January 3, 2026 • 30 mins
All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet.
Nick Wright breaks down the Matthew Stafford vs. Drake Maye MVP debate, and what's wrong with it, after the New England Patriots' second-year QB became the favorite over the Los Angeles Rams veteran following Week 17. Later, Nick shares his thoughts on Brock Purdy's hot streak and whether the San Francisco 49ers are a serious Super Bowl threat besides an injury-plagued defense. Next, Nick shares his best bets for Week 18 of the NFL season. #Volume
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the best of the week for What's Right
with Nick Right the best takes in moments from this
week on the show Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
All Right. So Bijon rolled through the rams last night.
In the upset Stafford messed himself up a little bit,
dropped number two in MVP. He's at plus three hundred.
Drake May's now at minus four point fifty after his
three interceptions. How do you think last night impacts the
MVP race?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
So I think last night Drake May won the MVP
and I do not like that at all. And it
is not because I don't like Drake May. I said
on this show and on the TV show two months
ago that there aren't five guys in the league. I'd
rather have it quarterback than Drake May. And that's not
(00:51):
just moving forward. That is right now this moment, I
think he is. I've been telling Wilds all year, how legit,
how much I do believe in Drake May, and he
is having an unbelievable season. And it is not as
(01:11):
if him winning MVP I would find it to be
a travesty or an outrage. That's not my issue at all.
My issue is MVP has slowly started to turn into
(01:35):
December Player of the Month amongst the MVP candidates, and
I don't like that. We saw this there have been listen.
Twenty eighteen, MVP Mahomes was a no brainer. He ran
away with it. Twenty nineteen, MVP Lamar was a no brainer.
(01:58):
He ran away with it. Twenty twenty it was a
two man race, Rogers and Mahomes. I thought it should
have been Mahomes Rogers. There was no issue with that.
That was a two great candidates. You know, Mahomes rested
at the end of the year. Rogers won it fine.
(02:20):
Twenty twenty one, Rogers and Brady, it was a legitimate argument.
Rogers won, and twenty twenty two, Mahomes ran away with it.
There was no question those MVPs were relatively easy. Twenty
(02:41):
twenty three was the first year I saw this phenomenon happen,
which was there wasn't a clear cut favorite throughout the year.
And then in December two MVP there were games amongst
(03:02):
the MVP candidates, Dak Purty and Lamar. And if I
have it correct, and I'm gonna double check to make sure,
Dak Law I thought, Dak you know, as far I
thought Christian McCaffrey had the best argument for MVP that year,
but it doesn't really matter, Like, that's not the point.
(03:26):
Dak played poorly in a December game to Buffalo and
people were like, well, he's out now it's between Lamar
and Brock Party. And then Lamar and the Ravens annihilated
the Niners in Purty and it was just like, oh, okay,
(03:47):
Party's out now it's Lamar's MVP. That's that. And we
ended up that year giving MVP to a guy. And
again this is not anti Lamar I because if we
didn't get Lamar had a better case last year than
he did the year before. But Lamar in twenty twenty
(04:08):
three was fifteenth in the NFL in passing yards and
eleventh in the NFL in passing touchdowns, and while he
had an awesome passer rating, it was fourth in the league.
What he did not have MVP numbers, but he had
the MVP December and so he won it. And then
(04:31):
last year, Lamar had been the MVP really all year long,
but Josh Allen had the moment against the Chiefs, the
sixth touchdown game and a loss to the Rams, and
(04:58):
he had the finishing surge and because of that he
was the MVP. And this year, from start to finish,
Matt Stafford's been the MVP of the league. If we
look at if you take this season, demonte and put
(05:22):
the sixteen games each guy is played, and you reorder
them randomly, and you do that one hundred different times
with one hundred different orders as far as the order
of the games, and then stack up the MVP seasons.
I think Stafford wins MVP eighty five out of one
(05:46):
hundred of those reordered seasons. But because Week seventeen Drake
May throws five touchdowns and Week seventeen Stafford has one
of his two bad games that he's had all year,
(06:07):
it's now going to be betting wise, it's over and
conventional wisdom wise, Drake May won the award even though
Stafford has thrown for more yards, has thrown for twelve
more touchdowns, has taken twenty five fewer sacks, They have
(06:28):
the same number of interceptions. Now Drake Man's a slightly
higher passer rating.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
One more game too.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
No, they played the same number of games.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
No, And I'm saying, okay, yeah, fair enough, what do
you mean. I guess they've they've both played their Week
seventeen game. I was gonna say they've got one more game.
It's not locked up, But going into the tea yesterday
I would have easily given it to Stafford the Pigs.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
No, I mean they both have a they both they
both have a Week eighteen game. By the way, do
my lights just get really weird?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Okay, can I fix that? I don't know how the
hell that happened. I'm gonna keep talking to you guys.
Oh now it's better. I don't even know what. I
didn't even touch anything. I don't know what just happened.
That was really weird. I looked like I was glowing
for a moment. The bright lights is not a good
look for me. I need very just regular warm lighting. No,
I I just don't. It feels to me like MVP
(07:25):
is slowly moving towards who's hottest at the end of
the year, and I don't love that. And I just
think Stafford And this is where I do think when
it comes to league MVP, it's totally fair to pick nints.
I think the fact that Stafford has done it in
(07:48):
the league's toughest division against a brutal schedule where they
have played Houston, Philly, the Niners, Jacksonville, the Niners, Seattle,
Seattle again those seven teams, and I'm that's just me
(08:10):
listing the teams they have played that have locked into
the playoffs, not including games at the time that we
thought were big like Indie Baltimore, Tampa Bay Carolina where
he didn't play well Detroit.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And Drake Majors had his five touchdown game against the Jets.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And again he's still he was. I'm not gonna neck
that game. He was perfect in it, and I think
he's an awesome player, but I just don't love that.
It feels to me this is I guess my general take.
It feels the last three years. This is the way
(08:53):
the MVP has been done. The first three months of
the year are to determine who the actual candidates are
and then the award is given based off who has
the best December. And I don't love that, and it
(09:18):
feels like we are And by the way, Stafford Thursday
night against Seattle, Stafford was unbelievable. That was his second
most recent game. They scored thirty seven points, He threw
for four hundred and fifty seven yards. He had three
(09:39):
touchdowns against that defense and now the team blew it
at the end. My lights just did that thing again.
I don't know what's going on. We're just gonna the.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
I think it's a camera now drop too in a row, yes.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
But uh, I know they dropped two in a row,
but one of them was one of them was a
thirty eight to thirty seven win, all right, thirty eight
thirty seven loss. And so I just it is very
difficult for and I know Drake Man the great comeback
against Baltimore, I just don't it doesn't sit right with
(10:18):
me that it feels like it's becoming a glorified December
Player of the month. So that's where so right now,
my vote would be for Matt Stafford. I don't think
he's gonna win it. And I also think we've talked
about this all year that man, it is crazy how
(10:43):
thin these margins are in sports. But is there an
argument that not tackling Rashid Shaheed on the punt return
in the fourth quarter last Thursday night is going to
(11:10):
cost Matt Stafford a spot in the Hall of Fame?
Maybe because if they win that game and they are
sailing to the one seed, I happen to believe if
they win that game, they'd come out more ready to
play last night because they know we control our destiny
(11:31):
for the one seed rather than being locked out of it,
as they they knew going into last night that they
were locked out of the one seed, and I think
you saw that lack of attention to detail early. If
they're the one seed and Stafford has the exact same numbers,
but in a win, he is going to win MVP
(11:53):
and maybe and they are the huge favor to that
moment to win the Super Bowl. Now and this now
impacts the The Rams are now demands in a very
interesting spot in this regard, and this impacts whether or
not we want to bet them this weekend. Here is
the situation for the Rams. If the Niners beat Seattle
(12:18):
on Saturday night, the Rams are the sixth seed, locked
into the sixth seed, no matter what they do against Arizona.
The sixth seed means you're either going to Chicago or
to Philadelphia cold weather January road playoff games. That is,
(12:39):
if the Niners beat Seattle, the Rams are locked into
the six If Seattle beats the Niners, then the Rams
can be the five seed if they beat Arizona, and
so whether or not they have anything to play for
(13:02):
will be will depend on what happens Saturday night. I
still think on a neutral site, I like the Rams
better than any team in the league. But McVeigh has
not and his Rams teams have not been great in
cold weather against good teams, and their road just got
(13:23):
so much harder over the last couple weeks. Today's show
is brought to you by representing sponsor hard Rock Bet,
Florida Sportsbook, and the official sportsbook partner of your favorite
Florida teams like the Jags, the Jags, Bucks, Heat, Magic,
and Panthers. Week eighteen playoff spots are on the line.
Think you know how it's gonna play out, Build a
(13:44):
same game, parlay on hard Rock Bet and turn game
day into payday. Or if you're more into hardwood than gridiron,
you can put up shots on the NBA in college
every night on a hard Rock Bet, your home for
hoops action all season long. You can even combine your
football and basketball bets. You've got a week. If you've
(14:05):
got a Week eighteen, parlay at an NBA bet or
player prop to turn up the payout. And if you
missed the start of the game. Don't worry. Hard Rock
Bet has live in game betting, so you're never too
late to bet any football or hoops game all season.
Find a winner or grab that player prop you had
circled bet live in just a few easy taps. If
you haven't tried your first bet on, hard rock Bet
(14:27):
just plays a five dollar bet and if it hits,
you get not only your winnings, but also an extra
one hundred fifty dollars in bonus bets. Hard Rock Bets
sportsbook app is the only legal sportsbook for whenever you're
in Florida, and it's also live in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado,
and Michigan. Coming soon to more states too. Plus, hard
(14:49):
Rock Bet offers new promos every single day, so whenever
you're listening, just open the app and check out what
you've got. Any day of the week, download the hard
rock Bet app and make your first deposit payable and
bonus bets not a cash offer offered by the Seminole
Tribe of Florida. In Florida offered by Seminal hard Rock Digital, LLC,
(15:10):
and all other states must be twenty one plus and
physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee,
or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about
gambling in Florida, Call one eight three to three play wise.
In Indiana. If you or someone you know is a
(15:30):
gambling problem wants help, Call one eight hundred and nine
with it. Gambling problem, Call one eight hundred gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan,
New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Party. He's peaking three hundred yards, three touchdowns without all
his guys. He had five touchdowns in the game before
you were gonna end the party debate after back Jones
came in earlier in the season bought out you know,
assystem quarterback stuff. How close are we to reopening that conversation.
I got to say, brog parties looked amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
There is there is no argument. I mean, he's at
back to back five touchdowns because he had three touchdowns
through the air in two He's running, He's been awesome.
I it is maddening to me that we are somehow
(16:27):
I'm just in an endless loop of me making statements
that seem unprovable about the Niners quarterback situation. They then
get proven and folks still saying I'm wrong, like that
that which is this the Jimmy the original statement, Jimmy Garoppolo,
(16:54):
don't care that he wins. He's not very good. Oh
but look at how he wins that They too a
super Bowl with him. My statement, I think if you
dropped any starting caliber quarterback in his spot with that team,
they would perform at that level.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
You think in the last two games would have okay, ahead, just.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Hold on just a second. They then put literally the
last pick of the draft in Jimmy Garoppolo's spot. He
performs at an even higher level. They go back to
a super Bowl and people are like, see, Nick, you
were wrong, Like wait, what didn't we just saw it?
(17:37):
Then brock Purty has this run prior to this season,
they go to the super Bowl. We were like, give
him more credit. Nick, I'm like, I listen, he's he
was underdrafted. He's clearly a starting caliber quarterback. He might
(17:58):
even be good, But I I think most of the
credit should go to the Avengers on the team, they're like, well,
what do you want you want to see him do
it without those guys. I'm like, well, he probably won't
ever have to, but yeah, if he did it without
those guys, they din't have a season where all those
(18:18):
guys are hurt. The team goes in the tank and
I'm like, see the thing that we didn't think we'd
be able, this is the second time the thing we
didn't think we'd be able to test we tested, and
I was right. We're like, no, it's not fair. This
year comes out, he's out for two months. A guy
(18:40):
that everyone agrees is not a good quarterback, Mac Jones,
steps in, looks awesome, The team wins. I'm like, oh,
another test, and then perty comes back is better than
that guy, And we were like, see, Nick, you're an idiot.
I don't know what people want me to say say here. Now.
(19:02):
Do I think mac Jones is as good as brock Purty?
Obviously not. Do I think mac Jones could have done
what brock Purty did the last two weeks? No? Do
I think brock Purty is proving himself to be a
pretty good NFL quarterback? And does that surprise me? Yes,
all of those things, but all the folks are arguing
(19:24):
with me two months ago when I said, see, this
is why I wouldn't have necessarily paid Purty fifty three million.
We can get that level of production from mac Jones.
We're quietly agreeing with me, which is why they stopped
arguing with me. And now he's on this heater, and
(19:45):
certainly if he's playing at this level, he's worth fifty
million dollars. I don't think this level is sustainable, but
he's been great. But my biggest thing is and I
know people, and I've done it to myself, so I'm
not whining. Look at me as a party hater. But
(20:12):
the other way to look at it is I just
want the right people to get credit. And the story
of this Niner season is not a rock party story.
He has played half the games. The story of this
Niner season is about two people more than anybody, Kyle
(20:35):
Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey who has been available and
used like a pack mule all year and Shanahan, who
has been in his bag to even by his standards,
an insane degree. That's the story of the Niner season. Now,
(20:57):
the story of the last two weeks is Purty has
been utterly brilliant, and I give him credit, but I don't.
I can't. I feel like I'm in a time loop
on the Niners quarterback arguments, and I keep throwing out
their things that I believe, but I'll never be able
(21:19):
to prove. And then somehow we get real life samples
of it. Replace Jimmy Garoppolo with mister irrelevant. See what
party looks like without his star players? See it? What
if you dropped mac Jones in the Niners offense? What
it would look like? And every single time it looks
exactly like I say it would. And then people are like, Nick,
You're still wrong. I just I'm gonna lose my mind,
(21:42):
all right? Go ahead with some follow ups.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Do you think that Shanahan should win Coach of the
Year at plus one point fifty at number two and
cemc at Offensive Player of the Year at plus two
seventy five they're both numbers.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, who's number one for both of those? Because those
would be my picks. I think Shanahan's been coach of
the year. Oh you know, Christian McCaffrey should win. Often
to play the year over JSN as good as jays
N's Christian mccaffreys are the most important non quarterback in
the league this year and rave Will's favorite for the
other one. No, I would give it to Shanahan and
(22:14):
Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
The Niners, they're playing for the one seed on Saturday.
How alive for a real run at the title? Do
you think they are? And do you think this should
have been a Sunday night football game?
Speaker 1 (22:26):
No, I'm I'm fine with the winning you're in game
being Sunday night football. They want Raven Steelers, Rogers, Lamar.
It's fine and it might not be Lamar, And.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I think we're gonna's I mean, yeah, we'll get to that.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
We'll get to the Lamar stuff. All Knicks a hater.
Nick doesn't know what he's saying about Nicks making things up.
I told you so, guys. But let's stay here for
a minute. Uh dude, he's hurt. The Okay, we'll get
to it. Well, we'll we'll get to the Lamar stuff.
(23:09):
The I don't think the Niners defense should be good
enough to win a Super Bowl, but with the way
the offense is playing, and the with the way the
offense is playing, and if they win on Saturday, getting
the bye and having all the games come through Santa Clara.
(23:33):
Obviously they've got a great shot at it. I'm shocked
by that, and that speaks what I was saying about
Shanahan and McCaffrey and how will party has been playing.
All right, let's talk Bears just for a second.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
After it Bears. After Atlanta defeated the Seat after no no, oh, yeah,
I'm sorry, I was like, what on the Bear side?
Caleb had a shot to win at the end, but
he came up short. Is this a team that you
comfortable with bed money onto the playoffs?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Listen. I think there's been a great year for Chicago
and I think that if they win against Detroit and
get the two seed, I think they'll beat the Packers
in round two. In round one, their defense has just
as many questions as the Niners. And while Caleb I
(24:26):
think was awesome in that game, I don't. I think
they're probably a year away from real contention now. It
doesn't mean they can't do it, but it would surprise me.
And so if they Now, if they fall to the
three and they have to play one of those NFC
either the Niners again, obviously they can win that game,
(24:50):
but that would be tough or the Rams. I don't
think i'd like them. I certainly wouldn't pick them against
the Rams, and I might not pick them against the Niners.
But this is a great year for Chicago no matter
what the NFC playoff feel. Just the three NFC West
teams Chicago and Philly to tough feel. By the way,
(25:11):
if you're thinking about upgrading to the all new iPhone
seventeen Pro, designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever,
but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way
to the store or transferring all your data, good news.
When you order a new phone online with boost Mobile,
they'll send an expert to your home. How about that
or a home or work to deliver your brand new
(25:32):
iPhone Pro and get you set up on boost Mobile
within minutes, no hassle. So you get the new iPhone,
it comes right to you and a tech comes in,
get all your stuff transferred to get you set up
on the network. Visit boostmobile dot com to get started.
Delivery available for select devices purchased at boost mobile dot Com.
(25:52):
Terms of course do apply. All right, Deman say five games,
I'm betting let's.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Go all right? Riding with your riding with your boy.
First game, you got Tampa Bay minus two and a
half at Carolina or versus Carolina.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Sorry, Baker, just can't go out like this. They just
can't go there is Carolina has been better. Tampa's been
one of the worst teams in football for two months.
But they're at home. They're laying less than a field goal.
To have any chance of making the playoffs, they obviously
have to win, and then they have to root for
(26:28):
the Saints the next day. I just don't think Tampa's
gonna go out this sad. I'll lay the two and
a half with Tampa next.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Seattle minus won at San Francisco.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
I don't think the Niners defense, and it's thirty second
in the league's in sacks, it's gonna be able to
impact Darnold the way the Rams have been able to
get to him at times this year, the way we've
seen him when he has struggled. He didn't play well
against Carolina. By the way, I think Seattle's better. I
(27:03):
think it makes more sense for Seattle to be the
one seed. Seattle. They played early in the year, and
Seattle had the ball in Week one, had the ball
inside the red zone. With a chance to seal at
the end, Darnald fumbled. I think they get back. I
think Seattle gets the one seed. I think Seattle will
(27:23):
lay the point. I think they win.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Next next you got Vegas plus five and a half
versus Kansas City against them every week, Well, you.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Just you just can't. I didn't bet against them last week.
They were I teased against them and they pushing. But
the the Chiefs offense right now just can't be five
and a half point favorites against anybody. And I'm not
saying this is how the Chiefs will operate, but what
I am saying is this, the Chief's ability to cost
(27:59):
the raidar the number one overall pick to prevent the
Raiders from being able to fix their quarterback problem is
legitimately valuable. So it's less about the Chiefs improving their
draft status and more about the Chiefs being able to
screw the Raiders where the Raiders with a loss get
the number one pick. And even if the I just
(28:21):
don't think the Chiefs right now can beat anyone by
a touchdown. They can't run the ball, they can't pass
the ball, they can't move the football, and they're on
the road They're not gonna have the juice of Arrowhead
from last week. I'll take the Raiders plus five and
a half.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Next, Miami plus twelve at New England Heavy.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
It's just a lot of points. Mike McDaniel's trying to
save his job, and there's usually one Week eighteen big
favorite that needs the game that all of a sudden
it's tied in the fourth quarter. It feels like it
might be this one. I know Mike McDaniel has all
(29:02):
these awful cold weather stats, but are those Mike McDaniel's
stats or are those TUA stats. I'm getting twelve points.
I'll take Miami plus twelve and last We're gonna go
out on our shield on this one, even though I'm
so mad at Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Next, Pittsburgh plus three and a half versus Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
I don't really care who's playing quarterback for Baltimore in
this game, to be honest, a banged up Lamar or
Huntley that we saw last week. I'm just like Pittsburgh
getting the points. This game is going someone's winning this
game by three. I don't know who. I'm getting three
and a half points, So I'll take Pittsburgh plus three
(29:43):
and a half. We know all the Tomlin getting Tomlin
getting points at home divisional games. I mean, I don't
know if he's ever lost. So my five picks this
week are Tampa minus two and a half against Carolina,
Seattle minus won against the Niners, the Raiders getting five
and a half against Kansas City, Miami getting twelve in
(30:06):
New England, Pittsburgh getting three and a half at home
against Baltimore,
Welcome to the best of the week for What's Right
with Nick Right the best takes in moments from this
week on the show Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
All Right. So Bijon rolled through the rams last night.
In the upset Stafford messed himself up a little bit,
dropped number two in MVP. He's at plus three hundred.
Drake May's now at minus four point fifty after his
three interceptions. How do you think last night impacts the
MVP race?
Speaker 1 (00:29):
So I think last night Drake May won the MVP
and I do not like that at all. And it
is not because I don't like Drake May. I said
on this show and on the TV show two months
ago that there aren't five guys in the league. I'd
rather have it quarterback than Drake May. And that's not
(00:51):
just moving forward. That is right now this moment, I
think he is. I've been telling Wilds all year, how legit,
how much I do believe in Drake May, and he
is having an unbelievable season. And it is not as
(01:11):
if him winning MVP I would find it to be
a travesty or an outrage. That's not my issue at all.
My issue is MVP has slowly started to turn into
(01:35):
December Player of the Month amongst the MVP candidates, and
I don't like that. We saw this there have been listen.
Twenty eighteen, MVP Mahomes was a no brainer. He ran
away with it. Twenty nineteen, MVP Lamar was a no brainer.
(01:58):
He ran away with it. Twenty twenty it was a
two man race, Rogers and Mahomes. I thought it should
have been Mahomes Rogers. There was no issue with that.
That was a two great candidates. You know, Mahomes rested
at the end of the year. Rogers won it fine.
(02:20):
Twenty twenty one, Rogers and Brady, it was a legitimate argument.
Rogers won, and twenty twenty two, Mahomes ran away with it.
There was no question those MVPs were relatively easy. Twenty
(02:41):
twenty three was the first year I saw this phenomenon happen,
which was there wasn't a clear cut favorite throughout the year.
And then in December two MVP there were games amongst
(03:02):
the MVP candidates, Dak Purty and Lamar. And if I
have it correct, and I'm gonna double check to make sure,
Dak Law I thought, Dak you know, as far I
thought Christian McCaffrey had the best argument for MVP that year,
but it doesn't really matter, Like, that's not the point.
(03:26):
Dak played poorly in a December game to Buffalo and
people were like, well, he's out now it's between Lamar
and Brock Party. And then Lamar and the Ravens annihilated
the Niners in Purty and it was just like, oh, okay,
(03:47):
Party's out now it's Lamar's MVP. That's that. And we
ended up that year giving MVP to a guy. And
again this is not anti Lamar I because if we
didn't get Lamar had a better case last year than
he did the year before. But Lamar in twenty twenty
(04:08):
three was fifteenth in the NFL in passing yards and
eleventh in the NFL in passing touchdowns, and while he
had an awesome passer rating, it was fourth in the league.
What he did not have MVP numbers, but he had
the MVP December and so he won it. And then
(04:31):
last year, Lamar had been the MVP really all year long,
but Josh Allen had the moment against the Chiefs, the
sixth touchdown game and a loss to the Rams, and
(04:58):
he had the finishing surge and because of that he
was the MVP. And this year, from start to finish,
Matt Stafford's been the MVP of the league. If we
look at if you take this season, demonte and put
(05:22):
the sixteen games each guy is played, and you reorder
them randomly, and you do that one hundred different times
with one hundred different orders as far as the order
of the games, and then stack up the MVP seasons.
I think Stafford wins MVP eighty five out of one
(05:46):
hundred of those reordered seasons. But because Week seventeen Drake
May throws five touchdowns and Week seventeen Stafford has one
of his two bad games that he's had all year,
(06:07):
it's now going to be betting wise, it's over and
conventional wisdom wise, Drake May won the award even though
Stafford has thrown for more yards, has thrown for twelve
more touchdowns, has taken twenty five fewer sacks, They have
(06:28):
the same number of interceptions. Now Drake Man's a slightly
higher passer rating.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
One more game too.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
No, they played the same number of games.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
No, And I'm saying, okay, yeah, fair enough, what do
you mean. I guess they've they've both played their Week
seventeen game. I was gonna say they've got one more game.
It's not locked up, But going into the tea yesterday
I would have easily given it to Stafford the Pigs.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
No, I mean they both have a they both they
both have a Week eighteen game. By the way, do
my lights just get really weird?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Okay, can I fix that? I don't know how the
hell that happened. I'm gonna keep talking to you guys.
Oh now it's better. I don't even know what. I
didn't even touch anything. I don't know what just happened.
That was really weird. I looked like I was glowing
for a moment. The bright lights is not a good
look for me. I need very just regular warm lighting. No,
I I just don't. It feels to me like MVP
(07:25):
is slowly moving towards who's hottest at the end of
the year, and I don't love that. And I just
think Stafford And this is where I do think when
it comes to league MVP, it's totally fair to pick nints.
I think the fact that Stafford has done it in
(07:48):
the league's toughest division against a brutal schedule where they
have played Houston, Philly, the Niners, Jacksonville, the Niners, Seattle,
Seattle again those seven teams, and I'm that's just me
(08:10):
listing the teams they have played that have locked into
the playoffs, not including games at the time that we
thought were big like Indie Baltimore, Tampa Bay Carolina where
he didn't play well Detroit.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And Drake Majors had his five touchdown game against the Jets.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
And again he's still he was. I'm not gonna neck
that game. He was perfect in it, and I think
he's an awesome player, but I just don't love that.
It feels to me this is I guess my general take.
It feels the last three years. This is the way
(08:53):
the MVP has been done. The first three months of
the year are to determine who the actual candidates are
and then the award is given based off who has
the best December. And I don't love that, and it
(09:18):
feels like we are And by the way, Stafford Thursday
night against Seattle, Stafford was unbelievable. That was his second
most recent game. They scored thirty seven points, He threw
for four hundred and fifty seven yards. He had three
(09:39):
touchdowns against that defense and now the team blew it
at the end. My lights just did that thing again.
I don't know what's going on. We're just gonna the.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
I think it's a camera now drop too in a row, yes.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
But uh, I know they dropped two in a row,
but one of them was one of them was a
thirty eight to thirty seven win, all right, thirty eight
thirty seven loss. And so I just it is very
difficult for and I know Drake Man the great comeback
against Baltimore, I just don't it doesn't sit right with
(10:18):
me that it feels like it's becoming a glorified December
Player of the month. So that's where so right now,
my vote would be for Matt Stafford. I don't think
he's gonna win it. And I also think we've talked
about this all year that man, it is crazy how
(10:43):
thin these margins are in sports. But is there an
argument that not tackling Rashid Shaheed on the punt return
in the fourth quarter last Thursday night is going to
(11:10):
cost Matt Stafford a spot in the Hall of Fame?
Maybe because if they win that game and they are
sailing to the one seed, I happen to believe if
they win that game, they'd come out more ready to
play last night because they know we control our destiny
(11:31):
for the one seed rather than being locked out of it,
as they they knew going into last night that they
were locked out of the one seed, and I think
you saw that lack of attention to detail early. If
they're the one seed and Stafford has the exact same numbers,
but in a win, he is going to win MVP
(11:53):
and maybe and they are the huge favor to that
moment to win the Super Bowl. Now and this now
impacts the The Rams are now demands in a very
interesting spot in this regard, and this impacts whether or
not we want to bet them this weekend. Here is
the situation for the Rams. If the Niners beat Seattle
(12:18):
on Saturday night, the Rams are the sixth seed, locked
into the sixth seed, no matter what they do against Arizona.
The sixth seed means you're either going to Chicago or
to Philadelphia cold weather January road playoff games. That is,
(12:39):
if the Niners beat Seattle, the Rams are locked into
the six If Seattle beats the Niners, then the Rams
can be the five seed if they beat Arizona, and
so whether or not they have anything to play for
(13:02):
will be will depend on what happens Saturday night. I
still think on a neutral site, I like the Rams
better than any team in the league. But McVeigh has
not and his Rams teams have not been great in
cold weather against good teams, and their road just got
(13:23):
so much harder over the last couple weeks. Today's show
is brought to you by representing sponsor hard Rock Bet,
Florida Sportsbook, and the official sportsbook partner of your favorite
Florida teams like the Jags, the Jags, Bucks, Heat, Magic,
and Panthers. Week eighteen playoff spots are on the line.
Think you know how it's gonna play out, Build a
(13:44):
same game, parlay on hard Rock Bet and turn game
day into payday. Or if you're more into hardwood than gridiron,
you can put up shots on the NBA in college
every night on a hard Rock Bet, your home for
hoops action all season long. You can even combine your
football and basketball bets. You've got a week. If you've
(14:05):
got a Week eighteen, parlay at an NBA bet or
player prop to turn up the payout. And if you
missed the start of the game. Don't worry. Hard Rock
Bet has live in game betting, so you're never too
late to bet any football or hoops game all season.
Find a winner or grab that player prop you had
circled bet live in just a few easy taps. If
you haven't tried your first bet on, hard rock Bet
(14:27):
just plays a five dollar bet and if it hits,
you get not only your winnings, but also an extra
one hundred fifty dollars in bonus bets. Hard Rock Bets
sportsbook app is the only legal sportsbook for whenever you're
in Florida, and it's also live in Arizona, Ohio, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Illinois, Colorado,
and Michigan. Coming soon to more states too. Plus, hard
(14:49):
Rock Bet offers new promos every single day, so whenever
you're listening, just open the app and check out what
you've got. Any day of the week, download the hard
rock Bet app and make your first deposit payable and
bonus bets not a cash offer offered by the Seminole
Tribe of Florida. In Florida offered by Seminal hard Rock Digital, LLC,
(15:10):
and all other states must be twenty one plus and
physically present in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee,
or Virginia to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about
gambling in Florida, Call one eight three to three play wise.
In Indiana. If you or someone you know is a
(15:30):
gambling problem wants help, Call one eight hundred and nine
with it. Gambling problem, Call one eight hundred gambler Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan,
New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Party. He's peaking three hundred yards, three touchdowns without all
his guys. He had five touchdowns in the game before
you were gonna end the party debate after back Jones
came in earlier in the season bought out you know,
assystem quarterback stuff. How close are we to reopening that conversation.
I got to say, brog parties looked amazing.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
There is there is no argument. I mean, he's at
back to back five touchdowns because he had three touchdowns
through the air in two He's running, He's been awesome.
I it is maddening to me that we are somehow
(16:27):
I'm just in an endless loop of me making statements
that seem unprovable about the Niners quarterback situation. They then
get proven and folks still saying I'm wrong, like that
that which is this the Jimmy the original statement, Jimmy Garoppolo,
(16:54):
don't care that he wins. He's not very good. Oh
but look at how he wins that They too a
super Bowl with him. My statement, I think if you
dropped any starting caliber quarterback in his spot with that team,
they would perform at that level.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
You think in the last two games would have okay, ahead, just.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Hold on just a second. They then put literally the
last pick of the draft in Jimmy Garoppolo's spot. He
performs at an even higher level. They go back to
a super Bowl and people are like, see, Nick, you
were wrong, Like wait, what didn't we just saw it?
(17:37):
Then brock Purty has this run prior to this season,
they go to the super Bowl. We were like, give
him more credit. Nick, I'm like, I listen, he's he
was underdrafted. He's clearly a starting caliber quarterback. He might
(17:58):
even be good, But I I think most of the
credit should go to the Avengers on the team, they're like, well,
what do you want you want to see him do
it without those guys. I'm like, well, he probably won't
ever have to, but yeah, if he did it without
those guys, they din't have a season where all those
(18:18):
guys are hurt. The team goes in the tank and
I'm like, see the thing that we didn't think we'd
be able, this is the second time the thing we
didn't think we'd be able to test we tested, and
I was right. We're like, no, it's not fair. This
year comes out, he's out for two months. A guy
(18:40):
that everyone agrees is not a good quarterback, Mac Jones,
steps in, looks awesome, The team wins. I'm like, oh,
another test, and then perty comes back is better than
that guy, And we were like, see, Nick, you're an idiot.
I don't know what people want me to say say here. Now.
(19:02):
Do I think mac Jones is as good as brock Purty?
Obviously not. Do I think mac Jones could have done
what brock Purty did the last two weeks? No? Do
I think brock Purty is proving himself to be a
pretty good NFL quarterback? And does that surprise me? Yes,
all of those things, but all the folks are arguing
(19:24):
with me two months ago when I said, see, this
is why I wouldn't have necessarily paid Purty fifty three million.
We can get that level of production from mac Jones.
We're quietly agreeing with me, which is why they stopped
arguing with me. And now he's on this heater, and
(19:45):
certainly if he's playing at this level, he's worth fifty
million dollars. I don't think this level is sustainable, but
he's been great. But my biggest thing is and I
know people, and I've done it to myself, so I'm
not whining. Look at me as a party hater. But
(20:12):
the other way to look at it is I just
want the right people to get credit. And the story
of this Niner season is not a rock party story.
He has played half the games. The story of this
Niner season is about two people more than anybody, Kyle
(20:35):
Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey who has been available and
used like a pack mule all year and Shanahan, who
has been in his bag to even by his standards,
an insane degree. That's the story of the Niner season. Now,
(20:57):
the story of the last two weeks is Purty has
been utterly brilliant, and I give him credit, but I don't.
I can't. I feel like I'm in a time loop
on the Niners quarterback arguments, and I keep throwing out
their things that I believe, but I'll never be able
(21:19):
to prove. And then somehow we get real life samples
of it. Replace Jimmy Garoppolo with mister irrelevant. See what
party looks like without his star players? See it? What
if you dropped mac Jones in the Niners offense? What
it would look like? And every single time it looks
exactly like I say it would. And then people are like, Nick,
You're still wrong. I just I'm gonna lose my mind,
(21:42):
all right? Go ahead with some follow ups.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Do you think that Shanahan should win Coach of the
Year at plus one point fifty at number two and
cemc at Offensive Player of the Year at plus two
seventy five they're both numbers.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, who's number one for both of those? Because those
would be my picks. I think Shanahan's been coach of
the year. Oh you know, Christian McCaffrey should win. Often
to play the year over JSN as good as jays
N's Christian mccaffreys are the most important non quarterback in
the league this year and rave Will's favorite for the
other one. No, I would give it to Shanahan and
(22:14):
Christian McCaffrey.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
The Niners, they're playing for the one seed on Saturday.
How alive for a real run at the title? Do
you think they are? And do you think this should
have been a Sunday night football game?
Speaker 1 (22:26):
No, I'm I'm fine with the winning you're in game
being Sunday night football. They want Raven Steelers, Rogers, Lamar.
It's fine and it might not be Lamar, And.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
I think we're gonna's I mean, yeah, we'll get to that.
Speaker 1 (22:46):
We'll get to the Lamar stuff. All Knicks a hater.
Nick doesn't know what he's saying about Nicks making things up.
I told you so, guys. But let's stay here for
a minute. Uh dude, he's hurt. The Okay, we'll get
to it. Well, we'll we'll get to the Lamar stuff.
(23:09):
The I don't think the Niners defense should be good
enough to win a Super Bowl, but with the way
the offense is playing, and the with the way the
offense is playing, and if they win on Saturday, getting
the bye and having all the games come through Santa Clara.
(23:33):
Obviously they've got a great shot at it. I'm shocked
by that, and that speaks what I was saying about
Shanahan and McCaffrey and how will party has been playing.
All right, let's talk Bears just for a second.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
After it Bears. After Atlanta defeated the Seat after no no, oh, yeah,
I'm sorry, I was like, what on the Bear side?
Caleb had a shot to win at the end, but
he came up short. Is this a team that you
comfortable with bed money onto the playoffs?
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Listen. I think there's been a great year for Chicago
and I think that if they win against Detroit and
get the two seed, I think they'll beat the Packers
in round two. In round one, their defense has just
as many questions as the Niners. And while Caleb I
(24:26):
think was awesome in that game, I don't. I think
they're probably a year away from real contention now. It
doesn't mean they can't do it, but it would surprise me.
And so if they Now, if they fall to the
three and they have to play one of those NFC
either the Niners again, obviously they can win that game,
(24:50):
but that would be tough or the Rams. I don't
think i'd like them. I certainly wouldn't pick them against
the Rams, and I might not pick them against the Niners.
But this is a great year for Chicago no matter
what the NFC playoff feel. Just the three NFC West
teams Chicago and Philly to tough feel. By the way,
(25:11):
if you're thinking about upgrading to the all new iPhone
seventeen Pro, designed to be the most powerful iPhone ever,
but you're also thinking about the traffic on your way
to the store or transferring all your data, good news.
When you order a new phone online with boost Mobile,
they'll send an expert to your home. How about that
or a home or work to deliver your brand new
(25:32):
iPhone Pro and get you set up on boost Mobile
within minutes, no hassle. So you get the new iPhone,
it comes right to you and a tech comes in,
get all your stuff transferred to get you set up
on the network. Visit boostmobile dot com to get started.
Delivery available for select devices purchased at boost mobile dot Com.
(25:52):
Terms of course do apply. All right, Deman say five games,
I'm betting let's.
Speaker 2 (25:59):
Go all right? Riding with your riding with your boy.
First game, you got Tampa Bay minus two and a
half at Carolina or versus Carolina.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
Sorry, Baker, just can't go out like this. They just
can't go there is Carolina has been better. Tampa's been
one of the worst teams in football for two months.
But they're at home. They're laying less than a field goal.
To have any chance of making the playoffs, they obviously
have to win, and then they have to root for
(26:28):
the Saints the next day. I just don't think Tampa's
gonna go out this sad. I'll lay the two and
a half with Tampa next.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Seattle minus won at San Francisco.
Speaker 1 (26:42):
I don't think the Niners defense, and it's thirty second
in the league's in sacks, it's gonna be able to
impact Darnold the way the Rams have been able to
get to him at times this year, the way we've
seen him when he has struggled. He didn't play well
against Carolina. By the way, I think Seattle's better. I
(27:03):
think it makes more sense for Seattle to be the
one seed. Seattle. They played early in the year, and
Seattle had the ball in Week one, had the ball
inside the red zone. With a chance to seal at
the end, Darnald fumbled. I think they get back. I
think Seattle gets the one seed. I think Seattle will
(27:23):
lay the point. I think they win.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Next next you got Vegas plus five and a half
versus Kansas City against them every week, Well, you.
Speaker 1 (27:36):
Just you just can't. I didn't bet against them last week.
They were I teased against them and they pushing. But
the the Chiefs offense right now just can't be five
and a half point favorites against anybody. And I'm not
saying this is how the Chiefs will operate, but what
I am saying is this, the Chief's ability to cost
(27:59):
the raidar the number one overall pick to prevent the
Raiders from being able to fix their quarterback problem is
legitimately valuable. So it's less about the Chiefs improving their
draft status and more about the Chiefs being able to
screw the Raiders where the Raiders with a loss get
the number one pick. And even if the I just
(28:21):
don't think the Chiefs right now can beat anyone by
a touchdown. They can't run the ball, they can't pass
the ball, they can't move the football, and they're on
the road They're not gonna have the juice of Arrowhead
from last week. I'll take the Raiders plus five and
a half.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Next, Miami plus twelve at New England Heavy.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
It's just a lot of points. Mike McDaniel's trying to
save his job, and there's usually one Week eighteen big
favorite that needs the game that all of a sudden
it's tied in the fourth quarter. It feels like it
might be this one. I know Mike McDaniel has all
(29:02):
these awful cold weather stats, but are those Mike McDaniel's
stats or are those TUA stats. I'm getting twelve points.
I'll take Miami plus twelve and last We're gonna go
out on our shield on this one, even though I'm
so mad at Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
Next, Pittsburgh plus three and a half versus Baltimore.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
I don't really care who's playing quarterback for Baltimore in
this game, to be honest, a banged up Lamar or
Huntley that we saw last week. I'm just like Pittsburgh
getting the points. This game is going someone's winning this
game by three. I don't know who. I'm getting three
and a half points, So I'll take Pittsburgh plus three
(29:43):
and a half. We know all the Tomlin getting Tomlin
getting points at home divisional games. I mean, I don't
know if he's ever lost. So my five picks this
week are Tampa minus two and a half against Carolina,
Seattle minus won against the Niners, the Raiders getting five
and a half against Kansas City, Miami getting twelve in
(30:06):
New England, Pittsburgh getting three and a half at home
against Baltimore,
Hosts And Creators
Colin Cowherd
Jason McIntyre
Popular Podcasts
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
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!