January 13, 2025 • 27 mins
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport deliver the second half of a two-part YouTube and podcast edition of the Insiders. The trio reacts to Mike Vrabel officially becoming the next head coach of the New England Patriots, before recapping the AFC Wild Card games. Later, the Insiders preview Vikings-Rams, which will be taking place in Arizona due to the Southern California wildfires.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome inside with the Insiders alongside Mike Garriffolo. I am
Tom Peldicero. We think he and Rapport is where everybody
rejoin us for this show. Judy Batista parts unknown, we're
holding it down for you. This is part two of
this particular YouTube and the podcast vision. If you missed
part one, it doesn't matter. You can listen to them
(00:22):
watch them in either order. Also, I explained that that
one I lined by saying a couple of weeks ago
that was the final podcast in YouTube show. There happens
to be a wild card game tonight. It is the
Vikings and the Rams. More on that matchup in a
little bit of news in just a little bit. But
let's talk here Mike about a couple of items, starting
out with the AFC playoff games that we saw over
(00:43):
the weekend. The Ravens one of the bugaboos for Lamar Jackson,
and obviously it's playoff success as a whole is one
of the biggest ones. But the Steelers definitely have been
that for him. They've been a kryptonite sort of a thing,
particularly in the postseason. But this Washy a matchup where
whatever you thought kind of the your concerns about the
(01:06):
Steelers would be going into this thing. They all showed
up in the first half, and by the time the
Steelers seemed to wake up in the third quarter, you're
down twenty one nothing and there was very little chance
coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Is there a questionnaire just like, yeah, it's I I
I really actually liked this matchup for.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Baltimore going forward. I we don't make picks in the game,
but I would I would appreciate Baltimore going on the
on the road with that running game, with the way
that they're playing, and and the way that they really
dictated things against the Steelers. They're playing with a swagger,
a confidence. Uh, It's it's quite impressive what they're doing
(01:53):
right now. And you know, everything we've said about their
running game and their defense and and and all that stuff.
Traveling in the playoff, I think is coming to fruition
and will continue to come to fruition. The possibility of
getting Zay Flowers back, which we all expect that that
was a reasonable expectation here in the divisional round, is
going to be enormous for them as well. If they
can get him back, it'll be fun though. I mean,
(02:16):
you know, Buffalo There were a couple of moments early
on Sunday with Buffalo where you go, this is usually
where things get a little bit tight, and Josh Allen
was able to navigate that stuff. And it was a
distant memory that Denver really came out and scored that
touchdown right away, right up top over Taylor Rap and
it was like, okay, Bo Nicks and the Broncos came
to play. Not really. Bills did a nice job of
(02:39):
shutting them down there. So this is going to be
this is gonna be quite the match. This is gonna
be the game of the weekend, I think in the
NFL Ian.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Still mute, Buddy, yep, just unmute, Just push the button.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You're still you may you know what happened. I think
you pulled the connection.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
All the plug out when you moved.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
You may be muted on the thing on the on
the you got me.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Now there he is here. Here's what uh, here's what
I was thinking the.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Watching the Bills and Josh Allen and watching the Broncos.
I felt like everybody was weirdly nervous and Romo kind
of who was who was on the call?
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Was it? Romo was right on the Bills game. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
The Romo kind of called it out.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
He's like, they look nervous, and I'm like, they do
look nervous. And it's like Broncos score first, and it's
like Josh Allen had literally no chance but just to
play because they were down. He did just start kind
of rolling and he got hot and then it was
all good and it was fine. Bills are fine and
they advanced and I think this game is gonna be
awesome and I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But I kind of do wonder about that.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's like, do they need to be like shocked into
kind of relax and just play, because there is like
a different version of Josh Allen that's a little like
frantic and like, you know, sort of like taking up.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
In the moment that said, I really do, like you know,
kind of like.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
We're talking about with the Eagles, like just how physical
they are, Like I really wonder who can hang with
how physical the Baltimore Ravens, Like I just like it
is so in your face, and like Derrick Henry is
so much and he's still going really fast and it's
gonna be cold and it's gonna be ouch, and like
I just I don't know to me, just based on
(04:35):
my eyeballs. And I don't make picks either. Obviously, the
Ravens look like so much right now, and I just
don't know. Even though the Bills are really good, I
just don't know.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
If they can handle that is my set.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So to clear up any confusion that might have been
caused by comments on the various broadcasts, this week, the
Bills host the Ravens in the divisional playoff round. The
Chiefs are going to host the Texans. If there was
a game mic that seemed like, based on public perception
of the teams, that was ripe for the upside, it
was going to be in Houston, and it was going
(05:09):
to be a product not just of the Chargers and
their talent, but also of the fact that the Texans
had kind of been been stumbling. And really, you watched
the first half of that game, or at least the
first quarter, and it felt like the Chargers are crushing
them everything. They kept getting the ball, they kept having
opportunities in the red zone, but they missed so many
chances that all of a sudden, when there's one weird
(05:31):
play and the balls snapped over. CJ. Stroud's head and
you just you know, make something happen. From that point forward,
it felt like the momentum started to go away from
the Chargers and they never really recaptured it.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, it was an uncharacteristic performance by the Chargers because
they're the team that capitalizes on opportunities. They're the team
that makes you beat them. And that was not the
case that we saw the other day in CJ. Stroud
when he let go of that ball. We were out
the dinner and I was watching the TV and I just.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Thought on social media, had a nice date.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Uh No, that was yesterday. That was yesterday. We were
out with the kids on Saturday. But yeah, it was
the ball comes out and I audibly yelled don't, don't,
don't throw light over the middle. There's nobody around them,
So yeah, and I this is two years in a
row where they have played that four thirty game, which
they're playing again this week despite it being on the road.
(06:22):
I saw one of the better tweets when we announced
the schedule. We tweeted out the schedule when somebody said,
if the Texans ever make the Super Bowl, the NFL
is going to move at the four thirty on Saturday.
So they're they're in there familiars pretty good. So that's
two years in a row that they played a home
game in that spot on wild Card weekend and easily
(06:44):
handle their opponent a second while to get started. You know,
it's it's with this receiving corps Deontay Johnson. I'm still
waiting for Deontay Johnson to kind of emerge here a
little bit and go back to being the guy that
we've we've seen before. Because the talent is still there.
I think they're gonna have a little bit of trouble.
I just can't see them getting through with this offense
(07:05):
is currently constructed. I mean, maybe the only shot is
if Joe Mixon has twenty eight carries for one hundred
and sixty yards against somebody. I still I still.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Think that they're gonna be Yeah, he's been great him
and the trade for I like, actively make fun of trade,
make fun of trades for nothing, even though I broke
that one, but like, I cannot believe what a good
trade that was.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Text he's been so good.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yeah, Listen, I think there's value at the running back
position in the right situation, in the right scheme that
we're seeing across the board this year, and I don't
know if it's gonna help guys in the market come
in the spring. I think it helped Chewba Hubbard to
get his deal done during the season at a nice number,
you know, and by the way, they thought if he
went to the off season he was gonna get even
(07:49):
more in the open market. We'll see. I'll be curious
to see what the running back market looks like this
offseason and moving forward. You have something to say.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I have Texans thoughts.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
So we do a thing where if a team has
a dominant defense but the offense isn't quite there, we
think it's kind of ugly. So like the Texans won ugly,
but if their offense was there instead of the defense,
we would have been like, wow, they just blew them out.
The defense of the Texans blew them out. And I
texted someone who's like very intrigriately involved with the Texans,
(08:19):
like defense was ballid. And the response I got was like, yeah,
been like that all year. That's like it has been
like that all year. But we focused on like tat
a shroud, on the interceptions and like as you regret
and it's like all these things and.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
I kind of. I don't know that the Texans are
gonna win.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I would I don't also don't pick games, but I
would never pick against the Chiefs ever in my life.
I feel like this defense is gonna make it hard
and uncomfortable, and like they're salty and they run the
ball well, and like I at least think it's gonna
be a good game. Now if ce Stroud plays like
the straw of last year, then like it's gonna be,
then it's gonna be like a really good game. But
(08:58):
I just think like we're tilted the offense, So like
we should understand like this Texas events absolutely like ball,
you know.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Well, And this brings me to another big story from
the weekend that was broken on game day morning that
we discussed, which is Mike Frable going to New England.
And this is obviously we all assumed a lot of
you but yes, us collectively, we all assume this is
what was happening. I shouldn't say assume. We all expected
(09:29):
based upon what we knew, that Mike Frable was likely
going to be the guy. We talked about it on
Saturday that they were, you know, already in contract negotiations
et cetera. And but for Mike, we're able to take
the job. Okay, it's great, everybody's excited, but also remember
this part. These are the teams you got to get
(09:50):
through in the AFC. It's not just a matter of
Mike Frabel takes over and he's gonna make them better.
Only there's any question just knowing how smart Mike is
and you know his history, he's gonna get the most
out of this team. But they got a long way
to go with their personnel. They got the quarterback drink,
made a build around, but you got to get past
for the years to come. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs,
Josh Allen and the Bills, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. CJ.
(10:14):
Stroud and the Texans. Once again, say what you will
about their season. They're headed once again to the divisional playoffs.
And you got Jim harbaughd that conference, and you got
Sean Payton in that conference. When you think of it
in those terms, een and you covered Mike Rabel, you
know for a long time here, how do you think
he's looking at that challenge knowing that if he had
wanted to go someplace else, he could have had that opportunity,
(10:35):
he decided to head back to a place he knows well.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
So I don't let me start with the last part.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
I don't think Mike Rabol decided to go back to
the Patriots because he loves like the colors and the
organization and like the New England winters, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Like I mean, I think that helped.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
He's in the Ring of Honor, But like I think
he would have had a pretty decent shot at Las Vegas.
He knows Tom Brady well. I think Drake May has
a major role in that. I mean, he seems like
he's going to be a rock star, and I think
a lot of people would like to I think a
lot of people would really like to go be a
(11:15):
coach there because of what they bring. But here I
have two thoughts.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
One is Mike.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Vrabel was like a random assistant in Cleveland and started
working a lot with the offensive line. He is going
to help that New England offensive line so much. They
put a lot of resources into it, put a lot
of money into it. They are going to pick really early,
and my guest would be pick a left tackle somewhere.
He is going to make sure that on the offensive
line they're awesome, And I also a little bit sort
(11:43):
of like not disagree, but based on what you're saying
about all the good teams they need to face, I
think because they have Drake May and because of what
I think he's going to become, I think they are
equipped to do that.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
They just need someone to build up the infrastructure.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
And like Mike, he is such a per perfect hire
for the Patriots just because of what he's going to bring,
so like improving everyone a little bit and making the
middle class really big and tough.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I think it's a great hire.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Yeah, I mean it's gonna be you know, you're gonna
be successful. You know you're gonna be in the postseason.
You know you're gonna be everything that. I think the
Jets thought that they were getting with Mike Rabel when
they looked like they had a direct path to hiring him,
or not a direct path, but but a better path,
and until Gerond Mao got fired and it was like, okay,
we see what that was all about. So I you know,
(12:30):
in this cycle, I think there are very few slam
dunk you hire, Like last year, Jim Harball was a
guy you hired Jim Harball. You know, you're going to
the playoffs, right, you know you're gonna be successful. Mike
Rabel's that kind of guy. Now can he do it
in one year? There's a lot of work that needs
to be done with that roster, but there's a lot
of cap space and there's a lot of money available
and they can go out and start signing.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
H'm how much should they spend? When he was coaching Tennessee,
how much did they spend?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Range? I cannot I try to think of this today.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
They signing in?
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Yeah, who did they bring in from the outside?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
I mean Ryan Tannel was a trade made in which
the Dolphins ate money. As part of that deal they
traded for Julio Jones with a second round pick, which
obviously did not work out. To uh say, the least
they bud Dupree was a big one, six year, ninety
million dollar deal or something. Again, that one did not
(13:28):
work out. So they spent, They were, they were involved.
I don't think they were ever one of the top
spending teams, but Tennessee definitely spent.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
They rehapped a lot of their own guys.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
DeAndre Hopkins was a Verabel guy. That's that was also, Yeah,
was that a signing or trade big.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
It was a signing after Cardinals. It wasn't a big
money type of a deal though for hop.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Yeah, so they do. They have a lot of money
and they have a pick where who knows that maybe
the first position player that you're able to take at
number four overall, because if it goes quarterback, quarterback, quarterback,
with those three teams up there needing to take a quarterback,
you're in a great position. Travis Hunter is gonna be
a guy's gonna be talked about up there. It's gonna
be playing. I mean, we're getting way ahead of ourselves.
The point is they're in position to make something happen
(14:10):
here and to improve this roster in the short term.
And I'm sure he'll find some guys that uh played
under him in Tennessee. You know, Nick westbrook Akin, who
had a big year for the Titans, is gonna be
a free agent coming up here. So you can get
pieces that are used to Mike Rabel what he's about.
Taylor Decker had that video yesterday and that you sent
(14:30):
us of him talking about how it's gonna.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Suck different church, same pew or whatever.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Who was it was Taylor Taylor Wan what I say,
Taylor Deck, Taylor little one is what I meant.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Sorry, absolute person, thank you. I always every time your
two names are just twisted. I know, and I know
I'm gonna mess them.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
Taylor one is the reason I got kicked out of
practice in Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
When was there, Tom's on his listen, Tom's on his
p's and q's. So for Tom to say even he
gets a confused that that's good, that that gives me
a little solid here. So Taylor Lewan Taylor Decker plays deer, puts.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
The lines on the.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Talking about how you are entertaining guys right interviews on
the bus, Decker still moves people.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Like talking about the players. Hey, it's gonna suck, uh,
but you're gonna win. Basically, that tell what story?
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Whether he got a story how I got kicked out
of practice with the Titan, right, I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I believe, I believe I have yes, all right, tell it.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
I was uh in training camp.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
It was me and Willie McGuinness were at Titans training camp.
Rabel was there was it was either his last year
or second last year there. But you know, anyway, I
make the stop. We got a camera there and Rabel's
gonna do one on one with William McGuinness after after
practice and whatever and the whole deal. So I am
(16:03):
walking from one side of the practice field to another
and Taylor Luan goes hey, rap hey, rap, and I
like walk over. And he's on the bike as he's
were coming from acl Surger so whatever the year that.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Was, and we start chatting and Brabel sees sees us
chatting and goes, rap aport, rap aport, What the f
what are you doing?
Speaker 5 (16:25):
You know you're not allowed to talk to put and
he starts screaming, and I'm like, oh, this is not good.
And look and Taylor Luan kind of looks at me
and like shrugs a little bit, like oh not me, buddy,
this is all you.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
And I'm like, you called me.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Over, and Brabel's like, get out of here, get out
of here, except he's cursing, and so I'm like, I
don't really have anywhere to go, but okay, So I like,
I walk all the way to the other end of
the grass kind of like as far away from the
practice field as I can, but I'm not gonna like
I don't know anywhere to go, right, So I stand
all the way at the end and then really comes
(16:58):
up to me and he's like, nice job, Like Rabel
is gonna sit down with us after practice, and now
he just canceled, and I'm like, okay, this is like
this is really nice. Okay, So I feel like a jerk.
And then but like, what am I gonna do? Freaking
Tarrowan call me over anyway. So we get done and
no one says anything to me now, and I'm feeling
like a total idiot.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
And I see if Rabel walk up.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
To Willie and they like get a handshake and he
gets ready for his one on one and I'm standing
there and I'm gonna they look at me, and Willy goes, okay,
go and I'm like what. He goes, do you have
something to say? And I'm like, oh god. He goes,
I think it's you should say something. So I go,
(17:44):
I'm really sorry that I interrupted your practice by talking
to Taylor Awan and he goes, thank you very much.
I appreciate you saying that, and then he did the
interview with Willy and then afterwards he goes, hey, man,
great scene. You appreciate you being a good sport about that.
You know, got to deliver a mess sage every once
in a while and then and I was like, all right,
(18:05):
that was quite a roller coaster, but we're back. And
but that's you know, every little thing, it's like Belichick,
it's like every little thing is a message to his players,
and it's like injured guys are not allowed to talk
to media.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Message delivered.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Well, I think the very good story the media core
that's used to the combination filibuster and non answer Bill Belichick,
Like Bill, Bill had a way of cutting you down
just by staring at you. Rabel will actually mf you
in press conferences. Some of those videos have been making
the rounds here in the past couple of days.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Ben Volan, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Why you gotta do Ben like that? Why you gotta
go right after Ben? You could have named anyone on
the beat you think that's the target.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
Not Doug Kide, not Tom Currin, nor Karen's gonna want it.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Karen's gonna want it.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah, Karen. Yeah, but Karen got a nice shout out
today during the conference.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Yes, that's why I didn't name her right there. Another
long time beat writer, Mike Grease. Mike Grease is too nice.
Ve gets MF something something's wrong, something's really gone gone
sideways there, all right? So the remaining head coaching vacancies
real quick before we get to the Monday night game here.
So you've got the Jets, who have done a ton
of interviews obviously for ed coaching GM. You have the Raiders,
(19:27):
which have vacancies for both really haven't started the GM
process yet. It's gonna be focused on the head coach.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
You got the.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Saints, the Bears, the Jaguars, now the Cowboys again part
one for Jane Slater with a lot on that. And
then you get Tennessee's GM job as well. I don't
want to frame this as what's the best job, but
in terms of the beats of this in the coming
couple of weeks here this is unique, I think ian
(19:53):
because Ben Johnson is clearly without with Frable off the board,
the guy Aaron Glenn would be the next one, and
neither of them technically can be hired until the Lions
are out. How does this thing play out?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Uh, Well, it's gonna take forever. I mean you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Laughing, because because I'm just thinking about the middle of February,
it's gonna be two teams with TOAs just gonna suck.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
We're gonna be sitting there in New Orleans and unable
to enjoy a nice cup of gumbo and an asthe No.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I will be because you know it's not coming. At
that point, you.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Just no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
I'll tell you this is gonna be one of those
years where we'll we'll get to mobile. It used to
be people make fun of me because for a lot
of reasons. But one of the reasons is I love Mobile.
I love the Senior Bull trip. It is one it
might be my favorite trip of the whole year. And
one of the reasons is not just the food down there,
which again I really like, but it's also it sort
(20:55):
of represents the end of everything. And you used to
get down there and all the coaches would be hired,
no Moregia openings, and you'd be like, whoo, maybe I'll
have an old fashion And now it's sort of like
weirdly in the middle of the cycle. So like, my
guess is we have six openings. Now my guess is
we'll have only three hired Biomobile, That is my guess, Nate, We've.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Got we've got six, not including Rabel.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What do we got?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Yew boys made it six, right, all.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Right, So I mean that's three it's gonna be now.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
You know, we a lot of times we know who's
getting the jobs when the super Bowl starts, because but.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Like I think it'll take a while.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
And I think the way the NFL has forced everyone
to take a breath and make it long probably helps
the process, but it doesn't help us, which is obviously
the most important.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Vikings Rams the last game of wild Card weekend. It
kicks off the night in Glendale, Arizona. Our thoughts, certainly
with everybody in southern California. We're dealing with life disruptions,
major and minor, property loss challenges, loved ones, all those things.
Certainly thinking about all of you, and if you're watching this,
(22:09):
glad that you took some time for us to hopefully
let you think about something other than the devastation there.
The Rams also were dealing with this. Through the course
of the week. There was a fire that broke out
very close to the team facility. It was within twenty
four hours after that ian that the NFL announced the
game was officially moved to Glendale, Arizona, where for people
watching it home, if you've not paid attention to the
(22:33):
world in the past week. You might not be able
to tell tonight that they're not playing this game at
Sofi Stadia.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah, it's going to be you know, first of all,
like I would echo those thoughts, it is unfathomable with
having happening in LA and it's just yeah, really truly terrible.
I think the Cardinals are doing something very cool. They're
hosting the playoff game for the Rams. They're turning their
stadium in Area Zona into you know, Ram's House or
(23:03):
whatever I think it's I mean into Sofi South or
West Southwest, whichever direction. I talked to Michael Bidwell, the
Cardinal's owner, about this as I was driving my son
Max to hockey the other day, and he kind of
went through all the different things that they were doing
and it was so cool. First of all, he was
(23:24):
like the NFL asked, I'm like, can you be ready?
He's like, even before we had the ghost sign, we
were talking about like.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
How do we do it?
Speaker 5 (23:30):
They you know, two hundred gallons of paint driving for
Mississippi to make sure they have the proper RAMS colors.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
He flew everyone in h two chartered planes.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
They gave families a list of like here's your nearest
ice cream parlors. Here's your list of babysitters, Like how
do your families manage?
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Here's your hotels.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
They gave handed over the locker room, like Kuka Nakua
is in Marvin Harrison's locker, like open the doors to them.
And you know, I guess they could have done it anyway,
but like it's they're a bitter rival, you want to win,
and they're just putting football aside and being good humans.
And I think that's a really cool thing. So yeah,
I think it's gonna look awesome on TV tonight. And
(24:14):
I think the Cardinals are doing a really good thing.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Mike to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah, did a nice job. And I think the NFL
did a nice job of trying to make this as
much of a Rams home game as possible, giving him
the chance to buy tickets first and you know, keeping
as close to l as you possibly ken reasonably and
everything that Kevin Demoff said. Because you know the decision,
you go, okay, yeah, yeah, you got to move the game.
But then everything he talked about with regard to we
don't want a first responder being at a game and
(24:42):
not being able to provide help elsewhere, or maybe he's
at the game and then he can't work the next
shift because he's tired. And everything that he talked about
with the resources that going, you know, stuff you don't
think about, right, So you know, they did a good
job of explaining it why the decision was made, why
was the smartest decision for everybody involved in for the
community as well. So it'll be a spirited performance by
(25:06):
this Rams team, I'm sure, and they're playing a really
good team in the Vikings. This is gonna be a
good game that we're looking forward to tonight here and
whoever comes out of this game I think is going
to give the Eagles a run for the money as well.
So this is shaping up to be. We've got four
to one, eight games left. We've got eight We've only
(25:26):
got eight games left.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
No, don't do that, No, I know, I do it.
We've got the best games that we got the best games.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
No, but they're the last games. They're the last games.
I'm already into that postseason depression. So yeah, give me
eight good ones NFL. Okay nine if you count the
College Football National champions But we've got eight games left.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Two quick news things just because there's not a lot
of injuries in this game. Both the Vikings and Rams
are are pretty healthy within the context of any injuries
they suffered earlier in the season. Cam Akers, who was
questionable with an illness, he was sick last week. He's
good to go.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
You already, cam Acres news governor.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
He's played great down the stretch. He's all of a
sudden that you know, emerged. They kind of kept him.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Help well, it was the trade was that last year.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
This year both they've traded for him twice. This time
it was from the Texans. Uh last time, I believe
it was from the Rams. So uh Acres is good
to go, so expect him. And Aaron Jones he's gonna
spell him the way that he has in recent weeks
here and then for everybody wondering, you know, the Daniel
Jones thing, which has been like this hyperventilation for certain people,
especially in the media and on social media, when's he
(26:33):
going to be up? Could he take over? I'm told
he's gonna be the number three tonight. Their stick with
Nick Mullins is the two hard to fully ramp up
a backup quarterback when Sam's getting all the reps in
practice anyway here, So they've always we talked about this
the week after he signed, and you know, certain people
were being like, Oh, he's gonna make this much money
because he's gonna be elevated immediately. Like, No, they were
(26:54):
always taking a long range view of this, the talent,
what potentially he could be, depending how every thing shakes
out here, what they might be able to develop if
he's on the team in the future here, but they're
not gonna rush him up. Could happen later in the playoffs,
but for tonight, if something were to happen to Sam Darnold,
it'll be Nick Mullens and then Daniel Jones as the
emergency number three. So I would end with yeah, let's
(27:18):
end it right there, so I know Ian's got a jump.
I've missed seven phone calls during this as well. Yeah,
thanks everybody for coming to this podcast and YouTube edition again.
We're back for real this time NFL Network every weekday
through the Super Bowl seven pm Eastern time. I'm seeing
how long I can make this go on. While Mike
(27:40):
and Ian slowly pulled away, Okay for Ian and Mike,
come tom we'll see it
Welcome inside with the Insiders alongside Mike Garriffolo. I am
Tom Peldicero. We think he and Rapport is where everybody
rejoin us for this show. Judy Batista parts unknown, we're
holding it down for you. This is part two of
this particular YouTube and the podcast vision. If you missed
part one, it doesn't matter. You can listen to them
(00:22):
watch them in either order. Also, I explained that that
one I lined by saying a couple of weeks ago
that was the final podcast in YouTube show. There happens
to be a wild card game tonight. It is the
Vikings and the Rams. More on that matchup in a
little bit of news in just a little bit. But
let's talk here Mike about a couple of items, starting
out with the AFC playoff games that we saw over
(00:43):
the weekend. The Ravens one of the bugaboos for Lamar Jackson,
and obviously it's playoff success as a whole is one
of the biggest ones. But the Steelers definitely have been
that for him. They've been a kryptonite sort of a thing,
particularly in the postseason. But this Washy a matchup where
whatever you thought kind of the your concerns about the
(01:06):
Steelers would be going into this thing. They all showed
up in the first half, and by the time the
Steelers seemed to wake up in the third quarter, you're
down twenty one nothing and there was very little chance
coming back.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Is there a questionnaire just like, yeah, it's I I
I really actually liked this matchup for.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Baltimore going forward. I we don't make picks in the game,
but I would I would appreciate Baltimore going on the
on the road with that running game, with the way
that they're playing, and and the way that they really
dictated things against the Steelers. They're playing with a swagger,
a confidence. Uh, It's it's quite impressive what they're doing
(01:53):
right now. And you know, everything we've said about their
running game and their defense and and and all that stuff.
Traveling in the playoff, I think is coming to fruition
and will continue to come to fruition. The possibility of
getting Zay Flowers back, which we all expect that that
was a reasonable expectation here in the divisional round, is
going to be enormous for them as well. If they
can get him back, it'll be fun though. I mean,
(02:16):
you know, Buffalo There were a couple of moments early
on Sunday with Buffalo where you go, this is usually
where things get a little bit tight, and Josh Allen
was able to navigate that stuff. And it was a
distant memory that Denver really came out and scored that
touchdown right away, right up top over Taylor Rap and
it was like, okay, Bo Nicks and the Broncos came
to play. Not really. Bills did a nice job of
(02:39):
shutting them down there. So this is going to be
this is gonna be quite the match. This is gonna
be the game of the weekend, I think in the
NFL Ian.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
Still mute, Buddy, yep, just unmute, Just push the button.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
You're still you may you know what happened. I think
you pulled the connection.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
All the plug out when you moved.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
You may be muted on the thing on the on
the you got me.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Now there he is here. Here's what uh, here's what
I was thinking the.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Watching the Bills and Josh Allen and watching the Broncos.
I felt like everybody was weirdly nervous and Romo kind
of who was who was on the call?
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Was it? Romo was right on the Bills game. Yes, yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
The Romo kind of called it out.
Speaker 5 (03:35):
He's like, they look nervous, and I'm like, they do
look nervous. And it's like Broncos score first, and it's
like Josh Allen had literally no chance but just to
play because they were down. He did just start kind
of rolling and he got hot and then it was
all good and it was fine. Bills are fine and
they advanced and I think this game is gonna be
awesome and I'm excited about it.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
But I kind of do wonder about that.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
It's like, do they need to be like shocked into
kind of relax and just play, because there is like
a different version of Josh Allen that's a little like
frantic and like, you know, sort of like taking up.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
In the moment that said, I really do, like you know,
kind of like.
Speaker 5 (04:13):
We're talking about with the Eagles, like just how physical
they are, Like I really wonder who can hang with
how physical the Baltimore Ravens, Like I just like it
is so in your face, and like Derrick Henry is
so much and he's still going really fast and it's
gonna be cold and it's gonna be ouch, and like
I just I don't know to me, just based on
(04:35):
my eyeballs. And I don't make picks either. Obviously, the
Ravens look like so much right now, and I just
don't know. Even though the Bills are really good, I
just don't know.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
If they can handle that is my set.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
So to clear up any confusion that might have been
caused by comments on the various broadcasts, this week, the
Bills host the Ravens in the divisional playoff round. The
Chiefs are going to host the Texans. If there was
a game mic that seemed like, based on public perception
of the teams, that was ripe for the upside, it
was going to be in Houston, and it was going
(05:09):
to be a product not just of the Chargers and
their talent, but also of the fact that the Texans
had kind of been been stumbling. And really, you watched
the first half of that game, or at least the
first quarter, and it felt like the Chargers are crushing
them everything. They kept getting the ball, they kept having
opportunities in the red zone, but they missed so many
chances that all of a sudden, when there's one weird
(05:31):
play and the balls snapped over. CJ. Stroud's head and
you just you know, make something happen. From that point forward,
it felt like the momentum started to go away from
the Chargers and they never really recaptured it.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yeah, it was an uncharacteristic performance by the Chargers because
they're the team that capitalizes on opportunities. They're the team
that makes you beat them. And that was not the
case that we saw the other day in CJ. Stroud
when he let go of that ball. We were out
the dinner and I was watching the TV and I just.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
Thought on social media, had a nice date.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Uh No, that was yesterday. That was yesterday. We were
out with the kids on Saturday. But yeah, it was
the ball comes out and I audibly yelled don't, don't,
don't throw light over the middle. There's nobody around them,
So yeah, and I this is two years in a
row where they have played that four thirty game, which
they're playing again this week despite it being on the road.
(06:22):
I saw one of the better tweets when we announced
the schedule. We tweeted out the schedule when somebody said,
if the Texans ever make the Super Bowl, the NFL
is going to move at the four thirty on Saturday.
So they're they're in there familiars pretty good. So that's
two years in a row that they played a home
game in that spot on wild Card weekend and easily
(06:44):
handle their opponent a second while to get started. You know,
it's it's with this receiving corps Deontay Johnson. I'm still
waiting for Deontay Johnson to kind of emerge here a
little bit and go back to being the guy that
we've we've seen before. Because the talent is still there.
I think they're gonna have a little bit of trouble.
I just can't see them getting through with this offense
(07:05):
is currently constructed. I mean, maybe the only shot is
if Joe Mixon has twenty eight carries for one hundred
and sixty yards against somebody. I still I still.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Think that they're gonna be Yeah, he's been great him
and the trade for I like, actively make fun of trade,
make fun of trades for nothing, even though I broke
that one, but like, I cannot believe what a good
trade that was.
Speaker 4 (07:27):
Text he's been so good.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
Yeah, Listen, I think there's value at the running back
position in the right situation, in the right scheme that
we're seeing across the board this year, and I don't
know if it's gonna help guys in the market come
in the spring. I think it helped Chewba Hubbard to
get his deal done during the season at a nice number,
you know, and by the way, they thought if he
went to the off season he was gonna get even
(07:49):
more in the open market. We'll see. I'll be curious
to see what the running back market looks like this
offseason and moving forward. You have something to say.
Speaker 4 (07:56):
I have Texans thoughts.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
So we do a thing where if a team has
a dominant defense but the offense isn't quite there, we
think it's kind of ugly. So like the Texans won ugly,
but if their offense was there instead of the defense,
we would have been like, wow, they just blew them out.
The defense of the Texans blew them out. And I
texted someone who's like very intrigriately involved with the Texans,
(08:19):
like defense was ballid. And the response I got was like, yeah,
been like that all year. That's like it has been
like that all year. But we focused on like tat
a shroud, on the interceptions and like as you regret
and it's like all these things and.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
I kind of. I don't know that the Texans are
gonna win.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
I would I don't also don't pick games, but I
would never pick against the Chiefs ever in my life.
I feel like this defense is gonna make it hard
and uncomfortable, and like they're salty and they run the
ball well, and like I at least think it's gonna
be a good game. Now if ce Stroud plays like
the straw of last year, then like it's gonna be,
then it's gonna be like a really good game. But
(08:58):
I just think like we're tilted the offense, So like
we should understand like this Texas events absolutely like ball,
you know.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Well, And this brings me to another big story from
the weekend that was broken on game day morning that
we discussed, which is Mike Frable going to New England.
And this is obviously we all assumed a lot of
you but yes, us collectively, we all assume this is
what was happening. I shouldn't say assume. We all expected
(09:29):
based upon what we knew, that Mike Frable was likely
going to be the guy. We talked about it on
Saturday that they were, you know, already in contract negotiations
et cetera. And but for Mike, we're able to take
the job. Okay, it's great, everybody's excited, but also remember
this part. These are the teams you got to get
(09:50):
through in the AFC. It's not just a matter of
Mike Frabel takes over and he's gonna make them better.
Only there's any question just knowing how smart Mike is
and you know his history, he's gonna get the most
out of this team. But they got a long way
to go with their personnel. They got the quarterback drink,
made a build around, but you got to get past
for the years to come. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs,
Josh Allen and the Bills, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. CJ.
(10:14):
Stroud and the Texans. Once again, say what you will
about their season. They're headed once again to the divisional playoffs.
And you got Jim harbaughd that conference, and you got
Sean Payton in that conference. When you think of it
in those terms, een and you covered Mike Rabel, you
know for a long time here, how do you think
he's looking at that challenge knowing that if he had
wanted to go someplace else, he could have had that opportunity,
(10:35):
he decided to head back to a place he knows well.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
So I don't let me start with the last part.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
I don't think Mike Rabol decided to go back to
the Patriots because he loves like the colors and the
organization and like the New England winters, you know.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Like I mean, I think that helped.
Speaker 5 (10:53):
He's in the Ring of Honor, But like I think
he would have had a pretty decent shot at Las Vegas.
He knows Tom Brady well. I think Drake May has
a major role in that. I mean, he seems like
he's going to be a rock star, and I think
a lot of people would like to I think a
lot of people would really like to go be a
(11:15):
coach there because of what they bring. But here I
have two thoughts.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
One is Mike.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
Vrabel was like a random assistant in Cleveland and started
working a lot with the offensive line. He is going
to help that New England offensive line so much. They
put a lot of resources into it, put a lot
of money into it. They are going to pick really early,
and my guest would be pick a left tackle somewhere.
He is going to make sure that on the offensive
line they're awesome, And I also a little bit sort
(11:43):
of like not disagree, but based on what you're saying
about all the good teams they need to face, I
think because they have Drake May and because of what
I think he's going to become, I think they are
equipped to do that.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
They just need someone to build up the infrastructure.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
And like Mike, he is such a per perfect hire
for the Patriots just because of what he's going to bring,
so like improving everyone a little bit and making the
middle class really big and tough.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
I think it's a great hire.
Speaker 3 (12:10):
Yeah, I mean it's gonna be you know, you're gonna
be successful. You know you're gonna be in the postseason.
You know you're gonna be everything that. I think the
Jets thought that they were getting with Mike Rabel when
they looked like they had a direct path to hiring him,
or not a direct path, but but a better path,
and until Gerond Mao got fired and it was like, okay,
we see what that was all about. So I you know,
(12:30):
in this cycle, I think there are very few slam
dunk you hire, Like last year, Jim Harball was a
guy you hired Jim Harball. You know, you're going to
the playoffs, right, you know you're gonna be successful. Mike
Rabel's that kind of guy. Now can he do it
in one year? There's a lot of work that needs
to be done with that roster, but there's a lot
of cap space and there's a lot of money available
and they can go out and start signing.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
H'm how much should they spend? When he was coaching Tennessee,
how much did they spend?
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Range? I cannot I try to think of this today.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
They signing in?
Speaker 5 (13:02):
Yeah, who did they bring in from the outside?
Speaker 1 (13:06):
I mean Ryan Tannel was a trade made in which
the Dolphins ate money. As part of that deal they
traded for Julio Jones with a second round pick, which
obviously did not work out. To uh say, the least
they bud Dupree was a big one, six year, ninety
million dollar deal or something. Again, that one did not
(13:28):
work out. So they spent, They were, they were involved.
I don't think they were ever one of the top
spending teams, but Tennessee definitely spent.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
They rehapped a lot of their own guys.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
DeAndre Hopkins was a Verabel guy. That's that was also, Yeah,
was that a signing or trade big.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
It was a signing after Cardinals. It wasn't a big
money type of a deal though for hop.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Yeah, so they do. They have a lot of money
and they have a pick where who knows that maybe
the first position player that you're able to take at
number four overall, because if it goes quarterback, quarterback, quarterback,
with those three teams up there needing to take a quarterback,
you're in a great position. Travis Hunter is gonna be
a guy's gonna be talked about up there. It's gonna
be playing. I mean, we're getting way ahead of ourselves.
The point is they're in position to make something happen
(14:10):
here and to improve this roster in the short term.
And I'm sure he'll find some guys that uh played
under him in Tennessee. You know, Nick westbrook Akin, who
had a big year for the Titans, is gonna be
a free agent coming up here. So you can get
pieces that are used to Mike Rabel what he's about.
Taylor Decker had that video yesterday and that you sent
(14:30):
us of him talking about how it's gonna.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Suck different church, same pew or whatever.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Who was it was Taylor Taylor Wan what I say,
Taylor Deck, Taylor little one is what I meant.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Sorry, absolute person, thank you. I always every time your
two names are just twisted. I know, and I know
I'm gonna mess them.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
Taylor one is the reason I got kicked out of
practice in Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (14:57):
When was there, Tom's on his listen, Tom's on his
p's and q's. So for Tom to say even he
gets a confused that that's good, that that gives me
a little solid here. So Taylor Lewan Taylor Decker plays deer, puts.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
The lines on the.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Talking about how you are entertaining guys right interviews on
the bus, Decker still moves people.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Like talking about the players. Hey, it's gonna suck, uh,
but you're gonna win. Basically, that tell what story?
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Whether he got a story how I got kicked out
of practice with the Titan, right, I don't think so.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I believe, I believe I have yes, all right, tell it.
Speaker 4 (15:39):
I was uh in training camp.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
It was me and Willie McGuinness were at Titans training camp.
Rabel was there was it was either his last year
or second last year there. But you know, anyway, I
make the stop. We got a camera there and Rabel's
gonna do one on one with William McGuinness after after
practice and whatever and the whole deal. So I am
(16:03):
walking from one side of the practice field to another
and Taylor Luan goes hey, rap hey, rap, and I
like walk over. And he's on the bike as he's
were coming from acl Surger so whatever the year that.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Was, and we start chatting and Brabel sees sees us
chatting and goes, rap aport, rap aport, What the f
what are you doing?
Speaker 5 (16:25):
You know you're not allowed to talk to put and
he starts screaming, and I'm like, oh, this is not good.
And look and Taylor Luan kind of looks at me
and like shrugs a little bit, like oh not me, buddy,
this is all you.
Speaker 4 (16:36):
And I'm like, you called me.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Over, and Brabel's like, get out of here, get out
of here, except he's cursing, and so I'm like, I
don't really have anywhere to go, but okay, So I like,
I walk all the way to the other end of
the grass kind of like as far away from the
practice field as I can, but I'm not gonna like
I don't know anywhere to go, right, So I stand
all the way at the end and then really comes
(16:58):
up to me and he's like, nice job, Like Rabel
is gonna sit down with us after practice, and now
he just canceled, and I'm like, okay, this is like
this is really nice. Okay, So I feel like a jerk.
And then but like, what am I gonna do? Freaking
Tarrowan call me over anyway. So we get done and
no one says anything to me now, and I'm feeling
like a total idiot.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
And I see if Rabel walk up.
Speaker 5 (17:22):
To Willie and they like get a handshake and he
gets ready for his one on one and I'm standing
there and I'm gonna they look at me, and Willy goes, okay,
go and I'm like what. He goes, do you have
something to say? And I'm like, oh god. He goes,
I think it's you should say something. So I go,
(17:44):
I'm really sorry that I interrupted your practice by talking
to Taylor Awan and he goes, thank you very much.
I appreciate you saying that, and then he did the
interview with Willy and then afterwards he goes, hey, man,
great scene. You appreciate you being a good sport about that.
You know, got to deliver a mess sage every once
in a while and then and I was like, all right,
(18:05):
that was quite a roller coaster, but we're back. And
but that's you know, every little thing, it's like Belichick,
it's like every little thing is a message to his players,
and it's like injured guys are not allowed to talk
to media.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Message delivered.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
Well, I think the very good story the media core
that's used to the combination filibuster and non answer Bill Belichick,
Like Bill, Bill had a way of cutting you down
just by staring at you. Rabel will actually mf you
in press conferences. Some of those videos have been making
the rounds here in the past couple of days.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Ben Volan, you know.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Why you gotta do Ben like that? Why you gotta
go right after Ben? You could have named anyone on
the beat you think that's the target.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
Not Doug Kide, not Tom Currin, nor Karen's gonna want it.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
Karen's gonna want it.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yeah, Karen. Yeah, but Karen got a nice shout out
today during the conference.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Yes, that's why I didn't name her right there. Another
long time beat writer, Mike Grease. Mike Grease is too nice.
Ve gets MF something something's wrong, something's really gone gone
sideways there, all right? So the remaining head coaching vacancies
real quick before we get to the Monday night game here.
So you've got the Jets, who have done a ton
of interviews obviously for ed coaching GM. You have the Raiders,
(19:27):
which have vacancies for both really haven't started the GM
process yet. It's gonna be focused on the head coach.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
You got the.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Saints, the Bears, the Jaguars, now the Cowboys again part
one for Jane Slater with a lot on that. And
then you get Tennessee's GM job as well. I don't
want to frame this as what's the best job, but
in terms of the beats of this in the coming
couple of weeks here this is unique, I think ian
(19:53):
because Ben Johnson is clearly without with Frable off the board,
the guy Aaron Glenn would be the next one, and
neither of them technically can be hired until the Lions
are out. How does this thing play out?
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Uh, Well, it's gonna take forever. I mean you.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Laughing, because because I'm just thinking about the middle of February,
it's gonna be two teams with TOAs just gonna suck.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
We're gonna be sitting there in New Orleans and unable
to enjoy a nice cup of gumbo and an asthe No.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I will be because you know it's not coming. At
that point, you.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
Just no, no, no.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
I'll tell you this is gonna be one of those
years where we'll we'll get to mobile. It used to
be people make fun of me because for a lot
of reasons. But one of the reasons is I love Mobile.
I love the Senior Bull trip. It is one it
might be my favorite trip of the whole year. And
one of the reasons is not just the food down there,
which again I really like, but it's also it sort
(20:55):
of represents the end of everything. And you used to
get down there and all the coaches would be hired,
no Moregia openings, and you'd be like, whoo, maybe I'll
have an old fashion And now it's sort of like
weirdly in the middle of the cycle. So like, my
guess is we have six openings. Now my guess is
we'll have only three hired Biomobile, That is my guess, Nate, We've.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
Got we've got six, not including Rabel.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What do we got?
Speaker 1 (21:19):
Yew boys made it six, right, all.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Right, So I mean that's three it's gonna be now.
Speaker 5 (21:28):
You know, we a lot of times we know who's
getting the jobs when the super Bowl starts, because but.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
Like I think it'll take a while.
Speaker 5 (21:36):
And I think the way the NFL has forced everyone
to take a breath and make it long probably helps
the process, but it doesn't help us, which is obviously
the most important.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Vikings Rams the last game of wild Card weekend. It
kicks off the night in Glendale, Arizona. Our thoughts, certainly
with everybody in southern California. We're dealing with life disruptions,
major and minor, property loss challenges, loved ones, all those things.
Certainly thinking about all of you, and if you're watching this,
(22:09):
glad that you took some time for us to hopefully
let you think about something other than the devastation there.
The Rams also were dealing with this. Through the course
of the week. There was a fire that broke out
very close to the team facility. It was within twenty
four hours after that ian that the NFL announced the
game was officially moved to Glendale, Arizona, where for people
watching it home, if you've not paid attention to the
(22:33):
world in the past week. You might not be able
to tell tonight that they're not playing this game at
Sofi Stadia.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
Yeah, it's going to be you know, first of all,
like I would echo those thoughts, it is unfathomable with
having happening in LA and it's just yeah, really truly terrible.
I think the Cardinals are doing something very cool. They're
hosting the playoff game for the Rams. They're turning their
stadium in Area Zona into you know, Ram's House or
(23:03):
whatever I think it's I mean into Sofi South or
West Southwest, whichever direction. I talked to Michael Bidwell, the
Cardinal's owner, about this as I was driving my son
Max to hockey the other day, and he kind of
went through all the different things that they were doing
and it was so cool. First of all, he was
(23:24):
like the NFL asked, I'm like, can you be ready?
He's like, even before we had the ghost sign, we
were talking about like.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
How do we do it?
Speaker 5 (23:30):
They you know, two hundred gallons of paint driving for
Mississippi to make sure they have the proper RAMS colors.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
He flew everyone in h two chartered planes.
Speaker 5 (23:41):
They gave families a list of like here's your nearest
ice cream parlors. Here's your list of babysitters, Like how
do your families manage?
Speaker 4 (23:50):
Here's your hotels.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
They gave handed over the locker room, like Kuka Nakua
is in Marvin Harrison's locker, like open the doors to them.
And you know, I guess they could have done it anyway,
but like it's they're a bitter rival, you want to win,
and they're just putting football aside and being good humans.
And I think that's a really cool thing. So yeah,
I think it's gonna look awesome on TV tonight. And
(24:14):
I think the Cardinals are doing a really good thing.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Mike to make this happen.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Yeah, did a nice job. And I think the NFL
did a nice job of trying to make this as
much of a Rams home game as possible, giving him
the chance to buy tickets first and you know, keeping
as close to l as you possibly ken reasonably and
everything that Kevin Demoff said. Because you know the decision,
you go, okay, yeah, yeah, you got to move the game.
But then everything he talked about with regard to we
don't want a first responder being at a game and
(24:42):
not being able to provide help elsewhere, or maybe he's
at the game and then he can't work the next
shift because he's tired. And everything that he talked about
with the resources that going, you know, stuff you don't
think about, right, So you know, they did a good
job of explaining it why the decision was made, why
was the smartest decision for everybody involved in for the
community as well. So it'll be a spirited performance by
(25:06):
this Rams team, I'm sure, and they're playing a really
good team in the Vikings. This is gonna be a
good game that we're looking forward to tonight here and
whoever comes out of this game I think is going
to give the Eagles a run for the money as well.
So this is shaping up to be. We've got four
to one, eight games left. We've got eight We've only
(25:26):
got eight games left.
Speaker 5 (25:27):
No, don't do that, No, I know, I do it.
We've got the best games that we got the best games.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
No, but they're the last games. They're the last games.
I'm already into that postseason depression. So yeah, give me
eight good ones NFL. Okay nine if you count the
College Football National champions But we've got eight games left.
Speaker 1 (25:46):
Two quick news things just because there's not a lot
of injuries in this game. Both the Vikings and Rams
are are pretty healthy within the context of any injuries
they suffered earlier in the season. Cam Akers, who was
questionable with an illness, he was sick last week. He's
good to go.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
You already, cam Acres news governor.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
He's played great down the stretch. He's all of a
sudden that you know, emerged. They kind of kept him.
Speaker 4 (26:09):
Help well, it was the trade was that last year.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
This year both they've traded for him twice. This time
it was from the Texans. Uh last time, I believe
it was from the Rams. So uh Acres is good
to go, so expect him. And Aaron Jones he's gonna
spell him the way that he has in recent weeks
here and then for everybody wondering, you know, the Daniel
Jones thing, which has been like this hyperventilation for certain people,
especially in the media and on social media, when's he
(26:33):
going to be up? Could he take over? I'm told
he's gonna be the number three tonight. Their stick with
Nick Mullins is the two hard to fully ramp up
a backup quarterback when Sam's getting all the reps in
practice anyway here, So they've always we talked about this
the week after he signed, and you know, certain people
were being like, Oh, he's gonna make this much money
because he's gonna be elevated immediately. Like, No, they were
(26:54):
always taking a long range view of this, the talent,
what potentially he could be, depending how every thing shakes
out here, what they might be able to develop if
he's on the team in the future here, but they're
not gonna rush him up. Could happen later in the playoffs,
but for tonight, if something were to happen to Sam Darnold,
it'll be Nick Mullens and then Daniel Jones as the
emergency number three. So I would end with yeah, let's
(27:18):
end it right there, so I know Ian's got a jump.
I've missed seven phone calls during this as well. Yeah,
thanks everybody for coming to this podcast and YouTube edition again.
We're back for real this time NFL Network every weekday
through the Super Bowl seven pm Eastern time. I'm seeing
how long I can make this go on. While Mike
(27:40):
and Ian slowly pulled away, Okay for Ian and Mike,
come tom we'll see it
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Ian Rapaport
Mike Garafolo
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