September 27, 2025 • 39 mins
On the eve of the first ever National Football League game on Irish soil, Gregg Rosenthal sits down with the gridiron football authority of Ireland, Michael McQuaid, for a wide-ranging discussion about the context of the NFL in Ireland, what Croke Park will look like on Sunday, and what to expect from the Vikings and Steelers on what Gregg expects to be the first of many NFL games in Ireland going forward. Plus, Gregg shares his NFL team tiers as of Week 4. Don't miss the Minnesota Vikings take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday morning at 9:30 AM ET on NFL Network!
Michael McQuaid (@McQuaidNFL) - Pro Football Ireland (@NFLIreland)
Topics:
— The history and growth of American football in Ireland
— NFL Team Tiers:
- "Shocked if they make the playoffs"
- "Surprised if they make the playoffs"
- Playoff bubble teams
- Playoff caliber teams
- Title contenders
— Ireland Game Preview
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to NFL Daily where it's the Irish super Bowl
this week. I'm Greg Rosenthal and I could not be
more excited to be joined by the unofficial host of
Viking Steelers the first ever game in Dublin, Michael McQuaid.
How are you doing? Are you going a little crazy?
(00:25):
And now you're running all over the place this week?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Greg Falsa, Welcome to Ireland. I know you've a lot
of bonds on this island, both north and south. And
it's funny. I was talking to a few people before
we came in here. I really mean this. It really
means a lot to us to see not just yourself
but the league come over here. So it's good to
see him. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Hey, I'm doing great. And yeah, Like I get to
the airport, the entire gate are Steelers fans in their jerseys?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Did you fly from LA or from LA? So that
Steelers fans in La?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Oh? Yeah, I mean they're Steelers fans everywhere. The fact
that it's all Steelers span on a like red Eye
in LA. Like, okay, that feels different. Get off the flight,
you see the Steelers and all the NFL stuff all
over the city. Get to the hotel. There's literally twenty
Steelers fans all taking pictures with their jerseys on, and
(01:17):
it just You've been on a bus around town with
literally the bus Jerome Bettis and yeah, it it does
feel like a special week for football in this country
and in the NFL in general.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And I have got a present for you from all
of us slots here, including Mark sitting Bestiitus, I've got
you an Irish terrible tile. Oh I don't believes available
in Pittsburgh, So you can keep that as a memento.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
A I mean, I'm not keeping this thing. I'm a
Rogers hater, but I will give.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
This give it to a deserving person.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
To a deserving friend, my good buddy Anthony Jesselnick. We're
here with a big fan of the jessel Nick and
Rosenthal vanity project, Jev Mark Cogan here, and I'm going
I'm giving this straight to him. He will he will
really appreciate that. And yes, if you're listening to this,
what's this show all about? We want to get a
little bit of local flavor, a little bit of knowledge
(02:12):
about the growth of the game. Here we're going to
talk a little Viking Steelers. We did preview the game
on our preview show, But just a few more thoughts
about it before we get ready what that game is
going to look like. And I'm actually going to throw
some rankings at you, because I can't do anything in
my life without ranking them. And they're not exactly power rankings,
(02:32):
but I thought this was like a good time to
just look at preseason predictions and who we think me
especially are going to make the playoffs. How that's changed.
So it's kind of ranking the teams based on how
I think they're going to make, you know, the playoffs
or not. I divided them up into categories and you
can just tell me where you think I'm wrong and
where you think I'm right. But I do kind of
(02:53):
want to start with a little bit of Ireland chatter. Still,
how have you seen like the call of NFL fandom, bro, I'm.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Sitting here speaking to somebody like yourself. That's been the
London many times. London's great, London's amazing. I think Tottenham
is really really special. The first ever game I went
to was in Wembley, and I know you've experienced that
journey numerous times and continue to do so.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I went to Twickenham.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
That was Twickenham Rams, wasn't it Rams against? Yeah, I've
never been to twicking them I so I'll give you that.
I think you know, when we go to an airport
where it's Belfast, Dublin, corek carry whatever, it doesn't matter
where you are on this island. The fact of the
matter is we cannot walk on water yet, so we
have to get a play into an NFL game. To
see it actually come over to here is really special,
(03:39):
especially when we have kicked sort of the season off
football wise with college football for the last few years.
And man, this is like the fifth time I've said this,
but I'm almost asking myself, why is it only happening now?
This should have happened like ten to fifteen years ago.
But you know, and I know your listeners know as well.
You know, guys like Alistair Kirkwood who really gambled his
(04:00):
on that game, and O seven working and with Miami
and with New York and look where we are now.
League games coming up over the next few weeks in
London and Dublin. On top it's you know you mentioned
when we met here, but Munich, it's got that dim
feel to me. The fact that I've left the house,
gott in my car and I've drove down the road
to an NFL game is something I never thought I
(04:22):
would see. But it's so so special and I can't
tell you how excited I am.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I do want to wrap up sort of talking about
what we think it's going to look like on Sunday,
because it's a different stadium and everything. But I think
the game's here, and you're right, it is too late,
and it's not gonna be the last one. The NFL
is expanding, you think.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So do you think it'll be another one in the
Heartland at some point, even if it's not next year?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yes, I mean I think if I had the guess
without any inside knowledge, and maybe our Friendnry Hodson, will
you know, slap me for this, but I would think
it's gonna be next year or whenever it is. If anything,
the only concern will be like can they match up
to how big they're going this time around with this dealers,
because there's a lot going on, like it feels like
(05:03):
a first game in the country. And the reason I
think it'll keep happening is because they're gonna go where
the response is and Ireland punches above its weight in
terms of fandom, like so much, Like why do you
think that is? Like I went and looked at our
listenership over the last month, Like Ireland is fourth in
(05:26):
terms of the countries listening. It's the US, of course,
the UK is a massive way out in second, Australia
and then it's Ireland. I actually did some comparison, like
I went and looked a year ago, and it's like
Ireland zoom passed Germany. So it's like it's growing and
for such a small country for it to have that
sort of audience, I don't know what do you think
(05:47):
the reason is if.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You actually extrapolate potentially the UK data as well, how
many people are from Northern Ireland as well? I'm not
so and that goes into the stots, so it could
be sitting third for all we know. Well we will
talk about that over it and the fandoms just grown
and grown, and you know, you talk about it builds
like a real first game vibe. I think it's because
of the fact of the heritage and you know, I
(06:08):
know you've previewed the game, but there's been no international
game ever where an ownership has came over and they've
literally you know, come over to come home, you know,
two hundred years since they emigrated from North America, the
Roney family. You know, I was looking enough to be
up in Newry earlier on this week, and you could
see the Runes emotional, like Jerome Bettis got it immediately
(06:32):
what it meant to him and kids there, you know,
like it was in the girls' school and you know
they've probably never watched it down in football in their life,
but when he walked out with a gold jacket, they
were like, oh my god, this is incredible. There is
that vibe of you know, it's the first time, and
I agree with you what you're saying about it, you know,
potentially coming back. And you know, from a fan perspective,
(06:52):
first and foremost, when you come down here, you see
Dublin Castle, you see every street decked out. I think
they get the right matchup. I can't see why it
can't happen every year, and it's an easy addition for
the league to have a year on year if they
have or if they want to have additional games. I
think it's just abo getting the right palette. I'd happily
take a game every year.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
If they often make the Steelers the Irish team. I'm
sure they'd want to be.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I know they really like and it's not even like
not like it's public knowledge. They really want to play
in Mexico and I know. I remember I spoke to
a guy called al Varro Martin who does the Spanish broadcast,
and he met me at the Super Bowl and he
was like, Man, I'm so happy for you, but like
I really wanted it to be honest and fans, and
there's fans from Mexico flying over to this game. So
I feel like, yes, they'll come back to Steelers, please God, Touchwood,
(07:36):
et cetera. But I think they might go to Mexico
next at some point.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Well they've only had you know, Dan Renie's only been
an ambassador to one country.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yes, I.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Am confident it'll be here, partly because it's open that
the NFL's idea is to play more international games, and
it's pretty obvious to me that the way to do
that is eventually have a schedule where every team plays
an international game every year. There's an entire week of
international games. It solves the whole uneven home away schedule.
(08:10):
It's an extra television package. They're going to renegotiate that
I'm just spinning off of speculation. This is not inside information.
And so at that point, like you need inventory, you
need sixteen games a year. London can handle what five, six,
whatever it's gonna be. But you're gonna be all over
the globe, and I think they'll go where the enthusiasm is,
(08:30):
and it's here. So let's put a pin in that
for a minute. I do want to circle back and
end with that, and we can talk a little bit
about Vikings Steelers, but I'm gonna I'm gonna just do
something on that. I was on the flight over, I
was thinking about it a little bit, and I just
thought like it would be a good time to think
about where we're at. After three weeks. I don't think
(08:51):
it's too early to start overreacting and just categorize these teams.
And so we're gonna do it pretty quickly here. Yeah, Michael, right,
it's like you are an analys You're not just I
don't want to just put you in the in the
box of like, oh yeah, tell us about how meaningful
Ireland is. You're actually going to be broadcasting. What is
your role with Virgin Media for this game? It is
(09:12):
the first Irish production of an NFL game since nineteen
ninety yes, which is outrageous.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I was born in ninety one, so I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
That's annoying. You didn't need to say that. Like you
you're going to be part of it. What are you
doing for the game?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And I'm doing pregium, halftime and postgame on the television
on our friend who we were talking about off audio
fa Obata is going to be doing not play by play,
but whenever the US goes to commercials, he's going to
be talking to each play. And I know you love
the guy. I absolutely love that guy. He is amazing
and I can't see what he's going to be like.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
That is amazing. You're kind of a competitor. I'm doing
halftime for sky Sports, but ultimately I don't think you
can get both. I don't even know how it works.
You can't.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
But sure, Look it's fine. We just go up against
John On have some fun.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Flip it in between. Okay, I've divided the entire league
into different groups. Okay, I'm going to start at the
bottom and then go to the top, and the different
groups are based on like if I think they can
make the playoffs after three weeks, and I do generally
enter the season with there's only a handful of teams
that you think have very little chance to make the playoffs,
(10:19):
and looking at the teams in this category, it's amazing
how predictable it'd be. So this is teams I would
be shocked if they made the playoffs, and I'm gonna
start going backwards, so dead last in the NFL, I
would put the Titans that's thirty two. Saints would be next,
Dolphins at thirty. I still would be shocked if the
Carolina Panthers made the playoffs, even though they just want
(10:41):
a game by a shutout. The Jets above them. That's
one where I probably would have changed categories in the
last three weeks because I actually had them as a
seventh seed. Okay, I don't feel good about that now.
I still think they can be relevant. It'd be tough
for them to go ten and for the rest of
the year, that's probably what they would need to make
the playoffs. The Raider, the Giants, and then at the
(11:01):
very top of this list, the Browns. Well, we even
thought about bumping up a little bit.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
The Broyn's defense against the Packers last week. I obviously
they're offensive. I've got issues and they've got Frankly a
lovely man, but a very old man playing a quarterback.
In one sense, I.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Would lovely like you find him physically attractive, he's hair
or he's just a nice guy.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
If I've mad him, he's a lovely Yeah, look he's
he's he's a very good looking man. I can't believe
saying us on an NFL podcast, but he's actually he's
a really really nice guy, family man as well when
when I had the chance to meet him, but never actually.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Big like not that you're shocked that Joe flackos big,
but he's an enormous.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
He's a giant man. He's an absolute giant in terms
of being a brown though offensively, do I think they
could make a run. It's difficult, but that defense against
the Packers shut and I know Jordan loved a really
per game. But like man, I would put them up
a little bit. I would actually have the Giants maybe
towards the bottom two here. Whenever we went to New
(12:00):
Jersey and seeing the Jats trending comp the optimism was
so different from any time we seen him come to London,
Like justin field seemed really, really confident, and I just
find it really funny how you've got them.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Bottom with training camps. Yeah, sometimes for it, but that's
why I think they can still be relevant. But this
category is shocked if they made the playoffs. I'm assuming
you probably need ten wins to make the playoffs. To
go ten and four, it's a lot. They have more
defensive problems than I really expected. But shout out to
the Browns because they maybe deserve to be in this
(12:32):
next tier up because I do think that defense is
that good. It's just it's just hard. The combination of
quarterback an offensive line for the Browns is gonna make
it very difficult, all right. The next The next section
is I would be surprised if they made the playoffs.
So the first section, I'd be shocked. I'm basically crossing
those teams out, like apology to the Dolphins insane. So
(12:54):
I don't think their fans feel different, and the Raiders
fans probably do feel different. They're always over confident, but
they got a lot of issues. Another team with the
bad offensive line and not enough talent on defense. This
group is the teams I would be surprised if they
made the playoffs, all right, this is the number twenty
one team overall, the Bears. Then the Bengals have the
Patriots at twenty three and the Cowboys at twenty four.
(13:17):
So those four teams feels very unlikely that they would
make the playoffs. To me, of that group, who do
you think would be the most.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Just because I know it's an absolute storm done there
at any given moments, and for all we know, they
could go in on Sunday night and beat the Packers.
Give me the Cowboys, like for all me who know?
Like how fired up are they gonna be going up
against Michaeh. Parsons on Sunday Night? Like they're gonna be
all over the month?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
That only goes so far. I mean, they just don't
have the juice. One of the things I regret the
most about my preseason analysis was how I thought the
Cowboys defense, now this is when they had Parsons, would
be frisky in terms of the edge players next to them,
having the depth. I think the combination of the scheme
and the talent, they just don't really fit each other.
(14:06):
So I'm not crossing them out. Any team with a
quarterback playing that well has a chance but losing Cdee
Lamb for however long it's going to be, losing two
offensive linemen for at least the next you know, three,
four or five weeks is a pretty big deal. I
think Patriots fans might be maybe annoyed that I put
(14:28):
them down here, but I would be surprised at this point.
I feel like an eight or nine win team would
be a big victory for this team.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You've got the Bengals and exactly the right spot. I
actually felt bod watching them last week, whenever Browning how
a bit of a brown himself watching it. It was
absolutely awful. And obviously we'll probably talk about viks defense.
They were all on this podcast. But I think you're
in the right spot there, Patriots. You could see them
maybe you know, winning one last and what they lose overall,
but they're sort of stop start, stop start. They really
(14:57):
should have pushed on against Theaters last week. I thought
they would have it. Don't a lot better to be honest,
to be able fourteen points last week.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, they if they score like and eliminate mistakes. They
have the most potential here because of the schedule. Like again,
they have the Panthers next week, they have these NFC
South teams. The rest of the AFC East is very forgiving,
but I think they're still short in a lot of places,
and so I would be surprised. All right, My next group,
(15:24):
I'm counting as like the playoff bubble, like these teams
have a legit chance to make the playoffs. Yeah, at
the moment, they might be in my mind like a
little on the outside looking out or right on the border.
And so at the top of that list, I'm putting
the Vikings at the top of that list. I had
them over eight and a half as one of my
favorite over unders this year. I feel okay about that now,
(15:46):
but not amazing. The Jaguars are next. Think they're very
frisky stealers. Below them right in the middle of the
NFL at sixteen, The Broncos at seventeen. I'm a little
concerned about bo Nicks. They're lower than they would have
been going into the season, for sure. The Texans I'm
hanging on. I'm keeping a little bit of stack because
that defense is championship worthy. The Cardinals and the Falcons
(16:08):
are also in this year. Make fun of one of
these rankings, which one do you dislike the most?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
The Broncos. I think, you know, if you look at
two of their games they've lost by a combined four
or five points, that we're very unlucky against Indianapolis. They
should have offensively really took the Chargers last week. I
understand how they lost the game. Bo Nicks, how we
seen him last year, especially in the second half of
the season to night, clearly isn't not the level that
(16:36):
he was last year. But he needs to try and
push on. They've got the weapons offensively, they've got defensive
leaders there. They should be at the upper actional lot
of that I really find an interesting. But the vikings
at the top of that Steelers as well, especially when
they've got a you know, a positive record so far,
is really intriguing him with that, Like obviously what two
on for three weeks.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
So the Steelers have a lot of concerning aspects to
their their offensive line, their quarterback doesn't like to be pressured,
the depth of their offensive players. To this point, the
defense is underachieved, but they have been winning doing it
and Mike Tomlin usually figures it out and they always
win more games than they should. So maybe I'm being
(17:14):
a little bit of a hater to.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Tell you about here at sixteen. I mean they are
grinding the out of the minute. They're not like, you know,
the top level of where they could be. Their run
game has been quite inconsistent as well. Three weeks, like
forty mix some yards.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
They're on the bubble. They're on the bubble. They're an
average team that I think the expectations were too high
when Mike Tomlin said that he thought this defense could
be a store like, let's be average first, at least
the next group. Okay, we're getting to some intriguing teams here,
ten through thirteen, number ten, and this would be the
(17:46):
category disappointing if they don't make the playoffs at this
point based off what we've seen, I think if they
don't make the playoffs, their fan base and certainly internally,
they're going to be pretty disappointed they don't make the playoffs.
The Seahawks here I have in my top ten overall,
and I was very tempted to put them in title contenders.
The Darnold thing. It is a little worrisome, but I
do think they have a lot to really like. The
(18:08):
Colts at eleven. I know it's only three weeks, but
at this point you're three and oh, your offense has
been this good. This is an opportunity. If they don't
make the playoffs, everyone gets fired. Like it actually is
putting more pressure on. Yeah, maybe they couldn't have any
more pressure. It's good pressure to have, but they needed
to have a playoff season, I think to keep all
their jobs and now at this start, they need to
(18:30):
keep it going. The Commander's at twelve and then the
forty nine ers so many injuries, favorable schedule three and oh,
but I still put them in this tier because of
the injuries and some questions I have. What's what stands
out to you?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Hear all all for them to be Honestly, if if
we start with the Niners, like how there are grinds
that results with Mark Jones are and still picking up
even with now have different injuries. You know, the Brock
party is going to come back from his turf to
injury at some point. They've got guys there on both
sides of the ball. Colts, I mean, I know, you
know Jeff Ryan Bolden, he was he was comparing him
to Johnny and IDAs and Peton Manning on the podcast
(19:06):
earlier this week.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
I actually appeared Daniel Jones to Peyton, but he was.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Like, look, there's all these different, like different legendary players
in Indianapolis, and now we've got Daniel Jones for three weeks.
I'm really happy for him. Man like it, like it.
But I was saying to to Mark my mate as
well here on our podcast this week. They are so
fun to watch defense Clay Hey who played they were
playing last week the Jaguars, I mean right last week,
but it was at taxing for a second. How do
(19:32):
they get the ball down the field? Is just like
their running game is so so fun to watch. I
would put the Colts if they win this week against
the Rounds, I'd put them up in the upper actural
on of that so interesting pickle the Seahawks. Well, but
Colts for me are the wont the start out there? Definitely.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, we should give some pop uh to the podcast
Pro Football Ireland a little Jeff Brinbold Action our friend
from Sky Sports. You got any other ops do you
want to give?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Well? Personally, Jeff works in college football and how we
do a podcast twice a week as a minor miracle
without man. I love him and we appreciate him, just
everyone like Mark Gis and all the guys who've a
college football podcast. A young man called Connell, twenty years
of age, has been in the National Championship. Donna as well.
I do Monday morning podcast as well. It just guys
that you know, do it for the love of the
game and it does make a huge difference.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You've built a little empire. How many people have you
left on the side of the road. Sharp elbow is
on your way up here. I guy in Ireland, I
do the best.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I can't. I try my best. I love the game
and you know, we'll talk about it after this, but
you know, when you have weekends, I said, you know,
it means a love.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
I I was asked by my friend Matt Casey. I'm
name dropping him here, who is the producer for Football
Night in America, also Mike Florio's producer, and he was like,
is there Neil Reynolds of Ireland? And I sent him
your way and then you you were on Florio's show.
I know I should be getting a co producer. Well,
(21:03):
I credit for that, but you that's your status at
this point.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Thank you very very much. It's funny, like I really
appreciate going on obviously love Florio and it was windy outside, right,
so you can imagine being on pftive or whatever on
my hair just went live. I'm bitt and bar someon.
But mon great, great way to go on, and thank
you for the reference. And a co producer situation will
definitely happen, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And and I don't think you need to say obviously
I love Florio because I feel like there's a lot
of people that don't love.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I enjoy his articles. I enjoy the discussion, shall we say,
on the opinions and you know, different things too.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
He cranked No one works harder, and I'm joking about
it because I feel comfortable doing that. I used to
work for him, and I know he pisses a lot
of people off, Like that's what he's trying to do.
Sometimes it's people inside the league. Sometimes it's people working
for teams. But you need some one like that in
the mix. All right, let's get back to the go
(22:03):
for it to the mix. And yet, like the Commander's
defense is a little more impressive so far than I expected,
and so I actually am upgrading them a little bit.
I was. I was not so high on them repeating
this year, and the fact that their defense I think
is going to be as good as it has been.
Makes me more optimistic that I'd be disappointed if they
didn't make the playoffs. And the Seahawks. Very close to
(22:25):
putting them in the title contenders because I just think
they have a lot that to like on this team,
especially on defense, but I like the way that the
offense has been coaching. Just need to see it just
a little bit more. All right, let's get the title
contenders because we're taping this too before that that T
andF game, and we could sound stupid talking Seahawks or
(22:46):
Cardinals title contenders. And tell me if you don't think
any of these teams are Ultimately, I had a pretty
big group people think that it's very predictable. I think
this season in the NFL, at least where we are
right now. Yeah, I felt comfortable putting nine teams where
if they went won the Super Bowl, I'd be like, yeah,
(23:06):
I could see it with maybe you know, one caveat
and that's at the bottom of this. But at the top,
I'm putting the Packers. I know they just lost to
the Browns. They still have Matt Lafleur, a quarterback I
believe in, and what I think is going to be
the best defense in the league. So I'm putting them
number one, the Lions and Eagles right behind them. I
just think they're going to be the class of the
NFC in general. Chargers, Bills, Ravens up next. Even though
(23:31):
the Ravens have lost two games, I anticipate they will
figure things out. My friend Jordan Rodrigue on the show
on Wednesday said, is are the Chargers the best team
in the NFL? I thought, I was, like, Man, that
is a wild statement, but it's not crazy when you
think of how well Justin Herbert is playing right now,
and that they're a pretty balanced team overall. So they're
there at four, Bills at five, Ravens at six, and
(23:54):
then the Rams, the Bucks, and the hardest team to
put in this list for me was actually the Kansas
City Chiefs. It just felt like, I'm like falling for
it if I don't at least put them in this category.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
It's the first team that looked at me there now.
Like granted, I watched about fifty six minutes condensed of
Sunday Night Football with the Chiefs, and the reality is
something we talked about earlier on this week. For two
teams in that list, one of them, barring a miracle
this week, is going one in flee, And like, what's
the percentage chance of making the playoffs if you go
one and flee? Never mind the consequences in the AFC
(24:28):
North if the Ravens go to one and play with
different teams there and with the Chiefs offensively barred that
like bar the final couple of offensive drives on Sunday
Night football in New York. I was sort of surprised
at how much they struggle to get the ball dot
the fielding relied so much a hard booker, I thought
there would be more of a movement on the offense
with Patrick Mahomes charges one's interest and the biggest one
(24:50):
for me stands out the Rams how and I look,
I know I cursed them last week for a start online, right,
but how they were able to almost stop that Eagles
offense in the first tof and you know, stop the
run to an extent was saque and they'll put you
in under pressure. But certainly we could see a different
side of the Eagles that we hadn't seen in quite
a while. Forty went in the championship run fell apart
(25:11):
a little bit in the second half or they didn't
get there. Yeah, a big time, but they showed a
little bit of a blueprint there defensively to trend to
stop was going to be interesting. See if anybody else
can pick it up on the scratch. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
I think their pass rush in the way they're built,
they're built to play with a lead normally there running
success right has been through the roof, and I think
that's the biggest reason they got that lead in the
first half, as they played keep away from the Eagles
and went on these long drives. They got to be
able to finish the drives. But ultimately, like they are
in a championship window. If I had to guess, I
(25:41):
think this is Matthew staffords last year in the NFL,
and not that there's a lot of pressure on them
to win now, but there's a reason why he came
back and decided to take less money to play for
the Rams than to possibly go to the Giants or
the Steelers or the options that were out there, and
that's because they can go ahead and win the title.
So that's my top nine for now. I think we'll
(26:02):
do this every once in a while in the season,
just kind of just take a look, we'll put this
out on the socials too, so everyone can get mad
at us.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I don't think I don't think anybody can complain with
those top nine teams. Okay, maybe Chiefs fonds because they're
sitting in ninth, maybe, but.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I mean they should they should be they should be
grateful to even be there at all.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We will see what happens is they's not enough pass rush.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
But I also know almost everything that's happened to this
point in the season is just a very like it's
a amuz boosh of a dinner that we're gonna have.
It is the it's not even an appetizer. It is
such a small portion of what's actually going to matter
in December, January, November. Obviously, the wins count, but I've
(26:47):
just seen too many seasons like this, and and the
Chiefs and the Ravens organizations like that can south scout
and problem solve and figure things out. I think that
the issues with the Chiefs roster though this year, are
just greater, so them figuring out might be second place
in the AFC West and suddenly you're on the road
for three weeks even though you want eleven games. The
(27:07):
Chargers you know, win that division and that that's a different,
different recipe without like a great pass.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I really like the option of maybe writing this down
right and week free and then calling back, yeah, week
seven and seeing a completely different sort of well middle
part as well. Now I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I will Okay, let's let's talk this game on Sunday.
What do you think the atmosphere is going to be like?
And like what is this stadium like to be holding
like an NFL game?
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Here? Stadium's massive. I called it a mecca for us,
Like that's what it is. I'm presuming that Mark is
nodding in the background here because he agrees. But for
us just very quickly, not to bore people, but to
deep dive in this very very quickly. We we have
Gaelic sports football hurling. Our villages are times you play
for them, and if you're good enough, you play for
(27:57):
your county. Usually you don't treat it in the NFL
or transfer. That's your county. That's who you're proud of,
and you know to playing. Crok Park is one of
the highest owners you can have. That stadium for a
lot of people here is like a family member almost
where you take your families where you take your friends
and you've had some great moments and you have had
some very sad moments. You don't usually play anything outside
(28:19):
of Glix sports in that stadium, So in the last
fifteen twenty years, obviously you've got you know, they have
rugby games the all the time. Now it's becoming more common.
Soccer happened as well. This is certainly a talking point
with people on this island at the minute that the
NFL is playing in the stadium atmosphere wise, and you'll
see it in Sunday and people watching it will see
it for you. There's no bad seat in the house,
(28:40):
so where you're going to be sitting in the booth
and Sunday is incredible. If you look to the left,
you'll see Dublin Town, Dublin City everywhere. It's unbelievable. And
also with the people watching the TV. When the anthems finish,
a drone comes up into the smaller stand and looks
across at everybody a sea of color, see of different jersey.
(29:01):
I'm biased, and I know people are sitting here going, well,
this guy's Irish, she's biased. Whatever. Man, imagine country roads
by like ten in Munich. I think that's what it's
going to be like. And I'm putting this on the
serious padistaline. You're I got good people here under pressure,
but I think it's going to be really, really special
and I'm probably gonna be an emotional wreck by about
two thirty five and some day.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
No, that's amazing to think about. And just visually with
the open air on one of the sides, like it
just looks different than any other NFL game, and I
just think that will be cool. It's gonna be harder
to kick into that end or we're gonna have because
the Steelers actually have a similar issue where their field
goal kickers for the longest time, like the longest field
(29:43):
goal ever, so that one end where it's open air,
it was like forty six yards. It was so hard
to kick to that side. Now because kicker kickers are
just better.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
They've overcome and they've got an absolute freak as well.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
In Chris Boswell, it's funny you mentioned that we were
on a like a production call the other day. I'm
one of the guys on the call, Big Gillick sports fan,
big GF and he mentioned that whenever rugby players were
kicking conversion there from you know, off the ground obviously
seem as what we would have on Sunday. They were
they weren't very happy with the difference when they were
kicking into the smaller stand. I don't know why that is.
(30:16):
They'll obviously do maybe a deep dive not over the
next few days and that, you know, but certainly they
find it harder to kick into that smaller stand. They
find it hard to kick in that stadium. Whether it's
the fact that there's a small it's a huge field,
but obviously the NFL field is a lot smaller. Certainly
something to look out for. If the game is like tight.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I think it's going to be ugly. I think it's
going to be defense.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
How ugly are we talking though, like like under twenty
one points total or it.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Just a lot of these overseas games get ugly, and
they get ugly high scoring sometimes in sloppy or they
get ugly like a defensive struggle with with a lot
of field goals, and that that's what I see. I
don't know if it's the time difference, just new surroundings,
whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
And they're coming in on Friday as well, which is
right which.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
To me is a little crazy. I don't quite get that.
I get you're coming from, you know, the East Coast
time zone, which helps on it, you know, for the Steelers,
I'm coming from the West Coast a little more dramatic,
but that does seem crazy to me. I just think
Carson Wentz has been incredibly overrated off of what he
did last week. Like, you cannot expect Carson Wentz to
(31:25):
help you win a football game in twenty twenty five.
The best you can hope for is him to not
lose you the game, and he successfully did that last
week against team that is not very good defensively, and
early in that game he seemed a little skittish, just
holding onto the ball, taking sacks, making some bad throws.
His defense scores a bunch of points for him, and
(31:45):
he settled in and made some nicer throws as the
game wore on. So I think you have him on
one side and an improving pass rush with the Steelers.
Herbig was just crazy, yeah, And then on the other side,
I think it's been under sold that. Like we saw
this matchup a year ago in Tottenham. It was Brian
Flores and the Vikings versus Aaron Rodgers and it didn't
go well. And I don't think he does well against pressure,
(32:08):
and and people think, well he's the rare QB that
could maybe outsmart like a Brian Flores. But well he
did in the year ago in this exact spot. That
was the game where basically everyone after was like, hmm,
maybe this Jet Rogers thing is not gonna work.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
And it didn't, right, it didn't. You're the first part
this might be like the savagery of poulcasts this week.
You are the first person to say that. So everybody
else is talking about in terms of like mobility were
Rogers He looks saddled enough coming in anyone I've spoke
to anyway. Ice had of her own podcast. Yeah, like
it was ugly last year in London. I think you
read that game as well.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, like I was not, but I did go look
for some stats from it.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
By the way, just go for it.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Fourty uh six for fourteen under pressure, three point one
yards per attempt and was just getting rid of the ball,
was like afraid to get hit. And that the same
thing's happened this year under pressure. This year he is
dead last of all thirty two quarterbacks who would qualify
in completion percentage under pressure. He is twenty ninth in
(33:03):
yards per attempt, only ahead of cam Ward Jake Browning
in bo Nicks Bonicks last place there not great and
so I think both these teams are going to get
pressure and I don't think the quarterbacks will handle it.
Which it can go a few ways. You might have
a lot of defensive scores in short fields and that
gives you points. But that's that's the type of game
that I'm seeing.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Well, I think for you from a fun perspective, first
and foremost, hopefully it's the game where it's it's entering,
it's exciting, and it's not a defensive slope best on
either side of each team, Like you want to see
a situation where it's close, but it's also a fun matchup.
Like I would like to see a scenario where Stelers
defense comes out hot, Biken's defense comes out hot. And yes,
(33:44):
you might get the sock the odd stoppage, Yeah, an
interception or two. Hell, give me throw me in a
pick sex, give give us some you know, give me
Rogers somehow getting the ball down the Calvin Austiner DK
or DK having a breakout game give me Carson Wentz
repeating last let's just make it fun, like, let's make
it like, let's just get the over and just have
(34:04):
some fun. On whoever wins wins, I would be really
I'd begot it, man, if there was a repeat of
like the Flores Rogers situation last year.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
But that game was close in the end. It was
kind of a disappointing game in general, and I'm like you,
I feel like I'm always rooting for these games to
be really entertaining, just to I think we have a
good product.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
But like the first time as well, Like the first time,
how would you have described the game in Munich if
you remember? It was at the trick player that I
remember really was like trying to just do something Dolphins game.
I was not there, but yeah, it was hard. It
was hard, like there's no point in like me lyon
when you fly two and a half hours to Frankfurt.
It was hard. Just I actually went downstairs to the
press box which was done at the very very bottom,
(34:45):
and missed was it the inner? Was there a pick
six just before halftime? Yes? Watched that in TV and went, well,
this game is over.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I yeah, I always hope for it to be a
close game. You told me before we started you would
not be here without Henry Hodgson. Yeah, I would not either,
And I do feel like I feel a fraction of
how he must feel in all these international games, which
is I'm always just I just want it to be
a good game. But there are all sorts of different
shapes of good games. And everything about these two teams
(35:15):
to me screams that we won't know who's gonna win
until the final three or four minutes of this game,
and there are no great playmakers on both sides between
DK and Justin Jefferson and some of the defensive players too,
that I expect plays will be made, and that that's
that's all I want.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And look, if you give anybody the option of it'll
go down to the last three or four minutes. I guess,
even if it is a bit stop, start, defensively slow whatever,
I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
I mean, aren't you guys big enough NFL fans that
you'll be fine either way? Or do you think quality?
Like if this game is a classic, what does that
mean for like the casual iron.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
We get three games a year, I think that has
to be that. I'm joking, but if then, wouldn't it
be great if it was a classic or if it
was one of those games where and I know, look,
let me like, and I know you've a lot of
people in the US listening. I know you've the Chiefs
Ravens this week. I know e've a massive something I
football match this week. I know is that the Tennessee
Titans play in the Houston, Texas this week. I know
there's a big matchup this week. But I'm joking with that.
(36:13):
But I know for a lot of people, maybe it's
not at the forefront. Apart from the fact that it's
the first ever in Ireland, it's on early So for
those people, yeah, like I'd love to see a big game.
But for people that are watching here on domestic TV
or maybe watching you at halftime, I'll give you a
shout out in sky Sports and maybe they're going, oh yeah,
I'll give it a go. You know, you're talking about
people like Henry Hodgon about the game here. If people
are going to continue to watch the games, that are
(36:35):
taking flag football to maybe go to an event to
watch party crucial. I think that we not just have
a good game, but we have a very very good atmosphere.
Does country roads work in Dublin? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I mean, it seems weird in Germany. But whatever, this
thing along as long as I'm sure the atmosphere is
going to be great, and honestly, no matter what the
result of the game is, I think for the American
audience that's going to be more important. Oh, by the way,
you got the best broadcast crew in the business calling it.
There's a lot of good ones out there, but I
(37:06):
would take Joe Davis and Greg Olsen over all of them,
so that is only gonna gonna help the presentation. Appreciate you,
Michael McQuaid, Pro Football Ireland. Where else should we check
you out this week?
Speaker 2 (37:20):
To search pro football out a online. We're very grateful
that you're going to pop on a chat those day
on Friday nights, depending on the time of recording.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yes, I need to, I will be there. I will
be there, and yes, I hope, I hope that goes
out live, but if not, it'll just be a moment
in time that that we had all together, which which
we had here. I appreciate you making the time and
you know, just the last thing for you. You guys are
better than like English fans. So right, yeah, I hope, I.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Hope that's what you're thinking when you walk out.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
But what I will say, see that was a joke
I didn't really want, but I just was seeing if
there's any sort of vibe.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Well, going back to what I said, I'm just to
finish it off as well. You know we would not
be here. The hard work has been into the London Games,
on the games internationally, and I know that that's a fun. Yeah,
we are a better crack, and I mean not in
a loving and friendly and fun way. But can I
also say to you I always set at the start,
but I do mean it's when people like yourself bring
you know, people like myself, you bring Irish people on,
(38:14):
et cetera. You've obviously a lot of people over here
to listen to your podcast. I really appreciate it. I
know a lot of those people do as well. So
Grom and all good, Thank you very very much, and
I hope you have a great time here and if
you're heading over to London, have a good time as
well over the next few weeks month.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
And I am and and anything for a man that
that you you know, host the show with sometimes in Mark,
who's helping us produce here, who I once saw walking
through a Las Vegas casino wearing a T shirt of
my my other podcast, Dare VP. So I mean got
all the time in the world for that. This is
(38:48):
it for our pre week four set of podcasts. I
know we've been throwing a lot at you and we've
enjoyed the hell out of it. We will be back
Sunday night to recap it all. That'll be myself, Patrick Clayban,
Jordan Rodrieg, Nick Shuck, the entire usual crew.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
I'll just be over
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Here talking about what I hope was a great game
and a great football Sunday, we were theater
Welcome to NFL Daily where it's the Irish super Bowl
this week. I'm Greg Rosenthal and I could not be
more excited to be joined by the unofficial host of
Viking Steelers the first ever game in Dublin, Michael McQuaid.
How are you doing? Are you going a little crazy?
(00:25):
And now you're running all over the place this week?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Greg Falsa, Welcome to Ireland. I know you've a lot
of bonds on this island, both north and south. And
it's funny. I was talking to a few people before
we came in here. I really mean this. It really
means a lot to us to see not just yourself
but the league come over here. So it's good to
see him. How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Hey, I'm doing great. And yeah, Like I get to
the airport, the entire gate are Steelers fans in their jerseys?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Did you fly from LA or from LA? So that
Steelers fans in La?
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Oh? Yeah, I mean they're Steelers fans everywhere. The fact
that it's all Steelers span on a like red Eye
in LA. Like, okay, that feels different. Get off the flight,
you see the Steelers and all the NFL stuff all
over the city. Get to the hotel. There's literally twenty
Steelers fans all taking pictures with their jerseys on, and
(01:17):
it just You've been on a bus around town with
literally the bus Jerome Bettis and yeah, it it does
feel like a special week for football in this country
and in the NFL in general.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And I have got a present for you from all
of us slots here, including Mark sitting Bestiitus, I've got
you an Irish terrible tile. Oh I don't believes available
in Pittsburgh, So you can keep that as a memento.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
A I mean, I'm not keeping this thing. I'm a
Rogers hater, but I will give.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
This give it to a deserving person.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
To a deserving friend, my good buddy Anthony Jesselnick. We're
here with a big fan of the jessel Nick and
Rosenthal vanity project, Jev Mark Cogan here, and I'm going
I'm giving this straight to him. He will he will
really appreciate that. And yes, if you're listening to this,
what's this show all about? We want to get a
little bit of local flavor, a little bit of knowledge
(02:12):
about the growth of the game. Here we're going to
talk a little Viking Steelers. We did preview the game
on our preview show, But just a few more thoughts
about it before we get ready what that game is
going to look like. And I'm actually going to throw
some rankings at you, because I can't do anything in
my life without ranking them. And they're not exactly power rankings,
(02:32):
but I thought this was like a good time to
just look at preseason predictions and who we think me
especially are going to make the playoffs. How that's changed.
So it's kind of ranking the teams based on how
I think they're going to make, you know, the playoffs
or not. I divided them up into categories and you
can just tell me where you think I'm wrong and
where you think I'm right. But I do kind of
(02:53):
want to start with a little bit of Ireland chatter. Still,
how have you seen like the call of NFL fandom, bro, I'm.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Sitting here speaking to somebody like yourself. That's been the
London many times. London's great, London's amazing. I think Tottenham
is really really special. The first ever game I went
to was in Wembley, and I know you've experienced that
journey numerous times and continue to do so.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
I went to Twickenham.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
That was Twickenham Rams, wasn't it Rams against? Yeah, I've
never been to twicking them I so I'll give you that.
I think you know, when we go to an airport
where it's Belfast, Dublin, corek carry whatever, it doesn't matter
where you are on this island. The fact of the
matter is we cannot walk on water yet, so we
have to get a play into an NFL game. To
see it actually come over to here is really special,
(03:39):
especially when we have kicked sort of the season off
football wise with college football for the last few years.
And man, this is like the fifth time I've said this,
but I'm almost asking myself, why is it only happening now?
This should have happened like ten to fifteen years ago.
But you know, and I know your listeners know as well.
You know, guys like Alistair Kirkwood who really gambled his
(04:00):
on that game, and O seven working and with Miami
and with New York and look where we are now.
League games coming up over the next few weeks in
London and Dublin. On top it's you know you mentioned
when we met here, but Munich, it's got that dim
feel to me. The fact that I've left the house,
gott in my car and I've drove down the road
to an NFL game is something I never thought I
(04:22):
would see. But it's so so special and I can't
tell you how excited I am.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
I do want to wrap up sort of talking about
what we think it's going to look like on Sunday,
because it's a different stadium and everything. But I think
the game's here, and you're right, it is too late,
and it's not gonna be the last one. The NFL
is expanding, you think.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
So do you think it'll be another one in the
Heartland at some point, even if it's not next year?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Yes, I mean I think if I had the guess
without any inside knowledge, and maybe our Friendnry Hodson, will
you know, slap me for this, but I would think
it's gonna be next year or whenever it is. If anything,
the only concern will be like can they match up
to how big they're going this time around with this dealers,
because there's a lot going on, like it feels like
(05:03):
a first game in the country. And the reason I
think it'll keep happening is because they're gonna go where
the response is and Ireland punches above its weight in
terms of fandom, like so much, Like why do you
think that is? Like I went and looked at our
listenership over the last month, Like Ireland is fourth in
(05:26):
terms of the countries listening. It's the US, of course,
the UK is a massive way out in second, Australia
and then it's Ireland. I actually did some comparison, like
I went and looked a year ago, and it's like
Ireland zoom passed Germany. So it's like it's growing and
for such a small country for it to have that
sort of audience, I don't know what do you think
(05:47):
the reason is if.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
You actually extrapolate potentially the UK data as well, how
many people are from Northern Ireland as well? I'm not
so and that goes into the stots, so it could
be sitting third for all we know. Well we will
talk about that over it and the fandoms just grown
and grown, and you know, you talk about it builds
like a real first game vibe. I think it's because
of the fact of the heritage and you know, I
(06:08):
know you've previewed the game, but there's been no international
game ever where an ownership has came over and they've
literally you know, come over to come home, you know,
two hundred years since they emigrated from North America, the
Roney family. You know, I was looking enough to be
up in Newry earlier on this week, and you could
see the Runes emotional, like Jerome Bettis got it immediately
(06:32):
what it meant to him and kids there, you know,
like it was in the girls' school and you know
they've probably never watched it down in football in their life,
but when he walked out with a gold jacket, they
were like, oh my god, this is incredible. There is
that vibe of you know, it's the first time, and
I agree with you what you're saying about it, you know,
potentially coming back. And you know, from a fan perspective,
(06:52):
first and foremost, when you come down here, you see
Dublin Castle, you see every street decked out. I think
they get the right matchup. I can't see why it
can't happen every year, and it's an easy addition for
the league to have a year on year if they
have or if they want to have additional games. I
think it's just abo getting the right palette. I'd happily
take a game every year.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
If they often make the Steelers the Irish team. I'm
sure they'd want to be.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
I know they really like and it's not even like
not like it's public knowledge. They really want to play
in Mexico and I know. I remember I spoke to
a guy called al Varro Martin who does the Spanish broadcast,
and he met me at the Super Bowl and he
was like, Man, I'm so happy for you, but like
I really wanted it to be honest and fans, and
there's fans from Mexico flying over to this game. So
I feel like, yes, they'll come back to Steelers, please God, Touchwood,
(07:36):
et cetera. But I think they might go to Mexico
next at some point.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Well they've only had you know, Dan Renie's only been
an ambassador to one country.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yes, I.
Speaker 1 (07:46):
Am confident it'll be here, partly because it's open that
the NFL's idea is to play more international games, and
it's pretty obvious to me that the way to do
that is eventually have a schedule where every team plays
an international game every year. There's an entire week of
international games. It solves the whole uneven home away schedule.
(08:10):
It's an extra television package. They're going to renegotiate that
I'm just spinning off of speculation. This is not inside information.
And so at that point, like you need inventory, you
need sixteen games a year. London can handle what five, six,
whatever it's gonna be. But you're gonna be all over
the globe, and I think they'll go where the enthusiasm is,
(08:30):
and it's here. So let's put a pin in that
for a minute. I do want to circle back and
end with that, and we can talk a little bit
about Vikings Steelers, but I'm gonna I'm gonna just do
something on that. I was on the flight over, I
was thinking about it a little bit, and I just
thought like it would be a good time to think
about where we're at. After three weeks. I don't think
(08:51):
it's too early to start overreacting and just categorize these teams.
And so we're gonna do it pretty quickly here. Yeah, Michael, right,
it's like you are an analys You're not just I
don't want to just put you in the in the
box of like, oh yeah, tell us about how meaningful
Ireland is. You're actually going to be broadcasting. What is
your role with Virgin Media for this game? It is
(09:12):
the first Irish production of an NFL game since nineteen
ninety yes, which is outrageous.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
I was born in ninety one, so I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
That's annoying. You didn't need to say that. Like you
you're going to be part of it. What are you
doing for the game?
Speaker 2 (09:28):
And I'm doing pregium, halftime and postgame on the television
on our friend who we were talking about off audio
fa Obata is going to be doing not play by play,
but whenever the US goes to commercials, he's going to
be talking to each play. And I know you love
the guy. I absolutely love that guy. He is amazing
and I can't see what he's going to be like.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
That is amazing. You're kind of a competitor. I'm doing
halftime for sky Sports, but ultimately I don't think you
can get both. I don't even know how it works.
You can't.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
But sure, Look it's fine. We just go up against
John On have some fun.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Flip it in between. Okay, I've divided the entire league
into different groups. Okay, I'm going to start at the
bottom and then go to the top, and the different
groups are based on like if I think they can
make the playoffs after three weeks, and I do generally
enter the season with there's only a handful of teams
that you think have very little chance to make the playoffs,
(10:19):
and looking at the teams in this category, it's amazing
how predictable it'd be. So this is teams I would
be shocked if they made the playoffs, and I'm gonna
start going backwards, so dead last in the NFL, I
would put the Titans that's thirty two. Saints would be next,
Dolphins at thirty. I still would be shocked if the
Carolina Panthers made the playoffs, even though they just want
(10:41):
a game by a shutout. The Jets above them. That's
one where I probably would have changed categories in the
last three weeks because I actually had them as a
seventh seed. Okay, I don't feel good about that now.
I still think they can be relevant. It'd be tough
for them to go ten and for the rest of
the year, that's probably what they would need to make
the playoffs. The Raider, the Giants, and then at the
(11:01):
very top of this list, the Browns. Well, we even
thought about bumping up a little bit.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
The Broyn's defense against the Packers last week. I obviously
they're offensive. I've got issues and they've got Frankly a
lovely man, but a very old man playing a quarterback.
In one sense, I.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Would lovely like you find him physically attractive, he's hair
or he's just a nice guy.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
If I've mad him, he's a lovely Yeah, look he's
he's he's a very good looking man. I can't believe
saying us on an NFL podcast, but he's actually he's
a really really nice guy, family man as well when
when I had the chance to meet him, but never actually.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Big like not that you're shocked that Joe flackos big,
but he's an enormous.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
He's a giant man. He's an absolute giant in terms
of being a brown though offensively, do I think they
could make a run. It's difficult, but that defense against
the Packers shut and I know Jordan loved a really
per game. But like man, I would put them up
a little bit. I would actually have the Giants maybe
towards the bottom two here. Whenever we went to New
(12:00):
Jersey and seeing the Jats trending comp the optimism was
so different from any time we seen him come to London,
Like justin field seemed really, really confident, and I just
find it really funny how you've got them.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
Bottom with training camps. Yeah, sometimes for it, but that's
why I think they can still be relevant. But this
category is shocked if they made the playoffs. I'm assuming
you probably need ten wins to make the playoffs. To
go ten and four, it's a lot. They have more
defensive problems than I really expected. But shout out to
the Browns because they maybe deserve to be in this
(12:32):
next tier up because I do think that defense is
that good. It's just it's just hard. The combination of
quarterback an offensive line for the Browns is gonna make
it very difficult, all right. The next The next section
is I would be surprised if they made the playoffs.
So the first section, I'd be shocked. I'm basically crossing
those teams out, like apology to the Dolphins insane. So
(12:54):
I don't think their fans feel different, and the Raiders
fans probably do feel different. They're always over confident, but
they got a lot of issues. Another team with the
bad offensive line and not enough talent on defense. This
group is the teams I would be surprised if they
made the playoffs, all right, this is the number twenty
one team overall, the Bears. Then the Bengals have the
Patriots at twenty three and the Cowboys at twenty four.
(13:17):
So those four teams feels very unlikely that they would
make the playoffs. To me, of that group, who do
you think would be the most.
Speaker 2 (13:29):
Just because I know it's an absolute storm done there
at any given moments, and for all we know, they
could go in on Sunday night and beat the Packers.
Give me the Cowboys, like for all me who know?
Like how fired up are they gonna be going up
against Michaeh. Parsons on Sunday Night? Like they're gonna be
all over the month?
Speaker 1 (13:44):
That only goes so far. I mean, they just don't
have the juice. One of the things I regret the
most about my preseason analysis was how I thought the
Cowboys defense, now this is when they had Parsons, would
be frisky in terms of the edge players next to them,
having the depth. I think the combination of the scheme
and the talent, they just don't really fit each other.
(14:06):
So I'm not crossing them out. Any team with a
quarterback playing that well has a chance but losing Cdee
Lamb for however long it's going to be, losing two
offensive linemen for at least the next you know, three,
four or five weeks is a pretty big deal. I
think Patriots fans might be maybe annoyed that I put
(14:28):
them down here, but I would be surprised at this point.
I feel like an eight or nine win team would
be a big victory for this team.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You've got the Bengals and exactly the right spot. I
actually felt bod watching them last week, whenever Browning how
a bit of a brown himself watching it. It was
absolutely awful. And obviously we'll probably talk about viks defense.
They were all on this podcast. But I think you're
in the right spot there, Patriots. You could see them
maybe you know, winning one last and what they lose overall,
but they're sort of stop start, stop start. They really
(14:57):
should have pushed on against Theaters last week. I thought
they would have it. Don't a lot better to be honest,
to be able fourteen points last week.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
Yeah, they if they score like and eliminate mistakes. They
have the most potential here because of the schedule. Like again,
they have the Panthers next week, they have these NFC
South teams. The rest of the AFC East is very forgiving,
but I think they're still short in a lot of places,
and so I would be surprised. All right, My next group,
(15:24):
I'm counting as like the playoff bubble, like these teams
have a legit chance to make the playoffs. Yeah, at
the moment, they might be in my mind like a
little on the outside looking out or right on the border.
And so at the top of that list, I'm putting
the Vikings at the top of that list. I had
them over eight and a half as one of my
favorite over unders this year. I feel okay about that now,
(15:46):
but not amazing. The Jaguars are next. Think they're very
frisky stealers. Below them right in the middle of the
NFL at sixteen, The Broncos at seventeen. I'm a little
concerned about bo Nicks. They're lower than they would have
been going into the season, for sure. The Texans I'm
hanging on. I'm keeping a little bit of stack because
that defense is championship worthy. The Cardinals and the Falcons
(16:08):
are also in this year. Make fun of one of
these rankings, which one do you dislike the most?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
The Broncos. I think, you know, if you look at
two of their games they've lost by a combined four
or five points, that we're very unlucky against Indianapolis. They
should have offensively really took the Chargers last week. I
understand how they lost the game. Bo Nicks, how we
seen him last year, especially in the second half of
the season to night, clearly isn't not the level that
(16:36):
he was last year. But he needs to try and
push on. They've got the weapons offensively, they've got defensive
leaders there. They should be at the upper actional lot
of that I really find an interesting. But the vikings
at the top of that Steelers as well, especially when
they've got a you know, a positive record so far,
is really intriguing him with that, Like obviously what two
on for three weeks.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
So the Steelers have a lot of concerning aspects to
their their offensive line, their quarterback doesn't like to be pressured,
the depth of their offensive players. To this point, the
defense is underachieved, but they have been winning doing it
and Mike Tomlin usually figures it out and they always
win more games than they should. So maybe I'm being
(17:14):
a little bit of a hater to.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Tell you about here at sixteen. I mean they are
grinding the out of the minute. They're not like, you know,
the top level of where they could be. Their run
game has been quite inconsistent as well. Three weeks, like
forty mix some yards.
Speaker 1 (17:26):
They're on the bubble. They're on the bubble. They're an
average team that I think the expectations were too high
when Mike Tomlin said that he thought this defense could
be a store like, let's be average first, at least
the next group. Okay, we're getting to some intriguing teams here,
ten through thirteen, number ten, and this would be the
(17:46):
category disappointing if they don't make the playoffs at this
point based off what we've seen, I think if they
don't make the playoffs, their fan base and certainly internally,
they're going to be pretty disappointed they don't make the playoffs.
The Seahawks here I have in my top ten overall,
and I was very tempted to put them in title contenders.
The Darnold thing. It is a little worrisome, but I
do think they have a lot to really like. The
(18:08):
Colts at eleven. I know it's only three weeks, but
at this point you're three and oh, your offense has
been this good. This is an opportunity. If they don't
make the playoffs, everyone gets fired. Like it actually is
putting more pressure on. Yeah, maybe they couldn't have any
more pressure. It's good pressure to have, but they needed
to have a playoff season, I think to keep all
their jobs and now at this start, they need to
(18:30):
keep it going. The Commander's at twelve and then the
forty nine ers so many injuries, favorable schedule three and oh,
but I still put them in this tier because of
the injuries and some questions I have. What's what stands
out to you?
Speaker 2 (18:43):
Hear all all for them to be Honestly, if if
we start with the Niners, like how there are grinds
that results with Mark Jones are and still picking up
even with now have different injuries. You know, the Brock
party is going to come back from his turf to
injury at some point. They've got guys there on both
sides of the ball. Colts, I mean, I know, you
know Jeff Ryan Bolden, he was he was comparing him
to Johnny and IDAs and Peton Manning on the podcast
(19:06):
earlier this week.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
I actually appeared Daniel Jones to Peyton, but he was.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
Like, look, there's all these different, like different legendary players
in Indianapolis, and now we've got Daniel Jones for three weeks.
I'm really happy for him. Man like it, like it.
But I was saying to to Mark my mate as
well here on our podcast this week. They are so
fun to watch defense Clay Hey who played they were
playing last week the Jaguars, I mean right last week,
but it was at taxing for a second. How do
(19:32):
they get the ball down the field? Is just like
their running game is so so fun to watch. I
would put the Colts if they win this week against
the Rounds, I'd put them up in the upper actural
on of that so interesting pickle the Seahawks. Well, but
Colts for me are the wont the start out there? Definitely.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, we should give some pop uh to the podcast
Pro Football Ireland a little Jeff Brinbold Action our friend
from Sky Sports. You got any other ops do you
want to give?
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Well? Personally, Jeff works in college football and how we
do a podcast twice a week as a minor miracle
without man. I love him and we appreciate him, just
everyone like Mark Gis and all the guys who've a
college football podcast. A young man called Connell, twenty years
of age, has been in the National Championship. Donna as well.
I do Monday morning podcast as well. It just guys
that you know, do it for the love of the
game and it does make a huge difference.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
You've built a little empire. How many people have you
left on the side of the road. Sharp elbow is
on your way up here. I guy in Ireland, I
do the best.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
I can't. I try my best. I love the game
and you know, we'll talk about it after this, but
you know, when you have weekends, I said, you know,
it means a love.
Speaker 1 (20:42):
I I was asked by my friend Matt Casey. I'm
name dropping him here, who is the producer for Football
Night in America, also Mike Florio's producer, and he was like,
is there Neil Reynolds of Ireland? And I sent him
your way and then you you were on Florio's show.
I know I should be getting a co producer. Well,
(21:03):
I credit for that, but you that's your status at
this point.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
Thank you very very much. It's funny, like I really
appreciate going on obviously love Florio and it was windy outside, right,
so you can imagine being on pftive or whatever on
my hair just went live. I'm bitt and bar someon.
But mon great, great way to go on, and thank
you for the reference. And a co producer situation will
definitely happen, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
And and I don't think you need to say obviously
I love Florio because I feel like there's a lot
of people that don't love.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
I enjoy his articles. I enjoy the discussion, shall we say,
on the opinions and you know, different things too.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
He cranked No one works harder, and I'm joking about
it because I feel comfortable doing that. I used to
work for him, and I know he pisses a lot
of people off, Like that's what he's trying to do.
Sometimes it's people inside the league. Sometimes it's people working
for teams. But you need some one like that in
the mix. All right, let's get back to the go
(22:03):
for it to the mix. And yet, like the Commander's
defense is a little more impressive so far than I expected,
and so I actually am upgrading them a little bit.
I was. I was not so high on them repeating
this year, and the fact that their defense I think
is going to be as good as it has been.
Makes me more optimistic that I'd be disappointed if they
didn't make the playoffs. And the Seahawks. Very close to
(22:25):
putting them in the title contenders because I just think
they have a lot that to like on this team,
especially on defense, but I like the way that the
offense has been coaching. Just need to see it just
a little bit more. All right, let's get the title
contenders because we're taping this too before that that T
andF game, and we could sound stupid talking Seahawks or
(22:46):
Cardinals title contenders. And tell me if you don't think
any of these teams are Ultimately, I had a pretty
big group people think that it's very predictable. I think
this season in the NFL, at least where we are
right now. Yeah, I felt comfortable putting nine teams where
if they went won the Super Bowl, I'd be like, yeah,
(23:06):
I could see it with maybe you know, one caveat
and that's at the bottom of this. But at the top,
I'm putting the Packers. I know they just lost to
the Browns. They still have Matt Lafleur, a quarterback I
believe in, and what I think is going to be
the best defense in the league. So I'm putting them
number one, the Lions and Eagles right behind them. I
just think they're going to be the class of the
NFC in general. Chargers, Bills, Ravens up next. Even though
(23:31):
the Ravens have lost two games, I anticipate they will
figure things out. My friend Jordan Rodrigue on the show
on Wednesday said, is are the Chargers the best team
in the NFL? I thought, I was, like, Man, that
is a wild statement, but it's not crazy when you
think of how well Justin Herbert is playing right now,
and that they're a pretty balanced team overall. So they're
there at four, Bills at five, Ravens at six, and
(23:54):
then the Rams, the Bucks, and the hardest team to
put in this list for me was actually the Kansas
City Chiefs. It just felt like, I'm like falling for
it if I don't at least put them in this category.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
It's the first team that looked at me there now.
Like granted, I watched about fifty six minutes condensed of
Sunday Night Football with the Chiefs, and the reality is
something we talked about earlier on this week. For two
teams in that list, one of them, barring a miracle
this week, is going one in flee, And like, what's
the percentage chance of making the playoffs if you go
one and flee? Never mind the consequences in the AFC
(24:28):
North if the Ravens go to one and play with
different teams there and with the Chiefs offensively barred that
like bar the final couple of offensive drives on Sunday
Night football in New York. I was sort of surprised
at how much they struggle to get the ball dot
the fielding relied so much a hard booker, I thought
there would be more of a movement on the offense
with Patrick Mahomes charges one's interest and the biggest one
(24:50):
for me stands out the Rams how and I look,
I know I cursed them last week for a start online, right,
but how they were able to almost stop that Eagles
offense in the first tof and you know, stop the
run to an extent was saque and they'll put you
in under pressure. But certainly we could see a different
side of the Eagles that we hadn't seen in quite
a while. Forty went in the championship run fell apart
(25:11):
a little bit in the second half or they didn't
get there. Yeah, a big time, but they showed a
little bit of a blueprint there defensively to trend to
stop was going to be interesting. See if anybody else
can pick it up on the scratch. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
I think their pass rush in the way they're built,
they're built to play with a lead normally there running
success right has been through the roof, and I think
that's the biggest reason they got that lead in the
first half, as they played keep away from the Eagles
and went on these long drives. They got to be
able to finish the drives. But ultimately, like they are
in a championship window. If I had to guess, I
(25:41):
think this is Matthew staffords last year in the NFL,
and not that there's a lot of pressure on them
to win now, but there's a reason why he came
back and decided to take less money to play for
the Rams than to possibly go to the Giants or
the Steelers or the options that were out there, and
that's because they can go ahead and win the title.
So that's my top nine for now. I think we'll
(26:02):
do this every once in a while in the season,
just kind of just take a look, we'll put this
out on the socials too, so everyone can get mad
at us.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
I don't think I don't think anybody can complain with
those top nine teams. Okay, maybe Chiefs fonds because they're
sitting in ninth, maybe, but.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
I mean they should they should be they should be
grateful to even be there at all.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We will see what happens is they's not enough pass rush.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
But I also know almost everything that's happened to this
point in the season is just a very like it's
a amuz boosh of a dinner that we're gonna have.
It is the it's not even an appetizer. It is
such a small portion of what's actually going to matter
in December, January, November. Obviously, the wins count, but I've
(26:47):
just seen too many seasons like this, and and the
Chiefs and the Ravens organizations like that can south scout
and problem solve and figure things out. I think that
the issues with the Chiefs roster though this year, are
just greater, so them figuring out might be second place
in the AFC West and suddenly you're on the road
for three weeks even though you want eleven games. The
(27:07):
Chargers you know, win that division and that that's a different,
different recipe without like a great pass.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
I really like the option of maybe writing this down
right and week free and then calling back, yeah, week
seven and seeing a completely different sort of well middle
part as well. Now I love it.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I will Okay, let's let's talk this game on Sunday.
What do you think the atmosphere is going to be like?
And like what is this stadium like to be holding
like an NFL game?
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Here? Stadium's massive. I called it a mecca for us,
Like that's what it is. I'm presuming that Mark is
nodding in the background here because he agrees. But for
us just very quickly, not to bore people, but to
deep dive in this very very quickly. We we have
Gaelic sports football hurling. Our villages are times you play
for them, and if you're good enough, you play for
(27:57):
your county. Usually you don't treat it in the NFL
or transfer. That's your county. That's who you're proud of,
and you know to playing. Crok Park is one of
the highest owners you can have. That stadium for a
lot of people here is like a family member almost
where you take your families where you take your friends
and you've had some great moments and you have had
some very sad moments. You don't usually play anything outside
(28:19):
of Glix sports in that stadium, So in the last
fifteen twenty years, obviously you've got you know, they have
rugby games the all the time. Now it's becoming more common.
Soccer happened as well. This is certainly a talking point
with people on this island at the minute that the
NFL is playing in the stadium atmosphere wise, and you'll
see it in Sunday and people watching it will see
it for you. There's no bad seat in the house,
(28:40):
so where you're going to be sitting in the booth
and Sunday is incredible. If you look to the left,
you'll see Dublin Town, Dublin City everywhere. It's unbelievable. And
also with the people watching the TV. When the anthems finish,
a drone comes up into the smaller stand and looks
across at everybody a sea of color, see of different jersey.
(29:01):
I'm biased, and I know people are sitting here going, well,
this guy's Irish, she's biased. Whatever. Man, imagine country roads
by like ten in Munich. I think that's what it's
going to be like. And I'm putting this on the
serious padistaline. You're I got good people here under pressure,
but I think it's going to be really, really special
and I'm probably gonna be an emotional wreck by about
two thirty five and some day.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
No, that's amazing to think about. And just visually with
the open air on one of the sides, like it
just looks different than any other NFL game, and I
just think that will be cool. It's gonna be harder
to kick into that end or we're gonna have because
the Steelers actually have a similar issue where their field
goal kickers for the longest time, like the longest field
(29:43):
goal ever, so that one end where it's open air,
it was like forty six yards. It was so hard
to kick to that side. Now because kicker kickers are
just better.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
They've overcome and they've got an absolute freak as well.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
In Chris Boswell, it's funny you mentioned that we were
on a like a production call the other day. I'm
one of the guys on the call, Big Gillick sports fan,
big GF and he mentioned that whenever rugby players were
kicking conversion there from you know, off the ground obviously
seem as what we would have on Sunday. They were
they weren't very happy with the difference when they were
kicking into the smaller stand. I don't know why that is.
(30:16):
They'll obviously do maybe a deep dive not over the
next few days and that, you know, but certainly they
find it harder to kick into that smaller stand. They
find it hard to kick in that stadium. Whether it's
the fact that there's a small it's a huge field,
but obviously the NFL field is a lot smaller. Certainly
something to look out for. If the game is like tight.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I think it's going to be ugly. I think it's
going to be defense.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
How ugly are we talking though, like like under twenty
one points total or it.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Just a lot of these overseas games get ugly, and
they get ugly high scoring sometimes in sloppy or they
get ugly like a defensive struggle with with a lot
of field goals, and that that's what I see. I
don't know if it's the time difference, just new surroundings,
whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
And they're coming in on Friday as well, which is
right which.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
To me is a little crazy. I don't quite get that.
I get you're coming from, you know, the East Coast
time zone, which helps on it, you know, for the Steelers,
I'm coming from the West Coast a little more dramatic,
but that does seem crazy to me. I just think
Carson Wentz has been incredibly overrated off of what he
did last week. Like, you cannot expect Carson Wentz to
(31:25):
help you win a football game in twenty twenty five.
The best you can hope for is him to not
lose you the game, and he successfully did that last
week against team that is not very good defensively, and
early in that game he seemed a little skittish, just
holding onto the ball, taking sacks, making some bad throws.
His defense scores a bunch of points for him, and
(31:45):
he settled in and made some nicer throws as the
game wore on. So I think you have him on
one side and an improving pass rush with the Steelers.
Herbig was just crazy, yeah, And then on the other side,
I think it's been under sold that. Like we saw
this matchup a year ago in Tottenham. It was Brian
Flores and the Vikings versus Aaron Rodgers and it didn't
go well. And I don't think he does well against pressure,
(32:08):
and and people think, well he's the rare QB that
could maybe outsmart like a Brian Flores. But well he
did in the year ago in this exact spot. That
was the game where basically everyone after was like, hmm,
maybe this Jet Rogers thing is not gonna work.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
And it didn't, right, it didn't. You're the first part
this might be like the savagery of poulcasts this week.
You are the first person to say that. So everybody
else is talking about in terms of like mobility were
Rogers He looks saddled enough coming in anyone I've spoke
to anyway. Ice had of her own podcast. Yeah, like
it was ugly last year in London. I think you
read that game as well.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Yeah, like I was not, but I did go look
for some stats from it.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
By the way, just go for it.
Speaker 1 (32:43):
Fourty uh six for fourteen under pressure, three point one
yards per attempt and was just getting rid of the ball,
was like afraid to get hit. And that the same
thing's happened this year under pressure. This year he is
dead last of all thirty two quarterbacks who would qualify
in completion percentage under pressure. He is twenty ninth in
(33:03):
yards per attempt, only ahead of cam Ward Jake Browning
in bo Nicks Bonicks last place there not great and
so I think both these teams are going to get
pressure and I don't think the quarterbacks will handle it.
Which it can go a few ways. You might have
a lot of defensive scores in short fields and that
gives you points. But that's that's the type of game
that I'm seeing.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Well, I think for you from a fun perspective, first
and foremost, hopefully it's the game where it's it's entering,
it's exciting, and it's not a defensive slope best on
either side of each team, Like you want to see
a situation where it's close, but it's also a fun matchup.
Like I would like to see a scenario where Stelers
defense comes out hot, Biken's defense comes out hot. And yes,
(33:44):
you might get the sock the odd stoppage, Yeah, an
interception or two. Hell, give me throw me in a
pick sex, give give us some you know, give me
Rogers somehow getting the ball down the Calvin Austiner DK
or DK having a breakout game give me Carson Wentz
repeating last let's just make it fun, like, let's make
it like, let's just get the over and just have
(34:04):
some fun. On whoever wins wins, I would be really
I'd begot it, man, if there was a repeat of
like the Flores Rogers situation last year.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
But that game was close in the end. It was
kind of a disappointing game in general, and I'm like you,
I feel like I'm always rooting for these games to
be really entertaining, just to I think we have a
good product.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
But like the first time as well, Like the first time,
how would you have described the game in Munich if
you remember? It was at the trick player that I
remember really was like trying to just do something Dolphins game.
I was not there, but yeah, it was hard. It
was hard, like there's no point in like me lyon
when you fly two and a half hours to Frankfurt.
It was hard. Just I actually went downstairs to the
press box which was done at the very very bottom,
(34:45):
and missed was it the inner? Was there a pick
six just before halftime? Yes? Watched that in TV and went, well,
this game is over.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
I yeah, I always hope for it to be a
close game. You told me before we started you would
not be here without Henry Hodgson. Yeah, I would not either,
And I do feel like I feel a fraction of
how he must feel in all these international games, which
is I'm always just I just want it to be
a good game. But there are all sorts of different
shapes of good games. And everything about these two teams
(35:15):
to me screams that we won't know who's gonna win
until the final three or four minutes of this game,
and there are no great playmakers on both sides between
DK and Justin Jefferson and some of the defensive players too,
that I expect plays will be made, and that that's
that's all I want.
Speaker 2 (35:34):
And look, if you give anybody the option of it'll
go down to the last three or four minutes. I guess,
even if it is a bit stop, start, defensively slow whatever,
I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (35:42):
I mean, aren't you guys big enough NFL fans that
you'll be fine either way? Or do you think quality?
Like if this game is a classic, what does that
mean for like the casual iron.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
We get three games a year, I think that has
to be that. I'm joking, but if then, wouldn't it
be great if it was a classic or if it
was one of those games where and I know, look,
let me like, and I know you've a lot of
people in the US listening. I know you've the Chiefs
Ravens this week. I know e've a massive something I
football match this week. I know is that the Tennessee
Titans play in the Houston, Texas this week. I know
there's a big matchup this week. But I'm joking with that.
(36:13):
But I know for a lot of people, maybe it's
not at the forefront. Apart from the fact that it's
the first ever in Ireland, it's on early So for
those people, yeah, like I'd love to see a big game.
But for people that are watching here on domestic TV
or maybe watching you at halftime, I'll give you a
shout out in sky Sports and maybe they're going, oh yeah,
I'll give it a go. You know, you're talking about
people like Henry Hodgon about the game here. If people
are going to continue to watch the games, that are
(36:35):
taking flag football to maybe go to an event to
watch party crucial. I think that we not just have
a good game, but we have a very very good atmosphere.
Does country roads work in Dublin? I don't know.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I mean, it seems weird in Germany. But whatever, this
thing along as long as I'm sure the atmosphere is
going to be great, and honestly, no matter what the
result of the game is, I think for the American
audience that's going to be more important. Oh, by the way,
you got the best broadcast crew in the business calling it.
There's a lot of good ones out there, but I
(37:06):
would take Joe Davis and Greg Olsen over all of them,
so that is only gonna gonna help the presentation. Appreciate you,
Michael McQuaid, Pro Football Ireland. Where else should we check
you out this week?
Speaker 2 (37:20):
To search pro football out a online. We're very grateful
that you're going to pop on a chat those day
on Friday nights, depending on the time of recording.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yes, I need to, I will be there. I will
be there, and yes, I hope, I hope that goes
out live, but if not, it'll just be a moment
in time that that we had all together, which which
we had here. I appreciate you making the time and
you know, just the last thing for you. You guys are
better than like English fans. So right, yeah, I hope, I.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Hope that's what you're thinking when you walk out.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
But what I will say, see that was a joke
I didn't really want, but I just was seeing if
there's any sort of vibe.
Speaker 2 (37:53):
Well, going back to what I said, I'm just to
finish it off as well. You know we would not
be here. The hard work has been into the London Games,
on the games internationally, and I know that that's a fun. Yeah,
we are a better crack, and I mean not in
a loving and friendly and fun way. But can I
also say to you I always set at the start,
but I do mean it's when people like yourself bring
you know, people like myself, you bring Irish people on,
(38:14):
et cetera. You've obviously a lot of people over here
to listen to your podcast. I really appreciate it. I
know a lot of those people do as well. So
Grom and all good, Thank you very very much, and
I hope you have a great time here and if
you're heading over to London, have a good time as
well over the next few weeks month.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
And I am and and anything for a man that
that you you know, host the show with sometimes in Mark,
who's helping us produce here, who I once saw walking
through a Las Vegas casino wearing a T shirt of
my my other podcast, Dare VP. So I mean got
all the time in the world for that. This is
(38:48):
it for our pre week four set of podcasts. I
know we've been throwing a lot at you and we've
enjoyed the hell out of it. We will be back
Sunday night to recap it all. That'll be myself, Patrick Clayban,
Jordan Rodrieg, Nick Shuck, the entire usual crew.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
I'll just be over
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Here talking about what I hope was a great game
and a great football Sunday, we were theater
Host
Gregg Rosenthal
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