September 3, 2025 • 65 mins
Football season is upon us, and the Ride Home Rants podcast has assembled a passionate panel of fans to break down everything you need to know heading into kickoff. This lively roundtable discussion dives deep into the most compelling storylines across the NFL landscape, from coaching hot seats to championship aspirations.
Our panel doesn't hold back when assessing which coaches are feeling the heat this season. Kevin Stefanski finds himself atop the danger list despite his previous Coach of the Year honors, while even Mike Tomlin's remarkable streak of winning seasons doesn't shield him from scrutiny in championship-obsessed Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Dan Campbell's culture transformation in Detroit has earned him the coolest seat in the coaching fraternity.
The quarterback conversation ignites spirited debate as we evaluate the worst QB rooms in football (sorry, Saints and Browns fans) and make bold MVP predictions. Could this be Baker Mayfield's revenge tour in Tampa Bay? Will Joe Burrow return to video-game form? Is rookie Jayden Daniels poised to shock the league? From Aaron Rodgers' Pittsburgh potential to CJ Stroud's continued ascension in Houston, we examine every angle of the league's most important position.
Super Bowl predictions range from the heartwarming (Buffalo vs. Detroit, two franchises that have never won it all) to the personal (a Steelers-Buccaneers showdown that would tear our host apart). We also spotlight teams ready to make significant leaps forward, with Jacksonville, New England, Las Vegas, and Chicago earning consideration as this year's surprise packages.
Whether you're a die-hard football fanatic or just getting acquainted with the sport, this preview show delivers passionate analysis, friendly banter, and bold predictions that will enhance your enjoyment of the upcoming season. Join us for this annual tradition as we kick off another unforgettable NFL campaign!
Subscribe for exclusive content: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1530455/support
Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREE
Tactical Brotherhood
The Tactical Brotherhood is a movement to support America.
Dubby Energy
FROM GAMERS TO GYM JUNKIES TO ENTREPRENEURS, OUR PRODUCT IS FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE BETTER.
Shankitgolf
Our goal here at Shankitgolf is for everyone to have a great time on and off the golf course
Sweet Hands Sports
Elevate your game with Sweet Hands Sports! Our sports gloves are designed for champions,
Buddy's Beard Care
Buddy's Beard Care provides premium men's grooming products at an affordable price.
Deemed Fit
Be a part of our movement to instill confidence motivation and a willingness to keep pushing forward
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Follow us on all social media
X: @mikebonocomedy
Instagram: @mikebonocomedy
@tiktok: @mikebono_comedian
Facebook: @mikebonocomedy
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants podcast.
This is, as always, your host,mike Bono.
I have a great episode for ustoday.
It is our yearly and annual NFLseason preview show.
I have a panel of guests thatI'm excited to talk to.
I'm going to let them introducethemselves and, guys, per usual
(00:23):
, I have some questions you needto answer at the beginning.
So I need your name, what statewere you born in, and do you
hand wash your dishes or use adishwasher and TJ?
We're going to start with you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hello everyone.
Tj Lett, born in good old OhioMaybe not for sports, but it's
the heart of the Midwest.
But so I grew up and I didn'thave a dishwasher in my house so
I watched my mom do dishes byhand.
So I initially started doingthings by hand.
Then I got married and my wifestarted yelling at me for doing
(00:59):
it by hand and she said just putit in the dishwasher, we'll do
it later, you know.
So I've had to slowly breaksome habits and start using the
dishwasher.
But you know if it's just me inmy studio.
I had a studio.
I had four plates, four forks,four spoons, did it by hand.
All the dishes were put away atthe end of the night.
But then marriage happened.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
So that's easy, man.
Yeah, absolutely.
But Tony, what about you?
Speaker 3 (01:27):
That's easy man?
Yeah, absolutely, but Tony,what about you?
My name is Tony, I am from Ohio, I was born and raised in Ohio
and I have a dishwasher in mynew apartment, but I don't ever
use it.
Not because it's broken, it'sbecause I usually don't have a
lot of dishes to be using adishwasher.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So I use it by hand, okay, okay bill, let's go to you
next.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
What's going on, guys ?
Uh, bill, uh, born and raisedin ohio, uh, I think fitting all
of us so far in the uh nfl perushow.
Um got canned right around thebend around here.
But uh, I'm a dishwasher guy.
Um occasionally hand wash, forsure.
Um, there's not enough to go in, but usually I'll find enough
to put in there, run load okay,bob, let's go to you next bob
(02:15):
cavalier.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I was uh born in ohio and I am a hand washing guy.
I'm a single guy, I live in anapartment and uh don't have a
lot of dishes like everybodyelse, so I could do them easily.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Gotcha Ryan round us out here.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Yeah, what's up guys?
I'm Ryan Barth from Illinois,born in Illinois, and I hand
wash my dishes.
While I still have a dishwasher, I prefer to do them by hand.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
I gotcha not a bad idea.
Nice little mix of hand washingversus dishwashing there, uh.
But everyone knows me, mikebono, born and raised in west
virginia.
I do live in ohio now, but, uh,west virginia through and
through, uh for sure, and I handwash my dishes.
Um, I have enough for adishwasher.
(03:06):
I don't have a dishwasher.
I wish I did, because my16-year-old seems to think that
every drink needs a new glassand I'm forever washing cups and
glasses.
And I buy him Solo cups.
That's what really gets me forhim, just for him.
And he uses my coffee mugs foreverything.
So, yeah, that's the joys ofparenthood and kids hand washing
(03:30):
dishes all day, every day.
We're not going to sit here totalk about dishes and that we're
going to talk about the NFL andTJ.
Let's start with you and let'sget this thing rolling.
Let's start with you and let'sget this thing rolling.
But rank these three coaches asto who is on the hot seat to
the coolest seat this year, andthat is Mike Tomlin for the
(03:52):
Steelers, kevin Stefanski forthe Browns and Dan Campbell for
the Lions.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Hot seat, kevin Stefanski.
Unfortunately it gothot-shotted from two years ago
when he was in the playoffs andthe coach of the year, with how
poorly they played last year.
So they hot-shotted to the topof the list and especially since
how Browns really go throughcoaches, I think that that is
kind of a safe bet there.
And then you got Mike Tomlin.
(04:21):
You brought in Aaron Rodgers.
I think that was a failedexperiment with Russell Wilson,
so now they bring in anotherveteran and with Aaron Rodgers
you're still going to have thatbuffer year.
But I mean, anytime he'sanywhere close to not going 500,
which is ridiculous he's on thehot seat and that's what
greatness breeds, that's whatyou have in a program, in an
(04:41):
organization, that expectation.
So unfortunately he's on thehot seat anytime he's anywhere
close to 500.
And then obviously dan campbell.
I think that they've been sosuccessful these last few years
with how poorly they played inthe last decade.
He was the sole reason theyturned around, sole reason
they've always had decentplayers.
(05:01):
They've had hall of fameplayers.
But you know they brought in acoach that just understands the
culture, understands Detroit andwhat they needed to be.
You know, run down your facetype of program.
So they're going to ride withhim for a little while.
It's gotta be catastrophic ifhe's going to end up being
canned.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah, I don't see that happening at all.
But Bill, what about you?
Let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, I think I have the same exact order.
Um, I think safanski diehardbrowns fan but just tough to
watch.
It's been up and down this pastforever, but especially his
tenure.
Um, a lot of highs and a lot oflows.
Um, deshaun kind of you knowfactor in there.
I don't know how much we'll bekind of throwing on him for that
, but it it's the Browns,they're going to find a
scapegoat for not good this year.
They're probably going to lookhis direction either him or the
(05:53):
GM, so I can see him being onthe hot seat for sure.
Not a ton of confidence in usthis year, so I think it's got
to be him.
Tomlin number two same reasons.
I think I have a lot of Steelerfans that really aren't sure if
they want to keep him around,which, as a Browns fan, is crazy
to me.
You're in the running everyyear.
It's like I feel like Iappreciate the guy, but
(06:13):
everyone's kind of calling forhim and I feel like once you get
the heat from the fans kind ofcoming in, you have a little bit
of a hot seat there.
And Campbell I don't see reallyon the hot seat at all.
I think he's kind of solidifiedin there.
In Detroit.
We got a good team.
I think they'll be good againthis year, so I don't see too
much of a reason.
I think obviously I want to seethem take the next level and go
(06:34):
get to the Super Bowl, win aSuper Bowl and stuff, but I
think he bought himself a goodamount of time in there.
I got you.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Yeah, I mean, I have a feeling that's pretty much
going to be the order foreveryone here.
We're still going to giveeveryone another chance to talk.
But, bill, to your point withthe Steelers, that's a
Pittsburgh thing, that's just aPittsburgh sports fan.
I'm a Pittsburgh sports fan, Ilike the Steelers and I'm
calling for Tomlin's head.
I know he's never had a losingseason.
(07:00):
Blah, blah, blah, blah,whatever, whatever.
Win a playoff game how aboutthat season?
Blah, blah, blah, whatever,whatever.
Um, win a playoff game howabout that?
Uh, can we win a playoff game?
Haven't won a playoff game in adecade.
Uh, let's, let's win a playoffgame and we'll talk and we'll go
from there.
Uh, but that's the sentiment ofevery pittsburgh fan.
Um, if you're not winningplayoff games and championships,
you're not, you're not doing,you're not doing your job at
(07:23):
that point.
But, bob, what about you withthis hot list?
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I'd have to keep the same.
I think Stefanski would be atthe top of the list.
Unfortunately, something thatkind of isn't his fault because
they brought in Deshaun Watson.
I'm sure I don't know if he hadto sign off on it or not, but
getting him wasn't helping toomuch.
When the owner admits he made amistake, that's a thing.
But I think he's first and then, yeah, I think Tomlin's second.
(07:49):
I agree with all these otherguys.
Man, I'm glad to take Tomlin.
Getting me to that, I'm aDolphins fan.
I love to be in the playoffsevery year, so I don't know.
You spoiled Pittsburgh fans.
I got nothing to talk about.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
We don't, we really don't, we're just, we should go
to the playoffs.
We're spoiled.
We like our championship.
We don't like playoffsappearances, we like playoff
wins and championships.
I get it.
We're spoiled.
Spoiled fans, that's all we are.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Yeah, campbell got to be third, even though I think
they're going to only give him acouple more years here, because
I think last year was a littlebit of a shock to them.
They lost in the first round,they got knocked out.
So I think he's on a shortlease here.
Even though he's probably theleast of the three, I'm still
thinking they need to kind ofmove on and get a couple of wins
in the playoffs this year.
(08:39):
But that's a tough division sothat's going to be an
interesting division to see.
Probably one division so that'sgonna be interesting division
to see, probably one of thebetter divisions of football,
especially what happened todaywith, uh, the packers, uh
getting what's the name for thecow, the cow part of his name,
michael parsons, the linebacker,yeah.
So that'll be interesting tosee how that plays out yeah that
that's a big one.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Uh, for sure that coming down late today, uh, that
that happened.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
But uh, ryan, let's get to your list here with the
hot seats yeah, I think, uh,actually I put mcdaniel and
stefanski as the top two thatare probably on the hot seat.
Just, uh, offensively, theythat's more minded what they are
and not being able to provereally what they are.
I know some injuries haveimpacted that, but uh, I think
(09:24):
those are the top two.
And then, uh, being a bears fan, I would, you know, kill for
like tomlin's culture and allthat.
I know the winning seasons andall of that.
But winning in the playoffs canbe a tough thing to do, but
when you've been there as muchas they have, you'd probably
like to see some more wins.
But, uh, and then with campbelland the lions, I, uh, I really
(09:47):
like what he's done as well,just really changing the culture
in Detroit and being able towatch that firsthand.
Being a Bears fan, you knowit's, it's quite cool to see.
And then us getting Ben Johnson.
I'm hoping that he brings a lotof what Campbell's done for the
Lions.
So, just hoping that, orlooking at it from that sense of
(10:11):
who's on the hot seat, I thinkthat would be my order Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Tony round us out here.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
As far as hot seat goes, definitely Kevin Stefanski
3-14 record last year.
That's kind of a write-offbecause Sean Watson got injured.
You were starting with, itseems, like, 10 quarterbacks.
They basically had to beg MilesGarrett to stay and he did.
Got rid of Chubb.
No one liked that move at all.
(10:39):
I'll say if Stefanski doesn'tat least make the playoffs, he's
gone.
It doesn't matter what recordhe has, whether it's 10-7 like
Seattle last year, or another3-14 mark.
If Stefanski doesn't make theplayoffs, he's going to be shown
the door.
Next will be Mike Tomlin.
I don't know why Pittsburghwants to get rid of a coach who
(11:00):
was not at a losing season atall.
They should be grateful, eventhough they could be better.
The standard is the standardand he is not finished under
.500 at all, though Pittsburghcould use a playoff win or two.
I will say I will agree withthat.
But Tomlin, I think he's goingto be like Cowher he's going to
(11:22):
retire before he gets fired.
Think he's going to be likeCowher.
He's going to retire before hegets fired and the coldest seat
is his.
Fornow.
Campbell's seat is becauseDetroit had a 15 and two record.
Yeah, they lost to a Washingtonteam that caught fire at the
right time.
But they have a little.
They have the swagger, theyhave swagger, they have talent.
(11:44):
And this is a team that was,years ago, the first team to go
0-16 in a year.
To see how far they've come and, if not, for the second half,
collapse.
I believe Dan Campbell says heowns that for gambling a little
too much against San Francisco.
This is a team that could haveeasily made the Super Bowl each
(12:05):
of the past couple years.
I think that Dan Campbell'sseat is going to be high school.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, I think we all agree with that, that Dan
Campbell is the safest of thesethree coaches.
Like there's no doubt Iprobably would have kicked you
out of this group if anybodywould have put Dan Campbell
anywhere but three on this list.
To be a hundred percent honestwith you, like that's just
asinine.
The man is, I mean, it's just,it is what it is.
The fancy is definitely got tobe number one.
(12:34):
It's Cleveland kind of havestandards, but they kind of roll
through some coaches a lot tooas well.
Tomlin's got to be right thereat number two.
And, yes, everyone, okay, yeah,he has, he has winning seasons.
But you know, like I said itbefore, uh, pittsburgh, they're
looking for championships,they're not looking for winning
(12:55):
seasons.
Uh, the standard is thestandard of of making it to at
least the AFC championship gameand then the Super Bowl after
that.
But the AFC championship gameand then the Super Bowl after
that.
But Tony, let's stay with you.
The Texans have wonback-to-back AFC South titles
and made it to the divisionalround in the last two seasons.
Are the Texans looking at thesame result this season, or
(13:18):
should they be doing better?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
I think that until someone else actually emerges as
a challenger, I think theTexans the South is the Texans
to lose.
I mean, you got CJ Stroud goingin his third year.
He's a great QB and a great upand coming leader.
You've got Nick Chubb.
If he can somehow find thefountain of youth down in
(13:41):
Houston and stay healthy,that'll be a big help, Even with
Mixon potentially being out afull year.
Indianapolis is always in thatthey're not awful enough to get
a top pick, but they're just notgood enough to be a playoff
team.
So Indy could be a dark horsewild card.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah, they could, um for sure?
Um, ryan, what about you?
Yeah, I, I totally agree withtony that, uh, the texans, it's,
it's their division, really tolose.
And the colts, I think, aregoing to be a dark horse, like
he said.
I think they're going to bemuch improved depending whether
it's danny dimes playing allyear giving anthony richardson
to go for it, um, but the texansrun game I think is going to be
(14:34):
uh is their backfield with nickchubb and mixin and what else?
Uh, can they Go over the top toNico Collins?
I mean, it's going to be fun towatch.
If Stroud can take another stepforward, I think it's going to
be a pretty good team in Houston.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, Houston's going to be tough, I think.
But, Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (14:59):
Yeah, I think it's their division to win.
I think they're the best teamin that division right now.
I think the Jags may be alittle better than they were
last year.
I think Maybe Tennessee mightbe a little better, but I just
think that's the division.
Unfortunately, they're not thebetter team in the AFC right now
.
So I think the same resultThey'll win the division, but I
(15:22):
think they struggle in theplayoffs once again and probably
end up losing.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Okay, bill, what?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
about you.
I got to think a lot of thesame.
I think a lot really hinges onStroud and if he can be what I
mean as an Ohio State fan, whatI think he can be and I think a
lot of people thought of rookieyear if he can be, you know,
really a guy, I think you knowthey can take the next step.
I think in the division they'rein, though regular season wise,
(15:46):
it would be a bigdisappointment for them to lose
that division.
Jaguars, I think really theonly ones that have a good shot
at it.
Cam Ward interested to see.
I just don't really see theTitans or the Colts really
really threatening for thedivision too much.
So I think Texans get that andthen if Stroud turns out to
(16:07):
really be a guy, maybe you cango win a couple of playoff games
and see where it goes fromthere.
But you know, good roster ledby Stroud, but I don't see him
competing with the really bigdogs in the AFC yet.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
I got you, tj, round us out here.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
About the same.
You ride your passing game game.
It's just how this league goesum and they have the best
quarterback by far.
I think that you know, andwe're all sitting here waiting
for trevor lawrence to break out, and it's it's getting to that
point where we're talking abouta bust here.
It's, it's unfortunate andthat's why they brought in I
(16:42):
think that's why they brought inuh travis Hunter to he's.
I think he's going topotentially be more of an
offensive guy than defensive guy, even though you have more
value in defense.
But they're trying to giveTrevor Lawrence the best chance
that he can for the money thatthey paid him.
So they're trying to put thebest athletes around him.
But the addition of Nick Chubb.
What people don't understand isNick Chubb isn't a hey, I'm
(17:04):
going to go and get you 150yards a game.
You know I'm not going to gobreak those long, super long
runs.
But Nick Chubb breaks down indefense and you know he wasn't
healthy last year.
We brought him back too soon.
So he's now has a full offseason, a full, healthy off
season.
I really think he's going toget back to breaking down
defenses and giving Stroud theprotection he needs to be able
(17:24):
to hand the ball off when he'snot having the games that he
should be having and that'llopen up some of those routes.
It's the Texans' division tolose, and much like Washington
this year.
If the Texans find the hotstreak, like they did a couple
of years ago, when they get tothe playoffs, I think that they
could make a run.
But are they a team to beafraid of?
(17:46):
Probably not.
I really hope that.
Because he's on my fantasyroster, I hope that he does well
, but that's being selfish.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You're allowed.
You're allowed when it comes toyour fantasy teams.
You're absolutely allowed forsure.
I think, like everybody, theSouth is the Texans to lose it,
that they are going to dominatethat division again.
I like CJ.
Cj Stroud, I do.
I think he's a tough noseplayer and, like you to your
(18:18):
point, tj Chubb's just a bruiser, that's all he is.
He's just going to just weardown a defense and he's just
going to tire them out in thefirst half and then he's going
to open it up for Stroud lateron in the game.
And yeah, if they catch firelate, they're going to be scary.
Don't play off time.
I think so.
(18:40):
But, tj, I'll stay with you.
Who is your MVP prediction?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Oh boy.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
It's always a loaded question on this show.
It's always one.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
That's tough because I think MVPs, unfortunately, are
turning into a quarterbackaward and it turns into the team
that makes the playoffs in inalmost in a dominant fashion.
But then he makes in like, okay, who shouldn't be there?
My MVP, I'll go out there andsay it and it hurts as a Browns
(19:13):
fan.
I think our MVP is BakerMayfield.
I think that the Buccaneers areon the fringe of.
They should be in the playoffs.
He should be a playoff team.
They're in a division wherethey can run the division which
opens up Baker Mayfield to havesome huge games.
He had an extremely good yearlast year.
I think he's not as exciting asLamar, he's not as exciting as
(19:36):
Josh Allen.
He's exciting as Jaylen Danielsor Jayden Daniels.
Sorry, but I think that when itcomes to getting his team in
position to win games, they'regoing to win a lot of games,
especially in that division.
So I think that you know BakerMayfield is going to, you know,
(19:56):
break through, be the consistentquarterback that he's been, but
we're talking about a guythat's 4,500 yards to 4,900
yards passing.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah, yeah, I.
I would love to see that.
As a Buccaneers fan myself,Baker's my guy.
I love his attitude, I love hisfire.
I love the way he just wants tocompete.
Even in training camp, whenthey wanted to sit him down
because he was getting a littlebanged up because he was just
being his typical maniac self intraining camp, ended up
(20:29):
bruising pretty badly histhrowing hand and he's like
bruises aren't going to stop mefrom from playing Like just
let's, let, let's go.
And I love that attitude thatthe NFC South is is the
Buccaneers division.
For what I can see for theforeseeable future, just that
defense.
And now, with the healthy MikeEvans, a healthy Chris Godwin
(20:50):
and the receivers that we addedat Tampa, I don't know how you
don't give it to Baker Mayfieldin that race of MVP, and if not,
I mean I'll scream from themountaintop that it's rigged A
thousand percent.
But Phil, what about you?
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Yeah, I'm a diehard Browns fan.
That one hurts man, that onehurts.
Uh, love baker and I love whathe's doing down there.
But I'm gonna go with someoneelse, as a browns fan don't
really love to do either.
But um, I think might just putup some video game numbers and
if the defense can do enough towin games, I'm actually I'm
going to say Burrow, I think itmight be Burrow, I think maybe I
(21:40):
was going to go Lamar there,but I think Burrow, I think
they're going to have to throwthe ball around the yard.
I really do.
And the defense, if they can.
You know the defense is notgoing to do enough to be having
them not throw the ball.
But if they can, you know thedefense is not going to do
enough to be having them notthrow the ball.
But if they can do enough towin some games, be in the
playoffs, I think Burrow again,I think some video game type
numbers maybe this year can kindof get them in that category
(22:01):
and maybe see him win it.
I like Burrow, I think he cando it Again, hate as a Browns
fan, but like to see him do itover Lamar, so we'll say him.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Burrow's a solid pick .
You can't go wrong with old Joe.
But Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Lamar Jackson.
I think he's going to come backagain.
I think they felt like theywere like on the brink of
winning it last year.
You know, andrews catches thatpass who knows what happens in
the playoffs.
So I think they're kind ofhungry again to kind of win this
thing and I think he's gonnapull.
He's gonna play really wellthis year, I think.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Okay, ryan what about you?
Speaker 6 (22:44):
yeah, uh, I'm agreeing with bill.
I believe it was, and joeburrow did for the same exact
reason.
If they can get some wins intothe playoffs, I I think that's
what hindered his ability to winit last year because of what he
did with the situation he wasin.
But, yeah, love watching him asa player.
But I believe it would be JoeBurrow if it's a quarterback.
(23:07):
If it's not a quarterback, I'mgoing with Saquon Barkley as a
running back.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Tony round us out on this question.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
This is going to be a wild card.
I'm going to say Jaden Daniels.
Jaden Daniels of Washington.
He put up really impressivenumbers last year, led
Washington to their first NFCchampionship game since 1991,
the year before I was born.
And if he can put up similarnumbers this year and Washington
(23:36):
can somehow win the NFC Eastwhich is not going to be easy
considering you have thedefending Super Bowl champs in
that same division If Danielscan have a breakout year, just
like last year he can throw, hecan run the ball I think that
(23:57):
Daniels could be in some darkhorse consideration.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I got you.
I don't.
I don't hate any of those picks, uh at all.
I think all of them are solid.
I would love to see somebodyother than mahomes or josh allen
win it.
Uh, seems like they've beendominating the mvp MVP races the
past couple of years Rightfullyso.
But yeah, I would love to seeone of those guys win it.
(24:20):
But, tony, we're going to stayhere and I knew this one is a
fitting question, just becausehe knows I'm a Steelers fan.
But who wins more games, aaronRodgers with the Steelers or
Russell Wilson with the Giants?
Who wins more games, aaronRodgers with the Steelers or
Russell Wilson with the Giants.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
The vibes are good with the Giants right now.
Yeah, russell Wilson, theveteran QB, they don't have
Tommy Cutlets, no more.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
No, you got real Tommy Cutlets.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
And Jackson Dart really did impress in the
preseason and people are high onhim, and then you have Jameis
being Jameis.
So, um, I am gonna have to say,that being said, although the
vibes are high with the Giants,because the standard, and only
because the standard is thestandard, I'm going to pick the
Steelers to somehow win 10 gamesand somehow get in the playoffs
(25:16):
.
Aaron rogers is gonna dosomething like announce his
retirement at the end of theseason if the stewards make a
deep playoff run, or somethinglike that gotcha ryan, what
about you?
Speaker 6 (25:31):
I'm agreeing with tony and saying that the
standard is the standard and theSteelers are going to have more
wins with Aaron Rodgers overthe Giants with Russell Wilson.
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (25:45):
I'm going to say Aaron Rodgers too, only because
I don't think Russell Wilson isgoing to be playing that long.
I can't see him lasting.
I think they're going to getthe dart right away First couple
of, maybe three or four gamesin.
I think they're going to gethim out because I don't know if
you've seen the schedule theyhave a rough schedule to start
off.
I can see them going like 0 for2, 0 for 3, and then just start
(26:08):
throwing in the towel alreadyand start dart.
I can see Rodgers playing somemore games than him and getting
some more wins because of it.
Gotcha Bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
I don't know if it's a trick question or not, is it
with Wilson?
Because I feel like, like yousaid, we could have a
quarterback change.
But I'm going to be a haterhere and kind of maybe change
the question up and just sayoverall wins, steelers or Giants
for the year.
I'm going Giants.
It's less about the quarterbackand more about defense and
defensive line.
I think their defensive line isnasty Again, probably being a
(26:43):
little bit of a hater here as aBrowns fan.
But I'm not convinced aboutRodgers and Pittsburgh.
You can pencil them in foreight or nine wins and we'll see
if the Giants can get maybe onemore than that with a good
D-line and got neighbors andeverything else out there.
So I will say Giants, maybe tothrow a wrench into things here.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, we're going to circle back to that here in a
second Bill, but I want to getTJ's answer on this one first.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, I immediately started thinking about defense.
I'm like man, the Giants have areally good interior.
They just have a really gooddefense interiorly.
But it's a quarterback leaguekind of like I said before.
And, unfortunately, russellWilson he was a product of the
Pete Carroll system.
He's a very talentedquarterback with a great running
(27:29):
game.
The Giants aren't going to puttogether an offensive scheme
that makes Leslie Wilson lookbetter than an aging quarterback
is, whereas Aaron Rodgers,they'll find a way to run the
ball.
That's just who the Steelersare.
They're going to run the ball,no matter who the quarterback is
, and they're going to find away to do it and do it well.
(27:52):
And then I think the Steelers'defensive mentality outmatches
the giants defensive mentality.
So, um, I think that, uh, thesteelers, just you know, they
walk into a locker roomexpecting to win.
The giants walk in a lockerroom proud though, you know,
happy with a win.
So you know the browns do thesame thing.
So, unfortunately, just how weare, uh, the bottom of the
(28:12):
barrel of the NFL.
So I'm still saying theSteelers, they're going to win
more games, just out of, youknow, look at the past, you know
, hindsight, 2020, we'll belooking at that in a year or so.
So that's how it is Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I absolutely think it will be Aaron Rodgers and the
Steelers because of that defensein Pittsburgh, that defensive
mentality is what they have.
We're going to smack you in themouth and you're going to have
to literally run through us toget anywhere.
We were having winning seasonsand 10 win seasons with Kenny
(28:50):
Pickett as our quarterback.
I mean, let's face it, the dudecan't even hold onto the ball.
His hands are so small.
He was a bust as a draft pick.
Russell Wilson as an agingquarterback in that system just
didn't really work.
Justin Fields although I washigh on Justin Fields, not to
the level of what Rogers is andwhat Rogers has done in the NFL.
(29:17):
And then I mean after Ben,we've had like 10 different
quarterbacks since BenRoethlisberger has retired and
we've had we've had.
We had freaking Mason Rudolphwinning games, like I think we.
Like Rogers is going to get itdone solely because of the
defense is going to keep him inthe games and Rodgers makes
(29:39):
those plays late in the game,when it counts and when he needs
it, and he's going to throw upa prayer to DK and the game is
going to be a Hail Mary to DK.
It's going to end every game.
I can see it happening.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
My son's two and I think the Browns have had 10
quarterbacks since he's beenalive.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
You're not wrong on that one, tj.
Let's stay with you here.
Do the Browns have the worstquarterback room in the NFL?
Joe Flacco is the starter andShador Sanders and Dylan Gabriel
are the backups, along withDeshaun Watson being on IR.
Like is this the worstquarterback room in the league
(30:18):
right now.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
So I'm gonna say no.
Here's why our quarterback roomhas talent where other
quarterback rooms may not haveany talent actually involved.
Do we know what's going on?
No, not even a little bit.
I think that Stefanski, youknow, kind of going back to what
(30:41):
we talked about at thebeginning.
When he's on the hot seat, Ithink, unfortunately he's being
dealt a hand.
That's not extremely fairbecause of the quarterback room.
But with that being said, joeFlacco proven veteran, you know
exactly what you're getting.
You're going to get 30touchdowns, 30 interceptions.
That's just what you're goingto get.
You're going to get a ton of it.
You're going to get the JamesWinston.
(31:01):
You're going to get a guy thatthrows for 400 yards and four
interceptions.
It's just, we know what we'regetting.
But then we have rookies thatwe only have upside.
You know we're going to watchout how that plays.
You look at, you know we justchanged Kenny Pickett to the
Raiders.
You look at that.
They had one quarterback, theyhad one.
So now they're sitting therethinking like, if this doesn't
(31:23):
work out, now we have KennyPickett.
It's just, you know, I'm notsaying Kenny Pickett's done, for
Look at Sam Darnold, butthere's other teams that have
one choice and as soon as you goto the backup now it's you're
in there in real bad shape.
They looked at Lamar.
Instead of Lamar gets hurt, dothe Ravens make the playoffs,
(31:45):
and I think that if Flacco getshurt, we're in the exact same
position really.
So I think we have aconsistently low quarterback
room, but I don't think we havethe worst situation in the
league.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Okay, bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Yeah, I'll say not the worst and I think we're
probably in the bottom two orthree, unfortunately.
But I like Flacco Can buy intothe rookies.
I like Shadur going up maybe.
But I think the Saints roomright now is probably the worst.
(32:21):
They're starting Rattler Ithink they got.
You know they drafted Chuck,I'm assuming doesn't isn't
showing too well down there, somaybe by default it's not the
Browns.
I'll go with the Saints beingthe worst right now.
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Yeah, I'm right there with Bill.
I think the Saints have theworst quarterback room right now
.
Brown's a little close, but Ithink Flacco is going to give
you some good games.
He's not going to turn the ballover, he's give you what you
know every once in a while, latein the game, you might throw a
pick, but he's going to beconsistent.
He'll throw the ball away likehe should a veteran guy does.
(33:00):
But that saints, uh, those, youknow the route I'm starting and
then, um, the backup.
I have no idea what they'redoing now there.
Of course, they're playing forarch manning, I think next year.
So I think that's what they'regetting ready for for next year.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I think a lot of teams are going to be doing that
this year.
Bob, I don't think you're.
I honestly I, I shit you not.
When they, the steelers, signedrogers, I was just like this
was our year.
This was our year to just tank aseason to get the number one
pick, to get arch manning andhave a manning playing for us,
(33:36):
like that's.
That's where I was at.
I thought it was gonna happen.
No, it's not.
It's not that somehow they,they're gonna win 10 games and
that's just.
It's just.
It's pittsburgh, uh.
But ryan, what about you withthe browns qb room?
Speaker 6 (33:49):
yeah, I would uh agree with bob and bill um
saying the saints is the worst,because rattler is not a good
option in my opinion, unless youknow there was some miracle
that he that happened to himover the off season.
Um, but if flacco goes down,you're turning to gabriel and
sanders.
So, as there's, as you, wouldturn to two rookies.
(34:11):
Uh, I still think that there'sa lot of upside with what was
said earlier.
But again, if Radler gets hurt,then you go to Shuck.
But boy is that a toughsituation.
Kellen Moore got himself into agood situation his first year,
having to figure out thatquarterback room For sure,
(34:32):
figure out that quarterback roomfor sure.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
and after these last three answers, let's go to our
resident Saints fan, tony, toround out this y'all pray for me
.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Oh man, I'm gonna have to agree with every single
one of y'all.
The Saints QB room is the worst, and I'm saying this is a
Saints fan.
On the bright side, it's nicethat we're finally just taking
the band-aid off and going intoa rebuild, which we need to do.
A couple years ago, because ofour cap hell that we were in
(35:09):
almost being in contention butnot really being in contention.
I am not high on Rattler orShuff, and Shuff's gonna be 26
next month, so kind of like aBrandon Whedon Situation back in
the day.
I think we're just Tanking forArch.
I would have liked to have hadTommy Cutlets.
Tommy Cutlets would have Atleast provided some vibes, even
(35:32):
if he wasn't the best QB.
So I'm going to go with ourSaints.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I get it and I have to agree that the Saints is by
far worse than the Browns.
It's a very close race, though.
You can't start the season with10 quarterbacks in your QB room
in training camp and expectpeople not to well, what are
they going to do?
Yeah, yeah, you can have one godown, but you can only bring
(36:00):
two to three to a game at bestand like it's just a flack.
Oh, I mean, I talk about a guythat needs to like hang the
cleats up.
I mean he's still got a littlelife in him.
I don't know if he has a fullseason.
It's going to come down toShador and Dylan fighting out
for that backup spot to seewho's going to replace Flacco
(36:25):
during the season, because Imean he's going to get hurt.
But yeah, the Saints.
I honestly couldn't even havetold you who was backing up
Rattler.
To be 1,000% honest with youguys, the fact that I'm saying
Rattler is the starter is justastronomical to me.
That's what y'all are having todeal with, tony, and yeah, I
(36:47):
feel for you.
You know, prayers send your wayas a Saints fan and all Saints
fans alike, because it's goingto be a rough season, uh, for
y'all.
But Tony, this day with youhere and uh, who's your uh pick
to win coach of the year?
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Coach of the year I'm going to have to say Dan
Campbell, the lions, because thelions, like I said, have that
swagger, they've got thatMidwestern toughness.
I think if the Lions can put adeep run together and say, make
(37:22):
the Super Bowl this year I knowthe coach of the year has
decided even before that, whichI think is kind of dumb, but I
would have to go with DanCampbell of the Lions and if the
Broncos can make a deep run,which is going to be tough, my
dark horse pick is I can'tbelieve I'm saying this as a
(37:44):
Saints fan Sean Payton of theBroncos.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
I was waiting to see if you would even bring him up,
tony, to be honest with you.
But, brian, what about you?
Who's your coach of the year?
I'm waiting to see if you wouldeven bring them up, tony, to be
honest with you.
But uh, brian, what about you?
Who's your coach of the year?
Speaker 6 (37:57):
I'm gonna be as optimistic as I can as a Bears
fan and say Ben Johnson, that'sa lot of optimism.
I'm gonna.
I'm gonna be gonna win 10 games, bono and he's gonna win coach
of the year and it's going to bea magnificent season, brian
everybody's got to have a dream,man, I love you to death,
brother.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Everybody's got a dream and I'm rooting for you.
I'm rooting for you on that one.
Speaker 6 (38:22):
It's coming, bono, when it happens, you can
bookmark this point in thepodcast.
All right, I will.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
I will happily clip this and blast it all over
social media.
If it happens, I'll even pay toboost it so more people see it
Like that's just for you, ryan,that's something to look forward
to now.
Speaker 6 (38:44):
This is going to be great.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (38:50):
Who's your coach of the year?
Jim Harbaugh, I think.
I think the Chargers are goingto do some good things this year
.
I think they're going tosurprise some people.
Uh, I think they're going towin the west.
They're make a little bit of adeep run.
So I think Jim Harbaugh isgoing to come out and surprise
people, maybe to throw in KansasCity this year.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
I don't hate it, I.
I don't hate the Jim Harbaughpick there.
I really don't, uh.
But Bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (39:15):
Yeah, I think coach of the year, I'm thinking of a
team that again is going tooverachieve.
I think a team that's been badfor a while now had a lot of
heydays, honestly not that longago, but I think it might be
with the Patriots.
If you can make them in therunning, maybe sneak into a wild
(39:35):
card spot young and up andcoming, I think obviously get
the Patriots back relevant againIn his first year.
I think it would be, you know,obviously something that could
be kind of latched on to by someof the media and kind of carry
the candidacy towards Coach ofthe Year.
So we'll throw Vrabel out there, okay.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
Solid pick too.
Dj round us out here.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
I love the Vrabel pick.
That was the first thing,because if he does anything
successful, he's great.
But I'm going to go Zach Taylorfor the Bengals.
I think that if Joe Burrowconnects with his offense and
the defense, the defense wasabysmal.
The defense was like here, justwalk by us, score so that our
(40:20):
offense can go back on the field, because we don't want to be
out here.
They can shake that, even withtheir high payroll, with their
four players or whatever it is.
I'm telling you, if they canget into the playoffs, that team
is going to look like wow.
Even though we have Joe Burrow,who's a potential MVP player,
even though we have the widereceiving core that we have, I
(40:41):
think that that team couldreally shock people into being a
playoff team, a wildcard team,and they might repreciate Zach
Taylor.
I think it might earn him alittle bit more in his contract.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
so that's the one I'm picking on a limb I, I like how
we we all have differentpicture.
I was thinking dan campbell,tony, I, I like that pick solid.
Everyone's made some, some goodpicks.
I'm gonna throw another monkeywrench into everything here and
I'm going to say Pete Carrollwith the Raiders, kind of using
(41:15):
your theory there, bill, hebrings in Gino Smith down there
in Vegas.
He knows his system, he knowshow to run it and I think he
turns the Raiders around andthey sneak into a wild card here
in the West.
And you know that I think yougot to give it to Pete Carroll
for turning around thatfranchise, and I think you got
to give it to Pete Carroll forturning around that franchise
and, um, I think that's what'sgoing to happen.
(41:36):
So, um, I like them as a darkhorse.
Uh, you can't go wrong withVegas and it, it, I, it.
I had almost paused there tosay Vegas and not Oakland.
Um, I had a.
I had to think about that for asecond.
Um, but TJ, another, anotherbig one here, who's?
Speaker 2 (41:59):
your Superbowl prediction.
Oh boy, I mean, it's so hard.
Let's go.
I'm on the Buccaneers train.
I don't know, it's just how itis.
I'm on the Buccaneers train,ride it, man.
(42:21):
It's a fun train, ride it.
It's just something about them.
It's just a weird.
They have enough.
They have enough.
Okay, let's go.
Let's go Buccaneers.
See, now this is where you'retalking about.
(42:45):
You have a lot of teams.
Let's go Buccaneers.
You know what I'll give JoshAllen?
I'll give Josh Allen his chance.
Give Josh Allen his chance.
Let's say the Bills get to theSuper Bowl.
Let's do the Bills and theBuccaneers.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Okay, I like it.
I like the Bucs pick.
I'm not going to lie to you.
Just stay on that train, DJ.
I'm telling you it's a fun ride.
It's a fun ride on thatBuccaneers train.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Bill, what about you?
The train of the Browns hasbeen fucking going off the rails
for a while.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
Yeah, you've been off the rails for a while we were
off the rails as a Buccaneersfan, don't get me wrong.
We had our down years.
We're finally getting on thetracks on the Baker Mayfield
train.
That's what we're, bill.
Who's your prediction?
Speaker 4 (43:33):
we just go prediction here, we go with champion as
well just prediction who's inthe game?
make sure I want to make surelet's do.
I like.
The bills pick I'll give toJosh Allen.
I think I feel like you justseen so many marquee matchups
with him in really big games andthey've just come up just short
in the playoffs against some ofyour big time quarterbacks, him
(43:58):
and Burrow going at it and Ithink flip the coin.
Maybe it flips his way thisyear and he gets the ball last
and can kind of get the job donethere at the AFC and then NFC.
I'll go, probably maybe alittle recency buys with the
Michael Parson trade.
But we'll go with the Packers.
I like them.
They were good last year.
(44:19):
I like Jordan Love, think thedefense is good.
You add Parson, that certainlyisn't going to hurt you.
So you know, eagles are greatover there, obviously as well.
But we'll go with someone newand say the Packers versus Bills
Okay, bob, obviously as well,but uh, we'll go with someone
new and say the packers, uhpackers versus bills.
Speaker 5 (44:38):
Okay, bob, what about you?
I'm going with washington andbaltimore as my two teams go on.
I think washington's gonna growup this year.
Uh, yeah, they're in thedivision with philly, but I
think philly's it's one of thosethings where, when you win a
Super Bowl, you go out partyingthat whole year.
So I think the Eagles have beenpartying.
I could see Barkley breakingdown too.
(44:59):
I think he had a great yearlast year, but I could see him
maybe breaking down a little bitthis year.
So I'm going to do Washington.
I'm going to go with my coachof the year, harbaugh, with the
Baltimore, and it's going to beBaltimore and San Diego in the
NFC championship game.
I think too.
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Yeah another hardball bowl.
I can see it coming soon, verysoon, ryan.
What about you?
Speaker 6 (45:31):
wild card answer, trying to think of something fun
.
But all I can think about aftersaying what I said is the Lions
beating the Bears in theplayoffs and then going to the
Super Bowl.
So the Lions, and then I'mgoing to go with the Bengals,
lions-bengals in the Super Bowl.
Not a bad one, tony.
(45:51):
What about you?
I am?
Speaker 1 (45:52):
Lions-Bangles in the Super Bowl.
Not a bad one.
Not a bad one, Tony.
What about you?
I?
Speaker 3 (45:58):
am going to go with Detroit and Buffalo.
I was so tempted to go withKansas City, but I'm going to go
with Buffalo and Detroit forthe Super Bowl A battle of two
teams who've never won at all.
I'm going to go with Buffaloand Detroit for the Super Bowl a
(46:18):
battle of two teams who'venever won at all.
I don't believe Detroit's everbeen to the Super Bowl, so I'm
going to go for that game andit's going to be a high-scoring
affair.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Okay, I would love to see that Two teams that have
never made the Super Bowlfighting for their first.
I think the entire world therewould be nobody not watching
this game.
People who don't even likefootball would be watching that.
I'm going to be a super homerbecause I can't figure it out.
(46:49):
I'm just going to go with mytwo favorite teams.
I'm going to saySteelers-Buccaneers, and that's
just going to be a heartbreaker.
Favorite teams I'm going to saySteelers Buccaneers, and that's
just going to be a heartbreakerfor me.
I wouldn't know who to root for.
I'd be rooting for offense andjust hoping it's just a high
scoring affair of being aSteelers and Buccaneers fan.
I'm going to go with both ofthem.
(47:10):
I really do think the Steelerscan make it this year, mainly
because I mean, what a way forAaron Rodgers to write off into
the sunset.
I mean he's pretty much, he'shinted but hasn't come out and
say this is his last year.
Go out with Pittsburgh, make adeep run, win a Super Bowl, call
(47:31):
it a career, and you know, Ilegit think the Buccaneers can
make it.
I have no idea on the AFC.
The AFC is just stacked.
It's a flip a coin and you'regoing to land on a team that can
win the Super Bowl and the AFC,but I like what the Buccaneers
are doing.
I like the team.
The defense, the offense isclicking.
(47:53):
I think this is our year to getback without Tom Brady, and so
people can stop telling me sothe only reason you guys want a
Superbowl is because you had TomBrady.
So I can.
I can finally get that off offof my back as a fucking nearest
fan.
Tony, stay with you and just gowith you on this one here.
Tony, stay with you and let'sgo with you on this one here.
Speaker 3 (48:21):
What team is poised to have a huge step forward this
year?
I am going to say in the AFC,jacksonville they're going to
take a step forward.
Wild card pick is Las Vegas.
I don't know if Jacksonvillewill make the playoffs, but I
(48:43):
mean you can't do much worsethan 3-14.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
You can't go 0-16?
.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
You absolutely can't go worse than 3-14.
But they're not going to goover 16.
And I think Travis Hunter isgoing to be as good as people
expect.
I think probably they're goingto be around seven, get seven,
eight wins and be in contentionuntil week 17 or 18.
And in the NFC, I don't thinkthey'll make the playoffs but
they're going to be better thantheir 3-14 record last year, the
(49:13):
New York Giants.
They'll probably win aroundeight games.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Okay, fourth, what about you?
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Yeah, I agree totally with Tony with those two teams.
But I'm going to go with thechargers in the AFC.
I think just making theplayoffs last year, getting a
taste of that and then gettingHerbert back fully healthy,
taking a step forward, isdefinitely in the cards for them
.
And then in the NFC I'm stayingwith the Bears but I know
(49:40):
they're taking that step forward.
It's happening, I know it is.
I'm sticking to it.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
You stick to your guns, man.
I will never fault you forsticking to your guns.
I scream every year from themountaintops that the Buccaneers
and Steelers are going to be inthe Super Bowl every year.
Right, I'm not going to be madat you for that.
It's not going to happen, but Iappreciate it.
Speaker 6 (50:05):
Again, bookmark it, Bookmark this yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
I'm telling you, I'll make the deal with you right
now.
If that happens, I swear to you, I will only cut out this
portion of the show and air it.
Just that's it.
A 30-second show, and it's just.
Yeah, barth was right.
Speaker 6 (50:28):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (50:29):
No, I got you, man Bob.
What about you, who takes a bigstep forward this year?
Speaker 5 (50:36):
Jacksonville and the NFC.
I think they're going to bebetter than they were the last
couple years.
I think Lawrence will play alittle better.
I got Hunter to give himanother weapon.
And then I want to say in theNFC, I want to say Seattle.
I think Seattle is going tocome up a little bit.
I think they're going to bebetter.
I think you know the 49ers.
(50:58):
I think they're going to bedown a little bit.
I'd like to say the Bears, butthat division is so hard I feel
bad for them.
They're probably the bestdivision in the NFC.
So I would have to go withmaybe Seattle to make a little
bit of a surprise run.
And then Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (51:16):
Stoy.
What about you, man Bono?
I think you might be wrong.
On the Bears, I think theymight be.
I think I mean 5-1, 5-12, I wasjust looking it up last year.
I mean they got the talent.
You obviously hope CalebWilliams takes that next step.
Got Ben Johnson.
I see no reason why not.
I mean they got the talentthere, they just got to put it
together.
And if they can kind of startclicking on offense Caleb
(51:39):
Williams can start clicking Ithink they absolutely can go get
double the wins from last yearwithout an issue.
And then AFC side, I think I'llstick with the Patriots again, I
think with Ray Bull, drake Maytaking another step up.
We'll see if they're quitethere yet.
I think they can add a couplemore weapons, but they can be
(52:00):
kind of a hard-nosed defensiveteam and Drake may kind of take
a step up.
I think they got, you know,love Trey Henderson from Ohio
State.
I think he's electric there.
So I think they can, you know,definitely improve the base that
they have been the past four orfive years.
So those will be my two squads.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Okay, tj.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
The Pats are the first team that came into my
mind and Travion Henderson, thatwas the first person.
I think that's a game changer.
If he stays healthy, thePatriots double their win total.
I think they're at eight wins.
Are they a playoff team?
Probably not.
But um, that division, theDolphins have a chance to fall.
(52:42):
Um, I just think that thatdivision has enough for the
taking to where the Patriots canbe, you know, can do really
well.
I think the Jets, if their Dline doesn't play there's not a
whole lot behind that D linethat does real well.
But in, you know, in the NFC I'm, you know, this is the.
(53:04):
You know, bono, you're going toinvite me just for this, but
keep inviting me to podcasts.
But the Buccaneers, they're 10wins, they won the division and
I don't think 10 wins shows thetype of team they are.
I think they're a 12-win team.
I think they're a 13-win teamthis year.
I think they take that stepforward into being a dominant
team where, week in and week out, everybody puts their best foot
(53:29):
forward.
You know, you circle thoseteams on the schedule.
You say, hey, if we beat this,this team, people will start
paying attention to us.
But I think the buccaneers aregoing to be that 12 13 win team
where it's listen, we're hereand we're not going anywhere and
you have to play your best gameto beat us.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
So I, you know, pats and buccaneers, I think that's
who I have for those two teamsI'm never going to bite your
head off to say the Buccaneersare going to be doing better.
I can see the stank face fromTony as a Saints fan over there.
He's banking on that one my twoteams.
I think Vegas takes a big stepforward.
(54:08):
I like Pete Carroll.
I liked him when he was inSeattle.
He's a hell of a coach.
Bringing Geno Smith on boardwith him they're a quarterback
who knows his offense.
I think Vegas takes a big stepforward.
Yeah, jags come to mind too aswell.
(54:30):
Patriots, that's a solid picktoo.
I mean, there's a lot of teamsthat need to make a big step
forward.
I think they do.
I think a lot of teams take abig step forward, but Vegas is
going to be the one for me thatI think really takes that big
leap forward under Pete Carrolland TJ.
We're going to end the showwith this last question here,
(54:52):
and it's is Jalen.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Hur hurts a top 10 quarterback in the NFL.
He, he really is, and I guess,maybe being a Browns fan, this
is just the sour taste in ourmouths.
We've seen quarterbacks destroya talented team, a talented
offense, a talented defense, andif you don't have a quarterback
(55:21):
at the helm, they can at leastkeep the game steady.
You lose, you lose games.
So when you talk about a guythat consistently gets to the
playoffs and now he's won asuper bowl and it's not even
like he won a super bowl, hedominated a super bowl and you
want to look around it like, oh,he had sequin barkley, oh, he
has aj brian, oh, he's got thisdefense, he's got all these,
(55:42):
yeah, but the quarterback stillcan't give the ball to the other
team.
You, if your quarterback doesthat consistently and your
quarterback can't run theoffense and your quarterback
doesn't have the trust of allthe offense behind him, they
will, they will lose those games.
So how many years does he haveto be a winning quarterback for
us to consider him a top 10talent?
(56:04):
So I I say yes, and just basedoff of his resume, okay, bill,
what about?
Speaker 4 (56:12):
you.
Yeah, I say yeah as well.
I think obviously last year itwas a big one for the resume for
him.
But, um, he's a leader, he'sgreat with the legs, um, I think
they really are bought into himas the guy there and he throws
the ball super well too.
I mean, he, he performs whenyou need to perform, obviously,
(56:32):
um, through that playoff run andum, I mean I wouldn't be
shocked at all to see them makeanother run this year with him
and many years going forward.
So I would say definitely a top10 guy.
I don't know about top five,but on that five to 10 range, I
think again a franchise-typequarterback and they got the
right one there in Philly.
Speaker 1 (56:54):
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (56:58):
I think he is a top ten.
I mean, you look at his resume.
Like I said, two Super Bowlsnow he's won.
One Was the MVP in the one lastyear.
So I think you've got to givehim the credit of what he's done
.
They've got some weapons aroundhim which helps him out a
little bit, but I think he doesa good job and he's kind of came
(57:22):
over out of nowhere kind of toreally play really well.
Speaker 1 (57:23):
so yeah, I think he's definitely a top 10 quarterback
.
Speaker 6 (57:25):
Okay, barth, what about you?
Yeah, I'm gonna go with thegeneral consensus saying he's
top 10 and, uh, just, he'sreally done a good job with just
managing the game throughouthis career.
He's always just very even keel, doesn't get too high, doesn't
get too low, but does his jobreally well and he's got a great
(57:45):
offensive line and a greatrunning back and that'll
certainly take some pressure offyou as a quarterback, so I'm
going to go with definitely inthe top 10 okay, tony, round us
out here I agree with the wholeconsensus here.
Speaker 3 (57:59):
He's a top 10 qb super bowl champion, doesn't
seem to get rattled underpressure and I wouldn't be
surprised if he made an rdplayoff run this year yeah, I, I
definitely think he's in thetop 10.
Speaker 1 (58:12):
I would put him on the lower end of the top 10.
I mean he's definitely.
I'd even go in that 7 to 10range.
I I'd say, uh, resumes, pickinghim up there.
Uh, two Super Bowls MVP, superBowl MVP, uh, a winning, winning
, one Super he's.
(58:33):
He's got it there.
He'll get up there into the topfive, I think.
But he's definitely a top 10quarterback and anybody who says
otherwise is is just a haterand just doesn't like Jalen
hurts in my opinion, because Imean, the kid can ball, he can
run, he can throw, he's got agreat arm strength and yeah,
(58:53):
he's, he's definitely a top 10quarterback, for sure.
But that is actually going to doit for this week's episode of
the ride home rants podcast inour nfl preview show.
I'm so glad for all my gueststo be on here tony, tj, bill,
bob and ryan for joining.
A lot of fun to get there andto sit and talk football with
anybody anytime.
(59:13):
As always, if you enjoyed theshow, be a friend, tell a friend
.
If you didn't, tell themanyways, because they might like
it just because you didn't.
That's going to do it for meand I will see y'all next week.
Welcome everybody to another episode of the Ride Home
Rants podcast.
This is, as always, your host,mike Bono.
I have a great episode for ustoday.
It is our yearly and annual NFLseason preview show.
I have a panel of guests thatI'm excited to talk to.
I'm going to let them introducethemselves and, guys, per usual
(00:23):
, I have some questions you needto answer at the beginning.
So I need your name, what statewere you born in, and do you
hand wash your dishes or use adishwasher and TJ?
We're going to start with you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Hello everyone.
Tj Lett, born in good old OhioMaybe not for sports, but it's
the heart of the Midwest.
But so I grew up and I didn'thave a dishwasher in my house so
I watched my mom do dishes byhand.
So I initially started doingthings by hand.
Then I got married and my wifestarted yelling at me for doing
(00:59):
it by hand and she said just putit in the dishwasher, we'll do
it later, you know.
So I've had to slowly breaksome habits and start using the
dishwasher.
But you know if it's just me inmy studio.
I had a studio.
I had four plates, four forks,four spoons, did it by hand.
All the dishes were put away atthe end of the night.
But then marriage happened.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
So that's easy, man.
Yeah, absolutely.
But Tony, what about you?
Speaker 3 (01:27):
That's easy man?
Yeah, absolutely, but Tony,what about you?
My name is Tony, I am from Ohio, I was born and raised in Ohio
and I have a dishwasher in mynew apartment, but I don't ever
use it.
Not because it's broken, it'sbecause I usually don't have a
lot of dishes to be using adishwasher.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
So I use it by hand, okay, okay bill, let's go to you
next.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
What's going on, guys ?
Uh, bill, uh, born and raisedin ohio, uh, I think fitting all
of us so far in the uh nfl perushow.
Um got canned right around thebend around here.
But uh, I'm a dishwasher guy.
Um occasionally hand wash, forsure.
Um, there's not enough to go in, but usually I'll find enough
to put in there, run load okay,bob, let's go to you next bob
(02:15):
cavalier.
Speaker 5 (02:15):
I was uh born in ohio and I am a hand washing guy.
I'm a single guy, I live in anapartment and uh don't have a
lot of dishes like everybodyelse, so I could do them easily.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Gotcha Ryan round us out here.
Speaker 6 (02:30):
Yeah, what's up guys?
I'm Ryan Barth from Illinois,born in Illinois, and I hand
wash my dishes.
While I still have a dishwasher, I prefer to do them by hand.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
I gotcha not a bad idea.
Nice little mix of hand washingversus dishwashing there, uh.
But everyone knows me, mikebono, born and raised in west
virginia.
I do live in ohio now, but, uh,west virginia through and
through, uh for sure, and I handwash my dishes.
Um, I have enough for adishwasher.
(03:06):
I don't have a dishwasher.
I wish I did, because my16-year-old seems to think that
every drink needs a new glassand I'm forever washing cups and
glasses.
And I buy him Solo cups.
That's what really gets me forhim, just for him.
And he uses my coffee mugs foreverything.
So, yeah, that's the joys ofparenthood and kids hand washing
(03:30):
dishes all day, every day.
We're not going to sit here totalk about dishes and that we're
going to talk about the NFL andTJ.
Let's start with you and let'sget this thing rolling.
Let's start with you and let'sget this thing rolling.
But rank these three coaches asto who is on the hot seat to
the coolest seat this year, andthat is Mike Tomlin for the
(03:52):
Steelers, kevin Stefanski forthe Browns and Dan Campbell for
the Lions.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Hot seat, kevin Stefanski.
Unfortunately it gothot-shotted from two years ago
when he was in the playoffs andthe coach of the year, with how
poorly they played last year.
So they hot-shotted to the topof the list and especially since
how Browns really go throughcoaches, I think that that is
kind of a safe bet there.
And then you got Mike Tomlin.
(04:21):
You brought in Aaron Rodgers.
I think that was a failedexperiment with Russell Wilson,
so now they bring in anotherveteran and with Aaron Rodgers
you're still going to have thatbuffer year.
But I mean, anytime he'sanywhere close to not going 500,
which is ridiculous he's on thehot seat and that's what
greatness breeds, that's whatyou have in a program, in an
(04:41):
organization, that expectation.
So unfortunately he's on thehot seat anytime he's anywhere
close to 500.
And then obviously dan campbell.
I think that they've been sosuccessful these last few years
with how poorly they played inthe last decade.
He was the sole reason theyturned around, sole reason
they've always had decentplayers.
(05:01):
They've had hall of fameplayers.
But you know they brought in acoach that just understands the
culture, understands Detroit andwhat they needed to be.
You know, run down your facetype of program.
So they're going to ride withhim for a little while.
It's gotta be catastrophic ifhe's going to end up being
canned.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Yeah, I don't see that happening at all.
But Bill, what about you?
Let's get your thoughts.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, I think I have the same exact order.
Um, I think safanski diehardbrowns fan but just tough to
watch.
It's been up and down this pastforever, but especially his
tenure.
Um, a lot of highs and a lot oflows.
Um, deshaun kind of you knowfactor in there.
I don't know how much we'll bekind of throwing on him for that
, but it it's the Browns,they're going to find a
scapegoat for not good this year.
They're probably going to lookhis direction either him or the
(05:53):
GM, so I can see him being onthe hot seat for sure.
Not a ton of confidence in usthis year, so I think it's got
to be him.
Tomlin number two same reasons.
I think I have a lot of Steelerfans that really aren't sure if
they want to keep him around,which, as a Browns fan, is crazy
to me.
You're in the running everyyear.
It's like I feel like Iappreciate the guy, but
(06:13):
everyone's kind of calling forhim and I feel like once you get
the heat from the fans kind ofcoming in, you have a little bit
of a hot seat there.
And Campbell I don't see reallyon the hot seat at all.
I think he's kind of solidifiedin there.
In Detroit.
We got a good team.
I think they'll be good againthis year, so I don't see too
much of a reason.
I think obviously I want to seethem take the next level and go
(06:34):
get to the Super Bowl, win aSuper Bowl and stuff, but I
think he bought himself a goodamount of time in there.
I got you.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Yeah, I mean, I have a feeling that's pretty much
going to be the order foreveryone here.
We're still going to giveeveryone another chance to talk.
But, bill, to your point withthe Steelers, that's a
Pittsburgh thing, that's just aPittsburgh sports fan.
I'm a Pittsburgh sports fan, Ilike the Steelers and I'm
calling for Tomlin's head.
I know he's never had a losingseason.
(07:00):
Blah, blah, blah, blah,whatever, whatever.
Win a playoff game how aboutthat season?
Blah, blah, blah, whatever,whatever.
Um, win a playoff game howabout that?
Uh, can we win a playoff game?
Haven't won a playoff game in adecade.
Uh, let's, let's win a playoffgame and we'll talk and we'll go
from there.
Uh, but that's the sentiment ofevery pittsburgh fan.
Um, if you're not winningplayoff games and championships,
you're not, you're not doing,you're not doing your job at
(07:23):
that point.
But, bob, what about you withthis hot list?
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I'd have to keep the same.
I think Stefanski would be atthe top of the list.
Unfortunately, something thatkind of isn't his fault because
they brought in Deshaun Watson.
I'm sure I don't know if he hadto sign off on it or not, but
getting him wasn't helping toomuch.
When the owner admits he made amistake, that's a thing.
But I think he's first and then, yeah, I think Tomlin's second.
(07:49):
I agree with all these otherguys.
Man, I'm glad to take Tomlin.
Getting me to that, I'm aDolphins fan.
I love to be in the playoffsevery year, so I don't know.
You spoiled Pittsburgh fans.
I got nothing to talk about.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
We don't, we really don't, we're just, we should go
to the playoffs.
We're spoiled.
We like our championship.
We don't like playoffsappearances, we like playoff
wins and championships.
I get it.
We're spoiled.
Spoiled fans, that's all we are.
Speaker 5 (08:18):
Yeah, campbell got to be third, even though I think
they're going to only give him acouple more years here, because
I think last year was a littlebit of a shock to them.
They lost in the first round,they got knocked out.
So I think he's on a shortlease here.
Even though he's probably theleast of the three, I'm still
thinking they need to kind ofmove on and get a couple of wins
in the playoffs this year.
(08:39):
But that's a tough division sothat's going to be an
interesting division to see.
Probably one division so that'sgonna be interesting division
to see, probably one of thebetter divisions of football,
especially what happened todaywith, uh, the packers, uh
getting what's the name for thecow, the cow part of his name,
michael parsons, the linebacker,yeah.
So that'll be interesting tosee how that plays out yeah that
that's a big one.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
Uh, for sure that coming down late today, uh, that
that happened.
Speaker 6 (09:01):
But uh, ryan, let's get to your list here with the
hot seats yeah, I think, uh,actually I put mcdaniel and
stefanski as the top two thatare probably on the hot seat.
Just, uh, offensively, theythat's more minded what they are
and not being able to provereally what they are.
I know some injuries haveimpacted that, but uh, I think
(09:24):
those are the top two.
And then, uh, being a bears fan, I would, you know, kill for
like tomlin's culture and allthat.
I know the winning seasons andall of that.
But winning in the playoffs canbe a tough thing to do, but
when you've been there as muchas they have, you'd probably
like to see some more wins.
But, uh, and then with campbelland the lions, I, uh, I really
(09:47):
like what he's done as well,just really changing the culture
in Detroit and being able towatch that firsthand.
Being a Bears fan, you knowit's, it's quite cool to see.
And then us getting Ben Johnson.
I'm hoping that he brings a lotof what Campbell's done for the
Lions.
So, just hoping that, orlooking at it from that sense of
(10:11):
who's on the hot seat, I thinkthat would be my order Okay.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
Tony round us out here.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
As far as hot seat goes, definitely Kevin Stefanski
3-14 record last year.
That's kind of a write-offbecause Sean Watson got injured.
You were starting with, itseems, like, 10 quarterbacks.
They basically had to beg MilesGarrett to stay and he did.
Got rid of Chubb.
No one liked that move at all.
(10:39):
I'll say if Stefanski doesn'tat least make the playoffs, he's
gone.
It doesn't matter what recordhe has, whether it's 10-7 like
Seattle last year, or another3-14 mark.
If Stefanski doesn't make theplayoffs, he's going to be shown
the door.
Next will be Mike Tomlin.
I don't know why Pittsburghwants to get rid of a coach who
(11:00):
was not at a losing season atall.
They should be grateful, eventhough they could be better.
The standard is the standardand he is not finished under
.500 at all, though Pittsburghcould use a playoff win or two.
I will say I will agree withthat.
But Tomlin, I think he's goingto be like Cowher he's going to
(11:22):
retire before he gets fired.
Think he's going to be likeCowher.
He's going to retire before hegets fired and the coldest seat
is his.
Fornow.
Campbell's seat is becauseDetroit had a 15 and two record.
Yeah, they lost to a Washingtonteam that caught fire at the
right time.
But they have a little.
They have the swagger, theyhave swagger, they have talent.
(11:44):
And this is a team that was,years ago, the first team to go
0-16 in a year.
To see how far they've come and, if not, for the second half,
collapse.
I believe Dan Campbell says heowns that for gambling a little
too much against San Francisco.
This is a team that could haveeasily made the Super Bowl each
(12:05):
of the past couple years.
I think that Dan Campbell'sseat is going to be high school.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
Yeah, I think we all agree with that, that Dan
Campbell is the safest of thesethree coaches.
Like there's no doubt Iprobably would have kicked you
out of this group if anybodywould have put Dan Campbell
anywhere but three on this list.
To be a hundred percent honestwith you, like that's just
asinine.
The man is, I mean, it's just,it is what it is.
The fancy is definitely got tobe number one.
(12:34):
It's Cleveland kind of havestandards, but they kind of roll
through some coaches a lot tooas well.
Tomlin's got to be right thereat number two.
And, yes, everyone, okay, yeah,he has, he has winning seasons.
But you know, like I said itbefore, uh, pittsburgh, they're
looking for championships,they're not looking for winning
(12:55):
seasons.
Uh, the standard is thestandard of of making it to at
least the AFC championship gameand then the Super Bowl after
that.
But the AFC championship gameand then the Super Bowl after
that.
But Tony, let's stay with you.
The Texans have wonback-to-back AFC South titles
and made it to the divisionalround in the last two seasons.
Are the Texans looking at thesame result this season, or
(13:18):
should they be doing better?
Speaker 3 (13:20):
I think that until someone else actually emerges as
a challenger, I think theTexans the South is the Texans
to lose.
I mean, you got CJ Stroud goingin his third year.
He's a great QB and a great upand coming leader.
You've got Nick Chubb.
If he can somehow find thefountain of youth down in
(13:41):
Houston and stay healthy,that'll be a big help, Even with
Mixon potentially being out afull year.
Indianapolis is always in thatthey're not awful enough to get
a top pick, but they're just notgood enough to be a playoff
team.
So Indy could be a dark horsewild card.
Speaker 6 (14:11):
Yeah, they could, um for sure?
Um, ryan, what about you?
Yeah, I, I totally agree withtony that, uh, the texans, it's,
it's their division, really tolose.
And the colts, I think, aregoing to be a dark horse, like
he said.
I think they're going to bemuch improved depending whether
it's danny dimes playing allyear giving anthony richardson
to go for it, um, but the texansrun game I think is going to be
(14:34):
uh is their backfield with nickchubb and mixin and what else?
Uh, can they Go over the top toNico Collins?
I mean, it's going to be fun towatch.
If Stroud can take another stepforward, I think it's going to
be a pretty good team in Houston.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Yeah, Houston's going to be tough, I think.
But, Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (14:59):
Yeah, I think it's their division to win.
I think they're the best teamin that division right now.
I think the Jags may be alittle better than they were
last year.
I think Maybe Tennessee mightbe a little better, but I just
think that's the division.
Unfortunately, they're not thebetter team in the AFC right now
.
So I think the same resultThey'll win the division, but I
(15:22):
think they struggle in theplayoffs once again and probably
end up losing.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Okay, bill, what?
Speaker 4 (15:26):
about you.
I got to think a lot of thesame.
I think a lot really hinges onStroud and if he can be what I
mean as an Ohio State fan, whatI think he can be and I think a
lot of people thought of rookieyear if he can be, you know,
really a guy, I think you knowthey can take the next step.
I think in the division they'rein, though regular season wise,
(15:46):
it would be a bigdisappointment for them to lose
that division.
Jaguars, I think really theonly ones that have a good shot
at it.
Cam Ward interested to see.
I just don't really see theTitans or the Colts really
really threatening for thedivision too much.
So I think Texans get that andthen if Stroud turns out to
(16:07):
really be a guy, maybe you cango win a couple of playoff games
and see where it goes fromthere.
But you know, good roster ledby Stroud, but I don't see him
competing with the really bigdogs in the AFC yet.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
I got you, tj, round us out here.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
About the same.
You ride your passing game game.
It's just how this league goesum and they have the best
quarterback by far.
I think that you know, andwe're all sitting here waiting
for trevor lawrence to break out, and it's it's getting to that
point where we're talking abouta bust here.
It's, it's unfortunate andthat's why they brought in I
(16:42):
think that's why they brought inuh travis Hunter to he's.
I think he's going topotentially be more of an
offensive guy than defensive guy, even though you have more
value in defense.
But they're trying to giveTrevor Lawrence the best chance
that he can for the money thatthey paid him.
So they're trying to put thebest athletes around him.
But the addition of Nick Chubb.
What people don't understand isNick Chubb isn't a hey, I'm
(17:04):
going to go and get you 150yards a game.
You know I'm not going to gobreak those long, super long
runs.
But Nick Chubb breaks down indefense and you know he wasn't
healthy last year.
We brought him back too soon.
So he's now has a full offseason, a full, healthy off
season.
I really think he's going toget back to breaking down
defenses and giving Stroud theprotection he needs to be able
(17:24):
to hand the ball off when he'snot having the games that he
should be having and that'llopen up some of those routes.
It's the Texans' division tolose, and much like Washington
this year.
If the Texans find the hotstreak, like they did a couple
of years ago, when they get tothe playoffs, I think that they
could make a run.
But are they a team to beafraid of?
(17:46):
Probably not.
I really hope that.
Because he's on my fantasyroster, I hope that he does well
, but that's being selfish.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
You're allowed.
You're allowed when it comes toyour fantasy teams.
You're absolutely allowed forsure.
I think, like everybody, theSouth is the Texans to lose it,
that they are going to dominatethat division again.
I like CJ.
Cj Stroud, I do.
I think he's a tough noseplayer and, like you to your
(18:18):
point, tj Chubb's just a bruiser, that's all he is.
He's just going to just weardown a defense and he's just
going to tire them out in thefirst half and then he's going
to open it up for Stroud lateron in the game.
And yeah, if they catch firelate, they're going to be scary.
Don't play off time.
I think so.
(18:40):
But, tj, I'll stay with you.
Who is your MVP prediction?
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Oh boy.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
It's always a loaded question on this show.
It's always one.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
That's tough because I think MVPs, unfortunately, are
turning into a quarterbackaward and it turns into the team
that makes the playoffs in inalmost in a dominant fashion.
But then he makes in like, okay, who shouldn't be there?
My MVP, I'll go out there andsay it and it hurts as a Browns
(19:13):
fan.
I think our MVP is BakerMayfield.
I think that the Buccaneers areon the fringe of.
They should be in the playoffs.
He should be a playoff team.
They're in a division wherethey can run the division which
opens up Baker Mayfield to havesome huge games.
He had an extremely good yearlast year.
I think he's not as exciting asLamar, he's not as exciting as
(19:36):
Josh Allen.
He's exciting as Jaylen Danielsor Jayden Daniels.
Sorry, but I think that when itcomes to getting his team in
position to win games, they'regoing to win a lot of games,
especially in that division.
So I think that you know BakerMayfield is going to, you know,
(19:56):
break through, be the consistentquarterback that he's been, but
we're talking about a guythat's 4,500 yards to 4,900
yards passing.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Yeah, yeah, I.
I would love to see that.
As a Buccaneers fan myself,Baker's my guy.
I love his attitude, I love hisfire.
I love the way he just wants tocompete.
Even in training camp, whenthey wanted to sit him down
because he was getting a littlebanged up because he was just
being his typical maniac self intraining camp, ended up
(20:29):
bruising pretty badly histhrowing hand and he's like
bruises aren't going to stop mefrom from playing Like just
let's, let, let's go.
And I love that attitude thatthe NFC South is is the
Buccaneers division.
For what I can see for theforeseeable future, just that
defense.
And now, with the healthy MikeEvans, a healthy Chris Godwin
(20:50):
and the receivers that we addedat Tampa, I don't know how you
don't give it to Baker Mayfieldin that race of MVP, and if not,
I mean I'll scream from themountaintop that it's rigged A
thousand percent.
But Phil, what about you?
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Yeah, I'm a diehard Browns fan.
That one hurts man, that onehurts.
Uh, love baker and I love whathe's doing down there.
But I'm gonna go with someoneelse, as a browns fan don't
really love to do either.
But um, I think might just putup some video game numbers and
if the defense can do enough towin games, I'm actually I'm
going to say Burrow, I think itmight be Burrow, I think maybe I
(21:40):
was going to go Lamar there,but I think Burrow, I think
they're going to have to throwthe ball around the yard.
I really do.
And the defense, if they can.
You know the defense is notgoing to do enough to be having
them not throw the ball.
But if they can, you know thedefense is not going to do
enough to be having them notthrow the ball.
But if they can do enough towin some games, be in the
playoffs, I think Burrow again,I think some video game type
numbers maybe this year can kindof get them in that category
(22:01):
and maybe see him win it.
I like Burrow, I think he cando it Again, hate as a Browns
fan, but like to see him do itover Lamar, so we'll say him.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Burrow's a solid pick .
You can't go wrong with old Joe.
But Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (22:19):
Lamar Jackson.
I think he's going to come backagain.
I think they felt like theywere like on the brink of
winning it last year.
You know, andrews catches thatpass who knows what happens in
the playoffs.
So I think they're kind ofhungry again to kind of win this
thing and I think he's gonnapull.
He's gonna play really wellthis year, I think.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Okay, ryan what about you?
Speaker 6 (22:44):
yeah, uh, I'm agreeing with bill.
I believe it was, and joeburrow did for the same exact
reason.
If they can get some wins intothe playoffs, I I think that's
what hindered his ability to winit last year because of what he
did with the situation he wasin.
But, yeah, love watching him asa player.
But I believe it would be JoeBurrow if it's a quarterback.
(23:07):
If it's not a quarterback, I'mgoing with Saquon Barkley as a
running back.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
Tony round us out on this question.
Speaker 3 (23:15):
This is going to be a wild card.
I'm going to say Jaden Daniels.
Jaden Daniels of Washington.
He put up really impressivenumbers last year, led
Washington to their first NFCchampionship game since 1991,
the year before I was born.
And if he can put up similarnumbers this year and Washington
(23:36):
can somehow win the NFC Eastwhich is not going to be easy
considering you have thedefending Super Bowl champs in
that same division If Danielscan have a breakout year, just
like last year he can throw, hecan run the ball I think that
(23:57):
Daniels could be in some darkhorse consideration.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I got you.
I don't.
I don't hate any of those picks, uh at all.
I think all of them are solid.
I would love to see somebodyother than mahomes or josh allen
win it.
Uh, seems like they've beendominating the mvp MVP races the
past couple of years Rightfullyso.
But yeah, I would love to seeone of those guys win it.
(24:20):
But, tony, we're going to stayhere and I knew this one is a
fitting question, just becausehe knows I'm a Steelers fan.
But who wins more games, aaronRodgers with the Steelers or
Russell Wilson with the Giants?
Who wins more games, aaronRodgers with the Steelers or
Russell Wilson with the Giants.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
The vibes are good with the Giants right now.
Yeah, russell Wilson, theveteran QB, they don't have
Tommy Cutlets, no more.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
No, you got real Tommy Cutlets.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
And Jackson Dart really did impress in the
preseason and people are high onhim, and then you have Jameis
being Jameis.
So, um, I am gonna have to say,that being said, although the
vibes are high with the Giants,because the standard, and only
because the standard is thestandard, I'm going to pick the
Steelers to somehow win 10 gamesand somehow get in the playoffs
(25:16):
.
Aaron rogers is gonna dosomething like announce his
retirement at the end of theseason if the stewards make a
deep playoff run, or somethinglike that gotcha ryan, what
about you?
Speaker 6 (25:31):
I'm agreeing with tony and saying that the
standard is the standard and theSteelers are going to have more
wins with Aaron Rodgers overthe Giants with Russell Wilson.
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (25:45):
I'm going to say Aaron Rodgers too, only because
I don't think Russell Wilson isgoing to be playing that long.
I can't see him lasting.
I think they're going to getthe dart right away First couple
of, maybe three or four gamesin.
I think they're going to gethim out because I don't know if
you've seen the schedule theyhave a rough schedule to start
off.
I can see them going like 0 for2, 0 for 3, and then just start
(26:08):
throwing in the towel alreadyand start dart.
I can see Rodgers playing somemore games than him and getting
some more wins because of it.
Gotcha Bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (26:19):
I don't know if it's a trick question or not, is it
with Wilson?
Because I feel like, like yousaid, we could have a
quarterback change.
But I'm going to be a haterhere and kind of maybe change
the question up and just sayoverall wins, steelers or Giants
for the year.
I'm going Giants.
It's less about the quarterbackand more about defense and
defensive line.
I think their defensive line isnasty Again, probably being a
(26:43):
little bit of a hater here as aBrowns fan.
But I'm not convinced aboutRodgers and Pittsburgh.
You can pencil them in foreight or nine wins and we'll see
if the Giants can get maybe onemore than that with a good
D-line and got neighbors andeverything else out there.
So I will say Giants, maybe tothrow a wrench into things here.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, we're going to circle back to that here in a
second Bill, but I want to getTJ's answer on this one first.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Yeah, I immediately started thinking about defense.
I'm like man, the Giants have areally good interior.
They just have a really gooddefense interiorly.
But it's a quarterback leaguekind of like I said before.
And, unfortunately, russellWilson he was a product of the
Pete Carroll system.
He's a very talentedquarterback with a great running
(27:29):
game.
The Giants aren't going to puttogether an offensive scheme
that makes Leslie Wilson lookbetter than an aging quarterback
is, whereas Aaron Rodgers,they'll find a way to run the
ball.
That's just who the Steelersare.
They're going to run the ball,no matter who the quarterback is
, and they're going to find away to do it and do it well.
(27:52):
And then I think the Steelers'defensive mentality outmatches
the giants defensive mentality.
So, um, I think that, uh, thesteelers, just you know, they
walk into a locker roomexpecting to win.
The giants walk in a lockerroom proud though, you know,
happy with a win.
So you know the browns do thesame thing.
So, unfortunately, just how weare, uh, the bottom of the
(28:12):
barrel of the NFL.
So I'm still saying theSteelers, they're going to win
more games, just out of, youknow, look at the past, you know
, hindsight, 2020, we'll belooking at that in a year or so.
So that's how it is Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
I absolutely think it will be Aaron Rodgers and the
Steelers because of that defensein Pittsburgh, that defensive
mentality is what they have.
We're going to smack you in themouth and you're going to have
to literally run through us toget anywhere.
We were having winning seasonsand 10 win seasons with Kenny
(28:50):
Pickett as our quarterback.
I mean, let's face it, the dudecan't even hold onto the ball.
His hands are so small.
He was a bust as a draft pick.
Russell Wilson as an agingquarterback in that system just
didn't really work.
Justin Fields although I washigh on Justin Fields, not to
the level of what Rogers is andwhat Rogers has done in the NFL.
(29:17):
And then I mean after Ben,we've had like 10 different
quarterbacks since BenRoethlisberger has retired and
we've had we've had.
We had freaking Mason Rudolphwinning games, like I think we.
Like Rogers is going to get itdone solely because of the
defense is going to keep him inthe games and Rodgers makes
(29:39):
those plays late in the game,when it counts and when he needs
it, and he's going to throw upa prayer to DK and the game is
going to be a Hail Mary to DK.
It's going to end every game.
I can see it happening.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
My son's two and I think the Browns have had 10
quarterbacks since he's beenalive.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
You're not wrong on that one, tj.
Let's stay with you here.
Do the Browns have the worstquarterback room in the NFL?
Joe Flacco is the starter andShador Sanders and Dylan Gabriel
are the backups, along withDeshaun Watson being on IR.
Like is this the worstquarterback room in the league
(30:18):
right now.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
So I'm gonna say no.
Here's why our quarterback roomhas talent where other
quarterback rooms may not haveany talent actually involved.
Do we know what's going on?
No, not even a little bit.
I think that Stefanski, youknow, kind of going back to what
(30:41):
we talked about at thebeginning.
When he's on the hot seat, Ithink, unfortunately he's being
dealt a hand.
That's not extremely fairbecause of the quarterback room.
But with that being said, joeFlacco proven veteran, you know
exactly what you're getting.
You're going to get 30touchdowns, 30 interceptions.
That's just what you're goingto get.
You're going to get a ton of it.
You're going to get the JamesWinston.
(31:01):
You're going to get a guy thatthrows for 400 yards and four
interceptions.
It's just, we know what we'regetting.
But then we have rookies thatwe only have upside.
You know we're going to watchout how that plays.
You look at, you know we justchanged Kenny Pickett to the
Raiders.
You look at that.
They had one quarterback, theyhad one.
So now they're sitting therethinking like, if this doesn't
(31:23):
work out, now we have KennyPickett.
It's just, you know, I'm notsaying Kenny Pickett's done, for
Look at Sam Darnold, butthere's other teams that have
one choice and as soon as you goto the backup now it's you're
in there in real bad shape.
They looked at Lamar.
Instead of Lamar gets hurt, dothe Ravens make the playoffs,
(31:45):
and I think that if Flacco getshurt, we're in the exact same
position really.
So I think we have aconsistently low quarterback
room, but I don't think we havethe worst situation in the
league.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
Okay, bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (32:01):
Yeah, I'll say not the worst and I think we're
probably in the bottom two orthree, unfortunately.
But I like Flacco Can buy intothe rookies.
I like Shadur going up maybe.
But I think the Saints roomright now is probably the worst.
(32:21):
They're starting Rattler Ithink they got.
You know they drafted Chuck,I'm assuming doesn't isn't
showing too well down there, somaybe by default it's not the
Browns.
I'll go with the Saints beingthe worst right now.
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Yeah, I'm right there with Bill.
I think the Saints have theworst quarterback room right now
.
Brown's a little close, but Ithink Flacco is going to give
you some good games.
He's not going to turn the ballover, he's give you what you
know every once in a while, latein the game, you might throw a
pick, but he's going to beconsistent.
He'll throw the ball away likehe should a veteran guy does.
(33:00):
But that saints, uh, those, youknow the route I'm starting and
then, um, the backup.
I have no idea what they'redoing now there.
Of course, they're playing forarch manning, I think next year.
So I think that's what they'regetting ready for for next year.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
I think a lot of teams are going to be doing that
this year.
Bob, I don't think you're.
I honestly I, I shit you not.
When they, the steelers, signedrogers, I was just like this
was our year.
This was our year to just tank aseason to get the number one
pick, to get arch manning andhave a manning playing for us,
(33:36):
like that's.
That's where I was at.
I thought it was gonna happen.
No, it's not.
It's not that somehow they,they're gonna win 10 games and
that's just.
It's just.
It's pittsburgh, uh.
But ryan, what about you withthe browns qb room?
Speaker 6 (33:49):
yeah, I would uh agree with bob and bill um
saying the saints is the worst,because rattler is not a good
option in my opinion, unless youknow there was some miracle
that he that happened to himover the off season.
Um, but if flacco goes down,you're turning to gabriel and
sanders.
So, as there's, as you, wouldturn to two rookies.
(34:11):
Uh, I still think that there'sa lot of upside with what was
said earlier.
But again, if Radler gets hurt,then you go to Shuck.
But boy is that a toughsituation.
Kellen Moore got himself into agood situation his first year,
having to figure out thatquarterback room For sure,
(34:32):
figure out that quarterback roomfor sure.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
and after these last three answers, let's go to our
resident Saints fan, tony, toround out this y'all pray for me
.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Oh man, I'm gonna have to agree with every single
one of y'all.
The Saints QB room is the worst, and I'm saying this is a
Saints fan.
On the bright side, it's nicethat we're finally just taking
the band-aid off and going intoa rebuild, which we need to do.
A couple years ago, because ofour cap hell that we were in
(35:09):
almost being in contention butnot really being in contention.
I am not high on Rattler orShuff, and Shuff's gonna be 26
next month, so kind of like aBrandon Whedon Situation back in
the day.
I think we're just Tanking forArch.
I would have liked to have hadTommy Cutlets.
Tommy Cutlets would have Atleast provided some vibes, even
(35:32):
if he wasn't the best QB.
So I'm going to go with ourSaints.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
I get it and I have to agree that the Saints is by
far worse than the Browns.
It's a very close race, though.
You can't start the season with10 quarterbacks in your QB room
in training camp and expectpeople not to well, what are
they going to do?
Yeah, yeah, you can have one godown, but you can only bring
(36:00):
two to three to a game at bestand like it's just a flack.
Oh, I mean, I talk about a guythat needs to like hang the
cleats up.
I mean he's still got a littlelife in him.
I don't know if he has a fullseason.
It's going to come down toShador and Dylan fighting out
for that backup spot to seewho's going to replace Flacco
(36:25):
during the season, because Imean he's going to get hurt.
But yeah, the Saints.
I honestly couldn't even havetold you who was backing up
Rattler.
To be 1,000% honest with youguys, the fact that I'm saying
Rattler is the starter is justastronomical to me.
That's what y'all are having todeal with, tony, and yeah, I
(36:47):
feel for you.
You know, prayers send your wayas a Saints fan and all Saints
fans alike, because it's goingto be a rough season, uh, for
y'all.
But Tony, this day with youhere and uh, who's your uh pick
to win coach of the year?
Speaker 3 (37:01):
Coach of the year I'm going to have to say Dan
Campbell, the lions, because thelions, like I said, have that
swagger, they've got thatMidwestern toughness.
I think if the Lions can put adeep run together and say, make
(37:22):
the Super Bowl this year I knowthe coach of the year has
decided even before that, whichI think is kind of dumb, but I
would have to go with DanCampbell of the Lions and if the
Broncos can make a deep run,which is going to be tough, my
dark horse pick is I can'tbelieve I'm saying this as a
(37:44):
Saints fan Sean Payton of theBroncos.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
I was waiting to see if you would even bring him up,
tony, to be honest with you.
But, brian, what about you?
Who's your coach of the year?
I'm waiting to see if you wouldeven bring them up, tony, to be
honest with you.
But uh, brian, what about you?
Who's your coach of the year?
Speaker 6 (37:57):
I'm gonna be as optimistic as I can as a Bears
fan and say Ben Johnson, that'sa lot of optimism.
I'm gonna.
I'm gonna be gonna win 10 games, bono and he's gonna win coach
of the year and it's going to bea magnificent season, brian
everybody's got to have a dream,man, I love you to death,
brother.
Speaker 1 (38:19):
Everybody's got a dream and I'm rooting for you.
I'm rooting for you on that one.
Speaker 6 (38:22):
It's coming, bono, when it happens, you can
bookmark this point in thepodcast.
All right, I will.
Speaker 1 (38:28):
I will happily clip this and blast it all over
social media.
If it happens, I'll even pay toboost it so more people see it
Like that's just for you, ryan,that's something to look forward
to now.
Speaker 6 (38:44):
This is going to be great.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (38:50):
Who's your coach of the year?
Jim Harbaugh, I think.
I think the Chargers are goingto do some good things this year
.
I think they're going tosurprise some people.
Uh, I think they're going towin the west.
They're make a little bit of adeep run.
So I think Jim Harbaugh isgoing to come out and surprise
people, maybe to throw in KansasCity this year.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
I don't hate it, I.
I don't hate the Jim Harbaughpick there.
I really don't, uh.
But Bill, what about you?
Speaker 4 (39:15):
Yeah, I think coach of the year, I'm thinking of a
team that again is going tooverachieve.
I think a team that's been badfor a while now had a lot of
heydays, honestly not that longago, but I think it might be
with the Patriots.
If you can make them in therunning, maybe sneak into a wild
(39:35):
card spot young and up andcoming, I think obviously get
the Patriots back relevant againIn his first year.
I think it would be, you know,obviously something that could
be kind of latched on to by someof the media and kind of carry
the candidacy towards Coach ofthe Year.
So we'll throw Vrabel out there, okay.
Speaker 1 (39:54):
Solid pick too.
Dj round us out here.
Speaker 2 (39:59):
I love the Vrabel pick.
That was the first thing,because if he does anything
successful, he's great.
But I'm going to go Zach Taylorfor the Bengals.
I think that if Joe Burrowconnects with his offense and
the defense, the defense wasabysmal.
The defense was like here, justwalk by us, score so that our
(40:20):
offense can go back on the field, because we don't want to be
out here.
They can shake that, even withtheir high payroll, with their
four players or whatever it is.
I'm telling you, if they canget into the playoffs, that team
is going to look like wow.
Even though we have Joe Burrow,who's a potential MVP player,
even though we have the widereceiving core that we have, I
(40:41):
think that that team couldreally shock people into being a
playoff team, a wildcard team,and they might repreciate Zach
Taylor.
I think it might earn him alittle bit more in his contract.
Speaker 1 (40:55):
so that's the one I'm picking on a limb I, I like how
we we all have differentpicture.
I was thinking dan campbell,tony, I, I like that pick solid.
Everyone's made some, some goodpicks.
I'm gonna throw another monkeywrench into everything here and
I'm going to say Pete Carrollwith the Raiders, kind of using
(41:15):
your theory there, bill, hebrings in Gino Smith down there
in Vegas.
He knows his system, he knowshow to run it and I think he
turns the Raiders around andthey sneak into a wild card here
in the West.
And you know that I think yougot to give it to Pete Carroll
for turning around thatfranchise, and I think you got
to give it to Pete Carroll forturning around that franchise
and, um, I think that's what'sgoing to happen.
(41:36):
So, um, I like them as a darkhorse.
Uh, you can't go wrong withVegas and it, it, I, it.
I had almost paused there tosay Vegas and not Oakland.
Um, I had a.
I had to think about that for asecond.
Um, but TJ, another, anotherbig one here, who's?
Speaker 2 (41:59):
your Superbowl prediction.
Oh boy, I mean, it's so hard.
Let's go.
I'm on the Buccaneers train.
I don't know, it's just how itis.
I'm on the Buccaneers train,ride it, man.
(42:21):
It's a fun train, ride it.
It's just something about them.
It's just a weird.
They have enough.
They have enough.
Okay, let's go.
Let's go Buccaneers.
See, now this is where you'retalking about.
(42:45):
You have a lot of teams.
Let's go Buccaneers.
You know what I'll give JoshAllen?
I'll give Josh Allen his chance.
Give Josh Allen his chance.
Let's say the Bills get to theSuper Bowl.
Let's do the Bills and theBuccaneers.
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Okay, I like it.
I like the Bucs pick.
I'm not going to lie to you.
Just stay on that train, DJ.
I'm telling you it's a fun ride.
It's a fun ride on thatBuccaneers train.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Bill, what about you?
The train of the Browns hasbeen fucking going off the rails
for a while.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
Yeah, you've been off the rails for a while we were
off the rails as a Buccaneersfan, don't get me wrong.
We had our down years.
We're finally getting on thetracks on the Baker Mayfield
train.
That's what we're, bill.
Who's your prediction?
Speaker 4 (43:33):
we just go prediction here, we go with champion as
well just prediction who's inthe game?
make sure I want to make surelet's do.
I like.
The bills pick I'll give toJosh Allen.
I think I feel like you justseen so many marquee matchups
with him in really big games andthey've just come up just short
in the playoffs against some ofyour big time quarterbacks, him
(43:58):
and Burrow going at it and Ithink flip the coin.
Maybe it flips his way thisyear and he gets the ball last
and can kind of get the job donethere at the AFC and then NFC.
I'll go, probably maybe alittle recency buys with the
Michael Parson trade.
But we'll go with the Packers.
I like them.
They were good last year.
(44:19):
I like Jordan Love, think thedefense is good.
You add Parson, that certainlyisn't going to hurt you.
So you know, eagles are greatover there, obviously as well.
But we'll go with someone newand say the Packers versus Bills
Okay, bob, obviously as well,but uh, we'll go with someone
new and say the packers, uhpackers versus bills.
Speaker 5 (44:38):
Okay, bob, what about you?
I'm going with washington andbaltimore as my two teams go on.
I think washington's gonna growup this year.
Uh, yeah, they're in thedivision with philly, but I
think philly's it's one of thosethings where, when you win a
Super Bowl, you go out partyingthat whole year.
So I think the Eagles have beenpartying.
I could see Barkley breakingdown too.
(44:59):
I think he had a great yearlast year, but I could see him
maybe breaking down a little bitthis year.
So I'm going to do Washington.
I'm going to go with my coachof the year, harbaugh, with the
Baltimore, and it's going to beBaltimore and San Diego in the
NFC championship game.
I think too.
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Yeah another hardball bowl.
I can see it coming soon, verysoon, ryan.
What about you?
Speaker 6 (45:31):
wild card answer, trying to think of something fun
.
But all I can think about aftersaying what I said is the Lions
beating the Bears in theplayoffs and then going to the
Super Bowl.
So the Lions, and then I'mgoing to go with the Bengals,
lions-bengals in the Super Bowl.
Not a bad one, tony.
(45:51):
What about you?
I am?
Speaker 1 (45:52):
Lions-Bangles in the Super Bowl.
Not a bad one.
Not a bad one, Tony.
What about you?
I?
Speaker 3 (45:58):
am going to go with Detroit and Buffalo.
I was so tempted to go withKansas City, but I'm going to go
with Buffalo and Detroit forthe Super Bowl A battle of two
teams who've never won at all.
I'm going to go with Buffaloand Detroit for the Super Bowl a
(46:18):
battle of two teams who'venever won at all.
I don't believe Detroit's everbeen to the Super Bowl, so I'm
going to go for that game andit's going to be a high-scoring
affair.
Speaker 1 (46:27):
Okay, I would love to see that Two teams that have
never made the Super Bowlfighting for their first.
I think the entire world therewould be nobody not watching
this game.
People who don't even likefootball would be watching that.
I'm going to be a super homerbecause I can't figure it out.
(46:49):
I'm just going to go with mytwo favorite teams.
I'm going to saySteelers-Buccaneers, and that's
just going to be a heartbreaker.
Favorite teams I'm going to saySteelers Buccaneers, and that's
just going to be a heartbreakerfor me.
I wouldn't know who to root for.
I'd be rooting for offense andjust hoping it's just a high
scoring affair of being aSteelers and Buccaneers fan.
I'm going to go with both ofthem.
(47:10):
I really do think the Steelerscan make it this year, mainly
because I mean, what a way forAaron Rodgers to write off into
the sunset.
I mean he's pretty much, he'shinted but hasn't come out and
say this is his last year.
Go out with Pittsburgh, make adeep run, win a Super Bowl, call
(47:31):
it a career, and you know, Ilegit think the Buccaneers can
make it.
I have no idea on the AFC.
The AFC is just stacked.
It's a flip a coin and you'regoing to land on a team that can
win the Super Bowl and the AFC,but I like what the Buccaneers
are doing.
I like the team.
The defense, the offense isclicking.
(47:53):
I think this is our year to getback without Tom Brady, and so
people can stop telling me sothe only reason you guys want a
Superbowl is because you had TomBrady.
So I can.
I can finally get that off offof my back as a fucking nearest
fan.
Tony, stay with you and just gowith you on this one here.
Tony, stay with you and let'sgo with you on this one here.
Speaker 3 (48:21):
What team is poised to have a huge step forward this
year?
I am going to say in the AFC,jacksonville they're going to
take a step forward.
Wild card pick is Las Vegas.
I don't know if Jacksonvillewill make the playoffs, but I
(48:43):
mean you can't do much worsethan 3-14.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
You can't go 0-16?
.
Speaker 3 (48:50):
You absolutely can't go worse than 3-14.
But they're not going to goover 16.
And I think Travis Hunter isgoing to be as good as people
expect.
I think probably they're goingto be around seven, get seven,
eight wins and be in contentionuntil week 17 or 18.
And in the NFC, I don't thinkthey'll make the playoffs but
they're going to be better thantheir 3-14 record last year, the
(49:13):
New York Giants.
They'll probably win aroundeight games.
Speaker 1 (49:16):
Okay, fourth, what about you?
Speaker 6 (49:19):
Yeah, I agree totally with Tony with those two teams.
But I'm going to go with thechargers in the AFC.
I think just making theplayoffs last year, getting a
taste of that and then gettingHerbert back fully healthy,
taking a step forward, isdefinitely in the cards for them
.
And then in the NFC I'm stayingwith the Bears but I know
(49:40):
they're taking that step forward.
It's happening, I know it is.
I'm sticking to it.
Speaker 1 (49:46):
You stick to your guns, man.
I will never fault you forsticking to your guns.
I scream every year from themountaintops that the Buccaneers
and Steelers are going to be inthe Super Bowl every year.
Right, I'm not going to be madat you for that.
It's not going to happen, but Iappreciate it.
Speaker 6 (50:05):
Again, bookmark it, Bookmark this yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
I'm telling you, I'll make the deal with you right
now.
If that happens, I swear to you, I will only cut out this
portion of the show and air it.
Just that's it.
A 30-second show, and it's just.
Yeah, barth was right.
Speaker 6 (50:28):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 1 (50:29):
No, I got you, man Bob.
What about you, who takes a bigstep forward this year?
Speaker 5 (50:36):
Jacksonville and the NFC.
I think they're going to bebetter than they were the last
couple years.
I think Lawrence will play alittle better.
I got Hunter to give himanother weapon.
And then I want to say in theNFC, I want to say Seattle.
I think Seattle is going tocome up a little bit.
I think they're going to bebetter.
I think you know the 49ers.
(50:58):
I think they're going to bedown a little bit.
I'd like to say the Bears, butthat division is so hard I feel
bad for them.
They're probably the bestdivision in the NFC.
So I would have to go withmaybe Seattle to make a little
bit of a surprise run.
And then Jacksonville.
Speaker 1 (51:12):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (51:16):
Stoy.
What about you, man Bono?
I think you might be wrong.
On the Bears, I think theymight be.
I think I mean 5-1, 5-12, I wasjust looking it up last year.
I mean they got the talent.
You obviously hope CalebWilliams takes that next step.
Got Ben Johnson.
I see no reason why not.
I mean they got the talentthere, they just got to put it
together.
And if they can kind of startclicking on offense Caleb
(51:39):
Williams can start clicking Ithink they absolutely can go get
double the wins from last yearwithout an issue.
And then AFC side, I think I'llstick with the Patriots again, I
think with Ray Bull, drake Maytaking another step up.
We'll see if they're quitethere yet.
I think they can add a couplemore weapons, but they can be
(52:00):
kind of a hard-nosed defensiveteam and Drake may kind of take
a step up.
I think they got, you know,love Trey Henderson from Ohio
State.
I think he's electric there.
So I think they can, you know,definitely improve the base that
they have been the past four orfive years.
So those will be my two squads.
Speaker 1 (52:18):
Okay, tj.
Speaker 2 (52:20):
The Pats are the first team that came into my
mind and Travion Henderson, thatwas the first person.
I think that's a game changer.
If he stays healthy, thePatriots double their win total.
I think they're at eight wins.
Are they a playoff team?
Probably not.
But um, that division, theDolphins have a chance to fall.
(52:42):
Um, I just think that thatdivision has enough for the
taking to where the Patriots canbe, you know, can do really
well.
I think the Jets, if their Dline doesn't play there's not a
whole lot behind that D linethat does real well.
But in, you know, in the NFC I'm, you know, this is the.
(53:04):
You know, bono, you're going toinvite me just for this, but
keep inviting me to podcasts.
But the Buccaneers, they're 10wins, they won the division and
I don't think 10 wins shows thetype of team they are.
I think they're a 12-win team.
I think they're a 13-win teamthis year.
I think they take that stepforward into being a dominant
team where, week in and week out, everybody puts their best foot
(53:29):
forward.
You know, you circle thoseteams on the schedule.
You say, hey, if we beat this,this team, people will start
paying attention to us.
But I think the buccaneers aregoing to be that 12 13 win team
where it's listen, we're hereand we're not going anywhere and
you have to play your best gameto beat us.
Speaker 1 (53:45):
So I, you know, pats and buccaneers, I think that's
who I have for those two teamsI'm never going to bite your
head off to say the Buccaneersare going to be doing better.
I can see the stank face fromTony as a Saints fan over there.
He's banking on that one my twoteams.
I think Vegas takes a big stepforward.
(54:08):
I like Pete Carroll.
I liked him when he was inSeattle.
He's a hell of a coach.
Bringing Geno Smith on boardwith him they're a quarterback
who knows his offense.
I think Vegas takes a big stepforward.
Yeah, jags come to mind too aswell.
(54:30):
Patriots, that's a solid picktoo.
I mean, there's a lot of teamsthat need to make a big step
forward.
I think they do.
I think a lot of teams take abig step forward, but Vegas is
going to be the one for me thatI think really takes that big
leap forward under Pete Carrolland TJ.
We're going to end the showwith this last question here,
(54:52):
and it's is Jalen.
Speaker 2 (54:58):
Hur hurts a top 10 quarterback in the NFL.
He, he really is, and I guess,maybe being a Browns fan, this
is just the sour taste in ourmouths.
We've seen quarterbacks destroya talented team, a talented
offense, a talented defense, andif you don't have a quarterback
(55:21):
at the helm, they can at leastkeep the game steady.
You lose, you lose games.
So when you talk about a guythat consistently gets to the
playoffs and now he's won asuper bowl and it's not even
like he won a super bowl, hedominated a super bowl and you
want to look around it like, oh,he had sequin barkley, oh, he
has aj brian, oh, he's got thisdefense, he's got all these,
(55:42):
yeah, but the quarterback stillcan't give the ball to the other
team.
You, if your quarterback doesthat consistently and your
quarterback can't run theoffense and your quarterback
doesn't have the trust of allthe offense behind him, they
will, they will lose those games.
So how many years does he haveto be a winning quarterback for
us to consider him a top 10talent?
(56:04):
So I I say yes, and just basedoff of his resume, okay, bill,
what about?
Speaker 4 (56:12):
you.
Yeah, I say yeah as well.
I think obviously last year itwas a big one for the resume for
him.
But, um, he's a leader, he'sgreat with the legs, um, I think
they really are bought into himas the guy there and he throws
the ball super well too.
I mean, he, he performs whenyou need to perform, obviously,
(56:32):
um, through that playoff run andum, I mean I wouldn't be
shocked at all to see them makeanother run this year with him
and many years going forward.
So I would say definitely a top10 guy.
I don't know about top five,but on that five to 10 range, I
think again a franchise-typequarterback and they got the
right one there in Philly.
Speaker 1 (56:54):
Okay, bob, what about you?
Speaker 5 (56:58):
I think he is a top ten.
I mean, you look at his resume.
Like I said, two Super Bowlsnow he's won.
One Was the MVP in the one lastyear.
So I think you've got to givehim the credit of what he's done
.
They've got some weapons aroundhim which helps him out a
little bit, but I think he doesa good job and he's kind of came
(57:22):
over out of nowhere kind of toreally play really well.
Speaker 1 (57:23):
so yeah, I think he's definitely a top 10 quarterback
.
Speaker 6 (57:25):
Okay, barth, what about you?
Yeah, I'm gonna go with thegeneral consensus saying he's
top 10 and, uh, just, he'sreally done a good job with just
managing the game throughouthis career.
He's always just very even keel, doesn't get too high, doesn't
get too low, but does his jobreally well and he's got a great
(57:45):
offensive line and a greatrunning back and that'll
certainly take some pressure offyou as a quarterback, so I'm
going to go with definitely inthe top 10 okay, tony, round us
out here I agree with the wholeconsensus here.
Speaker 3 (57:59):
He's a top 10 qb super bowl champion, doesn't
seem to get rattled underpressure and I wouldn't be
surprised if he made an rdplayoff run this year yeah, I, I
definitely think he's in thetop 10.
Speaker 1 (58:12):
I would put him on the lower end of the top 10.
I mean he's definitely.
I'd even go in that 7 to 10range.
I I'd say, uh, resumes, pickinghim up there.
Uh, two Super Bowls MVP, superBowl MVP, uh, a winning, winning
, one Super he's.
(58:33):
He's got it there.
He'll get up there into the topfive, I think.
But he's definitely a top 10quarterback and anybody who says
otherwise is is just a haterand just doesn't like Jalen
hurts in my opinion, because Imean, the kid can ball, he can
run, he can throw, he's got agreat arm strength and yeah,
(58:53):
he's, he's definitely a top 10quarterback, for sure.
But that is actually going to doit for this week's episode of
the ride home rants podcast inour nfl preview show.
I'm so glad for all my gueststo be on here tony, tj, bill,
bob and ryan for joining.
A lot of fun to get there andto sit and talk football with
anybody anytime.
(59:13):
As always, if you enjoyed theshow, be a friend, tell a friend
.
If you didn't, tell themanyways, because they might like
it just because you didn't.
That's going to do it for meand I will see y'all next week.
Popular Podcasts
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com