Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Hey, welcome to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Martin Wise, who's in for Carmen today. Thank you
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Speaker 2 (00:46):
Now, I want to give start out the show by
giving a big shout out to all of our LA
Sports figures and all of our LA Sports teams for
really stepping up and helping all of those affected right
now by these LA fires. Clipper's owner Steve Balmer donated
fifteen million dollars you guys to those affected by the
Eaton Finer. He's also hosting fire ad this insane concert
(01:08):
that's coming up at the end of the month, Into
It Dome Show. Hey O Tani donated five hundred thousand dollars.
Freddy Freeman donated three hundred thousand dollars to both fire
relief funds. Also, all the OLI Sports teams came together
to donate eight million dollars to the Red Cross, LAFD
Foundation and World Central Kitchen. And yesterday all the LI
Sports teams held a huge donation drive for all those
(01:29):
affected to just come and show up to the stadiums
and pick up anything that they needed supplies wise, in
a week of just it's hard to fully describe if
you're not really here in LA, but this week of
absolute heartbreak and devastation throughout LA, it's really made me
smile to see our community come together and step up
(01:50):
and help everybody.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
Cause it's been weird.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
I'm not gonna lie, it's been weird to talk about
sports when like all this crazy stuff is going on.
It really kind of puts life.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
It does.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
It does, and you know, obviously you know everybody likes
to think first first responders and obviously, oh yeah they
go without that goes with us saying, but also to like, like,
I don't know the best way to put up like
second responders, because this is going to like while the
imminent danger may have passed for this exact moment right
for or who knows, it could be a fire starting
in at ten minutes. But you know, while that necessarily
(02:23):
there's a lot of things that are going to have
to occur for life to go back to what normal
is here. So everybody who's like involved in you know,
housing people buildings or providing those resources to be donated
local newscasts, you know, you guys going out there and covering,
you know, providing information at a time like this, you know,
when when there's so few places to get information, and
(02:44):
you know, when you're looking at something like the nation.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
And everything, it's just it's crazy because it's literally just starting.
You guys, like no one's going to be able to
rebuild for a while. We're we're looking at like the
trickle down effect of yeah, it's going to be so
much people not only lost their homes, but their businesses
and livelihood absolutely everything that they own, so a huge
shout out. I'm also rocking Homage homagees T shirt they
(03:06):
made City of Angels where one hundred percent of the
proceeds are going to be donated to fire relief efforts.
So we also saw the La Strong shirts that all
the sports teams teamed up with fanatics to make.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
All those proceeds are going towards it.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
So any little bit helps, whether it's your time volunteering, donating.
I just I love seeing everybody come together. That's the
smile in the midst of all this crazy. But you guys,
we have a great show for you today. We have
Bill's reporter Matty Glab joining us in thirty minutes for
what I think is the game of the weekend.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
She's going to give us a whole breakdown there.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
My co host and and afon Fox rider Carmen Vitali
will be joining us in hour two. We have executive
producer Patrick with us today technical producer Chris Perfett, who's
already rocking it because we had a little bit of
a fire drill right before we came on air. You guys,
my my audio went out. My mic broke on the
new spot, so twice yeah. This was like thirty seconds
(04:01):
before we went live, and it's like, well, okay, am
I gonna have to hold my mic? Maybe that's fine.
That's what I do half the time anyway. So yeah,
here we go.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Happy Divisional Round weekend, you guys.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
And then there were eight and we're gonna go through
the matchups today, starting with the AFC because we got
the Texans at the Chiefs game, which is starting.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
In about nine minutes. Do I have it on? Is
it on one of my main TVs in front of me?
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Can you?
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (04:26):
Put that? Put that up here, because you guys, this
is the first time we're seeing Patrick Mahomes play since Christmas.
He also had a baby during those three weeks, Golden
Ray Mahomes, born on January twelfth. Congratulations. Also shout out
to his wife, he said, for letting him watch games
while she was in labor. That's a real one right there.
But the Chiefs, you guys, they're rested, like all of
(04:49):
their starters rested in week eighteen, so most of them
haven't played since Christmas. But most importantly, they are healthy
and that could be the best thing that happened to
this team because there's zero concern if they're going to
be ready. We're talking about Mahomes and Andy Reid here.
They've been here more than any other coach quarterback duo
in the league right now. Andy Reid is incredible coming
(05:12):
off of buye is regular season record after a bye
is twenty two to four, and they've had the first
round by now in five seasons together.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
This is the fifth and.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
They've won in the Divisional round the last four times.
Like this is our new dynasty. They've won three super
Bowls in five years. They're looking for a three peat,
which is the first. This would be the first time
it's ever happened in the Super Bowl era. And they
face the Texans in Week sixteen jeez one, twenty seven nineteen.
Like good game for both the guys. Mahomes had two touchdowns,
(05:44):
o interceptions.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
C J.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Stroud two touchdowns, two interceptions.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
But the thing that the Texans here, I mean, yes,
they're coming off a proper beatdown of the Chargers last week,
but they also kind of back their way into the postseason,
losing two of their last three games, and that was
to Kansas City and to Baltimore, two of the top
teams that are gonna have to go through if they
want to move on. Sure, and they're going into Arrowhead
(06:09):
where mahomes playoff recgrand at home.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Is ten and two.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Those two losses, one was in the AFC Championship to
Tom Brady and the other was in the AFC Championship
to Joe Burrow. So it takes a top tier quarterback
to be able to take on Mahomes and take him
out of the playoffs. And c J Strown he's good, right,
There's there's a lot of potential, but there was a
little bit of a sophomore slump that we saw. And
(06:34):
don't forget Travis Kelcey always seems to show up in
the postseason. He has at least seventy receiving yards in
thirteen straight playoff games. That's the longest streak in NFL history.
And Mahomes and Kelsey have the most touchdowns than any
duo in NFL playoff history of seventy plus. He's got
a secret up in there. Taylor Swift's at the game.
Speaker 5 (06:53):
I don't know how much of a secret it is.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Hey, it's gonna hate I don't know if it's because
I think I'll probably see your after every after every game.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
It'll be broadcasting. Yeah, I mean everything just let out
is is correct. Obviously.
Speaker 5 (07:10):
The concern that I have with Kansas City is one.
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Now, let me start out, They're gonna win this game,
so it's marginal level of concern. But you know we're
talking about Kansas City. We're not talking about just winning
this game. We're talking about can they win the entire thing?
Speaker 5 (07:24):
Right?
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:25):
And I know that we've in the years past has
felt like they've flipped a switch in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (07:29):
Well, you know, I'm just gonna have to see it.
I've seen they've done in the last years.
Speaker 7 (07:35):
Are you are you a hater?
Speaker 6 (07:36):
No?
Speaker 4 (07:37):
I think Kansas is gonna win this game. I'm picking
Kansas City to win, but I am picking Houston to cover.
I think it'll be a close game. I think Kansas
City should win. They will win. I do want to
see if they're gonna be able to because the flip
that we've seen them switch and the other two postseasons
last two years, well, the first Super Bowl year, they
didn't really have to flip a switch.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
They're kind of the all year offense going crazy.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
But the Swiftland flipped from in this most recent the
most recent Super Bowl run. Offensively, they just were able
to move the ball felling more effectively as in the postseason. Yeah,
I'm gonna need to see that here.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
Now. I'm not saying it won't happen.
Speaker 4 (08:14):
I just got to see it first because the seventeen
games I watched the Kansas City of this season, yeah,
I didn't see that. Now, seventeen games watched Kansas City
last season, didn't see it in the same way saw
it in the postseason.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
I just gotta see it again.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Well, it's because Andy Reid has a completely different game
plan come playoffs. Like, that's the craziest thing aunt Patrick Mahomes.
He's talked about it before. He's like, I prefer not
to run, but I will when I need to. And
we see him run so much more once again. Once
the postseason happens. Travis Kelse steps up in his numbers,
go through the roof once they hit the postseason. It's
(08:46):
just something about this Chiefs team. They're built for the postseason.
And until someone can knock down Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid,
I just I cannot bet against them.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
I made that mistake last year.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
I thought it was finally going to be Lamar Josh
Allen's year or two well to be thrown Mahomie and
they couldn't do it.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
When I say bet again something, I mean Texans plus
eight and a half, I think they keep it close,
ye moves by less than a touchdown or you know,
right around there. But I think we're looking like if
you look at the way this entire NFL, to me,
it seems like there's a like very much like American society,
the upper class in the lower class is spreading and
(09:30):
the middle class is shrinking, right Like, yeah, there's more
and more rich people, and there's more and more, but
there's more like if you have a top tier quarterback
in the upper class, like you look at like the Lions,
the Chiefs, Ravens exactly Bills and if you don't, you're
starting Mac Jones seven games of the year, then like
you have no shot at all. I think there's two
(09:52):
teams to me that fall squarely in the NFL's middle class.
That's the Green Bay Packers and the Houston Texans. Interesting
when I look at them, I don't like they are
not like those are the teams that I feel like
they're not as good as the top teams.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
They're definitely not bad, but they can.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Compete and they've got talent at the quarterback position. But
there's still a lot of development that needs to be
done with those guys. But we've seen glimmers of greatness.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
They have the opportunity for upward mobility. Yeah, I see it.
I just don't see it happening today.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Okay, Yeah, I And if like that would one of
the that would be one of the biggest upsets I
think we've seen in the playoffs in the last five years,
if that were to happen, sure since Mahomei's been in
the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah, in the playoffs, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
I mean it'd be it'd be somebody knocking off Brady.
Nick Fowles over Brady type thing.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Yeah, weird.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
Okay, But let's get to what I think is the
best matchup of the weekend.
Speaker 3 (10:52):
Ravens at Bills.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
This is a legacy game for both Josh Allen and
Lamar Jackson. Like both these guys are the top pick
for Envy. They've had incredible seasons, but for both of them,
they have yet to have that playoff success and that's
kind of the knock on both of their careers To
this point the games in Buffalo, but the Ravens are
one and a half point favorite right now, which I
(11:15):
think could actually help the Bills get in that little
bit of a b Yeah yeah, yeah, And they played
each other in Week four, but that was like right
around when the Ravens like turn their season around because
they had a little bit of a slow start and
went on that five game winning streak. But let's let
the stageure, right because they can both handle cold weather,
(11:35):
and it's going to be cold. Lamar's three and one
when it's thirty two degrees are below Allen Is twelve
and two when it's thirty two degrees in blow but obviously,
because most of those games are in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
That's going to be the coldest.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
They can both perform under pressure, and I think they
know they both understand what's at stake if they don't
win this game, Like whoever doesn't win this game is
going to get tracked unless we go to like an
ot buzzer beater kind of win lost scenario.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
They both need this win for their legacies.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think they both need to play well. Lamar Jackson
needs to win. If Lamar Jackson is about to be
if Lamar Jackson is about to win the third MVP,
of which the odds suggested in a way that is
primitive and it's predictive with the ap first team.
Speaker 5 (12:21):
It's the same thing, but you're the.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
Same people voting.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Yeah, that was kind of like a little like Okay,
it's like the CLU because a lot of.
Speaker 5 (12:27):
Time you can predict it out right.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
So so if Lamar Jackson's gonna win his third MVP
and he's gonna lose in the second playoff game, he
plays again, and it's like we say, it's the second
playoff game. But since they extended the playoffs with the
seventh seed, it's just been murder that first weekend. Like
the Steelers probably aren't a playoff team. It probably should
have been Ravens versus the Chargers type of deal, and like,
(12:52):
would you have loved to see that matchup because, like
you know, if I'm like, I am worried because I
think Lamar Jackson has a right now. Josh Allen to me,
does not have a Hall of Fame case. I'm not
saying he won't get there, but if you're retired tomorrow, he'd.
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Be in the Hall of Area.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
He doesn't he doesn't have the accolades exactly.
Speaker 4 (13:09):
But Lamar Jackson he's got if he stopped playing football tomorrow,
he's got a Hall of Fame case.
Speaker 5 (13:15):
But every detractor will sit up and say, what happened
in the playoffs?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
Yeah, and I'll be like, well, you know, but that
game with September was crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
Don't count man.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
It's like everything comes down to can you win in
the postseason?
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Right?
Speaker 2 (13:32):
And unfortunately for Lamar, he just it's it hasn't been
the same kind of player that we've seen during the
regular season, and now we're getting again. It's two guys
that are like the top choices for MVP Neck and
Neck all season, the two that I think are just
below Patrick Mahomes, the next two top tier quarterbacks in
(13:52):
the league. Is this gonna be fun? Like I hope
it's a shootout, It's gonna be freezing. I mean one
going for the Bills and hurt the Ravens. The Flowers
is doubtful. I mean, your update, guys, anybody.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
I will update you on that at the bottom of
the ave.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Okay, okay, we'll wait on that one.
Speaker 4 (14:10):
Thing interesting, you know, just keep an eye on this
because this is a big social media thing as well.
The entire panel of the pregame show picked the Chiefs
to win.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
Wait, okay, so we're going back.
Speaker 4 (14:23):
To so I'm just I'm just the chief Texans. The
entire panel, the game is about to start, the entire
panel walking out right now, pick the Chiefs to win.
So you know there's a million people in Houston who
just screenshot it. Yeah, And so I was like, if
in fact there's an upset, that's what we'll see going
back and look at all the experts, uh, to the
to the Bills and the Ravens, to your point about
(14:43):
these two guys legacy games.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
So on.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
Even with Zame Flowers missing the game, we're not missing.
The game is not going to have a big It's
not going to be a big referendum on this.
Speaker 2 (14:53):
No matter what happens, you're going to be exactly Yeah,
you got to it's gonna be a Derrick Henry.
Speaker 5 (14:57):
But if you're gonna lose in the player right here,
right now.
Speaker 4 (15:01):
Because I don't make the rules, I have worked in
TV long enough to know them. Though, if you're gonna
lose in the playoffs in the AFC, you need to
lose to Pat.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Yeah, you can't look like that's Josh because it's like nobody.
Speaker 4 (15:15):
Look, it's not like people hold it against guys like
you know, the Carl Malone's and so on, because they
couldn't beat Michael Jordan said.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Michael Jordan's great.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Sorry, sorry that you're living in the middle of the ninasty.
Speaker 4 (15:26):
Nobody could beat Michael Jordan's So it's like nobody's like, oh,
he couldn't get it done.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
He couldn't get it done. He couldn't get it done.
Speaker 4 (15:31):
He couldn't get because Jordan couldn't because it was just
Jordan always got it.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Just unfortunately living in the time of greatness.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
So right, what we're ending up here is, though, whoever
doesn't advance that this game is gonna be like.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Oh, can he even get to Pat? Yeah, that's it,
right bluff.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
They haven't and they haven't yet, so I mean that's
who I'm also excited to talk to Bill's reporter Matty
glab in about twenty minutes here, get her kind of
inside of the mood in Buffalo this whole week, eating
up tomorrow's game. But we're gonna take a quick break
here when we come back. Jerry's Cowboys are not in
the playoffs, but of course he is still making headlines.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
That's next on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (16:09):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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listen live.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Martin Wise and for Carmen. Today we are broadcasting
live from the Tire dot Com studios in Los Angeles.
Thank you for spending your Saturday after noon with us.
It's talk some football, you guys. We got Chief Texans
about to start, but we're not gonna talk about them
right now because once again Jerry Jones his Cowboys. They're
(16:46):
not in the playoffs, but he needs to be in
the spotlights somehow during the playoffs. Announcing Monday, just before
the Rams Vikings game that Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys
were parting ways. Now am I surprised? I mean, reportedly
McCarthy one of more years. Jerry wasn't willing to give
and they couldn't agree on the length of the contract.
(17:07):
And you know what, good for Mike McCarthy because you
do not see that often a coach.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Really kind of knowing is worth and knowing that he's.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Going to be picked up it like swooped up by
another team almost immediately kind of will probably have like
his choice of where he wants to land, like oh yeah,
thank you. Like he is one of the few Super
Bowl winning coaches still in the league, along with McVay, Peyton, Tomlin, Harbaugh.
And he's already like immediately interviewing teams. I think the
Bears reached out Wall like before this decision was made
(17:37):
and Jerry said no, and he's already gone in and
interviewed with them. But it's just it's Jerry's way of
doing things. He waits for the last minute. And it's
what we saw with Ceedee, Lamb and Dad getting their
contracts done like literally at the buzzer before the season started.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
And but this it kind of isn't though, because if
that's the case, then it would have been Mike cart
you would be the coach of the Cowboys on a
new like four and a half four year deal, making
him like up there with the guys, Like I feel
like maybe.
Speaker 2 (18:09):
With Jerry, he's gonna make him. It's gonna make him. Wait,
it's gonna do it right now.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
But think about it, he had to wait all year,
all year.
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Yeah, you talk about this, this is on not unprecedented,
but this is odd.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
When do you see a coach contract expire?
Speaker 3 (18:26):
Weird?
Speaker 5 (18:26):
Not just you know.
Speaker 4 (18:28):
It's either you get fired and you get paid out
of the end of it or you get extended, but
just to reach the end of terms and just say, oh,
you know, thanks anyway, thanks for the memories and both
sides split.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
That's odd. That's odd from Jerry, it's odd in Jim.
Speaker 6 (18:42):
It is.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I think the weird part too, is that the players
like wanted him to stay. Like we heard from Dak
and Mica this week. Dak had his MVP level season
under McCarthy and said he was bummed he wasn't coming back,
And then we heard Michael Parsons talk about it on
his podcast saying he was devastated, like these are your.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Franchise guys, and he is a great coach.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
He just didn't have a lot of didn't have a
lot of weapons this year, and we saw like a
complete like just cowboys meltdown. But moving forward, Jerry's gonna
have to make a big splash and the flashy name
roaming around this week was Dion Sanders.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
They talked.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Apparently there is mutual interest. I think Dian is one
of the few people that could deal with Jerry Jones.
He's been in that building, he has star power, he
creates a culture. We all watch what he did in Boulder.
But again, like you have to think that's a college level.
These are college athletes. Now you're going to the professional level.
Will he be able to translate that to the NFL.
(19:44):
I believe that he could, just because it is Dion
and he's been there and he can back it up.
It's just there's another like, Jerry's gonna have to pay
and he's gonna have to buy him out of his
Boulder contract because his current deal is twenty five mili
over five years, and he has a ten million dollar
contract buyout. And even though the Cowboys are the richest
(20:06):
franchise in the world, we've also seen Jerry not dish
out and pay for big names, like all the big
running backs that were on the market this off season.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
Oh, you mean the ones that will we'll see play today. Yes,
and I'm sorry this weekend, both of those guys. Yes,
And then Josh Jacobs behind that and played last week. Yeah, yeah,
it could have been helpful.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Very extremely helpful, extremely helpful.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
So I it's it's gonna be interesting to see what
he does. And I just it's so on brand for
him to.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
I know this, What if I was Deon Sanders.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Yeah, so chance I'm leaving Colorado to go coach Cowboys.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
First of all, I don't like in Colorado, I build
my roster. Yeah you do in Dallas, I don't build
my roster. And honestly, to be like when you look
at I mean, Colorado almost kind of stuck into the
playoffs this year. Obviously got Travis Hunter, who was a
freak of nature Shad door Sanders. I mean he didn't
really get shador because he gave birth. I mean he
(21:11):
was like Patrick mahonmes.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
The third thing too, he said he wants to coach
his sons in the NFL, So, like, is that going
to play in two somehow if they try to sign.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
I don't see all the like, I just don't see
how I would not leave, especially in this era of
college football. I have the opportunity, think about it. He
took a team that was one and eleven the year
before he got there. In two years thirteen and twelve.
That's incredible, but it's unheard of. But it's also not
(21:42):
like the top of the sport right now. Yeah, you know,
Like it's also not like there's a national championship game
being played. Colorado's not in it. Yeah, there was a
playoff being Colorado wasn't in it. I think he's got
he has the potential to be a Saban like guy
at Colorado if he starts to. I mean, he's got
an ivy. The winning has to be commensurate. But college
(22:02):
football is about the coaches. NFL is about the players.
I'm staying in I'm staying at Colorado.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
There is there's also how much more do NFL coaches
make than college coaches? Is it a significant amount or
is it pretty close if you're a big name in
college compared to like.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
A lower name.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I tell you this, I know that if Dion Sanders
win seven games the next two years, he's not gonna
be his job's not going to be a jeopardy. Yeah,
So however much it makes, he gonna make longer because
he's still gonna have a job at Colorado.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. I don't know what the
right answer is and again it's gonna be like what
Jerry's willing to spend and pay. But they're it's weird
to say they're in a rebuild, but like they got
DAK and they paid CD, but they they need a
lot of help and they're gonna have to pay Micah.
So there's a lot coming up. Martin working double duty.
(22:53):
Tell us what's trending?
Speaker 4 (22:57):
Uh, we were lied to nine minutes, clearly not kickoff
of the game because it still hasn't kicked off yet.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
It was.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Also I was like, remember when I said, like his
like his secret weapon is in the sands, Travis Kelce
with Taylor Swift like no, no, no, they're going to show
her a bunch. They showed her I think twice already
before during the end.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
What I have gotten from this game so far is
Chris Jones was crying during the anthem and Taylor Swift
was enjoying it because I saw her more.
Speaker 5 (23:27):
Than anybody else. Yep, uh yeah, still waiting for kickoff
in that game.
Speaker 4 (23:31):
Kansas City hosting Houston in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Later today, we'll see the Detroit Lyons host the Washington Commanders.
That game will be on Fox TV. Reports said the
Chicago Bears called the Pittsburgh Steelers tried to trade for
Mike Tomlin. They were not able to do so. Creighton
ended Yukon's twenty eight game home winning streak in men's
(23:54):
basketball today, sixty eight to sixty three. And let's go
back to the NFL page here we go, all right,
and the NFL coaching carousel. You know, now we're on
the interview portion of it. The Dallas Cowboys did not
interview Dion Tanders. They interviewed New York Jet head coach
former head coach Robert Sala for their position that's available
(24:14):
Sayings interviewed Eagles off of the coordinator coming more. Virtually,
the Jaguars interviewed Bill's officier coordinator Joe brad Brady. Virtually
the Bears interviewed Minnesota Vikings. You've been a quarter of
Brian Floor as in person for the head coach job.
Joe Mixon and as these al Shair will play for
the Texans if this game ever kicks off. Joe Mixon
(24:35):
was questionable with a knee injury, al Shair with a
chest injury.
Speaker 5 (24:38):
But both of those guys good to go as soon
as we get the game started.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Alex, back to us, Back to dear listening to Fox
Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here with Martin Wise. We
are broadcasting live from the tart dot Com studios in
Los Angeles. Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us.
It is time for our first guest. She is covering
the game of the weekend, Bill's reporter, friend of the show.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
Soo, Maddi, glad, thanks for being here.
Speaker 8 (25:02):
Hey, happy to be on with you guys. The game
of the weekend. Everybody's been talking about it. I am
still ready for Sunday night.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Oh it's insane.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
I mean it is the biggest game of the weekend
Tomorrow night. Ravens at Bills. You're there and with the
team all week. What has the vibe been like in
the locker room, on the field at practice heading into
this game?
Speaker 8 (25:25):
You know what? This team this season, the vibe has
been different heading into the playoffs if you compare it
to last year's teams. Last year, the Bills had to
win five straight games to even be a part of
the playoff conversation, and it came down to a week
eighteen win and in games they were able to win,
but then once you get in the playoffs, you're just
(25:45):
gassed from having the pressure of winning every single game
at the end of the season. This year, the build
lock up the AFC East early on, they get the
number two seed, and they're a healthier team this year.
And I think because because all of that, the Buffalo
Bills of this twenty twenty four season feel like there's
an ease to them. There's a calmness to them, and
(26:09):
they're ready to take on the Ravens in the Divisional
round of the playoffs. There's certainly so much respect for
this Baltimore Ravens team. I mean, in Week four when
these two faced off, Buffalo faced the loss against them,
and the Ravens put up quite a few points against
the Bills, and the Bills only scored ten. Buffalo throughout
the season scored at least thirty points twelve times, so
(26:33):
it was unlikely for the Bills to score less than
thirty points in a game during the regular season, and
the Ravens tell them to just ten. So there's a
lot of respect for the team coming into Orchard Park
tomorrow to face the Buffalo Bills. But our group, I
think they're ready and they're healthy and they're excited for
another chance to showcase what makes them so great.
Speaker 5 (26:54):
Maddie Martin wise here, thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
I wanted to ask you know, obviously, the off season
story was step On Diggs leaving and some of the
other big name Jordan Poyer guys leaving the locker room
and being replaced with some of the more unknowns with
the Keon Coleman, and then you even had trading for
Amari Cooper in the offseason. And I feel like, I
mean in the mid middle of the season rather, I
feel like this has been kind of up and down
for a pass catching like the new additions to Buffalo
(27:18):
have been up and down, but it's been more of
the guys who have been there the whole time in
Shakira and Cook that have been the guys outside of
Josh Allen obviously that have led the offense. Do you
expect to see any of the newer guys step up
this during this postseason run?
Speaker 5 (27:31):
Are is going to be more of the same?
Speaker 8 (27:34):
Definitely? I think it takes everybody to make a postseason
run that the Bills are hoping to make. I think
you have to lean on the guys that help get
you there. And that's that's the players from the past
who have been on the Bills for the last few years,
but it's also the new players as well. I think
this Bill team is a group in the playoffs who
(27:54):
wants to be able to rely on their run game
as well as their pass game. Buffalo is the only
team in NFL history to finish off the regular season
with at least thirty passing touchdowns and thirty rushing touchdowns,
So that says that this group wants to be a
balanced offense going into every single game. Now, different defenses
are going to kind of shift how Buffalo's approach on
(28:16):
offense works. The Ravens have the best run defense in
the NFL, allowing just eighty rushing yards per game. But
I think in this game you are going to see
some targets to Kean Coleman and some targets to Amari
Cooper based on which favorable matchups exist within this game.
But James Cook has been on a seater and I
(28:38):
would think that this offense and Joe Brady, our offensive coordinator,
wants to rely on James Cook throughout this game as well.
And then somebody who has been on this team for
the last few years. He spoke of him, Khalil Shakir.
I think we could see it. Colol Secure targeted quite
a bit in this one because he had twenty three
receptions on screen passes including the playoffs, with the second
(29:00):
in the league. Baltimore's defense allows over six hundred and
sixty receiving yards on throws behind the line of scrimmage.
That's the seventh most in the league, so a little
bit of a favorable matchup there. There's not a lot
of inconsistencies that exist within Baltimore's defense, so you have
to find the few that do exist, and you have
to attack those throughout the game. And I think our
(29:21):
offensive pointed know Joe Brady has soon doing that all week.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
And with that being said, the Bills are one and
a half point underdogs at home. I was a little surprised,
but that lot by that line. But does a team
pay attention to that or care that they're going into
this one like as an underdog at home?
Speaker 8 (29:38):
The team's heard it. I think all week this group
has heard about how they're the underdog and how they're,
you know, no expected to win this one on home.
Kurf and all that does is motivate this group. Buffalo
loves to be an underdog. They love to be counted out.
It helps motivate them. So I think the group is
(29:59):
a a little bit happy that they have some things
within the matchup that they can lean on to be like,
you know what, We're going to let this fuel us
and watch what happens on Sunday night. So I think
being underdogs on their home turf, we'll see how that
works out for the Bills with the type of energy
that they take the field with.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
Well, speaking of motivation, the MVP is really going to
come down to Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson. The season, right,
Lamar got the edge for the first team All Pro.
How much do you think Josh was paying attention to that?
Does he care and does that also add to the
motivation of this game?
Speaker 8 (30:40):
Josh Allen, when you asked him about awards that are
just awards for himself and not for the team, he
says he doesn't care about it. There have been certain
footballs that have been a part of records that he
has broken. I can't remember a certain one else the
top of my head, but he earned some record this
season during season and you would think, Okay, this is
(31:03):
a touchdown ball, that's a record ball. You want to
keep it. And after the game, Allan talked about giving
the ball to a fan, and I'm thinking, why would
you want to give away a football that you threw
a touchdown pass with that earned you a new record.
But that's just the type of player he is. Of course,
I think when you look back on your accolades, you
want an MVP under your belt if you're the type
(31:25):
of quarterback who can contend with the best, and Josh
Allen is exactly that. But when he's been asked about
the MVP all season long, all Josh Allen has said,
all I want to do is to win a Super
Bowl and to get my team there. So I think
that's priority number one for him. Obviously, playing up to
a super high level and the caliber type of player
(31:48):
that he is would hopefully earn you an MVP. I
know the voting's already in, but it would be interesting
if we lived in a world where the voting wasn't
in yet, because this game would probably determine who win.
Speaker 6 (32:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Maddie glad Bill's reporter joining us here a Fox Sports
Football Saturday Mattie, I want to ask you. The NFL
has tried to taper this down a little bit now
now that the interviews are just virtual, but we still
have coordinators interviewing for open head coaching positions who are
preparing for the biggest games of their season. Joe Brady
interviewed for a few spots earlier this week. Do you
(32:24):
think Joe Brady will end up being in Buffalo next
season or I think.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
It will be a head coach going forward?
Speaker 8 (32:30):
Gosh, I hope he's in Buffalo next season. We've just
had one full year with him, and to potentially see
him leave already, I think would be a bummer for
a lot of people in the building. Of course, you
want to see these offensive and defensive coordinators who have
had success in the NFL be able to have opportunities
to become head coaches. But Josh Allen was asked about
(32:53):
hey man, what do you think about Joe Brady? And
Josh Allen said he's terrible. Noo likes him, which I
love a response like that. The team really loves Joe
Brady as an offensive coordinator. He is the type of
guy who can gel with anybody. He's younger, and you
see that with a way that he interacts with his players.
(33:14):
It just seems like everybody gets along really well and
he really understands life from a player's aspect of things.
And Sean McDermott, our head coach, was asked about the
process of interviewing during the playoffs and McDermott said, look,
it was different. It's gotten better. The NFL's done things
to make it better and that's where we're at today.
(33:37):
Doesn't mean it's perfect, and maybe we could see some
changes over the next few years, but he did acknowledge like, hey,
this used to be even worse than it is. So
Brady did say, you know, I'm preparing for this matchup.
That is the most important thing for me, And in
these interviews, I'm just going to be myself and what
(33:58):
I have to give is the type of operation I'm
doing right now.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
Interesting. I love that, Maddie. Have so much fun tomorrow.
Thank you so much for joining us. It's gonna be
a good one.
Speaker 8 (34:09):
I cannot wait. Thank you so much. Guys, it's going
to be a cold one.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Too, like, yeah, digit good luck, bundle up, yes, all right,
thank you, Maddie. When we come back the dues and
the don'ts in sports. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 1 (34:23):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Martin Wise and Forcarman. We are broadcasting live from
the Tarktalk Com studios in Los Angeles. Thank you for
spending your Saturday afternoon with us. And it is time
for the dues and the don'ts in sports.
Speaker 5 (34:50):
Highlighting the dudes.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
I love that putting us spotlight on the don't.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
The subject brings me no joy.
Speaker 7 (34:57):
That's insane.
Speaker 1 (34:59):
It's time for the dues and the don'ts in sports.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
I'm gonna start with the big do here and I
mentioned this off the top of the show. Do give
back to your community. In the wake of these devastating
buyers in La, our sports teams and figures have stepped
up incredibly for those affected. Clippers owner See Balmer donated
fifteen million dollars to those affected by the Eton fire,
also hosting the fire aid concert into a dome at
(35:23):
the end of the month show, Hey Otani donated five
hundred thousand dollars, Freddy Freeman donated three hundred thousand dollars
both to fire relief funds, and then all the LA
sports teams came together and also donated eight million. And
then yesterday the Dodgers and a few of the other
big I think it was also a couple other stadiums
had these big donation drive drive throughs for anyone affected
(35:47):
that could come pick up supplies, players, People from all
the different franchises and organizations were handing things out. So
just in a week of absolute heartbreak throughout LA that
that's something that made me smile. Thank you LA for
showing up.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
Do rep The crib Booker right now is playing the
Detroit Pistons Phoenix Suns in Detroit forty two to thirty
seven of the score for.
Speaker 5 (36:10):
Those interested, Phoenix in the lead.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Devin Booker is wearing exclusive Nike book ones with the
Lions logo on the shoe. I like it when athletes
don't pretend like all of a sudden they're fans of
the every team that like, yeah, just because you got
drafted the Phoenix doesn't mean all of a sudden you
gotta be a Cardinals fan. O.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Oh.
Speaker 7 (36:32):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
We see it with Trout all the time. Huge, he's
like after the season, he's he's in his field seats
at Philly for equals. He'll probably be there tonight, So right.
I love that I tell people that all the time
I've being like a team reporter and having worked for
other teams. It's like you have to remember, like just
because you're working for a certain team, like you grew up,
you grew up a fan of who.
Speaker 3 (36:53):
You grew up a fan of. So I love that.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Okay, do equally pay women's sports. Cuba approved paying women's
basketball tournament teams for the first time, you guys, So
these women's teams will be played for playing games in
the NCAA Tournament each March, just like the men have
for years, under a plan approved on Wednesday at the
(37:16):
NCUBA Convention. Honestly, it's like crazy to think that they
weren't before, but then not surprised when you saw all
the viral videos the last few years of them posting
photos of what their gym looked like compared to the
men's gyms, especially.
Speaker 3 (37:29):
After last year when the women's championship game had.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Millions of more viewers than the men's It's about damn
time everybody watches women's sports.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
Do not go like that Eagles fan who was yelling
at the Packers fan on Sunday in that game, Colin
her ugly and down all types of names because he got.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
Fired from his job. So you know, I always watch.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
These games and you see the people dressed up with
the face and all it is, and I always think
they got work tomorrow, all.
Speaker 5 (38:03):
Of them, because those tickets are expensive. Oh well, you
know who doesn't have work tomorrow anymore? That guy don't be.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
You know what?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
That is karma at its finest, right, there be a
good person, all right. I gotta dude, do have fun
at your wedding. A Bills fan was getting married and
during the vows, the husband's vows, he surprised his wife
with Bill's ticket, saying, I promise to be honest and
not hold secrets from you, but some secrets are actually
good sometimes. And I had to hold onto the secret
(38:32):
of a bonus gift to give you during our wedding,
and it was these Bills tickets, and she like screamed
so loud and freaked out like it looked like she
was more excited about those bill tickets than her actual.
Speaker 3 (38:46):
Wedding and getting married to this man.
Speaker 4 (38:49):
It was.
Speaker 3 (38:49):
It was beautiful.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
I love when sports are intertwined in a relationship, and
that was just beautiful.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
Do be like Pat McAfee using that field goal kicking competition? Yeah,
to raise money for charity. I appreciate that. I don't
really watch the show too much. Well, I wasn't where
it was happening until the last couple like pre playoff games.
Speaker 5 (39:09):
This is kind of cool. Yeah, and then I found
out that it happens all the time, so it's due
to me. So do be like that, are like.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
Because he'll he'll double it. He'll double it. Like if
they miss, you get another shot, like, hey, double or nothing.
Let me see if you make this one. Do you
think you can make a field goal?
Speaker 5 (39:24):
Absolutely not.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
But I've tried before and I, yeah, there's the whole
lead up is tough for me.
Speaker 3 (39:30):
Oh yeah, no.
Speaker 2 (39:30):
I I used to in high school because I was
a soccer player and I took all I took the
free kicks. I played in college and my buddy, who
was also a soccer player, ended up I think making
the USC team as a kurse. So it's like I
used to, like after practice kind of kick around with him,
which was.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Fun scene though basketball for me, and yeah I knew
early it was over.
Speaker 2 (39:52):
Yeah, No, I was a foot coordination, not the hand
eye coordination.
Speaker 3 (39:56):
One last one, do have fun.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
On social media, this woman posted a photo of her
giant six month old baby six months thirty one pounds,
and the Detroit Lions commented immediately with just in all
caps dibbs, which is incredible, said as a big old baby.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
All right, when we come back.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
NFL Divisional Round preview is next year. Listening to Fox
Sports Radio, Welcome to hour two of Fox Football Saturday.
I'm Alex Curry here with Martin Weiss and for Carmen Vitali.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
Today.
Speaker 2 (40:29):
Thank you for spending your Saturday afternoon with us. We
are broadcasting live from the tire dot Com studios. Tyrek
dot com will help you get there, an unmatched selection,
fast free shipping, free road has a protection and over
ten thousand recommended installers. Tirerac dot com the way tire
buying should be Now. I started the top of hour
one with this and I want to do it again
an hour two, I just want to I want to
(40:51):
give a huge shout out to everyone who has been
helping donate, volunteer their time, their money to everyone affected
by these fires in LA, because it's it's really hard
to wrap your head around the devastation and the heartbreak
if you're not here and seeing it firsthand. And if
you are, there are ways that you can help. Shout
(41:11):
out to Homage. I am wearing their City of Angels
shirts today where one hundred percent of their proceeds are
going to be donated to those affected by the LA fires.
We saw all the LA sports teams team up with
fanatics for the LA Strong shirts. All of those proceeds
will also be donated to the LAFD Foundation the Red Cross.
There's also going to be an event at COSM next
(41:32):
week for the Wrexham game where all of those proceeds
are going to be going to the fire relief efforts.
And we've seen just you know, our sports figures step
up and teams to do amazing contributions and help with
Steve Balmer, Clipper's owner of donating fifteen million dollars, show
Hey Tani donating five hundred thousand dollars, Freddy Freeman donating
three hundred thousand dollars, and all the LA sports teams
(41:54):
coming together to donate millions of dollars and really just
have these donation drives and helping anyway we can, because
as we said, you know, it's just beginning.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
This is just the beginning. There's going to be so much.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
To rebuild, and so much in terms of not only
rebuilding your life, but jobs and community around LA. So
I thank you LA for showing up for one another
because in the midst of all the heartbreak, that has
definitely been a little bright light and smile to everyone.
And if you're listening, it has been weird talking about
sports in LA, but I hope this just gives you.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
Something to smile about and maybe.
Speaker 2 (42:29):
Lifts your spirits and your day, because that's what we're
here to do, and we're gonna have some fun, happy
divisional round weekend. We already went through the AFC games
last hour, as Martin just updated everybody, it's been a
field goal game in the first game with the Texans
at the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (42:49):
Right now, it's.
Speaker 2 (42:50):
Still six to three and I haven't fully been paying attention,
but there were a couple miscatches by Chiefs receivers, Right,
I saw it kind of out of the corner of
my eyes.
Speaker 5 (43:00):
Big defensive it's yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:02):
My takeaway so far over the first nine minutes of
this games, these boys.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
These boys are here hitting. Yeah, they are hitting. It's
a high level of regulated violince that's it.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (43:12):
I saw Patrick Mahomes get taken down.
Speaker 5 (43:14):
Both quarterbacks have taken several shots so far.
Speaker 2 (43:18):
Oh okay, Yeah, it's gonna okay.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
It's like you don't think it's gonna be You.
Speaker 2 (43:25):
Thought it was going to be a close game because
you thought was like a touchdown game.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Texan should be able to compete here.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (43:31):
Yeah, I think the defense is real and we've seen
it so far.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
Yeah, yes, we have.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Okay, Well, now it's time for the NFC and we're
going to start in Detroit. Lions coming off their number
one seed by and the Lions.
Speaker 3 (43:46):
Needed that by week.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
They have been dealing with so many injuries like throughout
the whole season, but they are getting running back David
Montgomery back, which is a plus. But this is the
first time, like in Lions franchise history, they have ever
had that one seed. Remember, just last year was their
first home playoff game in thirty years.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
This is the most sustained success lines I've ever had.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Ever had ever.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
The Lions know how big of a deal this is
not only for them in the franchise, but they're fans
in that city, and that city is a ride or
die city. They want it so bad. The way Dan
Campbell has turned this team into winners, it's crazy when
you look at what he's done in four years, like
in the four seasons season one, three thirteen in one,
(44:34):
season two, nine and eight, last year twelve and five,
made the playoffs. This year fifteen and two like that.
That is incredible to be able to take a franchise
and turn it around that quickly, really in three seasons,
and they've gotten consistently better each year. They're prepared, they're
(44:55):
ready for this moment. They're now rested, they're at home,
and it kind of feels like this is their window
to get to the super Bowl because there's a good
chance we kind of talked about this you did with
Matty glab with the Bills, but there's a good chance
they're gonna lose some coordinators like their OC Ben Johnson
(45:16):
has been interviewing DC Aaron Glenn.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
They've both been interviewing a lot of places, it.
Speaker 5 (45:22):
Seems like a safe bet both of those guys are
gonna be gone.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
That's a big difference.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
That's a huge, just complete franchise change.
Speaker 4 (45:30):
Well it can be. Here's the thing, dan Quinn, I'm
not Dan Quinn. Dan Campbell didn't hire Ben Johnson, believe
it or not. Matt Patricia did and he was a
holdover on Dan Campbell's staff.
Speaker 5 (45:43):
Interesting and end up getting promoted.
Speaker 4 (45:44):
Yeah, I just think that's an interesting thing because one
of the reasons why, in my opinion, the San Francisco
forty nine ers were able to prior to this season
consistently be in the NFC fight, if not the favorite,
they were in the.
Speaker 5 (45:59):
Fight the last four years. Uh rookie quarterback all of that.
You know.
Speaker 4 (46:04):
Part of the reason why, I think, is because Kyle
Shanahan has a very underrated skill as a head coach,
and that's hiring and firing coordinators, being.
Speaker 5 (46:15):
Able to hire the right guy. I mean, think about it.
Speaker 4 (46:18):
Think about if if Antonio appears hired Cliff Kingsbury as
his offensive coordinator instead of letting him get to Washington.
Speaker 5 (46:25):
How different I mean. I've sat to Antonio Pierce, I
meant to say, here we go three two one.
Speaker 4 (46:29):
If Matt eber Flus hired Antonio Pierce as his offensive
coordinator instead of letting him go to Washington, could you
have imagined how much different Caleb William's rookie year would
have been, how different the feelings would have been, And
we wouldn't even probably would not be seeing Washington in
the postseason and damn near not definitely not in the
divisional round. Right, So I think that hiring and firing
(46:50):
is it's almost more important than what scheme you run
in the NFL. To me, it's got to be the
right fit. And so it's gonna that's that's something Dan
Campbell's gonna have to now think he's gotten better at it,
you see.
Speaker 5 (47:01):
But he didn't hire Ben Johnson. He promoted him from
with then, so we'll see.
Speaker 3 (47:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (47:04):
But then also he had the eye, knew knew that
it was, knew that he was the right guy, which
is also like it takes that.
Speaker 4 (47:10):
And and stuck with Aaron Glenn at a time when
a lot of people were trying to grew writy for
him to move off of Aaron Glenn stuck with him.
And now Aaron Glenn's probably going to repay that with
going on and getting his own head coaching.
Speaker 3 (47:20):
Job, oh for sure. Yeah.
Speaker 9 (47:22):
Uh So two things. First off, that Anthony like he
I know, he already took some hell for like how
quickly he moved off Anthony Lynn as the original head coach,
I mean offensive coordinator that brought in Ben Johnson. But yeah,
you talk about the desirability of Ben Johnson. I had
seen stories covering the Lions that Zach Taylor like knew
Ben Johnson very well.
Speaker 5 (47:42):
I believe they both coached together.
Speaker 9 (47:43):
Okay, I forget exactly where it was off the top
of my head now, but like he made a big
push multiple times to get Ben Johnson off the Lions
coaching staff before they made him offensive.
Speaker 3 (47:54):
Coordinator, to get him off like he wanted.
Speaker 9 (47:57):
He wanted Ben Johnson his own offensive court multiple times
in there. And I think he, like Zach Taylor, who's
a very good offensive mine, knew exactly what Ben Johnson
was and like how desirable all of this is. So
it's just a matter of just kind of what could
have been for the Bengals if they had Johnson.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Yeah, no, I mean there's a lot of what is
but it's this feels like having this group together of
coordinators and the team and what on where they are
right now.
Speaker 3 (48:26):
Also the way.
Speaker 2 (48:26):
They the Lions went out last season in the NFC
Championship game kind of falling apart. This just feels like
their year to get to the big game and they
are the favorite, Like they're still the super Bowl favorite
to get there.
Speaker 4 (48:39):
Yeah, and the first time in Line's history. This is
for ever that they've been Super Bowl favorites.
Speaker 2 (48:46):
That's also crazy, the first time ever.
Speaker 5 (48:49):
So yeah, you only get a certain opportunity.
Speaker 4 (48:52):
Like I'm a Saints fan, right, I remember when the
Saints were abxactly terrible.
Speaker 5 (48:57):
Yeah, then Drew Brees.
Speaker 4 (48:58):
Games Champayton came, you had to win there and they
got one. Yeah, but then you had a Minnesota miracle.
Then the Rams benefit from Bill Vinovis not throwing the
most obvious passing interference call ever and then go on
to score thirteen from three points in the Super Bowl
and win it.
Speaker 5 (49:13):
Like you're like you, I mean, it's just things happen.
Weird things happen along the way.
Speaker 4 (49:19):
If you have a Hall of Fame coach, hall of
Fame quarterback, so you got if you're knocking on the door,
you better kick it there.
Speaker 2 (49:24):
Yeah, you got to take advantage of your opportunities. Now,
don't get me wrong. Commanders have had an incredible season.
Speaker 5 (49:29):
You guys.
Speaker 2 (49:29):
They were my team to watch and they prove that
they're going to be a force for years to come.
Jayden Daniels has had himself a Rookie of the Year season.
He's proving that he's their quarterback of the future. But
they're playing with house money right now. Right I don't
think anyone expected anything. They had a great win in
Tampa last weekend. Jade Daniel's big part of that. But
the Lions are just the more complete team. They're the
(49:50):
experienced team. Was so much more to lose, as we
had just mentioned, But then also can go in the
Commander's favor because we've seen that happen before. When you
have nothing to lose and you us go everything you got.
Speaker 4 (50:03):
It's sure, and I mean just because I mean Jayden
Daniels is not experienced, but he's surrounded with a ton
of experience. Bobby Wagners the team ZA hurts. On that team,
there's guys who's won super Bowls on their roster. Dan
Quinn has a ton of experience in big games, you know.
So it's not now, don't be wrong. Jayde Dani's most
important guy, yes, but there's a lot of experience around
(50:24):
him and he's surrounded. And I think that Washington intentionally
built that team out in a way, knowing that Jayden
Daniels was going to be a rookie obviously and be
a young player for the next few years.
Speaker 5 (50:35):
They built that team out with a ton of veterans.
Speaker 2 (50:37):
Yeah, smarte surround him with the experience. Now, Carmen will
be joining us at the bottom of the hour with
some more insight on that game. But let's go to
the next Rams at Eagles, And for personal reasons, I
am so excited for this game, and it's hard because
I'm torn. I want the Rams to win for La obviously,
(50:58):
and you can tell that they're playing with that added
La emotion that we also saw on Monday with all
the fires and destructions happening. They're carrying the weight and
the pride of their city on their shoulders. You heard
them talk about it before the game, during the game,
after the game, and all week here at practice. But
then you have Saquon Barkley having the season of his career,
and I also want to see him win, but I
(51:19):
don't want to see him do it through my rams and.
Speaker 3 (51:23):
The rams gout.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
You know, they they have some positive things going for them.
Obviously after starting the season one and four like then,
coming off the bye, they've been a completely different team.
They went nine to three, winning five in a row
before resting their starters in that final game and losing.
But I believe they also have a better head coach
and Sean McVay. I believe they have a better quarterback
in Matthew Stafford. This is a duo that has won
(51:46):
a Super Bowl together, the only Super Bowl winning duo
in the NFC. And now they're gonna know how to
defend Saquon and learn from their mistakes because Saquon went.
Speaker 3 (51:57):
Off, yes, absolutely off.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
In that Week twelve game two months ago, he had
the best game of his career, set the Eagles rushing
record with two hundred and fifty five yards and two touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (52:09):
I just.
Speaker 3 (52:12):
Can't.
Speaker 2 (52:14):
It's hard because it's also there's a lot working in
Phillies favor. Right, It's supposed to be in the low thirties,
ninety five percent of precipitation which could be possible snow
or slush or rain before kickoff depending on.
Speaker 5 (52:27):
The weather or how low the thirties are.
Speaker 2 (52:29):
Yeah, and Philly really has a home field advantage.
Speaker 3 (52:33):
Like Philly fans.
Speaker 2 (52:35):
They're nine and one at home this season, and they're like,
Philly fans are next level. They're crazy. I personally, I
love it. It's one of my favorite fan bases, like
outside of la My mom's from Philly, so there's like
that home connection. And I really got to know him
during the World series, the Phillies World Series run, and
I love them, I do, which is why it's like
(52:56):
hard and I'm torn in that sense, but also like
we had a Rams rookie make a rookie mistake. Jared Verse,
he was he came out and said, I hate Eagles fans.
They're so annoying. I hate Eagles fans. When I see
that green and white, I hate it. I actually get upset.
I actually genuinely get hot. No reason to give them
(53:17):
added like bulletin board material here, Like Saquon responded to him, like,
probably not the smartest thing to say when you're coming
to Philly. I've been on the other side when I
was with the Giants, and even if I felt some
type of way, probably wouldn't give them any extra fuel.
I'm pretty sure Philly fans have seen that. No, and
he's just it's just gonna add it's just going to
add to everything. It's it's going to be cold, it's
(53:42):
going to be loud. There is going to be so
much added emotion on both sides. I think everyone rallying
behind Saquon and Philly and then obviously the Rams in La.
Speaker 4 (53:54):
It's so Alex, I don't know how much of a
gambler you are, if at all.
Speaker 3 (53:59):
But oh you just like Fox Bet and Gambling Show.
Speaker 4 (54:03):
Okay, so so yeah, right, okay, so you know then
if the Chiefs are eight to nine point favorites, the
Lions are eight to nine point favorites, and the Eagles
are six five to seven point favorites, so we're gonna win.
Speaker 5 (54:21):
You brought this line?
Speaker 4 (54:22):
Yeah, every one in them, not everyone, but every you
know what, the Jos will have that teaser, yes, right,
they'll all have that seven point teacher. Though.
Speaker 5 (54:33):
This is the game that's gonna blow it form.
Speaker 4 (54:35):
The Rams are gonna win this game, Yes, yes, I
think the are gonna win this game. Okay, so people
concerns about the weather understood. They did beat the Jets
though in a rainstorm just recently. It's not gonna know,
the Jets aren't that great of a team, but I'm
saying that's not It's not like they have played indoors
(54:55):
every single game of the year. They just most recently
played a wet game in that five game.
Speaker 6 (55:03):
Cold.
Speaker 4 (55:05):
Matthew Stafford, while in Los Angeles, he's been here what
five years or so, four years or so the Pine prior,
he spent that entirety in Detroit.
Speaker 3 (55:14):
Yeah, but that like Detroit indoors, like he did have.
Speaker 5 (55:20):
Exact game, you had to.
Speaker 4 (55:21):
Go on the road to Chicago, had to go on
the road to Green Bay late in the year. Matthew
Stafford is not somebody who's afraid of playing in the elements.
Speaker 5 (55:30):
In my opinion, if the Rams can keep him.
Speaker 4 (55:33):
Up right, they will win this game, because, like you said,
it's McVeigh and Stafford versus Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni
in that regard, I'll take the West Coast side of
that every single time, especially in late game.
Speaker 5 (55:46):
Situations like That's the thing.
Speaker 4 (55:48):
If this is a close game, if the Eagles go up, Like,
if either team gets a ten point lead, which team
would you expect to be able to come back easier?
Speaker 5 (55:56):
The Rams with their passing game.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
There's also like the team chemistry, right we saw towards
the end of the year, the Eagles are beating themselves.
There's turmoil within the locker room and they were starting
their own internal drama. While you have the Rams on
the other side, you have Pooka coming out saying that
Cooper Cup has been like his big brother and best
friends and they would do anything for each other. So
(56:19):
this team not only has the chemistry in the Rams,
but now they have that added emotion of carrying the
city of Los Angeles during this devastation on their back
to give them something to smile about. Sure, yeah, I yeah,
I love hearing that. Okay, we're gonna take a quick
break here when we come back. Another LA team, the Dodgers,
have been putting in the work this offseason, both on
and off the field. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
(56:39):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Martin Wise and for Carmen Today. Thank you for
spending your Saturday afternoon with thoughts. We are coming to
your life in the tart dot Com studios in Los Angeles,
and shortly after the show, our podcast will be going up.
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (56:58):
Now you guys.
Speaker 2 (57:00):
The Dodgers they have been putting in the work this offseason. First,
huge shout out for what they did yesterday hosting a
donation drive for anyone affected in the LA Fires, players
and members of the team handing out supplies and anything
that anyone needed. But they also announced yesterday yesterday it
was a big day that they signed the hottest pitcher
on the market. Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki is now a Dodger.
(57:24):
He was deciding between three teams Dodgers, Padres, Blue Jays.
Speaker 3 (57:31):
He might have had a little help here teammate.
Speaker 2 (57:33):
His now teammate, Tyler Glass, now has the same agent
and happened to call his agent while he was with
Sasaki and told Roki, if you want the best pitching development,
come to the Dodgers. If you want the best contract
any want to win, come.
Speaker 3 (57:48):
To the Dodgers.
Speaker 2 (57:49):
I think it also helped having two of his Team
Japan teammates on the team as well. In Otani and Yamamoto.
But man, that Dodgers starting rotate right now.
Speaker 3 (58:00):
You guys just remember Blake Snell. They signed Blake Snell.
Speaker 2 (58:05):
They have Tyler glassnow Showhyo Tani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
Speaker 5 (58:11):
So this is okay. I was just double checking.
Speaker 4 (58:13):
This is a ten year, fifty billion dollars with one
hundred and eighty million.
Speaker 2 (58:20):
It's like a minor league deal basically because he's coming
over early. So basically when you come over early from Japan,
you can't get as big as a deal.
Speaker 4 (58:28):
I got it here, he says, when you're younger than
twenty five, you're an amateur international free agent.
Speaker 5 (58:33):
So so he could just.
Speaker 4 (58:37):
If just just for clarification, he could have stayed in
Japan for the two years and then signed a huge deal,
yaga deal.
Speaker 3 (58:43):
Yeah, he chose.
Speaker 2 (58:44):
He decided, And you know, a lot of fans obviously
that are not Dodger fans, are very upset with this move,
saying it's not fair, the system's rigged, it's broken with
the Dodgers just like basically putting together this super team.
But I just would like to remind everybody the Dodgers
are doing just what the Yankees used to do decades ago.
We just pay their players and they win, and they're
(59:06):
creating an environment where players want to come and play.
And Roki Sasaki chose to come to the Dodgers. It
was his choice.
Speaker 4 (59:15):
This is the benefit or this is the the impact
of very much not to be like, not to equate
the two in terms of success. So I think Sho
Tani is better at his job than Deon Sanders' is
his right now.
Speaker 5 (59:28):
But when you see like the prime effect, this.
Speaker 3 (59:31):
Is a show effect.
Speaker 4 (59:32):
You hire, you pay him a billion dollars, and you
defer it all and all, all of that works with whatever,
right they all of a sudden, Yamamoto's like, hey, wait
a minute, I like that deal. I'll take it too.
And then this kid is like, you know, wait, I
see what these two guys who were probably were.
Speaker 3 (59:48):
Legends legends in Japan in Japan.
Speaker 4 (59:51):
Yeah right, I see what the Michael Jordan and the
lebron are doing. If they're playing the team right exactly,
I mean Japan. I'll go ahead and join that team. Yeah,
and kudos to them, because this is the type of
thing I can applaud this. Go ahead and scout, yes,
because like he might not work out, but you know what,
if he does, then boom you hit. And if he didn't,
guess what, you still got the guy everybody else wanted.
Speaker 3 (01:00:12):
He is absolutely insane.
Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
I don't know if you remember watching him in the
WBC when they were playing Team USA, Like rookie Sasaki
is like an incredible talent. Incredible talent, like the fact
that they have the three best pitchers coming out of
Japan in Otani, Yamamoto and Sasaki is it's going to
(01:00:36):
be really exciting, extremely exciting.
Speaker 4 (01:00:39):
His agent said, here, one of the factors you have
two typical ones, market sized location team success.
Speaker 8 (01:00:45):
Right.
Speaker 4 (01:00:45):
I didn't want to go to the Pittsburgh Pirates and
waste the way for underseax to two games, no offense
to Pittsburgh, spent some money.
Speaker 5 (01:00:51):
But one of the.
Speaker 4 (01:00:52):
There's only four here, Yeah, one of them is whether
the team already had Japanese players.
Speaker 3 (01:00:57):
Yes, it's huge.
Speaker 2 (01:00:58):
You have to remember, like there's also like that that
culture shock with not just like a player from Japan
coming to US to the US, like the language barrier.
Now he's going to have people that he knows that
he's comfortable with who have already gone through this year's prior,
but the game's also a little different.
Speaker 3 (01:01:15):
The ball's a little different, the mounds a little different.
Speaker 2 (01:01:17):
But if you have someone there that you are comfortable with,
that you know that you can communicate with, that can
walk you through what helped them get comfortable in a
completely new league, new country.
Speaker 5 (01:01:28):
New teamation stakes.
Speaker 3 (01:01:30):
Yeah, all of it.
Speaker 4 (01:01:32):
The right type of interpreters of people around you. I
wouldn't even try to be funny, like a little.
Speaker 2 (01:01:38):
Bit everything, Like, it's huge to be able to feel
comfortable outside of like everything else with the game being different,
a little different for a pitcher and the language completely different.
Speaker 3 (01:01:53):
Like now you have.
Speaker 2 (01:01:54):
Two people that you've played with, you've won with on
Team Japan when you were here in the United States,
some of these top players in that he's now going
to be teammates with. Is just I'm really happy for him.
I knew this was going to happen the moment Otani
went to the Dodgers, I was like, this is now
going to be Team Japan, and every player that's going
to come over from Japan is now going to want
to play with Shoho Toni because there is such mad
(01:02:17):
respect not only for like who he is as a person,
but the player that he is, and he is the
biggest superstar in Japan.
Speaker 5 (01:02:25):
There's a lot of.
Speaker 4 (01:02:27):
Like a reverence. It feels like like like in America.
In the United States, people see like there's some people
out there who watch like Lebron's or whoever, or maybe maybe.
Speaker 5 (01:02:38):
Basketball is or the wrong sport.
Speaker 4 (01:02:39):
But in football, for example, like Lamar Jackson this week said,
you know, no, I'm competing against Josh Allen, like it's
no beef, but we're not also going out for dinner.
Like maybe when we all hang him up and we're
sitting in Canton, we could be pals then, But now
I'm trying to whoop his ass on Sunday exactly. It
doesn't seem like Yamamo. It wasn't like no, no no, I
(01:03:01):
want to be the best picture on it, so I
gotta go to the Giants. He's like, no, no, no, I
want to join up with Matt. I want to play
with That's like Japanese.
Speaker 3 (01:03:09):
It's in Japanese culture too. It's just the respect factor.
Speaker 2 (01:03:13):
Also quick note, they also signed Haisan Kim to a
three year, twenty two million dollar deal. Korean infielder. He
won KBO's Golden Glove the last three years at second base,
also won it at shortstop, which ultimately led to Dodgers
to trading away Gavin Lux since Mookie bats will be
playing shortstop next season, they resigned Taoskar Hernandez. So this
Dodgers team is just I not only champs, but getting better.
(01:03:36):
They just keep getting better and I love it so much.
Market Martin, work and double duty. Tell us what's trending.
Speaker 4 (01:03:45):
We are knocking on the door of the first touchdown
of this game.
Speaker 5 (01:03:49):
If Kansas City can go ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:03:50):
And thank you for he lookt and gold.
Speaker 4 (01:03:52):
Let's see a handoffs, can't yeah, walk into the end zone.
There we go, go'll make the score twelve to three.
Right now, how did the city get down there? Well,
a forty nine yard catch from Travis Kelcey, who's got
two catches seventy two years.
Speaker 3 (01:04:06):
We're talking about. He comes alive in the postseason.
Speaker 4 (01:04:09):
And look, my man was rumbling, stumbling, trying to get
down and for you, he got caught by that safety
and went down. You know what he did, Yeah, he
danced like it was a Tailor Swift concert.
Speaker 5 (01:04:20):
Yeah, Oh you know, he shut it off.
Speaker 4 (01:04:22):
There you go nice right now, extra point good from
Harrison Bucker, thirteen to three. The score for thirty six
remaining in the first half ce Jay Stroud's sixty seven
yards passing, Joe Mixon thirty eight yards rushing c J.
Stroud also thirty on the ground. Mahomes as one hundred
and fourteen so far through the air. Like I said earlier,
seventy two of those to Travis Kelcey yave, you're worthy,
(01:04:43):
also chipping in in the first half thirty six yards
receiving himself. Not much of a running game so far
for Kansas City. Twenty yards rushing in total between four
different players.
Speaker 5 (01:04:53):
Patrick Mahomes has fifteen of them.
Speaker 4 (01:04:55):
In the NBA right now, the Detroit Pistons have a
sixty nine to sixty seven league over the Phoenix Suns,
Devin Booker leading all scores with twenty three for Phoenix,
Tobias Harris leading Detroit with seventeen.
Speaker 5 (01:05:07):
We're just let's see you.
Speaker 4 (01:05:09):
The coaching searches. The Dallas Cowboys have interviewed former New
York Jet head coach Robert Salad for their head coaching
job to interview virtual interviews with the Saints doing Eagles
office coordinator Kellen Moore and the Jaguars, Bills offensive coordinator
Joe Brady, and the Bears interviewed Vikings defensive coordinator Brian
Floredes for the head coaching job. That one in person
(01:05:31):
Lions Commanders kicks off at eight o'clock. It'll be the
first time the Lions host a home game in the
NFL playoffs as the one seed. A lot of first
for Detroit right now, but right now it's a first
for me to be a fill in host about to
interview the actual hosts of the show.
Speaker 3 (01:05:48):
We Love It.
Speaker 2 (01:05:48):
You're listening to Fox Football Saturday at Alex Curry here
with Martin wise In for Carmen. We are broadcasting live
from the tart dot Com Studios in Los Angeles, and
as you heard, it is time for our next guest,
you know her, you love her, live from Chicago, my
co host and NFL and Fox writer Carmen Vitally.
Speaker 7 (01:06:04):
Hi, guys, yeahople transition, Martin right, excellent, done.
Speaker 3 (01:06:10):
So, Karen, let's start in the NFC North.
Speaker 2 (01:06:14):
The Lions secured the one seed in the NBC for
the first time in franchise history.
Speaker 3 (01:06:18):
They got a much needed rest.
Speaker 2 (01:06:20):
During the bye. They're now getting running back David Montgomery back.
Is this the window? Does it still feel like this
is the window for the Lions to win it all?
Speaker 7 (01:06:29):
Yeah? I don't think that the window ever closed. I mean,
I know that they went through so many different injuries,
especially on the defensive side of the ball. But you
saw Aaron Glenn pull off miracles weekend week out with
just how he adjusted his scheme. I mean, the Lions
started blitzing a hell of a lot more as the
season went on. When they lost you know, one secondary
player after another, linebacker after a defensive tackle, and now
(01:06:53):
again with getting David Montgomery back. I mean, Ben Johnson
made up plenty of adjustments. Jamiir Gibbs can do it
all in that offensive backfield, but having the tandem of
him and Dave Montgomery back is going to give them so.
Speaker 2 (01:07:04):
Much more to so.
Speaker 4 (01:07:06):
But with that line's team to stick on them for
a moment, how do you think, I mean, we're seeing
both of these guys the offense of a defensive coordinators
getting I mean, they are the hottest girls of school
and promise next week, right, how are they managing both?
Because last year they kind of came out of nowhere.
I think to a lot of people right now, they
are full steam ahead. Everybody sees you coming. How do
(01:07:26):
you think they're managing both the pressure of expectation and
also the pressure of interviewing for what could be your
dream job while preparing for the biggest game of your season.
Speaker 7 (01:07:37):
Yeah, well, I mean that bye week then really comes
in handy, not only from the rest aspect of getting
your guys healthy on the field, but then yeah, you
have two coordinators that are going through head coaching interviews
that now have a little bit extra time to take
a breath. But I know from talking to people in
that building, I mean there are nights that these guys
are spending overnight in the office. A lot of these
(01:07:58):
coaches have caught under their death and they have been
tinkering with this scheme week in and week out. They
are working so incredibly hard, and I expect to see
some really fun stuff now that we're getting into the
postseason with the Lions and just everything that Ben Johnson
has set up with all the different packages, all of
(01:08:19):
the different looks that he's shown throughout the season. He
has so many different things that he can call on
and evolve and really catch their opponents off guard with
So I'm really excited to see how that works out.
And that's the reason that you've been able to see
them kind of stay ahead of everything despite the fact
that they're not the underdogs. They've had a target on
their back all season long, and yet still they got
(01:08:42):
a franchise record fifteen wins out of the deal even
with that target.
Speaker 2 (01:08:47):
All right, let's switch gears to the Viking. Sam Darnold
did not have a good performance in the wildcard round,
and now the Vikings are out despite having a fourteen
win season, and they are going to get a healthy
JJ McCarthy back after.
Speaker 3 (01:09:01):
His knee injury.
Speaker 2 (01:09:01):
So do you think Minnesota will try to keep Sam
Donald next year?
Speaker 7 (01:09:07):
I think this might sound weird. I think they have
more of a shot of keeping him now than they
did before, because this is something where you're now going
to get him at a little bit of a discount.
I think given the recency of some of his struggles,
the struggles in big games that you saw out of
Sam Darnold, that doesn't by any stretch of the imagination,
(01:09:27):
at least to me or race what he was able
to do this year and the steps and the strides
that he took forward. But I really don't think that
Minnesota has ever deviated from their plan of Yeah, Jason
McCarthy had to rehab instead of developed. He suffered a
step back, and you know, has had issues with getting
his knee healthy. But at the same time, he's still
(01:09:50):
now going to get a big benefit of a full
off season. He's going to be able to develop. With
Kevin O'Connell. I could absolutely see the Vikings still kind
of having a bridge quarterback or a very high end
backup to back him up when the season starts, whether
they start with JJ or whether they start with that person,
which was the plan obviously this year, whether that's Sam
(01:10:11):
Donald or Daniel Jones or someone else we haven't thought
of yet. I'm not sure, but the fact that maybe
there's question marks now. If Sam Donald is that starting
caliber guy, then maybe you can actually bring him back
on a two year deal worth like twelve million a
year something like that, or maybe another team picks him
(01:10:32):
up for that, gives him a Baker Mayfield type deal,
gives him something like that. You know, guys like the
Raiders or or would be one of these other the
Giants or on one of these other quarterback maby teams
if they're not able to get a quarterback in this draft.
I think Sam Donald is a really good option because
he is he a world beater. I don't know yet.
I think that there's obviously that jury is still out
seeing that he struggled in big time games, but that
(01:10:55):
could be something he could get better at, especially with
the strides he took this year overall to get him
It's fourteen.
Speaker 5 (01:11:00):
Wins, Carmen.
Speaker 4 (01:11:02):
I want to talk about the other side of that
Lion's Commander's game. The Washington Commanders kind of playing with
found money, like they're not.
Speaker 5 (01:11:09):
Really supposed to be a rookie quarterbacks don't normally win
on the road. That's not that's supposed to go.
Speaker 4 (01:11:15):
And I think they'll have a decent shot offensively here
at least to be able to score points on.
Speaker 5 (01:11:21):
A Lion's defense.
Speaker 4 (01:11:22):
But do you look at the Commander's results this season,
so many of them were like last literal last second
with this. Well, if Tyreek Stevens is paying attention, who
knows if the Commanders are even here right now? And
I'm watching CJ. Stroud and I think a lot of
people had them penciled as this would be a sophomore
slump in a year they won the division and won
(01:11:42):
a playoff game for him. So how do you, Jade
and Daniels like deal with that expectations and like just
kind of going forward because I think people I could
see a similar thing happening.
Speaker 5 (01:11:52):
What happened to CJ this year, happened to Jayden next year?
Speaker 7 (01:11:55):
Yeah, I mean again, it's you coming out of the
next year where people kind of know your mo They've
paid more attention to you, they have more tape on you,
they can be more prepared for you. There is so
much though that really does rely on Jaden Daniels as
far as this Washington offense goes. I mean, he's their
leading rusher on top of the fact that he is
(01:12:15):
the quarterback and he's making all of these throws and
this is an aggressive, quote unquote aggressive offense. This is
a team that has gone forward on fourth down, I
believe the most of any team in the league. They
have an eighty seven percent success rate on fourth down.
That's by far and away the best in the league.
And a lot of that has to do with Jaden
Daniels himself. And you see him being the reason for
(01:12:37):
this success in the offense. So I do think that,
you know, you see, you might see a little bit
of a slump now that people kind of have a
little bit more tape on Jayden Daniels and they know
what he can do and what he's capable of. He's
not taking anybody by surprise. But at the same time,
I think he's gotten more experience than even CJ. Stroud
at his first year because he was solely responsible for
(01:12:58):
so much of the offense. And this off season is
going to be should be good for the Commanders. I mean,
you have the coaching staff in place, the GM, you
you're under new ownership, You're going to have cap space,
You're going to have some you know, draft picks to
play with. They are only going to get more weapons
for him. So I really think that he's going to
(01:13:18):
continue to ascent. I'm so impressed with what Jane Daniels
has been able to do, despite what I said probably
last week when he was playing the Buccaneers, because the
Buccaneers still have my heart, but if it was any
other team, I'm rooting my head off for Dane Daniels
because I think he's such a special player.
Speaker 2 (01:13:34):
Okay, so then what are you expecting in this game
and who are you taking because you know this is
also like a really big deal for the Lions and
the fans, like their first one seed, like it at home,
like everything around this.
Speaker 7 (01:13:48):
Yeah, I mean, I've witnessed firsthand how loud Ford Field gets,
especially now in the postseason, and how much Detroit as
a city is behind the Lions, and how much momentum
they have going in their favor, and again with the
hell that they're getting back on defense and the way
that they can make quarterbacks uncomfortable. That's something I'm looking
towards to affect Jane Daniels, to try to rattle him.
(01:14:09):
But he does. He can scramble, he can get rid
of the ball quickly, he can throw it downfield. That's
something you're You're just going to have to contain Jane
Daniels as much as possible and then score points. I
do think that the Lions have the edge just with
their ability and their potency for scoring, with how many
offensive weapons they have and Jared Goff, who at this
point is an extremely experienced quarterback not only in the
(01:14:31):
regular season but in the postseason as well, the Lions
are going to have everything, you know, kind of going
for them in this game. But I do think with
how aggressive the Commanders have been all season long, I
really don't put it past them to give the Lions
a really true fight. Like if I was betting against
the spread for this game, I would take to the
Commanders to cover, because I think it's going to be
(01:14:54):
closer than much people than many people.
Speaker 2 (01:14:56):
Think it's gonna be a fun one. Later, Gary, thank
you so much for jumping on even though you're out
of town.
Speaker 5 (01:15:01):
We appreciate you.
Speaker 7 (01:15:02):
Of course. Of course that's fun.
Speaker 6 (01:15:04):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (01:15:04):
All right, we're gonna take one more break here, but
when we come back, we're making our NFL and College
Football Championship picks.
Speaker 3 (01:15:09):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
Welcome back to Fox Football Saturday. I'm Alex Curry here
with Martin Wise. Thank you for hanging out with us today.
We are broadcasting live from the Tar dot Com studios
in Los Angeles, and it is time for our NFL
and College Football Championship picks. Producer Patrick first of all, Yeah,
it's been a couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (01:15:32):
We were last week. Yeah, give me a little give
me a little update.
Speaker 6 (01:15:36):
Our update time. So with our last week we did
wasn't the wild card it was week eighteen.
Speaker 3 (01:15:41):
Yeah, it was the last time we did picks. You
did pretty good, Alex.
Speaker 5 (01:15:44):
You went three and two.
Speaker 3 (01:15:45):
However, yeah Morman went four and on. Wow. Okay, so
she gained a little.
Speaker 5 (01:15:51):
Bit on you.
Speaker 6 (01:15:52):
All right, you're still in the lead. Fifty seven thirty
two for you, fifty to thirty nine. Okay, she's in
the same ballparking.
Speaker 3 (01:15:58):
Yeah yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:16:00):
But now now to time for divisional time. We have
four right now, let's start with the first one. Oh,
it's the matchup of all matchups. It's the Ravens at
the Bills. Ravens are one and a half point favorites.
Carmen chose the Bills on this one.
Speaker 2 (01:16:16):
Alex, you go okay, So Ravens at Bills is the
game of the week. And honestly, I was shocked that
the Ravens are one and a half point favorites on
the road in Buffalo.
Speaker 3 (01:16:30):
This is the game of the week.
Speaker 2 (01:16:31):
This is a legacy game for both Lamar Jackson and
Josh Allen. But I'm giving the Bills the edge at home.
I just it feels like this is Josh Allen's year
and a year where I don't think anybody had as
high as expectations in years past, and he just blew
everybody out of the water. I also think being underdogs
at home is gonna have a little added motivation. Plus
(01:16:56):
they were also the only team to like before they
rested all their stars to beat Mahomes and the Chiefs
this year, like they know how to show up. They
both know. Both these quarterbacks are the MVP favorites right now.
But I'm going to take the Bills. I'm feeling Bills
Mark like chime in.
Speaker 1 (01:17:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:17:11):
Well with Buffalo as well as for the show, I
love that.
Speaker 5 (01:17:15):
I kick it over.
Speaker 4 (01:17:16):
I watched the Ravens loose to the Browns. I watched
the Ravens loose to the Greaters.
Speaker 3 (01:17:19):
Shit, I can't do it.
Speaker 5 (01:17:20):
I can't get over.
Speaker 3 (01:17:21):
Yeah, I'm sorry, traumatized. Can't pick them a.
Speaker 9 (01:17:24):
Three for three.
Speaker 6 (01:17:25):
Well, I'm gonna go four for from going with the Bills,
We're going to go back to where the two and
Martin that do count. Here we have the Commanders and
Lions is our next game. Lions are eight and a
half point favorites. Carmen, of course, shows the Lions. Yeah,
question is what are we doing?
Speaker 5 (01:17:41):
Alex?
Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
Yeah, I mean this should be I believe this should
be a big Lions win here. It's their first time
in franchise history, they're the one seed, They're coming off
a bye. I'm much needed rest week because they have
just been plugged with injuries this season. They're getting players back.
I just there's there's so much on, Like, there's so
much high expectations and hope and having this core group together,
(01:18:04):
especially their coordinator's offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator with this crew
to make that Super Bowl run.
Speaker 3 (01:18:11):
So I think it's a Lions.
Speaker 4 (01:18:13):
Home with the Lions as well forward down the field. Yeah,
I just think, and I think it kind of broke
ourd for him. I'd like them Tampa and Jaden Daniel's
lack of experience cause it strikes here.
Speaker 3 (01:18:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (01:18:25):
All right, well that's the halfway there. We got one
more nfilm than a surprise entrant. Yes, the last one,
we're gonna go with the Rams at the Eagles. Eagles
are in fact home and six point favorites. Carmon chose
the Eagles on this one. Alex, I think I know
who you go in here.
Speaker 5 (01:18:40):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:18:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:18:41):
Oh Yeah, we talked about this earlier Top of the
Hour Rams at Eagles.
Speaker 3 (01:18:49):
Rams are coming into this game with.
Speaker 2 (01:18:51):
The weight of LA and the heart and the emotion
on their shoulders, as we saw last week with that
Domini win over the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (01:19:03):
I'm I'm going.
Speaker 2 (01:19:04):
With my heart and I'm going with LA. They have
been one of the hottest teams in the NFL the
last few months. They have a better coach in Sean McVay.
They have a better quarterback in Matthew Stafford. They are
the only coach quarterback Super Bowl winning duo in the NFC.
And if it comes down to what the last couple
of minutes, I'm putting my money on Sean McVay and
(01:19:25):
Matthew Stafford. And I think after getting completely embarrassed and
blown out two months ago by the Eagles and Saguon Barkley,
they got to figure out how to stop them, and
they will.
Speaker 4 (01:19:36):
I do think also with that, you know that that's
tough fifty fifty five's that's a good three game stretch. Yeah,
you know, in four quarters. I like the Rams here.
I think that the reasons why people have not liked the.
Speaker 5 (01:19:51):
Rams, I think are overblown, Like the outside. Yeah, they
just played outside. I'm good with it. Give me Matthew
Stafford and me c J. Stroud. I mean, I'm sorry
Matthew Stafford, Sean McVay. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:19:59):
And last year's playoff rematch in the NFC Championship Rams
at Lions.
Speaker 6 (01:20:04):
All right, last one is the Notre Dame. Ohis the
national title game. Carmen Show's Notre Dame, Alex, go for it.
Speaker 2 (01:20:11):
I've been saying Ohio State is a team to beat,
so I'm gonna stick with it. I'm going with oho
Ohio State. I'm sorry, family, had so much family go
to Notre Dame.
Speaker 3 (01:20:19):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 5 (01:20:20):
Go Irish.
Speaker 3 (01:20:22):
We'll see you next Saturday afternoon.