September 10, 2025 • 41 mins
Hour 2 of Wes & Walker starts as always with the campus corner! We then move to debate what will look better on Sunday vs the Cardinals, the pass rush or the run defense. We finally take a look around the NFL and cover the main storylines outside of Carolina.
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
And just like that, folks, at one o'clock hour begins
here on the Western Walker Show Sports Radio ninety two
seven w f NZ from the chaidlor Volter Studio. CV
Injury Law dot Com. That CV Injury Law dot Com
one call. That's all Carolina's personal injury lawyers. And one
of the injuries that we were talking about in that
meeting that the cynical side of me kind of cracked
(00:36):
up with the dog bikes, Like I was just thinking
of an hour the dog just clamping down on you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You know what I'm saying. But there's some money if
you can tailor volta though, in addition.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
To a host of other injuries, Like I said, CV
Injury Law dot Com.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
All right, so let's talk about it, folks. Let's get
into it.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
The world of college football always spinning, so let's talk
about it as time for the campus go on to
what crime Wednesday?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
All right?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
How much does it cost the land a top tier
wide receiver in college football?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Folks?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
We know you guys like to talk about some of
these crazy topics like this, and top nil salaries for
college football wide receivers have been revealed, and I think
you know who's at the top of this list, Walker,
but I wanted can you guess to make just how
much Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State is made.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I mean, with him specifically, my guess would be I
would say.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Two point three million.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And you would be too low, sir, because you're talking
about four out to five million dollars for Jmias to me.
And then when you go further down the list, Ryan Williams,
it was revealed yesterday that he is making over one
point eight million for the Crimson Tide and the Ohio
State buck Eyes.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
They've got a little bit of money left over in
there while.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
At for another receiver too, because Carnell Tate is making
one point five million, and Chambers High School own KC
Concepcion over at Texas A and M he is making a.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Cool one million dollars.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And then you have some other guys who are in
that neighborhood as well, like Eric Singleton and Cam Coleman,
both of the Auburn Tigers, they are making that much
as well. I mean, when you go down the list,
I said before we came back on Chris Baal from
Louisville making six hundred k at the wide receiver position.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Do you feel like at this point? We know what
Frank Brown said.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
You remember this offseason when Trevor Pena came in there
demanding his salary up. Then he said, the only player
that I'm paying a meal two meal plus is the
little homie from Ohio State, and that would be Jeremiah Smith.
Is one million just too much to pay for a
top tier wide receiver in college football?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
As long as they play like Todd Love, You're the
perfect man answer this question. Yeah, I don't think one
million is enough. I think Jeremiah Smith should be the
going rate for your average wide receiver and you should
allocate all your money to other top tier wide receivers
in all seriousness.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Shocker, No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
But as long as they play like it, Yeah, you
have to get returned on your investment for the one
million dollars that you're spending. What's beautiful about college football?
And I'm more of an NFL guy than I am
college football guy, but what is beautiful about college football
is everything wins right In the NFL, you have to
go with some trends, you have to go with some
matchup based issues and stuff like that. I think if
(03:17):
you pay a million dollars to a wide receiver that
just destroys corners. Then that makes your life a lot easier.
Even if you don't have a great offensive line, you
can still win a lot of games by just having
a stud that's a top two round pick in the
NFL that's worth one million dollars where he just gets
open all the time, or you just throw up fifty
to fifty balls. Because you talk about an average college
(03:40):
football corner that isn't going to the NFL going against
an NFL wide receiver that is making one million dollars
in college before he makes the professional ranks. I mean,
your cake. You're getting one hundred and fifty receiving yards
a game. So as long as you play up to it,
I don't think it's all that bad. Is wide receiver
the most important position in college football? I would say
outside of quarterback? Probably not still, but you're pretty damn important.
(04:05):
Like those guys can cook, So as long as they
play up to that level, No, I don't think it's
too much.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
I think that if you got the money, man, you
might as well spend it. And we see that these
teams are putting their money where their mouth is and
They're going out there getting top tier talent at the
wide receiver positions. And when you talk about where these
players play, a lot of them are playing for successful program,
So it seems like it is money well spent, all right.
So moving on God's Football twenty six. It came out
(04:31):
yesterday from Front Office Sports. EA College Football first edition
offered athletes six hundred dollars in a copy of the game,
no royalties included. They said, now EA Sports is offering
fifteen hundred and still no royalties, and one team the
group that facilitates the nil deals, not one team talking
about a specific school. It's backing away telling FOS it
(04:53):
is not enough. So I'm guessing they're wanting some money
and maybe some royalties from this. But when I look
at this, I feel like, man, this could end up
ending the college football franchise. Even though they said twenty
seven is in production. But if we start to run
into snap foods like this, this could spell the end
of the game. I don't necessarily think this will be
the last, but they're going to have to figure out
(05:14):
something or it could really halt the process.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I know you have not been a fan of college
football twenty six, I have not.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
That thing has been collecting dust. I was about say,
have you even made the transition? It's been collecting dust.
I tried to start a dynasty, but it's just been
collecting dust man.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
How much of the issue is just gameplay compared to
with FIRS one huge?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
So it's just like.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
A lot of things in life, it's all about quality
and if the quality is enough to stuff and there's
a good chance that it completely fails. And it looks
like that's what's happening with college football twenty said.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
All right, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina will get it
in this weekend. And so when we talk about this
matchup with these two teams, Coastal Carolina is one and one.
East Carolina is one and one as well, both of
them coming off of victories.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
But Coastal Carolina they struggled.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Man, they only beat Charleston Southern thirteen to ten, and
then East Carolina they trounced Campbell fifty two to six.
And so which team do I trust more going into
this matchup? Yeah, it would definitely be East Carolina. I
thought they had a strong showing against the NC State Wolfpack.
As a matter of fact, since halftime of that game.
They've been out scoring opponent sixty six to ten. They're
(06:24):
taking care of the football. Cayden Howser is playing a
really good brand of football. We're gonna get into him
in just one second. But Coastal Carolina, as I said,
they are struggling, and excuse me. They beat Charleston Southern
thirteen to zero. MJ. Morris a god that once looked
like he had plenty of promise.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Far from it.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Thirteen or twenty two, one hundred two yards with three
interceptions on the game. Tad Hudson provided the game's only touchdown.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
You know him.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
He played at Huff High School here in the Queens City.
So yeah, man, I think that Coastal is headed in
the wrong direction. They don't have a quarterback. And I
think that East Carolina right now is a team that
looks to be a bowl squad and a team that
could maybe get seven, eight, maybe nine wins.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, I had high hopes for ECU.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
It didn't look great against NC State for a couple
of times, but NC State was a team that seemed
to be struggling out of the gate, and then they
figured some stuff out with CJ. Bailey I have an infatuation. Yeah,
but John David Baker is a nice offensive mind. Talking
with Jim Zoki about it during team week. That was
the week that you were out, but Jim Zoki joined
us as the voice of the Pirates and he discussed
(07:32):
how if they have a good season, John David Baker
is one of these guys that could parlay this job
into a head coaching job somewhere or being a play
caller at a higher profile university. He worked with a
bunch of bright offensive mines. He was with Kiffen, he
was at USC, he was at Ole Miss. I know
you don't like Lane Kiffin, but still yeah, decent offensive
yeah yeah, yeah. So if he's coaching offense, then maybe
(07:54):
we can give him some credit. But no, I think
he s U's offense is going to be playing very well.
And if you look at what happened last year after
you had the quarterback change, that's when they really started
to come.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah, and so you look at Cayden Howser and so
in their game their win versus Campbell, he completed at
least one pass to eleven different players. Eleven different players
against Campbell. The most buying FBS quarterback this season, He's
got seventeen passes of fifteen or more yards, and I
think the big thing, like I said, they are top
twenty nationally in the FBS in turnover margin at plus
(08:26):
one point five, because we know that that was a huge.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Issue for East Carolina last year.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
And since he's taken over for the Pirates, he's guided
them to a six and three record, thirty seven points
a game and over forty three hundred yards of total offense.
And so Cayden Howser is a guy that seems to
be trending upwards and I think that he is the
best quarterback in the state that nobody's talking.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
About right now.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I was very high on him coming into the season.
And it's my favorite factoid, or at least theory, because
it's not a fact, but it's a I think it
would have proven to be true if Kayden Hauser is
the starting quarterback for ECU at the very beginning of
the season last year. Mike Houston, I think is still
coaching ECU. I think he's that good. And this is
(09:09):
the conversation I want to have because of Kayden Howser.
That's why I'm always skeptical of coaches always making the
right decision on who should be the starter at certain
positions because oftentimes we see the guy that's waiting in
the wings. Once they take over, they are truly better
than the guy that they could not beat out in camp.
That's what happened with Kayden Howser and Mason Garcia. Howser
(09:32):
clearly better than Garcia. What's also interesting is Howser better
than Aiden Childs at Michigan State. I think from what
he did last year this year, we got off to
a good start with Michigan State's quarterback, especially what he
did in that Boston College game, but Howser continues to
put up a bunch of points. I thought we saw
it with NC State Grayson McCall being the starter for
NC State, but CJ. Bailey was better just waiting for
(09:53):
his opportunity. You see it at the QB spot. Man,
It's so important to get your starting QB not only right,
but right right away at the very beginning of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
It could just save your job.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I think we're seeing Cayden Hauser could have saved
Mike Houston's job and he might get John David Baker
a different type of job. Somewhere more high profile.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, we'll talk about this game in balling and falling,
but right now I'll let you know that I think
the East Carolina Pirates will be balling in that one.
But when we come back, folks, which unit would you
bet on to be better in Game number two for
the Carolina Panthers, the pass rush or the run defense?
On Sports Radio ninety two seven wfn Z. And just
(10:41):
like that, folks, we are rolling on the Western Walkers Show,
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ. I'm already to get
in some comments from people coming off of the campus corner,
but just drop my latest power rankings for this week.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Man.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
People have really been engaging with that thing since I've
been doing it the last few weeks. I mean, people
just have been It's a It's among our most uh
talked about content that we've been putting out. I never
thought people would react to it as much as they do.
I see the slander, the comments, people talking crazy to me,
all types of stuff off of just your opinion of
(11:13):
football team.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Do you mix it up with anybody after they comment
on it? I did with one person. He called me
what did he call me? He called me.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Uh, he called me a goof, and he said something
about that trigger. He was complaining about what I did
with Boston College, and so he said some other derogatory
stuff before that. So I said, Noah, I got a
little smoke for him to. Yeah, I say he needs
a pipe down a little bit. So it's not that
(11:42):
goof is a trigger. He said other things. He tried
to say it as if I was just completely mildished.
Like That's the thing that's funny is that when people
say the comments like that, Like I saw one guy,
he was like he clearly don't know, and I was like, yeo,
these guys. But no, for the most part, I ignore him.
I don't I don't pay him anybody. I just one guy. Yeah,
I just gave one guy to smoke.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Man.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I said, your team coming into last week was a
four and a half point underdog to a team that
was picked to finish fourteenth in the Big Ten. Okay,
now I raised them up this week because I do
like their offense. Dylan Lonegan does look like the real deal,
so I put them up. I do think VC is
a bold team, but I needed time to see. But
like I said, the reaction, I mean the first time
(12:22):
we put it up. I mean, my timeline was blowing up.
And it's on Instagram and Twitter as well. People they
love it, man. They love a poll. They love a
power rankings. ESPN puts one out after every week. It's
why that they'll recycle that during the offseason. Nobody's played
a game, but we have different opinions. So all right,
(12:43):
Daniel Jeremiah, we need your power rankings. Dan Grasiano calling
all Dans. We need a power ranking. And that's how
the NFL operates.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
It's why it's probably getting some clicks for the a
SEC Digital Network because people love rank radio.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, man, and so it's a lot of fun. What
were you about to say, Sean.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Was about to say, the NFL they put out their
power rankings about two hours ago. Panthers thirty first, okay,
ahead of look at us the Saints.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
All right, we all suck us well because I love it.
I mean, as soon as I see power rankings, I.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Click on it.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I don't really care who it is, but especially if
it's somebody that, uh, you know, I feel like has
some credibility, I'm gonna go check it out.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Do you ever find yourself wanting to click on something
but not wanting to reward the content creator the click.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Oh yeah, and I see. I thought I was petty.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
But that's something that I do every once in a
while because there will be a wild headline and I
know what they're trying to do. They're trying to suck
me in, and they just might do it. Yeah. I'm
not gonna lie fall victim to it a lot of
times because I just want to see. Even if I
feel it's just absurd, I'm going to click on it
just to see. Yeah, but it's why I'm feeding the beast.
(13:55):
It's like, oh, how did this monster get so big?
While I'm feeding at pizza? Yeah, I'm feeding at pizza
anytime that I click on the headline and I try
not to depending on what the headline is. But if
it's something benign like check out this eight hundred foot
alligator that somebody saw in the Amazon, I'm I know
you're lying. I know you are. Yeah, I want to
(14:17):
see how you're lying, But I also don't want to
encourage this type of behavior. And it's about fifty to
fifty for me on whether I give into the trap
they say.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I think certain like videos and whatever like that that
are obviously clickbait and everything on Instagram, Instagram reels, TikTok.
They had to bring the dislike button back just to
set up a message. Yeah, a goof button that's exactly
a goof. Yeah, and you know, a good insult because
I like it myself.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Goof is a great insult. But also what's great about
goof is that it's versatile because if I get called
a goof, you could use it as a term of endearment. Oh,
you're a goofy guy. But you could use it and
be like, man, this guy's a clown. This guy's a goof.
Now I know you don't think I know what I'm
talking about. Yeah, and I'm insulted by it, eight or
three writes in one hundred percent. I try to avoid
(15:06):
the clicks just because the creator is annoying likes as well.
Our gold people can let us know how you feel
about the not clicking on a headline just because you
don't want to encourage that behavior from the content creator.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
All right, So now talking about the Carolina Panthers, and
they've got the game against the Cardinals coming up this week,
and so when we go back and look at the
Cardinals matchup versus the Saints, it wasn't a pretty one,
and it's not one that you come away from it
thinking like, man, the Cardinals are going to be some
insurmountable beasts, because when you look at what they did
(15:39):
in this game, the Cardinals, they were in a ball
pretty good one hundred and forty six yards rushing they
had in this one. But Kyla Murray, he was sacked
five times in this game. He had one hundred and
sixty three yards passing, he didn't turn the ball over,
and he had thirty eight yards rushing on seven attempts.
But as we start to break down this Cardinals team
(16:00):
and we look at this Panthers defense, that you really
don't feel like you know which way is up because
the Jaguars, I feel like, didn't necessarily have to throw
the ball all over the yard because they ran it
so effectively and that did open up their passing game.
But after a week of practice, a week of scrutiny,
is there a unit that you would bet on to
be a little bit better in Game two?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
The pass rush or this one.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Is difficult for all the wrong reasons. I'm going to
go with the run defense. Okay, I don't feel good
about it. I'm going to go with the run defense,
going back and watching the film again yesterday. I've watched
this game a little bit more than I'd care to admit,
but just wanted to see some of the issues. Can
I find some hope as to how we can stop
(16:46):
the run going against Arizona and every other opponent after
that really was it's going to be up to the
edge rushers to or the edges to set the edge
on these runs traves Etn a lot of his success
came run to the outside. If you look at his
next Gen stat chart the seventy one yard run, you
saw the jump cut back to the inside, but of
(17:07):
course it's block everybody load to the right, run left, Juke,
Trayvon marrig Nick, Scott Mistackle off.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
To the left. He goes set them up.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
You look at some of the other rushes that were
for ten plus yards or more, which, by the way,
there were four of them. Dave Canalis wasn't lying when
he said that it was the explosive runs they gave
up that were the real issue. Etn had four for reference.
He had sixteen all of last year. He's a quarter
of the way there to his total terrible, terrible run
defense performance in terms of mitigating the explosives. But if
(17:37):
you can just get these guys to set the edge.
And I know that's a big if. I told you
it was hard for me to answer. I don't feel
great about it. Yes, But if somehow someway Nick Gorton
comes in tabbed as a good run defender, setting the
edge back what he did in Texas A and m
what he did at Purdue as well with some pass
rush upside, possibly I'm hoping Nick Gorton can be somewhat
(17:57):
of an answer there. I'm hoping that you have better
life ad integrity than what you got from Merrick on
that big run, and Nick Scott Can or Lathan Ransom,
Leathan Ransom somebody that can maybe come in and stop
the run a little better. That's what I'm more confident in.
I will not tell you that I am confident in it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You and I both walking a tight rope right here
on our opinions. We're both weebling and wobbling because I'm
going to jump in there with you when you talk
about the run defense, and I know just how bad
it's been the consecutive two hundred plus yard rushing games.
But I got to pick something right, and I don't
have a ton of faith in the past rush even
though Kyler Murray was sacked as many times as he did.
(18:35):
When you go to the advanced metrics, the Arizona Cardinals
with the second worst run blocking team in Week one,
and so you say, well, how did that happen when
they were able to run for so many yards? They
ran for one hundred and forty six yards at five
point four per clip, but a lot of that, the
bulk of it came on a fifty two yard run
by Trey Benson that when you take that away from
(18:55):
his rushing total, and I know I'm doing what a
lot of people trying to do with traves etn but
he had several more big runs, but he had seven
carries for seventeen yards. And then you factor in Kyler
Murray on quarterback scrambles and he had counted for thirty
eight of those yards at five point four per clip.
And then James Connor ran for modis Well, I'm not
(19:15):
even gonna say Mitison not very good three point three
yards per carry, and so that's why I'm gonna jump
in there with you there because analytically they didn't perform well.
But the thing, I'm the thing that worries you is
that this defense has been to get right for a
lot of teams that can't.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Run the ball.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Not only that, but a week of practice that's gonna
be an emphasis. But because they gave up so many sacks,
and I know every sack has context, I'm also wondering too.
I know that a lot of things have been put
as an emphasis for them this week, but coaches, certainly
they're gonna want to start with the run. I know
that run defense. They're gonna have a probably pretty physical
(19:55):
week of practice to try to correct some of those things.
And so you don't want them to come out and
be able to to exercise that against the Panthers. But
because I trust the passwords even less than I do
the run defense, I'm gonna be out there with you
with my arm's waving, weebling and wabbling on that tight
rope because I don't feel great about it.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Here's what has to happen for both, right, if we
just want to marry both of these concepts, somebody's gonna
have to make a play. If Derek Brown or Bobby
Brown gets double teamed. Saw both of those things happen
against Jacksonville. Of course Derek Brown, because that just makes sense.
Who's the best defensive lineman they have. It's Derek Brown.
Let's go double team them. Let's run away from him
like what they did with Travis Etn. Somebody else has
(20:33):
to make a play, especially on these outside runs where
they give up the explosives. And you bring up that
Trey Benson run that was on the outside. Now, I
guess I don't remember if he cut it to the
outside or if it was just somewhat of both, of
just cutting it all the way to the outside and
already starting right side of the tackle anyway, But I digress.
I need the edge defenders to set the edge, and
(20:54):
I need somebody else to make a play if one
of the members of the defensive line gets double teamed.
So Bobby Brown, Derek Brown, those are guys that are
going to acquire or require a decent invite a lot
of attention, I should say, because requires a little strong,
but they're going to get a lot of attention. A
Shawn Robinson step up, Scoorton, Turk Wharton, who made some
(21:15):
plays before he got into Brown. Yeah, and Derek Brown, well,
I'm saying yes, even through him. Fight through the double
teams for sure, But even so you are one on one.
You are a professional football player. If Derek Brown is
being run away from and double teamed, then it's time
for you to go ahead and make the tackle because
he's plugging up stonewalling over here on this side. So
(21:36):
they jump across. Now I need you to make the tackle.
And the linebackers I don't have any confidence in them.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I just don't. So we're gonna have to rely a
lot on Merrik.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I think in the run game too, bringing the safety
down and he didn't look good. The good news is
he was good with the Raiders. He won very good
in this game in my opinion against Jackson.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So I guess, does this mean that we have not
completely given up on the run defense? Because I want
to know from the fans. That's the next question that
I have down here. Has this fan base is completely
given up on the run defense? Because it sounds like
from what we're saying, even though we are shaky mcgakey.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
On it, shaky m.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
It doesn't sound like we've completely given up. Like this
is a week to be able to prove all right.
Last week was a mulligan because, as I said, they
were the second worst run blocking team in football last week.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
So can you expose that? Can you do that?
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Let me know fan base on the FanDuel text line
seven h four to five, seven ninety six ten.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Have you completely given up on the run?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
The thing I would say the argument for the pass
rush getting better to is J. C. Horn and Mike
Jackson were your best defenders in this game. And I thought,
I test whatever measure you want to go by. I
thought it was pretty damn evident. The only reception that
was a real issue either one of them gave up
was the Mike Jackson Diami Brown reception at the end
of the first half, and that set Jacksonville up for
(22:56):
a field goal.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
So it was costly, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
But do you want to have of two guys that
are Pro Bowl perennial type of players, You're not gonna
You're not gonna be able to get that. So Mike
Jackson only allowed that one big reception. JC allowed a
seven yard reception to the running back out of the backfield.
That's all he did. He was very good in this game.
Brian Thomas Travis Hunter both held to some pretty poor
grades in Travis Hunter's debut Brian Thomas his first game
(23:21):
of his second year. So can the pass rush benefit
from sticky coverage on the outside? And Smith Wade wasn't bad?
He was fine, but he wasn't bad. Can you benefit
from some sticky coverage or do you still not have
a shot because all the quarterback is going to do
is Okay, don't have my read to the outside because
of the cornerbacks coverage.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let me attack the middle of the field.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
And then just hit my tight end, Hit my tight end,
hit my tight end. That's that's the issue with relying
on the pass rush. So if you look at this
Arizona team as we start to try to break them
down just a little bit, I feel like that the
biggest challenge that they do present is through the air, because,
like I said, the run blocking wasn't great and they
were able to break off one big run Marvin Harrison Junior.
(24:02):
The numbers don't blow you away, but he did have
a forty five yard catch and he did score touchdown.
And then we know what Trey McBride can bring to
the table as well as a tight end and tight
ends eight last week against the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Thing, you know that he is chomping at the bit.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Did you see what my man, Greg George from Wake
Force said about us. Yes, yeah, Oh McBride said he
turns into Trey Kawan McBride when he out there plays
in the game. Yeah, man, And so I think the Cardinals,
and you know they've got some kind of sleepy receivers
that can make some plays on you if you're not
paying attention to Michael Wilson and Zay Jones. With the
Cardinals passing game, it wasn't that impressive. And then win
(24:38):
versus the Saints. But if I had to pick a
unit that the Panthers certainly have to be on the
lookout for or worried about the most, to me, it's
the passing attack.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
So I'm looking at James Connor in the passing game
and Trey McBride or Trey Kwan, as Greg George says,
I need to call him if he goes out there
on the football field looking at Trey McBride. The middle
of the field was exposed because of poor coverage by linebackers.
But also again I've been hard on Trayvon Merrig. He
wasn't good in this game. I think he will be.
I feel good about what he is as a player,
(25:09):
but it was bad against Breton Strange. That's where he
allowed a decent amount of his targets. I think gave
up three receptions for forty yards. McBride as much as
Strange as a sleeper tight end, McBride is a star,
top three guy probably in the NFL at this point
in time, so I would expect him to eat. But
James Connor is a good pass catcher, and so I
(25:29):
wonder if you get some mismatches with whoever is trying
to cover him, you just dump it down to him.
He's a better pass catcher than Trey Benson is. So
I just wonder if you see a little more of
Connor in the passing game, those third down situations. Those
are the two guys that I'm worried about the most.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
All Right, So if we look at this defense and
the guy that we want to pinpoint as a player
that needs to step up the most this week, I'll
start the conversation. To me, it's got to be Trevin Wilace. Okay,
you are poor in the first game and so in
this game, you being one of the middle linebackers in
the middle of this defense, I think you have to
be the guy that's gonna be the tone setter because
(26:03):
the Cardinals are gonna come in with the game playing
to run the ball. They didn't block well. They're looking
at this as, hey, this is a team that we
can certainly correct a lot of mistakes. This is a
team that we can absolutely run the football on. And
they're gonna look at it as we better be able
to run the football against the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
So they're gonna be coming early and often. We know
James Conner.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, he's a guy that can get to the outside,
but he wants to bring it up that middle and
bring you some physicality, and so does Tray Benson. And
so that's gonna fall on the hands of both Trevin
Wallace and Christen Roseboom on top of the nose tackle
in this defense. Whoever that may be, Ashawn Robinson, whoever
they want to put in there. But I'm gonna pinpoint
Trevin Wallace because he's the young linebacker that there's a
(26:44):
lot riding on. To me, this is a make or
break gear for him. And so I think that he
will be the guy that I'm looking at that he
needs to step up in this game and be much
much better.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Not only is setting the edge important to limit some
of these explosive runs that teams can get from the outside,
but you're facing a very, very mobile quarterback who likes
to throw from outside the pocket. Please set the edge better,
Nick Gorton, I'm looking at you. I know you didn't
even play as many snaps as some of these other
edge rushers like dj Wanham and Pat Jones. I want
(27:15):
them to step up also. But if Dave Knalis decides
to throw his weight around and Avero abides and decides
to play the younger defenders more frequently, that means you
first and foremost. I would say him. You could argue
Lathan Ransom, but I'm not looking at Uman Miellen playing
a ton ton more. Gorton is the guy that's going
to be better than new Man Meellen on early downs,
which means you have to stop the run, and it
(27:37):
means you have to limit Kyler Murray into the pocket.
If you keep him in the pocket, then I feel
a lot better about those passing situations going better for
the defense. But if you don't contain and Kyler gets
to the outside, then that makes it so much harder
on your defensive backfield, especially with the streaking over the
middle of the field. Trey McBride, So, Nick Gorton, if
(27:57):
you're going to play more than the twenty snaps that
you played, do you give me thirty five or whatever?
And can you provide a little bit of pass rush upside?
My god, can anybody give me any kind of pass
rush whatsoever? It's what you were drafted number fifty overall
to do. I hope. I know it's a lot to
ask for some of these rookies to step up in
their second game ever, but I would really like to
see Nick Gorton be that guy that provides a big impact.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
And so to continue with the rookies, the rookie that
I would like to see make the most of their reps,
I would go with Princely Mama Yelling, because this is
a guy that right now he's a pass rushing specialist,
and I think that when you look at Kyler Murray
and the havoc that he's able to create outside the pocket,
this is the guy that is probably the fastest of
(28:41):
the edges that you have out there that could be
able to get maybe a chase down, sack of a
god that's maybe able to flush him out of the pocket.
And you kept telling me all off season that's your him,
And so can you finally make your mark on a
game and get in here if you are able to
get them in some obvious passing situations and we know
the Panthers a cable of doing that, and we know
(29:01):
that they will. There's gonna be a couple of obvious
passing downs in this game. And so if he's able
to get in there and get some reps, can he
be able to bring Kyler Murray to the ground. Can
he get in there and do what he was drafted
to do the run defense. That may come a little
bit later on, but right now, they need you to
be a hail raiser off the edge, use your speed
(29:23):
and athleticism. If you're him, they need you to step
up this week and be him and maybe at least
get a sack and maybe some pressures to make life
tough on Kyler Murray.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, trying to think going back watching this, it feels
like they ran him more so from the left side.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
If I'm not mistaken, I.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Like the idea of flushing Kyler to the left with
and so if you just line princey Ummuel and up
real wide, flush Kyler Murray to his left as a
right handed throwing quarterback, then I think that could do you.
I think that could help you, especially if you have
whoever covering a wide receiver. I'll say this, here's a
(30:02):
matchup I really like.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I think j C.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Horn is going to be just fine against Marvin Harrison.
I was one of these guys that thought Marvin Harrison
was gonna be awesome. He looks to be a very
good wide receiver and not a special one, and j C.
Horn I think matches up well with the things that
Marvin Harrison is supposed to do well. The contested catch
rate for Marvin last year it was not good. And
(30:24):
he was supposed to be this monster, this brute of
a receiver who only got bigger over the off season.
I think he came in with like fifteen pounds of
gained muscle. And it was funny to hear some of
the evaluators say that's great. I'm glad that you're not
just eating chips on the couch. I don't know if
I was looking for you to get all that much
bigger over the offseason. I kind of want you to
(30:47):
be able to separate a little more. But okay, if
this strength can lead to more contested catches than great.
But man, jac Horn is here for the physicality. That's
one thing he's gonna do. He's gonna fight. So if
that's how Marvin Harrison wins, But you can't win as
many times against that physical of a corner in JCS,
I feel pretty good. I hope I'm not proving wrong
on that, but I feel good about that match.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, I think it's a matchup that you could feel
good against a real quick Before we get out of here,
is there a veteran that you would like to see
take a seat at some point during this matchup?
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I think I know.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Where you're going to go. But yeah, I mean Nick Scott. Yeah,
I want to see Nathan Ransom at some point. It's
not even about Scott so much as it is about
Ransom making plays every time I see it.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Yeah, I would go dj wanam so that. Like I said,
Nick Gorton, because he's another guy I would like to
see what he can do with more snaps as well,
So I would go with the Nick Gorton. All right, folks,
when we come back, we are going to go around
the NFL.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Do you agree with.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
The league that Jalen Carter's ejection should serve as a suspension?
On Sports Radio ninety two seven w f n Z, Yes, sir,
the Wes and Walker Show returns that We want to
remind you to hit us up on social media WFNZ
(32:06):
on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also hit us
up at SHROPPYWFNZ, at Westburn of the Score seventy two,
at Walker Mail, and most importantly at wesn Waukee. You know,
I don't get that one as often, so I had
to look at Shroppy for some confirmation right there to
make sure that I had that one right.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Okay, and make sure too.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
If you like what we're saying or you missed the show,
you can check out the West and Walker podcast anywhere
you get your podcasts, or it is always archived on
the WFNZ site and the WFNZ app. All right, So
getting back into it, NFL, Jalen Carter, a lot of
people wondered would he get suspended for spinning on Dakota
Prescott and he would not miss any future games. The
(32:46):
NFL announced on Tuesday that since Carter was ejected from
last week's season opener without participating in a single play,
the league would consider the second year defensive tackle to
have all ready served a one game suspension and he
forfeited his Week one game check of fifty seven thousand,
two hundred and twenty two dollars welcome maw. Was this
(33:08):
enough or should he been? Should he have been suspended
for an additional game?
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Anytime I think about if a suspension is long enough
or if a suspension is warranted, at first I think
about does this deter the incident from happening again? And
I don't think that this is a rampant issue within
the NFL. You clearly can't have anybody spitting on another
human being if he has to pay thousands and thousands
and thousands of dollars, then I can't tell you that
(33:34):
I'm outraged with the ruling that the NFL decided to
hand down. If Jalen Carter would have been suspended for
two games where he had already served a one game
suspension by giving up that game check and then giving
up the week two game check, maybe that's something that
I would have cooked up by myself. But other than that, West,
I can't tell you that I'm outraged. Usually what people
like to do when dissecting, if a suspension is long enough,
(33:57):
they really just want to throw the hammer down, suspend
them for the season. That'll teach him. I mean, we can't.
Let's not get crazy. I don't think jays Carter, you
know what I'm saying. People, Just the more you can
pile on usually the more accepted the punishment is because
we want blood.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
That's just how we are as a human race.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I'm cool with him having served just the game suspension
and then having to pay thousand, Like I'm sure he
doesn't love paying all those thousands of dollars.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, at first I was a little bit like, yeah,
I think he could use a little bit of a
game another game. But then you go look back and
I think about precedent as well, because also spending on
somebody is spinning on them no matter what. But I
think about when Bill Romanowski spinning JJ stokes his face
and that was directly in there, and he was fined
(34:42):
seventy five hundred by the NFL for that, and he
was not suspended. So I'm like Okay, well, if he
didn't get suspended, then maybe Jayalen should not get Yo,
what's inflation that I'm thinking about that too. Seventy five
hundred back in the day. That was nineteen ninety seven,
so that was quite a while ago.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Wait what you brought up though, is an interesting I
did not think about this point. Yeah, does it matter
where the spit lands. That's what I'm saying is optics.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
That's why I said, spitting on somebody is spitting on somebody,
But the optics of it, like I said, yeah, it
got a little bit of Dak's jersey as opposed to
Ramanowski was right into the face, masks, right into the kisser.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
So you said, seventy five hundred dollars in nineteen ninety seven, Yes,
that is equivalent to a round fifteen thousand dollars today.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
All right, nice job by so so Jalen Carter, and
you just did that at the top of your head, right,
you had that for me?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Oh yeah, nice job.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah, So Jalen Carter technically quote unquote getting punished a
little more by having to pay almost sixty thousand, But
I absolutely believe where you spit matters because you're right.
If he would have walked up right to Dak Prescott
and spit into that crevice between the helmet and the
face mask, then you probably need a few more games.
(36:01):
But spinning on the jersey, that's it's hilarious that we're
having this conversation, but I believe it.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
So if somebody spits on your chest, you gonna want
to whoop that behind less than if they spinning your face.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Yeah, I actually I believe that now less. Okay, I
still want to swing. Yeah, still have to swing if
somebody spits on you. Those are the rules. Yeah, But
if you walk up to my face, yeah, no, I
can subscribe to that, because that is bad. You got
to wipe the face like you might have to smell it.
I know you, because you have to think about it, right.
(36:31):
That means you want to get into a target area
to where you can land as Lougi accurately. Yes, okay,
where you don't really have to get all that close
to just spit on my body. You can probably aim
well enough and it's going to hit somewhere on the body.
But I know you meant harm. Yeah, No, it matters anywhere.
But the face.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
That's like general principle the face that takes it to.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Another less it means it's personal I did something to
you or you are just wild. But either way the
hands have to be swinged. Oh go ahead, No no,
I was gonna say.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
You know, And with him not getting another suspension, if
you thought maybe he deserved one, maybe they can go
WNBA style and just suspend him for the first half
of a game.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Mmmm, which is what they did with Angel Resat.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
That is true. Yeah, I wonder if they could have
done that. But but last thing on this, Yeah, a
little bit like Miles bridge is only in the thing,
only in the neighborhood of having not played the game.
So that's already a part of the suspension. Remember when
Miles Bridges was suspended I believe ninety two games, they
had already deemed eighty two games served because he missed
(37:35):
the entire year when he was arrested, and then so
he only had to miss the next ten games of
the next season. So a little bit of that philosophy
applied here and that Yeah, he gets suspended a game,
but not really because he didn't play a single snap.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Yeah, so he will probably be an angry man because
we get the Super Bowl rematch this week, and how
convenient is it we the Kansas City Chiefs that they
will have to take on the Philadelphia Eagles and mister
Jay Alan Carter will be a part of the Eagles
that will be trying to send the Chiefs to zero
and two. Now, we don't pick a ton of pro
games on here. Do you think that the Chiefs will
(38:09):
be looking at a donut after they played the Philadelphia Eagles?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I think they might. I think Kansas City is going
to lose this game. I think Philadelphia ends up winning
by I don't know about a decent margin, but it's
that's the Super Bowl champ. This is one of the
teams well equipped enough to send Kansas City to an
oh and two start on the season.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
They're down bodies at wide receiver. That's Xavier Worthy.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
You talk about Jalen Coker hurting us over here, Zavi
Worthy hurts them being able to stretch the field. They
weren't able to run the ball all that well with
Pachecko and Kareem Hunt where I like Pachecko. I think
he looks better than what he did last year coming
back from injury. But at some point you're just down
skill guys without Rashid Rice and Xavier Worthy. I think
Philadelphia ends up winning.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
I think that this is a game that Philadelphia is
really going to try to drive it home to Kansas
City that we are the best team in the league.
Now you are the past and we are the present.
So I'm with you. I think the Chiefs go to
oho and two. Do you have a favorite game on
the schedule this week outside of Chiefs Eagles? I will
start the conversation. I love that Buccaneers Texans on Monday Night.
That's gonna be a good one right there from Houston,
(39:17):
h Town.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
You've got CJ. Stroud, can he avoid going oh and two?
Speaker 1 (39:21):
And can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go on the road
and put it on the Texans.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
I think this is going to be a marvelus.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I think we've got this might be the best Monday
night doubleheader that we've had because charges Raiders normally a
game that you feel like, Okay, if I fall asleep
on it, I fall asleep on it.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
That's gonna be a.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Block burner in my opinion, And Buccaneers Texans is gonna
be a good one.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Well, I mean, just primetime all across the board. Do
you have a great game Sunday night with Atlanta in Minnesota.
I'm excited to see what JJ McCarthy will do. But
also Thursday night is my answer. Thursday Night featuring Washington
and green Bay. Green Bay hosting the Commanders, both want
to oh, both looking very very good in their Week
one matchups. I think that's the game that I would circle.
(40:02):
All right, last one I got.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Well Eddie Pinero be the deciding factor when San Francisco
plays Carolina later this season because he has just been
signed to replace Jake Moody at kicker. I mean, what
poetic justice that would be for Eddie p to come
in down boom A couple of field goals on his
old team.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Couldn't be much different in terms of field goal percentage,
with Eddie Pinero being one of the more accurate kickers
in NFL history. The only reason that he's not here
in Carolina is because he was asking for a lot
of money. But he still is a very accurate kicker,
certainly within fifty yards. When he gets to fifty it
gets a little dice. He don't have the strongest leg.
But the biggest thing I take away from that whole situation.
(40:41):
Stop drafting kickers in the top five rounds. If you
draft a kicker six rounder later, okay, but stop drafting
kickers Sebastian Janikowski type level. Yeah, because he wasn't even
worth the first round pick. Yeah, I know he was
crazy coming out literally in the mind, crazy was Sebastian Jenikowski.
Why are we drafting kickers like? It didn't work with
(41:03):
Janikowski that he did not give you return on your value.
I know he was there for a long time. Still,
stupid Roberto Aguayo, we know how that went. And Jake Moody,
like third round pick. We've talked about it a million times.
Those are starters. As much as I give a ton
of respect to Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco forty
nine ers, everybody's allowed to have draft misses, but they
have some wild ones just not being able to hit
(41:26):
on a good percentage of their running backs that they select.
But even just drafting Jake Moody in the third round
is wild.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
All right, folks, When we come back to two hour
begins on Wes and Walker,
And just like that, folks, at one o'clock hour begins
here on the Western Walker Show Sports Radio ninety two
seven w f NZ from the chaidlor Volter Studio. CV
Injury Law dot Com. That CV Injury Law dot Com
one call. That's all Carolina's personal injury lawyers. And one
of the injuries that we were talking about in that
meeting that the cynical side of me kind of cracked
(00:36):
up with the dog bikes, Like I was just thinking
of an hour the dog just clamping down on you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
You know what I'm saying. But there's some money if
you can tailor volta though, in addition.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
To a host of other injuries, Like I said, CV
Injury Law dot Com.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
All right, so let's talk about it, folks. Let's get
into it.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
The world of college football always spinning, so let's talk
about it as time for the campus go on to
what crime Wednesday?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
All right?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
How much does it cost the land a top tier
wide receiver in college football?
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Folks?
Speaker 1 (01:06):
We know you guys like to talk about some of
these crazy topics like this, and top nil salaries for
college football wide receivers have been revealed, and I think
you know who's at the top of this list, Walker,
but I wanted can you guess to make just how
much Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State is made.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I mean, with him specifically, my guess would be I
would say.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Two point three million.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
And you would be too low, sir, because you're talking
about four out to five million dollars for Jmias to me.
And then when you go further down the list, Ryan Williams,
it was revealed yesterday that he is making over one
point eight million for the Crimson Tide and the Ohio
State buck Eyes.
Speaker 3 (01:48):
They've got a little bit of money left over in
there while.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
At for another receiver too, because Carnell Tate is making
one point five million, and Chambers High School own KC
Concepcion over at Texas A and M he is making a.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Cool one million dollars.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
And then you have some other guys who are in
that neighborhood as well, like Eric Singleton and Cam Coleman,
both of the Auburn Tigers, they are making that much
as well. I mean, when you go down the list,
I said before we came back on Chris Baal from
Louisville making six hundred k at the wide receiver position.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Do you feel like at this point? We know what
Frank Brown said.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
You remember this offseason when Trevor Pena came in there
demanding his salary up. Then he said, the only player
that I'm paying a meal two meal plus is the
little homie from Ohio State, and that would be Jeremiah Smith.
Is one million just too much to pay for a
top tier wide receiver in college football?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
As long as they play like Todd Love, You're the
perfect man answer this question. Yeah, I don't think one
million is enough. I think Jeremiah Smith should be the
going rate for your average wide receiver and you should
allocate all your money to other top tier wide receivers
in all seriousness.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Shocker, No, I don't.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
But as long as they play like it, Yeah, you
have to get returned on your investment for the one
million dollars that you're spending. What's beautiful about college football?
And I'm more of an NFL guy than I am
college football guy, but what is beautiful about college football
is everything wins right In the NFL, you have to
go with some trends, you have to go with some
matchup based issues and stuff like that. I think if
(03:17):
you pay a million dollars to a wide receiver that
just destroys corners. Then that makes your life a lot easier.
Even if you don't have a great offensive line, you
can still win a lot of games by just having
a stud that's a top two round pick in the
NFL that's worth one million dollars where he just gets
open all the time, or you just throw up fifty
to fifty balls. Because you talk about an average college
(03:40):
football corner that isn't going to the NFL going against
an NFL wide receiver that is making one million dollars
in college before he makes the professional ranks. I mean,
your cake. You're getting one hundred and fifty receiving yards
a game. So as long as you play up to it,
I don't think it's all that bad. Is wide receiver
the most important position in college football? I would say
outside of quarterback? Probably not still, but you're pretty damn important.
(04:05):
Like those guys can cook, So as long as they
play up to that level, No, I don't think it's
too much.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
I think that if you got the money, man, you
might as well spend it. And we see that these
teams are putting their money where their mouth is and
They're going out there getting top tier talent at the
wide receiver positions. And when you talk about where these
players play, a lot of them are playing for successful program,
So it seems like it is money well spent, all right.
So moving on God's Football twenty six. It came out
(04:31):
yesterday from Front Office Sports. EA College Football first edition
offered athletes six hundred dollars in a copy of the game,
no royalties included. They said, now EA Sports is offering
fifteen hundred and still no royalties, and one team the
group that facilitates the nil deals, not one team talking
about a specific school. It's backing away telling FOS it
(04:53):
is not enough. So I'm guessing they're wanting some money
and maybe some royalties from this. But when I look
at this, I feel like, man, this could end up
ending the college football franchise. Even though they said twenty
seven is in production. But if we start to run
into snap foods like this, this could spell the end
of the game. I don't necessarily think this will be
the last, but they're going to have to figure out
(05:14):
something or it could really halt the process.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I know you have not been a fan of college
football twenty six, I have not.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
That thing has been collecting dust. I was about say,
have you even made the transition? It's been collecting dust.
I tried to start a dynasty, but it's just been
collecting dust man.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
How much of the issue is just gameplay compared to
with FIRS one huge?
Speaker 3 (05:33):
So it's just like.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
A lot of things in life, it's all about quality
and if the quality is enough to stuff and there's
a good chance that it completely fails. And it looks
like that's what's happening with college football twenty said.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
All right, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina will get it
in this weekend. And so when we talk about this
matchup with these two teams, Coastal Carolina is one and one.
East Carolina is one and one as well, both of
them coming off of victories.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
But Coastal Carolina they struggled.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Man, they only beat Charleston Southern thirteen to ten, and
then East Carolina they trounced Campbell fifty two to six.
And so which team do I trust more going into
this matchup? Yeah, it would definitely be East Carolina. I
thought they had a strong showing against the NC State Wolfpack.
As a matter of fact, since halftime of that game.
They've been out scoring opponent sixty six to ten. They're
(06:24):
taking care of the football. Cayden Howser is playing a
really good brand of football. We're gonna get into him
in just one second. But Coastal Carolina, as I said,
they are struggling, and excuse me. They beat Charleston Southern
thirteen to zero. MJ. Morris a god that once looked
like he had plenty of promise.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Far from it.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Thirteen or twenty two, one hundred two yards with three
interceptions on the game. Tad Hudson provided the game's only touchdown.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
You know him.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
He played at Huff High School here in the Queens City.
So yeah, man, I think that Coastal is headed in
the wrong direction. They don't have a quarterback. And I
think that East Carolina right now is a team that
looks to be a bowl squad and a team that
could maybe get seven, eight, maybe nine wins.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yeah, I had high hopes for ECU.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
It didn't look great against NC State for a couple
of times, but NC State was a team that seemed
to be struggling out of the gate, and then they
figured some stuff out with CJ. Bailey I have an infatuation. Yeah,
but John David Baker is a nice offensive mind. Talking
with Jim Zoki about it during team week. That was
the week that you were out, but Jim Zoki joined
us as the voice of the Pirates and he discussed
(07:32):
how if they have a good season, John David Baker
is one of these guys that could parlay this job
into a head coaching job somewhere or being a play
caller at a higher profile university. He worked with a
bunch of bright offensive mines. He was with Kiffen, he
was at USC, he was at Ole Miss. I know
you don't like Lane Kiffin, but still yeah, decent offensive
yeah yeah, yeah. So if he's coaching offense, then maybe
(07:54):
we can give him some credit. But no, I think
he s U's offense is going to be playing very well.
And if you look at what happened last year after
you had the quarterback change, that's when they really started
to come.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Yeah, and so you look at Cayden Howser and so
in their game their win versus Campbell, he completed at
least one pass to eleven different players. Eleven different players
against Campbell. The most buying FBS quarterback this season, He's
got seventeen passes of fifteen or more yards, and I
think the big thing, like I said, they are top
twenty nationally in the FBS in turnover margin at plus
(08:26):
one point five, because we know that that was a huge.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Issue for East Carolina last year.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
And since he's taken over for the Pirates, he's guided
them to a six and three record, thirty seven points
a game and over forty three hundred yards of total offense.
And so Cayden Howser is a guy that seems to
be trending upwards and I think that he is the
best quarterback in the state that nobody's talking.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
About right now.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Yeah, I was very high on him coming into the season.
And it's my favorite factoid, or at least theory, because
it's not a fact, but it's a I think it
would have proven to be true if Kayden Hauser is
the starting quarterback for ECU at the very beginning of
the season last year. Mike Houston, I think is still
coaching ECU. I think he's that good. And this is
(09:09):
the conversation I want to have because of Kayden Howser.
That's why I'm always skeptical of coaches always making the
right decision on who should be the starter at certain
positions because oftentimes we see the guy that's waiting in
the wings. Once they take over, they are truly better
than the guy that they could not beat out in camp.
That's what happened with Kayden Howser and Mason Garcia. Howser
(09:32):
clearly better than Garcia. What's also interesting is Howser better
than Aiden Childs at Michigan State. I think from what
he did last year this year, we got off to
a good start with Michigan State's quarterback, especially what he
did in that Boston College game, but Howser continues to
put up a bunch of points. I thought we saw
it with NC State Grayson McCall being the starter for
NC State, but CJ. Bailey was better just waiting for
(09:53):
his opportunity. You see it at the QB spot. Man,
It's so important to get your starting QB not only right,
but right right away at the very beginning of the year.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
It could just save your job.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
And I think we're seeing Cayden Hauser could have saved
Mike Houston's job and he might get John David Baker
a different type of job. Somewhere more high profile.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, we'll talk about this game in balling and falling,
but right now I'll let you know that I think
the East Carolina Pirates will be balling in that one.
But when we come back, folks, which unit would you
bet on to be better in Game number two for
the Carolina Panthers, the pass rush or the run defense?
On Sports Radio ninety two seven wfn Z. And just
(10:41):
like that, folks, we are rolling on the Western Walkers Show,
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ. I'm already to get
in some comments from people coming off of the campus corner,
but just drop my latest power rankings for this week.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Man.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
People have really been engaging with that thing since I've
been doing it the last few weeks. I mean, people
just have been It's a It's among our most uh
talked about content that we've been putting out. I never
thought people would react to it as much as they do.
I see the slander, the comments, people talking crazy to me,
all types of stuff off of just your opinion of
(11:13):
football team.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Do you mix it up with anybody after they comment
on it? I did with one person. He called me
what did he call me? He called me.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Uh, he called me a goof, and he said something
about that trigger. He was complaining about what I did
with Boston College, and so he said some other derogatory
stuff before that. So I said, Noah, I got a
little smoke for him to. Yeah, I say he needs
a pipe down a little bit. So it's not that
(11:42):
goof is a trigger. He said other things. He tried
to say it as if I was just completely mildished.
Like That's the thing that's funny is that when people
say the comments like that, Like I saw one guy,
he was like he clearly don't know, and I was like, yeo,
these guys. But no, for the most part, I ignore him.
I don't I don't pay him anybody. I just one guy. Yeah,
I just gave one guy to smoke.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Man.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
I said, your team coming into last week was a
four and a half point underdog to a team that
was picked to finish fourteenth in the Big Ten. Okay,
now I raised them up this week because I do
like their offense. Dylan Lonegan does look like the real deal,
so I put them up. I do think VC is
a bold team, but I needed time to see. But
like I said, the reaction, I mean the first time
(12:22):
we put it up. I mean, my timeline was blowing up.
And it's on Instagram and Twitter as well. People they
love it, man. They love a poll. They love a
power rankings. ESPN puts one out after every week. It's
why that they'll recycle that during the offseason. Nobody's played
a game, but we have different opinions. So all right,
(12:43):
Daniel Jeremiah, we need your power rankings. Dan Grasiano calling
all Dans. We need a power ranking. And that's how
the NFL operates.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
It's why it's probably getting some clicks for the a
SEC Digital Network because people love rank radio.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Yeah, man, and so it's a lot of fun. What
were you about to say, Sean.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Was about to say, the NFL they put out their
power rankings about two hours ago. Panthers thirty first, okay,
ahead of look at us the Saints.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
All right, we all suck us well because I love it.
I mean, as soon as I see power rankings, I.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Click on it.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
I don't really care who it is, but especially if
it's somebody that, uh, you know, I feel like has
some credibility, I'm gonna go check it out.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Do you ever find yourself wanting to click on something
but not wanting to reward the content creator the click.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Oh yeah, and I see. I thought I was petty.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
But that's something that I do every once in a
while because there will be a wild headline and I
know what they're trying to do. They're trying to suck
me in, and they just might do it. Yeah. I'm
not gonna lie fall victim to it a lot of
times because I just want to see. Even if I
feel it's just absurd, I'm going to click on it
just to see. Yeah, but it's why I'm feeding the beast.
(13:55):
It's like, oh, how did this monster get so big?
While I'm feeding at pizza? Yeah, I'm feeding at pizza
anytime that I click on the headline and I try
not to depending on what the headline is. But if
it's something benign like check out this eight hundred foot
alligator that somebody saw in the Amazon, I'm I know
you're lying. I know you are. Yeah, I want to
(14:17):
see how you're lying, But I also don't want to
encourage this type of behavior. And it's about fifty to
fifty for me on whether I give into the trap
they say.
Speaker 4 (14:26):
I think certain like videos and whatever like that that
are obviously clickbait and everything on Instagram, Instagram reels, TikTok.
They had to bring the dislike button back just to
set up a message. Yeah, a goof button that's exactly
a goof. Yeah, and you know, a good insult because
I like it myself.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Goof is a great insult. But also what's great about
goof is that it's versatile because if I get called
a goof, you could use it as a term of endearment. Oh,
you're a goofy guy. But you could use it and
be like, man, this guy's a clown. This guy's a goof.
Now I know you don't think I know what I'm
talking about. Yeah, and I'm insulted by it, eight or
three writes in one hundred percent. I try to avoid
(15:06):
the clicks just because the creator is annoying likes as well.
Our gold people can let us know how you feel
about the not clicking on a headline just because you
don't want to encourage that behavior from the content creator.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
All right, So now talking about the Carolina Panthers, and
they've got the game against the Cardinals coming up this week,
and so when we go back and look at the
Cardinals matchup versus the Saints, it wasn't a pretty one,
and it's not one that you come away from it
thinking like, man, the Cardinals are going to be some
insurmountable beasts, because when you look at what they did
(15:39):
in this game, the Cardinals, they were in a ball
pretty good one hundred and forty six yards rushing they
had in this one. But Kyla Murray, he was sacked
five times in this game. He had one hundred and
sixty three yards passing, he didn't turn the ball over,
and he had thirty eight yards rushing on seven attempts.
But as we start to break down this Cardinals team
(16:00):
and we look at this Panthers defense, that you really
don't feel like you know which way is up because
the Jaguars, I feel like, didn't necessarily have to throw
the ball all over the yard because they ran it
so effectively and that did open up their passing game.
But after a week of practice, a week of scrutiny,
is there a unit that you would bet on to
be a little bit better in Game two?
Speaker 3 (16:21):
The pass rush or this one.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Is difficult for all the wrong reasons. I'm going to
go with the run defense. Okay, I don't feel good
about it. I'm going to go with the run defense,
going back and watching the film again yesterday. I've watched
this game a little bit more than I'd care to admit,
but just wanted to see some of the issues. Can
I find some hope as to how we can stop
(16:46):
the run going against Arizona and every other opponent after
that really was it's going to be up to the
edge rushers to or the edges to set the edge
on these runs traves Etn a lot of his success
came run to the outside. If you look at his
next Gen stat chart the seventy one yard run, you
saw the jump cut back to the inside, but of
(17:07):
course it's block everybody load to the right, run left, Juke,
Trayvon marrig Nick, Scott Mistackle off.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
To the left. He goes set them up.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
You look at some of the other rushes that were
for ten plus yards or more, which, by the way,
there were four of them. Dave Canalis wasn't lying when
he said that it was the explosive runs they gave
up that were the real issue. Etn had four for reference.
He had sixteen all of last year. He's a quarter
of the way there to his total terrible, terrible run
defense performance in terms of mitigating the explosives. But if
(17:37):
you can just get these guys to set the edge.
And I know that's a big if. I told you
it was hard for me to answer. I don't feel
great about it. Yes, But if somehow someway Nick Gorton
comes in tabbed as a good run defender, setting the
edge back what he did in Texas A and m
what he did at Purdue as well with some pass
rush upside, possibly I'm hoping Nick Gorton can be somewhat
(17:57):
of an answer there. I'm hoping that you have better
life ad integrity than what you got from Merrick on
that big run, and Nick Scott Can or Lathan Ransom,
Leathan Ransom somebody that can maybe come in and stop
the run a little better. That's what I'm more confident in.
I will not tell you that I am confident in it.
Speaker 1 (18:13):
You and I both walking a tight rope right here
on our opinions. We're both weebling and wobbling because I'm
going to jump in there with you when you talk
about the run defense, and I know just how bad
it's been the consecutive two hundred plus yard rushing games.
But I got to pick something right, and I don't
have a ton of faith in the past rush even
though Kyler Murray was sacked as many times as he did.
(18:35):
When you go to the advanced metrics, the Arizona Cardinals
with the second worst run blocking team in Week one,
and so you say, well, how did that happen when
they were able to run for so many yards? They
ran for one hundred and forty six yards at five
point four per clip, but a lot of that, the
bulk of it came on a fifty two yard run
by Trey Benson that when you take that away from
(18:55):
his rushing total, and I know I'm doing what a
lot of people trying to do with traves etn but
he had several more big runs, but he had seven
carries for seventeen yards. And then you factor in Kyler
Murray on quarterback scrambles and he had counted for thirty
eight of those yards at five point four per clip.
And then James Connor ran for modis Well, I'm not
(19:15):
even gonna say Mitison not very good three point three
yards per carry, and so that's why I'm gonna jump
in there with you there because analytically they didn't perform well.
But the thing, I'm the thing that worries you is
that this defense has been to get right for a
lot of teams that can't.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Run the ball.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Not only that, but a week of practice that's gonna
be an emphasis. But because they gave up so many sacks,
and I know every sack has context, I'm also wondering too.
I know that a lot of things have been put
as an emphasis for them this week, but coaches, certainly
they're gonna want to start with the run. I know
that run defense. They're gonna have a probably pretty physical
(19:55):
week of practice to try to correct some of those things.
And so you don't want them to come out and
be able to to exercise that against the Panthers. But
because I trust the passwords even less than I do
the run defense, I'm gonna be out there with you
with my arm's waving, weebling and wabbling on that tight
rope because I don't feel great about it.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
Here's what has to happen for both, right, if we
just want to marry both of these concepts, somebody's gonna
have to make a play. If Derek Brown or Bobby
Brown gets double teamed. Saw both of those things happen
against Jacksonville. Of course Derek Brown, because that just makes sense.
Who's the best defensive lineman they have. It's Derek Brown.
Let's go double team them. Let's run away from him
like what they did with Travis Etn. Somebody else has
(20:33):
to make a play, especially on these outside runs where
they give up the explosives. And you bring up that
Trey Benson run that was on the outside. Now, I
guess I don't remember if he cut it to the
outside or if it was just somewhat of both, of
just cutting it all the way to the outside and
already starting right side of the tackle anyway, But I digress.
I need the edge defenders to set the edge, and
(20:54):
I need somebody else to make a play if one
of the members of the defensive line gets double teamed.
So Bobby Brown, Derek Brown, those are guys that are
going to acquire or require a decent invite a lot
of attention, I should say, because requires a little strong,
but they're going to get a lot of attention. A
Shawn Robinson step up, Scoorton, Turk Wharton, who made some
(21:15):
plays before he got into Brown. Yeah, and Derek Brown, well,
I'm saying yes, even through him. Fight through the double
teams for sure, But even so you are one on one.
You are a professional football player. If Derek Brown is
being run away from and double teamed, then it's time
for you to go ahead and make the tackle because
he's plugging up stonewalling over here on this side. So
(21:36):
they jump across. Now I need you to make the tackle.
And the linebackers I don't have any confidence in them.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
I just don't. So we're gonna have to rely a
lot on Merrik.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
I think in the run game too, bringing the safety
down and he didn't look good. The good news is
he was good with the Raiders. He won very good
in this game in my opinion against Jackson.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
So I guess, does this mean that we have not
completely given up on the run defense? Because I want
to know from the fans. That's the next question that
I have down here. Has this fan base is completely
given up on the run defense? Because it sounds like
from what we're saying, even though we are shaky mcgakey.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
On it, shaky m.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
It doesn't sound like we've completely given up. Like this
is a week to be able to prove all right.
Last week was a mulligan because, as I said, they
were the second worst run blocking team in football last week.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
So can you expose that? Can you do that?
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Let me know fan base on the FanDuel text line
seven h four to five, seven ninety six ten.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Have you completely given up on the run?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
The thing I would say the argument for the pass
rush getting better to is J. C. Horn and Mike
Jackson were your best defenders in this game. And I thought,
I test whatever measure you want to go by. I
thought it was pretty damn evident. The only reception that
was a real issue either one of them gave up
was the Mike Jackson Diami Brown reception at the end
of the first half, and that set Jacksonville up for
(22:56):
a field goal.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
So it was costly, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
But do you want to have of two guys that
are Pro Bowl perennial type of players, You're not gonna
You're not gonna be able to get that. So Mike
Jackson only allowed that one big reception. JC allowed a
seven yard reception to the running back out of the backfield.
That's all he did. He was very good in this game.
Brian Thomas Travis Hunter both held to some pretty poor
grades in Travis Hunter's debut Brian Thomas his first game
(23:21):
of his second year. So can the pass rush benefit
from sticky coverage on the outside? And Smith Wade wasn't bad?
He was fine, but he wasn't bad. Can you benefit
from some sticky coverage or do you still not have
a shot because all the quarterback is going to do
is Okay, don't have my read to the outside because
of the cornerbacks coverage.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Let me attack the middle of the field.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
And then just hit my tight end, Hit my tight end,
hit my tight end. That's that's the issue with relying
on the pass rush. So if you look at this
Arizona team as we start to try to break them
down just a little bit, I feel like that the
biggest challenge that they do present is through the air, because,
like I said, the run blocking wasn't great and they
were able to break off one big run Marvin Harrison Junior.
(24:02):
The numbers don't blow you away, but he did have
a forty five yard catch and he did score touchdown.
And then we know what Trey McBride can bring to
the table as well as a tight end and tight
ends eight last week against the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Thing, you know that he is chomping at the bit.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
Did you see what my man, Greg George from Wake
Force said about us. Yes, yeah, Oh McBride said he
turns into Trey Kawan McBride when he out there plays
in the game. Yeah, man, And so I think the Cardinals,
and you know they've got some kind of sleepy receivers
that can make some plays on you if you're not
paying attention to Michael Wilson and Zay Jones. With the
Cardinals passing game, it wasn't that impressive. And then win
(24:38):
versus the Saints. But if I had to pick a
unit that the Panthers certainly have to be on the
lookout for or worried about the most, to me, it's
the passing attack.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
So I'm looking at James Connor in the passing game
and Trey McBride or Trey Kwan, as Greg George says,
I need to call him if he goes out there
on the football field looking at Trey McBride. The middle
of the field was exposed because of poor coverage by linebackers.
But also again I've been hard on Trayvon Merrig. He
wasn't good in this game. I think he will be.
I feel good about what he is as a player,
(25:09):
but it was bad against Breton Strange. That's where he
allowed a decent amount of his targets. I think gave
up three receptions for forty yards. McBride as much as
Strange as a sleeper tight end, McBride is a star,
top three guy probably in the NFL at this point
in time, so I would expect him to eat. But
James Connor is a good pass catcher, and so I
(25:29):
wonder if you get some mismatches with whoever is trying
to cover him, you just dump it down to him.
He's a better pass catcher than Trey Benson is. So
I just wonder if you see a little more of
Connor in the passing game, those third down situations. Those
are the two guys that I'm worried about the most.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
All Right, So if we look at this defense and
the guy that we want to pinpoint as a player
that needs to step up the most this week, I'll
start the conversation. To me, it's got to be Trevin Wilace. Okay,
you are poor in the first game and so in
this game, you being one of the middle linebackers in
the middle of this defense, I think you have to
be the guy that's gonna be the tone setter because
(26:03):
the Cardinals are gonna come in with the game playing
to run the ball. They didn't block well. They're looking
at this as, hey, this is a team that we
can certainly correct a lot of mistakes. This is a
team that we can absolutely run the football on. And
they're gonna look at it as we better be able
to run the football against the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (26:21):
So they're gonna be coming early and often. We know
James Conner.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
Yeah, he's a guy that can get to the outside,
but he wants to bring it up that middle and
bring you some physicality, and so does Tray Benson. And
so that's gonna fall on the hands of both Trevin
Wallace and Christen Roseboom on top of the nose tackle
in this defense. Whoever that may be, Ashawn Robinson, whoever
they want to put in there. But I'm gonna pinpoint
Trevin Wallace because he's the young linebacker that there's a
(26:44):
lot riding on. To me, this is a make or
break gear for him. And so I think that he
will be the guy that I'm looking at that he
needs to step up in this game and be much
much better.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
Not only is setting the edge important to limit some
of these explosive runs that teams can get from the outside,
but you're facing a very, very mobile quarterback who likes
to throw from outside the pocket. Please set the edge better,
Nick Gorton, I'm looking at you. I know you didn't
even play as many snaps as some of these other
edge rushers like dj Wanham and Pat Jones. I want
(27:15):
them to step up also. But if Dave Knalis decides
to throw his weight around and Avero abides and decides
to play the younger defenders more frequently, that means you
first and foremost. I would say him. You could argue
Lathan Ransom, but I'm not looking at Uman Miellen playing
a ton ton more. Gorton is the guy that's going
to be better than new Man Meellen on early downs,
which means you have to stop the run, and it
(27:37):
means you have to limit Kyler Murray into the pocket.
If you keep him in the pocket, then I feel
a lot better about those passing situations going better for
the defense. But if you don't contain and Kyler gets
to the outside, then that makes it so much harder
on your defensive backfield, especially with the streaking over the
middle of the field. Trey McBride, So, Nick Gorton, if
(27:57):
you're going to play more than the twenty snaps that
you played, do you give me thirty five or whatever?
And can you provide a little bit of pass rush upside?
My god, can anybody give me any kind of pass
rush whatsoever? It's what you were drafted number fifty overall
to do. I hope. I know it's a lot to
ask for some of these rookies to step up in
their second game ever, but I would really like to
see Nick Gorton be that guy that provides a big impact.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
And so to continue with the rookies, the rookie that
I would like to see make the most of their reps,
I would go with Princely Mama Yelling, because this is
a guy that right now he's a pass rushing specialist,
and I think that when you look at Kyler Murray
and the havoc that he's able to create outside the pocket,
this is the guy that is probably the fastest of
(28:41):
the edges that you have out there that could be
able to get maybe a chase down, sack of a
god that's maybe able to flush him out of the pocket.
And you kept telling me all off season that's your him,
And so can you finally make your mark on a
game and get in here if you are able to
get them in some obvious passing situations and we know
the Panthers a cable of doing that, and we know
(29:01):
that they will. There's gonna be a couple of obvious
passing downs in this game. And so if he's able
to get in there and get some reps, can he
be able to bring Kyler Murray to the ground. Can
he get in there and do what he was drafted
to do the run defense. That may come a little
bit later on, but right now, they need you to
be a hail raiser off the edge, use your speed
(29:23):
and athleticism. If you're him, they need you to step
up this week and be him and maybe at least
get a sack and maybe some pressures to make life
tough on Kyler Murray.
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Yeah, trying to think going back watching this, it feels
like they ran him more so from the left side.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
If I'm not mistaken, I.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Like the idea of flushing Kyler to the left with
and so if you just line princey Ummuel and up
real wide, flush Kyler Murray to his left as a
right handed throwing quarterback, then I think that could do you.
I think that could help you, especially if you have
whoever covering a wide receiver. I'll say this, here's a
(30:02):
matchup I really like.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I think j C.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
Horn is going to be just fine against Marvin Harrison.
I was one of these guys that thought Marvin Harrison
was gonna be awesome. He looks to be a very
good wide receiver and not a special one, and j C.
Horn I think matches up well with the things that
Marvin Harrison is supposed to do well. The contested catch
rate for Marvin last year it was not good. And
(30:24):
he was supposed to be this monster, this brute of
a receiver who only got bigger over the off season.
I think he came in with like fifteen pounds of
gained muscle. And it was funny to hear some of
the evaluators say that's great. I'm glad that you're not
just eating chips on the couch. I don't know if
I was looking for you to get all that much
bigger over the offseason. I kind of want you to
(30:47):
be able to separate a little more. But okay, if
this strength can lead to more contested catches than great.
But man, jac Horn is here for the physicality. That's
one thing he's gonna do. He's gonna fight. So if
that's how Marvin Harrison wins, But you can't win as
many times against that physical of a corner in JCS,
I feel pretty good. I hope I'm not proving wrong
on that, but I feel good about that match.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, I think it's a matchup that you could feel
good against a real quick Before we get out of here,
is there a veteran that you would like to see
take a seat at some point during this matchup?
Speaker 3 (31:18):
I think I know.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Where you're going to go. But yeah, I mean Nick Scott. Yeah,
I want to see Nathan Ransom at some point. It's
not even about Scott so much as it is about
Ransom making plays every time I see it.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
Yeah, I would go dj wanam so that. Like I said,
Nick Gorton, because he's another guy I would like to
see what he can do with more snaps as well,
So I would go with the Nick Gorton. All right, folks,
when we come back, we are going to go around
the NFL.
Speaker 3 (31:43):
Do you agree with.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
The league that Jalen Carter's ejection should serve as a suspension?
On Sports Radio ninety two seven w f n Z, Yes, sir,
the Wes and Walker Show returns that We want to
remind you to hit us up on social media WFNZ
(32:06):
on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can also hit us
up at SHROPPYWFNZ, at Westburn of the Score seventy two,
at Walker Mail, and most importantly at wesn Waukee. You know,
I don't get that one as often, so I had
to look at Shroppy for some confirmation right there to
make sure that I had that one right.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Okay, and make sure too.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
If you like what we're saying or you missed the show,
you can check out the West and Walker podcast anywhere
you get your podcasts, or it is always archived on
the WFNZ site and the WFNZ app. All right, So
getting back into it, NFL, Jalen Carter, a lot of
people wondered would he get suspended for spinning on Dakota
Prescott and he would not miss any future games. The
(32:46):
NFL announced on Tuesday that since Carter was ejected from
last week's season opener without participating in a single play,
the league would consider the second year defensive tackle to
have all ready served a one game suspension and he
forfeited his Week one game check of fifty seven thousand,
two hundred and twenty two dollars welcome maw. Was this
(33:08):
enough or should he been? Should he have been suspended
for an additional game?
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Anytime I think about if a suspension is long enough
or if a suspension is warranted, at first I think
about does this deter the incident from happening again? And
I don't think that this is a rampant issue within
the NFL. You clearly can't have anybody spitting on another
human being if he has to pay thousands and thousands
and thousands of dollars, then I can't tell you that
(33:34):
I'm outraged with the ruling that the NFL decided to
hand down. If Jalen Carter would have been suspended for
two games where he had already served a one game
suspension by giving up that game check and then giving
up the week two game check, maybe that's something that
I would have cooked up by myself. But other than that, West,
I can't tell you that I'm outraged. Usually what people
like to do when dissecting, if a suspension is long enough,
(33:57):
they really just want to throw the hammer down, suspend
them for the season. That'll teach him. I mean, we can't.
Let's not get crazy. I don't think jays Carter, you
know what I'm saying. People, Just the more you can
pile on usually the more accepted the punishment is because
we want blood.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
That's just how we are as a human race.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I'm cool with him having served just the game suspension
and then having to pay thousand, Like I'm sure he
doesn't love paying all those thousands of dollars.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, at first I was a little bit like, yeah,
I think he could use a little bit of a
game another game. But then you go look back and
I think about precedent as well, because also spending on
somebody is spinning on them no matter what. But I
think about when Bill Romanowski spinning JJ stokes his face
and that was directly in there, and he was fined
(34:42):
seventy five hundred by the NFL for that, and he
was not suspended. So I'm like Okay, well, if he
didn't get suspended, then maybe Jayalen should not get Yo,
what's inflation that I'm thinking about that too. Seventy five
hundred back in the day. That was nineteen ninety seven,
so that was quite a while ago.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
Wait what you brought up though, is an interesting I
did not think about this point. Yeah, does it matter
where the spit lands. That's what I'm saying is optics.
Speaker 1 (35:13):
That's why I said, spitting on somebody is spitting on somebody,
But the optics of it, like I said, yeah, it
got a little bit of Dak's jersey as opposed to
Ramanowski was right into the face, masks, right into the kisser.
Speaker 4 (35:24):
So you said, seventy five hundred dollars in nineteen ninety seven, Yes,
that is equivalent to a round fifteen thousand dollars today.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
All right, nice job by so so Jalen Carter, and
you just did that at the top of your head, right,
you had that for me?
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Oh yeah, nice job.
Speaker 2 (35:39):
Yeah, So Jalen Carter technically quote unquote getting punished a
little more by having to pay almost sixty thousand, But
I absolutely believe where you spit matters because you're right.
If he would have walked up right to Dak Prescott
and spit into that crevice between the helmet and the
face mask, then you probably need a few more games.
(36:01):
But spinning on the jersey, that's it's hilarious that we're
having this conversation, but I believe it.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
So if somebody spits on your chest, you gonna want
to whoop that behind less than if they spinning your face.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Yeah, I actually I believe that now less. Okay, I
still want to swing. Yeah, still have to swing if
somebody spits on you. Those are the rules. Yeah, But
if you walk up to my face, yeah, no, I
can subscribe to that, because that is bad. You got
to wipe the face like you might have to smell it.
I know you, because you have to think about it, right.
(36:31):
That means you want to get into a target area
to where you can land as Lougi accurately. Yes, okay,
where you don't really have to get all that close
to just spit on my body. You can probably aim
well enough and it's going to hit somewhere on the body.
But I know you meant harm. Yeah, No, it matters anywhere.
But the face.
Speaker 3 (36:49):
That's like general principle the face that takes it to.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
Another less it means it's personal I did something to
you or you are just wild. But either way the
hands have to be swinged. Oh go ahead, No no,
I was gonna say.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
You know, And with him not getting another suspension, if
you thought maybe he deserved one, maybe they can go
WNBA style and just suspend him for the first half
of a game.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
Mmmm, which is what they did with Angel Resat.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
That is true. Yeah, I wonder if they could have
done that. But but last thing on this, Yeah, a
little bit like Miles bridge is only in the thing,
only in the neighborhood of having not played the game.
So that's already a part of the suspension. Remember when
Miles Bridges was suspended I believe ninety two games, they
had already deemed eighty two games served because he missed
(37:35):
the entire year when he was arrested, and then so
he only had to miss the next ten games of
the next season. So a little bit of that philosophy
applied here and that Yeah, he gets suspended a game,
but not really because he didn't play a single snap.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Yeah, so he will probably be an angry man because
we get the Super Bowl rematch this week, and how
convenient is it we the Kansas City Chiefs that they
will have to take on the Philadelphia Eagles and mister
Jay Alan Carter will be a part of the Eagles
that will be trying to send the Chiefs to zero
and two. Now, we don't pick a ton of pro
games on here. Do you think that the Chiefs will
(38:09):
be looking at a donut after they played the Philadelphia Eagles?
Speaker 2 (38:13):
I think they might. I think Kansas City is going
to lose this game. I think Philadelphia ends up winning
by I don't know about a decent margin, but it's
that's the Super Bowl champ. This is one of the
teams well equipped enough to send Kansas City to an
oh and two start on the season.
Speaker 3 (38:31):
They're down bodies at wide receiver. That's Xavier Worthy.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
You talk about Jalen Coker hurting us over here, Zavi
Worthy hurts them being able to stretch the field. They
weren't able to run the ball all that well with
Pachecko and Kareem Hunt where I like Pachecko. I think
he looks better than what he did last year coming
back from injury. But at some point you're just down
skill guys without Rashid Rice and Xavier Worthy. I think
Philadelphia ends up winning.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
I think that this is a game that Philadelphia is
really going to try to drive it home to Kansas
City that we are the best team in the league.
Now you are the past and we are the present.
So I'm with you. I think the Chiefs go to
oho and two. Do you have a favorite game on
the schedule this week outside of Chiefs Eagles? I will
start the conversation. I love that Buccaneers Texans on Monday Night.
That's gonna be a good one right there from Houston,
(39:17):
h Town.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
You've got CJ. Stroud, can he avoid going oh and two?
Speaker 1 (39:21):
And can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers go on the road
and put it on the Texans.
Speaker 3 (39:26):
I think this is going to be a marvelus.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I think we've got this might be the best Monday
night doubleheader that we've had because charges Raiders normally a
game that you feel like, Okay, if I fall asleep
on it, I fall asleep on it.
Speaker 3 (39:37):
That's gonna be a.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Block burner in my opinion, And Buccaneers Texans is gonna
be a good one.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Well, I mean, just primetime all across the board. Do
you have a great game Sunday night with Atlanta in Minnesota.
I'm excited to see what JJ McCarthy will do. But
also Thursday night is my answer. Thursday Night featuring Washington
and green Bay. Green Bay hosting the Commanders, both want
to oh, both looking very very good in their Week
one matchups. I think that's the game that I would circle.
(40:02):
All right, last one I got.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Well Eddie Pinero be the deciding factor when San Francisco
plays Carolina later this season because he has just been
signed to replace Jake Moody at kicker. I mean, what
poetic justice that would be for Eddie p to come
in down boom A couple of field goals on his
old team.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
Couldn't be much different in terms of field goal percentage,
with Eddie Pinero being one of the more accurate kickers
in NFL history. The only reason that he's not here
in Carolina is because he was asking for a lot
of money. But he still is a very accurate kicker,
certainly within fifty yards. When he gets to fifty it
gets a little dice. He don't have the strongest leg.
But the biggest thing I take away from that whole situation.
(40:41):
Stop drafting kickers in the top five rounds. If you
draft a kicker six rounder later, okay, but stop drafting
kickers Sebastian Janikowski type level. Yeah, because he wasn't even
worth the first round pick. Yeah, I know he was
crazy coming out literally in the mind, crazy was Sebastian Jenikowski.
Why are we drafting kickers like? It didn't work with
(41:03):
Janikowski that he did not give you return on your value.
I know he was there for a long time. Still,
stupid Roberto Aguayo, we know how that went. And Jake Moody,
like third round pick. We've talked about it a million times.
Those are starters. As much as I give a ton
of respect to Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco forty
nine ers, everybody's allowed to have draft misses, but they
have some wild ones just not being able to hit
(41:26):
on a good percentage of their running backs that they select.
But even just drafting Jake Moody in the third round
is wild.
Speaker 1 (41:31):
All right, folks, When we come back to two hour
begins on Wes and Walker,
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