December 13, 2017 • 50 mins
Doug gives his solution to one of the biggest problems the NFL is dealing with and it comes from something the NBA is already doing. He discusses the Cowboys in the playoff hunt without Ezekiel Elliott and what that means for Dak Prescott. Plus USC quarterback Sam Darnold joins the show to talk about their Cotton Bowl match-up against Ohio State and whether he will be leaving for the NFL at the end of the season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the best of the Doug Gottlieb Show on
Fox Sports Radio Boom of America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox
Sports Radio Live from Los Angeles midweek, and what a
great week it's been so far it will continue to
be so. Terrell Davis, Hall of Famer NFL network analysts
(00:21):
will join us upcoming in fifteen minutes. And then Sam
Donald quarterback USC Could he be playing his last game
for the Men of Troy in the upcoming bowl game
against Ohio State. We'll ask him. We'll ask him. That's
at half past this hour, So twelve thirty on the West,
three thirty on the east. Welcome in. Will you listen
(00:43):
to us on Sirius XM channel eighty three, the I
Heart Radio Apple or any of our hundreds and growing
terrestrial radio stations nationwide, Word Fox Sports, TREDO dot com,
or you're checking out the podcast Gottlip Show Podcast. Missed
any of it. However you're consuming our show, we appreciate
being part of it. Um. Look, my my goal every
day is to update you on the stories you need
(01:04):
to know about, give you my own, personal, uh slightly
educated opinion on those topics, bring in some of the
best and the brightest, either names or athletes in the business.
Interview them either about the topics of the day or
about something that's interesting to all of us. Hey, oh yeah,
by the way, along that path, I try and solve
(01:25):
the world's yours, our problems. Told you next week we're
gonna get to gift giving. Get get get to give
a giving. You'll be able to call in, tweet me,
ask me. All right, this is my this is my setup,
This is my girlfriend. This is my wife. This is
my wife and my girlfriend. Hell what should I do?
(01:45):
What should I buy? Or this is my husband, this
is my boyfriend, my boy How what should I do? Kids?
Whatever you want, we will help you with that. We
try and help. Was it yesterday the day before we
proposed a massive change to how the Heisman Trophy voting
(02:05):
is done, how the Heisman Trophy ceremony is done. Um?
Why am I bringing up solving problems when you don't
think won't exists? Because the NBA has done a phenomenal job.
Phenomenal I was watching last night. Are two really good
games on National TV, Lakers Nicks and the Timberwolves against
(02:28):
the seventies six ers one on the road. Uh, Nicks
one at home. Both games went to overtime. Young players,
the health of the league is good, is vibrant. But
if you've watched an NBA game over the past twenty
five years and you watched the first couple of cluders
of like, dude, what is up with the are they
(02:51):
all hungover? And the answer is, but it also has
to do with the attrition of playing eighty two games
and not having enough time off. And the players have
understood and the coaches in many ways have understood that
you're judge your legacy is not necessarily based upon what
(03:13):
you do in the regular season. Instead, it's what you
do in the postseason. So if you're gonna make the playoffs,
don't kill yourself over every regular season game. And so
players are starting to skip games. When you can compile
the fact that players were skipping games because they needed
to be rested, because they were overworked, and there are
(03:34):
teams that were sitting there players because they frankly wanted
to lose games so they could tank. Those two factors,
and you turn on a game on a given Tuesday
night like last night, and you might not be able
to identify any of the players who are starting for
your team, even in December, but last without a strike,
(03:58):
without a lockout. Though with a new collective Barden agreement,
the players who are all getting paid handsomely so. And
it should be pointed out that in the previous Collective
Bardening agreement, the players got absolutely murdered in negotiations, murdered.
They went from fifty seven percent of basketball revenue uh
(04:20):
generated revenue to like, it's I think it's fifty split.
Like that's getting murdered. And yet you look at James
harden salary, like what's the big deal? Like James Hardens
making forty nine million dollars, it's obviously the differences. The
owners are making even more money than they ever made before.
So in this new negotiation, they all felt like they
(04:44):
were being handsomely compensated, even though they was a wall
issue with owners in terms of percentage of revenue. With
with ownership and the NBA leadership armed with angry e ESPN,
angry Turner, angry fans over players skipping games and tanking,
(05:06):
they knew they had to make a change, and they did.
They lengthened the season by a week. They worked diligently
to improve the schedule to take away some of the
back to backs to make trips so that you don't
have a one off trip. They just made sensible scheduling right.
They did the B A s F thing. God, I
love commercials Ralmos. Do you remember the B A s
(05:28):
F commercial from probably the nineties A VHS tape will
be a s F. They did more than that that
there there um so you don't remember their not moniker,
the their their tagline. It wasn't a jingle. It was
like a tagline. Do you remember what I don't? I
just remember that Dan Buyer, do you remember? Do you
(05:50):
remember what B A s F s tagline was? We
don't make many of the things that you use. We
make the things you use better. And we don't make
video tapes. We make video tapes better. We don't make tape,
we make tape better. We don't make right. And it
was like, oh what that's the old don't work harder,
(06:10):
work smarter. The NBA did the B A SF thing.
They didn't add games, they didn't subtract games. People like, oh,
you had too many games. I don't change any of
that didn't change the for most party didn't change that.
What people were like, hey get rid of East and
West and playoffs like nah, let's just let's just make
our product better. And last night I watched the Lakers
(06:31):
and the Nicks, and because even though Tim Hardaway Jr.
Not playing with the with the stress reaction to his leg,
and even though the Lakers aren't particularly good in brandon
Ingram was frankly terrible in the game, it was a compelling,
competitive athletic game that I couldn't take my eyes off.
And I would think at least a good portion of
why these games are better, why Lebron is playing better.
(06:53):
Seventeen assists last night incredibly efficient? Is more time off
that rested. They look good. Who doesn't feel good? Like
do Bob Costas? Everybody's like man Bob Costas still bring it.
It barely works. One of the things in any business
(07:14):
is you get the balance with always wanted to be
available and work really hard, but you don't want to
work too much because then it becomes mundane and you're
not getting you're not presenting the best possible version of yourself.
And so the NBA has nailed it, which brings to
(07:35):
mind what the NFL needs to do. It's so obvious.
It's standing there people have like, look, we talked about
this last week. Two things you can count on with
Thursday Night football. One, Thursday Night football is not gonna
be great. And to whoever loses Thursday Night Football is
going to complain about Thursday Night Football. But if you
(07:59):
look at ends, they have often complained that the super Bowl,
wise super Bowl Sunday, not on President's Day weekend. Well
that's a week later. Remember there's always a built in
buffer week before the super Bowl, two weeks before the
super Bowl, right, extra weekend off. So instead of creating
(08:20):
an extra weekend off after that. The NFL one season
in the early nine I think it was, they had
two boys, You're still gonna have plenty of games for
national TV. You're gonna have a healthier, better product. And
oh yeah, by the way, you can manipulate the schedule
smartly so that any of these teams playing on Thursday
(08:43):
night are coming off of a bye, and yeah, maybe
then they get the like a double by because of it.
And my answer is, so what, your product will be better,
Your players will be happier, your employees are happier. Virgin
I believe it's virgin. Richard Branson on his Virgin right.
You know they have unlimited days off. There's no like, hey,
(09:05):
you only take like look, well as you do your work,
I don't care many days you take off. Now, that's
obviously excessive, but the idea is, forget what used to be.
We only give a guy, we only give a teams
one week off, and we want to make uh, Let's
try and get the best out of our athletes. Let's
have them have a longer career, a healthier, more successful season.
(09:28):
If our best players are out there more often, that's
better for them. They're gonna perform better, They're gonna be happier,
Our fans are gonna be happier at the product that
they're seeing. And oh yeah, by the way, fans will
then be happy and everybody think will make sense because
you can have Super Bowl Sunday and go late in
to the night and who cares you send it by
a week you go into Presidents Day weekend and everybody
(09:50):
gets a day off school, which you need anyway. We
do a lot of things in the show, all right,
but one of the things we try and do is
solve probably the NFL has a major issue on their hands,
unhappy oft injured players who are concerned about their well
being in and put up during and post career, and
(10:16):
I just saw it for you. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Doug gott Leap Show weekdays at
three p m. Easter noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the I Heart Radio app. Let's welcome in Sam
Donald from USC he joins us down on The Doug
Gotlip Show on Fox Sports Radio. Sam, do you have
a Christmas wish list? Beat the buck eyes? I'd probably
be it. That's a that's a good answer. That's a
(10:39):
good answer, Sam. No, really, seriously, do you have a
Christmas wish list? Like? Really? Come on, mom? Dad? Listening
in Sant clement A, Like, what do you get the
kid that has just about everything? Not any more USC gear.
You've got plenty of swag. You get bull swag as well, right,
cotton bowl stuff. So tell me what you want. I'm
not sure. Honestly, I haven't really put much thought into it. Uh.
(11:00):
I don't know. I got I got mostly everything that
I need in life, to be honest with you, Doug,
but I honestly have no idea. Um. I thought of you,
um this past weekend. Um, this is this is not
creepy in anyway. I know you're a big boogie boarding
more than surfer, right, And so my eight year old son,
in addition to being a football fan of football, want
to be as you know, in southern California, the weather
(11:21):
was incredible this past week is eighty five degrees and
so he's like, Dad, let's go, hit, let's go, let's go.
We went to Blackie's in Newport Beach and he's out there,
and he's out there boogie boarding with the surfers and
he's like, Deah, they say I need a fin, they
say I need fins. So here's my question, Santa is
gonna get him fins? Is there a fin or fins
you would recommend? Um? Probably Churchill's. Um, I've I've been
(11:45):
rocking Churchills for a while. Now, I actually don't, I
don't actually don't bodyboard too much. Actually went to Santoh
this last weekend. We had a little bit of time off,
and uh, some of my surfer buddies were trying to
um teach me how to surf a little bit better.
So so I of that, but um no, for for
a while, I've been rocking Churchills, So um, you should
get them those for sure. Okay, Church Hills and they
(12:07):
you're you're up crushing waves in St. Clementi. It's it's interesting.
Maybe you're superpowers as a quarterback come from years of
being down there close to Santa Ore. You know, nuclear
power plant gives you superpowers. Um, I don't know due
to the we're gonna survive the NFL drug testing, Like
you have superhuman powers because of the days uh bodyboarding
and surfing close to Santa O Free. Yeah, maybe you know,
(12:29):
it's uh, it's definitely possible. How would you characterize your season? Um?
I think there were obviously some ups and downs. Um.
I I overall thought I played pretty well and I'm
really proud of the guys honestly for the way that
we've battled all year. Um, you know, battling back from
the loss against Flawzoo and the lass against Monre Dame. Uh,
(12:50):
you know, two really tough teams that we played, and
I thought we bounced back pretty well against those teams.
And then, um, a game that I'm really proud of
is the USAW game, being down to one seven I
think a half and being able to come back. Um,
and you know, a good fashion against a great Utah team.
It was a tough game, but yeah, I think overall, Um,
just personally, I think I played pretty well. Um. Obviously
(13:13):
some turnovers in the first half of the season that
I wish I could have back, But I thought I
played pretty clean football in the second half of the year,
and um kind of got back to what I do
best and just kind of protecting the ball. And I
thought I played pretty well honestly in the last half
of the season that you see you see a game
was awesome, you know, you versus Rosen. Obviously he showed
(13:34):
his talent, you showed yours. I remember the play at
the end of the first half where you're trying to
make a play and you're scrambling around and you end
up getting tackled I don't know, three yard line or something.
The clock ran out, and you're like, uh, you know
when you probably should have found a way to just
kind of get out of bounds. What's that like when
you're back there and you're you're doing your you're doing
your you know donald thing, and you have to worry
(13:57):
about time and score and and we're the first down marker. Yeah,
I mean, that's that's something that that should have it
should have been an easy play for me to just
go back there and roll to my left and realize
nothing was really there and just throw the ball away
knowing that we don't have any time outs and the
clocks run and low. Um, maybe maybe get some points
on the bar with a field goal at the end,
(14:17):
But just trying to do too much in that situation.
But um, yeah, sometimes, um, even with some of the
turnovers that happened in the first half of the season,
and you know, in general, sometimes I can be trying
to do too much and that's something that I need
to continue to work on. But also you know, there's
a fine line between um, you know, trying to make
(14:39):
a play and doing too much. So um, it's something
that I'm going to continue to work on and grow.
And yeah, and look, and you can't be you can't
play scared, right, you can't think about every throw like
you and and you have new receiving corps for the
most part this year as well, so some of that
isn't all on you, and I know you take all
of the blame. How do you find that balance between Look,
(15:00):
I still got to make plays in order for us
to win. On the other hand, I can't turn the
football over because that's the easiest way to lose a game.
How do you find that balance? Yeah, I think I
think it just kind of comes naturally. I'm going to
continue to play football and like you said, not play scared.
And I think the best way to do that is
to just, um always just continue to play like like
myself and to just continue to do that, but at
(15:24):
the same time be smart with the football and that
that's my number one priority as a quarterback is to
take care of the football. Um. But when it plays
there to be made, I'm gonna try to make it.
Sam Donald joining us in the Doug Gottlie Show here
on Fox Sports Radio. There are many that have been
speculating about your future, whether it's at SC or in
the National Football League. How are you approaching this bowl game? Yeah,
(15:48):
I'm just continuing to prepare for a great Ohio State team, uh,
top five team in the country and um, you know,
well deserving of that, and we're continuing to prepare here
and that's that's my only worry right now. I'm I'm
not gonna worry about the NFL stuff until um after
the bowl game. I'm going to talk to my family
(16:09):
and talk to some people about that. And I think
that's just how I'm gonna go about it right now.
Just my first my only focus really is beating the Buckeyes,
all right, So I'm I'm cool with not not putting
you on the spot because it's an impossible position. But
I help us out with the like what do you
need to hear? Because I don't think there's anybody who's
(16:30):
not going to tell you you're a top five pick, right, So, like,
what is it that you want to know that you
want to hear in order to to to make the decision.
But what's what's it? What's the decision really based upon? Um?
I mean there's some stuff I need to look at.
I mean obviously, uh, just the numbers, how the numbers
at up and um, all that kind of stuff, and
(16:51):
then how I can if I do decide to stay, um,
how I can get better and all that kind of stuff,
and what what the risk is and staying what the
risk is in leaving. It's basically I'm just gonna make
a list of pros and cons, uh, whether it's staying
or whether it's leaving. So, UM, I think that's that's
how I'm gonna go about it, and um, but like
(17:11):
I said, I'm not gonna worry about it until after
the ball game. Yeah, you know it's interesting. Um, stay,
there's gonna be some changes on your coaching staff. Uh.
Obviously T Martin staying, but some other other changes in
terms of who's calling plays and who's with different positions
on the offensive side of the football. You mentioned that
you got to figure out, Hey, if I stay, what
do I have to improve on? Um, let's start with
(17:33):
the positive. What do you think you've improved on the most?
Because I do think there are people like, well, look,
you had more interceptions this year, Like, well, hold on,
just because you had more interceptions does not mean you
actually didn't play better. What do you think the one
thing or one or two things you've actually done better
so far have been I think just controlling the offense.
And that's that's one of the things that I really
wanted to get better at, and I think I did
(17:55):
a good job of that this year. Um, honestly a
better job than I did last year. Uh. Um, I
just controlled the offense pretty well. Um, had a really
good understanding and then secondly, just had a really good understanding.
I think Um, obviously I'm not um there yet with
understanding defenses and what kind of coverages they're throwing at
me and um, you know, disguising blitz is and all
(18:18):
that kind of stuff. But I definitely think I did
a better job of that this year than I did
last year, and being able to slide protection towards where
I might be hot at and all that kind of stuff. So, UM,
I did a better job this year of that as well. Um.
You know, I think, um, the numbers sometimes can be
a little misleading in terms of um all that a
(18:39):
quarterback does. And you know, we always talked about that
as quarterbacks, You've got to control the whole offense. UM.
And if there's you know, if there's a path play
up and you check to a run play and it
goes for a touchdown, you know, you're not necessarily going
to get a ton of credit for that. Um. But
you know, those are just kind of the things that
a quarterback has to do. And I think I did
a really good job that this year. UM. And as
(19:03):
I you know said, I think I'm going to continue
to get better in those areas and continue to watch
film and um, you know, learn as I continue to
grow as a quarterback. You worked on your release a bunch.
You worked on kind of changing and making your release
a little bit more concise. In the off season, some
you know, you get that kind of game slippage where
you your default back, you know, you default back to
(19:23):
your your your normal kind of throwing motion. What's that
been like working through the new release to the one
you've you've thrown with for you know, fifteen years previously, right, Um,
it's definitely it's it's been kind of a learning curve there.
I mean, uh, in the off season I worked on it,
but like like you said, during the season and during
a game, you can't really worry about your throwing motion. Uh,
(19:45):
there's there's so many other things going on, um that
I can't worry about it even you know, during practice, Um,
I gotta worry about, um what's going on and all
that kind of stuff with the offense. So, um, it's
it's hard to work on things like uh in the
during the season. But this offseason I'm going to continue
to work on it. And but yeah, it's it can
(20:06):
be hard in in the heat of the battle, I
guess you could say, all right, look, dude, they got
a nasty defensive line. Uh, Sam Donald joining us USC quarterback.
They have a nasty, nasty defensive line. And there are
some that would say, look, you're not playing for national chance.
I know you won the Rose Bowl last year and
this is the Cotton Bowl and it's a historic game.
You're gonna be a top five pick. Is there is
there any way in which you would not play this
(20:28):
game in order to protect yourself for the future. Um, no, No,
there's no way. I mean, it's it's such a big
bowl game, and uh, like you said, it's it's a huge,
such a rich tradition in in both programs. I think
just being able to I think, you know, coach coach
Clay said it to us in the meeting, it's Ohio
States team, it's our team. So that's a pretty rich tradition.
(20:52):
And I'm just excited to be able to compete against,
you know, a great Ohio State team. Like you said,
it's it's gonna be a great challenge for us to
go up against that D line and that that whole defense. So, um,
I'm really excited for the challenge. And um, we're preparing
really well right now, but it's definitely gonna be UM,
it's definitely gonna be a challenge, but I think we're
(21:13):
ready for it, and I think we're preparing really well
for it right now. It was anything like last year's
Rose Bowl. Can't wait to just watch the game and
watch you compete. In the meantime, do appreciate the heads
up on the fins to get a little dude, and
we'll we'll try and search for a product that because
you think you got everything, which is great, it's a
blessed life. I'm sure we can find you something. Sam,
thanks so much for joining us. All right, thanks, all right,
that's Sam Sam Donald from usc joining us on the
(21:36):
Doug Gotlip Show. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I
Heart Radio app. I do think that the Cowboys are
still alive. I do think that the Cowboys could be
a spoiler in the playoffs. And while the Cowboys aren't great,
remember without Ezekie Elliott two and three on the year,
(21:59):
without Ezeki Elliott five touchdowns, five interceptions for Dak Prescott.
They will get Zeke Elliott back in time for the playoffs.
Coming off suspension supposedly want to lose some weight as well.
Be lighter and he'll be fresh and he'll be arrested.
And so you look at the Cowboys and their upcoming schedule,
though not easy. Seven and six, which is the same
(22:21):
record as the Packers. Raiders on the road on Sunday night.
Then they played the Seahawks, who are massively depleted by injury.
See the Seahawks, I have a big home game this week.
Then they play the Eagles the final game of the season,
but with Nick Foles now the starting quarterback the Eagles.
The Eagles are in the playoffs and got a home
field even if they only have home build in the
(22:42):
first round. But the Eagles have a chance to have
home field throughout like they may shut it down. Like
Cowboys will be favored when their last at least last two.
Are they favored this week? Guys? Do you know? What?
Do we know? I'm looking at the thing and I
don't see a line, Dan buy, Are they favored this week?
I'm sorry? What was the matchup? Raiders? Cowboys? Oh? Cowboys
(23:02):
are about field goal favorite? Yeah, So the Cowboys will
be favored in all three of their games, and they're
gonna get zeke Yelly, Zekelly comes back next week, didn't
he Yeah? Against the Seahawks. So I mean, like, look,
they said they shout to make the playoffs, and while
I have been I've been ahead of this thing for
the season ever began that. Look, I like Dak Prescott,
(23:22):
but I'm not in love with Dak Prescott the level
that everybody else is in love or was in love.
And I think I'm very very reasonable about who he
is and what he is and how he fits into
the Cowboys kind of master plan, if you will. And
while he has been exposed as a second year quarterback
(23:44):
who might not be a superstar over the past five weeks,
it's not crazy to think that this could be the
best thing that ever happened to them. Tell you who
it relates to in a second, here's Jerry Jones. We're
just better. Frankly, Uh, it hurt us to miss Zeke,
But as far as Dac is concerned, we've got a
(24:05):
better player for having gone through this. I don't recommend
it for the Cowboys, of course, but we've got a
better player. We've got a better future because he's gone
through this period of time without ze Um. I kind
of think that's like the Celtics kind of think it's
like the Celtics, like, look, are there some bad habits
(24:27):
that you get when you don't have Gordon Hayward? Sure
are they gonna win an NBA title without Gordon Hayward now?
But it's bound the Celtics together. It's allowed Kyrie Irving
to organically become the leader, the unquestioned leader leading score
(24:48):
for the Celtics already, even though he's only been on
the Celtics for five minutes. And the master plan is
to be successful for a long period of time, not
a short period time. That's the same for the Cowboys.
Remember when when your fourth round draft pick. The Cowboys
are not actually even able to negotiate a new contract
(25:08):
for Dak Prescott until after next season, and it's after
his third year. Then they can negotiate a contracts extension.
So they'll still have they they have a and I
don't I wouldn't call him a star quarterback, but you
have a starting, franchise caliber quarterback, whatever you think of him,
at a fraction of the price, a fraction of the price,
(25:32):
But how valuable that is? As much as Zekey Elliott
is a tremendous player, and he was with the fourth
pick in the NFL draft. He's still on a rookie deal.
Like their plan is to be to load up with
players and load up with talent while they have guys
on these contracts, these two rookie second year players on
these contracts before those contracts can be redone and so
(25:59):
for the Cowboys trial by fire, like you didn't simply
take Dak Prescott out of Mississippi State and throw him
in the deep end because he was surrounded by so
many good players last year. But he had water wings
up until the last five games. And now you're like,
all right, no water wings, say swim, and he's kept
his head above waters. There two and three illness drowned,
(26:23):
but didn't drown. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Doug Gottlieb Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern
noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart
Radio app. So let's welcome in Bucky Brooks. He joins
us in studio from the NFL Networks Doug Gotlip Show,
Fox Sport trait. The big news of the day is
Aaron Rodgers is back now. Um frankly with some inside information.
(26:46):
I told you this would happen. Um, And I am
not as cautious about Aaron Rodgers re injuring that clavical
collar bone whatever you want to call it as others are.
But I didn't play in the league. Bucky did. Bucky
covers it for the n ON Network. He and um
Dania Jere might have a great podcast you should download. Uh.
If if you were advising Aaron Rodgers, if you tell
(27:07):
him come back, oh absolutely, he's your franchise quarterback. He
gives you an opportunity to make a run at a
super Bowl. And so if you're the Green Bay Packers,
you've been just trying to tread water until your guy
comes back, and because he is diligently been working to
put himself in a position to get back, you absolutely
handed the ball and you say, all right, go win
(27:28):
it for us. Okay, But I think there are some people.
The first thing is, you know he had the he
had the steel rods put in there for support and
thirteen screws, which was the second which was the surgery
that Romo had after he broke it the second time.
So I'm led to believe that it would take a
pretty substantial beating in order to break that thing again.
But also like it's a collar bone right, that's never
(27:49):
ended anybody's career, So God forbid something does happen these
next three games. Worst case scenario has the whole off
season to rehab and he'll be five me back and
ready next year. Correct. Correct. I don't think there's a
significant risk and putting them back on the field, particularly
if everyone is clear to the doctors have done it
and understand degree Packers understand this is their guy, he's
their French as quarterback. If they're gonna take any precautions,
(28:12):
they're gonna make sure they take precautions with him. I
think the big thing that you want to make sure
is not only can he spend it and do the
things that you want to see from him as a thrower,
but can he protect himself? Can he get away from rushers?
Can he find a way to really protect himself. That
would be the challenge for Aaron Rodgers, because as much
as we adore him for what he's able to do
(28:32):
as a thrower, so many of his plays come because
he's able to run around and elude and evade and improvise.
Can he still be the same player, probably not to
that same degree, but he still can be a guy
that can be a nice playmaker outside the park. And
the Vikings did have a depleted offensive line last weekend,
but the Caroline Panthers lived in that defensive backfield. How
good at full strength with Aaron Rodgers? They've kind of
(28:54):
established a little bit of a running game without him.
How good are the Packers with Rogers in your mind?
I think they're good enough to to challenge and make
a run. And the only reason because they're only a
handful of guys that can kind of tilt the skills
of balance. Aaron Rodgers can tilt the skills because he's
one of those premier players we talked about Tom Brady,
Ben Roethlisberger for the Rivers. Those guys can single handedly
(29:17):
get you win, no question. Last year though the defense,
the defensive backfield was too depleted. Last year, they couldn't
do it. Is the defense good? Like defense? You're you're
not gonna win this thing unless your defense on part?
I know that I want to get to the Patriots
in the moment, but is everything else good enough or
better than last year? No? He makes them right though
(29:39):
he's the best deodorant in football. He makes everything better
just by his his performance. His ability to make plays
allows this team to mask a lot of the flaws
that they have. They're not constructed like a traditional championship team,
but because he is so good and when he is hot,
he can erase those things. That's what everyone is hanging
all right. The Minnesota Vikings are constructed a little bit
(30:00):
more like a traditional champion team. Outstanding defense, outstanding defense.
Offensive line when healthy has been pretty good this year,
and even when they lost Alvin Cook, they've still had
a good enough running game, and case Keenum has looked
as good as he's ever looked as an NFL starting
quarterback this season. Last weekend was a disaster night. It
was on the road, they're better at home, and it
was with a line that should be healthy by the
(30:21):
end of the season. Um, how good legitimately do you
believe the Vikings will be in the playoffs? I believe
the Vikings are built to be in the winner circle.
And the reason I say they can get all the
way to the big game and maybe win it. Defensively,
they're outstanding. They can lock you down, they can rush
the passer, they can knock you around create turnovers offensively,
they found the way to piece mill and running game.
(30:43):
Uh let Tavis Murray, Jack McKinnon are giving them a
nice one to punch in the backfield. Case Keenan has
played out of his mind, but part of the reason
he's been able to play so well his receivers and
and Adam Adam Tenon doesn't get enough credit for being
a guy that is a really really good wi He's
an NFL walk god, like literally in it, like Baker
Mayfield a walk on on the Higsman Trophy. Adam Dealing
(31:05):
went to a tryout camp, like who goes to a
tryout camp? And it's one thing to like make the team,
be on special teams and get attacked like whoa Like
I was the Philadelphia Eagles cat they made the movie.
Yeah name right. I mean he's like a specialty. Is
like a fan to give a spec like that's nice.
(31:25):
He's become an elite wide receiver in the NFL, and
he was an NFL walk on. He was and I
think the thing that has lost at his pro day
when he worked out, he ran four four nine. He
has a thirty six inch vertical, So you're talking about
a guy that is a really good athlete, and I
think when he runs out people don't know what they're
about to deal with because he's faster and more athletic
than you anticipate. Dude, Yeah, I mean you put that up. Yes,
(31:49):
So because because he's out there, maybe people don't understand
how athletic he is. But he's an explosive playmaker. In
the last two years he ranks in the top five
in terms of yards of twenty catches over twenty yards
and so he's a big time playmate. He's averaging fourteen
yards of cats and between him and Stefan Diggs, they
have a nice one to punch on the outside where
(32:10):
they make case Keenum look better than he's performed because
they go and win those fifty fifty balls that normally
would be interception at Kyle Kyle Rudolph very good tight end,
pass catching tight end as well, Buckey Brooks. In the
NFL Network, Joonia stug Gotlib Show, Fox Sports Radio. Okay,
let's get to the Eagles. Um. I was talking with
cow Herd earlier today and he's like, look, Nick Foles,
as long as he's not playing for Jeff Fisher, Like
Jeff Fisher ruins everybody's everybody's number. He's just a bad
(32:34):
offensive coach, super conservative. Look what happened with Jared Goff,
Look what happened with Case Keenum, Look what happened with Foalds.
Do you buy that that the drop off between Wins
and Folds is not so great that the Eagles should
completely cancel plans for the playoffs? No, I think that
fiddle if Eagles can continue to be a super Bowl team,
not only because they're built the right way, but their
quarterback is good enough to get him there. Uh. It's
(32:55):
one of those things when you see a guy do
it once, you have to believe that he can do
it again. He went when he's seven and two touchdown
the interception ratio a few years back on the Chip Kelly,
and even though I wouldn't say that he's an m
v P caliber quarterback, he's certainly is good enough to
be a capable starter in this situation with Doug Peterson,
who knows him. Will Andy Reid probably developed him, Doug
(33:16):
had an opportunity to be around him before, so he
can build a system that emphasizes his strength and make
sure that he is in a situation to play good football.
I think Nick Foles will be okay. Will he be
able to do some of the things that Carson Wentz
was able to do. No, they'll scale back some of
the r P O s, the run pass option plays
that they were doing. They won't make him necessarily a runner,
but they still can kind of operate the way that
(33:36):
they were operating because they have a balanced roster. Running
Backs are good, wide receivers are solid. Defense can carry
it away a little bit. He just needs to manage
the game and not turn it over. And I look,
I know the Chip system is different, but Chip had
tried to have him on the move, and I know
Chip was a little frustrated, but it wasn't like he
hasn't hasn't moved back there in the pocket. Yeah, and
he can do some of those things, like some of
those things that Chip Kelly was doing. Those things still
applying this current offense. Will you want Nick Foles to
(33:59):
be a guy it is running his own read not necessarily,
but you still can run some of those concepts because
he's good at it. He's a better aff thing. He
was a really good basketball. He's a good stiff at
the quarterback I was telling guys like, he's actually a
really good basketball player. Places down in Orange County where
you should move to. Um, okay, the Dallas Cowboys. I look,
I've I've never been. I wasn't as bullish on Dac
(34:21):
early last year as other people were because he was
surrounding I consider all that talent. They had water wings right,
like he thought he was swimming, like he ain't really swimming.
And then this year, then this year they throw it.
They're like, take off the water wings, right, Tyrann Smith's gone.
Zeke Elliott's gone. He's like, whoa. Now he's kept his
head kind of above water. Might be the best thing
for him, right in terms of improving as a quarterback. Um,
(34:44):
let's say they can survive this weekend without Zeke, they
get to the playoffs. What's what is your outlook on
this version, this incarnation of the Dallas Cowboys dangerous team.
They're dangerous team because what they've finally done is going
back to the formerly that they need to do to
win games. You kind of get caught up when you
have a quarterback have a lot of success, like, yeah,
you're trying and put a little more on the shoulders
(35:05):
trying to spread it out. Hey, let's be around the
quarterback because all years, oh, it's a quarterback driven lead.
We gotta pass, we gotta pass, gotta pass. The Dallas
Cowboys are at their best when they let the running
game lead the way. Zekiel Elliott makes everyone else better.
DA's run is no longer an elite receiver. Jason Witten
is an elite receiver. They need twenty one in the
backfield because he draws and attracts the defense. They put
(35:26):
an extra defend in the box. Now Das Brian and
Jason windn't get one on one, they're able to win
in those situations. Dak Prescott can throw better because now
he's facing one on one instead of too deep coverage
split safety looks that are a little more complicated for
the quarterback. So when they return with twenty one Zeke Elliott,
they become a team that people really don't want to
(35:47):
face because they can run the ball, they can control
the clock, they can limit your possessions, and their defense
is a team that plays downhill, meaning they play really
good with the lead. If they're able to do that,
they can make it tough on anybody in the NFC.
Help me outlets Matt Ryan two years ago. He couldn't
stop turning the football over last year, everything he did
was perfect. Right. Uh, start comes in there as offensive
(36:09):
coordinator and now you see some of those turnover issues,
even red zone turnover issues start to rear their head.
But you know, now you have a healthy backfield behind them,
and they got the chance. I mean, they got opportunities
here to get to the playoffs, to beat the teams
in their division. What are your thoughts on why Matt
Ryan seemingly has regressed from last season. We any time
you have a change in the play call, it is
(36:29):
differently if we took it to a video game. We're
playing Matten. If both of us played with the New
England PAGs, you have a different style of play than
I have, just because we like different things. Sarkisian was
trying to do something very very difficult. He was trying
to jump into cal Shanahan's seat and run the offense
like cal Shanahan. They see football differently. It took him
about halfway of the season to figure out, Okay, here's
(36:51):
what I like here the players that I can feature,
this is what I can call to get those guys going.
And this is how the offense best flows with at Ryan,
he is kind of stuck in transition because as sark
is experimented with the offense, he is probably forced to
do some things that he doesn't like. Now we're seeing
this team play better because Matt Ryan and sarka on
(37:11):
the same page. The ball is getting to the players
that it should go to, and they have an opportunity
to be really good. They need to be better to
run game, a little more committed to the run game,
which Sevin Coleman and DeVante Freeman. If they can make
the running game the focal point, then it opens up
the rest of the field. For everything in the past.
It helps to have back healthy from that concussion. Let's
quickly this Bucky Brooks in then FL network, he's gonna
(37:31):
keep joining us. Let's quickly get you to dan fire
and get you and update if what's going on down
some news about some of the playoff teams. You're talking
about Packers that coach Mike McCarthy has confirming today Aaron
Rodgers will play against the Panthers. The procedure of coming off.
Iirere that that happens later in the week. But you know,
he's preparing himself for this moment like every player. I
(37:53):
mean that air is no difference. There's a there's a
process of procedure um you go through rehab. You know
from his perspective from he's always prepared himself to get
back Rogers coming back from that broken collar bone suffered
earlier this season against the Minnesota Vikings, Eagles, Sun and
zach Or it's clear concussion protocol practicing today after missing
their Week fourteen went over the Rams. NFL commissioner Roger
(38:15):
Goodells got a contract extension and apparently will be his last.
His NFL spokesperson Joe Lockhart says Goodell will step aside
after the four season that's where his contract runs through.
How Like Times says the Lakers of s LaVar Bald
the tone down as rhetoric, including his criticism of head
coach Luke Walton. Pelicans forward Anthony Davis a game time
decision for their matchup with the Bucks because of a
growing injury. It's officially one NBA All Star Weekend will
(38:38):
take place in Indianapolis, while the Miami Marlins of Delta
All Star outfielder Marcel Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals.
He hit thirty seven home runs last season and knocked
in one twenty four runs. Back to you, Doug. This
football discussion brought you by True Car. Online car shopping
can be confusing, not anymore. With True Price from True Car,
you can find you know the exact price you'll pay
(39:00):
for your next car. So visit True card enjoying more
confident car buying experience. Doug Gotlieb Show continues here on
Fox Sports Radio. UM Bucky Brooks continus to join us
from the NFL network. Let's get let's get to the
a f C. What happened the Patriots? Um? The Miami
Dolphins used the blueprint that other teams have used. Which
(39:21):
is the best way to defend the New England Patriots.
You have to be able to rush with only a
four man rush. You have to be able to play
press coverage on the outside. You gotta knock their receivers
around to disrupt the timing, and you also have to
be willing to change and vary your pre snap looks.
Tom Brady is a quarterback that has seen everything that
you could possibly see in the league, and so if
you give him a static coverage where you play like
(39:42):
toy soldiers. He's going to break it down and he's
eventually been going to come up with a solution that
Mammy Dolphins did a great job of changing. They bluffed
and bliss sometimes they fake like they were blissing and came.
Sometimes they sat back in traditional zones. Made him very,
very uncomfortable. And also with all quarterbacks, if they get hit,
they begin to change. Tom Brady got hit a couple
(40:03):
of times very early in the game. It changes the
way that he plays. It's a common thing that we've
seen when the Denver Broncos and other teams that are
Giants that look that looked like against the Giants both
times in the Super Bowl. When they hit him, he
begins to change. And so I think the interesting thing is,
now that the Miami Dolphins have put that blueprint on tape,
how many teams can copy it and how many teams
(40:25):
can execute it. That's not how the Steelers play though,
right UH. They've been trying to change. This year was
a year where they really tried to emphasize being a
little more man heavy in their coverage package. Last year
they were a team that I think ranks second in
the amount of zone Uh coverage that they played this year.
They're a little more um balanced. They play some press coverage.
They have already Burns, who's a man to man defended.
(40:45):
If they had Joe Hayden, they really will be able
to go all out and press. But they're going to
try the big thing with the Patriots when it comes
to Pittsburgh because Pittsburgh has been such a zone heavy team.
When you watch the Patriots, they like to go empty formation.
They want to have no backs in the backfield. They
want to put the running back outside of a receiver,
and they want to see what you're in. If he
looks across the line scrimmage and sees a lineback over
(41:07):
top of the running back, he knows his man coverage.
If he sees a cornerback over that running back, he
knows his own, and then he's able to check and
get into things that can exploit those coverages. You have
to be able to match up with their players playing
in different spots, and if you can't, the Newland pages
will continue to squeeze it over and over again. How
much has it change when you get drunk back? Uh,
it changes a lot because now you have to have
(41:29):
someone that can match up with Gronk, and even though
Gronk is no longer the player that he once was
in terms of the explosiveness and the athleticism, he is
so big and strong and physical that he overwhelms smaller
defensive backs. He helps them. He's Tom Brady's go to guy.
But right now what you're seeing is they missed Julian Edelman.
Julian Eedleman was the guy that was kind of Tom
Brady's security blanket in critical situations when they played man coverage,
(41:53):
Edlemann uncovered, whether it's on crossing routes, whether it's on
Jerk Ross, things where he could use his quickness to separate.
They can do that right now in their lineup. There's
only one guy that may scare you in terms of
a natural receiver, and that's Brandon Cooks. Xavian Howard did
a great job of locking him up, and so much
like in basketball, once you put that stuff on tape,
you're going to continue to see it until you show
(42:13):
you can be Okay. What does Kenny Britt They sent
Kenny Brett to UH like a two year deal, so
with him next year is Kenny Britto just got cut
by the Cleveland Browns, and I know that Greg Siano
is close to them and coach him in college. Like no,
I swear by Kenny Brett. What is what does Kenny
Britt do to that wide receiving corps? You know what?
It remains to be seen. I think the big thing
with Kenny Bree he gives him another receiver that has
(42:34):
has some success in the league. He's a big, physical receiver.
But in terms of running away from press coverage, I
don't know. I think the bigger challenge will be canny
understand what they're doing offensively, right. That was the problem
with Ocho Sinko was he didn't know what they were
supposed to do. He covered up. He covered up a
wide receiver one time. Like you can't. You can't make
those mental mistakes and play for the Patriots. Yeah, So
we'll see if Kenny Britt can kind of fall in
(42:56):
line and do the things that he needs to do.
They needed another playmate. You did trying to find playmakers.
Bill Belishick is one of the best selfie valuators that
you're find in terms of understanding what his team needs
to do, how they need to play the right on
the waiver wire two and and and so they tried
to add another piece and maybe they can find a
specific road to put Kenny Bridden to help Tom Brady. Okay,
so the matchup with the Steelers, I felt like the Shaisier.
(43:19):
Obviously it's a devastating blow for all of football, but
just for the Steelers. I feel like he's he's so
athletic and so important based upon how their defense is constructed.
I felt like that was almost a a death blow
to their defense in terms of their Super Bowl hopes.
They did win against the Ravens, but they got thirty
eight points to the Ravens. Thirty eight to the Ravens.
How how much is that was carry over from the Bengals?
(43:41):
How much you know that was a physical game. Everybody's
beat up. I mean, Bengals got their ass kicked, but
the Bears, right, Uh, so there's some carry over. But
how much of it is they don't have shais here
and that changed their defense. I think it's a little
bit of both. Obviously there was some carrier because it
was a horror hitting affair, very physical. It takes you
way to recover from those games. I think the bigger
thing may have been not only losing Ryan zero physically,
(44:01):
but emotionally. They told that they went through wondering if
their teammate was going to be able to walk again
or what kind of trouble he was in while he
was in the hospital. I think this week you get
a better effort from Distillers because now they're a little
more at peace with Ryan. She'sier situation. They've had another
few days to kind of work on how to replace
him on the inside. Yes, their replacement linebackers have to
(44:21):
step up and do the things, and they won't be
able to fully replace Ryan Zer. But I think you
will see a better effort defensively. And I think when
you kind of counter servant, how are the new patients
is going to stop to Pittsburgh Stillers Because they're dynamic,
they're explosive, they'll get ju ju, Smith Schuster back. They
have a lot of weapons that they can throw at
a Patriots secondary. They could have a tough time matching up.
(44:42):
In man from the NFL network, Let's get crazy, Let's
get absolutely nuts. Let's talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars potentially
being a super Bowl team, right, Like, been drafting good
for years. Got a bunch of dudes on that side
of the ball. Leonard four Nette offensive line. They they
they matched up to the bully last week and pounded Uh.
The seah Seahawks got a little tight late in the
(45:02):
game in terms of the play calling allowed the Seahawks
to stay in the game and Russell Wilson almost did.
But Russell Wilson does and find a way to get
victory out of the jaws of defeat. But they didn't.
Um and Blake Portle has actually been pretty good here.
Blake Boarders is an ex factor on their Super Bowl hopes.
They can run the ball against anybody. Loaded front. Leonard
for Nett is a grown man. Defensively, they're the best
(45:25):
defense in the league that they lead a league in sacks.
They have to Junkyard dogs at corner and Jalen Ramsey
and A J. Bouyer. Uh. They have alpha dogs in
the Senator defense Miles Jack and Telvin Smith. They have
everything that you want. The X factor is Blake Borders,
which Blake Borders is going to show up if the
one that has shown up the last two weeks, the
one that has turned over free that makes the players
(45:46):
that need to be made drops it into the receivers
when they're wide open. They absolutely can beat any team.
But you're scared because we've seen that other Blake Borders
show up, and if he shows up, it could be
a one and done scenario. But in terms of a
team that is built to make a run, they're built
the right way. They played great defense, they run the ball,
they can control the cloud, chew up the game. They
(46:06):
can beat Pittsburgh. We saw them beat Pittsburgh early and
some would say in their locker room, they absolutely believe
they can beat the Patriots because they practice with those
guys early in the preseason, so they have a good
feel for what the Patriots bringing. They feel like they
match up will um Chargers have a chance to make
the playoffs. They got a chance to win the division.
They got the Chiefs on the road. I think the
toughest road game of the year is when they play
(46:28):
the Raiders on at home on the thirty one December.
That's gonna be a Raiders home game. Um. How legitimate
are the Chargers as that sneaky team in the ANFC.
I think they're the best team in at a f
C West. It took them a while to find out
how they needed to play Anthony Lynn wanted to come
in and have them be a little more balanced. He
wanted to run the football. Philip Rivers wanted to be
(46:48):
a gunsling and throw it all over the yeard. So
now they figured on offense, they figured out that, look,
it's best to let seventeen have his way, throw it
all over the yard, take care of it. Then defensively,
Joey Bolston Melvin Ingram can dominate the game. Because they
can dominate it can get turn overs. That is why
they winner. Bucky Brooks. Check out his podcast alongside Daniel Jeremiah,
and of course check him out in the NFL Network. Bucky,
(47:08):
great stuff, Thanks so much. Joints in the studio. Fox
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot
com and within the I Heart Radio app. Every day
we try and play for you a portion of the
show previously on Fox Sports Radio or on Fox Sports
TV that's played on serious XM Channel eighty three, Fox
Sports Radios station. In this case, we'll take you two
(47:31):
first things first, which is Nick Wright, Chris Carter, Genna
Wolf six to nine am East Coast time, three to
six am West Coast time Nick said this about lonzo
balls performance at Madison Square Garden, was I impressed with him? No,
I have to be fair about Lonzo. Lonzo did something
last night. Seventeen points, six assists, eight rebounds. It's the
(47:56):
hundred and eleventh time that lines happened in the NBA
this year. Line is fewer points, rebounds, and assists than
Vin Simmons is averaging this season. Okay, so like, let's
just level set on what he did. I am not
out on a Lonzo ball. I have not lost hope
about Lonzo ball. People want to bring up the Jason
(48:16):
Kidd comparison, Jason Kid's rook ear. They average the exact
same points. They average, they both average a combined fourteen
rebounds and assists. They both shot about thirty three from
the field. And look what Jason Kidd turned into. So
I am not out on what what Lonzo ball can be,
but I'm going to be honest about what he is.
Last night, he was a guy who had a really
good third quarter and that's it. Uh yeah, Look he
(48:41):
caught a heater in the third quarter. Um, I thought
that Luke Walton, I don't want to say, did him
no favors but Baby did him a little bit of
a disservice by taking him out and getting Um getting
his backup, Jordan Clarkston into the game, and Clarkson a
better plus minus. Corsonably better in the first half, played
okay in the second half. And it should be should
(49:02):
also be pointed out that Um at times Alonzo struggled
with Frank nil Keena, whereas he did most of his
damage against Jared Jack, and Jared Jack is at the
end of his career, right, But I think you can
also say you don't have to compare him to Ben.
He wasn't asked to compare to Ben Simmons. We weren't
asked about this. The stat line like, Alonzo played pretty
(49:23):
well last night for a rookie. His first time played
in mass was Madison Square Garden. They lost in overtime. Um,
they had to fight back from a fourth quarter deficit,
and Alonzo was in the game when they fought back.
He did so with Brandon Ingram playing terribly one of
his worst games as a pro. And yet you know
they were right there. So I think you can say, like,
(49:44):
I don't think he's great, and I don't see the
Jason Kidd comparison, and I think Ben Simmons is better,
but I can help but be impressed by how well
he played last night, specifically in the third quarter. I
think that would be a more reasonable perspective than to
diminish it simply because the stats don't equal up to
what Ben Simmons has done. What does the Fox say
This is the best of the Doug Gottlieb Show on
Fox Sports Radio Boom of America, Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox
Sports Radio Live from Los Angeles midweek, and what a
great week it's been so far it will continue to
be so. Terrell Davis, Hall of Famer NFL network analysts
(00:21):
will join us upcoming in fifteen minutes. And then Sam
Donald quarterback USC Could he be playing his last game
for the Men of Troy in the upcoming bowl game
against Ohio State. We'll ask him. We'll ask him. That's
at half past this hour, So twelve thirty on the West,
three thirty on the east. Welcome in. Will you listen
(00:43):
to us on Sirius XM channel eighty three, the I
Heart Radio Apple or any of our hundreds and growing
terrestrial radio stations nationwide, Word Fox Sports, TREDO dot com,
or you're checking out the podcast Gottlip Show Podcast. Missed
any of it. However you're consuming our show, we appreciate
being part of it. Um. Look, my my goal every
day is to update you on the stories you need
(01:04):
to know about, give you my own, personal, uh slightly
educated opinion on those topics, bring in some of the
best and the brightest, either names or athletes in the business.
Interview them either about the topics of the day or
about something that's interesting to all of us. Hey, oh yeah,
by the way, along that path, I try and solve
(01:25):
the world's yours, our problems. Told you next week we're
gonna get to gift giving. Get get get to give
a giving. You'll be able to call in, tweet me,
ask me. All right, this is my this is my setup,
This is my girlfriend. This is my wife. This is
my wife and my girlfriend. Hell what should I do?
(01:45):
What should I buy? Or this is my husband, this
is my boyfriend, my boy How what should I do? Kids?
Whatever you want, we will help you with that. We
try and help. Was it yesterday the day before we
proposed a massive change to how the Heisman Trophy voting
(02:05):
is done, how the Heisman Trophy ceremony is done. Um?
Why am I bringing up solving problems when you don't
think won't exists? Because the NBA has done a phenomenal job.
Phenomenal I was watching last night. Are two really good
games on National TV, Lakers Nicks and the Timberwolves against
(02:28):
the seventies six ers one on the road. Uh, Nicks
one at home. Both games went to overtime. Young players,
the health of the league is good, is vibrant. But
if you've watched an NBA game over the past twenty
five years and you watched the first couple of cluders
of like, dude, what is up with the are they
(02:51):
all hungover? And the answer is, but it also has
to do with the attrition of playing eighty two games
and not having enough time off. And the players have
understood and the coaches in many ways have understood that
you're judge your legacy is not necessarily based upon what
(03:13):
you do in the regular season. Instead, it's what you
do in the postseason. So if you're gonna make the playoffs,
don't kill yourself over every regular season game. And so
players are starting to skip games. When you can compile
the fact that players were skipping games because they needed
to be rested, because they were overworked, and there are
(03:34):
teams that were sitting there players because they frankly wanted
to lose games so they could tank. Those two factors,
and you turn on a game on a given Tuesday
night like last night, and you might not be able
to identify any of the players who are starting for
your team, even in December, but last without a strike,
(03:58):
without a lockout. Though with a new collective Barden agreement,
the players who are all getting paid handsomely so. And
it should be pointed out that in the previous Collective
Bardening agreement, the players got absolutely murdered in negotiations, murdered.
They went from fifty seven percent of basketball revenue uh
(04:20):
generated revenue to like, it's I think it's fifty split.
Like that's getting murdered. And yet you look at James
harden salary, like what's the big deal? Like James Hardens
making forty nine million dollars, it's obviously the differences. The
owners are making even more money than they ever made before.
So in this new negotiation, they all felt like they
(04:44):
were being handsomely compensated, even though they was a wall
issue with owners in terms of percentage of revenue. With
with ownership and the NBA leadership armed with angry e ESPN,
angry Turner, angry fans over players skipping games and tanking,
(05:06):
they knew they had to make a change, and they did.
They lengthened the season by a week. They worked diligently
to improve the schedule to take away some of the
back to backs to make trips so that you don't
have a one off trip. They just made sensible scheduling right.
They did the B A s F thing. God, I
love commercials Ralmos. Do you remember the B A s
(05:28):
F commercial from probably the nineties A VHS tape will
be a s F. They did more than that that
there there um so you don't remember their not moniker,
the their their tagline. It wasn't a jingle. It was
like a tagline. Do you remember what I don't? I
just remember that Dan Buyer, do you remember? Do you
(05:50):
remember what B A s F s tagline was? We
don't make many of the things that you use. We
make the things you use better. And we don't make
video tapes. We make video tapes better. We don't make tape,
we make tape better. We don't make right. And it
was like, oh what that's the old don't work harder,
(06:10):
work smarter. The NBA did the B A SF thing.
They didn't add games, they didn't subtract games. People like, oh,
you had too many games. I don't change any of
that didn't change the for most party didn't change that.
What people were like, hey get rid of East and
West and playoffs like nah, let's just let's just make
our product better. And last night I watched the Lakers
(06:31):
and the Nicks, and because even though Tim Hardaway Jr.
Not playing with the with the stress reaction to his leg,
and even though the Lakers aren't particularly good in brandon
Ingram was frankly terrible in the game, it was a compelling,
competitive athletic game that I couldn't take my eyes off.
And I would think at least a good portion of
why these games are better, why Lebron is playing better.
(06:53):
Seventeen assists last night incredibly efficient? Is more time off
that rested. They look good. Who doesn't feel good? Like
do Bob Costas? Everybody's like man Bob Costas still bring it.
It barely works. One of the things in any business
(07:14):
is you get the balance with always wanted to be
available and work really hard, but you don't want to
work too much because then it becomes mundane and you're
not getting you're not presenting the best possible version of yourself.
And so the NBA has nailed it, which brings to
(07:35):
mind what the NFL needs to do. It's so obvious.
It's standing there people have like, look, we talked about
this last week. Two things you can count on with
Thursday Night football. One, Thursday Night football is not gonna
be great. And to whoever loses Thursday Night Football is
going to complain about Thursday Night Football. But if you
(07:59):
look at ends, they have often complained that the super Bowl,
wise super Bowl Sunday, not on President's Day weekend. Well
that's a week later. Remember there's always a built in
buffer week before the super Bowl, two weeks before the
super Bowl, right, extra weekend off. So instead of creating
(08:20):
an extra weekend off after that. The NFL one season
in the early nine I think it was, they had
two boys, You're still gonna have plenty of games for
national TV. You're gonna have a healthier, better product. And
oh yeah, by the way, you can manipulate the schedule
smartly so that any of these teams playing on Thursday
(08:43):
night are coming off of a bye, and yeah, maybe
then they get the like a double by because of it.
And my answer is, so what, your product will be better,
Your players will be happier, your employees are happier. Virgin
I believe it's virgin. Richard Branson on his Virgin right.
You know they have unlimited days off. There's no like, hey,
(09:05):
you only take like look, well as you do your work,
I don't care many days you take off. Now, that's
obviously excessive, but the idea is, forget what used to be.
We only give a guy, we only give a teams
one week off, and we want to make uh, Let's
try and get the best out of our athletes. Let's
have them have a longer career, a healthier, more successful season.
(09:28):
If our best players are out there more often, that's
better for them. They're gonna perform better, They're gonna be happier,
Our fans are gonna be happier at the product that
they're seeing. And oh yeah, by the way, fans will
then be happy and everybody think will make sense because
you can have Super Bowl Sunday and go late in
to the night and who cares you send it by
a week you go into Presidents Day weekend and everybody
(09:50):
gets a day off school, which you need anyway. We
do a lot of things in the show, all right,
but one of the things we try and do is
solve probably the NFL has a major issue on their hands,
unhappy oft injured players who are concerned about their well
being in and put up during and post career, and
(10:16):
I just saw it for you. Be sure to catch
live editions of The Doug gott Leap Show weekdays at
three p m. Easter noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio
and the I Heart Radio app. Let's welcome in Sam
Donald from USC he joins us down on The Doug
Gotlip Show on Fox Sports Radio. Sam, do you have
a Christmas wish list? Beat the buck eyes? I'd probably
be it. That's a that's a good answer. That's a
(10:39):
good answer, Sam. No, really, seriously, do you have a
Christmas wish list? Like? Really? Come on, mom? Dad? Listening
in Sant clement A, Like, what do you get the
kid that has just about everything? Not any more USC gear.
You've got plenty of swag. You get bull swag as well, right,
cotton bowl stuff. So tell me what you want. I'm
not sure. Honestly, I haven't really put much thought into it. Uh.
(11:00):
I don't know. I got I got mostly everything that
I need in life, to be honest with you, Doug,
but I honestly have no idea. Um. I thought of you,
um this past weekend. Um, this is this is not
creepy in anyway. I know you're a big boogie boarding
more than surfer, right, And so my eight year old son,
in addition to being a football fan of football, want
to be as you know, in southern California, the weather
(11:21):
was incredible this past week is eighty five degrees and
so he's like, Dad, let's go, hit, let's go, let's go.
We went to Blackie's in Newport Beach and he's out there,
and he's out there boogie boarding with the surfers and
he's like, Deah, they say I need a fin, they
say I need fins. So here's my question, Santa is
gonna get him fins? Is there a fin or fins
you would recommend? Um? Probably Churchill's. Um, I've I've been
(11:45):
rocking Churchills for a while. Now, I actually don't, I
don't actually don't bodyboard too much. Actually went to Santoh
this last weekend. We had a little bit of time off,
and uh, some of my surfer buddies were trying to
um teach me how to surf a little bit better.
So so I of that, but um no, for for
a while, I've been rocking Churchills, So um, you should
get them those for sure. Okay, Church Hills and they
(12:07):
you're you're up crushing waves in St. Clementi. It's it's interesting.
Maybe you're superpowers as a quarterback come from years of
being down there close to Santa Ore. You know, nuclear
power plant gives you superpowers. Um, I don't know due
to the we're gonna survive the NFL drug testing, Like
you have superhuman powers because of the days uh bodyboarding
and surfing close to Santa O Free. Yeah, maybe you know,
(12:29):
it's uh, it's definitely possible. How would you characterize your season? Um?
I think there were obviously some ups and downs. Um.
I I overall thought I played pretty well and I'm
really proud of the guys honestly for the way that
we've battled all year. Um, you know, battling back from
the loss against Flawzoo and the lass against Monre Dame. Uh,
(12:50):
you know, two really tough teams that we played, and
I thought we bounced back pretty well against those teams.
And then, um, a game that I'm really proud of
is the USAW game, being down to one seven I
think a half and being able to come back. Um,
and you know, a good fashion against a great Utah team.
It was a tough game, but yeah, I think overall, Um,
just personally, I think I played pretty well. Um. Obviously
(13:13):
some turnovers in the first half of the season that
I wish I could have back, But I thought I
played pretty clean football in the second half of the year,
and um kind of got back to what I do
best and just kind of protecting the ball. And I
thought I played pretty well honestly in the last half
of the season that you see you see a game
was awesome, you know, you versus Rosen. Obviously he showed
(13:34):
his talent, you showed yours. I remember the play at
the end of the first half where you're trying to
make a play and you're scrambling around and you end
up getting tackled I don't know, three yard line or something.
The clock ran out, and you're like, uh, you know
when you probably should have found a way to just
kind of get out of bounds. What's that like when
you're back there and you're you're doing your you're doing
your you know donald thing, and you have to worry
(13:57):
about time and score and and we're the first down marker. Yeah,
I mean, that's that's something that that should have it
should have been an easy play for me to just
go back there and roll to my left and realize
nothing was really there and just throw the ball away
knowing that we don't have any time outs and the
clocks run and low. Um, maybe maybe get some points
on the bar with a field goal at the end,
(14:17):
But just trying to do too much in that situation.
But um, yeah, sometimes, um, even with some of the
turnovers that happened in the first half of the season,
and you know, in general, sometimes I can be trying
to do too much and that's something that I need
to continue to work on. But also you know, there's
a fine line between um, you know, trying to make
(14:39):
a play and doing too much. So um, it's something
that I'm going to continue to work on and grow.
And yeah, and look, and you can't be you can't
play scared, right, you can't think about every throw like
you and and you have new receiving corps for the
most part this year as well, so some of that
isn't all on you, and I know you take all
of the blame. How do you find that balance between Look,
(15:00):
I still got to make plays in order for us
to win. On the other hand, I can't turn the
football over because that's the easiest way to lose a game.
How do you find that balance? Yeah, I think I
think it just kind of comes naturally. I'm going to
continue to play football and like you said, not play scared.
And I think the best way to do that is
to just, um always just continue to play like like
myself and to just continue to do that, but at
(15:24):
the same time be smart with the football and that
that's my number one priority as a quarterback is to
take care of the football. Um. But when it plays
there to be made, I'm gonna try to make it.
Sam Donald joining us in the Doug Gottlie Show here
on Fox Sports Radio. There are many that have been
speculating about your future, whether it's at SC or in
the National Football League. How are you approaching this bowl game? Yeah,
(15:48):
I'm just continuing to prepare for a great Ohio State team, uh,
top five team in the country and um, you know,
well deserving of that, and we're continuing to prepare here
and that's that's my only worry right now. I'm I'm
not gonna worry about the NFL stuff until um after
the bowl game. I'm going to talk to my family
(16:09):
and talk to some people about that. And I think
that's just how I'm gonna go about it right now.
Just my first my only focus really is beating the Buckeyes,
all right, So I'm I'm cool with not not putting
you on the spot because it's an impossible position. But
I help us out with the like what do you
need to hear? Because I don't think there's anybody who's
(16:30):
not going to tell you you're a top five pick, right, So, like,
what is it that you want to know that you
want to hear in order to to to make the decision.
But what's what's it? What's the decision really based upon? Um?
I mean there's some stuff I need to look at.
I mean obviously, uh, just the numbers, how the numbers
at up and um, all that kind of stuff, and
(16:51):
then how I can if I do decide to stay, um,
how I can get better and all that kind of stuff,
and what what the risk is and staying what the
risk is in leaving. It's basically I'm just gonna make
a list of pros and cons, uh, whether it's staying
or whether it's leaving. So, UM, I think that's that's
how I'm gonna go about it, and um, but like
(17:11):
I said, I'm not gonna worry about it until after
the ball game. Yeah, you know it's interesting. Um, stay,
there's gonna be some changes on your coaching staff. Uh.
Obviously T Martin staying, but some other other changes in
terms of who's calling plays and who's with different positions
on the offensive side of the football. You mentioned that
you got to figure out, Hey, if I stay, what
do I have to improve on? Um, let's start with
(17:33):
the positive. What do you think you've improved on the most?
Because I do think there are people like, well, look,
you had more interceptions this year, Like, well, hold on,
just because you had more interceptions does not mean you
actually didn't play better. What do you think the one
thing or one or two things you've actually done better
so far have been I think just controlling the offense.
And that's that's one of the things that I really
wanted to get better at, and I think I did
(17:55):
a good job of that this year. Um, honestly a
better job than I did last year. Uh. Um, I
just controlled the offense pretty well. Um, had a really
good understanding and then secondly, just had a really good understanding.
I think Um, obviously I'm not um there yet with
understanding defenses and what kind of coverages they're throwing at
me and um, you know, disguising blitz is and all
(18:18):
that kind of stuff. But I definitely think I did
a better job of that this year than I did
last year, and being able to slide protection towards where
I might be hot at and all that kind of stuff. So, UM,
I did a better job this year of that as well. Um.
You know, I think, um, the numbers sometimes can be
a little misleading in terms of um all that a
(18:39):
quarterback does. And you know, we always talked about that
as quarterbacks, You've got to control the whole offense. UM.
And if there's you know, if there's a path play
up and you check to a run play and it
goes for a touchdown, you know, you're not necessarily going
to get a ton of credit for that. Um. But
you know, those are just kind of the things that
a quarterback has to do. And I think I did
a really good job that this year. UM. And as
(19:03):
I you know said, I think I'm going to continue
to get better in those areas and continue to watch
film and um, you know, learn as I continue to
grow as a quarterback. You worked on your release a bunch.
You worked on kind of changing and making your release
a little bit more concise. In the off season, some
you know, you get that kind of game slippage where
you your default back, you know, you default back to
(19:23):
your your your normal kind of throwing motion. What's that
been like working through the new release to the one
you've you've thrown with for you know, fifteen years previously, right, Um,
it's definitely it's it's been kind of a learning curve there.
I mean, uh, in the off season I worked on it,
but like like you said, during the season and during
a game, you can't really worry about your throwing motion. Uh,
(19:45):
there's there's so many other things going on, um that
I can't worry about it even you know, during practice, Um,
I gotta worry about, um what's going on and all
that kind of stuff with the offense. So, um, it's
it's hard to work on things like uh in the
during the season. But this offseason I'm going to continue
to work on it. And but yeah, it's it can
(20:06):
be hard in in the heat of the battle, I
guess you could say, all right, look, dude, they got
a nasty defensive line. Uh, Sam Donald joining us USC quarterback.
They have a nasty, nasty defensive line. And there are
some that would say, look, you're not playing for national chance.
I know you won the Rose Bowl last year and
this is the Cotton Bowl and it's a historic game.
You're gonna be a top five pick. Is there is
there any way in which you would not play this
(20:28):
game in order to protect yourself for the future. Um, no, No,
there's no way. I mean, it's it's such a big
bowl game, and uh, like you said, it's it's a huge,
such a rich tradition in in both programs. I think
just being able to I think, you know, coach coach
Clay said it to us in the meeting, it's Ohio
States team, it's our team. So that's a pretty rich tradition.
(20:52):
And I'm just excited to be able to compete against,
you know, a great Ohio State team. Like you said,
it's it's gonna be a great challenge for us to
go up against that D line and that that whole defense. So, um,
I'm really excited for the challenge. And um, we're preparing
really well right now, but it's definitely gonna be UM,
it's definitely gonna be a challenge, but I think we're
(21:13):
ready for it, and I think we're preparing really well
for it right now. It was anything like last year's
Rose Bowl. Can't wait to just watch the game and
watch you compete. In the meantime, do appreciate the heads
up on the fins to get a little dude, and
we'll we'll try and search for a product that because
you think you got everything, which is great, it's a
blessed life. I'm sure we can find you something. Sam,
thanks so much for joining us. All right, thanks, all right,
that's Sam Sam Donald from usc joining us on the
(21:36):
Doug Gotlip Show. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at Fox sports Radio dot com and within the I
Heart Radio app. I do think that the Cowboys are
still alive. I do think that the Cowboys could be
a spoiler in the playoffs. And while the Cowboys aren't great,
remember without Ezekie Elliott two and three on the year,
(21:59):
without Ezeki Elliott five touchdowns, five interceptions for Dak Prescott.
They will get Zeke Elliott back in time for the playoffs.
Coming off suspension supposedly want to lose some weight as well.
Be lighter and he'll be fresh and he'll be arrested.
And so you look at the Cowboys and their upcoming schedule,
though not easy. Seven and six, which is the same
(22:21):
record as the Packers. Raiders on the road on Sunday night.
Then they played the Seahawks, who are massively depleted by injury.
See the Seahawks, I have a big home game this week.
Then they play the Eagles the final game of the season,
but with Nick Foles now the starting quarterback the Eagles.
The Eagles are in the playoffs and got a home
field even if they only have home build in the
(22:42):
first round. But the Eagles have a chance to have
home field throughout like they may shut it down. Like
Cowboys will be favored when their last at least last two.
Are they favored this week? Guys? Do you know? What?
Do we know? I'm looking at the thing and I
don't see a line, Dan buy, Are they favored this week?
I'm sorry? What was the matchup? Raiders? Cowboys? Oh? Cowboys
(23:02):
are about field goal favorite? Yeah, So the Cowboys will
be favored in all three of their games, and they're
gonna get zeke Yelly, Zekelly comes back next week, didn't
he Yeah? Against the Seahawks. So I mean, like, look,
they said they shout to make the playoffs, and while
I have been I've been ahead of this thing for
the season ever began that. Look, I like Dak Prescott,
(23:22):
but I'm not in love with Dak Prescott the level
that everybody else is in love or was in love.
And I think I'm very very reasonable about who he
is and what he is and how he fits into
the Cowboys kind of master plan, if you will. And
while he has been exposed as a second year quarterback
(23:44):
who might not be a superstar over the past five weeks,
it's not crazy to think that this could be the
best thing that ever happened to them. Tell you who
it relates to in a second, here's Jerry Jones. We're
just better. Frankly, Uh, it hurt us to miss Zeke,
But as far as Dac is concerned, we've got a
(24:05):
better player for having gone through this. I don't recommend
it for the Cowboys, of course, but we've got a
better player. We've got a better future because he's gone
through this period of time without ze Um. I kind
of think that's like the Celtics kind of think it's
like the Celtics, like, look, are there some bad habits
(24:27):
that you get when you don't have Gordon Hayward? Sure
are they gonna win an NBA title without Gordon Hayward now?
But it's bound the Celtics together. It's allowed Kyrie Irving
to organically become the leader, the unquestioned leader leading score
(24:48):
for the Celtics already, even though he's only been on
the Celtics for five minutes. And the master plan is
to be successful for a long period of time, not
a short period time. That's the same for the Cowboys.
Remember when when your fourth round draft pick. The Cowboys
are not actually even able to negotiate a new contract
(25:08):
for Dak Prescott until after next season, and it's after
his third year. Then they can negotiate a contracts extension.
So they'll still have they they have a and I
don't I wouldn't call him a star quarterback, but you
have a starting, franchise caliber quarterback, whatever you think of him,
at a fraction of the price, a fraction of the price,
(25:32):
But how valuable that is? As much as Zekey Elliott
is a tremendous player, and he was with the fourth
pick in the NFL draft. He's still on a rookie deal.
Like their plan is to be to load up with
players and load up with talent while they have guys
on these contracts, these two rookie second year players on
these contracts before those contracts can be redone and so
(25:59):
for the Cowboys trial by fire, like you didn't simply
take Dak Prescott out of Mississippi State and throw him
in the deep end because he was surrounded by so
many good players last year. But he had water wings
up until the last five games. And now you're like,
all right, no water wings, say swim, and he's kept
his head above waters. There two and three illness drowned,
(26:23):
but didn't drown. Be sure to catch live editions of
The Doug Gottlieb Show weekdays at three p m. Eastern
noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart
Radio app. So let's welcome in Bucky Brooks. He joins
us in studio from the NFL Networks Doug Gotlip Show,
Fox Sport trait. The big news of the day is
Aaron Rodgers is back now. Um frankly with some inside information.
(26:46):
I told you this would happen. Um, And I am
not as cautious about Aaron Rodgers re injuring that clavical
collar bone whatever you want to call it as others are.
But I didn't play in the league. Bucky did. Bucky
covers it for the n ON Network. He and um
Dania Jere might have a great podcast you should download. Uh.
If if you were advising Aaron Rodgers, if you tell
(27:07):
him come back, oh absolutely, he's your franchise quarterback. He
gives you an opportunity to make a run at a
super Bowl. And so if you're the Green Bay Packers,
you've been just trying to tread water until your guy
comes back, and because he is diligently been working to
put himself in a position to get back, you absolutely
handed the ball and you say, all right, go win
(27:28):
it for us. Okay, But I think there are some people.
The first thing is, you know he had the he
had the steel rods put in there for support and
thirteen screws, which was the second which was the surgery
that Romo had after he broke it the second time.
So I'm led to believe that it would take a
pretty substantial beating in order to break that thing again.
But also like it's a collar bone right, that's never
(27:49):
ended anybody's career, So God forbid something does happen these
next three games. Worst case scenario has the whole off
season to rehab and he'll be five me back and
ready next year. Correct. Correct. I don't think there's a
significant risk and putting them back on the field, particularly
if everyone is clear to the doctors have done it
and understand degree Packers understand this is their guy, he's
their French as quarterback. If they're gonna take any precautions,
(28:12):
they're gonna make sure they take precautions with him. I
think the big thing that you want to make sure
is not only can he spend it and do the
things that you want to see from him as a thrower,
but can he protect himself? Can he get away from rushers?
Can he find a way to really protect himself. That
would be the challenge for Aaron Rodgers, because as much
as we adore him for what he's able to do
(28:32):
as a thrower, so many of his plays come because
he's able to run around and elude and evade and improvise.
Can he still be the same player, probably not to
that same degree, but he still can be a guy
that can be a nice playmaker outside the park. And
the Vikings did have a depleted offensive line last weekend,
but the Caroline Panthers lived in that defensive backfield. How
good at full strength with Aaron Rodgers? They've kind of
(28:54):
established a little bit of a running game without him.
How good are the Packers with Rogers in your mind?
I think they're good enough to to challenge and make
a run. And the only reason because they're only a
handful of guys that can kind of tilt the skills
of balance. Aaron Rodgers can tilt the skills because he's
one of those premier players we talked about Tom Brady,
Ben Roethlisberger for the Rivers. Those guys can single handedly
(29:17):
get you win, no question. Last year though the defense,
the defensive backfield was too depleted. Last year, they couldn't
do it. Is the defense good? Like defense? You're you're
not gonna win this thing unless your defense on part?
I know that I want to get to the Patriots
in the moment, but is everything else good enough or
better than last year? No? He makes them right though
(29:39):
he's the best deodorant in football. He makes everything better
just by his his performance. His ability to make plays
allows this team to mask a lot of the flaws
that they have. They're not constructed like a traditional championship team,
but because he is so good and when he is hot,
he can erase those things. That's what everyone is hanging
all right. The Minnesota Vikings are constructed a little bit
(30:00):
more like a traditional champion team. Outstanding defense, outstanding defense.
Offensive line when healthy has been pretty good this year,
and even when they lost Alvin Cook, they've still had
a good enough running game, and case Keenum has looked
as good as he's ever looked as an NFL starting
quarterback this season. Last weekend was a disaster night. It
was on the road, they're better at home, and it
was with a line that should be healthy by the
(30:21):
end of the season. Um, how good legitimately do you
believe the Vikings will be in the playoffs? I believe
the Vikings are built to be in the winner circle.
And the reason I say they can get all the
way to the big game and maybe win it. Defensively,
they're outstanding. They can lock you down, they can rush
the passer, they can knock you around create turnovers offensively,
they found the way to piece mill and running game.
(30:43):
Uh let Tavis Murray, Jack McKinnon are giving them a
nice one to punch in the backfield. Case Keenan has
played out of his mind, but part of the reason
he's been able to play so well his receivers and
and Adam Adam Tenon doesn't get enough credit for being
a guy that is a really really good wi He's
an NFL walk god, like literally in it, like Baker
Mayfield a walk on on the Higsman Trophy. Adam Dealing
(31:05):
went to a tryout camp, like who goes to a
tryout camp? And it's one thing to like make the team,
be on special teams and get attacked like whoa Like
I was the Philadelphia Eagles cat they made the movie.
Yeah name right. I mean he's like a specialty. Is
like a fan to give a spec like that's nice.
(31:25):
He's become an elite wide receiver in the NFL, and
he was an NFL walk on. He was and I
think the thing that has lost at his pro day
when he worked out, he ran four four nine. He
has a thirty six inch vertical, So you're talking about
a guy that is a really good athlete, and I
think when he runs out people don't know what they're
about to deal with because he's faster and more athletic
than you anticipate. Dude, Yeah, I mean you put that up. Yes,
(31:49):
So because because he's out there, maybe people don't understand
how athletic he is. But he's an explosive playmaker. In
the last two years he ranks in the top five
in terms of yards of twenty catches over twenty yards
and so he's a big time playmate. He's averaging fourteen
yards of cats and between him and Stefan Diggs, they
have a nice one to punch on the outside where
(32:10):
they make case Keenum look better than he's performed because
they go and win those fifty fifty balls that normally
would be interception at Kyle Kyle Rudolph very good tight end,
pass catching tight end as well, Buckey Brooks. In the
NFL Network, Joonia stug Gotlib Show, Fox Sports Radio. Okay,
let's get to the Eagles. Um. I was talking with
cow Herd earlier today and he's like, look, Nick Foles,
as long as he's not playing for Jeff Fisher, Like
Jeff Fisher ruins everybody's everybody's number. He's just a bad
(32:34):
offensive coach, super conservative. Look what happened with Jared Goff,
Look what happened with Case Keenum, Look what happened with Foalds.
Do you buy that that the drop off between Wins
and Folds is not so great that the Eagles should
completely cancel plans for the playoffs? No, I think that
fiddle if Eagles can continue to be a super Bowl team,
not only because they're built the right way, but their
quarterback is good enough to get him there. Uh. It's
(32:55):
one of those things when you see a guy do
it once, you have to believe that he can do
it again. He went when he's seven and two touchdown
the interception ratio a few years back on the Chip Kelly,
and even though I wouldn't say that he's an m
v P caliber quarterback, he's certainly is good enough to
be a capable starter in this situation with Doug Peterson,
who knows him. Will Andy Reid probably developed him, Doug
(33:16):
had an opportunity to be around him before, so he
can build a system that emphasizes his strength and make
sure that he is in a situation to play good football.
I think Nick Foles will be okay. Will he be
able to do some of the things that Carson Wentz
was able to do. No, they'll scale back some of
the r P O s, the run pass option plays
that they were doing. They won't make him necessarily a runner,
but they still can kind of operate the way that
(33:36):
they were operating because they have a balanced roster. Running
Backs are good, wide receivers are solid. Defense can carry
it away a little bit. He just needs to manage
the game and not turn it over. And I look,
I know the Chip system is different, but Chip had
tried to have him on the move, and I know
Chip was a little frustrated, but it wasn't like he
hasn't hasn't moved back there in the pocket. Yeah, and
he can do some of those things, like some of
those things that Chip Kelly was doing. Those things still
applying this current offense. Will you want Nick Foles to
(33:59):
be a guy it is running his own read not necessarily,
but you still can run some of those concepts because
he's good at it. He's a better aff thing. He
was a really good basketball. He's a good stiff at
the quarterback I was telling guys like, he's actually a
really good basketball player. Places down in Orange County where
you should move to. Um, okay, the Dallas Cowboys. I look,
I've I've never been. I wasn't as bullish on Dac
(34:21):
early last year as other people were because he was
surrounding I consider all that talent. They had water wings right,
like he thought he was swimming, like he ain't really swimming.
And then this year, then this year they throw it.
They're like, take off the water wings, right, Tyrann Smith's gone.
Zeke Elliott's gone. He's like, whoa. Now he's kept his
head kind of above water. Might be the best thing
for him, right in terms of improving as a quarterback. Um,
(34:44):
let's say they can survive this weekend without Zeke, they
get to the playoffs. What's what is your outlook on
this version, this incarnation of the Dallas Cowboys dangerous team.
They're dangerous team because what they've finally done is going
back to the formerly that they need to do to
win games. You kind of get caught up when you
have a quarterback have a lot of success, like, yeah,
you're trying and put a little more on the shoulders
(35:05):
trying to spread it out. Hey, let's be around the
quarterback because all years, oh, it's a quarterback driven lead.
We gotta pass, we gotta pass, gotta pass. The Dallas
Cowboys are at their best when they let the running
game lead the way. Zekiel Elliott makes everyone else better.
DA's run is no longer an elite receiver. Jason Witten
is an elite receiver. They need twenty one in the
backfield because he draws and attracts the defense. They put
(35:26):
an extra defend in the box. Now Das Brian and
Jason windn't get one on one, they're able to win
in those situations. Dak Prescott can throw better because now
he's facing one on one instead of too deep coverage
split safety looks that are a little more complicated for
the quarterback. So when they return with twenty one Zeke Elliott,
they become a team that people really don't want to
(35:47):
face because they can run the ball, they can control
the clock, they can limit your possessions, and their defense
is a team that plays downhill, meaning they play really
good with the lead. If they're able to do that,
they can make it tough on anybody in the NFC.
Help me outlets Matt Ryan two years ago. He couldn't
stop turning the football over last year, everything he did
was perfect. Right. Uh, start comes in there as offensive
(36:09):
coordinator and now you see some of those turnover issues,
even red zone turnover issues start to rear their head.
But you know, now you have a healthy backfield behind them,
and they got the chance. I mean, they got opportunities
here to get to the playoffs, to beat the teams
in their division. What are your thoughts on why Matt
Ryan seemingly has regressed from last season. We any time
you have a change in the play call, it is
(36:29):
differently if we took it to a video game. We're
playing Matten. If both of us played with the New
England PAGs, you have a different style of play than
I have, just because we like different things. Sarkisian was
trying to do something very very difficult. He was trying
to jump into cal Shanahan's seat and run the offense
like cal Shanahan. They see football differently. It took him
about halfway of the season to figure out, Okay, here's
(36:51):
what I like here the players that I can feature,
this is what I can call to get those guys going.
And this is how the offense best flows with at Ryan,
he is kind of stuck in transition because as sark
is experimented with the offense, he is probably forced to
do some things that he doesn't like. Now we're seeing
this team play better because Matt Ryan and sarka on
(37:11):
the same page. The ball is getting to the players
that it should go to, and they have an opportunity
to be really good. They need to be better to
run game, a little more committed to the run game,
which Sevin Coleman and DeVante Freeman. If they can make
the running game the focal point, then it opens up
the rest of the field. For everything in the past.
It helps to have back healthy from that concussion. Let's
quickly this Bucky Brooks in then FL network, he's gonna
(37:31):
keep joining us. Let's quickly get you to dan fire
and get you and update if what's going on down
some news about some of the playoff teams. You're talking
about Packers that coach Mike McCarthy has confirming today Aaron
Rodgers will play against the Panthers. The procedure of coming off.
Iirere that that happens later in the week. But you know,
he's preparing himself for this moment like every player. I
(37:53):
mean that air is no difference. There's a there's a
process of procedure um you go through rehab. You know
from his perspective from he's always prepared himself to get
back Rogers coming back from that broken collar bone suffered
earlier this season against the Minnesota Vikings, Eagles, Sun and
zach Or it's clear concussion protocol practicing today after missing
their Week fourteen went over the Rams. NFL commissioner Roger
(38:15):
Goodells got a contract extension and apparently will be his last.
His NFL spokesperson Joe Lockhart says Goodell will step aside
after the four season that's where his contract runs through.
How Like Times says the Lakers of s LaVar Bald
the tone down as rhetoric, including his criticism of head
coach Luke Walton. Pelicans forward Anthony Davis a game time
decision for their matchup with the Bucks because of a
growing injury. It's officially one NBA All Star Weekend will
(38:38):
take place in Indianapolis, while the Miami Marlins of Delta
All Star outfielder Marcel Ozuna to the St. Louis Cardinals.
He hit thirty seven home runs last season and knocked
in one twenty four runs. Back to you, Doug. This
football discussion brought you by True Car. Online car shopping
can be confusing, not anymore. With True Price from True Car,
you can find you know the exact price you'll pay
(39:00):
for your next car. So visit True card enjoying more
confident car buying experience. Doug Gotlieb Show continues here on
Fox Sports Radio. UM Bucky Brooks continus to join us
from the NFL network. Let's get let's get to the
a f C. What happened the Patriots? Um? The Miami
Dolphins used the blueprint that other teams have used. Which
(39:21):
is the best way to defend the New England Patriots.
You have to be able to rush with only a
four man rush. You have to be able to play
press coverage on the outside. You gotta knock their receivers
around to disrupt the timing, and you also have to
be willing to change and vary your pre snap looks.
Tom Brady is a quarterback that has seen everything that
you could possibly see in the league, and so if
you give him a static coverage where you play like
(39:42):
toy soldiers. He's going to break it down and he's
eventually been going to come up with a solution that
Mammy Dolphins did a great job of changing. They bluffed
and bliss sometimes they fake like they were blissing and came.
Sometimes they sat back in traditional zones. Made him very,
very uncomfortable. And also with all quarterbacks, if they get hit,
they begin to change. Tom Brady got hit a couple
(40:03):
of times very early in the game. It changes the
way that he plays. It's a common thing that we've
seen when the Denver Broncos and other teams that are
Giants that look that looked like against the Giants both
times in the Super Bowl. When they hit him, he
begins to change. And so I think the interesting thing is,
now that the Miami Dolphins have put that blueprint on tape,
how many teams can copy it and how many teams
(40:25):
can execute it. That's not how the Steelers play though,
right UH. They've been trying to change. This year was
a year where they really tried to emphasize being a
little more man heavy in their coverage package. Last year
they were a team that I think ranks second in
the amount of zone Uh coverage that they played this year.
They're a little more um balanced. They play some press coverage.
They have already Burns, who's a man to man defended.
(40:45):
If they had Joe Hayden, they really will be able
to go all out and press. But they're going to
try the big thing with the Patriots when it comes
to Pittsburgh because Pittsburgh has been such a zone heavy team.
When you watch the Patriots, they like to go empty formation.
They want to have no backs in the backfield. They
want to put the running back outside of a receiver,
and they want to see what you're in. If he
looks across the line scrimmage and sees a lineback over
(41:07):
top of the running back, he knows his man coverage.
If he sees a cornerback over that running back, he
knows his own, and then he's able to check and
get into things that can exploit those coverages. You have
to be able to match up with their players playing
in different spots, and if you can't, the Newland pages
will continue to squeeze it over and over again. How
much has it change when you get drunk back? Uh,
it changes a lot because now you have to have
(41:29):
someone that can match up with Gronk, and even though
Gronk is no longer the player that he once was
in terms of the explosiveness and the athleticism, he is
so big and strong and physical that he overwhelms smaller
defensive backs. He helps them. He's Tom Brady's go to guy.
But right now what you're seeing is they missed Julian Edelman.
Julian Eedleman was the guy that was kind of Tom
Brady's security blanket in critical situations when they played man coverage,
(41:53):
Edlemann uncovered, whether it's on crossing routes, whether it's on
Jerk Ross, things where he could use his quickness to separate.
They can do that right now in their lineup. There's
only one guy that may scare you in terms of
a natural receiver, and that's Brandon Cooks. Xavian Howard did
a great job of locking him up, and so much
like in basketball, once you put that stuff on tape,
you're going to continue to see it until you show
(42:13):
you can be Okay. What does Kenny Britt They sent
Kenny Brett to UH like a two year deal, so
with him next year is Kenny Britto just got cut
by the Cleveland Browns, and I know that Greg Siano
is close to them and coach him in college. Like no,
I swear by Kenny Brett. What is what does Kenny
Britt do to that wide receiving corps? You know what?
It remains to be seen. I think the big thing
with Kenny Bree he gives him another receiver that has
(42:34):
has some success in the league. He's a big, physical receiver.
But in terms of running away from press coverage, I
don't know. I think the bigger challenge will be canny
understand what they're doing offensively, right. That was the problem
with Ocho Sinko was he didn't know what they were
supposed to do. He covered up. He covered up a
wide receiver one time. Like you can't. You can't make
those mental mistakes and play for the Patriots. Yeah, So
we'll see if Kenny Britt can kind of fall in
(42:56):
line and do the things that he needs to do.
They needed another playmate. You did trying to find playmakers.
Bill Belishick is one of the best selfie valuators that
you're find in terms of understanding what his team needs
to do, how they need to play the right on
the waiver wire two and and and so they tried
to add another piece and maybe they can find a
specific road to put Kenny Bridden to help Tom Brady. Okay,
so the matchup with the Steelers, I felt like the Shaisier.
(43:19):
Obviously it's a devastating blow for all of football, but
just for the Steelers. I feel like he's he's so
athletic and so important based upon how their defense is constructed.
I felt like that was almost a a death blow
to their defense in terms of their Super Bowl hopes.
They did win against the Ravens, but they got thirty
eight points to the Ravens. Thirty eight to the Ravens.
How how much is that was carry over from the Bengals?
(43:41):
How much you know that was a physical game. Everybody's
beat up. I mean, Bengals got their ass kicked, but
the Bears, right, Uh, so there's some carry over. But
how much of it is they don't have shais here
and that changed their defense. I think it's a little
bit of both. Obviously there was some carrier because it
was a horror hitting affair, very physical. It takes you
way to recover from those games. I think the bigger
thing may have been not only losing Ryan zero physically,
(44:01):
but emotionally. They told that they went through wondering if
their teammate was going to be able to walk again
or what kind of trouble he was in while he
was in the hospital. I think this week you get
a better effort from Distillers because now they're a little
more at peace with Ryan. She'sier situation. They've had another
few days to kind of work on how to replace
him on the inside. Yes, their replacement linebackers have to
(44:21):
step up and do the things, and they won't be
able to fully replace Ryan Zer. But I think you
will see a better effort defensively. And I think when
you kind of counter servant, how are the new patients
is going to stop to Pittsburgh Stillers Because they're dynamic,
they're explosive, they'll get ju ju, Smith Schuster back. They
have a lot of weapons that they can throw at
a Patriots secondary. They could have a tough time matching up.
(44:42):
In man from the NFL network, Let's get crazy, Let's
get absolutely nuts. Let's talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars potentially
being a super Bowl team, right, Like, been drafting good
for years. Got a bunch of dudes on that side
of the ball. Leonard four Nette offensive line. They they
they matched up to the bully last week and pounded Uh.
The seah Seahawks got a little tight late in the
(45:02):
game in terms of the play calling allowed the Seahawks
to stay in the game and Russell Wilson almost did.
But Russell Wilson does and find a way to get
victory out of the jaws of defeat. But they didn't.
Um and Blake Portle has actually been pretty good here.
Blake Boarders is an ex factor on their Super Bowl hopes.
They can run the ball against anybody. Loaded front. Leonard
for Nett is a grown man. Defensively, they're the best
(45:25):
defense in the league that they lead a league in sacks.
They have to Junkyard dogs at corner and Jalen Ramsey
and A J. Bouyer. Uh. They have alpha dogs in
the Senator defense Miles Jack and Telvin Smith. They have
everything that you want. The X factor is Blake Borders,
which Blake Borders is going to show up if the
one that has shown up the last two weeks, the
one that has turned over free that makes the players
(45:46):
that need to be made drops it into the receivers
when they're wide open. They absolutely can beat any team.
But you're scared because we've seen that other Blake Borders
show up, and if he shows up, it could be
a one and done scenario. But in terms of a
team that is built to make a run, they're built
the right way. They played great defense, they run the ball,
they can control the cloud, chew up the game. They
(46:06):
can beat Pittsburgh. We saw them beat Pittsburgh early and
some would say in their locker room, they absolutely believe
they can beat the Patriots because they practice with those
guys early in the preseason, so they have a good
feel for what the Patriots bringing. They feel like they
match up will um Chargers have a chance to make
the playoffs. They got a chance to win the division.
They got the Chiefs on the road. I think the
toughest road game of the year is when they play
(46:28):
the Raiders on at home on the thirty one December.
That's gonna be a Raiders home game. Um. How legitimate
are the Chargers as that sneaky team in the ANFC.
I think they're the best team in at a f
C West. It took them a while to find out
how they needed to play Anthony Lynn wanted to come
in and have them be a little more balanced. He
wanted to run the football. Philip Rivers wanted to be
(46:48):
a gunsling and throw it all over the yeard. So
now they figured on offense, they figured out that, look,
it's best to let seventeen have his way, throw it
all over the yard, take care of it. Then defensively,
Joey Bolston Melvin Ingram can dominate the game. Because they
can dominate it can get turn overs. That is why
they winner. Bucky Brooks. Check out his podcast alongside Daniel Jeremiah,
and of course check him out in the NFL Network. Bucky,
(47:08):
great stuff, Thanks so much. Joints in the studio. Fox
Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation.
Catch all of our shows at Fox sports Radio dot
com and within the I Heart Radio app. Every day
we try and play for you a portion of the
show previously on Fox Sports Radio or on Fox Sports
TV that's played on serious XM Channel eighty three, Fox
Sports Radios station. In this case, we'll take you two
(47:31):
first things first, which is Nick Wright, Chris Carter, Genna
Wolf six to nine am East Coast time, three to
six am West Coast time Nick said this about lonzo
balls performance at Madison Square Garden, was I impressed with him? No,
I have to be fair about Lonzo. Lonzo did something
last night. Seventeen points, six assists, eight rebounds. It's the
(47:56):
hundred and eleventh time that lines happened in the NBA
this year. Line is fewer points, rebounds, and assists than
Vin Simmons is averaging this season. Okay, so like, let's
just level set on what he did. I am not
out on a Lonzo ball. I have not lost hope
about Lonzo ball. People want to bring up the Jason
(48:16):
Kidd comparison, Jason Kid's rook ear. They average the exact
same points. They average, they both average a combined fourteen
rebounds and assists. They both shot about thirty three from
the field. And look what Jason Kidd turned into. So
I am not out on what what Lonzo ball can be,
but I'm going to be honest about what he is.
Last night, he was a guy who had a really
good third quarter and that's it. Uh yeah, Look he
(48:41):
caught a heater in the third quarter. Um, I thought
that Luke Walton, I don't want to say, did him
no favors but Baby did him a little bit of
a disservice by taking him out and getting Um getting
his backup, Jordan Clarkston into the game, and Clarkson a
better plus minus. Corsonably better in the first half, played
okay in the second half. And it should be should
(49:02):
also be pointed out that Um at times Alonzo struggled
with Frank nil Keena, whereas he did most of his
damage against Jared Jack, and Jared Jack is at the
end of his career, right, But I think you can
also say you don't have to compare him to Ben.
He wasn't asked to compare to Ben Simmons. We weren't
asked about this. The stat line like, Alonzo played pretty
(49:23):
well last night for a rookie. His first time played
in mass was Madison Square Garden. They lost in overtime. Um,
they had to fight back from a fourth quarter deficit,
and Alonzo was in the game when they fought back.
He did so with Brandon Ingram playing terribly one of
his worst games as a pro. And yet you know
they were right there. So I think you can say, like,
(49:44):
I don't think he's great, and I don't see the
Jason Kidd comparison, and I think Ben Simmons is better,
but I can help but be impressed by how well
he played last night, specifically in the third quarter. I
think that would be a more reasonable perspective than to
diminish it simply because the stats don't equal up to
what Ben Simmons has done. What does the Fox say
Host
Doug Gottlieb
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