Fox Sports Radio's Countdown to Kickoff Presented by BetMGM!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Are you ready to witness quint NFL fans, Welcome to
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Who rock from the beginning, Rock from the beginning.

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They're working today.

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Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by mg.

Speaker 4 (00:17):
Naked Legendary.

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We're setting you up with the information you need to
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Three is the eight game. We're here to break it
all down hard.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
This is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by
Ben mg app. Now we're live from your tailgate. Here's
Brian no Hyar, NFL veteran, Jeff Schwartz, and professional sports
better Bill crack Crackenberger.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Oh what is going on? Welcome in, Happy Sunday to you.
Happy week seventeen. My gosh, how did that happen so fast?
The NFL season flies by? Every single year. We got
all kinds of stuff. We got reviews and then the previews.
We got college football previews. We've got NFL previews, lots
of playoff scenario, seating implications, all that good stuff. Fired

(01:07):
up to be here. Good morning, Jeff, Good morning crack Everything.
Good Bowl seasons so far, so good props.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Okay, we all right, boll Season's interesting good day yesterday.
You know, just you know, you just don't know who cares,
who doesn't care. Army always cares. I'll tell you that
that was good hit Army yesterday. I was saying that,
you know, it's just like you go just you just
have these bad streaks right where like nothing seems to
work out, and then it works out. I still the NFL, though,

(01:34):
still still crushing my soul. Guys. I mean, look, when
you have the Chiefs under ten and a half points
and they go over ten and a half points in
the middle of the fourth quarter with ninety five yards
on offense, you feel a Cracker's just not your season.
So it's not your season when that happens.

Speaker 5 (01:53):
Ah, you had you had a This This is one
of those odd ball seasons for you. I mean you've
said that every year you've done really well. It's college football.

Speaker 4 (02:01):
College.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, typically college college. I did good. I still did
well in college. Oh yeah, you know, college I was.
I was in the contest. I finished thirty nine. I
didn't find in college, and the NFL has been like
I'm fifty fifty normally I'm not. I will not pretend
I'm like seven five percent. Make my way all ten
unit play. I'm telling you, guys, that's gonna hit. But
I normally not this bad.

Speaker 5 (02:21):
There's been three different Sundays Sunday nights that Jeff has
texted me and said, I'm done when NFL sides.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Then done, I'm just done. I'm just done. I just
I just it's it's like it's not that you lose
all the time, but it's just like the way that
I've lost this year has just been so soul crushing,
where you know, I still remember, like you know, I
lost that Chargers game where they allow six points and

(02:49):
then allowed fourteen points on special teams and you're like what,
like what is this? So that's the issue, but nonetheless
happy to be here. We have a play games today.
We don't choose to crack challenge Brian, oh, yeah, to
pick five of these games. Good luck to us.

Speaker 4 (03:05):
Yeah today.

Speaker 5 (03:06):
And they're moving around right now, guys, I mean major
line moves all over the screen. Pittsburgh just went to
four and a half.

Speaker 3 (03:12):
That went interesting.

Speaker 5 (03:14):
Yeah, Chicago total just dropped the Chicago San fran total
just dropped about a point and a half. It was
fifty two and a half when I woke up it's
like fifty one's now popping up on the screen. So
you know there's a lot of big movement happening.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
That could be you know, it could be a combination
of things, but one of the things tied to it
might be Jeff just texted us a little bit ago
Kittle might not go. If Kittle's out. Look, Man, I
don't know what it is with this season, but a
couple of teams this has happened to the Packers. Remember
when Tucker Kraft went out Initially, some of these teams
when they lose their their tight end, and he's a

(03:47):
big weapon, he's a big part of the passing game,
it really messes teams up. So I don't know if
that's going to happen with the Niners tonight, but if
Kittle can't go, that's a big deal.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
The reason why it's tight ends the unguardable. Like there's
such a weapon for a team to have because like
think about about Kittle is a good example, right, Like
he's an incredible blocker. So how do you how do
you personnel on defense matchup with Kittle? Do you choose
the bigger guy to defend him because you know they

(04:17):
might run the ball to Kittle's side, but then he's
a real big mismatch in the past game. Or are
you take a smaller guy of safety and put him
on Kittle, who, by the way, can still beat a safety.
I mean, how many years we see Travis Kelcey one
on one to get the safety they smoke the safety.
Do we see Travis Kelsey beat corners? These guys are
impossible to guard and and they're they take up the

(04:38):
middle of the field. You could put them on the
boundary by themselves, like they're they're just like they're the quarterback, blanky.
They're always They're always there. They always cuddle the quarterback.
They always make plays for them. And when you're out,
especially with the Niners who don't have great wide receivers
right now, you know, like you just you can't replace
that production. I mean, McCaffrey might get a thousand touches tonight,

(04:59):
Brian Michael to our favorite wager later with McCaffrey over
everything tonight. But this is also a situation where the
schedule I think really screwed the forty nine ers. And
I don't always believe that this is the case. I
think people make too much of scheduled disadvantages, especially in
weeks one through twelve. But you're in week seventeen, guys.

(05:19):
The Bears played Saturday night at home, all right. The
Niners played Monday night on the road in Indy. They
get back Tuesday am, like the Bears have already had
a full forty hours of recovery and preparation. For the
Niners now not as will be plenty prepared. But Kntle
might play this game if he gets a full seven
days rest, right, But he's not. And people will point

(05:40):
out to me, well, teams play the team's off of bye,
but yes, you get seven days to prepare like usual.
The other team might be off of bye, but Niners
are on short rest this week, playing a team on
long rest this week. That feels like a huge disadvantage
for the forty nine ers, especially for the older guys.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
Yeah, no, that's a good point right there. And listen,
before we get hot and heavy and to the previews
and everything, here a little review, because yesterdaek yesterday we
had a double header in the NFL, and I'll tell
you what. I'm watching the nightcap, and I'm both thoroughly
impressed and thoroughly disgusted. I think it can be both.
I was thoroughly impressed with Derrick Henry, who was amazing

(06:17):
thirty six carries, two hundred and sixteen rushing yards and
four touchdowns against the Packers. What an evening. And I
was completely disgusted with that Packers defense. You've got a
backup quarterback in there, Tyler Huntley, he throws for a
little over one hundred yards, and it is Derrick Henry
up the middle all night long, and they have no

(06:41):
answers whatsoever. That was just a disgusting performance by the
Packers defense. But at the same time, again you have
to give all the props in the world to Derrick Henry,
who was all world last night. He was amazing.

Speaker 3 (06:53):
So the Packers' defense I don't think was great this year,
but they had Michael Parsons who made a vote for
a lot of what they did. And they'd have Michael
Parsons right last night, who we know got hurt. That
played a big role in the Packers the The Ravens
obviously had to use Derek Henry after last week. We
should have just bet Derek Henry over attempts, which has

(07:14):
done that. I mean silly to not do that. But
my takeaway from yesterday last night, I should say not
the first game, is that someone's going to massively be
overpaid for Malik Willis this offseason. It's gonna be a
terrible mistake like that, Like the Internet, dude, there's nothing
more in the NFL. Hipster is the wrong word to use,
but Bud Elliott was using this about Collegrooball, like people

(07:37):
that want to spend in playoffs call them hipsters the Internet.
I think it's a fun word to use. But like
the hipsters like they like guys Malik Willis. I knew it.
I knew it all along. What'd you know?

Speaker 1 (07:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (07:49):
Wait, what'd you go? Like? Congratulations jets, I'm paying them
thirty million dollars a year, Like what are we doing?
There's like never these stories of the NFL, Like it
never works. It never works when you do this. Yet
someone that convinced themselves Milik Willis has the goods and
he's ended up being great for something like That's what
I take away from last night is that too many
people convinced themselves Milik Willis is a dude. When they

(08:11):
didn't win last night, Like I know the defense wasn't good,
but like I just a small sample size of milk,
Willis is going to be the wrong thing to do.
But nonetheless, Bears Division champions now secured. And now that
the reason why the Steelers are taking money this morning
is that game matters again because the Ravens winning means
that the Steelers have not cleansed the division yet.

Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (08:32):
I'm sorry, guys, I'm just looking at uh. I was
actually searching about them being injured. Referring to Kittle. I
don't see where he's out. I looked at is he
officially out.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
In the wrong direction?

Speaker 4 (08:48):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (08:48):
We all over over here. Crack he might not go.

Speaker 4 (08:51):
Yeah, okay, now I'll go over to Willis.

Speaker 5 (08:54):
And reading Twitter last night, oh my god, people were
talking about Willis like this. This guy is only twenty
six and he hasn't been used yet like he should.
And they were making fun of the previous teams that
he was on.

Speaker 4 (09:08):
I guess want to be they were.

Speaker 5 (09:10):
I said something about the Jets organization last night not
allowing this girl to make this kick for the one
hundred thousand, and they they have since been shamed into
changing their their their their minds about that, and everyone
was saying about how bad this team.

Speaker 4 (09:27):
You know that this team over the years.

Speaker 5 (09:29):
The decisions they've made including that. So seeing now hearing
you guys talk about this, and I really didn't have
an opinion on this, but even if you listen to
the announcers of the game, the broadcasters there, they were
talking about Will, It's like he was the next best thing.
His contract runs out, they're probably not going to renew
him because you know, they're not gonna be able to

(09:49):
pay him enough. Is that just off one game?

Speaker 2 (09:52):
The guys, Wow.

Speaker 4 (09:54):
They want to make him a thirty million dollar year quarterback.

Speaker 3 (09:57):
Again, he has played okay when he has been a
I have to start, Yeah, but they've also geared the
offense like to him and a lot of the quarterback
run stuff like it's just not gonna be available as
much when you start, Like you just can't afford to
run your quarterback that much. I mean, how many quarterbacks
have we seen you continue to run the ball like
I mean in the game last night, like Lamar, Like
the reason why the Ravens offense looked better last night
because Horny can run the ball like doubt. Yeah, you

(10:19):
just can't design an offense around that. In my opinion,
it's just not an offense that is successful every single
week of the NFL season. Can be successful in a
given week, absolutely, but it's proven time over time that
the offense you're not winning Super Bowl with a quarterback
run driven offense. You're just not.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, And you see a lot of offenses to say,
like the Eagles where Jalen Hurts, he hasn't been running
a lot this season. He's on pace to set career
lows in yards as well. Right He's starting to run
a little bit more as of late. So you see
that a lot more in the NFL, where like Week sixteen,
seventeen eighteen, ramping up towards the playoffs. Certainly in the playoffs,

(10:58):
some of these mobile quarterbacks they take the training wheels off,
they start running a lot more. They don't do that
the entire season. You're just not gonna last. So you
see a lot of these guys like Jalen Hurts, I mean,
they scale back, right, they take a step back and
stay upright throughout the season and then crank it up
at the end. But the point is with Malik Willis,
he can't do what he did last night throughout the

(11:19):
course of an entire season. It's just not gonna happen.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
The best example, obviously, is like Josh Allen, who runs
the ball a ton of the postseason, but he doesn't
do it a lot in the regular season unless it's
like a break last game like today, like if they
want to win today, he'll run the ball a lot,
and he might run, he might scramble. Those are that's different.
But design runs go up a lot in the posts,
especially its Kansas City runs the ball a ton of
design runs against the Chiefs, and in the earlier game

(11:45):
is quite simply this. I do not understand, oh man,
this idea. The Texans are like the hottest team in
the NFL. No one wants to play them.

Speaker 2 (11:52):
Really okay, interesting, not buying in.

Speaker 3 (11:55):
They're not good on the offensive line. Neither can't be
a team who wins three three road playoff games in
a row, which they're gonna have to do. If Jacksonville
wins today with that offensive line, they scored fourteen points
immediately the Chargers sold outs up the run. They got
a couple of deep shots. They scored six points the
rest of the game, and three of those were off
I believe a turnover looks if Gaston catches the ball

(12:16):
a couple times a game is a lot different yesterday.
I'm gonna tell you what though. My takeaway from that game,
justin Herbert Mann is a complete warrior, because, Yeah, my
buddy this morning, my offensive line group text, have a
offense line group text, and he's watching Chargers film this morning.
He sent me like seven clips where they don't even
touch a Texas defensi alignment, like just whiff completely. And

(12:38):
Herbert's out there making all these plays, making things happen.
I just don't buy the Texans because I don't think
that their offense good enough to win multiple playoff games
in a row. Can they win one? Two? Maybe? Maybe?
Defense incredible, defense incredible, But I just don't buy the
rest of them. And if they don't win the division,

(12:59):
they're gonna be on the road the entire time, and Brian,
I just can't do it. I can't do it with
a road team. We can't block.

Speaker 2 (13:05):
I listen, I get it. I totally understand that. And
I think we look at the Texans. They're gonna be
a tough out because that defense is just nasty.

Speaker 4 (13:14):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (13:14):
But to your point, they might not have a long
shelf life, because that offensive line is going to do
them in right, Like they're they're really tough with the lead.
You can pin your ears back that they're really tough.
But to win three road playoff games that that is
not gonna be easy, and that's what they're look major. Yeah,
if Jacksonville can win a moment.

Speaker 5 (13:33):
Yeah, another major line with this. This is sorry to
interrupt you, Brian. This is so weird. It's like keeps on.

Speaker 2 (13:40):
Getting That's like, no problem, go ahead, crack.

Speaker 5 (13:44):
It just keeps on getting pounded and pounded and pounded
and again to this morning, Buffalo just went to three.

Speaker 2 (13:49):
It's something yeah, man, like I kind of bills money
this morning.

Speaker 5 (13:53):
Yeah yeah, Buffalo just went the three at one, two,
three spots here in Vegas.

Speaker 3 (13:58):
Wow, has nothing to play four, which is true, I guess, but.

Speaker 4 (14:01):
Like I got, I mean, I just I don't know.
It's just uh.

Speaker 5 (14:06):
I seen this line move to from originally opened at
Buffalo three to go to pick them all Philly money,
now back to bow all Buffalo money, And I just
don't mean they're interrupt Like I said on the passes
along to you guys, I'm gonna see a lot of
this today I'm sure yesterday Pittsburgh was free uh during
the Lake game there and uh here in town. I

(14:30):
took a little stab at the three and and uh
and then I seen the movement from three to three
and a half, not today four. You're gonna get these
major line moves today on many things. Miami Tampa, big, big,
big move the under there. So yeah, interesting though, I
just figured whenever it happens, just to let you and
let the viewers and the listeners, uh know, right when

(14:50):
it's happening.

Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah, no doubt. Eagles Plus, I get the Bills defense
against the Eagles. I get three points with that defense.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
I know you get you get saqu against the sucky
rush defense. You know that's saimon.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
Look, the Steelers would make sense because the game matters now,
Like I get why that number is moving a little bit.
I am surprised Jacksonville number hasn't moved at all. Concidered
that game now matters, right, that game original did not
matter for Jacksonville. Han't know what happened last night, and
now it matters a lot for Jacksonville. So I'm kind
of curious. You know what we'll see obviously, how these
numbers moved throughout the day.

Speaker 2 (15:24):
You know what's funny, is uh a lot of times, Jeffy,
you're talking about like these disgusting losses. It's not just
that you lose, it's how you lose. Yeah, but sometimes
how you win you just gloss over the like the
charity that you get sometimes from NFL. Does that right?
If you If you look at that first NFL game

(15:45):
Camberon Dicker, who is as reliable as it gets as
a kicker in the NFL, he not only misses a
thirty six yard attempt, his first missed field goal within
forty yards in his NFL career. He not only miss
is that, then he goes on to miss an extra
point on the big deal like they have four point game.

Speaker 4 (16:05):
Yeah, so nineteen and a half it was the halftimeline.

Speaker 5 (16:08):
Twenty No, really that that missed that messed everything out?

Speaker 3 (16:12):
Wow, that I deserve to get that under. Okay, it's
been a long season. I'll take I'll take my under
in that game, which I gave out as the best
bet in other podcast this week. I I I deserved.
I just it was finally time for it to happen
to me. Okay, if you were doing the extra point
you're overdue. Yeah, I knew it was for me. I
knew exactly who was for Thank you. I appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
Yeah, that's the funny thing. When you go into a game,
you're not gonna be like, you know, chargers, I don't
know about the kicking game could come back to buy them, right, Like,
We're never gonna say that. And that's exactly what happened yesterday.
They left four points on the field. They lost by
four points. Who knows what happens if Diicker makes those
makes that field goal and makes that extra point. Who
knows what we're talking about right now, but exactly right.

Speaker 3 (16:52):
But that's the most Chargers was all ever though. Listen
to his Chargers, right, they just have these results. You're like,
what is what? What? Why? Why is it happening that way?

Speaker 2 (17:01):
Yeah, yeah, no doubt.

Speaker 3 (17:02):
I thought Harbob broke them of that, and clearly that
has not happened.

Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yet, not yet. He's broken of a lot of that,
but not completely. They can still charger, you know, chargering
still exists. All right, we gotta we've got Bill Krackenberger,
professional sports handicapper. Jeff Schwartz, eight year NFL veteran. I'm
Brian No. Register with BETMGM to get instant access to
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Coming up next, saying this game will be low scoring
could be a gigantic understatement. We'll tell you about that.

(17:48):
It is Fox Sports Radio's Countdown to Kickoff, presented by BETMGM.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 4 (18:06):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (18:06):
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Speaker 6 (18:10):
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Quick, knowledgeable and funny, opinionated. What are you doing were
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Speaker 4 (18:23):
You took those clips totally out of context.

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Let me put this into context.

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(19:01):
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that's bonus code countdown in the bet MGM app. All right,
we've got the Steelers against the Browns. The spread has

(19:22):
moved around all over the place a lot of Steelers
money coming in now. They are a four and a
half point road favorite. The total actually has been coming
up a little bit. It's up to thirty.

Speaker 4 (19:31):
Five major line move this morning, thirty four thirty five.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (19:35):
So Steelers in over a lot of bets as far
as those two categories go. And it's very simple, right
the Steelers win, they're in the playoffs. If they don't win,
then it comes down to a showdown against the Ravens
next week for the division for a playoff Berth, all
that good stuff. Obviously, the Black and Gold they want
to avoid that. They want to take care of business.

(19:56):
Beat the Brownies today and they're in the playoffs. Audios Ravens,
that's what they're looking to do. No dk Metcalf for
the Steelers today or next week. So this is gots
to have a game for the Steelers. And of course,
Miles Garrett one sack away from setting the all time
single season NFL sack record, and you just have a

(20:17):
fourth string left tackle named Dylan Cook out there like
that's that's not a great that's not a great scenario
for the Steelers. So it's gonna be chipping Miles Garrett.
You know, doubling Miles Garrett, doing everything they can for
Miles Garrett not to wreck the game and have a
big impact here.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
So this just feels like the classic Mike Tomlins spot
where you're off a win, right, you need to win
this game and you lose to the to the Browns
are not trying to win. I mean the Browns are
absolutely not trying to win because they want a better
draft pick. Like, they're not trying to win. They've not

(20:55):
been trying to win for weeks now. I like the
Browns cover this game a lot. This is like, this
is just the worst Pittsburgh spot there there could ever
be right your game again, the game doesn't matter per se.
If you lose, you're still alive next week. You don't
have you can't push the ball down the field anyways.
Now Dk metcalf is out. Your defense, to me, is

(21:17):
is not a great defense. It's a division opponent that
you don't play. You don't play well in Pittsburgh. You
haven't played well in Pittsburgh for years? Am I crazy? Brian?
This feels like anoun say Steelers are gonna lose, But
this is this is a classic Mike Tomlin. You know
road favorite spot where they just stink.

Speaker 5 (21:35):
Yeah, it's probably both hated that prop last not like
I did then.

Speaker 3 (21:40):
Yeah, to be fair, I I haven't done it yet.
I haven't the way I haven't. I haven't made yet.

Speaker 4 (21:48):
I I just I just I didn't.

Speaker 3 (21:50):
But I like game weell like I need game well
to do well for my Fantasy I'm in my Fantasy
Championship today, so I need Game well to do well.
So it's one of those things where like I, you know,
Rogers goes over. That would be fantastic.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Right.

Speaker 3 (22:01):
The weather's bad and what's pouring rain right now? They
said that it's going to pour for maybe the early
part of the game. I mean, I don't know, guys,
you tell me. It's just this is this is like
there was a classic Mike Tomlin let down spot for
Pittsburgh to have this every year. They finally, guys, did
you hear they finally throw over five hundred for the

(22:23):
nineteenth year in a row.

Speaker 2 (22:25):
I did hear that. I heard say I heard Stafford
went to high school with Clayton Kershaw too. I think
it was the same.

Speaker 3 (22:31):
I don't know, man, I the Browns are not very
good junkins out for the year now.

Speaker 5 (22:42):
Pittsburgh here, this is one of those interesting ones that
you know when the one team needs to win, the
other team's just playing for the role of spoiler. And
with the Ravens winning last night, as we said here,
the Steelers need to win this one. That's why I
snuck in a minus three in town during that game.
The Steelers again neither win this one to secure the

(23:04):
AFC North Division. A loss to the Browns today would
mean next week the Ravens Steelers team is a winner
take all, which I'd love to see. Actually, uh yeah,
you know. Cleveland has a great defense and Miles Garrett,
we all know about it. He's going for that record
with sacks today, but their offense is just terrible. Pittsburgh's
offense been playing much better, more consistent, but Rogers will

(23:26):
be without his best target, Metcalf, who's suspending for I'm
not gonna say punch the fan, but he definitely grabbed
the fan right right and by the way, and so
I'm not saying I'm on metcalf side at all. You
can't do that. But enough's enough with these fans. They
just think they can do so much, say so much,

(23:46):
attack players verbally for every little thing, especially gambling wise,
which really bothers me. NBA, it's been happening a real lot,
and it's just it's not right.

Speaker 4 (23:57):
It's not right.

Speaker 5 (23:58):
But I'd like to see if this is one of
those games that makes Christians eighty percent role in this
because uh, you know, everyone's probably I'm gonna say everyone's
probably bet in Pittsburgh.

Speaker 4 (24:09):
So uh, let's let's make sure this is the one
we ask him about.

Speaker 3 (24:11):
So yeah, I I've told you you guys this before.
I think fans, excuse me, NFL players should have one
one time of year they should be able to fight
a fan, okay, like would you agree to go to
a game? Part of that that long you know, go
on the back of the actual ticket. Was they have anymore?
There's a disclaimer?

Speaker 4 (24:32):
Right?

Speaker 3 (24:32):
Do you remember the back that they had this long
disclaimer on the back of the ticket. Oh yeah, part
of it on the back. Yeah, when they are used
to have actual tickets and on the back of it,
like they just put in there like if you buy
this ticket, you agree if a fan that if a
player calls you out, you have to fight the player.
And this is this has been a great situation where
like this guy wants to talk. He then ends up
by the way in a press conference on Friday, insane

(24:56):
press conference, like a total loser, lunatic. You know, Crack
always like to call people's he's a sick person, which
is absolutely sick, sick human. Okay, DK should be allowed
to fight him just one time. He would never call
him by his first name again, I'll tell you that.
Now got being said. You also can't go on the
crowd and touch him one like that. Dispension was totally
deserved right by DKA. But the problem is this guy

(25:18):
felt that he could talk to a player a certain
way and dk' has got to be better than that.
You can't on the crowd. But right, yeah, the one
fighter year policy would have cleared this up very quickly.

Speaker 2 (25:31):
Look, both things can be true, right like you guys
are saying it correctly, where DK can't do that no
matter what is said. And I hate that that's the
situation because some fans take advantage of that, and I
think this Yahoo did as well. I don't know exactly
what was said, but I'm sure it was. And hey, DK,
Merry Christmas, buddy, and he came over just red hot.
We are you're ready to punch the guy's lights out, right,

(25:52):
but he's going to turn into slur? What do slur
even mean? You know, like he's completely innocent all across
the board, I buy.

Speaker 3 (26:00):
Will say, though, it seems clearly that there was not
a slur used, right Like, if there was a slur use,
we probably would have actually heard about it by now.

Speaker 4 (26:12):
Yeah, and I don't know.

Speaker 3 (26:13):
Okay, well here, so here's my other thing about the
slur thing is that I saw the video of him
yelling at DK, with DK turned around to say something.
It does feel like if it was that loud, everyone
else would have turned around to.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
You would think. But man, some of these things that
are said at games, that's what blows my mind the most.
There are some wild things set at games, absolutely, and
the people around the Yahoo's are just sitting there like
just like, uh, you know, like he just was like
you're gonna miss this free throw or whatever, right like
it's general heckling. There are some much wilder things said,

(26:48):
and no one around them does anything that that blows
my mind the most.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
That is that is fair to note that. But nonetheless,
again no no DK today for them is a big loss.
And I do wonder if this could cost them operating
to win this game. They can't go about down the field,
they're not able to do.

Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, yeah, that's why I'm curious how many passing yards
they how good of a game Rogers has, because no, DK,
that's a big, big deal. But we'll see. One thing
that Crack said is right on point where the Steelers
offense has been playing a lot better, uh this season,
and as of late. You look at what they did
against the Allions last week. Every time I looked up,
Jalen Warren was busting a big run and yeah.

Speaker 4 (27:31):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
What's interesting too, is like reputation and how certain teams feel.
Right if you look at heading into this week, heading
into week seventeen, the Steelers offense been pretty good. They
were tied for eleventh in scoring offense. Yeah, and you
know who they're tied with down to the decimal point,
the Green Bay Packers. They both heading into this week

(27:52):
averaged twenty four point three points per game. And if
you think about the Packers' reputation went healthy, like when
Jordan Love is in there and Malik Willis did his
thing as the backup quarterback yesterday. Right, but you think
at the Packers offense in much higher regard than you
do the Steelers offense. They're averaging the exact same number

(28:12):
of points. I think the Steelers offense is the Jared
Goff of offenses right where the numbers are pretty good,
but when you watch them, you're like, I don't, I
don't know, man like it right? Like, the Steelers still
have that vibe going on even though their neck and
neck scoring wise they're exactly the same. It's the Spider
Man meme with the Packers scoring offense. So kind of

(28:34):
interesting how that has worked out. They have their work
cut out for them tonight or today without without DK,
so we'll see what they can do against that Browns defense.
Let me shift to another game. How about Seahawks Panthers.
Seahawks a steady seven point favorite. We're looking at some
of these games move and ebb and flow. This Seahawks
Panthers game has stayed at a flat seven almost all week.

(28:57):
And look, man, Carolina has been lot as a dog,
especially a home dog. They've been really, really good. And
I want to see this Seahawks squad. You think about
the last game, now, it was last Thursday, right, it
was Week sixteen, on a Thursday that they had the
crazy game against the Rams. But eighty eight plays their

(29:17):
defense was on the field against the Rams, and even
though they got a little extra rest before this game,
ad is a ton of plays to be on the
field for. So I'm very curious how they played today.
And again another thing, the Seahawks, they turn the ball
over a ton. They don't run the ball very well,
and they turn it over a ton. They have what
twenty six giveaways that is second to dead last in

(29:40):
the NFL, so we know how much the turnover battle
can matter. And if Darnold's turning it over, if there
are a couple of fumbles, look out. And the Seahawks
obviously need this game to be alive for the one seed.

Speaker 3 (29:53):
So also Panthers. By the way, they win this game
and Tampa Bay loses to the Dolphins, they win a division,
so it's important to note there. I am curious though
that if they get if they get behind early, the
Panthers do like, what movation do they have because next
week is you know, the must win game for them, right,
They win next week no matter what happens this week,
and you win division. Right, So I'm curious to see

(30:15):
what that how that plays out. I'll just say this,
not for nine weeks in or the Panthers have one loss,
one loss, one loss, and in that period they beat
the Packers, they beat the Rams. They've also lost the
Saints twice. What Panthers seem like getting is really what
will determine this game. And it does feel like not

(30:36):
a great matchup for the Panthers here because again we
don't know what we're getting. Seattle has pretty much handle
business because everyone they should this year in a big
way and a lot of these games by they've covered
a lot in this situation so far this season. You
mentioned they have a little bit of rest as well.
The Panthers again don't need this game. This feels like

(30:56):
a perfect teaser game. Crack take it down to one
and just if you think Sale is gonna win this
game and to find another leg for yourself.

Speaker 4 (31:05):
Right in your backyard there, all right, right, it's.

Speaker 3 (31:08):
Still not going though, but it is it is in
my backyard.

Speaker 4 (31:11):
Gap big game for both teams here.

Speaker 5 (31:14):
Seattle can clinch number one seed in the first round
by in the playoffs here with a win over the
Panthers are combined with a loss or tied by both
forty nine Ers and Rams. So Carolina also concludes the
NFC South with a win and a Tampa loss.

Speaker 4 (31:29):
Like you said, today, Jeff Sam.

Speaker 5 (31:32):
Darnold's he has led the teams of five straight victories
here with Seattle, now faces his old team with a
chance to lock up home field for the playoffs. But
you said something there so true. Look to think about
what you just said. So the Panthers beat the Rams
green Bay in Green Bay, they've been so inconsistent, lose

(31:52):
to the Saints like you said, Oh god, but the
former number one pick Bryce Young looking more comfortable each week.
This should have a playoff atmosphere in Carolina. Today again
the Seahawks and prove to their six and one row record,
their seven point favorite thing in this one. I'm seeing
some movement in the last twenty four hours to the Panthers.

(32:13):
Though there was a couple seven and a half dog
fifteen's out there at the books that matter that control
the line. Now they're seven minus fifteen plus seven minus fifteen,
So the Panthers are definitely seeing some money this morning.
As a matter of fact, on my screen, I'm only
seeing one seven flat. Everything now is if you're taking Carolina,

(32:35):
you're going to lay more than a dollar eleven dollars fifteen.
So there is some Carolina support out there, and if anything,
I'd have to lean to the dog there only because
they they're you know, they're playing they're playing pretty good
Carolina and now they're home again getting disrespected with the
line getting seven points low total forty two and a half.

(32:57):
I kind of leaned to Carolina there, but however, I'm
not betting the game.

Speaker 3 (33:00):
What I need though I need Carolina to lose. I'll
tell you why. I have a crack. I have a parlay.
Close your ears, but you can listen. Anyways, it's thirty
five to one. Okay, it's a Rabel Coach of the Year,
ABUCA Offensive Rookie of the Year, McCaffrey comeback player there,
Stafford MVP. So Stafford MVP is gonna hit. McCaffrey's gonna

(33:23):
hit for comeback player of the year. Rabel's probably if
the Rabel they have Jets and Dolphins right the last
two weeks of season, the Patriots, Rabel's probably winning coach
of the year. That's three of the four legs. McMillan
is right now the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of
the Year. I need that number to come down a
little bit so I can hedge next week on McMillan.

(33:45):
So I needed to lose today, come back down till
it's like minus two ninety right now, I need to
come back down a little bit to maybe like in
the minus two hundred ish range. I can hedge a
little bit on my on my night's wager.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
There's something missing from this. You could have had some
added value, get it to at least forty to one.
You should have had Isaac Lohenkron update Anchor of the
Year and a little extra value. It's like minus ten thousand,
but you know, added in extra leg little little additional
value right there. I lo is with us. What's going on?
I loo Hey, good morning Felsen.

Speaker 7 (34:20):
We do have some fresh news about that Panthers Seahawks matchup,
because this morning Carolina added a receiver to Tyroe McMillan
to their injury report due to illness. He's now questionable
for today's game against Seattle. McMillan, by the way, with
five touchdown receptions in his last five games. On Saturday night,
the Baltimore Ravens stayed alive with a forty one to
twenty four win at Green Bay behind Derrick Henry two

(34:43):
hundred and sixteen yards four touchdown, setting an NFL record
with the seventh two hundred yard game of his career.
The victory clintch the AFC the NFC North title for
the Chicago Bears. And get this, kudos to an NFL
researcher out there named Henry Gold who found out that
the Packers last night became the first team in the

(35:05):
Super Bowl era to lose three games in one season
when they do not punt. This year, they are zero
to three in games where they don't have a punt.
Earlier Saturday, the Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers
twenty to sixteen. That clinched a playoff spot for them.
It eliminated the Indianapolis Colts, and it also clinched the

(35:25):
AFC West for the Denver Broncos. And get this, guys,
After clinching the division, Broncos linebacker Jonathan Cooper celebrated by
posting the following last night on social media. Quote bleep
the Chiefs bleep made bleep pansies unquote. I guess we

(35:47):
all have our own ways of celebrating back to you guys.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
Wow, yeah, tell us how you really feel about that.
It is Fox Sports Radio Scautdown to Kickoff, presented by
Bett MGM. Be sure to subscribe to the Fox Sports
Radio YouTube channel. Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube
and you'll see all of our best videos from all
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(36:12):
search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube and subscribe. By the way,
Jeff said it a couple of minutes ago, I'll put
a bow on it. Which Carolina Panthers team are we
getting today? It's the question from week to week. You know,
they look good last week against Tampa there's a big
win for them. The week before they lost to the Saints.
They got swept by the Saints. Like this season, it's great.

(36:33):
If you just look at their home schedule, it's wild.
It's just like up, down, up, anywhere in between. They
start off three and oh, they shut out the Falcons
thirty nothing. That's a good divisional win. They get blown
out by the Bills forty to nine. They lose to
the Saints at home. Then it's like they beat the Rams,
then they lose to the Saints, then they beat Tampa,
so it's it's just a roller coaster. So which team

(36:55):
are you getting today is a great, great question. They
are psychotic, but the good Panthers. It's more than capable
of covering this one. All right, We've got Bill Krackenberger,
professional sports handicapper, Jeff Schwartz, eight year NFL veteran. I'm
Brian no coming up next the parlay platter. We each
have one selection for you. We pull it together for
a greater payout. We will compare notes. Coming up. It

(37:17):
is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff presented by BETMGM.
It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff presented by
bet MGM. Every time you make a wager at BETMGM,
you earn BETMGM rewards points that can be redeemed for
things like bonus bets or converted to MGM rewards points
that could be used towards dining shows and hotel rooms

(37:37):
at over twenty MGM resorts. And be sure to follow
BETMGM across all socials at BETMGM. All right, let's dive
into this.

Speaker 1 (37:47):
Check this out ar lay letter.

Speaker 2 (37:50):
Ah, yes, the platter. Weach have one selection for you.
We pull it together for a greater payout. Crack. We
start with you to get us off on the right foot.
What do you have for us?

Speaker 5 (37:59):
Yeah, let's let's go to that Carolina game. Even though
I said that there might be a lot of points,
I'm still gonna go under on Carolina quarterback Young under
his passing yards one.

Speaker 4 (38:09):
Ninety eight and a half. Now at at MGM. This
is a tough matchup for Carolina.

Speaker 5 (38:16):
We know, but some of the top Panthers wideouts are
possibly not gonna be one hundred, So under on Young
one and a half passing yards.

Speaker 3 (38:26):
All right, okay, so I'm gonna take it. That's my
favorite play of the day. I evenna think I'm crazy,
but I know if I'm gonna put in the parlay plotter,
you have to leave to let me know if I
can if I'm like, this is acceptable to do.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
So they okay, it's always.

Speaker 3 (38:38):
I think the Raiders win today, Like it's a giant okay,
because I think in a tank off, Pete Carroll's gonna
try to win. I mean, Pete Carroll, if you're telling
me which coach is gonna try to win the tank off.
It's gonna be Pete Carroll absolutely gonna be Pee Carroll,
like he's gonna Pete Carroll's gonna play to win this game,
where now Kafka might play to win the game. But like,
I don't really know. They liked the it's a betch

(39:00):
more good players than then than the Raiders have. But
I don't know if I could trust our parlay. I'm
trying to give us a winner, and to me, that's
not giving you like, that's just it's too much. Okay,
it's just it's just I can't. I can't get there.
So I'm gonna do is do what I've done many
times on this on this show. It's worked out very

(39:23):
well for us. I'm gonna take the tight end playing
the Miami Dolphins to go over to over today for
their receiving prop is eighteen and a half for Kate Autten.
We have seen this year that you know, again, the
Dolphins don't cover tight ends at all. His numbers have
come down the last couple weeks. Is Mayfield's kind of

(39:44):
struggle a little bit. The Dolphins will cover tight ends. Brian,
You're a Dolphins friend, you know this, every tight end
goes over eighteen and a half, two catches, three catches.
I'll go on and over as my official parlay platter,
knowing I like the Raiders as well.

Speaker 4 (39:56):
You're saving the Raiders still for later.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
Oh it's gonna be my craw challenge a the Grand
Finale right there. Okay, all right, I'm gonna go with
the team total under. Give me the Titans under nineteen
and a half. The Saints have been playing good defense. Now,
a couple of things here. We've got what cam Ward
has been playing well. He's got two touchdown passes in
each of the last three games. Tony Pollard has run

(40:20):
the ball really well. He's reached one hundred yards rushing
in each of the last three games. But I think
the magic offensive carpet right is coming to an end
very soon. I like the way who Dad has played defensively,
and I just don't expect the Titans. They're not gonna
open it up, and you score a ton Opening it
up for them would be like getting in the twenties.
I don't think they've reached the twenties today.

Speaker 4 (40:41):
So I'm gonna go.

Speaker 2 (40:42):
Under nineteen and a half for the Tennessee Titans. And
if you combine these three legs, we're looking at plus
four ninety two. It's about five to one for these three.
Krack is on Bryce Young under one ninety eight and
a half passing yards, Jeff Kate Otten against my apathetic
Dolphins defense against tight ends. Right there, So there you go,

(41:03):
all right, comeing up the college football playoff preview. Oh,
welcome in hope. Your Sunday is off to a great start.
Happy Week seventeen. Happy college football playoff right around the corner.
We'll get to that here momentarily. Throughout the entire football season,
bet MGM will offer all different types of no sweat
tokens and odds boost tokens. Be on the lookout for

(41:24):
no sweat same game parlay tokens, parlay boost tokens, and
so much more. All right, we take a little bit
of a break from the NFL slate Week seventeen. Very
excited for it, but college football playoff previews. So we're
knee deep in bowl games. The playoffs are right around
the corner in the NFL, but the playoff is right
here in college football. So on Wednesday, we get Miami

(41:46):
in Ohio State and the Cotton Bowl and then a
triple header the next day on New Year's Day. Your
ducks Jeff against Texas Tech. You get Bama against Indiana,
you get the nightcap in the Sugar Bowl is Old
Miss It's Georgia. And look, man, it's funny. You can
tell these betters are in NFL mode. I'm looking at
all four games. No movement like the the spread in

(42:09):
either direction for all four games. Yeah, completely stuck. You know,
these betters are like, you know, I'm thinking, I'm thinking
the Dolphins. I'm thinking, you know whatever today and they'll
get back to the College football Playoff in a little bit.
But you know there will be a movement, just not
right now. We're in NFL.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
Bit. Look, every time Indian Alabama gets back to seven,
people take Alabama.

Speaker 4 (42:30):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (42:31):
It'll fluctuate a little bit. The last day and a
half or so, it stayed pretty cool.

Speaker 3 (42:36):
If Miami gets out to ten again, people taking Miami
at ten, right, Yeah, so it's kind of fluctuating there.
We haven't seen like the major moves. We'll be on
New Year's morning, I believe me and you, Brian, so'm
looking forward to that on New Year's morning. We'll be
able to recap that Ohio State game.

Speaker 2 (42:51):
So you're going to be out of control that the
Ducks play that day. Oh man, that's.

Speaker 3 (42:55):
Gonna be news. By the way, that's can be fast
that day, like we play like hours after we're done, right,
So I think, Look, it's interesting sort of the the
people that I talked to that sort of are filmed.
The film watchers think Ohio say it's going to dominate Miami. Wow,

(43:16):
Yeah I don't. I'm think I'm on an island in
that one. I think it's more of just like a
Carson Beck fade, Like the Ohio State defense is really
really good. It might be better than the last season,
Like it is incredible defense that defensive line did. Look
they didn't lose that that big ten because the defense
defense was was wonderful. But my thing is, also, I

(43:38):
don't really trust Julian saying yet in this type.

Speaker 2 (43:41):
Of game, right, yeah, sure, And so the total is.

Speaker 3 (43:43):
Like forty two. I haven't looked at that a couple
of days either. I think Miami covers a nine and
a half ten. I really do. And so that'd be
fun to watch the first game and look, organ Texas Tech,
we'll just get to it right now. Texas Tech fans
are insane on the internet. Brian, Oh my god. Okay, look,
I'll just say this. It's sort of the same previous

(44:04):
game for James Madison. Is that as good as Time
Tech is on defense, and they're great, Bailey's good, Heights good,
Rodriguez is great. They just haven't seen Oregon yet. They
just haven't seen Organs offense yet. I know, Utah fans,
I mean, Utah, you guys, it's not the same thing.
It's not the same thing. It's not the same thing.

(44:27):
So we gotta play well on offense. The key to
the game is turnovers. Tex taxs number than the nation
and turnovers forced. Their offense at the number one starting
field position in the sport. I don't think their offense
can go toe to toe. We don't turn the ball over, Brian.
Their offense just hasn't really proven that that's what they
are this year. And the passing game most similar to

(44:52):
what Oregon's gonna show is Arizona State and Arizona State
beat Texas Tech. So close game, but I like how
we're playing. I think we're gonn win the game, so
we'll obviously, you see how it goes on the first
There's also one part of this that I think it's
important to note here, and it might matter in some
of the other games, but I actually don't know if
it will, is that Oregon was in the spot Texas

(45:15):
Tech was in last year where it was your first
time in the playoff. You had a great season, but
you had that long layoff, and here comes Ohio State
and they whipped up on Oregon and Dan Lanning, Oregon's
coaches talked a lot about them preparing differently this year
to play in the postseason, and they talked in Josha Poor,

(45:38):
the decordinger, I said a couple days on the medios, Yeah,
this is a totally different preparation for us than last year.
They played a game first of all, beforehand, but I
think just mentally, the preparation for this game is so
much different than it was last season. I think Texas
Tech might fall into that, not the trap, but that
they haven't been here before, and we saw how that

(45:58):
affected Oregon last season. I think mentally, just knowing what
you're in for is an advantage to start the game.
At least it might not matter for the whole game,
but the fact is Organ's prepared for this exact game
all season. Texas Tech did not prepare for this game
all season, if that makes sense, right, Brian, Like Oregon
purposely prepared their season to play in the playoffs. Again,

(46:23):
it's why they manage the year as they did. It's
why they manage injuries like they did. So I like
when we're at heading this game, but I feel like
Texas Tech, though Cracker will be a sharp play for everybody, though,
I feel that's gonna be a sharp side this week.

Speaker 5 (46:33):
Okay, are you going over all there that they get
Bama Indiana almost.

Speaker 2 (46:37):
Go wherever you want to go Crack now, Okay, well.

Speaker 5 (46:40):
Let's go back to Miami Ohio sticks. I kind of
agree with Jeff here. This is a matchup of two
of the best defense in the country. Ohio State probably
has the best defense in all of college football, so
I think Miami's gonna have a problem scoring this one.
The big question is can Miami put pressure on the
quarterback like it like Indiana did in the Big Ten championships.
So they only go up six sacks the entire regular season,

(47:03):
but somehow give up five in the Indiana game. I
think we see that grind that out type of game here.
I think, you know, all right, maybe Ohio State holds
on here twenty to fourteen, twenty four seventeen kind of game.
But yeah, if this reaches ten, which I see some
ten dog money, the ten looks pretty appetizing. Going to
the Oregon game, the other one of those two good

(47:25):
defensive games, I would expect to come down maybe to
the final possession. Oregon may have that advantage though, because
of the red zone. In this game, Texas Tech has
struggled to punch it an old season in the red zone.
If the Ducks can hold them to a field goal
instead of a touchdown, I think that they can advance
in the next round. Texas Tech is also one of
the least disciplined teams in the country. Yeah, the six

(47:48):
point eight averaging, I read that before. I'm doing my
research here on anything that Oregon or Texas Tech. I
want to be ready for. Jeff So, yeah, so the
perfect ennew exactly what I meant. This could be the
difference of these penalties in a close game. But I
do lean Oregon in this game. It's a it's a
no play for me. But I guess I'll be I'll

(48:08):
be rooting for your Jeff Well.

Speaker 2 (48:10):
I can't wait. That game is gonna be outstanding. I
love the matchup. That's obviously the shortest spread of the
four games here in the quarterfinals. And when the when
the Ducks have the ball, Jeff and crack you know,
but you know, Jeff, because you're in a lump. When
the Ducks have the ball, their offensive line, they're running
game against that Texas Tech defensive line, that front seven.

(48:34):
That is gonna be fun. That is gonna be an
absolute war right there, football wise, right, Like, I can't
wait for that. I can't wait for Bama to get
punked as well. I'll get to that.

Speaker 3 (48:49):
I I haven't madey wagers for these games yet because again,
like to your point, brite, like nothing's really moved it
all and happened yet, Like I think you can wait
on some of this stuff.

Speaker 1 (48:59):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (49:00):
I think. I think like game day, Bama is going
to is gonna see money because it's Alabama, right, like
you know, like a six on Indiana something like that.
By the way, like crack this, I think I said,
this is how crazy fans are. Their Texas Tech fans
have convinced themselves that this is Organs are a favorite
despite the numbers because some of the analytics show that
that Tech Tech is better. But their scheduled they played
a big twelve schedule. It makes such a difference. Guys,

(49:22):
I'm like, I don't want to it in an Organ segment,
but like Organ has played more defenses closer Texas Tech
than the text Tech has played anything close to Organ
the entire season. Like that's just the truth of it.
And so they said Organs because a brand bias three
to five points, because a brand bias here, So what's

(49:43):
the real Indian Alabama line? Then if it's brand bias
is twelve, Like like, this is just the things if
you put.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
If you put Alabama in different uniforms and called them Vanderbilt,
this is a twelve point spread without a doubt. If
you just look at Bama's four formula. They can't run
the ball, correct. They ran the ball against Oklahoma quote
unquote for one point one yards per carry. They can't
run the ball, and that's been a consistent theme. They're
not gonna run it on Indiana. There's no way they're

(50:12):
running it.

Speaker 3 (50:13):
Indiana did lose two d tackles this year. They're like,
I don't know how much depth they have like as
a team to that that that That's the one that
does worry me, Brian, is that they lost those two tackles.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
I hear you, but it's Alabama. I don't think they
could run on you me and crack you know like that.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
It'd be tough Cracks.

Speaker 2 (50:33):
Tough man. He got bitten on the leg, like he's
back for more. Right, he just keeps coming after you.

Speaker 3 (50:38):
That is why fantas is short for fanatics. So I was,
I have a clip out there previewing this game early
and I mentioned Alabama doesn't they don't want to pass it? Well, right,
they're one hundred.

Speaker 2 (50:47):
And that's the other thing. You have a horrible pass
rush and you're facing a Heisman Trophy winner, right, this
is a gigantic step up from John Mattier who fell
off a cliff after he got hurt with the thumb injury.
With Fernando Mendoza, you don't get a pass rush on him,
good luck, Like it's it's not gonna work out well.
And Indiana's got a pretty decent pass rush and you're

(51:09):
solely reliant on Ty Simpson who's been mostly good this season.
But he's been skittish as of late, but a little inaccurate,
little inconsistent. Get a pass rush in his face. He's
a fish out of water. This is not a good
matchup for Alabama at all.

Speaker 3 (51:23):
And Bama fans were like, you don't watch our team play.
We had five sacks, it's Oklahoma. I'm like, they stink.
You had three sacks total in your previous three sec games. Like,
don't don't start this nonsense with me. Bama's just not
good in the trenches this year like they have been
in the past, and Indiana's really good in the trenches.
I think Indiana's had the time again the same for me,

(51:44):
like they were here last year, like they know what
this feels like to lose that first game, to prepare
to play this game. I think they're just a different
type of team right now. And I think this is
a game where, out of a lot of the favorites,
I think this is the one I like the most
to cover.

Speaker 2 (51:58):
Yeah, and listen, you guys talked about it that Miami game.
A couple of things are interesting in that one where
if you look at Ohio State and you mentioned this briefly, Jeff,
last year they played in the first week and they
dusted Tennessee and then they had they rode that momentum
into the game against your Ducks, and they went ballistic
against Oregon. And I do wonder this year. I'm not

(52:20):
saying they're gonna be lethargic and awful and sloppy just
because they didn't play in the first week. I'm not
saying that. But with getting that buy and Miami played
last week, sometimes that's not great for a team like
Ohio State, who's got talent galore, but they are untested. Man,
their resume is they beat Texas. That's pretty much it.

(52:41):
They lost to Indiana. They beat Texas, and everything else
was just like white noise in terms of the opponents
that they're facing. It's just not high quality of opponents.

Speaker 5 (52:50):
They agree Indiana and this and this spot here and interesting.

Speaker 4 (52:55):
Let me see what Jeff said that Alabama.

Speaker 3 (52:58):
Gets wrongs for Ohio State is yeah, big positive in
my opinion for them though, because remember last year he
took over a play call and it did playoff too,
and it made a big difference.

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Yeah, it could, it could. Miami's got real talent. That's
the thing. If you look in the trenches they have
NFL guys all over the place. Yes, and so we
know Ohio State's talent, but man, we can't overlook Miami's
talent either. And when you're getting nine and a half,
that's that's a lot of points.

Speaker 4 (53:25):
Man.

Speaker 2 (53:25):
I love Miami with the points in this one.

Speaker 4 (53:27):
Sorry, guys, I was going to the other game.

Speaker 2 (53:29):
No, you're good.

Speaker 5 (53:30):
It just I was just I was kind of agreeing
about Alabama maybe getting some money here that you can, uh,
you know, maybe snag a six and a half instead
of a seven. That's all Indian right first Aabama the
game that, truly.

Speaker 2 (53:44):
You're gonna be on IU if it gets to I'll
tell you. Are you already on it?

Speaker 5 (53:48):
No, I'm not, but I would lean that way for sure.
I'm not betting the dog there, that's for sure. And
that's unusual me saying something like that.

Speaker 2 (53:57):
By the way, any any strong thoughts on the last
one Old Miss against Georgia And I can't get out
of my head Georgia closing that regular season game in style.
They outscored Old Miss seventeen to nothing in the fourth
quarter and that's a home game. Yeah, but no, Lane
Kiffin in this one, I think that matters. Georgia's defense
has been fantastic to close the season the way they

(54:19):
punked Alabama in the SEC Championship game. I just think
it's going to be really, really difficult for Old Miss,
as is to go into the Sugar Bowl and beat Georgia.
Kind of interesting. Georgia's season ended in that same venue
last year they lost to the Irish, and remember Gunner
stocked in the big turnover right before halftime, and Notre

(54:39):
Dame they had a decisive win against Georgia. So they're
right back to the Superdome, right right back there in
New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl against Old Miss. I
like the dogs a lot in this one.

Speaker 3 (54:50):
I think some of you mentioned the people are maybe
not have not come on too yet. Georgia's defense had
a kind of rough stretch Tennessee absolutely missed.

Speaker 4 (54:59):
Oh yeah, really good.

Speaker 2 (55:00):
Since then they have and.

Speaker 3 (55:03):
Offensively, the only thing I question is like sort of
the consistency. But Old Miss has a bad defense and
truly moved the ball and then they just had to
turnovers and weird things happen. So I think Georgia handle's
business here. I think Georgia is sort of being slept
on as a potential championship team because of their mid
season soon essentially which wasn't even a swoon really lost

(55:24):
to BAM at home. I like Georgia law on this one.
I think the old miss is again the great game
Game one. You win. Nice to have a win, but
they're just not this level where they can compete. I
think for uh, for sixty minutes to get the team.
Like Georgia, it feels like they're sort of on a
mission right now, the way they played the last you know,
six to seven.

Speaker 4 (55:41):
Games, you know, just like Georgia. Yeah, I like Georgia. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
The curtains for us, it means our track record in
agreement is not the greatest. We need to change that here,
you know, we need to get on a winning streak.

Speaker 4 (55:56):
Here.

Speaker 2 (55:56):
We'll go around the room real fast and we'll get
to Christian Cippolini. But the game in the college football
playoff that you're most confident, confident in the game that
you're least confident in if you're picking a side. Yeah,
how do you break it down.

Speaker 3 (56:10):
Jeff, I'm most confident Indiana. Yeah, I'm part of least
confident in Miami.

Speaker 5 (56:15):
Okay, how about you crack Yeah, I kind of like
Georgia in this in this situation here, and yeah, I
probably have to go the least confident in Miami because
you know that they can just blow them out to
Ohio State. But yeah, again, if this goes to ten,
I may bite.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
Yeah, I would say I'm most confident in Indiana. I
gave you all the reasons why i'd say least confident
in the Oregon Texas Tech game. Like, I could see
that game going either way. I think it's going to
be a close, you know, rock em sock them type game.
I lean Tech. Sorry, Jeff, but I get all the
reasons why you're on Oregon in this one, but that

(56:53):
that'd be my least confident game. I just think that game,
the Strength on Strength in the Trenches is going to
be fantastic. Man, I can't wait for that one. So yeah,
that would be my least confident one. But can't wait
for it to roll around Wednesday and Thursday. These four
playoff games should be a lot of fun.

Speaker 4 (57:09):
All right.

Speaker 2 (57:09):
We've got Bill Krackenberger, professional sports handicapper, Jeff Schwartz. AI
your NFL veteran, I'm Brian No register with BETMGM to
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(57:32):
and more. Today again, the bonus code is countdown BETMGM,
make it legendary. Coming up next, our main man, Christian
Cipollini from BETMGM, gets you all set for Week seventeen.
Maybe a little college football playoff action as well, and
we got to know the eighty percent teams huh, a
good track record, a lot of wins like fading the

(57:53):
teams where eighty percent of the bets the money are
on them, So we'll get to that around the corner
as well. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to kick
Off presented by bet MGM. It is Fox Sports Radios
Countdown to Kickoff presented by bet MGM. Be sure to
check out the new locking features in the BETMGM app.
It's fast and easy access to the sports you love.
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(58:15):
ever to find the bets that you love. It's more
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new players can receive up to fifteen hundred dollars back
in bonus bets with bonus code countdown if they don't
win their first bet, that's code countdown in the bet
MGM app All right, let's do this, follow the money,

(58:37):
real good money. All right, Let's welcome in our good friend,
Christian Zippolini, bet MGM Senior Trading Manager. You know, Christian,
good morning to you. You know I you know I'm
out and about. You know I'm here there. You know
I was in Vegas. Now I'm visiting Indiana for the holidays.
And when I'm out and about, people just come up
to me and they're like, hey, man, hey, when's that

(58:58):
when's that segment with Christian Sipolini? Whin's the eighty percent
thing going down? I'm like, you know, it's right around eight,
you know, twenty five. We'll call it West Coast time.
Be ready to be locked in. Everybody wants to know, man,
do we have any eighty percent today? Where like eighty
percent of the money is on them and maybe we
look to fade them.

Speaker 8 (59:18):
Yeah, okay, yeah, the big one. So yeah, now they
have won this week. Unfortunately, there's probably is going to
be one Monday that Rams Falcons game is shaping up
to be that way, but you know, still a long
way to go in that one. But the one for
today maybe not expected, but it's Cardinals Bengals. So far
over eighty percent of the money coming in on the Bengals. Uh,

(59:40):
not ritty much action on the Cardinals. That line was
six and a half.

Speaker 4 (59:43):
It's now at seven.

Speaker 8 (59:44):
So that's really just the one today. There's a couple
that are closed, but that's that's the little one over
eighty Okay.

Speaker 3 (59:51):
We have had seven primetime holiday games, three Thanksgiving, one
Block Friday, three Christmas. All seven underdogs cover I think
five to one outright? How how has that gone for
the sports books on these on these standalone games? But
I imagine a lot of people are wagering on these
and all dogs keep covering for.

Speaker 8 (01:00:09):
You guys, Yeah, I was waiting for the what's the
book need this week? And uh after after so far
this week with all underdogs covering so far, the book
really doesn't need much of this Sunday because he had
a pretty good week.

Speaker 3 (01:00:25):
Sorry sucks to be the sportsbooks.

Speaker 1 (01:00:29):
Yeah, the.

Speaker 8 (01:00:31):
Lions Vikings game on Thursday was ended up probably being
a top five game of the year for at least
bet MGM. Pretty much nobody taking the vikings in that game,
a lot of people also taking the over, so it
ended up being under end the Vikings, which has ended
up just really not being good for much of the public.

Speaker 4 (01:00:52):
Okay, what's up, buddy?

Speaker 5 (01:00:54):
I have a question about the Pittsburgh game because we
talked about that earlier and when even tweeted to me, So,
you guys were pretty much prepared yesterday I find snagged
actually two threes here in town. I found somehow, and
you guys were pretty prepared. You have the number already moved.
But when stuff like that happens, is the public because

(01:01:16):
I know that of course the pros are all over
the stuff like this in the situations, But do you
find the public money coming in at bet MGM on
this type of situation? Also, like, so, are you like
perfect example of this game? Are you heavy on either
side on this game, which I think it would be
the Pittsburgh side you'd be rooting for Cleveland today.

Speaker 8 (01:01:36):
Yeah, exactly what the public side. You know, sometimes the
line really isn't shaping them much neither way, at least
from the you know, the true public side, and especially
at number you know three was the best you were
going to get it, but it ends up kind of
in no man plane in this the four and a
half five where it's mostly set. So this is a

(01:01:56):
game where we're over seventy percent so far on the Steelers.
So yeah, the book, they'll be hoping for the Browns.

Speaker 4 (01:02:01):
Oh yeah, we want to know seventy percent. So Pittsburgh's
one of them?

Speaker 5 (01:02:04):
Anywhere else anyone else up there?

Speaker 8 (01:02:08):
Yeah, that one is.

Speaker 4 (01:02:09):
And then the other one that's into.

Speaker 8 (01:02:10):
The seventies is Jaggs, cults or so far?

Speaker 4 (01:02:14):
Just right?

Speaker 8 (01:02:15):
Tell of the Jags action, especially after the cult's getting eliminated. Figured,
that's the spot where people will be taking the Jags.

Speaker 2 (01:02:22):
Interesting. How about the college football playoff christian An any
big needs in that one? And which team has the
highest percentage of the backing as of right now?

Speaker 9 (01:02:33):
Yeah, there's a couple that are they'll be close. So
the Texas Oregon or sorry Oregon, Texas Tech that spreads
really close. We've been getting pretty good fifty fifty action,
which makes sense for that.

Speaker 8 (01:02:46):
You know, the main one that we'll be rooting for
the underdog will be the Friday night sorry, the Wednesday
night Miami Ohio State game. She was the biggest spread
of that weekend so far. So yeah, and obviously Ohio
State is think a ton of backers too. So I
just think the Alabama Indi Indiana one is pretty funny too,

(01:03:06):
because if you would have told yourself a few years
ago Indiana is going to be seven point favorites against
Alabama in a playoff game, I don't think anyone would
have believed you. So get a little bit more Indiana action,
but Alabama still with that big name. So that's the
one game we'll rant a little bit of underdog money on.

Speaker 3 (01:03:25):
Yeah, I think I think no one would have thought
that that that it's responsible. So I find these next
couple of weeks there to be some really dumb is
the wrong word, but I think maybe maybe inefficient wagering
where people look at player incentives and decide to bet
on their overs, because I think that somehow magically that

(01:03:47):
in the huddle, we're like you have to get one
hundred yards we're throwing you the ball every play. Do
you adjust your player props in week eighteen because of that,
like knowing that people are going to bet a bunch
of overs on some of these guys to catch chuckdown
passes or to catch a certain number of catches. I mean,
I see I've saw teachers like make sure Travis Kelsey
get seventy eight yards next week? Who's doing on the ball?

(01:04:07):
Do you matter try to get him? So how do
you how do you guys adjust some of those player
props here moving forward because you know everyone's going to
bet they're overs.

Speaker 8 (01:04:17):
Yeah, I mean you kind of nailed it there that
the sports bok is very aware of the incentives as well.
You know, this is a secret information that's that's just
there to the public. So of course the sportsbooks know
that these numbers are going to be you know, there's targets.
You know, we've seen it in the past where Mike Evans,
you know, they're they're feeding them the ball so you
can get to a thousand yards. You know, that's all

(01:04:39):
kind of factored into the number at this point. So
you know, realistically, if anything, your your best edge is
probably taking those unders, being contrarian against those at this point,
just because the sportsbook aren't factoring in those types of things.

Speaker 5 (01:04:52):
Christian, give us some idea of volume, like, besides the
Super Bowl, what is your second, third, maybe fourth volume game?

Speaker 4 (01:05:01):
Is it the playoff games?

Speaker 5 (01:05:02):
Or is it uh, you know, the college football championship
game or even maybe a game like this Oregon game, Like,
you know what, what's your big volume games beside Super Bowl?

Speaker 8 (01:05:13):
Yeah, NFL will still ring king even some big college
football playoff games. The National Championship will get up there
with a lot of them, but in general it's going
to go Super Bowls obviously number one, and then pretty
much all the play NFL playoff games will be our
next highest handled games pretty much all the way down.
National Championship game will sneak in there, you know, maybe

(01:05:35):
beating out a couple of playoff games or two, and
then after that, it depends on if there's you know,
some really good prime time games throughout the year and
especially later in the year, ones that might be really meaningful,
one where it's winning get in type things. You know.
We even saw this week some of the Christmas games,
even though they were not the best games on paper,
a lot of backup quarterbacks. They still actually ended up

(01:05:56):
being some of our high higher handle games. I think
some will end up being top ten this season. And then,
of course the opening night is usually our biggest regular
season night.

Speaker 4 (01:06:09):
Nice good stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:06:11):
Christian has always been thank you for your time today.
I hope you have a great day. We'll catch you soon.

Speaker 8 (01:06:16):
Course, only only one regular season week left, so good luck.

Speaker 4 (01:06:19):
Everybody.

Speaker 2 (01:06:19):
Party is over, So I'm drowning myself in tears right now.
It's crazy. It's done this fast, all right. That's one
heavy hitter, Christian Sippolini to another. That would be our guy,
Isaac Loewenkrawn running the anchor leg of the four by
one hundred meter relay. And he's fast man. He's the
using bold of update anchors. What's the latest? Di Lo?

Speaker 7 (01:06:39):
I have taken a performance enhancing substance. However, however, it's
only black coffee, so that is legal according to the IOC.
I think we have some performances coming up. Seven early
games had one pm Eastern and the inactive starting to
come out Fellas. Carolina Panthers receiver at TYROA. McMillan is

(01:07:01):
officially active for their game against the Seattle Seahawks. He
had been added to the injury report just this morning
due to illness. The Panthers can clench the NFC South
with a win and a Tampa Bay loss or tie
at Miami. New England running back Trevion Henderson is active
for their game against the New York Jets after clearing

(01:07:22):
concussion protocol. The circumstances for the Patriots today, they can
clinch the AFC East with a win and a Buffalo
Bill's loss or tie to the Philadelphia Eagles. On Saturday night,
the Baltimore Ravens stayed alive in the playoff race with
a forty one to twenty four victory at Green Bay
behind a brilliant performance by Derrick Henry ran for two

(01:07:44):
hundred and sixteen yards with four touchdowns. The loss for
the Packers clinched the NFC North title for the Chicago Bears. Then,
earlier Saturday, the Houston Texas defeated the Los Angeles Chargers
twenty to sixteen to clinch a playoff spot and also
clinched the AFC West for the Denver Broncos. The result
also eliminated the Colts from playoff contention, as the Chargers

(01:08:07):
missed a field goal and extra point and had three
punts of under forty yards, leading at Ricky Penny to
post on social media and I quote, it's twenty twenty
five and Chargers kickers are still screwing Philip Rivers unquote
back to.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
You guys, thank you. I lo. It is Fox Sports
Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by bet MGM. Now I'll
never forget Philip Rivers when he was with the Chargers
and they botched a snap of a field goal, like
they couldn't get the hold right, and they messed it
up and they lost another gross game, and they showed
Philip Rivers on the sideline and he just said bad

(01:08:46):
news bears right, like they was just saying that on
the sideline. So yeah, how about that the Chargers kicking
game still screwing up Philip Rivers now that he's playing
for it every day he's with the Colts. Now wild
all right? It is Fox Sports Radios count Down to
kick Off, presented by bet MGM. How about we get
to the toilet Bowl. Huh. We got the Giants against
the Raiders. We got line movement over here, We got

(01:09:08):
the Giants up to a three point road favorite. Huh,
the Giants money is flowing in, they're just not buying
the Raiders. No Max Crosby, who gets shut down. No
brock Bauers, he gets put on IR. Jeremy Chin gets
put on IR as well. Max Crosby was so ticked
off he left the facility. He's like, I'm out of here.
You kidding me, you're shutting me down. I love that

(01:09:30):
mentality from Max. Max wants to go out there, Max
wants to win. Max doesn't care about a draft pick.
I love that. But organizationally, it is more than clear
that the Raidas want nothing to do with the win here.
And you could make the same argument for the Giants,
But the Giants are taking money. I think it's the
lesser of two evils. At least that's what a lot

(01:09:50):
of people are thinking heading into this one, where you know,
the talent that is not going to be on the
field for the Raiders, maybe in their minds they think
it's a greater loss and will make a greater impat
then the talent not on the field for the Giants
and who's been shut down and not gonna go here today.

Speaker 3 (01:10:05):
So you got to think about this, right, like which
team and coach, you up, is dumb enough to win
this game? It's absolutely the Giants, right, well, excuse me,
I just to say about it's actually it's absolutely the
The team that's the dumb enough to lose would be
the asum dumb enough to win would be the Raiders,
right Like Pete Carroll is not taking for anybody. Remember, guys,
tanking is what you do with this like your roster

(01:10:28):
like mass cross of the injured reserve, Andrew Thomas injured reserve,
Like that's how you tink. I don't think Pete Carroll,
it'd all tay will think one time about not winning
this football game. Gent finally got going last week. They're
going to try to run give them thirty carries like
they're going to try to win this game the Giants. Now,
Mike Kafka doesn't care about next year, but the Giants.

(01:10:49):
I think that it's word is out like this is
it right, Like we're not gonna try to win this game.
So he's gonna be like, which coaching is gonna try
to win?

Speaker 4 (01:10:56):
Brian?

Speaker 3 (01:10:56):
I think I think Pete Carroll will try to win
this game. Absolutely.

Speaker 4 (01:11:00):
Okay.

Speaker 5 (01:11:01):
This is this one, as we know, is the Battle
of the two most storied franchises maybe in the NFL
that have hit absolute rock bottom.

Speaker 4 (01:11:10):
No one really wants to win this game.

Speaker 5 (01:11:12):
Like we said, the loser's position for the number one
pick in the NFL draft in the spring. It will
be interesting to see how this one is coached. The
Raiders shut down two of their best players as we know,
Brock Bowers and maybe the NFL's top edge rusher Max Crosby.
But yeah, this one is going to be ugly. I
mean for the fans, they should really all we you know,

(01:11:34):
get the old brown paper bag bags for their heads
and this is ugly game.

Speaker 4 (01:11:40):
I might be able to get free tickets to this
one in case anyone wants to go.

Speaker 3 (01:11:44):
There's a bunch of Giants fans of this game too.

Speaker 4 (01:11:46):
Yeah, you know, you're right.

Speaker 5 (01:11:47):
They schedule their at their trip, they'll there'll be a stadium.
I'll tell you, it may even be fifty to fifty
probably not more. A little bit more Raiders fans than Giants,
but there's going to be lots of Giant fans in
the crowd.

Speaker 2 (01:12:01):
Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (01:12:01):
There will not surprised me one bit if there's a
bunch of those fans at this game. So I have
a Giant's worst record plus six hundred, so I the
Giants losing would be very nice to my wallet as well.
So let's see, hopefully can make that happen. I've been
it's a good it's been a better than usual future
year for me. I'm normally very bad at futures.

Speaker 2 (01:12:20):
That's good. Are you get a hedge in this one?

Speaker 3 (01:12:22):
No? No, there's not enough money on the line of hedge. Okay,
now that big parlay, I will try to find a way, yes, yeah,
to make that happen. And my sweatchnger Rookie of the
Year is going to be like my life saver for
this year. So hopefully that that gets something.

Speaker 2 (01:12:38):
Should What were those odds when you get forty to one?
Oh that's a nice payoff.

Speaker 3 (01:12:43):
Yeah paid, So I was only I was limited to
forty seven dollars for that wager.

Speaker 2 (01:12:47):
Wow, that's pretty crazy.

Speaker 3 (01:12:50):
Yeah, yeah, so I probably would. I think I tried
to put one hundred on it, you know, let me
forty to one, like yeah, but yeah, forty seven dollars
was my limit. Crack in the offseason.

Speaker 4 (01:12:59):
Show, you're getting Mike, you getting my limits? What are
you doing? Man?

Speaker 2 (01:13:04):
It reminds me by Sorry, I had a flashback petting
story for you. I was going to the Indy five hundred, right,
and I was doing some fill in work in Indianapolis
at the time, and so I'm going into the race
and I interviewed two drivers that week, right, They're promoting
the whole race, the whole thing, and I'm like, you
know what, I'm gonna put one hundred bucks on each
of these guys to win the race. And one was
forty to one. I don't remember what the other one was.

(01:13:27):
And I'm watching the race. I'm right there, great seats start,
finished line. It was beautiful, you know, through the radio
station whatever. And the guy I interviewed, Joseph Newgarden, unbelievably
wins the race and I'm like, oh my god, he won.
And then immediately I thought I was gonna bet him
forty to one. I would have won four thousand bucks.
And I'm like, I'm just throwing one hundred dollars away.

(01:13:47):
Why would I do that? And of course it would
have won. It would have been a winner.

Speaker 3 (01:13:51):
So got well, life rough again. I took this one
because swat Enjoy is a tackling machine.

Speaker 4 (01:13:56):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:13:57):
You were all over that one.

Speaker 4 (01:13:58):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (01:13:59):
It has a great call. Yeah yeah, and even on
the Browns too, because the pushback was like, yeah, but
he's on the Browns, Like what's their record gonna be?
How's that going to impact him individually? Like if it's
neck and neck with some other guy who's making an
impact on a good team, like that could do you in.
But uh no, you're gonna hit that one. That's a great,
great handicap by you. That's the Schwartz Syndicate right there.

Speaker 4 (01:14:23):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (01:14:24):
Eight year NFL veteran Bill Krachenberger with US professional sports handicapper.
I'm Brian know Hey. Feeding off the success of our
college basketball bracket challenge each March, we decided to do
a bracket challenge for the college football Playoff. That's right
now that there are eight teams left standing, it's Bracket
Challenge time. Compete against our Fox Sports Radio hosts and

(01:14:46):
also against fellow listeners to see who has the best
college Football Playoff bracket. Play for your chance to win
one thousand dollars. Visit Fox Sports Radio dot iHeart dot
com to register, get rules, and fill out your bracket.
Entry will open will be open until before kickoff at
seven thirty pm Eastern on New Year's Eve, Right, so

(01:15:07):
get this done before Wednesday at seven thirty pm Eastern time.

Speaker 4 (01:15:11):
Again.

Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
Fill out your bracket at Fox Sports Radio dot iHeart
dot com for your chance to win one thousand dollars
and my little edition. Make sure you fade Alabama because
I think that would be a solid approach right there,
all right? Coming up next, prop it up. The prop
betting market man crack Clause is back at it again.

(01:15:34):
Right it has a laundry list of prop bets. He'll
share some with you. Coming up. I've got something that
I absolutely love and I know the Schwartz Syndicate. He's
all over the props as well, so we will compare notes.
Coming up, it's Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented
by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff
presented by bet MGM. Score bigger at BETMGM when you

(01:15:56):
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so much more. All right, let's do this.

Speaker 4 (01:16:15):
Good drop it up player plays Ah, yes.

Speaker 2 (01:16:20):
The prop bets. Gosh, it's like slipping on a real
comfortable robe right now.

Speaker 4 (01:16:26):
You're just ah.

Speaker 2 (01:16:27):
All right, prop betting time. Let's compare notes. We got
you cracked up first?

Speaker 4 (01:16:31):
What do you like today?

Speaker 5 (01:16:32):
All right, let's hope, uh, let's hope this guy is
full of a steam today New Orleans Saints over his
rushing yards over thirty three and a half at bet
MGM New Orleans Saints. This team over and uh, I
think he could be more involved this week. Taysoon Hill
maybe uh taking a back seat to.

Speaker 4 (01:16:51):
Him this week. So let's go over on his rushing yards.

Speaker 2 (01:16:53):
Okay, shout out Irish former Notre Dame player.

Speaker 4 (01:16:56):
There you go, there go.

Speaker 3 (01:16:58):
I like camp Gamwell over seventy one and a half
rushing receiving yards today. He's taken a big role in
this offense the back half of the season. The steers
back are running back and without without DK Metcalf, we're
gonna have to get him out like he's He's probably
one of the more dynamic playmakers they have in space.
And I know this number is higher than usual, but

(01:17:20):
I think he has to be part of the game
plan today, you know, and I know Crack likes the
Rogers over that's a big part of it. He can
get gain well involved in the passing game. That gives
him opportunity to get over that number. I mentioned that
Kate Adden trop already. Look, I think we get to
nineteen and a half now, so we try to get
on that, see if we can. Again, that's an opportunity
to to get him, you know, as a player as

(01:17:42):
a tight end that's able to score a lot and
can catch the ball a lot against the team that
doesn't you know, defen headict the last one, I mean,
Christian McCaffrey over over five and a half receptions tonight
if plus one hundred. I mean we talked about earlier,
Brian like, this is what they do. They have to
give the ball because you can't talk their player or
be injured and not bend. So I think five and

(01:18:05):
a half is a before he's that normally five or six.
I get plus money. I'll take McCaffrey offer.

Speaker 2 (01:18:10):
Okay, what was the number on the first one? The
Steelers guy seventy one and a half for game l
okay se could combined right.

Speaker 3 (01:18:18):
Bind Russian receiving arts.

Speaker 2 (01:18:19):
Okay, right, let's sleeve all right?

Speaker 4 (01:18:21):
Cool? All right, So.

Speaker 2 (01:18:24):
This is an interactive play on my behalf. Okay, so
I want you guys to participate. How would you describe
the Bengals ability or inability to cover tight ends? How
would you describe that porus porus's that's a very good word.
How would you describe the quality of the Arizona Cardinals

(01:18:47):
tight end Trey McBride, Uh, not porus, not porous, very good.
We're on the right track over here. So I am
going to bet on the not porous tight end Trey
McBride doing unspeakable things to a very poorest Bengals defense,
particularly against tight ends. I got it. Let me double

(01:19:08):
check it because it was at seventy six and a
half picked up a little bit. So let me get
the most current line for you here.

Speaker 3 (01:19:17):
I like your debts. I love the eighty percent of
public is on the Bengals here because I'm glad to
fade them in this game. I think Arizona now, it's
like their defense is atrocious. Arizona. I know they have
a bunch of injuries, but like they're trying still to win.
I mean they've been trying for We're not good.

Speaker 2 (01:19:35):
That's right here. So it's up to eighty two and
a half. That's fine. I'm good with that. I bet
it at seventy six and a half. I have no
problem betting it at eighty two and a half. Also,
I would look at his receptions too. You got juice
at this point. It's at seven and a half, which
is a lot, but again it's the Bengals. He gets
the eight receptions, it's at minus a dollar forty. I

(01:19:58):
feel very confident he gets to eat receptions today. He's
gonna knock on the door. His stat line's kind of
gonna be double digit catches. He's gonna be over one
hundred yards, probably gonna have a touchdown or two. I
think Trey McBride goes freaking crazy against the Bengals today.
I agree, Yeah, I can't believe some of these numbers
are real. With the Bengals against the posing tight ends,

(01:20:21):
they've given up the most receiving yards nearly fourteen hundred yards.
Think about that to opposing tight ends fifteen touchdowns. They've
given up the tight ends. That's brutal.

Speaker 3 (01:20:32):
Good dude, not good at all.

Speaker 2 (01:20:34):
Take advantage. McBride are coming up next. Arguably the best
matchup of the day might favor the road team. Oh
what is going on? Happy Sunday to you, Happy week seventeen,
as we get you all set for a huge week
of NFL football. We're less than an hour away from
kickoff and we're looking at what arguably is the best

(01:20:55):
matchup of the day. My voice went up a little
bit high, almost quite an octave, you know. So we'll
compare notes on that might be the best matchup of
the day all season long. Bet MGM's offering you a
second chance on your first touchdown bet. When a customer
places a wager on a first touchdown scorer bet and
he doesn't score first, but scores second, bet MGM will
return one hundred percent of their stake back in cash.

(01:21:17):
All right, we got the Eagles against the Bills, and
we have got some line movement, the Bills up to
a solid three point favorite at home here. How about
that Bill's money rolling in here on a Sunday morning,
and kind of interesting right this game, the first part
of it, I think of the Bills sucky rush defense.

(01:21:38):
They're thirtieth this league at this year against the against
the rush this season, they're terrible. And they're facing this
guy named Sakuon Barkley who's come on down the stretch
lane Johnson back right, Maybe that running game gets going.
I was thinking maybe Kevin Petulo, the offensive coordinator, he
was watching some late night Saturday football, got inspired. Derek

(01:22:00):
Henry just running all over the Green Bay Packers. Did
he sit there and say, you know, maybe we get
Saquon the ball here today? It's a terrible Bills rush defense,
so we'll see how many touches Saquon gets. The big
question is do the Eagles scratching claw this whole game?
They really don't need it, So like the thought is

(01:22:22):
do they just I don't know, second half? Are they
starting to poll guys or are they going through the
motions today? What's the deal?

Speaker 4 (01:22:29):
To me?

Speaker 2 (01:22:29):
This is like where do we stack up?

Speaker 4 (01:22:32):
Right now?

Speaker 2 (01:22:32):
The Bills are a good team, They're gonna be a
major threat come playoff time, and you want to see
where you stack up. So I think that the Eagles
bring it today. I don't know if it's their A
game or like their B plus game, but I don't
think it's their D minus game. So I'm surprised with
all the movement on the Bills here this morning.

Speaker 3 (01:22:52):
So the Eagles team Elane Johnson back with Jaylen Carter back.
You know, the Eagles have shown against bad defenses they
can they can perform. They perform on against the Raiders
a couple of weeks ago. The problem is the defense
is that take away the run game right, the turns
into something else which the Bills can't do.

Speaker 4 (01:23:10):
Right.

Speaker 3 (01:23:11):
Bill's past defense is good right as we know, but
the run defense is a problem. And I would imagine
to your point, like the Eagles are gonna try in
this game? Why not? Like why would you not try?
It's a good like, hey, guys, like let's win this
week and then we'll take off next week type of game.
Right for the Eagles, you know, the these are better,

(01:23:33):
Like their defense is I think gonna stop the Bills
from scoring this game. They's some Josh Allen stuff to
get in the to get in the inZone in this game.
So I don't know, man, I like Philly. I think
maybe I don't think. I don't think many teams stopped
trying a week seventeen. I think people have that wrong,
like it happened once where like the Colts like stop
trying for a month. It doesn't happen like that, And

(01:23:54):
so I think they're still gonna try to win this game,
especially where they're playing. They're not playing like a Jugger
naut right, and you get Carter back lane Johnson back.
So I would lean certainly to the Eagles here.

Speaker 5 (01:24:03):
Crack as you guys probably see them pointing and clicking,
and no, living in town here, living in Vegas, we
have an advantage. I just took a plus five. I
know it's not really fair to even say it to
people because they can't go, oh, if live in Vegas,
you can get it. But I just aok, plus five

(01:24:23):
minus sol five on Cleveland.

Speaker 4 (01:24:25):
Come on, how much you what are you gonna move?

Speaker 5 (01:24:27):
I actually bet this game yesterday minus three. I didn't
mean the middle of the game. I actually knew it
was gonna move. But yeah, that's again, living in Vegas,
you have these opportunities sometime. But it just seems like
I was hoping that Christian said this was one of
the eighty percenters though, because I was gonna get off
all together and take the four and a half.

Speaker 4 (01:24:47):
Now, I see someone must.

Speaker 5 (01:24:50):
Have got a lot of money here on maybe a
table player on the on Pittsburgh minus four and a half,
and they went to minus five, minus fifteen.

Speaker 4 (01:25:00):
All right, let's get to this ego game. Eagles are gonna.

Speaker 5 (01:25:03):
Eagles are going full steam ahead and not resting any
of their starters though, even though they really don't have
anything to play for. I guess they have an outside
shot at number two seed, but they're pretty much locked
into the free seed for the playoffs. So it's an
interesting line move that I seen this game. Like I
said earlier on the show, to open three, went to
almost pick them, and then back to three again, solid

(01:25:26):
three across the board.

Speaker 4 (01:25:28):
The Bills still have.

Speaker 5 (01:25:29):
An outside shot at the division and if they want
to improve their playoff seeding with a win today, Sure
they've won four straight. A lot of people think this year,
following their win this this was the year for the
Super Bowl. If you go to pre season back in
August and look the Bills and the Bills and there

(01:25:49):
was two teams and the Ravens were like the number one,
number two teams to win the Super Bowl. That's certainly
not the case anymore and they have going back to
today's game, though they certainly have the rushing attack to
win it all. Cook Allen Combo number one in the NFL.
The question all year has been do they have the
defense to win the championship? And we know defenses are

(01:26:11):
very important and win championships. Today will be a big
test to see if they can stop the run against
these Eagles. Philly looked better in their last couple of games,
but it was against the Raiders and the Commanders, so
you have to think about that. This will be a
good measuring stick for the Eagles to see if they
really do have legit shot at running the table again.
I'm actually excited to watch this one as I made

(01:26:32):
a bet I found twelve to one on the Eagles
to win it all last week, and I just think
that was pretty good odds compared to you know, hear
you're getting a Super Bowl champion team that's like the
fifth or sixth pick. It's just one of those years
that we have Seattle Rams all these other teams that
are ahead of them.

Speaker 4 (01:26:52):
But yeah, I'd like to see what happens today with
the Eagles.

Speaker 3 (01:26:56):
Quickly, though, the Bills could have nothing to play for
by the time this kicks off, though, Like, if Plan wins,
that's right, their game the divisions over the England wins division, right, like,
that's the end of it. So I don't I don't
know why, because right Buffalo is a game back, I

(01:27:17):
guess that's not Wait, who's a tiebreaker?

Speaker 2 (01:27:21):
Yeah, I don't think it's complete, Like I think they
would still be alive, I think, but the buildings.

Speaker 3 (01:27:27):
Would have to live next week to the Dolphins, right,
essentially that would have to be it. I don't know.
I just think that the idea that no one has
anything to play for in this game could kind of
go both ways.

Speaker 4 (01:27:37):
Interesting.

Speaker 3 (01:27:38):
Interesting because like the Buffalo because some of the division
I guess, and weird things have happened in the past,
of course in the situations. But Buffalo could look up
at that scoreboard and see that New England's up twenty
seven points and and maybe, you know, not really care
as much about winning this game. They can hold stuff
as well, so I think it's not as certain that

(01:27:59):
this game is matters for Buffalo as well.

Speaker 2 (01:28:02):
Interesting. Yeah, it's you crack hit on something there where
James Cook has been fantastic. He's leading the league in
rushing right now, and you got to see this Eagles
rush defense play a lot better. They haven't had Jalen
Carter for stretches this season, and they're twenty first against
the rush. That's what Philly is. That's way too low
for their defense. And getting Jalen Carter back, Like, if

(01:28:26):
you got some pride, you want to compete, you want
to win this game, even though you're not gonna most
likely move up in the seeding. They do have an
outside chance to move up to the two seed. But
I think this is a pride game. I think this
is a we want to be firing on all cylinders
here right. We're getting guys back, We're getting Jalen Carter back,
We're getting Lane Johnson back. Like, let's get on the

(01:28:46):
right track here going into the playoffs. That's what I
think the approach should be. We'll see if that is
Philly's approach in this one or not, but I'm excited
for it. And I will tell you one thing stats
wise that jumps out to me. I think sometimes we'll
look at a stretch of play and then just misapply
it to the season as a whole. And I think

(01:29:08):
Jalen Hurts is a good example of this, where he's
had some rough weeks. He's had some weeks where you're like, man,
that was not a good game from Jalen Hurts. Certainly,
the Philly offense has sputtered at times, but if you
look at his numbers, if you compare him to Josh Allen,
just one thing to look at, Jalen Hurts has twenty
four touchdowns, six interceptions. Josh Allen, who's been fantastic this season,

(01:29:32):
has twenty five touchdowns, ten interceptions. So Jalen Hurts among
what most people think is the best quarterback this season
in Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts has one fewer touchdown pass
and four fewer interceptions. Like, he's right there. Passer rating
is similar. He's throwing to much better weapons. I get that,
but he's like, he's not far away from Josh Allen.

Speaker 1 (01:29:55):
That matters.

Speaker 2 (01:29:56):
So instead of looking at a couple of Jeffers not agree,
Instead of looking at a couple of games where Jalen
Hurts stinks or the offense isn't playing well, if you
look at the whole season, it hasn't been that bad.
He can't be that close. It hasn't been bad the
entire season, is what I'm telling you.

Speaker 3 (01:30:16):
Just a few down, four two minutes left. You want
Josh Jalen Hurts.

Speaker 2 (01:30:24):
Come on, I would rather have Josh Allen. But I
can't tell you that Jalen Hurts is light years behind
Josh Allen, like that the numbers are right in front
of you right here, Like he's not that far behind.

Speaker 3 (01:30:37):
The Tide has good numbers, and no one trusts him
in the playoffs. I just I think that there's uh,
Josh Allen scares you and Jalen Hurts doesn't. That matters?

Speaker 2 (01:30:49):
Fair fair, But I think what happens is you get
an impression of a player, and maybe it was a
big game and you watched it beginning to end, and
Jalen Hurts was not impressive, and you're just like, eh,
Jalen Hurts, and nothing has happened to change your mind,
and you're like, yeah, you just feel like that still,

(01:31:09):
and you're I think you're misapplying that game to the
whole season, where he hasn't been that guy the whole season.
I'm not saying he's neck and neck with Josh Allen.
I'm just telling you when we look at Jalen Hurts,
and if you look at his numbers, you'd probably be like, whoa,
those are way better than I thought they were. It's like, yeah,
why do you think that is? Because you're looking at

(01:31:30):
a couple of games and misapplying it as if that's
been the entire season. It has over Donald's I'll tell
you that much for sure.

Speaker 5 (01:31:38):
And Jeff, you see you're misapplying, Jeffrey, that's right, misapplying, Jeff.

Speaker 3 (01:31:44):
I am rooting for Niners to win and the Seahawks
to win both today because I can't wait to put
all oh, I cannot wait do that. And Sam Donald
in a week eighteen must win game on the road.

Speaker 2 (01:32:00):
I don't know, man, no pass rush, no pass rush
from Sam.

Speaker 3 (01:32:04):
There's no pass us. But they can the Sale can't
run the ball. And again this just like this the
Seeing Ghost game. It's this week eighteen must win game.
Everyone's like Sam Donald. But yeah, and he's played the
Rams twice this year from five interceptions. I just they
could be Sini football ready, It'd be it could be

(01:32:24):
Tarico and Collinsworth all the all the spotlight to this game. Okay,
if they had to choose between an NFC West and
one seed game Niners and Seahawks or NFC South Wing
winning get in, which is the Sanatei game.

Speaker 2 (01:32:42):
You know what's funny, I heard you talking with Aunt
about this. Yeah, you were on with Anthony Gargano and
you guys are doing a great job. I was going
from place to place to set up for the next show,
and and you guys were both on the NFC South game.

Speaker 1 (01:32:55):
I was.

Speaker 2 (01:32:55):
I was talking to my radio. I'm like, you guys
are crazy. Give me the one seed game all day.

Speaker 3 (01:33:00):
But the NFL has has mostly.

Speaker 2 (01:33:04):
I don't care what the NFL has done. I don't
care what they've done before. If you're asking me which
game is more exciting to me, I don't care who
wins a god awful division. Sorry, they're not going anywhere
come playoff time. Give me the battle for the one seed.
Give me the Seahawks at the Niners. That's the game
I want to see in primetime.

Speaker 3 (01:33:21):
So then they would put Panther Saints on Saturday Night
for the like that they have. But the ESPN, I
think it's a Saturday night game, right, I think on
that weekend, So.

Speaker 2 (01:33:29):
I don't know that you have Saturday next week. I
think it's all.

Speaker 3 (01:33:31):
I think Saturday, and then they do one primetime Saturday
game because ESPN doesn't get a Monday night game for
Week eighteen, so they give it. They give a Saturday game.
I'd be cool with that.

Speaker 2 (01:33:40):
That to me is a good warm up band. And
then the headliner is the Battle for the Ones.

Speaker 3 (01:33:44):
Which is what they did last year with Vikings Lions.
Right that game, both teams were in the postseason. There
you go, and they played for the one seed. I think, look,
it's so funny how many people are saying this this morning.
I've seen the internet by a lot. I don't know
how many a lot. I've seen it enough where like, guys,
the NFL wants Raven Steelers next week Week eighteen to
win and get into the Browns are gonna win this game,

(01:34:05):
And I'm like, then you're not gonna watch right.

Speaker 2 (01:34:06):
Because you know the results and you should bet your
life savings on the Browns if that's how you feel,
you know.

Speaker 3 (01:34:12):
It's just like it's it's like there are people that
to me willingly watching ProAb you know the end results
seems like a waste of my time. Now me, are
you like wrestling?

Speaker 4 (01:34:24):
Right?

Speaker 3 (01:34:24):
It's scripted. But you don't know the results. You don't
know a result. If you're gonna watch a game, you
know the result of the game. You're gonna watch that game.
I'm not, but good for you.

Speaker 2 (01:34:33):
If you are. Yeah, you ever record something and then
find out the result? I don't watch it. If I
know the result, I don't. I'm not interested anymore. So, yeah,
I hear you on that. All right, plenty more to
get to. We've got Bill Krachenberger, professional sports handicapper. Jeff Schwartz,
eight year NFL veteran. I'm Brian know Hey. Bet MGM

(01:34:54):
has a pro Football boost pack giving you three ways
to boost your payout on a winning bet. Just logging
into your betmgm account to receive your boost pack, then
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bet mgm app. All right, coming up next. If this

(01:35:18):
team is truly fugazy, then we might get a glimpse
of that later Today it is Fox Sports Radios Countdown
to Kickoff presented by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios
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Rack Play of the day.

Speaker 10 (01:35:51):
Derrick Henry is back in the backfield on the power
eye formation.

Speaker 2 (01:35:55):
He'll get the carry on the tossed gets around the corner.

Speaker 4 (01:35:58):
He'll takes.

Speaker 10 (01:36:00):
Five touchdown Derrick Henry and with that run he breaks
the NFL record for the most games with two hundred
yards carrying.

Speaker 2 (01:36:12):
I love that. That's compliments of ninety eight Rock Ravens
Radio Network. That call cracks me up because I just
thought of the Bengals color commentator, right, the Bengals guys like, yeah,
go go touchdown. Yeah, Like in the background, the Ravens
guys like, that's gonna be a touchdown.

Speaker 3 (01:36:29):
That's uh well, the color that's the color guard for
the Bengals just steps on the on the play by play.

Speaker 2 (01:36:34):
That's right, he does, he does. But I love the
Ravens color commentator is like, that's gonna be six right there.
It's you're not stopping Derrick Henry, Like that's it's all day.
It's a touchdown.

Speaker 4 (01:36:44):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:36:44):
I kind of want to do like local radio for
like the Panthers games like that would be fun to
do only home games up. I don't want you should
be doing that now. They have the actually have a
really good crew. They have like four guys that like
Globe does it.

Speaker 2 (01:36:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Globe is good.

Speaker 4 (01:36:58):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:36:58):
It's something about them, like the soun, like the twang.
They're really good at it.

Speaker 3 (01:37:04):
So there's no like spot for me. It's fine. Jonathan Stewart,
I think does it keekly. There's like four guys gross
and Jordan Gross might be the on line coach that
you tall those rumors about. It's kind of an interesting
situation there with with Michigan and Kyle Whittingham.

Speaker 2 (01:37:17):
But by the way, just don't just don't join that
Hack Meal Mix podcast to quit, like you know, dogs
halfway through the season and then they got good and
they're like, hey, the podcast is back if you go
on that thing. Jeff, that's.

Speaker 3 (01:37:32):
I'm dead to you.

Speaker 2 (01:37:33):
Yeah, I'm dead to.

Speaker 3 (01:37:34):
Me very quickly. We didn't get a chance to do
this yet today, Brian, I'm gonna I'm gonna bring this
up quickly because i want to give you a shout
out here because you're the first person to call this
to my attention, and that is Lamar Jackson. And that
he doesn't appear to play through a lot of injuries
that others might attempt to play through. So last night

(01:37:55):
he didn't play. Now they won, Tyler Harmley did a
great job. They won. So he's a contusions a fancy
word for bruise, and they can be pretty they can
be pretty painful. He could have a deep five bruise
that puts you out for like a week because your
leg just doesn't work. Okay, I've never heard of a
back intusion quite like this, but it can happen, so
it can be varying levels of pain. Absolutely, don't do

(01:38:15):
not disagree that he has an injury. The problem is, like,
how do you have a back intusion that's bad enough
to not play, but you can be in the sidelines
all game and like moving around and doing like normal
appearing stuff, Like if your back is that messed up?
Should you be sitting down somewhere, laying down somewhere.

Speaker 4 (01:38:36):
Are you saying the injury?

Speaker 3 (01:38:38):
No, No, no at all No. But I think that
he does not fight through the pain that other quarterbacks
have fight through to play. Justin Herbert yesterday, it's spent
with a broken hand that he surgery, got repaired, it
got hit like the first drive of the game, he
like couldn't even move his hand. He's like he's walking
off the field of his hand is like dangling there,
didn't miss a snap. And I just think that for

(01:39:01):
whatever reason, and I think that's why the Ravens put
that story out this week of like we can't do
this anymore, We can't do this anymore. He's not playing
when we needed to play the most. And look, all
the other stuff I mentioned might be true. It probably
is true video games all of a sudden stuff. It's
only out there because they're upset that he's not playing
this week. That's why that's why it's out.

Speaker 4 (01:39:20):
There making a million dollars a week.

Speaker 3 (01:39:23):
And I know the thing that I think, the thing
I can't square is that I've had back problems before.
So you know, I've been down that road before. If
his back was that that bad, why he's in the
sidelines during the game, like yucking it up and look
like you can move all enough to do that, but
you can't.

Speaker 2 (01:39:42):
And that's the thing too. If it was way worse,
there wouldn't have been a story out this week where
the Ravens were like, yeah, we thought he would be
able to play. They wouldn't say that if this was
a horrible back injury, say bruise, he took a knee
to the back against the Patriots. I'm not saying it good,
but I am telling you there are a ton of

(01:40:03):
quarterbacks in the league today with the exact same injury.
They're out, they're out playing. They're not missing the second
half against the Patriots. They're not missing last night's game
against the Packers. They Josh Allen is playing through that,
Jalen Hurts is playing through that. Most quarterbacks are playing
through that same injury. And Lamar's not out there. And
we're not saying he never fights through anything. He's fought

(01:40:25):
through a lot of injuries this year. He's had a hammy,
a knee, an ankle, like a cafe. He's had a
lot of stuff but that injury in particular, and he's
not out there. This is their season on the line.
This is do or die and he's not out there. Man,
It's indefensible.

Speaker 3 (01:40:41):
And so Brian Brian, Brian's was saying this for years.
I think this is the week where you get to
a victory lap because you've been saying this for a
while now, and it sort of feels like now Nick
Wright's talking about it like other people are, other players
on TV are talking about it now that it seems
like they're just he's just missing a lot of games
he's got to play.

Speaker 2 (01:40:59):
It's too many, guys.

Speaker 5 (01:41:01):
There's only two games in the later position here at right, Yeah, well,
I mean.

Speaker 3 (01:41:07):
Phillis basically at sand alone games. The other game starts
a four or five, right, this is a four salone game.

Speaker 4 (01:41:13):
I think I'll watch the Vegas game instead.

Speaker 2 (01:41:16):
There watch the go knee deep in the toilet bowl
right there.

Speaker 4 (01:41:20):
Jesus, that's unbelievable. Only two games we have in the
later uh later games here geez.

Speaker 2 (01:41:24):
By the way, by the way, if the if the
Browns somehow some way won today, they've won as of
late in Cleveland against Pittsburgh. Right, three straight years, right,
and it's it's down to Week eighteen, winner take all
Steelers Ravens. Are we convinced Lamar is gonna play next week?

Speaker 1 (01:41:45):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:41:46):
I mean we don't even know that. It's like he
could come down to the division and he still might
not be playing.

Speaker 3 (01:41:52):
I'm not going to miss playing. Would play? Are you?

Speaker 4 (01:41:55):
I'm not either?

Speaker 2 (01:41:55):
No, you can't be. I can't believe he missed last night.
I'm stunned. It's a bruise. I don't know, man, But yeah,
that's where we're at with the whole thing and the Ravens.
You can tell, man, the Ravens, they wouldn't say things
that they've said if they thought otherwise. They're like, yeah,
we thought he would like, I don't know, suck it

(01:42:17):
up and play. That's basically what they're saying. But he didn't. Again,
all right, we're gonna get to the primetime games in
a game with line movement. I just don't understand. Right
around the corner first though, Isaac Lowen Crown, you talk
about playing through pain. Through pain, man, he's had legs before.
Doesn't keep him down. You know, he's had half soreness before.

(01:42:39):
He's right here, man, I don't know what he's battling
through today. It's something, but I had a hangnail ones.
That's right, man, that was a tough one, you know,
like the left eyebrow was a little itchy that one time.
You know, you battled through that.

Speaker 7 (01:42:53):
Sore index finger from hitting the refreshed button.

Speaker 2 (01:42:57):
Hazards of this, I know absolutely things.

Speaker 7 (01:43:00):
I do for America, and refreshing that feed has allowed
us to come up with this new piece of information.
The newly crowned NFC North champion Chicago Bears a short
time ago added receivers DJ Moore and Olamide z Achias
to their injury report for tonight's game at San Francisco
due to illness. They're both listed as questionable. Must be

(01:43:21):
going around because Carolina Panthers receiver to Siroa McMillan, though
he's officially active for their game against Seattle today, he
was also added to the Panthers injury report this morning,
also due to illness. Carolina can cleanse the NFC South
with a win and a Tampa Bay loss or tie
at Miami. New England Patriots running back Traveon Henderson is

(01:43:42):
active for their game on the road against the Jets
after clearing concussion protocol. The Patriots can cleanse the AFC
East today with a win and a Buffalo loss later
today to the Philadelphia Eagles. And finally, guys, Fox Sports
Jay Glazer reported that the Atlanta Falcons and their owner
arek I've had conversations with their former Pro Bowl quarterback

(01:44:04):
Matt Ryan about rejoining the Falcons in a significant front
office role.

Speaker 3 (01:44:10):
Back to you guys.

Speaker 2 (01:44:12):
Interesting there he is Isaac Lohenkron. It is Fox Sports
Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by Bett MGM. All right,
let's get into these games here. How about the Bears
at the Niners, and the Niners now at three and
a half point home favorite. I just we've been saying
this for weeks now, that the Bears are for Gayzy.

(01:44:32):
We've thought that. I think all three of us have
thought that, Well, this is a decent spot for it
to show up, is it not?

Speaker 4 (01:44:39):
Right?

Speaker 2 (01:44:39):
Like, if they truly are Fougayzy, this might be a
good spot on the road against Brock Perdy, who was
fantastic last week. Maybe no George Kittle, but three and
a half point road dogs after like an incredibly phony
win against the Packers, give them credit. They won the game,
but nobody recovers on sidekicks. They somehow recovered it. They
had less than one chance to win that game. Like,

(01:45:02):
that's as fugazy of a win as it gets. But
if they're truly a fugaze team, maybe it starts to
show up in a spot like this primetime Sunday night
football on the road, San Fran what do you think
about this?

Speaker 3 (01:45:13):
Bears have won six games this season trailing under two
minutes left.

Speaker 2 (01:45:17):
It's insane. It's literally insane, I.

Speaker 3 (01:45:21):
Questioned, though. The Niners just can't rush the passer man
like it's they can't, right, Yeah, And so as much
I would love take the Niners here, again, they have
short rest there, so they are a short week, can't
rush the passer, I have my concerns about the nine
Ers here. Crack I really do the bag. He comes
to a crashing halt in the in the in the
first playoff game for Chicago, like this is they're gonna

(01:45:43):
lose the first playoff game because you just can't get
away with that stuff in the playoffs, like as much
as you can in my season. That's why I think
it becomes a problem. Brian. But I don't know, man,
Like tonight, the Niners are just in. I think they're
in a bad spot. They're in a pretty bad spot here,
So I would lean to taking the Bears plus the
points before I do anything else.

Speaker 5 (01:46:03):
All right, Yeah, another good one today all tonight actually
with big playoff implications.

Speaker 4 (01:46:09):
Bears travel to San France.

Speaker 5 (01:46:10):
Chicago clinched their division last night with the Packers loss
and still have a shot at the number one seed
if the Bears if they beat the Bears today. So, uh,
you know, I have been saying all seasons, who I
bet a lot of money against the Bears this season?
They had beat me on futures not to make the

(01:46:32):
playoffs underseason wins, and I've been very successful on that
spot over the years. However, that these Bears did beat me,
So it's still a thorn in my side, I guess.
So I have to get over that and look into
I'm not betting that. I'm not betting this game, but

(01:46:52):
San France. I mean, you know, fives that got Prety
back getting healthy at the right time. Kitt'll still question
as we know, I wouldn't be surprised if he sits
this one out. Going over to the Bears. Williams is
really coming. He's really coming to his own these last
few weeks. He's looking more and more comfortable out there,
especially late in the games. This is a big test
for him though in his offensive line a really good

(01:47:16):
forty nine ers defense. So, Brian and Jeff, I know
you guys like me weren't impressed with it with Williams
last year, and but after all this season, boy, do
you think he has what it takes to be a
superstar quarterback in the NFL the next decade?

Speaker 4 (01:47:32):
You said, yes, Jeff? Is that Jeff?

Speaker 3 (01:47:34):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:47:34):
Yeah, I mean he really You know, you see this
team in the locker room after the game's going crazy.
Maybe they are Cinderella, but I still am betting against them.

Speaker 3 (01:47:44):
The Cinderella ends in the playoffs every year, Like this
is a team that's going to lose in the playoffs,
and tonight it might not matter. Kill Williams is absolutely
going to be a start of Ben Jonson as a
coaching which again he's not going to he where's like
college footballhere, guy leaves. He's absolutely going to just continue
to get back. He's not complete more passes, He's only
sixty percent. But I think He's gonna be as good

(01:48:05):
as whole career. Now.

Speaker 2 (01:48:06):
You know what I'm really curious about is Caleb Caleb
Williams rushing yards. It's only at seventeen and a half
and normally we see quarterbacks. You know, just Gopher broke
at this stage of the season, right like, the Bears
have an outside chance at the one seed. They're right
in the mix to be a two seed, right like,

(01:48:27):
this is go time for the Bears. This is time
to maximize on some of the crazy breaks and the
crazy things that have gone their way winning. Like Jeff said,
six games when trailing in the final two minutes, that
just doesn't happen. Somehow, some way, It's happened for the Bears.
You got to take advantage of it. The thing is,
the Niners don't have a pass rush at all. So
you know those plays where the pass rush just gets

(01:48:49):
home and Caleb Williams tucks it and makes something happen,
It's probably not gonna happen. The interesting thing to me, though,
is Caleb Williams holds the ball so long that he
somehow someway creates a pass rush even though a team
doesn't have a good one. So I think there are
gonna be times that he's just gonna hold the ball,

(01:49:09):
hold the ball, and then the quote unquote pass rush
starts to get home. I think he's gonna look to scramble.
So I think over seventeen and a half rushing yards,
it's risky. But I can certainly see the overhitting in this.
In this situation with Caleb, it's just stylistically, I don't
think it's as easy as saying they don't have a
pass rush. He's not gonna scramble. He just holds the

(01:49:29):
ball so long he creates a pass rush.

Speaker 3 (01:49:32):
This is why this is where Caleb Williams has to
be better, right, is getting the ball out quickly on
time and making those decisions much quicker. That's why I
think he because we saw this year, look when so
those offscript plays just a stud right, like incredible, but
also you know, it takes a little more in that,

(01:49:54):
you know, to be a complete quarterback. But I think
that he can get there this offseason with with with feeling.
I think more importantly, he'll fairmbly confident about what happened
this season and they can grow a lot of my
opinion from where they are now. So I do think that, uh,
you know, he will crack your point, like continue to
get better.

Speaker 2 (01:50:14):
Yeah, good game, go ahead.

Speaker 5 (01:50:16):
I was just I was just again, guys, just looking
at this is a five to twenty PM Vegas time
game eight twenty of course, it's the primetime game, and
we actually may have a really good game here, better
than I'm better than I'm thinking that because I'm looking
at this line bouncing around too. But you know you
heard Christian earlier talk about like tomorrow night, Tomorrow's game.

(01:50:38):
There's actually an eight here in Vegas on that game
tomorrow night Atlanta. I'm going to grab that. Just just
on him saying eighty percent. I'm upset I didn't ask
him about tonight's game. I would wonder if San fran
would be one of those seventy percent games, you know,
the seventy percent of the Moneys on San franc Oh.

Speaker 3 (01:50:55):
I think no chance. I think people are like a
Namor by the Bears.

Speaker 4 (01:50:58):
Oh really yeah, yeah, America.

Speaker 5 (01:51:00):
Yeah, you know that's the biggest risk for Las Vegas
every year, well not this particularly year.

Speaker 4 (01:51:05):
Denver is unbelievably.

Speaker 5 (01:51:06):
Denver and Buffalo is the two biggest risk for the
Sportsbook's futures future market. Always the Bears gets bet too,
But you're right, the Bears is like if you had
to use America's team behind Dallas, I guess if that's
still America's team, Chicago will be up there in the
top three.

Speaker 4 (01:51:21):
You're probably right.

Speaker 2 (01:51:22):
How about a game that keeps moving? We still are
keep getting Colts money like it's down to four. Well,
Jacksonville is favored by four on the road here. I
just yes, the Colts are eliminated. They're done. Their season
is over with Houston winning yesterday. And listen, I know
Jacksonville struggles at Indy. They've only won two of the

(01:51:44):
last eleven times at Indianapolis. But Trevor Lawrence is playing
great football right now? Do you trust that Colts defense?
Colts defense is terrible and you need to run the
ball with Jonathan Taylor. Jacksonville is the number one rush
defense in the league. I just I don't get all
the movement in favor of the Colts in this one.

Speaker 3 (01:52:04):
Yeah, I don't either, because the culture limit for the playoffs.

Speaker 4 (01:52:07):
This game was six and a half.

Speaker 3 (01:52:09):
By the way, Jacksonville has a lot to play for
in this game. I don't this to make any doesn't make.

Speaker 5 (01:52:14):
That's the reason why, uh, you know, the equalizer, that
line is involved there at all times, you know, because
the people know that. And uh, if it wasn't uh
you know, let's call it a must win for Jacksonville,
but uh, to improve their their their playoffs position. That's
why you get these points. Maybe if the situation, if

(01:52:34):
the game meant nothing to both teams, this line would
be three. Because it's not. You have to pay a
tax to bet Jacksonville even at minus four. This is
what the book makers are thinking. Again, it was six
and a half, knowing the public will come in. But
then maybe some of the wise guys are sharps. You know,
it took took the points here. Yeah, this this is
an interesting, interesting line movement day of the game. You

(01:52:57):
would think it would be the opposite way because it
means nothing in Indianapolis.

Speaker 4 (01:53:01):
But it's not.

Speaker 5 (01:53:02):
It's they're staying they're staying very close to them limewise.

Speaker 2 (01:53:06):
Yeah, it's a it's an interesting deal because what does
that say to you, crack, Because we talked to Christian
and this is one of the seventy percent games. Christian
said about seventy percent of the money there it's on
the Steelers and it's on Jacksonville. Remember you said it's
like it's hard for us to find any indie bets
and all of a sudden, all this line movement. So
is that just sharp money coming in on Cleveland? I

(01:53:27):
would think the Colts are Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:53:29):
Yeah, I would think it's it's sharper money on the Colts.
But yet I know a couple of different sharp groups
that bet NFL on. Neither one of them have came
on either side of this game. So it's one of
those games where you're just gonna.

Speaker 4 (01:53:42):
Have to see.

Speaker 5 (01:53:42):
Don't be surprised if if you know Mickey Rivers, let's
call Mickey Rivers. A lot of guys don't remember the
centerfielder for the Yankees. If mister Rivers gets out there
and has a game, or you know, I know one
pro that asked me about the under on Rivers passing yards.
I didn't bet it, but he said, hey, what do
you think about the underground passing yards? I don't know

(01:54:05):
if he'll play the whole game. He could have other
quarterback might get some time. So that he told me
that an hour and a half ago. The other quarterback, Richards, Yeah,
who is the other quarterback.

Speaker 2 (01:54:15):
Would be Ridley Leonard getting in there.

Speaker 4 (01:54:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:54:19):
I don't think Richardson. I don't think he's I don't
think he's playing right now. I don't know that he's
even active. It would be Ridley Leonard, the Notre Dame rookie.
You know, they'd give another look. He got in there
coincidentally against Jacksonville the first time. That's when Daniel Jones
got hurt.

Speaker 3 (01:54:34):
So, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:54:35):
Maybe they kicked the tires on old Riley Leonard today.
Maybe there's a spot for that. Who knows, but that's
important to think of. If you're thinking about in a
river's under, it's like you're not going over if he's
on the sideline, you know, and the other guy gets
in there. We've got Bill Krackenberger, professional sports handicapper. Jeff Schwartz,
eight year NFL veteran. I'm Brian No. If you missed

(01:54:56):
anything on today's show, you'll want to catch the podcast.
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts.
Right after the show, today's pod will be posted. Make
sure to follow it, rate it five stars, and you
can even provide a review. Again, just search Fox Sports
Radio wherever you get your podcasts, and you'll find today's
full show posted right after we get off the air.
Coming up next, picks Galore, We've got the Crack Challenge,

(01:55:19):
We've got rapid Fire, We've got Cracks Play of the Day.
All that good stuff coming your way. Right around the corner.
It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown to Kickoff, presented by
bet MGM. It is Fox Sports Radios count Down to Kickoff,
presented by bet MGM. What a show it's been lively.
We've got line movement galore, right before the Crack Challenge.
Oh my gosh, it's craziness right here. Props to the crew,

(01:55:43):
our trusted producer, Bo Benson, the Dodger Zone Pod technical producer.
Extraordinary that it is Chris Purfet crushing the updates and
crushing life. That is Isaac Lohenkron And shout out to
our guys Sager on Digital posting our clips. Give Fox
Sports Radio a f on X you can see our
videos or smiling faces, all that good stuff. Top of

(01:56:05):
the hour, End Zone Radio, Steve Hartman VJ. Husky. They've
got you covered in less than ten American minutes. Keep
it locked right here on Fox Sports radio. All right,
we got some picks to make.

Speaker 4 (01:56:17):
Let's do it.

Speaker 1 (01:56:19):
Five five, five.

Speaker 2 (01:56:21):
Games against the spread. We call it the crack che
al right, the Schwart Syndicate. We start with you. What
do you like today?

Speaker 4 (01:56:31):
Man?

Speaker 3 (01:56:31):
All right, A lot of these numbers have moved, which
is you know, it's kind of crazy. This is fun
to be the week where these numbers have moved more
than any other week. It's kind of kind of lot. Okay,
you're right, give me okay, Brown's plus four, Okay, I
will take the Raiders plus three all of a sudden,
which is insane, Like, all right, give me the Cardinals

(01:56:53):
plus seven.

Speaker 4 (01:56:54):
Okay, how many.

Speaker 3 (01:56:57):
Are off left?

Speaker 2 (01:56:59):
Two more?

Speaker 4 (01:57:01):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (01:57:03):
Give me Seattle minus six and a half. Okay, and
I'll take the Jaguars minus four.

Speaker 2 (01:57:08):
You got good.

Speaker 4 (01:57:10):
He's got some really good I m oh yeah, well,
I mean just moved a lot today.

Speaker 2 (01:57:17):
All Right, we got let's see, I've got an agreement
and then a disagreement. Here, let's get to the agreements.
I'm with you on Jacksonville. This is crack. This is
a GP game. It's down to four. Why give me Jacksonville.
They're the hotter team? Like these are two teams going
in different directions. India has lost five in a row.
Jacks have won six in a row. Trevor Lawrence playing

(01:57:38):
great against the sucky defense. Yeah, I'll take the I'll
lay the four. I don't get the movement, okay, So
I'm with you on that, Jeff. I'm actually with you
on Arizona as well. So two agreements. Give me the
cards minus plus seven. I am against you. It is
the Schwartz Syndicate versus no Nation. Give me Carolina plus
the six and a half. I'm rolling with the Panthers.

(01:57:59):
They've been feisty as home dogs. I like him man.
A lot of movement here. I'll take the three. I'll
take the Eagles plus the points, and i'll lay the one.
I don't get this movement at all. A bunch of
money on the Titans, go ahead, thank you for making
the line better. Saints play much better defense. I'll roll
with Kodak and the better quarterback as well, and Tyler

(01:58:20):
shuck as of right now, I'll lay the one on
the road. That's fine with me. All Right, we got
rapid fire. Let's do this.

Speaker 3 (01:58:29):
Rapid fire.

Speaker 2 (01:58:31):
Okay, crack with something you like.

Speaker 5 (01:58:34):
I'm gonna go both quarterbacks in the Eagles Bills game
under Allen under one ninety nine and a half, hurts
under eight.

Speaker 4 (01:58:42):
And a half. Let's go bull through yards under it
was a double shot for you?

Speaker 2 (01:58:46):
Did I not say he's Santa Crack right back? Like
two plays for you? Just out of the kindness of
this part, anything else you would have mentioned there?

Speaker 10 (01:58:53):
Crack?

Speaker 4 (01:58:54):
Sorry, yeah, Chef, come in, Yeah, that's the best.

Speaker 3 (01:58:58):
It's a double plays all right?

Speaker 2 (01:59:01):
You got anything, Jeff? You want to mention?

Speaker 3 (01:59:03):
Jeff, Well, you recount Kadon over Ganewell over rushing receiving
yards with Christian mccount for the over receptions, a lot
of overs.

Speaker 2 (01:59:13):
Okay, you know what I'm gonna be daring here. I'm
gonna take Caleb Williams Spars quarterback over seventeen and a
half rushing yards. I know San Franz doesn't have a
pass rush and that could cut down on rushing opportunities,
but he holds the ball so long, so consistently, I
think he creates a pass rush and he's gonna look
to run. He's gonna look for times to run the ball,

(01:59:35):
so I think he can get to eighteen rushing yards today.
I'll take the over there. Let's get to cracks. Play
of the day.

Speaker 1 (01:59:42):
This is the best play of the day.

Speaker 2 (01:59:45):
It's a rushdowns that all right, crack, what is it?

Speaker 4 (01:59:48):
Buddy?

Speaker 3 (01:59:49):
All right?

Speaker 5 (01:59:49):
Over at at MGM they have the Giants Raiders first
half at twenty and a half. Let's go under twenty
and a half there minus a dollar twenty five, couple
and a half's out there. I think it's gonna be
a very slow, boring game. Everyone wants to get out
of the stadium before they get in.

Speaker 2 (02:00:06):
All right, fair enough, man, looking forward to it.

Speaker 4 (02:00:09):
Huh.

Speaker 2 (02:00:09):
You know, betting makes these games a lot more interesting,
you know, if you're not into Giants Raiders, bet on it.
Enjoy Week seventeen, everyone,

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