December 4, 2025 • 34 mins
Analyst/ Contributor at PFF, Dalton Wasserman drops by to talk about the Seahawks, does he trust QB Sam Darnold, is the 2026 QB Daft class weak, and much more. Kidd makes his pick in Fact or Fiction, and MJ makes his pick of the day!
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 (00:00):
What did you think of the Seahawks in terms of
the game on Sunday? The defense elite, forcing five turnovers,
but the offense certainly didn't really do their job that day.
Kind of a double edge sword. What was your take
from that game?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah, no, I mean it's certainly what you said there.
Their defense is plenty good enough to carry them, and
it feels like the defense continues to get better each week,
right with new guys stepping up. I think about a
guy like Dray Thomas at linebacker alongside Ernest Jones. DeMarcus
Lawrence is having an outstanding year coming back from the
injuries he's had last year. So I mean, your defense,
when you're playing like that, it just shows that a
team that you know they can win in more than
(00:40):
one way. Right if people think it's just oh, Sam
Darnold and Jackson Smith and Jig, but that's not the case,
And teams that can win in more than one way,
those are usually some of the best teams in football.
I think offensively, they got to learn how to handle
the blitz a little bit. I think the offensive line
is struggling a bit, and there's really been a big
onus on Sam Donald to move even quicker at times
than he wants to do. The Vikings are a heavy
blitzing team, face another heavy blitzing team in Atlanta this week,
(01:02):
so I think it's gonna be another fun test for
your offense to see how Clint Kopiak and Donald can
continue to make those adjustments going forward.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I asked my audience, I'm going to ask you Dalton
Wasserman scale one to ten and you can do a decimal.
I did a decimal scale one to ten, ten being
the most. How much do you trust, not believe, but
just trust Sam Darnald to get the Seattle Seahawks to
the NFC Championship Game.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I will say about a seven. I'll say a seven
right now. I do think all around they are one
of the three or four best teams in the NFC,
still obviously a chance to win that division. Get another
matchup with the Rams, and look, their defense played very
well against the Rams the first time they played him.
So I'm going to say a seven. If they can
get home field, that might even move a little bit higher.
But I do think they're one of the most balanced teams.
(01:48):
The one pitfall might be just that very young offensive line.
But I think Donald can get it done. I really do.
I think there's certain matchups that'll be harder for him
than others. But they got a good football team.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Did you lose?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I'm not getting off the Seahawks just yet, but I
want to ask you, with the Rams going to Carolina
getting upset and giving them, not just getting upset Dalton,
they give it thirty one points. Thirty one points to
a team that couldn't move the ball against the San
Francisco forty nine ers defense last Monday night without Fred
Werner and Nick Bosa.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Did you lose?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Do you think that maybe there's a dent in the
armor of the La Rams defense and maybe they're not
as great as we all thought they were.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I don't think so, honestly. I think Carolina is just
the weirdest team in football this year. Where some weeks
they look out standing, in some other weeks they look
like the worst team in the league. And look the Rams.
They turn the ball over three times. If you lose
the turnover battle three to nothing and one of those
was a pick six, so seven of those points were
on their offense, then you're probably gonna lose that game.
That's just how the NFL works. I don't think much
less of the Rams. I think the Panthers did a
(02:49):
really nice job with their offensive line, running the ball
and controlling the pace of the game. I think that
is the one thing there that maybe you look at
the Rams and you go, Okay, if a team can
come out and run the football downhill on them stilly
and get the ball to the perimeter, then maybe they
have a little bit of an issue. But I don't
think much less of the Rams. I think of that
game more as just look, the Panthers played, arguably offensively
their best game of the year. They took the you know,
(03:10):
the Rams took the Panthers' best punch. Plus they turn
the ball over three times. I think it's just one
of those weird games. You go on the road and
you win and you lose. Actually, I should say against
the team that might be kind of underrated there in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, no, I know.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And here's the thing, you talk about the schedule the
rest of the year. Okay, you go to Atlanta, like
you mentioned, now, they don't have Michael Pennix, they got
Kirk Cousins. But you go there on it's a road
game and you're going west coast to east coast, the
way the Rams did last weekend, it won't be any
problems with the weather because it's indoors. Come home, you
face the Colts team. They got red hot to start
the year, they've cooled off a little bit. And then Dalton,
(03:46):
you go to Carolina into San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Oh, excuse me, part of me.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Prior to going to Carolina in San Francisco, you get
the Rams two weeks from tonight here at Lumen Field
in Seattle. Look at that schedule to end the year. Now,
if chock Holds serve on Sunday, and I believe it will,
and the Hawks will take care of business in Atlanta,
it shouldn't be a game.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
But even it is, the Hawks need better pull.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That one out and not not afford. They cannot afford
to have what happened to the Rams last Sunday in Carolina. Okay,
they take care of business, get the Colts at home,
take care of business there, and chock Holds serve, setting
up the rematch two weeks from tonight. If the Hawks
win that game, and bear in mind to Dalton, they
still have to go to Carolina in San Francisco. But
(04:36):
if the Hawks win that game, do they put themselves
in the driver's seat to not only win the division
but potentially be the one seed in the NFC.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I mean, if you're talking about on the back of
winning games here against the Falcons and the Colts, and
the Colts, especially with the way they're struggling lately, you're
talking about at least having a shot at it, right,
And I think the big thing is we're just gonna
find out what Sam Darnold.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Is made of last few.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Weeks of the season here. And look that game against
San Francisco out there on the road, you see of said,
I think it was I mean, that's just gonna be
maybe the decider because we got to remember the forty
nine ers of nine to four also, and they just
keep finding ways through adversity, finding ways through injuries, and
you know there's gonna be some huge games between these
three teams down the stretch here. So I do think
winning that game against the Rams is crucial to trying
(05:21):
to win this division because if you lose it, you
lose the tiebreaker and then things get really hard. But
certainly they have a shot. I think all three of
those teams have pretty similar levels of talent right now.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Dawson Wasserman Pro Football Focus here on MJ in the midday.
All right, now, back to the Hawks, jaysn hell to
two catches on twenty three yards. If you told me
going to last week that JSN and Justin Jefferson would
have under forty yards catching a piece, I would have said,
you probably need to get drug tested.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
That's what happened. Is that just a mulligan an anomaly?
Speaker 1 (05:55):
And do you think he gets back on the right
track Sunday in Atlanta?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I think so. We've seen too much good from him
this year to think he's going to go into a
slump now. And I think that's just again a matter
of the protection and Sam Darnold adjusting to the blitzes
and throwing the ball a little bit better under pressure
and just not being, as you know, under pressure more often.
I think that was a big part of it. And
eventually you got to a point in that Viking game,
and maybe we see it in this Atlanta game where look,
second half of that game, Mike McDonald understood that Minnesota
(06:23):
was not going to score on him, Stay conservative, don't
turn the football over, don't give him any freebies, and
you're going to come out with a pretty easy win there.
So I do think as the game more on, it
was more of just about, Okay, let's get out of
here with the win that we've earned here. But no,
I would expect better. I mean, he's the heart and
soul of their offense this year. You look at all
the expulsive plays he's been making, and I just think,
really it comes down to the domino effect of having
(06:44):
to protect Darnald in the pocket and him playing a
little bit better under pressure like he was earlier in
the year.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
All Right, I'm going to go to the second quarter
and I'm going to add this is and here's the thing.
For the most part, the biggest weakness going into this
season and pretty much for the last decade, has been
the O line. The OH line has held up quite
nicely up until this past Sunday. Going up against the
Brian Flores coach defense. Second possession, third and nine from
(07:09):
the end zone, Eric Wilson goes absolutely unblocked by Anthony Bradford,
so Donald has to throw it away and punt. Okay, uh,
Then we get to Seahawks' third possession. Van Ginkel Andrew
van Ginkle unblocked on the left side on third and
goal to stop Zach Charbonney Hawks forced to kick a
field goal all right, three to nothing there. Then, on
(07:32):
the Seahawks' fourth possession in the second quarter with five
and a half minutes to go, there was basically nobody
and I mean nobody blocked Dallas Turner blindside Sam Donald.
He fumbles the ball, Vikings recover and I mean that
to me, I don't put on Donald. But now it's
(07:53):
a question again with the O line again Dalton. Is
the on line become the no line? Or can this
team get this ish fixed for Sunday against a blitz
happy Raheem Mors coach Falcons defense then looking ahead with
the Colts, Rams, Panthers and forty nine ers after that,
or is this going to continue to be the achilles
(08:15):
heel of this franchise the way it's been for a decade.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I think this is among all the units amongst on
Seattle's team. I think this is the big week for
their offensive line against Atlanta. Yes, it's a winnable game.
The Seahawks are better than the Falcons, we know this,
But going on the road where it's still going to
be loud in there and figuring out all of Jeff olbricks,
blitzes and schemes, because you know, anybody can sit there
and say and look at certain numbers and go, oh,
the Seahawks offensive line is a very good well, I
(08:39):
mean yeah, but that's kind of a blanket statement, right,
What is really the big thing that I've kind of
preached to you all year about Seattle's offensive line. They're
very young, so as the season goes on, coaches are
trying to figure out what kind of mental mistakes they're
going to make. Think of all the things you just
said there different blitz packages, different fronts, different stunts where
you have to make these guys think and communicate. You know,
you're talking about young players across the board, a rookie
(09:02):
and Gray Zabel at left guard a young player, and
Anthony Bradford at right guard. Right the rotation at center
that you've seen all year with the guys and injuries
and things like that. I think when you talk about
not only is it okay their physical ability and this
and that, but you're talking about the schematics of it
and how defensive coordinators every week are going, hey, this
works against this unit let's test them again to see
if they can figure it out this week in real time.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So that's what you're going to see when you're talking
about Atlanta and Raheem Morris, Lulana Rumo and the Colts
next week going back for round two against Chris Shula
and the Rams. These are the tendencies and things that
people pick up on the Seattle's offensive line because they're
so young, and they have to figure out the mental
side of the game of picking those things up because
that's what most of those mistakes are. So I do
think there's going to be a real time, it's kind
(09:45):
of approving time for them in the next few weeks
against these types of defensive coordinators because if they don't
fix it, it's something that will linger into the playoffs
against similar teams.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, and you don't want because this is an opportunity man,
that Seattle Dalton has not been in for close to
a decade. They haven't been in a position where I
think a lot of people it's been probably ten years.
You're going back to twenty fifteen where they felt like, Okay,
you went to back to back Super Bowls. We got
a chance to do it again this year, and of
course they you know, they ran into that Carolina juggernaut
(10:16):
that went fifteen and won that year in Cam Newton's
MVP season. But it's been a decade and now they're
right there. They're right there, Dalton, on that precipice of prominence.
But yet you're so close, yet so far away, and
you'd hate to see it all come to an end
because you know, and I know, Dalton, this isn't the
(10:36):
Stanley Cup playoffs. This isn't the NBA playoffs or the
finals where you get four out of seven. You get
one out of one. Every game is game seven. So
you can't afford that O line to have another piss
poor performance like they did on Sunday versus the Vikings.
What else, If there's anything offensively or defensively does concerns
(10:59):
you about this Seahawks team that you've seen so far
that you think that, well, you know, maybe they could
shore this up and tighten up a little bit here
or there on the other sides of the ball, I'm
gonna throw one at you. They give him a fourth round,
fifth round pick for Rashid Shiheed. He's done nothing since
he's been here, and Dalton one of the things I
can't stand the most. Prior to Sam Donald turning that
(11:20):
ball over right there when he went unblocked by unblocked
in Dallas.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Turner knocked it loose.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Rashid Shiheed on a punt, had nobody within from here
to Tacoma within fifteen yards of him, and he calls
for a fair catch. It's like, Bro, we didn't give
him a fourth and a fifth round for you to
be calling for fair catch. You know, channel your inner
Devin Hester, Bro and do something with that ball. So
is there anything to you that you look at besides
(11:47):
the old line that concerns you a little bit?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
I mean, defensively, you're right, special teams, it's always gonna
be things on the margins like that, Like a play
like that could decide something in a playoff game. And
I think it does speak to again in that game,
them playing a little bit safe and not taking chances.
But no, I get it, Shaheed. I think as a
deep threat and somebody who can win after the catch,
that's gonna be a big thing.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Is who is it? Other?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
To me, it's who is it other than Smith and Jig.
But whether it's Shaheed, whether it's Cooper, cup Tory Horton,
who is a guy that can step up aside from
Smith and Jig Because one thing that you saw with
the Rams in that game, or in the Rams game,
I should say, was that there really wasn't another threat, right.
I don't believe they had another player with at least
thirty receiving yards, So it can't be a one man
show out there. And I think a big thing to me,
(12:31):
You've got some deep threats, but who can make plays
underneath and after the catch? When teams start getting these
deeper zone coverages and they just start sitting back going
you know what, this has been the best deep passing
team in the league. We're not gonna let them do it.
We're gonna We're gonna make Sam Darnold work for it.
Who's gonna win after the catch? Is it gonna be shahed?
Is a Tory Horton on crossing routes? Who is that
player going to be aside from JSN Who's gonna really
(12:52):
lift this team up in big moments? I think there's that,
And then I think again, to the point of preventing
the blitzes and trying to get your offensive line confuse,
gotta still run the ball a little bit better. I
think it's been getting a little bit better in recent weeks,
but gotta find a way to run the ball. Teams
are a lot less likely to throw wild woozes at
you if you're in third and two than they are
if you're in third and eight, right, So staying out
of those longer down and distant situations and really just
(13:14):
finding more ways to manufacture offense when the deep shots
aren't there.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
It's Awson Wasserman Pro Football Focus, Dalton. When you look
at the college football game, and you guys do an
unbelievable job evaluating prospects for the draft, and I look
at this quarterback class, and you and I we did
have a conversation back in July and August and everybody
we were looking at arch Manning, Kate Klubnick, Garrett Nussmeyer,
(13:39):
Lenora Sellers. And that is given way now to Fernando Mendoza,
Dante More And did this class take such a tremendous
hit because of the disappointments of the four I mentioned there,
including arch Manning. Who's that a little bit nice way
to end the But certainly I can't imagine that NFL
(14:03):
gms are salving about him the way they used to be.
Do you think this is a kind of a week
class when it comes to quarterbacks in college football.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I don't. I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't sit here
and tell you it's an outstanding class in the way
that twenty twenty four was right with Caleb and j
Daniels and Trait May, and it's certainly not that class.
I do think there's a potential for it, the potential
for it at least to be better than the class
last year that we saw. But I mean, I think
it comes down to three guys at this point. That's
if any or all of these guys are coming out
(14:34):
into the draft. Mendoza, like you mentioned, for Indiana's had
a great year, Dante Morris had an outstanding year, is
going to get to continue to prove what he can
do in the playoff. And then Ty Simpson for Alabama.
I think his third among those three guys, but he's
proven that he can play well, he can see the
field really well. Still some things to deal with under pressure,
but you know, those three guys are really the three
year looking at now. I think a lot of those
(14:54):
guys you mentioned, some of them are seniors. Nus Meyron
back you're going to see mentioned at some point in
the draft. But when you look at a guy like
Norse Sellers, you look at a guy like a John
Mattier from Oklahoma, they haven't had the year that they
wanted to have. And you know that's the one thing
about summer scouting and getting ahead of all this, and
this guy could be the number one overall pick. There's
a whole season to play and there's a whole lot
of things that could happen. And that's exactly what's gone
(15:15):
down here. You've seen sun rise up, you've seen sun
kind of fall down a little bit, and you're gonna
see some go back to school next year and we'll
have these same conversations. But those are the three really
to lock in right now. More Mendoza and Simpson as
the focus in this quarterback class real quick.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I don't think this guy is coming out because apparently
there's there's a bidding more for his services. I'm talking
about Sam Levitt at Arizona State, and right now, apparently
James Franklin at Virginia Tech and Mario Christopaul at Miami
right now are vying for his services. Do you see
does he project I'm not saying in this class, do
you see him being an NFL quarterback in his future.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
He's got to reel it in a little bit when
it comes to playing instructure and being a little more
accurate from the pocket. But he's super talented man. He's
a dynamic athlete. He's got a huge arm that he
can throw on or off platform with. I think he's
got a boatload of talent. Really, the improvement he made
along the way under Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State was
a big part of their success in their playoff run
(16:11):
last year. This year, had some injuries, kind of played
a little too much of that wild horse kind of
football outside of the pocket, trying to carry that team
without Cam Scatamu. But if there's a coach out there,
if it's James Franklin, if it's Christaball and Shannon Dawson
down there in Miami, if there's a coach out there,
they can get him to play a little bit better
within structure. He's a talented physically as any player in
the country. He's just got to reel it in a
(16:32):
little bit.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Yeah, no doubt, I'm going to put you because I
actually have more faith in you to get it right.
You're the chairman of the College Football Playoff Committee.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
BYU.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Let's just say shock hold servant Dallas in the Big
Twelve Championship on Saturday and Texas Tech blows out BYU. Okay,
who are you putting in Miami or Notre Damon?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Why I would say Miami. We saw them play on
the seat head said, I think they have very simp
I think they have very similar resumes. I know they
don't like Miami's losses as much as Notre Dames, but
Notre Dame one of them is to Miami. And look,
Miami lost to Louisville and SMU, two teams at given
points in the year were ranked. They're good football teams, right,
they didn't lose the two teams that are two and ten.
(17:17):
So I would go Miami. I think look, all of
our metrics at PFF say they're just about even teams.
They played a relatively even game and Miami won. Especially
if they're right next to each other within one spot,
I would take Miami. I think Notre Dame. I believe
I've told you this before. I think they were ranked
way too high. In the initial rankings five six weeks ago,
and they are still probably a tad too high, even
(17:37):
though they've earned it to more of an extent the
second half of the year. But they were too high
to start with. Miami should have been ahead of them
to start with. And people are discounting Miami's losses so much.
They were two losses by what, one in overtime and
one by a field goal, So two pretty darn good
football teams that I've watched a lot this year. I
would go, Miami had to head.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, you make too much sense. You're preaching the choir
on that one.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And I have a feeling if it gets to that
Sunday and those two teams, And here's the thing. People
are like, well, you know, if they'll be right neck
and neck. To me, I don't care if they're ten
and twelve, I don't care if they're ten and fourteen.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
It if it comes down.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
To the final spot in the playoff, we if we're
not doing head to head. I'm gonna tell you Dalton,
going forward, you're gonna see teams from now on if
if the committee gets this round now, hey, listen, maybe
Georgia blows out Alabama maybe Duke beats Virginia and Texas
Tech takes care of BYU handily like they did in Lubbock,
(18:33):
then we're not having this conversation because then Miami and
Notre Dame are both in. But if it comes down
to one or the other, I think the integrity of
the sport forget about you know, my love for the
you the integrity of the sport.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
And I would be.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Saying this if this was Washington and Notre Dame, if
this was USC and Notre Dame, if this was you know,
dare I say, and I hate them too, Texas and
Notre Dame. If you have all things be equal, but
one team beat the other on a field, that's what
we call a meritocracy. And if we're not going to
measure head to head, then why are we doing this?
(19:08):
And then all of a sudden, you know what I said,
going forward, cancel all big non conference games in August
and September. Just schedule cupcakes f i u FAU Florida
Gulf Coast University of Tampa, they don't even have a
football program anymore. Schedule all cupcakes from this moment, because
why are we going to play the games if they
(19:30):
don't matter.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah, I mean he's easy now on the FAU slander there.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Oh, I'm sorry, that's right, you went there.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
When we get ten years from now, when we get
Lane Kiffin back, we'll be a powerhouse again. But I
think something that I would call in the question if
I were the ACC and they're the ones that really
kind of get screwed out of a pick here is
Notre Dame. Look half of their schedules against the ACC.
They're like a pseudo ACC team, but not what is
the value all of a sudden in playing them if
(20:03):
we had a team that beat them and missed the
playoff anyway, when the whole point is that that gets
boosted in there loosely. I mean, I know in every
other sport they're an ACC member, But what is the
point at that point of playing Notre Dame for all
those ACC teams when they could play either somebody else
or just avoid that as a loss for most of
those teams anyway?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, great point, And that's the thing. I mean, hopefully
it all works out. Do you see that any chance
that by you can beat Texas Tech?
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, there's a chance. I mean they didn't play a
good offensive football game. Last time. They got really out
physical in that game. But the way they have to
do it is I think bear Bachmeyer he's gotten better
as the season's gone on. I would play a little
bit backwards to let him control the game a little
bit more early. He could play better in the passing
game early in the game, which opens up the run game.
They got to get the balance going and listen. I
(20:50):
think if there is a kryptonite on that Texas Tech team,
I do think it's Baron Morton. If you can get
him under pressure and kind of rattle him a little
bit and force him into turnovers, then you can start
to turn some big plays into your favor I definitely
think Texas Tech is the favorite. I have them winning,
but BYU's defense is really darn good, and they know
how to play that physical style of ball, that grinded
out style that can keep them in this game.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
He's the best stall Wasserman fall him on Twitter Pro
Football Focus right now as of today, got obviously many
months to change. I believe we got five months to
till we get to that final Thursday in April. Who's
your top three picks in the draft as of today,
subject to change.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Pooh man, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say Dante Moore
is one of them. I'll still say I love Ruben
Bain Junior. I'll still say he's one from Miami.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
I love that man.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
There's been some real momentum for Rvel Reese from Ohio State.
Probably either are It's either it's either gonna be Rvel
rees or it'll be another quarterback, probably Mendoza.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay, why do why do you like Dante Moore so much?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I just, man, he's smoothed back there in the pocket.
I've had some people tell me there's like a little
bit of c. J. Stroud to him. He can see
the field really well. The delivery is clean. You know,
he's not the most dynamic athlete you've ever seen, but
he is just a smooth pocket passer with a very
quiet delivery, but a lot of arm talent and a
willingness to make throws into tight windows. I really think,
(22:15):
especially with that offensive line the way that they're playing,
you're gonna see him really shine in these playoff games.
In the second half of the year. He's been doing
it without some of his top receivers Decry and Moore's
been hurt. Gary Bryant's been hurt lately. If they get
those guys back healthy, I think you've got a chance
to see Dante really shine in the spotlight here in
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
All right, That defense is sick. I saw him last
weekend up here against the Huskies. Man, they are thegit,
they are no joke, man, and they're gonna be tough
to be a tough out in the college football playoffs.
Dalton always a pleasure man. You always bring it every time,
and you come through in the clutch.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Thanks man, Absolutely appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
As always tell you got it. The great Dalton Wasserman.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Bruce Feldman wrote an article in The Athletic, which is
published in the New York Times, the College Football Playoff
rankings reveal has become a clown show by any metric.
We will have him at noon, Christopher Kidd, it's going
to give you another winning pick for Factor fiction that
I'll have the MJ Pick of the Day coming up
at eleven forty five.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Don't go anywhere.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
From the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio. Now
back to MJ in the midday on your home for
the Huskies cracking and the twelfth man. Sports Radio ninety
three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Where's that to go? Glad you're with us?
Speaker 5 (23:32):
It's your shot at our weekly thousand bucks and the
ten thousand dollars grand prize. It's Factor Fiction, probably presented
by Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel where every Day Feels Lucky.
Factor Fiction is on Sports Radio ninety three point three
kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
All right, kid, here you go, Factor Fiction. What do
you got?
Speaker 6 (23:58):
I haven't done this since I think Week one.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
Maybe this team has now won three straight games and
they're at the crib. It'll be probably nice and warm.
Go ahead and give me the Miami Dolphins minus two
versus the New York Jets the divisional game. Yeah, I'm
not saying I'm not saying much. I'm gonna just leave
it at that. Give me the Miami Dolphins at home
(24:24):
minus two, looking to win their fourth straight game. That's
all I'm gonna leave it at. I think you know
what they got a guy named Devin A Jane.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Oh and by the way, I had his over last weekend,
over eighty one and a half rushing yards.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
He had that covered. Kid.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
With nine and a half minutes left in the second
quarter covered. No, he's a beast man.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
I'm expecting him to have a solid game to probably
gonna throw a couple of picks.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
But I think they're able to pull the game out
and get a victory.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
I think they could win by a field goal. That's
all I need.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
I'll say this right now. I do think Mike McDaniel,
not McDonald. Mike McDaniel will be fired at the end
of the year. I think it's it's obviously inevitable. He's
go my apologies, it's a my apologies. So it's actually
on the road. They're going on the road. Okay, so
it's mine. Still want Dolphins, Yes I do. I'm not
gonna focus. I just got the where it's at wrong.
(25:17):
I'm still taking the Dolphins minus two on the road.
I think they're gonna win their fourth straight game. Give
me the Dolphins minus two on the road at the
New York Jets. My apologies, nay. And for Mike McDaniel,
who has been dead man coaching with the Dolphins, and
like I said, he's going to get fired more than
likely on Black Monday, he's gonna get fired when they
(25:40):
give out all they fire all the coaches. The day
after the final week eighteen. He's gonna be a hot
commodity on that offensive coordinator market. Look at the New
England Patriots right now with Josh McDaniel's and look at
what they're doing with Drake May. I'll tell you right now, man,
uh no, no, I want to clink kobiak. I'll keep them.
(26:01):
But I'm just saying it, like just say, like this
year was last year and Ryan Grubb was still here,
I'd be going after Mike McDaniel. Imagine not having a
Mike McDonald and a Mike McDaniel under the same room.
M McDaniel, Yeah, I would just have to call McDaniel
McDaniel McDonald, you know, Mike, you know, like say, but
Mike McDaniel is he's one of He's a great play caller.
(26:24):
I just think when you work for a trash organization,
this is what happens. By the way, are you charging
your phone in here?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
One of them?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Oh, one of them? Yeah, Because I'm like, who is
charging this little phone in here? And I'm like, oh okay,
I'm like that ain't mine. I'm looking at mine. I'm like, okay, okay,
just making sure. I just want to make sure, I like,
who oh wait a second, how'd that happen? But again,
the pick is in. If you agree, I'm taking the
Miami Dolphins minus two on the road at the New
York Jets. If you disagree, you're gonna teket in fiction.
(26:54):
So if you agree fact to four, nine four or
five to one. If you disagree fiction the four nine,
four or five months.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Well, someone said it's been picked by the Morning show.
I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Well, yeah, it has been picked. Chuck took the Jets.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
We can get the head. Yep, yep, I'm not laughing
at that.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Someone said, m J, take a blue shoo next time
you hit up the Mkini barista and ask for today's
special and you'll get your seat card closer by.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Getting your V card punched you text it.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
I'll tell you what, man, You guys are gonna give
you trouble. You come up with some funny ones, though, dude,
you come up with some funny ones. Uh So that's
that The MJ Pick of the Day coming up next,
brought to you by fan Duel Sportsbooks and Qualmish Clearwater
Casino Resorts.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Someone said, MJ.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
I didn't say I admitted anything with you admitting you
haven't gotties he's been in Seattle. You sure are the
right spokes person for Lucia. Well, I'll take that fine,
But I didn't admit anything. I didn't mean anything, all right, kid.
We got lunch today, provided by Pacata Bueno. So it's
it's you know, it's amazing, how like there are days
here where are weeks at a time we get nothing
(28:17):
other than our guy Patrick, who does a great job
dropping off the boor said sandwiches, and then some days
we'll get breakfast and lunch, and today is one of
those days. Pacata Bueno's in the house. Hopefully they brought
the camword spread, which means the top spread, the number
one pick spread.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
All right, so we have that and Bruce Felman on
the Clown show.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Of the college football playoff rankings reveal that it's on ESPN,
which is published in The New York Times, the Great
New York By the way, he's a New York Times
best selling author too. By the way, I love Bruce Felman.
He does such a great job. We'll talk to him
coming up at eleven. MJ's Pick of the Day.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Next, it's time for Clear Picks with Mark James, brought
to you by the Dual Sports Book. That's a Quamish
Clearwater casino resort. We're loading you up for the weekends
games on your home for the twelfth Man Sports Radio
ninety three point three kJ r FM.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
All right, don't forget picking the locks every Friday night
at seven o'clock, Me and Lee Sterling, the well, let's
just say the sports gambling tag team champions of the World,
the pros who beat the Joe, Softie and Dick. It
was close, close, thanks to Dick Faane he went undefeated.
Had to carry Softie's ass one three and one, and
(29:37):
Lee and I seventy percent, just seven and three, I
mean seventy percent, which is freaking ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. So tonight,
you know what I could do tonight, since this is
not fact or fiction, I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna
give you something tonight that is gonna be a player prop.
(29:59):
All right, forget to listen to picking the locks every
Friday night at seven o'clock, Me and Lee Sterling player
prop tonight, big time player prop.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Cowboys that lie.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I'm actually really looking forward to this game, like seriously
really looking forward to this game.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
So there's a lot of things.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
So listen, do you remember when the Cowboys, Now, I
know it's earlier in the year, but do you remember
when the Cowboys faced Russell Wilson and the New York
Giants and Russell Wilson threw for four hundred.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And fifty yards against this defense.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Well, right now, Detroit they are This is gonna be
really tough for Detroit, okay, because they are in a
situation where who I mean, it's they need this big time,
big time. Well tonight, I'm going with the Lions. I'm
going with no not I'm not taking them. You could
(30:55):
do that on your own. I'm gonna give you Jared
Goff passing you yards over two fifty one and a half.
Jared Goff passing yards over two point fifty one and
a half versus the worst defense and maybe the worst
pass defense in the NFL. The fact that the Chiefs
(31:20):
and Eagles have lost to the Cowboys and back to
back weeks tells we had Dallas Is coming around, but
those teams are reeling right now. Well tonight, to me,
this is a playoff elimination game. And Detroit loses his game,
I think they're done. They're done. They can say, oh
there's still no no no, no, no, no, no, no no.
They're in trouble. If they lose tonight, it's deaf con
one for Dan Campbell and company. Give me Jared Goff
(31:43):
over two hundred and fifty one and a half passing yards.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Bet it now, wait for it, wait for it, thank
me later, boom and cash that ticket.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Jared Goff over two hundred and fifty one and a
half passing yards. He should have most of that, but
he should have about one hundred and sixty five by
the end of the first half. So you don't have
to sweat it out and worry about it. Oh, I know,
I'm on Rossain Brown is questionable.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I got that.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
He's gonna have to rely heavily on Jamison Williams and
Jamier Gibs out of the backfield not only running the ball,
but catching the ball. And I'm just worried. The one
thing I will tell you, you know, like I like
Dan Campbell. I mean I think everybody does. He's a
good coach and everything, but like, dude, play calling is
not your wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Give that to the guy that succeeded Ben Johnson. John
Morton and instead he's calling it. But tonight, if they're
gonna win this game, they're gonna need Jared Goff to
come up big, big time. And if you want up parlay,
Dak Prescott's two sat two and a half. I've never
seen a quarterback all season long for any game with
(33:04):
a higher total. Then Vegas is putting that at right
now for Dak Prescott And that could go over too.
If you want to do a little parlay action, you
ask me about parlays a lot. Maybe you want to
do an over with Goff and Dak. I also will
do this too. You want to get a little spicy,
little freaky, all right, how about passing touchdowns Dak Prescott? Yeah,
(33:28):
over one and a half. I'm gonna go passing touchdowns.
I'm definitely gonna do that. So there's different ones you
can do there. So but anyway, Jared Goff over two
hundred and fifty two and a half passing yards tonight,
you know what to do.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Do the right thing, bet responsibly.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Coming up next, Bruce Felman, the Great Bruce Felman from
Fox Sports Big Noon Kickoff, New York Times best selling
author from the athletic longtime friend Anne, Guess where he
(34:07):
went to school.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You already know he'll join us next
What did you think of the Seahawks in terms of
the game on Sunday? The defense elite, forcing five turnovers,
but the offense certainly didn't really do their job that day.
Kind of a double edge sword. What was your take
from that game?
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah, no, I mean it's certainly what you said there.
Their defense is plenty good enough to carry them, and
it feels like the defense continues to get better each week,
right with new guys stepping up. I think about a
guy like Dray Thomas at linebacker alongside Ernest Jones. DeMarcus
Lawrence is having an outstanding year coming back from the
injuries he's had last year. So I mean, your defense,
when you're playing like that, it just shows that a
team that you know they can win in more than
(00:40):
one way. Right if people think it's just oh, Sam
Darnold and Jackson Smith and Jig, but that's not the case,
And teams that can win in more than one way,
those are usually some of the best teams in football.
I think offensively, they got to learn how to handle
the blitz a little bit. I think the offensive line
is struggling a bit, and there's really been a big
onus on Sam Donald to move even quicker at times
than he wants to do. The Vikings are a heavy
blitzing team, face another heavy blitzing team in Atlanta this week,
(01:02):
so I think it's gonna be another fun test for
your offense to see how Clint Kopiak and Donald can
continue to make those adjustments going forward.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I asked my audience, I'm going to ask you Dalton
Wasserman scale one to ten and you can do a decimal.
I did a decimal scale one to ten, ten being
the most. How much do you trust, not believe, but
just trust Sam Darnald to get the Seattle Seahawks to
the NFC Championship Game.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I will say about a seven. I'll say a seven
right now. I do think all around they are one
of the three or four best teams in the NFC,
still obviously a chance to win that division. Get another
matchup with the Rams, and look, their defense played very
well against the Rams the first time they played him.
So I'm going to say a seven. If they can
get home field, that might even move a little bit higher.
But I do think they're one of the most balanced teams.
(01:48):
The one pitfall might be just that very young offensive line.
But I think Donald can get it done. I really do.
I think there's certain matchups that'll be harder for him
than others. But they got a good football team.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Did you lose?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
I'm not getting off the Seahawks just yet, but I
want to ask you, with the Rams going to Carolina
getting upset and giving them, not just getting upset Dalton,
they give it thirty one points. Thirty one points to
a team that couldn't move the ball against the San
Francisco forty nine ers defense last Monday night without Fred
Werner and Nick Bosa.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
Did you lose?
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Do you think that maybe there's a dent in the
armor of the La Rams defense and maybe they're not
as great as we all thought they were.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I don't think so, honestly. I think Carolina is just
the weirdest team in football this year. Where some weeks
they look out standing, in some other weeks they look
like the worst team in the league. And look the Rams.
They turn the ball over three times. If you lose
the turnover battle three to nothing and one of those
was a pick six, so seven of those points were
on their offense, then you're probably gonna lose that game.
That's just how the NFL works. I don't think much
less of the Rams. I think the Panthers did a
(02:49):
really nice job with their offensive line, running the ball
and controlling the pace of the game. I think that
is the one thing there that maybe you look at
the Rams and you go, Okay, if a team can
come out and run the football downhill on them stilly
and get the ball to the perimeter, then maybe they
have a little bit of an issue. But I don't
think much less of the Rams. I think of that
game more as just look, the Panthers played, arguably offensively
their best game of the year. They took the you know,
(03:10):
the Rams took the Panthers' best punch. Plus they turn
the ball over three times. I think it's just one
of those weird games. You go on the road and
you win and you lose. Actually, I should say against
the team that might be kind of underrated there in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Yeah, no, I know.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
And here's the thing, you talk about the schedule the
rest of the year. Okay, you go to Atlanta, like
you mentioned, now, they don't have Michael Pennix, they got
Kirk Cousins. But you go there on it's a road
game and you're going west coast to east coast, the
way the Rams did last weekend, it won't be any
problems with the weather because it's indoors. Come home, you
face the Colts team. They got red hot to start
the year, they've cooled off a little bit. And then Dalton,
(03:46):
you go to Carolina into San Francisco.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Oh, excuse me, part of me.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Prior to going to Carolina in San Francisco, you get
the Rams two weeks from tonight here at Lumen Field
in Seattle. Look at that schedule to end the year. Now,
if chock Holds serve on Sunday, and I believe it will,
and the Hawks will take care of business in Atlanta,
it shouldn't be a game.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
But even it is, the Hawks need better pull.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
That one out and not not afford. They cannot afford
to have what happened to the Rams last Sunday in Carolina. Okay,
they take care of business, get the Colts at home,
take care of business there, and chock Holds serve, setting
up the rematch two weeks from tonight. If the Hawks
win that game, and bear in mind to Dalton, they
still have to go to Carolina in San Francisco. But
(04:36):
if the Hawks win that game, do they put themselves
in the driver's seat to not only win the division
but potentially be the one seed in the NFC.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I mean, if you're talking about on the back of
winning games here against the Falcons and the Colts, and
the Colts, especially with the way they're struggling lately, you're
talking about at least having a shot at it, right,
And I think the big thing is we're just gonna
find out what Sam Darnold.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
Is made of last few.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Weeks of the season here. And look that game against
San Francisco out there on the road, you see of said,
I think it was I mean, that's just gonna be
maybe the decider because we got to remember the forty
nine ers of nine to four also, and they just
keep finding ways through adversity, finding ways through injuries, and
you know there's gonna be some huge games between these
three teams down the stretch here. So I do think
winning that game against the Rams is crucial to trying
(05:21):
to win this division because if you lose it, you
lose the tiebreaker and then things get really hard. But
certainly they have a shot. I think all three of
those teams have pretty similar levels of talent right now.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Dawson Wasserman Pro Football Focus here on MJ in the midday.
All right, now, back to the Hawks, jaysn hell to
two catches on twenty three yards. If you told me
going to last week that JSN and Justin Jefferson would
have under forty yards catching a piece, I would have said,
you probably need to get drug tested.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
That's what happened. Is that just a mulligan an anomaly?
Speaker 1 (05:55):
And do you think he gets back on the right
track Sunday in Atlanta?
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I think so. We've seen too much good from him
this year to think he's going to go into a
slump now. And I think that's just again a matter
of the protection and Sam Darnold adjusting to the blitzes
and throwing the ball a little bit better under pressure
and just not being, as you know, under pressure more often.
I think that was a big part of it. And
eventually you got to a point in that Viking game,
and maybe we see it in this Atlanta game where look,
second half of that game, Mike McDonald understood that Minnesota
(06:23):
was not going to score on him, Stay conservative, don't
turn the football over, don't give him any freebies, and
you're going to come out with a pretty easy win there.
So I do think as the game more on, it
was more of just about, Okay, let's get out of
here with the win that we've earned here. But no,
I would expect better. I mean, he's the heart and
soul of their offense this year. You look at all
the expulsive plays he's been making, and I just think,
really it comes down to the domino effect of having
(06:44):
to protect Darnald in the pocket and him playing a
little bit better under pressure like he was earlier in
the year.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
All Right, I'm going to go to the second quarter
and I'm going to add this is and here's the thing.
For the most part, the biggest weakness going into this
season and pretty much for the last decade, has been
the O line. The OH line has held up quite
nicely up until this past Sunday. Going up against the
Brian Flores coach defense. Second possession, third and nine from
(07:09):
the end zone, Eric Wilson goes absolutely unblocked by Anthony Bradford,
so Donald has to throw it away and punt. Okay, uh,
Then we get to Seahawks' third possession. Van Ginkel Andrew
van Ginkle unblocked on the left side on third and
goal to stop Zach Charbonney Hawks forced to kick a
field goal all right, three to nothing there. Then, on
(07:32):
the Seahawks' fourth possession in the second quarter with five
and a half minutes to go, there was basically nobody
and I mean nobody blocked Dallas Turner blindside Sam Donald.
He fumbles the ball, Vikings recover and I mean that
to me, I don't put on Donald. But now it's
(07:53):
a question again with the O line again Dalton. Is
the on line become the no line? Or can this
team get this ish fixed for Sunday against a blitz
happy Raheem Mors coach Falcons defense then looking ahead with
the Colts, Rams, Panthers and forty nine ers after that,
or is this going to continue to be the achilles
(08:15):
heel of this franchise the way it's been for a decade.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
I think this is among all the units amongst on
Seattle's team. I think this is the big week for
their offensive line against Atlanta. Yes, it's a winnable game.
The Seahawks are better than the Falcons, we know this,
But going on the road where it's still going to
be loud in there and figuring out all of Jeff olbricks,
blitzes and schemes, because you know, anybody can sit there
and say and look at certain numbers and go, oh,
the Seahawks offensive line is a very good well, I
(08:39):
mean yeah, but that's kind of a blanket statement, right,
What is really the big thing that I've kind of
preached to you all year about Seattle's offensive line. They're
very young, so as the season goes on, coaches are
trying to figure out what kind of mental mistakes they're
going to make. Think of all the things you just
said there different blitz packages, different fronts, different stunts where
you have to make these guys think and communicate. You know,
you're talking about young players across the board, a rookie
(09:02):
and Gray Zabel at left guard a young player, and
Anthony Bradford at right guard. Right the rotation at center
that you've seen all year with the guys and injuries
and things like that. I think when you talk about
not only is it okay their physical ability and this
and that, but you're talking about the schematics of it
and how defensive coordinators every week are going, hey, this
works against this unit let's test them again to see
if they can figure it out this week in real time.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
Right.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
So that's what you're going to see when you're talking
about Atlanta and Raheem Morris, Lulana Rumo and the Colts
next week going back for round two against Chris Shula
and the Rams. These are the tendencies and things that
people pick up on the Seattle's offensive line because they're
so young, and they have to figure out the mental
side of the game of picking those things up because
that's what most of those mistakes are. So I do
think there's going to be a real time, it's kind
(09:45):
of approving time for them in the next few weeks
against these types of defensive coordinators because if they don't
fix it, it's something that will linger into the playoffs
against similar teams.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
Yeah, and you don't want because this is an opportunity man,
that Seattle Dalton has not been in for close to
a decade. They haven't been in a position where I
think a lot of people it's been probably ten years.
You're going back to twenty fifteen where they felt like, Okay,
you went to back to back Super Bowls. We got
a chance to do it again this year, and of
course they you know, they ran into that Carolina juggernaut
(10:16):
that went fifteen and won that year in Cam Newton's
MVP season. But it's been a decade and now they're
right there. They're right there, Dalton, on that precipice of prominence.
But yet you're so close, yet so far away, and
you'd hate to see it all come to an end
because you know, and I know, Dalton, this isn't the
(10:36):
Stanley Cup playoffs. This isn't the NBA playoffs or the
finals where you get four out of seven. You get
one out of one. Every game is game seven. So
you can't afford that O line to have another piss
poor performance like they did on Sunday versus the Vikings.
What else, If there's anything offensively or defensively does concerns
(10:59):
you about this Seahawks team that you've seen so far
that you think that, well, you know, maybe they could
shore this up and tighten up a little bit here
or there on the other sides of the ball, I'm
gonna throw one at you. They give him a fourth round,
fifth round pick for Rashid Shiheed. He's done nothing since
he's been here, and Dalton one of the things I
can't stand the most. Prior to Sam Donald turning that
(11:20):
ball over right there when he went unblocked by unblocked
in Dallas.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
Turner knocked it loose.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Rashid Shiheed on a punt, had nobody within from here
to Tacoma within fifteen yards of him, and he calls
for a fair catch. It's like, Bro, we didn't give
him a fourth and a fifth round for you to
be calling for fair catch. You know, channel your inner
Devin Hester, Bro and do something with that ball. So
is there anything to you that you look at besides
(11:47):
the old line that concerns you a little bit?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
I mean, defensively, you're right, special teams, it's always gonna
be things on the margins like that, Like a play
like that could decide something in a playoff game. And
I think it does speak to again in that game,
them playing a little bit safe and not taking chances.
But no, I get it, Shaheed. I think as a
deep threat and somebody who can win after the catch,
that's gonna be a big thing.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Is who is it? Other?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
To me, it's who is it other than Smith and Jig.
But whether it's Shaheed, whether it's Cooper, cup Tory Horton,
who is a guy that can step up aside from
Smith and Jig Because one thing that you saw with
the Rams in that game, or in the Rams game,
I should say, was that there really wasn't another threat, right.
I don't believe they had another player with at least
thirty receiving yards, So it can't be a one man
show out there. And I think a big thing to me,
(12:31):
You've got some deep threats, but who can make plays
underneath and after the catch? When teams start getting these
deeper zone coverages and they just start sitting back going
you know what, this has been the best deep passing
team in the league. We're not gonna let them do it.
We're gonna We're gonna make Sam Darnold work for it.
Who's gonna win after the catch? Is it gonna be shahed?
Is a Tory Horton on crossing routes? Who is that
player going to be aside from JSN Who's gonna really
(12:52):
lift this team up in big moments? I think there's that,
And then I think again, to the point of preventing
the blitzes and trying to get your offensive line confuse,
gotta still run the ball a little bit better. I
think it's been getting a little bit better in recent weeks,
but gotta find a way to run the ball. Teams
are a lot less likely to throw wild woozes at
you if you're in third and two than they are
if you're in third and eight, right, So staying out
of those longer down and distant situations and really just
(13:14):
finding more ways to manufacture offense when the deep shots
aren't there.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
It's Awson Wasserman Pro Football Focus, Dalton. When you look
at the college football game, and you guys do an
unbelievable job evaluating prospects for the draft, and I look
at this quarterback class, and you and I we did
have a conversation back in July and August and everybody
we were looking at arch Manning, Kate Klubnick, Garrett Nussmeyer,
(13:39):
Lenora Sellers. And that is given way now to Fernando Mendoza,
Dante More And did this class take such a tremendous
hit because of the disappointments of the four I mentioned there,
including arch Manning. Who's that a little bit nice way
to end the But certainly I can't imagine that NFL
(14:03):
gms are salving about him the way they used to be.
Do you think this is a kind of a week
class when it comes to quarterbacks in college football.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
I don't. I wouldn't tell you. I wouldn't sit here
and tell you it's an outstanding class in the way
that twenty twenty four was right with Caleb and j
Daniels and Trait May, and it's certainly not that class.
I do think there's a potential for it, the potential
for it at least to be better than the class
last year that we saw. But I mean, I think
it comes down to three guys at this point. That's
if any or all of these guys are coming out
(14:34):
into the draft. Mendoza, like you mentioned, for Indiana's had
a great year, Dante Morris had an outstanding year, is
going to get to continue to prove what he can
do in the playoff. And then Ty Simpson for Alabama.
I think his third among those three guys, but he's
proven that he can play well, he can see the
field really well. Still some things to deal with under pressure,
but you know, those three guys are really the three
year looking at now. I think a lot of those
(14:54):
guys you mentioned, some of them are seniors. Nus Meyron
back you're going to see mentioned at some point in
the draft. But when you look at a guy like
Norse Sellers, you look at a guy like a John
Mattier from Oklahoma, they haven't had the year that they
wanted to have. And you know that's the one thing
about summer scouting and getting ahead of all this, and
this guy could be the number one overall pick. There's
a whole season to play and there's a whole lot
of things that could happen. And that's exactly what's gone
(15:15):
down here. You've seen sun rise up, you've seen sun
kind of fall down a little bit, and you're gonna
see some go back to school next year and we'll
have these same conversations. But those are the three really
to lock in right now. More Mendoza and Simpson as
the focus in this quarterback class real quick.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I don't think this guy is coming out because apparently
there's there's a bidding more for his services. I'm talking
about Sam Levitt at Arizona State, and right now, apparently
James Franklin at Virginia Tech and Mario Christopaul at Miami
right now are vying for his services. Do you see
does he project I'm not saying in this class, do
you see him being an NFL quarterback in his future.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
He's got to reel it in a little bit when
it comes to playing instructure and being a little more
accurate from the pocket. But he's super talented man. He's
a dynamic athlete. He's got a huge arm that he
can throw on or off platform with. I think he's
got a boatload of talent. Really, the improvement he made
along the way under Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State was
a big part of their success in their playoff run
(16:11):
last year. This year, had some injuries, kind of played
a little too much of that wild horse kind of
football outside of the pocket, trying to carry that team
without Cam Scatamu. But if there's a coach out there,
if it's James Franklin, if it's Christaball and Shannon Dawson
down there in Miami, if there's a coach out there,
they can get him to play a little bit better
within structure. He's a talented physically as any player in
the country. He's just got to reel it in a
(16:32):
little bit.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Yeah, no doubt, I'm going to put you because I
actually have more faith in you to get it right.
You're the chairman of the College Football Playoff Committee.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
BYU.
Speaker 1 (16:44):
Let's just say shock hold servant Dallas in the Big
Twelve Championship on Saturday and Texas Tech blows out BYU. Okay,
who are you putting in Miami or Notre Damon?
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Why I would say Miami. We saw them play on
the seat head said, I think they have very simp
I think they have very similar resumes. I know they
don't like Miami's losses as much as Notre Dames, but
Notre Dame one of them is to Miami. And look,
Miami lost to Louisville and SMU, two teams at given
points in the year were ranked. They're good football teams, right,
they didn't lose the two teams that are two and ten.
(17:17):
So I would go Miami. I think look, all of
our metrics at PFF say they're just about even teams.
They played a relatively even game and Miami won. Especially
if they're right next to each other within one spot,
I would take Miami. I think Notre Dame. I believe
I've told you this before. I think they were ranked
way too high. In the initial rankings five six weeks ago,
and they are still probably a tad too high, even
(17:37):
though they've earned it to more of an extent the
second half of the year. But they were too high
to start with. Miami should have been ahead of them
to start with. And people are discounting Miami's losses so much.
They were two losses by what, one in overtime and
one by a field goal, So two pretty darn good
football teams that I've watched a lot this year. I
would go, Miami had to head.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, you make too much sense. You're preaching the choir
on that one.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
And I have a feeling if it gets to that
Sunday and those two teams, And here's the thing. People
are like, well, you know, if they'll be right neck
and neck. To me, I don't care if they're ten
and twelve, I don't care if they're ten and fourteen.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
It if it comes down.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
To the final spot in the playoff, we if we're
not doing head to head. I'm gonna tell you Dalton,
going forward, you're gonna see teams from now on if
if the committee gets this round now, hey, listen, maybe
Georgia blows out Alabama maybe Duke beats Virginia and Texas
Tech takes care of BYU handily like they did in Lubbock,
(18:33):
then we're not having this conversation because then Miami and
Notre Dame are both in. But if it comes down
to one or the other, I think the integrity of
the sport forget about you know, my love for the
you the integrity of the sport.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
And I would be.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Saying this if this was Washington and Notre Dame, if
this was USC and Notre Dame, if this was you know,
dare I say, and I hate them too, Texas and
Notre Dame. If you have all things be equal, but
one team beat the other on a field, that's what
we call a meritocracy. And if we're not going to
measure head to head, then why are we doing this?
(19:08):
And then all of a sudden, you know what I said,
going forward, cancel all big non conference games in August
and September. Just schedule cupcakes f i u FAU Florida
Gulf Coast University of Tampa, they don't even have a
football program anymore. Schedule all cupcakes from this moment, because
why are we going to play the games if they
(19:30):
don't matter.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Yeah, I mean he's easy now on the FAU slander there.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Oh, I'm sorry, that's right, you went there.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
When we get ten years from now, when we get
Lane Kiffin back, we'll be a powerhouse again. But I
think something that I would call in the question if
I were the ACC and they're the ones that really
kind of get screwed out of a pick here is
Notre Dame. Look half of their schedules against the ACC.
They're like a pseudo ACC team, but not what is
the value all of a sudden in playing them if
(20:03):
we had a team that beat them and missed the
playoff anyway, when the whole point is that that gets
boosted in there loosely. I mean, I know in every
other sport they're an ACC member, But what is the
point at that point of playing Notre Dame for all
those ACC teams when they could play either somebody else
or just avoid that as a loss for most of
those teams anyway?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, great point, And that's the thing. I mean, hopefully
it all works out. Do you see that any chance
that by you can beat Texas Tech?
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, there's a chance. I mean they didn't play a
good offensive football game. Last time. They got really out
physical in that game. But the way they have to
do it is I think bear Bachmeyer he's gotten better
as the season's gone on. I would play a little
bit backwards to let him control the game a little
bit more early. He could play better in the passing
game early in the game, which opens up the run game.
They got to get the balance going and listen. I
(20:50):
think if there is a kryptonite on that Texas Tech team,
I do think it's Baron Morton. If you can get
him under pressure and kind of rattle him a little
bit and force him into turnovers, then you can start
to turn some big plays into your favor I definitely
think Texas Tech is the favorite. I have them winning,
but BYU's defense is really darn good, and they know
how to play that physical style of ball, that grinded
out style that can keep them in this game.
Speaker 1 (21:12):
He's the best stall Wasserman fall him on Twitter Pro
Football Focus right now as of today, got obviously many
months to change. I believe we got five months to
till we get to that final Thursday in April. Who's
your top three picks in the draft as of today,
subject to change.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Pooh man, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say Dante Moore
is one of them. I'll still say I love Ruben
Bain Junior. I'll still say he's one from Miami.
Speaker 3 (21:40):
I love that man.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
There's been some real momentum for Rvel Reese from Ohio State.
Probably either are It's either it's either gonna be Rvel
rees or it'll be another quarterback, probably Mendoza.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay, why do why do you like Dante Moore so much?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
I just, man, he's smoothed back there in the pocket.
I've had some people tell me there's like a little
bit of c. J. Stroud to him. He can see
the field really well. The delivery is clean. You know,
he's not the most dynamic athlete you've ever seen, but
he is just a smooth pocket passer with a very
quiet delivery, but a lot of arm talent and a
willingness to make throws into tight windows. I really think,
(22:15):
especially with that offensive line the way that they're playing,
you're gonna see him really shine in these playoff games.
In the second half of the year. He's been doing
it without some of his top receivers Decry and Moore's
been hurt. Gary Bryant's been hurt lately. If they get
those guys back healthy, I think you've got a chance
to see Dante really shine in the spotlight here in
the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (22:32):
All right, That defense is sick. I saw him last
weekend up here against the Huskies. Man, they are thegit,
they are no joke, man, and they're gonna be tough
to be a tough out in the college football playoffs.
Dalton always a pleasure man. You always bring it every time,
and you come through in the clutch.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Thanks man, Absolutely appreciate you having me on.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
As always tell you got it. The great Dalton Wasserman.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Bruce Feldman wrote an article in The Athletic, which is
published in the New York Times, the College Football Playoff
rankings reveal has become a clown show by any metric.
We will have him at noon, Christopher Kidd, it's going
to give you another winning pick for Factor fiction that
I'll have the MJ Pick of the Day coming up
at eleven forty five.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
Don't go anywhere.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
From the R and R Foundation Specialist Broadcast Studio. Now
back to MJ in the midday on your home for
the Huskies cracking and the twelfth man. Sports Radio ninety
three point three kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:30):
Where's that to go? Glad you're with us?
Speaker 5 (23:32):
It's your shot at our weekly thousand bucks and the
ten thousand dollars grand prize. It's Factor Fiction, probably presented
by Lucky Eagle Casino and Hotel where every Day Feels Lucky.
Factor Fiction is on Sports Radio ninety three point three
kjr FM.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
All right, kid, here you go, Factor Fiction. What do
you got?
Speaker 6 (23:58):
I haven't done this since I think Week one.
Speaker 7 (24:01):
Maybe this team has now won three straight games and
they're at the crib. It'll be probably nice and warm.
Go ahead and give me the Miami Dolphins minus two
versus the New York Jets the divisional game. Yeah, I'm
not saying I'm not saying much. I'm gonna just leave
it at that. Give me the Miami Dolphins at home
(24:24):
minus two, looking to win their fourth straight game. That's
all I'm gonna leave it at. I think you know
what they got a guy named Devin A Jane.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Oh and by the way, I had his over last weekend,
over eighty one and a half rushing yards.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
He had that covered. Kid.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
With nine and a half minutes left in the second
quarter covered. No, he's a beast man.
Speaker 7 (24:44):
I'm expecting him to have a solid game to probably
gonna throw a couple of picks.
Speaker 6 (24:49):
But I think they're able to pull the game out
and get a victory.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (24:53):
I think they could win by a field goal. That's
all I need.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
I'll say this right now. I do think Mike McDaniel,
not McDonald. Mike McDaniel will be fired at the end
of the year. I think it's it's obviously inevitable. He's
go my apologies, it's a my apologies. So it's actually
on the road. They're going on the road. Okay, so
it's mine. Still want Dolphins, Yes I do. I'm not
gonna focus. I just got the where it's at wrong.
(25:17):
I'm still taking the Dolphins minus two on the road.
I think they're gonna win their fourth straight game. Give
me the Dolphins minus two on the road at the
New York Jets. My apologies, nay. And for Mike McDaniel,
who has been dead man coaching with the Dolphins, and
like I said, he's going to get fired more than
likely on Black Monday, he's gonna get fired when they
(25:40):
give out all they fire all the coaches. The day
after the final week eighteen. He's gonna be a hot
commodity on that offensive coordinator market. Look at the New
England Patriots right now with Josh McDaniel's and look at
what they're doing with Drake May. I'll tell you right now, man,
uh no, no, I want to clink kobiak. I'll keep them.
(26:01):
But I'm just saying it, like just say, like this
year was last year and Ryan Grubb was still here,
I'd be going after Mike McDaniel. Imagine not having a
Mike McDonald and a Mike McDaniel under the same room.
M McDaniel, Yeah, I would just have to call McDaniel
McDaniel McDonald, you know, Mike, you know, like say, but
Mike McDaniel is he's one of He's a great play caller.
(26:24):
I just think when you work for a trash organization,
this is what happens. By the way, are you charging
your phone in here?
Speaker 6 (26:31):
One of them?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Oh, one of them? Yeah, Because I'm like, who is
charging this little phone in here? And I'm like, oh okay,
I'm like that ain't mine. I'm looking at mine. I'm like, okay, okay,
just making sure. I just want to make sure, I like,
who oh wait a second, how'd that happen? But again,
the pick is in. If you agree, I'm taking the
Miami Dolphins minus two on the road at the New
York Jets. If you disagree, you're gonna teket in fiction.
(26:54):
So if you agree fact to four, nine four or
five to one. If you disagree fiction the four nine,
four or five months.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
Well, someone said it's been picked by the Morning show.
I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (27:04):
Well, yeah, it has been picked. Chuck took the Jets.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
We can get the head. Yep, yep, I'm not laughing
at that.
Speaker 1 (27:16):
Someone said, m J, take a blue shoo next time
you hit up the Mkini barista and ask for today's
special and you'll get your seat card closer by.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Getting your V card punched you text it.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
I'll tell you what, man, You guys are gonna give
you trouble. You come up with some funny ones, though, dude,
you come up with some funny ones. Uh So that's
that The MJ Pick of the Day coming up next,
brought to you by fan Duel Sportsbooks and Qualmish Clearwater
Casino Resorts.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
Someone said, MJ.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
I didn't say I admitted anything with you admitting you
haven't gotties he's been in Seattle. You sure are the
right spokes person for Lucia. Well, I'll take that fine,
But I didn't admit anything. I didn't mean anything, all right, kid.
We got lunch today, provided by Pacata Bueno. So it's
it's you know, it's amazing, how like there are days
here where are weeks at a time we get nothing
(28:17):
other than our guy Patrick, who does a great job
dropping off the boor said sandwiches, and then some days
we'll get breakfast and lunch, and today is one of
those days. Pacata Bueno's in the house. Hopefully they brought
the camword spread, which means the top spread, the number
one pick spread.
Speaker 3 (28:33):
All right, so we have that and Bruce Felman on
the Clown show.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Of the college football playoff rankings reveal that it's on ESPN,
which is published in The New York Times, the Great
New York By the way, he's a New York Times
best selling author too. By the way, I love Bruce Felman.
He does such a great job. We'll talk to him
coming up at eleven. MJ's Pick of the Day.
Speaker 4 (28:54):
Next, it's time for Clear Picks with Mark James, brought
to you by the Dual Sports Book. That's a Quamish
Clearwater casino resort. We're loading you up for the weekends
games on your home for the twelfth Man Sports Radio
ninety three point three kJ r FM.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
All right, don't forget picking the locks every Friday night
at seven o'clock, Me and Lee Sterling, the well, let's
just say the sports gambling tag team champions of the World,
the pros who beat the Joe, Softie and Dick. It
was close, close, thanks to Dick Faane he went undefeated.
Had to carry Softie's ass one three and one, and
(29:37):
Lee and I seventy percent, just seven and three, I
mean seventy percent, which is freaking ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous. So tonight,
you know what I could do tonight, since this is
not fact or fiction, I'm gonna give you. I'm gonna
give you something tonight that is gonna be a player prop.
(29:59):
All right, forget to listen to picking the locks every
Friday night at seven o'clock, Me and Lee Sterling player
prop tonight, big time player prop.
Speaker 3 (30:07):
Cowboys that lie.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
I'm actually really looking forward to this game, like seriously
really looking forward to this game.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
So there's a lot of things.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
So listen, do you remember when the Cowboys, Now, I
know it's earlier in the year, but do you remember
when the Cowboys faced Russell Wilson and the New York
Giants and Russell Wilson threw for four hundred.
Speaker 3 (30:31):
And fifty yards against this defense.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Well, right now, Detroit they are This is gonna be
really tough for Detroit, okay, because they are in a
situation where who I mean, it's they need this big time,
big time. Well tonight, I'm going with the Lions. I'm
going with no not I'm not taking them. You could
(30:55):
do that on your own. I'm gonna give you Jared
Goff passing you yards over two fifty one and a half.
Jared Goff passing yards over two point fifty one and
a half versus the worst defense and maybe the worst
pass defense in the NFL. The fact that the Chiefs
(31:20):
and Eagles have lost to the Cowboys and back to
back weeks tells we had Dallas Is coming around, but
those teams are reeling right now. Well tonight, to me,
this is a playoff elimination game. And Detroit loses his game,
I think they're done. They're done. They can say, oh
there's still no no no, no, no, no, no, no no.
They're in trouble. If they lose tonight, it's deaf con
one for Dan Campbell and company. Give me Jared Goff
(31:43):
over two hundred and fifty one and a half passing yards.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Bet it now, wait for it, wait for it, thank
me later, boom and cash that ticket.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Jared Goff over two hundred and fifty one and a
half passing yards. He should have most of that, but
he should have about one hundred and sixty five by
the end of the first half. So you don't have
to sweat it out and worry about it. Oh, I know,
I'm on Rossain Brown is questionable.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
I got that.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
He's gonna have to rely heavily on Jamison Williams and
Jamier Gibs out of the backfield not only running the ball,
but catching the ball. And I'm just worried. The one
thing I will tell you, you know, like I like
Dan Campbell. I mean I think everybody does. He's a
good coach and everything, but like, dude, play calling is
not your wheelhouse.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Bro.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Give that to the guy that succeeded Ben Johnson. John
Morton and instead he's calling it. But tonight, if they're
gonna win this game, they're gonna need Jared Goff to
come up big, big time. And if you want up parlay,
Dak Prescott's two sat two and a half. I've never
seen a quarterback all season long for any game with
(33:04):
a higher total. Then Vegas is putting that at right
now for Dak Prescott And that could go over too.
If you want to do a little parlay action, you
ask me about parlays a lot. Maybe you want to
do an over with Goff and Dak. I also will
do this too. You want to get a little spicy,
little freaky, all right, how about passing touchdowns Dak Prescott? Yeah,
(33:28):
over one and a half. I'm gonna go passing touchdowns.
I'm definitely gonna do that. So there's different ones you
can do there. So but anyway, Jared Goff over two
hundred and fifty two and a half passing yards tonight,
you know what to do.
Speaker 3 (33:44):
Do the right thing, bet responsibly.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Coming up next, Bruce Felman, the Great Bruce Felman from
Fox Sports Big Noon Kickoff, New York Times best selling
author from the athletic longtime friend Anne, Guess where he
(34:07):
went to school.
Speaker 3 (34:09):
You already know he'll join us next
Popular Podcasts
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.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com