March 26, 2024 • 33 mins
Part one of the GMFB podcast begins with hosts Sara Walsh, Kyle Brandt, Jason McCourty and Chris Hogan analyzing if the Houston Texans are a serious threat in the AFC. Then they answer if they’re buyin’ the recent rumors that the Washington Commanders could be targeting J.J. McCarthy with their 2nd overall pick. Later, everyone shares their realistic expectations for the Chicago Bears if they draft Caleb Williams.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning, Hey, Hey, welcome to Good Morning Football. We
are live in New York City. It is Tuesday, March
twenty six. I'm Sarah Walsh alongside Kyle Brandt, Jason mccordy
and a two time Super Bowl winner and Chris Hogan.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
We keep all the Super Bowl winners on this side
of the table.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
What do we got over it?
Speaker 5 (00:42):
You haven't introled me as super Bowl like yesterday it
was all two time, two times, and you didn't never
you never said, like in super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Chair Chris said it, you have to win more than one.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I know.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I mean it's just I did say. Everyone on that
side of the table has one.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, it was like this, said Cable. We've graduated from
high school.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
I don't know what else do we have in nineteen
ninety five honorable mentioned, All State, honorable But listen, usually
it's Peter here, and so Jason gets to be the
bell of the ball with his fancy super bowling and
the hocax is dunking on.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You played in three, one to two. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
Not for me.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
He doesn't have two of them. Though, what are you in?
Speaker 5 (01:12):
I made to play the game without to play.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
He's a one time super Bowl True, Well you're not wrong.
Well you're not wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'm most excited about for today. That's non football related.
The lax Bros.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
We got it.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
We got a lax Bro because I don't know the
lax Bro world.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
We've been doing a lot of reflecting on Good Morning
Football this last couple of weeks. Back in early twenty seventeen,
our first viral clip ever was me talking about lax
Bros because there was a lacrosse dude playing in the
Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
He's across the table from me right now. So Chris
and I are going to get at a lax call. I
played lacrosse.
Speaker 7 (01:41):
I don't know if you guys know this. It comes
up every now and then when on me. Yeah, and
Chris Hogan played lacrosse.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's the way that it goes. And r Patrick went
to Harvard. We got lot of stuff to get.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
A child, Mamath.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
We have a lot to get into, so it's time
for the lead block. The Texans had a huge turnaround
last season under first year head coach Dmiko Ryans, going
from three wins in twenty twenty to a ten win season,
a division title, and a playoff win, all with a
rookie quarterback. At the annual league meeting in Orlando yesterday,
coach Ryan spoke about what he expects to see from CJ.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Stroud this year.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
So the question now is, and if you go back
a year ago and actually on NFL dot com, I
was reading Judy Batista has an article out there about
how they do these predictions and who has these turnarounds,
and she's like, hey, I'm the first to say we
got it wrong.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
No one looked at the Texans and said, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I was just reading this a couple of days ago,
and she's like, I'll take full blame, Like we didn't
say the Texans are going to be this team that
turns it around. Given what they did three wins to
ten wins, to what they did in the postseason, do
you consider the Texans now a serious threat in the
AFC Jason, I just want to.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
Take time and just acknowledge the fact that it is
seven o'clock and we're talking about the Houston Texas.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
There's time we did this.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Kyle was showing one of his favorite plays, and you
know that one was the Houston Texas lost the number
one pick Lobby Smith beat the Indianapolis Colts, and we
talked about that play for about a week or two
straight leading up. Who knew that Nicko, Sarah was going
to flip that to draft number two c J. Stroud
and the number three Will Anderson Junior. So shout out
to Houston Texas for the moves that they have made
(03:11):
to get them at Good Morning Football seven three am
and we're talking about them as pininential contenders for real
in the AFC. I look at what Houston did and Sarah,
you said it from three wins from lasting the division
to first place and also winning a home playoff game
against the Cleveland Browns before going on the road losing
in the divisional and we're talking about c J. Stroud
(03:32):
taking another step. I look at Nick Caso, the general manager,
and the moves that he made a year ago in
the free agency. He brought in guys and it was
Dalton Shoals, Jimmy Ward at the top of that list,
no big name signings, and now this year he's gone
in Daniel Hunter chooses to go to Houston to go
back home, takes less money.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Also, Joe Mixon at the top of that list via trade.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
So many different guys but not all huge names. And
Casero has done a great job since getting there of
adding value guys that come in there and turn that
organization around. I look at this year to get different
guys in free agency and wanting to come to Houston.
A lot of that is due to their head coach,
Demiko Ryans. And when he was hired last year, we
(04:13):
all kind of said it, Houston has been in turmoil.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
We had Deshaun Watson, he was.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Exiting, then they had David Cully as a head coach,
fire him, Then they go to Lovely Smith, then they
fire Lovely Smith and Demiko Rans. Everyone said he is
the perfect guy to come in here, a guy that
played here, was drafted here, Vinson Rookie of the Year,
and now he is coming back. And this is the
part of Demico Ryans, which as a fan we love watching,
but it looks like within that building players love playing
(04:39):
for him, celebrating with his guys on the sideline. I
remember linebacker Christian Harris had to play where he almost
got an interception against the Tennessee Titans. Demiko Ryans is
going nuts on the sideline and he says to him,
that was your play they get to the playoffs, he
intercepts it and he takes it back to the crib.
Demiko Ryans has a connection with his players. That guys
(05:00):
look like they love being there, they love competing. Say
all that to say the huge in Texas. I believe
are a real contender in the AFC. CJ Shad, the
way he played as a rookie before getting injured, we
were talking about him as a possible MVP Canada. So
now going into year two, you know the playbook, you
know what to expect. You're not going through the entire
rookie program. You're there. You're a veteran in a sense now,
(05:22):
and I think they can take another step with contender.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
That contender mean that's the two letters K and C.
Like k C. The contender means like we may have
something for the chief.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
I think they may have something this year. Go for it.
You look at the additions they made on defense and
everything that they have. I feel like they're a team
in the AFC. We're going to get into a point
where it's going to be a dark horse talk and
everybody's going to say the Houston Texas is the team
that nobody is talking about whether they want a Super
Bowl now, I'm not going to say that now in March,
but I think they're a real player.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
In Chris, you pumped the breaks some of the Texans.
Are we too excited or are they for real?
Speaker 7 (05:53):
No, I'm gonna agree with everything that you're saying. I
love de Miko. I love Nicko Sario because I think
that he was a huge part of what they built
in New England for a long time, and I think
given the time, he was only going to be able
to do that in Houston. But winning doing one thing
one year, right, we're turning the page to the next year.
So it's tough to win this league, you know this, right,
(06:16):
And I think CJ. Strout's gonna have to take some
big leaps this year. I mean, he's gonna have to
continue what he's doing. I mean, it was unbelievable what
he did last year, right, But again, it's tough to
win this league. So I think they're gonna have to
continue to really build on this team. I love the
additions that they made. Guys want to come back. They
obviously are excited about playing with the Miko, so It'll
be interesting to see how they play. But I'm going
(06:36):
to say that Houston's a contender.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Well, this is where if it was another show, I
would be all incredulous and I start screaming at you guys,
are you ridiculous?
Speaker 4 (06:44):
These guys are terrible.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
They're gonna choke like if that's nonsense, bs, we don't
do that on the show.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So I'm actually gonna actually agree with you. So here's
the deal. I looked in the past. The Texans.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
You gotta think of like they dropped their first album
and it's like it's a smash, it's a platinum, like
a hot.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Album, boom blowing up, rookie.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Head coach and rookie quarterback together and just massive multiplatinum.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
What is the follow up album?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
A lot of times that second album you get famous,
you get money, Like it's just a.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Magic, isn't there in the studio?
Speaker 8 (07:11):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
This might be it. It might be.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
So you look at some comps, all right, last times
over the last couple of decades, a couple of years,
we've had first year head coach, first time head coach.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
And rookie quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Sometimes they make a splash, right, what happens in that
second album, guys, it goes well really Andrew Luck and
Chuck Bagano right back.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
To the playoffs in the second year, Mark.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Sanchez and Rex Ryan right back in the playoffs the
next year. Joe Flacco and Jarn Harbaugh right back to
the playoffs next year. There was no dud second album,
and I don't see one here. I think they have next.
I think, listen, it's March. It's tough to predict. I
think the AFC North cannibalizes itself. I think the AFC
East cannibalizes itself. I think the West is gonna be
absolutely wild and unpredictable.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Is Jim Harbaugh. I don't love the South.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
We have the draft yet to come, but like, I
don't see anybody who's like, ah, they really got something cooking.
Maybe Jacksonville, but we've been waiting on Jacksonville.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I also think.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
It's interesting to look at this year's draft through the
lens of the Texans. So go back to right after
last year's draft, Bryce Young, Bryce Shung, He's the man. C. J.
Stroud is like, yeah, he's this other guy. There was
a lot of criticism to he didn't have the sizzle.
You know what, I'm saying like they're all right, they
went up for Stroud. I guess look what happened that season.
It really I don't know if it could have gone
much worse for Young. I don't know if it got
(08:28):
much better for Stroud. So when it happens this year
and it's and it's your Drake Mays and your Knixes
and and you're Williams, don't everybody just judge the team.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Just wait till the games.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Play out, because it doesn't always go like you want.
But I'm sitting here and I would love to create
a TV segment and argue with you guys the Texans
that fake who gaze that they're gonna fall in their faces.
History says they won't and everything I saw with my
eyes says they won't. Offensive Rookie the Year, Defensive Rookie
the Year, easily could head Coach of the Year. I
like what they have cookiing, especially in that division I'm
in on Texans.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think there's also this vibe about c J. Stroud too,
while he's in the midst of this unbelievable year, and
you and you mentioned like at one point MVP talk,
it never felt like he was satisfied it. While I
think people on the outside were looking at like, look
at this unbelievable year. When you watch him in his
demeanor and even him on the sidelines, it never felt
like he was like, yeah, I'm having a great year.
I mean, this was a rookie that felt like he
(09:18):
should be in there competing, and you take a step
back and big picture of what they've done.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
They were two games away from being in the super Bowl.
They were tied and halftime against.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
The Baltimore Ravens, who a lot of people thought would be.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
In the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Obviously, that second half fell apart. But when you watched
Strout even in that game and how devastated he was
by the way it ended, you never got the sense
that he was like, what a good run, What a
good rookie season for me? And I think like when
you talk about someone's perspective, it would be easy, and
I think a lot of us looked at and said, yeah,
like you said, great first album. I don't think he
felt like that, which is what.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
You want out of your quarterback.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
And then you go back to the division, which you
were talking about. The Jaguars. They had that dream season
where they were out of it, and Doug Peterson brought
him back.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And they went on that run. And we always sort of.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Just expect whatever happened this season before to carry over
to the next year. So the Jags won this unbelievable
run and they were basically written in as the division
champs before last season started, right the Jags look at
what they did the previous year, They're going to win,
and then they struggled last season. The Titans are definitely
a new look team. We don't know what they're going
to get. I don't think the Jags got better with
Calvin Ridley departing the team, given the potential he had
with Trevor Lawrence there to get better and grow. We
(10:23):
don't know what's going to happen with Anthony Richards, and
we know they love him there in Indianapolis, but did
we have a huge sample size on what he can do?
So that division, back to your point, Kyle is so
up in the air. But there was nothing about this
Texans team that seemed like they were like pat on
the back. We did a great job. It felt the
entire time that they had this belief that we're in it,
(10:43):
we can compete, we can win it, and it feels
like they'll kick off the season the same way.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
One of the challenges going to be for them is
last year and no one was talking about you. You
finished last in your division. Now you come back this year,
you're finishing first in your division. So you're playing against
those other AFC divisions their best team. So that's the
schedule is going to be a little bit different. But
also people are looking at Detexans on the schedules like,
all right, we got to come play. So now to
your point, can you do it when there's a target
on your back end? Teams are gunning for your polls
(11:09):
that had last year where you're sneaking up on people.
So I'm excited about him. We'll see, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Going back to Doug Peterson, you know Doug Peterson did
in his second year as a head coach for the
first time, he won.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
A Super Bowl the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
There's some other the other coaches to do that.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Bill Belichick did in his second season.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Mike Tomlin did it, Dimiko Ryans, you got next.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It's incredible, no pressure. That impressed with Stroud, Like you
look at him as a guy, I mean he's so young.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
Yeah, he's young again. I'd like to see him progress
and do it again, right, I mean, he did, he
did great things last year. But you know we're turning
the page, right, Let's take that next leap and just
continue to grow. I mean, and it'll be interesting to
see what he does.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
Never play with a rookie quarterback playing meaningful snaps EJ.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Manuel when he was drafted in Buffalo that they had
a lot of hopes for him, a lot of hopes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
What do you think, never mind J Man when you
to talk about him and what do you think went wrong?
Speaker 7 (11:59):
Like as a rookie year, it's tough stuff to play.
There's a lot of expectations as a rookie, right, and
then if you're brought in to be that franchise quarterback,
the guy that's supposed to turn this franchise around, and
it doesn't happen, then it's tough y. You know, it's
that make sure breaks your career. So for Stroud, I mean,
I loved it all the all the hate that he
got pre draft and leading up to the draft, I mean,
(12:21):
which was ridiculous that really we weren't talking about football.
We were talking about a cognition test. If I let
the kid play football first, and he went out there
and proved everybody.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
He's got a great makeup too, Like he seems like
it has a poker face. It's very devout in his faith.
Like I feel like he is really focused and steady.
And there were some ups and downs, and then listen
that great Joe Flacco experience that we saw last year
with Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
They broke that thing over their knee. That was they
were awesome. It was a great win.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Hej malluoels at home somewhere like, if I had better
receivers on mine.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
They gave me this. Am I supposed to win with him? Mark,
he's good with some guys. Some guys Johnson, Chris Hogan.
Chris Hogan, he could have had Hulk.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Hogan was, Yeah, we got to get to where the actions.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
You where the action is, guys, The action is at
breakfast this morning. That's where we have to get to.
Ian Rappinport, Mike Garifuller.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
The annual League meeting in Orlando.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Give us the latest on what's happening there. You know,
I know there was a big report yesterday that the
breakfast line shut down earlier than expected.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
A lot of people were upset. What's happening there, guys today?
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Yeah, yep, listen.
Speaker 9 (13:27):
The only people more upset than the people who didn't
get the breakfast are the defense hive players about the
hip drop tackle, the swivel hip drop tackle.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Keep that part in there, because regular.
Speaker 9 (13:37):
Hip drop tackles still legal, but they banned the NFL
officially the swivel hip drop tackle, which is anything where
the defenders grabbing a guy, he's getting up in the air,
he's swinging around anything he can to come down to
cause injury. Now, there were two hundred and thirty of
these by the NFL's count last year that under the
new role would be penalized. Of those two hundred and
thirty plays, fifteen players got injured and missed time going forwards.
(13:59):
And there's a high incidents of injury, and that is
why they ruled yesterday to ban the hip drop swivel
hip hop tech.
Speaker 8 (14:05):
Right, And you know, I understand the course of defensive
players on social media and otherwise saying what can we do?
Like if you ban this, you've been that, you've been
all the things. We can't hit high, we can't heay, Well,
what can we do? And as Jeff Miller, the NFL's
executive for Health and safety, said yesterday not that. I mean,
that is one thing clear. Whatever it is, you can't
do that. It is a play that has a disproportionate
(14:27):
number of injuries compared to the amount of times that
it occurs. We've seen some very significant ones. Whatever it
takes for a player like Mark Andrews to not break
his leg after a routine tackle in the open field,
I am for that, and the NFL is for that.
They have now done away with the hip job tackle.
Obviously significant development yesterday. We still do not have finality
(14:49):
on the kickoff rule. The NFL is hybrid kickoff rule
also said to be discussed today. Could they vote, I
would say it's possible they could also kick it to
May if they don't get to a consensus. You know,
as your good friend John Marrat told you yesterday, went
into the cocktail hour or the cocktail party last night
with you and I were both in attendance at that
(15:11):
there was going to be some vote.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Wrangling going on about the new kickoff. What did we
find out?
Speaker 9 (15:16):
Some arm twisting John marrawhead Jerry Jones in an arm
bar and said you better pass this thing tomorrow. No,
maybe I've been about something else. Actually that's a joke.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
East. No, that did not happen. I did see John Merrow.
Didn't see Jerry Jones last night.
Speaker 9 (15:29):
But yeah, the hope is that today because Rich McKay,
the chairman of the Competition.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Committee, made a good point.
Speaker 9 (15:35):
He said, we've got a draft coming up, and we've
got teams that have to make decisions. Still have some
free agents, by the way, that are waiting for the
new kickoff rule to potentially be Patara Patterson's car.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Darryl Patterson is a big one right there. To see
what it's going to be like.
Speaker 9 (15:46):
If there's going to be more returns, these returners suddenly
become more valuable, and McKay referencing Devin Hester going into
the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
They would like to have that in the game.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
They'd like to have some exciting returns back in the game,
and they would like to do it before the draft.
So if it's kicked to the May meeting, those teams
will be voting after the draft will have occurred. So
the hope is that going to get done today. More conversation,
potentially a vote. Sarah Watshing potentially some breakfast for.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Everybody here involved.
Speaker 9 (16:10):
They're already in line behind me, and we'll see see
if we get to breakfast.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
You know what I like, Mike G. You got breakfast covered.
You have cocktail hour covered.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I mean, just every angle there at the Annual League meeting,
Mike G and I and.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Repport sign up the sun down?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Yeah, why not come bine us to just give us
the Mimosa's bottomless mimosas.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Why not a bloody bar doing the kind of guy?
But yeah, I gets you mine? Yeah, bloody bar on,
why not? You know we might as grow. Let's go
get some ship drivers.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I got a couple of you may have a couple
of small bottles in here.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Let me check, and I bet you do. Left in
the room. Oh, you're just happy to see me, Mike.
Great job, guys, Tom's the Conte.
Speaker 7 (16:57):
Show take.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Throws touchdown, alright to go.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It is time for another edition of buy in or
keep Trying. I'm going to see up a statement. If
you agree, you're going to say byan. If you disagree,
you're going to say keep trying. So there's a lot
of questions surrounding which quarterback is going to be taken
when and by who? And while discussing the Commander's pick
at number two overall, our own Tom Pellisero had an
interesting note about what the executives around the league think
(17:34):
Washington's going to do with their pick.
Speaker 10 (17:38):
It's been really interesting because everybody's always trying to figure out,
especially at the top of the draft, what the other
teams are doing. When I've had conversations here with executives
for other teams, you know, Adam Peters, well know the situation. Well,
the most popular answer for what they do at number
two is JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
All right, okay, JJ.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
So the statement is this, the Commanders are going to
draft JJ McCarthy with the second overall pin. Are you
guys buying or should they keep trying?
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Jason, I'm go to keep trying on this one, all right.
So I got into this sports media stuff last year.
I went through one draft, and what I've learned is
you do not believe all the hooplah, all the talk
leading up to it. Last year, it was always Bryce
Young one c J. Stroud number two. As a draft
continued to creep closer and closer, it was Will Levis
(18:27):
and the mayonnaise and the coffee and the banana peel.
And then it was Anthony Richardson doing backflips at prote
and it was like, one of these guys are gonna
steal the show. Someone's going to draft them extremely high.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
C J.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Shroud as two cognitition, says all of those different things
going to bump him out. Draft came and went.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
C J.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Shroud went number two, Richardson for and Levis in the
second round. I'm not believing all of the hype. Forever
we've talked about all right, Kayla Williams is gonna be one.
The question has been is it Drake Man or is
it Jayden Daniels After number two pick, I think JJ
McCarthy is flying up draft boards ton of winning at Michigan.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Good for him.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I think he still goes at the top the draft.
But I'm going keep trying on this one. I think
it's Drake May or Jaden Daniels.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I'm buying, You're buying.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Come on, I've heard you listened to Jim Harbaugh to
talk about this kid. I mean, he has literally nothing
but good things to say. Best Pro day he's ever seen,
best quarterback to ever come out of Michigan, right, I'm buying.
I think that the commanders are going to take a
closer look at this kid, and there's a I think
there's a real chance that he gets taken number two.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
A week ago, I would have said, come on, what
are we doing? Now I'm starting to buy, and I'll
tell you why, Jason, you talked about last year's draft.
I've been able to cover many drafts. My favorite draft
is twenty eighteen, and I'll take you back.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
The pick for weeks.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Months, even over a year was Sam Donald. Cleveland's gonna
take Sam Donald. It's a done deal. And if not,
you go with the most quarterback ready and the guy
in the class, Josh Rosen.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
He looks like professional.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
And then there's this crazy guy from Wyoming, and then
there's this pretty lamar from Louisville. Baker Mayfield went number
one overall and he was on thinking. He flew up
over the last month. It was like he ran the
perfect campaign and went to the number one overall pick
in a quarterback loaded draft. And you wouldn't think so
he's too short, he doesn't have the mobility, whatever, whatever.
I've seen this happen before. Now I think if there
(20:18):
wasn't the Caleb factor. We could be talking about JJ going.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
All the way on the top for real. I've seen
It's the same thing with Baker. He won, he's.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Competitive, he's got the mox, he's got the intangibles.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
The coach is singing about him. I'm now at a
place where I think this could happen.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
And I also, like, I know there's a lot of
times there and you're like, does JJ have the athleticism?
And I've even like kind of doubted it myself. I
was watching some clips from the Alabama game Michigan Alabama.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Do you remember when they did.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
The throwback trick play and JJ caught it with one hand,
reverse pivoted, and then threw it down. That's one of
the most athletic players I've ever seen. I mean, that
was unbelievable. I've seen I know a lot of quarterbacks
who've been to All Pro who could not make that
play in a game. So I'm going to just my
roundabout way of saying a I think he's better than
we're giving him credit for.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
It's more than just the wins.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And I've seen guys shoot up the boards late they
would think unthinkable. I think we could him it too.
I mean, as smoke screen season, I get it. Maybe
they take one of the other guys.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And he falls.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
I'm at the point where it's not laughable at this point,
I'd be surprised if it doesn't happen.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Let me go back to the smoke screen thing, because
I'm with Jason at this point, I don't believe anything.
So Chris, you're talking about Jim Harbuss, is he's the
best wall? Yeah, he just won him a national champions
But like the reality is is And this isn't to
say that Jim Harbaugh doesn't believe it, But shouldn't his
coach say those things about him?
Speaker 3 (21:31):
I mean, shouldn't Jim Harbus.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Say those things?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
So how can you look at that and go I
mean it's not like there's no.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Bias to that.
Speaker 7 (21:38):
I mean there's a little bit of bias to it,
but I mean the kids backed it up since he's
been at Michigan. And then I mean the pro day
is on film, right, He's going out there making the throws.
Everyone's there watching it and evaluating him. So if teams
are going to get more interested in this kid, the
commanders are going to do more homework on him. They're
going to go back and watch the film and really
see if Jim Harbaugh is actually speaking the truth so
(22:00):
the kid can play. There's no doubt about it. He
won a national championship. Like we're not sitting here saying
that this is an unthinkable thing for him to get
drafted and keep going all the way at the board.
But you know, I mean, listen, time will tell, right
who knows how he is in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But I mean imagine if a coach was like it
was like, yeah, okay, I don't know, I wouldn't take him.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Like that doesn't really happen.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Only thing I can remember is is Pete care was
not excited that Mark Sanchez was entering the pros and
he nuked him a little bit.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But that was different.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Listen, it's still I still want it on the record.
It's not for me up that high because everything that
comes up about jj is is winning, which is fine,
And they always the word intangibles always comes up in
tangibles are great.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
You know what's even better than intangibles? Tangibles? I want
that high, and I don't know if he has them.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Don't give me number two overall, running me some tangible.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
It's to your point of running the perfect campaign. He
has done that. He looks excellent, throwing the ball, doing
the things that we said on Michigan he wasn't asked
to do. We'll see. I like JJ McCarthy. He's a
good player, won all that good stuff too.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yeah, It's just it's just not about not like right.
I just think the draft is such a weird social experiment.
That is, if we have these players listed this way,
it is it can't just stay that way, you know,
I just can't because you give people enough time to
sit there and pick something.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Apart to your point, C Jay Struck, I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Sitting there Thinkingdim Harbaugh's gonna trade justin Herbert and drafting.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I mean, like, who knows what Harby's capable of?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
He lives on that much, So draft him, Jim, He's
the best quarterback ever.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Get him.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It is timed out for the.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Annual league Meeting is taking place right now in beautiful Orlando, Florida.
So many owners, GMS coaches down there in the Sunshine
and state, and so is NFL Network insider Tom Pellisara,
who caught up with Bears head coach Matt eberflus earlier
this morning.
Speaker 10 (23:51):
Matt, A big question everybody here is asking, have you
made the decision with the Beards stay for the twenty
twenty fourth season.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
Yeah, I believe so Yeah, my girls, you know, my
two daughters like it, my wife likes it. So yeah,
it's gonna stay.
Speaker 10 (24:03):
Also got a little bit of a decision on the
number one overall pick. How locked in are the Chicago
Bears right now? And what you're going to do? And
can we cut through everything else and just say it's
Caleb Williams.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Well, I would just say that we're going through the process,
and we got a few more weeks to do that,
and when we get back, we're going to really start,
you know, going through the tape one more time and
making sure we're all squared away with the decision.
Speaker 10 (24:22):
You have had time with Caleb. I saw you in
the background of all the shots out at USC pro day.
What have your interactions been like with him and if
he is in fact the pick, how all in do
you feel he is on being a Bear?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah? It was great.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
You know, we went out there the night before, had
dinner with him, and then we spent a lot of
time with him the next day before the pro day
and it was outstanding. He's an outstanding young man and
everything you know, looks great in terms of his personality,
as character, his football knowledge. And we got a lot
of information there from that. From that visit, I.
Speaker 10 (24:54):
Know, Ryan Poles had said, you wanted to do right
by Justin Fields in this process, was probably going to
be someplace else, ends up in a good situation in
Pittsburgh when it came right down to it, though, I
has worked that hard. Who I know you like as
a person. What was that conversation like?
Speaker 6 (25:08):
Yeah, you know, so we did together, you know, Ryan
and I did it together at my house and we
called Justin and it was tough. It's a tough decision
to make. But we also you know, you know, cherish
the time that we had together, you know, and I
told him that I love him and we just sat
and visited for a while and wish him the best,
and he did the same.
Speaker 10 (25:24):
He also made a big acquisition through a trade. Tell
me about Keenan Allen at this statement's career, what could
you get from him?
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, that's great. Keenan's an unbelievable pro He's been that
for a long time.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
You know.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Obviously me being a defensive guy. He's a hardcover for sure,
and we were certainly excited to have.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
Him thirty days away from the NFL Draft. Then we
can talk about who you picked. Who are your quarterback's
going to be? Just your outlook. You guys finished so
strong last season. How excited are you about the twenty
twenty four Bears.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
You know, we've had two years to build foundation, you know,
and you're bringing in these these blue players at one
and nine, and we're excited about the free agency class
that we brought in this year. And yeah, it's it's
it's an exciting time.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Thanks.
Speaker 6 (26:01):
All right, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
The Bears are on the clock and they are going
to be busy. They got two picks in the top
ten in April's draft. Daniel Jeremies lace Mock has four
quarterbacks coming off the board in the first four picks.
Not surprisingly, though, he's got Caleb Williams heading to Chicago,
which feels more and more likely as we approach the
draft next month. So assuming that that is the pick, guys,
(26:26):
what are realistic expectations.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
For the Bears with Caleb william Which is Jase.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
It's like, get ready and this is the time Kayla
Williams goes to Chicago, all the catchphrases come out. There's
going to be like, sky's the limit, untapped potential for
the Chicago Bears offense. Keenan Allen and everybody's going to
be talking about and putting all these lofty expectations when
there's going to be people say, well, remember he's a
rookie quarterback. There's a transition, there's an adjustment pier that
(26:51):
they all go through, so don't put too much on him.
I look at it, and Kyle, you did this in
the first hour where you go back and you.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Look at history.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
Sure, first overall draft picks, which teams go to the playoffs.
When you start talking about expectations, that's kind of where
you drawn the line. Are they gonna be a playoff team?
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Are they not?
Speaker 5 (27:08):
It's happened nine times in the NFL team draft first
overall and that team goes to the playoffs the next
year only two times when after drafting a quarterback. One
of those times was in zero four when Philip.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Rivers was drafted. He didn't play.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Drew Brees was the guy.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
So you go back to twenty twelve, the Indianapolis Colts.
They drafted quarterback that was Andrew Luck, and they go
to the playoffs. You said it earlier in the seven
o'clock hour. They went to the playoffs that year and
the year after with Chuck McGonnell and Andrew Luck as
their quarterback. For the Chicago Bears, you get Caleb Williams
in there. We've already talked about the guys that they
brought in on the offensive side of the ball. They
(27:44):
finished a year pretty solid last year, winning seven games.
You look across their division, you're looking at the Green
Bay Packers, You're looking at the Detroit Lions. I don't
know that Kayleb Williams gives them enough to be able
to get over that type of hump in year one
as a Chicago Bears. Are they gonna be much improved?
Of course, They're a team that was ascending last year
in their lock Justin Fields was a guy that and
(28:06):
you hear to where eber Flus talks about him holes.
They came together, gave him a phone call, told him
they loved them and what he meant to the organization
because he gave everything he had. I think there's a
lot of guys in that locker room who absolutely love
Justin Fields. Caleb Will's gonna have to come in, And
I said it before, you come in as a rookie,
you go out there and play well. Guys are gonna
love you and gonna respect you. You could talk all
(28:26):
about the things he did at USC, Hollywood all this.
You go out there and you play well, that's all
that matters. Guys want to win games. I think this
is a team that has approved. I don't see them
as a playoff team. I think realistic expectations. They take
another step offensively and they win maybe eight or nine games,
But I do think they fall short of a playoff.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Let me ask you, guys, Chris, I want he went
on this. Caleb comes in unlike any rookie ever. Yeah,
there's all these rumors that he made millions of dollars
last year. He's wealthy, a lot of fame. LA Like,
It's just it feels different. How do you feel as
a veteran in the locker room as a guy who
comes in already that famous, he's got endorsements, he's made
it a ton of money. Is that tougher to win
(29:06):
the locker room or what's the challenges there.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
No, I don't think it's going to be tougher to win.
To win the locker image. He's going to win the
locker room with how he plays, right, And I think
that's really all.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
I mean.
Speaker 7 (29:16):
Do all these kids coming out of college, these big
name guys, I mean, they're making money and rightfully so
right there, they're naming likeness and they're actually benefiting from it.
What Caleb has to come in and do is really
lean on the weapons that he has on offense. DJ
Keenan Allen, Right, I mean, who knows how he's going
to be as a football player, how he's going to compete, right,
I mean, he did a lot of great things at USC,
(29:38):
So I think the guys that are in this locker
room are a they're going to have to help him
a ton. Do I think that this team is going
to be a playoff team? No, I don't, But I
do think that if he comes in he plays hard,
you know, he wins the locker room with how he
competes on the field and can get the ball to
his playmakers. You know, I think that he'll have a
decent season, right, I mean, it's not a playoff season.
(29:58):
I don't think it's a playoff team, but I think
that he could take some positive steps.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Respect your opigon, I'm going to offer a counter.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yes, I want to give you, guys, Chris, Chris, let
me ask you do golf?
Speaker 4 (30:10):
I do?
Speaker 6 (30:10):
I know you do? Yes, You're probably really good.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, so b I bet your incredible? Are your three
handicap one? Oh? What gosh?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
All right, Sarah, we know your feelings on the sport
of golf. Jason, you don't golf, I don't really much,
all right, So but let's do a little closest to
the pin?
Speaker 4 (30:24):
All right, I'm going to show you. Don't show it yet.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
I'm going to show you three defensive statistics for the
Bears last year, arguably the three most important statistics in defense,
and I'm going to show where they ranked over the
last six weeks of the season. So for each statistic,
the number is the same, like it's twelve, twelve, twelfth, eighth, eight, twenty, twenty, twentieth,
whatever closest to the pin in these three defense statistics,
I'm going to show you where do you think the
(30:47):
Bears are going to rank in the league over the
last six weeks. Chris picked the number eighth. You think
they're ranked eighth, eighth, eighth, Okay, Jason.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
The Chicago Bears, they finished strong defense, I'm going to
say they ranked I'm going to say twelfth, step up
from the year before.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Well, Sarah, what.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Do you think this is the last six weeks of
the season. And Chris so then I'll go lower. Chris
went eight, eight, and I'll.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Go fifth, Okay, fifth, twelfth, eighth, closest to the pin,
first in points per game allowed, first in rushing touchdowns allowed, tied,
and first interceptions. I also want you to know that
those thirteen interceptions, that is the most in a six
game streak since the heyday of the Legion of Boom
in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
Oh wow.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
The Bears defense was cooking at the end of the season.
Nobody remembers this. They blasted the Lions down the stretch.
They won by two touchdowns over the Dan Campbell Lions,
who should have been in the Super Bowl. Now, they
were not a good team, They did not have a
good record, and they finished the season only scoring nine
points offensively. Look it up that day the Jordan Love
Packers also head to the playoffs, score thirteen points. The
(31:51):
defense was awesome, the offense was not enter Keenan Allen,
entered DeAndre Swift and entered Caleb Williams. Caleb Williams, I'll
say it right now, will break the streak for Chicago Bears.
They have never had a fourth passer. He will have
it in his rookie year, year one. He will have
four thousand yards in year one. They will come out throwing,
They will come out running. That offense is ready. The
(32:13):
defense was one of the best in the NFL in
the last six weeks, if not the best. Remember eva
Flus defensive guy, older guy, old school defense, hit tackle.
He got this thing working. Finally, they couldn't get the
offense working. It just wouldn't work. In Justin Field's finale,
he scores nine points in his last game as a
Bear against the arch rival Goodbye.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Enter Caleb, huge.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Talent, much better set of weapons in front of him.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
They also have the nine pick. Who's going to be
in there?
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Who might be another weapon or it'll be a defensive
player and the edge rush of years. Throw into one
of the best defense at the end of the year.
Last year, the four thousand yard streak will be broken.
I don't think a wild card is out of question.
I'm telling you, at the end of the season, as
good as they were, don't forget what they did to Detroit,
Who's going to be the big dog in that division
this year along with Green Bay. They have issues to
settle with the Packers. They always do historically. Four thousand
(32:59):
yards this year. One of the best defenses in football
and one of the highest upsides on offense. I like
the Bears the year, Caleb, the nine pick, everything else.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
I'm into it, guys. I don't apologize for it.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Week fourteen, they beat Detroit by fifteen points, yep, and
down that stretch they beat Minnesota. On Monday Night football
in Minnesota, they lost to the Browns by three point.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Ridiculous collapse by the Bear. Should have won the game,
they blew it.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
And so again.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Then after you put up that full screen, they're obviously
in win the division now, So I'm changing my ant
And you know what's funny though, I do think that people,
I know that this is maybe stating the obvious, but
you just think first overall pick in the draft, it's
because you know, you had a terrible season.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
This isn't why they're the first over ull pick.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
I mean, this is a team that was already ascending
to your point. So, I mean, I know people know that,
but it's it's like we're just so used to and
accustomed to. I mean, they're only the first pick in
the draft because the trade with the Panthers and all that,
and then you have a one and a nine, so
it's a different position for the number one team than
we usually see. So, yeah, they're starting, Caleb is starting
at a different jumping off point than where a lot
(33:58):
of guys that are picked umber one are going to
be starting off
Good Morning Football is the production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Good Morning, Hey, Hey, welcome to Good Morning Football. We
are live in New York City. It is Tuesday, March
twenty six. I'm Sarah Walsh alongside Kyle Brandt, Jason mccordy
and a two time Super Bowl winner and Chris Hogan.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
We keep all the Super Bowl winners on this side
of the table.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
What do we got over it?
Speaker 5 (00:42):
You haven't introled me as super Bowl like yesterday it
was all two time, two times, and you didn't never
you never said, like in super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Chair Chris said it, you have to win more than one.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
I know.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I mean it's just I did say. Everyone on that
side of the table has one.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, it was like this, said Cable. We've graduated from
high school.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
I don't know what else do we have in nineteen
ninety five honorable mentioned, All State, honorable But listen, usually
it's Peter here, and so Jason gets to be the
bell of the ball with his fancy super bowling and
the hocax is dunking on.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
You played in three, one to two. It's pretty cool.
Speaker 6 (01:09):
Not for me.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
He doesn't have two of them. Though, what are you in?
Speaker 5 (01:12):
I made to play the game without to play.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
He's a one time super Bowl True, Well you're not wrong.
Well you're not wrong.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
I'm most excited about for today. That's non football related.
The lax Bros.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
We got it.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
We got a lax Bro because I don't know the
lax Bro world.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
We've been doing a lot of reflecting on Good Morning
Football this last couple of weeks. Back in early twenty seventeen,
our first viral clip ever was me talking about lax
Bros because there was a lacrosse dude playing in the
Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
He's across the table from me right now. So Chris
and I are going to get at a lax call. I
played lacrosse.
Speaker 7 (01:41):
I don't know if you guys know this. It comes
up every now and then when on me. Yeah, and
Chris Hogan played lacrosse.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
That's the way that it goes. And r Patrick went
to Harvard. We got lot of stuff to get.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
A child, Mamath.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
We have a lot to get into, so it's time
for the lead block. The Texans had a huge turnaround
last season under first year head coach Dmiko Ryans, going
from three wins in twenty twenty to a ten win season,
a division title, and a playoff win, all with a
rookie quarterback. At the annual league meeting in Orlando yesterday,
coach Ryan spoke about what he expects to see from CJ.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Stroud this year.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
So the question now is, and if you go back
a year ago and actually on NFL dot com, I
was reading Judy Batista has an article out there about
how they do these predictions and who has these turnarounds,
and she's like, hey, I'm the first to say we
got it wrong.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
No one looked at the Texans and said, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
I was just reading this a couple of days ago,
and she's like, I'll take full blame, Like we didn't
say the Texans are going to be this team that
turns it around. Given what they did three wins to
ten wins, to what they did in the postseason, do
you consider the Texans now a serious threat in the
AFC Jason, I just want to.
Speaker 5 (02:43):
Take time and just acknowledge the fact that it is
seven o'clock and we're talking about the Houston Texas.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
There's time we did this.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Kyle was showing one of his favorite plays, and you
know that one was the Houston Texas lost the number
one pick Lobby Smith beat the Indianapolis Colts, and we
talked about that play for about a week or two
straight leading up. Who knew that Nicko, Sarah was going
to flip that to draft number two c J. Stroud
and the number three Will Anderson Junior. So shout out
to Houston Texas for the moves that they have made
(03:11):
to get them at Good Morning Football seven three am
and we're talking about them as pininential contenders for real
in the AFC. I look at what Houston did and Sarah,
you said it from three wins from lasting the division
to first place and also winning a home playoff game
against the Cleveland Browns before going on the road losing
in the divisional and we're talking about c J. Stroud
(03:32):
taking another step. I look at Nick Caso, the general manager,
and the moves that he made a year ago in
the free agency. He brought in guys and it was
Dalton Shoals, Jimmy Ward at the top of that list,
no big name signings, and now this year he's gone
in Daniel Hunter chooses to go to Houston to go
back home, takes less money.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Also, Joe Mixon at the top of that list via trade.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
So many different guys but not all huge names. And
Casero has done a great job since getting there of
adding value guys that come in there and turn that
organization around. I look at this year to get different
guys in free agency and wanting to come to Houston.
A lot of that is due to their head coach,
Demiko Ryans. And when he was hired last year, we
(04:13):
all kind of said it, Houston has been in turmoil.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
We had Deshaun Watson, he was.
Speaker 5 (04:17):
Exiting, then they had David Cully as a head coach,
fire him, Then they go to Lovely Smith, then they
fire Lovely Smith and Demiko Rans. Everyone said he is
the perfect guy to come in here, a guy that
played here, was drafted here, Vinson Rookie of the Year,
and now he is coming back. And this is the
part of Demico Ryans, which as a fan we love watching,
but it looks like within that building players love playing
(04:39):
for him, celebrating with his guys on the sideline. I
remember linebacker Christian Harris had to play where he almost
got an interception against the Tennessee Titans. Demiko Ryans is
going nuts on the sideline and he says to him,
that was your play they get to the playoffs, he
intercepts it and he takes it back to the crib.
Demiko Ryans has a connection with his players. That guys
(05:00):
look like they love being there, they love competing. Say
all that to say the huge in Texas. I believe
are a real contender in the AFC. CJ Shad, the
way he played as a rookie before getting injured, we
were talking about him as a possible MVP Canada. So
now going into year two, you know the playbook, you
know what to expect. You're not going through the entire
rookie program. You're there. You're a veteran in a sense now,
(05:22):
and I think they can take another step with contender.
Speaker 4 (05:26):
That contender mean that's the two letters K and C.
Like k C. The contender means like we may have
something for the chief.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
I think they may have something this year. Go for it.
You look at the additions they made on defense and
everything that they have. I feel like they're a team
in the AFC. We're going to get into a point
where it's going to be a dark horse talk and
everybody's going to say the Houston Texas is the team
that nobody is talking about whether they want a Super
Bowl now, I'm not going to say that now in March,
but I think they're a real player.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
In Chris, you pumped the breaks some of the Texans.
Are we too excited or are they for real?
Speaker 7 (05:53):
No, I'm gonna agree with everything that you're saying. I
love de Miko. I love Nicko Sario because I think
that he was a huge part of what they built
in New England for a long time, and I think
given the time, he was only going to be able
to do that in Houston. But winning doing one thing
one year, right, we're turning the page to the next year.
So it's tough to win this league, you know this, right,
(06:16):
And I think CJ. Strout's gonna have to take some
big leaps this year. I mean, he's gonna have to
continue what he's doing. I mean, it was unbelievable what
he did last year, right, But again, it's tough to
win this league. So I think they're gonna have to
continue to really build on this team. I love the
additions that they made. Guys want to come back. They
obviously are excited about playing with the Miko, so It'll
be interesting to see how they play. But I'm going
(06:36):
to say that Houston's a contender.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Well, this is where if it was another show, I
would be all incredulous and I start screaming at you guys,
are you ridiculous?
Speaker 4 (06:44):
These guys are terrible.
Speaker 1 (06:45):
They're gonna choke like if that's nonsense, bs, we don't
do that on the show.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So I'm actually gonna actually agree with you. So here's
the deal. I looked in the past. The Texans.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
You gotta think of like they dropped their first album
and it's like it's a smash, it's a platinum, like
a hot.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
Album, boom blowing up, rookie.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Head coach and rookie quarterback together and just massive multiplatinum.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
What is the follow up album?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
A lot of times that second album you get famous,
you get money, Like it's just a.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Magic, isn't there in the studio?
Speaker 8 (07:11):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
This might be it. It might be.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
So you look at some comps, all right, last times
over the last couple of decades, a couple of years,
we've had first year head coach, first time head coach.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
And rookie quarterback.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Sometimes they make a splash, right, what happens in that
second album, guys, it goes well really Andrew Luck and
Chuck Bagano right back.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
To the playoffs in the second year, Mark.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Sanchez and Rex Ryan right back in the playoffs the
next year. Joe Flacco and Jarn Harbaugh right back to
the playoffs next year. There was no dud second album,
and I don't see one here. I think they have next.
I think, listen, it's March. It's tough to predict. I
think the AFC North cannibalizes itself. I think the AFC
East cannibalizes itself. I think the West is gonna be
absolutely wild and unpredictable.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Is Jim Harbaugh. I don't love the South.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
We have the draft yet to come, but like, I
don't see anybody who's like, ah, they really got something cooking.
Maybe Jacksonville, but we've been waiting on Jacksonville.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I also think.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
It's interesting to look at this year's draft through the
lens of the Texans. So go back to right after
last year's draft, Bryce Young, Bryce Shung, He's the man. C. J.
Stroud is like, yeah, he's this other guy. There was
a lot of criticism to he didn't have the sizzle.
You know what, I'm saying like they're all right, they
went up for Stroud. I guess look what happened that season.
It really I don't know if it could have gone
much worse for Young. I don't know if it got
(08:28):
much better for Stroud. So when it happens this year
and it's and it's your Drake Mays and your Knixes
and and you're Williams, don't everybody just judge the team.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Just wait till the games.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Play out, because it doesn't always go like you want.
But I'm sitting here and I would love to create
a TV segment and argue with you guys the Texans
that fake who gaze that they're gonna fall in their faces.
History says they won't and everything I saw with my
eyes says they won't. Offensive Rookie the Year, Defensive Rookie
the Year, easily could head Coach of the Year. I
like what they have cookiing, especially in that division I'm
in on Texans.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think there's also this vibe about c J. Stroud too,
while he's in the midst of this unbelievable year, and
you and you mentioned like at one point MVP talk,
it never felt like he was satisfied it. While I
think people on the outside were looking at like, look
at this unbelievable year. When you watch him in his
demeanor and even him on the sidelines, it never felt
like he was like, yeah, I'm having a great year.
I mean, this was a rookie that felt like he
(09:18):
should be in there competing, and you take a step
back and big picture of what they've done.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
They were two games away from being in the super Bowl.
They were tied and halftime against.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
The Baltimore Ravens, who a lot of people thought would be.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
In the super Bowl.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Obviously, that second half fell apart. But when you watched
Strout even in that game and how devastated he was
by the way it ended, you never got the sense
that he was like, what a good run, What a
good rookie season for me? And I think like when
you talk about someone's perspective, it would be easy, and
I think a lot of us looked at and said, yeah,
like you said, great first album. I don't think he
felt like that, which is what.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
You want out of your quarterback.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
And then you go back to the division, which you
were talking about. The Jaguars. They had that dream season
where they were out of it, and Doug Peterson brought
him back.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
And they went on that run. And we always sort of.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Just expect whatever happened this season before to carry over
to the next year. So the Jags won this unbelievable
run and they were basically written in as the division
champs before last season started, right the Jags look at
what they did the previous year, They're going to win,
and then they struggled last season. The Titans are definitely
a new look team. We don't know what they're going
to get. I don't think the Jags got better with
Calvin Ridley departing the team, given the potential he had
with Trevor Lawrence there to get better and grow. We
(10:23):
don't know what's going to happen with Anthony Richards, and
we know they love him there in Indianapolis, but did
we have a huge sample size on what he can do?
So that division, back to your point, Kyle is so
up in the air. But there was nothing about this
Texans team that seemed like they were like pat on
the back. We did a great job. It felt the
entire time that they had this belief that we're in it,
(10:43):
we can compete, we can win it, and it feels
like they'll kick off the season the same way.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
One of the challenges going to be for them is
last year and no one was talking about you. You
finished last in your division. Now you come back this year,
you're finishing first in your division. So you're playing against
those other AFC divisions their best team. So that's the
schedule is going to be a little bit different. But
also people are looking at Detexans on the schedules like,
all right, we got to come play. So now to
your point, can you do it when there's a target
on your back end? Teams are gunning for your polls
(11:09):
that had last year where you're sneaking up on people.
So I'm excited about him. We'll see, we'll see.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Going back to Doug Peterson, you know Doug Peterson did
in his second year as a head coach for the
first time, he won.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
A Super Bowl the Eagles.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
There's some other the other coaches to do that.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Bill Belichick did in his second season.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Mike Tomlin did it, Dimiko Ryans, you got next.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It's incredible, no pressure. That impressed with Stroud, Like you
look at him as a guy, I mean he's so young.
Speaker 7 (11:33):
Yeah, he's young again. I'd like to see him progress
and do it again, right, I mean, he did, he
did great things last year. But you know we're turning
the page, right, Let's take that next leap and just
continue to grow. I mean, and it'll be interesting to
see what he does.
Speaker 5 (11:47):
Never play with a rookie quarterback playing meaningful snaps EJ.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Manuel when he was drafted in Buffalo that they had
a lot of hopes for him, a lot of hopes.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
What do you think, never mind J Man when you
to talk about him and what do you think went wrong?
Speaker 7 (11:59):
Like as a rookie year, it's tough stuff to play.
There's a lot of expectations as a rookie, right, and
then if you're brought in to be that franchise quarterback,
the guy that's supposed to turn this franchise around, and
it doesn't happen, then it's tough y. You know, it's
that make sure breaks your career. So for Stroud, I mean,
I loved it all the all the hate that he
got pre draft and leading up to the draft, I mean,
(12:21):
which was ridiculous that really we weren't talking about football.
We were talking about a cognition test. If I let
the kid play football first, and he went out there
and proved everybody.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
He's got a great makeup too, Like he seems like
it has a poker face. It's very devout in his faith.
Like I feel like he is really focused and steady.
And there were some ups and downs, and then listen
that great Joe Flacco experience that we saw last year
with Cleveland.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
They broke that thing over their knee. That was they
were awesome. It was a great win.
Speaker 5 (12:45):
Hej malluoels at home somewhere like, if I had better
receivers on mine.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
They gave me this. Am I supposed to win with him? Mark,
he's good with some guys. Some guys Johnson, Chris Hogan.
Chris Hogan, he could have had Hulk.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Hogan was, Yeah, we got to get to where the actions.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
You where the action is, guys, The action is at
breakfast this morning. That's where we have to get to.
Ian Rappinport, Mike Garifuller.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
The annual League meeting in Orlando.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Give us the latest on what's happening there. You know,
I know there was a big report yesterday that the
breakfast line shut down earlier than expected.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
A lot of people were upset. What's happening there, guys today?
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Yeah, yep, listen.
Speaker 9 (13:27):
The only people more upset than the people who didn't
get the breakfast are the defense hive players about the
hip drop tackle, the swivel hip drop tackle.
Speaker 4 (13:35):
Keep that part in there, because regular.
Speaker 9 (13:37):
Hip drop tackles still legal, but they banned the NFL
officially the swivel hip drop tackle, which is anything where
the defenders grabbing a guy, he's getting up in the air,
he's swinging around anything he can to come down to
cause injury. Now, there were two hundred and thirty of
these by the NFL's count last year that under the
new role would be penalized. Of those two hundred and
thirty plays, fifteen players got injured and missed time going forwards.
(13:59):
And there's a high incidents of injury, and that is
why they ruled yesterday to ban the hip drop swivel
hip hop tech.
Speaker 8 (14:05):
Right, And you know, I understand the course of defensive
players on social media and otherwise saying what can we do?
Like if you ban this, you've been that, you've been
all the things. We can't hit high, we can't heay, Well,
what can we do? And as Jeff Miller, the NFL's
executive for Health and safety, said yesterday not that. I mean,
that is one thing clear. Whatever it is, you can't
do that. It is a play that has a disproportionate
(14:27):
number of injuries compared to the amount of times that
it occurs. We've seen some very significant ones. Whatever it
takes for a player like Mark Andrews to not break
his leg after a routine tackle in the open field,
I am for that, and the NFL is for that.
They have now done away with the hip job tackle.
Obviously significant development yesterday. We still do not have finality
(14:49):
on the kickoff rule. The NFL is hybrid kickoff rule
also said to be discussed today. Could they vote, I
would say it's possible they could also kick it to
May if they don't get to a consensus. You know,
as your good friend John Marrat told you yesterday, went
into the cocktail hour or the cocktail party last night
with you and I were both in attendance at that
(15:11):
there was going to be some vote.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
Wrangling going on about the new kickoff. What did we
find out?
Speaker 9 (15:16):
Some arm twisting John marrawhead Jerry Jones in an arm
bar and said you better pass this thing tomorrow. No,
maybe I've been about something else. Actually that's a joke.
Speaker 4 (15:25):
East. No, that did not happen. I did see John Merrow.
Didn't see Jerry Jones last night.
Speaker 9 (15:29):
But yeah, the hope is that today because Rich McKay,
the chairman of the Competition.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Committee, made a good point.
Speaker 9 (15:35):
He said, we've got a draft coming up, and we've
got teams that have to make decisions. Still have some
free agents, by the way, that are waiting for the
new kickoff rule to potentially be Patara Patterson's car.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Darryl Patterson is a big one right there. To see
what it's going to be like.
Speaker 9 (15:46):
If there's going to be more returns, these returners suddenly
become more valuable, and McKay referencing Devin Hester going into
the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
They would like to have that in the game.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
They'd like to have some exciting returns back in the game,
and they would like to do it before the draft.
So if it's kicked to the May meeting, those teams
will be voting after the draft will have occurred. So
the hope is that going to get done today. More conversation,
potentially a vote. Sarah Watshing potentially some breakfast for.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Everybody here involved.
Speaker 9 (16:10):
They're already in line behind me, and we'll see see
if we get to breakfast.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
You know what I like, Mike G. You got breakfast covered.
You have cocktail hour covered.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
I mean, just every angle there at the Annual League meeting,
Mike G and I and.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Repport sign up the sun down?
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Yeah, why not come bine us to just give us
the Mimosa's bottomless mimosas.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Why not a bloody bar doing the kind of guy?
But yeah, I gets you mine? Yeah, bloody bar on,
why not? You know we might as grow. Let's go
get some ship drivers.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I got a couple of you may have a couple
of small bottles in here.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
Let me check, and I bet you do. Left in
the room. Oh, you're just happy to see me, Mike.
Great job, guys, Tom's the Conte.
Speaker 7 (16:57):
Show take.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Throws touchdown, alright to go.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It is time for another edition of buy in or
keep Trying. I'm going to see up a statement. If
you agree, you're going to say byan. If you disagree,
you're going to say keep trying. So there's a lot
of questions surrounding which quarterback is going to be taken
when and by who? And while discussing the Commander's pick
at number two overall, our own Tom Pellisero had an
interesting note about what the executives around the league think
(17:34):
Washington's going to do with their pick.
Speaker 10 (17:38):
It's been really interesting because everybody's always trying to figure out,
especially at the top of the draft, what the other
teams are doing. When I've had conversations here with executives
for other teams, you know, Adam Peters, well know the situation. Well,
the most popular answer for what they do at number
two is JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
All right, okay, JJ.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
So the statement is this, the Commanders are going to
draft JJ McCarthy with the second overall pin. Are you
guys buying or should they keep trying?
Speaker 5 (18:07):
Jason, I'm go to keep trying on this one, all right.
So I got into this sports media stuff last year.
I went through one draft, and what I've learned is
you do not believe all the hooplah, all the talk
leading up to it. Last year, it was always Bryce
Young one c J. Stroud number two. As a draft
continued to creep closer and closer, it was Will Levis
(18:27):
and the mayonnaise and the coffee and the banana peel.
And then it was Anthony Richardson doing backflips at prote
and it was like, one of these guys are gonna
steal the show. Someone's going to draft them extremely high.
Speaker 4 (18:39):
C J.
Speaker 5 (18:39):
Shroud as two cognitition, says all of those different things
going to bump him out. Draft came and went.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
C J.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
Shroud went number two, Richardson for and Levis in the
second round. I'm not believing all of the hype. Forever
we've talked about all right, Kayla Williams is gonna be one.
The question has been is it Drake Man or is
it Jayden Daniels After number two pick, I think JJ
McCarthy is flying up draft boards ton of winning at Michigan.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Good for him.
Speaker 5 (19:02):
I think he still goes at the top the draft.
But I'm going keep trying on this one. I think
it's Drake May or Jaden Daniels.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
I'm buying, You're buying.
Speaker 7 (19:11):
Come on, I've heard you listened to Jim Harbaugh to
talk about this kid. I mean, he has literally nothing
but good things to say. Best Pro day he's ever seen,
best quarterback to ever come out of Michigan, right, I'm buying.
I think that the commanders are going to take a
closer look at this kid, and there's a I think
there's a real chance that he gets taken number two.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
A week ago, I would have said, come on, what
are we doing? Now I'm starting to buy, and I'll
tell you why, Jason, you talked about last year's draft.
I've been able to cover many drafts. My favorite draft
is twenty eighteen, and I'll take you back.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
The pick for weeks.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Months, even over a year was Sam Donald. Cleveland's gonna
take Sam Donald. It's a done deal. And if not,
you go with the most quarterback ready and the guy
in the class, Josh Rosen.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
He looks like professional.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
And then there's this crazy guy from Wyoming, and then
there's this pretty lamar from Louisville. Baker Mayfield went number
one overall and he was on thinking. He flew up
over the last month. It was like he ran the
perfect campaign and went to the number one overall pick
in a quarterback loaded draft. And you wouldn't think so
he's too short, he doesn't have the mobility, whatever, whatever.
I've seen this happen before. Now I think if there
(20:18):
wasn't the Caleb factor. We could be talking about JJ going.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
All the way on the top for real. I've seen
It's the same thing with Baker. He won, he's.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Competitive, he's got the mox, he's got the intangibles.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
The coach is singing about him. I'm now at a
place where I think this could happen.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
And I also, like, I know there's a lot of
times there and you're like, does JJ have the athleticism?
And I've even like kind of doubted it myself. I
was watching some clips from the Alabama game Michigan Alabama.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
Do you remember when they did.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
The throwback trick play and JJ caught it with one hand,
reverse pivoted, and then threw it down. That's one of
the most athletic players I've ever seen. I mean, that
was unbelievable. I've seen I know a lot of quarterbacks
who've been to All Pro who could not make that
play in a game. So I'm going to just my
roundabout way of saying a I think he's better than
we're giving him credit for.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
It's more than just the wins.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
And I've seen guys shoot up the boards late they
would think unthinkable. I think we could him it too.
I mean, as smoke screen season, I get it. Maybe
they take one of the other guys.
Speaker 4 (21:09):
And he falls.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
I'm at the point where it's not laughable at this point,
I'd be surprised if it doesn't happen.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
Let me go back to the smoke screen thing, because
I'm with Jason at this point, I don't believe anything.
So Chris, you're talking about Jim Harbuss, is he's the
best wall? Yeah, he just won him a national champions
But like the reality is is And this isn't to
say that Jim Harbaugh doesn't believe it, But shouldn't his
coach say those things about him?
Speaker 3 (21:31):
I mean, shouldn't Jim Harbus.
Speaker 4 (21:32):
Say those things?
Speaker 2 (21:34):
So how can you look at that and go I
mean it's not like there's no.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
Bias to that.
Speaker 7 (21:38):
I mean there's a little bit of bias to it,
but I mean the kids backed it up since he's
been at Michigan. And then I mean the pro day
is on film, right, He's going out there making the throws.
Everyone's there watching it and evaluating him. So if teams
are going to get more interested in this kid, the
commanders are going to do more homework on him. They're
going to go back and watch the film and really
see if Jim Harbaugh is actually speaking the truth so
(22:00):
the kid can play. There's no doubt about it. He
won a national championship. Like we're not sitting here saying
that this is an unthinkable thing for him to get
drafted and keep going all the way at the board.
But you know, I mean, listen, time will tell, right
who knows how he is in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
But I mean imagine if a coach was like it
was like, yeah, okay, I don't know, I wouldn't take him.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
Like that doesn't really happen.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Only thing I can remember is is Pete care was
not excited that Mark Sanchez was entering the pros and
he nuked him a little bit.
Speaker 4 (22:25):
But that was different.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Listen, it's still I still want it on the record.
It's not for me up that high because everything that
comes up about jj is is winning, which is fine,
And they always the word intangibles always comes up in
tangibles are great.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
You know what's even better than intangibles? Tangibles? I want
that high, and I don't know if he has them.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
Don't give me number two overall, running me some tangible.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
It's to your point of running the perfect campaign. He
has done that. He looks excellent, throwing the ball, doing
the things that we said on Michigan he wasn't asked
to do. We'll see. I like JJ McCarthy. He's a
good player, won all that good stuff too.
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Yeah, It's just it's just not about not like right.
I just think the draft is such a weird social experiment.
That is, if we have these players listed this way,
it is it can't just stay that way, you know,
I just can't because you give people enough time to
sit there and pick something.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Apart to your point, C Jay Struck, I'm.
Speaker 1 (23:16):
Sitting there Thinkingdim Harbaugh's gonna trade justin Herbert and drafting.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
I mean, like, who knows what Harby's capable of?
Speaker 1 (23:21):
He lives on that much, So draft him, Jim, He's
the best quarterback ever.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Get him.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
It is timed out for the.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Annual league Meeting is taking place right now in beautiful Orlando, Florida.
So many owners, GMS coaches down there in the Sunshine
and state, and so is NFL Network insider Tom Pellisara,
who caught up with Bears head coach Matt eberflus earlier
this morning.
Speaker 10 (23:51):
Matt, A big question everybody here is asking, have you
made the decision with the Beards stay for the twenty
twenty fourth season.
Speaker 6 (23:58):
Yeah, I believe so Yeah, my girls, you know, my
two daughters like it, my wife likes it. So yeah,
it's gonna stay.
Speaker 10 (24:03):
Also got a little bit of a decision on the
number one overall pick. How locked in are the Chicago
Bears right now? And what you're going to do? And
can we cut through everything else and just say it's
Caleb Williams.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Well, I would just say that we're going through the process,
and we got a few more weeks to do that,
and when we get back, we're going to really start,
you know, going through the tape one more time and
making sure we're all squared away with the decision.
Speaker 10 (24:22):
You have had time with Caleb. I saw you in
the background of all the shots out at USC pro day.
What have your interactions been like with him and if
he is in fact the pick, how all in do
you feel he is on being a Bear?
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah? It was great.
Speaker 6 (24:34):
You know, we went out there the night before, had
dinner with him, and then we spent a lot of
time with him the next day before the pro day
and it was outstanding. He's an outstanding young man and
everything you know, looks great in terms of his personality,
as character, his football knowledge. And we got a lot
of information there from that. From that visit, I.
Speaker 10 (24:54):
Know, Ryan Poles had said, you wanted to do right
by Justin Fields in this process, was probably going to
be someplace else, ends up in a good situation in
Pittsburgh when it came right down to it, though, I
has worked that hard. Who I know you like as
a person. What was that conversation like?
Speaker 6 (25:08):
Yeah, you know, so we did together, you know, Ryan
and I did it together at my house and we
called Justin and it was tough. It's a tough decision
to make. But we also you know, you know, cherish
the time that we had together, you know, and I
told him that I love him and we just sat
and visited for a while and wish him the best,
and he did the same.
Speaker 10 (25:24):
He also made a big acquisition through a trade. Tell
me about Keenan Allen at this statement's career, what could
you get from him?
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, that's great. Keenan's an unbelievable pro He's been that
for a long time.
Speaker 5 (25:34):
You know.
Speaker 6 (25:35):
Obviously me being a defensive guy. He's a hardcover for sure,
and we were certainly excited to have.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
Him thirty days away from the NFL Draft. Then we
can talk about who you picked. Who are your quarterback's
going to be? Just your outlook. You guys finished so
strong last season. How excited are you about the twenty
twenty four Bears.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Yeah, it's great.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
You know, we've had two years to build foundation, you know,
and you're bringing in these these blue players at one
and nine, and we're excited about the free agency class
that we brought in this year. And yeah, it's it's
it's an exciting time.
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Thanks.
Speaker 6 (26:01):
All right, Thanks.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
The Bears are on the clock and they are going
to be busy. They got two picks in the top
ten in April's draft. Daniel Jeremies lace Mock has four
quarterbacks coming off the board in the first four picks.
Not surprisingly, though, he's got Caleb Williams heading to Chicago,
which feels more and more likely as we approach the
draft next month. So assuming that that is the pick, guys,
(26:26):
what are realistic expectations.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
For the Bears with Caleb william Which is Jase.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
It's like, get ready and this is the time Kayla
Williams goes to Chicago, all the catchphrases come out. There's
going to be like, sky's the limit, untapped potential for
the Chicago Bears offense. Keenan Allen and everybody's going to
be talking about and putting all these lofty expectations when
there's going to be people say, well, remember he's a
rookie quarterback. There's a transition, there's an adjustment pier that
(26:51):
they all go through, so don't put too much on him.
I look at it, and Kyle, you did this in
the first hour where you go back and you.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Look at history.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
Sure, first overall draft picks, which teams go to the playoffs.
When you start talking about expectations, that's kind of where
you drawn the line. Are they gonna be a playoff team?
Speaker 4 (27:07):
Are they not?
Speaker 5 (27:08):
It's happened nine times in the NFL team draft first
overall and that team goes to the playoffs the next
year only two times when after drafting a quarterback. One
of those times was in zero four when Philip.
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Rivers was drafted. He didn't play.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Drew Brees was the guy.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
So you go back to twenty twelve, the Indianapolis Colts.
They drafted quarterback that was Andrew Luck, and they go
to the playoffs. You said it earlier in the seven
o'clock hour. They went to the playoffs that year and
the year after with Chuck McGonnell and Andrew Luck as
their quarterback. For the Chicago Bears, you get Caleb Williams
in there. We've already talked about the guys that they
brought in on the offensive side of the ball. They
(27:44):
finished a year pretty solid last year, winning seven games.
You look across their division, you're looking at the Green
Bay Packers, You're looking at the Detroit Lions. I don't
know that Kayleb Williams gives them enough to be able
to get over that type of hump in year one
as a Chicago Bears. Are they gonna be much improved?
Of course, They're a team that was ascending last year
in their lock Justin Fields was a guy that and
(28:06):
you hear to where eber Flus talks about him holes.
They came together, gave him a phone call, told him
they loved them and what he meant to the organization
because he gave everything he had. I think there's a
lot of guys in that locker room who absolutely love
Justin Fields. Caleb Will's gonna have to come in, And
I said it before, you come in as a rookie,
you go out there and play well. Guys are gonna
love you and gonna respect you. You could talk all
(28:26):
about the things he did at USC, Hollywood all this.
You go out there and you play well, that's all
that matters. Guys want to win games. I think this
is a team that has approved. I don't see them
as a playoff team. I think realistic expectations. They take
another step offensively and they win maybe eight or nine games,
But I do think they fall short of a playoff.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Let me ask you, guys, Chris, I want he went
on this. Caleb comes in unlike any rookie ever. Yeah,
there's all these rumors that he made millions of dollars
last year. He's wealthy, a lot of fame. LA Like,
It's just it feels different. How do you feel as
a veteran in the locker room as a guy who
comes in already that famous, he's got endorsements, he's made
it a ton of money. Is that tougher to win
(29:06):
the locker room or what's the challenges there.
Speaker 7 (29:09):
No, I don't think it's going to be tougher to win.
To win the locker image. He's going to win the
locker room with how he plays, right, And I think
that's really all.
Speaker 4 (29:15):
I mean.
Speaker 7 (29:16):
Do all these kids coming out of college, these big
name guys, I mean, they're making money and rightfully so
right there, they're naming likeness and they're actually benefiting from it.
What Caleb has to come in and do is really
lean on the weapons that he has on offense. DJ
Keenan Allen, Right, I mean, who knows how he's going
to be as a football player, how he's going to compete, right,
I mean, he did a lot of great things at USC,
(29:38):
So I think the guys that are in this locker
room are a they're going to have to help him
a ton. Do I think that this team is going
to be a playoff team? No, I don't, But I
do think that if he comes in he plays hard,
you know, he wins the locker room with how he
competes on the field and can get the ball to
his playmakers. You know, I think that he'll have a
decent season, right, I mean, it's not a playoff season.
(29:58):
I don't think it's a playoff team, but I think
that he could take some positive steps.
Speaker 4 (30:03):
Respect your opigon, I'm going to offer a counter.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
Yes, I want to give you, guys, Chris, Chris, let
me ask you do golf?
Speaker 4 (30:10):
I do?
Speaker 6 (30:10):
I know you do? Yes, You're probably really good.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, so b I bet your incredible? Are your three
handicap one? Oh? What gosh?
Speaker 1 (30:17):
All right, Sarah, we know your feelings on the sport
of golf. Jason, you don't golf, I don't really much,
all right, So but let's do a little closest to
the pin?
Speaker 4 (30:24):
All right, I'm going to show you. Don't show it yet.
Speaker 1 (30:26):
I'm going to show you three defensive statistics for the
Bears last year, arguably the three most important statistics in defense,
and I'm going to show where they ranked over the
last six weeks of the season. So for each statistic,
the number is the same, like it's twelve, twelve, twelfth, eighth, eight, twenty, twenty, twentieth,
whatever closest to the pin in these three defense statistics,
I'm going to show you where do you think the
(30:47):
Bears are going to rank in the league over the
last six weeks. Chris picked the number eighth. You think
they're ranked eighth, eighth, eighth, Okay, Jason.
Speaker 5 (30:55):
The Chicago Bears, they finished strong defense, I'm going to
say they ranked I'm going to say twelfth, step up
from the year before.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Well, Sarah, what.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
Do you think this is the last six weeks of
the season. And Chris so then I'll go lower. Chris
went eight, eight, and I'll.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Go fifth, Okay, fifth, twelfth, eighth, closest to the pin,
first in points per game allowed, first in rushing touchdowns allowed, tied,
and first interceptions. I also want you to know that
those thirteen interceptions, that is the most in a six
game streak since the heyday of the Legion of Boom
in Seattle.
Speaker 4 (31:30):
Oh wow.
Speaker 1 (31:30):
The Bears defense was cooking at the end of the season.
Nobody remembers this. They blasted the Lions down the stretch.
They won by two touchdowns over the Dan Campbell Lions,
who should have been in the Super Bowl. Now, they
were not a good team, They did not have a
good record, and they finished the season only scoring nine
points offensively. Look it up that day the Jordan Love
Packers also head to the playoffs, score thirteen points. The
(31:51):
defense was awesome, the offense was not enter Keenan Allen,
entered DeAndre Swift and entered Caleb Williams. Caleb Williams, I'll
say it right now, will break the streak for Chicago Bears.
They have never had a fourth passer. He will have
it in his rookie year, year one. He will have
four thousand yards in year one. They will come out throwing,
They will come out running. That offense is ready. The
(32:13):
defense was one of the best in the NFL in
the last six weeks, if not the best. Remember eva
Flus defensive guy, older guy, old school defense, hit tackle.
He got this thing working. Finally, they couldn't get the
offense working. It just wouldn't work. In Justin Field's finale,
he scores nine points in his last game as a
Bear against the arch rival Goodbye.
Speaker 4 (32:32):
Enter Caleb, huge.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Talent, much better set of weapons in front of him.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
They also have the nine pick. Who's going to be
in there?
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Who might be another weapon or it'll be a defensive
player and the edge rush of years. Throw into one
of the best defense at the end of the year.
Last year, the four thousand yard streak will be broken.
I don't think a wild card is out of question.
I'm telling you, at the end of the season, as
good as they were, don't forget what they did to Detroit,
Who's going to be the big dog in that division
this year along with Green Bay. They have issues to
settle with the Packers. They always do historically. Four thousand
(32:59):
yards this year. One of the best defenses in football
and one of the highest upsides on offense. I like
the Bears the year, Caleb, the nine pick, everything else.
Speaker 4 (33:06):
I'm into it, guys. I don't apologize for it.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Week fourteen, they beat Detroit by fifteen points, yep, and
down that stretch they beat Minnesota. On Monday Night football
in Minnesota, they lost to the Browns by three point.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Ridiculous collapse by the Bear. Should have won the game,
they blew it.
Speaker 3 (33:20):
And so again.
Speaker 2 (33:21):
Then after you put up that full screen, they're obviously
in win the division now, So I'm changing my ant
And you know what's funny though, I do think that people,
I know that this is maybe stating the obvious, but
you just think first overall pick in the draft, it's
because you know, you had a terrible season.
Speaker 3 (33:34):
This isn't why they're the first over ull pick.
Speaker 2 (33:35):
I mean, this is a team that was already ascending
to your point. So, I mean, I know people know that,
but it's it's like we're just so used to and
accustomed to. I mean, they're only the first pick in
the draft because the trade with the Panthers and all that,
and then you have a one and a nine, so
it's a different position for the number one team than
we usually see. So, yeah, they're starting, Caleb is starting
at a different jumping off point than where a lot
(33:58):
of guys that are picked umber one are going to
be starting off
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