January 13, 2018 • 37 mins
Doug discusses the Cavaliers’ struggles and why everyone around the NBA is telling you exactly how good Isaiah Thomas actually is (or isn’t). He also looks at the Divisional Round playoff games in the NFL and tells you which team will fall apart if they lose this weekend. Doug talks to 4 time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl Champion Drew Bledsoe about the expectations for the Patriots in the playoffs this season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the best of the Doug gottli Show on
Fox Sports Radio. Boom, What Up America? Doug Gottlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. Drew Bledsoe, four time pro bowler, Super
Bowl champion, joins us in about twenty minutes. Uh, we'll
find out what he thinks of what's really going on
(00:21):
in New England. Eric Mangini another former Patriot assistant coach.
He'll be our guest course former head coach of Cleveland
Browns of the New York Jets, is a Fox Sports
one Nflist analyst. He'll join us in an hour. We'll
get ready for all four of the postseason games. R J.
Bell will join us. Adam Archiltto will join us. Man,
(00:42):
do we have a jam pack show with a ton
of people who know what they're talking about? Like, Look,
I have opinions, and some of those opinions are based
upon what I see and what I think, and some
of it is based upon people I know who I
talk with or text with or tibbets with when I
go to sporting events, and they kind of shape my
opinion because of their depth of knowledge within other sports
(01:03):
to which I didn't play, Like I played football growing
up and not football college pro. So there are things
which I just I think I know, and I get
some confirmation or an affirmation, or maybe I get the
opposite when I talk with some of my friends in
the league. We'll get to the NFL and uh, these
people Drew Bledsoe, Eric Mangini, Adam Archialletta. Do those guys
(01:24):
are Um, it's the word I'm looking for. Maven's, maven's
of their sport. They're really good stuff. I want to
start with the NBA, though, because last night the Cleveland
Cavaliers lost by it was it thirty four points. Look,
Lorenzo Brown's a good story, good story straight out of
the G League. Scored twenty five points. It's pretty awesome.
(01:47):
Fred VanVleet, m Fred VanVleet from Which to State made
it in the NBA backup point guard with the Toronto Raptors.
Raptors don't have Kyle Lowry last night. He's unavailable, So
you're in your backup and your third string or maybe
even four string point guard when you're the when you're
the Raptors, Van Bleed had twenty two, Lorenzo Brown had Yeah,
(02:12):
there was no defense to be had and the rankings.
Once you get thirty forty fifty games into an NBA season,
and here we are about what is it? Uh, we're
about games in the NBA season. Once she forty five
games in, Once you get halfway through an NBA season,
I don't love I don't love it when you can
(02:35):
cherry pick a stat or two from the first ten games,
small sample size. Once we get halfway through the season,
we got a large enough sample size. The Calves are
twenty nine in defensive efficiency, and last night it looked worst.
It actually looked below their level of average in their
averages twenty nine. Here was Tyron Lou after the game.
(02:58):
We gotta be better, we know that. But once we
played better defensively, you know, I think offensively, I'm sharing
a basketball. I think everyone on the same page. And
there's guys have agendas. We gotta get rid of our agenda.
Don't play it right away. What do you mean by that?
That's what I said. Do you think they do? I
don't know. Sharing the basketball. Couldn't be happy with Isaiah
(03:19):
Thomas's performance two of fifteen. Couldn't be happy with j R.
Smith's performance oh of five. That's his starting backcourt Lebron
stats were good, but he has told us before the
hell with plus minus he was a minus twenty two.
It's about wins and losses. They got blown out. So
let's start with the Isaiah Thomas thing, which I do
(03:40):
think eventually should make the Calves better, at least offensively
than they are now. Uh. I'm I've often been a
big proponent of this. Right, I may have opinions, but
no one knows more about their leagues than their leagues
and their players. And the perfect example of that is
what were the Calves? What did the Calves get back
(04:04):
for Kyrie Irving? Right? Isaiah Thomas every twenty nine points
a game a game last year, and so one would
think one star point guard for for another straight up,
that's a fair trade, especially if Isaiah Thomas is a
max contract guy the way that some believed he should
be a max contract guy. Whenever that was brought up
(04:25):
last year, I told you like, don't see it, and
be like, look at the points that he's averaging. He's
the second in the NBA and fourth quarter scoring. But
a lot of that is the environment and the personnel
that he played with last year. They would play him
with four defensive oriented players so that he had to score,
(04:45):
and also they could cover for what he didn't do,
which is compete defensively. He's small, but he also plays small,
So I did you believe it's all on him? No? No, no,
it's not all on him. When you combine the fact,
did you have a diminutive point guard who doesn't really
guarden anybody and isn't really a point guard getting everybody
else involved. When you combine that with the fact that
(05:08):
they moved Kevin Love to center in order to spread
the floor out and get Kevin Loved more jump shots,
you have no rim protection. And the two most important
spots defensively are the point of attack point guard and
the rim, and they're terrible at both. Terrible. There is
no other way to explain the fact that the Toronto Raptors.
(05:32):
Toronto Raptors scored a hundred and thirty three points against right.
Did they shoot well from three shure eighteen of forty two,
But more than anything, they got to the rim time
and time again. It was a layup drill. I felt
like checking out. I think Drake Drake of course, remember
he was in layup lines with Kentucky. I was surprised
Drake didn't hop into layup lines, put a jersey on
(05:54):
and pretend to play um. But what it's says to
me is what the league has told you. The value
of Isaiah Thomas as opposed to the value of Kyrie
Irving is very very simple. When they were traded for
one another, it wasn't a straight up trade, right. It
was actually a three for one with a first round
(06:16):
draft pick unprotected from the Brooklyn Nets going the way
of the Cleveland Cavaliers. If they were if they were contemporaries,
if they were in anywhere in the same solar system
as one another, then the trade would have been, if
not one for one, close to one for one, But
it wasn't. Some of it is how much money he makes,
(06:37):
but a lot of it is how the league values him.
And while you may look at stats and be like,
look stats, stats, that's that's even bad teams have a
leading score and the and the Celtics weren't a bad team,
but the Celtics were constructed to which they were built
upon defense, and then they gave Isaiah Thomas to complete
green light and he played well above his level. But
(06:57):
the truth about that team last year that had the
best record in the East is they probably would have
lost in the first round of the Chicago Bulls. Remember
they are down two games and none lost those games
at home? Remember those? Then Jon Rondo got hurt and
it was like and of course Isaiah Thomas came back
his sister had died in a car accident, and the
(07:20):
Celtics recovered and wanted in six games, completely bounced back.
It was amazing emotional journey. But without Rondo getting hurt,
that might not happen. And you would have seen that
the Boston Celtics weren't nearly as good as the record
would have told you last year. And if you think
that he's at the level of Kyrie Irving, then why
(07:40):
wasn't in a closer to a one for one trade.
The answer is, the league tells you how much somebody
is worth. So what's the point. The point is, it
doesn't mean that the Celtics are now better than the Calves,
or the Raptors are gonna be better in the playoffs
than the Calves, or the Wizards are better or the
Bucks are better. But when Tyrone Lou says, we've all
(08:05):
got agendas, When Lebron James is yelling and screaming at
teammates when the defensive rating is at twenty nine. There's
only thirty teams in the league. This is going to
be death by a thousand cuts, right, You don't be
the the uh. The British Army wasn't taken down because
(08:29):
our patriots lined up and hand to hand combat. Now
we plucked them off, hid behind rocks, behind trees, or
we'd outflanked them. That's what's gonna happen to Cleveland Cavaliers.
Last year was thirteen games to go through the Eastern Conference,
only losing one game, which with each passing game in
(08:51):
the playoffs, it's another body shot to Lebron James, which
slows him down. Lebron's not the defensive player he used
to be. They have no rim protection right now, and
they have no point guard played defensively as well. And Lebron,
while he used to be deodorant to stinky defense, he's
not nearly that deodorant and he continues to grow frustrated,
(09:11):
as does Tyron Lieu. And as much as the defense
was problematic, so too was the offense. Don't believe me
the head coaches talking about agendas. I know they've been
through losing streaks. They played poorly before last year. This
time they suffered a couple of embarrassing losses. This one
feels a little bit different. It feels like a flawed
(09:34):
blueprint for a team that they were kind of thrown
together on the fly when Kyrie surprised them and said
he wanted out before they were ready to get him out,
and the result. Lorenzo Brown just checked in from the
deep from the G League Talk twenty two points. Be
sure to catch live editions of the Doug gott Leaps
Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern noon Pacific on
(09:57):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Drew
Bledsoe joins us UH. Also check out his Awesome double Back,
which is a wine Go to double Back dot Com
or fall m on Twitter at Drew Bledsoe if you
want to know more about Drew Bledsoe's wine company. Drew,
how are you. I'm doing great, man, having a good day.
I got to uh got the slopes a little bit
this morning, man, so got some got some some time
(10:20):
on the on the on the snow today with some
I don't I don't see you coming down the mountain
as a guy that that I feel like you've got
to be especially tall, not very aerodynamic on the mountain. No. No,
I uh, well, every once while we got it leveled
like a little. Uh the ski race that we do
every year sort of a charity deal, and uh, we'll
all race at the same time. And I seem to
(10:41):
be pretty popular at the front because I create a
lot of drag coming down the hill, uh for other
guys following me. All right, U um, take me inside
what's going on with the Patriots? I know you know
the story, um, and maybe you have a little bit
better a lot better sense of what's real and what's
kind of inflated because we are the media and we're
looking for something really spicy. What do you think of
(11:03):
the relationship as of now between Brady Belichick and Robert Kraft. Well,
you know, I think people have to understand first and
foremost that you know, this is this is the National
Football League, and you know, you go to work and
it's not rainbows and unicorns and a hug before naptime.
You know, when you go to work, I mean, this
is not always a super friendly deal and and um,
(11:26):
and you know, with Belichick, I think anybody that follows him.
You know knows that that you know, playing for him
is not a super pleasurable experience, but but you know
you're gonna win, and so, um you know, I think
if you take take away the assumption that everybody has
to be best friends in order for something to work,
then you can start to understand what's really happening there.
And and these guys have been amazingly successful for so long,
(11:51):
and they've been able to work together for a long
long time. And there it seems like, uh, you know,
every every year or two there's a story about the
demise of the pay trips and then they go on
and win another Super Bowl. So I think it's been
it's been heavily inflated. If there is even an an issue,
I think it's small, and it's it's probably not anything
they haven't worked through before. Um So I just I
(12:13):
don't make much of the story. But but they did
give away Jimmy Garoppolo right like a second round pick
for a guy who appears to be a burgeoning star
feels like and I mean, you trade away both of
his backups. It seems like they're all in, or somebody's
all in on Brady playing for several more years. Is
that I know he's playing a high level. Was that
really possible? Yeah, you know, I think you can. You know,
(12:35):
it's uh, he's taken really excellent care of himself. Um.
And you know, quarterback is a unique position. It's more
about your brain than your body. Um. And you know,
the thing that's the most unique to me about tom
and what he's done is that he's been able to
maintain the attention to detail for all of these years.
You know, he and Drew Brees are really really unique
(12:56):
in that, you know, they do all of the little
things that you have to do to be successful year
after year after year, and and you know, even you know,
at that high level, it can become monotonous, and they've
been able to maintain that amazing attention to detail. You know, Tommy,
his ability, uh can fall off by another ten and
he can still be extremely effective because of what he's
(13:17):
got upstairs. UM. So yeah, I think he can play
for quite a while. And you know the Garoppolo thing. Look,
they were gonna have to make a decision at the
end of the year, um, whether it was gonna be
Jimmy or or or tom because they're not going to
pay him both. Um, and they certainly can't pay you know,
Jimmy has a backup more than you pay the starter.
That just doesn't work. Um. So they had they had to,
(13:38):
They had to move him or lose him. And so
they at least got something out of it. It's been
really fun. It was really fun to watch Jimmy and
and thrive in San France. Um, he's he's played better
than I thought he would. Yeah. Is that is that real?
Is that sustainable? Because we've seen like, look, I mean
it appears to be the real deal to us layman,
but we've seen guys come in light up the league
and then league gets a scatter report on him, figures
(14:00):
out and then you know, the second year, Uh, you
know it's a completely different quarterback. Uh. Is what Jimmy
has been able to do? Is that real? Unsustainable? I
think it is. You know, I actually texted John Landsch
after I watched a couple of games that, man, you
guys got a got a good one. He goes, Yeah,
he's been he's been better than we thought in in
in all ways. Um, you know, now he got to
(14:22):
watch a true master for a lot of years and
Tommy and he got to watch everything that he does.
It's not just about Sundays and Mondays. It's about what
you do, um, you know Monday through Saturday that really
allows you to be successful. And I think that that's where, uh,
that's what to me, it appears that is going to
allow Jimmy to be really successful. And he's a great leader,
uh in practice and and knows what it takes to
(14:44):
be uh that kind of guy. And then and then
it shows up on on on game day. So yeah,
it looks to me like they have a really good one.
And um, I would anticipate that they're going to get
him signed to a long term contract here before long. U.
Is there any amount of money that that you could
earn back that would cause you to bet against the
paths like this one seems And we were talking yesterday,
(15:06):
like I don't know how much money would hurt, right,
Like if you lost ten thousand dollars, that would that
would hurt most of the rest of us pretty pretty badly.
But like you know, ten to one odds, twenty to
one odds, it just seems like betting any money on
the Titans to win this weekend is wasted money. What
are your thoughts on the reality, the realistic possibility of
the Titans beat the Patriots in New England. Well, uh, yeah,
(15:29):
I mean I agree it's an extreme long shot. But
but this is still the National Football League. Uh, and
any team that that gets into the playoffs is a
really good football team. Um. You know. The way that
the way that it could possibly happen, it would involve
Marcus Mariotta having to do some really special things, maybe
maybe throw himself another touchdown pass or um. And uh,
(15:50):
they're they're the Titans defensive front four has to be
able to get pressure without bringing blitz is. Um. That's
been the recipe for a long time. If you can
get pressure on Tommy with just four guys uh, and
and still commit seven to uh to cover uh, then uh,
you know, then you can be effective against him. But
I think it's I think it's a long shot. But
if the if the Titans come in, if they create
(16:12):
two or three turnovers, have one or two big players
on special teams, uh, and Marcus Mariota does some some
special things, you know, they've got a chance. They really do.
It's not you know, it's not like, uh, this is
not like some of the college games you see where
you come in and and you know you've got Alabama
playing you know, some small school and there's just absolutely
no possible way it's the NFL. These guys are they're
(16:33):
they're good players, uh, and the Titans are good enough
to get in and win a playoff game. So, um,
it's not impossible. I think it's highly unlikely, though, the
Great Drew Bledsoe joining us on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
The Jags last time they faced the Steelers picked up
Big Ben five times. They didn't you know, Bortles didn't
even have to throw for a hundred yards and they
(16:55):
still beat the Steelers. Um, what are your thoughts on
that Jaguars defense? And if they can get to Ben again,
they can shut down Levy on and can compete with
Antonio Brown. Maybe not the level of dominance of last
time around, but stiming that that high powered offensive again, well,
super super unlikely that the Ben has another game like that.
(17:15):
You know, he's just he did them throw five interceptions.
I don't know how many times it's happened in his career,
but I can't imagine it's been very many. Um, you know,
the the biggest impact in this game is. It looks
like Antonio Brown is expected to play because he's a
difference maker, you know, the uh, the jag is. One
of the things that makes their defense so dominant is
that they're able to play man coverage against almost everybody.
(17:36):
But if you play man coverage against against Antonio Brown
for an entire game, you're you're really rolling the rolling
the dice, regardless of how good your corners are. Um,
so it'll be an intriguing matchup. I'd be really really
surprised to see the Steelers with all of their weapons
get stimied again and and uh you know, and you know,
throwing five interceptions just just isn't gonna happen again for
(17:57):
Big Ben. Uh. Look, Drew Brees showed us he still
got some Drew His magic is is his run game
was taken away last week by the Carolina Panthers. Can
you do it again? Though? Because this this Vikings defense,
who appears to be better maybe than any other defense
in the nation football. It really really cool. You know,
Mike Zimmer was my defensive coordinator, wasn't when I was
in college Washington State? Uh, And then I was with
(18:19):
him again with U with the Cowboys for for a
couple of years. Uh. He's one of my favorite guys
I've ever encountered in football. So I'm really really happy
for him and for what's happened with the Vikings and
they're uh they really are playing exceptional defense, which is
no surprise with Mike Zimmer up there. Um, but Drew's
Drew Brees is Uh, he's just he is super unique.
(18:41):
He is he is Uh, he's maybe the most accurate
pastor that I've that I've seen, you know, he and
he and maybe Aaron Rodgers. When Troy in that conversation too, Yeah, Troy,
Troy's in there. Uh, Troy's in there. But you know
when Troy was when Troy was winning, and I love
Troy is one of my favorite players of all time. Um,
you know it was it was not very often where
(19:03):
it was just thrown on his shoulders. You know, there's
a lot of Emmett and and run and play action.
We're word. But but Drew, when you watched the ball placement,
and that's one thing that I really like to pay
attention to when I'm watching these quarterbacks. You know, is
you watched you watched Drew Brees play and the ball
hits a receiver right in the face masks so many times,
(19:23):
or it hits him just on the proper shoulder. Um,
and so the the uh. You know, the degree of
accuracy that Drew has as a passer um is extremely
remarkable and I think it's unique in all of the
National Football League. Drew Bledsoe joining us in the Doug
Gottlieb Show. Um, Nick Foles comes in and he runs
an offense. It's not his offense, right and first first game,
(19:45):
four touchdown passes. You know, that's good enough. But since
then it hasn't. It hasn't seemed like a good fit,
and he seems to have lost some confidence. They had
a week off. Can you fix things that have been
failing in that Eagles offense in that off week as
they're now home underdog against the Falcons. Yeah, you know,
I think the bye week really really important for Nick Foles.
(20:07):
I I really like Nick Foles. I like his game.
I really always have. When he's been in good situations,
he's played extremely well. Um. But having that bye week,
because when you're when you're a backup quarterback in the NFL,
is particularly when you're backing up a young guy a
second year. Guy like Carson Wentz, you don't get any
reps in practice and you run some scout team. Um,
(20:27):
you know, you sit in film, but you're you're timing
with the starting receivers is just not going to be
there because you just don't get enough reps on him. UM.
So this bye week for Nick Foles, I think is
hugely important, more important than than it is for for
any other team in the league. UM, and I expect
him to come out and play very very well. I
I would not be surprised at all to see a
(20:49):
huge game out of Nick Foles in this uh in
this playoff game coming up. Check out his wines at
double back dot com or fall him on Twitter at
Drew bled so Glad you not only hit the slopes,
but you arrived safe in time for our radio interview.
Thanks for being our guest, Drew, appreciate it. Always gonna
talk to you, man, Pleasures mind Drew Bledsoe joining us
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
(21:10):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app.
Do you guys remember what Levy on Bell said? Now,
Levy on Bell yesterday was asked, hey, if you if
you get franchise tagged, would you consider sitting out the
season retiring? And he said he would, he would consider it,
(21:33):
all right, He did say that. And if you think
that sat well with the people in Pittsburgh, then um,
why did uh? Why did Levy on Bell have to
go take to Twitter and kind of defend himself? Right
then he went on Twitter and he said I'm not
(21:55):
paraphrasing here, but he essentially said, hey, look, you know,
all I'm concerned about is this year and the guys
in this locker room. What happens at the end of
the year happens the end of the year. Levian wants
to get paid. Antonio Brown did get paid, but it
didn't sit well with most people in the organization. Ryan
Chazier can't walk. Ben Rothsburger swears that he wants to
play forever, even though he's opened up the door to
(22:17):
retiring over the past two years. And uh, and look,
Mike Tomlin has never been beloved by many why many
fans of the Steelers organization in terms of his his detail,
his attention to detail in big games, like when they
lost to the Patriots, which is which lost them home
field advantaged about the playoffs. I'm telling you this, If
(22:41):
the Jacksonville Jaguars, for a second time this season, beat
the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs, their heads will roll
in Pittsburgh. Now, is it partially because of the dysfunction
and the desire for money, which is a very anti
Pittsburgh thing. Pittsburgh has never paid paid guys top dollar
like that did Antonio Brown. That's not been their m O. Sure,
(23:07):
is it part of the fact that it's been a
long time since they got back to that Super Bowl
and frustration over the fact that he the Patriots, who
you see as contemporaries, are able to get there on
a much more regular basis and I'll win on a
much more regular basis. Sure, But a lot of it
comes down to nobody thinks they think the Jaguars are
devoid of any sort of quarterback. It should be an
(23:29):
impossibility for this Steeler team to lose at home to
the Jacksonville Jaguars. They're so the lack of respect for
Blake Bortles is so widespread that if you lose, people
are getting fired. Dudes are getting cut like Blake Bortles
(23:50):
did not I joked about it. He did not really
equate himself to Lebron James. He was making a point
and it was a pretty good one. Remember earlyer this week,
Blake Bortles was talking about the haters and talking about
Lebron James having haters and Lebron James has haters. Well,
then anybody could have haters, right guy. Remember that, like
(24:14):
Blake Bortles wasn't even saying I'm as good as Lebron James.
He was actually saying the opposite. He was giving a
ton of credit to Lebron James when he said it.
But because it's Blake Bortles saying it, people are like,
are you kidding me? Blake Barrels and Lebron James in
the same sentence. That's embarrassing. Nobody thinks he's any good.
(24:36):
I mean, this is the quote that people freaked out about.
Take a listen. It'll probably never stop. Man. There's people
that think Lebron James sucks. So if that happens, I'm
sure there'll be a lot of people that always think
I supped. No, there will be people that thought Lebron
James suck that will come around to it. I'm not
sure there are many people they are gonna come around
to it. Like like the lack of respect people have
(24:59):
from Blake portals is so intense that if he's able
to command a win the Jaguars, if he's the quarterback
for the Jaguars and they beat the Steelers on the
road in the playoffs, dude heads are going to roll.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Doug gott
Leap Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on
(25:21):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Let's
Bring It, Adam March Letty's and nfl Elands for CBS.
Make sure you tune into CBS for Titans Paths a
pm Eastern time on Saturday, Jags Steelers one pm Eastern
time on Sunday. Arch Let's start in the a f
C Okay and the Titans Pats game. Can you see
(25:42):
outside of Brady getting hurt? Is there a formula for
Tennessee to be successful? Um? Before I before I answer that, UM,
I want to know who do you dislike more? The
Titans or Blake Bortles based on your synopsis? Right there, Doug,
I'm just saying, don't think Titans are any good. I
think I think they're probably if you did power rankings
(26:05):
for a FC teams, I would put them behind the Chargers. Um.
I know the Raiders were dysfunctional mess this year, but
they had a lot more talent. I mean, look, if
Houston's healthy at all, they're better than the Titans. I
just I was never I've never won, at one moment
been blown away by the Titans. They won tend to three?
Are they? Uh? They went and got a road win
(26:28):
last week two against the Kancie Chiefs, which is a
great comform behind win, and Mariota was great. I just
don't think he has a supporting cast, nor has the
play calling been good enough to see if he's really
an elite quarterback yet. Yeah. No, I'm with you. Um.
Of the of the three games, you know, the two
games are really interesting and then the the other two
(26:48):
are not as interesting. But you know, the Titans, they've
I wanted them to be good and you're looking at
them on paper and you say, this should be a
good football team. They should be a really good football
team or an elite football team. No, but they have
underachieved this year. And I mean, I think you hit
it on the head. I don't know if they've used
their offensive players in the best manner, the most efficient manner.
(27:11):
This season, their receivers have a hard time getting separation
from defensive backs that can play man coverage. And you know,
Derrick Henry has been nice, but DeMarco Murray was I
think he underachieved and was underwhelming this season. So I
think they're getting more out of Derrick Henry, which is
good for the offense. And I think Mariota has taken
(27:32):
a step back. So you asked me what the formula is, Um,
I'm gonna say three things. I'm gonna say. I'm gonna
say four things. First, they have to get out to
a faster start defensively, offensively. This is a slow starting
football team. They've been a slow starting football team for
two seasons now. You can't do it against the Patriots
(27:55):
up there in New England. First and foremost, you can't
do that. I think everybody knows that you've got to
be able to put pressure and hit Tom Brady. I
do think they have the capability of doing that on
defense and on offense. It's obvious they gotta run the football.
But Mario it has got to step up his game
and he's got to play much better, better than he's
(28:16):
played this entire season. If those things happen, I think
they can make it close, and they're gonna have to
need some magic and some turnovers and some things like
that to happen. But I think it's a very tall
mountain that the Titans have to climb. Does um Tom
Brady is somewhat five picks his last five games? Um?
Or or going to the last week of the seasoned
(28:37):
throwing five picks the last five games? Uh? Is there
some slippage? There? Is there something that people are confusing
him with. You watch, I mean from as an as
an as an outstanding defensive back, you see the game
way differently than we do. Give me your sense of
why Brady h turned the ball over so often at
the end of the season. Well, first, what they're doing
(28:57):
is I think it's been evident to anybody that that's
watching or offenses, they throw it down the field more
this year than they ever have in the last five seasons. Um.
When you throw the ball down the field with deeper routes,
you're gonna have a tendency to throw more interceptions. There's
a reason why they call it a you know, a
three step conservative passing game. Underneath it's safe. Um, So
(29:18):
they're taking more shots, and they've been successful taking more shots.
I think that's part of it. Um. The other part
of it, I think is just we've come to expect
Brady to be perfect, and when he's not, you know,
he's not going to be perfect every week. When he's not,
you know, you might say, oh, is he's starting to slip. Maybe.
(29:39):
I gotta tell you. When the game's on the line
and it's almost a foregone conclusion if they need to
win it in the fourth quarter, it's almost if everybody
in the stadium, including including the opposing defense, knows that
they're going to score. So yeah, so he's throwing some interceptions,
but you put the game on the line in the
(29:59):
fourth order, and I don't think anybody's gonna bet against them.
Here's one thing that I want to point out that
the other thing the Titans have to have if this
is a close game, they have to have an answer
for Gronk. Because you mentioned the last five games when
the Patriots have been tight and they've been on the ropes,
(30:19):
Gronk has taken over Pittsburgh game. Pittsburgh had a chance
Gronk took over in the fourth quarter. I mean they
fed Gronk over and over and over again. Nobody had
an answer for it. The first time Buffalo play. The
Patriots played a great game against Brady and the wide receivers.
Second half, fourth quarter, Gronk took over. You go back
(30:40):
to the Super Bowl a few years ago against Seattle,
they had to make plays in the fourth quarter. It
was Gronk. If you don't have an answer for Rob
Gronkowski in the fourth quarter, you will not beat the Patriots.
And I don't know if the Titans have that answer.
All right, let's go to Pittsburgh. Taken on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Um,
they picked they picked him off? What eight? Five times?
(31:00):
Five times? Last time these two teams matched up, and
people are, well, you know big Ben forced in their
play calling wasn't great. Uh give me your sense of
if the Jaguars can replicate that type of defense performance
against Big Ben. I absolutely think that the Jaguars are
capable of doing it against any quarterback. Defensively, Um, these
(31:21):
guys are legit, man. These these corners, they read the
quarterbacks so well. Um, they know the balls coming out.
They have four guys on their defensive line that have
over eight sacks. They have guys that come from the outside,
and they have guys that pressure up the middle. I
mean that's almost unheard of. So you know, Jalen Ramsey
and a J boy A playing with great confidence. The
(31:43):
Pittsburgh offense. They want to run. They are really good
at running vertical route. They have three receivers Bryant Smith,
Shooter and Brown that can all get vertical. They've got
three receivers that can all run after the catch in
the screen game. They've got laby On Bell who can
do damage against linebackers. So they they really have an
(32:03):
offense that can attack any single part of the field.
So you know that, to me, the matchup between the
corners and the receivers are going to be one of
the most fun matchups of all the playoffs in this game,
regardless of what the offense does in Boordles. I can't
wait to see these guys play now the first time
they played. The difference between the first time they played
(32:27):
and where the Steelers are now is now they have
a third a legitimate third option. Beginning part of the year,
it all went through Brown and Bell. The offense through
bounding Bell. I'll tell you what I got a chance
to do the Pittsburgh game in week seventeen and Smith Schuster,
I think that kid is special. And the fact that
now they have a third option and a guy that
(32:48):
can work the slot and they can do a lot
of things with crossing routes and verticals. Um, that makes
this offense dangerous. And when Ben has options and it's
not just Brown or Bell, he's got other guys. They're
pushing Martavis Bryant, it's a different offense that the Jaguars
are gonna have to stop in this football game. It's
(33:09):
not the same unit as it was earlier in the year.
But but I can't wait to watch the matchup, all right,
Adam March letter from CBS Sports showing us in the
Doug Gale. So let's go to the NFC. The Philadelphia
Eagles are hosting Atlanta Falcons, and the Falcons seemed to
found a little bit more of a rhythm offensively with
their play calling, uh and the defense has been better
because of it. They're taking on the Eagles team that
(33:30):
was so good and then all of a sudden, the
offense when when when Wentz went down, they had the
one week where Folds through four touchdown passes and then
after that the offense just looked bad. Um, how much
is fixable? How much can the Eagles now home dogs
number one seed home dogs the Atlanta Falcons for a
wild card team, a Dome team is a favorite on
(33:50):
the road. You don't see this very often. How fixable
are the Eagles offensive issues? I don't. I don't think
they are very fixable. I think it is what it is. Look,
especially in this part of the year. UM, you need
something on your team needs to be able to provide
some magic, and something on your team has to be
able to be special. That was Carson Wentz. What do
(34:14):
you have thirty three touchdowns this year? That was the
magic formula. He was the He was the secret sauce
to that football team. And there's nothing against Nick Foles,
but it's just not the same. Um. They went from
one of the best big play, play action down the
field offenses in football to now one of the worst,
(34:35):
not only in the passing game, Doug, but in the
running game. They don't even run the ball. They I
think they averaged something like sixty yards less per game
running the football without Wentz in the lineup. So I
just if the Eagles are gonna win, the defense has
to be magical. They have to be able to do something.
Now they're capable, they're a good unit. Jim Schwartz has
(34:56):
those guys playing, but then he's going against an offense
um and at Ryan in the last two years in
the playoffs, he doesn't turn the ball over and they're
playing efficient football. So if the Eagles are gonna want
to win this game, then it's got to be from
the defense. And they've got to have not only play
a great game, but they've got to score. They've got
to get turnovers. They've probably got to win the turnover
(35:18):
battle by at least two and then they've got to
turn those into points in my opinion for the Eagles
to have a chance. But it's all about Carson Wentz
Doug How how are the Vikings doing this backup quarterback
who who looked overwhelmed last year, granted with a limited
playbook in in l A. But he's looked like a
backup at times even in Houston. Um, you know, backup
running back and you use your quarterback, you lose your
(35:40):
running back. You know, don't buy green bananas because you're
not long for this league. And yet the defense is
so good. And frankly, Feeling has been so good. Uh,
he's even overshadow Stefon Digs in many ways. How are
the Vikings doing this? I think it Honestly, I think
it's incredible and and what a big credit to that
staff in them and that staff and to Pat Shermer. Um,
(36:03):
because you don't see this happen. And not only you know,
you lose your running back and now they have a
two headed monster back there. They're still running the football. Um.
The receivers. You know, Feeling was a no name a
few years ago. You know, a question on whether or
not he could even play in this league. Um, Digs
is legit. But the way they've been able to get
(36:25):
Keenom to play, UM, I think it's real. I don't
think it's a flash in the pan. I think he's
demonstrated it the entire season that he has what it takes. Um.
The defense is lights out. So really excited to watch
his defense. Uh in this upcoming game. Now here's here's
the one other I mentioned the Steelers. The receivers versus
(36:47):
the cornerbacks, the matchup in this game, Minnesota's defense against
the running backs for New Orleans. UM, that to me
is is where it's at. Kamara and Ingram, those guys
if if they can get off and running backs haven't
had a lot of success against Minnesota, but if they
can get off, then I think they're gonna have a
(37:09):
pretty good chance at this game. But that to me
is the matchup within the matchup. Adam arch letta NFL
analyst for CBS. Check out their games this weekend, Titans, Pats, Jags, Steelers.
Arch great stuff as always, man, We'll check in with
you real soon. That's Adam Archalletta joining us on the
Doug gott Leaves Show.
This is the best of the Doug gottli Show on
Fox Sports Radio. Boom, What Up America? Doug Gottlieb Show,
Fox Sports Radio. Drew Bledsoe, four time pro bowler, Super
Bowl champion, joins us in about twenty minutes. Uh, we'll
find out what he thinks of what's really going on
(00:21):
in New England. Eric Mangini another former Patriot assistant coach.
He'll be our guest course former head coach of Cleveland
Browns of the New York Jets, is a Fox Sports
one Nflist analyst. He'll join us in an hour. We'll
get ready for all four of the postseason games. R J.
Bell will join us. Adam Archiltto will join us. Man,
(00:42):
do we have a jam pack show with a ton
of people who know what they're talking about? Like, Look,
I have opinions, and some of those opinions are based
upon what I see and what I think, and some
of it is based upon people I know who I
talk with or text with or tibbets with when I
go to sporting events, and they kind of shape my
opinion because of their depth of knowledge within other sports
(01:03):
to which I didn't play, Like I played football growing
up and not football college pro. So there are things
which I just I think I know, and I get
some confirmation or an affirmation, or maybe I get the
opposite when I talk with some of my friends in
the league. We'll get to the NFL and uh, these
people Drew Bledsoe, Eric Mangini, Adam Archialletta. Do those guys
(01:24):
are Um, it's the word I'm looking for. Maven's, maven's
of their sport. They're really good stuff. I want to
start with the NBA, though, because last night the Cleveland
Cavaliers lost by it was it thirty four points. Look,
Lorenzo Brown's a good story, good story straight out of
the G League. Scored twenty five points. It's pretty awesome.
(01:47):
Fred VanVleet, m Fred VanVleet from Which to State made
it in the NBA backup point guard with the Toronto Raptors.
Raptors don't have Kyle Lowry last night. He's unavailable, So
you're in your backup and your third string or maybe
even four string point guard when you're the when you're
the Raptors, Van Bleed had twenty two, Lorenzo Brown had Yeah,
(02:12):
there was no defense to be had and the rankings.
Once you get thirty forty fifty games into an NBA season,
and here we are about what is it? Uh, we're
about games in the NBA season. Once she forty five
games in, Once you get halfway through an NBA season,
I don't love I don't love it when you can
(02:35):
cherry pick a stat or two from the first ten games,
small sample size. Once we get halfway through the season,
we got a large enough sample size. The Calves are
twenty nine in defensive efficiency, and last night it looked worst.
It actually looked below their level of average in their
averages twenty nine. Here was Tyron Lou after the game.
(02:58):
We gotta be better, we know that. But once we
played better defensively, you know, I think offensively, I'm sharing
a basketball. I think everyone on the same page. And
there's guys have agendas. We gotta get rid of our agenda.
Don't play it right away. What do you mean by that?
That's what I said. Do you think they do? I
don't know. Sharing the basketball. Couldn't be happy with Isaiah
(03:19):
Thomas's performance two of fifteen. Couldn't be happy with j R.
Smith's performance oh of five. That's his starting backcourt Lebron
stats were good, but he has told us before the
hell with plus minus he was a minus twenty two.
It's about wins and losses. They got blown out. So
let's start with the Isaiah Thomas thing, which I do
(03:40):
think eventually should make the Calves better, at least offensively
than they are now. Uh. I'm I've often been a
big proponent of this. Right, I may have opinions, but
no one knows more about their leagues than their leagues
and their players. And the perfect example of that is
what were the Calves? What did the Calves get back
(04:04):
for Kyrie Irving? Right? Isaiah Thomas every twenty nine points
a game a game last year, and so one would
think one star point guard for for another straight up,
that's a fair trade, especially if Isaiah Thomas is a
max contract guy the way that some believed he should
be a max contract guy. Whenever that was brought up
(04:25):
last year, I told you like, don't see it, and
be like, look at the points that he's averaging. He's
the second in the NBA and fourth quarter scoring. But
a lot of that is the environment and the personnel
that he played with last year. They would play him
with four defensive oriented players so that he had to score,
(04:45):
and also they could cover for what he didn't do,
which is compete defensively. He's small, but he also plays small,
So I did you believe it's all on him? No? No, no,
it's not all on him. When you combine the fact,
did you have a diminutive point guard who doesn't really
guarden anybody and isn't really a point guard getting everybody
else involved. When you combine that with the fact that
(05:08):
they moved Kevin Love to center in order to spread
the floor out and get Kevin Loved more jump shots,
you have no rim protection. And the two most important
spots defensively are the point of attack point guard and
the rim, and they're terrible at both. Terrible. There is
no other way to explain the fact that the Toronto Raptors.
(05:32):
Toronto Raptors scored a hundred and thirty three points against right.
Did they shoot well from three shure eighteen of forty two,
But more than anything, they got to the rim time
and time again. It was a layup drill. I felt
like checking out. I think Drake Drake of course, remember
he was in layup lines with Kentucky. I was surprised
Drake didn't hop into layup lines, put a jersey on
(05:54):
and pretend to play um. But what it's says to
me is what the league has told you. The value
of Isaiah Thomas as opposed to the value of Kyrie
Irving is very very simple. When they were traded for
one another, it wasn't a straight up trade, right. It
was actually a three for one with a first round
(06:16):
draft pick unprotected from the Brooklyn Nets going the way
of the Cleveland Cavaliers. If they were if they were contemporaries,
if they were in anywhere in the same solar system
as one another, then the trade would have been, if
not one for one, close to one for one, But
it wasn't. Some of it is how much money he makes,
(06:37):
but a lot of it is how the league values him.
And while you may look at stats and be like,
look stats, stats, that's that's even bad teams have a
leading score and the and the Celtics weren't a bad team,
but the Celtics were constructed to which they were built
upon defense, and then they gave Isaiah Thomas to complete
green light and he played well above his level. But
(06:57):
the truth about that team last year that had the
best record in the East is they probably would have
lost in the first round of the Chicago Bulls. Remember
they are down two games and none lost those games
at home? Remember those? Then Jon Rondo got hurt and
it was like and of course Isaiah Thomas came back
his sister had died in a car accident, and the
(07:20):
Celtics recovered and wanted in six games, completely bounced back.
It was amazing emotional journey. But without Rondo getting hurt,
that might not happen. And you would have seen that
the Boston Celtics weren't nearly as good as the record
would have told you last year. And if you think
that he's at the level of Kyrie Irving, then why
(07:40):
wasn't in a closer to a one for one trade.
The answer is, the league tells you how much somebody
is worth. So what's the point. The point is, it
doesn't mean that the Celtics are now better than the Calves,
or the Raptors are gonna be better in the playoffs
than the Calves, or the Wizards are better or the
Bucks are better. But when Tyrone Lou says, we've all
(08:05):
got agendas, When Lebron James is yelling and screaming at
teammates when the defensive rating is at twenty nine. There's
only thirty teams in the league. This is going to
be death by a thousand cuts, right, You don't be
the the uh. The British Army wasn't taken down because
(08:29):
our patriots lined up and hand to hand combat. Now
we plucked them off, hid behind rocks, behind trees, or
we'd outflanked them. That's what's gonna happen to Cleveland Cavaliers.
Last year was thirteen games to go through the Eastern Conference,
only losing one game, which with each passing game in
(08:51):
the playoffs, it's another body shot to Lebron James, which
slows him down. Lebron's not the defensive player he used
to be. They have no rim protection right now, and
they have no point guard played defensively as well. And Lebron,
while he used to be deodorant to stinky defense, he's
not nearly that deodorant and he continues to grow frustrated,
(09:11):
as does Tyron Lieu. And as much as the defense
was problematic, so too was the offense. Don't believe me
the head coaches talking about agendas. I know they've been
through losing streaks. They played poorly before last year. This
time they suffered a couple of embarrassing losses. This one
feels a little bit different. It feels like a flawed
(09:34):
blueprint for a team that they were kind of thrown
together on the fly when Kyrie surprised them and said
he wanted out before they were ready to get him out,
and the result. Lorenzo Brown just checked in from the
deep from the G League Talk twenty two points. Be
sure to catch live editions of the Doug gott Leaps
Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern noon Pacific on
(09:57):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Drew
Bledsoe joins us UH. Also check out his Awesome double Back,
which is a wine Go to double Back dot Com
or fall m on Twitter at Drew Bledsoe if you
want to know more about Drew Bledsoe's wine company. Drew,
how are you. I'm doing great, man, having a good day.
I got to uh got the slopes a little bit
this morning, man, so got some got some some time
(10:20):
on the on the on the snow today with some
I don't I don't see you coming down the mountain
as a guy that that I feel like you've got
to be especially tall, not very aerodynamic on the mountain. No. No,
I uh, well, every once while we got it leveled
like a little. Uh the ski race that we do
every year sort of a charity deal, and uh, we'll
all race at the same time. And I seem to
(10:41):
be pretty popular at the front because I create a
lot of drag coming down the hill, uh for other
guys following me. All right, U um, take me inside
what's going on with the Patriots? I know you know
the story, um, and maybe you have a little bit
better a lot better sense of what's real and what's
kind of inflated because we are the media and we're
looking for something really spicy. What do you think of
(11:03):
the relationship as of now between Brady Belichick and Robert Kraft. Well,
you know, I think people have to understand first and
foremost that you know, this is this is the National
Football League, and you know, you go to work and
it's not rainbows and unicorns and a hug before naptime.
You know, when you go to work, I mean, this
is not always a super friendly deal and and um,
(11:26):
and you know, with Belichick, I think anybody that follows him.
You know knows that that you know, playing for him
is not a super pleasurable experience, but but you know
you're gonna win, and so, um you know, I think
if you take take away the assumption that everybody has
to be best friends in order for something to work,
then you can start to understand what's really happening there.
And and these guys have been amazingly successful for so long,
(11:51):
and they've been able to work together for a long
long time. And there it seems like, uh, you know,
every every year or two there's a story about the
demise of the pay trips and then they go on
and win another Super Bowl. So I think it's been
it's been heavily inflated. If there is even an an issue,
I think it's small, and it's it's probably not anything
they haven't worked through before. Um So I just I
(12:13):
don't make much of the story. But but they did
give away Jimmy Garoppolo right like a second round pick
for a guy who appears to be a burgeoning star
feels like and I mean, you trade away both of
his backups. It seems like they're all in, or somebody's
all in on Brady playing for several more years. Is
that I know he's playing a high level. Was that
really possible? Yeah, you know, I think you can. You know,
(12:35):
it's uh, he's taken really excellent care of himself. Um.
And you know, quarterback is a unique position. It's more
about your brain than your body. Um. And you know,
the thing that's the most unique to me about tom
and what he's done is that he's been able to
maintain the attention to detail for all of these years.
You know, he and Drew Brees are really really unique
(12:56):
in that, you know, they do all of the little
things that you have to do to be successful year
after year after year, and and you know, even you know,
at that high level, it can become monotonous, and they've
been able to maintain that amazing attention to detail. You know, Tommy,
his ability, uh can fall off by another ten and
he can still be extremely effective because of what he's
(13:17):
got upstairs. UM. So yeah, I think he can play
for quite a while. And you know the Garoppolo thing. Look,
they were gonna have to make a decision at the
end of the year, um, whether it was gonna be
Jimmy or or or tom because they're not going to
pay him both. Um, and they certainly can't pay you know,
Jimmy has a backup more than you pay the starter.
That just doesn't work. Um. So they had they had to,
(13:38):
They had to move him or lose him. And so
they at least got something out of it. It's been
really fun. It was really fun to watch Jimmy and
and thrive in San France. Um, he's he's played better
than I thought he would. Yeah. Is that is that real?
Is that sustainable? Because we've seen like, look, I mean
it appears to be the real deal to us layman,
but we've seen guys come in light up the league
and then league gets a scatter report on him, figures
(14:00):
out and then you know, the second year, Uh, you
know it's a completely different quarterback. Uh. Is what Jimmy
has been able to do? Is that real? Unsustainable? I
think it is. You know, I actually texted John Landsch
after I watched a couple of games that, man, you
guys got a got a good one. He goes, Yeah,
he's been he's been better than we thought in in
in all ways. Um, you know, now he got to
(14:22):
watch a true master for a lot of years and
Tommy and he got to watch everything that he does.
It's not just about Sundays and Mondays. It's about what
you do, um, you know Monday through Saturday that really
allows you to be successful. And I think that that's where, uh,
that's what to me, it appears that is going to
allow Jimmy to be really successful. And he's a great leader,
uh in practice and and knows what it takes to
(14:44):
be uh that kind of guy. And then and then
it shows up on on on game day. So yeah,
it looks to me like they have a really good one.
And um, I would anticipate that they're going to get
him signed to a long term contract here before long. U.
Is there any amount of money that that you could
earn back that would cause you to bet against the
paths like this one seems And we were talking yesterday,
(15:06):
like I don't know how much money would hurt, right,
Like if you lost ten thousand dollars, that would that
would hurt most of the rest of us pretty pretty badly.
But like you know, ten to one odds, twenty to
one odds, it just seems like betting any money on
the Titans to win this weekend is wasted money. What
are your thoughts on the reality, the realistic possibility of
the Titans beat the Patriots in New England. Well, uh, yeah,
(15:29):
I mean I agree it's an extreme long shot. But
but this is still the National Football League. Uh, and
any team that that gets into the playoffs is a
really good football team. Um. You know. The way that
the way that it could possibly happen, it would involve
Marcus Mariotta having to do some really special things, maybe
maybe throw himself another touchdown pass or um. And uh,
(15:50):
they're they're the Titans defensive front four has to be
able to get pressure without bringing blitz is. Um. That's
been the recipe for a long time. If you can
get pressure on Tommy with just four guys uh, and
and still commit seven to uh to cover uh, then uh,
you know, then you can be effective against him. But
I think it's I think it's a long shot. But
if the if the Titans come in, if they create
(16:12):
two or three turnovers, have one or two big players
on special teams, uh, and Marcus Mariota does some some
special things, you know, they've got a chance. They really do.
It's not you know, it's not like, uh, this is
not like some of the college games you see where
you come in and and you know you've got Alabama
playing you know, some small school and there's just absolutely
no possible way it's the NFL. These guys are they're
(16:33):
they're good players, uh, and the Titans are good enough
to get in and win a playoff game. So, um,
it's not impossible. I think it's highly unlikely, though, the
Great Drew Bledsoe joining us on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
The Jags last time they faced the Steelers picked up
Big Ben five times. They didn't you know, Bortles didn't
even have to throw for a hundred yards and they
(16:55):
still beat the Steelers. Um, what are your thoughts on
that Jaguars defense? And if they can get to Ben again,
they can shut down Levy on and can compete with
Antonio Brown. Maybe not the level of dominance of last
time around, but stiming that that high powered offensive again, well,
super super unlikely that the Ben has another game like that.
(17:15):
You know, he's just he did them throw five interceptions.
I don't know how many times it's happened in his career,
but I can't imagine it's been very many. Um, you know,
the the biggest impact in this game is. It looks
like Antonio Brown is expected to play because he's a
difference maker, you know, the uh, the jag is. One
of the things that makes their defense so dominant is
that they're able to play man coverage against almost everybody.
(17:36):
But if you play man coverage against against Antonio Brown
for an entire game, you're you're really rolling the rolling
the dice, regardless of how good your corners are. Um,
so it'll be an intriguing matchup. I'd be really really
surprised to see the Steelers with all of their weapons
get stimied again and and uh you know, and you know,
throwing five interceptions just just isn't gonna happen again for
(17:57):
Big Ben. Uh. Look, Drew Brees showed us he still
got some Drew His magic is is his run game
was taken away last week by the Carolina Panthers. Can
you do it again? Though? Because this this Vikings defense,
who appears to be better maybe than any other defense
in the nation football. It really really cool. You know,
Mike Zimmer was my defensive coordinator, wasn't when I was
in college Washington State? Uh, And then I was with
(18:19):
him again with U with the Cowboys for for a
couple of years. Uh. He's one of my favorite guys
I've ever encountered in football. So I'm really really happy
for him and for what's happened with the Vikings and
they're uh they really are playing exceptional defense, which is
no surprise with Mike Zimmer up there. Um, but Drew's
Drew Brees is Uh, he's just he is super unique.
(18:41):
He is he is Uh, he's maybe the most accurate
pastor that I've that I've seen, you know, he and
he and maybe Aaron Rodgers. When Troy in that conversation too, Yeah, Troy,
Troy's in there. Uh, Troy's in there. But you know
when Troy was when Troy was winning, and I love
Troy is one of my favorite players of all time. Um,
you know it was it was not very often where
(19:03):
it was just thrown on his shoulders. You know, there's
a lot of Emmett and and run and play action.
We're word. But but Drew, when you watched the ball placement,
and that's one thing that I really like to pay
attention to when I'm watching these quarterbacks. You know, is
you watched you watched Drew Brees play and the ball
hits a receiver right in the face masks so many times,
(19:23):
or it hits him just on the proper shoulder. Um,
and so the the uh. You know, the degree of
accuracy that Drew has as a passer um is extremely
remarkable and I think it's unique in all of the
National Football League. Drew Bledsoe joining us in the Doug
Gottlieb Show. Um, Nick Foles comes in and he runs
an offense. It's not his offense, right and first first game,
(19:45):
four touchdown passes. You know, that's good enough. But since
then it hasn't. It hasn't seemed like a good fit,
and he seems to have lost some confidence. They had
a week off. Can you fix things that have been
failing in that Eagles offense in that off week as
they're now home underdog against the Falcons. Yeah, you know,
I think the bye week really really important for Nick Foles.
(20:07):
I I really like Nick Foles. I like his game.
I really always have. When he's been in good situations,
he's played extremely well. Um. But having that bye week,
because when you're when you're a backup quarterback in the NFL,
is particularly when you're backing up a young guy a
second year. Guy like Carson Wentz, you don't get any
reps in practice and you run some scout team. Um,
(20:27):
you know, you sit in film, but you're you're timing
with the starting receivers is just not going to be
there because you just don't get enough reps on him. UM.
So this bye week for Nick Foles, I think is
hugely important, more important than than it is for for
any other team in the league. UM, and I expect
him to come out and play very very well. I
I would not be surprised at all to see a
(20:49):
huge game out of Nick Foles in this uh in
this playoff game coming up. Check out his wines at
double back dot com or fall him on Twitter at
Drew bled so Glad you not only hit the slopes,
but you arrived safe in time for our radio interview.
Thanks for being our guest, Drew, appreciate it. Always gonna
talk to you, man, Pleasures mind Drew Bledsoe joining us
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
(21:10):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app.
Do you guys remember what Levy on Bell said? Now,
Levy on Bell yesterday was asked, hey, if you if
you get franchise tagged, would you consider sitting out the
season retiring? And he said he would, he would consider it,
(21:33):
all right, He did say that. And if you think
that sat well with the people in Pittsburgh, then um,
why did uh? Why did Levy on Bell have to
go take to Twitter and kind of defend himself? Right
then he went on Twitter and he said I'm not
(21:55):
paraphrasing here, but he essentially said, hey, look, you know,
all I'm concerned about is this year and the guys
in this locker room. What happens at the end of
the year happens the end of the year. Levian wants
to get paid. Antonio Brown did get paid, but it
didn't sit well with most people in the organization. Ryan
Chazier can't walk. Ben Rothsburger swears that he wants to
play forever, even though he's opened up the door to
(22:17):
retiring over the past two years. And uh, and look,
Mike Tomlin has never been beloved by many why many
fans of the Steelers organization in terms of his his detail,
his attention to detail in big games, like when they
lost to the Patriots, which is which lost them home
field advantaged about the playoffs. I'm telling you this, If
(22:41):
the Jacksonville Jaguars, for a second time this season, beat
the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs, their heads will roll
in Pittsburgh. Now, is it partially because of the dysfunction
and the desire for money, which is a very anti
Pittsburgh thing. Pittsburgh has never paid paid guys top dollar
like that did Antonio Brown. That's not been their m O. Sure,
(23:07):
is it part of the fact that it's been a
long time since they got back to that Super Bowl
and frustration over the fact that he the Patriots, who
you see as contemporaries, are able to get there on
a much more regular basis and I'll win on a
much more regular basis. Sure, But a lot of it
comes down to nobody thinks they think the Jaguars are
devoid of any sort of quarterback. It should be an
(23:29):
impossibility for this Steeler team to lose at home to
the Jacksonville Jaguars. They're so the lack of respect for
Blake Bortles is so widespread that if you lose, people
are getting fired. Dudes are getting cut like Blake Bortles
(23:50):
did not I joked about it. He did not really
equate himself to Lebron James. He was making a point
and it was a pretty good one. Remember earlyer this week,
Blake Bortles was talking about the haters and talking about
Lebron James having haters and Lebron James has haters. Well,
then anybody could have haters, right guy. Remember that, like
(24:14):
Blake Bortles wasn't even saying I'm as good as Lebron James.
He was actually saying the opposite. He was giving a
ton of credit to Lebron James when he said it.
But because it's Blake Bortles saying it, people are like,
are you kidding me? Blake Barrels and Lebron James in
the same sentence. That's embarrassing. Nobody thinks he's any good.
(24:36):
I mean, this is the quote that people freaked out about.
Take a listen. It'll probably never stop. Man. There's people
that think Lebron James sucks. So if that happens, I'm
sure there'll be a lot of people that always think
I supped. No, there will be people that thought Lebron
James suck that will come around to it. I'm not
sure there are many people they are gonna come around
to it. Like like the lack of respect people have
(24:59):
from Blake portals is so intense that if he's able
to command a win the Jaguars, if he's the quarterback
for the Jaguars and they beat the Steelers on the
road in the playoffs, dude heads are going to roll.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Doug gott
Leap Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on
(25:21):
Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app. Let's
Bring It, Adam March Letty's and nfl Elands for CBS.
Make sure you tune into CBS for Titans Paths a
pm Eastern time on Saturday, Jags Steelers one pm Eastern
time on Sunday. Arch Let's start in the a f
C Okay and the Titans Pats game. Can you see
(25:42):
outside of Brady getting hurt? Is there a formula for
Tennessee to be successful? Um? Before I before I answer that, UM,
I want to know who do you dislike more? The
Titans or Blake Bortles based on your synopsis? Right there, Doug,
I'm just saying, don't think Titans are any good. I
think I think they're probably if you did power rankings
(26:05):
for a FC teams, I would put them behind the Chargers. Um.
I know the Raiders were dysfunctional mess this year, but
they had a lot more talent. I mean, look, if
Houston's healthy at all, they're better than the Titans. I
just I was never I've never won, at one moment
been blown away by the Titans. They won tend to three?
Are they? Uh? They went and got a road win
(26:28):
last week two against the Kancie Chiefs, which is a
great comform behind win, and Mariota was great. I just
don't think he has a supporting cast, nor has the
play calling been good enough to see if he's really
an elite quarterback yet. Yeah. No, I'm with you. Um.
Of the of the three games, you know, the two
games are really interesting and then the the other two
(26:48):
are not as interesting. But you know, the Titans, they've
I wanted them to be good and you're looking at
them on paper and you say, this should be a
good football team. They should be a really good football
team or an elite football team. No, but they have
underachieved this year. And I mean, I think you hit
it on the head. I don't know if they've used
their offensive players in the best manner, the most efficient manner.
(27:11):
This season, their receivers have a hard time getting separation
from defensive backs that can play man coverage. And you know,
Derrick Henry has been nice, but DeMarco Murray was I
think he underachieved and was underwhelming this season. So I
think they're getting more out of Derrick Henry, which is
good for the offense. And I think Mariota has taken
(27:32):
a step back. So you asked me what the formula is, Um,
I'm gonna say three things. I'm gonna say. I'm gonna
say four things. First, they have to get out to
a faster start defensively, offensively. This is a slow starting
football team. They've been a slow starting football team for
two seasons now. You can't do it against the Patriots
(27:55):
up there in New England. First and foremost, you can't
do that. I think everybody knows that you've got to
be able to put pressure and hit Tom Brady. I
do think they have the capability of doing that on
defense and on offense. It's obvious they gotta run the football.
But Mario it has got to step up his game
and he's got to play much better, better than he's
(28:16):
played this entire season. If those things happen, I think
they can make it close, and they're gonna have to
need some magic and some turnovers and some things like
that to happen. But I think it's a very tall
mountain that the Titans have to climb. Does um Tom
Brady is somewhat five picks his last five games? Um?
Or or going to the last week of the seasoned
(28:37):
throwing five picks the last five games? Uh? Is there
some slippage? There? Is there something that people are confusing
him with. You watch, I mean from as an as
an as an outstanding defensive back, you see the game
way differently than we do. Give me your sense of
why Brady h turned the ball over so often at
the end of the season. Well, first, what they're doing
(28:57):
is I think it's been evident to anybody that that's
watching or offenses, they throw it down the field more
this year than they ever have in the last five seasons. Um.
When you throw the ball down the field with deeper routes,
you're gonna have a tendency to throw more interceptions. There's
a reason why they call it a you know, a
three step conservative passing game. Underneath it's safe. Um, So
(29:18):
they're taking more shots, and they've been successful taking more shots.
I think that's part of it. Um. The other part
of it, I think is just we've come to expect
Brady to be perfect, and when he's not, you know,
he's not going to be perfect every week. When he's not,
you know, you might say, oh, is he's starting to slip. Maybe.
(29:39):
I gotta tell you. When the game's on the line
and it's almost a foregone conclusion if they need to
win it in the fourth quarter, it's almost if everybody
in the stadium, including including the opposing defense, knows that
they're going to score. So yeah, so he's throwing some interceptions,
but you put the game on the line in the
(29:59):
fourth order, and I don't think anybody's gonna bet against them.
Here's one thing that I want to point out that
the other thing the Titans have to have if this
is a close game, they have to have an answer
for Gronk. Because you mentioned the last five games when
the Patriots have been tight and they've been on the ropes,
(30:19):
Gronk has taken over Pittsburgh game. Pittsburgh had a chance
Gronk took over in the fourth quarter. I mean they
fed Gronk over and over and over again. Nobody had
an answer for it. The first time Buffalo play. The
Patriots played a great game against Brady and the wide receivers.
Second half, fourth quarter, Gronk took over. You go back
(30:40):
to the Super Bowl a few years ago against Seattle,
they had to make plays in the fourth quarter. It
was Gronk. If you don't have an answer for Rob
Gronkowski in the fourth quarter, you will not beat the Patriots.
And I don't know if the Titans have that answer.
All right, let's go to Pittsburgh. Taken on the Jacksonville Jaguars. Um,
they picked they picked him off? What eight? Five times?
(31:00):
Five times? Last time these two teams matched up, and
people are, well, you know big Ben forced in their
play calling wasn't great. Uh give me your sense of
if the Jaguars can replicate that type of defense performance
against Big Ben. I absolutely think that the Jaguars are
capable of doing it against any quarterback. Defensively, Um, these
(31:21):
guys are legit, man. These these corners, they read the
quarterbacks so well. Um, they know the balls coming out.
They have four guys on their defensive line that have
over eight sacks. They have guys that come from the outside,
and they have guys that pressure up the middle. I
mean that's almost unheard of. So you know, Jalen Ramsey
and a J boy A playing with great confidence. The
(31:43):
Pittsburgh offense. They want to run. They are really good
at running vertical route. They have three receivers Bryant Smith,
Shooter and Brown that can all get vertical. They've got
three receivers that can all run after the catch in
the screen game. They've got laby On Bell who can
do damage against linebackers. So they they really have an
(32:03):
offense that can attack any single part of the field.
So you know that, to me, the matchup between the
corners and the receivers are going to be one of
the most fun matchups of all the playoffs in this game,
regardless of what the offense does in Boordles. I can't
wait to see these guys play now the first time
they played. The difference between the first time they played
(32:27):
and where the Steelers are now is now they have
a third a legitimate third option. Beginning part of the year,
it all went through Brown and Bell. The offense through
bounding Bell. I'll tell you what I got a chance
to do the Pittsburgh game in week seventeen and Smith Schuster,
I think that kid is special. And the fact that
now they have a third option and a guy that
(32:48):
can work the slot and they can do a lot
of things with crossing routes and verticals. Um, that makes
this offense dangerous. And when Ben has options and it's
not just Brown or Bell, he's got other guys. They're
pushing Martavis Bryant, it's a different offense that the Jaguars
are gonna have to stop in this football game. It's
(33:09):
not the same unit as it was earlier in the year.
But but I can't wait to watch the matchup, all right,
Adam March letter from CBS Sports showing us in the
Doug Gale. So let's go to the NFC. The Philadelphia
Eagles are hosting Atlanta Falcons, and the Falcons seemed to
found a little bit more of a rhythm offensively with
their play calling, uh and the defense has been better
because of it. They're taking on the Eagles team that
(33:30):
was so good and then all of a sudden, the
offense when when when Wentz went down, they had the
one week where Folds through four touchdown passes and then
after that the offense just looked bad. Um, how much
is fixable? How much can the Eagles now home dogs
number one seed home dogs the Atlanta Falcons for a
wild card team, a Dome team is a favorite on
(33:50):
the road. You don't see this very often. How fixable
are the Eagles offensive issues? I don't. I don't think
they are very fixable. I think it is what it is. Look,
especially in this part of the year. UM, you need
something on your team needs to be able to provide
some magic, and something on your team has to be
able to be special. That was Carson Wentz. What do
(34:14):
you have thirty three touchdowns this year? That was the
magic formula. He was the He was the secret sauce
to that football team. And there's nothing against Nick Foles,
but it's just not the same. Um. They went from
one of the best big play, play action down the
field offenses in football to now one of the worst,
(34:35):
not only in the passing game, Doug, but in the
running game. They don't even run the ball. They I
think they averaged something like sixty yards less per game
running the football without Wentz in the lineup. So I
just if the Eagles are gonna win, the defense has
to be magical. They have to be able to do something.
Now they're capable, they're a good unit. Jim Schwartz has
(34:56):
those guys playing, but then he's going against an offense
um and at Ryan in the last two years in
the playoffs, he doesn't turn the ball over and they're
playing efficient football. So if the Eagles are gonna want
to win this game, then it's got to be from
the defense. And they've got to have not only play
a great game, but they've got to score. They've got
to get turnovers. They've probably got to win the turnover
(35:18):
battle by at least two and then they've got to
turn those into points in my opinion for the Eagles
to have a chance. But it's all about Carson Wentz
Doug How how are the Vikings doing this backup quarterback
who who looked overwhelmed last year, granted with a limited
playbook in in l A. But he's looked like a
backup at times even in Houston. Um, you know, backup
running back and you use your quarterback, you lose your
(35:40):
running back. You know, don't buy green bananas because you're
not long for this league. And yet the defense is
so good. And frankly, Feeling has been so good. Uh,
he's even overshadow Stefon Digs in many ways. How are
the Vikings doing this? I think it Honestly, I think
it's incredible and and what a big credit to that
staff in them and that staff and to Pat Shermer. Um,
(36:03):
because you don't see this happen. And not only you know,
you lose your running back and now they have a
two headed monster back there. They're still running the football. Um.
The receivers. You know, Feeling was a no name a
few years ago. You know, a question on whether or
not he could even play in this league. Um, Digs
is legit. But the way they've been able to get
(36:25):
Keenom to play, UM, I think it's real. I don't
think it's a flash in the pan. I think he's
demonstrated it the entire season that he has what it takes. Um.
The defense is lights out. So really excited to watch
his defense. Uh in this upcoming game. Now here's here's
the one other I mentioned the Steelers. The receivers versus
(36:47):
the cornerbacks, the matchup in this game, Minnesota's defense against
the running backs for New Orleans. UM, that to me
is is where it's at. Kamara and Ingram, those guys
if if they can get off and running backs haven't
had a lot of success against Minnesota, but if they
can get off, then I think they're gonna have a
(37:09):
pretty good chance at this game. But that to me
is the matchup within the matchup. Adam arch letta NFL
analyst for CBS. Check out their games this weekend, Titans, Pats, Jags, Steelers.
Arch great stuff as always, man, We'll check in with
you real soon. That's Adam Archalletta joining us on the
Doug gott Leaves Show.
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