Alex Curry & Carmen Vitali talk NFL Divisional Playoffs and more!

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Welcome to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with
Carmen Vitale. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us.
Carmi happy divisional round weekend.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Thank you. It's still a busy one here in Chicago,
which is different CARMEI.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
It's on like Donkey Kong Me Baby La for Chicago.
We're gonna break that down a little later in the show.
We're gonna actually go through each of these games. We
got Bills and Broncos kicking off here in about thirty minutes,
and then forty nine Ers at Seahawks rematch of the
year happening tonight. But yeah, a couple things I think
are gonna be a bigger factor than people are talking

(00:43):
about tomorrow. Obviously, Texans at Patriots and the Rams at
the Bears.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
I am so excited for that. Should we do like
a bet Ooh?

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Like yeah, I'm always so bad at coming up.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
With when we get to it. Let's also put that
out there if anyone's listening right now. Obviously, I'm born
and raised La. Karmi is born and raised Chicago. I'm
in La. She's in Chicago. Uh, and it's going to
be a lay for Chicago. So let's think of a
fun bet that we should do.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
If LA wins, then.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
KARMI gotta do it obviously, and then Chicago wins, I
gotta do something.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
Maybe it does it matter that? Does it matter that
I'm not predicting the Bears to win this?

Speaker 3 (01:23):
Gid give that away?

Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yet?

Speaker 3 (01:27):
Did you just give away the bits?

Speaker 1 (01:30):
That's not giving it away? I mean I picked against
the Bears in the walk round. Yeah, but again, they
had to come back. It was mabe do.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
If they if they if they win, that's what's gonna happen.
It's not gonna be it's gonna be like one of
those crazy late game comebacks like they always do.

Speaker 3 (01:47):
Because that's just that's just who they are.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
I keep thinking, it's not gonna happen. That's just who
I keep thinking. Hey, it's the playoffs. You can't get
away with that in the playoffs. Yeah, apparently against the
Degreen Bay Packers. That was an a divisional game, though
those are those are weird. We'll see, we'll see, coo,
we'll talk more about divisional round.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
It's also weird.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah, we're gonna get to that a little later also
hottest coach on the market. It became officially official. We'll
talk about Harbaugh and New York.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
We got the Natty going down in Miami on Monday.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
We got a couple of great guests today, forty nine
ers beat report to Tracy Sandler is going to be
joining us live from the game in about thirty minutes.
Then we have the host of the Athletic Football Show,
Dave Hellman in hour two to break down all the playoffs.
We got producer both US Today Technical producer Chris and
Martin Wise at the news desk.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
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Speaker 2 (02:49):
I may tell be nice telling us the ones you
don't like. Sure, cool, Yeah, well we'll just take it.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
You can respectfully disagree.

Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, that's what we like to do. We like debate here.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
So let's get into it, and let's start with the
Saturday divisional round. Bill's at Broncos kicking off here in
about thirty minutes. And you guys, this is a revenge game.
It feels like for the Broncos. The last time they
played each other, Bills knocked them out last year in
the wildcard round.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
And bo Nicks is one and only playoff game.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
He now has another season of experience under his bell.
Him and Sean Payton are gelling like and clicking on
all cylinders, but they're facing the ragning MVP and Josh
Allen a team with a lot of playoff experience with
I believe his legacy on the line here right.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
He's never made it to a super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
He just won his first road playoff game last weekend,
and he put that team on his back.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Like they scored with a minute left in the game.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
They got lucky that Trevor Lawrence through that interception to
end the game, Like that was Josh Allen took a beating.
He like I said, he put this team on his back.
Proved why he's the MVP. But I think all the
pressures on them.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
It is because, I mean, the reason that the Bills
have as much playoff experience as they have and so
little to show for it is because they essentially always
have to kind of rely on Josh Allen to put
the team on his back, and that's not really a
recipe to win playoff football, especially the later you get
into the playoffs. So division wise, this is really interesting

(04:22):
for a lot of reasons because the Denver Broncos obviously
they're coming off the first round by the week of rest,
and they have perhaps the best defensive unit outside of
the Houston Texans in the league. And this year has
been interesting for Josh Allen to he's faced more pressure
than he has in years past and he as a result,

(04:44):
though he's been better under pressure this year. But that's
something that the Bills offensive line has essentially not done
Josh Allen as many favors as maybe they have in
the past. But that game against the Jaguars, Josh Allen
twelve for one hundred and forty four yards when facing pressure,
and he found a lot of you know, opportunity on

(05:07):
the outside and kind of stressing the corners of the
Jacksonville Jaguars. But that's also a strength for the Broncos.
We talk a lot about this defensive front, and I'm
not gonna not talk about them. But you have guys
on the like you have patz Ortan on the outside
of this Broncos defense as the best corner, one of
the best corners in the league. And then you also

(05:29):
have a defensive front that is just an absolute nightmare.
I mean, you talk about guys like Zach Allen, Nick Benito,
both of them have generated multiple pressures in every game
of the regular season. That's wild. They were two of
just four players in the NFL to do so, and
they were on the same team.

Speaker 4 (05:48):
Wo.

Speaker 1 (05:48):
Like, that's what you're talking about when you're talking. I mean,
these these teams did not get here by accident. The
Broncos did not lock up the top scene in the
AFC by accident, and they are by this defense. And
so it really is going to be I hope the
Bills don't leave it up to Josh Allen because Josh
Allen is going to be under duress during this game.

(06:09):
You have to find ways to mitigate that pressure that
the Broncos front is going to bring. I want James
Cook to be more involved. He was not as involved
as you would have liked him to be against Jacksonville
last week. I think only like two point two yards
per carry or something like that.

Speaker 3 (06:22):
That can't happen tonight.

Speaker 1 (06:23):
You need to stay multiple against this Broncos defense because
otherwise they will just pin their ears back and go
after you.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
But I mean, it feels like it's Super Bowl or
bust for Josh Allen and the Bills. And I still
think Sean McDermott could be coaching for his job. I
know I said this like the last few weeks. But
the Bills, I don't want to say they have things
working in their favorite because the Chiefs are oute because
like they weren't much of a competition this year obviously,

(06:50):
but like years past, they've knocked him out for the
last five seasons. But they're facing a future Hall of
Fame coach in Sean Payton who has the playoff experience.
Now his team might not have the playoff experience, but
he does know he has a Super Bowl ring.

Speaker 3 (07:03):
He's nine to nine in the playoffs. So it's just
like you look at it and.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
It says, does Josh Allen and the Bills have enough
to compete take down arrested Broncos team?

Speaker 1 (07:13):
Yeah? I mean they do, That's the thing, and that's
why the expectations are so high. And for you know,
the ways that maybe they've lacked this season. You know,
their run defense wasn't good, but they figured out a lot.
We talked to Maddi lab what was that last week
or two weeks ago where they she told us, you
know that that was something that they got a lot
better at by the end of the season. And then

(07:33):
you talk about having the Ragning MVP under center, and
you talk about the waves that this offense utilizes. It's
running backs and tight ends in the passing game. They
don't have any excuses, and yes they are like I said,
they're going against one of the best defenses in the league.
But for the amount of times that they have been
to the playoffs and don't have anything to show for it,

(07:55):
for having the Super Bowl or the league MVP under center,
you have, this is your time. And yeah, the usual
suspects aren't in there. That doesn't mean the teams are
going against are any worse at this point. Like I said,
it's not an accident that they're here in the playoffs.
But you know, this has been the expectation for years
now that the Bills have failed to reach. So sometimes

(08:15):
I mean it might not be fair. I think Sean
McDermott is an excellent coaches, but sometimes if it doesn't
work out time after time, season after season, where Super
Bowl is the goal and the expectation, sometimes that means
that you have to part ways. We've seen this happen
in the league before. We've seen it happen with Andy
Reid in Philadelphia. We saw it happen even with Doug Peterson.

(08:37):
After actually making the Super Bowl in Philadelphia two years later,
he's gone. I mean, John Harbaugh.

Speaker 3 (08:44):
Made Mike Tomlin.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
Like this coaching cycle in particular.

Speaker 3 (08:49):
It's clearly top tier coaches.

Speaker 1 (08:51):
Clearly owners are not afraid to part ways with longtime coaches.
I believe Sean McDermott is the third longest tenured coach
in the league right now. Okay, so again that also
that that's an accomplishment for sure, But then it's also
a testament to like, how much longer are like how
much longer are you going to be able to be
there without a Super Bowl success?

Speaker 3 (09:13):
Yeah, no, it doesn't matter.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
When you look at this Broncos team, They've been one
of the hottest teams in the league. They've only lost
one game since September and that was to the Jags
in Week sixteen, and as we said, like Sean Payton
is one of the all time great coaches. He's been
telling us like since he drafted bo Nicks, like how great.

Speaker 3 (09:29):
He is going to be? Hi, Mazie, Mazie. That's all.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
We're home alone with each other today, so I can't.
I can't like shove him in another room otherwise he'll whine.
I get it, I get it.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
But bo Nicks has been a top guy, top ten
and passing yards and touchdown passes. I've also, as you mentioned,
like top defense. But my question, is this Broncos team
for real? Like can we say yes? I think we
can say yes, like this is it this like they
are for real?

Speaker 1 (09:57):
They are? And I get that having that CA conversation
because of bo Nicks and how he has been a
little up and down this season, I think that we
you know, we had to wait halfway through the season
really to see Sean Payton trust what bo Nicks could do,
because I think that Bonix was held back a little
bit by the scheme. And you know, we've seen Sean

(10:17):
Payton do this with Drew Brees' career right where he
kind of set him up and gave him a foundation,
but you know, it was still very vanilla, very limited.
I don't think they really let Bo kind of open
it up in the way that he can. And I
do think that there's a little bit more of a
trust there, but there has been some inconsistencies. And again,
this is a team that is led by defense, and
that doesn't always work out in the regular season because

(10:40):
you get these like high scoring games and whatever. But
in the postseason, defense becomes that much more imperative. And
with the I would take a average to maybe slightly
above average quarterback with a dominant defense over a lot
of times over like yeah, like an MV he that

(11:00):
doesn't have a good defense at all. And like I'm
not going to say that about Josh. That's not about
Josh Allen and the Bills. I think the defense is
a lot better, got a lot better as the season
went on. Yeah, but I'm just telling you that, like
in my mind, in the postseason when you want your
recipe for success. I was part of the Tampa Bay
Buccaneer Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs where the

(11:20):
Kansasit Chiefs didn't score a touchdown. Yeah, they won that
game because of defense. Yep, and you see that in
the postseason more than anything. There's a reason that defense
wins championships is a very, very common saying.

Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yep, Okay, let's get to the second game, forty nine
Ers at Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (11:36):
This is gonna be spyya.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
Seattle just beat the forty nine Ers two weeks ago
with the one seed on the line.

Speaker 3 (11:44):
Four Ninders didn't even score touchdown and that was a game.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
After brock Party had the game of his career five
touchdowns against your bears.

Speaker 3 (11:52):
But a couple of big things to note here.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
Okay, One, Brock Party has never lost in Seattle, Kyle
Shanahan has reached the NFC Championship every time he's made.

Speaker 3 (12:04):
The playoffs as a forty nine Ers head coach.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
And Sam Donald has never won a playoff game, and
most importantly, he is listed as questionable this week and
hasn't thrown a ball since his oblique injury.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
Yeah, that was It's a big deal.

Speaker 1 (12:19):
Well, I just I couldn't believe it because you just
essentially got rid of the benefit of having the first
round by if you're the Seattle Seahawks, because your quarterback
got hurt Thursday in practice and missed multiple days of practice,
has not thrown a football since then, and they said
that he should be good to go, but they at
the end of the day, they don't really know because

(12:40):
he hasn't actually tested it, he hasn't thrown so that
it's really disheartening, honestly for the Seahawks. But for the reasons.
I was just talking about the Broncos and how they're built.
Seahawks are built the same way. I mean, this is
a very dominating defense under Mike McDonald, and you were
getting a lot of production out of Sam Donald and
the offense. By I mean, I also have to keep thinking,

(13:02):
like I keep thinking that the injuries to the Niners
have to catch up with them at some point.

Speaker 3 (13:07):
George Kittle.

Speaker 1 (13:07):
They just lost George Kittle, and I mean listen the
game against the Chicago Bears a couple weeks ago, which
was a very very high scoring game, also didn't feature
George Kittle, who was injured. So you know that you
can still get it done if you're the Niners because
you have Christian McCaffery. I think he is the single
most important piece to that offense. Brock Purty included. But

(13:30):
these are also Division rivals. These are teams that are
very familiar with each other. And again, when you're looking at,
you know, teams in the playoffs with this small of
a margin for air, I'm always going to air on
the side of the team that has the better defense,
and that's the Seattle Seahawks.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
Okay, so next question here, then, who has more to lose?
I think it's Sam Darnold. And here's why forty nine
ers have exceeded expectations this season.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Right.

Speaker 3 (13:56):
You just talked about all.

Speaker 2 (13:57):
The injuries they had. Is kind of insane when you
think about it and wrap your head around. It feels
like everyone was injured at one point during this season.
No one expected them to have to be here right now,
right brock Perty, he does have the playoff experience and
he does well in the playoffs, so we're.

Speaker 3 (14:15):
Gonna see that.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
But I think Sam Donald has more to lose here
because he's never won a playoff game, right, and we've
talked about how great he's been in the last two
seasons during the regular season, and obviously, like we got
the injury kind of creeping up right now, which is
it will be the excuse if they don't get it
done and it is an excuse.

Speaker 3 (14:37):
But it's just you have to question.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
Can he be that guy in the playoffs if he
can't get it done today.

Speaker 1 (14:47):
It's interesting, like I don't see that at all because
this is his first year with Seattle and it's his
first year in this system, and now he does have
the injury, and I get that. You know, there's always
been this narrative around Sam Donald that he doesn't show
up as well in big games, and that's obviously postseason included. Yeah,
but I mean, this is still very much a team
on the rise. This is still very much a team

(15:08):
that exceeded expectations this year, and nobody in the beginning
of the year thought that the Seattle Seahawks would be
sitting in this position right now. Everybody, like, there were
so many people that picked the Seahawks to finish fourth
in that division this year, and you couldn't have been
blamed for that because things didn't go well in Mike
McDonald's first year, necessarily, but it's also these things, these

(15:29):
kinds of turnarounds, take time, and they place a lot
of flak for the trades and the off season moves
they made heading into this season. Nobody really knew what
they were doing, I think, front office wise, and what
the plan was, and it turned out that it worked.
It worked really well. It worked better than anybody could
have thought. And so I'm not going to say that
the Seattle Seahawks are playing with house money in the

(15:50):
way that like maybe the Chicago Bears are. But I
also think that you can kind of afford both of
these teams, honestly, some grace. Because what you said about
the you know, Niners kind of surpassing expectations due to
all the injuries. I mean, that's true, but coming into
the season, the Niners were expected to do a lot
better than their fourth place finish last year, and they
were expected to be back on top, you know, injuries aside,

(16:14):
and then injuries happened again. And I won't I don't
want that to come off like I am dismissing at
all what Kyle Shanahan has been able to do this year.
I think it's a coaching masterclass in being able to
keep your team competitive and relevant and to adjust because
so many coaches don't know how to adjust like Kyle
Shanahan adjusted this year. It out, But I don't I

(16:36):
think that we can afford both of these teams a
lot of grace, and I think enjoy it for what
it is, which is this. You know, these two division rivals,
both of which have surpassed expectations this season, and I
think it's going to be a really, really good game.

Speaker 3 (16:49):
It is.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
I'm excited. We got that game kicking off in a
couple hours. Ford Ninders Beat reporter Tracy Sandler will be
joining us at the bottom of this hour.

Speaker 3 (16:58):
I'm excited for that.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
We're going to take quick break here when we come back,
the top coach on the mark you got swooped up,
We're gonna talk about that.

Speaker 3 (17:04):
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Speaker 2 (17:48):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry with
Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting live from the Fox Sports
Radio studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your
Saturday afternoon with Carme and me, and with.

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Speaker 2 (18:15):
KARMI be happy you weren't just here in studio. I
just had like a full like I'm in a glass
box of emotions. I was like, it's really hot in
this studio. Someone had it up to like seventy five
in here.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
Oh my god, who did that?

Speaker 3 (18:30):
Who would do that?

Speaker 1 (18:31):
That?

Speaker 2 (18:32):
That is that's cruel. That's absolutely cruel. Thank for cool
and dew.

Speaker 1 (18:36):
What type ofature do you? What temperature do you leave us?

Speaker 3 (18:38):
Ice box?

Speaker 2 (18:39):
The lowest it goes year round in my house, in
my bedroom, in my car, ac is blasting year round
ice box, baby, But like.

Speaker 1 (18:48):
What actual temperature it is? I think icebox probably means.

Speaker 3 (18:51):
Low different different the lowest it will go, like.

Speaker 1 (18:54):
My my thermostat I mean, granted I'm in Chicago and
so like my house will get cold as cold as
it could outside. But so I have it on like
the eco temp okay, and so it goes down at
fifty five at night.

Speaker 3 (19:06):
Oh you are so lucky.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
No, mine doesn't go below I think like sixty four.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
Sixty five is the lowest.

Speaker 1 (19:12):
Like, no, I have it on Eco, so like if
it dips below fifty five, like it'll kick on. So
it stays at least at fifty five. But that means that,
like it's hard though when you wake up in the morning,
because then it's fifty five and you're like to stay see.

Speaker 2 (19:26):
See Because I also love to cuddle in a giant
company year round.

Speaker 1 (19:29):
So well, for sure, that's why I love it, and
like the house in general, even during the day, it
stays at sixty five.

Speaker 2 (19:36):
It's the best, all right, KARMEI, it's officially official. John
Habba is headed to the New York Giants. Can he
help this franchise? And we knew he was going to
get swooped up fast, right, five year deal. It's I
think it's going to be a good fit for Harbaugh
in the Giants to see what he did with the
Ravens franchise over eighteen seasons. He's a culture builder and

(19:56):
that's exactly what the Giants need. It's just gonna be
interesting to see how he works with their gm Remember
this is a guy who let Saquon Barkley go paid
Daniel Jones over him.

Speaker 3 (20:08):
Giants have only won thirteen games over the last three years.
Do you think it's gonna work?

Speaker 1 (20:15):
Well, I mean, if it's going to you, it's gonna
work with a guy like John Harbaugh. And that was
the biggest thing. That was why this deal kind of
trickled down and finally you got the statement from John
Harbaugh himself today. But what was interesting is Ian O'Connor
was reporting John Harbaugh to me on his position in
Shane of command with Giants. I report to John Merra.

(20:36):
He says that he's really enjoyed Joe Shane and looks
forward to forming a great partnership with Joe. But this
was also the reason that John Harbaugh could go to
the New York Giants. It was a really like I
think there was a lot of people, especially up this way,
who were like, well, should the Packers fire Matt Lafleur? Yeah,
who else were you gonna get? You were gonna get

(20:57):
John Harbaugh because you were never going to seed personnel
control to John Harball when you have Brian Goodenkountz, who's
done nothing to warrant being demoted in that organization. So
there were already only a very few, I feel like
situations that fit for John Harbaugh in general. But when
you're at a place for eighteen years, I mean, it

(21:17):
did something right. You won a Super Bowl like you had,
You had a lot of say and control in that organization,
and that organization, for all intents and purposes, is a
very good one. It's one that has been competitive year
in and year out. You have a multiple multi year
MVP under center, and you were part of that of

(21:38):
drafting him and developing him and all of that kind
of stuff. So I think that this was this was
a home run for the New York Giants because if
you look at what they have, they have a young
quarterback in Jackson Dart that they believe in. They have
a really good defensive line and like defensive cornerstone pieces
that they can build around.

Speaker 3 (21:58):
Don't and you have pick in the draft.

Speaker 1 (22:00):
You yes, and then you have you have high draft capital.
I didn't even talk about Molik Neighbors, who will be
coming back from injury in this next season coming right.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
He's ready for I mean he.

Speaker 1 (22:11):
He tore his a cl what halfway through the season
or just about.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Yeah, he's not bad, but not the best timeline.

Speaker 1 (22:19):
No, but theoretically, because he's young and this and that
and the other, you should you could you could conceivably
see him being ready for the start of the season
or at least early in the season for the New
York Giants. Regardless, you have and you have my guy
camp'skataboo who is you know, tweetled and tweeled dumb between
Jackson Dart and Cam's gataboo over there. So that's a

(22:39):
that's a there's good offensive pieces.

Speaker 3 (22:41):
They need an line though, they need.

Speaker 1 (22:45):
They need multiple alignment. I would say they have a
couple of good ones, but they need to be a
lot better. You you. Still there's some stuff as far
as like second and third levels of the defense that
that need to be short of, but again you have
foundational pieces that are there, and now you have a
guy that knows how this goes. What's interesting to me
though about this whole thing, is that the job that

(23:06):
John Harbaugh vacated or that was fired from is the
best job available that a head coach could possibly want.
Very very rarely do you get a franchise that has,
again a multi time MVP winner under center, a guy

(23:26):
like Derrick Henry in your offensive backfield, a good defense still.
I mean they're not the most dominating like Ravens defenses
that we've seen of the past, but still a good
defense and a good, stable organization that has proven that
they're not trigger happy because their last coach was there
for eighteen years. That is such a rare opportunity and

(23:48):
I'm so interested to see what direction they go because
that is the best job available right now.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
It's great, and we've seen the season.

Speaker 2 (23:56):
A head coach can come in and completely turn a
franchise around in the first year we saw for seeing
Ben Johnson, Mike Rayball. So this is a guy who
knows how to win. I'm excited for him. But we'll see,
we'll see if he is the missing piece in New York.
But now it's checking with Martin Wise and see what's trending.

Speaker 4 (24:15):
You guys just talked about it.

Speaker 7 (24:17):
John Harball, the new head coach of the New York Giants,
to do reportedly twenty million dollars a year, making in
one of the highest paid coaches in the league, and
some interesting negotiations dragged on for several days.

Speaker 4 (24:28):
You remember Adam Jeffter reporting this a few days.

Speaker 7 (24:30):
Ago saying it was almost done, and then it obviously
wasn't almost done because a few days went by. Well,
apparently that was about how much authority Harball would have
relative to GM Joe Shane, who retained his job after
Brian Dave Wall was fired.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
All harbwallt's really secrying a.

Speaker 7 (24:45):
Setup where he reports directly to co owner John Morrow,
which is basically kind of the same thing he had
going on in Baltimore right now. Sean Payton being interviewed
by Tracy Wolfson on the sideline.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
I don't know I know.

Speaker 7 (24:57):
The cold Weather game is supposed to be a Chicago
Sean looks pretty cold.

Speaker 1 (25:00):
It's apparently really cold Decenver. I'm gonna look up what
it is because yeah, it's our friend Bridget Condon is
there and she she posted it. She was like, it's
a lot colder than they told me it was gonna be.

Speaker 7 (25:12):
Yeah, yeah, I'm looking at Sean's Peyton knows is bright red.
Not quite coughlin f but it's it's definitely right.

Speaker 1 (25:20):
It's thirty five right now, which to me isn't bad.
But to say if there's there's only three mile an
hour winds too, I don't know.

Speaker 7 (25:29):
Did you know why we we were talking about this
earlier this week because I was experienced more weather than
I normally do.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
I was in Chicago, Martin and I sat down for
some drinks in Chicago this week.

Speaker 3 (25:39):
We did so.

Speaker 7 (25:40):
But like, you have the weather, but then what it
actually feels like it's too it could be too entirely different.

Speaker 3 (25:46):
Why just say what it feels like because that's what
it is.

Speaker 1 (25:49):
I'm just going it's the wind, but it's like like
three to seven mile an hour winds, So I don't
even think that that should be. And it's sunny. When
it's sunny too, that's good for another ten degrees.

Speaker 4 (25:58):
Maybe Sean just had to blow.

Speaker 1 (26:01):
He was also in the shade too, so that could
be true.

Speaker 7 (26:03):
True, all right, quickly here, that game just kicked off.
Green Bay Packers keepers, according to Jeff Hafley, merged for
your front runner for the Dolphins job. The Dolphins general
manager John Eric Sullivan was previously the Packers vice president
of player personnel. Broncos I'm sorry, former Browns head coach
Kevin Stefanski front runner for the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job.
The Raiders will interview former Dolphins head coach Mike me

(26:26):
Daniel for their head coaching job on Monday, and the
Browns interview Jaguars offensive coordinator.

Speaker 4 (26:31):
Great Yudinski for their head coaching job.

Speaker 7 (26:34):
Just turned thirty, they'll become the youngest head coach in
NFL history if he gets the job.

Speaker 4 (26:40):
Right now, A bill down on the kickoff return.

Speaker 3 (26:42):
You see it, player head to head of tough hit there.

Speaker 7 (26:46):
I'm not sure the bill that's down for right now.
The game and an injury time out. When it comes out,
the Broncos will have the ball.

Speaker 4 (26:52):
Alex and Carmen Back to you guys.

Speaker 3 (26:54):
Thank you Martin.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
You're listening to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
at Carmen Vitalite. Thank you for spending your Saturday Football
Saturday after you would car me and me.

Speaker 3 (27:02):
It is time for our first guest. You know are
she's the best d of the show.

Speaker 2 (27:05):
Forty nine ers beat reporter the owner of Fangirl Sports Network,
Tracy Sandler, Thanks for joining us live from Seattle.

Speaker 1 (27:11):
Hi, Jerse, Hi, guys.

Speaker 8 (27:13):
How you doing?

Speaker 2 (27:14):
H We're great, but set the stage for us. What's
the vibe like around the city and pregame right now?

Speaker 9 (27:21):
It is there's a lot of excitement around this city.
On my way to the stadium, I saw all the twelves,
I mean so many felves in all of their jerseys.
The stadium is buzzing. For lack of a betteritor, but honestly,
the whole city has been buzzing, and the Seahawks have
not been good like this in a very long time.
This rivalry is so bad, so it's really fun to

(27:41):
be here right now.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
What are you hearing is the latest with Sam Darnold
right now? He's as he emerged for warm ups yet, Like,
what's going on.

Speaker 9 (27:51):
I haven't seen him emerge for warm ups yet, but
I am in the tunnel so that it's quite when.

Speaker 8 (27:54):
I talk to you guys.

Speaker 9 (27:55):
So I haven't seen him emerge yet. Sounds like he
will at least start to game and play.

Speaker 8 (28:01):
Just depends how limited he will be. It's kind of
a funny.

Speaker 9 (28:04):
It's not funny, ha ha, but kind of because brock
Perty's first road game was here in Seattle, the rib
game where he had an injured rib. He had not
thrown all week, he threw in pregame warm ups, and
then he had a heck of a game in the
four Nuinars one. So now the Seahawks, I guess, get
their oblique games to rival the rib game.

Speaker 8 (28:20):
So we'll see.

Speaker 10 (28:21):
But yeah, so it was kind of funny.

Speaker 1 (28:23):
I enjoyed the first time they really got to They
got to play with their chest.

Speaker 9 (28:26):
They got to play it with their chest, something we
could throw with a battle bleak or a bad rib.
But I said earlier, I think there's a higher likelihood
I play than Sam Darnold doesn't play.

Speaker 8 (28:38):
Yeah, that's the case.

Speaker 2 (28:39):
Now brock Purty has never lost in Seattle, and Kyle
Shanahan has watched the NFC championship game every time he's
made the playoffs as the forty nine ers head coach.
But so even with all your injuries and you got
a couple of big ones, obviously George Kittle last game,
how confident is this team kind of heading into this
revenge game.

Speaker 10 (28:57):
The team is extremely confidant.

Speaker 9 (28:59):
They feel like they can beat anybody. They feel like
they have the character, the talent, the perseverance.

Speaker 10 (29:05):
And they have up to this point.

Speaker 9 (29:07):
They really have accept this.

Speaker 8 (29:08):
Team two weeks ago.

Speaker 9 (29:10):
But other than that, they have shown they.

Speaker 8 (29:12):
Can go on the road, they can do it.

Speaker 9 (29:13):
This seems feels strongly that they can win this game,
and I would say at this point I wouldn't count
them out as anything. No matter what has happened, they.

Speaker 8 (29:22):
Have overcome it. And I think a big reason for
that is the way that.

Speaker 9 (29:25):
Kyle Shanninghan approached this season from the start of the offseason.

Speaker 8 (29:28):
This is not super Bowl or bust. This is us
being the best team we can.

Speaker 9 (29:32):
Beat every single week. So that when you lose Fread Warner,
when you lose Nickbosa, when you lose George Kittle, the
whole season is not over. I mean, it felt like
the Packers they lost Mikael Parsons and it was like,
well that's that. It felt like that was their vibe.
The forty nine ers are not that vibe.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
All right. We'll talk to me then about though, the
adjustments that are going to be needed without George Kittle,
because I mean I watched that Bears Niners game very
closely that George Kittle was not part of and they
still managed to put up over thirty points. So what
is it that Kyle Shanahan is going to have to
do to her tone for the fact that he no
longer has Kittle out there.

Speaker 9 (30:03):
Well, they're going to need Luke Ferrell to really step
up as a blocker and make up from there and
Jake Conscious as a path catcher, and both of them
have been.

Speaker 8 (30:11):
Able to do that this season. But when you look early.

Speaker 9 (30:13):
When this season, the forty nine Ers had a lot
of time, a lot of stubble establishing the run earlier
in this season without George Kittle, And that is a
concern today because for this game, they have got to
be able to run the football effectively. And if they
can't run the football effectively, they're.

Speaker 8 (30:28):
Not going to have a chance to win this game.
So it's going to be big with Farrell.

Speaker 9 (30:31):
They will have treat Williams.

Speaker 10 (30:33):
So they did not have in this game a couple
of weeks ago. But those are the adjustments.

Speaker 9 (30:37):
They're going to have to make, and they're going to
have to find ways.

Speaker 8 (30:40):
To open up the run gate. It's the key. It's interesting,
it's really a.

Speaker 10 (30:43):
Key football teams.

Speaker 9 (30:44):
I mean, the forty Niners needs to stop a run
to Seadam needs to run the ball.

Speaker 10 (30:48):
The fortinerds needs to run the ball, and I think
that is the key.

Speaker 9 (30:50):
That and whether or not Sam Donald turns the ball
over will be the deciding factors this gig.

Speaker 2 (30:55):
And I mean, as you said, I think we're all
under the oppression Sam Brownell is going to play. It's
just like, how strong of a Sam darn are we
going to get? How how has that kind of factored
into the way the forty nine ers are preparing right
now to face them.

Speaker 10 (31:12):
Well, Kyle Shanahan said the other day, they are.

Speaker 9 (31:15):
Not preparing any differently. They fully expect, aren't Sam Donald
to play and play at the level he's been playing
at it? And I think that's what they have to
do because chances are that's what's going to happen, and
so they haven't really changed their preparations.

Speaker 8 (31:29):
It hasn't it hasn't.

Speaker 9 (31:30):
Done too much because they expect them to play. I
mean it also, I think he really is hurt.

Speaker 8 (31:35):
It's also revenge game.

Speaker 9 (31:36):
It's a divisional realms, a little bit of you know,
there could be a little even pains and ship maybe.

Speaker 10 (31:42):
I mean the key is for but this is all
part of it.

Speaker 9 (31:45):
So they're planning on having the Sam Darnold who's been
playing all season for the Seahawks, of SAMs Darnald that
they do in San Francisco, coming out here, starting the
game and playing effectively. And that's how they're preparing for it.

Speaker 1 (31:57):
Tracy, you said you're in the tunnel. I'm curious. I
am you are you in the visitors tunnel?

Speaker 9 (32:02):
I am, I'm But the entire Seahawks cheerleading just came
walking by. I don't know if you could hear them,
but they were sparkling and so lovely, very happy.

Speaker 1 (32:12):
They have They have some great uniforms just because like
the Seahawks have great uniforms, and I feel like the
Seattle Seahawks cheerleaders get to have really great uniforms too,
and they're always so sparkly. But do me a favor. Uh,
do you know about the guy that sits in that
corner of that end zone or of that tunnel, the Heckler?

Speaker 8 (32:28):
Four of him? I have seen him many many more.

Speaker 2 (32:30):
Okay, all right, wait, share to everybody else here, So
I'm gonna I'm gonna.

Speaker 1 (32:33):
Share to everybody else. So when I was with the Bucks,
we went up to Seattle, and it was the year
after Bruce arians had took the job, and he was
with the Cardinals before that, so he was very familiar
with going up to Seattle once a year. And there
is a fan, a Heckler that sits his season. Tickets
are in the corner, like the front corner of where
the visiting team comes out, and he is notorious for

(32:57):
the signs that they bring, for the things that he says.
And it was so much like Bruce ended up having
a legit like friendship with him by the end of this,
and like when we came back, but he came back
as part of the Buccaneers, and when we came back,
I witnessed those two just be like, it's nice to
see you again, Coach this, that the other. But it
is this. It is this guy's job, I swear and

(33:18):
tracing it. If you have any stories about him, I
would love to hear them.

Speaker 9 (33:22):
But he has yelled at Kittle before. He and Kiddled
go back and forth all the time. He funks and
yelling at standing and and I think at this point
it's funny.

Speaker 8 (33:30):
It's got me all got a respective.

Speaker 9 (33:32):
I mean, this knitm it week after week, no matter
who they're playing, no matter how good or bad they are,
he stands it. He and Kiddle have definitely not gotten
into it, but they've had words in a very fun way.
He does it with everybody, and he's gotta laugh.

Speaker 8 (33:46):
I mean he does it. He yelled it up sometimes and.

Speaker 9 (33:48):
We're like, we're not on the team, we're reporters sometimes
and I kind of you know what, if he wasn't here,
he just wasn't all right, that'd be done, That's.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
What I'm saying. So those cute little quirks from you know,
different stadiums around the league. He is absolutely a quirk of.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
Oh we love that, Tracy. Have you seen a lot
of uh forty nine ers fans around town?

Speaker 3 (34:11):
Did they travel? Did they?

Speaker 9 (34:14):
I they do travel for well. I but my understanding
I sent from La so I didn't see as many there.
But my understanding is on the flights from SFO this morning. Yeah,
it was a sea of red with a lot of chance.

Speaker 3 (34:25):
Okay, this is this is going to be a loud stadium.

Speaker 9 (34:29):
It's a loud They will travel well, they will represent
the twelves. I keep calling them the twelve. I think
I've like bought into it.

Speaker 8 (34:35):
But the Twelves will certainly be the authority of day.

Speaker 7 (34:40):
You can't not.

Speaker 9 (34:40):
I'm also staring while I do you. I'm staring at
a big twelve. It's like literally the number twelve I'm
looking at in Seattle Seahawks in the tule. But it
is their fan about that. But it will it'll be
They'll be red.

Speaker 8 (34:55):
But it's going to be fun. I mean it's it.

Speaker 9 (34:57):
Feels like that twenty fourteen NFC champion game here all
those years ago, and I expect.

Speaker 10 (35:04):
It to be that kind of game. It should be
a lot of fun to.

Speaker 8 (35:08):
Have a divisional rival in the divisional round game that
you've played two weeks ago.

Speaker 10 (35:13):
Yes, I just went this season and now, I mean,
this is this is fun.

Speaker 8 (35:17):
This is what football is all about ladies.

Speaker 2 (35:19):
I'm so excited, Tracy. Thank you so much for joining
us live from the game. Have so much fun tonight.

Speaker 3 (35:24):
We really appreciate to you.

Speaker 8 (35:26):
Thanks you enjoyed the games, guys.

Speaker 3 (35:28):
Bye, right when we come back.

Speaker 2 (35:30):
You guys, the dudes and the don'ts and sports you're
listening to Fox Sports Radio. Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday.
I'm Alex Curry here with Carmen Vitally. We are broadcasting
live from Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday
afternoon with Carmee and me for the.

Speaker 1 (35:42):
Best pregame show every weekend. Be sure to tune into
Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff presented by bet MGM
every Saturday and Sunday morning. We will count you down
to all of the biggest games for three hours right
up until kickoff, for all the best plays and up
to the second injury news. Tune in to Countdown to Kickoff,
presented by bet MGM every Saturday Sunday morning right here
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
All right, Carmie, it is time for the dues and
the don'ts in sports. H I love that putting a
spotlight on the don't The subject brings me no joy.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
That's insane.

Speaker 5 (36:17):
Next time for the dues and the don'ts in sports?

Speaker 2 (36:20):
All right, I'm starting off with the do here? Do
put Steve Bishatti on the mic?

Speaker 3 (36:25):
More please?

Speaker 2 (36:27):
That was one of the most legendary pressers by an
owner that I can remember.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
It was raw, it was honest. It was like straight
boss like.

Speaker 2 (36:37):
When he was asked if Lamar would have a say
in their next coach, he said he respects his players
their opinion, he cares about their opinions, but they don't
have power.

Speaker 3 (36:47):
I can't give them power. I have the power. It
was just like the most mic drop moment. But what
sent me over the edge.

Speaker 2 (36:54):
I don't know if you Carmi you heard it, but
the Pat McAfee made up this song that is an
absolute pot I've been it's been stuck in my head
all week.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
I've posted it, I'll post it again.

Speaker 11 (37:05):
It was on.

Speaker 3 (37:07):
ESPN's we Can't Play It here, but.

Speaker 10 (37:09):
It was.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Hall loaded loadesty bshoty owner on the mic.

Speaker 3 (37:15):
He's better than everybody, bomb bomb boom. But it's like
it's so good. I can't get it out of my head.

Speaker 1 (37:23):
It's it's like I make it a point of a
boarding filmed familiarity with most of what McAfee puts out.

Speaker 3 (37:28):
There, but it's a bomb.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
It was funny that it was like it just it
just kept going, like I saw the like one quote
and then it was like two minutes later I saw
another one. Was like you're still talking like she was beautiful,
and there was there was so many things to come
out of there. All Right, I have I have, I
have two DU's and they're the same du but they
apply to different things. Okay, all right, so go the

(37:51):
dow Is do lean in.

Speaker 10 (37:52):
Okay.

Speaker 5 (37:53):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (37:53):
And the first way that I'm going to apply that
is with Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears. More importantly
Ben Johnson the Chicago Bears and their rivalry with the
Green Bay Packers, because after the Bears won that game
in the Wildcard round last Saturday night, Ben Johnson showed,
first of all, I think he like fell over on
the field while he was like running off of the

(38:15):
field like he was very hyped. But then he got
into the locker room and I can't say any of
it on the radio, but he said, f the Packers
at that team hit those guys, Yeah, and he is
bringing it back capital h hate and as someone who
grew up in this city and in Chicago, grew up
with this rivalry. It has been so one sided for

(38:38):
so long. So not only is a true rivalry again
with the head coach buying into it, but there's there's
you're validated in talking that kind of mess because the
Bears knocked them out of the playoffs in the playoffs,
like it was. Just it's so hard for rivalries to
exist in today's NFL. So the fact that Ben Johnson

(39:00):
legitimately seems to hate Matt leflor on it and has
hated here for it his Detroit days. Yeah, as I
found out, it's I love it.

Speaker 10 (39:09):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (39:10):
I think there's be more of it.

Speaker 3 (39:11):
I'm here for it, here for all of it.

Speaker 2 (39:13):
Okay, I got another du do keep being you, Fernando Mendoza, Baby,
I like I think the entire sports world is falling
in You better be falling in love with this man.

Speaker 3 (39:24):
Have you heard about his LinkedIn account? Have you seen it?
Of course, this is a man baby who is going
to be a first overall pick in the RIND.

Speaker 1 (39:32):
He updated it when he won the high school has.

Speaker 2 (39:34):
The resume and LinkedIn account. He's been doing internships the
last few summers, like like he's about to get a
job when he graduates college that's not gonna make him
a million dollars because he's going to be drafted into
the NFL. He says, I am passionate about leveraging my
background in business, real estate and finance to build a

(39:54):
career that can bunch strategic thinking, teamwork, and community impact.

Speaker 1 (39:58):
I don't know a coach that doesn't want this man
at the point, like, you want this guy on your team.

Speaker 2 (40:02):
This is the most incredible like mix of just a
special athlete.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
That you can find.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Like every every time they put a mic in his face,
I'm like, everyone, I'm sat, please, you know I need to.

Speaker 3 (40:16):
Hear what he's gonna say real quick.

Speaker 1 (40:19):
My other lean in was lean into pop culture because
Gary Bettman, the commissioner of the NHL. Yes, I had
here too in Rivalry all in one night, all six episodes.
And he loves it.

Speaker 3 (40:31):
We all love it.

Speaker 2 (40:31):
They were at the the creators were at the Canes
game last night and they were just it's it's a
cultural experience.

Speaker 3 (40:36):
It's beautiful. All right.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
We're at back with our two next Welcome back to
Fox Football Saturday Hour two. I'm Alex Curry here with
Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with
Carme and Me coming to you live from the Fox
Sports Radio studios in Los Angeles.

Speaker 3 (40:52):
Carme, how are we doing.

Speaker 1 (40:53):
We're good, We're good. We're just we're watching the Bills
kind of driving in the field right now. And uh,
Mark and said it, it's been a lot of James
cook And what did I say, laden into this game,
they were gonna need a lot of James Cooks. So yeah,
we love Josh Josh.

Speaker 3 (41:10):
Almost almost. They're close, you guys, what are we got?

Speaker 1 (41:13):
He got the first down, so you get a fresh
set of downs at the old line, not bat.

Speaker 3 (41:17):
First and three. Oh no, not quite yet. They're getting there, though.

Speaker 2 (41:22):
I know you're not here in studio with me, Carmen,
but I just want to I want to point out
that I'm rocking my Dodgers jacket today because the back
to back champs just keep making moves.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
I stole I say, they stole Kyle Tucker from.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
The I mean, and everyone except Dodger fans are livid,
and I just like to remind everybody, like your teams
could do this too.

Speaker 12 (41:47):
So.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
They just got al so they decided they were spending money,
and I think they finally discovered that you could prefer money,
Yes you can.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
Like what the Dodgers are doing is not illegal, like
everybody can do it. So just take a page out
of the Back to.

Speaker 2 (42:05):
Back champs books and start making noise towards your team
and your owners instead of getting mad at the Dodgers,
because what they're doing is working and they're winning, and
your teams can do that too.

Speaker 1 (42:17):
You just got to go do it well. Shout out.
It's Cubs Convention weekend right now in Chicago. Alex Alex
Bregman made his Cubs day. Yeah, they had they had
Bregman jerseys all ready to go already and he'd got
to talk to fans and he was on local radio
and doing all the stuff. I go this weekend Cubs

(42:38):
Convention does every does every This is this is something
I don't know because I grew up with Cubs Convention
and Socks Fest, which are weekend long conventions where everybody
on the roster comes, They have their sitting at tables,
fans can come and meet them, get things signed. There's like,
you know, the mascots are there, there's kids activities, there's
other like you know, ye mem orbilia stuff, there's this

(42:58):
that the other. Just does every team do that in
the lead?

Speaker 2 (43:00):
I know, the Dodgers have a Dodgers fan fast, the
Angels have an Angels fan fest, the only.

Speaker 1 (43:05):
Self contained thing at a hotel. No, okay, Sony. When
I was interned for the White Sox, Yeah, Like one
of my first week's interning was they put me up
in the hotel at the Palmer House Hilton, and I
had to like escort a bunch of guys everywhere to
each like event that they were doing, each panel they
were on, and it was like two days, two full

(43:27):
days like with an overnight. And I remember that night
we all went to like Miller's Pub around the corner
and like the sos GM, who I hadn't even met
at that point, was like dying rounds of shots for
all the employees like that. It was an incredible like
and I was like, I don't know if every team
does this.

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Yeah, I but both the games that extensive. That's great.
That it's greatl I love hearing that all.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
Right, back to football, you guys, By the way, Bills
just scored, so it is seven seree Buffalo.

Speaker 3 (43:59):
It's going to be a good one. Okay.

Speaker 2 (44:00):
So let's get to the Sunday Divisional round. If you
missed in the first hour, we broke down the Saturday games.
You can listen to that on the podcast wherever you
listen to your podcasts. But let's start with the game.
I know, carme and we are anxiously waiting for tomorrow.
Rams at Bears. It is online, Donkey Kohn, Carmen.

Speaker 3 (44:19):
La Verse, Chicago. We have the experience versus the new
kids on the block.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
Both these teams had late comebacks last week and with
their quarterbacks stepping up to really make it happen, you
can't count out either of these teams in the fourth quarter.
I mean there's a lot to unpack here. First, what
the Bears did with that comeback win was even crazy
for them. It was crazy for the comeback kids. Seven
games they'd come back to win in the fourth quarter.

(44:44):
I mean, Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams just feel like
a match made in football heaven.

Speaker 3 (44:48):
Like I said, new kids on the Block.

Speaker 2 (44:51):
But then you have also the magic that Sean McVay
and Matthew Stafford have.

Speaker 3 (44:58):
And I don't. I don't know if.

Speaker 2 (45:03):
The inexperience is going to be able to overcome and
the comeback is going to be able to overcome such
a solid team and an MVP sel see this season
that Matthew Stafford has been having.

Speaker 1 (45:18):
Listen, I Matthew Stafford is one of, if not the
best quarterback currently in the league right now. He's one
of the best processing quarterbacks. He knows exactly what he's
looking at when he looks at opposing defenses. He's getting
rid of the ball very quickly two point eight second
time to throw average this year. Sean McVay is doing
a lot of wonderful things blending both the run and

(45:39):
the pass game. That under center play action game is
something that Matthew Stafford does a lot of guess what
Caleb Williams does a lot of it too in Ben
Johnson a lot of things about these offenses. While Ben
Johnson is not from this tree, which he will let
you know he's not from this tree. He's his own thing.
He's actually indirectly kind of a Sean Payton guy, like
he comes kind of indirectly on through Dan Campbell as

(46:01):
a Sean Payton Tree, but not really anyway. Both of
these teams, both of these offenses run a lot of
under center play action. They are also there's a lot
of window dressing, there's a lot of motion, a lot
of shifts, and they both rely. I think the Rams
haven't gotten enough credit for their ground game, which is
top three most efficient in the NFL if you're looking
at some of the more advanced metrics, and that's something

(46:23):
that the Bears have, you know, they established like halfway
through the season, I would say. And then the last
couple of games, if you look at the run pass splits,
they have been throwing the ball quite a bit more.
It's been more sixty five seventy percent throwing and then
thirty eight thirty five percent running, which has not been
the case up until that point. It's usually been a

(46:43):
very even split, with even the run taking it a
little bit. So I'm very interested to see, especially if
we get a cold, you know, one of those really
physical cold like gritted out games in Chicago, which the
temperature suggests it might be, you are going to need
to be very effective on the ground in this game.
Which team does that better is going to play into

(47:04):
who ends up winning. I also think that I keep
saying it, the Bears cannot keep relying on being like
climbing out of these almost insurmountable holes. Because I was
at the game against the Packers fourth quarter, they need
sixteen points, and I'm like, how is this going to work?
There's They're like, this is the playoffs, the margin for

(47:26):
error is smaller, these teams are better. There's no way, right,
There's no way. And then and then the Packers miss
the Brandon mcmannus misses the forty four yard field goal,
and I was like, oh my god, Oh my god.
The Bears are going to do this again, aren't they.
It's sure enough a fourth and eight completion to Roma
Dune Say where Kayleb Williams had neither foot on the ground,

(47:47):
just insane heroics. But I just don't want to live
that way if I'm a Bears fan, and I don't
want to live that way against a team that has
as much experience as the Rams do, that is as
solid as the Rams are as the pass rush and
the defensive front that the Rams have. I mean, you're
talking about Jared Verse. You know, he won Defensive Rookie

(48:08):
of the Year in his first year. You're talking about
guys like Byron Murphy. You're talking about the front seven
that is extraordinarily hard to do anything against. And with
Kayleb Williams, you know, he is an escape artist and
he can get away from pressure. But these guys and
the get off and the athleticism that they have is
they're going to make that very difficult. And if you

(48:30):
can get Caleb Williams to get a little antsy in
the pocket, to be a little hyper in the pocket,
to get off of his footwork, and if you can
shut down the run game, this is going to be
a very hard game for the Bears to overcome. Something
like that.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
Yeah. I mean both these teams, as I mentioned, had
come back lay in games to win in the wildcard round.
And when you watched what Stafford did at the end
of that game last week, Rams were down with two
and a half minutes left in the game. They talked
about this after the game, but Stafford looked at DeVante
Adams and said, let's go snatch these guys' hearts.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
So he's done that before and they and he did that,
and he did that my last year with the Buccaneers.
Say will recall one season, Tom Brady like I was
Tom Brady and they're going it's it's in the playoffs.
And when I tell you that, the Bucks went up,
they went down and they scored and there were there
was maybe a minute left in the game. No, I

(49:26):
think it was like forty seven such or something like that.
Matthew Stafford got like, has that moment It comes out
after that, he had that moment with his offensive huddle
and then what does he do. He goes over the
top down the field, Cooper Cup just burns past the
safety and they score and they win, and Tom in

(49:47):
hand tom Brady the most awful playoff loss I think
he's ever suffered. And like that was my last year
with the Bucks too, So it was just that has
burned into my brain. So when I heard that he
did that again with devontae Aas, was like, hey did.

Speaker 3 (50:00):
That years ago?

Speaker 1 (50:02):
You've been doing it.

Speaker 2 (50:03):
I mean there's only a handful of quarterbacks where there's
under a minute left and you sit back and you're like, nah,
I'm not worried.

Speaker 3 (50:10):
Like, I'm not worried.

Speaker 2 (50:11):
Do you feel that way now that what you've seen
what Caleb Williams has done with these insane comebacks. Are
you confident that if he gets in that position tomorrow
you feel okay?

Speaker 1 (50:23):
It's it's weird because that fourth and eight play, Yeah,
I had this. I wouldn't even call it a confidence
that he was going to convert it, yeah, because it
looked horrendous, But I had, like I think when he
when he did it, all I did was laugh like
I wasn't surprised, I'll put it that way, like not

(50:44):
that I expected that to happen, but when it happens now,
I'm not surprised and I'm not shocked. Again, I'll say it.
I don't want to live like that if I'm a
Bears fan, like you're gonna have to.

Speaker 3 (50:55):
That's what this season is. It is, it's going to happen.
That's how it's going to be.

Speaker 1 (50:59):
It is dress while watch Kayleb Williams play football, because
he's not there yet. He hasn't even scratched the surface
of what he can be, especially under Ben Johnson, but
he does have more of a command of this offense
than he has ever before. Like it very much seemed
like he was like along for the ride, and now
it seems like he's actually in command and so he

(51:21):
I have more faith that he can do those things,
you know, down whatever minute to go, Like, I have
more faith that that can work out, obviously because we've
seen it seven times now essentially, But I don't have
the confidence in the way that I would with like
Matthew Stafford under center, because it's gonna look weird and
again against a really, really good team, you just can't

(51:42):
count on that kind of stuff. So, like, if you're
a Bears fan, it's stressful. Yeah, but I'm also not surprised.
You're not surprised when it works out because he's shown
you he can do it.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
Okay, so he's shown you he can make it happen.
But do you think he has what it takes to
take this team to Super Bowl right now?

Speaker 1 (52:01):
Yeah? I think Caleb Williams does if he got more
help from the defense. We're what we're not talking about
here is how flawed the Chicago Bears defense is. And
that's why I'm not a down believer in this team
going down this stretch because I've talked about how imperative
defense is to actually going all the way. And what

(52:24):
happened this year with Chicago Bears is that their takeaways
they led the league in takeaways this year. They that
masks a lot of issues when it comes to a defense.
They're essentially the Packers from last year, where you had
all of these takeaways and you were giving your offense
more chances, and that's all you can add. And you
can live that way in the short term defensively, but

(52:44):
when you get into these situations, you can't count on
getting multiple turnovers. If you do, that's great, and then,
like I have a lot more faith that this team
can keep going. But you can't rely on those things either.
Like I said, it is stressful watching Kaleb Williams play football,
but it's stressful watching the entire team. This entire team
play football. So do they have what it takes? Absolutely
they do. But do I trust that they can put

(53:06):
it all together consistently enough to get there?

Speaker 8 (53:08):
No?

Speaker 1 (53:08):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (53:11):
What's the weather looking like it's sub twenty right, yeah.

Speaker 1 (53:14):
It's it's I think it's seventeen right now, but tomorrow,
right I can tell you right now because it's on
my phone. All right, it's eighteen right now. It feels
like four. Tomorrow is going.

Speaker 3 (53:28):
To be silly, Just say it's four.

Speaker 1 (53:30):
Tomorrow is going to be a high of eighteen, so
we'll probably feel like single digits again. But I mean
that's what happens when you play outdoors in January. Okay,
I'm gonna I'm gonna be wearing like my bass layers
and everything. Like, I'm not probably gonna take an outfit
pick tomorrow because it's not gonna be cute, It's gonna

(53:51):
be functional.

Speaker 3 (53:52):
Do it anyway. Okay, we're talking about defense.

Speaker 2 (53:54):
Let's get to this final divisional game, Texans at Patriots.
This is going to be a defensive slugfest here because
Texans have one of the best defenses in the league,
first in yards allowed for a second end points allowed.
Patriots also have a solid defense, eighth in yards allowed,
fourth in points allowed. Also like a good interesting quarterback matchup.
Couple of young qbs.

Speaker 3 (54:15):
CJ.

Speaker 2 (54:16):
Stroud having kind of a bounce back third season. He's
looking closer to how he did his rookie season. Drake
May obviously in the MVP conversation. In his second season,
he won in his debut playoff game.

Speaker 8 (54:30):
It just.

Speaker 2 (54:35):
Can they get past each other's defenses because these are
such strong.

Speaker 3 (54:41):
Sex strong, such strong lines, Carmen.

Speaker 1 (54:44):
I mean the Patriots is getting there like they like
towards the back half the season into the postseason. I
think we've seen a lot of improvement from the Patriots
defense in particular. And of course, right you have Mike
Frabele as the head coach. Yeah, you knew that he
was going to be able to turn defense around and
turn them around fast. Oh my gosh. I think speaking
of defense, I think the Broncos might have just recovered.

Speaker 3 (55:05):
Did they cook? I think they just recovered yep, knocked
it out of his hands, and just as.

Speaker 1 (55:10):
Josh scrambled up and gotten into.

Speaker 3 (55:16):
There you go defense. Defense.

Speaker 1 (55:18):
I was gonna say. But that being said, the Patriots
defense might be top ten at this point, the Houston
Texans defense is the best defense in the league. They
are and I'm borrowing this phrase from my fiance show,
The Athletic Football Show. We'll talk to him in a
little bit. Yeah, they are a defensive unit full of
goblins and at every single level too. You have the

(55:40):
best pass rushing tandem, and Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter
on each side of that defensive line. You've got some
great guys eating up space and the interior there. But
then you have guys like Derek Stingley in that second
Derek Muri Lassiter. There are so many guys that we
don't even like. You don't even get to talk about
all of them, even if you're doing a deep dive
in you this game, because they are that good and

(56:02):
that solid on all three levels. So that being said,
I mean Drake May was my MVP. Like, if I
had an MVP vote vote, it would go to Drake May.
It would go to Drake May over Matthew Stafford for
one reason in that their numbers were very similar. But
Drake faced a lot more pressure than Matthew Stafford did,
and I think that's very impressive. Okay, but that being said,

(56:24):
he has not like this defense is going to turn
it up even another notch. Yeah, when you talk about
regular season versus postseason, and I am legitimately concerned for
Drake May in this game against this defense. So I
also think that CJ. Stroud's I dogged a lot on

(56:45):
their offensive line because coming into the season they didn't
even know who was starting along that offensive line. They
had trade away Laramie Tunsul. You were like, what are
your what's your plan here? And honestly, I think the
guards that like, I don't they're their center is not
my favorite. But the guards, when you're talking about ed
ingram Ezra Cleveland, have done a tremendous job in keeping

(57:07):
the interior of that pocket steady.

Speaker 4 (57:09):
For c J.

Speaker 1 (57:10):
Stroud, I think c J. Stroud is still a little
got a little PTSD from last year because he gets
a little hyper in the pocket. He gets he does
a little dance and he's a little antsy in there
and his footwork kind of gets off. But if he
can trust his protection, I trust the Houston Texans offense,
even with the Nico Collins injury, to put up some
more points, but especially enough points for how little this like,

(57:36):
how much this defense is going to limit what the
Patriots can do offensively.

Speaker 2 (57:41):
It's gonna be a defensive slugfest. We're gonna have our
game picks at the end of the show here, but
we're gonna take a quick break here.

Speaker 3 (57:48):
When we come back. We've got a couple of first
happening in the Natty. That's next. You're listening to Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (57:54):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Carmen Vitally. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon
with us. Now, we obviously have the bills of Broncos
game on KARMI. I don't know if you're a fan
of Survivor. I didn't realize they're on season fifty. How
many shows have fifty seasons?

Speaker 1 (58:13):
What didn't it revolutionized? Like what Reality TV was or
what like Contest eight ten, like they were the first
ones to do.

Speaker 3 (58:21):
It's insane, so many three seasons.

Speaker 1 (58:23):
I know, but it works. It's a timeless model.

Speaker 3 (58:27):
Yeah it get it, I get it. That's insane.

Speaker 2 (58:30):
All right, you guys, College Football Championship game on Monday,
making of Survivors.

Speaker 1 (58:35):
How many people are still like alive and their Survivor
pools and good college foot ball?

Speaker 10 (58:40):
Wow?

Speaker 1 (58:41):
This who could have predicted? Nodiana and Miami? Miami?

Speaker 2 (58:46):
Who like squeaked the I mean, the last time these
two teams face was nineteen sixty six. Like, let's just
let's get into this right. Indiana is an eight and
a half point favorite. I think still both these head
coaches came from the Nick Saban coaching tree. But this
is the first time in school history that Indiana will
be playing for a national title in just two seasons.

(59:09):
Chris Signetti turned this program around. They'd only want three
Bowl games in their history. They've already went to this season.
Like when you really look at everything that he has
done with this team, they have the Heisman Trophy winner,
the number one player in everyone's hearts for nating Mendoza,
Like is he going to be a Vegas.

Speaker 3 (59:28):
Raider next season? By the way, do we think that's
gonna happen?

Speaker 1 (59:30):
Like, I mean, if I'm John Spytech, I'm taking a
long look. And honestly I heard the I forgot who
reported this. It was either Schefter or Rappaport, but that
some like they're going to the Raiders are going to
conduct some of their head coaching interviews even in Miami
because that is where Tom Brady lives, and it is

(59:51):
also around the Nashal, Like there's a lot of people
that are in talent for the National Championship and is
not the other so it's not hard to connect those dogs.

Speaker 6 (59:59):
No.

Speaker 3 (59:59):
Also, his personality though with Raiders fans is just so
hilarious to me.

Speaker 1 (01:00:05):
It is there's been so many memes, like you know,
Ned Flanders going to like like just it's all the
memes have been phenomenal of like what Fernando Mendoza in
Las Vegas would be like. But you honestly want to say,
me and a guy like that's not like right, Like

(01:00:25):
you're not. You don't have to worry about him out
at the club until four in the mornings.

Speaker 2 (01:00:30):
You don't how gnarly they are, the fandom and him
just like hello everybody.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
It's just he's the sweetest, cutest, obsessed, sweet baby.

Speaker 3 (01:00:41):
I'm obsessed.

Speaker 1 (01:00:42):
I do have to Okay, so I have I have
a personal connection to Indiana and that one of my
best friends from college. Actually I worked with him in
the sports information office sun Double Media Relations at Arizona State.
His name's Matt Wilson, and he is the general manager
of Indiana. He is the gem of that program. And
when you talk about how Indiana was built and how

(01:01:03):
they turned this around in two years under Kurt, a
lot of it has to do with enticing guys to
come in the transfer portal, getting guys that are a
little bit more experienced. This is not, you know, necessarily
the youngest team, but this is a team that was
very able to very much recruit and recruit very well.

(01:01:25):
And that responsibility, yes, it falls on the head coach.
It falls a lot on this GM position that exists
now in college. It's not just you know, the director
or player personnel or whatever. They are essentially in the
NIL era and the transfer portal era functioning as gms
of college programs. So shout out to Matt Wilson because
he's done a phenomenal job. This program has done a

(01:01:47):
phenomenal job, and they are taking them to I mean,
you should hear all the Indiana fans here in Chicago
that are just like, we're a football school now, and
they are. They are a football school now, and they
got the memo from the very beginning of like we
are going to have to The reason that Kurt Signetti
runs up the score is essentially because he knew he

(01:02:08):
was going to have to, because he has to fight
against this narrative that Indiana is not a football school.
They are now, and they are capable of scoring so
many points. It's going to be a tall task for
this Miami defense.

Speaker 3 (01:02:22):
Like that quote I win google me is just like
s and that was early.

Speaker 12 (01:02:27):
That was early.

Speaker 3 (01:02:28):
That was his first ye chef's kiss.

Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
I mean, so when you look at the other side, though,
Miami playing at home first time, a team is playing
for a Natty in their home stadium. Miami hasn't won
a Natti sentence two thousand and one, but is it.
I don't know if they're gonna have enough to slow
down this Indian offense and this Indiana team.

Speaker 1 (01:02:49):
And they're a season team too. That's the thing is
like Indiana. If you look at you know, Ohio State
one last year, like the Big Ten and Big Ten football,
it was Ohio State last year, Michigan the year before this,
the Big Ten. I'm not going to say that the
New SEC because I'm going to get in so much
trouble for that, even here at home.

Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
But you want is saying that, So it's not but Indiana.

Speaker 1 (01:03:12):
It's not as if Indiana is coming out of a
conference where they weren't facing any sort of you know,
heavyweights or or having to face any sort of adversity.
I mean, the Big Ten has eighteen teams now, for
christ sake.

Speaker 3 (01:03:23):
Like they opened their door when like all the like
all the conference kids, Big.

Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
Ten Classic between Indiana and Oregon, come on in, Big
Ten Classic.

Speaker 3 (01:03:35):
Yes we've got c for you in the back, come
on in.

Speaker 1 (01:03:37):
But my point is that that they have had a
very hard schedule to get here, whereas maybe that first year,
last year, you could have said, well, did they really
beat you know, any of these contenders, any of these heavyweights,
and the answer was was honestly no. Now that is
not the case. And not only did Indiana beat them,
they whooped them.

Speaker 3 (01:03:53):
Oh yeah, and they have Funa.

Speaker 5 (01:03:55):
No.

Speaker 3 (01:03:57):
I'm so excited. It's going to be a fun one.

Speaker 5 (01:04:00):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:04:00):
I's checking with Martin Wise and see what's trending.

Speaker 7 (01:04:03):
You know another reason why the sec is are the
Big ten's not the SEC. If Indiana wins, this will
be like when the SEC was dominant it was saving Yeah.
And then like Savan's assistance that they went to other schools, right,
like Georgia, Like yeah, Kurt Signetti and you know the
different Brian Day and Jim Harborough obviously from three different,

(01:04:24):
wildly different trees, right.

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
You know what I'm saying, it's not wildly different experiences,
wildly different coaching jobs leading up to that.

Speaker 4 (01:04:32):
Exactly.

Speaker 7 (01:04:33):
Josh Allen slow to get up, but it looks like
he'll be okay here with about six minutes in the
second quarter.

Speaker 4 (01:04:38):
He's been slow to get up a lot.

Speaker 1 (01:04:40):
I'm not I'm not worried about it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:43):
You know, he's up nothing to.

Speaker 7 (01:04:45):
Be, nothing to fear except for the loss of eight
yards on that play. So second and seventeen as they
run a tunnel screen to Khalil Shakir, Buffalos got the
ball in about their own thirty yard line.

Speaker 4 (01:04:57):
They trailed Denver ten to seven.

Speaker 7 (01:04:59):
Josh All seven for eight for sixty six yards and
a touchdown.

Speaker 4 (01:05:03):
That touchdown is to McCole Hardman.

Speaker 7 (01:05:06):
The actually ran the same player as mcclarmond scored a
touchdown the Super Bowl on that just goes to show
you McCole Harmon was on the practice squad not too
long ago catching the first touchdown of the game in
the Division round.

Speaker 4 (01:05:16):
For the Bills Denver.

Speaker 7 (01:05:18):
The way they've been moving the ball bow nixt seven
for thirteen started out five for five, so little let's
skittish down the After that, we have seventy six yards
and a touchdown pass to Frank Crump. That's right, so
number seventy three, just like everybody drew it up a
big man touchdown as the sixth offensive lineman came in
the game for Denver and scored the touchdown. Denver also

(01:05:39):
adding a field goal to that and a first down
here for Buffalo Brandon Cooks first and ten, second quarter,
four thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:05:45):
Left in the first half. There the ladies. You know
I've taken up enough.

Speaker 3 (01:05:50):
Of your time back to thank you Martin.

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
You're listening to Fox Football Saturday and Alex Curry here
with Carmen Vitali.

Speaker 3 (01:05:55):
It is time for our next guest. You know him,
you love him.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
He's the co host of the Athletic Football Show. Tell
them thank you for joining the show.

Speaker 13 (01:06:02):
That's great to be here, y'all. What's going on?

Speaker 2 (01:06:04):
Oh so much, so much? And I know you're excited
for this weekend too. Just flat out, which game are
you expecting to be the most wild? And you can
take wild in any direction game this weekend?

Speaker 13 (01:06:16):
And why I mean wild?

Speaker 12 (01:06:18):
We're probably talking about Bears Rams. I really think, you know,
I think all four of these games have different selling points.
Broncos Bills is already off to a great start. I
think Patriots Texans is going to be a phenomenal chess
match between who I think is going to win the
MVP and the best defense in the league. But if
we're talking about wild, I mean I'm expecting I'm expecting

(01:06:41):
fifty five sixty plus points scored between the Bears and
the Rams. I don't think either one of those teams
can really stop each other. Yeah, it might be another
first to thirty five wins sort of deal. And man,
I can't wait for that tomorrow night.

Speaker 1 (01:06:55):
All right? Sticking with that game though, A lot has
been made obviously about the weather and how cold it's
going to be, and obviously that's nothing new for Chicago.
But Dave, I'm curious as to your that's just the
way you're thinking about it, because you are a transplant
to Chicago. For those that don't know, Davis from New Orleans,
lived in Texas, lived in LA never went through a

(01:07:15):
real winter until I moved him up here to Chicago.
But you keep you've come full Midwestern man, where you're like,
if you take the right precautions, it's really not that
big of a deal. So do you think that there
are just precautions that perhaps Matt Stafford and the Rams
can take to make this a non factor.

Speaker 13 (01:07:36):
Listen, I need to be clear.

Speaker 12 (01:07:38):
I don't have to play football in this weather, So
I don't you know, I'm not going to get hit
sixty five times tomorrow and have to line up and
get this. Snot knocked out of me every single time
I line.

Speaker 13 (01:07:48):
Up on the ball, So I'm sure that's going to suck.

Speaker 12 (01:07:51):
But I really do think in this modern in this
modern day of football, where players change teams every other year,
and half of these guys played at places like Ohio
State and Michigan. I mean, I know that Detroit Lions
have a dome, but Matthew Stafford spent plenty of time
living in the Midwest, playing at places like lambeau Field

(01:08:12):
and Soldier Field.

Speaker 13 (01:08:14):
I really think the whole thing's overblown.

Speaker 12 (01:08:16):
I think if you have the right gear on, if
you put some if you put some hand warmers in
the little pouch on the front of your.

Speaker 13 (01:08:22):
Jersey, I think it's going to be okay.

Speaker 12 (01:08:25):
I think the conditions might make it a little harder
to play football, especially a team that likes to wing
the ball around the way the Rams do. Maybe we
see fewer explosive passes, Maybe it's a little harder to
get those those big chunk games. But I really think
the coldness in a playoff game is overblown. Like if
it was Friday night in the middle of the season,

(01:08:46):
then you'd rather be somewhere else. That's one thing, but
you're going to get up for a divisional round playoff
game no matter what.

Speaker 13 (01:08:52):
The temperature says.

Speaker 2 (01:08:54):
Now, the Bears have been the comeback Kings. We're saying
on this game all season. The craziest one, I think
was against the Packers. But then you have a Rams
team that also you can't count out in the fourth
quarter and are very experienced in the playoff. Super Bowl
winning quarterback coach Duo. Do you think the Bears have
enough to pull off an upset if they do.

Speaker 10 (01:09:17):
So?

Speaker 12 (01:09:18):
I picked the Rams to win, but I absolutely think
the Bears have enough. I mean, this Bears offense is phenomenal.
They run the ball fantastically. DeAndre Swift and Kyle Ma
Nungai have been an incredible one to two punch. I mean,
I don't need to tell anybody about what Caleb Williams
and these receivers been able to piece together.

Speaker 13 (01:09:37):
Particularly in the back half of the year.

Speaker 12 (01:09:39):
And the other part of that Alex very quietly, I
know they have a lot of good players, but the
Rams defense has been bad for a minute now. They
are tied for the second most explosive pass plays given
up over the last eight weeks of the season. They
are gettable. Their cornerbacks I think are a mismatch in
this game, and Lake, their star safety, is just coming

(01:10:02):
back from an injuries he struggled against the Panthers last week. So,
like I said, I think this is going to be
the wildest game because I don't really think either of
these defenses is equipped to consistently get stops and so
maybe it's a little bit lower scoring because it's going
to be pulled as hell, But I really think the
winner of this game is going to need twenty eight
points at minimum, maybe more than that.

Speaker 1 (01:10:24):
Yeah, I you know, I think the Panthers kind of
exposed a lot when you talk about the Rams having
to come back against them and then those outside corners
in particular. But I want to get to what we're
watching right now. I assume that you're watching Bills Broncos.
I'm very curious. We had a big man touchdown. It

(01:10:47):
seems like this is going to have to be a
high scoring game, which I have to admit, it's not
something that I went into this thinking that was going
to be the case. I thought this was going to
be very much a defensive kind of slugfest. What's it
going to take for the Bills to finally pull this
off against the Broncos defensive You.

Speaker 13 (01:11:03):
Know, well, the biggest thing for the Bills.

Speaker 12 (01:11:06):
I came into this game the big gex factor and
this is football one on one, but I just really
wasn't sure who was going to run the ball better
in this matchup.

Speaker 13 (01:11:14):
The Bills are so good.

Speaker 12 (01:11:15):
On the ground, but they struggled last week against Jacksonville. Well,
they are off to an incredibly hot start. James Cook
already has more rushing yards in the first half than
he had all week last week against Jacksonville. Unfortunately, get
a really costly fumble that if the Bills lose this game,
I think you're looking back at that and saying, man,
Buffalo was driving to go up fourteen to three, and

(01:11:38):
all of a sudden they're that scramble.

Speaker 13 (01:11:41):
Yeah. So, I mean the Bills are already in a
better spot than I thought they'd be. So I mean,
if they can keep that up.

Speaker 12 (01:11:49):
And I stepped away from the TV to take your call,
but keep running them.

Speaker 13 (01:11:54):
Okay, it's ten ten. They keep running the ball the
way that they have been in the first half.

Speaker 12 (01:11:59):
The like their of bleeding the game out and being
able to keep control of the ball. Although I will
say in this early going, I've been pretty impressed with Boenix, Like,
for such a big moment like this, his first home
playoff game, he's already made two or three really nice throws,
And so, yeah, I think you're right, Carmon. I think
it probably winds up being a little more high scoring

(01:12:21):
than a lot of people anticipated. But I like the
Bills odds of getting this done a lot more if they.

Speaker 13 (01:12:27):
Can keep running the ball like this.

Speaker 2 (01:12:29):
Okay, let's get to tonight's game, a revenge game for
the forty nine ers against a questionable Sam Donald who
hasn't thrown the balls. Has he heard his oblique on Thursday?
What are you expecting tonight?

Speaker 12 (01:12:41):
I mean, everything I was expecting kind of went out
the window when I heard that Sam Donald was throwing
the football on that deal. You know, he said on
Thursday that he was going to play and it wasn't
a big deal, and I'm sure.

Speaker 13 (01:12:53):
He will try.

Speaker 12 (01:12:54):
But when you tell me oblique that he injured his oblique, yeah,
which is a part of your throat motion. And then
he hasn't thrown a football since the injury, and it's.

Speaker 13 (01:13:03):
Been two days. I don't love that.

Speaker 8 (01:13:05):
No.

Speaker 12 (01:13:06):
Having said that, I mean, the best unit in this
entire matchup is the Seattle defense. It might be the
best unit in the entire league. And the forty nine
ers they have bought so valiantly. Kyle Shanahan's my coach
of the year for what he's done despite these injuries.
But you lose George Hittle last week in the first half,
You're already depleted everywhere else. I mean, this defense is

(01:13:28):
patched together with Gumman duct tape, and so I mean,
I won't be surprised if this bears out a lot
like the Week eighteen game. Maybe San Francisco more scores
more than three points this time around. But at Seattle defense,
I mean, it looks like Seattle plays with thirteen players
when they're on defense. They just have so many, so

(01:13:49):
many hosses that can get after you. And I think
they're going to squeeze a life out of San Francisco.
Maybe the nine, like I said, maybe the Niners score
a little bit more, but I see this being like
a twenty to ten sort of Seahawks victory.

Speaker 1 (01:14:03):
Yeah, I've I've been I've been stealing your phrase about
another defense by the way, from the Athletic Football Show
in that Houston Houston Texans defense is just full of
goblins on every single level.

Speaker 3 (01:14:15):
It's a great take, Dave, great tap, and that to
me is I like, those.

Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
Are the teams that I trust the most. Though when
it comes to playoff time? Is how solid is your defense?
And so do the Patriots have a shot here? Or
is are Will Anderson and Daniel Hunter just gonna smother
poor baby? Drake Drake May, Drake Drake Drake made May.

Speaker 12 (01:14:39):
It's a mouthful of a nickname, isn't it. Drake Drake
May May.

Speaker 9 (01:14:42):
Yeah.

Speaker 13 (01:14:43):
Man, I said that Ram Bears might be.

Speaker 12 (01:14:46):
The wildest game. Patriots Texans is the one that I'm
looking forward to the most. I think it is the
most intriguing matchup. If Seattle doesn't have the best defense
in the league, minnis Houston and I mean, my god,
do those guys get after you. Having said that, I
think we've entered it sounds weird to say about the
number two seed in the AFC, and you know, Drake
May is probably going to win the MVP. I feel

(01:15:08):
like the Patriots have become underrated, Like I feel like
people are talking about the Patriots like it's Drake May
and twenty one bumps, and.

Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
We saw the NFL Live segment they all.

Speaker 12 (01:15:18):
Bets, Yeah, exactly, And we had an argument about it
on our podcast where I looked at my co host
and I said, Okay, would you rather have the team
with an A plus defense and a D offense or
would you rather take the team that is two solid
bs across the board? Because I mean, the Texans offense
is a mess even when Nico Collins is healthy, and

(01:15:40):
now it looks like he's going to miss this game
with a concussion. I just I don't trust the Texans
to move the ball at all, and so I think
the Texans defense is the best unit in this game.
I think the Patriots are a more complete and well
rounded team. So watching Drake May navigate this is going
to be so much fun. But ultimately, ultimately I expect

(01:16:01):
them to win because across the board, I think they
are the better football team, even if it's Texans defensive.

Speaker 3 (01:16:07):
Wow, this it's fun.

Speaker 6 (01:16:09):
Dave.

Speaker 2 (01:16:09):
Thank you so much for coming on. We love you,
We appreciate you. Have a great time watching all these games.

Speaker 13 (01:16:16):
Anytime. I'll have a good weekend, all right.

Speaker 3 (01:16:19):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:16:19):
We're gonna take more break here when we come back,
we got our game picks. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. Am Alex Curry here
with Carmen Vitally, and it is time for our playoff
weekend picks.

Speaker 3 (01:16:33):
KARMI you ready for this?

Speaker 1 (01:16:35):
Yeah? I think I am. And if you missed any
of it today's show, you'll want to catch our podcast.
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcast
right after the show. Today's podcast we'll be posted thanks
to our wonderful producers, so be sure to follow it.
Rate it five stars. You can even provide a review festa.
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcast,
and you'll find today's full show posted right after we
get off the air.

Speaker 3 (01:16:56):
All right, Producer Bo lead us through this. That's right.

Speaker 11 (01:17:00):
Later tonight, the San Francisco forty nine ers head to
Seattle to take on the Seahawks, who are a seven
point favorite. Sam Donald reportedly dealing with an obeague injury,
but the line has not moved, so I think you
can take that as you will.

Speaker 3 (01:17:14):
I just that's still wild to me. Like, okay, so
this is a revenge game.

Speaker 2 (01:17:18):
Obviously, Seahawks beat the forty nine Ers two weeks ago
for that one seed. Forty nine Ers are hurt, but hungry.
Rock Party has never lost a game in Seattle. And
the fact that Sam Donald hasn't throw a football since
Thursday and is dealing with an obeaque injury.

Speaker 3 (01:17:36):
I think an O week injury is a.

Speaker 2 (01:17:37):
Bigger deal than what everyone's kind of leading it on
to be. I'm gonna go with an upset here and
I'm gonna take the forty nine ers.

Speaker 1 (01:17:46):
Ah wow. Yeah on Seahawks. They've got a phenomenal defense
and hits that home and in front of that crowd.
And it's the playoffs, like revenge goes out the window,
Like Rock Party never win against Seattle. It all goes
out the windows. Visual round of the playoffs. This is
a chance to go to the conference championship. I'm going to.

Speaker 11 (01:18:05):
Seahawks Tomorrow afternoon. The Houston Texans and their malicious defense
head to New England to take on Drake May and
the Patriots. That's a good word too, I know they
really there's so much fun. There's so much fun the Patriots.
The Patriots a three point home favorite in this one.

Speaker 1 (01:18:22):
Yeah, I don't know. I was kind of going into
this second yeah, Texans, Texans, and I don't know, Dan
might have swayed me a little bit of thought. And
again it is in New England. It's just it's so
hard to bet against that Texans defense though. But I
you know what, I've loved Drake May for a very
long time. So I'm going, I'm going. I'm going sweet
Baby Drake and the Patriots. I think Dave convinced me.

Speaker 2 (01:18:45):
Wow, Okay, I picked the Patriots last night. Drake may
MVP season continues, obviously not going to be easy against
the top defense, but ce J also didn't look great
in his last when I think Mike Brable capitalizes.

Speaker 3 (01:19:02):
On that, and it's just, yeah, another tough one.

Speaker 2 (01:19:08):
These were my two toughies, the Texans and Patriots and
forty nine or Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (01:19:13):
But I think the Patriots are going to pull through
all right.

Speaker 11 (01:19:16):
Tomorrow night, the one that everybody wants to watch, a
very fun game on deck. The Rams four and a
half point road favorites in Chicago against the Bears.

Speaker 3 (01:19:26):
I'm going with experience here.

Speaker 2 (01:19:28):
Matthew Stafford is having an MVP season minus a couple games.
I think his playoff experience comes into play tomorrow. The
Bears have had some insane comebacks. I don't think it's
going to happen against Sean McVay.

Speaker 1 (01:19:43):
Listen, I said on top of the show, I'm with you,
I'm picking the Rams tomorrow. I think the Bears have
a ton of young talent. I think that Caleb Williams
hasn't even scratched the service of his ceiling. I can't
wait to see what Ben Johnson continues to do with
this team. But I just don't know that they're built
to withstand what the postseason real is because I've watched
these games, Alexi, Yeah, they're stressful. I can't trust it.

(01:20:05):
Will I be surprised if it happens. No, but I
can't bring myself to trust the Chicago Bears Rams.

Speaker 3 (01:20:11):
It is fair, all right.

Speaker 11 (01:20:12):
Miami versus Indiana on Monday in the CFP Final. Indiana
an eight and a half point favorite.

Speaker 3 (01:20:17):
Hoooo for Nana Mendoza. I think he's an incredible human.

Speaker 2 (01:20:21):
I think he's going to close out a legendary season
and bring Indiana their first Natty in school history.

Speaker 1 (01:20:26):
Hoooo, We're both there.

Speaker 5 (01:20:30):
I love that.

Speaker 2 (01:20:30):
Thank you so much for spending your Saturday afternoon with us.
We'll see you next week, same time, same plays by
Krmi

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