Richard Sherman Podcast - NFL Week 10 Reaction: Cardinals-Seahawks, Rams-49ers, Bills-Dolphins, Giants-Bears | Richard Sherman

Richard Sherman breaks down NFL Week 10 — from the Seattle Seahawks’ explosive win to Matthew Stafford’s vintage performance and Jonathan Taylor’s MVP campaign. Sherman and Mitch dive into the 49ers’ struggles, Drake May’s rise in New England, and Buffalo’s collapse against the Dolphins. Plus, the Colts stay hot, the Texans rally, and the Lions bounce back in a statement win.

Tap in for exclusive insight from a Super Bowl champ — real football talk, no fluff.

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome back to Richard Sherman podcast, and what a week
for the Seattle Seahawks. They start this game with crazy plays.
The Jackson Smith and Jig be forty three yard touchdown
to start. The defense says, oh, I could do you
one better? Sack force fumble by Tyresee Knight, uh with
with the Marcus Lawrence recovering it for a touchdown, and

(00:27):
then of course Sam Donald just feels good.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Everybody's feeling good.

Speaker 1 (00:31):
George Hallani gets involved in action as well with with
the third TV at the game and the fourth TD
of the game, I had I had to rewind my TV.
Minchell I had to rewind, fast forward, rewind because the
fourth TV looked a lot similar to the second TD

(00:52):
Tyrese Knight forced fumble as Jacobe presents passing the football
for another to Marcus Lawrence recovery for yet a Seahawks touchdown.
I mean, at this point, as twenty eight zero, Seahawks
can do no wrong. It's just their day. And that's
when things kind of start falling apart, and a little

(01:12):
bit they started going to going off the rails. The
Seahawks were in total control. The defense is playing well,
the offense is playing well. They lose their center Sundale
for who knows, you know, hopefully not an extended amount
of time. But there's a fumbled exchange between Sam Darnold
and the new center that leads to a turnover. After

(01:32):
the defense had just forced a huge turnover. On downs,
Nick emm and Rory almost had an interception, they had
a phenomenal goal line stand.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
It just was exciting.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
You know, they're up, they're playing good football, the defense
is playing energetic. Then you have that miscue by the
offense backed up in their own territory, gives the Arizona
Cardinals their first touchdown of the game. But still, it
just was a dominant, dominant performance by the Seahawks that
just was marred a little bit by some sloppy play

(02:05):
in the third quarter really most mostly Jackson Smith and Jig.
But congratulations on a thousand yard season. He's the first
receiver to hit the thousand this season. He looks like
he should be a Pro Offensive Player of the Year.
But you know how it goes Mitchell. They won't give
MVP to Jonathan Taylor. So with him at fifteen touchdowns already,

(02:28):
and I know everybody's like, oh, well, Saquan had thirteen touchdowns,
and he had so many runs inside the five that
were taking by the tesh push. Nobody cares. Nobody cares.
Don't give it to the tush pushed then and give
it to Saquan and he gets MVP. What the Colts are
doing and he's lost a couple to Daniel Jones and
him keeping it inside the five. But he has fifteen

(02:49):
rushing touchdowns on the season too receiving touchdowns. But we'll
get there later. But that's why I don't think Jackson
Smith and Jigbow will win Offensive Player of the Year
because they won't get if they give Jonathan Taylor MVP,
then yes, I think John Jackson Smith and Jigba has
a case for.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Offensive Player of the Year.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
The cool part about this game for me was the
running game for the Seattle Seahawks finally got going. Zach
Sharpene fourteen carries for eighty three yards. K Nine fourteen
carries for sixty seven yards. The defense had five sacks
and the two touchdowns DeMarcus Lawrence. We talked about it earlier,
the too fumble recovery for touchdowns. Mike McDonald, I really

(03:29):
want to talk about the secondary too, because I don't
want to I don't want to leave without that. A
lot of PBUs back there, but shout out to Greek
wooland shout out to Reek wooland played at an incredibly
high level. This game had a lot of controversy and
adversity throughout this season, fans calling for him to get traded,
his name attached to trade rumors.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
Early on, there was what looked appeared to be.

Speaker 1 (03:50):
A benching, maybe a half benching of partial partial benching.
But he's responded in a beautiful way, playing fantastic football.
Nick War continues to grow as a player, impacting the
game and all all the phases. He's rushing the passer well,
had a few pbu's great coverage on McBride, who's been

(04:12):
one of the best tight ends in the National Football League,
one of the most productive Titians in the National Football League,
and you saw him with tight coverage on him, Tyrese
Knight playing and playing Mike linebacker and Ernest Jones Stead
I mean, obviously his best game of his career as
a as a professional, and it's just a lot of

(04:35):
trust and a lot of cool plays. The Seattle Seahawks win.
Sam Donald was ten to twelve for one to seventy eight,
the touchdown, the interception. He did have two fumbles. The
interception was off of A J. Barner's head, I think
a helmet, and it was just a weird play and
that those are the turnovers.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
For the Seattle Seahawks.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
They weren't like un you know, just bad plays or
bad thoughts, just unnecessary and and and unforced. But I
don't think it does anything to make you feel awful
about this win. This is a huge win. This team
is playing great football. They look like the best team
in the National Football League, along with the Indianapolis Colts.

(05:16):
And I know everybody's like, what about the Eagles, what
about the Rams? I hear you, I understand h I
know those teams exist and they're playing good football as well.
But I'm just telling you what I see. I look
forward to the game next week the Seattle Seahawks play
the La Rams. That's gonna be the game of the week,
that's gonna tell the tale. Are the Rams who you
think they are?

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Are?

Speaker 1 (05:37):
The Seahawks who they think they are? Is this new
found running game real against this really stingy and aggressive
Rams defense who had their way with the San Francisco
forty nine ers, and we'll get that get to that game.
But yeah, the Cardinals look like they're gonna be in
the quarterback market next season. Obviously they've been without without

(06:03):
their their high paid quarterback, Kyler Murray. They sent him
uh to ir just in time for the new Call
of Duty, no question about it. I'm sure he's excited
about that, ecstatic about that Call of Duty's coming out,
and he doesn't have to deal with the headache of
being criticized because of it. We know his record after
Call of Duty comes out. We're not going to go
down that rabbit hole. But a solid game for Jacoby

(06:26):
percent fifty eight. Obviously, fifty percent completion percentage isn't isn't
great in the National Football League. But he did have
the two touchdowns he has the two fumbles was under
durest the entire game. Those two fumbles led a touchdown,
so I take that back. It wasn't a solid game.
It's a terrible game, but just a rough game for
the team overall, and they just looked overmatched. Like I said,

(06:48):
the Cardinals have the forty nine ers next week, and
the Seahawks have a huge game against the Rams.

Speaker 2 (06:53):
I'm looking forward to seeing that.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
Who letchard Today I debut my Seattle Seahawks throwback hat. Well,
that's clean, it is clean. It's very clean. But I
was waiting to debut it until I was convinced that
this was one of the top teams in football. You
have marked them as number one in your power ranks,

(07:16):
and I you know, I saw it, but I thought, Man,
Richard's biased. And I think you can understand why I
thought you were biased the former Seahawks yourself, Richard, What
I saw today in that opening quarter, Holy Kyle, that
might have just been the best team in football. And
you called it coming into this season, you said you
saw a different energy in the building, a different life

(07:37):
in that building. Obviously, Mike McDonald, you know, as years
go by and he enters the second season with this team,
he's starting to form a new identity. They've got an
embarrassment of riches on this team. And I saw a report.
I don't know if it was true or not, but
I guess Boe Mafe was being discussed in trade rumors
and they could have gone a case. He had the
trade gunline, And you have to scratch your head and

(07:58):
wonder why. Well, the reason wise because Seattle, again, they
have an embarrassment of riches. They're gonna have to discuss
in this offseason who they pay and who they let walk.
And that is a good thing for the now because
Seattle has so many good players, Richard, that I'm here
to tell you I still think I called it in
the in our first episode of this season. I think

(08:21):
the La Rams are gonna win this division. I know
I'm gonna get some squawk in the comments section from that.
I just love what I see from Matthew Stafford. But
that's not to express, you know, disdain for the Seattle Seahawks,
because they have far exceeded my expectations. I think Seattle's back.
I think they're they're ready to They're a force to be.
What reckon with Sam Darnald is here to stay? Talk

(08:45):
about an upgrade at the quarterback position, Richard, I thought
everyone just thought, hey, Gino Smith's leaving, Enter Sam Darnald,
a one for one equal swap trade. You know, at
least we didn't lose any ground at that QB position.

Speaker 2 (08:57):
Well, not so fast.

Speaker 3 (08:58):
It looks to me that you guys have up created
exponentially at that position, and he's given life to this team.
You know, just wait til Rashid Rashid shahe gets going there,
because that's another vertical threat that the Seattle Seahawks are
going to introduce when you couple him with JSN. I mean,
my goodness, the guy in a blowout win almost as

(09:18):
another one hundred yard game. I mean, when you're up
thirty five to nothing or whatever it was a quarter
and a half into the game, you expect them to
lean on the run game. You expect Zach Charbonay to
get his yards, you expect K nine to get his yards. Richard,
let's go back to that defense. DeMarcus Lawrence when he
left Dallas this offseason, he threw some shade at Jerry Jones.
He says, I want to go win a Super Bowl,

(09:39):
and I think everyone kind of scratched her head and said,
he if you want to go win a Super Bowl,
why are you going to Seattle. Well, hey, maybe he
was right, because this Seattle Seahawks team looks like they
could be a force to be reckoned with in this NFC.
And Richard, I believe in you. I endorse your positioning
of them at number one in your power ranks. I
think you might have in a week early personally. But

(10:02):
that's why I'm sporting the Seattle Seahawks cap. They've earned
it from me, Richard, I think you got a heck
of a team in Seattle.

Speaker 1 (10:08):
My friend Mitchell, it's better to be earlier than late.
That's what my coach has always said, and I'm better.
It's better to be lucky than good. I'd rather be
good and lucky, though, But I feel great about the
Seattle Seahawks team. The death at the defensive line again.
You talked about it, embarrassment of riches, But Rashi Rashisha
heat is only going to open up this running game,

(10:30):
and I expect the running game to open up because
of him. I expect him to be a huge weapon
against the LA Rams next week. I expect him Clint
uh Uh Clint Kubiak to draw up some cool plays
for him Uh this week because of their relationship in
New Orleans and everything they did there. I look forward
to seeing how that goes and I can't wait for

(10:51):
that matchup. I think the Seattle Seahawks defense and secondary
is jailing and in a big time way. I think
they're playing their best football. This is one of their
best games. A lot of PBUs, a lot of breakups,
just a lot of swag, and I like this. Have
you seen the receivers doing this ISO thing, Mitchell. It's
like the new celebration, like the ISO thing from basketball.
It's like an ISO plates what Kobe used to be

(11:13):
in a triangle. He used to say, I'm breaking a
triangle like I'm going I'm gonna row And I wish,
I wish I were doing that one out because I
do the whole comeback like he's getting clapped.

Speaker 2 (11:23):
But that story for different.

Speaker 3 (11:25):
I'm still trying to figure out what six seven means.
You're throwing up these signs. I don't know what any
of this stuff means.

Speaker 2 (11:30):
Man.

Speaker 3 (11:31):
Maybe I'm just getting to walls.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
But rich too, Richard.

Speaker 3 (11:36):
But like you talked about, they got a huge game
next week in LA. And let's talk about LA because
I know you're San Francisco forty nine ers. And I
saw the hat swap to the San Francisco forty nine
lud looking very clean. They took on the LA Rams
today and unfortunately LA got the best of them. Talk
to me about this game, Matthew Stafford just looks dynamite.
I mean, the guy. I don't know if he's ever

(11:59):
gonna lead this league is he seems to be playing
the best football he ever has. I love him here
in Detroit, but you see new life in him in
LA and this team looks competitive. Is all get out?
Seven and two now with a huge win on the
road against the forty nine ers. Talk to me about
this game and I'm gonna switch it back to my
lions at my friend.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, I'm not mad at that match.

Speaker 1 (12:17):
I appreciate the support, but yet you got to give
Matthew Stafford a ton of credit. Another four touchdown game
for him, he had, he had another. He's leading the
league in passing touchdowns right now at his age. I
think he's thirty nine right now. It's a testament to
who he is. They lost Davonte Adams late in this
game with what appeared to be a tight back. He

(12:39):
looked like he was poised to go back in potentially
if they needed him to. But Poka Nkua made some
huge clutch plays down the stretch for this team, and
you got to give them a ton of credit. The
San Francisco forty nine Ers defense just look, I don't
know what else to say about it, uninspired, as kind
of as I can put it, as nice as I

(12:59):
can put it. They were the only team to get
a sack in this game, and it was a split
between Kalia Davis and Kean White. I think Kean White
looks like a good addition. When you get Nicholas john
Bosa back, you get Fred Warner back, you potentially get
another piece back, Michel Williams back. I think he's gonna
fit in nicely and he's gonna look even better than

(13:19):
he does now. I think that's a huge pickup for
the future with the San Francisco forty nine ers. I
think thought Ben Bartch looked good. I thought Spencer Beauford,
h Spencer Buford looked is playing really well next to
Trent Williams. And I talked to Trent Williams before the
first Rams game and he told me how hard Spencer

(13:40):
Buford had been working, how much confidence he had in him,
how excited he was to see him back on the
field and see him get an opportunity. And he's done
a lot with his opportunity. The offensive line did not
allow us sacked today. That's one positive note. You know,
I'm trying to find some silver lining for the San
Francisco forty nin Ers fans. The offensive line didn't allow
a sack. Again, it's a very aggressive La Rams front,

(14:04):
very dynamic. The offense moved the ball really well. If
it wasn't for again, it's a game of inches, if
it wasn't for a play here, play there. There was
a fumble by Juwan Jennings. There was a turnover on
downs earlier in this game, and it allowed the Rams
to get out and to elite that ended up being insurmountable.

(14:24):
But I thought Mac Jones again played really good football,
thirty three or thirty nine, three to nineteen to three touchdowns.
In the interception that got tipped up with him, you know,
it was a play he had to have.

Speaker 2 (14:36):
He had to let the ball go. It was a
fourth down.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
He had to put the ball in harm's way, and
Emmanuel Forbes made a great play on it that I
don't think it does anything to shake the confidence of
Kyle Shanahan and him, And I think there is a
little bit of a quarterback controversy. And I'm not even
trying to be controversial. I love brock Purty. I think
brock Purty is the guy in San Francisco. But there
is something about a hot hend and guy playing you

(15:02):
know what I mean, and knocking off the rust. And
there aren't many games where you feel comfortable saying, hey,
this is a game. We feel like we can knock
the rust off. You know, this is a game we
put somebody in and knock the rust off. San Francisco
forty nine Ers are six and four in the NFC
is as competitive as it's ever been. I mean, you
look at the Bears are fighting. They're five and three

(15:23):
right now, and they're finding ways to win. You look
at the Eagles two losses, only two losses. You look
at the Seattle Seahawks in their own division, the Rams
in their own.

Speaker 2 (15:33):
Division with only two losses.

Speaker 1 (15:35):
So it's starting to get to that time even with
the winning record, where it's desperation tom in the San
Francisco forty nine Ers are going to have to answer
the call.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
The run game has been stagged in.

Speaker 1 (15:47):
Obviously, they were down for a lot of this game,
so a lot of the onus was on Mac Jones.
He missed the touch potential touchdown pass to DeMarcus Robinson
early in the actually late in the second half, right
before halftime. They were on a two minute drive and
he went a post, and you know, Tom Brady made
it appearance to everybody that that nobody was above it

(16:07):
was a quarters beater. They had him. Mac missed it.
He ended up throwing completetion of Juwan Jennings. But that
was a missed opportunity that they had to have. But
I don't know. I don't know what the UH forty
nine ers are gonna do. I think they could justify
bringing Brock Purdy back just because the team lost, but
it's not because mac Jols didn't play good enough. And
I think he's making himself a lot of money. I

(16:30):
think there's a chance he has a big market for
him next offseason. I think the Arizona Cardinals will call,
the Jets will call. Depends on what happens in some
of the other quarterback situations, but a number of guys
it would would be calling for Mac Jones because he
fits well in a number of these schemes. And I'm

(16:51):
looking forward to seeing that for him because he deserves it.
He's been playing at a really high level and he
deserves a chance to start in this league, and he
looks like a starting caliber player George Kittle made a
big impact today and fought all the way until the
very end, and you can appreciate that.

Speaker 2 (17:07):
But they got to find some help. And and it's hard.
It's hard. It's hard because there were a lot of
open receivers this game.

Speaker 1 (17:14):
And it wasn't even on the play where it looked
like they had Matthew Stafford corral. You know, guys coming
off guys late late in the down and Matthew finding them.
You know they're coming off tight ends in the end
zone and allow on Matthew Stafford throw his four hundred
touchdown of his career, only the ninth quarterback to have
done so in his career. But I don't know, I

(17:37):
don't know what the answers are on defense. You can
only bring so much pressure. You can only blitz. That's
not an that's not an answer. Uh and, And Matthew
Stafford found guys just about every time the San Francisco
forty nine ers blitzed in this game.

Speaker 2 (17:50):
So it's it's it's tough.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
It's tough because you don't necessarily have enough talent to
go man to man and bring pressure like you want to.

Speaker 2 (17:58):
The guys.

Speaker 1 (17:59):
You need to be out there are injured. Your best
players are on injured reserve. Anytimes that's the case, it's
gonna be tough on you. So but the next four game,
I mean, the next three games are winnable games for
the San Francisco forty nine and then a bye week,
a chance to reset. They play the Arizona Cardinals coming
off a drubbing from the Seattle Seahawks, and they play
the Carolina Panthers, who've been playing better football, but San

(18:21):
Francisco should should be able to win that game. And
then the Browns team that is gonna be picking very
high in the draft, so if they can get these
three heading into the buy, they'll feel really good about
themselves and feel really good going forward. So it feels
like all is lost after a game like this, but
it's not.

Speaker 2 (18:38):
It's not. You can go into the buy.

Speaker 1 (18:40):
Nine to four and with a renewed energy and feeling
like there's there's a chance for this team, even with
all the debilitating injuries that this team has suffered. So
it's it's a it's one game at a time. From
this question, I mean, from this point on, no.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
Question about it. The one thing about San Francisco four Niners.
It kind of reminds me of what the Detroit Lions
went through last year with all the injuries on one
side of the ball, specifically defensively, the Niners. They're gonna
have to outscore teams, and they're gonna have to lean
on their offense, and they're gonna have score in bunches.
If they have any hopes of winning this division and
doing anything in the playoffs, there's no question about it.

(19:19):
They have the offensive weapons to be able to do it.
I don't know the standards of Brandon Ayuk. You know, obviously,
if they can get past the bye week, bring him back.
He adds an extra spark to that offense. But games
like this are gonna happen, especially against a high profile
quarterback and a high profile offense like the La Rams.
Like you said, these next three games are very winnable
if they can go into the by at nine to four,

(19:41):
and who knows what's gonna happen. The Rams and Seahawks
play each other next week, someone's gonna take a loss.
So I think this division still open for them. They
just have got to get hot offensively quick. But Richard,
I want to talk a little bit more about the
LA Rams before we lead this game. You know, this
NFC is very crowded right now. There's a lot of
good teams in this NFC, and there's a lot of

(20:01):
teams winning a lot of games. Where do you see
LA stacking up against the rest of them? I know
you love your Seattle Seahawks, but I mean, talk to me, man.
You see Matthew Stafford playing an a his a game
constantly week in and week out. That's got to give
you some pause going into next week against the Seattle Seahawks.
And I guess we'll end up seeing what happens on
the field. But I mean, these guys are contenders in

(20:23):
my eyes. Do you do you see the same thing
with LA Rams.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
Yeah, they're definitely contenders. There's no there's no if sends
in or butts about that. But no, it doesn't give
me any palls at all. Not for the Seattle Seahawks fans.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (20:38):
If I'm a Seattle Seahawks fan, I feel really good
about my team going into this matchup. I feel really
good about this defensive line. I feel really good about
I feel really good about this defensive line. I feel
good about how Sam Darnold's playing I feel like we
may have the best receiver in the National Football League
right now in Jason Smith and Jigba. I feel good
about our death at receivers, getting Rashid Shaheed involved next week,

(21:03):
and even just the fear and the preparation that it
takes when you have a guy with that kind of speed.

Speaker 2 (21:10):
The Rams are going to have to account for him.
They're a certain quarter.

Speaker 1 (21:14):
You're not gonna play quarters if you play quarters in
the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks. Expect Rashid Shaheit
to have his first touchdown early in that game. There
were opportunities for the San Francisco forty nine Ers to
have it. I expect the Seattle Seahawks to expose those
same traits and take advantage of it.

Speaker 2 (21:30):
So I think they're you know, the Rams feel good.
The Rams look really good.

Speaker 1 (21:35):
Stafford looks like the MVP of the league right now
behind Jonathan Taylor. But I steal I still think there's
question marks on that defense. They're playing great, but to
not get a sack against his San Francisco forty nine
Ers defense, I mean offensive line that is giving up
a number of sacks this season should be a little troubling.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
We'll see how this game goes.

Speaker 1 (21:57):
You never know. Every game is a new, new experience.
This year, it's hard to predict anything. Every time you
think you got a team pegged, they do something ridiculous
to have you scratch your head.

Speaker 2 (22:07):
And that's every single team. You got.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
The Indianapolis coach, you feel like they're kings of the world.
Then they turn them all over six times against the
Steelers and lose. You think the Seattle Seahawks, you know,
are the kings.

Speaker 2 (22:20):
Of the world.

Speaker 1 (22:20):
They have a shootout at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
who are a good.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Team, but they lose.

Speaker 1 (22:27):
And then you have the Rams lose to an under
man forty nine Ers team and they turn around and
beat him this time, but they lost to them at home.
That gives you paus. I feel like every team has
had that kind of loss. The Buffalo Bills, I mean,
there's a number of losses, but their loss today is
the most troubling of the season, no question about it.
It gives it leaves you with a lot more questions

(22:47):
than answers. So if there's anybody sitting there saying, I
know who's gonna make the Super Bowl, this year it's
the Kids the City Chiefs, or it's the Buffalo Bills,
or it's the Eagles who lost to the Jackson Dart
and the Boys in New York not too long ago.
Then I don't think you know what you're talking about,
because there's no predicting anything this year. The only thing

(23:09):
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Speaker 3 (24:40):
I mean, it seems like it's open for anyone that
wants it. I mean, we saw the Detroit Lions. And
let's talk about Detroit Lions. They had a stinker of
a game last week against the Minnesota Vikings. You know,
they played a decent game, but ultimately JJ McCarthy, his
coming back to Michigan party worked out in his favorite
big time. With that win, Detroit needed to respond. And

(25:02):
this was a team, the Washington Commanders that took him
out last year in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
And you knew the Detroit Lions were gonna come for
blood today and they did just that. They handled this
game right from the jump, Richard, before we get into
the meat of this game. I mean, I'm just curious
how many NFL games had ended forty four to twenty two,

(25:22):
because we saw two of them and forty four to
twenty two in the four o'clock hour with the Seattle
Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals finishing forty four to twenty two.
So anyone who you know plays the whole score agami
thing or whatever the heck they call it, I mean,
you see two in the four o'clock hour, that's pretty random.
But Richard, this Detroit Lions team, they finally looked like

(25:42):
they were back offensively. Dan Campbell took the reins as
OLC today Johnny Morton. There's been a lot of questions
about him, about the old line, about you know, this
run game, about you know, converting more on third down,
and we saw the Detroit Lions of last year show
up today. Jared Goff three hundred and twenty yards, three touchdowns.
Jamier Gibbs has an amazing day one hundred and forty two,

(26:03):
two touchdowns and six receptions for another one hundred and
nineteen yards in a touchdown, and then they talked about
it at nauseum. You know, going into last two weeks,
they're gonna get Jame Oh Jamison Williams involved, and they
did just at six receptions, one hundred and nineteen yards
in a touchdown. Richard, this team looked to me like
they're ready for the Philadelphia Eagles, who they got next week.

(26:25):
I want to know your thoughts on the Detroit Lions.
Do you think that they are back? Because at one
point in time this season, they were number one in
your power ranks, and I know they're no longer in
those power ranks, but I gotta believe you saw something
today that you might have just liked.

Speaker 2 (26:40):
I just don't.

Speaker 1 (26:41):
I see a lot of things that I like from
the Detroit Lions because they're a talented football team. They
should be doing this thing. But the thing that gives
me a ton of balls with this team is a
jekylin Hyde nature of them. You look at them against
the Kansas City Chiefs, you say, not a contender. Then
you see him against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who were
a good team, and you're like, oh, there they are,

(27:03):
there they are. There's the contender. There's a team that
were Super Bowl favorites last year, and then you see
them against the Minnesota Vikings in their own division versus
JJ McCarthy who's coming off the injury, and you're like,
I'm not so fast, my friend. And so that's why
I'm not gonna be fooled again. You fool me once,

(27:24):
shame on me, you know what I mean, pool me twice,
Shame on you.

Speaker 2 (27:27):
Fool me three times. Chuck the peace out, you know
what I mean. Low the chop of me. Yeah, sorry, sorry,
that's a destroyer for a different Beck, Mitchell.

Speaker 1 (27:34):
But I'm not gonna let a win versus an under
man and less talented Washington Commander's team without their starting
quarterback really really pushed me over to edge.

Speaker 2 (27:45):
A win against the Philadelphia Eagles will do that.

Speaker 1 (27:47):
It will be the remedy I need, and that will
tell me everything I need to know. A loss against
the Philadelphia Eagles will leave them right in this middle
ground of I don't know. I don't know who they are, Mitchell,
because it doesn't seem like they know who they are.

Speaker 2 (28:00):
Are.

Speaker 1 (28:00):
Some games they want to play really great defense, like
they against Bay Buccaneers, a high powered offense and hold
them to nine points and then other days they want
to give thirty up to the Kansas City Chiefs. So
at our gift twenty four up to the Bengals, And
so I don't know, I don't know what you're gonna
get from that defense. I notice offense and Jared Golf
are going to be productive. Jamiir Gibbs looks like one

(28:22):
of the best players in the National Football League, not
just one of the best running backs. Jamison Williams had
one of his best games as a pro today, six
receptions FO one hundred and nineteen in a touchdown.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
He's finding this way. The defense had two sacks, but.

Speaker 1 (28:37):
Consistency, and I'm sure Dan Campbell's preaching the same thing.
Do it again. Do it again, and you'll be telling
us something. You play the Eagles next week. That's your
chance to prove your point.

Speaker 3 (28:50):
What do you make of Dan Campbell calling the plays?
I mean, there was some folks here in Detroit that
are questioning Johnny Mooreton. They love Calvin Sheppard, the defensive coordinator,
but this new OC, you know, transition from Ben Johnson
to John Morton has not worked out the way people
wanted to. Now we see Dan Campbell take over the
play calling. Again, This happened before. This happened before when

(29:14):
when Dan Campbell first got to Detroit, he took over
the play calling for the OC then and then the
OC ended up getting fired. I'm not saying that Johnny
Morton should lose his job by no means. I think
it's a learning curve that he's going through, and I
think he's, you know, done a competent job. But what
do you make of Dan Campbell taking over these play calls.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
Well, he's putting on this on himself, and obviously he
feels like you can make a difference. But I'm old
enough to remember the fifty two points against the New
I mean against the Chicago Bears. I'm old enough to
remember when they put up thirty eight against the Ravens
in prime time and it was so freaking great and
everybody's singing his praises.

Speaker 2 (29:51):
But this is a what have you done for me lately? League?

Speaker 1 (29:56):
And lately it was a it was a tough game
versus the Minnesota Vikings, and that's enough for Dan Campbell
to say, hey, I'll do I'll take it from here.
I don't know if it's an indictment on Morton. Sometimes
people are just not ready for the moment. But let's
not act like they haven't had immense success with him
at the Helm. I want to give Lions fans that
a little bit of a perspective. Sure, you can go

(30:19):
away from him and choose that, but let's not act
like he hasn't called some really good games this season.

Speaker 3 (30:24):
No question about it, Richard, you already touched on it.
The Buffalo Bills, I mean, I don't even know how
this happens. I had penciled the Buffalo Bills into the
Super Bowl at the beginning of the season, and right
now I question whether they're even going to make the playoffs.
I mean, we've seen them really struggle in random games
this year, and we see it today. They got absolutely

(30:45):
dominated by the Miami Dolphins, who seemingly have nothing to
play for with the exception of their head coach's job,
and Devon a Chan ran wild on them all day
to you know, not nothing great statistically, but too touchdowns
Jalen Wattle with a big touchdown catch in this game.
And defensively they were all over the place. Two forest fumbles,

(31:06):
an interception, three sacks. Josh Allen. Where is this MVP
Josh Allen because the guy has been struggling and I
don't know what it is with this Bills team, but
maybe you can add some enlighten me a bit, because
how does this happen? Because I thought the Buffalo Bills
were the upper echelon of this league, but right now

(31:27):
they're looking very mid tier.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
Yeah, and that's the way they've looked the majority of
this season. But they've got away with it because James
Cook has played at a high level, and I think
they have gone as James Cook has gone, because if
you look at statistically, josh avan three hundred and six yards,
two touchdowns, He had the two turnovers, the interception in
the fumble, but you would say Josh Allen did his part.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
But usually you.

Speaker 1 (31:52):
See James Cook with one hundred yards one hundred and
fifty yards and them controlling the game.

Speaker 2 (31:56):
That the opposite was true.

Speaker 1 (31:58):
Today they haven't a chain at chain or it felt
like he wanted the challenge. He felt said he feels
like when he plays against James Cook, he feels like
it's a personal matchup and he wants to outplay him.

Speaker 2 (32:11):
And he did that today.

Speaker 1 (32:12):
Twenty two carries for one hundred and seventy four yards
and two touchdowns. That's the reison. They were able to
control this game from start to finish. Obviously to a
ton of I lower fifteen to twenty one did have
the two touchdowns in the two interceptions. But their defense,
their defense, give the Miami defense a ton of credit.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, you know, our guy to sean shit.

(32:36):
They had three sacks, two forced fumbles in the interception.
They have felt all season that they were right there
on the cusp. They felt like if their offense could
just give him some possessions. You know, no defense does
well being on the field seventy five percent of the game,
not one defense. You know, sure nobody does well being
on the field seventy five percent at the time. But

(32:58):
if you can get a running game and you can
give the defense some breaks, you can score some touchdown,
give them a lead and allow them to play. Then
you look at your pass rushers and they get high.
You look at your secondary, they start playing better. You
look at your defense and it's easier to get stops.
Jalen Waddle five receptions for eighty four yards. There was
the rumors about the Bills trying to trade for him

(33:18):
before the game. I'm sure the Miami Dolphins are like, sure,
you want to see him up closing personal again, we
will showcase him today. And that's what they did, and
that was cool. But the Buffalo Bills being shut out
in the first half of this game, that's a head
scratcher for me. This is too good of a team,
too talented. They put too much money into this team.

(33:40):
But certain moves you look at and you're like, hmm,
Like bringing back Gabe Davis. You're like, oh, you don't
feel good about your receiving core right now. It's something
that's been the case in Buffalo for a long time.
Everybody was happy to hear Stefan Diggs is going getting
out of town and you don't need a number one
and you can do it by committee. No you can not.

(34:01):
You want to hear it again, No, you cannot. The
receiver by committee thing does not work in this league.
It works good enough for a regular season. You'll get
a couple wins, but you need a guy and big dogs.
You need big dogs, and a big dog eats first
and eats all the time. You see the receivers with
big dogs and critical situations. Guess where they go, Mitchell,

(34:22):
you guessed it. Big dogs, And when you don't have
a big dog, like the Buffalo Bills and the Green
Bay Packers, you don't know where you're going. You have
no rhythm with guys. The quarterbacks like hey, I can
go anywhere with it or nowhere. And that's what happens
in these big games. You run into teams where you're like, hey,
we don't got to cover anybody. We're gonna play gat

(34:43):
we're gonna press your quarterback, we're gonna make you play
left handed, and see if you can beat us with
the guys you say you can meet us with. And
they weren't able to today. They weren't able to against
the New England Patriots. There's been too many games where
it just looked like they were outmatched. And they're supposed
to be the more talented team where the receivers could
not get open, and they're supposed to be the more
talented team where their defense couldn't get a stop. And

(35:06):
you look at games where their defense plays better and
they play at a high level, and you're you look
at secondary like ooh, they're making play these and then
games like this where You're like, hmm, there's a glaring
weakness on this team and it'll be exploited in the
playoffs if they if they don't fix.

Speaker 3 (35:21):
It, it might be too late to fix it. Richard,
I don't know whatever they're going to turn to. I
mean Kean Coleman. I loved him at Michigan State, but
he struggled getting open, he struggles creating separation. I mean,
right now, they're go to guys Kalier Shakir, who's more
of a slot guy. We saw Dalton Kincaid lead their
team in receiving yards last week. Who's a tight end.

(35:41):
You're absolutely right, I mean we saw this. We'll talk
about a next But like you see this with middling teams,
with teams that are the lower tier of this NFL.
You see this with the New England Patriots last year,
who had absolutely no one to throw to. You already
said it. I mean the Green Bay Packers, that's going
to be their Achilles Hill. They got a bunch of
number two wideouts and fortunately their top guy, their top dog,

(36:02):
their tight end goes out for the season with an
ACL injury. Now who are they going to lean on?
You know, Christian Watson who's coming off the ACL that's
a question mark. But yeah, I mean with the Buffalo
Bills team, there's no firepower. Their firepowers their quarterback and
their firepowers. They're running back, but I don't know who
their quarterback is going to throw to. And if they're
not throwing the football, then it's gonna be a heck

(36:22):
of a lot harder for James Cook to run wild.
We're gonna see more of these games like this this
year from them, I'm afraid. And we saw it early
with them taking getting taken down at home by the
New England Patriots and everyone was scratching their heads. But
don't look now, and let's talk about this New England
Patriots team is eight and two, Richard, and they have
not been tested outside of that Buffalo Bills game. This

(36:45):
was their first major test since that game on the
road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are one of
the better teams in this league. And they took care
of business. It came down to the wire late, but
you know, the New England Patriots were up multiple score
late in this game. And Drake may you know, he
continues to impress Richard before we get into this game.

(37:07):
I want to talk about Drake May. This guy is
in his second year in this league and it looks
like the New England Patriots quickly found able another gem
at quarterback. And Drake May, where do you rank him?
You know in this quarterback hierarchy right now? Is I
know we talked about it previously, but is he a
top ten guy in your eyes?

Speaker 1 (37:28):
Oh, no question about it. He's the top ten guy.
And you know we hear this all the time. You know,
the top four guys. You know, they played musical chairs
and it's either Burrows the top guy one year, and
it's Josh Avan, then it's Lamar of course, and then
it's of course my homes. You can never forget about
who's having a really good season this year. But they
don't leave room for other quarterbacks to move into that

(37:50):
spear and I don't subscribe to that. I think there
are other guys playing at a very high level this year,
Matthew Stafford being included. And Matthew Stafford gets his name
mentioned in that covered station top five sometimes as he should.
You hear them them putting names in it, like Herbert
and I've heard Trevor Lawns before. But I want guys.

(38:12):
Stroud has been in that conversation. Drake May has cemented
himself into that conversation. This year he had he was
sixteen to thirty one, two seventy and two touchdowns, and
a lot of people would say this was one of
his worst games. This was one of his worst games
of the season, and they were able to beat a
really good Tempa.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
Bay Buccaneers team. Their defense had two sacks.

Speaker 1 (38:33):
Stefon Diggs had five receptions forty six yards and a touchdown.
But it was the guy Trey Henderson fourteen carries, one
forty seven and two touchdowns. Did you see the play
at the end, Mitchell when he was looking to the
sideline and saying, Hey, do y'all need.

Speaker 2 (38:49):
Me to go down or not?

Speaker 1 (38:50):
You talk about having poise, the rookie having that kind
of poise, that kind of where with Thal during the
game to say, hey, y'all need me to.

Speaker 2 (38:57):
Go to no, you'll score keep Ronnick.

Speaker 1 (39:02):
I love it. I love it. It's a young team,
and I love it for Mike Brabel. I love it
for Mike Brabel, and I love it for the Tennessee
Titans because that's what you get, you idiots.

Speaker 2 (39:12):
You let go of Mike Braveell for no reason.

Speaker 1 (39:14):
A guy who was doing things right, bringing competitive teams,
putting together competitive teams while they.

Speaker 2 (39:20):
Were constantly trading away.

Speaker 1 (39:22):
His best players traded away, Derrick Henry traded away all day,
always opened aj Brown, and he found a way to
keep those teams as competitive as you can when you're
losing guys like that. Now he gets to New England,
they're supporting him. He has his defense playing at a
high level. They're scrappy, they're competitive, they're they're they're really
uh uh uh. They're really embodying who Mike Brabel was

(39:45):
as a player, you know, just scrappy doing stuff right,
like gonna fight and scratch and claw to the very end.
They're well coached, they're running the football well. And then
you got Drake May with these dis receiving corps that
are finding ways whether it whether it's Booty, whether it's Diggs.
They're getting it from Douglas, They're getting it from a

(40:06):
number of guys. And it's really cool to see because
we talked about this, this Tampa Bay team, they've been
a top five team on most people's power rankings, not mine,
not mine. I know some things but they they've been
playing well even despite all the injuries. They lost their
franchise is best receiver and and Mike Evans to a

(40:28):
classical injury early in the season, halfway through the season,
you know, his first season without a thousand yards, and
that's a big loss. But they've been playing good football,
and they're a veteran team with veteran players that know
how to win in this game league. And they were
able to keep Baker Mayfield in check. I mean, he
had he had three touchdowns in the game, but when

(40:48):
some of them happened late, and stats aren't always indicative
of how the game got went. The Patriots were pretty
much in control most of this game. They have a
light schedule and easier schedule. They got the Jets, Bangled
and Giants coming up, so they could potentially be a
number one seed and have it wrapped up before seasons
in because of how easy their schedule is.

Speaker 3 (41:10):
And that's crazy, it's wild. I mean, we were just
talking about it before we jumped on here. I know
they're in a battle with the Indianapolis Colts for this
one seed, but if you really look at their schedule,
I would assume they've got to be betting favorites to
finish just the one seed, because dude, they're gonna be
I'm sorry, there's no way they lose a game in
their next three. The boy they're playing football right now

(41:31):
against the Jets, Bengals or Giants, they're gonna be walking
in eleven and two. That is unheard of for this
new England Patriots team, coming off the seasons that they've
had in the last three years post Tom Brady. So
for them, they found new life. We're gonna see what
happens when they face the big boys. But we saw
them face a top tier opponent in the Tampa Bay

(41:54):
Buccaneers today and they met the match and met the challenge.
But we talked about briefly the Indianapolis Colts, and I
know you were alluding to it early in this podcast.
They went across the pond and took care of the
Atlanta Falcons and they rise to eight and two this season.
The acquisition of Sauce Gardner has that city on fire

(42:16):
and they deserve to be. I mean, this team, Holy cow,
Jonathan Taylor, what is going on with him? Two hundred
and forty four yards three touchdowns, and you were jumping
into this conversation earlier, but we got to like fully
dive into it. To me, if he does not win
the MDP, something is wrong with the MVP voting because

(42:36):
there's no player more dominant in football right now than him,
and there's no player that means more to their team
right now than Jonathan Taylor. This team is eight and
two for a reason, and it's because that man is
an absolute juggernaut every Sunday. Richard, what are your thoughts
on the Indianapolis Colts and their performance today against the

(42:57):
Atlanta Falcons.

Speaker 1 (42:58):
I thought it was another do offensive performance by the
Indianapolis coach. You give Daniel Jones a lot of credit
because people said he turned into a pumpkin last week.
The old Daniel Jones. He leads the league in yards
passing yards right now, and he's finding a way to
put this team in position. Yes, we gotta give Jonathan
Taylor all he has to turn around and hand it off.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
He handed it off thirty.

Speaker 1 (43:19):
Two times Jonathan Taylor for two hundred and forty four
yards and three touchdowns, including the game winner in overtime.
I mean an incredible move that in that overtime to
to really get him the touchdowns to score that touchdown.
He's just an incredible player. And we talk about Saquon
Barkley last year and all the greatness that he was

(43:43):
in the two thousand yards rushing. Jonathan Taylor's on on
on track to surpass that. He's already surpassed the amount
of touchdowns rushing touchdowns that Saquan had last year. He
Saquan had thirteen for the season, and I know he
goes and we know about pushbush. We know you gots
love it sometimes, but you don't love it in a

(44:05):
Saquon discussion, but nobody cares.

Speaker 2 (44:08):
Nobody cares.

Speaker 1 (44:08):
If you hint, if you Toush pushed it eleven and
twelve times and he would have had twenty six touchdowns.

Speaker 2 (44:13):
He didn't.

Speaker 1 (44:14):
He didn't if you should have gave it to him
those times, so he could have had twenty six touchdowns
and we'd be talking about him in the MVP and
strengthen the argument. But the Indianapolis Colts are giving him
the ball and Jonathan Taylor's making long runs and converting them,
scoring touchdown after touchdown fifteen touchdowns rushing on the season,
seventeen overall, with the two receiving touchdowns, and it's just

(44:36):
been dominant. It's not like he's getting it and they're
already dominating the game. These are critical situations. They don't
win this game without him. He gets the game clinching touchdown.
You know when you got to give him, you got
to give him credit, whereas due he had an eighty
three yard touchdown in this game. And he's having MVP
type impact. And I know Matthew Stafford deserved to be

(44:58):
in a discussion, let's not let's not don't make any
any any any disrespect to to Matthew Stafford. But this
guy's playing at a high, high level and deserve to
be recognized.

Speaker 2 (45:09):
And I'm tired of it just going to quarterbacks.

Speaker 1 (45:11):
It's not fair because they you cannot tell me there's
more that Jonathan Taylor could be doing.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
You cannot.

Speaker 1 (45:17):
You cannot tell me there's more that he could be
doing for his team. And if there's not more that
he could be doing for his team, a team that
nobody expected to be in this position, nobody expected the
Indianapolis coach to be amongst the top teams in the
National Football League eight and two with a game coming
up against the Kansas City Chiefs where I would guess
they'd be favored. If you told me before the season

(45:39):
that we'd be looking at an Indianapolis coach team where
even their fans weren't happy when Daniel Jones was named
the starter, would be going against a Chiefs team with
Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid Steele in the in the
helm and Chris Jones healthy and they go in their
favorite I'd say, you have lost your day, Amid. That's

(46:00):
what I would say. But that's the case right now,
and it's because of a lot of things. Let's not
say it's all because of Jonathan Taylor, but Jonathan Taylor
is a huge part of it. And Roumo in this
defense is another part of that. Daniel Jones playing got
a high level is another piece of that. But the
biggest piece right now is Jonathan Taylor and that's why

(46:20):
he deserves the most valuable player in the National Football League.

Speaker 3 (46:24):
Well, you look at the secondary pieces too, I mean
Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, you know, obviously downs on the outside.
And then they plucked a tight end in the draft
that probably should have been the first tight end taken
in this draft, but he slipped past the Chicago Bears
who took Colston Loveland And that's Tyler Warren. I mean,
this is Daniel Jones's safety blanket underneath eight catches for

(46:47):
ninety nine yards. He looks like the next great thing
at the tight end position. So the Colts are doing
a lot of things right right now, including drafting the
obviously their analysis of the quarterback position with Daniel Jones.
It's gonna give this team life for years to come.
Indianapolis has got to be fired up to have a
team that's their best team since Manning played played football there.

Speaker 1 (47:09):
So simmy, think you talk about this one more thing
because I don't think people are understanding what I'm saying
about this Gardner trade. I really don't like It's almost
like people haven't been watching football, Like have you ever
watched the lou Ana Roumo defense, Like he's he's been
coaching for a long time. Have you watched his defense?

(47:31):
How many times have they lived in Manda Man? Not many?

Speaker 2 (47:35):
And and I'm.

Speaker 1 (47:36):
Arguing with fans and I'm sitting there like, oh, yes,
this is gonna be they We're gonna play all Manda Man?

Speaker 2 (47:43):
Are you?

Speaker 1 (47:44):
Is this Rex Ryan that we're talking about? Is this
Belichick no like is this PACs no. Lou Ana Roumo
calls this scheme as he has always called it. Sure
there'll be some Mando man sprinkled in. There might even
be something on third down. Most team to play man
on third down. But Sauce Gardner is a really effective

(48:05):
corner in man a man. He can he can. If
you put him in front of somebody, he can pretty
much eliminate him. I'm sure you know he'll ask him
good plays and some bad, and you gotta the other
guys get paid to they'll have some catches.

Speaker 2 (48:17):
But he can be really effective.

Speaker 1 (48:19):
But when you put him in a scheme that's vision, like,
there's vision, it's Cover three A guy, I understand.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
I played.

Speaker 1 (48:27):
I played some Cover three. I understand it. Some would
call me an expert at it. Someone call me an
expert at zone defense. I could play man a man
as well, but at zone defense. Vision on the quarterback,
there aren't many quarterbacks that would look me in the
eye and throw the ball. And there's a reason for that,
because I would take it. And so when you got
a guy like Sauce Gardner who's a phenomenal man a

(48:49):
man corner, and you put him in a zone defense,
and you put him in front of guys like you're like, oh,
his matchup's Drake London. But but then Kyle Pitts they staggered,
and Kyle Pitts gets up first and runs a post
to pull Sauce Gardner out of there, and then you
got a match up with Drake London on a linebacker.

(49:10):
Then you traded two first round picks for a guy
who can't impact the plays in the way you want
him to. There's nothing Sauce does wrong right there. He's covering,
he's playing the scheme, he's doing what he's supposed to do,
but he can't cover the guy that you're wanting him
to cover because schimmatically, his responsibility changes and the offense

(49:31):
can dictate. So if you're getting a guy like that,
and the offense can dictate when he covers their best
receiver and when he doesn't, it's gonna be tough for
him to have the kind of impact that he would
need to have to make him worthy of two first
round picks being traded. That's what I've been trying to
say to these fans, not that oh Man, Sauce Gardner

(49:51):
isn't a good play. Sous Gardlander is a great player,
but in order for him to have the kind of
impact that he needs to have, the scheme has to change.
And they're like, well, we we have another good quarter
Tarvarius Ward, no question you're doing. Tarvaris can definitely play man,
but can the safeties, can the linebackers. That's when it
gets crazy. Henchel like, this team has been built for

(50:14):
a while, and if you're Tom Ballard's been building this
for a while, he hasn't been building a man to
man defense. You got good pass wrestlers, but these are
good guys in zone coverage, smart players. Kenny Moore is
a smart player. He can play man to man, but
he makes a ton of plays in zone and to
change the entire scheme and think, oh, it's gonna just
work because if one guy it's gonna it's not how

(50:36):
it's gonna happen. So I say all that to say
this is a really good team with or without Sauce Gardner.
But in order for him to be most effective, you
have to you have to isolate and you have to
give him that matchup and they're gonna have to draw
up some schemes and maybe bastardize this scheme a little
bit to allow him to thrive in the way he
needs to thrive, to be impactful in the way he
can be. But that's my two cents.

Speaker 2 (50:59):
What do I know. I didn't play this game at
a high level, Mitchell. I'm just here so I don't
get fined.

Speaker 3 (51:05):
Richard, you know a lot more than people give you credit.
And there's no question about it. Indianapoli's secondary though. I
mean you touched on on Travarius Ward and Kenny Moore
and obviously saw us, but they also got buying them,
you know who they scooped up in free agency. So
this team's loaded with talent.

Speaker 2 (51:22):
Bidam is a king of these celebrations.

Speaker 3 (51:24):
But Bynum's nasty. I mean, they got a really good
defensive Backcore. I like the Colts a lot. I can
now see why they're eight and two. I was confused,
you know, six seven weeks in, Richard, I was very confused.
But now I'm seeing the light with Indy and they
go over overseas and take care of business against Atlanta,
who desperately needs a win, and you know you gotta

(51:45):
tip your cap to them. But next week's the game.
Next week we see whether they truly are AFC favorites,
because I tell you what, Richard, if they beat the
Kansas City Chiefs, I think it might be time to
pencil them.

Speaker 2 (51:57):
Just that.

Speaker 3 (51:58):
Let's get into some other games. We're gonna do a
little two minute drill here here and hit some other
games that the Baltimore Ravens were on the road against
the Minnesota Vikings, who went into Detroit and took care
of my Detroit Lions last week. The Baltimore Ravens are
now getting healthy Lamar Jackson's back, but that offense did
not look like it normally looks very stagnant, especially in

(52:19):
that first half. You know, we saw four field goals
kicked early and it was one of these games that
you know, you could easily have seen the Baltimore Ravens losing,
but they end up squeaking out a win. They're now
four and five. You know, the Steelers keep winning. Do
you see a world I know we've talked about a
number of times this year, but is it your belief
still that the Baltimore Ravens are gonna win this division?

Speaker 1 (52:42):
No? I don't know, Mitchell, because they need help and
anytime it's a situation where a team needs help, it's unpredictable.
I couldn't have predicted the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Indianapolis
Colts in the way they did and the fashion that
they did, and the defense playing at the level that
it did, because the tape didn't say it they would
be playing at the level, but they did. And so

(53:02):
are they starting to wake up at the right time
and play elite football potentially? So they have the lead
right now. Can the Baltimore Ravens like climb back and
make the playoffs? I think they can because certain teams
are gonna stumble. What are the Chargers gonna do without
their two all world tackles. It looks like Joe Alts
now out for the season after respraining his ankle. Rashaun

(53:24):
Slater was already down, and that offense looks entirely different
without Joe alt in the fold, without Omarion Hampton, without
without Naji Harris. So can they protect Herbert enough for
him to be effective? Can that defense stand up and
create enough to plays and turnovers? We'll see tonight, But

(53:44):
those are the questions I have to answer because you
see teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars. I told y'all, I
told y'all, Trevor Lawrence ain't the answer. I told y'all,
fifty five million. He was thirteen thirteen for what, thirteen
for twenty three interception and he gave as many touchdowns
to his team as he did with other team. Mitchell,

(54:05):
but that's the story for a different day. We're not
gonna waste time on that game. We're not gonna go
down that rabbit hole. But Jacksonville fans, just leave me alone, please,
thank you. I liked your defense, I liked what they
were doing, but we all knew this was an inevitability.
Liam Cohen can only save your quarterback for so long.
He can only spoon feed him for so long. Eventually,
teams are gonna say, hey, let's just start disguise him

(54:25):
and not shore our look until after fifteen seconds in
the headset goes off and see what Trevor Lawrence can do,
because he'll be who he always is. But whatever you
guys wanted to find fifty five million, whatever, no tax
in Jacksonville.

Speaker 2 (54:37):
Good for him. His family will be taking care of
for a lifetime. I'm sure he'll buy a house in Jacksonville.

Speaker 1 (54:42):
But If you're talking about who's gonna make the playoffs,
that's that's gonna factory in. Do the Houston Texans climb
back in it? Them being able to win with their
backup quarterback Davis Mills that matters. Can can they buy
time for c J. Stroud to come back? And there's
a lot of questions that are up in the air,
and a lot of things are gonna go one way
or the other soon. Are the Buffalo Bill's gonna continue

(55:05):
to play well? Are they gonna flounder?

Speaker 2 (55:09):
Flounder? I don't know, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (55:11):
Were going to see it with Chelsea. Another surprise is
a Chicago Bears team. They're now six and three, but
the New York Giants came into Chicago and we're handling
the Bears early until Jackson Dart got knocked out with
that concussion. Jackson Dart to me, looks like again and
I'm gonna stand on my words from earlier. He looks
like he should have been the number one pick last year.

(55:32):
In my eyes, he has transformed this New York Giants team.
He's changed the energy, he's changed the culture of this organization.
And only what he was his fifth start of the
year or something like that. Unfortunately, he goes down and
Russell Wilson comes in and they lose the game. But
the Chicago I mean credit to them, you know, down
two scores, they come back and they find a way
to win. Caleb Williams with the seventeen yeard rushing TV

(55:55):
to end the game. The Bears started owing two, Rich
got absolutely blown out by my Detroit Lions and ford
Field Ben Johnson's coming home party, and they're five and one.
Since it's wild, I can't even believe it, but they're
six and three now on the season.

Speaker 2 (56:11):
Remarkable.

Speaker 1 (56:12):
Yeah, they're finding a way to win these ugly games
and be and and give themselves a chance at the end.
That's what good teams do. I'm sure Ben Johnson is like, hey,
these are good habits to be learning their defenses, fighting,
their offensive fighting. They're always within a score except obviously
that blowout, and they're they're always in it at the end,
and that says something about your team, like give them

(56:34):
a chance. And its growth for Kayleb Williams, his growth,
for Ben Johnson and the rest of the Chicago Bears team.
They picked up all these new offensive linemen. It takes
a while for that to jail and cohesion and all that.

Speaker 2 (56:46):
Some of these.

Speaker 1 (56:46):
Offensive lines, like when Detroit's offensive line had been together
for a long time with all those really good offensive linemen,
they played really good. They ran the ball well, they
passed protected well. It's just like Dallas Cowboys a few
years ago when they had Tyron Smith and they had
all these all pros, and it's like, oh man, they've
played together for a while, it's gonna look good. Roma

(57:07):
Dounza starting to find his rhythm.

Speaker 2 (57:09):
Uh. Six receptions for eighty six yards.

Speaker 1 (57:11):
They spent a lot of draft capital on the offense
and their defense playing well enough. But before Jackson Dart
went out with the concussion, they were in control of
this game. The Giants were in control, total control of
this game. He goes out, they insert Russell Wilson, he
goes three for seven for forty five yards, you know,

(57:31):
and it just the offense kind of sputtered, and the
offense sputtered, And there was a play in that game,
and I remember Greg Olsen uh making a point to
say something about it, and that you guys are probably
wondering how I watch all these games at the same time.
I worked hard, but it was it was fourth and

(57:51):
goal at the one, and they were they were going
to kick a field goal and there was a penalty
on the field goal and the Giants to climbed it.
And Olsen said, if if they lose this game, they're
gonna look back at this play as the reason as
a big changing point. And they lose by four points,
and that was a four point swing. They were at

(58:13):
the half yard line, fourth and goal, up seven, up seven,
and they didn't go for it. They didn't go for
the score.

Speaker 2 (58:21):
Half a yard. You couldn't get half a yard.

Speaker 1 (58:23):
And you know if Jackson Dart was an and and
at the helm, they would have went. And so it's
a bit on Day Bowl because you change your play
calling based on who's that quarterback. A half yard is
a half yard is a half yard. You gotta believe
you can get it regardless of who's that quarterback. And
Russell Wilson could QB sneak or you could turn around
and hand the ball off to Tyrone Tracy, regardless, you

(58:45):
got to be able to get a half yard. And
I think that's the issue right now. But if you're
a Giants fan, you appreciate understanding you have a building
block and Jackson, Dart Scattabu, you got some exciting pieces.
Slayton had a good game in this game. Your defensive

(59:07):
line is all world. Uh, you know your secondary is
starting to find play better. I'm sure you'll draft more
and pick up in free agency, but there are some
building blocks. But you want to be picking high in
the draft. You don't want to have a bad season
and then beat mid bad. You don't want to have
a bad season and then be picking the eleven. Like
if you're gonna have a bad season, show promise and

(59:28):
then pick top three. Show that we could have won
all these games. They could have won all these games.
It was just like Dimmer that year. They were like
one in six and one score games and they still
went to the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (59:36):
They were ten and seven. They could have been for
them dame here perfseason. But when you lose these games.

Speaker 1 (59:42):
And you show competitive figure, you show that it's gonna
still build winning habits. I think they have guys that
believe this team can be a really good team, and
a few plays here and there, they could have won
a lot of these games, and they beat a division opponent,
they beat the Eagles when when they were somewhat healthy.

Speaker 2 (59:57):
But then you get Elik Neighbors.

Speaker 1 (59:59):
You know, there's so many building blocks, there's so much
reason for optimism going forward. And if they can get
another high draft pick and make it work, sky's a limit.
But it's day Ball gonna be there. We'll see, We'll
see what mar does.

Speaker 3 (01:00:12):
We'll see. No question about Richard, I ecked those statements.
I love New York. I think next year they're going
to be a team that people are gonna have their
eyes on. I think you know, they're probably gonna be
picking top five in this draft.

Speaker 2 (01:00:22):
We'll see what they do.

Speaker 3 (01:00:22):
But like you said, with Malik Neighbors back and Cam
Scattaboo back, I guarantee they run that ball on fourth
and one or fourth and a half of a yard
if Cam Scataboo's back there, Richard. You know, Jackson Dart
is starting to take some criticism for the amount of
hits he's taken. Ryan Clark thinks he's taken way too
many hits. We saw him in the medical tet. You know,
a couple of weeks ago when day Bowl and Scataboo

(01:00:44):
both got fine for going in there and checking on him,
and now we see him go out with a big
hit he's suffered on a run and resulting in what
is assumed to be a concussion. A lot of young
quarterbacks seem to go through this process where they think
that they just got a run run on and not
care about their bodies. But the reality is Jackson Dart,
if he wants to help his team, he's got to

(01:01:06):
be available and right now. Yeah, ultimately that hit costs
him the game in my eyes. What are your thoughts
on the way Jackson Dart is playing his play style?
Do you think he needs to tone it down a bit?

Speaker 1 (01:01:18):
Well, I mean, the games will teach you the lessons
that nobody else can, and so a bought lesson is
better than a taught lesson.

Speaker 2 (01:01:25):
And he just bought a lesson this game. He learned it.
He learned it.

Speaker 1 (01:01:31):
Ryan Clark is saying that for a reason, and then
the game taught him the lesson. And I'm sure he'll
change the way he plays, whether it's sliding early. Do
I think he won't run the football anymore? No, that's
part of his game. That's part of what makes him
attractive today Bowl to draft him, being able to use
his legs and make plays with his legs and be
dynamic in that way. But I think he's gonna be

(01:01:53):
more aware of Hey, slide when necessary. Hey, when you
got enough and you got eight nine yards, that's enough,
get down. It's better to have you for the next
play than to lose you for the game. When we
when we have this game won, we we're in control
of this game. You're at the helm, we can easily
win this game. And you go down in the whole dynamic,
the whole energy of the game, the whole energy of

(01:02:13):
the team shifts immediately.

Speaker 2 (01:02:16):
And again I bought lessons better than a tault lesson,
and he bought it.

Speaker 3 (01:02:19):
Richard, Final final game. I know you don't want to
talk about him, Trevor Lawrence. You already, you already said
thirteen receptions for twenty eight, one hundred and fifty eight yards.
But the matter of the fact of this game is
the Houston Texans go into this game under man, without
their quarterback C. J. Stroud, down twenty nine to ten
going into the fourth quarter, and they scored twenty six
unanswered come back and win led by Davis Mills, Stanford

(01:02:42):
alum Stanford Brethren. Richard, the carts. You gotta love it
is certain that I mean, talk to me about him,
Talk to me about Derek Stingley Junior, a friend of
the program, quickly rising to start them.

Speaker 2 (01:02:55):
Is one of the best corners in this league.

Speaker 3 (01:02:57):
Huge one aheaded interception to win this game. You gotta
give it. You gotta tip of your cap to the
Houston Texans with this comeback win without their guys CJ.

Speaker 2 (01:03:07):
Stroud.

Speaker 1 (01:03:08):
Yeah, you gotta give them a lot of credit. A
very tough, gritty divisional win.

Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
They came.

Speaker 1 (01:03:12):
They had a really tough game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
that could have went either way. Earlier in the season.
They weren't able to score thirty six points in that game.
I think that game ended seventeen to thirteen or something
like that. The Jazz were able to pull it all.
They got some critical turnovers and usually this Houston Texans
defense is much stingier than this.

Speaker 2 (01:03:34):
But give Derek Stingley a ton of credit.

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
That was one of the best plays I've ever seen
a dB A corner make a one handed interception. He's
been playing as what looks like the top corner in
the National Football League, but you can't forget about the
defensive player out there of the year out there in
Denver and Pat sertain he's on the shelf right now,
but he's always got his name in that hat. But
right now, give Derek Stingley all the credit in respect

(01:03:58):
he deserves. That was an incredible play and he spark
this comeback win that they had against the division opponent.
But as always I talk about Trevor Lawnce. You couldn't
tell who the fifty five million dollar quarterback was in
this game because some pboby should probably shoudn't be getting
fifty five million. But you know who played better? Did
he get out played by Davis Mills? Some would say
that I would say that, But who am I? I'm

(01:04:18):
just a humble servant. Again, I don't think he's the answer.
In Jacksonville, I think they're they're squandering a really good defense.
And you know, now Jacksonville's attacked me for a center.
Defense is good because they gave up twenty six unanswered. Well,
pick pick your poison, Jacksonville fans. I really don't care
either way. But you lost this game to the Houston Texas.

(01:04:40):
You're five and four. Now it looks like again I
think I think there's gonna be a conversation about bringing
mac Jones back next year, like do they want to
make that trade? Look, because because mac Jones was playing
comparable football, if not better football than Trevor Laws with
this same cast of character, So do they look at
that as an option?

Speaker 2 (01:04:59):
Will he be different with with Liam Cohen? Who knows?

Speaker 1 (01:05:04):
But I just don't see the growth that you want
to see from from a quarterback making the kind of money.

Speaker 2 (01:05:09):
And I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:05:09):
People are like, you're always talking about money because it matters,
because it matters, Like if you're playing these kind of
guys this kind of money, it comes with this kind
of criticism. You don't get if I'm getting paid top
corner back money and I'm playing average, the criticism I
would expect. Every top guy that's getting top money is
getting top criticism too. You don't get top money and

(01:05:30):
then be like, oh, we're gonna treat him like he's
a rookie quarterback and give them the benefit of doubt.

Speaker 2 (01:05:33):
No, fifty five million dollars, you know who else is
making that? Burrow? You know who's making less than that.

Speaker 1 (01:05:39):
I think Lamar's making less than that, Like I think
Mahomes is making less than that. Josh Allen might be
making less than that or right on par So, if
you're if you're in those conversations financially with those guys
and I don't care how the money works.

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
Then the criticism is gonna come.

Speaker 1 (01:05:53):
You expect more, You expect a higher level of play
from your quarterback, and definitely not the kind of play
that ended the game and Rankings returns at fumble for
a touchdown and ends this game in totality. I know
you're trying to make a play in this game, You're
trying to give your team a chance, but a force fumble,
a fumble into the defensive hands that leads to a
touchdown isn't the kind of play you need. Trevor Lywnch

(01:06:15):
was sacked five times in the game, so again, the
offensive line is an issue, no question about that. But
congratulations City Houston Texans and Derek Stingley on a win.
They're gonna climb themselves back into conversations about a playoff berth.

Speaker 3 (01:06:29):
And they deserve it.

Speaker 1 (01:06:31):
All odds and lines come from our partners at Hard
Rock Bet. We've got the Eagles at the Packers on
Monday Night Football tomorrow. Hard rock Bet has the Packers
as a one point spread in this game. I think
it's gonna be a great game. We know how it
went last year in the playoffs. These teams are very
familiar with each other because of playoff game. You play

(01:06:53):
in a playoff game against somebody, you study them to
a team, you know what they do well, what they
don't do well. And these teams are a little bit different,
but foundationally they're the same in a lot of respects
then as they were in that playoff game. I expect
Big Fangio to have a great plan for Jordan Love.
I expect Matt Lafloor to have a great plan for
this uh big Fangio coach defense.

Speaker 2 (01:07:15):
We'll see what would aj Brown and company.

Speaker 1 (01:07:18):
Do against this this pass rush, Lane Johnson and all
those guys against this this vaunted pass rush from the
Green Bay Packers. Mitchell, this is gonna be a fun one.

Speaker 3 (01:07:28):
No question about it. And Richard, I'm really excited to see,
you know how the philadelph Fiegals respond against a big
time opponent in this Green Day Packers. They're gonna lean
on their passing game. I feel like I got a
little parlay brewed up for you. I think that Vonte
Smith is a good option as at any time touchdown score.
He's had a big year. And then I'll be very
curious to see how the Packers line up offensively without

(01:07:51):
their main weapon, their safety net, Tucker Craft. I think
they're gonna have to lean on their bellcow Josh Jacobs,
and I think he's gonna be the guy to get
in the end zone first this game. I'm gonna lean
on him as my first touchdown score of the game.

Speaker 1 (01:08:04):
I think that could be a good one, Mitchell, that
might be a good parlay. I might have to follow
you up, brother well Richard. This concludes our Week ten recap.
It's crazy to think we're already is it? Is it
really week ten? We're already past the midway point of
this season. It's been a great season. There's a lot
of parody this year.

Speaker 3 (01:08:23):
I think that's my one big takeaway from past the
midway point is there's a lot of parody in the
NFL in both conferences, and I'm personally really excited to
see how it all unfolds in the last eight weeks
of the season. Richard, it's been a heck of time.
I will let you sign us off, my friend.

Speaker 1 (01:08:40):
Uh well, as always, we appreciate you joining us. We
know you could be anywhere in the world getting your
football content, but you're here with us, and we sure
do appreciated. Congratulations to the Seahawks fans to twelve. It's
looking like one of those special years for the faithful.
Keep your head up, keep your head up. It'll be
a better day one of these days. Hopefully they can

(01:09:01):
get on a three game winning streak and the whole
conversation changes. We'll see. But Detroit, are you the real deal? Hey,
we're gonna see, We gonna see. Hit that sub button
if you knew, See you next.