November 29, 2024 • 40 mins
The guys close out the last hour of the show breaking down some of the bigger NFL and college football matchups heading into the week, what’s the comparison between Lamar Jackson & Baker Mayfield & more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, thanks for listening to the Two Pros and a
Cup of Joe Podcast with LaVar Arrington, Jonas Knox, and
myself Brady Quinn. Make sure you catch us live weekdays
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(00:20):
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Speaker 2 (00:27):
Give this you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Ah. Yes, he'll be out a happy Thanksgiving and our
set for a legendary Black Friday. Today, we'll get to
the teams that actually won instead of the teams that
lost in terrible fashion yesterday. That's coming up here. We're
broadcasting live from the tier rack dot com studios. Tire
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(00:53):
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buying should be Okay, Jason, So if we look at
yesterday before we spin it forward, and we'll look at
the college games today, tomorrow, NFL games on Sunday We've
got some really really good matchups in both college and
(01:15):
the NFL. But a little bit more from yesterday where
listen the Bears, they were the headlining act with the
way they melted down against the Lions in epic fashion,
not calling time out, and just for fun, in a
few minutes, we'll play the Lions radio broadcast just so
we can all collectively laugh at the Bears one last
(01:36):
time at least on this fill in show. Right, but
let's look at the teams that won. How about the Lions?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Right?
Speaker 3 (01:44):
The Lions were just this machine. There's still eleven and one.
They're the team to beat in the NFC, they might
be the team to beat in the entire NFL. And
I'm curious where what you feel about the Lions today
where that was a close win against a bad Bears
(02:05):
team and you could look at it and say, it's
the NFL, it's a divisional game. I'm not worried about it.
Lions are still the team to be or you could
look at it and say, you know, this Lions team
might not be the machine that were exactly thinking they
are or expecting them to be. Where do you come out,
(02:25):
I know you're not selling all your Lions stock. That
would be foolish. But did you lose any faith, even
a little morsel of faith about the Lions in the
playoffs when they roll around based on how they played
against the Bears yesterday.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
It was strange, Brian, because watching the first half of
that game, I didn't think like I didn't think the
Bears were in the same league right, like they weren't
in the NFL and the Lions were in the NFL
like they were. The first couple of drives of that game,
I was thinking to myself, I was thinking football should
(03:01):
not look this easy. Like they were just carving up
the field right they were running at Gibbs looked like
five times faster and everybody else on the field. They
put up two stats. Gibbs entering yesterday's game, had the
second most yards per carry of anybody in the league,
and Jameson Williams had the second most yards per reception
(03:23):
in the league. So you're looking at that and you're
looking at golf. Just dealing up and down the field
gives a Montgomery doing their thing. You had two first
downs for the Bears in the first half. They were
all in the last couple of minutes of the first half, Like,
I mean, this thing was utterly dominant, and then you
get to the half and you look at it and
you say, shouldn't they be up a lot more than this? Yeah,
(03:43):
they were kicking field goals. They got one touchdown, but
then they were kicking field goals outside of that, So
you get to the end of the game. I don't
know how to feel, because they did take a couple
of injuries yesterday as well. They're really good when they're on,
but that that is not a game that should have
been close. Watching that in the first half, like that
(04:04):
should have been put away and it wasn't. Like it
took whatever that was from Matt Eberflus in order to
ensure that victory yesterday, And yeah, you're gonna take it,
and you're eleven and one. I'm certainly not selling any stock.
I still think they're the best team in the league,
but they're not beyond reproach either. And I was I
will say I was a little deflated at the end
(04:26):
of that, just because that should not have been in
doubt and somehow it was. And I was trying to
figure out exactly how that happened. Now Caleb played well,
certainly in the second half of the game, no question
about that. Really well, but the Lions could have had thirty,
it felt like, in the first half, and you got
there and they had sixteen instead, and then it just
(04:49):
kind of became the Bears in the second half. So
I wouldn't say I would be like, I'm not selling
any stock, but I'm also just kind of I just
kind of sat there stunned at the end of it, like,
I can't believe that this came down to that in
the first place.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Yeah it is. It's it's wild how some of these
leads just start to crumble. And I thought the same
way about the game. The Lions looked fantastic in the
first half, and then the second half rolls around. You're like, okay,
they settled for a field goal, No big deal, all right,
the Bears scored. Oh that's cute. They're down by ten,
you know, no real threat. Oh they scored again, Oh wow,
(05:27):
the Bears might cover here, you know, like they're nine
and a half ten point underdogs. And then you're like, oh, shoot,
the Bears they got a chance to like win this
thing at worst tie it up. And then it was
just a calamity. At the end, I thought the most
important point you made was all the injuries that the
Lions are suffering.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Here.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
They're so thin on the defensive line. They had like
linebackers dropping there. They've got linebackers like sort of playing
defensive line. They're so banged up, and that that could
come back to bite them. But I think the Lions listen,
we see their strengths, but the injury bug can hurt
(06:09):
anybody's playoff chances, and that's something to keep your eye
on with the Lions. I think also with yesterday, we
spent some time looking at the Dolphins. How about the
Packers And that's the matchup next week is Packers at
the Lions. And I feel like Green Bay is one
of these teams because the Lions have gotten all the headlines,
all the attention, and I think deservedly so. The Lions
(06:32):
have been that good and have looked that dominant at
times and just sneakily you're like, oh wow, the Packers
have won seven of eight. They're seven to one in
their last eight games. The only loss was to the Lions,
and they're a team where you see their strengths and
if Jordan Love can just protect the football and stop
(06:52):
throwing interception after interception like yesterday. You see their formula.
They've played respectable defense. They can run the ball with
Josh Jacobs.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Yeah, that was a great pickup by them. And Aaron
Jones is really get back. But Josh Jacobs has been.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
He gives them some juice here, Yeah, definitely. And Jordan
Love He's he's capable of more. You know, I think
the interceptions have been a problem this season. He's turned
it over too much. But to listen, the Packers are
a live team come playoff time. I feel like, yeah, well, look.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
My preseason super Bowl was Chiefs Packers, and I feel
pretty good about that right now. Certainly could be Detroit,
Certainly could be Philadelphia. Outside of those three teams, though,
I don't know that I feel good about anybody else
in that conference. Maybe I'm overlooking somebody, but there's there's
just too many question marks outside of that. And then
(07:49):
I look at it and I say, well, if you
look at all those teams, where they have in common
and it is that they have very competent leadership on
the sidelines, Like I understand, Dan Campbell can can kind
of worry you a little bit because yeah, you know,
the kneecap thing always happens, right, like you still think
about biting kneecaps never there's a late game situation. But look,
(08:10):
Dan Campbell's been great, Matt Leffleur is excellent, and I
think we we can certainly look at that now and
see how he has worked this with Jordan Love and
just how the way he crafts off I mean, made
Malik Willis successful this year when Love went down, and
I do think Love can can certainly be more protective
of the football. But they're in good shape. And then well,
(08:33):
I say content leadership, and then I forgot about the
third team I mentioned. I still don't believe in Nick Siriani, right,
but their their their talent may outweigh it if they
if they win a Super Bowl, they may they may
outweigh it. But I do look at Green Bay and
feel good about where they are right now and the
fact that they navigated Love's injury early in the year.
(08:54):
Even though they didn't they weren't great in those those
early games, they continued to get better and they're getting better.
Remember this is a team where Romeo Dobbs got benched
because he talked about not being happy with his role
in the offense, and since he's come back and been
very good for them, and you've got Jayden Reed kind
of re established last night finally, and he's certainly a
(09:15):
weapon for you, there's no reason to look at that
team and not feel good about their chances to get
out of the NFC.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, I think that if you look at the Lions
and that division, it makes playoff life for the Vikings
and the Packers potentially really difficult. Because if the Lions
win the division, the Vikings and the Packers they're most
likely going to be wildcard teams. I can't imagine they
would fizzle out and not be in the playoffs, right,
(09:44):
but think about their potential paths because the NFL still
does this where if you win your division, you host
a playoff game, no questions asked. So think about this
as it looks right now. In the NFC. The three
seed is Seattle at six in five. The four seed
is Atlanta also at six and five. That's followed by
(10:06):
the Vikings at nine and two and the Packers at
nine and three. So you got a couple of nine
win teams that would be wildcard teams and they're looking
up at six win teams that are right now leading
their divisions. I think that's silly, but that's the way
the NFL does it. But think about this, we're talking
about the Packers. Think about their potential path as it
(10:28):
stands right now. They would go on the road and
face Seattle. Okay, maybe you win that game, then you
would most likely be on the road and face the Eagles,
and then maybe you're talking an NFC championship game against
the Lions. Imagine if that's the path for the Packers,
if you get to a yeah, at Seattle, at Philly,
(10:51):
at Detroit. That's the toughest possible path. And we all
know things can change. But that's life as a wild
card team, and that's what happens when the Lions are
eleven and one. That makes the Vikings and Packers pads
really difficult. We've had some wild card teams that have
won it all, we know that, but to even get
(11:11):
to the super Bowl, it's gonna be a real challenge
if you're playing on the road, probably throughout the entire playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Yeah, like the Packers in the season thirteen and four,
but they don't win the division, right and they end
up having to go on that pathway. It's like, man,
wish we had been nine and seven, might as well
have been. Could have just rested guys once it's like
ten today, Once we're ten and seven, once we recognize
we were gonna get into the playoffs and we have it,
(11:40):
have it locked up. Just stop playing if you're not
gonna win the division, yeah, because it's not gonna matter.
It's not gonna help you that much anyway. Just rest up,
Put everybody on, you know, whatever mattress you want to sell,
whether it's helix, sleep or whatever it is. You get
them all set up and get them ready for the
stretch run. Put Jordan Love in bubble wrap, and then
(12:02):
just roll him back out there for the playoffs. It
doesn't feel like a reward, does it, Like, how is
that a reward? You make the playoffs? But you did
everything pretty much right that you could have done outside
of just your problem is you played in a better division. Yeah,
that's than everybody else in the league.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
That's my whole thing is to me, which is more impressive?
Would it be the Packers as a wild card team
in the best division in football winning Let's say somewhere
around thirteen games. Or would it be say Atlanta winning
their division and being like a nine win team, you
(12:45):
know what I mean? Like it's the Packers as a
wild card team. Why is a wildcard team on the road.
I don't get I would do it by record every time.
I would not have. Oh, you won your division? Could
you not only get a playoff Berth, you get a
home game on top of that. I've just I've never
agreed with that, but we can agree on this. It's
time to clown the Bears again. Here, Jason, we're still
(13:06):
on Eberflus Watch. We believe still he is still he
is still hired. Wow, still employed as the Bears head coach.
And this is after yesterday's debacle. Bears on the outskirts
of field goal range with over thirty seconds left in
the game. They have a time out. They don't call
time out. All the time just ticked off the clock
(13:28):
as Caleb Williams threw an incomplete deep ball. And this
is how it sounded on the Lions radio network.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
Bears go straight to the line third and twenty six
from the Lion forty one Williams with ten seconds to
go in the game. Williams with seven Williams with six
takes the step. This could be the final play of
the game, throws it deep down field.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
It is a game incomplete.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
That's it. That's it. That's it. What in the world
with the Bears game?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He's over you talk about the world of practice?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Manager?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Did you hear the did you hear the West one
one radio call, the actual national call Jason Bennetti or
Palell from Fox? Oh he doesn't, Ryan Leaf, and Benetti's
a Chicago native. But if you hear that, like Bennetti's baffled,
and then Ryan Leaf just says, it's the Bears. This
is exactly what we said was gonna happen in our
pre game. He's like dead pans it. He just absolutely destroyed.
(14:31):
It's it's hilarious. Sense over. I found this stat by
the way, tell me this is not coaching malpractice of
the highest level. Uh huh. Bears record in games with
zero turnovers and one plus takeaways by head coach Lovey
Smith was sixteen and three during his career. Mark Trustman
(14:52):
was six and one. John Fox was six and four.
The awful Matt Naggi was eight and oh. Matt Eberflus's
six and five. He's barely five hundred games where his
team doesn't turn the football over and at least gets
two from the other team. How bad do you have
(15:12):
to be like that?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
That's coaching, It's it just that's horrendous. You know, if
it's one game here or there, something fluky happens beyond
the turnover battle, okay, But if it's a consistent theme,
it's just like, Bro, you're the common denominator, you know
what I mean? Like and for Matt Eberflus to say
this after what happened without calling time out, it's just legendary.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Bed, I think we handled it the right way, and
I do believe that just re wreck the play, get
it in bounce and call time out, and that's why
we held it and didn't work out the way we
wanted it to.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
How do you say with a straight face, I think
we handled it the right way. When you let over
thirty seconds just tick right off the clock without calling
time out, how do you even say that? I like
this from Caleb Williams as well. This is a good drop.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
There wasn't like any huge communication.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, there wasn't any like huge communication between you know,
head coach and quarterback. Is the time just ticked off
the clock right there? That that's the Bears season in
a nutshell. And that's not the only It's like the
Greatest Hits album. It's the Hail Mary that they allowed
against Washington. It's this loss against the Ling goal Hi
(16:23):
Lord to.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Come back to, then losing overtime against the Vikings, all
of this kind of stuff. It's it's the devil being
in the details, and in this case, it's just an
utter disaster. I saw this comment pop up from Trey Wingo.
He says that eber Flus's comments after the game is
actually worse than what happened in the game. Woo yeah,
And I think it's right, Like what we saw in
(16:47):
the game was terrible. But what you said afterwards, Again,
if I was scripting it and I was Kevin Warren,
I would say, Hey, we're going to fire you tomorrow,
so just make it easy on us. Let's make sure
we get no sympathy for you whatsoever. Just go out
there and say the thing that would make it obvious
that we should fire you. I got you, keV. You
watched that problem. We did things the right way. That's beautiful,
(17:09):
absolutely beautiful. Good.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah, I appreciate that's that's that's a rough look. I
feel like to me, it's uh, people say this all
the time, the cover up is greater than the crime.
I've never agreed with that. I think the cover up
can make the crime worse, right, but it doesn't mean
it's greater than the crime. That That's how I feel
about eber Flus. I think him saying, oh, we handled
(17:33):
it the right way. I think it makes the initial
crime look way worse. But the initial crime of not
calling time out, well all the time just ticks off
the clock. That's the heart of it. Him saying that
makes that look even worse. But I don't think it's
worse than what like grade school head coaches. No better
(17:55):
than that. How do you not call time? It just
goes is beyond You can't make sense at a nonsense,
you know what I mean. We could sit here until
we're you know, we're numb trying to figure out why
he didn't call time out. It's just a dumb mistake,
that's all about. It's about.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
I just I saw this comment. We'll get to break
but I just I don't know who this person is.
But I'm laughing. I just brought it up on Google
and it just popped up. I hope tomorrow morning, meaning today. Now,
Mattiebraflew steps on fifteen hundred legos. I assume that's a
Bears fan. But that's funny because we've all stepped on
a lego and we all know exactly how painful that is.
(18:34):
So this is someone that's had that is beyond past
all of this.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
No, that's that's a good one right there, all right?
Coming up next on Two Pros and a Cup of
Joe Live from the Tirack dot Com Studios, there's a
quarterback comparison I want to throw your way, Jane Martin.
I think you'll like this one. And also we spin
it forward. Man, we've got some absolutely fantastic matchups in college.
(18:59):
In the end, we'll get to a couple of those previews.
Coming up. It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin,
I'm Brian No. Hang with us as we move on forward.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin, I'm Brian Know.
We're in for two pros and a cup of Joe
right here live from the Tireck dot Com studios. Got
a tweet here from Nick He checked in. We were
talking about Baker Mayfield and how he's gone from maybe
like pro wrestling heel that you hated, to pro wrestling
(19:45):
heel that is kind of cool, like kind of root
for him, and Nick wrote, one hundred percent agree with
you about Baker Mayfield and how I feel about him
now versus how I felt about him in Cleveland. His
act was annoying and he was a bit of a
back then, and it's true. You know what's funny I
was thinking about this, Jason is I don't know that
(20:07):
he's changed that much, but the situation has changed, and
maybe we've changed more because think about the last game
against the Giants, he's scored a rushing touchdown. He was
doing the Tommy DeVito thing to the crowd, like just
egging the crowd on, like eah, in your face, that's right,
And it was like, that's kind of fun. That was
(20:29):
kind of cool. Good trolling moment by Baker. I think
he's still the same troll, but I don't know, because
he fizzled out in Cleveland and resurfaced in Tampa, and
I don't know. He's just he's more accepted. I'll put
it this way. I would compare Baker to Lamar Jackson
just in this sense where Lamar never did what Baker
(20:54):
would have done. Okay, like Baker had naysayers, Lamar had naysayers,
and then Lamar went out and was a two time MVP.
If Baker did that, Jason, we never would have heard
the end of it. It would have been from Baker.
Oh you thought I couldn't do this, I showed all
(21:14):
of you but it, and it would have been the
most annoying thing ever. And Lamar never did that. Lamar
never threw it in our face. And I had people
thinking I was going to be a wide receiver and
look at I'm a two time MVP. Now what. He's
never done that. And Baker would have been the most
annoying person on the planet, no doubt about it, if
(21:38):
he had that type of success. I've always loved that
about Lamar, and I know it would have gone differently
with Baker. But just this situation him resurfacing in Tampa,
I just think we look at the guy a lot
differently than we used to.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
I just think he's authentic, but he's also he's relatable
because of all of you just laid out, Especially you
go from being the number one pick to being cast
away and you end up a backup with the Rams,
and it just looks like, you know what, maybe this
career is just not going to have a happy ending
for him. Yeah, and he's seemingly getting in his own way.
(22:16):
I continue to believe the biggest mistake he ever made
was coming back from that injury and trying to finish
that season. I appreciate the guts it took, but he
wasn't going to be good, and it gave a bad
impression of what he was capable of because a year
before he had taken him to the playoffs and beaten
the Steelers, and I felt a lot better about where
(22:37):
he was. So he goes to Tampa and now he's
just the most authentic Baker Mayfield is. There's nothing not
genuine about it. Even the trolls, they're genuine. They've always
been genuine. That's just part of who he is. And
so you take that, but you also get the competitive
nature and you get all the crazy stuff. I'm still
trying to figure out how he didn't get tackled on
that one play where he somehow got the pass off
(23:00):
a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, yeah, Bosa could't rate
him on the ground, Just stuff like that. Like, I'll
give you another comparison, Lamar, that's an interesting one. I
would not have thought of that. How about Nate Robinson.
You look at a guy that has I think Bill
Simmons used to call it irrational confidence, Like there's no
(23:22):
reason for Baker Mayfield to play with the with the
kind of cocky attitude that he does, but for the
fact that he ends up going out there and being
better than you think, Like he ends up going and
making more plays than you expect him to make. And
he's just he's fun to watch now because there's nothing
about him that's inauthentic. Like the worst thing that I
can accuse you of being is fake, Like I'd rather
(23:45):
you be bad than fake, right, And there's nothing about
Baker Mayfield that's fake. Even when he's doing the Tony
the the the Veto thing and he's in the press conference,
trying to like downplay it. He's doing that with the
tongue firmly in his totally he knows exactly what he
was doing, and he knows that we know, and he's
just playing along and having a good time with it.
(24:05):
And I like it, Like, I'm just like, you know what, man,
You're okay, Like you're you're fine. I would probably hate
your guts if I ever got on your bad side,
but at the same time, like, I'm okay with this.
Like Nate Robinson was just another guy. He played with
a chip on his shoulder a lot, but he also
won dunk contest that he shouldn't have even been in,
(24:26):
you would think based on just looking at him, and
he continually believed he was gonna make every shot that
he took and all this kind of stuff. I look
at Baker Mayfield, I'm just like, yeah, you were the
NFL's Nate Robinson. And Nate Robinson had a good career,
and I think Baker Mayfield is well on his way
to having the same.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I think that there is such a thing as having
rabbit ears to a fault. You know, I've never understood
why Kevin Durant cares what idiots think you know, and
Baker Mayfield is the same way. Especially earlier in his career,
he cared way way too much what a lot of
idiots thought about his game. And I like the competitiveness
(25:06):
where he wanted to prove all the doubters wrong or
all the haters wrong, either one. But I think that
got in his way more than it helped him. And
maybe he approaches it a little bit differently now. I'm
sure he's matured some and understands what helps him and
what actually gets in his way. But I think wanting
to prove everybody wrong earlier in his career got in
(25:29):
his way. And I do love one of the points
that you made, and I hate that this is the reality.
I loved that Baker played through injury at the end
of his Browns days, but that really really hurt his
individual value, and I hate that that's the case. If
you want to take the comparison with Lamar a step further,
(25:49):
I hate that Lamar benefited from what I believe was
being selfish. There's no way you can convince me that
Lamar could not have gotten on the playoff field against
the angles. He absolutely could have. He wouldn't have been
one hundred percent and he's like, hey, without a big
contract and all this guaranteed money, no thanks, I'm not
(26:11):
taking that risk. And Lamar benefited from that, and Baker
took a significant hit for getting out there when he
wasn't one hundred percent not playing very well, and it
hurt his value going forward. And I hate that that's
the reality, but it's true. Sometimes at the negotiating table,
they the teams don't look at it and say, hey, man,
(26:33):
you really gutted it out. Yeah, we know you weren't
one hundred percent and that impacted your numbers. We're gonna
take all of that into account. They don't play that
game at all, like they're not giving you leverage. They're
taking that leverage and using it to their benefit. That's
the way it goes.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Yeah, no, I agree. I mean I think that again,
you can be like, man, I really appreciate how tough
he was, but you're not gonna get credit for it
if it doesn't work. That's right, and that's what happened.
He came back. It's like, man, he was tough, but
he was dumb. Like he was tough, but they weren't better.
They were worse with him back. It didn't help his career.
It could have set him back physically as well. They
(27:10):
weren't going anywhere anyway. The Spike card's not gonna work here.
The pride card is not gonna work here unless you
actually are able to back it up on the field.
And he couldn't do it, and you knew it, like
you watched him. It's like he can't move, he's not
turning his shoulder the same way. Like nothing looks right.
So why did you come back? Just shut it down
(27:31):
and then people can remember what you did the year
before as opposed to the lasting impression that we got
of you, right or wrong. And I think you're right.
It's unfair, but this is just the reality of it.
So that's all that matters, is that you weren't good
And I don't think that was a fair critique at
the time, but you gave us no choice because you
(27:52):
came back and put that on tape.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
That's right, That's exactly the way it played out. And
I want it'd be crazy if this tied together, if Lamar,
even if that crossed his mind at all, wouldn't it
be crazy if Baker Mayfield was a partial reason why
he didn't get back on the field, and you know,
playing the playoff game against the Bengals. I doubt it,
(28:16):
but that'd be pretty crazy if it was. How about this,
we'll spin it forward. Let's look at the Ravens. They
play one of the marquee matchups this week in the NFL,
Ravens hosting the Eagles. How about the running back matchup?
Just beginning on the surface with that, you got Saquon Barkley,
Derrick Henry. They have been unbelievable this season and what Saquon,
(28:39):
what both of them have meant to their offenses has
been obvious. So if you start with that, let's just
start with the matchup. They'll go beyond there with you
know what we think come playoff time. But what do
you think in this Eagles Ravens matchup? Raven's a standard
three point home favorite. What's your gut feeling telling you
in this game?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Gosh, that's tough. I mean, I like John Harbaugh more
than I like Nick Sirianni. That's one I can say
pretty easily. I think the running back situations that's fascinating
to watch. We know that Hurts and lamark and do
spectacular stuff. I still think Hurts has more offensive weapons
in the receiving position.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
The thing that does concern me for Baltimore, their defense
is not what a Ravens defense has traditionally been. Their
secondary can be had, and if they are, if they're
encroaching a little bit more by the down because of
what they use Saquan to do, then that's going to
create an extra yard or two for aj Brown or
(29:43):
Devonte Smith to maybe get separation or make a combat
catch they otherwise couldn't make, and that could be the
difference in the game. The question here is are Lamar
and Derek Henry going to be special enough to overcome
what I think is a defensive issue that is not
going to be fixed this year for Baltimore. That might
be their undoing when you get to the playoffs because
(30:06):
they're at home. I tend to think Baltimore will win,
but if they don't, it's gonna be a defensive I
think it's gonna be defense. I don't think that the
Eagles are gonna show up and shut Lamar Jackson down
or stop Derrick Henry from doing Derrick Henry things. I
think it's gonna come down to personnel issues and schematic
(30:26):
problems that they have on the defensive side of the
ball since Mike McDonald left.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yeah, it's weird to see the Ravens defense, their past
defense struggle the way that it is. It's like, how
are that's the worst pass defense in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
The Ravens seems seems unthinkable, It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Yeah, But I don't know that Jalen Hurts is the
guy that's gonna just carve them up. You know, I
don't want to make Jalen Hurts out to be a dud,
but there are far too many times I'll watch Jalen
Hurts and I'm just like, oh my gosh, this freaking guy,
you know, like I respect his running a billy, and
I don't want to make it sound like he can't
throw the ball at all. But there are some reads
(31:04):
that will miss. There are some throws that he'll miss.
He missed the sideline throw to AJ Brown recently, and
AJ Brown just looked at him like, are you serious
right now with that? That wasn't even close to me.
So I don't know that Jalen Hurts is gonna dice
up the Ravens secondary to the point where they win.
But let me ask you, this is the bigger question,
(31:27):
who do you like better and their respective conference come
playoff time? Because look at the Ravens with their pass
defense or lack thereof against the Chiefs, the Bills, everybody
else that's gonna have to deal with in the AFC. Meanwhile,
you look at Philly in the NFC, and it's not
(31:47):
as deep. I don't feel like you got the Seahawks
and Falcons at six and five leading their divisions right now.
It's not as deep as the AFC. Do you like
the Eagles in the NFC or the Ravens in the
AFC their chances to get to the Super Bowl at least?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I mean, I think I like the Eagles because I've
seen them get to a super Bowl without Derrick Henry
as a running back in what I think at the
time might have been a deeper NFC. NFCU West is
beating itself up, and none of those teams are as
good as they've been in years past. Their own division
is a complete joke. The North is stacked, but one
(32:25):
league also has Patrick Mahomes in it, and you probably
have to go through him to get to a super Bowl.
So that's always going to be a harder path, and
you think about you think about all of that, and
the one worry I have is that I just don't
trust Nick Sirianni to make good decisions if it's tight,
because we've seen them escape with some bad decisions that
(32:47):
he's made this year already. That Saints game was a debacle,
for example, but they somehow won that game. But that
would be my concern. I don't think hardball makes that
kind of decision. Let me tell you something else that's
really weird about this year. I don't trust Justin Tucker
right now, I know it, right, Yeah, he's been bad
like this is. I don't know that we're able to
(33:10):
say that, but he's been bad. And for the first
time it's not a gimme when he goes up there
to kick a field goal. But I have seen the
Eagles in the super Bowl. I've seen them with this
quarterback in the Super Bowl and some of these skill
position guys in the Super Bowl, and you had, say
Kwon Barkley to that. So provided that they're healthy, I
(33:31):
think the NFC is weaker and not nearly as deep
or as dangerous as the AFC. So I still think
the Eagles even if I think that the Ravens have
the best unit of the four with their.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Offense, Yeah, that's fair. I think that right now, I
would side with the Eagles in the NFC a bit
more than the Ravens in the AFC because the Eagles
have the inside track to winning their division, having a
more favorable path throughout the playoffs. Like maybe the Ravens
sneak up on the Steelers and take the division, and
(34:05):
they're in a similar situation where you know you don't
have to play maybe all of your games on the road,
Like that's that's the danger you're in. If you're a
wild card team, you might be on the road throughout
the entire playoffs and don't I don't see the Eagles
giving up that division. So yeah, I would go with
the Eagles, and plus the NFC not as deep as
(34:25):
the AFC come playoff time, so I think the Eagles
have a better chance. I'd give them better odds to
get to the super Bowl than the Ravens, but both
are live. Both their live come playoff time. I can't
wait for that game on Sunday. That should be a
tremendous matchup all right, coming up next on two Pros
and a Cup of Joe live from the tirack dot
Com studios. This guy isn't coming back, is he? I
(34:49):
will close it down in style. He's Jason Martin. I'm
Brian No. Hang with us right here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Erring and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin. I'm Brian No.
We're in for Two Pros and a Cup of Joe
right here live from the tire rack dot Com studios. Ay,
shortly after the show, our podcast would be going up.
If you missed anything on today's show, be sure to
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(35:31):
bad boy you know what that help us out again?
Just search two Pros wherever you get your podcasts, and
you'll see the show posted right after we get off
the year. Okay, just a minute on this real fast,
j mart because I want to preview some of these
games coming up here. But Mike McCarthy Cowboys head coach
Jerry Jones has talked publicly about maybe bringing him back.
(35:52):
He's not coming back, is he? Is he crazy enough
to bring him back?
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I mean, it's it's very odd that Jerry Jones has
stuck with certain things so long, Like he's not a
knee jerk guy, and he's somebody that often like we
think Jason Garrett's gonna be gone, he's still there three
years later. So it's not beyond the realm of possibility
that Jerry would bring him back. But there's no reason
(36:19):
to bring him back, Like there's not there's nothing irreplaceable
about Mike McCarthy at all. I mean, I don't even
think he should have been there this year. I just
don't think he's There's nothing spectacular about him as a
head coach at all. And I don't think he's gonna
make you better. I think she got worse the second
dan Quinn left. I mean, dan Quinn would have been better.
(36:39):
You kept the wrong guy of the two if you're
gonna keep one of them. But there's just is there
anything about Mike McCarthy that says, yeah, I want that
guy as a head coach? Again, I don't think so, right, Like,
you go do something else. Yeah, get younger, get fresher,
get more dynamic Offensively, You've committed all this money to
the offense side of the ball. But then you've got
(37:01):
you know, Mike, You've got a Maka Parson saying what
he said about McCarthy. There's nobody in that locker room
seems to be behind him either. There's no reason to
do this. So I just kind of hope that, at
least for Cowboys fans, that Jerry Jones is just kind
of saying the diplomatic thing before dropping a hammer at
(37:21):
the end.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Of the year. Yeah, maybe that's the thing. The results
have been mediocre at best. I don't know why you
would just run it back with mediocrity, try to get better.
It doesn't make much sense to me. We'll see what
they do. Okay. A couple of the previews here college football.
We got some good Friday games, right, we got some
Black Friday games today I'm looking forward to. But let
(37:44):
me spend it forward to tomorrow where we get number
three Texas at number twenty Texas A and m You
think hook them gets it done? Are you calling the
upset here?
Speaker 4 (37:54):
I hope hook them gets it done because I don't
think A and M is good enough and don't want
to see them in a playoff. Want to see him
the SEC championship game, and I don't want to see
him in a playoff. Could they win a game, Yes,
I don't think that they're good enough. I just don't.
I don't have any interest in it. I don't want
them to be the flying the ointment. If there's gonna
be a team that sneaks in, don't let it be them.
So I am hoping to hook them. I think it's
(38:15):
gonna be a great atmosphere, it is cayle Field's gonna
be rocking, it's gonna be fun, and it's going to
be a test because of all that. But even though
I think they're better this year and I like what
Elco has done in year one, I'm out on A
and M being worthy of being in the college football playoffs.
So I want to see that end very very quickly
tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Yeah. Yeah, it's crazy that A and M's eight and three,
they're ranked number twenty, and yet they still have like
a little little pulse. You know, you just want them
gone gone. Anything else college football wise, you're looking forward to.
I know you got your eye on my Irish over here.
Huh against USC? I about the South Carolina Clemson game?
(38:57):
What else besides hook something? You like that one?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
I definitely like that one. Tennessee Vanderbilt. Tennessee's got to win,
and Vanderbilt has been pesky and they've been pretty good
this year. And that's in Nashville, and it's going to
be super cold. There might even be flurries overnight here. Wow,
So that's gonna be one. I would say keep your
eye on. And I've already said my eye is firmly
on Georgia Tech against Georgia. Which Georgia shows up the
(39:20):
one that's been dominant recently or the one that we've
seen most of the year. So I would watch that
one too.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Good stuff. NFL wise, we know the headlining band is
Eagles v Ravens. Looking forward to that. How about Sunday night? Though,
Niners at the Bills? Is this the Niners season on
the line? Now? They're five and six, They would drop
to five and seven if they lose. Obviously, not a
ton of separation with the teams they're looking up at,
(39:50):
with the Seahawks and the Cardinals there. But look at
their remaining schedule, Jason. So they host the Bears, they
host the Rams on a Thursday, they're at Miami, they
host the Lions on a Monday night, and then they're
at Arizona. If they lose to Buffalo, it might be
a rap for them.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
I think.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
So.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
I don't think that with that schedule they can afford
to be five and seven going into it. I just don't.
I think that's too much of an ask. McCaffery hasn't
looked quite himself. They're doing with all sorts of injury,
it just doesn't look right there. You can just look
at that scenario and say, you know what, this is
not their year. They are having that Super Bowl hangover
kind of year. So no, I do think it's their
season on the line.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
It does feel like that. Well, hey, j Mark, good
to hang with you. I feel like we handled it
the right way.
Hey, thanks for listening to the Two Pros and a
Cup of Joe Podcast with LaVar Arrington, Jonas Knox, and
myself Brady Quinn. Make sure you catch us live weekdays
six to nine am Eastern or three am to six
am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. You can find your
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(00:20):
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Speaker 2 (00:27):
Give this you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Ah. Yes, he'll be out a happy Thanksgiving and our
set for a legendary Black Friday. Today, we'll get to
the teams that actually won instead of the teams that
lost in terrible fashion yesterday. That's coming up here. We're
broadcasting live from the tier rack dot com studios. Tire
rack dot com will help you get there an unmatched selection,
(00:53):
fast free shipping, free road hazard protection, and over ten
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buying should be Okay, Jason, So if we look at
yesterday before we spin it forward, and we'll look at
the college games today, tomorrow, NFL games on Sunday We've
got some really really good matchups in both college and
(01:15):
the NFL. But a little bit more from yesterday where
listen the Bears, they were the headlining act with the
way they melted down against the Lions in epic fashion,
not calling time out, and just for fun, in a
few minutes, we'll play the Lions radio broadcast just so
we can all collectively laugh at the Bears one last
(01:36):
time at least on this fill in show. Right, but
let's look at the teams that won. How about the Lions?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
Right?
Speaker 3 (01:44):
The Lions were just this machine. There's still eleven and one.
They're the team to beat in the NFC, they might
be the team to beat in the entire NFL. And
I'm curious where what you feel about the Lions today
where that was a close win against a bad Bears
(02:05):
team and you could look at it and say, it's
the NFL, it's a divisional game. I'm not worried about it.
Lions are still the team to be or you could
look at it and say, you know, this Lions team
might not be the machine that were exactly thinking they
are or expecting them to be. Where do you come out,
(02:25):
I know you're not selling all your Lions stock. That
would be foolish. But did you lose any faith, even
a little morsel of faith about the Lions in the
playoffs when they roll around based on how they played
against the Bears yesterday.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
It was strange, Brian, because watching the first half of
that game, I didn't think like I didn't think the
Bears were in the same league right, like they weren't
in the NFL and the Lions were in the NFL
like they were. The first couple of drives of that game,
I was thinking to myself, I was thinking football should
(03:01):
not look this easy. Like they were just carving up
the field right they were running at Gibbs looked like
five times faster and everybody else on the field. They
put up two stats. Gibbs entering yesterday's game, had the
second most yards per carry of anybody in the league,
and Jameson Williams had the second most yards per reception
(03:23):
in the league. So you're looking at that and you're
looking at golf. Just dealing up and down the field
gives a Montgomery doing their thing. You had two first
downs for the Bears in the first half. They were
all in the last couple of minutes of the first half, Like,
I mean, this thing was utterly dominant, and then you
get to the half and you look at it and
you say, shouldn't they be up a lot more than this? Yeah,
(03:43):
they were kicking field goals. They got one touchdown, but
then they were kicking field goals outside of that, So
you get to the end of the game. I don't
know how to feel, because they did take a couple
of injuries yesterday as well. They're really good when they're on,
but that that is not a game that should have
been close. Watching that in the first half, like that
(04:04):
should have been put away and it wasn't. Like it
took whatever that was from Matt Eberflus in order to
ensure that victory yesterday, And yeah, you're gonna take it,
and you're eleven and one. I'm certainly not selling any stock.
I still think they're the best team in the league,
but they're not beyond reproach either. And I was I
will say I was a little deflated at the end
(04:26):
of that, just because that should not have been in
doubt and somehow it was. And I was trying to
figure out exactly how that happened. Now Caleb played well,
certainly in the second half of the game, no question
about that. Really well, but the Lions could have had thirty,
it felt like, in the first half, and you got
there and they had sixteen instead, and then it just
(04:49):
kind of became the Bears in the second half. So
I wouldn't say I would be like, I'm not selling
any stock, but I'm also just kind of I just
kind of sat there stunned at the end of it, like,
I can't believe that this came down to that in
the first place.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
Yeah it is. It's it's wild how some of these
leads just start to crumble. And I thought the same
way about the game. The Lions looked fantastic in the
first half, and then the second half rolls around. You're like, okay,
they settled for a field goal, No big deal, all right,
the Bears scored. Oh that's cute. They're down by ten,
you know, no real threat. Oh they scored again, Oh wow,
(05:27):
the Bears might cover here, you know, like they're nine
and a half ten point underdogs. And then you're like, oh, shoot,
the Bears they got a chance to like win this
thing at worst tie it up. And then it was
just a calamity. At the end, I thought the most
important point you made was all the injuries that the
Lions are suffering.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Here.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
They're so thin on the defensive line. They had like
linebackers dropping there. They've got linebackers like sort of playing
defensive line. They're so banged up, and that that could
come back to bite them. But I think the Lions listen,
we see their strengths, but the injury bug can hurt
(06:09):
anybody's playoff chances, and that's something to keep your eye
on with the Lions. I think also with yesterday, we
spent some time looking at the Dolphins. How about the
Packers And that's the matchup next week is Packers at
the Lions. And I feel like Green Bay is one
of these teams because the Lions have gotten all the headlines,
all the attention, and I think deservedly so. The Lions
(06:32):
have been that good and have looked that dominant at
times and just sneakily you're like, oh wow, the Packers
have won seven of eight. They're seven to one in
their last eight games. The only loss was to the Lions,
and they're a team where you see their strengths and
if Jordan Love can just protect the football and stop
(06:52):
throwing interception after interception like yesterday. You see their formula.
They've played respectable defense. They can run the ball with
Josh Jacobs.
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Yeah, that was a great pickup by them. And Aaron
Jones is really get back. But Josh Jacobs has been.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
He gives them some juice here, Yeah, definitely. And Jordan
Love He's he's capable of more. You know, I think
the interceptions have been a problem this season. He's turned
it over too much. But to listen, the Packers are
a live team come playoff time. I feel like, yeah, well, look.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
My preseason super Bowl was Chiefs Packers, and I feel
pretty good about that right now. Certainly could be Detroit,
Certainly could be Philadelphia. Outside of those three teams, though,
I don't know that I feel good about anybody else
in that conference. Maybe I'm overlooking somebody, but there's there's
just too many question marks outside of that. And then
(07:49):
I look at it and I say, well, if you
look at all those teams, where they have in common
and it is that they have very competent leadership on
the sidelines, Like I understand, Dan Campbell can can kind
of worry you a little bit because yeah, you know,
the kneecap thing always happens, right, like you still think
about biting kneecaps never there's a late game situation. But look,
(08:10):
Dan Campbell's been great, Matt Leffleur is excellent, and I
think we we can certainly look at that now and
see how he has worked this with Jordan Love and
just how the way he crafts off I mean, made
Malik Willis successful this year when Love went down, and
I do think Love can can certainly be more protective
of the football. But they're in good shape. And then well,
(08:33):
I say content leadership, and then I forgot about the
third team I mentioned. I still don't believe in Nick Siriani, right,
but their their their talent may outweigh it if they
if they win a Super Bowl, they may they may
outweigh it. But I do look at Green Bay and
feel good about where they are right now and the
fact that they navigated Love's injury early in the year.
(08:54):
Even though they didn't they weren't great in those those
early games, they continued to get better and they're getting better.
Remember this is a team where Romeo Dobbs got benched
because he talked about not being happy with his role
in the offense, and since he's come back and been
very good for them, and you've got Jayden Reed kind
of re established last night finally, and he's certainly a
(09:15):
weapon for you, there's no reason to look at that
team and not feel good about their chances to get
out of the NFC.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, I think that if you look at the Lions
and that division, it makes playoff life for the Vikings
and the Packers potentially really difficult. Because if the Lions
win the division, the Vikings and the Packers they're most
likely going to be wildcard teams. I can't imagine they
would fizzle out and not be in the playoffs, right,
(09:44):
but think about their potential paths because the NFL still
does this where if you win your division, you host
a playoff game, no questions asked. So think about this
as it looks right now. In the NFC. The three
seed is Seattle at six in five. The four seed
is Atlanta also at six and five. That's followed by
(10:06):
the Vikings at nine and two and the Packers at
nine and three. So you got a couple of nine
win teams that would be wildcard teams and they're looking
up at six win teams that are right now leading
their divisions. I think that's silly, but that's the way
the NFL does it. But think about this, we're talking
about the Packers. Think about their potential path as it
(10:28):
stands right now. They would go on the road and
face Seattle. Okay, maybe you win that game, then you
would most likely be on the road and face the Eagles,
and then maybe you're talking an NFC championship game against
the Lions. Imagine if that's the path for the Packers,
if you get to a yeah, at Seattle, at Philly,
(10:51):
at Detroit. That's the toughest possible path. And we all
know things can change. But that's life as a wild
card team, and that's what happens when the Lions are
eleven and one. That makes the Vikings and Packers pads
really difficult. We've had some wild card teams that have
won it all, we know that, but to even get
(11:11):
to the super Bowl, it's gonna be a real challenge
if you're playing on the road, probably throughout the entire playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
Yeah, like the Packers in the season thirteen and four,
but they don't win the division, right and they end
up having to go on that pathway. It's like, man,
wish we had been nine and seven, might as well
have been. Could have just rested guys once it's like
ten today, Once we're ten and seven, once we recognize
we were gonna get into the playoffs and we have it,
(11:40):
have it locked up. Just stop playing if you're not
gonna win the division, yeah, because it's not gonna matter.
It's not gonna help you that much anyway. Just rest up,
Put everybody on, you know, whatever mattress you want to sell,
whether it's helix, sleep or whatever it is. You get
them all set up and get them ready for the
stretch run. Put Jordan Love in bubble wrap, and then
(12:02):
just roll him back out there for the playoffs. It
doesn't feel like a reward, does it, Like, how is
that a reward? You make the playoffs? But you did
everything pretty much right that you could have done outside
of just your problem is you played in a better division. Yeah,
that's than everybody else in the league.
Speaker 3 (12:21):
That's my whole thing is to me, which is more impressive?
Would it be the Packers as a wild card team
in the best division in football winning Let's say somewhere
around thirteen games. Or would it be say Atlanta winning
their division and being like a nine win team, you
(12:45):
know what I mean? Like it's the Packers as a
wild card team. Why is a wildcard team on the road.
I don't get I would do it by record every time.
I would not have. Oh, you won your division? Could
you not only get a playoff Berth, you get a
home game on top of that. I've just I've never
agreed with that, but we can agree on this. It's
time to clown the Bears again. Here, Jason, we're still
(13:06):
on Eberflus Watch. We believe still he is still he
is still hired. Wow, still employed as the Bears head coach.
And this is after yesterday's debacle. Bears on the outskirts
of field goal range with over thirty seconds left in
the game. They have a time out. They don't call
time out. All the time just ticked off the clock
(13:28):
as Caleb Williams threw an incomplete deep ball. And this
is how it sounded on the Lions radio network.
Speaker 5 (13:34):
Bears go straight to the line third and twenty six
from the Lion forty one Williams with ten seconds to
go in the game. Williams with seven Williams with six
takes the step. This could be the final play of
the game, throws it deep down field.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
It is a game incomplete.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
That's it. That's it. That's it. What in the world
with the Bears game?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
He's over you talk about the world of practice?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Manager?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
Did you hear the did you hear the West one
one radio call, the actual national call Jason Bennetti or
Palell from Fox? Oh he doesn't, Ryan Leaf, and Benetti's
a Chicago native. But if you hear that, like Bennetti's baffled,
and then Ryan Leaf just says, it's the Bears. This
is exactly what we said was gonna happen in our
pre game. He's like dead pans it. He just absolutely destroyed.
(14:31):
It's it's hilarious. Sense over. I found this stat by
the way, tell me this is not coaching malpractice of
the highest level. Uh huh. Bears record in games with
zero turnovers and one plus takeaways by head coach Lovey
Smith was sixteen and three during his career. Mark Trustman
(14:52):
was six and one. John Fox was six and four.
The awful Matt Naggi was eight and oh. Matt Eberflus's
six and five. He's barely five hundred games where his
team doesn't turn the football over and at least gets
two from the other team. How bad do you have
(15:12):
to be like that?
Speaker 3 (15:14):
That's coaching, It's it just that's horrendous. You know, if
it's one game here or there, something fluky happens beyond
the turnover battle, okay, But if it's a consistent theme,
it's just like, Bro, you're the common denominator, you know
what I mean? Like and for Matt Eberflus to say
this after what happened without calling time out, it's just legendary.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
Bed, I think we handled it the right way, and
I do believe that just re wreck the play, get
it in bounce and call time out, and that's why
we held it and didn't work out the way we
wanted it to.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
How do you say with a straight face, I think
we handled it the right way. When you let over
thirty seconds just tick right off the clock without calling
time out, how do you even say that? I like
this from Caleb Williams as well. This is a good drop.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
There wasn't like any huge communication.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, there wasn't any like huge communication between you know,
head coach and quarterback. Is the time just ticked off
the clock right there? That that's the Bears season in
a nutshell. And that's not the only It's like the
Greatest Hits album. It's the Hail Mary that they allowed
against Washington. It's this loss against the Ling goal Hi
(16:23):
Lord to.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Come back to, then losing overtime against the Vikings, all
of this kind of stuff. It's it's the devil being
in the details, and in this case, it's just an
utter disaster. I saw this comment pop up from Trey Wingo.
He says that eber Flus's comments after the game is
actually worse than what happened in the game. Woo yeah,
And I think it's right, Like what we saw in
(16:47):
the game was terrible. But what you said afterwards, Again,
if I was scripting it and I was Kevin Warren,
I would say, Hey, we're going to fire you tomorrow,
so just make it easy on us. Let's make sure
we get no sympathy for you whatsoever. Just go out
there and say the thing that would make it obvious
that we should fire you. I got you, keV. You
watched that problem. We did things the right way. That's beautiful,
(17:09):
absolutely beautiful. Good.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Yeah, I appreciate that's that's that's a rough look. I
feel like to me, it's uh, people say this all
the time, the cover up is greater than the crime.
I've never agreed with that. I think the cover up
can make the crime worse, right, but it doesn't mean
it's greater than the crime. That That's how I feel
about eber Flus. I think him saying, oh, we handled
(17:33):
it the right way. I think it makes the initial
crime look way worse. But the initial crime of not
calling time out, well all the time just ticks off
the clock. That's the heart of it. Him saying that
makes that look even worse. But I don't think it's
worse than what like grade school head coaches. No better
(17:55):
than that. How do you not call time? It just
goes is beyond You can't make sense at a nonsense,
you know what I mean. We could sit here until
we're you know, we're numb trying to figure out why
he didn't call time out. It's just a dumb mistake,
that's all about. It's about.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
I just I saw this comment. We'll get to break
but I just I don't know who this person is.
But I'm laughing. I just brought it up on Google
and it just popped up. I hope tomorrow morning, meaning today. Now,
Mattiebraflew steps on fifteen hundred legos. I assume that's a
Bears fan. But that's funny because we've all stepped on
a lego and we all know exactly how painful that is.
(18:34):
So this is someone that's had that is beyond past
all of this.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
No, that's that's a good one right there, all right?
Coming up next on Two Pros and a Cup of
Joe Live from the Tirack dot Com Studios, there's a
quarterback comparison I want to throw your way, Jane Martin.
I think you'll like this one. And also we spin
it forward. Man, we've got some absolutely fantastic matchups in college.
(18:59):
In the end, we'll get to a couple of those previews.
Coming up. It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin,
I'm Brian No. Hang with us as we move on forward.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin, I'm Brian Know.
We're in for two pros and a cup of Joe
right here live from the Tireck dot Com studios. Got
a tweet here from Nick He checked in. We were
talking about Baker Mayfield and how he's gone from maybe
like pro wrestling heel that you hated, to pro wrestling
(19:45):
heel that is kind of cool, like kind of root
for him, and Nick wrote, one hundred percent agree with
you about Baker Mayfield and how I feel about him
now versus how I felt about him in Cleveland. His
act was annoying and he was a bit of a
back then, and it's true. You know what's funny I
was thinking about this, Jason is I don't know that
(20:07):
he's changed that much, but the situation has changed, and
maybe we've changed more because think about the last game
against the Giants, he's scored a rushing touchdown. He was
doing the Tommy DeVito thing to the crowd, like just
egging the crowd on, like eah, in your face, that's right,
And it was like, that's kind of fun. That was
(20:29):
kind of cool. Good trolling moment by Baker. I think
he's still the same troll, but I don't know, because
he fizzled out in Cleveland and resurfaced in Tampa, and
I don't know. He's just he's more accepted. I'll put
it this way. I would compare Baker to Lamar Jackson
just in this sense where Lamar never did what Baker
(20:54):
would have done. Okay, like Baker had naysayers, Lamar had naysayers,
and then Lamar went out and was a two time MVP.
If Baker did that, Jason, we never would have heard
the end of it. It would have been from Baker.
Oh you thought I couldn't do this, I showed all
(21:14):
of you but it, and it would have been the
most annoying thing ever. And Lamar never did that. Lamar
never threw it in our face. And I had people
thinking I was going to be a wide receiver and
look at I'm a two time MVP. Now what. He's
never done that. And Baker would have been the most
annoying person on the planet, no doubt about it, if
(21:38):
he had that type of success. I've always loved that
about Lamar, and I know it would have gone differently
with Baker. But just this situation him resurfacing in Tampa,
I just think we look at the guy a lot
differently than we used to.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
I just think he's authentic, but he's also he's relatable
because of all of you just laid out, Especially you
go from being the number one pick to being cast
away and you end up a backup with the Rams,
and it just looks like, you know what, maybe this
career is just not going to have a happy ending
for him. Yeah, and he's seemingly getting in his own way.
(22:16):
I continue to believe the biggest mistake he ever made
was coming back from that injury and trying to finish
that season. I appreciate the guts it took, but he
wasn't going to be good, and it gave a bad
impression of what he was capable of because a year
before he had taken him to the playoffs and beaten
the Steelers, and I felt a lot better about where
(22:37):
he was. So he goes to Tampa and now he's
just the most authentic Baker Mayfield is. There's nothing not
genuine about it. Even the trolls, they're genuine. They've always
been genuine. That's just part of who he is. And
so you take that, but you also get the competitive
nature and you get all the crazy stuff. I'm still
trying to figure out how he didn't get tackled on
that one play where he somehow got the pass off
(23:00):
a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, yeah, Bosa could't rate
him on the ground, Just stuff like that. Like, I'll
give you another comparison, Lamar, that's an interesting one. I
would not have thought of that. How about Nate Robinson.
You look at a guy that has I think Bill
Simmons used to call it irrational confidence, Like there's no
(23:22):
reason for Baker Mayfield to play with the with the
kind of cocky attitude that he does, but for the
fact that he ends up going out there and being
better than you think, Like he ends up going and
making more plays than you expect him to make. And
he's just he's fun to watch now because there's nothing
about him that's inauthentic. Like the worst thing that I
can accuse you of being is fake, Like I'd rather
(23:45):
you be bad than fake, right, And there's nothing about
Baker Mayfield that's fake. Even when he's doing the Tony
the the the Veto thing and he's in the press conference,
trying to like downplay it. He's doing that with the
tongue firmly in his totally he knows exactly what he
was doing, and he knows that we know, and he's
just playing along and having a good time with it.
(24:05):
And I like it, Like, I'm just like, you know what, man,
You're okay, Like you're you're fine. I would probably hate
your guts if I ever got on your bad side,
but at the same time, like, I'm okay with this.
Like Nate Robinson was just another guy. He played with
a chip on his shoulder a lot, but he also
won dunk contest that he shouldn't have even been in,
(24:26):
you would think based on just looking at him, and
he continually believed he was gonna make every shot that
he took and all this kind of stuff. I look
at Baker Mayfield, I'm just like, yeah, you were the
NFL's Nate Robinson. And Nate Robinson had a good career,
and I think Baker Mayfield is well on his way
to having the same.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I think that there is such a thing as having
rabbit ears to a fault. You know, I've never understood
why Kevin Durant cares what idiots think you know, and
Baker Mayfield is the same way. Especially earlier in his career,
he cared way way too much what a lot of
idiots thought about his game. And I like the competitiveness
(25:06):
where he wanted to prove all the doubters wrong or
all the haters wrong, either one. But I think that
got in his way more than it helped him. And
maybe he approaches it a little bit differently now. I'm
sure he's matured some and understands what helps him and
what actually gets in his way. But I think wanting
to prove everybody wrong earlier in his career got in
(25:29):
his way. And I do love one of the points
that you made, and I hate that this is the reality.
I loved that Baker played through injury at the end
of his Browns days, but that really really hurt his
individual value, and I hate that that's the case. If
you want to take the comparison with Lamar a step further,
(25:49):
I hate that Lamar benefited from what I believe was
being selfish. There's no way you can convince me that
Lamar could not have gotten on the playoff field against
the angles. He absolutely could have. He wouldn't have been
one hundred percent and he's like, hey, without a big
contract and all this guaranteed money, no thanks, I'm not
(26:11):
taking that risk. And Lamar benefited from that, and Baker
took a significant hit for getting out there when he
wasn't one hundred percent not playing very well, and it
hurt his value going forward. And I hate that that's
the reality, but it's true. Sometimes at the negotiating table,
they the teams don't look at it and say, hey, man,
(26:33):
you really gutted it out. Yeah, we know you weren't
one hundred percent and that impacted your numbers. We're gonna
take all of that into account. They don't play that
game at all, like they're not giving you leverage. They're
taking that leverage and using it to their benefit. That's
the way it goes.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
Yeah, no, I agree. I mean I think that again,
you can be like, man, I really appreciate how tough
he was, but you're not gonna get credit for it
if it doesn't work. That's right, and that's what happened.
He came back. It's like, man, he was tough, but
he was dumb. Like he was tough, but they weren't better.
They were worse with him back. It didn't help his career.
It could have set him back physically as well. They
(27:10):
weren't going anywhere anyway. The Spike card's not gonna work here.
The pride card is not gonna work here unless you
actually are able to back it up on the field.
And he couldn't do it, and you knew it, like
you watched him. It's like he can't move, he's not
turning his shoulder the same way. Like nothing looks right.
So why did you come back? Just shut it down
(27:31):
and then people can remember what you did the year
before as opposed to the lasting impression that we got
of you, right or wrong. And I think you're right.
It's unfair, but this is just the reality of it.
So that's all that matters, is that you weren't good
And I don't think that was a fair critique at
the time, but you gave us no choice because you
(27:52):
came back and put that on tape.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
That's right, That's exactly the way it played out. And
I want it'd be crazy if this tied together, if Lamar,
even if that crossed his mind at all, wouldn't it
be crazy if Baker Mayfield was a partial reason why
he didn't get back on the field, and you know,
playing the playoff game against the Bengals. I doubt it,
(28:16):
but that'd be pretty crazy if it was. How about this,
we'll spin it forward. Let's look at the Ravens. They
play one of the marquee matchups this week in the NFL,
Ravens hosting the Eagles. How about the running back matchup?
Just beginning on the surface with that, you got Saquon Barkley,
Derrick Henry. They have been unbelievable this season and what Saquon,
(28:39):
what both of them have meant to their offenses has
been obvious. So if you start with that, let's just
start with the matchup. They'll go beyond there with you
know what we think come playoff time. But what do
you think in this Eagles Ravens matchup? Raven's a standard
three point home favorite. What's your gut feeling telling you
in this game?
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Gosh, that's tough. I mean, I like John Harbaugh more
than I like Nick Sirianni. That's one I can say
pretty easily. I think the running back situations that's fascinating
to watch. We know that Hurts and lamark and do
spectacular stuff. I still think Hurts has more offensive weapons
in the receiving position.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
The thing that does concern me for Baltimore, their defense
is not what a Ravens defense has traditionally been. Their
secondary can be had, and if they are, if they're
encroaching a little bit more by the down because of
what they use Saquan to do, then that's going to
create an extra yard or two for aj Brown or
(29:43):
Devonte Smith to maybe get separation or make a combat
catch they otherwise couldn't make, and that could be the
difference in the game. The question here is are Lamar
and Derek Henry going to be special enough to overcome
what I think is a defensive issue that is not
going to be fixed this year for Baltimore. That might
be their undoing when you get to the playoffs because
(30:06):
they're at home. I tend to think Baltimore will win,
but if they don't, it's gonna be a defensive I
think it's gonna be defense. I don't think that the
Eagles are gonna show up and shut Lamar Jackson down
or stop Derrick Henry from doing Derrick Henry things. I
think it's gonna come down to personnel issues and schematic
(30:26):
problems that they have on the defensive side of the
ball since Mike McDonald left.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yeah, it's weird to see the Ravens defense, their past
defense struggle the way that it is. It's like, how
are that's the worst pass defense in the NFL?
Speaker 4 (30:40):
The Ravens seems seems unthinkable, It's crazy.
Speaker 3 (30:43):
Yeah, But I don't know that Jalen Hurts is the
guy that's gonna just carve them up. You know, I
don't want to make Jalen Hurts out to be a dud,
but there are far too many times I'll watch Jalen
Hurts and I'm just like, oh my gosh, this freaking guy,
you know, like I respect his running a billy, and
I don't want to make it sound like he can't
throw the ball at all. But there are some reads
(31:04):
that will miss. There are some throws that he'll miss.
He missed the sideline throw to AJ Brown recently, and
AJ Brown just looked at him like, are you serious
right now with that? That wasn't even close to me.
So I don't know that Jalen Hurts is gonna dice
up the Ravens secondary to the point where they win.
But let me ask you, this is the bigger question,
(31:27):
who do you like better and their respective conference come
playoff time? Because look at the Ravens with their pass
defense or lack thereof against the Chiefs, the Bills, everybody
else that's gonna have to deal with in the AFC. Meanwhile,
you look at Philly in the NFC, and it's not
(31:47):
as deep. I don't feel like you got the Seahawks
and Falcons at six and five leading their divisions right now.
It's not as deep as the AFC. Do you like
the Eagles in the NFC or the Ravens in the
AFC their chances to get to the Super Bowl at least?
Speaker 4 (32:05):
I mean, I think I like the Eagles because I've
seen them get to a super Bowl without Derrick Henry
as a running back in what I think at the
time might have been a deeper NFC. NFCU West is
beating itself up, and none of those teams are as
good as they've been in years past. Their own division
is a complete joke. The North is stacked, but one
(32:25):
league also has Patrick Mahomes in it, and you probably
have to go through him to get to a super Bowl.
So that's always going to be a harder path, and
you think about you think about all of that, and
the one worry I have is that I just don't
trust Nick Sirianni to make good decisions if it's tight,
because we've seen them escape with some bad decisions that
(32:47):
he's made this year already. That Saints game was a debacle,
for example, but they somehow won that game. But that
would be my concern. I don't think hardball makes that
kind of decision. Let me tell you something else that's
really weird about this year. I don't trust Justin Tucker
right now, I know it, right, Yeah, he's been bad
like this is. I don't know that we're able to
(33:10):
say that, but he's been bad. And for the first
time it's not a gimme when he goes up there
to kick a field goal. But I have seen the
Eagles in the super Bowl. I've seen them with this
quarterback in the Super Bowl and some of these skill
position guys in the Super Bowl, and you had, say
Kwon Barkley to that. So provided that they're healthy, I
(33:31):
think the NFC is weaker and not nearly as deep
or as dangerous as the AFC. So I still think
the Eagles even if I think that the Ravens have
the best unit of the four with their.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
Offense, Yeah, that's fair. I think that right now, I
would side with the Eagles in the NFC a bit
more than the Ravens in the AFC because the Eagles
have the inside track to winning their division, having a
more favorable path throughout the playoffs. Like maybe the Ravens
sneak up on the Steelers and take the division, and
(34:05):
they're in a similar situation where you know you don't
have to play maybe all of your games on the road,
Like that's that's the danger you're in. If you're a
wild card team, you might be on the road throughout
the entire playoffs and don't I don't see the Eagles
giving up that division. So yeah, I would go with
the Eagles, and plus the NFC not as deep as
(34:25):
the AFC come playoff time, so I think the Eagles
have a better chance. I'd give them better odds to
get to the super Bowl than the Ravens, but both
are live. Both their live come playoff time. I can't
wait for that game on Sunday. That should be a
tremendous matchup all right, coming up next on two Pros
and a Cup of Joe live from the tirack dot
Com studios. This guy isn't coming back, is he? I
(34:49):
will close it down in style. He's Jason Martin. I'm
Brian No. Hang with us right here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Erring and
Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
It is Fox Sports Radio. He's Jason Martin. I'm Brian No.
We're in for Two Pros and a Cup of Joe
right here live from the tire rack dot Com studios. Ay,
shortly after the show, our podcast would be going up.
If you missed anything on today's show, be sure to
check it out. Just search two Pros wherever you get
your podcasts, and then also follow rate and review that
(35:31):
bad boy you know what that help us out again?
Just search two Pros wherever you get your podcasts, and
you'll see the show posted right after we get off
the year. Okay, just a minute on this real fast,
j mart because I want to preview some of these
games coming up here. But Mike McCarthy Cowboys head coach
Jerry Jones has talked publicly about maybe bringing him back.
(35:52):
He's not coming back, is he? Is he crazy enough
to bring him back?
Speaker 4 (35:56):
I mean, it's it's very odd that Jerry Jones has
stuck with certain things so long, Like he's not a
knee jerk guy, and he's somebody that often like we
think Jason Garrett's gonna be gone, he's still there three
years later. So it's not beyond the realm of possibility
that Jerry would bring him back. But there's no reason
(36:19):
to bring him back, Like there's not there's nothing irreplaceable
about Mike McCarthy at all. I mean, I don't even
think he should have been there this year. I just
don't think he's There's nothing spectacular about him as a
head coach at all. And I don't think he's gonna
make you better. I think she got worse the second
dan Quinn left. I mean, dan Quinn would have been better.
(36:39):
You kept the wrong guy of the two if you're
gonna keep one of them. But there's just is there
anything about Mike McCarthy that says, yeah, I want that
guy as a head coach? Again, I don't think so, right, Like,
you go do something else. Yeah, get younger, get fresher,
get more dynamic Offensively, You've committed all this money to
the offense side of the ball. But then you've got
(37:01):
you know, Mike, You've got a Maka Parson saying what
he said about McCarthy. There's nobody in that locker room
seems to be behind him either. There's no reason to
do this. So I just kind of hope that, at
least for Cowboys fans, that Jerry Jones is just kind
of saying the diplomatic thing before dropping a hammer at
(37:21):
the end.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Of the year. Yeah, maybe that's the thing. The results
have been mediocre at best. I don't know why you
would just run it back with mediocrity, try to get better.
It doesn't make much sense to me. We'll see what
they do. Okay. A couple of the previews here college football.
We got some good Friday games, right, we got some
Black Friday games today I'm looking forward to. But let
(37:44):
me spend it forward to tomorrow where we get number
three Texas at number twenty Texas A and m You
think hook them gets it done? Are you calling the
upset here?
Speaker 4 (37:54):
I hope hook them gets it done because I don't
think A and M is good enough and don't want
to see them in a playoff. Want to see him
the SEC championship game, and I don't want to see
him in a playoff. Could they win a game, Yes,
I don't think that they're good enough. I just don't.
I don't have any interest in it. I don't want
them to be the flying the ointment. If there's gonna
be a team that sneaks in, don't let it be them.
So I am hoping to hook them. I think it's
(38:15):
gonna be a great atmosphere, it is cayle Field's gonna
be rocking, it's gonna be fun, and it's going to
be a test because of all that. But even though
I think they're better this year and I like what
Elco has done in year one, I'm out on A
and M being worthy of being in the college football playoffs.
So I want to see that end very very quickly
tomorrow night.
Speaker 3 (38:35):
Yeah. Yeah, it's crazy that A and M's eight and three,
they're ranked number twenty, and yet they still have like
a little little pulse. You know, you just want them
gone gone. Anything else college football wise, you're looking forward to.
I know you got your eye on my Irish over here.
Huh against USC? I about the South Carolina Clemson game?
(38:57):
What else besides hook something? You like that one?
Speaker 4 (38:59):
I definitely like that one. Tennessee Vanderbilt. Tennessee's got to win,
and Vanderbilt has been pesky and they've been pretty good
this year. And that's in Nashville, and it's going to
be super cold. There might even be flurries overnight here. Wow,
So that's gonna be one. I would say keep your
eye on. And I've already said my eye is firmly
on Georgia Tech against Georgia. Which Georgia shows up the
(39:20):
one that's been dominant recently or the one that we've
seen most of the year. So I would watch that
one too.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Good stuff. NFL wise, we know the headlining band is
Eagles v Ravens. Looking forward to that. How about Sunday night? Though,
Niners at the Bills? Is this the Niners season on
the line? Now? They're five and six, They would drop
to five and seven if they lose. Obviously, not a
ton of separation with the teams they're looking up at,
(39:50):
with the Seahawks and the Cardinals there. But look at
their remaining schedule, Jason. So they host the Bears, they
host the Rams on a Thursday, they're at Miami, they
host the Lions on a Monday night, and then they're
at Arizona. If they lose to Buffalo, it might be
a rap for them.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
I think.
Speaker 2 (40:09):
So.
Speaker 4 (40:09):
I don't think that with that schedule they can afford
to be five and seven going into it. I just don't.
I think that's too much of an ask. McCaffery hasn't
looked quite himself. They're doing with all sorts of injury,
it just doesn't look right there. You can just look
at that scenario and say, you know what, this is
not their year. They are having that Super Bowl hangover
kind of year. So no, I do think it's their
season on the line.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
It does feel like that. Well, hey, j Mark, good
to hang with you. I feel like we handled it
the right way.
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