November 26, 2025 • 43 mins
Coach Dave McGinnis and Rhett Bryan break down Cam Ward’s most complete performance of the season, the heavy contributions from Tennessee’s massive rookie class, and how the Titans match up with Trevor Lawrence and a strong Jacksonville defense. The show also covers Hall of Fame semifinalists, league-wide storylines, and the full Week 13 Thanksgiving slate.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Titans Radio and one four to five The Zone present
MAC Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Happy Thanksgiving, Mac.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Rhet To all of our listeners.
We appreciate yourtt and I both do everybody that listens
and calls into mac Talk that supported us during the year,
So have a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's Week thirteen of the twenty twenty five regular season
of the NFL and just ahead for your Tennessee Titans
this weekend, it's the final of four straight games at
Nissan Stadium and they host the AC South Division rival
Jacksonville Jaguars. We're on the air with Titans countdown at
eleven and then kick off officially at twelve o two
(00:39):
with Taylor Zarzer and the man of the hour here
coach Mac David McGinnis. On this Thanksgiving edition of Mac Talk,
we're going to discuss many things, that includes the next
matchup against Jacksonville this Sunday, the league overall, it's topics
through twelve weeks of play, Who are the big performers,
who looks to be in contention coming down the stretch,
and who's playing in Week thirteen. Mac, I'd like to
(01:04):
start with your final thoughts on Sunday's game versus Seattle.
Your first takeaway I would like to ask you about
is cam Ward is probably his most complete game as
a Titans quarterback so far.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, I think so rhtt. I mean, he seemed to
have pretty good command of the offense and plus the
thing that I liked is not only did he make
some very timely throws, but he also used his legs.
He used his legs to to to pick up first downs,
to extend drives. I mean that was extremely, extremely important.
I thought the first drive of the ball game was
really really encouraging. You'd like to have ended it with
(01:40):
a touchdown, but at least I mean it was. It
took a lot of time off the clock. It was
it was a very efficient needs to need to be
able to string that together for four quarters. I mean
I like that. The other thing that was that I
liked about it is he seemed to be in command
of what was going on. He made several checks during
(02:02):
that ballgame, several audibles. The other thing is is we
know how thin this roster is. I mean it's really
razor thin, and especially with the receiver group, all the
different receivers that he had, that he was working with
back there. I think that was a real credit to
him and for those young players, some of them that
(02:23):
came off the practice squad to perform in that ball game.
The one thing that we still have to do offensively
is run the football much better because the run game
was non existent. And that's really really a hard go
for any quarterback, but especially a rookie quarterback on a
depleted roster is if you make yourself one dimensional. So somehow,
(02:45):
some way in the latter part of this season, they've
got to find a way to at least threaten people
with the run game offensively.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, cam Ward's career high six carries for thirty seven
yards and his first career rushing touchdown looked a little
like Steve McNair on that part of it. Found eight
different receivers throughout that ball game. The other learning moments
from this for just observation wise, and talked talking to
safety Kevin Winston Junior, who by the way, has played
(03:14):
every snap in the last two ball games. He's had
fifteen tackles and has been a contributor there. But a
couple of learning moments for him against Jackson Smith and Jigmo,
and a couple of those chunk plays and he immediately
recognized what he needs to do, what he needs to correct.
But that you know, man is going to be a
good ballplayer for Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Well, he's a good ballplayer. He's just young. I mean,
he's just young. And and the receiver Jackson Smith and
Jigba has been flipping everybody around this year as far
as you know, the production that he's had. So yeah,
this is this is a This is an extremely extremely
young football team. Every rookie, every rookie that is on
the active roster has been playing and that's you know,
(03:58):
that's highly unusual in the National Football League, but that's
where this roster is right now. The plus side of
that is read as these young guys are getting invaluable
experience because there's nothing like time on task in this league.
I mean, you learn a lot of things, both pluses
and minuses. But it's an accelerated learning curve for all
(04:19):
of these young players on this football team and the
football team itself, and these players are going to reap
the benefits of this. It's just right now. Every now
and then rookie player will get caught in a situation
he hasn't seen before. If it doesn't work for him,
at least he'll learn about it. He'll learn how to
(04:39):
react in the future. So that's where this roster is.
But this draft class has been an exceptional, exceptional draft class.
Every one of them that has been active on game
day has been a contributor.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That first drive also something that stood out.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It was a clean operation, no penalties on it, fifteen
plays over nine minutes off the clock. It resulted in
a score, not a touchdown, but you still got points
out of the deal. In fact, they had four drives
of nine plays or more. And I know you've talked
about you know, they've had too many opportunities where they
went three and out, but they have, they've started to
(05:16):
get some drives that are sustainable. And your point is
valid about getting the run game going to help solidify.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That part of it.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
And speaking of you said the rookie class, thirteen different
rookies have played this season and a lot of times
seven eight nine during a ballgame. You're talking about Mac,
twenty five percent of this Titans roster are rookies, and
that's really speaks to the youth movement here.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yeah, I mean, and that's that's and that again, I
mean there's gonna be there's gonna be some some learning
curve when when you had when you're starting and not
just starting, but playing throughout the game with that many
rookies you know, on your roster. But as I say,
you can't experience is invaluable in the National Football League,
(06:05):
and your development really is tied exactly to how much
you get to play. These guys are getting to play
a lot, which is you know, for the future. I
mean it's something to you know, something to look forward
to and right now. Sometimes you have to live with
the mistakes that the young players are going to make,
and that's what that's what's been going on. But I'll
(06:26):
say this, I mean they've they've hung in there really
really well. Uh They've they've shown up. They're showing up
on the stat sheet, and they're also I can see
growth in these players. And you know, we talk about
young players, just like Cedric Gray at linebacker. I mean
he's technically a second year player, but he's really a
first year player because he missed so much time his
(06:49):
rookie season, especially early in that developmental stage. So there's
a lot, there's a lot to look forward to with
it with this roster and all of this experience their game.
Right now, we'll pay dividends.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Let's speak about another class as we continue through this
first segment of MAC Talk. The Pro Football Hall of
Fame and their selection committee this week took fifty two
nominees in the modern era as they call it, and
whittled that in half to twenty six candidates for the
Class of twenty twenty six MAC. And this includes five
(07:23):
players in their first year of eligibility, and something I
had forgotten that they had implemented with the twenty twenty
five class. Nineteen of the twenty six automatically reached this
stage in voting for the Class of twenty twenty six
by virtue of finishing in the top seven for election
last year. That provision was added by the Hall of
(07:45):
Fame selection process bylaws earlier this year at the end
of twenty twenty four. I had forgotten that they'd done that.
So you want to run through these and see who
we've got and who we think sure, let's go, all right,
here we go, So first year ballot semi finalists in
this quarterback Drew Brees.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Well, I mean, any of these names that we're going
to talk about Rhett. They're all deserving and they're all worthy.
And that's why, you know, the Pro Football Hall of
Fame is such a unique, unique honor because anybody that
gets nominated with all of the numbers that you start with,
they're deserving of it because they've done things stat wise
(08:28):
throughout a career that has gained them recognition. But Drew Brees,
I mean, come on, I mean, all you got to
do is just look at that, as we call them
alphabet numbers. That's what he's done.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, and you're talking about multiple forty five hundred to
five thousand passing yard years and a world championship and
something that you know, New Orleans had never had before.
So importance to your window of contribution is where the
building blocks for having a Hall of Fame career is defined.
And another guy that did that with the friend would
(09:00):
have to be wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Well, I mean, you know Larry Fitzgerald. I mean, there's
been two guys, two receivers at the Arizona Cardinals in
the last you know, a decade and a half that
have really made a huge difference, and Kwan Bolden is
the first one, and his name his name we're going
to bring up here too, but Larry Fitzgerald. I mean,
those guys were game changers.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
They really are. Here's the other first ballot semi finalists.
Frank Gore, I think number three on the all time
rushing list, finished with exactly sixteen thousand rushing yards. Don't
think he ever got a Super Bowl, but was a
super important runner throughout his entire career, even in his
twilight years.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Well, I mean as a defensive coach. I mean we
were making game plans up and then after the ball game.
Anytime you played against Frank Gore, you could you could,
you could feel it, because this was as physical a
dude as there ever was running the football.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
And the other two first ballot guys that are semi
finalists in this is quarterback Philip Rivers, who, widdly enough,
was brought in by the San Diego Chargers like Drew
Brees and ended up having a fantastic career with Ledani
and Tomlinson the other LT and obviously Antonio Gates, but
tight end Jason Witten, who is a Tennessee native from
(10:23):
Elizabethan up in the Tri Cities area who had a
monster career for the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, all of these names, I mean people that if
you just are covering or watching the NFL just in passing,
you know these names because they were productive for a
long time.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
All Right, here's the other semi finalists in this and
this man has been a semi finalist for six years,
and that's tackle Willie Anderson, who played the bulk of
his career with the Cincinnati Bengals and then a year
with the Baltimore Ravens. One of the stalwarts of those
Bengals teams back when.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yeah, well, I mean, you know, to be an offensive
tackle that played that long, I mean Willie Anderson was
a main stayoft on the edge.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Red and one of the new semifinalists in this his
first time ever is tackle Lomas Brown, whose career started
in eighty five and played ten years with the Lions
and then bouncing around to several teams, but was always
very good.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Well, I mean I was coaching on a team at
the Cardinals with Lomas Brown. We had him when we
went to and won the first playoff game that franchise
had won in fifty one years. Lomas Brown was a huge,
huge piece of that success.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
What is interesting in these twenty six finalists, there's a
couple of guards, and it is so hard for a
guard to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
but this one has been a semi finalist for four
times now, four straight times as a matter of fact,
and that's New Orleans Saints guard Jarhari Evans.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Yeah, and Jehari Evans was one of those guys that
unless you're really paying close attention to the tape and
you were, you know, you were just an NFL grinder,
you probably sometimes would overlook. But he was a very, very,
very important part of the Saints' success.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Safety Rodney Harrison, who you know, had his different stints
through the Chargers obviously the Patriots, and a super fantastic
third level player in this and a guy you you know,
well wide receiver a big game. They call him Tory Holt,
and he's been a semi finalist in this for a
(12:28):
long time.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
He may be overdue, Yeah, I mean, of course, Tory
Holt was a major contributor to that greatest show on turf.
He's his time will come. He's going to be in
the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
How about linebacker Luke Keikley, who had a shorter career,
but a fantastic one when he was playing.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah, Luke Kickley was a guy. Was one of those
guys you know as a as a lifelong linebacker coach
in this league. You know when when you veted him
and watched him, I mean, he was just he was
a He was a He was a great college player
because he was so technically sound and he was the
same thing, tremendous, tremendous guy as far as preparation and
(13:05):
very instinctive, extremely instinctive as a linebacker.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Quarterback Eli Manning and his second straight year as a
semi finalist, and who had that incredible run of complete
games without missing a game. I think all the way
from his rookie year or maybe two, yeah, twenty five
to twenty seventeen, he did not miss a ball game.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Two time world chance.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
And he's got he's got Super Bowl trophies too, so
he'll be in there too well.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And at both times against you know, the big dent
in the armor of what is the dynasty of the
New England Patriots, so wide receiver Steve Smith junior Robert Mathis,
who was a stalwart for the Indianapolis Colts. We used
to see twice a year as a pass rusher. How
about Terrell Suggs.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, Trell Suggs is a guy that you know, of course,
coming out of Arizona State, there was the the leading
sack getter in the national in the NCAA when he
came out, and all he did when he got into
the league he did the same. I mean, the thing
about him was, you know, Treel Suggs was one of
those guys that didn't run a real fast forty time,
but he didn't have to run forty yards to get
(14:15):
to the quarterback. He was a really really accomplished pass rusher.
Freddie t Fast Freddy fred Taylor.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
The Jacksonville Jaguar and spent some time with the New
England Patriots is also on this semi finalist list. Say
safety Earl Thomas, who was a part of the Legion
of Boom with the Seahawks and finished his career with
the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Kicker Adam vinnet Terry, who really.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
You can't tell the story of the World Championships that
the New England Patriots had in the dynasty without some
of his kicks.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, well, I mean Adam vent Terry did it forever too.
And did it at a very very high level. I mean,
all of these guys you start mentioning, you start mentioning,
you know, Hall of Fame nominees, every one of them.
When you hear their names, you look back and say, oh, well,
he was really good. He was really good.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well that's why they're mentioned, like Hines Ward in the
wide receiver group, Reggie Wayne also there. How about tackle
Richmond Webb spent a long time with the Dolphins, a
couple of years with the Bengals. He's a two time
semi finalist and one of the big space eaters on
the d line, wearing his overalls and all get out.
(15:22):
Vince will Fork one of the biggest and most nimble
big guys you will see.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Vince Wilfork was a huge, huge part of all those
new England teams that were really really good. I mean
it was really impossible to run the football in that
center guard traangle when Vince Wilfork was working.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams who really made his hay with
the Minnesota Vikings guard Steve Wasnowski. Safety Darren Woodson, who
was a part of the three World championships with the
Dallas Cowboys as a safety and then guard Marshall Yander,
who played his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, and you know, people say, well, you know, how
can he be in? How can he not be in?
And the job that these selectors have, it's a hard job.
I mean, it really is, because you've got to parse
through and you got to get down to the minute
details about all of these great players.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Well and in some cases, you know, we talked about
it's hard to get in as a guard. But the
other part of it is you have a log jam
in some position groups like the wide receiver group. You
can understand how Tory Holt has been a semi finalist
as many years as he has because there's been such
a log jam of eligible people like he probably didn't
get in one year because Randy Moss got in. Just
(16:35):
you know, explanations like that. But you're right, you need
someone who covered their career in that room to basically
stump for you the night before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah, and the game's changed a lot too. I mean,
you know, the balls being thrown around a lot more
so those receivers. I mean you talk about alphabet numbers,
I mean those numbers keep going up and up and
up and up, and so you have to compare, you
have to compare decades time that they've played, contribution to
the team, how much they meant to their team and
to the league at the time. It's all a pretty
(17:05):
involved process.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Red it absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
And the other involved process is the next thing that's
on Mac Talk and Mac. I think it's time to
name it quarterback cam Ward for this honor he is
earning it.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, well, I mean I really believe I think most
people will agree that watched this very closely. It was
his most complete football game, and he just continues to
make progress every week, especially especially you know during this
this this season where you're you're playing with a pretty
much at times a depleted roster, but the young players
(17:42):
are playing and cam Ward really never has waivered as
far as his preparation, as far as to how he
how he's been competing. So I agree with you, I mean,
it would be it would be hard to say that,
you know, it wasn't his best game of the seas
and so far, and we're giving him then hit this
(18:03):
award knowing that Tim DK just continues to make touchdowns
on special teams. You can take a lot of these
young players and what they've done this year has been
has been pretty impressive. But I've been impressed with just
the how steady cam Ward has been. He has been
steady from day one.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
And I will give an honorary one to chim DK
for what you just mentioned, a ninety yard punt return
for a touchdown, his second long return of the year
for a score. I'm going to give another honorary one
to the entire Titans rookie class back because in the
spirit of Thanksgiving, they deserve a tip of the hat here,
because the entire rookie class this week went to Northwest
(18:45):
Family YMCA and they distributed Thanksgiving meals to one hundred families.
They got a turkey, the sides, a dessert, and a
fifty dollars Kroger gift card. And the families were from
organizations like Renewal House, Prehearts, and several Metro Nashville Public.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Schools in the Nashville area.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And they did some great work with track and the
cheerleaders and making sure that one hundred families had Thanksgiving
dinner to sample.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Well, that just continues to what the Titans mean to
this community.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
I mean it.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Titans mean a lot to this community. You yourself every Tuesday,
do a lot of work with school shows, with t Reck,
with the cheerleaders, with the players that give their time
for that. You can't say enough about what the Tennessee
Titans organization and the Tennessee Titans, not only players, but
everybody involved in the community projects for the Titans due
(19:41):
for Nashville.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
It's true and that's why they are the Service Award
winners of the all Right Mac. It's week thirteen and
the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for their first of
two meetings against the Tennessee Titans. There's seven and four
in the AFC South, currently second place in that a
vision behind the Indianapolis Colts. They had to get to
(20:05):
overtime to do it in the House that Mac built
in Arizona against the Cardinals, but they did get the win.
What has the film shown you in Let's start with
Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The quarterback.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
For Trevor Lawrence is a you know, he's a he's
a he's had kind of an uneven career up and down,
but when he's up, he's a he's a problem. Because
this is a this is a very very talented, physically
talented quarterback. He's hurt the Titans in the past. You
and I have worked every game that he's ever played
there the jack in Jacksonville versus Tennessee twice a year. Uh,
(20:40):
he's hurt the Titans running the football quite a bit.
The other thing is is when he gets hot throwing
the football and he's got all his compliment of receivers, Uh,
he can give you a lot of problems. So it starts.
It starts with the quarterback. But then they've got two
running backs that are that are really really accomplished players
both and catching the football out of the backfield. Travis
(21:02):
Atien Junior Baseel Touton from Virginia Tech. Both of those
guys are going to be guys that they could split
out of the backfield. But their run game is very,
very solid. And then they're down a couple of receivers.
You know, Parker Washington, who's who's a returner, is now
one of their main targets. They just got their tight
(21:23):
end back that you know, they they're they're able to
use some But what I like what I when I
watch him, I think this team goes as the quarterback goes,
So it's going to be very incumbent upon the Titans
defense to be very very disciplined in their rush with
him and then to force him into some turnovers.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Rhett Uh, you bring up some valid points.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
In fact, Parker Washington, because of the injury to Brian
Thomas Junior, who's missed some time with an ankle, is
actually the leading receiver despite being the primary return guy,
which he has been in Jacksonville for a couple of years.
You mentioned Brenton Strange who just came off of i
R and it was evidence how much they.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Needed his help.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
All five of his targets were five catches for a
career high ninety three yards on some chunk plays. Trevor
Lawrence is the interesting part of this, and you briefly
mentioned it there. His career has been streaky up and down,
hot cold, and it's evidenced just by the sample size
of this one game that took overtime against the Cardinals.
So he had four giveaways in this three interceptions and
(22:25):
he lost a fumble against the Cardinals. He finished eighteen
for thirty for two hundred and fifty six yards and
three touchdowns. Now, the wild thing is is all three
touchdowns came against the blitz. When he wasn't blitzed is
when he threw the three interceptions, which is interesting to me.
But you mentioned his prowess with his legs. He's one
(22:46):
of the top two or three rushing guys in this
He has five rushing touchdowns and then the two headed monster.
That's their run game, which is the eighth best run
game in the league right now aftering one hundred and
twenty eight yards per game. Travis etn four point eight
a car, eight hundred and fifteen yards, five touchdowns. Bashiel Tooton,
you really liked him in the draft process, Mac, and
he tested off the charts in Indianapolis at the combine.
(23:08):
He had a four to three to two forty one
four nine in his first ten over an over forty
inch vertical leap, and you can see that explosiveness. So
he has a two headed monster to run with, or
he can pull it down and run himself, being Trevor Lawrence.
But those are also receiving options out of the backfield.
We'll see about Brian Thomas Junior's status as we go
(23:29):
into this thing, but that's kind of a snapshot of
the offense.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
In this on defense, What does the film show you, Mack.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Well, defensively mean, They've they've got you know, it's been
a strength of this of this football team, you know,
for for quite a while. Rik Armstead of the defensive
tackle is a five and a half sack guy. I
mean he's a game wrecker. Josh Heines Allen Us has
been coming on very very strongly. So you've got a
defensive tackle at a defensive end. Devon Hamilton is a
(23:57):
big is a big nose tackle in the way that
they play their defensive up front, so you're gonna have
to be able to get some hats on him. They're
tackling machine. Is Foyer Lucon the linebacker, I mean, this
guy is everywhere. And Devin Lloyd is the guy that
started off the season red hot as far as as interceptions.
(24:18):
So they've got guys. They've got guys at those two
levels that really make.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Their defense go.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
So it's gonna be extremely important. We talk about the
Titans being able to run the football, They're gon have
to get some hats on these people because the defense
for the Jacksonville Jaguars play really really good run fit defense,
and so it's gonna be challenged to be able to run.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
The football against this group.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
To your point, Macket's the number one rush defense in
the NFL right now, allowing just over eighty three yards
per game. So the front is stout in that part.
And to give you, as you call it, some of
the alphabet numbers, Josh Hines Allen in that overtime win
against the Cardinals nine quarterback pressures and a sack on
forty five pass rushes in that win, and that is
(25:01):
his second straight game with seven or more pressures. And
then you mentioned Eric Armstead. He leads the team with
five and a half quarterback sacks. He's something to be
dealt with. Trayvon Walker is in there with Devon Hamilton,
but Foye Olucon, you're right. Ever since they picked him
up in free agency, he has been the tackling machine
in that thing.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Devin Lloyd started off a house of fire.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
He still leads the team with four interceptions as a
one and a half quarterback sacks on his part of it.
The secondaries where it's interesting to me because they traded
Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns several weeks ago, and
with who they have in that group, they're still trying
to figure out who's doing what I think because that
is the part where it's a little bit on the
(25:45):
weak link part of things.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Yeah, well, the front seven is the strength of his
football team. And so, as you say, the thing that
you got to be able to do is be able
to be proficient enough running the football to put some
pressure on that back end.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
And they have the twenty fifth rated defense against the pass.
So cam Ward has some options that he can work
with in this What is it that he must do?
Because his time to throw went up a little bit
against Seattle a little over three seconds. He was best
(26:19):
season best the week before at two point six seconds
time to throw against Houston. Obviously, getting rid of the
football is super important.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Well, but.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
The time, the time in this last ball game, because
he was getting pressured and he was moving with his legs,
he was moving around, you know, he made some unbelievable throws,
you know, on the move because because of pressure. And
again all of that pressure comes from the fact that
you can't that you're not doing a very good job
of running the football.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
You can't be one dimensional. You just cannot do that.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And the special teams part of this, I mean, so
Morgan Cox is rock solid, so is Johnny Hecker. Joey
Sli has had some great moments in this. But the
rock star coming out of this is Chim dk the
rookie from Florida who has two returns for touchdowns and
all this. But the special teams unit for Jacksonville has
some stars of their own. We mentioned Parker Washington seventeen
(27:15):
yards per punt return average, twenty five on kick, so
he's not an empty chair there. They've got a rookie
kicker and Cam Little who had a fifty two yarder
to seal the overtime win last Sunday in Arizona. But
the guy kicked a new NFL record sixty eight yard
field goal. He has a cannon for a leg. John
Bones Fossil and his unit must be on point.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Yeah, well, and Bones has had this This unit a
complete one eighty from from what they've been in the past.
They're doing, they're doing a tremendous job. You know, you
talk about Chim, he gets a lot of He gets
a lot of the flowers with these returns, with the
blocking and the schemes have been have been excellent. So
they've got to keep that up. They've got to be
able to win that aspect of this ballgame.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
They absolutely do all right.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
So that's a snapshot of the next opponent, the seven
and four Jacksonville Jaguars. Let's pivot now to a look
about around the league through twelve weeks of play on
this special Thanksgiving week edition of Mac Talk and Mac.
So it's interesting to see how the AFC is shaping
up down the stretch. Kansas City had an overtime win
(28:24):
of their own against Indianapolis Sunday, but they're currently still
just six and five with the Titans on the schedule
coming up. But they would be in what is the
tenth spot in the AFC and two out of contention
for the final seed if the playoffs were start today.
It's interesting to see what the Chiefs have done so far.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yeah, well, I mean was seventeen games though this you know,
the month of December is the one that's gonna determine
who gets into the tournament. And I wouldn't count Kansas
City out.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
No, not at all, not at all. Another interesting one.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
It's the first time since the Bill Belichick and Tom
Brady era in New England they've reeled off nine straight wins.
They're ten and two, mostly because of that distinction because
the Broncos had a bye week and were idle at
nine and two. But the Patriots seem to be moving
(29:18):
in the right direction, although they had a little scare
of their own in Cincinnati and snuck out of there
with a win.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Well, they're playing really good, complimentary football. I mean, they're
just playing solid football in all three phases. And the
second year quarterback Drake May is being very very consistent.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
You know who's gotten hot and that is the Baltimore Ravens.
So Lamar Jackson, their best player, was out for a while.
Since he's come back, they've won five straight in this
and so they're six and five and leading the AFC
North Division, especially after the Steelers dropped one last week.
(29:58):
And Derek Henry is nineteen yards away from passing Jim
Brown for tenth all time in NFL rushers in history. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Well, the Ravens took a little dip when the quarterback
got hurt, but they're they're they're getting healthy again. And
again that's another football team at in December, you cannot
count out as long as they got their healthy players.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
The Texans have been missing some strong personnel and one
of those being their starting quarterback in C. J. Stroud,
But Davis Mills has done a nice job. They've won
three straight in a row. They're currently third place in
the AFC South. And then I mentioned the Broncos. They're
nine and two, they had a bye week, they've won
eight in a row and so they'll be looking to
(30:38):
tack on another one into this. I think the surprise
in this mac of the AFC Conference is the Buffalo
Bills and what they have had in some disappointing losses
despite still having a winning record at seven to four.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Yeah, and again, I mean they've been a little bit
uneven this year, but they're a football team. As long
as they're quarterback stays healthy, they've always.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Got a chance out of the entire NFL. And I
want to see your opinion of this the hottest team
right now maybe the Los Angeles Rams.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Well, the Rams are a really good team. I mean
we know that, you know from first hand experience of
playing them, and again you know you've got to you've
got a very very veteran quarterback that is, you know,
and you know, as long as pookin Nakua stays healthy,
They've got a chance to always move the football. They're
playing really good defense, you know, they're playing their Their
defense is really really strong. I mean, they've got a
(31:36):
lot of guys that are role players that are really
really contributing in a big way.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Six straight wins for the Rams, four and two in
their conference too, in one of the division. And they
put a whooping on Tampa Bay and actually sent Baker
Mayfield to the sidelines with what is probably an ac
joint on one of his shoulders. But the ms certainly
it's the Eagles had the first half of this season.
(32:04):
They've had some miscues, but the Rams seem to be
the one that seemed to be getting right at the
right time. And speaking of the Eagles, had a twenty
one point lead in Dallas, the Cowboys come back to
win that one. In fact, the Cowboys have won two
straight and are in second placed in that NFC East Division.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Yeah, there's a little surprising with the Eagles giving up
a lead like that with this roster that they have,
they very seldom do that. I mean, that was pretty
surprising to meet Red.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
How about the debut of Shador Sanders one of his
first outing Now they were playing the Las Vegas Raiders.
But the young man had a decent outing and he's
the first Browns quarterback in seventeen straight Browns quarterbacks to
win his NFL debut, a streak that had dated back
(32:57):
to nineteen ninety five for that franchise.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Ye, the Raiders are still in the NFL, So I mean,
it was an NFL football team, and you got to
give Shador Sanders and the Cleveland Browns a lot of
credit for that win.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Speaking of the Browns, is there a hotter player right
now on.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Defense than Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
No. I mean, he's been unblockable and he's on the
threshold of breaking the sack record the National Football League
with six weeks.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Left, he's going to shatter it. Shatter at possibly.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You're talking about the guy that's had eighteen quarterback sacks
right now, and I think he's had thirteen in his
last four games. The record is shared by Michael Strahan
and TJ. Watt at twenty two and a half. And
to your point, if he stays healthy and is any
kind of productive like he has been, that should be
very attainable. He is a game wrecker. Looking at some
(33:50):
other stories in the National Football League. In the NFC
Washington Commanders, they missed their quarterback in Jade and Daniels.
They've lost sixth straight and are three and eight in
the NFC East.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Well, it just points out, I mean, you start losing
your you start losing your top players. I mean they
may have the same helmets on, but they're different. It's
a different team. That's true not only for the Commanders,
but for every team in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
What about the eight and three Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Yeah, well you got a second year quarterback that all
of a sudden, you know, the first year is the
first year quarterback. He was really struggling, which most first
year quarterbacks do if they have to start immediately. But
they had a pretty good roster to start with, and
all of a sudden, now the quarterbacks caught up to them.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Yeah, they won four straight. I think it bears mentioning
too that their win Sunday over Pittsburgh was their first
win over a team that is currently above five hundred.
How about all right, so this was an interesting game
to start the week. On Monday Night Football forty nine
(34:54):
Ers climb back into this. They're eight and four. They
would currently be the seventh seed in the NFC off.
The player off started to day Brock Party. They survived
three interceptions he threw in the first half of that.
But the Carolina Panthers are hanging around that NFC South
Division under Dave Canalis.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
With quarterback Bryce Young. Well, in that ball game, I.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Think that each team was trying to see who could
throw the most interceptions. True what that turned out to be,
and that was especially some of those early interceptions that
Party threw. You wondered at now, how in the world
they're going to come back and win this game, But
they did.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
It's own Red Brian with coach Dave McGinnis.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Let's take a look around the league and the slate
of games in Week thirteen of the NFL, and it's
a triple header on Thanksgiving. Coach Mac green Bay at
Detroit in the early game at Ford.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Field, Well, yeah, Detroit. You know Detroit and Dallas. You
know when the National Football League started playing on Thanksgiving,
they were the two of the originals. They were always
going to host a Thanksgiving Day game. This is iconic
and especially now being the Packers, this is a this
is a this is a big game, is a big
game for both of them. But to start off Thanksgiving,
(36:09):
I mean, it's a tradition, you know, for Detroit to
play on Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to this one and.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Both teams playing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Detroit Lions back Jamir Gibbs is just an absolute wrecking
machine on offense.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Yeah, well, I mean, it's it's gonna be it's gonna
be really, really important. And to me, Detroit's got probably
got the most complete football team right now of the two.
But in this ball game, you you cannot take anything
for granted.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
This next one on the Thanksgiving slate has a chance
to be the highest rated Thanksgiving Day in the history
of that in television ratings, and that is in the
three point thirty window where Kansas City is a Jerry
World to take on the Dallas Cowboys. Kansas City with
an overtime win twenty to seventeen last Sunday against Danapolis
at Arrowhead to move to six and five on the year,
(37:03):
Cowboys overcoming a twenty one point deficit at home the
week before against the Philadelphia Eagles, a division rival of theirs.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
What do you like in this one?
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Well, a lot of most football families across the country
are going to want to get their turkey eating before
that game. Yes, because the TV is gonna be the
TV is going to be on. I mean, I know
how my mother and grandmother used to say, you know
which game do you want to watch? Because then we're
going to have We're gonna eat either before or after
the game that you want to watch. And this game
right here, you're right, it's going to get all the eyeballs.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
And Cowboys actually playing pretty good ball. They won two
in a row. Dak Prescott has done a very nice
job for them. I think the big thing is the
trade for George Pickens has turned out very well, nearly
eleven hundred yards receiving on that. Now we'll see what
he looks like on the injury report, as he is
dealing with a knee that was banged up the other
night against the Eagles. The final of the three games
(37:59):
on Thanksgiving Day, the Bengals head to M and T
Bank Stadium in Baltimore to take on the red hot Ravens,
who've reeled off five in a row since Lamar Jackson
came back from his injury.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Well, I think Joe Burrow is going to play in
this game, right, ritt I believe he is playing this
ball again.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I'm making it right.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I mean, the Ravens are. The Ravens are on a roll.
And this the reason. I think the reason that they
saved Joe Burrow for this game was because they understand
the magnitude of it. So this is going to be
this is going to be a good one to watch.
But I got to like the Ravens in this ball game.
They just a better football team right now.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
And Derek Henry, by the way, nineteen yards away from
jumping over one of the greatest, if not the greatest
football player ever in the National Football League, Jim Brown,
for tenth place in the all time annals of rushing
in a career in history.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Well, and it's amazing too, how few years Jim Brown
did it in too. I mean, Jim Brown did it
before they were really Jian Brown made all his yardage
when they were taking the air out of the football.
You know, they weren't spinning it around a whole lot.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
In the air.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
There is a Black Friday game for the second straight year,
as it will be annually, this one on Amazon Prime.
The Chicago Bears at the Eagles. The Eagles have dropped
a couple here lately. The Bears won four in a row,
eight and three in the NFC North Division.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Who you like in that one?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Well, I like the Eagles in it. And if the
Eagles don't win it, then they've got big problems.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
On Sunday to start the noonslate, maybe the hottest team
in the National Football League right now the Los Angeles
Rams at Carolina to take on the Panthers in Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
No, this is Rams all the way. I mean, if
you're watching football and all, you know the Rams are
a better team.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
And I don't know what Matthew Stafford's doing with his
back as it pertains to the Fountain of Youth, but
he is clearly doing something. He has thirty passing touchdowns
already with a handful of games left in this regular season, amazing.
The San Francisco forty nine Ers, despite three first half
interceptions from Brock Purty, live to tell about it and
move to eight and four on the year.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
They go to Cleveland to take on the Browns for
the division the AFC South Division as it pertains to
the Titans. Houston is at Lucas Oil Field to take
on the Indianapolis Colts, who do we like right?
Speaker 3 (40:18):
I like Houston in this ballgame. I mean, I think
Houston's look Davis Mills. People keep saying CJ. Strouds not
in the ballgame. Davis Mills understands how to run that offense.
And he's got some receivers that all they want to
say is a ball thrown to them. They don't care
who's throwing it.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
And it doesn't hurt him that he has a couple
of game wreckers on defense to help him out in
Will Anderson Junior at daneil Hunter. All right, how about
the Atlanta Falcons get off the snide. They take on
the New York Jets in the noon slate. Arizona, who
lost the game in overtime to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday,
are at Tampa to take on the Buccaneers, and the
question is will Baker Mayfield play as their quarterback. We'll
(40:58):
see about that one. The Minnesota Vikings come off of
one of their worst losses of the year as JJ
McCarthy is really having some issues. I think he had
eighty nine yards passing. They go to luman Field to
take on the Seahawks at three to ZH five. I
would think that the Seahawks continue that because that's a
tough place to play.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Mac.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
I think the Seahawks are one of the most complete
football teams in the National Football League right now, rhet So,
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
The Buffalo Bills, who are trying to figure it out
after being a perennial contender, are at Akroschuer Stadium at
three twenty five to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. And
then it ends up on Sunday night with another red
hot team in the NFL, the Denver Broncos, who were
on a buy well last.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Week in idle.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
They've won eight straight as they take on the Washington
Commanders at FedEx Field. I believe the Broncos should probably
take care of business there. And then the final game
of Week thirteen is the New York Giants at the
New England Patriots, who Mack have reeled off nine straight
wins with Mike Vrabel, Drake May and that offense.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Yeah, the pay are the better football team in that
contest too.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
All right, no, our last minute or so here?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Mac, what are the Titans' keys against the Jaguars this
Sunday at Nissian ste Well, you.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
Can't be one dimensional. You're gonna have to be able
to get, you know, a running game going. You can't.
The quarterback cannot be the leading rusher you know going
into this week. I mean that they just can't happen.
You've got to find some way to move the football
on the ground, to progress the chains, to stay ahead
of it. Because the quarterback cam Warden now is getting
a better idea of how to use all of his
(42:31):
receivers that are healthy at his disposal. He's distributing the
football very well. But they can't be one dimensional. Ret
You got to watch early on to see if the
Titans going to get some semblance of a running game going.
And then the other thing is the Titans defense has
got to eliminate the explosive plays. Explosive plays were a
killer last week. They played good defense, except I mean,
(42:54):
you can't say except, I mean, it's ifs and butts
or candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas.
You can't just say except for those two explosives. You
got to cut those out.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
We remind you.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
Tennessee host Jacksonville this Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Coverage begins
right here at nine with the lead company countdown to
kick off. Titans countdown is at eleven and then Taylor
Zarser and coach Mac Dave Beginnis have the call of
this one at twelve oh two official start time for
Coach Mac.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
I'm Red Bryan.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
We are thankful for all of you who call in
every week on mac Talk. We hope everybody has a
great Thanksgiving weekend. We'll talk to you Sunday for Titans
and Jags on Mac Talk on one oh four to
five The Zone
Titans Radio and one four to five The Zone present
MAC Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Happy Thanksgiving, Mac.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Rhet To all of our listeners.
We appreciate yourtt and I both do everybody that listens
and calls into mac Talk that supported us during the year,
So have a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
It's Week thirteen of the twenty twenty five regular season
of the NFL and just ahead for your Tennessee Titans
this weekend, it's the final of four straight games at
Nissan Stadium and they host the AC South Division rival
Jacksonville Jaguars. We're on the air with Titans countdown at
eleven and then kick off officially at twelve o two
(00:39):
with Taylor Zarzer and the man of the hour here
coach Mac David McGinnis. On this Thanksgiving edition of Mac Talk,
we're going to discuss many things, that includes the next
matchup against Jacksonville this Sunday, the league overall, it's topics
through twelve weeks of play, Who are the big performers,
who looks to be in contention coming down the stretch,
and who's playing in Week thirteen. Mac, I'd like to
(01:04):
start with your final thoughts on Sunday's game versus Seattle.
Your first takeaway I would like to ask you about
is cam Ward is probably his most complete game as
a Titans quarterback so far.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah, I think so rhtt. I mean, he seemed to
have pretty good command of the offense and plus the
thing that I liked is not only did he make
some very timely throws, but he also used his legs.
He used his legs to to to pick up first downs,
to extend drives. I mean that was extremely, extremely important.
I thought the first drive of the ball game was
really really encouraging. You'd like to have ended it with
(01:40):
a touchdown, but at least I mean it was. It
took a lot of time off the clock. It was
it was a very efficient needs to need to be
able to string that together for four quarters. I mean
I like that. The other thing that was that I
liked about it is he seemed to be in command
of what was going on. He made several checks during
(02:02):
that ballgame, several audibles. The other thing is is we
know how thin this roster is. I mean it's really
razor thin, and especially with the receiver group, all the
different receivers that he had, that he was working with
back there. I think that was a real credit to
him and for those young players, some of them that
(02:23):
came off the practice squad to perform in that ball game.
The one thing that we still have to do offensively
is run the football much better because the run game
was non existent. And that's really really a hard go
for any quarterback, but especially a rookie quarterback on a
depleted roster is if you make yourself one dimensional. So somehow,
(02:45):
some way in the latter part of this season, they've
got to find a way to at least threaten people
with the run game offensively.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah, cam Ward's career high six carries for thirty seven
yards and his first career rushing touchdown looked a little
like Steve McNair on that part of it. Found eight
different receivers throughout that ball game. The other learning moments
from this for just observation wise, and talked talking to
safety Kevin Winston Junior, who by the way, has played
(03:14):
every snap in the last two ball games. He's had
fifteen tackles and has been a contributor there. But a
couple of learning moments for him against Jackson Smith and Jigmo,
and a couple of those chunk plays and he immediately
recognized what he needs to do, what he needs to correct.
But that you know, man is going to be a
good ballplayer for Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Well, he's a good ballplayer. He's just young. I mean,
he's just young. And and the receiver Jackson Smith and
Jigba has been flipping everybody around this year as far
as you know, the production that he's had. So yeah,
this is this is a This is an extremely extremely
young football team. Every rookie, every rookie that is on
the active roster has been playing and that's you know,
(03:58):
that's highly unusual in the National Football League, but that's
where this roster is right now. The plus side of
that is read as these young guys are getting invaluable
experience because there's nothing like time on task in this league.
I mean, you learn a lot of things, both pluses
and minuses. But it's an accelerated learning curve for all
(04:19):
of these young players on this football team and the
football team itself, and these players are going to reap
the benefits of this. It's just right now. Every now
and then rookie player will get caught in a situation
he hasn't seen before. If it doesn't work for him,
at least he'll learn about it. He'll learn how to
(04:39):
react in the future. So that's where this roster is.
But this draft class has been an exceptional, exceptional draft class.
Every one of them that has been active on game
day has been a contributor.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That first drive also something that stood out.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It was a clean operation, no penalties on it, fifteen
plays over nine minutes off the clock. It resulted in
a score, not a touchdown, but you still got points
out of the deal. In fact, they had four drives
of nine plays or more. And I know you've talked
about you know, they've had too many opportunities where they
went three and out, but they have, they've started to
(05:16):
get some drives that are sustainable. And your point is
valid about getting the run game going to help solidify.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
That part of it.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
And speaking of you said the rookie class, thirteen different
rookies have played this season and a lot of times
seven eight nine during a ballgame. You're talking about Mac,
twenty five percent of this Titans roster are rookies, and
that's really speaks to the youth movement here.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
Yeah, I mean, and that's that's and that again, I
mean there's gonna be there's gonna be some some learning
curve when when you had when you're starting and not
just starting, but playing throughout the game with that many
rookies you know, on your roster. But as I say,
you can't experience is invaluable in the National Football League,
(06:05):
and your development really is tied exactly to how much
you get to play. These guys are getting to play
a lot, which is you know, for the future. I
mean it's something to you know, something to look forward
to and right now. Sometimes you have to live with
the mistakes that the young players are going to make,
and that's what that's what's been going on. But I'll
(06:26):
say this, I mean they've they've hung in there really
really well. Uh They've they've shown up. They're showing up
on the stat sheet, and they're also I can see
growth in these players. And you know, we talk about
young players, just like Cedric Gray at linebacker. I mean
he's technically a second year player, but he's really a
first year player because he missed so much time his
(06:49):
rookie season, especially early in that developmental stage. So there's
a lot, there's a lot to look forward to with
it with this roster and all of this experience their game.
Right now, we'll pay dividends.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Let's speak about another class as we continue through this
first segment of MAC Talk. The Pro Football Hall of
Fame and their selection committee this week took fifty two
nominees in the modern era as they call it, and
whittled that in half to twenty six candidates for the
Class of twenty twenty six MAC. And this includes five
(07:23):
players in their first year of eligibility, and something I
had forgotten that they had implemented with the twenty twenty
five class. Nineteen of the twenty six automatically reached this
stage in voting for the Class of twenty twenty six
by virtue of finishing in the top seven for election
last year. That provision was added by the Hall of
(07:45):
Fame selection process bylaws earlier this year at the end
of twenty twenty four. I had forgotten that they'd done that.
So you want to run through these and see who
we've got and who we think sure, let's go, all right,
here we go, So first year ballot semi finalists in
this quarterback Drew Brees.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Well, I mean, any of these names that we're going
to talk about Rhett. They're all deserving and they're all worthy.
And that's why, you know, the Pro Football Hall of
Fame is such a unique, unique honor because anybody that
gets nominated with all of the numbers that you start with,
they're deserving of it because they've done things stat wise
(08:28):
throughout a career that has gained them recognition. But Drew Brees,
I mean, come on, I mean, all you got to
do is just look at that, as we call them
alphabet numbers. That's what he's done.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, and you're talking about multiple forty five hundred to
five thousand passing yard years and a world championship and
something that you know, New Orleans had never had before.
So importance to your window of contribution is where the
building blocks for having a Hall of Fame career is defined.
And another guy that did that with the friend would
(09:00):
have to be wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Well, I mean, you know Larry Fitzgerald. I mean, there's
been two guys, two receivers at the Arizona Cardinals in
the last you know, a decade and a half that
have really made a huge difference, and Kwan Bolden is
the first one, and his name his name we're going
to bring up here too, but Larry Fitzgerald. I mean,
those guys were game changers.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
They really are. Here's the other first ballot semi finalists.
Frank Gore, I think number three on the all time
rushing list, finished with exactly sixteen thousand rushing yards. Don't
think he ever got a Super Bowl, but was a
super important runner throughout his entire career, even in his
twilight years.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Well, I mean as a defensive coach. I mean we
were making game plans up and then after the ball game.
Anytime you played against Frank Gore, you could you could,
you could feel it, because this was as physical a
dude as there ever was running the football.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
And the other two first ballot guys that are semi
finalists in this is quarterback Philip Rivers, who, widdly enough,
was brought in by the San Diego Chargers like Drew
Brees and ended up having a fantastic career with Ledani
and Tomlinson the other LT and obviously Antonio Gates, but
tight end Jason Witten, who is a Tennessee native from
(10:23):
Elizabethan up in the Tri Cities area who had a
monster career for the Dallas Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
Well, all of these names, I mean people that if
you just are covering or watching the NFL just in passing,
you know these names because they were productive for a
long time.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
All Right, here's the other semi finalists in this and
this man has been a semi finalist for six years,
and that's tackle Willie Anderson, who played the bulk of
his career with the Cincinnati Bengals and then a year
with the Baltimore Ravens. One of the stalwarts of those
Bengals teams back when.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yeah, well, I mean, you know, to be an offensive
tackle that played that long, I mean Willie Anderson was
a main stayoft on the edge.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Red and one of the new semifinalists in this his
first time ever is tackle Lomas Brown, whose career started
in eighty five and played ten years with the Lions
and then bouncing around to several teams, but was always
very good.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Well, I mean I was coaching on a team at
the Cardinals with Lomas Brown. We had him when we
went to and won the first playoff game that franchise
had won in fifty one years. Lomas Brown was a huge,
huge piece of that success.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
What is interesting in these twenty six finalists, there's a
couple of guards, and it is so hard for a
guard to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
but this one has been a semi finalist for four
times now, four straight times as a matter of fact,
and that's New Orleans Saints guard Jarhari Evans.
Speaker 3 (11:52):
Yeah, and Jehari Evans was one of those guys that
unless you're really paying close attention to the tape and
you were, you know, you were just an NFL grinder,
you probably sometimes would overlook. But he was a very, very,
very important part of the Saints' success.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
Safety Rodney Harrison, who you know, had his different stints
through the Chargers obviously the Patriots, and a super fantastic
third level player in this and a guy you you know,
well wide receiver a big game. They call him Tory Holt,
and he's been a semi finalist in this for a
(12:28):
long time.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
He may be overdue, Yeah, I mean, of course, Tory
Holt was a major contributor to that greatest show on turf.
He's his time will come. He's going to be in
the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
How about linebacker Luke Keikley, who had a shorter career,
but a fantastic one when he was playing.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah, Luke Kickley was a guy. Was one of those
guys you know as a as a lifelong linebacker coach
in this league. You know when when you veted him
and watched him, I mean, he was just he was
a He was a He was a great college player
because he was so technically sound and he was the
same thing, tremendous, tremendous guy as far as preparation and
(13:05):
very instinctive, extremely instinctive as a linebacker.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
Quarterback Eli Manning and his second straight year as a
semi finalist, and who had that incredible run of complete
games without missing a game. I think all the way
from his rookie year or maybe two, yeah, twenty five
to twenty seventeen, he did not miss a ball game.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Two time world chance.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
And he's got he's got Super Bowl trophies too, so
he'll be in there too well.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And at both times against you know, the big dent
in the armor of what is the dynasty of the
New England Patriots, so wide receiver Steve Smith junior Robert Mathis,
who was a stalwart for the Indianapolis Colts. We used
to see twice a year as a pass rusher. How
about Terrell Suggs.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, Trell Suggs is a guy that you know, of course,
coming out of Arizona State, there was the the leading
sack getter in the national in the NCAA when he
came out, and all he did when he got into
the league he did the same. I mean, the thing
about him was, you know, Treel Suggs was one of
those guys that didn't run a real fast forty time,
but he didn't have to run forty yards to get
(14:15):
to the quarterback. He was a really really accomplished pass rusher.
Freddie t Fast Freddy fred Taylor.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
The Jacksonville Jaguar and spent some time with the New
England Patriots is also on this semi finalist list. Say
safety Earl Thomas, who was a part of the Legion
of Boom with the Seahawks and finished his career with
the Ravens.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Kicker Adam vinnet Terry, who really.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
You can't tell the story of the World Championships that
the New England Patriots had in the dynasty without some
of his kicks.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Yeah, well, I mean Adam vent Terry did it forever too.
And did it at a very very high level. I mean,
all of these guys you start mentioning, you start mentioning,
you know, Hall of Fame nominees, every one of them.
When you hear their names, you look back and say, oh, well,
he was really good. He was really good.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Well that's why they're mentioned, like Hines Ward in the
wide receiver group, Reggie Wayne also there. How about tackle
Richmond Webb spent a long time with the Dolphins, a
couple of years with the Bengals. He's a two time
semi finalist and one of the big space eaters on
the d line, wearing his overalls and all get out.
(15:22):
Vince will Fork one of the biggest and most nimble
big guys you will see.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Vince Wilfork was a huge, huge part of all those
new England teams that were really really good. I mean
it was really impossible to run the football in that
center guard traangle when Vince Wilfork was working.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams who really made his hay with
the Minnesota Vikings guard Steve Wasnowski. Safety Darren Woodson, who
was a part of the three World championships with the
Dallas Cowboys as a safety and then guard Marshall Yander,
who played his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaker 3 (15:56):
Yeah, and you know, people say, well, you know, how
can he be in? How can he not be in?
And the job that these selectors have, it's a hard job.
I mean, it really is, because you've got to parse
through and you got to get down to the minute
details about all of these great players.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Well and in some cases, you know, we talked about
it's hard to get in as a guard. But the
other part of it is you have a log jam
in some position groups like the wide receiver group. You
can understand how Tory Holt has been a semi finalist
as many years as he has because there's been such
a log jam of eligible people like he probably didn't
get in one year because Randy Moss got in. Just
(16:35):
you know, explanations like that. But you're right, you need
someone who covered their career in that room to basically
stump for you the night before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
Yeah, and the game's changed a lot too. I mean,
you know, the balls being thrown around a lot more
so those receivers. I mean you talk about alphabet numbers,
I mean those numbers keep going up and up and
up and up, and so you have to compare, you
have to compare decades time that they've played, contribution to
the team, how much they meant to their team and
to the league at the time. It's all a pretty
(17:05):
involved process.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Red it absolutely is.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
And the other involved process is the next thing that's
on Mac Talk and Mac. I think it's time to
name it quarterback cam Ward for this honor he is
earning it.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Yeah, well, I mean I really believe I think most
people will agree that watched this very closely. It was
his most complete football game, and he just continues to
make progress every week, especially especially you know during this
this this season where you're you're playing with a pretty
much at times a depleted roster, but the young players
(17:42):
are playing and cam Ward really never has waivered as
far as his preparation, as far as to how he
how he's been competing. So I agree with you, I mean,
it would be it would be hard to say that,
you know, it wasn't his best game of the seas
and so far, and we're giving him then hit this
(18:03):
award knowing that Tim DK just continues to make touchdowns
on special teams. You can take a lot of these
young players and what they've done this year has been
has been pretty impressive. But I've been impressed with just
the how steady cam Ward has been. He has been
steady from day one.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
And I will give an honorary one to chim DK
for what you just mentioned, a ninety yard punt return
for a touchdown, his second long return of the year
for a score. I'm going to give another honorary one
to the entire Titans rookie class back because in the
spirit of Thanksgiving, they deserve a tip of the hat here,
because the entire rookie class this week went to Northwest
(18:45):
Family YMCA and they distributed Thanksgiving meals to one hundred families.
They got a turkey, the sides, a dessert, and a
fifty dollars Kroger gift card. And the families were from
organizations like Renewal House, Prehearts, and several Metro Nashville Public.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
Schools in the Nashville area.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
And they did some great work with track and the
cheerleaders and making sure that one hundred families had Thanksgiving
dinner to sample.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Well, that just continues to what the Titans mean to
this community.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
I mean it.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Titans mean a lot to this community. You yourself every Tuesday,
do a lot of work with school shows, with t Reck,
with the cheerleaders, with the players that give their time
for that. You can't say enough about what the Tennessee
Titans organization and the Tennessee Titans, not only players, but
everybody involved in the community projects for the Titans due
(19:41):
for Nashville.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
It's true and that's why they are the Service Award
winners of the all Right Mac. It's week thirteen and
the Jacksonville Jaguars come to town for their first of
two meetings against the Tennessee Titans. There's seven and four
in the AFC South, currently second place in that a
vision behind the Indianapolis Colts. They had to get to
(20:05):
overtime to do it in the House that Mac built
in Arizona against the Cardinals, but they did get the win.
What has the film shown you in Let's start with
Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
The quarterback.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
For Trevor Lawrence is a you know, he's a he's
a he's had kind of an uneven career up and down,
but when he's up, he's a he's a problem. Because
this is a this is a very very talented, physically
talented quarterback. He's hurt the Titans in the past. You
and I have worked every game that he's ever played
there the jack in Jacksonville versus Tennessee twice a year. Uh,
(20:40):
he's hurt the Titans running the football quite a bit.
The other thing is is when he gets hot throwing
the football and he's got all his compliment of receivers, Uh,
he can give you a lot of problems. So it starts.
It starts with the quarterback. But then they've got two
running backs that are that are really really accomplished players
both and catching the football out of the backfield. Travis
(21:02):
Atien Junior Baseel Touton from Virginia Tech. Both of those
guys are going to be guys that they could split
out of the backfield. But their run game is very,
very solid. And then they're down a couple of receivers.
You know, Parker Washington, who's who's a returner, is now
one of their main targets. They just got their tight
(21:23):
end back that you know, they they're they're able to
use some But what I like what I when I
watch him, I think this team goes as the quarterback goes,
So it's going to be very incumbent upon the Titans
defense to be very very disciplined in their rush with
him and then to force him into some turnovers.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Rhett Uh, you bring up some valid points.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
In fact, Parker Washington, because of the injury to Brian
Thomas Junior, who's missed some time with an ankle, is
actually the leading receiver despite being the primary return guy,
which he has been in Jacksonville for a couple of years.
You mentioned Brenton Strange who just came off of i
R and it was evidence how much they.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Needed his help.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
All five of his targets were five catches for a
career high ninety three yards on some chunk plays. Trevor
Lawrence is the interesting part of this, and you briefly
mentioned it there. His career has been streaky up and down,
hot cold, and it's evidenced just by the sample size
of this one game that took overtime against the Cardinals.
So he had four giveaways in this three interceptions and
(22:25):
he lost a fumble against the Cardinals. He finished eighteen
for thirty for two hundred and fifty six yards and
three touchdowns. Now, the wild thing is is all three
touchdowns came against the blitz. When he wasn't blitzed is
when he threw the three interceptions, which is interesting to me.
But you mentioned his prowess with his legs. He's one
(22:46):
of the top two or three rushing guys in this
He has five rushing touchdowns and then the two headed monster.
That's their run game, which is the eighth best run
game in the league right now aftering one hundred and
twenty eight yards per game. Travis etn four point eight
a car, eight hundred and fifteen yards, five touchdowns. Bashiel Tooton,
you really liked him in the draft process, Mac, and
he tested off the charts in Indianapolis at the combine.
(23:08):
He had a four to three to two forty one
four nine in his first ten over an over forty
inch vertical leap, and you can see that explosiveness. So
he has a two headed monster to run with, or
he can pull it down and run himself, being Trevor Lawrence.
But those are also receiving options out of the backfield.
We'll see about Brian Thomas Junior's status as we go
(23:29):
into this thing, but that's kind of a snapshot of
the offense.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
In this on defense, What does the film show you, Mack.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Well, defensively mean, They've they've got you know, it's been
a strength of this of this football team, you know,
for for quite a while. Rik Armstead of the defensive
tackle is a five and a half sack guy. I
mean he's a game wrecker. Josh Heines Allen Us has
been coming on very very strongly. So you've got a
defensive tackle at a defensive end. Devon Hamilton is a
(23:57):
big is a big nose tackle in the way that
they play their defensive up front, so you're gonna have
to be able to get some hats on him. They're
tackling machine. Is Foyer Lucon the linebacker, I mean, this
guy is everywhere. And Devin Lloyd is the guy that
started off the season red hot as far as as interceptions.
(24:18):
So they've got guys. They've got guys at those two
levels that really make.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Their defense go.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
So it's gonna be extremely important. We talk about the
Titans being able to run the football, They're gon have
to get some hats on these people because the defense
for the Jacksonville Jaguars play really really good run fit defense,
and so it's gonna be challenged to be able to run.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
The football against this group.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
To your point, Macket's the number one rush defense in
the NFL right now, allowing just over eighty three yards
per game. So the front is stout in that part.
And to give you, as you call it, some of
the alphabet numbers, Josh Hines Allen in that overtime win
against the Cardinals nine quarterback pressures and a sack on
forty five pass rushes in that win, and that is
(25:01):
his second straight game with seven or more pressures. And
then you mentioned Eric Armstead. He leads the team with
five and a half quarterback sacks. He's something to be
dealt with. Trayvon Walker is in there with Devon Hamilton,
but Foye Olucon, you're right. Ever since they picked him
up in free agency, he has been the tackling machine
in that thing.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Devin Lloyd started off a house of fire.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
He still leads the team with four interceptions as a
one and a half quarterback sacks on his part of it.
The secondaries where it's interesting to me because they traded
Tyson Campbell to the Cleveland Browns several weeks ago, and
with who they have in that group, they're still trying
to figure out who's doing what I think because that
is the part where it's a little bit on the
(25:45):
weak link part of things.
Speaker 3 (25:47):
Yeah, well, the front seven is the strength of his
football team. And so, as you say, the thing that
you got to be able to do is be able
to be proficient enough running the football to put some
pressure on that back end.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
And they have the twenty fifth rated defense against the pass.
So cam Ward has some options that he can work
with in this What is it that he must do?
Because his time to throw went up a little bit
against Seattle a little over three seconds. He was best
(26:19):
season best the week before at two point six seconds
time to throw against Houston. Obviously, getting rid of the
football is super important.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
Well, but.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
The time, the time in this last ball game, because
he was getting pressured and he was moving with his legs,
he was moving around, you know, he made some unbelievable throws,
you know, on the move because because of pressure. And
again all of that pressure comes from the fact that
you can't that you're not doing a very good job
of running the football.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
You can't be one dimensional. You just cannot do that.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
And the special teams part of this, I mean, so
Morgan Cox is rock solid, so is Johnny Hecker. Joey
Sli has had some great moments in this. But the
rock star coming out of this is Chim dk the
rookie from Florida who has two returns for touchdowns and
all this. But the special teams unit for Jacksonville has
some stars of their own. We mentioned Parker Washington seventeen
(27:15):
yards per punt return average, twenty five on kick, so
he's not an empty chair there. They've got a rookie
kicker and Cam Little who had a fifty two yarder
to seal the overtime win last Sunday in Arizona. But
the guy kicked a new NFL record sixty eight yard
field goal. He has a cannon for a leg. John
Bones Fossil and his unit must be on point.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Yeah, well, and Bones has had this This unit a
complete one eighty from from what they've been in the past.
They're doing, they're doing a tremendous job. You know, you
talk about Chim, he gets a lot of He gets
a lot of the flowers with these returns, with the
blocking and the schemes have been have been excellent. So
they've got to keep that up. They've got to be
able to win that aspect of this ballgame.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
They absolutely do all right.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
So that's a snapshot of the next opponent, the seven
and four Jacksonville Jaguars. Let's pivot now to a look
about around the league through twelve weeks of play on
this special Thanksgiving week edition of Mac Talk and Mac.
So it's interesting to see how the AFC is shaping
up down the stretch. Kansas City had an overtime win
(28:24):
of their own against Indianapolis Sunday, but they're currently still
just six and five with the Titans on the schedule
coming up. But they would be in what is the
tenth spot in the AFC and two out of contention
for the final seed if the playoffs were start today.
It's interesting to see what the Chiefs have done so far.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
Yeah, well, I mean was seventeen games though this you know,
the month of December is the one that's gonna determine
who gets into the tournament. And I wouldn't count Kansas
City out.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
No, not at all, not at all. Another interesting one.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
It's the first time since the Bill Belichick and Tom
Brady era in New England they've reeled off nine straight wins.
They're ten and two, mostly because of that distinction because
the Broncos had a bye week and were idle at
nine and two. But the Patriots seem to be moving
(29:18):
in the right direction, although they had a little scare
of their own in Cincinnati and snuck out of there
with a win.
Speaker 2 (29:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:24):
Well, they're playing really good, complimentary football. I mean, they're
just playing solid football in all three phases. And the
second year quarterback Drake May is being very very consistent.
Speaker 1 (29:35):
You know who's gotten hot and that is the Baltimore Ravens.
So Lamar Jackson, their best player, was out for a while.
Since he's come back, they've won five straight in this
and so they're six and five and leading the AFC
North Division, especially after the Steelers dropped one last week.
(29:58):
And Derek Henry is nineteen yards away from passing Jim
Brown for tenth all time in NFL rushers in history. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:05):
Well, the Ravens took a little dip when the quarterback
got hurt, but they're they're they're getting healthy again. And
again that's another football team at in December, you cannot
count out as long as they got their healthy players.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
The Texans have been missing some strong personnel and one
of those being their starting quarterback in C. J. Stroud,
But Davis Mills has done a nice job. They've won
three straight in a row. They're currently third place in
the AFC South. And then I mentioned the Broncos. They're
nine and two, they had a bye week, they've won
eight in a row and so they'll be looking to
(30:38):
tack on another one into this. I think the surprise
in this mac of the AFC Conference is the Buffalo
Bills and what they have had in some disappointing losses
despite still having a winning record at seven to four.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Yeah, and again, I mean they've been a little bit
uneven this year, but they're a football team. As long
as they're quarterback stays healthy, they've always.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
Got a chance out of the entire NFL. And I
want to see your opinion of this the hottest team
right now maybe the Los Angeles Rams.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
Well, the Rams are a really good team. I mean
we know that, you know from first hand experience of
playing them, and again you know you've got to you've
got a very very veteran quarterback that is, you know,
and you know, as long as pookin Nakua stays healthy,
They've got a chance to always move the football. They're
playing really good defense, you know, they're playing their Their
defense is really really strong. I mean, they've got a
(31:36):
lot of guys that are role players that are really
really contributing in a big way.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Six straight wins for the Rams, four and two in
their conference too, in one of the division. And they
put a whooping on Tampa Bay and actually sent Baker
Mayfield to the sidelines with what is probably an ac
joint on one of his shoulders. But the ms certainly
it's the Eagles had the first half of this season.
(32:04):
They've had some miscues, but the Rams seem to be
the one that seemed to be getting right at the
right time. And speaking of the Eagles, had a twenty
one point lead in Dallas, the Cowboys come back to
win that one. In fact, the Cowboys have won two
straight and are in second placed in that NFC East Division.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Yeah, there's a little surprising with the Eagles giving up
a lead like that with this roster that they have,
they very seldom do that. I mean, that was pretty
surprising to meet Red.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
How about the debut of Shador Sanders one of his
first outing Now they were playing the Las Vegas Raiders.
But the young man had a decent outing and he's
the first Browns quarterback in seventeen straight Browns quarterbacks to
win his NFL debut, a streak that had dated back
(32:57):
to nineteen ninety five for that franchise.
Speaker 3 (32:59):
Ye, the Raiders are still in the NFL, So I mean,
it was an NFL football team, and you got to
give Shador Sanders and the Cleveland Browns a lot of
credit for that win.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Speaking of the Browns, is there a hotter player right
now on.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Defense than Miles Garrett.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
No. I mean, he's been unblockable and he's on the
threshold of breaking the sack record the National Football League
with six weeks.
Speaker 2 (33:24):
Left, he's going to shatter it. Shatter at possibly.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
You're talking about the guy that's had eighteen quarterback sacks
right now, and I think he's had thirteen in his
last four games. The record is shared by Michael Strahan
and TJ. Watt at twenty two and a half. And
to your point, if he stays healthy and is any
kind of productive like he has been, that should be
very attainable. He is a game wrecker. Looking at some
(33:50):
other stories in the National Football League. In the NFC
Washington Commanders, they missed their quarterback in Jade and Daniels.
They've lost sixth straight and are three and eight in
the NFC East.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
Well, it just points out, I mean, you start losing
your you start losing your top players. I mean they
may have the same helmets on, but they're different. It's
a different team. That's true not only for the Commanders,
but for every team in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (34:15):
What about the eight and three Chicago Bears.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Yeah, well you got a second year quarterback that all
of a sudden, you know, the first year is the
first year quarterback. He was really struggling, which most first
year quarterbacks do if they have to start immediately. But
they had a pretty good roster to start with, and
all of a sudden, now the quarterbacks caught up to them.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
Yeah, they won four straight. I think it bears mentioning
too that their win Sunday over Pittsburgh was their first
win over a team that is currently above five hundred.
How about all right, so this was an interesting game
to start the week. On Monday Night Football forty nine
(34:54):
Ers climb back into this. They're eight and four. They
would currently be the seventh seed in the NFC off.
The player off started to day Brock Party. They survived
three interceptions he threw in the first half of that.
But the Carolina Panthers are hanging around that NFC South
Division under Dave Canalis.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
With quarterback Bryce Young. Well, in that ball game, I.
Speaker 3 (35:15):
Think that each team was trying to see who could
throw the most interceptions. True what that turned out to be,
and that was especially some of those early interceptions that
Party threw. You wondered at now, how in the world
they're going to come back and win this game, But
they did.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
It's own Red Brian with coach Dave McGinnis.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Let's take a look around the league and the slate
of games in Week thirteen of the NFL, and it's
a triple header on Thanksgiving. Coach Mac green Bay at
Detroit in the early game at Ford.
Speaker 3 (35:49):
Field, Well, yeah, Detroit. You know Detroit and Dallas. You
know when the National Football League started playing on Thanksgiving,
they were the two of the originals. They were always
going to host a Thanksgiving Day game. This is iconic
and especially now being the Packers, this is a this
is a this is a big game, is a big
game for both of them. But to start off Thanksgiving,
(36:09):
I mean, it's a tradition, you know, for Detroit to
play on Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to this one and.
Speaker 2 (36:16):
Both teams playing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Detroit Lions back Jamir Gibbs is just an absolute wrecking
machine on offense.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
Yeah, well, I mean, it's it's gonna be it's gonna
be really, really important. And to me, Detroit's got probably
got the most complete football team right now of the two.
But in this ball game, you you cannot take anything
for granted.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
This next one on the Thanksgiving slate has a chance
to be the highest rated Thanksgiving Day in the history
of that in television ratings, and that is in the
three point thirty window where Kansas City is a Jerry
World to take on the Dallas Cowboys. Kansas City with
an overtime win twenty to seventeen last Sunday against Danapolis
at Arrowhead to move to six and five on the year,
(37:03):
Cowboys overcoming a twenty one point deficit at home the
week before against the Philadelphia Eagles, a division rival of theirs.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
What do you like in this one?
Speaker 3 (37:13):
Well, a lot of most football families across the country
are going to want to get their turkey eating before
that game. Yes, because the TV is gonna be the
TV is going to be on. I mean, I know
how my mother and grandmother used to say, you know
which game do you want to watch? Because then we're
going to have We're gonna eat either before or after
the game that you want to watch. And this game
right here, you're right, it's going to get all the eyeballs.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
And Cowboys actually playing pretty good ball. They won two
in a row. Dak Prescott has done a very nice
job for them. I think the big thing is the
trade for George Pickens has turned out very well, nearly
eleven hundred yards receiving on that. Now we'll see what
he looks like on the injury report, as he is
dealing with a knee that was banged up the other
night against the Eagles. The final of the three games
(37:59):
on Thanksgiving Day, the Bengals head to M and T
Bank Stadium in Baltimore to take on the red hot Ravens,
who've reeled off five in a row since Lamar Jackson
came back from his injury.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Well, I think Joe Burrow is going to play in
this game, right, ritt I believe he is playing this
ball again.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I'm making it right.
Speaker 3 (38:17):
I mean, the Ravens are. The Ravens are on a roll.
And this the reason. I think the reason that they
saved Joe Burrow for this game was because they understand
the magnitude of it. So this is going to be
this is going to be a good one to watch.
But I got to like the Ravens in this ball game.
They just a better football team right now.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
And Derek Henry, by the way, nineteen yards away from
jumping over one of the greatest, if not the greatest
football player ever in the National Football League, Jim Brown,
for tenth place in the all time annals of rushing
in a career in history.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
Well, and it's amazing too, how few years Jim Brown
did it in too. I mean, Jim Brown did it
before they were really Jian Brown made all his yardage
when they were taking the air out of the football.
You know, they weren't spinning it around a whole lot.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
In the air.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
There is a Black Friday game for the second straight year,
as it will be annually, this one on Amazon Prime.
The Chicago Bears at the Eagles. The Eagles have dropped
a couple here lately. The Bears won four in a row,
eight and three in the NFC North Division.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Who you like in that one?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
Well, I like the Eagles in it. And if the
Eagles don't win it, then they've got big problems.
Speaker 1 (39:29):
On Sunday to start the noonslate, maybe the hottest team
in the National Football League right now the Los Angeles
Rams at Carolina to take on the Panthers in Charlotte.
Speaker 3 (39:39):
No, this is Rams all the way. I mean, if
you're watching football and all, you know the Rams are
a better team.
Speaker 2 (39:44):
And I don't know what Matthew Stafford's doing with his
back as it pertains to the Fountain of Youth, but
he is clearly doing something. He has thirty passing touchdowns
already with a handful of games left in this regular season, amazing.
The San Francisco forty nine Ers, despite three first half
interceptions from Brock Purty, live to tell about it and
move to eight and four on the year.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
They go to Cleveland to take on the Browns for
the division the AFC South Division as it pertains to
the Titans. Houston is at Lucas Oil Field to take
on the Indianapolis Colts, who do we like right?
Speaker 3 (40:18):
I like Houston in this ballgame. I mean, I think
Houston's look Davis Mills. People keep saying CJ. Strouds not
in the ballgame. Davis Mills understands how to run that offense.
And he's got some receivers that all they want to
say is a ball thrown to them. They don't care
who's throwing it.
Speaker 1 (40:34):
And it doesn't hurt him that he has a couple
of game wreckers on defense to help him out in
Will Anderson Junior at daneil Hunter. All right, how about
the Atlanta Falcons get off the snide. They take on
the New York Jets in the noon slate. Arizona, who
lost the game in overtime to the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday,
are at Tampa to take on the Buccaneers, and the
question is will Baker Mayfield play as their quarterback. We'll
(40:58):
see about that one. The Minnesota Vikings come off of
one of their worst losses of the year as JJ
McCarthy is really having some issues. I think he had
eighty nine yards passing. They go to luman Field to
take on the Seahawks at three to ZH five. I
would think that the Seahawks continue that because that's a
tough place to play.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
Mac.
Speaker 3 (41:16):
I think the Seahawks are one of the most complete
football teams in the National Football League right now, rhet So,
I agree with you.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
The Buffalo Bills, who are trying to figure it out
after being a perennial contender, are at Akroschuer Stadium at
three twenty five to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. And
then it ends up on Sunday night with another red
hot team in the NFL, the Denver Broncos, who were
on a buy well last.
Speaker 2 (41:38):
Week in idle.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
They've won eight straight as they take on the Washington
Commanders at FedEx Field. I believe the Broncos should probably
take care of business there. And then the final game
of Week thirteen is the New York Giants at the
New England Patriots, who Mack have reeled off nine straight
wins with Mike Vrabel, Drake May and that offense.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
Yeah, the pay are the better football team in that
contest too.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
All right, no, our last minute or so here?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
Mac, what are the Titans' keys against the Jaguars this
Sunday at Nissian ste Well, you.
Speaker 3 (42:09):
Can't be one dimensional. You're gonna have to be able
to get, you know, a running game going. You can't.
The quarterback cannot be the leading rusher you know going
into this week. I mean that they just can't happen.
You've got to find some way to move the football
on the ground, to progress the chains, to stay ahead
of it. Because the quarterback cam Warden now is getting
a better idea of how to use all of his
(42:31):
receivers that are healthy at his disposal. He's distributing the
football very well. But they can't be one dimensional. Ret
You got to watch early on to see if the
Titans going to get some semblance of a running game going.
And then the other thing is the Titans defense has
got to eliminate the explosive plays. Explosive plays were a
killer last week. They played good defense, except I mean,
(42:54):
you can't say except, I mean, it's ifs and butts
or candy and nuts, we'd all have a merry Christmas.
You can't just say except for those two explosives. You
got to cut those out.
Speaker 2 (43:04):
We remind you.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
Tennessee host Jacksonville this Sunday at Nissan Stadium. Coverage begins
right here at nine with the lead company countdown to
kick off. Titans countdown is at eleven and then Taylor
Zarser and coach Mac Dave Beginnis have the call of
this one at twelve oh two official start time for
Coach Mac.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
I'm Red Bryan.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
We are thankful for all of you who call in
every week on mac Talk. We hope everybody has a
great Thanksgiving weekend. We'll talk to you Sunday for Titans
and Jags on Mac Talk on one oh four to
five The Zone
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