September 20, 2023 • 36 mins
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It's Fox Sports Radio's Official Fantasy Football Podcast! Dan Beyer and Mike Harmon discuss the continued fallout of Week 2 in the NFL and highlight running back play, as more big names fall to injury. The guys examine Kyren Williams' huge role with the Rams after the Cam Akers news and look back at the recent history of Rams running backs to try and determine how much shelf life Williams truly offers. Plus, could the Cowboys trade for Jontathan Taylor?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ladies, you want experience during your football season, well, buckle up,
sweet cheeks. We've got all the experience in the world.
This is I want your flex with Dan Bayer and
Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break down everything you need
to set your lineups, from position rankings to starts and sits.
(00:24):
The guys help you make those hard decisions. And now
let's get your flex ond here's Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
All right, we have moved on to week three, looking
ahead to the matchups including the Giants and Niners that
will play on Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Giants in a situation where they don't have.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Saquon Barkley Mike in that game against the forty nine Ers.
Christian mccaffery's been the best running back of the National
Football League this season.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
But that's where we start.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
We start talking about running backs, and with the amount
of injuries that we had in the week two, now
you start to wonder, all right, what starts to chart
in week three? Are you satisfied with the guys that
you had in your locker room or do you maybe
start looking elsewhere for other options because guys are available,
whether they're on teams or not.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Yeah, this is where you know, a guy like Kareem
Hunt suddenly gets a look. We talked about it a
little bit last week of you know, once you get
past week one in terms of guaranteed monies and whatever,
you can make some adjustments as to how you go
after free agents. But now we're getting into that, you know,
not quite panic mode, Dan, but certainly you're kicking the
(01:35):
tires of what's still out there, but also looking around.
All right, maybe another team's got a crowded running back
room or a situation like nobody understands with what's going
on with Cam Akers, right, I'd love to do the
background and you know, talking with Smith about it a
little bit in the wake of the Nick Chubb injury
on Fox Sports Radio on Monday night, you know where
(01:57):
you're scratching your head, going, all right, I need to
know what's going on in that, you know, with with
Cam Akers and his last eighteen months, because certainly he's
a player that when he's healthy, he's right, he can
take over some games and give you some chunk yardage
and keep the line moving. But why is he not
your guy? Then? What is it behind the scenes that's
(02:19):
causing the friction and you know, having teammates doing postgame
pressers going yeah, that was my guy. It's like, wait,
you use the past tense. What's going on here?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
That hole?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
If you go back, if we just look at the
Sean McVay era with the Rams. And I'm saying this
as a Seahawks fan, I love Sean McVay. I actually
wish Sean McVay was my head coach no offense Pete Carroll.
But if Pete Carroll moves on, Like if Sean McVay
wanted to go to the Seahawks, I'd love it. I
think it'd be great. I think, by the way, it's
probably gonna be Dan Quinn. That's for another day in
(02:53):
another time. I like Sean McVay a lot. But Mike,
when we look back at the handling of Todd Gurley,
you know, I remember, it's just everything was like show
in the dark. Maybe they were protecting the player, I
don't know what the case was. Then you have Darryl
Henderson hanging around there like he did, and it was
(03:17):
Malcolm Brown was there for a while, thought to me,
the one die Yeah yeah, right, But then here's Darryl
Henderson hanging out and then we go, oh, guess what,
Now here's cam Akers and heck, we go to last
season and then there's Darryl Henderson's back on top again
and we had heard rumblings about, you know, Kyen Williams.
But then guess who ends up emerging again? It's the
(03:38):
guy who didn't want to be on the team midway point, Like,
I don't know what's going on, but I don't understand
this drama with running backs with that team. And because
it's not just a cam Akers deal, like the way
that they've handled their running backs over the last couple
of years just leaves me scratching their head. And it
also honestly leaves me to say, don't mess up this
(03:59):
Kyen Williams situation because the track record sure looks like
you're about to at least at some point.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Well, and that's that's the larger thing. Is it the
the new Age? Is it truly the epitome of Hey,
they're interchangeable, so I'm not going to ride one. But
unfortunately there's going to be the the mercurial, the temperamental
side of it that you've got to manage from the people.
Sure part of it, right, because everybody's looking to maximize
(04:27):
their dollars an opportunity, right, Kien Williams, As you and
I say, you know, look at things coming into or
out of week two. He was still available in about
a third plus of leagues. But you're wondering how long
you know, the opportunity is going to be there.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
And I would think it would be bright considering what
he did against the forty nine ers. And I think,
by the way, I think for the next few years,
you know, at least for this season. I think it's okay.
But you know, I just am like, what's going on?
You know who else I've forgot? There was a Sony
Michelle appearance.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Oh you're right, yeah, you know like that. Yeah, yes,
we've seen the highs the Super Bowl appearances and everything
and the appearances of Sony Michelle and now he has
gone from our Yes, but yeah, I just add him
to the laundry list of curiosities. Right. Are you just
thinking that they're interchangeable, blowed through as long as your
(05:24):
passing game is right, these guys can just come in
and play as necessary. So maybe they don't get the
love and the hug like I'm trying to get into
the coaching psychology of it as much as the x's
and o's.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, I don't know what I don't.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And that's the problem is because like I think the
forty nine ers play favorites, like I think that they do.
I think that they played favorites with Brock Purdy, and
I think they they didn't. They didn't play favorites when
Jimmy g fell out of favor They obviously weren't playing
playing favorites with Trey Lance. I just I feel like
(06:00):
they like their guys. I can't get a read on
the Rams because I just don't know who they like,
because whoever they like ends up all of a sudden
then disappearing off, you.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Know, like the face of their roster.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right, you know the year that Akers was hurt when
he blew his achilles, I mean he came back and
then was their leading rusher in a playoff game that year.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You know, like it's just it's just it's crazy. The thing.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I don't know how we got on this Rams discussion,
but when you start talking about it just made me
think of, like, man, the last five years, I just
don't know what is going on with Rams running backs.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Well, I mean and look through two weeks of this season,
You've gotten a much better, cleaner effort from this squad
where it would have anticipated too. You know, when we
talk about coaching him up, getting revitalized, mcveigh's dalliance with
the idea of retiring in the broadcast booth whatever I mean.
He talked with Jay Glazer a bunch on his podcast
(06:58):
about it and trying to glean some in sights, you know,
into the psychology of it, all the burnout, and you know,
to some degree, I still would argue that maybe maybe
me and you, perhaps Dan and some others kind of
raised our hands, going we can't go out like that. Yeah,
he can't be the super genius, win a bunch and
(07:18):
then have one bad year. But you also see how
much different life is when Matthew Stafford doesn't look like
he's in pain with every wind up of his arm
and every step he takes. Because last year he didn't
look comfortable. He looked like a guy that was ready
to just walk away. Now he had a lot of
monetary reasons and life and whatever not to as well
(07:41):
as being on Quarterback season two, But he looks like
a guy revitalized. You got some young receivers Obviously, Nikua
is a guy we've talked about a bunch the last
couple of weeks and targets and just being in the
right space and timing and all just being there. So
I mean, as long as Aaron Donald stays up right whatever,
they're not going to win a ton of games, but
(08:03):
they're sure as hell going to make it difficult on
other squads. And if Cooper Cup comes back at some level,
like I've flipped one hundred and eighty degrees on where
it was two weeks ago, all right, what parts are
we selling off now? It's like, all right, you can
play spoiler, screw some things up, but still have a
high enough draft pick to move to the next level.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And we'll talk a little bit more about the running
backs and the injuries later out of the podcast. And obviously,
you know you mentioned that, you know, we're talking about
the Rams. They have the Bengals and Joe Burrows situation
one that we'll touch on as well. But since we
are just got on this Rams thing, what did you
think about the field goal with four seconds left to
make it a seven point.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
I thought it was the most fantastic thing ever. You know,
the line you screw people over or or you also
are you know, showing love to your backers. Whatever that
percentage was, I thought that on the it's like all right, well,
you know it was eight and a half or wherever
wherever it was coming in is like, screw you, We're
(09:05):
going to kick this field goal.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yep. Yeah, I said it on Doug Show on Monday
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Like, we've seen this so much in college because your
boosters bet on your team. Yeah, and your boosters the
ones that keep you employed as a college football coach.
So if you aren't covering spreads and winning their bets
for them, you're not going to be around that town
very long. So it's a well known thing in college football.
(09:32):
It may not be of the NFL's liking, but Mike,
if you look up into the stands and you see
sixty five forty nine er fans in your home park,
it can't be a great feeling. And to know that
your team just did about everything that they could to
try to beat one of the best teams, if not
the best team in the NFL. If there was just
one little thing that you could take away to maybe
(09:52):
you know, snatch from them or make them feel a
little bit worse because you couldn't beat them.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
That's what you do. And I think that's exactly what
he did.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Oh yeah, you got the betting side, you get to
screw them over. And let's face it, hail Mary's whatever.
Screw that. I mean, Russell Wilson got lucky with one
and gave him a nice stat line. And you know,
Sean Payton can say, hey, we we drew that up beautifully,
you know, because outside of his script he's not doing
quite so well right now. But when it's all said
(10:22):
and done, yeah, you send some folks salty. Not only
did you pay a bunch to come down to LA,
you didn't win your bet to cover the ticket price either.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So here's yeah, and here's the other thing about that
that I wonder, how many people do you think drove
down percentage wise? Because I was, you know, I was
talking with Nick Cope, anchor at Fox Sports Radio. You
know Nick from a lot of different broadcasts, whether it
be for UCLA or but Nick's a Niners fan, and
(10:52):
I think I can reveal that and I said, you
know what, I go, there's so many Niner fans in
southern California, you know, Like I'm wondering like what what
the amount was? You know, like if there were sixty thousand,
I'm I'm like, I go.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I wouldn't I wouldn't doubt it.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I wouldn't doubt of forty you know, in a fifty
thousand of those came from southern California.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeh know.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Well, I mean because you also have the phenomenon of
you know, men women of a certain age yep, forty
nine Ers, Cowboys, Lakers, and you know, the Yankees. So
there you go.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I was gonna put your bulls in there, but I
didn't want to hit, you know, but you know how
it was Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
I mean, look they're still out there, and you're still
seeing a bunch of bulls gear now now and again
no question. Actually ran into a kid on the street
and his friends. I was at a stop sign and
they go across the street and one of them's wearing
a Rodman T shirt and it is an old Rodman
T shirt. He couldn't have been fifteen, And I was like,
(11:52):
who in your family? Like I wanted to ask him
who in the family is the Rodman?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
A dad?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Is it an uncle? Is it a ground? Like who's
got you that shirt? Because that is not you know,
made to look old. That is one I remember from
the time in Chicago. So pretty cool that you still
see some of that on the streets. But I would
agree with you. I think you probably had a lot
of locals.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Here's here's the other thing with being a Niners fan.
They really haven't struggled. No, Like that's the thing. You
look at all the the other organizations outside of the
Steelers and Niners, you know, there really hasn't been a struggle.
I remember the Packers' eighties, you know, and then there
(12:37):
was the seventies. As of late, there hasn't been much
of a struggle here and there for that franchise. The
same thing with the Niners, like even you know a
few years back when they had all the injuries and
then what happens while they get the second overall pick
and get Nick Bosa, right, you.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Know, like fall right into something big.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yep, yeah, you know, like all right, you know that's well.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
I had the number one pick and traded it in Chicago,
and I might get the number one again.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
So there's that's true. Oh take that.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Maybe my long suffering self will catch a break. But no,
the McVeigh story out of Week two is one of
my favorites, Dan tru because it vexed and it got
so many people mad, the same people that are, you know,
shilling for any number of corporations on the betting side. Oh,
(13:32):
why would you do that? Why wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Todd Furman brought it up on his bit talking about,
you know, if things were to work in a crazy world,
right because the NFL one or two injuries, Dan, you know,
you know how quickly things can change. We got a
couple of teams that already have mass units, right, so
we all the expectations can go us under. What if
things broke really crazily and suddenly the Rams are in
(13:59):
playoff contention those tiebreaker things.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I also wonder, you know, is that a reason why
the NFL like put an end to going for conversions
at the end of games? Remember when you score and
time expires, you know, because if you could, you know,
maybe you'd go for two, you know, like to try
to cover.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I wonder if they stayed away from that.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I wonder if that was an NAB thinking, I don't know,
it would probably be down the road. But but yeah,
it was interesting happening made week two interesting. Week two
is much more interesting, by the way than week one was.
So yeah, for sure, let's take a time out. He's
Mike Carmen, I have Dan Byer se I want your
Flex podcast. Hit him up at swollen don't find me
at dan Byer on Fox. We're gonna talk some more
(14:42):
running backs, plus what's happening in Cincinnati with you on
two Bengals and Joe Burrow all that's coming up next
to here, and I want your flex all right. As
Mike said, you know, kream Hunt was the name that
popped up. Hit him up on x Twitter dot comment
swollen don't find me at Dan Byer on Fox. Cream
Hunt was trending on Monday night at one point.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It's crazy. That's where we're at. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, do you think any deals get done? I think
something gets done with Jonathan Taylor. Do you think this
cam Akers deal ends up playing through? I know that's
where we're kind of going when we got sidetracked on
the Rams, But.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah, do you think any deals end up getting done?
Speaker 4 (15:21):
I think the auld Man. I think there's enough guys
kicking around veterans that might find their way to a
new home. But you know that in terms of spending
larger capital. I mean, most of the teams affected by
injuries have someone in house that that they can make work.
(15:43):
And even in Cleveland, man Jerome Ford look like he's
a guy that deserves at least another week or two
before you hit any kind of level of desperation. Uh
and Pierre strong part of their their lineup as well, So,
you know, against a pretty good pitch Burg defense, quitted
themselves nicely. I mean Ford had the big run, but
(16:06):
otherwise still kind of churning a bit. So I think
there's I guess maybe a little bit of hope. I'd
be more worried about the passing game and getting that
going if I'm Cleveland right now. But you know, the
Jonathan Taylor situation, you know, as we talked about in
the preseason stuff, Dan, I'm not convinced that Jim Mersay
ever wanted to trade him, or that he ever will.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, I I don't, you know, and I should have
done research on this. He might not. But I think
that there's one team that could be interested, one team
that could really get a deal done, Okay, and I
think it's Dallas. Now, hear me out the theory of
(16:52):
you know Tony Pollard getting twenty five touches a game
is awesome in fantasy football.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
In theory, yes, in theory. You talked about it on
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
You and for those that may have just been listening,
Mike truly was one of the first people. He may
have been the first person that I heard that was
touting the talents of Tony Pollard. This was years ago,
before Zeke's wheels completely fell off. Mike was touting Tony Pollard.
But we do know the strength of Tony Pollard is
(17:25):
probably fifteen carries a game, you know, five six, seven receptions.
I don't know if thirty two touches is going to
be the strength. And they just let go of Ronald Jones,
who wasn't available to them at the start of the year.
I know that love Douce Swan, but if you could
put Jonathan Taylor on that team for what, for what
(17:50):
the first two weeks of the season, looks like a
Super Bowl contender, you know, I wouldn't. I wouln't rule
it out.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Well, And I think that's the big thing to triple
underscore there, Dan is the expectations, you know, if they're
always there for Dallas, right it's always the all right,
they look good on paper, and then you watch this
defense go to work, and you don't have to like
zag Wilson. You just watched a defense that didn't stop right.
(18:16):
You know the old Simpsons meme and gift that you
see all the time. Stop stop, he's already dead. They
didn't care. They kept going, and that I think is
really where they're at. And Dak was efficient, right, didn't
overwhelm you with numbers, but thirty one to thirty eight
right completion percentage was crazy in that first half, and
(18:38):
you look at the way things were clicking. What could
derail it? Suddenly having a giant absence in the run game,
And certainly for me, I'd love nothing more than being
the fire plug guy that I am to see Deuce
Vaughn come in and be a workhorse. But I think
we all know that can't happen and won't happen. Not
(18:59):
to sell him, see I walked into it, sell him short,
But the idea that he would be able to hold up,
I mean, I don't know, right, I don't know, but
I certainly if I'm Jerry Jones and I'm up in
the booth and I'm watching this squad. I'm doing everything
I can to make the preemptive move. Yeah, Tony Pollard,
(19:22):
you're my guy, But I need this room to be
as good as it can be, and if that means
I can go land Jonathan Taylor and really make a splash,
because if any owner really could make Jim Ursay come
on board, Like, tell me the two of those guys
you know, couldn't have some yarns till four in the morning. Sure,
(19:43):
maybe come to a deal.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Yeah, no, you're you're absolutely right. Yeah, yeah, they they
absolutely could. And it's just it's it would make sense.
I think if you're the Cowboys, no, granted, you then
have the decision on what to do with Taylor long term. Heck,
you have a decision what to do with Tony Pollard
long term as well. But the urgency of Jerry Jones
trying to win a Super Bowl is just something that
(20:08):
you can't deny.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
And I just I wouldn't put anything past them.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
And now it's funny because in the market mic of
teams needing running backs, I also think you get a
little bit of a bit of a sense of where
your team is and you can't judge them completely against
the Jets because of Zach Wilson being there. But they've
started out the year two and zero. They got a
big road win dominating the Giants. You get the Cardinals
(20:33):
in week three, a game that you should win, and
you should meet the Patriots in week four. Now you're
four and zero going into San Francisco in week five.
Like that's you know, it's setting up and there's they're
gonna be matchups down the way, but you can start
laying those building blocks and if you can get your
offensive line healthy, the defense has been, you know, playing
lights out.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
I just I think that the pieces could be there
for Dallas for something to watch.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Oh, I dig that. I like the way you've set
that up because week five was going to be the
the the week of magic. Right, wasn't that Jets having
a big matchup that week?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Right because of the Sean Payton conversation.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Yeah here, so it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
You know, speaking is scheduling. You know, it's you know,
Monday night doubleheader again in week three, I went you know,
I'm not a fan. I went off in uh pod yesterday. Yeah,
just you know, when when Versa and I were hooking up,
just I liked it when you didn't have games going
on simultaneously, like at one point we had two crappy
(21:40):
games going on at the same time. Yeah, you know,
so I was looking for Plan C. That's right, should
be King at Queen's. But you know we've got We've
got Buccaneers Eagles in Tampa and Monday in Game one,
and then an hour later Bengals and Rams and that's
kind of and we'll get to the Bengals in a sect.
But the marquee game in the AFC right now could
(22:05):
be Dolphins Chiefs, which is gonna be in Germany in
the middle of the season. Like when you think of
like think of that, like how crazy, Like we're gonna
have Cowboys Niners.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
What a great game?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
And then you know, a month later, you could have
this Dolphins team in their offense against Patrick Mahomes and
their offense.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And we're gonna give it to the Germans.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm three quarters German, so I'm so, you know, I
guess it's fine by me, but crazy that that's what
we could get in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Is it gonna make good for all the past games
that have been trash? They extending the International Series? Did
they what they promise? Something of anticipation.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
I am so glad you said this because another international game,
and this one's coming up in a couple of weeks
is Falcons Jaguars.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
I saw that. Yeah, yeah, because that's also gonna be
the toy story game, right.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
It's the what is there a toy story?
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Is that the so like they're doing a thing where
they got they're gonna look like they're on a toy story,
like some kind of graphics thing. Oh wow, I don't
even know, Like I've seen a couple of commercials for it,
like tea and you know me, you know, and give
me some silly sure, sure, And if you're inebriated enough
for maybe partaking of other substances, it might take on
(23:22):
a whole other component for you.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
There.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
One of the one of the criticisms when the Jaguars
got the team in Jacksonville in the mid nineteen nineties was,
you know, the size of the city, how they were
landlocked by teams basically, and you are basically adding a
third team in Florida in a part of the country
(23:46):
that has actually really known for college football like that,
you know, there was a lot going against Jacksonville, but
how like Atlanta in Jacksonville actually could be rivals, because
I would think that there would be Falcons fans may
be in southern Georgia. Sure, you know, Like so why
not just keep that game in Jacksonville. No, let's move
(24:07):
it all the way to London. You know, they only
play every four years, you know, Like it's just it
doesn't make sense to me, like trying to and maybe
maybe I'm wrong. I'm not you know, I'm not from
the area, haven't been in the area in a while.
Maybe the Falcons coming to Jacksonville isn't a big deal,
but I'm like, why not try to make it a
big deal?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
You know, like it seems like you want to create
these wherever you can.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Yeah, Like I don't know, Maybe maybe it's not worth
the point. Maybe I'm missing it entirely, but it was
just like, I'm like, geez, that actually could have been
and you know, the Falcons two and oh the Jaguars
are one and one, but you know it could be
a decent battle. I'm like, let's just take that game
where two teams are relatively close. Not that Atlanta and
Jacksonville are right next to each other than not, they're
(24:49):
they're hours away. But when you're talking about the geography
of NFL teams, you know, closer than anybody else pretty
much for Jacksonville, and to.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Ship that off to London, it was just weird for me.
So anyway, I concur, I concur.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
But you know what, I celebrate all two seventy two
from this past two weekends. I'm going to hope that
most of the ones at the bottom of the rankings
have already occurred.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Yes, yes, oh man, By the way, the drive from
Atlanta to Jacksonville five hours eleven minute's bad, So no, no, that's.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Look man, I drive two hours plus to soccer tournaments
every weekend, So I mean, that's let's go.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
It's just just kind of just made me think, all right,
let's talk about the Bengals and Joe Burrow. You concerned
it all about what's happening in Cincinnati. Obviously we don't
know the extent of what's happening with his calf muscle.
They got an extra day against the Rams. Yeah, what
do you think about Burrow and the Bengals?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, they're they're in trouble. They're in trouble. I mean,
everybody keeps waiting for this, this miracle cure. He didn't
look like he was moving terribly well. You know, I
missed most of the preseason and we chronicled all of
that stuff, right, another preseason of misery. He gets his
contract and this is where it goes, where folks immediately,
(26:12):
oh he got his contract in this like guy's hurt. Right,
He's got a bad calf and that's not going to
go away. I mean some of these injuries they linger
and you hope that he gets right. But I don't know.
Moving up against Aaron Donald and that defensive front the
way they've been getting after it the first two weeks,
(26:33):
I mean that's no picnic. So from a fantasy perspective,
I was down on him for Week two. All right,
decent numbers, But for Week three and going forward right now,
I'm a Jamar Chase owner. I mean, T Higgins had
his big breakouts, so good for him. I know, folks
were the beneficiaries of a massive effort after his Week
(26:54):
one performance probably got them chopped in guillotine leagues. He
was part of a an onslaught of would be performers
that didn't rate in Week one. But going forward, it's
uneven performances because you're not getting a ton out of
the run game. Offensive line was one of the questions
and concerns we had coming in, and now you got
(27:16):
a guy who can't move very well. Yeah, it's it's
tough sledding because the AFC is no joke.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
No I thought. I actually thought it was a good
sign that he was using the thera gun.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
I do. I do enjoy the thera gun. Dan, Yeah,
I have one. I bought one from my daughter for
soccer stuff. Guess who stole it?
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Has it? You did?
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, Oh it's good.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
It works well on the calves because you know me,
I carry the weight to the world my meaty calves,
so you know, it hammers pretty well.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
When I go to the chiropractor, I ask him for
like the real deal, why not not the you know,
not the the RinkyDink one, because yeah, I want I want,
you know, well, I want the best that it can deliver.
But when he was doing that on this calf, I'm like, well,
the calf was injured. I don't think you would be
putting a thera gun on it. Just it's I sense that,
(28:10):
you know, something was just tightened up on him, you
know what I mean, Like he limped off noticeably.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
It was noticeably limping. We know that for sure. Zach
Taylor was not you know, overly.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You know, it didn't let a lot of information out. Yeah,
so I just but I just think I'm like, gosh,
if you're putting that on your on your calf or achilles,
I would have to think that was a good sign.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
I'm not trying to guess, And we'll know more when
you do your your rankings and at the end of
the week, we hope. But still it's a Monday night
game and it's going to be a wait and see approach.
And I guess maybe the good thing, Mike is because
there aren't two games, you just try to figure out
how your bucket, you know, if you can get Buccaneers
and Eagles and Rams substitutes, if you need to substitute
(28:58):
anybody at Burrow doesn't play.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Yeah, I think when when you get down to it,
you know, Chas and Higgins are still going to be
you know, back end w R two's at their very worst, right, Yeah,
Burrow is unavailable, but I don't know that I'd be
able to start them no matter how confidently. I mean,
he comes out talking and selling me like he's Dion,
(29:21):
you know, selling the next Colorado game with the rock
and a musical accompaniment. I don't think I'm jumping on
board to start Joe Burrow in week three. And if
I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But I mean, from what you've
seen through two weeks, I mean, how do you trust it?
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah? You don't. You don't. And you had a Giants
Bengals super Bowl? Is that it?
Speaker 4 (29:43):
I had the Giants and the Jaguars, right, that's right,
because six quarters didn't play.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
That's true. I had the Bengals and Niners for like
the third time in Super Bowl history. I knew there
was a cat involved in yours.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I just didn't know which one it was.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Well, you know, with Northwestern not winning any games, I
had to go pick someone else to show my allegiance
to that. And I have an original Jaguars hat. Oh wow,
the way back in that. I'll see if I could
find it for you. It's in it's in a box.
My my aunt and uncle, my uncle, my dad's younger brother,
a late uncle. He that was my guy, like they
(30:22):
were my people. I would spend summers with them in
Iowa and whatever. But he worked for US Gypsum and
he was a plant manager and he, you know, whenever
they would start up a new facility, he was kind
of the guy brought in to help get things running.
Good with people, good with families, like, hey, you know,
you're part of a team. And at one point they
moved and they were in Jacksonville and it was right
(30:45):
when the Jaguars were coming to town. Uh, season ticket holders,
Like he jumped on board, right, Bears fan, born and
bred Southside Chicago and everything, but damn it, he was
in a place that had a new team and he
was gonna be on the welcome wagon of NFL's coming
to this town because it was gonna be big for
(31:06):
all those people that were starting these jobs, you know,
at the the US Gypsum facility and whatever. It was
something they could bond over. So I just remember we
had a bunch of Jaguars gear. And I think I
still have a hat that has survived. Oh, I don't
think it's ever been worn, Dan. I think it's it's just.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Been sitting there yet worn yet.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Well it might be on your head before long, we'll see.
But yeah, it's a it's a glorious color and I
just remember it was the cat head from back of
the day. But no, you know what, I missed those
guys terribly. And and you know, for the podcast audience,
you'll love this because the tied back because I took
(31:45):
the quick cell job of Dion and and the evangelizing,
which I I'm all for, right, get in there and sell,
sell sell. Uh. But you know, with Colorado's success, Cordell
Stewart making the rounds, that's an opportunity work with Cordell
and stuff in the past. When my uncle passed away,
it was after a Bears game quarterback by Cordell Stewart.
(32:08):
One of his daughters in the funeral kind of blamed
Cordell Stewart for having a piece. And you know, us
being us, we all laughed. All his kids laughed, his
widow laughed. My grandmother was looking at me and punching
my arm, going.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Shump and Mike, with all due respect to your wonderful family,
if it wasn't Cordell Stewart that was going to get him,
it was going to be the next guy. You know
that lineage of Bears quarter Yes, yes, yes, it was
bound to be one of them is.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Cordell organizational failure. Time and time and time. You can
change the principals, change the coach, change the coordinator, changed
the But you know, Dan, remember we talked last week
what was one of the big themes out of week
one that I had. Everybody's already pointing fingers and more
publicly than we've ever seen before, justin Fields play called
(33:12):
the same damn middle Street three straight times, finally gets
picked off for a for a pick six.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
You side with Fields or like in terms of you
can't call out, you can't call out your offense.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
No, he's that's such a dumb move, especially when the
videotape shows you clearly missing Reed's time and time again
and say, eh, you know there's several it's like he
took a sack or scrambled and you see wide open,
wide receivers that you know you can do the little
thing with your cursor and be like, look he's blinking,
(33:49):
he's glowing. Throw it in the ball. But yeah, the
Fields among so many others across the NFL, it's like,
what are you doing? Just take your lumps. You made
a bad throw, you made a terrible decision, and move
on behind the scenes. You want to throw stuff at
a wall and call him every name in the book,
have at it. It's too early in a damn season
(34:10):
to be doing this.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
I actually agree with that, I am.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I am on point with you, and as a Justin
Field's supporter as I am, it made me cringe.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
I was like, no, no, no.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
I don't think he's necessarily wrong in a lot like
in that sequence he is don't know the ball. Yeah,
you got to be able to see what Shaq Barrett's
doing there. But in terms of the overall schematics of
the Bears offense, like I know you don't want him
to run for eleven forty three again, but saying hey,
(34:46):
you're going to play within the tackles and this is
how we want to play play football, you're basically robing,
robbing him of a lot of what makes him him.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Yeah, well, so we'll see if they ca he can
be him in Kansas City in a week three.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Oh, they're gonna get destroyed.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Spreads thirteen, Dan, I know, I know there's a couple
of double digit ones in week three already.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
All right, so let's perfect way to end.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
I didn't want to end on your uncle's passing, so
we can uh it's got the story.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
It may be smiling because back in the day of
all family near and far, my aunt and uncle were
the only two that said, you know this radio writing,
whatever you should do that you can always get a job.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Oh that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Everybody else Base goes like no, no, no, no, no, you
worked you know school for this that the other, and
they were like, go take a shot.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Oh cool, that's great, great, And I want to see
that Jaguars hat.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Well, I'm gonna go find it. I know exactly which
being it is in. It's just uh, well getting to it.
So we'll make that happen for sure. But yeah, Week
three slate is gonna be a lot of fun. I
mean that Thursday Night or Matt Breed a time.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Let's go, Mike Carmen, I'm Dan Byer. Our executive producer
is Ryan Berschinger. Hit bersch up at Ryan Berschinger, hit
Mike up at Swollen Dome. You can find me at
Dan Byer on Fox.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Yeah. Week three is almost here. We'll talk to you
next time here and I want your flex
Ladies, you want experience during your football season, well, buckle up,
sweet cheeks. We've got all the experience in the world.
This is I want your flex with Dan Bayer and
Mike Harmon. Mike and Dan break down everything you need
to set your lineups, from position rankings to starts and sits.
(00:24):
The guys help you make those hard decisions. And now
let's get your flex ond here's Dan Bayer and Mike Harmon.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
All right, we have moved on to week three, looking
ahead to the matchups including the Giants and Niners that
will play on Thursday night.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Giants in a situation where they don't have.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Saquon Barkley Mike in that game against the forty nine Ers.
Christian mccaffery's been the best running back of the National
Football League this season.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
But that's where we start.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
We start talking about running backs, and with the amount
of injuries that we had in the week two, now
you start to wonder, all right, what starts to chart
in week three? Are you satisfied with the guys that
you had in your locker room or do you maybe
start looking elsewhere for other options because guys are available,
whether they're on teams or not.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Yeah, this is where you know, a guy like Kareem
Hunt suddenly gets a look. We talked about it a
little bit last week of you know, once you get
past week one in terms of guaranteed monies and whatever,
you can make some adjustments as to how you go
after free agents. But now we're getting into that, you know,
not quite panic mode, Dan, but certainly you're kicking the
(01:35):
tires of what's still out there, but also looking around.
All right, maybe another team's got a crowded running back
room or a situation like nobody understands with what's going
on with Cam Akers, right, I'd love to do the
background and you know, talking with Smith about it a
little bit in the wake of the Nick Chubb injury
on Fox Sports Radio on Monday night, you know where
(01:57):
you're scratching your head, going, all right, I need to
know what's going on in that, you know, with with
Cam Akers and his last eighteen months, because certainly he's
a player that when he's healthy, he's right, he can
take over some games and give you some chunk yardage
and keep the line moving. But why is he not
your guy? Then? What is it behind the scenes that's
(02:19):
causing the friction and you know, having teammates doing postgame
pressers going yeah, that was my guy. It's like, wait,
you use the past tense. What's going on here?
Speaker 3 (02:31):
That hole?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
If you go back, if we just look at the
Sean McVay era with the Rams. And I'm saying this
as a Seahawks fan, I love Sean McVay. I actually
wish Sean McVay was my head coach no offense Pete Carroll.
But if Pete Carroll moves on, Like if Sean McVay
wanted to go to the Seahawks, I'd love it. I
think it'd be great. I think, by the way, it's
probably gonna be Dan Quinn. That's for another day in
(02:53):
another time. I like Sean McVay a lot. But Mike,
when we look back at the handling of Todd Gurley,
you know, I remember, it's just everything was like show
in the dark. Maybe they were protecting the player, I
don't know what the case was. Then you have Darryl
Henderson hanging around there like he did, and it was
(03:17):
Malcolm Brown was there for a while, thought to me,
the one die Yeah yeah, right, But then here's Darryl
Henderson hanging out and then we go, oh, guess what,
Now here's cam Akers and heck, we go to last
season and then there's Darryl Henderson's back on top again
and we had heard rumblings about, you know, Kyen Williams.
But then guess who ends up emerging again? It's the
(03:38):
guy who didn't want to be on the team midway point, Like,
I don't know what's going on, but I don't understand
this drama with running backs with that team. And because
it's not just a cam Akers deal, like the way
that they've handled their running backs over the last couple
of years just leaves me scratching their head. And it
also honestly leaves me to say, don't mess up this
(03:59):
Kyen Williams situation because the track record sure looks like
you're about to at least at some point.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Well, and that's that's the larger thing. Is it the
the new Age? Is it truly the epitome of Hey,
they're interchangeable, so I'm not going to ride one. But
unfortunately there's going to be the the mercurial, the temperamental
side of it that you've got to manage from the people.
Sure part of it, right, because everybody's looking to maximize
(04:27):
their dollars an opportunity, right, Kien Williams, As you and
I say, you know, look at things coming into or
out of week two. He was still available in about
a third plus of leagues. But you're wondering how long
you know, the opportunity is going to be there.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
And I would think it would be bright considering what
he did against the forty nine ers. And I think,
by the way, I think for the next few years,
you know, at least for this season. I think it's okay.
But you know, I just am like, what's going on?
You know who else I've forgot? There was a Sony
Michelle appearance.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Oh you're right, yeah, you know like that. Yeah, yes,
we've seen the highs the Super Bowl appearances and everything
and the appearances of Sony Michelle and now he has
gone from our Yes, but yeah, I just add him
to the laundry list of curiosities. Right. Are you just
thinking that they're interchangeable, blowed through as long as your
(05:24):
passing game is right, these guys can just come in
and play as necessary. So maybe they don't get the
love and the hug like I'm trying to get into
the coaching psychology of it as much as the x's
and o's.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Yeah, I don't know what I don't.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And that's the problem is because like I think the
forty nine ers play favorites, like I think that they do.
I think that they played favorites with Brock Purdy, and
I think they they didn't. They didn't play favorites when
Jimmy g fell out of favor They obviously weren't playing
playing favorites with Trey Lance. I just I feel like
(06:00):
they like their guys. I can't get a read on
the Rams because I just don't know who they like,
because whoever they like ends up all of a sudden
then disappearing off, you.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Know, like the face of their roster.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Right, you know the year that Akers was hurt when
he blew his achilles, I mean he came back and
then was their leading rusher in a playoff game that year.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You know, like it's just it's just it's crazy. The thing.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
I don't know how we got on this Rams discussion,
but when you start talking about it just made me
think of, like, man, the last five years, I just
don't know what is going on with Rams running backs.
Speaker 4 (06:37):
Well, I mean and look through two weeks of this season,
You've gotten a much better, cleaner effort from this squad
where it would have anticipated too. You know, when we
talk about coaching him up, getting revitalized, mcveigh's dalliance with
the idea of retiring in the broadcast booth whatever I mean.
He talked with Jay Glazer a bunch on his podcast
(06:58):
about it and trying to glean some in sights, you know,
into the psychology of it, all the burnout, and you know,
to some degree, I still would argue that maybe maybe
me and you, perhaps Dan and some others kind of
raised our hands, going we can't go out like that. Yeah,
he can't be the super genius, win a bunch and
(07:18):
then have one bad year. But you also see how
much different life is when Matthew Stafford doesn't look like
he's in pain with every wind up of his arm
and every step he takes. Because last year he didn't
look comfortable. He looked like a guy that was ready
to just walk away. Now he had a lot of
monetary reasons and life and whatever not to as well
(07:41):
as being on Quarterback season two, But he looks like
a guy revitalized. You got some young receivers Obviously, Nikua
is a guy we've talked about a bunch the last
couple of weeks and targets and just being in the
right space and timing and all just being there. So
I mean, as long as Aaron Donald stays up right whatever,
they're not going to win a ton of games, but
(08:03):
they're sure as hell going to make it difficult on
other squads. And if Cooper Cup comes back at some level,
like I've flipped one hundred and eighty degrees on where
it was two weeks ago, all right, what parts are
we selling off now? It's like, all right, you can
play spoiler, screw some things up, but still have a
high enough draft pick to move to the next level.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
And we'll talk a little bit more about the running
backs and the injuries later out of the podcast. And obviously,
you know you mentioned that, you know, we're talking about
the Rams. They have the Bengals and Joe Burrows situation
one that we'll touch on as well. But since we
are just got on this Rams thing, what did you
think about the field goal with four seconds left to
make it a seven point.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
I thought it was the most fantastic thing ever. You know,
the line you screw people over or or you also
are you know, showing love to your backers. Whatever that
percentage was, I thought that on the it's like all right, well,
you know it was eight and a half or wherever
wherever it was coming in is like, screw you, We're
(09:05):
going to kick this field goal.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yep. Yeah, I said it on Doug Show on Monday
as well.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Like, we've seen this so much in college because your
boosters bet on your team. Yeah, and your boosters the
ones that keep you employed as a college football coach.
So if you aren't covering spreads and winning their bets
for them, you're not going to be around that town
very long. So it's a well known thing in college football.
(09:32):
It may not be of the NFL's liking, but Mike,
if you look up into the stands and you see
sixty five forty nine er fans in your home park,
it can't be a great feeling. And to know that
your team just did about everything that they could to
try to beat one of the best teams, if not
the best team in the NFL. If there was just
one little thing that you could take away to maybe
(09:52):
you know, snatch from them or make them feel a
little bit worse because you couldn't beat them.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
That's what you do. And I think that's exactly what
he did.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Oh yeah, you got the betting side, you get to
screw them over. And let's face it, hail Mary's whatever.
Screw that. I mean, Russell Wilson got lucky with one
and gave him a nice stat line. And you know,
Sean Payton can say, hey, we we drew that up beautifully,
you know, because outside of his script he's not doing
quite so well right now. But when it's all said
(10:22):
and done, yeah, you send some folks salty. Not only
did you pay a bunch to come down to LA,
you didn't win your bet to cover the ticket price either.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So here's yeah, and here's the other thing about that
that I wonder, how many people do you think drove
down percentage wise? Because I was, you know, I was
talking with Nick Cope, anchor at Fox Sports Radio. You
know Nick from a lot of different broadcasts, whether it
be for UCLA or but Nick's a Niners fan, and
(10:52):
I think I can reveal that and I said, you
know what, I go, there's so many Niner fans in
southern California, you know, Like I'm wondering like what what
the amount was? You know, like if there were sixty thousand,
I'm I'm like, I go.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
I wouldn't I wouldn't doubt it.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
I wouldn't doubt of forty you know, in a fifty
thousand of those came from southern California.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeh know.
Speaker 4 (11:13):
Well, I mean because you also have the phenomenon of
you know, men women of a certain age yep, forty
nine Ers, Cowboys, Lakers, and you know, the Yankees. So
there you go.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
I was gonna put your bulls in there, but I
didn't want to hit, you know, but you know how
it was Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
I mean, look they're still out there, and you're still
seeing a bunch of bulls gear now now and again
no question. Actually ran into a kid on the street
and his friends. I was at a stop sign and
they go across the street and one of them's wearing
a Rodman T shirt and it is an old Rodman
T shirt. He couldn't have been fifteen, And I was like,
(11:52):
who in your family? Like I wanted to ask him
who in the family is the Rodman?
Speaker 2 (11:57):
A dad?
Speaker 4 (11:58):
Is it an uncle? Is it a ground? Like who's
got you that shirt? Because that is not you know,
made to look old. That is one I remember from
the time in Chicago. So pretty cool that you still
see some of that on the streets. But I would
agree with you. I think you probably had a lot
of locals.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Here's here's the other thing with being a Niners fan.
They really haven't struggled. No, Like that's the thing. You
look at all the the other organizations outside of the
Steelers and Niners, you know, there really hasn't been a struggle.
I remember the Packers' eighties, you know, and then there
(12:37):
was the seventies. As of late, there hasn't been much
of a struggle here and there for that franchise. The
same thing with the Niners, like even you know a
few years back when they had all the injuries and
then what happens while they get the second overall pick
and get Nick Bosa, right, you.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Know, like fall right into something big.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yep, yeah, you know, like all right, you know that's well.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
I had the number one pick and traded it in Chicago,
and I might get the number one again.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
So there's that's true. Oh take that.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Maybe my long suffering self will catch a break. But no,
the McVeigh story out of Week two is one of
my favorites, Dan tru because it vexed and it got
so many people mad, the same people that are, you know,
shilling for any number of corporations on the betting side. Oh,
(13:32):
why would you do that? Why wouldn't you?
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Todd Furman brought it up on his bit talking about,
you know, if things were to work in a crazy world,
right because the NFL one or two injuries, Dan, you know,
you know how quickly things can change. We got a
couple of teams that already have mass units, right, so
we all the expectations can go us under. What if
things broke really crazily and suddenly the Rams are in
(13:59):
playoff contention those tiebreaker things.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I also wonder, you know, is that a reason why
the NFL like put an end to going for conversions
at the end of games? Remember when you score and
time expires, you know, because if you could, you know,
maybe you'd go for two, you know, like to try
to cover.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
I wonder if they stayed away from that.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
I wonder if that was an NAB thinking, I don't know,
it would probably be down the road. But but yeah,
it was interesting happening made week two interesting. Week two
is much more interesting, by the way than week one was.
So yeah, for sure, let's take a time out. He's
Mike Carmen, I have Dan Byer se I want your
Flex podcast. Hit him up at swollen don't find me
at dan Byer on Fox. We're gonna talk some more
(14:42):
running backs, plus what's happening in Cincinnati with you on
two Bengals and Joe Burrow all that's coming up next
to here, and I want your flex all right. As
Mike said, you know, kream Hunt was the name that
popped up. Hit him up on x Twitter dot comment
swollen don't find me at Dan Byer on Fox. Cream
Hunt was trending on Monday night at one point.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
It's crazy. That's where we're at. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, do you think any deals get done? I think
something gets done with Jonathan Taylor. Do you think this
cam Akers deal ends up playing through? I know that's
where we're kind of going when we got sidetracked on
the Rams, But.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah, do you think any deals end up getting done?
Speaker 4 (15:21):
I think the auld Man. I think there's enough guys
kicking around veterans that might find their way to a
new home. But you know that in terms of spending
larger capital. I mean, most of the teams affected by
injuries have someone in house that that they can make work.
(15:43):
And even in Cleveland, man Jerome Ford look like he's
a guy that deserves at least another week or two
before you hit any kind of level of desperation. Uh
and Pierre strong part of their their lineup as well, So,
you know, against a pretty good pitch Burg defense, quitted
themselves nicely. I mean Ford had the big run, but
(16:06):
otherwise still kind of churning a bit. So I think
there's I guess maybe a little bit of hope. I'd
be more worried about the passing game and getting that
going if I'm Cleveland right now. But you know, the
Jonathan Taylor situation, you know, as we talked about in
the preseason stuff, Dan, I'm not convinced that Jim Mersay
ever wanted to trade him, or that he ever will.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Yeah, I I don't, you know, and I should have
done research on this. He might not. But I think
that there's one team that could be interested, one team
that could really get a deal done, Okay, and I
think it's Dallas. Now, hear me out the theory of
(16:52):
you know Tony Pollard getting twenty five touches a game
is awesome in fantasy football.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
In theory, yes, in theory. You talked about it on
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
You and for those that may have just been listening,
Mike truly was one of the first people. He may
have been the first person that I heard that was
touting the talents of Tony Pollard. This was years ago,
before Zeke's wheels completely fell off. Mike was touting Tony Pollard.
But we do know the strength of Tony Pollard is
(17:25):
probably fifteen carries a game, you know, five six, seven receptions.
I don't know if thirty two touches is going to
be the strength. And they just let go of Ronald Jones,
who wasn't available to them at the start of the year.
I know that love Douce Swan, but if you could
put Jonathan Taylor on that team for what, for what
(17:50):
the first two weeks of the season, looks like a
Super Bowl contender, you know, I wouldn't. I wouln't rule
it out.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Well, And I think that's the big thing to triple
underscore there, Dan is the expectations, you know, if they're
always there for Dallas, right it's always the all right,
they look good on paper, and then you watch this
defense go to work, and you don't have to like
zag Wilson. You just watched a defense that didn't stop right.
(18:16):
You know the old Simpsons meme and gift that you
see all the time. Stop stop, he's already dead. They
didn't care. They kept going, and that I think is
really where they're at. And Dak was efficient, right, didn't
overwhelm you with numbers, but thirty one to thirty eight
right completion percentage was crazy in that first half, and
(18:38):
you look at the way things were clicking. What could
derail it? Suddenly having a giant absence in the run game,
And certainly for me, I'd love nothing more than being
the fire plug guy that I am to see Deuce
Vaughn come in and be a workhorse. But I think
we all know that can't happen and won't happen. Not
(18:59):
to sell him, see I walked into it, sell him short,
But the idea that he would be able to hold up,
I mean, I don't know, right, I don't know, but
I certainly if I'm Jerry Jones and I'm up in
the booth and I'm watching this squad. I'm doing everything
I can to make the preemptive move. Yeah, Tony Pollard,
(19:22):
you're my guy, But I need this room to be
as good as it can be, and if that means
I can go land Jonathan Taylor and really make a splash,
because if any owner really could make Jim Ursay come
on board, Like, tell me the two of those guys
you know, couldn't have some yarns till four in the morning. Sure,
(19:43):
maybe come to a deal.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Yeah, no, you're you're absolutely right. Yeah, yeah, they they
absolutely could. And it's just it's it would make sense.
I think if you're the Cowboys, no, granted, you then
have the decision on what to do with Taylor long term. Heck,
you have a decision what to do with Tony Pollard
long term as well. But the urgency of Jerry Jones
trying to win a Super Bowl is just something that
(20:08):
you can't deny.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
And I just I wouldn't put anything past them.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
And now it's funny because in the market mic of
teams needing running backs, I also think you get a
little bit of a bit of a sense of where
your team is and you can't judge them completely against
the Jets because of Zach Wilson being there. But they've
started out the year two and zero. They got a
big road win dominating the Giants. You get the Cardinals
(20:33):
in week three, a game that you should win, and
you should meet the Patriots in week four. Now you're
four and zero going into San Francisco in week five.
Like that's you know, it's setting up and there's they're
gonna be matchups down the way, but you can start
laying those building blocks and if you can get your
offensive line healthy, the defense has been, you know, playing
lights out.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
I just I think that the pieces could be there
for Dallas for something to watch.
Speaker 4 (20:58):
Oh, I dig that. I like the way you've set
that up because week five was going to be the
the the week of magic. Right, wasn't that Jets having
a big matchup that week?
Speaker 3 (21:09):
Right because of the Sean Payton conversation.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Yeah here, so it doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
You know, speaking is scheduling. You know, it's you know,
Monday night doubleheader again in week three, I went you know,
I'm not a fan. I went off in uh pod yesterday. Yeah,
just you know, when when Versa and I were hooking up,
just I liked it when you didn't have games going
on simultaneously, like at one point we had two crappy
(21:40):
games going on at the same time. Yeah, you know,
so I was looking for Plan C. That's right, should
be King at Queen's. But you know we've got We've
got Buccaneers Eagles in Tampa and Monday in Game one,
and then an hour later Bengals and Rams and that's
kind of and we'll get to the Bengals in a sect.
But the marquee game in the AFC right now could
(22:05):
be Dolphins Chiefs, which is gonna be in Germany in
the middle of the season. Like when you think of
like think of that, like how crazy, Like we're gonna
have Cowboys Niners.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
What a great game?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
And then you know, a month later, you could have
this Dolphins team in their offense against Patrick Mahomes and
their offense.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
And we're gonna give it to the Germans.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
I'm three quarters German, so I'm so, you know, I
guess it's fine by me, but crazy that that's what
we could get in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (22:33):
Is it gonna make good for all the past games
that have been trash? They extending the International Series? Did
they what they promise? Something of anticipation.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
I am so glad you said this because another international game,
and this one's coming up in a couple of weeks
is Falcons Jaguars.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
I saw that. Yeah, yeah, because that's also gonna be
the toy story game, right.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
It's the what is there a toy story?
Speaker 4 (23:01):
Is that the so like they're doing a thing where
they got they're gonna look like they're on a toy story,
like some kind of graphics thing. Oh wow, I don't
even know, Like I've seen a couple of commercials for it,
like tea and you know me, you know, and give
me some silly sure, sure, And if you're inebriated enough
for maybe partaking of other substances, it might take on
(23:22):
a whole other component for you.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
There.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
One of the one of the criticisms when the Jaguars
got the team in Jacksonville in the mid nineteen nineties was,
you know, the size of the city, how they were
landlocked by teams basically, and you are basically adding a
third team in Florida in a part of the country
(23:46):
that has actually really known for college football like that,
you know, there was a lot going against Jacksonville, but
how like Atlanta in Jacksonville actually could be rivals, because
I would think that there would be Falcons fans may
be in southern Georgia. Sure, you know, Like so why
not just keep that game in Jacksonville. No, let's move
(24:07):
it all the way to London. You know, they only
play every four years, you know, Like it's just it
doesn't make sense to me, like trying to and maybe
maybe I'm wrong. I'm not you know, I'm not from
the area, haven't been in the area in a while.
Maybe the Falcons coming to Jacksonville isn't a big deal,
but I'm like, why not try to make it a
big deal?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
You know, like it seems like you want to create
these wherever you can.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
Yeah, Like I don't know, Maybe maybe it's not worth
the point. Maybe I'm missing it entirely, but it was
just like, I'm like, geez, that actually could have been
and you know, the Falcons two and oh the Jaguars
are one and one, but you know it could be
a decent battle. I'm like, let's just take that game
where two teams are relatively close. Not that Atlanta and
Jacksonville are right next to each other than not, they're
(24:49):
they're hours away. But when you're talking about the geography
of NFL teams, you know, closer than anybody else pretty
much for Jacksonville, and to.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
Ship that off to London, it was just weird for me.
So anyway, I concur, I concur.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
But you know what, I celebrate all two seventy two
from this past two weekends. I'm going to hope that
most of the ones at the bottom of the rankings
have already occurred.
Speaker 2 (25:15):
Yes, yes, oh man, By the way, the drive from
Atlanta to Jacksonville five hours eleven minute's bad, So no, no, that's.
Speaker 4 (25:25):
Look man, I drive two hours plus to soccer tournaments
every weekend, So I mean, that's let's go.
Speaker 3 (25:34):
I just I don't know.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
It's just just kind of just made me think, all right,
let's talk about the Bengals and Joe Burrow. You concerned
it all about what's happening in Cincinnati. Obviously we don't
know the extent of what's happening with his calf muscle.
They got an extra day against the Rams. Yeah, what
do you think about Burrow and the Bengals?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, they're they're in trouble. They're in trouble. I mean,
everybody keeps waiting for this, this miracle cure. He didn't
look like he was moving terribly well. You know, I
missed most of the preseason and we chronicled all of
that stuff, right, another preseason of misery. He gets his
contract and this is where it goes, where folks immediately,
(26:12):
oh he got his contract in this like guy's hurt. Right,
He's got a bad calf and that's not going to
go away. I mean some of these injuries they linger
and you hope that he gets right. But I don't know.
Moving up against Aaron Donald and that defensive front the
way they've been getting after it the first two weeks,
(26:33):
I mean that's no picnic. So from a fantasy perspective,
I was down on him for Week two. All right,
decent numbers, But for Week three and going forward right now,
I'm a Jamar Chase owner. I mean, T Higgins had
his big breakouts, so good for him. I know, folks
were the beneficiaries of a massive effort after his Week
(26:54):
one performance probably got them chopped in guillotine leagues. He
was part of a an onslaught of would be performers
that didn't rate in Week one. But going forward, it's
uneven performances because you're not getting a ton out of
the run game. Offensive line was one of the questions
and concerns we had coming in, and now you got
(27:16):
a guy who can't move very well. Yeah, it's it's
tough sledding because the AFC is no joke.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
No I thought. I actually thought it was a good
sign that he was using the thera gun.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
I do. I do enjoy the thera gun. Dan, Yeah,
I have one. I bought one from my daughter for
soccer stuff. Guess who stole it?
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Has it? You did?
Speaker 4 (27:37):
Oh? Yeah, yeah, Oh it's good.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (27:39):
It works well on the calves because you know me,
I carry the weight to the world my meaty calves,
so you know, it hammers pretty well.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
When I go to the chiropractor, I ask him for
like the real deal, why not not the you know,
not the the RinkyDink one, because yeah, I want I want,
you know, well, I want the best that it can deliver.
But when he was doing that on this calf, I'm like, well,
the calf was injured. I don't think you would be
putting a thera gun on it. Just it's I sense that,
(28:10):
you know, something was just tightened up on him, you
know what I mean, Like he limped off noticeably.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
It was noticeably limping. We know that for sure. Zach
Taylor was not you know, overly.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
You know, it didn't let a lot of information out. Yeah,
so I just but I just think I'm like, gosh,
if you're putting that on your on your calf or achilles,
I would have to think that was a good sign.
Speaker 3 (28:36):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
I'm not trying to guess, And we'll know more when
you do your your rankings and at the end of
the week, we hope. But still it's a Monday night
game and it's going to be a wait and see approach.
And I guess maybe the good thing, Mike is because
there aren't two games, you just try to figure out
how your bucket, you know, if you can get Buccaneers
and Eagles and Rams substitutes, if you need to substitute
(28:58):
anybody at Burrow doesn't play.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Yeah, I think when when you get down to it,
you know, Chas and Higgins are still going to be
you know, back end w R two's at their very worst, right, Yeah,
Burrow is unavailable, but I don't know that I'd be
able to start them no matter how confidently. I mean,
he comes out talking and selling me like he's Dion,
(29:21):
you know, selling the next Colorado game with the rock
and a musical accompaniment. I don't think I'm jumping on
board to start Joe Burrow in week three. And if
I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But I mean, from what you've
seen through two weeks, I mean, how do you trust it?
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah? You don't. You don't. And you had a Giants
Bengals super Bowl? Is that it?
Speaker 4 (29:43):
I had the Giants and the Jaguars, right, that's right,
because six quarters didn't play.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
That's true. I had the Bengals and Niners for like
the third time in Super Bowl history. I knew there
was a cat involved in yours.
Speaker 3 (29:59):
I just didn't know which one it was.
Speaker 4 (30:00):
Well, you know, with Northwestern not winning any games, I
had to go pick someone else to show my allegiance
to that. And I have an original Jaguars hat. Oh wow,
the way back in that. I'll see if I could
find it for you. It's in it's in a box.
My my aunt and uncle, my uncle, my dad's younger brother,
a late uncle. He that was my guy, like they
(30:22):
were my people. I would spend summers with them in
Iowa and whatever. But he worked for US Gypsum and
he was a plant manager and he, you know, whenever
they would start up a new facility, he was kind
of the guy brought in to help get things running.
Good with people, good with families, like, hey, you know,
you're part of a team. And at one point they
moved and they were in Jacksonville and it was right
(30:45):
when the Jaguars were coming to town. Uh, season ticket holders,
Like he jumped on board, right, Bears fan, born and
bred Southside Chicago and everything, but damn it, he was
in a place that had a new team and he
was gonna be on the welcome wagon of NFL's coming
to this town because it was gonna be big for
(31:06):
all those people that were starting these jobs, you know,
at the the US Gypsum facility and whatever. It was
something they could bond over. So I just remember we
had a bunch of Jaguars gear. And I think I
still have a hat that has survived. Oh, I don't
think it's ever been worn, Dan. I think it's it's just.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
Been sitting there yet worn yet.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
Well it might be on your head before long, we'll see.
But yeah, it's a it's a glorious color and I
just remember it was the cat head from back of
the day. But no, you know what, I missed those
guys terribly. And and you know, for the podcast audience,
you'll love this because the tied back because I took
(31:45):
the quick cell job of Dion and and the evangelizing,
which I I'm all for, right, get in there and sell,
sell sell. Uh. But you know, with Colorado's success, Cordell
Stewart making the rounds, that's an opportunity work with Cordell
and stuff in the past. When my uncle passed away,
it was after a Bears game quarterback by Cordell Stewart.
(32:08):
One of his daughters in the funeral kind of blamed
Cordell Stewart for having a piece. And you know, us
being us, we all laughed. All his kids laughed, his
widow laughed. My grandmother was looking at me and punching
my arm, going.
Speaker 2 (32:28):
Shump and Mike, with all due respect to your wonderful family,
if it wasn't Cordell Stewart that was going to get him,
it was going to be the next guy. You know
that lineage of Bears quarter Yes, yes, yes, it was
bound to be one of them is.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Cordell organizational failure. Time and time and time. You can
change the principals, change the coach, change the coordinator, changed
the But you know, Dan, remember we talked last week
what was one of the big themes out of week
one that I had. Everybody's already pointing fingers and more
publicly than we've ever seen before, justin Fields play called
(33:12):
the same damn middle Street three straight times, finally gets
picked off for a for a pick six.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
You side with Fields or like in terms of you
can't call out, you can't call out your offense.
Speaker 4 (33:26):
No, he's that's such a dumb move, especially when the
videotape shows you clearly missing Reed's time and time again
and say, eh, you know there's several it's like he
took a sack or scrambled and you see wide open,
wide receivers that you know you can do the little
thing with your cursor and be like, look he's blinking,
(33:49):
he's glowing. Throw it in the ball. But yeah, the
Fields among so many others across the NFL, it's like,
what are you doing? Just take your lumps. You made
a bad throw, you made a terrible decision, and move
on behind the scenes. You want to throw stuff at
a wall and call him every name in the book,
have at it. It's too early in a damn season
(34:10):
to be doing this.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
I actually agree with that, I am.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I am on point with you, and as a Justin
Field's supporter as I am, it made me cringe.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
I was like, no, no, no.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
I don't think he's necessarily wrong in a lot like
in that sequence he is don't know the ball. Yeah,
you got to be able to see what Shaq Barrett's
doing there. But in terms of the overall schematics of
the Bears offense, like I know you don't want him
to run for eleven forty three again, but saying hey,
(34:46):
you're going to play within the tackles and this is
how we want to play play football, you're basically robing,
robbing him of a lot of what makes him him.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
Yeah, well, so we'll see if they ca he can
be him in Kansas City in a week three.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Oh, they're gonna get destroyed.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Spreads thirteen, Dan, I know, I know there's a couple
of double digit ones in week three already.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
All right, so let's perfect way to end.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
I didn't want to end on your uncle's passing, so
we can uh it's got the story.
Speaker 4 (35:17):
It may be smiling because back in the day of
all family near and far, my aunt and uncle were
the only two that said, you know this radio writing,
whatever you should do that you can always get a job.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
Oh that's awesome.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
Everybody else Base goes like no, no, no, no, no, you
worked you know school for this that the other, and
they were like, go take a shot.
Speaker 2 (35:40):
Oh cool, that's great, great, And I want to see
that Jaguars hat.
Speaker 4 (35:44):
Well, I'm gonna go find it. I know exactly which
being it is in. It's just uh, well getting to it.
So we'll make that happen for sure. But yeah, Week
three slate is gonna be a lot of fun. I
mean that Thursday Night or Matt Breed a time.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
Let's go, Mike Carmen, I'm Dan Byer. Our executive producer
is Ryan Berschinger. Hit bersch up at Ryan Berschinger, hit
Mike up at Swollen Dome. You can find me at
Dan Byer on Fox.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Yeah. Week three is almost here. We'll talk to you
next time here and I want your flex
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Jason Smith
Mike Harmon
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