November 25, 2025 • 41 mins
NFL Network Insiders Tom Pelissero, Judy Battista, and Mike Garafolo deliver news of the day including Aaron Rodgers’ chances of playing WK13 with a wrist injury, expectations for Joe Burrow in his first game back since Week 2, the latest on Lamar Jackson’s toe status, Baker Mayfield’s shoulder sprain, and Jayden Daniels’ elbow injury.
Brian Baldinger & Marc Ross break down the 49ers’ win over the Panthers on MNF, Jeffri Chadiha reveals the units that need wake-up calls in the final 6 weeks of the season. Judy Battista provides the narratives we can finally put to bed after Week 12, Stacey Dales reports on the Packers–Lions Thanksgiving Day matchup and NFC North race, and Michael F. Florio delivers his Week 13 fantasy waiver-wire targets.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanksgiving is just two days away, and boy will it
be a football feast. It all starts in Detroit, where
the Lions and Packers go at it in a matchup
that could.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Reshape the NFC North.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
The AFC East runs through New England, where Marcus Jones
has spent this season getting paid and making plays. So
how far can these Patriots go? We'll ask them when
Marcus Jones joins the show tonight. It's almost fantasy playoff
time and the waiver wire.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Could make or break your season. Good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
We got michae lef Florio here tonight with some tips
to keep you charging towards that title. Welcome inside with
the Insiders, presented by Progressive Insurance, alongside Judy Batista and
Mike Garafalo or just me Tom Pellisero. Hi, it's the Insider.
There's two more the Insiders. There's three of us and
(00:55):
we are presented by Progressive Insurance. Week twelve is indeed
in the books, and what do you know on a Tuesday,
we got a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Of AFC North quarterback news.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Let's start out in Pitchford, where Aaron Rodgers last week
was pushing to play but was held out by the team.
In Chicago because of a fracture in his left wrist.
Mike Tomlin sure making it sound today though, like things
were going to be different on Sunday against the Bills.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Optimistic about a couple returns. Aaron obviously man worked his
tail off to get to us last week, but as
I mentioned over the course of the weekend, it was
the prudent and appropriate decision. We'll we'll we'll start this
week with great optimism, although we certainly will limit him
at the early portions of the week, provide opportunities for
(01:44):
the other quarterbacks while preserving him. And and but again
we're comfortable with the general trajectory. But I'll keep you
updated and his level of participation, in the quality of
his participation over the course of the week would be
a be a greatest indicator.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow also expected back this week and
set to start on Thursday night against the Ravens, less
than eleven weeks after suffering a severe turf toe injury
that required surgery. Bengals are one and eight cents, but
they're still in it in the AFC North. Burrow is
ahead of schedule, but he says he's ready.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
My perspective, I'm a football player, and if I get hurt,
I'm going to go through the rehab process, and then
I'm going to let everybody know when I feel like
I can go out there and play. I don't really
know what else to say about that. I'm not gonna
(02:43):
ever go to somebody and say, yeah, I'm healthy, but no,
I don't think I don't think I should go out
there and play it. That doesn't make a lot of
sense to me. I'm not going to live my life
and play this game scared of something happening, like, Yeah,
something's gonna happen. It's football. Guys are gonna get hurt.
Guys are gonna get concussions. You're gonna break bones, tear ligaments.
(03:06):
That's a physical, intense game. That's part of this. And yeah,
I've had injuries. There's not a lot I can do
about that. I worked really hard to have that not happen.
But what I can do is when it does happen,
I can control how I'm attacking my rehab and attacking
practice and doing everything in my power to get back
(03:28):
as quickly as possible.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
That's what I did.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
There are sometimes when I'm watching Bengals press conferences that
I feel like I'm having flashbacks Mike, because not just
because Joe Burrow coming back from another injury and he
said some of those same words before, but also it
was at this time last year that was like, Hey,
the Bengals also they they still are in it.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
They could make a run.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's gonna have to be the same type of deal
as last year, where they're going to need to win
a lot of games and get a lot of help.
Not completely buried, but a big task at it.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
They're theoretically going to have to win out right, Like
you're looking at where they are right now, three and eight,
and that's tough to do when you look up and
you see that their next three games are at Baltimore,
at Buffalo, and home against Baltimore. So if they theoretically
run the table on those three, they're in great shape
because down the stretch they do have more winnable games.
I think this is more judy about getting Joe Burrow
(04:21):
back on the field and really starting to build some
momentum toward next year and just making this season not
feel like a completely lost season in Cincinnati in which
there were such high expectations I mean, Joe Burrow coming
back now without t Higgins who's been ruled out, Trey
Hendrickson as well. On the other side of the ball,
Jamar Chase coming back, a lot of missed reps, a
lot of mis reps not only on Sundays but also
(04:43):
during the week in practice as well. I mean, we
talk so much about all the reps, even for veterans
that you need in training camp, and now to be
thrown back in the middle of the season and try
to get that rhythm up again, I know that that
is something that's.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Really of great concern at this point.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
It's not a whole lot you can do about it, though,
I mean, I just I like the fact that Joe
Burrow is back on the field, playing in a Thanksgiving
game and playing down the stretch in what are going
to be meaningful games. Perhaps for the other teams, I
don't see how they run the table here and get
themselves in it, but I could be wrong.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
Well, first of all, Joe Burrow being back on the
field is obviously it's a very good thing for the
Cincinnati Bengals. It's a really good thing for the NFL too.
He's one of the NFL's biggest stars. So it's good
that he.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Is back playing.
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I agree with you.
Speaker 7 (05:22):
This is I think important for next season as well,
just to sort of build some good feelings coming out
of this season. The idea that anybody was thinking that
maybe Joe Burrow shuts it down for the season is absurd.
That was as expansive as you'll ever hear Joe Burrow
be about wanting to be on the field.
Speaker 8 (05:40):
This is what he does. He's a football player.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
I wish it did not feel like it was too
late for the Bengals, but you're right, they're going to
have to run the table. They right now would be
the twelfth seed, so they have to jump an awful
lot of teams. The good news is it is all
in front of them. They play the Ravens twice, so yeah,
if they can get and again, they're gonna have to
do it without t Higgins and without a whole lot
(06:02):
of continuity. But if they can run the table, it
is in front of them, and they definitely have the
back end the schedule.
Speaker 8 (06:09):
The last few weeks are very winnable games.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
For that team.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
I wish I wish they had been able to win
more than one game. I wish the defense had not
let that team down so many times while Burrow was
out after they started to and no, they finally got
off to the fast start. Just to shame the way
this season has gone.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I'm now having a flash forward to the Monday Insiders
podcast when we're talking about how the Bengals got a
big win over the Ravens and the Steelers lost to
the Bills. Now the Bengals are three and one, best
record in the division and two games out at first.
Maybe maybe we'll get there. When we do, they will
let Jamar Chase back this week. That is a big deal.
Chase back in the building after serving his one game
(06:48):
suspension for spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey last week.
Chase released a statement also spoke to reporters saying in
part that he's felt a lot of positivity comes back
into the building this week. Lamar Jackson's presence on the
practice field also a reason for rampant positivity. He is
on the field with the Ravens once again, this time
(07:10):
dealing with a toe injury to go with the ankle,
the knee, the hamstring, and everybodything else. He would find
if you were playing a game of Operation Jackson does
not need one.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Should be good to go on Thursday night, Mike Folks.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
The other night when Baker Mayfield left the game against
the Rams with a left shoulder injury, although it was
not his throwing shoulder, we were like, oh boy, this
is going to be what a four to six week
injury or something like that. Before the turkey even hits
the table, We've got optimism. Baker Mayfield's got a shoulder sprain,
very painful, but if it's a question of pain management,
(07:45):
I'm banking on that guy right there. And just when
I start to ask people down in Tampa does he
have a reasonable shot to play this week, getting a
lot of yes, is back Judy.
Speaker 8 (07:54):
I'm not guaranteeing it. They're not guaranteeing it.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
But the fact that the door is open here with
four or five days left to go good sign that
Bravs Baker Mayfield be back on the field for the Bucks.
Speaker 7 (08:06):
Tough guy you know who's eventually going to be back
on the field. To Jayden Daniels, he's still recovering from
the dislocated left ob but speaking today for the very
first time since that injury, he said he has started
throwing again and he wants to return once he is
medically clear. Dan Quinn has said Daniels will return to
practice this week, but he can't take contact, so obviously
that makes it very unlikely he could play this week,
(08:28):
and Daniels did not say if he has a target
gate for his return, But there had been some question
about whether the Commanders would just shut him down. He said,
if I'm back out there, I'm healthy, I'm ready to go.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
I want to be out there.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Monday Night Football Panthers and forty nine Ers, Christian McCaffrey's
first game against the team that drafted him. Good Bryce Young.
Top is four hundred forty eight yards from last week?
Could he come within two hundred and fifty that no
on both counts. Early going here seven nothing, forty nine Ers.
This was a good drive, ends in disaster and interception
throwing Brian Bryce Young right there.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I hear brown at a big night.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Third quarter now Christian McCaffrey getting the ball on in
deep territory into the end zonever a twelve yard touchdown.
Forty nine Ers go on to win twenty to nine.
There was also a little fallout after the game. It
wasn't all hugs and handshakes. There are also some punches
thrown after a punch that hit Jwan Jennings right in
the forty nine Ers from tray Von Merrick, who now
(09:23):
has been suspended one game for his role in that altercation. Jennings,
not suspended, could face a fine for that right there,
that happened postgame. Take a look now at the NFC
playoff picture where the forty nine ers are holding on
tight to that number seven seed, the Panthers now ninth.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
They're six and six.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
They're right there in it, but you can already see
where it's going to be a.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Hard playoff field to crack.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Let's bring in r Mark Ross and Brian Baldinger right now.
Baldy starting out with you, and that is an absolutely
great jacket.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I hadn't seen it prior to right now.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You love the whole NFL, but if there's one guy
I know you love, it's Christian McCaffrey who just game
in and game out, down in and down out, just
does things to give this totally depleted team a chance.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
Well he had to, because the quarterback play was atrocious
last night. I mean it's not often we watch a
game where you see three straight you know series that
all end up in interceptions, and so jac Horn credited
me he made some great plays, but I really thought
like the quarterback play was not good on both sides.
The interception by Bryce Young at the one yard line
on a weird play on first down was a little strange.
(10:33):
But Mike Jackson with an interception there. But you know,
when you're getting a quarterback play like that, you better
feed your star running back. And that's what they did.
And I believe that if Christian McCaffrey wanted to be
a wide receiver, whether it was outside or inside, he
could be a star wide receiver. Every time they throw
it to him, he catches it, whether it's a screen
or a hitch or a check down, whatever it is.
(10:55):
So he got the thirty one touches, he got one
hundred and forty three yards and this touchdown right here
to really put this game away. They needed McCaffrey to
be good last night, and he got the yards that
they needed from him. And I thought they controlled the
line of scrimmage mark with McCaffrey overcoming some I thought
some poor quarterback play.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, poor quarterback play. I called it.
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Ugly.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
It was an ugly game, Baldi, but you have to
win ugly games.
Speaker 10 (11:18):
And the forty nine ers leaned into what's pretty about
their team, and that was Christian McCaffrey, getting him the
ball thirty one times as a runner and receiver on
the flip side. The Panthers didn't do that. They kept
having Bryce Young throw. He did not look comfortable all
night after coming off his best game of his career
last week, and their formula was feeding Rico Daldell. He
(11:39):
only had six carries last night. In those six carries,
he still averaged six point three yards per carry, and
for the life of me, I just could not figure
out why they just did not feed him the same
way the forty nine ers were getting McCaffrey the ball again.
That had been the formula in their win streak in
the games that Daldell has started, that they are successful,
(12:00):
the offense runs better, they pound people, their physical they
wore teams down with that formula. But last night they
completely got away from it. The forty nine Ers didn't
they lean into their pretty player that they had McCaffrey.
The Panthers didn't, and thus the outcome of the game
with the forty nine ers pulling it out.
Speaker 7 (12:17):
It's time for good coverage presented by a progressive Marcus
Jones returned to Joe Flacco pass thirty three yards for
a touchdown as the Patriots won their ninth straight game
on Sunday. Jones joins Deon Sanders as the only players
in the Super Bowl era with multiple pick sixes, multiple
punt return touchdowns, and at least one receiving touchdown in
(12:39):
their careers.
Speaker 8 (12:40):
And now, to top all of that.
Speaker 7 (12:41):
From Marcus Jones, he is joining us on The Insiders. Marcus,
Welcome to the show. That's Brian Baldinger. I am Judy Batista.
First I got to ask you, like, how do you
feel accomplishing things in your career that put you in
the company of somebody like Deon Sanders.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
Yeah, first of may means a lot.
Speaker 11 (13:00):
You know, just being drafted to the New England Patriots
and you know being part of this, you know, this
dynasty for a minute, and then you know taking it
one play at a time of always prode myself and
taking advantage of the opportunities that you get. And I
learned it from a lot of mentors and teammates and
things like that. So being able to be an elite company,
it means a lot for sure.
Speaker 9 (13:20):
Marcus, are you ever going to lose another game? I
mean your nine game win streak, I feel like it's
just a w Like you contribute, you'd give you give
them the lead fourteen to ten there in the second quarter, Like,
is the Patriots just gonna win? This whole thing is
just going to be a walk right here. The way
you guys are playing.
Speaker 11 (13:36):
Our main thing every week is definitely to win, you know,
So that's something that we don't want to do, is lose.
But taking a one week at a time is very important.
You know a lot of people look so far ahead,
but we're focusing on the Giants this week, a great
team and just taking it one week at a time
is the most important thing for sure.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Actually, take us behind the scenes a little bit because
you have one nine in a row. Obviously, Mike Rabol
is going to be a leading coach of the year.
Can they tell us what he has been doing that
has made this turnaround for this team possible?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 11 (14:06):
Very It was every time that we walk up in
a building and the standard is the standard. And he
said that ever since whenever he came down to OTAs
and training camp and US leaders, you know, captains of
the team. You know, we have to play our best
in order for in order for us to win. So
that's very important. But going in day in, day out,
competing with the offense and defense, competing with the with
(14:27):
the offense as well special teams. Having all three phases
is very important in the National Football League because you know,
you can't get too high and you definitely can't get
too low. So you got to make sure you stay
positive and then correct whatever you need to be corrected,
and then take it from there.
Speaker 9 (14:39):
Marcus. One of the things, and just I was getting
ready for your game a couple of weeks ago against
Tampa and I was studying your games and one of
thing that just jumps out between you, Christian Gonzales and
Carlton Davis is how well you guys tackle in the
open field. And I know it's something you take a
great deal of pride and obviously you know being a
slot defender for most of the time, but is it
(15:00):
anything that you guys do to work on so that
you take guys down the open field. You're not seeing
misstackles like we see across the league and other teams.
Speaker 11 (15:08):
Yeah, it's funny because a lot of people talk about,
you know, cornerbacks and you know they'd be like, they
don't like to tackle. But us three man, we take
pride in every play that we can make to help
the defense out, you know, whether it's you know, tackling
most of the time, you know we're covering and everything
like that. But in the National Football League, you know,
people love to make the corners tackle and we won't
have a problem doing it at all.
Speaker 7 (15:28):
You mentioned joining a franchise that had been a dynasty.
What would it mean to this current group of Patriots
to bring the playoffs back to New England.
Speaker 8 (15:38):
It will mean a lot.
Speaker 11 (15:39):
You know, our fan basemen I love them, you know,
especially on the defensive side.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
They make it hard for opposing team.
Speaker 11 (15:45):
So being able to, you know, bring that back to
the Foxborough and having a home field advantage will mean
a lot for sure.
Speaker 9 (15:51):
Well, because it seems like, you know, obviously to get
to where you're at right now this year, you look
at the additions of Milton of Harold Landry explaining the
guys that they brought in, it seemed like between what
Mike did and how he coaches and how he killed
everybody accountable, The fact that you guys were able to
come together so quickly, like it feels like there's just
(16:12):
nothing but glue. The way the type of guys that
they brought in that really fit in with the culture
that Mike really wants to develop.
Speaker 11 (16:20):
Yeah, I would say, first off, you know, it was
a lot of new faces in the building. So when
it came down to it, ravees you know, he told
us the standard and what we have to end up
living by and staying with that standard.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
Like I said from the beginning, but you know, we.
Speaker 11 (16:33):
Got to know a lot of people's history, you know,
the coaches that ended up coming in and the players
as well. You know, we learned how they got into
the game of football, what they're doing outside of football,
and knowing those hobbies and everything that everyone else does.
It ends up making us want to play harder for
them whenever we get onto the field. You know, knowing
that you know a teammate has a new born child,
(16:55):
or you know, knowing that their family is away and
you know they're far away from their love ones and everything.
It makes us as teammates, you know, want to play
harder for the person excess.
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Marcus, it is might cause my cleat's time in the NFL,
and you have some very cool looking cleats. You are
supporting the Covered By Music Foundation. Look at this with
the musical notes. Those are so cool looking. Tell us
about that organization and the work they do and why
you decide to throw your support behind them.
Speaker 11 (17:23):
Yeah, we help underlooked and overlooked kids in the Boston community.
What we try to do is help them with the
situation of whether they want to be songwriters, engineering producers,
anything around that realm. We want to bring all the
artistry that they have and help them bring it to light,
you know, anything that they need help with, whether it's
(17:43):
you know, jobs later on. You know, we have connections
when it comes to that, but the main thing is
collabing with people because whenever you get into the real world,
we want these kids to understand the importance of teamwork
and then building and then also getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
You know, sometimes being in a new room and not
knowing exactly everything that's going on and not knowing that
people in the room can be intimidating to them. So
(18:05):
what we try to do is ease it and ease
their mind and let them have fun with stuff that
they love to do and then build with people that's
also in the community with them. So I'm happy to
end up putting smiles on the kids faces and we're
looking forward to, you know, making a bigger.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Great initiative.
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Marcus, thank you so much for taking time out to
join the insiders.
Speaker 8 (18:23):
Lots of lot the rest of the way for sure.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Appreciate you guys so much.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Thank you, Marcus Jones. Here's your playoff picture.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Remember earlier we're talking about how the Bengals need to
win out to basically make it into the playoffs. Because
some of these records on the left side here, including
the Patriots who are sitting at the one seed right now,
and Marcus Jones, you heard them talk about sechial home
field advantage.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
The records are just unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (18:43):
It's just stacked in the AFC right now and perhaps
only going to get stronger. This show is going to
get stronger because Jeffrey to Da and Mark Ross are
in the house here. Jeffrey to d has got an
article up nfl dot com slash first Read on some
units that need to step up here in the NFL.
Let's start in Philadelphia. I'll be down there on Friday.
(19:03):
I'm gonna take some notes here. He'll me talk about
that game.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
Yeah, stop me if you heard this before.
Speaker 12 (19:07):
The Eagles passing offense needs to get fixed sometime soon.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
This is a big problem for this team.
Speaker 12 (19:11):
It's been a problem all year long, and it was
a problem once again with the Cowboys. You forget about
what happened in the first half when they had twenty
one point lead. This offense has seen Jalen Hurts throw
for two of yards only six times this season. They're
talking about an offense that is ranked twenty third in passing,
and the problem here is are twenty first in rushing.
They can't get so heicon Barkley going and there's more pressure.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Being put on Jayalen Hurts every day. A J. Brown.
Speaker 12 (19:35):
I understand it's frustration, but Mark, this passing game is
not gonna win a championship for this team.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
No doubt.
Speaker 10 (19:41):
Jeffrey, I'm just going to go down ninety five and
talk about the Ravens offense.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Who needs to wake up.
Speaker 10 (19:45):
Of course, the resurgence of their defense has fueled this
winning streak. You know they're playing the bum of the
week offenses but we'll talk about that later. But Lamar
Jackson this offense, and I know Lamar has had a
different injury every week showing up on the injury report
and they say he's fine. Well, Lamar is not fine,
And it is clear to me he is not decisive
in the pocket. He hasn't been accurate, he hasn't looked comfortable,
(20:07):
and most glaring to me is when he takes off
the run. He does not have that same explosiveness, that
same magic outside of the pocket. So in order to
get and play those better teams in the playoff teams,
Lamar and that offense is going to have to get
a lot lot better.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Mike Lamar has been listed with a hamstring, knee, ankle,
and now a toe injury. It's just basically they put
something they put up there because he's going to take
the first day of the week off and then practice
the rest of the week, which he's been doing. Chad
Steel with the Ravens media relations department down there, you
have my permission to next week just put general sort
of us.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
We're good with that. Enough name in the body parts.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
We talked about Philadelphia, a place that I spend a
lot of time Now, how about a place that you
spend a lot of time at place you live, Kansas
City Jeffrey.
Speaker 12 (20:45):
Yeah, they're starting to wake up now on defense, but
they need more of a wake up call here because
previous two weeks against Denver and Buffalo, they had a
lot of problems dealing with Josh Allen and James Cook
and bow Knicks. Just saw the change in this game
against the Colts, a big win. That defense got four
to three outs in the last quarter in overtime, they
held the culture two and fifty five yards twenty points
season lows. But the big thing here is they started
(21:07):
to get pressure again, and that's where the wakeup call comes.
They got to get pressure with the front four in the.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
Blitz Mark Well, we could just keep using that same
clip there because I'm gonna talk about that Colts offense.
And look, it's been a magical season for the most
part for Daniel Jones in this offense. But in their
two losses, Daniel Jones has had eight turnovers and then
against Kansas City in the second half, they did absolutely nothing,
ended the game with four straight three and outs. So
maybe the book is now out where if Jonathan Taylor
(21:33):
can't get going and dominate games, and you put the
game in Daniel Jones' hands. Of course he has the
propensity if he presses too much to have the turnovers,
and then if they played two conservative you see what
happened against Kansas City where they just can't generate much offense.
So we'll see going forward if Daniel Jones can take
a step or the Colt Shanstyke and can find a
way to get Jonathan Taylor the ball a lot more
(21:55):
Mike even when teams trying to shut him down.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Jeffrey, the Bills are banged up and missing bodies up
from and they brought back Shack Lawson, third time that
they've brought back a guy who was originally a first
round pick for them.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
They need some help up front. And you're saying that
they need some help up front.
Speaker 12 (22:10):
Why, yeah, Well, that run defense in Buffalo has been
talked about as much as that passing offense in Philadelphia,
and for a good reason. This team is given up
one hundred and eighty nine yards rushing six times this season,
and their biggest upset losses have involved huge run games
by Atlanta by Miami. The problem here is they used
to be able to outscore people. But if Josh Allen
gets shut down like he did against Houston, they don't
(22:32):
have an answer for that. And so this Georgian defense
is ring thirtieth in the NFL right now. They got
to start getting better. Mark They're not going to go
anywhere where they want to go.
Speaker 10 (22:39):
In January, great segue again, Jeffrey talking about that Houston
defense was absolutely dominant against the Bills and have been
absolutely dominant all season long, first in yards per game,
had been first in points per game, and then the
Rams just overtook down. But this offense, in order to
beat the better teams, you know, I'm talking about all
these teams as playoff teams and making a playoff run,
this offense will have to get something going. Of course,
(23:01):
Davis Mills filled in admirably for CJ.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Now CJ.
Speaker 10 (23:05):
Stroud seems to be back, but even before that CJ.
That offense was a little struggling a little bit. And
look the margin of error for that offense. You don't
have to score much, you don't have to do much
the way that defense is playing. So Texas offense, CJ. Stroud,
just get to twenty, you'll probably win the game.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
NFL dot Com Slash first read for Jeffrey CD's look
at units that need to step up across the NFL.
Michael left Florio is going to be joining us later
in the show, and I know he's throwing things when
you were talking about that Bill's run defense. He is
a big Buffalo Bills fan. Appreciate you both. Just clock out.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
You're done for the rest of the night. Stacy Dale's
has not done.
Speaker 6 (23:41):
Stacy Dale's gonna be covering the game in Detroit, as
I believe she has done every year for like the
last fifteen years for NFL Network, and it's a big
one this year. Dale's along to talk about this game
coming up on The Insiders.
Speaker 11 (23:55):
Now.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Today, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh announced the team is opening
running back Omrio Hampton's practice window. Hampton has not played
since foring an ankle injury back in Week five, but
there he is.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
You'll be the judge.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
They got twenty one days to activate him from injured reserve,
a move that could come sooner than later. Chiefs also
getting a backfield boost this week. Coach Andy Reid said
today Isaiah Pacheco will return from his knee injury on
Thursday against the Cowboys. Had been dealing with an mcl
sprain was close last week. Now Pacheco is ready to rock. Meanwhile,
(24:29):
we got a reunion in Seattle. Veteran safety Quandry Diggs
announced he is rejoining the Seahawks, with whom he played
five seasons and made three Pro Bowls. Nothing that Digs
likes more than breaking his own news on social media.
He is going to start out on the practice squad.
We are headed for Thursday football. It is the John
Medden Thanksgiving celebration. And what a group of games. We
(24:53):
got three games on tabs, start with the Packers Lions,
followed by Chiefs, Cowboys, and wrapping up with the Bengals
and the Ravens. Welcome back to the Insiders presented by
Progressive Insurance Tom Pilisaro. Join now by our friend Stacy Dales,
who has a timeshare in Detroit that she uses for
a couple of nights every year. Right about this time.
It's a good one this year, Stacy. With the Packers
(25:15):
against the Lions. I saw the Packers last week against
the Vikings. That defense is just absolutely buzzing. How do
they go about trying to slow down all the things
Detroit can do offensively.
Speaker 13 (25:27):
Yeah, this is a good partnership right here, Tom, because
they are sizzling defensively. You are absolutely right, by the way,
no two teams have met more on Thanksgiving than these
two foes in the Packers and the Lions. When you
talk about this defense, who would have thought, Tom, we
would be calling them the bread and butter of the
Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 8 (25:46):
They have been sensational.
Speaker 13 (25:47):
In fact, Matt Lafleur after that Vikings victory this past
weekend said, our defensive performance allowed us to play the
way we played, get a lead, get to run the ball.
They ran it forty two times down the throat of
the Vikings to just twenty two passing attempts. They handed
the Vikings a season low in total yards offensively one
forty five. But what's interesting is they also handed the
(26:10):
Detroit Lions back in Week one a season low in
total yards two hundred and forty six total yards of
offense only for Jared goffin company to forty.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Six rush yards.
Speaker 13 (26:21):
That being said, they are getting ready to face this
Green Bay team, getting ready to face a Lions team
in Detroit that is maybe looking for some revenge I mean,
they know, they understand what's at stake in this game.
We will talk about this division until the very end
because it's that competitive. And the Keys, as I spoke
(26:43):
with Xavier McKinney, one of their star safeties, one of
their star defensive players and one of the star safeties
in the NFL, is just like week one. He said,
we got to be physical, be on our keys, and
have really good eyes in play action. There's no quarterback
that's been better over the last two seasons Tom in
play action situations than golf. And then the guy on
the screen, Jimior Gibbs, he went absolutely off like a
(27:05):
video game this past weekend, a career high two hundred
and nineteen rush yards. Obviously it went to overtime, but
he had two hundred and sixty four yards from scrimmage
Jamior Gibbs did, and so you've got to keep pace
with him. As Xavier McKinney told me, got to slow
this guy down. He's a one cut potential home run hitter.
We got to slow him down.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
On Thursday, it was Emmanuel Wilson running into the end
zone a couple times for the Packers last week, as
Josh Jacobs was not out there against the Vikings.
Speaker 12 (27:36):
I know this.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Jacobs wanted to play on Sunday. He's already said he's
definitely playing on Thursday. We'll see exactly if the Packers
allow him to do that with that thigh contusion and
the bone bruise he's dealing with here. But if he's back,
or even if not, Stacy, can they keep up? Can
the Packers offense keep up with Detroit?
Speaker 13 (27:53):
Yeah, this is the question. Tom Wilson was fantastic by
the way this Lion's team at home, they averaged their
twenty four points per game. Okay, so if you're the
Green Bay Packers since Week nine, they've only mustered in
their last four games about seventeen and a half points
per game. That's since that loss they suffered to Carolina.
Not to mention, over these last three games they've had
(28:14):
just under three hundred yards. They haven't surpassed the three
hundred yard mark of offensively. And at the same token,
I would tell you this Lions group now, Dan Campbell,
they're not underestimating Jordan Love and company by any stretch
of the imagination. Dan Campbell called him dynamic this way
this week. He said the offense starts with him. We
(28:35):
understand Josh Jacobs is likely going to play to your point, Tom,
but I spoke with Derek Barnes, linebacker and his ability.
I know he's been really good in the pocket inside
the pocket this year. In fact, Jared Goff has a
one zero six passer rating inside the pocket. But they
want to fluster excuse me, Jordan Love. He's been outstanding,
(28:56):
but they want to fluster him. They want to make
him think, they want to distort things to fact and
certainly take away Josh Jacobs and all that great contact
balance that he has. Thursday will be a lot of
fun in Detroit.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Not many days, Stacy, that I get to sleep in.
Thanksgiving is one of those days. One thing is going
to get me out of bed watching you on game
day kickoff before that game in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
We'll look forward to seeing you then. For now, Judy, Well,
Stacy just said it.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
We're going to be talking about this division to the
very end because of how competitive is this is the
NFC North standings as they are right now, the Chicago
Bears lead the NFC North Packers Detroit Vikings. Let's bring
back our Brian Balding or Baldi. I wrote about narratives
that maybe we can finally put to bed now that
(29:42):
we're getting into the stretch run of the season. The
first one I want to talk about is about the
Chicago Bears. The Chicago Bears are no mirage. People may
have thought that early in the season. In beating the
Steelers last week, they finally beat a team that has
a winning record. I know they did it with Aaron
Rodgers not playing, but the Bears also were missing six
defensive starters in this game, so pretty good showing by them.
(30:05):
We have seen Caleb Williams blossom before our very eyes.
The idea that the Chicago Bears are going to go
away needs to be put to Ben Baldy.
Speaker 9 (30:15):
Well, Judy, They'll see the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, Black Friday,
and it'll be another good test. But I thought they
outplayed Pittsburgh in that game. I thought they were out
they out coached Pittsburgh. I thought that they continue to
take the ball away in record numbers were twenty four takeaways,
two more interceptions won by Dayshaun Wright was a fantastic
(30:36):
play on his part, But you know they played their
third team middle linebacker and DeMarco Jackson. He had fifteen tackles,
and so I feel like the Bears they started Ousie
Trapilo for his first game at left tackle. No matter
who the Bears put on the field right now, they
are playing at a high level. And that's a result
of good coaching from Ben Johnson. You have to take
(30:57):
him serious.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
Right The next narrative I want to put to bed
here is the fact that the Vikings were correct in
turning over the team to JJ McCarthy immediately. It seems
like that maybe was a bit premature. He has certainly
struggled this season in his first as the starter. He
didn't have a rookie season because of the preseason injury,
But frankly, since he came back from his injury this
(31:22):
year in the middle of the year, he's actually regressed.
He doesn't seem to be seeing the field very well.
He's thrown ten interceptions. Given that this team could have
kept Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones, or even maybe brought
along Aaron Rodgers who is interested in going there, it
seems maybe a little bit early to turn it over
to JJ McCarthy, not saying that he can't be the answer.
(31:43):
After another off season of work. Maybe he is the
long term solution at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, just
not right now, Baldy.
Speaker 9 (31:53):
I agree, Judy, and I don't you know. I mean,
the only way to get better is to play. But
this was a team that won fourteen games around the
quarterback last year. It was a very good team, and
you wouldn't know that right now. The way that they're playing,
JJ does stare down as receivers. He is wildly inaccurate
when he's getting open guys. Jordan Adison right there. They
(32:15):
are suffering because of the quarterback play, not just that
they haven't played great defensively all year like they did
a year ago. So it's not just JJ, but they
needed much better production from that position.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
We should add it.
Speaker 7 (32:28):
He is currently in the concussion protocol, so it may
not be available to play this week, and we'll see
when he returns.
Speaker 6 (32:34):
Wherever the Crown Royal rig goes, generosity follows. Crown has
packed purple bags for our troops, served Crown cocktails to fans,
and welcome NFL legends to their taallgate. And this season,
Crown is saving a seat for the Passenger Princess. They're
MVP of the NFL season. Follow the journey at crownrooyal
dot com slash Royal rig to see who will.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Wear the Crown.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
Bag left over for you boy, I'll take one, Michael
left Florio. It's time to go inside NFL Fantasy Live
with you our guy to tell us every week who
would acclaim on the waiver wire.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Quarterback?
Speaker 2 (33:17):
And I think it's the same guy we've been talking
about for three weeks.
Speaker 8 (33:19):
Straight, is it not.
Speaker 14 (33:21):
I changed it up last week because I was like,
people should not to pick him.
Speaker 8 (33:24):
People are not listening.
Speaker 14 (33:26):
I don't know what more Jacoby Prissett has to do
for people to add him. Like, like you said, it's
not my first time talking him up. I've talked him
up as much as I possibly can. And all he
has done is gone out and average twenty one fantasy
points per game in his six starts, with.
Speaker 8 (33:40):
Over eighteen in each of them.
Speaker 14 (33:42):
In those six weeks, he has been a top twelve
fantasy quarterback in all of them.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
And on top of it, this week he gets the Bucks,
who are.
Speaker 14 (33:50):
Top five and fantasy points per game a lot of quarterbacks,
and then he has a good fantasy playoff schedule and
he gets the Bengals in championship week, yet he is
available in over sixty percent NFL dot Com leagues. Please
add him this week so I could stop talking about him.
Speaker 6 (34:05):
We don't usually do impressions around here, but I'm gonna
do one. Here's the eleven other teams in my league
right now. Oh, okay, I'm gonna listen. I'm gonna go pick
up Jacobe. Where is he? He's not here? No, that's right,
because this guy listened to Michael le f Florio a
couple of weeks ago and never drafted him, and in fact,
I've been starting him.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
So that's how you win in fantasy football running backs.
Speaker 8 (34:25):
I'm a numb guy, right.
Speaker 14 (34:29):
He has led the Bear Last week he led the
Bears running backs with fifty six percent of the snaps.
He had twelve carries and sixteen routes. This is now
back to back weeks where he has had a dozen
carries and he has been running well, clearly getting.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
More and more involved.
Speaker 8 (34:45):
But this past week was the first time that we
saw him play over DeAndre Swift. He also got the
goal line touchdown there.
Speaker 14 (34:53):
Maybe it's just a one week thing, but I want
him on my roster.
Speaker 8 (34:57):
In case it's not a special if you are a
DeAndre Swift manager, if he is out there, he is
my top ad.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Of the week.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Then how about another impression Christopher Watt. Now I'm not
gonna do wide receiver. Who are we picking up at
the wide receiver position?
Speaker 8 (35:13):
I can't do impressions.
Speaker 14 (35:16):
I can only tell you to go pick up Christian Watson,
who is someone that I've spoke up on this show before.
Look in each of the last three weeks he has
led the packers and snaps and routes.
Speaker 8 (35:26):
That is a trend. He is their new wide receiver one.
Speaker 14 (35:30):
And in that stretch he's been more of a floor play,
which is pretty funny because.
Speaker 8 (35:34):
For most of his career he's been a boom or
bust option.
Speaker 14 (35:37):
He still does have that high ceiling though, and I
think we could see it this week indoors against the Lions,
who've allowed the most yards on deep passes since week eight.
They also play man at a high rate. Jordan Love
has excelled against it. So before he goes off on Thursday.
On Thursday, when you're watching, why not see if he's
out there and if he is Adam and get him
on your fantasy team.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
Yeah, I think I was looking at him a couple
of weeks ago. Yeah, he's been claimed in my league.
I was looking at him the potentially claiming. But you
know what, this roster is so tight right now because
I've been listening to all year long, not a lot
of holes in my roster, so tight end position where
I am set.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
But if you're not, who are we picking up?
Speaker 8 (36:16):
Breton Strange?
Speaker 14 (36:17):
I think is a really good ad right now. He
returned last week and he led the Jags with ninety
three receiving yards and he saw five targets. He's been
sitting around ten fantasy points pretty much every game but
one this season, and there's like four must start tight
ends and a handful of others you could feel good about.
So if you're one of those managers streaming, go get
(36:38):
Breton Strange. And speaking of streaming, there's a good amount
of depth at the tight end position this week. Add
Darren Waller if he is out there. He is a
fantastic playoff schedule, but he has some upside wide receivers.
So yeah, if you're in need, check for all these
names because they might be out there in your league.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Yes they are. I got a couple of claims in
on those guys.
Speaker 6 (36:57):
Plus I'm streaming defenses, So hopefully I make the right
call this week not to get the Giants, because all
those all those eleven people I was talking about that
were going to make waiver claims, they're going to make
waiver claims, and I don't want them to know who
I put claims in for.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Thank you, Michael ef.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
If those three games on Thanksgiving look tasty, check out
what we got for dessert on Friday.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Bears and Eagles, two teams at.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Eight and three in the mix for the number one
seed in the NFC. Our guy Sam Schwarztein has normally
seen on Thursdays. This time it's going to be on
Black Friday on Prime Vision with the good folks over
there at Prime Sam. A fantastic matchup here, and a
big part of that is because Ben Johnson's arrival has
helped Caleb Williams really evolve in terms of the way
(37:42):
that he's playing football. What are the next gen stats
tell us about what type of evolution we're seeing from
Caleb this season?
Speaker 5 (37:49):
Caleb William's number one overall pick high expectations. Last year,
he had sixty eight SATs more sacks than any other player.
But this year he's evolved. He's given a lot of tools,
and we'll go into that later from Ben Johnson. But
Caleb's reacting to pressure so differently. Last year he had
a twenty six percent pressure to sack errate, one of
the highest of the NFL. Now it's a thirteen percent
(38:10):
pressure to sack rate. When he sees pressure, he makes
up his mind. He's the ability to avoid the pass
rush is huge. Sibility to actually scramble and gain yards
downfield has been massive. But he doesn't have as many
negative plays, and when you watch the film, he should
actually be better because his teammates aren't always making the
plays when they need to. He's able to extend plays
like he does here.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I mean that type of a throw where he's going
to his left throwing it across his body to the
middle of the field. It's a very rare type of tray.
What I'm struck by is how controlled Ben Johnson has
Caleb Williams playing a lot of the time. What types
of tools, as you put in, is Ben Johnson giving
Caleb to help him grow.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
The game the way he is right?
Speaker 5 (38:52):
We can see him do all the crazy we did
in that last clip, but here it's the easy buttons,
their pressure, play action, making everything with the same to
the defense, trying to make them bite on the run.
Think of the easy throws over the middle, which he
where he makes teams pay. So when we use expected
points at it, which is contextualizing yards based on down
Disan's location on field. He is nineteen point two total EPA.
(39:14):
Fifteen point eight of that comes on just play action.
Make them play easy for Caleb. Let his arm do
the talking.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
When I was looking at the Eagles Cowboys game last week,
it's twenty one to nothing. When I get back to
my hotel in Green Bay. By the time I go
to dinner, they're somehow tied. What do the Eagles have
to do to bounce back after letting that type of
lead slip away?
Speaker 5 (39:39):
This team is built not by the coordinators but the
peral manager to focus on game one on one matchups
to then be able to have the shot plays and
always win. And that's what they like to do. On
deep passes. Jalen Hurts has thirty nine point five EPs,
that's third in the NFL. He has only four point
seven total EPA on the season. That means in every
other aspect of his game, he's hurt reading his team's
(40:00):
chances of scoring. And what they do is they throw
the go ball sixty two percent of the time. It's
the second highest rate of a deep throw of full
time starters in the NFL. And the only is a
forty three percent completion percentage when he does it. If
they come down with the deep ball, they got to
some one off Friday.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Sam Swort singing ketch him on the Black Friday edition
of Prime Video Next Gen Stat's alternate streams. Sam, thank
you very much. We will see you next week. Still
more to come here on the Insiders. And while you wait,
how about over at NFL dot com slash Rookies and
vote for the Pepsi zero Sugar Rookie of the week,
some familiar name, some new ones.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Go vote.
Speaker 6 (40:39):
You think there's a drama inside the Eagles locker room,
how about a Vic Fangio's press conference today?
Speaker 5 (40:44):
We didn't get offentime. What's that? When you're shut up finished,
then they're wasting.
Speaker 6 (40:55):
The hardest press conference is to get a question in,
so sometimes you jump all over the answer to try
to make it happen.
Speaker 8 (41:01):
I can never get HI minute I stopped going.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Police are on the fistfight for the filly media this time.
We've seen that before.
Thanksgiving is just two days away, and boy will it
be a football feast. It all starts in Detroit, where
the Lions and Packers go at it in a matchup
that could.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Reshape the NFC North.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
The AFC East runs through New England, where Marcus Jones
has spent this season getting paid and making plays. So
how far can these Patriots go? We'll ask them when
Marcus Jones joins the show tonight. It's almost fantasy playoff
time and the waiver wire.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Could make or break your season. Good thing.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
We got michae lef Florio here tonight with some tips
to keep you charging towards that title. Welcome inside with
the Insiders, presented by Progressive Insurance, alongside Judy Batista and
Mike Garafalo or just me Tom Pellisero. Hi, it's the Insider.
There's two more the Insiders. There's three of us and
(00:55):
we are presented by Progressive Insurance. Week twelve is indeed
in the books, and what do you know on a Tuesday,
we got a lot.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Of AFC North quarterback news.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
Let's start out in Pitchford, where Aaron Rodgers last week
was pushing to play but was held out by the team.
In Chicago because of a fracture in his left wrist.
Mike Tomlin sure making it sound today though, like things
were going to be different on Sunday against the Bills.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Optimistic about a couple returns. Aaron obviously man worked his
tail off to get to us last week, but as
I mentioned over the course of the weekend, it was
the prudent and appropriate decision. We'll we'll we'll start this
week with great optimism, although we certainly will limit him
at the early portions of the week, provide opportunities for
(01:44):
the other quarterbacks while preserving him. And and but again
we're comfortable with the general trajectory. But I'll keep you
updated and his level of participation, in the quality of
his participation over the course of the week would be
a be a greatest indicator.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow also expected back this week and
set to start on Thursday night against the Ravens, less
than eleven weeks after suffering a severe turf toe injury
that required surgery. Bengals are one and eight cents, but
they're still in it in the AFC North. Burrow is
ahead of schedule, but he says he's ready.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
My perspective, I'm a football player, and if I get hurt,
I'm going to go through the rehab process, and then
I'm going to let everybody know when I feel like
I can go out there and play. I don't really
know what else to say about that. I'm not gonna
(02:43):
ever go to somebody and say, yeah, I'm healthy, but no,
I don't think I don't think I should go out
there and play it. That doesn't make a lot of
sense to me. I'm not going to live my life
and play this game scared of something happening, like, Yeah,
something's gonna happen. It's football. Guys are gonna get hurt.
Guys are gonna get concussions. You're gonna break bones, tear ligaments.
(03:06):
That's a physical, intense game. That's part of this. And yeah,
I've had injuries. There's not a lot I can do
about that. I worked really hard to have that not happen.
But what I can do is when it does happen,
I can control how I'm attacking my rehab and attacking
practice and doing everything in my power to get back
(03:28):
as quickly as possible.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
That's what I did.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
There are sometimes when I'm watching Bengals press conferences that
I feel like I'm having flashbacks Mike, because not just
because Joe Burrow coming back from another injury and he
said some of those same words before, but also it
was at this time last year that was like, Hey,
the Bengals also they they still are in it.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
They could make a run.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
It's gonna have to be the same type of deal
as last year, where they're going to need to win
a lot of games and get a lot of help.
Not completely buried, but a big task at it.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
They're theoretically going to have to win out right, Like
you're looking at where they are right now, three and eight,
and that's tough to do when you look up and
you see that their next three games are at Baltimore,
at Buffalo, and home against Baltimore. So if they theoretically
run the table on those three, they're in great shape
because down the stretch they do have more winnable games.
I think this is more judy about getting Joe Burrow
(04:21):
back on the field and really starting to build some
momentum toward next year and just making this season not
feel like a completely lost season in Cincinnati in which
there were such high expectations I mean, Joe Burrow coming
back now without t Higgins who's been ruled out, Trey
Hendrickson as well. On the other side of the ball,
Jamar Chase coming back, a lot of missed reps, a
lot of mis reps not only on Sundays but also
(04:43):
during the week in practice as well. I mean, we
talk so much about all the reps, even for veterans
that you need in training camp, and now to be
thrown back in the middle of the season and try
to get that rhythm up again, I know that that
is something that's.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Really of great concern at this point.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
It's not a whole lot you can do about it, though,
I mean, I just I like the fact that Joe
Burrow is back on the field, playing in a Thanksgiving
game and playing down the stretch in what are going
to be meaningful games. Perhaps for the other teams, I
don't see how they run the table here and get
themselves in it, but I could be wrong.
Speaker 7 (05:11):
Well, first of all, Joe Burrow being back on the
field is obviously it's a very good thing for the
Cincinnati Bengals. It's a really good thing for the NFL too.
He's one of the NFL's biggest stars. So it's good
that he.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Is back playing.
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I agree with you.
Speaker 7 (05:22):
This is I think important for next season as well,
just to sort of build some good feelings coming out
of this season. The idea that anybody was thinking that
maybe Joe Burrow shuts it down for the season is absurd.
That was as expansive as you'll ever hear Joe Burrow
be about wanting to be on the field.
Speaker 8 (05:40):
This is what he does. He's a football player.
Speaker 7 (05:42):
I wish it did not feel like it was too
late for the Bengals, but you're right, they're going to
have to run the table. They right now would be
the twelfth seed, so they have to jump an awful
lot of teams. The good news is it is all
in front of them. They play the Ravens twice, so yeah,
if they can get and again, they're gonna have to
do it without t Higgins and without a whole lot
(06:02):
of continuity. But if they can run the table, it
is in front of them, and they definitely have the
back end the schedule.
Speaker 8 (06:09):
The last few weeks are very winnable games.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
For that team.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
I wish I wish they had been able to win
more than one game. I wish the defense had not
let that team down so many times while Burrow was
out after they started to and no, they finally got
off to the fast start. Just to shame the way
this season has gone.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I'm now having a flash forward to the Monday Insiders
podcast when we're talking about how the Bengals got a
big win over the Ravens and the Steelers lost to
the Bills. Now the Bengals are three and one, best
record in the division and two games out at first.
Maybe maybe we'll get there. When we do, they will
let Jamar Chase back this week. That is a big deal.
Chase back in the building after serving his one game
(06:48):
suspension for spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey last week.
Chase released a statement also spoke to reporters saying in
part that he's felt a lot of positivity comes back
into the building this week. Lamar Jackson's presence on the
practice field also a reason for rampant positivity. He is
on the field with the Ravens once again, this time
(07:10):
dealing with a toe injury to go with the ankle,
the knee, the hamstring, and everybodything else. He would find
if you were playing a game of Operation Jackson does
not need one.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Should be good to go on Thursday night, Mike Folks.
Speaker 6 (07:23):
The other night when Baker Mayfield left the game against
the Rams with a left shoulder injury, although it was
not his throwing shoulder, we were like, oh boy, this
is going to be what a four to six week
injury or something like that. Before the turkey even hits
the table, We've got optimism. Baker Mayfield's got a shoulder sprain,
very painful, but if it's a question of pain management,
(07:45):
I'm banking on that guy right there. And just when
I start to ask people down in Tampa does he
have a reasonable shot to play this week, getting a
lot of yes, is back Judy.
Speaker 8 (07:54):
I'm not guaranteeing it. They're not guaranteeing it.
Speaker 6 (07:57):
But the fact that the door is open here with
four or five days left to go good sign that
Bravs Baker Mayfield be back on the field for the Bucks.
Speaker 7 (08:06):
Tough guy you know who's eventually going to be back
on the field. To Jayden Daniels, he's still recovering from
the dislocated left ob but speaking today for the very
first time since that injury, he said he has started
throwing again and he wants to return once he is
medically clear. Dan Quinn has said Daniels will return to
practice this week, but he can't take contact, so obviously
that makes it very unlikely he could play this week,
(08:28):
and Daniels did not say if he has a target
gate for his return, But there had been some question
about whether the Commanders would just shut him down. He said,
if I'm back out there, I'm healthy, I'm ready to go.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
I want to be out there.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Monday Night Football Panthers and forty nine Ers, Christian McCaffrey's
first game against the team that drafted him. Good Bryce Young.
Top is four hundred forty eight yards from last week?
Could he come within two hundred and fifty that no
on both counts. Early going here seven nothing, forty nine Ers.
This was a good drive, ends in disaster and interception
throwing Brian Bryce Young right there.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I hear brown at a big night.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Third quarter now Christian McCaffrey getting the ball on in
deep territory into the end zonever a twelve yard touchdown.
Forty nine Ers go on to win twenty to nine.
There was also a little fallout after the game. It
wasn't all hugs and handshakes. There are also some punches
thrown after a punch that hit Jwan Jennings right in
the forty nine Ers from tray Von Merrick, who now
(09:23):
has been suspended one game for his role in that altercation. Jennings,
not suspended, could face a fine for that right there,
that happened postgame. Take a look now at the NFC
playoff picture where the forty nine ers are holding on
tight to that number seven seed, the Panthers now ninth.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
They're six and six.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
They're right there in it, but you can already see
where it's going to be a.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
Hard playoff field to crack.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
Let's bring in r Mark Ross and Brian Baldinger right now.
Baldy starting out with you, and that is an absolutely
great jacket.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I hadn't seen it prior to right now.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
You love the whole NFL, but if there's one guy
I know you love, it's Christian McCaffrey who just game
in and game out, down in and down out, just
does things to give this totally depleted team a chance.
Speaker 9 (10:10):
Well he had to, because the quarterback play was atrocious
last night. I mean it's not often we watch a
game where you see three straight you know series that
all end up in interceptions, and so jac Horn credited
me he made some great plays, but I really thought
like the quarterback play was not good on both sides.
The interception by Bryce Young at the one yard line
on a weird play on first down was a little strange.
(10:33):
But Mike Jackson with an interception there. But you know,
when you're getting a quarterback play like that, you better
feed your star running back. And that's what they did.
And I believe that if Christian McCaffrey wanted to be
a wide receiver, whether it was outside or inside, he
could be a star wide receiver. Every time they throw
it to him, he catches it, whether it's a screen
or a hitch or a check down, whatever it is.
(10:55):
So he got the thirty one touches, he got one
hundred and forty three yards and this touchdown right here
to really put this game away. They needed McCaffrey to
be good last night, and he got the yards that
they needed from him. And I thought they controlled the
line of scrimmage mark with McCaffrey overcoming some I thought
some poor quarterback play.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Yeah, poor quarterback play. I called it.
Speaker 8 (11:15):
Ugly.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
It was an ugly game, Baldi, but you have to
win ugly games.
Speaker 10 (11:18):
And the forty nine ers leaned into what's pretty about
their team, and that was Christian McCaffrey, getting him the
ball thirty one times as a runner and receiver on
the flip side. The Panthers didn't do that. They kept
having Bryce Young throw. He did not look comfortable all
night after coming off his best game of his career
last week, and their formula was feeding Rico Daldell. He
(11:39):
only had six carries last night. In those six carries,
he still averaged six point three yards per carry, and
for the life of me, I just could not figure
out why they just did not feed him the same
way the forty nine ers were getting McCaffrey the ball again.
That had been the formula in their win streak in
the games that Daldell has started, that they are successful,
(12:00):
the offense runs better, they pound people, their physical they
wore teams down with that formula. But last night they
completely got away from it. The forty nine Ers didn't
they lean into their pretty player that they had McCaffrey.
The Panthers didn't, and thus the outcome of the game
with the forty nine ers pulling it out.
Speaker 7 (12:17):
It's time for good coverage presented by a progressive Marcus
Jones returned to Joe Flacco pass thirty three yards for
a touchdown as the Patriots won their ninth straight game
on Sunday. Jones joins Deon Sanders as the only players
in the Super Bowl era with multiple pick sixes, multiple
punt return touchdowns, and at least one receiving touchdown in
(12:39):
their careers.
Speaker 8 (12:40):
And now, to top all of that.
Speaker 7 (12:41):
From Marcus Jones, he is joining us on The Insiders. Marcus,
Welcome to the show. That's Brian Baldinger. I am Judy Batista.
First I got to ask you, like, how do you
feel accomplishing things in your career that put you in
the company of somebody like Deon Sanders.
Speaker 5 (12:58):
Yeah, first of may means a lot.
Speaker 11 (13:00):
You know, just being drafted to the New England Patriots
and you know being part of this, you know, this
dynasty for a minute, and then you know taking it
one play at a time of always prode myself and
taking advantage of the opportunities that you get. And I
learned it from a lot of mentors and teammates and
things like that. So being able to be an elite company,
it means a lot for sure.
Speaker 9 (13:20):
Marcus, are you ever going to lose another game? I
mean your nine game win streak, I feel like it's
just a w Like you contribute, you'd give you give
them the lead fourteen to ten there in the second quarter, Like,
is the Patriots just gonna win? This whole thing is
just going to be a walk right here. The way
you guys are playing.
Speaker 11 (13:36):
Our main thing every week is definitely to win, you know,
So that's something that we don't want to do, is lose.
But taking a one week at a time is very important.
You know a lot of people look so far ahead,
but we're focusing on the Giants this week, a great
team and just taking it one week at a time
is the most important thing for sure.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Actually, take us behind the scenes a little bit because
you have one nine in a row. Obviously, Mike Rabol
is going to be a leading coach of the year.
Can they tell us what he has been doing that
has made this turnaround for this team possible?
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 11 (14:06):
Very It was every time that we walk up in
a building and the standard is the standard. And he
said that ever since whenever he came down to OTAs
and training camp and US leaders, you know, captains of
the team. You know, we have to play our best
in order for in order for us to win. So
that's very important. But going in day in, day out,
competing with the offense and defense, competing with the with
(14:27):
the offense as well special teams. Having all three phases
is very important in the National Football League because you know,
you can't get too high and you definitely can't get
too low. So you got to make sure you stay
positive and then correct whatever you need to be corrected,
and then take it from there.
Speaker 9 (14:39):
Marcus. One of the things, and just I was getting
ready for your game a couple of weeks ago against
Tampa and I was studying your games and one of
thing that just jumps out between you, Christian Gonzales and
Carlton Davis is how well you guys tackle in the
open field. And I know it's something you take a
great deal of pride and obviously you know being a
slot defender for most of the time, but is it
(15:00):
anything that you guys do to work on so that
you take guys down the open field. You're not seeing
misstackles like we see across the league and other teams.
Speaker 11 (15:08):
Yeah, it's funny because a lot of people talk about,
you know, cornerbacks and you know they'd be like, they
don't like to tackle. But us three man, we take
pride in every play that we can make to help
the defense out, you know, whether it's you know, tackling
most of the time, you know we're covering and everything
like that. But in the National Football League, you know,
people love to make the corners tackle and we won't
have a problem doing it at all.
Speaker 7 (15:28):
You mentioned joining a franchise that had been a dynasty.
What would it mean to this current group of Patriots
to bring the playoffs back to New England.
Speaker 8 (15:38):
It will mean a lot.
Speaker 11 (15:39):
You know, our fan basemen I love them, you know,
especially on the defensive side.
Speaker 8 (15:43):
They make it hard for opposing team.
Speaker 11 (15:45):
So being able to, you know, bring that back to
the Foxborough and having a home field advantage will mean
a lot for sure.
Speaker 9 (15:51):
Well, because it seems like, you know, obviously to get
to where you're at right now this year, you look
at the additions of Milton of Harold Landry explaining the
guys that they brought in, it seemed like between what
Mike did and how he coaches and how he killed
everybody accountable, The fact that you guys were able to
come together so quickly, like it feels like there's just
(16:12):
nothing but glue. The way the type of guys that
they brought in that really fit in with the culture
that Mike really wants to develop.
Speaker 11 (16:20):
Yeah, I would say, first off, you know, it was
a lot of new faces in the building. So when
it came down to it, ravees you know, he told
us the standard and what we have to end up
living by and staying with that standard.
Speaker 8 (16:31):
Like I said from the beginning, but you know, we.
Speaker 11 (16:33):
Got to know a lot of people's history, you know,
the coaches that ended up coming in and the players
as well. You know, we learned how they got into
the game of football, what they're doing outside of football,
and knowing those hobbies and everything that everyone else does.
It ends up making us want to play harder for
them whenever we get onto the field. You know, knowing
that you know a teammate has a new born child,
(16:55):
or you know, knowing that their family is away and
you know they're far away from their love ones and everything.
It makes us as teammates, you know, want to play
harder for the person excess.
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Marcus, it is might cause my cleat's time in the NFL,
and you have some very cool looking cleats. You are
supporting the Covered By Music Foundation. Look at this with
the musical notes. Those are so cool looking. Tell us
about that organization and the work they do and why
you decide to throw your support behind them.
Speaker 11 (17:23):
Yeah, we help underlooked and overlooked kids in the Boston community.
What we try to do is help them with the
situation of whether they want to be songwriters, engineering producers,
anything around that realm. We want to bring all the
artistry that they have and help them bring it to light,
you know, anything that they need help with, whether it's
(17:43):
you know, jobs later on. You know, we have connections
when it comes to that, but the main thing is
collabing with people because whenever you get into the real world,
we want these kids to understand the importance of teamwork
and then building and then also getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
You know, sometimes being in a new room and not
knowing exactly everything that's going on and not knowing that
people in the room can be intimidating to them. So
(18:05):
what we try to do is ease it and ease
their mind and let them have fun with stuff that
they love to do and then build with people that's
also in the community with them. So I'm happy to
end up putting smiles on the kids faces and we're
looking forward to, you know, making a bigger.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Great initiative.
Speaker 7 (18:19):
Marcus, thank you so much for taking time out to
join the insiders.
Speaker 8 (18:23):
Lots of lot the rest of the way for sure.
Speaker 5 (18:24):
Appreciate you guys so much.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Thank you, Marcus Jones. Here's your playoff picture.
Speaker 6 (18:28):
Remember earlier we're talking about how the Bengals need to
win out to basically make it into the playoffs. Because
some of these records on the left side here, including
the Patriots who are sitting at the one seed right now,
and Marcus Jones, you heard them talk about sechial home
field advantage.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
The records are just unbelievable.
Speaker 6 (18:43):
It's just stacked in the AFC right now and perhaps
only going to get stronger. This show is going to
get stronger because Jeffrey to Da and Mark Ross are
in the house here. Jeffrey to d has got an
article up nfl dot com slash first Read on some
units that need to step up here in the NFL.
Let's start in Philadelphia. I'll be down there on Friday.
(19:03):
I'm gonna take some notes here. He'll me talk about
that game.
Speaker 5 (19:05):
Yeah, stop me if you heard this before.
Speaker 12 (19:07):
The Eagles passing offense needs to get fixed sometime soon.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
This is a big problem for this team.
Speaker 12 (19:11):
It's been a problem all year long, and it was
a problem once again with the Cowboys. You forget about
what happened in the first half when they had twenty
one point lead. This offense has seen Jalen Hurts throw
for two of yards only six times this season. They're
talking about an offense that is ranked twenty third in passing,
and the problem here is are twenty first in rushing.
They can't get so heicon Barkley going and there's more pressure.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
Being put on Jayalen Hurts every day. A J. Brown.
Speaker 12 (19:35):
I understand it's frustration, but Mark, this passing game is
not gonna win a championship for this team.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
No doubt.
Speaker 10 (19:41):
Jeffrey, I'm just going to go down ninety five and
talk about the Ravens offense.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Who needs to wake up.
Speaker 10 (19:45):
Of course, the resurgence of their defense has fueled this
winning streak. You know they're playing the bum of the
week offenses but we'll talk about that later. But Lamar
Jackson this offense, and I know Lamar has had a
different injury every week showing up on the injury report
and they say he's fine. Well, Lamar is not fine,
And it is clear to me he is not decisive
in the pocket. He hasn't been accurate, he hasn't looked comfortable,
(20:07):
and most glaring to me is when he takes off
the run. He does not have that same explosiveness, that
same magic outside of the pocket. So in order to
get and play those better teams in the playoff teams,
Lamar and that offense is going to have to get
a lot lot better.
Speaker 6 (20:20):
Mike Lamar has been listed with a hamstring, knee, ankle,
and now a toe injury. It's just basically they put
something they put up there because he's going to take
the first day of the week off and then practice
the rest of the week, which he's been doing. Chad
Steel with the Ravens media relations department down there, you
have my permission to next week just put general sort
of us.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
We're good with that. Enough name in the body parts.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
We talked about Philadelphia, a place that I spend a
lot of time Now, how about a place that you
spend a lot of time at place you live, Kansas
City Jeffrey.
Speaker 12 (20:45):
Yeah, they're starting to wake up now on defense, but
they need more of a wake up call here because
previous two weeks against Denver and Buffalo, they had a
lot of problems dealing with Josh Allen and James Cook
and bow Knicks. Just saw the change in this game
against the Colts, a big win. That defense got four
to three outs in the last quarter in overtime, they
held the culture two and fifty five yards twenty points
season lows. But the big thing here is they started
(21:07):
to get pressure again, and that's where the wakeup call comes.
They got to get pressure with the front four in the.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
Blitz Mark Well, we could just keep using that same
clip there because I'm gonna talk about that Colts offense.
And look, it's been a magical season for the most
part for Daniel Jones in this offense. But in their
two losses, Daniel Jones has had eight turnovers and then
against Kansas City in the second half, they did absolutely nothing,
ended the game with four straight three and outs. So
maybe the book is now out where if Jonathan Taylor
(21:33):
can't get going and dominate games, and you put the
game in Daniel Jones' hands. Of course he has the
propensity if he presses too much to have the turnovers,
and then if they played two conservative you see what
happened against Kansas City where they just can't generate much offense.
So we'll see going forward if Daniel Jones can take
a step or the Colt Shanstyke and can find a
way to get Jonathan Taylor the ball a lot more
(21:55):
Mike even when teams trying to shut him down.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
Jeffrey, the Bills are banged up and missing bodies up
from and they brought back Shack Lawson, third time that
they've brought back a guy who was originally a first
round pick for them.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
They need some help up front. And you're saying that
they need some help up front.
Speaker 12 (22:10):
Why, yeah, Well, that run defense in Buffalo has been
talked about as much as that passing offense in Philadelphia,
and for a good reason. This team is given up
one hundred and eighty nine yards rushing six times this season,
and their biggest upset losses have involved huge run games
by Atlanta by Miami. The problem here is they used
to be able to outscore people. But if Josh Allen
gets shut down like he did against Houston, they don't
(22:32):
have an answer for that. And so this Georgian defense
is ring thirtieth in the NFL right now. They got
to start getting better. Mark They're not going to go
anywhere where they want to go.
Speaker 10 (22:39):
In January, great segue again, Jeffrey talking about that Houston
defense was absolutely dominant against the Bills and have been
absolutely dominant all season long, first in yards per game,
had been first in points per game, and then the
Rams just overtook down. But this offense, in order to
beat the better teams, you know, I'm talking about all
these teams as playoff teams and making a playoff run,
this offense will have to get something going. Of course,
(23:01):
Davis Mills filled in admirably for CJ.
Speaker 5 (23:04):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Now CJ.
Speaker 10 (23:05):
Stroud seems to be back, but even before that CJ.
That offense was a little struggling a little bit. And
look the margin of error for that offense. You don't
have to score much, you don't have to do much
the way that defense is playing. So Texas offense, CJ. Stroud,
just get to twenty, you'll probably win the game.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
NFL dot Com Slash first read for Jeffrey CD's look
at units that need to step up across the NFL.
Michael left Florio is going to be joining us later
in the show, and I know he's throwing things when
you were talking about that Bill's run defense. He is
a big Buffalo Bills fan. Appreciate you both. Just clock out.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
You're done for the rest of the night. Stacy Dale's
has not done.
Speaker 6 (23:41):
Stacy Dale's gonna be covering the game in Detroit, as
I believe she has done every year for like the
last fifteen years for NFL Network, and it's a big
one this year. Dale's along to talk about this game
coming up on The Insiders.
Speaker 11 (23:55):
Now.
Speaker 1 (23:55):
Today, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh announced the team is opening
running back Omrio Hampton's practice window. Hampton has not played
since foring an ankle injury back in Week five, but
there he is.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
You'll be the judge.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
They got twenty one days to activate him from injured reserve,
a move that could come sooner than later. Chiefs also
getting a backfield boost this week. Coach Andy Reid said
today Isaiah Pacheco will return from his knee injury on
Thursday against the Cowboys. Had been dealing with an mcl
sprain was close last week. Now Pacheco is ready to rock. Meanwhile,
(24:29):
we got a reunion in Seattle. Veteran safety Quandry Diggs
announced he is rejoining the Seahawks, with whom he played
five seasons and made three Pro Bowls. Nothing that Digs
likes more than breaking his own news on social media.
He is going to start out on the practice squad.
We are headed for Thursday football. It is the John
Medden Thanksgiving celebration. And what a group of games. We
(24:53):
got three games on tabs, start with the Packers Lions,
followed by Chiefs, Cowboys, and wrapping up with the Bengals
and the Ravens. Welcome back to the Insiders presented by
Progressive Insurance Tom Pilisaro. Join now by our friend Stacy Dales,
who has a timeshare in Detroit that she uses for
a couple of nights every year. Right about this time.
It's a good one this year, Stacy. With the Packers
(25:15):
against the Lions. I saw the Packers last week against
the Vikings. That defense is just absolutely buzzing. How do
they go about trying to slow down all the things
Detroit can do offensively.
Speaker 13 (25:27):
Yeah, this is a good partnership right here, Tom, because
they are sizzling defensively. You are absolutely right, by the way,
no two teams have met more on Thanksgiving than these
two foes in the Packers and the Lions. When you
talk about this defense, who would have thought, Tom, we
would be calling them the bread and butter of the
Green Bay Packers.
Speaker 8 (25:46):
They have been sensational.
Speaker 13 (25:47):
In fact, Matt Lafleur after that Vikings victory this past
weekend said, our defensive performance allowed us to play the
way we played, get a lead, get to run the ball.
They ran it forty two times down the throat of
the Vikings to just twenty two passing attempts. They handed
the Vikings a season low in total yards offensively one
forty five. But what's interesting is they also handed the
(26:10):
Detroit Lions back in Week one a season low in
total yards two hundred and forty six total yards of
offense only for Jared goffin company to forty.
Speaker 5 (26:19):
Six rush yards.
Speaker 13 (26:21):
That being said, they are getting ready to face this
Green Bay team, getting ready to face a Lions team
in Detroit that is maybe looking for some revenge I mean,
they know, they understand what's at stake in this game.
We will talk about this division until the very end
because it's that competitive. And the Keys, as I spoke
(26:43):
with Xavier McKinney, one of their star safeties, one of
their star defensive players and one of the star safeties
in the NFL, is just like week one. He said,
we got to be physical, be on our keys, and
have really good eyes in play action. There's no quarterback
that's been better over the last two seasons Tom in
play action situations than golf. And then the guy on
the screen, Jimior Gibbs, he went absolutely off like a
(27:05):
video game this past weekend, a career high two hundred
and nineteen rush yards. Obviously it went to overtime, but
he had two hundred and sixty four yards from scrimmage
Jamior Gibbs did, and so you've got to keep pace
with him. As Xavier McKinney told me, got to slow
this guy down. He's a one cut potential home run hitter.
We got to slow him down.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
On Thursday, it was Emmanuel Wilson running into the end
zone a couple times for the Packers last week, as
Josh Jacobs was not out there against the Vikings.
Speaker 12 (27:36):
I know this.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Jacobs wanted to play on Sunday. He's already said he's
definitely playing on Thursday. We'll see exactly if the Packers
allow him to do that with that thigh contusion and
the bone bruise he's dealing with here. But if he's back,
or even if not, Stacy, can they keep up? Can
the Packers offense keep up with Detroit?
Speaker 13 (27:53):
Yeah, this is the question. Tom Wilson was fantastic by
the way this Lion's team at home, they averaged their
twenty four points per game. Okay, so if you're the
Green Bay Packers since Week nine, they've only mustered in
their last four games about seventeen and a half points
per game. That's since that loss they suffered to Carolina.
Not to mention, over these last three games they've had
(28:14):
just under three hundred yards. They haven't surpassed the three
hundred yard mark of offensively. And at the same token,
I would tell you this Lions group now, Dan Campbell,
they're not underestimating Jordan Love and company by any stretch
of the imagination. Dan Campbell called him dynamic this way
this week. He said the offense starts with him. We
(28:35):
understand Josh Jacobs is likely going to play to your point, Tom,
but I spoke with Derek Barnes, linebacker and his ability.
I know he's been really good in the pocket inside
the pocket this year. In fact, Jared Goff has a
one zero six passer rating inside the pocket. But they
want to fluster excuse me, Jordan Love. He's been outstanding,
(28:56):
but they want to fluster him. They want to make
him think, they want to distort things to fact and
certainly take away Josh Jacobs and all that great contact
balance that he has. Thursday will be a lot of
fun in Detroit.
Speaker 1 (29:10):
Not many days, Stacy, that I get to sleep in.
Thanksgiving is one of those days. One thing is going
to get me out of bed watching you on game
day kickoff before that game in Detroit.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
We'll look forward to seeing you then. For now, Judy, Well,
Stacy just said it.
Speaker 7 (29:22):
We're going to be talking about this division to the
very end because of how competitive is this is the
NFC North standings as they are right now, the Chicago
Bears lead the NFC North Packers Detroit Vikings. Let's bring
back our Brian Balding or Baldi. I wrote about narratives
that maybe we can finally put to bed now that
(29:42):
we're getting into the stretch run of the season. The
first one I want to talk about is about the
Chicago Bears. The Chicago Bears are no mirage. People may
have thought that early in the season. In beating the
Steelers last week, they finally beat a team that has
a winning record. I know they did it with Aaron
Rodgers not playing, but the Bears also were missing six
defensive starters in this game, so pretty good showing by them.
(30:05):
We have seen Caleb Williams blossom before our very eyes.
The idea that the Chicago Bears are going to go
away needs to be put to Ben Baldy.
Speaker 9 (30:15):
Well, Judy, They'll see the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, Black Friday,
and it'll be another good test. But I thought they
outplayed Pittsburgh in that game. I thought they were out
they out coached Pittsburgh. I thought that they continue to
take the ball away in record numbers were twenty four takeaways,
two more interceptions won by Dayshaun Wright was a fantastic
(30:36):
play on his part, But you know they played their
third team middle linebacker and DeMarco Jackson. He had fifteen tackles,
and so I feel like the Bears they started Ousie
Trapilo for his first game at left tackle. No matter
who the Bears put on the field right now, they
are playing at a high level. And that's a result
of good coaching from Ben Johnson. You have to take
(30:57):
him serious.
Speaker 7 (31:00):
Right The next narrative I want to put to bed
here is the fact that the Vikings were correct in
turning over the team to JJ McCarthy immediately. It seems
like that maybe was a bit premature. He has certainly
struggled this season in his first as the starter. He
didn't have a rookie season because of the preseason injury,
But frankly, since he came back from his injury this
(31:22):
year in the middle of the year, he's actually regressed.
He doesn't seem to be seeing the field very well.
He's thrown ten interceptions. Given that this team could have
kept Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones, or even maybe brought
along Aaron Rodgers who is interested in going there, it
seems maybe a little bit early to turn it over
to JJ McCarthy, not saying that he can't be the answer.
(31:43):
After another off season of work. Maybe he is the
long term solution at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, just
not right now, Baldy.
Speaker 9 (31:53):
I agree, Judy, and I don't you know. I mean,
the only way to get better is to play. But
this was a team that won fourteen games around the
quarterback last year. It was a very good team, and
you wouldn't know that right now. The way that they're playing,
JJ does stare down as receivers. He is wildly inaccurate
when he's getting open guys. Jordan Adison right there. They
(32:15):
are suffering because of the quarterback play, not just that
they haven't played great defensively all year like they did
a year ago. So it's not just JJ, but they
needed much better production from that position.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
We should add it.
Speaker 7 (32:28):
He is currently in the concussion protocol, so it may
not be available to play this week, and we'll see
when he returns.
Speaker 6 (32:34):
Wherever the Crown Royal rig goes, generosity follows. Crown has
packed purple bags for our troops, served Crown cocktails to fans,
and welcome NFL legends to their taallgate. And this season,
Crown is saving a seat for the Passenger Princess. They're
MVP of the NFL season. Follow the journey at crownrooyal
dot com slash Royal rig to see who will.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Wear the Crown.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
Bag left over for you boy, I'll take one, Michael
left Florio. It's time to go inside NFL Fantasy Live
with you our guy to tell us every week who
would acclaim on the waiver wire.
Speaker 5 (33:16):
Quarterback?
Speaker 2 (33:17):
And I think it's the same guy we've been talking
about for three weeks.
Speaker 8 (33:19):
Straight, is it not.
Speaker 14 (33:21):
I changed it up last week because I was like,
people should not to pick him.
Speaker 8 (33:24):
People are not listening.
Speaker 14 (33:26):
I don't know what more Jacoby Prissett has to do
for people to add him. Like, like you said, it's
not my first time talking him up. I've talked him
up as much as I possibly can. And all he
has done is gone out and average twenty one fantasy
points per game in his six starts, with.
Speaker 8 (33:40):
Over eighteen in each of them.
Speaker 14 (33:42):
In those six weeks, he has been a top twelve
fantasy quarterback in all of them.
Speaker 8 (33:48):
And on top of it, this week he gets the Bucks,
who are.
Speaker 14 (33:50):
Top five and fantasy points per game a lot of quarterbacks,
and then he has a good fantasy playoff schedule and
he gets the Bengals in championship week, yet he is
available in over sixty percent NFL dot Com leagues. Please
add him this week so I could stop talking about him.
Speaker 6 (34:05):
We don't usually do impressions around here, but I'm gonna
do one. Here's the eleven other teams in my league
right now. Oh, okay, I'm gonna listen. I'm gonna go pick
up Jacobe. Where is he? He's not here? No, that's right,
because this guy listened to Michael le f Florio a
couple of weeks ago and never drafted him, and in fact,
I've been starting him.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
So that's how you win in fantasy football running backs.
Speaker 8 (34:25):
I'm a numb guy, right.
Speaker 14 (34:29):
He has led the Bear Last week he led the
Bears running backs with fifty six percent of the snaps.
He had twelve carries and sixteen routes. This is now
back to back weeks where he has had a dozen
carries and he has been running well, clearly getting.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
More and more involved.
Speaker 8 (34:45):
But this past week was the first time that we
saw him play over DeAndre Swift. He also got the
goal line touchdown there.
Speaker 14 (34:53):
Maybe it's just a one week thing, but I want
him on my roster.
Speaker 8 (34:57):
In case it's not a special if you are a
DeAndre Swift manager, if he is out there, he is
my top ad.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Of the week.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Then how about another impression Christopher Watt. Now I'm not
gonna do wide receiver. Who are we picking up at
the wide receiver position?
Speaker 8 (35:13):
I can't do impressions.
Speaker 14 (35:16):
I can only tell you to go pick up Christian Watson,
who is someone that I've spoke up on this show before.
Look in each of the last three weeks he has
led the packers and snaps and routes.
Speaker 8 (35:26):
That is a trend. He is their new wide receiver one.
Speaker 14 (35:30):
And in that stretch he's been more of a floor play,
which is pretty funny because.
Speaker 8 (35:34):
For most of his career he's been a boom or
bust option.
Speaker 14 (35:37):
He still does have that high ceiling though, and I
think we could see it this week indoors against the Lions,
who've allowed the most yards on deep passes since week eight.
They also play man at a high rate. Jordan Love
has excelled against it. So before he goes off on Thursday.
On Thursday, when you're watching, why not see if he's
out there and if he is Adam and get him
on your fantasy team.
Speaker 6 (35:58):
Yeah, I think I was looking at him a couple
of weeks ago. Yeah, he's been claimed in my league.
I was looking at him the potentially claiming. But you
know what, this roster is so tight right now because
I've been listening to all year long, not a lot
of holes in my roster, so tight end position where
I am set.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
But if you're not, who are we picking up?
Speaker 8 (36:16):
Breton Strange?
Speaker 14 (36:17):
I think is a really good ad right now. He
returned last week and he led the Jags with ninety
three receiving yards and he saw five targets. He's been
sitting around ten fantasy points pretty much every game but
one this season, and there's like four must start tight
ends and a handful of others you could feel good about.
So if you're one of those managers streaming, go get
(36:38):
Breton Strange. And speaking of streaming, there's a good amount
of depth at the tight end position this week. Add
Darren Waller if he is out there. He is a
fantastic playoff schedule, but he has some upside wide receivers.
So yeah, if you're in need, check for all these
names because they might be out there in your league.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Yes they are. I got a couple of claims in
on those guys.
Speaker 6 (36:57):
Plus I'm streaming defenses, So hopefully I make the right
call this week not to get the Giants, because all
those all those eleven people I was talking about that
were going to make waiver claims, they're going to make
waiver claims, and I don't want them to know who
I put claims in for.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Thank you, Michael ef.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
If those three games on Thanksgiving look tasty, check out
what we got for dessert on Friday.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Bears and Eagles, two teams at.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
Eight and three in the mix for the number one
seed in the NFC. Our guy Sam Schwarztein has normally
seen on Thursdays. This time it's going to be on
Black Friday on Prime Vision with the good folks over
there at Prime Sam. A fantastic matchup here, and a
big part of that is because Ben Johnson's arrival has
helped Caleb Williams really evolve in terms of the way
(37:42):
that he's playing football. What are the next gen stats
tell us about what type of evolution we're seeing from
Caleb this season?
Speaker 5 (37:49):
Caleb William's number one overall pick high expectations. Last year,
he had sixty eight SATs more sacks than any other player.
But this year he's evolved. He's given a lot of tools,
and we'll go into that later from Ben Johnson. But
Caleb's reacting to pressure so differently. Last year he had
a twenty six percent pressure to sack errate, one of
the highest of the NFL. Now it's a thirteen percent
(38:10):
pressure to sack rate. When he sees pressure, he makes
up his mind. He's the ability to avoid the pass
rush is huge. Sibility to actually scramble and gain yards
downfield has been massive. But he doesn't have as many
negative plays, and when you watch the film, he should
actually be better because his teammates aren't always making the
plays when they need to. He's able to extend plays
like he does here.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I mean that type of a throw where he's going
to his left throwing it across his body to the
middle of the field. It's a very rare type of tray.
What I'm struck by is how controlled Ben Johnson has
Caleb Williams playing a lot of the time. What types
of tools, as you put in, is Ben Johnson giving
Caleb to help him grow.
Speaker 2 (38:50):
The game the way he is right?
Speaker 5 (38:52):
We can see him do all the crazy we did
in that last clip, but here it's the easy buttons,
their pressure, play action, making everything with the same to
the defense, trying to make them bite on the run.
Think of the easy throws over the middle, which he
where he makes teams pay. So when we use expected
points at it, which is contextualizing yards based on down
Disan's location on field. He is nineteen point two total EPA.
(39:14):
Fifteen point eight of that comes on just play action.
Make them play easy for Caleb. Let his arm do
the talking.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
When I was looking at the Eagles Cowboys game last week,
it's twenty one to nothing. When I get back to
my hotel in Green Bay. By the time I go
to dinner, they're somehow tied. What do the Eagles have
to do to bounce back after letting that type of
lead slip away?
Speaker 5 (39:39):
This team is built not by the coordinators but the
peral manager to focus on game one on one matchups
to then be able to have the shot plays and
always win. And that's what they like to do. On
deep passes. Jalen Hurts has thirty nine point five EPs,
that's third in the NFL. He has only four point
seven total EPA on the season. That means in every
other aspect of his game, he's hurt reading his team's
(40:00):
chances of scoring. And what they do is they throw
the go ball sixty two percent of the time. It's
the second highest rate of a deep throw of full
time starters in the NFL. And the only is a
forty three percent completion percentage when he does it. If
they come down with the deep ball, they got to
some one off Friday.
Speaker 1 (40:17):
Sam Swort singing ketch him on the Black Friday edition
of Prime Video Next Gen Stat's alternate streams. Sam, thank
you very much. We will see you next week. Still
more to come here on the Insiders. And while you wait,
how about over at NFL dot com slash Rookies and
vote for the Pepsi zero Sugar Rookie of the week,
some familiar name, some new ones.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Go vote.
Speaker 6 (40:39):
You think there's a drama inside the Eagles locker room,
how about a Vic Fangio's press conference today?
Speaker 5 (40:44):
We didn't get offentime. What's that? When you're shut up finished,
then they're wasting.
Speaker 6 (40:55):
The hardest press conference is to get a question in,
so sometimes you jump all over the answer to try
to make it happen.
Speaker 8 (41:01):
I can never get HI minute I stopped going.
Speaker 2 (41:04):
Police are on the fistfight for the filly media this time.
We've seen that before.
Hosts And Creators
Judy Battista
Tom Pelissero
Ian Rapaport
Mike Garafolo
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