Steve Hartman & Geoff Schwartz On Titans/Bengals & Preview Weekend

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Oh yes, living the
dream on a fabulous Football Saturday, Heartban and Schwartz. Here
this is Fox Football Saturday from our Fox Sports Radio studios.
Does it get any better? I mean, seriously, does it
get any better than four big games this week? The

(00:23):
Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs on paper, at least
all intriguing matchups. Jeff, here we go. We're about a
half hour away of kicking things off of the Bengals
on the road against the surprise number one seed in
the a f C, the Tennessee Titans. So how are
you hunkering down today? How are you hunkering down tomorrow
to watch these games? I just wish I started earlier,

(00:44):
Like it's almost four thirty in the East Coast. I'm
ready to for football to begin and begin watching and
appreciate enjoying. My wife is out of town, so my
kids are at play dates until we are done with
our show, so I'll be able to watch. Um. Uh,
you know football peacefully? Well, I talked peacefully, I guess,
very loudly about the games and then tonight. Uh, I

(01:04):
don't know. The kids will figure it out in there
tomorrow I'll watch more football. I mean, I don't know
they we make it. We I have. I mean it
sounds like a terrible brack. I have like ten TVs
in my house. I have plenty of TVs. I can
rotate through rooms. I can make it happen. But I
will be watching football, and especially obviously tomorrow night with
the Chiefs and the Bills. But these games are all great.

(01:26):
Everyone says the best weekend football there's I think there's
many great weekends of football. I think we just make
this one sound like the best it is. But we
have four great matchups, and um, you know, I I
could see all the favorites winning. I coun see a
couple of upsets, and it'll be a lot of fun
to watch these games. Now, last week we were talking
about six games that at least on paper or very

(01:46):
intrigue game. We had plenty to talk about the preview
of those games. And four the six games turned out
to be absolute blowout wins. And we only had one
team on the road win and that was not even
that much of an upset, with the forty Niners winning
on the road against the Dallas Cowboys. We had a
lot to update you on We're gonna obviously get you
ready for the kickoff of this game coming up here
in about a half an hour. Joe Buck's gonna be

(02:08):
joining us, by the way, in this hour, he will
be on the call for the Niners Packers game, and
we will preview that game with a great Joe Buck
coming up a little bit later, uh in this hour, Um,
before we get to uh the games coming up today
and tomorrow. I gotta go back a week though. There
were a couple of games that probably shook a few

(02:29):
people to the core, but none more so than New
England getting absolutely annihilated by the Buffalo Bills, a game
in which the Bills became the first team in the
history of the NFL Jeff Any game to never face
a fourth down the entire game. At no point did
they ever have a fourth down. That had never happened

(02:49):
in any game in the history of the National Football League.
To see Belichick get humbled like that against the team
he knew very well, a team that he had, you know,
split a season series with. Were you shocked by that outcome?
I know you you were leaning New England in that game,
But the magnitude of that Buffalo victory how much that

(03:12):
was on New England and how much of that is
Buffalo as they get ready to take on the Chiefe tomorrow. Well, look,
if you have a nearly perfect offensive game, and I
could argue that it was as perfect as possible and
they missed two extra points, otherwise that would have been
the most perfect game in NFL history and offense where
they didn't punt, they didn't kick, and they didn't turn
the ball over and they scored the maximumount of points

(03:32):
they could on every drive. Right, Um, it was very
impressive what they did. Um, first New England before you
get the Buffalo, because this this Buffal conversation will will
kind of melt over. I think multiple segments. We get
ready for tomorrow. Um, look New England, the formulas I
think still there. It was a very bad football game, right.
It was a game wherein Bill Belichick looks his look,

(03:55):
we have got to design a defense and get players
that can stop Josh like that. Now he is the
best quarterback in the division. You had the best quarterback
for nineteen years, eighteen years. Now he's the best, and
you have to you have to bring in defensive players
to stop him. It's that simple, right now, offensively, they
just need to get better weapons for Mac Jones, right,
I think Mat Jones had a good rookie season. Um,

(04:16):
we'll even rookie of the Year. I don't know, maybe
Jamaar Chase, but you have a good rookie season for
a quarterback, by the way, who wasn't even starting until
like three days or fourth the season, right, Like, he
wasn't even supposed to start. He played all season long.
He ended up some downs. He's you know, he's limited
um with his arm, but I think he could be
still be a good quarterback in the NFL. They have
to get him some more weapons. But think defensively, for Belichick,

(04:37):
it has to be um. He has to engineer it
off to me a defense to tackle Josh Allen, to
stop the ability of of of Josh Allen. However, however,
um So, if you've taken a look at at Buffalo schedule,
by any chance, I just kind of looked at it
just it's a weird. They kind of a weird schedule, right,
Like they they haven't really they beat Kansas City and

(05:00):
week seven they've are week five, five, seven, seven. They've
been in New England couple of times. That's kind of
really it for the big wins they've had. Right, They've
blown out a ton of teams. They've won every game
they've won by double digits. UM so I like football Outsiders.
I've talked about them many times. They are very It's
a very good UM website to go find advanced stats.

(05:20):
They have their d v o A stat. It's universally used.
It is very good. They have a stat called variance. Okay,
here read off their website. Variance measures the statistical variants
of a team's weekly dB o A. That's the metric
they use performance. Teams are ranking for most most consistent
number one, the lowest variances at least consistent number thirty two.
So thirty two means that each week we we we

(05:41):
don't know what we're getting, right, we got a different
game each week, up down, up downp down. Buffalo's thirty
second in variances this season. They can have a game
where they look like that against New England. A week
before that, they have a game against the Jets, but
they looked very bad. The week before that, Josh Allen
completed his passes and it win against the Falcons that

(06:02):
they struggled to win like each week, Steve, they are
a new football team. I do not know. I am
a Chiefs fan. If we get that team on Sunday,
they're gonna kick the Chiefs butt. But if we get
the other Buffalo team there, their Chiefs gonna win by
three touchdowns. Josh Allen this year has only had two

(06:22):
games where he threw for back to back like big games.
He had three fifteen against Kansas City Week five, and
then three fifty three the next week against Tennessee in
a loss. After that, he threw for three yards in
Week ten, too oh nine, the next week three oh eight,
four weeks later to ten, the next week three fourteen,
one twenty the next week. He hasn't had back to
back good seasons, assume good weeks in nearly three months.

(06:46):
He's had I think the last two seasons. I had
the stat because I was on I was on Fox
Bet Live yesterday. I'll make sure because I know you
love these stats, Steve Um, I'm gonna make sure have
it right here. Okay, here's right here. You ready, So
Josh on the last two seasons, okay, he's had nineteen
games with a passer rating of a hundred or higher. Great, right, Great,
job nineteen games fantastic. He's had seventeen games at ninety

(07:08):
or lower. So what what Buffalo are we getting tomorrow?
Are we getting hundred passer rating or higher Buffalo? Are
we getting ninety passer rating or lower Buffalo. Well, I'll
tell you one of the differences for Buffalo has been
single Terry. Um, if you look at his recent games
over the last five games, of which the Bills of
one of them all by at least double digits, and yes,

(07:29):
their home games against Carolina, Atlanta and the Jets in
that mix, But if you look at single Terry prior
to those games, he had only had one eight yard
rushing day the entire year. In the last five games
he had eighty six, and he had a down game
then he had one ten, eighty eight and eighty one.
So if you get single Terry at that eighty yard level,

(07:52):
it does render some balance in that attack for the
Buffalo Bills. Look, you know, every but but against Kansas
City though he's rushed for yards, and I think he
rushed for last playoff game he last he rushed for like,
uh thirty two yards against Kansas City. Yeah, seventeen yards
and in the first matchup last year, he rushed for

(08:12):
thirty two yards. So all right, well let's go back
though to that game. And we're gonna be talking about
a lot of games right now, but there's no question
the final game of this weekend is the matchup everyone's
talking about. By the way, the Chiefs are down to
point and half favorite at home against the Buffalo Bills.
I mean, it's almost a pick him game right now.
But if you go back to that game earlier this
year in which the Bills blew out the Chiefs thirty

(08:34):
eight to twenty at Arrowhead Josh Hallen, that game was
fifteen or twenty six or three fifteen yards, three touchdowns
and no picks. That was his best game of the
year until this playoff game against New England. With a
passer rating of a hundred and thirty nine. Mahomes was
not good in that game. He had two interceptions, he
had twenty one incomplete passes, had a passer rating under

(08:55):
seventy one. And by the way, he was also the
Chief's leading rusher that a no running back head more
than twenty seven yards rushing against the Bill. So that
was a total domination by the Bills that day at Arrowhead.
Now you can always dismiss well, the Chiefs are still
finding their worry early in the year, Bills are playing
pretty good. That was a one side of victory. Now,

(09:17):
let me ask you this from your own experience in
this league. When you have done what the Bills did
to the Chiefs earlier at Arrowhead, knowing you're gonna go
right back to Arrowhead on top of the fact that
you've come off a historic playoff victory against Belichick and
the Patriots, your confidence has to be sky high. Now

(09:38):
can that work against the Bills? I dare say overconfident
that not only do we know we can beat this
team because we've done it, but now we're playing our
best football of the season. Can that overconfidence actually work
against the Bills heading into Arrowhead tomorrow? So the way
the NFL works as far as the preparation each week, um,

(10:02):
we basically watch film for the previous four weeks. Okay, Now,
of course there are individual things you might look for
as far as patterns of the teams doing Tennessee's all season,
but we typically just watch film in the last four weeks.
And the reason for that is that kind of is
the cycle for how adjustments are made, right, Like, let's
say you know, you do one thing really good in

(10:23):
week one, but you know you only run it three
times because that's the three times that you were able
to run it, and it works three times. The next
week you're in the same thing again. It gets the
same defense comment offensively, and it works two out of
three times, but now it works five out six times.
So now in week three the defense goes, you know what,
we gotta we gotta stop that play, right, we gotta
stop that play. But for the offense, you're still running

(10:43):
it right because it's good. And then let's say it's
not as good in week three and you go one
more week. You know, we're gonna try it for one
more week, and you run a week four again it
gets shut down again and you're like, okay, have a
playbook for now. So like that's kind of like the cycle.
Every four weeks kind of things turn over, so you're
not really watching for scheme issues and x and os

(11:03):
way back in week five. That that's fifteen weeks ago, right,
we talked about teams being different. The Chiefs had no
Chris Jones in that game. The Chiefs did not have
Willie Gay the Chiefs had four turnovers. You mentioned Mahomes
was the leading rusher, like that was not who they
are now. Buffalo didn't have Milano there, so they had
someone back. Their offensive line believe or not, wasn't playing

(11:25):
as well as they are now. And so these teams
are totally different now. So what happened in my opinion
week five, Yeah, you can watch for individual matchups like
you know that. For example, Daniel Stornson, the chief safety,
was terrible in that game. He cannot play this week
like he's gonna play. Of course he has to these
depth guy, but he plat add percent of snaps in
that game. You say, this game, you know what we're
gonna play of snaps like these little things like that, Steve.

(11:46):
But these teams are much different now, and so what
happened in week five, in my opinion, is not very valid.
Even by the way, for the Packers Niners game that
happened in week three and for the Bucks rams happened
in week three as well. Those games to me individual matchups, right, Oh,
Aaron Donald, play Wellgins? This guy Okay, cool, that he's good.
He's probably gonna play Wellgins this weekend. But scheme stuff

(12:07):
like they're just different teams now, So I don't know
how much you can really put into that now Again
in the building, if you're a Chiefs player Buffalo player,
you will watch that game, of course you will. But
you're really gonna watch the last four games because those
are the games of the most kind of common things
they have done the last month they're gonna try to
do again this weekend. All right, now, everyone is assuming,

(12:28):
I say everyone, Most people are assuming that the winner
of the Chief's Bills game is going to represent the
a f C in the Super Bowl. On the other side,
we got the game coming up that's kicking off in
about fifteen minutes, Bengals at the Titans. How legit are
the Titans as the number one seed in the a
f C. And is Joe Burrow about to do what

(12:48):
Patrick Mahomes did a couple of years ago, the breakout
quarterback to lead his team from nowhere into the Super Bowl.
We're gonna break down Titans Bengals coming up next. Fox
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(13:58):
Steve Irvin, Jeff Schwartz is just for box Football Saturday.
We are minutes away from the kickoff of the Titans
and the Bengals. Also coming up later in this hour,
Joe Back is going to give us a preview of
the Niners Packers game. Course he'll be on the call
for Fox. All right, very quickly here, I want to
talk about the Tennessee Titans and a lot of people
think they are masquerading as a one seed in the

(14:20):
a f C. Keep in mind, this team was twelve
and five with eight victories against teams with winning records,
and need I remind everybody they beat the Bills and
Chiefs and the Rams and the forty Niners. So four
teams that are playing this weekend all lost to the

(14:41):
Tennessee Titans. So this is not a Titans team that
just played a bunch of cream puffs out there. They
had two horrible losses to the Jets and the Texans.
You take those two games away, and they are by
far the number one seed and the a f C.
And they're getting Derrick Henry back, and we got assumed
with him coming back that he's gonna be a hundred percent.

(15:01):
So I ask you right now, so get ready to
host the Bengals sort of a hot ticket team because
everyone's sort of jumping on that Joe Burrow bandwagon. But
just stay with the Titans right now. Again, they beat
the Bills, they beat the Chiefs. Why are so many
people dismissing the Titans as some kind of pretend number
one seed one? The fact is eight of their twelve

(15:23):
wins or against teams that had winning records this year. Yeah,
I think part of it is like their efficiency numbers
aren't great, and so you obviously have to look at
you know, the the overall season. You're right, they have
won a lot of games that other teams, you know,
Chiefs and Bills, and like that's why they're the one seed,
right rams and their bad games are bad and they're

(15:46):
good games. They they've won these games, but they haven't
been pretty much in the end. To your point, right,
the job is to win the games, and one of
the games they have, but efficiency numbers just aren't good. Now,
they had a ton of injuries this season, so it's
probably not fair to judge them on that because now
they're healthy. When a J. Brown is in the game,
which is today, they're eleven and two so far this season.

(16:07):
Ryan Tannehill completes more passes, uh that are that are
ten plus areas, so kind of those play action passes.
Ryan Tanhill is just much better when a J. Brown's healthy.
Now a J. Brown's healthy, Julio Jones is healthy, Like
this is the healthiest his team has been in quite
a long time. So I think it's unfair to them
that we judge them solely on these numbers, because to

(16:28):
your point, they won a lot of football games this year,
they've being good teams and they're one seed for a reason.
There are run seed for a reason, and they're they're
doing introductions now and I think they win today. I
think I think the Bengals are roster wise not great. Uh,
they're just really good at quarterback, right they have electric
quarterback and Joe Burrows played very very well in big
games in his career. But Tennessee times are healthy, right, Like,

(16:50):
they're the one seed for a reason. I just don't
see them losing. However, it's a Chiefs fan. I love
them to lose because then the Chiefs could host the
Bengals next weekend, which I would laugh. We love so
this kind of dilemma where but if the if, the
if the Bengals won, and the Bengals won, Um, all right, well,
if you talk about the Bengals going into this game, Uh,

(17:13):
everything's about Joe Burrow right now. And say what you
will about Joe Burrow in the last two starts that
he had almost a thousand yards passing in those games
and that got everyone buzzing, sat it out last week.
But you know, this is a guy that, more than
anything else just brings the swag, right, I mean, and
it's understandable when you go back to his senior season

(17:34):
at L s U. It is arguably the greatest season
that any college football players ever had. When you look
at the level of competition. They beat more Top ten
teams than any school ever. They were undefeated, sixty touchdown passes.
There's really nothing comparable to what Joe Burrow did that year. Now,
on the other side of it, look at the talent.

(17:55):
He had. Two guys already are Pro Bowl wide receivers
in the NFL, not mentioned a top notch running back
as he's shown with the Chiefs. So they were loaded
with talent at L s U. But it was all
about Joe Burrow with the idea that he belongs. I
know this is Joe Burrow takes the field today against
the Titans. He's not gonna be overawed by the situation.

(18:15):
He does have a certain coolness factor. Uh. Will he
make mistakes, Yeah, once in a while he'll make a
force throw out there. But he has just got to
be beaming with all kinds of confidence. Now on the
other side, the return of Derrick Henry and I know
we spoke about this jet that if you look at
the Titans rushing numbers without Derrick Henry sort of running

(18:37):
back by committee, They're comparable. The difference being, of course,
is the damage Derrick Henry does in the fourth quarter.
That cannot be duplicated, because he is as devastating a
fourth quarter, second half running back as I've ever seen
in this lake. I mean, this guy just builds and
builds and builds, and we saw it with their run
to the a f C Championship game a couple of

(18:59):
years ago that he can absolutely carry a team. All right.
On the other start, we're gonna get Joe buck on.
We're gonna talk about this game between the Niners and
the Packers a little bit later on. He'll be on
the call for Fox. But right now, let's find out
what is trendy. David gas Gun is in the house.
Are you ready for some football? David? Yeah, I'm hopefully
these teams are more competitive than last week too, so

(19:21):
everything was one sided. I hope and pray that everything
is time. Just give me good games, Yeah, good games.
You gotta have it. Gotta have it, um, guys, college
basketball today everything's a rapid least with amongst the top
teams right now. Duke one earlier by twenty, blew out Syracuse,
Villanova by eleven over Georgetown seventy four. Then Texas Tech

(19:42):
walk West Virginia sixty five. Ball again that just one
final Texas beat Oklahoma State fifty six to fifty one,
and at the break coming out Baylor has been on
fire right now they lead against Oklahoma than to you guys,
all right, thank you very much. And again Joe Buck's
gonna be joining as shortly here. Just to follow up
though and finish up on the Joe Burrow situation. I

(20:04):
know that you have been, you know, sort of hold
the brakes a little bit on Joe Burrow. Are you
still at that mindset? Because if they go into Tennessee
today and win and get to the a f C
Championship game, in your opinion, would that be a game
changer about Joe Burrow? Um? Yeah, I mean I don't
think I'm against Joe Burrow. Keep said right every Saturday,

(20:30):
hold on, hold on because joining us right now as
we get ready for this uh matchup between the Packers
and the forty niners, we have a very special guest.
It's time for the NFL out of focus. Well, he'll
be on the call in Fredgick Green Bay for this
game between the Niners and the Packers. Joe Buck is

(20:52):
joining us right now. Joe, let's talk weather first. Just
how bad is it in Green Bay. I'm think it's
the wind more than anything. I think the cold, you know,
obviously that's that's a given, but it is kind of breezy,
not overwhelming right now. It's sunny, so they don't expect
any precipitation. Uh. And and really the weird the heaviest

(21:16):
part of of anything that they forecast was maybe flurries,
and it doesn't look like that's gonna be uh, that's
gonna be a factor. So I it's cold, it's uh,
it's uncomfortable, but I don't think it's it's gonna be
overwhelming for either one of these two teams. Rogers has
had a great record in the cold, obviously has played
a lot of games in that weather. But what about

(21:37):
his his style of player. Maybe the Packers team hasn't
playing so well when the weather isn't great. Well, we
asked him that and he said, you know, the one
thing he's found over the years, and I'll do me
to talk about this tonight in the game, is is
that he really remains at the same speed. He feels
like the cold really bothers the pass rush, the old

(22:00):
really bothers guys back puddling trying to cover his receivers.
And he said, you know, other than using foot warmers,
he really doesn't have any secret sauce to staying warm
on a day or a night like this, But he
doesn't let it affect him. And he said, because I
feel like I'm at my normal speed, I actually come

(22:20):
off and feel quicker than the guys I'm playing around
and against. So I think there's something to it. I mean,
these guys practice in it. It's impossible for the forty
niners to really replicate the kind of cold that they're
going to feel here tonight. You know, guys are from
all over the country on that roster. They did get
here a couple of days ago, and they practiced yesterday

(22:42):
at a local high school just to try to get
the feeling of what it's gonna be like outside. But
you know, I again, I mean, I I think a
lot of these guys are prepared for it on both teams,
and cold is cold, and a lot of these guys
have played through cold before, and they'll play through it
tonight man, any conversations with Aaron Rodgers over the years.

(23:02):
I want to ask you about legacy here, Joe. I mean,
obviously Aaron Rodgers the first ballot Hall of Famer. We've
heard it for more than a decade that this guy
may have more talent than any quarterback that's ever played
the game. It's been a one super Bowl, He's won
one Super Bowl. I mean, Tom Brady has been to
ten Super Bowls in a one seven a second super Bowl.
How important is that to him? How important is that

(23:25):
as far as his legacy is concerned. In your opinion, yeah,
I mean in my opinion, he I'm sure that that
kind of stuff eats at him because I do agree
with everything you said at the beginning, which I think he's,
if not the most one of the most gifted quarterbacks
to ever play the game. I think he's extremely smart.

(23:46):
The fact that he's gone seven games and thrown two
three past attempts without being picked off and has twenty
touchdowns along the way since Week eleven, I mean speaks
to how high of a level he's brading at. So
you know, when you look at their team and this
isn't to avoid the question because I do think another

(24:06):
Super Bowl, uh is something that he's dying to get
to and win, and it is important for his legacy,
There's no doubt. Uh. You look at their team. They've
got a really really good running back and Aaron Jones.
They've got Davante Adams, and then they've got guys and
and I think Aaron Rodgers doesn't get enough credit for

(24:26):
how much he elevates the play and the players around him.
I think he covers up for a lot of a
lot of guys that that are good players, not great,
but he makes everybody on that offense just go. And uh,
you know, they were the highest scoring offense a year ago.
They've been better here down the stretch in and and

(24:47):
I think they'll come out and play well tonight. But
I do believe they'll have their hands full with the
forty Niners. I don't think there's there's any team that
wants to play San Francisco no matter the field, no
matter the weather, because they are tough and they've shown it,
especially the last two games. People will say, and I'm
sure that plenty of that, this is this game and

(25:07):
the pressure is on Aaron Rodgers. It feels like to me,
it's on Matt Lafore. He's thirty nine and ten in
the regular season, he's now two and two in the
post season. There's gonna be talk, of course after the
year about Aaron Rodgers leaving Green Bay and they don't
win this game, right that that that talk gets amplified.
How much do you think he's feeling having to win
this game to continue, obviously that relationship with Aaron Rodgers

(25:28):
And yeah, I just think he wants to continue the
relationship with Aaron Rodgers. And and Aaron is is extremely
honest with us. He loves Matt Lafleur and and he's
I think been an open book Aaron has with with
how he feels about certain people in the organization. His
problem has never been with a head coach. He loves
what Fleur is doing. He loves the offense. I think

(25:50):
Matt Lafleur by cutting Kingsley Kiki this week uh an
ascending player, but because of some behavioral issues and things
that Matt Lafleur didn't want on his team anymore, they
cut him. And and to cut a player that is
on the rise of fifth round pick led their defensive

(26:11):
lineman and sacks last year this week, I think sends
a message. I think he's a tremendous head coach and
probably doesn't get enough credit for the job he's done.
But but I think the second part of your question
is the most important. No matter what happens, Matt Lafleur
in into season beyond once Aaron Rodgers as his quarterback

(26:35):
period end of story. How strange is that, Jimmy Garoppolos story.
I mean, this is a guy who has a career
record including the playoffs as a starter six and fifteen,
and yet it seems fate to complete that. Regardless of
what happens to the forty Niners this year, They're going
to hand the ball to Trey Lance next year. So
how how has that affected the dynamic of the forty

(26:58):
Niners as they come into this game against Green Bay? Well,
I think I think Trey is a more dynamic player. Um,
but you don't know until you know. And like I
think you're hinting towards you know, the record speaks for itself.
And Jimmy Garoppolo, He's gonna make some mistakes. He'll throw
an interception here at a bad time, but the guy

(27:23):
has really done one thing and that's when, and he
took him to a Super Bowl a couple of years ago. Um,
you know, with a couple of defensive stops, their Super
Bowl champions instead of Kansas City that year. So you
can talk about the h the inabilities of Jimmy Garoppolo,

(27:43):
but I think you're you're bypassing so much good. I
think the guy has shown us toughness. He's playing with
a tear and a thumb, he's got a sprained shoulder,
who which is not going to affect him according to
the forts at all tonight. But he's got the respect
of his team mates. They love him. Head coach really

(28:03):
appreciates what he does for this team. And uh, I'm
with you. I think it is strange he signed for
another year. They're going to try to reset their salary
cap and go with the you know, more inexpensive draft
pick that they've spent a lot of draft capital a
phrase that everybody seems to like to use these days
to get and Garoppolo will be in another uniform next year.

(28:27):
Jimmy's talked about it this week. Forty nine is really
don't shy away from it. So you know, this could
be the last dance for Aaron Rodgers and this could
be it uh here tonight for Jimmy Garoppolo is a
forty nine or two. How does Green Bay go about
trying to shut down Deebo Samuel because we know he's
gonna get the ball, whether it's a running back, whether
it's a wide receiver, whether it's a combination of both.

(28:48):
I mean, what he's able to do and the abilities
to score touchdowns and have explosive plays. Is there a
way to stop it because we know Coye Jenny and
we'll use them tonight. Yeah, I mean I think you
you know, as a running back, that's been the key
that that's changed everything for them and their offense in
some ways. Runs really all the way through Dievo Samuel,

(29:08):
whether it's on the outside catching passes and he was
at eighteen plus yards to catch uh ten of which
came after the catch this year that led the league
um and then running inside. I think that's that's really
been the change. I mean, they would get it to
him quick on the outside, he'd have some outside runs,

(29:29):
but you know there they made a shift mid season
and since they made that shift of handing the ball off,
it was that first Rams game Uh to Deebo Samuel
and letting him run in between the tackles. He's a
thick guy from the waist down and uh he likes it.
And they love handing the ball, so that the answer
to your question is he's going to get the ball,

(29:50):
but they're gonna have to get him on the ground.
It's yards after the catch, it's yards after contact. That
that's the killer and that's what made that's what really is.
Ain't him one of the best players in the league
right now, So uh, they know it. They they they're
gonna they're gonna have all focus on number nineteen and
if somebody else beats them, somebody else beats them. But

(30:12):
I think it's it's all aboard to try to stop
Deevo Samuel for Green Bay. Well, Joe, we're gonna be watching,
We're gonna be listening. We're gonna be envious, even though
it's a little white on the ground there in Green Bay.
Uh enjoy I just yeah, I'm sitting in l a
right now, Joe at seventy degrees, so don't worry about that.
But anyway, Uh, we'll call. Uh, well, listen to your

(30:33):
call in the game, Joe, we really appreciate the extra
time this morning. Thanks so much so, of course, guys,
thank you. It's Joe Buck, the play by play voice,
lead voice of Fox Sports, and great job. Is always
always talking with Joe. By the way, the Bengals Titans
game is underway. The Titans first offensive play was a
deep pass. It was intercepted, So right off the bath

(30:55):
first play for the Titans intercepted. The Bengals have the
ball right now. They got a third and fourteen. They're
already in Tennessee territory. Um, what are you seeing on
this drive so far? And uh wow, I mean that
was not a good start for the Titans. Back to
the Bengals. This is kind of why a bunch of
people are sort of like, yeah, I don't really know

(31:15):
about Tennessee, right, I mean the intellects part I mentioned,
But this playoff Tenniel not. It's going to the playoffs.
And the last two playoff games he threw for what
without they beat New England through for like seventy two
yards and last year the loss to the radiven t
thwo for eighty eight yards. But what I'm seeing so
far is, um, what I kind of feared for the Bengals,
which is the Tennessee Titans. Pass rush is fierce, and

(31:36):
they've already sacked Burrowed twice in the first drive. And
the reason why I liked Tennessee was two fold. One,
I think offensively they can't hit those big plays. In
two is their pass rush. And if it's bad in
the first drive, it's probably bad the next eight drives
to like it where he's got to get rid of
the ball. I mean, obviously nice one swing passed the

(31:59):
mix and that went for t any one. Yeard. It's
by the way, the Bengals are attempting a field goal
right now. And I don't know where your game is
in my game, but the field goals in the air,
and it is good. So the Bengals have taken the
early three nothing lead twelve minutes ago in the first quarter,
year about ten seconds ahead of me. Um and uh yeah,

(32:19):
so look, I mean really playoff Tannehill shot up right away.
Now you hope of course that Um, you know, you
just like you that that that passed out of your system.
Now right out of the system. It's done. But run
the football, get back to what you're you know, what
you're what you're gonna be kind of your your base,
of your core, of your of your offense. Um. But yeah,

(32:40):
that was a great read by Bates. Hopped in front
of I believe that was was that a J. Brown?
I think it was a J. Brown hopped front a J.
Brown boom picked up and actually it was Julia Jones.
Julio Jones. I'm sorry, Julio Jones. Um and uh intercepted.
So good start for the Bengals obviously on the road. Um,
let's let's see Derrick Henry on this tribe. Let's get

(33:01):
Derrick Henry up and running. If you're a Titans fan,
you've been waiting for the return of Derrick Henry. I
would imagine on this driver go at least gonna test
the water he's got. But but I understand, like, okay,
where everyone thinks we're gonna run the football past the
first play? Right? UM. I want to say, though, very
nice of Joe but to join us. Um. When I
was listening to him talk, I was thinking about the

(33:23):
game tonight. I was watching this game right now. I
kind of look to tomorrow with the game as at
Tampa Bay in Kansas City, all four games on grass.
Do you know how exciting. This is because I cannot
stand artificial turf. I think watching football artificial turf is
not appropriate. And I love these are four outdoor games
on grass. Obviously tonight's gonna be cold, but that that

(33:43):
the they you know, the field will be fine at
Lambeau be a little slippery, Joe Joe mentioned it right,
it's for Rogers. That's a great way to put He
plays at the same speed. Everyone else has to kind
of slow down, especially guys the back pedal. Right, by
the way, this is the stat on that game. Just quickly. Uh,
and then we got much more on the other side.
Now if I read the stat right, it seemed mind

(34:03):
boggling to me. Jimmy Garoppolo has never played in a
game under forty degrees under under under thirty two degrees.
I mean, how's that? But he started fifty one games
in his NFL Carace has never started a game under
thirty two degrees. I guess not, um, I mean, and
then and then Aaron Rodgers is sevent against to spread

(34:28):
under third two degrees at these thirty one and fourteen.
I think I saw that was the right number. Um,
And obviously that's why I asked I asked Joe about that. Um,
it's that's pretty market out. Of course, some of those
games are against what you know, the Lions and the
Vikings and whatnot. But still that's a very very impressive. Again,
he just doesn't really blake right, He's very calm and

(34:48):
cool and collected. And I will talk more about this
game as we as as we move forward. But um,
I do think it could be more competitive than people expect.
I think the Packers w but it would be competitive
all right. If you're if you're not able to watch
the games, is the great thing you get to listen
to us. We're gonna break down every single annal angle.

(35:08):
We will continue as we follow the Bengals three nothing
lead early against the Titans. We'll talk about other news
around the NFL, including some possible coaching hires. Coming up
next Steve Harvey, Jeff Schwartz. Fox Football Saturday brought to
you by one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas, the

(35:29):
greatest arena on Earth. Every game, match, racing, competition, it
is always on. No one does sports like Vegas and
the excitement is endless. So make sure to plan your
trip today at visit Las Vegas dot com defenses are
dominating this game. So far, two possessions for the Titans
have netted negative six yards. Joe Burrow just got slaughtered

(35:52):
on another sack right there. Um, so the Bengals are
facing a four down but defense, uh definitely dominate early
on getting back to the Titans for a secondary Derrick
Henry did get the ball two carries, one yard, and
then the Tannehill got sacked by the way. Quick note
here of Rabels never lost the game coming off a
bye week. He is four and oh coming up bye weeks. Uh,

(36:16):
so they should be prepared. But he's a no when
he's gotten. When he's gotten, Um, eight days rest are more. Well,
that's even a better stat. So, but this team, at
least those first two offensive series look like they're still sleep. Yeah,
there's lots of defense so far, a lot of defense. Hey,
I want to jump in quickly here will continue obviously

(36:38):
to update you on this game. We got eight thirty
to go in the first quarter. Bengals lee in the
Titans three to nothing. Uh. Josh McDaniels. Apparently the reports
are out there that Mark Davis is interested in talking
to Josh McDaniels about the Raiders job. It is unbelievable
when you think that Josh McDaniels was fired by the

(37:00):
ever Broncos in two thousand and nine. That's how long
ago it's been since Josh McDaniels was the head coach.
Remember he started six and oh and then he lost
seventeen of his next twenty two games. Was fired the
following season before the season ended. He was also responsible
for the first round drafting of Tim Tebow, which the

(37:20):
year after he left, by the way, paid dividends for
at least a couple of games out there. Do you
still hold Josh McDaniels in the same regard? Remember he
turned down, he backed out of that Colts job. Everyone
assumed that Belichick was going to hand the job over
eventually to him. Belichick is indicated even after that embarrassing
loss to the Bills that he's going no nowhere. But

(37:43):
do you do you look at Josh McDaniels, with everything
that he has accomplished as the offensive coordinator of the Patriots,
as a legitimate, viable, top level candidate to get a
second chance as a head coach. Um, I what's hurting
him is the other Patriots assistance that fail, right like

(38:06):
there's none of them in the NFL now, none of
them right, Flora's out, um, but Dannie's Hattiston already as
a head coach. And I think that's that's hurting him,
is that no one in that tree is succeeding. And
I think people look at who have that colch job
right then turned it down eventually like he kind of.
I just think they they just look at him like
I don't. We're over hiring Bill Belichick assistance. We're just

(38:27):
not gonna do it anymore. And he had the chance
to move on and he missed the opportunity. I think,
I think and um I I I think that's just
that's where they are with with with Midaels, I mean,
would you hire him if you're the Raiders? I mean,
we get back to the Raiders. To me, they're the
most intriguing here. And obviously Danny gs listening in and

(38:47):
anyone said, by the way, Danny, how do you how
do you feel about Josh McDaniel is a possible next
head coach of the Raiders. Don't like the idea. I
would rather have Jim Harbaugh or keep Masaccia and get
a very good o C on the sideline with Bisaccia. Yeah,
I mean I understand what you're saying about McDaniels and
everything else. He's obviously a guy that uh you know,

(39:10):
he had an opportunity and well that thing one sideways
real quick. Uh back there in Denver losing seventeen of
those last twenty two games. Why do you think Mark
Davis is ignoring what the players are saying here? Jeff,
I mean it seems like the Raider players are behind

(39:30):
Bisaca to remain as the head coach, and he wants
to explore other opportunities. Why is he annoying the team? Um?
I think because you need a sexy coach. No, but
I no, but I think that the players are I

(39:51):
think it intoxicated with these type of runs. Right, we're
kind of out of the blue, and you have to
determine if you're the head coach, whether that is just
kind have a one year thing, a half a season thing,
or like can he be in charge of everything from scratch, right,
like the draft process, the free agent process, which of
course John Magel would help with, like all those things

(40:11):
tied together, Like it's more than just coaching for eight games. Now,
I give him credit, right, he had to handle the
John Grewen email scandal. He had to handle rugs Um
obviously going to jail. Uh. Other players have gone to
uise and moved uh and uh and and whatnot. So
he's had to deal with a lot and he's won.
But I just think that's part of this. All Right.

(40:32):
We got good news if you're a Titans fan. Ryan
Tannehill has completed a pass, all right, so he has
actually competitive first pass for eleven yards there on the
move right now, For all the information you need to
what's happening around the NFL, keep it right here. This
is Fox Football Saturday, all right, rolling on on this
NFL Playoffs Saturday, Apartment and Schwartz with you. Brought to

(40:55):
you by one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas, the
greatest arena on Earth. Planner trip today at visit Las
Vegas dot com. All Right, Bengals leading the Titans three
to nothing, five and a half minutes to go in
the first quarter. By the way, long first quarter. Uh,
certainly a long quarter for the offenses. Both teams are
really struggling right now. During the week on my weekly show,

(41:18):
we're discussing the eight quarterbacks playing this weekend. Jeff when
we broke them down into three categories elite, good enough, uh,
and needs help. Uh. The elite, we have three guys
pretty obvious Brady Mahomes, Rogers, Uh, good enough. Um, we
have Burrow, we have Stafford, we have Jimmy Garoppolo, and

(41:39):
we have Josh Allen. Allen was almost elite. That was
a little bit of an argument about that. But one
quarterback that we all singled out needs help is Ryan Tannehill,
and right now he is struggling big time. He has
one for four eleven yards, He has misfired on a
couple of his throws, already thrown an interception in this game,
and Derrick Henry is trying to get his legs right now.
Five carries for eleven yards and eight of those came

(42:02):
on a single carry, So you know they have four
carries of net it three yards. When you're watching this
Titans offense right now, guided by Ryan Tannehill, why are
they struggling so mightily early in this game? And what
are your general thoughts about Tannehill and his status as
a quarterback in this league. I think Tannehill is is

(42:24):
just okay, and that's fine. Um, you know, not every
quarterback is gonna be great. I think he's okay when
the offense is working good. Um, but it's not like,
you know, not a guy that you're spreading the ball
out and five wide and throwing the ball quickly like
like that's not your your game plan for him, right, Um,
it's it's just okay, play actually pass, run the football.

(42:45):
You know, we kill the half half field reads, not
a lot of crazy things. And that's fine because not
everyone's gonna be elite. Um. The question obviously becomes, you know, Tennessee,
if they were to upgrade that position, what would they
turn into? But it's hard to upgrade from a quarterback,
you know, um who's got you the one scene? Right? Um,

(43:07):
it's hard to And this is look, I do not
think that Andy Reid and and Veach was John. Maybe
John Dorrisey at the time got enough credit for moving
on from Alex Smith, because you could have been in
Kansas City with Alex Smith and Ryan tan Hill right
and made the playoffs each year. But you would never

(43:27):
win a super Bowl with Alex Smith. I'm sorry, Tennessee.
You might win today, you might even win next weekend,
but you're probably not in two weeks time gonna go
up against the Packers or Bucks team and beat that
team if they get two weeks prepared for Ryan dan Hill, right,
And I think that is the difference. Now again, they
not they can move on from him, but like, why

(43:49):
would they write there's no reason too? He's good enough.
They win a lot of games. But what separates the
quarterbacks from what were your categories? Again? Needs help? Well,
he said elite good enough needs help. I think he's
good enough. Um. I think that Jimmy Garoppolo needs help. Um,
But what separates the good enough? I think Jimmy Garoppolo

(44:12):
is ahead of him. I do. I I don't know
if I would have said that before, but I'm watching
Garoppolo and I met some of them, maybe some of
I was etherized a little bit by some of the
place he made against the Cowboys, and he's far from perfect,
But I actually have Jimmy Garoppolo a little bit ahead
of Ryan Tannehill. I think I think Tannehill needs help.

(44:33):
I mean when I'm watching him out there if the
running game is not going, because normally they do have
a very solid running game with or without Derrick Henry,
but without a running game, Ryan Tannehill, I, I just
don't see it. And and this is not This Bengals
defense he's facing today is not elite. Now, on the
other side, the Titans have already sacked Joe Burrow three

(44:53):
times with two minutes to go in the first quarters.
So do the math throw on pace for twelve sacks
in this game? Burros hanging in there. He did have
a fifty seven yard pass play, did Jamaar Chase, But
they just punted again. Oh excuse me. They got a
field goal to increase their lead to six to nothing.
But when I see Tannehill, no I I I I
thought more of him a year ago than I do

(45:15):
at this time. Okay, but but even then, My point
is that it's not often a lot of plays to
separate the good two elite, right, And I Jimmy Gropp
was the best example of this, right because go back
to the Super Bowl right in you know the Chiefs
and and and right, there were two throws. He didn't

(45:37):
make it the end of the game. He missed Sanders
and he missed the previous drive Kittle wide open play
was run for him on third down, he threw the
standards incomplete look at last weekend right, look at last
weekend to seven. Just don't screw it up, Jimmy, just
don't do it. Interception on a play that I saw
eighty four chance to be completed, and then obviously he

(45:58):
missed Kittle and just those It's so it's a couple
of plays, not a lot. A couple of plays, and
that is what's what's separate and Jimmy in Ryantano that
they just don't they don't make those plays. Adam Kaplan
will be joining us in the next hour. We asked
about Jimmy Garoppolo last week, and he made it clear

(46:19):
there is no trade value for Jimmy Garoppolo. No, he
said what it was, was it a fifth round pick?
He said, a fifth round pick is the most there
being offer right now for Jimmy Garoppolo. But at the
same time, I just the record is hard to ignore.
Thirty seven and fifteen three and one in the postseason.
I don't know, it sounds pretty good to me. Yeah,
So that that tweet the Schefter sent out just was

(46:41):
from via Jimmy Garoppolo's agent about how his trade value
is going up. That was that was inaccurate. Yeah, I mean,
I understand why he's doing that, Like, you know, there's
some kind of teams. But again, when we talked to
Adam Kaplan about this, and we'll get an update from
Adam in the next hour, but he said it really
had a little to do a performance and just durability

(47:02):
and the guys had a lot of injuries. How are
you're gonna bank a lot of money starting quarterbacks in
this league? Even low end veteran quarterbacks are making what
thirty million dollars a year, So that's a lot of
bank for a guy that can't stay on the field.
That would be their concern. Alright, So six nothing Bengals
right now. They have no running game at all. Cincinnati's
four yards rushing Burrows throwing for ninety seven yards, but

(47:24):
he's been sacked for seventeen yards. The seven yard was
it was a negative one air yard pass that the
Jamar Chase took for sixty yards. Um, you know, it's
it's worth pointing out the Bengals and their need right
is offensive line and we're seeing it show up in
the playoffs so far in the first two games. So
you know how many red zone trips they have against

(47:45):
the Raiders and they failed to score touchdowns. They've now
had two trips now, one was to the twenty and
one was to the seven, So they make it the
last trip into the actual red zone. But what happens
in the red zone is the offensive line becomes even
more important. And I'll give you the reasons why. So
in the passing game, right the middle most teams can
pass the ball from the twenty to the twenty right

(48:06):
because the field is a lot more wide open. The
clothes you get to the end zone, the less field
there is to throw right, So safeties are closer to
wide receivers um and your corners are closer to wide receivers.
You can you actually don't have to pass rush like
as up the field because you know, the quarterback kind
of has to throw the ball quickly because there's less
space on the field, you know, running the ball again,

(48:28):
everyone's kind of packed in there, right, so you have
to actually move guys off the ball. You have to
pass part a little bit differently. In the reds. I've
got a quick set guys, and and we're seeing now
the Bengals now struggle in the red zone because their
offensive line is not good, and that's the biggest thing
they have to upgrade next season. And I think then
to your point before we had Joe buck on about
whether or not believe in the Bengals, that's what I

(48:49):
believe more in the Bengals is when their offensive line
is upgraded. I think Joe Burrow obviously is fantastic, Jamar Chason,
it's all they're They're they're good. It's just a matter
of the offensive line. Like just personnel wise, they kind
of a long way to go to build up some
important units on the field. And that is number one.
And we're seeing that today and we saw it last weekend.
I'm sure we'll see it again more today. Is the
offense line is just not quite there yet. Alright. Couple

(49:10):
of notes, Uh, Derrick Henry's out of this game right now.
They put forming in at running back. It's not that
he's been injured. Henry standing on the sidelines, but in
this series for the Titans, they got Forming in at
running back. A. J. Brown, by the way, was targeted
on a deep throw. It was there if Ryan Tannehill
had put a little air under it, but he did not.

(49:32):
And now of course they're facing a third and seven.
Tannehill scrambling and is short of the first down. Uh So,
once again the Titans are gonna be forced to punt
every in the first quarter. That Tomorrow Knight is the game, right,
like the winner of Tomorrow Night's winning the A f
c um. It's just the way it's gonna be. I mean, look,

(49:52):
the Bengals offensively, their offense is is kind of explosed
to pass plays like that's only where they can move
the ball if you kind of sit like in Cover
two and just kind of hang out. They can't really
do very much not right now. Again, defensively, okay, not
great Tennessee. Again we're seeing this is like, this is

(50:12):
why I like them to win this game. But this
is kind of my my trepidation I had was this
playoff Titans team, like they really just having big years
in the playoffs. And say, how in the regular season
to your point about quarterbacks, right, they don't. He doesn't
run down, It doesn't elevate himself in the postseason. And
that's the concern obviously in this type of game. Alright,
four games this weekend, come Monday, what would be the

(50:35):
biggest story coming out of this weekend? What story would
move the needle on Monday? Oh, there's one in particular
we'll share coming up next. Oh, this is Fox Red
Zone Radio and we've got the plays that you may

(50:55):
have missed. Double Tight ends game for Tennessee Like Action
fake Tannehill guns it Night, accepted by Jessie b Garded,
first player the game and Jessie Bates, who intercepted why
on Tannehill last year, picks him off on the very
first play out this playoff game. Now back live to

(51:17):
the studios of Fox Sports Radio. This is Fox Red
Zone Radio. He's a thick guy from the waist down.
He's a thick guy from the waist down. Yeah. By
the way, seven n W l W Bengals Radio Network.
That was the first offensive player of the game. What

(51:39):
are the voice do we hear there? Iowa Sam? Is
that Joe Buck? Yeah? That was a drop from Joe Buck.
You know, we paid close attention to whatever you guys
say on the microphone so we could potentially take it
out of context and make a fun drop. You've made
a career out of that with me. I know that
over there. There's a lot of Hartman drops over the years.
There guy the waist down. Yeah, are we all to

(52:07):
some guys? Skip leg days. I have a double leg day,
double leg day twice a week. I shouldn't act your
p what what what kind of waits were you squatting,
Jeff back in the day? What do you say? So?
In college we single rep max, we wore UM, we
were back brace and we wrapped our knees for the

(52:27):
one day we tested. I don't know a single rep
uh fifty, Um, it's a big number. I cleaned three
fifty two, which was second ever for an offense alignment
organ Now that's been surpassed many times over since then.
That was pretty My bench was bad. I couldn't I
couldn't bench very well. Um. And then Carolina we tested

(52:51):
squat still when it was with the Panthers, and UM,
we used the safety bar so it wasn't like the
straight bar. It's called like I don't free the actual
name for it. So you can put on a bunch
of weights like I had. It was five. It was
five places on each side plus the bar ways more
than the standard bar. I did that like fourteen sixteen

(53:11):
times something like that in a row. It was kind
of a weird test. But my legs are always was
my strongest thing. My legs in my hands a very
very strong pause. I don't have any numbers. For those
I've been around you, Steve, I would that it's not surprising. Yeah,
that's not really my strength at all. Hey, by the way,
you mentioned your days at Oregon. Let me just jump

(53:32):
in with a quick question. How did Travis Die, your
top running back who had over twelve yards rushing, leading
receiver for the Ducks, sixteen touchdowns? How is he going
to USC? How did that happen? Well? Um, look, I
I don't know how much we talked about the trans
reportal on this show. On my Path twelve show, I
discussed it all the time when it was becoming a

(53:54):
quote quote thing, and I said at the time like,
I'm just you know what, I'm not sure this is
what people are to want it to be, right, Um,
and my my, my host pushed back and and whatnot.
Even that's not what people wanted to be right. It
was supposed to be used for backups and bad situations.
And when I now all a bunch of starters are
doing now with dies very interesting because you're you're right.

(54:14):
Uhde led the pact of Conference all purpose yards last season.
Uh he had tuned in eleven s carries I think
in something like forty five catches, about two and fifty touches.
And mind you, he wasn't the starter till till week
after Week five, t C. J. Frdell got hurt against Stanford.
He had a really good season and his brother went
to Oregon. Is in the NFL linebacker place with the Vikings,

(54:35):
and you know, he's beloved by Organ fans and by
the coaching staff and everyone in Oregon. And what he
did by going to USC for mind you, for one year.
He's had one year left. He's going to USC in
a crowded running back room. They got Austin Joe's from
Stanford is transferred in. They have a believe a five star,
four star running back that has been that's committed and

(54:55):
going to USC, and an offenses that does not run
the ball as much as Organ did last year offense.
By I looked up, they had they're starting running back
last year I had nine catches Brooks for Oklahoma. Well again,
I guess, let me stop you for a second here,
So why would he do this? I mean, what what
could do SC offer him to walk away from a

(55:16):
great situation at Oregon which is not exactly the profile school.
What could they offer him to do what he did
to go to USC for one year? So he probably
wasn't gonna start in Organ this year, which is probably
why he was gonna start USC either. So that's kind
of washes out. It's from Los Angeles, you know, in

(55:36):
his in his goodbye post, he mentioned some family situations
where he might want to be in Los Angeles for
But here's the thing that that just about the transfer
portal that I think he's gonna be. The negative to this, okay,
is that he again, he built up a legacy at Organ, right,
he worked his butt off, worked his way up, became

(55:56):
a starter. You know, he was there when they won
a Patrol champions to two Pactol champions done. One was
a short season and obviously ten games this year. Beloved
in Organ. He can't come back now he's now a trojan.
Like that's done. Like he's not welcome back anymore, right,
Like they're not gonna have a Trojan. He's ending his career.
When he gets drafted this year, if he gets drafted,
it will say USC Trojan Travis D, not Organ Duck

(56:19):
Travis D, but USC Trojan. And to me, that doesn't
feel worth it, considering he's not gonna be the starter. There.
It's one season and Oregan is gonna better than us
next year. You're not answering my question, why would he
do it? I'm telling you the reason. I don't know why.
I mean, why would you go? Why would you go
from an offense featuring you two one that you just
said disappear? Even the NFL draft doesn't make any sense

(56:44):
at all, none zero zip. By the way, we got
a big pass play finally, forty one yard passed Tannehill
to A J. Brown has finally got the Titans in
business right now, and I'm fifty to go in the
first half. Bengals lead this game six and out there.
I don't know again, I I don't know what's going
on with Lincoln Riley and USC They're getting everybody in

(57:05):
this transfer portal situation. Um it just yeah, don't matter, guys.
USC is gonna win it all next year, Okay, So
eliminate offensive line. Usc is gonna be dynamic. H third
and three right now for the Titans. There at the
thirties six yard line of the Bengals, and they need

(57:26):
a play and they're gonna be passing on third down,
a little swing pass is gonna get the first down.
Hilliard gets it there, so Tennessee continues to be on
the move. Are you surprised at how much these defense
have dominated? I mean, we really have. The numbers are
skewed because we have one pass play to A J.
Brown for forty one yards and the other side that

(57:48):
was one pass play to Chase for fifty seven yards.
Take those two plays away and you've got almost nothing
on the either side of offensively. I am of the
opinion that this is a lot more with Ryan Tannell
just not playing well for the for the for the
Tennessee offense, they run the ball decently, will they're starting
to kind of pick up steam. Is is this quarter

(58:09):
continues on and the Bengals just offensively. The issue is
their offensive line, which was an issue of mine heading
into this game. For the Bengals, I mean, they know that,
and they can't run the football, and they just have
been able to pass the ball very well because they
can't protect and so part of it. That's part of
the issue for them. This is why I didn't like
him in this game. Derrick Henry gets five yards. Now

(58:29):
he's starting to kind of get heat up a little bit.
You know, Derrick Henry in the first couple of games
that every season is not his best, and I feel
like he's just kind of started getting heat up. Now
as the game goes along, they've given how many carrious
you must have a seven, eight, nine Already it's got
a lot in the first half. So Derrick Henry is
eight carrious or twenty four yards three yards and carry
all right? I I teased it. I want to follow
up on this. The biggest story coming out of this weekend,

(58:53):
and to me, there's one story above all others that
would move the needle on Monday, and that is the
Packers losing to the forty nine. If Aaron Rodgers loses
this playoff game, and it's a real possibility, let's face
at the forty nine is a good football team, may
not be the team he really wanted to face in
this game. But if Aaron Rodgers loses this game. And

(59:14):
we talked earlier to Joe Buck about legacy, he's been
a one Super Bowl, he won it and that was
over a decade ago. Doesn't take away that he's a
first ballot Hall of Famer. But when you talk about
the lexicon of the greatest of all time. Hard to
make an argument for a guy that's been a one
Super Bowl and one one super Bowl to put them
on that list. If they lose to the forty Niners.

(59:35):
I mean, you can imagine all hell is gonna break
loose come Monday. Do you believe that the outcome of
this season for the Packers is going to be the
determining factor on whether or not he'll return to the
Packers in two or return it all to the NFL's

(59:56):
playing next season in the NFL. I mean, we both
nailed this story. I thought you're gonna say the biggest
story coming out of the weekend is the NFL just
cured COVID, right, just no more. The NFL, well, they're
not going to do any more testing to do hear that?
No more. I'm not going to test anymore vaccinated player.
Get this. Vaccinated players will not be testing. There's gonna
be zero positive tests. I guarantee you the rest of

(01:00:17):
the player just just roll through, Just just get the playoffs.
Exactly fine with me. Okay, Titans are inside the five
yard line, so they're banging on the door, all right,
So that's the question of hand. So we heard we
heard Buck talk about the relationship between Aaron Rodgers malafor
which it seems solid, right. I mean, I think that
his words backed that up. And um Rogers has no

(01:00:39):
problem talking obviously, even though he's did you hear he
said he's being silenced, even though he did at interview
with SPN. He's direct snap to Derrick Henry. Excuse me?
Touchdown Titans. Touchdown Titans, direct snap to Derrick Henry walks
into the end zone. The Bengals were not prepared for that,
and I think I think they thought that they were
gonna run up the middle. He ran a good good

(01:01:01):
call there on the running to the edge. Not often
you see outside zone from a wildcat. Um good, good,
good design there. So um yes, it's it's a giant
game for um uh, for Rogers, for Matt Lafleur. If
they lose this game because of reasons again this is
in Roger's own mind, uh that he believes are the

(01:01:23):
fault of the organization, that he will use us against them.
Of course. Okay, but what if he's the reason they
lose the game? What if he just has a game
and then what blame the organization? If he has a
bad game today, he will probably blame organization. Yes, doesn't
mean he's right. So either way, he's gonna blame the organization.
If they lose this game today to the fort um,

(01:01:46):
I guess he he'll blame. He'll say, oh, I don't
have the wide receivers, blah blah blah. In his own mind.
Maybe he will blame it on then I think he's
back next year. Where's he gonna go? Well, I'm with you.
I've been to look at you and I have been
on the in lock step as far as where is
he going to go? I mean you could you could
create some possibilities, all right. By the way winning on

(01:02:10):
that extra point. There was a flag on the extra point.
We're tied at six right now, and it was against
the defense. So what happened here? I guess we with
the the the extra point is not on the board.
Too many men on the field, So then you go
for two because the ball moves to the one. Now

(01:02:31):
correct the one? All right, So when you have Derrick
Henry in your backfield and you only have a yard
to go, that would be a pretty good call. Right,
Let's see what they do right now? So again, six six, Cincinnati, Tennessee.
We've got six minutes ago, uh in the first half,
and because the Bengals had too many men on the
field on the extra point a tip. The kick was good,

(01:02:51):
but they've taken off the board and now the Titans
will go for a two point conversion. Is it worth
it for this two points early in this aim? Right now,
we're gonna watch this play. It looks like they just
got a straight eye formation and they handed to Derrick
Henry and he's short. Well would they do that? You're
ahead of me, So now I'm watching this play. Yeah,

(01:03:11):
he's short. I mean it was just a straight handle
in the middle. They ran off the back side. Yeah,
and it's short. So tied six six, And I do
you get these two point conversions? One's the right time
and one's the wrong time. I mean, I've stopped arguing
about like trying to figure out what this what the

(01:03:32):
percentages are for winning loss. I mean, like, and I'm
pro using an advanced dance analyrics, like I think it
makes our discussion about our game really good. But we're
gonna I can shure I can go on Twitter right
now and find everyone tweeting out wooden probabilities and whatnot,
Like I just I just don't care anymore. Well, it's

(01:03:52):
not the point where we'll see if it makes a difference.
It's not the point where I just I just can't don't.
It's not worth my fight anymore. Like I'm not the coach.
I would have taken the point. Just take the points.
Take the point. Well, and the first that my point
is first half. I get it. I get the whole thing.
Late in the game and you're trying to come back
and you're down sixteen points, you gotta go for two points.
But six six games. So that's where we stand right now,

(01:04:14):
six minutes ago. Let's find out what's trending right now,
let's welcome back you know who, David Gascon Yo, Yo,
what was that? By the way, I'm gonna be honest
with you on that straight care I mean it was
please be honest. I did Darry Henry look like he
ran very hard on that play. I mean, for the
beast he is, I mean didn't really battle. So this

(01:04:36):
is this is this is important Henry discussion. He's not
the most physical runner there is. He's not. He's very
good at stiff farming people in open space. But he's
not very like you don't. You don't truck a lot
of people inside the tackles. He doesn't break like that
was just the acle tackle from b He's not like
the runner that I say Adrian Peterson was who I played,

(01:05:00):
who I think is obviously. I just think he's a
different runner, right bigause Henry is. He's not a I
wouldn't class by him as a physical runner like Javonte Williams.
I've not watched much Williams. Well, who would you rather have?
Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor? Jonathan Taylor, you heard it there, Yeah,
you heard it there. I don't know. That looked like

(01:05:20):
a very run for a one yard run, an ankle
tackle comes up a half yard short. He just went down. Yeah,
so you know he's playing with a metal plate five
screws in his foot today. Well, then maybe he should
not be the guy on that carry. I don't, I

(01:05:40):
don't know. Just there's something about that play that looked
off big time. He just scored a play before that. Yeah,
but that was a walk in touch and no one
even touched him. Well of course, but I mean you're
still gonna give him the ball to your best guy,
are you not? Is he your best guy right now?
I don't know. He's got tak carry's thirty yards on this.
Who're gonna trust Ryan Tannehill or Derrick Henry we got

(01:06:02):
I don't know, but Jeff knows. This last season when
Tennessee was in the playoffs, there are prop bets that
Derrick Henry would out gain Ryan Tannehill total yardage. Yeah,
but Jeff, given the numbers without Henry in terms of
the Titans running game, they're pretty confidences the same. Yeah.
The difference passed a little bit worse for the run
game is about the same. Yeah. Anyways, guys, that game

(01:06:25):
is tied six up. Joe Burrow has been sacked three
times in this Affairrie seven of ten for unred twenty
three yards. Tannehill He's seven of eleven, nine two yards,
one pick. He's also been stacked in this contest. Derrick
Henry does have ten carries for a mere thirty yards,
with the touchdown run of his own since at six
six the two point conversion failed. Tonight San Francisco and
Green Bay ball games on Fox. Nick Bosa playing Fred

(01:06:48):
Warner is playing Jimmy Garoppolo playing as well. College basketball today,
lots of games that are going on. Notre Dame has
the lead at Louisville seventy to sixty four, Baylor one
at Oklahoma winning by fourteen points, Kansas fifty two, Kansas
is trilli at Kansas State sixty two. Is accounting that
one in TC was blowing out Iowa State to thirty three.

(01:07:08):
Duke wanted earlier today by twenty over Syracuse guys. Joe
Burrow is going to need an ice bath after this game.
He's getting tattooed. He just got hit again. Ball when uncomplete,
but boys getting beat up. Yeah, he has three sacks.
It was actually a fourth sack, but there was a
penalty on the place. Yeah, I mean, and Burrow got
I mean he's getting hit on these sacks. You know,

(01:07:31):
you know what I'm talking about. You know, some sacks
he gets sort of pulled down. I mean, he's getting
here in this game. He's getting hit very hard in
this game. Yeah, it's again. This is I think that
the concern if you're the Bengals right now, is this
is a concern that you know, he's able to mitigate
the last couple of weeks because he gets the ball
up quickly, but Tennessee is just not letting him throw
the ball quickly. Well, the Bengals have also completely abandoned

(01:07:53):
the run. Here Joe Mixon adds five carries for four yards.
We can't run the ball. Well, they're not even trying.
They completely the a band in the run. They're throwing
on every down. Now, I don't know. I mean, it's
a six six game. What's your game plan here to
put your quarterback your the entire game? As ferocious as

(01:08:13):
this front has been for the Titans, I mean they
have man handled Cincinnati's offensive line. You're not well, so
you're prepared for this all week, right? I mean sometimes
just have to hope your guys win some reps like
I don't know, Like there's no magic bullet, like drops
line can't block you. You throw the ball quickly. But
guess what, Tennessee knows that too, right, so they can

(01:08:35):
sit on on on these underneath routes. I think your
job is just too You just gotta hope your guys
make some place. I'm hearing music. I'm hearing music. Apparently
we did not say goodbye to gas gun yet, so
there we go. I just want to hear the music.
It's like we continue the conversation with gas God, I
don't know. I just talked to him until him not

(01:08:57):
to talk anymore. And sometimes when I'm watching the game
as we are now, I kind of lose Like I
was like, oh, oh yeah, the music still on. I'm
just like, so I'm like, okay, third or four? What's
happening now? Um? And So I can't wait for tonight
because it's like three degrees outside. It's gonna be miserable outside.
You already turning the page on this game. It's a six.
I haven't had no, I haven't had dismissed these two

(01:09:18):
teams as pretenders and nothing more than fodder. Next, I
just want to win my wager. Um. And so I
i'mn have a cigar tonight. My wife's not home, so
I'm gonna have a cigar back porch. Can be watching
to be cold out. How's the weather where you are
right now? Oh, it's gonna be It was it's snow
two inches last night. I couldn't believe it. It's like

(01:09:40):
it was a ton of fun. Um, we have to
play in the snow today. And it was this morning
it was like twelve degrees thirteen degrees. It's gonna be
cold tonight, but I had a little wind out here.
It's seven degrees. Sorry, but so tonight the lowest twenty
two tonight. Um, I'll put on a sweatshirt, I'll put
on my thermal socks, and then I'll have my nice
cigar watching football outside. Um, and know just through everything

(01:10:01):
in the washing machine will stink and I'll just wash
it and go to sleep. But it's like a simple
it works well. From I'm very excited for just a
loan cigar time. All right, Bengals trying to run the ball,
and wow, they got one yard. Alright, So the Bengals
and Titans tied six six in this game you mentioned
coming up of course a little bit later on. Uh,
it is going to be the Packers and the forty

(01:10:22):
Niners have been talking about the legacy of of Aaron
Rodgers and maybe his future. I mean even you know,
Joe Buck threw it out there. He sort of slipped
the line in because we were talking about how strange
it is that Jimmy Garoppolo. No matter what the forty
Niners do this year, they could win the Super Bowl,
They're gonna be handing the ball to tray Lance. They

(01:10:42):
gave up two number ones to move up, so tray
Lance is going to get the football next season. But
then Joe Buck also through in the line. This could
be the last game for Garoppolo as a forty Niner
and Rogers as a Packer, And we keep hearing that
over and over again. You and I seem to be
the last two holdouts in the idea that Aaron Rodgers

(01:11:05):
is going nowhere. Um. But I just there's something about
this game later on the when the Niners beat the Cowboys.
So if you were the Green Day Packers had the
Cowboys one, the Packers would be hosting the Ramps. Instead,
they're hosting the forty Niners, which one of those two teams?

(01:11:28):
You think it was a tougher matchup for the Packers.
I mean probably the tougher match is probably the Niners
because of how physical they are, Like, you could never
count a physical team. You just can't, like, you know,
run the football and you know and and play physical

(01:11:50):
defense with a pass rush. The Rims can do that,
but just not the way the Niners can, right, And
so I think you always fear that as your point
bout Jimmy Gropol earlier. He's won a lot of big
football games. That's Safford has not. That's why I think
they lose tomorrow. We haven't touched about that game at
all for tomorrow is mass Stifford hasn't played in those games. Um,
And Jimmy g has and Cale Shannon's a fabulous coach.

(01:12:11):
I think that you'd worry more about the Niners than
the Rams, was a had to say, considering the Niners
are a lower seed. Um. But yeah, and Aaron Rodgers
has nine had success against them. Um, I would think
the Niners would be more more of the issue. All right,
big pass play for the Bengals over the middle. The
ball's fumbled but recovered by the Bengals and about the

(01:12:31):
yard line. So Bengals are in business right now. We're
tied at six, a little more than two minutes to go,
uh in the first half. All right. On the other side,
you mentioned and we haven't really broken it down tomorrow's
matchup between Tom Brady and the Box and Matthew's Stafford
and the Rams. Can you see Matthew Stafford beating Tom

(01:12:52):
Brady in a playoff game. We'll break it down coming
up next this is Fox Red Zone Radio, and we've
got the place that you may have missed. Anna Hell
goes in motion to the left. They're gonna staff it
directly to Henry can catch for the Titans. He runs

(01:13:15):
to the left, he turns the corner, he goes. It's
standing up to that like Derek Henry in the King.
Now back live to the studios of Fox Sports Radio.
This is Fox Red Zone Radio. All right. That was
w g f X one or four point five Titans

(01:13:37):
Radio network that tie the game at six two point aversion,
no good, and now the Bengals have just kicked a
field goal to retake the lead nine to six. We
got a minute thirty five to go in the first top.
By the way, We're brought to you by one of
our favorite cities, Las Vegas, the greatest arena on Earth.
Every game, match rates, and competition. It is always on

(01:14:00):
wherever you root for whatever sports you love to watch.
The biggest games are even bigger in Vegas. So make
sure to plan your trip today at visit Las Vegas
dot com. All right, tomorrow, Tom Brady, who's looking for
an eleventh trip to a Super Bowl and possible eight
Super Bowl Championship is going up against Matthew Stafford and

(01:14:20):
the Los Angeles Rams Lambs. Rams took care of business
last week to look really good dominated their victory against
the Arizona Cardinals. Everything I always know about Tom Brady
and teams have had success against Brady in the playoffs,
especially those two Giants victories and Super Bowls. Pressure came
up the middle. Uh. Edge edge rushers rarely have much

(01:14:44):
of an effect on Tom. Brady is so expert of
moving in the pots, pockets, stepping up, giving him self
extra time. But teams that are able to bring pressure
up the middle and get him office mark can cause
some problems. And there's no defront of line that's got
a bigger force in the middle than the Rams doing.
Aaron Donald, So break it down for us to here, Jeff,

(01:15:06):
what do you see happening in this Bucks Rams matchup tomorrow?
You're right there. There are issues with when Tom Brady's
press up the middle down tell his offensive line is fabulous.
Their center Ryan Jensen finished the game. Should play Tristan
Worth the right tackle, Mary, not play. They're working on him.
It's tough. He's got an ankle at right tackle, especially
his his his kick leg, achime, his plant leg, his

(01:15:27):
right leg. It's tough. Maybe he plays, maybe he doesn't.
You're right. Pass rush Mike Evans, Tampa's bays uh wide
receiver has struggle against Jalen Ramsey the last two games,
only getting five receptions. Um, all right, all good, You're
totally right. The problem in this game because I have
one quarterback who has one ten of the last eleven

(01:15:51):
home playoff games he's had. The one loss was in
twenty nineteen with that bad Patriots team that lost the Titans.
I have one quarterback who they kind of just hope
doesn't lose the game for them. And Matt Stafford, Right,
Matt Stafford last weekend thirteen of seventeen, very efficient game,
but he didn't have to do anything right because they
ran the ball so well. It's not gonna happen this weekend.
I just don't trust Stafford. I think it's a low

(01:16:13):
scoring game and in the end, Stafford makes too many mistakes.
I I just see, I mean you yeah, I can
you see Stafford really winning this game? That's you see.
I'm trying to get a vision on this, like imagine,
you know, after the game, Brady and Stafford getting together,
and it's Stafford, you know, consoling Tom. Hey, Tom, you know,

(01:16:35):
wasn't your day? Today? Was our day? Uh? And we're
heading to uh perhaps Green Bay for the NFC Championship game.
Do you have that kind of vision? I mean, you
have one guy that's won one playoff game against the
guy that's won thirty five playoff games. Well, he's thirty
five and eleven thirty five and eleven and playoff games
and Stafford is now one in three. And by way,

(01:16:57):
like half of those eleven losses are Super Bowls, right like,
like I think there are three of them. Three of
them have been in Super Bowl. We've we imagined that
he's been to ten Super Bowls. I believe he's been
to fourteen conference championship. It's just it's it's just insane. Um.
Uh And I just I think that's the issue, Um
for me to get around this game is is I
just don't see a we we shouldn't ever bed against

(01:17:18):
Tom Brady. Don't ever do that. As I told you
guys last week, don't do that. Um. And then B
is that it's just Matt Stafford, right is It's almost
like Jimmy garopplo if you if you follow the script right,
run the football, kind of conservative passes, right, you take
a couple of shots here and there, but play action pass,
move the pocket type passes. All good, screens good, But

(01:17:40):
what happens if it's if you're if you're in third
and six plus seven times in that game, Like, that's
not where matt Stafford wants to live, where the offense
wants to live, and that becomes the issue to me, Um,
all things you said about the pass rush are extremely accurate.
The injuries are piling up for Tampa Bay, especially the
offensive law. You know, there's no Godwin, obviously, no Antonio Brown.

(01:18:03):
Um Von Miller is playing well for the Rams right now.
I mean, and obviously Odell Beckham Jr. Has played really
well for the Rams. Uh. This is other thing about
the Rams do I mean we talked about big stories
come Monday. The Rams are all in. They've shoved all
they're they're all in on this. They have given up
all their drafts for essentially the next three years. They've

(01:18:25):
gutted everything for this one chance, maybe one or two
year opportunity to win a Super Bowl. Remember, Matthew Stafford
wasn't brought in to make the playoffs. They made the
playoffs last year. They made the playoffs several times with
Jared Goff as their quarterback. The idea of making that
deal and you know, Jalen Ramsey cost him a couple

(01:18:47):
of number ones and then von Miller and whatever they
had to do to get everything to play. Right now,
if they fall short of winning the Super Bowl, it's
a failure. Are the Rams? You're exactly right. I do
not disagree with you, but I do think they're gonna
fall short. Like it might not even be uh this weekend.

(01:19:08):
I think it is, but they're not going to Lambeau.
I mean, right, we do we agree on that, Like
that's just not happening. So um, I well, what if
they're hosting the forty Niners in the NFC Championship Game.
What if the Rams and forty Niners both went on
the road. This hasn't Shanahan has won like what six
in a row against the Rams. He's exactly He's when, Yeah,

(01:19:28):
I've heard the last three seasons one or so. I
I that feels again even less likely. But I just
go back to Stafford issue. Man, it's really really hard
for me to just envision Matt Stafford. At the end
of that game, he's he's doing an interview with UH
the NBC game tomorrow he's doing an interview with like

(01:19:49):
with you know, Michelle Defoy after the game as a
victorious champion of that game. I just I can't see it, buddy,
I can't. There were some wild rumors that Tom Brady
might be considering retirement. Now that's being dispelled. Remember he
signed a two year deal with the Buccaneers, so he's
signed through next season. Um. I mean, he keeps always

(01:20:10):
talking about He's moved the bar many times over the years.
We've talked about his prolific numbers. This season, they're just
off the charts. UH led the league in passing yards.
He average forty two pass attempts a game. In any way,
you could see this being the final call if they
wanted another Super Bowl or no chance. He is he is,

(01:20:31):
And of course he defies all logic. The man gets younger.
Not he's Benjamin Button. He just keeps getting younger all
the time. All right, nine to six, Right now, we
got a minute to go in the first half. Bengals
are leading. The Titans. Will continue to follow this game
preview the rest of the NFL weekend. This is Fox
Sports Saturday, all right, rolling on here on day one

(01:20:53):
of a double header of double headers in the NFL
Divisional playoff weekend. May Angles and Titans are at the half.
Is it just me? Or is that a really long
half of football? Get a little bit longer? Starch at
four thirty, right, So normally they're about just under an
hour and a half for each half, right, games about

(01:21:16):
three hours? Right, And if halftimes seemed like that half was,
oh well, here's the numbers. Nine six Bengals leading the
Titans at the half. Joe Burrow. Now, if you look
at the numbers, you're like, wow, seventeen of twenty four
for two hundred and thirty six yards. So the last

(01:21:37):
couple of games that he started almost a thousand yards passing.
Quick math tells you he's on pace for four seventy
two yards passing in this game. The problem is he
has no touchdowns. Uh, he has no interceptions. He's been
sacked five times in the first half, so that is
a big number there. Cincinnati is no running game. Seven

(01:21:58):
yards rushing in the first half. Joe Mixon has six
carries for five yards on the other side, Ryan Tannehill's
numbers are not good. Seven or thirte yards, no touchdowns
and a pick. Derrick Henry has been pedestrian by his standards.
Tan carries for thirty yards. He did have a touchdown
run only a hundred twenty nine total yards for Tennessee

(01:22:20):
in the first half. So from what you've seen in
the first half, Jeff would expect in the second half,
I think this is what the Bengals offense is gonna
be today. They got the ball at the half, so
this is what it's gonna be. Now the question becomes, obviously,
what is Tennessee gonna do in the second half, right,
because again this this feels like the Bengals offense will

(01:22:42):
be this. The Bengals have the biggest play of the
game before this last kind of two minute BS drive
was the Chase long run after a zero eight yard
passed right. The ball was just thrown out right to him. Again,
zero pressure at boom gone. Tennessee's knockings in zero pressure anymore,
which is when they send everyone and leave one on one,
they're gonna just stay in his own coverage what they've

(01:23:03):
been doing the entire game and rush the pastor rushed
the pastor rushed the passer. This feels like what the
Bengals offense will be in the second half. The question becomes, obviously,
what will the Time's offense be in the second half.
They can't be this bad with with with Jones and
with a j. Brown and with fish Year and which
they can't be this bad, Like they have to find
a way to just get more comfortable in the past game,

(01:23:25):
have a little more rhythm in the past game. I
must run the ball. I'm not as concerned about that,
just like we need a little more rhythm in the offense. Well,
we've seen games like this with Derrick Henry. Now we
still don't understand he's got a metal plate in his foot.
I mean, he can't be right now, But we have
seen games where Derrick Henry has a pedestrian first half

(01:23:48):
and then all of a sudden the second half. It's
a completely different story. That would be a big game
changer for the Titans. My gut feeling, based on what
we've seen so far is that the pressure is not
gonna let up on Joe Burrow. I gotta believe Tennessee
is gonna be able to run the ball better in
the second half. I mean, this has got to be
something that the coaches are scrambling to figure out. Why

(01:24:09):
aren't we running the ball more effectively? Because, as you mentioned,
they've been running the ball effectively all season long, with
or without Derrick Henry, and the Bengals are far from
some defensive juggernaut, So why are they not running the
ball more effectively against the Bengals. That's what they're talking
right about in the locker room right now, because if

(01:24:30):
they can run the ball, that will lighten the load
on Tannehill. I'm still I picked the Titans to win
this game. I picked the Titans to cover the spread
in this game. Of course, that could be a fore
warning to anyone that's following my picks all season long,
but I'm I'm gonna stick with it right now. I
think the Bengals have have done as much as they
can and yet Tennessee has kept him out of the

(01:24:51):
end zone. Yeah, because again, the Bengals office is bad.
It's that simple. Yeah, Um, it's and you can't move
the ball in the in the playoff game when your
offutlines back against good defense. And Joe burrow Man, for
as good as he is he takes a lot of hits.
He's taking a lot of hits today. Madam. These add

(01:25:13):
up the ad up Steve throughout the game. And Sam,
it's gonna be more careful. I gotta get rid of
the ball and I got you know, just have to
try to avoid running into some of these sacks. But again,
this is what I think the Bengals offense is what
it is today. The Time's office, He's the one that
can can be better. All right, let's get back to
a quick story. By the way, Adam Caplan is gonna
be joining us in the next segment. Get his thoughts

(01:25:33):
on this divisional playoff weekend. Get his thoughts on which
teams are gonna end up in the conference championship games.
But we were kidding about what's the biggest story coming
out of this week? Um, one of the big stories
was Monday when not a single NFL player was positive
with COVID. Not one zero players tested positive. Now what

(01:25:59):
makes that number are so shocking is that what it
was just a couple of weeks ago, we had over
a hundred players test pass and now I know there
are fewer teams involved. But the idea that we could
go from that to zero in a single week. I
think does raise a question of exactly what is going
on as far as testing its concern. And then the

(01:26:20):
report that they are not gonna test unvaccinated players every
day like they've been doing the past. The question is
are you going to test them at all? Um, there's
been a lot of stuff about the game being in
Los Angeles speaking of the Super Bowl, Uh, if you
had applied for a spot on radio row. The NFL

(01:26:42):
has just now informed all media members that they need
to be not only fully vaccinated, but must have a
booster shot as well if they want to find their
way onto radio row leading up to the Super Bowl.
That was in the mail two days ago, and so
I got several phone calls from friends of mine. They

(01:27:03):
got this like is this for real? And I'm like, oh, yeah,
it's gonna be for real. You have to have a
booster shot on top of being fully vaccinated if you
want to be on radio row, which seems unbelievable for
the media considering it. It It now appears there will be
zero testing of players leading up to the Super Bowl. Um, yeah,

(01:27:24):
i I'm going. I'm I will be there. I am
boosted and I got COVID, so I gotta have both,
I guess. Um so, uh yeah, I mean I am
Los Angeles County. You know this. It's just different kind
of the rest of the country, right, And yeah, we
we all wear masks out here all the time. So
there are people walking the streets alone, no one in

(01:27:47):
sight wearing masks on the street. That's a little much.
You have to have a mask on inside. Um no,
I'm talking outside. I mean it's a sunny day and
sound in California looking outside the window, people just walking
by themselves, fully masked. My mom has told me that
because my mom will take a walk and she's like,

(01:28:08):
I'm remember when I was I don't know, a couple
of months, not months ago, but a year ago. I
was up at a clover park um in Santa Monica,
just taking a walk into my parents house and like,
I have my mask on because I'm like, wo would
I wear a mask outside? And people just give me
a bunch of dirty looks. And I asked my parents
afterwards and were you wearing your mask? And said no,
I'm walking outside by myself. But that's why it's like, wow, um,

(01:28:31):
so it's just different, Like it's gonna be different, and
um how people are gonna react coming from all over
the country. I mean seriously, they're gonna people like, what
are you talking about. I haven't worn a mask in
over a year, well than you know the fall. I
mean I Vegas. I was in Vegas in August July
when they when they their mass mandate went into effect

(01:28:51):
at twelve am on Friday morning. I was at a
bar at eleven fifty nine and at twelve and they
just had everyone a masks and put a mask on,
like you just have to do what the local orderance
hows you do, or just you can't be there. I
don't really tell you. Sorry, So anyway, you'll be interesting
to see if there are members of the media or

(01:29:12):
even aware. Well, it's it's clear as you apply for
your credential, Yes you need to be fully vaccinated and
you must have your booster shot if you wanted to.
Haven't radio row. I don't know if I'm going to
do it, to be honest with this year, you know,
I've covered twenty six super Bowl that's a lot of
Super Bowls year I haven't. I haven't covered a Super
Bowl since the game was up in the Bay Area.

(01:29:33):
A lot of it had to do with it doing
an afternoon show and it was on the East coast.
There will be nobody there. Now I got a similar
situation because during the week I do a morning show
and it's on the West coast. So I mean, what
kind of and who's gonna be coming down a radio row?
The usual suspects. And we also know this. When are
the two teams playing in the Super Bowl actually gonna

(01:29:56):
arrive in l A. Are they gonna do what they
did last year in Tampa? Tampa, of course was a
home team and the Chiefs didn't arrive till like a
day before. Are they going to do that again? Now?
Are they gonna hold out? They're not gonna expose those
players to members of the media. There's no chance they're
gonna do anything like that. They're gonna hold them off
as long as they possibly can. Know you're right, You're right, um,

(01:30:18):
And that's obviously well, it doesn't make for much of
a week on radio row. I mean, I'm not gonna
waste my time out there, like well, I'm I'm doing
shows there so for serious but like I'm not going
to I have this that what cares I have to side,
whether they're stayed in Santa Monico downtown. I'm like, what,
it's in the convengetion center. It's gonna be do you
think something one of those weeks by the way, where

(01:30:39):
there's no traffic. Everyone's like, I'm not gonna drive. I'm
not gonna drive. I don't know. Traffic has been pretty
fierce in l A recently. It's you know, like those
big weeks when they have events in Los Angeles. And
the legendary week was, and this is really dating myself,
the eighty four Olympics in l A. Everyone thought it
was gonna be an absolute nightmare. Everybody left town. It
was a ghost. It was comparable to the days after

(01:31:02):
the shutdown in March of when everybody was shut down.
It was nobody on the streets in l A. That's
what happened during the eighty four Summer Olympics. Nobody was here,
no years ago there working on the four or five
in the the past, and they said, like beware, worst
traffic everage. No one took the four or father, I'm
just gonna do that, like that will be this way.
For they had all they had all their news people,

(01:31:24):
they're standing by and there was nobody there because they
listened to the news. They didn't show up all right.
On the other Stidy, we're gonna get to another voice
in here talking about this incredible divisional weekend NFL playoffs,
which teams will emerge and face off in the conference
championship games. Fox Sports Radio, NFL Insider Adam Kaplan will

(01:31:44):
join us. Coming up next, Steve Harban Jeff Schwartz says
Fox Football Saturday. The Bengals have the ball to open
up the second half. They're moving right now. Burrow was
sacked for the sixth time. They're facing a third and five,
and they are uh inside the Titans thirty yard line.
So we're keeping an eye on that game. Joining us

(01:32:05):
right now to give us his thoughts on this game.
The remaining games this weekend, which teams are gonna end
up in the conference championship games are Fox Sports Radio,
NFL Insider Series x M NFL Adam Kaplan. So, Adam,
what was your takeaway from the first half of this
game between the Titans and the Bengals. Yeah, it was
a knockdown, drag out fight. I thought that Borrow, despite

(01:32:26):
his numbers, was not really comfortable. You talked about the
sack numbers. Some of them were on him holding on
the ball too long. Um. Some missed opportunities by both teams.
Kind of just more of defensive football. Uh. I love
that Titans drive for you know, eighty one yards for
the touchdown. I thought that was great. Shame may missed
the two point convertions. So it's been a tight game. Uh,
you know I did. I'll admit I did pick the

(01:32:47):
Titans to win. I actually picked I want six and
o versus the number uh last week. But this one
does not look good minus three and a half with
the Titans here. They gotta get things going here, and
I would I would expect that to happen. So Mike
Vrabel puts a little bit pressure on his coaches to
get things going. Back in when Tennessee made the run
to an FC championship game, Bryan Tannehill has seventy two

(01:33:08):
yards eighty yards, been two d and nine against the
Chiefs when they had to pass the ball a little
bit last year in the loss of the Ravens hundred
sixty five yards. Um. Is this is it is? Playoff? Tannehill?
Now a thing? Is this? Is this what Tennessee's offense
just becomes in the plus because he's just okay, he's
not an elite quarterback. He's not gonna make your offense
stop much better. Yeah, because he's another guy kind of

(01:33:29):
like Jared Goff. I've liken him to Jared Goff's gotten
the Super Bowl before. Everything's got to be done a
certain way. He has to work off of a great
run game. You don't want him throwing a lot. This
happened in Miami. We'd break down mentally and make mistakes. Yeah,
he look, the first play of the game, not a
great throw. Was not thrown in the right area. They
they've taken shot place in this game. They they hit one. Uh,

(01:33:52):
they missed a j Brown. He threw that long. It
just hasn't has not worked out yet in this game.
I would agree with your assessment. He's us a guy
that you don't want to put a lot on him.
In fact, I would think that the Times would tell
you that if they could get Towning, he'll throw the
ball twenty five times or less, they're probably going to
win the game. And right now, somewhere along the line,
you know he's gonna have to throw for them to

(01:34:14):
come back. And that's not a recipe that they want.
All right, let's talk about these other games coming up,
starting with tonight the Forts on the road against the Packers.
By all accounts, we know that regardless of what happens
to the forty Niners, Jimmy Garoppolo will not be their
starting quarterback this next year. Trey Lance will be. What
about Aaron Rodgers? Will Aaron Rodgers be the starting quarterback

(01:34:35):
of the Packers? Nexte Yes, Yes, everything, barring something highly unforeseen,
things are much better this time around. He actually he's
talked about how he's got a much better relationship with
the general manager, Brian guncust. Uh, it's everything is pretty
good right now. That that's the point of this is
that he's doing well now. The only way jim mcgaroppolo
could go back next year as a starter not only

(01:34:56):
would have to get the championship game, they probably would
have to get to the Super Bowl. Uh. The point
was that they drafted Tree Lance to be the guy.
They traded up significant compensation. Let's not forget about that
to get him as their guy. Um, you had the
nice start against the Texans, Let's not forget about that
was kind of overmatched earlier this season in Garoppolo his
manager of the game very well, but hasn't he has
a turnover in each one of his last three games.

(01:35:19):
That the last turnover that he had, which is a
bad throw. Garoppolo did say was impacted by that injured
right thumb. And you do wonder with this pack or
pass rush, which is going to be more fortified tonight
getting back a couple of better linebackers who could rush.
You do worry about that the more that he gets
hit by the way, Joe Mixon is just run for
a touchdown. So Cincinnati takes a fifteen is six league

(01:35:43):
penning the extra point, but Joe Mixon untouched and in
the end zone Bengals up nine overran times overran the
play um, Adam, can you recall a time where a
playoff team, let alone the one seed, kind of gets
back three all probe players, right, David Back, Dr jar
Xander and Zadarius Smith Like that? That'sn't hurt her? I

(01:36:05):
mean we ever see a team get healthier like to
that extent in the postseason. Well, plus they missed a
lot of time. And don't forget about Whitney Merciless who
was signed because of the aforementioned Zadarius Smith and mirthless
Marcialless was activated also off into reserve. So yeah, they're
good to go down back dr E. The question for
him is that cercially repaired ne gonna last. He only

(01:36:26):
worked once this week. He did play in week eighteen
versus the lines he played that first half of they
felt and he felt that he was ready to go.
So we'll see how he holds up tonight in Lambeau.
And that's a good game, by the way, and we
know that Rogers has not beating them in the playoffs,
but it he hasn't played him a tongue. He only
played him three times. But that'll be a fun game.
And I gotta give credit to the Niners last week.

(01:36:47):
What a great performance. I understand they almost choked it.
I'm sure they learned a lot from that. But uh
and and by the way, Nick Bosa cleared Fred Warners, Okay,
that was scary. I don't know. I think guys saw
that live. That looked like an a c L not
an ankle injury. But then goodness, who was his ankle
not his knee? And he will definitely play tonight. All right.
Bengals got the extra points, sixteen six Bengals total yards
in this game to seventy for Cincinnati one twenty nine

(01:37:10):
for the Titans. They gotta get something going offensively coming
up here soon. Um, let's talk about tomorrow. Jeff and
I were going back and forth about the whole dynamic
of the Bucks Rams game, Like, can you envision the
game being over and Stafford consoling Brady saying, you know,
it was just our day and I'm sorry that we

(01:37:31):
beat you and stuff like that. It just it's hard
to envision that, right. I mean, you got one guy
that's won thirty five playoff games against a guy that's
won one. So if the Rams are to prevail tomorrow
in Tampa, how will it happen? Can it happen? Hey? Can't.
I'm picking them straight up to win. I've felt that
way all week. The Bucks are gonna have Leonard front.

(01:37:54):
That's big. He is, by the way, their best past
protecting running back fact, one of the better past protecting
backs in league. It sounds hard to believe, but it's
actually true talking to people have coached him. That's big
for them. Uh. They come in not super healthy their
offensive line. They think they're going to have their key
offensive lineman for the game. Uh, these guys were able
to work yesterday. That was that was a big concern

(01:38:14):
this week with their offensive line injuries. But again, will
they last. Yeah, I'm picking the Rams to do it. Uh,
they cannot get behind. I don't want Stafford pressing in
this game. I want to stay aheaded down. Don't ask
him to overdo and have to throw forty times, you know,
to close the season he had I don't know if
you know this, he had a but like seven turnovers
and uh, I think about last five games. That does

(01:38:35):
worry me a little bit when you when you ask
him to do too much. But he's been great. I
mean he had forty total touchdowns on the regular season.
It's kind of about what we expected. And O. B
J Is starting to get himself together with Stafford, their
defensive line. That here's where I think it's gonna be one,
you know, to move this forward. Here the Bucks, excuse me,
the the Rams d line, the front seven versus the
Bucks veteran offensive line that's banged up. That it's to

(01:38:57):
me the difference in the game here where the Rams
were just mothered Kyler Murray last week. Yeah, they did Um,
get into the nightcap tomorrow that I think we all
feel is the a f C Championship game. Right, it's
gonna be. It's fantastic. But but Adam, can you tell
me what Buffalo team is showing up? Is it the
week eight team Buffalo team or the week night team

(01:39:18):
Buffalo team? Because that would change the way I feel
about this game. Do you do you know which one
will show up? Yeah? Well, look they did, you know,
and despite um kind of how they they close, I
mean they did win. I mean they did finish the
season well enough. I mean they won five in a
row final four games for the regular season, they won
their last game where they just annihilated the Patriots. But

(01:39:38):
then you have the two losses. You know, I know
you're a firm of that week's thirteen or fourteen where
they didn't play well. Now, for one of the games
is the win game and at home against New England
where they couldn't throw the ball like they like to
and Mac Jones wanted to throw the ball three times.
But that Bucks game, their defense is terrible. And the
one issue that I have with the Bills, and it's
gonna come up this week, the loss such for Davious White,

(01:39:59):
the one of the best quarters in the league. It
has not gotten them yet. It's going to get them
in this game. But can they slow down Tyreek Kill?
That to me is the matchup of the game. Uh,
if they could, if they could slow down Tyree Kill,
they're going to win the game. That that to me.
They cannot let him go wild. And I'm you know
any readers, by the way, rain this offense in there
not take as many shot plays downfield. It's been a

(01:40:20):
lot of short to intermediate to help my homes and
delimit his mistakes. All right now, if I'm right, Adam,
you and I were in accord going into the season.
We both had a rematch the last year's Super Bowl, right,
Bucks and cheese. I do have a freakish memory. But anyway,
Bucks and cheese. And yet you're already telling me the
Bucks are going to change my What do you do?

(01:40:40):
We are going to change your mind on the Chiefs.
I mean no, but I think that the way that
the Bills are playing, their offensive line, by the way,
it really coming together. Uh. This will be their four
straight game playing the same unit. They feel really good about.
They have a running game which they didn't have earlier
the season, the Chiefs running run defense. You never know
from week to week if it's going to show up.
And how about the weather being in the mid thirties

(01:41:01):
tomorrow night in case, very little unexpected, no snow, nothing
unless it changes, of course, so weather should not be
a factor tomorrow night. That's fantastic. Looking at a big
picture of NFL, there's a there's eight coaching jobs open.
No one's been hired yet. Are you surprised as someone
waiting to to blink first? Obviously some teams are still
hiring general managers. Um, the Giants just hired Joe Shane

(01:41:25):
and I believe it feels like the Ryan Poles from
the Chiefs will be hired by someone at some point. Poles,
I believe, Um, you know what are what are we
waiting for? Like? When are someone gonna hire somebody? Yeah?
I mean, look, Todd Balls had his interview with the
Bears this weekend. Uh, he's he's looking at a lot
of opportunities here. Leslie Fraser's a d C of the

(01:41:46):
Bill's ark. The enemy is out there? Who's coaching? Also,
some of these guys are coaching, but yeah, it what
they're doing is they're trying to wrap up all these
second the second interviews for the guys who are final
us where they're gonna be hired next week. We should
have I would say lee five to six of the
head coaches hired. But the other thing is, you know,
you gotta get the GM hired first. That's the key
here is to get that guy done. Because Joe Shane's

(01:42:08):
gonna pick his guy who who he knows. By the way,
he says he's not doing that, but I believe if
people close to him tell me right it's it's gonna
be table Floors. He has a relationships with both guys.
We'll see. I don't eat nothing's done. I don't wanna
say something's done. My money would be on table. But
nothing is done. And you know, Flores gets it. Hey,

(01:42:28):
Flores has got a shot, by the way, a bunch
of jobs, and to get a second shot after what
happened in Miami. Wow, the Titans just got a big run.
But it wasn't Derrick Henry. It's form and forty five
yard run all the way down to the Bengals ten
yard lines. So we talked about how the Titans had
to answer back here Adam and they're doing it in
a big way. I'm intercepted by the Bagels. Ryan Tannehill

(01:42:52):
just got intercepted on a little that is on leable.
That could be it. That can be a sorry about that.
That's bad, by the way. So what happened. There was
Mike Kelton, who's one of the better slack corners in
the league. You'll see him here. He was up and
he deflected it up in the air. He saw exactly
what's gonna happen. And you gotta give him credit. I mean,

(01:43:12):
you gotta gi him credit. But there's a flag. We'll
see what the flag is. But that that's devastating because
you know they're going to score right there. And Deonte
Foreman was the running back number seven, who's the backup.
This is bad, as Jeff brought up, man, this is
not good for Ryan Tannehill to be behind. That is
really devastating. Alright, we got unsportsmanlike conduct on the Bengals
after the interception, so it will be Bengals ball. Uh wow, unbelievable. Unbelievable.

(01:43:39):
This just means that Chiefs the host championship game. Yeah, oh,
you're picking the kay Okay, we'll say, well, he homes
hard for the chief. That's okay, you know. I mean, look,
it's a great game, and he's gaming. He's trying to
convince himself that that was a mirrage what the Bills
did to the Patriots. Okay, and that was awesome. That
just not happen. Touchdowns seven. First team in the history

(01:44:01):
of the NFL to go an entire game without a
fourth down. I didn't hundred years of NFL football, no
team had ever gone. Yeah, but no, well that's insane.
But look, I can't wait for that game, folks. It's
it's you know, no matter who you root for, you
saw what the Bills did in Kansas c early season.
Mckenseye was without a bunch of players in that game.
So so they're all back and we will see what happens.

(01:44:24):
Adam great stuff has always enjoyed the football man. We'll
talk to you next week. It sounds good, Adam Kaplan
joining us there all Frour Sports Radio, NFL Insider. Now,
let's find out what's trending as we turn back to
David gyas God, can you believe that play after the
forty five yard run by Deante Foreman, a little swing
pass tipped up intercepted by the Bengals, and those two

(01:44:46):
things that when I look at in games like if
I'm ever in doubt, take the home team, but an
elite quarterback or an above average quarterback is the difference maker,
especially when it comes postseason action. And I think for
all the credit that Burro got during the regular season,

(01:45:07):
I think you should get more regardless that they win
or loose today, just because of how much she was
under dressed in the opening half and sacked five times.
They lead with three field goals. Yeah, I mean that
dude's operating in a telephone booth at times and he's
still making plays. Tannehill has been awful in this game.

(01:45:27):
In fact, the one past completion to forty one yards
a J. Brown Brown was literally wide open, like there
was no one within five yards of him. Um. Tannehill
has been just terrible in this game. Seven of fourteen
nine two yards, two picks. He's been sacked once. I
mean this Tennessee has a ten yards rushing They have

(01:45:50):
more rushing yards than Tannehill has passing yards. Awful, awful, awful, awful,
Um sixteen six right now, and Joe Mixon was the
one that made it that under center. Vixon back in
it running back. It's a run to the right for Mixing.
Come back to the lefties at the table toward the
pie right in the five hi step into the end zone. Touchdown.

(01:46:12):
Joe Mixing and the Bengals Bengals Radio network so on
the outside. Tee Higgins six grabs eighty three yards. Chase
only has one reception for fifty seven, but Burrow t
seven to sixties six. It's been sacked six times in
this game, but since today has the football at their
twenty four yard line with the advantage sixteen six right

(01:46:34):
now is a score. There's still plenty of time. There's
about six and a half minutes to play in the
third quarter. As you guys had mentioned, San Francisco and
Green Bay tonight, Nick Bosta will be playing, Fred Warner
will be playing as well. Packers five and a half
point favorites in that affair. Uh Bill's Chiefs Tomorrow Rams
and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The same college basketball going on
right now. L s U and Tennessee eVols leading seventeen twelve. Earlier,

(01:46:57):
though Kansas and Kansas State right side, oh he shoots
Hey Star ares a difference maker in that one's Kansas
came from behind to beat Kansas State by merr three points.
Get a little worried, Steve, if you're a Titans fan, right,
more than they look, they have not woken up. They

(01:47:19):
I mean, their defensive front has been dominant at times.
Obviously with the six sacks, they've had some big hits.
Um But I mean we we were talking, you know,
for the last couple of weeks. I mean, how did
Tennessee get a one seed. Then we mentioned the fact
that they beat the Bills, they beat the Chiefs, they
beat the Rams, they beat thet Niners. They won eight
games this year against teams that ended the season with

(01:47:41):
winning records, so they've had quality wins. But they lost
to the Jets, they lost to the Texans, and right
now they look awful in this game against the building. Well,
don't forget that game that they wont in primetime here
in l A. That had nothing to do with their offense.
That was all Matthew Stafford and pick sick this. Yeah,
that was a weird game. Awful. Yeah, that was one

(01:48:03):
of those like what is he doing just throwing the
ball up for grabs out there? All right? David great
Stuff has always appreciate that. Alright. So sixteen six now
Cincinnati leading Tennessee. We're approaching the five minute mark in
the third quarter. Bengals had a third and six and
it's incomplete, so I got a fourth down. Now, Titans

(01:48:24):
defense is playing good. I mean they are the thing
about the Titans defenses, they are physical. Man, they hit. Uh.
They very much reflect the uh, the personality of their coach,
Mike Vrabel. I mean, this team hits. The offenses. Just
get a drive here this well they had to ding.

(01:48:45):
They actually had to drive going. Foreman had that forty
five yard run just put him at the ten yard line.
And then it was almost a freakish play that was
tipped up and intercepted by the Bengals. So the Bengals
are punting the ball back to the Titans. We're gonna
get well, not great field position ball. Tiensers need what
they need here obviously. If they can get points like

(01:49:05):
this is gonna make the entire defense and makes everyone
everyone fired up. Like if they get something going here,
you know, take four or five minutes, go down the field,
um and um and and do that like that, you
have a j Brown and Julio Jones. It's not like
you don't have targets to throw the ball to, right.

(01:49:27):
I mean, these are elite receivers A J. Brown and
Julio Jones. I just don't understand what they're not able
to do more with those two guys. So look, I
it's obviously we're watching on the TV. I've not watched
on with this game. I'm sure other people will figure
out sooner than I have. But and Mike Vabels, actually
he's a no right when he's gotten more than eight
days rest. This hasn't been an issue. But I've always
felt that teams off of buy sometimes, especially in college football,

(01:49:51):
win it's bowl season. Is they spend so much time
in the building they come up with a bunch of
random stuff to run an offense that doesn't really work.
Like they spend so much time talking about plays and
meeting about plays that they just forget to run what
they're good at. And I feel like that the opening

(01:50:12):
drive of the second half, Tennessee just came out and
ran with they're good at. I think you keep doing that,
And now they obviously have an opportunity right here to
cut this to a one score game. And they can
do that. Obviously with the way that their defense is playing.
Their defense is really giving up one long run and
one lark pass like that. Their defense has been fine,
especially when you're playing the Bengals offense. So Tennessee scores here,

(01:50:33):
you feel better about Tennessee being able to uh to
win this game or even get to see what I'm curious,
what is the I have Tennessee minus two and a half.
I got them right on Sunday. I'm curious what the
live line is because um plus one seventy four for
them on the money line. That feels like a decent wager, right,
I think gonna come back and win this game. You think,
what do you think? Well, let's before before the foreman

(01:50:56):
forty five yard run, Derrick Henry actually had a couple
of decent un um it seemed like, oh, in fact,
before we even because we were in our conversation with
Adam Kaplan, I was about to say that, hey, here
we go, like, Derrick Henry is running the ball with authority,
had like a nine yard run and at seven yard run.

(01:51:16):
Now you're starting to see and then Forman just breaks
one off, and now you're like, all right here we go,
they can answer back, They're gonna get a touch down.
Then you get this freak interception, Tennessee gets the ball back. So, uh,
this drive will determine a lot right at the five
minute mark in the third quarter right now, But based
on what I saw at the beginning of that last drive,
if they're able to now run the ball on Cincinnati,

(01:51:37):
it just shocking to me though, because this Bengals defense,
it's really at no point, really distinguished themselves this year.
There's nothing special about the Bengals defense. I've teen seen
teams run on their defense. I've seen teams passed on
their defense. They've had a lot of shootout games. Lesser
offenses have been effective. And yet maybe you said something

(01:51:59):
that is holding true that maybe Tennessee is overthinking here
and let's let's just get back to what you do well,
run the football. I mean, if the Bengals stop them, great,
then then they then they just beat you. But that
getting away from what it is you do just because
you thought we might see something here, see something there. No,
I mean, there's still plenty of time. Here's a ten

(01:52:21):
point deficit, four and a half minutes to go in
the third quarter, So I expect Tennessee to come out
and just run the ball right down their throat, and
they are, I mean, staffolder left guard just launched someone.
I mean the offense line is kind of getting juiced
up right now. You can kind of we call it
like getting a ladder, like a lather going. He kind
of get you get all hot and laddered up in
the shower. Its kind of feels like what the offense

(01:52:41):
line is kind of lathering up now right there, just
kind of running that zone right yeah, yeah, yeah. You
all go in one direction right and you're all stuff
in your left foot if run off the ball, go
to the right foot, right right side, right right, just
and they're giving the ball to Derrick Henry. I mean
a couple of ten yards right there. Another first down
for the uh the Titans. So they they're moving the
ball right now neary midfield. By the way, in this game,

(01:53:02):
Derrick Henry now is up to fifteen carries for sixty
one yards better than four yards and carry and uh
now a little play action and this is this is
word Tanney Hill excels. They're gonna go deep, wide open,
wide open. Is that a J Brown? It is a
J Brown? Wide open over the middle. Big game for
the Titans. Now deep into Cincinnati territory. There you go,

(01:53:24):
there we go. See the plus one seventy four wager.
I took I took him on. I told you I
was doing it. It It feels it feels much better. It's
not gonna be one seventy four now. Um, I think
Tennessey can still win this game. They just offensively again,
I mean, this is what their offense is. Is this
just these deep passes, right, I mean that's it's deep passes,
and it's the ability to run the football. Um, this
is what it is. Man. And obviously their defense being

(01:53:45):
able to harass Joe Burrow has been very important this game.
But this does feel like the drive. If Tennessee is
gonna win this game, this has to be the driver
where they get points, preferbably a touchdown, because it's you know,
you're down three full quarter left. Your defense will start
playing a little bit better, just as kind of you
get um again, I mean, defense is such an emotional position.
They played better when the offense is better. The offense

(01:54:06):
can play fine with the defense being bad. But I
think the defense, just the defense have come out if
they score a touchdown here man with their hair on fire, right,
they're gonna come out just like boom boom boom. So
that's why I think it's so important in the score
here all right. Right now we're at the two mark
and the third quarter and they are down to the
twenty yard line of the Bengals. So Tennessee, they've got

(01:54:28):
to take advantage. No more mistakes for them. They want
to get back in this game against the Bengals. And
Tannehill is throwing one over the middle. It's dropped and
a poorly throwing ball to A J. Brown was behind him.
So now they have a third and nine. Al right
on the other side, we're gonna get Jeff picks all right,
he's ready to roll tonight's game, the two games tomorrow
best bets according to Jeff Schwartz coming up next, he's

(01:54:52):
a thick guy from the waist down. Oh yes, stay
are but at Jeff Schwartz. By the way, we're brought
to by of our favorite cities, Las Vegas, greatest arena
on Earth. Every game, match, racing, competition, it is always on.
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today at visiting Las Vegas dot com. All right, we

(01:55:14):
got a call in the field. We've watched replays over
and over again. There was a tip pass intercepted. The
ruling on the field was an interception by the Tennessee
Titans Tralian in this game sixteen and nine a minute
nineteen to go on the third quarter, and it was
one of those plays that, Wow, you can interpret that
so many different ways. Does he hooker have controllable as

(01:55:36):
it's hitting the ground? I think this is a cat.
I agree with you. I don't know what the NFL
is gonna do. Remember the threshold is there has to
be what indisputable video evidence to overturn the Calmba field right,
and the field was an interceptionion. Obviously this could be
a huge play. When I thank the crew by the
way today, Iowa, Sam, how do your Hawkeyes do today?

(01:55:59):
They went again? They did, They took down lowly Penn State.
I'd also like say, this is the seven year anniversary
of this. I don't want anyone touching the balls after that.
I don't want anyone shrubbing him. To me, those balls
are perfect seven year anniversary. What we're saying it was
the end of Tom Brady and of Tom right, he'll
be suspended for life now he's he's still here with us.
He actually want a Super Bowl that year. So I

(01:56:20):
recall um coming back line to thank Gaston, of course,
David Gaston, do you want a tremendous job? And and
Danny g Ultimately, who do you want your next quotes
of the Raiders to be? What's your number one choice,
Danny g number one draft pick Jim Harbaugh, And uh,
number two for me would be Rich Posaccio, really good,

(01:56:40):
really low on the list. Josh McDaniels. Man. You know,
my lasting memory of Josh McDaniels is the Raiders whoop
it on him in Denver, like fifty nine to nothing
or something like that, and he just had a blank
stare on his face on the sideline. That's my lasting memory.
You're still holding out hope that sem Jim Harbor is
gonna go all right. The ruling on the field is interception,

(01:57:06):
so it is Titans ball right now. That was a
tremendous play by a moning hooker right there for that interception,
So now, uh, Titans can tie this up. By the way,
on the previous drive, I don't get it yet. Third
and nine at the twenty yard lights, you're already very
much in field goal position, and you throw a pass
in the middle of the field for four yards instead

(01:57:27):
of you know, I don't know, trying to get a
first down. And it was I watched plays like that,
and I'm like, what are they doing alright? Balls at
the twenty seven yard line right now, and uh, first
play Derrick Henry just got caught for a one yard loss.
Uh big big injury news by the way, for the
game tonight. Yes, it's David buck tr not playing for

(01:57:49):
the Packers, not playing for the Packs. Obvious he played
last week. So I'm like, I am I just let me,
let me go over these games each one these games
coming up and give us your play of big play
and you like, uh, whether it's the over under points,
but whatever it is, what is the best play for
tonight's game, Packers hosting. I like Aaron Rodgers under passing

(01:58:13):
yards tonight. UM. The forty Niners have held most of
their opponents this year. I think everyone but four opponents
this year UM under their their average passing average. Aaron
Rodgers this year, it's only averaging two or fifty seven
yards per game. You know, they like to run the football,
especially the end of games when they're winning. They just
kind of run the clock out right, they just run
the football. Uh, to me, this is just Aaron Rodgers

(01:58:36):
is just gonna throw. You know, he'll be he'll be
seventeen of twenty seventeen one two hundred and thirty five
yards and they'll win. You know, they're run the ball
with Dylan and and Jones and they'll just win the
game like right, like nothing crazy. That feels like so
to me it's Rogers because the five and a half
kind of a weird walking number. I tease the Packers

(01:58:57):
down to a pick um um with ten to see.
I tease them through. We have a touchdown touchdown Titans
Brown on the receiving end of a Tannehill pass, and
we are kick away from a tie game. Of course,
if Tennessee had gone for the extra point earlier in
the game, they would be able to take the lead

(01:59:18):
right now, but they decided to go for two and
did not get it. But touchdown pass to A J. Brown,
and just like that, this game is about to be tossed.
Not even a good pass. If this ball way behind them.
But b J. Brown, nice, what a catch, man. There's
nothing to do. If you're a corner with that ball
behind your back shoulder like that, you can't do anything
about that. It's impossible. All right now, Tomorrow, Rams Bucks,

(01:59:41):
give us a play for that game. I like Gronkowski
props um. You know Mike Evans struggles against Jalen Ramsey.
I just think Gronk targets Uh, it's targeted by by
Tom Brad. I like the Bucks. My institu and a
half to um under feels very appropriate that game too.
I think I would rank them like Gronk, and then

(02:00:03):
Gronk prop Tampa minus two and a half or three,
and then obviously um the under would be my third
place for that game. And then very quickly here Jeff
Tomorrow's game. They were only game that really matters. Chief's
minus two, minus one and a half whatever it is. Yeah,
you can't believe they're only like a one a half
two point favorite. So that Bill's team that dismantled New

(02:00:25):
England is not going to show up, that's what you're saying. No,
they're not. No, all right, the extra point. It's good
we're tied at sixteen is gonna be a fun We
can keep it here in Fox Sports Radio

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