December 26, 2021 • 45 mins
Bernie Fratto is here on Christmas night to look ahead to tomorrow’s NFL action, as the Rams head to Minnesota to take on the Vikings, and the Cardinals falter against the Colts! Rundowns for all the action in Week 16, how COVID rules might alter the college football playoff, and more!
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Org brought to you by the United States Fourth Service
and the Ad Council. You're listening to Fox Sports Well.
As has said many times before Sports, Yes, they are
the greatest reality show ever invented. You can script everything
but the outcome, and that's why this time of year
(01:49):
continues to build drama and be so much fun. And
in our complex world, as I've often as I've also
said many times, they are objective truths and are also
of personal feelings. Our job tonight and every night is
to make sure you do not confuse the two. And
on that note, I'm Bernie Fritawer Company Alive from the
Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios, and first I'd like
(02:11):
to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
As we now be in our countdown to the new year. Tonight,
we'll devote a lot of time to analyzing some of
the teams on the bubble in the NFL, and we'll
analyze the playoff on is it time to panic for
some of these teams? Is it crunch time? Where do
they stand? We're gonna take a fairly deep dive on
(02:32):
this tonight after Brian Finley's update, we'll look back and
some other famous coaches who had the same type of
demeanor as urban Meyer, but they managed to win. So
you know, Urban wasn't fired not because he lost the
locker room. It's because he lost. Respectfully, had to bunk
the theory that he was fired because he lost the
locker I'll get into that more. And by the way,
(02:54):
finally at the end of the show, a couple of
games the pros have already fired on the waste of
no time firing out earlier in the week, as we
had into what appears to be very turbulent Week sixteen
sports or entertainment. But they're more than that, they're shared experiences.
Such people want to talk about them. You've come to
the right place tonight. We've got a lot to talk about.
This is straight out of Vegas. The pre game show
(03:16):
you always wanted. And as they say in justin Jefferson, Minnesota,
it's gonna be let First of all, a couple of
things to get off my chest. I uh, I was
a fan today. There were two NFL games. Arizona was
home and they're facing the visiting Indianapolis Colts, who are
pretty much missing their offensive line in their best defensive player.
(03:39):
Arizona a light favorite home minus one and a half. Meanwhile,
Green Bay links seven and a half against you know,
Diala Brown's team. You just never really know what you're
gonna get with him. On paper, an excellent roster, but
alas they're back in familiar territory, they're under five hundreds
of shame because I really think a lot of folks,
not just Cleveland fans, people had high hope. So this
(04:01):
might be a year they break through. It doesn't look
like that it's going to happen. But the world of
the story, why don't I bring that up. I've never
been so happy they didn't bet either of these games. Uh,
Indianapolis gives a massive effort, and you know, it seems
like a million miles ago. They started a million years ago.
They started out the season oh and three. Now they
(04:21):
are nine and three in their last twelve and they
look like they mean business. Uh. I don't know how
Arizona gives an effort like that this late in the season.
That was dreadful. They were sloppy, eleven penalties, they give
up a safety, then is two field goals an extra point?
They leave seven points on the board. They lose by six.
You know what you define the moment of the moment
(04:42):
defines you, and all of a sudden, that makes that
Rams Minnesota game tomorrow not a playoff game, but a
playoff implication game because the Rams still have designs on
hoping to get at least one home playoff game because
the notion that match Africa go on the road and
went three straight to get to the Super Bowl. See
(05:03):
Brady did that last year the IRN is the game
was in Campa Bay, but Tampa Bay had to win
three road games to earn the right to have a
home Super Bowl game. Identical situation for the Rams this year.
I'm sure Stan Crokey and the Rams nation would like
nothing better than to see the game being played at
so Fi Field. And if the Rams take care of
(05:24):
business tomorrow in Minnesota, they'll be in first place, uh
in the NFC West. You know, they still got work
to do. They've got to take care of the forty
niners in Baltimore. But one at a time, as the
old cliche is, But boy, would just be so on
brand for Stafford to go in and lose tomorrow when
(05:44):
you've got a playoff implication game, not predicting it going
to win tomorrow. Matt, I'll tip my cap to you.
That's why they brought you in the same reason they
brought Brady into Tampa Bay. You're supposed to be the
missing link to get them back to the super Bowl
and win at this time this year. All right, long
and short of it is, uh, the Rams our favorite.
We're gonna we'll cover that game in about an hour,
(06:06):
a little bit more depth. But there were a lot
of interesting takeaways. Uh you know that led to this week,
and so we find ourselves with a handful of what
I call sneaky contenders. The question is is it panic
time or is it crunch time? Because the mighty the
teams who were I say mighty in quotes, they faltered
and I just mentioned Arizona Cardinals. They started seven and oh,
(06:29):
I mean In their first seven games, they were averaging
thirty two points a game. Their point differential was plus
one eleven. In their last eight games were three and five.
Their point differential is minus twenty three. They're really averaging
twenty two points a game before tonight that they mustard thirteen. Uh,
they're on the side of the milk cart. Now it's
not funny, so but but they're not the only ones.
(06:51):
Week fifteen, they're the NFL regular season proved to be
very unkind, and many of the leading contenders in both
conferences in the same week. This last week, it seems
like ancient history. Now for the f c's top teams,
New England, Tennessee, Baltimore, and Los Angeles this is last
week now Week fifteen all suffered losses. While the nfcs
(07:12):
I just mentioned the Cardinals, they lost to Detroit and
Tampa Bay. They were upset as well. Now Tennessee has
since uh excellent went home Thursday night. It seems like,
you know, it's in their DNA. They were down to nothing,
they got physical, they beat the forty niners. But prior
to that, you know, when you look at some of
these defeats, they carry implications because now New England. Currently
(07:34):
they've lost the top spot in the a f C,
and the Patriots and Titans both trilled, guess what the
Kansas City Chiefs back in fromiliar territory. Now, the Chargers
remained in position for a wild card bit at number six.
But Baltimore, just like that, when from leading the a
f C North and holding one of the top four
spots in the conference to falling out of the playoffs seating,
(07:55):
they're slipped. They've slid down to eighth and tomorrow they
get Cincinnati and they get to start. Josh Johnson over
the NFC. I just mentioned the Cardinals, they've now dropped
all the way to fourth after spending weeks battling with
Green Bay for the top spot in the conference. And
meanwhile Tampa now trials the Packers in the Dallas Cowboys.
So what does it all mean, peewee. Well, I'll tell
(08:17):
you in three weeks, because for some of these teams
it's a serious red flag. For others it's merely an aberration.
So let's take a pulse. So some of these teams
that I just mentioned and talk about whether you know
this is just part of their part of the road
to the promised Land or just an aberration? Or are
(08:40):
they you know, are they are they hobbled? Right? Are
they wobbly? Now? They are? They are they wobbly front runners?
So we talked about the Pittone Colts handing the paths
of seventeen loss last week at Lucas Soil Stadium that
not only snapped New England seven game win street, but
now the paths their second in the f C. They
(09:01):
saw their lead over Buffalo shrink to one game. Oh
look out, Buffalo plays New England later on today. They're
gonna uh, you know, they're gonna about you know, twelve hours.
Here here's the problem. What's the level of concerned in
New England. I'd say it's moderate now because losing the
top seed would mean no opening round by week and
a much more challenging path to the super Bowl. So
(09:23):
all those people who started the pencil England in the
super Bowl, you might want to pump the brakes on that.
The Patriots technically the remaining the driver's seat of their
division because they get the bills at home today later today.
But the Colts expose the limitations that New England faces
when they have to really rely completely on the arm
of Mac Jones. Now, I think Matt can do it,
(09:45):
but Bill Belichick, I'm not sure it's gonna let him
to do it. But there's a reason rookie quarterbacks have
never been to a Super Bowl. I would, I would
the glasses half full with this guy very much, because
he's played well this year, because he's overseen the operation.
He hasn't had to put the team on his back.
(10:06):
But look how the Rocky quarterbacks have done, right, Zack
Wilson justin fields. Trey Lance Is Trey Lance still in
the league. Okay, you get my point. MATC. Jones has
done done very well. But tomorrow they've got to take
care of Buffalo. A loss of the Bills would knock
the Patriots out of the divisional lead because Buffalo would
(10:27):
hold the tiebreaker on a record within the a f
C East. That is a de factive playoff game. All right,
Another team, the Tennessee Titans. Well, and you know this
since we talked last week, they've won two games, and
frankly I think they look good doing it. That they
have their best stuff Thursday night against the forty Niners. No,
(10:49):
but as the great Nolan Ryan once said, the mark
of a great team is when you can beat somebody
and you don't have your best stuff. They came back,
they did what they needed to do, gritty, gutty win
against the forty niners, and that's following up on an
oppressive win the week before. So they're not the same
without Derrick Henry Tennessee but Ryan tanney Hill and he
(11:11):
can't have the ball in his hands all the time
because the more he has the ball in his hands,
the more there's a chance for a gaff. But since
Henry's foot injury Week eight, the Titans somehow it's affected
their defense too because they're they're minus thirteen in the
turnover battle and points are hard to come buy in Tennessee.
They don't score more than twenty points a lot of
the time, so they you know, control their fate. But
(11:35):
I will tell you that their margin of ariston all right,
Chargers level of concern low. I would say they're just
an up and down team. They caught the Chiefs at
the right time earlier this year, they caught them in
a bad time this past week, and Patrick Mahomes and
company beat the Chiefs in overtime. The Chiefs get to
go to Houston I think they're gonna molly wop, as
(11:56):
Kevin Figures would say, I think THEY'RENNA molly wop Houston tomorrow.
That game feels like it's got thirty four ten written
written all over it. Now, as far as the Chargers
catching the Chiefs for the lead in the a FL West,
that seems unlikely. But they don't have the worst closing schedule.
Right again, You've got at Houston, then they come back home.
(12:17):
The Chargers come back home against Denver, then they finished
at Las Vegas, So you would believe that the Chargers
should finish on an upswing. Do they have the potential
to match up well with just about every team in
the playoff field, Yes, they do, But mentally I'm not
so sure because mainally I'm not sure they're quite there yet.
I don't see sense of urgency in this team. I
(12:38):
don't see the you know, trust in his team. I
don't see the DNA that takes to win big games
yet with him. Talent wise, yes, but they gotta prove
it to me. Baltimore, you know what they're They've got
one foot in the grave on the other of an
an appeal. They are very much on barrow time, and
they have to beat a very good Cincinnati team tomorrow
in Cincinnati with their third string quarter back. You know,
(13:01):
COVID nineteen has not been friendly to them, and Lamar
Jackson is hurt. And I said, that's a that's a
puzzle they can't solve without them. How many hits can
this team sustain and still be okay? And really they
might have been on borrowtime earlier in the year. What
they beat Detroit on that last second eighty six yard
field goal. You know, I'm being facetious, but they had
a few nail betters in the beginning of the year
(13:22):
and it felt like they weren't. Their record is what
it's you know, it says you are, but eventually you
gotta pay the piper if you're winning games in that fashion.
And then they've had a couple of situations where they've
gone for two points and it turned out to be
their death Knell. I think if Baltimore loses tomorrow, it's
gonna be very serious business. And their level of concern,
I believe is very high. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Okay, what happened?
(13:47):
They ran into their Achilles held Dennis Sounds defense in
New Orleans last week and they were shut out. Uh.
But am I concerned about the Patriots. No, But you know,
without Leonard four Nett and without Chris Godwin. Look, you
want to have all your weapons, and they don't. And
one of the reasons the Patriots were so good last
year is because they managed to stay healthy at the
(14:08):
end of the year. And one of the very reasons
why they might run into a situation this year is
because you know, could be the very undoing this year
and the fact that they aren't healthy. Now the Saints,
what they did to the Bucks, they made it so
they'll have to wait a little longer to clinch then
a the NFC South. But the Bucks are gonna win
the NFC South. Okay, they're banged up. They don't have
(14:31):
Chris god with the remainder of the season, but Brady
is not gonna let this team, you know, slide into oblivion.
It's just not gonna happen. They get back Antonio Brown
this week, to get back safety Mike Edwards. Uh. They
both had three game suspensions for you see fate COVID
I D vaccination currents, and believe me, they need both
those guys. The good news is the Bucks close out
the season with two games, two games against these struggling
(14:55):
Carolina Panthers and then a matchup with the team that's
just what the doctor ordered, the New York Jets. Finally,
the Arizona Cardinals level of concern high. I think they're
still going to sneak into the playoffs. But what should
have been a routine rebound victory when the Cardinals lost
in the rematch of the Rams two weeks ago. They
(15:16):
go to the Detroit they get troumps thirty to twelve,
they get up a hundred and thirty years on the
ground to Craig Reynolds, and now they've lost. Uh. Like
I said, there're three and five in their last eight,
and the Cardinals continue to sink further behind the Packers.
But not only that, they're not behind the Rams in
the NFC West, and they likely have just piste away
(15:36):
their first drawn by in a home field advantage. Now,
kirk Cliff Kingsbury said, you know, he was pretty vocal
last week. He said he was quote pissed that his
team got out coached and out played by Alliance Carla
Murray said he was not at all worried by his
performance quote, he says, we're still telling four, we're still
in first place. This is nowhere near what were last year.
We're not going to allow it to be. Well, then
(15:58):
do it on the field. Don't tell me, show me
you get on the field to night. What a terrible effort.
And why did Kyler Murray only carry the ball four times?
He broke that one run? This offense is disjointed. I
mean they forgot out of score in the red zone,
and the first seven games of the season they were
scoring seventy son at the time in the red zone.
They're way below that now and it's costing them. The
(16:21):
Cardinals need to be very concerned. Not forget being dominant.
They've fallen in an incredibly bad form and they lost
to night to Indianapolis, and it doesn't get any easier.
You get Doallas in the Seattle Seahawks, and yeah, I
get the Seahawks are five and nine, but they're not
gonna be any picnic. That's gonna be different, that's gonna
be difficult. That the only saving graces they'll be scoreboard
(16:43):
watching because the Rams they have a tough finish. They
gotta go to Minnesota tomorrow. Frankly, the Rams don't really
match up that well against Minnesota. If Minnesota can't win
that game at home tomorrow, that's a real indictment on them.
But then the Rams also have to play Baltimore in Baltimore,
and they get San Francisco at home. So that's a
division that is up for grabs, and it's not that
(17:04):
nobody wants to win it, but nobody seizing it. I
will if I could only watch one game tomorrow, it
would be the Rams Minnesota game. And if the Rams
going there and take care of business and Stafford has
a big day, I think they'll serve notice that they are.
They do have designs on Yes, winning the division, Yes,
getting at least one home playoff game, but you gotta
(17:25):
do it on the field. Tomorrow. Coming up, we're gonna continue,
We're gonna go buy the divisions and talk about who's
really in already, who's still in the hunt. Will reiterate
some of the things we talked about. If you're a
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Straight out of Vegas, the big game show you always
wanted on. Bernie Faro come to your life the Las
Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. We continue on with our
(19:59):
contenders versus Pretenders, and I'm gonna start with the A
f C. Because when you look at the Chiefs, Pats Titans, respectively,
they are in the playoffs. Those are their probabilities based
on FPI colts about eighty five percent, Chargers sevent. Now
the Bengals, by virtue of them being in a week
(20:20):
division where no one wants to win sixty. So we've
got about six teams that are really in the driver's seat,
which makes it a musical chairs for the remaining spot.
And this is not gonna be easy. Um. We start
with Baltimore and the Ravens are so decimated by injuries
and COVID nineteen losses that that's primarily the reason John
(20:41):
Hardball felt compelled to go for two, not one, but
two game winning point plays in the past three weeks
rather than take his chances in overtime, and they lost
both games. And now they're on a basically what you
would call, for lack of a better term, playoff crushing
three game losing streak. Now the Ravens have a chance
to turn it around against the Bengals, but right now
(21:02):
FPI is only given the Ravens percent chance to make
the playoffs in their division. Title odds are about you know,
it's on your shoulders, Baltimore. You gotta do with the
third string quarterback. Pittsburgh, the Steelers that well, they've kept
themselves in the playoff race, and somehow they beat the
Titans last week, but their level of difficulties about to
go up even more. There a ten point underdog against
(21:24):
the Chiefs, the hottest team in football. It's not the
kind of game the Steelers want. They're trying to stay
within a reasonable distance of the race. Right now. Fp
I gives the Steelers an eighteen percent chance to make
it to the postseason here in Las Vegas. The Raiders
they've got basically the facto playoff game later today against Denver.
Right now, their playoff chances or ten. Somehow they kept
(21:46):
their playoff hopes alive on the last play of victory
over the completely dilapidated Cleveland Browns. Again, the FPI gives
him a ten percent chance of getting the postseason, but
all the wins count the same. But if he wants,
the Raiders struggle to overcome a team of Brown's backups
last week, it just feels hard to envision that they
(22:07):
beat a Denver Withdrew lock. But look, they can do it. That.
You gotta play the game on the field, and then
they've got the Colts and Charges. Following that, the Raters
have to win all three of those games. No two,
no two ways about it. Miami Monday Night. Get some
credit to the Dolphins simply for being in this conversation.
They followed a seven game losing streak with a six
game winning streak. They've got another winnable game tomorrow later
(22:29):
today at New Orleans, and New Orleans will also start
their third string quarterback Ian Book. Right now, their FPI
percentage playoff chances are miniscule six percent. But if they
keep winning, Hey, come on, Miami, Cleveland Browns. They're now
seven and eight. I'd like to thank that Cleveland Browns
for participating in playoffs. And yeah, they deserved the pass
(22:53):
interference call. But if the game, if you let the
game get to that point where you're going to be
concerned about one call, then you might your chances might
not have been winning. Well, right anyway, they loaded sixteen
to fourteen to the Raiders in the final play of
Monday Night, and they in week fifteen at the bottom
of their division, and they lose today alright, seventent chance
(23:14):
of making the playoffs. Meanwhile, Denver, there's they're lost last
Sunday to the Bengals, dropped their playoff chances to eight percent,
but they believe they've got a winnable game Sunday against
the Raiders. Teddy Bridgewater has got a concussion though, you
got Drew locks, So there you have it. Uh, it's
gonna get very crowd of musical chairs. A lot of
questions to be answered. Week sixteen in the NFC, the
(23:35):
Packers have clinched. They were the first team to clinch.
Right now. The Cowboys are about to make the playoffs.
The Bucks nine. The Cardinals were they lost today and
they would have to have an epic collapse. They're gonna
even if they lost the rest of their games. They
finished ten and seven. That's probably gonna be good enough
to sneak in the playoffs. Rams are in about three percent,
(23:57):
but they gotta keep winning. That didn't help Thursday losing
to the to the Tennessee Titans when he had a
tend not to lead all right, musical chairs, it's gonna
get very crowded for the final spots Philadelphia. They had
to wait two extra days, but the Eagles capitalized on
a game against a very underman opponent once again to
(24:18):
keep their foot in the playoff door. Had they lost
to the Eagles lost to the Giants, their FPI would
have been eight percent, but now they stand at thirty
three and uh they had into a very winnable game
with the Giants. UH. Later today, Saints I mentioned their
Monday Night, their seven and seven. Their upset went over
the Buccaneers temporarily gave them a stay of execution, but
(24:41):
they fell back actually Monday night after the Vikings beat
the Bears. Regardless, it's a huge victory for the Saints
and it would help them actually in in several timebreakers
tiebreakers excuse me, including division and conference record. But it's
worth noting that the Saints don't have another game schedule
against the team that currently has a winning record, So,
believe it or not, fp I gives him a forty
(25:03):
seven percent chance of making the playoffs. But you've got
a pesky Dolphins team up up next. And again we'll
break about forty five minutes to an hour, break these
games down in detail, and you've got to go with
Ian Book at quarterback, and the Miami Dolphins have taken
advantage of playing second string quarterbacks all year. I'll give
(25:24):
you the list a little bit later, and now you
get Eating Book tomorrow. By the way that game when
I get to the Pheasan five is one of phasis
best bets. But it has to do with a total
and I'll explain. Uh, you gotta feel. You got a
feeling that game we played very close to the best
of the best of Saints have an excellent defense and
Miami is not a juggernaut offensively. They're just very opportunisty
to have a pretty good defense as well. Finally, in
(25:47):
the end, the two day delay I'm talking about the
Washington football team there Tuesday night game against the Eagles
was just not enough time for Washington to get enough
guys off the scrap heap to you know, replenish their
depleted roster. Washington kept the game closer than me he expected,
but now they've got a very quick turnaround game there
(26:08):
ten point underdogs against the Cowboys. Basically the FPI playoff
chances they're down to six percent, so they have it. Uh,
it seems fairly predictable. You can start to see who's
really going to be in the playoffs and who's not
barring something I would say crazy. But speaking of crazy,
(26:30):
the college Football Playoff Commitee, I'm gonna get to the
Urban Meyer thing. Later later in the show because I
want to go more in depth on it, and I'll
probably bring the crew in on it as well. But
the College Football Playoff Committee established their playoff COVID rules,
and they're fairly dacni and draconian. I hope to god
there's not a forfeit, but there could not only be
one forfeit, there could be three forfeits. You could see
(26:52):
a national champion crown without even having to play a game.
Believe it or not, I'm not making that up. I'll
tell you at the College Playoff Committee decided and how
it's going to work. But first let's go to the
man who has become so popular he even made it
into Ben Mallard's Christmas songs. It's Brian the Latest. Thank
you so much, Burnie, you're doing your homework. So we
(27:13):
had two NFL games on Christmas Day and the Colts
got the job done in the later game to finish
up against the Cardinals two to sixteen, Indie quarterback carsonal
Wentz two touchdown tosses. Now, this was an Arizona team
that started the season seven and oh. Since then they
have been three and five and after this latest loss,
Arizona head coach in Cliff Kingsbury, speaking the obvious, We're
(27:37):
looking at ourselves, looking in the mirror and trying to
figure out what we have to do, because right now
it's not good enough to be the team we know
we can be. And now, for the third straight a week,
Arizona had a chance to clinch a playoff spot and
they failed to do so. The other game on Saturday
was the Packers as they are victorious against the Browns
twenty four to two. Baker Mayfield four interceptions. Also in
(27:58):
this game, fact order back in Aaron Rodgers becoming Green
Bay's all time leader in touchdown passes, surpassing Bred Farm.
In the NBA, we had the Jazz dominating the mav
Ricks and then hanging on late for a one one
sixteen victory. Donovan Mitchell thirty three points that was a
game high. The Lakers nearly came back, but it fell
(28:18):
just short to the Nets. At home on two to
one fifteen, the Lake Show were down by twenty three
early in the fourth quarter. They ended up tying it
in the period but could not hang on late. The
Warriors showing whose boss in the Association after taking down
another Western Conference top dog and the Suns one sixteen
(28:38):
to one oh seven. Steph Curry thirty three points, also
Otto Porter with nineteen points. He made some huge buckets
in the latter parts of that game. Janice dident to
Koopo coming off the COVID protocols and did he dazzle
in his return thirty six points, twelve rebounds, and five
assists as he leaves the Bucks to a victory over
(29:01):
the Celtics one seventeen to one thirteen. We also have
the Knicks ripping the Hawks one oh one to eight seven.
That was the earliest of the five NBA games that
took place on Christmas Day. With that, we sent us
back to a man who is living in a city
that Bernie I think, and maybe a couple of years
they're gonna have an NBA town in Las Vegas. I
wouldn't put it past the league. We'll get it back
(29:23):
to Bernie Freddo in the city of Lost Wages, where
we're gonna have a Super Bowl here in four We're
gonna have a Pro Bowl here in about sixty days.
And by the way, speaking of the Ben Mallar Show,
I'll be sitting in for the Great Ben mallor Wednesday
Night MP and Pacific heading into Thursday, and Thursday Night
a M and Pacific heading into Friday. So marketing Calendar's
(29:44):
plenty of hijinks with that good group, the Mallard Militia.
All right, uh, later on the show, I'm gonna talk
about some real concerns I have about the NFL right
now and the integrity of these games, and the fact
that the ability to get their arms around COVID, even
though of the league is vaccinated, seems even slipperier than
(30:05):
the last year. And um, I'll talk about a couple
of things I heard. We'll do that. We'll do that
coming up in about about ten fifteen minutes. But I
want to switch gears because I'm very much looking forward
to the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl and Friday
twelve thirty Pacific. You've got Alabama Tea in it up
against the Cincinnati Huge tip of the captain Cincinnati for
(30:25):
getting into the playoffs. We've got some playoffs I think
a little more interesting this year. We've got a first
year team in Cincinnati, well deserving. I thought that you
could have made a case for them last year. Thirteen
and a half point underdog and in Michigan, Michigan their
first trip to the playoffs, and they have the distinction
of being the first team ever in this current playoff
federation who began the year unranked, and now they have
(30:48):
a chance to win a national championship. But you know,
not so fast, um, because there's always there's always a
chance that COVID could rear its ugly head. And last Wednesday,
the College Football Management Committee, let me try that again
in English, the College Football Playoff Management Committee, not the
(31:09):
College Football Management Committee, and there's no such thing. The
College Football Playoff Management Committee announced what they deemed updated
procedures that would govern potential issues caused by COVID nineteen.
Now these policies, in their words, they provide quote guidance
in the event that one or more playoff teams can't
(31:31):
play due to an insufficient number of players. Hey tell,
and happen to Texas A and M. They fell beluieve
forties scholarship players. They had to beg off and Rutgers
jumped in. They'll play against uh wake Forest in their
ball game. So here are the policies in the event
one or more playoff teams can't play due to an
insufficient number of players in either the cotton Ball or
(31:54):
the Orange Orange Ball. This is their language. If one
team is unavailable to play, the unavailable team show forfeit
the game and its opponent with advance to the national
championship game. That would be horrible. In the playoffs semifinals,
if both teams are unavailable to play in one semifinal,
let's say God forbid, neither team could play in the
Michigan Alabama game. Well, the the semifal that semifinal game
(32:19):
would be quote declared no contest, and the team winning
the other semifinal game would be declared the college football
national champion. That would mean that the Michigan Georgia game
would effectively be for the national championship. This is a hypothetical.
I'm merely laying this out and spelling this out succinctly
so you can get the picture what I'm trying to
explain here. This is a hypothetical. Now in the playoffs semifinals,
(32:44):
caught in Orange Bowl, if three teams are available to play,
the semifinal game in which two teams are unable to
play would be cleared no contest, and then the other
semifinal game the team unable to play shall forfeit the game,
and its opponent would be declared the college football national champion.
(33:07):
Now on the college football National Championship game, you get
to that game if the team's unavailability is determined after
the playoffs semifinals have been conducted. The National Championship game
Indianapolis may be rescheduled no later than Friday, January fourteen.
So there's a little semblance of relief there. The game
(33:27):
schedule will be played July January. In other words, that
say Alabama and Georgia both advanced for purposes this of
this conversation, but one team can't go that Monday. They're
willing to reschedule the game as late as Friday, January fourteen,
but not later the fourteenth. And if one team is
able to play and the other is not, the game
(33:48):
cannot be rescheduled or as rescheduled and cannot be played.
Can you imagine if they rescheduled to January four fourteen,
and then it can't be played, then the team unable
to play shall forfeit the game and the other team
teams shall be declared college Football Playoff National Champion. Now,
what happens if you get to that January fourteenth, the
neither team was able to play on either an original
(34:11):
or rescheduled date, then the game should be declared no
contest and the College Football National Championships shall be vacated
for this season. And if you follow that, you're better
than me. But the director Bill Hancock, with a serious face,
as quote, as we prepare for the playoff, it's why
is it necessary to put in place additional precautions to
(34:33):
protect those who will play and coach the games? Quote?
These policies will better protect our students and staff while
providing clarity. Definitely providing clarity in the event worst case
scenarios result. Now, last I heard Bill O'Brien, the OFFENSI
accordinated for Alabama the geese in COVID protocol anyway, But
I also understand the entire Alabama team this past week,
(34:55):
last Monday, I think all got the booster shot. So
keep your friend his cross, folks. New Year's Day, Alabama
is set to take on Cincinnati and the Cotton Bowl
of Michigan will face Georgia and the Orange Bowl later
that same day for Pacific and then fingers cost everything
goes okay, and uh, then it would be a week
(35:15):
from the following Monday, January tenth, we get the championship game. Now,
the four teams have the option to arrive at the
Bull site no later or check that no earlier than
two days before the game, rather than the customary five days.
I don't know what you do there. You try to
thread the need of the out smartness. I don't know
what you do there. Meanwhile, there's no serious they are.
(35:40):
Media access to the players and coaches is going to
be virtual this year. Look, we realized that no one
wants to be in this position. But Bill Hancock's final
statements is but quote, the only responsible thing is to
take whatever actions we can reasonably take to protect those
who play and coach in the game. Now, I don't
mean to sound snarky when I'm sharing all this with you.
(36:03):
It just speaks to what I would consider to be
a very sad commentary on where we are right now.
And I'm not blaming anybody. I'm certainly not casting aspersions
or you know, hindsight is I'm merely saying, rather than
focus on what should be too great semifinal games, we've
(36:25):
now got to worry, literally worry about what might happen.
You think I'm kidding the NFL, the possor season or
checked at the NHL pastor season till next Tuesday. They
keep delaying it. Right now, the NBA has over a
hundred players in COVID protocol, and we've talked about the
match unit will continue to when you break out the
NFL games. How many players are missing in key games
(36:49):
tomorrow or later today Week sixteen the NFL, and it
speaks to what I would consider to be a great
concern on the integrity of the playoffs going for and
I will speak to that in a minute, and also
close down the show by sharing with you the two
games the pros wasted no time in firing on in
NFL Week sixteen. If you're a valued customer, you deserve
(37:12):
a simple gesture of appreciation from your credit card company.
That's why I discovered matches all the cash back you
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I'm Bernie Freda. Where com do you live? From the
Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. This is the pregame
show you always wanted, So don't go away. You're listening
(37:34):
to Straight out of Vegas. We're back on Straight out
of Vegas, the pregame show you always wanted. I'm Bernie Freddock,
come to you alive from the Las Vegas Fox Sports
Radio Studios. Before I go any further, I don't think
my broadcast team back in Los Angeles, Chris Proffett, Brian
Falling on the updates and Boll Benson, and of course
(37:57):
they'll be with me all the way through until three
am Pacific six am Eastern as we get you ready
for NFL Week sixteen, among other things. All Right, I
mentioned earlier in the show I would share with you
a couple of games the pros wasted to no time
firing on. And I mean earlier in the week. Uh
(38:19):
you can. You could have started betting Week sixteen games
Wednesday of last week, and I'm talking about that would
have been Wednesday, December. So the lines fluctuate. But one
of the games the pros got on, they got on
the Bills plus two against the Patriots. I'm not so
(38:40):
sure I agree. I haven't done anything on this game.
But Bill Belichick, he's forty one and seventeen against the
number when he's coming off a loss, and he saw
with the Bills had trouble, you know, against the Patriots
in that run game in Buffalo three weeks ago. You
have bad conditions. The Bills couldn't run the ball, they
couldn't stop the run, and there were many times where
(39:03):
the Bills put seven eight men in the box and
the Patriots still ran wild on them. However, look defensively,
the two teams are fairly compatible. Uh. The Bills are
number two in ep A pril play and the Patriots
number three. However, I think what the pros field tomorrow
or later to days that the Bills offensively have the
(39:23):
edge and they and that they have Josh Allen at quarterback. Right. Historically,
the market has always undervalue Josh Allen in spots like these,
and the regular season, he's seventeen and eight against the
spread on the road and fifteen and seven against the
spread as an underdog on the road or as an
(39:45):
underdog period as a road dog, he's nine and three
against the spread. Those are pretty gaudy numbers, and he's
outperformed the spread by a margin of six point three
points as the road dog. Those are real numbers. So uh,
they got the Bills plus two. We'll see what happens
the other game. The Cowboys laying ten and not only
(40:09):
laying tender LinkedIn on the road at the Washington Football
Team and is the Sunday night game. And look, Dak
Prescott has what I considered to be an interesting dichotomy
that's broken onto one split against his NFC rivals, he
comes up big. Dak Prescott is really overachieved against his
(40:32):
NFC rivals. Against non divisional opponents, you could say that
Prescott has been somewhat mediocre. Well, they are playing in
divisional rival lamorrow. In the division, Dak Prescott is twenty
one on eight against the spread, but outside the division
he's twenty five and twenty nine against the number. That's
a big difference on average. The Cowboys with Prescott have
(40:56):
I performed the spread by a margin of plus five
points against the NFC East. They haven't just beating their division,
they frankly dominated their division. Now the Washington Football Team
completely belieagued with COVID nineteen issues. They're also playing on
short rest after rescheduled Week fifteen game that was moved
from Sunday to Tuesday, and frankly they're facing the number
(41:19):
one defense in e p A play, but anyway you
slice at ten points, in my humble opinion, is a
lot to lay against the divisional opponent, especially on the road.
The question will be is how many able bodies does
the Washington football team have? And the Cowboys you know
you're gonna get max effort. They're still in the running
for the number one seed in the NFC. I can
(41:42):
see you know. I haven't done it. I haven't fired
on either side. A ten might be a number you
can live with, but if it goes any higher than that,
it is ten and a half at some sports books.
It just depends where your shop. I don't think i'd
bet it past ten. So there you have the Builds
plus two and the Cowboys minus ten for this Sunday
(42:04):
Week sixteen games of pros have jumped on. I mentioned
earlier that I'm concerned. I'm genuinely concerned now about the
integrity of these games in the NFL with the COVID situation,
and even more so projecting ahead. I don't want to
hold mental pictures of what I don't want to see happen.
But God forbid, you get to a playoff game and
(42:25):
you have a top flight quarterback like a Brady or
Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes of that nature, and they test
positive for COVID in a playoff game. Look, I hope
it doesn't happen, but it's just it's just won't end.
Tim Boyle is starting for Jared Goff. We didn't know
that until thirty six hours ago. Josh Johnson has now
(42:46):
started again. Baltimore. Forget Lamar Jackson. You go past Tyler
Huntry Huntley, who's looked very good. Now you're down to
Josh Johnson in a really pivotal game at Cincinnati Ian
Book at home for the Saints against the visiting Miami Dolph.
This isn't fun anymore. What are you gonna you know,
what is the NFL gonna do? I actually heard that
(43:06):
there was talks that there was a consideration that the
Tuesday night games, either one or both could have in
theory been canceled if they couldn't feel enough able bodies.
And had they been canceled and forfeits would have occurred, um,
the players won't have been paid. This is what I heard.
(43:28):
And what's even crazier is that the c b A,
the players and union agreed to this agreement, Department, that
we donecy Department. Now again, it was by a very
narrow margin voting of the Union voted against this agreement.
But if you want to see this thing spent out
of control, then you know COVID seems to have a
(43:50):
strangle hold on the NFL, and I'm starting to get
very concerned. Let's see what happens. Let's think good thoughts
coming up. We're going to continue on with Fox Sports Sunday.
We've got a lot to get to over the next
three hours, including taking you all the way around NFL
Week sixteen. Keep it locked right here. This is Bernie Fratto,
Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports Sunday. Adoption of teams from
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Visit adopt us Kids dot org, slash podcast, or subscribe
to Navigating Adoption Presented by adopt us Kids, brought to
(44:42):
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Org brought to you by the United States Fourth Service
and the Ad Council. You're listening to Fox Sports Well.
As has said many times before Sports, Yes, they are
the greatest reality show ever invented. You can script everything
but the outcome, and that's why this time of year
(01:49):
continues to build drama and be so much fun. And
in our complex world, as I've often as I've also
said many times, they are objective truths and are also
of personal feelings. Our job tonight and every night is
to make sure you do not confuse the two. And
on that note, I'm Bernie Fritawer Company Alive from the
Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios, and first I'd like
(02:11):
to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy holiday season.
As we now be in our countdown to the new year. Tonight,
we'll devote a lot of time to analyzing some of
the teams on the bubble in the NFL, and we'll
analyze the playoff on is it time to panic for
some of these teams? Is it crunch time? Where do
they stand? We're gonna take a fairly deep dive on
(02:32):
this tonight after Brian Finley's update, we'll look back and
some other famous coaches who had the same type of
demeanor as urban Meyer, but they managed to win. So
you know, Urban wasn't fired not because he lost the
locker room. It's because he lost. Respectfully, had to bunk
the theory that he was fired because he lost the
locker I'll get into that more. And by the way,
(02:54):
finally at the end of the show, a couple of
games the pros have already fired on the waste of
no time firing out earlier in the week, as we
had into what appears to be very turbulent Week sixteen
sports or entertainment. But they're more than that, they're shared experiences.
Such people want to talk about them. You've come to
the right place tonight. We've got a lot to talk about.
This is straight out of Vegas. The pre game show
(03:16):
you always wanted. And as they say in justin Jefferson, Minnesota,
it's gonna be let First of all, a couple of
things to get off my chest. I uh, I was
a fan today. There were two NFL games. Arizona was
home and they're facing the visiting Indianapolis Colts, who are
pretty much missing their offensive line in their best defensive player.
(03:39):
Arizona a light favorite home minus one and a half. Meanwhile,
Green Bay links seven and a half against you know,
Diala Brown's team. You just never really know what you're
gonna get with him. On paper, an excellent roster, but
alas they're back in familiar territory, they're under five hundreds
of shame because I really think a lot of folks,
not just Cleveland fans, people had high hope. So this
(04:01):
might be a year they break through. It doesn't look
like that it's going to happen. But the world of
the story, why don't I bring that up. I've never
been so happy they didn't bet either of these games. Uh,
Indianapolis gives a massive effort, and you know, it seems
like a million miles ago. They started a million years ago.
They started out the season oh and three. Now they
(04:21):
are nine and three in their last twelve and they
look like they mean business. Uh. I don't know how
Arizona gives an effort like that this late in the season.
That was dreadful. They were sloppy, eleven penalties, they give
up a safety, then is two field goals an extra point?
They leave seven points on the board. They lose by six.
You know what you define the moment of the moment
(04:42):
defines you, and all of a sudden, that makes that
Rams Minnesota game tomorrow not a playoff game, but a
playoff implication game because the Rams still have designs on
hoping to get at least one home playoff game because
the notion that match Africa go on the road and
went three straight to get to the Super Bowl. See
(05:03):
Brady did that last year the IRN is the game
was in Campa Bay, but Tampa Bay had to win
three road games to earn the right to have a
home Super Bowl game. Identical situation for the Rams this year.
I'm sure Stan Crokey and the Rams nation would like
nothing better than to see the game being played at
so Fi Field. And if the Rams take care of
(05:24):
business tomorrow in Minnesota, they'll be in first place, uh
in the NFC West. You know, they still got work
to do. They've got to take care of the forty
niners in Baltimore. But one at a time, as the
old cliche is, But boy, would just be so on
brand for Stafford to go in and lose tomorrow when
(05:44):
you've got a playoff implication game, not predicting it going
to win tomorrow. Matt, I'll tip my cap to you.
That's why they brought you in the same reason they
brought Brady into Tampa Bay. You're supposed to be the
missing link to get them back to the super Bowl
and win at this time this year. All right, long
and short of it is, uh, the Rams our favorite.
We're gonna we'll cover that game in about an hour,
(06:06):
a little bit more depth. But there were a lot
of interesting takeaways. Uh you know that led to this week,
and so we find ourselves with a handful of what
I call sneaky contenders. The question is is it panic
time or is it crunch time? Because the mighty the
teams who were I say mighty in quotes, they faltered
and I just mentioned Arizona Cardinals. They started seven and oh,
(06:29):
I mean In their first seven games, they were averaging
thirty two points a game. Their point differential was plus
one eleven. In their last eight games were three and five.
Their point differential is minus twenty three. They're really averaging
twenty two points a game before tonight that they mustard thirteen. Uh,
they're on the side of the milk cart. Now it's
not funny, so but but they're not the only ones.
(06:51):
Week fifteen, they're the NFL regular season proved to be
very unkind, and many of the leading contenders in both
conferences in the same week. This last week, it seems
like ancient history. Now for the f c's top teams,
New England, Tennessee, Baltimore, and Los Angeles this is last
week now Week fifteen all suffered losses. While the nfcs
(07:12):
I just mentioned the Cardinals, they lost to Detroit and
Tampa Bay. They were upset as well. Now Tennessee has
since uh excellent went home Thursday night. It seems like,
you know, it's in their DNA. They were down to nothing,
they got physical, they beat the forty niners. But prior
to that, you know, when you look at some of
these defeats, they carry implications because now New England. Currently
(07:34):
they've lost the top spot in the a f C,
and the Patriots and Titans both trilled, guess what the
Kansas City Chiefs back in fromiliar territory. Now, the Chargers
remained in position for a wild card bit at number six.
But Baltimore, just like that, when from leading the a
f C North and holding one of the top four
spots in the conference to falling out of the playoffs seating,
(07:55):
they're slipped. They've slid down to eighth and tomorrow they
get Cincinnati and they get to start. Josh Johnson over
the NFC. I just mentioned the Cardinals, they've now dropped
all the way to fourth after spending weeks battling with
Green Bay for the top spot in the conference. And
meanwhile Tampa now trials the Packers in the Dallas Cowboys.
So what does it all mean, peewee. Well, I'll tell
(08:17):
you in three weeks, because for some of these teams
it's a serious red flag. For others it's merely an aberration.
So let's take a pulse. So some of these teams
that I just mentioned and talk about whether you know
this is just part of their part of the road
to the promised Land or just an aberration? Or are
(08:40):
they you know, are they are they hobbled? Right? Are
they wobbly? Now? They are? They are they wobbly front runners?
So we talked about the Pittone Colts handing the paths
of seventeen loss last week at Lucas Soil Stadium that
not only snapped New England seven game win street, but
now the paths their second in the f C. They
(09:01):
saw their lead over Buffalo shrink to one game. Oh
look out, Buffalo plays New England later on today. They're
gonna uh, you know, they're gonna about you know, twelve hours.
Here here's the problem. What's the level of concerned in
New England. I'd say it's moderate now because losing the
top seed would mean no opening round by week and
a much more challenging path to the super Bowl. So
(09:23):
all those people who started the pencil England in the
super Bowl, you might want to pump the brakes on that.
The Patriots technically the remaining the driver's seat of their
division because they get the bills at home today later today.
But the Colts expose the limitations that New England faces
when they have to really rely completely on the arm
of Mac Jones. Now, I think Matt can do it,
(09:45):
but Bill Belichick, I'm not sure it's gonna let him
to do it. But there's a reason rookie quarterbacks have
never been to a Super Bowl. I would, I would
the glasses half full with this guy very much, because
he's played well this year, because he's overseen the operation.
He hasn't had to put the team on his back.
(10:06):
But look how the Rocky quarterbacks have done, right, Zack
Wilson justin fields. Trey Lance Is Trey Lance still in
the league. Okay, you get my point. MATC. Jones has
done done very well. But tomorrow they've got to take
care of Buffalo. A loss of the Bills would knock
the Patriots out of the divisional lead because Buffalo would
(10:27):
hold the tiebreaker on a record within the a f
C East. That is a de factive playoff game. All right,
Another team, the Tennessee Titans. Well, and you know this
since we talked last week, they've won two games, and
frankly I think they look good doing it. That they
have their best stuff Thursday night against the forty Niners. No,
(10:49):
but as the great Nolan Ryan once said, the mark
of a great team is when you can beat somebody
and you don't have your best stuff. They came back,
they did what they needed to do, gritty, gutty win
against the forty niners, and that's following up on an
oppressive win the week before. So they're not the same
without Derrick Henry Tennessee but Ryan tanney Hill and he
(11:11):
can't have the ball in his hands all the time
because the more he has the ball in his hands,
the more there's a chance for a gaff. But since
Henry's foot injury Week eight, the Titans somehow it's affected
their defense too because they're they're minus thirteen in the
turnover battle and points are hard to come buy in Tennessee.
They don't score more than twenty points a lot of
the time, so they you know, control their fate. But
(11:35):
I will tell you that their margin of ariston all right,
Chargers level of concern low. I would say they're just
an up and down team. They caught the Chiefs at
the right time earlier this year, they caught them in
a bad time this past week, and Patrick Mahomes and
company beat the Chiefs in overtime. The Chiefs get to
go to Houston I think they're gonna molly wop, as
(11:56):
Kevin Figures would say, I think THEY'RENNA molly wop Houston tomorrow.
That game feels like it's got thirty four ten written
written all over it. Now, as far as the Chargers
catching the Chiefs for the lead in the a FL West,
that seems unlikely. But they don't have the worst closing schedule.
Right again, You've got at Houston, then they come back home.
(12:17):
The Chargers come back home against Denver, then they finished
at Las Vegas, So you would believe that the Chargers
should finish on an upswing. Do they have the potential
to match up well with just about every team in
the playoff field, Yes, they do, But mentally I'm not
so sure because mainally I'm not sure they're quite there yet.
I don't see sense of urgency in this team. I
(12:38):
don't see the you know, trust in his team. I
don't see the DNA that takes to win big games
yet with him. Talent wise, yes, but they gotta prove
it to me. Baltimore, you know what they're They've got
one foot in the grave on the other of an
an appeal. They are very much on barrow time, and
they have to beat a very good Cincinnati team tomorrow
in Cincinnati with their third string quarter back. You know,
(13:01):
COVID nineteen has not been friendly to them, and Lamar
Jackson is hurt. And I said, that's a that's a
puzzle they can't solve without them. How many hits can
this team sustain and still be okay? And really they
might have been on borrowtime earlier in the year. What
they beat Detroit on that last second eighty six yard
field goal. You know, I'm being facetious, but they had
a few nail betters in the beginning of the year
(13:22):
and it felt like they weren't. Their record is what
it's you know, it says you are, but eventually you
gotta pay the piper if you're winning games in that fashion.
And then they've had a couple of situations where they've
gone for two points and it turned out to be
their death Knell. I think if Baltimore loses tomorrow, it's
gonna be very serious business. And their level of concern,
I believe is very high. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Okay, what happened?
(13:47):
They ran into their Achilles held Dennis Sounds defense in
New Orleans last week and they were shut out. Uh.
But am I concerned about the Patriots. No, But you know,
without Leonard four Nett and without Chris Godwin. Look, you
want to have all your weapons, and they don't. And
one of the reasons the Patriots were so good last
year is because they managed to stay healthy at the
(14:08):
end of the year. And one of the very reasons
why they might run into a situation this year is
because you know, could be the very undoing this year
and the fact that they aren't healthy. Now the Saints,
what they did to the Bucks, they made it so
they'll have to wait a little longer to clinch then
a the NFC South. But the Bucks are gonna win
the NFC South. Okay, they're banged up. They don't have
(14:31):
Chris god with the remainder of the season, but Brady
is not gonna let this team, you know, slide into oblivion.
It's just not gonna happen. They get back Antonio Brown
this week, to get back safety Mike Edwards. Uh. They
both had three game suspensions for you see fate COVID
I D vaccination currents, and believe me, they need both
those guys. The good news is the Bucks close out
the season with two games, two games against these struggling
(14:55):
Carolina Panthers and then a matchup with the team that's
just what the doctor ordered, the New York Jets. Finally,
the Arizona Cardinals level of concern high. I think they're
still going to sneak into the playoffs. But what should
have been a routine rebound victory when the Cardinals lost
in the rematch of the Rams two weeks ago. They
(15:16):
go to the Detroit they get troumps thirty to twelve,
they get up a hundred and thirty years on the
ground to Craig Reynolds, and now they've lost. Uh. Like
I said, there're three and five in their last eight,
and the Cardinals continue to sink further behind the Packers.
But not only that, they're not behind the Rams in
the NFC West, and they likely have just piste away
(15:36):
their first drawn by in a home field advantage. Now,
kirk Cliff Kingsbury said, you know, he was pretty vocal
last week. He said he was quote pissed that his
team got out coached and out played by Alliance Carla
Murray said he was not at all worried by his
performance quote, he says, we're still telling four, we're still
in first place. This is nowhere near what were last year.
We're not going to allow it to be. Well, then
(15:58):
do it on the field. Don't tell me, show me
you get on the field to night. What a terrible effort.
And why did Kyler Murray only carry the ball four times?
He broke that one run? This offense is disjointed. I
mean they forgot out of score in the red zone,
and the first seven games of the season they were
scoring seventy son at the time in the red zone.
They're way below that now and it's costing them. The
(16:21):
Cardinals need to be very concerned. Not forget being dominant.
They've fallen in an incredibly bad form and they lost
to night to Indianapolis, and it doesn't get any easier.
You get Doallas in the Seattle Seahawks, and yeah, I
get the Seahawks are five and nine, but they're not
gonna be any picnic. That's gonna be different, that's gonna
be difficult. That the only saving graces they'll be scoreboard
(16:43):
watching because the Rams they have a tough finish. They
gotta go to Minnesota tomorrow. Frankly, the Rams don't really
match up that well against Minnesota. If Minnesota can't win
that game at home tomorrow, that's a real indictment on them.
But then the Rams also have to play Baltimore in Baltimore,
and they get San Francisco at home. So that's a
division that is up for grabs, and it's not that
(17:04):
nobody wants to win it, but nobody seizing it. I
will if I could only watch one game tomorrow, it
would be the Rams Minnesota game. And if the Rams
going there and take care of business and Stafford has
a big day, I think they'll serve notice that they are.
They do have designs on Yes, winning the division, Yes,
getting at least one home playoff game, but you gotta
(17:25):
do it on the field. Tomorrow. Coming up, we're gonna continue,
We're gonna go buy the divisions and talk about who's
really in already, who's still in the hunt. Will reiterate
some of the things we talked about. If you're a
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(17:47):
your first year. Discover exceptionally common sense. Learn more Discover
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Straight out of Vegas, the big game show you always
wanted on. Bernie Faro come to your life the Las
Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. We continue on with our
(19:59):
contenders versus Pretenders, and I'm gonna start with the A
f C. Because when you look at the Chiefs, Pats Titans, respectively,
they are in the playoffs. Those are their probabilities based
on FPI colts about eighty five percent, Chargers sevent. Now
the Bengals, by virtue of them being in a week
(20:20):
division where no one wants to win sixty. So we've
got about six teams that are really in the driver's seat,
which makes it a musical chairs for the remaining spot.
And this is not gonna be easy. Um. We start
with Baltimore and the Ravens are so decimated by injuries
and COVID nineteen losses that that's primarily the reason John
(20:41):
Hardball felt compelled to go for two, not one, but
two game winning point plays in the past three weeks
rather than take his chances in overtime, and they lost
both games. And now they're on a basically what you
would call, for lack of a better term, playoff crushing
three game losing streak. Now the Ravens have a chance
to turn it around against the Bengals, but right now
(21:02):
FPI is only given the Ravens percent chance to make
the playoffs in their division. Title odds are about you know,
it's on your shoulders, Baltimore. You gotta do with the
third string quarterback. Pittsburgh, the Steelers that well, they've kept
themselves in the playoff race, and somehow they beat the
Titans last week, but their level of difficulties about to
go up even more. There a ten point underdog against
(21:24):
the Chiefs, the hottest team in football. It's not the
kind of game the Steelers want. They're trying to stay
within a reasonable distance of the race. Right now. Fp
I gives the Steelers an eighteen percent chance to make
it to the postseason here in Las Vegas. The Raiders
they've got basically the facto playoff game later today against Denver.
Right now, their playoff chances or ten. Somehow they kept
(21:46):
their playoff hopes alive on the last play of victory
over the completely dilapidated Cleveland Browns. Again, the FPI gives
him a ten percent chance of getting the postseason, but
all the wins count the same. But if he wants,
the Raiders struggle to overcome a team of Brown's backups
last week, it just feels hard to envision that they
(22:07):
beat a Denver Withdrew lock. But look, they can do it. That.
You gotta play the game on the field, and then
they've got the Colts and Charges. Following that, the Raters
have to win all three of those games. No two,
no two ways about it. Miami Monday Night. Get some
credit to the Dolphins simply for being in this conversation.
They followed a seven game losing streak with a six
game winning streak. They've got another winnable game tomorrow later
(22:29):
today at New Orleans, and New Orleans will also start
their third string quarterback Ian Book. Right now, their FPI
percentage playoff chances are miniscule six percent. But if they
keep winning, Hey, come on, Miami, Cleveland Browns. They're now
seven and eight. I'd like to thank that Cleveland Browns
for participating in playoffs. And yeah, they deserved the pass
(22:53):
interference call. But if the game, if you let the
game get to that point where you're going to be
concerned about one call, then you might your chances might
not have been winning. Well, right anyway, they loaded sixteen
to fourteen to the Raiders in the final play of
Monday Night, and they in week fifteen at the bottom
of their division, and they lose today alright, seventent chance
(23:14):
of making the playoffs. Meanwhile, Denver, there's they're lost last
Sunday to the Bengals, dropped their playoff chances to eight percent,
but they believe they've got a winnable game Sunday against
the Raiders. Teddy Bridgewater has got a concussion though, you
got Drew locks, So there you have it. Uh, it's
gonna get very crowd of musical chairs. A lot of
questions to be answered. Week sixteen in the NFC, the
(23:35):
Packers have clinched. They were the first team to clinch.
Right now. The Cowboys are about to make the playoffs.
The Bucks nine. The Cardinals were they lost today and
they would have to have an epic collapse. They're gonna
even if they lost the rest of their games. They
finished ten and seven. That's probably gonna be good enough
to sneak in the playoffs. Rams are in about three percent,
(23:57):
but they gotta keep winning. That didn't help Thursday losing
to the to the Tennessee Titans when he had a
tend not to lead all right, musical chairs, it's gonna
get very crowded for the final spots Philadelphia. They had
to wait two extra days, but the Eagles capitalized on
a game against a very underman opponent once again to
(24:18):
keep their foot in the playoff door. Had they lost
to the Eagles lost to the Giants, their FPI would
have been eight percent, but now they stand at thirty
three and uh they had into a very winnable game
with the Giants. UH. Later today, Saints I mentioned their
Monday Night, their seven and seven. Their upset went over
the Buccaneers temporarily gave them a stay of execution, but
(24:41):
they fell back actually Monday night after the Vikings beat
the Bears. Regardless, it's a huge victory for the Saints
and it would help them actually in in several timebreakers
tiebreakers excuse me, including division and conference record. But it's
worth noting that the Saints don't have another game schedule
against the team that currently has a winning record, So,
believe it or not, fp I gives him a forty
(25:03):
seven percent chance of making the playoffs. But you've got
a pesky Dolphins team up up next. And again we'll
break about forty five minutes to an hour, break these
games down in detail, and you've got to go with
Ian Book at quarterback, and the Miami Dolphins have taken
advantage of playing second string quarterbacks all year. I'll give
(25:24):
you the list a little bit later, and now you
get Eating Book tomorrow. By the way that game when
I get to the Pheasan five is one of phasis
best bets. But it has to do with a total
and I'll explain. Uh, you gotta feel. You got a
feeling that game we played very close to the best
of the best of Saints have an excellent defense and
Miami is not a juggernaut offensively. They're just very opportunisty
to have a pretty good defense as well. Finally, in
(25:47):
the end, the two day delay I'm talking about the
Washington football team there Tuesday night game against the Eagles
was just not enough time for Washington to get enough
guys off the scrap heap to you know, replenish their
depleted roster. Washington kept the game closer than me he expected,
but now they've got a very quick turnaround game there
(26:08):
ten point underdogs against the Cowboys. Basically the FPI playoff
chances they're down to six percent, so they have it. Uh,
it seems fairly predictable. You can start to see who's
really going to be in the playoffs and who's not
barring something I would say crazy. But speaking of crazy,
(26:30):
the college Football Playoff Commitee, I'm gonna get to the
Urban Meyer thing. Later later in the show because I
want to go more in depth on it, and I'll
probably bring the crew in on it as well. But
the College Football Playoff Committee established their playoff COVID rules,
and they're fairly dacni and draconian. I hope to god
there's not a forfeit, but there could not only be
one forfeit, there could be three forfeits. You could see
(26:52):
a national champion crown without even having to play a game.
Believe it or not, I'm not making that up. I'll
tell you at the College Playoff Committee decided and how
it's going to work. But first let's go to the
man who has become so popular he even made it
into Ben Mallard's Christmas songs. It's Brian the Latest. Thank
you so much, Burnie, you're doing your homework. So we
(27:13):
had two NFL games on Christmas Day and the Colts
got the job done in the later game to finish
up against the Cardinals two to sixteen, Indie quarterback carsonal
Wentz two touchdown tosses. Now, this was an Arizona team
that started the season seven and oh. Since then they
have been three and five and after this latest loss,
Arizona head coach in Cliff Kingsbury, speaking the obvious, We're
(27:37):
looking at ourselves, looking in the mirror and trying to
figure out what we have to do, because right now
it's not good enough to be the team we know
we can be. And now, for the third straight a week,
Arizona had a chance to clinch a playoff spot and
they failed to do so. The other game on Saturday
was the Packers as they are victorious against the Browns
twenty four to two. Baker Mayfield four interceptions. Also in
(27:58):
this game, fact order back in Aaron Rodgers becoming Green
Bay's all time leader in touchdown passes, surpassing Bred Farm.
In the NBA, we had the Jazz dominating the mav
Ricks and then hanging on late for a one one
sixteen victory. Donovan Mitchell thirty three points that was a
game high. The Lakers nearly came back, but it fell
(28:18):
just short to the Nets. At home on two to
one fifteen, the Lake Show were down by twenty three
early in the fourth quarter. They ended up tying it
in the period but could not hang on late. The
Warriors showing whose boss in the Association after taking down
another Western Conference top dog and the Suns one sixteen
(28:38):
to one oh seven. Steph Curry thirty three points, also
Otto Porter with nineteen points. He made some huge buckets
in the latter parts of that game. Janice dident to
Koopo coming off the COVID protocols and did he dazzle
in his return thirty six points, twelve rebounds, and five
assists as he leaves the Bucks to a victory over
(29:01):
the Celtics one seventeen to one thirteen. We also have
the Knicks ripping the Hawks one oh one to eight seven.
That was the earliest of the five NBA games that
took place on Christmas Day. With that, we sent us
back to a man who is living in a city
that Bernie I think, and maybe a couple of years
they're gonna have an NBA town in Las Vegas. I
wouldn't put it past the league. We'll get it back
(29:23):
to Bernie Freddo in the city of Lost Wages, where
we're gonna have a Super Bowl here in four We're
gonna have a Pro Bowl here in about sixty days.
And by the way, speaking of the Ben Mallar Show,
I'll be sitting in for the Great Ben mallor Wednesday
Night MP and Pacific heading into Thursday, and Thursday Night
a M and Pacific heading into Friday. So marketing Calendar's
(29:44):
plenty of hijinks with that good group, the Mallard Militia.
All right, uh, later on the show, I'm gonna talk
about some real concerns I have about the NFL right
now and the integrity of these games, and the fact
that the ability to get their arms around COVID, even
though of the league is vaccinated, seems even slipperier than
(30:05):
the last year. And um, I'll talk about a couple
of things I heard. We'll do that. We'll do that
coming up in about about ten fifteen minutes. But I
want to switch gears because I'm very much looking forward
to the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl and Friday
twelve thirty Pacific. You've got Alabama Tea in it up
against the Cincinnati Huge tip of the captain Cincinnati for
(30:25):
getting into the playoffs. We've got some playoffs I think
a little more interesting this year. We've got a first
year team in Cincinnati, well deserving. I thought that you
could have made a case for them last year. Thirteen
and a half point underdog and in Michigan, Michigan their
first trip to the playoffs, and they have the distinction
of being the first team ever in this current playoff
federation who began the year unranked, and now they have
(30:48):
a chance to win a national championship. But you know,
not so fast, um, because there's always there's always a
chance that COVID could rear its ugly head. And last Wednesday,
the College Football Management Committee, let me try that again
in English, the College Football Playoff Management Committee, not the
(31:09):
College Football Management Committee, and there's no such thing. The
College Football Playoff Management Committee announced what they deemed updated
procedures that would govern potential issues caused by COVID nineteen.
Now these policies, in their words, they provide quote guidance
in the event that one or more playoff teams can't
(31:31):
play due to an insufficient number of players. Hey tell,
and happen to Texas A and M. They fell beluieve
forties scholarship players. They had to beg off and Rutgers
jumped in. They'll play against uh wake Forest in their
ball game. So here are the policies in the event
one or more playoff teams can't play due to an
insufficient number of players in either the cotton Ball or
(31:54):
the Orange Orange Ball. This is their language. If one
team is unavailable to play, the unavailable team show forfeit
the game and its opponent with advance to the national
championship game. That would be horrible. In the playoffs semifinals,
if both teams are unavailable to play in one semifinal,
let's say God forbid, neither team could play in the
Michigan Alabama game. Well, the the semifal that semifinal game
(32:19):
would be quote declared no contest, and the team winning
the other semifinal game would be declared the college football
national champion. That would mean that the Michigan Georgia game
would effectively be for the national championship. This is a hypothetical.
I'm merely laying this out and spelling this out succinctly
so you can get the picture what I'm trying to
explain here. This is a hypothetical. Now in the playoffs semifinals,
(32:44):
caught in Orange Bowl, if three teams are available to play,
the semifinal game in which two teams are unable to
play would be cleared no contest, and then the other
semifinal game the team unable to play shall forfeit the game,
and its opponent would be declared the college football national champion.
(33:07):
Now on the college football National Championship game, you get
to that game if the team's unavailability is determined after
the playoffs semifinals have been conducted. The National Championship game
Indianapolis may be rescheduled no later than Friday, January fourteen.
So there's a little semblance of relief there. The game
(33:27):
schedule will be played July January. In other words, that
say Alabama and Georgia both advanced for purposes this of
this conversation, but one team can't go that Monday. They're
willing to reschedule the game as late as Friday, January fourteen,
but not later the fourteenth. And if one team is
able to play and the other is not, the game
(33:48):
cannot be rescheduled or as rescheduled and cannot be played.
Can you imagine if they rescheduled to January four fourteen,
and then it can't be played, then the team unable
to play shall forfeit the game and the other team
teams shall be declared college Football Playoff National Champion. Now,
what happens if you get to that January fourteenth, the
neither team was able to play on either an original
(34:11):
or rescheduled date, then the game should be declared no
contest and the College Football National Championships shall be vacated
for this season. And if you follow that, you're better
than me. But the director Bill Hancock, with a serious face,
as quote, as we prepare for the playoff, it's why
is it necessary to put in place additional precautions to
(34:33):
protect those who will play and coach the games? Quote?
These policies will better protect our students and staff while
providing clarity. Definitely providing clarity in the event worst case
scenarios result. Now, last I heard Bill O'Brien, the OFFENSI
accordinated for Alabama the geese in COVID protocol anyway, But
I also understand the entire Alabama team this past week,
(34:55):
last Monday, I think all got the booster shot. So
keep your friend his cross, folks. New Year's Day, Alabama
is set to take on Cincinnati and the Cotton Bowl
of Michigan will face Georgia and the Orange Bowl later
that same day for Pacific and then fingers cost everything
goes okay, and uh, then it would be a week
(35:15):
from the following Monday, January tenth, we get the championship game. Now,
the four teams have the option to arrive at the
Bull site no later or check that no earlier than
two days before the game, rather than the customary five days.
I don't know what you do there. You try to
thread the need of the out smartness. I don't know
what you do there. Meanwhile, there's no serious they are.
(35:40):
Media access to the players and coaches is going to
be virtual this year. Look, we realized that no one
wants to be in this position. But Bill Hancock's final
statements is but quote, the only responsible thing is to
take whatever actions we can reasonably take to protect those
who play and coach in the game. Now, I don't
mean to sound snarky when I'm sharing all this with you.
(36:03):
It just speaks to what I would consider to be
a very sad commentary on where we are right now.
And I'm not blaming anybody. I'm certainly not casting aspersions
or you know, hindsight is I'm merely saying, rather than
focus on what should be too great semifinal games, we've
(36:25):
now got to worry, literally worry about what might happen.
You think I'm kidding the NFL, the possor season or
checked at the NHL pastor season till next Tuesday. They
keep delaying it. Right now, the NBA has over a
hundred players in COVID protocol, and we've talked about the
match unit will continue to when you break out the
NFL games. How many players are missing in key games
(36:49):
tomorrow or later today Week sixteen the NFL, and it
speaks to what I would consider to be a great
concern on the integrity of the playoffs going for and
I will speak to that in a minute, and also
close down the show by sharing with you the two
games the pros wasted no time in firing on in
NFL Week sixteen. If you're a valued customer, you deserve
(37:12):
a simple gesture of appreciation from your credit card company.
That's why I discovered matches all the cash back you
earn at the end of your first year. Discover exceptionally
common sense. Learn more discovered dot com slash match limitations apply.
I'm Bernie Freda. Where com do you live? From the
Las Vegas Fox Sports Radio Studios. This is the pregame
show you always wanted, So don't go away. You're listening
(37:34):
to Straight out of Vegas. We're back on Straight out
of Vegas, the pregame show you always wanted. I'm Bernie Freddock,
come to you alive from the Las Vegas Fox Sports
Radio Studios. Before I go any further, I don't think
my broadcast team back in Los Angeles, Chris Proffett, Brian
Falling on the updates and Boll Benson, and of course
(37:57):
they'll be with me all the way through until three
am Pacific six am Eastern as we get you ready
for NFL Week sixteen, among other things. All Right, I
mentioned earlier in the show I would share with you
a couple of games the pros wasted to no time
firing on. And I mean earlier in the week. Uh
(38:19):
you can. You could have started betting Week sixteen games
Wednesday of last week, and I'm talking about that would
have been Wednesday, December. So the lines fluctuate. But one
of the games the pros got on, they got on
the Bills plus two against the Patriots. I'm not so
(38:40):
sure I agree. I haven't done anything on this game.
But Bill Belichick, he's forty one and seventeen against the
number when he's coming off a loss, and he saw
with the Bills had trouble, you know, against the Patriots
in that run game in Buffalo three weeks ago. You
have bad conditions. The Bills couldn't run the ball, they
couldn't stop the run, and there were many times where
(39:03):
the Bills put seven eight men in the box and
the Patriots still ran wild on them. However, look defensively,
the two teams are fairly compatible. Uh. The Bills are
number two in ep A pril play and the Patriots
number three. However, I think what the pros field tomorrow
or later to days that the Bills offensively have the
(39:23):
edge and they and that they have Josh Allen at quarterback. Right. Historically,
the market has always undervalue Josh Allen in spots like these,
and the regular season, he's seventeen and eight against the
spread on the road and fifteen and seven against the
spread as an underdog on the road or as an
(39:45):
underdog period as a road dog, he's nine and three
against the spread. Those are pretty gaudy numbers, and he's
outperformed the spread by a margin of six point three
points as the road dog. Those are real numbers. So uh,
they got the Bills plus two. We'll see what happens
the other game. The Cowboys laying ten and not only
(40:09):
laying tender LinkedIn on the road at the Washington Football
Team and is the Sunday night game. And look, Dak
Prescott has what I considered to be an interesting dichotomy
that's broken onto one split against his NFC rivals, he
comes up big. Dak Prescott is really overachieved against his
(40:32):
NFC rivals. Against non divisional opponents, you could say that
Prescott has been somewhat mediocre. Well, they are playing in
divisional rival lamorrow. In the division, Dak Prescott is twenty
one on eight against the spread, but outside the division
he's twenty five and twenty nine against the number. That's
a big difference on average. The Cowboys with Prescott have
(40:56):
I performed the spread by a margin of plus five
points against the NFC East. They haven't just beating their division,
they frankly dominated their division. Now the Washington Football Team
completely belieagued with COVID nineteen issues. They're also playing on
short rest after rescheduled Week fifteen game that was moved
from Sunday to Tuesday, and frankly they're facing the number
(41:19):
one defense in e p A play, but anyway you
slice at ten points, in my humble opinion, is a
lot to lay against the divisional opponent, especially on the road.
The question will be is how many able bodies does
the Washington football team have? And the Cowboys you know
you're gonna get max effort. They're still in the running
for the number one seed in the NFC. I can
(41:42):
see you know. I haven't done it. I haven't fired
on either side. A ten might be a number you
can live with, but if it goes any higher than that,
it is ten and a half at some sports books.
It just depends where your shop. I don't think i'd
bet it past ten. So there you have the Builds
plus two and the Cowboys minus ten for this Sunday
(42:04):
Week sixteen games of pros have jumped on. I mentioned
earlier that I'm concerned. I'm genuinely concerned now about the
integrity of these games in the NFL with the COVID situation,
and even more so projecting ahead. I don't want to
hold mental pictures of what I don't want to see happen.
But God forbid, you get to a playoff game and
(42:25):
you have a top flight quarterback like a Brady or
Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes of that nature, and they test
positive for COVID in a playoff game. Look, I hope
it doesn't happen, but it's just it's just won't end.
Tim Boyle is starting for Jared Goff. We didn't know
that until thirty six hours ago. Josh Johnson has now
(42:46):
started again. Baltimore. Forget Lamar Jackson. You go past Tyler
Huntry Huntley, who's looked very good. Now you're down to
Josh Johnson in a really pivotal game at Cincinnati Ian
Book at home for the Saints against the visiting Miami Dolph.
This isn't fun anymore. What are you gonna you know,
what is the NFL gonna do? I actually heard that
(43:06):
there was talks that there was a consideration that the
Tuesday night games, either one or both could have in
theory been canceled if they couldn't feel enough able bodies.
And had they been canceled and forfeits would have occurred, um,
the players won't have been paid. This is what I heard.
(43:28):
And what's even crazier is that the c b A,
the players and union agreed to this agreement, Department, that
we donecy Department. Now again, it was by a very
narrow margin voting of the Union voted against this agreement.
But if you want to see this thing spent out
of control, then you know COVID seems to have a
(43:50):
strangle hold on the NFL, and I'm starting to get
very concerned. Let's see what happens. Let's think good thoughts
coming up. We're going to continue on with Fox Sports Sunday.
We've got a lot to get to over the next
three hours, including taking you all the way around NFL
Week sixteen. Keep it locked right here. This is Bernie Fratto,
Fox Sports Radio, Fox Sports Sunday. Adoption of teams from
(44:19):
foster care is a topic not enough people know about,
and we're here to change that. I'm April Dinuity, host
of the new podcast Navigating Adoption, presented by adopt us Kids.
Each episode brings you compelling, real life adoption stories told
by the families that lived them, with commentary from experts.
Visit adopt us Kids dot org, slash podcast, or subscribe
to Navigating Adoption Presented by adopt us Kids, brought to
(44:42):
you by the U S Department of Health, that Human
Services Administration for Children and Families, and the ACT Council.
What girls in the forest, our imagination and our family bonds.
The forest is closer than you think. Find a forest
near you and discover the forest. Dot org brought to
you by the It States Force Service and the AD Council.
(45:04):
We've all felt left out, and for people who moved
to this country, that feeling lasts more than a moment.
We can change that. Learn how it belonging begins with us.
Dot org brought to you by the AD Council.
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