Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies and gentlemen, you want experience during your football season,
We'll buckle up, sweet cheeks. We've got all the experience
in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
This is I.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Want Your Flex with Dan Bayer 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
flexod here's Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome in. I Want Your Flex.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
A bit of a different episode if you're listening to
this on.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Our normal Tuesday spot.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Mike Harmon is here back from his trip to Baltimore
to watch his Bears face the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Get him up at Swollen Dome. We're gonna get a
recap of that.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
And it's also different because Ian Roddy's Jets have a win.
Our executive friend to find out at Ian Roddy Underscore.
How about that? Find me at Dan Bayer on Fox.
Noah to the Jets. We will get to them in
a second end. But it was a whirlwind weekend for you, Mike.
I know you wish the Bears would have came out
better in their game against the Ravens, but tell us
(01:10):
what it was like in You're forty eight hours in Baltimore.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Sadly, it played out game wise exactly as we surmised
it might.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
The only think that it was different was the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Right when I got on a plane early on Saturday morning,
full participant in practice on Friday, top five on the
hot play on the top five rankings for quarterback.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
Here's Lebar Jackson. By time I get.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Off the plane, no longer there as a starter at
a viable option.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
Welcome Snoop Huntley to the action.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
So a little bit salty there, especially since tickets had
already been procured. It's one of those unfortunate situations of
a late downgrade and whatever. So the cost of admission
for those that wait until game day and decided, hey,
I just want to go down the street not cheaper, certainly,
And with the Ravens struggling as they had, certainly a
(02:00):
lot of angst and talking to people around Baltimore from
my Cabby leaving the airport all the way through, just
a lot of anger at what they'd seen through the
first six games of the season.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
Over pints and crab and whatever else.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
So it's just a lot of just going through the process,
a lot of speculation in the city about operations shut
down for Lamar, So it was interesting too. I mean,
I wish I had a therapist couch that I could
have taken with me for some of the folks I
was talking to fellas.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
That fan base I think is so underrated. There are
two fan bases that I think Baltimore is one of them.
The other ones you don't realize how big who that
nation is with the New Orleans Saints, much bigger than
you would think on the surface. But they are passionate,
they follow their team. They are diehards and they follow well.
And I was curious on what the stadium was going
(02:55):
to be like because we've talked a little bit about
it on this pod, talked about it on Fox Sports Radio.
For as crazy as things have gone now, I don't
think this Baltimore team measures up to the ones that
they've had the last couple of years because of the
inefficiencies they have on defense. However, all is not lost
in that division. Pittsburgh faltering to Green Bay on Sunday night,
(03:16):
so maybe we've got more of the rose colored glasses
on on the Ravens possibilities of making a comeback than
they do in their own city.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Right now, Well that's it, right, Cincinnati had their big
opportunity and what happened Jetsho. So all of that to say,
you know, across the AFC and we'll get to the
Monday night game and everything as we go that you've
got a.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
Muddled mess of squads.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So if Lamar can come back healthy, and that's why
this was such a big deal. Derrick Henry running rough
shot little Keaton Mitchell in the mix a couple of
calls that left me scratching my head, especially when they
show him on the video replayboard. And you still have
fans that want to argue about what you've just seen,
which is kind of Mike, would you like to borrow
(03:58):
my glasses please? All of that to say Caleb Williams
was not good. The stadium's awesome, Like I was glad
to you know, add M and T to the list
of stadiums that have gone to. People were fantastic throughout
the city. I mean, I just had a blast. And
you know being at Southside Chicago, boy, there's there's there's
(04:19):
certain cities you go into and it has a feel
like you know, it's like the neighborhoods of home and
for Baltimore and I know much maligned, just like my
hometown of Chicago and certainly where we reside here in
Los Angeles. But you find that pocket of fans wherever
you went that just wanted to talk football. It wasn't
smack talking. It wasn't you know, some of the stupidity
(04:39):
that finds its way to social media. It's just people
sitting around having a drink and just talking about their
love of football, their city, you know, the history and
referencing all that. You know, yesterday was the salute to
the military, so you know, a lot of you know,
it wasn't a dry eye in the house after some
of the announcements and some of those things as part
(05:00):
of the pregame ceremonies.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
So all of that was great.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
The in in game production of what they do on
the video boards was was really cool. Paying tribute to
some of the players of the history and making sure
you knew who the hell was on the field right
and and down distant circumstances, you know, updated in game stats.
I think there was a board directly opposite us that
actually gave us more information than you know, without having
(05:27):
to refresh on my phone, which was great because Wi
Fi was not great. But you know, but that stadium's everywhere.
But you know, folks in the Jerseys guys, I saw
people representing everybody since their move.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
I mean you had he had something.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
For everybody, which was great, all the alternate uniforms represented
and and it really was just remarkable forty eight hours.
My brothers did it big, as they always do, and
it was just a fun pause from what is the
normal every day of what we do during the football season.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
Did it make up for the play of the Bears,
because fantasy wise, Caleb Williams, I know the yards are there,
but maybe not the hope that you were to get
against that Baltimore defense.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Yes, certainly I had him in the hot plays all
r actually know, I had him as a cold store.
So I actually got it right even though I didn't
want to. But it's the kind of thing that it's
just was the counterintuitive. Right road game, You're still an underdog,
even with the questioning of quarterback. Right from six and
a half or seven, I think it was where it
(06:34):
peaked back down to two to two and a half.
I had a kickoff, but just one of those games
that I just had a bad feel about, especially watching
the last couple of games the way that offense has
worked a lot of the run game has been better,
but defensively living and dying by creating the big turnover
as opposed to sound down to down defense. So you
(06:57):
know the little bit of concern there. Ballmore got a
bunch of guys back healthy, with the exceptional Lamar Jackson
coming out of the bye week, so it didn't set
up well.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
But yeah, it was good balance.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Like There' certainly moments during the game, guys where I'm
just throwing up my hands, going, what are we doing?
Like situationally, But we do that with every game, right,
you do it during end zone radio. You're watching those
afternoon games, Ian, I know you and I go back
and forth over the course of a week, and it's
like down distance situation football. That's make you scratch your head.
Right Monday night, Marcus Mariot on a fourth down, he's
(07:30):
throwing the ball out.
Speaker 5 (07:30):
Of the end zone, like what do we do? I mean,
it's stuff like that.
Speaker 4 (07:34):
So for the Bears, the only thing I really missed
is that we couldn't get a live feed of the
Bears postgame show, which you know, to me is the
best comedy shot anything that is done on sports, sports
and entertainment.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Well, I don't know what the Jets postgame show was like,
but it was unlike getting the others for the first
seven weeks of the season.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Here's the here's the twist in all of this.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
My ian, Roddy's girlfriend had to come to town for
the Jets to finally get a victory. Was she the
good luck charm Ian? Is that the is that the
whole deal? Is that the reason why the Jets got
win number one on Sunday?
Speaker 2 (08:11):
That ship?
Speaker 6 (08:12):
She was the first one to bring that up. Don't worry,
but I'm your good luck job. I mean maybe she is,
because they have looked absolutely awful all year and they
found something in the fourth quarter there.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
Most of the game they kind of looked same old Jets.
Speaker 6 (08:25):
But you know, the Bengals defense, if there was ever
gonna be one that they could beat, I guess it
makes sense because they're Yeah, they're a flimsy group for sure.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
I didn't see it, but did Breese Hall have a
sign that said trade for me? As he ran to
the end zone?
Speaker 5 (08:41):
I want to keep them. You heard me talking about that.
We were talking about it earlier.
Speaker 6 (08:45):
But I'd keep Breese after that game, and not not
just like a one game thing, but but I just
don't think they're they should be in the business of
offloading the good players that they have, the few good
players that they have.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
But the Bengals were scoring too quickly, and then in
the four quarter of the Jets just there was no stopping.
There was no stopping New York. And it wasn't entirely
because of what the Jets were doing, like they were
really good, but just the Bengals weren't stopping anything at all.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
So it's just all right, figure out a way to
get the ball to Breeze Hall. There were a couple.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Of opportunities where there were make or break plays fields
on a fourth and one on a big play where
you think, like, all right, if the Bengals get the stop,
they get the ball near midfield, it's probably over with.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
But it didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And I give the Jets credit because when they were
they scored to get within eight and they went for two.
And after a replay of a play mic and I'm
not sure if you saw it, or not. There was
a catch near the goal line and it was originally
ruled that the ball didn't cross the plane, and then at.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
The end it barely did end like it was.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
It was close, yes, but it was ruled good and
that allowed the Jets to be only down six at
that time. They got the stop that they needed, and
then when they scored again, the extra point gave them
the lead. And then heck, they got the defensive stop
that they needed on the final two possessions. So it
was well earned, like the Jets did earn it, and
(10:12):
they'd earned it with great play. But yeah, Cincinnati just
had nothing left and Flacco's now a bit dinged up,
and so you wonder on where that's gonna go with Cincinnati.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
But kudos to the Jets for win number one on
the year.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Well one of those things, I mean, last week we
were talking about that Giants Broncos game, right, and then
this week we come back with this, Like every every
week we're getting something special and odd in our there's
no straight lines in this NFL season zero. I mean,
the Justin fields, the stuff. We talked about it during
(10:44):
the course of the week on the podcast Guys Woody
Johnson yeah, I'm a pretty good owner except for the
winning thing. Okay, good not to mention laying out justin
Field's oh wait now we have to go back to him.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
So crazy it was.
Speaker 6 (10:56):
It was, you know, the first time i'd heard what
he actually acknowledged, the the record thing, like, you know,
I've never actually heard him say, yeah, I'm not a
good owner in terms of the wins and stuff. I mean,
you know, he then tried to say he's a good
owner in other ways with connecting to the players, But
come on, man, fifteen year playoff drought.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
But like the last week or two, like we got
all the people saying the quiet parts out loud.
Speaker 6 (11:16):
As the owner of a team to throw your quarterback
under the bus like that, And then I mean, I'm
proud of Fields for coming out with a response like that,
but yeah, it's just just unfathomable for the owner of
a football team to throw his starting quarterback under the
bus like that.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
You know what it is, it's wherewithal? Because what would
he Johnson did not have was wherewithal because in a way,
he was trying to stick up for his head coach,
and he's trying to stick up for the guy that
he knows more, and that has known during his time
with Aaron Glenn. And I'm not giving any excuse whatsoever
(11:56):
because that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
Woody Johnson just has.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
Nowhere with all whatever because he's making the case on
why Aaron Glenn should get a vote of confidence or
why Aaron Glenn should you know, be the head coach
for the near and maybe far future of the Jets,
and so in doing so, he ends up throwing Justin
Fields completely under the.
Speaker 6 (12:18):
Bus and also showing everyone why this franchise has been
where it has been for so longfect example, right, there's yeah,
it starts at the.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Top, yeahslutely absolutely.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
And I think a lot of a lot of people,
I know the ESPN Sunday Countdown Alex Smith and Teddy
Bruce Ki.
Speaker 6 (12:37):
Alex Smith was awesome and his little rant about him.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yeah for sure. Yes, I think there's other ownership that's
just as bad. In the NFL.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
They just don't speak and say stuff like that to
allow like those sort of things to pop up.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
But that's the thing, right, Woody Johnson was gone for years.
Right before disappeared, brother was in charge. Notice how the
brother had to step in to do the game ball
and whatever?
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Just what do he stay the hell away?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
But it's like so many of them are anonymous, right,
which is why you know Jerry Jones and I think
maybe Wood he felt emboldened, like, hey, Jerry gets loved
for all this stuff, so maybe maybe I'll throw my
hat in. I don't know, Like Arthur Blank gets criticized
when he goes down on the sideline.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Who cares? You know, he doesn't say much or do much.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
But like when guys or women become visible, they either
get a lot of praise or it gets heaped on.
Right in Indianapolis right now, it's nothing but praise because
they're dominating and.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
The owners on the sideline taking nothing.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
But if she was down there with a notebook and
they're one in six, how does that play completely?
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right? Well, I'll tell you it didn't play well because
when carl ERSA.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Gordon was on the sidelines early in the season, when
the Colts weren't the Colts that they are now, people
were saying, what's what's going on? What's that all about?
You know, what's she? What is she doing there? Heck,
we criticize Tom Brady for being in the booth and
There are a lot of different reasons with the fox
stuff and whatnot, but there is being an active you know,
(14:06):
at least being active with your team in that way.
But now that the Colts are seven and one, we're
I look at like what she's doing more. Maybe you
should put on a headset Withdy Johnson, go down there
and hear what's happening. But it was like that that
people weren't people weren't commending her when she was doing
that in weeks one and two.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Yeah, for me, it was just a lot of what
is she doing as opposed to I mean, I don't know,
like new new world order?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Right?
Speaker 4 (14:29):
And and for owners look at your multi billion dollar toy.
So I'm only going to go so far in on
guys until you do the until we've got a long
lead on you for malfeasance, which we see at the
coaching positions, and certainly ownership. Man, Like I'm a Bears fan,
Like I could do a three hour podcast right now
(14:51):
on all the missteps and way they've operated for these years, right.
I Mean, that's why we always say there's what five
to seven teams that you say that organization does it right?
Model yourself after that everybody else is just you know,
casting back into the water, hoping for something bigger.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
Well, it should be noted that as we are recording
this podcast, we are doing it on a late Monday
early Tuesday, depending on where you're listening, and Game three
of the World Series is still going on from the
bottom of the seventeenth inning, tied up at five apiece
between the Blue Jays and Dodgers's that's where we are.
Will we get a winner within this podcast? Who knows?
(15:31):
But stay tuned. I want your flex for the latest updates.
One more point just on the Owners. Then we're going
to take a time out and get to more a
week eight stuff. Jerry Jones is so known synonymous for
having the celebrity in the booth, right Robert Kraft as well.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
These are two of the guys that we look.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
You know, Bob Craft's up for nomination to the Pro
Football Hall of Fame, right, this is Jerry Jones is
sitting there next. You know, I don't know John bon Jovi,
John by Joey's been in both booths because I know
he knows the Bob Craft and the Patriots as well.
But you know music stars, TV stars and the whole deal,
and they're all with that.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
And yeah, so going on.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
The sidelines, maybe wearing a headset not the worst thing
in the world, especially if you're in tune with what's
going on. And it's not just a not that the
Cowboys are a toy to Jerry Jones, because they're not.
But it's not all glitz and glamor and show. That's
my last word on this. All right, he's Mike Carmen,
that's Ian Rodnie. I'm Dan Byertz. I want your flex.
(16:37):
We will break down what was a crushing week for
buys in week eight, little bit of relief in week
nine because there's only four teams on by and the
Jets and Browns are on by, so really only two
teams are on by.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
Sorry, Ian, just I know it was a positive Jets.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Segment, but that's what we've got, by the way, the
Buccaneers and who else is on by?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Why did I write the.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Got Cleveland, the Jets, Philadelphia and ten Eagles.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
That's it, the Eagles, the other green team. That's what
we've got on by.
Speaker 3 (17:06):
Hey, this is what happens when the game goes into
the bottom of the seventeenth. All right, we'll have more
on week eight and to look ahead the week nine.
We'll do our report cards at the end sale the
streaming defenses as well, and Mike Scott some waiver wire
picks all for you coming up next here, and I
want your flex.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
It is, I want your flex.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
And the Blue Jays and Dodgers are still playing in
the bottom of the seventeenth.
Speaker 5 (17:28):
There's like ninety four games in the game.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Dan with the amount of twists and turns, greatness and
goat on the wrong side of things.
Speaker 5 (17:38):
Man, it's crazy.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
They should just award each team for a half a
game in this series, right Like, that's at this point
if you're about to play. Maybe don't want to get
too far ahead of myself, but if they make it
through the seventeenth, there they're gonna play the eighteenth and
then that would be your two full games that you
would be playing, so best of eight maybe on on
what we've got.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Believable.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
They've just showed the time in Tokyo right now, three
twenty in the afternoon on Tuesday, So so nice afternoon
watching nobody's getting any work done in Tokyo watching Game
three of the World Series.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
I need them to go back to another one of
those live shots, because after one of the big Otania bats,
they showed live looking in Japan like, how are those
people holding up?
Speaker 5 (18:20):
Now?
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Right?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
A lot of boss buttons, Remember the boss button for
the NCUBLEA.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Yes, bracket Ian, do you know what the boss button is? Now?
What's that? So it is this that wasn't stupid.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
It was funny where you could follow the games on
your computer for the NCAA tournament, whether it be watching
them or just via like the stats and watching ESPN.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Dot com whatever.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
But the boss button was this thing that you could
click up, click on and it would just put up
a fake Excel spreadsheet so it would look like you're
working if the boss came by. So they had the Yeah,
so they had the boss button.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
They got rid of it.
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Well, it's I think it just kind of ran its course.
Maybe I don't know, I even't.
Speaker 4 (19:03):
It might still be out there, but it certainly not
to the same level. But when came out, Dan, that
was the best. Hey you ever worked with a spreadsheet?
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Five years? Shut up?
Speaker 3 (19:13):
This is this is Windows two thousand, that's what this was.
But that's what the that's what the boss button was.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
All right.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
Back to NFL matters because even though I forgot that
the I wrote the Jets down twice that the Eagles
were the other team on buy let's just start there
because of the Cam Scataboo injury. And I also guys,
I threw out a conspiracy theory on our Sunday show
that maybe AJ Brown didn't play so the Eagles could
(19:44):
see how good things would be without him or how
poorly they would be. And I think they fared pretty well.
And I don't think AJ Brown is going to be
traded prior to the trade deadline next week. But just
saying the conspiracy theory than me wonders, all right, could
there be a little bit more harmony?
Speaker 2 (20:02):
Could there be a little smooth waters?
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Would the Eagles still be able to perform at the
level they would have hoped if they said, say, you know,
moved one a J Brown? They didn't need it on
Sunday those they rolled past the New York Giants with
relative ease. In Saquon Barkley a big day even though
he played just three quarters.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
One of those big big efforts in a return bout.
We'd had this first matchup just a couple of weeks ago,
so at home, looking for Philly to get right. Thought
the script would be more Barkley. We talked about that
in the pod. Wasn't anticipating the deactivation of A. J.
Speaker 5 (20:37):
Brown.
Speaker 4 (20:38):
But I like your conspiracy theory because, certainly, going up
against the division opponent, the familiarity they rolled through right,
still took some sacks, still had some anxious moments before
the Scatterbow injury. But all in all, you watch the
offense put up massive, massive yards. DeVante Smith six for
(20:58):
eighty four, god he getting his two touchdowns, but Barkley
accounting for one hundred and seventy four total yards, eighteen touches,
and even our guy Tank Bigsby, he'll show up in
the waiver wire. He got over one hundred yards with
a couple of big plays from him as well. So
maybe there's something to that, right, little more harmony he
can read on the sidelines if he stays. But certainly
(21:20):
with injury issues, hey, you know what, let's not exacerbate
those things in the event that someone comes calling with
the right offer, because they certainly still do need some help.
Offensive line we've talked about all year, and certainly defensively,
I mean Brandon Graham coming back off of retirement. It
wasn't available this week, but coming back, so they're still
looking for reinforcements there.
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yeah, they need to figure out a way to get
pressure on the quarterback. And still even with a Camp
Scataboo less Giants team New York is still able to
muster twenty points. Tyrone Tracy now takes over that backfield.
The only thing that I think you have to weigh
with the Giants is at what point does the curtain
(22:02):
close on this season? Because I don't think it's going
to be Week eighteen, and that may mean that Joe
Shane and Brian Dabole keep their jobs as GM and
head coach. I wouldn't be surprised if they do now,
considering what we've seen from Jackson Dart and what we've
seen from the Giants during this spell. But they're two
and six. You got games against the Niners, Bears, Packers, Lions,
(22:26):
and Patriots coming up in the next five weeks and
that's not an easy road and three of those five
are on the road, So the Giants likely aren't going
to be making any playoff push. I just wonder, now,
when does this kind of be like, all right, let's
start to plan for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Let's make sure that Jackson Dart doesn't get killed on
his way.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
He's even something Kerry Roads brought up during our show
on Sunday. I'm just wondering when that happens with the Giants, especially.
I know you're not going to punt in in early November,
but I just don't see them playing through this entire stretch,
which then comes playoff time.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
I'm not sure how much value you're gonna get from
New York Giants.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
No, and that's you know, we we did broach that,
you know, with the pinball efforts and celebrate them.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
Sure.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
I love guys throwing themselves into harm's way to a degree,
But for Jackson Dart, that is one of the big
things that's still sitting out there right. We've talked about
this with a lot of quarterbacks through the years. I
don't want to take that out of his game because
that's what separates him right and pushes him to that
next level. I use Cam Newton as maybe the most
extreme of those examples when people are like you only
(23:33):
had eight years, Like eight years once upon a time
was an eternity for an NFL quarterback. To play at
a good to elite level. I get it. Brady Rogers breeze,
you know, grab a few other guys and toss him
into the satchel manning before his arm fell off and
his and his neck and everything went down. You know,
there's a rare guys like there's still even though they
(23:56):
all came together. You know, add Philip Rivers before his
final a couple of years. Those guys eventually father time
can do. But they were outliers on a large number
of quarterbacks that came and went. So for Jackson Dart, yeah,
in a season that has spiraled away, you just lost
(24:16):
some of your heart on you know in scatabout getting
hurt right as a runner, and he'd been becoming a
little more of an option as a receiver barreling down
the field. For Jackson Dart, I think maybe maybe you
put him in bubble wrap for his own good and
it might just be before we get to Thanksgiving where
that happens. He absorbed another five sacks in this game,
(24:38):
and you know the run game. No disrespect to Trace.
He had a decent year last year, right, He was
solid and singletary who's been more of a receiver than
runner of late in his last stops. I mean, you're
not getting much production there, so it's it's gonna be scattershot.
So I like your conspiracy theory for sure.
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Yeah, there's just a I just don't know at what
point is it is it worth it? And Scataboo was
able to play physical, physical nature and unfortunately the gruesome
injury cost him the season. But I mean, the Philadelphia
Eagles have no problems booing their own fans or booing
Michael Irvin when he gets a career ending injury, and
(25:21):
yet they're chearing Scataboo as he comes off the field.
Speaker 4 (25:24):
It's crazy, right, But I mean the level of respect
that this guy got ish in just a short burst.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
You know what a month. Yeah, he was the guy
and just the battering ram nature.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
I kept calling him to Juggernaut, go back to the
Marvel X Men movies where he's guys running through walls,
putting his head down or whatever. It's unfortunate that and
ended like this, the hip drop tackle and immediately calling
to the cart. That's rough, But yeah, your point. The
Eagles fans actually cheered.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
And Big Dom brought him pizza and cheese steaks as well.
In the HOSTPA job. What's going on here?
Speaker 5 (26:01):
It's the first time we talked about Big Dom in a.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
While though, Yeah, so that's exactly I'm now warming the
Big Dom like I was, like, I wasn't down with it,
and then I don't know, I'm now warming to him.
So maybe I'm a softy, I'm maybe I'm two faced.
I don't know what it is, but I am warming
to Big Dom. I think we mentioned Colts in ownership
(26:23):
earlier on this train keeps on rolling in a week
where there weren't tons of competitive games that we had
in the National Football League, it definitely wasn't competitive for Indianapolis.
As Jonathan Taylor gets into the end zone on an
eighty yard touchdown run, also has a touchdown reception on
(26:44):
a little pitch pass, which helped me because I played
both Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor in the league. But yeah,
but three total touchdowns for Taylor on the afternoon Jones
the three touchdown passes, and the Colts are seven and one.
And the interesting part about this, and I don't know
if you guys watch football like this or think of this,
(27:06):
but because the Colts have played those two games in
LA it feels like they've never left home because they're
same sort of atmospheres. And I've noticed a lot of talk,
especially on TikTok with Mike or Bears trying to get
their new stadium and the Browns trying to get there
a new facility, the Commanders opening up there is how
(27:26):
we're going to start to see a lot of these
facilities start to look the same, the same feel with
the artificial turf and the whole deal. But it doesn't
feel like the Colts have really left anywhere. They had
a road game at Tennessee, but other than that, that's
really the only elements that they have faced so far
this year. But that changes now in these next couple
of weeks because they got a matchup with the Steelers
(27:49):
coming up here in week nine, they got a game
in Germany against the Falcons, and then after their bye
week they go to Kansas City. So an interesting stretch
for the Colts coming up. But right now at seven
and one and nothing can go wrong for Daniel Jones,
Jonathan Taylor and crew. Do you think that changes over
this stretch, Mike, Maybe because of opponents, maybe because of
(28:09):
playing conditions.
Speaker 4 (28:10):
Yeah, I think you get a little bit of the outdoor, right,
Daniel Jones. We talk about how dominant he's been at home,
but certainly indoors, we've had quarterbacks where there's been that
stark contrast and histories, and to this point, it's the
I'm going to inch up to the edge of my
seats waiting to see right, you're at Pittsburgh. Well, that defense, certainly,
(28:30):
outside of a couple of sack heavy games, they've been
gettable time again, particularly if you can have any kind
of balance and definition watch with Jordan Love, Josh Jacobson
company did with the return of Christian Watson, who will
talk about a little bit later on Falcons. I don't
know what they are at this point. Yeah, but again
the game being a mass ces Yeah, a mess would
(28:53):
be the nice way to say it.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
Captain Kirk got demoted, We took rank from him.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
The Kansas City defense, we've watched them be opportunistic and
then you get Houston, who suddenly is like, all right, are.
Speaker 5 (29:05):
They alive again?
Speaker 4 (29:06):
I don't know, even without Nico Collins, because in week
nine they are favorites with Denver coming to town, which
is kind of interesting given the way Denver has played
these last couple of weeks, so just a curiosity. But yeah,
to your point, I still think there's a lot of
unanswered questions about Daniel Jones. As much as I've loved it,
(29:27):
and he was a guy that I tried to champion
through all of this stuff in New York when really,
I mean, go back and look at the playmakers around him,
Saquan when he was healthy, and then a lot of
and then you.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
Go on, you know, and just bounce through.
Speaker 4 (29:43):
He goes to Minnesota and now gets this opportunity here
where it becomes the all Right, You've got a lot
of receivers, you brought in the tight end, You've got
Jonathan Taylor behind you.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
But I want to I'm still I want to see more.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
I mean, I guess that's the state of where we're
at in the NFL. As much as I can celebrate it,
certainly the people aren't going to back and back the window.
And maybe it's a split with Taylor that caused the problem.
But Daniel Jones, despite his early season greatness, is still
fifteen to one and a distant seventh or eighth and
MVP odds interesting.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Well, he's I'll tell you, you know, he threw a
pass to Michael Pittman. That was crazy that Pittman caught
it and ended up being trapped between his bicep and
the Titan defender. But there are times when guys are
just running wide open, and I think that's the fear
of Jonathan Taylor in a lot of that. You know,
(30:37):
Tyler Warren's versatility has been praised upon. I think that
helps as well. And then you've got some you do
have solid guys around him. Alec Pierce catches a big,
you know pass, They're taking shots deep and mentioned the
Pittman touchdown. Josh Downs comes back from his concussion, so
they do have weapons. I'm just curious to see now,
when you have to play with the little elements, how
(30:58):
that's going to affect the Colts, because if nothing changes
over these next three weeks, especially with that game in
Kansas City, my goodness, then they are going to be
the favorites to go to the Super Bowl out of
the AFC. But I think that it's not that they
haven't proven to us, because I think they fully have.
I'm not trying to say that the Colts haven't, but
I'm just curious how it changes when maybe the track
(31:19):
isn't as fast. We'll see, they rely maybe more on
Jonathan Taylor, you know, rely more on others.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
We shall we shall see.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Well, what's interesting with Taylor at this point is that
you also haven't had to have him take on a
massive workload.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
This has been so efficient.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
His most carries in a game came in Week two
against Denver with twenty five. Otherwise you're looking at who
at twelve this week sixteen against the Chargers, twenty one
against Arizona, seventeen, seventeen, seventeen eighteen back in that season
OPRA against Miami. So it's one of those where you
(31:55):
see that kind of production in the overall numbers. What
we talk about, hundred and fifty yards on the ground,
two hundred six via the air, and the fourteen total touchdowns.
Like he must be, you know, tripping over his tongue
touching the ball thirty times a game. It's like, nope,
not yet. So you know, Boje well for the second
(32:16):
half of this year. But to your point, the next
three to four weeks are gonna be really interesting.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Yeah, and we could tell you that Game three continues
to be interesting. I still tied at five in the
top of the eighteenth, so and the Blue Jays may
have just grounded into an inning ending double play as
they review that. We've got Shane Bieber warming up. Yoshinobu
Yamamoto is possibly available for the Dodgers to throw. He
(32:44):
could be getting up in the bullpen after throwing on Saturday. So, yeah,
a lot, a lot going on in Los Angeles, not
far from where.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Well, you're closer to the stadium than I am.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
I am at my home studio. You're at the Fox
Sports radio studios.
Speaker 5 (32:58):
Can you get me a media credent innings eighteen through
twenty one.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Yeah, right, I'll tell you what.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
There doesn't look like there's an empty seat in the house.
I don't think people have left yet, so good on them. Granted,
for us on the West Coast, it's eleven thirty six
local time. The East coast, we understand if you're in
bed and it's a two thirty six in the morning
where they're watching this, But Poort Toronto there they're having
to deal with this, This whole thing incredible. Hey, it's
(33:25):
worth it, right, your team makes to the World Series
for the first time in thirty two years.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
You'll stay up till three o'clock.
Speaker 5 (33:29):
In the morning, make some more coffee.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
The only problem is you got another game tomorrow or today,
depending on you're on today.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
Just take a nap under the uh the bleachers and hangout.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
Oh man, all right, this is what we're gonna do.
We'll take our time out. We do bounce around week eight.
May do some of that in the next episode as well.
Just a lot going on here, and I want your flex.
Ian's gonna give the report cards on the streaming defenses.
I'll do so as well for the Survivor pick and
the points of palooza. And Mike's got some way Wire
info for you as well. It's all next here and
(34:04):
I want your flex, all right, wrapping things up here
on I want your flex. Still top of the eighteenth
Blue Jays and Dodgers tied at five. Ian Roddy has
not left our executive producer. Neither is Mike Carmen. I
have not left either. I'm dan Byer. Mary Hart has left.
I don't know she's gone to the more seats guys, Yes,
(34:26):
but Mary Hart has left her seat for the time being.
She's maybe said enough is enough. I gotta be back
here tomorrow night, or maybe she just went to a
suite because maybe it got a little chilly down on
the field. Not sure, but mary Hart has decided enough's enough.
So when I said I didn't think there were any
empty seats, I was right, because someone filled her seat
for her. But Mary Hart is just not in hers
(34:48):
right now. That's that's what we've got for our update.
And if this game doesn't end, we'll just give you
an update in the next episode. They may still be
going on there. All right, let's get to the streaming
defense's report card. I'll give my report card for Survivor
and whatnot. And Mike's got some waiver wire picks. All right, Ian,
how the streaming defense has worked for you in week eight?
Speaker 2 (35:10):
All right?
Speaker 6 (35:10):
So you remember I gave you guys three b teams,
the Bills, Bucks, and Bengals. So yeah, two of them
were phenomenal. But let's start with the bad the Bengals
against my Jets. Look, if there was gonna be any
week that I was gonna give you a bad defense,
at least it was. At least it was against my
Jets here, but they did lose you nine Fantasy points
if you started them.
Speaker 5 (35:31):
I did myself in one league.
Speaker 6 (35:32):
So if that helps you feel better, then there you go.
But yeah, it's is what it is. Lost you nine
fantasy points. They allowed thirty nine points to the Jets,
which I did not see coming. I don't know if
anyone did.
Speaker 5 (35:43):
Yeah, no, they know.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Nobody with the crystal ball, miss Clear or anybody else
would have seen that coming.
Speaker 5 (35:49):
But it doesn't know who missing? Is that am I doing?
Speaker 2 (35:52):
That's all right, you'll have time to look her up.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
Now.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
His girlfriends out of town, so you know, yeah, he's
got time.
Speaker 3 (35:59):
I will say this, if Tarrod Taylor plays in that game,
the Jets don't win, yeah, because I don't think that
you have the threat of Justin Field's legs, and he
didn't kill you with his legs, but I do think
that that could have been on Cincinnati's mind. And Justin
Fields was good enough on Sunday. It just the Bengals
(36:21):
defense was not good enough, as Ian said, as a fantasy.
Speaker 6 (36:25):
Yeah, a stoppable force meets a movable.
Speaker 5 (36:30):
But nicely.
Speaker 6 (36:32):
But then the others, though, were actually phenomenal plays for you.
The Bills got you eighteen fantasy points. They only allowed
nine points against Bryce Young and the Panthers. They got
an interception, recovered two fumbles and had seven sacks as well.
And then the Buccaneers were a slam dunk play. They
got you twenty five fantasy points. Only allowed three points
on the day, got two interceptions, two fumble recovers, and
(36:54):
five sacks against the Saints. So boom, really big day
for the other two. But yeah, the Bengals not good.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
And they should have had another touchdown.
Speaker 5 (37:01):
Yeah, so it should have been even more.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
It should have been.
Speaker 5 (37:04):
It should have been like in the thirties. Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (37:06):
Yes, the old buck defense is rising to the case now.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
I think Denver and the Cowboys were off the board
that I could take. But they were a points of palooza. Heck,
a lot of teams were points of p loosers. Even
the Packers and Steelers ended up turning into something. My
points of polouz I picked was Bill's Panthers. Buffalo picked
up their end of the deal. James Cook, who felt
was gonna break out, considering even though he had the
(37:31):
number of carries that he had against Atlanta, didn't seem
like they were using him correctly, And they sure used
them correctly against the Panthers. So a breakout there, but
Carolina didn't do anything. I completely whiffed on Andy Dalton
maybe being a threat, even though Ted McMillan had a
little bit better game. It's also because they were getting there. Sorry,
they're getting their ass kicked. The entire game is exactly Yeah.
(37:54):
Absolutely does seem like there could be a shift in
the backfield, even Dave can Allas admitting how good Rico
Dowdell has been, so you may not see as much
of a split with him and Cheba Hubbard moving forward.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
But I whipped on Carolina.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
Also, guys, for the first time a whiff on survivor
for a nominee with the Bengals Bengals wiped out.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
That was that was my reach.
Speaker 3 (38:19):
And I will say this, in one of my Survivor pools,
Cincinnati was taken it about fourteen percent of picks. The
Falcons were taken in about twenty three percent of pools.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
So those were the big wipeouts for this week.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
So about thirty six percent of one of my pools
ended up being wiped out because of the Falcons and
Bengals losses. However, if you did listen to me and
talking about the Philadelphia Eagles and there was no way
that they would be able to lose against the New
York Giants and be swept in the season series. Then
you're moving on to next week because that pick was correct.
Speaker 5 (38:54):
Moved on nice and comfortably there. Good work fellaws.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
Jason Stewart, producer of the Doug Gottlieb sh I texted
him and I said, go fins like on Sunday because
they were kicking the crap out of Atlanta, And then
he sent me a screenshot of the three entries that
he had Atlanta, Atlanta and Cincinnati. So yeah, so a
lot of people fell victim to that. Mike I even
(39:18):
brought up the Falcons as a possibility, and but just
wasn't loving it.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
You didn't like it at all.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
You liked the Dolphins, maybe not even to win, but
at least to cover in that spot. And they ended
up doing more than that. They ended up winning the
game in easy fashion. With Michael Pennocks.
Speaker 4 (39:35):
Would not have expected that level of domination. I just
thought the rest of the guys played with pride because
as a squad, they took a.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
Lot of incoming.
Speaker 4 (39:45):
And to his comments, I can't think sat well, McDaniel.
I would love to have a microphone in some of
those meetings of the players only as to what they
have to say with what they've gone through this year.
But yeah, I expected better from Kirk though, Like I
didn't think it would have looked that bad, No, right,
(40:05):
I mean because it takes Bjon Robinson down with you.
I mean, Drake Ludman being a late scratch because of
the hip injury. It's something we'd talked about, guys, and
we didn't know that at the time of recording the podcast,
because that's a big loss because they were a two
man band essentially for a lot of the season. A
little bit of Kyle Pitts sprinkled in now and again,
(40:27):
but Mooney had been hurt, Ray Ray McCleod got released,
and then it basically had been Bijon a little algier
and then Drake London like that's all you had.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
It was. I wondered if it was a showcase as well.
Speaker 6 (40:43):
For Kirk Cousins, not a not a good showcase. If
it was, I'll know who's gonna trade for him at
this point.
Speaker 4 (40:52):
After that, Yeah, it's that was a tough run. But yeah,
Bijon then leads the list of my mistakes on my
report Card because he was first CMC on there as well.
He was grossly ineffective for the first time really this year.
Abuka did me no good. Neither did Baker Mayfield in
(41:12):
terms of our fantasy production there. Between the rankings and
the hot plays, we'll take a victory lap with Mahomes.
He finished fifth overall. Hurts and Nicks and Josh Allen,
Drake may Guys, who's been phenomenal. He's you know, he's
the third favorite to win MVP.
Speaker 5 (41:30):
Right now at five to one.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
Well, I'm not that surprised.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
I'm surprised, but I'm not that surprised because he's been
he's been lights out, man, he's been lights out.
Speaker 5 (41:41):
Rabel Coach of the Year two.
Speaker 4 (41:43):
Yeah, it's just crazy right tracking some of the MVP
stuff because of the Daniel Jones, Patrick Mahomes, Monday Night performance,
all of those kind of things. So it's Mahomes, Allen
and then Drake may As we sit here for those
keep its track at home. Other misses. Jordan Love against Pittsburgh.
I thought they'd have a pass rush. They left me
sorely disappointed in a home bout as he did whatever
(42:05):
he wanted. Christian Watson comes back, so more speed for days.
So I'll take the loss there. Likewise, Jalen Waddle, Hey,
you can't see me. That doesn't matter. He all of
a sudden, he's third amongst wide receivers this week. As
that offense clicked once again, Andy Dalton, we all thought
maybe possibly against the Buffalo defense. No, thank you didn't
(42:26):
get it done. Al Jier Chuba Hubbard, who you referenced before.
I thought he'd have a bigger showing in this game,
and now he's going to be relegated to minimal touch
counts along the way. Saquana had a big game. Chase
Brown had a big game in a matchup in one
of these industry leagues. It came down to my Chase
Brown against his Jonathan Taylor. I'll take the one point
(42:49):
two point loss when it's all said and done, damnit.
But you know, obviously their differential was fourteen, but all
of it it came down and that was the galareing
difference in terms of position to position, Woody Marks teed McMillan,
get us a little bit of love along the way.
Josh Jay like the running back position we were solid
(43:10):
on except for Bijon and McCaffrey. So all in pretty
solid week. I had Rice as my number two wide receiver.
That's where he ended in half PPR league. So overall
we'll go one to know and live to see another day.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
Well, I'm glad that you made it back from your
trip to from the trip to Baltimore, the whirlwind that
it was.
Speaker 2 (43:31):
That was fun.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
Man.
Speaker 4 (43:32):
We should do that more often. I got to start
organizing group trips like I'm a travel agent.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Just start knocking.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
There's gonna be a bunch of new stadiums to go to,
as we mentioned as well. So like saw that one,
Now I got to go to this one, and now
I gotta go to that one.
Speaker 4 (43:47):
I'll say this though, I'll see how my body responds
in forty eight hours at my advance staged as to
whether the andredaline wears off.
Speaker 3 (43:56):
Oh man, you know it's the funny thing is is
it's It's gonna be weird to say, but I think
that the Ian's Jets and Giants will end up be
in my lifetime and in our lifetimes having two dumps
to play in, because you know that stadium gets no
love whatsoever. Still fairly new, all of these new facilities
(44:18):
are going to be building up, and pretty soon it's
going to be like, oh yeah, in the swamp of
the meadowlands once again.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Oh man, come back.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
To stadium or something.
Speaker 4 (44:27):
Yeah, that was destroyed in Sharknado two.
Speaker 5 (44:33):
Dang it?
Speaker 2 (44:34):
Are they still making the Shark nano Okay, all right.
Speaker 4 (44:38):
We used to have a relationship with the director on air.
He'd come on and come in studio, brought me little
blue shark candies for the first one.
Speaker 5 (44:46):
It was great.
Speaker 2 (44:47):
Well, that's going to do it.
Speaker 3 (44:48):
For the report cards, we can throw those in the
trash and now, Mike, let's get to the important stuff.
Week nines on the horizon, waver wire pickups. Who do
we need to pick up or look for on the
wave wire?
Speaker 4 (44:58):
We talked a little bit about it. Pick your poison,
Tracy or Singletary for the Giants. Tracy only fifty percent own.
Looks like he'll be the more likely to handle most
of the workload. Again, what your expectations are. All you
can offer you is touches. What happens after that, don't know.
Twenty five percent of league's going. According to the Yahoo Metrics, RJ.
(45:20):
Harvey still out there, not massive numbers, but finding the
end zone the last couple of weeks. To keep an
eye out there, Bam Knight, he's got an opportunity against
that Dallas defense. Michael Carter got released, so more touches there.
Twenty five to ninety wanted to touch his six sketches
over the last two games, so opportunity there.
Speaker 5 (45:39):
You look at Keaton Mitchell.
Speaker 4 (45:40):
Might take blowout fashion for him to get a heavy
workload with behind Derrick Henry, but the identity they'll want
to run the football. So he's a guy we were
waiting on. If nothing else, he's an insurance card for
down the road. We talked about Boote there in New England. Opportunity.
Josh Downs fifteen receptions his last three games that he played.
Troy Fly Franklin in Denver has been a beast rough
(46:05):
week to week, a little bit of a top turvy,
but he's finding the end zone. So opportunity there. Christian
Watson back for for four eighty five yards in his return.
The only thing you fear is that Jordan Love really
loves to distribute the ball, so week to week that
might be a gamble. DK there in Tennessee, I know,
not getting massive results week to week for the squad.
(46:27):
But he's got eleven catches the last two weeks for
one hundred and sixty three yards and a touchdown. And
I've got to say I loved his postgame presser that
he talked about in terms of trying to build an identity.
Fourth straight with multiple receptions quickly. The quarterbacks, Lawrence Donald
for whatever reason, everybody hates Sam Darnold still unowned in nearly.
Speaker 5 (46:46):
Two thirds of Yahoo leagues.
Speaker 4 (46:48):
I don't know why. And then we got Flacco. If
he can go against Chicago, I don't you know. He
might give you an interception or two, but opportunity against
that d And then curiosity because season the news we
got to tongue of I looa against Baltimore. Two hundred
and five is his season high twice this year, but
(47:10):
he does have five multi touchdown games. Three last names
Tank bigsby Philly as the bye week, but Saquan was
a little bit banged up, so keep an eye out there.
Speaker 5 (47:20):
He had one hundred and four yards.
Speaker 4 (47:22):
Gadsden somehow still available in forty percent of leagues despite
three week dominance for the Chargers. And then Mason Taylor
of your New York Football Jets first touchdown of the year.
But he's got five games with three or more receptions.
I'm not saying we're gonna suddenly hit Payder week to week,
but all we can ask for is opportunity, particularly if
you're still playing a true tight end only position on
(47:43):
your rosters.
Speaker 2 (47:44):
Well, well, i'll tell you what. We start with the Jets,
and we end with the Jets, and we end with.
Speaker 3 (47:49):
A Freddie Freeman walk off home run in the bottom
of the eighteenth guys, Dodgers beat the Blue Jays six
to five.
Speaker 2 (47:58):
So it went the entire episode basically. It did. It did.
Speaker 3 (48:02):
We had two games in one night at Dodger Stadium,
and for the first time ever, we had a sporting
event going on during our Monday night Tuesday morning recording
of I Want Your Flex there.
Speaker 4 (48:12):
Well, that bought a ticket to Game three, they got
two for the price of one.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
Again, Now, this is the best of eight, that's all.
That's all. I think that this should be all right.
Speaker 3 (48:23):
That's enough for us, and everybody's getting home from Dodger Stadium,
so let's try to get you out of there so
you can beat traffic as well. Guys, Not that it's
going to affect the guys at the studio. But whatever,
all right, he's Ian Roddy. Hit him up at Ian
Roddy Underscore. That's my common foam at Swollen Dome and
you can find me at dan Byer on Fox. That's
it for I Want your Flex. We'll be back with
(48:44):
another episode midweek to get you ready for all weeks
Nines Action.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
Talk to you then,