September 6, 2025 • 10 mins
The 2025 NFL season has kicked off, with the first round of games taking place over the weekend.
ESPN senior football writer Bill Barnwell joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
New NFL season is underway. This is American football, of course,
leading to the Super Bowl in February. A couple of
games already Eagles twenty four, Cowboys twenty Chargers, too good
for the Chiefs twenty seven to twenty one. That game
was played in Brazil. A raft of games tomorrow, New
Zealand time. The big day four NFL over here is Monday.
It's Sunday over there, and then there's a Monday night
(00:33):
game which folds into Tuesday morning over here. Let's bring
in senior football writer with ESPN, Bill Barnwell. Bill, great
to have you join us across New Zealand with a
bit of a preview of the new season. The Eagles
oft to a winning start their Super Bowl champions of
course from last season. Are they looking like they could
go back to back?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Certainly, although definitely some question marks. This wasn't the sort
of comprehensive when you would expect in front of your fans.
Obviously started in very curious fashion with Jilen Carter, defensive
player getting ejected before the game. It really even started
for spitting on one of the Cowboys players. Very odd
starts the game, and it was close throughout. It was
(01:16):
not a game where they dominated a Cowboys team that's
not really expected to compete this year. So maybe some questions,
but certainly any victory is a victory, I suppose.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
What about some of the other conteen is I'll give
you a few teams, the Bills, the Ravens, the Lions,
teams that haven't quite got there but have been close.
Could they take the next step this time?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Oh? Certainly, And there's a there's no team that feels
inbeatable right now in the NFL. The Eagles were excellent
last year, but they lost a lot of firepower on
the defensive ball censer side of the ball, I should say,
about forty four percent of the steps they had last
year from their players. Now they've gone elsewhere. So by
of young talent on the Eagles, but certainly they feel
(02:00):
more vulnerable. And the Chiefs, who have been the two
times Super Bowl winners before that, lost the Eagles in
the Super Bowl last year to get their season off
to a loss in Brazil, so they're already all in
one and they played the Eagles next week in the
marquee matchup of Week two in the NFL. So definitely
feels like the top of the league is vulnerable. Really
(02:20):
a lot of teams who could compete the Packers making
a big move for Micah Parsons the start offensive and
rusher before the season a couple weeks ago. But it
does feel like a lot of teams could do it.
But no team really a clear favorite right now.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Do you evaluate where the Chiefs are at? Clearly still
a very very good football team. Will they continue the
run of consistent excellence.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I do think they'll be excellent. But I wonder how
they react to the Super Bowl loss last year, because
it wasn't one thing to lose in a close game
and feel like though maybe it wasn't our day, they
really were overwhelmed. They really were blown out by the
Eagles from the very start of that game to the
very end, And so they have I wonder how motivated
(03:05):
they're going to be, you know, won two super Bowls
in a row, certainly maybe like, you know, what else
is there to conquer? Sort of feeling. Now they have
every reason to be motivated. Now, they have every reason
to be incentivized to prove, Hey, that was just the fluke.
We really are the best team in football, but a
lot of the players, a lot of even the coaches there,
Andy Reid, Chris Jones, Travis Kelsey and not Patrick Mahomes'.
(03:28):
You know, the first three guys thirty year old? Are
Patrick mahonmes now getting into you know, the veteran phase
of his career. You sort of wonder have they gone
as far as they can with that corn? Do they
maybe need to you know, replenish it and refresh a bit,
or do they have one more title in them? It
feels like, you know, after an on one one start
playing maybe the best team in football. In League two,
(03:49):
the Chiefs could really be, you know, playing from behind
the eight ball very quickly, which is not something they're
used to. They usually get off to very good starts.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Bill. When you look across the league, are there any
rookies new faces that you could see moving the needle
for their teams this season?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, I mean and obviously you always look towards the
quarterbacks as a team who could make the guys who
could make two, say, big leaps very quickly. You look
at Cam war the first overall pick who went to
Tennessee that's a franchise that has been really disappointing for
several years now, haven't been able to do much. But
that's a team that invested a lot of male offenses offseason,
(04:25):
didn't get much out of their quarterbacks last year. In
New York, Jackson dark who is going to be the
new quarterback for the New York Giants, eventually a quarterback
who is very exciting, really impressed during the exhibition periods
during the preseason. So the question of when he's going
to get in the lineup because the Giants have a
very tough schedule to start the year. But I would
expect Jackson Dart to be a player who really impresses.
(04:47):
And then Ashton john T, the really wonderful running back
who went to Las Vegas where they hired a new
coach and Pete Carroll. They have a new quarterback in
Gino Smith. That's a team where if they can have
an exciting year. Obviously Vegas is always a fun place
to play, so that could be a spot where if
they get their running game going, he could be one
of the focal points of the league. In his rookie season.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You mentioned this ninety four stout offensive lineman Michael Posson's
big tried pride to the season from the Cowboys to
green By just drilled down a bit into that for us,
What does that do to both teams?
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, for the for the Cowboys sort of the you know,
they called themselves America's team. They're the most popular team
in America. It's almost like a recognition that they're not
the team people want to play for anymore. You know
that Mica Parsons would rather have been traded to sign
a contract for less money to play with the Cowboys
and having an owner and Jerry Jalonsers now in his eighties,
(05:43):
sort of reacting to a player wanting to get paid
a record salary for his position and to sort of
just you know, throw his there toys. There is toys
out of the prem I suppose and say I'm getting
rid of say, regardless, for the Packers, a team that
is the youngest team in football over the last couple
of years, have a lot of talented players. Maybe he
(06:04):
didn't have that star power, Maybe he didn't have that
guy who really gave opposing coaches fits and scared them
during the week. Now they have that player in Michael Parsons,
and that's a team and maybe they could take a
leap forward because they are so young, and now they
added a superstar player, one of the best players in
football at any position, in the prime of his career.
So really a big swing for them and the Cowboys
(06:25):
a sort of surprising step backwards.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I'm not sure if you had the chance to see
Louis rees Zamat, Welsh rugby star who gave the NFL
a go, didn't work out for him. What makes the
NFL so difficult to break into for athletes who are
terrifically successful in other similar sports.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I mean with that, you know, obviously an incredible
rugby career through his early twenties. Listn't make this as
a player in the talent of his career. I mean,
obviously someone who was in the prime of his career
when he decided to make the switch to the NFL.
It really is tough, just because there are some specialized
skills that come into it. You're not just not's a catching,
(07:06):
you're not just running, you're blocking. You have to stay healthy,
you have to convince people that you're you know that
you know the playbook. It is such a specialized sort
of sport. And when you see great athletes here in
America who played other sports who've tried to runto football,
it's been a very difficult thing. The one exception, of course,
has been ausolos football players who've been able to punt,
(07:28):
but that's really a specialized skill which you're only doing
one thing. You're really only just punting, and so you know,
that has been maybe a way for people to break
through it, kicking and punting. But I just think the
range of things you have to do and the sort
of time frame you have to prove it, and it
is so small that it really is difficult. So I
certainly appreciate resent on It's effort into try and do it.
(07:51):
Maybe you know, if he had been willing to stick
with it for a few more years, maybe would have
got an opportunity. Obviously an incredible athlete, but it is
just such a tough sport to break through.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And then the college ranks. A lot of hype around
takes this quarterback at Manning Philly finm a soon, time
of goals, mayfew, a python an a life. What do
you predict for him? Bill way of mott Hey end up.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I do think he could end up in the same
place his grandfather played many years ago, which is New Orleans.
These Saints really don't look very good this year, not
much at the quarterback spot. The favorites to have the
worst record in football, which would get them the first
overall pick next year. In arch banding, I mean it
has to be impossible, right, I mean, when your grandfather
was an NFL quarterback, when your two uncles were Hall
(08:35):
of Fame caliber quarterbacks. Really, since he was a child,
he has been destined to be the next great NFL quarterback,
and so he's getting his opportunities. He's gone an incredible
amount of hyphenning into the year. Didn't get off to
a great start. They lost to Ohio State a very
good defense in the opening to the college football season here,
but certainly feels like if he shows what everyone expects,
(08:58):
he'll ended up being in the first overall pick and
grand up sort of following in his grandfather's footsteps and
rebuilding a team in New Orleans to finish.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Bill my Son is a Minnesota Vikings fan. Can you
offer him any strait of optimism for the season? Oh?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, I mean, now, I was a team that won
fourteen games last year when fourteen wins, three losses, a
very imposing defense, very fun defense that is very aggressive.
They really love to rush the quarterback. And there's a
great unknown there in JJ McCarthy won a national title
at Michigan, a top ten pick, missed all of his
rookie season with a manuscus injury in his need. But
so it's one of those things where you don't really
(09:35):
know what you have with quarterbacks when they come out
of college football. It is a great mystery box. And
they if the organization is right and they landed a
superstar quarterback, the Vikings could be one of the teams
who compete for a Super Bowl. Hardly autogram of possibility.
Just maybe don't head to Minnesota in December or January
if you want to, you know, if you value your
time outside wonderful.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
He'll be pleased to hear it. It's been great to
hear from you, Bill. Thanks for sharing your expertise with
us today.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Sure that is Bill.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Bonwell, Senior Football Rata with ESPNNG.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
New NFL season is underway. This is American football, of course,
leading to the Super Bowl in February. A couple of
games already Eagles twenty four, Cowboys twenty Chargers, too good
for the Chiefs twenty seven to twenty one. That game
was played in Brazil. A raft of games tomorrow, New
Zealand time. The big day four NFL over here is Monday.
It's Sunday over there, and then there's a Monday night
(00:33):
game which folds into Tuesday morning over here. Let's bring
in senior football writer with ESPN, Bill Barnwell. Bill, great
to have you join us across New Zealand with a
bit of a preview of the new season. The Eagles
oft to a winning start their Super Bowl champions of
course from last season. Are they looking like they could
go back to back?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Certainly, although definitely some question marks. This wasn't the sort
of comprehensive when you would expect in front of your fans.
Obviously started in very curious fashion with Jilen Carter, defensive
player getting ejected before the game. It really even started
for spitting on one of the Cowboys players. Very odd
starts the game, and it was close throughout. It was
(01:16):
not a game where they dominated a Cowboys team that's
not really expected to compete this year. So maybe some questions,
but certainly any victory is a victory, I suppose.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
What about some of the other conteen is I'll give
you a few teams, the Bills, the Ravens, the Lions,
teams that haven't quite got there but have been close.
Could they take the next step this time?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Oh? Certainly, And there's a there's no team that feels
inbeatable right now in the NFL. The Eagles were excellent
last year, but they lost a lot of firepower on
the defensive ball censer side of the ball, I should say,
about forty four percent of the steps they had last
year from their players. Now they've gone elsewhere. So by
of young talent on the Eagles, but certainly they feel
(02:00):
more vulnerable. And the Chiefs, who have been the two
times Super Bowl winners before that, lost the Eagles in
the Super Bowl last year to get their season off
to a loss in Brazil, so they're already all in
one and they played the Eagles next week in the
marquee matchup of Week two in the NFL. So definitely
feels like the top of the league is vulnerable. Really
(02:20):
a lot of teams who could compete the Packers making
a big move for Micah Parsons the start offensive and
rusher before the season a couple weeks ago. But it
does feel like a lot of teams could do it.
But no team really a clear favorite right now.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Do you evaluate where the Chiefs are at? Clearly still
a very very good football team. Will they continue the
run of consistent excellence.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I do think they'll be excellent. But I wonder how
they react to the Super Bowl loss last year, because
it wasn't one thing to lose in a close game
and feel like though maybe it wasn't our day, they
really were overwhelmed. They really were blown out by the
Eagles from the very start of that game to the
very end, And so they have I wonder how motivated
(03:05):
they're going to be, you know, won two super Bowls
in a row, certainly maybe like, you know, what else
is there to conquer? Sort of feeling. Now they have
every reason to be motivated. Now, they have every reason
to be incentivized to prove, Hey, that was just the fluke.
We really are the best team in football, but a
lot of the players, a lot of even the coaches there,
Andy Reid, Chris Jones, Travis Kelsey and not Patrick Mahomes'.
(03:28):
You know, the first three guys thirty year old? Are
Patrick mahonmes now getting into you know, the veteran phase
of his career. You sort of wonder have they gone
as far as they can with that corn? Do they
maybe need to you know, replenish it and refresh a bit,
or do they have one more title in them? It
feels like, you know, after an on one one start
playing maybe the best team in football. In League two,
(03:49):
the Chiefs could really be, you know, playing from behind
the eight ball very quickly, which is not something they're
used to. They usually get off to very good starts.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Bill. When you look across the league, are there any
rookies new faces that you could see moving the needle
for their teams this season?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, I mean and obviously you always look towards the
quarterbacks as a team who could make the guys who
could make two, say, big leaps very quickly. You look
at Cam war the first overall pick who went to
Tennessee that's a franchise that has been really disappointing for
several years now, haven't been able to do much. But
that's a team that invested a lot of male offenses offseason,
(04:25):
didn't get much out of their quarterbacks last year. In
New York, Jackson dark who is going to be the
new quarterback for the New York Giants, eventually a quarterback
who is very exciting, really impressed during the exhibition periods
during the preseason. So the question of when he's going
to get in the lineup because the Giants have a
very tough schedule to start the year. But I would
expect Jackson Dart to be a player who really impresses.
(04:47):
And then Ashton john T, the really wonderful running back
who went to Las Vegas where they hired a new
coach and Pete Carroll. They have a new quarterback in
Gino Smith. That's a team where if they can have
an exciting year. Obviously Vegas is always a fun place
to play, so that could be a spot where if
they get their running game going, he could be one
of the focal points of the league. In his rookie season.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
You mentioned this ninety four stout offensive lineman Michael Posson's
big tried pride to the season from the Cowboys to
green By just drilled down a bit into that for us,
What does that do to both teams?
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, for the for the Cowboys sort of the you know,
they called themselves America's team. They're the most popular team
in America. It's almost like a recognition that they're not
the team people want to play for anymore. You know
that Mica Parsons would rather have been traded to sign
a contract for less money to play with the Cowboys
and having an owner and Jerry Jalonsers now in his eighties,
(05:43):
sort of reacting to a player wanting to get paid
a record salary for his position and to sort of
just you know, throw his there toys. There is toys
out of the prem I suppose and say I'm getting
rid of say, regardless, for the Packers, a team that
is the youngest team in football over the last couple
of years, have a lot of talented players. Maybe he
(06:04):
didn't have that star power, Maybe he didn't have that
guy who really gave opposing coaches fits and scared them
during the week. Now they have that player in Michael Parsons,
and that's a team and maybe they could take a
leap forward because they are so young, and now they
added a superstar player, one of the best players in
football at any position, in the prime of his career.
So really a big swing for them and the Cowboys
(06:25):
a sort of surprising step backwards.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I'm not sure if you had the chance to see
Louis rees Zamat, Welsh rugby star who gave the NFL
a go, didn't work out for him. What makes the
NFL so difficult to break into for athletes who are
terrifically successful in other similar sports.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I mean with that, you know, obviously an incredible
rugby career through his early twenties. Listn't make this as
a player in the talent of his career. I mean,
obviously someone who was in the prime of his career
when he decided to make the switch to the NFL.
It really is tough, just because there are some specialized
skills that come into it. You're not just not's a catching,
(07:06):
you're not just running, you're blocking. You have to stay healthy,
you have to convince people that you're you know that
you know the playbook. It is such a specialized sort
of sport. And when you see great athletes here in
America who played other sports who've tried to runto football,
it's been a very difficult thing. The one exception, of course,
has been ausolos football players who've been able to punt,
(07:28):
but that's really a specialized skill which you're only doing
one thing. You're really only just punting, and so you know,
that has been maybe a way for people to break
through it, kicking and punting. But I just think the
range of things you have to do and the sort
of time frame you have to prove it, and it
is so small that it really is difficult. So I
certainly appreciate resent on It's effort into try and do it.
(07:51):
Maybe you know, if he had been willing to stick
with it for a few more years, maybe would have
got an opportunity. Obviously an incredible athlete, but it is
just such a tough sport to break through.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And then the college ranks. A lot of hype around
takes this quarterback at Manning Philly finm a soon, time
of goals, mayfew, a python an a life. What do
you predict for him? Bill way of mott Hey end up.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
I do think he could end up in the same
place his grandfather played many years ago, which is New Orleans.
These Saints really don't look very good this year, not
much at the quarterback spot. The favorites to have the
worst record in football, which would get them the first
overall pick next year. In arch banding, I mean it
has to be impossible, right, I mean, when your grandfather
was an NFL quarterback, when your two uncles were Hall
(08:35):
of Fame caliber quarterbacks. Really, since he was a child,
he has been destined to be the next great NFL quarterback,
and so he's getting his opportunities. He's gone an incredible
amount of hyphenning into the year. Didn't get off to
a great start. They lost to Ohio State a very
good defense in the opening to the college football season here,
but certainly feels like if he shows what everyone expects,
(08:58):
he'll ended up being in the first overall pick and
grand up sort of following in his grandfather's footsteps and
rebuilding a team in New Orleans to finish.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Bill my Son is a Minnesota Vikings fan. Can you
offer him any strait of optimism for the season? Oh?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, I mean, now, I was a team that won
fourteen games last year when fourteen wins, three losses, a
very imposing defense, very fun defense that is very aggressive.
They really love to rush the quarterback. And there's a
great unknown there in JJ McCarthy won a national title
at Michigan, a top ten pick, missed all of his
rookie season with a manuscus injury in his need. But
so it's one of those things where you don't really
(09:35):
know what you have with quarterbacks when they come out
of college football. It is a great mystery box. And
they if the organization is right and they landed a
superstar quarterback, the Vikings could be one of the teams
who compete for a Super Bowl. Hardly autogram of possibility.
Just maybe don't head to Minnesota in December or January
if you want to, you know, if you value your
time outside wonderful.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
He'll be pleased to hear it. It's been great to
hear from you, Bill. Thanks for sharing your expertise with
us today.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Sure that is Bill.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
Bonwell, Senior Football Rata with ESPNNG.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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