Saturday To Sunday: Fans, Bets, And Blowups

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Recorded November 18th, 2025 

A skydiving Navy SEAL dog, a 385-drone halftime show, and 268 texts later, the weekend delivered more storylines than a rivalry week deserves. We start where fans actually live: wall-to-wall games, survivor sweats, and the bets that felt brilliant until one sideline flag flipped everything. From Oklahoma’s statement wins to Kirby Smart’s audacious onside kick, we separate swagger from substance and ask whether the SEC still scares the field like it used to. Arch Manning becomes a case study in hype versus development, where progressions, pass protection, and patience matter more than last name and headlines.

On Sundays, reality bites harder. Pittsburgh finds unexpected calm after an injury pivot while we debate whether the Pickens trade was smart culture or missed firepower. Context matters—double teams, quarterback fit, and offensive structure live under every stat. Then it’s a hard look at the Chargers’ trenches: quick game abandoned, time of possession crushed, and a couple of calls that swung the mood but not the math. Across the NFC, Rams and Seahawks play turnover roulette with playoff seeding on the line, while the Niners lurk a step behind. Along the way we spotlight rookies stepping into real volume, the way NIL reshaped the recruiting map, and how officiating in high-leverage moments can still tilt a Sunday night.

We end where candid fans always do: what’s fixable now, what’s not, and who we actually trust to win in January. If you’ve got thoughts on the new playoff pecking order or want to vent about flags that changed your ticket, we want to hear it. Tap follow, share the show with a football friend, and drop your boldest playoff upset in a review—who’s shocking the bracket next?

#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #nfl #steelers #lachargers #collegefootball

Episode Transcript

Announcer (00:06):
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the
Bench Podcast with your hostsGraham Cohen and Scott Wasco.

Graham (00:21):
What's up everyone?
Welcome back to another episodeof Libji.
Why am I doing this?

Scott (00:26):
Wow, I remember my first time talking.

Graham (00:28):
I know.
Guys, we know what it is.
It's the bald guys on thebench.
I'm here with my boy Scott.
It's Graham.
How you doing, brother?

Scott (00:34):
I'm good, and I'm even better now that you don't know
how to talk.
But dude, before we even getinto things, we gotta grab it.
We gotta crack it.
I mean, just the point of younot knowing how to talk and that
text you sent me earlier aboutwhat happened at your house.

Graham (00:51):
Oh my god! Leave it alone.

Scott (00:56):
I don't even know the words of the song, but I'm gonna
just hum it and just put in myown words.
Oh, what a night.
It's November 18th at 920.
And Graham has already madesome funnies.
Uh, let's go, baby.
I didn't know we were gonnasing 30 seconds into the show

(01:18):
tonight, but I ain't mad at it.
Started off on a good note.
You're unbelievable.
Dude, what did I do?
I'm just taking advantage of myfriend.

Graham (01:31):
Yeah.
I mean sounds like last night, Iwas the punching bag last
night, too.
Shit.

Scott (01:38):
Oh.
You brought that upon yourself.

Graham (01:43):
Hey, I brought it upon myself that is fair.
And you know what?
As I said to you earlier, I'malright with it because if it
takes 11 weeks and me bitchingand complaining in the group
text and our fantasy footballleague, like, hey guys, you
know, if you could actually saysomething and make this league
worth being in, I'd kind ofappreciate it.

(02:05):
Like, you know, I thought wewere all boys here, and the one
female, like, I thought we werefriends.
Like, the whole point of thisis to have fun and talk shit.
And no one's saying anything.
And boy, did that can of wormsget opened up last night.
Sheesh.

Scott (02:18):
I mean, I guess all it took was me last place in the
basement of the league.
What was I one in nineteen?
Yeah.
Because we play two games aweek.

Graham (02:28):
Yeah.

Scott (02:29):
One one game.
I mean, if you like being in ahospital, you're gonna love
being on my roster.
But dude, all it took was me togo 2-0 this week and rack that
record up to you know, three andnineteen and talking some shit.
And, you know, all of a sudden,bada bing, bada boom, badger

(02:50):
woke up and screenshotted it.
Two hundred and how many textmessages this morning?
Yeah, like 268.
Yeah, I mean, and Jeff, youknow, happy birthday, Jeff.
You know, happy birthday.

Graham (03:02):
Well, I mean, the best part of it was that the alley
oops.

Scott (03:05):
The best the best part of it was, you know, this is the
third year of this league, okay?
And here's some behind thescenes shit that you don't even
know.
Jeff, I have not beaten Jeff intwo years and the first matchup
this year.
And Jeff always talks shit.
You've never beaten me, yadayada yada.

(03:27):
Uh I think I beat himyesterday.

Graham (03:32):
Let's go!

Scott (03:33):
Not only that, I had Brian Thomas Jr.
on my in my starting lineup.
He was a scratch.
But anyhow, you know, gottakeep it real.
Fantasy's fantasy.
Uh Graham.
How was your week?
How was your weekend?

(03:54):
Uh, what'd you do?
I mean, we're sitting herechatting Tuesday night watching
Kansas and Duke.
Uh, what's cracking?

Graham (04:03):
Weekend was good, actually.
Been, well, let's see.
Watched some good collegefootball.
Sunday, watched NFL all day,and you know, not that I take it
for granted right now, but asI'm saying it right now, it just
makes me think, remember thosedog days back in July when there

(04:25):
was nothing on?
And two days ago I couldliterally, you know, granted
West Coast time, I could get upat 9 45 and watch football from
10 a.m.
until 8 30 at night?
Like, what's better than that?

Scott (04:39):
I don't disagree.
The only thing is that sucks isit's week 12.
Yeah, I it's a it's a it's asad sight.

Graham (04:48):
But hey, we'll get into it later, but team won, Survivor
Picks won, had a couple betswin.
It's a good weekend.
And what tops it off, I knowyou always give me shit for it,
but saw a movie, and let me tellyou, I've been kinda waiting
for this movie to come outbecause it looked pretty good.

(05:08):
Bro, The Running Man, classic.
I mean, I don't want to sayclassic, but amazing start to
finish.
Guys, if you haven't seen it,go out.
It's actually worth the priceof admission going.
Gotta see it.
Glenn Powell.

Scott (05:24):
I'm gonna say this.
Before you go see it, and Ihaven't seen the new one, watch
the original.
Because the original, have youeven seen the original?
No, I'm gonna have to, though.
Dude, the original was awesome.
And when what was that show wewere talking about the other
night?
Hunger Games.

Graham (05:45):
Yeah.

Scott (05:45):
When that came out, I was just like, this is like the
Running Man in a different way.
Kind of, yeah.
I loved Running Man back in theday.
I mean, it had Arnold was init.
I I mean, I haven't seen thenew one.
I want to see it because thatwas one of my favorite movies
growing up.
But uh, anyhow, you know, wechatted about it last week.

(06:10):
Kellen, my dad, and Kellen'sgirl, we went to the old minion
game Thursday night, you know,started the week off like that,
ODU domination station.
But a couple things about thatgame that I told talked to you
about that I've never seenbefore.
Number one, you know, I'm inVirginia, right?
Big military area.

(06:32):
Yeah.
So we always have skydiversparachuted in the stadium.
This is the first night gamewe've gone to uh this year, and
we had three skydivers, and thelast one dude literally had a
dog attached to him.
What?
When he landed, Kellen's like,Dad, he's got a dog.

(06:54):
And I'm like, What?
All of a sudden there the dog'sgot goggles on, and the
announcer's like, yeah, andwelcome to the field, you know.
Fido, his third year being anactive Navy SEAL, dude, the dog
gets runs around.
It was a it was sick, it wassuper cool.
Nice.
Could you imagine that dog thefirst time he's jumping out of a

(07:15):
plane?
Like if you could read itsbrain, like you know, and of
course, my son being my son, hegoes, Dad, what would happen if
that dog shit from way up there?
It's gonna land somewhere, bro.
Gotta land somewhere.
But you know, hilarious.

Graham (07:34):
Oh, Kellen.
Right.

Scott (07:36):
But anyhow, at halftime, dude.
I mean, ODU's dominating thegame.
Halftime, they're like, We'regonna have a drone show tonight
and stay in your seats athalftime.
And I'm like, oh damn, this issick.
First time I've ever seen that.
385 drones, dude.
Insane.

Graham (07:54):
Yeah.

Scott (07:56):
Celebrating obviously Veterans Day was the theme.
American flags and you know thebald eagle, everything.
Dude, it was so sick.
It was amazing.
Had a good time.
Kellen and I have been to twoODU football games now this
year.
We have yet to see the opposingteam score a point.

Graham (08:14):
Yeah.
How great is that?
And of course I'm bringing thatup because you know, our daily
bets that we like to throw inthere.
We were talking about the gamebefore, and I was just like, yo.
I was like, I'm like looking atthe spread, and the spread was
like, I don't know, 10, 12points.
And you always say to me, Gram,when these spreads are big, you
know, you gotta be careful.

(08:35):
I'm like, you know what?
I'm like, all right, I'll takea little different action.
So we were talking, you know,you were telling me, you know,
did some research, like, well,these last X amount of games,
the other team's been scoring Xamount of points.
So I'm just like, all right,let's hit the over at the half,
let's hit the over of the game.
Um, yeah, what happened was uhexactly uh they got shut out.

(08:59):
So those were two losers.

Scott (09:02):
Thank God it took ODU minus 10 and a half to break
even, but yeah.

Graham (09:07):
I'm like, yeah, Graham, stick with your gut.
Stick with your gut.
But hey, made it back thisweekend, so I'm happy.

Scott (09:15):
That's all that matters.

Graham (09:16):
Exactly, exactly.

Scott (09:18):
So college football, dude's the biggest thing I want
to talk about.
Oklahoma.
Yeah, they they beat Bama andBama, but dude, they also beat
Tennessee last week on the road.
Uh back-to-back road wins.
Oklahoma?
Are they real?

Graham (09:40):
They're more real now than they were four or five
weeks ago.

Scott (09:46):
They're solid, dude.
Solid.
I I just I don't know.
Uh impressive, dude.
They're in they gotta be in theplayoffs.
I know the whatever seatingscame out tonight.
I had a chance to study them,but I know Georgia went to
number four after laying a woodto Texas.
And something you wanted totalk about in that game was

(10:10):
Kirby Smart.
I mean Yeah.

Graham (10:14):
Hey, I always love when coaches think they got it so
good, and they're like, you knowwhat?
I got some big grande huevosover here.
Let's uh let's try somethingout.
Uh, I don't know.
I'm pretty sure it was thestart of the fourth, maybe the
end of the third.
Kirby Smart's like, hey, whydon't you go out there and
onside kick?
I didn't know this because Imean I didn't I've only watched

(10:34):
bits and pieces of the game.
I saw it on a highlight.
I'm like, wait a minute.
I'm looking at the kickoff, itlooks like a regular kickoff,
and the kicker just, you know,what they do, they do that
little run-up and then kind oflike kick the top of it with the
side of their foot, kicks it,goes to 10, 12 yards, they pick
it up, take it right down thefield.
I mean, at no point in thatgame did it feel like Texas had

(10:56):
a chance.

Scott (10:57):
No.

Graham (10:58):
And look, for all the hype Arch Manning's been getting
coming into college football, Imean, he sat most of last year,
he played a little bit onlybecause of, you know, you were
getting hurt.
Now he's the man here, and it'snot like I'm trying to poo-poo
on Arch Manning, but it's justlike in this society, you can't

(11:22):
hold someone up to a pedestal,and then if they don't live up
to it, you can't expect, youknow, the backlash of what you
put him up there to be.

Scott (11:33):
I don't disagree.

Graham (11:35):
And, you know, I've listened to other commentators,
you know, different podcasters,you know, former NFL players,
and they're like, look, yeah, hehas the lineage, yeah, he had a
great high school record, butlook, when you're playing in a,
you know, when your high schoolteam is not playing decorated
programs, top-level programs,how can you really compare them

(11:59):
to like, you know, as I said toyou when I was telling you this
earlier, compared them to thebig, you know, 5A schools in
Texas or, you know, some of thebig schools in Virginia or the
big schools in Florida or outhere in California.
You know, it's just like if youdon't play against high-level
competition, how can you trulygrade yourself where you are on
that plateau?
And it's just like it kind ofseems like you know, Archie is

(12:24):
being a little overwhelmed rightnow.
I I mean, I I don't know, butlook, isn't he only technically
a sophomore right now?

Scott (12:31):
Yeah.

Graham (12:32):
So but look, how many sophomores besides quarterbacks
who are sophomores, that allthey do, or should I say, their
biggest asset is their legs, andlike they okay, yeah, I'll
throw 150 yards, but I'll giveyou 200 200 on the ground?
I mean, an actual quarterbackthat does his progressions and
throws the ball.

(12:52):
How like, you know, unless youare the second coming of Christ,
how do you expect a sophomoreto go in there and kill it?
Especially SEC, Texas, likethey're not playing slouches.
Yeah, they might have one, twogames, but everything else,
especially when you're playingin the toughest conference, it's
not a walk in the park.
Like, you just can't expectpedigree to be like, alright,

(13:16):
you know, you're good, you canhandle this.
And I mean, I saw a couplestill shots, you know, just
looking, I mean, you know thecameras are looking at him, and
it's just like there was a pointwhere Archie Manning, you just
like I don't say I felt bad forthe guy, but uh you could almost
tell he just wasn't ready.
So I I I don't know.

(13:36):
What what do you what's yourthoughts?

Scott (13:39):
Uh I don't know, dude.
I I just like I said last nightwhen we were chatting.
If the guy was as good as thehype, don't you think he would
have been starting last year?

Graham (13:56):
Uh uh Yeah, but viewers came back.
He was a Heisman Trophy competuh not competitor, but uh
candidate candidate the yearprior.

Scott (14:05):
What's I mean still uh and going back to you know what
you're saying about Texas beingin the SEC and the toughest
conference, uh I think that shiphas sailed, bro, as far as the
toughest conference.
Uh have you seen the Big Tenlately?
I mean, yeah, I understandOregon, USC, everybody has

(14:32):
joined the Big Ten, but ifyou're looking at what I just
sent you, and that's the latestcollege football playoff
rankings.
Uh you got Ohio State, you gotOregon, you got Indiana, you got
three.

Graham (14:48):
Yeah, and I'm pretty sure we said this last week.
Indiana has the worst record atcollege football of all time.

Scott (14:56):
Hey, who wants to play Indiana?
Overall record.
Uh wants to play Indiana.

Graham (15:02):
Hey, well, look, N I L, baby.
N I L.

Scott (15:06):
100%, dude.

Graham (15:08):
100%.
I look I I still think look,each conference, well, look,
there's only four majorconferences now.
The Big Ten, they're top heavywith their top two.
I mean, really, they got theone seed and the two seed right
now.
Okay, Oregon, they're you know,they're pretty decent.
But I mean, uh that's whythere's the playoffs.

(15:34):
I'm glad it's not how it usedto be, and it's only the two
teams, and then you had yourbowl games.
Like, now it's gonna be afight.
And now, to be honest, becauseof the NIL and more teams can
get better, if more teams arebetter, then you would think
that would open up the field tosay more than 12 teams.

Scott (15:57):
That's another discussion for another time.

Graham (16:00):
No, we're not getting into that discussion.

Scott (16:01):
I'm just saying, uh I mean, but something else you
wanted to bring up.
Texas AM this past week.
Uh, is he the cop?

Graham (16:12):
I like Yeah, he's not he he's not working any more
college games, that's for sure.
His his extra overtime wentBUBA!

Scott (16:22):
Yeah, that shit's toast.
Wow.
He gone.
But dude, you saw thescreenshot I just sent you of
the top 12.

Graham (16:32):
Yeah, I saw him.

Scott (16:33):
Do you see who the 12th seed is?
Oh my god.
Come back, phone.

Graham (16:41):
Yeah.
I thought you were see, Ithought you were alleyooping
yourself for a minute.

Scott (16:47):
Texas Tech?

Graham (16:50):
No, I see it.
Tulane?

Scott (16:53):
Wow.
The green wave.

Graham (16:56):
Wow.

Scott (16:57):
Right?
Yeah.
Who?
I love it, bro.
I love it.
I love it.
It's sick.
I don't know.
I mean, look at those matchupswe could get right off the bat.
Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon,Bama, Ole Miss, Miami, and Texas

(17:17):
Tech, and Tulane.
Dude.
Yeah.
Is that any good?

Graham (17:23):
Well, dude, I mean, if it's gonna be anything like how
the Texas AM South Carolina gamewas, sheesh.
I mean, if I was a diehardTexas AM fan and a better,
you're down, what was it, 30points at halftime?

Scott (17:40):
30.
Was it 30 to 3?
Yeah.
Something like that.
I don't know.
Bro.
Bro.

Graham (17:48):
They had to be plus 10,000 to win the game.
Incredible.

Scott (17:55):
Incredible.

Graham (17:57):
Scoreless.
They held them scoreless.
They scored 29 points to winthe game.
Like, what?
And it's not like SouthCarolina, you know,
interceptions and all theirstuff.
Text AM was just like, alright,let's wake up, splash them on
our face, you know.

Scott (18:17):
And they did.

Graham (18:19):
It's like they were playing with their little
brother.
Like, alright, we'll let themget up some points.
Now it's just like, alright,the big boys are here.
Let's, you know, let's do somework.
And do some work they did.

Scott (18:28):
They did.
God knows.
But I don't know.
We're sitting here on November18th.
Who's your pick right now towin it all?

Graham (18:42):
I'm going to go Texas AM.
I like that.

Scott (18:47):
I like that, Girl.

Graham (18:49):
I mean, look, who's been super hot come out of nowhere?
Obviously, it's Indiana.
I don't want to poo-poo the BigTen because I'm a Big Ten guy.
There's some good teams, but Imean the real test is going to
come in the Big TenChampionship.

Scott (19:05):
Yeah.

Graham (19:06):
When they play Ohio State.

Scott (19:08):
They've played some good teams, but looking at looking at
the line in two weeks,Michigan, Ohio State, the line's
only four and a half.
That's crazy to me.
And my brother-in-law, who's,you know, Ohio State guy, he's
just continues to beat the horseand say Ohio State's not that

(19:28):
good.

Graham (19:30):
So if they're not that good, Ohio State has beaten some
good teams, but like the teamsthey have, like they've
destroyed teams and then teamswhere they you know they are
ranked.

Scott (19:40):
Yeah.

Graham (19:40):
They've beat them.

Scott (19:42):
I mean, they beat Texas week one at home, not
convincingly.

Announcer (19:47):
Yeah.

Scott (19:49):
I I I I don't know.
I don't know what to say.
I don't know what to think.
I mean, I like your pick ofTexas AM.
I like that.
I don't know much about them.
I'm just throwing it out there.
Ole Miss.

Graham (20:06):
Yeah.
Yeah, but hey, Lane Kiffin,look, his mind's all the way in,
but I heard he did take awalkthrough over at LSU.

Scott (20:19):
Yeah.
I I I don't I don't know whatto think, man.

Graham (20:22):
Uh I just And folks, my point of bringing that up is,
you know, his name has beenmentioned to go to other places,
and it's just like, hey, nowwith the NIL and SEC, he has a
pretty good job.
Cush job.
There's no point for him to goto, you know, Florida, Florida
State, all this other.
It's just like, why would youleave?

Scott (20:41):
Same thing as homeboy at Indiana.

Graham (20:45):
Yeah, well, that's why he got paid.

Scott (20:47):
His name was the first name that came up when Penn
State fired Franklin.
Why would he leave?

Graham (20:54):
Yeah.

Scott (20:55):
It's not ten years ago where you're getting all the
recruits to go to the big nameprograms.
Well, it all comes down to themoney.

Graham (21:03):
Right.
It's well, it's it's clout.
Before NAL it was all clout,which therefore that many
recruits.

Scott (21:11):
Not only recruits, but it's it's okay, who's gonna be
on national television more?
Penn State or Indiana?
Uh duh, Penn State.

Graham (21:19):
Yeah.

Scott (21:20):
That's why guys are going there.
Well, guess what?
That shit don't matter anymore.

Graham (21:24):
Yeah.

Scott (21:25):
We learned that yesterday when James Franklin signed with
Virginia Tech.

Graham (21:29):
Yeah.

Scott (21:30):
They just got a four-star quarterback to flip his
commitment from Penn State, andguess where he's gonna be this
Saturday?
In Blacksburg, Virginia,watching Virginia Tech play
against Miami.

Graham (21:47):
It is what it is.
But that being said, old missis no slouch.
I mean, they were I mean, theywere kind of mid-tier for a long
time.
But if you got a chance to goto LSU, like there's a few jobs.
It's just like you don't turndown Alabama, you don't turn
down LSU.

(22:08):
That's kinda almost it.
Really?
Ohio State.

Scott (22:15):
The rumors I've been hearing is Lane Kiff into the
Tennessee Titans.

Graham (22:19):
Well, that's a whole nother animal.

Scott (22:21):
Yeah.
I mean, but anyhow, I don'tknow.
I like your Texas AM pick.
I like it.

Graham (22:29):
South Carolina's no slouch either.
No, they're not.
If you're down 28 points or 27points, and you have the Moxie
to come back and get that dub,and plus they're also, folks,
they're undefeated.
It's not like, you know.
And they've played good teams.
So, look, there's a couple moregames left.
We'll see what happens.

(22:49):
I mean, the real question is isthere gonna be a three-loss SEC
team that's making theplayoffs?
That's a good question.
Does the SEC bias finally fadeout?

Scott (23:03):
It's a good question.
I mean, Bama's gonna get in.

Graham (23:09):
Yeah, how many losses they got?

Scott (23:11):
Where they have two?

Graham (23:13):
It's either two or three.
I mean.
It's close.

Scott (23:20):
It's close.
They lost to Georgia andOklahoma.

Graham (23:23):
Yeah, so then it is two.
But well, yeah, okay, so thenif they play in the SEC
championship and lose, do theymake it?

Scott (23:28):
Are they even gonna make it there?

Graham (23:30):
Well, that's a that's a very good point.

Scott (23:33):
Yeah, but college speaking of college football is
something we have to bring up.
Wilder, my boy, Tennessee Techon the road playing Kentucky.
We talked about it last week.
Graham and I both played somemoneyline wagers on Tennessee
Tech playing Kentucky.
Yeah, that didn't come up sowell, but you know, whatever.

(23:53):
Coach, love what you're doing.
You're 10 and 1.
I mean, you lost by, I don'tknow, 42 to 10, I think, or
something like that.
Is what it is.
But uh, shall we jump into theNFL?
Because we've got some fundiscussions uh to chat about.

Graham (24:12):
Yes there.

Scott (24:14):
And before we even get into it, last week's episode,
your boy me was on cloud nineafter we beat the Steelers and
dominated the game.
And Graham was like, Ho hum,the sky is falling.

Graham (24:32):
Yeah.

Scott (24:33):
And uh it's a little different this week in this uh
show.
Uh after the Steelers get inthe win against old man Flacco,
which I guaranteed and picked inSurvivor, and you didn't agree
with me, and Billy hated it.
And yeah, I mean it's uh y'allgot the win.

(24:57):
Rogers got hurt.
When did he exit the game?
Was it before halftime?

Graham (25:02):
His well, he didn't come back in the second half.
The last series, uh, we kickedthe field goal.
Okay.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Scott (25:13):
Last series of the first half.

Graham (25:14):
Yeah, last series of the first half, yeah.

Scott (25:16):
Yeah.
Mason Rudolph.
I mean And Jerry, this goesback to you.
Remember that text.
I know you still saved it.
But anyhow.
Uh Duke's about to tie it up,hopefully, with his free throw.
All right.
Tie game, 440 left.

(25:38):
We're still in play.
We're still playing that firsthalf.

Graham (25:41):
Come on, six and a half.

Scott (25:44):
I I mean.
Rudolph looked good, right?

Graham (25:50):
Bro, he uh, you know, he said in this post-game
interview, he's like, look, Iwouldn't be lying if I said I
didn't have a little, you know,jitters, you know, going out
there.
But look, he he's in asituation where he was drafted
by the team, I believe 2015, um,played there for multiple

(26:10):
years.
He only left because, you know,they were just like, we don't
know if you're gonna get astarting chance, and that was
the year that they brought in,you know, that's when they
brought in Wilson and theybrought in Fields, which is
hilarious because neither ofthem are on the team the
following year.
But, you know, he decided he'slike, hey, how about I go to
Tennessee?
I got a chance to start.

(26:32):
Didn't happen, but he did playsome over there, and then when
that opportunity left, you know,we still needed a backup.
He came back to Pittsburgh, andyou know, he said in the
postgame, he's just like,Pittsburgh's my home.
He's like, I live here, he'slike, I love the fans, you know,
it was just like he's just in acomfortable place.
And when he came in, look, he'sobviously not getting multiple

(26:56):
reps with the first team, but hestill gets, I mean, he still
gets some.
But it almost felt like I mean,it didn't feel like he was the
starter, but there was a levelof comfortability there that
you're just like, alright, I'mcool with this.
And to be honest, I told youthis after the game was over
when we finally decided to talk.

(27:17):
And folks, you already know howScott feels about Aaron
Rodgers, and if you don't, youhaven't been listening enough.
I'm watching that game in thesecond half.
He looked better than Rodgershas almost all season.
Almost all season.

(27:37):
Especially the last threegames.
So I I mean I mean, look, look,there was one play, Rogers,
before he got hurt, I think itwas in the first quarter, the
beginning of the second, Rodgersactually had the opportunity
where you know he uh he had tomove out the pocket and he was
getting chased, a lane opened,he actually ran.

(27:58):
Roger was so dangerous becausehe was deadly accurate, and
granted this folks, this is whenhe was younger, but he was
deadly accurate and he had legs.
When you have the threat of thelegs to get the first down,
that's everything.

Scott (28:13):
It's a different world.

Graham (28:14):
When you're 40 or 41 years old, if you have no threat
of running, the defense can teeup.
And he finally ran one and gota first down, and I'm saying to
myself, was that the first timehe's ran for a touch for a first
down all season?
It's amazing how extending adrive can help your offense.

(28:35):
I mean, I know that's rulery tosay, but when he did that, I'm
just looking over at Pops andI'm like, are you kidding me
right now?

Scott (28:41):
Dude.

Graham (28:42):
Especially because it was on our side of the field.
Like it was, we were on our15-yard line.
I'm like, uh, let's go here.
And he got that first down.
You know, it's just like, youknow, Rogers even said, and I
heard this in their interview,when Rogers broke his collarbone
a couple years ago, he's like,yeah, I'm healed, but the arm is

(29:04):
not the same.
He's like, I don't have thesame velocity on the ball.
And I'm not, and look, I'm notsaying Rudolph, you know, is a
gunslinger and all this otherstuff, but there was points in
that game where I like there wasa level of confidence of just
calmness watching that gamewhere I was like, you know what?
I have faith that our offensecan do something.

(29:25):
We weren't lighting it up, buthere's my question.

Scott (29:30):
Yeah.
It's it's not in the notes.
I saw it today.
Okay, and I was like, wow, Ihave to bring this up in the
show to get Graham's real-timereaction.

Graham (29:40):
All right, let me correct this here first.
Hold on.

Scott (29:44):
And don't say a word until I finish saying what I'm
gonna say.
Oh, now I'm scared.
Okay.
And this was from Kay Adams.
She says, is the George.
Pickens trade, one of the worsttrades in NFL history.
Don't say a word, remember?

(30:06):
I just told you.
Okay?
And the reason I'm saying thatis because uh your number one
receiver on Sunday against theBengals was Kenneth Gainwell.
Seven for 81.
Okay, don't say anything.

(30:26):
I'm not done.
Not only that, you traded away,what, a second for DK?
He has 37 catches for 551 yardsand five tutties.
Pickens has 58 catches for 908yards and seven.
He's number two in the NFL inreceiving yards this year.

(30:50):
And what have the Steelers beensaying all year long?
We need a what?
A number two number two.
Well, a couple of I didn'tthink about that, dude, until I
saw that today, and I was like,oh shit.

Graham (31:09):
A couple of points.
Number one.
I did not know Pickens wasnumber two in yards.
Granted, he did get like 150 ofthem last night.
And not that this is a knock ona lot of other players, elite
players in the league, but whenJSN is the number one wide

(31:29):
receiver in the league rightnow, like, I mean, Jamar Chase,
who everyone would say is thenumber one wide receiver in the
league, he's been, you know, hehasn't done much.
Yeah.
Jefferson.

Scott (31:44):
Burroughs has been gone.

Graham (31:45):
Yeah.

Scott (31:45):
Jefferson ain't done shit.

Graham (31:47):
So, like, there's context, is what I would say.
Of course.

Scott (31:52):
But now, now could you imagine?
Could you imagine Pickens andDK together?

Graham (32:00):
Yes.
Look, I was mistaken.
I thought when we traded away,I thought we got a second for
him.
I was later reminded it wasonly a third, so I thought it
was the fair swap.
Still.
Um, here's my point.
Everyone, well, I can't sayeveryone knows, but one of the

(32:24):
biggest things in the lockerroom is cohesion, right?
When you have a player thatjust I don't want to say
purposely, but when hecontinually does things to upset
the organization, there aretimes where the hassle is not

(32:49):
worth it's not worth the player.
You know, is they is what'sthat saying?
Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Type of scenario?
And look, yeah, is Pickenslooking great?
A hundred percent.
But um, oh, I don't know.
Is he on a team that, you know,has Dak Prescott, who is a top

(33:11):
five quarterback?
Is he on a team that has top 15offensive line?
Is he on a team that has, Idon't know, CeeDee Lamb on the
other side?
Is he on a team that hasFerguson?
Is he on a team that I mean oneplus one equals two here?
Pickens, I mean, do you havePickens stats from the previous

(33:32):
year when he was the number one?
My point in saying that isthis.

Scott (33:39):
Yeah, he was the number one in Pittsburgh, but who was
throwing him the ball?

Graham (33:43):
But that's my point.
Who's throwing you the ballhelps when you have Dak and then
you have CD on the other side?
You're not double, you know, ifyou double CD, what's gonna
happen?
So what look at Pittsburgh thisyear.
Offensive line startedterribly.
Rogers hasn't looked good.
When your offensive linedoesn't good look good, our

(34:04):
running game hasn't beenspectacular.
Our offensive line has onlystarted to look better these
last couple of weeks.
Our running game is finallystarting to get it going.
Okay, great.
Our offense is nowhere near thesame.
Duke's up five.
Oh, I'm behind, baby.
Let's go! Come on.

Scott (34:22):
240 left in the first half.

Graham (34:24):
Let's go.
Um, so it's just like howArthur Smith runs the offense.
We do a lot of two tight ends.
Look, DK is getting doubleteamed.
He's getting he's getting helpover the top.
He's getting all this specialcovers to him because they know
he is the guy, right?
The only games like DK's bestgame was the one in Ireland when

(34:49):
we played Minnesota, mainlybecause he took that slant route
80 yards to the house for thetutty, right, and still finished
with like only 125 yards.
You know what I mean?
Like, he's averaging 55 yards agame, so it's kind of like an
apples and oranges situation.
Like, I get her point.
I completely get it.
Would having Pickens help?

(35:11):
Absolutely, but the thing is,Pittsburgh has been known to
bring in troubled players.
And look, we did the wholething with I mean, look all the
drama with Antonio Brown at theend.
Right?
We just it got to a point wherePittsburgh was just like, dude,

(35:32):
if we're gonna trade the numberone wide receiver in the league
away, and we could only get athird from him from the Raiders.
Not that Pittsburgh, I'm notthat I'm gonna say Pittsburgh
has experience and dealing withcrazies and letting them go, but
it's just like getting back toit, is the juice worth the
squeeze?
And it or the saying it'saddition by subtraction.

(35:56):
So I get it, hit that in aperfect world.
If we had Pickens on one sideand DK on the other, that would
be amazing.
But look, um Pickens, uh,correct me if I'm wrong, wasn't
he disciplined and not playingthe first series of the game
last night because of hisantics?

(36:17):
Has he not been punished beforein Dallas for his actions and
doing you know him being crazyand his antics?

Scott (36:25):
So it's just apparently, apparently it was him and CD
seeing at a casino at 7 30 a.m.
and they were only benched forthe first drive.

Graham (36:36):
Well, yeah.

Scott (36:37):
What does that do?
What does that do?
What does that do?
That's so stupid.
Yeah, Keon Coleman is late to ateam meeting as a healthy
scratch for the Bills.

Graham (36:48):
Well, because Jerry Jones is like, I want a dub, so
I'll slap you on the wrist.
You know, it's all about ethicsand morals, is what it comes
down to.
And you know how, and my lastpoint on this, if Pickens wants
to be an alpha, and you haveMetcalf who wants to be in a uh

(37:08):
wants to be an alpha, and look,DK was somewhat of you know uh a
diva, per se, in Seattle.
What happens to a locker roomwhen you have two divas on the
on the same team?

Scott (37:23):
Yeah, I'm I'm not disagreeing.
I'm just saying I I I get it.

Graham (37:28):
It's just on paper, would it be amazing?
A thousand percent.
But the reality of it is it iswhat it is.
And all I can say is twothings.
One, I think you're like twoseconds ahead of me in this
game, but three, um, maybethat's signing of MVS, like, and

(37:54):
that doesn't even make anysense now, because now with
Rogers hurt, like, that's awhole nother thing.
Roger is hurt, he has a fslight fracture in his wrist.
So they're not they're notletting him practice.
You know, they want him to healup.
If he can't hold on to theball, like Pittsburgh's not
showing their hand whether ornot he's gonna start or not.

Scott (38:15):
And look, I saw they worked out two quarterbacks
today.

Graham (38:19):
Yeah, that's because Will Howard got uh is off the
practice squad.
Like he's on the he's on the53-man roster now.
So he's and look, I'm actuallyhappy about that.
I want him to get reps, I wantto see what he's all about, you
know.
I want him to get chances.
Come on, Duke.
Come on.
So it's like, you know, I I'vesaid this before, probably on

(38:45):
the show and in LifeTubehundreds of times.
I'm a firm believer and thingshappen for a reason.
And look, Rogers being a Packerfor so long, the fact that he's
on our team and we're playingthe NFC North, I know deep down
Oh, that hurts.
I know it's killing him,potentially not playing the

(39:07):
Bears because what's his famousline?
Yeah.
Rogers, I own the Bears.
This is my town.
And the thing is, if he goes inthere and doesn't win, that's
not his town anymore.

Scott (39:23):
Oh, don't go in.
Youth we covered, baby, by ahalf a point.

Graham (39:28):
Let's go! Yeah, you're 20 seconds ahead of me.
Oh, sorry.

Scott (39:33):
Point and a half, 41, 39.

Graham (39:34):
No, that's fine.
Hold on, hold on.
Why am I oh that's why?
Oh, okay.
I didn't.
Oh, I didn't realize I wasn'tlive on my computer.
Half a point, baby.

Scott (39:47):
Um anyhow.
So the real question is lastweek the sky was falling.
How do you feel now?
Y'all go to Chicago, right?
Yes.

Graham (40:03):
Here's the thing.
Not much has changed.
And yeah, we we beat Cincy.
Okay, that's great.
But what have I been saying thelast how many years, especially
on the podcast and even beforethat?
There is no point in winningenough games to go to the

(40:26):
playoffs and lose in the firstround.
There's really not.
Especially if we lose.
Like, it's only a winningseason to a Steeler fan if they
win at least one playoff game.
I mean, that's what that's whatownership was just like, hey,
do everything, make trades,spend money, you know, do
everything that Pittsburghnormally ever does.

(40:48):
Do everything in your power,you have to get a dub in the
playoffs, like bare minimum.
And now it's just like okay,say we win enough games, like
the only way to make theplayoffs is for us to win the
division.
The AFC West could have threeteams.
Could.
It will have two, but likewe're at a point right now.

Scott (41:13):
I don't even know if I'd say two.

Graham (41:15):
No, it will be two.
I I I I would think two.
Well, well, yeah.
I mean, I also didn't think theChargers going down to do ball
would get that ass whooped.
They the amount of bets that Ilost because of that.
Dude, uh Chargers plus three?
Yeah, I love that.

Scott (41:34):
We'll just transition into that right now.
I mean, last time Chargersplayed the Jaguars in
Jacksonville, uh, we had a 27-0lead in the playoff game, and
everybody says Herbert chokes.
You know, we've talked aboutthis numerous times, didn't turn
the ball over.
Staley's an idiot.
But the thing I want to talkabout is after the Chargers

(41:58):
beaten the Steelers last week,and looking really dominant on
defense, you know, and theChargers are only allowing one
touchdown and nine quarters.
And dude, I'm just gonna go outhere and say it.
I talked about it with TP theother night.
Uh Liam Cohen, the head coachfor the Jaguars, who last year

(42:22):
was the Tampa Bay Buccaneersoffensive coordinator.
Yeah.
Uh, he owns Jesse Minter.
And that goes back to lastyear.
When Tampa came into LA, waxedthe Chargers ass.
Uh the other night, or otherday, whatever you want to talk

(42:43):
about, waxed the Chargers ass.

Graham (42:47):
Dude.

Scott (42:51):
The offensive line injuries are finally catching up
with the Chargers.
I mean, first play of the game,like I told you, Herbert has to
intentionally ground the ballso he doesn't get sacked.
I mean, from the first play ofthe game, it was bad.
I mean, literally one of theworst games I've ever watched.

(43:12):
Yeah, the Raiders beat a 63 towhatever that Thursday night,
but that was with fuckingHerbert out on injury, you know,
whatever.
That doesn't count.
I mean, Herbert only had 80yards passing.
And for Herbert to stand up inhis press conference and say, I
need to play better.
Uh no, you need somebody toprotect you.

(43:34):
You know.
Dude, the Chargers only hadthree offensive plays in the
third quarter.
Three.
Three.
Bro.
Three, bro.
Three.

Graham (43:51):
You know.

Scott (43:52):
Three.
The time of possession in thegame.
Okay.
Jaguars had the ball for 37minutes.
The Chargers 22.
The crazy thing about that isGoldilocks, aka Trevor Lawrence,
he only threw for like 150yards.

Graham (44:12):
Yeah.

Scott (44:14):
Dude, they ran.
Hold on, I'm trying to find it.
This is insane.
The Jaguars rushing yards,which the Chargers have been
stellar at doing.
Dude, team stats.
Here we go.
Uh God dang it.
Here you go.
Jaguars.
Rushing yards.

(44:36):
192 rushing yards.

Announcer (44:40):
She 192.

Scott (44:44):
I mean, Vidal goes down early, like I told you the other
night.
I thought he was out for theseason.
It looked bad.
Then Herbert gets hit, has togo in the blue 10.
I thought it was bad.
I'm like, cheminy crickets,dude.
The offensive line.
This dude we traded for fromGod dang the Saints.
Yeah, there's a reason theSaints are the armpit of the

(45:05):
NFL.
He's terrible.
He couldn't block me, dude.
I mean, the guy was garbage.
Penalties, this, that.
Dude.
When we beat y'all last Sundaynight, I was like, alright.
It was a physical game.
We looked good.
I was 100% behind the team.

(45:28):
Dude, we got we're sittingthere at seven and four.
Six games left.
Uh our last six games?
I only see two wins.

Graham (45:46):
Now, let me ask you a question.
Well, I don't know.
No, let me see if I want to dothe point first.
My first point, let me beforethe question.
Last week's episode, after itwas over, you made a point
talking about the defense.
How it was a top five defensefor most of the year, then they
had those couple of games, butthen they came back, and then

(46:09):
after the Steel game, dominated.
I'm bringing that up first tosay.
Did the Chargers I want to saythis?

Scott (46:21):
Did they go all out to beat Pittsburgh and just put so
much effort into that game thatthere was like my dad said when
we're watching the game, hegoes, Was the Chargers defense
that good last week or theSteelers offense that bad?
And I was like, it's probablyboth.

(46:43):
Both?
Both?
But I mean, you're you'retalking about a Jaguars offense
that doesn't have Brian ThomasJr.
playing.
You don't have Wes's nuts fromColorado, their number one draft
pick.

Graham (47:01):
Hunter.

Scott (47:02):
He's not playing.

Graham (47:05):
They got Jacoby Myers.

Scott (47:08):
Dude, Tutin and ETN ran their dicks off.

Graham (47:13):
I see, and that's what's surprised because your old your
D line is good.

Scott (47:18):
I I the game changed.
There were two third and longswith two suspect, you know, pass
interference calls.

Graham (47:29):
Oh.

Scott (47:30):
I'm not gonna blame the game on that, but the first one
was bad, the second one wasworse.
You're not but the momentumchanged with both of those.
And especially after Jacksonpicks off Goldilocks.
And but the thing that I thatkeeps coming into my brain,

(47:58):
dude, and I can't get this outof my mind.
The fucking Raiders scored 30against Jacksonville.
We scored six.

Graham (48:10):
Did they give up?
I I don't want to make it soundlike that.
That's disrespectful.
That's disrespectful.

Scott (48:17):
I'm just gonna say this.
No, it's not.
It's not.
It's absolutely not.
G Row, Greg Roman, ouroffensive coordinator.
Worst game of his life as aChargers offensive coordinator.
Yeah.
Ever.
Ever.
His game plan against theSteelers was amazing.

(48:37):
Get the ball out quick, get theball out quick, get the ball
out quick.
What the shit did I just watchthis past Sunday?
And like I said last week whenwe were talking about the
Chargers Steelers, I can't blamethe offensive line all the time
for the sacks.
Herbert holds on to the balltoo long.

(48:59):
And he did it again this pastSunday.

Graham (49:02):
And you gotta make something happen.

Scott (49:07):
Throw it away.
Throw it away.
Yeah.
But I don't know.
Uh I don't feel good, dude.
I mean, we thank God we have abye week and we get Omarion
Hampton back.
Helps.
We come off the bye and we playthe Raiders at home, which is
gonna be basically an away gamefor the Chargers because all the

(49:28):
Raiders' douchebags will be inLA.
Yeah.
But that's a dub.
Then uh we played the Eagles athome on Monday Night Football.
Uh did you see the Eaglesdefensive line?
What they did the other nightagainst the Lions?
Yeah.
Uh is Herbert gonna make it outof that game alive?

Graham (49:51):
Yeah, can I bet uh at least one completion for your
backup quarterback in the game?

Scott (49:57):
That's the thing.
It's like, dude, we got theRaiders, we got the Eagles, we
got the Chiefs, we got theCowboys, Texans, and then the
Broncos.
The only good thing is by thetime we played the Broncos last
week, they've probably clinchedthe AFC West.
They'll be resting everybody.

Announcer (50:13):
Yeah.

Graham (50:14):
The Chiefs are gonna have to play everyone because
they're in the same, they're ina similar situation.

Scott (50:18):
Yeah.
Uh six games left, dude.
If we go three and three, I'llbe happy.

Graham (50:24):
Yeah.
Now, I kind of since we broughtup the Chiefs, I want to pivot
uh just a little bit to thatgame.
In that last series, notdefending the guy, but for the
last how many years, especiallyon the podcast, what have we
always said, especially when itcomes to Kansas City and
Mahomes?
Mahomes is the new Tom Brady inthe sense he gets all the

(50:47):
calls.
For the phantom calls that havebeen made every week, but
especially this week, that we'llbring up that it's just like,
how do you call that?
That it completely changes thegame.
In that last series for KansasCity, when when Mahomes gets

(51:08):
sacked, dude hits him in thehelmet.
Dude goes helmet to helmet, andthey don't call that.

Scott (51:14):
100%.

Graham (51:15):
You're telling me that doesn't change the momentum of
the game?

Scott (51:19):
Absolutely does, dude.

Graham (51:22):
Absolutely does.
Denver needed that win tobasically put a strong arm on
the division.
Like if that switch, it makesthings, you know, it opens
things up a little bit.
I mean, there's also I mean, somany bad calls.
I mean, look, the Sunday nightgame.
That last series with Detroit,and they called pass
interference on that, is just sodisrespectful.
And the fact that the umpireref, sorry, after the game, like

(51:46):
whatever, whatever made itzebra.
Makes a statement and said,Well, I'm I I threw the flag
because I saw the defender grabhis hand.
I was like, receivers andcorners are handsy all the time.
You let them play.
If you watch them see him grabhis hand, the offensive player
literally with both hands pushedthe defender away from him and

(52:10):
caught the ball.

Scott (52:11):
What's the rule that everybody says?
If the offensive player's armis extended, what is it called?

Graham (52:18):
Offensive.
Both hands or both arms werewere extended.
What?
What?
Um I I just I just had to throwthat out there.
Something else I'm realizing.

Scott (52:32):
I I get it.
I mean, we're 53 minutes intothe episode, and something I
have to talk about.

Graham (52:37):
Oh no, same here.
I just realized we're 53minutes into it, and how I, as a
Sealer fan, could not talkabout this, and we missed it on
the in the game.

Scott (52:46):
If you're gonna talk about Darnell Washington's big
man run when he's like stiffarming everybody and posterizing
everybody.
Dude, that was sick.
It was awesome.
I mean, this motherfucker is sixfoot seven, four hundred
pounds, catching passes, andjust all I can hear when that

(53:07):
shit's happening is ChrisBirmingham bumbling, stumbling,
stiff arming motherfuckers, blahblah blah blah.
Dude, it was sick.
It was awesome.
It was it was sick.

Graham (53:17):
I mean, yes, but that's not what I was gonna bring up.
What's the biggest news of thisof the weekend?
You spit me.

Scott (53:27):
The Spitgate.
Oh, dude, I don't even want totalk about it.
Well, I we have to bring Thebest thing that happened in
Spitgate was Tomlin's pressconference when he was like, if
somebody spits on you, I gotnothing to say.
React how you're gonna react.
As a head coach, I love that.
Oh, a hundred percent.
What are you gonna say?

(53:48):
This motherfucker spits on you.
What are you gonna do?
That's like the mostdisrespectful, yeah.
Thing that a player could everdo, and this is the thing that I
hate.
We saw it week one of theseason with the Eagles Cowboys,
Davis, we saw it the same weekin college football, and now

(54:09):
we've seen it again.

Graham (54:10):
Yeah.
Yeah, and the thing is becausethe players, the players union
still had to, you know, appealit, got upheld.
I just saw the notification.
But look, they jarred Ramseyand Chase.
They jarred in that play, andthen literally the next play,
like they had to break them up,then the literally the next
play.
Obviously, you can't see it.

(54:32):
All you can see is the punch.
He gets ejected.
I'm like, what's going on?
I'm furious, everyone'sfurious.
The team's like, what's goingon?
The fat I'm just happy with theteam that they still could hold
their composure, the defense,and still we were able to finish
that game.
But here's my thing.
After it was over, Ramsey sayswhat he said and why it

(54:54):
happened.
He's like, bro, he's like, Idid it because he spit on me.
The fact that Jamar Chasedenied it, at least Davis didn't
deny it.
At least I don't think hedenied it.

Scott (55:05):
It wasn't Davis.

Graham (55:07):
Well, it wasn't David.

Scott (55:10):
Was it Car No, it wasn't Carter.

Graham (55:12):
No, Jalen Carter.

Scott (55:14):
Yeah, it wasn't Jordan Davis.

Graham (55:15):
So, yeah, sorry.
My my bad, my bad.
Uh Carter.
Jalen Carter.
In 2025, if you don't know,you're an idiot, but if you
don't know that there's 300cameras on that field, how can
you say you didn't do it andthere's video evidence,

(55:37):
especially after the fact,multiple times in interviews?
That just makes you look evenworse.

Scott (55:44):
It's terrible.

Graham (55:45):
Like your credibility as a human being just went it's
terrible.

Scott (55:52):
Terrible.
But so let's transition realquick to something we gotta talk
about.
Ram Seahawks.
In my opinion, the best twoteams in the NFC.
Agreed.
And I I was you can't, I youcan't hate on that.

Graham (56:12):
Yeah, it's gonna come down to matchups for sure.

Scott (56:14):
Dude, Darnold turns it over four times, and Seattle
still had a chance.
Okay, and here's the crazything, okay?
Here's the crazy thing for me.
Seattle, their defense provedit's legit.
Okay.
If Darnold figures it out in abig game, Seattle's gonna be

(56:38):
unbeatable.
The Rams only had one yard,bro, in the second quarter.
One yard.
Think about that.

Graham (56:50):
Wait, what?

Scott (56:51):
Yeah.
Oh, I'm sorry.

Graham (56:53):
I think it's the second half.
I was like, wait, what?

Scott (56:55):
No, in the second quarter.
When I was looking at the atthe team stats, okay, Seattle
had 26 first downs.
The Rams had 12.
This Seattle had 79 total playson offense.
The Rams had 50.

(57:15):
And once again, time ofpossession, Seattle, same thing
as the Jaguars versus theChargers.
Dude.
If they didn't keep giving theRams short field, dude, uh I

(57:36):
mean Seattle had 414 yards oftotal offense versus the Rams
249.

Graham (57:42):
Yeah.
Dude, that last I think it wasthe last series when the Rams
coffin cornered them.
Do you see that that punt?
Yeah.
Like there's like it came downto a field goal.
Granted, it was 61, but folks,that's not a thing anymore in
the NFL, especially indoors.

Scott (58:02):
Like dude, I mean uh the craziest thing to me is Stafford
22 touchdowns this year.
Guess how many interceptions hehas?
I think three or four.
Uh the same amount as you andI.

Graham (58:22):
Oh, that's right.
Oh my god.

Scott (58:25):
None.
Well but the crazy thing, theRams offense, they got Kyron,
they got Puka, they gotDevontae.
They have 87 tight ends thatare they've inserted in their
offense that are dominating.

(58:46):
Dude, Seattle's defense?
They're legit.
If Darnold turns it over twice,they win that game.

Graham (58:55):
Let me ask you a question.
What's the bigger story if theymake that field goal at the
end?
Seattle.
Does it lean, but I'm my pointis, does it lean heavier on
Seattle?
Yeah.
The Rams played a good game.
That's the problem.
They played a good game, forcedfour turnovers, but still

(59:19):
almost lost.
So it's like that's look, it'sgonna come the division's gonna
come down to it.
They could be tied at the end.
Like Seattle has to win at homeagainst them.
It's gonna come down to don'tcount out the Niners.
I bro, they can't.
The Niners are good, butthey're not as good as the other

(59:40):
two teams.
Like they're just they're good,but they're a notch below.

Scott (59:44):
They're a knots below.
I don't disagree.
So and let's don't forget,let's don't forget the Rams, who
are currently the number oneseed in the NFC.
Uh remember that trade theymade on draft day with.
The Falcons.
Yeah.
Dude.

(01:00:05):
They could have a top five picknext year in the draft.

Graham (01:00:12):
I tell you one thing.
Dude.
I am glad I'm not an AtlantaFalcons fan.
Like, they have justdisappointed.
So uh I'm saying this from abetting aspect, but also but to
be a fan, like how they'vedisappointed in so many of these
games.
Granted, look, Penix got hurt.

(01:00:33):
Finally, Cousins could come inand prove himself.
But then when he came in,Cousins stat, look, how many how
many first team reps do youthink Cousins actually gets?
Not many.
Not many.
I'm willing, uh not willing,but I'm ready to see what he'll
look like when he actually getsthe reps and what can happen.
I mean, look, you throw him incold.
He didn't look great, right?

(01:00:55):
But they still had a chance.
Fine.
Like, look, they took him toovertime.
But I mean, hey, is this isthis the time finally to say
maybe Bryce Young's not as badas everyone said he was?
I mean, he did he did throw for440 and three tutties and zero
picks.

Scott (01:01:14):
Did you see that stat I just screenshotted you?

Graham (01:01:18):
Uh no, but I will right now.

Scott (01:01:20):
Uh, about the receiving.

Graham (01:01:25):
Yes, I'm looking at it right now.

Scott (01:01:26):
You see that guy?
McMellan, that's a rookie?
Yeah.
I is that any good?

Graham (01:01:38):
Dude.
I'll I'll say this.
When it comes to fantasyfootball, when it comes to
drafting, especially in a keeperleague, I'm never the person
that will have er, I don't saywe'll never the person, but like
I'm not finding those diamondsin the rough rookie.

(01:01:59):
Not that McMillan was.
I mean, look, he was number onewide receiver to come out, like
he was the first one to dothat.

Scott (01:02:03):
Yeah, it was a top ten, top ten draft pick.

Graham (01:02:06):
But to Carolina, it's all iffy, which as I've said on
many a podcast prior, JSN's theshock of the year.
I mean, I've could have, youknow, it it is what it is.
That being said, most of mykeepers are because I was ahead
of the curve and picked up theperson on the waiver wire and

(01:02:26):
got him cheat.
Like I picked him up the weekbefore he blew up and became the
guy, right?
I I the fact that you gotMcMillan for what, a dollar,
two, three?

Scott (01:02:39):
No, I paid no, I paid 15 for him.

Graham (01:02:41):
Oh, okay.
But still, like there's other,like other players, you know,
Tom getting Puka Nakula.
Like, I like there's justcertain players, like, I just
for me, the hype sometimes to medoesn't justify spending the
money.
And the biggest example ofthat, Genty.
I said that I told you lastnight.

(01:03:05):
I really think people still hadhim as a top five pick or top
top five running back, but theystill had him going in the first
round, right?

Scott (01:03:15):
Dude, did you see how many rushing yards he had last
night?

Graham (01:03:18):
Yeah.
He had uh, well, it's prettybad when their leading rusher
was Geno Smith with 11 yards or13 yards, whatever.

Scott (01:03:26):
He had like Dude, Jinzi had seven more rushing yards
than you and I.
I I just I but something wehave to talk about, Graham.
Yeah.
We have to talk about it.
Uh last year's MVP?
The Bills Bucks.

Graham (01:03:42):
Yeah.

Scott (01:03:44):
Crazy game.
Okay.
Allen had three rushingtouchdowns, three passing
touchdowns, two picks.
Everyone is out there praisingJosh Allen for this game.

Graham (01:04:02):
Dude.
You know me.

Scott (01:04:05):
I'm not a fan of Josh Allen.
Is he a great athlete?
Yes, he is.
But the thing is the way thatoffense played, that's why they
lose in the playoffs, dude.
He's out there playing, he'sout there playing school ball
football.
When he's scrambling around.

(01:04:27):
Dude, I I just uh two points.

Graham (01:04:33):
Who's their number one wide receiver?

Scott (01:04:36):
Yeah, who knows?
But that's my point.
They healthy scratch KeonColeman.

Graham (01:04:42):
I get it.
So no Keon Coleman, they don'thave Kincaid, who is a huge
receiving tight end for them.
They're relying on other guys.
So for Allen to do what he did,like, and look, I I know how
you feel about him, and as youknow, you not that I'm saying

(01:05:03):
this like as this was yourdefense, but like a couple of
those touchdowns, like, bro,like it was that perfect throw
at the perfect time.
Yeah.
I'm just gonna say this.
It was the McConkie throw lastweek against us.
I'm gonna say, you know, typeof situation.

Scott (01:05:17):
I'm just gonna say this.
Go ahead.
And this is a person I've hatedon when he was still in college.
Okay.
First 27 starts.
Caleb, I paint my fingernails,Williams versus Josh.
I'm the best tight end playingquarterback in the NFL.
First 27 starts, CalebWilliams, 5,870 passing yards.

(01:05:42):
Allen, 5,000.
Touchdowns to interceptions,Caleb Williams, 33 to 10.
Allen, 30 to 21.
Passer rating, Caleb Williams,88.6.
Allen, 78.6.

Graham (01:06:04):
So when can I start punching holes into that theory?
Right now?

Scott (01:06:09):
Whenever you want, dude.
Alright.
Whenever you fucking want.

Graham (01:06:13):
Oh, I dude.
I have miles of tape to tellyou.
Number one.

Scott (01:06:18):
Tell me.

Graham (01:06:19):
Tell me.
Let's compare.
What am I doing right now?
Let's compare the two teams'rosters, shall we?

Scott (01:06:27):
Yeah, we should, because the Bears, uh, how was their
offensive line last week, lastyear?

Graham (01:06:33):
I yes.

Scott (01:06:35):
But the weapons I would rival them against the Chargers
this year.

Graham (01:06:41):
The weapons that Chicago has far exceed the weapons that
the Buffalo Bills have.
I don't disagree.
Far exceed.
But granted, Josh Allen cook isgood.
Look at the wide receivers.

Scott (01:07:01):
If the Bills used Kincaid the last two years like they
should have used Kincaid, it's adifferent story.

Graham (01:07:11):
So you can't judge a player based off what the
coaching does.
Well, everybody seems to judgeHerbert.
I look, I hey, one of my goodfriends lives in Buffalo,
diehard Bills fan.
He's been calling for the forthe coach's head for the last

(01:07:35):
four years.
Like the bill, dude, peoplesaid it, what was it, a couple
weeks ago where you know a topicon GitHub was did the Buffalo
Bills miss their window?

Scott (01:07:46):
It's over.
They missed it.

Graham (01:07:48):
So it's like everything has to go right.
And look, when you go upagainst juggernauts in their
prime, it's it's almost likePittsburgh in the earlier 2000s.
Or, you know, like that 2007 to2012-ish time time frame, or a

(01:08:13):
little bit later, when it's justlike, yeah, we have winning,
like, we're 70% wins.
We're doing this, but then werun into the Patriots.
Or we run, you know what Imean?
It's just like certain teamshave your number, they finally
got that monkey off their backand finally beat Kansas City,
but they don't do it in the AFCChampionship game.

(01:08:35):
It's just like everything leadsup to the playoffs.
Doesn't matter what you did toget you there, everything resets
once you get there.
I get that, and then it justcomes down to individual
matchups, which is why thePatriots and Belichick were so
good.
They've won games that theyshould not have won on paper,
but because of their style andtheir smart coaching, they won

(01:09:00):
games that you're just like,they shouldn't have won that
game.

Scott (01:09:04):
But they did.
Speaking of sheesh matchups andthis and that, something I saw
earlier I had to screenshot it.
Uh the Colts are the only NFLteam Kermit has never beaten in
the regular season.
He's an 0-2 against the Colts.

Graham (01:09:26):
And didn't you say last night that you like them this
week hosting the Colts?

Scott (01:09:33):
I liked him last week playing the Broncos.

Graham (01:09:38):
So did I.

Scott (01:09:40):
I didn't want him to win.
Like we discussed on the showlast week, but I thought it was
gonna happen.
I agree.
I agree.
I I just I don't know.
The Patriots, I just gotta patmyself on the back after the

(01:10:00):
Thursday night game.
Uh took the over eight and ahalf win total.
You laughed at me.

Graham (01:10:08):
You said this last week.
You don't need to you don'tneed to bring it up again.

Scott (01:10:13):
No, they just won my bet on Thursday night.

Graham (01:10:17):
Yeah, but you basically well, yeah, because they played
the Jets.
I mean, you I mean you werecounting the winnings.

Scott (01:10:23):
Speaking of the Jets, you know the Jets are still they
still have 32 million of deadmoney because of Rogers.

Graham (01:10:33):
Yeah.

Scott (01:10:34):
I saw that and I was like, oh my god, that's amazing.

Graham (01:10:39):
Look, this is one of those I don't say wonky years,
but it's a changing of the tide.
Like, folks, Kansas City, look,they've been up here for so
long, but they're getting older.
Dude, this could be Travis'slast year.
Like, he's not the springchicken that he was anymore.
It's a done.

Scott (01:11:00):
This is it.
This is it.

Graham (01:11:02):
Yeah, like that's what I'm saying.
It's it's like they're not asfeared as they used to be.
And all that being said, lookat the top teams in the AFC.
If you would have told me atthe beginning of the season that
the Patriots are the number oneseed, Patriots, Colts, Denver.
I told you the Patriots.

(01:11:22):
Did you tell me they were gonnabe 9-2 and winning that and
being the number one seed?

Scott (01:11:27):
I told you they were gonna win over eight and a half
games.
And you actually said youactually said you like the
Colts.
Yeah, and I did.

Graham (01:11:38):
I I I I I'm just saying it's kind of like we're getting
in the change of the times now.
You know what I mean?
It's just like we're cyclingout of what things used to be
and what the perception of teamswere, and now it's like, hey,
it's not what you did for me inthe past, it's what are you
doing for me right now.

Scott (01:11:57):
Now, what are you doing now?

Graham (01:12:01):
And it is what it is.
I mean, on a side note, maybe Imight take the Bears, and I
mean, I won't, but I I might betthe Bears this week.
I mean, I don't I hate bettingagainst my team.
Pittsburgh historically doesterrible.
Who terrible in Chicago?

Scott (01:12:20):
The Bears would be in first place.

Graham (01:12:23):
That's my point.

Scott (01:12:25):
Who would have thought the Carolina Panthers would be a
half game back?

Graham (01:12:31):
Well, I'm injuries, bro.
I mean that's that's why I feelbad for Tampa.
Tampa's a good team, but bro,when you lose Evans, when you
lose Godwin, well, lose.
He hasn't played all season.
I mean I mean, what Abuka hasdone.

Scott (01:12:50):
Dude's insane.

Graham (01:12:51):
Sign sealed and delivered.
If he's not the rookie of theyear, I I won't commentate
anymore.
Like, I I don't like there's nowho else is better?
Who's a better rookie?

Scott (01:13:05):
Warren?
I mean, I agree with you.
Igbuka.

Graham (01:13:09):
He has more help.

Scott (01:13:10):
I I agree with you, Igbuka.
The best part about Igbuka islet's go back two years.
I don't even know if thispodcast was even out there.
I said Igbuka was a betterreceiver than Marvin Harrison
Jr.

Graham (01:13:27):
I think you did say that.
You did too.
And we've been doing this forthree years, bro.

Scott (01:13:34):
Yeah.
And we were like, Igbuca's abetter wide receiver.

Graham (01:13:39):
And this and the sophomore they got now, whatever
his name is.

Scott (01:13:44):
Something Smith or whatever.

Graham (01:13:46):
Yeah, I I just I don't know.

Scott (01:13:49):
Dude, I don't know.
Uh thank God the Chargers areon a bye this week.
I mean, the bye week came at aperfect time for us.
We get Hampton back, hopefully.
I don't know, man.

Graham (01:14:04):
Hopefully we can we'll beat the Raiders.
I would think.
You would think.

Scott (01:14:12):
But I don't know.
We got six games left, dude.
I'm the sky's falling in myworld as a Chargers fan, but I'm
also being realistic.

Graham (01:14:22):
Hey, you sound like I did last week.

Scott (01:14:25):
The Chargers always do what?
They always win the game youthink they're gonna lose, and
they lose the game you thinkthey're gonna win.

Graham (01:14:36):
And I'm I'll say this.
I'm glad that you talked me outof taking the Chargers and
Survivor.
Like I was gonna take Iswitched from them to the
Cowboys on Monday night, sothank you for that.

Scott (01:14:52):
I told you not to do it.
But anyhow, Graham, get us outof here.
Oh, something we have to talkabout.

Graham (01:15:02):
Oh, yeah.

Scott (01:15:03):
We're an hour and 16 minutes in the show.
If anybody's listening at thispoint, thank you.

Graham (01:15:10):
Stop saying that.

Scott (01:15:11):
I love it because I get text messages from people that
are still listening at thispoint.
Uh, what came out on Sunday?
Landman.

Graham (01:15:21):
Oh.
I was wondering we were goingwith that.

Scott (01:15:25):
Dude.

Graham (01:15:29):
Classic.

Scott (01:15:30):
Amazing show.
Second season.
You know, the first season wasamazing.
Hit the world by Sorum onParamount Plus.
Dude, I talked to you yesterdayor the day before, and you were
like, first episode was fire.
And I'm like, all right, Gramsis fired up about it.

(01:15:52):
I gotta watch it.
Watched it.
Dude, for the first episode ofa highly anticipated second
season, it was the best episode.
There was nothing they couldhave done differently.

Graham (01:16:08):
I I I don't know if it was the hype and expectation.
And also, I uh like I know whathappened last season, I'd have
to like go back, but like thatwas almost my favorite episode.

Scott (01:16:20):
You ain't wrong.

Graham (01:16:22):
Like it every point that they needed to hit, they
hammered the shit out of it.
It was perfect.

Scott (01:16:30):
Every everything.
I just I don't know.
I love folks.

Graham (01:16:38):
If you ain't watching, you're an idiot.

Scott (01:16:42):
I love I love the fact that they have the the lawyer
and the other dude living intheir house and they have dinner
together.
Oh, it's and Allie order flipsout and starts throwing shit,
and they're all like, oh god,I'm out.
I'm out.
Dude.
It's amazing.

(01:17:02):
Amazing.

Graham (01:17:06):
Uh the best show on TV or on streaming, whatever you
want to call it.

Scott (01:17:10):
Yeah, whatever you want to call it.
AL Graham.
Oh, thank God the Chargers havea bye.

Graham (01:17:19):
Bro, I this is not that I want to say like this was, you
know, how you know, there'scertain episodes where just
like, yo, this is a top fiveepisode.
Dude, this was action fromstart to finish.
I didn't not a lot of lulls.
Like we normally like we're wewe try to keep it around an
hour, but bro, we're we're gonnafinish at 120 and it's been

(01:17:43):
hitting at every moment.
Kudos to you.
Love you to death.

Scott (01:17:47):
I told Kristen last night, of course I want the
Chargers to make the playoffs.
But if they do, the same shit'sgonna happen that happened last
year with their offensive line.
One and out.
I mean, I don't know what tosay.
I'm a realist, I love my team.

(01:18:08):
Obviously, you know thateverybody listening knows that,
just like you and the Steelers.
But Sunday was probably thefirst game I've ever turned off.

Graham (01:18:19):
I was waiting to add to bring that up.

Scott (01:18:22):
Switch to the red zone before the what 10 minutes left
in the fourth quarter.

Graham (01:18:28):
I mean uh let's just put it this way.
I'm I I brought my second, Ibrought my TV out in the living
room, so I got two big screenTVs out there.
Got the red zone on one, thestudios on the other.
I'm watching Red Zone, and Iknew the game was going bad when
I'm not seeing highlights onred zone for the Charger.

(01:18:51):
Like, not the Chargerspecifically, I'm saying the
game.
There's ten other games goingon, but to only see X amount of
clips, I was like, oh, this isprobably not good.
Yeah.
And then finally, like athalftime, I switched over and I
started like actually watchingthe game.
I was like, oh yeah, this isnot good.

Scott (01:19:13):
Yeah, it was terrible.
Terrible.
But but anyhow, Graham, get usout of here like you always do.
Love you, buddy.
Love doing the show.
Um keep those follows anddownloads going because we had a
monumental day last week.
But keep sharing it with yourfriends, keep doing your things.

(01:19:36):
And Graham, I love you.
I love the show.

Graham (01:19:40):
Last point.
I know we have the usual.
Well, I don't want to sayusual, but there's a staple for
Hot Chick of the Week.
It's it's usually one person.

Scott (01:19:52):
Who are we going with tonight?

Graham (01:19:53):
But you brought her name up.
Kay Adams has to get anhonorable mention.

Scott (01:19:58):
I mean.
Oh, dude.
I mean, like she doesn't evenneed to be mentioned.

Graham (01:20:03):
Like, I just I mean I you said her name earlier, and I
was just like, she doesn't getenough love on the bald guys on
the bench for hot chick of theweek.
I'm just saying.

Scott (01:20:12):
Well, I agree, but she doesn't need to be mentioned.
You know, and from what we'vebeen talking about in the last
four minutes, the my hot chickof the week is Allie Marker.

Graham (01:20:26):
Oh.
Slade.

Scott (01:20:29):
I mean whipped cream bikini back in the day.

Graham (01:20:33):
Yeah.
Is she I gotta check.
Is she 50?

Scott (01:20:39):
Does it matter?

Graham (01:20:40):
No, that's more kudos to her.
I'm just saying, like, I mean.
Can I get it?
God damn.
Dude, I don't know.
On that note.

Scott (01:20:51):
Yeah, Kay Adams.
Yeah, I agree.

Graham (01:20:54):
Scott, I love you to death.
It's always a pleasure doingthe podcast.
I had a blast.
And hey, as the best homiealways says, boom-bye.

Scott (01:21:02):
Good night, friends.
Good night, Bozeman.
You're the worst center in theNFL.
You couldn't block me.
I hope you tear your ACO, yourMCO, every L in your body, and
you don't play another game forthe Chargers.
I love you all.

(01:21:23):
Thanks for listening.
Hopefully you've made it anhour and 20 minutes.
Boom!

Announcer (01:21:36):
This episode of Ball Guys on the Bench Podcast is
brought to you by our friends atNorth Star Credit Union at
Southern Iowa, located inSoutheast Virginia.