Week 18 Games Were AWFUL, NFL Playoff Preview, College Football Playoff Predictions

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
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(00:45):
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to pick your fantasy team. All right, this will be
a different version for the next hour. With John Middlicoff,

(01:07):
the former NFL scout, we it's gray day for those
who are watching us. Gray Day. I flew from Chicago
to LA today and the first thing when I landed,
because it's rained so much in La, I'm like, God,
this place is green. It's like a national forest. So
let's just you know, it's a weird day in which
I thought it was so fitting. The Bears were asleep

(01:28):
for seventy five percent of the game, then tied it
up at sixteen all, only to lose on a field
goal nineteen to sixteen. Caleb Williams set the all time
Bears passing record in total yards. But you look at
our playoff the draft order is set Vegas, the Jets, Arizona,
Tennessee Giants. I feel like, John, you could just throw

(01:50):
like an NFC South team in. It would be the
same people. So let's just talk a little bit. Let's
go through the playoffs what we have now. Because week eighteen,
I think you would agree with me. The NFL keeps
wanting to extend the season. They want another game in
a week eighteen nineteen. I thought today was pretty choppy,
like the early window was pretty ugly. I know, everybody

(02:13):
wants to move a team to Europe, but football is
one of those I'm not sure more is better. I
thought today I had a strange feeling. Of course, it
ended up being a pretty interesting late window. I just
when I thought today was about as bad a last
Sunday as the regular seasons had since I remember.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
You know, Adam Silver's had this problem for a while
with the tanking, and today the tank was on for
a lot of teams, and you could really feel it
in that morning window, and it was a rough watch.
You know, I always wonder when I'm watching those college
football playoff games or you know, last night Seattle forty
nine ers, like how do people not like football? And
then about twenty minutes in this morning, I realized, Wow,
if you just turn it on this morning, how I

(02:53):
might be out as well. I think one of the
issues is Colin I was thinking about it is when
you expanded the playoffs. There's kind of been a shift,
definitely over the last couple of years. The top teams
have separated so far away. You know, this year's an
ull time outlier year for the Chiefs. But I was
looking how many three win teams we have? There are

(03:13):
eighteen can play seventeen games to win. I mean, the
Tennessee Titans are an abomination of a franchise right now.
The New York Giants, I mean the Dallas Cowboys, their
record probably looks a little bit better, like they are
not very good, you know, And you talk about some
of these other teams, you know, the Raiders have they
won today, but they have been atrocious all season. So
you get these teams win three four games, and then

(03:35):
a bunch of teams that have had double digit wins
now for several weeks. So you get this weird situation
this last week. I mean the Morning Slate, you could argue,
really the month of December, Colin. It gets bandated by
good Thursday night games, good Saturday afternoon games, and obviously
the primetime game typically on Sunday night.

Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, John, I said this last year, and it's the
first time I ever said this on FS one and iHeartRadio.
I said, the bottom of the NFL has become the
bottom of the NBA. There are eight unwatchable teams. The
New York Giants won today. They are eight and thirty
in their last thirty eight games, and four of their

(04:17):
eight wins half over that period, thirty eight games have
been in week seventeen and eighteen when teams are tanking.
The Jets got beat. I think it's thirty five to
eight by Buffalo. Not competitive five hundred yards. They have
a defensive coach and it's the worst defense right now
in the league.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Crazy.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
If you just took the New York teams, what happened
and I'll I'll say this, this is something I discussed
probably about five six years ago. I said, the downside
to being a quarterback reliant conference is if you give
the best quarterbacks the best coaches or really good offensive coaches,
and you don't have one. The gap between the haves

(04:55):
and the have nots in the NFL by about week
twelve gets Now. That doesn't mean you can't have upsets.
But the bottom of the NFL is the bottom of
the NBA. Now eight absolutely unwatchable teams.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
The Cardinals colin I think three of their last five
games they've lost by more than twenty in all five
they lost by more than two touchdowns. I mean, there
are just teams that aren't even remotely competitive. And obviously
the other thing is the injury situation in the NFL.
And this is a bigger picture football topic. But when

(05:30):
they fought for that CBA back in twenty eleven, and
the players were adamant about days off and holidays, and
the owners are like, sure, take it. No double days.
You three practices in a row in training camp, more
money for us, and clearly the amount of injuries we've
seen now because football is the only sport unlike baseball,

(05:51):
I could take live BP tomorrow if I'm a pro
baseball player, right. You know, in basketball they can play
full pickup games. Football you have to play football with
pads on, and they no longer do it except really
during you know, the calendar year. During games. These guys
are faster than ever. They might not be as big,
like linebackers are smaller, but they're definitely faster and they

(06:12):
train harder. And I think there are all these different
variables that lead to now, if you get a couple
of picks wrong, your team's gonna be injured and you're
not gonna be very good, and you'll look like the Cardinals,
you'll look like the Titans. The other thing is how
many good I guess there's always been the haves and
have nots, like in any industry with coaches. But I've
been saying this for a while, just knowing a lot
of people in the league with the explosion of money,

(06:35):
you know, the amount of money coaches make now, you know, yeah,
historically like the Belichicks, the Pete Carroll's, the Andy Reids,
when they got involved in the sport in the seventies
and eighties, you weren't getting into it for the money.
And now there is such a glamour and I just
wonder how many guys, truly, you know, Pete Carroll had
no business coaching this year. He was had a hundred

(06:55):
million in the bank. The guy loves football, so listen,
is he over the hill? Have come back? But no
one can question Pete Carroll's pure love of the game,
r Andy Reid or Belichick. I think there are a
lot of guys involved in the league right now that
position coaches make eight hundred and fifty grand coaching wide receivers.
I mean, how many industries are paying that know w
two jobs? So I do think the coaching has never

(07:18):
been worse. Obviously, the owners have probably never been crazier
because of the amount of money on the line. You
just have a lot of different factors that if it
goes wrong, it goes really wrong.

Speaker 1 (07:28):
Now. Yeah, So let's look at the playoffs and the AFC.
Denver's the one seed, they get the buy the Chargers
a seven seed, go to New England number two. I
think that's a very very close game. The Chargers went
with Trey Lance, they couldn't move the ball, lose to Denver.
I think I would take New England close. I think
it's going to be a very low scoring game. I

(07:51):
think May and his comp coming out Herbert. I think
it's a really fascinating matchup. Excellent coaches, very good defense.
Neither team consistently runs it. Both teams. You could argue
the weakness is the O line. I think I would

(08:11):
take New England in a very low scoring game. Pressures
on New England. They're at home, better seed Drake May's
first playoff game, any chance the Chargers upset him.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
I think the Charges are a very live dog here.
I mean, this is not the team you typically want
to draw as the two seed, Jim Harbaugh, especially because
they're gonna have a little chip on their shoulder based
on the way the playoffs went last year. What did
Herbert throw like fifteen interceptions in that game when they
got routed against the Texans. What translates in the NFL
playoffs physicality defense, You know, running the ball, like you said,

(08:45):
can be hit or missed, but you know they will try.
This is of all the teams you could draw as
a seventh seed, getting a Jim Harball led team. The
other thing is, listen, I don't I don't have a
strong opinion on the MVP. If Stafford gets it, cool
for his career. If you want to give it to Drake,
may find he's been excellent. But there is no disputing
when you look at their schedule. New England's had a

(09:07):
pretty easy path to the way we got here. That's
why most of us like New England at the beginning
of the season. Now they have exceeded that, right, But
like we're going to the Charge, the Charges have played
against a lot of good teams. They're battle tested. It's
just it's just a very very difficult game. Uh. Jim
Harbaugh's an underdog, especially if that we'll see what the

(09:28):
weather is. Jim Harbaugh would like the weather to be bad.
You know how many guys would. He's rooting for it
because that's advantage for them right in the gates. So
it's not like New England's got some crazy pass rush, right,
so it's you know they can't.

Speaker 1 (09:43):
Odds via hard Rock Bet Chargers at the Patriots. Chargers
plush three, So New England is favorite. I would probably
lean take the points with the Chargers. Now, this is interesting.
Bill's minus one according to hard Rock Bet at the Jaguars.
I like the Jaguars and I think they can pound them.

Speaker 2 (10:01):
Now.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
I will say, you know, Buffalo has been a weird
team that week to week. You know, you get really
good halves, really bad halves. I think Jacksonville is completely legit.
I think they're the third or fourth best team in
the league. For them to be at home as an underdog,
to me feels incredibly disrespectful. I get the offensive coach,

(10:25):
Trevor Lawrence isn't turning it over. I think I would
take Jacksonville by a touchdown, what say you?

Speaker 2 (10:31):
I get they were playing the Titans today, But man,
they look good and I just counted they They've won
eight straight games and Trevor looks fantastic. There is no
disputing I mean, you could make the argument they're playing
as well as any team in the league. Right in
terms of in terms of like momentum, in terms of
both sides of the ball, the coaching staff, how well

(10:53):
the quarterback looks historically though, you know, I mean this,
that's where the Bills are a unique team going on,
and they do have a guy that if he's on,
can just take over a game. But just based on
the way they're playing, it'd be hard to go against
the Jags. I mean, there's just the Jags can win
the super Bowl because the AFC is pretty wide open.

(11:13):
The Texans are probably one of the scarier teams. They're
comfortable playing them right there in the division, so they've
seen that personnel. It's not like Denver and New England
are unbeatable squads. So I would say Jacksonville hat seen
the odds of them to win the AFC. But if
they get by the Bills, to me, they are very
very live to win the AFC. That the hurdle because

(11:34):
there's gonna be some weird pressure on the Jags. They're
at home. They're taking on this guy who's most considered
when he's on the best player in the NFL. If
they are able to slay that dragon, I can see
the Jags win the AFC for sure.

Speaker 1 (11:48):
Remember, Buffalo is a very weird first half team. They
play from behind. Now today they didn't against the hapless Jets.
But you get down, guy would take the Jags in
the first half. You get down to Jacksonville and you know,
good luck. They have a pass rush. So again, Buffalo

(12:09):
has trailed I think in six of their last eight
games in the second half. They're not a fast starting team. John.
When you go on the road, regular season or playoffs
or college football, when you go on the road, you
have to start quickly. Like Seattle at San Francisco took
command of the game first drive. You're like, okay, okay,
the crowds not a factor. Buffalo go on the road,

(12:30):
get down fourteen to three, fourteen to nothing like that.
Thing could go sideways fast. Jacksonville's a much better starting
team with an offensive coach and scripted plays. You know,
this is nothing against McDermott, but a team as good
as Buffalo shouldn't trail six of eight games in the
second half in a watered down AFC. I think Jacksonville's

(12:50):
a rough matchup for them. Now there's no odds yet
the Texans will go either to Baltimore, or Pittsburgh, and
I think they will control. My guess is the Texans
would go on the road and be like a two
and a half point favorite at Baltimore at Pittsburgh. I
really like the Texans. I think you and I both

(13:11):
feel this. You know, you just forget they keep making
the playoffs and c J. Strouds won't playoff games like
Demiko Ryans is like Mike McDonald. You know, do you
talk to you guys around the league like Mike McDonald
and Demiko Ryan's defensive coaches. Jesse Mentor is a defensive coordinator.
They're just different. And I I gotta tell you the

(13:35):
one team I would not want to play is the Texans.
Could you know they're going to be the underdog. Nobody's
pulling for him outside of Houston. I don't care if
they play the Ravens and the Steelers. I like the
Ravens tonight close. Where are you on that?

Speaker 2 (13:48):
I think they match up. I think the Steelers would
have no shot against them, you know, because Rogers running
away not possible. That they're passing games atrocious. I guess
DK's back. They can't really run ball. The one way
to neutralize a good pass rush would be to run
the ball. Derrick Henry's come alive of late. You know,
depending on Lamar, you know, whether he if he ends

(14:09):
up playing to night, how he looks, if he's healthy
for that game, just poses a problem to me. The
Ravens are a tougher matchup than the Steelers, but I
beat either and if they win that game, they are
like the Jags. I mean, you could argue two teams
that are gonna surprise nobody if they're sitting in there
in the AFC with a chance to win the conference.

(14:31):
Is the Jags and the Texans. Their physicality, the coaching staff,
their mentality. I mean, I've loved Houston. I listen, I
thought Houston was a lock to win the division coming
into the season. Obviously, the Jags have had an incredible season.
When your defense is that good, you can beat anybody.
You know. And look and look at this Drake Bays
second year player, bo Nick second year player. It's like

(14:52):
they're going to be intimidated playing those two guys. Right,
Drake's a better player than bow Knicks, but look who
he's throwing to. I mean, they have elite dB play
in Houston. So to me, what they do translates to
all the opponents they're going to see. You know, they've
beaten the Jags with their backup quarterback. Remember they were
down like twenty nine ten and came storming back in
that game. So I think of all the wild cards

(15:15):
that we're going to talk about, maybe the Rams once
we get to the NFC, the Texans would have the
best chance to be representing their conference of the wildcard
teams in the Super Bowl.

Speaker 1 (15:23):
Totally agree. You know, Denver, we've seen this in college
football where a bye doesn't necessarily work in football. Like,
if you're like Seattle young athletic, they needed to play,
They're going to get a bye. Denver's going to get
a buye. I think those two teams, I think they'd
want to play. I think if I'm Seattle after that,

(15:43):
I want to get back out there and play. Denver's
in a weird spot. I mean, here's where Denver gets
a big break. Houston warm weather team, JAG's warm weather team.
You know, the New England would be fine, but you
know you can see Jacksonville that already beat Denver right
going back to Denver and it's eight degrees. You could

(16:04):
absolutely see that. So it's like in a weird way
sometimes losing you know, that game to Jacksonville. Now, okay,
I get us see what they do. Now, let's play
them again when it's really cold, really windy. So that
Denver does have a not just an altitude, but a
little bit of a wind advantage against you know, a
cold weather advantage against potentially the Chargers, the Jags, and

(16:26):
the Texans. I think that'll be understated, but it's something.
It's a couple of points to me.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
They like Seattle. There are only so many teams in
the NFL that have collegiate like atmospheres that it is
a massive home field advantage, and Denver clearly is one.
The altitude and the crowd is just elite. I mean,
you watched that Lway documentary and it's just that place.
When it's rocking Peyton, Manning and those it's a They've
beaten Brady there countless times over over the decades with

(16:51):
Shanahan when Elway was the GM. So when you look
at the AFC, that to me is a point of
difference for Denver, like Jacksonville. You know, let's say Jacksonville
and Buffalo end up playing Saturday night, It'll look pretty
good in the dark. But I would say Jacksonville's some
home field advantage. Houston does not have one. The Chargers
don't have one. Denver in the pass obviously throughout the years.

(17:13):
I mean that is a point of you know, that's
a huge It's been a massive advantage for Andy and
the Chiefs over the last five or six years, playing
all those games Arrowhead Collegiate like atmosphere cold that these teams.
I mean, there's no way to prepare when you're playing
in seven degrees because you can be like, okay, we'll
practice outside, well, you won't get anything done. So that's
where coaches like they'll go outside for a minute and

(17:34):
then they'll go in the bubble because they they want
to you know, get the game plan installed, be able
to communicate. No one can listen because you can't focus.
So to me, Denver, the home field advantage is on
their side. But when you watch and play somethings off,
they don't they don't really look right. And bo Nick's
that one game he played against Green Bay was incredible.
But even today and I get it, the Chargers have

(17:56):
a good defensive mentality. You just like, what's going on here,
you'd like a little more juice. That's the one thing
the Patriots have. They get easier opponents, but they roll them.
They get so much momentum so that the confidence that
quarterback has compared is vo Nick's confident or does he
just keep telling me he's confident because I watch him play?
Doesn't always play confident where Drake May plays pretty swaggy,

(18:17):
as the kids would say.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
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Speaker 2 (18:32):
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Speaker 2 (19:55):
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would want the buy young dominating performance against San Francisco.

(20:17):
We'll get to that in a bit. So let's look
at the NFC all these odds via the hard rock bet. Okay,
we'll start with this. The Rams would be a five seed.
They're going to Carolina. Carolina is going to be hosting
a playoff game, which is absurd. It's the second time
they face the Rams in a month. They beat him before,
and they beat him down the field. You can beat
the Rams over the top. It's an average corner situation

(20:40):
for them. Rams are a ten and a half point favorite.
This is one of these where like today, I took
the Rams as a seven and a half point favorite
against Arizona. I'm like, it's just too many possessions. Arizona's quit.
I think the Rams win this game. I would stay away.
I don't like giving up ten and a half to
a home playoff team. But I watched the Panthers yesterday.
Like you, you know, it's one of those things where

(21:03):
Bryce Young you're either a franchise quarterback, a backup, or
you could argue you're a bridge quarterback. I'd argue that
Bryce Young feels like a bridge quarterback. He's a little small.
I couldn't build around him, but you could play him
as a starter for a year. He just won the division.
I mean, he backed into it. But my take is
the Rams should be favored. There's such an odd team

(21:25):
for considering they have McVeigh weapons in Stafford. They start
slow a lot. They put Arizona away in the second half.
Any strong feeling there, I was.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
The second half that they were up twenty three twenty
going into the fourth quarter. I mean, I thought Rams
looked terrible. McVeigh had this look on his face that
looked like, if we lose this game and lose the
opportunity to play the NFC, South winner. I might just
go to Amazon. You could see it like this is
what because they look kind of lifeless. Jacoby Bruce said,
hit this bomb down the sideline and it got caught back.

(21:58):
And that's kind of where the game stop. The momentum
for Arizona because it felt like Arizona could score on
them every single time. You know, Like I thought part
of the Rams deal was their defense, and I started thinking,
whatever happened that night in Seattle when Seattle came storming back,
they lost their mojo. I mean, I know they came
back last monthing they were down twenty one nothing at

(22:18):
half on the road to Atlanta. I mean, I watched
Atlanta today. They're not you know, I know they got
some good players, but give me a break, especially when
you're trying to play for seating like they were last week.
That was an important game. Sean mcvagh took that and
they were down twenty one nothing. My opinion has changed
dramatically on the Rams. I am not as against Carolina
for sure. I mean we need to enact something. If

(22:39):
you go under five hundred, you should not be able
to host a playoff game. That's sure. You could make
the argument that you shouldn't even be eligible for the
playoffs if other teams Minnesota, the Lions, some of these
other teams have better records than you.

Speaker 1 (22:53):
Yeah, I think there's an argument to be made that
if you're under five hundred you can make the playoffs,
you can't host a playoff game. I'd be file that, Yeah,
so would I. You know the Rams, I've watched every
snap really all year long. And you see it with Goff,
you see it with Kirk Cousins, and you see it
with Stafford. When you do not have a mobile quarterback

(23:16):
as good as Stafford is, John, you can't roll the pocket.
You don't get those sort of off script third and
seven runs for first downs. There's about six to seven
times a game that a San Francisco or a Seattle
can roll the pocket. Pretty did it a couple times yesterday.
Sam did it once yesterday. You get those four or

(23:38):
five first downs a game because your quarterback is mobile,
or you can or you can escape when you have GoF,
when you have Stafford, when you have Cousins. If the
play that's designed doesn't work, it can get sideways. It
can be an ugly loss. And I feel like sometimes
the Rams get into these cycles where they've run through

(23:59):
their scripted stuff. They're there, you know, now it's McVeigh
on the play sheet looking for some new wiggles, and
they stall out. They have these quarters where they stall out,
where again, if I'm Shanahan, I can just start going
to boot stuff. Darnold does a lot of that. You
start doing bootstuff. You can do a little bit of

(24:20):
that with Stafford. But I do feel like watching the Rams,
they're susceptible in the back end. I mean, they got
a big break on that deep ball down the field
that was caught by Wilson and there was a penalty
and it was a legitimate pedally against an Arizona offensive lineman.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
Wilson all killing them today.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
I mean, Wilson was left and right and I feel
a little bit like the Rams. This is why they
need to, you know, at some point, get a mobile
quarterback because their backups are Jimmy Garoppolo and Stetsan Bennett.
Those guys don't move e. I just feel like this offense,
for all the talent, stalls out. Well.

Speaker 2 (24:54):
I think one thing to derail the offense because it
had kind of become and in its peak earlier in
the season. You know, like when you think back Denver
with Peyton Manning, they had so many weapons. I mean,
when you have Davante and Pokin Nakua, no one has
better than that. I think DeVante led the league for
receivers in touchdowns when he got injured. I don't know,
I haven't looked at it today, but up until leading
up to this week, that's how dominant he was in

(25:16):
the red zone. So you factor him and with Pooka,
who feels like the averages double digit catches a game,
and then all their other just auxiliary weapons are kind
of an unstoppable offense. Will you remove him? It puts
so much pressure on Pooka Nakula. Their other weapons are fine,
but they get elevated into kind of taking over for
Davante and it becomes a little more difficult. Now, like
you said, over the course of the game, Arizona just

(25:39):
fell off. I mean, they have a million injuries. They're
rolling on mill Trey McBride's a good player, but they
got a lot of random guys out there. I do
think the health of DeVante, if you tell me he's
fully healthy, they get by the Panthers, then they are
I mean obviously a very very potent team coming into
the playoffs, but if you remove him, they are liable
to lose to anybody, not name the Panthers. Thing about Carolina,

(26:01):
unlike a lot of the Southern teams, like obviously Tampa,
CA And Rain, Carolina and Tennessee are two areas in
the South that can get cold. I mean, it could
just be a weird cold weather game. Well, they could
just make it weird. Now I'd be stunned if they won,
but I could see if the weather's weird, you just
never know. It's a long flight.

Speaker 1 (26:19):
Also, t Mac and Laguette are big, long targets. The
Rams corners are small. They've been They've been beaten down
the field by large targets. So Carolina's got the kind
of versus AJ Brown is a is a nightmare matchup
for the Rams. And Carolina's got two long, athletic receivers,

(26:43):
so you can see them backdoor covering it scoring at
some point. I just I kind of feel when I
watch Carolina they just they Dan Morgan the GM. They
need six more draft picks and one more free agents
free agent month. They just don't have enough good players. Okay,

(27:03):
the forty nine Ers a six seed go to Philadelphia
Philadelphia a three seed, and the Eagles are a touchdown favorite.
All right, So if Ricky Pierson and Trent Williams play
both missed the Seattle game, I think the Niners are

(27:25):
a live dog. But I will say Philadelphia can create pressure.
And I said this going into the Seattle game. I
took the Seahawks this weekend. Is that if you speed
brock pretty up, it's not a great old line, it's
a solid old line. If you speed brock pretty up,
you have a chance to make a few more mistakes.
He wasn't very comfortable against Seattle. I do think he's

(27:48):
cut down on the mistakes. I think he's had a.

Speaker 2 (27:49):
Hell of a year.

Speaker 1 (27:50):
When he's healthy, I would take Philadelphia to win. I'm
not sure if i'd take him to cover, but I
do feel like if you go look at the Niners.
I looked it up today. Since week six on, they've
lost to the Texans Rams in Seattle, if you have
an elite defense, you have such a defensive advantage over
them because they don't create any pressure. Sam Darnold was

(28:10):
very comfortable and Sala has to take big risks with
Blitz packages to create any kind of rush, and the
Texans Rams and Seattle beat them without having to do that,
and Philadelphia will get somewhat of a pass rush without
having to bring extra bodies and compromise the secondary. So
if you look at what the Niners have done since
Week six, they're wins. They're not beating teams with the

(28:33):
elite level defenses because they can't offer that. They they
just like when you watch that Seattle game, it was
thirteen to three, but it didn't feel like that. It
felt like twenty seven to three. It didn't feel that competitive.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, they got they got murdered. The Niners proved they're
like an NBA team that wants to play in the
one twenties, one thirties. They want to get into a
high flying game where they could score a bunch of
points and just get to a position close to the
end of the game and hopefully they're coaching. And they
did it against Colts, and they did against the Bears.
I mean they scored they won a game forty eight
or forty two to thirty eight. I mean that's how

(29:06):
they wanted to play. And the question was could they
get and win a game if it was like seventeen
to fifteen, because that's what that game last night was
gonna be. And their defense is really really bad, and
they lost their two linebackers last night, so I have
no clue. Now, the Eagles are the most talented team
that can look the most incompetent for stretches, probably in

(29:26):
my lifetime. I mean, they have so much elite talent
on their team it's crazy. And they got a quarterback
who can run, so to me, if they just have
a competent game plan, there's no way the Niners can
stop them, and their defense with Fangio is more than
competent enough to just slow them down. The other thing
the Niners. What Seattle did last night is run a
classic Kyle Shanahan in their peak team's game plan. We're

(29:49):
gonna shove the ball down your throat running the ball,
and we're gonna hit you so hard on every play.
We'll just wear you down. The scores in their heyday
doesn't the scorers weren't always blowouts, but we're gonna smother you.
Basically played a Shanahan game.

Speaker 1 (30:07):
How many Niners last night, I don't remember. I remember
one Seahawk being slow to get up there had to
have been six different forty nine ers that literally got
either went to the tent or stayed on the ground.
I mean, Seattle beat San Francisco up for three and
a half hours, and pierceall and Trent didn't play. Kittle did.

(30:31):
He's still remarkable. I just feel like the Niners, the
gig is up, they're going to go out East. They're
out of bodies. There's just nothing they can do. I
think Philadelphia arrested a lot of their guys. Philadelphia. I
mean just I don't know. I just don't think San
Francisco's got the AMMO.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
I will say this, and I know the way the
Eagles in that building internalized stuff they do have. They
think obviously most people do really highly of Kyle. That
is not an easy coaching staff. We talked about Jim
Harbaugh getting you just get Kyle Shanahan and Robert Sala
in the first round. Now, there's only so much Robert
Sala can do. But Kyle just got embarrassed. You know,

(31:10):
probably in front of thirty thirty five million people. They
are gonna have some stuff that they're gonna bring to Philadelphia.
And here's the other thing. If you can just make
it a little weird, right, maybe ten to seven year
up at halftime, that place will start booing you because
they already don't really like this team like they don't
because they're not an entertaining team to watch. So if

(31:33):
you can get them tight, that place can get tight.
Because this Eagle season has been weird. If I would
have told you at the start of the day the
Bears were gonna lose, he would have said, Oh, the
Eagles are playing Washington, even with their backups. The Eagles
will be the two seed. And I look, the Eagles lose.
How's that? How do you lose? What the Bears losing?
If I would have been Sirianni and I look up

(31:54):
and they're down sixteen to nothing, I'm on the headsets. Hey,
we got a dial, we got a chance to be
the two seed. That's multiple home games. That is a massive,
massive advantage. They know what they I mean, They've been
the one seed multiple times. They understand the power of
playing home games in the playoffs. Now they might have
to go on the road.

Speaker 1 (32:10):
I when I do my herd harchy, when I do
my herd hierarchy on Tuesday, I never know.

Speaker 2 (32:16):
What to do with Philadelphia I don't trust them at all.

Speaker 1 (32:18):
I don't know what I don't know what to do
with them. I love their talent, I don't know what
to do with them.

Speaker 2 (32:23):
So I think all the pressure there is on Philly
and Sirianni and we just know that point, yes, and
that's we don't I don't know the game times yet,
but I I mean, that's got like Sunday Night football
written all over it. Right.

Speaker 1 (32:36):
If you told me pierceal and Trent Williams and Kittle play,
that's a good live dog. They'll score, They'll they'll they'll score.
But God, and you know that of all the games
we've talked about. So let's transition to this Green Bay
seven seed Bears, two seed. Yet the Bears have a

(32:59):
two game losing streak going into the playoffs. It is
according to hard Rock Bet, it is a pick em.
It is a pickum. Now here's the advantage for the Bears.
With Micah Parsons out. They don't generate much of a
pass rush, right, they got to They gotta scheme it
up like solid. They gotta take some chances, compromise the
back end of their defense. I think I like the

(33:21):
Bears in this spot. You know it's it's watching them today.
I almost felt like they were overconfident, like they knew
they were in the playoffs. Then all of a sudden
in the fourth quarter, you're like, okay, touchdown, two point conversion.
Touchdown two point conversion for the record, Colston Lovelin and
Caleb Williams. It is a thing now like Colston had
a day to day Luther Burden and colst At Luther

(33:44):
Burden and Caleb that's better now. So I like Chicago
in this spot. Again, it's a little bit of ammo.
Green Bay kind of limps into it. Would would you
would you roll the dice and take the Bears here?

Speaker 2 (33:57):
I would say both the Eagles and the Bears. If
you would have told them, hey, you get home playoff
game first round, you're the two and three seed, you
know six months ago, but you have to play the
Green Bay Packers and the San Franco forty nine ers,
they both would have been like, are you kidding me?
I think part of it is watching the Bears game today.
I give them a little bit of a pass. They
have this devastating loss right to the forty nine ers

(34:19):
on Sunday night football. You're in the playoffs, you're guaranteed
a too ur, you're guaranteed a home game. Young team,
but their defense, Colin is not very good. It might
be a little bit better than the forty nine ers.
There are a lot of parallels. They're for the forty
nine ers and the Bears are kind of carbon copies
of each other.

Speaker 1 (34:37):
They give up four hundred and forty yards to Detroit
today's bad weather.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
There were guys wide open whatever Jared Goff was, Saint
Brown coming across the middle, Jamis and William coming across
the middle. Their dB play that they give up a
lot of yards. We just saw the Niners score a
bunch of points on them. Now can Green Bay take
advantage of it? It feels like every time I look up
Green Bay playing and meaningless game. They got guys on
the ground, so they have a ton of injuries. Their
defense is really banged up. Their offense, you know it

(35:03):
is Malik Willis a better option right now than Jordan Love.
I don't know, but I mean they got a lot
of question marks in that organization. You got a coach
playing for you know, coaching for a contract extension. But
that is a weird. There's not a Bears fan. You
live around a lot of them. Now they're comfortable with
that matchup. You've had this magical season. You're the freaking
two seed and you get the Green Bay Packers. Even

(35:24):
if they come limping in and everyone's gonna be picking you,
that's the thing. Everyone's gonna be picking the Bears. I
could just see that thing can get weird as well.
That I'd say the Packers technically not a dog, but
a live dog in that situation for being a team
that no one's.

Speaker 1 (35:37):
Gonna pick, you know, with Chicago and they have a
playmaker at safety. They have eleven catches almost one hundred
and fifty yards to on save Brown.

Speaker 2 (35:47):
He was why dominating.

Speaker 1 (35:50):
Yeah, And if you look at the NFC, DeVante Adams
will be back, AJ Brown will be back San Francisco
with Piersall and Jennings those guys. Those guys are playmakers.
So Chicago is the kind of team that they're you know,
they remind me a little of the Rams where I
don't trust the back end of their defense. They can

(36:11):
really unimpress you. And then you look up and the
Bears in the Rams can put two or three drives
together in a row in the second half and you're like, Okay,
all right, this is explosive. I mean Caleb still makes throws.
I mean he made a couple today on those two
scoring drives.

Speaker 2 (36:25):
Like he is.

Speaker 1 (36:27):
He is, so he's got a physical confidence. Like when
he rolls back to throw and he's and he's rolling
to his right, he's toying with the defensive players. He's
just kind of playing with him. He's going back and forth.
He's totally If Stafford rolls right, he's not controlling it.
He's waiting for somebody to quickly get open. When Caleb
rolls right, he he can do a high school pivot

(36:48):
and say I'm gonna run backwards. I'm just gonna buy
something like Josh Allen does that occasionally. Like guys, I'm
controlling this situation. I think I like Chicago in this spot.
I really do like how Cold Loveland and Caleb have
really created something special. Like today, it was incredible. Every
big play it was Coleston Loveland. They really used their
tight ends. Cole Comet at a two point conversion two.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
That that place is going to be pretty special on
that in that game. I mean, that's that's what we talked about.
Home Field advantage. They haven't once. They haven't made the
playoffs in a while. Definitely haven't made the playoffs as
a team people think can win a couple of games.
It's that that atmosphere a couple of weeks ago when
they played Green Bay had to be one of the

(37:31):
more special games of the year, just in terms of
watching it on TV as a viewer, I think there's
a chance that place is absolutely I mean, it's going
to be rocking. It's it's going to be really really cool.
And can they feed into that and maybe that helps
the defense out a little bit. They just they have
probably less injuries than the Niners. Their talent on defense
is just not great. You know, the front sevens that good.

(37:52):
They don't have a great pass rusher. They basically just
got to score a bunch of points.

Speaker 1 (37:57):
Well, they spent money, Joe Tooney, Drew Jonah Jackson, They're spent.
They're paying money for DJ more. Listen, they spent their
money on offense.

Speaker 2 (38:07):
Two picks and Loveland Luther Burden first round and second
round pick. Offense.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
Yeah, so that Ben Johnson said, basically, let me get
the offense right, we're gonna win some shootouts. I think
they're ahead of schedule. I think they've been humbled a
little bit. There's there's certainly a debate John that a
little losing streak going into the playoffs is not a
terrible thing for a young team kind of energizes them,
sort of a hey, wake up call. I'm say with

(38:31):
the Rams, I mean the Rams about six weeks ago,
we're like, are they a touchdown better than the League Rams?
A little bit of a wake up call? Long season?
You know, it's we see this in baseball with the Dodgers.
Have you noticed like this year they were sleepwalking.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
They turned into the Warriors. They didn't even care.

Speaker 1 (38:50):
Like the Dodgers got swept by Milwaukee. They lost six
out of six games to Milwaukee. Then you watch the playoffs.
They tweaked their bullpen. It's hard to ask. The NFL
seasons never been longer, it's never been more popular, There's
never been more media and press. It's a weighty season.
You're not going to get a team playing great for
seventeen weeks. The Rams about six weeks ago peaked, and

(39:14):
I think I don't think they're a worse team. You
get banged up a go either way player like DeVonta
Adams has a hammy. Just sit it out. We've got
to get these young guys ready. Anyway, I kind of
feel like Chicago about four weeks ago peak feeling good.
You know, all of a sudden, now you're like, okay,
you've done the motivational speeches. The team loves it. You
can't ask a bunch of guys that Bears locker room's

(39:36):
got some young dudes. You're not getting the same team
every week. So I kind of feel like the Rams
and the Bears. It feels like they peaked a month ago.
I think they're both going to win their opening games.
I feel pretty confident about it. The Raiders did win
fourteen twelve over Kansas City. Pete Carroll at seventy five

(40:01):
reportedly now various reports that Kevin Stefanski, who by the way,
took Shader Sanders into Cincinnati and beat Joe Burrow twenty
to eighteen. Kevin Stefanski will be let go. I would
not do that. Pete Carroll will be let go. Pete
cares deeply. Sons on the staff that didn't play well
in Seattle. Chip Kelly left during the season. I think

(40:22):
Pete's in big trouble. There is a story I think
it was Pro Football Talk Brian Flores head coach, Brian Dable,
offensive coordinator. There was a talk about, you know, Brady's saying,
I'm gonna go get Brian Flores from New England. Let's
just let's talk about that first. Because most teams that

(40:43):
lose or are bad. I think Stefanski will get a
job in this cycle. Do you agree?

Speaker 2 (40:49):
Yes? I mean the candidates are terrible, so you know,
he's already proven that he can coach offense, coach the quarterback.
Even though this year has been a disaster, He's proven
it time and time again. I think the league thinks
more highly of him than It's not that I have
anything against him. I don't think he's a little overrated.
But there's also a lot of variables in that building.

(41:11):
The situation this year was pretty bizarre. How much was
he involved in it? How much was he not? It's
always hard to tell when you have a dysfunctional place.
But I say the same thing for the Raiders. You know,
if they're hiring Flores and day Ball, that's clearly a
Brady led deal. Mark Davis did this a couple of
years ago with Josh McDaniels. He brought in the Patriot way,

(41:32):
and Josh McDaniels was a rehab guy. He started journaling.
He's like all this stuff. Dan Pompey wrote that I
bought into it. I'm like, he's gonna be good. He
didn't last two years. Flora's kind of similar thing. No
one did. Josh McDaniels is an elite offensive coordinator. Doesn't
get any better. He's right there with non head coaches.
It's probably the best in the league. Brian Flores is

(41:52):
an elite defensive coordinator, right there with the best in
the league. But I saw him, he like made to
a cry. He couldn't function to it and listen, we
can debate to it. Mike and Danias started going to
the playoffs with Toua dealing with so Fernando Mendoza, you're
just gonna draft this guy based on his history and
to me that I'm sorry, the Patriot history. That scares

(42:15):
the you know what out of me, because these guys
they always say they change and they play nice when
they're the number two, and then they get the boss
and they kind of become Bill again. It starts rubbing
people the wrong way. Here's the other thing, Dave Ball
Dave all runs people the wrong way that they'd be
a lot to bring into a building that just I
don't know. You know, Pete Carroll brought brings tender love

(42:35):
and carry to more uplifting guy. So I think sometimes
you shift the other way. But they've done this before,
specifically with the New England thing, and it was a
historic disaster for Mark Davis, and props to him. He
got out of it quick because his players are basically like,
we're gonna quit. So I think there's a lot of
I'm not arguing Brian Flores, the defensive coordinator, but we

(42:56):
can't act like that's not very risky based on his
previous history with the court back and now they're going
to draft Fernando Mendoza number one overall.

Speaker 1 (43:04):
Well, Mangini, who's my buddy, had two head coaching jobs.
Josh McDaniels had two coaching jobs. So a lot of
the Patriot guys, they get a job, it doesn't work,
they get a second job. And I like, Eric's a
good friend of mine and Josh McDaniels is not a
good friend, but it's a texting friend. And I think
Josh is probably the best offensive coordinator in the laite.

Speaker 2 (43:24):
He's elite.

Speaker 1 (43:25):
I think he's great. He's I mean, Rabel's a smart guy. Belichick, Brady,
They're all like, this is the guy. I think it's
a legitimate concern. Flores is hyper intense, so is day Ball.
And it's interesting when.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
I look what I would do if I was the Raiders,
I would hire.

Speaker 1 (43:42):
Kevin Stefanski, same who I would hire Stefanski, I would
give him Mendoza. I think Stefanski's not a yeller. He's
more of a teacher. Mendoza's personality, he's intensity. I mean,
he's They have to fix their offensive line. You know
they got Rock Bauers, Nasht and Genty, but the Raiders
have to fix the old line. It's a mess. And

(44:05):
again you're gonna go Antonio Pierce to Pete Carroll, de
Brian Flores guys, the sports going the other way, totally right,
the sports going with offensive guys. I would go get
Kevin Stefanski. I don't know's it's just it's interesting to me.
I'm not anti Patriot guy because Rabel's a guy that

(44:25):
wasn't necessarily.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
He didn't coach there these guys all coast. This guy
was a player, you know, his coaching slawyer was in
Houston and Ohio state.

Speaker 1 (44:33):
And Rabel takes shots at Belichick, and Rabel kind of
pokes him. Yeah, he didn't like him. He pokes Bill
all the time. He's a more player friendly, so he
doesn't Frabel doesn't buy into Belichick's legacy or bullshit. And
a lot of Bill's stuff is you know, I want
a lot of rings here. It's like, Bill, your last
five years are embarrassing period.

Speaker 2 (44:53):
So we have a lot of reservations. And like I said,
I'm not the biggest Stefanski guy, but if I had
to compare Stefanski to Flores, if I have this quarterback prospect,
I don't even think twice. The other thing is if
I'm on the Mendoza camp and we get this package
based on what I saw happen with the Tua situation,
I'd be very nervous. This organization in itself has just

(45:16):
proven to be as chaotic as any right. I mean, listen,
Pete Carroll, he is won for twenty plus years. He
goes to the Raiders, he has the worst season of
his career, of his I can't put it all on.
I think there's some organizational stink. So if I'm Fernando Mendoza,
any of these teams you're gonna go to high would
have had some stink around them. But if I'm very

(45:40):
dialed in on who you're bringing in, I need to communicate.
Not that I'm picking your coach, but this is my career.
I mean, they could get very bad, and we see
what happens when you bring in the wrong guy with
some of these young quarterbacks. I saw your thing today
on Sam Darnold, Like it's not always the player's fault.
Organizations really derail a lot of humans more than humans

(46:01):
derail organizations.

Speaker 1 (46:02):
Look at the four top drafters Vegas ownership issues, Jets
ownership issues, Arizona Bidwell ownership issues, Tennessee political ownership questions.
Then the Giants fifth. Giants have lost thirty of their
last thirty eight games. These are, by and large organizations

(46:24):
that struggle at the very top. Now, the Mars obviously
going through a really difficult time physically with some health issues,
but the Giants have been an offensive disaster for years.
I mean, the good news is they have Jackson Dark.
I actually think the Giants have some good players. I
just don't think they've had good leadership. The other four
teams are a mess. But yeah, I mean to me,
it feels so obvious. I the other thing about Belichick

(46:49):
in the Patriot Way, Bill was not a teacher like Nick.
Saban has some qualities Like if you listen to Kurt
Signetty or Lane Kiffin or Sark, they'll tell you I
learn more in a year with Saban. Sir Kurt Signetti says,
I learn more in a year with Saban than my
previous twenty five with all of our coaches. Andy Reid

(47:10):
has that, and he's like a school teacher. Bill's not.
Bill's like being you know what Bill's like. He's like
being the right hand man to Elon Musk or Steve Jobs.
Proximity to brilliance isn't shared. Bill's not giving you the
secret sauce. Bill's criticizing you. Bill's running it. Bill's not
sharing power. So my point is with Bill, Well, I

(47:32):
was Bill's assistant. It doesn't mean much Andy's assistant, mcveag's assistant.
Those are more collaborative, communicative teachers and mentors. Mike Holmgren,
Bill Walsh, you talk I mean, people always think Saban
and Belichick are the same. No, they're not. Nick Saban's funny.
Nick Saban's a great storyteller. Nick Saban is like fun

(47:53):
to be around. Nick Saban shares he is a teacher.
He's teaching his players, he's teaching his coaches. He's a listener.
I mean, Saban acknowledges that Lane Kiffen really made him
a better coach. Lane obviously says Saban made me a
better coach. But Saban's like, listen, Lane was beating me
up and down the field with his offense at practice,

(48:14):
and it's like, we got to become a wide receiver
and a quarterback, you, not a linebacker corner you. So
this idea about the Patriot way, it just doesn't work.
In fact, the one Patriot that pokes that really didn't
get along with Belichick or Brady left and won a
Super Bowl, and Vrabel left and has had success. And

(48:34):
those are the two guys that really didn't necessarily like.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
Bill, and I think a lot of players have talked
the Patriot Way was enabled and controlled by Tom because
Bill could ride him like he was a practice squad
player and he was the best player in the league
that doesn't exist. And it not only doesn't exist. It's
not that Andy doesn't coach mahomes hard or you know,
Kyle doesn't ride Fred Warner, but clearly the I mean

(49:00):
Bill's started coaching in nineteen seventy five in the NFL,
like he's from a way different generation. On top of
his personality, it's just a lot different now. The one
thing I would say about Flores, Kevin O'Connell is much
more of a new school, progressive, lighter offensive mind. He's
been around him for a couple of years. I just

(49:20):
think it's a pretty big risk based on those guys
with that as your main resume thing. I'm a patriot
guy and most of my career and the way I
became famous was under that guy. It has been a debacle,
hasn't been for the personnel guys. You know why, because
the personnel guys never agreed with Bill. He never picked
their players. They're all sitting there in the draft room, like, Bill,

(49:42):
we told you not to do this. He's like, well,
Herm Edwards told me to pick him. He's like, well, Bill,
we had him graded in the third round. And that's
why I think the personnel guys because they always had
their own draft board, the coaching ideas, and I don't
blame any of them. They're winning super bowls, they're like,
this guy's a genius. It doesn't work. That's not especially
in twenty twenty five. The way these players even look

(50:04):
at Signetty, who you'd think, you know, guy in his sixties,
old school, hard ass. I actually feel like he's kind
of lighthearted. And you know, I would imagine most of
the players they clearly like playing for them. So I
think it's I think the Raiders are a tough spots.
Like a lot of these teams look at the candidates
that there's not Ben Johnson's and Sean mcvay's and Kyle
Shanahan's that you go, let's hire that offensive guy. They
just don't really exist. Diana Roussini wrote in her article

(50:28):
that a lot of unnamed gms are like, it's not
a good year for candidates. You're kind of stretching. And
you know that's why Stefanski guy, like if Tomlin or
Harbaugh let go, they would be hired. I would say
in forty eight hours.

Speaker 1 (50:42):
All right, College Football Summi Finals, hard Rock bet Miami
minus three and a half against Old Miss. I'm gonna
take Trinidad Chambliss to cover the spread. I think Miami's
gonna win the game, but I don't think it's high scoring.
I think they'll really listen. All Miss is going as

(51:02):
the ultimate underdog. Everybody thinks they're the fourth of four,
which also illustrates the drop in the SEC. Bruce Feldman
has a fascinating article today, several sources anonymously saying nobody
wants to admit this, and people joke about it, but
it's true. When everybody can pay their players, where do

(51:23):
you want to play at twenty one years old, Miami, Austin,
Texas or Alabama? That Alabama just doesn't have the players.
George's defense there was a great quote in the Bruce
Feldman article. He's like, it's not that Georgia doesn't have
great players, they have no depth. If Georgia goes into
a season with three Sunday wide receivers, one transfers out

(51:47):
right before the season, one gets hurt. They're a one
receiver team. Their backups are no different than ordinary players.
That wasn't the case five years ago, when Bama, LSU,
Ohio State could stockpile Georgia could stockpile, they'd have six
corners that would all play on Sundays. But now kids

(52:07):
backups are leaving, They're leaving Ohio State. I mean, you
saw Ohio State lost those two running backs. That offense
scored fourteen against Texas, ten against Indiana, and fourteen against Miami.
That offense for Ohio State was really average, average O line,
average run game. So I like Mississippi to cover. I
think it's, you know, twenty four twenty three ish. I

(52:28):
think it's a really exciting game. Chandliss gives them a
shot to win the game. But I like Miami.

Speaker 2 (52:35):
I'm gonna take Miami and I'll take them to cover.
I do think they had already played Georgia. If you
could have told them they could win a playoff game
against any team in the country, it all be SEC teams.
It'd be lsu'd be Alabama, and be Georgia. That that was
a super Bowl like win for that program. It's the
biggest win in the history of the program, definitely in

(52:57):
the last since they won a national championship in like
the fifties or the s sixties. I do think Miami's
on a little bit less different level than Georgia from
a physical standpoint. Definitely, the defensive line now Chambliss, Yes,
I mean that's about as good as you can play.
He looked like he was Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson
in this prime. He was incredible. But Georgia is not
the Georgia team that we're used to seeing now. They

(53:18):
just have the same head coach. I think Miami has
actually more similarities with some of Kirby's teams like two
or three years ago, and text of my scouting buddies
they say that roster is about as good as money
can buy right now in twenty twenty five. And the
line of scrimmage, their offensive line's got to average three
hundred and twenty five pounds and that's you know, with
multiple guys probably closer to three fifty. They are huge,

(53:40):
physical and the defensive line is a bunch of pros.
Other dbats hit. You said that you thought Indiana was
the best tackling team. I would say Miami is the
most violent team. They hit, and they hit violent.

Speaker 1 (53:52):
Mind me of last year's Ohio State team when they
lost to Michigan and the next week against Tennessee, you
could tell the volunteers were intimidated, murdered. They weren't pissed
off physically. Yeah, Miami's intimidating. All great Miami teams have
always had sort of a I don't know, it's just
sort of a Miami is.

Speaker 2 (54:11):
A legit shot to win the National Championship right now.
They win this game, they get a home game for
the National Championship. Their physicality will will match Indiana's or Oregons,
whoever wins that game. I think Miami is good. Carson
Beck's playing solid.

Speaker 1 (54:24):
Yeah. I was texting Feldman. I said, I watched Miami
mid season. So I watched them play Notre d Am. I'm like, okay,
that's interesting. Then I watched them play mid season. I'm like, eh,
it's an average team. You can't when you bring in
seven or eight, ten or twelve transfers, John, you can't
judge teams in October. Miami doesn't even look like the

(54:46):
team in mid October. They don't even look and play
the same. They're not Carson Beck reliant. They're much more physical.
They're much more confident as a team. So I think
the Transfer Portal has done a lot of things. One
of them is it's hard to judge teams mid season.
Last year, you know, you bring in Ohio State, brings
in six or seven high end guy. They didn't peak

(55:06):
till the playoff. Miami didn't peak until you know that
Pittsburgh game. To me when they beat him thirty eight
to seven, and Pittsburgh's not very good, but the way
in which they threw them around the field, it was
like Jesus, this is intimidating, all right. Oregon at Indiana

(55:28):
hard rock bet Hoosiers minus three and a half. They
beat him in nottson. I'm gonna take Indiana to win
and cover. They don't make mistakes. I mean they literally
do not make mistakes. Oregon, we saw against Texas Tech,
is a flawed team. The quarterback needs about another fifteen starts.
Oregon is good, but Oregon can be lured in the mistakes.

(55:51):
And Indiana is about the best coach team. It reminds
me when I was a kid growing up, we had
Don James and the Huskies. And I'm dating myself here,
but the Huskies always had a really good talent in
NFL quarterbacks, tackling, great special teams, great always won the
turnover battle. And you look up and they were in

(56:11):
another Rose Bowl, and you're like, well, they're probably the
sixth most talented team in the country. They won a
national championship, that was their most talented team. But Indiana
has that feeling where it's you have to beat them soundly.
I mean, I'm watching that game against Alabama, I'm like,
that's as well coached a team for three and a
half hours as I've ever seen in my life.

Speaker 2 (56:33):
Yeah, I will agree with you because obviously they're the
last two games. I mean, to beat Ohio State like
they did and then to throttle Alabama was pretty incredible.
But let's face it, no one was picking them against
Ohio State, so it was easy for Dunaty to play
the underdog even against Alabama. The entire vibe leading up
to the game, like, what's it like playing this dynasty?
The mystique of Alabama had where Dan Lanning Really the

(56:56):
last couple of years, he's been favored in all these games.
Even last year when heade Ohio State, people thought he
was the one seed. He's gonna play Ohio State. It's
not like they viewed them not as equals. This is
the first time Dan Lanning has been viewed like you're
an underdog, everyone thinks you're gonna win, and he's great
at these like raw Ross speeches. He goes viral in
the locker room. Most of the time. His team's a

(57:18):
double digit favorite in those games. Doing that he really
gets to do. For the first no one thinks we're
gonna win, and he's not lying. No one thinks they're
gonna win. I think I'm gonna take Indiana because I
can't forget what I just saw in Oregon was a
little weird to text against text sex. What a tex
Tex defense is just really that good. I mean they
might have think like two or second or third pick
in the draft. There are other guys on the front

(57:40):
seven are fantastic. Their quarterback just happened to play like
he was me, but that was not I think that
wins a little more impressive than they're probably gonna get
credit for. I mean, Tech, Utah and BYU I think
we'd both agree, or what top fifteen type teams. They
killed b YU twice in Utah once killed them well,
obviously the quarterback was what if that's Oregon's defense. They

(58:03):
have a lot of younger guys that maybe aren't like
Jeremiah Smith or Caleb Downs or Fernando Mendoz, the true
household names. I do just think this is a prime
spot for Dan Lanning when he truly gets to play
the underdog and every and it's gonna be unique for
Signetty because for two years he's been kicking most people's ass.
No one thought he was ever gonna win most of
those games. No no one thought he was gonna go to

(58:24):
Austin and win. No one thought he's gonna State. He
didn't get to Alabama like Alabama in this game. Overwhelming favorite.
But people, I bet if you talk to most people
that I think is gonna win national championship. I think
Indiana's gonna win the national championship. So I just think
Dan Lanning can really this is I would say what
he excels at. Now. He has two coordinators who are

(58:46):
leaving that I said, Kentucky's in the transfer so they
they're getting kind of Warren thin because they're just I'm
sure transfer portal not sleeping much. That could be a
you know, a point of separation. Indiana doesn't have to
worry about it. That'd be the only thing that makes nervous.
But I expect Oregon to Indiana's great. I mean, there's
no dispute. I think Oregon's gonna bring it. I mean
they got this is a very talented team.

Speaker 1 (59:09):
Oh yeah. The you know, Mendoza. I heard an interesting
comp for Mendoza. People are saying he's Matt Ryan. Now
he's bigger than Matt Ryan. I think he has a
more powerful arm than Matt Ryan, and his is a
little bit more mobile than Matt Ryan. So I think
I don't like that comp.

Speaker 2 (59:28):
Matt Ryan was much more of a statue like it
to me, was Mendoza strong arm.

Speaker 1 (59:34):
Yeah, I don't know what Mendoza's comp is. There's personality wise,
there's a little Andrew Luck where he's just oh gosh, geez,
very much a giver, not a taker, super mature, very
much on message. He reminds me of Andrew Luck above
the shoulders. I think Andrew Luck. People questioned his arm strength.

(59:59):
I think Mendoza he's got a really good arm, like
a really good arm, and in the big ten you're throwing,
you're throwing in crappy weather all the time.

Speaker 2 (01:00:10):
Yeah. I the parallel to Ryan. The maturity, you know,
he just feels like a grown up.

Speaker 1 (01:00:15):
That's the Mendoza is one of those guys that he
may not be a great scrambler, but John he's six'
five to forty. Ish those guys are you, know small.
Corners when they tackle, him the quarterback rolls over him
gets an extra three. Yards LIKE i Think mendoza is
AN a, PROSPECT i don't think he's AN a plus

(01:00:36):
prospect BECAUSE i don't THINK i don't think he has
a huge, arm nor DO i think He's Josh allen the.
Athlete But I'M i think he's about as good a
prospect all things. IN i, MEAN i get the col
years where he had to overcome marginal. Talent THEN i
get The indiana years where he played with SOME nfl.
Bodies he's played in big stadiums on the. Road he's

(01:00:56):
Played Ohio, state he's Played Penn, State he's played top.
Tiers he's played At. OTSON i think he's a really good.

Speaker 2 (01:01:03):
Prospect to, YOU i DEFINITELY i was gonna look Up
Trevor lawrence coming out of. College trevor was a better,
athlete for, sure he moved, better but not by that.
MUCH i Feel mendoza is, thicker and you Know trevor
a lot Like Andrew. Locke people went arm's, good not.
Great andrew had no, issue And trevor a lot through his,

(01:01:25):
career he'd be, like this is good. Enough this year
HE'S i don't, know his arm looks. FANTASTIC i would
put him kind of in that vein on the lower
end lux an all time. Prospect Trevor lawrence was viewed
as like a luck you. KNOW i wouldn't say a perfect,
prospect but a high end. PROSPECT i would Put Fernando
mendoza under. THAT i think he's no brainer number one

(01:01:45):
based on this. CLASS i think when you look in recent,
Classes Trevor, OR i Mean caleb had more. Horsepower jaden
was more unique with his legs and had a fantastic
season in THE. Sec Remember shaddon records won The. HEISMAN
i would Say Drake may felt like he had a
little more. UPSIDE i don't know if that's fair or,

(01:02:06):
not But i'd put him in that class with those
guys LIKE i think he would have been spoken he's
a legitimate one or two prospect in most. DRAFTS i
would say at the quarterback, position you, know and that's
all you really ask for if you're The. Raiders and
then when you factor in the character. STUFF i Remember
Drew brees said this years. Ago he's like playing quarterbacks
way more, fifty you, know fifty to, fifty you, know

(01:02:27):
skill versus. Upstairs he's, like he's like seventy five upstairs,
thinking changing at the, line knowing going into the game
before it's it becomes so much about, Intelligence and sometimes
intelligence doesn't mean just your book smart but just your
ability to understand, football your football, iq your football, memory
than the intangibles of like. TOUGHNESS i, mean you saw

(01:02:49):
Brock purty last. NIGHT i mean there are a couple
of TIMES i was, like this guy just get. Killed
oh he got.

Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
Bakes oh my.

Speaker 2 (01:02:54):
God but you know Why Trent williams And fred warn
those guys love him because you're not going to knock
him out of the. Game he crawled off the field
and THAT i remember growing. Up Steve young was a
lot like. That that's you gotta be like that in,
football and looks Like mendoza has. That the other thing
is game just translates because you watch him in AN nfl.
OFFENSE i think he's a fantastic. PLAYER i, mean he's
he's been really. GOOD i feel like in crunch moments

(01:03:16):
in That oregon, game he threw that pick. SIX i
had some buddies that were there from a scouting, perspective
and they're, like he bounced right, back drove him on
a big. Drive that's. Key people love in THE nfl
when you screw up and they want to watch how you,
respond like playing in some of these, games Like Fernando
mendoza that game he just played Against. Alabama after the
first couple of, drives once they start curb stomping and

(01:03:36):
it doesn't you know. What they like That Ohio state
game when the first play of the game he got
hit Like perty did In. Seattle two plays later he's
running back on the. Field you're, like damn this. Guy
this guy's pretty. Tough and then he's making those throughout that.
Game LIKE i would, SAY i learned way more about
him in that game than ANYTHING i took away from
The alabama. Game That Ohio state, GAME i DON'T i

(01:03:59):
don't even have any clue what his box score. Was
that was AN nfl environment against you Playing, houston Playing,
seattle just getting. Crunched there're gonna be a couple throws
do you have to make because that's the only way
you're gonna. Win and he made. Them and that's kind
of what THE nfl. Becomes it's not you're not blowing
how many games even today you look, up most of
them are. Tight you're not flowing out people thirty eight

(01:04:19):
to three very often think about.

Speaker 1 (01:04:21):
This how many times have we seen it in the
last three. Weeks Sam donald's teammates come out publicly and support.
HIM i mean it's like every week there's like two
guys are, like you guys don't understand. It we love this.
GUY i mean they're not even poked or prodded LIKE
i was Texting John snyder or The SEAHAWKS gm. Today

(01:04:41):
they Love sam. McDonald anytime he, goes he's, like he's our.
Guy this is our.

Speaker 2 (01:04:47):
Guy.

Speaker 1 (01:04:47):
Minnesota kevin, O'Connell there was a story Today kevin O'Connell
Called shanahan after the. Deal he's like everybody in the
locker room Loved. Sam Russell wilson was getting The Super,
bowls had like two players his, Wedding like there's just
something to be said about being a guy's. Got brady was,
rich super model. Wife everybody Loved. Brady Randy moss Leaves

(01:05:11):
New england never takes a shot At. Brady brady's never
had a guy take a shot at him that he
ever played. With Antonio brown's you, know off the rails
to count, him, right BUT i, mean by and, large
breeze guys retire that play With, drew they cry his offensive,
lineman go to the, podium they, Cry they're, LIKE i Love.
Drew That's donald's thing like, people And mendoza's got. That

(01:05:33):
you can just tell the players love him because He
quarterbacks are already get all the. Attention mendoz is, like, no
it's not, me it's the. Guys donald same, way and you,
say you, know we talked ABOUT. IQ i think a
lot of IT'S. EQ i think they're really good quarterbacks
have an ability to. Understand, Listen i'm the one getting.
Paid i'm the one getting. Attention you know, What seattle's GOT.
A donald's on an incredibly team friendly. DEAL. B he's

(01:05:58):
playing really well and he's. PRODUCTIVE. C they don't miss
on draft. Picks. John you look at that. Roster they
could use another. Corner everybody in the league. Could they
could use another interior offensive lineman almost every team in
the league, could and another edge rusher, again there are certain.
Positions you could always draft a corner and an edge
rusher in this, league everybody needs. Them when You're seattle

(01:06:19):
is scary because the three things. Equal and this was
when you weren't Paying Russell wilson. Anything remember he was
a third round pick And pete's first two or three
years in the. League he was a great drafter because
he recruited all these college guys And seattle had about
a three year run where they just go. Out you,
Know Percy harvin or A Cliff averril was, like we
don't even need you to play all the, games just

(01:06:41):
be ready for the big. Games that's the scary part About.
Seattle their last four, years their first nine, picks they're
nine for. Nine then they find A Montana state guy
undrafted that plays in the back. End LIKE i, mean
when you have a team friendly deal for your quarterback
and he's producing in an a level sixty million dollars

(01:07:01):
a year quarterback, level and you don't miss on your top.
Picks IF i had to pick a team to win
The Super bowl, today it would Be.

Speaker 2 (01:07:08):
Seattle, well their coach is a dominant defensive. MIND i
mean what he did to who Makes kyle look like.
That The niners had like twenty yards fresh a non
factory dominated, him absolutely took him out of the. Game
i'm telling, You seattle played like The niners want to.
Play they controlled the ball for forty. Minutes they ran
for almost two hundred. Yards sam HAD i think twenty

(01:07:31):
five or twenty six. Attempts that's in That kubiak and
The kubiaks might as well be The shanahan's, cousins, right football.
Cousins they're all running the same. Thing and McDonald now
kind of has a little history Against shanahan's, offense going
back To, baltimore even earlier this, year he's been pretty
successful against. Him that's a huge Curveball john hiring, him

(01:07:52):
getting this offense or defensive. Mastermind when you got McVeigh
And shanahan in the conference and then your defense is
just loaded with talent already and clearly the em and
worry that they. Hit one thing that The sherman teams
did is all their DB's. Hit to, me any defense
can have good defensive lineman that can rush the. Passer
all those guys you go to any team in the

(01:08:12):
league if you had a good defensive lineman they all
look kind of. Similar when your DB's, hit your entire
defense feels. Physical And kittle's a good. EXAMPLE i would
say ninety Of kittle's plays he breaks the tackle unless
It's Ray lewis or a guy, like you, know a
high end. Player one guy's not bringing him. Down last,
night he was getting tackled by one, guy WHICH i was, like.

(01:08:33):
Damn this team brought a physicality to that. Game that
was you felt it from the, jump and The niners
just don't have the bodies to match. It and then darnold.
You twenty to twenty. SIX i thought he was, awesome
just in complete. Control made a couple of plays when
he had to every layup, throw which is a huge
part of that. Offense in stride in, stride instride and

(01:08:55):
the running backs that they are their team if they
can play that plan Where donald doesn't have to throw
it forty five, times BECAUSE i would say the other
thing they need is another wide. Receiver you, Know cooper's obviously.
Older if they get a Bigger, Honestly Juwan jennings a free,
AGENT i would sign a guy like. Him they would like.
Him he's kind of. Crazy Josh snyder likes the kind
of crazy. Guys you can kind of feel it on their.

(01:09:16):
Team they are they're gonna be a, problem especially that
place is. Good they haven't had A i googled it last.
Night they have not had a home playoff game Since
january of twenty, seventeen so basically a.

Speaker 1 (01:09:27):
Death So John january In. Seattle it's cold rain In.
Seattle last. Night donald was twenty at twenty. Six it
felt like he threw twelve, balls like he was doing
play action. Stuff but he it was Not. Sam's it
was defense and run. Game so like you could. Win
seattle could, win And donald could go sixteen of nineteen

(01:09:49):
and they'd be very effective and score twenty seven. Points
so cold Wet seattle for a team that doesn't have
they can throw the ball down the. Field but last,
NIGHT i, Mean witherspoon's a big tackle recorner of The
illinois Kid Iman worry From South. Carolina they're just, big, strong,
tough physical. Players, YEAH i would Take seattle in terms

(01:10:11):
of just overall. ROSTER i just don't that.

Speaker 2 (01:10:15):
Linebacker kicked the ball from McCaffrey. Brooks he's. EVERYWHERE i,
mean they're, guys so just all their guys can run and,
hit and it just felt like they kept them coming
in waves the. BACKUPS i was, like, geez and they
had been a little off. Right they didn't play that
great in The rams game till the. End last week
Against carolina was a little, weird SO i was a little.
Off the scent on. Them that team that showed up

(01:10:36):
last night was Like, jesus they came To like you,
SAID i can't imagine how Many niners struggled to get
out of bed this. Morning you, know, really his wife
had to call someone to help him out of.

Speaker 1 (01:10:49):
BED i couldn't take the last TIME i watched The
niners and a healthy McCaffrey was taken out of a.
Game out of a, GAME i, mean just a complete non.
Factor that's like Taking Walter payton in his, prime rest
in peace out of a. Gamer Barry, sanders, like you
just don't do. That, yeah it. Was it was a.
Masterclass great, stuff, Buddy take you.

Speaker 2 (01:11:11):
Easy gone the volume

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