Smells like Football SZN

Host Jeremy Odem is BACK with a brand new episode of the chart topping, world wide sensation, Laugh with Me Podcast! This week, Jeremy welcomes back guest and good friend, Eric Larson. This week the guys are previewing the upcoming NFL season by discussing the AFC Conference.

Eric is a 2024 Guest of the Year nominee, 5th speaker at Central in 2001, multi-time Fantasy Football Champion, a giant in the transportation industry and a football expert. 

In this episode:

-Recapping Eric's vacation

-Stripper car wash

-6 7

-AFC Preview

-AND SO MUCH MORE

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Welcome back. It's a brand new episode. This is Laughing Me,
a podcast with Jeremy. I'm your host, Jo, and I'm
welcomed once again by a giant giant in the transportation industry.
He is a former fantasy football champion multi time.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
Correct, that is correct.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
He is the former fifth speaker at Central two for
two just this past couple of just this past weekend,
not this past weekend, but the weekend before, just a
little over a week ago. He's successfully kind of arm
dragged a fridge full of beverages into a paper bag

(01:05):
to take out to a boat. This is our favorite guest,
Eric Larsen.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
I mean, there're just is no graceful way too to
fill a paper bag full of Yeah, when you're full
of bush lights, when you're filling a paper bag full
of beers.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
This really is the best thing. Let's say I got it.
Welcome back to the show. You're finally back from vacation.
We documented. Thank you for the voice memos. They were
some of the best parts of the month of July
early August. That you were gone a long time.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
I was, and it's fall mount it is now fall.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
We went from the dog days of summer too. It's
it's been gloomy and rainy and seventy the last three days.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Tell me how one. I know you're you're huge in
the transportation industry. How does a guy get like a monthation.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Well, you know, my job doesn't require me to actively
manage people anymore.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
So okay, you know that.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
I doubt they even realized I was gone, So that's important.
You just kind of weasle your way, You kind of
put yourself into a corner. Yeah, and then nobody thinks
to look for you.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Now, I will say one of my favorite parts of
your vacation. You had an idea. And this idea was, hey,
we need to find something for strippers to do during
the day, Like they have their night job. What could
they do during the day. And your idea and either
there's a really good idea, was the stripper car wash,
some type of themed car wash. Excellent idea. I called

(02:41):
it out on the pod, but I just wanted to
ask you in person to kind of see what you
were thinking. Why do the strippers have to work night
and day? Do they get to choose one to the
other and kind of just they start as a stripper
night and then they mold into this like car wash empire.
Why why two jobs?

Speaker 2 (02:58):
I'm kind of shocked by the question, honestly. I mean,
we live in a side hustle environment. I mean, why
do you do radio and work a normal job?

Speaker 1 (03:10):
Yeah, that's fair, that's fair.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
I mean this is this is a nice side hustle
for them have. Do you now if you're if you
had your car wash washed by a stripper, I mean
I'm assuming you'd tip.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
Oh yeah, yeah, there'd be a tip involved.

Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, so hey, this is a great opportunity for them
to you know, earn tips. And then also, i mean,
let's let's be honest, you can't strip your entire life,
so they're also learning life skills.

Speaker 1 (03:39):
So do they not earn tips when they're stripping? They? Yeah, okay,
so you're just feeding into what they do, Like, hey, well, hey,
let's put them in a place where they can earn tips.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Think about the fact, I mean they're talking about getting
rid of tax on tips they are. I mean, if
you had two tip jobs, stripping and car washing, right,
I mean, you practically paid no taxes.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
Do you see? Let's put all right, I want to
come back to that. Do you were you said you
brought it up. Do you see people going into more
of those tip based type jobs now with that big
lie of you're not going to get tax or tips
because we know now that it's been passed and we
know that we've read it, you know, I mean, it's

(04:24):
not it for everybody, Like, not everybody's tips are not
paid tax. There's some limits to this thing. But do
you think more people are going to be like, oh, yeah,
I'm buying in, Like I'm all in on this. I
need to serve.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
That's that'll be that'll be the big the unintended consequence. Yeah,
we'll change everything to tip base. Like so you're going
to go to the grocery store and it's going to
be like, please tip your cashier's.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Being you know, it's becoming that.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Because I mean that that is the problem with the
tax on tips is the thought that, hey, if you're
wait staff, you're making two dollars in hour, but maybe
you're making ten dollars with tips, so maybe it's averaging
out to twelve bucks. Right, Well, if you're a cashier
at a grocery store and you're making twelve bucks, doesn't
really seem fair that one of those jobs doesn't get

(05:12):
taxed for eighty percent of it and the other one
gets taxed for everything. Yeah, so yeah, I mean it's
gonna be really tough to implement.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
I could see the uh and you could already see.
You go to a baseball game and you go to
the concession stand and they ask how much of the
tip you want to leave? You know, the coffee shops
have been doing it for a while now, where the
cashier's asking for the tip and it's getting it's getting
deep because now you know, you go, you could go

(05:43):
buy clothes, and it's like, how much do you want
to tip? Like because they pay. You did the online shopping,
like you went on you pay, you picked out your
items online, you went and picked up and then I'll
here's your tip. What do you mean I already paid
a convenience fee. I already paid the shopper fee like
that that should take the place of the tip. Yo. Yeah,
we're an environment now where everybody wants.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
This kind of a It almost feels like old man shaken.
Fisit the sky? Like when you think about it, like
when we were coming up first going into stadiums, you know,
live events in that Yeah, you bought your beer you
tipped a dollar, right, or even like you went to
you went to the bar, ye a dollar. Yeah, you
brought me three drinks. Here's three dollars, like, it's a

(06:25):
dollar a drink. And now to that point, all right,
well now the beer is eighteen dollars and the suggested
tip line on there is saying, you know, three dollars
and fifty cents. So and I have a friend down
in Atlanta and he he will stop everything at the stadium
and he will punch in the custom amount and give
him one dollar.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
Oh really yeah, so he goes low. Yeah, where they
go high, he goes.

Speaker 2 (06:50):
He has not changed from that one dollar you know,
staple tip.

Speaker 1 (06:55):
That's fair.

Speaker 2 (06:55):
I mean, that's that's tip discipline right there.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yeah, it is. It's actually honestly good to him for
sticking with the discipline on the tip. And it's tough
these days to stick to that because it's so easy
to just hit the thing. But yeah, it inconvenience. It inconvenience,
is you, Yeah, it does. To put something in else
in there. Well, you've got this idea that the strippers
strip at night, they run the car washed during the day.

(07:18):
I'm here for it. I also I just don't know
if they need to do both. I also like the
idea of the themed car wash. I don't know if
you listen back to the episode or not, but you know,
you could have the rock and roll car wash and
it's got the music and the lights and uh, you know,
the haunted house car wash and you know, the themed
car wash is not a bad idea.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
That you know. I didn't really put two and two together,
but you know, like our show, the show Breaking Bad, Yeah,
they had a plotline and there where they're using that
as a front to like launder money. Yeah, think how
much more successful they would have been at laundering money
if they would have had strippers and rock and roll
themed you know, like you're talking about some real executive

(08:00):
level car washing.

Speaker 1 (08:01):
They wouldn't have had the storage unit with a powerful
of cash because they would have been able to account.

Speaker 2 (08:07):
Well spoiler alert, Oh.

Speaker 1 (08:08):
Sorry, if you haven't seen Breaking Bad, yep, Well, welcome
back from vacation. That that was quite the jaunt. So
the other day, I gotta tell you the story because
this was it made me feel old and I wanted
to understand the teenage mind a little bit. So I've
been seeing and I've been seeing it for a while
now on like videos, you know, online and even even

(08:32):
people out and about they they're saying they see sixty
seven or they say see six and seven and they
go six seven, six seven. Have you heard this?

Speaker 2 (08:41):
No? Oh, it's it's a whole thing six seven and
teenagers doing this.

Speaker 1 (08:46):
Teenagers are doing this, twenty year old like, young people
are doing this six seven thing. And I didn't get it,
like at all, like what does it mean? I figured
there had to be some kind of like deeper meaning
I wasn't getting right, it has to be I didn't.
I didn't want to be old guy and be like
what are you talking about? Like what is it like?
Because it took me a while to find out what

(09:07):
CAP meant, Like you know, like that I was managing
young people and I'm asking, I'm texting him something. They
text back CAP, and I'm just like, I don't know
what that means. But I did say it to them,
because god, I don't want to be old guy, right,
like I I look young, I should at least act young, right,

(09:29):
you cappen? So I ended up having to google the
CAP thing to figure out what it meant. But six
seven was tough because there are two numbers, so you
type it in and you don't really get much back, right,
So I'm just I'm trying to figure out what that means.
And so I was kind of waiting for the right
opportunity to have somebody say it that I could corner

(09:52):
them and be like, what does that mean and not
feel judged as an old guy. Well, this last weekend,
how do you my daughter? She had thirteenth birthday party?
And so it's her and there's like a dozen teenagers
run around. Right.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
You didn't ask them, did you?

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Well, here's what happened.

Speaker 2 (10:09):
Is a bunch of thirteen year old girls like jump
into a pool of piranhas.

Speaker 1 (10:13):
First, Well, here's what happened. They they were doing. I
don't know what they were doing because we set the party.
We had to go in. And then I'm watching football.
It was the first freaking Saturday college football, like Texas
Ohio State was on during this party. So I'm watching
the football game. But I overhear Hattie say six seven
six seven. I'm like, perfect, this is my time. So

(10:34):
I put a little note in my head and I
said later, I'm going to a corner and be like
what's this six seventh thing? Obviously she's in on it.
So then later that night she's she's having her party.
The party's still going, but now it's downstairs. Well upstairs,
it's me. It's Brandon, he's fifteen. We've got my brother

(10:56):
in law. He's over right, and I'm like, Braiden because
he said something like six seven or ok, hey, hey Braiden.
I said, I was gonna ask Catty about this because
I heard it earlier and I was in a corner.
But since you're here, and since you seem to know
what's going on, what does that mean? Like what what's
the joke?

Speaker 2 (11:15):
Like?

Speaker 1 (11:15):
What what are we doing? And uh because Mathias he
didn't know either. He's a little older than us, you know,
he's like forty five something like that, and uh, he's
brain's explaining that there was like a rapper at some
point in the last year or two that that said
six seven or something like that. So now everybody just
goes six seven, probably no different than or people go mustard,

(11:38):
you know, because of uh, you know that the guy
did halftime. I'm I look really old right now, Kendrick Lamar.
That's uh, yeah, you don't talk about.

Speaker 2 (11:53):
Rights, waiting for you to get it out. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, I was just I was getting there. So then
I'm like, okay, six seven. I was like, but people
do this, they go six seven, six seven. He goes, no,
there's nothing with the hands. I've seen people do the hands.
First of all. I was like, so, there's gotta be
something with the hands, but what why white? When when
do you say it? And why do you say it?

(12:16):
You know, if somebody sees six and a seven or
sixty seven or something, it's just six seven. And then
I'm like, all right, I can do that six that
you just say anytime. So then uh so then Thias goes, hey,
Huskers won six seven, six seven. So that I'm like,

(12:36):
six seven, I'm doing the hands, and I'm like, hopefully
not their record six seven.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
I'm feeling like the psychic backlash of yeah, Braiden's eye roll.
That was probably, Oh, that was probably going on as
you guys were doing this.

Speaker 1 (12:52):
It was deep because he was texting. I'm like, Braiden,
we're gonna save space here, like you can't. He's texting
his buddies. One hundred percent had to have been telling
him the six seven is done, like it's jumped the
shark like it's over, you know, But I didn't know
what it meant. I'm just so happy to have kind
of figured it out. So I told him, I'm gonna

(13:13):
I'm gonna be six seven y all over the place.

Speaker 2 (13:15):
I'm looking forward to. I mean, honestly, as soon as
we're done with the show. I mean, it's we're gonna
find him.

Speaker 1 (13:22):
We're gonna find him, and we're gonna be six sevening
all over his house, like that's it's got to be
going down that way. But uh no, I'm just I
feel I feel like I'm a part of, you know,
a new generation now and can just six seven with
the best of them.

Speaker 2 (13:37):
I don't know how you be, fellow kids.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
How you be, how you be? Well football's back, I
don't know how you feel about it. And other than
our team, the Huskers played Thursday night, and in our
group chat, it's like it didn't feel like Uskar gave it.
It didn't feel like the first game of the season.
And I get it. I think part of it was
the game was being playing Kansas City, were Nebraska. You

(14:03):
got seventy thousand plus heading out of state to go
to this game. But I don't know. It was just weird.
It was. It was a good off season, Like it
feels like the excitements there. I don't know if maybe
Husker fans are getting a little overwhelmed with the continued
success of the off season and then being let down

(14:24):
again right away, which shoot, we almost had that again
Thursday night, but came away with the win. I don't
know football's back.

Speaker 2 (14:31):
I mean, yeah, pretty much since since the Huskers finally
became Bowl eligible last year. I feel like that was
when the kool aid first started getting served for this season,
like we broke the curse, like it's it's over onwards upwards.
The rule season three mojo of the third season in
each of his stops has always been more successful. So

(14:56):
but yes, it was very tough to feel like game
day just with a Thursday night game right, like didn't
even start till eight pm. Oh that was awful, So
you gotta work Like normally you have that Saturday tune
up game yep, and you know you can start your
day with a good brunch, a couple of beers in
before kickoff and you have the whole day ahead of you.

(15:17):
We're here. It was right at the end of the day.
It was probably I mean, and I probably answer my
own question. I probably should have just taken Thursday and
Friday off and just still started with a good brunch
and you know, cracking beers at noon, and then I'm
sure by eight pm it would have felt like Husker
game day.

Speaker 1 (15:35):
So my Thursday started at one am with my alarm
going off to go to work because I had to
work early that day. So then you know, work early,
get off work early. Then I tried to get like
some sleep because I'm just exhausted, and then get up
and then try to get hyped for this football game. Right,
but it's so late eight o'clock, Holy cow. I mean,

(15:57):
I don't know how I did it, but I stayed
up for the whole freaking game. I don't know if
it was just the nerves because we were just playing
too good. I don't know.

Speaker 2 (16:05):
I feel like in some ways I jinxed it because
I was all right, hey, let's let's get this up
to two touchdowns. Is that two touchdowns? I can go
to bed. YEP. I felt the same, and it kept
getting closer and closer. It was just I guess I'm
in it for you the long run, yep.

Speaker 1 (16:19):
When it became very obvious that we were still in
the game, could win the game one hundred percent, not
going to cover the spread which was seven. It's like
that that's a recipe for disaster, and we've seen this
disaster over and over again. But it was nice to
come away with the win. We're one to er and
now it's like, here come the games that you know

(16:40):
a team like a RASK should be winning. So uh,
maybe it won't be as nerve wracking, but I don't know.
I don't like it when coach Rule says every game's
going to be close, Like, buddy, give us something like
we can't. I can't. We just get to go through
this every week. Yeah, but we're winning games. It's all
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(19:35):
missed the boat. I mean, that's what That's why I
told my family. But football's back. The NFL's back this week,
and as always, we have our NFL preview episode here
with Eric Larson. He's our resident football expert. How many
ballparking for us. How many games have you watched live NFL.

Speaker 2 (19:56):
Like lifetime lifetime? I mean probably gotta be thirty to forty.

Speaker 1 (20:07):
Okay, So now I'd like you to compare how many
games live has Tom Brady, the announcer called and seen
in person? He's in your ballpark. So if we're comparing
expert to expert, we've got one of the best right
here in laugh with me. He's seen many an NFL
game live in person and many more than that on TV.

(20:31):
I mean, I don't know how Adrian Peterson legendary NFL. Right,
you're wearing your Vikings hat here today, NFL legend at
running back for the Vikings. You were there, wait, he said,
the single game rushing record in Kansas City, Missouri on
a Thursday night Chargers Chiefs, when Phil Rivers found a

(20:55):
wide open Mike Williams open in the end zone and
then found him again almost the same play for two
to win a game over the first place Chiefs. You
were there. You've been to some big games.

Speaker 2 (21:09):
I can't believe you skipped over. I mean then that
Adrian Peterson rushing record game that we saw with the
two ninety six that was also the first time that
there was one hundred and nine yard touchdowns.

Speaker 1 (21:18):
A one hundred and that was an NFL record.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
That was the first one.

Speaker 1 (21:22):
Yep, that was the first one. It was exciting. Missed
field goal, caught the back of the end zone, returned
all the way. I think the half ended. I think
the first half end with it. Yeah, you've been You've
been a part of some of the NFL's biggest moments,
and now you're here on Laugh with Me, top fifty
comedy podcast in the United States to break it all

(21:42):
down for us. So we're gonna start with the AFC,
and then we'll get to the NFC. We're gonna get
to the big Dog, we're gonna get to the raining
Super Bowl champions and all that. But we're going to
start with the AFC and kind of just see where
where you're headlining as we head into this season. So

(22:03):
let's start with the Let's start with the North.

Speaker 2 (22:05):
Okay, uh, well, uh, we'll start with a team that
we probably only need to spend about two sentences with,
like the Browns. The Browns, what's the most exciting thing
going on with the Browns? The third string quarterback is
Schaduur That's that's about it.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
Shouldar Sanders has got to be the most exciting part
of this football team, and it's just name value alone.
Uh and if he gets on the field, that's exciting
to see what he does. Uh. He you think he's
gonna play this?

Speaker 2 (22:36):
You got like you got old old man Flacco out there.
I say, old old man. He's younger than you. But
uh yeah, we're not suiting up to to play quarterback
for the Browns, So I mean there's always a chance that.

Speaker 1 (22:49):
He could get out there, but I feel like we could.

Speaker 2 (22:51):
Yeah, but I mean the Browns drafted a quarterback before him,
and he's number two on their depth chart, So like
it's it's a long road for chadu or to get
any playing time.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
Has there ever been a quieter high draft pick a
quarterback backup than that guy Wither behind him with Flacco
ahead of him. I mean, he's just sitting there. He
gets to just do his job without the noise and
the pressure. The fans are gonna be chanting. They won't
be chanting for him. They're gonna be chanting for Shadur
Sanders for sure, maybe even in Week one. But yeah,

(23:23):
Joe Flacco is there. It's obvious that the Browns are
playing for next season, as they have ten draft picks
already in next year's draft, including two in the first round,
so they are obviously like building up to the next season.

Speaker 2 (23:37):
It is kind of a wild thing to to just
think of, you know, all the parody that's in the NFL.
And you know, obviously I'm a Vikings fan, you're a
Chargers fan. And there have been some bad teams.

Speaker 1 (23:48):
Oh, we've had some bad.

Speaker 2 (23:49):
There's been some bad teams the last twenty years. Yeah,
I don't think any Chargers team or Vikings team in
the last twenty years has been as bad as you know,
the Browns or the Saints are to be like this year. No,
which is wild? Do you get that bad?

Speaker 1 (24:05):
Yeah? Well, when you mismanage them, and that's been the
kind of the stories. The ownership's a problem, and.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
The well or the fact that they're paying Watson, you know,
forty five million dollars to not play this year.

Speaker 1 (24:17):
Yeah, he may never play there again. I mean it
kind of makes sense. Yep, kind of makes sense. But yeah,
the Browns, I don't think if there's any doubt there
that they will finish last in that division, and they're
certainly a front runner to be towards the bottom of
the NFL and have that number one pick. So, yeah,
the Browns. But the Steelers on the other hand, there

(24:42):
are they going to be how many games better than
the Browns? You think they're gonna be.

Speaker 2 (24:46):
Oh, I mean the Steelers are going to be five
hundred at least.

Speaker 1 (24:49):
Yeah, that's what they do.

Speaker 2 (24:50):
Tomlin's going to extend a streak. Yeah, you know Rogers
dk Metcalf Like, there's some reason for exciting in the
fact that you know two players on offense, which hasn't
necessarily been the case this last couple of years when
you're Najie Harris is your highlight players. You know, the

(25:13):
whole experiment that they did last year with Russell Wilson
and Fields.

Speaker 1 (25:18):
Didn't work out. They always say, if you have two quarterbacks,
you don't have one. Yeah, in this situation.

Speaker 2 (25:23):
But it's kind of a weird thing in the AFC
North because you have the Steelers who are not going
to be that exciting on offense. You know, they have
Arthur Smith, our offense coordinator, very run first guy, old
man Rogers at quarterback, but they have a really, really
good defense a really, really good defensive coach. It's like

(25:44):
they went all in on the defensive side and the
offense just got the scraps.

Speaker 1 (25:48):
But the idea was our defense is what's going to
carry is that's our backbone, that's our culture, and Aaron
Rodgers is the guy who's just going to manage everything
and keep us in position to build a win football
games have to because he's a Hall of Famer, sure,
but he's also on the beyond the back end of
his career. I mean, he's he's a guy that's literally

(26:10):
said he could retire two years ago. I mean, when
you're dipping your toe and retirement two years ago, I mean,
how committed are you, honestly for your physical aspect of it?

Speaker 2 (26:20):
Well, and that's you know, I saw a breakdown of
Rogers earlier this year where they were talking about when
he was with the Jets, I mean, he was one
of the least efficient quarterbacks like in the league. Like
there was still a couple of those highlight plays that
you might have seen, you know, at the recap of
the game that's just like, oh maybe he still got it,
but that fastball did not come out very often. Like

(26:41):
he's he's you know, to pull that analogy even further,
like he's kind of like the aging like pitcher that's
all of a sudden decided like I'm gonna throw a
knuckleball now because my arm just can't throw the fastball
like it used to, So I got to figure out
some other way, some other relevant. But you have that
all in on the defense, and then when you look
at the next team, you know in this division, the Bengals,

(27:04):
it's like the exact opposite. The Bengals have gone all
in on their offense correct, and they have nothing in
the tank for like the defense, Like they just have
a bunch of young guys, Like it's just maybe some
of these guys will be good. We change our defense coordinator,
but the point of our team is going to be
our offense.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
Yeah, And on defense, they spent a good chunk of
the offseason back and forth, back and forth with the
contract stuff with their top draft pick, with their star
defensive player, Hendricks. Like they end up getting deals done
kind of right enough that they're gonna take the field.
They missed a lot of camp. You don't know where

(27:42):
their head's at mentally as far as the business part
of it, because they know next season, I'm not gonna
be here, Like, I'm gonna need to get a big
deal somewhere else. So you got to take care of
your body. Like there's just so many question marks on defense,
but the offense, you keep Joe Burrow upright and things
gonna happen, So that might be enough. A lot of

(28:02):
people are putting the Bengals in the top three teams
in the AFC talk would you would you say that's fair?

Speaker 2 (28:11):
I would say that there are some people putting him
in there. I don't think that i'd put him in
the top three. Yeah, just from that that flaw of Hey,
it's all riding on the offense, Like they had a
great offensive year, but that was also the only year
that you've had Burrow, Chase, and Higgins all healthy for
most of the season. You know, that's been the knock
on Burrow is that he has gotten hurt. If he's healthy,

(28:34):
it's great. But I mean if one of those three
pieces of the stool, the tripod goes out, like, is
that offense going to be able to keep that kind
of a pace. Yeah, And then you mix in the fact,
I mean you've got the super competitive division. We already said,
the Steelers are going to be a five hundred plus team.
You've got the Bengals that you know, could have aspirations of,

(28:56):
you know, at least a wild card if not, you know,
maybe challenging for that division. You got the Ravens. But
the AFC North this year for their inner conference, they're
playing the NFC North. So all of these teams are
also going to be pacing the Lions, the Vikings, the Packers.
So what a tough like this could get like really

(29:19):
really like if one of these teams has a mistake
or has like a big injury, like, it's pretty easy
to see that path to just them getting buried and
them being out of it and not making the playoffs
at all.

Speaker 1 (29:33):
Okay, So with that being said, the division games matter
so much more, right because you need to stay paced
with it and to try to get yep, you know,
for the top spot and make that playoff spot. We
already counted up the Browns. That seems fair, and it's
they're playing the NFC North, So this is going to
be wins, like just wins piling up for the North.

(29:54):
Because of this, the Steelers, we both agree, a five
hundred football team at work. Six seven, six seven wins, right,
but probably eight nine wins. So the Bengals and Ravens
they'll compete for the division. Bengals probably a wild card team.

(30:14):
So now you've got the Ravens of the Heat, You've
got them number one. Are they good enough because they're
gonna be playing the Lions, They're gonna be playing the Packers,
who just got better. They're gonna be playing the Vikings,
you know, on top of the other powerhouses they got
to play. What do you think you think the Ravens
are just gonna business as usual, go out and win

(30:35):
a whole bunch of regular season games.

Speaker 2 (30:37):
Yeah, I do. I think the Ravens are probably going
to be a twelve thirteen win team. But a lot
of that's just due to Lamar, right, And yeah, I
mean you got Lamar and you got Derrick Henry, and
that kind of neutralizes some of the advantages that other
teams have on that pass rush.

Speaker 1 (30:57):
And good defense. Yeah, they just yeah, it's a really good.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Like it's just they're gonna match They're going to match
up well against a lot of teams where it's like,
all right, the Bengals are going to be throwing all right, well,
now like playing the Vikings great pass rush, Detroit great
pass rush. The Packers just added Micah Parsons. Like then
you look at their teams in their division that all
also have great defenses and good pass rushes. Like all right, well,

(31:22):
I guess you're you're probably you know, leaning towards the
Ravens just because they've got more tools in the toolbox
to get past those. Yeah, and that's where Lamar is
almost like like you know, when we were young and
Nebraska is rolling out with the option, it was so
devastating to teams outside of the Big twelve because they

(31:42):
never saw the option, so they would have to do
a different type of game prep to go and play that. Well,
I know that there's a lot more running threat like
quarterbacks out there, but I mean, obviously the MVP speak
for it. I don't think anybody's doing it better than
Lamar is right now.

Speaker 1 (31:57):
Yeah, he's playing at the level and the one thing
he's missing is the Super Bowl Trophy.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
Also, you know, full disclosure of Lamar's on my fantasy
football team. So of course, like you.

Speaker 1 (32:07):
Know, you were MVP MVP year, Well, you and I
are on the same page with the AFC North pretty
much from bottom to the top. All right, let's move
on to the AFC.

Speaker 2 (32:21):
South, the most boring division.

Speaker 1 (32:26):
Like last year, this was the division we forgot about,
Like we were like, what we're missing teams? Like what
division are we forgetting? We just completely didn't even talk
about this division. We went back to it. But it's like,
what is what is within this division that is exciting
that you would want to watch? Like who when you
turn on red zone and you're just like, give me,

(32:47):
give me all the action? Do you care to see
any of these teams?

Speaker 2 (32:52):
That's and I don't you know, maybe it's just a
f C out of sight, out of mind, but like
the Titans just they've always had boring football.

Speaker 1 (33:02):
They really have.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
Like that's we're a long ways removed from like the
Steve McNair having any sort of relevance out there, all right.
I mean Derrick Henry was pretty much like he was
almost like the Mike Trout, Like, hey, I know Mike
Trout's great, but he plays for the Angels. They never
play in the playoffs, like doesn't matter. So I see

(33:24):
him on the highlights, he looks great. That that's that's great,
but there's not enough around him. That makes me care
about that team.

Speaker 1 (33:29):
He can tell it works out, that's good for him,
Good for him.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
But yeah, you got I mean, I've got the Titans
in that fourth spot, cam Ward coming in. I mean,
they have some pieces. You can see where they're going.

Speaker 1 (33:43):
But it's a it's it's gonna be one of those
situety situations where it's a show me. Because they're they're
so young and such a rebuild, they're gonna have to
prove it on the field, like nobody's picking them, they're
they're bland. Uh yeah, well.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
They they've almost like i mean, Rabel hasn't been there
now for three years. Yeah, but they still feel like
that same type of team that's like, hey, we're going
to run the ball, we're gonna grind it out, we're
gonna win low scoring games. But they don't have the talent,
they don't have the players to win those kinds of Well,
that's the thing.

Speaker 1 (34:16):
They lost Rabel, who was the identity, like that was
the culture and it worked. They were playoff ish team
every season, right, But then you lost him, never gained
a new identity, tried to kind of create that same
mentality through and it's just Yeah, it just hasn't worked out.
So yeah, Titans at the bottom, then it kind of
makes sense.

Speaker 2 (34:35):
No, right above them, I have the Colts. And you know,
this is just a side note. We have a friend
that is a really big Colts fan, and you know,
I think the fact that he didn't call out that
we missed the AFC South means that he's not a
very committed listener.

Speaker 1 (34:51):
Yeah, I believe I agree with that. Thanks for listening, Cody.
They just lost their owner. Rip. There's a lot of
death in the AFC South this year. Steve McNair, now
this did he pass this year? No, he's been gone
prime like ten. We did just talk about So I'm.

Speaker 2 (35:14):
Like, is that why that came to my head? Was
that what I was thinking of?

Speaker 1 (35:18):
He was murdered.

Speaker 2 (35:20):
Another thing that's been murdered is Anthony Richardson's football career.

Speaker 1 (35:27):
He did it to himself. Yeah, even the injuries, it's
just effort.

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Getting replaced by Daniel Jones.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
I mean, that's sad.

Speaker 2 (35:34):
That's a low point.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
Oh man, you think he's ever going to play there again?

Speaker 2 (35:39):
Not with the Colts. Know, that's kind of what I thought,
But it's kind of wild just considering how big of
a you know, coming into the draft. I mean he
was just that that phenom athlete that shot up the
rankings just due to those intangibles. And now he looks
a lot like like a Trey Lance.

Speaker 1 (35:57):
Yeah, that's a great comparison. And when he first got
on the field, he did show some things that's like,
this guy's going to be a difference maker. Like he's
a good football player.

Speaker 2 (36:08):
He'd be thrown a like fifty first completion percentage, but
somehow he would still make this sixty yard touchdown pass
and it would just.

Speaker 1 (36:18):
Be like what, like nobody could do that.

Speaker 2 (36:20):
Yeah, he's gonna put it all together.

Speaker 1 (36:21):
I think it was that time he pulled himself out
of the game for a breather. Yeah, that was like
the first sign of where we're heading with him, and yeah,
here we are.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
Yeah. But yeah, to lose the quarterback, you know, competition
straight out, What.

Speaker 1 (36:36):
Are the chances they get back Andrew Lucke?

Speaker 2 (36:42):
Zero zero? He's done, Okay, I mean he has been
gone for like six seven years now, So yeah.

Speaker 1 (36:48):
I figured if Colin Kaepernick can still work out every season.

Speaker 2 (36:51):
He's still waiting for his chance. He's still waiting for
his shot, all.

Speaker 1 (36:56):
Right, So the Colts, man, I almost could go either
way with the Titans and Colts, like one of them
could be at the bottom.

Speaker 2 (37:01):
Yeah, I feel like the defense is a little bit
better with the Colts. I think I probably trust them
a little bit more. I mean, and the Colts did
like they were one of those seams that surprisingly, I
feel like they won but seven or eight games last year,
like they were pretty dang.

Speaker 1 (37:16):
Close to they were in the X. Yeah, they were
in the X. You know, they were one of those
teams that at the end of the season, it was like,
all right, if this this and this happens and they win,
they sneak in like and there was a handful of
deams like that. So you get you get yourself in
that position. All right, you're not too far off, but
it always starts a quarterback and they don't have it.

Speaker 2 (37:34):
So the next don are depressing AFC South Jacksonville the Jags,
and then I will say, I'm I'm probably a little
bit higher on the Jags than most people, Like I
don't think they're going to make the playoffs, but I
really wanted to find a reason to put them above
the Texans, Like I like their coach coming in, I

(37:56):
like what they've got going on offense, Like this is
pretty much Trevor Lawrence is like last chance to like
this is his fourth coach, I believe, like coming in
like he's and he's gone through some really bad ones,
but how.

Speaker 1 (38:09):
Is he stuck around so long with all these coaching
changes and they're like, you're not the problem? Ye?

Speaker 2 (38:15):
I mean he was the golden boy. He was the
golden boy after luck that was gonna you know, everybody wanted.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
They got Travis Hunter.

Speaker 2 (38:23):
They got Travis Hunter, they got Brian Thomas, They've got
the core skill players on offense. Uh. They brought in
the Bills offense coordinator Cohen to be their their new
head coach. So kind of a very similar vibes is
like like the Bears that we'll talk about of just hey,

(38:44):
this offense coordinator for the Bucks, Cohen. He he revitalized
Baker Mayfield. Yeah, like this guy's going to be the
best coach that Trevor Lawrence has had.

Speaker 1 (38:55):
A Baker Mayfield he's doing. Okay, he's a guy out
there in Tampa. So yeah, what he's done is impressive. Yeah,
if he does have a Trevor Lawrence shoot, yeah, you could.
You could make the case they'd be ahead of Texans.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
Yep. And we did talk about though, you know, with
the AFC North, Hey, how bad that that interconference schedule was.
That's gonna be the one thing I think that's probably
going to keep me from saying, oh, well, hey the
Jags of the Colts are one of these teams might
have a chance to sneak into the wild card. It's
just these guys are going to be playing the AFC
West and the NFC West like this year, and so

(39:31):
a lot of travel games, a lot of you know,
competition that's better than all the teams that are in
this division.

Speaker 1 (39:39):
Well, you know me, anytime anybody's got to go toe
to toe with the Los Angeles Chargers, right, not of
the teams in trouble. So, yeah, that's a tough spot
for the for the South.

Speaker 2 (39:51):
Yeah. So this could be one of them where the
you know, top team in this might have ten wins
like Texans.

Speaker 1 (39:59):
This is a division, No it isn't this division, but
a division has in the past made the playoffs a
division winner with a losing record. I don't know if
we've got one of those divisions this season. Doesn't look
like it. There's some good teams at the top, but
if there is a division that could have that, it's
probably this one.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
Yeah. That was the NFC South.

Speaker 1 (40:18):
Yes, that was the South. Yeah, but yeah, I don't
see a division this year that has it, unless it's
the South AFC South. So, but the Texans are probably
good enough. Jacksonville's probably good enough.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Yep. Got the Texans winning this one. Yeah, that makes sense,
even though again I was really arguing with myself trying
to figure out a way that one of these other
teams could win. You know, Stroud took a step back
last year. You know, offensive coordinator fired. They're bringing in
a new guy, really really good head coach Ryans. That

(40:53):
defense is going to be legit like potential top five defense.

Speaker 1 (40:59):
Yeah, not much to say. They're not very flashy. They
just go and win games. The Texans, I will say, though,
it feels like they're due because with like this new
coach with and he's been there. This week's third season,
I think with the Texans now, yeah, and Strout's third

(41:20):
season as quarterback. We always have and this happens every season.
The NFL is weird like this, and it's the parody.
There's always like six seven six seven teams that switch
out from a playoff team non playoff team, right, it
just always happens.

Speaker 2 (41:36):
Yep.

Speaker 1 (41:37):
There's always a large group of teams that don't make
it and then a new crew does. This is a
position where I could see, like you were saying, I'm
looking for that argument for the Jaguars, some things happened,
the ball doesn't balance the Texans way this season. Strout
has his sophomore slump, maybe a year late, and now
the Jaguars win the division, go to the playoffs, the

(41:57):
Texans don't. There's your switch and if really not that
far off, I could totally see that. Like in this division,
I'm picking the Texans to win it as well, but
I could not be shocked at all at the end
if it goes the other way and it's Jacksonville, it
takes it.

Speaker 2 (42:11):
That's and you're just when you talk about that strength
of schedule too, I mean the Texans will be playing
the Ravens, the Chiefs, Buffalo, so you know that first
place schedule does play heavily into some of those teams
that flip from that flip you know, in or out,
just due to having to play those heavyweights, which is.

Speaker 1 (42:33):
Always gonna happen, all right. The best division in the AFC,
in my opinion, it's the AFC West.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
This Yeah, it's a good division, throwing a lot of
vibes of like the NFC North last year, where it's
just like you got three contenders and then you know
you got you got the Raiders and the Raiders the Bears,
you know, just kind of hanging out there like maybe
they'll be frisky, Probably not.

Speaker 1 (42:57):
I tell you what. The Raiders are always good for
a Thursday night upset over like a top team like
the Chiefs or something. They're always good to just absolutely
slam a team, you know and win by thirty like
one time. Yeah, they're always there to be super competitive,
just long enough for one of your stars to get

(43:18):
hurt and then see what happens in the second half.
Like it's just weird shit it goes on with the Raiders.
And but they've got the new head coach.

Speaker 2 (43:27):
You buying into Pete Carroll, No, are you hyped?

Speaker 1 (43:30):
Not at all. I am interested to see because he
did have such a good thing going in Seattle. He's
been out of the game now a little bit. He's older,
it probably was retirement time, but you know, who knows.
Maybe he can still run a business like the best
of them and get a group of professionals hyped. But

(43:52):
the Raiders culture is so different. I don't know. I'm
not buying it.

Speaker 2 (43:56):
Yeah, and I don't believe that Geno Smith is going
to be their answer for overcoming these other teams in
the division.

Speaker 1 (44:03):
He felt like a band aid, you know, and that's
kind of been Gino's thing, and that's what Gino doesn't
want to be, you know, That's what he ended up
being a seattult right, Yeah, it's I'm not buying the
Raiders at all. Yeah, leg has crossed them off their toast.

Speaker 2 (44:19):
Now, this this might be one of my more controversial picks,
But the Broncos, I'm not necessarily buying them as being this.
I think a lot of people are setting the Broncos
up as, hey, this is going to be a team
that could win the AFC.

Speaker 1 (44:32):
West's there's a lot of people saying that they're the
team that's going to finally take over the Jeeves.

Speaker 2 (44:37):
Yeah, I'm not buying it.

Speaker 1 (44:40):
Bow Nick's got a heck of a lot better throughout
the season.

Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yeah, but he still wasn't. I mean, he's still not
Drew Brees. He's still not. One of the things one
of the pieces I love to read each year is,
you know, Barnwell for ESPN breaks down his you know,
teams that are going to improved and teams that are
going to like go down. And you know, one of
the things that I believe that he called out on

(45:03):
these guys was just that defense. That defense was so good.
They've got you know, Defensive Player of the Year and
their their secondary. But it's tough to make the case
that you're going to get better at defense when you
already were the best at defense the previous year. Yeah,
Like it's tough to make that case. Hey, the defense
is going to be even better next year. Well that

(45:24):
that normally doesn't happen.

Speaker 1 (45:26):
Yeah, you generally take a step back.

Speaker 2 (45:27):
So then you're like, all right, on the offensive side,
have they done enough? Like, is the improvement of bo
Nicks the only thing that we are basing this thought
that they're going to overtake the Chiefs. Yeah, that's not
enough for me, like that from that one year to
second year jump, Is that enough of a difference, just

(45:49):
him having one year in that system to say, hey,
they're going to go and you know, conquer.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
Because even his improvement from week three to week seventeen,
although it was a great rate you know improvement from
there that he looked like a serviceable quarterback. Yep, he
didn't look like a world beater. That now it's like, okay,
now I'm going to leave the team to beat the
our our generation or this generation's Patriots dynasty, you know.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
With the cheese well and even you know, we just
got done talking about the Texans, all right, who you
know Stroud coming into last year of year two or
bo Nicks coming into now year two. Which of those
two quarterbacks would you have picked? Would you have taken?

Speaker 1 (46:29):
You know, right, yeah, taking Stroud?

Speaker 2 (46:32):
You're taking Stroud on. And I feel like that was
probably a lot of the disappointment vibes that were coming
from the Texans was when Stroud didn't take He was
still good, but he didn't take that next leap.

Speaker 1 (46:45):
Right. Well, I to Barnwell. You're talking about Barnwell at
the ESPN. He's very analytical and everything that he puts
into his pieces has the data to back it up.
I tend to go off vibes a lot of times
and this is something that I have noticed with the Broncos.

(47:05):
This is something i'd heard, I don't I don't know
if it's true or it's just something I heard in
the off season. Second year bon Nicks, none of his
teammates still have gone to his birthday party, even going
into his second season, So that what kind of leader
is he? You know, I don't know, that's just something
I heard about bon Necks. But I mean, anyways, I

(47:28):
don't like the vibe. Yeah, that's all I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (47:30):
Could you imagine, you know, Philip Rivers not having his
teammates that is hid me.

Speaker 1 (47:35):
Yeah, those are his brothers, Those are his brothers. Gosh
darn it, all wearing Bolo ties, all wear Bolo ties.

Speaker 2 (47:45):
And you knew that he was counting on him because
he needed help just managing those like twenty kids.

Speaker 1 (47:50):
Yeah, that's awesome, all right. Do you think we finally
have a team that can overtake the Chiefs?

Speaker 2 (47:58):
The Chargers second in this division?

Speaker 1 (48:00):
Figure and that makes sense. So what's what's holding back
the Chargers from being the team to overtake the Chiefs?
Because the Chiefs arguably last season, and yes, they went
to the Super Bowl, but that was one of the
worst Chiefs teams this Mahomes era. Yeah, okay, they had
some lucky many a lucky bounce their way at the

(48:22):
end of games to rack up the WS. So what
are the Chargers now doing? I guess to say, all right,
now it's our time.

Speaker 2 (48:30):
I mean, I feel like I'm putting a target. You're
having me talk first about the Chargers. I can talk
about the charge I can tell you what I will
say that The one thing my one knock against the
Chargers is just I feel like they're still rebuilding that defense.
You know, you had such a great defense for you know,
half a decade, you know, anchored by Bosa, you know,

(48:52):
all the great the pass rushers that you guys had,
and I feel like there's been a lot of turnover
on that side and you don't quite have that Harbaugh
defense that you need.

Speaker 1 (49:03):
It was it was key getting Khalil Mack to come back. Yep,
so having having Mac and there's been obviously big for
any defense. Right this team's built to have linebackers flying,
Derwin James flying over the field making making things happen.
There's gonna be a lot of movement out there to
hopefully confuse and just be ball attackers like I like that.

(49:24):
But yeah, you're right at the line. We need to
put that pressure at the quarterback. We need to get
my homes out of the pocket quick strolls so that
the secondary can attack the ball. But I think it's
the improvement in offense this year that's gonna be the
Is this just Keenan Allen for the Los Angeles Chargers?

Speaker 2 (49:44):
Is this just the Keenan Allen signing.

Speaker 1 (49:46):
I love ourny running back of Maryon Hampton. I don't
like Najie Harris. In fact, the guy's got one eye.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
Hey, hey, hey, it's a very serious thing. Do not
light fireworks off near your face.

Speaker 1 (49:57):
It really is serious. Don't do that. You're a guy
who hosts the fourth July party every year. Have you
had how many injuries have you had like this?

Speaker 2 (50:07):
Oh? Zero?

Speaker 1 (50:08):
Exactly? Because you run your operation. We need we need
some accountability there in LA because you can't have our
veteran running back home in the camp with one eye. Okay,
he doesn't want to be a pirate, and I don't
want him to be a pirate.

Speaker 2 (50:20):
Okay, Well, I mean, are you at all worried that
Harbaugh might listen to this podcast.

Speaker 1 (50:26):
He does just cut Harris, just all right. First of all,
of course, coach listens to the podcast, Hey coach. And
second of all, if he decides to cut Harris, we're
gonna go ahead and give him the applause because it's time.
It's it's Hampton's time to step up and be the
RB one. He's a heck of a talent. He's a rookie, sure,

(50:49):
but he's going to be a difference maker, very similar
to Eckler was for for QB one. So and then
and then you bring back and we got Lad McConkie
year two and he's a stud. Okay, he's a stud.
So now we're gonna football name too, year two, Ladd McConkie.

(51:11):
That's awesome. Then the return of the Alien himself, Keenan Allen.
I couldn't be more excited to have the guy back.
I mean, what do you first down? First down, first down.
I mean, I don't even know if we'll you get
to second down. He's just gonna be first down, first down,
first down.

Speaker 2 (51:30):
We talked about Philip Rivers. I mean he's got to
be chomping at the bit to want back to you know,
he wants back.

Speaker 1 (51:36):
You know, you know, because they signed Phil. Phil's back
within the organization in the good graces of him as
he's you know, officially retired, but he did spend the
one day contract with the Chargers this offseason in July.
You gotta think he had in his back of his mind.

Speaker 2 (51:52):
Well what if what if I just hung out?

Speaker 1 (51:54):
What if I don't leave?

Speaker 2 (51:54):
Like what if?

Speaker 1 (51:55):
You know, what if the one day I'm here, I go,
let's compete for let's just pete for the spot.

Speaker 2 (52:00):
I'm just imagining him like hiding in a bathroom, Yeah,
waiting til waiting for them to lock up. Yeah, yeah,
coming out.

Speaker 1 (52:06):
Well, gosh darn, why can't I throw around? You know
it's Rivers is loving seeing Keenan back out there. And
and you know, when you've got Justin Herbert quarterback, you're
always in the game. So I'm excited about this Charger team.
I think we've got to start Week one with that
win over the Chiefs to set the tone. But and

(52:30):
this isn't just me as a Chargers fan being like
we're going to be the Chiefs, because the Chiefs are
the Chiefs. Last year showed it. It's gonna take a
lot to overtake them in the West. But I think
this is about a good of shot as we've got
with our ball right now to take that one spot.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
But you've got the Chiefs, So it's it's kind of wild.

Speaker 1 (52:48):
You know.

Speaker 2 (52:48):
You asked me at the beginning of this top of
this episode on how many football games I've attended live,
and there's a decent chance that the Chargers might be
my second most seen team.

Speaker 1 (52:59):
It's got to be it's got to be Kings, and
then it's got to be Chargers.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
Right, I mean it could be really close to the Chiefs.

Speaker 1 (53:04):
Yeah, okay, that makes sense.

Speaker 2 (53:05):
But I mean we've gone to a lot of Chiefs
Chargers games. I think we've gone to two Chargers games
in Minnesota, so.

Speaker 1 (53:11):
Yeah, I could very well good. But you've seen some
Charger of football up close.

Speaker 2 (53:15):
This out of all when I when I was first
brainstorm in this list, I don't think it really sank
in until we did the AFC West here that this
is probably my most controversial division. I mean, putting the
Broncos at third, yeah, putting the Charges at two and
keeping the Chiefs out the.

Speaker 1 (53:32):
Chiefs at one, A lot of people don't want to
keep them there. You've got Travis Kelcey. He's got a
lot going on in his life right now. Is he focused?
He admitted he wasn't last year. Yep, so is he is?
He kind of in that same boat. Has he figured
out how to handle it now? I don't know. You

(53:53):
figure if he's going to go one more season and
he knows it's only one more season, he would go
all out, you know, somewhat to John Cena, he's one
last year in WW full time, right, this is it
right now?

Speaker 2 (54:03):
Or maybe you could say like gronk in or.

Speaker 1 (54:06):
Okay, all right, that's probably a better comparison. But Seed
is just going all out while doing other things. But
Kelsey I feel like hinders mahomes when he's not playing
at a.

Speaker 2 (54:19):
High level right well, especially when you know the Chiefs
are dealing with so many wide receiver injuries, so many
running back injuries. I mean, their number one wide receiver,
their number one running back both got knocked out last
year pretty early in the season. Worthy, they're highly tittered
rookie speedster guy speeds. He's probably better as a complimentary

(54:43):
player than he is as the main event, which there's.

Speaker 1 (54:47):
Nothing wrong with that. That's a difference maker's it's still
gonna get sixty seventy yards a game and a touchdown
all day.

Speaker 2 (54:56):
Yeah, so you've got those weapons this year. I mean,
I know Rashie Rice is still going to be suspended
for the first six weeks, but you do have Pachaco back.
You do have you know, the reports say that Kelsey's
looking better than he was this time last year.

Speaker 1 (55:13):
That's just his haircut. Yeah, it's nothing on the field.

Speaker 2 (55:17):
But it's kind of I mean, this is the inverse
of the conversation we had about the Broncos of just, hey,
do you do you buy this position upgrading enough to
overtake And I guess when I put the Chiefs here,
I'm looking at it more just I don't expect them
to take that big of a step back. I still
think that Patrick Mahomes is a top three quarterback in

(55:37):
the league, right And I still think Andy Reid is
a top you know, five play caller in the league.

Speaker 1 (55:45):
He's an all time guy.

Speaker 2 (55:46):
Yeah, you know, they've been locked in at defense coordinator.
They've got a lot of continuity within that team. I
just don't see with Reid and Mahomes them doing a
backslide that's going to cost them this division.

Speaker 1 (56:00):
So basically it comes down to even if they play
similar footballs last season, it comes down to do they
get the bounces their way at the end of games
like they did last season. I'll tell you what, if
they do, We're gonna riot because that was disgusting last year. Disgusting.

(56:21):
We will riot. I'll go to any game I gotta
go to to riot. It might just be me and
then you watching me, because I'm sure you want not
to do with this riot, but I will be rioting.

Speaker 2 (56:36):
You know, I've gotten to quite a few Chiefs Chargers
games with you, and I've witnessed you just yelling out
go bolts to an entirely red concourse seating area. I
imagine your rioting will be about on that same level.

Speaker 1 (56:54):
Yeah, it'll be. It'll be pretty close to that. But
I'll bring it. I'll bring it as good as I
can bring it.

Speaker 2 (56:59):
So the Husker game that was on on Thursday, the
Mahomes were there along with Kelsey and Swift. Yeah, and
I thought it was kind of funny because it's like,
all right, you got Dylan Rayoula, the Huskers quarterback that
you know works out with Mahomes has the same you know,
personal trainer. Like they were finding every excuse during that
game to like show a shot of Patrick Mahomes watching Raila,

(57:22):
but like you could tell that they're being super disciplined
on just making sure that Patrick Mahomes is the only
one in the frame. Yep, it's like they just they
just know how over it the average football fan is
of seeing Kelsey and Swift.

Speaker 1 (57:35):
Well, they're just they're overexposed. What are they? I guess
you could argue they were at Arrowhead and yes, Kelsey
went to Cincinnati, so you had those connections. But on
the side, this was the first appearance public appearance together
since being engaged, so it was like kind of newsworthy,
So they had to show the couple at some point throughout.

(57:58):
But yeah, they had to be care because they all
were sitting together. And that's sweet.

Speaker 2 (58:04):
You you ever invite the Kelsey's onto the pond, I
haven't yet.

Speaker 1 (58:09):
We're in talks, you know, And you know, I just
said we hadn't, and then I just said we're in talks,
so we're we're in between. Uh yeah, we'll see where
it goes. I mean, they're in the sports category. I'm
in the comedy category. Occasionally they talk about funny things.
Occasionally we talk about sports.

Speaker 2 (58:28):
So it's I might say, I feel like I see
a lot of like clips of just the two Kelsey's
like laughing, laughing. I feel like they laugh. Yeah, but
they're not laughing with me.

Speaker 1 (58:38):
They're not laughing with you. They're not left with me,
not yet. Anyhow, we'll see what happens, all right, last
division of the AFC. This is a division that I
mean I I I almost said any team could win it,
but that's just not true. So there's probably only two
that could. One that will.

Speaker 2 (58:57):
What an awful ride to be a Jets fan. It's
gotta be like just the last like four years from
the enthusiastic or like just excitement of having.

Speaker 1 (59:08):
Rogers and all his buddies with them.

Speaker 2 (59:09):
Yeah, he gets one play Tear's is Tears' achilles like
you have those, you know, Brice Hall, Garrett Wilson, Like
you have talent on that side. Uh So you get
the bad year with Rogers, you get last year where
he's coming back from that. That achilles injury doesn't look

(59:31):
doesn't look like the Aaron Rodgers I was winning MVPs
five years ago, coach gets fired, and now here you
are looking at this season where you've got justin Fields,
you know, marching out as your as your QB one
and with this on his third team.

Speaker 1 (59:46):
And the depressing thing is Fields Field looks good in preseason,
it just means he's gonna look awful in the regular season.
And that's the thing is like the Jets are gonna
get hyped up like, hey, maybe we got maybe we
got a thing, maybe we got something here because we
like you just said, they've got pieces. It's that don't
work out. No, this is the worst team in this division.
You think they're playing for the number one pick, you think,

(01:00:08):
but at the end.

Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
Let's see, So they play the AFC North, which that's
a tough draw, and the NFC South, which is a
good draw. Yeah, I don't think they're going to be
that bad. I just feel like they're gonna have six wins.
They'll be picking like seventh or eighth.

Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
So top ten. Yeah, so they're still rebuild.

Speaker 2 (01:00:33):
But even I mean they're one point of pride would
be their defense. But even their defense took a you
know how much of that was the head coach? Right,
and when they fired him, it was like that defense.

Speaker 1 (01:00:44):
They lost all momentum.

Speaker 2 (01:00:45):
Yep. Now, hey, was that just due to the team
kind of you know, hey, we're done already.

Speaker 1 (01:00:51):
I mean they were feeling that way after week one
when they're arguing with each other and Rogers isn't leading,
and yeah, they they lost kind of that attitude and
enthusiasm to go out and win football games. But the Dolphins,
on the other.

Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
Hand, this is this is a tough one because Mike
McDonald is he's a character. Yes he is, Like he's
somebody I want to be a head coach in there
just because he's jokes. Yeah, he's just he's interesting, Like
most coaches are just carbon copies of each other, or
you know, they're gonna do an interview and they're kind

(01:01:28):
of like the quarterback where hey, everything's going to be safe,
everything's going to be and you know, we're not going
to say anything controversial. This guy like hairslick back. You know,
he's style style icon practically practically, Uh need to get
him a laugh me out hat.

Speaker 1 (01:01:46):
Oh at you think it? Wear it?

Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (01:01:48):
I mean you wearing a press conference? Shoot, just wear
it on like a Tuesday press conference. Monday morning press
conference or something.

Speaker 2 (01:01:54):
But do we know anything about the dolphins other than
Tua Tua Hill Wattle eight chan.

Speaker 1 (01:02:02):
Why h He's funny as hell. He just like today
he went on like Instagram live, sitting at his computer six'.
Seven he didn't even say. Anything he's just sitting there
like he's reading. Computer did the camera is just looking
at his face and he's just sitting. It didn't say,
Anything he's just on.

Speaker 2 (01:02:22):
Live you set up the video camera one WHEN i
got here for this. Episode but you're, like the battery
is probably gonna run, out WHICH i see that it.
HAS i think that was probably the beat that we heard.
Earlier but, yeah did it run out because you were
trying to get on this trend and record? YOURSELF.

Speaker 1 (01:02:39):
YEP i really think that he has. Something he's really.
FUNNY i think he has. Something we need more of
just us doing normal things and not saying.

Speaker 2 (01:02:48):
Anything so just.

Speaker 1 (01:02:49):
Says were always, like hey, chat you, know oh, chat
what do you? Think oh, yeah watch this? Chat. NO
i think we just need to be hanging out and
people need to just be. WATCHING i think that's the
future of this h and he was the he was the,
forefront so he's onto something And tua.

Speaker 2 (01:03:08):
He's got to wear the padded.

Speaker 1 (01:03:09):
Helmet he's gotta wear the padded. Helmet and this is
Probably do you think this the head coach And, tua
this is their last shot? Together? Yes, YEAH i think so.

Speaker 2 (01:03:17):
Too, YEAH i think this would be a, full, full tear,
down full on.

Speaker 1 (01:03:22):
Flop.

Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
Yeah if if they don't make the, playoffs that's.

Speaker 1 (01:03:27):
Too, bad because you're, right they do have. Talent they're.

Speaker 2 (01:03:29):
Interesting, yeah and he'll be a highly sought after offensive.

Speaker 1 (01:03:33):
Coordinator oh, yeah big time but very analytical.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Guy, yeah if he doesn't get it done, here he's
going to be kind of maybe almost like that McDaniels
type of reputation of just hey you're a great, coordinator
but maybe maybe managing the whole apparatus is something, else
something a little too big for. You at this.

Speaker 1 (01:03:49):
Moment i'm kind of surprised you've got The patriots, next
because what about them have sold you that they're a
team that could compete in the. Division they Got.

Speaker 2 (01:04:03):
Digs now.

Speaker 1 (01:04:07):
For how long he's gonna make it all?

Speaker 2 (01:04:09):
Season? NO i MEAN i buy Into. Drake may you
know they upgraded at running. Back They.

Speaker 1 (01:04:22):
Vrabel head.

Speaker 2 (01:04:23):
Coach, YEAH i think their defense is going to be.
Good like again this this this is a VERY Afc
south Team like, this this could slot right INTO i
was just.

Speaker 1 (01:04:33):
Gonna ask, you is This patriots gonna feel a lot
like Those Tennessee titan teams where they were like just good? Enough?

Speaker 2 (01:04:40):
Ye all? Right so and some of it with them
being in the second, spot some of it might just
be The dolphins and The jets also being in this.
Division uh, YEAH Nfc. SOUTH i, mean do you, think,
like would you put The patriots above like a? Foul,

(01:05:02):
yeah you put them above The panthers and The. Saints
so there's two wins that they're getting right.

Speaker 1 (01:05:06):
THERE i would put them against those. Two, Yeah AND
i would say The, Panthers AND i don't, KNOW i
feel like The panthers offense is not that. Bad, no but,
yeah you're, right i'd put them above those. TWO i
don't know that i'd put them above The. FALCONS i don't.
KNOW i kind of like The.

Speaker 2 (01:05:24):
FALCONS espn and their their power rankings that they came
out with today had The patriots as, Sixteen they had
The falcons as twenty.

Speaker 1 (01:05:31):
Three oh that's a big.

Speaker 2 (01:05:32):
Gap, yeah and it's mostly due to the. Defense That
patriots defense is going to be. Good rabels a defense minded.
Guy they're still, playing uh you know up in The,
northeast they're going to have, Weather they're they're gonna win sloppy.

Speaker 1 (01:05:46):
Games, yeah all, right all, RIGHT i hear. You but
they're not good enough to beat The.

Speaker 2 (01:05:51):
Bills They, no they are not good enough to be
The bill The bills. ARE i, MEAN i don't know
why we still call them The. BILLS i, mean they
should be The josh's by.

Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
Now, yeah like it's certainly their.

Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
Team we kind of talked about those field, tilting you,
Know Lamar Patrick. MAHOMES i, Mean Josh allen's going to
be in that conversation. Too of just as long as
he's in your, offense your offense probably gonna be pretty.

Speaker 1 (01:06:13):
Good. Yeah he's a heck of a, talent and he's
a guy that's due whilch is he's either do or
he's just gonna. Be guy's never gonna get. There but,
yeah they're in that. WINDOW i, MEAN i don't think
there's any they just WITH i forget their head coach's,
name but the head, Coach, josh there's just that core

(01:06:35):
that just feels like a quarterback and a head coach
that are are safe and they're gonna be. Good they're
gonna be, competitive and they're just gonna continue to reboun
rebuild around them until they get it figured. Out and
they're in that window right now to have it figured.
Out but, yeah they seem unbeatable over. There they're gonna
certainly win The, east.

Speaker 2 (01:06:55):
But just they haven't been able. TO i, mean even
The bengals And burrow have beaten, right you, know The,
chiefs they've gone on to the Super. Bowl we're still
waiting for that first bill Super.

Speaker 1 (01:07:06):
Bowl, yeah So's.

Speaker 2 (01:07:08):
BUFFALO i think as soon as The eagles won The Super,
bowl then it became The buffalo and The vikings have
both had the Most Super bowl appearances without a.

Speaker 1 (01:07:19):
Win oh, Dang so maybe it's A viking.

Speaker 2 (01:07:23):
YEAR i know a lot of people In minnesota be
really happy to See Buffalo minnesota Super. Bowl the stakes
would be it'd be pretty.

Speaker 1 (01:07:33):
High, yeah, yeah all. Right, SO i Mean i'm as
far as like the, Divisions i'm with you on just
about every spot in THE. Afc who do you think
is coming out of THE afc to The Super? Bowl
as we head into the, season and there's still a
lot of things are going to, happen, because like we,
said there's gonna be teams that usually or did make

(01:07:54):
the playoffs that are not going to like that just.
Happens so without knowing, that who who REPRESENTS.

Speaker 2 (01:08:00):
AFC i, MEAN i think the safe option would be The,
ravens but again that's that's, saying, hey can they put
it together in the. PLAYOFFS i, mean they were the
most dominant team through the regular season last, year and
it looks to be about that same. TEAM i Think
buffalo would probably be the one that you're gonna see

(01:08:21):
getting the most, pressed the most ink spilled here in
the next week on hey they're gonna make. IT i
don't think anybody could you put The chiefs as a dark.

Speaker 1 (01:08:31):
Horse it's wild Because i'm sitting here looking at it
And i'm, thinking, okay you you could certainly have an
angle on The, ravens The. BILLS i don't know That
i'd put The texans in, There So i'm really anybody
from The, SOUTH i would even even with The chiefs
winning The, WEST i would take The chargers over The

(01:08:52):
chiefs to make The Super. Bowl, like, yeah it's a
wild because, YEAH i don't see The chiefs making the
Super bowl and they're gonna go in here and be
favorites to win The west and just do what they. Do, so,
yeah it's. Wild i'm Gonna i'm gonna, SAY i think
what you're saying About baltimore's. Legit i'm gonna go With.
Buffalo there's it's just a matter of. Time they're gonna

(01:09:17):
get over that, hump you, know why? Not now their
team's pretty pretty freaking.

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
Good and, yeah it is kind of wild because like
last year we were having this, Conversation i'm pretty sure
if we went back and listened to. IT i, Mean
buffalo was thought of as you, know like one of
those probably top five teams in THE. Fc but it
was a bit of like a. Rebuild it really. WAS
i don't think that people until they got playing games
and then everybody's just, like, well they're still really, good even.

Speaker 1 (01:09:44):
Because they unloaded on offense all the like key playmakers
Around allen they were like, gone, gone, Gone but that
worked out to their Favor they, Said, Okay, josh like
go lead the. Team you don't have to now give
so many balls to digs and so. On so it
actually worked out in there in their offense was. Incredible
but there's just something About. Baltimore if you shut Down,

(01:10:04):
lamar you can still you can still beat.

Speaker 2 (01:10:08):
Them it's a maybe maybe that's a that's that's probably
a good call out on, there because how many teams
can Stop? Lamar, right it's a it's a very very,
short very. Few there's only probably four or five teams
that could have that.

Speaker 1 (01:10:24):
Recipe, yeah, yeah good. Point All, right THE, afc we're
gonna TALK. Nfc we're gonna talk about The life with
the animated series that's coming out here real. Soon the
pilot's coming out very. Soon and we just had Our
Fantasy Football draft. Day what an exhausting day that was for.
Me but we've got that coming.

Speaker 2 (01:10:45):
Up you fall asleep during the?

Speaker 1 (01:10:46):
DRAFT i did not did you don't donate. That we're
talking about, that but thanks for coming. It we got
another new, episode uh coming up here in another. Day
so