October 8, 2025 • 53 mins
Gregg Rosenthal is joined by Jourdan Rodrigue and Patrick Claybon to preview the Week 6 NFC home games from around the NFL. The show starts with a look at 49ers at Buccaneers (02:30) followed by Cowboys at Panthers (12:30), Bears at Commanders (22:00), Bengals at Packers (30:38), Bills at Falcons (37:40), and Patriots at Saints (44:45).
Note: time codes approximate.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome back to NFL Daily, where the passage of time
is really just always on my mind, But especially when
Joe Flacco is traded to the Bengals and I think
back and think it's weird.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That that same.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Joe Flacco that I watched in the Super dum have
one of the best halves of football I've ever seen
any quarterback in any game have. It's the same guy, Like,
that same Joe Flacco is now the quarterback of this
and it doesn't seem like it's the same guy to me.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
No, But but here we are in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I don't know if it's a take or what.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
No, it's it's uh, it's not a take.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Like Joe Flacco was red hot, Like there was no
like during that stretch. You can make a case that
maybe he played better than like he was playing at
full Super Bowl level for three games.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
He played as well at quarterback in that stretch as
anyone year.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
The big maker, just sling maker Joe Flacco.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Seeing some of those like opposite hash throws that he
was doing against the forty nine, and then speaking of
like time messing with you, Like, doesn't it seem like
the Packers Cowboys game was like years roughly nineteen eighty four,
so like it doesn't even so long ago.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It was only we haven't seen them in a while.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Yes, and truly Orwellian ending as well that I am
not satisfied with, because that's a nasty taste to leave
in one's mouth for ten days.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
You know, fourteen days by the time we played Joe
Flacco for the second time this season.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Can't wait to discuss the Joe Flacco opportunity to go
back up against the Green Bay Packers once again. But
as we we will start this NFC preview with a
team that is one of the more fun teams in
the NFC to watch. I was, I was lost in
the rundown looking for them.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Where am I had to pull up a different sheet?
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Greg's on us.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Some of us may have wanted to just tease the
Joe Flackhu game early or didn't remember the order.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
No, I would love to discuss Joe, I could I
could have just done you a big and we could
have just done Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
That would have helped.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
That would have been much better.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I think it's better to point out my shortcoming.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
No, keep me humble, because I I legitimately assumed it
was me. Baker, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing
host to the San Francisco forty Nineers, who got an
improbable win with a with a injured roster at SOFI
Stadium on Thursday night. Uh, and now they have to
go all the way across to take on Baker in
(02:45):
the Bucks, who keep coming back and winning games. In
the fourth quarter, Bucks favored by three the over Rudders
forty seven and a half. It's a huge game. So
that's why Jim, Tony and Tracy are on the call.
It's the CBS one, and Greg Baker is is ballin
right though he.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Is playing so well.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
And I have been noticing a trend that the lines
have not been backing the Bucks.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Really, neither of you.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
No, because I think of the state.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think it's the same sort of logic that like,
if you add it all up, like, actually, they've looked
like more of a average team that's getting like a
little bit of luck at the end of these games.
And obviously the injuries are so big, and yet I
do feel differently about them now than I did before
because the whole thing of like their offense is so
banged up and this, and that's like, it's really not
that true anymore. Tristan Wurf's is back, yeah, and Tristan
(03:35):
Wurf's is the best player on their offense.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And they look completely.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Different with Tristan Wurf's at left tackle and Graham Barton
at center. And yeah, you miss Mike Evans, but they
have and you miss Bucky Irving too, but they have
more than enough offensive weapons and the biggest one of them,
I think is Tristan Worf's. So there's a lot to like,
really like about this team. Rownde into shape on offense.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Him being back, and yes, to your point, Graham Barton
at center is actually having also a positive effect way
the hell over on the other side of the offensive line,
where it's Heck and Haggard not looking Heck and Haggard,
you know, like looking better. That was a total accident I.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Planned.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
But I feel like this, this Tampa Bay offense is
so surprising in so many ways, and one of those
ways is the new heights that Emica ATBUCA seems to
reach every single week. And with that said, I have
my gavel, all right, please, ladies and gentlemen of the
(04:37):
court for this meeting of the Emica at Bouch Club.
Here are the club matters for the week. Emica Buka
went seven catches on seven targets for a career high
one hundred and sixty three yards and a touchdown against
Seattle Lex last week, and he's currently fourth among all
NFL receivers with four to forty five yards and Baker
(04:58):
Mayfield has a passer rating of one hundred and forty
five point three. Specifically when passing to him, you may
be seated.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Great meeting. Yeah, I'd like to add an addendum. He's
top five in yards per reception, like he wasn't supposed
to be.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
A great player, three yards to catch, top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Five and touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Sometimes the old regular stats are are helpful because you
know what, he's not high in his separation score. It
doesn't matter. There needs to be wide open. He's making
contested guys.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
He leads the NFL in tight window targets, including the
seeing eyeball against the Philadelphia Eagles. And if you felt
like that was fluky, he comes right back with this
performance where you see like you get a quarterback who
was willing to try anything at any given juncture to
get yards and a Mecha Buka is there for it,
and I'm excited for this matchup.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I'm going to stop like doubting the Bucks at this point.
They're gonna come back on the fourth quarter to win
this one again.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
But I also not doubting the forty nine Ers, especially
in this matchup. So we got to pick these games
for game debut.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
HM.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
My picks were a little chalky this week and that
might have impacted my upset pick in this one. But
the other thing to keep in mind, Patrick Okay, is
that Kyle Shanahan, He's got ownership of a couple coaches
out there.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's not just Sean McVay.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
If you look at this these Bucks forty nine Ers
games over the last three years, they have been one sided.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
And that was enough.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
And I know some of the scores were close, but
if you look at the yardage, they weren't close, and
the forty nine Ers won all the games.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That was enough for me to be.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Like, maybe Shanahan, with a little extra arrest, is gonna
do it to another coach that he kind of has
won over the years against Todd Gowles.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Perhaps even following a Shanna plan, much like Clint Kubiak.
His old protege just demonstrated on the circle of player
target the player we all love, Jacob Parrish. I am
really impressed by what Jason light has done this year
with this draft class, and Jacob Parrish has such a
promising future, but Seattle went after him. Clint Kubiak did
(06:56):
the old Kyle Shanahan circle of player target.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
The tell all those plays though, I just felt was
like great offense beating very good defense.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
And that's fine, right. That's that to me is what
this game will have to be. Because it is very
clear to me from watching last week's forty nine Ers
game that Kyle Shanahan trusts Mac Jones to throw it around.
I mean, yes, he's hitting the short yardage plays against
that rams softer zone. At the same time, Mac Jones
is not afraid to throw the football and a game
(07:25):
like that them coming through the game like that with
a win, to me, he's going to trust him to
try to execute this whole like the thing he always does,
which is try poke around, feel around the back of
a defense, feel around the middle of a defense, try
to see where the vulnerabilities might be. Now, I'm not
calling Jacob Parish of vulnerability. I think he's a great player,
great young player. But this Bucks defense has been back
(07:47):
and forth in terms of defending the pass. They've been
great against the run, defending the pass has been a
little bit up and down, and so I think that's
where Kyle Shanahan sort of like tries to circle different
guys on the whiteboard.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It's exactly the calling card that he's used, especially against
groups that have been dealt with some injuries for years,
and it's worked for him.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
And I think the circling though, to be able to
do it with Sam Darnold and the way he's throwing
the deep ball and Jackson Smith in Jigbo is a
little bit different.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, you're asking mac Jones, and.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
It's not confirmed that brock Perty's out, but they're reporting
from ESPN's Dan Graziano said it's unlikely Party plays this week.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I think it's not necessarily the high flying affair that
the Seahawks almost got the Bucks on last three, especially
looking over where the Bucks generates so much of their offense.
They get more run after the catch than anybody in
the league, versus the forty nine ers being so good
at preventing that with arguably the best player in football,
and Fred Warner back there preventing it. And you know
(08:45):
he's been so consistent in that that it kind of
gets lost sometimes how good Fred is playing. Where when
Devin Lloyd is having like this career resurgence, it's like
he's playing like Fred Warner.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Right, that's so good.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Like that's how good and how consistent he's been. And
I think they need him in this one.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I know Pier saw no Juwan Jennings at practice on Wednesday.
That's disappointing. You thought maybe with the extra rest and
we still have the rest of the week to go.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
And what you saw last to what you saw last week,
I thought they made the most of it. Now, it
was a worst secondary, I think, but but I think
and worst linebackers for sure, But I feel like they
made the most of Kyle Shanahan and company, made the
most of the group that they had last week, and
their defense played well too.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I've seen some wild Mac Jones takes over the last.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
I know we're not going to do any of that.
We're not doing that.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I'm I'm a Mac Jones believer and supporter and seeing
him this doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
But let's let's calm down.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Yeah, I'm not doing this, like.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Who's the number one offender in this Let's let's get it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Well, there there was you know.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
One about like they would they probably I think Ryan
Clark said they probably would have won the Super Bowl
if they had drafted Mac Jones back in the day.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
That's that's pretty high up there.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
I saw one Jets writer I can't remember getting on
the Jets for signing justin Fields instead of Mac.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Show here a new splash.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
If Mac Jones was on the Jets, it would not
be going well with Josh Reynolds as his number two
wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
What are we talking about?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
I think you brought up Fred Warner earlier. Patrick, I
think that becomes important. You know, Bucky Irving obviously being
out is huge. I've been not surprised, but it's Baker
Mayfield has seemed to take even a step forward in
how he's seeing the field as a runner and picking
up some of the invisible yards is kind of there.
(10:36):
And that's where I think Fred Warner really comes into play,
because the number one deleder of invisible yards that a
quarterback can pick up on the ground would be Fred Warner.
And I think that his vision and his understanding of
where Baker Mayfield wants to go with the ball, especially
when he's creating like that becomes pretty important in this game.
It's kind of Fred versus Baker, and I love it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Shout out Rashad White, who might be the best backup
running back in foot well too. Yeah, and definitely a
top five pass protecting back, so like someone you're really
happy to be in there to stand up to some
of those blitzes that they'll send.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
And looking at the way he's running this season, I'm
wondering I want to go back and look at the
injury reports last year because I feel like Rashad White
during a stretch, having Bucky Irving being able to take
that load off of him really helped.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
And I think he might have been dealing with someone
because he looks great.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Yeah, he looks great right now and having obviously with
Werfs back, you know, caving in that side of the
line for that touchdown here.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Agent year, he's on the list.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
I'm impressed with how they built this team, guys, because
dire straight you look at some of the injury reports
they've had. The guys are out earlier in the season.
Both of these. I think both of these teams right
now are putting on some pretty solid displays of a
roster rebuilding or stocking depth. In the case of the ladder,
it's the Bucks. In the case of the former, it's
(11:54):
the forty nine or some of their rookies are really
showing up and their second year players are really showing up.
And their adjustments. I mean, that was maybe Kyle Shanahan's
best coach game last week that I've seen. And then
you know, Todd Bowles, King Grizzard, you know, the entire
group are making the most of all of these different
adjustments they've had to make. It's kind of like, now
(12:14):
these two teams are like sort of built for this
and meeting each other at such a cool moment. I
think in their in their season, this will be fun.
Another Jordan coded game. Do I get to steal this one?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
No, you can't have them all. Maybe maybe, but not.
You wouldn't get this and the Jags.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Game, we'll talk two teams.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I appreciate balanced constructions on both sides of the ball
to a game where the constructions are very, very lopsided
favoring the offenses. The Dallas Cowboys three and a half
point favorites at the Carolina Panthers. The over under is
forty nine and a half. Adam, I mean Greg Olsen
and Pam Oliver there to see two teams Jordan presumably
(12:53):
go up and down the field over and over again
against these defense.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
But Dallas's defense looked better. I mean, yes, factor opponent
and sure, but they look they've looked better, right better.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I mean they had five sacks.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They gave it. They let brace Hall go up and
down the fieldld.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Five sacks, fourteen quarterback hits. Yes, Rico Dowdell revenge game.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Tat trick so hard he told them to buckle up.
He said, there's a reason they had me there for
five years.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Yes, I love it, Spicy.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Would you rather have Rico Dwell or Javante will Well?
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Javonte Williams is number three in the league in rushing
yards right now, and it's one of the best success
rate overall rushing.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
What's the answer.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
What's your answer, Jevonte Williams? Right now, Javonte Williams.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Both guys can be good.
Speaker 7 (13:37):
No.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
I love Rico dowllas considering.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
The way things are going for the Dallas Cowboys and
for the Carolina Panthers. I think the exchange worked out
for everybody because Jerry as he is, wont to do.
Although Davante is making the same amount of money that
Rico Dawdell is, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
He Javonte's had a little extra although you know, Rico
Dowdle has one start in one under yard game, so
that's also he's pretty impressive. There was this play in
the Jets Cowboys game where Javante was hitting the behind
the line of scirpature hasn't happened a ton on a
third and two, and he just like threw those Jets
defenders off him, made a move, got the first down,
(14:17):
and then they score a touchdown on those drive. And
I feel like there's been a lot of that, but
there's also been a lot of great run blocking. If
the Cowboys offense had fallen off a cliff the last
week or two, you'd be like, just you know, it's
not fair.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
They only have one of their offensive linemen playing.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
They're literally with four backups and their worst starter the
other it's the starter that's in there was rotated out
a couple of weeks ago. Terren Steele essentially benched and
so you have a group of backups and they're putting
up four hundred yards. That's pretty awesome and shows how
awesome Dak Prescott is and the good job coaching that
good job those backups have done.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, I love it. I like I mentioned this last week,
I kind of get excited in a little tingly with
like what Schottenheimer and Presscott are together as a group.
Our friend Dave damashek the legend. I was talking to
him about his famed bit slash seg that he does
Jenga pieces right. We didn't get to it on his
show Football America, great show, but we talked about how
(15:14):
Clayton Adams, the offensive coordinator who was previously with the
Cardinals now with the Dallas Cowboys and coordinating and designing
this run game that the players clearly are coming alive
and and and like are feeling it and making it
come to life. The Cardinals are one of the worst,
and this is before they lost their running backs and
before they lost Tip Ryman as as a blocking help.
(15:37):
The Cardinals become one of the worst rushing success rates
teams in the league. Cowboys become one of the best.
But you see the vision Adams was the piece. Yes,
Clayton Adams was the Jenga piece that was. That was
what I was saying, is like, it's rare that it's
actually you see the theory and actually apply the theory, and
then everybody buys into the theory and the players make
the theory come to life and it's a completely different
(16:00):
Cowboys rushing attack, and I think many of us expected
and I love seeing and I think it's good for
Dak Prescott. I think vice the reverse is true as well.
Deak Prescott is making this all of this saying it's
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
It was.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It was a play calling clinic against the Jets. The
screen to Jake Ferguson where he scored the touchdown. If
not for him like making a move to celebrate before
he went in, he would have been untouched from twenty
two yards out. And you know, just to see guys
schemed open in an offense where it's been really relying
on Dak to make these tight window throws down the
(16:34):
field for years, Like this has been a thing that's
gone on for years and they've solved that. And I'm
just excited to see Carolina in a if they can
go two weeks in a row. Yeah, looking solid on offense,
and credit to Xavier Leget not only did he catch
a touchdown last week, but go back and watch those
Rico Dowdle runs.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Ugh, there's a lot of seventeen out front pave.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
In the road for Rico Dowdle, and if they get
like a performance like that, it has that promise not
necessarily to catch on to the feeling of the run
last year, but some of the problems.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
They could be three and three.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
This is a huge game for these two teams because
one of them either the Cowboys are gonna have a
winning record or the Panthers are gonna have a five
hundred record after six weeks, which is gonna feel like
a minor miracle considering how they start out. It's a
good test for the Carolina run defense, which looked better
last week and it looked better overall this season against Dallas.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I'm gonna miss uh having Eric Collins on the play
by play though he was he was in the booth
for that Panthers Dolphins game, and apparently he is low
enough on the Fox depth chart that he is not
in the mix this week. Give me more Eric Collins, Fox,
Give me Eric Collins right now to.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Stand man.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Told Diddy.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Dad, look at this.
Speaker 7 (18:06):
Out of feet Oh man, so much, give me more,
need that energy, need more, Eric Collins in my life.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
I loved it so much. I also I also loved this.
So I called the Panthers an anomalist team because they
do enough to have some sort of breakout quarter or
half uh in that case it was the Falcons game itself.
They do. They do enough to just like pull their
fans back in, give a little hope, and then it
shattered the next week or like at the very end
(18:39):
of the game. That's when they make their comeback, just
when everybody. So I want to see some consistency, right,
So I've called them this. I got a really great
message from a listener of our show, and I'd like
to read it to you guys. So this is from
Cameron J. And Cameron J. Says Jay Rod recant the
Anomalist Panthers statements on the pot at once as a
(19:00):
long time listener and longer suffering Panthers fan, this team
is a moribun berserker, only dangerous once it's wounded, only
effective after self sabotage. A mad dying thing that fights
hardest when it shouldn't. Cheers from Canada.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
It makes sense.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
It's so good Terterry Canadian email. Love it.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Look, it's so much cheers from Canada.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
They were down seventeen to nothing on fourth down and
the animal was wounded and Bryce Young comes out there
like they run play action. He's in the flat, dead
to rights like ducks under two defenders and hits a
first down.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It's you know, he.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Had clearly the best plays and you're talking about one
of them. And if you're watching us on YouTube, you
can see it. That fourth down play by Bryce Young
where he ducked under the defenders was like one of
the best, maybe changes the season types of plays that
we've had all year. You mentioned it, like free rusher
(19:56):
in they're down seventeen to nothing mid second quarter at
this time, he puts a couple well moves on, make
makes a man miss, hits the touchdown, and then later
on in that drive I'm going to present to you,
and I know it's not as flashy.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Oh, this isn't quite.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Throw of the Year candidate, although the fourth down play
might have been, you know, one of the plays of
the year, especially considering the situation like they're not winning
that game if he doesn't hit it. Great diving catch
too by Tetuo McMillan. But this touchdown throw that he
made later in that drive, I know it doesn't look
crazy on the TV copy, but the anticipation and the
(20:30):
heat that he put on it to be absolutely perfectly
caught by Lagette on the All twenty two version was
just outrageous. I want to put that on the Throw
of the Year candidate nominee. You should, let's do it.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
I mean looking back, also, that's getting tackled on this.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Yeah, and Bryce Young cannot see him. It's an anticipatory thing.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
That's the point of anticipation.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Throws in that gay Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Like onions on that throw in that game, I feel like, yeah,
only dangerous once it's wounded. Only effective after self sabotage.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Shout out to that isn't emailer? I love it?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Which is, but doesn't doesn't bode well for this week,
by the way, because they're not really wounded, and Bryce
Young does have a tendency this year to start catastrophically.
Eire's three of the five games where he's had like
multiple turnovers right at the beginning, and then he's rebounded
a couple of the Times shout out to the Cowboys
who are just like figuring out their team.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, still too, they just keep like naming new starters.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
I think Nate Thomas might keep a starting tackle job
even when Tyler Gotten's back. Shamar James came in at
linebacker last year week looked like better than their starting linebacker.
He might be a new starter. James Houston is better
than their edge starters. In general, they're playing it. They
bench kyer Elam like they're still just like figuring out
who their guys are.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I applaud that. Yeah, and they've They've done a good job.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
It's almost like you have to do that when you
trade one of the best players in the world. Right
season starts.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
About that, But also before the season start, Greg pointed
out that Schottenheimer was going to be very very good.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, we were in Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
They're two to two and one.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Circumstances.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Yeah, the tape says it. They got the juice him
and Prescott together. That's something cool. I believe it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
No.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Ben Johnson on tape last week as the Chicago Bears
were on a bye, but they're back on Monday Night football.
The number one overall pick a couple of years ago,
taking on the number two overall pick and Rookie of
the Year. They are at the Washington Commanders, who are
favored by four and a half. The over under is
fifty and a half. Joe Buck, Trojegman, Lisa Salters and
Laura Rutledge on the call.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
As it was fun last year. The Bears have eight
deep for me. With the goal line, they bring free.
Daniel's backing up.
Speaker 8 (22:34):
He's just gonna the let one fly, goes to the
right side, steps away from the defenders, gives themselves some
time now, steps up, fires heads towards the end zone.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
It is.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
This is why watching that what an amazing moment. Of course,
Bram Weinstein in London, Fletcher, I remember where I was,
you know, watch it like, that's just one of those plays.
But it's why I joked to hide them. Our producer
Patrick on game debut where we have to pick every
game that we need to get this show canceled because
(23:32):
picking these games is ruining my life. I remember watching
that in the moment and being somewhat annoyed because I
had picked the Bears.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
It happens. It happens every week.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
In the moment.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
I know, that's what I like to see it. It's terrible.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
I've changed picks just because I would have been alone
and by myself. Yeah, and it's like, well, why don't
I just go ahead and go back with Greg and
Cynthia just so I can sit back and enjoy the game.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Then you don't really care who the winds are last.
It's just like absolutely stupid. I'm really excited, and I
think the primetime schedule this week is awesome. The Sunday
schedule is not as good. The Sunday morning and afternoon
maybe the weekest one that we've had, but the primetime
I feel like this game is happening at the perfect
time to learn a little bit more about these two teams.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Yeah, I agree. And Chicago is potentially making some significant
changes coming out of its bye week. They are potentially
going to have a new left tackle. The Canadian speaking
of is like Canadian theme in this NFC podcast a
little bit. THEO Benedett Is it Benedett Benedet? THEO Benedet.
Hopefully we're not hearing his name a lot on the broadcast.
(24:36):
That means he's probably playing well. But he had a
strong camp according to reports out there, and changed positions
from the right tackle to the left tackle. And Ben
Johnson is sort of coyly like not naming who or
whether they're going to change or who it is, which
has prompted the local people to do some digging of
their own. They think it's happening.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
And he did start against the Raiders as an injury replacement,
and now it's like, yeah, well he just when everyone's healthy.
They seem to be happy with how that went, like
so was Max Crosby because he dominated him. So that's it.
It's a tough matchup, but I don't know like they
need to. It will be interesting to see what Ben
Johnson wants to do, Like what would you guess he
(25:17):
wants to do coming out of the buy. I always
find teams very interesting because they're pretty intentional when they
come out of the buy of like what they want
to do, Like what do you think Patrick might change
like with this Bears team from the first four weeks
that he wants to accentuate.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I think we might see more common dung guy on
first and the second down, like that DeAndre Swift. I'm
borrowing from Adam Rank of course, joins me on the
NFL Fantasy Life. It's gonna do in Game Day Live
with me on Sunday, so that's gonna be fun. But
he had pointed out that Ben Johnson saying throughout the
throughout the season, they're trying to figure out the picture
in the backfield as they get some clarity up front.
(25:53):
Both of the guys, he said, have had opportunities, but
every time they have a run play where there's a
designed whole, there's always a player in that hole in
the defense, and so is There's some things for him
to get better at, but I think he's going to
maybe deploy things a little bit differently. I think the
real issue for Ben Johnson is they have not been
good against the run, and the Commanders are running over
every single opponent that they face.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Bill Bill's stats are crazy. Bill.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I know he doesn't have a ton of carries, but
he does lead the NFL and success rate. I think
he leads the NFL in rush yards over expected per carry.
He leads the NFL in just yards per carry. If
you just gave me that profile blindly, you'd say, well,
that's the most effective running back in the league. On
(26:41):
a person that basis he is, which is amazing, and
they've been effective when they're running the ball with the
other guys too, So I give Cliff a lot of credit.
I thought that game plan against the Chargers and Anthony Lynn,
I feel better about the Commanders today by a decent amount,
and I did go into the season of them being
real contenders.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Well, I agree because not First of all, Jade and
Daniels played awesome against the Chargers in my opinion. I mean,
I know that defense isn't what it started out as,
but I thought he looked great. And if he continues
to come back from that injury, and you know, continues
to prove us wrong about not having him on Quarterback
Island for this iteration of it, because of the because
(27:22):
of the injury, and it weighs on me heavily. Jade
and Daniels fans of which we are, friend of the show,
and I just think that this is all coming together right.
It's their run game is there, and that can, barring injury,
that can stay where it's at and sustain as excellently
as it has because they're blocking it open. I mean,
(27:44):
it bills running great, Don't get me wrong. I want
to credit him as well, but up front they are
blocking it open. When you see that happening, that carries
you into October, November, cold cold weather games, cold months,
and certainly against a Bear's defensive front like like as
you guys mentioned, that has not been great against the runs, specifically,
they're built to stop the pass. They were previously.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Larry Tunsel on his way to another season of a
pressure under ten percent blocking yeah out a lot of
those runs.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
There were two Bill Merritt. It's always fun.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
It sounds like an air conditioning salesman from Sheboygan Corey Krofsky.
Merritt touchdowns against the Chargers where he's run into the
left and they looked almost identical, like one was twenty
plus the other one was five yards but just caved in.
Some of it was probably some scheme issue for the
Chargers as well, but I say that they've done it
week in and week out, and I don't know what
the Bears do to oppose it.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
I don't think they do much.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
I remember there was a Dennis Allen, Oh maybe it's
a bit of a stretch, but a Dennis Allen Saints
team versus the Commanders late last season that came down
to a failed Spencer Rattler two point conversion after the buzzer,
and so on that day, I believe they sacked Jade
Daniels like seven or eight times, and they did give
(29:02):
them some problems. That was a Saints team that probably
had no business being in it to the last play.
I don't think that Dennis Allen has some secret formula
to slow them down, but he's got that.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Maybe he does.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
Does Do we think that Dennis Allen thinks he has
some sort of secret or maybe yes, yes, I think
he does. Strike me as that.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yes, the Bears have really improved a lot in avoiding
sacks Caleb Williams specifically, but I think that's like a
team wide thing. He was taking so many sacks and
that really seems to be an emphasis that Ben Johnson
and him have had that you can see a completely
clear difference between this year and a year ago. It's
not like the pass protection is that that much better.
(29:42):
It's just that Caleb Williams is at least bailing on
the play or scrambling or throwing the ball away.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So that's all good.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
And the commanders for the most part, have looked pretty
good up front. My guy, Jerry Newton, who I never
cashed in his stock, having loved him coming into the draft,
is starting to make some noise like Johnny Newton Newton,
not Jerry Newton, someone who's your guy? Yeah it's Jerson
Newton technically with the capital Z. But yes, that was
a bad job using this shorting. I'm really curious to
(30:12):
see what happens in this game. Nothing, nothing would surprise you.
Maybe the Bears come out and make a statement. All right,
let's take a quick break, and then afterwards we get
to the game that I thought we were getting to
twenty five minutes ago.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
It just means you want this game right, That's right,
we're back.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
It's my most anticipated game of the week because it's
the one announced by Kevin Harlan.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Yes, yeah, God on the call as Joe Flacco. Stop
calling him old folks, because what's that saying about the
rest of us? Okay, Joe Flacco traded in the division
to the Cincinnati Bengals to solve all their problems, taking
on once again a team he's.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Already beat this year.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Because quarterback wins are definitely a real thing that we
should evaluate. The Green Bay Packers, who are favored by
fourteen points.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
The over under is forty four and a half.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Greg mentioned it, Kevin Harland TRNK Green Melon Collins on
the call. Is Joe Flacco the answer for right now?
Speaker 5 (31:18):
I don't know, but he's playing. According to Zach Taylor,
he's playing. He's gonna.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I trust Zach Taylor.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
I do too, and he's already. You know, that'd be
something that's just kidding guys, the old bait and switch here.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
You know, it is.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
A team that feels like it has not played football
in years and years in the Green Bay Packers because
of how long ago that game against Dallas was, and
a team that seems to completely have forgotten how to
play football. So let's see how this works.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Out, right.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
You think about the Bengals, and yes, they should have
made a change at quarterback, and we talked about this already,
so we don't need to repeat ourselves. But like Jack,
I don't think it needs to be ignored that this
is by far the worst team in the NFL the
last three weeks. I mean, it's not even close. I
(32:11):
would argue Patrick, there's some.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
Folks in Baltimore, no factory of sadness.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
To my left, I think you could make the argument
that the two most lopsided games of the entire season
were the Bengals Broncos game, okay, followed by the what
was the game before that with the Bengals involved, And
now I made a mistake. I'm thinking about last week
(32:38):
Lions Bengals. That was the best performance that they had.
But in Week three, five.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
Hundred yards of offense by the Bronco.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Yeah, the Bengals got absolutely whitewashed in that week as
well by the Vikings. Those I think were the two
maybe most lopsided games of the year. And then the
Lions were up like thirty four to three or something
like that in that game too. I mean, they were
awful in every respect. And I saw this thing about
like Andrew Whitworth, who obviously is as good a source
as humanly possible on the Bengals offensive line, saying the
(33:06):
needs at spend more resources on their offense. Plant I'm thinking, well,
you have your best player as a first round pick
that you spent that resource, and you had one of
the highest paid tackles in the league at left tackle,
and you have a pretty high pick at one of
the guard spots, and you've spent on the three contracts
in Alex Karis.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
So subtext though, subtext though if I'm seeing that, because
Wit is very aware of those things, that those details,
the subtext to me is needs better coaching, needs better
scouting of talent. Well that's what I think it means
by more because you're paying those people in depth.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
They didn't get anyone this year for depth, but they're
basically starting the guys they expect.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
I mean, I'm looking back like a guy like Akiema
d Energy, right, who was they with the Cincinnati Bengals.
How they had success? Of course they went to the
Super Bowl. They try to upgrade the offensive line. He goes,
he plays fifty three snaps for the Dallas Cowboys last
week against the Jets, and the Cowboys look like world beaters.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
They've got other.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Jonah Williams looking successful in other spots, in starts where
you start to wonder like this is this is franchise
team related in terms of the issues up front, which
is why the Flacco move was so iffy to me,
where it's like you can't protect Joe Burrow or Jake
Browning and now you're asking Joe Flacco to just come
in here. And get thrown statue ball a Packers defense.
(34:21):
That's that's gonna like Joe Flacco's gonna get hit. And
I understand he's got like a per win bonus right
on his contract, and so he wants to go somewhere
where we could start and play. Like at one point
like is it worth it?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Joe?
Speaker 5 (34:34):
Yeah? But I don't know if they're sitting I mean,
I guess probably he has some saying it right, do
you want to do this?
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Do you really want?
Speaker 1 (34:41):
But better than sitting in the room with and Danbriel,
I think for him it just seems more like if
this is gonna be my last season, I like to
go throw the ball to T Higgins and Jamar Chase
and see what happens. He's a confident man, and.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I hope they get it blocked up so that he
can do that.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
But game, forget it.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
Yeah, this is to that point. I am so excited
and interested, maybe not enough to want to take this
game from you, Greg.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
But is it by game again?
Speaker 5 (35:10):
You're so excited about it?
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (35:11):
This is this is this is the Greg Rosenthal game.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
You want to see. Joe Flecco.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
The late window is quite interesting this week you got
that great forty nine Ers Bucks game, and then you
also have the Raiders, Titans, and Bengals Packers.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
I am really interested to see what the Green Bay
Packers defense looks like with this time off to actually
take a break. A lot of times the Bie weeks
are pure rest, right, unless you're a team that has
some serious fiddling to do, And I would count. We
just talked about them, the Bears maybe upfront with what
they want to do with their offensive line being one
of them, and also this Packers team with this defense
(35:46):
because Micah Parson's best pass rusher in football right now,
argue with Miles Garrett, I wouldn't want to do that.
I already did the wouldie rather where apparently, instead of
being followed around by Kats, my choice was just to
get a surprise hit by Miles Garrett at any point still.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Twenty times in your life, question my terrible decision.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
I just that's how I feel about Cats. I guess
we could say but I but I feel like this
is going to be cool to watch because they've had
time to actually plan. He arrived so quickly to the
start of the season, to the point where just for
his own kind of wellbeing and safety with that back
issue is on a little bit of a pitch count
(36:26):
which increased a little bit, but still having him fully
in this defense and a full deployment plan where it's
not just him knowing what he's going to be doing
and where he's going to be, it's all the guys
around him also having some you know autonomy and some
you know integration into that plan as well. I am
extremely interested to see what this looks like, and I
(36:49):
think you get kind of a blank canvas to do
it on.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
You know, right, it's going to look awesome. That's in
news real.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
This team was consistently dominant on defense for three and
a half games too, before suddenly the Cowboys just kick
their teeth in for a half and that'll happen.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
But they were.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Pretty great before that. It's gonna be a blow. Maybe
I'll take it, though.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Yeah, just watch a guy, Joe.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Is this our Survivor pick this week?
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Out there?
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah, let's just keep going against the Bengals. I kind
of forgot about, sir.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah, Yeah, we'll chase the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Take the bank. I'll just keep schedule. We'll keep finding
the bank because it's.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Meat until they get, you know, in the division.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
But it's like I get points, I see club and
Eric back there, good job. I care so much.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
About this survivor.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
They know we already all lost, no, but we all
win together together. Is how we approach these together. Is
how the Bills will try to bounce back from their
first loss of the season on Monday Night Football. They're
back in prime time this time. They're on the road though,
at the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills giving up four and
a half points the over unders forty nine and a half.
(37:53):
Chris Fowler, Lewis Riddick, dan Orlowski, Katie George, and Peter
Schrager on the call, Greg is, you guys had a
good conversation Jean Robinson, give you any insight and how
they're going to face up against the Bill.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yes, you will hear that conversation as part of the
Thursday night recap show, so it'll it'll go on along
with our recap of Eagles and Giants. And it was
a great conversation. And he talked about the improvements that
he's made throughout his career, that he's a more confident runner,
that he's he's a patient runner, and he's given a
lot of credit to the scheme there with how did
(38:26):
he call him z Rob?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Zach Robinson? And I like z Rob.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
That definitely sounds cooler than Zach Robinson looks.
Speaker 5 (38:34):
Yeah, Oh, I just mean like he doesn't see anybody.
Hear that one go by, and.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
Then all of a sudden, it just he doesn't look
like a z Rob. What do you mean?
Speaker 5 (38:44):
He looks like a freaking one Tree Hill character.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
That's sort of what I mean. Is that a zb
All right?
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Well, you're saying like you dragged, like put a little
gel on a bang and drag it down all sudden.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
That's z Rob like you put a leather jacket on.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
I'm not trying to like profile or anything. I just
mean z Robbins like I'm pseude.
Speaker 5 (38:59):
Apparatus is the background, you know?
Speaker 2 (39:01):
That just doesn't seem to fit.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Also, what doesn't fit is two of the best games
of the week opposite each other on Monday Night football.
We've only got two more of these ever, according to
our boss's boss's bosses Boss's boss's boss Roger Goodell, so
this is one of the last two. Next week is
the very last one. But this one annoys me. I
which these two were separate.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
They all do to me, me too, but a noted
shield robot.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
I don't want to have to the whole point of
Prome time is being able to put singular focus and
all of us collectively are on social media having a
conversation about one game, and now we're bifurcated, and you know,
they've killed broadcast television in general, and so everybody's on
a weird delay because everything is streaming now.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
It's yeah, it's bad, bring it back.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
He's got the gavel, Yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
It is.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
The NFL agreed with you, and they say this is
all going away next year, but it was just still
stuck on the schedule.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
I just wish they did the.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Thing that we were up till one in the morning
on the East coast for this game, you know, just
just stagger them.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
I'm excited for this game. I think that the Bills
have a huge advantage if they want to run the ball.
James Cook is among the best rushers in the NFL
right now, number two in yards, and the Falcons are
six worse in the NFL in terms of success rate
in defending the run. That's a huge, huge mismatch and
probably a key contact point for Joe Brady in game
planning for this game, because one of the biggest advantages
(40:19):
for the Bills remains this offensive line and what they
can do between Josh Allen and James Cook.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
You know what shocked me is looking and seeing that
the Falcons are still first in defensive DVOA right now,
like the numbers now. Granted you look at the schedule
and that seems to be a factor, I think, but
they've been very good against the pass in general, despite
like not playing their two young players that much like
James Pearce and Jalen Wager aren't playing that much. Despite
(40:48):
every week the opposing team seems to target Mike Cues
and d Alford a lot and it seems to be working.
So I don't know, they've had a lot of they
forced a lot of turnovers, which is part of it.
But what a great to go up against this Bill's
passing game, which is starting to It's been amazing. But
I think they're wondering, like, do we need something else?
Do we need a guy that can can go down
(41:10):
the field and make a big play, because they are
right now kind of a station to station type of offense.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
It's felt kind of Eagles ish for the Bills, where
they kind of wait to deploy late when they need
it and it's like all right, Josh hero ball engage,
get mad and so like. I think they have to
kind of take the governors off in this game because
the Bill's defense continues to be a problem, and especially
(41:36):
when you've got guys like Drake London and you know,
to some extent calepits but especially John Robinson, where they
get loose.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Forget to some expense, it's just happenings breaking tap.
Speaker 5 (41:48):
What I see for this early is for them to
scheme up a lot of like quick like yack slants
and screens and dare the Bills defenders to tackle in
space or in the middle of the field where they
both places where they've been having issues actually wrapping and
pulling to the ground. This is where I think they
(42:09):
try to go fast early and they try to really
hammer them with those specific types of plays with those players,
with Bijon, with Kyle Pitts, with Drake London, to try
to dare you to tackle them. Because the Bills have
still you know, slide improvement up front. Last week. Dean
Walker's playing well, but there's just there's just not a
(42:30):
consistency week over week and how this defense is containing
players right.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
And I think if you look at Pitts's stats, for instance,
like they don't look that crazy. It's only ten yards
per catch. But he's someone if you just watch them
this year, he's just way better. Yeah, he could be
a pro bowler. He could be an all Pro. I
think the stats and he does have at least four
catches in every game, so he's been consistent, are better
than he looked. I thought Michael Pennox is coming off
his best game of the year. They haven't played in
(42:56):
a couple weeks now, but that Washington game, he showed
a lot of good anticipation throw.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
He threw over the middle well in that game.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
So I think if you just took out that Carolina game,
which you can't, is a terrible, terrible performance by him.
But I think he's played well in the other three starts.
I think it's an offensive game for both teams. And
I'm curious because I think the Patriots really showed their
hand and what they thought matters about the Bills. When
you talked about the running game, they really loaded up
to stop the run and they dared the Bills to
(43:24):
beat them in man to man coverage, and it's not
like they got a little lucky with a couple turnout.
It's not like they shut him down or anything. But
I think that game plan makes make sense to me.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
When you're playing the.
Speaker 4 (43:33):
Bills, can't wait, great matchup and sneakily. Where would you
think Michael Pennock Junior is in terms of dropback EPA
among passers in the NFL right now?
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Well, the fact that you're asking this question means it's
going to be surprising. But if I didn't think about that,
I would say, like eighteenth right now.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
He is at forty.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
Right.
Speaker 5 (43:59):
The panther is that everybody who's ever thrown a pass.
But yeah, that's adjust he's on that line.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
No, yeah, it's it's everybody.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
But still it's still that's not good.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
It's doing the rude thing where I'm leaning over looking
at your screen. I'm like, who what I get it.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
The first couple of weeks it was a lot of
checked up, but I think he was taking what the
defense was giving him. There havenh't been a lot of
explosive plays until that Washington game, and obviously that Carolina game.
Was so bad that it's going to skew the numbers
a little bit. But that is interesting, all right.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
So perhaps an opportunity number.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
One defense, number twenty one offense according to DVA, which
I would not never have expected coming into the year.
Speaker 5 (44:36):
Yeah, something weird. That's just weird.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
That's I don't really believe it.
Speaker 4 (44:40):
Yeah, thanks thanks to not believe. I believe one thing
that I know for certain, Jordan, all that matters is
Drake May. The New England Patriots are favored by three
and a half points at the New Orleans sit. It's
a couple of Greg Rosenthal's Corps beliefs. Yes, Drake May.
This is in the city of New Orlean. The over
(45:01):
under is forty five and a Halfspirodidas, Adam Marcholetta and
Adida ki Kawala on the call. They're back. The vibes
are great. They just got a big win in the
AFC East, Greg, and now they go on the road.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
To New or dangerous game. You're right about Drake May.
He's the only thing that matters.
Speaker 2 (45:17):
They see.
Speaker 1 (45:19):
They also aren't particularly like that great of a team.
They're twentieth right now in DVA. Like I think that
indicates even last week they were lucky to win that game.
They were out gain like there was a lot going
on in that game and they have it. Definitely not
a WI but when it comes to the Drake May
fan club there there is definitely a wee you if
you're watching, you can actually see our throw of the
(45:41):
Year candidate that I'm going to throw out there from
Drake May from last week's game where he is rolling
out to his right, and especially when you watch it
on the overhead view and he throws it on the
run with a defender in his face, just perfect and dissipation,
and I think it.
Speaker 5 (46:01):
Does it gets better as it sales. Yes, looking out
how close to the sideline he's kidding.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I mean, he throws a pretty deep ball. And I
think his connection with Stefan Diggs has made me reconsider
the upside of this passing game because Digs and him
are giving more as kind of a tandem than I
thought he would have with anyone this year. Shout out
to Stefan Diggs and whatever he did in that recovery,
because he's still not a year away from that ACL surgery.
(46:29):
It's pretty amazing how much Juicy looks like he has.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
Yeah, back to back games he's played awesome and that
was a little bit of a revenge game, although it
seems like good vibes and he interacted with the crowd
and all of that stuff, and kind of I.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Want him to play every game in Buffalo. He seemed
like fifteen percent faster.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
Yeah, he and he was feeling it, you could tell.
I mean, he he took extra time before the game
to interact with the crowd. This this will not be
that same type of like nostalgia and dynamic, but man,
this is kind of this is to be actually, I
think a much more fun game than I think people
thought it might be coming into the season looking at
the schedule, because obviously New England's coming off their biggest
(47:08):
win certainly in the Verbel era, in the Drake May era,
I would say, too, right, beating Buffalo like.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
That in prime time, oh in the last four.
Speaker 5 (47:17):
Years, yeah and forever, And that's that's great for them.
They're they're healthier on the on the defensive side. To
Christian Gonzales, holy Cow looks just as advertised, right, looks incredible.
But they're also going against a better than most people think,
playing better than most people think Spencer Rattler certainly not
in QB island range, but playing better than a lot
(47:39):
of people would think. And playmakers, young playmakers all over
the ball. Jona Sanker again I shout at them out
a couple of weeks ago, again making.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Place PEPSI Rookie of the Week candidate this week making
plays in addition to Jackson.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Dart, which was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.
Speaker 5 (47:55):
Two names where people are like, what the and it's
like looking at it and all over the field attacking
the ball. I told you guys to keep an eye
on Kendre Miller. Very hard to tackle that guy. He's
starting to get into an even carry share, if not
a little edge on Carrie. Specifically with Alvin Kamara. This
is the type of thing you kind of hope to
see with Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. In terms of
(48:17):
Alvin Kamara is being used still as a passing game mismatch.
He's great there, but also you're getting someone else coming
in and getting more of a workload with the carries.
He's very hard to tackle. So I think this is
actually kind of a frisky game because you got a
lot of interesting guy, like interesting players on both sides
of the ball for each team, and the young guys
are really the story of all of this, starting with
(48:38):
the new England quarterback.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I'm concerned about the you know, the reverse chargers on
the sideline with Brandon Staley, and you know it's it's
head coach. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that that. You know,
things at the start for coach Moore have been like
that bad. But for Staley in the Saints defense, they're
blitzing at one of the highest rates in.
Speaker 5 (49:02):
The league and he never used to blitz.
Speaker 3 (49:04):
And they're getting the second worst pressure rate in the league.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
They and Chase Young hasn't been out there either.
Speaker 4 (49:11):
The pressure rate on blitzes, like there's a significant, like
almost twelve percent difference where they're blitzing thirty three percent
of the time, they only getting pressure on those twenty
three percent of them ough, and so like even when
they're sin in the house, it's they're not getting there
and it's it's not gonna work against seventeen.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
My take again in this game was like these two
teams are not that different other than the quarterbacks in
terms of their overall ability and that's a pretty big difference.
I think the Patriots have a dude, you know that
a QB island worthy dude, and the Saints have an
offense that's punching above its weight. It's like twenty third.
But they are different because the Patriots have pass prushers. Yea,
both teams are thin. The Patriots might even be thinner.
(49:50):
Once you get past like the first the best fifteen
players on the Patriots roster, it's it's like it's one
of the worst rosters in the league from sixteen to
fifty three. I really do think think so it falls
off a bit of a cliff, but their top end
talent is much better. And the Saints their defense is
one of the three or four worst in the league
and their special teams is one of the two or
(50:10):
three worst in the league. They're special teams has really
cost them. So this is a game that the Patriots
should win, but that it's kind of an interesting test.
I said it for the Colts last week, for instance. Okay,
you're a heavy favorite at home against the Raiders. I
don't think the Patriots are as big a favorite this week,
but this would show me something if they can back
up what was a big win. I don't even care
if they cover this game, just find any way to
(50:30):
get a victory. And if they're a playoff type of team,
which is now I think realistic to expect that they
could get a seven seed or something, then you got
to win a game like that.
Speaker 5 (50:39):
It's two rebuilding teams, both rebuilding for very different reasons,
one who has their quarterback, the other who still has
obviously major questions at the position. And they're both kind
of teams that play a little bit more so even now,
the Patriots I think have opened it up a little
bit as well, playing as if what do we have
to lose? You know, Like I see that even though
the Saints are losing almost every week last week excluded,
(51:02):
I see that from the Saints they don't have games,
and they and they don't have the guys they have
a major position holes to fill, and so do the Patriots.
The Patriots are behind by like three draft classes at
this point. So it's like both I think in terms
of you know, I think this becomes a tight, like
(51:23):
a little bit tighter of a game because it's like, Okay,
we neither of us have anything to lose. We expectations
were already low right, I think higher now for the
Patriots after winning the game that they did. But you
never know. I mean, I just I don't know. I
just I see the Saints making this tougher on the
Patriots than I think. Again, people who haven't watched the
Saints all year would expect.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
It's also the big expedition fan meet up field trip
for the Saints block party. Yeah, the Saints traditionally performed
very well that week.
Speaker 2 (51:53):
I'm going on with the Adam and Ryan this week.
Speaker 5 (51:56):
So check that out, Jess really quickly. I wanted to
do a Will Campbell check in for you.
Speaker 1 (52:00):
Been fine, probably coming off his worst game. Did not
like they gave him a lot of help in that
Bills game and it wasn't amazing, but good, good in
the running game, he's been fine, which is all you
can expect.
Speaker 5 (52:09):
That Well, just just for you, I thought I'd pull
a PFF okay twenty seventh ranked tackle overall, So that's great,
top third, that's great as a rookie allowed obviously one sack,
six pressures total in five games.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
Very good. Hopefully it is very good. Great, Hopefully it's
a great game. My game.
Speaker 1 (52:28):
I am taking that one for sure. I just want
Drake May to have like a statistically untouchable game so
that Mike Rabel will finally give him a game ball.
He's given two to Andy borgallis the kicker, He's given
zero to Drake May.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
It's on people's radar in New England.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
That like Mike Frabel is nagging Drake May and he
won't ever talk about, like too positively about Drake May.
They all think it's calculated. But bor Gallas, Wow, gotta
hook that guy up.
Speaker 5 (52:56):
What a complex psychological.
Speaker 2 (52:59):
I don't know he's doing it intentionally. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
When the kicker hits the game winning field goal, he
killed the game ball.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
I get it. But a couple of weeks ago, like May.
Speaker 4 (53:08):
I'm actually Gaalaxy our quarterback to make him try it.
Speaker 1 (53:12):
They had that Panthers gave me had like three incompletions
and they put up a forty burger and he's like, hey,
let's give it to Like Mac Collins.
Speaker 5 (53:18):
He always gets the game ball in your heart.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
There we go. That was it. Preview shows. We did it.
We've done it.
Speaker 1 (53:24):
As we mentioned, we're going to have Jehan Robinson on
our Thursday night recap show that is the next time
you will hear from us me Nick Shook in.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
The feed talking a little eagles giants. That's it. I'm
over the jet lag claring it's over.
Speaker 5 (53:41):
It was over when you picked up the Snickers bar
and swung it.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
That's why you got to watch the show, because you
never know if I'm going to use something as a
foreign object and just take out
Speaker 2 (53:52):
See if there's an it
Welcome back to NFL Daily, where the passage of time
is really just always on my mind, But especially when
Joe Flacco is traded to the Bengals and I think
back and think it's weird.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
That that same.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Joe Flacco that I watched in the Super dum have
one of the best halves of football I've ever seen
any quarterback in any game have. It's the same guy, Like,
that same Joe Flacco is now the quarterback of this
and it doesn't seem like it's the same guy to me.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
No, But but here we are in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I don't know if it's a take or what.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
No, it's it's uh, it's not a take.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Like Joe Flacco was red hot, Like there was no
like during that stretch. You can make a case that
maybe he played better than like he was playing at
full Super Bowl level for three games.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
He played as well at quarterback in that stretch as
anyone year.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
The big maker, just sling maker Joe Flacco.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Seeing some of those like opposite hash throws that he
was doing against the forty nine, and then speaking of
like time messing with you, Like, doesn't it seem like
the Packers Cowboys game was like years roughly nineteen eighty four,
so like it doesn't even so long ago.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
It was only we haven't seen them in a while.
Speaker 5 (01:29):
Yes, and truly Orwellian ending as well that I am
not satisfied with, because that's a nasty taste to leave
in one's mouth for ten days.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
You know, fourteen days by the time we played Joe
Flacco for the second time this season.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Can't wait to discuss the Joe Flacco opportunity to go
back up against the Green Bay Packers once again. But
as we we will start this NFC preview with a
team that is one of the more fun teams in
the NFC to watch. I was, I was lost in
the rundown looking for them.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Where am I had to pull up a different sheet?
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Greg's on us.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Some of us may have wanted to just tease the
Joe Flackhu game early or didn't remember the order.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
No, I would love to discuss Joe, I could I
could have just done you a big and we could
have just done Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
That would have helped.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
That would have been much better.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I think it's better to point out my shortcoming.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
No, keep me humble, because I I legitimately assumed it
was me. Baker, Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing
host to the San Francisco forty Nineers, who got an
improbable win with a with a injured roster at SOFI
Stadium on Thursday night. Uh, and now they have to
go all the way across to take on Baker in
(02:45):
the Bucks, who keep coming back and winning games. In
the fourth quarter, Bucks favored by three the over Rudders
forty seven and a half. It's a huge game. So
that's why Jim, Tony and Tracy are on the call.
It's the CBS one, and Greg Baker is is ballin
right though he.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
Is playing so well.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
And I have been noticing a trend that the lines
have not been backing the Bucks.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
Really, neither of you.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
No, because I think of the state.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
I think it's the same sort of logic that like,
if you add it all up, like, actually, they've looked
like more of a average team that's getting like a
little bit of luck at the end of these games.
And obviously the injuries are so big, and yet I
do feel differently about them now than I did before
because the whole thing of like their offense is so
banged up and this, and that's like, it's really not
that true anymore. Tristan Wurf's is back, yeah, and Tristan
(03:35):
Wurf's is the best player on their offense.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And they look completely.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Different with Tristan Wurf's at left tackle and Graham Barton
at center. And yeah, you miss Mike Evans, but they
have and you miss Bucky Irving too, but they have
more than enough offensive weapons and the biggest one of them,
I think is Tristan Worf's. So there's a lot to like,
really like about this team. Rownde into shape on offense.
Speaker 5 (03:56):
Him being back, and yes, to your point, Graham Barton
at center is actually having also a positive effect way
the hell over on the other side of the offensive line,
where it's Heck and Haggard not looking Heck and Haggard,
you know, like looking better. That was a total accident I.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
Planned.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
But I feel like this, this Tampa Bay offense is
so surprising in so many ways, and one of those
ways is the new heights that Emica ATBUCA seems to
reach every single week. And with that said, I have
my gavel, all right, please, ladies and gentlemen of the
(04:37):
court for this meeting of the Emica at Bouch Club.
Here are the club matters for the week. Emica Buka
went seven catches on seven targets for a career high
one hundred and sixty three yards and a touchdown against
Seattle Lex last week, and he's currently fourth among all
NFL receivers with four to forty five yards and Baker
(04:58):
Mayfield has a passer rating of one hundred and forty
five point three. Specifically when passing to him, you may
be seated.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Great meeting. Yeah, I'd like to add an addendum. He's
top five in yards per reception, like he wasn't supposed
to be.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
A great player, three yards to catch, top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Five and touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Sometimes the old regular stats are are helpful because you
know what, he's not high in his separation score. It
doesn't matter. There needs to be wide open. He's making
contested guys.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
He leads the NFL in tight window targets, including the
seeing eyeball against the Philadelphia Eagles. And if you felt
like that was fluky, he comes right back with this
performance where you see like you get a quarterback who
was willing to try anything at any given juncture to
get yards and a Mecha Buka is there for it,
and I'm excited for this matchup.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
I'm going to stop like doubting the Bucks at this point.
They're gonna come back on the fourth quarter to win
this one again.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
But I also not doubting the forty nine Ers, especially
in this matchup. So we got to pick these games
for game debut.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
HM.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
My picks were a little chalky this week and that
might have impacted my upset pick in this one. But
the other thing to keep in mind, Patrick Okay, is
that Kyle Shanahan, He's got ownership of a couple coaches
out there.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's not just Sean McVay.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
If you look at this these Bucks forty nine Ers
games over the last three years, they have been one sided.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
And that was enough.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
And I know some of the scores were close, but
if you look at the yardage, they weren't close, and
the forty nine Ers won all the games.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That was enough for me to be.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Like, maybe Shanahan, with a little extra arrest, is gonna
do it to another coach that he kind of has
won over the years against Todd Gowles.
Speaker 5 (06:33):
Perhaps even following a Shanna plan, much like Clint Kubiak.
His old protege just demonstrated on the circle of player
target the player we all love, Jacob Parrish. I am
really impressed by what Jason light has done this year
with this draft class, and Jacob Parrish has such a
promising future, but Seattle went after him. Clint Kubiak did
(06:56):
the old Kyle Shanahan circle of player target.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
The tell all those plays though, I just felt was
like great offense beating very good defense.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
And that's fine, right. That's that to me is what
this game will have to be. Because it is very
clear to me from watching last week's forty nine Ers
game that Kyle Shanahan trusts Mac Jones to throw it around.
I mean, yes, he's hitting the short yardage plays against
that rams softer zone. At the same time, Mac Jones
is not afraid to throw the football and a game
(07:25):
like that them coming through the game like that with
a win, to me, he's going to trust him to
try to execute this whole like the thing he always does,
which is try poke around, feel around the back of
a defense, feel around the middle of a defense, try
to see where the vulnerabilities might be. Now, I'm not
calling Jacob Parish of vulnerability. I think he's a great player,
great young player. But this Bucks defense has been back
(07:47):
and forth in terms of defending the pass. They've been
great against the run, defending the pass has been a
little bit up and down, and so I think that's
where Kyle Shanahan sort of like tries to circle different
guys on the whiteboard.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's all.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It's exactly the calling card that he's used, especially against
groups that have been dealt with some injuries for years,
and it's worked for him.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
And I think the circling though, to be able to
do it with Sam Darnold and the way he's throwing
the deep ball and Jackson Smith in Jigbo is a
little bit different.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
Yeah, you're asking mac Jones, and.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
It's not confirmed that brock Perty's out, but they're reporting
from ESPN's Dan Graziano said it's unlikely Party plays this week.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
I think it's not necessarily the high flying affair that
the Seahawks almost got the Bucks on last three, especially
looking over where the Bucks generates so much of their offense.
They get more run after the catch than anybody in
the league, versus the forty nine ers being so good
at preventing that with arguably the best player in football,
and Fred Warner back there preventing it. And you know
(08:45):
he's been so consistent in that that it kind of
gets lost sometimes how good Fred is playing. Where when
Devin Lloyd is having like this career resurgence, it's like
he's playing like Fred Warner.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Right, that's so good.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
Like that's how good and how consistent he's been. And
I think they need him in this one.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
I know Pier saw no Juwan Jennings at practice on Wednesday.
That's disappointing. You thought maybe with the extra rest and
we still have the rest of the week to go.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
And what you saw last to what you saw last week,
I thought they made the most of it. Now, it
was a worst secondary, I think, but but I think
and worst linebackers for sure, But I feel like they
made the most of Kyle Shanahan and company, made the
most of the group that they had last week, and
their defense played well too.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I've seen some wild Mac Jones takes over the last.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
I know we're not going to do any of that.
We're not doing that.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
I'm I'm a Mac Jones believer and supporter and seeing
him this doesn't surprise me.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
But let's let's calm down.
Speaker 5 (09:43):
Yeah, I'm not doing this, like.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Who's the number one offender in this Let's let's get it.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Well, there there was you know.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
One about like they would they probably I think Ryan
Clark said they probably would have won the Super Bowl
if they had drafted Mac Jones back in the day.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
That's that's pretty high up there.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
I saw one Jets writer I can't remember getting on
the Jets for signing justin Fields instead of Mac.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
Show here a new splash.
Speaker 1 (10:08):
If Mac Jones was on the Jets, it would not
be going well with Josh Reynolds as his number two
wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
What are we talking about?
Speaker 5 (10:15):
I think you brought up Fred Warner earlier. Patrick, I
think that becomes important. You know, Bucky Irving obviously being
out is huge. I've been not surprised, but it's Baker
Mayfield has seemed to take even a step forward in
how he's seeing the field as a runner and picking
up some of the invisible yards is kind of there.
(10:36):
And that's where I think Fred Warner really comes into play,
because the number one deleder of invisible yards that a
quarterback can pick up on the ground would be Fred Warner.
And I think that his vision and his understanding of
where Baker Mayfield wants to go with the ball, especially
when he's creating like that becomes pretty important in this game.
It's kind of Fred versus Baker, and I love it.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Shout out Rashad White, who might be the best backup
running back in foot well too. Yeah, and definitely a
top five pass protecting back, so like someone you're really
happy to be in there to stand up to some
of those blitzes that they'll send.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
And looking at the way he's running this season, I'm
wondering I want to go back and look at the
injury reports last year because I feel like Rashad White
during a stretch, having Bucky Irving being able to take
that load off of him really helped.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
And I think he might have been dealing with someone
because he looks great.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Yeah, he looks great right now and having obviously with
Werfs back, you know, caving in that side of the
line for that touchdown here.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Agent year, he's on the list.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
I'm impressed with how they built this team, guys, because
dire straight you look at some of the injury reports
they've had. The guys are out earlier in the season.
Both of these. I think both of these teams right
now are putting on some pretty solid displays of a
roster rebuilding or stocking depth. In the case of the ladder,
it's the Bucks. In the case of the former, it's
(11:54):
the forty nine or some of their rookies are really
showing up and their second year players are really showing up.
And their adjustments. I mean, that was maybe Kyle Shanahan's
best coach game last week that I've seen. And then
you know, Todd Bowles, King Grizzard, you know, the entire
group are making the most of all of these different
adjustments they've had to make. It's kind of like, now
(12:14):
these two teams are like sort of built for this
and meeting each other at such a cool moment. I
think in their in their season, this will be fun.
Another Jordan coded game. Do I get to steal this one?
Speaker 1 (12:24):
No, you can't have them all. Maybe maybe, but not.
You wouldn't get this and the Jags.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Game, we'll talk two teams.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
I appreciate balanced constructions on both sides of the ball
to a game where the constructions are very, very lopsided
favoring the offenses. The Dallas Cowboys three and a half
point favorites at the Carolina Panthers. The over under is
forty nine and a half. Adam, I mean Greg Olsen
and Pam Oliver there to see two teams Jordan presumably
(12:53):
go up and down the field over and over again
against these defense.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
But Dallas's defense looked better. I mean, yes, factor opponent
and sure, but they look they've looked better, right better.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
I mean they had five sacks.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They gave it. They let brace Hall go up and
down the fieldld.
Speaker 5 (13:10):
Five sacks, fourteen quarterback hits. Yes, Rico Dowdell revenge game.
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Tat trick so hard he told them to buckle up.
He said, there's a reason they had me there for
five years.
Speaker 5 (13:20):
Yes, I love it, Spicy.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
Would you rather have Rico Dwell or Javante will Well?
Speaker 5 (13:25):
Javonte Williams is number three in the league in rushing
yards right now, and it's one of the best success
rate overall rushing.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
What's the answer.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
What's your answer, Jevonte Williams? Right now, Javonte Williams.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Both guys can be good.
Speaker 7 (13:37):
No.
Speaker 5 (13:37):
I love Rico dowllas considering.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
The way things are going for the Dallas Cowboys and
for the Carolina Panthers. I think the exchange worked out
for everybody because Jerry as he is, wont to do.
Although Davante is making the same amount of money that
Rico Dawdell is, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:55):
He Javonte's had a little extra although you know, Rico
Dowdle has one start in one under yard game, so
that's also he's pretty impressive. There was this play in
the Jets Cowboys game where Javante was hitting the behind
the line of scirpature hasn't happened a ton on a
third and two, and he just like threw those Jets
defenders off him, made a move, got the first down,
(14:17):
and then they score a touchdown on those drive. And
I feel like there's been a lot of that, but
there's also been a lot of great run blocking. If
the Cowboys offense had fallen off a cliff the last
week or two, you'd be like, just you know, it's
not fair.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
They only have one of their offensive linemen playing.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
They're literally with four backups and their worst starter the
other it's the starter that's in there was rotated out
a couple of weeks ago. Terren Steele essentially benched and
so you have a group of backups and they're putting
up four hundred yards. That's pretty awesome and shows how
awesome Dak Prescott is and the good job coaching that
good job those backups have done.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Yeah, I love it. I like I mentioned this last week,
I kind of get excited in a little tingly with
like what Schottenheimer and Presscott are together as a group.
Our friend Dave damashek the legend. I was talking to
him about his famed bit slash seg that he does
Jenga pieces right. We didn't get to it on his
show Football America, great show, but we talked about how
(15:14):
Clayton Adams, the offensive coordinator who was previously with the
Cardinals now with the Dallas Cowboys and coordinating and designing
this run game that the players clearly are coming alive
and and and like are feeling it and making it
come to life. The Cardinals are one of the worst,
and this is before they lost their running backs and
before they lost Tip Ryman as as a blocking help.
(15:37):
The Cardinals become one of the worst rushing success rates
teams in the league. Cowboys become one of the best.
But you see the vision Adams was the piece. Yes,
Clayton Adams was the Jenga piece that was. That was
what I was saying, is like, it's rare that it's
actually you see the theory and actually apply the theory, and
then everybody buys into the theory and the players make
the theory come to life and it's a completely different
(16:00):
Cowboys rushing attack, and I think many of us expected
and I love seeing and I think it's good for
Dak Prescott. I think vice the reverse is true as well.
Deak Prescott is making this all of this saying it's
fun to watch.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
It was.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
It was a play calling clinic against the Jets. The
screen to Jake Ferguson where he scored the touchdown. If
not for him like making a move to celebrate before
he went in, he would have been untouched from twenty
two yards out. And you know, just to see guys
schemed open in an offense where it's been really relying
on Dak to make these tight window throws down the
(16:34):
field for years, Like this has been a thing that's
gone on for years and they've solved that. And I'm
just excited to see Carolina in a if they can
go two weeks in a row. Yeah, looking solid on offense,
and credit to Xavier Leget not only did he catch
a touchdown last week, but go back and watch those
Rico Dowdle runs.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Ugh, there's a lot of seventeen out front pave.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
In the road for Rico Dowdle, and if they get
like a performance like that, it has that promise not
necessarily to catch on to the feeling of the run
last year, but some of the problems.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
They could be three and three.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
This is a huge game for these two teams because
one of them either the Cowboys are gonna have a
winning record or the Panthers are gonna have a five
hundred record after six weeks, which is gonna feel like
a minor miracle considering how they start out. It's a
good test for the Carolina run defense, which looked better
last week and it looked better overall this season against Dallas.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
I'm gonna miss uh having Eric Collins on the play
by play though he was he was in the booth
for that Panthers Dolphins game, and apparently he is low
enough on the Fox depth chart that he is not
in the mix this week. Give me more Eric Collins, Fox,
Give me Eric Collins right now to.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Stand man.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
Told Diddy.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Dad, look at this.
Speaker 7 (18:06):
Out of feet Oh man, so much, give me more,
need that energy, need more, Eric Collins in my life.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
I loved it so much. I also I also loved this.
So I called the Panthers an anomalist team because they
do enough to have some sort of breakout quarter or
half uh in that case it was the Falcons game itself.
They do. They do enough to just like pull their
fans back in, give a little hope, and then it
shattered the next week or like at the very end
(18:39):
of the game. That's when they make their comeback, just
when everybody. So I want to see some consistency, right,
So I've called them this. I got a really great
message from a listener of our show, and I'd like
to read it to you guys. So this is from
Cameron J. And Cameron J. Says Jay Rod recant the
Anomalist Panthers statements on the pot at once as a
(19:00):
long time listener and longer suffering Panthers fan, this team
is a moribun berserker, only dangerous once it's wounded, only
effective after self sabotage. A mad dying thing that fights
hardest when it shouldn't. Cheers from Canada.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
It makes sense.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
It's so good Terterry Canadian email. Love it.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
Look, it's so much cheers from Canada.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
They were down seventeen to nothing on fourth down and
the animal was wounded and Bryce Young comes out there
like they run play action. He's in the flat, dead
to rights like ducks under two defenders and hits a
first down.
Speaker 3 (19:34):
It's you know, he.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Had clearly the best plays and you're talking about one
of them. And if you're watching us on YouTube, you
can see it. That fourth down play by Bryce Young
where he ducked under the defenders was like one of
the best, maybe changes the season types of plays that
we've had all year. You mentioned it, like free rusher
(19:56):
in they're down seventeen to nothing mid second quarter at
this time, he puts a couple well moves on, make
makes a man miss, hits the touchdown, and then later
on in that drive I'm going to present to you,
and I know it's not as flashy.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
Oh, this isn't quite.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Throw of the Year candidate, although the fourth down play
might have been, you know, one of the plays of
the year, especially considering the situation like they're not winning
that game if he doesn't hit it. Great diving catch
too by Tetuo McMillan. But this touchdown throw that he
made later in that drive, I know it doesn't look
crazy on the TV copy, but the anticipation and the
(20:30):
heat that he put on it to be absolutely perfectly
caught by Lagette on the All twenty two version was
just outrageous. I want to put that on the Throw
of the Year candidate nominee. You should, let's do it.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
I mean looking back, also, that's getting tackled on this.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Yeah, and Bryce Young cannot see him. It's an anticipatory thing.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
That's the point of anticipation.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Throws in that gay Yeah.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Like onions on that throw in that game, I feel like, yeah,
only dangerous once it's wounded. Only effective after self sabotage.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Shout out to that isn't emailer? I love it?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Which is, but doesn't doesn't bode well for this week,
by the way, because they're not really wounded, and Bryce
Young does have a tendency this year to start catastrophically.
Eire's three of the five games where he's had like
multiple turnovers right at the beginning, and then he's rebounded
a couple of the Times shout out to the Cowboys
who are just like figuring out their team.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, still too, they just keep like naming new starters.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
I think Nate Thomas might keep a starting tackle job
even when Tyler Gotten's back. Shamar James came in at
linebacker last year week looked like better than their starting linebacker.
He might be a new starter. James Houston is better
than their edge starters. In general, they're playing it. They
bench kyer Elam like they're still just like figuring out
who their guys are.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
I applaud that. Yeah, and they've They've done a good job.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
It's almost like you have to do that when you
trade one of the best players in the world. Right
season starts.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
About that, But also before the season start, Greg pointed
out that Schottenheimer was going to be very very good.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yeah, we were in Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
They're two to two and one.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
Circumstances.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Yeah, the tape says it. They got the juice him
and Prescott together. That's something cool. I believe it.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
No.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Ben Johnson on tape last week as the Chicago Bears
were on a bye, but they're back on Monday Night football.
The number one overall pick a couple of years ago,
taking on the number two overall pick and Rookie of
the Year. They are at the Washington Commanders, who are
favored by four and a half. The over under is
fifty and a half. Joe Buck, Trojegman, Lisa Salters and
Laura Rutledge on the call.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
As it was fun last year. The Bears have eight
deep for me. With the goal line, they bring free.
Daniel's backing up.
Speaker 8 (22:34):
He's just gonna the let one fly, goes to the
right side, steps away from the defenders, gives themselves some
time now, steps up, fires heads towards the end zone.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
It is.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
This is why watching that what an amazing moment. Of course,
Bram Weinstein in London, Fletcher, I remember where I was,
you know, watch it like, that's just one of those plays.
But it's why I joked to hide them. Our producer
Patrick on game debut where we have to pick every
game that we need to get this show canceled because
(23:32):
picking these games is ruining my life. I remember watching
that in the moment and being somewhat annoyed because I
had picked the Bears.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
It happens. It happens every week.
Speaker 5 (23:40):
In the moment.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
I know, that's what I like to see it. It's terrible.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
I've changed picks just because I would have been alone
and by myself. Yeah, and it's like, well, why don't
I just go ahead and go back with Greg and
Cynthia just so I can sit back and enjoy the game.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (23:57):
Then you don't really care who the winds are last.
It's just like absolutely stupid. I'm really excited, and I
think the primetime schedule this week is awesome. The Sunday
schedule is not as good. The Sunday morning and afternoon
maybe the weekest one that we've had, but the primetime
I feel like this game is happening at the perfect
time to learn a little bit more about these two teams.
Speaker 5 (24:16):
Yeah, I agree. And Chicago is potentially making some significant
changes coming out of its bye week. They are potentially
going to have a new left tackle. The Canadian speaking
of is like Canadian theme in this NFC podcast a
little bit. THEO Benedett Is it Benedett Benedet? THEO Benedet.
Hopefully we're not hearing his name a lot on the broadcast.
(24:36):
That means he's probably playing well. But he had a
strong camp according to reports out there, and changed positions
from the right tackle to the left tackle. And Ben
Johnson is sort of coyly like not naming who or
whether they're going to change or who it is, which
has prompted the local people to do some digging of
their own. They think it's happening.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
And he did start against the Raiders as an injury replacement,
and now it's like, yeah, well he just when everyone's healthy.
They seem to be happy with how that went, like
so was Max Crosby because he dominated him. So that's it.
It's a tough matchup, but I don't know like they
need to. It will be interesting to see what Ben
Johnson wants to do, Like what would you guess he
(25:17):
wants to do coming out of the buy. I always
find teams very interesting because they're pretty intentional when they
come out of the buy of like what they want
to do, Like what do you think Patrick might change
like with this Bears team from the first four weeks
that he wants to accentuate.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
I think we might see more common dung guy on
first and the second down, like that DeAndre Swift. I'm
borrowing from Adam Rank of course, joins me on the
NFL Fantasy Life. It's gonna do in Game Day Live
with me on Sunday, so that's gonna be fun. But
he had pointed out that Ben Johnson saying throughout the
throughout the season, they're trying to figure out the picture
in the backfield as they get some clarity up front.
(25:53):
Both of the guys, he said, have had opportunities, but
every time they have a run play where there's a
designed whole, there's always a player in that hole in
the defense, and so is There's some things for him
to get better at, but I think he's going to
maybe deploy things a little bit differently. I think the
real issue for Ben Johnson is they have not been
good against the run, and the Commanders are running over
every single opponent that they face.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
Bill Bill's stats are crazy. Bill.
Speaker 1 (26:19):
I know he doesn't have a ton of carries, but
he does lead the NFL and success rate. I think
he leads the NFL in rush yards over expected per carry.
He leads the NFL in just yards per carry. If
you just gave me that profile blindly, you'd say, well,
that's the most effective running back in the league. On
(26:41):
a person that basis he is, which is amazing, and
they've been effective when they're running the ball with the
other guys too, So I give Cliff a lot of credit.
I thought that game plan against the Chargers and Anthony Lynn,
I feel better about the Commanders today by a decent amount,
and I did go into the season of them being
real contenders.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Well, I agree because not First of all, Jade and
Daniels played awesome against the Chargers in my opinion. I mean,
I know that defense isn't what it started out as,
but I thought he looked great. And if he continues
to come back from that injury, and you know, continues
to prove us wrong about not having him on Quarterback
Island for this iteration of it, because of the because
(27:22):
of the injury, and it weighs on me heavily. Jade
and Daniels fans of which we are, friend of the show,
and I just think that this is all coming together right.
It's their run game is there, and that can, barring injury,
that can stay where it's at and sustain as excellently
as it has because they're blocking it open. I mean,
(27:44):
it bills running great, Don't get me wrong. I want
to credit him as well, but up front they are
blocking it open. When you see that happening, that carries
you into October, November, cold cold weather games, cold months,
and certainly against a Bear's defensive front like like as
you guys mentioned, that has not been great against the runs, specifically,
they're built to stop the pass. They were previously.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
Larry Tunsel on his way to another season of a
pressure under ten percent blocking yeah out a lot of
those runs.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
There were two Bill Merritt. It's always fun.
Speaker 4 (28:18):
It sounds like an air conditioning salesman from Sheboygan Corey Krofsky.
Merritt touchdowns against the Chargers where he's run into the
left and they looked almost identical, like one was twenty
plus the other one was five yards but just caved in.
Some of it was probably some scheme issue for the
Chargers as well, but I say that they've done it
week in and week out, and I don't know what
the Bears do to oppose it.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
I don't think they do much.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
I remember there was a Dennis Allen, Oh maybe it's
a bit of a stretch, but a Dennis Allen Saints
team versus the Commanders late last season that came down
to a failed Spencer Rattler two point conversion after the buzzer,
and so on that day, I believe they sacked Jade
Daniels like seven or eight times, and they did give
(29:02):
them some problems. That was a Saints team that probably
had no business being in it to the last play.
I don't think that Dennis Allen has some secret formula
to slow them down, but he's got that.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Maybe he does.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
Does Do we think that Dennis Allen thinks he has
some sort of secret or maybe yes, yes, I think
he does. Strike me as that.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Yes, the Bears have really improved a lot in avoiding
sacks Caleb Williams specifically, but I think that's like a
team wide thing. He was taking so many sacks and
that really seems to be an emphasis that Ben Johnson
and him have had that you can see a completely
clear difference between this year and a year ago. It's
not like the pass protection is that that much better.
(29:42):
It's just that Caleb Williams is at least bailing on
the play or scrambling or throwing the ball away.
Speaker 2 (29:48):
So that's all good.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
And the commanders for the most part, have looked pretty
good up front. My guy, Jerry Newton, who I never
cashed in his stock, having loved him coming into the draft,
is starting to make some noise like Johnny Newton Newton,
not Jerry Newton, someone who's your guy? Yeah it's Jerson
Newton technically with the capital Z. But yes, that was
a bad job using this shorting. I'm really curious to
(30:12):
see what happens in this game. Nothing, nothing would surprise you.
Maybe the Bears come out and make a statement. All right,
let's take a quick break, and then afterwards we get
to the game that I thought we were getting to
twenty five minutes ago.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
It just means you want this game right, That's right,
we're back.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
It's my most anticipated game of the week because it's
the one announced by Kevin Harlan.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
Yes, yeah, God on the call as Joe Flacco. Stop
calling him old folks, because what's that saying about the
rest of us? Okay, Joe Flacco traded in the division
to the Cincinnati Bengals to solve all their problems, taking
on once again a team he's.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
Already beat this year.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
Because quarterback wins are definitely a real thing that we
should evaluate. The Green Bay Packers, who are favored by
fourteen points.
Speaker 3 (31:09):
The over under is forty four and a half.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Greg mentioned it, Kevin Harland TRNK Green Melon Collins on
the call. Is Joe Flacco the answer for right now?
Speaker 5 (31:18):
I don't know, but he's playing. According to Zach Taylor,
he's playing. He's gonna.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I trust Zach Taylor.
Speaker 5 (31:24):
I do too, and he's already. You know, that'd be
something that's just kidding guys, the old bait and switch here.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
You know, it is.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
A team that feels like it has not played football
in years and years in the Green Bay Packers because
of how long ago that game against Dallas was, and
a team that seems to completely have forgotten how to
play football. So let's see how this works.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Out, right.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
You think about the Bengals, and yes, they should have
made a change at quarterback, and we talked about this already,
so we don't need to repeat ourselves. But like Jack,
I don't think it needs to be ignored that this
is by far the worst team in the NFL the
last three weeks. I mean, it's not even close. I
(32:11):
would argue Patrick, there's some.
Speaker 5 (32:14):
Folks in Baltimore, no factory of sadness.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
To my left, I think you could make the argument
that the two most lopsided games of the entire season
were the Bengals Broncos game, okay, followed by the what
was the game before that with the Bengals involved, And
now I made a mistake. I'm thinking about last week
(32:38):
Lions Bengals. That was the best performance that they had.
But in Week three, five.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
Hundred yards of offense by the Bronco.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Yeah, the Bengals got absolutely whitewashed in that week as
well by the Vikings. Those I think were the two
maybe most lopsided games of the year. And then the
Lions were up like thirty four to three or something
like that in that game too. I mean, they were
awful in every respect. And I saw this thing about
like Andrew Whitworth, who obviously is as good a source
as humanly possible on the Bengals offensive line, saying the
(33:06):
needs at spend more resources on their offense. Plant I'm thinking, well,
you have your best player as a first round pick
that you spent that resource, and you had one of
the highest paid tackles in the league at left tackle,
and you have a pretty high pick at one of
the guard spots, and you've spent on the three contracts
in Alex Karis.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
So subtext though, subtext though if I'm seeing that, because
Wit is very aware of those things, that those details,
the subtext to me is needs better coaching, needs better
scouting of talent. Well that's what I think it means
by more because you're paying those people in depth.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
They didn't get anyone this year for depth, but they're
basically starting the guys they expect.
Speaker 4 (33:41):
I mean, I'm looking back like a guy like Akiema
d Energy, right, who was they with the Cincinnati Bengals.
How they had success? Of course they went to the
Super Bowl. They try to upgrade the offensive line. He goes,
he plays fifty three snaps for the Dallas Cowboys last
week against the Jets, and the Cowboys look like world beaters.
Speaker 3 (33:57):
They've got other.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Jonah Williams looking successful in other spots, in starts where
you start to wonder like this is this is franchise
team related in terms of the issues up front, which
is why the Flacco move was so iffy to me,
where it's like you can't protect Joe Burrow or Jake
Browning and now you're asking Joe Flacco to just come
in here. And get thrown statue ball a Packers defense.
(34:21):
That's that's gonna like Joe Flacco's gonna get hit. And
I understand he's got like a per win bonus right
on his contract, and so he wants to go somewhere
where we could start and play. Like at one point
like is it worth it?
Speaker 3 (34:33):
Joe?
Speaker 5 (34:34):
Yeah? But I don't know if they're sitting I mean,
I guess probably he has some saying it right, do
you want to do this?
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (34:40):
Do you really want?
Speaker 1 (34:41):
But better than sitting in the room with and Danbriel,
I think for him it just seems more like if
this is gonna be my last season, I like to
go throw the ball to T Higgins and Jamar Chase
and see what happens. He's a confident man, and.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
I hope they get it blocked up so that he
can do that.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
But game, forget it.
Speaker 5 (35:00):
Yeah, this is to that point. I am so excited
and interested, maybe not enough to want to take this
game from you, Greg.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
But is it by game again?
Speaker 5 (35:10):
You're so excited about it?
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (35:11):
This is this is this is the Greg Rosenthal game.
Speaker 3 (35:14):
You want to see. Joe Flecco.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
The late window is quite interesting this week you got
that great forty nine Ers Bucks game, and then you
also have the Raiders, Titans, and Bengals Packers.
Speaker 5 (35:26):
I am really interested to see what the Green Bay
Packers defense looks like with this time off to actually
take a break. A lot of times the Bie weeks
are pure rest, right, unless you're a team that has
some serious fiddling to do, And I would count. We
just talked about them, the Bears maybe upfront with what
they want to do with their offensive line being one
of them, and also this Packers team with this defense
(35:46):
because Micah Parson's best pass rusher in football right now,
argue with Miles Garrett, I wouldn't want to do that.
I already did the wouldie rather where apparently, instead of
being followed around by Kats, my choice was just to
get a surprise hit by Miles Garrett at any point still.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Twenty times in your life, question my terrible decision.
Speaker 5 (36:06):
I just that's how I feel about Cats. I guess
we could say but I but I feel like this
is going to be cool to watch because they've had
time to actually plan. He arrived so quickly to the
start of the season, to the point where just for
his own kind of wellbeing and safety with that back
issue is on a little bit of a pitch count
(36:26):
which increased a little bit, but still having him fully
in this defense and a full deployment plan where it's
not just him knowing what he's going to be doing
and where he's going to be, it's all the guys
around him also having some you know autonomy and some
you know integration into that plan as well. I am
extremely interested to see what this looks like, and I
(36:49):
think you get kind of a blank canvas to do
it on.
Speaker 2 (36:51):
You know, right, it's going to look awesome. That's in
news real.
Speaker 1 (36:56):
This team was consistently dominant on defense for three and
a half games too, before suddenly the Cowboys just kick
their teeth in for a half and that'll happen.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
But they were.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Pretty great before that. It's gonna be a blow. Maybe
I'll take it, though.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Yeah, just watch a guy, Joe.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Is this our Survivor pick this week?
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Out there?
Speaker 2 (37:14):
Yeah, let's just keep going against the Bengals. I kind
of forgot about, sir.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah, Yeah, we'll chase the Bengals.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Take the bank. I'll just keep schedule. We'll keep finding
the bank because it's.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Meat until they get, you know, in the division.
Speaker 5 (37:24):
But it's like I get points, I see club and
Eric back there, good job. I care so much.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
About this survivor.
Speaker 4 (37:31):
They know we already all lost, no, but we all
win together together. Is how we approach these together. Is
how the Bills will try to bounce back from their
first loss of the season on Monday Night Football. They're
back in prime time this time. They're on the road though,
at the Atlanta Falcons, the Bills giving up four and
a half points the over unders forty nine and a half.
(37:53):
Chris Fowler, Lewis Riddick, dan Orlowski, Katie George, and Peter
Schrager on the call, Greg is, you guys had a
good conversation Jean Robinson, give you any insight and how
they're going to face up against the Bill.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yes, you will hear that conversation as part of the
Thursday night recap show, so it'll it'll go on along
with our recap of Eagles and Giants. And it was
a great conversation. And he talked about the improvements that
he's made throughout his career, that he's a more confident runner,
that he's he's a patient runner, and he's given a
lot of credit to the scheme there with how did
(38:26):
he call him z Rob?
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Zach Robinson? And I like z Rob.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
That definitely sounds cooler than Zach Robinson looks.
Speaker 5 (38:34):
Yeah, Oh, I just mean like he doesn't see anybody.
Hear that one go by, and.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
Then all of a sudden, it just he doesn't look
like a z Rob. What do you mean?
Speaker 5 (38:44):
He looks like a freaking one Tree Hill character.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
That's sort of what I mean. Is that a zb
All right?
Speaker 4 (38:49):
Well, you're saying like you dragged, like put a little
gel on a bang and drag it down all sudden.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
That's z Rob like you put a leather jacket on.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
I'm not trying to like profile or anything. I just
mean z Robbins like I'm pseude.
Speaker 5 (38:59):
Apparatus is the background, you know?
Speaker 2 (39:01):
That just doesn't seem to fit.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Also, what doesn't fit is two of the best games
of the week opposite each other on Monday Night football.
We've only got two more of these ever, according to
our boss's boss's bosses Boss's boss's boss Roger Goodell, so
this is one of the last two. Next week is
the very last one. But this one annoys me. I
which these two were separate.
Speaker 3 (39:20):
They all do to me, me too, but a noted
shield robot.
Speaker 4 (39:24):
I don't want to have to the whole point of
Prome time is being able to put singular focus and
all of us collectively are on social media having a
conversation about one game, and now we're bifurcated, and you know,
they've killed broadcast television in general, and so everybody's on
a weird delay because everything is streaming now.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
It's yeah, it's bad, bring it back.
Speaker 5 (39:44):
He's got the gavel, Yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (39:46):
It is.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
The NFL agreed with you, and they say this is
all going away next year, but it was just still
stuck on the schedule.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
I just wish they did the.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
Thing that we were up till one in the morning
on the East coast for this game, you know, just
just stagger them.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
I'm excited for this game. I think that the Bills
have a huge advantage if they want to run the ball.
James Cook is among the best rushers in the NFL
right now, number two in yards, and the Falcons are
six worse in the NFL in terms of success rate
in defending the run. That's a huge, huge mismatch and
probably a key contact point for Joe Brady in game
planning for this game, because one of the biggest advantages
(40:19):
for the Bills remains this offensive line and what they
can do between Josh Allen and James Cook.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
You know what shocked me is looking and seeing that
the Falcons are still first in defensive DVOA right now,
like the numbers now. Granted you look at the schedule
and that seems to be a factor, I think, but
they've been very good against the pass in general, despite
like not playing their two young players that much like
James Pearce and Jalen Wager aren't playing that much. Despite
(40:48):
every week the opposing team seems to target Mike Cues
and d Alford a lot and it seems to be working.
So I don't know, they've had a lot of they
forced a lot of turnovers, which is part of it.
But what a great to go up against this Bill's
passing game, which is starting to It's been amazing. But
I think they're wondering, like, do we need something else?
Do we need a guy that can can go down
(41:10):
the field and make a big play, because they are
right now kind of a station to station type of offense.
Speaker 4 (41:14):
It's felt kind of Eagles ish for the Bills, where
they kind of wait to deploy late when they need
it and it's like all right, Josh hero ball engage,
get mad and so like. I think they have to
kind of take the governors off in this game because
the Bill's defense continues to be a problem, and especially
(41:36):
when you've got guys like Drake London and you know,
to some extent calepits but especially John Robinson, where they
get loose.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Forget to some expense, it's just happenings breaking tap.
Speaker 5 (41:48):
What I see for this early is for them to
scheme up a lot of like quick like yack slants
and screens and dare the Bills defenders to tackle in
space or in the middle of the field where they
both places where they've been having issues actually wrapping and
pulling to the ground. This is where I think they
(42:09):
try to go fast early and they try to really
hammer them with those specific types of plays with those players,
with Bijon, with Kyle Pitts, with Drake London, to try
to dare you to tackle them. Because the Bills have
still you know, slide improvement up front. Last week. Dean
Walker's playing well, but there's just there's just not a
(42:30):
consistency week over week and how this defense is containing
players right.
Speaker 1 (42:36):
And I think if you look at Pitts's stats, for instance,
like they don't look that crazy. It's only ten yards
per catch. But he's someone if you just watch them
this year, he's just way better. Yeah, he could be
a pro bowler. He could be an all Pro. I
think the stats and he does have at least four
catches in every game, so he's been consistent, are better
than he looked. I thought Michael Pennox is coming off
his best game of the year. They haven't played in
(42:56):
a couple weeks now, but that Washington game, he showed
a lot of good anticipation throw.
Speaker 2 (43:00):
He threw over the middle well in that game.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
So I think if you just took out that Carolina game,
which you can't, is a terrible, terrible performance by him.
But I think he's played well in the other three starts.
I think it's an offensive game for both teams. And
I'm curious because I think the Patriots really showed their
hand and what they thought matters about the Bills. When
you talked about the running game, they really loaded up
to stop the run and they dared the Bills to
(43:24):
beat them in man to man coverage, and it's not
like they got a little lucky with a couple turnout.
It's not like they shut him down or anything. But
I think that game plan makes make sense to me.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
When you're playing the.
Speaker 4 (43:33):
Bills, can't wait, great matchup and sneakily. Where would you
think Michael Pennock Junior is in terms of dropback EPA
among passers in the NFL right now?
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Well, the fact that you're asking this question means it's
going to be surprising. But if I didn't think about that,
I would say, like eighteenth right now.
Speaker 3 (43:55):
He is at forty.
Speaker 2 (43:58):
Right.
Speaker 5 (43:59):
The panther is that everybody who's ever thrown a pass.
But yeah, that's adjust he's on that line.
Speaker 3 (44:05):
No, yeah, it's it's everybody.
Speaker 2 (44:07):
But still it's still that's not good.
Speaker 5 (44:09):
It's doing the rude thing where I'm leaning over looking
at your screen. I'm like, who what I get it.
Speaker 1 (44:15):
The first couple of weeks it was a lot of
checked up, but I think he was taking what the
defense was giving him. There havenh't been a lot of
explosive plays until that Washington game, and obviously that Carolina game.
Was so bad that it's going to skew the numbers
a little bit. But that is interesting, all right.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
So perhaps an opportunity number.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
One defense, number twenty one offense according to DVA, which
I would not never have expected coming into the year.
Speaker 5 (44:36):
Yeah, something weird. That's just weird.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
That's I don't really believe it.
Speaker 4 (44:40):
Yeah, thanks thanks to not believe. I believe one thing
that I know for certain, Jordan, all that matters is
Drake May. The New England Patriots are favored by three
and a half points at the New Orleans sit. It's
a couple of Greg Rosenthal's Corps beliefs. Yes, Drake May.
This is in the city of New Orlean. The over
(45:01):
under is forty five and a Halfspirodidas, Adam Marcholetta and
Adida ki Kawala on the call. They're back. The vibes
are great. They just got a big win in the
AFC East, Greg, and now they go on the road.
Speaker 1 (45:12):
To New or dangerous game. You're right about Drake May.
He's the only thing that matters.
Speaker 2 (45:17):
They see.
Speaker 1 (45:19):
They also aren't particularly like that great of a team.
They're twentieth right now in DVA. Like I think that
indicates even last week they were lucky to win that game.
They were out gain like there was a lot going
on in that game and they have it. Definitely not
a WI but when it comes to the Drake May
fan club there there is definitely a wee you if
you're watching, you can actually see our throw of the
(45:41):
Year candidate that I'm going to throw out there from
Drake May from last week's game where he is rolling
out to his right, and especially when you watch it
on the overhead view and he throws it on the
run with a defender in his face, just perfect and dissipation,
and I think it.
Speaker 5 (46:01):
Does it gets better as it sales. Yes, looking out
how close to the sideline he's kidding.
Speaker 1 (46:07):
I mean, he throws a pretty deep ball. And I
think his connection with Stefan Diggs has made me reconsider
the upside of this passing game because Digs and him
are giving more as kind of a tandem than I
thought he would have with anyone this year. Shout out
to Stefan Diggs and whatever he did in that recovery,
because he's still not a year away from that ACL surgery.
(46:29):
It's pretty amazing how much Juicy looks like he has.
Speaker 5 (46:32):
Yeah, back to back games he's played awesome and that
was a little bit of a revenge game, although it
seems like good vibes and he interacted with the crowd
and all of that stuff, and kind of I.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Want him to play every game in Buffalo. He seemed
like fifteen percent faster.
Speaker 5 (46:45):
Yeah, he and he was feeling it, you could tell.
I mean, he he took extra time before the game
to interact with the crowd. This this will not be
that same type of like nostalgia and dynamic, but man,
this is kind of this is to be actually, I
think a much more fun game than I think people
thought it might be coming into the season looking at
the schedule, because obviously New England's coming off their biggest
(47:08):
win certainly in the Verbel era, in the Drake May era,
I would say, too, right, beating Buffalo like.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
That in prime time, oh in the last four.
Speaker 5 (47:17):
Years, yeah and forever, And that's that's great for them.
They're they're healthier on the on the defensive side. To
Christian Gonzales, holy Cow looks just as advertised, right, looks incredible.
But they're also going against a better than most people think,
playing better than most people think Spencer Rattler certainly not
in QB island range, but playing better than a lot
(47:39):
of people would think. And playmakers, young playmakers all over
the ball. Jona Sanker again I shout at them out
a couple of weeks ago, again making.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Place PEPSI Rookie of the Week candidate this week making
plays in addition to Jackson.
Speaker 2 (47:52):
Dart, which was one of the strangest things I've ever seen.
Speaker 5 (47:55):
Two names where people are like, what the and it's
like looking at it and all over the field attacking
the ball. I told you guys to keep an eye
on Kendre Miller. Very hard to tackle that guy. He's
starting to get into an even carry share, if not
a little edge on Carrie. Specifically with Alvin Kamara. This
is the type of thing you kind of hope to
see with Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson. In terms of
(48:17):
Alvin Kamara is being used still as a passing game mismatch.
He's great there, but also you're getting someone else coming
in and getting more of a workload with the carries.
He's very hard to tackle. So I think this is
actually kind of a frisky game because you got a
lot of interesting guy, like interesting players on both sides
of the ball for each team, and the young guys
are really the story of all of this, starting with
(48:38):
the new England quarterback.
Speaker 4 (48:40):
I'm concerned about the you know, the reverse chargers on
the sideline with Brandon Staley, and you know it's it's
head coach. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that that. You know,
things at the start for coach Moore have been like
that bad. But for Staley in the Saints defense, they're
blitzing at one of the highest rates in.
Speaker 5 (49:02):
The league and he never used to blitz.
Speaker 3 (49:04):
And they're getting the second worst pressure rate in the league.
Speaker 5 (49:08):
They and Chase Young hasn't been out there either.
Speaker 4 (49:11):
The pressure rate on blitzes, like there's a significant, like
almost twelve percent difference where they're blitzing thirty three percent
of the time, they only getting pressure on those twenty
three percent of them ough, and so like even when
they're sin in the house, it's they're not getting there
and it's it's not gonna work against seventeen.
Speaker 1 (49:27):
My take again in this game was like these two
teams are not that different other than the quarterbacks in
terms of their overall ability and that's a pretty big difference.
I think the Patriots have a dude, you know that
a QB island worthy dude, and the Saints have an
offense that's punching above its weight. It's like twenty third.
But they are different because the Patriots have pass prushers. Yea,
both teams are thin. The Patriots might even be thinner.
(49:50):
Once you get past like the first the best fifteen
players on the Patriots roster, it's it's like it's one
of the worst rosters in the league from sixteen to
fifty three. I really do think think so it falls
off a bit of a cliff, but their top end
talent is much better. And the Saints their defense is
one of the three or four worst in the league
and their special teams is one of the two or
(50:10):
three worst in the league. They're special teams has really
cost them. So this is a game that the Patriots
should win, but that it's kind of an interesting test.
I said it for the Colts last week, for instance. Okay,
you're a heavy favorite at home against the Raiders. I
don't think the Patriots are as big a favorite this week,
but this would show me something if they can back
up what was a big win. I don't even care
if they cover this game, just find any way to
(50:30):
get a victory. And if they're a playoff type of team,
which is now I think realistic to expect that they
could get a seven seed or something, then you got
to win a game like that.
Speaker 5 (50:39):
It's two rebuilding teams, both rebuilding for very different reasons,
one who has their quarterback, the other who still has
obviously major questions at the position. And they're both kind
of teams that play a little bit more so even now,
the Patriots I think have opened it up a little
bit as well, playing as if what do we have
to lose? You know, Like I see that even though
the Saints are losing almost every week last week excluded,
(51:02):
I see that from the Saints they don't have games,
and they and they don't have the guys they have
a major position holes to fill, and so do the Patriots.
The Patriots are behind by like three draft classes at
this point. So it's like both I think in terms
of you know, I think this becomes a tight, like
(51:23):
a little bit tighter of a game because it's like, Okay,
we neither of us have anything to lose. We expectations
were already low right, I think higher now for the
Patriots after winning the game that they did. But you
never know. I mean, I just I don't know. I
just I see the Saints making this tougher on the
Patriots than I think. Again, people who haven't watched the
Saints all year would expect.
Speaker 1 (51:44):
It's also the big expedition fan meet up field trip
for the Saints block party. Yeah, the Saints traditionally performed
very well that week.
Speaker 2 (51:53):
I'm going on with the Adam and Ryan this week.
Speaker 5 (51:56):
So check that out, Jess really quickly. I wanted to
do a Will Campbell check in for you.
Speaker 1 (52:00):
Been fine, probably coming off his worst game. Did not
like they gave him a lot of help in that
Bills game and it wasn't amazing, but good, good in
the running game, he's been fine, which is all you
can expect.
Speaker 5 (52:09):
That Well, just just for you, I thought I'd pull
a PFF okay twenty seventh ranked tackle overall, So that's great,
top third, that's great as a rookie allowed obviously one sack,
six pressures total in five games.
Speaker 2 (52:22):
Very good. Hopefully it is very good. Great, Hopefully it's
a great game. My game.
Speaker 1 (52:28):
I am taking that one for sure. I just want
Drake May to have like a statistically untouchable game so
that Mike Rabel will finally give him a game ball.
He's given two to Andy borgallis the kicker, He's given
zero to Drake May.
Speaker 2 (52:43):
It's on people's radar in New England.
Speaker 1 (52:45):
That like Mike Frabel is nagging Drake May and he
won't ever talk about, like too positively about Drake May.
They all think it's calculated. But bor Gallas, Wow, gotta
hook that guy up.
Speaker 5 (52:56):
What a complex psychological.
Speaker 2 (52:59):
I don't know he's doing it intentionally. I don't know.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
When the kicker hits the game winning field goal, he
killed the game ball.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
I get it. But a couple of weeks ago, like May.
Speaker 4 (53:08):
I'm actually Gaalaxy our quarterback to make him try it.
Speaker 1 (53:12):
They had that Panthers gave me had like three incompletions
and they put up a forty burger and he's like, hey,
let's give it to Like Mac Collins.
Speaker 5 (53:18):
He always gets the game ball in your heart.
Speaker 2 (53:19):
There we go. That was it. Preview shows. We did it.
We've done it.
Speaker 1 (53:24):
As we mentioned, we're going to have Jehan Robinson on
our Thursday night recap show that is the next time
you will hear from us me Nick Shook in.
Speaker 2 (53:33):
The feed talking a little eagles giants. That's it. I'm
over the jet lag claring it's over.
Speaker 5 (53:41):
It was over when you picked up the Snickers bar
and swung it.
Speaker 1 (53:44):
That's why you got to watch the show, because you
never know if I'm going to use something as a
foreign object and just take out
Speaker 2 (53:52):
See if there's an it
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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