Steve Hartman & Geoff Schwartz Talk Win and You're In & Fickell Calls In

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Yes, living the dream
once again on a fabulous football Saturday. This is Fox
Football Saturday, Harvard and Shorts with you from the Fox
Sports Radio studios. We got NFL football today and a
full slate to wrap up the regular season tomorrow. Plus, oh,

(00:24):
I don't know, Jeff, this National Championship game come Monday
between Georgia and Alabama. So I am going to make
a pre show prediction that we're gonna talk a lot
of football today, just a hunch. I think we are.
And I am in a great mood because I did
not lose my job for taking off my clothes and
running across the football field this week, So I feel

(00:45):
good that we still have our jobs. We're doing the
right thing. We didn't lose millions of dollars acting like
a fool in the sideline of an NFL game. So
I'm I'm in a great mood today. Feel much better
than last week. I feel healthier than I did last week,
and I'm ready to time. We have Saturday football, we
have NFL Action to Night one game matters. Other games
canna feel like the preseason because, let you guys know,
the night game. Find something else to do, go on

(01:07):
a date with your spouse, do something else. But the
first game will matter a little bit more. And then
of course we have, um, we have the game tomorrow.
But one thing is before we get started here, Uh,
the the high School American game was just on television,
Dion Sanders. Jackson State got another four star wide receiver
committed to them out of the blue. It was Miami,
it was usc it was Oregon, and then boom Jackson State.

(01:29):
How about that just happened about thirty minutes ago. Well,
and again it will continue to happen if they do
have success at Jackson State and they go in the
draft where they're projected. I mean it's always future projections
obviously high school football players. But if it pans out
for them and they are high picks on the draft

(01:49):
based on, you know, going to Jackson State, then you'll
have more guys go that route. Um, look at the name, image, likeness,
situation and changed the whole dynamic. These guys can still
make money. Whether they go to Jackson State Alabama doesn't
matter if they have that kind of talent and and
one thing, but again, it's all about exposure. How many
people are gonna see these guys. Does this mean that

(02:11):
suddenly we're gonna see Jackson State on television? I don't
think so. I don't think are Conference has any kind
of network contract. So that's gonna be the one draw
against him. Name, image, likeness. It's about exposure, It's about
giving Bryce Young a million dollars before he even got started.
Is that starting quarterback at Alabama knowing that he was

(02:34):
going to be on the big screen in big games
playing quarterback at the University of Alabama? Yeah, and um,
you know obviously, you know, we have not seen deals
come come yet for Travis Henry, right, the first commit
who went to there, and then obviously today with Kevin Coleman. Um.
So I'm curiously what these n I L deals. I
would imagine Barstow claims they're not involved. I mean I

(02:55):
would imagine they are involved, right, I mean they're there
Dion's coworkers, and um, they obviously have deep pockets. They
have to imagine something, which you should be right, be good.
If you can, if you can capitalize off your image
like thisstant great, then do it. So I'm curious obviously
for that to happen. Yeah, Well, we have to win
a couple of years to figure out how this all
sorts of self out, and we have many moons to
do that, um. But it's fun to watch these these

(03:17):
players commit to different schools. We people said, and I
was gonna make it to our only Alabama and Ohio
State win. And we'll guess what. Alabama already wins. Okay,
they already went enough. They can't win. You really can't
win anymore unless you're North Dakota State, who's won nine
of the last eleven f f FCS championships. But we
can't win win Alabama. But now two players that would
have gone to Miami and Florida State have now gone

(03:39):
to Jackson State. That's how you even the playing field, right.
It's a couple of players here and there that leave
big schools and go to smaller schools or schools that
have not been as powerful um over the years. And
if you eat a way at that depth, and that's
what is happening in this recruiting cycle, maybe happens the
next cycle and that depth its in a way and Alabama,

(04:00):
Ohio State, Georgia don't get as many high because that's
what collegeable is about. We we we it's about recruiting,
and I know people don't want to talk about that,
and it makes it for less nostalgia and less fun
about it. But we talked about this last week's Steve
after Alabama beats and City Right, Alabama had seventy seven
players in ESPN's top three recruiting rankings. Since then, they

(04:21):
had to Okay, George, Alabama play Tomorrow night. Assumeing Monday
night they are the two teams with the highest ratio
of four and five star players. No surprise, they're in
the championship game. That's just becomes if you chip away
at that by taking a Travis Henry or Kevin Coleman
and moving them away from those top tier schools to
a Jackson State or to a smaller school, that's how

(04:43):
you even you start evening out, possibly evening out some
of the lack of competitive balance of college football. By
the way, were brought to you by one of our
favorite cities, Las Vegas, the greatest arena on Earth. Planeer
tip today visit Las Vegas dot com. Here's the other
thing about what's going on with Dion Sanders at Jackson
State is if he can recruit these guys to go
to Jackson State obviously at upsiani to bring him at

(05:05):
the major college level. He's got the name, and so
that's the question. That's is great that he's being able
to bring these four or five star recruits into Jackson State,
but it probably also means he's not gonna be there long, okay,
because every school is looking for that coach that's got
whatever it takes the biggest bring in the biggest names,
especially when you have someone that's such a legend. I mean,

(05:27):
let's let's go back to Florida State, right, Florida State
has not been the same since Jimbo Fisher left. They've
been trying to find their legs at Florida State. Dion
Sanders was a legend at Florida's State. Remember of the
College Football Hall of Fame. Wouldn't it make sense if
Florida State where does it say? You know what, if
we brought Dion back, with what he's already doing at

(05:49):
Jackson State, with his ties to the university, with the
history of this university, that's a no brainer, right am?
I am I right on this. He would be the
first guy on the list of replacements from Mike Norvell
that Boosters. I mean, obviously Besides, like Nick Saban, right,
which is not gonna happen that boosters and fans of
like would be excited for me especially. Look, and Jackson's

(06:11):
thing was really good this year right soon showed that
he can coach a winning team. Now, obviously if he
does it another season, now, uh, they'll be even more
I think love to your point for him to get
all these one of these top coaching jobs in the country,
and I think I think he very well could. All right,
we got a lot of things to do today. You
mentioned we got two NFL games. One game is gonna
be kicking out shortly Kansas City, Denver. The other game

(06:34):
is Dallas and Philadelphia. To be honest with you, neither
one of these james have really any major playoff implications. Technically,
if Kansas City wins today and the Titans should somehow
lose to the Texans, casey would re establish themselves as
the number one seed. But I'm not gonna put the
bank on the Texans beating and the Titans. By the way,

(06:55):
it was announced today that Derrick Henry will not play
for the Titans, but should be ready to go for
the playoffs. Remember, if the Titans do get that number
one seed of an extra week for Derrick Henry to
get healthy for the start of the playoffs. Um. Speaking
of Kansas City, though, the reason they're in this predicament
right now is what happened against the Cincinnati Bengals. Now, Jeff,

(07:15):
you know, I love you, man, but I gotta I
gotta say you were really out there last week insisting
that all these people that were buying into the Joe
Burrow hype job or jumping the gun, Kansas City should
win this game by a couple of touchdowns. That looked
like they were gonna win by a couple of touchdowns,
and then they just caved in as Jamaar Chase apparently

(07:38):
just ran free throughout that entire game, two sixty plus
yards receiving. Joe Burrows had almost a thousand yards passing
the last two games, and since then he wins the
a f C North. So what is your takeaway on that?
It was more about, Wow, Cincinnati, maybe I short changed them,
maybe they are a bigger threat than they were, or

(07:59):
the Chiefs, who had an eight game winning street going
in much of it on their defense, got exposed in
that game by the Bengals. Um, I'm on the side
of of the Chiefs. UM really blew an opportunity to
have the one seat and an opportunity that they had
earned up at that point, opportunity where they were up.
They were fourteen on the road in the first half

(08:20):
of the game, towards three second half points on three possessions.
Not good enough. But defensively is where the provements. I
was just shocked. You know. The first Chase touchdown was
a play that was a short pass where he ran
through the defense and if you watch that play back,
a lot of loafen from the Chief's defense on that play,

(08:40):
a lot of guys just jogging over to Jamaar Chase
and Craig Jamar Chase for playing hard and making the
play great, right, like good for him, But a lot
of loaf and buddy on that on that sidelines, I mean,
on the Chief's defense. Um. And then we get to
the third and twenty seven play where the Chiefs where
the Bengals converted the balls of forty one yard line

(09:01):
right that the game is tied and starting seven. The
Bengel's kicker has a great leg, so if they missed that,
they're probably gonna kicking a fifty yard field goal makes it,
doesn't make it, I don't know, but they would have
attempted it so well the Chiefs do. They go what's
called zero pressure, right, they blitz everyone but the cornerbacks

(09:21):
or defensive players that are in coverage with the wide receivers.
They left Jamar Chase one on one, and Jamaar Chase
leads the NFL and yards this year against one on
one coverage, and guess what, he beat the corner and
in a great catch and they got and they got
the first down. That play right there, to me summed
up a poor defensive game plan by the Chiefs because,
um hey, they left Jamaar Chase and really most other

(09:46):
players one on one way too often. They blew a
coverage as well, and a long touchdown pass. But more
anything else, Steve is that Chris Jones or defensive tackle
was winning at an alarming rate, like a fifty of
the time. Chris Jones was beating his his offensive lineman.
You didn't have to generate pressure on thirty seven. If
they get if they get fifteen yards, okay, the ball
is the twenty six yard line. Okay, they attempt a

(10:08):
shorter field goal. Now there's three minutes left. You have
three timeouts to go down and tie the game. Like
you have plenty of time. All you do is not
allow first down. That's all you do is don't allow
first down. They did anyways, And to me it's a
lack of of defensive play call that is Jamaar Chase
making a play. Just have a safety over there, like
you had other points of the game, like you had
before this game's team. But chief said were in the

(10:29):
most coverage of too high two safeties any enough, anything else.
It's weak game and they just like didn't do it
against against the Bengals. I I don't. I didn't get it. Um,
but it costs him the one scene most likely, and
I don't see him again the playoffs, and I would
wait on the Chiefs again. Um. You know, the the
officiating wasn't great in that game. Um, it's not even

(10:49):
the calls they they they they made. They missed multiple
off sides on fall starts on the Bengals, like not
even ones where it's like, oh, I have to rewind
it eight times to find it, Like legit guy jumping
off sides moving the false starts that wasn't called. I've
never seen that before and two in the same drive, Steve, So,

(11:10):
I feel really good about about the Chiefs that they
play again. All right, well, we'll see how that all
plays out for the Chiefs. On the other side, we're
gonna get into the two games tomorrow too that have
major playoff implications for both teams. There's only two where
there are major playoff implications for both teams. Tell you

(11:33):
all about it. Coming up next. Fox Sports Radio has
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(11:55):
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(12:18):
Listen to I Want your Flex with Mike Carmen and
me Dan Buyer on the I Heart Radio app, Apple
Podcast and wherever you get your podcasts. Steve Irvin Jeff
Schwartz's Fox Football Saturday. I want to congratulate our compatriot,
LaVar Airrington name to the College Football Hall of Fame,

(12:38):
although we weren't supposed to find out till Monday. I
don't know if you've heard this, Jeff, but so what
happens is when you're elected to the College Football Hall
of Fame, they send you this beautiful football, like a
game ball. Right, It's all beautifully Yeah. There's also a
note in that box that says, please do not revealed

(13:00):
this until we make the official announcement on Monday, the
day of the National Championship game. Uh. Far jumped the gun. Um,
but he's excited and he should be in. In fact,
I told him this because a couple of years ago,
my dear friend Eric Dickerson finally got that football in
the mail. He had been on the ballot seventeen times

(13:23):
before he actually got in the Hall of Fame. This
was the LaVar's first time on the ballot. Uh, and
he immediately got in I mean, he was a tremendous
player at Penn State, one of the all time dominant players,
a top ten Heisman guy as a defensive players. And
congratulations to LaVar richly deserved. Apparently now we do know
there will be eight teen players and three coaches announced

(13:46):
Monday more and you know, normally the classes somewhere and
around the twelve range. But there were a lot of
big names on the list this year that were nominated
the first time. I would imagine Andrew luck is going
to make the list this year. I don't think he
has to wait. After his great career at Stanford that's
already leaked out. Like Rashaan Salam, the late Rashaan Salam,

(14:06):
the Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado who took his own
life a few years ago. He's finally gonna get in. Uh.
Roy Williams, great player with the Cowboys at Oklahoma, dominant player.
Uh he finally gets in. Uh. So I'm actually to
see who's on the list. You know, man, I'm a
little over the top on this. I just went to
the Hall of Fame ceremony that I do not vote

(14:27):
on this, but I could. Uh. The National Football Foundation
is something that conceivably I could join. I actually can join.
Um there's there's a little bit of a mystery to
the whole voting process. But all of these players that
are on the nominated list have to have made at
least one first Team All American during the course of

(14:47):
their career. Team would be eligible. I'm not eligible, unfortunately,
it's it's not but and the other thing about it
is when they do have the Hall of Fame ceremony,
I'm gonna guess they're gonna move it back to New York.
Was in Vega this year because he had to combine
two classes and was just a huge event as I
as I told you about. But only one person speaks
on behalf of the entire Hall of Fame class. Yeah,

(15:11):
so it's not like everybody gets up there and makes
a speech. Would take all day if you have that
many people. But even even those numbers sound huge, right.
Apparently there's about five and a half million players in
the history of college football dating back to that first
game between Princeton and Rutgers in eighteen sixty nine, and
there's about a thousand players in so I at a

(15:31):
five point five million, only a thousand have made the
Hall of Fame. So that's pretty select class. It's funny
you mentioned that. I was talking to my son the
other day about he was talking, he was asking about football.
We we went on a walk, um I think last week,
Um when uh we we're feeling well, we're gonna walk,
and he was talking about football, and he's like, he
made like, well, everyone just plays football, right, No, no, actually,

(15:52):
it's it's pretty cool. Played eight years, man, like a thing.
A thousand people have played eight seasons in the NFL.
About he goes, that's a lot of people. I go, yeah,
not really, man, not really, Like just like thousand people
have ever played in the world in the history of
of the world have played. Obviously, football has only been
around for modern football for seventy five years, is right.

(16:12):
So um, but like you know, when thousand people played
eight seasons or more, it's pretty it's pretty wild. It's
the same way with this. You know. Obviously the Cosgetball
Hall of Fame is more impressive than playing the NFL.
But I remember LaVar Arrington was it like two thousand ish.
He he was a big Bowl game. Didn't didn't jump
over the center tackle like the quarterback and running back

(16:34):
also it's famous when he moved on to Washington in
the NFL for ending Troy Aikman's career. I did not
know that. I might have looked that up on YouTube.
Oh yeah, you you you can YouTube it. It's a
hit he made on Troy Aikman that ended Troy Aikman's career.
Oh so he's I mean, and LaVar, And you know
we we've obviously seen LaVar in person many times. He
has a giant middle linebacker, like they do not make

(16:57):
middle linebackers like him anymore. And I look at I mean,
he was such a superstar because of his physical gifts.
And yeah, I mean he's he was a complete package.
Had he not had injuries in the NFL, I don't
think there's any question he could have had a Hall
of Fame career. He made three Pro Bowls very early
on in his career, and then he had some injuries. Um,
I'm just happy for him. I mean, it's and and

(17:18):
he's gonna enjoy the entire process. If you're a college
football fan, not only did he get that beautiful football,
he's gonna be honored at his school. It's gonna get
that big plaque and everything else and and they really
having been at that dinner, which I was so happy to,
you know, finally attend one of these dinners. Man, they
do it right. I mean, they give you the star
treatment as well as you should to make a Hall

(17:40):
of Fame. That's the way it's supposed to be for
a Hall of Fame. So we'll find out the full
class come Monday morning, the day of that National Championship game.
I'm gonna push that one aside, though, because I want
to get to a couple of NFL games tomorrow that
actually matter to both teams. Let's start with the Rams
and the Forts. Here's how this plays up. If the

(18:01):
Rams win, they win the NFC West. If the Rams win,
meaning the forty Niners lose and the Saints win, the
forty Niners are out. Now here's the other thing, though,
If the forty Niners win and Arizona beat Seattle, Arizona
wins the NFC West, then the Rams are relegated to

(18:23):
wild card status. And when you take into account that
Kyle Shanahan has never lost to Sean McVeigh undefeated, unblemished record,
including them routing the Rams earlier this year, this is
a very interesting matchup. What do you make of it?
He kind of owns right. They have won five in

(18:47):
a row, right, and they've covered all five. Um, And
you know there is there is something to the idea
of owning's right. It's a word is used a lot
more in baseball because there's a lot more it bats
against someone like in football, the sample sizences is often small. Um.
But you know there's something about the way Shanahan runs
his offense, designs his offense, has his defense, you know,

(19:11):
situated to where mcveigh's team struggle with it, right, Um,
And I don't know what what that is, and I
know quite what that is. I mean that as I've
always been able to rush the pass it right and
stop the run, and offically you stop the Rams run game.
Their offense sometimes kind of sputter us out right, and
they've had a good pastors. As I mentioned, the Rams
offensive lot of times can be challenged to to h

(19:31):
to to pass protect um and really, to be honest,
the the Niners, uh give the Rams coreback situation. It's
not always that great, is good as Stafford can be
at times. I started calling him Matt Goff because if
you look at what he's done this season. His officiacy
numbers are the same as Jared Goff. Two of Jared

(19:53):
Goff's seasons in Los Angeles exactly the same. He throws
terrible receptions and the offense often struggles with him under center.
And so you know you have so I think the
Niners have also played the Rams with without an elite quarterback, right,
and so they have their number. The problem with this
now is the Niners a quarterback? Is it? Is it
Trey Lanterns Jimmy Garoppolo, right, and so it's I mean,

(20:17):
you know, and it looks as much as Jimmy Garoppolo
gives grief, he's actually won a lot of football games
he's lost. Yeah, and so, um, I actually I would
take the Niners here plus four and a half of
Jimmy Garoppolo is playing for sure. Um And again I
am people like the Rams. I get it right, Aaron

(20:39):
Donald and Von Miller and Jalen Ramsey and Matt Stafford
san ve but again, guys, Matt Staffords on four pick
sixes this year. He has multiple games this season when
he has thrown up an arm punch. Right. Arm punch
is a ball in the triple covers like dude, it's
your fifteenth season. Why are you throwing a triple coverage
hours down the field? And so he cannot be trusted.

(21:01):
Mass effort cannot be trusted. And so I'm the Niners
keep this game close. I think Jimmy Garoppolo is there.
They win this game. They've shown the ability again to
really just himper what the Rams do, by what by
the schemes that they run. Thirty two and fourteen is
Jimmy Garoppolo's regular season record as a starting quarterback. Two

(21:21):
and fourteen. Uh, you can rest a sure Jimmy Garoppolo
is going to get the start tomorrow for thet are
On On the other side. Of course, that winner take
all game on Sunday night. The Raiders and Chargers will
get into that, but first let's find out what's trending
right now. And David Gascon, how are you today? I'm good,
I'm good. Really curious on Monday night, really curious on

(21:46):
Monday night about Monday Night. Yeah, rematch Georgia Bama. I
you know we're gonna get obviously into that matchup in detail.
I mean my initial gut feeling in this game and
Georgia's favored Uh, even after they got routed by Alabama
SEC championship game. I mean, I I gotta lean Georgia

(22:09):
in this game. At least My initial response is I
can't see them losing twice Alabama. Is it because you
think they're or do you just think cure me Smarts
a pretty good coach, And I think that Alabama through
the house at him and caught him by surprise. They
never were able to adjust. They got them on their heels.

(22:31):
But when we saw I was anxious to see how
Georgia would respond after that loss against Michigan, and I
thought Michigan had a chance, They had no chance. Georgia
just absolutely demolished them in that game. Yeah, that was that.
They was over from jump stream. A couple of drives
in that ball game was over. So I mean, obviously
I don't have a major rooting interest just yet, but

(22:53):
I hope it's a I hope it's a close game.
Oh I we all want to have a good game.
I mean, last time we saw Alabama Georgia in a
national championship game. Does it get any better than that?
I don't know. They got a lot of the Twitter
verse over the last few days. Keep keep showing the
replay of USC in Texas and uh, well when when

(23:15):
Vince Young ran in that touch and I was standing
on the sideline Texas Vince Young's option, his knee was down.
USC has nobody to blame from themselves for that loss,
none of Pete Carroll for sure. When you got fourth
and two in midfield and they haven't been able to
stop your passing game the entire half and you won

(23:36):
the ball light handoff at midfield, unbelievable. Um, that was
arrogance at the extreme. I am awfully ex said though
for Raiders Chargers, I mean a f C West. We're
getting in, Yeah, Kansas City and Denver will get things

(23:57):
underway in a couple of minutes. So actually just kicked
off right now. So different as the football. Kansas City
is a double digit favorite in this ball game, they
have a little bit to play for. They win, and
as you mentioned, Tennessee loses, they would reclaim that top
slot in the a f C. And also more importantly,
a first round by Derrick Henry was not activated, so
he will not be playing week number eighteen. Away from that,

(24:18):
Joe Burrows out, Denzil War the Browns is out. Still
his place James Washington on the reserve COVID nineteen list
college football. Former Auburn Tiger's head coach gene Chiswick is
now the d C at North Carolina. How about that,
you guys? All right? Very very good? By the way,
Jeff Schwartzy excited about the debut of the USFL, I

(24:40):
am um, and a lot of people don't even know
this happening in USFL. Didn't that die in five with
Donald Trump? It did? But they're going to have a
new USFL that kicks off what in about three months? Yeah?
So a couple of things about why this has a
chance to work, okay. One is it's it's owned by Fox,
right by it's owned by network dollars, So it's owned

(25:03):
by network, so there was obviously incentive to air the games,
to promote the games, and to grow that sport, right,
which is very important. Two is I like that it's
not right after football's over. They're not starting in February,
right because the other leagues have started right after football.
And look, I am I watch a lot of football, guys, right.
I mean I watched less than I probably need to

(25:25):
at times, but I watch a lot of football and
it's hard to convince my wife from Labor Day weekend
to now February of our life being dictated around football
to tell her the weekend of the Super Bowl, you
know what, hon, I'm gonna watch this USFL game. And

(25:46):
of course I'm the target audience. I love football. I
want to watch every football possible, right, watch the combine,
I watch you the draft, obviously I watched. I watched,
I watched, I watch high school American game Day, just
so I can see where kids are committed. Right, I'm obsessed, Okay,
I love football. So this is starting in kind of
a period where you've gone through freegency. Now you're you know,
you're kind of in the dead period of of We've

(26:06):
talked enough about the draft already enough I'm tired talking
about the draft, and so there's just it's just a
good period to put it on and so we'll see
how it works. Again. What matters in these startup leagues
is this quarterback play and also I think being creative
with how you present the game. So quarterback play, it's
always tough, right, there's barely enough quarterbacks for for for

(26:28):
NFL teams, But how you present, how you present it, right,
do you present. You have new interesting rules, which the
XFL I thought did a good job of, and obviously
as a TV package, how do you present the game?
So um, I'm looking forward to watching. It has the
hired good coaches who have been successful in college for
the most part, some in the NFL. I'll watch in April.

(26:49):
I'll be excited for football again by that. You know,
by the time of the year. Yeah, Todd Hayley is
gonna be a coach. Kevin Someone's going to be a coach.
Mike Riley, one of my favorite people, is going to
be a coach. Um. So yeah, I mean they're gonna
have good coaches. I do agree with either. The smartest
move they made though, was to not have it in February.
Forget that. You've got to give a breather, because that's

(27:10):
the problem. If you're coming off Super Bowl, you got
your eyeballs adjusted to the highest level of the NFL,
and then all of a sudden you're looking at some
inferior brand of football. It's impossible to watch it immediately.
So maybe we'll see how this all works out. But
the fact that Fox Sports is the financier of this
league and they're gonna pour about two or million dollars

(27:30):
into the league. Should at least let it survive one
year and then we'll see it go from there. Let's
talk about the Sunday night game, but let's go back
to the Raiders win at Indianapolis. UM did not see
that happening. I mean, the Raiders just seem like a
team barely keeping their head above water. And it was

(27:53):
gonna end the culture playing good football. Colts need to win,
you know, to improve their layoff position and everything else.
And the Raiders go in there and win. And my
takeaway on this game more than anything else was Derek Carr.
Derek Carr is is a franchise quarterback. Now you look

(28:13):
at his eight years of the Raiders, he's lost more
games than he has won. But ever since Gruden left,
you get a sense that but Satia has basically handed
the offense to Derek Carr, saying like you, you've gotta
you gotta take care of that. I got a lot
on my plate right now. I'm just trying to hold
things together. I am trusting you to get the job

(28:36):
done with this offense. He is a leader. I remember
the first time I interviewed Derek Carr when he was
at Fresno State. You know, David Carr's younger brother. He
was already married. He was you could just tall. He
was mature beyond his years. I'm a big Derek Carr fan,
and I think he has had the greatest impact on
the Raiders going into Week eighteen, with everything that has

(28:59):
happened to this team, even with the death of John
mannon a couple of weeks ago, to put themselves in
a position at home to make the postseason, I'll put
it this one. I'm not a betting guy, but I
wouldn't bet against the Raiders this week. Oh I think
the Raids plus three a ready. So my wan of
my favorite bets of the week. Um, look, I've given.
I'm a Chase fan obviously, and I had make fun

(29:19):
of the Raiders all the time, but I did tweet
out on Sunday and I am you know, I'm not
an idiot. I watched football, and I understand when teams
are playing well. The Rangers play well, for they won
three in a row and they want Indianapolis. And I
thought the Cults a little bit are a little bit fraudulent. Anyways,
that kind of made sense. They would lose a game
like that, right, mean, Carson Wentz was one of seven
for the first twenty eight minutes in that game, right Like,

(29:40):
He's just not a good quarterback no matter how much
you want to will and into existence of him being good,
he's not. But let's about Car for a second. Okay, Um,
he has had to be the spokesperson for this team
because the owner doesn't talk, right. So, when you know
the John good email scandal, guess you have to talk
Derek Carr. Henry Rugs gets out to talk Derek Carr,

(30:02):
right Like, he's the one who has had to answer
all the questions for all of the team because the
owner doesn't talk to the media, right and and the
general manager as well don't. It's not what they do.
So he's had to answer all the questions and be
the team spokesperson through all the ups and downs over
these last with six years now, right, seven years now,
And my podcast host said to me this week we're

(30:22):
talking about quarterbacks. He goes, where is Derek car in
the NFL? Right now? He's about seven? It's about seven,
Like he's playing good. How the Renfro is doing a
good job. And again they've won three in a row.
It's not been pretty. It's he's had he's been out
without Rugs, without Waller, who looks like he's coming back
this weekend. So I am very impressed with the way
they're playing right now. They're just doing enough in these games, right,

(30:45):
which is important. They're not you know, they don't go
an offensive line, but they're doing well enough that their
defense is like, okay, right, kind of middle of the pack,
up and down. But some games better, some games not.
But more importantly for tomorrow night and Steve is it's
the Charger. They don't win games like this, right, Like,
this is not what they do. I don't trust the
Chargers at all in this situation to get this trust Herbert, sure, fine,

(31:10):
but like they just still there's a gear to them
that they just can't unlock, where they just don't have
silly mistakes in these important games and they can't stop themselves. Yeah,
one are the aspects about this and and we'll see
how it all plays out with Brandon Staley and his
aggressive UH playbook in terms of going for it on

(31:30):
fourth down, which worked in there. It worked great that
one game against Cleveland, you know, that one shootout game
against the Browns where neither defense could stop the other team.
That made a whole lot of sense to continue to
go on fourth down, and they delivered. But here's here's
the problem we have right now with Justin Herbert. Justin
Herbert is an insane talent, uh and he may end
up in Canton, Ohio someday Hall of Fame career. But

(31:52):
here's the problemy of a second year quarterback. The idea
that you know we keep hearing from Brandon Staley, the
reason I go for it on fourth downs because I
have all this trust in my quarterback. Well that's great.
I appreciate you have trust to me, but I still
have to deliver. And there's still a lot of pressure
on a young quarterback. That. Okay, so the guy says
I can make it happen on fourth down, but now

(32:13):
all of a sudden, it's not happening on the time
in fourth down. It just adds a layer of pressure
on a young quarterback when frankly, he doesn't need it
right now. On paper, the Chargers are a better team
than the Raiders, and it should be pretty much at
full strength for this game. They get some guys back.
I still don't know what the Derwin James situation is,
but he has been practicing this week, which obviously yeah,

(32:36):
so I mean they get Derwin James, he got both said,
you got Keenan and you got Mike Williams got Ekeler.
They got better players on paper than the Raiders. But
like you said, let's get the history of this franchise.
Is this the type of game they win, a winner
take all, a loser go home. And the fact that
if they don't make the playoffs, they missed the playoffs
when they were on the cusp of putting themselves in

(32:59):
the driver seat to win the a f C West
in that Thursday night against the Chiefs. I was there.
They should have won that game. They were the better team,
and they let that game slip away. And then of
course that horrific loss of the Texans has put them
in this position right now. I cannot wait for this game.
Great rivalry game. Obviously they go back to the earliest
days of the a f L Raiders Chargers winner take all.

(33:22):
It doesn't get better than that. That's like the ultimate um.
It totally is. And the NFL put up Week eighteen.
They wanted more these matches. Unfortunately, many of them, um,
but they got out their dream one at the end.
About this, so the Colts have not been Jackson and
Jackson Yeah, okay, no chance game. Okay, but let's let's

(33:46):
just come three radio. Can you play with me here
for a second. I'm gonna hold you right there. I
want to hold this because when if you're gonna go
in that direction, I want to hear this whole story.
We will, we will continue on. You just heard him,
that's right. Jeff Schwartz is gonna dive into this Colts
matchup against Jacksonville, which, by the way, if the Colts lose,

(34:09):
they could be out, they could be out of the
playoff picture. All right, we'll break it down. We've got
a lot of NFL to break down. We're gonna break
down that Georgia Alabama game. Keep it right here. This
is Fox Football Saturday. I've made hot Tevid, Steve Harman,
Jeff Schworts Fox Football Saturday. So the Indianapolis Colts blew

(34:32):
an opportunity to clinch a playoffs spot when they lost
to the Raiders last week. The Colts can clinch a
playoff spot with a win on the road against the
lowly Jacksonville Jaguars or losses by the Ravens and Chargers
or losses by the Chargers and Steelers and the Dolphins win.
So there's a lot there. But you were already hinting

(34:55):
that this is a game to watch the Colts on
the road against the Jackson Bill Jaguars. I'm gonna step back.
I gotta hear all this. No, it's not no, it's
not really about that. I don't really I mean, the
culture win this game, but I don't trust Carson Wentz
for a second. You know. The more important thing to
discuss is the Colts do lose this game. The Raiders
and Chargers both you in the playoffs with a tie, right,

(35:18):
So that's I've seen Brandon Staleley's answer to this question,
and Brandon say said, we're gonna play it all the way,
but like, what have they just decided to tie? Like,
you know, they play the game and it's like seventeen
all in the fourth quarter, they were just like, you
know what, where does they run the ball for the
rest of the game and overtime and just we're all
gonna just tie? Like what would they would that be something?

(35:39):
All right, let's take a step back here, Okay. Let's
say let's say you're a member of either the Chargers
or Raiders, and you're right, if the Colts lose, that's
all it has to happen. If the Colts lose to Jacksonville,
forget everybody else. The Raiders and Chargers would both make
the playoffs if their game ends in a tie. And
I've see they'll know the outcome of all the games

(36:02):
when they kick off that final game. So let's say
you're a player for either the Raiders are Chargers, and
your coach walks in and says, wink wink, we have
an agreement on this game. How would you How would
you accept that? Would would you? Would you be horrided?
Would you say, I don't care what she said. I

(36:22):
don't I've never played for a tie in my life.
I'm playing for a win here. But here's Here's the
thing is that, um, I would think the other team
would try to screw us at the very end. So
let's say we play this game. Right, Let's just say
it's zero zero the minute left, and all of a
sudden it's third and one and we're just like, we're

(36:44):
gonna take a knee and just go home, right, and
we're all gonna have a tie. And here comes Besaccia,
who you know, he might not be the coach next year.
What does he care? Right if he pissed off Brandon
standing in the Chargers and he goes, you know what,
we're gonna call block him up, play action pass team
as you can throw a car and they win the game.
The Raiders win the game. I mean, like that would
be concern, right, is that they would the other time,

(37:06):
we'll try to try to screw me over I was
a player. Now you're hinting, and again I agree that
Carson Wentz. And there's there's a stat about Carson Wentz
based on how many passes he throws, like if he
throws thirty plus passes, they're gonna lose. I mean that's
just I mean, it's like it's written. He's not good.

(37:27):
And he looked awful in that first half against the Raiders,
which gave the Raiders the confidence that, wow, maybe we
could actually win this game and keep our playoff hopes alive.
But when you talk about this game against Jacksonville, let's
let's take Jacksonville's side. I mean, they look like a
team that is completely caved in. Have no life at

(37:47):
all post Urban Meyer. Is it possible? I mean, you
still have a quarterback in Trevor Lawrence that you and
I both know has the talent to be an elite
quarterback in this league once he's surrounded like the right
talent and coaching staff and everything else. If it is
it conceivable that Jacksonville makes a game of this, what

(38:07):
are they two touchdown dog? I don't know what they like.
I don't think so. I think it's I don't I
really don't think so. I think it's fun to talk
about the tie. You did mention that Indy hasn't won
at Jacksonville in eight years the jaxon So it's one
of those things where it's it's really this time of year.
It's always interesting because we talk about motivation, right, like,
what what's the motivation for any of these of these teams?

(38:29):
And you know, some teams obviously play much better without
motivation and some do not. And if you're a Jacksonville
right now, and I've been on one of these teams.
I was on Carolina. We were two in thirteen heading
into week um, you're heading into week sixteen or seven?
Times should say and like you just it's just some
you just don't play hard, Like it's like we played hard,

(38:51):
but like you just want to go home, right, And
so there's there's always question about like how how hard
with Jacksonville, Like they'll start out playing hard to start
the game. Was one wants to get hurt, right, if
you don't play hard, you get hurt. But if they
get down fourteen, nothing down get down to nothing, Like
how much are you really gonna play? Probably not very hard? Right,
but see the second half of Jonathan Taylor right in

(39:11):
the football and not being the end of it like that.
That just so that's why it's really hard to think
jackson could win this game. I don't think I have happened.
Plus the culture just lost too, so there kind of
be they're gonna be a high alert. Yeah, not gonna happen. Yeah,
Frank Greg, let let me ask you this, since you
are a man that is well versed on the gambling
aspect of the NFL, what is a greater challenge in

(39:34):
putting bets down? Is it week one in the NFL
season or week eighteen of the NFL season? Oh, week
eighteen for sure, um week when everyone's healthy. But even
week one you really don't know would you have with
those teams and the Week one? And there was some

(39:55):
weird games this year in Week one, I mean like
the Packers getting blown out by the Saints and then
Pittsburgh beating Buffalo and Buffalo, um, yeah, you know, but
but I think there are some advantages in the Week one.
The problem at this time of year obviously is like
you don't know the motivation. But I will say there
are some spots to fade teams have given up. Like
I'm I bet Tampa this weekend. I bet Washington this

(40:16):
weekend Tampa plays Carolina, Washington places the Giants. I mean,
there are places to fade bad football teams. But otherwise,
like the game tonight Philly and and uh and Dallas,
I don't I don't know who's gonna I don't know
if we're gonna play hard anyone. We don't even know
who's gonna play in that game. By the way, the
Chiefs are up seven nothing over the Broncos. Drew lock
as no completions in this game. I think the Broncos

(40:38):
are looking for a quarterback. We're gonna look ahead to
Monday's championship game Alabama and Georgia. How will will it
play out? Will you'll find out next? Yeah? Rolling along
on this Fox Football Saturday, Hartban and Shorts with you.
We got the Chiefs and Broncoes suddenly tied tied in
this game, and we're gonna get in to this matchup

(41:00):
Monday between Georgia and Alabama for the National Championship, mythical
national Championship. And that's that's another story right there. By
the way, Just getting back to this Chief's Broncos games, Jeff,
where are you with Vic Fangio and his job security?
Lose this game? They finished at seven and ten, obviously

(41:21):
a win today. By the way, if they win today,
I don't know the exact breakdown. The Bengals are not
gonna play Burrow in their final game. But technically, if
the Chiefs were to lose and the Bills and the
Bengals win, both those teams beat the Chiefs, I think
the Chiefs drop all the way down to a four

(41:42):
seat they would and that means they would most likely
face New England. I don't think they want to see
New England uh in the opening round. So there's some
potential playoff implications with this game. But let's get back
to the Fangio situation. We're on you as on his
job security. Is he the right guy moving forward for
this team? Well, he's never He's never um had a

(42:05):
good quarterback, right, Like, I think that's part of why
it's hower to evaluate him. Like his teams have been
competitive each season, but I've never had a quarterback And
is that is that his fault? He's not doesn't pick
the players, right. Um, he's probably gonna get canned because
the results haven't been what they wanted. But you might
bring in a quarterback next year and all of a sudden,

(42:26):
there they're good. Like, it might not be Fanjo's fault.
Right if they had drafted justin Fields instead of drafting
Patrick Surtan, maybe vic Fanjo saves his job. But he
has had a quarterback, Steve, how do you judge up?
He's had Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock who they have last year? Um? Uh,
they just haven't had dudes, and it's hard to win

(42:47):
without quarterbacks in this league. Yeah, it's well, du Lock
was the guy. I mean, that was the guy they
were hoping. They drafted him with the idea that he
was going to be the quarterback of the future and
stead he ends up being another packs than Lynch, who
had a very short stay with the Denver Broncos. Defensively,
they played well. We knew that Fangio is a good

(43:08):
defensive coach, and they've been competitive. It's not like you know,
they're getting blown out of these games. They're playing competitive football.
Though they did get blown out by the Chargers uh
this past week. UM, it will be interesting to see
how this plays out. But right now, Chiefs Broncos tie
the end of the first quarter, seven all in that game.
By the way, Drew lock in this game is one
for six for six yards, so they lock under. I

(43:30):
hope I'm okay with that. Well, he's on page for
twenty four yards right now, so I think you're you're
well under, well under so far in that all right?
I I can't wait. Monday is gonna be the big
game when we get this matchup between Alabama and Georgia
and it's the rematch. Uh. And going back as we
were previewing the SEC Championship game, and I remember I

(43:52):
was still trying to figure out how's this gonna work
out with a Heisman trophy. Still don't really have a
clear favorite and you know, I said, well, what if
Bryce Young is you know, does pretty good statistically, but
they lose to Georgia, can I still give him my vote? Well,
it all played out beautifully in terms of that because
he threw for over four hundred yards three touchdowns. Alabama

(44:16):
just made mincemeat of a defense that wasn't just good,
they were historically good all season long, and then all
of a sudden we started seeing that Georgia defense again
against Michigan where they just dominated the line of scrimmage.
I can't wait to hear what you have to say
about this matchup, because Georgia is listened as a favorite.
I think a lot of people their take away that

(44:37):
game against Michigan was wow wow. I mean they they
come at you waves. I mean they're almost like the
Bears old forties six defense where they just seem unblockable,
different blitzes and everything else. Bringing everybody, what are you?
What are your initial thoughts here? A couple of days
before the kickoff of this game? Um So, I uh,

(44:59):
I hate been against Nick Saban because that's bad business.
Um but let me make a case for George in
this game. Um So. The reason why a lot of
us like George in the first game was their defense right,
and we watched Alabama play this year, we watch the
play against sinc Snati and you know they're good, but
not when Nick Saban's teams have been right there, they're

(45:20):
not as good and they're not as good at one
spot this near dear to my heart, which is the
offensive line. The offensive has not been as good as season,
the middle of the pack in the country and pressure rate.
They run the ball okay, but they're not great at
it like they've been in other years. Now, they ran
the ball well against Cincinnati, who had you know, No.
One over three hunder pounds um. Their offensive line played

(45:41):
their best game they are against Georgia like hands down.
And what it did was it allowed Bryce Young to
attack the weakness of the defense, which and if you
want to talk about weakness, there there is one. I mean,
you always have a weakness somewhere. It's a it's a secondary,
it's the past defense. And all season long, no one
could do that because their defensive line was creating so
many issues that it made third lung has happened. And
it also ended up obviously, um, you know, pressure the

(46:04):
quarterback and making the ball get out earlier, and then
you go to Cincinnati game. Alabama cin Cincinnati. Now they
rushed for three hundred one years two or two yards,
and they rushed the ball fun but on the on
the pass offense, steve a lot of issues again with
the offensive line. Couldn't pick up twist, couldn't pick up stunts,
Bryce Sung, couldn't find guys open. So go into this game.

(46:25):
If I think their offensive line pleasant they had all season,
then they're gonna start now. Georgia in the first game
the bad design. They dropped Ada coverage too much, They
didn't try to pressure Bryce Young enough. And I think
the reason why they're obviously afraid of Alabama's weapons, well, Metchi,
one of the wide receivers is not playing this game

(46:45):
is hurt right, So now you have one less wide
receiver for Alabama. You have a Georgia defense that just
played this offense. They know what they did wrong the
first time and can fix those issues heading into this game.
And there is some concern obviously about or just offensive.
My opinion against Alabama's defense. Centin bent and played great
in the first matchup, but I really think Bryce Young

(47:07):
in this offense is going to have a little bit
of trouble moving the ball. I can score forty one points,
So I'm very curious if all this is I just
said happened on Monday night. And I think Georgia gets
it's the biggest game for forty years. Man, it's they
gotta win at some point. I agree with you, although
there was something about Alabama's game plan against Cincinnati. They

(47:29):
got me a little suspicious, right. I think that going
into that game, they were very confident they were gonna
win that game. Um, and of course they don't know
at that point who's who they're gonna play, Georgia Michigan
because that game was afterwards. But I think that opening
drive for Alabama, remember they ran the ball ten straight
times against Cincinnati. First pass of the game for Bryce

(47:51):
Young was a touchdown pass. At that point, Alabama knows
we could pretty much score any time we want. And
Nick Stalman is notoriously done this over the years, where
he only will do what he has to do when
it's necessary. They were never really threatened. Cincinnati offensive. It
wasn't gonna do a whole lot against Alabama's defense, and

(48:13):
they didn't. I just don't think Alabama really showed all
their cards with the distinct possibility that they might have
a rematch against Georgia. So when you talked about offensively,
Alabama wasn't able to do some things. And if there
was any strength of the defensive, Cincinnati's a secondary right,
I mean, that was That's where the Bearcats have some
guys that are projected to have futures in the National

(48:35):
Football leagues. So I don't know how much takeaway I
have from that. Here's what I do want to ask you, though,
as a former offensive lineman one as is specifically by
Jordan Davis. Okay, this monster, I mean the size of
this guy. What is he listed at six six three,
He's probably that he is gigantic and he's not a

(49:00):
full time player. This is one thing you do that
you don't understand. This guy is a first team unanimous
All American. He was top ten in the Heisman Trophy,
got quite a bit of notoriety. He's not even an
every down lineman. But when he moves that body of
his people go backwards. I I don't know if I've

(49:22):
seen that kind of domins. I mean, Michigan is a
pretty physical team. There was no handling this guy Um,
is this guy really gonna be that kind of force
at the NFL level? I mean when you look at this,
Jordan Davis is huge body guy. Is this a guy
that's gonna be that dominant when he gets to the
NFL level? Um, it's interesting because he's not a pass

(49:45):
rush guy. He's kind of just a run a clog guy.
And he didn't play well with the men with the
first game. I think he plays much better in this game.
So put like the Chargers, for example, you look at
their rows like they could use a Jordan Davis right
just like clogged him it up, make things easier. Like
that's from he's gonna fit if you expected to be
Aaron Donald is not going to be that guy, just like,
hey call the middle up, make life tough. You know

(50:06):
in the run game, he's that talented. Yes, he's that
good man man. I mean the guys it's like like
pushing the sled. You know when he gets when that
big body of his and he just shoving people backwards. Yeah,
you only had like a couple of sacks, only maybe
three or four tackles for losses. The numbers are pretty ordinary,
but you can just see the Connie force he is. Um,

(50:28):
I think this is gonna be a great matchup. Uh,
You've got two really good coaches. I mean, the SABAN
just stands alone and we were going over some snimmers
last week. It's just it's absurd. I mean, it really
really is absurd. Oh No, I know one thing I
wanted to ask you quickly, and we're gonna get into
something else. On the other side, you mentioned that North
Dakota State today when their ninth f CS championship in

(50:49):
the last eleven years, and think about that, they have
to go through four playoff games each year to win
that championship. So if you were to expand the playoffs,
let's just say, for argument's sake, to sixteen at the
f BS level like they have the s FCS level,
do you think in Alabama would win nine championships in

(51:11):
eleven years. Do you think that the dominant teams would
even be more dominant with an expanded playoffs schedule? Um,
I think I think the exact same thing would happen.
I think the alabam would just win the same exact
right they are. Now, I agree with you. I mean,
I know, like I've said this, I've said this for

(51:32):
for a while like, the idea of a playoff is
not to cryn a different champion. It's to reward a
regular season. It's to make things more interesting at the
end of the season. It's to make you know, a
Notre Dame Oklahoma State game or Utah Ohio State game,
which oh, we talked, what a great roseboll we we
hide with a Rose Bowl. It would be fantastic last week.

(51:52):
Um is to make those games be playoff games. But
I will say this though, I don't think it's gonna
stop um uh, probably from sitting out. I really don't
think it's gonna stop plays from sitting out. Um are
you telling me? Like, let's do Let's say, can you
pick it the Pittsburgh quarterback. Right, let's say he's the
twelve seed this season, he would have to play Ohio

(52:15):
State in the first round. Right, let's say he beats
Ohio State, they's probably playing Alabama. So are you telling
me that he's gonna want to do that? Like? What
why He's already not winning those games? I'm talking to
win a championship. Alson, dudes, heard his draft stock. Why
would he play that game? Oh? I'm I'm with you.
I mean we were talking about, you know, maybe some
elite quarterbacks and an expanded playoffs schedule bailing before the playoffs.

(52:39):
But imagine if they were to bailed during the playoffs
like that. Yeah, like you just said, if he got
a big win against Georgia, Hey, that's the way I
want to go out, That's the way I want to
go I don't want to get my brains beaten in
by Alabama the next week. It's a very interesting subject matter,
especially because the name, image, likeness, the money coming into
these guys pockets is also in play because they're like, whooa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

(53:02):
We give you a million dollars here. Now you're gonna
bail on us. I don't think so. We gotta contract
with you. You're gonna play that game, all right. On
the other side, I want to I want to get
back to that. But first first we gotta get to
Antonio Brown all right. By the way, Antonio Brown says
he can't currently play at like he actually thinks he
still has a job in the NFL. We'll get Jeff's

(53:24):
thoughts on the future of a b and whether this
was handled properly by the Buccaneers. Coming up next, Steve Irvan,
Jeff Schwartz, Fox Football Saturday. Okay, Antonio Brown. So last Sunday,
Rich Hornberger and I are doing Red Zone Radio here

(53:45):
on Fox. When this whole thing went down, it was
quite entertaining. And again because it was Antonio Brown, nothing shocking.
I mean to see him tear off his jersey, run
around while the game's going on, by the way, while
the Bucks were actually losing that game. Him at that
point to the Jets really came as no surprise. But
trying to put this all together since the incident and

(54:07):
hearing from both sides, so Antonio Brown has gone on
and on and on and on and on on his
side of the story. I was more curious about Bruce Arians,
who immediately after the game dismissed the idea of Antonio
Brown ever being in an Tampa Bay uniform again. But
I want to hear the follow up here. This is
when again Bruce Arians suddenly gave us an explanation of

(54:33):
actually what went down on the field. We let Antonio
go today, just to clear you up on some things
that happened. At no point in time during that game
did he ever asked the trainer or a doctor about
his ankle. He never went through that's the normal protocol.
You go through protocols during games. I was never notified
of it. So obviously that was the disturbing thing. When

(54:54):
we were looking for him to go back into the game.
He was very upset at halftime about who was getting targeted.
Got that calm down, players took care of that. It
started again on the sideline, recalled for the personnel group
that he had played in the entire game. He refused
to go in the game. That's when I looked back
and so him basically wave off the coach. I then
went back approached him about what was going on. I

(55:17):
ain't playing, what's going on, I ain't getting the ball.
That's when I said, you're done, get the f out
of here. That's the end of it. We're working on Carolina.
That's the end of the story. Hopefully it ends today,
all right. So that was basically what he said. Now.
It was interesting, Jeff, because during the game, I first
thought immediately when I saw him tearing off his jersey,
is is he being targeted in the game. At that
point he had been targeted five times. The only two

(55:40):
bucks of more targets were obvious guys. Uh yeah, Mike
Evans was six targets and Gronk had nine. Um, so
about this whole being targeted and not getting enough catches
and everything else. Then we heard the aftermath of they
were looking for a guarantee on the balance of his
salary for the season because it didn't look like he
was going to hit his bench marks for his bonuses,

(56:01):
and he was refused by the Bucks. Um. Now that
the dust is said him. By the way, Antonio Brown,
I want two things. What did you make of how
the Bucks handle this situation? Because I mean, Antonio Brown
is his own world, and Antonio Brown is under the
impression now that these cleared waivers, that there is a
team desperate enough at the receiver position to give him

(56:22):
another opportunity. Your thoughts, all right? So I believe nothing,
Antonio Brown said, Um, And I'll tell you why I
don't believe it, because he's obviously been known to make
a lot of a lot of false statements. He faked
the acts card, all that stuff. So let's talk about
how the procedure works. Okay, to play when you're hurt,
because I've been hurt many times. I actually pull muself

(56:42):
out of a game one time. So you head into
the game and you work with the training staff, right,
who work on your body, I like trying staff. You
talk to the team, the coaches, even your agent might
call the general manager and talk about how you're gonna
play that game, right, and it's obviously determined whether you're
gonna play or not. And you play okay. Now, if

(57:03):
you're dressed to play the game, you're presumed healthy by
the coaching staff. That's the way it is. Right, If
you're dressed to play, because only a certain another players address,
you're expected to be healthy enough to play that game.
We know it's not always true, right, There are times
I played other guys have played less, and you know
there's this deep sense of pride and responsibility that you

(57:25):
want to be out there for your teammates, and you
go ahead and do it right and so but again,
the keyword, the key idea is here is that there's
an understanding that if you're dressed to play, you're healthy
enough to play. Okay, Then what happens is if you
get hurt in the game, you then go to training

(57:45):
staff and you say, hey, I'm hurt, Hey, head trainer,
I'm hurt. And then they will say, look you over
right in the blue tent on a bench or every day,
and then they go to the coach and say, hey,
Jeff Schwartz is down, Antonio Brown is down. Uh, Antonio
Brown is down. Um, whatever it is. And that's how
the the the communication works. The way it doesn't work

(58:09):
as a coach goes to you and you say I'm
not playing, it's not the way it works. There's a
protocol to follow r because again, Bruce Arians is coaching,
He's not like turning around and seeing where Antonio Brown
is right like and what hey, dude, hey, how's your
ankle feeling? Buddy? Like they knew he wasn't healthy a
d percent healthy. No, one's a hundred percent healthy. But
when he agreed to play, and again, there is pressure
to play. I get that. I've been I've been on teams,

(58:32):
I've been hurt. I get it. There's a pressure to
play from the team, from your teammates. But if you
dress for the game, you considered healthy. And that's what
this comes down to. Now, whether Bruce Arians said the
original press conference were after the game where he's like, ooh,
I didn't know about his ankle. I mean, look, I'm
sure he did. He reads the injury reports. He he
knew about his ankle, But he's talking about in the game,

(58:53):
did he know his ankle was bothering? And the answer
is no, because again again, when you're playing, you have
you have a jersey on, you're presumed healthy until the
trainer tells you otherwise and coach otherwise. So I believe
the bucks. Um. And by the way, they paid him
for that game, they paid him for this week because
they cut them too late in the week, so he
gets paid for week eighteen as well. So like they

(59:14):
could have just been like, you're out of here, buddy,
but so that they paid him an extra week of
football too they wanted apparently. And this again, who know
agree with you anything that comes out of Antonio Brown's mouth,
If you if you buy into it, that's your fault. Um.
I don't buy anything he's saying. But the idea, as
it was coming to the end of the year and

(59:35):
he had certain bonuses that were deemed on how many
catches or yards are touchdowns that he had that he
may fall short of those looking for a guarantee before
the end of the season. If that was indeed rejected
by the Buccaneers. I can understand why they're upset. It's
justified by the Buccaneers. But here's what I don't get,
and this is why I say Tampa Bay does not

(59:56):
walk away from the scot Free I mean, why was
this guy even on the team this year? I mean seriously,
I mean when you think about they sort of had
the perfect scenario last year in signing Antonio Brown. He
had to be on his best behavior. This was this
was his last opportunity. And remember the off season, it
wasn't like they immediately resigned Antonio Brown. You know, they

(01:00:18):
just sort of like let it linger for a while
and then they decided, yeah, we'll we'll bring back Antonio Brown.
Then he lied about his vaccination status that immediately should
have terminated his deal. They made excuses for him, kept
him on the roster, and then they had basically enabled
him to do what he did the other day by

(01:00:40):
entrusting that somehow because he has a Buccaneers uniform on
and he should be forever grateful that he got a
Super Bowl ring by playing on the Buccaneers. Was a
really bad misread by the Bucks. And this is on
Tom Brady as well. So I mean there's no walking
away from this. They were in enablers that allowed this

(01:01:01):
guy that, in my opinion, needs some serious help outside
of football to get his head straight. Um, and so
to me, they're as much to blame for this mess
as Antonio Brown is. Well, of course they they've enabled him.
But you know, again, what's the line I haven't I
haven't used his line in a while, but it's like, um,
you know, you're you're only as good as your problems

(01:01:23):
to your problems that way, your talent like something like
I always always buched that line, but you know, like
until you're you know, your talent outweighs your problems to
your problems outwagh your talent, right, And and you know,
for a long time, their problems of Antonio Brown did
not outweigh his talent, and then all of a sudden
it did. And now he's released from his from his team.
Look that he's right when he talked this week about

(01:01:44):
Tom Brady just basically being his friend because he's going
a football Yeah, you're right, you're exactly right, Antonio Brown. Yes,
he kept you there because you helped him win a
Super Bowl. Now, maybe people think that's a gross way
to go about business in the NFL. People don't like it,
but that's what it was. He kept them there because
he helped us up. Now they don't have him, they
don't have um obviously Godwin, and it's gonna be much

(01:02:07):
tougher road for them. When the Packers are the Packers
are getting healthy. Who else gets healthy this time of year?
The Packers are adding Alexander back, They even the adding
David Baker back. They're adding to all pro players back
to the team. Um so, Uh, Tennessee is adding back
Derrick Henry. Um So. I think Tampa's an award hurt however,
just you can never count out you know, you can

(01:02:28):
never count out Tom Brady ever. But it's gonna be
much of a path this year. Yeah, I I think
both sides are blamed for this mess. It's bad look
for Tampa. It's a bad look obviously again for Antonio Brown.
All right, let's find out what's trending right now as
we welcome back David Gascon. The big question is is
who is going to upset Aaron Rodgers at lambeau Field

(01:02:49):
this year? Well, if any team's gonna do it, it's
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, not Arizona. No, No, I lost
in the road this year. I'll tell you who could.
Who could actually quite interesting. So if the Cowboys just
come in there and say we're gonna run the football
straight I had the entire game, they could They have
a chance. With Tony Pollard, Yes, like they have a

(01:03:12):
chance if they're off, if if they're off its health,
if thrown with it's healthy, they have a chance because
they can just control the line of scrimmage there my
obviously it's out of Tampa. But Dallas could come in
there and say we're gonna run the ball thirty five
times this game. You have to stop us. They might
have a chance. Here's what I want to know. If
if let's say the Packers, they would have to win
one game to host the NFC Championship Game, and if

(01:03:35):
they were to lose the NFC Championship Game to whoever,
that would be five straight NFC Championship losses. Game losses
for Aaron Rodgers since his one and only Super Bowl trip,
not much damage, if any is done to his legacy.
I mean, he's gonna be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

(01:03:55):
It looks like it's gonna win. But I mean if
you if you're one in five in confortence championship games, Chef,
what do you think? Uh? Probably? I mean I don't
think it's in the end matter very much. I mean,
did Jim Kelly lose anything on his resume that he
lost four Super Bowls? No, he was a first ballot
Hall of Famer Roger that. I mean a lot of

(01:04:16):
people are like, why why was Jim Kelly a first
ballot Hall of Famer? Because he's the only quarterback ever
to lead his team to four straight Super Bowls? That's why.
So why would it? I mean so for that, I mean,
why would anything be taken off the steam Farren Rodgers?
Because we gauge things by Super Bowls and he's only
been in one Super Bowl? Who Rogers, Rogers, he's been

(01:04:39):
only one one? He lost another one? Didn't he know
he's only been in one Super Bowl? Well, you know
it's Steve. If he does lose an NFC championship game,
you know what next year will be different for him
because he will be one or no next year in
an a f C championship game if he's hosting at Denver. Yeah,

(01:05:00):
thrown Jerry Judy Portland. Sutton to Patrick is no way
Steve He's ever going to put on any uniform other
than the package. Hey, we've seen We've seen Joe Montana
in the Steve Young ready to go. We've seen Peyton
Manning Denver Blue and orange. Things could happen alight anyways, Uh,

(01:05:25):
that game going on right now Denver in Kansas City,
Chiefs lining up for a field goal and it is
up and good from thirty four yards out near the
chievement at Warning in Denver fourteen ten Broncos had the advantage.
Drew Locks legs have gotten him into the end zone
not once but twice and then as a school right
now and of course you guys did mentioned with Dallas.
They played later on today against the Philadelphia Eagles. Little

(01:05:48):
to play for for both of those squads. Away from that,
Joe Brow not playing tomorrow for the Bengals. Denzel Award
for the Browns is out. Steelers placed James Washington in
the reserve COVID nineteen list, and former Auburn Tiger's head
coach Jean Chiswick, guys is back to North Carolina. He
was one time defensive cordner at Texas. So you like

(01:06:10):
that lined up with Mack Brown again. Yeah, like a
blast from the past. Jean Chiswick. Soon happens. And then
Gary Patterson's in talks from going off the sidelines to
back into the game with the Texas long Worms, staying
in the gridstead of Texas and going from TSU to Texas.
We'll see what happens with that. Um, guys, it has
been not a long time, but an extremely long time.

(01:06:34):
And he announced it today on on social media. Clay
Thompson is back on the court. He will be given
it a go as well. Son. Did you see a
video of him last week? He made in a row
from the corner. It's it's still mind boggling to me.

(01:06:54):
Working with his father and radio. I first met Clay
when he was fourteen years old and his father was
begging both U C l A and USC to look
at his son. He said, you know, my kids can play.
They weren't interested, and he insisted on going to Washington
State because he still wanted to play in the Pact twelve. Uh.

(01:07:17):
And now obviously he's had a Hall of Fame. No
he wasn't. He wasn't, and um, but you know he
hasn't even played in this decade. Yeah. Yeah, life's been
good for him though, because he's making over forty million
dollars a year and he's been with one supermodel after another.

(01:07:38):
So life's been good for Clay absolutely. Kind of sounds
like you paychecks supermodels. Well, I did two thousand four
NBA Finals, guys, So Michael and I were recovering that
for the Lakers station. We're in Detroit, staying in Birmingham.
I'm staying at like a motel, and my goal as

(01:08:00):
one of the announcers for the Lakers actually staying at
the team hotel. That's a whole another story. But anyway,
he flies in his two youngest sons, Clay who's fourteen,
and Trace, of course plays Major League Baseball. He was
thirteen at the time, and we're gonna take him to
a Tiger's game on the off day. So their uncle
flew out with them, and so we're all ready to go,

(01:08:22):
and Michael says, I really don't want to go to
the gate. I'm like, you want me to take the
boys to the game. Okay, great, So I the bill
was on me, including their food and everything else. So
years later, after Clay signed his first I don't know,
eighty million dollar contract or whatever it was. I was
covering a Laker game. The whole tops and family was there.

(01:08:44):
You know. I see Clay come off the court. Hello,
Mr Hartman. I'm like, wow please uh And I said,
you know, Clay, remember that money that I used to
buy hot dogs? Any chance I could get that money
back with that new contract of yours. They got a
chuckle out of the family. So no, by the way,
great family, Clays a super kid. At least you did that.
At least you did that in Detroit, not in like

(01:09:06):
New York or l A where hot dogs are probably
like twelve dollars and the Beers. Yeah, eight team for
an eight ounce is that. It was in the New
Ballpark and Detroit was good. It was good. But yeah, yeah,
his dad bailed, like, okay, I'll take the boys to
a game. How's that all right, David? Thank you very
very much. Yeah, that's sort of a blasphem in the past,

(01:09:27):
all those years ago. He's already what thirty one years old,
thomp since unbelievable, But uh, yeah, you know, I was
talking to his dad recently. His dad got covid um.
In fact, yeah, yeah, you gotta be put away into
a Minneapolis, uh hotel for ten days at the time
before he could return home. And uh, you know, we're

(01:09:47):
just talking about the Warriors this year, and I said,
did you have any clue that the Warriors would be
this good, you know, before Clay's return. He goes, no,
I mean everyone was saying, if they could just hover
around five hundred, right, and then get Clay back in
the middle of the season, they should be in good shape.
Well now, well, they either have the best or second

(01:10:09):
best record in the NBA and they're getting Clay Thompson back. Wow. Yeah, no,
it's it's impressive to to play this well and then
get one of the better players in the NBA back,
No question about that. All right, we've been talking about NFL.
We've been talking about some of these games, including let's
let's follow up with the Packers for a moment here though.

(01:10:30):
Um yeah, indeed, Aaron Rodgers has only been to one
Super Bowl in his career. Um, you remember the year
after they won the Super Bowl, they won fifteen and one,
he won his first m v P Award, and then
they go belly up at home against the Giants. If
you look over the course of Aaron Rodgers career in
the postseason, got some pretty ugly losses. Um. He has

(01:10:51):
a loss on the road to the Arizona Cardinals in
their season, a blowout loss on the road to Atlanta
that ended their twenties sixteen season, blowout loss on the
road to the forty Niners that ended their twenty nineteen season,
last year's home loss to Tampa, And there there's there's
some pretty pretty ugly postseason losses on the resume for

(01:11:15):
Aaron Rodgers. So when you look at this Packers team
that's going to be the number one seed, the road
to the super Bowl goes through Lambeau on the NFC side,
can you see anyway they get derailed? Or is this
gonna be Aaron rodgers first return to the Super Bowl
in eleven years? Um? I mean there there are definitely. Again,

(01:11:41):
I think the formula would be, you know, run the football.
If you're the Cowboys, right, you just go in there,
you hammer the football. The Packers also tend to get
a little conservative at the end of games. It just
seems it's very frustrating if you kind of watch them play, right,
they kind of have things going all of a sudden.
It's kind of like shut it down, right, Um, but
you're exactly right. They've lost a lot of times in
this spot and they're probably you know, they're the one seed.

(01:12:04):
They're probably be back playing Tampa Bay or playing I
don't think the Rams are playing the Cowboys, and there's
gonna be a lot of pressure on Rogers to get
it done this time. Um. I would think they get
it done this season finally again because with j Alexander
back there, this would be the best defense they've had

(01:12:24):
in quite a few years for Rogers, right, I mean
we saw the best if its he had he won
the Super Bowl, Like, this is a legit defense when
he's back. You have you added David Bock Jarry. Their
offensive line gets immediately better with an all pro added
back to the team. So like they're getting healthier now
a key spots, which is not common for this time
of year. Steve, So, I actually think out of all seasons,

(01:12:46):
and again, you know what the Bucks have injuries, right,
they have some warts. Cowboys have warts. The Rams. I
don't trust staff. I mean there's a lot of reasons
to to look at um at the package is being
the clear favorite here. I don't know, there's something about
Rogers in these huge games. Um, there's been a repeat pattern.

(01:13:08):
There really has been. With Aaron Rodgers on the other side,
I want to get into what happened this week with
Aaron Rodgers and Hubbar Cush, Uh, the long time as
Chicago based pro football writer who's one of the voters
for the AP Award. And he made a statement that
I knew instantly was gonna be way beyond anything he
could have imagined when he just talked about Aaron Rodgers

(01:13:30):
being the biggest jerk in the NFL? Should personality play
a part in deciding who walks away with the biggest
honors in any sport? Break it down? Coming up next
right now, I want to focus a little bit on
what happened this week with Hubbar Cush, long time with

(01:13:52):
Pro Football Weekly. He's been a Chicago based football writer
for many, many years. I've interviewed Hub over the years.
He's a good football guy. He knows football. But boy
did he make a major mistake. You know, we're always
talking about election integrity. That's a big thing, UH, hot
button subject around America these days. And how do we
ensure that elections are legit and everything else? Um? And

(01:14:15):
there has always been biased in sports voting, whether it's
awards on an annual basis Hall of Fame, and we're
seeing that in full force as far as the Baseball
Hall of Fame, where guys like Barry Bonds and Roger
Clemens haven't gotten a nod while other guys who are
in the Hall of Fame that you have to say,

(01:14:35):
you're telling me they didn't use p ds. Come on,
what's the difference. Well, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens weren't
the best liked guys, while these other guys that got
in were well like guys, and that's how they got in.
But no writer actually has come out and said specifically
that until hubbar Cush. I mean, this was unbelievable that

(01:14:57):
hubb oar Cush would come out and say that the
reason he would never vote for Aaron Rodgers this season
is because he's the biggest jerk in the league and
his jerkiness has had an adverse effect on him his team,
which is laughable considering the Packers had the best record
in the league. Here was Aaron Rodgers response to what
happened with hubber Cush. I think he's a bomb. I

(01:15:17):
think he's an absolute bomb. You don't know me. I
don't know who he is. No one knew who he was,
probably until yesterday's comments. I think he's a bomb. I
think he's an absolute bomb. You don't know me. I
don't know who he is. No one knew who he was,
probably until yesterday's comments, and I listened to the comments.
But to say he has his mind made up in
the summertime, in the off season, that you know I
had zero chance I'm winning to VPE in my opinion,

(01:15:39):
should exclude future votes. His problem isn't with me being
a bad guy or the biggest jerk in the league.
Because you don't know me, you don't know he don't
know anything about me. I mean, I've never met him.
I there at lunch with him, I've never had an
interview with him. His problem is I'm not vax nude.
All right. Well, first of all, I know who of
our cush is and he's a good football guy. But
he needs to disqualify stuff. You cannot make this a

(01:16:02):
personality situation. These awards about rewarding guys for what they
do on the football field. Any argument about somehow uh
this attitude the Aaron Rodgers had has had an adverse
effect on his team is blown out by the fact
they have the best record in the NFL. But here's
the problem even beyond that, Jeff, it's a credibility problem
for the a P. If you have people on the

(01:16:25):
selection committee that are admitting that their vote is based
on personalities, then you've got a big problem moving forward.
Oh well, you certainly do um. And again, I mean
this award should be based on what you do in
the field. And look, even if you just do it
with with Rogers vaccine status, guess what he didn't do everyone.
He actually didn't lie to the team, didn't lie to
the NFL, didn't lie to his teammates. He was untruthful

(01:16:49):
or whatever. You know. He he was misleading with the media. Okay,
I would be honest with us, he said ever he once,
But he didn't lie to his teammates, He didn't lie
in the NFL. He didn't have a fake vaccine card
right like like like like other players did. So you
might not like his vaccine choice. We've talked about his
his comments on McAfee show about his his vaccine hesitancy.
I don't agree with it, but guess what, guys, he's

(01:17:11):
the n f m v P this year. And even
if you want to make the case that he heard
his team, but but he did, right if they missed
a game, he missed a game, and guess what, there's
still number one seed. And if he missed a game
and that game cost them the number one seen, Okay, fine,
maybe you have a case for that, maybe you don't.
But again, awards should not be whether or not a

(01:17:31):
player is a jerk, right that that that's not what
the awards about. So what do you do in the field?
And you might not like Rogers? And guess what all
the Pro Bowl guys, all the AP guys, I mean
they all pro guys, they're not all nice people. Like like,
the point of the award is not to give the
nice guy award, right, is to give the players that
deserve the award. Aaron Rodgers will win the MVP, as

(01:17:53):
he should. And And what's really funny too, is I
love how the part about how like everyone's like, well
he's canceled. Now no one's canceling. He's gonna win, He's
gonnae or fifty votes still still within m v P. UM,
so uh you know, there's um. The outrage was I
think proper to be upset at at Hub for doing that.

(01:18:13):
But but he's still gonna win the MVP Award. That's
not gonna change. Yeah, I I understand the frustration although
the bum stuff I thought he even he went a
little over the top. Just push it aside, like it
really doesn't matter what this guy thinks. But I think
for the AP to continue to have credibility, hubbar Cushion
needs excuse himself from that committee. By the way, were
brought to you by one of our favorite cities, Las Vegas,
the greatest arena on earth. Every game, match, race, and

(01:18:35):
competition it is always on. Whoever you root for, whatever
sports you love to watch, The biggest games are even
bigger in Vegas, So make sure to plan your tip
today at visit Las Vegas dot com. By the way,
one quick note here on the Baseball Hall of Fame voting.
The voting has done. The ballots are being made public
by several of the writers. We have that Ryan what's

(01:18:56):
his name Thibodeau that keeps us updated on how the
award is going. Am here's one of the all timers,
so all Marvis Scale, the former Cleveland Indian shortstop who
last year got about of the vote, play more games
at shortstop than anyone ever, eleven gold gloves. Uh, you know,
questionable way he's a Hall of Famer, but he was
certainly getting quite a bit of support. Then there were

(01:19:17):
the reports of alleged uh, spousal abuse or something along
these lines. Right now he's running at eight percent. He
has lost forty votes from people that voted him a
year ago. Already. It could be one of the most
dramatic falls of all time. Now, his baseball record didn't change,
but the perception of all Marvis Scale the person changed personally.

(01:19:40):
I got a big problem with that, A huge problem
with that. That's not what this is about. It's about
the Hall of Fame of whatever sport it is. Were
they one of the best players, one of the best coaches,
one of the great contributors. That should be the bottom line.
By the way, the Pro Football Hall of Fame chef
is adamant to keep it that way, and I like that.
It's great doing it the right way. Yeah, it should

(01:20:03):
be based solely on what they do on that sport.
All right, speaking of the Chiefs are losing, Like, what
the heck is going on here? What does it matter.
Cowboys Eagles will get you ready for that game as
well coming up next. All right, rolling on here on
this Saturday, final week end of the NFL regular season,

(01:20:25):
Week eight team, we got the Chiefs and Broncos going
on right now, fourteen ten dever leading this game at
the half, and then later of course Dallas and Philadelphia
full slaty games. Tomorrow Monday will be the National Championship
game between Georgia and Alabama. Speaking of college football, joining
us right now is a man that's swept all the

(01:20:46):
awards in terms of the national Coach of the Year,
including the Eddie Robinson Award presented by the Football Writers
Association of America. University of Cincinnati football coach Luke Fickle
is joinius right now. Coach, thanks so much for joining us,
Happy New Year, and and congratulations on a fabulous season. Well,
I appreciate it, guys, thanks for thanks for having me.

(01:21:08):
And uh, like I said, it's quite a quite a year,
quite a run. But in this profession sometimes things just
don't kind of end how you envision them. But that's
part of the game. Let me just jump in here
quickly coached the idea of a group of five conference
school getting into the playoffs, something that many of us
deemed impossible based on what we had seen since the

(01:21:31):
formation of this playoff. What impact do you believe your
team's run to the College Football Playoff has on the
overall landscape of FBS football. Well, I think it may
encourage a little bit of the growth too, because you know,
for some to think it shouldn't have happened, and it
did happen, they might be more apt to say, Okay,

(01:21:53):
maybe we do need to give you some more opportunities,
um for maybe the teams that they're not coming out
of the h you know, so to speak, big you
know conferences, or maybe even those guys that that fell
or you know, stumbled earlier in the year and they're
playing their best ball at the end of the year.
So I think there's a lot of things that come
out of it. But I think more than anything, it
makes people realize that there's other people that have every

(01:22:15):
bit as good a shot and can play um other
than just so to speak, blue Blood in the top
five teams. I know, those always talk about moral victories.
I don't really like that word. I like talking about
learning and growth. What do you guys learn as a
program from playing Alabama and the way that game went well,
I mean we played Georgia last year, UM in the ballgame,

(01:22:36):
but I think it was different, much different this year.
And just when you're playing in the playoffs and I've
been fortunate enough to play them in a few times,
it's it's not like one of those other games where
you can, you know, maybe catch somebody out on the
their best day. I mean, you're gonna play an Alabama team,
You're gonna play a Nick Saban team. You're gonna get
their very best. And I think our guys recognized and
realized another level of what it's like to play and

(01:23:00):
to play against, you know, the champs and uh for
us in jail. I know for me UM as far
as preparation and in motivation and mental side of things,
it was a I learned a lot and I think
for our guys it was incredibly motivating to kind of
see maybe what the next level is like and what
you have to do if you really want not just
to perform at that level, but you want an opportunity

(01:23:21):
to actually win. Coach, I felt like it was a
little mixed bag with you guys getting into the playoff
in terms of expanding the playoffs or the future. If
the argument was there's no way if you're from the
group of five to get into the playoffs, well you
guys proved wrong. You know, you can get in with
an undefeated record and obviously the big win on the
road against Notre Dame to propel yourselves into the playoffs.

(01:23:43):
On the other side, you say, well, now this shows
you it's a far more competitive field. You know, we're
out here on the West coast and we've seen the
Mountain West Conference hold its own more than hold its
own against like the Pact twelve Conference over the last
couple of years and head to head competition. If you
were to expand this playoff to twelve schools, let's say,

(01:24:03):
where you're inclusive of all not just you know, group
of five schools, but at large schools, the expansion of
the playoffs, what do you think would happen? How would
the playoff with the expansion of the playoffs? Well, I
think what we learned last year from you know, the
COVID year so to speak, is we played further into
the year and we played closer to what people would
say is you know the bull season, which is you know,

(01:24:25):
kind of the January one or you know, the end
of December. Um So instead of having four weeks off
or three and a half weeks off or three weeks off.
I don't think there's gonna be a problem with adding
another week or something in there, you know, even possibly too.
So I think, you know, what we always get into
is the you know, the health and safety of the
student athlete, and you know, the them being a student first.

(01:24:46):
When the great thing about football is you don't miss
much of anything. You're not like basketball and not like baseball,
you aren't traveling. Um So I think I think all
in all, we kind of recognize it. Okay, we can
we can take this season into December, maybe only have
ten days before you know, a championship game or or
the national championship game, uh, and still be able to
you know, give some more opportunities. Um not just the

(01:25:09):
you know, the the non big boys schools, but also
some of those schools that you know, maybe notoriously always
at the top of the you know they're the SEC
or whatever, or maybe that team that lost early. So
there's a lot of really good teams out there that
can compete. There's just not as many great opportunities. Obviously
expanding a playoff with a lot of more teams into

(01:25:30):
the field to possibly win a championship, but also it
might help with recruiting an exposure. Have you found have
you felt it up taking your recruiting and your exposure
having played in the playoffs, there's no doubt. I mean
it's gonna open a lot more doors. Um, it's gonna
get you in the ball in the ball game. Now
does a seal the deal for you? No, you know,
but I think it's uh, just like anything in recruiting,

(01:25:52):
you got you gotta get that door open. You gotta
get yourself a chance, you gotta get an opportunity. People
got to recognize you and through how you pull and
especially the playoffs, it's given us a greater opportunity. Of course,
your roots are at Ohio State. He played at Ohio
State at the majority of your coaching curives at Ohio State.
You had the one year is the interim coach at
Ohio State. When you look at the job you have

(01:26:13):
at Cincinnati and where you've taken this program, you know
a lot of people say, well, it's just a matter
of time and I'm gonna push you to make any
commitment beyond where you are right now. But I mean
the success you've had at Cincinnati, and the reason I'm
bringing this up, it's like Mark Fewitt Gonzaga right at
college basketball, where he's been there for twenty plus years.

(01:26:34):
He's always in the mix, he has a great program,
he's got everything set. You know, his phone is ringing
off the hook every year, and he has decided to
stay at Gonzaga. I mean, because of your success, do
you think we might see more coaches say, you know what,
I got things pretty good right now. It's not not
such a bad deal. I don't need the added headache

(01:26:55):
of going to a USC or Ohio State or Oklahoma
or one of these big schools. I'm not speaking you personally,
but the success of coaches at schools like Cincinnati, um,
is it making it more likely perhaps that they would
stay rather than you know, taking the big money or
the prestige of going to a bigger job. I think

(01:27:17):
everybody is different, and I think that's the unique thing
is no matter the way you know, the so to speak,
the profession is going and what everybody thinks is the
right way to go, I think the unique thing is
is everybody's got to do what's best for them. And
and some people would say, well, maybe you're not as
you don't want to be as competitive, you don't want
to do this, you don't want to take this opportuite.
You know, it depends on what's most important to you.

(01:27:37):
And a lot of ways, for me, you know, is
what's best for my family and things like that, you
know still kind of go above what's best for my career.
And uh, you know, if I wasn't at a great place,
I wasn't at a place that was growing, I wasn't
at a place we thought we could continue to win,
then yeah, I mean my tune would change. But I
think everybody kind of beats to their own drum. And
you've got to know who you are and what's most

(01:27:59):
important to you. College football is obviously changing at a
rapid paste now with n I L and transfer portal.
How do you handle the transfer portal? Because you know,
we've heard from from coaches say, look, I don't like
to keep recruiting my own players. That obviously is very
tough on me. Other coaches like, look, do you want
to leave? All right, we'll see you later. Well we'll
we'll we'll add someone else. How is your attitude about

(01:28:20):
that I have to change over the last couple of years. Well, okay,
I'm not a I'm not a fan of transfer portal.
I don't think that giving guys an easy way out
is the best thing. Um, But I know that that
there's it's there's some good to it as well. I
look at it as hey, it's going to be an
advantage to us because we've tried to and will continue
to try to have the best relationship with our kids

(01:28:41):
and to make sure we know where they are and
what they're thinking. Uh. And that's the thing about the
transfer portal is when you use the right way, UM,
it can be very good. You can give kids opportunities.
But when it's shocking to you because you maybe don't
know your kids, you haven't treated your kids as well
as maybe you should have, then it can be a
really negative thing. I know, for us, that's not the
way we want to build our program. We want to

(01:29:03):
recruit high school kids who want to develop them. UM.
Will use the transfer portal for specific you know, kind
of neat and whether it's a young guy or an
older guy. But uh, you know, I think you just
got to find a way that it fits your program
um and what's the best thing for you. One more
question I got for your coach is about your quarterback.
Your four year starter des and Ritters had a fabulous career,

(01:29:26):
top ten, Heisman and everything else. It seems to be
a little bit of a light year in terms of
projected high pick quarterbacks in this NFL draft. I'm sure
you're gonna get plenty of calls maybe already have from
NFL teams about your quarterback. What do you tell them? What? What?
What can you do to sell them that this is
the kind of guy that can be successful at the

(01:29:46):
next level. Well, leaders make others around them better, and
I haven't been around one that's been better than him.
The greatest thing that's happened to him is it hasn't
just been handed to him. As a freshman. He had
to red shirt his red shirt freshman near he had
to find ways to win games, and the only way
we could win games was him improvising, running around and
making things happen with his legs. The second year, he

(01:30:08):
had a lot of hype to him, and he may
be struggled a little bit because he put a lot
of pressure on himself, but he still won football games,
and he did it in a way that, you know,
whatever we had to do. And then as he became
a junior, all of a sudden, the real development of
a quarterback you really started to see. And obviously a
senior year, he to me's the whole package. So he's
not a guy that's gonna walk in and be shocked about,

(01:30:29):
Oh my goodness, I gotta grow this much more in
this league. He's done it every every step of the way. Uh,
he's fallen down, he's so so to speak, failed, and
he's continued to get up and he's continued to be better.
And to me, that's the sign of not just a
great player, a great quarterback, living most importantly, a great leader.
I love him. I I watched quite a few of
his games and your guys games. Love what I saw

(01:30:50):
from him. Coach, congratulations again on a fabulous season. By
the way, final note, Alabama, Georgia, do you gotta pick
in the game? I don't. I don't make suggests I
don't make. I didn't think so you do. All these
two teams having played him over the last couple of years. Coach,
congratulations again, thanks so much. That's look, Fick, I'll try

(01:31:11):
to get him into, you know, softening him up for
a pig. Like you said, he lost to Georgia in
the bowl game last year and then he loses to
Alabama in the playoffs this year, so he knows these
two teams. Yeah, he does well, and I I uh
enjoyed hearing from him. Man. I mean, think about what
he had to basically go undefeated two years in a
row to get into a playoff, right, not just one year,

(01:31:31):
two years, right, because if he didn't go and defeated
the previous season. Now they lost a George in the
Bull Game, but if you didn't go undefeated in the
previous season, he was not going to playoff this year. Yeah,
he's get to get well. They sent that the bar
was set pretty high for since going into the season,
which is necessary, right, And then of course the win
at Notre Dame put him in a position. You knew
they were trying to figure out anyway to keep Cincinnati

(01:31:53):
out of the play but in the end there was
just no denying them. They had spot there, all right. Well,
on the other side, we've gotta get back to the NFL.
You know, joins us every week at this time, We're
gonna check in with our Fox Sports Radio NFL Insider
Adam Kaplan. Coming up next, Steve Hartman and Jeff Schwartz.

(01:32:15):
By the way, Denver has retaken the lead, Melvin Gordon
having a day to day forty seven yard touchdown run seventeen,
Denver penning the extra point. All right, let's talk some
NFL football right now. JONNYA says he does so graciously.
Every week is our Fox Sports Radio NFL Insider series
x M NFL Adam Kaplan. All right, Adam, forget this

(01:32:39):
game going on between Casey and Denver. Let's talk about
some of the serious games going on tomorrow. And let's
start with the Rams and the forty Niners. Um, Kyle
Shannon as won five straight games against his good buddy
Sean McVeigh. Forty Niners need to win or they need
help from Atlanta to beat the Saints. Rams need to

(01:33:00):
win or they could lose out on winning the NFC West.
So there's huge implications as far as the playoffs or
both of these teams going in. What are your thoughts
on this matchup? Yeah, Look, the Jimmy g Jimmy Garoppolo
did take a decent amount of work in practice this week,
and I believe they did not add Nate Sudfeld, who
would be their third string quarterback, to the roster. They

(01:33:21):
had until four pm Eastern to do that, which would
indicate to me that Jimmy D's gonna be able to play.
So if that happens, that will certainly help. Now you
knew wonder because he's playing with a fracture and his thumb,
how this would hold up during the game. I know
that they were pretty happy with what Trey Lance did
last week. I know it was the Texans, but he's
still rebounding after a tough first quarter and throw the
ball really well. He obviously is the future quarterback. So

(01:33:43):
overall in this game, I gotta thick the Rams, who
got absolutely handled in that Sunday Night game, and it
was it was like the Monday Unit or Sunday Night
game many weeks ago. They got embarrassed thirty one ten
something like that. They were terrible in that game. Expecting
to bounce back though the Niners. By the way, they
got a bunch of players back from the COVID list.
Today we're about as healthy as they've been in many weeks.
I expect to be a competitive game, but in the end,

(01:34:05):
the Rams to win it. The other game that that
really matters tomorrow is the sign a football game, Right,
Chargers Raiders winner gets in unless the Colts lose, which
I don't think it's gonna happen, and then there's some
fun discussion to be had about a tie. Um, you know,
are we underrating what what Derek Carr has been through
this season? Because if you look at where he's ranked

(01:34:26):
the NFL, I think he's the top seven quarterback right now,
he's about six or seven. But he's always had to
be the guy who answered for what happened with Oaklands,
assuming with Vegas this year. Right, it wasn't Mark Davis,
wasn't Mike Mayock, it was Car And through all of this,
now people won three in a row and they're in
a spot to make the playoffs. Are we underrating what
what Car has meant to this organization? Well, he's he's
been you know, he's a tough guy. Um, he's handled

(01:34:49):
the adversity. I've talked to coaches that work with him.
He's just he answers the bell. He's very accountable to
his teammates. Um, he's had it up and down season
in terms of just being consistent, but his over numbers
are good. And don't forget Darren Waller has been out
since he got hurt in the Thanksgiving game, which was
a huge win by the way for them at Dallas,

(01:35:10):
and Waller actually he started working this week. They they're
hopeful that'll be back. It'll be hard for them to
win without him. They their scoring seems to be up
and down. And the Chargers, by the way, they're pretty healthy.
They just got Kyler Fackroll, who's their subpackage pass rusher,
back today off injured reserve. They're pretty healthy. They got
all their players back from from COVID. There's no excuses

(01:35:30):
for the Charges if they lose this game. I mean,
I'm I'm I've had trouble picking their games all season.
Got home minute them and the Bengals. There's no excuse
for the Chargers. I'm pulling for the Raiders. H I
should say that, but I am. I have a lot
I don't have a lot of people there that I know,
But I just think the Chargers are clearly better team
from personnel standpoint. That doesn't mean to win. And I
agree with your point with car He's definitely the heart

(01:35:50):
and saw that football team. Well, for those of us
that have had to cover the Chargers over the years,
this is the kind of game they lose almost every
single time, Adam, So I'm with you, personnel Ice. The
Charges have a better team, but the Raiders are definitely
team to root for. They've had so much adversity this year.
If they were to make the playoffs, that would be
an amazing story. Let's talk about the Titans right now.

(01:36:11):
Because of Kansas City's defensive meltdown last week against Cincinnati,
suddenly the Titans are a win away against the low
lead Texans to secure the number one seed in the
a f C, and by all all accounts, they're gonna
get Derrick Henry back for the playoffs. How seriously, should
we be looking at Tennessee as a team that can

(01:36:33):
make the Super Bowl? You know, it's interesting. Then I
would say have a very good shot to be the
number one seed, but I wouldn't so much talk about Henry. Now.
I don't know if you guys have seen them play
a lot, but their defense is really good, like they're
probably right now, over the last six or seven weeks,
the top five defense, Uh they're not super healthy, but
they're healthy enough and talking to them on Derrick Henry,

(01:36:54):
he looked really good this week. Now, their plan was
never to play him this week. Uh. They told me
two weeks ago that they felt he could practice in
Week eight team, but they wouldn't play him, and that
that's certainly the case and they fully expect to be
back for the playoffs. It's just a matter of how
much volume he can handle. You know, when you have
a Jones fracture, it's the pressure you put on that foot,
just talking to people players have had it. The however

(01:37:16):
you are the harder it is. So I'm interested to
see how much volume you can handle. But they found
something in Deonta Foreman, a former third round pick for
the Texans, who's really revived his career. If you might remember,
he had he had an achilles injury several years ago
and he never really recovered and he it's taken him
a while to get the job done. But they've got
it going on. I know they're not getting respect naturally,
I get it. They're sort of like that. They're kind

(01:37:38):
of like the Texas Rangers of the of the NFL.
Like not a lot of people follow him, know a
lot about him, but they're really well coached. Mike Rabel
I voted in one poll already I put voted for
him for Coach of the Year. I just think he
does a great job people. Some people say it should
be Zach Taylor. I wouldn't argue with it, but Rabel's
done amazing job. They've had the worst situation with COVID
this year and injuries in the National Football League looking

(01:38:00):
around the a f C as well, but the Chiefs
are struggling to say. They look like they don't want
to be here. But they just lost the Bengals last weekend,
and Bengals are now hot. They're always gonna rerest Burrow
and mixing and I'm gonna match other starters tomorrow. How
much of a of a threat do you think they
are to in the a f C, Jeff. Their problem
is not offense. Their defense is not impressed me. They
worry me. As you know, the Chiefs got up to lead,

(01:38:21):
and they got up big, and they got up early,
and for whatever reason, the Chiefs defense got soft. They've
made too many millers which they were not making in
that a game winning streak. And I does worry me.
But the Bengals could outscore, could score with anyone. But
it's the problems their defense and the end. They're not
gonna be able to go far. They're gonna be a
fun watch and a fun out look. They're capable of
winning any week because they've had some amazing wins this season,

(01:38:43):
but then they have some they have somewhere you go,
what why didn't they Why didn't they get the job done?
They've had some bad home losses. This, by the way,
right speak of that. We're still under five hunter for
home teams this season. It's just remarkable. Through Week seventeen,
it really is. We saw very emotional Ben Roethlisberger walk
off the field at Hinz after they beat the Browns. UM.

(01:39:07):
I want to get your thoughts on the legacy of
his career. I mean, we're looking at a guy who
played eighteen years in the NFL. UM never had a
losing season for a full season nineteen he started the
two games they were oh and two. UM. He won
a couple of Super Bowls, played in a third Super Bowl.
He never made an All Pro team. Half of his

(01:39:27):
Pro Bowl bids were actually as an alternate. UM. Where
where does he fit? In in your lexicon of quarterbacks
over the last twenty years. It's a good question. I
know everyone wants to know. Is he should he be
a Hall of Famer someday. He certainly wouldn't go on
the first time, but because of longevity and winning percentage,
he's I believe it will eventually get there. It's really

(01:39:50):
remarkable if you go back that oh four draft and
the Eli Manning sit to the trade and all that happened,
and all the bluffing for the quarterbacks, that was really interesting.
It's so long ago now I think he's at one
point he was a top five to seven quarterback. He's
a salvel of his former self. He just cannot throw
the ball like they hope. Now. I can tell you
from spending time there in training camp, you throw the

(01:40:13):
ball better. Remember you had the elbow surgery last year.
But something's happened to him. He just is not the same.
In their offense is really hard to watch. Uh. It's
kind of a situation where I'm like most people. Let
let's let's Ben's been a great story and if he
wants to play or play somewhere else next year, I
would think as a backup. But the Steelers. They they're

(01:40:33):
the run defense stinks. They're just uh, they're tough. Watch
should be honest with you. I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.
They're very tough to watch. Another tough watch is another
team in the NFC North. Is the Cleveland brown to
him underachieved this season. Look, I don't doubt what Mary
Kay reported. I mean that she was told that I
would imagine by the team. I mean, it's not like
she she most of it. Her piece she wrote was
an opinion piece, by the way, and that was thrown

(01:40:54):
in that line about how things need to be better
between Baker and the Browns. Are there need be changes
made for Baker to be happy, which is still because
he's no leverage at all. Um, what do you make
of a Baker Mayfield in Cleveland? Just feels like it's
just it's not gonna work out after this season. Yeah, Jeff,
it's funny. So I was asked this um about a
week eight or nine about him and the situation. I

(01:41:15):
sort of downplayed it, but checking into it behind the scenes,
there's definitely some friction, which is there's there's just that
I think I just I just don't get the sense
that everything is copasetic. So we're I think Kevin Stevanski,
who did it like an incredible job last season, it's
got to kind of look at the structure of the
offense and let's see what the problem is. They did
have a very bad COVID and injury issue situation, and

(01:41:38):
remember Mayfield got hurt in Week two, But I also
think they should have shut him down weeks ago that
that that to me was a mistake, and Stefanski has
been talked about it. He just said, listen, I go
by what the medical staff tells me, and I get that.
But Mayfield does not look like the same quarterback and
they need to expand the passing game with him, which
I know they were going to do, but him getting
hurt so early in the season hurt that. And their

(01:41:58):
defense is sort of a feast or famine defense forces
a lot of turnovers, get sacks, but we'll give up plays.
And yeah, they und achieved that. They were certainly the
team that underchieved of all of them that we that
we had, you know, some high expectations for I would
agree they definitely underachieved. Alright, So final question here from
someone that should know uh is Aaron Rodgers the biggest

(01:42:21):
jerk in the league. I need to know this, Adam.
Is he I mean, is he the biggest jerk in
the league? Adam, you have you have to define what
that means. But look, you could talk about his politics
or his his stance on on vaccinations all you want
and have an issue with him, but he's not going
to be traded. That's the Packers are not looking to

(01:42:41):
move on from him, at least not right now. They're not.
You know, they're not. They're not looking like to to
to show him off because of some of the things
that that he said or done. As my guy in
the front office said to me more than once, we're
not looking to get fired. We're looking to win. People
will put up with whatever when you ever chance to win.
That's probably the way I would look at it. Yeah, nice, guys,

(01:43:02):
finished last. That was once said way back in the day.
So it doesn't matter about who's nice. Who wins. Aaron
Rodgers is the quarterback of the best team in the
league at least regular season. Adam, we always appreciate the time.
Thanks so much. Okay, thank you. That's Adam Kaplan our
Fox Sports Radio NFL Insider. Let's find out what's trending
right now as we welcome back David Gascon. By the way,

(01:43:24):
how about Sandy State today? How adam blowing out undefeated
Colorado State? So I have a have a theory on
the and I think it's it's been working so far
this year. You take you should bet on the unranked
team of the lower ranked team was a favorite against
the rank team. It's one like four times in a
row now, excluding today, was the favorite home over a

(01:43:46):
ranked Colorado State team. Uh, and just absolutely blowing him out.
Right now, what is it? The game's over? I know
you're excited about that. Mr gas Guy enthused a little
bit of a shocker. Denver has actually scored more than
seventeen points today. Yeah, that's the first time in five

(01:44:06):
weeks they've done that. It's a long time. But where
is the Casey run defense? Never has got a hundred
and fifty five yards rushing in this game, averaging eight
yards and carry. You know, did Melvin Gordon ever rushed
for forty seven yards? And I never remember that with
the he was with the Bolts. The Chiefs just look
bad guys there. They just it's just bad Chiefs defense,
Like just the whole thing is bad. Yeah, and there

(01:44:28):
and by the way, the Chiefs leading Russia in this
game is Mahomes. It's not good. It's not good. Yeah,
I mean, no matter how bad it is, at least
it's not Iowa Hawkeye football always find a way, always
find a way, thank you. They have rushed twenty times
for a hundred fifty five yards in this game. That's

(01:44:50):
not good. Now, there's some bonuses too for a bunch
of these guys on Casey's defense, but they just had
a punt. It's seven team Broncos. Melvin Gordon has seven
care is for ninety four yards of forty seven yard
touchdown run and also Drew Lock, who's not doing much
with his armies five or thirteen for fifty eight yards,
but he does have two rushing tds Mahomes twenty one

(01:45:10):
and thirty six for a bucket one two scores of
his own. Guys. Tyreek Hill has been hobbling around all game. Uh.
They said that he had a brief injury, a small
injury in pregame warm ups. It's carried over into the game.
Looks like a heal injury. So Kansas City does not
win this game regardless. Of what happens with Tennessee tomorrow,
they will not have a first round by they will
not be able to arrest Tyreek Hill. So I don't know,

(01:45:32):
so it happens, but obviously an area of considering for one.
Patrick mahomes away from that. Dallas in Philadelphia tonight. Joe
Burrow not playing tomorrow for the Bengals. Colts activated Paris Campbell.
They need to win tomorrow against Jacksonville. Steelers placed wide
receiver James Washington the reserve COVID nineteen list. Pittsburgh wins tomorrow,
they need a little bit of help to get in

(01:45:53):
the postseason. Uh, dropping down to the college ranks. Jane
Chiswick defit's coordinator at North Atlanta, Steve, when do you
actually get excited to talk and watch college basketball? March madness?
Come on it? Is it March madness? Or is it
the is the n c Double A Tournament? Because obviously

(01:46:15):
the college conference tournaments or a different breed. Well, here's
here's the thing about the college conference tournament. The one
thing I do enjoy about those conference tournaments is the
fact that everyone still has a chance, right, I mean,
because if you win your conference tournament, even if you
had a losing regular season, you get the automatic ticket.
That's the beauty of college basketball. Then, at the end

(01:46:37):
of the year, with very few exceptions, because most of
these conference tournaments are all inclusive, everybody starts with a
chance still to win a championship, no matter what kind
of season they've had. So, how temperate is your enthusiasm
this year for your U c l A. Brewing. They
ain't even been playing, they don't play. Yeah, but my

(01:47:00):
question is, yeah, how temperate is you're exciting? It is
a very good team and they're a top five team,
legitimate after going to the Final Four a year ago.
I just got to see him out there and play
that Long Beach State game. There were no people at
Polly Pavilion outside of family members, and they weren't even
on the schedule. They'd already played Long Beach State. They

(01:47:20):
needed to play well they do. I mean the hopefully
you know this, this COVID situation, when we could go
all day and night talking about San Francisco had to
play a home game in air quotes in Salt Lake
City tother night. But here's the thing about college basketball.
Whether these games are canceled or postponed or whatever. It
doesn't really matter because in college basketball, a season fair

(01:47:44):
or unfairly is judge on how you do in march manages.
It's as simple as that. So, I mean, you know,
so when it comes to the best part two in
two is we will not talk one breath about Luca Garza.
That it's a great year of ready right sto what
years it? Now? We just talked about Luka Garza. Alright,

(01:48:10):
a lot of fun. Yeah, okay, all right, David, thank
you very much. I want to I want to stay
with the Chiefs a little bit here because they're not
looking good today. Now I'm not saying they're gonna lose
this game, but right now, mamomes is only one thirty
six passing in this game. If the Chiefs lose this
game and the Bills beat the Jets at home, which

(01:48:31):
they're like sixteen point favorites, and the Bengals win, now
this is really bizarre to me. By the way, that
would drop the Chiefs all the way down to a
four seed and suddenly they would have to open the
playoffs against Bill Belichick. I don't think they really want
to do that. Um. Getting back to the Bengals, game though,
Also the Bengals are gonna hold out Joe Burrow of

(01:48:55):
this game against Cleveland. Is that the right decision? I mean,
for if they have a chance to move up to
the two seed, which is what they would get if
they won and Casey loses, isn't it worth it? Well?
I don't think that they. I don't think they thought
Casey would lose, So maybe not, but I think they

(01:49:17):
obviously set up a situation where they didn't think that
that they would lose. So that's how they proceed with
the week. The most important thing, though, no matter what,
is making sure that Joe Burrow is healthy. And and
then he took a hit on his knee, it's a
question about whether and he was limping a little bit.
You need to make sure that he's one healthy that

(01:49:38):
that is the absolute goal heading in the postseason. It
means you're you're the four seed, if it means you're
the two seed to three, see, whatever it is. You
need to make sure that he's healthy. And if this
helps him be the healthiest he can be, then this
decision you make. Plus looks he knows his offensive line
is not good. The Browns might have nothing to play
for but they have some defensive line that they can
rush the passer, and they need to make sure that

(01:50:03):
they keep Burrow healthy for the playoffs. Now there's a
little bit of gamesmanship two here, right, Like if if
if you end up being the four seed, Let's say
the Chiefs win, Buffalo wins, and the Bengals lose. Now
you miss Kansas City in the division round most likely, Right,
you're the four seed, you beat the Patriots, and you
go play Tennessee. Right, you just gonna beat the Patriots.

(01:50:25):
I mean I'm saying, I'm they'll be favorites probably right. Right,
let me say, let's saying, if you, okay, you would
you rather play Mitch mash of Zach Taylor versus would
you rather play? Would you rather play? The Colts? Are
the Patriots? I would rather play the Colts? Would Would
I want to face Bill Bella checking a playoff game?
I wouldn't either. I'm just telling you what they're thinking,

(01:50:48):
maybe I understand, is that is that we beat New England,
we don't have to go to Tennessee and not go
to Kansas City. Let's look, Kansas City in that game,
They're like ten different things that could have gone differently.
If one go differently, they win that game. Right Like
in the Chiefs are again not playing terribly well tonight either. Um,
but you know there's going to Kansas City. I think
that that you'd feel like, Okay, we need to make
sure we have a blown coverage. Um, you know Jamar

(01:51:11):
Chase running through defense. We need to make sure that
you know, the Chiefs are the wrong deief. It's on
third and twenty seven. The you know, the officials miss
two false start penalties they called phantom DP. I like
all these things happen right, Like, there's so many things
that could have just changed that game one play. Um,
I don't think they want to see the Chiefs. I
don't know if the're figuring it that way. I think
their number one thing about Burrow, keep Burrow healthy. Uh.

(01:51:33):
We talked about Zach Taylor as a coach of the
your candidate. Obviously he should be in the conversation. Mike
Rabel should get a lot of support. What does Nick
Sirianni fit in all this? This was an Eagles team
that was unanimously picked to be the worst team in
the worst division. I mean, I mean it was gonna
be the Cowboys Washington football team. Giants, Eagles were awful,

(01:51:57):
and you bring in Nick Sirianni started out of left field.
With Sirianni. I got to know him a little bit
in San Diego when he was quarterbacks coach, worked with
Frank Right. There was a connection there. But uh, I
mean the coaching job he has done to get this
Eagles team into the postseason. I think it's flying under
the radar um. It definitely is flying with the radar um.

(01:52:20):
You know, their win total was what six this year?
I think Philly before the season six might have been
even lower than that. It might have been five and
a half. You know. Kind of interesting. So we look
at at the things that coaches saying, we're guilty of
reacting to press conferences. Um, they had a he had
a terrible press remember that and wed him. But let's

(01:52:40):
look at the division right, look at Joe Judge and
the Giants. He said, everything right, right, we're gonna be
tough and physical and discipline, and we're gonna move things
the right way, and and they're a clown show and
they're not close to making the playoffs. And he said,
it's some really embarrassing things last weekend that we're not
true at all. And next year on into the playoffs,
like I maybe we shouldn't be so harsh on these

(01:53:01):
coaches and they're opening press conferences, Well, he's winning. If
you look at their nine wins this year. Here in
the nine wins for the Eagles to get him in,
they beat the Falcons, the Panthers, the Lions, the Broncos,
the Saints, the Jets, Washington twice, and the Giants again.
So I mean they but here's the thing. They beat
the teams that they were supposed to beat, and that

(01:53:22):
is enough to get you into the postseason. A lot
of teams will take that right now, right right, So
I give them a lot of credit. Right with Jaylor Hurts,
I'm not sure Jalen Hurts is um super Bowl caliber quarterback,
but if you put enough pieces around him, they can
be pretty good. As we see this season, right, you
have a really good offensive and really good defensive line.
They're proving the schools players the runoff. And I mean

(01:53:43):
I think over the last six or seven games, they're
averaging almost two yards a game rushing the ball. Uh yeah.
Their offense line is fantastic. I just and and and
I think much like the Ravens did with Lamar Jackson,
is exactly what Sirianni has done with Jalen Hurts. I
have always been a Hurts fan. I just felt like
he was so resilient throughout that college career where he

(01:54:05):
got demoted after being a sec offensive players year to
be in a backup for Tongue of La and then
he transfers to Oklahoma is runner out of the Heisman.
I've always been a Jalen Hurts fan, but you gotta
put him in a position to succeed, and Sirianni and
staff had done just that. All right. On the other side,
is it is it? Jeff's ready to roll. It's gonna

(01:54:26):
give us his best picks from tomorrow. Also, who's gonna
win Monday Night against the spread? You're gonna hear from
Jeff Schwartz coming up next, Steve Harman, Jeff Schwartz, Fox
Football Saturday. I want to thank the guys today. I
was Sam Tomorrow. Jeff, when Rich and I do our

(01:54:48):
Red Zone radio show, is bringing in a feast of
Chicago style pizza. Am I right about that? Delivered good stuff.
It's almost like Lazannia, and it's a very different type
of pizza. It's not a very dense, very dense, deep dish,
a lot of sauce on top. I'm busting out the

(01:55:08):
wallet for this one. Yeah, but I'm with you, Jeff.
It's it's almost deep dish. Chicago Pizza is rolling almost
like Lasasagna in some very very similar ud have you gas?
God he'll be for their for the feast tomorrow. I
don't imagine he will be there. He will be there.
Uh And Danny g Danny, I tell you what tomorrow
is such a How are you gonna watch that game

(01:55:29):
tomorrow night? You're the Raiders? I mean, how you like
in a secluded room or how how do you handle
that game tomorrow night? I wish I'm gonna be sitting
right here in the producer chair. Well, how are you
gonna possibly produce a show? It's gonna be hard. It's
gonna be during Covino and Rich and then Chris Plank,
who's a fellow Raiders fan, is going to come on
afterwards with Arnie. And you know the worst part of

(01:55:50):
that if you've ever worked with Arnie when a live
sporting event on his feet is a minute ahead of
everybody else's for some reason. We actually he sat in
on the UM Red Zone radio show. Remember that nightmare, Sam,
so Arnie is sitting there and he, like you said,
he was at least ten seconds out of everything else. Yeah,
and he couldn't hold his and he couldn't hold it.

(01:56:12):
I'm like, how are we going to do this show
like this? It is gonna be hard to concentrate tomorrow night.
All right, So he's gonna know ten seconds before you
do what's actually happening. Wow, Okay, that's gonna be. That's
gonna be a little rough out there. All right. All right, Jeff,
here we go. We got another game tonight. I don't
know if you want to jump into that Dallas Philadelphia game.

(01:56:32):
By the way, Bronco still leading the Chiefs seventeen. What
are your best picks for tomorrow? And you've gotta give
us your best pick for Monday night? All right? What
do you got? So? I like Tampa tomorrow minus the eight.
Now Carolina has quit um. Tampa has covered five or
six at home. The last one they did not cover
was the Saints came. Otherwise they've covered. They've been Carolina
three straight times by at least fourteen points. I think

(01:56:54):
Tampa gets right tomorrow plays well at home. Um, I
like Pittsburgh. I think it's four and now I don't
know what att that because Lamar Jackson is not playing
that game. How about this two five when the line
when the number it's outside three, so three or higher
in a In a Steelers Ravens game, the underdog has

(01:57:15):
covered seventeen of nineteen times. Wow. Like yeah, when the
game is outside of three points. And this is Big
Ben's probably last game as a Steeler, the Ravens are
not good right now, guys. I mean they play hard,
but they're just not good. Give me seis plus two
points like the Lions plus four at home. I know Rogers,
I guess today said he was gonna play, But how
much is gonna play? I mean the lines have a
chance to finish strong. They play hard every game, right,

(01:57:36):
I go with the Lions there. Um, I took Washington
football team minus to seven. Again, I'm fading teams that
have stopped playing, and the Giants have stopped playing. Now
you can put the Giants. I mean you put Washington
and Tampa and a teaser, which is what I did.
So I took him from seven down through three into
you know, minus one for Washington. I took Tampa from
minus eight to minus two. That feels more comfortable to

(01:57:58):
play those games. Um in that manner, and then um,
I liked. I like the Eagles plus seven. I got
him at plus seven for tonight. They just announced no
one's playing tonight, like their entire defense is sitting out.
Gardener Jalen Hurt is not playing tonight. But it's not
down to three or four. So I have plus seven.
I'll stick on my plus seven. I think that Gardner
Minshew just I think Hegles wanted more tonight. The Cowboys

(01:58:21):
are gonna play hard for me to quarter and shut
it down. They don't know who can hurt in that game, right,
No one? Absolutely? And my last one I took the
writers of my contest plus three. Man. I like the
Raiders UM on Sunday night. Um, I can get him
at home. I don't quote quite trust of Chargers yet.
And the Raiders just have this vibe of them right now.
Who are dooming enough to win these games? Like the

(01:58:41):
Raiders plus the three. Then you said Monday night lines
around three, So I took I took um. Really I
liked one wager for sure, which is Bryce Young. I
took under three fifteen passing yards. I don't know where
that's at now where I wrote article for Fox Sports.
I like that and Obama's team totals twenty four and

(01:59:01):
a half. I took the under that as well. They've
actually scored under twenty four points twenty four under twice
this year. One was Auburn overtime and they bat l
s U. They have had games where the haven't scored
many points. Again. I think Georgia just the defense this time.
No Mechi for Alabama and Albama's offense line. Do not
think we'll play as well as they did in the
first matchup. So I liked bright Song to not throw

(01:59:23):
first many yards in Alabama, not scores many points. Wow, alright,
covered a lot of ground. By the way, Joe Judge,
if they lose and go four and third team, what
justification of the Giants have at bringing them back for
another season, Umny. By the way, I'm hearing rumors they're
looking at a quarterback in the first round. They've already
turned the bridge on Daniel Jones. Yeah, Matt Corrall, Henny Pickett, Yeah,

(01:59:44):
that sets being buzzed about a lot on the mock
drafts right now that the Giants are the ones looking
for a quarterback in the first round. Um, wouldn't surprise me,
wouldn't surprise you at all, Jeff, great stuff. Man. Uh,
next week we're gonna be talking about NFL playoffs, will
have crowned college football champion. And in other words, if
you want to get everything in terms of your football fix,

(02:00:07):
we'll just keep it right here on Fox Sports Radio.

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