Ep. 100: NFL Week 4 Takeaways, Eagles Escape Tampa Bay With Win, Cowboys Show Life, and More - 09/29/25

Sean Barnard and Sam Oshtry talk Eagles win over the Bucs, other NFL Week 4 headlines, NBA tidbits, and more.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio Preset hand then New
and Improved Diehard Radio w YES and WD two seven
three D, Philadelpia Ice, Fox Sports Radio The Gambler, Picks
and Roll, Handicapping the Hardwood with Sixers insider Sean Bernard
and Sean Brace.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
What is going on everybody, and welcome back to Fox
Sports The Gambler. My name is Sean Minard here with
Sam Ostriy for this edition of Picks and Roll, talking
all things from the Week four NFL slate. And we
got a lot to get into here, Sam, how are
we doing? How we feeling? Coming off? Nice tie? Nothing
fires me up on a Monday, like, you know, standing
up past midnight to watch a forty to forty draw.
But how about you?

Speaker 3 (00:37):
That was a great football game. What I mean, one
of the better games of the year. Sucks it ends
in the ties. We have to change that rule. That's
just like no game can end in the tie at
this point, but it was. It was a great football game.
And then it's just like, all right, anti climactic ending, that's.

Speaker 4 (00:51):
It is what it is.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
But it was a great day football, yes, sir, and Saturday,
we don't ever talk about college football on Mondays, even
though we're both big fans. What an embarrassment Penn State is.
I mean Drew Aller, like Drew Aller, Kid Kublic Kid Club,
Nick and arch Manning. It probably cost himself tens of
millions of dollars just in the last month, in the
last four weeks because of how awful those guys have

(01:13):
been in just another pathetic performance from Penn State at
home at your white out. Yeah, we don't talk college football,
but I had to go on that tangent.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Was the knee down sam Astri.

Speaker 4 (01:25):
Was the knee down?

Speaker 2 (01:26):
Yes, of the Oregon ball carrier there.

Speaker 4 (01:29):
No, I don't believe, so I didn't.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Think so either. That's to me and I guess this
is kind of a weekend takeaway. It's just referring as
a whole. But like, I don't I can't believe that
they overturned that field the targeting call that did not
get called. There was insanity there. But yeah, you're absolutely right.
This is Penn State is the most predictable team in
all of college football that every single year you can
get their schedule and tell you exactly which games they're

(01:53):
gonna win and which games they're gonna lose, that they
are gonna beat up on all the non Power five teams.
They're all gonna beat up on the small dog, and
then they're just never gonna have that upset. There the
only perennial top ten team to never beat other top
ten teams there, But it's Penn State. Is James Franklin.
It is what it is.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
I'm a fool, And you called it. You were on
the right side. But I'm a fool for somehow believing
that this because I didn't think this was like some
insane pressure spot for James Franklin. So I also, yeah,
I mean, anytime he plays a good team, like a
really good team, he's not capable of getting his team
ready to win whatever it is. But that's it's a
reflection of him on this point, Like you just there's

(02:29):
nothing else to say. He can't beat a team that's
another good opponent.

Speaker 4 (02:33):
He just can't.

Speaker 3 (02:33):
He recruits really well, gets a lot of talent, so
they'll always be one of the better teams, but he
can't beat another good team.

Speaker 4 (02:38):
And I'm a fool for believing that it would be
different this year.

Speaker 3 (02:40):
I thought the crowd and the atmosphere and white out
night game would do it, but obviously it didn't. Organs
a hell of a team. I mean, Dante Moore is
a Heisman contender at this point and talented offensive line.
They are so talented offensively. But I just thought Penn
State was right there with them and the home factor
would get it done. But obviously not, and another embarrassing

(03:01):
loss for Penn State. They'll be in the College Role
Playoff even if they lose to Ohio State, but not
much else is happening for that team. Drew Aller is
just not a guy you can trust, even though he's
supposed to be this most talented quarterback in Penn State history.
They tell yeah, yeah, and he's he's not close to
a first round er. I mean, how he falls apart
in big moments in big games and his accuracy is

(03:22):
so off. Just it's hard to fathom how Penn State
just continues to botch every single big game scenario they're in.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Drew Aller is a get your general manager fired type
of quarterback. Oh yeah, you can fall in love with
the intangibles, the raw arm, and I honestly think this
is a takeaway across the board as well. Too many
like people talk themselves into the raw traits and skills
over a guy that knows how to play football. That
aller to me is sort of one of the you know,
you can see the prototype, you can squint and see

(03:51):
the vision. Anthony Richards is an example author out as well,
like you fall in love with the raw traits and
skill sets. There has not been a single day where
Anthony richards and has been a polished quarterback. And to
roll the dice and believe that that's just going to
change our night, it is crazy to me.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
But yeah, I talk about that in studio on Saturday,
where we both said that the quarterback evaluation has completely changed.
Like these big hands, how tall you are, All these
things that people used to look at.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
Don't really matter that much anymore.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
Like all your arm strength doesn't You can both throw
the ball sixty yards down the field, Who cares?

Speaker 4 (04:22):
Congrats? You want a cookie?

Speaker 3 (04:23):
Like that doesn't matter anymore, and it shouldn't for quarterback evaluators,
and I don't think it does anymore. It's all processing,
It is all mental and those those things that you
you can teach to an extent, but either you have
them or you don't. And that's what determines if you're
going to be a good NFL quarterback, and it's pretty
obvious Drew Aller does not have that and he won't
be a first round or I think everyone in the
NFL has recognized that that he will not be a first.

Speaker 4 (04:45):
Rounder this year.

Speaker 2 (04:46):
I don't think he should be. I'm not ready to
say one hundred percent that he won't yet.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
I mean, there's just no quarterbacks. I don't know I
there'll be any first round heck, this year they always
this one or two, even in a bad class, but
there is just nobody who's impressing any twenty twenty six out.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, and teams will get desperate, so we'll see who
climbs the ladder and who looks good in the underwear
Olympics and all the workouts and all those kind of
things leading up the thing. But yeah, you're absolutely right.
It is a takeaway across the board that I think
the quarterback play has been incredibly disappointing in college football.
I will say Dante More, I think that's my front
runner for the highstman at this stage of the game.
I have not looked how the odd shifted after this weekend.
You would you take there.

Speaker 4 (05:22):
I think he deserves to be a farmer.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
He's played legitimate competition and that offense has been unbelievable.
When John Mattier goes out and he gets injured for Oklahoma,
obviously he was the favorite. He's he can't win it
anymore because's gonna miss at least a month. Carson Beck
deserves more respect from Miami. That Miami defense is really
good too, so maybe that's why he's not getting it.
But Carson Beck is right there for the Heisman contention.
And Fernando Mendoza for Indiana, he's been unbelievable too. We

(05:47):
have to see Indiana play a little better competition the
rest of the year, which they will on their schedule,
but he's been incredible.

Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, we'll be interesting how it plays out. But yeah,
I like that we mixed in a little college football here.
I do want to get it over the NFL slate,
and I figure you probably want to start the way
that we've started all these previous episodes here, which is
talking about Justin Herbert's MVP campaign.

Speaker 3 (06:06):
Yeah, you're really battering that drum. You really you really
want to start here? If you really want to start here,
we can because Daniel Jones wasn't his best game yester year.
I think we should start with the Eagles, but you
take it away.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
I was just you know, I know you're very passionate
about the Herbert MVP campaign, so I like it.

Speaker 4 (06:20):
It definitely took a hit yesterday, that's for sure.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
So yeah, well, I guess we'll table that. We'll start
with the Eagles here. We'll get around the league eventually,
because I think I have my worst loss of the
day already already picked out for that conversation. Well, let's
talk some Philadelphia Eagles. So the biggest story is they
remain undefeated, four to oh the final score being thirty
one to twenty five here the Eagles being outscored nineteen

(06:45):
to seven in the second half there, But the bottom
line as they got the job done. I thought the
first half of the football was the first half of football.
Who was the most impressive that they looked all season?
Second half not quite the same story. But a win
is win has sort of been my message on here,
and I'm gonna feel the damn way about that. What's
your takeaway from what we saw from the Eagles yesterday?

Speaker 3 (07:04):
Every game this year, there's been one half where they've
looked like the best team of football and the team
that's gonna run away with a Super Bowl. And there's
been another half in every single game, whatever half it is,
where they don't even look like they're a playoff team. Really,
it's really bizarre because, I mean, we know the talent,
we know how how good the coaching staff is on
this roster, we know what they are, and that's why
they're four and oh, and that's why they're still still

(07:25):
should be considered the number one team in the NFL
at this point. But it's bizarre how they show flashes.
They show like a quarter or two of incredible offense,
whether it's their passing game, of great offensive line play
where they get some good blocks for Saquon Barkley to
break off for runs, and then there's other moments where
they can't even complete a pass and they're constantly three

(07:46):
and out, and same with the defense. And their best
unit's been the special teams. And we're now back to
back weeks where they blocked either a field goal or
a punt for a touchdown and that's been the difference
in both those games. So the best unit's been the
special teams, which when you have special teams a weapon
like that, it's really hard to beat a team, especially on.

Speaker 4 (08:01):
Its talents as Eagles.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
But it's just been a bizarre season where they've shown
flashes of what we know they're capable of, and then
they've shown other halves where they look like a completely
different team and they're not even trusting Jalen and they're
not trusting the passing game in moments.

Speaker 4 (08:14):
So I'm not.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
Concerned because they're four and oh, and as you build
an identity, and as you want to build your identity,
it's good to win those games as you do. Last year,
they were two and two going into Week five and
they didn't even have an identity, and everyone thought the
sky was falling. They're still trying to build and discover
their identity this year, but they're doing it as they're
winning games, and they're four and oh this year. So
I'm not concerned at all like maybe some other people were.

(08:37):
But it has been bizarre of how good they've been
for stretches and how awful they've been for others.

Speaker 2 (08:43):
Yeah, the stark difference from half to half that we're
now seeing like on a consistent basis here is really
strange to me, Like I don't get it. Like I
was really encouraged yesterday in that first aff, thinking, Okay,
the light bulb has gone on, the switch has been
flipped here, that they've figured out how this offense is
supposed to run. And then they come out in the
second half and it was just elementary stuff. Once again,

(09:03):
We're talking trying to force the ball to aj Brown,
trying to just win after Saquon looks like he banged
up his ankle, just give it them to the ball again.
Like there's a lot of stuff that just does not
make a ton of sense to me. But I am
going to rest on the win is a win is
at the end of the day. So they are four.
Oh and that Bucks team, I give a ton of credit.
I think that's a good Tampa Bay Bucks team. That
to me is the most impressive victory of the season

(09:23):
so far.

Speaker 4 (09:24):
Yeah, the Bucks are really good.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
And I mean the Chiefs was a really impressive victory
too because of the I mean the Rams were too
the comeback and they every one of them get really impressive.
The Bucks are really good. They're definitely gonna be a
playoff team. And it's not only that it's how much
Eagles have struggled in Tampa Bay. We lost six out
of the last seven in Tampa Bay. We know what
happened last year at week in Week four heading into
the by when the Bucks just railroaded the Eagles in Tampa.

(09:47):
So the Eagles switched them things up. Obviously, their Travis
schedule was different. They went over to down to Tampa
day before, so they switched them things up to kind
of change the vibes in Tampa Bay, and obviously worked
in the first half. But it's honestly been like situational
weird play calling that's led to the kind of the
poor offense that we've seen where last week against the Rams,

(10:10):
they were down huge, they were down like three scorers
and they had to throw the ball in the second half,
and then we saw the passing offense get going, and
it was like, all right, let's trust Jalen more. We
know what he's capable of with his arm when you
put the ball in his hands, we know what he's
capable of. And you saw that switch in the first
half of this of this game yesterday where they were
letting Jalen Cook. I believe he started fifteen for seventeen.
He was completing passes fifteen plus yards down the field,

(10:32):
short passes, he was on the money. That was one
of the best Jailen passing halfs I've seen from him
in a while. So they trusted him finally, and then
they get into the situation where they want to play
conservative in the second half of the big lead instead
of continuing to trust your quarterback. So it's just like
the play calling has to be more consistent. That's what
it has to be. Your running game hasn't been there

(10:53):
for whatever reason. Maybe Saquan is I don't want to
say not one hundred percent, but he's a little tired.

Speaker 2 (10:58):
He's also getting hit behind.

Speaker 4 (11:00):
Yeah, and that was my second point. For sure. The
offensive line has not been as good.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
They are not getting near as much a space and
push on these run plays like they were last year.
And part of that's injuries. Right Lane Johnson went down
yesterday and who Fred Johnson has to come and replace them?
Tyler Stein goes down yesterday, Matt Pryor is to come
and replace them, And so it's been offensive line injuries
that have contributed that too. But the running game hasn't
been as good. So trust the passing game because we

(11:25):
have a great passing game, and you know, the run
factor will always be there with Saquan in the backfield.
So it's just been inconsistent play calling where you want
to see them put a full game of a consistent
play calling sheet together and they just haven't done that
for whatever reason. A lot of it's been situational. But
I still wanted them to trust Jalen for two halves.

Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yeah, I totally agree there, And like, like there was
a play or drive in the fourth quarter here where
it really clicked, like it's time for them to malk
some clock and that drive lasted a grand total of
twelve seconds before they were giving the ball back to
the box, and like that just can't happen the running
game as a whole. Like I do think it all
comes back to the offensive line that I know we've
talked for years about this being such a significant strength

(12:06):
of this Eagles team. To just call it like a
spade of spade here, they have not been a strong
unit to start this season. That the offensive line has
not imposed themselves though the way that we're accustomed to seeing.
How do you think injuries are the driving force of
that that Cam Jurgens is bagged up as well. We've
seen a bunch of guys go in and out that
this isn't like this team at its best from an
offensive line perspective. But the bottom line is like it's
looked a little bit like Sakwon Barkley running behind the

(12:28):
Giants offensive line all those years, for the amount of
times he's getting hit behind the line of scrimmage and
that kind of thing. Just let Jalen Hurts rip it, man,
Like this dude could win MVP of the league if
they allow him to sling it, Like he can put
up those type of numbers, he can lead this team
to that type of record. And we're already well on
our way. We have a four to zero record, and

(12:49):
like he's done it. Whenever he's asked, he finds a
way to get the job done. And I'm not sure
what more the Eagles need to see to be convinced
to just trust this dude, because he's answered every single
question that's been put in.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
I think a lot of people are concerned about I mean,
we all have this collective PTSD from the twenty twenty
three collapse. When we're winning games and we started out
with a ton of one record, and we knew we
weren't a good team, and then of course the collapse.
It all boiled up, and the collapse happened when we
lost six of our last seven games and the season
ended up being a disaster. So I think when we
win games ugly, now we have this collective PTSD where

(13:24):
it's like it's not pretty enough, that wasn't good enough,
Like we showed instances where why we might start losing games.
But let's look at some of our wins here when
we beat the Chiefs, where after last yesterdays win against
the Ravens, the right back in it has one of
the best teams in the NFL, the Rams, an NFC contender,
and then who am I blanking on that we played yesterday?

Speaker 2 (13:43):
I can't the Bucks the.

Speaker 3 (13:45):
Bucks obviously that's just an absolute mental brain form. And
then the Bucks yesterday, a team that's gonna beat the
NF be in the NFC conversation. So when you look
at the schedule, I'm not upset that we're racking up wins,
even if they're a little uglier, because what we showed yesterday,
what we showed against the Rams, is that it's not
that we can't facilitate a good passing game. It's not
that Jalen Hirsch isn't capable of throwing the ball and

(14:08):
slinging the ball a ton as a high volume passer.
It's just we don't do it for whatever reason.

Speaker 4 (14:13):
But we can.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
We shown we can in the first half against the Rams,
or excuse me, the second half against the Rams and
the first half against the Bucks. We showed how great
this passing game can be. So I trust Jalen, and
we need to see the coaching staff, the play calling,
trust Jailnen, even Moore. But it's not like we can't
do it. We've shown we can, and the defense has
been solid. Not worried there, even with some injuries that
we've dealt with.

Speaker 4 (14:34):
Yesterday.

Speaker 3 (14:34):
John Campbell's just been phenomenal. He was incredible yesterday, the interception,
some huge tackles. He was great As a rookie. You
love to see him step up like that. And like
I said earlier, the special teams has been our best unit.
So I'm not worried about this team. Even with a
tough schedule moving forward, they'll be just fun.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
I'm also ready to have a quinnyon Mitchell conversation here.

Speaker 4 (14:56):
I think this dude was talking yesterday. Dude was talking
in Baker's FA yesterday.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Quinion Mitchell is one of the top five corners in
the NFL, like he did.

Speaker 4 (15:04):
You thought he had a great game, Yeah, you didn't.

Speaker 3 (15:07):
No, I thought that was a lot of times he
got away with tugging on jerseys easily could have been
called a PI.

Speaker 4 (15:14):
There was moments he did get beat.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
He had some good moments, for sure, and Tom Brady
al So, look, Tom Brady was awful yesterday. I mean,
he could not have rooted for the Bucks any harder.
But he was also pointing out a lot of times
where he thought Quenya Mitchell was antsy, and he was like,
if you see an anti quarterback or cornerback as a QB,
you're targeting that guy because you don't like an anti
quarterback cornerback.

Speaker 4 (15:36):
So I didn't think he had a great game.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
Honestly, I thought he was excellent yesterday, and I thought
anytime he was tested, he answered the call. I believe
it was two receptions for nine yards was officially what
he lit up yesterday. Let me get his full stats
up here. But I was very impressed with Coinnea match
and by the way, Cooper to Gene, don't let him
get left out of this. One of the better tackling
corners in football. Like the ivers incet over. The fact

(16:00):
that he got flagged for that was absurd, but the
hit that he made and the play that he made
was awesome there and uh, as far as the full
Quinnon Metell game stats yesterday, nine targets, two receptions allowed,
six yards, six yards allowed, five passes defended, and five
tackles that I thought he was excellent yesterday.

Speaker 4 (16:18):
Yeah, I mean the numbers are there.

Speaker 3 (16:20):
Like I said, I thought he got away with some
stuff that you're not always gonna get away with. But
I look, I love the energy. I love talking in
Baker's face, trying to rattle Baker and he was all
up in his face and he was and then the.

Speaker 4 (16:32):
The trist Tristan Wurfs came over and.

Speaker 3 (16:35):
Tried to just like picked him up. It's like, all right,
go to bad, go to bad. You're like this guy's
like two hundred pounds on you. But if you're gonna
talk talk, I have no problem with that. I love
that energy.

Speaker 4 (16:44):
He's really good. Don't get me wrong. I just didn't
think yesda was his best game.

Speaker 2 (16:48):
Interesting, I was very impressed with quinnyn yesterday. I'm surprised
to hear you say that, but we'll see. There's still
plenty of time. I do think we're probably like a
year or two away from having the real conversations of
this guy should be in the Pats are Tan kind
of talks. But I think he's on that trajectory man
like I I do think he's that type of corner.
Uh and pretty cool like Megaku is awesome, dude. Way yeah,

(17:11):
And I know he had an incredible game Statistically, I
don't think any of that came with on him and
I thought he did an excellent job. So I'll leave
it that, but we'll move around the league a little
bit here.

Speaker 3 (17:20):
Yeah, real quick before we before we wrap it up
on the Eagles discussion, I do think we should talk.

Speaker 4 (17:26):
About a J. Brown.

Speaker 3 (17:27):
Sure, sure, yeah, because because this guy, I mean this,
this guy is a dream for Philadelphia media and Philadelphia
radio stations like us because he just when they're winning
and things are going so well, this guy somehow creates
drama and content in ways that should not exist. And
he did it again yesterday with an Instagram post and
look he wasn't. Even even when passing offense was clicking,

(17:50):
he was not targeted really at all in that first half.
Maybe a one reception and one target, but he was
not He was not targeted and the passing offense was
click though, I mean DeVante smith Is who catches Dallas Goddard,
who catches Grant Calcaterra, had big moments, So it wasn't
like passing offense wasn't doing well, but Aj wasn't really
a part of it. And part of that is because

(18:11):
of how they cover Aj Brown, like they're always going
to zone up on AJ Brown because of how much
because of how talented, is how much of a threat
he is, and that creates openings for other guys. That
creates openings for the other receivers and tight ends to
make plays and make catches. And Jalen knows that, which
is maybe why he's not always going in AJ's direction
because he commands so much defensive attention. So it's not
like it's not like he was bad or anything, but

(18:33):
he's not going to be featured in the passing offense
for stretches.

Speaker 4 (18:36):
But he can't let that effect his attitude.

Speaker 3 (18:38):
Like we're four and oh, right now, and he's posting
quotes like this most selfish me guy quotes in the world,
like he's upset because he's not getting the ball, And
I get it.

Speaker 4 (18:48):
Look, all the best receivers.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
In the league or divas, but Dante Smith is not
a diva at all. That guy can be a wide
receiver one he's capable of it on to any other team.
And he is just the best attitude matter if he's
one hundred hundred plus yards and ten catches or one
catch for eight yards, he has the same attitude and
approach every single day. And that's what's so impressive at him.

(19:09):
And it's a complete contrast from AJ Brown, who is
the biggest me guy in the world. And look, I
of course, what wide receiver doesn't want the ball? Well,
wide receiver doesn't care about their own personal stats and accolades.
But he also preaches constantly it's only about the wins.
I just want to see us play to our best potential.
That offense was humming in the first half and he's
still upset.

Speaker 4 (19:28):
He wasn't really a part of.

Speaker 3 (19:29):
It, like this is this is just it's just annoying.
Like I love Aj such a great player, him him
and Jalen Him and Jalen Hurts. When those guys are clicking,
they're the potentially the best wide receiver quarterback do in
the league. But it's like, why are we making this
about ourselves? From four and oh, we've picked up a
huge win against Tampa Bay on the road, a place
we've never been able to win.

Speaker 2 (19:50):
So to set the scene exactly here, the post that
AJ Brown did throw up on his Twitter here was quote,
if you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw, don't
make a scene, shrug your shoulders and be on your way.

Speaker 3 (20:03):
The irony of that quote is you just made the
biggest hand. I think that tweet is four million views
right now. So you did exactly what that quote said
not to do.

Speaker 2 (20:09):
That's an excellent point. It's a really good point about
that right there. I think in general, more is made
about the AJ Brown situation than should be the case here.
I would prefer that he does not poke the bear
do things like this whatsoever, because it is just way
way more harm than good anyway that you do slice
it here. But I mean, I have kind of a
tolerance for star wide receivers acting like star wide receivers

(20:32):
like it does not bother me to an extent here
and just from the satury cap perspective, AJ Brown ain't
going anywhere this year, and I don't think anytime in
the near future, so he can cause the scene if
he wants. I don't think we're at risk for AJ
Brown being frustrated at the point of actually want to out.

Speaker 3 (20:46):
I you know they're not going to treat him, There's
no question about that. I mean, the teams are calling
about him this summer to Howie Roseman, it was reported,
and Howie Roseman ended those calls very quickly. The egos
culture strong enough to overcome stuff like this, which we
saw last year.

Speaker 4 (21:01):
I mean, A J.

Speaker 3 (21:02):
Brown was doing the same stuff last year in his
postgame comments, constantly passing.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
When asked what's wrong with the Eagles, Yeah.

Speaker 4 (21:08):
He said, he said the passing was kind of a
shot at Hurts.

Speaker 3 (21:10):
And then Brandon Graham comes over the top and says
that Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown doing have the best relationship,
and Eagles culture was strong enough where obviously they overcame that,
and the passing offense did more than enough in the
playoffs and they win.

Speaker 4 (21:21):
The Super Bowl. But if a J.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
Brown is a part of a not great culture, part
of a team doesn't have as strong as a culture
that the Eagles do, this stuff can really erode a
locker room, and one one of these instances can really
tailspin an organization and a season. But the Eagles culture
is strong enough where I'm not worried about it. And look,
AJ's such a great player where where you kind of
deal with this stuff because of his talent. But it's

(21:44):
just like why are we doing it? Like can we
just put the phone down? Can we just like put
our head down and go to work, And if there's
stuff that you want to handle or have to address,
do it internally.

Speaker 4 (21:54):
That's all I'm asking.

Speaker 2 (21:55):
I would prefer that that is the case for sure,
Like I wish we weren't dealing with this whatsoever. I
will also say, like I think every guy's relationship is different,
and like there is a legitimate like relationship between Jalen
Hurts and AJ Brown that these guys have known each
other before they were in the NFL, and how long
did they go back there? Like I wonder if that's
just sort of like the way they communicate or are

(22:16):
with each other is sort of like talking through quotes
and saying their their media is shots here or whatever
the case may be. It's not probably the best direction.
I don't think like that's what you should draw up
in an organization, But I kind of wonder if that's
just sort of the way that they go about it
at this stage. Lean they're both kind of unique thinkers
in that way.

Speaker 3 (22:33):
Yeah, Yeah, Look, I don't think it's gonna be a problem.
It's just something that they now have to address and
deal with, and it's like, why are we doing that more?
Four to zho And I think this team's on a
great trajectory from everything we talked about, where they showed
what they can do as a passing offense, as an
offense as a whole, even if they haven't put a
complete game together.

Speaker 2 (22:52):
Yeah, and I will say the only thing I was
kind of looking for as we were talking about, like,
I do think this Eagles team still needs a complete
performance to have dominant all here. Looking at their schedule ahead,
it does not get much easier. Man, that we're talking
the Eagles from here four to ozho on the season
moving forward, that they're facing the Denver Broncos, New York Giants,
Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions,

(23:15):
Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Commanders, Bills, Commanders.
Not really a ton of layups in there.

Speaker 3 (23:24):
So yeah, I mean, we thought the Giants would be layups,
but might not be anymore if the Jackson Dart thing
is real. Even though with that milk neighbors, I don't
see that offense clicking. So look, I'm not worried about
those giant matchups, but one of them is on Thursday
night football. That's always a tricky game. Broncos coming to
town is not going to be easy. If Vikings. I
don't think the Vikings are that good, but that's never
an easy game. Hopefully Carson Wentz is still playing by them.

(23:46):
That would be fun. But that Packers to the Packers, Lions, Cowboys, Bears,
Chargers stretch, that five game stretch from the beginning of
November till the beginning of December. That is a tough,
tough five game stretch where they could easily go two
in three or three and two in that scenario. So
you want to see them rack up these wins against

(24:07):
the Giants and Vikings coming up.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
Yeah, one hundred percent there, So they've done their job
to this point. There are four and zher. We'll keep
it there and table the Eagles for the time being. Well,
let's transition right over to these New York Giants right there.
Probably the story of this week, I would say, was
the Jackson Dart making an appearance here. I'm surprised still
that the Giants pressed this button this early in the season.
I thought this was gonna be something that they kicked

(24:29):
down the line, at least pushed until next week, where
it would have been a saint's debut at a little bit
of an easier matchup there for Jackson Dart. But nonetheless,
I thought he looked good. They obviously got the victory.
They defeated the Los Angeles Chargers. There. What were your
thoughts in the Jackson Dart debut.

Speaker 4 (24:44):
I think it was good.

Speaker 3 (24:45):
Like he got hit a lot, like pressured a lot,
sacked a lot. We know what that Giants offensive line is,
and he stood in there and kind of showed his toughness.
And that's something that people said about him coming out
of the draft and why people loved him, how tough
he was.

Speaker 4 (24:57):
So I thought he was good.

Speaker 3 (24:58):
He fifty four rushing yards, so we know what he is.
His athleticism was always was always a big plus for
him at coming out of college. So he didn't do
anything spectacularly with his arm, and he's thirteen for twenty
one hundred eleven yards and a touchdown. But he was good,
Like he was good in his debut against a really
good defense, like don't forget this Charge defense is really good.

(25:18):
It's limited a lot of great quarterbacks so far this year,
so I was impressed with the debut. I do think
a lot of times when the it's not really much
tape on the guy, it's really hard to prepare for them,
Like the Charges had to go back to his college
tape last year at ole Miss to really kind of
prepare for a guy like that. So I do think
there's an advantage to the quarterback, even as a young
guy making his debut. And that's why we see a

(25:39):
lot of quarterbacks have great rookie seasons and then sometimes
they fall off as the rest of the league catches
up and scouts them even more.

Speaker 4 (25:46):
CJ. Stroud of course his rookie year.

Speaker 3 (25:48):
Maybe we're seeing that with Jayden Daniels a little bit
before he got hurt. So I'm not like, oh, Jackson
Darts the future is the answer.

Speaker 4 (25:56):
But I liked him coming out of college.

Speaker 3 (25:58):
I think it can be a really good quarterback, and
he displayed his toughness yesterday in a good debut.

Speaker 2 (26:04):
Yeah, I was very impressed by Jackson Dart yesterday, and
I was not a major Jackson Dart guy coming out
of college. I will say he moved better yesterday than
I remember him in college. I thought I was pretty
impressed with the way that he hit the hole, made
some reads, and showed the toughness I think is the
story yesterday. You can beat that dude up. He's gonna
get up and keep fighting, and that does inspire a
roster behind him there. So shout out to Jackson Dart.

(26:25):
And I also loved the excitement from Brian de Bull
walking off the field here that you just saved my job.

Speaker 4 (26:30):
I just kissed the guy.

Speaker 2 (26:31):
Yeah he did. It did look like it was turning
that direction there, but that was a you just saved
my job type of excitement there. Now on the other
end of that quarterback matchup.

Speaker 4 (26:41):
Okay, yeah, okay, okay, go.

Speaker 2 (26:44):
Justin Herbert man. Not quite as pristine, not quite as
MVP caliber as I've been told to read off the
stat line directly. Here completed twenty three of his forty
one pass a test for two hundred and three yards,
one touchdown in two interceptions, ated twenty four yards with
his leg. And the most important is stat which has
always been the case. With the New York Giants being
Los Angeles Chargers twenty one to eighteen. What do you

(27:06):
got for your boy? Right here?

Speaker 3 (27:07):
He was pressuring on forty seven percent of his dropbacks.
Charge dolphensive line was awful. Joe Ault, their left tackle
went out with an injury, and then his replacement, Austin Decliss,
he allowed a team high six pressures. I'm not excusing
just Nebber completely, but his offensive line was not good
against a really good pass rush. I mean, we're talking
about the Giants Jackson Dart and how great his debut

(27:29):
was the story of that game for me from the
Giants was that pass rush. And we know how talented
they are with Keavon Thibodeaux and all those guys, that
is an unbelievably good pass rush and they were getting
to the quarterback and pressuring Justin Herbert. It's not an excuse,
but the charge of offensive line was bad, and they
didn't do Justin Herbert any favors.

Speaker 4 (27:44):
It wasn't Justin Herbert's best game. He's a great quarterback.

Speaker 3 (27:47):
Great quarterbacks sometimes aren't gonna have their best games night
and the night out. Lamar Jackson's had some four games
this year and I hear something still like their best
quarterback to ever live.

Speaker 4 (27:55):
Apparently some people say so.

Speaker 3 (27:58):
Look, he didn't have his best game again against on
the road, against the good opponent, traveling all opponent. I'm
just a good opponent in the Dyant Giants defense. That
pass rush is unbelievable. That pass rush unbelievable with some
injuries offensive line, and I'm not I'm just racking up
the excuses as I go through it. But he traveled
all the way from West, all the way from LA
to New York. That is not travel. That's that's further

(28:21):
than Dublin. That's further than when the Steelers went to Dublin.
That's not easy to travel. Going west to east is
never easy. Time difference, time change, all of it wasn't
the best game.

Speaker 4 (28:31):
He's still one of the best quarterbacks. In the league.
Don't get me wrong.

Speaker 2 (28:34):
Ain't no such thing as halfway crux Sam Austri that
you could fake it for a couple of weeks at
a time. The truth always comes to like Justin it's
not a.

Speaker 3 (28:41):
Couple weeks at the time. He was great last season
two in the regular season.

Speaker 2 (28:44):
Yeah, he played three great weeks of football, and then
you know, the mighty New York Giants just absolutely tearing
down Justin Herbert. This is what I just needed you
to acknowledge in this conversation. I've given you that I can.
I understand the good Justin Herbert is in there, that
he's looked good for three weeks of football. Do you
see what I'm saying with the skittish Justin Herbert that
looks like he's scared to play football, which I thought

(29:06):
was on display yesternight.

Speaker 3 (29:07):
He looks like he's scared to play football. No, I've
never seen that. For one second watching Justin Ebbert, I
think he was running for his life, and there was
moments of skittishness. But that's not that you see that
with any quarterback when the defensive line is getting to them.
He's getting pressured every single every single drop back. The
offensive line was awful. I think you see that skittishness
with anybody who I don't.

Speaker 2 (29:29):
Think you just like that, say, I don't think you
do like the the skittishness. Skittish is the word I
would use for Herbert, the bad justin Herbert there, and
that's something that like completely turns me off to him
as a quarterback that when things are going south, I
see that dude looking like he wants no part of it.
And that's sort of for the first time this season,
I thought, that's the justin Herbert we saw.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
He's led so many game winning drives. He constantly comes
back in the fourth quarter. It's not like the guy
has the guy has. I think it was thirteen. I
think I read it yesterday. It was thirteen game drives
in his career.

Speaker 2 (30:01):
What happened yesterday? Sam Astre? Did he have any to
get it done?

Speaker 3 (30:04):
As not one hundred percent hit rate, that's just that's
just the nature of the business and nature of sports.
He didn't have his best game, yesterdear and have his
best stuff. The offensive line, like I said, was awful,
dealing with a replacement left tackle who was who was terrible.
He was getting pressured on all his dropbacks half of
his dropbacks, which.

Speaker 4 (30:19):
Is an absurd rate.

Speaker 3 (30:21):
It wasn't his best game, but I'm not like, oh,
Justin Herbert, this one bad game. You see, you're just
capitalizing one bad game. But you don't apologize when when
he has these unbelievable games like he did the first
three weeks this season against three straight divisional opponents, which
is really tough to do.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
I think my message has consistently been just wait, just
give it time, and then some time has passed by,
and like that. That's what I saw yesterday. And by
the way, I want it clear that what was the
first thing we talked about with the Eagles was Lane
Johnson getting injured. We've got, you know, Tyler Steen going
down yesterday.

Speaker 4 (30:51):
JE complete a pass in the second half? What do
you want to say?

Speaker 3 (30:56):
They did not complete a single pass in the second half.
Their Leagles were the first team in two plus years
that I didn't complete a pass and a half.

Speaker 2 (31:03):
That they completed zero. That's a true star three. Wow
ize it zero zero. But yeah, we can keep it
moving on the Justin Herbert conversation.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
I just think like a lot of quarterbacks have moments
like that the Baker's interception yesterday in the red zone
was awful. I mean, like Baker's a great quarterback, Like
I trust Bigger a lot. He had an awful moment,
awful interception, bad decision. Quarterbacks make those plays sometimes where
you're not gonna be You're not going to be perfect.
It's just impossible to be. And justin Herbert's those picks
weren't great, but again it's those happened. He had been

(31:38):
pretty good at not turning the ball over one pick
coming to that game before that, so it's a blip
on the radar for his MVP campaign.

Speaker 2 (31:46):
I respect the commitment there. We'll see what happens. They'll
they'll keep rocking on their season there. I'll throw a
little bit more of a wider question at you than
just everything that we kind of taking it from that
direction there. The most impressive win yesterday looking across the sleigh,
do you think changed your mind the most on who
they are as football team this week? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (32:04):
I thought the Giant, Like we just talked about the game,
so I don't want to go too deep that, but
like the Giants win was really impressive because that pass
rush finally came alive. Obviously, they debuted their new quarterback,
a first round pick that they hope is the future
of their franchise. So Chargers are really good team in
their playoff team. I think they still will win that
AFC West. So that's that's that's a monstrous win for
the Giants. So I think that was the best win.

(32:26):
I was prepared to say the Cowboys over the Packers,
but I mean, if you want to say best time,
maybe because the Cowboys are really good yesterday, they wouldn't
want to dive into that game. But what's your what
was your best win?

Speaker 2 (32:37):
For my best win was the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday
that I was finally like full skeptic of this Chiefs team,
Like legitimately when you look at what they brought to
the table the first three weeks, there was nothing offensively
that they could consistently rely on. No running game, the
pass catchers weren't good enough, and that Ravens team I
viewed as legitimately good going into yesterday. Here the Chiefs

(32:57):
took care of business. That was a primetime home kind
of classic performance there that I think they needed to
see within themselves. They're right back in that Super Bowl
contending mix and catapulted right right back in there. So
to me, the Chiefs I was most impressed with yesterday.
Any thoughts on that or I'm the game dive in
the Cowboys game.

Speaker 3 (33:14):
Yes, so I had worst loss as the Ravens. Okay,
it was kind of similar tone. I thought that was
impressive win for the Chiefs too, and they needed it,
and we sawvi's Xavier Worthy's impact in his return, and
then with Rashi Rice coming back, the sky is really
the limit for this passing offense when you have Patrick.

Speaker 4 (33:30):
Mahoons back there, because they just got there. He had
no weapons.

Speaker 3 (33:33):
I mean, Travis Kelsey's a non factor at this point.
He's no downfield Webens Thornton had some good plays but
also had some drops deep ball drops this season so far,
so this Chief's offense was really struggling. And now you
finally get Xavier Worthy back who you wanted, and Rashi
Rice is coming back in a few weeks as well,
and this passing offense and this offense is all can

(33:54):
really elevate their game where they're back to contending status.
So I get all your points of why I was
definitely a huge win for the Chiefs. Worst loss for
the Ravens because they're one in three. Yeah, I mean
this is a team that with Lamar Jackson's historically started poor,
but like they were two and two last year and
now it's the defense. It's really the defense for this Ravens.
I believe the status that they gave up. Yeah, they

(34:15):
they've given up one hundred and thirty three points through
four games. That's the most points through four games they've
given up in franchise history.

Speaker 4 (34:22):
Their defense has.

Speaker 3 (34:23):
Been awful and part of its injuries that they were
down six starters from what they started the year out
year out last last night or yesterday, so like half
of their more than half of their starting defense from
the start of the season wasn't playing like obviously Calevid
and NOI all these guys are such critical not just
players but leaders for that defense, and that's a big loss.

(34:43):
We don't know exactly when those guys are gonna come back.
I think the Ravens are gonna be fine. I think
they're gonna make the playoffs. But one in three start
to the season is not good. And that was a
huge opportunity against the Chiefs and now they're in a
massive hole.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
Yeah, big time. There, and I know you kind of
skated by it, but Lamar Jackson, I think there needs
to be a little bit of discussion about that performance
yesterday because it's not a great to just give their
all numbers here. Completed fourteen of twenty four, one hundred
and forty seven yards, one touchdown, one interception. He was
sacked three times, also lost a fumble there. If you
want to talk looking skittish a little bit, I saw

(35:16):
that in Lamari yesterday, which is not anything I want
to see ever in a quarter.

Speaker 3 (35:19):
Yeah, I mean the fumble he ran into his center
like maybe lost the ball. The Ravens are seven and
eleven in games where Lamar Jackson has turned the ball
over at least or turned the ball over multiple times.
If the Ravens turned the ball over, if Lamar Jackson's
turned the ball over, there's not going to be a
legitimate threat in the AFC. I think again, I think
they're fine. I think Lamar Jackson's fine, But this is

(35:40):
not the Lamar Jackson we saw the last couple of
seasons when he was in the MVP conversation.

Speaker 4 (35:43):
He's just been He's.

Speaker 3 (35:45):
Been less bad for his standards so far this year.
And when the Ravens defense has been as awful as
it's been, granted against really good competition. They played the
Bills and Josh Allen and the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes.
But if this Ravens defense is going to be in
not great, you're gonna need that offense to score thirty
plus points what we're seeing with the Cowboys situation right
now in Dak Prescott. And if he's not playing well,

(36:08):
this Ravens team could get in an even further hole.

Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah, and obviously it's a sky high standard we are
holding him to that a bad Lamar Jackson still gives
you a better chance than the best days for a
lot of quarterbacks in the NFL here, But the point
still remains that there are questions that need to be
answered by the student the postseason, and performances like yesterday
just aren't ones that are gonna inspire confidence in me
that this will change that. I did thought. I did
think he looked rattled yesterday. I did think he looked flustered.

Speaker 3 (36:33):
And I mean the Chiefs have always had their number,
Like Steve Pagnoli was drawing up all these blitzeres, I
mean they were blitzing from every which way, and he's
obviously a blitz happy coordinator. Yeah, but I mean their
safety was blitzing the corner, blitzing. It was from everywhere,
and he's always just given Lamar Jackson problems and that's
been a hump that Lamar Jackson has never got over
his career.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
Yeah. Yeah, So we'll be interesting there. Are you out
on the Ravens? Do you think they've dug themselves too
dp of a hole? You still think this team's gonna
be fine out.

Speaker 3 (37:00):
In the sense that they'll be in the playoffs. I
think they'll be in the playoffs. I think their playoff team.
You know, the division is the Browns and the Bengals
aren't a factor anymore. If Joe Burrow is healthy, it'd
be different. The Steelers, I like them. I'm not sold
on the Steelers yet. We can talk about that game
in Dublin, but I'm not sold on the Steelers. So
I still think the Ravens can make the playoffs, even
win the division as a threat to win the AFC.

Speaker 4 (37:22):
Not right now.

Speaker 3 (37:22):
I still the Chiefs I have over them. The Bills
I definitely have over them. The Chargers are still over
at this point, so I'm not. I'm not like this
Ravens team can make make the super Bowl, but they'll
be in the playoffs. And what we've seen every year
from Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson's that team's gotten way better
at the years going on. They've had really bad September's
last few seasons.

Speaker 2 (37:41):
Yeah, I'm with you that I think they will find
themselves a spot into the playoffs and they'll scrap their
way in there. But my level of confidence that this
year could be different from the Ravens for getting over
the hump just really isn't there. That I don't see
it with this current team. Maybe the defense figures some
things out during the second half of the season as
they get more healthy and it comes together. But I
definitely have some concerns about Baltimore in away that I

(38:02):
did not remotely expect to be the case this early
in the season. Here. But let's transition over to that
early morning matchup. But you mentioned the Pittsburgh Steelers getting
away over the Minnesota Vikings, and Sam, I'll just lead
with my number one takeaway from that game. I had
Carson wentz PTSD all over the place. It was the
full experience watching him in a Vikings jersey there. What
were your thoughts on that game?

Speaker 4 (38:23):
It really was because he wasn't bad at all.

Speaker 3 (38:25):
I mean, I didn't think he was bad for most
of that game, three for three and fifty yards two touchdowns,
But it's the interceptions and it's just the awful clock
management late in that game that he completely botched, the
delay of game, just bad picks where it's inexcusable decisions.

Speaker 4 (38:41):
And that's the Carson Wentz experience. We know better than anyone.
We know the talent, like the town is there.

Speaker 3 (38:46):
He is unbelievable arm when he's dealing, but he also
just makes such awful decisions that sets his team back
in his offense back. So it was a full Carson
Wentz experience, Like you can win with him. The Vikings
can win games with him, and we saw last week
when they dominated with him as the quarterback. But it's
just you're never gonna be a legitimate threat with Carson

(39:08):
Wentz under center. But he's a good backup quarterback in
this league at this point. My biggest takeaways from the
Steelers and I was kind of I don't know, I
didn't know exactly where to go with the Steelers this
because I was impressed with them.

Speaker 4 (39:18):
I pressed with Aaron.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Rodgers, but a lot of those plays that he was doing,
or his passes he was completing, were such short yard
situations where I don't think he had a single completion
over twenty yards down the field or even over fifteen
yards down the field.

Speaker 4 (39:32):
These were he was getting the ball out faster.

Speaker 3 (39:34):
I think they sat on the broadcast stat with he
was getting the ball out faster than he had since
twenty sixteen. It was immediate actions to just get the
ball out of his hands, don't even let the pass
rush the pressures come. They don't really trust the offensive
line that much. And so I thought Aaron Rodgers was good,
but like that's not really sustainable when you're just when
you're just throwing the ball in less than two and
a half seconds every single time for these really short

(39:56):
yards games. And it worked yesterday, but then you kind
of saw their offense stall out and they don't have
they don't really generate many explosive plays.

Speaker 4 (40:03):
So I think Steelers are a good team.

Speaker 3 (40:04):
I think they're gonna be in the playoffs, but I
wasn't particularly enthralled with that win yesterday.

Speaker 2 (40:09):
Yeah, I think the Steelers are exactly what they've been
for the past ten years. Here. They're gonna be a
slightly above five hundred football team in a first round
exit in the postseason would be my prediction there. Now
that can change depending on the matchup and how things
shake out, but I don't think Aaron Rodgers raises the
ceiling of this team. They beat the Vikings with Carson Wentz.
It's another win to add to Mike Tomlin's resume and

(40:30):
as he fights to stay above five hundred for another
year in his career. Here. I like Mike Tomlin. I
give him respect. I give this team respect, but I
don't think this team is in any way, shape or
form any sort of contender.

Speaker 3 (40:41):
Mike Tomlin had won the weirdest decisions everywhere. He punted
the ball on their own thirty nine yard line. They
it was fourth and like inches, not less than a
yard fourth and inches, They punted the ball, take it
to lay a game, then punt the ball and pin
the Vikings and ended up working out. He trusted his defense,
but that's like Collins, little confidence your offense to not
go for that on fourth and inches and effectively end

(41:03):
the game, not even give Vikings an opportunity to get
the ball back. It was one of the more bizarre, bizarre, conservative,
really just soft decisions that we've seen.

Speaker 4 (41:12):
But Mike Tom's obviously a great coach.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
I agree. I would have gone for it on that
play there. That's also kind of who Mike Tomlin is,
though he's like the anti Dan Campbell in terms of
he's gonna be ultra conservative. He's going to pump the
ball on fourth down, and I kind of can respect
when you have your exact playbook that what you're gonna do,
you keep sticking with it in the way that he did.
But yeah, I mean it worked out frohim yesterday. I
like Mike Tomlin. I have a ton of respect for

(41:35):
the success that he's had. I think there are like
legitimate like I mean, I guess it's unfair to halt
against it because he needs a quarterback for me to
really go in on him for not being able to
elevate a team to a Super Bowl contender. But they
feel very penn State like to me. The Pittsburgh Steelers, well.

Speaker 3 (41:49):
No, because I've got Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, not Drew Allery.
I do trust Aaron Rodgers. I think more than you do.
Where he's been good this year. I mean he hasn't
been like some spectacular talent, but he's been good, and
like we talked about earlier, getting the ball out really
quick to DK mecall metcalf and just letting him, letting
him rack up yards after the catch was really impressive.
Their ceiling definitely has raised with Aaron Rodgers because he's

(42:10):
capable of vintage performances like that, and not a lot
of quarterbacks can get the ball out as quick as
he was yesterday. I just don't think it's sustainable when
they're not generating explosive plays. But I do think he's
capable of a vintage performance in a playoff game, because
they'll be in the playoffs. I'm pretty sure about that.
I do think that I would trust Anon Rodgers in
a way that the Steelers have always been a shoeing
lost in the playoffs because never had a trustworthy quarterback. It

(42:32):
is different with Rodgers.

Speaker 2 (42:34):
Yeah, I mean, he's certainly an upgrade over Kenny Pickett
and some of the other guys Fields. Yeah, justin Field
and some of the other guys we've seen cycle that
Mason Rudolph had had his day in the sun there. So, yeah,
well I'll give that. I'll give you that. I have
two nominations for best loss for this week. Number one
I went to throw out there. The New Orleans Saints
kind of hung in there with the Bills for a

(42:56):
little bit that the game overall finished with a score
of thirty one to nineteen. It was closed throughout that.
I believe halftime it was fourteen to ten in that
matchup there. The Saints are a bad football team, don't
get me wrong, but they are not like clear cut
worst team in the NFL the way I think that
it was talking about season the Titans. The Titans.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
Yeah, that's not a bad goal. Yeah, teams, you're right there.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
Yeah, I mean, I'm not sticking up staying the Saints
are good, but I think there is a level of
competency with the organization that I did not expect coming
into the air. You have any takeaways on that.

Speaker 3 (43:28):
I really kind of just felt like a leftdown spot
against an awful opponent coming in. Bills is over two
touchdown favorites, biggest spread of the season so far, and
the Saints hanging there, and Spencer Radley was pretty good.
Spencer Radley was pretty good, honestly, so not really much takeaway.
I mean, the Saints and the Titans are the two
worst teams in NFL, usually easy wins. Who knows how

(43:49):
many wins they'll win collectively this year, maybe like three
or fourth. They're lucky, so not much takeaway. It was
just a weird spot for the Bills, who are still
the best team in the AFC.

Speaker 2 (43:58):
For me, the other best loss that I will throw
in there is my Indianapolis Colts twenty to twenty seven
loss to the hands of the Rams. There. I was
okay with that loss from a Colts perspective. I was
okay with that Daniel Jones performance. From Daniel Jones' perspective.
Here at the respectable loss that Matt Stafford carved him
up for three fifteen three touchdowns. They hung in there
from start.

Speaker 3 (44:18):
Defendish, I mean, how are you okay with that? But
you're killing Justin Herbert for two picks? They both had
two picks.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
Well, the Rams and the Giants are two different opponents, mister.

Speaker 3 (44:27):
The Giants defense was probably better yesterday. That pass Russ
was unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (44:32):
Yeah, Gant, sure, But there the New York Giants and
this is the Rams are talked about as a legitimate
NFC threat, The Giants are talked about as a team
that could be picking in the top five.

Speaker 3 (44:40):
Yeah, there's nothing about that game that was like off
the Colts or Daniel Jones train. It was we expected those.
We saw Daniel Jones doing a lot of media last week.
I mean he was on every podcast and show, imaginable
and that was because that's when you want to capitalize
when he's three and he's playing really well before the
losses start to pile up. And it's not a knock
on him or the cold. It was just they didn't

(45:00):
play the best schedule and they weren't gonna go undefeated.
Daniel Jones, it wasn't great yesterday, but I still confidence
in him and the Colts to be a playoff team
and still rack up a lot of wins throughout the year.
But the Rams were my survivor play and I got
really nervous for a second there because I thought the
Colts were gonna pull off that upset. Of course, the Rams,
after how they lost last week, they needed that win.
That was a desperate spot for them, and they come

(45:22):
in with with a final drive to win that game.
But yeah that Rams are still one of the best
teams in the in the league to men.

Speaker 2 (45:30):
Yeah, I rode with the Detroit Lions from my survivor
Poole picked yesterday. So where we're through four weeks here.

Speaker 4 (45:35):
So that it was easy. Yeah, we're through September.

Speaker 2 (45:37):
Yeah, it's been years since I've made it this far.
The past two years I've gotten out in week one here,
so this is it feels good taking the game. Yeah,
I would to dig in a little bit more on
the Packers Cowboys. I got a couple of questions about
that's for you for starters. I was a little underwhelmed
by the Michaeh Parsons pomp and circumstance here. I wanted

(45:57):
to see a moment where Micah was sacked Dak and
celebrating at Jerry or something like it. We did not
really get that. Sure, he did have the sort of
sack that was essentially a takedown for no game that
likely did save a touchdown and ultimately secured a tie there,
Like Micah was not a non factor in the game whatsoever.
But I thought I expect a little bit more from
Michael Barson's last night, and I didn't really feel the

(46:18):
emotion from him in the way that I expected, not
just the emotion.

Speaker 3 (46:20):
He was a non factor. I mean he was a
non factor in that game. He going in the before
that overtime, he only had two assisted tackles. He even
have a solo tackle on his resume. In that game yesterday,
we're talking about one of the best defensive players in
the league, a guy who was a favorite for Defensive
Player of the Year. He ended up getting the sack
in overtime, which was big, but he was a non factor.

(46:42):
You didn't feel his presence, and obviously the Cowboys were
double double teaming and doing a lot of things to prevent.

Speaker 4 (46:47):
Him from from being a factor.

Speaker 3 (46:49):
But it was not the return that I think everyone
expected against his former team. He thought the juice would
be a little higher. He was a non factor. But
I was so impressed with the Cowboys yesterday. That Cowboys offense,
and we know what this defense is. Cowboys have one
of the worst passing defense in the league, which is
anybody can step back there in the pocket and throw
for a million yards against them. We saw Russell Wilson

(47:09):
throw for four and fifty yards a couple weeks ago
against the Cowboys and then he against benched that the
week after that because of how bad he is. Headler
Williams had a great game against the Cowboys last week.
Jordan Loved balled out against the cab I think you
or I could sit back there in the pocket against
the Cowboys defense and throw for a million yards because
their defense is that awful. They put no pressure on
the quarterback and they just their passing defenses is really bad.

(47:32):
But because of that, their offense has to be spectacular.
And this was one of those Dak Prescott games where
you're reminded of like how good this guy can be
and his potential why people talked about him a few
years ago as an MVP can it as one of
the best quarterbacks in the league because he was phenomenal
yesterday and he was carving up a really good Packers defense.

(47:53):
The problem is that Dak Prescott on the Cowboys offense
have to score forty plus points and the game ended
forty to forty. To score forty plus points because their
defense is that bad for them to win games is
why the Cowboys aren't a real factor. But it was
more about Dak Prescott and that Cowboys offense against.

Speaker 4 (48:09):
A really good defense. Packers have been one of the
best teams of the.

Speaker 3 (48:12):
League through three weeks, and Dak Prescott carved them up.
So I was really impressed with him in that Cowboys offense,
but it didn't matter that much because their defense.

Speaker 2 (48:20):
Is a bad Yeah, this is the best football Dak
Prescott's played in several years to this point that I've
been really impressed with the way that he's gone about
things and elevated this offense. And another question I wanted
to bring up for you, Sam is as I was
watching last night, one of the takeaways, I had, how
many wide receivers in the NFL are better than George Pickens,
because I think the number is lower than a lot
of people would guess.

Speaker 3 (48:41):
Yeah, he's really good. I mean you can make the
claim for him as like a top ten to twelve guy.
He had some huge catches down the stretch of that game.
He was phenomenal like that. There's nothing more to say.

Speaker 2 (48:51):
Yeah, I think he's probably the top fifteen wide receiver.
And he's been talented, Like he had a thousand yards
with the Steelers, He's never had less than eight hundred
in his career. It's been some maatitude slash personality stuff
that's popped in the way. And the other thing that
I don't think he's gotten really enough grace for is
the level of quarterback play that he's put up with
in his career to this point. He still put up
numbers with like a rotating you know whoever is that

(49:13):
quarterback for the Steelers, the same guys we just talked about,
the Kenny Piggots and the Mason Rudolphs, the Justin fields here,
like having Dak Prescott to sling him the football. Ceedee
Lambs obviously still Ceedee Lamb. But I think as long
as he's out picking should be looked at as like
one of the top wide receivers in football. And I
think his number is gonna be looking pretty special at
the end of the season.

Speaker 3 (49:31):
Are we concerned a little bit about the Packers at
this point because it was cutting into this week, it
was their offense was kind of concern, and it was
their defense that had been carry them and been great.
And they lose obviously lose to the Browns last week game.
They just did not come ready to play. You expect
a good bounce back Michael Parson's debut and Their offense
was great, but any offense is good against the Cowboys defense.
As we just talked about, it was their defense that

(49:53):
really struggled. They could not pressure Dak Prescott at all.
Just to read some stats, for he was pressing only
five of twenty four dropbacks through three quarters ended up
pressuring being pressured only fourteen to forty one dropbacks.

Speaker 4 (50:03):
That's thirty four percent.

Speaker 3 (50:05):
That is a really low pressure rate for a great
defensive front. And the Packers they could just not get
to the quarterback. And that's why, and because of the
Cowboys protection, how great they were and how much time
Dak Prescott had back there. He was carving them up
all day. So it was the defense that was really
concerning for me, and the talk about a team that
has not put a complete game together. It's been the
Cowboys one unit, whatever it is, is not being great.

(50:26):
They lose to the Browns last week and they tie
the Cowboys this week, which to me, it's a loss,
like this is a loss if you're talking about the tie,
and we'll see how it affects the standings. But they're
in a really good division with the Lions who are
playing really well and everything.

Speaker 4 (50:40):
So this is.

Speaker 3 (50:41):
I'm a little concerned about the Packers, who again were
my Super Bowl pick coming into the year.

Speaker 2 (50:46):
Yeah, and I'm surprised because I thought Jordan Love looked
pretty good last night, and anyone can against that Cowboys defense.
As you mentioned. Offensively, I don't really have any issues
running with Dobbs. I mean, scoring three touchdowns is pretty nuts.
That they're still going to get more healthy with Jayden
Reied and Christian Watson coming back there. Josh Jacobs is
who he is, but that defensive unit has to be
at least good, and I'm not sure that it is.

(51:07):
I kind of do wonder if maybe person els.

Speaker 4 (51:10):
There, but for whatever reason it wasn't. They didn't play.

Speaker 2 (51:13):
Way statistically they have been until this week that they
still coming into the week. I believe they were third
in points allowed, first and yards allowed. To this point
that they've been a top ten team and just about
every metric there. But I mean, Dak Prescott had no
issues covering them up. And sure Dak can do that
like he's not a nobody. But yeah, my level of
panic certainly increased with the Green Bay Packers. I don't

(51:33):
think they can be viewed in the same tier as
a team like the pheladoph Eagles.

Speaker 3 (51:37):
Right now for sure that I think there's definitely a
gap between the Eagles and like the Rams and the
Packers and those other NFC contenders.

Speaker 4 (51:43):
But again, just why the reason I'm not.

Speaker 3 (51:46):
Completely off the Packers bandwagon is because what do we
see last year with the Eagles. They start out too
and two. Nobody thought for a second that team could
win the Super Bowl. They didn't even have an identity offensively.
And then of course they go into a bye and
they rip off all these wins and they're the best
team in the NFL and they dominate their way to
a super Bowl. It's one month into the season. I

(52:06):
think the package are talented enough. I think they're well
coached enough where I will trust them. They've had some
issues with fourth quarter leads too, where they allow teams
to come back.

Speaker 2 (52:15):
So that's, by the way, very easily could have a
loss if that ball hung in the air for one
extra second and over time because their clock management. That
was awful.

Speaker 3 (52:24):
That was just Jordan Love, just being just a boneheaded
decision by Jordan Love. I don't know what he was thinking. Obviously,
you want them to have one. He wanted them to
have one more play. It's a third down, you have
one more opportunity to try to score. But Jesus, that
was close. If that ball you're right, if that ball
was tipped in the air, there's zero seconds on the
clock and the Packers lose that game.

Speaker 4 (52:42):
Of course, it's batted down.

Speaker 3 (52:43):
There's one second remaining and the Packers can kick a
field goal to tie the game. But that was awful
clock management. But again, this team has time to find
an identity. They're talented enough, well coached enough, they have
time to find an identity like the Eagles did last year.
So I'm not overly concerned with the Packers, but it
has not been pretty through the first month of the season.

Speaker 2 (53:01):
Yeah, and I'll also note that this tie is gonna
mess up all of our calculations from playoff seedings for
the rest of the season. Here, that this is gonna
be a problem, That this is gonna mess my brain
for the rest of the year of having a factor
and oh wait, they've got a tie. We're gonna have
to do it for both the Packers and Cowboys. So yeah, unbelievable.

Speaker 3 (53:17):
There both both divisions that they're in are unbelievable. Now
we know what the NFC North is, but now the
if the Giants are gonna be a threat, obviously we
know the Commanders are.

Speaker 4 (53:26):
I'm not that worried about the Cowboys are still good.
You know, they're one two and one.

Speaker 3 (53:30):
He was, of course, or the team to beat and
would be the first NFC East repeat champions since two
thousand and four, over two decades.

Speaker 4 (53:37):
But this division is really good.

Speaker 2 (53:39):
Yeah, absolutely, so we'll see how things play out. Any
final thoughts on this or anything else in the NFL
slate before we give two picks for tonight's game and
get out here.

Speaker 4 (53:49):
Yeah, I don't think so. That's that's all I got. Really.

Speaker 2 (53:51):
All right, Well, let's roll into another Monday night doubleheader
before me and Sam wrap up here on Fox Sports
The Gambler. At seven fifteen, we have the Jets and Dolphins,
and then at eight fifteen the Bengals and Broncos. And
I will note before I throw this your away, I'm
sick of the doubleheader Monday night. I get the appeal.
I understand what you're trying to do here. There is
something about Monday night football being a standalone spot. To me,

(54:13):
I'd have no problem with red zone. I love it
Sunday when it's as much football as possible. I'm cool
with just one game in the Monday slate, So just
to throw that out there. But we'll start with the
seven to fifteen game, the early slave between the Jets
and Dolphins. There, Miami enters as two and a half
point favorites. Forty four and a half is the number
on the game total. What's your feel for this game?

Speaker 3 (54:31):
Also too, just bad Monday night football matchups, and we're
talking about an zero to three matchup between the Jets
and Dolphins, and what could have been a good matchup
between the Broncos and Bengals, but the Bengals stink without
Joe Burrows. So just two bad games Monday Night too.
I'm gonna lean the Jets on the road plus two
and a half because I just can't trust the Dolphins's favorites.

(54:53):
I don't at this point is organization where they are,
how the cultural is eroded, how Mike McDaniel is going
to be fired sooner than and later at this point.
And they showed some fight in the last couple of
games after starting the year out really poorly. But the
Jets as an underdog. I'm just not taking the Dolphins
favorite anywhere. And then look, I think the Broncos win
the game, but I think we could see some better,

(55:13):
some better performance from Jake Browning in a way we
did not last week where he struggled.

Speaker 4 (55:18):
So seven has a lot of points.

Speaker 3 (55:20):
Like, I think the Broncos win the game at home,
but do I think they win by more than a
touchdown though, So I'll take that the Angles seven and
a half.

Speaker 2 (55:26):
Yeah, I think I see things mostly the same way
as you. For the Jets logic for sure that I
just don't think the Dolphin should be favored against just
about anyone right now, and I do have a little
bit of faith in that that Jets defense there, So
I would roll the dice with New York more of
a fade the Dolphins sort of spot there. I kind
of worry about this Denver defense being the real deal
and really bothers them to Jake Browning, though I could

(55:46):
see this one getting ugly in favor of Denver, and
they also desperately need to like lay the hammer on somebody.
This is a team that I was buying some stock
in coming into the year because of that defense and
because of what Bonnicks looked like last year. So far,
Bickx has looked like he's regret us a little bit
from a decision making standpoint. The Broncos, I think themselves
need a convincing performance on the field, and I do

(56:06):
hope they get it. They had the opportunity to do so,
so I think I do lean towards the minus seven
and a half.

Speaker 3 (56:10):
The one positive is the Broncos are playing Monday night
and then they're coming to Philly Sunday, so Philly has
an advantage on the short week for the Broncos and
they have to travel west to east, so that's the
one advantage. So you hope it's kind of a hard fought,
close game as opposed to the Broncos just running away
with it.

Speaker 2 (56:26):
Yeah. Yeah, so we'll take that. We'll put that in
the back pocket, and I will know the first Eagles
win without a touch push and who knows how long
at this point, So everybody can stop talking about that
we got creative.

Speaker 3 (56:37):
I love that they just it probably was a thing
that we're just so much better than everyone else.

Speaker 4 (56:40):
We're too good.

Speaker 3 (56:41):
Let's just show that we don't actually need the touch
post to score and move the ball in short yarder situations,
and they didn't. They got super creative and they were
still unstoppable because that offensive line is that great and
their play calders and their weapons are that great.

Speaker 4 (56:53):
It doesn't matter. Throw the touchbush out the door.

Speaker 3 (56:56):
You're not as good of a team as the Eagles,
so you won't stop them in short yardage situations.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
Hell yeah, so love that. Love that they got another
one in the books. There any other final thoughts for
the week before we wrap up here, sam Oshia, I.

Speaker 4 (57:07):
Don't think so.

Speaker 3 (57:08):
Jalen Hurts has won eighteen straight games that he started
and finished.

Speaker 2 (57:12):
The Egos have not lost a game in over a
calendar year that Jalen Hurts has started and finished.

Speaker 3 (57:18):
That's like not humanly possible. That doesn't happen in the NFL.
People lose. Oh, there's so much randomness and other factors, injuries,
whatever it is that contribute to losses.

Speaker 4 (57:27):
You don't win that much in the NFL.

Speaker 3 (57:29):
Somehow, Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni have found a way
to win, no matter what. Comebacks and probable victories, whatever
it is. That's an The guy is the greatest winner
in the NFL. Even Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen all
these other great quarterbacks who were better quarterbacks than Jalen Hurts.
Don't get me wrong, but those guys find ways to
lose games sometimes. Jalen Hurts has not lost in over

(57:50):
a calendar year, eighteen, like you just said, eighteen straight
wins where he started and finished the game. That like,
he's gonna start losing and we're taking I think we
take for granted sometimes how much we win because losses
are going to happen. That's just the nature of the league.
But that's an unbelievable record that he's on right now.

Speaker 2 (58:07):
Yeah, you're speaking my language a little bit with that one, Sam.
It does blow my mind the amount of people who
sit there and watch football every single week and say
that there's multiple quarterbacks that would prefer from Jalen Hurts.
It does absolutely blow my mind. The dude's a winner.
He gets the job done, and that's going to continue
to be the case. So we're going to keep riding
that wave right here on Fox Sports the Gambler and
in Philadelphia here of our four and O Eagles will

(58:30):
continue prodding along on the season. So appreciate each one
of you guys for hanging with us today. Make sure
you keep it locked on the dial right here on
Fox Sports. The Gambler and me and Sam will be
back talking. I'll be back Saturday one to three. Be
on with Sean Brace tomorrow as well. Sam popping on
throughout the week will be on Thursdays. Make sure to
stay tuned for everything like subscribe wherever you're listening, be back,
talk to you next time.

Speaker 1 (58:51):
Spreads total and all the prop that's in the Twins.

Speaker 4 (58:54):
It's The Gambler