January 20, 2026 • 52 mins
It's Fox Sports Radio's official fantasy football podcast! Dan Beyer and Mike Harmon open the show reacting to the news that the Buffalo Bills have fired head coach Sean McDermott after yet another heartbreaking playoff loss... was it the right move? They also discuss the Titans hiring of Robert Saleh as their next coach... do we think he succeeds in his second go-around? Later, the guys recap the games from the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, discussing big wins for New England, Denver, Seattle and Los Angeles, and diving into the biggest storylines surrounding each team. Plus, Mike weighs in on a heartbreaking loss for his Chicago Bears.
Hosts: Mike Harmon, Dan Beyer
Producer: Ian Roddy
#fsrweekends #jss #crshow
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and Jules.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
You want experience during your football season, Well, buckle up,
sweet cheeks. What we've got all the experience in the world.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
This is I Want your Flex.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
With Dan Byer and Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break
down everything you need to set your lineups, from position
rankings to starts and sits. The guys help you make
those hard decisions. And now let's get your flex.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Ond.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Here's Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
We've got a final four for the NFL, and we've
got another head coach looking for work. Welcome in. It
is I want your Flex. He is Mike Carmon. Hit
him up at Swollen Dome. You can find me at
Dan Byer on Fox. Ian Roddy is the show's executive producer.
Find him at Ian Roddy Underscore and Mike. Buffalo loses
on Saturday to the Denver Broncos, and on Monday they
(00:57):
tell their head coach to get lost as they fires
Sean McDermott after nine seasons. I guess that could have
been nicer, but oh well, But the Buffalo Bills, who
had been to the playoffs eight times during McDermott's nine seasons,
now they're looking for a new leader to take them
back to the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Hell of a run, a bunch of playoff wins, but
not great advancement, as we saw time and again, calling
out obliquely your front office by extolling the virtues of
Jacoby Myers and his addition and what he meant to
Jacksonville probably didn't help your case along the way the
fact that your defense didn't show up against Jacksonville for
(01:35):
much of the day, and certainly didn't in your loss
on Saturday to the Broncos, giving up huge pass plays,
chunk yardage s. I know there were guys in and
out of the lineup as we see, and you know,
you try to pick the pick on the weak guy,
the backup that comes in for a player or two.
But all in the you give up thirty three points, right,
(01:58):
he can't account for the turnovers. Those are bad decisions
one that went against you that you were vocal about.
But in the end, you know, I've always called it
the A to B B two C kind of situation.
And McDermott stable, and you got Josh Allen finishing year
eight and you've had the heroics and some greatness. Now
(02:18):
you can look, and as we did much of the year,
the three of us looking at the Buffalo roster and
going what's special beyond those two guys, right beyond Cook
and Alan. Yeah, Shakira was a nice move, those chains
kind of guy. Every once in a while, a flash
of Kincaid. But overall was this a roster that was
ready to win this year? And I'm not trying to
(02:40):
stand for McDermott because in the end, you got to
work with what's given to you. And they fail in
a big spot with plenty of opportunities to win and
seal the deal.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, that's the spot that I think that Terry Pagoula,
the Bills owner, is in. And there were some reports
of Buffalo saying that the relationship between McDermott and Brendan
Bean was not good. It was not necessarily close. There
were things that McDermott wasn't happy with. But ultimately, when
you have the piece that you have in Josh Allen
(03:14):
and you just gave James Cook his contract, I don't
think you can blow up the whole thing. Like I
think that there has to be some bit of normalcy
at least to continue, And so I get it, like
I understand what you know, how people feel and what
you're saying with with this, I just if you're buffalo,
(03:34):
I think something had to be done, and if you're
gonna let somebody go, it is probably McDermott because when
he was fired on Monday morning. I don't know if
you guys notice this, every insider put the graphic a
picture of Sean McDermott up and then it's retweeted and
it's you know, put over in different versions, and he's
(03:54):
always got that same look on his face, right, so
that needed to change. I have no idea any other
expression from Sean McDermott than him with kind of his
lips terse and him like looking up at a scoreboard
like that's all that I know of Sean McDermott. And
so something had to change. And Brandon Bean probably doesn't
(04:15):
deserve the grace or the space, but I do think
they needed some continuity. And now you just hope, if
you're a Bills fan, that it comes through in the
coaching way where you can maybe fix a little of
Josh Allen because it does seem like he needs to
be fixed a little bit, and hopefully turn things around
for them on the defensive side of the ball so
they can get some resistance. They didn't sack bo Nicks
(04:36):
at all. Denver's got a good offensive line, don't get
me wrong, really good offensive line, but they didn't have
any sacks on Saturday. So I think that there's room
for Denver to improve. I just didn't think that they
would completely clean house. So I wasn't shocked that McDermott
ended up getting his walking papers.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah, I mean Bean ends up getting a promotion out
of it and a change of venue. Joe Brady's going
to be some where else most likely, right, whether he
just goes latterly or gets a head coaching job before
it's done. I'd be shocked if he's retained. But you
look at where you're at. I mean, you're at eight
(05:14):
years of Allen, and he ran around a bunch and
made some great plays in the game against Denver. I
also got careless with the football. All of those graphics
that went up about no turnovers whatever, those were out
the window pretty fast, and the end of the first
half sequencing was deplorable. Yes, right, I mean that's about
as that's as coachable a tape as anything. It's like,
(05:36):
don't do this in the final minute of a half
in a game that you're scratching and clawing here to
try to win and giveaways. And we watched it over
the course of the years, and I put the s
on there specifically, right, turnovers the greatest predictor of everything,
and we certainly watched it here with the number of
(05:58):
opportunities that they had to go and just take this
game and said no, no, no, you take it please, we
don't need it. And McDermott, did you see a twenty
eighteen or did you see a twenty twenty five or
could you not tell?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I'll tell you. It's so I want to go back
to the end of the first half sequencing. M okay,
because if Joe Brady is saying, all right, you want
to put something, you know, thin air praterer, long field goal,
that's that's fine, but so much in this playoffs and
you know, we'll get your thoughts on you know, what
the Bears and Ben Johnson did in their situations. But
(06:34):
if a coordinator is making, you know, a certain decision,
it's ultimately the head coach's ability to overrule. But that
was just such like even though they came back and
even though they had opportunities to win if it was
anything Mike, even if Brandon cooks it catches the footballer,
it's called to catch and and they kick a field
goal to win it. Like, there's still that point at
(06:55):
the end of the first half that you're just like,
all right, something else is just going to come back
to buy and maybe next week in the AFC Championship
Game or if they get into the super Bowl, you know,
by gosh, they may bite them at that point. But
that to me was just pure negligence on their part.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah, the year of living dangerously across the NFL, we've
seen so many heroic comebacks and chaotic things. The old
rule with them to all of it. Guys and Dan,
you and I have been doing this together long enough.
The never let it go to the judges. Now, obviously
we don't want to know who the officials are because
that means something's going badly or they're just jacked, and
(07:31):
we want to celebrate that they didn't skip leg day.
But all of that to say, it's like, whenever you
have a circumstance like wow, the official ruled this, like well,
you had fifty nine minutes plus to do other things.
It doesn't minimize that play or the call that you
think went against you. And if you're Buffalo, you have
a victim mentality of the football gods hating you going
(07:54):
back thirty thirty forty years at this point. But in
this case, get out the half or at least do
the old All right, we chucked it downfield. Either get
a penalty it's intercepting, or it falls harmlessly incomplete. Instead,
you created the worst of the nightmare scenarios to where
anything you had going was great, and then you have
(08:16):
the fumble in the ensuing possession to start the second half.
I was kind of surprised Peyton didn't try to go
after him and try to score the touchdown there sure
instead's taking the field goal.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
There's u in Sean Payton's ben riverboat gambler, you know
so much in there's the game of that. Did they
open up against the Titans like they went for it?
I saw like on four straight fourth thounds and they
could have just punted it away and kept cam Ward
like he didn't really care. But there's you know, you
got Will Watts so right, That's that's the reason that
(08:53):
he came to Denver.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That's it. But you had the one play that I
don't know that god is as much run as it
should have because of all the oxygen that was taken
by the Brandon Cooks. Was it a catch? Is it
a blue dress or a black dress or whatever those
memes were back in the day. Hey, let's fight about
this push that aside for a second. That throw that
he missed the Dawson Knox with sixteen seconds remaining, like that,
(09:20):
that's the throw. That's it right there. Everything else is smoot.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yes, I don't know if he felt pressure on the
backside and he short armed it and so that's why
it went high. I'm not sure, but it felt like
there was pressure, and I'm sure if they would have scored,
Denver would have claimed it was holding on that play
that wasn't called on the pressure. But you're right he
missed it. It was it was that that spot and
it was set up for them to score. It was
(09:48):
almost in a similar way of Gabe Davis a little
bit in Kansas City, not the exact same route by
any means, but at least in a similar spot on
the field, and that time he missed him and there
would have been about, you know, thirteen seconds left on
the clock at that point if he gets into the
end zone. So yeah, that's that to me. And for
(10:09):
him to turn the ball over four times, it tells
me two things. Number One, he's trying to do way
too much and that is a representation of the bills
set up. And I'm not trying to give Josh Allen.
Put Josh Allen off the hook. But the other thing
is is if if there's the hint of regression, then
(10:30):
you have to take care of it. Like if there's
just a hint of well, guess what, maybe Josh Allen's
going into his you know, maybe his old ways because
he's become one heck of a passer. But if he's
going back to early Josh Allen, even if there's a hint,
you have to figure out a way to wrap that up.
But I'm not saying that that's what happened. But when
you turn when you're responsible for four out of the
(10:51):
five turnovers, that could be a possibility.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Which is why you know when he was crying saying
it was me, and I know the lot of tears
shed by teammates. No, no, no, that's our whatever they no, no, no,
let him own it. In the moment. Right, It's like, yes,
defense gave up thirty three points. Yes, there were a
lot of other plays, but his turnovers absolutely anhrows he
(11:13):
didn't make, absolutely monumental in a game that was there
for him. And I'm not a big fan of the
narrative of the ah with no Ma Homes and no
Burrow and whatever. This was it Like no, no, no, they're
not slap fighting, right, we're not pugilists. Like they're still
playing some pretty damn good defenses out there. Just as
a squad, you know, you have to maximize everything and
(11:37):
minimize where you're deficient, and in this game he didn't.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
And by the way, there's no guarantee that the Chiefs
are back, right, there's no guarantee next year, Like there's
no guarantee that the Ravens are going to be back. Heck,
this offseason, there's no guarantee Lamar is gonna be a Raven.
So who knows what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Sure Joe Burrow cauld demand a trade tomorrow, We don't.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, Like there's there's a lot that could
go on in the National Football League. I am curious
to see who could be the candidate in Buffalo. I
do think you have to go offense, and I don't
think that they need CEO, you know, that sort of
head coach. I know Tomlin's been brought up as a possibility.
(12:23):
I just think you need somebody to be with Josh
Allen for the next eight years, So that's what you're
hoping to find.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I saw some members about Brian, what do you think.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Going back there? I mean they have a good relationship.
He's the one that gets I think the most credit
when she say Mike for turning him around was the
reason why I got the Giants job. Josh Allen got
Joe Shane and Brian Dable Giants job. So so like
there's in trying to emulate or emulate what the Bills
had the Giants tried to do, so that could be
(12:53):
a possibility. Yeah, look at Mike McDaniel could be looked at.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, he's one of the leaders on the board, dab
Davis Webb, which is interesting. Clint Kubiak, Joe Brady, and
Mike McDaniel, h Yudinsky in Kingsbury would be the others
that I see on an odds board that Yahoo had up.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I totally could see the Steelers hiring uh Yudinski, and
I know that just because that totally fits their m
o of young coach, gonna be there for the next,
you know, some twenty years. The only difference is he's
offense and not defense. And but they're gonna hire them.
They're gonna hire somebody young. It's gonna be a bit
(13:37):
off the you know, I think, I don't. I don't know.
Maybe it will be Mike McCarthy. Maybe it will be
Brian Flores, but we shall see. Thirty years old and
Robert Salas now the Titans head coach. What's that thirty
years old? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
How about you young? Yeah, but you mentioned Robert sala
All right, you're a miss. We didn't do this for
a minute. Didn't you have Mike Brabel in your room, Tennessee?
Didn't you just have that guy? Are you watching them
succeed with New England and you want to go down
that road?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I just used. I don't understand. I don't understand taking
cam Ward number one overall, then firing the coach that
drafted him. I understand that portion of it, and then
now being like we're gonna go defense. So now cam
Ward's gonna maybe end up with three different offensive coordinators
(14:33):
in five years. Like, at least if you hired Matt Nagy,
you know, like he's gonna be there. Maybe you have
some consistency on offense, because I believe that's the future
of your organization. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people are gonna
try to do what the Seahawks are doing on defense
and build teams like that. But when you use the
first overall pick on cam Ward, I would try to
(14:53):
make him work. Just I don't know. Maybe maybe they think,
maybe they think this may be ridiculous because we're talking
about the Titans here. Maybe they think if we bring
in Sala, if our defense is okay, and then we
make it really good, that we can win while cam
Ward's on his rookie contract. It sounds absurd because of
(15:16):
how you know, how much time's left on his deal.
He's only in his rookie season. Would need two more years.
Could the Titans turn this around and be a competitive
squad to make that work? I'm not sure, but maybe
that's what they're thinking is.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Well, you guys know that I just watched Sala for
the past few years, you know, coach the Jets, and
to me, like I'm so floored that he got a
job so quickly. And I mean, I guess, I guess
I'm less surprised because of the fact that he's been
getting interviews, like, you know, going.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Back to last cycle.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Sure, I'm more surprised that he's that he got interviews
to begin with, especially coming out of this season, because
he obviously was a great defensive coordinator this year. But
that's something that got him the job last time. We
already knew he was a great defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
So why after.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Seeing him have a great year as a defensive coordinator
on a great roster, do we suddenly think, Okay, yeah,
let's give him the keys to an organization that needs
a complete cultural turnaround. We just saw him fail at
doing that.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah, I mean, that's the larger thing, right to the
to that point, Dan of going to the Jets, it
was all about culture, kind of the same thing they're
preaching with your current head coach of Hey, he's gonna
set this foundation and away you go. And it didn't work.
You had you had a lot of good personnel defensive
(16:32):
end for San Francisco. I guess something there's something to
be said losing Warner and Bosa and still putting up
the effort they did now and then until they got
absolutely trucked, not once, not twice, multiple times, three times
a lady as Seattle, I mean that game Saturday, we
started watching Veronica Mars Marathon on the TV next to
(16:55):
it because it got ugly fest But but Parsal, I mean,
I guess there's something to that of you were able
to cobble that together, But I don't know that that
should have led to another head coaching job. I mean,
but then again, there's ten of them, right.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
But it's the same point, though, is that he we
know he's a great defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And that's what great defensive coordinators do is they.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Overachieve with with less talent than they get more out
of the talent that they have on the roster than
they otherwise should. And that's something that we know Saula
is able to do when it comes to a defense.
Can he do it with an entire roster? And we
just saw him fail at it. That's why I'm so confused.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
About this whole thing. But I'll say this, when you
talk about being confused, Sala, who Ian points out interviewed
for a Bunch of different jobs. He's taking the Titans job,
and he's coming off of a stint with Ian's Jets.
And you want to talk about Titans and Jets, like
you throw on the Dolphins and you get the three
(17:53):
most dysfunctional, maybe the Cardinals as well, and Raiders. There's
your top five most dysfunctional franchises in the National Football League.
And I know that the Titans are trying to square
things away, but he still have the same people owning
the team and that can always be a factor. And
maybe they want to try to make it just like
Vrabel and previously, but the track record of the Titans
(18:17):
isn't necessarily that strong outside of what Mike Vrabel was
able to do. There can I ask this, Chelsea, with
Robert solid Mike, you can wrap it up?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Is it a thing Dan with thean the idea that
he wants to play hero like I can take a
down trodden organization and make and that's the selling point
of I can keep you from and help you rise
from the bottom. Knowing he's just gonna get him, get
to get his ass kicked the entire time. I mean,
(18:47):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'm not sure either, But now that Liam Cohen matchups
twice a year people are talking about. And you've got
Tamiko Ryan's going up against it'll be a tough task,
and the Colts, and then you got the Colts in
the AFC South. All right, we're gonna take a time out.
A bunch of vacancy. Still, we didn't even talk about
Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta and John Arba. The Giants won't
(19:11):
get to them at some point. But coming up next,
Mike's heart was broken by the Chicago Bears. But Mike, goodness,
what a ride it was. We'll talk about that and
my Seahawks able to advance in routing the forty nine ers.
Plus we'll look at the other AFC matchup that had
the Patriots taking down the Texans. It's all next, hear
and I want your flex, it is I want your flex,
(19:33):
Mike Carmon. I know there were tears of joy in
the wild card round, where there are tiers of sadness
for the Bears after the loss to the Rams on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Well, I had my anger moment, you know the old line,
and I put this up in the Instagram world at
Swollen Dome. You know, the don't be sad it's over,
be glad it happened, or some nonsense like that. No,
it was salty. Maybe the game was there. The Rams
played pretty poorly for much of the night. A lot
(20:02):
of times, you know, we play our armchair quarterback. We
have no idea what their schematic is and what they're
trying to do. But like, you're running the ball really effectively,
and I know Matthew Stafford's gonna win the MVP. Stop
throwing the ball. They've got no space until that pick
play that opened up the tight end for that big game.
But otherwise, you know, over the course of the night,
(20:24):
just some of those head scratching moments, some of the
throws and Caleb Williams and his heroics and like Josh Allen,
the why are you throwing this? You know, we had
the equivalent in the College Football Championship game, right Beck
with the game ceiling interception, much like the Caleb Williams like,
you know, you have time on the clock, you don't
(20:44):
need to go for it all. And in Williams case,
all they needed was Santo's who knows how to kick
at Soldier Field, and instead they took the shot. DJ
Moore did he run did he not. But all in
I mean, fantastic thrill ride, that electric atmosphere. It permeated
right from Corneilissen's national anthem all the way through just shaking.
(21:07):
I was on a conference call with my brothers for
much of the game back in Chicago, and we just
sat and watched it linked up that way, and it
was it was just a beautiful thing to go through it,
first guessing, second guessing, yelling go for two like idiots
after the comet touchdown. But but all of it just
a ridiculous season. Now everything changes as you go into
(21:30):
the off season. You become the hunted. You've got to
make a bunch of decisions and and that's all fun
of You're gonna lose Eric the enemy going back to
Kansas City. He was a huge part of what they
were able to do offensively, but a fun and exciting
thrill role. I'm just said, we don't get to go
and and try to figure out the Seattle defense.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, Leah, that would have been a fun matchup. It
really really would have if the if the Bears were
able to come out victorious. I agreed with Ben Johnson
on the two point call because they hadn't had success,
And for as great as Ben Johnson is, teams only
have so many plays like from that distance, and when
(22:10):
you're running your sixth or seventh best play with your
season on the line in that situation, probably not the
best situation to go for it. So I was totally
down with him kicking the extra point. I understand getting
caught in the moment, and yet I mean, heck, you
just cashed in on the unbelievable play that Caleb Williams made,
so you're thinking maybe lucks on your side. But I
(22:32):
just I wonder about the first quarter. And now you're
talking to a guy whose team in the Seahawks, doesn't
really like to go for it on fourth down a ton.
If they do it, it'll be a little AJ barner,
you know, toush push sort of deal. But even in
the Seahawks game against the forty nine ers, they got
the football back after stopping San Francisco in Niners territory,
(22:56):
they drove down, had a pass to JSN that got
him down to about the you know, six yard by
or something like that. But it's fourth and two and
they kick the field goal to go up twenty seven
to six, Like they didn't go for it, and I'm like,
you know what, I go, Actually, that's probably right because
San Francisco isn't probably gonna be able to score three touchdowns.
It's probably the right move, no reason to give them momentum.
(23:17):
So I was fine with it. Were you fine with
the call in the first quarter of the fourth and
two of them not going or going for it and
not kicking it.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
In the in the first quarter? Is sure because your
presumption and I think you know you had the can
the forty nine ers match this here? It's you're not
gonna shut the Rams down forever? And sure enough they
go and take take the ball straight down for a touchdown.
But and and then after after that, Dennis Allen called
a masterful game. And those cornerbacks, Gordon in particular, who
(23:50):
had been picked on coming off of injury and had
been the ISO guy, you know, like the you watch
the mutual of omaha things of oh no, that little
guy's a little bit you No, no, the Jackals are
going to get him. That's how you felt with Gordon
in the past. Uh. Here they all stepped up. All
of those guys made big plays time and again. Uh.
And so it then the down and distance and the
(24:15):
game math changes immenseally. But in that first quarter, yeah, absolutely,
to go for it in that situation though, I thought
was the right go. But to your to your point
about the two point conversion, Dan, yeah, your third and
fourth down play calling in those situations, uh really left
something to be desired.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What is their deal with with not using menong guy
all the time in those situations?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I'd have known I would feel like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Am I wrong? Like I mean, I'm you know, you're
you know much more about that team that I do.
But in seeing it's not that Deandrew Swift is a
bad option. I just think that manan guy would be
the guy that you would want in those situations.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Yeah, I mean so yeah, Swift is the patient dance
and wait for something to emerge or get to the edge.
Manung Guy's gonna run straight through you. And in short
yarded situations, I'll take my chance that that guy comes
that runs in like a bowling ball time and time again.
And they didn't, and so that that was confusing. As
(25:17):
the game wore on and the fourth down or even
like the third down calls, you know, I was like,
all right, well, if we know you're going for it
on fourth, So why are we just calling the run
straight into the line. Why isn't there a little bit?
And then Collinsworth even brought it up on the broadcast
like that, you're not you know, moving the pocket or
given Caleb a chance just for a straight quarterback draw
(25:39):
or sneak or or end around or whatever you're gonna do,
or I should say, go around the edge. But yeah,
I think Manung guy is one of those guys that
I think there were there were more opportunities in those
situations to utilize him, for sure, but yeah, the curiosity
the third down calls were really kind of maddening over time.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Well, they're gonna be the They're gonna be the primetime darlings.
I think next year the Bears are. I think that
the TV Networks. I think they're gonna be, you know,
one of the three teams that has six prime time
games because there is a lot to get excited about.
And I do think that Caleb Williams is must see
TV and Ben Johnson as well. And so sorry the
(26:26):
ride had to end like it did, but it was
a heck of a ride. I mean, even Ashton Kutcher
is saying, you know, greatest game that he's ever been
to or b blah blah blah. But a lot of
good will at least coming from the Bears. But still,
I know it's going to be a bitter pill to swallow.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Well, especially since I live in Los Angeles, not that
there's a lot of Rams fans, but I certainly seem
to draw him like a magnet. Between Sunday night and
and the time of us sitting down to record this podcast,
certainly a number of texts from folks, weren't you, like, well,
I live in LA Like no, no, no, don't do
(27:03):
that to me. You know, those those adopted things. I
guess you live and you start to grow some infinity
to it. But you know, the longtime friends that you
know out of the Blues tough one and then they
send you a logo of their team that's still alive.
I'm like, thanks, thanks, Oh my Patriots fan friends that
are out there from my living on the East Coast
(27:26):
back in the day, It's like, yeah, thanks for sending
that along. I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Well, there's there's a part of me that it's not
to be careful what you wish for. But I just
didn't want the Seahawks to face the Rams because it's
just division rivals and it can be a coin toss. Sure,
even if you know, if the Seahawks coming off of
a great game, Rams coming off of an overtime contest,
you know, there's travel involved, there's advantages with the Seahawks.
(27:52):
But it was just of, yeah, this is a team
that just you guys know each other so well that
it may be a coin toss. Now. It was with
the forty nine ers, and I'm hoping that it was
the case with the Seahawks. But in saying all of that,
you know, I was saying to myself, I don't know
if I just go up against the kalab Williams, who
(28:13):
could be hot and the weapons at they have, and
when the Bears run the ball it was it was
daunting as well. So it wasn't asking for the Bears
by any means. It was just more of the Rams
in that situation. And I thought the Bears and Seahawks
were to play in the NFC Championship game, it would
be a heck of a matchup on something.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Fun little chess match between your head coach and you know,
Ben Johns hitting after it right, Let's let's play a
little cat and mouse. I like the little exchange after
the game McVeigh and Johnson and the McVeigh seeking out
Dennis Allen. That was cool. But man, your Seahawks forty
one to six opening kickoff return for a touchdown, Like
(28:52):
folks didn't even get to their chairs, you know, in
their homes obviously in the stadium, everybody was jacked up
and ready to go. But like, just like that, it's like, whoa,
all right, and we're off. And then it didn't stop.
I saw the meme from the Simpsons, the stop stop.
He's already dead by the end of the first quarter.
Once JSN scored that touchdown.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Yeah, and that was a heck of a touchdown. They
weren't great, Oh, Darnold wasn't great. He didn't need to be.
He had that oblique issue. And then when Zach Scharbaday
went out, it was just a whole bunch of Kenneth
Walker And that'll be interesting to see on how it
plays Sunday because they don't have a lot of running
back depth. They just had Vellis Jones ended up being
the one who was activated and then had to get
(29:36):
a couple of carries at the end of the game
because he didn't want to hurt Walker, who, by the way,
is known to get hurt. So they're in an interesting
spot in that running back spot. But Walker looked great
in the defense, just just playing with such an edge
right now, such a chip on their shoulder. And I
(29:56):
wonder if, even though they won on that Thursday night game,
if the defense is gonna, you know, have that chip
on their shoulder for the game against the Rams because
of what Puka Nakua and Matthew Stafford did against them.
So they're I mean, they're gonna get their plays the
Rams are. It's now going to be interesting to see
on how many of the plays they'll get from a
from a defense that right now is just playing top
(30:18):
notch of the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
So take me back to Saturday, about ninety minutes before kickoff.
How much did you think you might have been seeing
Drew Locke.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Well, the thing that I said was even like for
the forty nine er fans that wanted Darnold to be out,
I was like, he's going to give you two turnovers.
I don't know why you would want him out. He's
gonna throw an interception, or two or fumble or something.
He did not do that. He did he did neither,
So that was a positive sign. But it was really
funky just on how it all transpired, because there's a
(30:51):
pop up on the injury reports sort of deal, and
by all accounts that I heard, he was he was
going to be fine, but it does seem to be
a little bit more maybe a little bit more serious,
and since it apparently happened to what in Thursday's practice
that it could be an issue. A good thing is
they didn't need them to throw a bunch against the
forty nine ers, and then we did see Drew Locke
(31:13):
ultimately in the end.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
There you go. So twelve or seventeen I would be remiss,
but I didn't point out that Jones also, after advancing
to the NFC title game and the Bears loss, he
couldn't wait to hit send unmocking the Bears his former squad.
So you got that, yeah, immediately, almost instantly. It was
(31:37):
like almost like it was a scheduled tweet. But it
was just kind of funny. But I mean, the Seattle defense,
and we've talked about it all year, guys. I mean,
that's just like watching poetry that's reminiscent of that raven squad.
Go back forty years to the Bears, some of the
other dominant defenses that we've been privy to seeing, and
(32:00):
I know the forty nine ers are beat up. McCaffrey
was still there, you still had a couple of your
other big time would be starters there, and you got
a couple of guys back healthy. I obviously know George Kittle,
but like this, just watching the way they swarmed the
ball all season long, and certainly right now playing at
(32:21):
a fever pitch right now, if you're Matthew Stafford and company,
you're trying to figure out how quickly can I get
the ball out of my hand?
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, Ian, I don't know. I'm sure you loved Leonard
Williams time with the Jets, even though it wasn't as
long as he would have hoped. But I was telling Ian,
I think earlier today. If it was you, Ian, you
can recall this. If it wasn't you, I apologize, And
I have no idea who I was talking to, and
(32:50):
I wasn't drunk at work, but Leonard Williams and the
deal that they did for him a couple of years
ago from the from the Giants and they end up
acquiring him and then they signed him to that long
term deal. Like there was a bit of a risk,
but everything started to flow after that. And then you
have the hiring of Mike McDonald and the pieces you
got Byron Murphy, you know, a great, you know, defensive
(33:13):
lineman middle of the first round. He was I think
sixteen overall. That was the drafter. He had fourteen offensive
guys you know, go off the board in the first part.
So they got the you know, arguably the best defensive
player in that draft in the middle of the first round.
So that helped them. And then the acquisition of Ernest
Jones and Emon Worrie and Devin Witherspoon with the first
(33:34):
you know, with their first round pick in the year
they drafted JSN as well. Like everything is hit and
now this defense is Legion of Boom esque. But the
secret with the Legion of is the secret of this
defense which isn't a secret. It's what they do up front.
If you only have to rush four guys, it makes
it a lot easier. And when the Seahawks had Michael
(33:55):
Bennett and Cliff Avril and Chris Clements shout out to
Tom Brady, by the way, who mentioned Chris Clemens when
he was talking about those Seahawks team. Because Chris clemens
mate is defensive end, blew on his knee in a
game against the Redskins. Then Redskins in the wild card
game couldn't play against the Falcons. But if they have
(34:15):
Chris Clemens in that game, they maybe go to the
Super Bowl that year against the Baltimore Ravens because they
were getting after the quarterback. But that's where it all starts.
That's where the Seahawks bread and butter is. When you
could just rush four and I'm watching the NFL network
right now and they're just rushing for again and you
can get to the quarterback. It makes things a heck
of a lot easier.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
I love that passion as you started talking about those
those guys all, particularly as you brought up Clements, like
I could see your mind's eye right there and what
you were watching in that video screen in your head, Dan.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Byer, Oh, it was great, great memories. But now Seahawks
and Rams, we got that in the NFC Championship game.
Unfortunately Mike's Bear's not there. But bigger things ahead, all right,
we're gonna take our final time out. We'll be back
on the other end, talk to little Pats, Texans, what's
wrong with CJ Stroud? And how is Denver gonna deal
(35:10):
without Bonix. It's all next here on I Want Your Flex.
Welcome back to I Want Your Flex. He's Mike Carmon,
that's Ian Roddy, our executive producer. I'm Dan Beyer. Before
we get to how is Jared Stidham going to solve
the riddle of the New England Patriots. We're gonna talk
about and figure out how the Patriots got to this
point and is it all CJ. Stroud related, because boy,
(35:33):
he's the one that's taken the most heat from that
Texans lost to New England on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Yeah, it's the unfortunate part of it, right, You gotta
have a fall guy, and when your defense still is
terrorizing the opposing quarterback, scoring points, all all of that stuff,
it's you start looking for the guy and it's the quarterback.
And unfortunately he also you know, gets tied to the
famous interaction with Caleb Williams. Given William's success of hey
(36:01):
you're gonna be you know, keep your head up somebody's like,
is Caleb gonna go seek him out to return the
favor kind of thing. But all of it, it's just
a tough watch right now. And I know Nico Collins
wasn't there, Schultz got injured during the game. But there's
just misses and just the processing has slowed down. I
(36:23):
know Troy Aikman had his comments and some folks took
it as you know, this this horrible thing to say.
It's like, it's not attacking the guy, it's just watching
what you're seeing between the white lines. Something needs to
be done in that offensive set to to figure out,
you know, where that regression is. Whether it's you know,
(36:45):
is feeling the heat before it's there. Right, we talk
about natural versus unnatural pressure, right You're you're hearing footsteps
or feeling it that you've got to get rid of
it before you go before you have to, or or
forcing the issue either way. Dan, I mean, it's it
was just a tough watch. And that defense did for
(37:06):
the second straight week everything they could to give him
an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah, the toughest thing that I saw was some of
the passes and just the quality of passes, and by
that I don't even just mean on target, because a
bunch of them obviously weren't because they were intercepted, but
also there were just some there're some ducks. Yeah, there's
no zip on the ball. I don't know if it
was the weather. I don't know if he had if
(37:31):
you know, he was having trouble gripping the football, but
the football was just when you combine it with that weather,
and if you don't put force on it and throw
it with a tight spiral, it can go anywhere and
it takes a while for it to get there when
you're not throwing in a spiral. And that was like,
that was the thing that I was concerned with. Is
(37:52):
I mean, for as much as Caleb Williams and Matthew
Stafford had to deal with the cold, they can throw
the football. They have got you know, they've got cannons.
And I was surprised to see CJ. Stroud struggle in
that point. I do think that there is a question
about his contract. What I don't think though, is if
you were to look at CJ. Stroud, I think half
(38:13):
the league would take CJ. Stroud right now and think
that they're the ones that can do it. Because I
think there's enough there to point to where you're like, Okay,
can't just be the quarterback. You know, we've known about
their line troubles. They really haven't had a running game
until Woody Marx came on at the end of the year.
But I don't think teams are worried about Woody Marx
right now. And then you don't have Nico Collins in
(38:34):
this game. And look at all the wide receivers that
he's gone through over the last three seasons, right, I mean,
we thought that he and Tank Dell the rookie year,
aside from Nico Collins, we're going to be the great tandem,
and then Dal gets hurt and gets hurt again the
next year, and Stefan Diggs is there, and then Stefan
Diggs gets hurt, and so there is just there's a
lot with it. But he hasn't had a lot of
(38:55):
consistency with the targets outside of Nico Collins, who again
wasn't available for the game against New England. So I
just don't think it's all on CJ. Straw. But he
does bear the responsibility of a four interception game.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
There's no doubt about no, that's it, right, you changed
up your oc this year, Slowick leaves, so you got
Nick Kyley there. So some of that becomes Look, by
this point in the season, whatever issues you have personally
or communication wise, you'd like to thank your professionals, and
you've solved some of that. I think what you're saying
(39:28):
in terms of football grip and all of that is
is apt. You know, talking about you know, sub ducts
or wishing and hoping that a guy is going to
run under a ball kind of scenario. Unfortunately you're playing defense.
Is that while they may not get the marquee value
of yours, man, you're at the point where they're all
pretty good. Then you know the teams that are left standing,
(39:49):
So any any inch that you give is going to
be taken up. Yeah. And I think if you did
go go through, you've seen enough from him that you'd
love to be the guy quote fix him yep. Right,
And if you're there looking at what Houston is, You've
got a couple of nice young wide receivers. The kids,
all the Iowa State kids, right, Tank Dell. We never
(40:12):
count on him finding his re emergence. Nico Collins unfortunately
miss missed the game with concussion but yeah, it's the
old Ocean's eleven. You think we need one more? Yeah,
you need to go find another guy. You need to
go find another relief. And and I don't know that
you have the answer at running back. You thought it
was going to be some combination of Marx and chubbment
(40:34):
Marx and who going forward.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
I have no idea who it's going to be. But
you can't expect Jill Mixon, right oh, right, Like they
had their eggs in the back in that basket kind of,
you know, at the start of the year, and then
he was there and we talked about our great mixing
was last year for him. But there's a there's a
lot that needs to be fixed in Houston. And it
is a shame because that defense is so good. But
(40:59):
that's all so maybe a reason why right there's they
maybe can't do stuff with their offensive line. Maybe that's
why they had to draft the Iowa state kids in
Higgins and Noel, And so those are the decisions that
the Texans ultimately had to make. I just don't think
that you can have the full referendum on CJ. Stroud.
(41:19):
If anything, he was probably more a victim of his
first year's success to where he is right now. The
playoff success has been interesting. I know people have thrown
out stats that it's been more about the defense, and
that's fine, but I still think, like the talent is there.
I still think that you would. I don't know, Ian,
you can tell me if I'm wrong, or Mike as well.
But you know, you look at a Bryce Young who
(41:40):
was picked ahead of c J. Stroud at that point.
He's turned out better than than Young has so far.
We obviously know that Stroud's better than Anthony Richardson at
this point. So I still think that there's time for him.
It's just do you give him the big contract now?
Probably not? Probably it's probably not exercises fifty year option
and call it good and then go from there and
(42:02):
negotiate some other time.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Yeah, if you want to do a team like the
Jets or the Raiders, well, obviously the Raiders are pretty
much have the rights to Mendoza now, but just one
of these bottom feeder teams who needs a quarterback that
they would trade the farm for CJ.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Stroud.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
Even after this game, it's just like, you know, even
watching it, like there's so many things you can point
to that just you you can clean them up, like
it's it's not that it's not that he doesn't deserve
flak for the game that he had and it was
and seeing him repeatedly just toss the ball up whenever
he was in the middle of getting sat like, those
are things you just can't be doing. But there are
things that a coach who knows what he's doing can
(42:38):
come in and teach you how to clean that stuff
up like these aren't things that are like, Okay, I
saw a terrible, terrible playoff multiple playoff games from Stroud.
So now I'm just convinced he can't do it. I'm
not there yet.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
I think there's Yeah, the jury is still out now.
The jury the evidence of Stroud as of late hasn't
been great. But I just if you look at what's
going on throughout this season injury wise, with the Texans
and the targets that they've had, I do think that
he needs a little bit more leeway. But he is
(43:12):
you know, again, they'll exercise the fifth year option on
him and figuring out, you know, a long term deal. Well,
maybe the numbers are a little bit less than what
they were, but I don't know. If you're Houston if
you're giving up on that plan right now.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
Anyway, Nineteen touchdowns, eight picks, three thousand yards, completion percentage,
best of his career. Yeah, Christian Kirk showed up for
those final two games, but I mean that's whatever. But
and you had Nico Collins, Schultz and a mix of
other guys. The Joe Mixon not being there that was
a big piece, right because of his ability as a
(43:47):
receiver out of the backfield would have been nice. But
all of that to say, yeah, it's tough that you
got to make that big contract decision. But as far
as where he is as a quarterback, I think what
you said was the key there.
Speaker 1 (44:01):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
The way he played that first year and kind of
set everybody's hair on fire is the best and the worst,
because anything that doesn't match that, even if you really
kind of do. I mean, that was twenty three and
five thirty eight. Like the difference isn't that huge if
you look at it statistically. He just had the one
(44:23):
big game in the spotlight when everybody actually watched the Texans.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, it's those one off games to shed
a lot of light, and those playoff games are those
one off games all right, So the Patriots win. Drake
May and Crew Cruz invertiface. Now, Jared Stidham in the
Broncos I said, you know, when we were talking about
this on my Sunday show, I said, I think Sean
Payton will relish this opportunity like this is Sean Payton's
(44:51):
opportunity to say lucky here. I just took a backup
quarterback and beat the New England Patriots to go to
the Super Bowl. I think s Pyton, not that you
wouldn't want bon Nicks, However, I think that the Broncos
can use this as a motivating factor, a rallying call,
if you will. And I expect a very good game
(45:14):
from Denver on Sunday against New England even without bon
Nicks in the game.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
Denver a five point home favorite forty two the total.
Give me the points five point. Yeah, they're getting five
points at home. I don't need the points. I'm with you.
Jared Stidham was brought in immediately by Sean Payton and
has been with him for three years. There's a reason
(45:40):
that a guy just sticks around like that like that
just is a nice guy. And to your quote about
Sean Payton as he did to that reporter, like, I
have a liking problem with Sean Payton. I think he's
a guy that will do everything he can to tell
you how smart he is. And this is an opportunity
on the field to do that and to wink and
(46:01):
nod and smile at everybody as he does it. And
I think they have enough talent on both sides of
the ball to get it done.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
I almost feel like it's everything is coming so quickly
for New England. Then it can't be this easy, it
can't be this perfect for them, right. Drake may is
a star and MVP candidate. The you know, the secondary
is just playing out of their mind. Christian Gonzales, after
being hurt earlier on in the season, is living up
(46:29):
to his hype. The defense like they're just it seems
that it's too good to be true for them. And now,
as you said, they're a five point favorite on the
road because of the Denver quarterbacking situation. So even if
it was bo Nix was there, I thought the line
was going to be I thought I read Mike Denver
minus one, so they would have been a one point favorite.
(46:51):
But it just to me is like almost too much,
too soon for New England, like there's got to be
some sort of struggle. Maybe they're counting the Gerrod Mayo
season last year or those couple of Belichick seasons is
as the struggle. But it just seems stuff has come
way too easy for the Patriots for them to just
coast into a super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (47:09):
Like this, they have to be the luckiest team in
recent NFL history because look at the fact that they
had the lowest strength of schedule in the regular season.
So there you go. One seed helped a lot in
getting that. And then you get to the playoffs. Wildcard
round you face the Chargers, who don't have an offensive
line right now. Divisional round you face the Texans who
(47:30):
are without Nicocollins and c. J. Stroud gives you the
ball four times, and obviously the Patriots deserve credit for
forcing him to do that, but still it is what
it is. And now in the conference championship game you
get the Broncos with Jared Stidham. It's insane to me.
It's like they've gotten a free ticket to the super Bowl.
And obviously we'll see if they actually end up winning
this game, but if they win it, that's what the
narrative is going to be is how easy this was,
(47:52):
and the fact that it feels like they're a year
ahead because they weren't supposed to be this good this quickly.
And what bothers me even more is the fact that
they have Josh McDaniel, who is a great offensive coordinator,
and they have him for as long as they want
him because he's never getting another head coach a job
again twice. They are just so set up for success
for so long.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
And I hate it. I can I can feel that.
Excuse I'm looking and staring at him through the wall
and you can see see it coming through. I saw
shades of Jason Smith there. It was like I was
looking into my to my right in the studio during
the week, the same thing. But yeah, to the point,
the schedule and everything worked through. The big question here
(48:33):
and I have this for both you is for Drake May.
He's played far, far less than perfect football these last
few weeks, like this game against Houston, Plenty of opportunities
if Houston had just been somewhat functional offensively right, any
level of competency, take care of the football. You've got
(48:56):
a kicker with a big leg. Let's let's say, at
least try to steal three for a defense that's fighting.
Denver's defense won't be as relenting, right, Drake may will
have to pay for these mistakes, right.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
I think? So, I think, yeah, I think. I mean,
it's not Texans esque, but it's that good. You're right,
you know how good Denver is. That's why I think
that something could be, you know, coming for the New
England Patriots because of that defense, Nick Benito getting home,
you know, like there's there's there's opportunities for them to
(49:32):
to get after and force those fumbles and maybe recover
those something that the Texans. You know, there's the time
of the Texans that they you know, yarded to away
from recovering a touchdown or a fumble for a touchdown
and Patriots end up falling on it. So yeah, so
I think that's that's going to be there. And I'm
curious about the Dobbins injury too, because they opened up
(49:53):
the practice window for him on Monday for him to
come back that early. Maybe maybe to and maybe it's
more of a hey, if we make it to the
super Bowl, we had to you know, we had to
do it at this point to make sure that he plays.
But if you can use him as if he would
come back and be a part of the running game,
that helps Jared Stidham for Denver and could could give
(50:14):
them sort of a boost. Yeah. I don't think everything
is going the way of the Patriots, and I think
that's how a lot of people think that it's going
to continue that way. But maybe the Broncos can can
change course. Their offensive line is going to be better
than what the Texans provided, I'll tell you that much.
So if if Jared Stidham just has time, maybe he
(50:36):
can get the football to the guys that he needs to.
I think he's got a couple of underrated playmakers too.
I'm sorry, No, you're.
Speaker 3 (50:42):
Right, You're right, Dan, go ahead, you finished finished that thought?
Speaker 1 (50:46):
Yeah, just just with you know, like I know, Marvin
Mimms got a little dinged up on I think on
his touchdown catch, But Troy Franklin has been a guy
and Patrick Bryant ended up making some big catches for them.
So so yeah, so they've got they've got guys that
they can and use it. Even our j Harvey came
out at the end of the years as the lead
back and if he can have a day behind that
(51:07):
offensive line, and I think Denver can get it done.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
Two things, did Marvin Mims control the ball all the
way through the ground? Oh, we're doing officiating again. And
then Jared Stidham, how sweet would be to get revenge
against his former team? Well, that's right, he was drafted
there all the way back in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
It's also worth worth mentioning Stidham was the quarterback at
Auburn right before Bonix took over as the started. Yeah,
and now Stidham gets to step in for nicks in.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
Stidham has been a lot of places. He's a Baylor
as well. Yes, he's been here, there and everywhere. And
who knows he may be in the super Bowl. We
will find out on Sunday. Well, the next time we
talked to you, we'll find out who is in the
super Bowl. We'll see if I have tears of joy
or tiers of sadness when it comes to the Seahawks
as they take out the Rams. And then that Broncos
(51:58):
Patriots game, the first of the two you on Sunday
should be a dandy at Mile High. Just a reminder,
we are giving you one episode a week and we'll
be doing that not only up until the Super Bowl,
but even through the Super Bowl. We'll do a Super
Bowl sixty recap. We'll also have our top sixty draft
heading into the twenty twenty sixth season, and so much
more for you, So for Mike, Carmen, Andy and Roddy.
(52:18):
I'm Danpier. We always appreciate you listening and can't wait
to talk to you next time here. And I want
your flex
Ladies and Jules.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
You want experience during your football season, Well, buckle up,
sweet cheeks. What we've got all the experience in the world.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
This is I Want your Flex.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
With Dan Byer and Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break
down everything you need to set your lineups, from position
rankings to starts and sits. The guys help you make
those hard decisions. And now let's get your flex.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Ond.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Here's Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
We've got a final four for the NFL, and we've
got another head coach looking for work. Welcome in. It
is I want your Flex. He is Mike Carmon. Hit
him up at Swollen Dome. You can find me at
Dan Byer on Fox. Ian Roddy is the show's executive producer.
Find him at Ian Roddy Underscore and Mike. Buffalo loses
on Saturday to the Denver Broncos, and on Monday they
(00:57):
tell their head coach to get lost as they fires
Sean McDermott after nine seasons. I guess that could have
been nicer, but oh well, But the Buffalo Bills, who
had been to the playoffs eight times during McDermott's nine seasons,
now they're looking for a new leader to take them
back to the super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Hell of a run, a bunch of playoff wins, but
not great advancement, as we saw time and again, calling
out obliquely your front office by extolling the virtues of
Jacoby Myers and his addition and what he meant to
Jacksonville probably didn't help your case along the way the
fact that your defense didn't show up against Jacksonville for
(01:35):
much of the day, and certainly didn't in your loss
on Saturday to the Broncos, giving up huge pass plays,
chunk yardage s. I know there were guys in and
out of the lineup as we see, and you know,
you try to pick the pick on the weak guy,
the backup that comes in for a player or two.
But all in the you give up thirty three points, right,
(01:58):
he can't account for the turnovers. Those are bad decisions
one that went against you that you were vocal about.
But in the end, you know, I've always called it
the A to B B two C kind of situation.
And McDermott stable, and you got Josh Allen finishing year
eight and you've had the heroics and some greatness. Now
(02:18):
you can look, and as we did much of the year,
the three of us looking at the Buffalo roster and
going what's special beyond those two guys, right beyond Cook
and Alan. Yeah, Shakira was a nice move, those chains
kind of guy. Every once in a while, a flash
of Kincaid. But overall was this a roster that was
ready to win this year? And I'm not trying to
(02:40):
stand for McDermott because in the end, you got to
work with what's given to you. And they fail in
a big spot with plenty of opportunities to win and
seal the deal.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, that's the spot that I think that Terry Pagoula,
the Bills owner, is in. And there were some reports
of Buffalo saying that the relationship between McDermott and Brendan
Bean was not good. It was not necessarily close. There
were things that McDermott wasn't happy with. But ultimately, when
you have the piece that you have in Josh Allen
(03:14):
and you just gave James Cook his contract, I don't
think you can blow up the whole thing. Like I
think that there has to be some bit of normalcy
at least to continue, And so I get it, like
I understand what you know, how people feel and what
you're saying with with this, I just if you're buffalo,
(03:34):
I think something had to be done, and if you're
gonna let somebody go, it is probably McDermott because when
he was fired on Monday morning. I don't know if
you guys notice this, every insider put the graphic a
picture of Sean McDermott up and then it's retweeted and
it's you know, put over in different versions, and he's
(03:54):
always got that same look on his face, right, so
that needed to change. I have no idea any other
expression from Sean McDermott than him with kind of his
lips terse and him like looking up at a scoreboard
like that's all that I know of Sean McDermott. And
so something had to change. And Brandon Bean probably doesn't
(04:15):
deserve the grace or the space, but I do think
they needed some continuity. And now you just hope, if
you're a Bills fan, that it comes through in the
coaching way where you can maybe fix a little of
Josh Allen because it does seem like he needs to
be fixed a little bit, and hopefully turn things around
for them on the defensive side of the ball so
they can get some resistance. They didn't sack bo Nicks
(04:36):
at all. Denver's got a good offensive line, don't get
me wrong, really good offensive line, but they didn't have
any sacks on Saturday. So I think that there's room
for Denver to improve. I just didn't think that they
would completely clean house. So I wasn't shocked that McDermott
ended up getting his walking papers.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yeah, I mean Bean ends up getting a promotion out
of it and a change of venue. Joe Brady's going
to be some where else most likely, right, whether he
just goes latterly or gets a head coaching job before
it's done. I'd be shocked if he's retained. But you
look at where you're at. I mean, you're at eight
(05:14):
years of Allen, and he ran around a bunch and
made some great plays in the game against Denver. I
also got careless with the football. All of those graphics
that went up about no turnovers whatever, those were out
the window pretty fast, and the end of the first
half sequencing was deplorable. Yes, right, I mean that's about
as that's as coachable a tape as anything. It's like,
(05:36):
don't do this in the final minute of a half
in a game that you're scratching and clawing here to
try to win and giveaways. And we watched it over
the course of the years, and I put the s
on there specifically, right, turnovers the greatest predictor of everything,
and we certainly watched it here with the number of
(05:58):
opportunities that they had to go and just take this
game and said no, no, no, you take it please, we
don't need it. And McDermott, did you see a twenty
eighteen or did you see a twenty twenty five or
could you not tell?
Speaker 1 (06:13):
I'll tell you. It's so I want to go back
to the end of the first half sequencing. M okay,
because if Joe Brady is saying, all right, you want
to put something, you know, thin air praterer, long field goal,
that's that's fine, but so much in this playoffs and
you know, we'll get your thoughts on you know, what
the Bears and Ben Johnson did in their situations. But
(06:34):
if a coordinator is making, you know, a certain decision,
it's ultimately the head coach's ability to overrule. But that
was just such like even though they came back and
even though they had opportunities to win if it was
anything Mike, even if Brandon cooks it catches the footballer,
it's called to catch and and they kick a field
goal to win it. Like, there's still that point at
(06:55):
the end of the first half that you're just like,
all right, something else is just going to come back
to buy and maybe next week in the AFC Championship
Game or if they get into the super Bowl, you know,
by gosh, they may bite them at that point. But
that to me was just pure negligence on their part.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah, the year of living dangerously across the NFL, we've
seen so many heroic comebacks and chaotic things. The old
rule with them to all of it. Guys and Dan,
you and I have been doing this together long enough.
The never let it go to the judges. Now, obviously
we don't want to know who the officials are because
that means something's going badly or they're just jacked, and
(07:31):
we want to celebrate that they didn't skip leg day.
But all of that to say, it's like, whenever you
have a circumstance like wow, the official ruled this, like well,
you had fifty nine minutes plus to do other things.
It doesn't minimize that play or the call that you
think went against you. And if you're Buffalo, you have
a victim mentality of the football gods hating you going
(07:54):
back thirty thirty forty years at this point. But in
this case, get out the half or at least do
the old All right, we chucked it downfield. Either get
a penalty it's intercepting, or it falls harmlessly incomplete. Instead,
you created the worst of the nightmare scenarios to where
anything you had going was great, and then you have
(08:16):
the fumble in the ensuing possession to start the second half.
I was kind of surprised Peyton didn't try to go
after him and try to score the touchdown there sure
instead's taking the field goal.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
There's u in Sean Payton's ben riverboat gambler, you know
so much in there's the game of that. Did they
open up against the Titans like they went for it?
I saw like on four straight fourth thounds and they
could have just punted it away and kept cam Ward
like he didn't really care. But there's you know, you
got Will Watts so right, That's that's the reason that
(08:53):
he came to Denver.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
That's it. But you had the one play that I
don't know that god is as much run as it
should have because of all the oxygen that was taken
by the Brandon Cooks. Was it a catch? Is it
a blue dress or a black dress or whatever those
memes were back in the day. Hey, let's fight about
this push that aside for a second. That throw that
he missed the Dawson Knox with sixteen seconds remaining, like that,
(09:20):
that's the throw. That's it right there. Everything else is smoot.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Yes, I don't know if he felt pressure on the
backside and he short armed it and so that's why
it went high. I'm not sure, but it felt like
there was pressure, and I'm sure if they would have scored,
Denver would have claimed it was holding on that play
that wasn't called on the pressure. But you're right he
missed it. It was it was that that spot and
it was set up for them to score. It was
(09:48):
almost in a similar way of Gabe Davis a little
bit in Kansas City, not the exact same route by
any means, but at least in a similar spot on
the field, and that time he missed him and there
would have been about, you know, thirteen seconds left on
the clock at that point if he gets into the
end zone. So yeah, that's that to me. And for
(10:09):
him to turn the ball over four times, it tells
me two things. Number One, he's trying to do way
too much and that is a representation of the bills
set up. And I'm not trying to give Josh Allen.
Put Josh Allen off the hook. But the other thing
is is if if there's the hint of regression, then
(10:30):
you have to take care of it. Like if there's
just a hint of well, guess what, maybe Josh Allen's
going into his you know, maybe his old ways because
he's become one heck of a passer. But if he's
going back to early Josh Allen, even if there's a hint,
you have to figure out a way to wrap that up.
But I'm not saying that that's what happened. But when
you turn when you're responsible for four out of the
(10:51):
five turnovers, that could be a possibility.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Which is why you know when he was crying saying
it was me, and I know the lot of tears
shed by teammates. No, no, no, that's our whatever they no, no, no,
let him own it. In the moment. Right, It's like, yes,
defense gave up thirty three points. Yes, there were a
lot of other plays, but his turnovers absolutely anhrows he
(11:13):
didn't make, absolutely monumental in a game that was there
for him. And I'm not a big fan of the
narrative of the ah with no Ma Homes and no
Burrow and whatever. This was it Like no, no, no, they're
not slap fighting, right, we're not pugilists. Like they're still
playing some pretty damn good defenses out there. Just as
a squad, you know, you have to maximize everything and
(11:37):
minimize where you're deficient, and in this game he didn't.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
And by the way, there's no guarantee that the Chiefs
are back, right, there's no guarantee next year, Like there's
no guarantee that the Ravens are going to be back. Heck,
this offseason, there's no guarantee Lamar is gonna be a Raven.
So who knows what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
Sure Joe Burrow cauld demand a trade tomorrow, We don't.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, Like there's there's a lot that could
go on in the National Football League. I am curious
to see who could be the candidate in Buffalo. I
do think you have to go offense, and I don't
think that they need CEO, you know, that sort of
head coach. I know Tomlin's been brought up as a possibility.
(12:23):
I just think you need somebody to be with Josh
Allen for the next eight years, So that's what you're
hoping to find.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I saw some members about Brian, what do you think.
Speaker 1 (12:32):
Going back there? I mean they have a good relationship.
He's the one that gets I think the most credit
when she say Mike for turning him around was the
reason why I got the Giants job. Josh Allen got
Joe Shane and Brian Dable Giants job. So so like
there's in trying to emulate or emulate what the Bills
had the Giants tried to do, so that could be
(12:53):
a possibility. Yeah, look at Mike McDaniel could be looked at.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, he's one of the leaders on the board, dab
Davis Webb, which is interesting. Clint Kubiak, Joe Brady, and
Mike McDaniel, h Yudinsky in Kingsbury would be the others
that I see on an odds board that Yahoo had up.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
I totally could see the Steelers hiring uh Yudinski, and
I know that just because that totally fits their m
o of young coach, gonna be there for the next,
you know, some twenty years. The only difference is he's
offense and not defense. And but they're gonna hire them.
They're gonna hire somebody young. It's gonna be a bit
(13:37):
off the you know, I think, I don't. I don't know.
Maybe it will be Mike McCarthy. Maybe it will be
Brian Flores, but we shall see. Thirty years old and
Robert Salas now the Titans head coach. What's that thirty
years old? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (13:52):
How about you young? Yeah, but you mentioned Robert sala
All right, you're a miss. We didn't do this for
a minute. Didn't you have Mike Brabel in your room, Tennessee?
Didn't you just have that guy? Are you watching them
succeed with New England and you want to go down
that road?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
I just used. I don't understand. I don't understand taking
cam Ward number one overall, then firing the coach that
drafted him. I understand that portion of it, and then
now being like we're gonna go defense. So now cam
Ward's gonna maybe end up with three different offensive coordinators
(14:33):
in five years. Like, at least if you hired Matt Nagy,
you know, like he's gonna be there. Maybe you have
some consistency on offense, because I believe that's the future
of your organization. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people are gonna
try to do what the Seahawks are doing on defense
and build teams like that. But when you use the
first overall pick on cam Ward, I would try to
(14:53):
make him work. Just I don't know. Maybe maybe they think,
maybe they think this may be ridiculous because we're talking
about the Titans here. Maybe they think if we bring
in Sala, if our defense is okay, and then we
make it really good, that we can win while cam
Ward's on his rookie contract. It sounds absurd because of
(15:16):
how you know, how much time's left on his deal.
He's only in his rookie season. Would need two more years.
Could the Titans turn this around and be a competitive
squad to make that work? I'm not sure, but maybe
that's what they're thinking is.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Well, you guys know that I just watched Sala for
the past few years, you know, coach the Jets, and
to me, like I'm so floored that he got a
job so quickly. And I mean, I guess, I guess
I'm less surprised because of the fact that he's been
getting interviews, like, you know, going.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Back to last cycle.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Sure, I'm more surprised that he's that he got interviews
to begin with, especially coming out of this season, because
he obviously was a great defensive coordinator this year. But
that's something that got him the job last time. We
already knew he was a great defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
So why after.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Seeing him have a great year as a defensive coordinator
on a great roster, do we suddenly think, Okay, yeah,
let's give him the keys to an organization that needs
a complete cultural turnaround. We just saw him fail at
doing that.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Yeah, I mean, that's the larger thing, right to the
to that point, Dan of going to the Jets, it
was all about culture, kind of the same thing they're
preaching with your current head coach of Hey, he's gonna
set this foundation and away you go. And it didn't work.
You had you had a lot of good personnel defensive
(16:32):
end for San Francisco. I guess something there's something to
be said losing Warner and Bosa and still putting up
the effort they did now and then until they got
absolutely trucked, not once, not twice, multiple times, three times
a lady as Seattle, I mean that game Saturday, we
started watching Veronica Mars Marathon on the TV next to
(16:55):
it because it got ugly fest But but Parsal, I mean,
I guess there's something to that of you were able
to cobble that together, But I don't know that that
should have led to another head coaching job. I mean,
but then again, there's ten of them, right.
Speaker 4 (17:09):
But it's the same point, though, is that he we
know he's a great defensive coordinator.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And that's what great defensive coordinators do is they.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Overachieve with with less talent than they get more out
of the talent that they have on the roster than
they otherwise should. And that's something that we know Saula
is able to do when it comes to a defense.
Can he do it with an entire roster? And we
just saw him fail at it. That's why I'm so confused.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
About this whole thing. But I'll say this, when you
talk about being confused, Sala, who Ian points out interviewed
for a Bunch of different jobs. He's taking the Titans job,
and he's coming off of a stint with Ian's Jets.
And you want to talk about Titans and Jets, like
you throw on the Dolphins and you get the three
(17:53):
most dysfunctional, maybe the Cardinals as well, and Raiders. There's
your top five most dysfunctional franchises in the National Football League.
And I know that the Titans are trying to square
things away, but he still have the same people owning
the team and that can always be a factor. And
maybe they want to try to make it just like
Vrabel and previously, but the track record of the Titans
(18:17):
isn't necessarily that strong outside of what Mike Vrabel was
able to do. There can I ask this, Chelsea, with
Robert solid Mike, you can wrap it up?
Speaker 3 (18:27):
Is it a thing Dan with thean the idea that
he wants to play hero like I can take a
down trodden organization and make and that's the selling point
of I can keep you from and help you rise
from the bottom. Knowing he's just gonna get him, get
to get his ass kicked the entire time. I mean,
(18:47):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
I'm not sure either, But now that Liam Cohen matchups
twice a year people are talking about. And you've got
Tamiko Ryan's going up against it'll be a tough task,
and the Colts, and then you got the Colts in
the AFC South. All right, we're gonna take a time out.
A bunch of vacancy. Still, we didn't even talk about
Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta and John Arba. The Giants won't
(19:11):
get to them at some point. But coming up next,
Mike's heart was broken by the Chicago Bears. But Mike, goodness,
what a ride it was. We'll talk about that and
my Seahawks able to advance in routing the forty nine ers.
Plus we'll look at the other AFC matchup that had
the Patriots taking down the Texans. It's all next, hear
and I want your flex, it is I want your flex,
(19:33):
Mike Carmon. I know there were tears of joy in
the wild card round, where there are tiers of sadness
for the Bears after the loss to the Rams on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
Well, I had my anger moment, you know the old line,
and I put this up in the Instagram world at
Swollen Dome. You know, the don't be sad it's over,
be glad it happened, or some nonsense like that. No,
it was salty. Maybe the game was there. The Rams
played pretty poorly for much of the night. A lot
(20:02):
of times, you know, we play our armchair quarterback. We
have no idea what their schematic is and what they're
trying to do. But like, you're running the ball really effectively,
and I know Matthew Stafford's gonna win the MVP. Stop
throwing the ball. They've got no space until that pick
play that opened up the tight end for that big game.
But otherwise, you know, over the course of the night,
(20:24):
just some of those head scratching moments, some of the
throws and Caleb Williams and his heroics and like Josh Allen,
the why are you throwing this? You know, we had
the equivalent in the College Football Championship game, right Beck
with the game ceiling interception, much like the Caleb Williams like,
you know, you have time on the clock, you don't
(20:44):
need to go for it all. And in Williams case,
all they needed was Santo's who knows how to kick
at Soldier Field, and instead they took the shot. DJ
Moore did he run did he not. But all in
I mean, fantastic thrill ride, that electric atmosphere. It permeated
right from Corneilissen's national anthem all the way through just shaking.
(21:07):
I was on a conference call with my brothers for
much of the game back in Chicago, and we just
sat and watched it linked up that way, and it
was it was just a beautiful thing to go through it,
first guessing, second guessing, yelling go for two like idiots
after the comet touchdown. But but all of it just
a ridiculous season. Now everything changes as you go into
(21:30):
the off season. You become the hunted. You've got to
make a bunch of decisions and and that's all fun
of You're gonna lose Eric the enemy going back to
Kansas City. He was a huge part of what they
were able to do offensively, but a fun and exciting
thrill role. I'm just said, we don't get to go
and and try to figure out the Seattle defense.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
Yeah, Leah, that would have been a fun matchup. It
really really would have if the if the Bears were
able to come out victorious. I agreed with Ben Johnson
on the two point call because they hadn't had success,
And for as great as Ben Johnson is, teams only
have so many plays like from that distance, and when
(22:10):
you're running your sixth or seventh best play with your
season on the line in that situation, probably not the
best situation to go for it. So I was totally
down with him kicking the extra point. I understand getting
caught in the moment, and yet I mean, heck, you
just cashed in on the unbelievable play that Caleb Williams made,
so you're thinking maybe lucks on your side. But I
(22:32):
just I wonder about the first quarter. And now you're
talking to a guy whose team in the Seahawks, doesn't
really like to go for it on fourth down a ton.
If they do it, it'll be a little AJ barner,
you know, toush push sort of deal. But even in
the Seahawks game against the forty nine ers, they got
the football back after stopping San Francisco in Niners territory,
(22:56):
they drove down, had a pass to JSN that got
him down to about the you know, six yard by
or something like that. But it's fourth and two and
they kick the field goal to go up twenty seven
to six, Like they didn't go for it, and I'm like,
you know what, I go, Actually, that's probably right because
San Francisco isn't probably gonna be able to score three touchdowns.
It's probably the right move, no reason to give them momentum.
(23:17):
So I was fine with it. Were you fine with
the call in the first quarter of the fourth and
two of them not going or going for it and
not kicking it.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
In the in the first quarter? Is sure because your
presumption and I think you know you had the can
the forty nine ers match this here? It's you're not
gonna shut the Rams down forever? And sure enough they
go and take take the ball straight down for a touchdown.
But and and then after after that, Dennis Allen called
a masterful game. And those cornerbacks, Gordon in particular, who
(23:50):
had been picked on coming off of injury and had
been the ISO guy, you know, like the you watch
the mutual of omaha things of oh no, that little
guy's a little bit you No, no, the Jackals are
going to get him. That's how you felt with Gordon
in the past. Uh. Here they all stepped up. All
of those guys made big plays time and again. Uh.
And so it then the down and distance and the
(24:15):
game math changes immenseally. But in that first quarter, yeah, absolutely,
to go for it in that situation though, I thought
was the right go. But to your to your point
about the two point conversion, Dan, yeah, your third and
fourth down play calling in those situations, uh really left
something to be desired.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
What is their deal with with not using menong guy
all the time in those situations?
Speaker 3 (24:41):
I'd have known I would feel like, yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Am I wrong? Like I mean, I'm you know, you're
you know much more about that team that I do.
But in seeing it's not that Deandrew Swift is a
bad option. I just think that manan guy would be
the guy that you would want in those situations.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Yeah, I mean so yeah, Swift is the patient dance
and wait for something to emerge or get to the edge.
Manung Guy's gonna run straight through you. And in short
yarded situations, I'll take my chance that that guy comes
that runs in like a bowling ball time and time again.
And they didn't, and so that that was confusing. As
(25:17):
the game wore on and the fourth down or even
like the third down calls, you know, I was like,
all right, well, if we know you're going for it
on fourth, So why are we just calling the run
straight into the line. Why isn't there a little bit?
And then Collinsworth even brought it up on the broadcast
like that, you're not you know, moving the pocket or
given Caleb a chance just for a straight quarterback draw
(25:39):
or sneak or or end around or whatever you're gonna do,
or I should say, go around the edge. But yeah,
I think Manung guy is one of those guys that
I think there were there were more opportunities in those
situations to utilize him, for sure, but yeah, the curiosity
the third down calls were really kind of maddening over time.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Well, they're gonna be the They're gonna be the primetime darlings.
I think next year the Bears are. I think that
the TV Networks. I think they're gonna be, you know,
one of the three teams that has six prime time
games because there is a lot to get excited about.
And I do think that Caleb Williams is must see
TV and Ben Johnson as well. And so sorry the
(26:26):
ride had to end like it did, but it was
a heck of a ride. I mean, even Ashton Kutcher
is saying, you know, greatest game that he's ever been
to or b blah blah blah. But a lot of
good will at least coming from the Bears. But still,
I know it's going to be a bitter pill to swallow.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Well, especially since I live in Los Angeles, not that
there's a lot of Rams fans, but I certainly seem
to draw him like a magnet. Between Sunday night and
and the time of us sitting down to record this podcast,
certainly a number of texts from folks, weren't you, like, well,
I live in LA Like no, no, no, don't do
(27:03):
that to me. You know, those those adopted things. I
guess you live and you start to grow some infinity
to it. But you know, the longtime friends that you
know out of the Blues tough one and then they
send you a logo of their team that's still alive.
I'm like, thanks, thanks, Oh my Patriots fan friends that
are out there from my living on the East Coast
(27:26):
back in the day, It's like, yeah, thanks for sending
that along. I appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
Well, there's there's a part of me that it's not
to be careful what you wish for. But I just
didn't want the Seahawks to face the Rams because it's
just division rivals and it can be a coin toss. Sure,
even if you know, if the Seahawks coming off of
a great game, Rams coming off of an overtime contest,
you know, there's travel involved, there's advantages with the Seahawks.
(27:52):
But it was just of, yeah, this is a team
that just you guys know each other so well that
it may be a coin toss. Now. It was with
the forty nine ers, and I'm hoping that it was
the case with the Seahawks. But in saying all of that,
you know, I was saying to myself, I don't know
if I just go up against the kalab Williams, who
(28:13):
could be hot and the weapons at they have, and
when the Bears run the ball it was it was
daunting as well. So it wasn't asking for the Bears
by any means. It was just more of the Rams
in that situation. And I thought the Bears and Seahawks
were to play in the NFC Championship game, it would
be a heck of a matchup on something.
Speaker 3 (28:30):
Fun little chess match between your head coach and you know,
Ben Johns hitting after it right, Let's let's play a
little cat and mouse. I like the little exchange after
the game McVeigh and Johnson and the McVeigh seeking out
Dennis Allen. That was cool. But man, your Seahawks forty
one to six opening kickoff return for a touchdown, Like
(28:52):
folks didn't even get to their chairs, you know, in
their homes obviously in the stadium, everybody was jacked up
and ready to go. But like, just like that, it's like, whoa,
all right, and we're off. And then it didn't stop.
I saw the meme from the Simpsons, the stop stop.
He's already dead by the end of the first quarter.
Once JSN scored that touchdown.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Yeah, and that was a heck of a touchdown. They
weren't great, Oh, Darnold wasn't great. He didn't need to be.
He had that oblique issue. And then when Zach Scharbaday
went out, it was just a whole bunch of Kenneth
Walker And that'll be interesting to see on how it
plays Sunday because they don't have a lot of running
back depth. They just had Vellis Jones ended up being
the one who was activated and then had to get
(29:36):
a couple of carries at the end of the game
because he didn't want to hurt Walker, who, by the way,
is known to get hurt. So they're in an interesting
spot in that running back spot. But Walker looked great
in the defense, just just playing with such an edge
right now, such a chip on their shoulder. And I
(29:56):
wonder if, even though they won on that Thursday night game,
if the defense is gonna, you know, have that chip
on their shoulder for the game against the Rams because
of what Puka Nakua and Matthew Stafford did against them.
So they're I mean, they're gonna get their plays the
Rams are. It's now going to be interesting to see
on how many of the plays they'll get from a
from a defense that right now is just playing top
(30:18):
notch of the Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
So take me back to Saturday, about ninety minutes before kickoff.
How much did you think you might have been seeing
Drew Locke.
Speaker 1 (30:28):
Well, the thing that I said was even like for
the forty nine er fans that wanted Darnold to be out,
I was like, he's going to give you two turnovers.
I don't know why you would want him out. He's
gonna throw an interception, or two or fumble or something.
He did not do that. He did he did neither,
So that was a positive sign. But it was really
funky just on how it all transpired, because there's a
(30:51):
pop up on the injury reports sort of deal, and
by all accounts that I heard, he was he was
going to be fine, but it does seem to be
a little bit more maybe a little bit more serious,
and since it apparently happened to what in Thursday's practice
that it could be an issue. A good thing is
they didn't need them to throw a bunch against the
forty nine ers, and then we did see Drew Locke
(31:13):
ultimately in the end.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
There you go. So twelve or seventeen I would be remiss,
but I didn't point out that Jones also, after advancing
to the NFC title game and the Bears loss, he
couldn't wait to hit send unmocking the Bears his former squad.
So you got that, yeah, immediately, almost instantly. It was
(31:37):
like almost like it was a scheduled tweet. But it
was just kind of funny. But I mean, the Seattle defense,
and we've talked about it all year, guys. I mean,
that's just like watching poetry that's reminiscent of that raven squad.
Go back forty years to the Bears, some of the
other dominant defenses that we've been privy to seeing, and
(32:00):
I know the forty nine ers are beat up. McCaffrey
was still there, you still had a couple of your
other big time would be starters there, and you got
a couple of guys back healthy. I obviously know George Kittle,
but like this, just watching the way they swarmed the
ball all season long, and certainly right now playing at
(32:21):
a fever pitch right now, if you're Matthew Stafford and company,
you're trying to figure out how quickly can I get
the ball out of my hand?
Speaker 1 (32:29):
Yeah, Ian, I don't know. I'm sure you loved Leonard
Williams time with the Jets, even though it wasn't as
long as he would have hoped. But I was telling Ian,
I think earlier today. If it was you, Ian, you
can recall this. If it wasn't you, I apologize, And
I have no idea who I was talking to, and
(32:50):
I wasn't drunk at work, but Leonard Williams and the
deal that they did for him a couple of years
ago from the from the Giants and they end up
acquiring him and then they signed him to that long
term deal. Like there was a bit of a risk,
but everything started to flow after that. And then you
have the hiring of Mike McDonald and the pieces you
got Byron Murphy, you know, a great, you know, defensive
(33:13):
lineman middle of the first round. He was I think
sixteen overall. That was the drafter. He had fourteen offensive
guys you know, go off the board in the first part.
So they got the you know, arguably the best defensive
player in that draft in the middle of the first round.
So that helped them. And then the acquisition of Ernest
Jones and Emon Worrie and Devin Witherspoon with the first
(33:34):
you know, with their first round pick in the year
they drafted JSN as well. Like everything is hit and
now this defense is Legion of Boom esque. But the
secret with the Legion of is the secret of this
defense which isn't a secret. It's what they do up front.
If you only have to rush four guys, it makes
it a lot easier. And when the Seahawks had Michael
(33:55):
Bennett and Cliff Avril and Chris Clements shout out to
Tom Brady, by the way, who mentioned Chris Clemens when
he was talking about those Seahawks team. Because Chris clemens
mate is defensive end, blew on his knee in a
game against the Redskins. Then Redskins in the wild card
game couldn't play against the Falcons. But if they have
(34:15):
Chris Clemens in that game, they maybe go to the
Super Bowl that year against the Baltimore Ravens because they
were getting after the quarterback. But that's where it all starts.
That's where the Seahawks bread and butter is. When you
could just rush four and I'm watching the NFL network
right now and they're just rushing for again and you
can get to the quarterback. It makes things a heck
of a lot easier.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
I love that passion as you started talking about those
those guys all, particularly as you brought up Clements, like
I could see your mind's eye right there and what
you were watching in that video screen in your head, Dan.
Speaker 1 (34:49):
Byer, Oh, it was great, great memories. But now Seahawks
and Rams, we got that in the NFC Championship game.
Unfortunately Mike's Bear's not there. But bigger things ahead, all right,
we're gonna take our final time out. We'll be back
on the other end, talk to little Pats, Texans, what's
wrong with CJ Stroud? And how is Denver gonna deal
(35:10):
without Bonix. It's all next here on I Want Your Flex.
Welcome back to I Want Your Flex. He's Mike Carmon,
that's Ian Roddy, our executive producer. I'm Dan Beyer. Before
we get to how is Jared Stidham going to solve
the riddle of the New England Patriots. We're gonna talk
about and figure out how the Patriots got to this
point and is it all CJ. Stroud related, because boy,
(35:33):
he's the one that's taken the most heat from that
Texans lost to New England on Sunday.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Yeah, it's the unfortunate part of it, right, You gotta
have a fall guy, and when your defense still is
terrorizing the opposing quarterback, scoring points, all all of that stuff,
it's you start looking for the guy and it's the quarterback.
And unfortunately he also you know, gets tied to the
famous interaction with Caleb Williams. Given William's success of hey
(36:01):
you're gonna be you know, keep your head up somebody's like,
is Caleb gonna go seek him out to return the
favor kind of thing. But all of it, it's just
a tough watch right now. And I know Nico Collins
wasn't there, Schultz got injured during the game. But there's
just misses and just the processing has slowed down. I
(36:23):
know Troy Aikman had his comments and some folks took
it as you know, this this horrible thing to say.
It's like, it's not attacking the guy, it's just watching
what you're seeing between the white lines. Something needs to
be done in that offensive set to to figure out,
you know, where that regression is. Whether it's you know,
(36:45):
is feeling the heat before it's there. Right, we talk
about natural versus unnatural pressure, right You're you're hearing footsteps
or feeling it that you've got to get rid of
it before you go before you have to, or or
forcing the issue either way. Dan, I mean, it's it
was just a tough watch. And that defense did for
(37:06):
the second straight week everything they could to give him
an opportunity.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah, the toughest thing that I saw was some of
the passes and just the quality of passes, and by
that I don't even just mean on target, because a
bunch of them obviously weren't because they were intercepted, but
also there were just some there're some ducks. Yeah, there's
no zip on the ball. I don't know if it
was the weather. I don't know if he had if
(37:31):
you know, he was having trouble gripping the football, but
the football was just when you combine it with that weather,
and if you don't put force on it and throw
it with a tight spiral, it can go anywhere and
it takes a while for it to get there when
you're not throwing in a spiral. And that was like,
that was the thing that I was concerned with. Is
(37:52):
I mean, for as much as Caleb Williams and Matthew
Stafford had to deal with the cold, they can throw
the football. They have got you know, they've got cannons.
And I was surprised to see CJ. Stroud struggle in
that point. I do think that there is a question
about his contract. What I don't think though, is if
you were to look at CJ. Stroud, I think half
(38:13):
the league would take CJ. Stroud right now and think
that they're the ones that can do it. Because I
think there's enough there to point to where you're like, Okay,
can't just be the quarterback. You know, we've known about
their line troubles. They really haven't had a running game
until Woody Marx came on at the end of the year.
But I don't think teams are worried about Woody Marx
right now. And then you don't have Nico Collins in
(38:34):
this game. And look at all the wide receivers that
he's gone through over the last three seasons, right, I mean,
we thought that he and Tank Dell the rookie year,
aside from Nico Collins, we're going to be the great tandem,
and then Dal gets hurt and gets hurt again the
next year, and Stefan Diggs is there, and then Stefan
Diggs gets hurt, and so there is just there's a
lot with it. But he hasn't had a lot of
(38:55):
consistency with the targets outside of Nico Collins, who again
wasn't available for the game against New England. So I
just don't think it's all on CJ. Straw. But he
does bear the responsibility of a four interception game.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
There's no doubt about no, that's it, right, you changed
up your oc this year, Slowick leaves, so you got
Nick Kyley there. So some of that becomes Look, by
this point in the season, whatever issues you have personally
or communication wise, you'd like to thank your professionals, and
you've solved some of that. I think what you're saying
(39:28):
in terms of football grip and all of that is
is apt. You know, talking about you know, sub ducts
or wishing and hoping that a guy is going to
run under a ball kind of scenario. Unfortunately you're playing defense.
Is that while they may not get the marquee value
of yours, man, you're at the point where they're all
pretty good. Then you know the teams that are left standing,
(39:49):
So any any inch that you give is going to
be taken up. Yeah. And I think if you did
go go through, you've seen enough from him that you'd
love to be the guy quote fix him yep. Right,
And if you're there looking at what Houston is, You've
got a couple of nice young wide receivers. The kids,
all the Iowa State kids, right, Tank Dell. We never
(40:12):
count on him finding his re emergence. Nico Collins unfortunately
miss missed the game with concussion but yeah, it's the
old Ocean's eleven. You think we need one more? Yeah,
you need to go find another guy. You need to
go find another relief. And and I don't know that
you have the answer at running back. You thought it
was going to be some combination of Marx and chubbment
(40:34):
Marx and who going forward.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
I have no idea who it's going to be. But
you can't expect Jill Mixon, right oh, right, Like they
had their eggs in the back in that basket kind of,
you know, at the start of the year, and then
he was there and we talked about our great mixing
was last year for him. But there's a there's a
lot that needs to be fixed in Houston. And it
is a shame because that defense is so good. But
(40:59):
that's all so maybe a reason why right there's they
maybe can't do stuff with their offensive line. Maybe that's
why they had to draft the Iowa state kids in
Higgins and Noel, And so those are the decisions that
the Texans ultimately had to make. I just don't think
that you can have the full referendum on CJ. Stroud.
(41:19):
If anything, he was probably more a victim of his
first year's success to where he is right now. The
playoff success has been interesting. I know people have thrown
out stats that it's been more about the defense, and
that's fine, but I still think, like the talent is there.
I still think that you would. I don't know, Ian,
you can tell me if I'm wrong, or Mike as well.
But you know, you look at a Bryce Young who
(41:40):
was picked ahead of c J. Stroud at that point.
He's turned out better than than Young has so far.
We obviously know that Stroud's better than Anthony Richardson at
this point. So I still think that there's time for him.
It's just do you give him the big contract now?
Probably not? Probably it's probably not exercises fifty year option
and call it good and then go from there and
(42:02):
negotiate some other time.
Speaker 4 (42:04):
Yeah, if you want to do a team like the
Jets or the Raiders, well, obviously the Raiders are pretty
much have the rights to Mendoza now, but just one
of these bottom feeder teams who needs a quarterback that
they would trade the farm for CJ.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
Stroud.
Speaker 4 (42:16):
Even after this game, it's just like, you know, even
watching it, like there's so many things you can point
to that just you you can clean them up, like
it's it's not that it's not that he doesn't deserve
flak for the game that he had and it was
and seeing him repeatedly just toss the ball up whenever
he was in the middle of getting sat like, those
are things you just can't be doing. But there are
things that a coach who knows what he's doing can
(42:38):
come in and teach you how to clean that stuff
up like these aren't things that are like, Okay, I
saw a terrible, terrible playoff multiple playoff games from Stroud.
So now I'm just convinced he can't do it. I'm
not there yet.
Speaker 1 (42:51):
I think there's Yeah, the jury is still out now.
The jury the evidence of Stroud as of late hasn't
been great. But I just if you look at what's
going on throughout this season injury wise, with the Texans
and the targets that they've had, I do think that
he needs a little bit more leeway. But he is
(43:12):
you know, again, they'll exercise the fifth year option on
him and figuring out, you know, a long term deal. Well,
maybe the numbers are a little bit less than what
they were, but I don't know. If you're Houston if
you're giving up on that plan right now.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
Anyway, Nineteen touchdowns, eight picks, three thousand yards, completion percentage,
best of his career. Yeah, Christian Kirk showed up for
those final two games, but I mean that's whatever. But
and you had Nico Collins, Schultz and a mix of
other guys. The Joe Mixon not being there that was
a big piece, right because of his ability as a
(43:47):
receiver out of the backfield would have been nice. But
all of that to say, yeah, it's tough that you
got to make that big contract decision. But as far
as where he is as a quarterback, I think what
you said was the key there.
Speaker 1 (44:01):
Dan.
Speaker 3 (44:02):
The way he played that first year and kind of
set everybody's hair on fire is the best and the worst,
because anything that doesn't match that, even if you really
kind of do. I mean, that was twenty three and
five thirty eight. Like the difference isn't that huge if
you look at it statistically. He just had the one
(44:23):
big game in the spotlight when everybody actually watched the Texans.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, it's those one off games to shed
a lot of light, and those playoff games are those
one off games all right, So the Patriots win. Drake
May and Crew Cruz invertiface. Now, Jared Stidham in the
Broncos I said, you know, when we were talking about
this on my Sunday show, I said, I think Sean
Payton will relish this opportunity like this is Sean Payton's
(44:51):
opportunity to say lucky here. I just took a backup
quarterback and beat the New England Patriots to go to
the Super Bowl. I think s Pyton, not that you
wouldn't want bon Nicks, However, I think that the Broncos
can use this as a motivating factor, a rallying call,
if you will. And I expect a very good game
(45:14):
from Denver on Sunday against New England even without bon
Nicks in the game.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
Denver a five point home favorite forty two the total.
Give me the points five point. Yeah, they're getting five
points at home. I don't need the points. I'm with you.
Jared Stidham was brought in immediately by Sean Payton and
has been with him for three years. There's a reason
(45:40):
that a guy just sticks around like that like that
just is a nice guy. And to your quote about
Sean Payton as he did to that reporter, like, I
have a liking problem with Sean Payton. I think he's
a guy that will do everything he can to tell
you how smart he is. And this is an opportunity
on the field to do that and to wink and
(46:01):
nod and smile at everybody as he does it. And
I think they have enough talent on both sides of
the ball to get it done.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
I almost feel like it's everything is coming so quickly
for New England. Then it can't be this easy, it
can't be this perfect for them, right. Drake may is
a star and MVP candidate. The you know, the secondary
is just playing out of their mind. Christian Gonzales, after
being hurt earlier on in the season, is living up
(46:29):
to his hype. The defense like they're just it seems
that it's too good to be true for them. And now,
as you said, they're a five point favorite on the
road because of the Denver quarterbacking situation. So even if
it was bo Nix was there, I thought the line
was going to be I thought I read Mike Denver
minus one, so they would have been a one point favorite.
(46:51):
But it just to me is like almost too much,
too soon for New England, like there's got to be
some sort of struggle. Maybe they're counting the Gerrod Mayo
season last year or those couple of Belichick seasons is
as the struggle. But it just seems stuff has come
way too easy for the Patriots for them to just
coast into a super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (47:09):
Like this, they have to be the luckiest team in
recent NFL history because look at the fact that they
had the lowest strength of schedule in the regular season.
So there you go. One seed helped a lot in
getting that. And then you get to the playoffs. Wildcard
round you face the Chargers, who don't have an offensive
line right now. Divisional round you face the Texans who
(47:30):
are without Nicocollins and c. J. Stroud gives you the
ball four times, and obviously the Patriots deserve credit for
forcing him to do that, but still it is what
it is. And now in the conference championship game you
get the Broncos with Jared Stidham. It's insane to me.
It's like they've gotten a free ticket to the super Bowl.
And obviously we'll see if they actually end up winning
this game, but if they win it, that's what the
narrative is going to be is how easy this was,
(47:52):
and the fact that it feels like they're a year
ahead because they weren't supposed to be this good this quickly.
And what bothers me even more is the fact that
they have Josh McDaniel, who is a great offensive coordinator,
and they have him for as long as they want
him because he's never getting another head coach a job
again twice. They are just so set up for success
for so long.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
And I hate it. I can I can feel that.
Excuse I'm looking and staring at him through the wall
and you can see see it coming through. I saw
shades of Jason Smith there. It was like I was
looking into my to my right in the studio during
the week, the same thing. But yeah, to the point,
the schedule and everything worked through. The big question here
(48:33):
and I have this for both you is for Drake May.
He's played far, far less than perfect football these last
few weeks, like this game against Houston, Plenty of opportunities
if Houston had just been somewhat functional offensively right, any
level of competency, take care of the football. You've got
(48:56):
a kicker with a big leg. Let's let's say, at
least try to steal three for a defense that's fighting.
Denver's defense won't be as relenting, right, Drake may will
have to pay for these mistakes, right.
Speaker 1 (49:10):
I think? So, I think, yeah, I think. I mean,
it's not Texans esque, but it's that good. You're right,
you know how good Denver is. That's why I think
that something could be, you know, coming for the New
England Patriots because of that defense, Nick Benito getting home,
you know, like there's there's there's opportunities for them to
(49:32):
to get after and force those fumbles and maybe recover
those something that the Texans. You know, there's the time
of the Texans that they you know, yarded to away
from recovering a touchdown or a fumble for a touchdown
and Patriots end up falling on it. So yeah, so
I think that's that's going to be there. And I'm
curious about the Dobbins injury too, because they opened up
(49:53):
the practice window for him on Monday for him to
come back that early. Maybe maybe to and maybe it's
more of a hey, if we make it to the
super Bowl, we had to you know, we had to
do it at this point to make sure that he plays.
But if you can use him as if he would
come back and be a part of the running game,
that helps Jared Stidham for Denver and could could give
(50:14):
them sort of a boost. Yeah. I don't think everything
is going the way of the Patriots, and I think
that's how a lot of people think that it's going
to continue that way. But maybe the Broncos can can
change course. Their offensive line is going to be better
than what the Texans provided, I'll tell you that much.
So if if Jared Stidham just has time, maybe he
(50:36):
can get the football to the guys that he needs to.
I think he's got a couple of underrated playmakers too.
I'm sorry, No, you're.
Speaker 3 (50:42):
Right, You're right, Dan, go ahead, you finished finished that thought?
Speaker 1 (50:46):
Yeah, just just with you know, like I know, Marvin
Mimms got a little dinged up on I think on
his touchdown catch, But Troy Franklin has been a guy
and Patrick Bryant ended up making some big catches for them.
So so yeah, so they've got they've got guys that
they can and use it. Even our j Harvey came
out at the end of the years as the lead
back and if he can have a day behind that
(51:07):
offensive line, and I think Denver can get it done.
Speaker 3 (51:10):
Two things, did Marvin Mims control the ball all the
way through the ground? Oh, we're doing officiating again. And
then Jared Stidham, how sweet would be to get revenge
against his former team? Well, that's right, he was drafted
there all the way back in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 4 (51:24):
It's also worth worth mentioning Stidham was the quarterback at
Auburn right before Bonix took over as the started. Yeah,
and now Stidham gets to step in for nicks in.
Speaker 1 (51:36):
Stidham has been a lot of places. He's a Baylor
as well. Yes, he's been here, there and everywhere. And
who knows he may be in the super Bowl. We
will find out on Sunday. Well, the next time we
talked to you, we'll find out who is in the
super Bowl. We'll see if I have tears of joy
or tiers of sadness when it comes to the Seahawks
as they take out the Rams. And then that Broncos
(51:58):
Patriots game, the first of the two you on Sunday
should be a dandy at Mile High. Just a reminder,
we are giving you one episode a week and we'll
be doing that not only up until the Super Bowl,
but even through the Super Bowl. We'll do a Super
Bowl sixty recap. We'll also have our top sixty draft
heading into the twenty twenty sixth season, and so much
more for you, So for Mike, Carmen, Andy and Roddy.
(52:18):
I'm Danpier. We always appreciate you listening and can't wait
to talk to you next time here. And I want
your flex
Fox Sports Radio News
Host
Jonas Knox
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.