December 29, 2025 • 36 mins
Brian Noe is in for Big Ben and talks about the shootout between the Bears and the 49ers on SNF, the collapse of Baker Mayfield and the Bucs over the last several weeks, why the Patriots are being underestimated, and much more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Mahler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
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Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
The Bills they couldn't do anything against Philly. They are
scoreless with under five and a half minutes to play
in the game. They haven't scored a point. They're losing
thirteen to nothing. They score a touchdown, they get a stop,
they get the ball back, they score another touchdown. Now,
the funny thing was they were losing thirteen nothing when
(00:53):
they scored their first touchdown. The Bills had their extra
point blocked. Jalen card blocked the extra point, so instead
of it being thirteen to seven Philly, it's thirteen to
six Philly with the lead at that point. So we
fast forward to the end of the game. Josh Allen
scores a touchdown. It's thirteen to twelve Philly. So you
(01:19):
look at the sideline, Sean McDermott stoic. He's like, let's
go for two. Let's freaking go for two. Freaking in
this guy, I'm pretty sure he's throwing freakings around out there,
and so they line up.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
They're going for two.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Josh Allen has a wide open, wide open Khalil Shakir
in the back of the end zone. Pass isn't even
close to the guy, not even close.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I don't know what happened. He just short armed it.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
It's one of those deals where I don't know, your
guy is just wide open and you want to run
over there and just hand it to him, and I
don't know, you just short arm it. You just sort
of panic and he just missed a wide open throw.
Now here's the thing. You could look at this and say, yeah,
you know, it happens. It's just one throw. This doesn't
(02:10):
mean that dot dot dot fill in the blank.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
It doesn't mean that they can't win it all. This
doesn't mean they're not gonna reabount ya da baby, Babby.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You could fill it in with a bunch of stuff.
You know what this really means. When you cut to
the chase and you get to the heart of the matter,
the Bills don't have the clutch gene.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
They don't have it.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
They lack it, and it shows up time and time again.
It just does like you can't explain it any other way.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I don't want to say that the Bills are incapable.
That would be that'd be reckless, that'd be a little silly.
I mean, you look at the AFC playoffs. What team
do you love? Who's the team that you love? There's
not one. There's not one team I even like, like.
I actually do like the Patriots quite a bit, but
I don't love them. They have their shortcomings, they have
(03:08):
their question marks, They don't have a ton of postseason experience. Right,
there are a lot of reasons to doubt the Patriots.
They've had an incredibly soft schedule, on and on and on.
But I look at their strengths a lot more often
than I hear most people saying, right, Like, a lot
of people look at the schedule. It doesn't just begin
(03:28):
and end there. But that's just me. I like the
Patriots quite a bit. But the point is, there isn't
one team in the entire NFL playoffs that I just love.
I really, really like the Rams as well. Don't love them,
don't love their second theory, hate their path now that
they're probably gonna be on the road for three straight games.
(03:49):
But the deal with the Bills, you can't say, no chance,
know how, even though they lack the clutch gene because
of the lack of great teams around them. Hate their
rush defense. It's terrible. It was thirtieth in the NFL
heading into Week seventeen. They did a pretty decent job
on Sakuon Barkley on Sunday. But I don't trust the
(04:13):
Bills rush defense at all. And I don't like their
wide receivers. They got a bunch of number two, number
three wide receivers running around out there. It's when James
cook is held in check and it's all right, Josh Allen,
do your thing. I mean, I like their tight ends.
I like Dalton kin Kid quite a bit. Thouston Knox
is okay, you know, he's fine as a backup tight end.
(04:35):
But they're wide receivers, dude. It's just like who they
just picked up, Brandon Cooks. Brandon Cooks was like their
main guy on Sunday against the Eagles. That's how limited
their wide receiver room is. So it might not come
down to a clutch situation.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
It might not. It might not be all right.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
There are five seconds left, we're going for two to
win this game, and the he's got a wide open
receiver and he's got to make this throw.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It might not come down to that.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Like the Bills, they're good enough where it might not
be this you know, tight sphincter moment right.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Like we're clutch.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
This is a big, huge moment, you know, high leverage.
Might not come down to that. So I'm not going
to count them out. Make no mistake, I'm not counting
them out completely. But the main reason I doubt them
it's their rush defense sucks. Their wide receivers are average
at best, and they do not have the clutch gene.
(05:38):
They as much as highly as I think of Josh Allen,
he doesn't have the clutch gene.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
That team does.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Not have the clutch gen. I don't know what it
is about Buffalo. Think about like some of these games
that they've lost. I know it's Mahomes, I know it's
the Chiefs. They had a lead at Arrowhead with thirty
heen seconds to play they lost.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I still can't believe that one there were thirteen seconds left.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Just squib kick that thing, like, run some time off
the clock, you defend one pass and you win.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I still can't believe they lost that game.
Speaker 6 (06:21):
You don't think Sean McDermott's the problem.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
I think he's part of the problem.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
But Sean McDermott wasn't the reason that you know, like
Khalil Shakir didn't get the ball in the back of
the end zone. Josh Allen was the reason. And overtime, well,
I mean you could second guess that, but if you're
watching that play, and first off, I think you gotta
(06:47):
be first guessing in order to be second guessing. I
have a problem at all with them going for two.
I'm like, all right, you're being aggressive, that's fine. And
the way the play unfolded, the Bills got exactly what
they wanted.
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Like, yeah, it was a terrible pass. It was a
horrible pass, and you know, Josh Allen knows that obviously.
The shots on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Sho yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
But I mean, and.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
I'm not talking about just this game, but my best
friend is a Bills fan, has has been since since.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
He was a child.
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Uh huh, and he has been calling for Sean mcdermot's
firing for like a couple of years and a few
years now, right, He's just he's just had.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
It with him.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
And I mean, I can't you know, you can say, yeah,
the going for Tudo to win is fine.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Uh, you know, I do think that and Ben would
hate this.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Oh, but I do think that the Bills had a
bit of momentum.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Oh oh dude.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
You by the way, I want to sidetrack your your
thought here, I'll circle back to it because uh a
big Ben, you know, co host slash, you know, compadre
if you will over the years, don't let me sidetrack.
I'll circle back to it. Go ahead, finish your thought
about momentum and the Bill. They had momentum, That's right,
(08:09):
they did, absolutely.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
I just I think that I would have liked their
chances in overtime too. But like you said, you know,
the play worked out exactly how it was supposed to.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
They just missed it.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
They just they missed a layup. Man, there's no way
if they're going for two, they're being aggressive. If they
could see that play open up the way it did,
and then they could be asked like, okay, you still
want to go for two? Are you banking on Josh
Allen making this throw? Or hey, mulligan time you could
just undo it and magically, through the powers of the
(08:43):
football gods, you could just kick the extra point go
to overtime. Which would you rather do? All day long,
they'd be like, oh, our money's on, Josh Allen.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
You kidding me right now?
Speaker 7 (08:52):
So as a as a fan, I hate like decisions
like that. Obviously, when it works out, You're like, oh, great,
that was awesome. But when I'm watching my team and they,
you know, come back from behind and they score touchdown
to potentially tie the game and they decided to go
for two, I'm just like a nervous wreck. I would
(09:13):
way rather just breathe and watch some more football.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Hey man, hey listen. You can second guess this stuff
all day. You could sit here and be like, look,
they are legitimate arguments. It's Philly didn't complete one pass
in the second half, right right. Jalen Hurts was oh
for seven, he was oh for the second half. But
I have no problem with him going for two and
(09:38):
it was wide open. That is strictly a Josh Allen
bricked layup, like he didn't even draw iron right, He's
going in for a finger roll and somehow he bricked
it off the backboard and it didn't touch net, it
didn't touch rim, it didn't touch anything. He just bricked
That's how bad it was. That was a Josh Allen
(09:58):
miss And listen, and I get it, and Coop going
back to your diehard you know your friend who's a
diehard Bills fan. I get how you're not in love
with Sean McDermott. But the truth is he's the easy
fall guy.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
He really like.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Sean McDermott is not the reason that the rush defense sucks.
Sean McDermott is not the reason that their wide receivers
are just a bunch of guys. That's a Brandon Bean issue.
That's the GM. He's the guy responsible for the roster.
It's not a Sean McDermott issue. That Josh Allen, the
reigning MVP, missed an absolute layup wide open receiver. The
(10:38):
ball's not even close to him. None of those things
are Sean McDermott's fault. Yet there are a lot of
fans that want to act like it is. And listen,
I get if you want to sit here and say, hey,
look man, we've tried it for a number of years,
just hasn't worked. It's time to try something new. That's fine,
that's fine, but aim Sean McDermott for that loss. That's
(11:02):
that's ridiculous. If anybody's doing that, it's just silly. That's
Josh Allen just blowing it and I hey, raining MVP
to the side.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I think it's even worse. Like the fan mentality. I
know a lot of Bills fans will think like this.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
It's like, well, it's Josh Allen, man, Like, we can't
really crack on Josh Allen too hard. He's the reason
why we're good, Like yeah, and he's also the reason
you lost that game. Okay, that's the reality. It's not
a Sean McDermott thing. It was a Josh Allen thing
against the Bills in Week seventeen specifically, that's what it is.
(11:39):
And it makes it even worse because he's so talented,
because he's a raigning MVP, because he's arguably the best
quarterback in the game right now. It makes it even
worse than he missed a wide open layup like that.
You should have high standards and high expectations that should
be like, just that's not anything that's permissible. That is
(12:04):
an impermissible situation from Josh Allen, impermissible performance from him
against the Eagles, specially late. Listen, Coop, I gotta say
one thing because my guy Tom Looney, who I love
like a brother. We have traded multiple texts, multiple voice notes.
(12:26):
He somehow he got on this thing and he's like
he talked about momentum and he was like, yeah, this
is a big Ben Mallard take, and he's like, I
actually subscribe to it as well. It's like, momentum is
not a thing. I'm like, that's the worst take of
all time? Are you kidding me? That's what you think? Listen, man,
And I won't bore you with the whole argument, like
(12:47):
this is what I think about momentum. Just watch the
game between the Rams and the Seahawks last week and
you tell me that momentum is not a thing, right, Like,
the Seahawks are down thirty to fourteen, they're not even
sniffing the lead, they're not even sniffing a win. At
(13:07):
the time, Sam Darnold has just thrown two hideous interceptions
and what happens they get a punt return for a touchdown,
They get the two, They get another touchdown, They get
a ridiculous two point conversion that was a complete you know,
just fluke. It hits a rams helmet, bounces into the
end zone. They pick it up, they get the two
(13:29):
point conversion, goes to overtime, They give them a touchdown,
they score a touchdown, they go for two and win it.
You tell me momentum is not a thing. The way
I look at momentum is the way I look at
a run or a lead. Okay, you typically talk about
runs in basketball. It can still happen in football. You
go on a you know, a twenty one nothing run.
(13:52):
Alabama against Oklahoma. They're down seventeen to nothing, and whatever
the run was. They went on a twenty four nothing
run or something like that. You know in basketball, Oh,
they're on a seventeen to one run or whatever it
happens to be. That's what momentum is. But these these
jokers Looney and Big Ben, who I love, but it's
(14:13):
a terrible take. They act like, once you lose momentum,
it means that momentum never existed in the first place.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
That's like saying a run never existed, because Okay, we're
watching a basketball game. My team goes on a fourteen
nothing run. Your team goes on a thirteen to one run.
Does that mean that my original run never happened?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Right?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Like a lead?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Okay, today, the Eagles had the lead, they had the momentum.
They're up thirteen to nothing, and what happened. The Bills
stole the momentum. They had a chance to take the
lead and win the game. That doesn't mean if they
were able to do that, the Eagles never had a
lead to begin with. Right, It's just so bad. It's
just such bad logic. Momentum absolutely exists. And this is
(15:07):
on the heels of me doing a list the last
time I filled in for Big Ben. Right, so I'm
doing list radio at least one segment that I thought
was good at least a good idea, and it was
the biggest surprise NFL teams this season, good or bad?
You know what did the top five look like? I
was entertained. Maybe I was only one, but yeah, I
(15:29):
was doing a list segment. I know Ben hates list radio,
and then I'm doing Yes, Momentum is absolutely, without a doubt,
unequivocally a real thing in sports.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Throat every day.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at
the sportsbook, and all the best guests. Do yourself a
favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
We're all about the ball over here, and I'm going
to get to the militia. The militias.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Hey man.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
The militia is lined up and so we are going
to power through some entertaining callers here momentarily. But let
me start it off by just saying a couple of things.
I want to pay this off where there is a
team that I am happy, happy to bet against in
Week eighteen, and that would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
(16:55):
Now here's the thing. They are facing the Carolina Panther
with the division on the line. Right winner is in.
As bad as Tampa has been, they've lost seven of
the last eight games, as bad as they've been, if
they win one game against Carolina, they are in. Tampa
(17:15):
Bay is hosting this game against Carolina. If Tampa wins,
they win the NFC South, they win their horrible division,
they get into the playoffs. They host a playoff game,
which I will rant about later on today, but keep
it simple. As bad as Tampa has been, they still
have a shot. They control their playoff path. Have to
(17:39):
win one home game against Carolina.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
They're in.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Now here's why I am so happy to bet against them.
I've already bet Carolina plus three. I've bet Carolina money line.
And the reasons are this. Tampa Bay. They are a
team that is just dead inside. Might go a little
bit too far. You know what the Tampa Bay really is.
(18:03):
Tampa Bay is a team with the weight of the
world on its shoulders. That's what's happening with Tampa Bay.
You could see it with Baker Mayfield on Sunday against
the Dolphins. They lost to the Dolphins. I love my Dolphins.
My Dolphins are a wreck this season. Okay, I said
this the other night. As bad as the Dolphins have been,
think about their season. Right, they get off to a
(18:26):
hideous start. They were what one in Let me get
the record for you real fast. They'll only take a second.
They were one and six.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
The Dolphins were one and six to start the season.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Awful stinkage. Defined. They go on, they beat a couple
of bad teams. You know, they beat the the Commanders,
they beat the Saints, they beat the Jets. You know,
they won a couple of games and their records a
little bit more respectable. Then they benched Tua, right, Tua's yeah,
as this guy, he doesn't give us the best chance
(18:59):
to win. That's what Mike McDaniel said. They go with
the rookie Quinnyewers. They get rolled up on by the
Bengals by twenty four points last week.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Just a disastrous season.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Yeah, the Dolphins have the same record as Tampa Bay
after Week seventeen, after Sunday, after the Dolphins beat Tampa Bay,
same record. As much of a greasefire of a season
the Dolphins have had Benching their starting quarterback, same record
as Tampa Bay. And I'm just watching Tampa Bay and
their season just absolutely crater. And I'm watching Baker Mayfield
(19:37):
and listen, it's not just the physical toll. He took
a couple of big hits toward the end of that
game on Sunday, the loss to the Dolphins, but he's
on the sideline and you can just you can feel
it's not just the physical pain of getting knocked around.
It's the emotional pain of losing and losing and losing.
(20:01):
There's a great clip of Kevin Garnett when he was
still playing in the NBA. I love kg intensity to
find love the guy. But he was doing this interview
and he's almost in tears and he's like, I'm losing.
I'm losing.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Like you can just feel how this is tearing him up.
And that's the deal.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
If you look at these NFL games, think about a
team like Tampa So they've been banged up quite a bit,
suffered a lot of injuries. They started off great, they
had a great start to the season at the best stage.
Let's see, they were.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Five and one.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
They started off They're like the anti Dolphins. Dolphins started
off one and six, Tampa started off five and one,
and then the season took a turn man after the
bye week. Week ten, they lose at home to the Patriots.
They lose on the road to the Bills. They get
smacked around by the Rams. That was ugly, and then
(20:58):
it was just losing, losing, losing, losing. They've lost seven
of eight. And here's the deal. It's like, you put
so much into trying to win a game. You prepare
all week, you get your body right, you get your
mind right, it's all right, let's let's go, let's get
on the winning track.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Loss.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You do the same thing in the next week. Loss,
the same thing the next week.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Loss. It's just mounting and that.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
That emotional stress, that weight is just weighing on them.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
You can feel it, right. It'd be like, you know
how you hit like the squat rack.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I'm not a big squat rack guy, you know, but
you know what it feels like. You put the you know,
the bar behind you, you put the weights on the side,
you go down, you do your squats right. It's as
if Tampa Bay is walking around with the squat bar
like the back of their shoulders, back of their neck.
(21:58):
And it's never leaving restep they take. They're just walking
with the squat bar behind. They're walking with all the
squat weight on the squat bar, right, That's how they feel.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
It's like their legs are buckling.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
They can't take this physical emotional burden.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Of losing and losing and losing.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
And you know who hasn't had that? Carolina. Carolina has
not had that. Carolina is a weird team. They're psychotic,
but they're like win loss. So that's what they've done.
Let's see since week seven, this is their schedule win loss,
win loss, win loss, win by loss. They had a
(22:45):
bye week in between win loss. Looks like they're scheduled
for a win. If this is like, if this arithmetic
plays itself out, they're due for a win. But they
have not had this seven out of eight losing streak.
This stress, yes, that is just collecting and oh man,
I just I am happy to fade Tampa Bay. This
(23:07):
is one of these deals where you can get you
can get football deep, and you could be like, well,
you know, like Tampa Bay has this matchup and well,
these receivers against these Carolina quarterbacks and all this stuff.
All this I love football. You can break it down
football wise. I would not break it down football wise.
This to me is Tampa Bay has just reached a
(23:29):
breaking point and they have been weighed down for so
long by so much losing. I don't think they can
get out from under it, even though they're at home,
even though they're facing Carolina, who's far from a juggernaut.
Even though Carolina could be like, yeah, we're sucky Carolina today,
I don't know. It's either good Carolina, great Carolina, or
(23:50):
SUCKI Carolina. We don't know which team's gonna show up.
You could lay, wait, what if SUCKI Carolina shows up?
I don't care. I think Tampa's gonna suck worse. That's
what I think. I'm happy to fade Tampa I already have.
We'll see if that's the winning side. But Coop, I
might put sixteen fan confidence points on Carolina this week,
just as a straight Tampa fade man. They are a broken,
(24:13):
cratering team that I'll tell you. I'll get a little
personal for a second. Okay, we'll get to the calls.
When I was married, it was it was very stressful,
like we got divorced for a reason, and like listen,
I'm not putting all this on my ex. I certainly
had fall. I made a ton of mistakes myself. But
(24:36):
when we split up and we went our separate ways,
I didn't realize like I felt this like stress all
throughout my body. I felt this stress in my chest,
you know. And then we went our separate ways, and
it slowly, like a couple of days go by, a
couple more days, a couple more days, a couple of.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Weeks, and it's like it felt like so someone that was.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Standing on me was no longer standing on me, you
know what I mean. It was just kind of like,
oh my gosh, it was it was like the Gregorian
chant or the Hallelujah. It was that Oh it was beauty.
I was like, oh wow, I can breathe. It's like
Tampa feels how I felt before the split, right, like
(25:22):
they feel like the emotional toll of the cagey I'm losing.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
It's killing them.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They are near their their sports deathbed. They're near their
twenty twenty five NFL season deathbed, and it's not gonna
take much to just kick them off the edge. I
think Carolina is gonna do it, man, I do I
think Carolina is gonna win the division. I just think
Tampa they're just a dead team walking now. Watch them
(25:55):
win by seventeen or couldn't put everything together and go ballistic.
But I don't think. I don't see it.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
I'm betting against them, firmly betting against them.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
You know what, I can already see that this segment
is probably going to result in verbal fisticuffs. I can see.
I can see it clear as day. It's just right
over right over the horizon, right there, right over you know,
like you get up, you know, right around right around
the tree, in between the shrubs. Verbal fisticuffs right around
(26:30):
the corner here between myself and Loraina the tech Queen. No,
I'm kidding it, me and Justin Cooper. That's right, we
can we get shadow box. I don't care. I'm not scared.
What do you got? No, I'm just kidding. It's going
to be me and Coop here, because Coop he is
going to come after the New England Patriots. And I
(26:54):
just want to tell you, I want to warn you,
militia it's going to be a bad take, a bad take,
and I'm gonna pull some sports radio jiu jitsu.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Don't really a take. It's a fact.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
It is a fact. But you know what it is.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
It is a completely and utterly misleading fact. You're right, Coop,
it's not it is a fact. I saw this tweet.
One of my buddies sent it to me, and it's
exactly what Coop is talking about. So, as of today,
after week seventeen, the Patriots have one win against the
(27:32):
team with the winning record. The New York Giants have
two wins against teams with winning records. So it's like,
oh wow, look at the Patriots. They're just beaten up
on the sad pathetic it is. It's one of the
it's like the easiest schedule in the last twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
They've beaten up on a bunch of bad teams.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
But but but that doesn't mean they're incapable of doing anything.
Like listen, there are so many things to look at here.
Don't just look at man, they've only beaten one team
with the winning record while they're fools gold. I think
that's a bad take because look at what they have.
(28:13):
They've got a pretty good defense, They've got a pretty
good head coach and Mike Rable. They've got a really
good quarterback in Drake May. And this is where that
stat is totally misleading. If you look at what last
week at the Ravens, they're losing by eleven points in
the fourth quarter. If they lose this game, the division
(28:37):
is is up for grabs. The division is in peril
with the Buffalo Bills right on their heels and they
on the road at Baltimore in primetime. Have the Giants
played primetime games this season like they I think they
played the Chiefs earlier in They're not playing primetime games.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
They're like a one pm, you know dream, They're playing
at one day.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Oh, they broke out and played at four to twenty
five Eastern time this past Sunday. Whoa man, that was
about as primetime as it gets. For the Giants going
to Baltimore in primetime, eleven point deficit have to execute
with great precision, and they did. And now that's just
chalked up to well, Baltimore doesn't have a winning record
(29:25):
right now, that doesn't even really count.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
It doesn't count. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
That's ridiculous? That's why you got to read between the
lines sometimes dig deeper than just the quote unquote facts,
Like that's a fact for you. They beat a Ravens
them in primetime on the road, when dude, that crowd
is into it. You know, the momentum is clearly on
Baltimore's side. And guess what they did. They seized it
(29:51):
right back and they took that game.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
That matters.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
They beat the Bills on the road, that doesn't matter.
That's not a good win earlier on the that's their
there's their one win.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
That's just crazy to me. So to just overlook the
strengths that they have.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
They've got a legitimate MVP at quarterback, good head coach,
good defense, they got a lot to work with.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
I like the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
I think there's a lot of value as far as
betting on the Patriots come playoff time, because there are
some people that will just see a tweet and be like.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Got one team.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
We got one win against the one team with a
winning record. I mean, I can't wait to fade this team. Yeah,
go ahead, knock yourself out. I think they're live. I
think they're absolutely live in the playoffs. I would be
surprised if they're in the Super Bowl. I said it,
look at the rest of the AFC. Who do you love?
Who do you love in the AFC? I don't love anybody.
(30:48):
So to like act like the Patriots have what no
shot to do anything, that's crazy. Odds are they're not
going to make the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
I know that.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
But to talk about them as if they have no
chains just because they've had an incredibly favorable schedule, that's
crazy talk. That's insanity right there. So now I don't
buy any of that stuff. They beat a couple of
teams that are five hundred, you know, that's not beating
up on all. These teams are just you know, picking
(31:19):
in the top five, top ten of the NFL draft,
and that's it.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
That's not it.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Like the Ravens are a five hundred team. The Panthers
are a five hundred team. To look at the Panthers,
the Panthers are psychotic. By the way, the Panthers beat
the Rams. The Panthers beat.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
The Packers like those are they beat. The Rams were.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
At the time the consensus best team in the NFL.
The Rams went into Carolina and lost, and then Carolina
got swept by the Saints. They got crushed by the Bills.
They got crushed by the Patriots. The Patriots beat them
forty two to thirteen, and we're just gonna act like
(32:01):
it doesn't matter because they're not. They don't have a
winning record, Like that's a manufactured ooh oh, this is
gonna get some clicks type stat.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
That's what it is. There's way more to that stat
than meets the eye.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
But would you be surprised if any one of the
playoff teams, potential AFC playoff teams beat them in the
first round.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
I mean, no, the Texans have a real defense. I
don't like the Texans offensive line. But if that's the matchup,
if that's let's say it's the two to seven matchup,
and Houston goes into fox Borough and wins, I would
be surprised at all, not at all. They've got a
nasty defense, and I don't love the Patriots tackles. Listen,
(32:45):
styles make fights, and look, they don't have the same
playoff experience, even the Texans. They were in the playoffs
last season, right, they beat the Chargers, they picked off
Herbert four times, they went into Arrowhead, they laid a
close game against the Chiefs, like that's real playoff experience
that matters. I would be surprised at all if the
(33:07):
Texans went in there and beat them and the Patriots
are won and done.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
I think we're probably looking at Chargers Patriots, right if
I mean assuming the right right, the Broncos could.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Be I mean, listen, it could be Bills Patriots. That's
what it is right now, right speak. I mean, can
you see the Bills going in there again and you know,
taking down the Patriots. Of course, of course you could
see that happening. Could I see the opposite happening?
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I could see that too.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
The Patriots got a little uh, you know, less aggressive.
They got up twenty one to nothing, they were still up.
I was at twenty four to seven, I think at halftime,
and man, the Bills came out and they smacked them around.
The Patriots just didn't have that same edge in the
second half, and they're trying to not the clock instead
of like playing the game. So hey, maybe they learned
(34:04):
some lessons from that loss. But neither would surprise me.
Speaker 4 (34:08):
Coop.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
If that's the matchup Patriots Bills the Patriots are hosting
in Foxborough, I wouldn't be a surprised.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
If either team won. I really wouldn't you.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
No, I mean definitely not.
Speaker 7 (34:19):
I I don't know if I was betting that game.
I don't know if I if.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
I take, probably take the Bills. Well, that's the thing.
The Bills would be a slight favorite. I think I
think the Bills would have enough so I do. I
think the Bills would have enough backing from the betting
community where yeah, I think they would be small favorites.
I think it'd be close to a pick them. But
(34:44):
I bet the Bills would probably be like a one
point favorite on the road something like that.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I think they would.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
I mean, you might be right.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
I just it's it's wild to me because you you
got to imagine that. I mean, Drake May is probably
winning MVP, right, I.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
Mean I think it's Stafford. I think Stafford gets it
this season.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Even after that that loss.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
But hey, listen, Drake May's live. You know, they're they're
pretty close. So it's yeah, it could be a good
little battle who gets it. I like Drake May a lot.
Drake May's got the goods. He's a very good quarterback.
So like, look, man, I wouldn't just look at the schedule,
and that's like, I don't want to change the subject completely,
(35:30):
but I'm hearing a lot of that. With college football.
We've got the College Football Playoff right around the corner.
The best matchup of the quarterfinals. I think it's the
shortest point spread. It's Oregon against Texas Tech. And there
are a lot of people that are like, Oregon played
a much tougher schedule, Like Oregon's going to be the
best team that Texas Tech faces easily, and it's like, look,
(35:52):
that's true, but that doesn't mean Texas Tech can't win
that game. You know, like they got a really good
defensive line, really good front seven offense. When firing in
all cylinders is nasty, they're a wagon. Texas Tech is tough.
So I think we're doing that with the Patriots, Like,
oh man, look at their easy schedule. It's okay, all right,
(36:12):
So they're incapable. They can't beat the Bills at home.
They can't beat the Chargers.
Speaker 6 (36:17):
Just can't.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Can't do it.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Come on like that. It goes beyond the schedule, man,
it just does. You can't have an MVP caliber quarterback,
a good head coach, a good defense and just be
incapable of doing anything come playoff time because they've had
a cake schedule, and it's a bad logic, it's a
bad take. So I like the Patriots, man. I think
(36:39):
that a lot of people are selling the Patriots short.
Speaker 4 (36:42):
That is what I think
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Mahler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
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night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
The Bills they couldn't do anything against Philly. They are
scoreless with under five and a half minutes to play
in the game. They haven't scored a point. They're losing
thirteen to nothing. They score a touchdown, they get a stop,
they get the ball back, they score another touchdown. Now,
the funny thing was they were losing thirteen nothing when
(00:53):
they scored their first touchdown. The Bills had their extra
point blocked. Jalen card blocked the extra point, so instead
of it being thirteen to seven Philly, it's thirteen to
six Philly with the lead at that point. So we
fast forward to the end of the game. Josh Allen
scores a touchdown. It's thirteen to twelve Philly. So you
(01:19):
look at the sideline, Sean McDermott stoic. He's like, let's
go for two. Let's freaking go for two. Freaking in
this guy, I'm pretty sure he's throwing freakings around out there,
and so they line up.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
They're going for two.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
Josh Allen has a wide open, wide open Khalil Shakir
in the back of the end zone. Pass isn't even
close to the guy, not even close.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I don't know what happened. He just short armed it.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
It's one of those deals where I don't know, your
guy is just wide open and you want to run
over there and just hand it to him, and I
don't know, you just short arm it. You just sort
of panic and he just missed a wide open throw.
Now here's the thing. You could look at this and say, yeah,
you know, it happens. It's just one throw. This doesn't
(02:10):
mean that dot dot dot fill in the blank.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
It doesn't mean that they can't win it all. This
doesn't mean they're not gonna reabount ya da baby, Babby.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You could fill it in with a bunch of stuff.
You know what this really means. When you cut to
the chase and you get to the heart of the matter,
the Bills don't have the clutch gene.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
They don't have it.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
They lack it, and it shows up time and time again.
It just does like you can't explain it any other way.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I don't want to say that the Bills are incapable.
That would be that'd be reckless, that'd be a little silly.
I mean, you look at the AFC playoffs. What team
do you love? Who's the team that you love? There's
not one. There's not one team I even like, like.
I actually do like the Patriots quite a bit, but
I don't love them. They have their shortcomings, they have
(03:08):
their question marks, They don't have a ton of postseason experience. Right,
there are a lot of reasons to doubt the Patriots.
They've had an incredibly soft schedule, on and on and on.
But I look at their strengths a lot more often
than I hear most people saying, right, Like, a lot
of people look at the schedule. It doesn't just begin
(03:28):
and end there. But that's just me. I like the
Patriots quite a bit. But the point is, there isn't
one team in the entire NFL playoffs that I just love.
I really, really like the Rams as well. Don't love them,
don't love their second theory, hate their path now that
they're probably gonna be on the road for three straight games.
(03:49):
But the deal with the Bills, you can't say, no chance,
know how, even though they lack the clutch gene because
of the lack of great teams around them. Hate their
rush defense. It's terrible. It was thirtieth in the NFL
heading into Week seventeen. They did a pretty decent job
on Sakuon Barkley on Sunday. But I don't trust the
(04:13):
Bills rush defense at all. And I don't like their
wide receivers. They got a bunch of number two, number
three wide receivers running around out there. It's when James
cook is held in check and it's all right, Josh Allen,
do your thing. I mean, I like their tight ends.
I like Dalton kin Kid quite a bit. Thouston Knox
is okay, you know, he's fine as a backup tight end.
(04:35):
But they're wide receivers, dude. It's just like who they
just picked up, Brandon Cooks. Brandon Cooks was like their
main guy on Sunday against the Eagles. That's how limited
their wide receiver room is. So it might not come
down to a clutch situation.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
It might not. It might not be all right.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
There are five seconds left, we're going for two to
win this game, and the he's got a wide open
receiver and he's got to make this throw.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It might not come down to that.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Like the Bills, they're good enough where it might not
be this you know, tight sphincter moment right.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
Like we're clutch.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
This is a big, huge moment, you know, high leverage.
Might not come down to that. So I'm not going
to count them out. Make no mistake, I'm not counting
them out completely. But the main reason I doubt them
it's their rush defense sucks. Their wide receivers are average
at best, and they do not have the clutch gene.
(05:38):
They as much as highly as I think of Josh Allen,
he doesn't have the clutch gene.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
That team does.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Not have the clutch gen. I don't know what it
is about Buffalo. Think about like some of these games
that they've lost. I know it's Mahomes, I know it's
the Chiefs. They had a lead at Arrowhead with thirty
heen seconds to play they lost.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I still can't believe that one there were thirteen seconds left.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Just squib kick that thing, like, run some time off
the clock, you defend one pass and you win.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
I still can't believe they lost that game.
Speaker 6 (06:21):
You don't think Sean McDermott's the problem.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
I think he's part of the problem.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
But Sean McDermott wasn't the reason that you know, like
Khalil Shakir didn't get the ball in the back of
the end zone. Josh Allen was the reason. And overtime, well,
I mean you could second guess that, but if you're
watching that play, and first off, I think you gotta
(06:47):
be first guessing in order to be second guessing. I
have a problem at all with them going for two.
I'm like, all right, you're being aggressive, that's fine. And
the way the play unfolded, the Bills got exactly what
they wanted.
Speaker 7 (07:02):
Like, yeah, it was a terrible pass. It was a
horrible pass, and you know, Josh Allen knows that obviously.
The shots on the sideline.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Sho yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.
Speaker 6 (07:11):
But I mean, and.
Speaker 7 (07:12):
I'm not talking about just this game, but my best
friend is a Bills fan, has has been since since.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
He was a child.
Speaker 7 (07:20):
Uh huh, and he has been calling for Sean mcdermot's
firing for like a couple of years and a few
years now, right, He's just he's just had.
Speaker 6 (07:29):
It with him.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
And I mean, I can't you know, you can say, yeah,
the going for Tudo to win is fine.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
Uh, you know, I do think that and Ben would
hate this.
Speaker 7 (07:41):
Oh, but I do think that the Bills had a
bit of momentum.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Oh oh dude.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
You by the way, I want to sidetrack your your
thought here, I'll circle back to it because uh a
big Ben, you know, co host slash, you know, compadre
if you will over the years, don't let me sidetrack.
I'll circle back to it. Go ahead, finish your thought
about momentum and the Bill. They had momentum, That's right,
(08:09):
they did, absolutely.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
I just I think that I would have liked their
chances in overtime too. But like you said, you know,
the play worked out exactly how it was supposed to.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
They just missed it.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
They just they missed a layup. Man, there's no way
if they're going for two, they're being aggressive. If they
could see that play open up the way it did,
and then they could be asked like, okay, you still
want to go for two? Are you banking on Josh
Allen making this throw? Or hey, mulligan time you could
just undo it and magically, through the powers of the
(08:43):
football gods, you could just kick the extra point go
to overtime. Which would you rather do? All day long,
they'd be like, oh, our money's on, Josh Allen.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
You kidding me right now?
Speaker 7 (08:52):
So as a as a fan, I hate like decisions
like that. Obviously, when it works out, You're like, oh, great,
that was awesome. But when I'm watching my team and they,
you know, come back from behind and they score touchdown
to potentially tie the game and they decided to go
for two, I'm just like a nervous wreck. I would
(09:13):
way rather just breathe and watch some more football.
Speaker 6 (09:17):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Hey man, hey listen. You can second guess this stuff
all day. You could sit here and be like, look,
they are legitimate arguments. It's Philly didn't complete one pass
in the second half, right right. Jalen Hurts was oh
for seven, he was oh for the second half. But
I have no problem with him going for two and
(09:38):
it was wide open. That is strictly a Josh Allen
bricked layup, like he didn't even draw iron right, He's
going in for a finger roll and somehow he bricked
it off the backboard and it didn't touch net, it
didn't touch rim, it didn't touch anything. He just bricked
That's how bad it was. That was a Josh Allen
(09:58):
miss And listen, and I get it, and Coop going
back to your diehard you know your friend who's a
diehard Bills fan. I get how you're not in love
with Sean McDermott. But the truth is he's the easy
fall guy.
Speaker 4 (10:12):
He really like.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Sean McDermott is not the reason that the rush defense sucks.
Sean McDermott is not the reason that their wide receivers
are just a bunch of guys. That's a Brandon Bean issue.
That's the GM. He's the guy responsible for the roster.
It's not a Sean McDermott issue. That Josh Allen, the
reigning MVP, missed an absolute layup wide open receiver. The
(10:38):
ball's not even close to him. None of those things
are Sean McDermott's fault. Yet there are a lot of
fans that want to act like it is. And listen,
I get if you want to sit here and say, hey,
look man, we've tried it for a number of years,
just hasn't worked. It's time to try something new. That's fine,
that's fine, but aim Sean McDermott for that loss. That's
(11:02):
that's ridiculous. If anybody's doing that, it's just silly. That's
Josh Allen just blowing it and I hey, raining MVP
to the side.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
I think it's even worse. Like the fan mentality. I
know a lot of Bills fans will think like this.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
It's like, well, it's Josh Allen, man, Like, we can't
really crack on Josh Allen too hard. He's the reason
why we're good, Like yeah, and he's also the reason
you lost that game. Okay, that's the reality. It's not
a Sean McDermott thing. It was a Josh Allen thing
against the Bills in Week seventeen specifically, that's what it is.
(11:39):
And it makes it even worse because he's so talented,
because he's a raigning MVP, because he's arguably the best
quarterback in the game right now. It makes it even
worse than he missed a wide open layup like that.
You should have high standards and high expectations that should
be like, just that's not anything that's permissible. That is
(12:04):
an impermissible situation from Josh Allen, impermissible performance from him
against the Eagles, specially late. Listen, Coop, I gotta say
one thing because my guy Tom Looney, who I love
like a brother. We have traded multiple texts, multiple voice notes.
(12:26):
He somehow he got on this thing and he's like
he talked about momentum and he was like, yeah, this
is a big Ben Mallard take, and he's like, I
actually subscribe to it as well. It's like, momentum is
not a thing. I'm like, that's the worst take of
all time? Are you kidding me? That's what you think? Listen, man,
And I won't bore you with the whole argument, like
(12:47):
this is what I think about momentum. Just watch the
game between the Rams and the Seahawks last week and
you tell me that momentum is not a thing, right, Like,
the Seahawks are down thirty to fourteen, they're not even
sniffing the lead, they're not even sniffing a win. At
(13:07):
the time, Sam Darnold has just thrown two hideous interceptions
and what happens they get a punt return for a touchdown,
They get the two, They get another touchdown, They get
a ridiculous two point conversion that was a complete you know,
just fluke. It hits a rams helmet, bounces into the
end zone. They pick it up, they get the two
(13:29):
point conversion, goes to overtime, They give them a touchdown,
they score a touchdown, they go for two and win it.
You tell me momentum is not a thing. The way
I look at momentum is the way I look at
a run or a lead. Okay, you typically talk about
runs in basketball. It can still happen in football. You
go on a you know, a twenty one nothing run.
(13:52):
Alabama against Oklahoma. They're down seventeen to nothing, and whatever
the run was. They went on a twenty four nothing
run or something like that. You know in basketball, Oh,
they're on a seventeen to one run or whatever it
happens to be. That's what momentum is. But these these
jokers Looney and Big Ben, who I love, but it's
(14:13):
a terrible take. They act like, once you lose momentum,
it means that momentum never existed in the first place.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
That's crazy.
Speaker 3 (14:23):
That's like saying a run never existed, because Okay, we're
watching a basketball game. My team goes on a fourteen
nothing run. Your team goes on a thirteen to one run.
Does that mean that my original run never happened?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Right?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Like a lead?
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Okay, today, the Eagles had the lead, they had the momentum.
They're up thirteen to nothing, and what happened. The Bills
stole the momentum. They had a chance to take the
lead and win the game. That doesn't mean if they
were able to do that, the Eagles never had a
lead to begin with. Right, It's just so bad. It's
just such bad logic. Momentum absolutely exists. And this is
(15:07):
on the heels of me doing a list the last
time I filled in for Big Ben. Right, so I'm
doing list radio at least one segment that I thought
was good at least a good idea, and it was
the biggest surprise NFL teams this season, good or bad?
You know what did the top five look like? I
was entertained. Maybe I was only one, but yeah, I
(15:29):
was doing a list segment. I know Ben hates list radio,
and then I'm doing Yes, Momentum is absolutely, without a doubt,
unequivocally a real thing in sports.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maler
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Throat every day.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at
the sportsbook, and all the best guests. Do yourself a
favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.
Speaker 4 (16:20):
Or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
We're all about the ball over here, and I'm going
to get to the militia. The militias.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
Hey man.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
The militia is lined up and so we are going
to power through some entertaining callers here momentarily. But let
me start it off by just saying a couple of things.
I want to pay this off where there is a
team that I am happy, happy to bet against in
Week eighteen, and that would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
(16:55):
Now here's the thing. They are facing the Carolina Panther
with the division on the line. Right winner is in.
As bad as Tampa has been, they've lost seven of
the last eight games, as bad as they've been, if
they win one game against Carolina, they are in. Tampa
(17:15):
Bay is hosting this game against Carolina. If Tampa wins,
they win the NFC South, they win their horrible division,
they get into the playoffs. They host a playoff game,
which I will rant about later on today, but keep
it simple. As bad as Tampa has been, they still
have a shot. They control their playoff path. Have to
(17:39):
win one home game against Carolina.
Speaker 4 (17:40):
They're in.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Now here's why I am so happy to bet against them.
I've already bet Carolina plus three. I've bet Carolina money line.
And the reasons are this. Tampa Bay. They are a
team that is just dead inside. Might go a little
bit too far. You know what the Tampa Bay really is.
(18:03):
Tampa Bay is a team with the weight of the
world on its shoulders. That's what's happening with Tampa Bay.
You could see it with Baker Mayfield on Sunday against
the Dolphins. They lost to the Dolphins. I love my Dolphins.
My Dolphins are a wreck this season. Okay, I said
this the other night. As bad as the Dolphins have been,
think about their season. Right, they get off to a
(18:26):
hideous start. They were what one in Let me get
the record for you real fast. They'll only take a second.
They were one and six.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
The Dolphins were one and six to start the season.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Awful stinkage. Defined. They go on, they beat a couple
of bad teams. You know, they beat the the Commanders,
they beat the Saints, they beat the Jets. You know,
they won a couple of games and their records a
little bit more respectable. Then they benched Tua, right, Tua's yeah,
as this guy, he doesn't give us the best chance
(18:59):
to win. That's what Mike McDaniel said. They go with
the rookie Quinnyewers. They get rolled up on by the
Bengals by twenty four points last week.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Just a disastrous season.
Speaker 3 (19:11):
Yeah, the Dolphins have the same record as Tampa Bay
after Week seventeen, after Sunday, after the Dolphins beat Tampa Bay,
same record. As much of a greasefire of a season
the Dolphins have had Benching their starting quarterback, same record
as Tampa Bay. And I'm just watching Tampa Bay and
their season just absolutely crater. And I'm watching Baker Mayfield
(19:37):
and listen, it's not just the physical toll. He took
a couple of big hits toward the end of that
game on Sunday, the loss to the Dolphins, but he's
on the sideline and you can just you can feel
it's not just the physical pain of getting knocked around.
It's the emotional pain of losing and losing and losing.
(20:01):
There's a great clip of Kevin Garnett when he was
still playing in the NBA. I love kg intensity to
find love the guy. But he was doing this interview
and he's almost in tears and he's like, I'm losing.
I'm losing.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Like you can just feel how this is tearing him up.
And that's the deal.
Speaker 3 (20:21):
If you look at these NFL games, think about a
team like Tampa So they've been banged up quite a bit,
suffered a lot of injuries. They started off great, they
had a great start to the season at the best stage.
Let's see, they were.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Five and one.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
They started off They're like the anti Dolphins. Dolphins started
off one and six, Tampa started off five and one,
and then the season took a turn man after the
bye week. Week ten, they lose at home to the Patriots.
They lose on the road to the Bills. They get
smacked around by the Rams. That was ugly, and then
(20:58):
it was just losing, losing, losing, losing. They've lost seven
of eight. And here's the deal. It's like, you put
so much into trying to win a game. You prepare
all week, you get your body right, you get your
mind right, it's all right, let's let's go, let's get
on the winning track.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Loss.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You do the same thing in the next week. Loss,
the same thing the next week.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Loss. It's just mounting and that.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
That emotional stress, that weight is just weighing on them.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
You can feel it, right. It'd be like, you know
how you hit like the squat rack.
Speaker 3 (21:37):
I'm not a big squat rack guy, you know, but
you know what it feels like. You put the you know,
the bar behind you, you put the weights on the side,
you go down, you do your squats right. It's as
if Tampa Bay is walking around with the squat bar
like the back of their shoulders, back of their neck.
(21:58):
And it's never leaving restep they take. They're just walking
with the squat bar behind. They're walking with all the
squat weight on the squat bar, right, That's how they feel.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
It's like their legs are buckling.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
They can't take this physical emotional burden.
Speaker 4 (22:21):
Of losing and losing and losing.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
And you know who hasn't had that? Carolina. Carolina has
not had that. Carolina is a weird team. They're psychotic,
but they're like win loss. So that's what they've done.
Let's see since week seven, this is their schedule win loss,
win loss, win loss, win by loss. They had a
(22:45):
bye week in between win loss. Looks like they're scheduled
for a win. If this is like, if this arithmetic
plays itself out, they're due for a win. But they
have not had this seven out of eight losing streak.
This stress, yes, that is just collecting and oh man,
I just I am happy to fade Tampa Bay. This
(23:07):
is one of these deals where you can get you
can get football deep, and you could be like, well,
you know, like Tampa Bay has this matchup and well,
these receivers against these Carolina quarterbacks and all this stuff.
All this I love football. You can break it down
football wise. I would not break it down football wise.
This to me is Tampa Bay has just reached a
(23:29):
breaking point and they have been weighed down for so
long by so much losing. I don't think they can
get out from under it, even though they're at home,
even though they're facing Carolina, who's far from a juggernaut.
Even though Carolina could be like, yeah, we're sucky Carolina today,
I don't know. It's either good Carolina, great Carolina, or
(23:50):
SUCKI Carolina. We don't know which team's gonna show up.
You could lay, wait, what if SUCKI Carolina shows up?
I don't care. I think Tampa's gonna suck worse. That's
what I think. I'm happy to fade Tampa I already have.
We'll see if that's the winning side. But Coop, I
might put sixteen fan confidence points on Carolina this week,
just as a straight Tampa fade man. They are a broken,
(24:13):
cratering team that I'll tell you. I'll get a little
personal for a second. Okay, we'll get to the calls.
When I was married, it was it was very stressful,
like we got divorced for a reason, and like listen,
I'm not putting all this on my ex. I certainly
had fall. I made a ton of mistakes myself. But
(24:36):
when we split up and we went our separate ways,
I didn't realize like I felt this like stress all
throughout my body. I felt this stress in my chest,
you know. And then we went our separate ways, and
it slowly, like a couple of days go by, a
couple more days, a couple more days, a couple of.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Weeks, and it's like it felt like so someone that was.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Standing on me was no longer standing on me, you
know what I mean. It was just kind of like,
oh my gosh, it was it was like the Gregorian
chant or the Hallelujah. It was that Oh it was beauty.
I was like, oh wow, I can breathe. It's like
Tampa feels how I felt before the split, right, like
(25:22):
they feel like the emotional toll of the cagey I'm losing.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
It's killing them.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They are near their their sports deathbed. They're near their
twenty twenty five NFL season deathbed, and it's not gonna
take much to just kick them off the edge. I
think Carolina is gonna do it, man, I do I
think Carolina is gonna win the division. I just think
Tampa they're just a dead team walking now. Watch them
(25:55):
win by seventeen or couldn't put everything together and go ballistic.
But I don't think. I don't see it.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
I'm betting against them, firmly betting against them.
Speaker 2 (26:03):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
You know what, I can already see that this segment
is probably going to result in verbal fisticuffs. I can see.
I can see it clear as day. It's just right
over right over the horizon, right there, right over you know,
like you get up, you know, right around right around
the tree, in between the shrubs. Verbal fisticuffs right around
(26:30):
the corner here between myself and Loraina the tech Queen. No,
I'm kidding it, me and Justin Cooper. That's right, we
can we get shadow box. I don't care. I'm not scared.
What do you got? No, I'm just kidding. It's going
to be me and Coop here, because Coop he is
going to come after the New England Patriots. And I
(26:54):
just want to tell you, I want to warn you,
militia it's going to be a bad take, a bad take,
and I'm gonna pull some sports radio jiu jitsu.
Speaker 6 (27:05):
Don't really a take. It's a fact.
Speaker 4 (27:08):
It is a fact. But you know what it is.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
It is a completely and utterly misleading fact. You're right, Coop,
it's not it is a fact. I saw this tweet.
One of my buddies sent it to me, and it's
exactly what Coop is talking about. So, as of today,
after week seventeen, the Patriots have one win against the
(27:32):
team with the winning record. The New York Giants have
two wins against teams with winning records. So it's like,
oh wow, look at the Patriots. They're just beaten up
on the sad pathetic it is. It's one of the
it's like the easiest schedule in the last twenty five years.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
They've beaten up on a bunch of bad teams.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
But but but that doesn't mean they're incapable of doing anything.
Like listen, there are so many things to look at here.
Don't just look at man, they've only beaten one team
with the winning record while they're fools gold. I think
that's a bad take because look at what they have.
(28:13):
They've got a pretty good defense, They've got a pretty
good head coach and Mike Rable. They've got a really
good quarterback in Drake May. And this is where that
stat is totally misleading. If you look at what last
week at the Ravens, they're losing by eleven points in
the fourth quarter. If they lose this game, the division
(28:37):
is is up for grabs. The division is in peril
with the Buffalo Bills right on their heels and they
on the road at Baltimore in primetime. Have the Giants
played primetime games this season like they I think they
played the Chiefs earlier in They're not playing primetime games.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
They're like a one pm, you know dream, They're playing
at one day.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Oh, they broke out and played at four to twenty
five Eastern time this past Sunday. Whoa man, that was
about as primetime as it gets. For the Giants going
to Baltimore in primetime, eleven point deficit have to execute
with great precision, and they did. And now that's just
chalked up to well, Baltimore doesn't have a winning record
(29:25):
right now, that doesn't even really count.
Speaker 4 (29:27):
It doesn't count. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
That's ridiculous? That's why you got to read between the
lines sometimes dig deeper than just the quote unquote facts,
Like that's a fact for you. They beat a Ravens
them in primetime on the road, when dude, that crowd
is into it. You know, the momentum is clearly on
Baltimore's side. And guess what they did. They seized it
(29:51):
right back and they took that game.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
That matters.
Speaker 3 (29:54):
They beat the Bills on the road, that doesn't matter.
That's not a good win earlier on the that's their
there's their one win.
Speaker 4 (30:04):
That's just crazy to me. So to just overlook the
strengths that they have.
Speaker 3 (30:09):
They've got a legitimate MVP at quarterback, good head coach,
good defense, they got a lot to work with.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
I like the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
I think there's a lot of value as far as
betting on the Patriots come playoff time, because there are
some people that will just see a tweet and be like.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
Got one team.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
We got one win against the one team with a
winning record. I mean, I can't wait to fade this team. Yeah,
go ahead, knock yourself out. I think they're live. I
think they're absolutely live in the playoffs. I would be
surprised if they're in the Super Bowl. I said it,
look at the rest of the AFC. Who do you love?
Who do you love in the AFC? I don't love anybody.
(30:48):
So to like act like the Patriots have what no
shot to do anything, that's crazy. Odds are they're not
going to make the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
I know that.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
But to talk about them as if they have no
chains just because they've had an incredibly favorable schedule, that's
crazy talk. That's insanity right there. So now I don't
buy any of that stuff. They beat a couple of
teams that are five hundred, you know, that's not beating
up on all. These teams are just you know, picking
(31:19):
in the top five, top ten of the NFL draft,
and that's it.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
That's not it.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
Like the Ravens are a five hundred team. The Panthers
are a five hundred team. To look at the Panthers,
the Panthers are psychotic. By the way, the Panthers beat
the Rams. The Panthers beat.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
The Packers like those are they beat. The Rams were.
Speaker 3 (31:39):
At the time the consensus best team in the NFL.
The Rams went into Carolina and lost, and then Carolina
got swept by the Saints. They got crushed by the Bills.
They got crushed by the Patriots. The Patriots beat them
forty two to thirteen, and we're just gonna act like
(32:01):
it doesn't matter because they're not. They don't have a
winning record, Like that's a manufactured ooh oh, this is
gonna get some clicks type stat.
Speaker 4 (32:09):
That's what it is. There's way more to that stat
than meets the eye.
Speaker 7 (32:14):
But would you be surprised if any one of the
playoff teams, potential AFC playoff teams beat them in the
first round.
Speaker 3 (32:25):
I mean, no, the Texans have a real defense. I
don't like the Texans offensive line. But if that's the matchup,
if that's let's say it's the two to seven matchup,
and Houston goes into fox Borough and wins, I would
be surprised at all, not at all. They've got a
nasty defense, and I don't love the Patriots tackles. Listen,
(32:45):
styles make fights, and look, they don't have the same
playoff experience, even the Texans. They were in the playoffs
last season, right, they beat the Chargers, they picked off
Herbert four times, they went into Arrowhead, they laid a
close game against the Chiefs, like that's real playoff experience
that matters. I would be surprised at all if the
(33:07):
Texans went in there and beat them and the Patriots
are won and done.
Speaker 7 (33:10):
I think we're probably looking at Chargers Patriots, right if
I mean assuming the right right, the Broncos could.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
Be I mean, listen, it could be Bills Patriots. That's
what it is right now, right speak. I mean, can
you see the Bills going in there again and you know,
taking down the Patriots. Of course, of course you could
see that happening. Could I see the opposite happening?
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I could see that too.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
The Patriots got a little uh, you know, less aggressive.
They got up twenty one to nothing, they were still up.
I was at twenty four to seven, I think at halftime,
and man, the Bills came out and they smacked them around.
The Patriots just didn't have that same edge in the
second half, and they're trying to not the clock instead
of like playing the game. So hey, maybe they learned
(34:04):
some lessons from that loss. But neither would surprise me.
Speaker 4 (34:08):
Coop.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
If that's the matchup Patriots Bills the Patriots are hosting
in Foxborough, I wouldn't be a surprised.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
If either team won. I really wouldn't you.
Speaker 6 (34:18):
No, I mean definitely not.
Speaker 7 (34:19):
I I don't know if I was betting that game.
I don't know if I if.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
I take, probably take the Bills. Well, that's the thing.
The Bills would be a slight favorite. I think I
think the Bills would have enough so I do. I
think the Bills would have enough backing from the betting
community where yeah, I think they would be small favorites.
I think it'd be close to a pick them. But
(34:44):
I bet the Bills would probably be like a one
point favorite on the road something like that.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
I think they would.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
I mean, you might be right.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
I just it's it's wild to me because you you
got to imagine that. I mean, Drake May is probably
winning MVP, right, I.
Speaker 4 (35:01):
Mean I think it's Stafford. I think Stafford gets it
this season.
Speaker 6 (35:05):
Even after that that loss.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Yeah, I do.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
But hey, listen, Drake May's live. You know, they're they're
pretty close. So it's yeah, it could be a good
little battle who gets it. I like Drake May a lot.
Drake May's got the goods. He's a very good quarterback.
So like, look, man, I wouldn't just look at the schedule,
and that's like, I don't want to change the subject completely,
(35:30):
but I'm hearing a lot of that. With college football.
We've got the College Football Playoff right around the corner.
The best matchup of the quarterfinals. I think it's the
shortest point spread. It's Oregon against Texas Tech. And there
are a lot of people that are like, Oregon played
a much tougher schedule, Like Oregon's going to be the
best team that Texas Tech faces easily, and it's like, look,
(35:52):
that's true, but that doesn't mean Texas Tech can't win
that game. You know, like they got a really good
defensive line, really good front seven offense. When firing in
all cylinders is nasty, they're a wagon. Texas Tech is tough.
So I think we're doing that with the Patriots, Like,
oh man, look at their easy schedule. It's okay, all right,
(36:12):
So they're incapable. They can't beat the Bills at home.
They can't beat the Chargers.
Speaker 6 (36:17):
Just can't.
Speaker 4 (36:17):
Can't do it.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Come on like that. It goes beyond the schedule, man,
it just does. You can't have an MVP caliber quarterback,
a good head coach, a good defense and just be
incapable of doing anything come playoff time because they've had
a cake schedule, and it's a bad logic, it's a
bad take. So I like the Patriots, man. I think
(36:39):
that a lot of people are selling the Patriots short.
Speaker 4 (36:42):
That is what I think
Host
Ben Maller
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