Carmen Vitali & Tracy Sandler talk NFL Week 5 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 (00:04):
Welcome in to Fox Football Saturday. I'm your host, Carmen Vitally.
I have Tracy Sandler alongside along with me. She shouldn't
say alongside me. She's in La in the FSR studios.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Tracy, how are you doing?

Speaker 3 (00:18):
I am good, Karmen, and I'm always alongside you, no
matter what, I.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Will always be physically or in spirit.

Speaker 4 (00:26):
Yes, exactly.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
And you're in my ears. So it's awesome.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
I appreciate you being here. I appreciate all of you
for listening. We're excited to kick off another couple hours
of Fox Football Saturday. I do want to mention that
we are hoping that Mark Sanchez is okay. We heard
the update from Moncy Hi Moncy, by the way, that
he was involved in an altercation overnight in Indianapolis where

(00:50):
he was supposed to call the game tomorrow, and so
we certainly hope that he's okay and he's going to
get better soon.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
I we have a great show for you today.

Speaker 2 (00:59):
We're going to talk a whole lot of football, and
including the Indianapolis Colts, because I don't know what to
do with them.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Quite frankly, I don't know what like Daniel.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
Jones is just he's He's like top five and every
major passing metric you could want someone to be. And
I'm I don't really know what to do with my hands.
I'm like the Ricky Bobby meme. I don't know if
you're in my hams. But we're gonna talk some you know,
the top who's the top of the NFC, who's the
top of the AFC. We're gonna get into some fun
just like preview stuff and Mac Jones and slash the

(01:30):
forty nine ers offense again? What do we do there?
Is it the Niners offense? Is it Shanahan? Is it
Mac Jones?

Speaker 1 (01:35):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:36):
I have lots of thoughts.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
I'm sure Tracy does. And if you miss, if you
have it. If you can't stick with us the whole
two hours, be sure to subscribe to the Fox Sports
Radio YouTube channel. Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube
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Don't stop there, hit the thumbs up icon and comment away.
Let us know whose takes you like, even those takes
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(01:58):
and subscribe.

Speaker 3 (01:59):
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(02:19):
dot com.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
All right.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
So before we get to all that NFL stuff, though,
we would be remiss not to mention the fact that
the MLB postseason is going on.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
We've got October baseball.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
We've got the Brewers absolutely smacking the Chicago Cubs right now.
Last I looked at it was nine to one. I
don't actually know if it's changed since then, but it
was a six run first inning for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
Looking so hot for the Cubs. And as someone who
lives in Chicago and.

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Who's passed a whole bunch of bars with a whole
lot of Cubs fans, and I'm sorry it's all of.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
Them, it's probably been a little bit of a rough afternoon,
i'd have to.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
I mean, you know, they've got time they can pull
out here. But I mean the Brewers have kind of
been the bane of their existence all season long.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
So there's that then there's.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
The Yankees Red Sox series that ended in thrilling fashion.
Sure did this week where Kam Schlittler. I gotta be
real careful when I say that on air.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yes, you do earn the win over the.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Red Sox in Game three or the twenty twenty five
wild Card series. Eight shutout innings, striking out twelve batters,
walking none by the way, four no victory for the
Yankees to advance. Schlitzler became the first pitcher in MLB
postseason history to throw at least eight scoreless innings with
twelve or more strikeouts and no walks. Incredible because he's

(03:42):
like twelve years old.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
Yeah, it was very, very incredible.

Speaker 3 (03:46):
But something else incredible is happening this afternoon, Carmen, and
you know I have to mention it.

Speaker 4 (03:51):
The great show.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
Heyo Tani will be making his postseason pitching debut. I
believe he will be the first player ever assuming he
leads off to lead off and then pitch in a
postseason So way to go, show, Hey, let's do this.
I hope he's listening. I hope he got my little let's.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
Do this fum, I'm sure he is. That's what else
is he doing.

Speaker 4 (04:12):
Absolutely nothing else?

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Show?

Speaker 4 (04:14):
Hey you got this. I'm behind you, my friend.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
I feel like our producer Bopen Sid has something to
say too about the set Enego Padres, bo.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
Bo any thoughts on the Padres, because I always have
thoughts on the Padres.

Speaker 5 (04:28):
Sorry, I just have so many thoughts on that team
that I had to like, No, it's I asked this
question of Jonas Knox, and maybe I'll ask you guys here. Uh,
who do you think scored more runs the Padres in
their three games set against the Cubs or the Brewers
in the first inning against the Cubs.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (04:43):
I know, I'm raising my hand, Carton can't. In case
you didn't know, the Padres love to blame other people
for their ineptitude.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
Embarrassing, I will say, like having to be held back
from just trying to go into the dugout. Like I'm
not saying that there weren't some questionable calls there and
all that other stuff, but good.

Speaker 1 (05:03):
God, what a bad look.

Speaker 4 (05:05):
It's a bad look. And listen, Fernando Tatis.

Speaker 3 (05:07):
Since I believe Game two of the nlds last season
in the post seasons was three for twenty three, that's
not the Umps Falt, Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 6 (05:17):
Ye.

Speaker 5 (05:18):
The Dodgers scrap heap catcher had more hits in the
wild Card Series than Tatis and Machado combined.

Speaker 4 (05:25):
So there you go. Tells me everything I need to know.

Speaker 1 (05:28):
You know, Karma Cubs are getting smacked. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Maybe that'should make esture, that make Padres fancy a little bit.
I don't know, make it feel worse. I don't know either,
but I mean, I love October baseball. It's great. I
wish it was a little cooler here in Chicago because
it's like eighty five degrees. I don't feel like it
should be baseball playoffs, but it is.

Speaker 4 (05:50):
It's eighty five in Chicago.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
Wow, it with eighty two and ann Arbor to Day,
which was also surprising.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
So oh no, the whole Midwest is going through a
heat wave and everybody's a real crabby about it.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
I'm sure all right. Well, other fall things.

Speaker 2 (06:00):
Also, the NFL is officially like we're through Q one.

Speaker 4 (06:08):
I love that it's one of the NFL.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
I love that we're through Q one. We're through the
first four games.

Speaker 2 (06:15):
I mean, I know, the seventeen games, so it's not
quite but whatever, it's fine.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
And listen.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
I this is kind of when you start to know, like,
all right, who teams actually are because the first four
games of the season are always crazy.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
At the beginning of the season is always crazy. Q one.

Speaker 4 (06:33):
I'm gonna stick with it.

Speaker 2 (06:34):
Always crazy. It's always pretty topsy turvy. Teams don't know
what to make of each other, YadA, YadA, YadA. However,
I want to kind of try to make sense of,
all right, who do we actually think is at the
top of both of these conferences, the NFC and the
AFC favorites if you will, at this stage of the game,
because you have I'll start in the NFC, you have

(06:54):
Philadelphia at four and oh so like that has to
be kind of the given whether or not, you know,
like AJ Brown might have something to say about it
because he's not getting the ball as much as he'd
like to, and he pulled the very quintessential wide receiver.
I'm gonna tweet out some crazy stuff. Actually, I think
you're tweeting out a Bible verse, so I shouldn't call.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
It crazy cryptic but cryptic the cryptic.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
Yeah, like you know, there was there's the one tweet
that circles around every so often of like wide receivers,
like the enemy you know, speaks softly but carries a
big carries a big.

Speaker 1 (07:26):
Knife or whatever.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
Exactly.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
In that same.

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Tweet, it says, like tight end tweet, Dirpe, it's the best.
It's the best tweet if you if you know what
I'm talking about. But I mean the Eagles as a whole,
despite some of the injuries that they have, I think
they're at the top. I don't know, do you have
an argument to that, Tracy.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
Do you have an alternative? If we're talking top team
in the NFC right now?

Speaker 3 (07:51):
I have a thought if I don't know if that counts.
I had a little trouble with this because you're right,
Q one, you don't really know yet we're going in
tweak five. I'm looking around the league. There are teams
that are four and oh, there are teams have lost
one game. I don't feel like there's any team maybe
save the Bills.

Speaker 4 (08:08):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (08:08):
That's like far and away above everybody else. And the Eagles, yes,
they're four and oh, but I think their offense is
still finding its identity.

Speaker 4 (08:18):
And so I had a little trouble with this one.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
I had a couple of teams at the top of
the AFC, multiple honorable mentions, a few of the NFC.

Speaker 4 (08:27):
I just I had a little trouble. I'm struggling a little.

Speaker 3 (08:30):
But I think in some ways that's good for the
league because every week is like, Okay, who is going
to establish themselves this week?

Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yeah? I agree.

Speaker 2 (08:39):
I mean that's the ultimate parody, right The NFL is
known for parody, and that's the way we like it.
But I'm with you that, Like I have filling Out
at the top because they are the only foreign four OHNFC,
I have the Bills at the top of the AFC
because they are the only foreign OH team in the AFC.
So like I and and the Bills look as dominant
as like anyone right now, I.

Speaker 3 (08:59):
Think they look better than any team in the entire league.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
I agree, and I have that they're actually my Super
Bowl pick. It's Bills Packers, because I think.

Speaker 1 (09:05):
That'd be fun.

Speaker 4 (09:06):
Oh my gosh, that would be so fun.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Wouldn't it be fun? It would just be fun.

Speaker 3 (09:11):
It would be fun. I had had the Rams originally,
but now I don't know. I'm not so sure. We
can talk more about that later, but I think that
would be such a fun super Bowl.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
I'm all in it and what iconic fan basis, That's.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
What I'm saying, and like so fun.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
I mean, obviously the Bills are much more starved for yeah, trophy, sure,
but I mean there there is a growing contingent in
Green Bay of like, is Matt Lafleura the guy. Yes,
we've had success under him, but like he hasn't gotten
us over the hump? And then they go out and
they make this blockbuster trade for Michael Parsons and it's like, Okay,
you're the most complete team on paper.

Speaker 1 (09:46):
Here, what's happening?

Speaker 2 (09:47):
And like they can't really figure out their offensive line yet,
and like there's some stuff I don't know what.

Speaker 1 (09:51):
We're gonna see what. We can talk about the Packers
a little bit more later, but.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
I think in there because I don't even think they're
the best team right now, risk right now in their divisions.
The Packers, yea, because I agree with you, the Lions
are the best team in the NFC North, and I
think they're right below Philadelphia because while they do have
that one loss to the Packers, that was at the
very beginning of the season, and it's you know, Detroit
is trying to figure out their way after a coaching exodus,

(10:19):
so you had to think that there was going to
be some sort of bumps to begin the season with,
and they, to their credit, Detroit got it together real quick.

Speaker 4 (10:26):
Yes, they sure did.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
And they look just as unstoppable of a force as
they did last year, even though they have John Morton
now as offensive coordinator Calvin Shephard as defensive coordinator. I
like they just kind of picked right back up. And
so I really, despite the fact that there're three and one,
I do still think that they're one of the powerhouses
in the NFC.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
Oh absolutely, And this is going to be fun. It's
going to be fun to end the season. NFC North,
I think, is just a division that's going to be
really fun to keep an eye on all season long.
I mean, see many times I can say fun in
the next couple of hours, guys, But I just think
that division it'll go down to the wire in theory.
I mean, you know, the Vikings have had eight gazillion

(11:06):
injuries and there are things they have to get together. Obviously,
the Bears, as you well know, very much at work
in progress of sorts. But it's an interesting division. But
you're right, the Lions seem to have picked back up.
They look pretty darn dominant. So it's just interesting. I looked,
I had the Eagles and the Packers as my top

(11:27):
two teams, and then in the NFC, and then my
honorable mentions are kind of the Bucks, that's forty.

Speaker 4 (11:35):
Nine Ers, the Rams, the Bite.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
You notice all these question marks coming at the end
of my there's a lot of it's a lot of questions.

Speaker 4 (11:43):
I love it though, I absolutely love it.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
Yeah, I mean it still is early to figure out
what these teams are who they are again, there's room
for like and I think a lot of those A
lot of the things that those honorable mention teams, at
least in the NFC and maybe even the AFC have
in common are like they also have all already suffered
some significant injuries. Yes, and like you look at the
Bucks and like they lost Elijah Canty on the middle

(12:06):
of that defensive line. It's like, okay, yeah, they still
have B to B, they still have whatever. But like
Elijah Canzy, especially when you're talking about the run defense,
is a huge piece of what Todd Bowles wants to
do with that defense there and then you have Mike
Evans having another hamstring injury, and so that takes away
some of the momentum that they had that he had
with Baker and Chris Goden was working his way back.

(12:26):
So like, there's a lot of injuries that we have
to kind of account for, which prevents us from really
knowing what this team is. Like what's possible with these
teams in the NFC.

Speaker 1 (12:38):
I'll tell you what, though the Autaba.

Speaker 2 (12:40):
Mentions even the second team in the AFC, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (12:46):
Like Cold Steelers Chargers all three and one.

Speaker 4 (12:48):
I put the Chargers as my second team.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
I did two, but I have a bunch of question
marks after this.

Speaker 4 (12:54):
I definitely have a bunch of question marks.

Speaker 3 (12:55):
There's offensive line issues, there's injury issues there that that
was a little bit of a pick with my heart obviously, because.

Speaker 1 (13:02):
Yeah, it's like I want to trust the Chargers because
I want to. I want I want good things for
Justin Herbert, I really do, and.

Speaker 3 (13:09):
I want good things for Justin Herbert too, and really
good things for Jim Harbaugh obviously, But.

Speaker 2 (13:14):
I like, you know, Joel is dealing with the Higa
Goel spray now, and so you want you hope that
he can get back soon. And they're still dealing with
some offensive line injuries, which which stinks. But I I
mean Omarion Hampton had kind of like his breakout game
and that loss to the Giants, which by the way,
the Chargers lost the Giants, and you're just.

Speaker 4 (13:30):
Like, right, but that's gonna. I do think that's why
it's so because we're so early.

Speaker 3 (13:36):
You know, the end of a season, you look and say,
I remember years ago, like whatever year was the Chiefs,
what did they started zero to two, and didn't they
win the Super Bowl that year? That happened to back
up and billion and a half years ago when the
Jaguars were like super nuper relevant, that happened to them.
They went to I believe the AFC Championship game that year.

Speaker 4 (13:53):
It's just it's hard to tell.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
And they lost to a Giants team that was a
little bit rejuvenated, re energized with their new order back.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
And yeah, and I mean they've got my little running
back Campskataboo.

Speaker 1 (14:05):
Who's my ASU guy?

Speaker 2 (14:08):
Nice everything about being a sun devil, a Sun devil Jerry.

Speaker 1 (14:15):
But yeah, I mean, yeah.

Speaker 3 (14:16):
That's that's all gonna thank you.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
But yeah, I mean, but at the same time, the
Chargers have to get past the Chiefs and that's not
a given. Like, I know that they don't look great,
but again, two years ago, they didn't start out great.
They Patrick Mahomes suffered the most drops in the league
by his receivers. I keep calling back to that because
it was such a big dealer. We thought it was
such a big deal, and then they won the Super
Bowl that year, So I'm like, all right, they're still
like in the mix here, like you're talking about who's

(14:41):
actually the second best team in the AFC. I think
the Chiefs still have to even be in that conversation
just because they're the Chiefs.

Speaker 1 (14:47):
But that's not a fun discussion to have.

Speaker 3 (14:51):
I have them as an honorable mention for the reason
because I'm not I'm not convinced that they're not gonna
chief like the Chargers. Charger and the Chiefs chief and
it's good please different directions. But is this the year
that that changes. That's what remains to be seen.

Speaker 1 (15:04):
That's what remains to be seen.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
It what remains to be seen, too, is another discussion
on Mac Jones or the forty nine Ers offense. Who
is responsible for that that last win. We're gonna get
to it. On the other side of this, you're listening
to Fox Football Saturday.

Speaker 7 (15:19):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 8 (15:31):
Hey, we're Cavino and Rich Fox Sports Radio every day
five to seven pm Eastern.

Speaker 9 (15:36):
But here's the thing. We never have enough time to
get to everything we want to get.

Speaker 10 (15:39):
To and that's why we have a brand new podcast
called over Promised. You see, we're having so much fun
in our two hour show. We never get to everything, honestly,
because this guy is over promising things we never have
time for.

Speaker 1 (15:52):
Yeah, you blobber list name and me.

Speaker 9 (15:54):
Well, you know what it's called over promise. You should
be good at it because you've been over promising women
for years.

Speaker 10 (15:58):
Well, it's a Cavino and Rich after show, and we
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check out Over Promised and also Uncensored, by the way,
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(16:19):
It's gonna be the best after show podcast of all time.
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Speaker 1 (16:34):
What are you guys trying to do to me right now?

Speaker 4 (16:37):
I like it? I really like this.

Speaker 2 (16:42):
Oh gosh, guys, welcome back in to box Football Saturday.

Speaker 8 (16:48):
It's a very baseball heavy song in the first in
the first verse, I love it and idea, Yeah, he
said the ninth inning and he's not gonna win at
the bottom of the knife. Yeah, and I think you
just dropped another baseball reference. I forget the lyrics there,
but yeah.

Speaker 4 (17:03):
October baseball.

Speaker 2 (17:04):
I'm like thirteen years old again, guys, I'm Karma Italian.
That's Tracy Sandler. Chris Braffett is the one that is
responsible for that. In your ear right now.

Speaker 9 (17:14):
I will take no phone calls in the matter.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
Producer Bo Benson is also complicit in all of this.
Manzi Blanio's over in the updates studio.

Speaker 1 (17:25):
If you missed any of today's.

Speaker 2 (17:26):
Show so far, my god, it is still going guys.
All right, all right, all right, now that we're all
officially thirteen years old again and didn't have taste in music.
If you missed any of today's show, you want to

(17:46):
catch the podcast, just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you
get your podcast right after the show, Today's podcast we'll
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Be sure to follow the podcast rat at five stars
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you'll find today's full show posted right after we get
off the air.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
Okay, Tracy, Yes, I'm so.

Speaker 2 (18:07):
Excited for this. I'm so excited to talk to you
about this. Because we all saw Thursday night Football. I mean,
especially if you're a sicko and you watch Thursday night football.
It was I I was, honestly, I was scarred from
the Packers Cowboys game.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
I was like, is this game gonna end in a tie?

Speaker 7 (18:23):
Too?

Speaker 2 (18:23):
Because I can't take two ties in one calendar week
I can't do it.

Speaker 1 (18:27):
I won't do it.

Speaker 2 (18:28):
Parody has gotten out of control of that in that regard.
But the mac Jones led San Francisco forty nine ers
end up with a twenty six twenty three win over
the Los Angeles Rams in overtime, and I think, I mean,
first of all, mac Jones hung in there through a

(18:49):
whole lot. He took multiple hits.

Speaker 1 (18:51):
He was he was in so much pain.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
I don't know that he physically could have gone out
there for another drive in that overtime period or like
at all. Like I mean, I was kind of surprised
he even went out there for overtime because he was
just clearly in an incredible amount of pain. He was
apparently really dehydrated battling through all of this. And then
it's sparked a bigger conversation. Now I think, of all, right,

(19:19):
is mac Jones better than we thought? Was it just
that bad in New England? Which I don't think anybody
can argue that it was. It was horrendous in New
England that experience for him.

Speaker 1 (19:29):
Is he still I.

Speaker 2 (19:31):
Mean, he's a top fifteen pick, and is he still
the you know, is there life left in mac Jones?

Speaker 1 (19:39):
Or something.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
Is it more to do with Kyle Shanahan the system
that he has built in San Francisco and can any
anybody kind of operate either because their current starter who
was injured for this, Brock Party was mister Irrelevant. He
was picked the last pick of the NFL Draft in
the seventh round at the end of the seventh round,

(20:01):
and this system got him paid. But I think a
lot of us have been like, well, Black Party is
a really good quarterback though, And I just think that
this has created such a bigger conversation of Okay, is
it the offense, is it the system or do the
forty nine ers just have the capability to kind of
find these guys or develop them in a certain way

(20:23):
that speaks to their skills set and they just know
that these guys are they that they end up finding
are better than we all think.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
First of all, I want to add one thing to
the Mac Shones lore because I asked Kyle about it
yesterday and he said that actually his forearm was cramping
so much he called a play for Adrian Martinez, their backup,
and that's who he thought was going in the game.
And then he looked up and Mac Jones was in
the huddle, So just adding to the lore. There a
little fun fact to share with you guys. But you know,
I think it is a combination of things. I think,

(20:50):
first of all, and we've talked about this before, it's
obviously a huge conversation developing quarterbacks. They get a high pick,
often going to a bad team that quarterback developed.

Speaker 4 (21:01):
How much is put on their shoulders.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
I think Max Sjowones was not in a great situation
in New England, not in a great situation in Jacksonville,
and he has found a good situation in San Francisco.
Kyle Shanahan is good at this. Look what he did
with Sam Darnold.

Speaker 4 (21:14):
I think this.

Speaker 3 (21:15):
He's got these talented quarterbacks that needed to be developed.

Speaker 4 (21:19):
So I think that that is some of it. And
you know, I think it is a talent.

Speaker 3 (21:22):
But a lot of credit should go to Kyle Shanahan
because you look at that game, one of the craziest
games I've ever covered. And to quote the kids, if
they still say this, he was in his bag. I
mean the forty nine ers came out there with their
backup quarterback. No Juwan Jennings, no Ricky piersov Nick Bosa
out for the season.

Speaker 4 (21:38):
No, George Kittle and the Rams.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
Really did look like they looked at the injury report
and like, yeah, we got this. I mean, that is
how they played. But Kyle Shanahan called an incredible game.
Mac Jones is a talented quarterback. I'm not saying he's
better than Brock Party. And I think this has become
a discourse. I don't think it's a controversy. I do
think it is a discourse. Rock Pertty, I think is
an incredible coursequarterback. They had to pay him. He is

(22:02):
their guy. But what we're seeing is that Kyle Shanahan
is a heck of a coach and that is not
a bad thing. And I don't think it's a bad
thing that quarterbacks can go into this system and be successful.
Jimmy Garoppolo into a super Bowl in this system. But
I don't think that's a knock on the quarterback. I
think it's more of a positive of the coach. But

(22:23):
I also think it's okay. It's okay they paid Rock
Party because he is their guy and he's successful in
their system, and they want him to be successful in
their system, and they have a backup at Mac Jones
that can get the job done, which is why they
brought him to San Francisco and he's had to get
the job done. And I think it doesn't have to
be a controversy. It can just be like kind of

(22:46):
props to everyone involved.

Speaker 2 (22:48):
Well there is that, and I think I agree with
you in all of that. And like, when you find
a quarterback, even if it is a system quarterback, if
he fits your system and he lets you do what
you want to do, just keep around.

Speaker 1 (22:58):
Pay the man.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
Don't don't invite any sort of like instability at that position, right.

Speaker 1 (23:03):
I get that.

Speaker 2 (23:04):
However, when you look at this game and what Mac
Jones was asked to do and what Kyle Shanahan asks
his quarterbacks to do, which I think is a testament
to him also and the system that it can work
with this He's not asking his quarterbacks to do a
whole lot.

Speaker 4 (23:20):
But he does need someone to do it.

Speaker 1 (23:22):
He does that.

Speaker 2 (23:23):
Mac Johnes' air yards per attempt in this game five
point eight yards. You look at his passing chart and
his longest completion was like either nineteen or twenty yards.
He only ever attempted one pass longer than that, and
it was an incompletion, he was spreading the ball out
all on all sides, all over like that short to
intermediate area of the field, and he's just kind of

(23:46):
dinking and dunking his way down the field, which, again,
if you can continue to move the ball that way,
I'm not hating on it. Drew Brees made an entire
career doing that. But if that's the case and that's
all you're going to ask your quarterbacks to do, then
was it worth going out and paying fifty something million
dollars a year for brock Party or could you have conceivably,

(24:07):
you know, ushered in. I mean, it could be mac Jones.
It could have been mac Jones and then you would
have had the same results. I don't know the answer
to that, but it's I understand the discourse around it
because of the fact that this offense works because you're
not without a whole lot of heroics from the quarterback.

Speaker 1 (24:28):
My SMS to me, be a good quarterback.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
My one counterpoint to that is we're going on Thursday's game,
and I don't think that that's all he asked his
quarterbacks to do.

Speaker 4 (24:37):
If you look at the full.

Speaker 3 (24:39):
Breadth of his time with even with Jimmy Garoppolo with
Brock party we're going off Thursday's game, and Mac played great,
But I look at like the early Shanahan years, Nick Mullins, CJ. Bethard,
Brian Hoyer. He couldn't do it with them. He couldn't
do it with Trey Lance. So it's and that's not
a knock on Kyle, it's just there's only so much
the man can do. So I think think you look

(25:00):
at these other quarterbacks that he could do it with
because they.

Speaker 4 (25:04):
Work for him.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
But you know, Brock, Brock earned it, in my opinion,
and I understand people talk about that.

Speaker 4 (25:10):
I totally understand, like why did they pay him all
of that?

Speaker 3 (25:12):
There's always been this national thing around Brock and being
mister Irrelevant and it can't be it can't be real.

Speaker 4 (25:17):
But he did earn it.

Speaker 3 (25:19):
He came into this offense is rookie year in December
when Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt and took him to an
NFC championship game.

Speaker 4 (25:26):
I mean that then took them to a super Bowl.
He's been hurt.

Speaker 3 (25:30):
I think the other thing is Brock played so poorly
on Sunday because you partly because you reaggravated that turf
toe injury. There's also the recency. I don't know if
it's bias of that. Wow, look how awful he played
Sunday and how great Mac Jones like Thursday. Kyle could
do this with anyone, and I don't I don't know
that that's totally the case.

Speaker 4 (25:48):
We've seen him successful with the.

Speaker 3 (25:49):
Number of quarterbacks, but we've also seen a number of
quarterbacks that he was not able to be successful.

Speaker 2 (25:53):
Yeah, I'm gonna be interested to see how this goes
when as it goes on and if you know this,
this game plan was paired down because Mac Jones as
your quarterback, or if this is kind of how Kyle
Shanahan operates this current system.

Speaker 3 (26:05):
And he didn't have his top two wide receivers, I mean,
that's ot the thing so bad too.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
So like, I'll be interest to see how this continues
to go on.

Speaker 2 (26:11):
But I also am going to be interested to see
what our next guest is about to say about the
Baltimore Ravens because Lamar Jackson officially ruled out for this weekend,
and despite that, he has been incredible from his perspective.
It's the team around him that I just don't know
what to do with. Brian Whacker of the Baltimore Sun

(26:34):
is going to come on with us right.

Speaker 1 (26:36):
After this update break.

Speaker 11 (26:40):
Hey, gl's happy to be hanging out with you on
this Saturday show.

Speaker 12 (26:44):
Hey O, Tawny Day.

Speaker 11 (26:46):
That's what we're gonna dub it for now because there's
a lot going on. But we'll start in baseball because
it is October baseball. Game one of the NLDS all
Brewers so far, I mean, Michael Bush started things off
for the Cubs with the home run in the first inning,
but the Brewers have responded.

Speaker 12 (26:58):
They're on top, nine to bottom of the seventh inning.

Speaker 11 (27:01):
Game one of the Alds between the Yankees and the
Blue Jays is underway.

Speaker 12 (27:04):
Bottom of the second inning in Toronto.

Speaker 11 (27:06):
Vladimir Guerrero Junior started things off with a solo home
run and did this inning for the Yankees with a
nice catch at first base. So right now the Blue
Jays are up on the Yankees one zero, bottom of
the second inning about to start.

Speaker 12 (27:18):
When it comes to college.

Speaker 11 (27:20):
Football, Ucla is on top of number seven Penn State
right now, seventeen to seven. Nico Io mal Liaba with
the second touchdown pass.

Speaker 12 (27:28):
Also if you missed it.

Speaker 11 (27:29):
Carmen UCLA scored on their opening drive and then they
went on to have a successful on sidekick. That is
what the Bruins did to start the game.

Speaker 3 (27:39):
So they're upright, des for times, desperate measures, and they worked.

Speaker 12 (27:43):
Seventeen to seven.

Speaker 11 (27:45):
Still early in the second quarter, Arch Manning has on
his first first touchdown pass of the day. But number
nine Texas is losing to Florida ten to seven early
in the second. Number sixteen Vanderbilt up on number ten
Alabama seven zero early in the second quarter. In fact,
Vanderbilt was knocking on the door to score again, but
quarterback Diego Pavia fumbled and lost the ball. Then we've

(28:07):
got Notre Dame up on Boise State. Number twenty one
Notre Dame six zero early in the second wide is
six because Boise State blocked the extra point. Number twenty
four Virginia and Louisville tied at seven early in the
second and then it looks like number five Oklahoma on
the scoreboard. First against Kent State seven zero early in
the first quarter. One upset Cincinnati with the upset over

(28:28):
number fourteen.

Speaker 12 (28:28):
Iowa State thirty eight to thirty victories.

Speaker 11 (28:31):
Also for number twelve Georgia, number twenty Michigan, and number
twenty two Illinois.

Speaker 12 (28:35):
And some sad but hey positive news.

Speaker 11 (28:37):
Former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports broadcaster Mark Sanchez
is hospitalized after being stabbed in Indianapolis early Saturday morning.
Fox Sports set in a statement that he is recovering.
He's in stable condition, but he will not be part
of the broadcast crew for Sunday's game between the Raiders
and the Colts.

Speaker 12 (28:55):
But he's in stable condition and.

Speaker 1 (28:56):
That is what matters.

Speaker 12 (28:58):
Back to you gals, Thank.

Speaker 2 (28:59):
You, Monci, and yes, good news on Mark Sanchez's front.
We certainly hope for a speedy recovery for our Fox
Sports coworker. And now we're going to go to the
East coast. Brian Wacker of the Baltimore Sun. Brian, how
you doing?

Speaker 6 (29:18):
I'm great?

Speaker 1 (29:18):
How are you great? So?

Speaker 2 (29:21):
I thank you so much for joining us because I
quite frankly have so many questions about the Baltimore Ravens,
and I'm pretty sure everybody else does too.

Speaker 8 (29:30):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
I was diving into, you know, some of the stats
and every advanced metric. Lamar is being Lamar, and we
know that he's out for this weekend, but it doesn't
seem like he was getting a whole lot of help
from the rest of the team. So what are the
what's the outlook now for this weekend, now that you're
Lamar less and that the rest of the team doesn't
seem to be pulling their weight.

Speaker 6 (29:52):
Well, I would presume we'll see a lot of Derrick Henry,
which we haven't really seen much of the past couple
of weeks. We saw plenty of them in that wild
Week one lost to the Buffalo Bills forty one forty
where they ran the ball really all all over the
Bills and none surprisingly, I mean, Bills have I think
the worst run defense, certainly one of the worst run

(30:13):
defenses in the NFL in terms of yards, So not
a huge surprise there, but they really, you know, as
good as Lamar has been this year, leads the NFL
touchdown passes passer rating, the offense has just been kind
of disjointed these past few weeks. Look some of that
is the opponents, you know, playing teams like Kansas City Chiefs,
which have had their number Steve Spagnolo's just you know,

(30:36):
putting that voodoo curse on the great and the team
once again as he always does. And then you look
at the Detroit Lions and how they're playing, so you
know it's not like they're you know, feel like their
offense is going up against you know, bad teams. And
then you throw the Cleveland Browns in, who they kind
of ran away from in the second half. But you know,

(30:56):
that's again a very very good stout defense. But really
it's I think there's a few reasons, and I think
it's partly the offensive line has not been very good
Lamar at times, it's maybe held the ball longer than expected,
kind of letting routes develop and being a little less
likely to run crafts. Now we see why with this

(31:18):
hamstring injury so which you know, all indications are it's
sort of like a compilation of things, not one particular play.
So I think all of that you throw in idea
likely they were without him for the first few weeks
of the season and the ascended tight end behind Mark Andrews.
So I just think there's been a lot of this

(31:39):
jointedness to this offense, and then the defense, as you know,
has just been terrible. That doesn't help your offense.

Speaker 3 (31:46):
I have a coaching question, Brian, how important is this
year for John Harbaugh. He's with the Ravens a long time,
want a super werk, they've fallen short.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
How important is this year for him and his job security?

Speaker 6 (31:58):
Well, I think it's important. You see. I think you know, look,
is John Harvar gonna get fired off this season? I
have a hard time thinking that would be the case.
Your point. I mean, here's the second longest tenured coach
in the NFL, has won a couple of Super Bowls
for them, so you know, look they they are. You know,
he's won a Super Bowl there before, so he's very

(32:21):
close with the with the owner, Steve Bashatti. That said,
I think, look if they things go sideways here and
it ends up being a bad year, I think he's
very much on the hobkeat for next year. He just
signed his three year extension this past offseason and look
those you know, if that doesn't mean anything as we
have in the NFL, really, but I will say that,

(32:42):
you know, I always go back to this, who are
you replacing him with? And if you replace John Harbo,
that means you're replacing Todd Monk and the offensive coordinator
and you're having to replace really the whole operation with
the quarterback and Lamar Jackson, who you've got to figure out,
you know, is there a better option to coach him
than John Harbaugh. So that said, I wouldn't be shocked

(33:04):
if the defense continues to struggle, if we saw a
change there. I know John Harbaugh has been very positive
about defensive coordinator zakh War in his second year. First
time he's ever called a defense at any level was
last year. So there's been some real struggles he's been
He's defended him a lot. But I have to think,
you know what, we see this all the time where

(33:25):
anytime a team struggles that is expected to do well,
you know, eventually there's heat on the coordinators and then
it sort of works its way up the chain to
the head coach. So I would expect, you know, before
we would see John Harbaugh get fired, I would expect
maybe a coordinator change defensive coordinator zak War if were
to go.

Speaker 13 (33:43):
Down that road.

Speaker 6 (33:44):
But certainly I think if what if they do not
have a good season, you know, certainly he is going
to be turned up for next year for John Harbaugh.

Speaker 1 (33:52):
How long do you think the leash is then?

Speaker 2 (33:54):
I mean, given the fact that now Nondie Matta Bouquet
is no longer in the lineup. You know, he's out
for the rest of the season. What is like, is
there a kind of a leash on all right now?
We have to figure out how to compensate for that
because he's not one of those players that you can
just plug and play another guy. And I feel like
it's it's going to take more than that to make
up for his absence. So how long do you think

(34:15):
it's going to take for them to figure that out?
And how long believes will zach or be given?

Speaker 6 (34:19):
Yeah, I don't know that they can make up for
that absence to your point, and this is a guy
who's a pro bowler and two years ago let the
NFL for interior linemen in sacks with thirteen, had six
and a half last year and was one of one
of the most double team players in the league. You know,
good news is we'll get Travis Jones back this week.
He's been dealing with a knee injury, but he practiced

(34:42):
full on Friday, so he should play Broderick Washington, another
sort of veteran defensive tackle, to kind of take some
of the load off. He'll come off of ir in
a couple more weeks, but really, yeah, there's I don't
unless they make a move here, which they really have not.
You know, defensive tackles too are you know, the high

(35:02):
level performers, they don't. They don't grow on trees number
one and number two. You know, it takes a lot
to get those guys, and it's not an organization. Eric Tacosta,
the GM that likes to trade draft picks, he used
them his currency and likes to acquire as many as possible. Now,
we did see him trade a couple of draft picks
a few years ago to acquire Roquan Smith mid season,

(35:22):
the middle linebacker. But you know, I would not I
don't really see them making a move at this point.
I think the price would be awfully high for them
to get somebody. That said, I think certainly they will
be scouring the free agent market. There's certainly some guys,
a couple of guys here and there who are still available,
so you know the lease is not long. To your point, like,

(35:45):
if they lose this game to the Texans and they
lose next week to a very very good Rams team,
I think going to bye week one and five, I
would not be surprised if we maybe saw even if
it's not publicly, I would not be surprised if we
saw maybe some from the play calling seeded to say
Chuck Bagano, former defensive coordinator, secondary coach now and you know,

(36:08):
very involved in the meetings again John harbut then very
positive about Jack Orr and very positive about what he
has seen traumatically from this defense. But it's just not
ending up. At some point you've got to make a
change and that continue to see the case.

Speaker 1 (36:21):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
It's unfortunate too because not be might be gay is
just one of the premiere interior defensive linemen and you
hate to see that happen. But Brian, thank you so
much for your time today, and enjoy the game tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (36:35):
We really appreciate you stopping by.

Speaker 6 (36:37):
Thanks all, and enjoy your weekend.

Speaker 1 (36:39):
Thanks Ryan.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
All right, on the other side of this, we've got
the dues and that don't you're listening to Fox Football Saturday.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
How did I know this is going to become a
theme for the day.

Speaker 4 (36:48):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (36:48):
I'm sitting here dancing. You can't see me, but I
can dance. And Dancy Chris could confirm she's.

Speaker 1 (36:54):
Thirteen year old.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
Thirteen year old Carmen's angsty arena rock even know, if
it's arena rock, it's rock.

Speaker 8 (37:01):
Someone got someone got mad at me on Blue Sky
the other day for calling it butt rock. But like,
I don't know what else I'm supposed to call this
era of music.

Speaker 2 (37:09):
I don't either, Like I just remember very distinctly being
in the back of my cousin's like ninety five Ford Mustang,
like just blasting nickelback, like down the Florida highwy because
that's where they lived.

Speaker 1 (37:21):
I just I don't know, like that perfectly encompasses.

Speaker 8 (37:25):
Monday Night football like eight different times last year too,
liked they were playing.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
Puddle also producing Monday Night Football Christmas.

Speaker 9 (37:33):
I wish I was that would be that would be
very good.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
But well, you're producing us here at Fox Sports right now.

Speaker 1 (37:40):
I'm crime vitally.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
That's Tracy Sandler, you Bo Benson in there, Monty Belanius
in the update booth.

Speaker 1 (37:44):
We're having a bunch of fun.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
And it is now time for the dudes and the
don'ts highlight.

Speaker 7 (37:52):
I love that putting a spotlight on adult.

Speaker 1 (37:55):
The subject brings me no joy. Don't do that, that's insane.

Speaker 7 (37:59):
Next, I'm for the dues.

Speaker 1 (38:01):
And the don'ts in sports.

Speaker 2 (38:03):
All Right, I'm gonna start Terry saying, I'm gonna start
with a don't okay, don't hold yourself back if you're
an NFL coach, because we need more coach beef. This
is going back now, a couple of forty nine ers
games ago, I guess, but it was only a week ago.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
What wasn't even a week ago?

Speaker 2 (38:19):
It was six days ago that Liam Cohen and Robert
Sala got into it after the jag Signers game, because
Sala went up to the podium and said that the
Jaguars are like really good at legally signs stealing, which,
by the way, is just like this whole it's it's

(38:41):
it's hysterical to me that Robert Sala decided to get
up there and say all this so much so that
like Kyle Shanahan had to come up later and just
be like do damage control. He didn't mean sign stealing.
He meant every team to pull back the curtain here.
Every team sends advanced scouts to their upcoming opponents game
the week before they play them, or maybe.

Speaker 1 (38:59):
Two weeks before they play it. I think the NFL
rules allow you to do it up.

Speaker 2 (39:02):
To two weeks before and essentially those scouts are looking for,
like can they pick up on some hand signals for
certain packages? Can they like they are usually up in
the press box, so like that is the view that
they are allowed. And they are trying to take as
many notes. And each team has their own system. Each
for an office has their own system. They have things
that they prioritize, they have things they try to get and.

Speaker 1 (39:24):
How they do it and all that other stuff.

Speaker 2 (39:26):
And so Sala got up there and said that, and
then after the game, Liam Cohen had some choice words
for Robert Sala, so much so that like Liam Cohen
had to be held back by one of his offensive linemen,
Robert Hainsey, bless.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
You, Hanes.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
Hanes is a good friend of mine. And it was
just hysterical because I'm like, really, you're having your own
players having a hold of coach back, your head coach back.

Speaker 1 (39:48):
It's just hysterical. But I think it's good for the sport.
I want more coach beef. I would like more coach beef.

Speaker 3 (39:54):
And him saying Robert Sala, keep your name out of
my mouth, I mean.

Speaker 4 (39:57):
Your name out of that, or keep my name out.

Speaker 2 (39:59):
Of your yeah, really it was good, and then Sala
responding with like, I will end your life like these guys.

Speaker 3 (40:09):
Sala is amazing and he is great and I have
loved covering him both ten years as far as but
this is a this is a big tough guy and
I would not want him to tell me.

Speaker 2 (40:20):
Also, the thing where it's like if you put Liam
Cohen next.

Speaker 12 (40:23):
To Robert Salah, yeah, it's not gonna go.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
You want to be picking a fight with Liam. I
don't know, like you're just it's not I don't know.
He's very intense. They're both obviously very intense. But I
think it's great for the sport.

Speaker 1 (40:34):
I want more.

Speaker 3 (40:34):
Coach b Well, I have a couple do and it's
a it's a backup quarterback to start or do and
that is Jackson Dart and Mac Jones just be yourselves.
Jackson Dart watches The Bachelor Love Island, openly admits it
goes out and loves that. He's like, they're not guilty pleasures.
He just watches the TV wants to watch.

Speaker 1 (40:54):
He's not guilty.

Speaker 4 (40:55):
Jones and his suits killing it, killing the suit game.
Be yourself.

Speaker 1 (40:59):
C that all right.

Speaker 2 (41:00):
We've got a week five p of you coming up next.
You're listening to Fox Football Saturday. Welcome back in to
hour two of Fox Football Saturday. I am Carmen Vitally.
I've got Tracy Sandler with me and we are back.

Speaker 1 (41:16):
And so is football.

Speaker 2 (41:17):
For the best pregame show every weekend, be sure to
tune in to Fox Sports Radios count Down 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 count Down to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM
every Saturday and Sunday morning, right here on Fox Sports

(41:37):
Radio and the iHeartRadio app. We are now we talked
about at the top of the show, Tracy.

Speaker 1 (41:44):
We are now through Q one.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
Q Q one is the best.

Speaker 1 (41:47):
Of the football season.

Speaker 4 (41:49):
Let's get that trending hashtag Q one.

Speaker 1 (41:51):
Maybe I'll put up a post from Q one.

Speaker 2 (41:53):
You know, everybody likes to do their little Instagram posts
like of the different quarters of the year, like that
and something in the sports world. We're with you, business brethren,
because this doesn't usually.

Speaker 1 (42:04):
Need a whole lot in our world.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
But I'm going to make it. Maybe I'll make it,
maybe I'll make it happen. I don't understand any of that.
That's why I went into being a writer, and that's
why I talk for a living because I don't get numbers.

Speaker 1 (42:16):
I don't get finance. Never learned how to balance a checkbook.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
It's fine, well, all right, now that we are through
Q one, we're going into Week five. We already played
one game Niners Rams Thursday Night Football. There's a couple
of really good games this week that I want to
get to. I want to start with the Denver Broncos
in Philadelphia to play the Eagles, because I mean, I

(42:42):
wonder if I want to go so far as to
say that the AFC West is what I thought the
NFC North was going to because I'm not entirely sure
that the NFC North.

Speaker 1 (42:50):
Isn't what I thought it was.

Speaker 2 (42:51):
Like, I do think it's the toughest division in football,
but you look at what's happening in the AFC West,
and how you know, the Chiefs have kind of left
the door open early in this eason for some of
these other teams in their division to get momentum, including
the Chargers, including the Denver Broncos, and now they're going
to play the powerhouse quote unquote, I guess in the NFC,
the only four and oh team in the NFC, and

(43:11):
they're playing them on the road at the Link, which
is a really fun place that might be one of
my favorite. That is one of my favorite stadiums. I
don't think it's my favorite. I think US Bank is
my favorite. But the Link is just where the Philadelphia
Eagles play, Like it's right in the city and it's
just so solid, like it's no frills.

Speaker 4 (43:29):
It is no frills. It is it, but it's true.

Speaker 2 (43:32):
Like it's easy to navigate. The vantage points are really good.
Where the press box is. The press box is chock
full of Philadelphia soft pretzels, which are some of my
favorite things in the world. Yes, it's true, and like
the field is nice and like it's just all really
what you want a football stadum to be. Like it
isn't frill, Like it's not Philly. There's not anything fancy
in it, but it's great. And maybe that's you know,

(43:53):
an indicator of where it is and you know, Philly
being the blue collar city it is with the grit
and the you know, rough and tumble. I just I
really like it there. But anyway, the Broncos going in
and we're still kind of I think Bonix is still
figuring a lot of stuff out. And when we talked,

(44:14):
when I talked about Mac Jones kind of dinking and
dunking his way down the field in what Kyle Shanahan.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
Was asking him to do, that seems to.

Speaker 2 (44:21):
Be the playbook that Sean Payton is kind of rolling
out for Bonicks this season. He's targeted the underneath portion
of the field, which is below ten air yards on
seventy point one percent of his pass attempts.

Speaker 4 (44:33):
Well, that's a lot that feels like, Yeah, it's the
fifth highest.

Speaker 2 (44:35):
In the NFL in fact, and he's completing him, you know,
at a great rate, has not been intercepted under ten yards,
but his receivers are doing a lot of the work
because sixty three point nine percent of his passing yards
have come after the catch. So that's the second highest
share in the NFL of having that happen.

Speaker 1 (44:54):
But it's working. And then you have the Broncos.

Speaker 2 (44:56):
Defense though, which is kind of the headliner of this team,
blitzing thirty five point seven percent of opposing dropbacks, which
is the seventh highest rate in the league. And we
know that Jalen Hurts you can you can very much
get to Jalen Hurts. You can very much affect his
game and what he wants to do when you blitz him.
He's been blitzed thirty eight point one percent of dropbacks

(45:16):
this season's second highest rate in the league. And when
he has blitzed, Jalen Hurts average is just five point
seven yards per attempt, which is the eighth lowest in
the NFL. All stats courtesy of Next Gen. But that's
that's the key matchup to me here for this Broncos
Eagles game is this Denver decent defense is going to
blitz the ever loving you know what out of Jalen Hurts.

(45:38):
How does he respond? How does he handle that? Lane
Johnson's gonna play. His offensive line seems to be relatively healthy,
so hopefully they can mitigate that for the Eagles.

Speaker 1 (45:47):
But that's what it comes down to for me.

Speaker 3 (45:49):
I agree with you, and as I mentioned in the
first hour, I feel like this Eagles offense is figuring
itself out, figure out this identity, not just the AJ
Brown cryptic tweets. It's just all kind of figure itself
out in that is going to be where the Broncos
can potentially come in and expose the offense. I look
at this game for this Broncos team, not to be

(46:09):
overly dramatic as we enter into Q two, but it
feels like the game that makes the statement if they're
for real, they and if they lose them saying they're not.
But they go into Philly and their defense, you know, dominates.

Speaker 1 (46:24):
And they they can make a statement.

Speaker 4 (46:25):
They can make a statement.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
And I think you know, even with Bonus Nicks, Dunkin
and Duncan on down the field, I think they can
make a statements. This is a big game for the
Denver Broncos. I would say a bigger game for the
Denver Broncos than for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Speaker 1 (46:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:39):
I mean, we don't think that the Eagles are going
to end up going undefeated this year.

Speaker 4 (46:45):
Probably not.

Speaker 2 (46:46):
And also no one's going to look sideways at the
Eagles if they lose to the Denver Broncos either.

Speaker 1 (46:51):
I mean, I think a J.

Speaker 4 (46:52):
Brown will if they don't throw them all.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
Well, that's fair, that's fair, that's fair. Fair and I mean,
you know, I talk a lot about kind of the
Blitz packages or the Denver Broncos, but they've got a
great secondary too. You have Patcher tan back there, arguably
the best corner in the league. Him and Derek Stingley
are one and two interchangeable depending on the week for me.
But that's something that you know, it's it's we're going

(47:14):
to see how that matches up with what they're trying
to do.

Speaker 1 (47:17):
For AJ Brown. I have to imagine they're going to
try to get the ball to him. They've been targeting.

Speaker 2 (47:20):
That's the issue though, is like that he's been targeted
enough in my opinion, obviously not enough for him, but
he hasn't caught the ball enough, and so like I
get it, like he's not the production's not there for
A J.

Speaker 1 (47:30):
Brown.

Speaker 2 (47:31):
I fully intend on them making that a priority though,
because obviously it's just been a media frenzy slash circus
in Philadelphia because of it.

Speaker 3 (47:39):
And when you ask for the ball, though, you got
to catch the ball deliver.

Speaker 4 (47:43):
This last year with Deebo, that was pretty much the
beginning of the end.

Speaker 3 (47:46):
He tweeted something cryptic about not getting the ball next
game they throw them the ball and keep played.

Speaker 4 (47:51):
He dropped it. So as for the ball, you got
to catch it.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
You got yeah, you got to catch the ball.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
All right, another game I want to get to charge
speak Chargers Commanders. Yes, I think this game kind of
comes down to.

Speaker 1 (48:09):
Justin.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
I mean I want, like we've talked about, I want
good things for Justin Herbert. I think he does really
good things. He's been scrambling a whole lot more. He
scrambled to run on a career high five point eight
percent of his dropbacks this season, so he's scrambling more
than he ever has. But he's turned ten of those
scramble runs into ninety five yards and four first downs,
which includes three explosive games of ten yards or more.

Speaker 1 (48:31):
That's what an explosive game. That's how you qualify that.
So I that's to me.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
I'm like, all right, great, Justin Herbert is now becoming
a dual threat quarterback and adding to and we talked
about how Amari and Hampton kind of had his breakout
game and that lost to the Giants, So like, between
him and Justin Herbert, this run game could be pretty decent.
And then you look at how the Commanders have fail

(49:00):
against scramblers. So scrambling quarterbacks allowed to league high eight
point eight expected yards per carry to opposing scramblers this season.
So they're giving it up and Justin Herbert's doing it.
So like to me, that's again, if I'm going to
isolate one matchup here between these two teams, it's Justin
Herbert being an effective scrambler and the Commander is not
knowing what.

Speaker 1 (49:20):
To do with it.

Speaker 3 (49:21):
And I think another thing to look at for both
teams is wide receivers of no Terry McLaurin. For the Commanders,
Jaden Daniels comes back, but without Let's come back without
his guy, But can Deebo be an X factor? And
then for the Chargers you have Lad McConkie coming off
not a great game for him, I'm gonna say that nicely,
and so can he step up? And when Justin Herbert

(49:42):
is not scrambling, can he can he you know, make
the catches he needs to make?

Speaker 4 (49:47):
This is this is a big game.

Speaker 3 (49:48):
It's a big game for both teams because the great
football saying, don't let one become two, and the Chargers
don't want to do that.

Speaker 4 (49:55):
And then the Commanders are not quite quite where they
were last year.

Speaker 3 (49:58):
Again we are early, just head into Q two, but
an important game for both teams to to make sure
they stay on track.

Speaker 2 (50:06):
And the fact that the Chargers defense if you're if
you're gonna cook up kind of a weakness for them.
We've been missiling, missing tackles quite a bit this season.
And when you talk about Jane Daniels coming back for
the Washington Commanders and how good of a scrambler he is,
that worries me. Second highest rate misstackle rate in the
NFL for the Chargers defense.

Speaker 1 (50:25):
Uh okay, last one.

Speaker 3 (50:26):
I want to get wait one other thing on the
Chargers defense really quick. They have not had a turnover
since they played the Rams, so they're gonna this is
an opportunity for them to try to make that happen.

Speaker 1 (50:36):
They come in bunches sometimes they do.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
They come in bunches sometimes all right, And then Pats
Bills I think could be interesting mm hmm.

Speaker 1 (50:43):
And in looking through some of.

Speaker 2 (50:45):
The stats on this game, Next Gen had an insight
in here which I found fascinating that I want to
get to because essentially Drake may Is is Josh Allen Jr.

Speaker 1 (50:56):
Right now.

Speaker 2 (50:57):
Okay, a lot is going to be right on Drake
Bag in this passing game for the New England Patriots.
But Josh Allen and Drake May rank first and second
in the NFL and drop back EPA this season, and
Alan and May have both averaged seven point one aer
yards per attempt. They've used play action at nearly the
exact same rate Allen twenty four point eight percent. They've

(51:19):
targeted between the numbers similarly as well, and scrambled to
run at a high rate ten point five percent for Allen,
which is the fifth highest and nine point nine percent
for May, which is the sixth highest. So like they
are essentially, at least from.

Speaker 4 (51:33):
The metrics, they're like the same person, same quarterback.

Speaker 3 (51:36):
They're like the Spider Man meme looking at each other.

Speaker 2 (51:40):
And I like a huge difference in this is that
the fact that the Pats have not got their ground
game going. They've they like they're just they These Patriots
rushers are just meeting resistance before they even get to
the line of scrimmage. And whereas like the Bills have
James Cook and they've they've gotten their run game going
a little bit more. But the Bills have a terrible
rushing defense. They do here, which you know Brian talked

(52:01):
about earlier last hour. But that's and and it's true.
I mean that the stats back it up. They've allowed
an explosive rush at the highest rate in the NFL
this season, so guys are.

Speaker 1 (52:11):
Just gashing them.

Speaker 2 (52:12):
But the Patriots haven't been able to really do that
against anyone so far this year. So can they do
that and supplement what Drake May needs because all of
this is riding on Drake May. And like, the only
difference between Drake May and Josh Allen right now, apparently
is that Josh Allen also has.

Speaker 1 (52:27):
A run game list.

Speaker 3 (52:28):
Yes, that is per for the stats, per the stats,
that is that is very true. You know, last time
they played each other, they blitzed May into oblivion. He
completed six of his six team attempts against the blitz
and through an interception.

Speaker 4 (52:43):
Not ideal.

Speaker 3 (52:44):
So it'll be interesting for not ideal for Drake May,
of course, but it'd be interesting to see if the
Bills continue with that obviously very different team this year
of the Patriots. So it's gonna it's gonna be fun.
But can they get the run game going. I don't know,
I have I have a hard time leaving, and probably
because I say it, it will happen. I just have a
hard time believing that the Bills are going to lose

(53:05):
this game.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
I do too, but you know, stranger things have happened
night write any given Sunday, there are division rivals. Their
division teams are very familiar with each other. I feel
like that's where things can go awry. You can get
in these little trap games. You can like like upset alert.
If I'm looking for an upset this week, I don't know.
I think I think it could happen, but like I
fully expect the Bills to win.

Speaker 1 (53:27):
But I like the Patriots just because I like.

Speaker 12 (53:30):
Drink may which is really fair.

Speaker 4 (53:31):
I mean, Josh Allen Jr.

Speaker 1 (53:33):
Great guy, Josh Allen Junior. He's Josh Allen Junior. Not
that I want to put that on the kid. Oh
dear God. Okay, Well, we're going to talk about.

Speaker 2 (53:40):
Another AFC division on the other side of this, because
the AFC North, which many of us, including myself, thought
was going to be one of the toughest divisions in football,
isn't quite stacking up that way, and there might be
a new team that we're pegging for the top of
that division will talk about it right after this, you're
listening to Fox Football Saturday. This is in no way
taking of my current taste in music.

Speaker 1 (54:02):
I'm just gonna get that out there right now.

Speaker 2 (54:05):
But as our technical producer Chris Burfett pointed out to me,
this song Headstrong played on the broadcast the Sunday night
broadcast this past weekend.

Speaker 8 (54:17):
Apparently, Yeah, I heard it from the other room, like
during Packers Cowboys of like, I know the first the
first lick of that guitar immediately.

Speaker 9 (54:25):
Oh, it's like a Bud Rocks having a moment coming back.

Speaker 1 (54:28):
It's like the it's.

Speaker 2 (54:29):
Like the if you ever see like the reels or
the tiktoks where it's like the sounds that like only
millennials can hear, and it's like the opening notes to
so many of those songs, and you're just like you
perk up, You're like a groundhog out of the ground.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
Like, what where is that coming from? I'm Carna Batally
that chuckling is Tracy Sandler chuckling?

Speaker 4 (54:49):
I Like, you've so many things say chuckling Q one.

Speaker 1 (54:53):
Yeah, Well, who knows what's going on in that brain
of mine right now? Just a whole swirl of a
bunch stuff.

Speaker 4 (55:00):
That's the fun of it.

Speaker 2 (55:01):
That's the fun of it. Weeding through it is the
fun of it. Uh, and you know it's it makes
for hopefully it makes.

Speaker 1 (55:09):
For a good show.

Speaker 2 (55:11):
But with the iHeartRadio app, you can stream us wherever
you happen to be and wherever your brain happens to be.
Catch us in all of your Fox Sports favorite Fox
Sports Radio shows live twenty four to seven in the
new and improved iHeartRadio app. Just search Fox Sports Radio
in the app to streamers live all day, every day,
and be sure to select Fox Sports Radio as one
of your presets in the iHeart app, so we'll always

(55:31):
pop up at the top of your screen and you
can feel like you're a thirteen year old listening to
Bud Rock on the dial, where you're actually you know,
analog days, analog days. I want to talk about the
AFC North.

Speaker 4 (55:43):
Tracy, Let's do it.

Speaker 1 (55:45):
Because it hasn't been what we thought it was gonna be.

Speaker 4 (55:49):
No, so far the show, No, it definitely has not.

Speaker 2 (55:51):
And so much of that has to do with injuries.
I am heartbroken still for the Cincinnati Bengals and for
Joe Burrow who is out with turf toe for the
foreseeable future, which we need a better descriptor of what
turf too actually is. It is a tear in the
ligament of your big toe, which you use to push off,
you use for balance, you use for any sort of
like just walking around. It's a horrendous injury and depending

(56:14):
on this verity, can take a long time to recover from.

Speaker 1 (56:16):
And that's what's going on with Joe Burrow the Ravens.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
You know, Lamar is out with this hamstring issue or
like an amalgamation of issues that we heard Brian Wacker
talk about last hour, and there's just a whole lot
of stuff going on in Baltimore. I want to go
a little bit further into that though, because I mean
the defense in particular in Baltimore, which again is part
of that team's identity, has been depleted so heavily by

(56:42):
injuries a season. Talked about nom de Matta Bouquet in
the interior of that line. Just I mean, all pro
you know, Pro Bowl guy like you cannot make up
for a loss like that at the very center of
your defense with just one guy. And j had a
stat week one starters account for just fifty two point

(57:03):
five percent of defensive snaps in Week four accounted for.

Speaker 1 (57:06):
Wow, just fifty two.

Speaker 2 (57:07):
So just you basically only have half your defensive starters
out there, which is the lowest rate in the NFL,
and it's nearly seven percentage points lower than the next
closest team, which is actually the Dallas Cowboys. And so
it's just it's one of those things where like, yeah,
of course they're struggling. Yeah, and then you have some
offensive line issues and that's leading to obviously, like Lamar

(57:29):
Jackson before he got hurt, every major metric you know,
lean the league or top three, this, that the other.

Speaker 1 (57:35):
But he can't do it alone.

Speaker 2 (57:36):
And somehow they haven't integrated Derek Henry in the way
that they should. I think a lot of that has
to do with the offensive line issues that they've had.
The good news is that the Ravens are playing the
Houston Texans this week. I don't even say that facetiously,
like Derek Henry does really well against.

Speaker 4 (57:49):
The Texans, No, I don't.

Speaker 3 (57:51):
It's just it's just I more chuckle because that wasn't
the case. You know, you wouldn't necessarily have said that
in the last couple of years and they've just no fallen.
And yes, he does do very well against the Texans,
but the lamar hamstring thing. You know, hamstrings are tough
and they linger and they can come back, and it's

(58:15):
concerning for the season as a whole. The other thing
is you really gotta let that heal so he could
be out. I mean, I don't know how severe it is,
but he could be out several weeks.

Speaker 1 (58:25):
Yes, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (58:28):
Like ham strings are just and like it's not like
it's not even like person it is person dependent, but.

Speaker 1 (58:34):
It's like it's weak to week dependent.

Speaker 2 (58:37):
Like you could think that he's on track to return
in two weeks and then two weeks goes by and
you're like, oh, nope, definitely not like just you have
no sort of time frame for hamstring injuries usually, yeah,
And hamstring injuries also leave you susceptible to so many
other injuries. They leave you susceptible to knee injuries, They
leave you susceptible to even like achilles injuries, just with

(58:58):
the way that all the ligaments work together. And that's
another reason why you never want to rush someone back
with a hamstring injury. And we saw that like Lamar
Jackson looked more hesitant to run through the first few
weeks of the season, and now clearly we know why,
just like Brian pointed out.

Speaker 1 (59:15):
But yeah, so, I mean, it's just.

Speaker 2 (59:17):
A series of unfortunate events for the Baltimore Ravens not
looking like what we thought they were going to look like.

Speaker 1 (59:25):
I mean the Browns.

Speaker 2 (59:26):
The Browns defense great, the Browns defense is elite. Clearly
they've got some things to figure out offensively, but everybody
saw that coming. Yes, What I really want to get
to is the fact that I think the Pittsburgh Steelers
kind of look like the favorite in this division.

Speaker 1 (59:37):
Now.

Speaker 3 (59:38):
They sure do, and I definitely didn't think that was
going to be the case because I did not want
to accept that Aaron Rodgers was gonna work.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
Okay, I have some stats on this though, Tracy. I
don't think we need to accept that Aaron Ross was
going to.

Speaker 4 (59:51):
Work, thank God. I honestly, I just am not ready
for it.

Speaker 2 (59:54):
He has a negative EPA per dropback, negative total EPA.

Speaker 4 (59:58):
This is a negative attitude. Sorry.

Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Also that he's sitting.

Speaker 2 (01:00:02):
At a forty one percent passing success rate and his
completion rate over expectation is just one point six percent,
which ranks him sixteenth in the league, behind guys like
Jake Browning and Spencer Rattler. So like, and then if
you look at that game against the Vikings, I do
think some of this is specific to the Vikings, given
how much they blitz and how much they pressure and
how you just want to get the ball out as
quickly as possible. Average time to throw up two point

(01:00:24):
one seven seconds across twenty two passes in Week four,
which was his quickest average since at least twenty sixteen.
But that has proved to be kind of a like
a pattern with Aaron Rodgers so far this season in Pittsburgh,
because he's averaging just two point six air yards per
attempt and he's relying a lot on his wide receivers

(01:00:46):
for those yards after catch to like make up for
his passing yards. Heading into the game against the Vikings
in Dublin, he had gained a league high seventy two
point three percent of his passing yards via yards after
the catch.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
You, so a lot of this is what his.

Speaker 2 (01:01:02):
Receivers are doing for him. So we don't necessarily need
to be sold on Aaron Rodgers.

Speaker 3 (01:01:06):
That's all I'm saying, which I and I appreciate that,
but I just was thinking as you were talking about
that too, like I feel like so much has actually
happened in these first several weeks. We've really not talked
about Aaron Rodgers, like he has not been the center
of discussion as he likes to be. And so it
is kind of funny that the Pittsburgh Steelers and Aaron
Rodgers are quietly leading the AFC North and looking like

(01:01:29):
a contender.

Speaker 4 (01:01:30):
But because I was just thinking about them, like so
much has happened.

Speaker 3 (01:01:33):
There have been so many injuries and maybe I'm just
not remembering, but it feels like an inordinate amount of
injuries in these first several weeks, especially to.

Speaker 4 (01:01:41):
Such key star players.

Speaker 3 (01:01:43):
It just hasn't been the Aaron Rodgers show. And maybe
that's better, I mean, certainly better for Pittsburgh if they
could quietly move along.

Speaker 2 (01:01:50):
Yeah, I would much rather, especially with the big personalities
on this team. The fact that this team is quietly
I know, it's kind of amazing chugging along, but a
lot of it too, I mean, it's still has to
do with the defense. The defense will always be the
identity of this team. Fifth and sack rate sixth and
pressure percentage. The defense is doing what we expect them
to do. And so if you just have a serviceable offense,

(01:02:12):
I mean, that's been the memo of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Forever you get to a winning record, you eake into
the playoffs more years than you don't, and you don't
do much after that. But I mean, if they really
have figured out something with Aaron Rodgers, and you have
guys like DK Metcalf that they seem to be clicking
pretty well, I like, and Kenneth Gainwell in this game

(01:02:33):
against the Vikings over in Ireland, carried them all nineteen
times for ninety nine yards, two touchdowns, thirty two rushing
yards over expected.

Speaker 1 (01:02:41):
In that game alone.

Speaker 2 (01:02:43):
And so you're like, all right, if you can figure
out a well balanced offense, a well balanced, productive offense,
especially with the fact that your division isn't as hard
as we initially thought it was going to be. Now
the doors wide open for the Pittsburgh Steelers to win
this division and to actually win a playoff game and
to make an actual postseason run this year.

Speaker 3 (01:03:02):
What you said serviceable offense, I was just thinking of
the Cleveland Browns and how they do have such a
great defense and they cannot seem to put together a
serviceable offense, because that is a real opportunity for them.

Speaker 2 (01:03:11):
If we took the if we if we, if we
gave Joe Burrow another ligament or two, and we like
took the Bengals offense and put it with the Browns defense,
and like Frankenstein's monstered teams in the AFC North, we
could build a pre cont.

Speaker 4 (01:03:29):
I mean, that'd be amazing. I mean, they're both in Ohio.

Speaker 1 (01:03:31):
Why not? Why not? That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (01:03:33):
I mean, wouldn't they rather have one good team than
two bad ones.

Speaker 2 (01:03:37):
I'm just saying, you have you have the Bengals defense
wasting that performance last year with the with the Bengals offense,
and then yeah, you have the Browns offense wasting the Browns.

Speaker 4 (01:03:46):
Not a bad idea, I'll s Garrett, there's our pitch.

Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
There's our pitch, just Frankenstein's monster together.

Speaker 2 (01:03:53):
Let's also go to the Update studio with Monty Blanias
for an update break, Carmen, that.

Speaker 11 (01:03:58):
Is a great idea, such a great idea.

Speaker 12 (01:04:01):
I don't know how nobody jumps on it. You know,
they both would say yes.

Speaker 1 (01:04:06):
I think they would. They would silent.

Speaker 2 (01:04:08):
We're proposed, let's propose this at the NFL Winter Meeting.

Speaker 11 (01:04:12):
I really think both of you should go in there
and absolutely for the lit sprigles.

Speaker 12 (01:04:16):
Everybody would be like, oh what that sounds like a
good idea. What's the bad part here? There isn't one.

Speaker 11 (01:04:24):
We'll start in college football, ladies, because I.

Speaker 12 (01:04:28):
Don't know what's going on.

Speaker 11 (01:04:29):
But UCLA is rolling, and I mean rolling over Number
seven Pence State.

Speaker 12 (01:04:35):
Nico Il Maliava has thrown for one hundred and.

Speaker 11 (01:04:37):
Fifty eight yards, two touchdowns, he's got a rushing touchdown,
and they're on top of Penn State twenty seven to seven.
Penn State got the ball to start the second half
and they fumbled, So that's where that's going.

Speaker 12 (01:04:48):
Twenty seven to seven is the score.

Speaker 11 (01:04:49):
When it comes to number nine Texas, just one touchdown
pass from Arch Manning. They're losing to Florida nineteen to seven.
They just got going in the third as well. Boise
State losing to number twenty one Notre Dame fourteen to seven,
and twenty four Virginia and Louisville are tied at fourteen.
All of these games early in the third quarter. At
the half, Number sixteen Vanderbilt and number ten Alabama are

(01:05:11):
tied at fourteen a piece. One upset so far today,
as Cincinnati had the upset over number fourteen Iowa State
thirty eight to thirty.

Speaker 12 (01:05:20):
When it comes to base ball, well, the Brewers just
keep on rolling too.

Speaker 11 (01:05:25):
They took some time off and they still defeated the Cubs.
It didn't matter nine three in Game one of the NLDS,
while the Yankees, Luis Hill, who started I think I
said that right on the mound for them, only lasted
about two innings.

Speaker 12 (01:05:36):
They took him off already.

Speaker 11 (01:05:37):
Blue Jays up on the Yankees two zero after five innings.

Speaker 12 (01:05:41):
An update on.

Speaker 11 (01:05:42):
Mark Sanchez who In case if you missed it, Mark Sanchez,
former NFL quarterback and current Fox Sports broadcaster. He was
hospitalized after being stabbed in Indianapolis early Saturday morning. It
was reported that he was recovering in stable condition, but
he wasn't going to be part of the broadcast crew
between the Raiders and the Colts for Sunday's game. The
update is that the police department in Indianapolis has made

(01:06:06):
a statement that they have arrested Mark Sanchez for his
role in the incident that happened. He was arrested on
battery with injury, unlawful entry of a motor vehicle, and
public intoxication.

Speaker 12 (01:06:18):
So things have taken a turn.

Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
Things have taken have taken a.

Speaker 4 (01:06:22):
Turn, definitely.

Speaker 11 (01:06:23):
I don't know where the biggest turn is, whether it's
here or from the Bruins.

Speaker 12 (01:06:27):
I'm not sure.

Speaker 4 (01:06:27):
Back to you gals, the world is turning.

Speaker 1 (01:06:31):
That we know, as the world turn.

Speaker 12 (01:06:33):
As the world turn.

Speaker 2 (01:06:35):
You know what the NFL is is our greatest soap opera.
I really long said that it is. It is our
greatest reality show. It is our greatest soap opera. We are,
of course still glad that Mark Sanchez. Yes, yes, However,
there's clearly more to come and more to that story. Uh,
there is more to the story of the Buffalo Bills,

(01:06:58):
and for that we have team reporter for the Buffalo
Bills on right now.

Speaker 1 (01:07:05):
Talk to us.

Speaker 2 (01:07:06):
Made so excited. Oh we're so great. How are you doing?
More importantly, we were just actually we just talked at
length about how dominant the Bills have looked through the
first quarter of the season.

Speaker 1 (01:07:19):
How are vibes there in Buffalo?

Speaker 13 (01:07:21):
Mads the vibes are high right now. People are really
excited about how the team is doing. But at the
same time, everybody knows they haven't played their best ball yet.
And I know people want to see their bust ball,
but in week five, you don't want to be playing
your best football yet. You want to peak at the
right time. And it is only the beginning of October,
a lot of time left in the season.

Speaker 3 (01:07:44):
I would agree that that's actually an interesting You're right,
you really do want to peak.

Speaker 1 (01:07:48):
At the right's not like someone who's been there before.

Speaker 4 (01:07:50):
Yeah, someone.

Speaker 1 (01:07:53):
We're not satisfied with this.

Speaker 3 (01:07:55):
And someone who has been through cautious optimism. That's exactly
Carbon was saying earlier that Drake May is looking a
lot like Josh Allen.

Speaker 4 (01:08:04):
Not to totally put that on him, but what.

Speaker 3 (01:08:07):
Are you hearing this teason statistically, Not they'll look like
but statistically, what are you hearing this week about, you know,
from the Bills defense and what they think the greatest
challenge with him is going to be.

Speaker 13 (01:08:18):
Yeah, I mean May's numbers are very similar to Josh Allen.
To start this season. May has been somebody who has
been compared to Josh Allen. O relaxed, you know season
and now a few weeks as he's in his second
NFL season, just because of his ability to be mobile
in the pocket. I think the good thing with that
is the Bill to face mobile quarterbacks the season. You know,
first week of the NFL calendar, they face Lamar Jackson,

(01:08:43):
and our defense gets to practice against Josh Allen every
single day, so they get to see one of the
most mobile quarterbacks every week. But just because the Patriots
are two and two, this defense, Buffalo's defense is not
overlooking them at all because Drake May has been really
good to start the year, and one of the matchups

(01:09:04):
within the matchup itself that I'm really interested in is
Drake May is the best quarterback right now on late down,
third and fourth downs, completing eighty three percent of his passes,
which is incredible.

Speaker 11 (01:09:16):
The Bills have.

Speaker 13 (01:09:17):
Struggled defensively on third down to start the season. They
ranked twenty fifth, allowing a forty two percent conversion rate.
So I'm really interested to see if the defense is
up for the challenge when facing a quarterback that knows
where to go on those late downs. The Patriots have
been doing an incredible job of spreading the ball out.

(01:09:37):
They've really been relying on the passing game because Drake
May has been completing so many passes, I mean, seventy
four percent completion percentage. Buffalo's pass defense best in the NFL,
So you're going to see a lot of best on
best matchups within this game.

Speaker 2 (01:09:50):
Pass defense yes, awesome, Run defense no, No, not so
awesome for the Buffalo Bills right now. Granted, the Patriots
run game has not really been a to get going well.
When you look at the season as a whole and
you look towards the season and not peaking right now
and trying to sustain the success down the road, what
needs to happen for the Bills to kind of tighten

(01:10:10):
it up against the run defensively to kind of keep
this momentum going.

Speaker 13 (01:10:15):
Yeah, it's been interesting to start the season because this
defensive line that the Buffalo Bills have is not a
complete picture yet. We have two defensive linemen that are
serving six game suspensions right now in Michael Boyd and
Larry I'll get Jobi so they'll be back in the
fold soon enough. But our defensive staff has had to

(01:10:36):
rely on very young defensive players to start the season,
especially on the defensive line. Ed Oliver has missed a
few games with an ankle injury. He's questionable for this game.
We saw him in a first game and he was
great against the Ravens. But it's been interesting because they've
been making it work with different pieces and once we

(01:10:57):
get into week six, I think this defensive line will
really start to come together. But you can't take any
breaks in the NFL, so you have to be able
to put a good product on the field. And what
our defensive coordinator has said as it relates to stopping
the run is we have to be better at being
in our gaps and executing our assignments correctly. This is
a defensive line that also has two new coaches a

(01:11:20):
part of the defensive line staff. We out of the
senior defensive assistant and most assistant defensive line coach. So
the group as a whole, it's playing with a different
mentality this year, So I think it's going to take
a little bit of time to really understand the rush
plan as a whole, including what they need to just
stop the run. And the first game against the Ravens,

(01:11:41):
they struggled. They allowed like more than two hundred and
thirty rushing yards on the ground. So that's one of
the reasons why that number is a bit hued to
this point. But the Patriots could look at that and say,
you know what, we haven't really leaned on our run
games to start the season, but we're going to try
and do that against the Bills. So even though the
Patriots have been passing the ball, I really think the
Bills defense has to be ready for them to try

(01:12:03):
and run it with ramand j Stevenson and trade on Henderson.

Speaker 3 (01:12:07):
This is a really good matchup and a divisional matchup.
I think it's going to be a great game to watch.
When you talked at the top of this segment Maddie
about you know not you want to peek at the
right time, and Carmen meant said, somebody who's gone through it,
is there this feeling in the building of like we're
really we're just not satisfied no matter how good we
are in the regular season, we have to keep our

(01:12:28):
eye on the prize here because we're not satisfied with how.

Speaker 4 (01:12:30):
Things have ended.

Speaker 13 (01:12:32):
Yes, I think you know, the Bills are undefeated right
now at four and oh, and they are not satisfied
with how they're playing. Yet there might be a game
that comes hopefully soon where it looks like they've put
it together on both sides of the football. But this
is a team who expects to go deep into the playoffs.
And it's a team who's been successful in years past.

(01:12:54):
I mean five straight AFP East titles, they've dominated the
AFP East. But they know like there's still a lot
left out there for them. This is your team who
has not made it to the super Bowl yet with
Josh Allen and Sean McDermott and Brandon Bean, and that's
their goal. That's what they want to do, and they
know they have to play really, really good football to
get there. And they also understand, like, hey, whin your

(01:13:17):
division games and that's going to give you your best
shot at making the playoffs.

Speaker 6 (01:13:21):
So they're not.

Speaker 13 (01:13:22):
Overlooking this game at all. They know that it's very
important and they know they're facing a good team led
by Mike Rabel. I mean, you add Mike Rabel into
the folds and you get a whole different vibe with
him at the helm. It is a tough vibe. It
is a vibe of we're going to play really good
defense and we know what we're doing on that side
of the ball, and they have some nice offensive pieces

(01:13:43):
as well. So I think the Bills are their toughest
cliff critics when it comes to are we playing our
best football yet? And if not, how do we get
to a place where we're doing that at the right
point in this season?

Speaker 2 (01:13:55):
Like I said, spoken like someone who's been there before.
For the record, I would just like to say that publicly.
I have gone on record now multiple times saying that
I think it's going to be the Bills here. I
think they are going to the super Bowl. I would
let I have Bills Packers as my super Bowl matchup,
which I think would just be incredibly fun. This is
incredibly fun. Thank you so much, Maddie for coming on

(01:14:17):
with us. Have so much fun at the game tomorrow,
and we'll see how it goes and we'll see just
when the Buffalo Bills are going to peak.

Speaker 1 (01:14:24):
Thank you so much.

Speaker 13 (01:14:26):
Thanks, ladies, appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (01:14:28):
Bye, Maddie.

Speaker 1 (01:14:29):
All right, We've got one more segment. Just flies by,
It just flies by.

Speaker 2 (01:14:35):
We're going to talk about what made us laugh in
sports this week. Coming up after the break. You're listening
to Fox Football Saturday. It's all been leading up to this.

Speaker 3 (01:14:45):
I'm air drumming now final Boss of Buttons, Shile abuff
In Transformers, the end of a Michael Babe.

Speaker 8 (01:14:55):
Not scoln Park is having another moment right now, are they?

Speaker 9 (01:15:00):
Yes, I don't know.

Speaker 8 (01:15:01):
Maybe among my friends, a lot of younger guys getting
back into it.

Speaker 1 (01:15:05):
They're discovering it then. I mean, I love Lincoln Park.

Speaker 2 (01:15:08):
I'm never gonna say anything, but this is just it's
it's the meme of like the Michael Bay film.

Speaker 1 (01:15:16):
I was a big fan of the uh what was
it the it was jay Z and Lincoln Park. What
was it called?

Speaker 2 (01:15:26):
It was like, well, the song was on Courtnum but
like they had like a whole Crosommer album thing where
they like combined two of their albums.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
Yes, so.

Speaker 4 (01:15:37):
Yeah that one. You're welcome.

Speaker 9 (01:15:42):
One of the greatest albums ever made.

Speaker 1 (01:15:44):
Hybrid theory. There it is, there, it is we were
all ever made ever.

Speaker 8 (01:15:48):
Yes, I will argue that she probably changed how we
thought about rock for that entire decade.

Speaker 4 (01:15:53):
I have to go back and listen to that.

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
I mean, any give me anything genre bending loved it
all right. We are nearing the end of our show.
During the baseball postseason, Strauss made history as the first
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(01:16:17):
Gear up today at Strauss dot com. That's st r
a U s s dot com. And we need to
check back in on these MLB playoffs. Yankees playing the
Blue Jays down to nothing. Currently Cubs got smoked by
the Brewers. Tracy, tell me how excited you are.

Speaker 3 (01:16:40):
I'm going to tell you right now that I am
truly the life of a show girl today.

Speaker 4 (01:16:44):
Show girl.

Speaker 1 (01:16:46):
There it is.

Speaker 4 (01:16:46):
I'm so excited for shows.

Speaker 3 (01:16:48):
Hey, ho You're welcome. Guys, you are welcome. Sho Hay
has his postseason pitching debut. I'm honestly, I'm so excited.
I'm having a watch party for the game one of
the nlds. That is how excited I am.

Speaker 1 (01:17:02):
Oh, Charcuterie included.

Speaker 3 (01:17:05):
Oh absolutely, Charcooterie cupcakes and getting pizza, nothing left unturned.

Speaker 4 (01:17:09):
It is an important game.

Speaker 1 (01:17:10):
Oh, this is why we love sports.

Speaker 12 (01:17:12):
It's the best.

Speaker 1 (01:17:13):
I love this.

Speaker 2 (01:17:13):
I love the spread with the sports like that's just
it's it's my favorite thing. It's just like, yeah, I
have a whole bunch of stuff, watch some games with
people that I can stand watching sports with which the
list really isn't.

Speaker 1 (01:17:27):
Depending on what I'm watching.

Speaker 4 (01:17:28):
The watch Party guest list was very curated.

Speaker 2 (01:17:31):
I bet I hate I'm one hundred percent with you.
There are there are people like there are certain games
I don't watch in public. There are certain people I
will not watch games with, and and and certainly if
like I actually care about it, I'm like, I'm not inviting.

Speaker 1 (01:17:44):
Trolls into my house. Oh absolutely, to eat my to
eat my shartcuts.

Speaker 2 (01:17:50):
As much fun as it's been, I want to get
to some things that made us laugh this week in
the LOL Moment of the week, Tracy, I'll go first.

Speaker 1 (01:17:57):
Okay, mine's pretty quick.

Speaker 2 (01:17:59):
Uh did you see this? So the Browns are over overseas.
They're playing the Vikings in London. The Vikings were in
Doublin last week. They're not playing in London this week.
They stayed and the Browns have gone out to play them.
Grant Delpit was talking to British reporters and they were
and he was telling them why they should be Browns
fans and he decided to say that Cleveland is a

(01:18:23):
lot like Miami.

Speaker 4 (01:18:26):
That was inaccurate. That's a true lol, Like.

Speaker 2 (01:18:30):
I was like, I mean, he was laughing, and obviously
he was like people, for people that aren't familiar with Cleveland,
it's a lot like Miami, if you have ever heard of Miami.

Speaker 1 (01:18:37):
And I'm like, yeah, shit, is it is?

Speaker 4 (01:18:41):
It said no one ever.

Speaker 1 (01:18:44):
They're both on Eastern time, I guess.

Speaker 4 (01:18:45):
I guess.

Speaker 1 (01:18:47):
I don't know.

Speaker 12 (01:18:47):
I'm actually not sure.

Speaker 1 (01:18:48):
As Cleveland water pretty yeah, yeah it is.

Speaker 2 (01:18:51):
Uh, there's there's a big body of water and Cleveland's
on a great lake.

Speaker 4 (01:18:55):
Yeah, that's so true.

Speaker 1 (01:18:57):
You can't see the other side of it, so like
it looks like an ocean.

Speaker 4 (01:19:00):
They both have struggling football teams.

Speaker 1 (01:19:02):
Oh boy do they ever?

Speaker 3 (01:19:04):
So there's that. But yeah, interesting. Well I got one
that made me laugh. Did you see that Cowboys running
back Jaden Blue got blisters because he wore his Louis
Vauton cleats for the first time at practice and he,
I guess, was on the ground in pain and friends
as someone who loves a good shoe on game day,

(01:19:26):
just I mean, it's just the best, It's just amazing.

Speaker 1 (01:19:29):
But you never ever wear a brand new pan no.

Speaker 3 (01:19:34):
To practice, and I would never wear a brand new
pair on game day.

Speaker 1 (01:19:38):
No, no, exactly, like you can't. That is not the time.

Speaker 3 (01:19:43):
And I can't tell like for Louis Vuitton, is this
like good press or are they like, oh my gosh,
this is not this is not good press.

Speaker 1 (01:19:49):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (01:19:49):
It's hard to tell, but it's funny.

Speaker 2 (01:19:51):
Imagine like, hey, listen, as a girl who loves I
love Louisvittan.

Speaker 1 (01:19:56):
I've got a few of their things. However, function functional.

Speaker 4 (01:20:04):
Cleats when you're a running back.

Speaker 2 (01:20:07):
That that's that's a little too far for me. That
doesn't and like goodness.

Speaker 1 (01:20:13):
Gracious, like you don't go full send.

Speaker 2 (01:20:15):
I mean, this is this is how I know these
are dudes, because women, we know that we get a
new pair of shoes, and if we know that they
need to be broken in, you put your little socks on,
you walk around the house in them, and like low steaks,
low steaks, when you're breaking them in.

Speaker 3 (01:20:30):
It's so cowboys. It's just so perfect for this Cowboys
team right now.

Speaker 2 (01:20:34):
It really is not Watch them turn it into a
Louis Vuitton sponsorship.

Speaker 4 (01:20:38):
There's no doubt about it.

Speaker 2 (01:20:40):
Gosh, oh my gosh, well function over form guys.

Speaker 1 (01:20:44):
All right, well, thank you guys so much for listening.

Speaker 2 (01:20:46):
Tracy and I will see you next week on Fox
Football Saturday.

Speaker 1 (01:20:50):
Have a great day.

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