February 1, 2024 • 50 mins
On today’s episode of The NFL Report: Steve Wyche James Palmer discuss the must-see matchups for Super Bowl LVIII. The NFL Report welcomed former Chiefs OT Mitchell Schwartz to talk about just how unique it is to play alongside Patrick Mahomes and why Head Coach Andy Reid is so equipped to lead a team in the Super Bowl. Brian Baldinger joined the show with his favorite films of the week which includes how Brock Purdy has become the Silent Assassin. Plus, Steve, James & Jeff Chadiha handed out the 2023 awards to all the post-season candidates.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hi, this is Commissioner Roger Goodell, and this is the
NFL Report.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
This is the NFL Report. I'm Steve White with my
guy James Palmer.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
James.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is kind of the lull week before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
But not even on the NFL Report. No, we have
plenty coming up.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
We have gotten Mitchell Schwartz, a former offensive lineman for
the Kansas City Chiefs who played in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
He'll be here.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
We've got our own Brian Balldeer, you know what it is,
Baldy favorite films and Jeff shedeah oh all season long.
He was talking about the MVP week to week, but
we've got.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
All kinds of postseason awards GP.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
I love when we battle it out with Jeff. That's
my favorite thing to do. It usually, you know, somehow
involves Michigan and Ohio State, which is my least favorite part.
And speaking of Michigan and Ohio State on Ohio State
alumni and Nick Moosa had some really interesting words for
brock Perty in the locker room after for the NFC
Championship game. So the fact that.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
All of us, all of us, it's crazy.
Speaker 6 (01:11):
Could you think you feel good?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Event?
Speaker 7 (01:15):
But did you like, how much confidence did you have?
Speaker 6 (01:20):
That was the second hit.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Of the draft nineties lacked confidence.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Part about the game.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
But oh man, you know that was that was Nick
Bosa and Brock party all that.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
It was just incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I mean that sound aired on inside the NFL. Just
just a great sound and JP.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
You know that was right after the game.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Where bosas talking about saying that, Brock, did you know
you're going to be this good?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
How much confidence did you have?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Because I was the second overall pick and I lacked confidence?
And this is game recognizing game. I mean, this is
a QB hunter for sure, going up to the guy
that they're going to be leaning on to win them
a Lombardi Trophy and just a really special moment. Man,
I'm just that video. I was like, we've got to
get that on the show.
Speaker 6 (02:08):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It was something STEVEE. It really was.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It was kind of that fly on the wall that
we're always shooting for, where we can take these moments
and kind of peel back the curtain for fans and
just kind of show the interaction between a guy that.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Probably makes as much money as Nick Bosa does in one.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Game in his season. Right, he is carrying this entire offense.
Steve in brock Purty, he's maybe your MVP for the year.
So let me ask you this question. It's going to
be brock Purty versus Steve Spagnolo. And Steve Spagnolo we
trust one of the best dcs in all of football
and is on a red hot streak right now.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
How do you see that matchup going down?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Well, this is tough because very few quarterbacks have succeeded
against the Spagnolo and all that talent on the Chiefs defense.
I mean, Kansas City is here because of its defense.
But the one thing we've seen that a brock Purty
and I'm going to ask Baldy about this a little
bit later on, is the composure. Right, people are going
to say, always a second your QB. This is the
big moment for him for the first time he stepped
(03:04):
on a field, it was a big moment for him.
He was mister irrelevant and you have seen even taking
from that sound we just played with Nick Bosa, like, man,
this guy doesn't cease to amaze me. Now he is
gonna have some tough times. This defense gets after everybody.
How will he respond? He's had his bad moment he
had that against the Ravens where he got the yips
(03:24):
through all those interceptions, and we haven't seen him perform
like that since, so I think again, if he understands
that they're not gonna score every drive sometimes he's gonna
have to take a sack or a punt and let
their defense do its thing and maybe get him a
shorter field if they can. That's gonna be the big thing.
And this is gonna be a challenge for Rock Party
like no challenge he's faced. But again, I don't think
(03:45):
he's he'll buckle because we've seen in the playoffs, in
these two games how he's responded to adversity JP and
he's gonna have to respond to a lot of it
in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
They he didnim buckling his very first start when he
came in for Jimmy Garoppolo. I think that was against
the Miami Dolphins team that just lets him mercilessly as
soon as he got onto the field, and Kyle Shannan
thought he handled that brilliantly right from the start. I
think it's his mind that obviously we're all focused on.
And remember, I know the the S two test has
been really scrutinized after CJ. Stroud and what happened with
(04:16):
him this year, But his scores were through the roof
rock parties were right up there with Joe Burrow or
Patrick Mahomes. In terms of how he processes information. I
think he's going to need to do that and rely
on that very early. With all the different little Steve
Spagnolo gives you in terms of the pressure he brings you.
What I do want to see is if he starts better.
And that's what the Chiefs have banked on in the
postseason is getting these quarterbacks to maybe make a mistake early.
(04:39):
It's what they wanted to bank on with Lamar Jackson.
Steve that it was his first time in an AFC
title game. Maybe he'll make a mistake early. Maybe he'll
try to do too much early and we can capitalize.
Lamar turned it over three times. I mean, well the
offense for three times. He had two of them. That's
what they're going to look to do to brock Purty early.
Does he get off to a better start than what
we saw in the last couple of postseason games. All right,
(04:59):
let's move this. This went on to another matchup. This
is one of your favorite one, Steve, Lagerious Snead maybe
the best quarter in football versus.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Deebo sam Yo Baby.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
As we know, he shadows the number one wide receiver regularly.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Steve, what do you see here with this matchup?
Speaker 4 (05:13):
I can't see it. I can't see him being able
to do that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's because Kyle Shanahan is not gonna have Deebo plays
as a static receiver. He's gonna move him all over
the field. Remember, Debo plays in the slot. Sometimes he
lines up as a motion running back. Sometimes he lines
up wide. They fake the screens, they do all kinds
of things. Debo is actually going to be a coverage dictator.
Where they line him up and how Sneid plays him
(05:37):
or doesn't play him, is going to tell Brock Purdy,
who said processes hey, check into a run here, check
into a different.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Pass pattern here.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Because of Deebo, he's gonna be used as that chip again.
That's going to determine where Lagerious Need, a great player,
plays or doesn't play. And that's gonna tell Brock Purty
in this offense what to do.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I love it, Steve.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Remember what Lagarious Need has done this entire season and
that has been get physical with wide receivers at the
line of scrimmage. I want to see him get physical
with Deebo Samuel with the line of scrimmage because that's
what LJ kind of hangs his hat on.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
That's gonna be the battle to see. But also I
could see him on Brandon I.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
You have plenty that is a number one type wide
receiver that you could see him lining up against regularly
in this game. It's gonna be fascinating to see how
Steve Spangela dials things up for these entire group of
skill position players that Kyle Shanahan has at his disposal.
How about Travis Kelcey versus these Niners linebackers.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Steve, Yeah, this is this is to me, this is
a huge hedge for Kelsey. Not too much because Fred
Warner and Dre Greenlock can't handle him. But the Niners
dbs are small ever since Talao Hufonga went out of
that season and knee injury, they are smaller defensive backs.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Now they played against big tight ends.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
But I think the coverage is gonna come down to
the linebackers and that's where Kelsey. We've saw it against
the Ravens and a couple other times a route like
this where he took Kyle Hamilton outside to out of
his comfort doing in the middle of the field and
had some favorable matchups. So I think we're going to
see the Chiefs do that. If you see the the
Niners linebackers again, Greenlaw and Warner match up against him.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
I think the formation we're going to keep our eye
on Steve with this is when the Kansas City Chiefs
put three tight ends.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
On the field.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
They've been doing this in the back end of the
season in the postseason. That allows them to do exactly
what you just said. They can put Travis Kelcey out
wider where somebody is not as comfortable usually whether it
is a safety or a linebacker in playing out in space.
Because what happens is if you keep multiple linebackers on
the field, and the Chiefs have told me this, we
are going to throw out of that regularly, and then
(07:42):
these linebackers are going to be in coverage. And then
if you take those linebackers off the field. You mentioned
the size of the guys in the secondary, that's when
you see Isaiah Pacheco and they run the football consistently.
But Fred Warner has been playing out of his mind.
I think he's been absolutely phenomenal, and I think you're
going to talk about him in this show a little
bit further. Let's go with one more Steve, and let's
stick with the linebacker spot and flip it a little bit.
(08:04):
Strike that reverse it, Willy Wonka. How about Christian McCaffrey
versus the linebackers of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
What incredible matgic with Jafe.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
We've been talking for weeks about the speed and the
coverage ability of these Chiefs linebackers, but Christian McCaffrey is
a different monster because he's also physical.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
There's nothing he can't do.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
He's excellent, as we're seeing here in the tight red
zone inside the ten yard line, near the goal line,
getting into the end zone.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
This is a tough matchup.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
I know the Chiefs have the personnel, but they again
they can scheme him into situations where he's one on
one where the speed and physicality gives him the edge.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
I'm very curious to see which linebackers play where and
when for Steve Spendelil, because they believe all of them
can play. We'll see if Willie Gaken return. He's probably
the most athletics sidelined to sideline guy they have in
the middle of the field as well, But all of
these guys can play it. And Drew Tranquell and Nick
Bolton on the field together, they kind of put two
mic linebackers out there calling each side.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Of the defense.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
That is difficult on an offense to figure out what's happening.
So who's on the field and when they're on the
field is going to be a fascinating part for that matchup.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Steve JP.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
They can both run. You killed it so much in
that segment, I'm never going to ask you if you
knew you would be this good. Coming up next, patching
Mahomes and the Chiefs, how do they win?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
What's the secret sauce?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Oh no, We're gonna ask Mitchell Schwartz, who protected Patrick
Mahomes for years.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
When we're back on the NFL Report. It's also a podcast.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
It's time for the Lead Block, presented by T Mobile
for Business. A sport as fast as football deserves America's
fastest five G network, businesses go further with T Mobile
for Business.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
I let's go.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
How about you want to Mahomes to throw against a
four man rush, find us it in your side.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Comes back to the ball. No all day boy, by
job boy. You can do the Chief, you can respect
the Chief.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
It's a chief.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah. Hey, hell here man, he here man, Hell Claire,
love you brother.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Welcome back to the NFL Report.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
Steve White, James Palmer with you here now with Super
Bowl champion former Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz the thorn
Steve in von Miller's side. Vaughn could just never figure
out the way Mitch played. Mitch was brilliant against one
of the best pass rushers we've ever seen. It was awesome,
a matchup to watch repeatedly in that AFC West.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Mitch, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 7 (10:40):
Yeah, thanks for having me. I missed those days playing him,
not the stress that came and playing him.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
But as we get started, I mean just this kind
of this is kind of a tone setter.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
What is Andy Reid?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I mean, both teams are going through it, but this
bye week, this kind of prep week, what are these
players going through?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
What are the coaches going through?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So when they get to Las Vegas or the side
of the Super Bowl, when there's all these other expectations
and demand that the groundwork has pretty much been laid.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
So this is actually a much different you know, quote
unquote buy a week for Andy Reid than his normal
bi weeks. And I think we all know the record
coming out of a buye how good he's been. And
he usually gives guys the full week off, you know,
back when he first started doing it. I don't know
what the CBA allowed. These days, you have to take
at least four consecutive days off in a row. But
he'll basically have you in for a Monday meeting, kind
of go over things and you know, see you next Monday.
(11:30):
Be safe, you know, try to work out a couple
times if you can. This week is the complete opposite.
You know, he has you in and it's basically a
game plan a week now. It's not like the full
schedule of what a typical Monday through Saturday would look like.
But he wants you to get all your kind of
incidental stuff in terms of planning and tickets and hotels,
you know, all that stuff should be done by the
(11:50):
end of today, just kind of get it out of
the way. Then you have to worry about it for
the next week and a half. And then you turn
the page on the hat and come tomorrow. It's almost
like an end season Wednesday Thursday for in terms of
what a game plan would look like. So by Saturday,
the end of Saturday, you've gone through what you normally
would go through in terms of a full game plan
against the opposing team. So you can, you know, take
(12:10):
your travel day on Sunday, get down to Vegas for
the team this year, and then on Monday you can
start up.
Speaker 6 (12:17):
And you're not starting from scratch.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
You know, it's not like a normal bye week where
you're kind of coming in fresh and now you're going
to turn your eyes on what the opponent's going to do.
You're gonna get to the site and you're gonna have
had a full week of preparation already in and so
the game plan obviously changes a little bit, and there's
some tweaks, and you know, we actually didn't like the
way this thing looked last week, and you know, maybe
Pat likes this thing better and Travis is better at
this thing, and you watch a little more film and
(12:40):
you find another tell or another little key and you alternate.
But you're getting to the site and you've got a
full week of practice, and that full understanding of the
team you're going against, and so it's actually a pretty
cool way to do it, you know, a little different
than most of the guys are used to in terms
of what a normal buye is, and so more and
more work than you're used to, but also makes the
week of the super Bowl a lot more easy flowing
(13:03):
and with all the distractions down there, that's what you need.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Mitchell, you've been through a super Bowl week.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Once you get to site with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid,
I'm just thinking of their offensive mind. You mentioned some
tinkering that may happen, but are those two kind of
just is it always going even though.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
There is a game plan?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
And how much changing do you see them kind of
moving around even though everything's in place before they get
there those last several practices.
Speaker 7 (13:30):
It's really a commitment to the game plan and to
making sure that whatever is in is working the way
it's intended, and to make sure that everyone feels good
about the way things go. I think you see it
in the opposite direction. A lot of time, when coaches
get too much time on their hands, they try to
do too much, they watch too much film. Oh, this
thing would be great in this team to this a
couple of years ago. But there's a reason coach has
the record he does coming off of extra time because
(13:52):
he is so good at the initial game plan in
any normal situation. We obviously know he's one of the
best coaches and offensive minds of all time. But you
give him extra time, and it's not like he's trying
to do too much. It just gives him more appreparation
to hone in on those small details and ways he
can exploit the defense. So those guys can't shut it off.
I mean, they are so good at what they do
because their mind is always churning and they're always trying
(14:14):
to look for that edge and watch more film and
all that stuff. But they also have such an incredible
ability to not tinker and to not kind of mess
with the foundation that they build when they do have
the extra time. And so there's a little bit of
a blend of some new stuff, but for the most part,
it's just kind of trusting the initial game plan, trusting
what you've seen on film, and knowing that, hey, we've
now precticed for two weeks, so we're even more prepared.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You know, I'm so glad you said that because we
have seen it's the paralysis by over analysis because of
the additional time.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I want to go to something. You looked at the
offensive line. We saw during the season.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
You know, they had the penalties, they had issues in
pass pro.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
But over the past month, with the commitment to the run.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
They really have seemed to kind of come together and
you don't see those mistakes that you saw. Do you
attribute that to maybe them running the ball more? I mean,
Andy Reid has committed to the run in the playoffs. Well,
they've got fifty six runs the past two games. Do
you think that has helped this offensive line come together.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
It's a great point because I think the biggest difference
in watching this team over the past month from that
Raiders game is the offensive line and how well they're
playing and how physical they're playing up front. And there's
a little bit of a give and take in terms
of the run game. You know, coach is going to
call his runs. Obviously he's historically been a pass heavy
guy compared to some others, but he likes to call
his runs. He likes to challenge the old line. He
(15:31):
gets into critical situations and he'll put it on the
offensive lines back but the on line has to succeed,
and you have to make coach want to keep calling runs.
You know, if you start the game plan and you're saying, hey,
we're going to run, you know six out of the
first eight plays, we're going to establish our physicality.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
We're going to put it on him.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
With those six runs only get you you know, eight, nine, ten,
twelve yards, He's not going to keep calling it. You know,
he's he's not a dumb guy. He's going to go
with what's working. And so it works both ways. I'm
sure he challenged the offensive line, Hey, we need to
step up our game. We need to get back to
being as physical as we know how to be, especially
come playoff football, because you know most of the playoffs
are going to be one in the offensive defensive lines.
(16:07):
And then the O line has taken that challenge on
themselves and they've shown that coach should keep calling runs
and we're going to have success doing it and we're
going to be able to establish the game that way.
And as you mentioned, you know, we haven't really seen
the false starts. We haven't seen the procedural penalties. There's
been a couple, you know, physical penalties, the holding stuff.
I mean the second one last week on Treot argues
a pretty poor call even though I know what the
(16:28):
official is seeing on the screen. But this team, yeah,
this team is now also. This is how they're different.
They're good enough to overcome a mistake. They're good enough
to overcome a couple of mistakes where earlier in the season,
you know, you had a fumble and a holding call
and that ruins two drives and the team wasn't good
enough to overcome that and still won the game. But
at this point, the team is good enough to do that.
(16:49):
And that has been a really fun aspect to watch
as well.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Mitchell, you were day in day out with Patrick Mahomes
for several years putting up numbers that were just blowing
our minds. This afence was high flying and it was
going deep and it was unbelievable to watch. But last week,
Travis Kelcey said, right now, with everything that this offense
has been through, is the best he's ever seen Patrick
Mahomes play right now, even though the numbers aren't what
(17:15):
you played with being as close to studying this team
as you are, Mitch, like, is pat at a different
level right now with everything that he's kind of found
a way to overcome take us inside the day to
day with him in terms of how he finds ways
to win.
Speaker 7 (17:33):
I think so, And this is honestly a point I've
made over the past few years, is these quarterbacks keep
improving mentally, and you know, you can kind of keep improving,
not maybe not linearly, but as a quarterback, you just
keep banking experience and experience and experience, and you get
to a point where you can watch all the film
that you typically do, but there's just like a feeling
in your body that I might not have seen this,
(17:55):
but you know, a few years ago, this team got
me on this thing, and I just know how to
react in the moment. And when Pat was lighting up
the league's first few years, he didn't have all that experience.
You know, we talk about these kind of older quarterbacks
to become so quick with their decision making, you know,
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Well, we talk about
that once they get into their thirties, and Pat still
in his late twenties. So it's going to keep improving mentally.
(18:16):
And so that's what Travis is talking about. That mental
game has continued to improve and I would argue that
the physical game the rest of the offense. You know,
I wouldn't say regress, but it's different than it used
to be, and maybe not quite as easy as it
used to be, and guys aren't quite as open, and
they're not as much space created, and defenses know how
to defend this particular offense a little bit better. So
he's able to blend the mental aspect of six years
(18:39):
of playing football now and six AFC championship games for
Super Bowls with all the physical traits. And there have
been a couple of rough times, you know, a few
years ago the start of the season and you know,
kind of the too high shell look and the Chiefs
you know, solving it quote unquote, and he had to
change his game a little bit in that perspective. This year,
you know, some rough patches with the receiver room, with
(18:59):
the offensive line room, with really the entire offense not
being on the same page, and you know, guys taking turns,
making mistakes. He's had to overcome that as well, and
so he's able to take you know, for him, what
looks like a bad stretch is still really MVP level football.
And combine that with his other worldly mental capabilities, and
so I do think this is the best version of
(19:21):
him because he's got the most experienced he has. You know, physically,
guys are typically in their prime at the age that
he is, he's probably as healthy as he's ever been.
In the playoffs, and we've seen this over three weeks,
he's been I'm not gonna say flawless, but he's been
pretty close to flawless, especially from a physical perspective when
you look at where he's putting the ball and how
he's kind of thrown guys open in case in pointing
at first touch An the Travis, and.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Then you talk about the experience. I mean, the last question,
we only have about ninety seconds.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But Pat said after that game he doesn't have to
do certain things because he knows he has the defense
to bail him out. This is a defensive team. The
Chiefs are here because of their defense. What about what
you see from Chris Jones and some of the those
guys at all three levels that gives you, I don't know,
faith that they can stop this forty nine ers offense
(20:06):
and get another Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (20:08):
I think the physicality that they're playing with on all
three levels, you know, typically a defense has a strong
suit and maybe it's a defensive line. You know, when
we've faced San Francisco the first time five years ago, now,
it was their defensive line. You know, their secondary was awesome,
but the defensive line was the calling card. Well, with
the Chiefs, you know, they're able to do that on
all three levels. They do have a great d line
in Chris Drone's leading that, you know Bolton, the way
(20:29):
Drew Trankle's playing, you know William assuming he's going to play.
And on the back end at this point, you know
Sneed and McDuffie and Justin Reid and those guys have
started to get the recognition they deserve and their ability
to play that position that you know typically doesn't necessarily
come with physicality, but play it in a certain way
that makes guys not necessarily want to, you know, try
to run them over every single time and play it
(20:51):
in a way that receivers are going to get tired of.
I think it's just really special and so they're able
to blend Spags's really cool scheme with their ability and
their physicality. And it's all coalesced in too. You know,
an awesome league leading defense.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Great match, real quick, thirty seconds.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Your thoughts on Trent Williams, the left tackle for the
San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Forty nine ers.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Yeah, I mean, stud he's he does things different than
everybody else because he can, because he's that good. He's
six five, three thirty and he ran a four eight
and he's like thirty six years old now and probably
only you know runs a four to nine. He probably
got win a one tenth of a second slower. It's
just it's awesome watching him.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
It sucks that our guys have to go against him
and have to root against him this week, but it's
as an offensive line guy, it's so fun watching people
at his level, to combine the skill, the athleticism, the
mental capabilities, and just like the pure brute force that
he plays with.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Awesome, Awesome, Mitchie, you when you played, You're one of
my favorite people to go to that corner that Chiefs
locker room and I would just learn so much when
you and I would go and talk. And I appreciate
you coming on the show and joining us. Hopefully we
see in Vegas. I don't know, Mitch, what do you
think we'll see?
Speaker 7 (21:58):
You know, still debating going down there and it's going
to be quite a few people. And usually that's not
necessarily my bete you, but it's going to be a
fun weekend.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I see you down there.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
That's a wrap for the lead block presented by T
Mobile for Business. A sport as fast as football deserves
America's fastest five G network. Businesses go further with T
Mobile for Business. Coming up on the NFL Report. Brock
Purty is he featured in Baldi's Favorite Films?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
You better believe it.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
But what part of his game did Baldy love in
the NFC Championship Game.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Stay tuned to the NFL Report and find out.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
You're listening to the NFL Report podcast.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
But you can watch me, Steve Weich and my co
host James Palmer on the NFL Report at seven fifteen
Eastern Time on Mondays and Thursdays on the NFL App
and free streaming platforms on the NFL Channel on Roku,
twov Peacock, Pluto TV.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
And other free streaming apps.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Welcome into Baldy's Favorite Films this week Baldy's Favorite Films
of the week, the Championship Week. Steve Baldy is here
with us once again. I have my popcorn and Baldy.
Let's start at the AFC Championship game play him that
we were both at in the linebacker position for the
Kansas City Chiefs. They put four guys in there, and
(23:24):
I remember having a conversation with their linebackers coach Brendan
Daly pregame where he said, all four guys really can
call this defense, can run this defense. There's no drop
off if Nick Bolton has to leave the field.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
It is a really deep group.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
And the Drew Trankwell signing might be one of the
biggest small signings we saw in the NFL this year.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
I agree, I agree, James. And so they came out
and they played big linebackers, you know, they played Leo Chanel,
Nick Bolton, Drew Tranquill, and they just they crashed the
Ravens party in the run game and they just were
not gonna let them shake loose. Now, Baltimore didn't stay
with it very long, but it was a big part
of this pact his game plan. And Drew Trankle like,
you know, he led the team in tackles, eight solo tackles.
(24:09):
He shadowed Lamar, he chased Lamar when Lamar caught the
pass that he threw, Lamar scores a touchdown if Drew
Trankle doesn't dive and tackle those feet of his before
he got going. I mean, it's kind of one of
the hidden plays in the game. His effort hustled because
originally he was rushing the passer and then he circled
back and then once he saw what Lamar was doing,
(24:32):
like he was the last one to be able to
get to Lamar on that play.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, there was a whole lot of green in front
of Lamar.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Isn't it crazy how Tranquill had such a productive season
with the Chargers and they just kind of let him
go out there.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
And the Chiefs were like, thank you because we know
what he did to us. Okay, Baldy here but here
here go go ahead, JP.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
They were surprised, Steve. The Chiefs were very surprised that
they were able to get Drew Tranquill. I mean they
were thrown away and jumped at the opportunity out.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
I'm sure they were.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Here.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Still the Charger's best linebacker, he's still the best linebacker.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Okay, so Baldy, but going into the Super Bowl, I
mean that before you know, before the game, you know
they lost Derek Noddy, you.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Know, he wasn't scheduled to play. He had the triceps
injury suffered against the Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
But then they lose Charles and many who who has
been crushing it for the past few weeks against and
then you know, now they're getting ready to play his
former team, the Niners, where he stood out big time
in the postseason last year. That is a significant blow,
especially since the men and who would have been going
up against Trent Williams in this game, no.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Question about it. In fact, I did a little video
on Charles. He hit me up after I did it.
I felt bad because you're right, I mean, he was
a former forty nine er. I thought. I talked to
JJ Watt about it before the game, James, when I
saw him down the field, and you know, I thought
when he went to San Francisco, I thought, Charles really
took a step up with Caseric coaching him. And then
he hit free agency and Kansas City said we want
(26:01):
this guy. He's an improving player right now, a Stockings
on the rise, and he's been a situational pass rusher
for him all year. He gets the ball out Lamar's hands,
I think he got hurt on that play, and now
after a really good postseason with the forty nine ers
a year ago, he's not going to be able to
play in this game. He's going to have to watch it.
It's just one of those unfortunate things because I thought
(26:24):
he played his best football in both San Francisco and
then this year in Kansas City. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
I was talking to him in the locker in Baldi.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
He was very optimistic, hoping that this wasn't going to
be major because he was like after those games in
the beginning of the season he missed with the suspension,
he was like, I'm just now figuring out what Spags
wants to do with me, and I'm being able to
really click. And it's been a sax City down the stretch.
But now they're playing without him and maybe a little
bit less getting after brock Purdy, maybe more falls on
(26:51):
your corners. And I had a conversation with Spags after
the game. He said, I don't think you can play
in this league without great corners anymore. I just really
don't think you can. And they have a duo and
Trent mcduffee and l J. Snead that are just maybe
the best duo in football. But it's not just the
two of them that stood out to you in that
AFC title game.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
No, it was Jala Watson, it was Joshua Williams. It
was all of them, all four of them, justin Reid
at certain times. I mean, they used them to blitz
quite a bit, but you know, they basically were on
an island against Odell Beckham and Jay Flowers and Rashad
Bateman and Nelson Aguilar, and they took shots to all
those guys down the field. Lamar did, and they defended
(27:30):
every one of those deep shots outside of one where
there was a little bit of a breakdown. But you
know they've got length. They challenged the receivers they have
all year. If they have to play on the island.
They seem like they're just fine with the James. We
saw them all warming up before the game. Spags doesn't
like this at all, but they all have that T
shirt on and we trust. I hit Spags up, I
(27:53):
need one of those T shirts, Spags and he goes,
I hate those shirts. I want to get rid of
them because you know, it brings attention to them. But
the players feel about them, you know, because honestly, you know,
even going back to last year guys, I mean, for
those guys are just mentioned. I mean, there are rookies
a year ago. They're all on the field, and you go,
how many coaches could get four rookies in the secondary?
(28:14):
We have to speed, you know, in a rookie season
and play in a super Bowl and play well in
a Super Bowl. I mean, those guys are all like,
you know, like they're all in the front row. They're
all you know, they must all be taking notes because
they don't break down on the back end. They're very,
very sound at what they do, and so as much
as they do, which is a lot, they don't break down.
(28:35):
And that's a great testimony to Spags's teaching and Baldi.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
They're great open field tacklers, which is a lost skill
with some teams in today's game. And that's going to
be crucial because we know the catch and run ability
of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk and George Kittle and
guys like that. But let's take it to the forty
nine ers, because you notice something on film about the
interior of their defense. Remember I was texting you during
the game, like the line's offensive line is putting on
(29:02):
a beatdown clinic. What did you see that that kind
of got your attention about the interior play.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
Of their defensive front. That's got to get better.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
Well, I mean, first of all, they didn't get off
block Steve, Okay, so you're not you're not beating blocks.
You got to play fast, you got to defeat blocks.
And I thought they were catching blocks and not defeating him.
That that comes down to a couple basic things. You know,
It's it's playing with low pad level, it's stacking and shedding.
Like I didn't think they were good at it. And
then like I and you could say any name at
(29:34):
defensive tackle, whether it was kin Law or Hargrave or
Armstead or Gibbons, I didn't think anyone played well in
the first half. I didn't think they were getting off
blocks they don't think I thought they were on the
ground too much. Uh, And I didn't think Chase played
particularly well either, So I think they all have a room.
And then the other part, though not because they were playing,
they didn't have good run fits either. I mean, Fred
(29:56):
Warner's going this way, Orin Burks is going this way,
and there's David Montgomery going you know, right down the
one to oh one freeway for fifteen yards. So I
thought the run fits have to get a lot better
before Super Bowl Sunday, because Isaiah Pacheco has proven and
the interior of that Knessee Chiefs offensive line with Creed
(30:16):
Humphrey and Trey Smith and Allegretti, we've seen that they're
not afraid to go pound the ball in the belly
of any defense. And so I would use last week's
championship game as a training ground to saying this is
not how we're playing Super Bowl Sunday, Baldy.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
With that said, we were all curious with Nick Allegretti.
You brought him up, he fills in for Joe Tooney,
the All Pro at left guard.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
I think we were all wondering how that.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Was going to hold up in this AFC title game,
and now we're curious how that goes into the Super Bowl.
You know you're gonna get max effort from Nick Allighretty.
You know you're gonna get unreal effort from him. What
did you see from his performance though, because he's probably
gonna have to do it again.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
I didn't see a drop off. I did not see
a drop off. They still ran the same power play
were they're pulling him like they would Touney up into
the line of scrimmage. The combo blocks with Donovan Smith
were solid. I thought his past protection inside against some
massive people you know, uh that they have for Baltimore,
I thought he was solid. And really sometimes you see
(31:18):
a real drop off when you go from the starter
to the backup. Because Dick can fill in a tackle,
he can fill in a guard. I thought his play
was that of a starting quality, and that's a that's
a credit to what they're doing in Kansas City that
where there was not a drop off and left guard.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Paulli listen to these quarterbacks for a little bit because
I do think there is a shared quality in both
of them. And I don't think it's talked about enough
with the real MVP Brock Purty as much as we
talk about it with Patrick Mahomes. And that's that's the
killer that they have got, that killer gene.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
And you saw with Purdy.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Last year, like he is a finisher and we know Patrick,
I mean, showing it more this year than I think
we've ever seen it. Let's start with Mahomes and just
about what you see in his eyes like, you know,
that finish m type of mentality.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
So me and James are down the field, Chiefs are
warming up. Steve, you could take any gain that the
Chiefs play. Their routine is exactly the same. It doesn't
matter if it's you know, if it's a misty rain
in Baltimore in thirty five degrees or thirty five below
zero in Kansas City. Mahomes comes out in his warm ups,
you know, three hours for kickoff. He sets on the bench,
he talks to the trainers, equipment guys. He's got his routine.
(32:34):
About an hour and a half before kickoff, he just
starts throwing passes. It's just bald toss, honestly. And you
know then they're all running the route tree. They're running
every route. In fact, the route that Kelsey scored on
the little wheel, the out and up against Hamilton. They
ran that route in pregame warm up five or six times,
and they do it every game. And my point, Steve
is like, there's just this relaxed feel about how Mahomes throws.
(32:57):
It's nothing new. It's exactly the way he throws the
ball in pregame warm up, and probably how he doesn't
practice all week. It's a relaxed feel. He puts the
ball right where he's got to put it. He's deadly accurate,
and he doesn't have to think about it. It's just
from it, just you know, it's it's it. The mother
of invention is just repetition, right, So that's what they do.
(33:18):
They just rep these plays out over and over again,
and when he gets to the game, it's just what
they did in pre game. Morma. He's a silent assassin,
James like this guy has. And the similarity Steven James
took to your question is they both play with no fear.
And we all see Mahomes go through stretches in his
career where he throws interceptions and maybe they lose the game,
(33:40):
maybe they come back and win it. But you know,
and we've seen perty go through little stretches where the
ball is, you know, being caught by the other team.
It never affects him. They come back even stronger the
next series and they they flush it. It doesn't stay
with them. And then those throws in the middle of
the field that San Francisco loves. It reminds me of
(34:02):
Kurt Warner and the Greatest Show on turf to those receivers,
those dig routes in the millfield. A lot of quarterbacks
don't want to make those throws because those throws can
get tipped, those throws can be intercepted. Those throws are
into the you know, the jaws of the den of
the lion. He loves those throws and he layers them
as well as any quarterback in this sleep. And that
(34:23):
throw that he made early to third quarter to the
debo across the middle, right in the teeth of that
lion zone, like he bought that fifth step, he hitched
and he just let that thing fly with not one
ounce of fear that he was putting that ball right
on a tee to tebow and it was He's just
running with it full speed on the catch it. It's
just he's a silent assassin, Like I can't wait for
(34:46):
the matchup, all.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Right, Baldi, Hey man, we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
We are going to have you back on next week
before we get ready to rock and roll have fun
a Las Vegas. We will to enjoy the bye week
while you'll be doing the senior ball.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
We always appree siate you. Yeah, Webaldi, thanksgiving man, appreciate your.
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Brother okay, ye see out in Las Vegas, guys, take.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Care lines running back to mere Gambs is no longer
in the playoffs, but he was dealing Jeff Shedea, oh
and James and I are going to be handing out
the postseason hardware. This gives get some stay tuned for
the NFL report.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
The statement has been made for the MVP of the
National Football League.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
P say it with me.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Lamar has certainly set himself up to win the MVP.
Rusted up, what a throw?
Speaker 6 (35:36):
And what again? Hold up? Put on the guard?
Speaker 4 (35:39):
See see me blowing it up?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
God talent up beat has been released.
Speaker 8 (35:45):
Rock Party, mister relevant and Purdy, that is what you
call an explosive offense.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
Cut down Lamar.
Speaker 4 (35:58):
Well, this guy right here could win.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Then all right, Dave, Now we're doing by Jeff today,
and gentlemen, we saw that montage of great efforts. In
a week from today at NFL Honors, we're gonna find
out who the regular season MVPs are and Jeff all
week long. In your first recolumn, you would chronicle them,
change them, listen to us about Rock Party sometimes. But
(36:22):
let's kind of touch on, let's kind of hit on
our post season award winners, and let's.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
Start out with this.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
We're gonna go right to the MVP, and most people
think it will be Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, but Jeff
who has been the postseason MVP.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
For me, I'm going with Travis Kelce and I know
tight ends off and get this kind of love. I
can't think of Titan ever being in the MVP of anything,
but you look at the numbers he's put up. He's
found the fountain of youth. He had one touchdown catch
in his last nine games. He had eighty eight receiving
yards in his last three games in the regular season.
But he has been the main stay of the Chiefs
offense throughout the postseason. The way he played against the
(37:03):
Ravens top ranked defense, touchdown out of the gate in
the first drive. He's driving the bust again for the
Kannasey Chiefs offense, and that's a big deal for this team.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
I'm sticking to the rules of the Mvpjef, which means
it's a quarterback award.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
I'm going to go to Rock Party.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
As the MVP of the postseason because the Niners are
not in the Super Bowl without Steve's guy Rock Party.
And it's not because he's done what we've seen him
do in the past. It's because we saw the improvisational skills.
We saw the legs he was ad living, breaking tackles,
making plays, creating things that we really haven't seen too
much of Rock Party. You look at the two games
against the Packers and the Lions. They were outgained rushing
(37:41):
the football dramatically, really, especially against the Packers, and then
outgained running the football against the Lions Steve, and they
end up having to put this game on brock Party's
shoulders both times coming from behind. Purty, I know you
love it. That's my MVP of the postseason.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
So I do love it. I love that guy. But
I'm not going to be long here because.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Mine, to Mike Drop, the MVP of the postseason has
been Chiefs cornerback Lagurious Sneed.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
He has shut down, shut.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Down, He has been the best player on the field
no matter who they've played. Hey, anybody here in Posy
wide receiver get down didn't think so might Drop the
MVP of the postseason Lagerious Need.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
Okay, Okay.
Speaker 5 (38:22):
Also, Matthew Stafford only played one game, and I thought
Matthew Stafford maybe had the best quarterback performance of the postseason.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
He was phenomenal in that loss to the Lions.
Speaker 5 (38:30):
All right, let's go to coordinator of the postseason, Jeff
best performance by a coordinator in the postseason so far
as who Well, I'm following.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Up with that Chiefs reference with the guy who calls
the plays for the Chiefs on defense, Steve Spagnolo. And
he has been white hot in the postseason. Yes, look again,
how he this coombobulated Lamar Jackson in that Ravens game.
Looked at what he had set up for Josh Allen.
Obviously the two attack of a low thing was affected
by the weather.
Speaker 6 (38:58):
But again to think in.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
That contest these Spike Nola has been outside of might
be Donald, the best coordinator in football this entire year.
And he's showing it again why he's getting it done
with great players but also great schemes.
Speaker 6 (39:10):
Steve.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Really, it's really hard to go against bags, but I'm
going to go against bags because I think Ben Johnson.
I think Ben Johnson for the Detroit Lions has been
the best coordinator. Look at this, they played three games
eighty six points. Okay, so let's go to only two
games sixty two points, okay, and then had had some
of the receivers held on to some of those third
and fourth down opportunities that they went, they might have
had more. I think what Ben Johnson has done, and
(39:32):
salute to him for staying to your hometown Lions, Jeff,
I think he has been just as exceptional Steve Spagnola.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I'm gonna go with a little outside of the box here.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
You know that forty nine ers have an offensive coordinator,
so I'm gonna say Kyle Shanahan is my pick, even
though he's the head coach.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
There's no oc there, Francisco.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
Wait, let's talk about another guy. Just like his quarterback
has gotten over the hump, Steve. Late in games, Kyle
Shannan has been very methodical, playing these games out, not
panicking in the second half. Everybody's been evaluating his coaching
and evaluating his gameplay in the second half of these games.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
He's been very.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
Patient, sticking with the run, finding ways to come from behind.
Kyle Shanahan the head coach and offensive coordinator for the
forty nine ers. All right, most of us believe that
Texans quarterback c. J.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Strout will be the offensive Rookie of the Year, But
Jeff who is the post season offensive two rookie of
the Year.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Well, I'm going to the Lions for this one because
Stroud didn't do anything. It is one playoff game. Jamiir
Gibbs not on fire, and even in that loss in
San Francionsco. He was still doing incredible stuff. And I
think about that running head against Tampa Bay where he
just broke in the secondary and caught Antoine Winfield flatflat
and just took off.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
Right past him.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Everybody was talking about how Brad Holmes was crazy the
Lions deneral manager for acting of running back twelfth overall.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Guess what it was the right choice.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
I'm going with Rashi Rice with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He has more receiving yards, reception and receiving touchdowns then
the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers in
the postseason combined.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
And if he has.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Eight catches in the Super Bowl, that would be his
third game with eight catches this postseason. That would put
him in the likes. So let's see Julian Edelman, Travis Kelce,
and Cooper Cup.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
That's it.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
He has carried this passing game outside of Travis Kelce
for Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I love it, Jeff, I'm going to the lines. But
now Jamiir Gibbs, I'm going to Sam Laporta. He comes
back from the knee injury. The tight end has twenty
one postseason catches. Again, let's take it down to the
final two eighteen catches for one hundred and sixty yards
and the divisional and conference championship. The rookie tight end again,
coming back from that knee injury, showed up and showed
(41:44):
out in the two biggest games.
Speaker 5 (41:47):
All right, let's go with defensive player of the year.
During the regular season, all three of us are saying
it is TJ. Watt the defensive player of the year
this season. So let's go, Jeff to the defensive player
of the postseason is who?
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Well, I guess this is my mic drop because I'm
going to go back to Steve's MVP, Jerius Snea.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Pick it up and drop it again.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
Drop it again, because Lajerius sneak.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
What Steve said. Everything Steve said is right. He made
Stefan Digg disappear. You know, he was obviously giving you
a flowers. Some issues in that game to the point
where the Flowers got a huge taunting penalty in the
in the fourth quarter of the contest, and you talk
about what he did against uh the press jam he
had on to Tyreek Hill went viral. When this is
the guy you probably should have been an All Pro
(42:31):
or a Pro bowler and he's showing it.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
Why in the postseason, absolutely, I would say lagerious need.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
But if he gave him the big trophy of the MVP,
I have to go to Niners linebacker Fred Warner. Now,
he did not have a great first half against Detroit,
but the way he settled in in the second half
and dominated and dominated against the Packers in the divisional round,
I have to go Fred Warner. And I think he's
going to be an X factor in the Super Bowl
as well.
Speaker 5 (42:56):
I'm gonna stick with the Chiefs defense, just like Jeff did,
but I'm not going Jerry Steen. I'm going with the
guy who runs that defense, Nick Bolton, in the middle
of that group. I had a chance to talk to
Steve Spendel in the locker room after that championship game,
and he told me he really is the one that
makes all of this go. There's very few times he
comes to the sideline and him and I talk it out.
He has ideas that I don't go. N Actually it's
(43:18):
very smart. We should run that, and we end up
running it, he said. The only other player mentally, Jeff,
that is on par with Nick Bolton he's had in
the past Antonio Pierce, he told me, and he is
a head coach right now in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
High praise from spags for Nick Bolton.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
All right, go to the offensive player of the year, James,
and I think it's going to be Tyreek Hill when
the award is handed out next week. Jeff, you think
it's Christian McCaffrey. Who is your season offensive player.
Speaker 6 (43:44):
Of the year.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It's McCaffrey again. And look, it's like we talked about
what Black perry in the most games in the second half,
but they were leading on Christian McCaffrey a lot in
those games as well.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
And he's shown up.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
I mean, he's got over ninety yards rushking both contests,
score touchdown in both contests. But really he's the engine
that makes things things go and makes things easier for
Brock Party and Kyle Shanahan. Having that kind of a
chess piece that can run and catch and do all
these things from different places.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
It's he is the guy hands.
Speaker 5 (44:12):
Down, although quick because I have Christian McCaffrey as well.
When it's almost a guarantee that you will have two
touchdowns a game in the postseason, I think you're playing
pretty well.
Speaker 6 (44:22):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Yeah, Look, because he didn't get the MVP Trophy because
I did give it to Lagarious Sneed. Patrick Mahomes is
my offensive player of the postseason. We've seen that killer
come back out. He's been absolutely just dynamic. He's been
Patrick Mahomes in this offensive role. So got to get
to number fifteen. Tis he didn't get the MVP.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
I like it.
Speaker 5 (44:43):
How about sweetest play of the postseason, Jeff?
Speaker 3 (44:47):
What was the just the one that just gotcha?
Speaker 1 (44:51):
Lagarious Need forced fumbles eight flowers to go line.
Speaker 6 (44:54):
It changes the entire game. Ravens scored that truch down.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
It's a conferent contest, so there's been other great plays,
but that was the one that had the biggest biggest
impact on what the postseason is right now?
Speaker 4 (45:05):
All right, yeah, thanks so much, man.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
We got to wrap it up. That was fun again.
A week from now. In NFL Honors, we will see
who gets the real awards. But ours here at the end,
the real awards, right, we are the real ones, just
like brock perty is the real MVP. When we come
back on the NFL Report, some coaching changes, Mike McDonald,
Dan Quinn JP, and I will discuss on the NFL Report.
Speaker 5 (45:35):
Hey, it's James Palmer and you're listening to the NFL
Report podcast along with myself and Steve Weisch. But remember,
if you want to see our beautiful faces, this is
a show at seven fifteen Monday and Thursday at seven
fifteen pm Eastern, and we are on the NFL app
as well as fast streaming platforms. That's two B, that's Roku,
(45:55):
that's Pluto, that's Peacock, all of those platforms as well
as the NFL Slash, NFL Channel.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
Find us all of those spots.
Speaker 5 (46:08):
Welcome back to the NFL Report, James Palmer, Steve which
with you once again and Steve. As we finished this out,
there are the last two head coach openings have been filled.
Mike McDonald is the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks,
and you have Dan Quinn DQ heading to our nation's
capital to run the ship with the commanders. You have
an interesting inside look at both of these. What's one
(46:29):
thing that stands out with you with both hires.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
Well, first off, we've got some defensive coaches, more defensive
coaches getting head coaching jobs, probby more than we've seen
in the past few cycles.
Speaker 4 (46:38):
Let's go to Washington first with Dan Quinn.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
Now, everyone including us, thought that Ben Johnson from the
Lions would be the guy he opts to say in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (46:47):
So Dan Quinn, he is a culture builder.
Speaker 2 (46:50):
You talk to anybody with the Cowboys, he is the
reason why so many players love being.
Speaker 4 (46:55):
On that team.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
That's what they need with new ownership and a team
in transition. They got the number two pick to get
a quarterback and cap space to get some edge rushers
for the two that they let go. Now, let's go
to Mike McDonald in Seattle. And this is interesting because
we know the Ravens defensive coordinator. He was a hot candidate.
But who are the teams that really did numbers on people?
The Shanahan and McVeigh tree. Oh, but not on McDonald
(47:20):
has he I guess coaches with that Shanahan, McVeagh Tree,
and that Sean McVay, Brandon Staley, Zach Taylor, Robert Sala,
Mike McDaniel.
Speaker 4 (47:29):
You know Matt Lafleur.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
He has a nine and three record. So, mose are
the teams that are leading the NFC West. Well, now
you're bringing the Shanahan McVeigh tree Lumberjack JP into the division.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
This will be good, but you know they got to
get a quarterback too.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 5 (47:49):
I'm gonna talk about two guys here that didn't land
a head coaching job, and maybe they're gonna be two
of the hottest guys coming in in the twenty twenty
five cycle. And that's gonna be Ben Johnson, who pulled
his name out for the second year in terms of
not being available. He got a big raise and he's
you know when he did it last year, Steve, and
then he does it again this season. I don't think
he takes a step back by any stretch. They had
(48:10):
such a young offense, so many rookies contributed and they're
going to be a year older and they may even
be more dynamic as an offense. But what's fascinating with
this is you don't stay the hot guy. It's an
interesting take as we look at Ben Johnson what I
just said, but you don't stay the hot candidates forever,
and how long is he going to wait? Sometimes these
things don't last as long as you think as being
(48:32):
the guy everybody desires to be their next head coach.
And the other one is Bobby Slowick, who's going back
to Houston. He's almost doing everything that we saw Ben
Johnson do a year ago.
Speaker 6 (48:41):
Steve.
Speaker 5 (48:41):
He gets a massive raise, to my understanding, to remain
the offensive coordinator for rookie phenom CJ.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
Stroud.
Speaker 5 (48:47):
And now Stroud doesn't have to go through some things
that we've seen guys like Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields
or Jalen Hurts go through, which is a new play
caller and offensive coordinator in their second season.
Speaker 3 (48:58):
He gets to remain there with CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 5 (49:01):
This not only benefits I think Slowick as he's a
younger guy, this was his first dip in the water
in terms of these interviews, but also benefits the Houston
Texans and their star quarterback c J.
Speaker 3 (49:11):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
Yeah, those are great points because you talk to people
who were in the interview process. Some Almos said Slowak
was probably a year out, but we'll see he's got
all that talent. And then Ben Johnson, like you said,
we've seen many coaches in the past. You know, I'm
not going to go to certain situations and next thing,
you know, we never hear from them again because they're
not the hot guy coming up.
Speaker 4 (49:31):
JP. We do not have a hot guy.
Speaker 2 (49:33):
We do not have an NFL report on Monday, boohoo, boohoo,
but we will have a special one from Las Vegas
at the Super Bowl. Now, I remember we typically are
on Mondays and Thursdays at seven to fifteen pm on
Roku Tube the NFL at Peacock, Pluto, you name it.
We're also a podcast JP. Hey, JP, you got the
(49:54):
great assignment. You get to watch the Chiefs plane land right.
Speaker 6 (49:56):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
I'll be at the airport just kind of stalking everybody out.
But those two sharp dressed men that are gonna be
walking the strip in Vegas next week, we got.
Speaker 3 (50:03):
A monster show for you from Vegas. I watch it,
listen to it, all of it.
Hi, this is Commissioner Roger Goodell, and this is the
NFL Report.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
This is the NFL Report. I'm Steve White with my
guy James Palmer.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
James.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is kind of the lull week before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
But not even on the NFL Report. No, we have
plenty coming up.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
We have gotten Mitchell Schwartz, a former offensive lineman for
the Kansas City Chiefs who played in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
He'll be here.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
We've got our own Brian Balldeer, you know what it is,
Baldy favorite films and Jeff shedeah oh all season long.
He was talking about the MVP week to week, but
we've got.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
All kinds of postseason awards GP.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (00:44):
I love when we battle it out with Jeff. That's
my favorite thing to do. It usually, you know, somehow
involves Michigan and Ohio State, which is my least favorite part.
And speaking of Michigan and Ohio State on Ohio State
alumni and Nick Moosa had some really interesting words for
brock Perty in the locker room after for the NFC
Championship game. So the fact that.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
All of us, all of us, it's crazy.
Speaker 6 (01:11):
Could you think you feel good?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Event?
Speaker 7 (01:15):
But did you like, how much confidence did you have?
Speaker 6 (01:20):
That was the second hit.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Of the draft nineties lacked confidence.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Part about the game.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
But oh man, you know that was that was Nick
Bosa and Brock party all that.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
It was just incredible.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I mean that sound aired on inside the NFL. Just
just a great sound and JP.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
You know that was right after the game.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
Where bosas talking about saying that, Brock, did you know
you're going to be this good?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
How much confidence did you have?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
Because I was the second overall pick and I lacked confidence?
And this is game recognizing game. I mean, this is
a QB hunter for sure, going up to the guy
that they're going to be leaning on to win them
a Lombardi Trophy and just a really special moment. Man,
I'm just that video. I was like, we've got to
get that on the show.
Speaker 6 (02:08):
Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
It was something STEVEE. It really was.
Speaker 5 (02:11):
It was kind of that fly on the wall that
we're always shooting for, where we can take these moments
and kind of peel back the curtain for fans and
just kind of show the interaction between a guy that.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Probably makes as much money as Nick Bosa does in one.
Speaker 5 (02:22):
Game in his season. Right, he is carrying this entire offense.
Steve in brock Purty, he's maybe your MVP for the year.
So let me ask you this question. It's going to
be brock Purty versus Steve Spagnolo. And Steve Spagnolo we
trust one of the best dcs in all of football
and is on a red hot streak right now.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
How do you see that matchup going down?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Well, this is tough because very few quarterbacks have succeeded
against the Spagnolo and all that talent on the Chiefs defense.
I mean, Kansas City is here because of its defense.
But the one thing we've seen that a brock Purty
and I'm going to ask Baldy about this a little
bit later on, is the composure. Right, people are going
to say, always a second your QB. This is the
big moment for him for the first time he stepped
(03:04):
on a field, it was a big moment for him.
He was mister irrelevant and you have seen even taking
from that sound we just played with Nick Bosa, like, man,
this guy doesn't cease to amaze me. Now he is
gonna have some tough times. This defense gets after everybody.
How will he respond? He's had his bad moment he
had that against the Ravens where he got the yips
(03:24):
through all those interceptions, and we haven't seen him perform
like that since, so I think again, if he understands
that they're not gonna score every drive sometimes he's gonna
have to take a sack or a punt and let
their defense do its thing and maybe get him a
shorter field if they can. That's gonna be the big thing.
And this is gonna be a challenge for Rock Party
like no challenge he's faced. But again, I don't think
(03:45):
he's he'll buckle because we've seen in the playoffs, in
these two games how he's responded to adversity JP and
he's gonna have to respond to a lot of it
in the Super Bowl.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
They he didnim buckling his very first start when he
came in for Jimmy Garoppolo. I think that was against
the Miami Dolphins team that just lets him mercilessly as
soon as he got onto the field, and Kyle Shannan
thought he handled that brilliantly right from the start. I
think it's his mind that obviously we're all focused on.
And remember, I know the the S two test has
been really scrutinized after CJ. Stroud and what happened with
(04:16):
him this year, But his scores were through the roof
rock parties were right up there with Joe Burrow or
Patrick Mahomes. In terms of how he processes information. I
think he's going to need to do that and rely
on that very early. With all the different little Steve
Spagnolo gives you in terms of the pressure he brings you.
What I do want to see is if he starts better.
And that's what the Chiefs have banked on in the
postseason is getting these quarterbacks to maybe make a mistake early.
(04:39):
It's what they wanted to bank on with Lamar Jackson.
Steve that it was his first time in an AFC
title game. Maybe he'll make a mistake early. Maybe he'll
try to do too much early and we can capitalize.
Lamar turned it over three times. I mean, well the
offense for three times. He had two of them. That's
what they're going to look to do to brock Purty early.
Does he get off to a better start than what
we saw in the last couple of postseason games. All right,
(04:59):
let's move this. This went on to another matchup. This
is one of your favorite one, Steve, Lagerious Snead maybe
the best quarter in football versus.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Deebo sam Yo Baby.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
As we know, he shadows the number one wide receiver regularly.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
Steve, what do you see here with this matchup?
Speaker 4 (05:13):
I can't see it. I can't see him being able
to do that.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That's because Kyle Shanahan is not gonna have Deebo plays
as a static receiver. He's gonna move him all over
the field. Remember, Debo plays in the slot. Sometimes he
lines up as a motion running back. Sometimes he lines
up wide. They fake the screens, they do all kinds
of things. Debo is actually going to be a coverage dictator.
Where they line him up and how Sneid plays him
(05:37):
or doesn't play him, is going to tell Brock Purdy,
who said processes hey, check into a run here, check
into a different.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Pass pattern here.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Because of Deebo, he's gonna be used as that chip again.
That's going to determine where Lagerious Need, a great player,
plays or doesn't play. And that's gonna tell Brock Purty
in this offense what to do.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I love it, Steve.
Speaker 5 (05:58):
Remember what Lagarious Need has done this entire season and
that has been get physical with wide receivers at the
line of scrimmage. I want to see him get physical
with Deebo Samuel with the line of scrimmage because that's
what LJ kind of hangs his hat on.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
That's gonna be the battle to see. But also I
could see him on Brandon I.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
You have plenty that is a number one type wide
receiver that you could see him lining up against regularly
in this game. It's gonna be fascinating to see how
Steve Spangela dials things up for these entire group of
skill position players that Kyle Shanahan has at his disposal.
How about Travis Kelcey versus these Niners linebackers.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Steve, Yeah, this is this is to me, this is
a huge hedge for Kelsey. Not too much because Fred
Warner and Dre Greenlock can't handle him. But the Niners
dbs are small ever since Talao Hufonga went out of
that season and knee injury, they are smaller defensive backs.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Now they played against big tight ends.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
But I think the coverage is gonna come down to
the linebackers and that's where Kelsey. We've saw it against
the Ravens and a couple other times a route like
this where he took Kyle Hamilton outside to out of
his comfort doing in the middle of the field and
had some favorable matchups. So I think we're going to
see the Chiefs do that. If you see the the
Niners linebackers again, Greenlaw and Warner match up against him.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
I think the formation we're going to keep our eye
on Steve with this is when the Kansas City Chiefs
put three tight ends.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
On the field.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
They've been doing this in the back end of the
season in the postseason. That allows them to do exactly
what you just said. They can put Travis Kelcey out
wider where somebody is not as comfortable usually whether it
is a safety or a linebacker in playing out in space.
Because what happens is if you keep multiple linebackers on
the field, and the Chiefs have told me this, we
are going to throw out of that regularly, and then
(07:42):
these linebackers are going to be in coverage. And then
if you take those linebackers off the field. You mentioned
the size of the guys in the secondary, that's when
you see Isaiah Pacheco and they run the football consistently.
But Fred Warner has been playing out of his mind.
I think he's been absolutely phenomenal, and I think you're
going to talk about him in this show a little
bit further. Let's go with one more Steve, and let's
stick with the linebacker spot and flip it a little bit.
(08:04):
Strike that reverse it, Willy Wonka. How about Christian McCaffrey
versus the linebackers of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
What incredible matgic with Jafe.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
We've been talking for weeks about the speed and the
coverage ability of these Chiefs linebackers, but Christian McCaffrey is
a different monster because he's also physical.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
There's nothing he can't do.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
He's excellent, as we're seeing here in the tight red
zone inside the ten yard line, near the goal line,
getting into the end zone.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
This is a tough matchup.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
I know the Chiefs have the personnel, but they again
they can scheme him into situations where he's one on
one where the speed and physicality gives him the edge.
Speaker 5 (08:40):
I'm very curious to see which linebackers play where and
when for Steve Spendelil, because they believe all of them
can play. We'll see if Willie Gaken return. He's probably
the most athletics sidelined to sideline guy they have in
the middle of the field as well, But all of
these guys can play it. And Drew Tranquell and Nick
Bolton on the field together, they kind of put two
mic linebackers out there calling each side.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
Of the defense.
Speaker 5 (09:02):
That is difficult on an offense to figure out what's happening.
So who's on the field and when they're on the
field is going to be a fascinating part for that matchup.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Steve JP.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
They can both run. You killed it so much in
that segment, I'm never going to ask you if you
knew you would be this good. Coming up next, patching
Mahomes and the Chiefs, how do they win?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
What's the secret sauce?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Oh no, We're gonna ask Mitchell Schwartz, who protected Patrick
Mahomes for years.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
When we're back on the NFL Report. It's also a podcast.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
It's time for the Lead Block, presented by T Mobile
for Business. A sport as fast as football deserves America's
fastest five G network, businesses go further with T Mobile
for Business.
Speaker 6 (09:51):
I let's go.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
How about you want to Mahomes to throw against a
four man rush, find us it in your side.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
Comes back to the ball. No all day boy, by
job boy. You can do the Chief, you can respect
the Chief.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
It's a chief.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
Yeah. Hey, hell here man, he here man, Hell Claire,
love you brother.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Welcome back to the NFL Report.
Speaker 5 (10:20):
Steve White, James Palmer with you here now with Super
Bowl champion former Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz the thorn
Steve in von Miller's side. Vaughn could just never figure
out the way Mitch played. Mitch was brilliant against one
of the best pass rushers we've ever seen. It was awesome,
a matchup to watch repeatedly in that AFC West.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Mitch, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 7 (10:40):
Yeah, thanks for having me. I missed those days playing him,
not the stress that came and playing him.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
But as we get started, I mean just this kind
of this is kind of a tone setter.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
What is Andy Reid?
Speaker 2 (10:53):
I mean, both teams are going through it, but this
bye week, this kind of prep week, what are these
players going through?
Speaker 4 (10:57):
What are the coaches going through?
Speaker 2 (10:59):
So when they get to Las Vegas or the side
of the Super Bowl, when there's all these other expectations
and demand that the groundwork has pretty much been laid.
Speaker 7 (11:08):
So this is actually a much different you know, quote
unquote buy a week for Andy Reid than his normal
bi weeks. And I think we all know the record
coming out of a buye how good he's been. And
he usually gives guys the full week off, you know,
back when he first started doing it. I don't know
what the CBA allowed. These days, you have to take
at least four consecutive days off in a row. But
he'll basically have you in for a Monday meeting, kind
of go over things and you know, see you next Monday.
(11:30):
Be safe, you know, try to work out a couple
times if you can. This week is the complete opposite.
You know, he has you in and it's basically a
game plan a week now. It's not like the full
schedule of what a typical Monday through Saturday would look like.
But he wants you to get all your kind of
incidental stuff in terms of planning and tickets and hotels,
you know, all that stuff should be done by the
(11:50):
end of today, just kind of get it out of
the way. Then you have to worry about it for
the next week and a half. And then you turn
the page on the hat and come tomorrow. It's almost
like an end season Wednesday Thursday for in terms of
what a game plan would look like. So by Saturday,
the end of Saturday, you've gone through what you normally
would go through in terms of a full game plan
against the opposing team. So you can, you know, take
(12:10):
your travel day on Sunday, get down to Vegas for
the team this year, and then on Monday you can
start up.
Speaker 6 (12:17):
And you're not starting from scratch.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
You know, it's not like a normal bye week where
you're kind of coming in fresh and now you're going
to turn your eyes on what the opponent's going to do.
You're gonna get to the site and you're gonna have
had a full week of preparation already in and so
the game plan obviously changes a little bit, and there's
some tweaks, and you know, we actually didn't like the
way this thing looked last week, and you know, maybe
Pat likes this thing better and Travis is better at
this thing, and you watch a little more film and
(12:40):
you find another tell or another little key and you alternate.
But you're getting to the site and you've got a
full week of practice, and that full understanding of the
team you're going against, and so it's actually a pretty
cool way to do it, you know, a little different
than most of the guys are used to in terms
of what a normal buye is, and so more and
more work than you're used to, but also makes the
week of the super Bowl a lot more easy flowing
(13:03):
and with all the distractions down there, that's what you need.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
Mitchell, you've been through a super Bowl week.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
Once you get to site with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid,
I'm just thinking of their offensive mind. You mentioned some
tinkering that may happen, but are those two kind of
just is it always going even though.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
There is a game plan?
Speaker 5 (13:22):
And how much changing do you see them kind of
moving around even though everything's in place before they get
there those last several practices.
Speaker 7 (13:30):
It's really a commitment to the game plan and to
making sure that whatever is in is working the way
it's intended, and to make sure that everyone feels good
about the way things go. I think you see it
in the opposite direction. A lot of time, when coaches
get too much time on their hands, they try to
do too much, they watch too much film. Oh, this
thing would be great in this team to this a
couple of years ago. But there's a reason coach has
the record he does coming off of extra time because
(13:52):
he is so good at the initial game plan in
any normal situation. We obviously know he's one of the
best coaches and offensive minds of all time. But you
give him extra time, and it's not like he's trying
to do too much. It just gives him more appreparation
to hone in on those small details and ways he
can exploit the defense. So those guys can't shut it off.
I mean, they are so good at what they do
because their mind is always churning and they're always trying
(14:14):
to look for that edge and watch more film and
all that stuff. But they also have such an incredible
ability to not tinker and to not kind of mess
with the foundation that they build when they do have
the extra time. And so there's a little bit of
a blend of some new stuff, but for the most part,
it's just kind of trusting the initial game plan, trusting
what you've seen on film, and knowing that, hey, we've
now precticed for two weeks, so we're even more prepared.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
You know, I'm so glad you said that because we
have seen it's the paralysis by over analysis because of
the additional time.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
I want to go to something. You looked at the
offensive line. We saw during the season.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
You know, they had the penalties, they had issues in
pass pro.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
But over the past month, with the commitment to the run.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
They really have seemed to kind of come together and
you don't see those mistakes that you saw. Do you
attribute that to maybe them running the ball more? I mean,
Andy Reid has committed to the run in the playoffs. Well,
they've got fifty six runs the past two games. Do
you think that has helped this offensive line come together.
Speaker 7 (15:11):
It's a great point because I think the biggest difference
in watching this team over the past month from that
Raiders game is the offensive line and how well they're
playing and how physical they're playing up front. And there's
a little bit of a give and take in terms
of the run game. You know, coach is going to
call his runs. Obviously he's historically been a pass heavy
guy compared to some others, but he likes to call
his runs. He likes to challenge the old line. He
(15:31):
gets into critical situations and he'll put it on the
offensive lines back but the on line has to succeed,
and you have to make coach want to keep calling runs.
You know, if you start the game plan and you're saying, hey,
we're going to run, you know six out of the
first eight plays, we're going to establish our physicality.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
We're going to put it on him.
Speaker 7 (15:46):
With those six runs only get you you know, eight, nine, ten,
twelve yards, He's not going to keep calling it. You know,
he's he's not a dumb guy. He's going to go
with what's working. And so it works both ways. I'm
sure he challenged the offensive line, Hey, we need to
step up our game. We need to get back to
being as physical as we know how to be, especially
come playoff football, because you know most of the playoffs
are going to be one in the offensive defensive lines.
(16:07):
And then the O line has taken that challenge on
themselves and they've shown that coach should keep calling runs
and we're going to have success doing it and we're
going to be able to establish the game that way.
And as you mentioned, you know, we haven't really seen
the false starts. We haven't seen the procedural penalties. There's
been a couple, you know, physical penalties, the holding stuff.
I mean the second one last week on Treot argues
a pretty poor call even though I know what the
(16:28):
official is seeing on the screen. But this team, yeah,
this team is now also. This is how they're different.
They're good enough to overcome a mistake. They're good enough
to overcome a couple of mistakes where earlier in the season,
you know, you had a fumble and a holding call
and that ruins two drives and the team wasn't good
enough to overcome that and still won the game. But
at this point, the team is good enough to do that.
(16:49):
And that has been a really fun aspect to watch
as well.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Mitchell, you were day in day out with Patrick Mahomes
for several years putting up numbers that were just blowing
our minds. This afence was high flying and it was
going deep and it was unbelievable to watch. But last week,
Travis Kelcey said, right now, with everything that this offense
has been through, is the best he's ever seen Patrick
Mahomes play right now, even though the numbers aren't what
(17:15):
you played with being as close to studying this team
as you are, Mitch, like, is pat at a different
level right now with everything that he's kind of found
a way to overcome take us inside the day to
day with him in terms of how he finds ways
to win.
Speaker 7 (17:33):
I think so, And this is honestly a point I've
made over the past few years, is these quarterbacks keep
improving mentally, and you know, you can kind of keep improving,
not maybe not linearly, but as a quarterback, you just
keep banking experience and experience and experience, and you get
to a point where you can watch all the film
that you typically do, but there's just like a feeling
in your body that I might not have seen this,
(17:55):
but you know, a few years ago, this team got
me on this thing, and I just know how to
react in the moment. And when Pat was lighting up
the league's first few years, he didn't have all that experience.
You know, we talk about these kind of older quarterbacks
to become so quick with their decision making, you know,
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Well, we talk about
that once they get into their thirties, and Pat still
in his late twenties. So it's going to keep improving mentally.
(18:16):
And so that's what Travis is talking about. That mental
game has continued to improve and I would argue that
the physical game the rest of the offense. You know,
I wouldn't say regress, but it's different than it used
to be, and maybe not quite as easy as it
used to be, and guys aren't quite as open, and
they're not as much space created, and defenses know how
to defend this particular offense a little bit better. So
he's able to blend the mental aspect of six years
(18:39):
of playing football now and six AFC championship games for
Super Bowls with all the physical traits. And there have
been a couple of rough times, you know, a few
years ago the start of the season and you know,
kind of the too high shell look and the Chiefs
you know, solving it quote unquote, and he had to
change his game a little bit in that perspective. This year,
you know, some rough patches with the receiver room, with
(18:59):
the offensive line room, with really the entire offense not
being on the same page, and you know, guys taking turns,
making mistakes. He's had to overcome that as well, and
so he's able to take you know, for him, what
looks like a bad stretch is still really MVP level football.
And combine that with his other worldly mental capabilities, and
so I do think this is the best version of
(19:21):
him because he's got the most experienced he has. You know, physically,
guys are typically in their prime at the age that
he is, he's probably as healthy as he's ever been.
In the playoffs, and we've seen this over three weeks,
he's been I'm not gonna say flawless, but he's been
pretty close to flawless, especially from a physical perspective when
you look at where he's putting the ball and how
he's kind of thrown guys open in case in pointing
at first touch An the Travis, and.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
Then you talk about the experience. I mean, the last question,
we only have about ninety seconds.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
But Pat said after that game he doesn't have to
do certain things because he knows he has the defense
to bail him out. This is a defensive team. The
Chiefs are here because of their defense. What about what
you see from Chris Jones and some of the those
guys at all three levels that gives you, I don't know,
faith that they can stop this forty nine ers offense
(20:06):
and get another Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (20:08):
I think the physicality that they're playing with on all
three levels, you know, typically a defense has a strong
suit and maybe it's a defensive line. You know, when
we've faced San Francisco the first time five years ago, now,
it was their defensive line. You know, their secondary was awesome,
but the defensive line was the calling card. Well, with
the Chiefs, you know, they're able to do that on
all three levels. They do have a great d line
in Chris Drone's leading that, you know Bolton, the way
(20:29):
Drew Trankle's playing, you know William assuming he's going to play.
And on the back end at this point, you know
Sneed and McDuffie and Justin Reid and those guys have
started to get the recognition they deserve and their ability
to play that position that you know typically doesn't necessarily
come with physicality, but play it in a certain way
that makes guys not necessarily want to, you know, try
to run them over every single time and play it
(20:51):
in a way that receivers are going to get tired of.
I think it's just really special and so they're able
to blend Spags's really cool scheme with their ability and
their physicality. And it's all coalesced in too. You know,
an awesome league leading defense.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Great match, real quick, thirty seconds.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
Your thoughts on Trent Williams, the left tackle for the
San Francisco.
Speaker 4 (21:08):
Forty nine ers.
Speaker 7 (21:10):
Yeah, I mean, stud he's he does things different than
everybody else because he can, because he's that good. He's
six five, three thirty and he ran a four eight
and he's like thirty six years old now and probably
only you know runs a four to nine. He probably
got win a one tenth of a second slower. It's
just it's awesome watching him.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
You know.
Speaker 7 (21:27):
It sucks that our guys have to go against him
and have to root against him this week, but it's
as an offensive line guy, it's so fun watching people
at his level, to combine the skill, the athleticism, the
mental capabilities, and just like the pure brute force that
he plays with.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
Awesome, Awesome, Mitchie, you when you played, You're one of
my favorite people to go to that corner that Chiefs
locker room and I would just learn so much when
you and I would go and talk. And I appreciate
you coming on the show and joining us. Hopefully we
see in Vegas. I don't know, Mitch, what do you
think we'll see?
Speaker 7 (21:58):
You know, still debating going down there and it's going
to be quite a few people. And usually that's not
necessarily my bete you, but it's going to be a
fun weekend.
Speaker 6 (22:07):
I see you down there.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
That's a wrap for the lead block presented by T
Mobile for Business. A sport as fast as football deserves
America's fastest five G network. Businesses go further with T
Mobile for Business. Coming up on the NFL Report. Brock
Purty is he featured in Baldi's Favorite Films?
Speaker 3 (22:26):
You better believe it.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
But what part of his game did Baldy love in
the NFC Championship Game.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Stay tuned to the NFL Report and find out.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
You're listening to the NFL Report podcast.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
But you can watch me, Steve Weich and my co
host James Palmer on the NFL Report at seven fifteen
Eastern Time on Mondays and Thursdays on the NFL App
and free streaming platforms on the NFL Channel on Roku,
twov Peacock, Pluto TV.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
And other free streaming apps.
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Welcome into Baldy's Favorite Films this week Baldy's Favorite Films
of the week, the Championship Week. Steve Baldy is here
with us once again. I have my popcorn and Baldy.
Let's start at the AFC Championship game play him that
we were both at in the linebacker position for the
Kansas City Chiefs. They put four guys in there, and
(23:24):
I remember having a conversation with their linebackers coach Brendan
Daly pregame where he said, all four guys really can
call this defense, can run this defense. There's no drop
off if Nick Bolton has to leave the field.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
It is a really deep group.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
And the Drew Trankwell signing might be one of the
biggest small signings we saw in the NFL this year.
Speaker 6 (23:46):
I agree, I agree, James. And so they came out
and they played big linebackers, you know, they played Leo Chanel,
Nick Bolton, Drew Tranquill, and they just they crashed the
Ravens party in the run game and they just were
not gonna let them shake loose. Now, Baltimore didn't stay
with it very long, but it was a big part
of this pact his game plan. And Drew Trankle like,
you know, he led the team in tackles, eight solo tackles.
(24:09):
He shadowed Lamar, he chased Lamar when Lamar caught the
pass that he threw, Lamar scores a touchdown if Drew
Trankle doesn't dive and tackle those feet of his before
he got going. I mean, it's kind of one of
the hidden plays in the game. His effort hustled because
originally he was rushing the passer and then he circled
back and then once he saw what Lamar was doing,
(24:32):
like he was the last one to be able to
get to Lamar on that play.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Yeah, there was a whole lot of green in front
of Lamar.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Isn't it crazy how Tranquill had such a productive season
with the Chargers and they just kind of let him
go out there.
Speaker 4 (24:43):
And the Chiefs were like, thank you because we know
what he did to us. Okay, Baldy here but here
here go go ahead, JP.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
They were surprised, Steve. The Chiefs were very surprised that
they were able to get Drew Tranquill. I mean they
were thrown away and jumped at the opportunity out.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
I'm sure they were.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Here.
Speaker 6 (25:01):
Still the Charger's best linebacker, he's still the best linebacker.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Okay, so Baldy, but going into the Super Bowl, I
mean that before you know, before the game, you know
they lost Derek Noddy, you.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
Know, he wasn't scheduled to play. He had the triceps
injury suffered against the Dolphins.
Speaker 6 (25:17):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
But then they lose Charles and many who who has
been crushing it for the past few weeks against and
then you know, now they're getting ready to play his
former team, the Niners, where he stood out big time
in the postseason last year. That is a significant blow,
especially since the men and who would have been going
up against Trent Williams in this game, no.
Speaker 6 (25:38):
Question about it. In fact, I did a little video
on Charles. He hit me up after I did it.
I felt bad because you're right, I mean, he was
a former forty nine er. I thought. I talked to
JJ Watt about it before the game, James, when I
saw him down the field, and you know, I thought
when he went to San Francisco, I thought, Charles really
took a step up with Caseric coaching him. And then
he hit free agency and Kansas City said we want
(26:01):
this guy. He's an improving player right now, a Stockings
on the rise, and he's been a situational pass rusher
for him all year. He gets the ball out Lamar's hands,
I think he got hurt on that play, and now
after a really good postseason with the forty nine ers
a year ago, he's not going to be able to
play in this game. He's going to have to watch it.
It's just one of those unfortunate things because I thought
(26:24):
he played his best football in both San Francisco and
then this year in Kansas City. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
I was talking to him in the locker in Baldi.
Speaker 5 (26:31):
He was very optimistic, hoping that this wasn't going to
be major because he was like after those games in
the beginning of the season he missed with the suspension,
he was like, I'm just now figuring out what Spags
wants to do with me, and I'm being able to
really click. And it's been a sax City down the stretch.
But now they're playing without him and maybe a little
bit less getting after brock Purdy, maybe more falls on
(26:51):
your corners. And I had a conversation with Spags after
the game. He said, I don't think you can play
in this league without great corners anymore. I just really
don't think you can. And they have a duo and
Trent mcduffee and l J. Snead that are just maybe
the best duo in football. But it's not just the
two of them that stood out to you in that
AFC title game.
Speaker 6 (27:09):
No, it was Jala Watson, it was Joshua Williams. It
was all of them, all four of them, justin Reid
at certain times. I mean, they used them to blitz
quite a bit, but you know, they basically were on
an island against Odell Beckham and Jay Flowers and Rashad
Bateman and Nelson Aguilar, and they took shots to all
those guys down the field. Lamar did, and they defended
(27:30):
every one of those deep shots outside of one where
there was a little bit of a breakdown. But you
know they've got length. They challenged the receivers they have
all year. If they have to play on the island.
They seem like they're just fine with the James. We
saw them all warming up before the game. Spags doesn't
like this at all, but they all have that T
shirt on and we trust. I hit Spags up, I
(27:53):
need one of those T shirts, Spags and he goes,
I hate those shirts. I want to get rid of
them because you know, it brings attention to them. But
the players feel about them, you know, because honestly, you know,
even going back to last year guys, I mean, for
those guys are just mentioned. I mean, there are rookies
a year ago. They're all on the field, and you go,
how many coaches could get four rookies in the secondary?
(28:14):
We have to speed, you know, in a rookie season
and play in a super Bowl and play well in
a Super Bowl. I mean, those guys are all like,
you know, like they're all in the front row. They're
all you know, they must all be taking notes because
they don't break down on the back end. They're very,
very sound at what they do, and so as much
as they do, which is a lot, they don't break down.
(28:35):
And that's a great testimony to Spags's teaching and Baldi.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
They're great open field tacklers, which is a lost skill
with some teams in today's game. And that's going to
be crucial because we know the catch and run ability
of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Ayuk and George Kittle and
guys like that. But let's take it to the forty
nine ers, because you notice something on film about the
interior of their defense. Remember I was texting you during
the game, like the line's offensive line is putting on
(29:02):
a beatdown clinic. What did you see that that kind
of got your attention about the interior play.
Speaker 4 (29:08):
Of their defensive front. That's got to get better.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
Well, I mean, first of all, they didn't get off
block Steve, Okay, so you're not you're not beating blocks.
You got to play fast, you got to defeat blocks.
And I thought they were catching blocks and not defeating him.
That that comes down to a couple basic things. You know,
It's it's playing with low pad level, it's stacking and shedding.
Like I didn't think they were good at it. And
then like I and you could say any name at
(29:34):
defensive tackle, whether it was kin Law or Hargrave or
Armstead or Gibbons, I didn't think anyone played well in
the first half. I didn't think they were getting off
blocks they don't think I thought they were on the
ground too much. Uh, And I didn't think Chase played
particularly well either, So I think they all have a room.
And then the other part, though not because they were playing,
they didn't have good run fits either. I mean, Fred
(29:56):
Warner's going this way, Orin Burks is going this way,
and there's David Montgomery going you know, right down the
one to oh one freeway for fifteen yards. So I
thought the run fits have to get a lot better
before Super Bowl Sunday, because Isaiah Pacheco has proven and
the interior of that Knessee Chiefs offensive line with Creed
(30:16):
Humphrey and Trey Smith and Allegretti, we've seen that they're
not afraid to go pound the ball in the belly
of any defense. And so I would use last week's
championship game as a training ground to saying this is
not how we're playing Super Bowl Sunday, Baldy.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
With that said, we were all curious with Nick Allegretti.
You brought him up, he fills in for Joe Tooney,
the All Pro at left guard.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
I think we were all wondering how that.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Was going to hold up in this AFC title game,
and now we're curious how that goes into the Super Bowl.
You know you're gonna get max effort from Nick Allighretty.
You know you're gonna get unreal effort from him. What
did you see from his performance though, because he's probably
gonna have to do it again.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
I didn't see a drop off. I did not see
a drop off. They still ran the same power play
were they're pulling him like they would Touney up into
the line of scrimmage. The combo blocks with Donovan Smith
were solid. I thought his past protection inside against some
massive people you know, uh that they have for Baltimore,
I thought he was solid. And really sometimes you see
(31:18):
a real drop off when you go from the starter
to the backup. Because Dick can fill in a tackle,
he can fill in a guard. I thought his play
was that of a starting quality, and that's a that's
a credit to what they're doing in Kansas City that
where there was not a drop off and left guard.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Paulli listen to these quarterbacks for a little bit because
I do think there is a shared quality in both
of them. And I don't think it's talked about enough
with the real MVP Brock Purty as much as we
talk about it with Patrick Mahomes. And that's that's the
killer that they have got, that killer gene.
Speaker 4 (31:53):
And you saw with Purdy.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Last year, like he is a finisher and we know Patrick,
I mean, showing it more this year than I think
we've ever seen it. Let's start with Mahomes and just
about what you see in his eyes like, you know,
that finish m type of mentality.
Speaker 6 (32:11):
So me and James are down the field, Chiefs are
warming up. Steve, you could take any gain that the
Chiefs play. Their routine is exactly the same. It doesn't
matter if it's you know, if it's a misty rain
in Baltimore in thirty five degrees or thirty five below
zero in Kansas City. Mahomes comes out in his warm ups,
you know, three hours for kickoff. He sets on the bench,
he talks to the trainers, equipment guys. He's got his routine.
(32:34):
About an hour and a half before kickoff, he just
starts throwing passes. It's just bald toss, honestly. And you
know then they're all running the route tree. They're running
every route. In fact, the route that Kelsey scored on
the little wheel, the out and up against Hamilton. They
ran that route in pregame warm up five or six times,
and they do it every game. And my point, Steve
is like, there's just this relaxed feel about how Mahomes throws.
(32:57):
It's nothing new. It's exactly the way he throws the
ball in pregame warm up, and probably how he doesn't
practice all week. It's a relaxed feel. He puts the
ball right where he's got to put it. He's deadly accurate,
and he doesn't have to think about it. It's just
from it, just you know, it's it's it. The mother
of invention is just repetition, right, So that's what they do.
(33:18):
They just rep these plays out over and over again,
and when he gets to the game, it's just what
they did in pre game. Morma. He's a silent assassin,
James like this guy has. And the similarity Steven James
took to your question is they both play with no fear.
And we all see Mahomes go through stretches in his
career where he throws interceptions and maybe they lose the game,
(33:40):
maybe they come back and win it. But you know,
and we've seen perty go through little stretches where the
ball is, you know, being caught by the other team.
It never affects him. They come back even stronger the
next series and they they flush it. It doesn't stay
with them. And then those throws in the middle of
the field that San Francisco loves. It reminds me of
(34:02):
Kurt Warner and the Greatest Show on turf to those receivers,
those dig routes in the millfield. A lot of quarterbacks
don't want to make those throws because those throws can
get tipped, those throws can be intercepted. Those throws are
into the you know, the jaws of the den of
the lion. He loves those throws and he layers them
as well as any quarterback in this sleep. And that
(34:23):
throw that he made early to third quarter to the
debo across the middle, right in the teeth of that
lion zone, like he bought that fifth step, he hitched
and he just let that thing fly with not one
ounce of fear that he was putting that ball right
on a tee to tebow and it was He's just
running with it full speed on the catch it. It's
just he's a silent assassin, Like I can't wait for
(34:46):
the matchup, all.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Right, Baldi, Hey man, we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
We are going to have you back on next week
before we get ready to rock and roll have fun
a Las Vegas. We will to enjoy the bye week
while you'll be doing the senior ball.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
We always appree siate you. Yeah, Webaldi, thanksgiving man, appreciate your.
Speaker 6 (35:02):
Brother okay, ye see out in Las Vegas, guys, take.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Care lines running back to mere Gambs is no longer
in the playoffs, but he was dealing Jeff Shedea, oh
and James and I are going to be handing out
the postseason hardware. This gives get some stay tuned for
the NFL report.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
The statement has been made for the MVP of the
National Football League.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
P say it with me.
Speaker 4 (35:31):
Lamar has certainly set himself up to win the MVP.
Rusted up, what a throw?
Speaker 6 (35:36):
And what again? Hold up? Put on the guard?
Speaker 4 (35:39):
See see me blowing it up?
Speaker 2 (35:42):
God talent up beat has been released.
Speaker 8 (35:45):
Rock Party, mister relevant and Purdy, that is what you
call an explosive offense.
Speaker 6 (35:56):
Cut down Lamar.
Speaker 4 (35:58):
Well, this guy right here could win.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Then all right, Dave, Now we're doing by Jeff today,
and gentlemen, we saw that montage of great efforts. In
a week from today at NFL Honors, we're gonna find
out who the regular season MVPs are and Jeff all
week long. In your first recolumn, you would chronicle them,
change them, listen to us about Rock Party sometimes. But
(36:22):
let's kind of touch on, let's kind of hit on
our post season award winners, and let's.
Speaker 4 (36:30):
Start out with this.
Speaker 2 (36:31):
We're gonna go right to the MVP, and most people
think it will be Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, but Jeff
who has been the postseason MVP.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
For me, I'm going with Travis Kelce and I know
tight ends off and get this kind of love. I
can't think of Titan ever being in the MVP of anything,
but you look at the numbers he's put up. He's
found the fountain of youth. He had one touchdown catch
in his last nine games. He had eighty eight receiving
yards in his last three games in the regular season.
But he has been the main stay of the Chiefs
offense throughout the postseason. The way he played against the
(37:03):
Ravens top ranked defense, touchdown out of the gate in
the first drive. He's driving the bust again for the
Kannasey Chiefs offense, and that's a big deal for this team.
Speaker 5 (37:12):
I'm sticking to the rules of the Mvpjef, which means
it's a quarterback award.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
I'm going to go to Rock Party.
Speaker 5 (37:18):
As the MVP of the postseason because the Niners are
not in the Super Bowl without Steve's guy Rock Party.
And it's not because he's done what we've seen him
do in the past. It's because we saw the improvisational skills.
We saw the legs he was ad living, breaking tackles,
making plays, creating things that we really haven't seen too
much of Rock Party. You look at the two games
against the Packers and the Lions. They were outgained rushing
(37:41):
the football dramatically, really, especially against the Packers, and then
outgained running the football against the Lions Steve, and they
end up having to put this game on brock Party's
shoulders both times coming from behind. Purty, I know you
love it. That's my MVP of the postseason.
Speaker 4 (37:55):
So I do love it. I love that guy. But
I'm not going to be long here because.
Speaker 2 (37:58):
Mine, to Mike Drop, the MVP of the postseason has
been Chiefs cornerback Lagurious Sneed.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
He has shut down, shut.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Down, He has been the best player on the field
no matter who they've played. Hey, anybody here in Posy
wide receiver get down didn't think so might Drop the
MVP of the postseason Lagerious Need.
Speaker 6 (38:20):
Okay, Okay.
Speaker 5 (38:22):
Also, Matthew Stafford only played one game, and I thought
Matthew Stafford maybe had the best quarterback performance of the postseason.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
He was phenomenal in that loss to the Lions.
Speaker 5 (38:30):
All right, let's go to coordinator of the postseason, Jeff
best performance by a coordinator in the postseason so far
as who Well, I'm following.
Speaker 1 (38:39):
Up with that Chiefs reference with the guy who calls
the plays for the Chiefs on defense, Steve Spagnolo. And
he has been white hot in the postseason. Yes, look again,
how he this coombobulated Lamar Jackson in that Ravens game.
Looked at what he had set up for Josh Allen.
Obviously the two attack of a low thing was affected
by the weather.
Speaker 6 (38:58):
But again to think in.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
That contest these Spike Nola has been outside of might
be Donald, the best coordinator in football this entire year.
And he's showing it again why he's getting it done
with great players but also great schemes.
Speaker 6 (39:10):
Steve.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
Really, it's really hard to go against bags, but I'm
going to go against bags because I think Ben Johnson.
I think Ben Johnson for the Detroit Lions has been
the best coordinator. Look at this, they played three games
eighty six points. Okay, so let's go to only two
games sixty two points, okay, and then had had some
of the receivers held on to some of those third
and fourth down opportunities that they went, they might have
had more. I think what Ben Johnson has done, and
(39:32):
salute to him for staying to your hometown Lions, Jeff,
I think he has been just as exceptional Steve Spagnola.
Speaker 3 (39:40):
I'm gonna go with a little outside of the box here.
Speaker 5 (39:43):
You know that forty nine ers have an offensive coordinator,
so I'm gonna say Kyle Shanahan is my pick, even
though he's the head coach.
Speaker 3 (39:48):
There's no oc there, Francisco.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
Wait, let's talk about another guy. Just like his quarterback
has gotten over the hump, Steve. Late in games, Kyle
Shannan has been very methodical, playing these games out, not
panicking in the second half. Everybody's been evaluating his coaching
and evaluating his gameplay in the second half of these games.
Speaker 3 (40:08):
He's been very.
Speaker 5 (40:09):
Patient, sticking with the run, finding ways to come from behind.
Kyle Shanahan the head coach and offensive coordinator for the
forty nine ers. All right, most of us believe that
Texans quarterback c. J.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
Strout will be the offensive Rookie of the Year, But
Jeff who is the post season offensive two rookie of
the Year.
Speaker 1 (40:26):
Well, I'm going to the Lions for this one because
Stroud didn't do anything. It is one playoff game. Jamiir
Gibbs not on fire, and even in that loss in
San Francionsco. He was still doing incredible stuff. And I
think about that running head against Tampa Bay where he
just broke in the secondary and caught Antoine Winfield flatflat
and just took off.
Speaker 6 (40:44):
Right past him.
Speaker 1 (40:45):
Everybody was talking about how Brad Holmes was crazy the
Lions deneral manager for acting of running back twelfth overall.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Guess what it was the right choice.
Speaker 3 (40:54):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (40:54):
I'm going with Rashi Rice with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He has more receiving yards, reception and receiving touchdowns then
the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers in
the postseason combined.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
And if he has.
Speaker 5 (41:06):
Eight catches in the Super Bowl, that would be his
third game with eight catches this postseason. That would put
him in the likes. So let's see Julian Edelman, Travis Kelce,
and Cooper Cup.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
That's it.
Speaker 5 (41:17):
He has carried this passing game outside of Travis Kelce
for Patrick Mahomes.
Speaker 2 (41:22):
I love it, Jeff, I'm going to the lines. But
now Jamiir Gibbs, I'm going to Sam Laporta. He comes
back from the knee injury. The tight end has twenty
one postseason catches. Again, let's take it down to the
final two eighteen catches for one hundred and sixty yards
and the divisional and conference championship. The rookie tight end again,
coming back from that knee injury, showed up and showed
(41:44):
out in the two biggest games.
Speaker 5 (41:47):
All right, let's go with defensive player of the year.
During the regular season, all three of us are saying
it is TJ. Watt the defensive player of the year
this season. So let's go, Jeff to the defensive player
of the postseason is who?
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Well, I guess this is my mic drop because I'm
going to go back to Steve's MVP, Jerius Snea.
Speaker 3 (42:07):
Pick it up and drop it again.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
Drop it again, because Lajerius sneak.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
What Steve said. Everything Steve said is right. He made
Stefan Digg disappear. You know, he was obviously giving you
a flowers. Some issues in that game to the point
where the Flowers got a huge taunting penalty in the
in the fourth quarter of the contest, and you talk
about what he did against uh the press jam he
had on to Tyreek Hill went viral. When this is
the guy you probably should have been an All Pro
(42:31):
or a Pro bowler and he's showing it.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
Why in the postseason, absolutely, I would say lagerious need.
Speaker 2 (42:36):
But if he gave him the big trophy of the MVP,
I have to go to Niners linebacker Fred Warner. Now,
he did not have a great first half against Detroit,
but the way he settled in in the second half
and dominated and dominated against the Packers in the divisional round,
I have to go Fred Warner. And I think he's
going to be an X factor in the Super Bowl
as well.
Speaker 5 (42:56):
I'm gonna stick with the Chiefs defense, just like Jeff did,
but I'm not going Jerry Steen. I'm going with the
guy who runs that defense, Nick Bolton, in the middle
of that group. I had a chance to talk to
Steve Spendel in the locker room after that championship game,
and he told me he really is the one that
makes all of this go. There's very few times he
comes to the sideline and him and I talk it out.
He has ideas that I don't go. N Actually it's
(43:18):
very smart. We should run that, and we end up
running it, he said. The only other player mentally, Jeff,
that is on par with Nick Bolton he's had in
the past Antonio Pierce, he told me, and he is
a head coach right now in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (43:32):
High praise from spags for Nick Bolton.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
All right, go to the offensive player of the year, James,
and I think it's going to be Tyreek Hill when
the award is handed out next week. Jeff, you think
it's Christian McCaffrey. Who is your season offensive player.
Speaker 6 (43:44):
Of the year.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
It's McCaffrey again. And look, it's like we talked about
what Black perry in the most games in the second half,
but they were leading on Christian McCaffrey a lot in
those games as well.
Speaker 6 (43:54):
And he's shown up.
Speaker 1 (43:55):
I mean, he's got over ninety yards rushking both contests,
score touchdown in both contests. But really he's the engine
that makes things things go and makes things easier for
Brock Party and Kyle Shanahan. Having that kind of a
chess piece that can run and catch and do all
these things from different places.
Speaker 6 (44:09):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
It's he is the guy hands.
Speaker 5 (44:12):
Down, although quick because I have Christian McCaffrey as well.
When it's almost a guarantee that you will have two
touchdowns a game in the postseason, I think you're playing
pretty well.
Speaker 6 (44:22):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Yeah, Look, because he didn't get the MVP Trophy because
I did give it to Lagarious Sneed. Patrick Mahomes is
my offensive player of the postseason. We've seen that killer
come back out. He's been absolutely just dynamic. He's been
Patrick Mahomes in this offensive role. So got to get
to number fifteen. Tis he didn't get the MVP.
Speaker 3 (44:41):
Okay, I like it.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
I like it.
Speaker 5 (44:43):
How about sweetest play of the postseason, Jeff?
Speaker 3 (44:47):
What was the just the one that just gotcha?
Speaker 1 (44:51):
Lagarious Need forced fumbles eight flowers to go line.
Speaker 6 (44:54):
It changes the entire game. Ravens scored that truch down.
Speaker 1 (44:57):
It's a conferent contest, so there's been other great plays,
but that was the one that had the biggest biggest
impact on what the postseason is right now?
Speaker 4 (45:05):
All right, yeah, thanks so much, man.
Speaker 2 (45:07):
We got to wrap it up. That was fun again.
A week from now. In NFL Honors, we will see
who gets the real awards. But ours here at the end,
the real awards, right, we are the real ones, just
like brock perty is the real MVP. When we come
back on the NFL Report, some coaching changes, Mike McDonald,
Dan Quinn JP, and I will discuss on the NFL Report.
Speaker 5 (45:35):
Hey, it's James Palmer and you're listening to the NFL
Report podcast along with myself and Steve Weisch. But remember,
if you want to see our beautiful faces, this is
a show at seven fifteen Monday and Thursday at seven
fifteen pm Eastern, and we are on the NFL app
as well as fast streaming platforms. That's two B, that's Roku,
(45:55):
that's Pluto, that's Peacock, all of those platforms as well
as the NFL Slash, NFL Channel.
Speaker 3 (46:02):
Find us all of those spots.
Speaker 5 (46:08):
Welcome back to the NFL Report, James Palmer, Steve which
with you once again and Steve. As we finished this out,
there are the last two head coach openings have been filled.
Mike McDonald is the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks,
and you have Dan Quinn DQ heading to our nation's
capital to run the ship with the commanders. You have
an interesting inside look at both of these. What's one
(46:29):
thing that stands out with you with both hires.
Speaker 2 (46:31):
Well, first off, we've got some defensive coaches, more defensive
coaches getting head coaching jobs, probby more than we've seen
in the past few cycles.
Speaker 4 (46:38):
Let's go to Washington first with Dan Quinn.
Speaker 2 (46:41):
Now, everyone including us, thought that Ben Johnson from the
Lions would be the guy he opts to say in Detroit.
Speaker 4 (46:47):
So Dan Quinn, he is a culture builder.
Speaker 2 (46:50):
You talk to anybody with the Cowboys, he is the
reason why so many players love being.
Speaker 4 (46:55):
On that team.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
That's what they need with new ownership and a team
in transition. They got the number two pick to get
a quarterback and cap space to get some edge rushers
for the two that they let go. Now, let's go
to Mike McDonald in Seattle. And this is interesting because
we know the Ravens defensive coordinator. He was a hot candidate.
But who are the teams that really did numbers on people?
The Shanahan and McVeigh tree. Oh, but not on McDonald
(47:20):
has he I guess coaches with that Shanahan, McVeagh Tree,
and that Sean McVay, Brandon Staley, Zach Taylor, Robert Sala,
Mike McDaniel.
Speaker 4 (47:29):
You know Matt Lafleur.
Speaker 2 (47:31):
He has a nine and three record. So, mose are
the teams that are leading the NFC West. Well, now
you're bringing the Shanahan McVeigh tree Lumberjack JP into the division.
Speaker 4 (47:45):
This will be good, but you know they got to
get a quarterback too.
Speaker 3 (47:48):
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 5 (47:49):
I'm gonna talk about two guys here that didn't land
a head coaching job, and maybe they're gonna be two
of the hottest guys coming in in the twenty twenty
five cycle. And that's gonna be Ben Johnson, who pulled
his name out for the second year in terms of
not being available. He got a big raise and he's
you know when he did it last year, Steve, and
then he does it again this season. I don't think
he takes a step back by any stretch. They had
(48:10):
such a young offense, so many rookies contributed and they're
going to be a year older and they may even
be more dynamic as an offense. But what's fascinating with
this is you don't stay the hot guy. It's an
interesting take as we look at Ben Johnson what I
just said, but you don't stay the hot candidates forever,
and how long is he going to wait? Sometimes these
things don't last as long as you think as being
(48:32):
the guy everybody desires to be their next head coach.
And the other one is Bobby Slowick, who's going back
to Houston. He's almost doing everything that we saw Ben
Johnson do a year ago.
Speaker 6 (48:41):
Steve.
Speaker 5 (48:41):
He gets a massive raise, to my understanding, to remain
the offensive coordinator for rookie phenom CJ.
Speaker 3 (48:47):
Stroud.
Speaker 5 (48:47):
And now Stroud doesn't have to go through some things
that we've seen guys like Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields
or Jalen Hurts go through, which is a new play
caller and offensive coordinator in their second season.
Speaker 3 (48:58):
He gets to remain there with CJ. Stroud.
Speaker 5 (49:01):
This not only benefits I think Slowick as he's a
younger guy, this was his first dip in the water
in terms of these interviews, but also benefits the Houston
Texans and their star quarterback c J.
Speaker 3 (49:11):
Stroud.
Speaker 2 (49:12):
Yeah, those are great points because you talk to people
who were in the interview process. Some Almos said Slowak
was probably a year out, but we'll see he's got
all that talent. And then Ben Johnson, like you said,
we've seen many coaches in the past. You know, I'm
not going to go to certain situations and next thing,
you know, we never hear from them again because they're
not the hot guy coming up.
Speaker 4 (49:31):
JP. We do not have a hot guy.
Speaker 2 (49:33):
We do not have an NFL report on Monday, boohoo, boohoo,
but we will have a special one from Las Vegas
at the Super Bowl. Now, I remember we typically are
on Mondays and Thursdays at seven to fifteen pm on
Roku Tube the NFL at Peacock, Pluto, you name it.
We're also a podcast JP. Hey, JP, you got the
(49:54):
great assignment. You get to watch the Chiefs plane land right.
Speaker 6 (49:56):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 5 (49:57):
I'll be at the airport just kind of stalking everybody out.
But those two sharp dressed men that are gonna be
walking the strip in Vegas next week, we got.
Speaker 3 (50:03):
A monster show for you from Vegas. I watch it,
listen to it, all of it.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.