Colin's top takes of the week.
He's joined by John Middlekauff, host of “3 and Out” to break down the NFL & college football playoff.
They start with the Eagles holding off a late rally by the Bills to win in Buffalo and agree the Bills are entirely too Josh Allen dependent when he’s clearly not 100%, and discuss the hot/cold nature of the Eagles offense. They both agree the Bills look like a one and done team in the playoffs (3:00).
They move to the Steelers loss to the Browns putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy and point to DK Metcalf’s suspension making their offense completely inept and discuss whether Mike Tomlin’s tenure in Pittsburgh has run its course (15:45).
They move to the College Football Playoff and start with Indiana’s blowout of Alabama. Colin explains why Curt Cignetti’s coaching has produced a Hoosier team that’s great in every facet of the game (29:00). They also break down what makes Fernando Mendoza such a great quarterback (35:00).
Finally, they recap Miami’s thumping of Ohio State and Colin predicts the Hurricanes will meet Indiana in the championship game. They credit Mario Cristobal’s recruiting prowess for building a physically imposing roster full of NFL talent (41:45).
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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All right, wow, just the ending. The game just ended.
Philadelphia holds on to beat the Bills thirteen to twelve.
(01:35):
I like the idea, as John Middlecoff joins me, former
NFL scout, I like the idea going for it for two.
I think when you're the home team, you got to
go for it. You have Josh Allen, you have momentum,
You've dominated the second half. I mean, I don't did Philadelphia,
what do they have seventeen yards in the second half. Like,
I like, let's start with that. I like going for it.
(01:55):
I think that's the play at home.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, I think you go for it, especially because win
or lose, you're not going to win the division with
the Patriots playing the Dolphins next week, so you're locked
into a wild card. I think the way you look
at it now, you're in that position because your field
goal unit couldn't convert an extra point, right, And you
could also argue, you know, the Eagles, they had nine
more first downs the Bills did than the Eagles. Yet
(02:18):
the Eagles going into the fourth quarter up thirteen to nothing,
I thought in the first half, I mean, they're just
getting worked. If you would have told me with going
into the fourth quarter that the Bills would have a chance,
I get, it's only thirteen to nothing, but the way
they look Josh Allen was empty to have a chance
to win the game pretty remarkable. I mean, the guy's
kind of superhuman.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
I mean, listen, the Eagles had four defensive players make
the Pro Bowl, the Bills didn't have any. Cooper Degen
today was unbelievable. It was all over the field. I mean,
I think we could both admit this is that Philadelphia's
got the better roster. I mean, they really do they.
I mean, they're not shs. I think, like I'm the
same thing. They don't have a defensive pro bowler in Buffalo.
You know, once again, the Eagles, I thought the first
(02:58):
half it was a complete mismatch. I'm like, are they
going to win this in like twenty seven to three?
But again, I think Philadelphia and you can complain about it,
but they got really conservative. Their takeaway was We're gonna
make them drive down the field. I mean, you could
argue that Brandon Cook's catch and the Shavers catch, you know,
those are really uniquely not lucky. These are pro athletes.
(03:22):
Brandon Cook's been around the league, bounced around forever. But
you may not complete. If you did that five times
with that coverage with both, you wouldn't get completion.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
They ran a hooking ladder on the last drive. Colin.
It looked like Boise State against Oklahoma.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I mean, three really tough plays for Josh Allen, the interception,
the huge loss on the sack, and then the miss
two point conversion. So again, but they put so much
on Josh Allen. At one point they took a shot
of the offensive coordinator upstairs and Josh had missed on something.
They're kind of complaining, like what are you doing, Josh,
And I'm thinking, guys, this is an average roster. You
(03:58):
have a good left tackle and James Cook's a nice player.
That wide receiving corps is Hamminegger's. I mean, that's just
bounced around the league, guys. I was surprised Brandon Cooks
was thinking to retire in years ago. You know, he
had some concussion issues. He's a real grinder, loves the game.
But a lot of people thought years ago he was
gonna leave just because the concussions. But he bounces around
because he's a good teammate, hard worker, diligent. As Tom
(04:20):
Brady talked about the broadcast, but I don't know. I
watched that game. You know, it's funny. In the first half,
I thought Hurts made really good throws, crappy weather. I
would like a couple of them like to AJ Brown
were even the incompletion what looked like AJ Brown's and
was being held. I'm like, boy, Jalen is in a rhythm.
But it's weird with Philadelphia, John, you know it, well,
it just dies the offense just dies.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well, their offensive line is not as good, so they
can't just lean on the run game. I mean that's
a killer for them. Last year, they could just hammer
Saquon and he would go. He had nineteen for sixty eight.
The twenty twenty four version of this team, I think
he has twenty carries for one hundred and fifty yards.
You know, I think that's the difference. They just can't
lean on you and he's not breaking off these forty
yard runs and just ending the game, which he was
(05:05):
doing last year. I'm with you. The first half. My
takeaway was I don't know if I'd want to play
this Eagle team. I mean, because Jalen Carter's back. Their
defensive line looks fantastic. Yea, the Hunt kid, who I
think is a third rounder. You got Jordan Davis, you
got you know, Bond the linebacker. Their DB's like you said,
degene Vic Fangio, You're like, just shoot, it is fantastic.
(05:27):
And offensively, there's no disputing their talent, you know. AJ
Devonte Goddard, oh yeah, had that touchdown. I mean I
thought the play calling on the one drive. Even Tom
Brady was like they you know, they ran like a
AJ Brown on a big post to the left, and
then they had a play action play they got him
a first or a touchdown. It was like, you know,
when they run drives, well, you go, this is one
of the best teams in the league. And then they
(05:49):
have halves where they get seventeen yards with a fifty
million dollar quarterback to thirty million dollar wide receivers and
a twenty five million dollar running back. It doesn't really
make sense, but it happens over and over.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Well, when they get leads and get conservative, what they
do is stop throwing to AJ Brown, like AJ Brown
in the first half, crucial second half, where's AJ Brown?
Why aren't you throwing the ball to AJ Brown? He
is a much better athlete than the guy's covering in
the secondary. Like, it's one thing if you don't want
to throw the ball to the bill receivers because the
two Pro Bowl corners to the Eagles in the pass rush.
(06:23):
But if you're Philadelphia, throw the ball to AJ Brown.
He's dealing with guys that aren't in his class. So
it's just you know, it's in the second half. I
wrote it down here with eleven minutes left in the
fourth quarter, Hurts was zero for six, and I'm like,
they were doing all this smart short stuff in the
first half, getting Aj Goddard like really clever stuff, three
step drop, get it up, and just stop doing it.
(06:45):
I was like, just go back to the stuff you
were doing in the first half. So that's one of
the reasons I don't think Philadelphia wins the Super Bowl
is I don't every Seattle's about the only team that
doesn't have a huge hole. That doesn't mean Seattle's great,
that a bunch of stuff, but they don't have a
huge hole. Texans offense, you know, rams special teams. The
Eagles have these halves where they just don't throw the
(07:09):
ball to Aj Brown.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah I missed, I'm with you. One note I had
at halftime was Jalen is playing really well making Pro
Bowl level throws. Yes, you know in those conditions too.
So part of the reason it was so impressive. You're
going to this place that has some of the worst
weather in America. It's pouring rain. Brady keeps harping on it.
These guys where the wrong gloves, balls are going right through.
(07:33):
The Eagles are just dialed in moving the ball, you know,
at will relative to them their quarterbacks and complete controlling
their defense. You know that play you mentioned when Josh
Allen scrambled around and got sacked. I could kind of
live with that. It's like, yeah, Steph Curry's going to
miss some thirty five foot threes. He takes a lot
of them. You know, they have to. He makes a
lot of those plays into touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know, I don't think he takes that sack if
he's psychologically believed in his ross. I think Josh feels
like I've got to make a play. I mean, that
receiving core is just not good. I mean, it's funny
we thought New England had this bad receiving corps this year.
I look at New England's I'm like Williams a big
(08:15):
booty Diggs and I'm like, no, it's fine. It's actually
really good, even compared to like average receiving. Course, Buffalo's
maybe the most average in the league. I think Josh,
when I watched that sack, I'm like, you can't take
that sack, And I was thinking about it. He's like, well,
I have to take one or two of those game.
I have to make some big I mean, they're big plays.
(08:36):
Think about it. Hook and lateral clever call, and then
two deep balls. One felt like luck and the other
one was a I don't remember the last time Brandon
Cook had a catch that big and that good in
the game, Like that's their offense kind of like sometimes
it's just you have to generate it doing either unique
stuff or you feel like they had. They got a
(08:56):
pass interference break. I didn't like that call at all.
That and then they got the ball down the right
sideline the next play. That was a weird drive. Until
that point, they didn't really have they didn't threaten much.
And the other thing is even when going for two,
I'm like, I wasn't sure they were gonna make it
on the sneak. I'm like, oh, I, this is a
(09:18):
fifty to fifty propositions totally.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And let's be real too. Was it the Browns game
where he kind of did that move and rolled his
ankle It almost was a safety. He clearly rolls his
ankle again. I mean, he's kind of like a younger
version back when Cam what is his prime It's hard
to tell what percentage he is, but he's clearly not
one hundred percent run around out there, and I just
think that listen. I think it would be an incredible story.
(09:44):
I'm a huge Josh Allen fan. It's hard to watch
that team and go. They got three victories to the
super Bowl with that roster, the way they play, how
dependent they are on him to be Superman, where he's
probably seventy eighty percent and the roster around him. If
you can just sell out, if James Cook is not
gonna get I would say one hundred and twenty plus yards.
(10:05):
Their receivers. I mean, they got their tight ends okay,
and obviously they had an injury today, but their offensive
lines that's another issue. Today. Halfway through the game, when
the Eagles were really humming, they felt a little bit
like again it was a Thursday night game. But the
Texans have an elite pass rush. Remember that Thursday night game.
I remember Budding in the league text me, if you
sack Josh seven, eight, nine times, that might as well
(10:26):
be twenty five because he's a hard guy to sack.
And today they sacked them five times. Against a normal quarterback,
that number is probably like eight or nine. And there
were a couple times late in the game where he's
making some great plays getting out of it. I mean
the Eagles are all over this guy. I just think
their offensive line underrated part not playing that well. I
don't know if guys are banged up, they are just
(10:48):
not as dialed and he is under constant pressure against
the better competition. It's listen, you're not gonna bet against them,
probably in the first round. We'll have to see who
they end up playing, especially if they get to see
or the Ravens. But I just I have a hard
time seeing this team run.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I think Denver would beat him. I think Jacksonville would
beat him. I think, listen, everybody thinks.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Kick their ass on a Thursday night gear.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah. And by the way, you know, I watched New
England today. I mean New England's had one bad half
in three months at Buffalo. They had a great first
half in that game, controlled it. They had a terrible
second half against Buffalo, but the but the previous three
quarters against Buffalo they were the better team. Yeah, I
can see Buffalo being a one and done tea. I've
(11:37):
I've had him in the hurt hierarchy around eight nine, ten.
I just I just it's hard for me. I just
I think Josh Allen and their left tackle and James
Cook but I again, I'll give them credit. I thought
the hook con lateral was such a clever call. It
was so smart. But again, you had to kind of
go to an exotic. You had to go to a
trick play because you can't trust any receivers down the field.
(11:59):
I mean, honestly, at the end of that game, I
felt that Buffalo was lucky to be going for the win.
I didn't think.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Totally. I mean they had I thought they got worked
in the first half. I mean, it was thirteen to nothing,
but you're playing the Eagles, just don't score that many points.
It felt like they were just overwhelming you with the
talent gap and your quarterback. You know, he was having,
for his standards, not as great as game as he
sometimes has, and you have no chance. Your defense actually
(12:27):
played pretty well in the second half, but still, I mean,
to score well. They end up scoring twelve points at home.
I mean, it's just it's tough, you know, man, It's
and Colin, they had zero for the majority of the game.
You know, this is part of the weather, and this
is kind of I was really young with those Martin
Levy teams, but they were a tough, physical team with
(12:49):
a dominant running back that they leaned on and then
Jim Kelly could make big plays. Obviously, Josh, you know
it is much more mobile, I think than that version
of Jim Kelly. But you got it. And this is
the Packers problem, you know. Historically sometimes those Rogers teams,
your weather should be in your advantage to play like
the Eagles, We're just gonna overwhelm you physically and lean
(13:09):
on you and ugly up the game. Well, the Bills
don't want to play that way. The Bills want to
play in a dome like like the Lions or something. Right,
They would love to just sling that thing around. And
even Brady mentioned that the oc for the Bills are like,
we don't want to get into a place where we're
just passing a NonStop. It will not go well for us.
So he knows. But the problem is that they you
(13:30):
neutralize the run a little bit, and Josh's run because
he's rolled up his ankle, he's not a huge threat
in this game against them, their team speed is excellent.
All of a sudden, it's like, God, your offense looks putrid.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Listen, they might play New England.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
They might play New England. As of right now, again,
these teams might throw and they're technically the set. They're
the seventh seed at you know, Texans are the five,
the Chargers are the six, and the Bills are the seven.
So if they if they go to New England, even
if they play the Jags as the six' to, three
it would not stun me at all if they're a
one and done, team which is crazy to, say because
(14:06):
they have this quarterback in his.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Prime All, Right, cleveland their biggest win in a long
time at, home beats The steelers thirteen to. Six So
pittsburgh will Face baltimore for the division title In week.
Eighteen what a mess this? Is it was so Classic.
Tomlin tomlin has THERE i want to read. This this record,
is this record is. Crazy The steelers are winless o
(14:33):
four and one in the past five games against teams
entering eight plus games below five, hundred longest STREAKING nfl.
History So mike's a, motivator but it doesn't work when
they face an awful, team right. That mike's always been
a great. Underdog but When mike's a big favorite or
a favorite against the crappy, team his motivational raw ross
(14:55):
stuff doesn't. Work you just it was one of those, Game,
james this is Why seattle got rid OF Dk. Metcalf
SO dk doesn't play there because he's suspended for the
altercation of the fan and the Reason, darnold by the,
way IN jsn now are a, great great. Combination but
they got rid OF dk BECAUSE dk could BE i
(15:15):
was told. Maintenance he he you, know didn't run the
specific route. Treat he was a big play. Guy but
they thought there was some maintenance WITH.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Dk he didn't leave the league in personal fouls for
like a two year stretch.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And penalties for a. Receiver so because he punches a,
guy he's. Out and you saw today they there's a
Reason Aaron rodgers doesn't throw the ball down the. Field
they have a really weak receiving core AFTER Dk metcalf
just tight Ends Friar moose. Excellent but you know you're
watching them today and you're, like they're zero and two
in the red. ZONE i don't know why they were
(15:47):
picking On Denzel ward three straight times at the end
of the. Game it's probably the last corner On cleveland
i'd pick. ON i didn't get that at. All but
if you TOOK Dk metcalf, out you, Know it's just
this is So Mike. Tomlin a week, ago we're celebrating
this great, victory and then you watch the next week
and you're, like as a favorite against the bad, team
(16:09):
and you're, like they laid a complete.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
EGG i, Mean colin they scored six points in a
game where they win, it they win the. DIVISION i
mean they scored six points a goal.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
For two scoring. It they got two, turnovers didn't score
on either one against a bad.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Team they're playing a three to Twelve Cleveland brown team
with you, know their star running back that they just
drafted broke his leg last. Week he's. Gone this is
a team that couldn't really run the ball. Today chadors
throwing them the ball through the multiple, picks tried to
throw another. ONE i, think you, know one of the linebackers.
DROPPED i thought today was pretty. Embarrassing it was as
(16:45):
just a football, consumer it was a hard game to.
Watch it was.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Ugly and Give cleveland. Credit first two drives That's Kevin.
Stefanski that's on. Script those first two drives for schadur In.
Cleveland they march right down the field, again that's on.
Script that's that's WHERE i Think stefanski's really. Good these young,
quarterback especially rookie, quarterbacks they really rely on those first
couple of drives like that's a big. Part SO i,
(17:10):
MEAN i JUST i think that was.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Big, Though. COLIN i, mean, NOW, dk it's not like
they get him back next. Week he's. Gone and the
big tight, End Darnell washington broke his. Arm SO i
don't know how you play with a broken. Arm seven days,
LATER i would imagine he's out so here relying On
Scotty miller. Mvs. WHO i think we could argue how
good he ever, was but definitely at this point in,
time not. Great you, know if you just kind of
(17:32):
can neutralize those two running. Backs their offense was. Awful
now The browns defense came to play today and these,
games but you can you can get after you, Know
aaron that they were hitting him a, lot he was
getting rid of the. Ball you, know the one thing
The ravens got a little. Mojo now after, that you
know That steelers, win OR i mean That packer. WIN
(17:53):
i think The steelers are in major for trouble and
we're gonna Go at one point in time last, Week
i'm like that they're gonna end up eleven and. Six pretty,
impressive pretty impressive year with how weird it. Went now
it feels like they're gonna end up nine to, eight
missing the. PLAYOFFS i don't know about. You i'm out
on them this. Week i'm out on them this. WEEK
i don't Know Snoop puntley Plays lamar, Plays Derek henry play's.
Quarterback WHAT i witnessed today and the injury they, had
(18:16):
And i'm gonna ASSUME Tj, WATT i, mean he's JUST
i can't assume he's coming back with, this with this long,
issue so he's been AM i they have other injuries AND.
Dk they are so dependent no team that this Includes,
minnesota this Includes Jamar, chase and that is more dependent
on one wide receiver than The Pittsburgh steelers ON Dk
metcalf did most people in the league probably wouldn't even
(18:37):
consider a top ten wide.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Receiver, yeah, well all YEAR i Defended Aaron. Rodgers people
LIKE pff was, like he doesn't throw, downfield And i'm,
like who does he throw? TO i mean he he
AND dk early in the. Year JUST i, mean there's
nobody to throw to LIKE dk was? It and that
you can't just have that relationship over time BECAUSE dk
again doesn't run the rout. Tree that's not what he.
Does he's a big play. Guy so like like you,
(18:59):
know and if you don't trust the offensive, line it's
hard for a guy to get. Deep So aaron's forty,
two he didn't want to get hit early in the.
Year it's, Like i'm not throwing the ball deep down the.
Field we're going to do stuff. Underneath and then they,
started you, know then you trust the offensive line, more
you play with a little. Momentum BUT i mean it's
the file finer. Fire the Final Aaron rodgers drive that
(19:19):
didn't pan. OUT i mean he went To friarmuth two,
times like that's his, Guy like that's.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Who you have to go some beautiful on that drive
that it was nice until the.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
End you, know there's a group of people in the
media out there that will just Defend Mike tomlin to the,
end and last week they it was their classic moment
in the. Sun how can you fire this? Guy BUT
i think today is one of the reasons That tomlin
(19:50):
gets heat is that it's the way seasons end, perpetually
like no playoff wins in eight. Years it just feels
like at the end of the, year there's more smart offensive.
Coaches you have these performances Where i'm sitting there watching
it And i'm, like i, mean first of, all they
Made aaron throw thirty nine. Times that's not what you
(20:11):
want to do with a forty two year old quarterback
on the road With Miles garrett about to break the
all time. Record So, shador by the, way was seventeen
to twenty. THREE i, mean, listen it's he was good
in the first couple of. Drives after, THAT i just
think he's at a point right now where he needs
to be on. Script he's got to get out of
that running backwards thing like. That that was A colorado.
(20:32):
Issue it's clearly one of those. Things he needs an
offseason to just get that out of his.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Game, well they, before because there's only the two games
in the, afternoon there was a big gap and they
go to THE cbs. Crew they went To Bill kauer
and he's, Like i'm a little perplexed why they didn't
run the ball. More Jalen warren was having. Success he
only had twelve carries for sixty. Yards you, know to
(21:01):
Force Aaron rodgers forty two with the group of guys
he's throwing to to have almost forty past. Attempts you,
know in a Crappy it wasn't great, weather you, know
just ugly up the. Game it was low scoring, anyway
it felt like they thought they were down twenty five
to six instead of, guys you're just down one score.
Here This cleveland's doing nothing on. Offense just what are you?
(21:24):
Doing especially with their identity and who, knows maybe It's
aaron checking do these calls at the line of. Scrimmage
but you, know when you they've been so dependent on
these three tight, ends, right that's been their. Thing, well
The rams do it two three. Tens The rams also
Have Puka naku And Davonte, adams you, know so it's
it's a little even if only one of them is
on the. Field those guys route and make dominant.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Plays and they Also Kyron, Williams Blake, korham especially in
the second Half Blake. Corum they run the ball. Consistently
The rams consistently run the.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Ball AND i also think the reality is most people
don't go out Like John lway on the day of
getting The Super. Trophy most people go. Out legendary Players
michael was on The. WIZARDS i wasn't, alive BUT i
Heard Willie mays played for The. Mets you, know this
situation isn't as ugly as Like Michael jordan on The,
wizards but if they lose next, week pretty. Embarrassing AND
(22:15):
i do Think Aaron rodgers' career probably, ends even though
like he's not it's not like he's not AN nfl,
player but it's like he's gonna come back for what
in this, situation BECAUSE i Think pittsburgh is gonna have
to seriously answer ask themselves the question which they already
kind of put out Through schefter a month. Ago Like
tomin's contract. Situation we're not going to fire, him but
hell will be Open.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
John if not.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Now Then Wayne. COLIN i, mean he can go to The.
Giants it's not like he's going to be out of.
Work but this thing's run its, course hasn't.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
IT i, Mean Cam hayward's, OLD Tj, WATT Dk metcalf's
an older, Player Aaron, Rodgers Jalen, ramsey they're. Old like
IT'S i mean to, me you start looking at the
teams THAT i really like in this, league and there
they've got a great mix of young and. Experience Like
philadelphia's got good, veterans they have great young. Players rams
have great young. PLAYERS i, mean you, Know detroit for
(23:06):
all their, struggles Green bay great young. Players, YEAH i you,
know it's it's the.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Forty Nine ers did it last year when they hit
a jet like they let everyone walk because they, said
we have to pivot, yep even if we take a
little bit step back for the next five. Years and
The steelers they're just kind of beholden to like every
game every, year and it's, like you don't get credit
anymore for going nine and, eight And, okay you have
a much better record some team that won five. Games who?
(23:32):
Cares you, know it doesn't matter at this.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Point, yeah they're not going to fire, him and so you,
know to, ME i don't have any sympathy for people
that keep doing the same shit and get the same.
RESULTS i got no sympathy For. Pittsburgh The indiana route Of.
(23:57):
Alabama there's a lot to talk. About let's start With.
Indiana it's you, know there's TWO i had two strong
feelings going into. TODAY i didn't have a strong feeling
On Oregon Texas. TECH i thought it would be ugly
and low, scoring and it was For Texas. TECH i
thought nine and a half To miami was the, side
AND i Thought indiana was going to blow Out. Alabama
(24:20):
i've Watched alabama. Play this is probably the sixth Time
i've yet to watch him play a complete, game even
the games in WHICH i love their game. Plan, john
they can't run the football And Ty simpson to, me
if you pressure. HIM i just Thought indiana was going
to get a, big relentless pass rush AND i was
going to HAVE i Think mendoz is. GREAT i think
(24:40):
he's really good college. Quarterback are you Shocked indiana we're
doing this? Now when they lead twenty four to, nothing
it's not. Competitive are you shocked by the ease of?
Speaker 2 (24:48):
It, Well i'm not once you watch, it but going into,
it you have these long breaks Between this isn't THE,
nfl right where you play every, week so you kind
of forget and THEN i, go, oh, yeah they were
the team that just beat Up Ohio state and have
as good of a. Defense they Hit colin like they're
The university Of. Miami, yeah and the. Brand let's face,
It once you don't watch them for a couple of,
(25:09):
weeks it kind of seeps back in and then you, realize,
no this is the best coach team in the, country,
right And i'm sure we'll get INTO Usc they would
die to have a coach this. PHYSICAL i, mean one
thing you Watch, signetti he runs AN nfl. Operation they
bring an offensive lineman in the. Backfield they have a
physical presence in their run. Game they. Run you, Know
Fernando mendoza is an extremely talented, player but he excels
(25:33):
because they have a great, defense a great running, game
of physical you, know just operation and then heat dominates within.
That and to, me their coordinators and their head coaches,
mentality you might as well just Take indiana away and
throw a blue blood brand on it for those of
us that have been watching college football, forever because we're
thrown off By. Indiana but they're as good as any
(25:55):
team we've seen the last several. Years they just have
a different.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Brand, Yeah AND i think if you watch their, tackling
they're the best tackling Team i've seen in college. FOOTBALL i,
MEAN i keep thinking over the last twenty four, Hours
miami And indiana are the two most physically capable teams
in the. COUNTRY i Think georgia is, good But i've
Seen georgia struggle offensively for long. Stretches indiana runs the
(26:18):
ball on everybody In. Indiana they're. RECEIVERS i don't know
how great they. Are they make tough. CATCHES i mean
they just that team catches the. Ball they tackle exceedingly.
Well they've run on everybody to some. Degree and you,
KNOW i was sitting. THERE i was talking to AN
NFL gm today About Kurt signetti and he knew, him
(26:41):
and he, said you, know his dad is. Coaching he,
said what he basically's. Done he's the opposite Of Lane,
kiffin where you know he, had you, know a dad that.
Coached but he wasn't this like high flying hot. Candidate
he just did. Everything he's run. Recruiting he's A ceo
that's been in every redepartment of the company until he
(27:02):
gets the. Company and he's so well versed in recruiting
AND o line play and, LIKE i, mean just everything
there so buttoned. UP i told a buddy, today they
will remind me you would remember this kind of The
Don James huskies When washington was a national. Power they
had very good, talent not always the, best but very good,
(27:23):
talent AND nfl. Quarterback but they always won special. Teams
they were great, tackling they ran on, everybody and they'd
hit on an occasional big plays and it didn't matter
who they were. Playing they it could be usc but
you always felt like you had the best. Coach and
WHEN i Watched signette's, Team i'm, like it's Like saban
without the, yelling without the. Volume like he just sits
on that. Sideline he's almost a mad. Scientist he's always
(27:45):
got a. Scowl i'm JUST i Think signettes's teams are
so tight and so. Smart. John When alabama tried that
fake punt early in the game and they were gonna,
punt then they Moved Ty simpson up to the, line
and who's your players were all like it was almost
they were so haired for. It and then they didn't
bite on like three fakes AND i was, Like, okay
(28:05):
a lot of college teams would bite on. This this
team has coached almost professionally At.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Indiana to, me two things always stand out for physical football,
teams because you, know any team with good defensive lineman
can look like a physical. Team do your defensive backs
hit their's? Due and can you? Run and can you
run the ball in any situation they, can and obviously
their quarterback factors into the run game as well because
he can take off at any. Moment but they had
(28:31):
the offensive lineman in The big ten of the. Year you,
know when you think who has the best offensive lineman
in The big, ten what do you? Think, Iowa. Michigan you,
know Historically pete's teams would have had a bunch of
them back in the. Day, Right oregon's had a ton
of offensive. Linemen, no it's The indiana left. Tackle and
you know what's. Funny AS i start texting around him
because this guy a blue, chip you, know high round,
(28:52):
Pick they're, like, well we don't know if he's gonna come,
out but he's probably gonna be a. Guard so it's
not like he's doing this with a guy who's gonna go.
Number you, know it's this Isn't Joe alt playing left,
Tackle so there Is. LISTEN i worked For Pat, hill
who used to Employ kurtzignetti's Brother, frank and my cousin
was on those teams in the mid two. Thousand he's,
like you know what's funny is Hearing kurt. Talk frank
(29:13):
was a. Lot they have a little arrogance about. Him
they've been around football their entire, life and like you,
said this guy wasn't, Handed like even when he got
to work For Nick, saban he had already kind of
worked his way. UP i Saw Philip. Rivers did you
see the? Clip he Was Philip rivers quarterback coach and offensive.
Coordinator And philip was about twenty years, ago that was
Before Nick. Saban but then he took you, Know Nick saban,
(29:35):
said you, KNOW i remember on game day earlier this,
year he, SAID i used to present my coaches, sometimes
you know these. Jobs, Hey jimmy came to me so
and so jobs, open and everyone in the room would,
laugh you, know LIKE i. UP i and the one
guy that used to always, Rate kurtzignetti was always interested,
in Like i'm. READY i want to BECAUSE i want
to be a head. Coach and you AND i talk
a lot about this with the coordinators thing in THE.
(29:57):
Nfl you, Know Fangio flora is about To these coordinators
are now making five six million, Dollars like you can
be a coordinator for a long time and make millions of,
dollars you, know in college, historically like sometimes if you
weren't getting a, call you might have to take a
lower to your job and it could shoot you right.
Up and it took him a long. Time like when
he said google, me everyone laughed rightfully so because it was.
(30:19):
Funny but when you did google, him it's got a
Little klin. Dubor like all he did was win at
a lower level that usually.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Translates So mendoz is so interesting to me against The blitz.
Today at the time we're doing, this he was six for.
Six and what's the two things that jumped out about this?
Game coming into this, game every team with a buy
was zero and. Six and what you had noticed and
you saw this With Ohio, state they weren't physically. Ready
(30:47):
they got pushed around for the first quarter because you
when you, have you, know two or three weeks, off
you don't tackle a. Lot, yeah and you watch the
first two Series Indiana, Alabama indiana was Tackling. India you
could Tell Kurt signetti their time. Off they, hit they did.
Hitting and that's what's really the difference is you just
(31:07):
don't tackle much when you have time. Off you're giving
nineteen twenty year old kids three four weeks. Off, eh
they may you, know they may be a little. Undisciplined,
right they're with their, buddies they're hanging. Out they're not
hitting as much in. Practice so that's the first. Thing
the second thing With, MENDOZA i know he. Doesn't he
reminds me a lot Of Andrew. Luck Now LUCK i
think was a better, scrambler But. Mendoza And i'm watching
(31:30):
this here. Live mendoza on two or three times, today
Decided i'm going to Run. John he's, big he is
a Bit and when you're six' five and you run
and you just, lean forward you see This With josh
Allen Or Banner, cam newton it's an extra. Three yards
these guys. Are big mendoza has a way. Of running
(31:52):
he doesn't blow, you away but he leans into it
and all of a sudden you look up and, you're
like oh he got he got seven. Yards running and
the other thing that jumps out to me about him
he doesn't miss on the, bubble screens on the stuff
out of the flat like it's a little the Opposite Of.
Kayla williams we love the. High side you don't know about.
The layups this kid. Gives me He's. Like herbert he
(32:14):
doesn't miss, the layups all the stuff underneath the, drag routes,
the flats, you know all your. Bubble stuff he's one
hundred for. One hundred he just hits on all of.
THAT stuff i. DON'T know i know a lot of
people say they have questions, about him but sixty eight
percent career, completion percentage he's unbelievable Against. The blitz that's
(32:35):
A little drake may by, The way drake mays very
good Against, the blitz which usually year two IN. The nfl,
YOU'RE not. I don't i can't believe he would not
be the number. One.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
PICK yeah, I mean i haven't talked to anyone with.
QUESTIONS anymore, I mean i think he cemented as the number.
ONE guy i think. After, Today again i'm not trying
to overreact to, one GAME but i think most people
are kind of universally Rooting For dante moore to go back. To,
school yeah so he doesn't have to go To. The
jets because at the end, the day when you're coming
out as, a quarterback these guys are making millions of dollars,
(33:03):
in college and you get you get a raise when
you're a, top pick but ultimately you're you're trying to
play IN the nfl for a decade plus and make
hundreds of millions. Of dollars and we now have a
couple of Recent Examples, Trey Lance anthony Richardson And. Dante
moore is better than, those guys but like their career
is done ever making money like that that. Rookie contract
so You See, fernando mendoza like, you know this game
(33:26):
Against the raiders And, THE chiefs i Mean the chiefs
right now have the. Ninth pick they are incentivized to
lose because depending on how it, shakes out they could
be as high. As eight well it's not just. Drafting,
eight well they only would have to give a second
round pick maybe to move up three or four slots
to get the best defensive player on. The board it's
a or they, Go back like that's a. PRIME position
i Mean the chiefs have been drafting. Thirty two So
(33:46):
aighty reid is incentivized to lose this game Against. The,
raiders now potentially If the giants Lose, THE cowboys i
Think the raiders can still keep it win or lose.
The game but like that's, a guy and then obviously,
the character how smart the? KID is, i mean he's
just a high. Level guy when they told the story
about him getting all the guys In, the heisman everyone
who was going to tend their, background information you. Know
what that sounded like a guy that if he didn't
(34:08):
play football and had Gone, To, calor indiana would be
running taking Over For jamie diamond in like fifteen twenty
years and would be one of those he Would be
he would crush it. In life he just happens to
be six or, five athletic, big arm. Likes football same
Thing With. Andrew Luck andrew luck could have easily just never.
Played football ran an, architecture firm Not ran, stanford football
(34:28):
But ran stamford. The university and that's what. To me
and people like he's kind. Of goofy he who kind
of likes. Goofy coaches they don't want to have to worry,
about you. You know you Know the. Cousins, thing look
the Knock on cousins was he wasn't that he was
like goofy. And religious it was he wasn't good enough
that that was enough that people loved the guy from.
The jump he wasn't. Talented enough that's not the. Case
(34:51):
here he's PLAYING with nfl wide. Receivers too the sarat
kid DEFINITELY is I, mean becker the little white guys
making plays left. And right that, goes Okay because indiana
looks LIKE an. Nfl team they like to run, the
ball they have a couple of, wide receivers THEY run
nfl schemes.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
With.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Signetti yeap it immediately translates. To me the question, is
Like if, i'm, him hey Spy Tech, tom brady can
we clean up the organization a little BIT before i
just sign up to come Here because i'm not signing
up for everything that's going on there. Right.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
NOW yeah i talked TO an nfl head coach three
weeks ago and he told Me that mendoza is one
of the easiest quarterbacks to profile going into a Draft
because indiana runs SO much. Nfl stuff, he goes it's.
So easy, he goes you can watch twenty five thirty
five Plays of indiana and you know what throws he
can make and what he can and. Can't do, He,
(35:39):
goes oh he's going to.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
BE it, i mean he made every throw today that
you would see ON an Nfl game saturday.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Or saying and by, the way Everybody Loves. TY simpson
i talked to a general manager two. WEEKS ago, I
said i don't. GET it i think he's just, a
guy AND the, gm said he is just. A guy bama's,
got great great. Wide receivers Caylin de boor is an excellent.
Offensive coach he couldn't do. Anything today and when you
juxtapose Him, with mendoza it's a different. Looking player, NOT close.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
I, WOULD say i would put saying. THERE too I
mean mendoza looks physically different. Than saying he looks much
more poised. Under pressure that's the. Other thing he. Moves
forward You Watch ty simpson and saying they kind of
go backwards. Or sideways mendoza's looking to. Go forward and
that is a. Big deal. FOR sacks I mean yesterday's
saying it was sacked like five times for like almost.
(36:29):
Fifty yards you know that you can't take seven eight
yard sacks, in college let alone IN. The nfl THEY'RE
drive i think ninety five percent of drives end on
a punt when you take. A sack so when You,
see mendoza like there were Plays where bama was close,
to him he, moved away he. Moved forward isn't he
a good example too of we've seen this Now, with
burrow You know baker. Years ago guys that just stay
(36:51):
in college get better work on, their craft and now
with the, transfer portal you can really line. Yourself up
kind of a. Unique situation, people go why weren't all
these other. Teams in his brother was on, the team
so there was obviously a connection with. The family but
he definitely made the. Right decision if other people.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Are Colling ohio state gets Thumped by miami twenty four.
To fourteen, you know it. Is Interesting So ohio state
scored fourteen Points, against texas Ten, against indiana and Fourteen.
Against miami now some of it is They lost Judkins And,
trevon henderson two great. Running backs you have to go
(37:28):
Back To sony Michelle And nick Chubb, at georgia where
you had a college team with two big. TIME backs
i think their offensive line in a couple of spots
is not. VERY good I Think julian saying is. A
kid i mean he's. A kid i mean he needs
two more years, in college and he's not. Hyper athletic
he's a sit in the pocket and. Throw guy they
have very good. Wide receivers everybody, knows THAT but i
(37:51):
would say one of THE things i like about, this
Tournament and i'm going to pat myself in. The back
When The College football playoff, CAME up, i said this
is going to be better for. College football do You, Want,
Bama georgia clemson in three of the next four national
champions in? College football until the last, two years you
(38:13):
kind of Knew in october who the best two. TEAMS were,
I Mean ohio state Lost to michigan last year as
a twenty, point favorite reeled off multiple wins WINS. The
naty you didn't know Until The national championship. Was over oh,
My God ohio state is the best team in the
country right? Now today Is? It miami Is? It indiana Is?
(38:35):
It georgia we know It's. Not bama THAT'S. The, nfl
john you. Don't KNOW and i don't know who the
best team IN the nfl is until usually late Third
Quarter super bowl and, you're, like okay. All right. That's
why same With The. World series we didn't Know until,
game seven final Out the dodgers were better Than The.
Blue jays and so, YOU know i have no PROBLEM
(38:58):
saying i, kept, saying folks what are you holding on
to the. Sport's broken the ratings, were down the attendance. Was,
down well now the attendant, is up the ratings. Are
up this is why it's great because college football never
allowed you. To grow if you had an awful Loss,
in October like miami Loses, to louisville it, Was, over john,
(39:19):
your season your fiesta. Bow Tops and I'm watching Miami Wreck.
Ohio state and my takeaway Today is miami's Gonna face
indiana In The. National championship they even More. Than indiana
they Almost Intimidated ohio state's. Offensive, line well let's USE your.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Nfl example Take the rams if they Played the eagles
in the. First round not crazy. They lose also not
CRAZY if i told you in three weeks they're in The.
Super bowl and that is WHAT the nfl brings to,
the table which college football. Never did. To me the
thing that, STOOD out, i mean the difference in the
game were the two Tackles For ohio state wants skates all,
that long and that was the difference in. The Game
(39:56):
and mario is a good example of, you know a
guy who's viewed a little bit like a meathead by
the media and people just around, College football but there
is no disputing his understanding of talent and building. A
team like obviously where we, Sit Today dan Lanning And,
LINCOLN riley i think they were hired the. Same cycle
it's not, even, close right but at the time they,
(40:18):
Were Hired dan lanning's Job at oregon. Came equipped Why
because mario WAS a, I mean i think he's known as,
one of if not the best recruiters in.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
The.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Country yeah and the team that, he built and he's
a former ligneman on, the trenches, they DOMINATE and i give.
Him Credit Like carson beck was good. LAST night i
think he was fifty percent on. Third down he made
some huge plays with. His, legs yep You watch Saying
And ty simpson they kind of. Look frazzled he's very,
under control. VERY poised i Don't know ben. There before Right,
(40:48):
with georgia his record against the, Top Teams mario christobal
built a team to make a run in. The Playoffs
ohio state in theory does but when you have, bad
tackles you got to play some of These, teams indiana.
Same thing where could they take advantage? Of him line?
Of scrimmage and it's harder now because you. CAN'T stack
i bet historically It's Like orlando pace and the Backup
Was orlando pace two. Point, zero well those days. Are
(41:08):
done it's harder to keep, those guys and so if
you get an injury we saw, last year it's harder
to piece, mail it even for. The elites and, THERE'S
like i don't put that loss. As Much On, RYAN
day i, was like bad, play calling because there's nothing
you can do when you find yourself in a situation
where THEY have nfl high end pass rushers and your
tackles are just completely you can't. Call, Place, meanwhile mario
(41:32):
did you see the size of his? Two tackles they
both Look Like. Trent williams they. ARE massive I had
nfl scouting directors, texting me did you see the? Right
tackle shove? That guy, i'm like that guy has to
weigh three hundred and fifty pounds and What did mario
talked about it after. The game he talked about it
was saving, this morning, the mass, the size, the toughness
and he kept using this. Term. Violence violence mario's kind
(41:56):
of like from the hardball mold and it's not as
pretty and he's lost some weird game blowing, it late
but in terms of the teams, he BUILT like i
would say even last year they were excellent, on offense
their defense. Was, terrible well now, their offense, you know
is getting better and their defense is it doesn't get.
Any BETTER like i, Would say indiana and them feel
(42:18):
like near, the Top but miami's got a few more
juice with some HIGH end. Nfl, Guys now indiana's well
coach and, they're tough but there's, at, Like yeah miami's
well coached and, tough too but they got a guy
that's going to go in the top six rushing.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
THE passer i had a pretty good source Inside THE
miami i will JUST say i had a really good
source Inside, of miami and their takeaway was going into,
the game they felt they were going To Bully ohio
state and they Also felt indiana was the best coach
(42:54):
team they've seen. This year So the miami people like
they have respect, for, everybody right but, they're like they
know How well. Indiana's coached they They thought indiana was Gonna,
thump Alabama and miami felt that game was Exactly what
miami thought they were going. To do they Didn't Think
ohio state was going to be able to move. The
(43:15):
Ball so miami's got great confidence on what. They do
that game turned Out like miami people thought it was
going to turn out.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
When they say the stat last Night That ohio state
hadn't been down fourteen points in like. Three years most
of their Games playing iowa's And. The, rutgers yeah they
Don't play oregon. Every year they bully a lot.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Of, People Listen chip, Kelly Left brian hartline got.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
That.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Job left in the last couple, Of Games ryan day
has done the play calling and they've scored ten and
fourteen points.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
And physically shoved around and physically shoved around and those.
Speaker 1 (43:50):
Two games that's not a Knock On. Ryan day but
when you don't call plays all year and then you're
given play calling as a, head coach it's. Just different
you're asked to do a. Different responsibility and so the
two games In Which ryan day took over the, play
calling all that talent twenty four. Points total by. The
way the EDIT thing i love about college football now
(44:11):
that was never the case is you have to watch all.
The GAMES and i was kind of one of those
guys that Thought Maybe notre dame should get In, over
miami Even though miami had. BEATEN him i was like
on the fence. ON it i think had to. Head
matters it can't be the. Only thing AND then I
watched I Watched john Miami thump pittsburgh thirty eight, to
seven dominate time. Of POSSESSION and i sat THERE and
(44:32):
i wanted to watch, that GAME and, i, thought Shit
warm Weather, Team pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's decent AND then i started
going and looking At The Notre dame miami head, the
Heads and, i'm, Like no miami's a. Better team they
beat him head to head when you look at. Similar
opponents and then but the truth was you have to
watch all, the games and so, college football you didn't
(44:55):
have to watch. Them All if ALABAMA beat Lsu and
georgia near, you know or it felt like before, the
playoff you kind of had a sense of who was the.
Best team you kind of knew it was baked in
unless they were knocked off right and even if they lost,
Close late, you're, Like, WELL, Obama, Lsu clemson they're still.
The team this new college football is a little LIKE.
(45:17):
The nfl you have to watch all. THE games, i
mean four, weeks ago we both Thought the rams were
easily the most complete team in. THE league, i mean
there're only a touchdown favor over The Awful Arizona. Cardinals,
SUNDAY like i don't even know if they're the first
or second best team in. Their divis they could be
(45:37):
the third best team in. Their Division miami week Seven against,
miami Today this miami team would have beaten This that
miami team by. Three touchdowns you got to watch the.
GAMES now i think two things can. Be true One
in Miami Played notre dame and. Beat, them right they
played a game and they. Beat them alabama had to get.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
In because as we sit, right now in these conference
championships still exist in the manner in which. They do
you could knock a team for going because next year
teams would bow out if they were in. A, Situation
right but if we're if YOU and i were sitting
here ranking, the teams because it Turns out oklahoma, THE
quarterback i don't know what happened, to him but he
fell off. A cliff they're not. VERY good i mean
their defense, is good but THEIR offenses i mean pretty. Low,
(46:21):
level right if you Are Ranking Miami notre Dame, In
alabama alabama would be third because you would say the
One Thing notre dame brings that is translating to, this
TOURNAMENT which i say all. THE time i bet that
if we went and Talked To carson palmer In, southern
california you gotta be good. On, defense obviously you've got
to score points high, high level, high school high, level
college high Level pro if you aren't a physical team
(46:44):
on the line. Of scrimmage, You know alabama can't run.
The ball I'm A kaylin, duboor GUY but i Can
Imagine nick saban, looking, going guys what is? Going on
we can't just this pass. Happy offense it's just not
going to work out in. This conference and when you
play the other best teams in the country from, whatever
conference they're GONNA have nfl guys on both lines of
(47:05):
scrimmage and you can't be a. Finesse team Look, AT
oregon i Would say oregon has really turned into A
physical i mean That's The dan landing mindset that he's
Brought from Saban And. Kirby smart it's gonna translate as
they keep getting high.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
End, Players, yeah god this is being down thirty eight
to Three.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
Now alabama, you know what's funny is MY wife i
walked in as they were doing like the. PREGAME warmups
i went on a, coffee run and, she's like it's,
really cool, you know root for this. Little underdog, i'm,
like well historically, they are but they're a touchdown plus
favored in. This game, you know you know this is
A team i'm pretty sure, THEY say i don't think
they'd ever been To The, rose, Bowl RIGHT and, i,
(47:45):
Mean shit bamba now has been to two of the.
Last three now it's a little different with, the playoffs
but you just see this. Little brand it doesn't happen
very often in college sports that because, You know oregon
slowly moved up right in the, late nineties in the early,
Two thousands indiana from like zero to one hundred overnight
to all of a SUDDEN be i mean for the last,
TWO years, i mean you could argue they're like one
(48:07):
of the. Premier programs and, this year if they, wanted
all you could argue they have the best two year
run of any team in, the country right there With The.
Oho state the volume
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All right, wow, just the ending. The game just ended.
Philadelphia holds on to beat the Bills thirteen to twelve.
(01:35):
I like the idea, as John Middlecoff joins me, former
NFL scout, I like the idea going for it for two.
I think when you're the home team, you got to
go for it. You have Josh Allen, you have momentum,
You've dominated the second half. I mean, I don't did Philadelphia,
what do they have seventeen yards in the second half. Like,
I like, let's start with that. I like going for it.
(01:55):
I think that's the play at home.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, I think you go for it, especially because win
or lose, you're not going to win the division with
the Patriots playing the Dolphins next week, so you're locked
into a wild card. I think the way you look
at it now, you're in that position because your field
goal unit couldn't convert an extra point, right, And you
could also argue, you know, the Eagles, they had nine
more first downs the Bills did than the Eagles. Yet
(02:18):
the Eagles going into the fourth quarter up thirteen to nothing,
I thought in the first half, I mean, they're just
getting worked. If you would have told me with going
into the fourth quarter that the Bills would have a chance,
I get, it's only thirteen to nothing, but the way
they look Josh Allen was empty to have a chance
to win the game pretty remarkable. I mean, the guy's
kind of superhuman.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
I mean, listen, the Eagles had four defensive players make
the Pro Bowl, the Bills didn't have any. Cooper Degen
today was unbelievable. It was all over the field. I mean,
I think we could both admit this is that Philadelphia's
got the better roster. I mean, they really do they.
I mean, they're not shs. I think, like I'm the
same thing. They don't have a defensive pro bowler in Buffalo.
You know, once again, the Eagles, I thought the first
(02:58):
half it was a complete mismatch. I'm like, are they
going to win this in like twenty seven to three?
But again, I think Philadelphia and you can complain about it,
but they got really conservative. Their takeaway was We're gonna
make them drive down the field. I mean, you could
argue that Brandon Cook's catch and the Shavers catch, you know,
those are really uniquely not lucky. These are pro athletes.
(03:22):
Brandon Cook's been around the league, bounced around forever. But
you may not complete. If you did that five times
with that coverage with both, you wouldn't get completion.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
They ran a hooking ladder on the last drive. Colin.
It looked like Boise State against Oklahoma.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
I mean, three really tough plays for Josh Allen, the interception,
the huge loss on the sack, and then the miss
two point conversion. So again, but they put so much
on Josh Allen. At one point they took a shot
of the offensive coordinator upstairs and Josh had missed on something.
They're kind of complaining, like what are you doing, Josh,
And I'm thinking, guys, this is an average roster. You
(03:58):
have a good left tackle and James Cook's a nice player.
That wide receiving corps is Hamminegger's. I mean, that's just
bounced around the league, guys. I was surprised Brandon Cooks
was thinking to retire in years ago. You know, he
had some concussion issues. He's a real grinder, loves the game.
But a lot of people thought years ago he was
gonna leave just because the concussions. But he bounces around
because he's a good teammate, hard worker, diligent. As Tom
(04:20):
Brady talked about the broadcast, but I don't know. I
watched that game. You know, it's funny. In the first half,
I thought Hurts made really good throws, crappy weather. I
would like a couple of them like to AJ Brown
were even the incompletion what looked like AJ Brown's and
was being held. I'm like, boy, Jalen is in a rhythm.
But it's weird with Philadelphia, John, you know it, well,
it just dies the offense just dies.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Well, their offensive line is not as good, so they
can't just lean on the run game. I mean that's
a killer for them. Last year, they could just hammer
Saquon and he would go. He had nineteen for sixty eight.
The twenty twenty four version of this team, I think
he has twenty carries for one hundred and fifty yards.
You know, I think that's the difference. They just can't
lean on you and he's not breaking off these forty
yard runs and just ending the game, which he was
(05:05):
doing last year. I'm with you. The first half. My
takeaway was I don't know if I'd want to play
this Eagle team. I mean, because Jalen Carter's back. Their
defensive line looks fantastic. Yea, the Hunt kid, who I
think is a third rounder. You got Jordan Davis, you
got you know, Bond the linebacker. Their DB's like you said,
degene Vic Fangio, You're like, just shoot, it is fantastic.
(05:27):
And offensively, there's no disputing their talent, you know. AJ
Devonte Goddard, oh yeah, had that touchdown. I mean I
thought the play calling on the one drive. Even Tom
Brady was like they you know, they ran like a
AJ Brown on a big post to the left, and
then they had a play action play they got him
a first or a touchdown. It was like, you know,
when they run drives, well, you go, this is one
of the best teams in the league. And then they
(05:49):
have halves where they get seventeen yards with a fifty
million dollar quarterback to thirty million dollar wide receivers and
a twenty five million dollar running back. It doesn't really
make sense, but it happens over and over.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
Well, when they get leads and get conservative, what they
do is stop throwing to AJ Brown, like AJ Brown
in the first half, crucial second half, where's AJ Brown?
Why aren't you throwing the ball to AJ Brown? He
is a much better athlete than the guy's covering in
the secondary. Like, it's one thing if you don't want
to throw the ball to the bill receivers because the
two Pro Bowl corners to the Eagles in the pass rush.
(06:23):
But if you're Philadelphia, throw the ball to AJ Brown.
He's dealing with guys that aren't in his class. So
it's just you know, it's in the second half. I
wrote it down here with eleven minutes left in the
fourth quarter, Hurts was zero for six, and I'm like,
they were doing all this smart short stuff in the
first half, getting Aj Goddard like really clever stuff, three
step drop, get it up, and just stop doing it.
(06:45):
I was like, just go back to the stuff you
were doing in the first half. So that's one of
the reasons I don't think Philadelphia wins the Super Bowl
is I don't every Seattle's about the only team that
doesn't have a huge hole. That doesn't mean Seattle's great,
that a bunch of stuff, but they don't have a
huge hole. Texans offense, you know, rams special teams. The
Eagles have these halves where they just don't throw the
(07:09):
ball to Aj Brown.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah I missed, I'm with you. One note I had
at halftime was Jalen is playing really well making Pro
Bowl level throws. Yes, you know in those conditions too.
So part of the reason it was so impressive. You're
going to this place that has some of the worst
weather in America. It's pouring rain. Brady keeps harping on it.
These guys where the wrong gloves, balls are going right through.
(07:33):
The Eagles are just dialed in moving the ball, you know,
at will relative to them their quarterbacks and complete controlling
their defense. You know that play you mentioned when Josh
Allen scrambled around and got sacked. I could kind of
live with that. It's like, yeah, Steph Curry's going to
miss some thirty five foot threes. He takes a lot
of them. You know, they have to. He makes a
lot of those plays into touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
You know, I don't think he takes that sack if
he's psychologically believed in his ross. I think Josh feels
like I've got to make a play. I mean, that
receiving core is just not good. I mean, it's funny
we thought New England had this bad receiving corps this year.
I look at New England's I'm like Williams a big
(08:15):
booty Diggs and I'm like, no, it's fine. It's actually
really good, even compared to like average receiving. Course, Buffalo's
maybe the most average in the league. I think Josh,
when I watched that sack, I'm like, you can't take
that sack, And I was thinking about it. He's like, well,
I have to take one or two of those game.
I have to make some big I mean, they're big plays.
(08:36):
Think about it. Hook and lateral clever call, and then
two deep balls. One felt like luck and the other
one was a I don't remember the last time Brandon
Cook had a catch that big and that good in
the game, Like that's their offense kind of like sometimes
it's just you have to generate it doing either unique
stuff or you feel like they had. They got a
(08:56):
pass interference break. I didn't like that call at all.
That and then they got the ball down the right
sideline the next play. That was a weird drive. Until
that point, they didn't really have they didn't threaten much.
And the other thing is even when going for two,
I'm like, I wasn't sure they were gonna make it
on the sneak. I'm like, oh, I, this is a
(09:18):
fifty to fifty propositions totally.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
And let's be real too. Was it the Browns game
where he kind of did that move and rolled his
ankle It almost was a safety. He clearly rolls his
ankle again. I mean, he's kind of like a younger
version back when Cam what is his prime It's hard
to tell what percentage he is, but he's clearly not
one hundred percent run around out there, and I just
think that listen. I think it would be an incredible story.
(09:44):
I'm a huge Josh Allen fan. It's hard to watch
that team and go. They got three victories to the
super Bowl with that roster, the way they play, how
dependent they are on him to be Superman, where he's
probably seventy eighty percent and the roster around him. If
you can just sell out, if James Cook is not
gonna get I would say one hundred and twenty plus yards.
(10:05):
Their receivers. I mean, they got their tight ends okay,
and obviously they had an injury today, but their offensive
lines that's another issue. Today. Halfway through the game, when
the Eagles were really humming, they felt a little bit
like again it was a Thursday night game. But the
Texans have an elite pass rush. Remember that Thursday night game.
I remember Budding in the league text me, if you
sack Josh seven, eight, nine times, that might as well
(10:26):
be twenty five because he's a hard guy to sack.
And today they sacked them five times. Against a normal quarterback,
that number is probably like eight or nine. And there
were a couple times late in the game where he's
making some great plays getting out of it. I mean
the Eagles are all over this guy. I just think
their offensive line underrated part not playing that well. I
don't know if guys are banged up, they are just
(10:48):
not as dialed and he is under constant pressure against
the better competition. It's listen, you're not gonna bet against them,
probably in the first round. We'll have to see who
they end up playing, especially if they get to see
or the Ravens. But I just I have a hard
time seeing this team run.
Speaker 1 (11:06):
I think Denver would beat him. I think Jacksonville would
beat him. I think, listen, everybody thinks.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Kick their ass on a Thursday night gear.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Yeah. And by the way, you know, I watched New
England today. I mean New England's had one bad half
in three months at Buffalo. They had a great first
half in that game, controlled it. They had a terrible
second half against Buffalo, but the but the previous three
quarters against Buffalo they were the better team. Yeah, I
can see Buffalo being a one and done tea. I've
(11:37):
I've had him in the hurt hierarchy around eight nine, ten.
I just I just it's hard for me. I just
I think Josh Allen and their left tackle and James
Cook but I again, I'll give them credit. I thought
the hook con lateral was such a clever call. It
was so smart. But again, you had to kind of
go to an exotic. You had to go to a
trick play because you can't trust any receivers down the field.
(11:59):
I mean, honestly, at the end of that game, I
felt that Buffalo was lucky to be going for the win.
I didn't think.
Speaker 2 (12:06):
Totally. I mean they had I thought they got worked
in the first half. I mean, it was thirteen to nothing,
but you're playing the Eagles, just don't score that many points.
It felt like they were just overwhelming you with the
talent gap and your quarterback. You know, he was having,
for his standards, not as great as game as he
sometimes has, and you have no chance. Your defense actually
(12:27):
played pretty well in the second half, but still, I mean,
to score well. They end up scoring twelve points at home.
I mean, it's just it's tough, you know, man, It's
and Colin, they had zero for the majority of the game.
You know, this is part of the weather, and this
is kind of I was really young with those Martin
Levy teams, but they were a tough, physical team with
(12:49):
a dominant running back that they leaned on and then
Jim Kelly could make big plays. Obviously, Josh, you know
it is much more mobile, I think than that version
of Jim Kelly. But you got it. And this is
the Packers problem, you know. Historically sometimes those Rogers teams,
your weather should be in your advantage to play like
the Eagles, We're just gonna overwhelm you physically and lean
(13:09):
on you and ugly up the game. Well, the Bills
don't want to play that way. The Bills want to
play in a dome like like the Lions or something. Right,
They would love to just sling that thing around. And
even Brady mentioned that the oc for the Bills are like,
we don't want to get into a place where we're
just passing a NonStop. It will not go well for us.
So he knows. But the problem is that they you
(13:30):
neutralize the run a little bit, and Josh's run because
he's rolled up his ankle, he's not a huge threat
in this game against them, their team speed is excellent.
All of a sudden, it's like, God, your offense looks putrid.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Listen, they might play New England.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
They might play New England. As of right now, again,
these teams might throw and they're technically the set. They're
the seventh seed at you know, Texans are the five,
the Chargers are the six, and the Bills are the seven.
So if they if they go to New England, even
if they play the Jags as the six' to, three
it would not stun me at all if they're a
one and done, team which is crazy to, say because
(14:06):
they have this quarterback in his.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
Prime All, Right, cleveland their biggest win in a long
time at, home beats The steelers thirteen to. Six So
pittsburgh will Face baltimore for the division title In week.
Eighteen what a mess this? Is it was so Classic.
Tomlin tomlin has THERE i want to read. This this record,
is this record is. Crazy The steelers are winless o
(14:33):
four and one in the past five games against teams
entering eight plus games below five, hundred longest STREAKING nfl.
History So mike's a, motivator but it doesn't work when
they face an awful, team right. That mike's always been
a great. Underdog but When mike's a big favorite or
a favorite against the crappy, team his motivational raw ross
(14:55):
stuff doesn't. Work you just it was one of those, Game,
james this is Why seattle got rid OF Dk. Metcalf
SO dk doesn't play there because he's suspended for the
altercation of the fan and the Reason, darnold by the,
way IN jsn now are a, great great. Combination but
they got rid OF dk BECAUSE dk could BE i
(15:15):
was told. Maintenance he he you, know didn't run the
specific route. Treat he was a big play. Guy but
they thought there was some maintenance WITH.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Dk he didn't leave the league in personal fouls for
like a two year stretch.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
And penalties for a. Receiver so because he punches a,
guy he's. Out and you saw today they there's a
Reason Aaron rodgers doesn't throw the ball down the. Field
they have a really weak receiving core AFTER Dk metcalf
just tight Ends Friar moose. Excellent but you know you're
watching them today and you're, like they're zero and two
in the red. ZONE i don't know why they were
(15:47):
picking On Denzel ward three straight times at the end
of the. Game it's probably the last corner On cleveland
i'd pick. ON i didn't get that at. All but
if you TOOK Dk metcalf, out you, Know it's just
this is So Mike. Tomlin a week, ago we're celebrating
this great, victory and then you watch the next week
and you're, like as a favorite against the bad, team
(16:09):
and you're, like they laid a complete.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
EGG i, Mean colin they scored six points in a
game where they win, it they win the. DIVISION i
mean they scored six points a goal.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
For two scoring. It they got two, turnovers didn't score
on either one against a bad.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Team they're playing a three to Twelve Cleveland brown team
with you, know their star running back that they just
drafted broke his leg last. Week he's. Gone this is
a team that couldn't really run the ball. Today chadors
throwing them the ball through the multiple, picks tried to
throw another. ONE i, think you, know one of the linebackers.
DROPPED i thought today was pretty. Embarrassing it was as
(16:45):
just a football, consumer it was a hard game to.
Watch it was.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Ugly and Give cleveland. Credit first two drives That's Kevin.
Stefanski that's on. Script those first two drives for schadur In.
Cleveland they march right down the field, again that's on.
Script that's that's WHERE i Think stefanski's really. Good these young,
quarterback especially rookie, quarterbacks they really rely on those first
couple of drives like that's a big. Part SO i,
(17:10):
MEAN i JUST i think that was.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Big, Though. COLIN i, mean, NOW, dk it's not like
they get him back next. Week he's. Gone and the
big tight, End Darnell washington broke his. Arm SO i
don't know how you play with a broken. Arm seven days,
LATER i would imagine he's out so here relying On
Scotty miller. Mvs. WHO i think we could argue how
good he ever, was but definitely at this point in,
time not. Great you, know if you just kind of
(17:32):
can neutralize those two running. Backs their offense was. Awful
now The browns defense came to play today and these,
games but you can you can get after you, Know
aaron that they were hitting him a, lot he was
getting rid of the. Ball you, know the one thing
The ravens got a little. Mojo now after, that you
know That steelers, win OR i mean That packer. WIN
(17:53):
i think The steelers are in major for trouble and
we're gonna Go at one point in time last, Week
i'm like that they're gonna end up eleven and. Six pretty,
impressive pretty impressive year with how weird it. Went now
it feels like they're gonna end up nine to, eight
missing the. PLAYOFFS i don't know about. You i'm out
on them this. Week i'm out on them this. WEEK
i don't Know Snoop puntley Plays lamar, Plays Derek henry play's.
Quarterback WHAT i witnessed today and the injury they, had
(18:16):
And i'm gonna ASSUME Tj, WATT i, mean he's JUST
i can't assume he's coming back with, this with this long,
issue so he's been AM i they have other injuries AND.
Dk they are so dependent no team that this Includes,
minnesota this Includes Jamar, chase and that is more dependent
on one wide receiver than The Pittsburgh steelers ON Dk
metcalf did most people in the league probably wouldn't even
(18:37):
consider a top ten wide.
Speaker 1 (18:38):
Receiver, yeah, well all YEAR i Defended Aaron. Rodgers people
LIKE pff was, like he doesn't throw, downfield And i'm,
like who does he throw? TO i mean he he
AND dk early in the. Year JUST i, mean there's
nobody to throw to LIKE dk was? It and that
you can't just have that relationship over time BECAUSE dk
again doesn't run the rout. Tree that's not what he.
Does he's a big play. Guy so like like you,
(18:59):
know and if you don't trust the offensive, line it's
hard for a guy to get. Deep So aaron's forty,
two he didn't want to get hit early in the.
Year it's, Like i'm not throwing the ball deep down the.
Field we're going to do stuff. Underneath and then they,
started you, know then you trust the offensive line, more
you play with a little. Momentum BUT i mean it's
the file finer. Fire the Final Aaron rodgers drive that
(19:19):
didn't pan. OUT i mean he went To friarmuth two,
times like that's his, Guy like that's.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Who you have to go some beautiful on that drive
that it was nice until the.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
End you, know there's a group of people in the
media out there that will just Defend Mike tomlin to the,
end and last week they it was their classic moment
in the. Sun how can you fire this? Guy BUT
i think today is one of the reasons That tomlin
(19:50):
gets heat is that it's the way seasons end, perpetually
like no playoff wins in eight. Years it just feels
like at the end of the, year there's more smart offensive.
Coaches you have these performances Where i'm sitting there watching
it And i'm, like i, mean first of, all they
Made aaron throw thirty nine. Times that's not what you
(20:11):
want to do with a forty two year old quarterback
on the road With Miles garrett about to break the
all time. Record So, shador by the, way was seventeen
to twenty. THREE i, mean, listen it's he was good
in the first couple of. Drives after, THAT i just
think he's at a point right now where he needs
to be on. Script he's got to get out of
that running backwards thing like. That that was A colorado.
(20:32):
Issue it's clearly one of those. Things he needs an
offseason to just get that out of his.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Game, well they, before because there's only the two games
in the, afternoon there was a big gap and they
go to THE cbs. Crew they went To Bill kauer
and he's, Like i'm a little perplexed why they didn't
run the ball. More Jalen warren was having. Success he
only had twelve carries for sixty. Yards you, know to
(21:01):
Force Aaron rodgers forty two with the group of guys
he's throwing to to have almost forty past. Attempts you,
know in a Crappy it wasn't great, weather you, know
just ugly up the. Game it was low scoring, anyway
it felt like they thought they were down twenty five
to six instead of, guys you're just down one score.
Here This cleveland's doing nothing on. Offense just what are you?
(21:24):
Doing especially with their identity and who, knows maybe It's
aaron checking do these calls at the line of. Scrimmage
but you, know when you they've been so dependent on
these three tight, ends, right that's been their. Thing, well
The rams do it two three. Tens The rams also
Have Puka naku And Davonte, adams you, know so it's
it's a little even if only one of them is
on the. Field those guys route and make dominant.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Plays and they Also Kyron, Williams Blake, korham especially in
the second Half Blake. Corum they run the ball. Consistently
The rams consistently run the.
Speaker 2 (21:52):
Ball AND i also think the reality is most people
don't go out Like John lway on the day of
getting The Super. Trophy most people go. Out legendary Players
michael was on The. WIZARDS i wasn't, alive BUT i
Heard Willie mays played for The. Mets you, know this
situation isn't as ugly as Like Michael jordan on The,
wizards but if they lose next, week pretty. Embarrassing AND
(22:15):
i do Think Aaron rodgers' career probably, ends even though
like he's not it's not like he's not AN nfl,
player but it's like he's gonna come back for what
in this, situation BECAUSE i Think pittsburgh is gonna have
to seriously answer ask themselves the question which they already
kind of put out Through schefter a month. Ago Like
tomin's contract. Situation we're not going to fire, him but
hell will be Open.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
John if not.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Now Then Wayne. COLIN i, mean he can go to The.
Giants it's not like he's going to be out of.
Work but this thing's run its, course hasn't.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
IT i, Mean Cam hayward's, OLD Tj, WATT Dk metcalf's
an older, Player Aaron, Rodgers Jalen, ramsey they're. Old like
IT'S i mean to, me you start looking at the
teams THAT i really like in this, league and there
they've got a great mix of young and. Experience Like
philadelphia's got good, veterans they have great young. Players rams
have great young. PLAYERS i, mean you, Know detroit for
(23:06):
all their, struggles Green bay great young. Players, YEAH i you,
know it's it's the.
Speaker 2 (23:12):
Forty Nine ers did it last year when they hit
a jet like they let everyone walk because they, said
we have to pivot, yep even if we take a
little bit step back for the next five. Years and
The steelers they're just kind of beholden to like every
game every, year and it's, like you don't get credit
anymore for going nine and, eight And, okay you have
a much better record some team that won five. Games who?
(23:32):
Cares you, know it doesn't matter at this.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Point, yeah they're not going to fire, him and so you,
know to, ME i don't have any sympathy for people
that keep doing the same shit and get the same.
RESULTS i got no sympathy For. Pittsburgh The indiana route Of.
(23:57):
Alabama there's a lot to talk. About let's start With.
Indiana it's you, know there's TWO i had two strong
feelings going into. TODAY i didn't have a strong feeling
On Oregon Texas. TECH i thought it would be ugly
and low, scoring and it was For Texas. TECH i
thought nine and a half To miami was the, side
AND i Thought indiana was going to blow Out. Alabama
(24:20):
i've Watched alabama. Play this is probably the sixth Time
i've yet to watch him play a complete, game even
the games in WHICH i love their game. Plan, john
they can't run the football And Ty simpson to, me
if you pressure. HIM i just Thought indiana was going
to get a, big relentless pass rush AND i was
going to HAVE i Think mendoz is. GREAT i think
(24:40):
he's really good college. Quarterback are you Shocked indiana we're
doing this? Now when they lead twenty four to, nothing
it's not. Competitive are you shocked by the ease of?
Speaker 2 (24:48):
It, Well i'm not once you watch, it but going into,
it you have these long breaks Between this isn't THE,
nfl right where you play every, week so you kind
of forget and THEN i, go, oh, yeah they were
the team that just beat Up Ohio state and have
as good of a. Defense they Hit colin like they're
The university Of. Miami, yeah and the. Brand let's face,
It once you don't watch them for a couple of,
(25:09):
weeks it kind of seeps back in and then you, realize,
no this is the best coach team in the, country,
right And i'm sure we'll get INTO Usc they would
die to have a coach this. PHYSICAL i, mean one
thing you Watch, signetti he runs AN nfl. Operation they
bring an offensive lineman in the. Backfield they have a
physical presence in their run. Game they. Run you, Know
Fernando mendoza is an extremely talented, player but he excels
(25:33):
because they have a great, defense a great running, game
of physical you, know just operation and then heat dominates within.
That and to, me their coordinators and their head coaches,
mentality you might as well just Take indiana away and
throw a blue blood brand on it for those of
us that have been watching college football, forever because we're
thrown off By. Indiana but they're as good as any
(25:55):
team we've seen the last several. Years they just have
a different.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Brand, Yeah AND i think if you watch their, tackling
they're the best tackling Team i've seen in college. FOOTBALL i,
MEAN i keep thinking over the last twenty four, Hours
miami And indiana are the two most physically capable teams
in the. COUNTRY i Think georgia is, good But i've
Seen georgia struggle offensively for long. Stretches indiana runs the
(26:18):
ball on everybody In. Indiana they're. RECEIVERS i don't know
how great they. Are they make tough. CATCHES i mean
they just that team catches the. Ball they tackle exceedingly.
Well they've run on everybody to some. Degree and you,
KNOW i was sitting. THERE i was talking to AN
NFL gm today About Kurt signetti and he knew, him
(26:41):
and he, said you, know his dad is. Coaching he,
said what he basically's. Done he's the opposite Of Lane,
kiffin where you know he, had you, know a dad that.
Coached but he wasn't this like high flying hot. Candidate
he just did. Everything he's run. Recruiting he's A ceo
that's been in every redepartment of the company until he
(27:02):
gets the. Company and he's so well versed in recruiting
AND o line play and, LIKE i, mean just everything
there so buttoned. UP i told a buddy, today they
will remind me you would remember this kind of The
Don James huskies When washington was a national. Power they
had very good, talent not always the, best but very good,
(27:23):
talent AND nfl. Quarterback but they always won special. Teams
they were great, tackling they ran on, everybody and they'd
hit on an occasional big plays and it didn't matter
who they were. Playing they it could be usc but
you always felt like you had the best. Coach and
WHEN i Watched signette's, Team i'm, like it's Like saban
without the, yelling without the. Volume like he just sits
on that. Sideline he's almost a mad. Scientist he's always
(27:45):
got a. Scowl i'm JUST i Think signettes's teams are
so tight and so. Smart. John When alabama tried that
fake punt early in the game and they were gonna,
punt then they Moved Ty simpson up to the, line
and who's your players were all like it was almost
they were so haired for. It and then they didn't
bite on like three fakes AND i was, Like, okay
(28:05):
a lot of college teams would bite on. This this
team has coached almost professionally At.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Indiana to, me two things always stand out for physical football,
teams because you, know any team with good defensive lineman
can look like a physical. Team do your defensive backs
hit their's? Due and can you? Run and can you
run the ball in any situation they, can and obviously
their quarterback factors into the run game as well because
he can take off at any. Moment but they had
(28:31):
the offensive lineman in The big ten of the. Year you,
know when you think who has the best offensive lineman
in The big, ten what do you? Think, Iowa. Michigan you,
know Historically pete's teams would have had a bunch of
them back in the. Day, Right oregon's had a ton
of offensive. Linemen, no it's The indiana left. Tackle and
you know what's. Funny AS i start texting around him
because this guy a blue, chip you, know high round,
(28:52):
Pick they're, like, well we don't know if he's gonna come,
out but he's probably gonna be a. Guard so it's
not like he's doing this with a guy who's gonna go.
Number you, know it's this Isn't Joe alt playing left,
Tackle so there Is. LISTEN i worked For Pat, hill
who used to Employ kurtzignetti's Brother, frank and my cousin
was on those teams in the mid two. Thousand he's,
like you know what's funny is Hearing kurt. Talk frank
(29:13):
was a. Lot they have a little arrogance about. Him
they've been around football their entire, life and like you,
said this guy wasn't, Handed like even when he got
to work For Nick, saban he had already kind of
worked his way. UP i Saw Philip. Rivers did you
see the? Clip he Was Philip rivers quarterback coach and offensive.
Coordinator And philip was about twenty years, ago that was
Before Nick. Saban but then he took you, Know Nick saban,
(29:35):
said you, KNOW i remember on game day earlier this,
year he, SAID i used to present my coaches, sometimes
you know these. Jobs, Hey jimmy came to me so
and so jobs, open and everyone in the room would,
laugh you, know LIKE i. UP i and the one
guy that used to always, Rate kurtzignetti was always interested,
in Like i'm. READY i want to BECAUSE i want
to be a head. Coach and you AND i talk
a lot about this with the coordinators thing in THE.
(29:57):
Nfl you, Know Fangio flora is about To these coordinators
are now making five six million, Dollars like you can
be a coordinator for a long time and make millions of,
dollars you, know in college, historically like sometimes if you
weren't getting a, call you might have to take a
lower to your job and it could shoot you right.
Up and it took him a long. Time like when
he said google, me everyone laughed rightfully so because it was.
(30:19):
Funny but when you did google, him it's got a
Little klin. Dubor like all he did was win at
a lower level that usually.
Speaker 1 (30:25):
Translates So mendoz is so interesting to me against The blitz.
Today at the time we're doing, this he was six for.
Six and what's the two things that jumped out about this?
Game coming into this, game every team with a buy
was zero and. Six and what you had noticed and
you saw this With Ohio, state they weren't physically. Ready
(30:47):
they got pushed around for the first quarter because you
when you, have you, know two or three weeks, off
you don't tackle a. Lot, yeah and you watch the
first two Series Indiana, Alabama indiana was Tackling. India you
could Tell Kurt signetti their time. Off they, hit they did.
Hitting and that's what's really the difference is you just
(31:07):
don't tackle much when you have time. Off you're giving
nineteen twenty year old kids three four weeks. Off, eh
they may you, know they may be a little. Undisciplined,
right they're with their, buddies they're hanging. Out they're not
hitting as much in. Practice so that's the first. Thing
the second thing With, MENDOZA i know he. Doesn't he
reminds me a lot Of Andrew. Luck Now LUCK i
think was a better, scrambler But. Mendoza And i'm watching
(31:30):
this here. Live mendoza on two or three times, today
Decided i'm going to Run. John he's, big he is
a Bit and when you're six' five and you run
and you just, lean forward you see This With josh
Allen Or Banner, cam newton it's an extra. Three yards
these guys. Are big mendoza has a way. Of running
(31:52):
he doesn't blow, you away but he leans into it
and all of a sudden you look up and, you're
like oh he got he got seven. Yards running and
the other thing that jumps out to me about him
he doesn't miss on the, bubble screens on the stuff
out of the flat like it's a little the Opposite Of.
Kayla williams we love the. High side you don't know about.
The layups this kid. Gives me He's. Like herbert he
(32:14):
doesn't miss, the layups all the stuff underneath the, drag routes,
the flats, you know all your. Bubble stuff he's one
hundred for. One hundred he just hits on all of.
THAT stuff i. DON'T know i know a lot of
people say they have questions, about him but sixty eight
percent career, completion percentage he's unbelievable Against. The blitz that's
(32:35):
A little drake may by, The way drake mays very
good Against, the blitz which usually year two IN. The nfl,
YOU'RE not. I don't i can't believe he would not
be the number. One.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
PICK yeah, I mean i haven't talked to anyone with.
QUESTIONS anymore, I mean i think he cemented as the number.
ONE guy i think. After, Today again i'm not trying
to overreact to, one GAME but i think most people
are kind of universally Rooting For dante moore to go back. To,
school yeah so he doesn't have to go To. The
jets because at the end, the day when you're coming
out as, a quarterback these guys are making millions of dollars,
(33:03):
in college and you get you get a raise when
you're a, top pick but ultimately you're you're trying to
play IN the nfl for a decade plus and make
hundreds of millions. Of dollars and we now have a
couple of Recent Examples, Trey Lance anthony Richardson And. Dante
moore is better than, those guys but like their career
is done ever making money like that that. Rookie contract
so You See, fernando mendoza like, you know this game
(33:26):
Against the raiders And, THE chiefs i Mean the chiefs
right now have the. Ninth pick they are incentivized to
lose because depending on how it, shakes out they could
be as high. As eight well it's not just. Drafting,
eight well they only would have to give a second
round pick maybe to move up three or four slots
to get the best defensive player on. The board it's
a or they, Go back like that's a. PRIME position
i Mean the chiefs have been drafting. Thirty two So
(33:46):
aighty reid is incentivized to lose this game Against. The,
raiders now potentially If the giants Lose, THE cowboys i
Think the raiders can still keep it win or lose.
The game but like that's, a guy and then obviously,
the character how smart the? KID is, i mean he's
just a high. Level guy when they told the story
about him getting all the guys In, the heisman everyone
who was going to tend their, background information you. Know
what that sounded like a guy that if he didn't
(34:08):
play football and had Gone, To, calor indiana would be
running taking Over For jamie diamond in like fifteen twenty
years and would be one of those he Would be
he would crush it. In life he just happens to
be six or, five athletic, big arm. Likes football same
Thing With. Andrew Luck andrew luck could have easily just never.
Played football ran an, architecture firm Not ran, stanford football
(34:28):
But ran stamford. The university and that's what. To me
and people like he's kind. Of goofy he who kind
of likes. Goofy coaches they don't want to have to worry,
about you. You know you Know the. Cousins, thing look
the Knock on cousins was he wasn't that he was
like goofy. And religious it was he wasn't good enough
that that was enough that people loved the guy from.
The jump he wasn't. Talented enough that's not the. Case
(34:51):
here he's PLAYING with nfl wide. Receivers too the sarat
kid DEFINITELY is I, mean becker the little white guys
making plays left. And right that, goes Okay because indiana
looks LIKE an. Nfl team they like to run, the
ball they have a couple of, wide receivers THEY run
nfl schemes.
Speaker 1 (35:06):
With.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
Signetti yeap it immediately translates. To me the question, is
Like if, i'm, him hey Spy Tech, tom brady can
we clean up the organization a little BIT before i
just sign up to come Here because i'm not signing
up for everything that's going on there. Right.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
NOW yeah i talked TO an nfl head coach three
weeks ago and he told Me that mendoza is one
of the easiest quarterbacks to profile going into a Draft
because indiana runs SO much. Nfl stuff, he goes it's.
So easy, he goes you can watch twenty five thirty
five Plays of indiana and you know what throws he
can make and what he can and. Can't do, He,
(35:39):
goes oh he's going to.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
BE it, i mean he made every throw today that
you would see ON an Nfl game saturday.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Or saying and by, the way Everybody Loves. TY simpson
i talked to a general manager two. WEEKS ago, I
said i don't. GET it i think he's just, a
guy AND the, gm said he is just. A guy bama's,
got great great. Wide receivers Caylin de boor is an excellent.
Offensive coach he couldn't do. Anything today and when you
juxtapose Him, with mendoza it's a different. Looking player, NOT close.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
I, WOULD say i would put saying. THERE too I
mean mendoza looks physically different. Than saying he looks much
more poised. Under pressure that's the. Other thing he. Moves
forward You Watch ty simpson and saying they kind of
go backwards. Or sideways mendoza's looking to. Go forward and
that is a. Big deal. FOR sacks I mean yesterday's
saying it was sacked like five times for like almost.
(36:29):
Fifty yards you know that you can't take seven eight
yard sacks, in college let alone IN. The nfl THEY'RE
drive i think ninety five percent of drives end on
a punt when you take. A sack so when You,
see mendoza like there were Plays where bama was close,
to him he, moved away he. Moved forward isn't he
a good example too of we've seen this Now, with
burrow You know baker. Years ago guys that just stay
(36:51):
in college get better work on, their craft and now
with the, transfer portal you can really line. Yourself up
kind of a. Unique situation, people go why weren't all
these other. Teams in his brother was on, the team
so there was obviously a connection with. The family but
he definitely made the. Right decision if other people.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Are Colling ohio state gets Thumped by miami twenty four.
To fourteen, you know it. Is Interesting So ohio state
scored fourteen Points, against texas Ten, against indiana and Fourteen.
Against miami now some of it is They lost Judkins And,
trevon henderson two great. Running backs you have to go
(37:28):
Back To sony Michelle And nick Chubb, at georgia where
you had a college team with two big. TIME backs
i think their offensive line in a couple of spots
is not. VERY good I Think julian saying is. A
kid i mean he's. A kid i mean he needs
two more years, in college and he's not. Hyper athletic
he's a sit in the pocket and. Throw guy they
have very good. Wide receivers everybody, knows THAT but i
(37:51):
would say one of THE things i like about, this
Tournament and i'm going to pat myself in. The back
When The College football playoff, CAME up, i said this
is going to be better for. College football do You, Want,
Bama georgia clemson in three of the next four national
champions in? College football until the last, two years you
(38:13):
kind of Knew in october who the best two. TEAMS were,
I Mean ohio state Lost to michigan last year as
a twenty, point favorite reeled off multiple wins WINS. The
naty you didn't know Until The national championship. Was over oh,
My God ohio state is the best team in the
country right? Now today Is? It miami Is? It indiana Is?
(38:35):
It georgia we know It's. Not bama THAT'S. The, nfl
john you. Don't KNOW and i don't know who the
best team IN the nfl is until usually late Third
Quarter super bowl and, you're, like okay. All right. That's
why same With The. World series we didn't Know until,
game seven final Out the dodgers were better Than The.
Blue jays and so, YOU know i have no PROBLEM
(38:58):
saying i, kept, saying folks what are you holding on
to the. Sport's broken the ratings, were down the attendance. Was,
down well now the attendant, is up the ratings. Are
up this is why it's great because college football never
allowed you. To grow if you had an awful Loss,
in October like miami Loses, to louisville it, Was, over john,
(39:19):
your season your fiesta. Bow Tops and I'm watching Miami Wreck.
Ohio state and my takeaway Today is miami's Gonna face
indiana In The. National championship they even More. Than indiana
they Almost Intimidated ohio state's. Offensive, line well let's USE your.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
Nfl example Take the rams if they Played the eagles
in the. First round not crazy. They lose also not
CRAZY if i told you in three weeks they're in The.
Super bowl and that is WHAT the nfl brings to,
the table which college football. Never did. To me the
thing that, STOOD out, i mean the difference in the
game were the two Tackles For ohio state wants skates all,
that long and that was the difference in. The Game
(39:56):
and mario is a good example of, you know a
guy who's viewed a little bit like a meathead by
the media and people just around, College football but there
is no disputing his understanding of talent and building. A
team like obviously where we, Sit Today dan Lanning And,
LINCOLN riley i think they were hired the. Same cycle
it's not, even, close right but at the time they,
(40:18):
Were Hired dan lanning's Job at oregon. Came equipped Why
because mario WAS a, I mean i think he's known as,
one of if not the best recruiters in.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
The.
Speaker 2 (40:26):
Country yeah and the team that, he built and he's
a former ligneman on, the trenches, they DOMINATE and i give.
Him Credit Like carson beck was good. LAST night i
think he was fifty percent on. Third down he made
some huge plays with. His, legs yep You watch Saying
And ty simpson they kind of. Look frazzled he's very,
under control. VERY poised i Don't know ben. There before Right,
(40:48):
with georgia his record against the, Top Teams mario christobal
built a team to make a run in. The Playoffs
ohio state in theory does but when you have, bad
tackles you got to play some of These, teams indiana.
Same thing where could they take advantage? Of him line?
Of scrimmage and it's harder now because you. CAN'T stack
i bet historically It's Like orlando pace and the Backup
Was orlando pace two. Point, zero well those days. Are
(41:08):
done it's harder to keep, those guys and so if
you get an injury we saw, last year it's harder
to piece, mail it even for. The elites and, THERE'S
like i don't put that loss. As Much On, RYAN
day i, was like bad, play calling because there's nothing
you can do when you find yourself in a situation
where THEY have nfl high end pass rushers and your
tackles are just completely you can't. Call, Place, meanwhile mario
(41:32):
did you see the size of his? Two tackles they
both Look Like. Trent williams they. ARE massive I had
nfl scouting directors, texting me did you see the? Right
tackle shove? That guy, i'm like that guy has to
weigh three hundred and fifty pounds and What did mario
talked about it after. The game he talked about it
was saving, this morning, the mass, the size, the toughness
and he kept using this. Term. Violence violence mario's kind
(41:56):
of like from the hardball mold and it's not as
pretty and he's lost some weird game blowing, it late
but in terms of the teams, he BUILT like i
would say even last year they were excellent, on offense
their defense. Was, terrible well now, their offense, you know
is getting better and their defense is it doesn't get.
Any BETTER like i, Would say indiana and them feel
(42:18):
like near, the Top but miami's got a few more
juice with some HIGH end. Nfl, Guys now indiana's well
coach and, they're tough but there's, at, Like yeah miami's
well coached and, tough too but they got a guy
that's going to go in the top six rushing.
Speaker 1 (42:32):
THE passer i had a pretty good source Inside THE
miami i will JUST say i had a really good
source Inside, of miami and their takeaway was going into,
the game they felt they were going To Bully ohio
state and they Also felt indiana was the best coach
(42:54):
team they've seen. This year So the miami people like
they have respect, for, everybody right but, they're like they
know How well. Indiana's coached they They thought indiana was Gonna,
thump Alabama and miami felt that game was Exactly what
miami thought they were going. To do they Didn't Think
ohio state was going to be able to move. The
(43:15):
Ball so miami's got great confidence on what. They do
that game turned Out like miami people thought it was
going to turn out.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
When they say the stat last Night That ohio state
hadn't been down fourteen points in like. Three years most
of their Games playing iowa's And. The, rutgers yeah they
Don't play oregon. Every year they bully a lot.
Speaker 1 (43:34):
Of, People Listen chip, Kelly Left brian hartline got.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
That.
Speaker 1 (43:40):
Job left in the last couple, Of Games ryan day
has done the play calling and they've scored ten and
fourteen points.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
And physically shoved around and physically shoved around and those.
Speaker 1 (43:50):
Two games that's not a Knock On. Ryan day but
when you don't call plays all year and then you're
given play calling as a, head coach it's. Just different
you're asked to do a. Different responsibility and so the
two games In Which ryan day took over the, play
calling all that talent twenty four. Points total by. The
way the EDIT thing i love about college football now
(44:11):
that was never the case is you have to watch all.
The GAMES and i was kind of one of those
guys that Thought Maybe notre dame should get In, over
miami Even though miami had. BEATEN him i was like
on the fence. ON it i think had to. Head
matters it can't be the. Only thing AND then I
watched I Watched john Miami thump pittsburgh thirty eight, to
seven dominate time. Of POSSESSION and i sat THERE and
(44:32):
i wanted to watch, that GAME and, i, thought Shit
warm Weather, Team pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's decent AND then i started
going and looking At The Notre dame miami head, the
Heads and, i'm, Like no miami's a. Better team they
beat him head to head when you look at. Similar
opponents and then but the truth was you have to
watch all, the games and so, college football you didn't
(44:55):
have to watch. Them All if ALABAMA beat Lsu and
georgia near, you know or it felt like before, the
playoff you kind of had a sense of who was the.
Best team you kind of knew it was baked in
unless they were knocked off right and even if they lost,
Close late, you're, Like, WELL, Obama, Lsu clemson they're still.
The team this new college football is a little LIKE.
(45:17):
The nfl you have to watch all. THE games, i
mean four, weeks ago we both Thought the rams were
easily the most complete team in. THE league, i mean
there're only a touchdown favor over The Awful Arizona. Cardinals,
SUNDAY like i don't even know if they're the first
or second best team in. Their divis they could be
(45:37):
the third best team in. Their Division miami week Seven against,
miami Today this miami team would have beaten This that
miami team by. Three touchdowns you got to watch the.
GAMES now i think two things can. Be true One
in Miami Played notre dame and. Beat, them right they
played a game and they. Beat them alabama had to get.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
In because as we sit, right now in these conference
championships still exist in the manner in which. They do
you could knock a team for going because next year
teams would bow out if they were in. A, Situation
right but if we're if YOU and i were sitting
here ranking, the teams because it Turns out oklahoma, THE
quarterback i don't know what happened, to him but he
fell off. A cliff they're not. VERY good i mean
their defense, is good but THEIR offenses i mean pretty. Low,
(46:21):
level right if you Are Ranking Miami notre Dame, In
alabama alabama would be third because you would say the
One Thing notre dame brings that is translating to, this
TOURNAMENT which i say all. THE time i bet that
if we went and Talked To carson palmer In, southern
california you gotta be good. On, defense obviously you've got
to score points high, high level, high school high, level
college high Level pro if you aren't a physical team
(46:44):
on the line. Of scrimmage, You know alabama can't run.
The ball I'm A kaylin, duboor GUY but i Can
Imagine nick saban, looking, going guys what is? Going on
we can't just this pass. Happy offense it's just not
going to work out in. This conference and when you
play the other best teams in the country from, whatever
conference they're GONNA have nfl guys on both lines of
(47:05):
scrimmage and you can't be a. Finesse team Look, AT
oregon i Would say oregon has really turned into A
physical i mean That's The dan landing mindset that he's
Brought from Saban And. Kirby smart it's gonna translate as
they keep getting high.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
End, Players, yeah god this is being down thirty eight
to Three.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
Now alabama, you know what's funny is MY wife i
walked in as they were doing like the. PREGAME warmups
i went on a, coffee run and, she's like it's,
really cool, you know root for this. Little underdog, i'm,
like well historically, they are but they're a touchdown plus
favored in. This game, you know you know this is
A team i'm pretty sure, THEY say i don't think
they'd ever been To The, rose, Bowl RIGHT and, i,
(47:45):
Mean shit bamba now has been to two of the.
Last three now it's a little different with, the playoffs
but you just see this. Little brand it doesn't happen
very often in college sports that because, You know oregon
slowly moved up right in the, late nineties in the early,
Two thousands indiana from like zero to one hundred overnight
to all of a SUDDEN be i mean for the last,
TWO years, i mean you could argue they're like one
(48:07):
of the. Premier programs and, this year if they, wanted
all you could argue they have the best two year
run of any team in, the country right there With The.
Oho state the volume
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