Big Blue Kickoff Live 8/28 | Captains Named and Wins Draft

John Schmeelk and Lance Medow discuss which players were voted as captains for 2025, draft NFL teams in a wins contest, and take calls from fans.

0:00 - Captains named
11:25 - Wins draft
36:40 - Calls
41:50 - Abdul Carter
48:00 - Week 1 chat

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
It's time for a Big Blue kickoff Line. Nobody can
ever tell you that you couldn't do it because you're
the Giants dot com. Do you know what I saw? Dude,
your Giant cry and the Giants Mobile at seventeen Finals.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
One tun down.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
We all, We're all Tamfick, part of the Giants podcast Network.
Let's go, Hello everybody and Happy Thursday. Welcome to the
Big Blue Kickoff Line, presented by Cadillact, the official luxury
vehicle of the Giants. I am John Schmelt, joined by
Lance Medal right here in the Hackensack Bringing Health podcast studio.
Keep getting better. We are officially one week away Lance,

(00:40):
in the start of the twenty twenty five NFL season.
I am pumped, I am psyched. We have Eagles and
Cowboys in a week, an NFC East game, which a
Giant fans should be very interested in, and then three
days later you get Giants and Commanders. Now, just ten
days from today, opening the year one o'clock down in DC,
we're ultimately seeing now what all these rosters are going

(01:01):
to look like. Practice squads around the league should be
filled out by the end of the day, and we
know what these teams are going to look like for
the most part. The Cowboys still have some questions about
Michael Parsons, which we don't have any new information as
of today. We'll track that for you obviously, But we're
in it now, man. We are in the home stretch
of the summer and we are ready for some football. Yeah,

(01:23):
let the countdown begin. The latest just to stay on
top of with Mike is he was going to get
a second opinion on his back injury, which I would
say is a very bad sign that that's going to
be resolved.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, not necessarily good that this is also coming to
light and fruition about a week out because they play early,
as you mentioned, against the Eagles, so they are already
in game planning motion, as opposed to the Giants and
the Commanders, who have a little bit more wiggle room
as they're not going to have their first game until
a week from this Sunday, so they can enjoy the
Labor Day weekend festivities, just to tad, whereas the Cowboys

(01:54):
and the Eagles are already delving into what's going to
come about in that matchup. Yet, not a good situation
all around. But as we've seen with the Terry mclauren
and the Trey Hendrickson, and I know it's different. John
seems personal tend to end when all of a sudden
the deadline is knocking on the door. So sure, I
don't know how much I truly would read into it.

(02:15):
And here's the other thing, and we're gonna get into
obviously all giants related stuff and sees it preview. But
Jerry Jones has been on the record multiple times saying
he loves to steal the headlines, he loves the drama.
And I think when you take that and I would
put a lot of grains of salt in what he says,
because he has a track record of living up to

(02:38):
the headlines that sometimes, even though it appears as if
things are messy, it's almost as if he knows what he's.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Doing and stirring the pot. Well, he's gonna have to
pick up the phone and actually call Michael Parsons agent,
which apparently has not happened since like March for it
to make that happen.

Speaker 3 (02:53):
The old story is why use the middleman when you
can go straight? The problem is the CBA says you
have to use the middlemen these circumstances.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
And the player is telling him that you have to
use agents. So we'll see. I mean, I think the
ugliest situation could be that Parsons gets another doctor to
say that he does have a real back injury, so
he's injured and he can't play, but the cowboy is
gonna be like, no, you're medically cleared. We're now finding
you game checks, and then that could be arbitration, union union,

(03:26):
and then that could get very ugly, very quickly if
they can't figure things out. So we'll see what happens.
But more important with the Giants this week, then I
mean to get off on that little side tangent there.
The Giants just named their captains land so it was
basically a vote. The top five vote getters became captains.
And I don't think any names on this list should
be surprising to anyone. Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, Bobby Okarak

(03:49):
and this is no particular order. Russell Wilson and Darius
Slayton five of the most veteran players on the team.
I'm surprising offensive lineman didn't get in there, but I
guess there's no obvious person since Andrew Thomas is hurt,
but none of these names are surprised, And to me,
we've heard about what a great leader Russ has been.
Dex has been a captain before, Brian Burns has turned

(04:11):
up the leadership. Bobby Okarak has been a captain. Darius
Slayton's the veteran in the wide receiver room all around
good dude, so he's been here for the longest tenure Giant,
So none of these names are surprising to me.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
But to your point, Andrew Thomas was a captain last season,
so whether he's healthy or not, I still think would
give him the opportunity and the sales pitch to remain
as a captain. So I was a little bit surprised
because I've just brought up the twenty twenty four captains
and they're also five, so the number hasn't changed. It
was a little bit more versatility in terms of them

(04:42):
having a special teams representative as well.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
But no, all of those.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
Names you're talking about established veterans on the team. That
Daniel Jones was a captain last season, only natural that
Russell Wilson takes the baton and o'cara, Kay and Dex
or captains that will now have that role for the
second straight year. You mentioned Brian Byrne showing himself both
on and off the field, So I think all of
the players that were voted, it's natural to think that

(05:08):
process would play out because I think they've either been
vocal publicly or they've been vocal clearly within the locker room.
So it's pretty much business as usual as far as
I'm concerned in terms of how the vote played out.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
Two of the roster moves to the Giants yesterday, and
then we're gonna do our wins draft here and then
we'll you know, we're basically East drafting eight teams. We'll
see which one of us comes up with more wins
at the end of the season, and then we can
have some bragging rights so we can have some fun
with that. Bou Braid and Rico Peyton were two players
the Giants claimed on waivers yesterday. Bou Braid is safety
out of Maryland where heco Peyton, a cornerback out of

(05:42):
Pittsburgh State, which I love, is in Kansas, which is interesting.
Two players the Giants needed depth at safety. They only
kept three, so that was not a surprise. I kind
of wrote about that I thought it was likely they
bring in a safety and then Rico Peyton and their
corresponding moves. They let go of Gunneralzchewsky. Remember he is

(06:03):
a veteran, so he does not have to go on waivers.
He is able to, you know, come back to the
Giants if he likes. And then rookie quarnerback Corey Black
also got waived. He does have to go through the
waiver process. He was a seventh roup pick and we'll
see if anyone claims in the seventh round pick this year. Basically,
Joe Shane talked about these two guys. It sounds like
they're more special teams contributors than the are guys are

(06:24):
going to be seriously in the mix and the defensive
back rotation on defense.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, I mean, I'll give you the numbers, John, I
think this spells out what they played last season. Bo
Braid seventy percent of special team snaps with the Ravens
only eleven defensive snaps. You do the math, that's just
two percent. By the way, he brought up he's from Maryland.
He was teammates with Deante Banks at Maryland, so there's
a Giants connection there. And Rico paid in the cornerback
fifty seven percent he played of special team snaps with

(06:51):
the Saints, only twenty one defensive snaps also two percent. Now,
they like the upside of both of these players since
they're still young talking about a pair of twenty twenty
four undrafted players that they can contribute as secondary opportunities
present themselves. But for the most part, as you mentioned,
they're going to initially and especially when you're on the

(07:14):
back end of the roster, they're going to have to
contribute on special teams. So I think the goal was twofold.
Number one, it was to bring in youthful upside, and
number two, it was to help bolster and solidify the
special team's units. And plural is the key operating phrase,
because the bottom line is, in an ideal world, you're
hoping that the corners in the safeties that you invested

(07:37):
a lot of time in are going to get the
bulk of the snaps. In a pinch, you could certainly
throw them in. Remember they got to learn the scheme
first too, so that may take some time, but they
have special teams ridden.

Speaker 1 (07:47):
All over them. Absolutely anything else you want to bring
up before we get.

Speaker 3 (07:50):
To our wins draft Yet no I mean, the only
other thing that I was going to bring up and
you on previous shows. I wasn't necessarily surprised with any
of the developments that happened on the fifty three man roster.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
No, there will say over there were like three or
four guys at the bottom end of the roster where
I was kind of like, maybe maybe not. And those
are all the guys that ended up having questions. It
wasn't anyone that I had, like as player forty that
ended up getting like yeah, I'm with you.

Speaker 3 (08:11):
Well, and the two guys that I thought were like
bubble borderline wound up coming back to the practice squad
in Elijah Chapman and Turbo, So they're gonna still stay
in the fold and they'll be able to contribute.

Speaker 1 (08:22):
Samir Smith Marssett, by the way, and that's for those
are two of the other guys that were kind of
on the bubble from me.

Speaker 3 (08:27):
Well, and interestingly you brought up a mirror. He doesn't
make the cut, but was brought back on the practice squad.
And now Gunner Roszewski was let go, So I mean,
clearly there's a chance for Gunner to come back, and
he made a very big impression on the team for
a small period of time in which he returned. Because
right now, I think the looming question mark while we're
on the subject John is the return game, and who

(08:49):
would assume that role as it stands right.

Speaker 1 (08:52):
Now, is that someone will be elevated off the probably
with one.

Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yes, I think if you connect the dots, I think
that is a fair assumption because the two guys that
were the main people that contributed in that department were
let go in some capacity. So you put two and
two together, I think that'll be the direction that they
go in. And Tommy DeVito was obviously the other storyline,
but it pretty much John played out the way that
we anticipated.

Speaker 1 (09:15):
I mean, I thought maybe it'd be an outside chance
he passes through waivers. But think about it.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
The Patriots played the Giants okay in the preseason, so
if anybody had an up closer personal look at DeVito
in comparison to what they were working with themselves, it
was New England. So I mean, of all the teams,
I would say it was logical for New England given the.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
Youth on that roster.

Speaker 3 (09:35):
I know they have Dobbs, but it would make sense
for them to bring in an experienced guy like DeVito.

Speaker 1 (09:40):
And Ryan caten is there who worked with the Giants,
yes the last couple of years. Now, I believe he's
the assistant general manager. I'm not mistaken right with New England.
I'm not sure what his title is, but he's basically
he's one of those front office roles. Elliot Wolf's number two,
I think, yeah, and he's very familiar with Tommy DeVito
and the Patriots. Their third quarterback did not perform well
the Giants in the third preseason game, so I think

(10:02):
that made a lot of sense. And I have not
seen any other word online. I don't know if he's
been to released officially, but I haven't seen any other
word that he had been claimed by anybody else de Vito.
I don't think the NFL releases that they don't.

Speaker 3 (10:13):
Joe Shane mentioned the teams probably will get a look
at it because they were interested in whether or not
another team.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
Yeah, I have not seen any indications that another team
claimed him, but we'll see. Happy for Tommy that he's
on a fifty three. Would love to him back on
the practice squad if they could have worked that out.
I love him, he's he's a good dude. I think
he's a good player, but very happy he have a
chance to be on a fifty three man roster. Heck,
maybe he can compete, Maybe he can want to be
in the primary backup in New England. Who knows. I
agree with you.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
I think from his individual standpoint, it's not only great
for him that he made a fifty three man roster.
But if I'm a quarterback, I'm a backup John, I'm
looking at Pathway correct. Drake May is their guy. But
Drake May he gets hurt. He's a young guy. Dobbs
is your only main competitor. It's not crazy to think
is Devido learns the system. And here's the other thing

(10:57):
that I think is promising for him. It's getting the
chance to work with Josh McDaniels, who has an excellent
track record molding and developing quarterbacks, and that's also good for.

Speaker 1 (11:06):
Him, and the system should not be that different. A
lot of Dable's roots come from the Patriots system what
Josh McDaniels was for a long time, so hopefully that'll
be an easy transition for him and he can have
a lot of success there. We're happy for him, all right.
Pierson you're ready to write down? The team's here? All right? One, Pierson,
it's a flip of coin. Who's picking first year between

(11:26):
Lance and I? So this is a wins draft Wed.
I've done this with the Tino the last couple of years.
I've beat him very easily, so I didn't want to
have to put him through that again. He should beat
me two years ago, but I got him good last year.
Story No, absolutely not. So we're each picking seven teams.
But because there are seven playoff teams in each division,
so we're picking seven teams and then we had to
pick one team each that finished with five wins or

(11:49):
fewer last year. These can be picked in any order.
So Pierson, you're ready to flip a coin, my friend?
You can call it you want me to call it, okay?
All the question is do I go heads or tails?
Those would be your spot.

Speaker 4 (12:01):
I know.

Speaker 3 (12:02):
I wanted to make it clear for anybody who was
still debating. I'll go tails prevail.

Speaker 1 (12:05):
It never fails. Yes, what do you got?

Speaker 5 (12:09):
It landed on its side? Its head?

Speaker 1 (12:12):
It's heads, all right? So I get to pick for
he did the digital coin?

Speaker 3 (12:15):
By the way, well, because I mean, good luck trying
to find I guess natural coins of this day and
age correct.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
Okay, I think that I'm not gonna pick the obvious
team here. I'm gonna go with the Buffalo Bills. I
don't think the AFC East is a very strong division.
The AFC West scares me a little bit because I
think all four teams in that division are going to
be good this year. So I'm gonna go with the

(12:41):
Bills here with Josh Allen. The Dolphins scare me a
little bit this year. I don't know what they're going
to look like. There seems to be some stuff going
on there. The Jets and the Patriots. I just think they're
still in the middle of rebuilds. Their schedule is not
that difficult Buffalo when you look at who they're playing
outside of their division. So I'm gonna go the Buffalo
Bills with my first choice.

Speaker 3 (13:02):
So you did not select the Kansas City Chiefs, which
means you left me a very very attractive option, and
I'm with you. I think the AFC West is a
division to fear because the depth is probably at an
all time high, John compared to where we've seen it
in a few years, and the team that I think
could make the biggest jump, just to give a little preview,
not to say I'm picking them the Raiders with Pete

(13:24):
Carroll's presence, Okay, Smith and Jen d So you know
that's a team to watch. I don't know if they're
playoff bound, but I think they're going to be a
thorn in the side of the Division foes and the
rest of the NFL. And we know what Bone Nicks
and the Broncos did with Sean Payton and the Chargers.
I will pat myself on the back. That was my
team to bounce back with Jim Harbor's arrival, and they

(13:45):
lived up to expectations. But every year we go through,
do you bet against Kansas City? Is this going to
be the year they fall off a cliff? Is this
going to be the year that they forget their identity?

Speaker 1 (13:56):
It's not even a cliff, but that might just be
a little like skill like slide down the slope a
little bit. It's like you're sledding with your kids and
you gotta just go down the slope a little bit.

Speaker 3 (14:05):
Okay, Well, I added for dramatic effects, So thank you
so much for playing along from that standpoint. But the
point I'm getting at is when Tyreek Hill was traded.
We went through this, we did and Rashi Rice. Rashee
Rice is now suspended for the first six games, and
they made some transactions. Kansas City has too good of
a track record, John for me to give up now.

(14:27):
So I will have the Chiefs as my first elect.

Speaker 1 (14:30):
They were the second team in my list, and I
went back and forth to the Bills, and I understand that,
and I could not decide. All right, so pick number
three here, I'm gonna stick in the AFC and I'm
gonna go with the other mega quarterback. I'm gonna go
with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. I just think
they have been so consistent.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
Lance.

Speaker 1 (14:48):
What team has been more consistent than the Baltimore Ravens
in the preseason. I understand the AFC North is a
tough division. I get that. I do you think the
Bengals could become an issue. They do get the AFC East,
which again I don't think is the toughest division in

(15:08):
the world. They do have to play the NFC North,
which I don't love there. But I just but remember,
there's a lot more games outside of the division. Now
based on the math tip so Lamar Jackson. I just
think it's too good. You know, Harbaugh is too good
of a coach. So I'm gonna go with the Ravens
with my second selection.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
No, it's a good selection, and it's hard to bet
against a Ravens team that also does an excellent job
making up for lost personnel. That's what impresses me the
most about that organization, because you look, boy, they lost
this guy in the secondary, they lost this offensive lineman,
and then they find a way to magically doll things
up enough that you're not talking about it. So my

(15:48):
second choice, I'm torn between two teams, one in each conference.
Oh interesting, because I do think that there's some appetizing
opportunities here. I'm gonna go and I'm gonna stay in
the AFC, and I'm gonna continue the theme of the
AFC West. I really like the Chargers again, John, I
think Harbaugh and company are gonna be able to build

(16:10):
off what they did last season. I don't think that
running game is gonna go anywhere. Look, they brought a
Nagi Harris and they drafted Hampton. Okay, the two of them,
no matter what type of function each of them serve,
I feel really good have already lost for Sean Slave,
but you know what, I think they have good depth Trey,
pipkinspins well Joe, although they're gonna also toy with moving

(16:33):
around tackle.

Speaker 2 (16:34):
Yes.

Speaker 3 (16:34):
So the point is, if there's any team that could
fill the slate by Slater, okay, it would be Joe
Alt okay pun intended. From that standpoint, wide receivers, you
got a lot of playmakers. I actually like bringing back
Keenan Allen, not to say that he's gonna be a
huge playmaker, but a nice insurance policy who has chemistry
with Justin Herbert and the Chargers defense. John made huge

(16:56):
strides last season. I actually don't think it was talked
enough of. Now they have to stay healthy of course
that group, but they did for the most part last season.
I think there's continuity this millionaires, but they did. But
Boso was one of those guys that couldn't stay healthy,
losing sleep over that. I just I like some of
the youth that they've infused. I mean Tier Tart, for example,

(17:18):
is an underrated guy who is a guy that's gonna
eat up a lot of space and nose tackle. They
were really good in terms of helping limit the runs.
So I think the more and more you make sense
of the roster and the fact that, once again, despite
how challenging the division is, they're playing eleven games still
outside of the AFC West, I like the.

Speaker 1 (17:38):
Chargers as my second choice. All right, I have to
go to defending Super Bowl champions. I was hoping you
that was gonna be the other team. I was hoping
you did not pick them, because then I was gonna
have a really difficult choice for my next I have
two teams that bad, and I love trying of going
back and forth. So I'm gonna go with the Eagles. Here.
Just look at the roster, man, it's so good. Yeah,
and look I get their schedules, very tough, just like

(17:58):
the Giants. All right, so maybe they'll win eleven games
instead of fourteen. All right, fine, I'll live with eleven
and six. All right, give me a Photoelphia Eagles.

Speaker 3 (18:08):
I'm with you, and Vic Fangio makes me feel confident
that they lost.

Speaker 1 (18:12):
A lot of firepower up front. Okay, let's not overlook that.
Do they have six I think six new starters on
defense this year, and they're very young on that side
of the correct, so you never know.

Speaker 3 (18:20):
But I think Fangio, who's got an excellent track record.
I go back to my point about the Chiefs makes
me feel as if they'll be able to overcome and
navigate some of those issues. So from that standpoint, I
understand where you're going, and that's why I was weighing
Chargers against Eagles.

Speaker 1 (18:37):
That was my thought process.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
You're up, Yeah, I'm gonna stay in the NFC with you, okay,
And I'm gonna go with a team that I would
argue And probably the best example is think about how
many players on that roster were claimed through waivers.

Speaker 1 (18:50):
This is a very deep team. I'm a little bit
worried about the health of the quarterback, but I'm gonna
go with the La Rams.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
Ah.

Speaker 1 (18:56):
That was gonna be one of the tough ones for
me to pick the next one, Okay.

Speaker 3 (18:59):
I like that Adams now with Puka Nakua, they're excellent
in terms of running the football. I think that offensive
line just like I was talking about the Chargers defense, well,
the Rams offensive line has gone through some really big
ebbs and flows.

Speaker 1 (19:13):
Over the last few years.

Speaker 3 (19:14):
And the Rams defense they've drafted, well, that's why they
have been okay with parting ways with an Aaron Donald
or a Jalen Ramsey, so that division is not as
overwhelming as it once was. The Niners are banged up.
Seattle's got now Sam Darnold, so you don't know what's
gonna happen with him. With not having Kevin O'Connell as
the guidance in Arizona seems to be stuck in mud

(19:36):
where they're hanging around that five hundred mark. So I
think the pathway for the Rams to win the division
and even compete for the number one seed is very feasible.

Speaker 1 (19:45):
All right, So I'm now the signed between two NFC
North teams, and I'm not gonna pick the one I
think most people would pick. I'm gonna go with the
Green Bay Packers. Okay, they have been again a model
of consistency. I think you look at their roster, they
are very deep and they don't have holes. Now, I'm

(20:06):
not sure they have some of those star players some
of these other teams have, but they're well coached. Jordan
loves a good quarterback. Josh Jacobs is an excellent running back.
They got a billion wide receivers or offensive line is good.
There's not a lot of holes on defense. I'm gonna
go with the Green Bay Packers here just because I
would be shocked if they didn't finish with ten wins,

(20:27):
just because of how deep their roster is all around.
So I'm gonna go with the Packers.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
Matthew Golden two ye nice draft pick for them, and
they don't have a star receiver. He could very well emerge.
You just hope Jordan Love stays healthy. I know he's
dealing with it's on his non throwing hand, but you
know he was banged up last season.

Speaker 1 (20:44):
I know that from a fantasy perspective.

Speaker 3 (20:45):
They right the first half in the Eagles game, no,
and then there was another issue that chopped up.

Speaker 1 (20:52):
It may have even been a hand issue or something,
but he was the first half of the year, he
wasn't as good.

Speaker 3 (20:58):
You just wonder, especially with that all of a sudden
coming to the forefront early on. I'm gonna stay in
the NFC North, and I'm high on this division too.
I think this division has not dropped off. I mean,
the Lions worrying me a little bit because Ben Johnson's
not calling plays and as good as Dan Campbell's been.

Speaker 1 (21:16):
And Aaron Glen's not calling correctly.

Speaker 3 (21:18):
So it's now they promoted from within essentially, but it's
very different. So I'm not going with the Lions. Oh no,
see that was a little bit of a preview.

Speaker 1 (21:28):
I am going with the Minnesota vice.

Speaker 3 (21:31):
JJ McCarthy is in very good hands and he does
not have to have an unbelievable season because he's got
great weaponry around him.

Speaker 1 (21:41):
I think leans the Vikings might have the second best
roster in the conference other than the Eagles.

Speaker 3 (21:46):
I think you can make a very strong case. And
the other reason why is also Brian Floores his presence
and that defense, which also pulled a one eighty. Much
like the Chargers last season. As good as Sam Darnold was,
there was not enough credit to what Flores did on
the opposite side of the ball. And they've got Jonathan Allen,

(22:06):
They've got Jonathan Grenard, they got Javon Hargrave.

Speaker 1 (22:10):
I mean, that's not a bad front. Keep those guys healthy.

Speaker 3 (22:13):
I did not correct, and I didn't even talk about
the secondary. So I like the Vikings from a defensive
perspective as much as I like what they're operating with
on offense. And I love, by the way, On a
related note, the acquisition of Adam Feelin. With Jordan Addison
suspended for the first three games, Felan knows the offense,
and Felan is to use the cliche, he is like

(22:33):
a fine wine.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
I think he gets stronger and stronger with age.

Speaker 3 (22:36):
But because you're not asking him to get the explosive plays,
you're asking him to run the intermediate routes. Be an
insurance policy. He's the perfect vet for JJ McCarthy and
that offense. Give me the vikings now I'm making you,
do I get cute here?

Speaker 1 (22:51):
Oh? Please get cute and try to use some strategy
based on what you just said, or do I yeah,
I'm gonna try to use some strategy. I'm gonna go
with the Hugh Houston Texans. They're in a what I
still think is probably the worst division of football in
the AFC South, though I do think the Colts actually
could have I think they're pretty talented. We'll see what
the Jaguars do with the new coaching staff, but I

(23:11):
think the Texans have a pretty high floor. I think
their defense is one of the best in the league.
I think it's excellent. I think CJ. Shrad's a good quarterback.
Their offensive lines scares the living daylights out of me.
Stroud took a step back last season. I agree as
a result, but I think that defense gives me confidence,
especially in that division, that the Texans are going to

(23:32):
get the double digit wins again. So I'm gonna go
to Houston Texans. Interesting.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
See, that's a division that I could see some movement
this year because there is no juggernaut. As good as
Houston may appear on paper, there's a door for them
to get through. And remember Houston was a ten and
seventeam I know the point is we want to get
into the ten win territory.

Speaker 1 (23:53):
But last year.

Speaker 3 (23:54):
Now, if there is any division winner from last year
that I could see take a step back, the Texans
and the Lions would both be in the converse.

Speaker 1 (24:05):
I should put the Bucks in that conversation too, but
the Bucks are on my list. But I think those
are the three division winners that I would a worry about.

Speaker 3 (24:11):
The Bucks is fair too. It's just to me, they
got the best quarterback in the division. Yes, and that
goes a long way, and Todd Bowles in his defense,
but I'm worried that receiver corps.

Speaker 1 (24:22):
They're dropping like flies before the season, even starts, so
it does. So they are deep. But it is concerning.

Speaker 3 (24:29):
All right, you're up, So where do I go now
that you took the Houston Texans. Do I stay in
the AFC or do I go back to the NFC landscape.
I'm going to go back to the AFC and the
team that I'm going to go with, even though there

(24:50):
is concern about one facet of their squad, but I
am enamored with their offense and I think they can
find a way to win the clothes the Bungles the
Cincinnati Bengals. There is too much John There's too much
firepower on the offensive side of the ball. Listen, we
don't have a magic crystal ball, and injuries could pop up,
But my goodness, if you keep Joe Burrow on the

(25:12):
field with that group in the running backs, can they
have trouble scoring thirty five minimum points? They have the
best offense, so even if the defense is atrocious again,
but hey, getting the Trey Hendrickson deal done goes a
long way, because if they didn't have him, who knows
what the projections would be. I still like that offensive firepower,

(25:35):
So sign me up for the Bengals to at least
flirt with ten wins this season. Remember, they were a
nine to eight team last year as bad as their
defense was, so I'm expecting the defense just has to
move centimeters to get them that extra w this year.

Speaker 1 (25:49):
All Right, I'm gonna go back to the NFC. I'm
going Lions. I can't let him sit there any longer.
The coordinator changes do scare me. We talked about them already.
Changes on the offensive line. But man, they're just really
talented and they have a tough quarterback. They have the
toughness Dan Campbell. Hutchinson's gonna be back. I think Isaac
Teslah could have a big year for them as a rookie.

(26:11):
They just have a really good roster. So I can't
let the LINSTI theyre any longer. I'm gonna go with
the Detroit Lions.

Speaker 3 (26:18):
Well, listen, track record matters, and Dan Campbell's done a
heck of a job turning that franchise around. But you know,
he's limited in terms of he's not a play caller.

Speaker 6 (26:27):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (26:28):
So even if you want to say, well, he's gonna
be very aggressive right and gophert on fourth down, they
still need to get in the position to allow him
to be aggressive and as good as that offense was. Remember,
and I know the defense was hit by injuries, but
we saw the true colors of that unit too, And
you just wonder if the offense takes a step back

(26:48):
and the defense is not as powerful, does that mess
with the dynamics of the team. I'm gonna go with
one of the teams we brought up a few moments ago,
because I'm going with the math. Okay, I think the
division is we so I think that helps their cause
to get the double digit wins. I love their quarterback.
I was very high on him coming out of the draft,
and I'm happy that he now found an environment that

(27:09):
vodes very well for him. And I think that as
long as they can give him the freedom to do
what he did in Liam Cohen's offense, and I like
the fact that they promoted from within, I'll roll the
dice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers being the best team
in their division and giving them the best pathway to
get to double digit victories.

Speaker 1 (27:29):
All Right, I have two teams I still like for
the win totals at the top of this and I
already have six, So I'm gonna pick my five win
team here and I'm gonna go up. Sorry, I'm gonna
go those with the Las Vegas Raiders. Okay, quarterback in
the coach Pete Carrol, Gino Smith, I think it raises
the floor a lot. And again it's a tough division.
But one's last time Pete Carroll had a bad football team.

(27:53):
I get worse the winsday games, right, sure? So I
mean he didn't make the playoffs year one in Seattle. Yeah,
but still track record again Pete Carroll, Jall Smith, Ashton,
gent Y rock Bowers. Lot to like on offense, good
for me? The defense that it sticks the secondary, Hey,
don't being around the book, I'm not sure I can

(28:14):
name a starter in their defensive secondary off the top
of my head. To be honest with you.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
You'll recognize a few of the names. You will you definitely, No,
I don't know if you can name it now. But
if you look at the list, there is one guy
that is a pretty one.

Speaker 1 (28:28):
Jeremy chin. Oh they got Jeremy Jermy. I forgot about.

Speaker 3 (28:30):
I forgot that is a recognizable Outside of that, I'm
with you. And then what also scares the hell out
of me is anybody not named Max Crosby upfront.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
Yep, especially since they lost Christian Wilkins with the injury.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
Yeah, and Tyree Wilson's a young guy, but he has
yet to so I'm nervous.

Speaker 1 (28:48):
I think that's fair. But I'm gonna go with the
Raiders as my as my five win team that has
to step it up. See.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
I have another team that I even told you before
the show. You didn't take mine, so I'm very happy interest.
But now the fact that you took that team, you
can save them. Yeah, I could save them.

Speaker 1 (29:01):
See.

Speaker 3 (29:01):
I was gonna go maybe in that direction, but you
now did me a courtesy as opposed to challenging me.
So I thank you immensely from that stamp.

Speaker 1 (29:09):
I'm a very generous guy. It's the season of giving.
I'm very magnanimous, no doubt about it. Absolutely. I'm gonna
go back to the NFC. And remember that's a big word,
pier So now they only are big words up in Boston.
I know, magnanimous. Look it up.

Speaker 3 (29:23):
A big part of also the thinking when you talk
about projections and playoffs is remember the turnover rate in
the NFL is unlike any other professional sports league. You
cannot pick all the teams that made the playoffs last year. Okay,
if you do that, you're gonna be disappointed.

Speaker 6 (29:40):
Correct.

Speaker 3 (29:40):
I keep a list and I could bring up my document.
On average, we're talking about four to five teams minimum
over the last twenty.

Speaker 1 (29:47):
Years, usually closer to six, to be honest with you.
But yeah, you're safe with four to five.

Speaker 3 (29:51):
Yes, So I kept that in mind also with my
logic and my thinking and just to review, I chose
the Cincinnati Bengals. Okay, they were on the outside as
a team that did not make it. So I'm gonna
go with another team now in the other conference. I
like it that did not make it, and I know
there's questions, but it's another feeling like Cincinnati.

Speaker 1 (30:12):
I like their offense. Oh you're picking the Cowboy. I
am picking the Dallas cab Ah read me quite well.
I did well well. I mean I build it up
for you. So, I mean you said a really good offense,
and I think Dallas's offense will be very George Pickens
now with CD Lank, he's a monster. Last year, they
didn't have a true number two. Interesting DAK with an
offensive line that has questions, there's no doubt about it.

Speaker 3 (30:35):
But I think the running game will improve. And remember
they go in rock bottom, so it's not asking very much. Yeah,
you're worried about Michael Parsons and you know, a new
defensive scheme and this and that and a new head coach.
But my feeling is John it's the same thing. Like
the Bengals. The offense is good enough that even if
there are mishaps and issues on the other side of
the ball, they should remain competitive and be in the mix.

(30:58):
So that's my logic for picking the Cowboy.

Speaker 1 (31:01):
My strategy throughout this whole thing is, don't pick a
team that I think can bottom out and be really bad.
You know what team has never bottom out and is
really bad. I know which team you're going Pittsburgh. That
was gonna be my next TV and it was either
them and look this is my last pick. It was
them of the Broncos, though those are the last two
teams I had on my list. The Steelers are just
so consistent. I don't know how much Aaron Rodgers has left.

(31:21):
He drives me nuts. But it's Mike Tomlin. It's Mike Tomlin.

Speaker 3 (31:24):
Go ahead, just like Andy Reid, go ahead and bet
against Mike Tomlin and Pete Carroll Carroll correct, those three
don't touch it.

Speaker 1 (31:30):
Or Jim Harbaugh to your point with yeah Rogers, Yes, yeah,
it's seven teams and then you have the team with
fivelands or less, so it's eight teams total.

Speaker 2 (31:38):
Free.

Speaker 1 (31:38):
So I'm going Pittsburgh Steelers because they never won fewer
than nine games, and I don't want a team that
bottoms out. So that's where I'm going.

Speaker 3 (31:44):
Well, that was gonna be my safety valley in the
event that I wanted to go in that direction. I'm
just I'm nervous again about a Aaron Rodgers holding up
and be just the caliber of that division.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
I get it in Cleveland is a tough out, which
is not necessarily We'll see about that. I know Joe
Flacco though.

Speaker 3 (32:01):
If Flacco can hold up, I like their offense in
his hands a lot more than any of the others,
especially that young mix that they brought in with Dylan
Gabriel and Shador Sanders. So now my pick now is
the five win team, right? Or do I have extra films?
Believe I'm not necessarily keeping track of the volume. I guess,
and I guess which team bears No, that was the

(32:22):
other I was thinking about interesting. It was basically the
Raiders were third. If we worked our way up, the
Bears were right there. But I'm going with the division
that we talked about earlier, where I think the pathway.

Speaker 1 (32:35):
No think about the other Saints. No, oh you really
have lost? What do you got? I'm going with the
Jacksonville Jaguars.

Speaker 3 (32:44):
Okay, because I think that that division has fluctuation. And
here's my selling point on Jacksonville. I had the wrong South, correct,
had the wrong South. Yeah, geography was a little bit off.
Liam Cohen has a really good track with quarterbacks, okay,
whether he's the QB coach, remember he was with McVeigh

(33:04):
and the Rams.

Speaker 1 (33:05):
Heck, he was at Kentucky in college and did a
good job.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
I like the marriage of Liam Cohen and Trevor Lawrence.
I think this could be a real nice bounce back
emergent season.

Speaker 1 (33:18):
It could be for Trevor.

Speaker 3 (33:19):
I think it's got ridden all over it from that perspective. Yeah,
their defense was troubling last season, but I think that
with a new voice and if the offense takes pressure
off of that side of the ball, Travis Hunter, I
don't think they're gonna run him into the ground. I
think they're gonna use him in a case by case
basis on both sides, but they're gonna be smart about it.

(33:40):
And I think Trevor Lawrence has some nice weapons around
him that Liam Cohen will structure the offense just like
he did with Baker. And it wasn't as if Baker
had by the way red carpet trumant last season, Chris Godwin,
you know, Evans was out of the lineup tight ends
and Baker had a tremendous statistical see right, So why

(34:01):
can't I now project that with Trevor Lawrence knowing that
the Texans could take a step back. Tennessee is young
with cam Ward Indianapolis quarterback quarterback and Shane Steichen and
his team is hovered around five hundred and maybe he
tries to be very aggressive because Jimmersay's daughter now is
taking over and you know, she may want to go

(34:21):
in a different direction.

Speaker 1 (34:22):
A lot of pressure on him.

Speaker 3 (34:23):
Liam Cohen could be one of those first year coaches
that has that wow factor in his favor four and
thirteen last season. You're heard it here at one o
five pm Eastern on August twenty eighth, as the guy
to the right of me. Chuckles. Okay, watch out for
the Jacksonville Jaguars. I called the Chargers last season. Maybe
not in the same boat, but Harbon new coach. Jacksonville

(34:45):
is my first year coaching candidate. Team that is going
to be knocking on the door and busting through that.

Speaker 1 (34:50):
All right, Pearson, DEBI a favor. Lance is hosting. I
believe with me on let's see which date is. No,
you're actually a maddelin So the second week give January.
I'm going to make sure I'm hosting with Lance. And
let's just make sure, Pearson, we have that Jacksonville wear
the badge regardless. Ready to go. At the end of
the show, Pierson, do you want to pick your your You.

Speaker 2 (35:12):
Have any teams?

Speaker 1 (35:13):
Yeah, ye would be the last year peers in the
teams and by there are some pretty good teams left.

Speaker 5 (35:18):
Actually no one picked the Broncos, which surprised or the
Commanders for the command.

Speaker 1 (35:24):
And the title game last year.

Speaker 3 (35:25):
Well, but you know what the other thing, Peerson, after
you go, I want to compare how many teams we
picked that didn't make the playoffs last year? All my
team were in So okay, because the teams you just
threw out that no one picked other than San Francisco, Denver,
and Washington were in.

Speaker 1 (35:39):
So I'm accounting for some teams too. Did you pick
the Bucks?

Speaker 3 (35:43):
Yes, okay, you know the Bucks were in, But remember
the Cowboys and the Bengals, I picked at least that
were not in the mix, and Jacksonville, I'm picking they
were not in the mix. So I'm staying within that logic.
That's why I'm just curious how that Pearson?

Speaker 1 (35:56):
What do you got? Who do you got?

Speaker 5 (35:57):
I got Broncos, Niners, see how Commanders, Bears, Falcons, Dolphins,
and then Patriots.

Speaker 1 (36:06):
I think that's pretty good. I like that group. But
he really went outside the box.

Speaker 3 (36:10):
I mean, you pretty much picked more than about seventy
percent of those teams.

Speaker 1 (36:14):
Did I make the playoffs? Light teams that are left?
I thought? Okay, I'm sorry, So I'm mistake. I thought
you were gonna pick from the whole all right for
the rest.

Speaker 3 (36:24):
Okay, I misread that. So I was gonna give him
credit for really being bold.

Speaker 1 (36:28):
I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 (36:29):
I take that back. Pearson was not as bold as
I thought he was. Okay, Pearson jumped into the pool
that was left. Okay, I miss ready correct.

Speaker 5 (36:37):
Have the easiest schedule. That's all I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (36:39):
All right, let's get to the calls, because certainly that
always plays out according to play Affeers three the schedule
from last season.

Speaker 1 (36:47):
Boy, so reliable. Take that to the bank. Three nine
four five one three real quick. Giants Foundage mostly five
K racing kids were unpresented by Quest Sunday, October twenty six,
nine am met Life Stadium. That proceeds will benefit the
Giants Foundation. Uh, you get a T shirt after the race.
There's a DJ Giants Legends Giants dot Com slash five
kid to registered. The Giants Foundation is a five oh

(37:07):
one C three nonprofit corporation. I think we got like
apparently the fans have been calling for Pearson on social media,
and I think the fact that he's now spoken on
the show, I think we should double our listenership. Would
would would be my feeling? Yeah, from what two to three?
Two to four? I should say if I do the
math right, Jeffery ryle Island wanted to know where where

(37:27):
Pearson's been.

Speaker 5 (37:29):
You got me for the next two weeks, so yes, well.

Speaker 1 (37:31):
Well, and you're also here. Yeah, I was gonna.

Speaker 5 (37:35):
Say Thursdays on Friday is the only time I'm doing
the show now.

Speaker 1 (37:39):
Yes, gotcha. But his presence is still across the boardmini present.
Pearson's big timing us now he is quote unquote better
things to do than slum it with us in here. Correct.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
Yeah, he was not denying it either. All right, he's
not a man of the people anymore.

Speaker 1 (37:54):
No he is. No, he's starting, No, definitely not. Oh yeah,
he's taking the anti social route. Only the Boston people.
All right, let's go to Kevin and North Carolina. He
will lead us off Kevin. What's going on?

Speaker 6 (38:05):
Pal?

Speaker 7 (38:07):
Hey guys, you guys during today, We're good.

Speaker 1 (38:08):
What do you got hey?

Speaker 8 (38:10):
Two quick questions. One question is I keep reading that
Theo Johnson has still not been practicing, and you know
the Giants seven disclose that injury. You guys know what's
going on with that, and you know any concerns for
his availability to start the season.

Speaker 1 (38:23):
I do not know what his injury is. Brian Dable
has been very mum about that, and he's just said
today that he is not practicing and he is getting better,
and he left it at that. So until we see
an injury report next Wednesday, when they have to disclose
what the injury is. I'm not sure we're gonna know
what it is Kevin, so hopefully he'll be good to go.

(38:44):
I never got the impression that it was something super
duper serious, but I think if it was, you would
have seen him get placed on IR to start the
year if they thought it would be multiple weeks. They haven't,
so I think that gives you a sign that you
would hope he r here to go week one.

Speaker 3 (38:56):
But and the other thing that I would add is
a transaction in a tight end would be another thing
to monitor.

Speaker 1 (39:02):
Watch now that could still have four though they did
keep four true.

Speaker 3 (39:06):
But what I'm saying is, if you feel that maybe
it could be a multi week injury of something, maybe
you'd want to even add somebody the practice squad or whatever.

Speaker 1 (39:14):
It may be something to keep in mind.

Speaker 3 (39:16):
The fact that that hasn't necessarily happened perhaps bodes well
for him. But just to piggyback off of John's point,
the exact wording that Dave's used, and it's a phrase
that he's used pretty much all throughout training camp. The
guys that are going to practice will be out there
and the guys that won't. But he wasn't revealing and
going through the list. And remember the NFL teams are
not obligated to speak of injuries until early next week

(39:37):
when injury reports have to come out, at least for
the bulk of the teams. Cowboys and Eagles in a
little bit different vote because they play on Thursday, So
they are not going to reveal the details of anything.
But until we see some practice report of some sort,
some injury report, or there's a move with a tight end,
I would not read into anything that could be alarming,

(39:58):
at least at this stage.

Speaker 1 (39:59):
Yes, what else you got, Kevin?

Speaker 2 (40:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (40:02):
Perfect? And then I always wanted to ask, you know,
with Tyler Nubin and Javana Holland, who do you think
would be kind of, you know, that strong safety slash
free safety. How do you think we'll kind of see
those two on the field in terms of having those
roles or do you think we'll kind of get a
mix of both with you know, one playing free, one
playing strong.

Speaker 1 (40:20):
Appreciate the call Kevin, good stuff. I believe they are
going to be very interchangeable where depending on the play,
you can move either guy in either spot. I think
they trust either guy in either spot. And I think
that's important if you want to be able to disguise
in the back end of the secondary, which I think
Shane Bone's going to try to do a lot this year.
And to have two interchangeable safeties, I think makes that

(40:41):
more possible, makes that, you know, a possibility when last year,
and I think with all the youth back there, you
can't really do a lot of the fancy disguise stuff
post snap. So I think generally Nubit is probably more
apt to be around the line of scrimmage, and Howland's
probably more apt to be deep. But I think you're
gonna see both guys in both spots all the time.
I think Holland's also comfortable being moved around based on

(41:03):
what he did in Miami. But remember the signature play
in his career was the interception at MetLife Stadium against
the Jets that he caught on a hail Mary play
and then returned it for a touchdown. So you know
he's got the hands and he has the depth. And
if you go back to even things that Holland had mentioned,
because he was asked about the green helmet and he said, listen,
when I'm playing back, I want to see the field.

(41:25):
I don't have the time to come up and communicate
with the guys at the line of scrimmage. Not to
say that he wouldn't be brought up, John, but to
your point, I think when you connect those dots, it's
highly likely that Nubin is much more around the line
of scrimmage consistently than Holland, who I see is more
of the deep center fielder threat. Let's go to Mark
and Miami. He's on next day, Mark, what's going on?

Speaker 2 (41:46):
Man?

Speaker 6 (41:48):
I was pretty upset that McLaren signed. I was hoping
he'd be in the same situation as Parsons. I'm wondering
if you think they might use abdul Katter as a spy,
because he's done that in the past and other teams
have done that in the past with him.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
You usually don't use a pass rusher as a spy.
That's not common, but Abdul Clutter is a special athlete,
so I do think he could do it if you
asked him to. My thought would be as a switch up.
I would not be surprised if you saw that at

(42:30):
times in the Commander's game, but especially given Jayden and
Daniel's ability to run yeah, but I don't think that
would be his primary responsibility and to take him out
of the role of someone that you want getting upfield
and getting after the quarterback in the pocket. So I
think Mark, when you see him lined up as a
stand up rusher in the middle of the line, he'll

(42:52):
mostly come after the quarterback. But if at times you
want to switch things up and you let him hover there,
I could that being an option.

Speaker 3 (43:01):
And I also think it depends on the down and
distances too. You know that's going to dictate whether or
not they'd have the luxury to even utilize him in
multiple roles, specifically a spy, and I can see ol
Kerken in that role too, to be honest with you,
without a doubt, given his athleticism, and that, to me,
I think would be more of a comfort.

Speaker 1 (43:18):
Here's the other thing.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
As much versatility as Carter showed at Penn State, this
is also going to be his first ever NFL regular
season game, how much do you want to toy with
him right out of the gates, regardless of the matchup.
I think Shane Bowen needs to ask himself that. So
that's the other thing to take the consideration. And I
know you made the comment about you wanted Terry McLaurin

(43:39):
in the contractual issue to play out my philosophy in general,
and I say this to all fans, is I think
you want to go up against the team with all
of the people at their disposal, because that only opens
the door for excuses if certain big weaponry are not available.
So that's just how I look at it for any
NFL matchup, regardless of whether or not there's fans them involved.

Speaker 6 (44:01):
I agree in that in theory, but I don't agree
with that for the first game of a new season
with a new quarterback and a lot of new moving parts.
And honestly, I was thinking maybe that he would go
in instead of fad Into. You know, he's got a

(44:21):
ton of experience at inside linebacker, and you know that
he could be more of a spot from that place,
and not talking about taking somebody off the front line
in certain obviously we're talking situations that warranted for down
and distance. But I just thought that he could be

(44:42):
the fourth guy on the field in that with Karake,
and that it would because he's fast enough. Unless you
think I'm.

Speaker 1 (44:53):
Wrong, No, Mark Daniels, No, Mark, I think that's a
good question. I would say we did not see him
play as an early down off ball linebacker in training
camp a ton, right, So he hasn't really been in
that role, and I, to Lance's point, is his first
regular season game. I don't think that's a role I
would be comfortable putting him in, even though he did

(45:15):
it in college, when he really hasn't practiced that in
this defense over the course of the summer. So I
think again, maybe on third down when he's on the field,
you want to switch it up instead of you know,
rushing is a stand up guy behind the tackles or whatever,
and you want to drop him as a spy. Maybe there,
but I don't see that as like an early down,
full time type of role.

Speaker 6 (45:33):
Okay, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (45:34):
No, thanks, Mark, appreciate the call. Good stuff. All right,
let's go right to Big Edd and Maryland, Big Ed.
What's going on?

Speaker 2 (45:40):
Man?

Speaker 3 (45:42):
What's that?

Speaker 2 (45:43):
Big John? And Big Lance?

Speaker 1 (45:45):
I'm back, so, Big Ed? What do you have the
giants like? Fifteen and two this year? What do you
got you have the fifteen and two, fourteen and three
seventy years?

Speaker 4 (45:52):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (45:52):
Okay, yeah, almost have a peated though, but not quite.
I feel like this way, we scored over thirty points
in each of our preseason games. We averaged that. Okay,
So going with that good positive attitude going into this,

(46:13):
we've finally got something that should work. Because I'm gonna
keep this in room, I'm gonna make this reminder right now.
So eight games out of last year we only lost
by one possessions. We've lost the last couple of seasons
because we didn't have a quarterback. Now we do, and
with the complimentary defense and that third round pick Fellas,

(46:36):
we're looking at something really good. Now. Please note, I'm
about to tell you this. Winning the first four games,
these phone lines are going to really blow up big.
So I got us winning the first four Commanders, Cowboys, Chiefs,
Chargers all.

Speaker 1 (46:53):
I put the bold prediction in the document there, Piers.
And by the way, if you folks on calling for
with bold predictions tomorrow, I think tomorrow it's me and
Datino will happily take your bold predictions and then early
next week we'll take them to.

Speaker 2 (47:05):
Okay. So on another note, first, man, I hope you
guys are coming down for this first game. I am
to that effect.

Speaker 1 (47:15):
Paul Tatino will be down there pre impost happens back
up here in New York. So I will not be there.
Paulatino will be there. Pearson are you? Are you going
to Washington? Pierce is not going to be there.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
Other boy and Lance you doing something else right?

Speaker 1 (47:28):
Yeah? I will not be there.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
Yeah, okay, all right, So.

Speaker 1 (47:34):
Not not excited about seeing Paul Tatino. Yeah, energy skyrocketing
towards the other only oh boy, that's a problem. All right,
It doesn't rock his boat as much. Big appreciate it
to call my friend. Yeah. Always good to hear from you, buddy,
Thank you very much. Giants to the podcast, go check
it out. We got a bunch of really good episodes

(47:55):
up there right now. The podcast is technically called The
Giants Podcast network feed. Go check it out, Subscribe Giants
dot com, Slash podcast, Giants app, Giants YouTube channel. Just
A Joey Epstein, who's a really good national NFL reporter
for Yahoo Sports, shoots here. Last week we talk a
little bit about the Giants. We also do a little
bit of an NFL season preview Albert Breers coming up

(48:17):
later in the week. Already recorded Kevin Burkhardt, who's calling
the Giants Commanders game in week one that'll go up
next week. Mark Melussis from the Fan will be going
up at some point. Pearson's burned the Midnight Oil on
all these things, doing a great job getting them up.
And we have Draft Season up too, so you guys
can check that out. Our first two episodes this year
Bruce Feldman on the Freaks List and then Drew Fabianich,

(48:39):
who is the new executive director of the now Pinini
Senior Bowl. So two really good interviews up on Draft Season.
You can find that on the main podcast feed. Also,
Draft Season has his own feet as well, so go
check those out again. Giants dot Com, Slash Podcast, Giants App,
Giants YouTube channel, favorite podcast platform, go there and subscribe.
Wilson and Rocks, Hello Wilson, Hey, my two buddy.

Speaker 4 (49:04):
Listen Jenny Lands. Every time I see you guys together,
it's I gotta get a niche man, I said, I
gotta call him.

Speaker 3 (49:11):
It's like a rash and it spreads like wildfire, chicken pox, mumps.

Speaker 7 (49:15):
Maybe real quick though, before I start.

Speaker 4 (49:18):
Whatever is in that water in South Carolina where Big
edits from, I don't know how I never will get
my hands on it, because that is crazy.

Speaker 1 (49:27):
Big Ed is big Ed is an eternal optimist without
a doubt, and we appreciate that. Yeah, it's all.

Speaker 4 (49:33):
Positive with the complete of me.

Speaker 3 (49:36):
Yes, correct, Well, that's why I guess you know, it's
only fair for you to come on to balance things
out because true, I mean, remember, this is the whole
purpose of the show to be as balanced as possible
with the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Speaker 4 (49:47):
Yeah, I bring I bring balance to the show. I
bring some you know what so a phrase.

Speaker 1 (49:53):
Never uttered by anybody viewing, but go ahead, yes, So basically,
Wilson's like Anakin Skywalker bringing balance to the force instead
of bringing out Yeah, bringing balance to the program. I
got you.

Speaker 4 (50:03):
Let me let me make that and the real quick though,
this is mostly for land but honored and you can
you can chime in real quick before before you before
you said, you know, the Indianapolis Colts right have the
best roster in that division, hands down, right.

Speaker 1 (50:20):
I don't necessarily agree with that. I mean, that's your opinion.
I think that I think the Texans certainly have the
best defensive roster in the division. I don't think that's
any doubt.

Speaker 3 (50:31):
Show me on the well, just out of curiosity, why
do you feel why do you feel the Colts have
the best roster?

Speaker 1 (50:36):
Just out of curiosity? What is what?

Speaker 3 (50:39):
What are you sold on with respect in they Why
do you think they have the best roster?

Speaker 4 (50:45):
Or listen, if Daniel plays the way that the way
the way that he plays to his strengths, and I
don't want to get into you know, the head coach
and the giants. You know that's that's that's what the bridge.
I'm not gonna do it.

Speaker 2 (50:58):
If if.

Speaker 4 (51:00):
This guy supposed is a good head coach, the guy
weapons all over the offensive line. It's the best offensive
Blane Daniel Jones had his whole career. He doesn't. He
has to play within the offense in that division. LANs,
the Colts are a nine win team right now if

(51:21):
the boll bouncer is their way, either a ten or
eleven win team. I'm telling you that right now. Like
you said the Jaguars today whatever what is it, August
twenty eighth, I'm telling you that right now.

Speaker 1 (51:33):
All right, both, it's not crazy for the Colts to
be in the mix. I actually like the Colts offensive roster.
I think their offensive roster is pretty good. I don't
love their secondary on defense, No, I need to do.
I like the receivers. They got a solid offensive line
of Johnathan Taylers, and their.

Speaker 3 (51:49):
Pass rush too, I think is a little bit suspect
as well. I mean, you know, Quiddy pays a nice player,
and Buckner provides pressure underneath. I just don't see an
overwhelming amount of depth on that team, which concerns me.
And they've got playmakers around the quarterback. But some of
these receivers have not been able to stay healthy too,
like Downs was banged up last year. Alec Pearce is
a hit or missreceiver. He's a deep guy, but it

(52:09):
depends on the targets that you get him. And you know,
then there's obviously Michael Pim.

Speaker 1 (52:14):
I feel like there's a personal challenge here. I think
we have a little Colts versus Charge versus Jaguars here.
I like it.

Speaker 4 (52:20):
Yeah, but listen, but I want I want well listen.
I think the Colts I went in the division, but
Lance said, you know you picked.

Speaker 1 (52:27):
Well, we'll see you're both gonna be wrong. It's gonna
be the Texas.

Speaker 3 (52:29):
I don't know why theys A fighting wind up Tennessee
with the division probably right, well, I didn't know, but
see The reason why it seems you're so invested in
the Colts is because if Daniel Jones's presence, well, so
you just can't get away from Wilson loves Daniel Jones,
so you know he's not going to give up.

Speaker 4 (52:44):
Listen, you know that, you know that I think Daniel
had Daniel Listen, Dunny. I just didn't want to give
up on a guy that's six five to two thirty five,
that that can make every throw it and runs like Daniel.
But that's forget about that.

Speaker 6 (52:56):
There is a new season.

Speaker 4 (52:57):
We got Russell Wilson. I don't want to be negative anymore.

Speaker 1 (53:00):
But welcome to Colt the way.

Speaker 7 (53:05):
Land.

Speaker 4 (53:05):
This is for you because every I.

Speaker 3 (53:06):
Thought the previous one was for me. Wow, I get
the yes. What else do you have nothing.

Speaker 1 (53:11):
To do with.

Speaker 4 (53:13):
Because I I for the past two seasons, I told
you that the first game of the open, the opener
for the Giants, it was the most important game. And
every time I tell you that, you think, you tell
me Wilson you're out of your mind.

Speaker 1 (53:25):
Well, and I'm going to continue to disagree, but I'll
hear you out again.

Speaker 4 (53:29):
Can I explain why can I tell you forget about
being the most important game of this season. I think
this game is probably the most important game in the
past ten years, even part even more more important than
the playoff wins.

Speaker 2 (53:45):
And I tell you why.

Speaker 4 (53:48):
You know what happened the past two two season openers, right,
we were last. It was a disgrace against Dallas and
and and the worst part about it was that Kevin
donnald set and his press conference we were the better
prepared team.

Speaker 2 (54:05):
He said it.

Speaker 4 (54:05):
I'm not making it up, he said it. So the
reason why I tell you this is the most important
game is because we cannot, under any circumstance go to
Washington get embarrassed again and then giants France like myself.
And on Monday, I'm gonna turn my TV into to
this show. And I have and I have to hear

(54:26):
or that we were competitive, we play hard, wait and quit.
You know what I'm saying. Yeah, you know what I'm
getting at right.

Speaker 1 (54:33):
Well, Well, so I will say this in all seriousness.
I will I love no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm
being versarious. I look at the first two games as
a package deal.

Speaker 2 (54:42):
Right.

Speaker 1 (54:43):
I never think you should overreact to what happens in
Week one of the NFL season, and and I've been
consistent about this, Weird things happen in week one. Good
teams lose, bad teams win, Strange things happen. If the
Giants lose Week one to Washington, they rebound and win
in Dallas in week two, and you come home for
your home opener at one and one, you're in great shape.

(55:04):
You're fine, You're in awesome shape. Now. Now, if we're
talking oh and two coming home when you're oh and
two in the NFC East, that's a different conversation. But
I do think even if you come out and you
have a dud in week one, if you can come
out and be thousand week two, I think that eliminates
a lot of the stink all of what happened in
week one.

Speaker 4 (55:23):
You know what I'm saying, Yeah, yeah, yeah, And and
there's difference oh and two's and oh and twos. I
give you that too, but but there.

Speaker 1 (55:31):
Reason is a difference between oh and two's and oh
and two.

Speaker 4 (55:34):
Say. I'm saying, if you if you lose on the
last minute field goal, okay, you'll live with it.

Speaker 3 (55:42):
So you're talking about the context in which you go
oh and two is what you're referring to.

Speaker 4 (55:46):
It within the content. But it will it will make,
it will make it will make like like the Highway
so much smoother if they win against Washington, even if
they lose the two games, they will be such a
positive feeling for giant fans like myself.

Speaker 3 (56:04):
But see the problem I have Wilson with your analysis
is you're looking at it more from an emotional standpoint.
You're saying the fan base and the mindset and feeling good.
But I think what John was getting at and what
I continue to campaign for is the NFL.

Speaker 1 (56:21):
It's cliche, but it's a week to week league.

Speaker 3 (56:23):
So even if you do have a great Week one performance,
you could say that's gonna uplift everybody. If you come
back week two and you struggle, what difference does it
make in terms of how you performed in Week one.
Case in point Cincinnati to me is the poster child
of your point. The Bengals were zero to three last
season they started. They lost to the New England Patriots
in Week one sixteenth to ten. It was a dreadful performance.

(56:45):
Now since he didn't make the playoffs last year, but
their offense got actually stronger and stronger. I would argue
as the season progressed. So if you judge them based
on week one and you were down to me, that
would be what John is saying.

Speaker 1 (56:58):
It's an overreaction. It's hyperbole.

Speaker 4 (57:00):
No, but listen, there outliers like like that law Cincinnati
is losing against against New England was an outlier. It
was something that happens probably one out of twenty times.

Speaker 7 (57:13):
Yeah, but we've been we've been struggling for for for
a while now, and the past two season openers have
been really bad and have set a tone for the whole.

Speaker 1 (57:25):
You're right, Wilson. Look, Wilson, the team cannot start oh
and two again. It cannot have no disputing that. You
can't dig yourself in a hole, especially when you're coming
home and you're staring at Patrick Maholmes, Travis Kelcey and
Taylor Swift in week number three like that. That's a problem. Yeah, huge.

Speaker 4 (57:41):
Can I ask you something, John.

Speaker 1 (57:43):
Chris Jones is on that team too, by the way,
he's also pretty good. What just attack what happened?

Speaker 4 (57:47):
I mean hopefully not hopefully now, but let's say what happened.
If that's the case that we start going to why
do you think what I mean? You know what's going
to happen.

Speaker 1 (57:57):
What do you mean what happens.

Speaker 4 (58:00):
Well, they're gonna Doug calling for this kid to.

Speaker 1 (58:02):
Start right away, and yep, that'll happen.

Speaker 4 (58:04):
It's gonna be questions. They're gonna be questions about Brian Dabll.

Speaker 1 (58:07):
You know that, trure, But that doesn't mean those things
are gonna come to fruition.

Speaker 4 (58:10):
Though I'm not doing it because I'm not going to Wilson.

Speaker 1 (58:14):
That might happen, but that's just noise. The building's gonna
prepare for Game three and try to go out there
and beat the Chiefs. I mean, Paul Deatino won't be
very nice to be around for a couple of weeks.
I promise you that. But I mean other than that,
the team's gonna come home and they're gonna try to
win the home opener.

Speaker 3 (58:28):
See, Wilson, you were very concerned about the talk and
the entertainment value of football. I could tell you bring
this up. Also every season we go through this where
you're worried about radio talk shows and newspaper headlines are
gonna be critical of the team, and you can't get
overwhelmed by that.

Speaker 4 (58:47):
I listen, I want to have fun this football season.
You know.

Speaker 3 (58:50):
So I'm not trying to take away the fun from you,
but what I'm saying is you can't exhaust so much
energy in worrying about what could happen. And also just
a signing the fact that because there's a lot of
chatter and radio land and newspaper land, that that's the
reason why the team or players are not playing well.

Speaker 1 (59:09):
Those are not necessarily coincidning with.

Speaker 4 (59:12):
I want to ask something, Yeah, do you can you
acknowledge me this mate, is the home opener for the
Giants more important than twenty seven other teams in the NFL?
Would you agree with me on that.

Speaker 1 (59:28):
The home opener or the season opener?

Speaker 7 (59:31):
The open?

Speaker 4 (59:31):
I'm sorry, this season opener? What do you think, Johnny?

Speaker 1 (59:35):
I mean, look, I will say this, it is a
divisional game, so it automatically becomes more important than other
teams that are not playing individual in individual games. And
Wilson appreciate the call, but is it Look, I will
say this, What you don't want is the picture that
Wilson painted where you got people screaming for Jackson dark

(59:59):
very early in the year, way before the team wants
to put him out there. You know, They've been very
clear they want to be patient with him. And again,
but that's outside noise, and I think Brian Dable, that's
coach you used to have in this building, has done
a good job of, you know, silent, you know, keeping
that noise out of the building. Now we take phone
calls here, so we would have to deal with it.
So I'd rather avoid that, please. But look, do I

(01:00:22):
think it's critical the Giants don't start zero and two? Yes,
I would. I would consider that to be critical. But
beyond that, I mean, I don't know what's the inner
workings of all these other fan bases and how they're
thinking about the first game of the year.

Speaker 3 (01:00:34):
Yeah, I mean, as you mentioned, it's divisional games, but
once again, you also play eleven games outside of the division,
and you can do actually well in your division, and
it still doesn't necessarily guarantee that everything else is going
to go according to plant. You very poorly in your
division though, and still no doubt about it being good, share,
no doubt about it. But you know, the bottom line

(01:00:54):
is you could really spin this in a million different ways.

Speaker 1 (01:00:57):
I will say this.

Speaker 3 (01:00:57):
I brought up the Bengals again, the bean, you know, Wilson,
the last caller phrased it is the Giants season opener
more important than any other team. So if you look
at Cincinnati last season, John, Okay, they missed out on
the playoffs by a game, and if they win that game,
if they beat New England in a low scoring affair,
who knows. And I know I'm simplifying the math and
it's not that, but every winna counts the same in

(01:01:21):
the stands. So whether you're the Giants, whether you're in Tennessee,
whether you're the Cold I mean, does it really matter.
At the end of the day. The significance and importance
is through the roof. It's a qualities franchise. There's only
seventeen games. Every game is hugely important. Yeah, I think
Wilson's asking it more from an emotional point of view.

Speaker 1 (01:01:38):
Correct, that's exactly yeah, And it's hard.

Speaker 3 (01:01:42):
I'm separating the emotion from the exes and oh, you're
very good at doing that. Well, I mean that's just
how I was born and bred. Okay, it's maybe easier
for some people than others, but I don't get allowed
the emotion to get in the way of conversation and analysis,
except so you do hold.

Speaker 1 (01:01:59):
Some grudges, You hold some gudges, you old cranky sometimes well,
but that doesn't necessarily that has nothing to do with sports.
Though judges can be sometimes on teams or players will
be the wrong way. It's possible.

Speaker 3 (01:02:10):
I'm not going to necessarily dispute that and deny that
betimes all of us, I think at the topic at hand, though,
I don't know if that baggage has anything to do
as we dust out some skeletons in the closet or
whatever we're trying to do here. But the point is,
I think he's coming from a very emotional standpoint and
putting the weight of the world on winning or losing

(01:02:32):
the first game and what that could perhaps dictate and
say about the rest of the season. And I just
don't think there's enough of a correlation that every team
that wins the first game has a great pathway and
every team that loses the first game has a tougher pathway.
I just don't think that's how the NFL function. And
even oh and two, you can still you know, make
a run at oen three. Historically it gets very very difficult,

(01:02:56):
very very difficult.

Speaker 1 (01:02:57):
The percentage points are not going to be in your face.
I mean, you're going to have to go at worst
nine and five in your final fourteen game. At worst,
to have a chance of making the playoffs, you might
have to go ten and four, and that becomes very difficult,
very quickly.

Speaker 3 (01:03:11):
Well, and on the related note, not to be labor
this point, I know I keep using the Bengals, but
the reason why I use the Bengals, John, and I'm
glad you brought up about the percentages and so forth.
Last three seasons, I want to take you through how
Cincinnati has started and there's a reason why they've made
it very difficult on themselves.

Speaker 1 (01:03:29):
Well, by the way, Joe Burku's been banged up at
the start a lot of these seasons too, which is
a big reason why, without a doubt, but I mean
he's been on the field, so they went for all
of them. Then he missed a couple games one of
the years when he had the calf.

Speaker 3 (01:03:38):
Well let me, I'm I'm gonna go real quickly. Oh
and two in twenty twenty two, Burrow was in both
of those games. He was the high passer. Okay, okay,
twenty twenty three, that was the calf here. They were
also oh, and two. Burrow, Oh he did play, but
oh no Burrow in the Cleveland game, weight he only
threw for eighty two. Did he get hurt in that game?
Let me just minding it up quickly. No Browning came
in to throw one pass. So it was just a

(01:03:59):
rough throwing game. I mean he averaged It's boy, that's
scary two point six the elbow.

Speaker 1 (01:04:04):
Elbow heard that.

Speaker 3 (01:04:07):
Well, I'm not saying that he was healthy, but the
bottom line heaps on the field. And then and then
last season oh to three. Okay, So they've been oh
and two, oh and two and oh and three in
each of the last three seasons, and they have walked
a very very fine line to your point where they
got to go nine and five in the last group
of games. So it doesn't matter how electric you are.

(01:04:30):
And a lot of people, including us, we feel good
about the Bengals offense, but we know there's issues still
on that roster that if they start off oh and
two and oh and three again, the playoffs is gonna
dwindle in terms of the realisticness of them getting in.
So I once again I stand by the statement you
want to talk about the Giants, you want to talk
about the Bengals, you want to talk about anybody in between.

(01:04:50):
The conversation should not differ that much. The circumstances are
the same.

Speaker 1 (01:04:56):
Good stuff like that. Absolutely, he's last man. Oh I'm
John Shontash for joining us on Big Blue kick Off
Live presented by Cadillac Official Luxury Vehicle The Giants. We'll
one more show tomorrow. That'll be me and Paul Detino.
We'll do some over unders, maybe do some playoff predictions
as well as we continue to head into Labor Day week.
We will not have a show on Labor Day. We
were going to have them, but Pearson demanded a day off,

(01:05:18):
so we so so we had we had to skip today.
He's in charge now, so I mean, that's just kind
of how it goes.

Speaker 5 (01:05:24):
Don't worry what podcasts all weekend.

Speaker 1 (01:05:26):
Oh, we will no all jokes aside. Pearson's working his
butt off getting all these huddles up. So we're gonna
have a bunch over the weekend. We're gonna have our
writers round table on Monday. A lot of stuff come
in your way, so you'll plenty of content even though
there's no Big Blue Kickoff Live on Monday. And then
we'll be back twelve thirty the rest of the way.
Bob Poppol will join me on Tuesday next week. That'll
be fun. We're gonna mix Jonathan to see us back

(01:05:47):
into the mix. How it Cross will be in the mix.
We'll pretty set schedule. Tuesdays is getting a bit of
a bit of a mess. It'll be some combination of
Lance myself side Tack Cross depending on the day, and
we'll see how it goes throughout the year. So thanks
for being with us. We'll see you tomorrow on Big
Bull Kick Off Live.