzly

49:43

scene at the Metal Lens. And again, like these are

49:45

games that Jets fans are supposed to be looking forward

49:47

to all these spotlight games and now there's

49:50

a sense of dread around them, and it just

49:52

sucks. They let the fan base

49:55

down with their decision making

49:57

and it's really tough to swallow.

49:59

Yeah, they're third loan touchdown

50:01

was their first and forty one drives, I believe,

50:03

and I think you're you're hamstrung because you have a super

50:06

empowered quarterback and you knew what came along

50:08

with that, but he's tied at the hip

50:10

to an offensive coordinator and at Daniel Hackett

50:12

that is arguably and maybe

50:14

overtly having an even worse campaign

50:17

than a year ago. And that was one of the worst head coaching

50:19

stints we've ever seen. So it's like, you

50:22

could have made changes here, like the but for instance, Bill's

50:24

at least went out and got someone like Roseull

50:26

Douglas, who had three takeaways today. It's like, you

50:29

know, go and try to change the situation,

50:31

and the Jets did nothing and stuck with a non

50:33

functional quarterback who somehow is

50:36

playing less adequately than

50:38

a Giants quarterback that no one had heard of, you know,

50:40

a fortnight ago. It's just like it couldn't get

50:42

any mess year, And if you don't have the guts to switch

50:44

quarterbacks or go and get one, it's all on you

50:46

and the floor falls out and they have no one to blame

50:49

but themselves.

50:50

Well, Zach Wilson, And you know, the thing that is

50:53

similar between this year and last year is not the play

50:55

card.

50:55

It's Zach Wilson.

50:56

And like Mike, I have a feeling Mike Lafleur

50:58

could coach some offense had a quarterback.

51:01

So to me, it's the quarterback, it's the offensive

51:03

line.

51:03

Rodgers, ultimately the choice is gonna be made for

51:06

him, like if they have eight once they have eight or

51:08

nine losses, he's.

51:09

Not coming back anyway.

51:10

So if they get to that point and the

51:12

Bills have I think they're at Philly next

51:14

week before a late bye,

51:18

but it's now they could even if they

51:20

lose that game. I look at this AFC

51:23

and I know the point differential. Thing's crazy. They're

51:25

now like plus one hundred for the year, which is just

51:27

nuts. You know all their offensive statsic. I actually

51:29

think Josh Allen is having a good season.

51:32

I know it's wrapped around a couple like clunky,

51:35

turnover prone games, I really

51:38

do. If you take out like those

51:40

two games, I think he's been a total

51:43

top five.

51:43

Quarterback, if not better.

51:44

And you could say that basically about any quarterback

51:46

this year, if you could pick out one or two bags. My

51:48

point is they're running the ball well. You get a big day

51:51

out of Leonard Floyd and Ed Oliver. I know it's against the

51:53

Jets, but ed Oliver's playing with his hair on

51:55

fire lately, and you've been running it better, and you have

51:57

Alan. I think they are still a playoff team

52:00

even if they go six and six, and I know

52:02

that the schedule's tough.

52:03

I think there's a lot to like though. I'm not giving up

52:05

on the Bills. Is my point.

52:07

Well, you shouldn't give up on the Bills, but let's not

52:09

go around the knack like Josh Allen is

52:12

a couple of bad throws away from having a good year.

52:15

You look, I mean, you had the first Jet game,

52:17

you have the Giant game, you have the Denver

52:19

game. I'm looking at

52:21

multiple weeks where they scored less than twenty points.

52:23

Yes, on a down to down like play

52:26

to play basis, I think he's not

52:28

been much different than he always is.

52:31

He is a quarterback that matters that

52:33

is playing reasonably well.

52:35

I think they have a chances off I.

52:37

Would say globally though, like what they are is an

52:39

offense like today is not a measuring stick of

52:41

that like they seem.

52:42

I think it is. People love to say like

52:44

and I get it.

52:44

The defense caved in eventually,

52:47

but it's also the same defense that's

52:50

totally stopped the Bills in games

52:52

before when their offense wasn't doing anything.

52:55

So you can't have it both ways. You got to give them some

52:57

credit for being able to move the ball today.

52:59

It's a nice day for.

52:59

Them lost cause, but there's definitely

53:02

issues with the Bills in general, and I think three weeks

53:04

from now we'll see. But it's like date, go

53:07

out and show us that you're a good team against a different

53:09

team against the Jets. Like Josh Allen has a

53:11

ton of touchdowns and I'm not saying he's like a

53:13

major issue, but this isn't the same version

53:16

I think of Josh Allen that we got it's

53:18

certain heights in the last two seasons.

53:20

I think the point is great because I

53:23

nobody would argue that Allen hasn't had moments

53:25

of this season and stretches where he looked as

53:27

good as ever. I

53:29

think he has the ability, he has the natural

53:32

ability and the players around him to be the best quarterback

53:34

in the league for the rest of the season. But

53:36

this year has been marked by inconsistencies

53:39

on their offense. So I think we've

53:41

gotten but we've gotten sucked in before

53:43

Greg by the Bills this year where it felt like, Okay,

53:45

this team is on track and then they lay an egg.

53:48

I guess I just need to see a real.

53:50

Extended stretch here where he's

53:52

not shooting himself in the foot and they're not putting the ball on the

53:54

ground. And maybe the scheme

53:57

alteration with the new OC makes a big difference.

54:00

And maybe Allen who kind of

54:02

got his offensive coordinator fired, Greg, like

54:04

maybe that was the way you call he needs in

54:06

some level, I don't know. I just don't want to like

54:08

paint like a rosy picture of a guy that I

54:10

think he got Lombardi. Excuse

54:12

me, I think he got Dorsey run out of town with his sloppy

54:15

play this year.

54:15

I just I just think people go so far

54:17

in one direction or the other.

54:18

Now.

54:19

I don't think these stats like paint the

54:21

total picture, but I also kind of

54:23

get it that, like his EPA per play

54:25

is a career high, he's second in the league to

54:28

a Purty, He's top five in QBR. He usually

54:30

doesn't rank that high. Completion percentage over expected,

54:32

these are down to down things. They're actually at

54:34

or above his career high. Now, no one's

54:36

saying he's having his best season, but I think he's having

54:38

a better season than people recognize. And there's

54:41

a decent chance, because he's often

54:43

been pretty up and out, there's a decent chance he gets

54:45

on a heater down this stot.

54:46

I just don't think anyone's walking around saying

54:48

that he is some sort of a disaster either.

54:51

People aren't saying that, no one.

54:53

I feel like all of last

54:55

week was spent on like what a problem.

54:57

Yeah.

54:57

I think part of it is, like to what Dan just said

54:59

that, like, did are you the reason your OC

55:01

just got canned? When all those stats are true

55:03

about what the OC produced as well, A lot of those are

55:05

from their highs.

55:06

I think the OC got caned because Don mcdermom

55:09

didn't like him.

55:11

That's my that's my room.

55:12

They can't be best pals, well

55:14

you mean like personally, Yeah, I mean just

55:16

that they didn't like working together.

55:17

I mean when you got there, Greg, not a little stupid.

55:20

Nothing other than like no one with that

55:23

sort of track record and production. Ever

55:25

it gets fired in the middle of season. I mean he clearly

55:27

didn't want to work with him anymore.

55:28

He got rid of him. You gown,

55:31

well, you.

55:32

Keep firing people until you're next

55:34

in line, exactly.

55:35

I think.

55:37

I think that's a team under

55:39

an extreme amount of pressure to get this

55:41

thing figured out, and I think that hurt

55:43

Dorsey as well, like the amount of pressure on them

55:46

to not let this season go down in infinity infinity

55:48

for Buffalo fans.

55:50

Uh.

55:50

By the way, safety Tailer Rafts.

55:52

To stained a neck injury, came off the

55:54

field in an ambulance, a scary scene,

55:56

but it looked like he had feeling like

55:58

in his extremities, so that that's good.

56:00

But they also lost.

56:02

Dan Jackson and Toron Johnson to

56:05

head injuries, so they they've been they've

56:07

been a bit hard. It's not just the

56:10

offense with the turnovers. They've had a ton of

56:12

injuries this year and they and now they

56:14

get the Eagles coming

56:16

up, and that's gonna be

56:18

potentially a fun little shootout all

56:21

right, good, good, good.

56:23

All right.

56:23

So a little like I said at the top of the show, a

56:27

little bit of a different week. I'm

56:30

back east, so with

56:32

my family on the other side of the store,

56:34

I am going to We're gonna take a break here,

56:37

and then when we get back, it will

56:39

be Nick Shook tagging.

56:41

I'm tagging in. Man.

56:43

Imagine Nick Shook as your tag team partner.

56:45

Oh my god, you play different roles.

56:47

That would be you'd be the guy with like the dust

56:49

and the little thing that you scored in someone's face.

56:52

Well, wait, that's the valet. Let's give

56:54

me a little more credit than that. But he's definitely

56:56

the guy that, like, I just gotta like

56:59

not get pinned. And if I could just get

57:01

to that corner where Shook is

57:03

at the turnbuckle and slap

57:05

his hand, He's gonna hulk up and just

57:07

clean house.

57:08

So that's what I'm gonna do at this break.

57:10

And I will see you guys tomorrow

57:12

night for the Super Bowl rematch recap of

57:15

Monday night football. Let's

57:17

take a break and then Shook will join us.

57:23

All right, welcome back.

57:25

Let's head where we always

57:27

head when Nick Schuck is coming on the show.

57:29

Let's go to Cleveland.

57:30

Twenty four yard line is where they

57:32

spotted thirty four yard field

57:34

Goala tap, five seconds to go. Here

57:37

we go. She look ready

57:39

to put the ball, back step

57:41

to it, back ball down.

57:42

Hopkins in with flag down, kick us

57:44

up and the kick is good. We're

57:47

two seconds left. There's a flag

57:50

down. It looks like the Snailers

57:52

were offside. Two seconds

57:54

left and Dustin the Hopkins

57:57

puts the Brown toad.

57:58

Thirteen to ten offside.

58:00

You bet

58:04

indeed, Jim Donovan back in the house.

58:07

That's great to hear. Longtime

58:09

Browns play by playban is

58:11

healthy again for w k r

58:15

K. Dustin Hopkins. He's been

58:17

a difference maker all season. Fitting

58:19

he gets the field goal in a thirteen

58:23

to ten Brown's victory

58:26

over the Steelers. If you're watching

58:28

on YouTube, you can

58:30

see Dorian Thompson Robinson overcome

58:33

by emotion. He

58:35

says he's a winning starter in the NFL.

58:38

Also overcome by emotion. Nick

58:41

Shook and Mark Sessler because

58:43

they're both Browns fans, even if they don't want

58:45

to honk about it. This had

58:47

to be satisfying, Nick,

58:50

beating the Steelers with your backup quarterback.

58:53

Oh I mean, it was.

58:54

It was an ugly game, but you know, you

58:56

take the wins, Harvey can if you're the Browns,

58:59

the slap walk through the

59:01

third quarter and then most of the fourth

59:03

quarter, and then found it when they needed it most,

59:05

and they turned the rookie who was able to complete a few passes,

59:07

get them in range and pull off a drive

59:10

that you desperately needed to kick a field goal that I was

59:13

certain was not going to happen in this game. And

59:15

sometimes the spice of life is

59:17

surprises, and it was today.

59:19

I mean, for the first time ever,

59:22

the Browns have beaten the Ravens

59:24

and Steelers and back to back contests.

59:28

If you go back through time, so many

59:30

of these games would end so differently because

59:32

you have issues at the field

59:34

goal pick kicking position, You've lost your

59:36

starting quarterback, you've lost the center of your offense,

59:38

your star running back, and countless you've

59:41

got issues at the tackle position, and you're facing

59:43

the Steelers defense that is even with your

59:46

starting tackles reak tavoc for a

59:48

decade plus. So a lot was

59:50

going on wrong for the Browns going into the game.

59:52

And it was ugly.

59:54

But it's ugly, I thought, because You've got

59:56

something truly special, and it is a beautiful

59:58

defense, and it is really rewarding

1:00:01

to see Miles Garrett, who's been surrounded

1:00:03

by very little his entire career, making

1:00:07

game changing place. I gotta ask you, Nick,

1:00:09

like that, I thought that was a safety

1:00:11

out of the gate when Miles Garrett comes to tearing

1:00:14

up the belly and blows up picket and

1:00:16

it's it like the camera says, we'll

1:00:18

see it to Pennstreet where the rep solid.

1:00:20

But Jean Sarahtor said, you should have challenged

1:00:22

that.

1:00:22

You gotta challenge a potential scoring place.

1:00:24

Absolutely, it was a

1:00:27

really bad day of challenges for the Browns because

1:00:29

they didn't challenge that, and on that sideline

1:00:31

angle, you could see the balls clearly over the goal

1:00:33

line. The entire football has to be out of the goal line

1:00:35

for it to not be a safety. We're not gonna split

1:00:37

hairs with the rules here, but it should have been challenged. Then they go

1:00:39

challenge the Jerome Ford touchdown,

1:00:41

which they somehow get overturned

1:00:44

and turned into a touchdown because

1:00:46

it wasn't initially ruled as a touchdown even though there's really

1:00:48

no conclusive evidence. I feel like that was a makeup

1:00:50

review there, and then they went and challenged another

1:00:52

play in the second half that was just a terrible

1:00:54

challenge, like it was just swings and misses,

1:00:56

and they lucked out on the one that went

1:00:59

their way. I wonder

1:01:01

who is in the booth making these decisions

1:01:03

for them, because they need to be replaced.

1:01:05

That is something we can investigate.

1:01:08

I think you're right Mark to bring up Garrett right away,

1:01:10

because it's hard not to think about TJ. Watt,

1:01:13

Miles Garrett, and you know TJ.

1:01:16

Watt had a couple quarterback hits in a sack

1:01:18

in this game. But when it comes

1:01:20

down to it in the fourth quarter in

1:01:22

a huge spot where Steelers I think

1:01:24

they had the ball in great field position,

1:01:26

they got over the

1:01:29

fifty yard line, I believe before Miles

1:01:31

Garrett puts them back with a big time sack

1:01:34

in that moment. He just keeps stacking

1:01:36

those moments this year. It is

1:01:38

pretty special. It is crazy. They are seven and

1:01:40

three. They're seven and three.

1:01:42

No, I mean, they're winning games in ways they would

1:01:44

have lost them in the past, and I think

1:01:46

that there is a difference here. If

1:01:48

you watch Kevin Stefanski's postgame

1:01:51

locker room speech, to the team I think

1:01:53

is even kealed nature through all sorts

1:01:55

of stuff that's happened affects them.

1:01:57

I think there's a Browns team that leaves

1:02:00

in each other in a way that you typically would look

1:02:02

at the Steelers and say, that's how they feel

1:02:04

about each other. And meanwhile, all this chaos

1:02:06

could have caused disunity, and I've seen the

1:02:08

opposite, and it's stories of people

1:02:11

like Dave and Nadjoku who like keeps showing

1:02:13

up in big moments. And it's the fact that you've had three

1:02:15

different quarterbacks and even your starter.

1:02:17

Fifteen targets for Dadoku today.

1:02:19

Really, I mean, I think in other years he says inconsistent,

1:02:22

He's still gonna give you the drops. But it's like you

1:02:24

made out you made a pinpoint passes coming

1:02:26

at you in some of these situations this season,

1:02:28

but certain guys have stepped up, and

1:02:31

I just think it's kind of a season altering win

1:02:34

back to back to beat the Ravens and Steelers. I think

1:02:36

it means a lot to a Browns franchise

1:02:38

that like has not been able to do that consistently

1:02:41

in twenty years.

1:02:43

There's something weird around this team right

1:02:45

now, and it's built.

1:02:46

You know, it's centered on their defense, because you know when

1:02:48

you have a good defense, it's gonna give you a chance in every game.

1:02:50

But there's like a sense of belief and it's like

1:02:53

cautious optimism within the fan base,

1:02:55

whereas this team's just going out there and trying to prove

1:02:57

every week believe in us, believe in us. And they

1:02:59

stack a couple couple of wins that are coming wildly

1:03:01

different fashion with different quarterbacks who have massively

1:03:04

different stat lines, and yet the one

1:03:06

true reliable factor is that defense.

1:03:08

And I don't know if we're in that era anymore in which a defense

1:03:10

can win new championships, like I don't know if the

1:03:13

Ravens and Trent dilferd win a championship in

1:03:15

this era. But you are looking

1:03:17

for a unit that's going to come about as close as possible

1:03:19

to getting you there. This is the defense

1:03:21

this year that's been that so far. It's the only thing they've been able

1:03:23

to count on in most of their games. And even

1:03:26

today, I felt like Kevin Stefanski coached

1:03:28

very passively in the third quarter, and I thought he's done

1:03:30

a really good job in the last month. But today there

1:03:32

was a stretch where they just were so conservative

1:03:35

and so predictable offensively, and they had two times where

1:03:37

they had the ball in Pittsburgh territory, started

1:03:39

drive and they did absolutely nothing with it, took no time

1:03:41

off the clock, clinging to a three point lead. And

1:03:43

I'm sitting there watching this, going the Browns are

1:03:45

going to lose this game. They are coaching not to lose instead

1:03:47

of coaching to win right now, and it's gonna happen.

1:03:49

And yet every time the defense bailed them out.

1:03:51

And just like you said, that sack, that Miles Garrett

1:03:54

sack that took them out of field goal range late, that's

1:03:56

the defense coming through.

1:03:57

Yet again, that's what gave them the opportunity here.

1:03:59

And I want to be like

1:04:01

sitting back and think, oh, eventually it's gonna

1:04:03

falter. And it's broken down a couple times in the past,

1:04:05

but it is more reliable and consistently.

1:04:08

I fully believe that they'll have a shot in every

1:04:10

game from here on out.

1:04:11

Yet I think some of the passive coaching came

1:04:13

on Pittsburgh's offensive side. Where can

1:04:15

you Pickett said afterwards that

1:04:18

you know they were expecting Cleveland out to come

1:04:20

out and play man from wire to wire and

1:04:22

they switched that up.

1:04:23

They confused them.

1:04:24

This is a division opponent, and he said, we've got to adjust

1:04:27

better. And then Naji Harris, we know that he's

1:04:29

been upset with a few things. You got Jayleen Warren

1:04:31

going off for a big touchdown. But Naji Harris,

1:04:34

I think was another crack in the armor

1:04:36

about what's going on with this offensive coaching staff.

1:04:38

Let's listen to it.

1:04:39

There's just a lot of stuff that just goes around.

1:04:41

It's just.

1:04:44

It's just that you guys don't

1:04:46

see as I say.

1:04:47

It's just true.

1:04:49

I'm miss at a point where it.

1:04:50

Was just like, I'm just tired of it.

1:04:53

Let's let's hear some more, because that, especially

1:04:56

from Najia Harris, was pretty telling,

1:04:58

knowing that they're six and four or but that they've

1:05:01

once again been out gained.

1:05:02

Wait where are they outgain?

1:05:03

We kept it going, Yes, two fifty nine to two

1:05:05

forty nine. They they kept

1:05:07

the streak going. Let's hear him talk

1:05:09

about that this record might be fools gold Meeks.

1:05:13

The two things. You can look at the record and say, Okay, well we're still.

1:05:15

Good right now.

1:05:15

We can look at the record and.

1:05:16

We like, you know, if we keep playing

1:05:18

this type of football, how long is that last?

1:05:20

Right?

1:05:22

I look at it, like, how long does it last?

1:05:25

Mandalkamhad like I said, good record

1:05:27

players, I missed the NFL.

1:05:29

You know it's winning,

1:05:31

Like, how we did it?

1:05:32

Chiphold, It's not gonna

1:05:34

get us nowhere? Wow, that's

1:05:37

selling to me because that Naja Harris is kind of known for

1:05:39

being a leader. I think it's

1:05:41

one of the reasons why he was drafted so early.

1:05:43

Like he is that dude that has

1:05:46

a sense of the

1:05:48

locker room and wants to lead

1:05:51

by example. So for him to be saying that, he's

1:05:53

probably not too happy either. He had, you know, thirty

1:05:55

five yards on twelve carries. Jalen Warren

1:05:58

was basically their entire offense, and Kenny

1:06:00

Picket has one hundred and six yards and

1:06:02

twenty eight attempts. Ben

1:06:04

Solak of The Ringer sent out this cut up of

1:06:06

every pass he threw beyond the line of scrimmage

1:06:09

today, and it's first of all, it's

1:06:11

only forty three seconds long. Second of

1:06:13

all, I only count I think there's only two completions.

1:06:15

I'm not sure they

1:06:18

don't have a passing attack. And we

1:06:20

got to move on from this game soon, Mark, But when

1:06:23

he was getting tested for potential concussion,

1:06:25

I know you thought maybe he was playing despite

1:06:27

a concussion. Like I was thinking,

1:06:30

Trubisky's gonna give them a better If I'm rooting

1:06:32

for the Browns, and I was today because I picked the Browns and

1:06:34

I root for my picks, I'm thinking

1:06:36

Trubisky gives them better chance. Because yes, there'll

1:06:38

be more, there'll be some variance,

1:06:41

but he's at least an NFL

1:06:43

quarterback, and Kenny Pickett right

1:06:45

now is making you wonder whether he's an NFL.

1:06:48

Well, you could feel a switch potentially coming at

1:06:50

some point. I'd say Picket if he has had one

1:06:52

thing to offer in close games like this Nick

1:06:55

in the fourth quarter, he's had

1:06:57

sort of a little bit of a flare to him where suddenly he awakens

1:07:00

and they're winning types. That's why their record is what it

1:07:02

is. They're not blowing people out. They're winning

1:07:04

very close games, one score games, and

1:07:07

you need great play and you came out against a nasty

1:07:09

defense, So no luck today.

1:07:11

Yeah, that defense is in his head. It was very obvious in

1:07:14

the way that he was carrying himself. And I think that these

1:07:16

players have gotten to the point of frustration, and now he has

1:07:18

multiple reasons to be frustrated, by the way, because he's also losing

1:07:20

his job. Yeah, as we speak, but this

1:07:22

scheme just doesn't empower any of them. I mean, third

1:07:24

and long too many times over the course of the entire

1:07:27

season, even the last two weeks has been Pickett drops

1:07:29

back, throws up a prayer to George Pickens

1:07:31

incomplete, throws up a prayer to Deontay Johnson incomplete.

1:07:33

And when they did that on their last possession this game to

1:07:35

day, where they had to solely rely on the pass, I knew

1:07:37

they were doomed because they hadn't done it all day. And

1:07:40

I don't think he trusts his offensive line. Dan Moore, by

1:07:42

the way, got dominated by Miles Garrett. If you dive in the next

1:07:44

gen stats, he owned him there. And I can't blame

1:07:46

Kenny for being uncertain in that situation.

1:07:49

Right.

1:07:49

Dalen Warren goes for one in

1:07:51

this game, the rest of the team went

1:07:54

for one hundred in four

1:07:56

yards. Steelers fall to six

1:07:59

and four, or it is messy

1:08:01

in the AFC.

1:08:03

Let's go to the AFC south.

1:08:05

First down at the twenty yard line of Tennessee

1:08:08

under center as Trevor.

1:08:11

Play fake again. Trevor's avoids

1:08:14

trouble close to the corner of the end of the Paul

1:08:16

is gonna be caught.

1:08:18

That is a touchdown to Calvin

1:08:21

Redley.

1:08:23

Twenty yard touchdown pass from Trevor

1:08:26

Lawrence to Calvin Ridley as extended

1:08:28

the lad.

1:08:31

It's one of those weeks, one of those weeks where Calvin

1:08:33

Ridley goes off. It's been a while. Seven for one

1:08:35

oh three and two touchdowns.

1:08:37

What's his third one hundred yard game of the season. Somehow

1:08:40

they win, they being the

1:08:42

Jacksonville Jaguars thirty four

1:08:45

to fourteen.

1:08:46

This was not close.

1:08:49

That was our friend Frank Frangie from

1:08:51

w ok D.

1:08:56

We are friends.

1:08:57

Jaguars needed to bounce back after one of the

1:08:59

worst games. He was maybe the worst game of the Doug Peterson

1:09:02

era, and they did it in style.

1:09:05

Nick, How'd they get it done?

1:09:07

Trevor Lawrence, Baby, I would even want

1:09:09

to say he's back, because I don't think he ever really left.

1:09:11

But man, he looks so good today.

1:09:13

He looked so confident.

1:09:14

You know.

1:09:14

This is a few days after we talked about I

1:09:17

wrote a post about Doug Peterson and Trevor

1:09:19

Lawrence talked about how his bum knee has

1:09:21

been limiting him and he can't move in the pocket. Well, he's

1:09:23

sure moved on that touchdown pass. He moved on another

1:09:25

big throw to Dearnest Johnson down

1:09:27

the sideline escape in the pocket, doing everything

1:09:30

on the run. He's got the mobility

1:09:32

back. He looks exactly like he did at his peak

1:09:34

last year. And yeah, it's the Titans, but you still got

1:09:36

a formidable front that you have to respect. Formidable

1:09:39

front, by the way, included a defensive tackle to score

1:09:41

a touchdown mister Jeffrey Simmons.

1:09:43

But that was in the blowout portion of the

1:09:45

game.

1:09:45

And it was a blowout because Trevor Lawrence

1:09:47

was on fire today and Calvin

1:09:50

Ridley ended up being the main beneficiary

1:09:52

of it.

1:09:53

I think when you get this version of Calvin Ridley,

1:09:55

they're a different offense. And I mean he

1:09:57

was six for eight Trevor Lawrence on fifteen

1:10:00

plus air yard passes, and that

1:10:02

kind of explosive action

1:10:04

through the air changes what they can do. They dominated

1:10:06

in time of possession, and this version

1:10:08

of the Jacksonville Jaguars, like last week, was a little

1:10:10

concerning because it's like, wait a minute, this is the kind

1:10:13

of team you're going to play at some point in the playoffs

1:10:15

if you overachieve and they got their doors

1:10:17

blown off, it's like a response game. I like

1:10:19

to see a young team that's learning how to win

1:10:22

come back and do it. You got a special

1:10:24

quarterback, and I think you also have a defense

1:10:26

that's obviously a game changing

1:10:28

defense. For a year ago that was your achilles heel.

1:10:31

Right, because the final stats nick

1:10:34

for Levis look good, the thirteen for seventeen

1:10:36

one to fifty eight. You know that that's great per attempt,

1:10:39

But what was happening in the early portion

1:10:41

of the game, basically the first three

1:10:43

quarters when it got to twenty seven nothing

1:10:45

before They kind of made it look better at the end.

1:10:47

Yeah, those numbers are fulls gold, like the passer

1:10:49

ratings through the roof, And that's wasn't what the game

1:10:52

was. It's not really his fault. It's a lot of

1:10:54

like what we saw last week and they played Tampa. It's

1:10:56

will Levis knows that well, the defense

1:10:58

knows that Will Levis has no running game to support him.

1:11:00

The offensive line is subpar.

1:11:02

They're not going to protect him well he's going to stand there and

1:11:04

take his lumps, and they're gonna blitz the crap out of

1:11:06

him and see what he does and be

1:11:08

willing to take the risks. Like that touchdown pass

1:11:10

to DeAndre Hopkins was on a trick play

1:11:13

where Lewis motioned back after the snap into

1:11:16

the pocket and caught the pitch and then turned and found

1:11:18

Hopkins wide open run down the field.

1:11:20

That was their first sign of life, and at that point it

1:11:22

was a blowout because what they do traditionally

1:11:24

in the past, leaning on Dereck Henry to kind of open up

1:11:26

the passing game, none of that is working, and he's just

1:11:29

it's an uphill climb. I feel bad for him because I actually

1:11:31

think he's got something to him. It's just that we're not

1:11:33

going to really ever see it until they figure out how to balance

1:11:35

out their offense right now, and there's no hope for that.

1:11:37

Their offensive line is just not good enough. The Texans

1:11:40

next week, ooh, that's good.

1:11:41

Jaguars are at seven and three. We

1:11:43

mentioned the Texans at six and four. There

1:11:45

is absolutely a route for both of these teams to

1:11:47

get into the playoffs, but the Jaguars

1:11:51

need to win that game where they give up first place

1:11:53

in the division because Texans already won earlier,

1:11:55

Titans totally out of it at three

1:11:57

and seven.

1:11:58

It's strange.

1:11:58

I just kept way because there are the Titans

1:12:01

that that like they're gonna ugly into

1:12:04

some of these wins and like they'll

1:12:06

end up sneakily playing in

1:12:09

a game that matters with playoff implications

1:12:11

in week sixteen or seventeen, and it

1:12:14

just is not looking like it's gonna happen.

1:12:15

They are three and seven.

1:12:17

Their defense just has a lot of resources

1:12:19

put into it, and it is not good

1:12:22

enough. Our friend Justin Graver pointed

1:12:24

out to me, I believe now that

1:12:26

they lost this game, they'll have gone

1:12:28

a full calendar year without

1:12:31

winning a road game.

1:12:32

So that's they're looking fourteen in their

1:12:34

last in that stretch. And so

1:12:36

the plan they came into the season with already

1:12:39

there was evidence that it wasn't gonna work.

1:12:40

Yeah, that is that is not a good sign.

1:12:43

Hopefully they I don't know, they got

1:12:45

to stick with Levis, but for now, we're gonna

1:12:47

stick with Nick Schuok. He doesn't know this, but he's

1:12:50

staying on for a third game because I know you watched

1:12:52

forty nine ers bucks and we didn't

1:12:54

tell you, but we're gonna ask you what you think about

1:12:56

forty nine ers bucks.

1:12:57

Let's go to San Francisco.

1:13:00

Heard he goe a can to play?

1:13:01

Here is three receivers, right I you came

1:13:03

to you check left, going deep down the

1:13:05

sideline for are you?

1:13:07

He's got it and he's gone twenty

1:13:10

ten five touchdown,

1:13:16

Sarin.

1:13:17

Frid Cisco, are

1:13:19

you? Are you a yuk

1:13:21

is on fire?

1:13:23

High call?

1:13:24

Baby?

1:13:24

What a throw from brock Perty.

1:13:28

It's all great throws from brock Perty

1:13:30

twenty seven to fourteen. The

1:13:32

forty nine ers get it

1:13:34

done on a day heck, they could have won

1:13:37

by even more potentially. That was Greg Papa

1:13:39

and Tim Ryan on k NBR. We

1:13:41

should always call uh for ayuk

1:13:44

touchdown because that means we get the little single

1:13:47

on brock party Mark. He

1:13:49

came out of the bye week and he did it again.

1:13:51

He's basically been perfect for

1:13:54

two weeks. He finishes with three hundred

1:13:56

and thirty.

1:13:56

Three yards in three touchdowns.

1:13:58

I'm only twenty five, twenty

1:14:01

one of twenty five total pristine

1:14:03

operation, the first Niners quarterback

1:14:06

to have a perfect rating.

1:14:07

I know everyone's like.

1:14:08

Don't care about QB rating, but but it has

1:14:10

not happened.

1:14:10

I am everyone, wouldn't you say everyone?

1:14:12

Well, no, because I mean I get it, like it's it's

1:14:14

an imperfect stat. But the last time it's happened

1:14:16

to a Niners quarterback, and it's been a lot of good Niners

1:14:18

teams was Joe Montana and Steve

1:14:20

Young back in nineteen eighty nine tot it.

1:14:22

So it's like it was that kind of a game.

1:14:24

And I thought Nick that there were there

1:14:26

was a stretch of play here. We've seen it

1:14:28

before from the Niners, but it feels like that good

1:14:30

old four o'clock Eastern Niners game when they're

1:14:32

really rolling, where Brandon Ayuk, who has

1:14:35

developed into an absolute star

1:14:37

wide receiver, was utterly unstoppable

1:14:40

at one point, went back Jamal

1:14:42

bats and Jamal Deane, who like got

1:14:44

injured on the play because Ayuka just is like insane

1:14:47

with his speeding what he's doing.

1:14:49

George Kittle is back in the mix.

1:14:51

They didn't even really need a lot of from Deebo Samuel

1:14:53

until late Christian McCaffrey an incredibly

1:14:56

powerful first drive, then they kind of rested him. It's

1:14:58

like they seem to me like they were gonna win

1:15:00

this game forty five to ten.

1:15:03

And I would say this the only thing I came him

1:15:05

a little concerned with the Steve Wilkes

1:15:07

defense, where it's like they could not put

1:15:10

the bucks away the way you would have thought down

1:15:13

the stretch. Baker Mayfield's been spicy. Evans

1:15:15

and the crew have been that way too, But it's

1:15:18

like, there was a chance for the Niners to win this

1:15:20

game by twenty five thirty points and

1:15:22

it got way too close or just a little

1:15:24

too nasty down the stretch.

1:15:26

Yeah, where it really turned was

1:15:28

when they the Baker Mayfield let at five play seventy

1:15:31

five yard touchdown drive that happened really really quickly,

1:15:33

like two and a half minutes worth of time in the

1:15:35

fourth quarter, and it's like, oh, we do kind of have a game.

1:15:37

Then they get right back down there, they're on the doorstep

1:15:40

of the end zone and they fail to convert. Then they get

1:15:42

down there again and Baker throws a pick because

1:15:44

Chris Godwin didn't really sell out for the ball, and

1:15:47

so you do our concerned about

1:15:49

that. And Christian McCaffrey was frustrated

1:15:51

because in the possessions in between first they were coming. In the blink

1:15:53

of an eye, it was like three and out up,

1:15:55

We're give them the ball back. I look up and all of all of a sudden, they're

1:15:57

putting back to the Buccaneers again. But Christian

1:15:59

mca haffrey was frustrated because it's fourth and one

1:16:01

and they can't convert and they turn it

1:16:04

over on downs and he comes over and starts

1:16:06

punching a Microsoft Surface tablet on the sideline

1:16:08

out of frustration when they're up thirteen points, when

1:16:10

there's four minutes left in a game in which their defense

1:16:12

has already stopped them twice. Like you

1:16:14

think it's not that big of a deal, but they sense

1:16:16

that too, which you really have to appreciate because

1:16:19

a lot of teams of lesser caliber that maybe

1:16:21

don't have as high of expectations as these

1:16:23

forty nine ers do would be laughing on the sideline

1:16:25

in that instance, and he wasn't. He was upset because they do

1:16:27

need to clean that up. But man, what a day

1:16:30

for brock Purty. I feel like the concerns

1:16:32

that we had about them during their three game losing streak

1:16:34

feel like a month and a half ago.

1:16:35

It was like three weeks ago. But it feels like twice

1:16:37

as long.

1:16:38

Games like this will instantly make you forget

1:16:41

about that he's super efficient.

1:16:43

The splash players were there. He was incredible

1:16:45

on passes of ten to fifteen plus are yards. He was

1:16:47

perfect on passes of twenty plus are yards.

1:16:49

Everything worked for them, And when this offense

1:16:52

is humming like it is like it did today, they're

1:16:54

gonna be a tough team to be well.

1:16:55

Kittle's having his best year in three or four

1:16:57

years. He goes eight for eighty nine in a touchdown. He's

1:17:00

getting chunk plays out of twenty four years, I'd open all

1:17:02

day A Yukas is a true one. Deebo's

1:17:05

healthy at least again did get it like a forty

1:17:07

yard er.

1:17:07

Later.

1:17:07

I think McCaffrey's punching his tablet

1:17:10

because they aren't a great running team right

1:17:12

now, even though they have Christian McCaffrey.

1:17:14

They're just not and they haven't really been

1:17:16

for two months. So that is a little

1:17:18

jarring that you're a forty nine ers team that

1:17:20

when you absolutely need a yard you can't just hand

1:17:23

it to Christian McCaffrey and be confident you're gonna get

1:17:25

that yard. But that's that's one little

1:17:27

fly in the ointment when they're throwing the ball this well,

1:17:29

and Fred Warner's kind of making his great

1:17:32

plays again, and both Chase Young and Bosa

1:17:34

get sacked, so like, I'm not

1:17:36

gonna I gotta watch it closer and

1:17:38

everything. But they did well, you know, out gain him by one

1:17:40

fifty, held him under three hundred, ultimately

1:17:43

win by a couple scores, and with the Seahawks

1:17:45

losing, you know, you get up a game

1:17:47

in the NFI.

1:17:48

I think it says a little bit about Baker

1:17:50

Mayfield too, and the fact that, like, yes, he's imperfect

1:17:53

and they're gonna be frustrating moments, but.

1:17:55

He kind of just refused to give up.

1:17:57

And he did have good chemistry with his wide receivers,

1:17:59

so it wasn't just the Niners having their own

1:18:01

issues.

1:18:02

And that's sort of I'm not trying to nitpick.

1:18:03

It's just that, I don't know, kind of reminds me

1:18:05

of a couple of weeks ago in primetime when

1:18:07

the Bill should have won by fourteen more points than they

1:18:10

did. It's like the Niners kind of just

1:18:12

let them back in and that that doesn't matter

1:18:14

today, but will it matter in

1:18:16

the NFC title game for the fourth time

1:18:18

in five years or whatever.

1:18:20

Yeah, that's that's a valid concern if they do get

1:18:22

to that point. You know, you bring up Baker

1:18:24

just real quick. This is the first time ever gonna admit this in my

1:18:26

life because the first time I've ever experienced this feeling.

1:18:29

I felt bad for Baker today, Like I seriously

1:18:31

felt bad for him. Like he's out there giving

1:18:33

it his all, and his teammates just aren't footing

1:18:36

their end of the bill. Like it just he's

1:18:38

he tries hard, man, he's having a good year.

1:18:40

He makes some mistakes. He probably should have got picked off

1:18:42

two more times than he did they had. I think the Niners

1:18:45

dropped three would be interceptions that were right there.

1:18:47

All right, let's not feel too bad for him.

1:18:50

He's yeah, he's playing out there, Sharon

1:18:53

and Trey Palmer and yeah

1:18:55

all these days.

1:18:56

No, I'm with you. I think you know.

1:18:58

We Dan pointed out a cleice, like

1:19:01

when a backup quarterback plays a couple of good games. We

1:19:03

said, like, well, he's he's earned like ten

1:19:05

years in the league. I think Dave Canalis, the

1:19:08

play caller offensive coordinator for the

1:19:10

Bucks, has earned himself like eight

1:19:12

years now. In the NFL as

1:19:15

a play caller, because he was the guy

1:19:17

who was there when Gino Smith's career turned around

1:19:19

in Seattle, and he's turned Baker

1:19:21

Mayfield and the guy that I didn't think I'd

1:19:23

ever see with Baker Mayfield. And so this

1:19:26

staff is gonna have to win the division to

1:19:28

keep their jobs. Probably, I think they have a

1:19:30

much better chance than the

1:19:32

outside does. They really don't have any hard

1:19:34

games the rest of the year, and I think they're

1:19:36

probably the best team in that division if I had to choose

1:19:39

one.

1:19:39

So I think they have a chance. But Canalis

1:19:41

has done a nice job.

1:19:42

It's gonna be tougher though, because they lost Jamel

1:19:44

Dean, Carlton Davis, and

1:19:47

Levonte David the injuries

1:19:49

in this game, and so that is disappointing

1:19:51

for that defense. You know, it's never disappointing.

1:19:53

He's having old Nick Shookhan. No, it's not Nick.

1:19:56

Go go celebrate in the streets. Seems

1:19:58

like people are celebrating a little too much in Cleveland.

1:20:01

Actually stay inside and stay

1:20:03

safe.

1:20:04

Away from the windows. Yeah, I'll do that, guys,

1:20:06

take care, appreciate it.

1:20:07

A little inside joke that things are going a little

1:20:10

whild there in the Cleveland streets.

1:20:11

Thanks Chookie, We'll talk to you next

1:20:14

week.

1:20:15

All right, that's it for Nick, But Mark, we got a

1:20:17

couple games left before we get to Sunday Night football.

1:20:20

Let's go to Miami.

1:20:21

Thirty two seconds remains Aiden

1:20:25

O'Connell, the rookie maman

1:20:28

the thirty nine yard line back to throw,

1:20:30

looking, looking, lots of

1:20:33

time, goes seep.

1:20:34

To the end, tensed

1:20:36

by Jalen Ramsey perfects.

1:20:38

A tremendous diving interception,

1:20:41

his second of the ball game is third

1:20:43

of the year. And there is your

1:20:46

MVP right there.

1:20:47

Joe, Jimmy,

1:20:50

Sephalo and Joe rose

1:20:52

on wb D G

1:20:55

Ramsey with his second

1:20:57

big time interception.

1:20:59

Of the game.

1:21:00

That was an incredible read and play

1:21:02

just all around awesome by Jalen Ramsey.

1:21:05

Clinch is a closer game than a lot of people

1:21:07

expected twenty to thirteen,

1:21:09

with the Raiders having a chance there at

1:21:12

the very end. Mark, there

1:21:15

is not a game today I know less about than

1:21:17

Dolphins Raiders.

1:21:20

Why was it that close at the end.

1:21:22

You know they've been They're seventeen and two

1:21:24

at home in their last nineteen home games, the Dolphins,

1:21:26

and they've been blowing people's doors off

1:21:29

in super sweltering hot Miami today.

1:21:33

It took a couple, it took a different type of win, and

1:21:35

it took it different heroes like Jalen Ramsey

1:21:37

to step up, who had that game ceiling

1:21:39

interception, which was one of the most athletic picks

1:21:41

we'll see all year. Had another one that was really

1:21:44

high quality and tough. That

1:21:46

was the Raiders melting down late. What

1:21:49

the reason it was close was that the

1:21:51

offense we've seen from Miami, which if anything else

1:21:54

too, has been extremely efficient. They've

1:21:56

been statistically right at top of the charts

1:21:58

no matter how you look at it. But it came out of the

1:22:00

gate with on a scamper

1:22:03

loses the ball at his own thirty one, leads

1:22:05

to a Raiders field goal. They

1:22:07

had a twelve pay play drive that ended on downs

1:22:10

at the Vegas three. That's a lost

1:22:12

opportunity. There was a Julian

1:22:14

Hill fumble at Miami's thirty two that

1:22:16

led to another Raiders field goal. Tua

1:22:19

was picked off on a deep shot. Later in the game,

1:22:22

Jake Bailey missed a fifty yard field goal. So stuff

1:22:24

cropped up where Miami just hasn't been doing

1:22:26

these things and it kept the Raiders in

1:22:28

the game. The Raiders, to me, I will say

1:22:30

this, it was not an overly impressive performance

1:22:33

for Aidan O'Connell because the turnovers

1:22:35

down the stretch were a death knell.

1:22:38

They could not run the ball well today two point three

1:22:40

yards per Kerry. But their defense under

1:22:42

Patrick Graham, I think there's just more unity

1:22:45

and cohesion in that coaching staff. The Raiders

1:22:47

were dancing around early, the players on the

1:22:49

sideline, and there's something about the Raiders experience

1:22:52

where you lose this game, but I

1:22:54

see a different team.

1:22:55

I think we all do.

1:22:56

And it came very close because Miami

1:22:58

just lacked what slacked in other games.

1:23:01

But I'll say one last thing. Tyreek Hill did

1:23:03

some incredible things in this game. He did

1:23:05

some incredible things, so it was kind of like we need

1:23:07

two heroes to step up. It was Jalen

1:23:09

Ramsey and Tyreek Hill with a catch and run

1:23:11

touchdown unlike anything else you'll see

1:23:13

from anyone but Tyreek Hill, and he did

1:23:15

it again. So they did just they got just enough from their

1:23:17

offense.

1:23:18

So ten for one and one touchdown,

1:23:20

and that's why you give up all those

1:23:22

picks for Tyreek Hill. Sure, a day

1:23:24

like today where he just carries you. On

1:23:27

a day where, yeah, you mentioned two, I had a couple

1:23:29

of mistakes. You know, he's already at his interception

1:23:33

total for a year ago.

1:23:35

I just find that, you know, interesting.

1:23:37

He obviously only played ten games and he's

1:23:39

had like nine fumbles. Now, some of those were

1:23:41

bad snaps, so I'd have to go back and through and and

1:23:44

see some of those weren't really on him. But that's

1:23:46

a ton of fumbles. But you get him,

1:23:48

you trade the pick for Jalen Ramsey. It was

1:23:51

more about just like, we're gonna take on his contract

1:23:53

and we're not gonna worry about it.

1:23:54

And that's what it's for.

1:23:56

On days where like everything else is relatively

1:23:59

even and you're playing a five and six Raiders team

1:24:01

that's playing above their heads, it's like, yeah, we

1:24:03

have dudes that are better than your top

1:24:05

dudes other than DeVante Adams, who

1:24:07

is dude who got a nice long one.

1:24:09

Hunter renfro Is back in this offense and made

1:24:11

an incredible catch.

1:24:12

Wow, five for forty two.

1:24:13

Yeah, they're using him again.

1:24:15

So it's another thing i'd point to that's a positive

1:24:17

for the Raiders who are still very much alive in this

1:24:19

thing. But I like to see Miami

1:24:22

closing the game with two interceptions.

1:24:24

Of course that.

1:24:25

Took you know, the acabatomy from

1:24:28

Jalen Ramsey. But they won this one

1:24:30

a little bit differently, And I really think for

1:24:32

this team, depending on what happens, like

1:24:34

if they get a situation where they can play a couple

1:24:36

home games in the playoffs versus having

1:24:38

to go on the road, they're just a different team at home.

1:24:41

It's a long way though.

1:24:42

I know they're seven and three and that sounds

1:24:44

like a big lead over the Bills, which are

1:24:46

six and five, But I am

1:24:48

concerned. They came

1:24:50

into this week ranking twenty first

1:24:52

in EPA for the three weeks preceding the

1:24:55

bye. This is another game that you know, might

1:24:57

not raise that by much. So

1:25:00

that offense, I don't think from the first

1:25:02

month is coming back fully because just because that's

1:25:04

not how it works to me. The question is

1:25:06

can they're improving defense? And it's definitely

1:25:09

improving Jalen Phillips, they're healthier, Jalen

1:25:11

Ramsey like, they're better, they've been

1:25:13

getting better. Can their defense improve

1:25:15

enough and can they show that they can start

1:25:18

to win closer games against better

1:25:20

competition to make up for the offense coming

1:25:22

back to Earth, because it's coming back.

1:25:23

To Earth it is, Or can the schedule help

1:25:25

you because you've got the Jets, the Commanders,

1:25:27

the Titans, and then the Jets again over your next four

1:25:29

games.

1:25:30

That's it's a fair point.

1:25:31

If you don't come out of there ten

1:25:34

and four at the worst, you're

1:25:37

you're deeply disappointed. And there, Yeah, there's

1:25:39

absolutely a chance you win all of those games.

1:25:42

Sure, I mean they'll be favored significantly.

1:25:44

That's a fair point. They were excited to get Devon Aheen

1:25:47

back in this game, and he got hurt

1:25:49

almost right away.

1:25:50

It sounds like they're not because they kept him

1:25:53

like they didn't rule him out or anything, because they thought

1:25:55

he might be able to play. But was a knee injury and it was the same

1:25:57

knee as before, so I think they were just being

1:25:59

very cautious.

1:26:00

So a short week, Yeah, Tyreek Hill.

1:26:02

Hurt his hand and like continue to play awesome with

1:26:04

what looks like a bandaged kind of glove situation.

1:26:06

So you know, he's tough

1:26:08

as nails. He's back in there. But I think

1:26:10

with a chan it's like I want to wait and see what happens

1:26:13

with that. But they played soon. They played

1:26:15

the Jets on.

1:26:16

That button Friday, a very rare

1:26:19

four day week for them. I guess

1:26:21

that literally never happened

1:26:23

if we ever have Friday games.

1:26:24

I not that we did.

1:26:25

A year ago, I believe. Am I incorrect about

1:26:27

that?

1:26:28

I don't know who can remember all this stuff. They're

1:26:30

just changing things around. During the COVID year, there was

1:26:32

game.

1:26:33

It was a Wednesday game.

1:26:34

Any any day of the week that was wild. That was the

1:26:36

Pittsburgh game. Aiden O'Connell. Look,

1:26:38

he's he's moving the ball a little bit. He could

1:26:40

be a lot worse. In fact, I would

1:26:42

say he's been better than the twenty

1:26:44

twenty three version of Jimmy Garoppolo.

1:26:47

You know what else is better?

1:26:49

Wrapping up our early games, Cowboys

1:26:51

at Panthers, let's get to it.

1:26:53

From the twenty five play action, Young

1:26:55

Froze the bcept it that's a thirty

1:26:57

yard line coming.

1:26:58

Down the left side is touch it to

1:27:01

five?

1:27:01

He did it again.

1:27:03

He did it again.

1:27:07

Unbelievable what he has doored.

1:27:11

Undercut the first down pass

1:27:13

and Deran Bland said, I don't think I've scored

1:27:15

in about two weeks.

1:27:17

Oh man, just

1:27:20

like, make a list of all

1:27:22

the great players in the NFL this season who

1:27:24

have not caught three touchdown or

1:27:27

four touchdown passes. They've

1:27:29

all scored less than Deron Bland. Somehow,

1:27:33

this Digs injuries like worked out pretty

1:27:35

well for the Cowboys. Not for Diggs. I feel

1:27:37

bad for him, but four pick six is this season

1:27:40

and Deron ban gets his hands on a lot of other

1:27:42

passes too that he doesn't even return for a

1:27:44

pick six, like he's a legitimately good

1:27:46

cornerback. Thirty three to ten is

1:27:49

the score here. Dallas goes

1:27:52

to Carolina, they take care of business.

1:27:54

That was Brad Sham, the Sham God

1:27:56

of course from k rl D.

1:28:00

What was the most interesting thing about a

1:28:02

score line mark that felt entirely

1:28:05

predictable.

1:28:06

Well, there is the pick six

1:28:08

right there, and be fright before that,

1:28:10

Tony Pollard with a really powerful

1:28:12

touchdown run. I thought he ran really well, maybe

1:28:14

one of his best games of the year. It's not the most impressive

1:28:16

box score, but he looked a little different to

1:28:18

me, and I think that within that couple

1:28:20

of minutes in the game, the explosiveness

1:28:23

from two different parts of your team that put

1:28:25

the Panthers away because this is a frustrating

1:28:27

one for the Panthers.

1:28:29

Of course, no one's thinking they're going to win.

1:28:31

But they kept this thing really close,

1:28:34

and they shot themselves in

1:28:36

the foot at key

1:28:38

times.

1:28:38

There was a drive where essentially

1:28:40

the.

1:28:40

Cowboys as a one score game entering

1:28:43

in.

1:28:43

The fourth course, and it looked like it,

1:28:45

and it was seventeen to nothing

1:28:47

after a drive where the Panthers had no

1:28:50

business giving up a touchdown, but they

1:28:52

had they I have not seen

1:28:54

this before. Xavier Woods was

1:28:56

flagged for simultaneously

1:28:59

the unusual combination of a face

1:29:01

mask and a horse collar on the same play.

1:29:04

It doesn't happen too often.

1:29:06

That puts him in a situation where Dallas could have

1:29:09

had a field goal, right, But then there's two more

1:29:11

personal fouls against this team

1:29:13

as well on third down. It's like the Panthers

1:29:16

just kept letting the Dallas back into

1:29:18

a game where like it wasn't the Dallas didn't look

1:29:20

effective or good.

1:29:20

Dak Proscott, he looks.

1:29:22

He's throwing the ball as went as well as anyone

1:29:24

in the NFC or the NFL. But

1:29:26

it was like you could have gotten Dallas caught into

1:29:28

one of those situations and Bryce Young they

1:29:31

put together the longest drive of the year seventeen

1:29:33

plays, seventy yards, nine plus minutes

1:29:35

and made it that made it seventeen to ten in the third

1:29:37

quarter. But then the Cowboys exploded

1:29:39

with the Tony Pollard touchdown Deron

1:29:42

Plan pick six, and it's like they

1:29:44

just Dallas against Obviously these these

1:29:46

like lesser teams, is way too much

1:29:48

to handle. And Carolina by the end

1:29:51

was like completely underwater.

1:29:52

Right, the Cowboys are now seven and

1:29:54

three. They had that one slip

1:29:56

up to the Cardinals in Week three,

1:30:00

but otherwise they got a forty to nothing

1:30:02

against the Giants, a thirty to ten against

1:30:04

the Jets, a thirty eight to three

1:30:07

against the Patriots, a forty three to

1:30:09

twenty against the Rams, and a forty

1:30:11

nine to seventeen against the Giants.

1:30:13

I'm not gonna pick on them.

1:30:14

That is a sign of a great

1:30:17

team, teams that beat up on bad

1:30:19

teams. And yeah, they got to prove it

1:30:21

against the better team. Fine, but in

1:30:23

the meantime, like we'd be killing them if

1:30:25

they lose any of these games, or even

1:30:27

if it came down to the last few plays. So they're getting

1:30:30

it done only five yards per attempt for

1:30:32

Dak today, but you know, no turnovers

1:30:35

or anything. Maybe playing it a little

1:30:37

safer, like he comes down to earth somewhat.

1:30:40

But they're in good position and any

1:30:42

away win for them is massive because they can't

1:30:45

be beat at home.

1:30:45

It team.

1:30:46

Yeah, their road like splits are very differently.

1:30:48

I would say Micah Parsons three sacks today.

1:30:50

They absolutely dominated Bryce

1:30:53

Young, especially on third and long.

1:30:55

Frank Reich has taken over play calling and

1:30:58

the one thing I'd say they used a lot more tempo. They

1:31:00

tried to go a little new no huddle, and I think it

1:31:02

helped Bryce Young to some degree. But

1:31:05

this team feels so lost to me on

1:31:07

third down, especially, and there's a lack of creativity

1:31:10

and they get stuck in a lot of third and unmanageable

1:31:13

yardage situations and Dallas just teed

1:31:16

off at that point. It's you know,

1:31:18

it's like, I don't know, great

1:31:20

coaching helps a rookie quarterback out

1:31:22

and puts him in the best possible situation. And outside

1:31:24

of Adam Thieling Felun playing above

1:31:26

his head like there's just nothing else happening with this

1:31:28

offense.

1:31:29

I mean, they haven't scored more than thirteen points

1:31:31

in a four games, and then the

1:31:34

last time they scored more was fifteen.

1:31:35

I mean, it's it's tough.

1:31:38

He had two point one yards per

1:31:40

play on passing plays because he was

1:31:42