September 17, 2025 • 53 mins
Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon to preview the Week 3 AFC home games around the NFL starting with Lions at Ravens (02:20) followed by Steelers at Patriots (11:37), Packers at Browns (20:16), Broncos at Chargers (29:35), Texans at Jaguars (37:40) and Colts at Titans (47:10).
Note: time codes approximate.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to NFL Daily, where I'm still feeling conflicted about
skipping the Oasis concert a couple of weeks. I'm Greg
Rosenthal here in the Chris Westling podcast studio, very excited
to be talking about the six AFC games. Some include
the Lions. You know, it's if the AFC team is
(00:27):
at home, and yes, just to get it out of
the way there, Like I had, I had an end
to go to go to Oasis, but it and and
even like you know, good seats and what backstage and
all that, and it was the night before week one
and I was just like, eh, I don't really want to.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
That's that's how dedicated Greg Rosenthal is.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Well, they're also a band that if this concert was
on any day pretty much most days the rest of
the season that was you know, convenient, or the rest
of the year that was convenient, would love to go.
On the other hand, not a band I was like
obsessed with as a kid or anything. I will say
that I got like drunk consistently for the first time
with no parental supervision while listening to Live Forever on
(01:08):
repeat for like an entire weekend. But I'm not like
a mega fan.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I do love the picture you've painted.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, just a little a little gret you didn't go.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Also, sorry to the listeners. I think I blew out
everyone's ear drums. Just that shocked though, Greg, I mean
and also I love Oasis. You could have passed that
good vibe.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
It wasn't well, it wasn't one of those things. I
don't think I could have. It was like, wow, this
is excluse a connection, I guess, but.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Wow, what a freaking flex.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
It's tricky though. It's okay. It's at the Rose Bowl.
It's gonna end at like twelve thirty, impossible to get
out of there. You're home by like one thirty. If
it was like if Kurt Cobaine was alive and it
was Nirvana, I was trying to think of a band
that would be coming like but I'm not passionate enough
at this age to do despite.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
A core memory.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
You know, yeah, well they were not going to play
live forever until like the you know, the end.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Maybe just maybe just go for the end.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
I don't know why I'm talking about this right at
the top of like the best game of the year
so far.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Because it's worth it. It's worth it. Yes, let's get
to our am.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Because you missed maybe the best, one of the best
concerts of the year.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
That's why a great game.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Could it be Oasis level? We'll find out.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
The Detroit Lions making their visit to the Baltimore Ravens,
who are favored about four and a half points. The
over under is fifty one and a half. In the
last few seasons the Lions have had this opportunity to
play against the Baltimore Ravens. It has not gone well.
But maybe John Morton could be the one to save
the Lions. Greg Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Lisa Salters
and Laura Rutledge on the call for Monday Night Football.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Is John Morton the answer? Do they beat the Ravens?
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I mean, are you just pouring a little salt good?
That was so good? That was that was amazing.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
I see what you did. Also, thank you very you
guys really brought it this show.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I also think that in the lab. Yeah, like the NFC,
that was fine. We bring out the great stuff for
the AFC. I sense a little bit of confidence here
for the Baltimore Ravens. Patrick Claybhn's team. I'man into this matchup. No,
you just kind of mentioning how the Ravens blew the
doors off them previously. It almost feels a little tongue
(03:19):
in cheek that, like, oh, John Morton could be the
difference I.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Needed to make the Oasis reference. That's all that was.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
No, I've never competent that can beat anybody, that can
lose to anybody.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I do like the matchup has worked for them, that
they did a few things defensively that scrambled Jared goff
Springs in the past. Now we're going back to twenty
twenty three for that last game, which it's been a minute.
And I do think they're catching them at the right
time of year. I do think about this. Right now,
these teams are so different than how they'll be in December.
(03:51):
The Ravens are a perfect example of that. No team
has more consistently improved, especially on defense late in the
season than the Ravens. And I do have questions about
their defense. Think this could be a shootot, but I
just don't know if the Lions defense is ready for
a game like this.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
No, And I think because right away we've seen questions
emerge about their front, not just their pass rush, but
their run defense and the way that they handle different looks,
different layers in that in those phases. And on the
other side, Jared Goff is playing settled, confident football and
John Morton what he is doing more than I guess
he would who must not be named in Detroit now
(04:27):
who just came and went to a cacophony of booze
he you know.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
John Ben Johnson, Ben Johnson.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Which by the way, Jared Goff did condemn that, because
that's that's a classy guy right there. And it's interesting
he's he's more settled, I think because they're they're putting
him in play action a little bit more. Ben Johnson
already used it at like a thirty percent rate with
Jared Goff in previous seasons, but it's even more now
under John Morton. And that's that's really going to settle
him down early. And I just I just think, like
(04:57):
to your point, Greg, I think this is going to
be a points game, lots of points on both sides.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Well, considering the way things have gone for for this
Ravens team, especially defensively early, I think there were some
positives to take away from the opener. You learned a
little bit more about how to deploy the defense, and
I think that came out uh in you know, not
as much jaire in the gaming.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Not any rights.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Yeah, significantly less giant for the for the Ravens in
the secondary. And this is this is that that opportunity
to show how much you've improved in terms of past defense,
not just past coverage, but but the rush as well.
And this this Lion's secondary, especially when you because I
always mentioned both Kirby and Brian branch And being two
(05:45):
of the best safeties in the NFL, where it's tough
to get the types of deep explosive plays that the
Ravens have kind of relied on in the run game
and the past game where you're going to have to
have consistent uh first downs and consistent like short to
intermediate gains where they're going to make you earn it.
And Baltimore will see if they can do that.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, I think the only way the Lions win this
game is a shootout. And so even though I'm almost
looking past the defense because the pass rush is so
one dimensional, it's just dayon Hudginson. I mean, Marcus Davenport
had the most Marcus Davenport play of all time, which
is that he got hurt on a sack and you
don't want to be like mean to the guy. But
(06:26):
Saints fans went through and Lions fans have now too
that you just he can't stay on the field. He
ended up finishing out that game until hopefully he's there.
But you're essentially starting two players who act like nose
tackles in the middle of your line, and if you're
not great at stopping the run with that, you're giving
up so much as a pass rush. And I did
Mina Kimes's podcast this week, she pointed out that the
(06:47):
Lions have have always gone so far, it's a small
sample size to base personnel when the other team plays
two tight ends and so you're thinking about Angeloni on
the field and Derek Barnes on the field and kind
of the speed missmap if the Ravens do get Isaiah
likely back, which it's s trending towards.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yeah, And that's why I say points points, points, because
the Ravens have so many changeups in their offense, and
I just think that the Lions so far, you know,
also had to you know, replace a coordinator. And Calvin
Sheppard was more excited than anybody I think to hold
Caleb Williams to what they did, and I really appreciated
all of the sideline shots of him, and I think
that's a confidence boosting game for them. But this is
(07:25):
a confidence killing game for them, and I think for
the for the Ravens defense as well. It's a scary
one because the Lions offense is rolling right now. They
look we were waiting for them to look quote unquote Lions,
right they look Lions now of what we know them
to be over the last you know, couple of years
under Dan Campbell and whoever is coordinating that offense. And also,
(07:46):
you know, this is a tough challenge for the Ravens
on the defensive side, but it also is such a
tough challenge for the Lions defense because of all of
the layers both teams can deploy and all of the
different like math problems to solve.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Here, you mentioned Kelvin Sheppard. I'm going to put you
on the spot here. While we were watching the games
on Sunday, I noted to you that Kelvin Shepherd was
involved in one of the most one sided franchise changing
one for one trades in NFL. I would say in
this century in the last decade plus or so. You
(08:21):
can't google it.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Although the question the questions for Jordan's zone.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, that's fair. No, don't lean back. I said who
it was. Who was Kelvin Shepherd who is now a
defensive coordinator, traded for that player was still in the
NFL as of last year.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Amazingly as of last year. Oh my gosh, you are
putting me on the spot. You also are assuming I
listened to anything you said to me while we were
watching Cays.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Totally fair.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
That's a big key.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Tell Greg, it's Jerry Hughes, just an underrated player who
the Colts thought was a little bit of a bus
traded to the Bills and off he went into a
Hall of very good season. That's that's in a side.
But that's what we can do here when we're giving
every team just a little extra love.
Speaker 5 (08:59):
Yeah, the space, you know, extual love and an opportunity
for some tough love. Because harry On Arnold bit on
a double move from Romo Dounze. Teams have been attacking
him and you know, would like to see a little
bit more out on the coverage side, because as evidenced
by three catches this season for new Hopkins could have
(09:20):
been three touchdowns if one wasn't down at the one
inch line. It's it's our really first chance to see
a designated guy who can fight for the ball and
play the ball in the air, playing with Lamar, and
Lamar's taking advantage for that because it's really just been
Mark Andrews and no one else Isaiah likely in spots,
but at the wide receiver position.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
This is the best hands Lamar has ever played with.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
It's crazy that Hopkins has three jaw dropping catches, all
of which should have been touchdowns. He was like a
half yard shore on one of them. And he's only
played twenty eight snaps this year. Like if you just
watch the highlights, you would think like he's out there
all the time. They got a problem. They have too
many like mouse to feed. Mark Andrews has no product,
Rashad Bateman doesn't really have much production. Za Flowers is
(10:04):
taking a nice leap, I think in terms of being
a complete receiver, but it's almost like they have they
have too many weapons. The only problem is keeping them
all happy and sharing the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
We got to talk about our guy, Greg because you
talked about nukes.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Twenty eight snaps a guy who's had twenty offensive snaps
but keeps making great plays.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Isaac to slow You mean Isaac Newton? Why is that
defying gravity?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, I was.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Gonna say, because he's the gravity will eventually draw the fenders.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
You even brought an apple in today. You know I
had to make.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
You know, did he? He damilar story that I two
for two?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Both insane.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Now. I don't know when he played because obviously some
of it was at the end of the second quarter,
but he did bump it from just a handful of
snaps to seventeen. So that's on the right.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Pa. He's on pace to pace play six thousand STAPs
in again.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Uh, he is on pace to have like a touchdown
for every catch he has in his entire career. And yeah,
last week was a reminder that you can stack up
all these different offenses. The Lions have more great players
than you do. Even the Raps. I think as good
as a moon Rah Luck last week, as good as
Jamiir Gibbs is. They tried to run outside a little
more last week, which I think was really effective, Like
(11:11):
he was just out the shoot on some of those
like outside zone and trap plays.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
It totally took the teeth out of that Bears defense.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Right.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You have Jamison Williams, who I think is just coming
into his own. Laporte is still great, and so it's
all about players. My question is just kind of like,
is their interior line ready to win like a forty
one to thirty eight game like or will they make
some sort of mistake at some point, giving up like
a force fumble to mad Week or Travis Jones something
like that changes the game.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
Let's get to our next AFC home matchup. It is
an all AFC battle. The Pittsburgh Steelers were favored by
one and a half points, with Aaron Rodgers at the
New England Patriots and Drake May the over under forty
four and a half. I an eagle JJ Watt Evan
Washburn on the call. Will let Greg discuss his team,
but we'll start with you as as you Jordan, what
do you think it takes place here?
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Less mistakes wins here because the Pittsburgh Steelers were defined
by two massive, massive mistakes that completely altered the game,
one of them being the Aaron Rodgers interception where he
was very quick. In the little slow Moll replays of
the discussion after that play to point out where the
receiver should have run even though he threw it into
(12:22):
double coverage on that play, and also the special teams
gaff Caleb Johnson not running after the ball and even
just kicking it out of the end zone. The Seattle
Seahawks being able to fall on that for a massive
point swing that led to seventeen unanswered in that period
that to completely changed the game for the Steelers. They
(12:42):
were the dominant team throughout most of the first half
of that game. The defense was really coming to life.
Then they lost Alex Heismith, and then the mistakes started happening.
And so I think with this one, fewer mistakes.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Wins the two very sloppy teams so far. Not shocked
that the steel are favored here, but two teams I'm
not sure what to do with Josh McDaniels Mike Tomlin.
This would be a revenge game for Mike Tomlin. McDaniels
has had some of Mike you know, Tomlin's worst moments.
Josh McDaniels was on the other side coordinating. I mean,
(13:15):
I think that Tom Brady was probably a bigger factor
in those games than than Josh McDaniels. But I did think, yes.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Marius Thomas, you know, may rest in peace, all right?
Was that was? That was? That was McDaniels right in
the playoffs against Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Did he make t Did he make the playoffs? I
think they were on a different coach by them or
am I am I crazy?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
No, I may be misremembering that.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I we will check that. The research is looking it
up right now. I'm thinking more of like the AFC
Championship games all that sort of stuff. Look, they do
have a little bit of a predictable defense in terms
of what they run, and I think they have more
personnel problems right now because of injuries than usual and
because of usage like Keanu Benton as a nose tackle
(13:58):
is not working. You're running through the middle of this defense.
You mentioned Heismiths gone, Derek Harmon's gone. Their you know,
their first round pick Patrick Queen is over running plays.
They are twenty seventh in DVO eight. I know it's
two weeks, but they haven't exactly faced a murderer's row
of offenses here with Seattle and the Jets. They've looked
completely undisciplined, kind of like the Patriots defense. On the
(14:20):
back end, like these have been two bad defenses to
start the year, eighteen.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Point two percent misstackle rate, like almost one of the
membery five times the Steelers have an opportunity to miss
to make a tackle, they missed the tackle. Yeah that
was John Fox that was coaching for the Denver Broncos
in that game against the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
But I guess we'll give Josh was like Joshganos didn't
have any good times there. The only good time was
getting to five and zero his first year and beating
the Patriots in primetime and then losing almost every game
after that.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
But the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
It's I lean Steelers in this matchup because I look
at that game against the Miami Dolphins team that were
all kind of circling like vultures watching trying to pick
players that would be good contributors elsewhere like trade deadline is.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I like the.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Patriots were huge Dolphins mistakes like pick one, and the
Dolphins win that game to the extent where I just
wouldn't feel comfortable of picking the Patriots in this.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Aaron Rodgers versus the pass rush is really interesting to
me because that the Patriots pass rush has been good
in both weeks. Milton Williams has been fantastic.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Look like they paid the right guy, right.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Yeah, Christian Barmore has been a little quiet, but Harold
Landry's making plays. I thought Calebon Chason had a good
game last week. They have a really high pressure rate,
you know, one of the highest in the league without
having a high blitz rate, and yet they're giving up
chunk play after chunk play because everything in the secondary
is terrible. Christian Gonzalez might be returning this week, but
(15:47):
it's more than one player can solve everything. I mean,
it'll help a lot, but they you pick a safety
or a linebacker and they're playing badly.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
But Aaron Rodgers is not throwing the ball down the field,
and I think that helped. It's the Patriots case. It's
not just getting Christian Gonzales back. But if you're a
team giving up chunk plays, you do kind of want
to play this at least statistical version of Aaron Rodgers
who is not throwing the ball down the field despite
the enormous amount of play action and massive you know,
people on the perimeter. And DK Metcalf, for example, who
(16:18):
was the most successful play of the game was throwing
like sort of a low fade, you know, jumper to
DK Metcalf for a touchdown, and then the two point conversion, you.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Know, lining up Darneaul Washington, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Lining up Darnel Washington on the outside and basically saying
you're taller than everyone else here. Let me throw it
up really high and you come down with.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
It like that.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is that those were the only really truly successful looking
plays of this game, and it took them, you know,
piece by piece by piece to get down there in
the first place.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I'll defend Aaron Rodgers a little bit in point out.
He's had a few throws every in each game that
were awesome. I mean, he had one on his first
throw of the week last week, which was on a penalty. Ultimately,
for I think the Steelers, none of it mattered. Was
up there with the best throws anyone's made all season
on the run, like fifty yards down the field. He
(17:08):
can still do it. It's just that for a guy
who doesn't want to get hit like he sure is
getting hit a lot. Their offensive line's been bad. It's
a bad combination of he's getting hit, he's taking a
lot of sacks, his time to throw is very low
and he's not throwing it deep, so it's like this
safe offense where you're still having all these bad things happen.
I actually don't think that's all on him, but I
(17:30):
don't know if he's going to be the guy to
fix it.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
And he's getting rid of the ball fast and the
targets are close to the line of scrimmage, as Jordan
pointed out. But when there is a little bit of
glimpses of Rogers extending plays, things have gone the wrong way.
And I think that could be attributed to a lack
of cohesion and opportunity for these guys to play together,
like in the play where Calvin Austin gets in the
way of a ball that I believe was intended for
(17:53):
Pat Friyarmouth and ultimately gets picked off after like both
of them had a chance, Like they're both in the
same place, like they're in the scramble drill and they
run to the same spot. I think things could ultimately
get better, But it is a little bit of a
positive yeah, to say that Rogers is moving around and
extending plays a little bit, not that he's doing it
a whole bit.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And it won't I don't think the defenders are just
going to be in the way like you know for
the Patriots that they were for the Seahawks. Sorry, I'm
a little down right now. I just watching these linebackers.
These linebackers have to earn that week. I'm testing out
a theory. I only said that once and it was
by mistake. Robert Splane is a guy they gave a
(18:32):
lot of money to. I mean, he looks like he's
in slow motion. And then they're playing Christian Ellis, who
was a special teamer who was our friend Bo Wolfe's
maybe favorite Philadelphia Eagle of all time. He literally just
couldn't make the Eagles fifty three, like he wasn't good
enough to. And he's starting and playing every snap and
(18:54):
they look like they're playing in the nineteen nineties and
like the rest of the game is happening around him.
I feel like a little bit at their safety. They
have a rookie, Craig Woodson too, who hasn't been bad.
But it gives me a theory about Rabel, and the
theory is that Rabel leans on players that remind him
of Patriots teammates. Now, I can't give the one to
(19:16):
one like comparison, But these guys just seem like they
should have been on the early two thousands Patriots, you
know what I mean, Like Robert Splaine would be like
the new Ted Johnson or something like that. But football
is different now, and it's like it's passing them by.
Maybe yeah, and so are quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Maybe the Patriot way for Aaron Rodgers was having good
cohesive teammates the whole time and not being surly in
interviews for no reason.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
By the way, I've successfully not gotten too excited about
Drake May's near perfect game last week. I don't know,
I know it wasn't flashy, but it was near perfect.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
I feel like you bringing it up just now reveals
how excited you actually no.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I about it, and I could see on Patrick's face.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
I want to see it again. Last thing on this
game we should move on, is I did think it
was a good sign. They ran a completely different game
plan game two to game one. Maybe it's learning the personnel.
Maybe it's Josh McDaniel's kind of doing what he does
and having it like a versatile offensive scheme.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
And Drake May had a rushing touchdown. He was back
scrambling again, which he did so good last season, didn't
really do it in the first week of the season two.
Our next game to Cleveland, where the Browns play hosts
to Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers, who are
favored by eight and a half points.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Deel Fredder is forty two and a half.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Carrol, I mean, excuse me, Kevin Coogler and Moose Johnson
Johnston on the call, Greg, is this the end? In
the final starting game for Joe Flacco in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Now, I'm surprised this has been such a question. I
think they're going to have more patients. And I also
think at Joe Flacco's age, if you get one really
good performance followed by one really bad performance all season,
that's like a that's under part, like that's good, that's
better than you could possibly expect. And that's what's happened
(20:58):
the first two week. So I wouldn't be surprised if
he comes out and he looks as good as you
could expect against a Packers defense that is so far
made you know, some young quarterbacks look terrible this season.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah, I love this Packers defense.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
Jeff Hafley is all the way in his bag, the
way that he used Micah Parsons in primetime just to
completely change responsibilities for blocking and change the math and
moving him all over the place. He only played forty
four of sixty five defensive snaps. I expect that number
to keep increasing as he gets his feet under him.
We forget when we watch him on the field with
(21:35):
how great he looks that he actually missed the entirety
of training camp and did not have the same ramp
up period as everyone else. He is absolutely itching to
get on the field floor. He's been very clear about.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That on that, Like, do you ever wonder if like
training camp is just very overrated the way everyone talks
about it, because quinch On Duwkins, for instance, like literally
is a rookie that's never practiced with his team, and
he signs with them and practices for the first time.
I guess he was there in Ota on Thursday, and
then he plays like a full game on Sunday, and
then you know what I mean, like they somehow managed
to like get up to speed pretty quick.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I don't think training camp is overrated.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
No.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I think that I'm on record is, yeah, I think
a certain positions in certain situations, as long as you
used properly.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, it's a little over because they make it sound
like it's so big, but then you miss the whole thing.
And when they show up from these hold outs, then
Jamar Chase is playing like five days later, and you
know he looks great.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But this is a guy who's supposed to take them
to the Super Bowl playing off a like off like
being completely cold, off of laying on a training table. Yeah,
I want him to ramp up a little bit when
you cannot physically contact people in regular season practices. But yes,
to the point, I do think that, and I know
that I am definitely going to hear from people on
this because my error. I forgot to include the Packers
(22:47):
as one of the top five defenses I believe are
going to stay in our last episode.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
And I don't know which order that.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
These will publish, but I will say the Packers are
very much one of those teams for me one and two.
With the Chargers right there, this is such a fun
group to watch. Jeff Hafley is already getting the whisper treatment.
Oh how long are we going to keep him from
the local reporters out there? This is such a fun defense,
not just because of the talent on the roster, but
(23:16):
the way that he is finding ways to maximize every
player on this roster, even when there are questions about cornerback.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
This is just really a fun group to watch.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
And some guys have maximated, maximized their opportunity, like Kishawn Nixon,
who is such a big part of that.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
What are they going to do?
Speaker 5 (23:32):
Five targets at Kishaw Nixon on Thursday Night football, five
passes broken up, like the guys that were there have
raised the.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Level of their game.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
And I'm wondering because I said it, as soon as
Miles Garrett requested a trade, the Packers should put together
an offer. And it is my conspiracy theory. Not really,
it's the same, but it's my head canon that they
take that offer that would have gone to the Cleveland
Browns for Miles Garrett and send it within their draft
to the Dallas Hey, Jerry, here, you're frustrated with this guy,
(24:02):
and now Miles has to look across the field. I
love it, all of this. This could be your life,
but you elected to stay with me.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
It's true because we mentioned Fred Warner might be the
defensive player of the Year earlier, I would vote Miles Garrett
through two weeks. It's silly to just point out that
Miles Garrett is great, but like he's been so unstoppable
these two weeks. He's you know, he's got four sacks
and they were like they're flashy sacks too, but his
run stuffs are like leading the league as well. He
(24:29):
is just always in the backfield and he will be
playing against most likely a rookie right tackle in Anthony Belton,
who struggled a little bit in his first start. If
they don't get Zach Tom back, And you're right, he
has to be a little sick thinking about it because
I don't think it would have even would it have
cost as much it was before the draft, h I think, yeah,
(24:50):
it would have been pretty pretty similar. And instead Michael Parsons,
like Brett Favre once did, is just like getting people jobs.
You know, he got Dan Quinn a job and now
he'll get Jeff a job because like, none of this,
none of this, it's all true what you're saying, Yeah,
but also none of it would happen if you didn't
add you know, the second or you know, best player
in the league. I would say these are the two best.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
But I would say this defense was already gonna be
good coming into it, and I think he just what
I love about the way that Micah Parsons fits with
this group is he because of the attention he commands
and because of the way he can move around. And
like I said, Jeff Hafley's looking at this like a
giant math equation as well of skill sets and where
(25:30):
people can win and what blocking is going to happen.
They're using Micah Parsons the way they're moving around the field.
It's the way that offensive coaches use motion players to
get defenses to declare whether they're in man or not.
He's doing the exact same thing. The way that he
moves Michaeh Parsons around the field gets the offense to
declare what they're blocking strategy is. It is freaking cool
(25:51):
to watch. And what it does is it lifts everybody else.
It gives everybody else more opportunities to win because they
know the answer before the test even starts. And that
is really cool because this was already going to be
a great, great, really good defense. Now it can be
a transcendent defense because they also have the answers before
the quarterback does.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Right I think he's just like a he's a one
to one and like that he could be so successful
in all of those spots. So I don't think we're
going to learn that much about them. Unfortunately though, this week,
because the offensive line for the Browns is sneaky bad.
That was one of the things that you really liked
about the Browns during the Stefanski era, and the tackle
position is no longer nearly a strong. Joel Buttonio is
(26:31):
out of practice, so it's such a mismatch. Actually, think
on the other side, there is some interesting football to
be seen because the Browns defense has played pretty well.
They're especially good against the run. They Josh Jacobs is
trying to get going. This will be a tough team
to do it against. I mentioned Miles Garrett and then
just the advanced nature of Jordan Love this season. I
was listening to a podcast with Logan Paulson, the former
(26:53):
Commanders player, called Take Command. As we all know, decided.
Speaker 6 (26:58):
To really go ahead and start Take Command.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
And yes, that's just an excuse to get that in there.
I listen to him point out he was talking about
how like in the first drive of that game last week,
Jordan Love had three like check with Me's on the
first drive of the game, built into the you know,
game plan on a short week, and he was just saying,
that's not normal, Like you need to have like that
(27:24):
just wouldn't happen in most situations. You need to have
an offensive group that has been together a while and
a veteran quarterback. Which it's weird to think Jordan Love
has a veteran quarterback, but he has been in that
system his entire career, and all the players around him
have been in that system their entire career, and so
they're just like operating at like a week fourteen to
fifteen level where most teams are just you know, gearing
(27:47):
up in like late preseason and stuff. So when they're
on offense, it'll at least be a little interesting. All right,
let's take a quick break and we will be back
to wrap up our exciting journey through the AFC.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
We're back on NFL Daily.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
The NFL International Games return to NFL Network on September
twenty eight. Six games for cities Dublin, London, Berlin, and
Madrid snooze off game on for Sunday Morning Football only
on NFL Network, also streaming with NFL Plus subscription required
for NFL Plus visit plus dot NFL dot com per turn.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I hear Patrick reading these promos on NFL Network all
the time. Fantasy Live Game day View, I'm like, I
want that on NFL Daily.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
It is good.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Give it to me, especially one that's near and dear
to my heart. I will be in Dublin next week,
jealous mention it a couple shows ago. Most of the shows,
including this one, will be taped here and then I'm
going to be flying over for the game doing a
live show by the way, with the Irish NFL Show.
I think there's some tickets available on Friday night, so
(28:51):
check that out. I think I'll be part of the
toksport coverage of the actual game if you want to
listen on the radio part of Sky Sports. And obviously
doing work doing all these shows, and will be still
still do an NFL Daily. We're not going anywhere. I
might just be in a little box and you guys
will wave to me, which will be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
That won't be the gesture I will be making.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh how dare you? It is really exciting this same
year when when the international games start going.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yes, especially our friends in Ireland exceedingly jealous. Take care
of them, Gregg as I am sure that they will
take care.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
The expectations are high for this one. I feel like
the first Ireland game is going to be a banger.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
We got a banger here in the AFC West, the
Denver Broncos at the Los Angeles Chargers, who are two
and oh. They are favored by two and a half
points the over unders forty five and a half. You know,
it's a great game because the greatest of all time,
Kevin Harlan is on the call with Trent Green and
Melanie Collins Jordan do the Chargers get to three and oh?
Speaker 4 (29:54):
The biggest matchup and the coolest matchup possibly of the
week for me is in this game. It's the combination
of Sean Payton and bow Nicks, and that Broncos offense
and Jesse Minter, Diane Henley, Derwin James, and that amazing
Los Angeles Chargers defense that has been absolutely lights out
(30:18):
through the open to this season and this game, especially
how they move and countermove against each other from you know,
quarterback versus linebacker to offensive coordinator versus defensive coordinator on
opposite sides. This is gonna be so much fun for me.
This is going to be for me personally to watch,
and I'm hopefully well. I guess I won't have this game,
(30:41):
but I wish I did. And I really feel like
this is a test for bon Nicks because he has
been up and down over the course of the first
two weeks. He's had a little too much dip on
his chip and won I think, tried to make things
happen that weren't really there. And he's gonna be playing
against sort of this very cloudy match quarters cover two zone,
(31:04):
this shell defense that the Chargers really deploy with great effect.
Bonix against the zone is thirty eight for fifty four
three hundred and forty yards, two touchdowns but three interceptions.
And here's where it really starts to get interesting. He
takes two point eight four seconds time to throw on
average against the zone, so he's holding the ball a
little bit, trying to figure out what he sees. It's
not that he doesn't have outlets. When he takes the
(31:24):
underneath outlets and the options that are there for him,
it's five point eight are yards per attempt, and that's
what has led to this seventy point four percent completion percentage,
So it means it's the options are there and he
takes them. But when he doesn't trust when he's seeing,
that's when the turnovers happen and he is he will
guess wrong sometimes when he doesn't know what he's seeing
from these zone coverages. So it's all about what options
(31:47):
do you have, will he see them, will he take them,
or will he try to press.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And do too much.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I when I watched the Bonicks game against the Colts,
I expected a better overall performance than I saw. I
think Sean Payton got a lot open and Broncos fans
are very sensitive and they're asking for everyone that was
critical bon next week one? How are you saying sorry
week two? And then he throws, you know, a game
killing interception, and I thought overall he was uneven in
(32:12):
that game. And so sometimes I like to just check
and I actually do fine. In terms of like grading
the quarterback position, I don't mind. PFF is one part
of the equation. And I was shocked to see this,
but it backed up what I thought that it wasn't
like a great performance, it was actually their lowest bon
Nicks you know, graded passing game except for Week one
(32:35):
since last September, which kind of matched my eyes that
it felt like a September of last year bon Knicks
type of game. So I don't think he's out of
the woods yet. And this is such a great test.
You really said it all just testing his patients. This
is the defense that will test his patient.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
It will test his patients.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
I think that they were the beneficiary of a weird
performance by the Las Vegas Raiders because there's a with
Khalil Mack on the field for this team. And yeah,
like the players like Hnley's having a great season. He
had great season last year.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Yeah he did it.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
Still is one of the more the more dominating around
the line of scrimmage to tacklers and adjusters in the
league right now. But I think this is the moment
where if you're a Broncos team, you have to take
advantage of Khalil Mack being out for these four weeks.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
He's on injured reserve. He is. Yeah, we haven't mentioned
that on this show that he's expected to return this season.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
More news than they thought.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Yeah, considered it like looking at him in the sling
and especially watching unfortunately looking at the replay.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
I thought that was going to be it for Khalil
Mack for the season.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
So that's good that he'll be back, but it's good
news for the Broncos that they don't have to contend
with him. And maybe we see bow Knicks get back
to where he excels in using his legs a little
bit more because that fell off and it hasn't been
back this season.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I want to see bo Nicks run a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
I'm leaning Broncos here just because I have a hard
time like imagining a world where everything's going so well
with the Chargers with no can Tell I don't know
right it would be three and ohero with a two
game lead over the Broncos and the Chiefs after three
weeks and all the wins in the division. That would
be incredible. Khalil Mack, you know, being out hurts because.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Now that's the thing. But the Chargers thing.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
I was worried about their pass rush overall, but it
was good against the Raiders. Tully Bolowtu was fantastic in
that game. My biggest question in this game, other than
the one you pointed out with bo Nicks, is which
Patrick Stan do we get because he had an ankle
injury last week and he played through it. He only
missed I think one snap. It did not look good
and he didn't play well. He didn't look like Patrick
(34:37):
Sirtan after that. I think he gave up four or
five catches and some of them were down the field.
One was to Pittman, one was to Warrant and you
just you don't see that ever, like you didn't see
it once last season. So he just needs to be healthy,
I think, because I think that the defense is built
in some ways around Patrick Sirtan being a special player,
and there's every reason to believe he he will be
as long as he's healthy. It's more of a question
(34:57):
of is he one hundred percent?
Speaker 4 (34:58):
And you know who is playing really well all Quentin Johnston,
you know, So that'll be a challenge. And I also
expect the Chargers to start getting a couple of these
other players that the younger players, you know, going Trey
Harris and and you know Lad McConkie has been showing
up a little bit, you know, light lightning ladd as.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I don't know if they have room for Trey Harris
and KeAndre Lambertsmith, like maybe a little bit but they
got like Keenan Allen's I'm shocked.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
By right, No, that's how I was just That's what
I was just going to bring up. It'll be a
tough decision to make between these these corners in Denver
because keen Allen is playing like a much younger version
of Keenan Allen and he's playing like their one, like
their number one receiver. So this is going to be
super interesting, you know for the Denver Bronkers defense, who
is getting a lot of pressure. But you know, we'll
(35:44):
kind of just have to see because this Chargers offensive line,
despite all the shuffling that it's had, has looked pretty
dang good itself.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
Yeah, the benefit for Herbert and the Chargers offense is
when he's able to extend the play, which is healthy.
Justin Herbert is always going to do Keenan Allen knows
where to go. Yeah, right, And you know, as much
as we think of Lambert Smith and Trey Harris and
all that they have to contribute, like Keenan Allen will
forget more football today than those guys may learn ever,
and so like that veteran presence, and yeah, he still
(36:10):
looks good, like he's ability to run the routes is good.
And for Quentin Johnston, like he's always been able to
finish plays, but the great thing for me was to
watch him track that ball over the shoulder and then
finish the play like in that particular order and not
try to do one before the other. And it's just
it's so good and every like you said, Greg, everything's
(36:30):
going great for the charge.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
They compliment each other, right, Like this is a group
that compliments each other. I watched our friend Matt money
Smith does like an Instagram video after Chargers. Where do
you see him at the game? Oh? Right, And so
he's watching it. He's watching it, and he says, watching
those two guys lad and Keenan next to each other
(36:53):
because usually they're lining up on the same side depends on,
you know, on the play who's inside. Like, watching the
precision of the route running next to each other is
just incredible because they're two of the best at that
specific skill set in the entire league. And that I
think that has a little bit of a multiplying effect
and certainly is gonna calm down, I think justin Herbert.
(37:13):
So shout out to Money who, by the way, had
a flex on this ig video that he had gotten
back from the game around one point thirty. He was
taping the video around eight and he had already gone
surfing that morning, and his hair is wet, he's looking
looking all buff. You know, it's just everything's coming up
that much.
Speaker 5 (37:31):
Yeah, it's just dedicated to doing what he wants to do.
If he were in position to be backstage in oaysis concept,
I think Matt Redy Smith would have ultimately been there.
Two Jacksonville, Florida we Go where the Jags coming off
a rough one and a loss that they donated to Cincinnati,
playing host to the zero to two Houston Texans and
all the promise with two close losses, Jags favored by
(37:54):
one and a half, Greg the over unders forty three
and a half. Spirodidas Adam Marchioletta and Addikik Walla on
the call. Do the Jags bounce back after making a donation?
Speaker 1 (38:04):
Hmm, tough game to pick. I think the Jags have
definitely played better overall this season. I think they're well coached.
I think they're a little unlucky to be too and zero.
I also think their offense has room to grow and
it's already been good in that this is like a
really fascinating matchup, and yet there is something about I
(38:27):
don't know how my brain works that looks like beyond
the x's and o's and like just thinks like this
is a big spot for Damiico Ryans and CJ. Stroud
and this organization. They were zero and two last year
actually very similar type of spot with a bad start
on their offense. They played the Jags in that spot,
a worse Jacks team, they beat them, and that helped
to turn their season around. I just think it's a
(38:49):
really important game in the AFC South, Like this is
a really big game, especially for the Houston Texans, but
you could look at it the same way for the
Jags too, because they could put some distance in a
real well I think questions and hurt on where the
Houston Texans are as a team. If they can win
this game, I think.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
It's a you make a statement.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
More so maybe if you're the Jags on this, because
they've dropped twelve of the last fourteen to the Texans, right,
and obviously that's different regimes, right, So if you're the
new regime and you want to make it very clear
that things will be different. Now You've got to go
out and beat this Houston Texans team.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
The Texans.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Man.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
I watch their defense, and I think that's real freaking
football right there, Like that is real tough.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
That is deep February.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Excuse me, deep January, early February caliber physicality.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
That is real football.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
And then I watch the offense and they the same
problems that there were before.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
And I'm really.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Shocked because I fully expect and I know this that
Nick Cayley wants to build in outlets and wants to
run quick passes and quick throws, and I know that
the receivers are hurt, but I know he wants to
bring some of this Patriots he kind of, you know,
help for the quarterback and get the rhythm going and
stay ahead in the down and mitigate pressure and do
(40:08):
all of these things help the offensive line which just
still looks totally embattled. And I'm sure Seth Pain is
like popping a vein in his forehead every time he
watches this group. Yet again, I know that they want
to do all these things. Screen development that helps with
your zone runs. You can call that an extension of
your zone runs, and still take pressure off the quarterback,
And I know not having Joe mix and hurts, and
I know having the receivers hurt that they you know,
(40:30):
that they're working with that they wanted to be working
with hurt hurts them. But they have to find answers
and they have to do it quick because this is again,
like you mentioned it, Greg, another zero and two start,
where the same problems with the quarter not with the quarterback,
but with the system around the quarterback and with the
cast around the quarterback are hurting the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
And maybe the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Is having to do a little bit too much, which
he wanted at the beginning of this season. But you
got to save that protect that guy from himself a
little bit.
Speaker 5 (40:59):
I'm willing to look past it and place the blame
on the schedule. I think Rams defense, Bucks defense is
a very difficult way to start the season versus the
Jacksonville Jaguars, who have started against a team that's trying
to change some things, as well as a Bengals team
that loses their starting quarterback in the game.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
That's why I lean Houston in this one.
Speaker 5 (41:20):
And I know that you know, you folks want teams
in situations late in games with leads to be aggressive,
and we saw Monday night where that can go wrong,
where you end up having to have somebody chase a
quarterback after chasing somebody else looking the other way, and
then doing the same thing with Bucky Irving. Whereas this
Jags team, I just there was so much Brian Thomas
(41:44):
Junior conversation this week and break down. Should we listen
to what Coach Cohen had to say a conversation about
conversations with BTJ because I have some data.
Speaker 6 (41:56):
Just think anybody on this team, nobody was pleased with
the outcome, right, and we have some good conversations, really
good conversations, and everybody was frustrated. But at the end
of the day, he's got a great opportunity to bounce back,
as does the rest of our team, and feel really
confident about that.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
Okay, what I have here for the viewers on YouTube
as well as the folks the folks watching is a
look at some Brian Thomas Junior routes from the successful
weeks for Brian Thomas Junior from last season. Do you
guys notice anything about the direction that these routes are going.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Yeah, they're all breaking in.
Speaker 5 (42:33):
Yeah he's breaking in, But He's doing a lot of
deep stuff and a lot of breaking out. So that
was this season, as Jordan notes the in breakers. Let's
look to last season and this is not Matt Jones propaganda.
This is where Brian Thomas Junior was running and a
lot of these places where he's trying to make catches
in traffic, that's not where Brian Thomas Junior was successful.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Yeah, I'd like to see Brian Thomas Jr.
Speaker 5 (42:56):
In space on the outside, making plays, not necessarily utilizing
him like a tight end.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
Hopefully they do that. But I'm still picking the Texans
because I do think they're the better.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Yeah, I think their two extremely talented wide receivers are
not playing with a ton of confidence. The postgame interview
with Brian Thomas Junior was sad. Actually, the two saddest
press conferences I've seen this year, I think our CJ.
Stroud and Brian Thomas Junior, because CJ just wears his
emotion on his sleeve and he's frustrated and he's bummed
about what is happening right now. And Brian Thomas Junior
(43:25):
was asked about his confidence and he just answered it
very softly, and he has struggled, and we've talked about
this during the preseason since like day one of training camp.
For whatever reason, him and Trevor have not been on
the same page. He's been dropping a lot of passes,
like from training camp into preseason, into the regular season,
and then with Travis Hunter, it does seem like the
game is coming at him a little fast where they're
(43:47):
having a manufacture touches, and to me, he looked a
lot more comfortable at cornerback. It did not take them
long to kind of change the plan that we heard
was going to be the plan. Because last week he
played forty five snaps on defense. I thought he looked good.
I went back and watched because I'm just a sick
of his coverage snaps, and he looked more fluid and
natural I thought playing cornerback wards right now, he almost
(44:08):
feels like a little bit of a gadget player on offense,
which is not what I expected.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
I have a theory.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
This is not reported, but it is a theory that
I have, and it comes from Liam Cohen's background and
who he came up with in under that like early
versions of that Sean McVay offense where you had Cooper
Cup and Robert Woods and what are they doing but
running a route chart, a heat map that looks a
lot like this, the first one that you showed of
what Brian Thomas Junior is being asked to do this year.
(44:33):
If that's not his game, that's fine. Multiple things are true.
It is fine to want and need a receiver like
that in your offense the way that you want to
run it. If you eventually want to make somebody you're
Chris Godwin, You're Robert Woods, to even your Cooper Cup,
to run as sort of that f player who can
be the mismatch and really kind of sell out the
way that we see a lot of the receivers in
(44:54):
those coaching trees do in the middle of the field.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
That's it's as a blocker. He is not that guy,
But it's.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Fine to want that. Well, it's also true that Brian
Thomas Junior is that's not where his gifts are and
he is so gifted in other areas. Now, this is
a theory, and I'm not wanting to speak out a
turn because I'm not in the game planning rooms, but
like it's maximizing if you have a player who's who
is not good at that and not good at anything else,
then that stinks. But Brian Thomas Junior is so gifted
(45:22):
at other stuff that that's where I'm failing to see
the logic here. And I would like to see players
maximize to where they are most talented. And I also
know that this offense, when those players have those responsibilities
that are complimentary, that's the highest functionality, right And so
I can understand trying to make it work or try
to see if it works, but you're also not going
to run Travis Hunter across the middle like that.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
You go about your system, it's it's about, you know,
getting the best out of your players because you know
a role Brian Thomas Junior is great in well so
Brian Thomas Junior yea like he was like a top
ten receiver as a rookie, kind of in a bigger
better Jamison William like year four, but he's year one role.
That's his role is freakazoid.
Speaker 4 (46:05):
And I think that's where you're seeing where this Jaguars
team is because again, the ideas are there. You know
that the scheme is there. But if it's a square peg,
round hole situation with a receiver who, like I said,
is very gifted in other areas and could build confidence
back in other areas. It is a sign that shows
this team still has some building to do. They still
need to build out their receiving corps, They still need
(46:26):
to build out the layers in the passing game that
Liam Cohen does want to have.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
And like I said, all.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
Of this is just a theory, but I feel like
it's them trying to place players into things that they
know work. It's just you don't quite have the full
a couple seasons of drafting, even two seasons of drafting
to be able to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (46:44):
And weirdly, throws to all the other receivers are incredibly effective.
Parker Washington's killing it. Yeah, Seommy Brown's killing it except
for dropping a touchdown that would have probably won the game.
And Breton String just killing it. So the running game
seems very cohesive. I think it gives them a chance.
I'm leaning Texans as well.
Speaker 5 (46:58):
Yeah, so, which ultimately meets in our other show, Cynthia
will beat us on a random last second Travis et
in touchdown. Let's go to our final game in the AFC,
where the Tennessee Titans and the number one Rod Pick
cam Warder playing host to the two to zero Indianapolis Colts,
who were favored about four and a half points. The
over under is forty three and a half. Tom McCarthy,
(47:20):
Ross Tucker and Amanda balionis Our dear friend is Paul, Yes,
the friend of the show.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Greg does dimes do it again?
Speaker 1 (47:29):
I think so? I think I think this is.
Speaker 4 (47:31):
The right matchup for quarterback Island Greg.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
That would be crazy. But if he plays like this
for a couple more weeks, yeah, I mean he's helping
to define the position so far with big time throws.
Now he has one of the highest rates of like
throwing to his first read in the league, which is
not shocking. If you're watching these games, they are scheming
up good plays. But what I think has gotten lost
is so many of his great plays have been under pressure.
(47:55):
Is that sustainable? I don't know, but he's dropped some dimes.
If you watch the very first play of last week's game,
it was one of the best throws I think Daniel
Jones has made under pressure, moving to his left like
fine Josh downs down the field while Zach Allen is
like digging into his chest and that's like a soft
layered throw. That's one aspect of what Daniel Jones is
(48:18):
doing well. On his very last throw of the game,
third and six, gotta have it under pressure again, he
hits Tyler Warren in stride to get the first down.
For some reason, Shane Stiken decided to stop playing football
at that point. It should have cost him the game.
It was the worst coaching move of the week. I'm
sick of like results deciding how we look at it.
(48:39):
It was an insane turtling up of Shane Steiken at
that moment. But you know what, I look at that
third and seven and think that is growth from Daniel
Jones and ultimately, like I am trusting all the people
around him, the system, the organization, the players around him
to carry him.
Speaker 5 (48:54):
This week, Dimes has killed the blitz this season. Right,
The Tennessee Titans were one of the list blitz rate
teams in the NFL. There's familiarity here with the Shane
Steikin situation. I'm I'm feeling good about Cam Warred getting
his first win, so yeah, I was. I heard those
Survivor music, Greg, I thought, I thought you might be
willing to lock up the cults here.
Speaker 3 (49:15):
Quarterback Island music.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
Oh it's pretty much the same music. But I'm glad
you brought that up. I was gonna save it for
the end of the show. I did forget to pick
a Survivor team this week. It's not being Annapolis Colts.
The idea it's in the name is to survive and advanced,
to just keep going. And so I'm taking the team
(49:37):
playing the Browns once a time.
Speaker 3 (49:38):
Are you looking at me when you were the.
Speaker 1 (49:40):
Green Bay Packers? Now I've loved your picks last two
and now shows me you're taking it seriously. But I'm
taking the Packers. I am not taking the Colts. I
could see that happen. That is very much a Week
three result, like Titans getting their first win, Colts coming
back to Earth, even if I'm not ready to pick it.
Speaker 4 (49:56):
First of all, I've always taken this Survivor picks thing seriously.
Just want to put that again on the record.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
You told me you weren't you didn't care at one point.
Speaker 3 (50:06):
That's you can't prove that.
Speaker 4 (50:07):
Also, So Patrick, I like the idea of like, I think,
way friskier than we thought they would be. Tennessee overall
team we knew kim Ward was going to be good.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
We hoped he would be good.
Speaker 4 (50:20):
He's even better, I think than a lot of people
on the outside we're expecting. But he'd been doing all
of this stuff since college, so we kind of saw
it coming.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
He looks awesome. His line does not.
Speaker 4 (50:30):
That could be a difference maker for him. But I
also think that the Titans defense, which has looked creditable
over the course of the first two games, where they
are deeply susceptible, is against the run. I don't know
that this bodes well against this particular Colts team. I
don't know that it bodes well for the Titans to
not give up a lot of points here.
Speaker 1 (50:52):
I know Daniel Jones is sucking up so much oxygen
that nobody's noticed. Donovan Taylor's leading the league in machine
and literally ran faster than any running back, any player
in the NFL since twenty twenty. It was Raheem Moster
name drop for the second time in this show that
had the fastest speed until that play by Jonathan Taylor
(51:14):
a week ago. And oh, by the way, Tyler Warning
is leading all tight ends in receiving.
Speaker 4 (51:20):
Two so it's crazy they're susceptible. The Titans are really
susceptible on sweeps and screens as well. We saw that
last week with Pukainakuo what he was able to do
for an explosive gain and then one hundred and fifty
rushing yards per game and the sixth highest explosive run rate.
Speaker 3 (51:34):
I don't think this is the Titans.
Speaker 4 (51:36):
Week, per se, but I do think they're still going
to be fun to watch, and I love that for them.
Speaker 1 (51:41):
I think it could be they've they've done well. I mean,
not that it really matters. These are the new coaches,
but in this rivalry somewhat over the years, and Brian
Allen kind of needs some positivity. The Titans fans are
getting a little restless. He's he's been in the middle
of some bad decision making processes in each of these games.
And they really built their team resource wise, and what
(52:04):
they talked about was important to them on the offensive line,
which has been a liability. That's always that's always a
red flag when you when your focus is struggling, you
gotta get worried. So we'll see fun little AFC South game.
We picked the survivor. We went through all fifteen games
and we laughed a little.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
I had fun I had a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (52:26):
I will be back in this feed on Thursday night
with my little buddy, Nick Chef.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
Little Buddy's gonna survive. Let's have little Buddy love.
Speaker 1 (52:36):
It is absolutely happening. We're getting a lot of comments.
That's just how I look at him, my little buddy.
So check us out Thursday night. We're gonna make it fun.
Bill's Dolphins. When you don't think that the game's going
to be great, that's when it's going to be great,
and that's when our performance is going to be great.
I'm sorry I didn't laugh Arder at the Tyler Dirton joke,
(52:57):
and then I'm a I'm a jerk.
Speaker 6 (53:00):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
We'll see you Thursday night, Bill's Office.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
M hm
Welcome to NFL Daily, where I'm still feeling conflicted about
skipping the Oasis concert a couple of weeks. I'm Greg
Rosenthal here in the Chris Westling podcast studio, very excited
to be talking about the six AFC games. Some include
the Lions. You know, it's if the AFC team is
(00:27):
at home, and yes, just to get it out of
the way there, Like I had, I had an end
to go to go to Oasis, but it and and
even like you know, good seats and what backstage and
all that, and it was the night before week one
and I was just like, eh, I don't really want to.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
That's that's how dedicated Greg Rosenthal is.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Well, they're also a band that if this concert was
on any day pretty much most days the rest of
the season that was you know, convenient, or the rest
of the year that was convenient, would love to go.
On the other hand, not a band I was like
obsessed with as a kid or anything. I will say
that I got like drunk consistently for the first time
with no parental supervision while listening to Live Forever on
(01:08):
repeat for like an entire weekend. But I'm not like
a mega fan.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I do love the picture you've painted.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, just a little a little gret you didn't go.
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Also, sorry to the listeners. I think I blew out
everyone's ear drums. Just that shocked though, Greg, I mean
and also I love Oasis. You could have passed that
good vibe.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
It wasn't well, it wasn't one of those things. I
don't think I could have. It was like, wow, this
is excluse a connection, I guess, but.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Wow, what a freaking flex.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
It's tricky though. It's okay. It's at the Rose Bowl.
It's gonna end at like twelve thirty, impossible to get
out of there. You're home by like one thirty. If
it was like if Kurt Cobaine was alive and it
was Nirvana, I was trying to think of a band
that would be coming like but I'm not passionate enough
at this age to do despite.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
A core memory.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
You know, yeah, well they were not going to play
live forever until like the you know, the end.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Maybe just maybe just go for the end.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
I don't know why I'm talking about this right at
the top of like the best game of the year
so far.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Because it's worth it. It's worth it. Yes, let's get
to our am.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Because you missed maybe the best, one of the best
concerts of the year.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
That's why a great game.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Could it be Oasis level? We'll find out.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
The Detroit Lions making their visit to the Baltimore Ravens,
who are favored about four and a half points. The
over under is fifty one and a half. In the
last few seasons the Lions have had this opportunity to
play against the Baltimore Ravens. It has not gone well.
But maybe John Morton could be the one to save
the Lions. Greg Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Lisa Salters
and Laura Rutledge on the call for Monday Night Football.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Is John Morton the answer? Do they beat the Ravens?
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I mean, are you just pouring a little salt good?
That was so good? That was that was amazing.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
I see what you did. Also, thank you very you
guys really brought it this show.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
I also think that in the lab. Yeah, like the NFC,
that was fine. We bring out the great stuff for
the AFC. I sense a little bit of confidence here
for the Baltimore Ravens. Patrick Claybhn's team. I'man into this matchup. No,
you just kind of mentioning how the Ravens blew the
doors off them previously. It almost feels a little tongue
(03:19):
in cheek that, like, oh, John Morton could be the
difference I.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Needed to make the Oasis reference. That's all that was.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
No, I've never competent that can beat anybody, that can
lose to anybody.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
I do like the matchup has worked for them, that
they did a few things defensively that scrambled Jared goff
Springs in the past. Now we're going back to twenty
twenty three for that last game, which it's been a minute.
And I do think they're catching them at the right
time of year. I do think about this. Right now,
these teams are so different than how they'll be in December.
(03:51):
The Ravens are a perfect example of that. No team
has more consistently improved, especially on defense late in the
season than the Ravens. And I do have questions about
their defense. Think this could be a shootot, but I
just don't know if the Lions defense is ready for
a game like this.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
No, And I think because right away we've seen questions
emerge about their front, not just their pass rush, but
their run defense and the way that they handle different looks,
different layers in that in those phases. And on the
other side, Jared Goff is playing settled, confident football and
John Morton what he is doing more than I guess
he would who must not be named in Detroit now
(04:27):
who just came and went to a cacophony of booze
he you know.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
John Ben Johnson, Ben Johnson.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Which by the way, Jared Goff did condemn that, because
that's that's a classy guy right there. And it's interesting
he's he's more settled, I think because they're they're putting
him in play action a little bit more. Ben Johnson
already used it at like a thirty percent rate with
Jared Goff in previous seasons, but it's even more now
under John Morton. And that's that's really going to settle
him down early. And I just I just think, like
(04:57):
to your point, Greg, I think this is going to
be a points game, lots of points on both sides.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
Well, considering the way things have gone for for this
Ravens team, especially defensively early, I think there were some
positives to take away from the opener. You learned a
little bit more about how to deploy the defense, and
I think that came out uh in you know, not
as much jaire in the gaming.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Not any rights.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Yeah, significantly less giant for the for the Ravens in
the secondary. And this is this is that that opportunity
to show how much you've improved in terms of past defense,
not just past coverage, but but the rush as well.
And this this Lion's secondary, especially when you because I
always mentioned both Kirby and Brian branch And being two
(05:45):
of the best safeties in the NFL, where it's tough
to get the types of deep explosive plays that the
Ravens have kind of relied on in the run game
and the past game where you're going to have to
have consistent uh first downs and consistent like short to
intermediate gains where they're going to make you earn it.
And Baltimore will see if they can do that.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yeah, I think the only way the Lions win this
game is a shootout. And so even though I'm almost
looking past the defense because the pass rush is so
one dimensional, it's just dayon Hudginson. I mean, Marcus Davenport
had the most Marcus Davenport play of all time, which
is that he got hurt on a sack and you
don't want to be like mean to the guy. But
(06:26):
Saints fans went through and Lions fans have now too
that you just he can't stay on the field. He
ended up finishing out that game until hopefully he's there.
But you're essentially starting two players who act like nose
tackles in the middle of your line, and if you're
not great at stopping the run with that, you're giving
up so much as a pass rush. And I did
Mina Kimes's podcast this week, she pointed out that the
(06:47):
Lions have have always gone so far, it's a small
sample size to base personnel when the other team plays
two tight ends and so you're thinking about Angeloni on
the field and Derek Barnes on the field and kind
of the speed missmap if the Ravens do get Isaiah
likely back, which it's s trending towards.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
Yeah, And that's why I say points points, points, because
the Ravens have so many changeups in their offense, and
I just think that the Lions so far, you know,
also had to you know, replace a coordinator. And Calvin
Sheppard was more excited than anybody I think to hold
Caleb Williams to what they did, and I really appreciated
all of the sideline shots of him, and I think
that's a confidence boosting game for them. But this is
(07:25):
a confidence killing game for them, and I think for
the for the Ravens defense as well. It's a scary
one because the Lions offense is rolling right now. They
look we were waiting for them to look quote unquote Lions,
right they look Lions now of what we know them
to be over the last you know, couple of years
under Dan Campbell and whoever is coordinating that offense. And also,
(07:46):
you know, this is a tough challenge for the Ravens
on the defensive side, but it also is such a
tough challenge for the Lions defense because of all of
the layers both teams can deploy and all of the
different like math problems to solve.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Here, you mentioned Kelvin Sheppard. I'm going to put you
on the spot here. While we were watching the games
on Sunday, I noted to you that Kelvin Shepherd was
involved in one of the most one sided franchise changing
one for one trades in NFL. I would say in
this century in the last decade plus or so. You
(08:21):
can't google it.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Although the question the questions for Jordan's zone.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Yeah, that's fair. No, don't lean back. I said who
it was. Who was Kelvin Shepherd who is now a
defensive coordinator, traded for that player was still in the
NFL as of last year.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Amazingly as of last year. Oh my gosh, you are
putting me on the spot. You also are assuming I
listened to anything you said to me while we were
watching Cays.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
Totally fair.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
That's a big key.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Tell Greg, it's Jerry Hughes, just an underrated player who
the Colts thought was a little bit of a bus
traded to the Bills and off he went into a
Hall of very good season. That's that's in a side.
But that's what we can do here when we're giving
every team just a little extra love.
Speaker 5 (08:59):
Yeah, the space, you know, extual love and an opportunity
for some tough love. Because harry On Arnold bit on
a double move from Romo Dounze. Teams have been attacking
him and you know, would like to see a little
bit more out on the coverage side, because as evidenced
by three catches this season for new Hopkins could have
(09:20):
been three touchdowns if one wasn't down at the one
inch line. It's it's our really first chance to see
a designated guy who can fight for the ball and
play the ball in the air, playing with Lamar, and
Lamar's taking advantage for that because it's really just been
Mark Andrews and no one else Isaiah likely in spots,
but at the wide receiver position.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
This is the best hands Lamar has ever played with.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
It's crazy that Hopkins has three jaw dropping catches, all
of which should have been touchdowns. He was like a
half yard shore on one of them. And he's only
played twenty eight snaps this year. Like if you just
watch the highlights, you would think like he's out there
all the time. They got a problem. They have too
many like mouse to feed. Mark Andrews has no product,
Rashad Bateman doesn't really have much production. Za Flowers is
(10:04):
taking a nice leap, I think in terms of being
a complete receiver, but it's almost like they have they
have too many weapons. The only problem is keeping them
all happy and sharing the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
We got to talk about our guy, Greg because you
talked about nukes.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Twenty eight snaps a guy who's had twenty offensive snaps
but keeps making great plays.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Isaac to slow You mean Isaac Newton? Why is that
defying gravity?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yes, I was.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Gonna say, because he's the gravity will eventually draw the fenders.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
You even brought an apple in today. You know I
had to make.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
You know, did he? He damilar story that I two
for two?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Both insane.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
Now. I don't know when he played because obviously some
of it was at the end of the second quarter,
but he did bump it from just a handful of
snaps to seventeen. So that's on the right.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
Pa. He's on pace to pace play six thousand STAPs
in again.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Uh, he is on pace to have like a touchdown
for every catch he has in his entire career. And yeah,
last week was a reminder that you can stack up
all these different offenses. The Lions have more great players
than you do. Even the Raps. I think as good
as a moon Rah Luck last week, as good as
Jamiir Gibbs is. They tried to run outside a little
more last week, which I think was really effective, Like
(11:11):
he was just out the shoot on some of those
like outside zone and trap plays.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
It totally took the teeth out of that Bears defense.
Speaker 4 (11:17):
Right.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
You have Jamison Williams, who I think is just coming
into his own. Laporte is still great, and so it's
all about players. My question is just kind of like,
is their interior line ready to win like a forty
one to thirty eight game like or will they make
some sort of mistake at some point, giving up like
a force fumble to mad Week or Travis Jones something
like that changes the game.
Speaker 5 (11:38):
Let's get to our next AFC home matchup. It is
an all AFC battle. The Pittsburgh Steelers were favored by
one and a half points, with Aaron Rodgers at the
New England Patriots and Drake May the over under forty
four and a half. I an eagle JJ Watt Evan
Washburn on the call. Will let Greg discuss his team,
but we'll start with you as as you Jordan, what
do you think it takes place here?
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Less mistakes wins here because the Pittsburgh Steelers were defined
by two massive, massive mistakes that completely altered the game,
one of them being the Aaron Rodgers interception where he
was very quick. In the little slow Moll replays of
the discussion after that play to point out where the
receiver should have run even though he threw it into
(12:22):
double coverage on that play, and also the special teams
gaff Caleb Johnson not running after the ball and even
just kicking it out of the end zone. The Seattle
Seahawks being able to fall on that for a massive
point swing that led to seventeen unanswered in that period
that to completely changed the game for the Steelers. They
(12:42):
were the dominant team throughout most of the first half
of that game. The defense was really coming to life.
Then they lost Alex Heismith, and then the mistakes started happening.
And so I think with this one, fewer mistakes.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Wins the two very sloppy teams so far. Not shocked
that the steel are favored here, but two teams I'm
not sure what to do with Josh McDaniels Mike Tomlin.
This would be a revenge game for Mike Tomlin. McDaniels
has had some of Mike you know, Tomlin's worst moments.
Josh McDaniels was on the other side coordinating. I mean,
(13:15):
I think that Tom Brady was probably a bigger factor
in those games than than Josh McDaniels. But I did think, yes.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Marius Thomas, you know, may rest in peace, all right?
Was that was? That was? That was McDaniels right in
the playoffs against Mike Tomlin.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Did he make t Did he make the playoffs? I
think they were on a different coach by them or
am I am I crazy?
Speaker 2 (13:36):
No, I may be misremembering that.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
I we will check that. The research is looking it
up right now. I'm thinking more of like the AFC
Championship games all that sort of stuff. Look, they do
have a little bit of a predictable defense in terms
of what they run, and I think they have more
personnel problems right now because of injuries than usual and
because of usage like Keanu Benton as a nose tackle
(13:58):
is not working. You're running through the middle of this defense.
You mentioned Heismiths gone, Derek Harmon's gone. Their you know,
their first round pick Patrick Queen is over running plays.
They are twenty seventh in DVO eight. I know it's
two weeks, but they haven't exactly faced a murderer's row
of offenses here with Seattle and the Jets. They've looked
completely undisciplined, kind of like the Patriots defense. On the
(14:20):
back end, like these have been two bad defenses to
start the year, eighteen.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Point two percent misstackle rate, like almost one of the
membery five times the Steelers have an opportunity to miss
to make a tackle, they missed the tackle. Yeah that
was John Fox that was coaching for the Denver Broncos
in that game against the Steelers.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
But I guess we'll give Josh was like Joshganos didn't
have any good times there. The only good time was
getting to five and zero his first year and beating
the Patriots in primetime and then losing almost every game
after that.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
But the Patriots.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
It's I lean Steelers in this matchup because I look
at that game against the Miami Dolphins team that were
all kind of circling like vultures watching trying to pick
players that would be good contributors elsewhere like trade deadline is.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
I like the.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Patriots were huge Dolphins mistakes like pick one, and the
Dolphins win that game to the extent where I just
wouldn't feel comfortable of picking the Patriots in this.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
Aaron Rodgers versus the pass rush is really interesting to
me because that the Patriots pass rush has been good
in both weeks. Milton Williams has been fantastic.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Look like they paid the right guy, right.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Yeah, Christian Barmore has been a little quiet, but Harold
Landry's making plays. I thought Calebon Chason had a good
game last week. They have a really high pressure rate,
you know, one of the highest in the league without
having a high blitz rate, and yet they're giving up
chunk play after chunk play because everything in the secondary
is terrible. Christian Gonzalez might be returning this week, but
(15:47):
it's more than one player can solve everything. I mean,
it'll help a lot, but they you pick a safety
or a linebacker and they're playing badly.
Speaker 4 (15:56):
But Aaron Rodgers is not throwing the ball down the field,
and I think that helped. It's the Patriots case. It's
not just getting Christian Gonzales back. But if you're a
team giving up chunk plays, you do kind of want
to play this at least statistical version of Aaron Rodgers
who is not throwing the ball down the field despite
the enormous amount of play action and massive you know,
people on the perimeter. And DK Metcalf, for example, who
(16:18):
was the most successful play of the game was throwing
like sort of a low fade, you know, jumper to
DK Metcalf for a touchdown, and then the two point conversion, you.
Speaker 1 (16:28):
Know, lining up Darneaul Washington, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Lining up Darnel Washington on the outside and basically saying
you're taller than everyone else here. Let me throw it
up really high and you come down with.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
It like that.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Is that those were the only really truly successful looking
plays of this game, and it took them, you know,
piece by piece by piece to get down there in
the first place.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
I'll defend Aaron Rodgers a little bit in point out.
He's had a few throws every in each game that
were awesome. I mean, he had one on his first
throw of the week last week, which was on a penalty. Ultimately,
for I think the Steelers, none of it mattered. Was
up there with the best throws anyone's made all season
on the run, like fifty yards down the field. He
(17:08):
can still do it. It's just that for a guy
who doesn't want to get hit like he sure is
getting hit a lot. Their offensive line's been bad. It's
a bad combination of he's getting hit, he's taking a
lot of sacks, his time to throw is very low
and he's not throwing it deep, so it's like this
safe offense where you're still having all these bad things happen.
I actually don't think that's all on him, but I
(17:30):
don't know if he's going to be the guy to
fix it.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
And he's getting rid of the ball fast and the
targets are close to the line of scrimmage, as Jordan
pointed out. But when there is a little bit of
glimpses of Rogers extending plays, things have gone the wrong way.
And I think that could be attributed to a lack
of cohesion and opportunity for these guys to play together,
like in the play where Calvin Austin gets in the
way of a ball that I believe was intended for
(17:53):
Pat Friyarmouth and ultimately gets picked off after like both
of them had a chance, Like they're both in the
same place, like they're in the scramble drill and they
run to the same spot. I think things could ultimately
get better, But it is a little bit of a
positive yeah, to say that Rogers is moving around and
extending plays a little bit, not that he's doing it
a whole bit.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And it won't I don't think the defenders are just
going to be in the way like you know for
the Patriots that they were for the Seahawks. Sorry, I'm
a little down right now. I just watching these linebackers.
These linebackers have to earn that week. I'm testing out
a theory. I only said that once and it was
by mistake. Robert Splane is a guy they gave a
(18:32):
lot of money to. I mean, he looks like he's
in slow motion. And then they're playing Christian Ellis, who
was a special teamer who was our friend Bo Wolfe's
maybe favorite Philadelphia Eagle of all time. He literally just
couldn't make the Eagles fifty three, like he wasn't good
enough to. And he's starting and playing every snap and
(18:54):
they look like they're playing in the nineteen nineties and
like the rest of the game is happening around him.
I feel like a little bit at their safety. They
have a rookie, Craig Woodson too, who hasn't been bad.
But it gives me a theory about Rabel, and the
theory is that Rabel leans on players that remind him
of Patriots teammates. Now, I can't give the one to
(19:16):
one like comparison, But these guys just seem like they
should have been on the early two thousands Patriots, you
know what I mean, Like Robert Splaine would be like
the new Ted Johnson or something like that. But football
is different now, and it's like it's passing them by.
Maybe yeah, and so are quarterbacks.
Speaker 4 (19:31):
You know.
Speaker 5 (19:32):
Maybe the Patriot way for Aaron Rodgers was having good
cohesive teammates the whole time and not being surly in
interviews for no reason.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
By the way, I've successfully not gotten too excited about
Drake May's near perfect game last week. I don't know,
I know it wasn't flashy, but it was near perfect.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
I feel like you bringing it up just now reveals
how excited you actually no.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I about it, and I could see on Patrick's face.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
I want to see it again. Last thing on this
game we should move on, is I did think it
was a good sign. They ran a completely different game
plan game two to game one. Maybe it's learning the personnel.
Maybe it's Josh McDaniel's kind of doing what he does
and having it like a versatile offensive scheme.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
And Drake May had a rushing touchdown. He was back
scrambling again, which he did so good last season, didn't
really do it in the first week of the season two.
Our next game to Cleveland, where the Browns play hosts
to Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers, who are
favored by eight and a half points.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Deel Fredder is forty two and a half.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Carrol, I mean, excuse me, Kevin Coogler and Moose Johnson
Johnston on the call, Greg, is this the end? In
the final starting game for Joe Flacco in twenty twenty five?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
Now, I'm surprised this has been such a question. I
think they're going to have more patients. And I also
think at Joe Flacco's age, if you get one really
good performance followed by one really bad performance all season,
that's like a that's under part, like that's good, that's
better than you could possibly expect. And that's what's happened
(20:58):
the first two week. So I wouldn't be surprised if
he comes out and he looks as good as you
could expect against a Packers defense that is so far
made you know, some young quarterbacks look terrible this season.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Yeah, I love this Packers defense.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
Jeff Hafley is all the way in his bag, the
way that he used Micah Parsons in primetime just to
completely change responsibilities for blocking and change the math and
moving him all over the place. He only played forty
four of sixty five defensive snaps. I expect that number
to keep increasing as he gets his feet under him.
We forget when we watch him on the field with
(21:35):
how great he looks that he actually missed the entirety
of training camp and did not have the same ramp
up period as everyone else. He is absolutely itching to
get on the field floor. He's been very clear about.
Speaker 1 (21:46):
That on that, Like, do you ever wonder if like
training camp is just very overrated the way everyone talks
about it, because quinch On Duwkins, for instance, like literally
is a rookie that's never practiced with his team, and
he signs with them and practices for the first time.
I guess he was there in Ota on Thursday, and
then he plays like a full game on Sunday, and
then you know what I mean, like they somehow managed
to like get up to speed pretty quick.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I don't think training camp is overrated.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
No.
Speaker 5 (22:10):
I think that I'm on record is, yeah, I think
a certain positions in certain situations, as long as you
used properly.
Speaker 1 (22:17):
Yeah, it's a little over because they make it sound
like it's so big, but then you miss the whole thing.
And when they show up from these hold outs, then
Jamar Chase is playing like five days later, and you
know he looks great.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But this is a guy who's supposed to take them
to the Super Bowl playing off a like off like
being completely cold, off of laying on a training table. Yeah,
I want him to ramp up a little bit when
you cannot physically contact people in regular season practices. But yes,
to the point, I do think that, and I know
that I am definitely going to hear from people on
this because my error. I forgot to include the Packers
(22:47):
as one of the top five defenses I believe are
going to stay in our last episode.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
And I don't know which order that.
Speaker 4 (22:54):
These will publish, but I will say the Packers are
very much one of those teams for me one and two.
With the Chargers right there, this is such a fun
group to watch. Jeff Hafley is already getting the whisper treatment.
Oh how long are we going to keep him from
the local reporters out there? This is such a fun defense,
not just because of the talent on the roster, but
(23:16):
the way that he is finding ways to maximize every
player on this roster, even when there are questions about cornerback.
Speaker 3 (23:24):
This is just really a fun group to watch.
Speaker 5 (23:26):
And some guys have maximated, maximized their opportunity, like Kishawn Nixon,
who is such a big part of that.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
What are they going to do?
Speaker 5 (23:32):
Five targets at Kishaw Nixon on Thursday Night football, five
passes broken up, like the guys that were there have
raised the.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Level of their game.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
And I'm wondering because I said it, as soon as
Miles Garrett requested a trade, the Packers should put together
an offer. And it is my conspiracy theory. Not really,
it's the same, but it's my head canon that they
take that offer that would have gone to the Cleveland
Browns for Miles Garrett and send it within their draft
to the Dallas Hey, Jerry, here, you're frustrated with this guy,
(24:02):
and now Miles has to look across the field. I
love it, all of this. This could be your life,
but you elected to stay with me.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
It's true because we mentioned Fred Warner might be the
defensive player of the Year earlier, I would vote Miles Garrett
through two weeks. It's silly to just point out that
Miles Garrett is great, but like he's been so unstoppable
these two weeks. He's you know, he's got four sacks
and they were like they're flashy sacks too, but his
run stuffs are like leading the league as well. He
(24:29):
is just always in the backfield and he will be
playing against most likely a rookie right tackle in Anthony Belton,
who struggled a little bit in his first start. If
they don't get Zach Tom back, And you're right, he
has to be a little sick thinking about it because
I don't think it would have even would it have
cost as much it was before the draft, h I think, yeah,
(24:50):
it would have been pretty pretty similar. And instead Michael Parsons,
like Brett Favre once did, is just like getting people jobs.
You know, he got Dan Quinn a job and now
he'll get Jeff a job because like, none of this,
none of this, it's all true what you're saying, Yeah,
but also none of it would happen if you didn't
add you know, the second or you know, best player
in the league. I would say these are the two best.
Speaker 4 (25:10):
But I would say this defense was already gonna be
good coming into it, and I think he just what
I love about the way that Micah Parsons fits with
this group is he because of the attention he commands
and because of the way he can move around. And
like I said, Jeff Hafley's looking at this like a
giant math equation as well of skill sets and where
(25:30):
people can win and what blocking is going to happen.
They're using Micah Parsons the way they're moving around the field.
It's the way that offensive coaches use motion players to
get defenses to declare whether they're in man or not.
He's doing the exact same thing. The way that he
moves Michaeh Parsons around the field gets the offense to
declare what they're blocking strategy is. It is freaking cool
(25:51):
to watch. And what it does is it lifts everybody else.
It gives everybody else more opportunities to win because they
know the answer before the test even starts. And that
is really cool because this was already going to be
a great, great, really good defense. Now it can be
a transcendent defense because they also have the answers before
the quarterback does.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
Right I think he's just like a he's a one
to one and like that he could be so successful
in all of those spots. So I don't think we're
going to learn that much about them. Unfortunately though, this week,
because the offensive line for the Browns is sneaky bad.
That was one of the things that you really liked
about the Browns during the Stefanski era, and the tackle
position is no longer nearly a strong. Joel Buttonio is
(26:31):
out of practice, so it's such a mismatch. Actually, think
on the other side, there is some interesting football to
be seen because the Browns defense has played pretty well.
They're especially good against the run. They Josh Jacobs is
trying to get going. This will be a tough team
to do it against. I mentioned Miles Garrett and then
just the advanced nature of Jordan Love this season. I
was listening to a podcast with Logan Paulson, the former
(26:53):
Commanders player, called Take Command. As we all know, decided.
Speaker 6 (26:58):
To really go ahead and start Take Command.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
And yes, that's just an excuse to get that in there.
I listen to him point out he was talking about
how like in the first drive of that game last week,
Jordan Love had three like check with Me's on the
first drive of the game, built into the you know,
game plan on a short week, and he was just saying,
that's not normal, Like you need to have like that
(27:24):
just wouldn't happen in most situations. You need to have
an offensive group that has been together a while and
a veteran quarterback. Which it's weird to think Jordan Love
has a veteran quarterback, but he has been in that
system his entire career, and all the players around him
have been in that system their entire career, and so
they're just like operating at like a week fourteen to
fifteen level where most teams are just you know, gearing
(27:47):
up in like late preseason and stuff. So when they're
on offense, it'll at least be a little interesting. All right,
let's take a quick break and we will be back
to wrap up our exciting journey through the AFC.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
We're back on NFL Daily.
Speaker 5 (28:04):
The NFL International Games return to NFL Network on September
twenty eight. Six games for cities Dublin, London, Berlin, and
Madrid snooze off game on for Sunday Morning Football only
on NFL Network, also streaming with NFL Plus subscription required
for NFL Plus visit plus dot NFL dot com per turn.
Speaker 6 (28:22):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (28:22):
I hear Patrick reading these promos on NFL Network all
the time. Fantasy Live Game day View, I'm like, I
want that on NFL Daily.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
It is good.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Give it to me, especially one that's near and dear
to my heart. I will be in Dublin next week,
jealous mention it a couple shows ago. Most of the shows,
including this one, will be taped here and then I'm
going to be flying over for the game doing a
live show by the way, with the Irish NFL Show.
I think there's some tickets available on Friday night, so
(28:51):
check that out. I think I'll be part of the
toksport coverage of the actual game if you want to
listen on the radio part of Sky Sports. And obviously
doing work doing all these shows, and will be still
still do an NFL Daily. We're not going anywhere. I
might just be in a little box and you guys
will wave to me, which will be a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
That won't be the gesture I will be making.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh how dare you? It is really exciting this same
year when when the international games start going.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
Yes, especially our friends in Ireland exceedingly jealous. Take care
of them, Gregg as I am sure that they will
take care.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
The expectations are high for this one. I feel like
the first Ireland game is going to be a banger.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
We got a banger here in the AFC West, the
Denver Broncos at the Los Angeles Chargers, who are two
and oh. They are favored by two and a half
points the over unders forty five and a half. You know,
it's a great game because the greatest of all time,
Kevin Harlan is on the call with Trent Green and
Melanie Collins Jordan do the Chargers get to three and oh?
Speaker 4 (29:54):
The biggest matchup and the coolest matchup possibly of the
week for me is in this game. It's the combination
of Sean Payton and bow Nicks, and that Broncos offense
and Jesse Minter, Diane Henley, Derwin James, and that amazing
Los Angeles Chargers defense that has been absolutely lights out
(30:18):
through the open to this season and this game, especially
how they move and countermove against each other from you know,
quarterback versus linebacker to offensive coordinator versus defensive coordinator on
opposite sides. This is gonna be so much fun for me.
This is going to be for me personally to watch,
and I'm hopefully well. I guess I won't have this game,
(30:41):
but I wish I did. And I really feel like
this is a test for bon Nicks because he has
been up and down over the course of the first
two weeks. He's had a little too much dip on
his chip and won I think, tried to make things
happen that weren't really there. And he's gonna be playing
against sort of this very cloudy match quarters cover two zone,
(31:04):
this shell defense that the Chargers really deploy with great effect.
Bonix against the zone is thirty eight for fifty four
three hundred and forty yards, two touchdowns but three interceptions.
And here's where it really starts to get interesting. He
takes two point eight four seconds time to throw on
average against the zone, so he's holding the ball a
little bit, trying to figure out what he sees. It's
not that he doesn't have outlets. When he takes the
(31:24):
underneath outlets and the options that are there for him,
it's five point eight are yards per attempt, and that's
what has led to this seventy point four percent completion percentage,
So it means it's the options are there and he
takes them. But when he doesn't trust when he's seeing,
that's when the turnovers happen and he is he will
guess wrong sometimes when he doesn't know what he's seeing
from these zone coverages. So it's all about what options
(31:47):
do you have, will he see them, will he take them,
or will he try to press.
Speaker 3 (31:50):
And do too much.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
I when I watched the Bonicks game against the Colts,
I expected a better overall performance than I saw. I
think Sean Payton got a lot open and Broncos fans
are very sensitive and they're asking for everyone that was
critical bon next week one? How are you saying sorry
week two? And then he throws, you know, a game
killing interception, and I thought overall he was uneven in
(32:12):
that game. And so sometimes I like to just check
and I actually do fine. In terms of like grading
the quarterback position, I don't mind. PFF is one part
of the equation. And I was shocked to see this,
but it backed up what I thought that it wasn't
like a great performance, it was actually their lowest bon
Nicks you know, graded passing game except for Week one
(32:35):
since last September, which kind of matched my eyes that
it felt like a September of last year bon Knicks
type of game. So I don't think he's out of
the woods yet. And this is such a great test.
You really said it all just testing his patients. This
is the defense that will test his patient.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
It will test his patients.
Speaker 5 (32:51):
I think that they were the beneficiary of a weird
performance by the Las Vegas Raiders because there's a with
Khalil Mack on the field for this team. And yeah,
like the players like Hnley's having a great season. He
had great season last year.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Yeah he did it.
Speaker 5 (33:06):
Still is one of the more the more dominating around
the line of scrimmage to tacklers and adjusters in the
league right now. But I think this is the moment
where if you're a Broncos team, you have to take
advantage of Khalil Mack being out for these four weeks.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
He's on injured reserve. He is. Yeah, we haven't mentioned
that on this show that he's expected to return this season.
Speaker 3 (33:26):
More news than they thought.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
Yeah, considered it like looking at him in the sling
and especially watching unfortunately looking at the replay.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
I thought that was going to be it for Khalil
Mack for the season.
Speaker 5 (33:34):
So that's good that he'll be back, but it's good
news for the Broncos that they don't have to contend
with him. And maybe we see bow Knicks get back
to where he excels in using his legs a little
bit more because that fell off and it hasn't been
back this season.
Speaker 2 (33:48):
I want to see bo Nicks run a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
I'm leaning Broncos here just because I have a hard
time like imagining a world where everything's going so well
with the Chargers with no can Tell I don't know
right it would be three and ohero with a two
game lead over the Broncos and the Chiefs after three
weeks and all the wins in the division. That would
be incredible. Khalil Mack, you know, being out hurts because.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Now that's the thing. But the Chargers thing.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
I was worried about their pass rush overall, but it
was good against the Raiders. Tully Bolowtu was fantastic in
that game. My biggest question in this game, other than
the one you pointed out with bo Nicks, is which
Patrick Stan do we get because he had an ankle
injury last week and he played through it. He only
missed I think one snap. It did not look good
and he didn't play well. He didn't look like Patrick
(34:37):
Sirtan after that. I think he gave up four or
five catches and some of them were down the field.
One was to Pittman, one was to Warrant and you
just you don't see that ever, like you didn't see
it once last season. So he just needs to be healthy,
I think, because I think that the defense is built
in some ways around Patrick Sirtan being a special player,
and there's every reason to believe he he will be
as long as he's healthy. It's more of a question
(34:57):
of is he one hundred percent?
Speaker 4 (34:58):
And you know who is playing really well all Quentin Johnston,
you know, So that'll be a challenge. And I also
expect the Chargers to start getting a couple of these
other players that the younger players, you know, going Trey
Harris and and you know Lad McConkie has been showing
up a little bit, you know, light lightning ladd as.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I don't know if they have room for Trey Harris
and KeAndre Lambertsmith, like maybe a little bit but they
got like Keenan Allen's I'm shocked.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
By right, No, that's how I was just That's what
I was just going to bring up. It'll be a
tough decision to make between these these corners in Denver
because keen Allen is playing like a much younger version
of Keenan Allen and he's playing like their one, like
their number one receiver. So this is going to be
super interesting, you know for the Denver Bronkers defense, who
is getting a lot of pressure. But you know, we'll
(35:44):
kind of just have to see because this Chargers offensive line,
despite all the shuffling that it's had, has looked pretty
dang good itself.
Speaker 5 (35:50):
Yeah, the benefit for Herbert and the Chargers offense is
when he's able to extend the play, which is healthy.
Justin Herbert is always going to do Keenan Allen knows
where to go. Yeah, right, And you know, as much
as we think of Lambert Smith and Trey Harris and
all that they have to contribute, like Keenan Allen will
forget more football today than those guys may learn ever,
and so like that veteran presence, and yeah, he still
(36:10):
looks good, like he's ability to run the routes is good.
And for Quentin Johnston, like he's always been able to
finish plays, but the great thing for me was to
watch him track that ball over the shoulder and then
finish the play like in that particular order and not
try to do one before the other. And it's just
it's so good and every like you said, Greg, everything's
(36:30):
going great for the charge.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
They compliment each other, right, Like this is a group
that compliments each other. I watched our friend Matt money
Smith does like an Instagram video after Chargers. Where do
you see him at the game? Oh? Right, And so
he's watching it. He's watching it, and he says, watching
those two guys lad and Keenan next to each other
(36:53):
because usually they're lining up on the same side depends on,
you know, on the play who's inside. Like, watching the
precision of the route running next to each other is
just incredible because they're two of the best at that
specific skill set in the entire league. And that I
think that has a little bit of a multiplying effect
and certainly is gonna calm down, I think justin Herbert.
(37:13):
So shout out to Money who, by the way, had
a flex on this ig video that he had gotten
back from the game around one point thirty. He was
taping the video around eight and he had already gone
surfing that morning, and his hair is wet, he's looking
looking all buff. You know, it's just everything's coming up
that much.
Speaker 5 (37:31):
Yeah, it's just dedicated to doing what he wants to do.
If he were in position to be backstage in oaysis concept,
I think Matt Redy Smith would have ultimately been there.
Two Jacksonville, Florida we Go where the Jags coming off
a rough one and a loss that they donated to Cincinnati,
playing host to the zero to two Houston Texans and
all the promise with two close losses, Jags favored by
(37:54):
one and a half, Greg the over unders forty three
and a half. Spirodidas Adam Marchioletta and Addikik Walla on
the call. Do the Jags bounce back after making a donation?
Speaker 1 (38:04):
Hmm, tough game to pick. I think the Jags have
definitely played better overall this season. I think they're well coached.
I think they're a little unlucky to be too and zero.
I also think their offense has room to grow and
it's already been good in that this is like a
really fascinating matchup, and yet there is something about I
(38:27):
don't know how my brain works that looks like beyond
the x's and o's and like just thinks like this
is a big spot for Damiico Ryans and CJ. Stroud
and this organization. They were zero and two last year
actually very similar type of spot with a bad start
on their offense. They played the Jags in that spot,
a worse Jacks team, they beat them, and that helped
to turn their season around. I just think it's a
(38:49):
really important game in the AFC South, Like this is
a really big game, especially for the Houston Texans, but
you could look at it the same way for the
Jags too, because they could put some distance in a
real well I think questions and hurt on where the
Houston Texans are as a team. If they can win
this game, I think.
Speaker 3 (39:06):
It's a you make a statement.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
More so maybe if you're the Jags on this, because
they've dropped twelve of the last fourteen to the Texans, right,
and obviously that's different regimes, right, So if you're the
new regime and you want to make it very clear
that things will be different. Now You've got to go
out and beat this Houston Texans team.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
The Texans.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Man.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
I watch their defense, and I think that's real freaking
football right there, Like that is real tough.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
That is deep February.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Excuse me, deep January, early February caliber physicality.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
That is real football.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
And then I watch the offense and they the same
problems that there were before.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
And I'm really.
Speaker 4 (39:47):
Shocked because I fully expect and I know this that
Nick Cayley wants to build in outlets and wants to
run quick passes and quick throws, and I know that
the receivers are hurt, but I know he wants to
bring some of this Patriots he kind of, you know,
help for the quarterback and get the rhythm going and
stay ahead in the down and mitigate pressure and do
(40:08):
all of these things help the offensive line which just
still looks totally embattled. And I'm sure Seth Pain is
like popping a vein in his forehead every time he
watches this group. Yet again, I know that they want
to do all these things. Screen development that helps with
your zone runs. You can call that an extension of
your zone runs, and still take pressure off the quarterback,
And I know not having Joe mix and hurts, and
I know having the receivers hurt that they you know,
(40:30):
that they're working with that they wanted to be working
with hurt hurts them. But they have to find answers
and they have to do it quick because this is again,
like you mentioned it, Greg, another zero and two start,
where the same problems with the quarter not with the quarterback,
but with the system around the quarterback and with the
cast around the quarterback are hurting the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
And maybe the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (40:51):
Is having to do a little bit too much, which
he wanted at the beginning of this season. But you
got to save that protect that guy from himself a
little bit.
Speaker 5 (40:59):
I'm willing to look past it and place the blame
on the schedule. I think Rams defense, Bucks defense is
a very difficult way to start the season versus the
Jacksonville Jaguars, who have started against a team that's trying
to change some things, as well as a Bengals team
that loses their starting quarterback in the game.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
That's why I lean Houston in this one.
Speaker 5 (41:20):
And I know that you know, you folks want teams
in situations late in games with leads to be aggressive,
and we saw Monday night where that can go wrong,
where you end up having to have somebody chase a
quarterback after chasing somebody else looking the other way, and
then doing the same thing with Bucky Irving. Whereas this
Jags team, I just there was so much Brian Thomas
(41:44):
Junior conversation this week and break down. Should we listen
to what Coach Cohen had to say a conversation about
conversations with BTJ because I have some data.
Speaker 6 (41:56):
Just think anybody on this team, nobody was pleased with
the outcome, right, and we have some good conversations, really
good conversations, and everybody was frustrated. But at the end
of the day, he's got a great opportunity to bounce back,
as does the rest of our team, and feel really
confident about that.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
Okay, what I have here for the viewers on YouTube
as well as the folks the folks watching is a
look at some Brian Thomas Junior routes from the successful
weeks for Brian Thomas Junior from last season. Do you
guys notice anything about the direction that these routes are going.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Yeah, they're all breaking in.
Speaker 5 (42:33):
Yeah he's breaking in, But He's doing a lot of
deep stuff and a lot of breaking out. So that
was this season, as Jordan notes the in breakers. Let's
look to last season and this is not Matt Jones propaganda.
This is where Brian Thomas Junior was running and a
lot of these places where he's trying to make catches
in traffic, that's not where Brian Thomas Junior was successful.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Yeah, I'd like to see Brian Thomas Jr.
Speaker 5 (42:56):
In space on the outside, making plays, not necessarily utilizing
him like a tight end.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
Hopefully they do that. But I'm still picking the Texans
because I do think they're the better.
Speaker 1 (43:03):
Yeah, I think their two extremely talented wide receivers are
not playing with a ton of confidence. The postgame interview
with Brian Thomas Junior was sad. Actually, the two saddest
press conferences I've seen this year, I think our CJ.
Stroud and Brian Thomas Junior, because CJ just wears his
emotion on his sleeve and he's frustrated and he's bummed
about what is happening right now. And Brian Thomas Junior
(43:25):
was asked about his confidence and he just answered it
very softly, and he has struggled, and we've talked about
this during the preseason since like day one of training camp.
For whatever reason, him and Trevor have not been on
the same page. He's been dropping a lot of passes,
like from training camp into preseason, into the regular season,
and then with Travis Hunter, it does seem like the
game is coming at him a little fast where they're
(43:47):
having a manufacture touches, and to me, he looked a
lot more comfortable at cornerback. It did not take them
long to kind of change the plan that we heard
was going to be the plan. Because last week he
played forty five snaps on defense. I thought he looked good.
I went back and watched because I'm just a sick
of his coverage snaps, and he looked more fluid and
natural I thought playing cornerback wards right now, he almost
(44:08):
feels like a little bit of a gadget player on offense,
which is not what I expected.
Speaker 3 (44:11):
I have a theory.
Speaker 4 (44:12):
This is not reported, but it is a theory that
I have, and it comes from Liam Cohen's background and
who he came up with in under that like early
versions of that Sean McVay offense where you had Cooper
Cup and Robert Woods and what are they doing but
running a route chart, a heat map that looks a
lot like this, the first one that you showed of
what Brian Thomas Junior is being asked to do this year.
(44:33):
If that's not his game, that's fine. Multiple things are true.
It is fine to want and need a receiver like
that in your offense the way that you want to
run it. If you eventually want to make somebody you're
Chris Godwin, You're Robert Woods, to even your Cooper Cup,
to run as sort of that f player who can
be the mismatch and really kind of sell out the
way that we see a lot of the receivers in
(44:54):
those coaching trees do in the middle of the field.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
That's it's as a blocker. He is not that guy,
But it's.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Fine to want that. Well, it's also true that Brian
Thomas Junior is that's not where his gifts are and
he is so gifted in other areas. Now, this is
a theory, and I'm not wanting to speak out a
turn because I'm not in the game planning rooms, but
like it's maximizing if you have a player who's who
is not good at that and not good at anything else,
then that stinks. But Brian Thomas Junior is so gifted
(45:22):
at other stuff that that's where I'm failing to see
the logic here. And I would like to see players
maximize to where they are most talented. And I also
know that this offense, when those players have those responsibilities
that are complimentary, that's the highest functionality, right And so
I can understand trying to make it work or try
to see if it works, but you're also not going
to run Travis Hunter across the middle like that.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
You go about your system, it's it's about, you know,
getting the best out of your players because you know
a role Brian Thomas Junior is great in well so
Brian Thomas Junior yea like he was like a top
ten receiver as a rookie, kind of in a bigger
better Jamison William like year four, but he's year one role.
That's his role is freakazoid.
Speaker 4 (46:05):
And I think that's where you're seeing where this Jaguars
team is because again, the ideas are there. You know
that the scheme is there. But if it's a square peg,
round hole situation with a receiver who, like I said,
is very gifted in other areas and could build confidence
back in other areas. It is a sign that shows
this team still has some building to do. They still
need to build out their receiving corps, They still need
(46:26):
to build out the layers in the passing game that
Liam Cohen does want to have.
Speaker 3 (46:30):
And like I said, all.
Speaker 4 (46:31):
Of this is just a theory, but I feel like
it's them trying to place players into things that they
know work. It's just you don't quite have the full
a couple seasons of drafting, even two seasons of drafting
to be able to make that happen.
Speaker 1 (46:44):
And weirdly, throws to all the other receivers are incredibly effective.
Parker Washington's killing it. Yeah, Seommy Brown's killing it except
for dropping a touchdown that would have probably won the game.
And Breton String just killing it. So the running game
seems very cohesive. I think it gives them a chance.
I'm leaning Texans as well.
Speaker 5 (46:58):
Yeah, so, which ultimately meets in our other show, Cynthia
will beat us on a random last second Travis et
in touchdown. Let's go to our final game in the AFC,
where the Tennessee Titans and the number one Rod Pick
cam Warder playing host to the two to zero Indianapolis Colts,
who were favored about four and a half points. The
over under is forty three and a half. Tom McCarthy,
(47:20):
Ross Tucker and Amanda balionis Our dear friend is Paul, Yes,
the friend of the show.
Speaker 2 (47:25):
Greg does dimes do it again?
Speaker 1 (47:29):
I think so? I think I think this is.
Speaker 4 (47:31):
The right matchup for quarterback Island Greg.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
That would be crazy. But if he plays like this
for a couple more weeks, yeah, I mean he's helping
to define the position so far with big time throws.
Now he has one of the highest rates of like
throwing to his first read in the league, which is
not shocking. If you're watching these games, they are scheming
up good plays. But what I think has gotten lost
is so many of his great plays have been under pressure.
(47:55):
Is that sustainable? I don't know, but he's dropped some dimes.
If you watch the very first play of last week's game,
it was one of the best throws I think Daniel
Jones has made under pressure, moving to his left like
fine Josh downs down the field while Zach Allen is
like digging into his chest and that's like a soft
layered throw. That's one aspect of what Daniel Jones is
(48:18):
doing well. On his very last throw of the game,
third and six, gotta have it under pressure again, he
hits Tyler Warren in stride to get the first down.
For some reason, Shane Stiken decided to stop playing football
at that point. It should have cost him the game.
It was the worst coaching move of the week. I'm
sick of like results deciding how we look at it.
(48:39):
It was an insane turtling up of Shane Steiken at
that moment. But you know what, I look at that
third and seven and think that is growth from Daniel
Jones and ultimately, like I am trusting all the people
around him, the system, the organization, the players around him
to carry him.
Speaker 5 (48:54):
This week, Dimes has killed the blitz this season. Right,
The Tennessee Titans were one of the list blitz rate
teams in the NFL. There's familiarity here with the Shane
Steikin situation. I'm I'm feeling good about Cam Warred getting
his first win, so yeah, I was. I heard those
Survivor music, Greg, I thought, I thought you might be
willing to lock up the cults here.
Speaker 3 (49:15):
Quarterback Island music.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
Oh it's pretty much the same music. But I'm glad
you brought that up. I was gonna save it for
the end of the show. I did forget to pick
a Survivor team this week. It's not being Annapolis Colts.
The idea it's in the name is to survive and advanced,
to just keep going. And so I'm taking the team
(49:37):
playing the Browns once a time.
Speaker 3 (49:38):
Are you looking at me when you were the.
Speaker 1 (49:40):
Green Bay Packers? Now I've loved your picks last two
and now shows me you're taking it seriously. But I'm
taking the Packers. I am not taking the Colts. I
could see that happen. That is very much a Week
three result, like Titans getting their first win, Colts coming
back to Earth, even if I'm not ready to pick it.
Speaker 4 (49:56):
First of all, I've always taken this Survivor picks thing seriously.
Just want to put that again on the record.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
You told me you weren't you didn't care at one point.
Speaker 3 (50:06):
That's you can't prove that.
Speaker 4 (50:07):
Also, So Patrick, I like the idea of like, I think,
way friskier than we thought they would be. Tennessee overall
team we knew kim Ward was going to be good.
Speaker 3 (50:20):
We hoped he would be good.
Speaker 4 (50:20):
He's even better, I think than a lot of people
on the outside we're expecting. But he'd been doing all
of this stuff since college, so we kind of saw
it coming.
Speaker 3 (50:28):
He looks awesome. His line does not.
Speaker 4 (50:30):
That could be a difference maker for him. But I
also think that the Titans defense, which has looked creditable
over the course of the first two games, where they
are deeply susceptible, is against the run. I don't know
that this bodes well against this particular Colts team. I
don't know that it bodes well for the Titans to
not give up a lot of points here.
Speaker 1 (50:52):
I know Daniel Jones is sucking up so much oxygen
that nobody's noticed. Donovan Taylor's leading the league in machine
and literally ran faster than any running back, any player
in the NFL since twenty twenty. It was Raheem Moster
name drop for the second time in this show that
had the fastest speed until that play by Jonathan Taylor
(51:14):
a week ago. And oh, by the way, Tyler Warning
is leading all tight ends in receiving.
Speaker 4 (51:20):
Two so it's crazy they're susceptible. The Titans are really
susceptible on sweeps and screens as well. We saw that
last week with Pukainakuo what he was able to do
for an explosive gain and then one hundred and fifty
rushing yards per game and the sixth highest explosive run rate.
Speaker 3 (51:34):
I don't think this is the Titans.
Speaker 4 (51:36):
Week, per se, but I do think they're still going
to be fun to watch, and I love that for them.
Speaker 1 (51:41):
I think it could be they've they've done well. I mean,
not that it really matters. These are the new coaches,
but in this rivalry somewhat over the years, and Brian
Allen kind of needs some positivity. The Titans fans are
getting a little restless. He's he's been in the middle
of some bad decision making processes in each of these games.
And they really built their team resource wise, and what
(52:04):
they talked about was important to them on the offensive line,
which has been a liability. That's always that's always a
red flag when you when your focus is struggling, you
gotta get worried. So we'll see fun little AFC South game.
We picked the survivor. We went through all fifteen games
and we laughed a little.
Speaker 2 (52:23):
I had fun I had a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (52:26):
I will be back in this feed on Thursday night
with my little buddy, Nick Chef.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
Little Buddy's gonna survive. Let's have little Buddy love.
Speaker 1 (52:36):
It is absolutely happening. We're getting a lot of comments.
That's just how I look at him, my little buddy.
So check us out Thursday night. We're gonna make it fun.
Bill's Dolphins. When you don't think that the game's going
to be great, that's when it's going to be great,
and that's when our performance is going to be great.
I'm sorry I didn't laugh Arder at the Tyler Dirton joke,
(52:57):
and then I'm a I'm a jerk.
Speaker 6 (53:00):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (53:01):
We'll see you Thursday night, Bill's Office.
Speaker 2 (53:10):
M hm
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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