January 10, 2025 • 21 mins
Highlights from Peter's reporting this week on Good Morning Football. Peter talks Saquon and the Eagles, Mike Evans reaching 1,000 receiving yards, and the Coach of the Week.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
The Season with Peter Scheger is a production of the
NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. We got a lot of
(00:28):
the Bengals right they were on national TV the final
two weeks in the season.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Day of these dramatic comeback wins, and the Bengals gave
us fantasy football, and they gave us some really excellent fodder.
When we heard Joe Burrow be mentioned as the MVP
from Troy Aikman, that was about two segments of content
for us last week, so I'm happy with that. I
would also note that the Bengals lost Week one to
the Gerardmeo Jacoby Burssett Patriots at home, and the first
(00:53):
month of the season does happen to matter in the NFL.
I'm sorry to tell it. It's an eighteen week season,
and when you start off losing the first few weeks
every single year, year in, year out, eventually it's going
to bite you in the butt. I would rather us
the table and celebrate the team that did make it.
You see the season that bow Nicks just put together
in his first year. You could talk about Joe Burrow
(01:14):
and cry alligator tears about not seeing him. Bow Knicks
just had one of the greatest seasons in Broncos history
in a franchise that includes John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Bow Knicks put up the fourth best single season touchdown
record in the franchise's history. And gosh, let's enjoy this
for that fan base that hasn't been to the playoffs
(01:36):
since Peyton Manning was a quarterback and actually earned it
by winning enough games and getting the tiebreakers needed. Bengals fans,
I hear you. We got our Bengals moments. They happened
in late December and early January. They were able to
celebrate money. Go not give up five hundred yards of
offense to the Russell Wilson led Steelers. That's my thought.
(01:58):
Go beat a team of significance in September. I have
no problem with the Bengals messing the playoffs. You gotta
play defense. Also, they didn't do that all season. Can
I give my game ball to a player who has
had maybe the biggest roller coaster season? I can imagine
an NFL history It ends up on top in the
best place possible. About Bryce Young getting my game ball
(02:19):
for Week eighteen. Bryce Young completes twenty five passes for
two hundred and fifty one yards and three touchdowns as
the Panthers, who quote unquote had nothing to play for,
shock the Falcons who had everything to play for and
did so in Atlanta. That's the highlight of the game.
We know that Bryce also added five rushes for twenty
(02:40):
four yards and two touchdowns there. He's had at least
two touchdown passes in three straight games and a passing
touchdown each of his last ten games. Those are obviously
the longest streaks of his two year career. Bryce Young
went from being benched for what looked like could be
eternity based on how he looked in the early season
to having one of the greatest November December January turnarounds
(03:02):
you can imagine for a second year player. The Panthers
have their quarterback, they have their coach, they have their
front office, and for the first time in years, they
have hope and optimism going into next season. And shut
out to my guy Coker, the rookie got a Holy
Cross who was freaking awesome in this game. Cocher was
the guy who Bryce Young was looking for. Including this
(03:23):
cool play here, Cocher almost got in great finish to
the Panthers season, Jalen Coker Jalen cocher at a holy
Cross Mat League undrafted player, and Bryce Young, the first
overall pick out of Alabama on a former number one
five star high school recruit. They both ended the season
in the right place. I couldn't be happier for a
(03:44):
player and for a franchise and for how things ended
up for Bryce Young and the Panthers. Kudos to those
guys down in Carolina. It was the rare decision that
was made to get an individual something over necessary the
team's needs, and that was universally celebrated. And that tells
you how people feel about Mike Evans. What do I
mean by that? If for some reason Mike Evans bubbles
(04:07):
that ball and it's a pick six. The other way,
it's arguably the worst playing NFL history and can cost
the Buccaneers a chance to not only win the division,
but to go on in the playoffs. Instead, they trot
the offense back, which I mean in some ways, if
it wasn't with this, I think you'd say it's a
massive sportsmanship gaff. It was like he had spit the
eight yards at one point. Yeah, But they trot Evans
(04:30):
back on the field after he gets all these things,
and they do it. There's a specific play at the
end of the game they put Mike Evans in when
they're already winning. Hear it, Here we go trot them
out beautiful, they're up eight. It makes no sense. And
this was like universally celebrated. I'll tell you what. Even
the Saints guys were like cool with it, Like they
weren't like outraged or anyday I don't that little push
(04:51):
by five. But after the game they're game. And here's
what you earn that you earn that you earn this celebration.
You earn that you also earned it from around the league.
Mike's Mike Evans is now in an eleventh year. He
is beloved and earlier in the in the season we
did this MVP debate was like non, sometimes where's this going?
Where Peter, where are you going? But we do the
MVP debate. First it was Sakwon, then it was Josh Allen,
(05:13):
then it was Lamar, then is Joe Burrow. Now we're
back to Lamar. Maybe actually Josh Allen somebody we don't
do on the show because it's maybe a little unsem
because they're all wonderful man. We never knew the Walter
Peyton Man of the Year debate. Oh yeah, yeah. You
know who's a nominee this year, Mike Mike Evans. I
know Travis Kelsey's more famous, and I know Bobby Wagner's
been in the league a long time. Mike Evans. If
(05:35):
you saw that reaction from everybody, Mike Evans is my
pick for Walter Payton Man of the Year. Aston to
the community, but Mike Mike Evans Family Foundation is great.
Mike Evans for Walter Payton Man of the Year. On
the Walkall how about a Sunday Night Collinsworth Tarico Buccaneers
Commander's Game. Like it was nobody's prediction before the season started.
Maybe you thought the Bucks wouldent the division. You didn't
(05:56):
pick the Commanders to be a wild card, and you
certainly didn't pick them as the sixth seed and not
the seventh seed. Two of the most fun electric teams
that oh, by the way, have put on great performances
in the month of December in dramatic fashion. I love
this two Heisman Trophy winners going at it, and I
liked it. They got what I consider the premier treatment
(06:17):
that Sunday night game with those two voices on it.
You look at this Commander's story. What they have done
in the final seconds of games has made them the
cardiac kids, and they have found a way. They have
won on a Hail Mary.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
They have won on a walk off overtime touchdown on
Sunday Night to beat another rookie quarterback, Michael Pennix. They
have beaten the Eagles at home, they have beaten the
Giants at home, and then yesterday they go into their
arch rival Dallas Cowboys building in a game that didn't
matter for seeding, and Marcus Mariota says, you know what,
Jaden chill over there. I'm gonna do a little something too,
(06:52):
and he finds a way to have the dramatic win
the Commander's Buccaneers game. It's not the same storied franchises
in recent years as the Ravens and the Steelers on
Saturday Night, or the dramatic matchup that we're gonna have
the Eagles and Packers, but you got maybe the two
feel good stories of the entire season going at it
(07:12):
in what might be the most fun wild Card matchup
if I'm picking this one now, like you're telling me
that Jaden Daniels is going to be playing in great
weather on a Sunday in Tampa with all the momentum
after having just won two key games to get in
this thing against Atlanta. Of course, but I look at
that Philadelphia game three weeks ago where they had to
(07:34):
get that win at the end and they did. Gosh,
the names of players that have stepped up for Washington,
whether it be Alamid's a Chaus or zach Ertz, it's
a really cool story. I don't know if it necessarily
ends in the wild card round, they might be marching on.
They could be the hottest team in football. So Washington
that's who I'm looking at right now. And I also
(07:56):
love what Tampa's got going. You know, it's interesting. I
talked to it at the start of the show about
how much there's such high stakes for everyone involved in
Pittsburgh and Baltimore and like, what a loss mean the
complete opposite of that? And I really mean this, and
I think I would hear that from the fan bases
is Buccaneers commanders like those teams are having great seasons.
I don't know if the fans expecting them to be
(08:16):
here and if they lose, all right, we had a
great season and we got young team who we're gonna
be back. Jaden Daniels has nothing to lose this week.
I cannot wait to see Jaden Daniels on Sunday Night Football,
Tariko and Collinsworth on the call in warm weather, where
he can run around, he can throw the ball, and
if I'm taking a Jaden Daniels cue from this season,
(08:37):
it's gonna come down to the last second. It just will.
The Commanders have won five different games with Jayden Daniels
at quarterback in the final thirty seconds of regulation or overtime.
They also won one with Marcus Mariota in the final
thirty seconds of regulation overtime into that week eighteen. Jaden's
been a treat to watch all season. He's your offensive
Rookie of the Year. I think he wins it unanimously
(09:00):
and I can't wait to see what he's got in
store for the playoffs. January Football, the Commanders are there
for the first time and it feels like forever, and
Jaden Daniels is their quarterback. What's up everybody? Every Monday
(09:28):
I give out the Coach of the Week award. It
could be a coordinator, It could be an assistant. Sometimes
it's a head coach. He just does the right thing
and gets the job done. Today's Coach of the Week
award for Week eighteen ghost to a guy who has
now won yet another straight division title in the NFC South.
Todd Bowles is our coach. Right a week Tima Bay
Buccaneers head coach not only win the division title with
(09:50):
the win over the Saints, but does the right thing
and getting Mike Evans on the field and getting him
a thousand yards so he could keep that awesome streak going.
Bulls could have easily taken a knee in a lot
of ways that was the right play to make, but
Mike Evans is a special player and this is a
special streak that they've got going on eleven straight years.
(10:11):
He now ties Jerry Rice in the record books for
most one thousand yard receiving seasons. The reaction from the
team tells you everything about how the players felt. Todd
Bowles in the locker room afterwards, was right there celebrating
with a giant smile on his face, and we see
his general manager Jason Light behind him. They're celebrating Mike.
This is the family and Mike Evans has been there
(10:33):
over multiple regimes. He goes back to Lovey Smith and
Dirk Cutter, and he goes back to Bruce Arians, but
they've had a lot of success under Todd Bowles. Todd
does not get enough credit for what he's done in
Tampa Bay. They have lost offensive coordinators over the year.
Dave Kanalisa left last year. They still find a way
to win yet another division title on Todd Bowles's resume.
(10:55):
The guy who's very seldom given praise on the national media,
I gotta do it today. He wins and he does
it the right way. Todd Bowles is our coach of
the week for Week eighteen. I look at philadelph and
hear me out here. They opted not to go for
the Saquon Barkley single season rushing record, and talking heads
like us had a field day with it and went
(11:15):
thirty ways backwards forwards. Everyone had to take Saquon Barkley
was at his locker after the decision was made. Take
a listen to what he had to say in Week
eighteen before a game he ended up not even playing.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It was somebody in your family who did take it
the hardest my following life.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, he tried to act like he didn't, but he
called me yesterday say happy New Year. Is checkable me.
He definitely wanted me to play, you know, selfishly for him.
You got to think about it for however long, whether
it would take a year if I would have broke it,
or for someone to break it, or another forty fifty years.
Our last name would have been attached to that. So
I see it from that side too. But at the
end of the day, the most important thing is one
(11:51):
of the football games. And he's the one that raised me
to kind of be all about the team too, So
he could have his little selfis moment, but he'll get over.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
It's a fun moment. It's a great SoundBite, and Saquon
seems to be taking it in stride. But you get
the feeling that Sakon probably wanted to get that record
and he didn't bang it his head. He didn't bang
as he understands. But I think Saquon would have liked
to have been the single season rushing record holder for
the rest of time, Like I think that would have
been nice. And he won't get another shot. He won't
get another shot. It's very unlikely you get that other shot.
(12:19):
They opted not to and when you ought not to
do that in Week eighteen, because you think about the playoffs,
you better succeed in the playoffs. Take a look at
the reaction when another team that had already clinched a
playoff spot and had nothing else to play for except
that individual's accolades got that individual the accolades a thousand
yards for the eleventh straight year. And look at the
(12:39):
way this team reacted and look at how excited they were.
Do you think this is a good moment for the
Ten Bay Buccaneers heading into the playoffs? Do you think
they were happy? Do you think that they were galvanized?
Do you think that maybe, just maybe Saquon getting that
record could have been a positive thing heading into January
instead of going into this postseason like, well that was
(12:59):
the regular season. It's an individual effort and we're hurting
the page. It's not that significant. These things matter, and
it's good that's her team. And in the locker room
after the game, Todd Bowles had a smile as wide
as you've ever seen Todd Bowles have. Now, I say
all that to lead to Nick Sirianni because he's the
man in charge, and he's the one with a decision
if the Packers come in and beat the Eagles on Sunday,
(13:22):
that decision Week eighteen to not let Saquon get that
record and to hold Saquon back and to take the conservative,
long term approach about we're going for it all. It'll
be analyzed for the rest of time. It'll be a
historical decision to not let Saquon get their guys. Derrick
Henry was on the field in a thirty five to
(13:43):
ten win over Cleveland where it was all done also,
but the Ravens wanted to see Derek Henry eat the
Derrick Henry Ravens wanted to see Derek Henry get more yards.
That game was never in question in the second half,
but Derek Henry was still ripping off yards. We saw
Mike Evans get his. We didn't get a chance to
see saquons And the reason why it is a smart one.
We don't want any injuries, and we want the offensive
(14:03):
line to be fresh, and we want Saquon to be
fresh because we're going for a bigger goal. We're going
for a Super Bowl championship. Don't lose to the packers
at home on Sunday, nothing short of clumsy. Why not
do it Sunday night or do it Monday before. Antonio
Pierce speaks in front of reporters at one pm and says,
I think I'm fine. Matt Eberflu suffered the same fate.
He lost that game on Thanksgiving Friday morning. After Thanksgiving,
(14:26):
they made him go speak in front of the media.
Then an hour later they told him he was fired.
It looks clumsy, it looks like the timeline's off. But
I would say with the Las Vegas Raiders, there are
thirty one teams the NFL, and then there's the Raiders.
They operate on their own rules and they do it
by their own set of standards and their own procedures,
and that's maybe one of the reasons why they've had
so many down years in the last two decades. Mark Davis,
(14:47):
I think his heart is in the right place. He's
got good intentions, and I think this new ownership group,
which includes Tom Brady and Richard Seymour and some other voices,
are going to do the best job they can to
help advise and get the right thing right. But at
the end of the day, they don't have a quarterback.
They just fired another offensive coordinator. You know, they had
Luke Getzi for eleven weeks. They fired him, and then
(15:07):
they had Scott Turner and North Turner and the booth
they're out. There's a great amount of instability in this job.
I don't know who would find this attractive if you're
looking at it objectively, compared to say Bears or a
Patriots or a Jets or a Saints. The Raiders' job,
it's more like, I guess I want to work with Brady,
but Brady's not there every day, and he hasn't been
(15:28):
there every day, so I hate to be so down.
I don't have a quarterback, I don't know what the
salary cat situation is, and I don't necessarily know how
much I'm gonna be able to spend on a coaching
staff going into this. So everyone's saying l Vrabel Vrabel
because he used to play with Brady. Rabel might have
more attractive options than going to this Vegas situation, which
doesn't look ideal for me as I'm just looking at
(15:48):
the other landscape. The Brady situation is fascinating Jamie because
he's the number one broadcaster for Fox and the most
important games of his broadcast career are about to kick off.
They're gonna be thirty million people watching Packers Eagles on
Sunday on Fox, and then the following week he's gonna
have a Divisional round game. There he's gonna have the
NFC Championship, and then O, yeah, he does a Super
Bowl that takes you through February fourteenth or so, that
(16:10):
takes you through Valentine's Day. The Raiders hope to have
a coach by then. We'd think the Raiders would have
a coach in next few weeks. So is Brady juggling
both because all these reports and he included that he's
going to play a role, well how big of a role,
because he's also got a very important job at Fox.
So I'm actually interested in the Brady mechanics of it,
because I'm sure he can multitask and I'm sure he
can weigh in. Is he going to be sitting in
on zoom meetings with eleven different coordinators around the league
(16:32):
and asking them questions about and doing the work. I
don't know. So this whole feeling of just put it
in Brady's hands, It'll all work out. Brady's got a
full time job that I think is pretty serious, and
he's been pretty dedicated to this year. I don't think
he wants to finish that job half whatever in it
because he's now interviewing Liam Cohen from the Buccaneers to
see what his thoughts are on quarterback play around the league.
(16:54):
I think it's interesting that Trent balk keeps his job
and Doug Peterson loses. I don't know if the job's
as attractive when you have an incumbent GM that you're inheriting.
If you're one of these big names, I honestly think
if you can both the coach and the GM in Jacksonville,
you can lure a Mike Rabol if that's your number
one target, or a Ben Johnson and say, and you'll
(17:14):
have input on the GM, so you could come in
and bring your guy and we could build this thing together.
You're inheriting Trent Balke as a GM who you probably
have no relationship with. Does that become a less attractive job.
I think it does. As opposed to a clean slate,
which will be the case in New York or somewhere else,
and maybe even in New England. We believe Elliot Wolf
is keeping his job, but at least there will be
an open conversation. What Tom Pellisera said is interesting. Whereas
(17:37):
Peterson reported to Balkey, like Balkey reports to the owner,
and then the coach will reports the owner. I say
all this because I think Ben Johnson is a really
attractive coach right now is the offensive coordinator, and I
think he's going to have his pick of the litter.
And I'm looking at all of the different jobs available,
and I think, to a man, most coaches want to
go where there isn't a GM already hired, so that
(17:57):
you can at least have input from the gut go.
And that's usually how this works, whether or not you've
got an arranged marriage with the person or even know them.
We're coming in together. We're on the same page. Balky
knows how that building works. Balky knows all the politics
of that building. Balcy knows everything to do with how
the cons like to operate. So as a coach, you're
going in and you're like, all right, I have to
meet this new owner and the owner's son, and I
also need to get to know this GM and how
(18:19):
he works. A clean slate often is the way to
go if you're going to do this thing from the start.
So I never call for anyone's job. I just look
at office politics and structures and the Jets having a
clean slate right now and saying, all right, we don't
know who we're hiring first, and we're going to figure
it out. Might be a better opportunity for a hot
young coach than oh, but I'm inheriting that to me.
(18:40):
I look at this, and I look at the entire slate,
and you're talking about the AFC specifically. I look at
the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I think it's a very loaded
topic when you talk about Mike Tomlin and what he's
walking into right now. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have
made the playoffs. Again. If you talk to a Jets fan,
if you talk to a Browns fan, if you talk
to a Jaguars or Titans fan, they will tell you
(19:02):
you are spoiled, you made the playoffs, You're in January.
What are you crying about? But if you talk to
a Steelers fan, they are very triggered by this also,
and they say, the national media kisses this guy's heinie
like no end, and he gives a great sound bite
and it's wonderful. But the last time they won a
(19:25):
playoff game was before Patrick Mahomes was in the NFL.
They play in several of them. The last time the
Pittsburgh Steelers won a playoff game was against the Kansas
City Chiefs, and it was in the divisional round, and
it was on a Sunday after it was actually post
bone due to weather, and they played on a Sunday.
(19:46):
Says after Aaron Rodgers went to Jared Cook and killed
the Cowboys in Dallas. This is the game that followed.
I was at this game. This was twenty sixteen. This
is the last time the Mike Tomlin Steelers have won
a playoff game. It was with Alex Smith and Eric
Fisher was running as an eligible at the offensive line position.
(20:08):
I mean, look at the board here, look at we're
talking about last year. They lost wildcard round Kansas City.
They lost at home to Baker Mayfield. They lost forty
eight to thirty seven when they were big favorites. Some
blowouts in there. How about the Jacksonville Divisional round when
they had it all going on and they lost forty
(20:28):
five to forty two to Cecil Shorts. The third and
Blake Bortles, and you talk about it from that Jaguars team,
Alan Robinson and whoever else. Then they lost a conference
championship and the last time they won was that divisional
round in twenty sixteen. Good Morning Football's first season as
a show eight years ago. Nate Burleson in a pink
(20:50):
suit on the show, like, that's what we're talking about.
So does he have a lot to get yet because
they're not favored this time? How about they going there
and they actually win one of these and they win
one that they're not expected to it and they do
so against the Ravens team that they have had dominance
over the last five six years. Harboughs record is not
much better in the playoffs in these first round games.
Since they won a super Bowl, He's won two games,
(21:11):
Harbos Tomlin's won this many. I feel like Mike Tomlin,
to silence a lot of the doubters in his own market,
that fan base would go a long way to upset
the Ravens on Saturday night on Amazon. Is he his
job in Jeopardy? No, that's not how the Steelers do
their business, But for the narrative locally, it would go
a long way to win a Wildcard round game against
(21:31):
the hated Ravens in their building.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the
NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio,
visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts.
The Season with Peter Scheger is a production of the
NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. We got a lot of
(00:28):
the Bengals right they were on national TV the final
two weeks in the season.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Day of these dramatic comeback wins, and the Bengals gave
us fantasy football, and they gave us some really excellent fodder.
When we heard Joe Burrow be mentioned as the MVP
from Troy Aikman, that was about two segments of content
for us last week, so I'm happy with that. I
would also note that the Bengals lost Week one to
the Gerardmeo Jacoby Burssett Patriots at home, and the first
(00:53):
month of the season does happen to matter in the NFL.
I'm sorry to tell it. It's an eighteen week season,
and when you start off losing the first few weeks
every single year, year in, year out, eventually it's going
to bite you in the butt. I would rather us
the table and celebrate the team that did make it.
You see the season that bow Nicks just put together
in his first year. You could talk about Joe Burrow
(01:14):
and cry alligator tears about not seeing him. Bow Knicks
just had one of the greatest seasons in Broncos history
in a franchise that includes John Elway and Peyton Manning.
Bow Knicks put up the fourth best single season touchdown
record in the franchise's history. And gosh, let's enjoy this
for that fan base that hasn't been to the playoffs
(01:36):
since Peyton Manning was a quarterback and actually earned it
by winning enough games and getting the tiebreakers needed. Bengals fans,
I hear you. We got our Bengals moments. They happened
in late December and early January. They were able to
celebrate money. Go not give up five hundred yards of
offense to the Russell Wilson led Steelers. That's my thought.
(01:58):
Go beat a team of significance in September. I have
no problem with the Bengals messing the playoffs. You gotta
play defense. Also, they didn't do that all season. Can
I give my game ball to a player who has
had maybe the biggest roller coaster season? I can imagine
an NFL history It ends up on top in the
best place possible. About Bryce Young getting my game ball
(02:19):
for Week eighteen. Bryce Young completes twenty five passes for
two hundred and fifty one yards and three touchdowns as
the Panthers, who quote unquote had nothing to play for,
shock the Falcons who had everything to play for and
did so in Atlanta. That's the highlight of the game.
We know that Bryce also added five rushes for twenty
(02:40):
four yards and two touchdowns there. He's had at least
two touchdown passes in three straight games and a passing
touchdown each of his last ten games. Those are obviously
the longest streaks of his two year career. Bryce Young
went from being benched for what looked like could be
eternity based on how he looked in the early season
to having one of the greatest November December January turnarounds
(03:02):
you can imagine for a second year player. The Panthers
have their quarterback, they have their coach, they have their
front office, and for the first time in years, they
have hope and optimism going into next season. And shut
out to my guy Coker, the rookie got a Holy
Cross who was freaking awesome in this game. Cocher was
the guy who Bryce Young was looking for. Including this
(03:23):
cool play here, Cocher almost got in great finish to
the Panthers season, Jalen Coker Jalen cocher at a holy
Cross Mat League undrafted player, and Bryce Young, the first
overall pick out of Alabama on a former number one
five star high school recruit. They both ended the season
in the right place. I couldn't be happier for a
(03:44):
player and for a franchise and for how things ended
up for Bryce Young and the Panthers. Kudos to those
guys down in Carolina. It was the rare decision that
was made to get an individual something over necessary the
team's needs, and that was universally celebrated. And that tells
you how people feel about Mike Evans. What do I
mean by that? If for some reason Mike Evans bubbles
(04:07):
that ball and it's a pick six. The other way,
it's arguably the worst playing NFL history and can cost
the Buccaneers a chance to not only win the division,
but to go on in the playoffs. Instead, they trot
the offense back, which I mean in some ways, if
it wasn't with this, I think you'd say it's a
massive sportsmanship gaff. It was like he had spit the
eight yards at one point. Yeah, But they trot Evans
(04:30):
back on the field after he gets all these things,
and they do it. There's a specific play at the
end of the game they put Mike Evans in when
they're already winning. Hear it, Here we go trot them
out beautiful, they're up eight. It makes no sense. And
this was like universally celebrated. I'll tell you what. Even
the Saints guys were like cool with it, Like they
weren't like outraged or anyday I don't that little push
(04:51):
by five. But after the game they're game. And here's
what you earn that you earn that you earn this celebration.
You earn that you also earned it from around the league.
Mike's Mike Evans is now in an eleventh year. He
is beloved and earlier in the in the season we
did this MVP debate was like non, sometimes where's this going?
Where Peter, where are you going? But we do the
MVP debate. First it was Sakwon, then it was Josh Allen,
(05:13):
then it was Lamar, then is Joe Burrow. Now we're
back to Lamar. Maybe actually Josh Allen somebody we don't
do on the show because it's maybe a little unsem
because they're all wonderful man. We never knew the Walter
Peyton Man of the Year debate. Oh yeah, yeah. You
know who's a nominee this year, Mike Mike Evans. I
know Travis Kelsey's more famous, and I know Bobby Wagner's
been in the league a long time. Mike Evans. If
(05:35):
you saw that reaction from everybody, Mike Evans is my
pick for Walter Payton Man of the Year. Aston to
the community, but Mike Mike Evans Family Foundation is great.
Mike Evans for Walter Payton Man of the Year. On
the Walkall how about a Sunday Night Collinsworth Tarico Buccaneers
Commander's Game. Like it was nobody's prediction before the season started.
Maybe you thought the Bucks wouldent the division. You didn't
(05:56):
pick the Commanders to be a wild card, and you
certainly didn't pick them as the sixth seed and not
the seventh seed. Two of the most fun electric teams
that oh, by the way, have put on great performances
in the month of December in dramatic fashion. I love
this two Heisman Trophy winners going at it, and I
liked it. They got what I consider the premier treatment
(06:17):
that Sunday night game with those two voices on it.
You look at this Commander's story. What they have done
in the final seconds of games has made them the
cardiac kids, and they have found a way. They have
won on a Hail Mary.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
They have won on a walk off overtime touchdown on
Sunday Night to beat another rookie quarterback, Michael Pennix. They
have beaten the Eagles at home, they have beaten the
Giants at home, and then yesterday they go into their
arch rival Dallas Cowboys building in a game that didn't
matter for seeding, and Marcus Mariota says, you know what,
Jaden chill over there. I'm gonna do a little something too,
(06:52):
and he finds a way to have the dramatic win
the Commander's Buccaneers game. It's not the same storied franchises
in recent years as the Ravens and the Steelers on
Saturday Night, or the dramatic matchup that we're gonna have
the Eagles and Packers, but you got maybe the two
feel good stories of the entire season going at it
(07:12):
in what might be the most fun wild Card matchup
if I'm picking this one now, like you're telling me
that Jaden Daniels is going to be playing in great
weather on a Sunday in Tampa with all the momentum
after having just won two key games to get in
this thing against Atlanta. Of course, but I look at
that Philadelphia game three weeks ago where they had to
(07:34):
get that win at the end and they did. Gosh,
the names of players that have stepped up for Washington,
whether it be Alamid's a Chaus or zach Ertz, it's
a really cool story. I don't know if it necessarily
ends in the wild card round, they might be marching on.
They could be the hottest team in football. So Washington
that's who I'm looking at right now. And I also
(07:56):
love what Tampa's got going. You know, it's interesting. I
talked to it at the start of the show about
how much there's such high stakes for everyone involved in
Pittsburgh and Baltimore and like, what a loss mean the
complete opposite of that? And I really mean this, and
I think I would hear that from the fan bases
is Buccaneers commanders like those teams are having great seasons.
I don't know if the fans expecting them to be
(08:16):
here and if they lose, all right, we had a
great season and we got young team who we're gonna
be back. Jaden Daniels has nothing to lose this week.
I cannot wait to see Jaden Daniels on Sunday Night Football,
Tariko and Collinsworth on the call in warm weather, where
he can run around, he can throw the ball, and
if I'm taking a Jaden Daniels cue from this season,
(08:37):
it's gonna come down to the last second. It just will.
The Commanders have won five different games with Jayden Daniels
at quarterback in the final thirty seconds of regulation or overtime.
They also won one with Marcus Mariota in the final
thirty seconds of regulation overtime into that week eighteen. Jaden's
been a treat to watch all season. He's your offensive
Rookie of the Year. I think he wins it unanimously
(09:00):
and I can't wait to see what he's got in
store for the playoffs. January Football, the Commanders are there
for the first time and it feels like forever, and
Jaden Daniels is their quarterback. What's up everybody? Every Monday
(09:28):
I give out the Coach of the Week award. It
could be a coordinator, It could be an assistant. Sometimes
it's a head coach. He just does the right thing
and gets the job done. Today's Coach of the Week
award for Week eighteen ghost to a guy who has
now won yet another straight division title in the NFC South.
Todd Bowles is our coach. Right a week Tima Bay
Buccaneers head coach not only win the division title with
(09:50):
the win over the Saints, but does the right thing
and getting Mike Evans on the field and getting him
a thousand yards so he could keep that awesome streak going.
Bulls could have easily taken a knee in a lot
of ways that was the right play to make, but
Mike Evans is a special player and this is a
special streak that they've got going on eleven straight years.
(10:11):
He now ties Jerry Rice in the record books for
most one thousand yard receiving seasons. The reaction from the
team tells you everything about how the players felt. Todd
Bowles in the locker room afterwards, was right there celebrating
with a giant smile on his face, and we see
his general manager Jason Light behind him. They're celebrating Mike.
This is the family and Mike Evans has been there
(10:33):
over multiple regimes. He goes back to Lovey Smith and
Dirk Cutter, and he goes back to Bruce Arians, but
they've had a lot of success under Todd Bowles. Todd
does not get enough credit for what he's done in
Tampa Bay. They have lost offensive coordinators over the year.
Dave Kanalisa left last year. They still find a way
to win yet another division title on Todd Bowles's resume.
(10:55):
The guy who's very seldom given praise on the national media,
I gotta do it today. He wins and he does
it the right way. Todd Bowles is our coach of
the week for Week eighteen. I look at philadelph and
hear me out here. They opted not to go for
the Saquon Barkley single season rushing record, and talking heads
like us had a field day with it and went
(11:15):
thirty ways backwards forwards. Everyone had to take Saquon Barkley
was at his locker after the decision was made. Take
a listen to what he had to say in Week
eighteen before a game he ended up not even playing.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
It was somebody in your family who did take it
the hardest my following life.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, he tried to act like he didn't, but he
called me yesterday say happy New Year. Is checkable me.
He definitely wanted me to play, you know, selfishly for him.
You got to think about it for however long, whether
it would take a year if I would have broke it,
or for someone to break it, or another forty fifty years.
Our last name would have been attached to that. So
I see it from that side too. But at the
end of the day, the most important thing is one
(11:51):
of the football games. And he's the one that raised me
to kind of be all about the team too, So
he could have his little selfis moment, but he'll get over.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
It's a fun moment. It's a great SoundBite, and Saquon
seems to be taking it in stride. But you get
the feeling that Sakon probably wanted to get that record
and he didn't bang it his head. He didn't bang
as he understands. But I think Saquon would have liked
to have been the single season rushing record holder for
the rest of time, Like I think that would have
been nice. And he won't get another shot. He won't
get another shot. It's very unlikely you get that other shot.
(12:19):
They opted not to and when you ought not to
do that in Week eighteen, because you think about the playoffs,
you better succeed in the playoffs. Take a look at
the reaction when another team that had already clinched a
playoff spot and had nothing else to play for except
that individual's accolades got that individual the accolades a thousand
yards for the eleventh straight year. And look at the
(12:39):
way this team reacted and look at how excited they were.
Do you think this is a good moment for the
Ten Bay Buccaneers heading into the playoffs? Do you think
they were happy? Do you think that they were galvanized?
Do you think that maybe, just maybe Saquon getting that
record could have been a positive thing heading into January
instead of going into this postseason like, well that was
(12:59):
the regular season. It's an individual effort and we're hurting
the page. It's not that significant. These things matter, and
it's good that's her team. And in the locker room
after the game, Todd Bowles had a smile as wide
as you've ever seen Todd Bowles have. Now, I say
all that to lead to Nick Sirianni because he's the
man in charge, and he's the one with a decision
if the Packers come in and beat the Eagles on Sunday,
(13:22):
that decision Week eighteen to not let Saquon get that
record and to hold Saquon back and to take the conservative,
long term approach about we're going for it all. It'll
be analyzed for the rest of time. It'll be a
historical decision to not let Saquon get their guys. Derrick
Henry was on the field in a thirty five to
(13:43):
ten win over Cleveland where it was all done also,
but the Ravens wanted to see Derek Henry eat the
Derrick Henry Ravens wanted to see Derek Henry get more yards.
That game was never in question in the second half,
but Derek Henry was still ripping off yards. We saw
Mike Evans get his. We didn't get a chance to
see saquons And the reason why it is a smart one.
We don't want any injuries, and we want the offensive
(14:03):
line to be fresh, and we want Saquon to be
fresh because we're going for a bigger goal. We're going
for a Super Bowl championship. Don't lose to the packers
at home on Sunday, nothing short of clumsy. Why not
do it Sunday night or do it Monday before. Antonio
Pierce speaks in front of reporters at one pm and says,
I think I'm fine. Matt Eberflu suffered the same fate.
He lost that game on Thanksgiving Friday morning. After Thanksgiving,
(14:26):
they made him go speak in front of the media.
Then an hour later they told him he was fired.
It looks clumsy, it looks like the timeline's off. But
I would say with the Las Vegas Raiders, there are
thirty one teams the NFL, and then there's the Raiders.
They operate on their own rules and they do it
by their own set of standards and their own procedures,
and that's maybe one of the reasons why they've had
so many down years in the last two decades. Mark Davis,
(14:47):
I think his heart is in the right place. He's
got good intentions, and I think this new ownership group,
which includes Tom Brady and Richard Seymour and some other voices,
are going to do the best job they can to
help advise and get the right thing right. But at
the end of the day, they don't have a quarterback.
They just fired another offensive coordinator. You know, they had
Luke Getzi for eleven weeks. They fired him, and then
(15:07):
they had Scott Turner and North Turner and the booth
they're out. There's a great amount of instability in this job.
I don't know who would find this attractive if you're
looking at it objectively, compared to say Bears or a
Patriots or a Jets or a Saints. The Raiders' job,
it's more like, I guess I want to work with Brady,
but Brady's not there every day, and he hasn't been
(15:28):
there every day, so I hate to be so down.
I don't have a quarterback, I don't know what the
salary cat situation is, and I don't necessarily know how
much I'm gonna be able to spend on a coaching
staff going into this. So everyone's saying l Vrabel Vrabel
because he used to play with Brady. Rabel might have
more attractive options than going to this Vegas situation, which
doesn't look ideal for me as I'm just looking at
(15:48):
the other landscape. The Brady situation is fascinating Jamie because
he's the number one broadcaster for Fox and the most
important games of his broadcast career are about to kick off.
They're gonna be thirty million people watching Packers Eagles on
Sunday on Fox, and then the following week he's gonna
have a Divisional round game. There he's gonna have the
NFC Championship, and then O, yeah, he does a Super
Bowl that takes you through February fourteenth or so, that
(16:10):
takes you through Valentine's Day. The Raiders hope to have
a coach by then. We'd think the Raiders would have
a coach in next few weeks. So is Brady juggling
both because all these reports and he included that he's
going to play a role, well how big of a role,
because he's also got a very important job at Fox.
So I'm actually interested in the Brady mechanics of it,
because I'm sure he can multitask and I'm sure he
can weigh in. Is he going to be sitting in
on zoom meetings with eleven different coordinators around the league
(16:32):
and asking them questions about and doing the work. I
don't know. So this whole feeling of just put it
in Brady's hands, It'll all work out. Brady's got a
full time job that I think is pretty serious, and
he's been pretty dedicated to this year. I don't think
he wants to finish that job half whatever in it
because he's now interviewing Liam Cohen from the Buccaneers to
see what his thoughts are on quarterback play around the league.
(16:54):
I think it's interesting that Trent balk keeps his job
and Doug Peterson loses. I don't know if the job's
as attractive when you have an incumbent GM that you're inheriting.
If you're one of these big names, I honestly think
if you can both the coach and the GM in Jacksonville,
you can lure a Mike Rabol if that's your number
one target, or a Ben Johnson and say, and you'll
(17:14):
have input on the GM, so you could come in
and bring your guy and we could build this thing together.
You're inheriting Trent Balke as a GM who you probably
have no relationship with. Does that become a less attractive job.
I think it does. As opposed to a clean slate,
which will be the case in New York or somewhere else,
and maybe even in New England. We believe Elliot Wolf
is keeping his job, but at least there will be
an open conversation. What Tom Pellisera said is interesting. Whereas
(17:37):
Peterson reported to Balkey, like Balkey reports to the owner,
and then the coach will reports the owner. I say
all this because I think Ben Johnson is a really
attractive coach right now is the offensive coordinator, and I
think he's going to have his pick of the litter.
And I'm looking at all of the different jobs available,
and I think, to a man, most coaches want to
go where there isn't a GM already hired, so that
(17:57):
you can at least have input from the gut go.
And that's usually how this works, whether or not you've
got an arranged marriage with the person or even know them.
We're coming in together. We're on the same page. Balky
knows how that building works. Balky knows all the politics
of that building. Balcy knows everything to do with how
the cons like to operate. So as a coach, you're
going in and you're like, all right, I have to
meet this new owner and the owner's son, and I
also need to get to know this GM and how
(18:19):
he works. A clean slate often is the way to
go if you're going to do this thing from the start.
So I never call for anyone's job. I just look
at office politics and structures and the Jets having a
clean slate right now and saying, all right, we don't
know who we're hiring first, and we're going to figure
it out. Might be a better opportunity for a hot
young coach than oh, but I'm inheriting that to me.
(18:40):
I look at this, and I look at the entire slate,
and you're talking about the AFC specifically. I look at
the Pittsburgh Steelers, and I think it's a very loaded
topic when you talk about Mike Tomlin and what he's
walking into right now. Mike Tomlin and the Steelers have
made the playoffs. Again. If you talk to a Jets fan,
if you talk to a Browns fan, if you talk
to a Jaguars or Titans fan, they will tell you
(19:02):
you are spoiled, you made the playoffs, You're in January.
What are you crying about? But if you talk to
a Steelers fan, they are very triggered by this also,
and they say, the national media kisses this guy's heinie
like no end, and he gives a great sound bite
and it's wonderful. But the last time they won a
(19:25):
playoff game was before Patrick Mahomes was in the NFL.
They play in several of them. The last time the
Pittsburgh Steelers won a playoff game was against the Kansas
City Chiefs, and it was in the divisional round, and
it was on a Sunday after it was actually post
bone due to weather, and they played on a Sunday.
(19:46):
Says after Aaron Rodgers went to Jared Cook and killed
the Cowboys in Dallas. This is the game that followed.
I was at this game. This was twenty sixteen. This
is the last time the Mike Tomlin Steelers have won
a playoff game. It was with Alex Smith and Eric
Fisher was running as an eligible at the offensive line position.
(20:08):
I mean, look at the board here, look at we're
talking about last year. They lost wildcard round Kansas City.
They lost at home to Baker Mayfield. They lost forty
eight to thirty seven when they were big favorites. Some
blowouts in there. How about the Jacksonville Divisional round when
they had it all going on and they lost forty
(20:28):
five to forty two to Cecil Shorts. The third and
Blake Bortles, and you talk about it from that Jaguars team,
Alan Robinson and whoever else. Then they lost a conference
championship and the last time they won was that divisional
round in twenty sixteen. Good Morning Football's first season as
a show eight years ago. Nate Burleson in a pink
(20:50):
suit on the show, like, that's what we're talking about.
So does he have a lot to get yet because
they're not favored this time? How about they going there
and they actually win one of these and they win
one that they're not expected to it and they do
so against the Ravens team that they have had dominance
over the last five six years. Harboughs record is not
much better in the playoffs in these first round games.
Since they won a super Bowl, He's won two games,
(21:11):
Harbos Tomlin's won this many. I feel like Mike Tomlin,
to silence a lot of the doubters in his own market,
that fan base would go a long way to upset
the Ravens on Saturday night on Amazon. Is he his
job in Jeopardy? No, that's not how the Steelers do
their business, But for the narrative locally, it would go
a long way to win a Wildcard round game against
(21:31):
the hated Ravens in their building.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
The Season with Peter Schrager is a production of the
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Host
Peter Schrager
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